Sports Taken Seriously

Where we draw that line in sports, and in the general culture, shapes the games we play and the society in which we live. Our panel explores the murky ethical terrain of extreme competition as reflected in sports. Speakers: Craig Robinson, Jeremy Schapp, William E. Mayer, Jim Brown

In this discussion, a panel will explore the impact and legacy through the lens of three individuals who achieved initial success through athletics, sports, or physical achievement. Did their achievement come with a sense of responsibility as role models, wealthy individuals, and influencers? How does their “inherited legacy” impact their performance, drive, and attitudes toward their own accomplishments? What impact are they leaving now, and how is it similar or different to what gave them their notoriety? What is their legacy worth? Speakers: David Breashears, Michelle Kwan, Jim Brown, Chris Heilmann

Football is America’s most popular game, underwritten by communities and schools everywhere. But even NFL veterans are now starting to steer their children into alternate sports to save them from lasting injuries. Our panel considers the latest research on concussions, and cutting-edge ideas designed to manage the violence. The documentary American Man by Jon Frankel, featuring former NFL player Kevin Turner, will be screened before the discussion.

he NCAA is beset with scandals, anti-trust lawsuits, calls for reform, and manic conference hopping—all signs that college sports has an identity crisis that begs to be resolved. Our panel considers the future of a beloved, embattled American institution. Speakers: Joe Nocera, Taylor Branch, Craig Robinson, Wallace Renfro, and Tom Farrey.

Organized sports were introduced to American life more than a century ago as not just a venue for entertainment but a tool of nation building. Now that we’re a nation of sports fans—where even President Obama’s March Madness picks are televised on ESPN—what does social leadership through sports look like? Speakers: Robert Lipsyte, John Walsh, Christine Brennan, and Beth A. Brooke

As a prelude to the upcoming Olympic Games, our panel considers what we want the Olympic movement to represent and achieve in the US, as well as the ins and outs of Congress tasking the US Olympic Committee with coordinating amateur athletic activity. Speakers: Michelle Kwan, Charles Thomas "Tom" McMillen,Christine Brennann

What does it mean to perform at the top of your game physically and mentally? A top fitness expert, Paralympic athlete, and research scientist discuss. Speakers: Bob Harper, Jon Frankel, Bonnie St. John, and Gregory Yep.

At $147 billion per year, the medical costs of obesity are staggering. Introducing more children to active, healthy lifestyles is critical to debt reduction, economic growth, and even national security. So why are we pushing so many children to the sidelines today?