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Tim Christine, Director of Security, NFLPA

Tim Christine, Director of Security, NFLPA:

First, can you let readers know how you took on this position – how did you get involved in managing the security programs for the NFLPA?

I started my professional career in law enforcement as a Special Agent with the United States Secret Service and spent 21 years with the Secret Service where I managed both investigative and protective assignments. My last assignment was in Syracuse, NY, as the Agent in Charge.

In 2003, I retired from the Secret Service to pursue a new position in the private sector as the first director of security at NASCAR in Daytona Beach, Fla. with oversight of the top three national touring series: Sprint Cup, Nationwide and the Truck Series. NASCAR was experiencing unprecedented growth in terms of spectator attendance at events and in television popularity. When I was brought on board, NASCAR had 32 tracks with 32 different security plans. With the events of 9/11 fresh in the thoughts of the country, I was challenged with assessing, developing and implementing security plans and procedures enterprise-wide, for all sanctioned race tracks and facilities.

The task led me to work closely with the NFL, MLB, NBA, PGA and the NHL before establishing and introducing new standards to event security management to NASCAR. I remained at NASCAR for four years before taking positions in the NFL, first as the director of security for the Washington Redskins and ultimately with the NFL Players Association. I have been with the NFLPA for the past four years.

What has surprised you most since taking on this role?

I was most surprised with the dedication of the NFLPA staff and the efforts of the player representatives. Just like at NASCAR, my position did not previously exist. I was very impressed with the vision of Gene Upshaw who built the NFLPA to be the finest professional sports labor association anywhere.

Just two weeks into my time with the NFLPA, Gene Upshaw unexpectedly passed away. At the time, Gene and the entire staff were entering what everyone expected to be the toughest period of the organization’s history, as the union prepared to negotiate a completely new CBA with NFL after management opted out of the existing CBA two years early. Upshaw led the players association for more than 25 years, and his passing could have been devastating to the success of our leadership during this crucial time.

However, then-NFLPA President Kevin Mawae, the player representatives and NFLPA staff pushed through their grief and mourning of Gene Upshaw, staying united and dedicated to their work. Our players and staff first rallied together to first elect a new leader, and then without a moment’s rest, we were off to the races as the labor battle was underway. The unselfish efforts of the players and everyone at the NFLPA during that time left a mark on my soul which I will never soon forget.

What new programs are you and the NFLPA looking to implement in 2012-2013 and what inspired these new ideas?

The two most important and influential persons in a player’s career are his Contract Advisors (Agents) and his Financial Advisors, and this year, the NFLPA strengthened and enhanced background investigations for both.

I collaborated with our player services, legal, salary cap/agent administration and financial advisors departments to take a more aggressive, proactive position. Proposals were submitted to leading national private investigative service providers. The end result was that the NFLPA selected a new and innovative security firm — Hillard Heintze, headquartered in Chicago, founded in 2004 by Terry Hilliard, former Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department and Arnette Heintze former Senior Executive with the U. S. Secret Service — to administer background investigations for both the Contract Advisors and Financial Advisors programs.

I feel we made significant advancements to identify and mitigate potential threats to our members, as Hillard Heintze is one of the fastest growing companies and a recognized leader in administering investigative services at the national level. The more information we collect and review, the better our players are protected.

What have been the most – and least – effective programs so far, and why?

This is a very tough question to answer. Our most successful program and least successful program may be one in the same. In 2010, the NFLPA introduced a program known as the Player Transportation Link. PTL is administered by Corporate Security Solutions, a national security firm based in Orlando, Fla. and is designed to deter our members from driving while impaired. PTL offers our members – both active and former players – two options: pre-arranged transportation or emergency service. The call center is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and the service is available in all 50 U.S. states and Canada.

When a player places an emergency call to PTL, a security supervisor at CSSI will immediately dispatch a town car or limousine to pick up the player and transport him to a safe destination. We have seen significant growth in use by our members, and this month alone (as of July 26), 68 players have used the PTL, the most ever.

On average, 60% pre-arrange transportation and 40% fall into the emergency service category. There is no doubt the program is working and players have options. However, there have been a far too may recent instances of player DUIs. Player health and safety, and his impact on his community – are paramount issues to the NFLPA. We have made some significant strides, but we will always look for ways to better assist our members in making informed decisions.

What are the biggest mistakes you see athletes make in terms of personal security and protection, and how do you help prevent such occurrences?

Our members are some of the most successful athletes in all of professional sports. NFL players are bigger, faster and stronger than ever. However, as a consequence, their playing careers actually trend shorter than their peers in other professional sports. The average playing career of an NFL player is only 3.4 years.

Players who successfully make the transition from the locker room to the boardroom are fully engaged in the process we term the ‘business of football.” While most see football as only a game, it is indeed a business for our members.

Possessing a college degree is the best form of insurance an professional athlete can have for himself and for his family. It opens the door to much greater opportunities when his playing career has ended. During his NFL career, a player should to be fully engaged in the day-to-day decisions regarding his finances, especially when it comes to savings and investments. A player who delegates less of these responsibilities and stays informed generally stands the best chance to prosper off of the field.

