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Matt Whittier, President, O-D Life Sports

Matt Whittier, President, O-D Life Sports:

First, can you tell readers about Offense-Defense, how it got started and who you work with?

Offense-Defense Sports got its start 45 years ago with a single camp in Putney, Vermont, of all places. My Father, Rick, and I, both always heavily involved in sports, saw how great a product and service the company was providing and purchased it 15 years ago in order to expand its reach nationwide and bring our great instruction both on the field with football and off the field, life skills-wise, to young athletes all across the country. We have a tight, dedicated staff at our headquarters in Myrtle Beach year-round and we work with thousands of prominent high school, collegiate, and NFL coaches and players during our busiest phases of the Summer.

I could name them all but you’d run out of ink! But we’ve taken it from the one camp location 15 years ago to the 100+ locations we’re helping athletes in now.

How do kids sign up and how does this football camp differ from others around the country?

We offer a lot of the traditional methods of registration. Campers can register through our website (//www.o-d.com/), by phone, or even by mail. In addition, we take a grass roots approach to getting out to communities in person and holding meetings with youth groups and leagues where they can hear us talk about the camp face-to-face and collect signups in person. All campers must enroll in advance, well in advance in many of our locations, simply due to lack of space provided in dorms, cafeteria, field space, etc.

Not all kids/athletes are the same in terms of their physical and psychological “make-up” – how do you address each athlete as an individual versus a one-size-fits-all approach to training?

That’s a great question and a real big part of how we deliver our multi-faceted training. The first day of each one of our camps is generally reserved for non-contact drills where our coaches are able to evaluate each camper in a lower pressure environment. We’re able to get a gauge of every athlete’s size and demeanor as well as their athletic ability and position-specific skill-set. From there, we spend that evening’s planning session placing campers in appropriate groups of their TRUE peers – other athletes who fit the same personality, age, size, and skill attribute categories.

It’s a great way to have campers not only make friends and improve at a proper pace, but it also instills confidence when you have a less talented athlete not getting his doors blown off by an All-American caliber camper. Each athlete is able to experience success and believe in themselves as well as become a better football player. We feel this provides a great foundation for future success.

A number of Steelers have come through your camps – Roethlisberger, Timmons, Porter, Will Allen….Any fun memories of those guys?

There was a time with Big Ben at our Pittsburgh camp where he was on the field helping not only supervise but also coach some of the kids. Our guys were really going at it! On one particular play a talented young ‘baller was headed downfield like a 10 year old Barry Sanders, full head of steam and met a determined linebacker, James Harrison style, who made an amazing open field hit to separate this little monster from the ball. Both jumped up, showed the necessary “O-D Love” of respect, and Ben jumped in the air celebrating just as much if not more than the other kids!

You could tell he was not only excited to be there, but also genuinely interested and invested in our young players’ success.

Though he didnt work out as Pitt hoped, Kendrell Bell also came his 2^nd season and was just a big kid. They’re all big kids to some gree, but he was always cheesin’ and hamming it up pretty good.

Mark Breuner, he’s out in the Seattle area watching his girls play lacrosse, but he’s become a very dear friend of mine…..and the list goes on…

Who were some of the more memorable athletes you’ve worked with – what made them so?

Cam Newton got a real bad rap while he was in college. Completely undeserved. We had him at our inaugural All-American Bowl where he took home MVP honors and we knew he was going to be something special. Before his amazing year at Auburn, he volunteered to come to camp in Atlanta and talk about some of the experiences he had, good and bad, and stressed the importance of making good decisions, learning from your mistakes (or hopefully even BEFORE you make them!), and how the O-D experience and exposure helped kick off his career. He’s a remarkable, intelligent, and caring young man.

Steve Smith has been a really special presence at some of our camps in the past as well. He never advertised the fact, so I hope he doesn’t mind me doing so now, but at each camp he’s been at he’s purchased merchandise from our on-campus store for EVERY single camper at our camp…thousands of dollars worth each time. He’s one-in-a-million.

Nate Newton of course had a pretty troubled time after he retired from the game. He’s another great example of a guy that likes to give back by coming to camp and talking to the kids honestly about the mistakes he’s made and how to avoid them. Further than that, Big Nate felt our instructional mission and his message were important enough that he would also tour with us, hitting upwards of 10 camps a Summer and serving as a super counselor of sorts. I guess we should actually call him Little Nate now…he’s lost 170 lbs!

How do you work with kids on making good off-field decisions as well?

Obviously we have a limited time at each location to speak with our campers. That isn’t to say that we don’t try! Through a combination of O-D Staff…our coaches, pro players, etc…we’ll take time to speak to our athletes about making the right choices in life. We stress the importance of respect, community, family, and school and how a good foundation in each of these areas will most likely lead to success and happiness the rest of their lives. Recently, we set up a social networking site called OD4Life (od4life.com) where our campers can stay connected with each other and with us, even when they’re away from camp. They can talk about their game, their life, their troubles and successes…really, whatever they want!

