Sample Issue - Professional Sports Wives

Transcription

www.prosportswives.com
Our First Anniversary Issue
January 2007 / Professional Sports Wives
Distinctive clothing and gifts for children who love the spotlight!
www.theathleteschild.com
Professional Sports Wives / January 2007
Founder, Publisher, and Editor In Chief
Gena James Pitts
Associate Publisher and Editor at Large
Michael A. Pitts
Angela Shipp
Creative Director
Managing Editor
Jim Canada
Editor, Sports Psychologist, Director of Wellness
Diana McNab
Contributing Features Editors
Brian Egeston, Karen Shelnutt
Contributing Writers
Steven Bontempi
Diana McNab
Angela Wilder
Diann Valentine
Dave Eyrise
Mauvalyn Benjamin
Kim Moore
Cheryl DeLeonardis
Jay Robb
Brian Egeston
Photographer
Kevin Morrison
IT System Control Consultant
Gerald D. Goings, Sr.,
Comp-u-Nection
Creative Consultants
Todd Nollner
National Advertising Manager
Guy Prokay
[email protected] • 770 924-9390
Rachel and Craig Terrill tie the knot at the top of the Space Needle
11 Weddings Valentine Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rich Inspiration for Every Woman’s Dream Day
by Diann Valentine with Tonya Bolden
24 Larry Mahan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Diana McNab
A Real Cowboy Legend
26 COVER STORY: Shannon Mora
Contributing Photographers
Shannon Mora
page 26
ARTICLES
7 A Seahawk Wedding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Rachel Terrill
Production Manager
DEPARTMENTS
Your Girlfriend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A Word from Our Publisher
Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . from Our Readers
Philanthropy and News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wives in the News
Sports Rewind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . News Briefs
Off the Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NFL Players Wives Association
Teeing Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PGA TOUR Wives Association
Behind the Bench . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . National Basketball Wives Association
From the Pits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Women’s Auxiliary of Motorsports, Inc.
Been There, Done That . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Alumni
Ask Diana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . from Diana McNab, LLC
playbook: the Rookies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Our Children
Real Estate Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Countdown to Moving Day
Marriage Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Angela Wilder
playbook: Trends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . New Products in the Marketplae
Member Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ursula Strong
Your Networking Game Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alan Anastos and Scott Manthorne
The Investment Coach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Steven H. Bontempi
Something for the Fellas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mike Pitts
John Haigwood, Haigwood Studios
Erin H. Brown,
Atlanta Braves, Detroit Tigers,
Dolphins Stadium, Jorge Garcia,
Juan Ocampo (Dodgers)
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15
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57
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Soaring Through Flights of Turbulence . . . . . . . . . . by Gena James Pitts and Brian Egeston
30Family Relations in the NFL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Shannon O’Toole
An Author’s Apology
Rachel and Craig Terrill
page 7
39 Building a Future After Pro Sports . . . . . . . . . . by Mauvalyn Benjamin
Shanae Hall, a passion for real estate and marketing
40 Hero to Zero . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Diana McNab, LLC
44 Radical Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Tony and Kim Moore
46 The Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A Fictional Comedy about the Women Behind the Athletes
49 Cheryl DeLeonardis . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Lady Behind the Broadcasting Legends
50 Pat Summerall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Cheryl DeLeonardis
51 Greg Gumbel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Cheryl DeLeonardis
53 Finding Time for Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Brian Egeston
55 André Benjamin Rocks the Class of 3000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Jekyll and Hyde Syndrome
Men Who Won’t Lead, Wives Who Won’t Follow
The History of the Pat Summerall Award
Hero to Zero
page 40
The Signature Voice of Sports Broadcasting in America
2007 Pat Summerall Honoree
Ron and Babette Pitts
André Benjamin provides his voice for The Cartoon Network’s New Show
Our mission is to provide resources to educate
and inform wives of professional athletes and coaches,
and assist them in becoming successful helpmates.
Together, the Professional Sports Wives Association
and the Professional Sports Wives Magazine provide
sports wives with information on how to support
their spouse’s career and image, enhance their family’s
quality of life, and secure success in their personal
development.
by Angela Shipp
56 Increase Your Brand Value . . . by Angela Shipp
and Connect Easily with Fans
60 Three Secrets to a Flat Stomach . . . . . . . . by Jay Robb
In America it is becoming rare to see someone
with a truly flat stomach
Larry Mahan
page 24
© 2006 Professional Sports Wives Magazine
Pitts & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America.
photo by John Haigwood, Haigwood Studios
I
t is always important to acknowledge special dates and times in one’s life, so we
would like to welcome you to our first anniversary issue of Professional Sports Wives. We’ve
packed in a number of stories about marriage, like Rachel and Craig
Terrill tying the knot at the top of the Space Needle. And
some planning advice from Diann Valentine. (Speaking of
which, on the right, that’s Mike and me on our wedding
day twenty-three years ago.) But, it doesn’t stop there.
This issue is full of wonderful stories on family
relations, health, wealth, and tips, and tricks.
And, of course, the most up-to-date news from
the wive’s organizations throughout the sports
industry. So let me at this point welcome
to our pages for the first time NASCAR’s
Women’s Auxillary of Motor Sports (WAM
Inc.).
We hope you’ll find useful information
and be able to celebrate your anniversaries
with the same joy that we celebrate ours.
We are proud of our vision and mission
statement to provide educational resources
and materials to our peers and guide them
through the trials and tribulations of being a
sports wife. With an 80% divorce rate among
professional athletes, we know that there is
room for improvement and that new skills,
strategies and techniques are needed. Marriage
is a physical as well as a spiritual assignment…
and I am not sure if anyone ever gets it right. It is
a mystery how two hearts intertwined can weather all
of the emotional storms. But, the learning, growing and
sharing is always worth the journey! The key is to live your
life with no regrets and reinvent yourself and your marriage when it
is needed. We can all learn so much from each other.
So, I salute all of you girlfriends and welcome you into our New Year! Keep sending us your input, insights
and ideas and we will all become stronger from the sharing.
Here’s to 2007 and another great year! Turn the pages and be blessed!
Your girlfriend,
Gena James Pitts
Founder, Publisher, Editor in Chief
The reproduction in whole or in part of our cover and
contents are fully protected by copyright, and cannot
be reproduced without written permission from the
publishers. All materials submitted to Professional Sports
Wives Magazine become the property of Professional
Sports Wives Magazine and Pitts & Associates, Inc., and
can be used without compensation to the submitter. All such
materials may be edited for clarity and space.
Pro Sports Wives Magazine is published quarterly
in February, May, August, and November by Pitts &
Associates, Inc., and is the official publication of the
Professional Sports Wives Association, a members only,
501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that includes members
from each professional sport, including but not limited to
the:
• National Football League (NFL
•Major League Baseball (MLB) and its
affiliate minor league baseball
• National Basketball Association (NBA)
• National Hockey League (NHL)
•PGA TOUR, Inc., Nationwide Tour
•National Association for Stock Car
Auto Racing (NASCAR)
•Major League Soccer (MLS), among
other professional sports
FOR ADVERTISING and INQUIRIES:
Contact [email protected] or
Phone: (770) 619-0383
Fax: (770) 619-5777
POSTMASTER: Send change of address notices to:
Pro Sports Wives Magazine,
The Terrace at Windward,
3070 Windward Parkway, Suite F-352
Alpharetta, GA 30005
The opinions expressed by contributing writers are not
necessarily those of the editors and publishers of the
Professional Sports Wives Magazine, the members of the
Professional Sports Wives Association, the sports teams,
owners, players, the various players associations and their
staff, the leagues, and advertisers who are represented in
this publication.
Advertisers and advertising agencies assume liability
for content of all advertisements. Information published
in Professional Sports Wives Magazine is the opinion
of the sourced authors. Personal decisions regarding
information published in this magazine should be made
after consultation with the reader’s professional advisors.
The accuracy and completeness of the information
provided, and the opinions stated herein are not
guaranteed or warranted to produce any particular
results on behalf of the parties who list their services or
seek services via this publication.
The publishers, board of directors, officers, members,
employees, authors of Pro Sports Wives Magazine and
its subsidiaries utterly disclaim any form of guarantee
or warranty with respect to the authenticity, character,
integrity, work, ethic, or financial soundness of any of the
individuals or entities that are made public throughout
the pages of this publication, nor shall be made liable for
any loss or profit or any commercial or personal damage
that may result from the mutual contacting, employing,
or entering into contract of any one party, via any of the
information herein presented.
Struck by our MLB issue, readers marvel at Diana McNab’s
sports wife series, at the support that PSWM provides,
and at the connections they have made.
Since the launch of our magazine one year ago
we have been thrilled with the world-wide interest
and support in Professional Sports Wives Magazine.
With each issue, our goals are to inspire,
inform, and enhance the quality of our lives.
S
I have been looking for online support and
information communities like this since I met my
husband in 2000. I was very excited to find your
site.
—MC, Florida, Minor League Baseball wife
I received the magazine today and it is
unbelievable. It is so so amazing!
—MA, Texas, Major League Baseball wife
My husband played nine years in the NFL. I’m
very excited about the information I’ve received
as I feel it’s something that has been extremely
long over due. I truly support the magazine, it’s
projects, and it’s goals. I hope you would expand
your magazine’s reach to both current and former
players, as being a professional athlete is a lifetime
membership, and our families are forever affiliated
and connected with it. I’d like more information
regarding your magazine, and more information moved by the article because I could relate so much
on how to get more involved (if at all possible), etc. to it. I applaud you for bringing issues to light that
I will also forward the information I have received are unique to professional sports wives.
to other players (both current and former) and – PJ, Arizona, National Basketball Association wife
their wives for awareness.
