The game is real estate now for football great Roger Staubach

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In the 1970s, Roger Staubach was one of the biggest names in sports, quarterbacking the Dallas Cowboys to four Super Bowls (winning two) and being the nucleus of "America's Team."

Now Staubach has become one of the bigger names in the commercial real-estate business, but it's not quite the same.

"We get confused with Starbucks now and then," Staubach said with a laugh. "There might be some older people who remember me."

There actually are a lot of people who remember Staubach, which is one reason he was in Seattle this week to drum up business for his expanding Dallas-based company.

But Staubach said name recognition can go only so far.

"We probably get opportunities to get in the door, but we're graded on what we can deliver," Staubach said.

He founded The Staubach Co. in 1977, back in the days when pro athletes didn't have multimillion-dollar contracts. Staubach, who is the company's chairman and chief executive, started work in real estate for the Dallas-based Henry S. Miller brokerage in 1970.

The Staubach Co., which represents tenants in negotiating leases for office, retail and industrial space, opened shop in Seattle three years ago and has quickly established itself as a player.

"Clearly Roger has put together a group of qualified people, very sophisticated and very smart," said Joe McWilliams, managing director for Cushman & Wakefield's Seattle office, a competitor.

Staubach also isn't shy about promoting himself or his company, unlike some of his competitors.

Several weeks ago, the co-founder and chairman of New York-based Cushman & Wakefield, John Cushman, visited Seattle without contacting the media. McWilliams said that's not surprising because his company has been in the Seattle area for about 20 years.

The two sides of Roger Staubach NFL Staubach was the quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys from 1969 to 1979, leading them to four Super Bowls, including two victories. Other career highlights include winning the Heisman Trophy in 1963 while playing for the U.S. Naval Academy and being named the Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player in 1972. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985. CEO Staubach is the chairman and chief executive officer of The Staubach Co., which he founded in 1977. The commercial-real-estate company is based in Dallas and has 1,200 employees in 51 offices in North America. The privately held company has about $250 million in annual revenue. It opened its Seattle office in May 1999 and has 20 employees here.

"People (in Seattle real estate) already recognize John Cushman," McWilliams said.

They are starting to recognize Staubach, too. He was in Seattle for two days, meeting with his employees, clients, potential clients and reporters.

In an interview, Staubach comes across as soft-spoken and self-deprecating, but also self-assured. Ask a question and he answers it in a calm and straight-forward manner, looking directly at the person.

Fit and trim at age 60, he wears a massive Hall of Fame ring, which he held up only when asked.

Despite the cool exterior, he appears as driven as when he was playing football.

"It's a marvelous feeling to win the business and then have the customer say what a great job we're doing," he said, but added:

"I get a lump in my stomach when a customer says, 'Roger, we interviewed seven companies and came down to two, and you guys did a great job, but came in second.' I didn't like to lose in football, but I accepted it and tried to get better. I wasn't a sore loser, but I wasn't a happy loser."

He expects his current teammates to win, too, according to Bob Mooney, president of Staubach's Seattle office, which has 20 employees.

"When Roger hands you the ball, you expect that you have to run to the end zone because Roger Staubach gave you the ball. There is a lot of pressure," Mooney said.

The game plan seems to be working. The privately held Staubach Co. has annual revenues of $250 million and 1,200 employees in 51 offices in North America.

Staubach isn't the only former Dallas quarterback involved in local commercial real estate. Steve Pelleur, who starred at the University of Washington before playing for Dallas and Kansas City in the 1980s, is a broker for Cannon Real Estate Services in Seattle.

"I still run into people who remember my days at the UW," he said. "Sometimes name recognition helps you get in the door. But the biggest thing is knowing how to work with people."

What helps more in business, both Staubach and Pelleur said, are the skills learned in playing team sports. Staubach said the expansion of girls sports is leading to more women becoming successful in business.

"I think sports has played a role in their development just as in men because there are the basics of hard work, perseverance, team work," Staubach said.

Despite a football career that led to two shoulder surgeries, several concussions and other assorted injuries, Staubach said running a business can be tougher than running an offense.

"In sports, nobody can take away the Super Bowl (victories). Today, it's 'The Staubach Company, what are you doing now?' It's not like, 'Hey, we had a great year two years ago.'

"Business just drives me to crazy all the time, but in a good way," Staubach said while lightly rapping the table with his gnarled knuckles. "I still enjoy what I'm doing or I'd be retired."

Bill Kossen can be reached at 206-464-2331, bkossen@seattletimes.com.