At The Podium with Manuel Amezcua

Darqueze Dennard is an NFL player, former Michigan State University standout cornerback, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. In this bonus episode before the next season, Darqueze and Manny talk about: - How Darqueze always heard the narrative that he "wouldn't amount to anything" and how he has overcome it- How Darqueze started as a 0-star recruit and ended up getting drafted in the first round of the NFL draft and the things that led to his success- The moments at Michigan State University that stand out during the days of the "No Fly Zone" and a look inside the locker room at the 2014 Rose Bowl- An inside look at Darqueze's NFL Draft experience and the ups and downs of playing professional sports for nine years- Darqueze's newest initiatives to provide opportunities to his children and his community in Georgia and more on how NFL players give back New to The Podcast? At The Podium with Manuel Amezcua features stories & tactical lessons from high performers in sports, business, and entertainment to help you take steps toward achieving your vision for life. Follow us on social media for clips and behind the scenes content:TikTokYouTubeInstagramLinkedinEnjoying the Show? Leave a rating to help us share the podcast with more listeners. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Sean Gleason is the CEO and Commissioner of Professional Bull Riders (PBR) which is one of the fastest-growing sports in the nation. Sean has been with PBR for 24 years and has played a pivotal role in helping PBR reach millions of fans including the recent launch of the Amazon Prime Video docuseries, The Ride. In this episode: The pivotal move that Sean made that propelled PBR into the limelight and propelled it to a massive national audienceWhy Sean never hires anyone without a PHDThe story behind how PBR started and the risks that PBR took that could have bankrupted the company at any pointThe most common myths associated with bull riding and why this sport is sweeping the nationThe massive opportunity that exists for athletes to consider becoming bull riders and how it could change their life An exclusive look behind the scenes of the new Amazon Prime Video docuseries, The RideNew to The Podcast? At The Podium with Manuel Amezcua features stories & tactical lessons from high performers in sports, business, and entertainment to help you take steps toward achieving your vision for life. Follow us on social media for clips and behind the scenes content:TikTokYouTubeInstagramLinkedinEnjoying the Show? Leave a rating to help us share the podcast with more listeners. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Jim Kielbaso is a speed and strength coach to some of the top athletes in the NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA as well as Olympic athletes and thousands of youth, high school, and college athletes. He is the president of the International Youth Conditioning Association and the owner of Impact Sports Performance in Michigan. In this episode: Why people are addicted to fatigue and how it’s ruining our performanceWhy making kids focus on one sport at a young age is a mistakeHow the magic is in the fundamentals and how to not get distracted by new shiny objectsWhy building athleticism is more important tahn building skills for young athletesThe most important ways for parents to support their children’s development as student-athletes Signs to look out for that signify your child could benefit from strength and conditioning training Jim flips the script and asks Manny a question about his motivation behind this podcastNew to The Podcast? At The Podium with Manuel Amezcua features stories & tactical lessons from high performers in sports, business, and entertainment to help you take steps toward achieving your vision for life. Follow us on social media for clips and behind the scenes content:TikTokYouTubeInstagramLinkedinEnjoying the Show? Leave a rating to help us share the podcast with more listeners. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Maurice "Moe" Ways is a former college football player at The University of Michigan and The University of California, Berkeley. A native of Michigan and alumni of Detroit Country Day School, Ways currently serves as a Senior Business Analyst at ESPN and lives in New York City. In this episode: - The parenting moments that changed the trajectory of Moe’s athletic career and life- The impact of attending Detroit Country Day on Moe’s personal, athletic, and professional life- The secret weapon behind star athletes at the University of Michigan like Tom Brady, Chris Webber, and Desmond Howard and what Moe learned about mindset from him- The simple but clear difference between average performers and great performers at any level - How to leverage your time as a student-athlete to create opportunities after your athletic career comes to an end- An inside look at the business of sports and through the lens of Moe’s work at ESPN 00:00] Why you should know Moe Ways[03:08] From Maurice to "Moe"[05:00] His childhood, parents, and experience at Country Day.[08:50] The 3 principles of the Ways household[12:00] "Me or the White House?"[15:50] "Detroit Country Day changed my life for the better"[24:20] "We Not Me"[28:40] Stories of his journey from Country Day to the University of Michigan[34:58] Locker room experiences and young men he mentored[39:50] Moving West to finish his collegiate career[41:28] Life after football - Working at ESPN[42:36] Advice for young athletesNew to The Podcast?At The Podium with Manuel Amezcua features stories & tactical lessons from high performers in sports, business, and entertainment to help you take steps toward achieving your vision for life.Follow us on social media for clips and behind the scenes content:TikTokYouTubeInstagramLinkedinEnjoying the Show? Leave a rating to help us share the podcast with more listeners.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Nick Samac is the starting center for the Michigan State Spartans college football program. Hailing out of Mentor, OH, Samac is entering his fifth and final year at MSU and has played in 38 career games at Michigan State. Listen in to hear: - The impact of Nick's childhood growing up in a football family with his father as his first coach- Nick's thoughts on why he decided to enroll in college early and if he regrets it or not- What it was about Coach Mark Dantonio that convinced Nick MSU was the right place for him to play college football- The 2 most important things he had to change to adapt to playing D-1 college football- The #1 Nick underestimated about playing at the college level- What it's been like transitioning under a new coaching regime under Mel Tucker- How Nick is preparing himself for an opportunity to play in the NFLNew to The Podcast? At The Podium with Manuel Amezcua features stories & tactical lessons from high performers in sports, business, and entertainment to help you take steps toward achieving your vision for life. Follow us on social media for clips and behind the scenes content:TikTokYouTubeInstagramLinkedinEnjoying the Show? Leave a rating to help us share the podcast with more listeners. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

