Catholic Sports Radio

He holds the NAIA baseball career batting average record with a .480 career average while in college. He had played basketball and baseball for four years in high school before going on to play baseball at both Creighton University and St. Mary of the Plains College. After graduation, he was a graduate assistant at Ft. Hays State University and then a head assistant baseball coach at St. Mary of the Plains College. In addition to playing and coaching collegiate baseball he officiated high school football, basketball, and baseball, AND college (JUCO & NAIA) baseball and basketball. He also served on the executive committee for his local youth baseball league for ten years and started a non-profit organization to support the travel high school basketball team. His faith initiatives are just as extensive, if not more so, than all he has done with sports, including having been president of Ave Maria University, plus having a new book out that draws heavily from incorporating his Catholic faith into the business world and having gone through a major life tragedy.

He is the Assistant Head Coach of the football team at Detroit Catholic Central High School, where he has been on the staff since 2008. Along the way he coached in two State Championship games and, prior to his promotion this year to his current role, had been promoted to Defensive Coordinator in 2018. He was an Undergraduate Assistant Coach at The University of Michigan from 2003-2005, and as a student-athlete playing for Detroit Catholic Central, he was a member of back-to-back state championship teams. He holds a B.S. in Physical Education from The University of Michigan and his father is in multiple Halls of Fame as a football coach.

He has trained in bodybuilding, Brazilian jiu jitsu, boxing, Jeet Kune Do, powerlifting, the Scottish Highland Games, and is currently going for hybrid athlete. He is the author of a book called, "Ten Commandments of Lifting Weights." On the faith side, he has a Master's in Theology from Holy Apostles College and Seminary, and earlier this year was named the Director of Extension Strategy at Benedictine College, which has been named one of the top Catholic colleges in the nation by First Things magazine and the Newman Guide. Previously he had served as the Director of the Word on Fire Institute.

He was a three-sport athlete in high school before going on to Siena Heights University, where he was on the baseball roster for two years. He was a CYO Athletic Director and coached basketball at two Catholic schools. At a different Catholic high school, he was the Athletic Director, before moving on to Associate Director of the Detroit Catholic High School League. He has also served as Chairperson (Lead Driver) of No Sports on Sunday in the Archdiocese of Detroit and is a Certified Play Like a Champion Sports Ministry Coach and Parent presenter. He's the Athletics and Student Services Coordinator for the Archdiocese of Detroit in the Department of Catholic Schools.

He spent almost four years as the Public Relations Manager for Major League Baseball's Detroit Tigers. That followed stints as the University of Houston's Assistant Sports Information Director, the University of South Alabama's Assistant Sports Information Director, and the University of Georgia's Sports Information Assistant. He currently serves as an Official Scorer with Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres, a role he also held with the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros. He has umpired Little League Baseball, has coached youth soccer and baseball, and, back in his days as a student-athlete, played baseball and wrestled. On the faith side, he is the Director of Development for Catholic Answers, and serves as the backup host for their live radio show.

He is a pro basketball player competing in Israel in the Basketball Champions League for a team called Hapoel Holon B.C. He has also played for teams in Denmark, the Czech Republic, France, and Spain, after having played at both the University of Wyoming and Central Wyoming College. In his final season with the University of Wyoming he earned a number of honors and was profiled in the USA Today. After college he played for the Denver Nuggets' NBA Summer League team. He had enjoyed a successful career as high school basketball player, culminating with being named First Team All-Continental League as a senior.

He is in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach as well as for being an assistant coach with the 1992 Olympic "Dream Team." He played in the NBA for four teams over 15 years and was a nine-time All-Star and would later be named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history. Before ending his playing career, he took on the role of player-coach with two different teams. As a full-time coach, he guided the Seattle Supersonics -- winning a championship in 1978-79 -- and then the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Atlanta Hawks, the Toronto Raptors, and the New York Knicks. In the midst of all that, he also coached the U.S. men's basketball team to a gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. He also served for nine years as vice president of the National Basketball Players Association, served as president of the NBA Coaches Association, held a number of jobs in the Supersonics' front office, and served as a game analyst on basketball television broadcasts. He also wrote an autobiography called, "Unguarded: My Forty Years Surviving in the NBA."

