Levine was the point man for the Yankees, with Mallory and Cardinale passing along initial proposals from Rodriguez, which would have guaranteed him well over $300 million.
His place in the Shadow Cabinet should under Labour's rulebook have guaranteed him a seat in Mr Blair's first Cabinet when the party returned to power in 1997.
Although Mbeki was barred by South Africa's constitution from serving a third term as president of the country, securing a third term as party president would have guaranteed him considerable influence in choosing the country's next president in 2009.
But today he is scheduled to take a physical for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who have guaranteed him $6.7 million for one year and have added a mutual option for a second year that would make the deal worth $12 million for two years.
Phillips would not put a price tag on what an Astacio without questions about his shoulder would have commanded on the open market, but it was surely more than the salary the Mets have guaranteed him this season.
Augustine, whose pagan father had encouraged his youthful sexual adventures, gave up a Christian marriage that would have guaranteed him wealth and social status, and adopted a life of asceticism.
Leiter, who is in the final year of his contract, and the Mets were close to an agreement last month for two years and an option that would have guaranteed him $18 million.
But few have stirred such powerful and contrasting feelings in fans as has Luis Suárez, Liverpool's Uruguayan forward, whose unique mix of skills and tumbles have guaranteed him a hero's status among Liverpool supporters and made him a villain to just about everyone else who takes an interest in English soccer.
In 1997, Meacher's status as the longest serving member of the shadow cabinet should, under party rules, have guaranteed him a job in the first Labour cabinet, but Tony Blair ignored the rules and made him a middle ranking environment minister instead.
But I couldn't have guaranteed him playing.
Gunpoint or not, Lon Bell figures the regulators have guaranteed him a market, regardless of price, regardless of quality.