JD Duplain is a current college football player at Michigan State University. JD is entering his fifth and final season as an offensive lineman at MSU and has started 30 straight games for the Spartans. In this episode, Manny and JD discuss: - The impact of the E + R = O equation JD learned from a high school football coach- Why you should trust in the vision your coaches (or leaders) have for you even when it doesn't match what you envisioned - A look behind the curtain into college football recruiting and how JD ended up at Michigan State- How MSU has a lot to prove this year and what to expect heading into the 2023 seasonNew to The Podcast? At The Podium with Manuel Amezcua features stories & tactical lessons from high performers in sports, business, and entertainment to help you take steps toward achieving your vision for life. Follow us on social media for clips and behind the scenes content:TikTokYouTubeInstagramLinkedinEnjoying the Show? Leave a rating to help us share the podcast with more listeners. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Greg Jones is an entrepreneur,  Super Bowl Champion, and former All-American linebacker at Michigan State University. He was recently inducted into the Michigan State Hall of Fame in 2022. In this conversation, you'll hear:- The story of how Greg went behind his mother's back to start playing football- The people and mindsets that helped Greg defy projections of his ability to compete at the college and professional level - How to know (and prepare) for when it's time to pivot to your next chapter in life- How Greg thinks about the value he brings to the table and why he doesn't focus on football- The intention reason why Greg never wears his Super Bowl ringNew to The Podcast? At The Podium with Manuel Amezcua features stories & tactical lessons from high performers in sports, business, and entertainment to help you take steps toward achieving your vision for life. Follow us on social media for clips and behind the scenes content:TikTokYouTubeInstagramLinkedinEnjoying the Show? Leave a rating to help us share the podcast with more listeners. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Jake Butt is a former All-American tight end at the University of Michigan, retired NFL player, and current College Football Analyst with the B1G Network. In this conversation, Manny and Jake talk about: How Jake thought he would NEVER attend the University of Michigan and his story of getting there.The moments in Jake’s sports career that redefined how he views adversity and rejection. The devastating impact injuries had on Jake’s professional football career and the most important lessons he learned from them.The power of our minds and the tools you can utilize to create the highest possible outcomes in your life.Going inside the journey of becoming a sports commentator on TV after Jake never thought he would join the media.New to The Podcast? At The Podium with Manuel Amezcua features stories & tactical lessons from high performers in sports, business, and entertainment to help you take steps toward achieving your vision for life. Follow us on social media for clips and behind the scenes content:TikTokYouTubeInstagramLinkedinEnjoying the Show? Leave a rating to help us share the podcast with more listeners. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Todd Anderson is a performance coach who trains some of the top athletes and executives in the world. After a successful collegiate career at Michigan State University, Todd spent time playing in the NFL before launching his career as a peak performance coach and starting his company, Dream Recovery. In this conversation, Todd shares: How he built confidence in the weight room and used it as a place to gain a competitive edge throughout his lifeThe story of overcoming the odds by walking on to Michigan State’s football team and how he was able to overachieve to earn a spot on an NFL rosterHis greatest memories and lessons during his playing career at Michigan State under head coach, Mark DantonioThe #1 thing you should NEVER sacrifice if you want to perform at the highest level3 ways to optimize your sleep habits to gain maximum performance New to The Podcast? At The Podium with Manuel Amezcua features stories & tactical lessons from high performers in sports, business, and entertainment to help you take steps toward achieving your vision for life. Follow us on social media for clips and behind the scenes content:TikTokYouTubeInstagramLinkedinEnjoying the Show? Leave a rating to help us share the podcast with more listeners. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Amir Siddiq plans to find his name cemented on an NFL roster in the coming weeks. After a successful college football career at Central Michigan University and Charlotte, the Detroit-born standout defensive end has entered his name into the 2023 NFL draft. In this episode, Manny and Amir talk about: - The mindsets and actions that led to Amir's rise through college football- The surprising thing Amir is most proud of during his college career- The thought process behind why college football players enter the transfer portal- What Amir's day-to-day life preparing for the NFL draft is like- Amir's advice to young athletes aspiring to play professional sports- How Amir is already preparing for his life after football and how athletes can build their sports career and business career at the same timeNew to The Podcast? At The Podium with Manuel Amezcua features stories & tactical lessons from high performers in sports, business, and entertainment to help you take steps toward achieving your vision for life. Follow us on social media for clips and behind the scenes content:TikTokYouTubeInstagramLinkedinEnjoying the Show? Leave a rating to help us share the podcast with more listeners. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands