A Playbook Example: Favre to report to Packers today after NFL's OK | courier-journal | The Courier-Journal

The Playbook Commentary:

This is definitely a good example of what The Playbook looks to address in our "Post-Game Wrap-Up" seminar and what my firm, Off-The-Field Branding: Professional and Personal Management offers in services. Brett Favre seems to not have had an exit strategy planned way before it was time to implement it.

He didn't have his post-NFL career solidified. This is done when you are able to think/act strategically and not emotionally. I truly believe that if Favre had outlined his post-NFL life and felt comfortable in it, when he did decide to retire, he would not have second guessed his decision.

A simple decision like a change of mind can do as much harm to your brand, your future and your legacy as any wreckless act can. Why, because more than yourself is affected by the decision you make.

Favre's change of heart has now caused an organization that had processed and planned a season without him, to now have to, by public force more than good business decision, revamp things in the 11th hour.

No matter how talented Favre is. No matter how much closer the team might be to going to the Super Bowl with him versus without, it doesn't look good to the personal/professional brand called "Brett Favre". He should have been advised by his internal team, back when he began to express the possibility of retirement after the 2007-2008 season, to wait until the emotions were gone before he made anything final. His retirement was announced in the heat of the excitement of his on-the-field accomplishments and the hype of his legacy. It was not made soundly or rationally...and, we must all remember that the NFL is first and foremost a business and should be handled as such.

I am a fan. And, I pray things work out....they probably will. But, it is still a sad situation and one to be viewed more than mainly a great player deciding to return to the field.

Career decisions made by "professional" athletes need to be handled as orderly and strategically as any corporate executive, manager or employee. In the regular world, you can't submit your letter of resignation on Friday and come in Monday as say, "I was just joking". That only happens in a Seinfeld episode....and, even there George didn't get his job back.

Live and learn from this situation student-athletes as much as you should learn from those athletes that have hurt their brand and professional career by placing themselves in crazy situation. Both are important.

Favre to report to Packers today after NFL's OK
Team says he's welcome back

By Chris Jenkins • Associated Press • August 4, 2008

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Though the Green Bay Packers say Brett Favre has put them in a difficult situation, they're prepared to welcome him back.


The NFL announced yesterday that Favre will be reinstated and added to the Packers' active roster today.

"Although we built this year around the assumption that Brett meant what he said about retiring, Brett is coming back," team president Mark Murphy said. "We will welcome him back and turn this situation to our advantage.

"Frankly, Brett's change of mind put us in a very difficult spot. We now will revise many actions and assumptions about our long-term future, all predicated on Brett's decision last March to retire."

A private plane carrying Favre, wife Deanna and agent James "Bus" Cook arrived in Green Bay shortly after 8 o'clock EDT last night. Favre exited the plane and waved to a crowd of a few hundred fans gathered at the airport -- in a severe lightning storm, no less.

He could be on the field tomorrow, but it's unclear whether the team will let him compete with Aaron Rodgers for the starting quarterback job.

"Well, there comes time when (my) mentor and I get to compete, and I guess that's what's going to happen," Rodgers said after a scrimmage last night.

Coach Mike McCarthy wants to talk to Favre today before he decides on opening up the job.

"There have been no promises," McCarthy said.

Favre to report to Packers today after NFL's OK courier-journal The Courier-Journal

NFL Suspends Chris Henry 4 Games -- Courant.com

Expert of article:

Henry suspended 4 games: Wide receiver Chris Henry was suspended by the league for four games but may play the final 12 games of the season for any team that signs him.

Henry was released by Cincinnati in April after his fifth arrest. Commissioner Roger Goodell had suspended him indefinitely following his latest arrest. The charges against him on that arrest were later dropped.Henry may participate in training camp and exhibition games if he is signed. Henry was suspended for the first eight games last season under the league's personal conduct policy. He returned to catch 21 passes for 343 yards and two touchdowns in eight games. But the Bengals released him after he was accused of punching a University of Cincinnati student and breaking his car window with a beer bottle.

To read full article go to: NFL Suspends Chris Henry 4 Games -- Courant.com

The Poster Child for The Playbook: Ex-Gopher Dominic Jones: 'My name now is Inmate'

The Playbook Commentary: Dominic Jones should be commended, not for the actions that placed him in jail, but for the actions he has taken since going to jail. Finally, a star athlete who not only accepts his punishment for the choices he made, but one who is taking this negative pause in his life and using it to positively impact others.

He had the same opportunities, distractions, special treatment, celebrity-like status as any other gifted player. And, he fell victim to what many of them do. BUT, the difference between him and them is he says it is his fault. He is not blaming anyone for anything...he only blames himself for what he did. He failed to be a good steward of the blessings afforded him. As many do, they do not see the opportunity for what it is, a priviledge.

What The Playbook: Mentoring Initiative looks to do is showcase these examples through its curriculum to college-athletes, so that they can learn from those who came before them and not repeat this cycle of fame and failure.

Thank you Dominic Jones for your courage and maturity....your future will be brighter and more rewarding after this pause in your life. Stay strong and remain encouraged...all things happen for a reason and divine purpose. I can't wait to see yours manifest.

Ex-Gopher Dominic Jones: 'My name now is Inmate' Photo Credit: KYNDELL HARKNESS, Star Tribune

Dominic Jones spends his days mentoring football players and his nights in the workhouse in Plymouth. He was convicted of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct.

Former Gopher Dominic Jones, once an admired team leader, says he is accepting full blame for his crime.
By ROCHELLE OLSON, Star Tribune
Last update: July 29, 2008 - 1:13 AM


Former University of Minnesota football star Dominic Jones offered some high school football players $100 recently if they could come up with his previous jersey number and his current one.

One raised his hand and said Jones was No. 2 as a Gopher. Correct.

Nobody knew his current number. "Number 00425759. That's my number," Jones said. "My name now is Inmate. It's not Dominic Jones."

In the past year, the 21-year-old Jones has gone from an admired team leader with realistic NFL dreams and a college diploma within reach to a sex offender serving a one-year sentence in the Hennepin County workhouse.

During his first public interview since he was charged last summer, Jones spoke about personal responsibility, college sports and his journey.

"I am not blaming a white man. I am not blaming a prosecutor. I'm not blaming a judge. I'm blaming me. That was hard for me to do at first," he said. "I'm human. I made a mistake."

Jones had a full-ride football scholarship to Texas Southern University. Instead, he reported to the workhouse on July 7, after the state Court of Appeals declined a stay pending his appeal. He can get out during the day for work or studies. (An appeal of the guilty verdict is still pending.)

Jones spent the first seven days in full custody, locked in his cell 22 hours a day, before county corrections got the proper paperwork for his job.

"I am trying to tell you when the bars shut, reality set in," he said. "When I hit rock bottom, I hit it hard." He knows he let team down.

He leaves the Plymouth correctional facility at 7:15 a.m. Monday through Thursday, he is at the E.J. Henderson Youth Foundation in Eden Prairie, working on conditioning and mentoring high school and college players. Friday through Sunday, he works at a clothing store in St. Paul.

He is back in Plymouth for dinner at 6 p.m., then to his cell. He reads, takes a shower. Then it's lockdown and lights out at 11 p.m. Like all inmates, he is subject to random strip searches. It has been humiliating and humbling, he said.

Jones knows he has disappointed people, including the Gophers, who went 1-11 without him last year. "I let those guys down that I worked my butt off in the weight room with," he said. "I was the messiah of the team. With that young team, I needed to be there."

But he wasn't. Last July, Jones was charged with raping a woman too drunk to give consent. A 37-second cell phone video recorded by an ex-teammate shows Jones masturbating over the woman. He was kicked off the football team, then convicted of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, but acquitted of rape.

Jones did not talk in detail about that night in the room shared by four former teammates. He said in the past he believed the behavior was consensual. Jones was the only one charged, although the woman had sex with three others before he arrived.