Saying “NO” to family, friends and the constant barrage of pitchmen presenting business opportunities can be very difficult for a young man who just received his first NFL paycheck. However, these checks come for, on average, only 3.4 years and then he finds himself “retired” at the age of 25. Actively monitoring his assets, making low-risk and long-term investments and protecting his brand by making smart decisions on and off-the-field are an athlete’s best forms of personal and financial security.

How do you work with the teams to help implement and maintain security measures for players?

The NFLPA, NFL and teams work together in a myriad of areas to protect players. When it comes to player protection and the personal safety, there are no barriers between the players’ union, the league and its teams. The NFL’s security initiatives are primarily focused on protecting current players, and the league and clubs have security personnel who interact directly with our players.

I work closely with the NFL’s security team to thoroughly investigate any form of fraud or criminal acts directed against our members. However, there are absolutely some notable differences. While the NFL does not generally offer or provide security services to retired players, our focus at the NFLPA is providing life-long services to our members, both active and former players.

There is also the element of privacy. The NFL and its teams are our players’ employers, and there are times when a player requires confidential security services. We provide services to our members so that they can conduct confidential background checks on all persons who come in contact with their families in addition to performing background investigations on prospective business associates.

With so much discussion on how players handle their post-NFL careers and lives and the difficulties they have in doing so at times, how do you work with players so they have a healthy mindset entering their post-NFL years, and how do you go about doing so?

Executive Director DeMaurice Smith restructured our organization to be completely player-centric, meaning the entire NFLPA staff is constantly educating our members on life after football.

Before a player’s 29th birthday, he most likely will have already made the transition to being a former player. The best way we can collectively protect our members is through education. Just last week, a prominent NFL agent hosted a two-day retreat for nearly 30 players he represents, and part of his agenda was a stop to the NFLPA. All of our departments – including security – had the opportunity to present to this group to remind them of the services we provide, during a player’s career, his transition, and his post-career life.

For active players, our player advocates, player representatives and executive committee members serve as our liaisons in the locker room and are able to assist struggling teammates by connecting them with the right resources. Annually, our former players department conducts an exit symposium, collecting data from and offering assistance to those who are in transition and those who have been out of the game for years.

In the last year, we have set up a 24/7 hotline for our members needing emergency assistance for a variety of issues, including depression, and have the ability to get a former player in need admitted to an intervention program, anywhere in the country. We have a partnership with the University of Michigan Depression Center to provide former players with a comprehensive mood and behavioral evaluation resulting in a personalized treatment plan. The need-based program includes follow ups for a year.

The NFLPA also has a relationship with The Center for the Study of Retired Athletes at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and concerned players can have their brain and/or body evaluated. We are working on cementing additional relationships with nationally prominent institutions to better assist those who are in need of help.

This has been a rough week for off-field issues. How frustrating is it for you to establish all of these programs and see players still make off-field mistakes as they do?

Yes, there have been too many negative stories in the media involving players. However, there is also an element of perception that our players are being arrested at a higher rate than the general public, which is not factual. Last year, a Minneapolis television station conducted a survey of all professional athletes who were arrested since 2000. It found that 1-in-48 NFL players were arrested for a violation more serious than a traffic offense. A comparison of the general public revealed an arrest rate of 1-in-23, which is nearly double the NFL figure.

Additionally, while members of the media were quick to publicize player DUIs this offseason, they seemed to be less eager to promote the good works our members did. The NFLPA communications department recently distributed a press release highlighting community initiatives by hundreds of active and former players this summer. From military visits to free football clinics to charitable donations, the vast majority of our players are constantly looking for ways to improve their cities in positive ways. I am not trying to downplay the issue, and I am aware our members are human and subject to the same influences as our society in general.

However, with the average playing career being so short there is no time for do-overs and one mistake can tarnish an otherwise stellar career and reputation. We will continue to inform and educate our players about making decisions that will benefit them in both the short term and the long term.

What are your thoughts on the NFL’s/Roger Goodell’s approach to fines and suspensions for off-field behavior? Do you agree with the direction the NFL has taken? Why/why not?

While I am the Director of Security, I am neither the President nor the Executive Director of the NFLPA. The leadership of the NFLPA – general counsel, players representatives, executive committee, president and executive director – are actively engaged with the issues of player conduct and Commissioner discipline. This team is informed and I am confident it will continue to address any and all points of disagreement in this area.

Any last thoughts for readers?

We all look forward to the start of the 2012 season with great anticipation for the promise it holds. I will continue to strive to provide our members with the best resources, enabling them to make informed decisions when it comes to personal security. Ultimately, I believe this will allow our player to do what they do best – play the game we all love to watch!

Jim Patrinos, Owner, Primanti Brothers

Jim Patrinos, Owner, Primanti Brothers’:

First, can you let readers know how Primanti Brothers’ got started and how you took over ownership?

Back in 1974, I went to the Strip one day to visit my favorite sandwich shop and it was closed – and had a for sale sign on the door. I thought to myself this was a busy little place and so unique – so I called the number and a few weeks later the deal with Dick Primanti was done.

You’ve continued to expand into new areas – what’s your most recent expansion and what’s next for Primanti’s in general?

Our most recent expansion was in Mt. Lebanon. We like to purchase the buildings and property where we expand and the opportunity came up for a great location on the corner of Route 19 in the South Hills. We just opened in June and so far the community has welcomed us with open arms.

You’ve become a part of the culture of Pittsburgh – how does that put a different kind of pressure and expectation for you as a business and how do you handle that?