—MT, National Football League wife
The magazine is wonderful. I am excited to see
that the Lord has used you to start this wonderful
Thank you for your letter. The Professional Sports project. Twenty years ago I was an exchange student
Wives Magazine and Professional Sports Wives from Austria, Europe. Who would have known
Association are open to both active and retired that I was going to meet my future husband in
athletes, coaches and team executives.
the United States, who then was a high school star
athlete. To make a long story short I never went
“Loving him without losing you” (Volume home. We finished high school together and moved
1, Issue 3, page 20) discusses some of the issues
continued on page 10
of being married to a professional athlete. I was
Baby Braves adding to team roster
In August the Atlanta Braves Wives threw a baby shower
at Turner Field for Tracey Giles, Jamie Cormier, Leslee
Diaz, Janelle Reitsma, Mireya Baez, and Tammy
Butts, to celebrate the pending additions to their Braves
families. The Braves Wives presented gift baskets, filled
with the very best baby products on the market, not
only to the expecting Braves Wives, but also to six
mothers from Prevent Child Abuse (PCA) Georgia.
Through generous donations from several companies
the six mothers from Prevent Child Abuse Georgia
received gift baskets worth more than $700 from the
Atlanta Braves Wives.
Detroit Tiger’s Wives race for a cure
donations. All proceeds benefitted the Food Depository,
Chicago’s food bank.
S
Wearing white and pink baseball caps with the “Olde
English D” along with breast cancer ribbons and pink
“As part of the White Sox family, we feel it is
wristbands, Detroit Tigers Wives formed a team to walk important to give back to the city that has shown not
and raise funds for breast cancer research in June.
just the players, but all of us so much support,” said
Jennifer Konerko, wife of White Sox first baseman
This 5K run / walk event, which drew over 30,000 Paul Konerko. “We hope that our services express our
participants, benefited the Susan G. Komen Breast gratitude to the community while also helping those
Cancer Foundation’s “Race for the Cure.” In addition, neighbors in need.”
the Tigers and Major League Baseball donated a gameused pink bat from the Tigers — Indians game on May
The Greater Chicago Food Depository is Chicago’s
14. This Mother’s Day game was recognized as Breast food bank, a not-for-profit distribution center providing
Cancer Awareness Day throughout MLB and the food for hungry people while striving to end hunger in
pink bat was one of several unique Tigers autographed our community. The Food Depository distributes donated
Many of the products that the Braves wives and items that the Tigers Wives auctioned off at the event and purchased food through a network of 600 agencies
mothers from Prevent Child Abuse Georgia received — all benefiting the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer – soup kitchens, food pantries and shelters – in Cook
have been featured with Hollywood well knowns Foundation.
County.
including Rachel Weisz, Debi Mazar, Julia Roberts, White Sox are going to
Marlins Wives hit a home Kevin Dillon, Geena Davis, Britney Spears and Angela bat for the community
run for schools
Bassett among others.
Chicago White Sox wives hosted their 7th Annual
Our children are out future. The Florida Marlins
Food Drive benefiting the Greater Chicago Food wives recognize this and encouraged fans to bring
Prevent Child Abuse Georgia is a state-wide non- Depository at U.S. Cellular Field in August. Anyone school supplies to August home games. The wives held
profit organization committed to valuing children and making a donation was entered into a drawing for the drive to help prepare South Florida’s less fortunate
strengthening all families. Their Healthy Families Georgia White Sox memorabilia.
children with the necessary supplies to head back
program reaches out to families at the time of birth of their
to school. Supplies, such as paper, pencils, folders,
child. This program is designed to provide information and
Lisa Pierzynski, Jen Mackowiak, LaShunda notebooks, backpacks, calculators, rulers, crayons, and
support to all parents of newborns so that every child has the Singleton, Missy Riske, Ruby Cooper and other even clothing such as socks and under garments, were
best possible start in life.
players’ family members were on hand to accept collected at the entrance gates and donated to the SOS
Children’s Village.
S
S
S
S
S
NBA wife DeShawn Snow empowers girls
DeShawn Snow, wife of Cleveland
Cavalier’s Eric Snow, teamed up with
the Honorable Andrew Young and his
wife Carolyn, to present the First Annual
Empower Me Camp for Girls last
summer. Hosted by the DeShawn Snow
Foundation, Inc., the camp is designed
Braves wives Janelle Reitsma, Leslee Diaz, Jen
LaRoche (shower host), Tracy Giles, and Jamie
Cormier, display baby products generously donated
by several companies to Prevent Child Abuse Georgia, at a Braves Wives Baby Shower on August 31.
Six mothers from Prevent Child Abuse Georgia
receive gift baskets, worth more than $700 from
the Atlanta Braves Wives.
12
Racing to the top (title)
Congratulations to driver Jimmie Johnson for
winning the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Championship.
World Series Champs!
Congratulations to the St. Louis Cardinals, 2006
World Series champions.
Dodger Hall of Fame manager
and Special Advisor to the Chairman
Tommy Lasorda sits among the 79 fruit
baskets delivered to his house on his
79th birthday. Each basket came with a
personalized message from one of his former players
and was subsequently delivered to UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital
upon Lasorda’s request. The delivery of the baskets was organized by former Dodger Bobby Valentine.
Photo credit: Juan Ocampo, Dodgers
Jacobs Field, home of the Cleveland Indians, is one
of several landmarks added to the latest Monopoly®: (27 KO’s) professional record, is fighting a much bigger recently headlined the third annual “Irish Micky Ward
Here & NowTM Edition. Over 33 million online votes fight. Ward has joined forces with the Retired Boxers Celebrity Golf Tournament,” which allows the RBF to
resulted in new additions to the board game, including Foundation (RBF) to help other retired fighters. He help hundreds of fighters in need throughout the year.
Cleveland. The dark purple space once occupied by
Mediterranean Avenue is now Cleveland’s location on
the famous game board.
Young Englishman walks for retired boxers
In December, Peter Lerner, 26, completed a grueling
24-hour walk in Italy to show his support for people he
has never met—retired professional boxers, Lerner, who
is the Retired Boxers Foundation (RBF) Representative
in Italy loves the sport of boxing and who wanted to
do something for the retired fighters who had fallen on
hard times. The American based charity was established by
former world middleweight title challenger Alex “The
Bronx Bomber” Ramos. The RBF helps boxers who
were celebrated while they battled in the ring – but who
are now struggling with ill health, finances and their
retirement. The foundation’s team of legal and medical
experts helps to solve the problems of boxers all over the
world. Ramos, said, “My heart is touched that a young
man like Peter Lerner is willing to literally ‘walk the talk’
on behalf of my brothers in boxing. Peter is a bigger
man than I have ever met in the ring and he is one of
our Undisputed Champions for Dignity!” For more information about RBF visit www.
retiredboxers.org.
Smith wins the Super Bowl of dance
Retired boxer Ward is still fighting
Micky Ward, who retired in 2003 after a 20 year
boxing career in which he compiled a worthy 38-13
NFL’s all time leading rusher Emmitt Smith waltzed his way into the homes and hearts of millions
of people with his performance on ABC’s hit show Dancing with the Stars.
Smith was light on his feet as one of eleven celebrities paired with professional instructors. The
viewing audience voted for their favorite performances via phone or online at www.abc.com and the
couples were judged, critiqued and scored by a panel of dance experts. Smith showed the world that he
was just as dazzling on the dance floor as he was on the field, becoming this season’s winner. Jerry Rice,
the NFL’s all-time leading receiver, placed second on last season’s Dancing with the Stars.
Retired boxers Micky Ward (left) and Alex Ramos (right) fight for retired
boxers at the 3rd annual Irish Micky Ward Celebrity Golf Tournament.
Photo Courtesy of Alex Ramos.
continued next page
15
(COPYRIGHT 00A9 2006 ABC, INC./ADAM LARKEY)
Monopoly, here and now Leslie Daniels, Ashley Brown
and Erin Brown wait for instruction
on the build site
of the Hammond, LA
habitat homes.
Shelia Stoutmire sets out to put her saw to work as she is assisted
by fellow Saints wives at the Habitat Build in Hammond,Louisiana.
In December several NFL wives went to Hammond, Louisiana for two days
to help construct two of four homes that Off the Field is donating to families
affected by hurricane Katrina. We are already working on setting the date for
the “off season” build. We hope you, and even your spouse, can join us next year when we return to Louisiana!
We’d like to thank the following ladies for participating: Brittany Brees, Ashley Brown, Erin Brown, Holly Carney, Leslie Daniels, Emma Dockery, Lacreisha
Horn, Danielle Lewis, Tamora Lupton, Margret Melton, Carla Porter, Lili Springs, Sheila Stoutmire, Vicki Thomas, and Danielle Tipton.
Thanks to you all we were able to make a difference off the field!!!!!
photos by Erin H. Brown
18
Greater Boston Food Bank
- Deutsche Bank Championship
The PGA TOUR Wives Association returned to the
Greater Boston Food Bank for the third straight year
to partner with volunteers from Deutsche Bank and
State Street to sort food. PTWA members, joined by
PGA TOUR player Justin Rose, donned red or blue
shirts as everyone divided into two groups to set up a
competition to see who could sort the most food in the
time allotted. After two hours of fierce competition, a
lot of laughter, a new appreciation for “sell” or “use by”
dates, and more than a few paper cuts, the two groups
had sorted over 12,000 pounds of food.
