Octagon Speakers
Denise Austin promotes a sensible, realistic, and enthusiastic approach to fitness and eating. She works out only 30 minutes a day and never skips a meal! Her health and fitness philosophies have won her countless fans throughout the United States, from whom she receives more than 10,000 letters and emails a week. When you watch Denise on television, read her books, or follow her videos, you can't help feeling like she's there with you cheering you on. Denise has been named America's favorite fitness expert. She gets the energy to tackle challenges and achieve her success from the gratification of knowing she makes a difference in people's lives and inspires them to feel better about themselves. Tweet
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Tennis prodigy Tracy Austin stormed into women's tennis in 1977 and set a number of amazing records as the youngest player in the sport. As a former World No. 1 woman tennis player from the United States, she won the women's singles title at the US Open in 1979 and 1981 and the mixed doubles title at Wimbledon in 1980. Since retiring as a player, Austin has frequently worked as a commentator for NBC and the USA Network and commentated for the Seven Network at the 2006-2010 Australian Opens. She began working for Tennis Channel in 2010 and joined their US Open team. Austin holds a compassion for the game and those who surround it. Tweet
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In 2001, Brian Billick led the Baltimore Ravens to a Super Bowl victory only two years into his tenure. A well-respected and successful NFL coach, Billick credits his accomplishments to passion, teamwork, and accountability. This innovative motivator is a leader by example who demands these same values from everyone in his organization. In his presentation, this respected NFL leader continues to prove that with dedicated management, enthusiasm for the cause, and respect and trust for his team, the ultimate goals are achieved. Billick has also written a new book, "More Than a Game: The Glorious Present and Uncertain Future of the NFL," which gives readers an inside look at professional football, both on and off the field. Billick currently serves as Fox NFL Analyst and is also a contributor for the NFL Network. Tweet
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Wade Boggs’ major league career was a regimented, meticulous, disciplined journey, taken day by day and step by step across 18 years. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame as the 41st first-ballot honoree in Hall history when they resoundingly welcomed Boggs in early 2005. Boggs spent 11 All-Star seasons with the Red Sox in Boston (1982-92). He duplicated his success with the New York Yankees and helped them win a World Series title in 1996. After a short break, Boggs finished his career with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and reached his 3,000th career hit with the organization August 7, 1999. Individual honors included 12 consecutive All-Star appearances (1985-96); five batting titles (1983, 1985-88); and two Gold Gloves (1994-95). Wade’s Hall of Fame credentials were never in doubt. Wade finished his career with a .328 batting. Heavily involved in giving back, the Wade Boggs Foundation for Youth Athletics provides fundraising to help children in the Tampa area acquire sports equipment...
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Whether it’s football, life, or a business, Bill Cowher believes that everyone should be instilled with three critical points. Everyone needs the right game plan, the right people and environment surrounding them, and the right approach to achieve all your goals. Cowher overcame adversity and many obstacles to win 161 games as he compiled the right game plan, molded the right players, surrounded himself with the right coaches, and had the attitude and mindset to envision victory every day he stepped on the field. The former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach stepped down on January 5, 2007 as the longest tenured head coach in the NFL after a 15 year run. In Cowher’s 15 seasons, the Steelers captured eight division titles, earned ten postseason playoff berths, advanced to six AFC Championship games and made two Super Bowl appearances. In 2006, the Steelers won Super Bowl XL under his direction, his first ever championship. In 2007, Cowher joined CBS Sports to bring his experience,...
