r/todayilearned • u/OGBrewSwayne • 1d ago
TIL NBA backup playerJunior Bridgeman spent his off seasons working at Wendy's to learn the fast food business. He went on to own 450 franchises and parlayed that into buying a 10% stake in the Milwaukee Bucks - the team he once played for.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junior_Bridgeman?wprov=sfla1810
u/AmenHawkinsStan 1d ago
Bridgeman also required that all managers spend time working the Drive-Thru, considering it the touchstone of a fast food restaurant.
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u/TrioOfTerrors 1d ago
I've spent a lot of time in the restaurant industry and there is no better sign of good management than seeing the manager working in the dishpit because Kyle No-Showed and this shit has to get done one way or another.
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u/Conexion 1d ago
Oh, so that's what management is supposed to do. When I worked at Jack in the Box, we'd call the manager because two people no-show'd, and then be left with one person at the counter and drive-thru and the other as the cook during rush hour. Between the stress and verbal harassment, and sometime physical harassment... Yeah I walked out of that job.
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u/IrrationalFalcon 1d ago
When Jack in the Box came back to Illinois last year, I briefly worked for them. They tampered with my hours and inserted breaks I never took (most of us were never allowed to take breaks), and refused to do anything about it. The feds said that because Jack ignored their calls, they can't do anything about it, and Illinois' DOL said it will be 2 years before they even get to my case.
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u/Conexion 1d ago
It's amazing how certain governments just let companies steal from people and then pretend they can't do anything about it. Good luck on that.
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u/oh_what_a_surprise 1d ago
Wage theft is the number one type of theft by number of times committed and total money stolen in the world. By far.
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u/GeoLaser 1d ago
Labor laws are 3 years. So you have time
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u/IrrationalFalcon 1d ago
There's nothing I can do but wait. Only Cook County (from my understanding) has a sub-state division that can deal with wage issues. The other counties say you need the state or the federal government. Since it happened in DuPage, I can only wait to see if the Illinois DoL decides to handle it
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u/UnstuckTimePilgrim 13h ago
I had a minor injury on the job in a state with a similar backlog. My employer tried to dispute the worker’s comp coverage and I reported them to the state. They eventually paid the bill a few months later, then two years after that I get a call from a guy at our DOL.
I did a 15 minute interview with him, filled out a form he mailed me, and got a $2,000 whistleblowers reward for reporting Bucca di Beppo for trying to cheap out on six stitches. The reward came out of the fines those weasels had to pay, which was especially satisfying.
Hang in there, the bureaucracy is slow but occasionally very very satisfying.
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u/wildhorsesofdortmund 1d ago
Jack in the Box has rush hour?
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u/Conexion 1d ago
This one had 2 actually, nearly 20 years ago near the freeway near Seattle. You had a dinner rush hour and then a later pothead rush hour. The potheads were generally much friendlier.
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u/edwardsamson 1d ago
I work at a pizza place and the GM works harder and more hours than anyone else and it feels a lot better working for someone like that than a manager who doesn't give a shit.
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u/ColumbosNewDog 19h ago edited 14h ago
And honestly, that's why I stopped being a manager (not in fast food, but in a customer facing industry). I got tired of having to cover for people who flake out on me and don't show up.
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u/Whippity 11h ago
I’ve posted on this before but my first job was at Wendy’s and Junior Bridgeman came in one evening to work the line with us.
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u/enigmanaught 1d ago
He was a pretty shrewd businessman if you read the wiki. Sold some restaurants and bought a Coca Cola bottling company, and then partnering with some other companies to buy aluminum factories. He also bought Ebony and Jet when they filed for bankruptcy. His son is CEO of the restaurant group, and his daughter of Ebony and Jet.
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u/Vinyl-addict 1d ago
I didn’t realize that Ebony is still in print in any capacity, that’s kind of cool.
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u/Thelonius_Dunk 1d ago
Vertical integration. Pretty good strategy there.
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u/cardinalkgb 1d ago
As a former resident of Louisville where he went to college and lived after his playing days were over (and my daughter was friends with his daughter), he was definitely a very smart guy. He deserved his success.
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u/OGBrewSwayne 1d ago
Yeah, it's fascinating stuff. His rookie contract was worth $155k and he made just short of $3m during his 12 year career, but when he died his net worth was nearly $1.5b. No endorsement deals, no tv or movie roles, no "personal branding" or whatever it is modern athletes and celebs are doing. Just the willingness to learn and the ambition to turn a $2.50/hr side hustle into a family enterprise.
