Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis agent Blake Baratz talks NFL free agency, Aaron Rodgers rumors
The Minnesota Vikings’ roster is taking shape after a flurry of signings during NFL free agency.
What’s it like to work behind the scenes during one of the busiest weeks of the football calendar?
Blake Baratz working the phones in his downtown Minneapolis office might bring to mind the 1990s Tom Cruise vehicle “Jerry Maguire.”
“Free agency is always chaotic, but it’s like an organized chaos,” Baratz said.
He started Team IFA, which represents about 60 NFL and college football players.
NFL teams officially started signing free agents last week. But Baratz says he talks all year with teams to become familiar with their needs and what they think of his clients.
He says negotiating deals is like solving a jigsaw puzzle.
“Where do we think salary cap cuts will be made? What teams are the best fit and scheme?” Baratz said. “Every client has a different priority list. Some guys want to make the most amount of money. Some guys want to win.”
Baratz helped Jonathan Allen get both, in becoming one of the Vikings’ new, big-money signings. Fans can expect to love the defensive lineman.
“He’s just a great dude. He’s an old soul, extremely mature, he’s competitive, he’s a great teammate, he’s selfless. He’s a dog on the field,” Baratz said.
Baratz compares Allen’s attitude and professionalism to another one of his clients: former Vikings receiver Adam Thielen.
“He fits in really well culture-wise. They’ve got a lot of good guys in that locker room,” Baratz said.
WCCO had to ask Baratz about the speculation surrounding Aaron Rodgers and the Vikings.
“I don’t know if I would bet on it, but there’s a chance honestly,” He said.
MANCHESTER, Iowa — A Minnesota man has been arrested in Manchester after police say he attempted to meet someone he believed was a minor for sexual activity.
The Manchester Police Department said Robert Fenn Eselby III, 23, of Minneapolis was arrested Feb. 27 following an undercover investigation.
According to police, Eselby contacted an undercover officer posing as a juvenile through several social media platforms. Authorities said he was informed multiple times that the person he was communicating with was underage.
Investigators say Eselby sent explicit photos and videos and later arranged to travel to Manchester to meet the supposed minor for sexual activity.
Police said Eselby was taken into custody immediately after arriving in Manchester and was transported to the Delaware County Jail.
Authorities also said Eselby allegedly attempted to ask an arresting officer out on a date during the booking process.
Eselby faces one count of grooming, a Class D felony, and one count of disseminating obscene material to a minor, a serious misdemeanor.
Court records show he remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
What exactly is a data center and why are so many being proposed across Minnesota? Professor Manjeet Rege, chair of Software Engineering and Data Science and director of the Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence at the University of St. Thomas, joins us to explain how these massive facilities store and process the world’s data and what the economic, environmental, and infrastructure questions are as Minnesota considers hosting more of them.
MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis is ranked among the American cities with the most people in financial distress nationwide, according to a recent analysis by WalletHub.
The personal finance website, which defines financial distress as having a credit account in forbearance or with deferred payments, looked at the country’s 100 largest cities without data limitations across nine metrics, including average credit score, change in bankruptcy filings year-over-year, and share of people with accounts in distress.
Minneapolis came in 44th on the list, between Stockton, California, at 43rd and Fresno, California, at 45th, according to the ranking.
Nationwide, the cities with the most people in financial distress were Chicago at No. 1, Houston at No. 2 and Las Vegas at No. 3, the ranking said.
“Getting out of the downward spiral of financial distress is no easy feat,” according to WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo.
“You may get temporary relief from your lenders by not having to make payments, but all the while interest will keep building up, making the debt even harder to pay off. People who find themselves in financial distress should budget carefully, cut non-essential expenses, and pursue strategies like debt consolidation or debt management to get their situation under control.”
Read more from WalletHub.
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