Steve Roof

Is the Stock Market a casino? 📈 Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports posted a ridiculous tweet that got over 3 million views where he said: “My problem with the stock market is it’s just one big casino where the people in charge rig it to (expletive) over the little guy and make all the money for themselves.” Not only him, but according to a recent SEBI report, only 27% of the country’s population is financially literate. Millions in India believe that investing in the markets is gambling and actively convince others to avoid the markets by sharing stories of their friend's friend who lost all his money. My response to this kind of emotional outburst is simple: Owning a share of stock means you are a part owner of that company. A company like Tata Steel broke ownership of their company into 12.2 billion little pieces, each one represented as one share of their stock. There’s no gambling involved in long-term ownership of companies. The only people who think the stock market is gambling are people treating the stock market like a casino. So, let’s be clear, investing in the stock market isn’t gambling, you are buying small ownership stakes in companies. In the case of an index fund, you are buying an ownership stake in all the companies of of the particular index. This is not gambling, it’s investing. #investing #stockmarkets #finance

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Calling all parents of athletes, coaches, athletic directors, and club programs. You are missing the most important ingredient in developing your kids. Let’s start giving them the tools for success. Message me if you want to try Athletic Mindset where we measure how an athletes thinks while practicing and competing in sports.

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I find this interesting. Dan Campbell, coach of the Detroit Lines, is being criticized for giving the game ball to a player other than his QB, who had a "perfect game" in terms of completions thrown. I see this as a sign of a coach focused on the process and, obviously, someone else's performance rose up. I can recall coaching games when I wasn't aware of someone scoring 30 points (basketball) and folks were dumbfounded. To me, they were just doing their job. Executing the plan. I was looking at other things. A great coach focuses on the plan and those things that they can control and influence in the moment. Stats can help, but sometimes we should be looking at intangibles like effort, attitude and belief - not our QB's completion percentage, necessarily. What do you think? Was Campbell in the wrong? https://lnkd.in/eG5yfTQV

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There is - or there was - an intended difference between throwing a baseball as hard as you could, and pitching in a baseball game. Not anymore, it appears. When I coached youth baseball from Little League through HS Travel Leagues, I would stress three things about pitching: velocity, location, and movement. Velocity wasn’t meant to imply throwing as hard as possible every pitch, but rather mixing up the velocity. Location may seem obvious but every pitch is not intended to be a strike, or even hittable. And movement was intended to produce as late of movement as possible. Make no mistake, the secret to hitting is timing. And the secret to pitching is disrupting the hitters timing. The best hitters can always catch up to the best hitters fastball, as impossible as it may seem from a physics standpoint. Pitchers need to remember this, and save their arms and their careers. #mlb #theartofpitching

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Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson is this weekend and I'm seeing loads of content being made all with a single purpose - TO MAKE YOU BET ON MIKE TYSON! From workout clips shown at 1.25x speed of Mike to clips of Jake at the end of a 2 hour workout where he is fatigued this is how bookies make so much money. Not only do they influence punters into taking mathmatically unprofitable odds but they also influence them away from the winning side and 97% of people fall for it every time! The odds movement shows that the majority of bets are being placed on Mike despite Jakes odds being higher than any of his previous fights. Pundits are bought and paid for for these bookies as are the braodcasters, their narrative is the one that most people will get behind. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT MIKE 100% LOSES! Its sport, anything is possible, even in these quasi-fixed fights (Paul owns the promotion) but I have Max bet Jake Paul in all of his previous fights and cashed a lot of money. I dislike these fights but I don't bet based on feelings, I bet knowing every fight he makes is carefully engineered to make sure he looks good and wins. The bookies job and his are to make the public believe its a credible fight or it won't sell since most people are watching in hope he gets KO'd. This happens in all sports, this example is simply the most obvious. Do not listen to pundits or even my peers as many handicappers have deals with bookies to make you place losing bets as they get a % of revenue (this is why I have tuered down affiliate agreements) Don't trust me, educate yourself and make your own mind up, use my posts and the info in my telegram group to make your own mind up because even though I do this for a living I and every other professional are far from being 100% accurate. You probably think this fight is a joke but it could be a huge opportunity to make some serious money with the odds climbing. #boxing #jakepaul #miketyson #gambling #sportsbetting #mma #ufc

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"Casino Update: Greg J. Masten President, National Congress of American Indians Foundation."I am very honored to be the first NCAI Foundation President. We want to continue to support the mission for NCAI, and now with the foundation, we are expanding on how to support tribes. That can be in technology, infrastructure, climate change, education, workforce development. There's $500 billion philanthropic activity in the US. If you look at the $105 billion that goes to foundations, only less than one half of one percent of that goes into Native Nations, and we want to increase that to support Native Nations in the right way. #casinoupdate #gregmasten #gregmasten"

