Career Highlights: Former All-Star pitcher Derek Lowe had a strong 17-year major league career including winning a World Series Championship with Boston. A two-time All-Star, Lowe had several different roles as a starter, reliever, and with seven teams: Seattle (1997), Boston (1997-2004), Los Angeles Dodgers (2005-08), Atlanta (2009-11), Cleveland (2012), New York Yankees (2012), and Texas (2013). Throughout his career, Lowe played in 681 games with a 176-157 win-loss record and 4.03 ERA in 2,671.1 innings. He recorded 1,721 strikeouts and 86 saves. Some of his best years came with Boston, where in 2000 he was the American League saves leader. In 2002 he threw a no-hitter against Tampa Bay, posted a 21-8 record with a 2.58 ERA. That same season, Lowe was awarded the Thomas A. Yawkey Red Sox MVP honor. In the 2004 post-season, Lowe posted a 3-0 record and was the winner in the final game of all three post-season series as he helped the Red Sox to their first World Series Championship in 86 years. He also was the 2006 National League saves leader while with the Dodgers.
Larry the Cable Guy
Career Highlights: A stand-up comedian, actor, author, and former radio personality, Larry the Cable Guy is a multiplatinum recording artist, Grammy nominee and Billboard award winner. Larry starred in the popular History Channel series “Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy,” where he explored the country and immersed himself in different lifestyles, jobs, and hobbies. The voice of the beloved Mater in the Disney animated “Cars” films, Larry’s catchphrase: “Git-R-Done!” is also the title of his best-selling book. A member of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour that included Bill Engvall, Ron White, and Jeff Foxworthy, Larry also co-starred in the Tyler Perry movie “A Madea Christmas.” Larry has released seven comedy albums, of which three have been certified gold. He won Billboard’s 2005 Comedy Artist of the Year and Comedy Album of the Year, and the 2006 Billboard Top Comedy Tour Award. He has starred in three Blue Collar Comedy Tour-related movies, as well as other films including: “Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector,” “Delta Farce,” “Witless Protection,” ”Tooth Fairy 2,” and “Jingle All the Way 2.”
A.J. Hawk
Career Highlights: Former NFL linebacker A.J. Hawk won a Super Bowl title and enjoyed an impressive 11-year NFL career as one of the league’s most dominant defensive players. Hawk spent his first nine seasons with the Green Bay Packers and finished his career with Cincinnati in 2015, and Atlanta in 2016. In his NFL career, Hawk recorded 945 total tackles with 643 solo tackles. He posted his two best statistical seasons in 2012 and 2013 with the Packers, and played an instrumental role in the Packers 31-25 victory over Pittsburgh in the 2011 Super Bowl. Known for his strength and durability, Hawk played 158 of 160 career games. He either led the team or was a top three tackler in eight of his nine seasons with the Packers. Drafted by Green Bay fifth overall in 2006 out of Ohio State, Hawk finished third in the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year voting, and earned a spot on Pro Football Weekly/Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie Team. He was also chosen the team’s Defensive Player of the Year after leading the Packers in tackles in 2006 with 119.
Robbie Gould
Career Highlights: A 17-year NFL veteran, Robbie Gould played the past five seasons with the San Francisco 49ers after spending the first 11 years as the Chicago Bears record-setting placekicker (also spent one season with 2016 New York Giants). As a 49er, Gould has made 134-of-152 field gold attempts (88.2%), and kicked the game-winning 45-yard field goal to upset top-seeded Green Bay and advance to the NFC Championship Game this past season. The most accurate kicker in Bears history, Gould made a record 276-of-323 (85.4%) field goals, and also holds franchise records in career scoring, field goals made in a season, and field goals of at least 50 yards. The 2016 Ed Block Courage honoree, Gould led the Bears in scoring in 10 of his 11 seasons, and had a franchise record 10 seasons with 20+ field goals in a season. Gould only missed four points after touchdown in his Bears career (379-of-383). Selected to the Pro Bowl after leading all kickers with 143 points during the 2006 season, he also was named All-Pro (AP, USA Today, The Sporting News and ESPN.com) and named All-NFL and All-NFC by Pro Football Weekly.
Marshall Faulk
Career Highlights: Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk’s combination of speed, power and elusiveness made him one of the most exciting players in NFL history. Elected into the Hall of in 2012, Faulk earned seven Pro Bowl invitations, was a First-Team All-Pro honoree three times, was a second-team All-Pro selection three times and was the 2000 NFL MVP. In his 12-year career, Faulk posted seven 1,000-yard rushing seasons, 38 100-yard rushing games, three 200-yard rushing games and eight 100-yard receiving games. He was the first player in NFL history to gain 2,000 yards in four consecutive seasons. In seven seasons with the St. Louis Rams, he set the team record for touchdowns (84), gained 11,030 yards, and led team to a win over the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV. Faulk also led the Rams to a 14-2 record in 2001-02 and played New England in Super Bowl XXXVI. Faulk earned Offensive Player of the Year honors three consecutive years (1999-2001). Drafted second overall by Indianapolis, Faulk spent five seasons there where as a rookie he won both the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award and the Pro Bowl’s MVP Award.