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Brad Daugherty is a former star basketball player at the University of North Carolina and later with the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA. A five-time All-Star, Daugherty was taken first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1986 NBA Draft. During his professional career, he played in 41 postseason games and led the Cavaliers as far as the Eastern Conference Finals in 1992. After retiring due to recurrent back troubles, Daugherty served as a basketball analyst for ESPN. Having both a love for hoops and car racing, Daugherty changed gears in 2007 and became a NASCAR analyst for ESPN. He is a regular on the NASCAR Countdown program that precedes all NASCAR race telecasts and is an analyst on the daily NASCAR Now show. He is also part-owner of JTG Daugherty Racing and Tony Kostelnak Racing. Tweet
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Whether it is his faith, his family or his football team, Edwards exudes passion in all areas of his life. That energetic and enthusiastic approach best defines how he approached his task as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. With his diverse background in pro football either as a player, scout, an assistant coach or head coach, Edwards has become one of five coaches in NFL history to take two different teams to the playoffs in their debut seasons with them. That same energy, enthusiasm and insight is directed to Edwards’ new role as in-studio NFL analyst for ESPN. Edwards has used his experience in the league to serve as a positive role model and has been involved in numerous charitable efforts and philanthropic endeavors. Edwards founded the Herm Edwards Youth Foundation in 1985 as well as the Herm Edwards Youth Football Camp. The camp has allowed over one thousand kids a year to sharpen their football skills and learn valuable lessons from some of the NFL’s finest teachers....
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ESPN SportsCenter anchor Neil Everett quickly became a fan favorite with his unique writing style which includes a variety of very recognizable “Everett-isms” that have become part of ESPN’s famous repertoire of catchphrases. Also of note is his signature shouting of the words "right now!" to open the show, which ESPN adapted as the title of a segment in other SportsCenter shows. Neil effectively varies his rich baritone voice to accentuate the excitement of his calls. As a speaker, Neil brings that same excitement and attitude to the messages he tailors to his audiences. Whether it’s a corporate sales event or a college graduation, his speeches are compelling, meaningful and laugh-out-loud funny. Also, he’s a proven Master of Ceremonies and at charity events, is highly skilled at separating guests from their money. Tweet
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Host of ESPN's Emmy Award winning football program, College GameDay. Fowler was voted along with his College GameDay peers as the "Most Powerful Media Personalities in Sports" by the Sports News magazine. As host of ESPN Classic's SportsCentury, he won two sports Emmy awards. Tweet
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A true pioneer in women's sports, Cammi Granato captained the first U.S. Olympic Women's Ice Hockey Team and became the first woman inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. A broadcaster for NBC's NHL and Olympic coverage, Granato is a polished speaker on a variety of topics including breaking down barriers. Tweet
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Andrea Kremer is one of the most accomplished and widely respected journalists in the industry today. Currently, she serves as a reporter for NBC Sports, correspondent for HBO’s “Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel” and chief correspondent in a unit dedicated to covering NFL player health and safety issues for NFL Network. Among her many accolades, including two Emmy Awards, Kremer has been called “the best TV interviewer in the business of covering the NFL” by the Los Angeles Times. In 2012, Kremer took her craft to London to cover Olympic swimming events for NBC. Kremer captured Michael Phelps’ feat of becoming the most decorated Olympian of all time as well as other notable stories from the aquatic center. Kremer is one of the faces of NBC’s Olympic coverage and will be front and center this summer as The Games head to London. Kremer will cover swimming and offer her insight and unparalleled story telling ability across all of the network’s platforms. Tweet
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Nancy Lieberman is a leader, pioneer, and inspiration for women and athletes in all facets of life. A Basketball Hall of Famer, two-time Olympian, and collegiate national champion, Nancy continues to advance the professional standard for women to this day in her various professional roles. Regarded as a leader in the Title IX establishment, Lieberman rode her wave of success to becoming one of the most decorated female athletes of all time. Her contributions continue to be recognized to this day as she was recently named one of the "Top 40 Female Athletes of the last 40 Years" in honor the 40 year anniversary of Title IX. In 2009, Nancy made history by becoming the first female to coach a male pro team in North America when she was named Head Coach of the NBA D-League Texas Legends. This was not Lieberman’s first time making history in professional basketball. In 2008, she became the oldest player ever in the WNBA when she returned to the league to play with the Detroit Shock...
