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New Men's Event that Intersects Faith and Sports Announces Nationwide Tour

Fri, Apr 06, 2007 @ 08:04 AM PST

Leading the discussions at In The Zone is a core team of men who stand tall in their fields of expertise, including (pictured l-r) a rising comedian recently featured on Comedy Central, Thor Ramsey; a successful CEO, 10-time SEC Champion runner and three-time NCAA All-American, Stephen Bolt; a former American Express Vice President, David O. Smith; GRAMMY-nominated recording artist, Mark Harris (formerly of the group 4HIM); the leader of a 3,000-member mega-church, Ernie Frey; lead studio analyst for CBS Sports’ “College Football Today” and former Orange Bowl MVP and NFL Super Bowl champion with the San Francisco 49ers, Spencer Tillman; and award-winning writer, Eric Metaxas.

The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat…this drama is lived out daily in sporting arenas all across the U.S.—and in the everyday lives of America’s men. In The Zone, a groundbreaking new live event coming to arenas across the nations South and Mid-West in 2007, meets men at the intersection of faith and sports, the common language that most men speak.

The current In The Zone itinerary includes events in Pensacola, FL (6/2), Greenville, SC (6/9), Peoria, IL (6/16), Ames, IA (6/23), Memphis, TN (6/30), Knoxville, TN (7/13), Tulsa, OK (7/20) Grand Rapids, MI (7/28) and Birmingham, AL (8/18). All the latest event news can be found at www.InTheZone.org.

Taking a cue from popular talk shows such as “Pardon the Interruption,” “NFL Primetime,” “College Football Game Day” and “NBA Halftime,” In The Zone produces a forum for “anything goes” conversation—a peppery mix of sports talk, strong opinions and fast-paced media mixed with ESPN-style music. Creating an atmosphere much like a locker room with coaches laying out the big game plan, In The Zone engages men in a spiritual discussion of life and faith. It’s real guys discussing real issues, such as, “How do you climb the ladder of success while staying connected to your wife, kids and faith?”

“Our years of research have identified a generation of men that are living in the most stress-infused culture in history,” says Dr. Joe Pettigrew, a highly distinguished consultant and leading authority on the issues affecting today’s senior executives. Pettigrew co-founded In The Zone with Kyle Rote, Jr., the only American born player to ever win a major professional soccer league scoring championship and active owner of Athletic Resource Management, Inc., a successful sports agency that represents some 40 pro athletes.

“Men are being pulled apart by their desire to succeed in their career, provide for their family, meet the needs of their spouse and be a ‘Super Dad’ for their kids,” continues Pettigrew. “When they add faith to their already packed schedules, church tends to seem more of an obligation than a possible solution to their unbalanced life. At our events, participants will hear how well known sports personalities and some of the world’s most successful businessmen struggle with the same issues as regular guys do on a daily basis. These speakers will also share with participants the ways they have found to live according to their personal calling.”

Leading the discussions at In The Zone is a core team of men who stand tall in their fields of expertise, including Spencer Tillman, lead studio analyst for CBS Sports’ “College Football Today.” Tillman, a former Orange Bowl MVP and NFL Super Bowl champion with the San Francisco 49ers, is joined by GRAMMY-nominated recording artist, Mark Harris (formerly of the group 4HIM), a former American Express Vice President, David O. Smith, an award-winning writer, Eric Metaxas, a successful CEO, 10-time SEC Champion runner and three-time NCAA All-American, Stephen Bolt, the leader of a 3,000-member mega-church, Ernie Frey, and a rising comedian recently featured on Comedy Central, Thor Ramsey.

Each In The Zone event will also welcome live a top business executive, including CEOs and Vice Presidents of companies such as FedEx, Chick-fil-A, Wal-Mart and Southwest Airlines; along with well-known sports personalities such as ESPN analysts Chris Mortensen, Mike Gottfried and Lou Holtz, Carolina Panthers’ Mike Minter, New York Jet’s Patrick Ramsey, and University of Illinois head football coach Ron Zook, among many others.

“When I first heard about In The Zone, I wasn't sure I wanted to hear more - commitments scare me,” says Mortensen, ESPN NFL Senior Analyst featured on “Sunday NFL Countdown,” “Monday Night Countdown” and “SportsCenter. “I’m glad I got over the fear – there’s no question God quickened my heart and opened my eyes to a great opportunity. We get to talk about our real Christian life in a sports-like setting? That’s too good to be true for a guy like me. Sign me up.”

“Having your priorities in the right order is key to living a successful life,” notes T. Michael Glenn, Executive Vice President, Market Development and Corporate Communications, FedEx Corporation. “In The Zone is designed help you deal with the challenges we face on a daily basis while not compromising those priorities.”

“In the Zone is a relevant, fast paced life changing forum that I am proud to be a part of,” says Gottfried, ESPN college football analyst, former NCAA football coach and Team Focus founder. “Being a college football coach and an ESPN analyst, I love talking sports. However, one of the most important things in my life is my Christian walk. In the Zone allows me to talk both!”

The four-hour In The Zone events take a four-quarter approach and utilize the connecting thread of sports, hunting, fishing and cars to transition to the more weighty issues that most men face today—work, women, fatherhood and how to balance it all. The events aim to help redefine men’s perceptions of success, manhood and what it means to live out their faith in today’s society. In The Zone is about uncovering best practices, not perfect practices, in regards to finding solutions to the most common struggles of manhood—an opportunity for men of all walks of life to identify and discuss the challenges and difficulties they all face, with humorous video segments tying everything together.

With its unique approach, In The Zone is already gaining the attention and support of respected organizations such as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Promise Keepers and Men’s Fraternity. “Men’s Fraternity is thrilled to partner with In the Zone, a revolutionary concept in men’s events designed to meet the needs of real guys,” says Men’s Fraternity President Rick Caldwell. “We’re so excited that In the Zone not only provides a quality one-day experience but also has a strategic plan of action for guys after the event.”

For more information about this revolutionary new men’s event, visit www.inthezone.org. For information on bringing this event to your city, contact the William Morris Agency at 615-963-3000 or visit their website at www.wmaccm.com.

Fri, Apr 06, 2007 @ 08:04 AM