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The Discus Thrower and his Dream Factory
Chapter 13. Scientific Life Systems
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The establishment of the U.S.O.C. Training Center in Colorado Springs was a promising beginning for America’s athletes in future Olympic competitions. However, merely having a facility for training and analyses of their performances would not be enough to sustain them. What was needed was a system where athletes could work for a salary and have time to train.
I pondered the situation while I exercised, when driving the car, and when I was supposed to be sleeping. Suddenly one day I had an idea, maybe crazy, but, at least, a possible solution. What if we started a nationwide chain of exercise clubs with the United States Olympic Committee (U.S.O.C.) official endorsement and hired Olympic athletes as staff members? The athletes would be paid to work with individuals on their own private exercise regimens and the Olympians would be paid for their work. At the same time, the Olympians would be able to use the exercise facilities for their own sports training while they earned money to support their existence. This arrangement would not violate their amateur status.
I immediately called Dr. Dardik, who was extremely enthusiastic about my proposal. In addition to the idea about Olympic athletes, Dr. Dardik described his on-going involvement with children suffering from juvenile diabetes. He pointed out that the parents and some related individuals trying to help those afflicted children were also affected by the consequences of the disease.
Preliminary evidence suggested that children who were active, meaning engaged in strenuous daily exercise programs, were able to reduce and, in some cases eliminate, the number of drugs they needed to control their disease. Dr. Dardik’s idea was to combine the efforts to combat juvenile diabetes with the need for suitable employment for the Olympic athletes. Thus, we could provide an environment for the public to become more fitness minded, while at the same time, helping Olympic athletes support themselves.
As the two of us expanded the concept, a shape emerged. We would start a corporation called “Scientific Life Systems” (SLS). This corporation would create fitness centers in every U.S. city that we could find with sufficient interest in the public to support a center as well as enough athletes willing to participate. The athletes would be hired as trainers in the Centers and the men, women, and children of the general public would have the opportunity to become members of a gym/health center that provided one-on-one sessions with Olympians. In addition, because Olympic athletes are usually stellar examples of good health, young people frequently idolize them. We believed they would inspire children and their parents to train with these Olympians and improve their own health as they exercised.
Dr. Dardik and I believed that this was a perfect solution to several problems. First, SLS would provide legitimate work for the Olympic athletes which would not violate their amateur status. Second, the general public would have opportunities to improve their health and well-being in well-run clubs staffed by awe-inspiring athletes. A third goal was to send ten percent of the revenues to the U.S.O.C. to help offset the costs of maintaining and improving the Training Center especially the Biomechanics and Sports Medicine laboratories.
We planned to obtain usage of the Olympic rings since we were helping Olympic athletes and sending money to the U.S.O.C. which would benefit all sports. Paying monies to the U.S.O.C. for the use of the rings was familiar to me. I had previously forged an alliance between a shoe company and the U.S.O.C. for the opportunity to have the rings on their shoes. Many companies routinely paid the I.O.C. (the International Olympic Committee) and/or U.S.O.C. to display the Olympic rings on their products including McDonalds, Nike, Panasonic, and Coke to mention a few.
In my mind, I believed that there were additional components that could be included in the SLS Corporation. I had many product ideas, such as the air shoe concept, my computerized exercise machine, as well as the service aspect in areas of product development and liability testing. But I had to start with my training center idea as a starting point.
Now that Dr. Dardik and I had our idea to support the athletes, as well as encouraging the public to exercise, the next step was to secure the endorsement and backing of the U.S.O.C. We would have to involve the Olympic Committee so we could use the rings and to work with us in staffing the national centers with available athletes who were interested in this arrangement.
