Bill Campbell was a legendary business coach who mentored larger-than-life business leaders such as Steve Jobs, Larry Page, and many others. I agree with his biographers calling him a trillion-dollar coach. If that’s true, we need to call Joe Ehrmann and Biff Poggi trillion-dollar coaches too. Jeffrey Marx in his impactful and transforming book, Season of Life, reveals how these two coaches have made a difference in the lives of young football players, which applies to all areas of life.
This episode is dedicated to the late Ryan Smith, his family members, and the friends who loved him dearly.
Who Is Jeffrey Marx?
Unlike most boys his age who earned money mowing yards, delivering newspapers, or doing odd jobs for neighbors, Jeffrey Marx was a ball boy for NFL’s Baltimore Colts before they moved to Indianapolis.
Those days are special to Jeffrey because the players played catch with him and treated him like a little brother. One of his favorite players was Joe Ehrmann who even had a nickname for this special ball boy–Brillo for his curly hair.
A Hollywood film writer could not have written a better script for the ball boy who grew up to become a Pulitzer-winning journalist who would eventually write a story about the demolition of Memorial Stadium, home of the Colts. In preparing for the piece, Jeffrey started reaching out to former players that he remembered during his childhood ball boy days.
Little did Jeffrey know that his reconnection to Joe Ehrmann would lead to a book entitled Season of Life. The book includes themes such as false masculinity, revolving integrity, and the key to healthy relationships.
Jeffrey is a keynote speaker and the author of five other books. Other writing awards include the National Headliner and the Green Eyeshade. According to his bio page, his first magazine project landed his work on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
Interview Highlights
- On winning the Pulitzer at the age of 23
- Revisiting the book’s backstory dating back to 2001
- The book was only supposed to be a newspaper article
- The eleven-year-old who was more than a ball boy
- The book is not just for guys
- The substance of Joe Ehrmann and Biff Poggi
- The origin of the word ‘coach’
- The oldest definition of the word ‘success’
- Mike Dowling’s definition of a huddle
- What is false masculinity?
- What is revolving integrity?
- A son’s embrace of a father and his response
What Is Our Job?
“What is our job as coaches? Joe Ehrmann asked.
“To love us,” the boys yelled back in unison.
What is your job?” Joe shot back.
To love each other,” the boys responded back.
I expect greatness out of you,” Biff once told the boys. “And the way we measure greatness is the impact you make on other people’s lives.”
Biff Poggi – Season of Life by Jeffrey Marx
Favorite Books
I ask every guest about their favorite books. While Jeffrey reads a lot of non-fiction, his two favorite books are fiction:
Definitions of Coach and Success
During the conversation with Jeffrey, I wanted him to talk about the meaning behind the word ‘coach’ and the first definition of success found in an 1806 Webster’s Dictionary. If you want to hear more, check out this keynote address by Jeffrey.
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