Before this, Jones was on track to graduate in December with a degree in sociology. He was kicked out of school shortly after his conviction.

Jones said he had to summon the courage every day to walk into the courthouse during his two-week trial. His lawyer, Earl Gray, would tell him, "No matter what happens, this is not the end of your life."
Jones said he has seen the error of his ways.

He said he used to party to the "extreme," despite his image as role model for the team. He would tell high school kids not to drink while underage, yet he would do it himself.

He doesn't disagree with things prosecutors said after the trial, about athletes being given privileges by society that distort their views of right and wrong. "When you're put on a pedestal like that, you hear a lot of things and you see a lot of things and you think it's OK," Jones said.

He is familiar with the term "jersey chaser," for women who offer themselves sexually to star athletes. "But who is it really on?" he said. "It's on us."

Now he wants to use the clout that came from athletic fame for good. He points to the example of Magic Johnson opening up about his struggle with HIV. This fall, at the urging of his new bosses, he will speak to inner-city kids about his life.

"He's a good person, but he made a bad decision," said one of his bosses, Mark Ellis, a former assistant coach with the Vikings under Mike Tice.

He thinks Jones can reach inner-city kids because he is one. "His message is, 'Look, I had it all right here in my hands. It's all gone,'" Ellis said.

He said he told Jones, "I need you here to be a model, a flawed model. You're someone that made a mistake, and you're working through that."

Jones said his support system includes Henderson and Ellis, his fraternity brothers at Alpha Phi Alpha, former Gophers coach Glen Mason, his mom and God.

Freeman pulls for redemption Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, whose office prosecuted Jones, said, "If you believe in redemption, and I do, I'm glad to see that's occurring already."

Jones "made a frightful decision that really impacted a person. I appreciate that he's starting to acknowledge that," Freeman said.

Jones said he'd like to play football again, but wants to get his degree. He's hoping to take courses this fall.
"
My purpose in life isn't football," Jones said.

Jones has a 2-year-old son in Ohio being raised by the boy's mother and his mom. Seeing his son is one of many things big and small that he says he sees differently. "To be able to eat a meal of your choice. The value of a hug from your son. The value of an education. One decision, that's all it could take, and everything could be snatched away from you."

Jones already has props for his presentations this fall: his old jersey, a prison-style uniform and a doctor's scrubs and stethoscope. He will tell kids that it takes hard work to get the jersey or the scrubs, but just one bad mistake to end up in a prison jumpsuit.

At his sentencing in May, Hennepin County District Judge Marilyn Rosenbaum talked of the trouble she had reconciling the sincere letters of support she received about Jones with his behavior that night in April 2007.

Jones thinks about those letters and the supporters who wrote them. "I've got a lot of people to prove right," he said.

Ex-Gopher Dominic Jones: 'My name now is Inmate'

NFL Players in Prison - Football Players in Jail - Esquire

The Playbook Commentary:

The case has been made in this piece by Chuck Klosterman...although he states the problem and offers no solution, the fact still remains that there is a serious problem within the professional sports community. These young athletes, men more than women, are given narrow views of what success can look like....Sports.But, they are not taught the responsibility that comes with that form of success, or for that matter, any type of success.

They are also not given healthy alternatives, just in case they don't make it.....letting them know they can be successful with or without a professional career in sports.

Instead of continuing to illuminate the problem, I wish folks would take the energy and put it where it needs to be....in prevention and problem solving initaitives....like The Playbook: Mentoring Initiative. The professional sports brand will continue to be tarnished until a sincere effort is made to address this issue, and not continue to allow the mighty dollar to influence their decisions and efforts.

When will that happen?

The 2008 NFL Prison Football Preview

Michael Vick and countless other promising young football stars are currently doing jail time. Which is unfortunate, to be sure. But they’d make one hell of a football team.
By Chuck Klosterman

FormerPro Bowl quarterback Michael Vick is in Leavenworth. Rae Carruth, currently serving a nineteen- to twenty-four-year sentence for conspiring to kill his girlfriend, made the NFL all-rookie team in '97. Arena League linebacker Darion Conner got fifteen years for running over a bicyclist. In 2006, Michigan State defensive back Cole Corey was sentenced to two to ten years for sexual assault.

Last January, an offensive tackle and a defensive end for Texas A&M were indicted for felony robbery. And this is only a sampling of the guys who got media coverage; there's no telling how many teenage criminals went to jail before they had a college career. If we selected the forty-four best football players in the U. S. penal system, how much ass would they kick?

Right now, 2.3 million people are incarcerated. This is a social travesty. But -- hypothetically -- if we were to draft and train the best talent from that pool, I bet they could win the SEC or the Pac-10. They could maybe beat the Dolphins in an exhibition. Obviously, the Vick-to-Carruth connection would be key, but I have to believe prisons contain some of the most intimidating, hardest-hitting role-players on the planet. These dudes would make the '77 Raiders look like Tibetan monks.

You know, I don't like The Longest Yard. I don't think it's funny. But this I would watch.

NFL Players in Prison - Football Players in Jail - Esquire

Photo credit: James D. Smith/WireImage.com

Athletes and Endorsements: A New Way of Doing Business - AccessAthletes :: The Real Athlete Blog

Athletes and Endorsements: A New Way of Doing Business
by Dean Fisk

06-26-2008

Even with the current economic downturn, business opportunities for professional athletes remain plentiful. And the truth is off-the-field success doesn’t just happen to “star” players. There are numerous examples of athletes with average-at-best playing stats that have secured lucrative endorsements and other post-career opportunities. Business success for these athletes is determined by the strength of their personal brand image and the size of their fan base. And while it’s fairly obvious that as an athlete you can maintain control of your own brand, you can also positively impact your fan following through creative Web marketing techniques.

In the business world, the terms “viral marketing” and “social marketing” are buzzwords used to describe methods of a reaching a broad number of people through very personal communications methods. These concepts, used by virtually all Fortune 500 companies, can also be used successfully by today’s athletes. The fact of the matter is today’s sports fan wants their information up to the minute and on demand. No longer is it acceptable to talk to target audiences from the top down. Today, you need to hold virtual conversations with your key audiences, which includes fans and potential sponsors. By doing so, you can not only increase the size of your fan following, but also create a stronger bond with those fans.

Contemporary ways to reach out to your fans include writing a blog, having your own Website, participating in social marketing sites such as Facebook and MySpace and posting videos on sites like YouTube. All can be successful and all can be essentially meaningless without a business plan in mind.

When developing your personal business plan, you need to start by asking three basic questions:

(1) What are the companies I should target as potential sponsors;
(2) Who are the consumers that these target companies care about; and,
(3) How do I best connect with these consumers?

When identifying potential sponsor companies a good starting point is to think about the things you are passionate about. This can include products that you use or activities that you enjoy. For example, a hardcore video game player may consider targeting the game makers and the manufacturers of the game consoles. In this scenario the consumers of interest are most likely young males in the 14- to 35-year-old range. Reaching these consumers may be best achieved through participating in gaming-related blogs and Websites, or by posting viral video clips that feature the athlete and appeal to the gaming community.

A player’s agent once told me the best way for his client to market himself was by playing well. I agree that performance on the field is vital to a player’s overall success. However, I ask you this – if you have two players with similar on-the-field achievements, who is a sponsor company more likely to contact, a player who rests on his stats or a player that finds ways to portray his positive image and already has established relationships with the fans the sponsor covets?

The mistake made all too often by today’s athletes is that they wait for opportunities to come to them. The better approach is to create the opportunity yourself, strengthen your fan following and present a “no-brainer” business proposition to the sponsor company.

As an athlete, you are given a “stage” that is viewed by many. However, the spotlight can quickly disappear once your playing days are over. Don’t let the opportunities slip away. Look at the new ways of doing business that can lead to better off-the-field success.


