Our List of Esteemed
Guest Speakers
Throughout the Year
Celebrating Sports Fellowship, 
Spirit, and Community Pride
Les Snead
January 21st, 2013 Meeting
2012 GCAC Guest Speakers
Thank You!  
To all our great speakers for the 2011 season!


Aug  29--Coach Joey Jones, University of South Alabama Head FB Coach

Sep  12--Max Howell-Radio sports talk show legend and former football coach.

Sep  26--Coach Doug Barfield-Former Head Football Coach-Auburn University

Oct   10--Roger Shultz--former Univ of Alabama player and coach.

Oct   24--Jackie Sherrill--Former Alabama player & Head Football Coach at Miss. State

Nov   7-- Inky Johnson-former UT football player "An Amazing Story of Faith and Perseverance." 

Nov 21-- Dr Gaylon McCollough:      Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant: 
                                                        Grandmaster of Mind Over Matter

Jan 23, 2012-- Coach Larry Blakeney--Head Football Coach-Troy University.

From Our
November 19th, 2012 Meeting
Guest Speaker
Mal Moore
Athletic Director
The University of
Alabama
Mal Moore
Mal Moore, The University of Alabama's Director of Athletics since 1999, has made an indelible mark on one of the nation's most storied athletic programs, leading a department that has enjoyed tremendous success athletically and academically and has undergone an unprecedented period of growth during his tenure.

As Director of Athletics, Moore has overseen more than $200 million of capital improvements to University of Alabama athletic facilities. Those projects have encompassed the entire scope of all Crimson Tide athletic programs and have benefitted every Alabama student-athlete, coach, and administrator.  He currently manages a varsity sport program that consists of 21 men's and women's varsity teams. He envisioned and oversaw the expansion of Bryant-Denny Stadium in 2006 and 2009, pushing the venue's capacity to 101,821, which ranks fifth nationally.

Under Moore's direction, Alabama's athletic teams have produced national championship teams in football, gymnastics, women’s golf and softball and Southeastern Conference championships in football, basketball, baseball, gymnastics, golf, cross country and softball.

Moore's distinguished record of service to UA began more than 50 years ago when he joined the Crimson Tide football squad as a scholarship player for Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant from 1958-62. Moore has the distinction of being a part of nine national championship teams as a player, coach and athletic  director (1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009, and 2011), 15 SEC championships, and 38 bowl trips. He is the only individual connected with the Tide program to be a part of nine national football championships.

Moore's dedication to and love of the University of Alabama was recognized   on March 28, 2007, when, as a permanent tribute to his life-long contribution   to The University of Alabama, the Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama officially dedicated the facility formerly known as The Football Building as the "Mal M. Moore Athletic Facility."

In 2011, he was elected to the State of Alabama Sports Hall of Fame for his accomplishments as a coach and an administrator.

Just recently, The National Football Foundation  named Mal as winner of the 2012 John L Toner Award presented annually to an athletic director whohas demonstrated superior administrative abilities and shown outstanding  dedication to college athletics and particularly college football.

Mal’s leadership of Alabama football has been impeccable,” said NFF  President and CEO Steve Hatchell. “The Crimson Tide’s success on the  gridiron is undeniable, but his leadership can be felt throughout the University of Alabama and the NCAA as a whole. I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this award.”



Sept. 10:  Randy Patrick, Sports Director-WKRG 

Sept. 24:  Coach Phillip Lolley-Auburn University

Oct.  08:  Phil Savage--Exec, Director-Senior Bowl

Oct.  22:  Mickey Andrews--Florida State (retired)

Nov.  05:  Steve Savarese-Director- Alabama High School Athletic Association

Nov.  19:  Mal Moore, Alabama Athletic Director

Jan.  21:  Les Snead--General Mgr. St. Louis Rams

Golf Tournament:  Friday, March 15th, 2013
Monday, September 10th, 2012 Meeting
Guest Speaker
Randy Patrick
Sports Director
WKRG-Channel 5
Mobile
Randy Patrick is Sports Director and prime time anchor at WKRG News 5 in Mobile. He has the most experience and audience familiarity of any sportscaster in the market. 