It does put some pressure on us. Pittsburgh is a city with raving fans who love their sports teams and their heritage. We have become part of that tradition and we’re honored.

Are you concerned about getting too big and perhaps losing your local “charm”?

That’s part of the reason we are not franchised. We are asked everyday about expanding to cities all over the country. It’s a Pittsburgh thing right now. I have expanded to Florida with another partner that is from Pittsburgh but right now that is as far as we will go.

Why do you think Primanti’s has done so well in Pittsburgh – is this a restaurant that could survive in every city, or do you think it’s more geared towards blue collar cities like Pittsburgh?

It certainly started by catering to the blue collar, truck-driving steel workers of Pittsburgh but now we’ve seen such a growth in the food culture that we have become a “foodie destination”. Rachel Ray was in last week.

How much of your success relies on the local sports and music industry, and how so?

Oh, when the Steelers win, we win! I think every business in the hospitality industry can attest to that. But we do have specials during sporting events that really do help increase sales.

You’ve managed to gain a great deal of media attention over the years. What’s behind that success and what makes Primanti’s so fun?

Yes, we’ve been very fortunate. We have a great PR company that stays on top of all the buzz in and around the city. We have been on the Travel Channel three times in the last year and a half…like I said…the traveling “foodies” helps!

What is the biggest misperception you think people have about Primanti’s?

We are about our sandwich; it is our number one priority and the butter on our bread per se! But we do have expanded menus and sports bars in the suburbs. In particular, we sell fresh made-from-scratch hand-tossed pizza and breaded wings that customers just love.

How much interaction have you had with the local sports players, and how so?

Of course they have ALL been to Primanti’s. It’s fun for us when new recruits come to town. It’s one of the first things they have to do!

How much do you work with the teams themselves in your promotions.

We do have a location in each of the three sports venues and once in a while we will partner with the teams on charity events and PR opportunities as they arise.

Any last thoughts for readers?

We’re honored to be the city’s Sandwich and hope that we continue to provide quality ingredients with great service at all of the Primanti’s twenty locations.

Bill Deasy, Pittsburgh Musician

Bill Deasy:

First, can you tell readers how you got started as a musician and how you’d describe your music?

I got into music at an early age because of an obsession with Elvis Presley. The old Elvis songs (“Hound Dog,” Jailhouse Rock,” “Don’t Be Cruel”) blew my mind as a young kid and inspired me to beg for my first guitar.

I would call my music folk rock for lack of a better term. The lyrics matter but I still want to rock!

How did you settle into this style of music for yourself – what made it “right” for you and who are some early influences?

Let me answer those questions in reverse. As I mentioned, my first influence was Elvis. I later fell under the spell of stuff my older was into. Neil Young. CSN. Jackson Browne. Springsteen’s Nebraska. That music really resonated with me and sort of provided my songwriting education. My style springs directly from those wonderful artists.

What local musicians have you looked up to and worked with – and have any helped you over the years in any way?

I have been helped along the way by many, many musicians. All the members of the Gathering Field and my current band; guys a little ahead of me on the path such as Joe Grushecky and Donnie Iris; my compatriots the Clarks and Rusted Root. I’ve written, sung, recorded and/or performed with all of them and they’ve all impacted my journey in beautiful and unexpected ways!

How has the city been as a venue for your music? There seem to be a number of local talented artists yet there’s not been that one big breakout act yet -is there something more the city can do to “get the word out” and support it’s musicians?

In the 1990s Pittsburgh was on fire with original local music. I can’t imagine that any city in the country was more supportive in that time period and I feel lucky to have been a part of it. Pittsburgh is friendly and inspiring with its cultural diversity and beautiful architecture and landscape.

As for breakout artists, I’d say we have had some, though not in my genre. Wiz Khalifa and Mac Miller spring to mind. two artists from the ‘burgh who celebrate their Pittsburgh roots.

Are you a sports fan – if so, what teams/athletes do you follow and what are some of your favorite sports memories?

Yes I am a sports fan. Especially into the Pirates and the Steelers. Have fond, if somewhat vague, memories of the 1979 World Series…my brother and I celebrating in the schoolyard behind our house after The Pirates won.

Other highlights: Santonio Holmes Superbowl touchdown catch. That whole crazy playoff game against the Colts where we manhandled Manning, the refs blew that call, and Bettis fumbled yet we still managed to win the game.

Have you had the opportunity to perform in front of any local sports venues/players? If so, how were those experiences?

I’ve done lots of anthems for Pirates and Steelers…and had various Pittsburgh athletes and coaches at gigs throughout the years, which is always fun. Sports are the fabric of our lives here, so local music is bound to reflect and interact with that.

What have been some of the more memorable performances for you in general – and what made them so?

Almost every performance is memorable for one reason or another. I guess one that stands out is a Gathering Field Fourth of July outside Three Rivers Stadium. It was our peak in terms of popularity and career surge (we’d just signed with Atlantic, Lost in America was all over the radio) and there was this moment where I lifted my arms at a certain point in a song and fireworks started as if we’d planned it that way – and people went crazy and I felt like was floating or something!

Many see the music business as “all glamour” -but the constant travelling, especially as you are trying to establish yourself, can be very difficult. How do you deal with the travel and rigors of the business?