With all their peers and our staff in the same place, it offers a great way for everyone to stay connected and enlist even a larger group for problem solving and guidance via crowd-sourcing. At its most basic, players can perform well on the field if they aren’t taking care of things off the field. It’s in everyone’s best interest to help out and we try to do that as best we can!

This will be the 6th year of the O-D All American Bowl – can you tell readers more about this – where its held and who is invited to play – is this a forum for recruiters?

Every year we take a long hard look at the best high school players in the country. We go over film, scouting reports, and rely on our own two eyeballs to make an assessment and invite the top 88 seniors to our game. Our game was the last ever football game played at the Orange Bowl and recently we’ve been holding games right here in our headquarters city of Myrtle Beach. This year is very special and exciting for us as we’ll be having the game in Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. Each of these games have been broadcast on national television. Over time, the game has grown into a week long festival, really.

We’ve started inviting youth players ages 7-17 to participate in the Youth All-American Bowl, now entering its third year, and high school players not quite ready for the televised game this year get to partake in the first ever Junior All-American contest. There’s a Coaches Convention packed with clinics for all positions and coaching levels, and also a National Tournament of full youth teams that come from far and awaide to. All-in-all, it’s a happening. And of course, recruiters are able to and DO attend…as well as look over footage from our practices and the game both on Nationally TV and O-DTV.com, which is broadcast 24 hours a day, the entire week…..and with the 382 current players in the NFL that are O-D Alum, as well as countless players playing D-1 ball, you never know what friends are going to swing by!

How do you prepare kids for the college game and life – where film study, educational and social pressures are much greater?

The past few years have seen us start up our O-DLife service which provides counseling and guidance to athletes of ALL ages…but particularly those just encountering the pressures and environment of the collegiate world. We found that in the vast majority of situations, athletes either weren’t shown or didn’t take seriously the risks and stories of those that came before them and encountered difficulties. An overwhelming sense of “It can’t happen to me” is everywhere.

We try to stress that these pitfalls – shady agents, money handshakes, and other extracurricular distractions – are far more prevalent that a lot of people might expect. We make sure to go over the rules with the athletes we’re helping…tell them what they can expect if they break those rules…and how best to keep their nose clean, stay straight, and fly right. It tends to resonate when athletes are being advised by people they know and have trusted for years…sometimes over a decade!

You still work with alumni, offering consulting, PR and financial services. Do you work with any Steelers – if so, how?

At O-DLife.com we work with about 4,800 active and retired players, so of course there are a lot of Steelers mixed in. Levon Kirkland and Dermontii are huge advocates of O-D, Terry Bradshaw called about two weeks ago and asked if we’d be on his TV show down in the Louisiana area, of course Timmons lives very close to our Headquarters in Myrtle Beach, so yes, we’re pretty active with the guys.

Whether active or retired, regardless of team, they respect that we arent agents or salesmen trying to get in their pockets, we’re not full-time coaches operating just to make some money for the lower paid coaching staff members, not gym teachers looking for a summer job; we are 24/7/365 aimed at improving players on an individual basis, and also helping those active and retired guys in need. With the development of OFF field focused O-DforLife.com and its progression into O-DLife.com, we are already having an impact on these athletes understanding non-football necessities like family roles and responsibilities, to goal-setting, community involvement and a heck of a lot more.

We’re very proud and encouraged with the strides we’ve made in our mission to decrease the divorce rate, avoid bankruptcy and any legal issues we’ve helped prevent.

Do any Steelers or other players come to the camp to visit/encourage the next generation of players?

Absolutely….we are pretty particular about who we have around the kids, some players just dont “get it” why they are there. These guys are bigger than life on TV so for a camper to see this person in the flesh can be very positive. At the same time, if this player is the introvert, who’s on his cell texting away, and watching the clock, the kids see that and it can deflate them somewhat.

That’s of course the opposite of what we aim to do, of course, so I’d rather have no pro player there at all than someone that isn’t going to interact with the kids an a 100% positive way. Sometimes parents don’t understand that, but they realize the methods to our madness when their kids get hope and start pancaking and schooling the kids that didnt attend O-D.

In addition, every camp we operate is stacked w/ NFL coaches….these are the people at camp who the kids really benefit from. Tom Moore, Colts ex-OC, and handpicked by Archie why Peyton was to land with Colts, has been the Head Coach of our camps for 42 of our 45 years. Actually Tom won 3 SuperBowls with Pittsburgh in the 70’s, he also coached Barry Sanders, again Peyton, another SuperBowl with ther Colts, the guys an offensive mastermind, but he also knows how to relate a curriculum involving full-contact to our 3000+ camp coaches nationwide that will best benefit them. Tom and about 50 other O-D Coaches help us fine-tune our curriculum in a huge weekend meeting we have a few months before the camp season starts.

They also respect how much we care about the product we are giving the kids, so in turn, they make sure every coach on their particular camp staff understands how serious we are and how he better treat his role the exact same, whether he’s coaching a 6 year old or an 18 year old.

What do you find is the biggest adjustment for players who enter the NFL, and how do you help them overcome those challenges?