He started his broadcasting career in radio at WABF in Fairhope, Alabama in 1979 and moved across the bay and started his WKRG career in 1980 at the age of 19. Over the last 28 years Mr. Patrick has been recognized an unprecedented five years in a row as the best sportscaster by both the major daily  and  weekly news publications  and the only monthly news magazine. His local market dominance has also been recognized by the Mobile Press Club for multiple years including Best Sportscaster for 2006 and was recently awarded the prestigious Mobile Press Club's highest honor as the John Harris Annual Award recipient. Further recognition includes the Associated Press Award for Best Sports Program and Southern League TV Broadcaster of the Year.  

He was the Senior Bowl play-by-play announcer for six years and won the UPI's Best Play-By-Play. Randy was commentator for the University of South Alabama basketball and baseball broadcasts, state championship broadcasts for football and basketball, and broadcast coverage of University of Alabama football, Alabama basketball and Mobile Bay Bear baseball. He hosted the historic opening game telecast at Hank Aaron Stadium with Henry Aaron throwing out the first pitch.   

Randy anchors WKRG News 5 Sports every weekday at 6 and 10 p.m., and handles news anchor duties for vacationing legendary WKRG TV newsman Mel Showers. 

Mr. Patrick is active in local charity and community organizations and is an active member of St.Pius X Church.
From Our
Monday, September 24th, 2012 Meeting
Guest Speaker
Phillip Lolley
Director Football External Relations
for the
Auburn Tigers
Coach Phillip Lolley 

Coach Lolley is currently Director, Football External Relations, where he has liaison responsibility to numerous external groups connected with the Auburn football program and often stands in for Coach Chizik at various functions. Coach Lolley joined the Auburn Tigers in 1999 as strength and conditioning coach.  He became the secondary coach from 2000-03, and coached Thorpe Award winners Carlos Rogers and Junior Rosegreen, both All-Americans in 2004.  

He was Auburn's Director of NFL Relations from 2004-08, and  spent three seasons as cornerbacks coach under head coach Gene Chizik including the 2011 National Championship team. A 22-year high school coach in the state of Alabama, Coach Lolley was head coach at four schools:  South Choctaw Academy in 1977; Warrior Academy in Eutaw, from 1978-82; Stevenson High School from 1984-87; and North Jackson from 1988-98 (winning the 1993 4A state championship).   He also served as defensive coordinator at Demopolis High School from 1982-84.  

Coach Lolley received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Livingston University.  His hometown is Butler, AL.  He has a son, Brad, and daughter, Brittany.
From Our
October 8th, 2012 Meeting 
Guest Speaker
Phil Savage
Executive Director
The Senior Bowl

Phil Savage
Phil Savage has  come home. The Mobile native and former general manager of the Cleveland Browns returns to the Port City to serve as the executive director of the Senior Bowl becoming the game’s fifth executive director in its 62-year history 

Savage brings more than 25 years of experience to the Senior Bowl having most recently served as a player personnel executive with the Philadelphia Eagles. He is also currently the color analyst for the University of Alabama football broadcasts on the Crimson Tide Sports Network, a role that he will continue to hold. 

In four seasons as the Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Cleveland Browns (2005-2008), the Murphy High School graduate was responsible for acquiring five Pro Bowlers either through the draft or free agency. The Browns also won a franchise-best 10 games in 2007 under Savage’s watch. 

Prior to his stop in Cleveland, Savage spent time in the Baltimore Ravens’ front office—first as the Director of College Scouting (1996-2002) and later as the Director of Player Personnel (2003-2004). During his nine seasons in Baltimore, Savage helped the Ravens assemble a roster that claimed the Super Bowl XXXV title and included 12 Pro Bowl selections. 

