QB Dan LeFevour along with Former Cub Gene Hiser 3-13-11

QB Dan LaFevour

A couple of great guys appeared on show #10 as Jeff and I interviewed rookie QB for the Cincinnati Bengals Dan LeFevour and former Cub Gene Hiser as we approach the Major League Baseball season. With all of the turmoil happening around the world...the Japan Tsunami and the Middle East crisis that has sky rocketed gas prices at the pump, thank goodness for March Madness and Livin' Sports to ease our minds!

Dan LeFevour was a star QB from Benet Academy in Lisle, Illinois and graduated in 2005. Dan took his talent to Central Michigan University where he led the Chippewas to a bowl victory in the 2006 Motor City Bowl. He was named the bowl game's MVP, winning as a red-shirt freshman. Dan was one of 35 players named to the Manning Award Watch List in August 2007. On December 1, 2007 LeFevour became the second player in D-I history to pass for over 3,000 yards and rush for over 1,000 yards in a single season, (Vince Young was the first). On September 12, 2009 at Michigan State, LeFevour passed Byron Leftwich to take over as the MAC all-time leader in total offense in a career. He currently holds Mid American Conference records for career completions, attempts, passing yards, passing touchdowns, total touchdowns, and total offensive yards. Dan is the only player in NCAA history with over 12,000 passing yards and 2,500 rushing yards and currently sits 2nd all-time in total offensive yards. He also holds the D-I record for total touchdowns with 150. He is now on the roster of the Cincinnati Bengals as a back-up QB.

#21 Gene Hiser

Gene attended the University of Maryland where he was recently inducted into the University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame. He started his professional career in 1970 as the number one draft choice of the Chicago Cubs, and played professional baseball with the Cubs until 1975. Following baseball, Gene has been the owner of Barrett & Hiser Financial Management Group for over 20 years. Gene works to provide financial strategies and estate planning for individuals and families, using a wide variety of quality mutual funds, insurance products, annuities, and stocks and bonds. He is a Registered Representative of Securian Financial Services, Inc. It almost goes without saying that his favorite hobby is golf.

Gene Hiser CFP

Gene is hosting a 'Casino Night' on April 8th at the Bridges of Popular Creek in Hoffman Estates, Il. Proceeds will benefit the "Friends of the Hoffman Estates Parks" that provide funds for kids to attend summer camps and to help many Senior Citizens. Several 'Sports Celebrities' will be attending. For more info call (847) 310-3617.

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Bulls Talk with Chuck Swirsky & Youth Football with Tom Finks 3-6-11

As show #9 opens up, the month of February finally disappears...Yes!! One of the worst snow falls ever in Chicago's history. Jeff and I had fun with the play-by-play voice on ESPN AM 1000 of the Chicago Bulls Chuck Swirsky. Like me, Chuck grew up in the Seattle area and his first comments were about visiting Seattle's famous 'Pike Place Market' where the salmon get slung and is the home of the first Starbucks coffee shop. Now you know why the mild brew at your local Starbucks is call "Pike Place Brew".

Chuck Swirsky

Chicago Bulls Broadcast Team

Chuck Swirsky started as a sportscaster for WLUP in Chicago from 1980 to 1981. He was the Chicago Bulls public address announcer from 1980 to 1983. He joined WGN Radio in 1981 and remained through the mid 1990s. While he was with WGN he also did play-by-play for DePual basketball games alongside former coach Ray Meyer and also did Chicago Bears pre-game and post-game coverage. Swirsky left WGN for Detroit where he did play-by-play for both University of Michigan basketball and football in the mid 1990s.  Chuck began his NBA radio play-by-play career as the voice of the Toronto Raptors during the 1998-99 season, first on the radio then for television beginning in 2001.On May 6, 2008, Swirsky, the voice of the Toronto Raptors for the past decade, left the organization and since returned to Chicago to carry out the radio play-by-play for the Chicago Bulls. Bull fans are glad to have Chuck back in Chicago and on the Bulls broadcast team!

