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Athlete Weekly Rundown: Athletes & heat-related deaths, Delvon Roe pursues an acting career & Brandon Jennings has quite the internship with Under Armour

by Al-Hassan Sheriff 08-06-2011 04:04 PM Athlete Weekly Rundown

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Athlete Development
- As the majority of the country faces an unusual heat wave, several football players and coaches from high school and college teams have died due to heat-related conditions. Yet, many athletic physicians and medical professionals have openly stated that many of these tragedies are preventable, regardless of the temperature increase. [Experts: Heat Deaths Are Preventable]
- In his prime, Patriots DT Albert Haynesworth was arguably the most dominant defensive lineman in the NFL. However, his failed season with the Washington Redskins—marred with holdouts, failed conditioning tests and gross underperformance—left many fans and pundits wondering if his better years are behind him. So far, Haynesworth has impressed coaches and observers at Patriots camp and appears motivated to an All-Pro-caliber season. [Albert Haynesworth Looks to Restore Name]
- This week the NFL officially ratified its collective bargaining agreement, thus completely ending the labor talks between the owners and newly-recertified NFLPA. Included within the 10-year CBA was testing for HGH, making the country’s most popular sport the first of the four major leagues to take such a stance. While the NFL has taken precautions for player safety, with increased rules on concussions, fewer two-a-day practices, HGH testing could possibly reduce NFL athletes from using these substances, which are used to quickly heal from injury. [Source: HGH Test Part of CBA]
- Eagles DT Mike Patterson was informed that he may need to undergo surgery for a brain condition, a day after being hospitalized for having a seizure at training camp practice. The seven-year veteran was diagnosed with arteriovenous malformation (AVM), a condition that affects the blood flow or certain blood vessels near the brain. Eagles athletic trainer said AVM is not a football-related injury. Patterson will receive a second-opinion on diagnosis, but his timetable to returning to the Eagles is uncertain. [Eagles DT Patterson Could Require Surgery for Brain Condition]
Business
- “When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade.” Excuse the cliché, but in the case of former Michigan State basketball player Delvon Roe, it’s fairly accurate. After several knee injuries forced him to abandon his once likely dream of the NBA, he pursued an acting career, which recently landed him a role in an independent film. Now, as he prepares for his final season at Michigan State, the 25-year old also much decide whether to pursue his first passion, or his promising new career. [When Basketball Ends, Spartans' Roe Preparing for Next Act]
- Milwaukee Bucks star Brandon Jennings is living the good life, and it has nothing to do with pro basketball. Sort of. The rising young star is in the midst of an sports marketing internship with athletic apparel company Under Armour, the same company who signed him to an endorsement deal to be its ambassador for their new basketball line. With the NBA lockout shaping to be a lengthy one, the 21-year old is taking advantage of the opportunity to gain valuable work experience. That and access to his boss’ tricked-out jeep. [Jennings Lands Perk-Filled Internship]
- Now that the NFL is finally open for business again, many folks are feeling the fast and furious rush of cramming nearly four months of free-agent deals, trades, workouts and preparation in half the time. NFL players, coaches and other employees are trying their best to adjust to the crunch. What about those who provide services to these individuals? Our friend Chris Dingman is the head of The Dingman Group, a company that specializes in relocating pro athletes and their families who have been traded or have signed with other teams. With so much wheeling and dealing this offseason, The Dingman Group is as busy as ever. [A Busy Time of Year]
Human Relations
- It’s no secret that Phoenix Suns point guard Steve Nash is one of the NBA’s best players, amazing fans and his competitors with his blazing speed and unbelievable court vision. Yet, what most don’t know about the two-time MVP is the amazing things he does off the court. Nash spent the day during this NBA lockout at a camp for children with cancer and other illnesses that affect blood. The Basketball Jones’ writer Holly MacKenzie shares some examples of how the 15-year pro inspires folks with his play on the court and compassion and altruism off it. [Steve Bash Great Point Guard Better Human]
- Ravens running back Ray Rice needed a little fuel in his rivalry with the hated rival Pittsburgh Steelers. A twitter feud between him and Pittsburgh safety Ryan Clark about wideout Hines Ward’s DUI arrest made it personal for the Pro Bowl running back. Myshaun Rice, the Ravens star’s older cousin and father figure, was killed in an auto accident. The driver of the other car was drinking. [Cousin's Loss Still Hard for Ravens' Rice]
Published 08-06-2011 © 2013 Access Athletes, LLC
Keywords: Acting Career, Albert Haynesworth, Arteriovenous Malformation, Athlete Relocation Specialist, AVM, Basketball Jones, Brandon Jennings, Chris Dingman, Delvon Roe, Drunk Driving, Eagles, Heat-Related Deaths, HGH Testing, Hines Ward DUI arrest, Holly MacKenzie, Human Relations, Internship, Michigan State, Mike Patterson, Milwaukee Bucks, Myshaun Rice, NBA Lockout, NFL, NFLPA, Patriots, Philanthropy, Phoenix Suns, Proper Hydration, Ravens, Ray Rice, Redskins, Ryan Clark, Steelers, Steve Nash, The Dingman Group, Under Armour
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Hall of Fame Tight End and Union Pioneer John Mackey (1941-2011)

by Matthew Allinson 07-08-2011 01:56 AM Athlete Weekly Rundown

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"He was a great player—in my estimations, one of the greatest players ever at the tight end position. He was a leader on and off the field. Heading up the NFL Players Association, he was able to get benefits we didn't have and for future players. He had a wonderful family. His wife and children were his inspiration and took care of him later in life. Sylvia Mackey is one of the classiest individuals that I have ever met in my life and should be a spokesperson for all retired players' wives."