He was a nationally ranked All-Ivy League wrestler at the University of Pennsylvania AND he was an assistant wrestling coach at Springfield College. He is a certified School Psychologist, Personal Trainer and Nutritionist, and, along with his brother he now runs Wrestling Mindset, to help wrestlers reach their full potential in wrestling, school and life. He has two master's degrees, including one in Sports Psychology, and his master's degree thesis has been published in the International Journal of Wrestling Sciences. On the faith side, he is the founder of Spiritual Strength, whose aim is "building the total athlete for Christ." And his book, "Spiritual Strength: Building the Total Athlete for Christ," was reviewed and endorsed by Cardinal Burke.

She is a skier, participating in downhill, cross-country, and waterski as well as snowboarding. At the University of Michigan, she had competed in giant slalom, which followed her junior high and high school years when she ran the mile in track, half mile, and the 2-mile, for a combined total of six years in track, including lettering in track and field. Plus, she even did three years on the swim team in junior high. She is a mom of a large Catholic family yet still ice skates, swims, and hikes. She is also a blogger and the author of a book called, "God Made the Moonlight."

He was an NBA first round draft pick, being chosen 20th overall by the Seattle Supersonics, playing two seasons with them and then eight with the Denver Nuggets. During that time, he earned an NBA All-Defensive Second Team honor and would go on to serve as an assistant coach with the Charlotte Hornets and the Atlanta Hawks before becoming the head coach of the Denver Nuggets. He had played his college basketball at Notre Dame, helping lead the Fighting Irish to the Final Four, and was selected for the 1980 U.S. Men's Olympic Team, although they did not compete due to the Americans' boycott of the Moscow Games. Many years later he received a Congressional Medal of Honor created especially for those athletes. Present day he does pre- and post-game TV for the Denver Nuggets game broadcasts, and he is the CEO and Co-Founder of the Gold Crown Foundation, a non-profit whose tagline is, "Preparing kids for the game of life."

Back in his days as a student-athlete, after having played for the well-known Rockhurst High School, he attended Missouri Western State University on a four-year football scholarship and would go on to be inducted into their Hall of Fame. He was also selected as the Missouri Western 25th Anniversary Scholar-Athlete Award by the university in 2001. Later in life he would serve as the Kansas City Chiefs Team Dentist for 23 years. Meanwhile, he was ordained as a Deacon in the Diocese of Kansas City-St Joseph, but is currently assigned to the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas. Concentrating much of his efforts in the Ministry of Respect Life issues, alongside two other non-profits that he is a part of, he has co-founded a 501(c)3 called Deacons of Hope, aimed at organizing the Ministries of Deacons into a community of Deacons who emphasize pro-life initiatives. It has even gotten the seal of approval from the Vatican and Deacons of Hope aims to reach Deacons and parishes around the U.S., if not internationally too.

She was a late bloomer athletically, save for one sport that she competed in during her high school years. In her adult life she discovered bodybuilding and fell in love with the discipline of the sport and continues to this day to train like an athlete. She became a certified Personal Trainer and helps others not be intimidated by the weight room and think of themselves as athletes in training. However, the sport they are training is the race of life itself. The story that she tells at the end of this interview might just be the strongest part of her testimony! (UPDATE: Since this interview was recorded, sadly, Dr. Kevin Vost passed away. He is mentioned in the second half of this episode in conjunction with an event that was being planned for later this year.)

