Episodes

Joe McIlvaine

He spent parts of six decades in baseball, starting with the first of five seasons that he played as a pitcher in the Detroit Tigers organization. He went on to become a scout in the Baltimore Orioles, California Angels, and Milwaukee Brewers organizations, before becoming the scouting director for the New York Mets, who eventually promoted him to assistant general manager. He would then become the general manager of the San Diego Padres before returning to New York to take that same position with the Mets. He then went on to positions as special assistant to the general manager, first with the Minnesota Twins and then the Seattle Mariners, before joining the Baltimore Orioles in a senior advisory position.

Notable guest quotes:

“I decided to enter St. Charles Seminary, which was the local seminary for Philadelphia Archdiocese and also for the Diocese of Allentown.”

“I’d played Mass all the time.  We made vestments as we were growing up.”

“As much as I wanted to be a priest, I could not NOT find out whether or not I had enough to be a Major League pitcher, ‘cause I felt like I could always come back to the seminary if I had to.”

“I was actually the head altar boy in the seventh and eighth grade and we did all the ceremonies and everything.  And I was the master at funerals and at weddings… I loved it… It kind of brought an early sense of responsibility to ya’ and I felt like that was really good training for the seminary.”

“I felt like God was saying to me, ‘Okay, you’ve answered your question, now let’s go on with your life’.”

“When you’re in a situation where you’re hiring people, firing people, trading people, changing their lives, it has to be done with love.”

“Every Sunday when we were home we had Father Danny Murphy, who was an avid (New York) Met fan, he would come and say Mass… before the players went out on the field… and he did a wonderful job for us, and he would even do it in spring training… We did not want to start the Sunday without Mass.”

“The Knights of the Immaculata are dedicated to (St. Maximilian Kolbe’s) devotion to the Blessed Mother and it’s a group of men trying to emulate St. Maximilian by prayer, devotion, and we have an annual weekend retreat in November.”

“All of a sudden there’s a guy at my window with a gun, pointing it right at me, saying, ‘I need money.’ … I started talking to the guy and I said, ‘Why are you doing something like this?  What would the Pope do in a situation like this’?”

“Between seasons I was teaching the fourth grade at Our Mother of Good Counsel in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.”

Sabby Piscitelli

He played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, and Kansas City Chiefs after having been a second-round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft by Tampa Bay. He had played his college football at Oregon State, playing in 50 games for the Beavers in his four years there. Back in his high school days he not only was the Boca Raton News Defensive Player of the Year and team MVP, but he also lettered four years in baseball as an outfielder. Following his NFL career, he went on to pro wrestling, first with WWE and then with AEW.

Notable guest quotes:

“I went to St. Joan of Arc, all the way from kindergarten through eighth grade… I grew up in a Catholic household, went to church every Sunday… and I think it really molded me into the man I am today, carried my faith through high school, college, and into the professional ranks, and it’s something I’m very proud of.”

“I felt in love with football, but I thought, ‘I’ll be okay, I’m getting recruited for the pros for baseball out of high school.’  And I had the Orioles and the Red Sox coming to basically every one of my practices… So… I was blessed to play both… God really made it easy for me… God just kind of really showed me the answer.  I prayed on it, and He gave me the opportunity to play big time college football at Oregon State.”

“I didn’t really have to sit and make a decision.  I think God opened the door that He wanted me to go through.”

“I don’t ever go to bed without getting on my two knees, and I pray every single night.  I never get under my covers until I thank the Lord for the beautiful day and where He put me.  And I usually say a prayer in the morning as well.”

“Every time I played a game, I would tape my wrists white, and I would draw a black cross on my tape.  And that carried me all the way through the pros.  There wasn’t a game that I did not have the black cross on my wrist.”

“I am a believer that God does everything for a reason if you look at the why.”

“That was a mental, mental struggle.  I can be the first one to say, if I didn’t have a good faith, I don’t know where I would’ve ended up.”

“The saying that I’ve always lived by that really, really hit me a lot when I left the NFL was, He who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted’.” (Matthew 23:12)

“The Lord and Savior will talk to you if you’re listening, and He’ll show you signs if you’re looking for ‘em.”

