Sports Business Journal’s Post

Have you ever heard of Ulysses Junior Bridgeman? He is a highly successful businessman and former professional basketball player. He has been labeled as the richest former NBA player. Ulysses Junior Bridgeman was drafted into the NBA in 1975 by the LA Lakers and was eventually traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, whom he played with for ten years. He had a fairly decent rookie season, averaging 8.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game. After playing in the league for over a decade, his annual salary never exceeded $350,000. Though a decent salary for that time, he had bigger dreams and spent the off-season working at restaurants to learn the business, specifically Wendy’s. After his NBA career ended in 1987, he owned several Wendy’s franchises, eventually becoming the second-largest Wendy’s franchise owner in the country. His net worth is over $600 million. What’s the lesson here? Ulysses was not afraid to explore a more lucrative career opportunity during his time in the NBA. Keep your mind open to another opportunity, even if you are in a career you desire. Ulysses could have continued to play in the NBA, where he was comfortable, and earned his above-average salary, but he decided to dream bigger. He is now one of the wealthiest former athletes in the world! Do not be afraid to dream big, go after it, and execute! #FamilyFirstLife #FFL #Tristate #motivation #lifelessons #JuniorBridgeman #determination #mindset #growth

This June marks 20 years since the Los Angeles Dodgers drafted me. Twenty years later, I'm still involved in baseball, but with a passion to help other pitchers extend their careers. Today, as part of a donor/alum event, I visited the Diamond, home of the VCU Rams and the San Francisco Giants AA affiliate. I couldn't help but reflect on the great memories of standing on the Diamond mound. Throughout my career, I've been fortunate to work with catchers who have contributed to my success, such as Russell Martin, Edwin Bellorin, and AJ Ellis. However, none have been as crucial as Jeff Parrish (pictured), who played a pivotal role in my success as an amateur. As our catcher at VCU from 2002 to 2004, Jeff was the everyday catcher and was instrumental in directing our success as a pitching staff, including our 2003 staff, who led all Division 1 in ERA. I threw over 200 innings to Jeff while at VCU, and I can credit him with helping me become an in-game performer. Not necessarily because he would call the right sign, but because he wasn't afraid to tell me if I was terrible, the ball was flat, the slider lacked depth, and his favorite term, "you're dogshit." But when he told me my stuff was good, I knew it was really good. As all catchers do, they have a front-row seat to the action and truly know how well you execute the pitch. Jeff was my first direct correlation to the biomechanics' role in the pitch outputs. He didn't need advanced metrics or video to tell me if the pitch was efficient; he knew from the hitter's swings and years of visualizing shapes of pitches that induced correlative outcomes. The catcher-pitcher relationship is crucial for maintaining consistent pitch execution throughout the pitching staff. Practical understanding, relatability, and communication between each pitcher's arsenal are essential before relying upon additional Trackman pitch data. I'm sharing this post because as I stood on home plate for a picture today, it dawned on me I was never alone on the mound. I always had a battery mate, often knowing more about me and what was best for me than I did. To all the exceptional catchers who have played pivotal roles in their teams' success! Cheers!

Teamwork in sports and in business. It’s a powerful feeling. Knowing you are not alone in the pursuit of the objective.

If you want to learn about winning teams, there's no better place to be than #Boston. Catch these lessons in #sales #leadership from Lusha's Henry Spitzer.

The business of sports is like any business—success hinges on your ability to make accurate judgments of people. That goes for owners, execs, coaches, agents, players, and even referees. No one understands this better than Adam Silver, Commissioner of the National Basketball Association (NBA). In so many ways, Adam’s leadership at the league has been marked by extraordinary judgment. I am honored to have seen this up close. That’s why his support of Good Judgment is so meaningful to me. I wrote #GoodJudgment to help you make high-stakes decisions about whom to hire, fire, promote, partner with, befriend, date, marry, and more. To start building your own all-star roster of relationships, visit https://lnkd.in/gcSBcPte