Dean Fisk is president of X Factor Sports Media and has over 17 years of experience developing communications programs that strengthen brand awareness for athletes, athletic organizations and Fortune 500 companies. X Factor Sports Media is a unique communications agency focused on helping athletes understand and benefit from the numerous opportunities offered by today's new media and social marketing outlets. Dean can be contacted at dean@xfactorsportsmedia.com.


Athletes and Endorsements: A New Way of Doing Business - AccessAthletes :: The Real Athlete Blog

The Playbook: SAD Example...Humphrey dismissed from UGA basketball team | ajc.com

The Playbook Commentary:
A sad ending to what could have been a future professional athlete. And, what The Playbook: Mentoring Initiative TM wants to help prevent.

About The Playbook: Mentoring Initiative TM
A mentoring initiative created by MWPR │Presents, a division of MWPR, Inc., The Playbook looks to bring productive, positive and purpose-driven solutions to the real-life needs that occur during the natural lifecycle of a professional athlete. It will be accomplished through a specified curriculum, presentations, personal player testimonies and extended professional services; all created to address the immediate and long-term needs of the aspiring and current professional athlete, like no other initiative currently available.


Prevailing Assumptions
· A player’s athletic skill is all that is needed to have a successful career in sports.
· There is an effective and organized transitional process, available at all schools, for players leaving high school/college and entering professional sports.
· The player’s agent and team organization provide all the necessary tools/expertise needed to maintain, manage and keep the momentum needed throughout a player’s professional career and beyond.

The Playbook’s formula is “positive personal life = professional success”.

Humphrey dismissed from UGA basketball teamPlayer was arrested Tuesday for DUI and other charges
By CHRIS VIVLAMORE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/27/08



In the aftermath of an arrest for DUI and other charges, Billy Humphrey has been kicked off the Georgia men's basketball team.

Humphrey, 20, was arrested Tuesday morning in Gwinnett County for DUI, failure to maintain his lane and purchasing alcohol while under age. Friday afternoon, Georgia coach Dennis Felton announced his decision to dismiss Humphrey.

"We've worked really hard with him in the past to see that he succeeds, but I feel that it's now best for our program to move forward without him."

Humphrey, who was to be a senior in the 2008-09 season, was Georgia's second-leading scorer last season and helped the team to the NCAA Tournament.

A guard, Humphrey played in 30 of 34 games last season, starting 28. He averaged 12.2 points per game, second-best on the team.

According to the police report of his drunk driving arrest obtained by the Journal-Constitution, Humphrey pleaded with police not to arrest him and was later warned that he could be tasered.

Also according to the report, Humphrey said "Please, please, please. I am begging you not to do this. You will ruin my career." The report indicates that Humphrey made the statement after acknowledging that he had "a few drinks" and was responding to the officer's question on what he had been drinking.

Prior to submitting to field sobriety tests, the police report states "the driver told me that he knows that he had been drinking and that he was only gong two more lights up the road and then he was going to his mom's house. The driver then asked me if I could just follow him home."
After agreeing to and failing several sobriety tests, the report states the Humphrey, who is from Dacula, was "slightly hesitant" when asked to turn around to be placed in handcuffs. "The driver was advised that if he did not turn around, he would be shot with a taser," according to the police report. Humphrey was placed in double-locked handcuffs.

According to the police report, an inventory of the silver Chevy Monte Carlo that Humphrey was driving discovered a half-full quart bottle of rum in a back pack on the back seat.

It was Humphrey's second arrest on alcohol-related charges since February. Humphrey was also placed on probation for 18 months and entered into a pretrial diversion program as result of a November felony weapons charge for having a butterfly knife in his dorm room. He was suspended for a total of four games last season for the two incidents.

Humphrey dismissed from UGA basketball team ajc.com

The Playbook: ESPN - Sources say Heat looking to trade out of No. 2, take guard later - NBA

The Playbook Commentary:
Now here is an example of how your off-the-court (field) personality, attiitude and actions, could neatively affect your professional future, before it even gets started. Beasley's stats speak for themselves. On paper, it is a done deal, he would be your logical pick. However, just like in any job, a potential employer has to see if a potential employee can not only put action behind his words, but also positively "represent" the company he would be working for. And, in this day in age, with the professional sports industry getting hit left & right, non-stop, it makes sense for Riley to pause in deciding if they should take Beasley, if he shows any potential of bringing drama. Again, like in any employment situation, there are other candidates to chose from. And, if they seem to not have the element of drama in them...you more than likely will lean on the side of a safe pick.

So, this needs to serve as an example for all aspiring professional athletes...that you have to bring more than just your game to the table. Who are you when you are not playing? What are your goals in life? What do you stand for? How do you look to grow and progress as an athlete and a person over the years to come? These things are now becoming more important than just your stats. And, need to be taken seriously by these athletes.

The Playbook: Mentoring Initiative is designed to address these areas and more.

Sources say Heat looking to trade out of No. 2, take guard later
By Chad Ford
ESPN.com(Archive)

If the Miami Heat's recent activities are any indication, they are not going to select Kansas State forward Michael Beasley with the No. 2 pick in Thursday's NBA draft.

With the first selection, the Chicago Bulls are leaning strongly toward drafting Memphis point guard Derrick Rose. While the Bulls say they won't announce their decision until draft night, Bulls GM John Paxson admits that Chicago is "probably leaning a certain way."

ESPN.com has been reporting since the draft lottery that Heat president Pat Riley has reservations about Beasley. While Beasley is a talent, Riley seems to be uncomfortable with his personality and seems dead set on finding a point guard to pair in the backcourt with Dwyane Wade.

To that end, Riley staged two separate secret workouts in Miami on Tuesday. The first, a source told ESPN.com, was for Arizona point guard Jerryd Bayless. The second was for USC guard O.J. Mayo, who confirmed to ESPN.com that he worked out for the team.

In conjunction with the workouts, the Heat have been actively shopping the second pick in the draft with an eye on selecting Mayo or Bayless lower while acquiring another asset.

If the Heat don't find any takers, sources told ESPN.com's Andy Katz on Tuesday night that Mayo was told by Heat brass -- which included Riley, general manager Randy Pfund and coach Erik Spoelstra -- that he is in contention to be selected outright at No. 2.

After the Heat were informed that Shawn Marion would not opt out of his contract, sources said Riley began calling teams looking for serious offers for the second pick.

The Heat then brought in Mayo and Bayless. Both workouts lasted about 90 minutes. It's the second time the Heat have worked out Bayless and Mayo, and according to sources, Riley believes both are special talents.

Bayless had an "amazing" workout, according to the source. He "shot the lights" out and performed even better than he had in his first workout for the Heat. They believe he can be a full-time point guard in the pros, similar to Chauncey Billups.

The source said Mayo was also "great," and in addition to shooting the ball well, he performed well in some of the ballhandling drills. The Heat believe Mayo could be a Gilbert Arenas-type point guard.

The same source said Riley is enamored of Mayo's and Bayless' shooting ability and believes both can be a point guards in the NBA.

In addition to any questions about attitude, a number of high-ranking NBA sources told Katz that one of the main reasons the Heat wouldn't select Beasley is the hope that they will land Utah's Carlos Boozer in a year when he can opt out of his contract. Boozer has a home in Miami.

With the Heat now identifying two lottery picks whom they would be comfortable with, and with questions about Beasley, it's looking more and more likely like they are going to trade their pick.
So the question is … who is going to win the Michael Beasley sweepstakes? After talking to numerous sources around the league, here are the top four contenders:

1. Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies have a huge hole at the power forward position (since trading away Pau Gasol) and see Beasley as an elite talent to pair up with Rudy Gay.