Its very similar to the transition they have to make from HS to College mentally. Deciding on a college isn’t easy, and picking an agent is a downright dreadful process. I, personally have negotiated w/ just about every agency in existence for one thing or another, and these guys wake up in the morning wondering who and how they are going to take advantage of people. Fortunately there ARE some honorable, relaiable, trustworthy guys in the industry that we simply let our kids know about when they are making that jump to the league. So mentally there are those stressful decisions that they have to take very seriously.

Physically the jump from college to the pro’s is normally summed up in one word; Speed. Guys are getting bigger, faster and stronger every year and there’s no grace period to catch up. You either arrive physically prepared or you better be prepared to find other employment. On top of it, that playbook you better know like the back of your hand. That involves intelligence and efforts that some guys just arent use to.

Then there’s the pocket full of new money that many aren’t use to having, so that have to be on their toes intelligence-wise there as well because the average NFL career being 3.4 years they better not take that pocketful for granted or they’ll find themselves in tough shape, going from the top of the mountain to the dregs of the valley very quickly.

You might expect athletes who’ve made it so far to have the hardest parts of their journey behind them. It’s true in SOME ways…financial temptation doesn’t tend to be as big of a problem. For one, these players are now ALLOWED to make money and for another, their first contracts are likely to include more money than they’ve ever seen before. Still, it’s a big jump from the college game to the professional and the pitfalls that DO exist are likely to be more damaging in the long haul.

For one, a lot of players still believe themselves to be invincible. They think they’re going to be earning big money paydays in the league for 15 or 20 years when the stark reality is much, much different. We try to get them to look at the big picture as far as building a nest egg right away and making sure they maintain or build further their commitments to family so bonds form that are much harder to damage and the money is there if and when they need it in the future.

Some statistics are pretty depressing, particularly those that pertain to divorce, bankruptcy, and even mortality rates as players leave the league…a majority less than 6 or 7 years after they entered it. We’re just trying to do our part to make sure those statistics improve and in the best cases, stop these young men from becoming statistics in the first place.

Erric Pegram, Steelers Running Back, 1995-1997

First, can you tell readers about HeadBlade shaving products and what your role is with the company? What about the organization made you like this fit so much?

I’m just a Headblader like anyone else, my role is strictly that. Todd and I go way back when he first started the company and I’ve been on board ever since

The product is great and the owner is a cool dude. I love helping good people, period.

Is this something you were involved in while playing football? If not, how did you get started with them?

No I was involved after my NFL career, I really don’t remember how we hooked up, strange but after thousands of hits up side the head, what do you expect?

Continue reading “Erric Pegram, Steelers Running Back, 1995-1997”

Casey Shea, KDKA, on the Penguins

Casey Shea, KDKA

First, can you tell readers about yourself – what you do with KDKA and how you got started there?

I started with KDKA during the summer of 2009. My primary job is to produce news content in the form of stories, videos, slideshows, etc. for our website. Before coming to Pittsburgh, I was a National Producer for the CBS Digital Media Group in New York City. I am also the author of the Shea-ved Ice blog, which is dedicated to my thoughts on the Pittsburgh Penguins. I have always been a Penguins fan so to be able to write about them for the website is great. Here’s the link to the blog: //pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/tag/shea-ved-ice/

How worried should fans be about Malkin’s consistent injury issues? Are these indicative of more chronic issues or will we see the end of these issues at some point this season?

My gut feeling on Malkin is that the early season soreness is just a lingering effect from the surgery. At this point, I’m not overly worried that he will continue to deal with this all season. I think the Pens are doing the right thing by holding him out at the moment. Malkin has been pushing himself during his recovery, but you can never recreate game intensity in practice.

The unknown was how his knee would hold up when the games started. I’d rather see him be held out now so he can recover, than push it and not be available for the stretch run and playoffs.

Does this team have enough offensive “punch” still at forward? Neal is on fire right now, but there seem to be so few pure scorers on this team, and it shows in their shooting percentages, Can they win as is?

I think we saw in the playoffs last year how much the Penguins struggled to score without guys like Sidney Crosby and Malkin. Also not having Dustin Jeffrey, Mark Letestu, etc. only compounded the scoring problems. Neal took a lot of heat last year for not being able to light the lamp, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. Outside factors such as getting accustomed to a new system and a new city had to have affected his game. He looks a lot more comfortable with his surroundings so far this season and the pucks are going in for him.

The question now isn’t if he can score, it’s can he sustain this pace? In the absence of Crosby and Malkin, the scoring load falls to guys like Neal, Chris Kunitz, Jordan Staal and Steve Sullivan up front. Sullivan has had numerous golden opportunities in their most recent games against Montreal and New Jersey, but hasn’t been able to bury the puck. They proved last season that they can win low-scoring regular season games.

However, in the playoffs their offensive struggles ultimately led to their demise. Well, that and the power play, but we’ll get to that later.

How does the team remedy this – or is this the makeup of a team who understands in scoring limitations and believes in just trying to get pucks on the net to hope for rebounds?

There’s nothing wrong with putting a bunch of pucks on net and crashing for rebounds. One of the first things they teach you in youth hockey is to put the puck on net because you never know what might happen. Right now, I think we need to get used to seeing goals coming from up and down the roster until the big guns return. As far as remedying the goal-scoring problem without Crosby and Malkin, the Penguins just need to get back to basics.

