Saw this bumper sticker the other day...
Posted on 07/29/2015 8:41:04 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Vin Baker played 14 seasons in the NBA with six different teams and made $97.4 million in his career as a basketball player. Now Baker is embarking on a new career as a Starbucks manager.
Baker is working as a barista at a Starbucks in North Kingstown, Rhode Island as part of his training to become a manager, according to Kevin McNamara of the Providence Journal.
Baker's road to this career was a rocky one, but he appears to have some good perspective on his struggles.
He told McNamara:
"I was an alcoholic, I lost a fortune. I had a great talent and lost it. For the people on the outside looking in, they’re like 'Wow.’ For me, I’m 43 and I have four kids. I have to pick up the pieces. I’m a father. I’m a minister in my father’s church. I have to take the story and show that you can bounce back. If I use my notoriety in the right way, most people will appreciate that this guy is just trying to bounce back in his life."
In 2008, he had his $3 million home in Durham, Connecticut foreclosed on for failing to pay his mortgage. Earlier that year, a restaurant Baker was a part-owner of also went out of business and in 2014 he was forced to auction of the gold medal he won at the 2000 Olympics.
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
But of all those many things the single most important,the single most useful,is *stay away from booze and drugs*.
I read an article by a sports agent who helped his clients manage their money. And his main rule was to put half of it away for the future. He wanted them to enjoy the good life their money allowed for, but, to always hold back half for when your playing career was over.
Not to be a nanny stater on this, but sports leagues might do more to counsel these young guys who come into millions on how to handle their money. A pro sports career may well be over by age 30 , and then they have the rest of their lives ahead of them.
I was feeling sympathetic until he blamed alcoholism; he's still blaming something else for his failings, when the problem is himself. I do wish him the best, but I've known people who blame booze, while not acknowledging that the problem is them. I also know drunks, who admit that they are the problem and the boozing is just a crutch and an excuse. I get along quite well with them and have great respect for them.
Because maybe somebody who screwed up might read it and be inspired to fix his/her life?
He's a minor celebrity who was wealthy and is now broke. News organizations write stories that they think people will want to read and thus click on a link to read it. People like you.
Nowhere in the story does he ever appear to be seeking any sort of sympathy from you. You grafted sympathy onto this story to specifically and proudly announce that you don't have any. I really have no idea why you introduced that element just to denounce it.
I don't see where he blamed alcohol anywhere. The quote is "I was an alcoholic". Used a lot of I's right after that quote to describe how he lost his money. In fact he continues throughout the quotes in the article to say "I".
From my experience his biggest mistake is using the term "was".
Easy come, easy go.
And we’re all French models. We’re on the Internet so it must be true.
“And our children are all on the honor roll.”
Only the slackers that don’t homeschool!
I was feeling sympathetic until he blamed alcoholism; he’s still blaming something else for his failings, when the problem is himself.
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LOL, too difficult even to read the entire excerpt?
Here’s what he actually said, which looks nothing like your interpretation:
“I was an alcoholic, I lost a fortune. I had a great talent and lost it. For the people on the outside looking in, they’re like ‘Wow.’ For me, I’m 43 and I have four kids. I have to pick up the pieces. I’m a father. I’m a minister in my father’s church. I have to take the story and show that you can bounce back. If I use my notoriety in the right way, most people will appreciate that this guy is just trying to bounce back in his life.”
He blames no one but himself, and is honest about his failings.
Should have taken Jamal Mashburn’s attitude and approach. He said he was not playing for today but for his future and used his contract money to invest in solid business ventures future after playing in the NBA.
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