The Man Behind the Men: Meet “Mr Everything” for the Saints Brightest Stars

He describes himself as part-time publicist, personal assistant, accountant, alarm clock, bouncer and even a father figure when he needs to be. If you haven’t heard the name Michael Harris, you’ve most certainly felt his impact. He’s the dude who saw the potential in Marques Colston long before he went in the 7th round of the draft in 2006. He’s the guy who comes up with new ways to help Pierre Thomas interact with his fans. And if Lance Moore ever becomes a sports commentator, he’ll probably have Michael Harris to thank.

Harris is the owner and creator of Best Sports Consultants. The self-proclaimed “Santa Claus of Sports” helps bring exposure to his clients, keeps them connected with fans, brings them media exposure and helps them establish and partner with credible foundations. The consulting firm has become a major player in the sports world. Beyond the NFL stars previously mentioned, Harris’ other A-list clients include the Colts’ Raheem Brock, the Texans’ Steve Slaton, Mike Bell and Saints players Courtney Roby and Lynell Hamilton. Oh yeah, his roster is loaded up with “Black and Gold” talent. So as you might imagine, he was the ultimate proud papa when the team took home the Lombardi Trophy back in February, despite the fact that not even he thought the Saints would find so much success in regular season. Harris admits,

“I was straight up. I told them they couldn’t beat New England.”

Oh ye of little faith…

Honesty has always been Harris’ best policy. He says that’s how he earns the trust of the multi-millionaires he represents. So if they look stupid in a suit, do poorly in an interview or appear to be on the verge of making an unwise business decision, “Big Mike’s” the guy in their ear trying to steer them back on track.

“They’re like little brothers. My relationship with them is all about trust,” says Harris. “My job is to keep them focused and ready to go.”

Working as closely with these athletes as he does, he learns a lot about their personalities. Here’s how he breaks it down:

Marques Colston
Harris describes the Saints star wide receiver as someone who loves kids and good causes, but hates cameras. He’ll show up early for a fan event and stay late. But when it comes to interviews…well, Colston would rather skip it and play Madden at home. Harris scouted out Colston during his last year at Hofstra. He noticed his potential early on, particularly how he shined in the East/West game, in which Colston had five catches for 82 yards. Harris was the guy on the line with Colston on draft day, when it seemed like the relatively unknown receiver would get the snub. Things looked so bleak, Harris was shocked when Colston called him saying he’d been drafted by the Saints. Colston, who is affectionately referred to as “The Quiet Storm” was so thankful for Harris’ support in those early days, he teamed up with him to manage the direction of his career both on and off the football field. The partnership is something Colston has called “the best of his career since entering the NFL.” The two now work closely together on some of Colston’s biggest projects, including his Colston Charities organization.

Pierre Thomas
Pierre is the guy Harris nicknamed “Rip Van Winkle.” He says the Saints running back could fall asleep in the middle of a conversation. But the only thing Pierre loves more than catching some shut-eye, is food. Harris says Pierre lives to eat and jokingly says that although Thomas isn’t fat, he’s got guaranteed “fat potential” if he doesn’t consistently hit the gym. He respects that Pierre knows all to well how the media can be your best friend one week and worst enemy the next. In light of that, “Rip” avoids reading blogs, sports commentary, and even ESPN if he has to.

Harris helped Thomas get plugged into MOGOTXT, the service lets you sign up to receive text messages from your favorite sports stars and celebrities. Unlike Marques, Pierre is anything but shy. He’s all about interacting with the public through his text messages, Twitter, and Facebook.

Lance Moore
Sexy Lance, (that’s not Harris’ nickname for Moore, but mine) is described as ultra organized and professional. Harris thinks Lance has the potential to be a coach or commentator after his NFL career winds down. He also calls him the consummate politician.

(I don’t know about you, but I’m totally down with a Brees/Moore ticket in 2016!)

While Harris’ list of clients keeps growing, he admits he’s particular about who he’ll bring into the fold. He looks for hard workers with pleasant personalities. And he says, if there’s one thing he’s learned from his 15+ years of experience, it’s not the profession that leads to so many superstar jerks.

“A million dollars doesn’t make you an asshole. It just enhances who you already are.”

So what’s the hardest part for Harris about managing an impressive lineup of household names? Getting them to respond to his phone-calls and texts! Still, he wouldn’t trade the hassle of “stalking” his star players for anything in the world.

“I’m honored to work for them. We treat everybody [with respect] to help set things up for the next guy,” says Harris. “God is my partner. He gives me the ability to seek out real talent and work ethic.”

For more on Mike Harris and the talent he represents, check out the Best Sports Consultants website.