John Elway
Career Highlights: NFL Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway led the Denver Broncos to five Super Bowls, including victories in Super Bowls XXXII (beat Green Bay 31-24) and XXXIII (defeated Atlanta 34-19). Elway was voted MVP of that Super Bowl, which would prove to be the last game of his career, as he retired in 1999. In January 2011, Elway was named Denver’s Executive Vice President of Football Operations and added the General Manager title in 2014. Under his direction, the Broncos won the 2016 Super Bowl. Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004, Elway was selected to nine Pro Bowls. He is the all-time leader in victories by a starting quarterback and will forever be remembered for his NFL-record 47 game-winning or game-tying drives in the fourth quarter. Elway ranks just behind Brett Favre, Dan Marino, and Peyton Manning in most major NFL career passing categories, including passing yards, attempts, completions and total offense. Elway also holds several Broncos records including touchdown passes, career passing yards, career completions, and winning percentage. Elway has played in all 29 Celebrity Golf Championships at Edgewood Tahoe.
Vinny Del Negro
Career Highlights: Vinny Del Negro is back to defend his title after winning last year’s 2021 American Century Celebrity Championship. Del Negro has extensive broadcasting experience as a former analyst for ESPN, the San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns, and now currently at NBA-TV. As an NBA Head Coach, Del Negro led his teams to the playoffs in four of his five seasons. He spent three seasons transforming the Los Angeles Clippers into one of the most exciting squads in the NBA, and led the team to the 2012 and 2013 NBA Playoffs. At the time, the Clippers posted a franchise-best 56-26 record and their first 50-win season in history. Del Negro finished his Clippers career with a 128-102 record, logging a .557 winning percentage. Prior to Los Angeles, Del Negro lead Chicago to two consecutive trips to the NBA Playoffs (2009 and 2010). He also spent two seasons with Phoenix as Director of Player Personnel and then as Assistant General Manager. As a 12-season NBA player, Del Negro scored more than 7,000 points playing for five teams (Phoenix, Golden State, Milwaukee, San Antonio, Sacramento).
Jay DeMarcus
Career Highlights: Vocalist, guitarist, pianist, songwriter, and producer, Jay DeMarcus was a member of the country band Rascal Flatts, alongside Joe Don Rooney and Gary LeVox for 22 years. After their Farewell – Life is a Highway Tour was cancelled in 2020 they ended their career together. DeMarcus recently joined a new band: Generation Radio with Dean Castroovo, former lead singer/drummer of Journey, Jason Scheff, former lead vocalist/bass player of Chicago, Chris Rodriguez and Tom Yankton to bring 80’s rock and classic music back to life with hits from their former bands. DeMarcus got his musical start with the Christian music group New Harvest and later helped start the contemporary Christian music group East to West. He moved on to play with country star Chely Wright’s band, while doing his own music – which led to the formation of Rascal Flatts. Rascal Flatts sold more than 23 million albums, delivered 17 #1 singles, and was the most awarded country group of the past decade earning more than 40 acclaimed honors. In 2018, DeMarcus founded the label Red Street Records, and released his memoir, “Shotgun Angels: My Story of Broken Roads and Unshakeable Hope.”
Stephen Curry
Career Highlights: Considered one of the NBA’s greatest shooters ever and a world-wide fan favorite, Golden State guard Stephen Curry is a two-time league MVP, two-time NBA scoring champion, and has won four NBA Championship titles with the Warriors and the 2022 NBA Final MVP. An eight-time All-Star, Curry is also a seven-time All-NBA Team member (First-Team four times, Second-Team twice, and Third-Team once). A 13-year NBA veteran, Curry holds numerous NBA and Warriors records, and is a six-time NBA three-points field goal leader, four-time NBA free-throw percentage leader, and two-time NBA Three-Point Contest champion. In December 2021, he broke Ray Allen’s NBA record for most three-point-field goals ever made. In 2020, he finished with a league leading 32.0 points per game and surpassed Wilt Chamberlain (17,783 points) to become the Warriors all-time scoring leader. Curry boasts impressive career averages of 24.3 points per game, 6.5 assists, 4.6 rebounds, a 90.8 free throw percentage, 47.3 shooting percentage from the field, and 42.8 three-point field goal percentage. The 2015 AP Male Athlete of the Year, 2011 Joe Dumars Trophy honoree and 2014 NBA Community Assist Award honoree, Curry was a consensus First-Team All-American at Davidson where he led the nation in scoring his junior year.
Roger Clemens
Career Highlights: An 11-time All-Star and seven-time Cy Young Award winner, Roger Clemens’ pitching records are unmatched in major league history. In an illustrious 24-year MLB career, Clemens was a two-time World Series Champion with the Yankees (1999 & 2000), a seven-time ERA leader, five-time AL strikeout leader, four-time MLB wins leader, two-time triple crown leader (wins, ERA and strikeouts), and was the 1986 American League MVP. Clemens played for Boston (1984-96), Toronto (1997-98), New York Yankees (1999-2003, 2007) and Houston (2004-06). With the Yankees in 2001, Clemens became the first pitcher to start a season 20-1, and also won his sixth Cy Young. Clemens retired in 2003, but came back to play for his hometown Houston Astros for three seasons, winning his seventh Cy Young Award (most by any pitcher) in 2004 (oldest winner at age 42). He also led the Astros to their first World Series in 2005, which they lost to the Chicago White Sox. Clemens finished his career with 354 wins, a 3.12 ERA and 4,672 strikeouts. His Roger Clemens Foundation supports children’s charities.