Unplugged with Brandon Steiner

When Rick Van Warner found himself searching abandoned buildings and dangerous streets looking for his missing son, he had no idea that the synthetic, pill-form heroin that had snared his teen was already killing so many. In the years of pain and heartache that followed, as he tried to save his son from opioid addiction, Van Warner discovered what the American public is just now becoming aware of: Opioids prescribed for even minor pain relief are so addictive that even a few days of use can create dependency. On Pills and Needles is a memoir that also serves as a wake-up call and crash course in opioid addiction. Through his harrowing personal story, Van Warner exposes the common causes of opioid addiction, effective and ineffective ways it has been treated, and how families can walk alongside loved ones who are dealing with the daily realities of addiction.

An "oldie, but a goodie." My conversation with one of the greatest college basketball coaches of all-time, Jim Boeheim. -- About Jim Boeheim: Jim Boeheim is the current head coach of the men's basketball team at Syracuse University. Boeheim has guided the Orange to ten Big East regular season championships, five Big East Tournament championships, and 33 NCAA Tournament appearances, including five Final Four appearances and three appearances in the national title game. In those games, the Orange lost to Indiana in 1987 on a last-second jump shot by Keith Smart, and to Kentucky in 1996, before defeating Kansas in 2003 with All-American Carmelo Anthony. Boeheim served as an assistant coach for the United States men's national basketball team at the 1990 FIBA World Championship, the 2006 FIBA World Championship, the 2008 Summer Olympics, the 2010 FIBA World Championship, the 2012 Summer Olympics, and the 2016 Summer Olympics. In addition, Boeheim has served as the chairman of the USA Basketball 2009-12 Men's Junior National Committee, as well as the 2007-08 President of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), where he currently serves on the board of directors. Boeheim was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in September 2005. The Syracuse athletics scandal resulted in 101 of his wins being vacated by the NCAA in 2015.[13] Boeheim originally announced that he would retire in March 2018. However, following the departure of his long-time assistant coach and expected successor Mike Hopkins, Boeheim extended his contract with Syracuse beyond 2017 for an unknown period of year(s). After suffering from cancer in 2001, Boeheim and his wife founded the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation devoted to child welfare, cancer treatment, and prevention. -- Recorded March 3, 2013.

Former Skid Row drummer and founder of Soulsystem Orchestras joins Brandon Steiner to discuss his career. -- As the founder of SOULSYSTEM ORCHESTRAS Music & Production, and the leader of the band Soulsystem, I take great pride in providing world- class entertainment and production, drawing upon my many years performing for millions of people at sold-out stadiums, arenas and events around the world. You may know me best as the drummer from Skid Row, the immensely popular rock band during the 1980's and 90's. Skid Row delivered the first rock album in history to debut as the number one album in America, selling over 22 million albums worldwide. We also had four Billboard Top 100 songs including two in the top three on the charts and seven number one videos, including the longest running number one video of MTV's history at the time. Skid Row also was the recipient of the American Music Awards "Best New Artist" award. In addition to playing with a multiplatinum band, I have been featured in many drumming and musician magazines including Modern Drummer, Rhythm and Rolling Stone and toured the country giving instructional performance concerts on drumming. I am immensely honored to continue to receive numerous letters and emails from young drummers around the world asking for musical advice. I graduated from New York University in 1986 with a Bachelors' Degree in Marketing. This degree, with my music experience, provides me insight and skill in coordinating entertainment events that result in spectacular memories for our clients. I proudly hang my degree next to my platinum albums!

Megan Leavey is a US Marine corporal veteran who served as a Military Police K9 handler. She grew up in Valley Cottage, New York. Leavey enlisted in the Marines in 2003 and was stationed at Camp Pendleton, California, where she was paired with military working dog Rex (E168). The pair served two deployments in Iraq together. They were first deployed to Fallujah in 2005, and then to Ramadi in 2006, where they were both wounded by an improvised explosive device. Leavey was awarded the Purple Heart and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with a "V" device for heroism in combat. Leavey first sought to adopt Rex after the 2006 bomb blast. Later, when Rex developed facial palsy that ended his bomb-sniffing duties, Leavey petitioned the Marine Corps for his adoption. They were reunited in April 2012 through the intervention of Senator Chuck Schumer. Rex died on December 22, 2012. Leavey and Rex became the subject of the 2017 biographical film Megan Leavey. Leavey had a cameo appearance in the film as "Female Drill Instructor #3."