Savage attended the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee where he starred in both football and baseball. While obtaining his Master’s degree in physical education from the University of Alabama, Savage served as a graduate assistant under head coach Bill Curry during the 1987-1989 seasons. During his time in Tuscaloosa, the Crimson Tide claimed the 1989 SEC Championship and also made trips to the Hall of Fame, Sun and Sugar Bowls.

Savage is a member of the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame (Class of 2010) and a regular guest on several local, regional and national radio programs. For 18 years (1990-2008) he conducted a free high school football camp for Mobile and Baldwin County students. More than 2,000 athletes participated in the camp over the years, including future NFL quarterbacks JaMarcus Russell, Tee Martin and Pat White. Several other campers went on to play college football at more than 30 schools across the  nation.

Phil and his wife Dorothy reside in Fairhope, Ala. The couple has a daughter, Honor Blue. The Savages support numerous charities including Big Oak Ranch, L’Arche, Boys and Girls Clubs, and Joe Savage Ministries, to name a few.
From Our
November 5th, 2012 Meeting 
Guest Speaker
Steve Savarese
Executive Director
Alabama High School Athletic Association
Steve Savarese
Steve Savarese became the fourth full time Executive Director of The Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) when he joined the organization in 2007.  Steve and his staff are responsible for the operation of the AHSAA and help promote the state high school athletics, including providing a championship program for each of its sports.
The Alabama High School Athletic Association, founded in 1921, is a private agency organized by its member schools to control and promote their athletic programs.
The purpose of the AHSAA is to regulate, coordinate and promote the interscholastic athletic programs among its member schools, which include public, private and parochial institutions. Currently, there are 401 senior high members and 287 junior high and middle school members with more than 75,000 students participating in the program.
Major aims of the AHSSA are to serve the needs of its member schools in conducting their interscholastic athletic programs and to assist member schools in reaching the educational objectives as established by their school systems.
The AHSSA determines that schools are abiding by standards in such areas as student eligibility, contests and championship programs. 
Another basic function of the AHSAA is the registration, training and regulation of officials. Only officials registered with the Association are used for contests involving member schools.
The AHSAA sponsors state championships programs in 11 boys and 11 girls sports.
Prior to joining AHSAA, Steve was a very successful high school football coach.  He has won state championships in both Kansas and Alabama.  Most recently, Steve was Head Football Coach at Daphne where he won a Class 6A state championship in 2001.  However, those titles aren’t the thing he’s most proud of as a former coach.
He cherishes the relationships he’s developed with athletes, coaches and parents through his career more than those accolades.
“I still keep in contact with many of my former players, former assistant coaches, teachers at schools I’ve worked at and parents of former students,”Savarese said. “That’s been one of the most rewarding things of coaching football.”

Although it is important to win, Savarese said there’s much more to being a coach than winning.  “It’s about teaching lifelong lessons to athletes,” Savarese said. “Athletics teaches you about commitment, showing up on time, keeping your work area clean, having a good work ethic – many of the simple things that make you successful in your career and your life.”

As a head coach, he compiled a 281-98 record as a head football coach and is a member of the AHSAA Hall of Fame.

Savarese said the future of high school sports is bright. 

From Our
October 22nd, 2012 Meeting 
Guest Speaker
Mickey Andrews
Former Defensive Coordinator
Florida State Seminoles

Mickey Andrews
Mickey Andrews—GCAC Meeting Report---October 22, 2012

Mickey Andrews spoke at the October 22, 2012 meeting of the Gulf Coast Athletic Club.  He was the associate head coach and defensive coordinator at Florida State University beginning his career in 1984. Andrews retired, along with Bobby Bowden, at the end of the 2009 season and coached his final game in Florida State's victory over West Virginia on January 1, 2010, in the Gator Bowl. 

Mickey’s remarks focused on the life lessons that are learned by participating in sports activities.  Of course, most of his comments related to competing in college football.  He inspired both the members and scholar athletes present at the meeting.  
Mickey started his coaching career at the high school level but quickly moved up to college level including time at E. Kentucky, Livingston, N. Alabama, Clemson, and Florida. He was defensive coordinator for the Arizona Wranglers (USFL) before settling in at Florida State.