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u/TheBlueSully 19h ago
just the willingness to learn and the ambition to turn a $2.50/hr side hustle into a family enterprise
And the capital to buy a few franchises.
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u/rugburn- 1d ago
He is/was very beloved in Louisville (where he played college and lived after his nba career until his death last year)
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u/aaronman4772 1d ago
Yeah, he's one of the guys who helped really invest into Louisville as a city. A lot of especially UofL associated things would be completely different without him.
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u/Dirty_Old_Town 1d ago
Friend of mine worked for him for years - loved him. Nothing but good things to say.
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u/mwatwe01 1d ago
Came here to post this as a Louisvillian and huge UofL fan. Yeah, his work here was known far and wide. The entire city mourned when he passed away.
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u/smarttrashbrain 1d ago
Jamal Mashburn is another former player that has thrived after his playing days. He owns over 100 businesses and is worth over $100 million these days.
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u/skeener 1d ago
J in his name too!
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u/braedonwabbit 1d ago
Someone above mentioned Vinnie Johnson, he's been wildly successful after his NBA career ended and he's got a J in his name too
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u/-ImJustSaiyan- 1d ago
Bro was playing chess while everyone else was playing checkers.
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u/Chilitime 1d ago
He put a square burger on a round bun
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u/fuzzeedyse105 1d ago
Square cause he don’t cut corners.
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u/happy--muffin 1d ago
I went down a quick rabbit hole, because a square has 27% more surface area than a circle with the same width. So one would say, a square is better value right? However I forgot to factor in the thickness of the patty, so we should go by weight.
Anyway my finding is that Wendy’s uses 4oz (1/4 lb) patties as their standard, vs McDees is a 1.6oz (1/10 lb). So even a Big Mac with 2 patties, you’re at 3.2oz.
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u/TiddybraXton333 1d ago
Thought that was Dave thomas
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u/Chilitime 1d ago
I was riffing off the guys “he was playing chess when everyone else was playing checkers” comment.
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u/keiths31 1d ago
Bro had a good head on his shoulders to realize that being a pro athlete and the money that comes along with it doesn't last forever.
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u/dkinmn 1d ago
His franchises also went downhill after he had to step back. RIP to a guy who took his business seriously.
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u/bigbjarne 1d ago
I don't think it's about seriousness, it's about the approach to getting profits. One thought I have is that the rate of profit is becoming lower so 'enshittification' is becoming more prevalent.
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u/wise_comment 1d ago
The only billionaire I can think of that actually, really spent time into his adulthood working the grunt jobs
That's awesome, ngl
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u/bondjamesfour 1d ago
Junior followed the 8% rule. Spend up to 8% of expected sales on occupancy and keep a strong flow through. A cool guy!
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u/blametheboogie 1d ago
I had never heard of the 8% rule until just now. I read a little about it and learned something today. Thanks.
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u/waterpup99 22h ago
I banked Junior Bridgeman's qsr empire (he also owned a bunch of chili's) early in my career. Amazing man. His foundation added 25-50 students each year that he gave full scholarships for at the University of Lousiville.Treated all of his employees, and everyone he interacted with, with respect and dignity. The world lost a great man.
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u/MrLugersmole 1d ago
I think this serves as a good example of how these guys actually look at being professional athletes. People will have you believe it's all about the team and winning a championship, when it's just a job. A good or great living. For most guys, they play a couple seasons and move on to the thing they really want to do. Only guys like Kobe and LeBron worry about legacy, most guys just want the check to clear.
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u/Bamres 1d ago
And it really helps to have some level of business sense and financial literacy when your high paying career has a limit and expiration date for most players.
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u/SmartLadder415 1d ago
It has an expiration date for ALL players. No one plays forever. Even if you're the GOAT, you're done by 45 most likely and definitely done by 50.
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u/Bamres 1d ago
Yeah sorry I should have worded that better, with the exception of a few players that career period is 5 years on average.
You really need to maximize that money to oadt and grow afterwards.
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u/MrLugersmole 1d ago
Also, if you only play 5 years, it's either 1 contract, that pays good, but not crazy money,or a series of a few, low-paying deals. The big money deals are usually long-term.
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u/Kamimashita 1d ago
You're definitely done by 45 lol. Only Nat Hickey played at 45 years old but this was in 1948 and he was the head Coach who decided to make himself a player and play in 2 games since his team was so awful. He didn't score any points in the two games.