I’ve kind of eased past that portion of the journey. Not touring as much as I once was. To be honest, though, when I was, I loved it. It’s a unique experience being in different cities night after night, connecting with people through music.

The travel I did for songwriting was, perhaps, more grueling, where you stay in one city and cram in as much co-writing as you possibly can.

What would surprise fans/readers most about you and your music?

Maybe that I always get really, really nervous to perform – to the point of flat-out dreading it sometimes…though the first moments completely erase all that, without fail! Some people may also not know that I’ve published three novels and am currently working on a screenplay.

If you could be the GM or player for any local team, which would it be and what would be the first thing you’d do?

Probably the Pirates…and the first thing I’d do is have all the players jump into the Allegheny River so that 19 years of losing could be ceremoniously washed away!

Where can fans (and future fans) find and purchase your music?

www.billdeasy.com is the portal to all things Deasy!

Any last thoughts for readers?

Go Bucs!!!

Ruth Daniel on Husband/Former Steeler Defensive Back Willie Daniel, 1961-1966

Willie Daniel (1-11-1937)

Macon High School, Macon MS-1955, Football, Track, Baseball; Mississippi State University 1955-1959, Football and Track; Pittsburgh Steelers 1961-1966 Defensive Back; Los Angeles Rams 1967-1969 Defensive Back

Married, three children, four grandchildren

From Ruth Daniel:

Willie wasn’t drafted out of college and was hired as an assistant football and head track coach in Cleveland, MS. During that year, he called the Mississippi State football office and asked that they show some of his game films to any NFL scout who was interested.

Pappy Lewis of the Steelers then offered Willie a plane ticket to the Steeler training camp in 1961. He went to training camp and made the Steeler team. He got quite a bit of publicity during his rookie year from an incident involving the father of one his high school players.

Continue reading “Ruth Daniel on Husband/Former Steeler Defensive Back Willie Daniel, 1961-1966”

George Von Benko, Author, Memory Lane 2 and Sports Talk

George Von Benko, Author, Memory Lane 2 and Sports Talk:

You’ve been busy – with two new books – one which came out in June – Memory Lane Volume 2, and one titled Sports Talk that releases in November. Tell readers first about Memory Lane Volume 2 – what it covers and what inspired you to write the book?

Memory Lane Vol 2 follows the format of the first book Memory Lane, both books are compilations of some of my favorite Memory Lane column that I have penned for the Uniontown Herald Standard. Once again the subject matter is some of the great athletes that have come out of western Pennsylvania. Vol 2 casts a wider net, some athletes from Greene County, Washington County, Westmoreland County and Fayette County. The first book Memory Lane fared so well that I decided to do Vol 2.

How did you choose what interviews to include in the book out of all the interviews you’ve conducted over the years?

For Memory Lane Vol 2 I tried to cover most of the Fayette County High Schools and then branched out into the surrounding counties. For Sports Talk I used some of my talk show interviews over the years, some held up well over time and some did not. There is some very interesting sports history covered in the interviews, guys like former Pirates pitcher Harvey Haddix on the 30th anniversary of his 12 perfect innings in Milwaukee and Don Dunphy the great boxing announcer. Sport Talk is just filled with history.

Western Pennsylvania has had such a rich sports tradition – what from your interviews and experiences helps explain why that is?

Talking to many of the athletes about their work ethic and what drove them to succeed, for many sports was a vehicle to an education and a better life. Sports truly was a way of life in many of the small western Pennsylvania communities.

What are some of the common themes that tie many of these personalities and interviews together?

Work ethic and community pride are front and center in both Memory Lane books. Another factor in both Memory Lane books was the great playground culture that existed in western Pennsylvania that has disappeared to a great extent.

In the Sports Talk book we are involved in a perfect game, Super Bowls, NBA championships and many great sports events through the years. It is a great snapshot of some great athletic careers.

Who are some of the people that impressed you most but are less heralded/known to readers, and what makes them so impressive for you?

In Memory Lane Vol 2 I was fascinated by guys like Gene Hasson from Connellsville who played for Connie Mack and the Philadelphia Athletics. Fran Boniar who twiced batted over .400 in the minor leagues. Ace Grooms who ran out of high school eligibility in Pennsylvania, but when on to star for Ohio powerhouse Massillon High School. John Denvir who never played high school football, but went on to play college and pro football. Uniontown’s mighty 1965 WPIAL AA football champions who earned the highest numerical index ever in Dr. Roger B. Saylor’s Pennsylvania scholastic football ratings. Dick Gray who hit the first home run in Los Angeles Dodgers history, and Russ Grimm who went on to college and NFL stardom as an offensive line, but played quarterback in high school.

Your Sports Talk book was written after you discovered your interviews in a closet after your father’s death in 2011. How surprised were you to find the interviews?

I was very surprised to find the interviews in a box. I thought they had been lost during several moves the family made. Dad saved them and it was a treasure trove. Some of the interviews were on old reel to reel tapes. Many survived in playable condition and some did not. It was a trip back in time for my broadcasting career.

The book is in the Q&A format that you used for your radio show. What led you to decide to keep that format and how does it affect the reader’s experience, do you think?

I kept the format just like I was interviewing the guest on the radio show. It was really the best way to convey the theme of the book which is Sport Talk radio. I think the reader will find it interesting and easy to follow. You can see the interview unfold.

