Jon Vilma on M & M (and M)
I promised it, you asked for it, and thanks to a mid-week energy boost courtesy of the Hornets, here it is. Below is “part deux” of my interview with Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma. It’s all the delicious goodness of a real sports interview, without all the trans fatty f-bombs of a Chris Berman temper tantrum.
On Money:
Jonathan Vilma’s got money on his mind; and not just his money but yours, mine, his teammates and even little kids. That’s right, even your kid’s $2 a week allowance. But rest easy, this well paid NFL player doesn’t want to take your money or even help you spend it. He wants to help you save it.
Vilma is one of those rare athletes who are actually putting their college degrees to use before the knees lock up and the endorsement deals dry up. The University of Miami graduate started a program called Financial 51, which focuses on smart saving and financial literacy. The program targets not only school-aged kids and college students, but Vilma’s own teammates.
“I saw a need and wanted to give back but I wasn’t sure how. I had a lot of teammates asking me financial questions because they knew I had a financial background. I thought, why not take this a step further so everyone can understand about finance and what they need to do…I think kids get the wrong perspective on what’s important. They get enamored with cribs and music videos and they forget people are doing this to make money.”
Vilma’s program has been a solid success in Florida and he’s already making plans to introduce it to school-aged kids in New Orleans. After all, what’s the point of pick-pocketing drunk Bourbon St. tourists if you’re not sure how to get the money into a sound IRA?
On Modeling:
Sure you’d expect to see Vilma’s face on the pages of Sports Illustrated, but a fashion magazine? Turns out the NFL star is actually one of the latest cover boys for the Roca Wear ad campaign. After checking it out, we say look out Tyson Beckford; this hot shot’s got one very hot look. But don’t just take my biased and horn-ballish word for it. See for yourself.
Oh yeah, very nice.
Vilma says even though he’s enjoyed working with Roca Wear on the campaign, he’s no model. He’s just “an athlete” endorsing a product. (Um yeah…and we only watch those shirtless, post game locker-room interviews for the commentary.) And yes, we know the whole “male model” label conjures up images of dudes named “Aubry” wearing pink, button down shirts and skinny jeans and playing down “that one drunken night with a frat buddy.” Still, we think Vilma’s got what it takes to strut down anybody’s catwalk or pose in anybody’s ad campaign as yes, “a male model”, with manhood intact.
On Message Boards:
Let’s just keep it real. There will be a game where Jon Vilma misses a couple tackles and makes us want to throw a beer bottle at the TV. The reassuring news is that no matter how much dumb message board guy dogs him out or says, “I knew he sucked” or some other asinine comment, Jon Vilma will never know about it. You see this guy is so focused on the game and not getting distracted, he not only avoids message boards like the plague, but he won’t even read what they’re saying about him in the papers.
“For me, it’s all about being really focused and winning games and getting to the Super Bowl. I don’t pay attention to any of that stuff.”
You also shouldn’t expect to see him in the tabloids. Vilma says growing up in Miami pretty much made him over the whole “club hopping” scene.
“I’m a lounge person. I’m used to South Beach and the partying and all that. But I’ve started to settle down and do the lounges. I don’t even really do the beach thing either.”
Moral of the story: look your best when you go to the W Hotel for a drink, ladies. You might just run into a tall drink of water that’s 1 part accountant, 2 parts attack dog. And keep in mind that if he starts chatting you up about a ring, he’s thinking about the one that goes on his finger.
Filed under: Jonathan Vilma, Saints Defensive Players, chick chat, saints offseason
I love that he is promoting financial literacy. That is one of my major pet peeves with education today. That people can get all the way through high school without a basic understanding of economics, retirement accounts and mortgages.
Tell him that the “W” has awesome milk and cookies at their bar. My sister and I found that out the afternoon that jeff blake got broken.
Oh, and how cool is it that Vilma’s site news links back to you and has your article on there? Chick = impressed.
who are you telling? i was BEYOND flattered!
and good tip on the milk and cookies. probably a healthier alternative to the patron shots i engage in after a bad saints day…
WELL DAMMIT… IS HE MARRIED? WE NEED TO KNOW THE IMPORTANT FACTS! MAYBE I READ TOO FAST.