Ed Kleven, R.I.P.

Every now and then, Shank will write a column devoid of negativity, pettiness, second guessing and / or character assassination. Today, we get such a column.

Agent Ed Kleven died Wednesday night at the age of 72 after a long battle with multiple sclerosis and leukemia.

Probably you have never heard of Ed. But you know his work. You know his clients and friends. They have peppered and painted the sports landscape around these parts since the mid 1970s.

Eddie negotiated with George Steinbrenner and Howard Hughes. He represented Tony Conigliaro, John Havlicek, Bucky Dent, Gorman Thomas, and Richie Hebner. While rolling his wheelchair around the halls of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in December, he wrapped up a new ESPN deal for the great Tim Kurkjian.

If you surmised that the subject of said column is not an owner or a member of a local professional sports team, you're correct.