Pro Mindset® Podcast

NFL Replay Official Randy Campbell shares with Pro Mindset host Craig Domann his journey as NFL, College Football and Women’s basketball official/referee. He has officiated in a College Football Playoff National Championship game, Women’s Final Four game and many other pro and college football and women’s basketball games.

Randy talks about the Official Creed of “Start perfect and get better from there” and the mindset of NEXT play to maximize his success on the field/court and minimize any carryover from any mistakes/errors in his calls.

Randy shares stories of interactions with coaches like Urban Meyer and Pat Summit, as well as, inside scoop on officiating games involving Andrew Luck and Christian McCaffrey.

Randy is currently an official supervisor and mentors, grades and teaches a group of officials. He has had a stellar career on the field and on the court and is looking forward to the NFL season getting started so he can take his place in the booth.

Sports Marketing pioneer Mary McKay, President, Access Brand Management, shares with Pro Mindset host Craig Domann her entry into sports marketing with Walter Payton, her full immersion in representing Emmitt Smith, Tony Romo, Chad Hennings and several other Dallas Cowboys. Mary transitioned from working for Sears and looking for a spokesperson (Walter Payton) to working with famous motivational speaker Zig Zigler to working full-time with athletes helping them find the best fit for their passions off-the-field.

Mary shares her perspective on what the most successful athletes have in common – they make family a priority and they know who they are. On the other side of the spectrum, the players whose careers are headed to an end usually are the ones who believe their own PR and the hype.

Mary is very fond of her relationship with Sweetness Walter Payton and she says what make him special was he put others first and it’s no accident that the NFL Man of the Year Award is named after Walter.

She tells stories about Emmitt Smith and his zeal for learning about real estate and electronics and so she connected him with companies in those industries. She got Tony Romo his first marketing opportunity when he was still on the bench with the Cowboys. Lastly, she claims Sears paid Walter Payton more money one season than the Chicago Bears did as he exemplified the slogan “satisfaction guaranteed or your money back”.

Finally, Mary talks about Zig Zigler’s key to success was his ability to talk “to” his audiences rather than talk “at” them and this meant he spoke at a 7th grade level, as well as, he touched people’s souls.

Eric Warfield shares with Pro Mindset host Craig Domann his wisdom from playing in the NFL for 9 years, primarily with the Kansas City Chiefs, and a two-time National Champion as a University of Nebraska cornerback (1995, 1997). Eric was a formidable talent and dominated at his position. He credits his coaches believing in him and showing him how to maximize his talent.

Eric shares his biggest challenges and pivot point in his career. He reflects on his mindset and biggest fears.

Eric Warfield finished his collegiate career appearing in 35 games and recording 107 tackles (48 solo). He also had four tackles for 10 yards lost, forced a fumble, blocked three punts, broke up nine passes, picked-off the quarterback five times and had two quarterback hurries. His success led to the Kansas City Chiefs drafting him in the 7th round as the 216 pick in the 1998 NFL Draft. Warfield would go on to spend the next nine years in the NFL; Chiefs (1998-2005) and New England Patriots (2006). He would wrap up his NFL career with 392 tackles, one sack and 20 interceptions.

After the NFL, he worked as a volunteer defensive backs coach for his alma mater, the Huskers, and Head Coach Bo Pelini. As he shares in this podcast he still has a close relationship with former Chiefs Head Coach, Dick Vermeil, and Huskers Head Coach, Tom Osborne. He currently lives in the Dallas metroplex and loves to play golf.

As Executive Director of a PGA Tour Tournament, Gary Sobba, Tournament Director for Wells Fargo Championships, shares his insight that confidence, passion, intelligence and competitiveness are the ingredients for a successful career on the PGA tour. He describes how the 156th athlete in the tournament has virtually the same swing and mechanics as the top 5 athletes. The difference, though, is their mindset.

After spending 15 years with Learfield Communications, Inc., as General Manager of Tar Heel Sports Marketing in Chapel Hills, NC, he shares that work ethic and intelligence are the primary reasons for Roy Williams and the Tar Heels winning three national championships.

The Kansas native and University of Kansas graduate has run the PGA Tour’s Wells Fargo Championship since 2017.

Helping pro athletes make the SHIFT and successfully navigate the process of transitioning to life after playing professionally, Jonathan Van Horn, Associate National Director, Athletes in Action shares his perspective with NFL Agent and Pro Mindset Podcast Host Craig Domann. Van Horn shares his mission to help “pro guys figure out a game plan” and clarify “their identity, their value and their significance.”

Jonathan Van Horn is from Michigan where he grew up playing multiple sports, but decided to play soccer, the game he loved, at a Div. III school -- Ohio Wesleyan University. There he was introduced to Athletes in Action and began his journey to integrate faith into competition. Jonathan joined AIA staff in 2002 on the campus of The Ohio State University where he ministered for 4 years before transitioning to focus on soccer. Jonathan is now the Associate National Director for the Pro Soccer Ministry of Athletes in Action and serves as the team chaplain for the Carolina Railhawks of the NASL (2nd pro division) as well as oversees ministries within the NASL and USL (3rd pro division) in N. America.