You’ve done both print and radio interviews. How do the interview styles differ and which do you prefer?

I have always loved the sports talk radio format and I think I have thrived in that format. In my interviews for print I still interview to some extent just like I did on the radio, but with limited print space I then have to pick and choose the quotes I want to use in the article. Sometimes because of print word counts you wind up not using some good material.

What surprised you most as you went through these interviews, and how so?

What surprised me most was the sports history in the interviews, Harvey Haddix revealing the Milwaukee Braves were stealing signs throughout the game and still couldn’t hit him. Segments when Bobby Orr talked about some of the players he played against. There is some really interesting historical tidbits throughout all of the interviews.

Pittsburgh sports teams have often been some of the most innovative and culturally progressive – why do you suppose that is?

The city has been blessed with great athletes and great coaches and to some extent great team ownership. For example how many hockey franchises have been blessed with a Mario Lemieux and a Sidney Crosby, we truly have been very lucky.

Looking back on these interviews, how has Pittsburgh’s sports culture changed over the years, and has it been for the better or worse?

I mentioned it the last time that you interviewed me, the relationship between the media and the athletes has changed. It is now more like adversaries, that real came through in listening to the interviews for Sports Talk, you could notice a change through the years in doing the interviews, from the early ones in my career to the later ones. Social media has also changed things with athletes and the media. In the past you could cover up a mistake, not anymore it is front and center with instant coverage and commentary.

Where can readers purchase your books?

The Memory Lane books are available at all eight Bradley’s Book Outlets in western Pennsylvania. Online at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, and the Fayette County Sports Hall of Fame website: www.fayettecountysportshalloffame.com – there is a link on the right hand side of the front page.

Any last thoughts for readers?

Just to say that I have been very lucky to have interacted with so many sports fans on radio through the years and my column Memory Lane seems to have struck a chord with sports fans. It has been an interesting ride for me and it continues to this day.

Andy Simms, Co-Founder, PlayersRep Sports Management

First, can you let readers know how you got started as an agent and how you helped start PlayersRep in 1997?

I was just a 22 year old 1^st year law student with a few ideas really. The long and short of it is simple – I printed up some business cards and made up a brochure for my start up sports agency. I had no connections, potential clients, or much of a clue on what I was doing. I was able to sign a few clients fortunately, and the rest grew from there.

What prompted you to launch your own agency and what were your biggest obstacles starting out?

The biggest obstacles – inexperience, an industry flooded with competition, lack of money and funding for travel and business expenses. That just names a few. But as in any business, obstacles can be overcome. I started on my own because that was really the only option. It’s extremely hard to catch on with an established agent or agency – very few openings and when there are, the opportunity for growth is fairly limited.

What separates you from other agencies/agents and how do you decide on what players to take on? Are there ones you’d turn away – if so, why?

The cliché’ that a business is only as good as its clients proves true in the agent business. Our clients ARE the business. We have to choose wisely. A lot of time and energy is put into studying potential prospects – both on and off the field. We take on a limited number of clients each year which is different than most of our competitors. We have to do a lot of scouting ourselves, studying game film, speaking with MANY people to get background on athletes. We are looking for clients that are a great fit for PlayersRep, of which many are not. And yes, we end up turning away clients.

You are unique in that you take on various roles with clients – from contract work, marketing opportunities, finding clients jobs, tax advice to post-career counseling, and more. What’s the part of the job you enjoy most, and why?

I can eliminate tax advice, financial advice/budgeting and most forms of post career counseling from the competition for most enjoyable part of the job. The reality is each and every aspect of the job is important and necessary. The enjoyment comes from the success. And success starts with a job in the NFL for your client and a contract that pays them as well as possible.

What are the biggest misperceptions players have when entering the contract negotiation process – especially as rookies?

The new labor deal of 2011 brought about changes for the rookies, and all of the NFL really. The rookie contracts are more set than ever before. There is still work to be done on the agent side, especially regarding off-season bonuses, guaranteed language in the contracts, and injury provisions.

With so much discussion on how players handle their post-NFL careers and lives and the difficulties they have in doing so at times, how do you work with your clients to ensure they have a healthy mindset entering their post-NFL years, and how do you go about doing so?

The key to success post NFL playing career is simple. Planning. We encourage our clients to think about and discuss with us their plans for after football. Once we as a firm can understand their post football interests, then we can help guide them into different career paths that interest them. The NFL and NFLPA offer various programs for business education, entrepreneurship, coaching, and broadcasting.

Planning also involves networking throughout the playing career. NFL players meet a lot of people during their careers. We encourage them to stay in touch and follow up with interesting people they meet along the way. No player should ever be left wondering what to do next after they play their last game.

How do you go about selecting the right marketing/endorsement opportunities for players? How do you know when the fit is right?

Our job is to know our clients. We have to have a firm grasp of our client, his interests, and what he wants and doesn’t want to do publicly. Once we have that, it’s about finding the right opportunities and matching those interests up with corporate America. It’s not a science, but we try to evaluate all possibilities and stick to a plan when possible for each client.

From your perspective, what are some of the biggest misperceptions fans have of the role of agents in sports? How do you dispel those?