The Grizzlies can offer a number of deals that could entice Miami. They could include the No. 5 pick, Mike Miller and the Heat's choice of either Kyle Lowry or Mike Conley. Adding Miller and a point guard would allow the Heat to be very flexible with whomever they draft at No. 5. They could add another guard such as Bayless or they could go big with a player such as Brook Lopez or Kevin Love.

2. Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers can offer the Heat someone Riley desperately covets: Elton Brand. A swap of the No. 2 pick and Marion for Brand and the No. 7 pick works under the salary cap and helps both teams with their needs. Why would Riley pull the trigger on that trade now, when he could just make a run at Brand in free agency next summer? Sources said the Heat would like to get Brand to Miami as soon as they can and lock him up to a long-term extension this fall. At No. 7, it's possible the Heat could still get Bayless.
The Clippers like Marion and Beasley, but they could actually use the No. 2 pick to grab Mayo. Mayo has been coveted by the Clippers for a while.

The Heat would have to weigh their interest in Brand against their desire for Boozer in 2009 in this scenario, however.

3. Seattle SuperSonics
Kevin Durant covets Beasley as a teammate. They were best friends growing up and want to play together. The Sonics think Beasley is the perfect complement to Durant. They'd be willing to take back more salary to make it happen.

Sources say the Sonics are offering the expiring contract of Chris Wilcox, Johan Petro and the No. 4 pick to Miami for the No. 2 pick and Mark Blount. The move would save the Heat some serious money, putting them well below the cap in the summer of 2009.

The Heat would prefer Jeff Green in the deal instead of Wilcox and Petro, but it doesn't appear the Sonics are willing to go that far, even if the Heat dropped Blount from the equation.
A source close to Seattle told Katz that Miami hasn't called about a deal as of Tuesday.

4. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Wolves have been hoping and praying that Beasley somehow falls to them at No. 3. While he's not a perfect fit, they could move Al Jefferson to the 5 and have one of the highest-scoring front lines in the league. However, Beasley falling to No. 3 looks unlikely -- unless the Heat do pull the trigger on Mayo outright at No. 2. Can the Wolves put together a package that works if Beasley doesn't fall?

The Wolves have a few assets that could entice Miami. They actually hold the Heat's 2009 first-round pick, which is top-10 protected. They also have a player who the Heat have interest in: last year's lottery pick, Corey Brewer. If the Wolves really want Beasley, perhaps a return of the Heat's first-round pick and/or Brewer could make it happen.

A source close to Minnesota told Katz, however, that the Heat and the Timberwolves have talked but there was no deal that worked for both teams as of Tuesday night. Sources close to both Seattle and Minnesota also said they would take Mayo if he was on the board when they selected.

Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider. Andy Katz covers college basketball for ESPN.com. ESPN - Sources say Heat looking to trade out of No. 2, take guard later - NBA

Photo Credits:

Photo 1:Beasley/Peter Aiken/Getty Images

Photo 2: Mayo/Jamie Squire/Getty Images

ESPN - Rookies' exploration of game's past should enhance futures - NFL

Ken Blaze for ESPN.com
Miami Dolphins tackle Jake Long, the top overall pick in the 2008 draft, admired busts in the Pro Football Hall of Fame -- especially Dan Dierdorf's. "He's a legend at Michigan and a legend in the league," said Long, a former Wolverine.

Rookies' exploration of game's past should enhance futures

By James WalkerESPN.com(Archive)

CANTON, Ohio -- There is an undeniably nostalgic feel around these parts.
When entering Stark County, Ohio, there's a large bridge overhead that reads HOME OF THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME.

Canton is the gatekeeper of football's history. Close your eyes: You almost can hear Vince Lombardi's voice and Dick Butkus' brutal hits. Open your eyes: You see their legacies and so much more.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is where football's past meets football's present. In this shrine, the game's all-time greats are permanent residents of this Northeast Ohio town of about 79,000 people. Today's players hope to become enshrinees some day.

This offseason, the NFL is sending every incoming player for a special tour of the Hall of Fame. Former Dallas Cowboys receiver and 2007 Hall of Fame inductee Michael Irvin came up with the idea last summer to increase rookies' awareness and help them recognize the value of their opportunity.

"When I was inducted into the Hall, I told the commissioner that guys coming out of college don't appreciate the game," said Irvin, who went through the tour with Cowboys rookies on Friday. "They don't have an understanding of the game's history. They've been playing football to get away from their history.

"So I told Commissioner [Roger] Goodell that the first thing he should do is bring them here and give them a sense of history. It's impossible to go there and not come away with something."
The NFL gets most things right and, by following Irvin's suggestion, nailed this one.

Seeing wide-eyed rookies like Jake Long of the Miami Dolphins and Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons take the tour this week convinces you that this is a great thing for the league.
"I've never been to the Hall of Fame before and to come here and see all the different stuff, it definitely puts things in perspective," Ryan said after Atlanta's tour.

"It makes you realize that you got a great opportunity, and I think that's what they intended to do with this trip, and I think it worked out pretty well."

The image of the NFL has taken a hit recently with high-profile cases involving Michael Vick, Odell Thurman, Chris Henry and Dallas Cowboys cornerback Adam (Pacman) Jones. Their well-documented stories likely had a hand, directly or indirectly, in getting this objective passed so quickly.

Troubled players such as Vick, Henry, Thurman and Jones could have used this tour. Although every situation is different, they share a common thread in that there was a general lack of appreciation for their responsibilities inherent in the privilege to play in the NFL.

"I think it would've helped some of them understand that if you make a mistake at 22, you could end up regretting it at 42," Irvin said. "You got Google and everything out there now, so if you get in trouble, it never goes away. Your kid is going to end up Googling it, too."

There is no guarantee that these tours will help steer more players away from trouble, but there's no way they can hurt, either. At the very least, the tours are a positive step in the right direction.

The educational value was tremendous.

Rookies got to see the old leather helmets and the contracts that paid as little as $4,000 per season. They learned that Bill Willis and Marion Motley broke the NFL's color barrier in 1946, a year before Jackie Robinson did it in major league baseball. And most were surprised to hear that Jim Thorpe was Native American.

At the end of the tour, every rookie received a lifetime pass to the Hall of Fame and special memories to take home.

Ryan was ecstatic to see game-worn artifacts of his favorite player: former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre. Falcons offensive lineman Sam Baker, who grew up with Jackie Slater's son, took a picture next to Slater's enshrinement statue. Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne did the same with the bust of fellow Pennsylvania native Dan Marino, and Long took pictures next to the replica of former offensive lineman Dan Dierdorf.

"[Dierdorf is] a legend at Michigan and a legend in the league," said Long, a Michigan alum. "And being able to see him here is pretty cool."

Long also was enamored with the display of every NFL Super Bowl ring -- most notably the two given to the New England Patriots during their back-to-back championships in 2003 and 2004.
The 2004 ring is the biggest in league history, weighing one-quarter of a pound, and the 2003 ring is not far behind in size.

"Can you imagine having those two rings?" Long said to his teammates. "That's sweet."
For the length of the two-hour tour, it was easy to forget that some of these rookies are multimillion-dollar athletes. Seeing artifacts from players they idolized growing up produced a humbling level of respect mixed with childlike admiration.

The NFL has yet to decide whether Hall of Fame tours for incoming players will go beyond this year. But that decision should be a no-brainer.

Every rookie can benefit from looking at the game's past before going out and have an impact on its future.

James Walker covers the NFL for ESPN.com.
Rookies' exploration of game's past should enhance futures - NFL

The Playbook Argument: SportingNews.com - Your expert source for NCAA Basketball stats, scores, standings, and blogs from NCAA Basketball columnists

The Playbook Commentary:

So, it is not just a football problem....it is obviously a sports problem. This young man just experienced what many aspire to do, go into the NBA draft early AND be given the chance to practice with a NBA team.