Rick Peterson, co-author of, Crunch Time: How to Be Your Best When It Matters Most is known throughout the business world and professional baseball as a leading practitioner for peak performance coaching. As a sought-after motivational and inspirational speaker, he speaks to organizations large and small and also coaches high performance individuals and teams. He frequently appears on national radio and television shows—ESPN, Bloomberg TV, MLB (Major League Baseball) Network, Fox Business, Wharton Moneyball on Sirius XM—to share his expertise. He has a cutting edge approach to coaching and maximizing performance. He achieves this by using methods to master the mental game, reframe pressure, and bridge the gap between potential and performance. Rick has adapted these proven strategies working with elite athletes to the business world, helping leaders reach their peak performance capacity. His track record on the field has been chronicled in Michael Lewis’ bestseller Moneyball and John Feinstein’s Living in the Black. During his 15 years as a Major League pitching coach with the Oakland A’s (during the Moneyball years), the New York Mets, and the Milwaukee Brewers, he has coached Hall of Famers, All Stars, and Cy Young Award Winners including Hall of Fame pitchers, Tommy Glavine, Pedro Martínez, Trevor Hoffman, as well as Barry Zito, Mark Mulder, Al Leiter, Tim Hudson, Jim Abbott, Billy Wagner, Johnny Franco, and many others. He has also worked with many other elite athletes like Roger Clemens and Michael Jordan. Rick is a well known pioneer in combining saber metrics, bio-mechanics, and predictive analysis to keep pitchers healthy and reduce injury. He was awarded the Dr. Andrews Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Sports Medicine Institute, the Cal Ripkin, Sr. Player Development Award from the Baltimore Orioles, and Charlie Lubin Coach of the Year Award with the Chicago White Sox.

Valentine is a Connecticut native, growing up in Stamford where he was the only three-time All-State football player in state history at Rippowam High School. One of the best athletes from Connecticut of the 20th century, as voted by Sports Illustrated, he planned on pursuing a college football career at USC, but was selected fifth in the first round of the 1968 amateur baseball draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Valentine made his MLB debut September 2, 1969, versus the New York Mets, a club he would go on to manage. All told, Valentine spent 10 seasons in the major leagues, playing for the Dodgers, San Diego Padres, California Angels, Mets and Seattle Mariners. He appeared in 639 games and hit .260 over the course of his career. Valentine played every position on the field, except pitcher, during his career, showing versatility that has served him well since his final appearance in the show on September 30, 1979. After his playing career, Valentine remained in baseball as a third-base coach for the Mets. He made his major league managerial debut in 1985 with the Texas Rangers, earning UPI American League Manager of the Year honors in 1986 and went onto become the winningest manager in Rangers history. Valentine took over the Mets in 1996 and led the squad to back-to-back postseasons, including a 2000 World Series appearance. Including a season at the helm of the Boston Red Sox in 2012, Valentine has 1,186 major league managerial victories under his belt. In 1994, Valentine became the first American to accept a management position in the Pacific League of Japan for the Chiba Lotte Marines. He returned to the states after a two-year stint, but went back to lead the Marines again from 2004-09, a tenure that included a 2005 Japan Series Championship. Valentine also has experience in the broadcast booth. He can be found on the sets of SNY, covering the New York Mets, and MLB Network, as an expert voice on the state of the game today. Valentine was part of the ESPN Sunday Night Baseball announcing team, with Orel Hershiser and Dan Shulman. He also serves as NBC’s senior baseball analyst. He has seen success in the business arena as well. Since 1980, he has owned and operated Bobby Valentine’s Sports Gallery Cafe, a sports bar that is located in his hometown of Stamford. In January 2014, he opened a franchise in Windsor Locks in partnership with Sportech Venues, Inc. There is also a franchise in Arlington, Tx. Valentine is married to Mary Branca, the daughter of former Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Ralph Branca, and they have a son, Bobby Jr.

In his early 20s, David Meltzer quickly rose to the top of his game in the business world, becoming a millionaire. David lectured around the globe and saw rapid success in every business project he touched. But something was missing, and in his 30s as a multimillionaire, he went on a rapid downward spiral that ended in bankruptcy. It was only then that David realized, in order to revive and thrive, he needed to codify what had made him successful in the first place. He has since emerged to realize even more rewarding heights of success in business and life. David Meltzer has created a platform that uses four overarching principles—gratitude, empathy, accountability, and effective communication—and these principles have allowed him to communicate and mentor everyone from college students to c-suite executives. These four principles in everyday practice allow David to live by his mission to “make a lot of money, help a lot of people, and have a lot of fun.”

