Now that the draft parties are over, new NFL rookies need to come back down to earth, NOW!

Now that the 2010 NFL draft is over, the lights are dimmed, and the realization that a new life is about to begin is now settling on all of them, the 2010 draft class needs to start thinking about the future, right now.

Considering the current labor situation in all major sports this year's rookies are in a unique situation. Now more than ever the financial security that they have needs to be protected and leveraged for their future. This year their immediate future is the biggest concern. With the uncertainty of the 2011 season even happening, rookies need to start saving, and putting together financial plan now. While they're prepping to get ready to learn their playbooks, leave their campus, say goodbye to their college friends and their lives of the past 20 some years, they need to be assembling the team around them to help them with the next 80 years of their future. The same reason they made it as far as they have, with a team around them, is the same reason they can be successful in the future, if they plan for it today. All great CEOs have learned this lesson well. Surround yourself with smart individuals, monitor and manage those individuals, learn and grow as you're doing it, are the ingredients to create a successful start-up business. Well, this year's draft class, and especially the top 10 picks, are all what I like to call, "Mini CEOs". These young men have the opportunity to control their own destinies from now on, but that's if they don't give in to the "MTV Cribs" lifestyle, or the "Pimp My Ride" mentality. We all know the meaning behind those metaphors, deciding to take your signing bonus and by the biggest house, or buy the most expensive car or two. While the draw to purchase these items and to live out the fantasies that are blasted into their eyes and ears on television, and in music is strong, a Strong team, with a focused vision, coupled with open and honest communication with the player, is the answer to that Sirens call. Investing conservatively with preservation of capital in mind, will ensure that not only will they have money during this impending lockout, but they will also start on a journey that will ensure that there children, and maybe, in some special cases, their children's children, will be well taken care of.

The components of this team would be your agent, your financial advisor, your CPA, your business attorney, and your academic advisor. While the first four members of your team are probably well recognizable, the last part is really the most critical. Making sure that you either complete your degree, or go for your MBA, will not only enable you to manage your team and yourself more effectively, but will prepare you for life after the game. Remember, the average NFL lifespan is only 3.5 years. So when you think about it, even with the outstanding signing bonuses of the top draft picks, these young men are only 21, 22, or 23 years old. So if a player barely makes it, for some unfortunate reason, to the average 3.5 years, whatever they have gained in guaranteed money, or signing bonus, has to last them for the rest of their lives. after that, their earning potential drops back down to pedestrian levels, or what I like to call the real world. Now we've seen lottery winners run through $50-$100 million within a span of a couple of years. And we've seen unfortunately professional athletes do the same.

By implementing the team strategy and sticking with the conservative investment platform, and investing in yourself with your degree or advanced degree, the harsh reality of that radical adjustment in the players lifestyle will be lessened, and in some cases not change at all. The player will be creating leverage for themselves that will help them win off the field, in the board room, or as an entrepreneur, the same way their leverage helped them win on the football field.

Nolan Harrison III
Vice President | First Midwest Bank
NFLPA Former Players Board of Directors
NFL 1991 to 2001

The NFLPA, NFL and other leaders had a major Impact on the state of Arizona's past issues recoginzing diversity and inclusion. What will the country and it's sports, business and political leaders do this time when the civil rights of millions of Americans are at stake?

What Do Soccer and Immigration Have In Common? Arizona’s Immigration Bill

Will the new Arizona Immigration Bill have a negative impact on sports, especially if the United States get to host World Cup?  Evan Weiner seems to think so and lays out his rationale why that is.

Source: Examiner.com

Has Arizona once again risked losing the Super Bowl?

No, this is not about the Arizona Cardinals football team bowing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2009 Super Bowl and returning to the “Big Game”. That is merely a game on the field. But off the field there is now a big question.

How will the sports world react now that the Arizona Governor Jan Brewer and the state’s two legislative bodies have passed a tough immigration law? Could Arizona lose major sporting events like the Super Bowl? The National Football League is in the midst of the league’s draft and probably will not get around to comment on the new Arizona law but given the very political nature of the league and how the league is very sensitive to the NFL’s image, it is probably a good thing that Glendale, Arizona is not in the running for the 2014 Super Bowl.

The new Arizona law will go into effect sometime this summer assuming that there are no court orders to stop it.

The National Football League has a history of pulling a Super Bowl from Arizona and putting the political weight of the entity known as the NFL into a lobbying position. Arizona “celebrates” Martin Luther King Day as the result of direct intervention by the National Football League in terms of dangling a Super Bowl in front of voters. In 1987, newly elected Arizona Governor Evan Mecham’s first act in his new job was to erase Martin Luther King Day from the Arizona calendar as an official state holiday. That decision set off a boycott of the state with entertainers like Stevie Wonder refusing to perform in any venue in Arizona.