Coach Andrews played college football at Alabama for Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant where he earned second team All-America honors as a wide receiver and defensive back and was also on two Alabama national championship teams (1961 and 1964) and played in three New Year's Day bowl games.

As the defensive coordinator for Florida State's 1993 and 1999 National Championship teams and he was named the nation's top assistant coach in 2000 by the All-American Football Foundation, the national defensive coordinator of the year in 1998 by the American Football Coach's Magazine, and the national assistant coach of the year by Athlon's Magazine in 1991.

As the first ever winner of the Frank Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant coach in 1996, he was the architect of the nation's top ranked defense and directed the nation's top ranked passing defense in 1998 and the nation's best rushing defenses in both 1996 and 1997.

He has coached nearly 80 players who have gone on to play in the NFL, including 18 first round NFL Draft picks in his first 25 years at Florida State, two Jim Thorpe Award winners (Deion Sanders in 1988 and Terrell Buckley in 1991), two Butkus Award winners (Paul McGowen in 1987 and Marvin Jones in 1992), and two Lombardi Award winners (Marvin Jones in 1992 and Jamal Reynolds in 2000).
A winner of five National Championships as a player and coach, he was inducted into the State of Alabama Hall of Fame in 2006.

Mickey currently lives in Tallahassee where he enjoys spending time with his family.

Reported By: John McCormick
From Our
January 21, 2013, Meeting

Guest Speaker

Les Snead
General Manager
The St. Louis Rams
Les Snead spoke at the January 21, 2013 meeting of the Gulf Coast Athletic Club. In his remarks, Mr. Snead described some of the planning entailed in finding and selecting the draft choices which best fulfill the needs of the St. Louis Rams. This also includes the strategy development for making trades of players and future draft choices.

Les Snead was named General Manager of the St. Louis Rams on Feb. 14, 2012 after spending nearly two decades playing a key role in helping two different franchises become perennial playoff contenders.

In his role as General Manager, Snead oversees the Club’s personnel department and scouting efforts while partnering with Head Coach Jeff Fisher to direct all personnel decisions for the club. In addition, Snead coordinates all aspects of the club’s football operations with the head coach.

Prior to joining the Rams, Snead spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars and the last 13 seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. He served as the Falcons’ director of player personnel from 2009-2011 and also held posts as pro scout and as the Falcons’ director of pro player personnel. During his time in Atlanta, Snead was part of a personnel staff that signed, traded for or drafted 16 players that went on to earn Pro Bowl honors and helped construct a rooster that has been one of the NFL’s best over the last few years. From 2008-2011, the Falcons’ had four consecutive winning seasons, earned playoff berths in the last two seasons and three out of the last four seasons, including a 2010 NFC South Championship. The Falcons participated in one Super Bowl and two NFC Championship games during Snead’s tenure with the club.

Snead brings his draft and trade expertise and knowledge of player personnel to the Rams. Just three weeks after taking his new job, he executed a trade that helped jumpstart the Rams’ rebuilding effort. After wheeling and dealing in the 2012 draft, the Rams made four of the first fifty selections and Snead and the Rams selected ten players who they believe will help the team return to the top of the NFC West. His efforts continued into free agency where his first free agency class included ten veterans whom the Rams will count on heavily.

Originally from Eufaula, Alabama, Les played tight end for Auburn from 1992-1993 and was part of the Tigers’ perfect 11-0 team in 1993. He also earned Southeast Region Academic All-American honors during his college career.

The Gulf Coast Athletic Club also honored Gulf Shores High School senior Scholar Athletes Nicole Wallace and Richard Guyer at the Club’s Jan. 21, 2013, meeting. With this recognition, both Nicole and Richard now qualify for the scholarships presented by GCAC to deserving Gulf Shores High School Scholar Athletes at the end of the school year.