Tiger Woods made a heartfelt step forward today. My prayers have been, and will continue to be, with him and his family. He admitted today that he was wrong on so many levels and he acknowledged that he has a long way to go to repair the damage he has done. As much as I've cheered for him as a player, I cheer even more for him now in his roles as a person, husband, son and father and I hope to see him and his family healed. The only major that matters to him right now it seems, is the major responsibility he has to his family and as a role model to his fans. I hope we all learn a lesson from his trials and tribulations, because none of us are perfect and very few people would be able to bear the weight of their lives being examined under a microscope of public scrutiny. I know I am far from perfect and make mistakes every single day. How about you? Tiger is one of the most recognizable people on the planet and the tabloids and late-night talk show hosts and even most of us have had some fun with his predicament. But, at the end of the day, he's a man who has now come out and admitted his faults and has asked for forgiveness. Let's offer Tiger some grace, and give him and his family a chance to heal. Apology accepted, Tiger. My prayers are with you.
Dennis and I enjoyed exquisite lunches of shrimp salad and sea bass in the posh dining room at El Caballero, where we ate light and talked heavy, jumping straight into topics such as the presidential race, the environment and foreign policy. Dennis as the strong, silent type? Hardly. It didn’t take long for me to be convinced that this guy literally knows something about everything. He’s an actor but you can’t fake intelligence or charisma. He’s the real deal. He’s the guy every man wants to be and every woman wants to be with. He’s the star that everyone respects and smiles at as he walks into the room, and he’s the gentleman that acknowledges everyone with a warm smile, a firm handshake and a personal comment. And, I found out on El Cab’s, beautiful Robert Trent Jones designed course, his golf swing is as grooved as the strong and steady roles he favors. Between shots, here’s what Dennis had to say:
A.J.
As the first Black (TV) President (as President David Palmer on the hit show ‘24’), what are your feelings about the dynamics of this election and what it means to this country?
Dennis
The dynamics that I see are that the country is getting a history lesson about the racial dynamics of this country and a lesson in tolerance and a lesson in the understanding of where we are as a nation. It couldn’t come at a better time. We’re about to get rid of one of the most irresponsible Presidents this country has ever had.
If you were president right now, what would you do in terms of our folks over there fighting this war?
Well, I’ve received information that you’re not going to want to hear. When we went to Kuwait, little do people know that those bases are permanent. Those boys are not coming home. I would do whatever I could to get them home. I’d exhaust everything in my power and make every effort. I believe those bases (in Iraq) are permanent and no matter what the candidates say, they’re never coming home.
McCain has stated that he wants to keep us in Iraq as long as it takes. Hillary Clinton flip flops. Obama says he wants to bring the troops home. Do you have any advice for Obama if he becomes president?
Just keep doing what he’s doing and whatever Senator Obama does right now is the best thing I think for this country. He is by far the best candidate for the office of the White House.
Why?
Just from seeing him being attacked in the primary process. His ability to stay cool under that kind of pressure. When it comes to a President and having him sit down across the table from any other head of state, wouldn’t you want someone that could be cool, calm and collected, and not take anything personally, negotiating for you?
Are you for or against the war?
I have been and always will be for the troops. As for this war, no, absolutely not. I do understand why they believe it’s important, but it was not thought out well and definitely not executed well. It left our troops out there with minimal protection.
Do you think it’s more about money than it is about freedom?
Oh absolutely.
Speaking of another kind of green, ecologically speaking, how green are you?
By September, my entire home will be green. I’ve had solar panels for over a year now. I make about 42 gigs a day so my meter’s going backwards and I’m selling back to Edison. I put in a high vibrational water system that purifies the water. I put in a waterless water heater. Putting in a rain catcher. Putting in a black-water filtering system on a state of the art septic system that will return black water to grey water that I can use to water my property. I’m getting very good at this, down to the light bulbs I use. I’m building a pool soon, which will be a saline pool without chemicals, purified by crystals.
What got you started in golf?
My dad died. He played the game and had a lot of trophies. When he died I picked up the game. I said to myself, I’m going to learn how to play this because it would have been great to have played golf with my dad. I was in my thirties when he died. Being the spiritual person that I believe I am, I picked up the game knowing that he’d be out there with me. He’s out here today, watching me play badly.
What course would you play if you could only play one course for the rest of your life?
The rest of my life? Oh man. Hmm. Kapalua. I don’t think there’s any nicer place to be in Hawaii and it’s a course that always challenges me.