Governor Mecham’s reasoning was simple. The Arizona legislature in 1986 and Governor Bruce Babbitt, in Mecham’s opinion, created the holiday illegally.

The National Football League, in an attempt to help the Phoenix Cardinals owner Bill Bidwill to sell more seats after he misread the Phoenix-area market following the move of his Cardinals from St. Louis to Tempe in 1988, awarded Tempe the January 31, 1993 Super Bowl. But Mecham’s decision created a number of problems for the league, specifically the National Football League Players Association was not too keen on playing the NFL’s showcase game in a state where a governor took away the holiday and the action was supported by Senator John McCain.

In 1989, the Arizona state legislature approved a law making Martin Luther King Day a state holiday but voters needed to approve the measure. In 1990, Arizonans went to the polls and rejected the making Martin Luther King Day a state holiday. Shortly after the voters said no, the NFL said no to Arizona and pulled the January 31, 1993 game from Tempe.

The Super Bowl allegedly pumps money into the local economy although in the Phoenix-area’s case it is not as much as say putting the “Big Game” in Pontiac, Michigan or Detroit or Minneapolis since a good number of “snowbirds” vacation or spent winters in warmer climates like the Phoenix-area, South Florida or the Tampa, Florida area. What the Super Bowl does do is bring “high rollers” into town and the local community hopes that the “high rollers” such as corporate CEOs like a local area and will leave a piece of their business in the area and open up a local headquarters and create jobs.
That rarely happens but it is a selling point for the local group hoping to land a Super Bowl.
The National Football League after pulling the 1993 game went back to Arizona and laid the cards out on the table telling voters if they approved the holiday in a November 1992 vote, the NFL would award the next available Super Bowl to Tempe. Arizona voters approved the 1992 ballot initiative and five months later the NFL lived up to their part of the bargain and granted Tempe the January 28, 1996 game.

The next available Super Bowl is the 2014 game but Glendale and Arizona officials are not bidding for that event which is probably a good thing for everyone involved at this point. The NFL also holds a spring meeting once every four years or so at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix.

There is another real sports prize that could impacted by the new Arizona law. The Glendale, Arizona stadium, that is the home to the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals and hosted the 2008 Super Bowl, is one of the 18 cities that has been proposed for use by USA Bid Committee in an effort to win the FIFA World Cup in either 2018 or 2022.

The FIFA World Cup is the biggest sports event on earth.

The new law will not play well with the FIFA delegates or some of the members of the USA Bid Committee which include Houston Dynamo and Los Angeles Galaxy owner Philip Anschutz, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, comedian and Seattle Sounders FC part-owner Drew Carey, former Goldman Sachs Vice Chairman (Asia) Carlos Cordeiro, U.S. Men’s National Team player Landon Donovan, Executive Director David Downs, U.S. Soccer CEO and General Secretary Dan Flynn, U.S. Soccer Foundation President Ed Foster-Simeon, Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber, U.S. Soccer President and USA Bid Committee Chairman Sunil Gulati, U.S. Women’s National Team former player Mia Hamm, Walt Disney Company President and CEO Robert Iger, former U.S. Secretary of State Dr. Henry Kissinger, New England Revolution and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Motion Picture Director Spike Lee, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, University of Miami President Donna Shalala, ESPN Executive Vice President for Content John Skipper, Univision CEO Joe Uva and Washington Post CEO and Publisher Katharine Weymouth.

The Glendale stadium hosted the highest attended soccer match in the state of Arizona on February 7, 2007 when 62,462 fans watched the U.S. National team defeat Mexico, 2-0. Will the new Arizona law put a halt to international football “friendlies” in Arizona featuring Mexican teams?

Major League Baseball might be keeping a close eye on the developments in Arizona. The Chicago Cubs and the Milwaukee Brewers are looking for improvements at spring training bases in Mesa and Maryvale for their teams. Naples, Florida officials have made an offer to Cubs ownership to relocate the team’s spring training facilities from Mesa to Naples.

If the National Hockey League’s Phoenix Coyotes remain in Glendale, the franchise’s new owners could be to host the 2012 or 2013 NHL All-Star Game. Glendale was supposed to venue of the 2011 event but the club’s bankruptcy filing and financial uncertainty forced the league to move the game to Raleigh, North Carolina.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association held a “March Madness” men’s basketball tournament event in Glendale in 2009. Will the NCAA bypass Glendale because of the new law?

Then there is another issue. Will athletes speak up either in favor or against the new law? Athletes now tend to shut up on issues with the exception of a handful of performers like then Dallas Mavericks basketball player Steve Nash who spoke out against the Iraq War. Wayne Gretzky supported the Iraq War. Ironically Nash now plays in Phoenix and Gretzky coached in Glendale.

