With the passing of Ryne Sandberg, we now re-up this piece from May of 2021.
Move over former House Speaker John Boehner, because we have a new “OMG! This guy is working with a cannabis company” spokesman. Chicago Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg, one of the greatest second basemen of all time and a first ballot hall-of-famer, now pitches the good weed for Verilife, a Chicago based company that’s a division of Pharmacann.
At age 61, Ryno is getting into marijuana for the first time in his life. Not only is he investing in the company, but he also claims that he’s consuming the substance for the very first time in his life. It’s amazing what we’re seeing these days regarding the legalization of marijuana and the mainstreaming of pot culture.
“Verilife has changed the way I view cannabis,” Ryne Sandberg said in a corporate statement.
“When I first visited a Verilife dispensary, the knowledgeable staff helped me understand how cannabis can enhance my active lifestyle. I want to share my personal story and help people feel more comfortable in learning more about the benefits of cannabis, hoping it will bring the same impact to their lives that I have experienced.”
Sandberg told The Register-Mail that he’s getting into mary jane, one small step at a time, beginning with taking gummies and tinctures.
“I really didn’t know anything about it, I didn’t have any interest in it,” Sandberg said to the paper. “Now it’s every day sometimes, as I’m looking for something to take the edge off.”
Yes, these days, everyday is pretty much a time when we need to take the edge off. And we’re looking forward to Sandberg’s weed billboards much more so than his hair plugs billboards. This is not the first time we’ve seen a controlled substance attached to his individual brand, as local craft brew giant Goose Island once brewed a beer called the Ryno 23 in the early 2000s.
Still, seeing a guy who maintained an image that was so squeaky clean, wholesome and clean cut now hawking cannabis products is nothing short of shocking.
In addition to his endorsements, Ryne Sandberg also works part time as an ambassador for his former ballclub and with Marquee, the television network that they own.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and SB Nation. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.