Pro Athletes Who Served Our Country

As I participated in the Grand Opening of a homeless Veterans shelter by the Volunteers of America in Detroit I couldn't help but think about pro athletes who took their game beyond the field or court to serve in our military. Many doing so during the pinnacle of their pro sports careers.

Throughout history, many professional athletes have departed their sport during wartime to serve their country including greats like: Hank Greenburg, Ted Williams, Yogi Berra, and Bob Feller. Others have chosen to serve during times of peace but motivated by their desire to simply serve. These athletes include: Roger Staubach, Jackie Robinson, and David Robinson to name a few.

Arguably, the most famous icon of recent pro athletes who have militarily served our country is Pat Tillman. Moved by the events of 9/11 Tillman left the comparably comfortable lifestyle of an NFL player for life as an U.S. Army Ranger in Afghanistan, ultimately providing the largest sacrifice possible with the loss of his life.

So as we hear about the battles of NFL and NBA players and owners, on this Veteran's Day let's not forget those who have truly battled for our safety and freedom...our Vets.

You can find out more about me, my best-selling book, and services at:

www.kurtadavid.com

Image IS Everything!

The Merriam-Webster dictionary describes the word image as, "a mental picture or impression of something," but for the professional athlete this same word can be described as money.

Far beyond the stadium, arena, mat, and ring extends the athletes image. And for manufacturers and vendors, the further this image extends the more it is worth in potential endorsement deals. Case in point, U.S. Gold Medal Olympian, Michael Phelps, who in some reports has made approximately $5 million annually in endorsements. After a record breaking eight Gold Medals in Beijing in 2008, some speculators pushed this figure in excess of $40 million. "What is the value of eight gold medals in Beijing before a prime time audience," asked Phelps' agent, Peter Carlisle. "I'd say $100 million over the course of his lifetime," Carlisle added. But Phelps image has marred by posting of photo images since, drastically dropping his agent's projected value.

Endorsement deals exceed an athlete's professional sport income in some cases. Two who have solidified this fact include Tiger Woods and NBA phenom, LeBron James. With worldwide recognition, Woods possesses a reported $40 million deal with Nike while James boasts a $90 million deal with this same company, as well.

Hall of Fame baseball player, Cal Ripken, Jr. has warded off the idea of modeling underwear in favor of sporting a milk moustache. Today, he wards off hair replacement companies looking to play off his image.

Image is money.

So beyond the stadium, arena, mat, and ring it is imperative for a professional athlete to realize and tap into the value of their image. Pulling down a multi-million dollar endorsement deal may not be realistic for a second-string NFL quarterback, but $10,000 to shoot a car dealer ad in his hometown could be. And as we know, it all ads up. One endorsement can lead to yet another, as the exposure of your image gets put more and more out there.

Take advantage of this small window of opportunity while possessing your peak celebrity status and if you're lucky, it could linger past the glory days.

So you see....Image IS Everything!

To find out more about me, my book, and my services go to: www.fromglorydays.com

Bo Knows Banks?

Over two decades after the legendary marketing campaign that promoted multi-sport athlete Bo Jackson's ability to 'Know Everything' it appears the former NFL and MLB player really may know more than the advertisements gave him credit.

"Bo knows football!"
"Bo knows baseball!"
"Bo knows tennis!"
"Bo knows cycling!"
"Bo even knows cricket!"

This was some of the promotional knowledge attributed to this athletic great, but as of recent we can add another....

"Bo knows banking!"

Yes, it appears the seemingly superhuman Bo Jackson now knows banking. These days you can find the 48 year old Jackson in the Chicago suburbs director of the Burr Ridge Bank & Trust. Further research indicates this is not the first time he's been involved in the banking industry as he worked as a bank teller during his days at Auburn. "I can't go tomorrow and run the financial district...But you learn something every meeting," Jackson stated.

Jackson ended his professional sports career as a Chicago White Sox and apparently hasn't looked back since, exploring acting and many other ventures before his recent involvement into the banking industry. Since, Bo Jackson has been known as a devoted family man spending time with his wife and three adult children. For someone so prominently covered by the media it's amazing that he's never had trouble with the law or been caught in any scandals which is a testament to his character. Perhaps, something the banking industry now desperately needs.

Perhaps now, we can say..."Bo Really Does Know Banking!" And can expect him to have success with it.

You can find out more about me, my best-selling book, and services at: www.fromglorydays.com

RIP Jim Northrup

Yesterday afternoon I received a call from Jim Northrup's wife with the sad news of his passing. After traveling and appearing together for signings for many years I've become quite endeared by this iconic man who was not shy to share his opinion on things.

I first met Jim approximately seven years ago at a deli on Telegraph Road in Southfield in order to interview him for my book, "FROM GLORY DAYS." Knowing his humble beginnings on a farm in mid-Michigan only made his humble post-athletic life unsurpising to me, which included a stint in the cattle business with one of the first companies involved in artifical insemination according to Jim. This 1968 World Champion Detroit Tiger was even offered a job as a foreman in a coal mine in Georgia but quickly returned to Michigan when he discovered the position required carrying a pistol on his hip in order to "keep unruly workers in line," he stated.