The Greater Boston Food Bank distributes over 24
million pounds of food annually to hundreds of local
hunger-relief agencies. It relies on the approximate
12,000 volunteers from corporations, schools and civic
groups who give over 40,000 hours of volunteer time
to sort the food it receives from wholesalers, retailers
and government food contracts. The Food Bank is the
largest hunger relief organization in New England and
one of the largest in the country. The Greater Boston
Food Bank has been a recipient of funding from the
Association in support of the wonderful work that they
do in the New England for those who need it most. If
you would like more information on the Greater Boston
Food Bank, go to their web site at www.gbfb.org.
Habitat for Humanity
- 84 LUMBER Classic
The PTWA members participated in their second
Habitat for Humanity building project in Farmington,
Pennsylvania. The tournament, the 84 LUMBER
Classic, put together a well-organized day with specially
made T-shirts, hard hats and aprons so that members
were ready to go and help finish a home for the Sewell
family, who were selected in July to receive the latest 84
LUMBER sponsored Habitat home.
Construction on the 1,500 square foot home began
on Sunday morning and was completed in record time
- 50 work hours in recognition of 84 LUMBER’s 50th
anniversary.
PTWA members helped put some of the finishing
touches on the home Tuesday afternoon, rolling out
sod in the yard, screwing on outlet covers, hanging a
light fixture, as well as other trim work. Over 100 local
volunteers, who partnered with over a dozen local
contractors, came together to make this project a reality.
The Sewell family was handed the keys to their new
home at the Pro-Am dinner at the Nemacolin Resort.
It was a great day and a wonderful opportunity for the
PTWA to get involved in making a difference for such a
well-deserving family.
Many thanks to the 84 LUMBER Classic for allowing
us to participate in this wonderful project!
Omaha School Visits - Cox
Classic Presented by Chevrolet
Nationwide Tour Wives members had the special
opportunity to visit the Nebraska Children’s Home
(“NCH”) and the Omaha Hearing School for Children
during the week of the Cox Classic. At the NCH,
members played games with children, many of whom
had been diagnosed with serious behavioral disorders.
These were not apparent during their game time and
this is a credit to the way NCH structures their many
programs. In addition to our
games, members Katie Wagner
and Carol Daley spent part of their
time reading to this special group of
exceptional children!
The Omaha Hearing School
was an eye opener to the world of
the hearing impaired. The school
focuses on helping every child
at different levels of hearing loss
Our Boston
Food Bank
Team members
after a morning
of sorting food
to communicate the way most people do, so that as
they grow, they can have choices available to them in
dealing with others in a talking and hearing world.
With the help of very sophisticated equipment, these
teachers help children develop the skill of listening and
responding through verbal skills, not sign language,
through intensive language instruction. Members were
very impressed with the services being provided to the
children and appreciated the opportunity to learn about
the wonderful programs offered at the school.
...and in conclusion
As the leaves change and the year winds down,
our families are looking forward to returning to our
hometowns for the holidays and much needed rest
and reconnection with other family and friends. But
that doesn’t mean we’re stopping our preparations for
2007! We already have several fundraisers and Volunteer
Service Projects in the early planning stages. And we are
all looking forward to the highly anticipated changes
coming to the PGA TOUR starting January 1, 2007,
with the new FedExCup Competition. So please join
us as we embark upon a “new era in golf” on the PGA
TOUR as the women of our Association continue to
help children and their families through our various
volunteer and philanthropic activities. Visit our web site
at www.pgatourwives.org for more information on our
Association.
Members are joined by local volunteers
to complete the Habitat home in record time!
19
Shaq surprised guests at the Audemars Piguet charity
benefit when he arrived and posed for photos
with Behind the Bench members and guests.
Charrisse Jackson-Jordan, (center) president of Behind the Bench, poses with
guests at a special Audemars Piguet charity benefit. A portion of the proceeds from
the evening’s sales of Audemars Piguet watches was donated to BTB charities.
Shaq shakes hands with Francois Bennahmias,
President of Audemars Piguet, North America.
Behind the Bench ladies
are all smiles at the
Audemars Piguet evening.
from top left down:
Robin Wilkins (Hawks, HOF Dominique Wilkins
Wife), Valerie Wilkinson Mullin (Atlanta Spirit
CEO Wife), Khameka Claxton (Hawks Speedy
Claxton’s Wife).
Atlanta’s Lady Hawks joined forces
with the Atlanta Thrashers Ladies to
decorate a special Atlanta Spirit tree
for the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Festival of Trees. The tree was
auctioned off to raise much needed funds to benefit the hospitals.
left to right: Antje Wortman, Rosina Seydel (Owner, Rutherford Seydel),
Robin Wilkins, Valerie Wilkinson Mullin, Khameka Claxton, Donna
Ballard (Hawks, Coach Greg Ballard’s wife), Sue Mellanby (Thrashers,
Scott Mellanby’s wife), Paulette Smith (Hawks Josh Smith’s Mom), Cathy Duffy (Atlanta Spirit CFO Billy Duffy’s Wife), Terri Woodson, Sherri Brown (Hawks Coach
Herb Brown’s wife), Cheryl Waddell, Julie Hogg, Danita Knight (Hawks GM Billy Knight’s Wife), Melissa McCarthy (Thrashers Steve McCarthy’s Wife).
20
The Women’s Auxiliary of Motorsports, Inc. (WAM,
Inc.), was established in 2004 with the merger of the
Winston Cup Racing Wives Auxiliary and the Busch
Series Ladies Association. The Auxiliary’s mission is to
enrich the lives of women, children, and families through
educational and wellness programs. In addition, the
Women’s Auxiliary of Motorsports, Inc. helps support
organizations with likeminded missions and purposes.
Visit their Web site at www.waminc.org.
Remembering Bettie Panch
Bettie Gong Panch, beloved wife of NASCAR®
legend Marvin Panch, passed away
unexpectedly in June 2006 in
Waynesville, North Carolina.
Bettie Gong was a petite lady of
Chinese descent who spent her early
years working in her family’s Berkeley
Panch
grocery store. Among the store’s
regular customers was a strapping young daredevil
named Marvin Panch, who stopped by nearly every
day for lunch. Smitten by her beauty and her bubbly,
outgoing personality, Marvin began to stop by the store
for more than just a good sandwich. Word has it that
Bettie Gong was engaged to a doctor, but knowing a
good thing when she saw it a romance soon began.
Bettie and Marvin Panch were married in January
1953 and soon moved east due to Panch’s chosen
profession as one of the nation’s premier racecar drivers.
Initially they settled in Langhorne, Pa. and then moved
south to the Daytona Beach area. Prior to relocating to
Daytona Beach, the Panch’s had two children - a son,
Richie and a daughter, Marvette.
Marvin’s racing career began to flourish with Bettie
supporting him every step of the way. She was the perfect
helpmate for Marvin’s career in addition to focusing her
efforts on raising two fine children.
Bettie was a racing pioneer in her own right, participating
in an all-female road race at Daytona International
Speedway in 1960. She was one of the first racing wives
seen regularly in victory lane and became a fixture on
the racing circuit. Bettie Panch was a tireless worker for
charitable events and, in the 1960s was the founder of the
Grand National Racing Wives Auxiliary (which today is
known as the Women’s Auxiliary of Motorsports, Inc).
Bettie also served on the Board of Directors for the Living
Legends of Auto Racing - a Daytona Beach, Florida based
organization whose commitment is to preserve the history
of stock car racing.
WAM makes donation to Jeff
Gordon Children’s Hospital
at NorthEast Medical Center in Concord, N.C. The
hospital opened on December 16, 2006.
The gift, which was given toward the playroom
portion of the children’s hospital, was an opportunity
for WAM to kick off a new initiative of the organization
with its charitable works.
“We are so excited to be part of this project,” stated Gaye
Joy, WAM President. “We are directing our charitable
efforts toward women’s, children’s and family organizations
and this was an opportunity we felt was a perfect fit. It also
allows us to give back to our own community, which has
been so gracious to our organization.”
After over 40 years of charitable giving within the
NASCAR community, WAM was searching for the right
avenue to broaden its charitable reach. The playroom at
the children’s hospital was just that avenue. In addition
to helping ease the burden of being in the hospital,
the playroom will help enhance the overall process of
healing for the patients and their families.
“We appreciate WAM’s donation to this project,” Jeff
Gordon, four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion said.
“The children’s hospital means a lot to me, and I’m glad
they’ve come on board to lend their support to the
hospital and the children of this community.”
“We are very pleased to receive this generous gift from
the Women’s Auxiliary of Motorsports supporting the
Jeff Gordon Children’s Hospital, scheduled to open for
patients and their families later this year,” said Laurence
Gaye Joy, President, WAM, presents a donation to Larry Hinsdale, President & CEO of NorthEast Medical Center and Jeff Gordon, Four-time
NASCAR Cup Champion
Hinsdale, President/CEO of NorthEast Medical Center.
“Growing community support for this most worthy
community project will impact the lives of thousands of
children soon to receive medical care through this new
hospital and its dedicated staff.”