Providing some emotional testimony in the second half of this episode, he'd won eight consecutive state championships and nine overall as the volleyball coach at Marysville High School in Michigan where he had three consecutive undefeated seasons, registering 192 straight wins. He won 20 consecutive district and regional championships and over ten seasons had an amazing won-lost record of 584-9. In 2015 he was inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He coached three sports for 27 consecutive years at Marysville, and all together, he coached football, girls basketball, boys basketball, track & field, and volleyball. He is the author of a book titled, "Coaching 100 Days With Jesus."

He was chosen one year ago this month in the third round of the National Football League Draft, 72nd overall by the Seattle Seahawks. He is an offensive tackle who appeared in all but one of Seattle's 17 games this past season and was named to the All-Rookie Team. He also played his college football there in the Pacific Northwest, having been a four-year starter at right tackle for Washington State, starting 42 consecutive games. He was the first Cougars offensive lineman in program history to earn All-Pac-12 Conference honors four times and would go on to play in the Senior Bowl. During his student-athlete days in high school he was named All-USA Washington second-team by USA Today.

He has been a professional mountain runner, winning the Pikes Peak Marathon in back-to-back years (2020 and 2021). He also competed for the United States at the World Mountain Running Championships in Argentina in 2019. And he continues to train for road marathons and ultra marathons, with the hopes of qualifying for the 2024 marathon Olympic Trials. Collegiately he had competed for the University of Colorado and helped contribute to National Championships in cross country. After graduating from there he went on to start a Catholic apostolate after graduation called "One Billion Stories," which he talks about here.

He was drafted in the first round, twelfth overall, by the Cleveland Cavaliers and went on to play ten seasons in the NBA, playing for Washington, Seattle, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Houston, Atlanta, and the New York Knicks. He had been on the NIT Champion University of Michigan basketball team and was named the NIT MVP. Earlier he had been a McDonalds All-American. In addition to being a longtime color analyst on ESPN, he has worked as a consultant with NBA players over the last two decades teaching strategies to improve performance and achieve greatness. He also runs the NBA Players Association's TOP 100 Basketball Camp for the elite 100 high school players in the nation.

He is an offensive lineman who has played seven seasons in the NFL, most recently with the Cincinnati Bengals. He was a sixth-round pick by the New England Patriots in the 2016 National Football League Draft and spent five of his first six seasons with New England, including being on two Super Bowl-winning teams with the Patriots. In 2020 he appeared in all 16 games as a member of the Miami Dolphins. As a student-athlete he had started 43 games during a career at the University of Illinois, including being team captain in his senior year, 2015, and in high school he helped his team to two state titles. On the faith side, he will be a speaker this coming weekend at the National Men's Conference in Cincinnati.

He has competed in a variety of strength sports including Olympic weightlifting, bodybuilding, powerlifting, Highland Games Heavy Athletics, and team tug-of-war competitions. He worked as a weightlifting and fitness instructor in college and has written several articles for fitness magazines and four books on strength training. His most recent book from 2022 is "You Are That Temple! A Catholic Guide to Health and Holiness," and in total he has written twenty-seven books for Catholic publishers on a variety of topics. Although retired, he continues to do heavy strength training almost every day.

He has been a coach in the National Football League for 26 seasons, including serving as Senior Defensive Assistant with the Cincinnati Bengals for the last four seasons. Previously he was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for three seasons, which had been preceded by two years on the coaching staff of the Miami Dolphins, after having spent eight years with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He also worked with the Green Bay Packers and has come full circle as his NFL coaching career started with Cincinnati in 1997. Prior to the NFL, he coached 22 years in the college ranks, including 11 as a head coach. Back in his days as a student-athlete he played college football at William & Mary and would later be inducted into the school's hall of fame. On the faith side, he will be a speaker later this month at the National Men's Conference. LISTEN IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE SHOW FOR WHAT AT ONE TIME HE WANTED TO BE AT SOME POINT IN HIS LIFE!