The president of the U.S.O.C. at that time was William Simon and he was actively engaged in the workings of the Committee. Mr. Simon had served as Deputy Secretary of the Treasury from 1973 to 1974 and had been the Secretary of the Treasury from 1974 until 1977. He had been the Chairman of the Economic Policy Board, the Federal Energy Office, and the East-West Foreign Trade Board. In addition to his presidency of the U.S.O.C, he was a Senior Advisor to Booz, Allen, and Hamilton, Inc. and to Blyth Eastman Dillon and Co., Inc. He was an extremely busy man, to say the least.
I had met Mr. Simon in Lake Placid when the Winter Olympics were held there in 1976. In one of our subsequent meeting, Mr. Simon gave me an autographed copy of his book, A Time for Truth. The subject of Mr. Simon’s book was the political system. From my perspective as a former athlete, a member of the Sports Medicine Committee, and as a supporter of the Olympic athletes, I decided to propose my idea to him as a “time for truth” for a national training system which would benefit the U.S.O.C., the general public, and the Olympic athletes.
I wrote to Mr. Simon and proposed my fitness club/Olympic athlete merger idea. I included as extensive a proposal as possible with many reports and articles as background support. Obviously, I included the large contributions to the Training Center which I had secured from Data General and other manufacturers in addition to many of the biomechanical studies which we had done for the athletes. I also outlined the SLS exercise club idea which was designed so that the athletes were able to earn a living, train for their event, and, in addition, to raise funds for the U.S.O.C. I worked a long time on the proposal and incorporated a critique of the existing Olympic Training Center system at the time. In addition, I included many of the projects and studies, which we had conducted for many of the companies that had hired CBA and me.
In response to my proposal, I received the following letter from Mr. Simon:
Dear Gideon:
Thank you for the recent letter updating me on the Sports Medicine program. I apologize for this belated response, but my schedule has kept me out of the office more than in, recently.
I appreciate your forwarding this material to me and I am sympathetic to your concerns regarding the current state of the sports medicine program. As you and Irv know, both Don Miller and I feel strongly that this program can provide a singularly outstanding benefit to our athletes in their preparation for ‘84 and we are committed to finding the best and most immediate ways to apply it to the existing programs of the U.S.O.C.
I will be in touch with you once I have had the chance to take a closer look at the package you have sent to me and can respond in more detail.
Mr. Simon, the Secretary of Treasury was known as the “Energy Czar”, was my friend and now a colleague. Imagine, the kid from the Israeli Kibbutz, has the Secretary of Treasury as his friend. Mr. Simon even gave me a two-dollar bill which he personally signed above his printed signature as the “Secretary of the Treasury” on the bill.
I was thrilled to learn that Mr. Simon liked my idea. The next step was to meet and discover the best path forward. We arranged for Dr. Dardik and me to meet in New York City in Mr. Simon’s office. Also attending the meeting was one of Mr. Simon’s friends and colleague, Mr. William Casey.
This was the same William Casey who had been involved with the World War II spy agency, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and had been awarded the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious achievement in coordinating French resistance forces in support of the D-Day invasion of Normandy. After serving as associate general counsel at the European headquarters of the Marshall Plan, Mr. Casey returned to the U.S. where he practiced law before becoming the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission from 1971 to 1973 during the Nixon administration. From 1981 to 1987, President Ronald Reagan named Mr. Casey to the post of Director of the CIA where Stansfield Turner dubbed him, the “Resurrection of Wild Bill”. This reference was to Bill Donovan, the brilliant and eccentric head of the OSS whom Casey had greatly admired. It is an understatement to say that William Casey was a remarkable man and, as I discovered, a very interesting character to know. I was thrilled when Mr. Casey gave me a copy of his book about the American Revolution, Where and How the War Was Fought.
Mr. Casey’s war had taken place on the battlefield and in the world of sleuths and intrigue. To defeat the enemies, the Allied forces used bullets and bombs. However, which direction to aim the guns was frequently based on intelligence about what the opponent was planning. This was the information obtained by Mr. Casey and his team of spies.
