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Miami Sports Breakfast Series
Announcing the 2008 Miami Sports Breakfast Series! The Miami Sports Breakfast Series is a four part series, featuring speakers from different genres of sport and/or sporting events. These breakfasts will be featured around significant sporting events taking place in Miami-Dade County such as the CA Championship, Miami Dolphins Football, Ford Championships and Olympic Development in Miami. This is your exclusive inside view of the Miami Sports Industry, a true sports networking opportunity! The breakfast will consist of one or two speakers each speaking for approximately 15 minutes followed by a monitored question and answer session.

THE BCS…THEY'VE GOT US SEEING ORANGE
Celebrating 75 Years of the Orange Bowl
with an Inside Look into the Bowl Championship Series.

Come out and join us as IMG presents the final segment of the exciting 2008 Miami Sports Breakfast Series. We’re going to take look back on the exciting and memorable 75 year history of the Orange Bowl and get an the insider’s perspective on the BCS and what teams, the experts think, will be in this year’s highly touted National Championship.

The Miami Sports Breakfast Series is a four part series, and has featured speakers from different genres of sport and/or sporting events. These breakfasts were featured around significant sporting events taking place in Miami-Dade County such as the CA Championship, Miami Dolphins Football, Ford Championships and Olympic Development in Miami. This Series is an exclusive inside view of the Miami Sports Industry, and a true sports networking opportunity!

TRADITION. ORANGE.
Celebrating 75 Years

The eyes of the college football world will be focused on South Florida for two incredible weeks this year, as 2008 turns to 2009. Not only will the FedEx Orange Bowl celebrate its 75th Anniversary on January 1, 2009, as the culmination of the annual Orange Bowl Festival, but a week later, the Orange Bowl Committee will host college football’s ultimate contest, the FedEx BCS National Championship on January 8.

Be part of a tradition unlike any other in the thrilling 75-year history of the Orange Bowl Committee. With two electrifying games, the crowning of a National Championship and a roster of exciting events, this will be one year not to miss! Be sure and visit www.Orangebowl.org to learn more.

Ticket Price

Dates, Locations & Times

THE BCS…THEY'VE GOT US SEEING ORANGE
Celebrating 75 Years of the Orange Bowl
with an Inside Look into the Bowl Championship Series.

Master of Ceremonies

Tony Segreto
NBC Anchor
An esteemed member of the Orange Bowl Committee, Tony Segreto is one of the most experienced and trusted anchors on South Florida television. An integral part of the NBC 6 news team for more than 30 years, he currently anchors the 6:00 p.m. News with Julia Yarbough. He also hosts, the special segment, "The Spirit of South Florida."

Segreto joined WTVJ in 1968 as an intern. During his tenure, he has worked as a photographer, producer, reporter and anchor. In 1995, he was honored by the South Florida chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) with the prestigious Silver Circle Award, recognizing over 25 years of excellence in broadcast journalism.

In 2003, he was inducted to the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce’s Sports Hall of Champions for a Lifetime Contribution To Sports. He was also inducted with the inaugural class into his High School Hall of Fame at Archbishop Curley. And in 2004 was inducted into the Broward County Sports Hall of Fame.

A South Florida native, Segreto played baseball and football in High School and had professional offers from the Houston Astros and the Baltimore Orioles. Instead, he proudly says, he opted for a career in broadcasting.

Segreto is enthusiastic about the community in which he lives and works and is involved in numerous charitable organizations. Segreto serves on the boards of the Dan Marino Foundation and Gilda’s Club of South Florida. Segreto is also proud to be the spokesperson for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and St. Jude’s Children Hospital. In addition, he has served as Honorary Chairperson of the American Heart Association of South Florida’s Annual Heart Walk. He is also active with Alpha 1-AD.

Speakers
Desmond Howard | Danny Kanell | Eric Poms | Al Dotson, Jr.

Desmond Howard
ESPN’s Game Day Host, Heisman Trophy Winner & Super Bowl MVP
Desmond Howard joined ESPN in 2005 as a college football analyst and a member of the College GameDay crew.  His broadcast experience began as a contributor to Fox Sports’ Best Damn Sports Show Period in 2003 and continued as a correspondent on ESPN 2’s Cold Pizza in 2004 during the show’s Super Bowl coverage.  Howard also was a weekly contributor to Fox Sports Radio during the 2005-2006 NFL season.

Winner of the 1991 Heisman Trophy, Howard’s acrobatic catches made him one of the most electrifying players ever to play the college game.  He became the first receiver in Big Ten history to lead the conference in scoring as he set or tied five NCAA records and 12 single-season Michigan records.  The All-American won the Heisman by the second largest margin of victory in the trophy’s history.  He was also awarded the Walter Camp Trophy and the Maxwell Award that year.

Desmond Howard, selected by the Washington Redskins, was the fourth overall pick of the 1992 NFL draft.  He went on to have an 11-year pro football career highlighted by such memorable moments as scoring the first game winning touchdown in Jacksonville Jaguars history and becoming the first special teams player to be named Most Valuable Player of the Super Bowl as a member of the Green Bay Packers.  His 870 punt return yards in a single season and 99-yard kickoff return in a Super Bowl remain NFL records.  Howard was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2000 while playing with the Detroit Lions.