Fundraising efforts through eBay fund WAM
WAM exists on fundraising projects and donations to
In February 2006, WAM announced a financial gift support their activities, which have allowed them to make
of $200,000 to the Jeff Gordon Children’s Hospital substantial contributions to numerous organizations.
Through various annual fundraising events fans can
experience the charitable nature of the NASCAR circuit.
Autograph sessions, online and live memorabilia auctions,
various themed events and corporate partnership
programs are just a few of the activities which allow fans
and sponsors to experience WAM’s causes first-hand.
Visit the WAM eBay store at www.ebay.com/waminc_org
to bid on auctions featuring your favorite driver.
Race earns WAM safety award
WAM received a Safety All-Star Award from the
Home Safety Council (HSC), which partnered with
WAM in 2005 with our First Annual Derby Duck Race.
The 2006 Safety All-Star Award recognizes those
individuals and corporations who have coordinated and
implemented vital safety programs for their employees,
consumers and the general public. Brian Bell, Industry
Relations Manager, accepted the award for WAM.
WAM On Track for Charity
WAM participated in the The NASCAR Foundation
Track Walk at Dover International Speedway in
June 2006. The walk benefited the Autism Society
of Delaware, the Greg Biffle Foundation, Evernham
Racing for a Reason, The Green Foundation, The Dale
Jarrett Foundation, The Kasey Kahne Foundation and
the Women’s Auxiliary of Motorsports.
WAM brings safe entertainment to troops overseas
In July WAM announced that it has joined forces
with Operation DVD to help collect DVD’s in order
to provide safe entertainment to our troops stationed in
Iraq and Afghanistan.
When not on duty, there is not much to do (even baseball
and softball games are no longer possible because of snipers,
mines, bombs and other terrorist activities). Watching
DVDs provides a safe diversion and good memories of home.
“This is a great opportunity to support our troops who
are out there fighting for us,” stated Ann Schrader,
WAM Director and wife of NEXTEL Cup driver Ken
Schrader, who is sponsored by the Air Force. “Those
guys are over there risking their lives and this is just a
small token to let them know we are thinking of them.”
DVD’s can be new or gently used and all types of films
are welcome with the exception of adult films. “Children
Titles” donated will be distributed to Servicemen’s
families (Stateside) through the Family Readiness Group
of the National Guard. Music CD’s are also appreciated.
The goal is to collect a minimum of 1,000,000 new and used
DVDs. To donate DVD’s please mail them to: WAM, Inc.,
41 Odell School Rd., Ste. K, Concord, NC 28027. WAM will
then send them to the central Operation DVD collection site.
For more information on Operation DVD, visit their
website at www.OperationDVD.us.
21
Brown Takes the Next Step
by Romonda Jordan
The dictionary defines retirement as, “the action
or fact of leaving one’s job and ceasing to work.”
Apparently, no one gave that definition to 40-year-old
“retired” NFL veteran Tim Brown. He is involved in a
number of projects that would indicate that he is not
finished achieving greatness just yet.
One of his loftier goals involves becoming the first
African-American owner of a NASCAR team. Brown
says he has not yet solidified enough sponsors and
investors but he’s determined to keep plugging away
until he has made it happen.
says he will
be satisfied.
When
Brown left
the Raiders
he knew
that it was
time to
retire and
think of
doing
something else. To celebrate his
success in the NFL both on and off the field, his wife,
Sherice, planned a formal retirement party at the Four
Seasons at Los Colinas in Dallas this past July.
“I am as loyal as they come; when I signed with
Tampa and had to put on another uniform it was time
to move on.”
S
Sherice and Tim Brown
“I think that NASCAR is not as diversified as other
professional sports. Becoming an owner for me is more
about serving a social purpose for society,” Brown said.
If in his efforts he can come anywhere close to doing for
NASCAR what Tiger Woods did for golf then Brown
Brown holds a state decree declaring an official Tim Brown Day during
the month of May.
playing career, people told Brown that he should pursue
a job in broadcast. He is glad that he did. Brown is a
co-host on FSN on a show called Pro Football Preview,
airing weekly on Friday night. Eddie George, Jay Glazer,
and Jason Sehorn join Brown on the show. Now that his
rookie year in television is behind him he is feeling more
comfortable in front of the camera.
There are many things in sports and the business world
that parallel each other and the factor of competition
is one of them. Brown misses the competition because
every day he had to line up against someone else; the
football field was his barometer.
“In business it may be about getting the contract
signed but it’s definitely not as clear cut or black and
Brown is keeping himself occupied with his new
white.”
ventures but part of him misses the game as much as
In addition to his NASCAR aspirations, Brown is also
the friends.
making a name for himself on television. Throughout his
Camaraderie and relationships with teammates
are a big part of sports at any level. Brown was always
mentally preparing himself for the end of his career so
he enjoyed life as much as possible while he was in the
moment.
“I still keep in contact with guys with whom I bonded
because of the game. I am not missing anything – just
taking the good parts with me.”
S
photos courtesy of McCoy’s Photography and Video
S
NFL wives in attendance to support the Browns: (left to right) Ashley Brown, Kim Alexander, Melissa Dudley, Katie Coleman, Lolita Harris, Rose
Maryland, Romonda Jordan, Sherice Brown, Shelia Stoutmire, Kim Mathis, Tamara Bedford, and Jackie Rice
22
“However, I miss the checks on Monday!” Brown
laughs, half jokingly. Since retiring, he says he has more
time to spend with his wife and kids. “The fact that I
can get up and take the kids to school in the morning is
priceless, plus they are a lot of fun.”
Poet Markhum Stansbury wrote, “Don’t stop, keep
going”. Perhaps the dictionary defines retirement
as ceasing to work. But Brown obviously took his
definition from a different source.
It looks as if the tradeoff is working out well for the
seasoned veteran.
Learning by Sharing and Caring Through Wisdom and Knowledge
Question: As you can imagine, I am beginning to feel Remember that you never regret what you do for love.
as if my husband is ‘cheating’ on me when he’s on the road.
When he comes home he seems very irritated, ignores me,
and focuses on the kids. When we do make love, it feels as
if he is somewhere else. How do I approach this subject and
save our marriage? How do I get him to go to counseling?
Question: My husband seems so negative all the time
when he is at home. He is pessimistic, skeptical and nontrusting of everyone and everything. He seems to have
two personalities: ‘Mr. Nice Guy’ around his teammates
and fans and ‘Mr. Ogre’ at home. What can I do? It is
Diana: If you feel in your gut that something is not exhausting.
right… you are probably correct. There are usually Diana: Remember that negativity is really masking
three stages to infidelity. The first stage is that someone’s fear...this issue probably comes from his ‘family of
needs are not being met in the relationship. Maybe the origin’ and if they were negative and skeptical this is
passion is gone, not only sexually but also intellectually how your husband learned to interpret the world. Part
or spiritually. Or maybe the real intimacy or speaking of this is environmentally genetic. The real problem
your truth is missing.
is his split personality. He is ‘Mr. Nice Guy’ when he
Next, check each other’s commitment level to wants approval and a sense of belonging and when he is
the growth of your relationship. Remember you home he is his ‘Personal Self’, which is lacking in true
are each half responsible towards the health of your self-esteem and self-confidence. When he points his
relationship. These first and second stages suggest finger at someone else’s wrongs, it usually means that he
early warning signs that need to be addressed is unwilling to look at his own issues about the problem.
immediately, or they will lead to the next stage. What you don’t like in others is usually what you don’t
Acting-out or infidelity is a subconscious decision by like in yourself.
your husband to meet his own needs in a very selfish
In a soft way, express your feelings about this and
and destructive way. The thought occurs long before how difficult it is to live with his negative side. Request
the action. He is really crying out for help. Remember that he make an effort not to project his negativity onto
that this is more about his pain than yours…but every you and ask him to pause, breathe and think before he
action someone takes in a relationship affects both speaks at home because he seems to be positive with
partners.
his fans and friends. He probably doesn’t even sense his
The third stage is telling the truth and working towards personality change. Make him conscious in his own
reconciliation. You probably both need counseling, first marriage and respect you and your feelings. Tell him it
individually, and then together. You both need to work is safe at home and he can relax and be himself...because
on each issue of your relationship (passion, intimacy, trust you love him so much!
and commitment). Then you need to make behavioral
Question: My husband is a complete control freak and
changes to re-create trust. Remember that you can forgive
wants to have the final word on everything. I do just fine
someone without forgetting. But, in order for it to work,
taking care of everything when he is on the road… and
you have to stay in the present.
when he comes home it is as if I cannot do anything right!
The key is for you to go to counseling first and
Help! I am ready to kill him!
explain your issues and pain… and from there you make
a serious request that he goes to your counselor that you Diana: Control on the outside usually means chaos on
trust and he comes clean and shares with the counselor. the inside. Your husband is struggling with his own selfHe needs at least three sessions and then you can go esteem, self-confidence and self-trust issues. Projection
back and get coached and eventually you can both go is when someone makes their issues seem like yours. The
and set up a game plan! Make it easy for him to get help reality is that there are probably aspects of his life that
– that’s why you have to go first and set it all up...do not he can’t control...like winning and losing in his sport,
go together the first time and wait until the counselor his status on the team, whether he plays or not, etc. As
knows you!
a professional athlete, so much of your career is in the
All relationships go through tough times…but you hands of God! He can work hard, play hard and give it
can make it all work and actually grow a deeper, more his all...but there are still no guaranties that he will win
spiritual and healthier long-term relationship. Good the game!
luck to both of you and let us know how we can help!