My war, however, was on the athletic field. In my venue, it was also possible to spy on your competitors and learn how to beat them with both talent and technology. In Mr. Casey’s war, you could lose your life. In athletic combat, using my system, the worse that could happen to you was to lose an Olympic Medal.
During this initial New York City meeting, Mr. Simon, Mr. Casey, Dr. Dardik, and I decided to embrace the idea and form the Scientific Life System Corporation. It was one of those exciting meetings where everyone becomes enthusiastic and bubbles with ideas. More correctly, I would not characterize Mr. Casey’s response as “bubbling” but he was very interested and participated actively.
We left the meeting with specific assignments for each of us. Dr. Dardik and I were to develop the program for the fitness clubs, Mr. Casey’s task was to formally create the SLS corporation, and Mr. Simon was to fly to California to meet Mr. Victor Palmieri, who was the head of the Penn Central Railroad, which oversaw Coto de Caza and my new research center there (details about this center will be discussed in a later chapter). Mr. Simon hoped that Coto de Caza could be included as one of the SLS centers.
Mr. Simon flew to California on other business but was able to meet Mr. Palmieri as well. They discussed a variety of arrangements for the Coto Research Center (my new California-CBA venture) and the development of the SLS corporations with respect to the Penn Central interest. Mr. Simon returned to New York to report many of the topics he had discussed with Mr. Palmieri.
A subsequent letter to all of us from Mr. Casey summarized the developments as of early 1977. The letter follows:
Dr. Gideon Ariel Dr. Irving Dardik
Hon. William E. Simon
As agreed at our meeting on December 23rd, I have formed a Delaware corporation named Scientific Life Systems, Inc. with 1,000 shares authorized. Here are some things we might try to crystallize further when we visit Amherst on Saturday:
1. In order to complete the organization of the corporation we will have to determine how the $100,000 which Simon and Casey would invest and the two businesses to be transferred to the corporation should be reflected in the 25% equity interest which we talked about on the 23rd. Should any notes be issued in the capitalization, should the corporation elect under subchapter S with a view toward making it possible for the investors to deduct R and D expenditures on their individual tax returns, etc. In order to make those decisions we should have recent financial statements of each of the businesses being transferred to the corporation and a projection of its operations for the current year.
2. In order to present a tangible proposal to Palmieri as soon as possible we should work out a pro forma balance sheet and a set of projections for a physical fitness center on the scale which we think would be appropriate at Palmieri’s development. We also have to formulate what kind of a combination of ownership interest, management compensation, franchise fee and equipment price or rental we should get for developing, supporting and managing that kind of a center.
3. Since a good part of the new money will be going into developing equipment, we should have a patent opinion. I have talked to Greason about this. He tells me he has not yet obtained the information he asked Gideon for some time ago. I think it would be a good idea to bring him along on Saturday so that he can get a first-hand impression of the equipment concepts.
So SLS began with the four of us and a cash investment of $50,000.00 each from Mr. Casey and Mr. Simon. We opened a pilot fitness center, in Englewood, New Jersey. The Center was equipped with the latest variable resistance exercise equipment and staffed by dedicated and intelligent United States Olympic athletes offering individualized fitness-training programs to suit the needs of its members. Young, old, fit or unfit could work with their athletic heroes in 30-minute training sessions.
Dr. Dardik, as a cardiovascular physician, and I, as a former athlete and devoted to exercise and fitness, were concerned about the well-being of all people. We saw these centers as a way of improving the general health of people throughout the country through preventative medicine and fitness programs.
The Center was also dedicated to serving people with specialized medical problems who could not find suitable fitness regimens elsewhere. One of Dr. Dardik’s main concerns was for diabetic children. He was aware that diabetes patients are prone to cardiovascular complications that are the most common contributor to early death. One of the most effective ways of forestalling premature or early death is through a lifetime habit of exercise designed to maintain the circulatory system in peak tone. Historically, this has been the most neglected aspect of diabetic treatment principally because of the unavailability of suitable training programs. This struggle is compounded by the difficulty of motivating young diabetic patients, who discourages easily, feels different and, therefore, self-conscious, and are too readily allowed to slip into the attitudes of illness. When working with juvenile diabetics, we found that they responded with enthusiasm and renewed self-confidence in the presence and influence of Olympic athletes.
