Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to a special edition of Stale Wild, recorded live
on Radio Row at Super Bowl fifty nine. I'm your host,
Tommy Vincent, and we are going to be hearing some
dynamic conversations with phenomenal guests here on Radio Row.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
So take a seat, get comfortable in stale will.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
This episode is sponsored by the House of Joy. Hey everyone,
it's Tommy Vincent, your host of Stale Wild podcast, and
we have joining us at the table, Ril Comer. Aril
is a newly certified sports agent through the NFLPA. Yes, so,
first of all, that is definitely a space that we
(00:42):
don't see a lot of women moving through, but they are.
You know, there are some agents now that are We're
more familiar that women are occupying that space.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
They've been there for a while, but now it's just
kind of like being elevated.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Absolutely, how did you decide this was something that you
desire to do?
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Absolutely?
Speaker 4 (01:04):
So, growing up as a child, I always knew that
I wanted to be in the sports and entertainment space.
I took classes with Katherine Sullivan, with Miley Cyrus and
the likes, and went to Pilot season and got shot
down because they didn't want a young child with braces,
and so when I was looking for my other entry point,
I was exposed to the legal system and I was like,
(01:25):
I definitely want to be an entertainment attorney, and so
growing up that's kind of where my passion was. I
remember when I was in college, my mother and I
were doing the tours for law school, and I was
determined to go to UCLA, but more than that, I
wanted to be a.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Part of CAAA.
Speaker 4 (01:40):
And I remember walking in the building with my resume
thinking I could just walk in and find someone and
talk to and they would hand me a dog.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Right yeah. Oh.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
I quickly got turned around, so I was like, Okay,
let me go thero route. I went to law school, graduated.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
I actually had a child during my last year of
law school, which it has.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Been a big part of this journey for me.
Speaker 4 (02:02):
But I've eight nephews, so I have been in and
out of sports all my life.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
I was an auntie when I was born, and.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
So graduated law school, started my own law firm, and
now it has finally allowed me the space, the time,
the flexibility to really bring everything full circle, especially in
the wake of NIL with everything being the wild wild West,
I think there has been a gap for so long,
and I'm hoping to feel.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
That What is the name of your law firm, Comber
Law Group? Okay, yes, okay, So now you have your
own experience. I know part of your background is pursuing
a dream as a childhood actor. Yes, you've had experience
with agents, and I don't know if they were all
good and pleasant. However, as a result of your experience,
(02:50):
how are you going to differentiate yourself in the industry
for your clients?
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Absolutely?
Speaker 4 (02:57):
You know, growing up, I have had experience with agents
and what I could not fine with someone that looked
like me, or someone that cared truly about my best
interests or even those around me. And so I truly
feel like this is the opportunity for me to lean
into one maternal instincts, right, It's that protect you know,
And I definitely want to be able to step into
(03:17):
this role. When I speak with parents, I'm like, listen,
you got your baby.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
But I got your baby too, Like I get it.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
I am ma mama bear first, but I also want
to be able to provide some advice.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
I don't want to be the yes man.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
I want to give them what they need to hear
and not what they want to hear, and really help
them protect their legacy. You know, NFL careers for most
guys are over in two to three years, and then
their money's blown by year five and this dream that
they work their whole life for is just over like that,
And so I really want to step in to help
them focus on who they are on and off the
field so that there is longevity and a legacy there
(03:51):
to preserve.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Is your.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Have you thought about your business and if you're just
going to focus in on NFL players or are you
open to other sports leagues as well?
Speaker 4 (04:04):
So I eventually want to dominate all the sports space,
not dominate, I want to dominate it. If you look
at the numbers, there are twenty three percent of women
in general who represent the sports agents, right, and then
seven point five percent of those are black and seven
point five percent black. Of any gender, less than ten
(04:26):
percent of that is black women. You know, growing up,
you think about who could inspire me to do this?
There was no one that looked like me. We have now,
you know, greats like Nicole Lnn. Right, you hear her name,
but why are we not hearing more names? There needs
to be others standing beside her, and so I really
want to join this community so that I can hold
(04:46):
the door open and send the ladder back down for
those coming behind you.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Yeah. No, and that's so true.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
It's it's it's a space where you don't see women
out in the forefront. But I do know that there
are women that are the unsung heroes, if you will,
of the success of the industry. And that is why
I think it is so important for this sector to
grow where you have women like yourself who are stepping
(05:17):
into the role, and you're stepping in and you're unapologetically
talking about the quality that you bring to the men
as they're growing in their young careers. It does take
someone that's going to care about them, be passionate about them,
that's going to mama bear them a bit in a
respectful way, obviously because they're men. And when you think
(05:42):
about your nephews and you think about your own.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Child, what is that quality in you.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
That you believe is so imperative for the success of
your clients.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
I would say twofold my tenacity at mind drop.
