Originally Posted by Mutt

? By the time they have been retired for two years, 78% of former NFL players have gone bankrupt or are under financial stress because of joblessness or divorce.

? Within five years of retirement, an estimated 60% of former NBA players are broke.

i blame the leagues and the player unions/associations - moreso the players associations/unions who these players pay to look out for their best interests. when a player becomes a member of the association the association should tell them the cold hard facts -

'you are a football player, that is all that you are, to become the best at what you do on the playing field came at great sacrifice - it has rendered you a 100% moron incapable of financial decisions that the average 16 year old is capable of. for your own good we are going to take half your after tax income each and every year of your career and invest it as safely and wisely as possible so that when your career comes to an end you won't end up destitute like 60% of those that came before you.'

actually the leagues and the players association do hold seminars for the players and rookies get all sorts of indoctrination seminars which cover all the pitfalls of becoming a rich young pro athlete - but unless you force it upon them most of the advice falls upon deaf ears. the black guys from the ghettos obviously are victimized and exploited far more than the white guys.