We also saw the benefits of courting businesses to improve the health as well as the level of on-the-job performance of executives and their employees. Our centers could help identify and correct specific physical problems that arise from white-collar jobs, such as lower back problems, which afflict many office workers.
Physically handicapped and paraplegic patients were another group whose survival and quality of life are especially dependent on a commitment to physical conditioning. We, therefore, developed special programs for such patients concentrating on body strength and cardiovascular conditioning.
The most important goal for the Centers was to help Americans regardless of age or physical condition. But the advantages for the Olympic athletes were equal as important. These nationwide training centers would provide an opportunity to maintain their amateur status while engaging in useful work and enjoying the friendship of a congenial community of athletes. Additionally, there was an opportunity to train without financial sacrifice.
There were many benefits that would flow to the U.S.O.C. including the hoped-for performance enhancements of these Olympic athletes working at the Centers. In addition, it would increase the U.S.O.C.’s ability to discover new athletic talent with outreach programs where Olympic athletes would provide training guidance in community schools and youth centers. Perhaps one of the most important factors for the U.S.O.C. would be the direct revenues which would flow to them from the SLS Centers.
Initially, there were two centers in operation. One was located in New Jersey and the other one was situated in Washington, D.C. Mr. Jack Cahill directed the Washington, D.C., center. Mr. Cahill was an attorney that we had known and worked with in the past. Both Centers had more requests for membership than could be accommodated. Olympic athletes from different events were hired to staff these two Centers. They were practicing for their events and, at the same time, coached young children and conducted fitness programs for the adults. It was a fantastic success, functionally and economically.
We had additions plans to enhance the U.S.O.C./SLS fitness programs and centers. The idea was to create better-defined nationally oriented corporate executive program as well as our general public and community ones. Other potential considerations were to include within our Center’s options, the ability to provide routine physical examinations, cardiac stress training, exercise, and computerized nutritional programs. We also planned, at some future point, to offer biomechanical analysis of tennis, golf swings, and performances in other sports.
A third division of the SLS structure would be related to my work in the development and manufacture of computerized exercise equipment. These systems could be used not only at the training centers but also in hospitals and rehabilitation clinics for specialized work, such as injury rehabilitation, cardiac rehabilitation, and the like. Although only two CES units were currently available, I had a number of designs and applications for different fitness needs on the drawing board. Money and time were the only things preventing the development of these additional units.
During the process of implementing this extraordinary program, we enjoyed the enthusiastic support of Colonel Miller who continued as the director of the Olympic Committee. He saw the tremendous opportunity for both the athletes, who needed financial support, and the flow of revenues to help the U.S.O.C with its other programs and Training Centers.
Since it was important that Mr. Casey personally see the biomechanical system and the computerized exercise machine, we arranged for him to come to our CBA office in Amherst. Until then, the development and growth of SLS would be hindered since Mr. Casey was the only principal member of SLS who had not seen firsthand the method we used to collect and process biomechanical data, as well as see the computerized exercise machine (CES).
I worked feverishly to prepare for his arrival so Ann drove to the airport in Hartford, Connecticut, to pick up Mr. Casey and bring him to our office. Accompanying Mr. Casey was a young man from South Africa, Mr. Manfred Stein. Mr. Casey was true to form with his gruff demeanor and he growled during much of the drive. Fortunately, he napped intermittently so there were the pauses between the growling. Ann, who was in awe of Mr. Casey’s WWII exploits, was mystified by his behavior but chalked it up to the quirks of a remarkable man.