Howard resides in Miami, Florida with his wife Rebkah, daughter Sydney and twin boys Desmond Jr. and Dhamir. <top>

Danny Kanell
Former NFL and Florida State University Quarterback
Danny Kanell, a South Florida native, is a proud member of the Orange Bowl Committee. Prior to an 8 year NFL career with the New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons and Denver Broncos, he attended Florida State University, where he played quarterback for four years. As a Seminole, he appeared in 45 games, threw for 6,372 yards, and 57 Touchdowns, a school record.  He played in four BCS bowls, including three FedEx Orange Bowls. He earned honorable mention All-American honors in his senior year. Kanell also played baseball during his freshman and sophomore years, appearing in 28 games over the two seasons.

Kanell was selected by the Giants in the fourth round (130 overall) of the 1996 NFL Draft. He made his debut later that year for the team. The next season in New York, Kanell became the starter and played the last 10 games of the 1997 season, leading the Giants to the NFC East title. In those 10 games he threw for 1,740 yards with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He led the Giants to the  NFL Playoffs where they lost to the Minnesota Vikings,  23-22. Kanell went 16 for 32 for 199 yards and one touchdown in that game. The following year, Kanell started all 10 games he played in while throwing for 1,603 yards, and 11 Touchdowns. Kanell later went on to play for the Falcons and Broncos.

Eric L. Poms
Chief Executive Officer
Orange Bowl Committee
Eric L. Poms, was officially announced as the fifth Chief Executive Officer of the Orange Bowl Committee (OBC) on May 4, 2006, succeeding long-time CEO Keith R. Tribble.  

Under Poms leadership the OBC is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2008-09 and for the first time hosting two BCS Bowl games: the 75th FedEx Orange Bowl and the 2009 BCS FedEx National Championship. Poms has been with the Committee since 1993, serving as Chief Operating Officer prior to moving into his current position. A Miami Killian High School and University of Florida graduate, Poms oversees the organization’s day-to-day operations, budgets and business affairs. He is also the driving force behind the implementation of nearly 100 events annually. 

In Poms’ first two years, the FedEx Orange Bowl posted a record seventh and eight consecutive sellouts, and the MetroPCS Orange Bowl Basketball Classic has posted record attendance. 

As postseason college football and the Bowl Championship Series continues to experience many changes, who could better lead the organization than a man who has worked within the system during this frequent era of growth. 

As the organization’s COO, Poms’ role had him firmly entrenched in the negotiations of the BCS, as well as its precursors, the Bowl Coalition and Bowl Alliance.  Most recently, he was instrumental in the administration of the OBC’s renewal of its membership in the BCS through 2010, guaranteeing the Committee another National Championship game in January 2009.  While Poms has been at the Orange Bowl, the Committee has hosted five National Championship games in 1994, 1995, 1998, 2001 and most recently, in 2005. 

In the summer of 2006 under Poms’ guidance, the OBC entered a mutually beneficial relationship with the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), whereby the ACC champion is guaranteed a spot in the FedEx Orange Bowl on an annual basis, provided it does not qualify for the BCS National Championship game.

Poms’ experience and education in the area of event management and bowl game marketing in the South Florida market are second to none.  But his vision extends beyond that of just the bowl itself, as he continues to strengthen the OBC’s mission of supporting and producing events which enhance the image, economy, and culture of South Florida.

Under Poms’ management the Orange Bowl Committee has expanded its reach in the community, through its commitment to generating diverse youth sports competition and funding an array of grants, community programs and scholarships that benefit thousands of South Florida youth.

Previously, Poms primarily assisted the CEO in the management of eight departments (Events, Entertainment, Sales, Marketing, Media, Business, Merchandising, and Tickets) comprised of 30 full-time employees. Poms also oversaw special projects relating to the BCS, university and conference relations, key contracts, fundraising, local government relations, community relations and related tasks as assigned.

Prior to his tenure with the OBC, Poms served with Tribble at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, as the Coordinator of Operations from 1992-93.  In addition to his role managing the Runnin’ Rebels athletic events, Poms also served as Director of Operations for the fledgling Las Vegas Bowl during this same period. Before he headed out west, Poms served as Director of Operations and Events at the newly-formed Blockbuster Bowl, of which Tribble was the Executive Director, from 1990-92.  Poms began his career at the University of Florida, first as a student-manager for the men’s basketball program followed by a stint as the Gators’ head basketball manager.  While at graduate school, Poms also served as an Operations Assistant from 1989-90.

Poms is active with the Boys & Girls Club of Miami, Inc., where he has served on the Executive Committee since 1996.  He also worked with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Greater Miami mentoring local inner-city youth on educational development, personal values and social skills. Poms also participated in the 1996-97 Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce Leadership Miami program which addressed the issues and challenges that face the Greater Miami community.