Speaker 4 (06:01):
I feel like when I put my mind to something,
anybody you can ask anybody that knows me when I
set my mind on something, it's getting done. I may
not know the how, I may not know you know,
the way I'm going to get there, but I know
to put one foot in front of the other and
I'm going to see it through. I'm going to see
it through in a way that it will be effective
and not just you know, for sake of completing it.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Well, you know, some agents they won't touch a client
if they don't think they're going to.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Be in the top one, two, three rounds. Right, how
do you feel about.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
Essentially telling someone you're not worthy of my service because
you're not high enough in the rounds for me to represent.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
And you know what, I think that is such an
unfair near that agents have put out, you know, as
far as only wanting to represent the top because the
league in itself has so many players.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Who didn't go to Combine, who didn't go.
Speaker 4 (06:59):
To see your book, who you know, may have started
at a rookie camp and worked their way through the
roster and are now you know, ten year vets in
the game, and so it's being able to see that
early on. So for me, when I'm looking at a client,
it's not about where you're gonna stack you know on
what day you're gonna get called.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
It's more so who aren't you as a person.
Speaker 4 (07:17):
Because this has truly gotten to be a bit of
an ugly game where money is the controlling factor.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
And I don't want.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
The client that I can buy because guess so somebody
can come buy them for me later. I want the
client who sees the bigger picture, who's willing to put
in the work themselves, because I can only leave them
the water, right, But I can't make good dreams. So
it's a matter of aligning with them as a person.
But you know, also having those real conversations and not
selling them, you know, pipe dreams like hey, like, you know,
you're for sure going to be a day one starter,
(07:47):
You're for sure going to go first round, when that's
just not the case. So I have already taken the
steps now even in the conversations I'm having, I am
getting scouting reports from league scouts, like, let's constantly stay
on track with where you are and where you're going
and what you need to work on. Let's be realistic
about this upfront so you can have the opportunity to
(08:07):
do the work versus me telling you, oh, No, you're great,
You're for sure good, and then you get to this
point and you don't hear your name and now you're
looking at me.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
I don't want to have those conversations.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Are you going to work with collegiate athletes as well
or is the focus focus on the pro So I
am going to work.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
With collegiate athletes as well as high school athletes. I
feel like with NIL now you know more and more.
This is how you get the collegiate athletes right. You
start the relationship early. And for me, I really want
to be able to build that trust with my client,
with their family so when it comes time where they
have to lean on me for my decisions, there's no
hesitation there.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:45):
And with my legal background, it's going to allow me
and my expertise to navigate the NIL waters as it's
constantly evolving, and help them when they get to college
to navigate that so that when they get to the league,
you know, we are locked in.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
That that out screen does Cam Newton always disrupting somebody
conversation every time I'm all radio, I'll be like, wow.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
Okay, So.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Now that you're certified and you're in the process of
building your business. What are some core principles for your
organization that you want people to understand about who you
are as a professional and how you're going to show
up in your representation.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
Absolutely, I would say respect first and foremost. I get
when I'm talking to like a lot of these kids,
you can pretty easily pick up on who's been coddled,
you know, as a child and who has been raised
by parents who teach them how to talk, because that
is something that they just can't learn this late. Right,
So respect, loyalty is a big thing for me, and
(09:56):
that's something that just does not exist in this industry unfortunately.
It is you could be with somebody day and gone with.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Them tomorrow, and that works both ways.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
Yes to your cause, you talked about how if you can,
if you know you can buy them, that means somebody
can buy them from you, And so that's even something
to look for in a client, like where's where their
integrity lies?
Speaker 3 (10:21):
So you mentioned one.
Speaker 4 (10:22):
Of the other principles that I was going to speak on,
and it's integrity, Right, who are you at your core
as a person?
Speaker 3 (10:28):
And family. I am big on family.
Speaker 4 (10:30):
So when I work, even on my law side, it's
like when I tell clients like you are coming into
my family and that's all I'm gonna treat you.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Yes, absolutely, And.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
The principle of family doesn't just lend to biological family,
because when you build a business right and you make
people feel like family, there's a trust that comes with that. Yes,
So I love that core principle that you're going to
be bringing in and just.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
The values that you're set up for yourself.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
And my prayer for you is that as you grow
in the industry, that you don't lose sight of your foundation,
like what you decide your business is going to be,
that you're able to hold on to that so that
your business will remain set apart, and that I pray
(11:21):
that you will have success being able to show up
as the desired way you want to be, and that
you won't have to compromise to be successful.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
I really appreciate that absolutely.
Speaker 4 (11:33):
I like to tell myself, I don't need to remember
who I am, I need to remember whose I am.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Absolutely well, Aria, I want to thank you so much
for joining me on Stay on While podcast and just
know this You're welcome anytime.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
I hope you felt the love and connection. In today's conversation,
every woman you heard from has faced the impossible and
emerged strong. This is your personal invitation to stale while
longer at Tommy V dot com. That's t O M
M I V dot com for more inspiration for your mind,
body and soul and let's not forget your belly. You're
(12:14):
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