As I sit here watching the ESPN 30/30 special on the SMU “Pay For Play” scandal, I think back to my friendship with one of the key figures, briefly touched on, who was also promised by SMU, took, felt betrayed and spoke out.

In 1985, I was a 2nd year law student at The University Of Pittsburgh. I had made a couple trips to Dallas during summer breaks to visit my brother Mark who had moved there several years earlier.  My knowledge of Dallas for the most part consisted of the television show namesake and the Dallas Cowboys who I hated being a die-hard Pittsburgh Steelers fan. I had only a vague understanding that Southern Methodist University existed.

One evening, I was  working out at the local gym, having a tough workout as I struggled to get the selected weight up.  All of a sudden, the weights rose with ease.  I looked back and standing behind the machine, helping me with my set was this huge “marshmallow man” looking guy with a smile on his face. When I say huge, I am talking 300+ lbs. A combination of fat and muscle that to me resembled a giant marshmallow.  He urged me through my set and introduced himself as Sean Stopperich.

We struck up a friendly conversation while we worked out. He mentioned that he had gone to high school at Cannon-MacMillon which was a suburban Pittsburgh high school not far from Mt. Lebanon High were I went to school. He had played football and wrestled. He related that had been attending school in Dallas but had left there and  enrolled at Temple University for that next fall. He hoped to play in their football program.

I mentioned that my brother Mark lived in Dallas. I was thinking of moving there and was driving down that next week to visit him.  Sean asked if he could tag along and volunteered to drive.  We packed up Sean’s Honda Civic and hit the road.  We may have set a land speed record covering the 1200 mile distance from Pittsburgh to Dallas in 15 hours.  Blazing across interstate 40  through Arkansas at 104 miles an hour we were pulled over by a State Trooper. I was terrified, thinking we were going to be spending our night in “Small-Town Beatdown” USA.  To my surprise the trooper simply gave Sean a ticket and told him to slow down.  The moment we were back on the road and the trooper was out of sight,  Sean, rolled down his window, laughed and said, ” I ain’t coming back to Arkansas”.  He ripped up the ticket and tossed it out the window.  Unfortunately for Sean, I neglected to tell him that I could not operate a standard transmission.  When he got tired,  we pulled into a rest area to give me a crash course in the use of a stick.  Unfortunately I was not a quick learner.  He decided that we would get there quicker if he sucked it up and drove the entire way.

During the trip, Sean talked about his involvement in the scandal.  While he did not relate too many specifics, he told me he had been given Five Thousand Dollars to sign a letter of intent and his father Carl had been promised a job and housing. The only other thing he said was that he hurt his knee and that after that, “it went bad for him and his family”  He also mentioned that his mother was forced to start working as a cleaning lady to make ends meet.  Sean was however, looking forward to attending school at Temple and thought he would do well in their football program.

We got to  Dallas and the 1st thing we did was pull into a  Jack In The Box.  I remember that Sean spent about 30 dollars on his own order of many burgers and a milk shake.  I had never seen anyone spend 30 dollars on their own fast food order.  I was in awe.  When we arrived at my brother’s place, I was hyped to go out and party. Sean was very cautious, telling me that he had to avoid the SMU campus as well as the local bars. It still did not really hit me why he was so worried about running into those who attended SMU.  Sean simply said that the troubles he related to me during the drive down had rendered him extremely unpopular on campus, especially within the athletic program.  He just wanted to  quietly visit a few friends he still had in the area.  Sean was so worried about being seen by people who were invovled with SMU, he was even afraid to go to the Mall.  I ran errands for him to get him what he needed.

Despite Sean’s fear of being recognized, we had a great time hanging out with my brother and his friends.  Sean and I became good friends. Close enough that he asked me to help him inject steroids.  It was my first exposure to steroids and the 1st and last time I ever stuck a needle in another guy’s buttocks.  I remember him telling me it was stuff they gave to horses.

We never talked about his involvement in the SMU scandal again. We returned to Pittsburgh and continued to work out together through the summer and fall until he left for Temple.  We stayed in touch sporadically after that. Not long after he enrolled, he  told me he was involved in a car crash, sustaining football career ending injuries.

Sean died in 1995 of a drug overdose. Ironically, the same fate as David Stanley, who was featured in the 30/30 special. It  saddens me that even today, so long after the scandal and years after his death, he is still vilified by people, many who were not even born or were in their single digits when the events occurred.

