Boston Magazine published a lengthy story today on Alex Guerrero, who is Tom Brady’s personal body coach, TB12 business partner, counselor, and—according to court records—a modern snake-oil salesman. The FTC investigated products promoted by Guerrero twice, the magazine reports, and in both cases the FTC found that the products were frauds—including a drink that he claimed prevented concussions. The entire story is worth a read for its insights into just how easy it is, with the right selling point and the right friends, to make a scam look like science.
The profile also reminds us of another place Guerrero pops up—Tom Brady’s emails, a massive cache of which were released in August as part of his NFLPA lawsuit. Guerrero is repeatedly CC’d on emails between Brady and his business and financial managers, one of which includes the chairman and CEO of SCS Financial—one of the nation’s top wealth management firms.
But more interesting, perhaps, is this exchange between Brady and Vancouver Canucks co-owner Francesco Aquilini. Aquilini wanted Brady to speak to his players. Brady eventually agrees to it, while asking if he could bring along Guerrero to spread his bullshit sports science gospel to NHL players.
Here’s how the conversation starts. It goes about how you expect ridiculously rich men to talk, with lots of generous complements and hellos to their significant others, who are both models. Any emphasis added is mine.
On Feb 8, 2015, at 6:18 PM, Francesco Aquilini wrote:
Tom:
I hope your enjoying your off season with your family after your incredible championship season. One for the ages and a rest well deserved. The Patriots are now a dynasty in the modern world that every professional sports organization strives to be like and you were a big part in creating that. Congratulation on all your amazing achievements.
The Canucks are playing in Boston on Feb 24 and I will be traveling with the team. I was wondering if you were in Boston and you have some time, we could have dinner the night before on Monday Feb 23rd or anytime until Thursday? Martine says hi.
Please say hi to Giselle for me.
Cheers Francesco
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
From: Tom Brady
Date:02-09-2015 3:48 AM (GMT-08:00)
To: Francesco Aquilini
Subject: Re: Hello!Thanks for the message Francesco. I appreciate it always great hearing from you. I am in Boston on all of those dates so it would be great to get together. I may have to be in nyc the morning of the 23rd but should be back by mid afternoon. Let me know if that’s the best day. I look forward to it. Take care
On Feb 9, 2015, at 4:32 PM, Francesco Aquilini wrote:
Tom:
That’s fantastic! You are a prince a always! Let me get back to you with some details. Martine will be with me on this trip as well.
Chat soon!
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
From: Tom Brady
Date: 02-09-2015 1:37 PM (GMT-08:00)
To: Francesco Aquilini
Subject: Re: Hello!Great. I actually will be gone the 24th but should be here the rest of the time. I look forward to seeing you take care
Next, a casual invitation to Elton John’s Oscars party. Of course.
On Feb 9, 2015, at 5:08 PM, Francesco Aquilini wrote:
Tom:
I have an idea. Martine really wants to see Gisele, its someone from her past that she really wanted to reconnect with and of course I would love to see you too.
I am the Co Chair of the Elton John Oscar viewing party in LA on Sunday Feb 22nd. I have been going for a number of years and it’s a great way to watch the Oscars. Very good crowd there and lots of fun. I have a table next to Elton and we have a good group going.
I was wondering if you and Gisele would join us at our table? We would love to have you both there.
We can work out all the logistics. I am back east that weekend. I can pick you up from Boston in our plane on Saturday evening or early Sunday morning we can go to the Oscar Party on Sunday and fly back to Boston on Monday morning. It will be really easy.. we will take care of everything.
I hope it something that can work. I know it’s a little last minute but I thought it would a fun time together.
Cheers
Francesco
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone
But, darn it, Brady is busy and they just can’t squeeze in an Oscar party this year.
From: Tom Brady
Date:02-10-2015 12:59 PM (GMT-08:00)
To: Francesco Aquilini
Subject: Re: Hello!hey there, i spoke to Gisele. she is in brazil working and we are trying to sort thru our schedules. we are headed to montana on thursday for 8 or 9 days of skiing with the kids. i think ron will be there also. so I’m not sure we can make the trip to LA w the kids and you know the girls need to pick dresses and all that. we will probably come back to boston on the 20 or 21 just to make sure the kids are settled. i wish we could go to the parties out there. i bet they are fun but we will have to see you when you come back this way. thanks for thinking of us talk soon
From: Francesco Aquilini
Date: 02/10/2015 4:19 PM (GMT-05:00)
To: Tom Brady
Subject: Re: Hello!No worries, I know it was kind of last minute we can organize something something in the future with more lead time.
