William "Tank" Black

William H. Black (known by the nickname “Tank”) (born March 11, 1957) is a former sports agent. Black was an assistant coach for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks before starting his Columbia, South Carolina-based sports agency, Professional Management Incorporated (PMI) in 1988. His first client was former Gamecocks wide receiver Sterling Sharpe, a first-round draft pick by the Green Bay Packers in 1988.

Black’s career peaked in April 1999 when he set a new record for a single agent by signing five of that year’s 31 first-round NFL draft picks, plus three second round draft picks. Within a year he had been accused of improperly funneling cash to college players, and became implicated in a money laundering case, a Ponzi investment scheme, and allegations by the Securities and Exchange Commission that he was involved in a stock swindle. In a plea agreement, he admitted to money laundering and obstruction of justice charges, and lost a criminal trial on charges of stock fraud by the Securities and Exchange Commission. In 2004, while serving nearly seven years in prison, he represented himself in his appeal of the SEC-related case and won, effectively clearing himself of allegations that he cheated clients. He was released from prison in December 2007.

William H. Black, Jr. was born on March 11, 1957 in Johnson City, Tennessee, to William H. Black, Sr. and Thelma Brown. His father nicknamed him “Tank” because of his son’s unusual birth weight (11 pounds) and broad head.

Black joined the coaching staff at University of Tennessee-Chattanooga in 1980, and in 1983, became a wide receiver coach at University of South Carolina, and the school’s top recruiter. In 1987, Black left the program after he was passed over for a promised promotion to offensive coordinator in favor of Atlanta Falcons assistant coach Al Groh, who was white. South Carolina’s then-athletic director, Bob Marcum, denied that race played a role.

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