NFL Agent and Host Craig Domann shares his experiences as a NFL agent and discusses the major elements, challenges, and critical factors for players competing at the NFL Combine. Not only does he give the agent perspective, but also the player perspective, the team perspective and the media perspective of the NFL Combine. He comments about what it takes for a player to improve or hurt his NFL Draft stock at the NFL Combine. He shares the Pro Mindset analysis of evaluating players. He includes soundbites from previous podcast interviews with former Broncos OL & now Broncos OL Coach Chris Kuper, former Bills & Cowboys OL & now Player Engagement at Buccaneers Duke Preston, and former GM for the Falcons & Broncos Harold Richardson, who share their insights into coach evaluation, GM evaluation and interview strategies, respectively.

Tune in for this special episode!

Nick Tiano, QB, Tennessee-Chattanooga, is an exciting 2020 NFL Draft prospects that shares his family's love of football, his identify as a quarterback, his college experiences at Mississippi State and Tennessee-Chattanooga, his MVP performance at the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in January, and more, with NFL Agent and Host Craig Domann. He also discusses his strengths, leadership and value to a team as a NFL Team.

Nick played in two systems over the past two seasons at Tennessee-Chattanooga. He played in a pro style under head coach Tom Arth and a spread under head coach Rusty Wright. Nick has prototypical NFL QB measurables, 6'4" and 231 lbs. His rocket arm will challenge Josh Allen, QB, Bills, for the strongest arm in the NFL.

Nick is a football junkie. Football has been his favorite sport his entire life. His family are football lovers and his football IQ is off-the-charts. He was in the same QB room at Mississippi State with Dak Prescott, QB, Cowboys. Dak & Nick are still friends and he has learned a lot from him.

Nick is training with Landow Performance and QB coaches Steve Fairchild and Warren McCarty in Denver, CO.

Keep a watch for him on Day 3 of the 2020 NFL Draft!

Brian Folkerts, OL, shares with Pro Mindset host Craig Domann his professional football journey that includes stints with four NFL teams, the Arena League, AAF and XFL. He is currently the starting center for the XFL St. Louis Battlehawks.

Brian talks about his secrets to success and his passion for the game. He believes the commitment to his preparation is what helps him bridge the gap between playing left tackle at D-2 Washburn University to playing center in the NFL. He credits NFL offensive line coach John Matsko as pushing, challenging and coaching him to making it in the NFL.

Craig and Brian discuss the mindset that allows players with lesser athletic ability to be successful in pro football. Players that depend only on their athletic ability are limited by such but players who utilize their athleticism and add mental preparation can achieve more. Brian likes the mottos “passion for preparation” and “winning the game is your mind before the game” and contributed to his success.

He recalls his first season with the Carolina Panthers when he had to buys donuts for the other offensive linemen, change the coffee filters, and decorate the OL room on holidays as some of the fun and brotherhood he has enjoyed while playing pro football. He has been successful flipping houses and investing in real estate, however, he is still playing pro football because he loves the brotherhood and locker room camaraderie.

Two-time Super Bowl Champ Greg Scruggs while playing for the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots shares, with Pro Mindset Podcast host Craig Domann, his success in Boys Hope Girls Hope Program that gave his hope to attend college instead of working at a fast-food restaurant.

Greg was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the 7th round in the 2012 NFL Draft. He shares that he wishes he would have been more intentional about being a PRO earlier in his career. Greg talks about the reality of the NFL, specifically, that a player can be cut any day, anytime, even before, during or after practice.

Greg is currently the Director of Player Development at the University of Cincinnati working for Head Coach Luke Fickell. He wears many hats and particularly helps the football student-athletes adjust to college life and the demands and rigors of college football. He utilizes his experience as a college football player at the University of Louisville and the valuable lessons he learned with the Seahawks, Patriots and the Bears to coach, mentor and lead the student-athletes at the University of Cincinnati.

Duke Preston shares with Pro Mindset host Craig Domann his goals and challenges as Director of Player Engagement for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Duke is a former University of Illinois offensive lineman who was drafted in the 5th round by the Buffalo Bills in 2006. He also played for the Dallas Cowboys. After the NFL, he initially worked for the Notre Dame Athletic Department and football team before Lovie Smith hired him to the Bucs.

Duke has a unique perspective since his father, Raymond Preston, played for the San Diego Chargers for nine years. Duke played in the NFL for 5 years and now he has been with the Bucs front office for the past 5 years.

Duke mentors the rookies in helping them make the adjustment to the NFL. He asks his rookies to answer the following three identity questions: Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? The answers to those three questions tell Duke a lot about the player’s identity, maturity, motivation and likelihood of success in the NFL.

Duke is a big part of the Bucs pre-draft evaluation process in that he interviews prospects at the all-star games and NFL Combine. He uses a unique approach to find out about a prospect’s mindset and whether he has a growth mindset or a fixed mindset. In this Pro Mindset Podcast, he shares a lot of nuggets about how he gets to know players and their motivations so he can assist the organization in drafting the best and most-likely-to-succeed players.