Octagon Speakers
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.
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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...
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Coaching the best American swimmer to Olympic greatness might not be easy, but it has been worth it. Bob Bowman achieved great success at the international level as personal coach for the Olympic Legend Michael Phelps. Under the passionate coaching of Bowman, Phelps won an Olympic-record eight gold medals in the 2008 Beijing Summer Games, bringing Phelps' total to 14 Olympic golds overall. Bowman's contribution to the sport has been awarded with the USA Swimming Developmental Coach of the Year and the ASCA Coach of the Year Award. Not one to rest on his laurels, Bowman has already turned his focus to the London Games in 2012 and will surely have Phelps poised to continue his great success.
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Coming from the juniors as a 15-year-old, Michael Chang charged onto the international tennis scene setting numerous "youngest player records" and shocked the world by upsetting Ivan Lendl and Stefan Egberg to become the youngest player in history to win a Grand Slam event. Utilizing tremendous speed and strong determination, Chang was one of the best counter punchers of all time and remained in the Top 10 in the ATP world rankings for several years in the 1990s. Chang retired from the professional tour in 2003 but continues to play at the senior level.
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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.
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Jack Del Rio was the second head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars and made his mark with them since his start in 2003. With Del Rio as head coach, the Jacksonville defense ranked sixth in the NFL in yards allowed (305.2 per game) and fifth in points allowed (19.0). The offense ranked fourth in rushing yards (131.1) and third in fewest turnovers (138). In 2000, Del Rio served as linebackers coach for what is widely considered to be one of the the greatest defenses in NFL history, the Super Bowl XXXV Champion Baltimore Ravens. During his playing career, Del Rio was an All-American linebacker at the University of Southern California, as well as a Pro Bowl selection in 1994 with the Minnesota Vikings. A star in two sports, he was also drafted out of high school by Major League Baseball's Toronto Blue Jays. Although Del Rio has made a career out of playing and coaching college and professional football, he has also been a dedicated philanthropist. Del Rio and his family have been...
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Atlanta Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff has been named NFL Executive of the Year by the Sporting News. Known for his forceful yet charming personality, Thomas Dimitroff has reshaped manager positions in football. Not one to shy away from a challenge, general manager Dimitroff rebuilt the Atlanta Falcon franchise when no one else dared to. The team was plagued with several controversies from quarterback Michael Vick facing dog-fighting charges to coach Bobby Petrino abruptly quitting to take a coaching position at the University of Arkansas in 2007. Even so, Dimitroff rose to the occasion and as a result, has orchestrated the turnaround of the team in just one season. With his experience as a standout defensive back and captain at the University of Guelph coupled with his ascension through the scouting trails as a combine/BLESTO Scout, an Area Scout, National Scout, College Director of Scouting to his current position, Dimitroff has the knowledge and passion to...
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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...
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An internationally recognized endurance athlete and New York Times bestselling author, Dean Karnazes (www.UltramarathonMan.com) has pushed his body and mind to inconceivable limits. TIME magazine named him as one of the “Top 100 Most Influential People in the World,” Men’s Fitness hailed him as the fittest man on the planet and he was the winner of the 2008 ESPY Award for “Best Outdoor Athlete.” Among his many accomplishments, he has run 350 continuous miles, foregoing sleep for three nights. He’s run across Death Valley in 120-degree temperatures, and run a marathon to the South Pole in negative 40 degrees. On ten different occasions, he’s run a 200-mile relay race solo, racing alongside teams of twelve. His long list of competitive achievements include winning the world’s toughest footrace, the Badwater Ultramarathon, running 135 miles nonstop across Death Valley during the middle of summer. His most recent endeavor was running 50 marathons, in all 50 US states, in 50...