Our industry is littered with all kinds of people – I understand and accept that. For myself and for the other agents at PlayersRep, we can only control how we conduct ourselves on a day to day basis. I can’t change how our industry is perceived, but I can affect how I am perceived. So I worry about that and nothing more.

With more and more of players’ personal lives – especially legal issues – becoming public, how do you prepare players to protect themselves from these situations and has that become a bigger part of your player preparation?

One of the main jobs of any agent is to protect your client. We protect clients from varying forms of pitfalls and traps. Education, knowledge and planning are the keys. Our clients have to understand the potential for trouble that exists, and they need to know how to avoid that trouble. We encourage our clients to communicate with us regularly, and if they are contacted by anyone, or if they are attached on social media for example, they know to contact me immediately.

Any last thoughts for readers?

Thanks for allowing me to answer some questions about the agent business. Although the agent industry is sometimes perceived negatively, it is a very rewarding, and fun, business to be involved with.

Jim O’Brien: Larouche lucky to still be in step with Penguins

By Jim O’Brien, Columnnist, Pittsburgh Business Times

Pierre Larouche was one of the greatest scorers in the National Hockey League, as a high-flying forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins, the New York Rangers and the Montreal Canadiens. He scored 50 goals in a season twice, once with the Penguins and once with the Canadiens, and had 48 one winter with the Rangers.

He was the first player to score 50 goals for two different teams in the NHL, and the youngest (at 21) to do so until Wayne Gretzky broke his record in 1980. Larouche was the first draft choice of the Penguins in 1974 and scored 53 goals a year later.

Sidney Crosby and Yvgeni Malkin have each scored 50 goals in a season, but only once. Larouche was a gifted player with speed and elusiveness and a deft scoring touch.

Yet on this fall morning, Larouche was moving about the glistening hardwood floors of the family room in his home in Mt. Lebanon like a four-year-old skating on ice for the first time. He put his right hand at the base of his spine and complained, “It’s still stiff. I can’t play golf for awhile.”

He was on the mend from back surgery a few weeks earlier. Larouche pulled up a gray Penguins’ sweatshirt and showed the 10-inch scar just above his buttocks. “I’ll be 57 (on Nov. 16) and Mario is 47, and we were just talking about where the time has gone.”

Mario, of course, is Larouche’s boss, Mario Lemieux, one of the NHL greats and one of the principal owners of the Penguins. If Larouche were wearing a black and white tuxedo, as he does at fund-raising dinners, he could be an extra for the movie “March of the Penguins.”

Larouche says he’s been lucky – his nickname was “Lucky Pierre when he played in the NHL – to still be a part of the Penguins, marching stiffly or when he’s rehabilitated his back and is able to play golf again. That’s his passion along with hockey these days. He has a one stroke handicap at The Club at Nevillewood, and once came close to qualifying for the U.S, Open.

He’s a goodwill ambassador for the Penguins and he’s still on their payroll. I suggested he worked hard during his playing days at being a good guy which led to his present position. “It wasn’t work,” he said. “I learned that from my mother. Everybody is important. She taught me to treat people like I wanted to be treated. That’s easy for me. I think you have to get up awfully early to be a jerk.” He tried selling insurance after he retired as a player, “but that wasn’t me.”

Asked to explain his promotional role for the Penguins, Larouche allowed, “My first and foremost job that I do for Mario and the Penguins is to take care of the corporate sponsors. Whether it be participating in any event or fund-raising effort the team is involved in, or making sure all their needs are met while they are at the games, or just playing a friendly round of golf.

“Along with Mario, I am host to any celebrity or government official, including those from Canada, that attend a Penguins’ game and sit in Mario’s box.

“As part of the All-Time Team, I support the Penguins by doing public relations events and attending community affairs. This can range from going to Children’s Hospital to see the kids or signing autographs at The Regatta. I am humbled by the fans that remember my playing days with the Penguins, and wish to share their memories with me. In brief, I have the best job in the world and definitely the best boss in Mario.”

The NHL was in a lockout and the pre-season schedule had been canceled. Larouche hoped the owners and players could settle on a new contract: “There’s a lot of money out there, and you’d think they could figure out a way to share it equitably.”

Pierre and his wife Cindi and Mario and his wife Nathalie will host a fund-raising dinner – A Night of Hope for Mother’s Hope Foundation that supports children’s care around the world –at the Omni William Penn on Nov. 17. Penguins Marc-Andre Fleury, Kris Letang and former Penguin Mark Recchi will appear as well.

Larouche also has a special interest in cancer research because Cindi overcame a cancer scare in 1979, and Mario had two bouts with the Hodgkin’s lymphoma form of cancer, first diagnosed in 1993. The Larouches have no children, yet Pierre will be hosting a golf outing for the 24^th year in New York to raise funds for the prevention of child abuse,

“I’ve been fortunate in my lifetime,” said Larouche. “I like to give back. I’m still Lucky Pierre.”

Pittsburgh sports author Jim O’Brien has a new book out called “Immaculate Reflections.” Check his website at www.jimobriensportsauthor.com. His e-mail address is jimmyo64@gmail.com

Sydney Thornton, Steelers Running Back, 1977-1982

First, how is your health – you had suffered a stroke around five years ago correct?

I suffered a massive stroke about five years ago yes. Since then I have been on a steady course of rehabilitation and am keeping the faith. I’m trying to stay up and positive.

