Sports Spectrum Podcast

Jarrett Payton is the son of legendary NFL running back Walter Payton. In July of 1993, when he was 12 years old, Jarrett introduced his father Walter into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  Playing football at the University of Miami, Jarrett played on a National Championship winning team in 2001, rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2003 and was the 2004 Orange Bowl MVP.  Jarrett played in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans in the NFL as well as the CFL and the Indoor Football League. He retired from Pro Football in 2012.  Currently, Jarrett is a sports broadcaster in Chicago for WGN and CLTV. He's a husband and father, and does work for both the Walter Payton Foundation, as well as his own foundation, the Jarrett Payton Foundation.  On this episode of the podcast, Jarrett shares what it was like growing up with an NFL legend of a Dad, how faith played a role in his life as a child, giving a Hall of Fame introduction in front of millions of people, and how Emmitt Smith became a father figure to him after his Dad's death.   For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com   

Chad Robichaux served in the United States Marine Corps, going on eight tours of duty in Afghanistan, fighting against terrorism. He is a true hero. Chad is the president and founder of Mighty Oaks Foundation, a leading military nonprofit serving the US military active-duty and veteran communities with highly successful peer-to-peer, faith-based, combat-trauma programs and combat-resiliency conferences. Chad and his team are dedicated to helping America’s military warriors and their families suffering from the unseen wounds of combat such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Chad and his wife, Kathy, have been married for twenty-two years and have three children. After years of deployments, their family personally faced the challenges of PTSD. Through the struggles that warriors face returning home, they now share a story of a victory in Christ and have dedicated their lives to sharing that story to mentor others like them. Chad has been featured on such media outlets as Fox News, Forbes, The O’Reilly Factor, The Blaze with Glenn Beck, USA Today, Christian Post, Focus on the Family, The 700 Club, and a short biography film by I Am Second.  Chad is a Medal of Valor recipient for his bravery beyond the call of duty in law enforcement. Outside of his work with veterans, Chad and his sons train and teach Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He is a third-degree black belt and a former Pro MMA world champion who has used his platform to advocate for civilian support of America’s warriors returning home while competing in the sport’s biggest events such as NBC’s World Series of Fighting, Showtime’s StrikeForce, MTV2’s Bellator FC, and Legacy FC on HDNet and AXStv. On this episode of the podcast, Chad shares his incredible journey from growing up in a broken home, losing his brother at an early age, joining the military, describing some of the most horrific situations a person could ever endure, how he came to Christ, and his desire to help save lives by serving and helping others suffering from PTSD. To learn more about Chad and his work, check out http://MightyOaksPrograms.org    

His parents were killed 3 months apart when he was 19. He was homeless, he wasn't supposed to make it.  But for Andy Andrews, not only did he make it, he persevered and is now impacting lives through his books and his talks.  Hailed by a New York Times reporter as "someone who has quietly become one of the most influential people in America," Andy Andrews is a best-selling novelist, speaker and consultant for the world's largest corporations, most successful sports teams and fastest-growing organizations.  He has spoken at the request of four different United States presidents. Zig Ziglar said, "Andy Andrews is the best speaker I have ever seen."H On this episode of the podcast, we hear Andy's incredible journey from  homelessness to successful author and how God has had a hand in his story from the beginning. Andy also shares an awesome story of the time he had an uncomfortable encounter with Alabama head football coach Nick Saban.  You can follow Andy on twitter @AndyAndrews For more, log on to http://sportsspectrum.com 

Amy Lawrence is the host of "After Hours with Amy Lawrence" on the CBS Sports Radio Network. The show can be heard weekdays from 2:00-6:00 AM, ET.  Amy is a pioneer in sports radio, and one of the only females hosting a daily talk show on a national radio network.  Prior to joining CBS in January 2013, Lawrence spent nine years at ESPN Radio where she was the only regular female host. Local radio stops include Providence, RI; Lebanon, NH; Rochester, NY; and Oklahoma City, OK, where she was the first female in state history to pilot her own sports radio talk show. She graduated from Messiah College with bachelor’s degrees in Communications & Accounting, before earning her master’s degree in TV & Radio from Syracuse University. Lawrence was recently honored as one of The 100 Most Important Sports Talk Radio Hosts in America by Talkers Magazine for 2015, and was the only female personality to make the list. On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Amy about her journey into network radio, her love for Larry Bird, growing up without a Dad, how God filled a giant void in her heart, and dealing with hate on social media.  You can follow Amy on twitter @ALawRadio   For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com  