The fancy passing we’ve come to know and expect out of this team can’t be happening, especially when the best two players in the world aren’t on the ice. The Pens have their best success when they get into the zone and cycle the puck. It generates momentum and leads to scoring chances.

Can Jeffrey be a scoring solution?

I think he has the potential to score at least 15 goals. He had seven in just 25 games with the Penguins last year, so I don’t think 15 is too big of a stretch. Even getting 10 from him would be a help while the Penguins get healthy.

Right now, I wouldn’t expect him to be a guy the team turns to be a major factor in the goal scoring department. At the moment, it’s all about balanced scoring for the Penguins. So, anything he adds will make this team successful.

How does Coach Bylsma get so much out of a team so riddled with injuries? What about him makes players respond so well to his leadership?

Quite simply, his system is what allows this team to be successful. The fact that the same system is being used in Wilkes-Barres/Scranton allows the call-ups to step right in and feel comfortable. It’s hard enough to make an NHL roster, but being familiar with the system on the big stage goes a long way. While it seems as if we’ve been watching the current core forever, this is still a very young hockey team. Bylsma comes across as a teacher and rarely loses his cool. His approach makes players want to be better.

The system is catered to how these current players want to play the game. Under Michel Therrien, guys like Crosby and Malkin were bottled up. Now, the system allows them to use their speed to create chances. The Penguins are a very fast team and bottling them up made absolutely no sense. The players appeared to tune Therrien out after a while. Whether they did or not is pure speculation. It’s just how it looked to me. Bylsma brought a new outlook, a new system and the team responded by winning the Stanley Cup. Players follow guys who win and Bylsma finds ways to win with what he’s given. There’s no reason to not trust his decisions.

How has this team addressed the power play – and while it’s too early to evaluate with Malikn and Crosby out so much, do you see signs of real improvement yet?

The signs of improvement are there. Pucks are getting to the net on a more frequent basis and there’s been better puck movement once they get set up. However, the problem is still getting set up in the zone. At times, the zone entries are the same as they were last year. Basically, Kris Letang lugs the puck through the neutral zone with his four teammates stopped at the blue line. When Letang enters the zone, he’s met with a wall of defenders and no one to pass to. The guys without the puck need to be hitting the line with speed so Letang has an option to either pass or chip it deep.

From a personnel standpoint, I’d make two changes right now. Paul Martin has looked lost on the second unit and I’m not entirely sure why. His decisions with the puck have left a lot to be desired to this point. When healthy, I’d prefer to see Zbynek Michalek out there. He’s got a decent shot and he’s not afraid to let it fly. Also, I’d take Matt Cooke off the ice for power plays. If he’s only going to the net to set up screens, put Mark Letestu or Jeffrey out there. Cooke seems to have been able to change his game, but he’s not the first guy I would think of to use on the power play. Maybe things will change when the team gets healthy. Time will tell.

What has Bill Guerin brought to this team – how has he been working with the players?

I’ll admit it. I wasn’t a big fan of trading for Guerin at first. I’ll also admit, my judgment of that deal was completely wrong. What a fantastic deal that turned out to be and not just because he helped the Penguins win the Stanley Cup. He brought a veteran presence into a young locker room, but didn’t have the “holier than thou” mentality just because he had been around longer.

Guerin took Crosby under his wing and showed him how to be a leader. He showed all the “kids” the right way to play the game. When the team faced adversity, they looked to Guerin because he’d been there before. Having him in the front office as a player development coach is only going to do wonders for the prospects in the system.

What does the team do for the new players like Sullivan, Neal and Park to get them “indoctrinated” – what do the players and coaches do to welcome them and make them feel a part of the team?

I’m not entirely certain how the team rolls out the red carpet for new players to the team. However, the free agent signings over the past couple of years have wanted to be members of the team. You run the risk in trades with players being unhappy with having been traded. Steve Sullivan for example wanted to be a Penguin because of the winning attitude here. He’s nearing the end of his career and figures this team to have the best chance to win the Stanley Cup. Could he have gotten more money elsewhere? It’s hard to say, but his eagerness to come to Pittsburgh makes welcoming him to the team much easier.

The guys in the locker room have always appeared to welcome new guys to the team with open arms. If Arron Asham can come in from Philly and fit right in, surely anyone can right?

Coach Bylsma has been questioned at times for aggressively mixing his lineups from game to game. Do you see this as an issue as it pertains to “chemistry” – do the players mention this at all?

I have no problem with the way he shuffles the lines. With all the injuries, he is forced to experiment with different line combinations to get the most out of the team. I think the players understand that as well and know if they play well, they’ll see more ice time. Coaches change lines around during games all the time based on how the game unfolds. I think it comes with the territory and the players all accept that. I also think that when the Penguins are back to 100 percent, the shuffling won’t be as drastic as we’ve seen. Hopefully the end of the injuries comes soon.