So, realize that he is just probably overdoing it
QA
&
(control) at home because he can’t do it at work. But,
understanding the problem doesn’t heal or cure the
problem! Gently communicate how his over-control at
home makes you feel; and that it hurts your self-esteem
and self-confidence and how it makes you start to doubt
yourself and resent him. Tell him it is exhausting to
always be put down and it makes you feel like a little
girl in this relationship rather than a mature, capable
and happy woman.
Remember, it takes two to make a marriage work
and you have to enjoy being around each other! Ask
him to “please think before you condemn...and is this
information going to hurt me or help me?” Take babysteps together in the way you respond and interact with
each other. Don’t just talk about it...you both have to
take action!
Question: My husband is retired and it seems as if he
has lost all passion in his life! He doesn’t seem to know who
he is, what he wants or how to make himself happy. The
whole family finds it depressing to be around him! Do you
have any insights?
Diana: This is very normal for a retired professional
athlete...he is going through his ‘Grieving Process’ but
he seems stuck at the ‘Depression Stage’! Elizabeth
Kubler-Ross states the stages of grieving like this:
1.Denial
2.Anger
3.Frustration
4.Bargaining
5.Depression
6.Self-Discovery/Re-invention
7.Forward Movement
Your husband probably needs a Life Coach or Therapist
to guide him through the stages. His whole identity was
probably wrapped up and defined around his sport and
he doesn’t know who he is or what he wants. He needs
to network in his community and start his re-invention
process to see what he is passionate about. There is
support out there for anything you need or want in life...
you just have to have the humility and courage to ask,
seek, and find it! You can’t tell him what to do; but you
can lead him in the right direction. Call our Professional
Sports Wives Association and ask for a great Life Coach
referral or Career Counselor, etc. Once again you are
the one who knows how to take care of family business,
only this time it is about your hero who feels like a zero!
Let me know if I can help!
25
During football season, NFL head coach Jim Mora Jr.
directs his players of prey on the field with commands
that sound like: “F short fire pass U banana Z over,”
and “Sixty-two takeoff, seventy one, eighty-six, shoot.”
But at home wife Shannon Mora controls her nest of
little birds with the docile commands of “Homework
done?” or “Bed time!” and “Goodnight. I love you.”
The gentle play calling has proven to be very affective
in the huddle at home. It’s an award-winning formula
with many rewards.
Jim and Shannon met when they both attended
the University of Washington. While studying with a
friend, Jim noticed Shannon as she dashed by in sweats
26
and eyeglasses. Looking beyond her casual dress, Mora
envisioned the future, and proclaimed with chivalrous
ambition that one day they would wed. After some
study dates, a bit of ‘stalking’, and a ten-year courtship,
Mora accomplished his mission.
The coach has a knack for working hard to get what
he wants.
The son of NFL coach Jim E. Mora, the younger
Jim paid his dues working up through the ranks of the
family business in several assistant coaching positions
until his persistence and pedigree finally landed him at
the helm of the Atlanta Falcons, where he worked with
perhaps the most exciting player in professional football
in Michael Vick. And when the crowds are gone, the
cameras have been turned off and the lights dimmed,
Mora heads for the serene reality that Shannon has
worked to create. Coach Mora readily acknowledges the
important role that his wife and partner of over 24 years
together plays in his life and in their career. “Every great coach that I have been around, and
there have been many of them, had a very supporting
and understanding wife,” explained Jim. “My mom is
a great example of that. I was lucky to meet Shannon
24 years ago and convinced her to be my bride 14 years
ago.”
“We’ve never felt that the NFL Lifestyle has control
Count Down To Moving Day
Moving day may seem far away right now, but it will be upon you before you know it! Don’t get
caught unprepared. The key to a successful move is planning. To help you plan your move, Athletes
On The Move, LLC has prepared a checklist of things to do before, during and after to ensure it goes
without a hitch. This list has been compiled from years of experience, however, it is not all-inclusive for
everyone. Please take your special situation/needs into consideration and add steps if necessary.
by Dave Eyrise, Athletes on the Move
Real Estate, Relocation Group
www.athletesonthemove.com
8
eight Weeks Before Your Move
Weeks
•Prepare car registration and
insurance records for transfer.
•Notify State Motor Vehicle
Bureau of your new address.
•If necessary, reserve apartment elevator
for pickup and/or delivery dates.
2
1
•Be present to answer the
moving crew’s questions.
•The driver is always authorized to
open, inspect and re-pack (if necessary),
any containers packed by you that
don’t seem safe for transport — this
can result in an additional cost.
•Check inventory — be sure everything
you want in the van is included.
•Exchange cell phone and destination
numbers with the driver.
•Check the driver’s Bill of Lading to
verify: Transit protection, delivery address
and/or notification phone number and
probable delivery date or spread.
•Check entire home — room-to-room,
inside and out — before driver leaves: attic,
backyard, basement, closets, cupboards,
garage, medicine cabinet, etc.
Weeks
Weeks
Week
3
Weeks
34
1
Packing Day — One Day Before You Move
•Obtain a floor plan of your new residence and
decide what household items you want to keep.
Two Weeks Before You Move
•Contact your insurance agent to determine
what possessions are covered when moving.
•Arrange transfer of jewelry and
• Establish a file for all move papers and receipts.
valuable documents — most movers
will not transport them.
•Obtain medical, dental and especially
children’s immunization records.
six Weeks Before Your Move
•Arrange
for your children’s school records
•Begin your search for good health-care
to
be
transferred
to their new school.
professionals in your new location.
•
Make
travel
plans
and reservations.
• Fill out post-office change of address cards.
•
Use
up
food
supplies.
•Send your new address to anyone who
•Dispose of all items that are too dangerous
might need it — insurance agents,
to move, including flammable liquids.
credit card companies, magazine
subscriptions, friends, relatives, etc.
•Secure copies of family videos and photo
negatives as these items are irreplaceable.
One Week Before You Move
•Clean out closets and dispose of all items
•Have your car serviced. If it is going to be
that you will not be taking with you.
transported in the van, reduce the gas level
•If you have antiques, have them
to one fourth of a tank prior to moving day.
appraised for valuation purposes.
•Confirm delivery address, en-route
•Hold an estate or garage sale or
phone number and your arrival at your
donate items to charities (obtain a
destination with your Coordinator.
signed receipt for tax purposes).
•Close charge accounts, transfer bank
accounts and release safe deposit box.
• Arrange shipment of pets.
•Set aside items to take in the car and
Three Weeks Before Your Move
mark them “Do Not Move”.
•Arrange and have utilities (gas, electric,
•Take down curtains, rods, shelves, etc.
phone, cable, Internet, water, etc.)
•Discontinue regular home delivery
disconnected in your present home after
services (water, milk, newspapers, etc.)
load day, and connected at your new
•Confirm travel plans, especially
home on or near the day of delivery.
• Arrange for child care on moving day.
hotel reservations.
6
•Have enough medication to last at least
two weeks and forward prescriptions to
a pharmacy at your new destination.
Day
•Empty, defrost and dry refrigerator and freezer.
•Be present to answer packing crew’s
questions and make sure they have enough
people as they stated in their contract.
•Finish the packing that you have
decided to do personally.
•Remove valuable items including jewelry, vital
documents, money, etc. from your residence.
Moving Day
0
Days
There is no way that you can share your life with
a professional athlete and never have heard the
words “game plan.” Such would be the equivalent
of living with a chef and never hearing him speak
about food! In sports, one of the universal truths
is that you must have a game plan. There is only
one letter difference in Winning It and Winging
It. The difference is the “G” and that stands for
“Game Plan”. (For now we’ll just ignore the P.)
Even in the moments when spontaneity and
improvisation occur in an athletic contest, it is
because the coaches built a secure framework with
a solid game plan before game time that they reach
their goals.
Apply this same way of thinking to your
marriage. Build it on a solid foundation, surround
it with a secure framework, and then you will
have the freedom to manifest your deepest desires
within it. The attention to detail, consideration
of possible and probable scenarios, and the
exploration of one’s weaknesses and vulnerabilities
that your partner’s game plan includes is exactly the
same thing that the two of you need to do when
it comes to planning for a successful relationship
and marriage. After all, a game lasts a few hours,
a season lasts for a few months, a career might
last a few years, but my wish is that your marriage
lasts a lifetime. Surely it is worth investing a little
time, energy, and emotion to give yourself the best
possible chance at success.
If it is success in your marriage on which you
set your intentions, then you too, must plan for it.
That’s why putting together your own game plan
for your marriage is one of the most important
things you and your partner can do to prepare
yourselves to deal with the inevitable challenges and
obstacles that surface in nearly every relationship.
Recently I was talking to a brilliant and very
successful surgeon when the subject of my former
husband’s career popped up in the conversation.
She did not have a clue that he had been a very
successful professional basketball player and is
now a member of the basketball hall of fame. She
did not fly into a hysterical state as is so often the
case if the person I say that to is a big sports fan.
She calmly responded, “Oh, I don’t know that
much about sports.” It’s fairly common that my
life these days brings me into contact with lots of
people who either don’t know of my former life as
an NBA wife or who simply don’t follow sports at
all. Nevertheless, most of those same people readily
understand how many of the same principles and
truths that apply to having success in sports are
applicable to having success in most facets of our
personal and professional lives. They are universal
truths and principles that transcend sports.
