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Posts Tagged ‘Football Speakers’

The NFL announced the 2010 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees last weekend and, as always, a couple of names drew the most attention. Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith, two of the greatest players of all-time, headline the list of inductees along with Floyd Little, Dick LeBeau, Russ Grimm, Rickey Jackson and John Randle.

Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith are Inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame 2010.

I’m especially happy for Floyd Little, who was up until this weekend the most deserving running back not in the Hall of Fame. Little was the first running back to win a NFL rushing title on a last-place team. He earned five Pro Bowl berths and was a versatile all-purpose player with more than 12,000 yards.

Floyd Little is Inducted into NFL Hall of Fame along with Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith

I actually have a personal connection to Little. He was the first professional athlete I ever met. He lived next door to my uncle, and one year when my family came out to Denver to go skiing, my uncle took me next door to meet him. This was during the peak of his career and he was larger-than-life to a 10 year old. I remember holding his trophies and getting his autograph. He’s an extremely nice man…. ... Read Full Story

Quarterback Kurt Warner, 38, officially announced his retirement today from the NFL.

Kurt Warner announces his retirement from the NFL on January 29, 2010

“It’s been an amazing ride,” Warner told reporters. “I don’t think I could have dreamt it would have played out like it has, but I’ve been humbled every day that I woke up the last 12 years and amazed that God would choose to use me to do what he’s given me the opportunity to do.”

“I’m excited about what’s next,” Warner said. “Before I was always excited about next season.”

Warner is a popular Christian speaker and religion will continue to play a huge part in Kurt’s life.

GLENDALE, AZ — After the Arizona Cardinals unprecedented 51-45 victory over the Green Bay Packers yesterday, rumors started circulating that Kurt Warner may retire next season.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner celebrates after overtime of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Green Bay Packers Sunday, Jan. 10, 2010, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP)

Usually after winning every home game, Warner would celebrate with his family in the stands. However, last night he went back on the field and waved to the fans first. This gesture sparked rumors that Warner, who was already considering retirement, was saying goodbye to the fans.

Warner told the media, “Relax. “It’s my way of saying thanks to the fans because I know we’re not coming back this year. I appreciate their impact and what they’ve done for us.”

The Arizona Republic and other media outlets have also reported that he may be planning on retiring after this season’s playoff run is over.

He certainly didn’t want to think about it after last night’s 51-45 overtime win against the Green Bay Packers, according to USA Today. “Right now I’m just playing football this year as long as I can,” Warner said. “When that’s done, we’ll step away and figure out what’s the best thing moving forward.”

The longer Warner plays, the greater his Hall of Fame chances become. In a modest 12 playoff games, Warner already has more postseason touchdown passes (31) than every other quarterback except Joe Montana, Brett Favre and Dan Marino.

“I think he would miss the competitive part of football, but Kurt has so many things going on outside the field,” Larry Fitzgerald said. “He’s got a lovely family with seven kids. He does a great job in ministry and public speaking. There’s so many things he can do after football, but we want to keep him here as long as possible.”

Kurt Warner, a devout Christian and popular Christian speaker, makes no bones about attributing his success to his faith.

“If you ever really want to do a story about who I am, God’s got to be at the center of it. Every time I hear a piece or read a story that doesn’t have that, they’re missing the whole lesson of who I am.” – Kurt Warner

The 1985-86 Chicago Bears are remembered as one of the greatest and most flamboyant NFL teams in history. Who can forget the ‘Super Bowl Shuffle’? It’s cast of characters included quarterback Jim McMahon, Richard Dent, ‘Refrigerator’ Perry and Hall of Famers Mike Ditka, Mike Singletary, Walter Payton and Dan Hampton.

Mike Ditka & Dan Hampton are two of PFP Sports & Celebrity Talent's most popular speakers

PFP Sports & Celebrity Talent Agency books many of the ’85 Bears for speaking engagements, personal appearances and endorsements, but works most closely with Mike Ditka and Dan Hampton.

