May 2006

Another SBM Grad Lands His Dream Job: Will You Be Next?

If you’re looking to get on the fast track to a career in sports, then look no further. Under the guidance of instructors Bret Polvorosa and Tom Leip, Sports Business Management has become one of the most popular courses SMWW offers because of its stellar record of training and placing individuals in sports careers of all types.

Like all SMWW courses, SBM is eight weeks long and offered online. All you need is a computer with an Internet connection, and a thirst for learning the business side of sports.

While many SBM grads land jobs with professional sports teams and organizations, others are finding the careers of their dreams on the collegiate level. Chris Corder is yet another shining success story we’d like to share. Now a Compliance Recruiting Coordinator for Texas Tech University, Corder’s road to Lubbock and the Red Raider's athletic department began with SMWW and the SBM course.

Always passionate about sports, Corder graduated from Western Oregon University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. After realizing that teaching wasn’t his calling and that collegiate athletics were, he headed to Idaho State University to pursue a Master’s Degree in Athletic Administration. But he hit a snag.

"While trying to get my courses all finished within a year at Idaho State, I ran into a situation where a class was not offered and I had to do something quickly so that I could complete my degree in a year’s time as I had planned,” says Corder. “In addition to that, I wasn't completely satisfied with the program I was in to begin with. It was directed more towards high school physical education instead of the business model of athletics that exists today. When I discovered what SMWW had to offer, and that I could get credit for it through my program, I was elated!”

Chris says his new job at Texas Tech is all that he dreamed it would be, and he credits the SBM course and SMWW team for helping him reach his destiny.

“Dr. Lashbrook, Tom Leip, and Bret Polvorosa all played a crucial role in my education as well as how I obtained my current position,” says Corder. “I gained valuable information about athletics through the classes, had numerous conversations with them about my career and its direction, and was given extensive guidance throughout the interview process. They all really supported me more than I ever expected.”

You can be like Chris and the countless others we’ve helped. No matter where in sports you want to work, the SBM curriculum is a blueprint for success! Don’t let this opportunity pass. Contact us today!

For more information on this course, please select this text

Or Call 1-877-SMWW- NOW.

• Athlete Management 400 May 8th
• Basketball GM and Scouting May 8th
• Sports Business May 15th
• Hockey GM and Scouting May 29th
• Soccer GM and Scouting June 5th
• Baseball GM and Scouting June 12th
• Football GM and Scouting June 12th
• Athletic Director June 19th

For more information, call us today at 877- SMWW-Now

Or visit www.sportsmanagementworldwide.com

Before starting Sports Management Worldwide, Dr. Lynn Lashbrook, President of SMWW, began his agent career at SMG (now called SFX), which is one of the largest and most successful firms in the business. At the time Dr. Lashbrook worked there, the firm touted some of the biggest names in the NFL as clients including Jerry Rice, Randall Cunningham, Elvis Gerbac and Roger Craig. Dr. Lashbrook would experience great success during his time there, including the signing of multiple first and second round draft picks.

Dr. Lashbrook also headed up the internship program for the firm and after three attempts, now one of the biggest agents in the business, Ben Dogra was finally brought on as an intern. Dogra did not waste time and proved right away that he had some talent by going out and signing a 2nd Round Draft Pick in the NFL his first year, while also completing law school at St. Louis University.

Dogra was graduating that year and Jim Steiner, President of the firm, asked Dr. Lashbrook his thoughts on Dogra.

"I strongly endorsed Ben as someone that Jim should hire," says Dr. Lashbrook. "Jim could see that Ben worked really hard on researching players to learn about them, but he asked my opinion on hiring him and I told him he should do it. It is unbelievable to see how far he has come, he is one of the best in the business."

Liz Mullen from the Sports Business Journal recently did a story on Dogra. Here are some of the highlights:

SFX Sports agent Ben Dogra represented four first- round picks, including the surprise No. 1 pick, North Carolina State defensive end Mario Williams. Dogra negotiated a six-year deal with a maximum value of $62.1 million with the Houston Texans the day before the NFL draft. The other first-round picks represented by Dogra are Texas cornerback Michael Huff (No. 7), Oklahoma guard Davin Joseph (No. 23) and Miami cornerback Kelly Jennings (No. 31). Dogra represented three first-round picks in 2004 and four in 2005.