That same surgeon is a ballet dancer and a
long distance bike rider. She may not know much
about professional basketball but just like the
basketball player, she would never set out on a
biking excursion without a game plan. It would be
unimaginable for her to attempt to do a hundred
mile bike trip without a thorough, well thought
out plan which took into account the weather, the
possibility of damage to her bike, road conditions,
the number of hours of daylight or darkness in
which she’d have to ride, the need for water and
proper nutrition, and the list goes on and on. She,
like my former husband and your current partner,
all begin endeavors with success as the ultimate
goal.
S
I know that this may seem corny at first. Very few
of us are encouraged to examine our relationships
in such a methodical way but trust me and just
do what I ask. Once you get into the groove of it,
you will find that your connection to your partner
is deepening and that you are exploring areas that
you never ventured into before.
S
Here are a few pointers to get you started.
• Begin working on your game plan as soon
as you begin to seriously consider marriage.
In fact, I believe that any committed
relationship, whether it is a marriage or
otherwise, can benefit from having a game
plan. If you can’t talk about your desires,
needs, and concerns before you’re married,
what’s going to change that after you’re
married?
In both an athletic contest and in marriage,
there are opponents to battle. On the field, it may
be a three hundred and fifty pound linebacker
or a Cy Young award winning pitcher who has
to be neutralized. In your marriage, the possible
opponents are nearly infinite when you consider • Your game plan is your business. It should
be tailored to address your concerns and
issues such as communication, extended family
those issues relevant to your relationship.
members, money and finances, sexuality, health
Don’t worry about what your husband’s
and wellness, friends, entourages, groupies, agents,
teammate and his wife are dealing with in
lawyers, coaches, alcohol and drugs, children and
their relationship. Leave no stone unturned
their caretaking, and the sharing of household
no matter how insignificant it may seem.
responsibilities. Our tendency is to avoid dealing
Take the issue of pets. If you both know
with these tough issues until they become big
that you do not want the responsibility of
problems. We want to keep the fantasy of happily
taking care of something that has four legs
ever after alive in our minds. I’m all for happiness,
(or more), eats, breathes, and has to be cared
spontaneity, flow, joy and all those wonderful
for on a daily basis, then you probably don’t
concepts that we envision as elements of a happy
need to spend time talking about being pet
marriage. However, the fact is that happy, successful
owners. However, if one of you feels really
marriages don’t just happen without any work. It is
strongly about having a pet but you are also
neither serendipitous nor an accident that some
the one who travels two-thirds of the year
marriages are clearly stronger, more satisfying, and
which means that your partner is going to
better able to withstand challenges than are others.
be left to handle the pet responsibilities,
If you want your marriage to be one of the latter,
you could be looking at a potentially huge
I suggest that you and your partner take one of
problem. Ever heard of feeling like you’ve
the best parts of his professional life, The Game
been left holding the bag? Ever heard of
Plan, and apply it to your personal life. You will
feeling resentment? It comes first, then
never regret that you began your marriage looking
the anger, and then the couch! You might
forward. Looking backwards is never much fun.
laugh now but seemingly simple situations
Hindsight may be 20/20 but I believe that foresight
like this really do happen and if they aren’t
is even better!
35
from hero
by Diana McNab, LLC
Zero!
to
ts
Ca
W
hat are the
personality
traits of a
professional athlete
that allow him to
be successful in his
field? As a sports
psychologist and life
coach, my first instincts
are to say that most of these
athletes have an incredible
passion and ‘fire in their belly’
for their sport. They eat, breathe and
sleep to be the best, number one, and respected by
their peers. In order to get ahead, they are extremely
self-critical, analytical and A-type overachievers. They
are focused beyond normal capacity when it comes to
their sport.
Elite athletes compartmentalize and shut everything
out in order to play the game. To become an elite athlete
in their chosen sport means that they are willing to
pay almost any price to be the best. They are willing
to sacrifice it all to win and are ultra-competitive. On
good days, they are in the moment and relishing in the
precious present.
Winning, success and approval create a selfconfidence that appears cocky on the outside and tries
to be invincible on the inside. Athletes are so tough on
themselves and critical that it is difficult to be around
them at times. They are big winners and bad losers!
They play the all-or-nothing game and no price is too
high.
In their sports world they are extra-ordinary human
beings. They can run faster, lift heavier and go the
distance. They are cut, lean and mean. They thrive
on the blood, sweat and tears of progress and have no
boundaries on what they will do to win. If they are team
athletes, add twenty other mindsets that are all the same
and there is no stopping them.
40
o
Pr
start from ‘zero’!”
The Problem
They
live in the dualistic
world of right and wrong,
good and bad, yes or no, win
or lose! They can be tough, mean,
ruthless and poised for precision. They can block out all
distractions for the love of the game.
Most athletes are blessed with such a God-given
talent that they feel invincible and their heads can get
blown out of proportion.
These gentlemen have created a professional self that
works for them in their sport, in the locker room and in
their lives. They have figured out a way to survive and
succeed...even at the expense of their personal self.
A man on a mission with a primary dream and goal
is not meant to be tampered with. Until he feels good
about himself...how can he feel good about you?
He represents all the qualities that a capitalistic
society envies and adores...businessmen are enamored
by athletic prowess. Hundreds of thousands of fans
stop their lives to watch them perform. Media, photos,
interviews and press blow up their attributes to the
entire world and dote on their every word. We, as a
society, all live vicariously through our super stars!
So, I ask you...is this a bad thing? And my response
is, “Not as long as our ‘hero’ understands that we all
The
problem
comes from too many
people catering to the
extreme personality
traits of this young
superstar! It only
takes one person to
believe in you for you
to go the distance!
Too many mothers
stop parenting, guiding,
and reprimanding their super
star sons! Too many fathers
see dollar signs in their eyes as the
agents begin to talk. Too many groupies
approve of their off-field behaviors and we as a
society have created a liability! Thus, these athletes drop
their boundaries, and become all-or-nothing, narcissistic
overachievers who thrive on end-results and minimize
the steps of the process.
Of course this is not true for all professional athletes
and I am describing the extremes. But, think again
ladies of the versions of these characteristics that your
man possesses! Even if these qualities are not overt, they
are probably covert or passive-aggressive at times.
The problem is that from the moment these young
men are noticed for being special their whole world
shifts towards entitlement! Who are we to tell him what
he can and cannot do, where he can go and cannot go,
and who he can and cannot be with? After all...he is
the gifted on a journey toward success and stardom! No
matter how you look at it, the rules begin to change and
this athlete is given the right to go for it in any way he
sees fit!
Do I think there are double standards in school when
comparing athletics and academics? Who’s popular and
who’s not? Who has a future and who doesn’t? The
The wives and girlfriends of professional football
players are believed by most to lead a glamorous and
stress-free life, but Melanie Barnett (Tia Mowry) is
about to discover the truth. When her boyfriend Derwin
Davis (Pooch Hall) is chosen as the new third–string
wide receiver for the San Diego Sabers, she decides to
forego Johns Hopkins Medical School to attend a local
college so she can be with him. While Derwin
worries about the plays on the field, Melanie
learns how to deal with egos, groupies and
image consultants.
Melanie quickly bonds with Tasha
Mack (Wendy Raquel Robinson), a
single mother who is the manager
of her son, quarterback Malik
Wright (Hosea Chanchez). Taking
control of his career to make sure
he is getting the best deals and not
getting the wrong women, Tasha
is adamant that they will never be
in the poor house again. Although
Malik is a player on and off the field,
he loves and respects him mom and
encourages her to get back into the dating
scene (as long as it is not his coach or playmate)
to find happiness for herself after looking after him for
all these years.
Welcoming Melanie and Derwin to the San Diego
46
Sabers family is interracial couple Kelly (Brittany Daniel) Tasha see her flaws and empower her to explore other
and Jason Pitts (Coby Bell). Kelly, who always receives aspects of her life.
flack about marrying her African-American husband, is
As Melanie adjusts to her new lifestyle, she gets a playthe typical supportive trophy wife. While her husband by-play account of the lives and relationships among pro
is a star player, he is notorious
football player wives, girlfriends and mom/managers
for being
who use their best “game” to help their men stay
on the field and on their arms.
These are not the lives of pro players
and wives and girlfriends in pro football;
they are the lives of characters on The
CW Network’s new comedy, The Game,
airing Mondays. The show is a spin-off
of Girlfriends, another series on the CW
network. The hit new series is already generating
rave reviews, waves of laughter and
discussions about the show, which depicts
and deconstructs lifestyles of the wives,
women, and mothers of pro football
players. The characters and situations are
fictional, but they are not unlike those of
some real life wives of professional athletes.
The Game is a production of CBS
Paramount Network Television in association
with Grammnet Productions and Happy Camper
a penny-pincher and demands that the family be Productions. Kelsey Grammer, Mara Brock Akil, and
extremely frugal. Although Kelly works hard to maintain Steve Stark are executive producers. CBS Paramount
her picture perfect image, her new friends Melanie and Network Television is a division of CBS Corp.
For the last five years Cheryl DeLeonardis, founder
of Ocean 2 Ocean Productions, has successfully created
and produced one of the biggest events during Super
Bowl Weekend with the Legends for Charity Luncheon,
The Pat Summerall Award. Her eye for detail and
remarkable love for what she does has turned the
Legends luncheon into one of the cornerstone events of
Super Bowl weekend.