We still on for dinner on Monday Feb 23rd?
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
From: Tom Brady
Date:02-10-2015 3:02 PM (GMT-08:00)
To: Francesco Aquilini
Subject: Re: Hello!That’s great we will have fun
Aquilini is very glad their dinner is still on, and now he asks for his favor. He says this is the coach’s idea.
From: Francesco Aquilini
To: Tom Brady
Sent: February 10, 2015 7:06:16 PM PST
Received: February 10, 2015 7:06:20 PM PSTFantastic! Let’s have dinner at 7 pm. You decide the place. Hopefully Gisele can make it too and I will bring Martine. If not we can do just the two of us.
I was wondering if some of our players from our leadership group could meet with you say 5:30 on Monday before our dinner to talk about some of the successes in your career, what has worked for you. How do you hold players accountable, how do you build a dynasty, and particularly how to extend your career. Our two Captains Henrik and Daniel Sedin (they are twins) are 35 and want to play another 4 years. They are elite world class hockey players and it would be an honour for them to meet you and talk a about winning and extending your career. I remember you telling me you want to play another 7 years!! That is amazing!. 7 more superbowls!!
Tom, I hope I am not imposing on your generosity of your time and knowledge, our Coach Willie has asked me to reach out to you because he really feels that this could be a great help to them.
I remember you telling me some things last summer that I think they would love to hear from you.
It would be 6 guys and myself and Trevor Linden (Our President) they are all good guys that you would totally approve of. You will really like them, very down to earth and humble guys. It would only be a hour or so and we can do it in a private room at the hotel where they are staying. If you typically charge any fees for your time, I will gladly pay it.
If this is something you are not comfortable with I totally understand and we can skip it altogether and we can just go to dinner and have fun.
Anyway you decide I’m happy. You are a great guy and a true gentleman!
Cheers!
Francesco
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
On Feb 11, 2015, at 5:47 PM, Francesco Aquilini wrote:
Tom:
Let’s just skip the whole talk to the players thing and just go to dinner. We will just have fun.
Cheers
Francesco
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
Brady actually isn’t certain about doing this. He’s wondering if the players are “open or receptive to making changes.”
From: Tom Brady
Date:02-11-2015 8:06 PM (GMT-08:00)
To: Francesco Aquilini
Subject: Re: DinnerHi there I apologize for the late reply. We have been traveling all day to Montana and just getting settled. Gisele is still in brazil so I am just trying to coordinate schedules w her too. I would love to help you and your players out, I also know it can be a very sensitive topic for players/coaches especially when it comes to taking care of their bodies. If you think it would be a great benefit to them it would be my pleasure to help. Why don’t be both sleep on it for a couple days and see how we feel. I wouldn’t want it to be a waste of their time and I also know if the players aren’t open or receptive to making changes then it will be a waste of my time.
Let me know how that sounds. I look forward to seeing you soon. Take care
Aquilini writes back that of course they are! He goes on to heap more praise on Brady for “how far advanced you are in sports science.”
On Feb 20, 2015, at 9:35 AM, Francesco Aquilini wrote:
Tom:
Any Looking forward to seeing you and Gisele on Monday for dinner. Do you have a place in mind?
On the player note, I spoke to my guys about meeting with you and how they felt about it. I told them that they would need to be open to listen to different ideas otherwise their is no point in meeting. They were thrilled and really honoured that you would make the time for them and said they would love hear your preparation and body maintenance for games. (Don’t let a small problem become a big problem!).
They are really looking forward to meeting you. Just from my conversation with you last summer it was amazing how far advanced you are in sports science.
They will only benefit from someone like you that is actually doing it as opposed to theory. I’ve spent a lot of time on sports science, you are by far the most advanced I terms of its application.
They are really interested in what you have to say on a lot of topics especially someone who has had a long successful career in pro sports and winning so many championships.
