C.J. Whitaker Jr.

Research & Techniques

Professor Drake
September 7, 2014

BIBLIOGRAPHIC ESSAY PROPOSAL

I.

Introduction of Downfall of Professional Athletes

II.

Overspending

III.

Lack of Financial Knowledge

IV.

Poor Investment Decisions

V.

Conclusion

C.J. Whitaker Jr.

Research & Techniques
Professor Drake
September 7, 2014

Research Timeline
Bibliographic Essay Proposal (due 9/10)
Topic Proposal
Outline
Research Timeline
Database Demonstration
Evaluation of Sources
Annotated Bibliography
Bibliographic Essay
Digital Portfolio

C.J. Whitaker Jr.

Research & Techniques
Professor Drake
September 7, 2014

Topic Proposal: Downfall of Professional Athletes

Many people are well informed either by the news or newspapers about
many athletes who made an exceeding amount of money and eventually became
bankrupt. Evander Holyfield from boxing, Allen Iverson, who played basketball, Andre
Rison, who was a wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons, and many other greats that have
had their names in headlines, but not because of their athleticism. According to Sports
Illustrated, there was a study taken in 2009 that proclaimed, seventy-eight percent of
NFL players are bankrupt or facing serious financial stress within two years of ending
their playing careers [and] that sixty percent of NBA players are broke within five years
of retiring from the game. More than seventy percent have an intense fear of failing. The
causes for professional athletes facing bankruptcy as follows, one being overspending,
second being the lack of financial knowledge and lastly, poor investment decisions.
All of these topics tie together and form the epitome of bankruptcy in
professional athletes. Bankruptcy is one of the key misfortunes that professional athletes
have a possibility of facing throughout their professional careers. Many think that their
money supply will be infinite, but it is simply not that way. If athletes fix the problems
discussed for bankruptcy, then there would not be all these stories and documentaries
over the particular problem publicized over and over again.
Many athletes lack of financial knowledge puts them into the wrong
situation from the get go. Many of these athletes have not finished school, which means

C.J. Whitaker Jr.

Research & Techniques
Professor Drake
September 7, 2014

they did not receive a diploma as well. Athletes are unwilling to think about what could
happen in theire future mostly worried about the present.