And, how does he show his thanks and humility for such an opportunity....by driving around NC BLASTING his music, drawing attention to himself that would eventually get him caught drinking and driving. Now, he has no agent yet, because he wanted to keep his options open...that was a wise move. However, possibly, in one big swoop, he might have closed the door to all opportunities because of the poor choices he made one Friday night.

There is truly a missing link here....it is one thing to teach the student-athletes about proper training, skills, endurance, even the importance of a good education. However, what is missing, and is evident, is the lesson on character development, actions/consequences, long-term vs. short-term goals and personal assessment.

This is what The Playbook: Mentoring Initiative looks to provide these student-athletes...to enhance what they are already getting, in order to help them avoid the pitfalls that so many have fallen victim to, before they get out of the gate.

Our formula is "a positive personal life = professional success."

Contact theplaybook@mwprinc.com to learn more.

Drinking lands trouble for Tar Heels' Lawson

Posted: June 6, 2008

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) -- North Carolina point guard Ty Lawson was charged Friday with driving after consuming alcohol following an early morning traffic stop.

Lawson was stopped in downtown Chapel Hill because of the loud music coming from the car, said Chapel Hill Police Capt. Jackie Carden. The car smelled of alcohol and a field sobriety test led the officer to file charges, she said.

Because Lawson is not 21, he could be charged with driving after consuming alcohol. He was also charged with violating the city's noise ordinance and driving with a suspended or revoked license, police said. He was taken into custody and later released. Lawson is scheduled to appear in court July 8.
Neither Lawson nor coach Roy Williams will comment until the legal process runs its course, a school spokesman said in a statement.

He was one of three North Carolina players who declared for the 2008 NBA draft. Lawson has not hired an agent, meaning he could return to school for his junior season.

Lawson attended the NBA pre-draft workouts last week in Florida with teammates Wayne Ellington and Danny Green. On Wednesday, he worked out for the Indiana Pacers.

Lawson helped the Tar Heels reach the Final Four, where they lost to eventual national champion Kansas in the semifinals.

Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

SportingNews.com - Your expert source for NCAA Basketball stats, scores, standings, and blogs from NCAA Basketball columnists

Ex-NFL Player Charged After Dog Attack
AP
Posted: 2008-06-05 20:55:13
RICHMOND, Texas (June 5) - Former NFL linebacker Steve Foley was charged with a felony after his pit bulls bit a woman and killed her puppy.


Sports Figures Legal Woes
June 4, 2008: Former NFL player Steve Foley is charged with a felony for failing to secure his dogs after his pit bulls attacked a woman and killed her puppy.

June 4, 2008: Patriots lineman Nick Kaczur was arrested in April on a charge of illegal possession of oxycodone, according to the Boston Globe. The report said Kaczur then helped federal authorities in a sting operation that resulted in the indictment of a supplier.

June 1, 2008: Buffalo police are trying to find out if Bills running back Marshawn Lynch was behind the wheel during a hit-and-run incident in the nightclub section of the city.

May 29, 2008: The former Minnesota football player is sentenced to a year in the county workhouse after being convicted of criminal sexual conduct.

May 25, 2008: Authorities in Florida charge Chicago Bulls forward and former Florida star Joakim Noah with possession of marijuana and having an open container of alcohol.

May 23, 2008: Former NFL lineman Rich Tylski and his wife admit they abused their adopted daughter. Charges against Tylski will be dropped after he completes a program for first-time offenders.

Getty Images

May 23, 2008: Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda settles a plea deal with the county's Deputy District Attorney over marijuana possession.

Ezra Shaw, Getty Images

May 20, 2008: Saints defensive end Charles Grant is indicted on a charge of involuntary manslaughter stemming from a February incident where a woman was stabbed in a nightlclub.

G. Newman Lowrance, Getty Images

May 20, 2008: Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton is sentenced for an assault near McDonald's.

Paul Thomas, AP

He surrendered at the Fort Bend County Jail on Wednesday and was released on a $10,000 bond, sheriff's spokeswoman Terriann Carlson said.

A grand jury indicted Foley, accusing him of failing to secure the dogs. The two adult pit bulls attacked neighbor Twana Schulz on March 26, causing serious bodily injury when they bit her on the arms and face, according to court documents.

Foley was not home when the attack occurred, said his lawyer, Paul Nugent. A conviction on the third-degree felony charge could result in two to 10 years in prison, Nuggent said.

The 32-year-old Foley played with the Cincinnati Bengals (1998-02), Houston Texans (2003) and San Diego Chargers (2004-06).

His career ended after he was shot by an off-duty police officer in San Diego in 2006. The Chargers released him in March 2007 with two years left on his contract. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of drunken driving and was sentenced to five years' probation.

Schulz, 36, was walking to the corner to pick her daughter up from the school bus when she and the puppy were attacked. Foley's dogs were seized by animal control officers and put to death.

Nugent said Foley kept two adult pit bulls and some puppies as pets. He said the pit bulls were "show dogs and pets, not fighting dogs" and had no previous history of attacks.

"It's a tragic accident," Nugent said. "Mr. Foley feels very sorry that it happened. He had no prior problems with the dogs."

http://sports.aol.com/nfl/story/_a/ex-nfl-player-charged-after-dog-attack/20080605181809990001?feeddeeplinkNum=0

The Playbook Example: ESPN - Bowman, Taylor sentenced to 1 year of probation, community service - College Football

Bowman, Taylor sentenced to 1 year of probation, community service
Associated Press

BELLEFONTE, Pa. -- Two Penn State football players pleaded guilty Friday to a misdemeanor charge in connection with an on-campus fight last year, resolving the last of the major legal problems for current team members.

Linebacker Navorro Bowman and defensive tackle Phil Taylor pleaded guilty Friday to a disorderly conduct charge in exchange for prosecutors' dropping more serious assault charges.

"You're never pleased to have to plead to anything," said Taylor's defense attorney Ron McGlaughlin. "But from the standpoint that the matter is finally over with, I think it worked out appropriately."

The players were sentenced to one year of probation and 100 hours of community service by Centre County Judge Bradley P. Lunsford, who gave the players a stern lecture about being role models.

Taylor, who will be a junior in the fall, and Bowman, who will be a redshirt sophomore, had been kicked off the team while their cases were pending.

Sports information director Jeff Nelson said he has not received any update that would indicate either players' status with the team had changed.

Bowman and Taylor are among a number of Penn State football players who have been charged over the last year in connection to assaults.

"A lot of kids look up to them," McGlaughlin said, recounting Lunsford's talk. "When they act or engage in problems they obviously cause more problems than they realize."

Bowman's attorney, Stacy Parks Miller, said her client is eager to move on.

"My client's pleased to put this behind him, get on with his life, play football again and get back to school," Miller said.

Although authorities said more than a dozen players were seen on video surveillance near the altercation, police ultimately charged three players with beating a Philadelphia man who was attending a party at the campus student center Oct. 7.

Defensive tackle Chris Baker pleaded guilty to simple assault earlier this month and was sentenced to probation. Cornerback Knowledge Timmons -- who was charged for an altercation after the fight -- was placed in a probation program that will allow his record to be expunged upon completion.

Together, Bowman and Taylor must also pay more than $750 in restitution to the victim, and to the university for costs related to the clean up from the fight.

The cases were the last involving current football players being handled by Centre County District Attorney Michael Madeira.

Former receiver Chris Bell still faces charges for threatening another player with a knife in a campus dining hall, but he was kicked off the team shortly after being charged.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3418962&campaign=rss&source=NCFHeadlines

In NBA playoffs, less ink means more viewers : FoxSports.com Water Cooler

The Playbook Commentary:


My initial reaction to Whitlock's article is, WOW!

But, what is interesting is that what he writes, I honestly thought earlier in the playoffs when Iverson and Anthony were still playing….I was SO turned off by their tattoos. I think it is ridiculous how they have covered their body in ink.

It does harm their brand, which directly impacts their potential to have a successful financial future.