Tell me something no one knows about you.
I cry at movies.
All movies?
(Laughing) Well, if they’re sad. Especially anything having to do with fathers and sons.
Favorite movie that you’re not in.
Godfather II. But I like a lot of genres. I love science fiction. I love romantic movies.
Do you cry when you watch Godfather II?
Ah, no.
How have the lines “That’s Allstate’s Stand. Are you in good hands?” affected your life?
(He laughs) They’re repeated to me 24/7, 365. The good news is, when they do repeat it to me I know they’re listening and they’re listening to the message. And Allstate’s happy, which makes me happy.
If you weren’t acting what would you be doing?
Wow. I’d either be a teacher, a psychologist or (smiling broadly) a Special Ops Operator, as crazy as that sounds.
Doesn’t sound crazy to me. You seem to be as strong, confident and capable as the leading man characters you’ve played. I don’t think it would be a stretch for you to be in Special Ops.
I like to think that certain roles I channel, that the characters are speaking through me.
They’re speaking loud and clear.
What are you working on now?
Right now I’ve got 3 or 4 projects in development. I don’t like to talk about them until they come to fruition, but one project I can mention is about renowned golf coach Lucius Bateman and his relationship with his student Tony Lema.
I’m also very proud that my son Charles and I produced a 17-minute short film called “Cessation” that was accepted into Cannes. By the time this article comes out, we’ll know how it did and whether it got sold or not.
That’s great that you and your son are working together. And with the Lucius Bateman project, you get to combine two of your loves -- golfing and acting.
Yes, my game should improve exponentially.
Your game’s pretty solid now.
It’s getting there. I had a few brain flatulent holes today. Can I say that?
Eclipse is prepared to meet your business development needs through the execution of a smarter world-class golf event that doesn't break the bank or draw negative attention. Your sales team will build relationships, increase sales and raise money for community charities. And best of all, at the end of the day, it won’t cost your company one dime and it will give back to the community!
How do we do it? By using our proven Eclipse Partner Asset Leveraging (P.A.L.)™ model. The way it works is strikingly simple and takes five easy steps:
1. We help you to identify all the partner companies you provide benefits to throughout the year (partners, vendors, etc.).
2. We work with you to leverage those relationships to generate cash, prizes and in-kind services to enhance a golf event.
3. We invite principals of those partner companies to join you in making the golf day a memorable experience for your best customers, leading to more business for you AND your partners.
4. Our professional staff and vendor partners produce a world-class golf event at a world-class golf venue for your team, your partners and your clients. Even non-golfers are entertained during the tournament and included in pre- and post-golf activities. Non-golf activities can include spa treatments, shopping, fashion shows, wine tasting, tourism activities, our popular “ABC’s of Business Golf” workshop and many more options. Activities for non-golfers are seamlessly integrated so they start and end the day with the golfers. This is especially valuable if you choose to invite spouses of your key clients.
5. We perform all the wrap-up and follow-up functions to help you convert all those warm and fuzzy feelings into sales!
For your convenience, we offer three turn-key corporate hospitality golf packages, each one designed to provide a unique and memorable experience in a premier golf setting. These programs are highly effective for initiating or enhancing personal relationships between your team members and current/prospective clients. Each package includes three key value propositions: entertainment, information and relationship building.
Contact us today at 443-463-5009 to learn more about how the Eclipse P.A.L. method can be great for your business and for community charities.
The Eclipse Business Golf Academy (EBGA) provides world-class training, executive coaching and ongoing support for people who want to succeed in the business of golf marketing and event consulting.
$1.5 million is the amount of consulting revenue Eclipse Sports & Entertainment earned in its first ten years through golf events, training and consulting. That's an average of $150,000 a year. What could you do with $150,000 a year? $5 million is the amount of revenue Eclipse helped charities raise during that same time period. How would those numbers work for you in the next ten years? How would you like to earn great money working for yourself as a golf consultant? I’ll teach you how I did it and help you to achieve success as a golf consultant. If you follow my system you can be successful.
We are looking for entrepreneurs that want to excel personally and financially as consultants in the lucrative $65 billion golf industry. We are not looking for people that want a job working on a salary for someone else. Recently, we trained a mid-fifties semi-retired financial services sales and marketing professional, a former golf course superintendent, a professional poker player and a social worker who played college golf. We were also able to place all four of them into money-making opportunities with several companies each within their first month!