Cory Pronman of the Hockey Prospectus in a recent interview (//pittsburghsportsdailybulletin.wordpress.com/2011/10/13/corey-pronman-hockey-prospectus/) ranked the Penguins organization 25th in the NHL in terms of prospects. What are your thoughts on his analysis?

Well, he’s certainly entitled to his opinion and that’s what makes all of this fun and interesting. I certainly wouldn’t rank the Penguins that low considering how well these guys have stepped into the NHL to fill in.

Last year was a big test to see just what the Penguins have in the farm. Guys like Letestu and Jeffrey stepped in and performed well before injuries sidelined them. This season, Joe Vitale had an amazing training camp and preseason, which earned him a roster spot with the big club. Joe Morrow had an impressive showing in camp, Scott Harrington is another solid defenseman and Beau Bennett has the potential to develop into a top six forward. While they aren’t on the level of a Crosby or Malkin, they’re still NHL quality players that will eventually crack the Penguins’ roster.

The list goes on, but the fact the Penguins still enjoyed success down the stretch last season with what seemed like an AHL-dominated roster, the future of Penguins hockey still seems bright to me. The biggest question mark is if Eric Tangradi can pull it together and live up to the hype surrounding him. I think he has the ability to do so, but consistency is his biggest problem.

Any last thoughts for readers?

It’s still very early in the season, but the Penguins look like one of the teams to beat in the Eastern Conference right now. I think fans should be excited to see how well the team is performing without their top stars. It certainly brings a smile to my face to think how good this team will be when Crosby and Malkin are back as everyday players.

Be sure to follow me on Twitter at //twitter.com/CaseySheaPens.

Weegie Thompson, Steelers Wide Receiver, 1984-1990

First, can you tell readers what you are doing with yourself now and how you got involved in this line of work?

I work for Potomac Environmental in Richmond, VA. Our company manages the transportation and disposal of hazardous waste and provides environmental services. I got into the environmental services business right after football working for a Pittsburgh company, Chambers Development, and have stayed in the industry since.

Continue reading “Weegie Thompson, Steelers Wide Receiver, 1984-1990”

Gregg Sayer – Pointstreak Sports Technologies Inc.

Greg Sayer: Pointstreak Sports Technologies Inc.

First, can you tell readers about Pointstreak – how you got started and what the applications are?

In 2000, our founder, Aaron Bishop, was frustrated that he could not get his rec league hockey stats online and when they were posted online, they were painfully out of date. He drafted some friends to help him create a solution – which was labelled an “electronic gamesheet system” – and then approached their local league to act as a test pilot. From these humble roots we have grown to a company that services over 4000 leagues and associations around the world.

Officially speaking, Pointstreak Sports Technologies Inc. is a privately-held sports software company that provides fully integrated online registration software, statistics solutions, sports websites and video solutions for the sports of hockey, baseball, basketball, lacrosse, soccer and others. Our founding principle was to use a touch-screen computer to replace paper score sheets used by hockey leagues, but we have since expanded into multiple sports and applications beyond just statistics.

What professional sports organizations use Pointstreak (any in Pittsburgh) – and how?

Pointstreak formed its first “White Knight” partnership with the Pittsburgh Penguins in November 2010 which saw the Penguins underwrite the costs of Pointstreak’s technologies for grassroots hockey leagues in the greater Pittsburgh area, particularly the Pittsburgh Amateur Hockey League (PAHL) and the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League (PIHL). This type of partnership is a triple-win: the Pens get a great platform to connect with their core community; grassroots hockey associations get cutting-edge services at no cost and Pointstreak gets the business. The idea is catching on with other pro teams. We recently entered into a similar arrangement with the Philadelphia Flyers.

Beyond these strategic partnerships, we have many professional sports organizations as clients that use our real-time statistics software , live video highlights software and video analysis coaching software. Here are some highlights of our pro / collegiate clients in the Pittsburgh and greater Pennsylvania region:

Video Analysis Software:

Hershey Bears (AHL)

Wheeling Nailers (ECHL )

Robert Morris University (NCAA D1 hockey & lacrosse)

Mercyhurst U (NCAA D1)

Baseball Statistics Software:

Washington Wild Things (Frontier League)

Butler BlueSox (The Prospect League)

Slippery Rock Sliders (The Prospect League)

PONY World Series

Little League World Series

Are any teams using the software to better analyze their own performance to improve – if so, any examples?

While we certainly cannot take all the credit for our clients’ successes, it is interesting to note that the Canadian men’s and women’s hockey team who won gold and the Finnish hockey teams who won bronze at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics were all clients of our video analysis coaching software (called STEVA).

Pointstreak’s STEVA product is completely centered around the idea of helping coaches and players improve on-ice success. The product slogan is “Visualize Success”, which is a perfect summary of the whole concept: tag up video, index it, and use it to find out what you are doing well and what you could be doing better. Furthermore, the same concept can be applied against your competitors to help identify weak points or to guide preparations such as match-ups, situational tactics, etc.

Can fan/fantasy leagues use the system as well – if so, how is it being used?

Yes, we do have a ‘fantasy league’ module that we can enable for our clients. For example, the Major League Lacrosse uses our fantasy league software to easily allow fans to run their own fantasy leagues. Because we have a streamlined system to capture and organize game and player statistics, the setup and maintenance of a fantasy league is completely automated for our clients.