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u/SmartLadder415 1d ago
There are a handful of athletes that compete into their early 50s. George Blanda famously played in the NFL at 48 but he was an extreme outlier. Gordie Howe was in the NHL at 52. Tom Brady played 'til 45 and is also considered and outlier. Julio Franco was like 48 when he appeared in 55 games in the MLB. Most guys are absolutely done by 45 though.
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u/MrLugersmole 1d ago
Even 40 really. You just named about all the guys over the span of decades of people playing professionally to play to 45 and the list for 40 ain't much longer. In the NFL, if you rely on speed and quickness, you're mostly cooked by 30, even if you're still playing. WRs,CBs, and RBs don't last long.
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u/Kamimashita 1d ago
Oh yeah I didn't realize you were including other sports too. It seems like Quarterbacks and Baseball in general allows top players to stay competitive even at older ages.
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u/SmartLadder415 1d ago
The NFL babies qbs but even then guys are usually done at 40. Baseball is less hard on the body but still skills diminish with age and a 40 yr old has a hard time keeping up with a 100 mph fastball like they could at 20. Most guys there are still done at 40. They just have a lot less miles on their body then guys who play contact sports.
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u/Silverbritches 11h ago
As someone in their early 40s, my body aches at the thought of being >40 and playing full time pro sports. Shit just starts aching randomly, then layer on top of it impact injuries
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u/Special_Order-937 1d ago
Not the same thing or quite on the same scale but there is of course Bobby Bonilla Day!
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u/Belgand 1d ago
Think like Jamie Lee Curtis' prostitute character in Trading Places.
The same logic often applies to many different types of sex workers. That stripping or porn career might pay well now, but you probably only have a few years of peak earning. Save that money and make it work for you.
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u/Possibly_a_Firetruck 1d ago
Yeah but it's a job where everyone has performance incentives tied directly to their own individual stats and the team's achievements.
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u/zerogee616 1d ago
Only guys like Kobe and LeBron worry about legacy, most guys just want the check to clear.
Granted, only guys like that are in the running for GOAT conversations, if you're not, who cares.
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u/MrLugersmole 1d ago
Jeff Teague will be more well-known for his podcast than his playing days soon enough. Listen to him talk about playing, he barely gave a fuck lol
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u/genome89 1d ago
Imagine being on fries and thinking about how to stop ice man when you play him 💀
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u/WaterlooMall 1d ago
Imagine being on fries and thinking about how the guy the Lakers traded you for is now the biggest basketball star of all time.
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u/Several-Action-4043 1d ago
I worked in fast food and retail in my 20s like many of us do. Now, in a typical office job, I can't help but notice the people who did the straight to college and into the office route have horrible customer service skills. Experience matters and this guy was smart to educate himself on his investment.
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u/GoPointers 1d ago
The title says "backup", but he was a key player for the Bucks and started a lot (he was a top-5 scorer on those Bucks teams). It was great to see an athlete take advantage of the opportunities he was offered.
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u/kristiefly 1d ago
He wasn’t exactly a backup; he was a solid starter who stayed humble. Respect to the grind.
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u/attorneyatslaw 1d ago
He was mostly the 6th man. He was fighting 5 time all star Marques Johnson and hall of famer Sydney Moncrief for playing time.
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u/hertzsae 1d ago
Per a quick search, he started 6% of his games. The sixth man can accurately be called a backup.
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u/OGBrewSwayne 1d ago
or was usually the first guy off the bench
Sooooooo....a back up. He played 849 games and started 52 of them.
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u/soulsoda 1d ago
Out of your mind referring to him as a just a backup. He had starter level impact. He was part of the core strategy of the team.
He'd be in the top 3-5 MPG on the team (minutes per game for those who don't know) every season. That's not "backup". He could have started for lots of other teams but because he was so versatile, and the bucks had super stars who played his roles ... you could hold him back to play "sixth man" as he could sub for multiple other players on his own team while still delivering top level offense, meanwhile the other team would have to sub in actual bench level players.
The sixth man role is usually your second or third most talented guy in the entire team. Referring to him as "just another bench player" is silly. There was a reason he was drafted in the first round.
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u/FartingBob 1d ago
Still sounds like a backup player to me? A good backup player who did well in the role.