Arizona is a hub of sports activities. Glendale is the home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals and the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes. The NBA Suns and Major League Baseball’s Diamondbacks reside in downtown Phoenix. There is a NASCAR event along with golf and tennis events. Fifteen Major League Baseball teams hold spring training in the Phoenix area, there are major college football, basketball and baseball programs along with minor league baseball and hockey teams scattered throughout the state. The United Football League holds training camp in Casa Grande.

There is a belief that sports is the “toy store” of life and that it is just a game, an entertainment diversion. The truth is that the toy store yarn that is constantly spun is a lie. The NFL proved that in 1991 and 1992 in Arizona. There will be a sports reaction to the legislation signed into law by Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, it is just a matter of time before a powerful sports group reacts and it just might cost Arizona a big event if history is any indication.

Derek Sivers: How to start a movement

This is not only a novel way to look at leadership, it is hilarious! Check it out!

HARRISON'S IMPACT Podcast: 2 minute update, Legacy Fund

NFLPA Former Players Board of Directors member gives his view of the proposed Legacy Fund to aid the pre 1993 former NFL players.

John Wooden on true success

I really enjoyed this TED talk on leadership by the great John Wooden...

With profound simplicity, Coach John Wooden redefines success and urges us all to pursue the best in ourselves. In this inspiring talk he shares the advice he gave his players at UCLA, quotes poetry and remembers his father's wisdom.

My Response to Jeff Nixon's Post on 4th & Goal

Jeff,

Why would you make such an outlandish accusation from a letter that clearly does not state what you claim? DeMaurice Smith has been actively removing the barriers between former and current players. We in the NFLPA Former Players have worked extreemly hard to better the reationship between current and former players. Why do you insist on attempting to rebuild the barriers that we work so hard to tear down?

Andre Colins, Jim McFarlane, Reggie Berry and I are at the Independent Retired Players Summit to rebuild the bridges. Standing up for what we are fighting for, in an open forum.

All of this misleading information does nothing but sow the seeds of dissention. I hope that is not yours or your organization's goal.

When are you going to turn your attention to where it needs to be? The NFL.

Respectfully,

Nolan Harrison III
NFLPA Board of Directors
Raiders 1991-1996
Steelers 1997-1999
Redskins 2000-2001

Executives Breakfast Club speaking engagement recap

What a wonderful speaking event this evening. I spoke to a room full of CEO's and executives this evening on the subject of ethics and team. The event was moderated by former Chicago Bear, author, radio personality, and Loyola University Business School Professor of Business Ethics, Al Gini.

Great questions from the crowd that centered around my experiences taking the leadership and work ethic skills I learned from sports and applying them to the business world. How the selection of a teammate with low ethical standards can destroy a teams established ethical standard, if the leadership is not strong enough to control or eliminate the threat. How the concept of ethical teamwork is a trait that has to be developed and maintained, the same way one would develop and train ones body for sports. Consistency and striving to be better every day, is the key to that ethical core development. Finally one of the questions centered around the concept of individual sport or non sports development of ethical teamwork, and is it possible. I believe it is possible as long as one is striving to better themselves every day in whatever they want to accomplish.

I finished the Q&A with these thoughts... Winning is everything, but not winning at any cost, for that victory will inevitably lead to a more severe defeat down the line, since the victory was based on unethical techniques or behaviors. The victory will be short lived as one will alienate those teammates who are offended by the unethical path to the victory, and lose confidence in the leader who utilized those unethical techniques and behaviors to win.

Great event thanks to Alla and Katherine of EBC who made the event possible!

Max International Compensation Plan

The Max Plan is a revolutionary compensation plan designed to pay out a maximum of 50% CV to the field sales organization, and gives you nine ways to earn as an Associate. Based on your personal effort and results, the Max Plan can help you reach your personal income goals, whatever they may be-some extra cash every month, enough for a car payment, or even enough to entirely replace your income and live the life of your dreams.

Jim Warren, World Class Trainer is on the Max Team along with his athletes!

Athletes Corner--Nancy Rose Natural Figure Competitor on Strength Gains and Recovery

Bill Gillespie, world champion weightlifter and former Seahawks strength and conditioning coach breaks the world record on MaxGxl!

Athletes Corner--Art Sellinger Former Long Drive Champ

Max Products Coming Soon

The Ten Habits of Highly Effective Brains

Let’s review some good lifestyle options we can follow to maintain, and improve, our vibrant brains.

NFLPA recommendation to players: 'Save your money'

The NFL Players Association has made a strong recommendation to its constituents in the form of a memo to their agents.

Nolan Harrison's MaxGxl and N-Fuze update.