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🤔 Fair vs. Equal: Understanding the Nuance! ⚖️ While "equal" means everyone gets the same treatment, "fair" takes into account individual needs and circumstances. 🎭 Imagine two people trying to see a baseball game over a fence: equality gives them both the same box to stand on, while fairness provides the right height for each person so everyone can enjoy the view! 🌟 Let’s embrace fairness to create inclusive environments where everyone can thrive! 🌈 How do you promote fairness in your workplace? Share your thoughts! 👇 #Fairness #Equality #Inclusion #Leadership 💼

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Teaching future leaders at UNLV about the power of can. These ladies definitely caught the vision! Thanks Patty Coaley, PhD for having Red Wagon Institute! #redwagoninstitute #canwins #leadership #traininganddevelopment

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In a pickleball industry increasingly dominated by “eatertainment” venues mixing the sport with food, drinks and premium pricing, Missouri Pickleball Club owner Michael Grewe has taken a radically different approach: keeping it simple and staying true to the game. Grewe’s bold refusal to over-commercialize his club — limiting alcohol sales, avoiding food service and rejecting tiered memberships — has made his business a standout in a market chasing every potential revenue stream. For Grewe, it’s all about creating the best possible playing experience, not just capitalizing on pickleball’s explosive popularity. This philosophy has turned Missouri Pickleball Club into a thriving community hub, proving the sport-first model can lead to both success and sustainability. Here’s how Grewe built one of the largest pickleball clubs in North America by staying true to the essence of the game. Learn more: https://hubs.la/Q02VkLkn0

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A week before the 2024 United Shore Professional Baseball League Season began, Andrew Huffman, an RHP for the Utica Unicorns, signed a professional contract with the Minnesota Twins, making him the 52nd player in USPBL history to join an Major League Baseball (MLB) organization. Huffman, a graduate student from SUNY Brockport, was named the 2023 USPBL Pitcher of the Year, leveraging his impressive season to elevate his status as a potential prospect for 2024. Upon hearing the news of Huffman’s signing, I reached out to Shane McCatty, the current Director of Baseball Operations for the USPBL, to learn more about his journey. Shane, who served as the USPBL pitching coordinator from 2018 to 2021, has been instrumental in integrating the DVS Methodology into pitchers across the league. Huffman's rise as a pitching prospect mirrors the path of many pitchers who diligently work on their areas for improvement and are committed to making necessary changes. When Huffman first arrived at the USPBL, his command and results were inconsistent. However, with his strong physique and promising rising fastball, he was identified as a potential prospect. Early in his training, Huffman’s inconsistency was traced to his throwing mechanics, specifically his arm action. His throwing arm would rotate into position before his pelvis, leading to larger margins of error at release. After six weeks of focused training and adjustments to his timing, Huffman began to see significant progress by July. His transformation was evident in his performance: May through June: 10.3 IP, 8 ER, 24 K, 8 BB, 11 H, 6.99 ERA July through August: 35.2 IP, 6 ER, 43 K, 18 BB, 15 H, 1.53 ERA Jim Essian, manager of the Utica Unicorns, commented on the decision to make Huffman a starter: "His confidence grew. His off-speed pitches started to land in the zone more consistently, hitters continued to chase his fastball, and he became a prospect for us. We wanted to get him more innings to give him more exposure and allow him to get out of here." The process of developing a pitcher involves teaching and time commitment, helping to build a "confidence loop." Consistent visual feedback enables pitchers to trust their improvements and see the ball’s trajectory more optimally. This growing confidence in their pitching skills during catch play, bullpens, and games propels their success to a higher level. Congratulations to Andrew Huffman, his family, and the entire USPBL for creating another remarkable story to share!

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As the golf industry continues to experience record participation, our leadership team gathered to strategize for success in the coming year. Could we aim for more rounds of golf? Absolutely. Could we host more Food and Beverage events? Without a doubt. However, we recognized that none of this would be possible without a strong, unified team, where success is shared across all levels of the Willows. In an attempt to go against the traditional, this year, I took the approach that our leadership team works for our frontline staff. Our role as leaders was to ensure that our team could handle 99% of the challenges they encountered, making on-the-spot decisions based on the training and support that our leadership team provided. This began well before the golf season started. I challenged our leadership team to create comprehensive training guides for each department, ensuring that our frontline staff knew what was expected of them, and just as importantly, what they could expect from us. We created a culture where the voices of our frontline team were first, and almost immediately, we saw a shift in attitude—one driven by the support and encouragement from our leadership team. And the ongoing support wasn’t just operational. We regularly checked in with our frontline staff, not only as team members but as individuals, ensuring they enjoyed working at the Willows, felt empowered in their roles, and knew they had our support. Over time, I saw our leadership team evolve. They listened to their team, and while not every suggestion was implemented, the feedback that was actioned had a noticeable impact. Was this approach perfect? Did it solve every problem overnight? Of course not—and I didn’t expect it to. What I didn’t anticipate, however, was how quickly this approach transformed our team culture. It fostered a spirit of support not just from leadership to staff, but among the entire team. I share this not to boast, but to emphasize that when you build a culture your team genuinely wants to be part of, success becomes much more attainable. This was the first year of this approach, and I’m already excited to see what we can achieve in the future with what we’ve learned.