--Tom Matte, former Baltimore Colts running back (1961-72), AccessAthletes.com

Thursday was a sad day, as legendary Baltimore Colts tight end and Super Bowl champion John Mackey died at age 69 after an extended battle with frontotemporal dementia. The Hall of Fame tight end who played for the Colts from 1963-71 and finished his 10-year career with 331 catches for 5,236 yards and 38 TDs. Not only did Mackey revolutionize the tight end position, he championed players' rights as the first President of the NFL Players Association from 1969-73 following the 1970 NFL-AFL merger and paved the way for many of the benefits current NFL players enjoy today.

During his historic tenure at the helm of the NFLPA, the first sports union recognized by the National Labor Relations Board, he organized the first NFL strike in 1970 that reportedly led to an additional $11 million in pension and benefits for the players, won an antitrust lawsuit that ended the "Rozelle Rule" and established a legal precedent that would ultimately lead to true free agency, and he fought to improve salaries, benefits, and player safety.

"John Mackey is still our leader," NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith said. "As the President of the NFL Players Association, he led the fight for fairness with a brilliance and ferocious drive. His passion continues to define our organization and inspire our players. His unwavering loyalty to our mission and his exemplary courage will never be forgotten."

"He was the right man at the right time," former Colts teammate Ordell Braase told the Baltimore Sun. "We were a fractured group until John began putting permanence in [the union's] day-to-day operations. He hired administrators and a general counsel. He had a vision for that job, which was more than just putting in time and keeping the natives calm. You don't get anything unless you really rattle the cage."

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Rookie Symposium: You Don't Miss It Until It's Gone

by Dr. Timothy Thompson 06-15-2011 12:29 AM Athlete Weekly Rundown

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I hope New York Giants rookie offensive tackle James Brewer's opinion about the cancelled NFL Rookie Symposium isn't shared by many other new NFL draftees. In a May 26, 2011 New York Post Online article, author Paul Schwartz reported that Brewer told him, "That's probably one thing I'm not going to say I'll miss, going to [Ohio] for three days or so of pretty much a freshman orientation. Kind of letting you know what not to do. I feel I have pretty good common sense, so I think I'll be OK. I don't think I need someone to tell me not to hit women and stuff like that. I think I kind of know that already."

But two days earlier on May 24, 2011, an ESPN NFL website article entitled "NFL rookie symposium called off" had explained that the symposium is much more multifaceted than how Brewer has chosen to perceive it. The ESPN.com article quoted a league spokesperson who explained that "the symposium is a large, complex event involving many professionals and others. In fairness, we could not continue to keep their commitment on hold."

The article went on to say that "the symposium, which was to begin in Canton, Ohio, on June 26, is designed to teach rookies life lessons on dealing with football, finances and their new lifestyle. Many players who have been through the symposium have said it has been a positive first step in their transition to the NFL."

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Introducing The KR Group Monthly Broadcast for Professional Athletes with Access Athletes

by Matthew Allinson 06-01-2011 01:04 AM Athlete Weekly Rundown

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One of our goals for 2011 was to begin creating educational products for athletes. We set out to build on top of the strong foundation that we already have in place here at AccessAthletes.com by delving into other mediums, in an effort to give our athlete readers more options when it comes to being informed and maximizing their potential.

I'm very happy to announce the launch The KR Group Monthly Podcast for Professional Athletes with Access Athletes. Each month, both Dr. Tim Thompson, our VP of Educational Programs and human relations expert, and yours truly, will be recording a podcast in Philadelphia together with Scott Kaminsky and Matt Ramer of the KR Group at Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS). It is produced by Digilog Sound & Image of Philadelphia.

Before I get to the podcast's format and what's in store for you for you all this month, I wanted to give a little background about Scott and Matt and what led to us to collaborate with them on this project.

Scott Kaminsky and Matt Ramer are Vice Presidents of the KR Group in Morgan Stanley's Philadelphia office. Scott is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) who received his B.S. in Accounting from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 1989, where he also played on the baseball team. His partner Matt, an Estate and Retirement Planning Specialist, received his Bachelor's Degree in Economics and American Studies from Brandeis University. Matt is an Auxiliary Captain in the U.S. Air Force, as well as an Angel Flight Pilot. They were both named to Philadelphia Magazine’s 2010 FIVE STAR: Best in Client Satisfaction Wealth Manager listing in 2009 and 2010.

What impressed me the most about Scott and Matt is their commitment to educating athletes and helping them make informed financial decisions. In early November, Scott Kaminsky traveled down from Philadelphia to share a study, which both he and Matt commissioned, called the 5 Biggest Challenges Facing Professional Athletes. This well-researched study, produced by the Empire Research Group, provides a great deal of solid information and statistics in an easy-to-understand format.

The study is broken down into 5 challenges: (1) Overindulgence, (2) Debt Control, (3) Misplaced Trust, (4) Family Issues, and (5) Wealth Preservation. Not only does it dissect the root causes behind many of the financial issues experienced by many professional athletes, it also lays out 5 action steps for success. These include (1) Build the Proper Team, (2) Advisor Trust Guide, (3) Tax Planning, (4) Protect Your Assets, and (5) Create a Financial Plan. At the end, it instructs athletes that the choice is theirs - whether they want to "live large for a few years" or "live comfortably forever."

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Interview with a Sports Professional: Mark Slipock

by Adam Steinberg 09-14-2010 01:27 AM Athlete Weekly Rundown

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Mark Slipock, owner of The Law Offices of Mark Slipock, APLC, has been representing retired professional athletes in California Workers’ Compensation claims for over a decade. Mark is a former NFLPA Certified Player Agent (1995-2001) and has been a member of the California State Bar since 1997. Mark is also a member of the Workers' Compensation Section of the California Bar.

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