Antonio Cromartie is now the voice of fiscal reason http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/06/01/antonio-cromartie-is-now-the-voice-of-fiscal-reason/ Posted by Darin Gantt on June 1, 2013, 6:52 PM EDT This is the time of year when NFL rookies are learning about their new lives as professionals. And Jets rookies have one of the best mentors they could possibly have. Antonio Cromartie, of course. Yes, the once-free-spending father of 10 (with eight different women) is now a role model. “I want to help others learn from what I did wrong,” Cromartie told Bob Glauber of Newsday, in an eye-opening look at how he’s turned his financial ship around. “I tell the young guys, ‘Don’t spend any money the first year and a half of your career. “You don’t know what will happen after that. You might be released. You might be hurt. Just save your money.” Cromartie admits he blew through $5 million his first two years in the league, on the usual suspects (cars, jewelry, friends with their hands out). “Gone. Just gone,” Cromartie said. “I was out of control. I remember [former Chargers teammate] Quentin Jammer used to tell me to slow down, but I couldn’t do it. I just loved spending money.” Now, he’s putting his four-year, $32 million contract in the hands of a new financial advisor, and Cromartie is proudly driving a Toyota Prius and bragging about how much he’s saving on gas. “I can tell a lot of things to a lot of clients, but that doesn’t mean they’ll listen and accept what I say and practice that discipline,” said Jonathan Schwartz, who now handles Cromartie’s money. “[Cro] buys into it. He knows that a professional athlete’s earning period is limited, and that the best form of accumulating wealth is not to spend. His peers will go buy Rolls Royces and Ferraris and diamond jewelry, but 25 years from now, Antonio can still maintain his lifestyle, sit at the beach enjoying a cocktail and say, ‘I’ve earned it.’” Schwartz said Cromartie’s retirement is now funded until he’d be 100 years old, and the investments should take care of all his children. It’s a remarkable turnaround, and a remarkable lesson for young players on every team.
Something really happened last off season that has made Cromartie much more mature and wiser. He has not only elevated his level of play to shut down corner levels, but he has cut down on the trash talking, deleted his twitter account, and appears to be more of a role model. I'm glad he's in the locker room to mentor these younger guys, and hopefully they can catch on to his level of maturity and work ethic.
as much shit as i have talked about antonio if this is true and he is finally acting like an adult and trying to help others from acting like assholes, as he used to do, i am a HUGE fan of that. i will say a few things, cromartie showed a much different side of himself last year, the biggest thing i saw him do was to man up and come up and make tackles. in years prior he was always avoiding contact and being a bitch.
holy shit, if thats true, this motherfucker cro hired is one hell of a investor. dudes got like 12 kids to pay for or something
Good for him. We need leaders he always seemed positive and brought that edge always. Keep him around Izdik!
this. plus I think he has 5 or 6 sons. if one of them turns out to be a player we could have an inside track in 20 years when they are a f.a. you have to think ahead
Good for him. He made some mistakes, but it takes a man to own up to it and correct it. Cro Show is a true leader of the Jets and a true man.
Great to hear. I had some concerns of him not playing as well once he got paid big money, but he's stepped up his game. Good to see him maturing. Of course, many NFL athletes don't have $5M to burn before getting a new deal, but he's learned. Didn't learn in time to curb his future child support payments, but hopefully a guy like Cro figuring it out will be a good influence on some young prospects. If he plays like he did last year, we won't miss Revis all that much. Obviously, he's not as good as Revis, but he was one of the best corners in the league next year. Then you add Milliner on the other side...
Outstanding to hear...great read! As others have said, so few learn in time to correct their mistakes. Thankfully it appears that Cro' is one of those that did. Depending upon his health he may actually have one more contract in him...retire as Jet! On being a leader...it's a bit better that he fell and had to climb back up. He can speak to these young kids from a solid platform of experience. Kids listen to something like that a lot more than from someone who didn't fall from grace. Sad but true.
Thought this was going to be a fluff piece but if he is driving a Prius it must be real. Great for him turning his life around. Hopefully, he continues to play well and become a great leader of the team. Also hope that everyone doesn't forget his turnaround after his first bad play.
This shows you really can't pass judgment on a team for signing a supposed head-case... because you never know... he might actually be able to turn his life around! Cromartie, Pacman Jones and many others in the league have shown it's possible!