With many of the top agents in the football business in their 50s, Dogra, 40, is one of a handful of agents who has the experience that could lead to his being one of the most powerful agents in the next decade.

In a business known for big egos, Dogra stands out as a guy who listens more than he talks. He is, in personality, the opposite of the best-known agent of his generation, Drew Rosenhaus.

If you are interested in learning the sports agent business, select this text.

Throughout the year, SMWW's Directors and Agent Advisors are attending events to recruit players and develop contacts. In April of every year, SMWW's Basketball Department is present at the NBA Pre- Draft Camp in Portsmouth Virginia.

At this year's event Bill Kent, SMWW's Director of Basketball, and KC Callero, SMWW's Director of Overseas Basketball met up with multiple Agent Adviors from around the country to attend the event.

Every year, Bill Kent and KC Callero put together a national scouting report of players that they believe will have a chance to play either in the NBA or at a high level overseas. The Portsmouth Invitational is an opportunity to meet many of the players on that list that SMWW has been recruiting throughout the year. There are also representatives from every NBA team as well as dozens of college coaches from the top programs in the country in attendance, so the networking opportunities are seemingly endless.

"The PIT is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to work in basketball to learn more about players who are seen by the NBA as having the potential to play at the next level," says Bill Kent. "Every year we are able to identify guys who we think will be at this level and lay the ground work on recruiting them before we get to the tournament. The tournament provides us one location where KC can fly in from Europe and meet with coaches and players in attendance."

Agent Advisor Bruce Butler was one of several Advisors who made the trip for the first time this year. He was not disappointed by the experience.

"It was great to be there with Bill and KC and actually get to sit in on some meetings with athletes," said Butler. "I have not been an Agent Advisor for very long, but the staff of SMWW welcomed me to the event and showed me the ropes. I know that I will be much more prepared next year to recruit players and work with SMWW after attending the PIT."

If you are interested in learning the sports agent business or working in basketball, select this text.

Or Call us today at 877-SMWW-Now

Recently Mark Washo, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Chicago Fire (MLS), came by the office to meet with the Staff at SMWW. Washo, author of Break into Sports Through Ticket Sales, is a frequent guest lecturer in SMWW's Sports Business Management Course. He will be the featured guest lecturer in this Wednesday's live audio chat (the 10th of May) and will give students an opportunity to ask him questions directly about getting into sports.

"It was great to see everyone at SMWW," said Washo. "Their SBM program is fantastic and we are actually in the process of interviewing multiple students for positions with the Fire. Whenever a student has the SBM course on their resume, they move right to the top of the pile of candidates for openings that we have."

Washo has an extensive background in sports, holding positions with the Washington Wizards, D.C. United and the NY/NJ MetroStars before being hired by the Chicago Fire. Mark was promoted to the Senior Vice President of the NY/NJ MetroStars after serving as the team's Vice President of Ticket Sales for four consecutive seasons. Under Mark's Leadership, Major League Soccer recognized the MetroStars as the Team of the Year for the 2003 season, an award that he also helped the D.C. United team win in two consecutive seasons.

Those interested in working for a professional team should enroll in the Sports Business Management Course. To learn more about the program, select this text.

Or Call 877-SMWW-Now

SMWW's Baseball GM & Scouting instructor and ESPN senior writer Rob Neyer recently released a great new book, Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Blunders.

Rob Neyer has been called one of the best sports writers of this era by some of the most respected people in baseball. The research and depth that he puts into his books make them both informative and fun to read.

Here are some details about his newest book:

BLOOPER: BALL SQUIRTS THROUGH BILLY BUCKNER'S LEGS.

BLUNDER: BILLY BUCKNER'S MANAGER LEFT HIM IN THE GAME.

A pitcher slips on the mound and his pitch sails over the backstop. An infielder camps under a pop-up...and the ball lands ten feet away. An outfielder tosses a souvenir to a fan...but that was just the second out, and runners are circling the bases (and laughing).

Without these moments, the highlight reels wouldn't be nearly as entertaining. Baseball blunders, however, can be tragic, and they will leave diehard fans asking why...why...why?

Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Blunders does its best to answer all those whys, exploring the worst decisions and stupidest moments of managers, general managers, owners, and even commissioners.