The Detroit Lions haven't won any kind of Championship since 1957. In that time span, they were never projected to win anything 95% of the time. They have had stars retire early because they weren't winning but they didn't feel the need to put their bodies through the ringer of more football seasons. This is an amazing interview about inclusion from game day staff to the front office and everyone in between, buying into a culture of grit. Shiela Hamp has taken a male dominant role, flipped it on its head and changed a very much losing culture into an amazing thing to watch and for outsiders to visibly see. The Ford family did not sell the Lions but they put ownership in the hands of someone who is competitive, surrounded herself with winning inclusive people and turned the team around in three years. Hamp in 2021 was booed but today she is leading a team of young men who believe in each other and who makes everyone else believe. Leaders matter and being visible matters when owning a team. Nothing says you don't care than by hiding away in some huge office and not being visible to your fans. What struck me most is Chris Spielman, Special Assistant to the owner and CEO, having football 101s with anyone who wants them. This is huge because the frontline staff feels more included. When Hamp said the Allen Park staff and Ford Field staff were disconnected. I feel all the communication that goes on between everyone is better for it. I hopped on the bandwagon, a little while ago. Yesterday in Detroit, in frigid temperatures, you couldn't get close to any bar downtown and some weren't serving food. Little Caesars Arena put the game on and had an impromptu viewing party before they took the ice against Tampa Bay as well. Both Detroit teams won! Culture and who you pick to lead your organization matters and this is proof. Unified communication matters, being visible and repping your team matters. When your owners choose to include and aren't afraid of saying too much to your entire company. It matters. When winning is part of why you want things to change and people buy in at every level. When you share the dream with your fans, workers from all levels, it creates a culture shift. Great things happen. Go Lions!! #sportsbiz #employerbrand #culturetransformation #culture #NFL

As a proud England fan and classic armchair manager (like many of us!), here are my thoughts before tonight’s match: We’ve been playing people out of position and overly defensive, despite having some of the world's best midfielders and strikers. It's time to be faster and more aggressive! Just like in business, being overly defensive can hold back a team’s true potential, you can't win by just playing it safe. Success comes from leveraging your strengths, taking calculated risks, and being proactive. I’m a great believe in failing fast, we’ve navigated the group stage, hopefully learned from our mistakes, and now it's time to push forward with confidence. Whether on the pitch or in the boardroom, balance defense with offense to achieve greatness. Come on, England! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🙌 #LeadershipLessons #FailFast #Euros #ThreeLions #BusinessStrategy #TeamSpirit

One word after watching the Miami Dolphins crush the Denver Broncos 70-20 this weekend... WOW! But did you catch the head coach talking to his team after the historic performance? This is where the gold was! Did you know that while a significant win can uplift team spirit, resting on that single laurel can derail the journey to the championship? It’s like scoring a big project in business and thinking you've made it... Mistake: Believing one victory defines the entire season or career! It's vital to pop the champagne, and celebrate that touchdown dance, but then? Lace-up and get ready for the next challenge! Feeling triumphant? These reasons, reflections, and steps forward might keep you grounded: ====== Benefits of Celebrating Big Wins: ✅ Boosted Team Morale ✅ Increased Confidence ✅ Recognition of Hard Work ✅ Positive Reinforcement ✅ Strengthened Team Bonding ✅ Momentum for the Season ✅ Recognition in the League ✅ Elevated Fan Support It’s euphoric, isn't it? But, what's next after the confetti settles? ====== Dangers of Over-Reliance on One Win: 🛑 Complacency Sets In 🛑 Overconfidence Creeps Up 🛑 Forgetting the Bigger Picture 🛑 Losing Future Focus 🛑 Undervaluing Continuous Effort ====== Eyes on the Prize - Beyond the Victory: 🏆 Championship Vision: A single game doesn't crown champions; it's the season's consistency. 🔄 Reset and Refocus: Take learnings from every game, good or bad. 📈 Continuous Improvement: Always find areas to perfect, even after a win. 🤝 Teamwork: Celebrate as a team, reflect as a team, and aim higher as a team. 🚀 Next Challenge Awaits: Remember, every team will now be gearing up especially to face the victors! ====== Steps to Staying Grounded and Driven: 🎯 Set Clear Season Goals: Beyond one game, where do you want to be? 📊 Analyze Performance: Dive deep, and understand the strengths and areas to improve. 📅 Plan Ahead: Strategize for the upcoming challenges. 🤔 Reflect: Understand what worked and what didn’t. 🙌 Stay Humble: Remember, humility in victory often defines great teams and players. ====== 🏆 🔄 = 🏈💡 #reframe #success #team

Check out my latest article on FirstSportz where I explore Rachel Nichols' thoughts on the Los Angeles Lakers potentially hiring JJ Redick as their next head coach. Nichols raises some interesting points about Redick's lack of coaching experience and the challenges he might face in leading a team with high expectations. Read the full article to get the inside scoop! #Lakers #NBA #JJRedick #RachelNichols