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Dan Marino cemented his spot among the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game over the course of his 17-year NFL career. A first-ballot Hall of Famer, he now carries that legacy onward to new endeavors in television, business and philanthropy. Marino took every one of his NFL snaps as a member of the Miami Dolphins, where he earned NFL MVP honors, was a 9-time Pro Bowl selection, and set over 25 different passing records. His No. 13 jersey now retired by the team, he has been immortalized in franchise lore with a life size bronze statute outside of Sun Life Stadium. To this day Marino is still a staple of NFL Sunday's, working as an analyst on CBS' pregame show, The NFL Today. Additionally, he is an accomplished business leader, having launched successful restaurants and a supplemental product, as well as partnering with numerous major brands. Perhaps nowhere, however, has Marino made as big of an impact as he has with the autism and special needs communities. Along...
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Curt Menefee’s secret to success comes in three steps: you have to work hard, be passionate and enjoy life. Throughout his career, Menefee has achieved all three. After following his passion for sportscasting to major markets like Dallas and New York, Menefee was named the studio host of “FOX NFL Sunday” alongside Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, and Jimmy Johnson. Not only is Curt the host of the award-winning and most-watched pregame/halftime show in sports, but “The OT” wrap-up show on FOX which he also hosts was the #4 rated property in all of primetime last year. Menefee began his broadcasting career during college, juggling schoolwork with a five-day internship schedule at a local station near his alma mater, Coe College. His hard work paid off as he followed his passion for broadcast sports to Jacksonville, Madison, Des Moines and finally Dallas, where he won four Katie Awards, the Texas equivalent of an Emmy, for Best Sportscast and Best Sports Special. He then achieved success...
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Olympic gold medalist and three-time World Champion, Dan O'Brien dominated the 1990's and was known as the "World's Greatest Athlete." Adopted at age two, diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). raised with seven siblings, of which five were also adopted and of racially mixed backgrounds, Dan credits his upbringing for his competitive spirit, work ethich, determinanation, resilience and for providing him with the tools for overcoming adversity. Today, O'Brien trains professional and collegiate level athletes and works as a broadcaster for ESPN, NBC, and Yahoo! Sports. His speaking presentations vary from motivational speaking engagements for business groups to health and wellness messages aimed at adults, youth and kids at risk. Tweet
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Dave Price was the weather anchor for CBS's The Early Show for eight years and covered major weather events for the CBS Evening News. In addition to meteorology and reporting on-site from natural disasters, he has traveled throughout the country and around the globe bringing amazing stories to millions of viewers. Dave has had a first-person view of some of the most momentous events of our time. He was in New York City, on-air, as the first tragic moments of September 11 unfolded. He was one of the few reporters who spent the night enduring Hurricane Katrina inside the Superdome in New Orleans with the people he was covering. He also covered the earthquake in Haiti in 2010 and the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico for the network. He's been on the front lines of the war on terror in Afghanistan and has been through Iraq seven times (including the night Saddam Hussein was executed). On more pleasant occasions, he has been at the center of the action for Inaugurations, Super Bowls,...
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Emmitt Smith is the National Football League's all-time leading rusher, a three-time Super Bowl champion, and a member of the 2010 class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. A first-round pick in the 1990 NFL Draft, Smith was the cornerstone of the Dallas Cowboys' offense for 12 seasons. The eight-time Pro Bowler was the first player in NFL history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in 11 consecutive seasons and on October 27, 2002 he surpassed Walter Payton as the NFL's all-time leading rusher. Smith finished his 14-year career with 18,355 rushing yards and led the NFL in rushing four times; he was the league MVP in 1993, MVP of Super Bowl XXVIII and helped guide the Cowboys to three Super Bowl titles. His 175 total touchdowns rank second in NFL history. Smith played his final two NFL seasons with the Arizona Cardinals (2003 and 2004) before signing a one-day contract in February 2005 so he could officially retire as a Cowboy. In September 2005, Smith was added to the Cowboys Ring of...
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