And, what bothers me even more is that while I watched college basketball during March Madness, I noticed that SO many college students are now all tatted up…..emulating their NBA heroes.

This (professional sports) is a business, when did folks loose sight of that? It is not just a game they are playing. The athletes are responsible to the organization whose jersey they wear at minimum and truly they should be thinking about their potential financial opportunities….endorsements, paid appearances, etc. Bottomline, there are a lot of stackholders they are accountable to.

Now the article by Mr. Whitlock, is what it is….and, he is DEFINITELY going to get slack for his words. But, if folks would first stop and think about it a little bit, what he is pointing out is true….in my professional as well as personal opinion.

In NBA playoffs, less ink means more viewers
by Jason Whitlock

Jason Whitlock brings his edgy and thought-provoking style to FOXSports.com. Columnist for the Kansas City Star, he has won the National Journalism Award for Commentary for "his ability to seamlessly integrate sports and social commentary and to challenge widely held assumptions along the racial divide."


Over the next couple of weeks you'll hear lots of theories about why TV ratings are surging for the NBA playoffs.

Of course it helps that large TV markets with storied franchises (Boston and Los Angeles) are still alive and favorites to make the NBA Finals. And, yes, it helps that the league's two most successful franchises over the last five years (San Antonio and Detroit) are competing against the Lakers and the Celtics.

The conference finals are littered with big stars, too. Kobe, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Paul Pierce, Tony Parker, Ray Allen, Manu Ginobili, Rasheed Wallace and all the rest could make up an all-star team that the rest of the league couldn't beat.

Obviously, there are a lot of factors contributing to the ratings numbers that TNT, ESPN and ABC keep bragging about in nearly daily press releases.

The NBA has been experiencing a resurgence ever since the Suns traded for Shaquille O'Neal, the Lakers acquired Pau Gasol, the Mavericks got hoodwinked into snagging Jason Kidd and the Cavaliers picked up new spare parts for LeBron.

But there's one issue driving improved ratings that likely won't be touched by all the NBA talking heads on TNT and ESPN.

Tattoos. Or rather the lack of tattoos in the conference finals.

Part of the reason more people are watching these playoffs is because the average fan isn't constantly repulsed by the appearance of most of the players on the court. Most of the key players left in the playoffs don't look like recent prison parolees.

The only accurate way to describe Garnett, Pierce, Duncan, Allen, Manu, Parker and even Kobe is "clean cut." Yeah, there are a couple of tattoos in that group — Duncan has something on his back, Kobe still has his post-rape-allegation tat — but the Lakers, Spurs and Celtics have far less ink on average than your typical NBA franchise.

Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony have more tats on their hands than the entire Spurs roster.

I know many of you probably think the number of tattoos doesn't influence viewing habits. You're wrong. Like everything else televised, appearances matter. There's a reason you don't see nude scenes in movies with fat people. Trust me, fat people have sex. It's just no one wants to see it. Not even fat people.

No one wants to watch Delonte West or Larry Hughes play basketball. It's uncomfortable and disconcerting. You don't want your kids to see it. You don't want your kids to think they should decorate their neck, arms, hands, chest and legs in paint. You don't want to waste time explaining to your kids that some millionaire athletes have so little genuine self-confidence that they find it necessary to cover themselves in tattoos as a way to mask their insecurities.

You just want to watch basketball and feel like you're watching people you can relate to a little bit, people you somewhat respect.

We finally have that again on the NBA's biggest stage, and everyone can see it because the league's substance isn't covered in a barrel of tattoo ink.

David Stern has been arguing that the NBA is the best book. Ever since Ron Artest went into the stands, Stern has been slowly changing the cover of his book. The dress code and the age limit have helped. The midseason trades helped. Garnett's donning of a Celtics jersey really helped. Kobe's maturity and ascension to Jordan's throne has probably been the most important development. Kobe is everything the league wants LeBron James to be.

But don't underestimate how much having a visually pleasing product to look at has benefitted the league at conference finals time.

It's a television show. Pleasant smiles, non-threatening people sell products better than menacing, tattooed brutes.

If I was David Stern, I'd commission Nike and/or Under Armor to create a basketball jersey with long sleeves, all the way down to the wrists. I'd make Iverson wear a turtleneck jersey with sleeves. I'd cover the tats.

Do you think Sports Illustrated would let its swimsuit models cover themselves in tattoos? Models are paid to look good. Athletes are no different from models. Everyone accepts that female basketball players — when possible — are pushed to showcase their feminine beauty.

It's unfortunate that too many young athletes are too unenlightened to approach the game like a business. They resist almost all ideas that would put more money in their pockets. They have to be forced to do the little things that would help them make more money.

Growing NBA ratings is what's best for the players in the long term. Adopting a non-prison-ready appearance would help everyone in the league earn more money. But no one will talk about it.

In NBA playoffs, less ink means more viewers : FoxSports.com Water Cooler

The Playbook: FOX Sports on MSN - NFL -

The Playbook Commentary:
If you really want to get folks to take a sincere vested interest in these players, threaten the pockets. The organizations are now being forced to take a more active role in their player's off-the-field activities. Finally, we are getting somewhere.

Now, in order to make sure these players get the point that this thing is serious, the organizations need to implement a new level of personal/professional enhancement initiatives.

Here is where The Playbook: Mentoring Initiative needs to make its entrance. Let MWPR, Inc. bring in The Playbook to help reinforce to the players the fact that what they are getting paid to do is not a game, it's their job. And, that they are to take it as seriously as anyone who has a "9 to 5" does, if they want to keep it.

We believe a professional athlete’s journey to success begins long before the contract is signed and their first game as a professional is played. The proven formula for professional achievement is a mixture of natural talent and a positive personal life. Recognizing that some athletes struggle with keeping it all together – MWPR, Inc. created this mentoring initiative to assist them on this journey. Like no other initiative currently available, The Playbook ™brings productive, positive and purpose-driven solutions to the real-life needs that occur in the natural life-cycle of an athlete. Through a specified curriculum, presentations, personal player testimonies and extended professional services, the immediate and long-term needs of the aspiring and established professional athlete will be addressed.

Our formula is “a positive personal life = professional success”.


NFL won't punish teams for prior player acts
by Alex Marvez
Fox Soprts on MSN - NFL

The NFL's personal conduct policy is about to get stricter — but not before every team is allowed to start with a clean slate.

FOXSports.com has learned new league rules resulting in fines for clubs whose players are suspended for off-field violations begin June 1. But the NFL is pardoning franchises whose players' legal problems occurred before then.

That is good news for a team like the Minnesota Vikings, which has a player (left tackle Bryant McKinnie) facing serious criminal charges following a February arrest. McKinnie, who was arrested on three previous occasions during his NFL career, could face disciplinary action from league commissioner Roger Goodell once the case is resolved. The Vikings, though, won't be financially penalized regardless of the outcome of the McKinnie case.

Teams that sign free-agent players who face possible suspension also will not be fined if such punishment is levied.

"The policy on club fines is being applied going forward (prospectively), not retroactively," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello wrote in a Tuesday email. "The plan is that the club to be fined will be the club to which the player belonged at the time of the arrest or violation. But it only applies to arrests or violations occurring after June 1."

Goodell announced the policy change last week and said he may ultimately begin yanking draft choices from teams with multiple player violations. The moves add teeth to the personal conduct policy Goodell introduced in April 2007. Since Super Bowl XLII, the same number of players have gotten arrested or cited (27) as in the same span following last year's championship game.

"When you look at any particular window, it might not look like there's been significant progress," Goodell said at the NFL's spring meeting in Atlanta. "But I think there's a greater recognition of the issue. ... I recognize there have been incidents in recent weeks that concern me. That's one of the reasons we raised the [punishment] again. We will continue to address this issue. It is still a priority for us.