Coaching the Tight-Ends

The second half of "Livin Sports" centered around the Chicago Bear Youth Football Camps and it's Executive Director & Owner Tom Finks. It's an amazing feeling for me the past 5 years to direct four weeks of the summer camps and to be working along side of the son of the person who drafted me in the 3rd round of the NFL Draft in 1977, the late GM of the Chicago Bears, Mr. Jim Finks. Talk about the 'Circle of Life'! Tom creates an atmosphere for young boys from the ages of 6-14 to develop athletic skills, life skills and have fun...all at the same time. There are over 25 camps held in the greater Chicago area in June & July. Each summer camp through their professional coaches and team heroes reinforce the values of respect, team work and sportsmanship. They will challenge experienced athletes to reach the next level...and for newcomers, build confidence, skills and appreciation for the game. For more information click on this link Chicago Bears Youth Football Camps.

A  'Pep Talk' to the Kids

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Examing the Death of Dave Duerson with Keith VanHorne 2-27-11

#78 RT Keith Van Horne

Livin' Sports is all about the great experiences the World of Sports brings to one's Life. However, show #8 centers around the tragic death of former Chicago Bear Dave Duerson. The news of his suicide shocked the Bear Nation, but what can we learn from his actions. Jeff & I welcomed in Keith Van Horne, former right tackle for the Bears who played with Dave on the '85 Super Bowl World Championship Team. We all had a hard time trying to figure out why Dave Duerson, who was so full of Life and Ambition, would end his Life at the young age of 50.

#22 S/S Dave "DD" Duerson

Duerson's body was found Thursday February 24th at his home in Sunny Isles Beach, Fla. He died from a gunshot wound to the chest. Duerson's family has agreed to donate his brain to Boston University's medical school for its study of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, the degenerative disease that has been linked to depression, dementia and occasionally suicide in former players, according to The New York Times. A special report: ESPN News Story

GreenFoot Global

Later in the show we were proud to have on one of our sponsors of Livin' Sports, Co-Founder of GreenFoot Global Bill Hyman. Bill explain how an amazing product called EnviroTabs can help reduce harmful fuel emissions while helping increase gas mileage, engine longevity and also increases horsepower. GreenFoot Global is dedicated to marketing products that leave our planet greener, provide our customers substantial savings and offer our independent entrepreneurs a sustainable long term business opportunity. At GreenFoot their goal is to reduce the world's dependency on fossil fuels and reduce emissions in at least 10% of the worlds vehicles. By using and promoting EnviroTabs you can be part of the "Solution" and not the "Pollution".

Click on the following link to listen to the entire Livin Sports Show which airs live Sunday's at midnight on AM 560 WIND  Download Podcast  
 

9 Billion Dollar NFL Machine Stopping? 2-20-11

Jeff Christensen & Robin Earl

The NFL CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) looms large in the media as Jeff & I begin show #7. The argument continues between Billionaires (NFL Owners) and Millionaires (NFL Players). Each side refuses to budge and the eventual loser...YOU the FAN!

Crazy as it sounds, the NFL owners could lock-out the players and shut down the 2011 season. Will that happen? Maybe, most likely not. Hopefully both sides come to the conclusion...Why mess up a good thing?

We were hoping to have the play by play voice of the Chicago Bulls, Chuck Swirsky on today's show, but his travel schedule made it impossible. So like a couple of QB's, Jeff and I sent an audible to our producer John Neff and got former NFL Nose Tackle Dave Pear on the phone.

Dave Pear with his lovely wife Heidi

David Pear was a teammate with me at the University of Washinton. He had an outstanding NFL career with Baltimore, Tampa Bay and Oakland from 1975-80. Dave was the first Tampa Bay Buccaneers player to be selected to the Pro Bowl and played in Super Bowl XV for the winning Oakland Raiders.Through his football career, Pear suffered a number of injuries which required spinal surgery and hip replacement and have resulted in vertigo, memory loss and speech impairment. Pear started a blog with a friend, Robert Lee, in February 2008 which discusses retired players' disability and pension issues. He has been quoted saying, "The NFL destroys families." "I wish I had never played." He has also been quoted saying, "Don't let your kids play football. Never."   Dave Pear's Blog

Dave and Robert Lee is putting on the very First Annual Independent Football Veterans Conference! Held in Las Vegas at the South Point Resort & Casino March 24–27, 2011. This Conference will provide an open platform for retired players to attend and participate in discussions on important topics ranging from benefits to the latest information on brain health and concussions, as well as social events that will allow our attendees to catch up on the old days.

To listen to the entire show heard live on Sunday's at midnight on AM 560 WIND 
click on the following link: Download Podcast