James McCann is a major league baseball catcher for the Detroit Tigers. He made his MLB debut in September 2014, and just finished his third full season in the big leagues in 2017.  In 2017, he hit .253 with 13 HR and 49 RBI but it was his second half that really impressed people around baseball. In July, McCann batted .396 (19-for-48) with a .473 OBP, seven extra-base hits and 11 runs batted in. His hitting streak would extend to 14 games before ending on August 5. McCann has been married to Jessica for 3 years and together, they're expecting twin boys in early 2018.  On this episode of the podcast, James shares what its like to catch Justin Verlander, what he learned in 2017 on and off the field, the importance of accountability partners during a long MLB season, how he's preparing for fatherhood, and the incredible story of when his birth and how doctors gave him a 25% chance to survive.  For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Ted DiBiase is a former WWE wrestler, who was inducted into their hall of fame in 2010.  Known as "The Million Dollar Man," DiBiase was regarded as one of the greatest villains in pro wrestling history. In his 25 year career in the wrestling industry, Ted wrestled in some of the biggest venues in the world: Madison Square Garden, The Superdome, The Skydive, The Tokyo Dome and Wembley Stadium.  Today, Ted is a full-time evangelist and motivational speaker. Officially ordained into the ministry, he speaks to churches, youth groups, men's meetings, businesses and in public schools and universities all over the world. Ted is also a spokesman for THE SUNSHINE FOUNDATION, an organization that grants wishes to terminally ill and handicapped children Ted is married to his wife Melanie and has three sons, Michael, Ted Jr, and Brett.  On November 7, Ted is releasing a documentary on his life, "THE PRICE OF FAME." It is available in theaters one night on November 7th. For more details, check out ThePriceofFame.com.  On this episode of the podcast, Ted shares his incredible journey to the WWE, living the lavish life of a celebrity, almost losing his wife and family, how he turned from selfish to selfless, and why he decided to share his flaws and sins to the world in a new documentary.   You can follow Ted on his twitter page @MDMTedDiBiase.  For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Geoff Blum played 14 MLB seasons with Montreal, Tampa, Houston, San Diego, Chicago and Arizona. He was a World Series hero in 2005, hitting the game-winning home run in the 14th inning of Game 3, leading the White Sox to a victory and their first championship in 88 years. Blum is currently a TV analyst for his former team, the 2017 American League champion Houston Astros. Geoff is a husband to Kory and a father to 4 girls including a set of triplets.  On this episode of the podcast, we preview the 2017 World Series with Blum, look back at his own World Series memory from 2005, why he is loved and hated in the city of Houston, why his faith in Christ was something he struggled to share with others during his MLB career, and the emotional moment when he was baptized with his wife in November 2012.  You can follow Geoff on twitter and Instagram @Blummer27.  For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com You can follow Geoff on twitter and Instagram @Blummer27. 

Jordan Rogers is the North America Brand Manager for Nike Football. He's living the dream working for one of the biggest companies in the world. He's also a husband, and a dad. Life is good.  But it wasn't always that way. Starting at the age of 15, Jordan struggled with addiction to drugs including heroin. He was incarcerated for 13 months, homeless, and had no hope to live.  But Jordan was able to find hope in Christ, and get sober. He's now 14 years clean and continues to use his story to impact others. On this episode of the podcast, Jordan Rogers shares how he was first introduced to heroin, the struggle to stay sober, his rock bottom moment on the floor in a hotel room, putting his faith in God, and the new struggle that he and his wife went through after getting clean.  For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Justin Wren known for his mixed martial arts career in the UFC. Early in his career, he appeared on the Spike TV reality show "The Ultimate Fighter." Growing up, Justin experienced large amounts of bullying, which led to depression and suicidal thoughts during his teen years.  Justin's life began to hit rock bottom when he disappeared for eight weeks without anyone knowing where he was. Drugs, depression, addiction, anger, his life was spiraling out of control.  After a life-changing experience in 2011, Justin founded Fight for the Forgotten, a nonprofit dedicated to securing land, freedom and clean water for the formerly enslaved Mbuti Pygmy tribe in the Ituri rainforest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 2015, Water4 helped him expand beyond the DRC to bring clean water and economic security to thousands across the region. On this episode of the podcast, Justin shares his incredible story from brokenness to redemption, how he overcame bullying, drug addiction and depression and is now using his message and platform to impact the world.  For more, log on to http://sportsspectrum.com 

Emily Austen is a former reporter for Fox Sports. She also had stints at the Golf Channel and as a digital reporter with the Boston Celtics.  In 2016, she was fired from her job for making offensive remarks on a Facebook LIVE interview with Barstool Sports. Her firing went viral and her story made national news.  In the immediate aftermath, after apologizing, Emily went to a very dark place. Emily has since rebounded and has been determined to turn her mess into a message of positivity by renewing her faith in Christ and speaking to colleges about the mistake she made and the importance of words and what we say about others.  On this episode of the podcast, Emily shares why her dream was to become a sports reporter, how the incident with Barstool Sports came about, what she learned, how her faith in Christ was renewed and what she is doing now to change the narrative and be a positive light to college students.  For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com