"As I said last year: This is not going to get resolved simply by issuing a new personal conduct policy. It's going to be a continuing reinforcement of the message. You're expected to act a particular way if you're going to be involved with the NFL — period."


FOX Sports on MSN - NFL -

The Playbook: What NOT To Do Post-Season

Police arrested Chicago Bulls forward Joakim Noah early this morning on charges of possession of marijuana and having an open container of alcohol. According to a police spokesman, Noah was spotted by an officer on a sidewalk holding a plastic cup containing an amber drink, a violation of city law. Cops later found pot on him during a search at the police station. He could face up to six months in jail and a $500 fine for the marijuana charge.

The Playbook: ESPN - Grizzlies' Quinn charged with second DUI in less than a year - College Football

The Playbook Commentary: Are you kidding me? Two DUI's in less than one year....and, he is only 22?

After the first DUI, why didn't his attorney, the school, the coaching staff, etc. keep a tighter reign on him to ensure this didn't happen again? And, with the other trouble he was in that caused him to be ineligible to play last season, you would think he would try to be on his "Ps" and "Qs".

In my opinion, it was in the best interests of everyone to have created a winning environment for this young man. And, I truly believe they failed him.

The Playbook: Mentoring Initiative....COMING SOON!



Grizzlies' Quinn charged with second DUI in less than a year
Associated Press
Updated: May 23, 2008, 1:45 AM ET


MISSOULA, Mont. -- Montana offensive lineman J.D. Quinn was arrested Thursday on charges of drunken driving, his second DUI charge in less than a year.

The 22-year-old senior, who transferred from Oklahoma, was arrested after he pulled over for a traffic stop, refused a breathalyzer and requested a blood test, according to his attorney.

Neither of the tests was administered before Quinn posted $500 bail. He pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charge the same day.

"He disputes that he was impaired at all," said Paul Ryan, Quinn's attorney. "We continue to monitor his alcohol use, but he's been really compliant and just wants get these matters resolved."

Quinn was arrested in Missoula in July on another DUI charge. He pleaded not guilty to that charge and is awaiting trial.

Quinn, an All-Big Sky selection last season, has been suspended from the team until further notice, athletic director Jim O'Day said.

Around the time of last year's DUI arrest, the NCAA forced Oklahoma to vacate eight wins from the 2005 season because Quinn and quarterback Rhett Bomar took money for work they didn't perform at a Norman, Okla., car dealership.

The players were dismissed from the team in August 2006 and lost a year of eligibility. They were eligible to play again last fall.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press


ESPN - Grizzlies' Quinn charged with second DUI in less than a year - College Football

The Playbook: ESPN - Parker to miss two games after guilty plea to two misdemeanors - College Football

The Playbook Commentary: Are you kidding me? Why are the majority of the articles on ESPN/College Football about college-athletes either being indicted, not returning to school after being suspended or ineligible to play due to off-the-field actions? And, this is all this week!

After reading a few, I just couldn't continue to post these stories without saying something. Please explain to me why this young man felt it necessary to carry a gun in his glove compartment. What was he protecting?

See how quick an adolescent act can create an adult situation with major consequences. Instead of him enjoying the full college experience with his class and teammates, he is now forced to live in a supervised dorm, perform roughly 100 combined community services hours, attend NCAA regulated classes, etc.

For what? And, why?

Was it worth it? Is it ever worth it?

Who is watching, speaking, influencing, guiding, supporting these kids to help make sure such things don't happen?

Now, do be clear, I was once a college student and I truly had my fun. However, I was not active in sports and did not contribute to a team and university's success because of my athletic ability. College athletes are more than just regular students; this is evident in how the school treats them, how the community embraces them (especially if they have a successful athletic program) and, how often the scouts and agents pay them a visit.

So, it is safe to conclude that these students have a lot to offer, to a lot of people. And, because of that, should be receiving the support, guidance and positive influence from these people to make sure, at the minimum, they continue to produce the great results that make them so popular.

Is this possible? I believe so.

I HAVE to believe so.


Parker to miss two games after guilty plea to two misdemeanors
Associated Press
Updated: May 19, 2008, 3:36 PM ET


TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida State receiver Preston Parker will have to sit out the first two games of the 2008 season after pleading guilty Monday to two misdemeanor charges.

The 21-year-old Parker, the Seminoles' most versatile player last season, was arrested in April on a felony charge for allegedly having a loaded .45-caliber pistol in the dashboard of his car. The charge was reduced to a misdemeanor charge of carrying a concealed weapon.

At the time of his arrest, Parker was also charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession, to which he also pleaded guilty in Palm Beach County.

"Preston made a very serious mistake, and there are consequences when one of our boys gets in trouble," head coach Bobby Bowden said in a statement. "Preston will have the opportunity to continue as a student and as an athlete at Florida State, but he will have to earn that right."

Parker will be a junior in the upcoming season. He is set to sit out games against Western Carolina and Chattanooga, and return to play against Wake Forest.

Parker apologized to his teammates and fans in a statement released by his attorney.

"I fully blame myself for being in this situation, because it could've easily been avoided," Parker wrote.
Parker scored five touchdowns last year. He caught a team-leading 62 passes, was second on the Seminoles in rushing and was Florida State's main punt returner.

As part of a plea agreement, Parker will perform 50 hours of community service and serve 12 months of probation.

Besides the two-game suspension, the university has set several other conditions for Parker to remain on the team. Those include moving into a supervised dorm, going to weekly study hall, performing an additional 50 hours of community service, attending weekly sessions with the school office that enforces NCAA regulations, submitting to drug testing and mentoring at-risk students.

"He wants to move forward with doing whatever he needs to do to get himself back in good graces with the university and back out to what he does on the football field. This is his first step toward doing that," said Parker's attorney, Jason Weiss.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press


ESPN - Parker to miss two games after guilty plea to two misdemeanors - College Football

The Playbook: ESPN - Reports: Grand jury indicts Arizona DE Turner - College Football

Reports: Grand jury indicts Arizona DE Turner
ESPN.com news services
Updated: May 20, 2008, 9:52 AM ET

A University of Arizona defensive end has been indicted by a grand jury on a sexual assault charge, according to media reports.

A Pima County grand jury indicted Johnathan Turner, 23, on Friday in connection with an incident alleged to have taken place April 3, sheriff's deputies said.

According to the reports, a woman reported that she fell asleep after drinking alcohol at a party and awoke to find Turner sexually assaulting her.

According to court documents, the woman pushed Turner away and went into a bedroom to tell a friend about the assault. Turner followed her and told her friends that she was "tripping out" and that he was just "cuddling" with her.

The woman's friends took her to a nearby hospital, where police were called, according to the reports.
The Tucson Citizen reported that it could not reach Turner for comment. However, his attorney, Richard Martinez, asked that Turner not be judged before the facts are known.

"It is an extremely difficult time for him," Martinez said, according to the Citizen. "He is caught in a situation where I know everybody is going to prejudge him, and that shouldn't be the case until all the details are known. ... Once the whole story is out there will be a different opinion."

"Obviously we are aware of the situation and we are going to let the judicial system obviously take its course," Arizona coach Mike Stoops said.

Stoops said he had not yet discussed Turner's playing status with Arizona athletic director Jim Livengood.

"We will discuss what is best for all parties and make some type of decision this week," Stoops said, according to the report. "We are going to leave him on scholarship and let him continue to work on his education ... He is going to work out on his own."

ESPN - Reports: Grand jury indicts Arizona DE Turner - College Football

The Playbook: ESPN - Hamby indicted on assault charge for altercation near campus - College Football

Hamby indicted on assault charge for altercation near campus
Associated Press

LUBBOCK, Texas -- Texas Tech center Stephen Hamby faces an aggravated assault charge for allegedly punching a man in the face twice in March.