After they arrived at our CBA office in Amherst, my staff and I presented the various biomechanical technologies as well as the early prototype of the CES. Both Mr. Stein and Mr. Casey were impressed with our capabilities in addition to the many potential products and services we could provide.
One of the projects we were working on when Mr. Casey came to Amherst was the Dow Chemical case. He watched how we analyzed movements of gymnasts, tested the mats provided, and related the head injury of a severely traumatized gymnast to the response characteristics of the mats which allegedly caused or contributed to the injury. Mr. Casey immediately recognized the potential for our technology in the area of Workers’ Compensation. We had already done a little in this area but Mr. Casey foresaw it as a significant component in SLS.
Mr. Casey subsequently developed a marketing plan to accomplish this feat of product testing and forensic biomechanical quantification. He saw a future with all product of sports equipment displaying a “CBA approved” rating on it in the same way that electronics have “UL” on each device.
In addition, CBA was in the unique position to test the nature of serious injuries. For example, a New York Times’ article on April 6, 1978, suggested that artificially surfaced football fields may be the cause of pronounced increases in the foot, ankle and knee injuries. This was a situation that CBA could have settled with research results quantifing the interactions between humans and materials.
In the product liability area, CBA had already undertaken two types of cases: materials and non-materials cases. The Johnny Carson slant board case (previously discussed) fell under the latter category while the Dow case primarily tested the actual materials involved. We had other projects under each of these categories and we showed the final reports to Mr. Casey.
Following this intense day of demonstrations, Ann and I drove Mr. Casey and Mr. Stein to the airport for their flight to New York City. They each expressed amazement regarding our technologies. Mr. Casey assured me that we had many potential options available which he would discuss with Mr. Simon as soon as they returned to New York.
Mr. Casey and Mr. Simon understood that CBA and I were on to something potentially enormous if handled correctly. Their vision was accurate. Product liability was having a devastating effect on many industries because of the increasing number of court suits, excessive court awards, and spiraling insurance premiums. At one point, there were millions of product liability cases and the average settlement was in excess of $300,000. (In 2017, the dollar figure would be $1,305,037.84.)
According to the U.S. Commerce Department data at that time, the industries hardest hit by product liability were those involved in the manufacture of machinery, sporting and health equipment, toys, motor vehicles, medical equipment, tobacco, and drugs. Of every liability dollar spent by these industries, 56% of it went to cover legal fees and costs. This expenditure on product liability and litigation in the U.S. increased from $2 billion in 1955 to $15.4 billion in 1976. Presently, the expenditure is in the $100 billion range. Figure for current costs would need to be verified by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce.
By 1977, a number of companies had employed CBA to analyze their products and evaluate their liability from a biomechanical point of view. The Dow Chemical Company, as a result of the gymnastics-neck injury case, had contracted us to determine impact analysis on all their foam products. In addition, the Riddell Corporation, a leading manufacturer of football helmets in the country, had contracted CBA for a study analyzing the design liability of football helmets.
As Mr. Casey and Mr. Simon began exploring the entire workers’ compensation area in greater details, they realized the gigantic need in that market. The products, personnel involved, and research potential were nearly impossible to gauge with regard to potential studies and/or derived income. As of the late 1970s, these claims exceed $30 billion per year and there has been no precise system to measure degrees of disability. Thus, insurance companies resorted to general formulas to determine the amount paid for workers’ compensation.
Using biomechanical analysis, the actual degree of a worker’s disability could be measured, within a small margin of error. This margin of error could be reduced if the worker was analyzed biomechanically before an accident has occurred. A worker’s performance could be recorded and used as a standard if an accident occurred. The comparison of a worker’s pre- and post-accident movements could be used to determine the extent of the injury. Thus, through the biomechanical application, a system could be created that would consistently determine the extent of the injury and the amount of compensation for the worker. The result would be substantial savings for any company that pays sizeable compensation fees. This analysis system would have a similar attraction for insurance carriers since they are constantly exposed to accident claims.