We train, coach and support people that want success as independent golf consultants. With our help, you have the freedom of being on your own, but you are not alone.
Our program is part professional school, part business opportunity and part executive coaching. As a golf consultant, you can earn anywhere from $5,000 to $35,000 for every golf event you run for nonprofits and corporations, and earn thousands more selling products and services. You can make great supplemental or full time income as a golf consultant! This is a rewarding and fun golf business school and business opportunity -- it is NOT a job so you can never be laid off. If you are an entrepreneur or wish to become one and want an opportunity in golf with no limits, this is for you! It is not multi-level. It is not "get rich quick." It's for serious business people that want to do serious business, call their own shots and live a great business golf lifestyle.
Whether it's for supplemental income or a full-time business effort, it's so important to have a business of your own right now, where you can determine your future. Instead of working for someone else and spending your life making someone else rich or worrying every week about getting laid off, invest in yourself and become an Eclipse Golf Consultant.
Sign up today, start earning tomorrow!
You can start making money right away when you sign up by following our correspondence training course. Within your first six months as a consultant you'll also attend a Trainer Certification Course to get additional training to take your business to another level. All training and ongoing support is included in your initial training, affiliation and licensing fee. Financing options are available. You can have a profitable business in your first year of operation! The fee includes your correspondence training and materials, in-person training and materials at a world-class resort, ongoing personal and professional-development coaching, ongoing administrative and marketing support, industry advocacy and more.
Start earning as soon as you join by doing the correspondence training. Your fee also includes in-person advanced training, which is available several times a year, and ongoing executive coaching from A.J. Ali, CEO and author of "The True Champion's 30-Day Challenge." The next advanced training sessions are:
MARCH 8-10 in Los Angeles
MARCH 24-26 in Florida.
Win in 2010. Become an Eclipse Golf Consultant! Earn money, golf for free, help local charities, get tax breaks for owning your own business, meet celebrities and much more.
If you're serious about making money through golf, give me a call at 443-463-5009 to discuss the opportunity further.
Each and every day, we are witnessing more and more jobs that are lost, more struggling businesses fighting hard to stay alive, and unfortunately too many folks giving the golf industry a hard time. I recognize that there are certainly products, companies and industries that are viewed as more of a "necessity" than golf. However, the golf industry provides many jobs and importantly helps many charities raise money for terrific causes.
We are proud to be a part of the golf industry, and we think that the golf industry must continue to innovate and to be more relevant to golfers, corporations, and the many people that support this great sport. As a company (www.egolfscore.com), we respect the tradition of the game, while promoting the use of technology to create more fun, excitement, and practical enhancements to corporate and charity golf outings, as well as individual rounds of golf. We continue to strive to build a platform that can help golf courses, event/tournament coordinators, and golfers add value to the overall golfing experience.
So, keep the faith and work together to strengthen a terrific sport that truly benefits many, many great people!
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He was SVP & Chief Marketing Officer of a major operating group of CIT, the largest publicly traded commercial finance company in the world. Joe had joined Newcourt Financial (which was acquired by CIT in November of 1999) as Vice President of Marketing in 1998. Prior to Newcourt Financial, Joe was founder and President of TSB Strategic Management Group. Joe has held a variety of marketing and finance positions during his professional career.
Joe's diverse background includes a Product Manager position with Western Union, a $400m financial services company. Joe's responsibilities included working closely with sales managers and field sales personnel to design national sales promotions and marketing partnerships. During this time, he created an innovative marketing and promotional program for one of the most successful documentaries ever, Hoop Dreams.
From 1988 to 1994, Joe worked at RJR Nabisco, Inc. where he was a Marketing Executive, involved with several major brands including Milk-Bone pet snacks and Grey Poupon mustard. His responsibilities included developing sales and promotional programs, as well as preparing extensive marketing plans involving all facets of consumer, advertising and trade promotions. Joe also worked in several financial and planning positions at Nabisco, including Financial Analyst and Corporate Business Planning Manager for the CEO.
Earlier in Joe’s career, he held the position of Assistant to the Chairman of an aggressive $100m financial services holding company. In this position he was responsible for analyzing all new business proposals for insurance, leasing and venture capital subsidiaries.
Joe earned his MBA in Finance from Rutgers University Graduate School of Management in 1989. He also earned a BA in Economics and English from Rutgers College in 1983. Joe enjoys spending time with his family. He and his wife Kathryn are involved with several sports teams with their three sons, Ben, Josh, and Jared.
