In a brilliant twist, the athlete in this analogy would actually be paying the shoe company to endorse it.

They targeted Cruise and Travolta not only for their fame, but the deep-seated insecurities and personal issues they held that could be used to entice them. The Travolta gay rumors seem to have legs and has reportedly been used to keep him in line, whereas Cruise is revered to a degree that places him a hair below Hubbard. Haven’t read much about Smith though.