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Posts Tagged ‘Joe Montana Booking Agent’

I’ve been fortunate to have attended many great sporting events over the years. With the Super Bowl fast approaching, let’s take a look at the Top 10 events which I believe every avid sports fan should see in-person.

10. British Open - For the serious golfer, a trip to St. Andrews is a pilgrimage to where golf began. Many of golf’s greatest moments have occurred at the British Open, including last year’s near-win by Tom Watson.

9. Red Sox vs. Yankees – You can argue about the greatest rivalry in sports, but I don’t think anyone can argue that the Yankees vs. Red Sox is at or near the top. The fans hate each other and the atmosphere is electric, especially late in the season if the games mean something.

8. Army vs. Navy – Maybe this isn’t the BCS title game, but the pageantry surrounded this classic rivalry and the emotions it stirs is something very unique.

7. World Cup – In almost every country except the U.S., soccer is the most popular sport and the World Cup is the culminating event. This summer’s World Cup in South Africa promises to be the most watched event in tv sports history.

6. World Series - The World Series is special given its history. Be lucky enough to catch a game at either Fenway Park or Yankees Stadium and you’ll be treated to a very special experience.

5. Kentucky Derby – Even if you’re not a horse racing fan, the Kentucky Derby is a fun event to attend. It’s a spectacle, from women wearing the big hats to the Mint Juleps (which, by the way, I think taste horrible).

4. Final Four – The NCAA basketball tournament is the best tournament in American sports. And the excitement level reaches a fever-pitch at the Final Four with teams vying for a spot in the Monday finals. And if you’re team happens to be one of the remaining four, it’s an experience you’ll never forget.

3. Stanley Cup Game 7 – Even though I’m not much of a hockey fan, I’m hard pressed to find a more exciting sporting event than a game 7 Stanley Cup final. The excitement and intensity level is unrivaled.

2. Super Bowl - Nothing compares to the Super Bowl in terms of the hype. It’s almost become a national holiday with tens of millions of viewers tuning in. Add in all the events and the chance to rub shoulders with greats such as John Elway and Joe Montana, and everyone should attend at least one.

1. Masters – This is my favorite event. You have to pinch yourself the first time you enter the hallowed grounds of Augusta National. It’s more beautiful in person than you can ever see on tv. And there’s nothing like following the leaders through Amen Corner on Sunday.

Kurt Warner

People often ask me who my favorite athletes are to deal with. I always give them the same answer…there are a lot of great guys, far too many to mention. But definitely high on the list is Kurt Warner, the quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals.

A lot of athletes change over the years due to their success and wealth. Not Warner. He’s the same guy today as he was 10 years ago. He’s a devout Christian, a big family guy and very philanthropic. In fact, a couple of weeks ago, he traveled to his hometown of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to assist Habitat For Humanity in rebuilding more than 20 homes for families that had been affected by the devastating floods of 2008. He wasn’t there for just a photo-op – he got his hands dirty and worked hard like everyone else.

Warner has enjoyed a rags-to-riches career that couldn’t have been scripted any better by a Hollywood director.

After finishing his college career at Northern Iowa, Warner attended the Green Bay Packers training camp in 1994 but was released before the regular season began. It was at this point that he famously stocked shelves at a Hy-Vee grocery store in Cedar Falls, Iowa for $5.50 an hour. With no NFL teams calling, Warner played for the Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena Football League beginning in 1995. He was named to the AFL’s All-Arena first team in both 1996 and 1997 as he led the Barnstormers to Arena Bowl appearances in both seasons.

In 1998, Kurt Warner was signed by the St. Louis Rams and was allocated to the Amsterdam Admirals of NFL Europe, where he led the league in touchdowns and passing yards. Going into the 1999 season, Warner was the Rams backup quarterback but took over the starting job when Trent Green was sidelined with an injury. The rest, as they say, is history. Warner put together one of the greatest seasons by a quarterback in NFL history, throwing for 4,353 yards with 41 touchdown passes and a completion rate of 65.1%. He went onto lead the Rams to a Super Bowl victory over the Tennessee Titans and was named both the Super Bowl MVP and NFL MVP. He became the sixth player to win both awards in the same year, joining Bart Starr, Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana, Emmitt Smith and Steve Young.

In 2001, Kurt Warner enjoyed another career year when he led the Rams to the Super Bowl and won his second NFL MVP award. For the next several years, his career was up and down. However, last year, he returned to old form when he led the Cardinals to their first division title since 1975 and first-ever Super Bowl appearance. He recently re-signed with the Cardinals for two more years and will likely be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame after he retires.

Away from the gridiron, he’s a much sought-after Christian speaker and sports motivational speaker.

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

Ask 20 sports fan who’s the greatest player in a particular sport and you’re likely get 20 different answers. One of my favorite discussions revolves around the greatest living quarterback. There are a number of worthy candidates like Troy Aikman, Steve Young, Brett Favre and Tom Brady, but in my opinion, the argument boils down to three – John Elway, Dan Marino and Joe Montana.

I believe the first criteria is to look at the number of Super Bowls each have won – Montana won four, Elway two and Marino none (Marino lost his only Super Bowl appearance to Montana’s 49ers in Super Bowl XIX).

Secondly, I look at their statistics. Joe Montana was an 8-time All-Pro and is the only quarterback to have been named Super Bowl MVP three times. He holds the record for most consecutive games with 300 or more passing yards and led the NFC in passing five times. He also holds the second highest career pass completion record, the third lowest interception record and the third highest number of seasons with 3,000 or more passes.

John Elway was a 9-time All-Pro and is the only quarterback to have started five Super Bowls. He ranks third all-time in passing attempts, yards and completions. His 148 wins rank second for a quarterback and he holds the record for most game-winning or game-tying drives in the fourth quarter with 47.

Dan Marino was a 9-time All-Pro. He’s holds the NFL record for most yards passing in a season with 5,084 and most seasons with 3,000 or more yards passing with 13. He’s ranked second in career yards passing with 61,361 and most career touchdown passes with 420.

Lastly, I like to look at their supporting cast. Montana had one of the most potent offenses in NFL history, including Jerry Rice,  Roger Craig, Tom Rathman, Brent Jones and Dwight Clark.

Similarly, Elway had future Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe and NFL MVP Terrell Davis along with an offensive line anchored by Hall of Famer Gary Zimmerman.

Dan Marino had two powerful offensive weapons in wide receivers Mark Clayton and Mark Duper but he never had a powerful running game to balance his offense like Montana and Elway.

So who’s the greatest among those three? That’s like asking whether you prefer filet mignon or lobster. But for my money, I’ll take Elway. If the game was on the line and you needed a clutch performance, he’d be my choice.