Hamby, indicted by a grand jury Tuesday, is accused of punching the man during an altercation near campus. The victim suffered a fractured jaw and was treated at a Lubbock hospital, police said.
Hamby fled the scene, according to a police report.

Hamby, a 6-foot-3, 287-pound junior from San Antonio, walked on at Texas Tech and rose steadily on the depth chart before starting for the first time last season.

Hamby's attorney, Tom Pitts, declined to comment Wednesday.

Texas Tech coach Mike Leach said in Wednesday's edition of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal that he knew of Hamby's altercation and had not decided whether to discipline him.

"His status is we'll see what the facts are and then address it based on the facts," Leach said. "We're not going to jump to any conclusions."

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press


ESPN - Hamby indicted on assault charge for altercation near campus - College Football

The ULTIMATE argument for the need of such a program as The Playbook

The question posed in the The Playbook© commentary earlier today is applicable here. Mr. Professional Athlete, What is Your Game Plan....OFF-the-field? Because one is needed. Don't get distracted by today's hype and initial financial reward for playing hard in college. As a rookie, you need to get your personal team together and create a solid plan for both your financial and physical future.

This article is truly the ultimate point to why programs like The Playbook© are needed and long overdue.

A rookie’s security depends on more than draft-day decisions

Street & Smith's Sports and Business Journal

By Jason Cole

Published April 21, 2008 : Page 17

The 2008 NFL draft will launch a new class of athletes who may very well focus on living a higher lifestyle than they can afford without considering the financial challenges awaiting them.

The financial decisions that players make even before they sign their contract affect the quality of their lives for years beyond their playing careers.

First-round draft picks will sign contracts with large salaries and bonuses. Most rookies, however, will not.

In 2008, the minimum salary for rookies is $295,000, for second-year players it is $370,000 and for thirdyear players it is $445,000. These salaries apply to all but the first 31 players drafted (although round-one draft picks can choose to take these minimum salaries if it makes the most sense in their total contract package).

No guarantees
Unlike MLB and NBA contracts, they are not guaranteed. Signing and roster bonuses are the only real guarantees in what are traditionally four-year NFL rookie contracts.

The NFL Players Association estimates that at least 78 NFL players were defrauded of more than $42 million between 1999 and 2002 alone. Fraud and poor financial decisions have caused many NFL players to go broke.

Dale Carter, a first-round draft pick who played in the NFL for 13 years, filed for bankruptcy in 2002 claiming debts of $5 million.

Financial decisions NFL rookies make even before they are drafted or sign their first contract can affect their lives long after their playing careers end.

Fred Taylor lost his entire $3 million signing bonus in the William “Tank” Black fraud scheme. Black, a sports agent, was sentenced in 2001 to nearly seven years in prison on a money-laundering charge.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Sanford said during trial that Black abused his clients’ trust and stole between $12 million and $14 million from them. NFL players testified that Black used his position as their agent to steal millions from them through bogus investments.

Getting drafted does not guarantee employment in the NFL. From 2000 to 2007, according to Colin Lindsay of GBN Report, an online NFL draft site, an average of 37 draft picks annually, or 15 percent of those players drafted, were released prior to opening-day rosters.

Being prudent in the early years is crucial to achieving ultimate off-the-field success. Rather than spending, athletes need to save.

It makes sense to keep a portion of one’s earnings invested in safe short-term cash and cash equivalents if for nothing else but to have some liquidity and a safety net. I recommend that these rookies seek more financial training.

NFL education
In an effort to help their players handle their money responsibly, the NFLPA has stepped up its programs to educate young players about important financial issues.

All rookies are required to attend a symposium covering lessons about finances (among other topics). The NFL also provides a background-check service to screen any business opportunities players may encounter.

A rookie who receives a $1 million signing bonus and a starting salary of $295,000 will net about $1.2 million (before any spending and after fees taken by a business manager, agent, taxes, social security and union dues) over the average NFL career of 3.3 years.

If the player earned 7 percent on investment savings while spending $100,000 after taxes per year during his 3.3-year career, he’d accumulate $1 million at retirement. This will create an annual income stream of $40,000 (with annual cost-of-living increase) if he wants his money to last for the rest of his life.

If he continued to spend $100,000 after taxes and had no other earned income, he would run out of money after only nine years.

In most cases, rookies have poor or zero credit once they leave college. To establish good credit, they must pay their bills on time and avoid accumulating too much debt.

Rookies who are concerned about poor spending habits and lack a handle on their cash flow should hire a business manager to hold them to a fixed monthly budget. I recommend paying oneself back in the form of forced savings to start building a nest egg for retirement.

One way to address this is through the NFL Player Second Career Savings Plan, which is a 401(k) plan. A player’s NFL team matches the player’s pre-tax contributions 2 to 1 up to $20,000.
Thus, a player who elects to defer a maximum of $15,500 pre-tax from his paycheck will receive a $20,000 tax-deferred matched contribution from his NFL team.

Due to players getting only 17 paychecks during the season and then receiving no paychecks during the off season, planning for one’s spending and savings has to occur well in advance of the off season.

Establish residence
Many athletes do not realize that the state where they reside when they receive their signing bonus determines its taxation. In California, this means paying 10.3 percent, including a millionaire’s tax of 1 percent. To save or avoid state income taxes, look to establish residency in states such as Texas or Florida before contract signing.

I often advise rookies to set up an LLC for all marketing, endorsement and trading-card income streams.

With an LLC, a player can elect to make an additional retirement contribution (up to 25 percent of net LLC income), as well as deduct certain travel, agent, financial adviser and business management expenses against income. In all of the excitement and anticipation of this year’s draft, let’s not forget the reality of short careers and poor money decisions that these players will experience.

Jason Cole (Jason@abacuswealth.com) is a certified financial planner and managing director of Abacus Wealth Partners.

The Playbook: What is Plan B?

The Playbook Commentary:

What is Plan B? Does a professional athlete place as much mental and physical energy in creating a Plan B, JUST IN CASE, things don't go as planned? More times than not, they don't. And, that is a shame. Because in life, nothing is guaranteed. And, you are as hot and good until tomorrow's new kid comes along. I am curious to see what happens with Schweigert and Biamila and others like them. Even if they get picked up by another team, they and all players should not place all their future eggs in that one uncertain basket. They should have options...because at the end of the day, no one should be more concerned with their future on any level more than themselves.

The question is, "What is your game plan for life?" The answer is, "The Playbook©: Mentoring Initiative can help you create it."

Coming Soon!


Raiders release S Schweigert, LB Gbaja-Biamila
Associated Press

ALAMEDA, Calif. -- The Oakland Raiders released safety Stuart Schweigert on Tuesday, cutting ties with a former starter who lost his job late last season.

Schweigert, a third-round pick out of Purdue in 2004, became the starter at free safety midway through his second season in Oakland and started 37 consecutive games before being replaced last season.

Schweigert lost his job to Hiram Eugene when he was forced to miss a game with an injured calf and then played as a backup in the final five contests of the season.

Schweigert struggled at times last season as a run-stopper and the Raiders set out to improve their tackling at safety this offseason by signing Gibril Wilson from the Super Bowl champion New York Giants.

Wilson lined up mostly as a strong safety during last week's practice open to the media, with former first-round pick Michael Huff shifting to his more natural position of free safety. That left little room for Schweigert, who missed the open practice with a leg injury.

Schweigert had 215 tackles and four interceptions in 63 games with the Raiders. He also had 20 passes defensed, four fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.

The Raiders also released linebacker Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, signed as a free agent earlier this offseason.

The Raiders began their second week of offseason practices Tuesday in a session closed to the media. It was the first time running back Darren McFadden and quarterback JaMarcus Russell got to work together.

McFadden, the No. 4 overall pick in last month's draft, was not allowed at last week's practices because he is a rookie. Russell, the No. 1 overall pick in 2007, was not at the rookie minicamp the previous week.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

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