|
Heisman
Winners Who Achieved Business Success
The 2007 Heisman Trophy presentation will take place on
December 8th, and one college football player will be honored as the
best in the country. The Heisman is a great honor, but it doesn’t always ensure
a lengthy professional career in football. Even Heisman winners need a back-up
plan.
Here are some former Heisman winners
who, whether out of
passion or necessity, achieved success in business.
Angelo Bertelli, Notre Dame, 1943
 “The
Springfield Rifle” won the Heisman in 1943, even though he left ND to join the
Marine Corps six games into the season. After tackling the Axis Powers,
Bertelli opened up a chain of liquor stores in New Jersey and Massachusetts. As
if the Irish needed another reason to love this guy.
Dick Kazmaier, Princeton, 1951
 Richard Kazmaier was a 6 -- yes, 6 -- sport athlete in high school, then played
quarterback, running back, and kicker for Princeton. He took home the Heisman
in 1951. Kazmaier passed on the NFL, instead opting to attend Harvard Business
School. He eventually formed Kazmaier Associates, Inc., an investment and
marketing firm, where he serves as President. He has also served as director of
the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry, trustee of Princeton
University, chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
under Reagan and Bush, and director of the National Football Foundation and Hall
of Fame. Apparently he can also fly and stop the rotation of the Earth.
Billy Vessels, Oklahoma, 1952
 After
winning the Heisman in ’52, Vessels had his professional career curtailed by
injury. A love of horse racing led him to get involved with the Florida
Pari-Mutuel Commission, an organization focused on gambling/wagering. Vessels
served as executive director while simultaneously breeding horses, proving that
passion and business don’t always have to be separate. He was later elected
president of the National Association of State Racing Commissions. Throughout
his career, Vessels enjoyed using the pick-up line, “I don’t just breed studs, I
am one.”*
[*This is pure speculation.]
Howard Cassady, Ohio State, 1955
 Howard
“Hopalong” Cassady overcame a lame nickname to win the 1955 Heisman by scoring
15 touchdowns his senior year. After football, Cassady became an entrepreneur,
starting a company that manufactured concrete pipe. In fact, one of these
concrete pipes would later be used by OSU running back Maurice Clarett as a
weapon during one of Clarett’s 247 lifetime criminal incidents. See, it’s
important to give back to the program.
Pete Dawkins, Army, 1958
 Pete
Dawkins was a Heisman winner, a U.S. Army Brigadier General, a Rhodes Scholar
and a candidate for Senate (…what have you done with your life?). Not
surprisingly, Dawkins went on to post-football success, getting a job on Wall
Street and working his way up to become CEO of Primerica Financial Services.
Dawkins is currently the vice chairman of Citigroup Private Bank. So, in other
words, not only could this guy beat you up and take your lunch money, but he
could then use it to turn a 3000% profit.
Roger Staubach, Navy, 1963
 Before
he was one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks ever, Roger Staubach was the “greatest
QB in Navy history,” according to his coach. Staubach was excellent in his
business career as well, starting a commercial real estate company known as The
Staubach Company in 1977. Staubach served as chief executive until this past
June, when he decided to step down. A Naval officer who voluntarily went to
Vietnam, Staubach has always shown the utmost commitment to all of his
endeavors, on and off the field. In 2001, he was named the Walter Camp “Man of
the Year.”
He never dated Carrie Underwood though, so Tony Romo has
him beat there.
John Huarte, Notre Dame, 1964
 As
a senior, quarterback John Huarte won the 1964 Heisman, beating out the likes of
Gale Sayers, Dick Butkus and Brian Piccolo (who’s crying now, Piccolo?). Huarte
signed with the New York Jets, but ended up as the back-up QB, behind Joe Namath,
who probably tried to make out with his girlfriend at some point. Nowadays,
Huarte is the CEO of Arizona Tile Supply, which distributes tiles through more
than 20 branches in Arizona and California.
O.J. Simpson, USC, 1968
 Just
kidding…
Johnny Rodgers, Nebraska, 1972
 The
1972 Heisman winner, Rodgers is widely considered to be Nebraska’s greatest
player ever, and is far more revered than, say, Lawrence Phillips. After an
injury-plauged pro career, Rodgers proved that an interest in sports can
translate into many business opportunities. He currently operates a sports
marketing firm and a bedding company in Nebraska, and is in the process of
opening a sports bar. Rodgers authored the book An Era of Greatness
about Nebraska football, and he works with the university to encourage dropouts
to return to school. He saves kittens from trees in his spare time.
John Cappelleti, Penn State, 1973
 Not
all Heisman winners choose post-football careers in sports. John Cappelleti won
the Heisman as a running back for Penn State in 1973, back when Joe Paterno was
only 84 years old. After playing the sport professionally, Cappelleti became a
partner in Alpha Stainless, a company that provides fluid transfer systems and
components to pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Pretty impressive. Be
honest, you probably thought football players couldn’t even spell
“pharmaceutical.”
It just goes to show, no matter how good someone is at
football, the time will come to move on to another career. The 2007 Heisman
candidates might want to take note. Except for Tim Tebow. That guy is pretty
much set for life and doesn’t need to pay attention in class ever.
|
