Hear the Conversation 23:01 – 13.1 mb mp3

Spartan Dawgs Tim Bograkos, Todd “T.J.” Duckett and Andre Hutson talk about failure and the impact it has on champions. Failure, they say, is the key to success.

“It’s good to remember your failures as long as you use these moments as motivation to improve yourself,” says Duckett.

Hutson says that athletes learn to deal with failure early in life.

“I’ve learned from failure, and now I’m not afraid of it,” Hutson says. “That no-fear spirit has carried over into the business world for me now.”

Bograkos says he takes little daily failures as chips on his shoulder and uses them as motivation to improve and prove his doubters wrong.

“Failure shouldn’t define a person unless you let the failures bring you down or hold you back rather than motivate you to improve and get better,” Bograkos says.

“There isn’t anyone who’s ever achieved a dream without a few failures along the way. Failure is just a step toward success,” he adds.

The Dawgs agree it’s important to not lower your personal expectations or goals because others may be doubting you.

“Your success of failure at anything often corresponds to the effort you put into it,” says Duckett. “And you can’t lie to yourself; you know how much effort you put in.”

“The hardest thing for people to do is self-evaluate,” adds Bograkos. “No one has ever achieved anything without experiencing a few failures along the way.

Hear the Conversation 28:29 – 16.3 mb mp3

Spartan Dawgs Tim Bograkos, Todd “T.J.” Duckett, and Andre Hutson welcome Joe Eisenmann and Joe Carlson from Spartan Nutrition and Performance to the microphones. SNAPP has been providing sports nutrition for Spartan athletes since 2005.

“Everybody on our staff has a lot of passion for taking our knowledge in sports science, nutrition, and medicine and helping young athletes who aspire to play better,” says Eisenmann. “We focus on speed and general athletic enhancement.”

Carlson says a key goal is helping young athletes achieve their energy balance.

“Young athletes want to get ripped and get into better shape, but they shoot themselves in the foot by cutting back on calories instead of focusing on eating the right calories,” adds Carlson.

Other topics include overtraining, the psychological aspects of sports, and how to train like a Division 1 ahtlete.

The Dawgs and the Joes discuss the supplement world in depth. The bottom line: Carlson advises against supplements for young athletes.

“We’re providing an integrated, holistic approach to the care and the training of the young athlete,” says Eisenmann.

Hear the Show 54 min – 30 mb mp3

Russ White has wide-ranging, year-end conversations with Michigan State University President Lou Anna K. Simon and Spartans Athletic Director Mark Hollis. Both look back on what Spartans should remember about the 2012/2013 academic year at MSU, and they look ahead to 2013/2014.

President Simon touches on the higher education budget situation, MSU’s Energy Transition Plan, the status of FRIB, and issues she and her colleagues are tackling in the Big Ten and NCAA.

Hollis says “MSU Athletics is in a great place.” He talks about Spartan Fund activity, Big Ten momentum, debriefs his first year on the NCAA men’s basketball selection committee, and talks about bringing the Disney philosophy to Spartan Athletics.

Hear the Conversation 27:06 min – 15.5 mb mp3

Michigan State University President Lou Anna K. Simon looks back at the 2012/2013 academic year and talks about what’s important for Spartans to remember about what has happened at MSU this year.

The budget and funding situation has stabilized some, says President Simon.

“We continue to have to scrap for every dollar internally so that we can repurpose it toward the basic functions of the university in terms of teaching, research and service.”

Simon held a webcast conversation April 18 featuring an update on MSU’s Energy Transition Plan.

“We’ve made a very aggressive commitment to reduce our carbon footprint,” says Simon. “The challenge is to do so in a cost-effective way at time when we’re trying to hold tuition down.

“It’s the essence of Michigan State University that we’re prepared to take on the tough challenges and not do so by simply providing advice to others, but by trying to figure out whether we can do it ourselves.”

She talks about MSU’s presence in Detroit and its work to impact all of Michigan‘s future. Simon talks about developments in the Big Ten and about issues she’s confronting in her role as Chair of the NCAA Executive Committee.

And Simon provides an update on the status of MSU’s Facility for Rare Isotope Beams.

Hear the Conversation 21:35 min – 6.4 mb mp3

As the 2012/2013 academic year winds down, Spartans athletic director Mark Hollis looks back and ahead.

Hollis says he remains true to one of his main goals of making sure the athletic department remains connected to and engaged with the entire university. And he and his team are focused on raising the funds necessary to ensure that MSU remains competitive and viable in a growing Big Ten, including an emphasis on the north end zone renovation project at Spartan Stadium.

Spartans AD Hollis is pleased with the progress and momentum underway in the Big Ten and is looking forward to future road trips to Maryland and Rutgers.

Hollis says a couple of the issues that keep him up at night are maintaining and enhancing the MSU athletic department‘s revenue stream with integrity and doing things the right way.

There’s often an arms race referred to in intercollegiate athletics, but Hollis says it’s all about providing the best possible resources possible for MSU’s student athletes.

