There they were in different parts of the same New Jersey newspaper Thursday, human interest pieces on former Rutgers football player Eric LeGrand and former New Jersey Nets star Jayson Williams. LeGrand, whose amazing story to overcome his injury induced paralysis has inspired hundreds of thousands of people to take stock and ownership of their lives, was signed to a contract by his former coach Greg Schiano, now coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as a symbolic thank you for all the time he has put in moving on with his life since his freak injury against Army at the Meadowlands three years ago. Williams, who is now out after serving a prison sentence for manslaughter and parole violations, was making the rounds of various soup kitchens and other places trying to tell his story and get back on his feet now that he is back in mainstream society.
Both stories speak to the power of the athlete brand and what can be done to try and be a positive influence to others, albeit they have come to this spot in the media from vastly different places. LeGrand’s choice was forced by no fault of his own. He would much rather prefer having the life that he had as an able-bodied student-athlete, but has found innumerable ways to use his story of overcoming adversity to lead an exemplary life and find other ways…broadcasting, writing, speaking…to make a positive impact. Williams, once arguable the most popular athlete in the New York area with an amazing story of overcoming adversity as a young person to achieve NBA stardom, is now trying to overcome many self-imposed demons and falls to make a positive step as well. LeGrand’s leadership opportunities come naturally now, media want to follow his story. Williams, who was snubbed by the Nets in their farewell ceremony, has to use others around him to create PR opportunities to tell his story to a corps of media who used to love him but now may look largely the other way. So while the core of both stories is the same…overcoming adversity and finding ways to help others today…the path to that core is so vastly different. While LeGrand builds his worth, his brand and his diversity in from a very positive base, Williams is trying to shovel away a star-crossed path of missteps to recreate his legacy going forward. The other big difference is that LeGrand and his legacy is all positive, and his needs for the future will come to him. Williams needs to be active in redefining his legacy now and into the future in the hope that a forgiving business world will give him the benefit of the doubt and he can reestablish a life in or out of the limelight that will give him what he needs to be successful.
There are probably a long list of brands that would glean on to the LeGrand story as it plays out over the years, in addition to the speaking engagements and other opportunities he will have. The list of brands that are both above reproach and interested in the Jayson Williams of today is much. much shorter. That is not to say that Williams rehab of his legacy cannot change over time. We are a forgiving society, and the work he puts into doing things, although not all should be just for PR purposes, will go a long way into someone giving a charismatic personality another chance down the road. When that will be is going to be a marathon, certainly not a sprint.
Regardless of the outcome for both these former athletes who have been dealt different hands by fate…some their own, some by other circumstances…it was interesting to see them share some of the media spotlight on a May Day. One a clear role model getting a very nice reward by a high profile mentor now on to even greater things, the other a former star trying to rebound around some very serious transgressions and find a way back into a positive public light. Two interesting looks at what a legacy can do, hopefully in both cases going forward, for the better.
