A: I'm a Midwest kind of a guy and I actually grew up 10 miles from the Southside of Chicago in a town called Highland. My family and friends are here and many of them attended my high school and college games. But I quickly acclimated to Southern California. It's not hard with the weather and the lifestyle. For a young man, it was like heaven. When the team announced the move, I won't lie, there was a moment of regret, but it quickly vanished as soon as the team got to St. Louis. The town and the fans couldn't have been warmer and we were welcomed with open arms.

Q: Did you have any idea when you were playing that you would end up in commercial real estate brokerage?

A: I had no idea I would make commercial real estate my second career. It wasn't like it was a calling. However, once I got a taste of it when I was a CRE investor during my Ram playing years, I was drawn to the business and I started to appreciate the business and the people who are in it. The bottom line, being a broker is a very competitive thing. And I firmly believe my competiveness as an athlete made it easier for me to transition into the business.

Q: How important is the Rams organization to the community and business?

A: Sports in general is huge in St. Louis. The fans, who are extremely loyal, appreciate their sports at all levels, be it high school, college and the pro levels. It's important to the city to have a high-quality product on the field. The team doesn't have to be a Super Bowl contender every year, but competes, leaves everything on the field and never gives up. I think the entire MSA takes pride in its teams and from a business perception, having an NFL team has been and is critical.

Q: What does the team bring to you as it relates to your real estate experience?

A: Having drive, being recognized as a former St. Louis Ram, which helps tremendously when I'm getting my foot in the door. I'm a very sociable guy. As a player and now broker, I learned a long time ago, if you use your resume, coupled with some good stories, you will be on the way to developing a solid relationship. And in this business, especially in the way Lee & Associates prides itself on servicing the client with experience, knowledge and trust, you can go far.

Q: What would be the impact to the business community and real estate if the Rams left?

A: I really believe that being recognized as a Tier One city is important in terms of new development, investment and speculative interest. The fact that one of the two NFL teams in this state is in St. Louis, and of course our great baseball team, brings a lot of exposure to the city, not only from a sports outlook, but also business. Looking at the big picture, of course we will manage if the Rams leave, because there are so many appealing aspects this city brings not only for residents but for business. But, there will be an impact to this city in jobs, loss of revenue and the exposure, which is always tough to lose. I'm sure if LA had the chance to get the Rams back, they would jump on it. But for me, the Rams belong in St. Louis, This is our team.

Q: If the Rams are thinking of leaving, what does St. Louis need to do to keep them?

A: We have to remember that the NFL and its teams are a business and are under the same economic principals all business operate on. But if I had to do a check list: A new stadium would increase suite revenues, higher gate revenue, would be positive in terms of keeping the team. My stance, however, is very simple: nothing can do more than winning. If the Rams are Super Bowl contenders, putting in $400 million into the existing Edward Jones Dome becomes a viable option. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case. Now, a $1 billion, new facility might be what it takes to keep the Rams in St. Louis, and from my perspective, with the majority of NFL team revenue coming from television contracts, I find the ROI of such a large amount unrealistic. So what does that mean? Only the Rams know and I'm sure we will find out soon.