I knew Sean and and can tell you he was a fun loving, nice, compassionate kid who came from nothing yet had what seemed at the time like everything dangled in front of not only him but his family.  Tough pressure for a teenager.  Tough for anyone.

Former NBA stars Antoine Walker and Derrick Coleman are Broke.  The Real Deal, Evander Holyfield stared into the financial abyss although it appears he is getting his finances under control.  Just a few of the high profile athlete having to scale back his lifestyle to the level to which you have I have been accustomed.  The list is long and distinguished. Why is it that athletes who seem to have everything are often completely unable to control anything related to finances?

We all played our violins to death when we heard of Latrell Sprewell’s financial troubles. On Halloween 2004, Sprewell, who was in the final season of a $62-million five-year contract with the New York Knicks, said he was insulted by the Minnesota Timberwolve’s offer of a contract extension that was reportedly worth between $27 million and $30 million for three seasons. Sprewell stated, “I’ve got my family to feed.” That quote become a national moniker for the public perception of athletes as greedy, out of touch individuals. Apparently, Sprewell still can’t feed his family. His yacht was  repossessed and his home faced foreclosure.

While there is certainly the stereotype of the financially irresponsible NBA athlete, no professional sport is immune.

Let’s take a look at some high profile athlete financial sob stories over the years:

1. No one my age can forget Jack”The Ripper” Clark , star player for the Boston Red Sox who filed for bankruptcy in 1992 in the middle of his second year of a three-year, $8.7 million contract with Boston; he listed $6.7 million in debts. Jack was a master of financial planning and prudent asset acquisition. His bankruptcy petition listed assets such as 18 automobiles, including a 1990 Ferrari that cost $717,000 and three 1992 Mercedes Benz cars costing between $103,000 and $143,000. He owed money on 17 of the automobiles and was liable for about $400,000 in Federal and state taxes. He had also lost about $1 million in a drag-racing venture. Sounds like Jack would have been more at home in the NBA. You can read about it here

2. Johnny Unitas, Hall of Fame quarterback for the Baltimore Colts, filed for bankruptcy in 1991 citing numerous failed business ventures in his petition These failed bits included bowling alleys, land deals and restaurants. He filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1991.

3. Mike Tyson The name speaks for itself. Mike’s bankruptcy was highly publicized. Despite earning hundreds of millions during his boxing career, Mike kept it simple. His bankruptcy petition simply stated: ” I am unable to pay my bills”. According to federal court records, his liabilities totaled about $27 million. You can read that story here.

4. Dorothy Hamill, the women’s figure-skating gold medalist in the 1976 Winter Games, filed for bankruptcy after a series of financial setbacks. Hamill said she has experienced financial setbacks as a result of poor financial investment advice and management.

These are just a few of many athletes’ tales of woe. It is not a phenomenon limited to professional sports — just ask M.C Hammer. Prior to his declaring bankruptcy, it was made public that his day to day living expenses far exceeded his income of $33 million. If I am going to veer off to celebrities, I certainly have to mention Kim Basinger and Michael Jackson and Nicholas Cage.

When the Toronto Star ran an article alleging that a shocking 60 percent of NBA athletes “go broke” five years after retiring, did we not all pull out that very tiny violin we have reserved for such occasions? The NBA players union and the NBA have both disputed that assertion. The article goes on to talk about all the people taking advantage of and “scamming” these athletes. While I have no doubt there is truth to this, I can also understand how such a generalization would make the NBA uncomfortable. It leaves you with the impression that 60 percent of NBA players are not only financially inept but also idiots in general. This is simply not true. While good business sense is often lacking, I view many of their mistakes as being more mistakes of trust, credibility and lack of life experience than anything else. Smart, busy people who can afford it, hire people with targeted expertise to help them. This allows them to focus on their expertise. Sometime mistakes are made and bad judgment is used in who we hire and hang out with. That is not unique to the NBA or professional sports. This happens to everyone. That is life. It happens all the time. It just does not make front page when we screw up. If there is any question at all as to how badly we as the general public screw up, just look at the personal bankruptcy filing statistics.