We also have one Strat-O-Matic Hockey league using Pointstreak. Strat-O-Matic is a sports simulation board game that has somewhat of a cult following. Our baseball platform could easily be used by Strat-O-Matic baseball leagues.

Much of your focus in on baseball and hockey – is football in the future for Pointstreak? Why/why not?

Our vision is to have a robust stats solution for all the major, global sports, so yes, football is definitely our radar. We already have football clients like the Indoor Football League, Texas High School Football, and the Flag Football World Championships. We expect that the football market is going to become a much larger part of our business in the coming years.

We have also recently entered basketball with our acquisition of CREZ Basketball, a leading basketball stats application, so that is a market we are just beginning to make our presence felt in.

Some feel that there’s too much emphasis on statistics in sports today – what do you think of this and how does your software help enhance the sporting experience versus making the focus solely on statistics?

The reality is, for the youth and young adults of the world, an online experience is an integral part of anything they do. By creating a rich online experience for these athletes we strengthen their ties to their sport and make it more likely that they will continue to participate in their sport. Combine that with the fact that we offer parents the opportunity to stay connected to their child’s sporting activities in real-time even when they cannot make the game, and we feel we have a lot to offer sports organizations.

At the professional level, especially with the release of the recent movie Moneyball, there has been plenty of discussion on how much should statistics be used in the role of scouting and player evaluation. The general consensus is that the old school method of simply watching a player can be enhanced with the use of statistical analysis. The majority of MLB teams now employ a department that manipulate the statistics for their own scouting purposes. Pointstreak shares data with a few MLB teams as well as having an official partnership with NHL Central Scouting.

Are there plans to open this up to consumers so that anyone can use this to track their own individual players/sports of interest rather than this being a team/league centered offering?

We do offer a Pointstreak iPhone app / iPad app for $9.99 that allows consumers to score their own team’s games or for scorekeeping hobbyists who like to score along with MLB games (we even have built in MLB rosters that one can download). We also have something called Team Locker Room, a free online tool that helps amateur teams and coaches manage their team (schedule games, track attendance, enter basic stats). However, Pointstreak’s core business is on helping entire leagues streamline their stats collection and improve the player or fan experience.

Could this be applicable to non-sports applications. Say, helping businesses get statistical analysis on their operations, etc.?

Yes, the principles are the same: Streamlining data collection, crunchin numbers, posting to the Internet, etc. However, there are plenty of companies focused on that space, so our plan is to specialize in technology that meets the unique needs and challenges of sports organizations.

What’s next in terms of offerings/applications?

About a year ago we released a product called Pointstreak Live Publisher. This is a revolutionary idea that married our traditional hockey/baseball scoring software with our then recently acquired video indexing software (STEVA). The result is a seamless system that automatically captures a video clip from a baseball or hockey game, indexes it to the relevant statistical event (e.g. goal or home run), and then uploads it to the web in real-time.

We had good adoption of Live Publisher with leagues like the Central Hockey League (CHL), the North American Hockey League (NAHL), Central Canadian Hockey League (CCHL), but what we are extremely excited about is the R&D that is under way to bring this idea of automated video highlights down to the grassroots hockey and baseball leagues. Imagine as a parent of a young hockey player, for example, having a highlight clip of every one of your child’s goals from the start of their competitive hockey career. Imagine if we could have that sort of historical video archive for a great like Sidney Crosby?

Any other thoughts for readers?

If anyone reading this participates in a hockey/baseball league and you think or KNOW the league needs to catch up on technology, join our Facebook page and join the conversation about how Pointstreak can help.

Michael Quartey – National Bowl Game

Michael Quartey – National Bowl Game:

First, can you tell readers about the National Bowl. When it takes place and who’s invited?

The National Bowl is an invite only All Star Game for standout College Seniors played annually in Allentown, PA. The aim is to showcase players with less exposure and/or from small schools that are looking for exposure. The game is followed by the D2-D3 Pro Day & National Scouting Combine in January and February. College football standouts from all divisions are invited to attend but the rosters tend to focus on Division 2 and Division 3 players.

How difficult was it to organize the game – to get schools to commit to players attending and scouts to come?

It is extremely tolling on the individuals involved, I have to thank my wife Jacole and partner Jonathan Tilly for the unwavering support over the years.The planning is done 9 months in advance and most of the executing is done a couple of months before the game and time is of the essence because players seasons are ending and coaches go on the road and some players are thinking they will never strap on the pads ever again until they get a call from their coach. W just try and honor the players and give them at least one more time!

How do you select the players and coaches – what’s the process?

Coaches and scouts are selected through our extensive network we have built thru East Preps as we have placed over 40+ players on different teams in every league and all over the world so we try and leverage our relationships and coaches respect what we are doing so they say that kid from Pace they sent us was better than our 5th rounder…lets see what East Preps has going on.

What is the player experience during this week – what processes do they go through before and after the game?