He is one of the greatest middle-distance runners in American history and currently serves as the Head Coach for Track & Field/Cross Country at Ave Maria University. He is a three-time United States champion in the 1500-meter run and represented the United States in the event in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. Prior to his current role he made coaching stops at the University of Virginia, Portland State University, and the University of Arkansas Little Rock. Following his retirement from competitive running, he became a successful triathlete, ranking in the top 100 in the world in the International Triathlon Union World Triathlon Series in 2015. In his early days he was even a successful youth swimmer.

He is three months shy of the ten-year anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. He is Parochial Administrator at Annunciation BVM Parish in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Back in his days as a student-athlete he attended Kutztown University on an athletic scholarship and, as a pole vaulter, won the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship. In high school he had been an All-State pole vaulting champion when he graduated in 2003.

He is the founder of the largest Catholic-focused talent agency in the world. The clients he works with are men and women across numerous sports, with him having started the company back in 2006. He is also the founder of the National Catholic Men's Conference. Back in his days as a student athlete he played basketball at La Salle High School in the Greater Catholic League South, which ESPN has called the most competitive high school sports league in the country. Since his playing days he has done both refereeing and coaching in basketball. Stay to the end to hear about his connection to a game that is a historic moment in Major League Baseball history.

He has raced in 25 marathons since 1990. Over a twenty-ONE-year span, he was the fastest person on every base he was stationed -- nine assignments -- based on the Air Force aerobic fitness test (1.5 miles), and in 2010 he was the Scott Air Force Base Athlete of the Year, chosen out of 3,500 airmen. From 2007-2009 at the U.S. Air Force Academy, he coached the cadet marathon team and competed. Previously at the Academy, as a cadet athlete, he coached the squadron boxing and cross-country teams to the Academy championship. Back in his high school days he was captain of the track and cross-country team AND top distance runner. He is the President and Founder of LIFE Runners, the world's largest Pro-Life team.

Having received countless scholarship offers, he was an offensive lineman for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first part of the 1990s and played in all four major bowl games in four consecutive years; the Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Cotton Bowl, and Fiesta Bowl, and he is a part of the Catholic Athletes for Christ speakers bureau. Today, he gives concerts all over the world and also makes short films that explore much of the thematic content in his music in order to reveal an intimate look at the Merciful Face of Christ and the faithful become confident in God. He is the founder of Sistine Films, a production company that specializes in emotionally impactful story-based content that reveal the true face and heart behind leaders and their organizations.

He was chosen in the second round of the Major League Baseball amateur draft by the Cincinnati Reds and went on to play eleven seasons, appearing in over 900 regular season games with the Reds and the Atlanta Braves combined. He played an additional 19 games in the playoffs, including going to three World Series, winning one. After his playing career in the big leagues, he was part of the broadcast team for Atlanta Braves games on both television and radio. Back in his days as a student-athlete he also starred in football, and even went on to play professional slow pitch softball after his time in MLB. He is a past Chairman of the Board of the Major League Alumni Marketing and his story was told in a book called, "Welcome to the Big Leagues... Every Man's Journey to Significance."

He was selected in the fifth round of the National Football League Draft in 2010 and went on to a pro career with the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cincinnati Bengals, including playing in a Super Bowl. He had played his college football at the University of Michigan after having become one of the best high school football kickers in the nation, excelling both as a punter and placekicker. For his first season in the NFL, he set a rookie record for net punting yard average. Off the field, he started a Foundation, which he talks about during this interview.

He has had a long and highly decorated career in professional rodeo, including numerous appearances in the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and multiple top five finishes in the world standings. A longtime steer wrestler, he first joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association in 2002 and over his career he has competed seemingly all across the country. He attended McNeese State University in Louisiana and back in his days as an amateur had qualified for College National Finals Rodeo in 2002-03 and had qualified for the National High School Finals Rodeo in 1998-99.

He spent 16 years as a coach in the National Football League, working as a special teams coach for the Houston Texans and the Atlanta Falcons, and, in between, as an offensive assistant coach with the Detroit Lions. His years in the NFL included going to Super Bowl LI in February 2017 with Atlanta. He also coached in the college ranks, at the University of Kansas, the University of Pittsburgh, and at his alma mater, Louisiana Tech University, which he had attended on a football scholarship. He had played both football and basketball back in high school and coaches high school football present day.

