Money Players

Reebok All American Weekend

I spend a lot of time on Money Players exposing the supposedly bad business of sports. I also devote a lot of words to those who demonize summer basketball without really understanding this world. Here and and here (actually, this one is written by Chris Rivers, my brother-in-arms when it comes to the 1,214 things that can be done to improve youth basketball).

No doubt, there are problems. And there's a lot of blame to go around. But way too often people paint ugly pictures with broad strokes. My de Tocqueville-like journeys give me a unique look at the weird, crazy world of basketball.

Solutions? It starts with good people doing good things. More legislation, task forces and partnerships will not cure or even alleviate the ills plaguing so-called amateur hoops. What basketball needs is more good people with appropriate reward structures doing the right thing. We'll never get rid of all the bad characters, but the system can be improved.

A few weeks ago I was Washington DC for the Reebok All-American Weekend, which is a much-deserved reward for 40 top high school ballers in the country.

"You gotta be strong"

Wayman Tisdale, RIP. He was off-the-charts good at basketball, music and life. He will be missed. 

Check out this wonderful ESPN piece, which ran in December 2008. Also, check out this ESPN The Magazine article.

When anyone thinks about Wayman Tisdale, they will likely remember his phenomenal basketball talents, his incredible musical skills as a jazz musician, and, most important, his wonderful, warm personality. Only Lawrence Journal writer Chuck Woodling uses Tisdale's tragic death to recall that he was a "bit player in one of the ugliest incidents in the history of Kansas University’s Allen Fieldhouse." The ugly incident? Cutting down the nets after OU upset Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse. I have no problem when writers tell the whole story, warts and all, even when covering a recent death. But this is classless.

Most of the comments below the Lawrence Journal article reflect outrage, but kim7654321 says it best:

"Perhaps unintentionally, Mr. Woodling, you say virtually nothing about Wayman Tisdale, but convey much about yourself. You reveal yourself to be a vindictive person willing to exploit the untimely death of a much loved and repected man in order to rehearse old grudges. In fairness, you admit that Mr. Tisdale was a “bit player” in the incident you describe, but you omit his well-deserved reputation throughout years in the NBA as an extraordinarily good sport and a model human being. You unashamedly ride the coattails of a famous good man in order to malign his name and memory. Yes, we have indeed learned a great deal about your character."

Rather than end on sour note, listen to Wayman playing some sweet music...

DeCourcy on Mayo

I'm quoted in Mike DeCourcy's article, "One year with Mayo could prove costly."

"It's like the lottery. It's a dollar and a dream," said Marc Isenberg, whose book Money Players is a guide for young athletes dealing with issues of amateurism and professionalism. "These are the program-changers, and it's very difficult to turn your back on these types of players -- knowing that if you don't take them, somebody else will.

"These guys have an artificial market value of zero and a true value of something greater. Even if we want them to be amateurs and we want them to follow the rules, the underground economy is going to kick in."

It's another good article on the high risk of bringing in top talent to our great universities. Unquestionably, there were some bad dudes involved with Mayo. I just hope the FBI and other law enforcement leave Mayo out of the mess.

Get your copy of Money Players!

Money Players:  A Guide to Success in Sports, Business & Life for Current and Future Pro Athletes

Written by Marc Isenberg
"Pregame" by Ryan Nece, NFL player
ISBN # 978-0-9666764-1-9
List Price: $29.95

Praise for Money Players

“With great clarity and inescapable logic, Marc Isenberg has produced the definitive ‘game plan’ for pro athletes wishing for financial success and security. If you want to avoid the pitfalls and mistakes that have plagued so many young professionals, by all means take a good, hard look at Money Players.”
--Dan Guerrero, Director of Athletics, UCLA

“While this book can prepare a select few for a professional sports career, Money Players provides excellent counsel to all student-athletes pursuing a productive, successful and meaningful life. I encourage every college football coach and anyone else who works with athletes to read—and share—this book.” --Grant Teaff, Executive Director, American Football Coaches Assn. (AFCA)

"Money Players is the best book I have read for college and pro athletes in my 30 years in this business. The book is that good. It should be on every athlete's reading list and every parent/advisor should read it, too. I intend to give it out to recruits and their families." --Tony Agnone, football agent