As he did in his Big Book of Baseball Lineups, Rob Neyer provides readers with a fascinating examination of baseball's rich history, this time through the lens of the game's sometimes hilarious, often depressing, and always perplexing blunders.

· Which ill-fated move cost the Chicago White Sox a great hitter and the 1919 World Series?

· What was Babe Ruth thinking when he became the first (and still the only) player to end a World Series by getting caught trying to steal?

· Did playing one-armed Pete Gray in 1945 cost the Browns a pennant?

How did winning a coin toss lead to the Dodgers losing the National League pennant on Bobby Thomson's "Shot Heard 'round the World"?

· How damaging was the Frank Robinson-for-Milt Pappas deal, really?

These are just a few of the legendary (and not-so- legendary) blunders that Neyer analyzes, always with an eye on what happened, why it happened, and how it changed the fickle course of history. And in separate chapters, Neyer also reviews some of the game's worst trades and draft picks and closely examines all the teams that fell just short of first place. Another in the series of Neyer's Big Books of baseball history, Baseball Blunders should win a place in every devoted fan's library.

If you are interested in ordering the book, please select this text.

Small agents ecstatic to land LSU’s Thomas

LSU forward Tyrus Thomas, who has the potential to be the No. 1 NBA draft pick, has signed with little-known agents Brian Elfus and Michael Siegel for representation.

“We are ecstatic,” Elfus said. “It is nice for a small company to end up with a client like this who gives us a tremendous amount of exposure at a higher level. I honestly feel that he chose our firm because he wanted to be a big fish in a small pond and he knew that he would be the focal point of what we do.”

Elfus and Siegel own ESM, which stands for Elfus-Siegel Management and is based in Carlsbad, Calif., and Philadelphia. They represent about 40 clients, mostly basketball players overseas, as well as players in the CBA and NBA Development League. They represent Chicago Bulls guard Randy Livingston and former NBA player Maurice Carter, now playing in Spain. Carter and Livingston are both former LSU players.

Tyrus Thomas has climbed among draft prospects to be considered a possible No. 1 pick. “We are very excited about signing Tyrus,” Siegel said. “He is an exceptional young man, and he comes from an exceptional family.”

Elfus said that shoe companies have approached him and Siegel, as well as Thomas’ family, about potential shoe deals. “We are going to be patient,” he said, when asked about a time line for signing a shoe endorsement contract.

Mock draft Web site nbadraft.net had Thomas ranked No. 1, and Web site hoopshype.com ranked him No. 2. Elfus, while acknowledging differences in opinion over which player will be drafted in the top spot, said, “I think he will be a lock top-five pick right now.”

The Sports Business Journal Reported that Priority Sports has signed Adam Morrison

NBA and NFL player agent Mark Bartelstein has seen a lot in the 20 years he has been a sports agent, but he said he has never received as many inquiries about a player as he has in the week since he signed Gonzaga forward Adam Morrison, who is expected to be a top player in this year’s NBA draft.

Bartelstein, founder and president of Chicago-based Priority Sports and Entertainment, has received numerous inquiries from companies, including international and domestic corporations, shoe companies, at least one soft drink company, a fast food company and even a men’s hair care product company inquiring about potential deals with Morrison.

“I have been doing this over 20 years and have never seen such response,” Bartelstein said.

It has been a good couple of months for Priority, as football agent Mike McCartney also represents Ohio State linebacker A.J. Hawk and Oregon defensive tackle Haloti Ngata — two players who were expected to be picked early in the first round of this past weekend’s NFL draft.

Bartelstein would not reveal marketing plans for Morrison but said he will do “much more” than just the standard shoe deal. “He will be one of the more marketable players in the NBA,” Bartelstein said.

Earn your Masters or Doctorate through Northcentral University online! M. ED, PH.D, ED.D and MBA are all available with a specialization in Sports Management. It is possible to get a Masters degree in a little over a year.

There are no residency requirements, you work at your own pace, all online... all from home. Courses are 16 weeks long, however you may take an 8 week accelerated course.

SMWW President and Founder Dr. Lynn Lashbrook, who is also a certified NFLPA agent, and Sally Sullivan, former agent of Venus and Serena Williams, teach many of the courses.

Call 1-877-SMWW-NOW to speak with one of them today or for more information, Select this text!