He completed a solo and unsupported 3,700-mile run across America in 2011. During the journey he ran while praying for intentions people sent him from all over the world. He became one of only a small handful of people to cross the country in this manner, finishing with one of the longest routes in history while averaging more than 30 miles a day over the four-month journey. His book, "Running with God Across America," was published in 2012 and details his prayerful journey. He also has a chapter in the book, "Across America on Foot," which was published in 2020. He has continued to run after his journey, running long distances on his own, in the U.S., and even in the Holy Land. He had begun running at a young age, competing in cross-country throughout high school and recreationally in college, eventually completing his first marathon in 2004. He is currently the vice chairman for LIFE Runners, which he talks about during this interview.

He competes year-round as a professional ironman triathlete. He is the head coach of the 18-time national champion University of Colorado Boulder triathlon team, and he is a USA Triathlon Level II Certified Coach AND a Certified Sports Nutritionist. He had spent his years as a student-athlete competing in soccer, including during college, and was even a swimmer in high school. In addition to his racing endeavors, he is a nationally recognized abstinence speaker and has spoken to thousands of teens & young adults on the benefits of being physically, emotionally & spiritually "buff."

She played basketball in high school -- and later competed in many alumni basketball games there -- and was a decorated college soccer player. Attending Whittier College in California, she not only played soccer all four years but was team captain for two years, was multiple 1st Team All-Conference, and in her final year was both 2nd Team All-American AND Conference Player of the Year, with her team being the regular season champion. She also coached her daughter's soccer team for one year, and, she has a strong connection to the NFL's Denver Broncos, which is talked about during this episode.

He has been in various roles in sports throughout his life. In his childhood he played CYO basketball and Little League baseball. In high school he played intramural softball and has also played in softball leagues in his adult life. He also coached CYO basketball in the past and nowadays helps coach his daughter's baseball league. He also had a long history as a sportswriter for a newspaper in Queens and had been the Assistant Sports Editor for St. John's University. He is the author not only of a book from two-and-a-half years ago called "Dreams Come True: Discovering God's Vision for your Life," but, more recently, a second book that just came out this past April, titled, "Batter Up: Answering the Call of Faith and Fatherhood."

He was a pro heavyweight boxer from 1977 to 1990, following an amateur career in which he posted an amazing won-lost record of 55-3. As a pro, he was 28-3, with 24 of those victories coming by knockout. He rose to a number one ranking by the WBC and in Madison Square Garden in 1981 defeated former world heavyweight champion Ken Norton by a knockout just 54 seconds into the first round. According to the legendary George Foreman, he was one of the three hardest punchers Foreman had faced in his career, which is proven by him being ranked on "The Ring's" list of "100 Greatest Punchers of All Time." Unfortunately, there was a curveball thrown into all this, though, as evidenced by the book he co-authored, which is talked about here. He founded F.I.S.T. -- the Fighters' Initiative for Support and Training, an organization which helps retired boxers find jobs. He is an inductee of multiple Halls of Fame and has a show on SiriusXM Radio.

She is in her 19th season at the helm of the track and field and cross-country programs at the College of Charleston, up in South Carolina. During her time there, athletes have captured 22 conference titles and have earned nine NCAA regional appearances. Prior to her current employer she served as the head women's cross-country coach and assistant men's and women's track and field coach at Washington & Lee for two years. She began her career as a graduate assistant at Pittsburg State in Kansas. In her days as a student-athlete she was a track and field All-American at Allegheny College and served two years as a team captain. She was honored in 2004 as a member of the NCAC All-Decade team for both cross country and track and field and was subsequently elected to the Allegheny Athletic Hall of Fame.

