Which NFL Greats Will Be Inducted Into the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

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. ... Read More

How Will Broncos, Bills, Cardinals, Patriots, Cowboys Do In NFL 2009 Season?

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. ... Read More

Bart Starr, Archie Manning, Dan Fouts, Roger Staubach Where Are They Now

It’s always interesting for me to hear what athletes are up to after their playing careers have ended. Today I’ll take a look at four quarterback greats.

Bart Starr

Then…Bart Starr was quarterback for the Green Bay Packers from 1956-71, winning five NFL Championships and named MVP of the first two Super Bowls. He earned four Pro Bowl selections and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977. After his playing career, Starr was the head coach of the Packers for nine seasons from 1975–83 and compiled a 52–76–3 record.

Now…Today, Starr resides in Alabama and runs Healthcare Realty Management. He is co-founder of the Rawhide Boys Ranch, a place which assists boys in trouble. He’s also a popular sports motivational speaker.

Archie Manning

Then…Archie Manning played for the New Orleans Saints from  1971 – 82. In 1972 he led the league in pass attempts and completions, and in 1978, he was named the NFC Player Of The Year by UPI. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1978 and 1979. He went on to conclude his career with the Houston Oilers (1982-1983). He ended his 13-year career having completed 2,011 of 3,642 passes for 23,911 yards and 125 touchdowns. His 2,011 completions ranked 17th in NFL history upon his retirement.

Now…Today, Manning is best known as the father of NFL stars Payton and Eli. He resides in New Orleans and travels around the country as a sports motivational speaker. He’s also served as a spokesperson for numerous companies, including UPS and Mastercard.

Dan  Fouts

Then…One of the most prolific passers in NFL history, Dan Fouts led the NFL in passing yards four times and ended his career with 40,000 yards, the third player to surpass that mark. He led the Chargers to the playoffs from 1979 – 82 and twice to the AFC Championship. His career high of 4,802 passing yards during the 1981 season was an NFL record at the time. He was a six-time Pro Bowl selection and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993.

Now…Fouts lives in Oregon and has enjoyed a successful college and NFL broadcasting career with CBS, ABC and ESPN. He was an analyst on Monday Night Football alongside Al Michaels and Dennis Miller for two seasons beginning in 2000.

Roger Staubach

Then…After an illustrious career at Navy in which he won the 1963 Heisman Trophy, Roger Staubach helped the Cowboys become “America’s Team”. He led the Cowboys to four Super Bowl appearances, its first title in 1972 and a second one in 1978. He was named MVP of the 1972 Super Bowl and became the first of four players to win both the Heisman Trophy and Super Bowl MVP. When he retired in 1980, Staubach was the highest rated passer of all time at 83.4. The six-time Pro Bowler was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.

Now…Staubach has enjoyed as much success off the field as he did on it. Residing in Dallas, he started The Staubach Company, one of the largest commercial real estate companies in the country. He served as CEO of the multi-billion dollar company until he stepped down in 2007. The next year, the company was sold to Jones Lang LaSalle for $613 million.

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

Is Tim Tebow The Greatest College Player Ever?

With the college football season right around the corner, one thing is guaranteed – people are once again talking about Tim Tebow, the quarterback for the Florida Gators. If you listen to the media, Tebow is too good to be true. Not only is he a talented football player, he’s also incredibly humble, very philanthropic and just an all-around good guy.

I was watching tv a couple of weeks ago and heard a journalist jokingly report that Tebow had just counted to infinity twice. That’s the superman-like persona he’s acquired.

On the football field, it’s hard to argue with his greatness. In his three years at Florida, he’s won two NCAA National Championships, won the Heisman Trophy in 2007 and is a two-time All-American. He’s also won the Maxwell Award as the nation’s top collegiate player twice, one of only two players to achieve that feat. ... Read More

Kurt Warner is a Sought After Christian Speaker and Motivational Speaker

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

Deion Sanders Scores High Marks As Motivational Speaker

Professional athletes all have a special talent that very few people possess. Still others have a talent that can just be described as a freak of nature. A few athletes come to mind – two-sport stars Bo Jackson and Brian Jordan and baseball Hall of Famer Dave Winfield, who was drafted by all three major sports out of college. But one of the best was without a doubt Deion Sanders.

Nicknamed “Prime Time” during his All-America football days at Florida State, Deion  is the only athlete to have ever played in both a Super Bowl and World Series. He is considered one of the greatest cover cornerbacks ever. He played for the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins and Baltimore Ravens, winning the Super Bowl with the 49ers and Cowboys. He was a nine-time All-Pro and was named to the 1990’s NFL All-Decade Team.