“God is the straight backbone of me that keeps me, I think, center grounded, for sure.”

“I’m very proud to be a Catholic and it’s something that I believe in and I believe more importantly that it’s a relationship with the Lord.”

“If you just stay focused on your faith, get in the Bible, and know what you could do, that’s all that really matters.”

Related link:

Sabby Piscitelli on Instagram

(This episode contains a prayer seen in Play Like A Champion Today’s prayerbook for sports, God, Be In My Sport)

Dan Venezia

He played three seasons in the Minnesota Twins organization and is a survivor of two near-death experiences. Back in his days as a student-athlete he led his high school to a city championship and received a college scholarship, going on to lead the nation in stolen bases in 1992 in NCAA Division II play. Later, during a seven-year span, his recreational coaching record was 85-5 with six championships along with three undefeated seasons. He is also a professional trainer and has not only published a children’s book based around his being a coach, but also wrote a faith-based book on surviving Covid-19.

Notable guest quotes:

“Luckily I had a strong, resilient, faith-filled mother who instilled the love of Christ in my siblings and me.”

“It was at my aunt and uncle’s that I stayed with my two cousins, a Christian Catholic family… and it was there that I learned how to pray.”

“Baseball along with the love of Christ saved me.”

“God was looking out for me.  There’s no doubt that He had a plan… He certainly had other things in store for me.”

“People say they lose their faith.  Faith is not a set of car keys.  It’s not a wallet that you misplace or that you leave in the seat cushion of the couch.  Faith is a gift.  It’s given to us by our Creator, and we leave the faith, and when we decide to come back – and I hope and pray that everyone who’s lost comes back – … Jesus is right there with his arms wide open, just waiting for you.  So, he never leaves us.  We’re the ones that leave him.”

“I was definitely Bible-based.  I’d go to baseball chapel, which is what they had there at the time, and it was Christian-based.”

“Of course you question God when things go wrong.  I wasn’t thanking Him enough for the things that were going right in my life… Too many times we come to God during these challenging times and we either come closer or we move farther away.”

“God closed that window, but He opened up the door of opportunity.”

“The only thing I remember, my priest, my good friend, Monsignor Geno Sylva at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, the only thing I remember him saying from that homily – and thank God I held onto the words ‘cause I would need them to sustain me through the coming days – the only thing I remember, he said, ‘During challenging times, we should never feel sorry for ourselves.  Jesus never felt sorry for himself’.”

“When I knew I was getting out of that hospital, there were so many guardian angel moments.”

“Jesus was my best doctor.  Prayer was my best medicine.  And Mother Angelica was my best nurse.”

“I don’t worship Mary.  I only worship the one God.  But I will not deny His mother.  She was present then, she’s more present now.  She’s brought me closer to her son.  And I can’t talk about Jesus without talking about her.”

Related link:

Dan’s official website (for his book, more photos, and additional content)

Mario Lopez

He is a film actor, New York Times Best-Selling author, producer, host, and two-time Emmy winner. He currently hosts NBC’s “Access Hollywood” and “Access Daily” as well as a national radio show. Plus, he even has his own sports-related podcast that is talked about on this episode. He was recently inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, recognized as the 2022 Outstanding American, having wrestled for Chula Vista High School, finishing second in the San Diego section and seventh in the California Interscholastic Federation state tournament as a senior in one-class California in 1991. He also just held a golf classic for the Providence Saint Joseph Foundation.  (Listen too as he also mentions boxing and jiu-jitsu.)

Notable guest quotes:

“We were devout Catholics and, like many Latinos in our culture, it played an important role in our life. And, as I grew older, I tried to grow and build spiritual muscle.  And I think I’ve gotten to a much better place too and I feel comfortable about it.  It’s important for me to raise my kids and have them have a faith-based education, and they’re in Catholic school.  So, it’s an incredibly important role in my life.”