He is co-organizer of Copa Católica, a soccer tournament for parishes that launched eight years ago and has seen more than 35 teams and over 500 participants. As a result of his involvement with that initiative he has organized and participated in other sports events, including as a referee. This year he started as a trainer for the under-15 team in his town in the Netherlands and he is also organizing amateur world cups. He and his co-organizer of Copa Católica have roots in participating in multiple instances of the worldwide encounter with the Pope known as World Youth Day.

She is a nun with the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM), having been received into the order in 1938 and taking her final vows in 1945. She went on to teach at St. Charles Elementary School in North Hollywood, California, where she started a sports program, coaching women's basketball, softball, volleyball, track, ping-pong, and yo-yo. In 1994 she took on a role with the Loyola University Chicago men's and women's basketball teams and since 1996 has been the team chaplain for the men's basketball team. In January 2017 she was inducted into the Ramblers' Athletics Hall of Fame. On August 21st of this year, she celebrated her 103rd birthday.

He was a longtime soccer player as a student-athlete, ranging from club teams to high school to rec leagues while attending college. As an adult he coached soccer as well. As he was discerning the priesthood, he became interested in running, eventually training to run a half-marathon. He wrote a book called, "Touched By A Flame: A True Story of One Man's Journey in the World of God," which includes his experience running and training. He also mentions another book during this interview, and he has a side business inspired by his interest in the saints.

She has been a swimmer for probably more of her life than not, starting from a young age to club teams to high school to college and even participating today in US Masters Swimming. Plus, she also coached high school swimming, AND she is going to be a judge at CYO swim meets. Along the way, as a student-athlete, she also competed in cycling. She has also come to see the connection between swimming and her faith, which she talks about here. As a wife and a mother, she also has a side business that serves those same roles and is influenced by her Catholic faith.

He spent 23 years working for the Harlem Globetrotters, leading the team's Communications Department. During that time, he arranged two visits to the Vatican and accompanied the Globetrotters players to meet Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis. Previously he had served as VP of Communications for the Continental Basketball Association, working as the league's main spokesperson and liaison to the NBA and USA Basketball. His international experience also included work on the US Olympic Committee press information team at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games and serving as assistant venue press manager for the 2013 World Baseball Classic. As a student-athlete he played football, baseball, and ran track & field in high school, still holding the school record for 400-meter hurdles and being inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2018. This past March he was named the Director of Communications for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix. He is also a professional sports photographer and prior to his new role shot Georgia Tech football and men's and women's basketball.

He is a Canadian tennis professional who has been in the industry for 43 years. He served as Director of Tennis at the prestigious Arbutus Club in Vancouver for 34 of those years. He has a Tennis Canada Coach 3 and Club Pro 2 certification and has trained all levels of players from red ball through provincial teams. As a competitor he has won nine National Senior titles and with his brother Tony was part of the top open doubles team in British Columbia for ten years. He has been selected to represent Canada and B.C. in numerous events. He also writes a column on sports and faith for The B.C. Catholic, which is the Archdiocesan newspaper in his area.

He ran cross country track as a student-athlete, has coached flag football, and – now residing in Florida – continues to play competitive co-ed softball. He is a retired New York City Police Department detective who has written six books over the last six years, the latest of which just came out in the latter part of June and is titled, "Confessions of a Catholic High School Graduate." He also tells a fun story here about playing wiffleball in front of an eventual A-list celebrity.

She is a parent coach, motivational speaker, podcaster, and licensed counselor with Families of Character, which equips parents to lead their children with confidence and courage. As a student-athlete she played both basketball and volleyball, plus talks here about having even been on the men's golf team, in addition to having ran track too. She also holds the all-important roles of being a wife and a mother (with children that play sports) and has thoughts about her experience at the gym and, "belonging to a team at home," as she has discussed on *her* podcast and as is talked about during this episode.