I'm saddened by his passing, especially for his wife and children, and also saddened by the loss of a different generation of iconic professional athletes. A generation when you negotiated your own contracts with general managers, you worked a 'real job' during the off-season in order to fend for your family (Jim once told me his highest salary was approximately $35,000 not $35 million as we may be accustomed to in Major League Baseball today), and where 'team' and 'family' really did have great meaning.

Jim Northrup, who was actually kicked off his college baseball team, ended his professional baseball career based on the needs of his family and the difficulties traveling from them proved to override his desire to play.

Jim spent the final years of his life surrounded by his wife and young children, 'guarding the house' as he would call it when they were off to work or school.

I will miss Jim and the many laughs he provided me with his direct opinions and no-holds-bar humor. But more importantly, our baseball community will miss another icon from a passing generation of champions who've exemplified what a professional champion should be.

RIP Jim Northrup!!!

Here's a clip from my recent TV interview with Jim, which was not short on many laughs...which is just the way I'd like to remember him.

www.youtube.com/fromglorydays

EA$Y COME, EA$Y GO

Many people place a lot of emphasis on the income of professional athletes, and rightfully so. But what many people don't realize is the tremendous 'change' which occurs after a pro athletes extremely brief peak earning period.

As I've mentioned in many of my presentations, 'I don't care how much money you make....taking over a 90% pay cut is a major lifestyle change no matter how high your previous income.' This pay decrease is exactly what occurs when an athlete transitions from professional athletics and sometimes more. As an easy example; let's say a professional baseball player makes the MLB league average of about $3.2 million dollars a year for two years (about the average length of a pro athlete's career). Let's say this athlete was extremely smart and saved 20% of that income (rare, but let's dream a little), giving him approximately $1.28 million in the bank. At 4% this athlete could generate about $51,200 annually from interest...quite a far-cry from their $3.2 million salary, but a decent income for many nonetheless. Let's say this athlete finds some type of sales position and makes the entry-level average income for sales positions of $30-$100k per year (many athletes choose this type of position because of name recognition and their former pro status opens many doors). At 24 or 25 years of age their income realistically goes from $3.2 million to $81,200-$151,200 per year...which is a 95%-98% decrease in salary following their pro sports career.

No wonder there is a laundry list of former pro athletes who are now bankrupt and the exit stats are sobering.

- 100% of professional athletes ultimately experience job termination
- 25% of NFL players are bankrupt within the first year out
- 60% of NBA players are broke within five years
- over 75% of NFL players are broke within two years
- up to 80% experience divorce

I'll be the first to admit not ALL of the financial troubles haunting former professional athletes comes from the practical sense and extreme loss of income. Many an athlete have made poor decisions or entrusted people such as the case of former NBA player Latrell Sprewell who turned down a $30 million contract extension toward the end of his career simply because it wasn't enough and stated, "I have a family to feed...(they) better cough up some money. Otherwise, you're going to see these kids in one of those Sally Struthers commercials soon." (referring to the ChildFund International commercials for deprived children around the world) The upper management didn't offer him one more cent and he became quickly unemployed with many possessions, including his yacht, repossessed by federal marshals and two homes foreclosed on. The ultimate example of poor money management and direction still reigns with boxer, Mike Tyson, who reportedly earned over $400 million during his boxing career spending almost every penny of it and eventually losing most of the possessions purchased with it.

So whether a pro athlete is really 'good' with their money or not, the substantial loss of income poses some practical and adverse challenges following their pro sports careers and warrants as much emphasis as the attention provided to those extravagant incomes.

You can find out more about me, my best-selling book, TV show, and services at:
www.fromglorydays.com

$ Money Isn't Everything $

Money isn't everything.... or is it? As another symbolic 'tax day' comes and go I thought it appropriate to talk about money and pro sports (as many athletes may be writing large checks to the IRS).

With the NFL veteran minimum over $800,000 annually, NHL team caps over $50 million, the top annual NBA salaries over $19 million, and some select MLB contracts approaching the moon, money does appear to be a focal point in professional athletics. But what many people don't realize is that many professional athletes only make a fraction of these well-publicized salaries. The median professional athletes' salary in the United States is $28,567 as reported by a CNN Money report. Let me clarify, this median is based on ALL professional athletics in America, which includes everything from gymnastics, swimming, bowling, all the way to the major sports of football, basketball, baseball, and hockey. Hard to believe it is so low, isn't it? Especially since the majority of the contracts we read and hear about in media are astronomical.

Former Tennessee Titan quarterback, Vince Young, is well above this median salary when he signed a $58 million contract some years back. So what's my point?