The entire products liability and workers’ compensation business, in Mr. Simon and Mr. Casey’s eyes, could evolve ultimately into long-term, multi-million dollar agreements with insurance carriers. This was highly advantageous to me, too, since CBA required an income stream to provide corporate stability. Project-by-project income was less reliable because of the limited life of each contract.
Mr. Simon and Mr. Casey projected the overall market to exceed $100 billion but this was admittedly speculative. Even without specifying a particular dollar figure, they foresaw a plethora of companies who would be interested in Product Liability testing. This list could include many of the notables on the insurance scene at the time, including Aetna Casualty and Surety Company, Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company, Travelers Insurance Company, and many others. There appeared to be a positive and productive future with incredible business opportunities that would benefit CBA, the insurance companies, and SLS.
Another potential product was the Computerized Exercise System (CES) which I and my staff at CBA had invented. (This device is presented in a following chapter.) I had demonstrated the equipment to Mr. Casey and Mr. Stein during their visit in Amherst. Subsequently, Ann and I drove to Mr. Simon’s home in New Jersey to show him what and how the system worked.
The computerized exercise system that we had invented consisted of a frame and bench, a small computer to control a stepper motor, and an angular device to regulate a hydraulic valve/pack which we also had invented. Every component in the system was unique and patentable. We demonstrated the uniqueness of this exercise machine and the computer that controlled it with the expectation that Mr. Simon would also recognize the tremendous potential for making money as well as its effect on strenth and fitness.
Our CES also included the first, small compact computer which we had invented and built. We believed that this small computer could be manufactured and marketed separately as a device which everyone could own and operate at home or in their office. Gone would be the days of monstrous main-frame computers housed in large air-conditioned buildings requiring punched cards to operate programs. Even the mini-computers, such as the one that we were using, would be replaced by this smaller version. I imaged that with this small device, everyone could have a computer with them or close by.
Both Mr. Simon and Mr. Casey had been impressed with the small computer and took the design to Booze Allen which was probably the most prestigious technology-consulting firm in the world at the time. Mr. Simon was working with them so we anticipated a quick response. However, we certainly did not expect the answer we received. Booze Allen reported, “The American public will never buy a computer to have in their home.” I guess that Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak were lucky that they introduced their Apple idea to the Homebrew Computer Club and could not afford to show their prototype to Booze Allen!!
I think all of us believed that SLS could develop and market this fantastic product, but Mr. Simon and Mr. Casey were older and more conservative than I was. I suspect, in retrospect, that they were willing to move forward in the other areas which showed obvious financial potentials and keep the CES and the small computer on the backburner for the present.
The other situation, with Coto de Caza, turned out to be another aborted project for SLS. Since I had not been able to be in California when Mr. Simon initially met Mr. Palmieri, I do not know exactly what was said or how the discussion evolved. However, during my next visit to California, Mr. Palmieri explained his perspective about the venture. He wanted me and my staff with all of our biomechanical system in Coto de Caza, but he was not interested in including the additional layer of SLS. He felt that it was too early in our relationship to make such a dramatic increase in the dimensions of the Coto de Caza biomechanical research concept. The goal for Penn Central was to sell the real estate and we could help them achieve that goal through the work and publicity that we generated. The SLS structure was more elaborate and Mr. Palmieri felt that this should be maintained outside of a formal, interlocking relationship.
Mr. Simon and Mr. Casey accepted the rationale presented by Mr. Palmieri. We all decided to focus on the SLS centers that were currently operating in New Jersey and Washington, D.C. and keep these other potentials for future consideration.
Our Olympic fitness program was operating very successfully. We had hired Olympic athletes who happily coached young children as well as working to improve the fitness of the general population. We were exploring other cities since there were a number of athletes who were seeking financial help but were geographically restricted to their hometowns. Then, out of nowhere a bomb exploded.