In Major League Baseball, he played a nine-year, part-time career, participating in 641 games with four teams – the New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants. During the 1989 season, he became the first player in history to hit a home run and score a touchdown in the same week.

Deion was considered a better football player than baseball player. His reputation was so great that opposing offensive coordinators almost always specifically accounted for him in their game plan.[He was widely known to shut down “his” half of the field, causing most quarterbacks to essentially ignore the receiver he was covering. He allegedly ran a 4.16 in the 40-yard dash, making him the second fastest in the NFL to Darrell Green.

Deion also occasionally played offense. He and Bill Dudley are the only players in NFL history to score a touchdown six different ways – interception return, punt return, kickoff return, receiving, rushing and a fumble recovery.

Deion will mostly be remembered by his “Prime Time” persona and for “high-stepping” it into the end zone followed by his touchdown dance celebrations. The interesting thing about “Prime Time” was that it was just a marketing ploy. He used it to become not only a fan favorite but also one of the highest-paid athletes of his time.

Deion had some difficult times in the late 1990’s that led to him becoming born-again and an ordained minister. He also wrote an interesting book published in 1998  entitled “Power, Money & Sex: How Success Almost Ruined My Life.”

Today, Deion is a analyst for the NFL Network. He’s also an a highly-acclaimed Christian Speaker and motivational sports speaker. I recently hired him to speak at a client’s sales meeting and he received higher ratings for his speech than any other speaker.

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

Gale Sayers Is One of Our Top Cancer Speakers Says Booking Agency

I recently hired Chicago Bears Hall of Famer Gale Sayers for a speaking engagement and was reminded of Brian’s Song, one of the most touching movies ever made and something that many people are reminded of when they think of Gale.

The 1971 made-for-television movie told the story of Sayers friendship with teammate Brian Piccolo, a relationship that shattered racial boundaries during a time of racial tension. Piccolo played four seasons with the Bears and, in 1969, began coughing early in the season. On November 16 in Atlanta, after scoring a fourth-quarter touchdown in a 48-31 loss to the Falcons, Piccolo removed himself from the plane, bothered by a persistent cough and chest pains.

Two days later, a chest x-ray discovered a tumor in his lungs. He underwent surgery to remove the malignant tumor on November 28, at which time the doctor discovered the cancer had spread. Piccolo began chemotherapy treatments and spent Christmas at home. In April of 1970 his left lung and left breast were removed. ... Read More

Is Bo Jackson The Greatest Two Sport Star?

I recently did an event with Bo Jackson, which brought back fond memories of watching this great athlete compete. Bo was the classic two-sport star, a near impossible feat given the fact that just a handful of professional athletes have accomplished it successfully. Nike immortalized Bo with its “Bo Knows” campaign in 1989, which showed him excelling in a variety of sports, including tennis, golf, luge, auto racing and even playing blues music with Bo Diddley.

Bo’s legend started in college. In 1985, he won the Heisman Trophy while at Auburn and is considered one of the greatest players ever to play college football. In 2007, he ranked #8 on ESPN’s list of the Top 25 Players In College Football History. During his career at Auburn, he rushed for 4,303 yards, which puts him fourth all-time in rushing yards in the SEC behind Herschel Walker. Bo went on to play football for the Oakland Raiders and baseball for the Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox and California Angels. He was the first player selected to All-Star teams in two sports.

I grew up in Memphis and recall going to see Bo play for the Memphis Chicks, the Royals AA affiliate. He was a man among boys and made the game look easy. I wasn’t at the game, but as legend has it, Bo hit a towering home run over the left field fence that not only cleared the ballpark but also the executive offices and a grove of trees. Some estimates put the distance at 600 feet!

Another play I’ll never forget was a Monday Night Football game in 1987 when he ran over Seattle Seahawks linebacker Brian Bosworth on his way to a MNF-record 221 rushing performance.

And still another famous “Bo Moment” happened in 1990 against the Baltimore Orioles when he performed his famous “wall run”, which occurred when he caught a ball just a couple of yards away from the wall. As he caught the ball at full speed, Bo looked up and noticed the wall and began to run up the wall, one leg reaching higher as he ascended. He ran along the wall almost parallel to the ground and ultimately came down with the ball.

Unfortunately, Bo suffered a hip injury during a NFL playoff game against the Cincinnati Bengals in 1991. The injury ended his football career and seriously threatened his baseball career. Following surgery and rehabilitation on his injured hip, it was discovered that he had avascular necrosis. This caused deterioration of the femoral head, ultimately requiring that the hip be replaced. Bo played another couple of baseball seasons but lost much of the speed that made his so good.

