Fifty-nine-year-old former Sul Ross LB joins the LeBron James' gang

Published: Friday, December 21, 2007

The Senior is now part of The King's court.

Mike Flynt, the 59-year-old grandfather who just finished his long-delayed senior season of college football, is the newest client of LeBron James' athlete management company.

James and three friends founded LRMR Innovative Marketing & Branding, which handles James' endorsements. Miami Dolphins rookie Ted Ginn Jr. also is on the company's roster. And now, so is Flynt, who aims to continue sharing his inspirational story and the message that fitness is important for all ages.

"I'm so excited about being involved with these young guys," Flynt said. "It's like being with the teammates I just left. They're athletic, high-energy, intelligent and innovative."

James' involvement in LRMR and the company's aims were the subject of a recent cover story in Fortune magazine. The magazine estimated he has about $170 million in sponsorship deals, with Nike and Coca-Cola his biggest endorsers.

Maverick Carter is the firm's CEO and he's already begun laying out a plan for Flynt that ranges from fitness products and speaking appearances to a movie, television and books.

"Mike is a normal guy, but he had the will and desire to go back and play college football at 59," Carter said. "I want those type of people to be around me and my company."

In 1971, Flynt was a team captain when he was kicked out of Sul Ross State for fighting. He always regretted it and told his former teammates so during a reunion this past summer. One of the guys suggested he try a comeback. He was certainly in good shape, having been a strength and conditioning coach at Nebraska, Oregon and Texas A&M, then selling the Powerbase training system he invented.

Once Flynt discovered he had a semester of eligibility left, he earned a spot on his alma mater's Division III team - even though he was six years shy of Medicare, eight years older than his coach and had a 11/2-year-old grandson.

Injuries kept the AARP member off the field the first five games, but he played the final five, mostly as a blocker on field goals and extra point kicks. He was on the field for the winning kick in overtime in his first game, then he got to play linebacker for the final few minutes of the season finale.

His story drew all sorts of attention to his remote West Texas school. Gov. Rick Perry sent Flynt a letter of congratulations and U.S. Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, whose district includes the university, nominated Flynt for a spot on the President's Council for Physical Fitness.

Carter noticed, too. They got together after the season and bonded quickly. In addition to sharing business goals, they discovered they had a lot more in common.

"The story is how he was raised," Carter said. "His father was military and that mindset led him to that day when he was kicked off the team. He realized he had to grow up and change that. It's similar to kids who come from urban America, inner-city, where the environment is such that it kind of puts you behind. ... LeBron grew up in the same type of environment and he changed that. He had the willpower to go change, to learn and do things in a different way."

Carter said people might be surprised that Flynt signed with LRMR. To him, that's a good thing.

"We want to do things that are cool, innovative and different," Carter said. "This is fun."