A rival team has an ambitious but craven assistant coach who, with a regime change, could be better controlled towards our interests.

Another team's key player couldn't be replaced on short notice, were they to be removed from the board, in a deniable 'gang-related' incident in front of the nightclub they frequent.

The roster of a favored team could be boosted with secret financial incentives to candidates, funded off-the-books by new gambling and prostitution operations.

Small potatoes- more realistic: Les Wexner pumped tens of millions into the university to whitewash his reputation; keep them perennial favorites but grease some SEC refs as necessary to keep our guy out of the limelight

The radio station chief is a con artist rainmaking the agency, he will cut us in if we squeeze him hard enough.

I grew up with a kid whose dad worked in security for the St. Louis Rams NFL team. I was shocked when he told me how many attempts there are to blackmail or otherwise extort money from players.