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Recently named 2011 AL Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association of America, Joe Maddon has revolutionized the managerial role of sports organizations. He is the living representation of what hard work, determination, and perseverance can bring to a struggling team looking for a leader. As the fourth manager of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Maddon has legendarily transformed the face of the team from a “laughable disjoined bunch of rookies and castoffs into a vibrant collection of up-and-arriving talent” (Schwartz). In his first season as manager, Maddon led the Rays to 41 wins at their home turf Tropicana Field, the most in the team’s history. Before Maddon, the Rays never won more than 70 games in their first seasons of existence and went 66-96 last year, the worst record in the American League. However, now with Maddon as their team manager, an individual who has been described by his players as calm, quiet, and trusting, the Rays finished the 2008 season in first place...
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Michael Phelps has been making waves in the world of sports since he was young. Phelps has won 14 Olympic gold medals, the most by any Olympian. In the Beijing Olympics in 2008, he took home eight gold medals, setting a new record for the most gold medals won at a single Olympics. He tied the record for the most medals at a single Olympics in the 2004 Athens Summer Olympic Games when he earned six gold medals and eight medals overall. Already a sports legend at the age of 23, he has been named World Swimmer of the Year for 3 out of the last 4 years (2003, 2004, and 2006). He holds several World Records in addition to his many other awards. Although he is young, Phelps has already had a lifetime of experiences—in the pool and out. He founded “Swim with the Stars”—the first ever Olympic Swimming Tour that travels the country to give kids the opportunity to learn from the best. He is also a national spokesperson for the Boys & Girls Clubs. Phelps is youthful but intelligent,...
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Known for his explosive personality and contagious passion, Lou Piniella has redefined manager positions in baseball. Often hailed as a “miracle worker” by Cub fans and players alike, Piniella has leveraged the Cubs’ success substantially in his first two seasons as the 26th manager. Within this time frame, Piniella has guided the club to 182-141 record, consecutive National League central Division titles, and is the first Cubs manager to lead the club to consecutive post-season berths since the early 20th century. According to Cubs Vice-President/General Manager Jim Hendry: “Lou exudes success, is an excellent leader, and brings a humble, confident swagger to our entire organization.”Piniella has served as a Major League manager for a total of 23 seasons, and prior to joining the Cubs, Piniella managed the New York Yankees (1986-1988), Cincinnati Reds (1990-1992), Seattle Mariners (1993-2002), and Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2003-2005). Piniella has received much recognition...
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One of the top centers of his era, David “The Admiral” Robinson was a marvel of a basketball player and a respected figure off the court. A lean, muscular, 7-1 athlete, he was fast, strong and agile. In his first six NBA seasons he won Rookie of the Year, NBA MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards, in addition to a rebounding title, a scoring crown, six All-Star bids, three selections to the All-NBA First Team and three selections to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. Robinson's lasting legacy was also defined by his status one of the pre-eminent philanthropists in all of professional sports. On March 23, 2003, NBA Commissioner David Stern announced that future winners of the NBA Community Assist Award would receive the David Robinson Plaque, with the inscription, "Following the standard set by NBA Legend David Robinson, who improved the community piece by piece."
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Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez has become known as one of the greatest catchers to ever play in the Major League. Nicknamed "Pudge" because of his stock stature early in his career, Rodriguez made his Major League debut in 1991 and was the youngest player in the leage that year. Being a fan-favorite and community hero in both the cities in which he plays and his hometown in Puerto Rico has allowed Rodriguez to shine not only as a player but as a philanthropist. In 1993 Rodriguez founded the Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez Foundation to benefit underprivileged families and children with cancer and other life threatening disease in both the Dallas-Fort Worth area and in Puerto Rico. Rodriguez is 14-time All-Star selection, 13-time Gold Glove award winner and a seven-time Silver Slugger winner. He was named to the All-Tournament Team in 2009 where he represented Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic. Rodriguez has also been honored for his generosity and community work. He was named the 1998 and...