The National Bowl weekend is 2 days Saturday and Sunday with 3 practices and Gametime. We have some great charities we are playing for, Austim Society Lehigh Chapter and Tommyland.org both PA foundations for autistic kids. The players get to give back and are also cheered on by some of the nations best cheerleaders. Our game is a high-end game with a great product with a sweat and equity budget.

Most players pay their own way or find a family member or family friend to sponsor them so we limit the weekend to 2 days and keep our sign up costs lower than even most HS Bowls so these seniors get the opportunity to PLAY and socialize with other All Americans and All Conference Players. 2 teamates can split one of our discounted bowl rate hotels and only pay $35-$70 for housing for the weekend. Last year we had longer days and only used half the practices. We want these players to come have fun so we don’t do a formal dinner but rather a comfortable mixer where coaches, players, staff, and families can chat and have Fun which is the focus of the weekend. These are the best of the best, they know the basics they just need to let loose.

How is the game funded, and who usually sends scouts to view the pregame practices and game itself?

The first game we funded through player sign up and out of pocket. We still do not have a major sponsor and are always looking but our business plan is solid and we have made it so we can still pull it off without one. We believe we have to prove our worth and the sponsors and TV contracts will come. We have some great Hotels, Restaurants, and News broadcast people that have given so much to us. Its a busy time of year so many scouts can only make the game itself. Fortunately for us and the players our coaches come from the AFL, IFL, and UIFL and bring staff and scouts. They get other teams involves because no team wants to miss an opportunity on a player they didn’t have on their board.

We have been lucky, right before this interview a major CFL team the Montreal Alouettes just confirmed its attendance so that puts us in a separate class that I have our clients that have been in NFL camps begging to play!

Are there plans for expanding this and having an actual combine-like experience as well for teams and players?

It’s our philosophy to not test these Players in early or mid December. For small school players publishing times to pro teams after they have been banged up and played their hearts out and haven’t had 8 weeks or more to train is unfair and downright detrimental to their futures. That is why the NFL and Pro Days don’t test until late February and all of March. We created run the D2-D3 Pro Day & National Scouting Combine that has been attended by several pro teams that players compete at East Preps Regional Combines across the country (all divisions) and the top 100 players are picked to attend the National D2-D3 Combine in New Jersey.

We are in our 3rd year and last year we had a young man, Michael Galatas from D3 Millsaps College run a legit 4.25 40 yard dash at our Houston TX Regional Combine. (Top 5 fastest times ever run) He was 3 time Special Teams Conference player of the year and just a fluid runner. D3football.com reported that he turned heads at our Pro Day and signed a free agent contract with the New Orleans Saints. Now if we test in Dec4 or Dec 15….and he runs a 4.4 does he get into camp or stand out? To be honest, if he doesn’t come to the combine and get tested does he get noticed from his film alone? From coming up against the NFL glass ceiling we used years of experience to precisely calculate what is needed to try and make it to the next level and the National Bowl is the first step but not the last.

What was last year’s game like – who shined and how did it end up?

Last years game was thriller and came down to a field goal with 30 seconds let kicked by Chaz Jones. Beau Reed from Fairleigh Dickinson U won the MVP with 1 touchdown and 2 sacks. He got a private workout with the UFL. Leonard Stevenson of Wesley College was runner up MVP with several catches and a TD and he signed a free agent contract to the Reading Express of the IFL who will also be in attendance at this years game.

Who are some of the exciting players you expect to attend this year?

All of them!! LMAO….I can’t answer that just yet and rosters will be announced On Thanksgiving of this year. I will tell you this their will be some players.. and on any given Sunday sometimes your surprised by who it is but thats why we play the games!

When you see these Division II and III players, are there any thoughts in your mind as to whether these college athletes should get paid or at least be offered stipends, as Beano Cook recently suggested (//pittsburghsportsdailybulletin.wordpress.com/2011/10/12/beano-cook/)?

I played football at Franklin & Marshall College “00 and was a captain, 3 time all conference player and USAfootball.com All American and I loved every minute of it and still miss it so that may be what drives me. The essence of small schools is that you play your hearts out regardless of external motivations, Scouts, Money, or even Fame and the schools tend to produce well rounded student-athletes. No one plays football forever and getting paid for a lifetime as a result of a good college major is better than getting paid a lot of money in a short period of time because those guys learn that your earning over a lifetime.

After I graduated in those days, there was almost NEVER any D3 player making an NFL camp and so I got my law degree from Rutgers. Now our kids have options and they can go to Med school or play in the AFL.. not a bad future. Our #1 overall performer Brandon Wright of Arkansas Tech at last years combine out of 140 players now works in the Corporate world in New York City. Its funny in a year he may come back and say Mike I want to try and play overseas.

When your talking about big schools, the dynamic is much different and there is a lot of money exchanging hands with TV contracts and conference guaranteed money but its an “amateur sport”. However, many Great players actually have a measurable and projected future business deal waiting for them in the Pros, but the players and agents are demonized for cutting similar types of business deals for the next step in the players future. Now you see musical conference chairs with these teams leaving conferences just to see the “free agent” conference cash and I think the sport suffers. Smaller schools embody the tradition of college football but lets see what happens now as a lot of these players are going pro.