A challenge Hollis and his colleagues around the country are facing is competing for fans – particularly students’ – attention with the barrage of entertainment options fighting for our collective attention. Today’s kids often are engaged with multiple screens at a time with iPads, smart phones, and there’s increasingly more demands for our attention in the digital age we’re now immersed in.

Mark Hollis is concluding his first year as a member of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament selection committee. He feels his role on the committee brings a lot of positive benefits back to MSU.

As Hollis looks ahead to the 2013/2014 academic year at MSU, he says Disney will provide a lot of inspiration for an increasingly positive MSU experience for all Spartan fans.

Overall, Hollis says MSU athletics is in a great place.

Hear the Conversation 27:26 – 15.7 mb mp3

Spartan Dawgs Tim Bograkos, Todd Duckett and Andre Hutson tackle the issue of revenue in intercollegiate athletics and discuss whether student-athletes should be paid some kind of stipend.

Duckett says he can see both sides of the issue and believes that student-athletes should receive some kind of compensation beyond their valuable scholarship.

“A student-athlete’s sport is all-consuming in his or her life and some sports generate revenue for the university,” he says. “But the student-athletes make their choices to attend college on a scholarship with full knowledge of what the university will and won’t provide for them.”

Hutson points out that the recently concluded NCAA men’s basketball tournament brings in big money for the schools, but that athletic departments have to make what they spend.

“Football and basketball generate big money,” he says. “But what about the other sports? Who do you pay and not pay? Or do you pay everyone?”

The Dawgs wonder whether certain star athletes could attend and play for a university without accepting a scholarship, but sell the rights to their own brand.

“Some athletes might be able to pay their tuition by selling the rights to their brand,” says Bograkos. “Someone may test this idea down the road, and it will be interesting to watch.”

Hear the Conversation 29:58 – 17.1 mb mp3

Spartan Dawgs Tim Bograkos, Todd “T.J.” Duckett, and Andre Hutson talk about the coaches in their lives who have had a great influence on them.

“The older I get, the more I appreciate what coaches have done for me over the years,” says Duckett. “My high school coach in particular helped me become a man and taught me real discipline.”

Duckett adds that he saw certain guys “push away while others gravitated toward” this approach from coaches.

The Dawgs agree that good coaches act like father figures to many young men and are often the first positive male influence in many young lives.

“If we didn’t like and respect our early coaches, we might not have even continued playing the sports we love,” adds Bograkos.

Hutson says the coaching relationship often gets more demanding as “we climb the ladder. In the pros, the coaches don’t have the same control over players as many of the players make more money than the coaches; so they have more power.”

Duckett says the beauty of having an amazing coach is the lifelong relationship that’s cultivated. “So you can go back to your coach or mentor throughout your life to get their advice. And then you can pass on what you’ve learned from them to the next generation.”

“Good coaches get the best out of you when you don’t even realize they’re doing so,” adds Hutson.

Bograkos believes the best coaches keep a proper balance between wins and losses, and developing young men as people.

“If that gets out of whack, it’s not good. It’s important for coaches to keep this balance in perspective.”

Drop the Dawgs a line with comments, suggestions, or guest ideas.

Hear the Conversation 11:15 min – 6.4 mb mp3

By Mackenzie Mohr

The director of state news for MLive.com has an intimidating mantra.

“We’re number one in every market and we’re growing at a record pace.”

Russ White and Kirk Heinze talk with MSU School of Journalism alumnus Bill Emkow. As state news director, Emkow oversees state capitol, statewide business and entertainment, and professional and college sports beats for MLive Media Group.

“I work with reporters on their techniques,” Emkow says, “online techniques, web techniques, what works, how to engage with the audience.”

New media and journalism is a rapidly changing industry, he says, with nearly 24-hour online operation. However, he says his way of approaching growth is often misconstrued in journalism circles as “chasing pageviews.”

“There’s nothing wrong with going out and finding something that’s popular,” Emkow says. Read more »

Hear the Conversation 26:37 – 15.2 mb mp3

Spartan Dawgs Tim Bograkos, Todd Duckett, and Andre Hutson talk about creating one’s legacy.

Hutson says that “goal-setting is such a powerful tool to be successful in life,” and Bograkos adds that “actually following through is the really powerful part.”

“Legacy is a lot about your family and your values,” Hutson says. “There’s a lot that goes into building your legacy, and I don’t think there’s one correct way to do it. You can also diminish your legacy if you don’t carry yourself the right way.”

Duckett adds that he believes the “first thing to do to create your legacy is to find your passion, and then it’s important to find humility.”

Hutson adds that “you have to be humble but also proud of yourself and confident enough to promote yourself.”

Bograkos advises college students and athletes to “be ready to take 100 percent responsibility for the decisions you’re making. A lot of people don’t, and they find ways to deflect the decisions they make, good or bad.”

Hear the Show 54 min – 30 mb mp3

Michigan State University President Lou Anna Simon and Spartans Athletic Director Mark Hollis talk with the Director of the Spartan Marching Band John Madden, and with WJR morning drive personality Paul W. Smith.

And we learn all about an innovative executive leadership collaboration between MSU’s Broad College of Business and Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.