Has the NFL helped at all in terms of financial assistance?

The NFL? No…But one former teammate was at my side and helped me to learn how to go about things when I had no idea. Rocky {Bleier} stood by me and relieved me of the problems I had worrying about money and making sure bills got paid. He was down here at the time for a speaking engagement. He fulfilled that obligation then, without asking me, came to the hospital and was there for me like a knight in shining armor.

Continue reading “Sydney Thornton, Steelers Running Back, 1977-1982”

What Have You Done Now, Eugene? The Story of Gene Mingo

FORMER DENVER BRONCO AND STEELERS GREAT FINALLY GETS TO TELL HIS STORY

Emporia, Kansas– Football fans, and especially those who are fond of the early days of professional football, will be interested in a new book hitting the shelves this week nation-wide. Entitled What Have You Done Now, Eugene? The Story of Gene Mingo #21, the memoir relates the roller-coaster life and career of America’s first African-American place kicker and holder of many Denver Bronco records that have not been broken in over fifty years.

The life story of Gene Mingo was co-authored by Gene Mingo and Glen and Carol Strickland, who have been friends with Mingo since the 1970s when they lived in Denver and developed a close friendship with Gene and his wife Sally. They have stayed close and decided that Gene’s story is one of inspiration, success, and frustration as he fought his way through the beginnings of the American Football League after dropping out of high school and facing many personal tragedies while growing up in Akron, Ohio.

The Stricklands agreed that they wanted to help Mingo tell his story and started gathering information, doing interviews, collecting photos, and writing the narrative almost three years ago. “It took longer than we ever imagined because of the research that was required. We wanted to make this a book that would pay tribute to this great man but that would also tell the true story of someone who has never received the acclaim that he so richly deserves,” explains Glen Strickland. Gene shared many stories that were very personal to him. “I think we asked some tough questions, especially when we were writing about his downfall with drugs and his arrest. He was very open and honest with us, and we tried to put his words into a running narrative that will engage readers of all ages,” adds Carol Strickland.

Gene Mingo observes, “It’s great to see my story in print after all these years. I hope that my life can be an inspiration to some of today’s young people. It would be great if they could learn from my mistakes rather than from their own.”

The book can currently be ordered online from Amazon or Barnes and Noble, as well as from the publisher IUniverse. It is available in soft cover as well as hard cover. Book signings will be scheduled in various Kansas and Colorado cities in the next few months. The website for the book is //www.whathaveyoudonenoweugene.com/

Kevin Guilfoile, Author, A Drive Into the Gap

First, can you let readers know what brought you to write this book and how difficult was it for you to write something so personal?

Before I became a novelist, I was a creative director at Coudal Partners, which publishes the popular Field Notes Brand memo books. When I worked there, I told lots of baseball stories, both from my father’s days as an executive with the Pirates, Yankees, and the Baseball Hall of Fame, and also from my own brief career in baseball PR (with the Bucs and the Astros). When they decided to come out with a baseball-themed edition of Field Notes, they asked me if I would write a short essay and include some of these stories.

That seemed simple enough. But there was one story that was unfinished. It was the story of this peculiar Roberto Clemente bat that had been in my bedroom growing up in Cooperstown. For the last twenty years I had reason to believe that it–and not the bat in the Baseball Hall of Fame–might be Roberto’s real 3,000th hit bat. I decided to chase this story down and find out the truth. But the truth ended up being much wilder than I had expected, with lots of twists and turns along the way. So the essay became a book about baseball. About memory. About my father and his current struggle with Alzheimer’s. And it’s also a detective story about one of the 20th Century’s most iconic pieces of baseball memorabilia.

Parts of it were difficult to write. But somehow using baseball as a metaphor made it a little bit easier. This is a book about memory and stories. And the memories and stories I have of my father are all good.

How did you get started as a writer, and how much of a departure from your normal writing style was this book?

I’ve always wanted to be a writer. In the late 90s, while I was working with Coudal Partners, I started writing, mostly humor, for places like McSweeney’s and Modern Humorist and then later for The New Republic and Salon and The New York Times Magazine. Eventually I sold my first novel, CAST OF SHADOWS, and became a writer (and a dad) full-time.

I had written shorter investigative, non-fiction pieces (including a series on the internet about an infamous Chicago murder a few years back) but this was the first longer piece of non-fiction I’d attempted. The hardest part for me was not ascribing motives to people. When you write a novel you can invent movies for all the characters. In fact you have to. In this case, when I found out somebody did something, it was very tempting to make the leap and try to guess why they did it. I had to remind myself that I really have no idea.

And of course, this time, when I started writing I had no idea how it was going to end.

How can readers purchase the book?

You can read the first chapter and see a short film trailer for the book at //adriveintothegap.com. You can buy a physical copy either with or without a set of limited edition Day Game memo books at the Field Notes site //fieldnotesbrand.com/daygame/. You can also purchase an ebook at the Kindle and iTunes stores.

In researching and writing the book, what surprised you most about what you took away from the writing of the book?

Every day was a different surprise while I was writing it. Tracing the forgotten and hidden history of this bat was a thrill. Talking to people who knew my dad, and listening to their memories of him, was really exciting and gratifying. My sons are too young to have known my father the way the rest of us do, and hopefully this book will be a way for them to see a bit of who he really was.

