When talking to Minnesota Vikings Kicker Blair Walsh you get the sense of a man that is focused on what’s ahead. He’s moved past last season, and is primed for a big season for a Vikings team with high expectations. In other words, he’s got the right mindset to play what can sometimes be a very unforgiving position. Most of that is because he knows what’s important, which is a testament to his strong family and support system. Blair, statistically, is a top-5 Kicker in the National Football League since he debuted in 2012. At age 22, he was named 1st Team All-Pro in the NFL (the only rookie on the team that year) and set numerous Viking and NFL records along the way. In 2015, he made almost 97% of the Extra Points he attempted and almost 86% of the Field Goals he attempted. Continue reading “Ep. 13: Blair Walsh, Minnesota Vikings Kicker”→
I think a lot of people can relate to the early morning/late night routine of getting ready for work or winding down the day by turning on a show like Sportscenter or a college network show. Even if its for a few minutes as a familiar backdrop to your routine, you can relate to “catching up” on what you might have missed in the world of sports. Continue reading “Ep. 12: Mike Yam, Pac-12 Network Studio Host, Give Me A Sense Podcast”→
I met Teri Carson a little over two years ago while working for a sports marketing company in Irvine, California. One of the things that stuck out to me was her energy and her drive to do any and everything possible to achieve a goal. As it turns out, that was just the tip of the iceberg when describing just how much she makes things happen. Continue reading “Ep. 11: Teri Carson, MLB/San Diego Padres All-Star Game Volunteer Coordinator, Law Student”→
When you speak to Schea Cotton, he commands your attention. You can feel the experiences when the now 38-year old, former #1 High School basketball player in the country shares his life experiences.
Such is probably going to be the case when you talk to a man who, at 15, was already better than his older contemporaries at the time. Players such as Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce are just some of the names Schea was lauded over. Greatness on the basketball court was expected, almost a forgone conclusion. But things didn’t work out; and not necessarily for the reasons one might assume.
In today’s podcast I had the privilege of sitting down with Schea Cotton, the high school basketball legend, whose film “Manchild” will be premiering at the Los Angeles Film Festival on June 2nd at 9:00 p.m. (PST). (if you’re in the Los Angeles area, click the link for details on how to get tickets https://tickets.lafilmfestival.com/ )
I talk to Schea about his early life (4:00) and why he played basketball. His rise in the high school ranks while playing for Mater Dei and St. John Bosco (10:00). We also talk about what happened that kept him from playing basketball for two years before ending up in Alabama (15:00). We discuss his work today as an AAU coach and what he hopes people take away from the movie (20:00).
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For me, the pinnacle of athletic achievement is representing your country in the Olympics. Olympians are put through a qualifying process that has often left me speechless. Two Summers ago I met gymnast Samantha Peszek while working at a sports marketing company a couple years ago as she was preparing for her final season with the UCLA Bruins. She was training and coming back from an Achilles injury. Apart from winning a Silver Medal in Beijing, she was already an NCAA National Champion for the Bruins, and I wondered what made her want to come back and compete on a fifth-year of eligibility when she seemingly had nothing else to prove.
In today’s episode we talk with Sam in the first of a series of special Olympic Podcasts leading up to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We discuss her upbringing (5:00), the process to making the Olympics (11:00), her experience during the Olympics (14:00), her life after the Olympics (17:00), why she chose UCLA over other colleges (20:00), misconceptions of the sport (27:00) and much more.
Check out more from Samantha on Twitter (@samanthapeszek) and Instagram (@samanthapeszek), and she runs a fitness Instagram account with fellow former Olympian, Alicia Sacramone Quinn (@asaq_3) you can follow called @thegympire.
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Today begins the three day event known as the NFL Draft. Hundreds of young kids will get the opportunity to realize their dream of making an NFL roster. I wanted to talk to someone who helps make those dreams a reality from a business standpoint. Continue reading “Ep. 4: Evan Brennan, NFLPA Certified Agent”→
ESPN NFL reporter, Jim Trotter, joined me on the podcast to discuss recent player’s early retirement (2:00), players lives beyond football(4:00), The Los Angeles Rams/ San Diego Chargers relocation (11:00), sports journalism’s changing nature (13:30), and his book, Junior Seau: The Life and Death of a Football Icon (25:00).
Rodney K. Smith, Director of Sports Law for Arizona State University, joined me to discuss a range of topics including NCAA policy changes (5:00), agent counsel for high school recruits (10:00), athletes and social change (20:00), and more.