“Cheryl always
has great ideas,
and this one has been
an outstanding way
to honor the legacy
of Pat Summerall
and what he has
meant to the NFL.”
- Greg Aiello, Vice President, Public Relations, National Football League
Solutions Magazine, and in June
2006 she successfully nominated
Lesley Visser of CBS Sports to become
the First Woman enshrined into the Pro
Football Hall of Fame.
DeLeonardis produced her first national
event five years ago in San Diego during Super
Bowl XXXVII Week when she honored the late
Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach Hank Stram for
his victory in Super Bowl IV. The next day, Stram
was selected for enshrinement into the Hall of Fame
in Canton. During Super Bowl XXXVIII week her
honoree was Don Shula, the NFL’s all time winningest
coach. Shula returned to Houston, the site of his last
Super Bowl Victory, to be honored for his perfect season
with the Miami Dolphins.
A former Dolphin cheerleader during the NFL’s
only Perfect Season, DeLeonardis knows the power
that sports can bring to the community and relies on an
extensive network of friends and loyalists to accomplish
what would usually take an enormous firm with paid
“The Time and effort
that Cheryl puts into
her work is endless.
Cheryl is a woman of
character and one of
those individuals that
makes a difference
in our world.”
Her story started after Pat Summerall’s life was saved
two years ago with a liver transplant in Jacksonville. The
football and broadcast legend agreed to let DeLeonardis,
a woman in a small company, create and produce the
luncheon honoring him in the same town ten months
later. Summerall was so impressed with DeLeonardis’
talent that he agreed to let her name the award in his
honor, thus creating a new tradition during Super Bowl
weekend. In five short years, she has become highly
respected throughout the event and sports industry. She
has secured some of the top network sports executives
to lend their name to the Legends for Charity Event.
In 2006 she had her most successful year, winning two
National Telly Awards. She was also nominated for a
Rising Star in the Event Planning Industry by Event
- Dave and Jan Wannstedt,
University of Pittsburgh Head
Coach and Honorary Chairs
of the Night of Miracles
contacts. Her creative ability to produce a high-end
program filled with video tributes and guest speakers is
second to none. Her genuine approach has secured her
some of the top on-air talent from CBS Sports, FOX
Sports and ESPN to donate their time as participants at
the Legends luncheon.
In addition to her Super Bowl Luncheon, her
Cheryl has made significant contributes to many lives throughher work
for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Here she hugs a St. Jude bone
marrow transplant patient with whom she became very close.
History of the
The prestigious Pat Summerall award will be
given annually at the Legends for Charity Luncheon
during Super Bowl Weekend to a deserving recipient
who through their career has demonstrated the
character, integrity and leadership both on and off
the job that the name Pat Summerall represents.
continued on following page
Pat Summerall Award
2005
The inaugural Legends for Charity event was held on February 4, 2005, during Super Bowl XXXIX
in Jacksonville, Florida. The first honoree was the legendary “Voice of the NFL,” Pat Summerall. With
Summerall’s blessing, Cheryl DeLeonardis turned the Legends for Charity luncheon into an annual event
at which celebrity attendees and participants honor a sports legend with the Pat Summerall award.
continued on following page
49
Cheryl DeLeonardis, continued from previous page
ALS Association of Florida, a Cigar Night benefiting the
PVAF, and in 2007 she will produce a fundraising gala
fundraising events have included a celebrity softball in New York City to benefit Morgan Stanley’s Children’s
game for Nova Southeastern University Department Hospital, a division of Columbia Presbyterian Hospital.
of Athletics, an annual golf tournament benefiting the
Prior to opening her company, DeLeonardis spent
several years in the airline industry. During that time
she volunteered to create and spearhead an event in
South Florida called “The Night of Miracles,” which
raised more than 1 million dollars for St. Jude Children’s
Research Hospital.
As a professional football player, Pat Summerall was
best known as the kicker for the legendary New York
Giants championship teams of the late 50’s and 60’s.
After his retirement from the gridiron, he became the
mainstay of the CBS Sports broadcasting team for 32
years. Now he is known not only as a football legend,
but also as the signature voice of sports broadcasting in
America.
Summerall was born George Allen Summerall in
Lake City, Florida. He won the Florida State Tennis
championship and twice won All-State Basketball
honors before he became a football star at the University
of Arkansas. Summerall received an education degree in
1952 and later earned a master’s in Russian history.
The Detroit Lions drafted Summerall in 1952, but
he was traded to the Chicago Cardinals before ever
playing a single game for Detroit. He was a place-kicker
and tight end for Chicago from 1952 through 1957.
In 1958 he joined the New York Giants and played in
the 1958, 1959, and 1961 NFL Championship games,
scoring five points in the legendary 1958 game (23-17
loss to Baltimore), and 10 points in the 1959 game (3116 loss to Baltimore). Summerall also had a brief stint
with the St. Louis Cardinals baseball organization.
Summerall began his broadcasting career with CBS
in 1960. In addition to football, he was the network’s
signature voice for its golf coverage, including the
Masters®, the U. S. Open Tennis Championships, the
NBA and five Heavyweight Championship Fights. The
partner John Madden worked eight Super Bowl
broadcasts together — more than any other network
broadcast team. For 21 years, they were the strongest
sportscasting team in the history of the game. Their
broadcast of Super Bowl XVI in 1982 is still the highestrated sports program of all time (49). In 1994, Pat and
Madden joined the FOX network.
The winner of many prestigious awards in recognition
of his contribution to professional football include the
Lifetime Achievement Award for Sports by the National
Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the Pro
Football Hall of Fame’s Pete Rozelle’s Radio-Television
Award, and the NFL Alumni’s prestigious Order of
the Leather Helmet. In 2002, he received the coveted
George Halas Award, which has only been awarded
three other times to the founders of the League — Pete
Rozelle, George Halas and Art Rooney. Summerall has
also earned Sportscaster of the Year honors from the
National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association,
the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National
Quarterback Club, the Golden Mike Award from the
Touchdown Club of America, 2005 Sports Legend
Honoree, National High School Hall of Fame, 1989
Bert Bell Award, 1993 Joe Foss Challenge Award,
Florida High School Sports Hall of Fame, Walter
Camp Football Foundation Distinguished American
Award and the Association of Tennis Professionals’
JAKS Award as Tennis Broadcaster of the Year. He was
the first recipient of and now annually presents the Pat
1994 Masters was Summerall’s final event for CBS. In
addition to his TV career, Summerall was sports director
of WCBS Radio in New York City from 1960 to 1971.
At the same time he also served as host of the station’s
four-hour, six-days-a-week morning news program and
worked for the CBS Radio Network.
“Cheryl is the ultimate
event planner. Her
attention to detail
is exceptional. We are
so grateful to her
for creating the Pat
Summerall award, and
are honored to be
part of the Legends
for Charity.”
- Pat and Cheri Summerall
In total, Summerall has worked 16 Super Bowls on
network television, the first five as a game analyst and
the rest as the play-by-play man. To further Summerall’s
astonishing Super Bowl statistics, he also worked on 10
Super Bowl radio broadcasts. Summerall and broadcast
The Pat Summerall Award continued - James
Brown
2006
The first Summerall Award was presented to James Brown (more familiarly known as JB), host of the NFL
Today on CBS, in 2006, at the sight of Super Bowl XL. Brown is one of the most widely recognized and admired
sports commentators in the country.
“Cheryl single-handedly orchestrated a first class presentation
that left me humbled and speechless. Her creative ability
and level of professionalism in producing this tribute in my
honor made my moment in the spotlight as the first recipient
of The Pat Summerall Award a highlight in my career.”
- James Brown - Host of the NFL Today on CBS, CBS Sports
left to right: Pat Summerall, Cheryl DeLeonardis,
and James Brown, recipient of the 2006 Pat Summerall Award
50
January 2007
Professional Sports Wives / December
2006
Summerall Legends for Charity Award at the Super Bowl.
Pat’s book, Pat Summerall, On and Off the Field was Ltd. He and his wife Cheri reside in Southlake, Texas,
He has also received an honorary doctorate degree.
released this year and he is Founder of Summerall Sports with their black lab, Amazing Grace.
The Pat Summerall Award continued - Greg
Gumbel
2007
During Super Bowl XLI in 2007, the Summerall award will be presented to another
CBS legendary Sportscaster, Greg Gumbel. Gumbel is a veteran of sports broadcasting for
more than 25 years.
Greg Gumbel, recipient of the 2007 Pat Summerall Award
Greg Gumbel’s standout work in the busy world of
sports broadcasting has made his face, his name and his
voice as familiar as any in the industry. Considered one
of the best in sports television, Greg happily returns to
the NFL play-by-play arena this fall teaming up with
CBS analyst Dan Dierdorf to call the action!
Prior to returning to the booth, Greg successfully
completed his second season as the host of CBS’ Emmy
award winning show The NFL Today. He formally
hosted The NFL Today on CBS from 1990 to 1993 and
The NFL on NBC. Greg was also the lead play-by-play
announcer for CBS Sports’ coverage of the National
Football League from 1998 to 2003. In that capacity,
he called the thrilling action at Super Bowl XXXVIII
in Houston and Super Bowl XXXI in Tampa. He is
the first network broadcaster to both call play-by-play
and host the Super Bowl. He hosted Super Bowl XXVI
in Minneapolis, Super Bowl XXX in Tempe and Super
Bowl XXXII in San Diego.