Ditka seems to get more popular with age. Not only does he have two namesake restaurants in Chicago and one in Pittsburgh, he’s served as a popular pitchman for such companies as Coors and Charles Schwab. PFP negotiated his deal a couple of years ago with Circuit City, where he appeared alongside fellow Hall of Famer John Elway in a series of national print and tv ads.

Ditka was a popular player and even more popular coach for the Bears. In 10 season as head coach, he led the Bears to six NFC Central titles and three trips to the NFC Championship Game. He coached the Bears to the Super Bowl title in 1985-86.

Although not as high-profile on the national stage as Ditka, Hampton has also enjoyed success since his playing career ended. He’s the current host of the syndicated Pro Football Weekly as well as a local Chicago radio show on WSCR 670 The Score. He has served as pitchman for such companies as Chevrolet and Firestone and is currently spokesperson for Illinois Back Institute , a deal negotiated for him by PFP. He’s also a popular motivational speaker and makes personal appearances around the country meeting/greeting guests and signing autographs. In fact, just last week, he gave an uplifting speech at a high school function in the Chicago area.

Hampton spent his entire 12-year career with Chicago and is one of three Bears to play in three different decades. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and was named to the 1980’s All Decade Team. He finished his career ranked third all-time on the Bears for sacks and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982.19

Both Ditka and Hampton reside in the Chicago area.

If you need information for booking Mike Ditka or Dan Hamilton as your next speaker or for an appearance, endorsement, autograph signing or special event, request Mike Ditka or Dan Hamilton booking agent information from PFP Sports and Celebrity Talent Agency. PFP is a sports speakers bureau and top booking agent for sports stars, professional athletes, entertainers and celebrities. For more information call 800.966.1380

When companies and organizations contact me about booking football speakers but have a limited budget, there are any number of people I can recommend, including Ed “Too Tall” Jones, Dan Hampton and Roger Craig. Another person at the top of the list is former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Drew Pearson. I always tell my clients that Drew delivers a lot of bang for the buck. Not only is he polished and well-spoken, he’s also a very successful businessman who practices what he preaches.

Drew Pearson is a top motivational sports speaker who delivers

Pearson, signed by the Cowboys as a free agent out of Tulsa in 1973, became one of the most dominating wide receivers of his era and, along with Hall of Famer Roger Staubach, helped lead the Cowboys to three Super Bowl appearances and a victory in Super Bowl XII in 1978. He was a three-time All Pro, All-NFL in 1975 and second team All-NFC in 1978. Pearson led the NFC in pass receptions with 58 in 1976 and was the Cowboys’ offensive captain in 1977, 1978, 1982 and 1983. For his achievements, he was named one of the Top 20 All-Time Wide Receivers and was selected to the NFL 1970’s All-Decade Team.

Upon retirement, Pearson started his second career as a businessman. Today, he is Chairman of the Board of Drew Pearson Marketing, Inc., which is involved with the manufacturing and national distribution of officially licensed sports headwear for adults, women and children and also the distribution of licensed headwear and apparel internationally.

Pearson helped grow the company into one of the largest owned minority businesses in the United States and has received numerous awards and accolades as a result, including…

• 1999, Sporting Goods Representative of the Year – Rainbow Coalition
• 1999, Minority Vendor of the Year – K-Mart
• 1997, Minority Vendor of the Year – JC Penney
• 1994, 2nd fastest growing business in Dallas/Fort Worth/Fort Worth CEO Institute
• 1994, 20th largest black owned business in the US – Black Enterprise
• 1994, Company of the Year – Black Enterprise
• 1993, 15th largest black owned business in the US – Black Enterprise
• 1992, 40th largest black owned business in the US – Black Enterprise

In addition to his business and broadcast duties, Pearson travels the country as a motivational speaker to corporations, non-profits and football organizations. He also makes personal appearances where he meet/greets guests, signs autographs and poses for photos. He lives outside of Dallas.

If you would like to find out how to hire Drew Pearson, speaker  for an appearance, endorsement, autograph signing or special event, request Drew Pearson booking agent information from PFP Sports and Celebrity Talent Agency. PFP is a top celebrity booking agent for American Idols, entertainers, sports stars and celebrities.