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Major League Soccer (MLS) has positioned itself as the cornerstone of professional soccer in the United States, but its high-cost franchise model is increasingly seen as a barrier to the sport's genuine growth. The league's failure to secure expansion teams in Las Vegas and Sacramento is more than a minor setback; it is a glaring indictment of a fundamentally flawed system. The astronomical franchise fees MLS demands—often hundreds of millions of dollars—are not just steep; they are exploitative. This financial burden forces potential team owners into untenable positions, pushing them to prioritize profit over the integrity and accessibility of the sport. These exorbitant costs do not just reflect the value of entering the league; they are artificially inflated prices that place immense strain on all involved, from ownership to the fans. The pandemic exposed the brittleness of this economic model. As the world faced unprecedented challenges, the MLS's financial demands did not abate, revealing a system more concerned with sustaining inflated valuations than with nurturing the sport itself. The league's reliance on private equity investments exacerbates this issue, prioritizing the interests of wealthy investors over the passion of everyday fans. This focus on commercial gain has led to a stark over-commercialization of the league. Games are marketed as entertainment products rather than authentic sporting events, and fans are treated more like consumers than members of a vibrant community. The essence of soccer—a game rooted in local pride, accessible to all, and celebrated for its simplicity—is being sacrificed on the altar of corporate profits. The notion that U.S. soccer requires the oversight of the U.S. Soccer Federation and the financial gatekeeping of MLS is increasingly untenable. True growth in American soccer will not come from pandering to billionaires or maintaining an exclusive club of franchises. It will come from empowering fans and local communities to engage with the sport in a way that respects its traditions and values. In short, MLS's current model is not just flawed; it is a detriment to the sport's future in the United States. Soccer does not need inflated franchise fees, private equity pressures, or a league that prioritizes profit over passion. It needs a grassroots movement that puts fans and the essence of the game first. Without a significant shift in direction, MLS risks becoming a monument to corporate greed rather than a beacon of hope for soccer's growth in America https://lnkd.in/gjxCbfYz

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I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the remarkable work of Coach #ryanday at The Ohio State University. His team achieved a commendable 3.24 GPA for the 2023-24 academic year, showcasing dedication and excellence in both academics and sports. Most will sweep this achievement under the rug, we shouldn't its remarkable. As someone who briefly played Division I college football at Miami University, I understand the immense commitment required to balance academics and athletics, forget having a social life. Regardless of their classes, college athletes like those at Ohio State are developing crucial life skills while excelling in their sport. I never put the level of sacrifice in that someone such as First team All American Matt Wilhelm (sorry to put you on the spot buddy), but i got a glimpse of how intense it is. The point is most of us have no idea how much work goes into what we see on TV, most of it off-camera, and yeah, the student athletes have to go to school too! It takes Truly elite humans willing to put in more work than most of us find fathomable. This achievement is further highlighted by the recent reports of Coach Ryan Day and Coach Deion Sanders, University of Colorado Boulder whose teams achieved cumulative GPAs of 3.0 or higher. These coaches, who are undoubtedly well-compensated, prioritize the holistic development of their players beyond just on-field performance. Coach Prime and Coach day are walking the walk. In an environment where all we measure is wins on Saturday, a quick pause reflecting how amazing of a job these coaches are doing off the field, melding, in this case, young men to be productive members of society, is the real win. Even at Ohio State, most of these young men will not play in the NFL. Kudos to all the #collegeathletes who are excelling both academically and athletically—it's a challenging balance that deserves recognition. Keep up the incredible work! #StudentAthletes #AcademicExcellence #Sportsmanship Andrew Holleran https://lnkd.in/ew6kV-kv

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PGA of America Don Rea Why not shut down ExecuSearch use the money saved to invest in the retirement programs for PGA of America Members? There are plenty of Club Industry related search firms out there. The PGA of America should list jobs inexpensively like the CMAA and GCSAA does. It would remove the ethical questions of the PGA of America recommending one PGA of America Member over another PGA of America Member. In the golf industry, several executive search firms specialize in recruiting professionals for roles within private clubs, golf courses, and related areas at no charge to the candidates. Some notable search firms associated with the golf industry include: 1. **GSI Executive Search Inc.**: A client-focused recruitment team with expertise in placements for the private club and hospitality industries. 2. **GBN Executive Search**: Specializes in recruiting accomplished professionals from across the golf industry, including General Managers, Head Golf Professionals, Directors of Golf, and more. 3. **KK&W**: Offers executive job recruiting services for private club executive placement and conducts educational seminars for private club boards. 4. **DENEHY Club Thinking Partners**: A full-service executive search and management consulting firm serving the private club and boutique resort industries. 5. **EHS Recruiting Company**: A national leader in management search for golf courses and country clubs, known for fulfilling hiring needs effectively. These specialized executive search firms play a crucial role in connecting top talent with opportunities in the golf industry, ensuring that organizations find the right professionals to drive success and growth.

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