Prolebrity: Beyond the Game

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Around The Bend

Hi everyone, I’m Derrick Mayes and this is my 1st official Prolebrity.com blog entry. As any retired football player will tell you, this time of year the winning instincts begin to sense another football season blossoming through the dog days of, you guessed it — training camp!

Although, I don’t miss the heated summers in Green Bay or Seattle, I do miss the anticipation and preparation for training camp to end.

It just so happens that this time of year is also charity/celebrity golf circuit season. I have a couple favorites but the golf tournament that’s  most near and dear to me is the College Football Hall of Fame Golf Tournament. It kicks off the annual enshrinement ceremony, which happens to take place in downtown South Bend — minutes away from the University of Notre Dame, my beloved alma mater.

My current occupation (and the lack of muni courses in the heart of LA) doesn’t allow me the time to play golf as much as I used to.  I’ve recently been appointed Director & CEO of ExecutiveAction Sports & Entertainment, the premiere solutions firm in the world.  My schedule went from laid back, to hectic and eclectic.

So, the last thing that crosses my mind during these golf events is WINNING. Seriously, you never plan on winning.  At these events, there’s always a couple of foursomes who stockpile their team with scratch golfers, or shell out loads of dough for mulligans.  Very strange mindset, come to think of  it.

You can imagine the wide range of celebrity and corporate bigwigs who attend these golf events.  I was teamed up with an awesome group of guys including the director of a turf company, the head groundskeeper for an NFL team and a sales & marketing rep for a major sports apparel & shoe company.

Well, of all things guess what: WE WON! I must admit, I never win at these things. My standing scramble golf record is roughly 318-1, with about two Top 10 finishes.  It was a true team effort where each of us used at least three of our drives.  We were having such a good time (& beer :)) that we didn’t realize until the 15th hole that we were in contention.  But we stayed focused on having fun & ignored the competitive urge.

My victory trip back to Los Angeles was a sweet one.   I was decked from head to toe in pro shop gear (the winning prize was a gift certificate at the pro shop), and got upgraded on my flight. But before I left town, I told Coach Weis (who also participated) that I’d stop by campus, light a candle at the Grotto, and hopefully, spread some of my new found luck for a successful season.

What’s the fundamental lesson to be learned here? I have no idea, but did I mention WE WON?!