If your still open to the idea we can meet for an hour before dinner somewhere and then go to dinner from there. There will be 6 guys from our leadership group and Trevor Linden our President and myself. It can be a round table discussion very casual.
Cheers!
Now this is sounding better for Brady, who mentions Guerrero.
On Feb 20, 2015, at 10:18 PM, Tom Brady wrote:
Hi there. That sounds good to me. It will be a fun experience for me to share what I know with your players. I have been very fortunate to learn the right information from the best person in the world whom I work with. His name is Alex. He is my body coach and the person who I am blessed to have learned from. I would like to bring him also so he can answer some technical questions if the guys have any. He hasn’t been wrong 1 time in the 11 years we have worked together. We should allow 2 hours as time will fly.
As for dinner, there is a great restaurant called Oishii. It is in Boston. We can go with our wives there.
I do have one request. I am starting a foundation as it relates to the business Alex and I have together. We want to educate all athletes on sustained peak performance. As you might imagine, we turn kids and parents away who can’t afford to come and get treatment at our center. Sometimes they come for one treatment and are headed in the right direction but can’t follow up because they dont have the financial means. That has been a challenging issue for our center because our body coaches are also care givers and it’s hard to turn people in need away. I would only ask that after our meeting, if you feel like we have helped you and your team, that you would make a donation to our foundation to treat those young athletes who can’t quite afford it. Thanks Francesco I look forward to seeing you
Aquilini says yes.
From: Francesco Aquilini
Date: 02/21/2015 5:05 PM (GMT-05:00)
To: Tom Brady
Subject: Re: DinnerTom!
Dinner sounds great! We would be glad to donate to your foundation!It’s for a good cause. Lets discuss it when I see you.
If we could meet with the players say at 3:30 on Monday that should give us enough time before the dinner. I think we are Getting a meeting room at the four seasons. I will confirm with you the location. Say Dinner at 7 pm at Oishii.
Sent from my iPhone
On Feb 21, 2015, at 7:54 PM, Tom Brady wrote:
Perfect francesco see you then. Safe travels enjoy the Oscar party.
Sent via the Samsung Galaxy Note® 4, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone
Closer to the date, they work out the logistics.
On Feb 22, 2015, at 2:24 PM, Francesco Aquilini wrote:
Tom:
Let’s meet in the presidential suite #626 in the four seasons at 3:30. It will be very private and big enough to have a meeting. It will be very casual.
See u then!
Cheer
On Feb 22, 2015, at 3:30 PM, Tom Brady wrote:
Perfect. See you then
On Feb 22, 2015, at 8:45 PM, Francesco Aquilini wrote:
Just so you know who is coming tomorrow
[REDACTED]
They all know to keep our meeting very confidential, not to discuss it with anyone.
See you tomorrow.
Sent from my iPhone
Brady forwarded the email, listing who will be there, to Guerrero. He also forwarded this one below to him.
On Feb 22, 2015, at 9:05 PM, Tom Brady wrote:
Great I look forward to seeing and meeting them all. Hopefully we can all learn something. My friend and partner Alex Guerrero has been my body coach for 11 years and he has taught me so much. It will be a fun discussion. Safe travels have a fun night in LA.
From: Francesco Aquilini
Date: 02/23/2015 11:40 AM (GMT-05:00) To: Tom Brady
Subject: Re: DinnerJust got feedback the players are really excited to meet you and hear what you have to say.
Sent from my iPhone
On Feb 23, 2015, at 12:57 PM, Tom Brady wrote:
Great me too .
Also gisele wants to do dinner at 630 pm does that work?
Sent via the Samsung Galaxy Note® 4, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone
On Feb 23, 2015, at 1:32 PM, Francesco Aquilini wrote:
6:30 sounds great!
Sent from my iPhone
From: Tom Brady
To: Francesco Aquilini
Sent: February 23, 2015 12:28:22 PM PST
Received: February 23, 2015 12:28:22 PM PSTRunning 15 min late
There aren’t an emails in this chain about how the meeting went. But it went well enough that Brady sent this to his friend the next day.
From: Tom Brady
To: Francesco Aquilini
Sent: February 24, 2015 6:22:27 PM PST
Received: February 24, 2015 6:22:27 PM PSTGo Canucks!!!!!
Image via Getty Images