Any last thoughts for readers?

We would just welcome the readers, fans, and supporters of these players to check out our website (//www.nationalbowlgame.com/), (//eastpreps.com/) and (//www.d3proday.com/) and see how these young men are impacted and how they pass it on to the next generation. Sport is about dreaming one day you can be Cam Newtown or James Harrison so we will see one of them may be playing on December 4th.

Rich Erenberg, Steelers Running Back, 1984-1986

First, can you let readers know what you are doing now professionally – about CC Realty Advisors and how you got started in the business?

CC Realty advisors is a real estate investment and development company specializing in acquiring distressed and semi distressed income producing properties throughout the US. We also do some limited development work and have a construction company as well. I have been working in the real estate business since leaving football back in 1987.

I can attribute getting started in the real estate business to Andy Russell. I went to see him at the end of my rookie year to do some networking. While there he mentioned that he knew several people in the local real estate business that he could introduce me to. One of those guys was Ron Puntil who was the President of the local Grubb & Ellis real estate office. Andy called Ron, made the introduction, and the next thing I knew I was working in the commercial real estate business in the off seasons.

Continue reading “Rich Erenberg, Steelers Running Back, 1984-1986”

Darnell Stapleton, Steelers Offensive Lineman, 2007-2009

You’ve been doing a lot of coaching – can you tell readers about your recent coaching jobs and why you decided to get into coaching?

Well ever since I started playing football I knew I wanted and had the drive to play professionally as well as some day coach professionally. So last year when I retired due to injuries I started my search for my first job coaching, the first opportunity that I came across that spring was a chance to be the head coach of a professional women’s football team called the New York Shark’s which has been and continues to be a great experience for me.

During the season with Sharks two of my assistant coaches asked if I would be interested in coaching the O and D line at Montclair Kimberly Academy, the high school were they coach at in the fall! So for that last couple months I have been teaching them the little that I know hahaha. So between running my website designing company and coaching I stay very busy!

Continue reading “Darnell Stapleton, Steelers Offensive Lineman, 2007-2009”

Ray Seals, Steelers Defensive Lineman, 1994-1996

First, can you tell readers what your are doing with yourself these days?

I have some great stuff going on – some if it in Pittsburgh. I’m working with a new coffee business – it’s healthy coffee that doesn’t give drinkers the jitters and shakes. Bene traveling around the country getting it started – coffee’s a multi-billion dollar business!

Do you even drink coffee?!

I never did (laughs). But this coffee is smooth so it sits well with me!

What else are you up to?

I’m teaming up with Toys for Tots in my cousin’s (Johnny Gamage) honor. I was just in Pittsburgh last weekend and we are going to do a charity function. People may not know but I won the E for Effort charity award from the NFL years ago – it was the highest honor the NFL gave. Well we’re doing more for Toys for Tots in Johnny’s memory soon.

Continue reading “Ray Seals, Steelers Defensive Lineman, 1994-1996”

Donnie Iris – Pittsburgh Rock Icon

Donnie Iris:

First off, can you tell readers what you’ve been up to lately and about your new album and upcoming gigs?

Starting sometime after the first of the year, we will start working on a new CD.

You’ve been a stalwart of Pittsburgh’s music scene for many years. How did you get started and what advice would you give other local musicians who want to make it as well?

I started singing at a very early age. My mother played piano, and she taught me how to sing.

You’ve been a stalwart of Pittsburgh’s music scene for many years. How did you get started and what advice would you give other local musicians who want to make it as well?

My advice to people who would like to get into the music scene would be to work hard and long, whether just singing or playing or writing. And don’t quit.

Many see the life of a musician as all bright lights and glamour, but it’s a tough business. What’s been the most difficult aspect of the music business for you and how have you been able to overcome it and stay active for so long?

The toughest part of the business has been the financial aspect. It sometimes can be very difficult to make a living in music. Many artists give up because they can’t make ends meet just doing music. I’ve been very fortunate to be able to follow my heart and make a living at music, VERY fortunate!

Who influenced you most in terms of your approach to music and how have you been able to use that influence to create your own sound as opposed to just “copying” another’s?

My influences have been varied. People I looked up to and influenced me most were Marvin Gaye, Tony Bennett, The Beatles, and many more.

The Pittsburgh music scene has been growing in prominence but hasn’t launched that huge local artist recently. Is anything missing from the local scene to foster more musical talent?

I think the Pittsburgh music scene is alive and well. Many wonderful artists occupy this area. Whiz Khalifa is a prime example.

On to sports….are you a sports fan – and if so, what teams to you follow most and just how avid a fan are you?

I am a huge Pittsburgh sports fan! Steelers, Pirates, Penguins. It don’t get no better!

Have you had any experiences playing for/around some of the area athletes or hanging out with them? If so, what were those experiences and players like?

I played at Deisel acouple of times and hung with Big Ben, Brett Keisel and Aaron Smith. Great guys.

Any last thoughts for readers?

Parting words for my Pittsburghers: We are really lucky to live here! My take is that Pittsburgh is truly a special place.