In order to get a perspective from the inside, I contacted Jordan Woy, a highly respected sports agent and a principal in the sports marketing/management firm of Schlegel Sports. Jordan has represented numerous high profile athletes

Here is what Jordon had to say:

I think there are several reasons why so many athletes “go broke”. First, whether it is a lottery winner, an athlete or a star entertainer, if they are not equipped with the knowledge on how to make and save money they are in trouble. When they didn’t earn it through disciplined business practices and they don’t have those skills they usually go through it quickly. Most lottery winners or athletes make a great deal of money in a short period of time. They start spending it on things that only go down in value (cars, jewelry, partying, entourage, etc) and start to evaporate the money they do have. They can carry this off until they stop earning big money. This is when the trouble starts. It is hard to believe that MC Hammer, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and now Ed McMahon are broke. These are people who earned hundreds of millions over time and it disappeared. Lavish spending and entourages were probably the downfall for the first three for sure.

Most athletes play for four to ten years if they are lucky. After they pay taxes (can be 40 to 50%) and agent fees and buy their first homes, cars, outfits, jewelry (plus, cars, clothes and jewelry for friends and family), they are left with very little. When they first “strike it rich” all of their longtime friends and family expect help. Most athletes feel obligated to help everyone out at first then they wise up. They also want to keep up with their teammates. If someone buys a Bentley, they have to buy one; if someone buys a $75,000 watch, they have to buy one to keep up the appearance. Then, of course, when the career ends and they are still living in a multi million dollar house, driving 3 expensive cars (and insurance), traveling in private planes and taking Limo’s when they go out on the town, reality sets in. The money dries up very quickly.

However, if athletes educate themselves, learn money management skills and make smart, safe investments along the way, they are usually in very good shape. After representing athletes for over 20 years, we call this our “life plan”. We take out clients on working vacations in the off season to places like Las Vegas, Cancun and on a cruise to the Bahamas to learn business networking. We have people from industries such as real estate, oil and gas, financial planning, credit repair, asset protection/estate planning, etc come to educate the players and their wives so they can learn about these business and also determine if they are interested in any of these industries for life after sports. One of the financial planners who comes always says most people die coming down from Mt. Everest not going up. The goal is for these athletes to get to their Mt. Everest AND to get down safely.

So, what do you think? Are the financial mistakes that athletes make any different than your mistakes or mine? They are certainly mistakes made with a higher downside. When we hear these stories are we just unable to comprehend that someone could have that much money and spend it all? Can we learn lessons on how to live our lives from their highly publicized financial gaffes? Do we even care at all?

With all due respect to Latrell Sprewell, we have our own families to feed…

I am a huge Pittsburgh Pirates fan.  I was born and raised in Pittsburgh.  My earliest memory of seeing a game is being taken by my father to see the Pirates play Tom Seaver and the New York Mets at Forbes Field in 1969.  In 1972, I remember, 11 years old,  sitting in front my television, watching the Pirates take a lead into the 9th inning, thinking we were going to the World Series, only to see Johnny Bench homer in the bottom of the 9th  to tie Game 5 of the playoffs. I bawled  when George Foster scored on a wild pitch to send The Big Red Machine to the World Series instead of the Pirates.

The 1970′s were great years for the Pirates and fans alike.  They were in contention practically every year. They won two World Series Championships in 1971 and 1979.  I loved going to games.  I often went with my two brothers.  Back in those days double headers prevalent.  My older brother would take me and my younger brother to a doubleheader. We would however first stop at the local deli for a corned beef sandwich, not to eat at the game, but to bribe the guard at the entrance to the box field seats to lets us in on our general admission tickets.  We would take the seats of those who had only stayed for the 1st game of the doubleheader.  I miss those days.  The glory days of The Pirates and my love for baseball.

My allegiance did not end with the good times.  I faithfully attended games through the Three Rivers Stadium wasteland of the 80′s.  The Pirates were not a good team but with the exception of a couple years they were never terrible. What was terrible was attendance. Pittsburgh as a city was struggling economically.  I remember attending games were there could not have been more than a few thousand in the stands.  Those days also seem like grand old times as I watch the ownership wasteland that is now the Pittsburgh Pirates.

It is a wasteland. A wasteland of total indifference to winning regardless of profits.  That’s a bold statement when you consider that the Pirates were for quite a few years were owned in part by the financially strapped city of Pittsburgh and some other local businesses.   A pre-revenue sharing ownership group that did not hide that fact that there was not much  money. It’s possible that I am romanticizing a much worse situation but I recall that they did the best they could with what they had. They were the last option in the game to prevent what would amount to a hostile takeover by another city which would have certainly resulted in the team leaving Pittsburgh.  Their job was to be as competitive as possible with what they had until they could find a buyer who would put some money into the team and take it to the level of greatest it achieved in the 70′s.  The irony is that with their limited resources, they almost did it on their own terms with the arrival of Barry Bonds and the Pirates near miss on the World Series in 1992.  That was the high point. It was a different era and different economics.