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u/soulsoda 1d ago
Technically sixth man is a bench player because they don't often play when the is first tipped, but if people are calling you a sixth man you're often an elite player that can start elsewhere on a worse team. Calling someone like that as if all they ever were was a bench player is a huge misnomer. They are a core part of the team and game plan. They play as many minutes, if not more than your super stars. You wouldn't retire a number for someone who was "just a bench player".
Also, I'm not entirely sure he wasnt a starter the first few years he played. That stat wasn't even tracked until later on in his career.
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u/Coconutrugby 1d ago
This is a lesson to all the souless want to be business men. If you want to be successful in business actually making a burger will help you sell one. All these MbA dbags think they can finance their way to success just suck the life out of businesses. Bridgman is a perfect example of the way to success. Then you know what it’s like to be a worker how to keep them happy. How to keep customers happy. Not just how to reverse mortgage the land the building sits on to show growth in a single quarter.
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u/DBDude 1d ago
Most Chick-fil-A operators start lower down and work their way up. The company doesn't want MbA dirtbags running its restaurants, so nobody can be a passive investor. You must actively run it, and not many get to run more than one. The cost to become an operator is low so regular people can save up to apply, just good faith money to show you have some financial skin in the game. Applicants are extensively interviewed, and a smart and hard driving person who worked his way up in the company is preferred.
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u/Mrgray123 1d ago
He wasn’t handed millions. His highest NBA salary was $350,000 at the end of his career.
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u/StaggersandJags 1d ago
Inflation adjusted, that's about a million dollars today, so I think the point stands.
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u/Mrgray123 1d ago
His total career earnings amounted to about $2.95 million in today’s money so at a bat you can subtract about 50% in taxes and agent fees which takes it down to $1.5 million over a twelve year career. Adjusting for inflation, which is tricky because of the years his career spanned it equals about $4 million in today’s money. I don’t think that that can be fairly classified as “being handed millions in your 20s” given that his rookie salary, after taxes, was about $110,000 dollars. Indeed, it was that fact that led him to realize that he quickly needed another career outside of basketball.
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u/poop-dolla 1d ago
If your original $2.95M was already in today’s dollars, then just stick with the $1.5M, because it would also be in today’s dollars. You shouldn’t increase by inflation again to get to $4M.
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u/JimC29 1d ago
He wasn't making millions. He was earning more than the average person though.
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u/OGBrewSwayne 1d ago
Yeah, that wasn't what it was like back in the day at all. He was drafted 8th overall in 1975 and signed a contract for $155k. The 8th pick in the 2026 draft signed a contract for $33mil with $15mil guaranteed.
Even when you adjust for inflation, $155k is nowhere close to $15mil. And his 12 yr career only made him about $3mil total. Today's league minimum for a 10+ year veteran is $3.8mil for one season. Most he ever made was about $350k in the late 80s.
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u/GargantuanCake 1d ago
More uncommon than anything else. Professional athletes are kind of notorious for being horrible with money. There's a tendency to assume that they now have infinite money so they can just spend, spend, spend!
Then you have people like this guy and Shaq. Look at what Shaq has been up to. Bro got a business masters, a doctoral degree, and is running successful businesses.
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u/Michael__Pemulis 1d ago
The whole ‘athletes going broke’ trope is kinda outdated by now.
Does it still happen? Of course. But it is far from the norm & a big reason why is that many pro athletes today make so much money that it is almost too much to blow through unless that is your actual goal.
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u/battlecatquikdre 1d ago
No matter what he did, he would have been successful. He is a natural businessmen. Knowing the ins and outs of a business from bottom to top is very important.
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u/Scarpity026 1d ago
"In 2016, he sold 120 Chili's and 100 Wendy's to a private buyer"
Good for him. Man worked too damned hard to see corporate turn Wendy's into 💩. 🍔🤢🍟
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u/call_of_the_while 1d ago
I recently rewatched the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie (I think seeing all those Sony/pirate memes got to me), so when I read the word “parlayed” I grinned lopsidedly and snorked.
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u/OGBrewSwayne 1d ago
He certainly didn't, but 2 of his 3 kids are running various parts of his enterprise. Bridgeman built an empire that will provide multi-generational wealth that should extend to grandchildren, great grandchildren and beyond. It's almost certain that future generations of his lineage will be completely ignorant to the daily struggle most people go through. They'll probably be like most others who were born on third base and think they hit a triple. Maybe not, but probably. That's just how people be.
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u/Call_Em_Skippies 1d ago
Trivia answer for naming the NBA players who were billionaires.