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Cael Sanderson is one of the most decorated collegiate wrestlers of all-time. After a successful collegiate career, Sanderson has continued his dominance onto to world and Olympic circuits. During his time on the Iowa State wrestling team, Sanderson became only the second four-time NCAA Champion. Sports Illustrated named his undefeated career at Iowa State as the number two most outstanding achievement in the history of collegiate athletics. After his time at Iowa State, Sanderson went on to compete in his first Olympic Games in 2004, winning a gold medal. Sanderson later turned to coaching and led his alma mater to three consecutive Big 12 titles from 2007-2009. He is currently the Head Wrestling Coach at Penn State University. He led the Nittany Lions to their first ever Big Ten Championship in his second year as coach. In his five years as head coach, Sanderson has won tree total National Championship titles.
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The “Kansas Comet” was a two time All American tailback whose 99 yard touchdown run as a sophomore against Nebraska is still an NCAA record today. Gale Sayers played four years for his state college, University of Kansas. He played his first NFL game with the Chicago Bears. Despite his short career (1965-1971), Gale Sayers is one of the greatest NFL players of all time. Sayers became the youngest player in NFL history to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Upon retirement from the Chicago Bears, Gale Sayers made his off the field life as exciting and productive as his football career. He has taken stake in a computer technology company, financial management training, and various community related programs. Sayers is also an accomplished author as his autobiography “I am Third” was adapted in the award winning television movie, “Brian’s Song.” Gale is a multi-talented individual who used pride, poise, leadership and loyalty to fuel his success in and out of football.
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David Shaw returned to his alma mater in January 2011 to be the Head Coach of the Stanford Cardinal football team. Shaw became the 34th head coach and just the fifth alum to hold said position. Stanford has emerged as a powerful contended in the Pac-12 and in the BCS, partly due to Shaw's success as an offensive coordinator and head coach.Shaw has also played a key role in the mentoring of quarterback Andrew Luck for the past three years. Prior to returning to Stanford as head coach, Shaw served as a coach on the collegiate and professional level. Aside from coaching, Shaw uses his position to enable change with several charitable organizations and initiatives in the California area. He also encourages his players to be actively involved in the Stanford community and on-campus charitable organizations.
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Ray Sherman is a notable offensive coordinator and position coach in the National Football League. He has coached for 36 seasons, including an impressive 22 seasons in the NFL. Sherman is known for his success in mentoring rookies and young talent through his listening skills and ability to establish great relationships with players. His success mentoring players is exemplified by their on-field success; however, he is credited by serving as a great off-the-field mentor as well.
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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...
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In the early days of football, Bart Starr led his teams to numerous Championships. Bart Starr was the man who made the Packers click and he will always be respected for his hardworking attitude and perseverance. From 1960 through 1967, Bart's "won-lost record" was a sizzling 62-24-4 and the Packers won six divisional, five NFL, and the first two Super Bowl championships. He held several NFL passing records, including the lifetime record of completing 57.4 percent of his passes over a 16-year period. He led the league in passing three times. Starr used his astuteness and skill to lead the Packers to the NFL titles and two Super Bowl Championships. In 1977, Starr was inducted into the Football Hall of Fame and is still considered one of the NFL's greatest field leaders, even today. Outside of football, Starr has won a number of awards, including NFL Award for Citizenship and the Byron White Award. Today, he runs Healthcare Realty Management and is Co-Founder of the Rawhide Boys...
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Justin Tuck was drafted by the New York Giants in the 2005 NFL Draft. As a major contributor to the Giant's Super Bowl XLII win, Tuck has become an integral part of the Giants defensive line. Tuck kicked off his 2009 season as Week 1 NFC Defensive Player of the week. He recorded 11.5 sacks and 76 total tackles in 2010 en route to his second career Pro Bowl selection. Most recently, the NFL named Tuck as one of the 2011 Top 100 Players. Outside of football, Tuck and his wife Laura developed R.U.S.H. for Literacy, a program benefiting the children in his hometown community in Alabama as well as undeserved children in New York. Tuck's program donates thousands of new books and funds to children to help instill the ideals of reading at an early age.
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