Jon Taffer is a highly-reputed Entertainer, Entrepreneur, Consultant, and Thought Leader with more than 35 years of success in the entertainment, hospitality, and nightlife industries. Leveraging extensive global experience with powerhouse brands and award-winning ventures, Jon is a valuable asset for companies seeking guidance on transformation, training programs, and “reaction management strategy.” His broad areas of expertise include product and brand recognition, merchandising promotions, customer acquisition, product marketing, go-to-market strategy, television, and public speaking. Starring as the host and Executive Producer of Bar Rescue on Paramount Network, currently in its sixth season, Jon has led the show to account for nearly 30% of the networks total programming minutes, bringing in over $40M national advertising dollars in 2016 alone. Bar Rescue is a non-scripted reality show that spotlights Jon as he saves failing bars from looming closure, utilizing his four decades of unprecedented industry experience and trademarked Reaction Management strategy to consult on everything from menu design to cost management; the show is on track to exceed 170 episodes in 2018. Concurrently, Jon runs Taffer Virtual Teaching, his digital teaching platform, and Taffer Dynamics, his business consulting firm. Over the years, he has consulted for a range of well-known brands, including the NFL Network, Ritz-Carlton Hotels, Hyatt Hotels, Marriott Hotels, Holiday Inn Hotels, Sheraton Hotels, Intercontinental Hotels, Peninsula Hotels, TGI Fridays, Buffalo Wild Wings, Famous Dave’s Barbecue, Wolfgang Puck Express, Anheuser-Bush and the N9NE Steakhouse at Palms Casino Resort. Jon has been featured in numerous international publications such as Forbes Magazine, Entrepreneur, Rolling Stone, and The New York Times, among other prominent media outlets. He has appeared as a guest on shows ranging from Rachael Ray to Jimmy Kimmel Live to Good Morning America and continues regular appearances on Varney & Co. with Stuart Varney on the Fox Business News, and as a guest on many other major news networks. A coveted keynote speaker, Jon is one of only six inductees into the Nightclub Hall of Fame; was the only American to be named “Pub Master,” in the UK, and in 2017, he received the first-ever “Dom Perignon Award of Excellence” from the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Jon also received the TGI Fridays Propeller Award in 2014 for his contributions to the brand. Jon holds a position on the Board of Directors for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, the Kansas City Blues, and as a Strategic Advisor to the National Restaurant Association. In addition, Jon is the author of the best-selling book Raise the Bar: An Action-Based Method for Maximum Customer Reaction and his new book Don’t Bulls*t Yourself, a book that stomps on the excuses holding people back from their own success in life and business. Jon currently resides in Las Vegas with his wife Nicole, and his dogs Moxie and Winston.

Steve Nudelberg is a serial salesman & entrepreneur. As a product of his entrepreneurial spirit, he developed On the Ball - a company that focuses exclusively on sales & business development. Inspiration for the company name was derived from the feedback Steve received from business associates, claiming that he was always "on the ball." The core philosophy is rooted in that what we know and who we know can help your business grow. Starting out in the cellular phone industry in the 1980s provided the foundation for Steve's future entrepreneurial success. After building and leading a winning national sales team for ABC Cellular, Steve found himself at a crossroad. In between jobs, he started receiving requests for him to match companies and personalities to sponsorship opportunities, primarily in the sports arena. This gave birth to the idea of founding his own marketing company that offered arrangemanship, brand identity, sales training as well as other services. Today, the company’s exponential growth can be credited to an expertise in all things sales-related and a strategic commitment to being experts in business development, social selling, social sales training, and speaking engagements.

New York Times Bestselling author Joe Sweeney joined me to discuss his new book, "After Further Review." Joe Sweeney was used to going a mile a minute. A successful sports agent and entrepreneur, he believed that if he didn’t act fast, life would pass him by. It took slowing down to show Sweeney the truth. It didn’t matter how fast he was going or how successful he became. He needed to decide what he really wanted from life. Putting aside distractions and diversions, Sweeney committed himself to a more purposeful existence, and now, he wants to help you do the same. In this inspirational guide, Sweeney teaches you how to stop and reflect on your life, form a game plan for your future, see the big picture, find the wisdom in others, ask the right questions, discover the life you were meant to live, and realize that life has an expiration date. Fun features like “go to the tape” reflections questions, a downloadable reflection journal, and action prompts help you internalize his message and transform your life. -- Joe Sweeney is an experienced businessman and New York Times best-selling author of Networking Is a Contact Sport and the newly released, Moving the Needle. As a dynamic, down-to-earth, yet powerful professional, Joe’s keynote addresses focus on principles discussed in his books which can be applied to any company or organization. Joe’s books, keynote addresses, and Winning Game Plan training can help you grow personally and professionally through: - Networking - Expanding your influence - Finding balance - Developing your business - Making life richer and more meaningful - Connecting with friends, acquaintances, business colleagues and even strangers - Getting clear, getting free, getting going

I have spent 30 years building a unique business that supports connecting sports fans with the athletes they love. Many lessons have come my way and I decided to share some words of wisdom with my Facebook followers by hosting a live Q&A session about the tactics and strategies behind Sports Marketing success. To tune-in to a future session live, check out facebook.com/steiner for updates.

