I have to be very careful as I write this blog. I don’t want to offend any of our beloved Mother’s, who have raised us, nourished us, supported us and even replenished us when our wells have run empty. There is no other love like a mom. And I’ve known this love for many years, as the youngest of my siblings– You didn’t mess with “Momma’s baby”. Did I get my way most of the time? Yes. But I did I also get my butt whipped much of the time? Yes. Because I thought I could get away with anything! But at the end of the day, I was still “Momma’s baby”.
I prefaced all that, so that you understand (Momma) that I truly appreciate the love you have for your sons and daughters. But as a good steward, charged with protecting my clients’ best interest by keeping his foot out of his mouth (and his ass out of the court of public of opinion), Mom I’m going to need a bit of understanding.
I have come upon a few potential clients (for Next Tally) who have shared with me that their mothers, yes their mothers are not too keen on me teaching their sons and daughters how to speak to the news and sports media. There’s this feeling that media counselors only serve to strip the personality and voice out of the athlete. But speaking before cameras and microphones takes quite a bit of discipline and care, knowing that one false slip of the tongue can cause quite a bit of backlash from the team, the front office and even the league which represents the player.
Media advisors and counselors aren’t like PR firms, who come in after a player or celeb has gotten into a bit of trouble and need a “spin doctor” to make things good again. A good media advisor is proactive–preventing you from committing a public guffaw beforehand, so there’s nothing to spin. I could only smile the other day, when a sweet, innocent and loving mom looked at me (as I talked with her son about getting media training) and uttered these words: “I appreciate what you’re offering and it’s good to know that people like you exist. However, I know my son better than anybody else. I’ve taught him well. So he knows how to conduct himself and speak to people in the media without embarrassing himself or us (his family). Momma went on to say that her son has been in the spotlight for years, as a kid in grade school, high school and on up through college. “And he’s done pretty good so far, so he doesn’t need anybody telling him what to do now”.
Ooops. Bad call Momma. But it wasn’t over yet. I was subjected to the “Ever since my boy caught wind that he would be going to the NFL, we’ve been hounded by people trying different ways to get his money”. Ouch. I won’t go beyond what else Momma had to say, and I won’t name names because eventually I think we’ll be working together. And it is not my goal to embarrass anyone publicly.
However (and there’s always a however), I grew up in the housing projects of Orlando Florida. So the “bug” in me came out a little bit, but in a nice professional way. I said to Momma, “I’m not out to get your sons money. I am trying to help your son “keep” his money in his pocket”. She asked, “How is that”? I stated, “Because Mom if that boy even makes it into the league (this was pre-combine), if he runs off at the mouth and says the wrong things, he’ll cut a gaping hole in his own pocket– Benched by the Coach, suspended from the Team, Fined by the League and eventually become trade bait. I also mentioned that he’d most likely lose all of his potential endorsements as apparel companies distance themselves from bad actors , faster than little brother Quincy Wilson at a track meet. And did I mention the agent won’t get a dime either, because if the kid isn’t working and has no team….
Anyway. While it’s true that parents have their sons/daughters best interests at heart and know them better than anyone else, a media advisor knows THE MEDIA better than anyone else. As a current newsman (I still anchor the news in New York City) I can’t begin to tell you how much it hurts me to see a young aspiring athlete get this far, only to see it all come crumbling down because of an inability to navigate media exposure.
Mom, the lights are brighter now, than when Junior was playing football in high school and even in college. Guess why? Because there are young up-and-coming sports journalists, trying to make a name for themselves as well. As a reporter for NBC, CBS and other companies over the years, I knew how to push buttons to get that great sound bite for a story. I knew the answer to the question even before I asked it. Not trying to be mean, but it was my job to come back to the station with sensational news soundbites for their tune-in value. And if some young (or old) reporter can push your son into a razor-sharp soundbite that’ll light up the 6 o’clock sportscast, it’s “check-mate”. That’s why I started Next Tally. And no, this isn’t a job interview. It’s an appeal to Mom’s, Dad’s, Agents, Coaches etc. to let an expert who knows the craft teach your young athlete how to manage it well.
I saw an NFL scouting coach at the recent combine, huddling all the aspiring young corners together, and giving them sage advice on how to act on the field, as well as “off the field”. I really admired the way he pulled them aside (like a father) and gave them conventional wisdom– telling them, “There are many young men who wish they were in your shoes, and lucky enough to make it to the NFL”. Don’t screw it up by doing something stupid or saying something stupid “after the game. Your every move is being watched”. You should have seen the eyes of those boys!
Coach Prime did a lot of that during his first few seasons in Colorado and of course down in Jackson. Those are college boys. But when you get to the league, and now you’ve become a 250-pound linebacker, with several million dollars in your pocket, who is anyone to tell you how to conduct yourself?
Fans will. The team will. The league will. So Mom, I love you…but…..
Let a proven and professional outsider in his circle. Hell, it doesn’t have to be me. That, or I can start sharing some of my experiences as a courthouse reporter, and the sad faces sitting in the hallway (Momma’s and Daddy’s) as a judge sent a dozen young men (star football players) off to prison because no one could tell them anything. And they too were from good homes. You might remember them–I covered the story. It was September of 1989. Or if you need a refresher, my friend made a movie out of their experience. It’s called Carter High. In fact, my godson (Actor Lynn Andrews) played the part of Keith Griffin, one of the offenders who would engage in a staring contest with me during court. It was interesting to run into him on the set of the movie several years later. Everything’s cool now of course.
Anyway, Love you Momma! Don’t mean any harm. But I want the best for your baby boy (and girl) too.
Unk
