Raymond James News

Raymond James Investments, Howard Jordan and David Morgan

'I got the $5, you get the $100' (Marco Island Sun Times by Howard Jordan)

I was 10 years old when the Phillies won their only World Series.

There is something about that age.

During those years, not much mattered except for baseball.

I can still remember Tug McGraw leaping into the air as the Phillies were crowned World Champions.

The next few decades of my life seemed to move in fast-forward. My passion for the Phillies was replaced with my wife and the beginning of my career.

Then … along came our children.

Funny thing happens when your children reach different ages.

They trigger an emotion tucked away from times gone by.

Now, when I watch a sporting event or watch my children play a game, it brings back memories of when I was their age and what it felt like to have your team win and the joy of just having fun playing.

Amazing

The words that come out of my children's mouths often amaze me. At times, shock is a better description, but mostly, it’s amazement.

My boys and I were watching game No. 5 as the Phillies clinched the National League Championship.

Watching the same game, it is interesting to hear what each boy said and imagine what they were feeling.

Howie is into the statistics, the lineup, the pitching changes and the overall strategy of the game.

He knows how many days of rest Cole Hamels is working on and that Matt Stairs was brought in to pinch-hit in tough situations.

He shared with me "what he would do."

Chicken fingers or hot dogs

Josh, on the other hand, stared at the television and commented on the speed of the pitches, the size of the players and wondered if they have chicken fingers or hot dogs in the stadium.

They are only two years apart in age, but light years separate their personalities.

Conversations at our house, I would guess, are like those all around the country.

Dinner conversations are focused on discussions about spending and being responsible.

Our daughter goes off to college next year, and we remind her that saving money and understanding how to live within a budget will serve her well.

Our boys are required to put half of any money they receive as gifts into their mutual fund.

They love the idea and think it's pretty cool until I actually take the money from their wallets!

I always say, "Some day, this will all make sense."

I then remind them that the word sense in this instance is spelled differently than "cents," as to what the current stock market is turning their savings into.

They laugh, knowing that Dad would never let them lose money!

The Phillies are in the World Series in Tampa!

Best comment of night

That brings up our most precious comment of the week.

Josh was watching the game when he asked - if he were sitting in the seats behind the catcher and a player slid into home plate, would he get that brown dirt on his face?

I answered, "Probably."

Josh said, "Cool! I want those! How much would they cost?"

I explained I really didn't know, but maybe $500 per ticket.

Without missing a beat, Josh explained his strategy.

"I got the five, you get the hundred!"

With that type of thinking, Josh just may have an opportunity in Washington.

Advice for the week

Refocus your emotions on controllable events, like watching or playing a game with your child or grandchild.

Surround yourself with quality teammates, play smart and hard with your nine innings.

There will come a time when you are tapped on the shoulder and find yourself leaving the mound for the last time. It should be with a smile on your face, knowing you played your very best game.

Go Phillies! I think I can hear my mom off in the distance yelling it is time for dinner … or is that my wife telling my boys and me it is time for dinner?

Either way, I have already won the game.

Pitch the card and just say 'No' (Marco Island Sun Times)

Years ago on a Sunday afternoon, my wife and I were enjoying a day at Stan's in Goodland.

It was packed as it always is on a nice weekend afternoon.

As the day progressed, the conversations became more interesting. A stranger approached the couple standing next to us, "Hi, my name is Steve and I am a stockbroker. Is that your boat over there?"

The couple was caught off guard but answered, "Yes, it is."

"Well, then you must be in the market."

The couple attempted to move toward their boat as to ship out, but Steve shadowed their every move.

"I make my clients a lot of money," Steve said with confidence.

The husband, looking for a way out quickly, said, "We have a lot of money, but thanks anyway."

Steve would not be denied, he kept the conversation going.

"You can never have enough money. I have a few stocks that are just about ready to take off. If you open an account with me, I will show you my system."

"Thanks for the offer, but we work with a team of advisers and we are quite happy," the wife added.

"They don't know what I know," Steve said. He continued, "I'll tell you what, here is my card. When you are really ready to make some money in the markets give me a call. I don't normally do this, but I am going to write the symbol of my top pick on the back. You have to promise me that you won't share this with anyone!"

The husband grabbed the card, glanced at Steve's top stock pick and chuckled. I heard his last comment he made to his wife as he pitched the card in the trash.

"The only thing a stock broker ever made me was broker!"

The reality is that for every 10 or 15 cards that Steve passed out each Sunday, one or two would believe that there was a system.

They believed that a Steve has his picks, his system, his research, his information. Investors want to believe that there is a broker that has a crystal ball.

A mythical broker that knows when to buy China, oil, India, gold, real estate, and I would presume now brokers will be peddling wind and solar power companies. And some of you will buy, hoping that Steve is right.

The dangerous result is that he may be for a short period of time, and the believers will grow in number until the day of reckoning comes for the asset that Steve pushed.

Then Steve will be gone and so will your money.

Advice for the week: Be a successful investor; pitch the card and chuckle, no matter how tempting the deal sounds.

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