Aaron is General Partner at ACE Venture Capital, a VC firm dedicated to supporting and investing in entrepreneurs under the age of 30. Industry agnostic and anywhere in the world, we will fund passionate young entrepreneurs. Follow Aaron at twitter.com/aaroneasaw

I brought back my fitness guru, Dana Cavalea, former Strength & Conditioning Coach of the New York Yankees, to chat about pace and the importance of consistency in order to maintain peak physical and mental condition. We also talked about his new venture, Forever Fit (http://beforever-fit.com), a new service delivering exercise therapy to you in the comfort of your own home. -- About Dana Cavalea: Dana Cavalea spent 12 years with the New York Yankees Organization, many of those years as the Director of Strength and Conditioning & Performance Enhancement winning a World Series in 2009. In addition, he was the recipient of the 2009 MLB Nolan Ryan Award. This award is given to MLB's top Strength Coach as voted by his peers. During his career, Dana has had the opportunity to train greats such as Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, Justin Verlander, and more. "My objectives are to bring the same techniques, culture, attitude, service, first class training and development programs to Entrepreneurs, Executives, Companies, Students, and Pro Athletes.- Coach Dana Cavalea Currently he is a high performance speaker and consultant to Pro Athletes, Entrepreneurs, Business Executives, Workforces and Universities on lifestyle strategies to reduce stress, improve work/life balance, and most importantly improve daily performance/outcomes. All of this is known as Performance Enhancement. Dana has formulated plans and strategies to improve sleep, reduce pain, lower stress, improve body composition, speed-strength-power, as well as mindset training for maximal performance. He is here to help take you and your life PRO.

Juul Manders has an interesting story. This entrepreneur from Amsterdam is a co-founder of the largest Instagram sports influencer in the world, 433 and has set out a new venture that is talking popular culture by storm--luxury lifestyle brand BALR. About BALR.: BALR. is an international luxury lifestyle brand known for its high-end fashion, travel products and accessories for men and women. The Netherlands-based brand has created a complete range of high-quality items that inspire to live the life of a BALR. Founded in 2013 by Demy de Zeeuw, Juul Manders and Ralph de Geus, BALR. is the embodiment of a modern lifestyle brand. Aspirational, focused and in-sync with its young and ambitious audience, the company brings the luxurious lifestyle of extraordinary athletes within arm’s reach of everyone who works hard to live the dream. About 433: 433 is one of the largest social sports communities in the world. Bringing you the latest news fast. The funniest clips and the most remarkable background stories are also brought to you by 433. 433 is not your average sports news site. A high dose of humour and tongue-in-cheek style, that is 433. Stay up to date with the popular 433 app and join our communities on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

7'4" former NBA All-Star turned motivational speaker Mark Eaton joins Brandon Steiner to discuss his new book, The Four Commitments of a Winning Team. Pre-order: http://amzn.to/2EoCEhz -- About Mark Eaton: Mark Eaton is a 7′4″ NBA All-Star, motivational speaker, entrepreneur, and author. He is passionate about sharing his teamwork message and has spoken to many world-class organizations, including IBM, FedEx, Phillips 66, Caesars Entertainment, HEAD USA, Big O Tires, TD Ameritrade, Farmers Insurance, T-Mobile, Habitat for Humanity, and LG—as well as businesses, government agencies, and universities at every level. He has been featured as a team building expert in print and online publications such as Forbes.com, Sports Illustrated, and Entrepreneur.com. In addition to his work on team building, Eaton is managing partner in two award-winning restaurants in Salt Lake City, Tuscany and Franck’s, recently voted Best Restaurant in Utah. He is also founder and former chairman of the Mark Eaton Standing Tall for Youth Foundation, which provided sports and outdoor opportunities for more than 3,000 at-risk children. He is a former president and board member of the Legends of Basketball, which supports the needs of retired NBA players. He attended Cypress College and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Eaton’s radio and television experience includes eight years hosting Jazz Tonight on KJZZ-TV, host of Mark Eaton Outdoors on The Outdoor Channel, and three years as host of Sports Health Today, an internationally syndicated radio show. When Mark is not speaking, writing, or working he enjoys traveling with his wife Teri, horseback riding, mountain biking, skiing, and the outdoors. He lives in Park City, Utah with his wife, children, horses, dogs, and barn cats.