Vegas Magazine - Niche Media - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY JARED WICKERHAM/GETTY IMAGES (HAMM); JEFF GALE (BERNSTEIN) W hen famed sports agent J.B. Bernstein was a child, he opened a for t une cook ie to f ind a message t hat in some ways ha s come to define his professional existence. "The g reat pleasure in life is doing t hings t hat people say you ca n't do," it read. "Not h ing ha s r ung more t r ue in my career," says Bernstein. "Prett y much ever y idea I've had ha s been met w it h t he at t it ude of 'T hat 's t he worst idea ever.' T hen when it works out , people say, 'I k new you could do it— only you could pull it off !'" Bernstein may be known for his unorthodox approach to business, but it cer t a inly ha sn't stopped h im f rom landing blue-chip clients, like Pro Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith and baseball star Barr y Bonds. But in the mid-2000s, as the agent and his business partners hunted for a future superstar, they found themselves coming up empt y-handed. "It's just hard to recruit," Bernstein says. "A nd I t hought , There must be a better way." T hen ca me what h is det ractors sa id wa s h is worst idea yet: a t r ip across the world to find cricket players whose pitching arms could cata- pult them into Major League Baseball. "I was speaking w it h one of t he minor it y ow ners of t he Sa n Fra ncisco Gia nt s, a nd h is business pa r t ner is f rom I ndia," Ber nstein reca lls. "So he's t hink ing about it , a nd I'm t hink ing about it…." A nd a pla n was hatched. By 2007, Bernstein was in India, running an American Idol – t y pe rea lit y show to f ind t he count r y's top pros - pect s. But coming home w it h a pitcher to r iva l Nola n Ryan was certainly not guaranteed. "Initially my atti- tude was like the phases of the moon," the agent says. "I started out very unsure, but as time went by I felt that t hese g uys really had a chance." Mere mont hs later, he wa s back st ateside w it h h is t wo new "sons," a s he a f fect ionately refers to R inku continued on page 70 Million Dollar Man VEGAS TRANSPLANT J.B. BERNSTEIN IS THE REALLIFE SPORTS AGENT BEHIND JON HAMM'S MILLION DOLLAR ARM. BY JULIET IZON In his new film, Jon Hamm (LEFT) plays J.B. Bernstein (RIGHT), who journeyed halfway around the world to find a superstar. 68 VEGASMAGAZINE.COM SCREEN SHOT 068-070_V_SP_ScreenShot_MAYJUNE_14.indd 68 4/21/14 1:24 PM