On November 20, 1981, newspapers around the world printed an article by Jack Anderson primarily attacking Mr. Casey. The headline read, “CIA head Casey rented Olympic Label for a Body Boutique.” This was another attack by Mr. Anderson who is regarded by many as the “Father of Investigative Journalism.” The article was not Mr. Anderson’s first attack against Mr. Casey but, unfortunately for SLS, it came at an unfortunate time. Mr. Anderson wrote, “Another hobgoblin had appeared from out of Bill Casey’s corporate past.” He continued, “This is just the latest in a succession of tawdry discoveries” and “I’ve reported on his involvement in other questionable business deals.”
The article continued to name ex-Treasury Secretary William Simon, as well as Dr. Dardik and me as participants in the venture. The implications were that the U.S.O.C. and the athletes were being duped and taken advantage of by the dishonest machinations of each of us. The article continued with innuendoes and allegations about mismanagement and a variety of other suggested problems. What a shock it was to me to read this attack article!! The article was printed in a local New Jersey newspaper and is presented on the previous page.
I had endured my own “trial by fire” if that is what one calls scurrilous newspaper articles. The most difficult part is that once something appears in the newspaper, the victim is always trying to catch up to clear their name and reputation. Sometimes what is printed is true but frequently, as was this Jack Anderson attack, the information was badly distorted and misrepresented the facts. It was true that we were using the Olympic rings, but the U.S.O.C. was receiving money for this usage. It was correct that Olympic athletes were working in the fitness centers, but they were paid well for their efforts. It was not correct that Dr. Dardik and I were on the Olympic payroll. In fact, we rarely requested nor received reimbursement for flights to Colorado Springs. But the smears, suggestions of impropriety, the resurrection of supposed past evils committed by Mr. Casey, and the knowledge that this was only the beginning of a long series of battles caused all four of us to reconsider the future of SLS.
We each had our individual, as well as collective (meaning SLS) selves to consider. At the time, Dr. Dardik and I had heard rumors that Mr. Simon was pondering his chances should he decided to run for president of the U.S.A. Dr. Dardik was a well-respected medical doctor who did not want to have the adverse publicity and lies to taint his reputation. I was still in the early developmental steps with CBA and the new venture in California. It would be a needless, time-consuming effort to engage in a fight with someone who possessed unlimited and unconstrained access to the public via his newspaper. It would be like fighting a grizzly bear because, even if you win, you are usually so badly wounded, victory would come at what price? Despite the distorted and inaccurate information in these articles, we decide that SLS would have to be abandoned.
From my perspective, the scandal caused by the lies, misrepresentations, and innuendoes printed under Mr. Anderson’s byline appeared to be normal for him. He thrived on attacking public individuals and, in some cases, these attacks may have been justified. However, Mr. Anderson’s attack on SLS appeared to spring from his personal and special animus against Mr. Casey. The underlining theme for SLS was to help athletes, the U.S.O.C., and improve the fitness levels among the general public. Mr. Anderson, who was bent on destroying individuals regardless of whether his facts and premise were correct, ignored our goals.
My background was filled with fights and struggles. My own professors and Mr. Arthur Jones had publicly attacked me. I had overcome many difficulties to survive in a foreign land, where I had not known the language. I would not have backed down from this fight. However, Dr. Dardik was worried about his medical practice and Mr. Simon was considering whether to run for the presidency of the country. Mr. Casey was the most vulnerable since Mr. Anderson was apparently on a quest to destroy Mr. Casey.
Thus, the end came for SLS. It had been a great idea which had been tarnished and destroyed by the jealousy of unproductive and misinformed people or just the animosity of one person. However, the destruction of a good idea provided me with more time and energy to direct towards the continuing development of my own company.
My company, CBA, and the new Coto Research Center (which I will discuss in a later chapter) were flourishing. Our business ventures expanded and I continued working with the American athletes to improve their performances with biomechanical analysis. With the end of Scientific Life Systems, I turned more of my attention to these other ventures.