When the NFL season winds down, Greg switches
from one premiere sports attraction to another, hosting
the Men’s NCAA Championship Tournament, the annual
March Madness which, in 2006, saw the University of
Florida win its first national championship.
In a broadcast career that began in 1973, Greg
Gumbel has seen tours of duty at Chicago’s WMAQTV, ESPN, the Madison Square Garden Network, CBS
Sports, NBC Sports and, now, again at CBS.
His play-by-play resumé includes the NFL, the NBA
and college basketball, Major League Baseball and the
College World Series Championship, as well as having
been the voice at various times for the NY Yankees,
The Pat Summerall Award continued - Jim
the NY Knicks, the Philadelphia 76ers, the Cleveland
Cavaliers and the Seattle Mariners.
As host, he has covered the NFL and college football,
Major League Baseball, the Daytona 500, the World
Figure Skating Championships, the 1992 Winter
Olympics in Albertville, France and the 1996 Summer
Olympics in Atlanta. Greg also served as the primetime
anchor for the record-setting 1994 Olympic Winter
Games from Lillehammer, Norway.
A 3-time Emmy Award winner, Greg was born May
3, 1946, in New Orleans and grew up in Chicago,
graduating from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa,
with a degree in English. When he’s not behind
the microphone for CBS, Greg speaks across the
country and around the world to business gatherings,
organizations, conventions, chambers of commerce and
colleges and universities, including commencement
addresses. For 10 years, Greg served as a member of the
National Board of Trustees for the March of Dimes.
He has since been named an Honorary Trustee and has
recently been elected to the March of Dimes National
Board of Advisors.
Nantz
2008
In 2008, Jim Nantz, Lead Play-by-Play Announcer of the NFL on CBS, will receive the
Summerall award in Arizona at the site of Super Bowl XLII. Nantz, who also won 2005
National Sportscaster of the Year, has covered virtually every sport for the CBS Television
Network since joining it in 1985.
Jim Nantz, recipient of the 2008 Pat Summerall Award
51
Your Networking Game Plan
by ��
Alan Anastos and Scott Manthorne, co-founders and principals of Athletes & Executives
In sports, having the most talented players on a team
doesn’t guarantee success. Those who devise the best
game plans – and execute – usually win. It’s no different
in business. Good strategic planning and consistent
efforts yield successful results. And, a networking plan
should be part of any professional’s business planning
and ongoing endeavors.
Networking is key to one’s success in business.
That old adage…”it’s all who you know”…is so true.
Just as teamwork is vital in sports, networking is vital
in business. One cannot succeed by working alone.
Here are some tips for developing – and executing – a
successful networking game plan…
Set goals and execute your plan. Routinely, at the
end of each month, write down what you would like to
accomplish in the upcoming month when it comes to
networking. Do this with respect to those with whom
you would like to meet and set your appointments
52
accordingly. Clearly define your objectives as they
relate to each person/meeting. After your meetings,
promptly follow through on anything you need to do to
keep moving forward in accomplishing your collective
objectives. And, on a weekly basis, make it a point to
network with at least one new person outside of your
inner circle of business associates and friends.
When connecting with others many professionals do
a good job of telling their own story. Consider, however,
the opportunity to help build your business and, at
the same time, establish a valuable strategic alliance.
Often, in order to gain prospects, the most effective
approach can be to first introduce your potential
clients or customers to some of your business associates
and friends. By making these introductions, you are
helping others build their business and increasing your
visibility and value. This approach will help you gain
the trust of others and provide you the opportunity
- at the appropriate time - to tell others about your
product/service. You’ll also be in a position to request
introductions to other professionals who may be good
prospects for you. Give to get!
Even when things are going great and your pipeline
is full, or when you have exceeded your revenue goals,
remember, you should never stop connecting. Effective
networking is not something you can simply turn on
when you need business. Business relationships must
be nurtured over time. The biggest mistake that you
can make is to become complacent in good times. The
athlete or team that is number one doesn’t stay at the
top without continuing to do more of that which got
them there. And, it’s no different in business. You should
remember how your strategy and hard work helped you
attain your goals. Consistency is key to winning...in
sports and in business. Make an effort to connect with
someone every day!
53
Whether you’re a couple or a single parent, it’s important to have a plan
to protect your children in the event something happens to you.
As a parent, you’re always thinking about what’s best
for your children. But have you thought about what
might happen if you’re no longer around? It’s not a
pleasant subject, but it is important. Planning for your
children’s future is even more important if you’re not
around to help.
Designating
Guardians
what their age. Trusts can protect assets for anyone you
desire and may continue even until the death of the
child and beyond.
One of the most important decisions is who should
be the trustee. The trustee (individual or professional)
will manage the assets and make distributions based on
instructions you provide in the trust document.
Paying estate taxes
Have an attorney
Under current tax
draft a will in which
law,
the amount subject
you name one or more
to
estate
tax and the
individuals to be the legal
percentage
to be taxed
guardian of any minor
on
the
remaining
estate
child—typically
until
will
decrease
until
2010
the child reaches age 18.
when
the
estate
tax
is
A guardian will have to
repealed.
However,
unless
make decisions regarding
current law is extended
the care and upbringing
by Congress, the estate
of the child. The
tax is due to be reinstated
person(s) named should
in 2011. Because of the
be consulted before the
uncertainty as to the
will is drafted to be sure
future of the estate tax,
they are willing to accept
individuals with assets
the responsibility. Since
over $1 million should
the designated guardian
consult an attorney, a
may become unable to serve, it is also a good idea to
Tax
Advisor,
and
a
Financial
Professional to consider
name one or two successor guardians. You may name
effective
estate
planning
strategies.
a different person to be responsible for overseeing your
In addition to federal estate taxes, some states impose
children’s financial affairs.
their own estate or inheritance tax. In addition, some
Establishing a trust
forms of property, such as traditional IRAs, pensions,
While a child may be an adult in years, he or she deferred compensation survivorship benefits, and
may not yet be mature enough to handle, invest or deferred annuity death benefits may be subject to
manage property. You can establish a trust to protect the income taxes.
property you intend to pass on to children, no matter
Gifts or bequests to a surviving spouse are generally
exempt from federal estate taxes under the unlimited
marital deduction. In addition, the income tax due
on IRA and qualified plan distributions payable to a
surviving spouse can be deferred by rolling them over to
a surviving spouse’s IRA.
Income Protection
Parents should consider a financial protection plan
that includes Life and Disability Income Insurance,
which they can develop with their Financial Professional.
You should determine how much capital or income is
necessary to help protect children or other beneficiaries.
For example, money may be needed to help maintain a
home for children, pay for college or other expenses in
the event of the breadwinner’s death or disability. This
financial protection plan should be coordinated with a
will or trust.
Living Documents
All parents should have an up-to-date power of
attorney, health care proxy and living will. A power
of attorney basically gives another person the right to
pay bills on your behalf and otherwise manage your
finances according to the terms of the document, which
is typically drawn up by a qualified Estate Planning
Attorney. The second and third documents give you the
opportunity to express your desires concerning the use
of life support and other treatments to keep you alive,
and permit medical decisions to be made for you if you
are unable to do so. Often, married couples rely on each
other to make these types of decisions.
Although it is a difficult subject to face, you have
options when it comes to protecting your estate and
your family. The steps you take now can help prevent
the wrong people from making decisions for your loved
ones.��
GE-31559 (03/05) (03/07)
January
January2007
2007// Professional Sports Wives
57
the marketplace
The Marketplace is a good resource to network your resources to friends and associates in our industry.
To advertise, visit: www.prosportswives.com or contact us at [email protected].
58
As a retired professional athlete I realize how much
time and energy we put into training our bodies for
peak performance, and in learning skills to win and beat
our opponents. But before you know it, the game that
you have diligently dedicated yourself to will suddenly
leave you behind. The only things that remain are your
memories, your family, and the friendships you’ve made
throughout your career.
I have learned that the time spent with your loved
ones, your family, and your teammates are what you
cherish the most.
So, it is important to get over grudges, make your
amends, and be sure to say the things you want to say
to your loved ones.
Relationships with your friends and family are the
only thing in the sport that can last forever.
focus, and never give up. Never lose sight of your real
priorities.
So keep in shape for the real game — which is your
family and friends. Say all the things that you need to
say to the people who love and support you, and who
have been there with you through thick and thin, and
from the beginning to the end.
The time is now, the place is here, and the rest is up
to you to learn to be a better friend, teammate, father,
husband, son, grandfather, and a man of character with
morals and values. These things will be your lasting
legacy when the game is over.
In loving memory of our brothers in pro sports who
have recently passed away, including Darrent Williams
of the Denver Broncos, and my friend and former
Philadelphia Eagles’ teammate, Andre Waters.
Waters
I recently lost another good friend and former
teammate, and when the news came of his passing, it
felt like losing a family member — a brother. In fact, in
pro sports, it doesn’t matter what team you play for or
what uniform you wear — we are all brothers.
I have come to realize that life is the toughest game
of all!
Williams
It’s hard to say good-bye and retire from a game you
have trained for all of your life; but in the game of life
it is worse to say goodbye to marriages, loved ones, and
people who have affected your life.
I’ve learned the key is to enjoy the game, enjoy your
family — especially your children, train hard, keep your
59
64

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