Today, Bo lives in the Chicago area and is a busy motivational sports speaker and successful businessmen. He’s part-owner of a bank and sports facility.

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

Motivational Speaker Jim Morris Gets Rave Reviews

Looking to book a speaker who can inspire, motivate and captivate your audience? If so, you should consider Jim Morris as your next speaker.  Considered one of the top motivational speakers on the circuit today, Jim Morris gets rave reviews for his appearances wherever he goes.

Jim’s story was the inspiration for the movie “The Rookie”, a Disney blockbuster released in 2004 that starred Randy Quaid. The movie won an ESPY for Sports Film of the Year. Sports Illustrated also voted it one of the five greatest baseball movies of all-time.

Jim’s childhood dream of becoming a major leaguer was cut short cut short due to injuries and, admittedly, a lack of maturity. Eleven years after his retirement from baseball, Jim bet the high school baseball team he was coaching that if they won the District Championship, he would try out for a major league team. As they say, the rest is history. Jim’s team won the District Championship, he threw 12 consecutive pitches at 98 mph during a tryout and was signed by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Three months later in front of family and his high school team, Jim achieved his dream and struck out All-Star Royce Clayton with a 98 mph fastball.

Jim’s speech resonates with a range of audiences. As a testament to his broad appeal, below are a few examples of recent events where Jim has appeared…

–  As a Christian speaker, he spoke at a church’s Easter weekend services in California, sharing his faith and story.

–  As an inspirational speaker, he spoke at school fundraiser in Tennessee that raised money to build a baseball field

–  As a motivational speaker, he spoke at a sales meeting in Iowa attended by high-level executives of a major corporation.

Jim can tailor his message to the audience. Among Jim’s speaking topics are…

  • Never Giving Up on a Dream
  • Finding a Mentor and Becoming a Leader
  • Taking Advantage of Second Chances
  • Remembering Who You Are
  • Keeping Your Promises
  • Learning How to Laugh at Yourself

Below is a recent email I received from a satisfied client…“He was excellent. There were many compliments!!  The group really enjoyed his message He had them laughing. Thanks so much.  He really delivered!  Just right for my audience.”

Jonathan Wexler is a sports and celebrity  booking agent for PFP Sports and Celebrity Talent Agency.  If you  are interest in booking Jim Morris for a speaking engagement, appearance or endorsement, please contact us at 800.966.1380.

Gale Sayers Speaker Appearance Delivers Positive Message Says Booking Agency

Football fans young and old are inspired and motivated by legendary football great Gales Sayers. As a popular motivational speaker for corporations and worthy causes, Sayers always delivers a positive message and image as well as giving solid advice. NFL Hall of Famer, Gale Sayers exhibits pride, poise, leadership, dedication and loyalty all traits one can aspire to. Businesses and organizations looking for a speaker with leadership, team building, sales and motivational skills will find all of these qualities in Gale Sayers. 

PFP Sports and Celebrity Talent Agency, has access to Gale Sayers speaker and appearance schedule.

Known as the original “magic” man of professional sports, Gale Sayers made football history and touched the lives of millions of Americans. As the Chicago Bears’ legendary number 40, Sayers was NFL Rookie of the Year in 1965 and scored a record six touchdowns in one game. After only three years in the NFL, he was voted the best halfback of the first 50 years of professional football. He was also the youngest player ever to be inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame. He went on to write the popular book, I Am Third, which was made into the movie Brian’s Song, depicting the relationship between Gale and Brian Piccolo, who died of cancer. The title of the book is Gale Sayers’ philosophy of life: “The Lord is first; my family and friends are second; and I am third.”

Following an incredible football career with the Chicago Bears, Sayers began another successful career in business following the same principals he used on the field. Gale Sayers is President/CEO of Sayers Computer Source, a company he and his wife Ardythe founded in 1984. The business was launched after a successful career in athletic administration and sports marketing. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education and a Masters of Science degree in Education Administration from the University of Kansas. Although his technology business is his first priority, Sayers finds time to do motivational speaking engagements and appearances for many worthwhile causes.

In 1999, Sayers was inducted into the Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame, and was named an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. In addition, Kansas University School of Education recently unveiled the Gale Sayers Microcomputer Center in Pearson Hall – an inspiration to generations of students and visitors of his dedication to education.

Gale Sayers also serves on the Board of Directors of Triad Hospitals, which manages healthcare facilities in the south and southwestern United States, and American Century Mutual Funds, located in Kansas City.

If you are interested in booking Gale Sayers for an event, contact Gale Sayers agent for speaker and appearance information. PFP Sports and Celebrity Booking Agent can make that happen. We have the expertise to handle all the Gale Sayers speaker and appearance scheduling for you.