The NFL is doing its part to raise awareness in the fight against breast cancer by supporting October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The league has placed pink on players’ shoes, gloves, arm bands and hats. There’s a pink ribbon on the field, pink towels on the bench and ribbons on the shirts of the referees. Coaches and game staff personnel will wear pink ribbon/NFL shield pins on the sidelines while the league and teams will run breast cancer awareness messages during the month with pregame and in-stadium initiatives.

NFL supports breast cancer awareness by turning pink

Although the NFL is a man’s game, many of its members have been touched by the disease, including…

• Brett Favre…Quarterback, Minnesota Vikings…Wife is a breast cancer survivor
• DeAngelo Williams…Running Back, Carolina Panthers…Mother is a breast cancer survivor
• Bradie James…Linebacker, Dallas Cowboys…Lost Mother to breast cancer
• Ronde Barber…Defensive Back, Tampa Bay Buccaneers…Mother is a breast cancer survivor
• Ryan Denney…Defensive End, Buffalo Bills…Mother is a breast cancer survivor

Brett Favre & wife Deanna

Along with Favre’s wife Deanna, arguably the most publicized case of breast cancer to hit the NFL family occurred when Hall of Fame coach Don Shula lost his wife Dorothy to the disease in 1991.

Said Miami Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter about wearing pink, “I’m more than comfortable with my manhood to wear pink shoes. I know we’re going to auction them off and send the money from the proceeds of that. So whatever I can do to help in that situation is good. And I think it’s a good cause.

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death among women. The National Breast Cancer Foundation estimates that each year more than 200,000 women will be diagnosed with the disease and 40,000 will die from it. Because the disease touches so many people, cancer survivors are popular speakers at fundraisers, survivor conferences, medical meetings, etc.

A couple of the more popular cancer speakers and breast cancer survivors are….

• Dorothy Hamill…The 1976 Olympic gold medal figure skater was diagnosed in 2008
• Ann Jillian…A three-time Emmy nominated and Golden Globe winning actress and singer, Jillian was diagnosed in 1985
• Robin Roberts…The ABC “Good Morning America” co-host and former ESPN anchor was diagnosed in 2007
• Peggy Fleming…The 1968 Olympic gold medal figure skater was diagnosed in 1998
• Marcia Wallace…The longtime actress best known for her role on “The Bob Newhart Show” was diagnosed in 1985
• Linda Ellerbee…The award-winning journalist was diagnosed in 1992
• Olivia Newton-John…The four time Grammy-winning singer was diagnosed in 1992

Cancer effects everyone in one form or another. It’s great to see the NFL use its platform to raise awareness and hopefully save lives in the process.

If you would like to find out how to hire  a cancer speaker for a speaking engagement, appearance, endorsement, autograph signing or special event, request cancer speaker booking agent information from PFP Sports and Celebrity Talent Agency. PFP is a top celebrity booking agent for athletes and celebrities.

There aren’t many things that make Bill Belichick cry. But when Tedy Bruschi recently announced his retirement, the robot-like coach was forced to choke back tears.

Ex New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi may be Patriots most popular player

Said Belichick, “I’ve had the privilege of coaching a lot of great players and leaders in the National Football League, and I’ll just put Tedy up there with all of them and above all of them. There’s no player that I think epitomizes more of what I believe a player should be on the field, off the field, really, in every situation.”

For a coach who shows very little emotion, it says a lot about Bruschi as a player and a person.

Bruschi was selected by the Patriots in the third round of the 1986 NFL draft and played his entire career with New England, a total of 13 seasons. He was part of nine playoff teams, eight division championships, five conference titles and three Super Bowl wins.

Bruschi’s toughness was personified after the 2005 Super Bowl. He was taken to the hospital after complaining about temporary numbness, blurred vision and headaches. He was diagnosed with a mild stroke and underwent several months of rehab. Incredibly, he was medically cleared on October 16, 2005, and played the following night against Buffalo. For his efforts, he was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week and went on to receive the 2005 NFL Comeback Player of the Year award.