How did you father become the Pirates public relations director in the 70’s, and as a child, did you appreciate the responsibility/excitement of his role?

My dad had been the assistant public relations director of the New York Yankees throughout the 1960s, and he was hired by the Pirates in 1970. It was really an exciting life for a kid. I spent practically all summer at Three Rivers Stadium. We’d move to Bradenton for spring training–I’d even go to school down there for six weeks of the year. But I don’t know if I appreciated how special it was. I just didn’t know any different. I can certainly appreciate it now.

Your father now suffers from Alzheimers. How difficult was it for you to gather some of those experience he had and how were you able to do so?

A few years ago, at the encouragement of his brother, my father began writing many of his baseball baseball stories. I didn’t even know he was doing it. His father had Alzheimer’s and he always feared that it would happen to him, so I think at least part of the reason was to save those stories for a time when he was no longer able to tell them.

What about the game of baseball do you think makes it most unique from other sports, and what about it helped being you and your father closer together?

I always had a close relationship with my parents, but we all go through those periods as a teenager where we are embarrassed by our dependence on them and want to distance ourselves. And so there were a couple of years there where I’m sure I was a rude little punk. Even so, baseball was something Dad and I could always talk about. Even now some of the times I feel the saddest about my father’s condition is when something happens in baseball–a perfect game or a change in the rules or a winning streak by the Pirates or this summer when Ron Santo was inducted into the Hall of Fame (my father grew up a Cubs fan in Wisconsin) and my instinct is to call him and talk about it but then I remember that he can’t really have that conversation any more.

I have been to hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of Major League Baseball games. My father has been to thousands. But because he was always working in the press box (or I was) I think I’ve only been to four where I sat with my father. There was a Milwaukee Brewers game when I was in, like, first grade. Games Three and Four of the 1986 World Series at Fenway. And Game One of the 1993 ALCS between the White Sox and Blue Jays at Comiskey.

Quality instead of quantity, I guess. And I remember all of them vividly.

Who were some of the players you remember most from those days – especially through your father’s comments and writings – and what about them made them so memorable to your father and you?

There was no one my father admired more than Roberto. We actually had an oil painting of Clemente hanging over the television in our living room. Dad was very close to Mantle, as well, even though personality wise they couldn’t have been farther apart. He loved Bob Prince. He loved being around the game. He loved that you went to work and you won or lost every day. He loved the outsized characters. He loved the pranks and practical jokes, which are a constant threat around the ballpark. He had great friends in the clubhouse and in the press box.

How do you – and do you think your father – see the game as having changed since your father’s time with the Pirates? And is it for the better?

I think one of the great things about baseball is that, apart from the money and the microscopic scrutiny from 24 hour sports radio and television- it really hasn’t changed that much. I like football and basketball, but the games they play today are entirely different from the ones played by Dick Butkus and Jerry West. DiMaggio would need to get up to speed with today’s conditioning, for sure. But he’d know exactly how to play the game

There was a steroid era, just as there was once a Dead Ball era, but the game abides.

Is the game better? It’s easy to get nostalgic, but I think it is. Think about this: On September 30, 1972, Roberto was sitting on 2,999 hits. It was a Saturday. The weather was fine. The Pirates were the defending World Series champions. They were in first place and headed for the playoffs. Possibly the biggest star in a century of Pirates baseball was about to do something that only 10 people in the history of the game had ever done. But the game wasn’t on TV and barely 13,000 fans came to watch it in a stadium that held more than four times that.

That would never happen today. Never. PNC Park would be packed. Tickets would sell online for thousands of dollars.

Maybe that makes the fans better, but same difference. The game is better because the fans say it is.

Has the sport gotten too mired in statistics and numbers, in your opinion?

I like the statistics. I like the math. I like that you can try to come up with a formula that let’s you imagine what would happen if Roger Clemens faced Honus Wagner. Most of all, I like that you can argue about it all to no end.

You see the team today and it’s back in the playoff hunt. How much is your father aware of the success of this year’s team, and what do you think your father would say about the makeup of the team and organization in general right now?

If you ask him if he’s been following it he’ll say he has, but I know there’s no way that’s true. He can’t really follow a baseball game anymore. He’d love watching McCutchen, obviously. What would he say about the organization? I don’t know. But I know if he thought anything negative he wouldn’t say anything about it to you. Or to anyone else publicly. He was a front office man through and through.

What’s next for you in your writing career?

I’m working on my third novel, which is currently titled NEVERMORE. I hope to finish it later this year.

Any last thoughts for readers?

I was lucky enough to live in Pittsburgh during one of the golden eras of Pirates baseball. Then I left in 1979 and after that it was not so good for awhile. In 1992 I was working for the Houston Astros. Larry Dierker (then an Astros broadcaster and soon to be an Astros manager) knew I was a Pirates fan, so he asked me over to his house to help him set up his new Macintosh computer and watch Game 7 of the NLCS between the Pirates and Braves. And so, like most Pirates fans over 30, I have that indelible memory of where I was–sitting on Larry Dierker’s couch–when Sid Bream, once one of our own, came chugging around third, long arms furiously pumping, to beat Barry Bonds’ throw, sending the Braves to the World Series and the Bucs into a two decade funk.

I’m really loving this season. And, with fingers crossed, I’m terrifically happy for Pittsburgh.