My point is this... This is the same Vince Young who returned to his University of Texas alma mater in order to complete his remaining academic requirements so he can graduate with a Social Work degree. You might ask, why on earth would a professional athlete with a $58 million contract go back for his Social Work degree? Is it because he read the same CNN Money report and noticed the median salary for a social worker is $13,586 higher than a professional athlete? (I'm not kidding, its in the same salary report) Maybe he felt it might give him something to fall back on if this professional athlete thing didn't work out?

I highly doubt it.

So why on earth would this premiere athlete say "no" to all of the other things he could do with his free time in order to focus on his studies. Well, to express the reason accurately, I believe it needs to come directly from Vince Young, himself. "It's not about the money and fame," Young said. "It's about education." He went on to explain that he wouldn't feel comfortable talking to kids about the importance of education if he didn't complete his own.

So whether it be the pursuit of education, lucrative business, charity, or whatever...Money truly isn't the only factor to being a professional athlete. Many current and former professional athletes would support Vince Young's thinking and indicate it in my book, FROM GLORY DAYS - Successful Transitions of Professional Detroit Athletes.

You can find out more about me and my book at: www.fromglorydays.com

Still got your fight?

Something I've learned through my experience as a professional athlete, the research for my book & TV show, and my consulting work with world class athletes is.....you need to work for everything you get. Rarely, if at all are opportunities simply handed to you as an athlete, and the higher you go...the more you need to fight and work and take success when provided the chance.

This said, its encouraging to see certain athletes maintain this level of 'fight' even following their high caliber sports' careers. The best transitioning athletes apply this principle into the next phase of their lives in order to find SUCCESS again.

This couldn't be more evident or literally true than in the case of former football standout, Herschel Walker. The former NFL and college star recently took his 'fight' into a Mixed Martial Arts ring in San Jose, California...at 48 years old....knocking his opponent silly until the referee stepped in at the 3:13 mark of the first round in order to save him from further pounding. This fight now makes Walker 2-0 in MMA competition, as he looks to move forward with this career. Walker's first victory came when he physically took over someone 20 years his youth.

"MMA is my love," Walker stated when asked about a possible NFL return.

Herschel Walker's MMA exploits certainly add to an already unbelievable athletic resume. A decorated career at the University of Georgia, college Hall of Fame, Heisman Trophy winner, 15 seasons of professional football, and even an Olympic appearance on the U.S. Bobsled team.

Though, I certainly wouldn't recommend a MMA career for every former professional athlete, Herschel Walker has flat-out proven he still maintains a lot of 'fight' for his continued success. Something perhaps we could all take a lesson from....

You can find out more about my best-selling book, TV show, and consulting at: www.fromglorydays.com

SuperBig after the SuperBowl

This week is arguably the largest single sporting event of the year. As I read a large number of pre-SuperBowl articles I found an article which talked about the large concerns for the large number of NFL linemen who were prone to a large number of significant health issues, like enlarged hearts and other cardiovascular diseases.

Imagine that! These large professional athletes, known for their elaborate physical conditioning and disciplined carnal workouts now facing heart disease. It just didn't make sense....until I read on.

Linemen, being the largest of the NFL crew, typically tip the scales between 300 - 350 pounds (that's minus their equipment). It is a position that encourages weight gains and girth. If NFL linemen were totally subject to the Body Mass Index (BMI) used by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, they would all be classified as obese. Thank goodness they don't abide by that index, but their risk factor for metabolic issues increases substantially because of their larger body size. These metabolic syndromes include such issues as an enlarged heart, sleep apnea, abdominal obesity, and high blood pressure.

To top it off, many of these athletes leave with chronic joint and bone injuries, because of the nature of the game, making any type of exercising after their retirement next to impossible. Fifty-five percent of NFL linemen have a metabolic condition compared to twenty-two percent of other retired professional athletes.

Man, are you sure you still want to be an NFL lineman? Of course you do, but it's important to be aware of the many issues and pitfalls that can sub come ALL professional athletes, especially once those glory days are gone.

Remember my credo..... 100% OF PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES ULTIMATELY EXPERIENCE JOB TERMINATION? Whether it be 15 years or 15 days, a professional athlete's career will eventually be over.

Going from an NFL linemen, larger than life, to simply large would be an adjustment for anyone. In addition to the potential physical ailments there is; bankruptcy and divorce, often a lack of purpose and depression, incomplete education and career planning, and the list can go on. Always keep in the back of your mind that being a professional athletes is only temporary. It will eventually end and it's important to have a PLAN or least an idea before it gets to that point. A PLAN that addresses the physical, emotional, and practical part of this transition.

And with increased health risks for NFL linemen, it appears that the larger the athlete the larger the need for a PLAN. A large paycheck simply isn't enough to address the larger issues that can occur.

My SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION PLAN FOR PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES addresses the emotional, financial, and physical issues that arise from a transition out of professional sports. The twenty featured former professional athletes found in my book, FROM GLORY DAYS, have once again found success by using traits that I now use in my PLAN.

Stay tuned for more discussion in future posts. In the meantime, visit our website to find out more about me and my book. www.fromglorydays.com