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| Andre' Rison watched the money burn literally! |
ESPN just aired the new 30 for 30 film “Broke” and it wasn’t surprising to see boyz tell the stories of going through millions of dollars in such a short period of time. They interviewed countless cats from former baseball, basketball and football players and the story was the same, “I went through the bread so fast that it even surprised me!”
There was an article published in Sports Illustrated in March of 2009 entitled "How (and Why) Athletes Go Broke" . It went on to say that by the time they have been retired for 2 years, 78% of former NFL players have gone bankrupt or are under financial stress because of joblessness or divorce. Also within 5 years of retirement 60% of former NBA players are broke.
Boyz always sit around and laugh at the pro athletes situation but let’s keep it real or all the way 100, whichever comes 1st! The numbers are even higher for regular working class folks. How many times have you seen a cat get fired or laid off (it’s all semantics) and have to move out of their crib within 30 days because they're in way over their heads? A cat makes $80K and lives in a $350-400K spot. Another guy makes $50K but drives a 750Li BMW. We all know the chick that makes $40K that's carrying a $900 Gucci bag and rockin' the $800 red bottom joints. Y'all know I'm telling the truth bruh!
How many duns don’t even answer the phone at the crib because bill collectors are chasing them down and they’ve got a job that pays them enough to pay the freaking bill? How many times to do see both men and women at the mall looking for something to wear on Classic or Homecoming Weekend and they haven’t paid their rent or mortgage and the kids book rental is already 60 past due? Stop me when I start lying!
All I’m saying is folks need to stop laughing at the pro athlete for making dumb decisions with money if they’re doing the same thing. People work their entire lives and don’t have a dime when it’s time to retire. How many cats are sitting next to you at work right now that should have retired 10 years ago but can’t? However, that same clown was laughing at the former athletes telling their stories on 30 for 30.
Unfortunately, most people were never taught how to handle money as a kid and make most of their financial mistakes in their early twenties. When do guys sign their pro contracts? In their early 20's! It is a clinical fact that frontal lobe on the human brain where all judgement takes place doesn't develop until about age 25. So it makes sense to see pro athletes and even regular cats make dumb decisions not only with money but in other areas of their life in their early 20's!
Praise God that he didn’t put several million dollars into my hands as a 21 year old! Not even at 31! That’s real talk and if you’re honest with yourself you are too.
Praise God that he didn’t put several million dollars into my hands as a 21 year old! Not even at 31! That’s real talk and if you’re honest with yourself you are too.
Could you imagine what you would have done with that type of bread at 21-28 years old even if there were financially savvy people telling you what to do with it? Very few cats would have listened to them at that age. I’m not even gonna to lie, I would have lost my mind with that type of bread.
The old sista’s in the church always said, “Baby, God keeps certain things from you because he’s trying to keep you saved.” The word of God says in Proverbs 30:8-9, “Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, “Who is the Lord?” Or I may become poor and steal and shame the name of God.”
Yeah bruh, I’m cool! Just give me what you think I can handle and I’ll stay in my lane. What I have learned is that the more responsible you are with his bread the more bread he gives you to bake. That's real talk!!
Holla At Ya Boy!
Jay Graves
Get @ me on Twitter: @jaygravesreport
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