"Create Value, Yogi"

A stroll down memory lane with a stapler, a Hall of Fame coach and some life-changing advice

Ever Need a Night Out?

Earlier this week, I did. I took a night off to catch the USC vs. Ohio State men’s hoops game in downtown Los Angeles. My football play-by-play partner, Guy Haberman, was on the call and it was the perfect opportunity to reconnect with old friends from my time at USC.

Visiting USC is always a blast. Like every campus, it’s full of incredible people. Twenty years ago, I landed in LA fresh out of college - navigating both the freeway system and the challenges of coaching at USC, while earning a master’s degree and surfing the waves of Hermosa Beach. None of it was easy, but all of it was fascinating.

The basketball game served as a stroll down memory lane, where I ran into friends, former colleagues, and mentors. On my drive home, I reflected on one of the most powerful lessons I learned under Pete Carroll: the concept of "creating value."

One of the ways he taught me that? A simple stapler.

"What Do You Want to Do With Your Life?"

That question can haunt any of us, no matter where we are in life. It certainly did for me as a college junior. At 20 years old, I had already accomplished some personal goals. I was attending my dream school - the University of Pittsburgh, walking on to the nationally ranked football team, making the squad, and even starting a handful of games. Yet, despite these achievements, I felt lost. The pressure of making career-defining decisions weighed heavily on me.

Then, during spring break, a chance dinner in Hermosa Beach changed everything.