Athletes Quarterly

b y m i c h a e l d o l a n
P h o t o g R a P h y b y t o m d i P a c e
J o h n n y
n e w m a n
S t e p h e n
University of Richmond
h o w a r d
cavaliers,knicks,
m o S e S
hornets, bucks,
m a l o n e
nets, nuggets, Mavericks
DePaul University
jazz, spurs, sonics
Three-time MVP
rockets, 76ers, bullets,
hawks, bucks, spurs
L e a d e r s of the O l d S c h o o l
i n s i d e t h e n a t i o n a l b a s k e t b a l l R e t i R e d P l a y e R s a s s o c i a t i o n c o n f e R e n c e
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G e o r G e
t's a 115-degree summer
t i n S l e y
day in Las Vegas, and
Kentucky Wesleyan College
capitols, colonels, floridians
Itourists from around the
world are lined up at the
check-in desk at Planet
Hollywood in the hopes that their
luck will keep them making money
inside the air-conditioned casino
for the entire weekend. In between
fumbling for reservation papers and
looking at the movie memorabilia
J u l i u S
on the walls, the prospective guests
e r v i n G
begin to notice an unusual number
of men on the line who are over
6-foot-8. The reason why this is
ABA and NBA MVP
the tallest line in America? The
squires, nets, 76ers
National Basketball Retired Players
Association conference is in town.
Over 100 former NBA and ABA
players have congregated in Las
Vegas at the behest of the NBRPA
discuss union business, attend
workshops and continue to plan for
the future. "There's one thing you
w a l t
can be sure of," Bob Elliott, a former
w e S l e y
member of the New Jersey Nets and
now President of the Retired Players
Board says. "The transition between
University of Kansas
being an NBA player and an ordinary
royals, bulls, cavaliers,
person is quicker than you would
suns, bullets,
ever think. One day, you're playing.
76ers, bucks, lakers
The next day, you're not. It happens
that fast."
Elliott, who has vast corporate
" T h e T r a n s i T i o n b e T w e e n
experience as founder and president
of the Elliott Accounting Group, felt
b e i n g a n n b a p l a y e r a n d a n
it was important to take a bigger role
in the association "We're all ex-NBA
o r d i n a r y p e r s o n i s q u i c k e r
players," he says. "We've all been the
T h a n y o u w o u l d e v e r T h i n k . "
go to person in college or the pros.
When the coach calls timeout with
five seconds left, you know you're
getting the ball. That's why I felt the
need with my corporate experience
to step up and provide leadership."
The members who have gathered
range from players whose pro
experience dates back to the 1950's
to the recently retired. Each of them
have come to the conference to
learn more about health initiatives,
financial planning, and to receive
help in building their own brand.
"The members want to see us
present opportunities for them,"
Elliott says. "It's a difficult transition
to go from being a professional
basketball player to an everyday
citizen." With that in mind, the
union has made an effort to ease that
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transition by helping the players to
reconnect with fans and potentially
discover new business opportunities
along the way.
During the conference, we meet
a former ABA player named George
Tinsley. After playing in four
NCAA Division II Final Fours with
J e r o m e
Kentucky Wesleyan, Tinsley had a
w i l l i a m S
four-year career in the ABA. When
his basketball career ended, Tinsley
b o b
embarked on a brief, low paying
Georgetown University
e l l i o t t
career as a teacher and a coach.
pistons, raptors,
"Once the reality of family life hit, I
bulls, knicks
had to but sports aside and start to
make a living," Tinsley remembers.
University of Arizona
Tinsely went through other
nets
occupations. Even came close to
becoming an FBI agent. But thanks
to a call from a fellow ballplayer,
Tinsley accepted a job offer from
KFC. He now owns over 60 thriving
KFC and TGI Friday's restaurants in
the Kentucky and Florida area.
J a m e S
"In the middle of the night last
d o n a l d S o n
evening I received a call from one of
my stores," he says. "The alarm went
off and when that happens, I get the
Washington State University
call. It's part of the responsibility.
sonics, clippers,
You have to love what you do if you
Mavericks, knicks, jazz
want to be successful at it. Building
these businesses has been great
fun for me." Tinsley, who has been
a member of the union's board for
three years, also wants to share
m e m b e r s c o m e T o T h e c o n f e r e n c e
his expertise with players making
the transition to another world of

T o h e a r m o r e a b o u T h e a l T h
earning. "It was important to me to
i n i T i a T i v e s , b u s i n e s s p l a n n i n g
help mentor the younger guys, not
only in business, but in community
a n d b u i l d i n g a b r a n d .
involvement," Tinsley says.
As much service is being offered
to the members, the event has a feel
of an armed services reunion--men
who have gone into physical battle,
sharing stories of their experiences
with the only other people who
can appreciate what they've been
through.
The NBRPA's hope is that more
players will join the cause, as there
is certainly marketing strength in
numbers. "Think of it like college,"
Elliott tells me. "When you are at a
university, you're not thinking about
becoming an alumni. Years later,
however, it begins to sink in." And
when it does, you will be part of a
fraternity for life."

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