"Marc Isenberg has penned the ultimate game plan for future pro athletes. It is a MUST read for every college athlete thinking about going pro, and even for pro athletes to use, to make sure things are in check. Agents can use this as their reference bible. In fact, if you don't have this book and you advise athletes, I think you may be doing your client a disservice: nobody knows everything, and nobody has perfect recall. A seasoned NFL agent told me recently even he, who has advised athletes for 30 years, picked up a few things from this book." --Sports Review Magazine

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The Basketball Underground

A couple days ago, the Los Angeles Times did a lengthy investigative piece basketball prodigy Renardo Sidney. It was yet another story on the ills of big-time basketball. Yawn. I don't want to comment specifically on the allegations yet. I will say this: The Sidneys are a close, loving family. Are they perfect? Perhaps not, but it's not fair to judge them harshly without knowing all the facts. Let's also not forget, the Sidneys did not create the well-established underground marketplace for basketball players. Maybe this is solid, investigative reporting. On the other hand, how credible is a piece that incorrectly says that Renardo, Sr. is Renardo's stepson, when he is, in fact, Jr's biological father? The Times did correct the mistake after the fact.

As Shaq famously said, "Biological don't matter." However, it does feed into some unfortunate stereotypes about race and parenting. (Also, it is worth nothing that common sense could have answered the question: Ask yourself, how many stepsons are named after their stepfathers?)

Beyond insinuations that UCLA and USC backed off because they were uncomfortable with some things, people do have axes to grind in this business and butts to cover. I definitely would like to believe UCLA and everyone associated with this fine institution is above reproach, but I am also not delusional. (Disclaimer: My in laws graduated from UCLA and my wife graduated from UCLA law school.)

I don't blame the Times and Lance Pugmire for wanting to try to make sense of this upside-down, bizzaro world. But, he and a lot of others fail or do not want to recognize that the business of "amateur" basketball is by driven market demand, legitimate or otherwise.

Check out my latest Basketball Times article, which is on the basketball underground. In the article, I include one of my favorite all-time quotes on recruiting. Former UCLA assistant coach Jack Hirsch, whose family reportedly made a fortune in pornography. Comparing porn to college basketball, Hirsh told Sports Illustrated in 1984, “(The porno business) is infinitely cleaner than recruiting.”

The Basketball Underground [requires PDF]

Another must-read: Pat Forde's article about the "The Five People You Meet in Recruiting Hell." I greatly appreciate anytime a writer can work in the "biggest whore" Jerry Tarkanian ever met AND Bill Saum in the same article.

--Marc Isenberg

The NOT kinder, gentler NCAA

Beginning in 2010, players who want to return to college will have until May 8th to renounce their NBA eligibility. The NCAA and the various "stakeholders" were all consulted. All believe this rule change will positively impact not only the game, but also the athletes. Of course, I still haven't heard from one college basketball player -- the ones most impacted by this rule -- who thinks this is a good rule change.

I previously wrote why this change is not fair to athletes -- and also completely short sighted by those who claim to put "student-athletes first."

Yes, way too many underclass players put their name in the NBA draft, even if they do not have a legitimate chance to be selected. But that is not a fair justification to gut the rule. And neither are the other reasons cited...

The NCAA news release announcing the change provides the following rationale: "The shorter declaration period will assist coaches in roster planning and encourage student-athletes to refocus on academics before the draft and decrease the potential for amateurism rules violations." Yes, it will help coaches in roster planning. However, the notion that this encourages players to "refocus on academics" is absurd. If anything, it accomplishes the exact opposite. At least with the later date, genuine student-athletes who are on the semester system can finish their academic year and then crisscross the country to workout for the NBA teams. Now that these workouts must take place prior to May 8th, look for even more players to struggle academically -- or simply drop out -- during the spring semester/quarter.

Also, it is laughable to suggest this will "decrease the potential for amateurism rules violations." As if the next amateurism rules violation would be their first.

But, wait. There's more. "In addition, the proposal removes the option for draft entrants who are not selected to resume college eligibility. Student-athletes with eligibility remaining previously had up to 30 days after the draft to declare their intention to return." In the event a player who remains in the NBA draft gets hurt after May 8, too bad. Where's the compassion? What happened to the "student-athlete first" model the NCAA was allegedly trumpeting?

Fine, change the rule to help college coaches firm up their rosters and protect college basketball in general. But don't sell us on the notion that this will help players academically or that this snakeoil will solve any ills in college basketball.

For some real snake oil, try some Bankruptcy Tonic...

--Marc Isenberg