“I’m always an advocate of speaking out on my faith. They say don’t talk about politics and religion, and I don’t talk about politics… but I don’t shy away from my faith.  And I’m proud because I think the Lord calls on us and so I’m proud to talk about my faith and I’m happy to do so.”

“I love wrestling, it teaches you aspects of life.  You build on characteristics that are important as an adult in life; toughness, obviously physically, but both and more importantly, psychologically and emotionally.  It builds a strong work ethic.  You learn discipline.  And also, self-reliance.”

“Most of the time I had a regular high school experience.  And I got to wrestle for my school, go to prom, dances, and what have you.  But all the while it was always very important for me to go to Mass and say my prayers every night and it’s always been an important part of my life.  And now I’m happy to continue to lean on it, to turn to my faith, and raise my children in it.”

“I try to give back to my community as much as I can.”

(of his pilgrimage to the Holy Land) “Everywhere Jesus went, that’s where I was at.  I even went over to Bethlehem and Palestine… and I got to get baptized in the Jordan River.”

“I’m always proud to talk about my faith.  And some people might try to discourage to you, but I don’t try to listen to them.”

“I think the Lord would be proud (of Mario’s trying) to contribute that and then being selfless and trying to help.  So, just trying to do my part.”

“You turn to faith and just feel you prepared yourself, you go out there, you do your best, and you just let go and let God work through you and see what happens.”

“(Mark Wahlberg is) a buddy of mine.  We just flew back together from New York and so he’s a very proud Catholic.  And I love that about him.  We have many similar traits.”

Related link:

Mario’s page on IMDB

(This episode contains a prayer by Fort Worth Christian Football League parent Linda Fleshman, as seen in Play Like A Champion Today’s prayerbook for sports, God, Be In My Sport)

Rudy Ruettiger

His story was told in a 1993 motion picture that USA Today ranked as the number one “Best Football Movie of All Time,” centering on his time trying to get into Notre Dame and on their football team, and eventually into a game against Georgia Tech when he sacked the quarterback with less than 30 seconds to play in the game. He is a U.S. Navy Vietnam Veteran and has gone on to be a motivational keynote speaker, including having spoken at the White House under two presidents. He has co-authored several books and offered his message in his original production live on Broadway. He also is the co-founder of the Rudy Foundation.

Notable guest quotes:

“Things change… along the way with your faith… So, it’s not the religion, it’s your faith, being a good Catholic.”

“When you step on the campus at Notre Dame, it is spiritual.  So that in itself created a mindset of cleansing.”

“If it wasn’t for the good brothers and the good priests, I would’ve never been at Notre Dame.”

“When I showed up at Holy Cross, the brother – who sat behind that desk – when my friend died, I said, ‘No more shortcuts for me,’ I gave myself up to the Lord, at that moment my whole life changed.”

“You don’t have to see to believe.  It’s your faith.”

“We all are children of God, no matter what religion you are.”

“‘There is a god and you’re not Him.’  That’s one of the greatest lines in the movie.”

“Faith is always in my speech(es).  God is always in my speech(es).  But I do it in a way like the movie does – let ‘em discover it.  Let ‘em discover why faith is important instead of preaching in their face.”

“We’re warriors of Jesus Christ.  Once we understand that we become different people.”

“When Rocky blessed himself I knew he was a man of faith because faith plays an important part.  You’re not asking God to win the fight, you’re asking God to give you the courage and character to fight the fight.”

Related link:

Rudy’s official website

(This episode contains a prayer originally from prayers-and-poetry.blogspot.com, as seen in Play Like A Champion Today’s prayerbook for sports, God, Be In My Sport)

Victoria Everleigh

She is a highly accomplished figure skater, including being a U.S. Figure Skating Quadruple Gold Medalist. She has been both a national and international competitor in her sport, finishing Top 10 at the 2014 US National Solo Dance Championships, one year after having been US National Champion, Senior Theatre on Ice. She was also the 2013 Nation’s Cup (World Championships) Silver Medalist, Senior Theatre on Ice and the 2012 US National Bronze Medalist, Senior Theatre on Ice.  She has even performed at Central Park as well as in the US Synchronized Championship Opening Ceremonies. On the faith side she is a Catholic novelist with two books out and another coming in September. Plus, she has written for multiple Catholic publications, including America magazine, among others.