His grit and determination is what endeared Bruschi to Boston sports fans and what makes him one of the all-time great Patriots along with the likes of Tom Brady, John Hannah and Andre Tippett. Bostonians love athletes who work hard and show a blue-collar mentality. Bruschi took great pride in spending his entire career with the Patriots. He once told the story how he visited Green Bay during free agency and could only think about how the Packers had defeated the Patriots in the Super Bowl. He knew within minutes he wasn’t going to sign with the Packers.

Bruschi loved to play football and it showed. His passion, energy and intensity was infectious and made everyone around him better. When you look at Super Bowl champions, every team is made up of unselfish players who lead by example. Bruschi was the anchor of a defense along with Rodney Harrison and Richard Seymour that was one of the most dominating of its era.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft summed it up best at the press conference announcing Bruschi’s retirement…”Tedy embodies everything we want the Patriot brand to stand for: hard work, perseverance, overachievement, and selfless commitment to team first. He’s handled every stage of his career with great class.”

Shortly after announcing his retirement, Bruschi joined ESPN as a football analyst. He’s also involved with various charitable causes and is a popular sports motivational speaker.

If you would like to find out how to hire Tedy Bruschi for a speaking engagement, appearance, endorsement, autograph signing or special event, request Tedy Bruschi booking agent information from PFP Sports and Celebrity Talent Agency. PFP is a top celebrity booking agent for sports speakers, entertainers, athlete appearances and celebrities.

The preliminary list of modern-era nominees for induction in 2010 in the Pro Football Hall was recently released and it’s loaded with big names. Headlining the list are Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith, two of the greatest players in NFL history.

NFL greats Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith are top contenders for the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Other nominees include Tim Brown, Herschel Walker, Andre Reed, Cris Carter, Sterling Sharp and former commissioner Paul Tagliabue.

Smith is the NFL’s all-time rushing leader. He is the only running back to ever win a Super Bowl championship, the NFL MVP award, the NFL rushing title and the Super Bowl MVP award in the same season. He is also one of four running backs to lead the NFL in rushing three or more consecutive seasons, joining Steve Van Buren, Jim Brown, and Earl Campbell.

Rice is considered the greatest wide receiver in NFL history and is the all-time leader in every major statistical category at his position. He was a 13-time Pro Bowler and won three Super Bowl titles with the San Francisco 49ers.

Walker enjoyed a long career with four teams, including two stints with the Dallas Cowboys.  In 12 NFL seasons, Walker gained 8,225 rushing yards, 4,859 receiving yards, and 5,084 kickoff-return yards. This gave him 18,168 total combined net yards, ranking him second among the NFL’s all-time leaders in total yardage at the time of his retirement.

They join two previously announced senior nominees, former Denver Broncos running back Floyd Little and Detroit Lions cornerback Dick LeBeau. For Little, the nomination was an emotional moment, one that he’s been waiting for a long time. My wife and I just looked at one another, and we both saw tears in our eyes,” Little said after hearing the news. “We talked about how my son Marc wrote a letter to The Denver Post 25 years ago, explaining my disappointment (with not being elected) and to ask, ‘Why?’ So after 25 years, it’s hard to believe this is happening.”

Little still needs to receive 80 percent of the votes for induction, but history is on his side. Since 1996, 16 of the 18 senior candidates nominated have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Little was one of the first great all-purpose backs in the NFL. When he retired in 1975 after playing his entire career with the Broncos, Little had amassed 6,323 yards rushing and was seventh all-time in rushing yards behind Jim Brown, Jim Taylor, Joe Perry, O.J. Simpson, Leroy Kelly, and John Henry Johnson.

The nomination list includes 131 players, coaches and contributors. The  25 semifinalists will be selected by November 27 and the 15 finalists by January 7. Voting will take place on February 6, the day before the Super Bowl.

PFP Sports and Celebrity Talent Agency is a top sports speakers bureau and booking agent for sports speakers,  football speakers, athlete appearances and endorsements. For more information call 800.966.1380

With the NFL season upon us, there are numerous interesting story lines. The question is how will some of the NFL teams fare in the 2009-2010 season. NFL teams like the Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots and Dallas Cowboys are just a few of the most intriguing story lines.