The low point is an ownership group that actually has money running a scorched earth business model, taking substantial revenue sharing, putting none of it into salaries and doing what with it?  Putting a AAA caliber ball club on the field and have the gall to insult our intelligence as to their major-league worthiness.  They have never really been clear about what is being done with revenue sharing profits other than to state that they are running the team in a fiscally responsible manner.  One theory is that they are using it to pay down team debt.  How is that not the same as putting it in your own pocket?   Whats the excuse for 2011?  We are young?  We will develop?  The line of every GM stuck with a stable of non-producing trades and busted Vegas lottery picks.  It’s akin to saying 110 degrees is not hot in Las Vegas because its a dry heat.  In the end dog-shit stinks regardless of what perfume rhetoric you pour on it…

(CBN)The City of Pittsburgh, Pa, home of the Major League baseball team, the Pittsburgh Pirates is abuzz with shock and outrage over the discovery of secretly recorded meeting between between Pirates majority Owner  Robert Nutting and General Manager Neal Huntington .

The bizarre exchange occurred in Nutting’s office after the Pirates executed a series of questionable trades and player sales in a  roto rooter roster purge ending in the unloading almost all of their starting lineup in exchange for cash and a collection of unknowns who have failed to produce squat in 2010.  The Pirates in fact, appear to be on-track for the worst season in team history.  The  moves prompted the front page headline “WHO THE HELL ARE THESE GUYS” in the local Pittsburgh newspaper.  The following a a transcript of the recorded conversation.

Nutting: Come on in Neal, have a seat.

Huntington: I’m glad you called me in. I’m still unclear on a couple things about our team direction.

Nutting: Oh, really  Like what?

Huntington: We have traded away practically every decent player we have.  This will be the worst Pirates team ever and that’s saying something after 17 consecutive losing seasons.  I think Russell is going to quit and start selling Goodyears.  Who will manage the Pirates moving forward if he does.

Nutting: I was thinking of the Dos Equis Man. He will fit in quite well with our team concept.

Huntington: What exactly is our team concept?

Nutting: That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I want to put together a team that will help us relocate to Cuba

Huntington: Cuba?  Your joking.

Nutting: I’m serious about this Neal.  It’s no secret I’ve never liked Pittsburgh much. The weathers lousy, the downtown is a pit, the stadium’s too small,we cant draw dick and no one is reading my crappy newspapers. Another 2 years of this and I may need to start feeding  Ogden real dog food.

Huntington: You can’t just up and move a team on a whim!

Nutting: It’s hardly a whim.  Fidel has offered to build us a new stadium — 62,000   capacity, 45 V.I.P. boxes, and all rent to be subsided through sugar cane sales. No other franchise in baseball can match that deal.

Nutting: Whats more, Fidel has taken a liking to the Dos Equis Man.   Fidel personally told me he finds him incredibly interesting. Whats more, he looks like him.  He likes the commercials and thinks of him as the son he always wanted .  There is also a national Cuban Tequila brand rolling out that will provide some good marketing perks . I plan offering Mr. Equis a long term contract to replace Russell.  Fidel will be the starting 1st baseman in Spring Training. The job’s his to lose.

Huntington: You cant be serious!

Nutting: I’m not serious, my name is Robert, whats wrong with you….

Nutting: Whats more, we will be given the option of signing player development contracts with the parents of all promising Cuban prospects. We will have exclusive negotiating rights starting at 7 years old as well as their real birth certificates. We will corner the Cuban baseball talent market!

Huntington: Even so, the League and the City will never let us  leave Pittsburgh.  There is a lease and laws we have to deal with.

Nutting: I have that all figured out!   During the next off-season  I will  have us scheduled for an exhibition game in Cuba.   While we are in Cuba, under my authority as owner and in the best interests of baseball I will undertake a mass defection of the entire team.   The bottom line is that if we play bad enough no one will care if we defect and the players will love the sunny climate.

Huntington: You mean you want us to lose?

Nutting:  We’ve been losing.  I want us to finish dead last and set an all time loss record.  Speaking of which, I heard Mario Mendoza is making a comeback, offer him a 3 year deal and a free AARP membership.

Huntington: You are out of your mind!

Nutting: Well I still think print media is viable if that’s what you mean.

MORE TO FOLLOW!

©2010 Brian Cuban

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