Albert E. Dotson, Jr.,
Chairman of 100 Black Men of America, Inc.
Partner, Bilzin Sumberg Baena Price & Axelrod LLP
Albert E. Dotson, Jr., Chairman of 100 Black Men of America, Inc. and an equity partner in the Miami law firm of Bilzin Sumberg Baena Price & Axelrod LLP, represents real estate developers in securing land use, zoning and other government approvals and permits for large-scale real estate developments and matters regarding federal and local government procurement contracts and compliance. He graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in Economics and History and earned his juris doctor degree from Vanderbilt University, School of Law and was awarded the Bennett Douglas Bell Memorial Prize for academic achievement and high ethical standards. He is bilingual in English and Spanish, having studied at the Universidad de Granada in Spain.

Mr. Dotson was first elected as an officer of 100 Black Men of America, Inc. in 1994 as the organization’s Secretary. In 1996, he was elected Vice President and re-elected to successive two-year terms until 2004. In 2004, Mr. Dotson was elected Chairman of 100 Black Men of America, Inc. and re-elected in 2006. He became a member of 100 Black Men in 1989, when he was elected the founding president of his local chapter, 100 Black Men of South Florida, Inc. Mr. Dotson served as President of the South Florida Chapter for 10 years.

Mr. Dotson has lectured at the National Law Institute on compliance with federal and state environmental laws and environmental insurance litigation. In 2005 and 2006, Mr. Dotson was named by Ebony Magazine “One of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans.” In 2005, Mr. Dotson was named by the Daily Business Review, “Most Effective Lawyers” in Real Estate/Construction Law.  The March of Dimes, in 2002, selected him for the Community Excellence in Real Estate Law Award. In 2001, Mr. Dotson was selected by Miami Metro Magazine as one of South Florida's Top Lawyers. In 1998, Mr. Dotson was selected one of “40 Business Leaders in South Florida under age 40” by the South Florida Business Journal; and in 1999 through 2005 was named by the Journal as among the corporate elite in the practice of law in South Florida.  Also, in 1999, he was presented the Community Leader Award by the Wilke D. Ferguson, Jr. Bar Association. He was presented, in 2001, the Outstanding Star of Our Community Award by The Vizcayans. In 1997, Mr. Dotson was selected by the U.S. Secretary of Defense as one of 60 persons to participate in the Department of Defense's Joint Civilian Orientation Conference, a multi-service orientation program for civilian public opinion leaders who are provided first hand opportunities to meet Department and Service senior leaders, soldiers, sailor, airmen and Marines and to learn more about their missions first hand. In 2004, Mr. Dotson was presented a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition by Senator Bill Nelson in honor of his contribution to the State of Florida. Mr. Dotson’s commitment to his community has also been recognized by Commendations and Proclamations from the Mayor of Miami-Dade County and the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners and the Mayor of the City of Miami and the City of Miami Commission.

Mr. Dotson served as the Chairman of the Miami Dade College Foundation Board of Trustees.  He chairs the Investment Committee, which is responsible hiring investment advisors and managers, for monitoring the Foundation’s investments and for recommending and taking appropriate action. The Committee presently oversees approximately $55 million in liquid assets, among other investments.  Miami Dade College (MDC) awards more associate’s degrees than any other school in the nation and graduates the highest number of minority students. That is the finding of Community College Week magazine in its 2003 report on “The Top 100 Associate’s Degree Producers.” As the “direct support” organization, the Foundation serves as the fund-raising organization for the College. The Foundation operates an active and continuing development process of working with individual donors, corporations, foundations, businesses, and organizations to secure financial resources to provide “a margin of excellence” for the educational programs of the College, and to provide student scholarships to assure that no student with talent and ability is denied access because of lack of financial resources.

Mr. Dotson served as President of The Orange Bowl Committee for the 2006-2007 Orange Bowl Festival and FedEx Orange Bowl Game.  The Orange Bowl Committee was created in 1935. Since that time, the non-profit 301-member, all-volunteer organization has expanded its reach beyond Miami to become a foundation of the South Florida community.  The FedEx Orange Bowl, along with the Nokia Sugar Bowl, Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and the Rose Bowl, rotate in hosting the #1 vs. #2 national championship.  The Orange Bowl festival attracts more than 150,000 visitors to the South Florida community annually. In 2002-03, the staging of the FedEx Orange Bowl game and festival generated just over $65 million in economic impact to the South Florida community. 

A partial listing of Mr. Dotson’s other involvement includes FTAA Ministerial Board of Trustees, Super Bowl XLI Host Committee, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Miami (Board of Governors), The Simon Wiesenthal Center (Tribute Committee), United Way of Miami-Dade County (Trustee), Overtown Youth Center (Chair Board of Directors), Dade County Bar Association Blue Ribbon Commission on Judicial Campaigns, Miami Business Forum, Jackson Memorial Hospital Public Health Trust (Trustee), The National Conference of Community and Justice (51st Annual Humanitarian Award Committee), Alliance For Ethical Government (Executive Committee, Chair Lobbying Reform Task Force), Beacon Council, Miami-Dade County 1998 Empowerment Zone Application Task Force and Defense Orientation Conference Association.

Click Here for information on June 11th – Going for the Gold.

Click Here for information on March 19th – Hitting the Green.

For more information
email Hwasek@miamisports.org
or call (305) 818-7188 today!