Tony Romo, QB for Dallas Cowboys and Kurt Warner, QB for AZ Cardinals

• How will the Denver Broncos fare? The Broncos have never had an offseason filled with such turmoil as this one. It began when Josh McDaniels was named to succeed Mike Shanahan as head coach. Soon after, All-Pro quarterback Jay Cutler was traded to the Chicago Bears. And most recently, Brandon Marshall was suspended for the last couple weeks of the pre-season for conduct detrimental to the team. It will be interesting to see how the team reacts to all the adversity. Will Kyle Orton perform at a high level and become a local hero like John Elway? Will Marshall settle down and play like he’s capable? There are a few bright spots. Eddie Royal is one of the best young wide receivers in the league. Veteran Brian Dawkins joins future Hall of Famer Champ Bailey in the secondary. And Ryan Clady is as good a left tackle as there is.

• How will Terrell Owens do in Buffalo? The Bills are desperate to improve a franchise that hasn’t made the playoffs since 1999 and picked up TO during the offseason for what I believe will prove to be a bad move. The season has barely started and TO is already complaining about the offense. He proved at his last two stops – Dallas and Philly – that he’s not a team player. If it’s not about TO all the time, he’s not happy. And the Bills quarterback, Trent Edwards, isn’t nearly as talented as TO’s previous two quarterbacks – Tony Romo and Donovan McNabb.

• Will the Arizona Cardinals reach the Super Bowl again?  The Cardinals had an amazing run last year, one that no one could have predicted. Thanks to the leadership of Kurt Warner, the Cardinals won the NFL West with a 9-7  record and got red-hot in the playoffs. They became only the second team with a 9-7 regular season record to reach the Super Bowl. Most of their team remains intact this year. Besides Warner, they return the best wide receiver tandem in the league in Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldon.

• Has the New England Patriots dominance come to an end? A lot of people think so. Quarterback Tom Brady returns from a season-ending injury and the Patriots lost a couple of team-leaders…Rodney Harrison, Tedy Bruschi and Richard Seymour. The Patriots also lost quarterback Matt Cassell, who played exceptionally well in Brady’s absence last season. The addition of veterans Joey Galloway and Fred Taylor will help but the team’s success will fall squarely on the shoulders of Brady.

• How will the Dallas Cowboys fare? Last year was a major disappointment for Cowboys fans. Too many distractions and inconsistent play resulted in a 8-8 season. Terrell Owens and Pacman Jones, two of the major distractions a year ago, are gone. The team enjoys arguably the deepest running back corps in the league with Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice.  Besides Romo’s performance, which is always scrutinized, the biggest question mark this year will be the defense. They lost veteran Greg Ellis and almost the entire secondary, so a return to the glory eras of Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman isn’t going to happen this season.

PFP Sports and Celebrity Talent Agency is a speakers bureau and top booking agent for football speakers, athlete appearances and endorsements. For more information call 800.966.1380

Brett Favre won his debut in Minnesota as the Vikings beat Cleveland 34-20 behind Adrian Peterson’s 180 rushing yards and three touchdowns. The opening game, Minnesota vs Cleveland, has been billed as the Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson Show.

Brett Favre passes to Sidney Rice Vikings vs Browns Sept 13, 2009 (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

“I haven’t played with an offense like this,” Favre said. “It starts with 28 [Peterson], but I’ll tell you what — that offensive line is pretty impressive.”

Erik Kramer & Brian Webber of FOXsports Online OT recap Brett Favre Viking’s debut, show highlights and more. Watch video.

If you would like to find out how to hire Brett Favre or other NFL players for a speaking engagement, appearance, endorsement, autograph signing or special event, request Brett Favre booking agent information from PFP Sports and Celebrity Talent Agency. PFP is a top speakers bureau and booking agent for sports speakers, football speakers, athlete appearances, endorsemnt deals, celebrities and corporate entertainment.