(03-22-2017, 12:02 PM)jowczarski Wrote: Hey all,
Have a new story up today where I hung out with AJ McCarron as he worked out, ate dinner at Wallace Gilberry's house and talked to Michael Bennett about the NFL telling him "you're retired" at the age of 25 and DeShawn Williams, who knows this could be a make or break year for his career.
http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2017/03/22/cincinnati-bengals-nfl-players-aj-mccarron-wallace-gilberry-deshawn-williams-uncertain-futures/99329410/

You guys know by now I try to bring you into these guys lives in some way, and I felt that reaching out to four guys at different stages of their careers would be interesting - and the common theme was that they have no control over their professional lives, and that's an easy thing to say you can deal with, but a whole other to actually do it.

Thanks for the reads and social shares, and as always leave comments or questions here and I can try and answer as best I can. I'm en route to San Jose to help out on our Xavier coverage, but I'll be sure to check back when I can.

(03-22-2017, 12:02 PM)jowczarski Wrote: Hey all,
Have a new story up today where I hung out with AJ McCarron as he worked out, ate dinner at Wallace Gilberry's house and talked to Michael Bennett about the NFL telling him "you're retired" at the age of 25 and DeShawn Williams, who knows this could be a make or break year for his career.
http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2017/03/22/cincinnati-bengals-nfl-players-aj-mccarron-wallace-gilberry-deshawn-williams-uncertain-futures/99329410/

You guys know by now I try to bring you into these guys lives in some way, and I felt that reaching out to four guys at different stages of their careers would be interesting - and the common theme was that they have no control over their professional lives, and that's an easy thing to say you can deal with, but a whole other to actually do it.

Thanks for the reads and social shares, and as always leave comments or questions here and I can try and answer as best I can. I'm en route to San Jose to help out on our Xavier coverage, but I'll be sure to check back when I can.

(03-22-2017, 12:02 PM)jowczarski Wrote: Hey all,
Have a new story up today where I hung out with AJ McCarron as he worked out, ate dinner at Wallace Gilberry's house and talked to Michael Bennett about the NFL telling him "you're retired" at the age of 25 and DeShawn Williams, who knows this could be a make or break year for his career.
http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2017/03/22/cincinnati-bengals-nfl-players-aj-mccarron-wallace-gilberry-deshawn-williams-uncertain-futures/99329410/

You guys know by now I try to bring you into these guys lives in some way, and I felt that reaching out to four guys at different stages of their careers would be interesting - and the common theme was that they have no control over their professional lives, and that's an easy thing to say you can deal with, but a whole other to actually do it.

Thanks for the reads and social shares, and as always leave comments or questions here and I can try and answer as best I can. I'm en route to San Jose to help out on our Xavier coverage, but I'll be sure to check back when I can.

(03-22-2017, 05:32 PM)jowczarski Wrote: Thanks for reading y'all.
@Sled21 - LOL
@XenoMorph - Yes, of course. But I cover the Bengals, so that's why it's called that. :-)

(03-22-2017, 12:02 PM)jowczarski Wrote: Hey all,
Have a new story up today where I hung out with AJ McCarron as he worked out, ate dinner at Wallace Gilberry's house and talked to Michael Bennett about the NFL telling him "you're retired" at the age of 25 and DeShawn Williams, who knows this could be a make or break year for his career.
http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2017/03/22/cincinnati-bengals-nfl-players-aj-mccarron-wallace-gilberry-deshawn-williams-uncertain-futures/99329410/

You guys know by now I try to bring you into these guys lives in some way, and I felt that reaching out to four guys at different stages of their careers would be interesting - and the common theme was that they have no control over their professional lives, and that's an easy thing to say you can deal with, but a whole other to actually do it.

Thanks for the reads and social shares, and as always leave comments or questions here and I can try and answer as best I can. I'm en route to San Jose to help out on our Xavier coverage, but I'll be sure to check back when I can.

(03-22-2017, 12:02 PM)jowczarski Wrote: Hey all,
Have a new story up today where I hung out with AJ McCarron as he worked out, ate dinner at Wallace Gilberry's house and talked to Michael Bennett about the NFL telling him "you're retired" at the age of 25 and DeShawn Williams, who knows this could be a make or break year for his career.
http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2017/03/22/cincinnati-bengals-nfl-players-aj-mccarron-wallace-gilberry-deshawn-williams-uncertain-futures/99329410/

You guys know by now I try to bring you into these guys lives in some way, and I felt that reaching out to four guys at different stages of their careers would be interesting - and the common theme was that they have no control over their professional lives, and that's an easy thing to say you can deal with, but a whole other to actually do it.

Thanks for the reads and social shares, and as always leave comments or questions here and I can try and answer as best I can. I'm en route to San Jose to help out on our Xavier coverage, but I'll be sure to check back when I can.

(03-24-2017, 09:21 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: Nice work, Jim.  I don't feel any additional sympathy for NFL players, backups, fringe roster guys, and guys that never made it.  They are no different from any of the rest of us.  

Sure, the stakes are higher.  If they hit, and get on a roster for a while, they earn big-time.  But, what bothers me the most, is that so many of them don't understand how to budget their money and spread those earnings out over time.  

I don't know the statistic off the top of my head, but the % of ex-NFL players that become bankrupt is staggering.  Again, this happens to non-NFL players as well.  It sickens me to hear all these debt-relief ads on the radio that paint a picture of "hey, it isn't your fault, and you can get away with paying just a  small amount of what you owe!".  What a misconception to paint to individuals.  Take no responsibility for your wreckless spending.  

I wish our schools would force a "personal economics" course to teach kids BEFORE they get out of high school about credit, budgeting, and retirement.  

I was fortunate to have a father that did all of that for me, and I am very grateful for his advice.

I never was going to hit big money in swimming.  Heck, only two or three of the fastest in the world get any real endorsements and financial windfall.  If you are looking for that, swimming isn't your sport.  It did, however, allow me to graduate college without any debt and that was a great head start to financial stability.  

Wallace might have earned $11 million in his career, but after taxes and agent fees, etc, he probably brought home half of that.  $5.5 million.  If I am earning $250,000 a year, you could say I have a 25 year, $5 million dollar contract.  I have 25 years to earn what he does in 9, but you get my point.  In 25 years, we are almost in the same boat.  Would I be driving a twin-turbo AMG Mercedes G-Wagon at that income (with aftermarket rims, total price $150,000)?  Heck, no.  Even with the NFL pension based on years of service, I wouldn't.  Now maybe he is single and has no plans on getting married.  Maybe he is a car guy and lives in a very modest home.  That isn't my point.  It is more just one of protecting oneself and preparing for the future.  

I don't mean to sound like I am doing things right and he or many NFL players are doing things wrong, but when it comes to taking care of yourself and your family financially everyone is in the same risk pool.  NFL players(the ones that make it)have to be careful not to live like they will always be receiving those huge paychecks and the ones on the fringe have to have a backup plan.  I was happy to hear Bennett clearly has that in place.

OK, stepping off the soap box.

(03-24-2017, 12:21 PM)fredtoast Wrote: If you feel the need to preach please start a church.  Or at least take it to the PR forum.

I don't know a single person here who is in a situation like Bennett where we are told that our most valuable skill is worthless at age 25 and we can no longer use it to make a living.  Nothing in this article says we should pity them.  It is just pointing out that athletes have to deal with issues that none of us do.

(03-24-2017, 01:36 PM)fredtoast Wrote: And your point has nothing to do with this article.  Not a single player mentioned was broke because of any bad decisions.  That is why I don't understand the need for you to post a sermon no one cares about.