Brand Agassi Has Tremendous Value For A Different Generation

He came of age with the “Image Is Everything Campaign” eventhough his best tennis was years ahead. He came back from the bottom to be a successful professional, and even without a formal education made education is legacy in his hometown. Yes now that Andre Agassi writes an honest accounting of his life and career, a life which not many people on the inside would dispute as being controversial, many tennis lifers have seen to push his accounts to the side and shame him. Shame Agass. Shame on them. In reality, Andre Agassi's brand should be stronger today that at almost any point in his Hall of Fame tennis career. He is a role model for the serial athlete and has emerged as being sincere and creating life changing experiences for a new generation of children, not serial athletes. What the Agassi brand stands for today is what most successful people should aspire to…admitting ones flaws and looking to make the lives of those around you better with the success you have had. Agassi admitted drug use. Given the culture of athletics in the ’80's…a time pre WADA and all glamou. Would that be surprising, especially for a rock and roll lifestyle that individual sports like golf or tennis lead professionals t. Not at all. As a matter of fact, most who followed Agassi's career at that stage would probably not have been surprised at that time about the usage. What the Agassi brand should be remembered for and what it could be going forward is for resilience. A resilience and rededication to a career and a spirit to sincerely give back that is not just rare in athletes, it is rare in most high net worth individuals. Now one can be assured that Andre Agassi does not need more endorsement dollars, nor would he probably court the spotlight. However if there are brands looking for a role model for where America is today…a country on the rebound and dedicated to growing a generation, one may not look farther that Andre Agassi. He reinvented a career and a life and has come out as a man that not just had a Hall of Fame athletic career, but may be in a philanthropic Hall of fame at some point as well. Not a bad role model for today's challenged times.

Some other good reads…Terry Lyons’ blog had two great connections Sunday…one was Jeff Jarvis’ Buzz machine blog on entreprenurial journalism and the other was to Mark Spears’ Yahoo column on Allen Iverson and his Memphis troubles…the New York Times’ George Vecsey had a great column behind the scenes with Yankees GM Brian Cashman…and the LA Times Bill Dwyre had a good piece on why the Breeders Cup should stay at Santa Anita...