(Editor's Note: This article was written by Kate Preziosi '10)

Kellen Winslow Sr., former professional football player for the San Diego Chargers, spoke Wednesday night before a predominantly male audience in Love Auditorium about how sports taught him to deal with the challenges in life that he faced outside the stadium.

Winslow, who played in five Pro Bowl games during his distinguished career, explained that "through football I learned that I could go beyond what I thought was physically, mentally and spiritually impossible. Challenges will come to you in life, and you have to do what it takes to overcome."

When pigskin fans tune into Sunday Night Football this season, Colgate senior Ryan Meyers is in the center of the fast-paced, behind-the-scenes action of the NBC broadcast watched by millions.

Meyers recently landed a gig as an associate producer with NBC Sports. For the lifelong sports buff and former Raiders quarterback, it's a dream job.

Millions of NFL fans are again devoting a few hours each Sunday to watching their favorite teams, and one of the key players in those TV broadcasts is Drew Esocoff '79, who is in his fourth season as director of NBC's Sunday Night Football.

Esocoff started this NFL season without one of the icons of the broadcasting industry, John Madden, who Esocoff worked closely with on the NBC telecasts.

Ever wonder what it would be like to play alongside Terrell Owens, the big talent with the big mouth who is now playing pro football with the Buffalo Bills?

Well, Nick Hennessey '09, who is in training camp with the Bills after signing a free-agent contract, can tell you.

Sports Illustrated senior writer Austin Murphy '83 covered the National Football League for six years and is in his 15th year of covering college football.

In the most recent episode of Colgate Conversations, the podcast series highlighting members of the campus community, Murphy had this to say:

-- The NFL is run by pinched, unsmiling bureaucrats who have sucked the joy from the game and have built Plasticine stadiums that are merely life support systems for luxury boxes.

-- Division I college football is played in secular cathedrals steeped in quirky traditions that evoke unflagging passion from fans and create fun atmospheres that can't be beat.

The thrill is definitely not gone for Ken Schanzer.

As president of NBC Sports for nearly 10 years, he says he has "one of the greatest jobs on the planet."

As an alumnus from the Class of 1966, he says his love of Colgate -- a place of "magic and miracles" -- is as strong as ever.

During a recent visit to campus, Schanzer talked about his job and alma mater for the latest episode (mp3) of Colgate Conversations, the podcast series that highlights members of the campus community.

Alumnus Mark Murphy, the man who led the Colgate football team as captain and went on to lead the athletics department as director, has been named president of one of the most storied franchises in professional sports: the Green Bay Packers.

The team's board of directors on Monday unanimously approved the appointment of Murphy, 52, as the team's president and chief executive officer. He will replace longtime Packers leader Bob Harlan on Jan. 1.