Curated Questions: Conversations Celebrating the Power of Questions! From Cowboy Dreams to Coaching Life Transitions | Tony Kennedy #33
"What are we going to do afterwards?" - Tony Kennedy
Tony Kennedy began his collegiate football career by earning a Division I scholarship at Virginia Tech (1988-1992). In 1993, Tony signed as a free agent with the Dallas Cowboys, fulfilling a childhood dream. Although he finished his professional career in 1994, he has remained active in the collegiate football community by directing and organizing various all-star bowls.
Through the Kennedy Sports Group, Tony represents and mentors athletes as they navigate the complex landscape of representation in collegiate and professional sports. Chief among these complexities is the policy change that allows student-athletes to monetize their personal brand through endorsements of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL), while keeping their amateur status.
Additionally, Tony is the Co-Founder and CEO of RXSports.net. This leading CBD company delivers safe and effective solutions for inflammation and pain management to athletes, individuals with arthritis, veterans, and pets.
In this episode, Tony emphasizes the importance of preparing athletes for life after sports, instilling values of financial management, and transitioning into successful careers beyond the field. He also discusses his involvement in sports representation, mentoring young athletes, and leveraging CBD products through his company, RX Sports, to aid in pain management. This comprehensive dialogue highlights the essence of asking the right questions and providing guidance to aspiring athletes at different stages of their careers.
Episode Notes
[00:00] Introduction and Career Advice
[01:04] Host Introduction and Show Purpose
[01:25] Tony Kennedy's Football Journey
[02:47] Transition to Professional Football
[04:05] Experiences with the Dallas Cowboys
[06:32] First Impressions and Rookie Challenges
[08:42] Memorable Moments and Regrets
[11:59] Lessons from the NFL
[15:00] Mentoring Young Athletes
[17:27] Guiding Athletes Beyond Sports
[18:36] Successful Transitions Post-Sports
[20:10] Kennedy Sports Group Philosophy
[20:35] Heartfelt Representation and Jerry Maguire
[22:32] Overcoming Jealousy in Sports
[23:47] Dealing with Career Transitions
[25:35] Finding Confidence After Sports
[27:29] Advice for New Athletes
[28:24] The Reality of Professional Sports
[29:25] Starting a New Career Path
[29:43] Financial Planning for Athletes
[30:51] Defining Success Beyond Wealth
[31:56] The Importance of Leaving a Legacy
[32:29] Mentorship and Vision
[33:54] The Crab Bowl: A State All-Star Game
[35:01] RX Sports: Pain Management Solutions
[39:09] Final Thoughts and Reflections
[40:36] Summary and Takeaways
Resources Mentioned
Student Athlete Compensation NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness)
Questions Asked
When did you first understand the power of questions?
Were there any particular questions that kind of shaped that journey for you or might have been impactful for you during those, various pivots or phases?
What happens here?
What happens there?
What are we supposed to do when you are supposed to go from fifth round to whenever?
What am I supposed to do?
How are we supposed to act?
What time we supposed to be here?
Where do we live?
What was that moment like for you?
Why me?
Why this time?
Why did I go to one of their best teams in history, as far as how deep they were, the players?
Were you in the headspace to even have that conversation?
What are we going to do afterwards?
What kind of questions are you using with these athletes as they're coming up?
Can they run on the field?
What questions might you be using to position yourself so that you are caring first and foremost for the athlete with the right mindset?
Why am I doing this?
Why am I waking up?
Why am I calling this many people?
Why am I here?
Are you really happy for that person?
Are you jealous that he made it?
How did you work through that jealousy?
Was it an issue for you?
How did you get to that level of confidence?
What might be some questions that you think athletes should be asking, whether this is early on or later on in a career?
What do I wanna do?
What is success?
When you leave this earth, did they name a park after you? Did they name a school? Did they name a ward after you?
How many people did you touch when you were here?
Were there any mentors or coaches that used any particular questions with you that have stuck with you over the years or those are, might have been pivotal moments?
Was there any particular questions that you used in evaluating these different opportunities?
What do you see as the opportunity for folks with RX Sports?
Do you have any other thoughts or encouragement about questions that we haven't necessarily explored?
Who do you hang with?
How can you apply the "What are we going to do afterwards?" question to a milestone in your life?
What basic "Why" questions would it be helpful to revisit?
What unresolved personal disappointments are sabotaging your service to others?