Notable guest quotes:

“I grew up in a Catholic family… So, it was pretty much the only thing that I knew, and I feel very blessed that I grew up in a family that took us to church every week, and, by the grace of God, I grew up with the belief that this was super important. This was going to be a lifelong thing and I’m so grateful for that.”

“I did go to a Catholic high school called Immaculate High School in Danbury, Connecticut.”

“At that time in my life I was really wrapped up in this idea that I had to be perfect to be loved and so that permeated my athletics and my academics.”

“Those moments before you’re competing or performing and your name is called and you have that time to get to your opening position absolutely are, they’re quiet… and that can be an amazing moment for prayer.  (During) practice I absolutely believe that conversation with God can be part of that.”

“…33 days of different passages that you’re reading and at the end you consecrate yourself to Mary and there’s a prayer, and, I have done that twice.”

“I remember January 1^st, I think it was 2017… it’s (a) holy day of obligation related to Mary [Solemnity of Mary]… The homily, the priest was saying to really get to know Mary that year… Up until that homily I had never made it a priority or really thought about getting to know Mary and I feel like that homily just really kickstarted things for me and got me interested and was ultimately an invitation and I’m so glad that I was there to receive that.”

“I will usually try to find some sort of retreat to go on, whether it’s either directed or silent.”

“It sort of felt like my faith life and my skating life converged in that moment.”

“I feel like that actually helped me so much to realize that my identity wasn’t in sport… Our love for sports is a good thing.  It can be a way to glorify God.  But, I realized through the time that I was off the ice, that there is more to this life and that my value as a person really didn’t come from my results.”

Related link:

Victoria’s official website

(This episode contains a prayer by Fr. Brian Cavanaugh, T.O.R., as seen in Play Like A Champion Today’s prayerbook for sports, God, Be In My Sport)

Kent Lowe

The Senior Associate Sports Communications Director at Louisiana State University, serving as the primary media contact for the men’s basketball team and assisting in the overall Sports Communications office in other sports as needed. He is about to celebrate 34 years as a member of the LSU Sports Communications staff and has also written an award-winning bowling column for The (Baton Rouge) Advocate for more than 25 years. In 2018 he was inducted into the Louisiana State Bowling Association Hall of Fame for his service to the sport. Prior to working at LSU, he had served as the publicity director for Louisiana Downs racetrack. He is also a past president of the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.

Notable guest quotes:

“My parents, all Catholic… married in the Catholic church and, of course, certainly I was very involved with the Catholic church at what is now the cathedral… But, certainly involved with the Catholic church for… all my life, really.”

“I went to St. John Berchmans, which was the parish and the grade school there and then right next door was Jesuit High School. It’s now… Loyola High School, but it was a Jesuit high school when I attended.”

“I think of the most passionate LSU fans who go to my church… You’ll see ‘em every Sunday there with their purple and gold and that’s perfectly fine but I think you do have to realize that… these are just… young people playing a sport they love.  And you need to root for ‘em all you can but you don’t need to criticize ‘em.  You need to support them in every way you can.”

“It’s always great when you see, after football games, you always see… a group of players, usually from both teams, kneeling at midfield after the game and just saying a quick prayer.”

“There are little things here and there you see along the way that shows you that there is a spiritual presence here at times.”

“There are those moments you see that kinda make you realize that there’s more to it than just winning the game.”

“She’s very focused on not only athletics but her spiritual life.  She always would point to the heavens at the end of a game, and that type of thing.  And that team was very spiritual in many ways.  They’d had Bible study and things like that.”

“The other thing that was also fascinating… was the racetrack chaplaincy program at Louisiana Downs at that time was outstanding.”

“The (race) track also made sure that on Saturdays there was a Catholic Mass before the races started, for those who wanted to attend.”

“I’m a lector… have been for years, love doing it.  I feel it’s something I’m good at.”

Related link:

Kent’s bio on LSU website