He is a professor and Kule Chair at St. Joseph's College, a Catholic college at the University of Alberta, in Edmonton, Canada. Three months ago marked the release of a book he co-authored, called, "On the Eighth Day: A Catholic Theology of Sport," and three years ago he was the lead editor of a book titled, "Sport and Christianity: Practices for the Twenty-First Century." He even has another book that he is working on, which is talked about in this interview. As part of his higher education, he studied at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. As a student-athlete he played high school basketball and in his adult years has done some coaching and has played recreational sports.

He played college basketball at Villanova, including playing with the Wildcats for the national championship and being chosen by the Boston Celtics in the NBA Draft. He would go on to become an assistant coach for men's basketball at Villanova and nowadays is a professor in the Theology Religious Studies department there. At one point he was director of the Center for Sport, Spirituality, and Character Development at Neumann College, where he also served as the chaplain for the men's basketball team. He also spent 15-plus years as a priest.

He is the Executive Advisor of Pacific Rim Operations with the New York Yankees, which includes having served as a Japanese translator for the likes of Hideki Irabu, Masahiro Tanaka, and Hideki Matsui, among others. As a student-athlete he had competed in baseball, soccer, rugby, and track & field. He also serves as an advisor for Japan's Yomiuri Giants baseball team. He is a board member of "Catholic Men for Jesus Christ," a now 25-year old organization. He also has a radio show called, "Brothers in Arms," which airs monthly. And, he is a cancer survivor who by far is not only the first person to come on this show with a story about a miracle that would help confirm a saint, but probably the ONLY person who will be a guest and have that kind of witness to share -- the closest that any of us will come to hearing something like this firsthand.

From an early age, he wanted to be a cowboy. He loved working cattle with his dad and competing for ribbons and trophies in youth rodeos. In high school, he not only played football and other sports but won a national championship in the boy's cutting horse contest. In college he competed in rodeo events for McNeese State University and, after college, as a steer wrestler at the professional level, and, he is still active in team roping today. Sports even carried over into his business, entertaining clients with hunting, golfing, fishing, and motorcycle trips.

He spent parts of six decades in baseball, starting with the first of five seasons that he played as a pitcher in the Detroit Tigers organization. He went on to become a scout in the Baltimore Orioles, California Angels, and Milwaukee Brewers organizations, before becoming the scouting director for the New York Mets, who eventually promoted him to assistant general manager. He would then become the general manager of the San Diego Padres before returning to New York to take that same position with the Mets. He then went on to positions as special assistant to the general manager, first with the Minnesota Twins and then the Seattle Mariners, before joining the Baltimore Orioles in a senior advisory position.

He played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, and Kansas City Chiefs after having been a second-round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft by Tampa Bay. He had played his college football at Oregon State, playing in 50 games for the Beavers in his four years there. Back in his high school days he not only was the Boca Raton News Defensive Player of the Year and team MVP, but he also lettered four years in baseball as an outfielder. Following his NFL career, he went on to pro wrestling, first with WWE and then with AEW.

He played three seasons in the Minnesota Twins organization and is a survivor of two near-death experiences. Back in his days as a student-athlete he led his high school to a city championship and received a college scholarship, going on to lead the nation in stolen bases in 1992 in NCAA Division II play. Later, during a seven-year span, his recreational coaching record was 85-5 with six championships along with three undefeated seasons. He is also a professional trainer and has not only published a children's book based around his being a coach, but also wrote a faith-based book on surviving Covid-19.

He is a film actor, New York Times Best-Selling author, producer, host, and two-time Emmy winner. He currently hosts NBC's "Access Hollywood" and "Access Daily" as well as a national radio show. Plus, he even has his own sports-related podcast that is talked about on this episode. He was recently inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, recognized as the 2022 Outstanding American, having wrestled for Chula Vista High School, finishing second in the San Diego section and seventh in the California Interscholastic Federation state tournament as a senior in one-class California in 1991. He also just held a golf classic for the Providence Saint Joseph Foundation. (Listen too as he also mentions boxing and jiu-jitsu.)