|
 |
|
|
By Christine Imbs
Ask most dyed-in-the-wool businessmen what they’d really
like to do career-wise if given the opportunity, and inevitably
the little boy in them comes out. And with a twinkle in their
eye and grin on their face dreams of being a baseball or football
player emerge.
Bob Wallace is no exception. As a kid he loved sports, especially
football. He even admits there was a time he thought he’d like
to play professionally.
“I think every kid has dreams like that,” he says. “I did play
backup running back for the Bulldogs when I was at Yale University.
But a backup running back isn’t going to play professional football.”
Playing the game may not have been in the cards for Wallace,
but he is doing the next best thing. One of the highest-ranking
minority executives in professional sports, Wallace is executive
vice president and general counsel for the St. Louis Rams, and
a three-decade veteran of the NFL. And it all started with a
summer job.
“I was ballboy for the St. Louis football Cardinals at their
training camp in Lake Forest, Ill.,” he says. “I was about 15
years old at the time. I guess you could say it was a dream
job.”
Wallace got the job through a family friend, Bernard Jackson,
who worked for the NFL as director of security. Jackson’s own
son had spent a summer working for the Kansas City Chiefs. He
knew how much Wallace loved the game and thought he’d enjoy
a similar experience.
“He had connections with both the Bears and the Cardinals, but
his connections with the Cardinals were stronger so I went there,”
Wallace explains. “It was an incredible opportunity.”
Wallace went on to attend Yale University, but kept in touch
with the Cardinal organization. After graduation, he then set
his sights on a law degree from Georgetown University. This
led to a legal internship with the late NFL Commissioner Pete
Rozelle in 1980, gaining him even more exposure to the NFL.
Then in 1981, a dinner invitation from football Cardinal owner
Bill Bidwell gave Wallace the opportunity of a lifetime.
“He asked me out to dinner. And you don’t say no to a dinner
invitation from Bill Bidwell, especially if you’re a young college
student with no money,” Wallace says. “I figured if nothing
else, I’d at least get a good meal out of it.”
But Wallace ended up with much more than just a good meal. He
ended up with a job with the St. Louis law firm Guifoil, Petzall
and Shoemake, who represented the Big Red. For the next ten
years Wallace acted as the team’s legal counsel and chief contract
negotiator.
“I’ll never forget it,” he says. “The last contract Dan Dierdorf
signed, he came into my office and said, ‘Ten years ago you
were picking up after me. Now I’ve got to come to you and talk
about how much money you’re going to pay me.’”
In 1991, Wallace went to work for the Philadelphia Eagles as
assistant to the president, general counsel and chief contract
negotiator. Then in 1995, he accepted his current position with
the Rams overseeing the business operations, including broadcast
and stadium negotiations, strategic planning and department
supervision, and all revenue generating activities. Oh, and
he has to go to all those Rams games.
“My son plays football, and he asked me once, ‘Tell me the truth.
Would you rather watch one of my games or a Rams game?’ I told
him I’d rather watch you play, but the Rams pay me to watch
them,” he says smiling broadly.
Still, there’s little doubt that Wallace would go whether they
paid him or not. And these days, that’s the way he prefers it.
“Me, at age 51 get down there on that field? Not with the size
of those players!”
| |
|
TALKINGPoints
BORN:
New York family: Wife, Julie; Sons, Grant (14) and Eric
(13)
EDUCATION: Undergraduate degree from Yale University;
law degree from Georgetown University
HOBBIES: Basketball, racketball and golf although
he doesn’t get to play very often.
CURRENT BOOK: 40 Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise,
Fall and Redemption of the Black Athlete by William C.
Rhoden
FAVORITE MUSICIANS: “Earth, Wind and Fire, Stevie
Wonder. Madonna’s good while running.”
FAVORITE CIVIC/CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS: Chairman
of the board of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis
Inc.; president of the board of Giant Steps of St. Louis,
a school for autistic children; board member of RCGA
KEY TO SUCCESS: Treat others as you want them to
treat you.
PROUDEST CAREER MOMENT: Winning Superbowl XXXIV
|
|
|
|
|
|
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
|
