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People and Pop Culture

How I’m spending my summer

Executives in sports business give us a look into the places they’ve been, the personal projects they’re working on, and the books and TV shows that have captured their attention during the summer months.

Paul Liberman

Paul Liberman

Chief operating officer, DraftKings

Must vacation: Summer is very intense for us at DraftKings because we are all gearing up for NFL season, so we will do some “stay-cations” in the backyard — my kids are still young so they love it!

Must reads: I have twin boys, so whenever I am not working, my focus is on them. I would say I have read quite a bit of “Curious George” lately — which interestingly enough has some great life lessons.

Must do: To spend as much time as possible with my wife and kids, and I am taking piano lessons as a personal goal.

Binge watching: “Chernobyl.” It was very personal to me, as I was born about two hours away and lived there through it.

 

Keith Glass

NBA agent and author

Must vacation: Another trip to Italy and it’s a must, because my wife is telling me so.

Must reads: “Big Game, Small World” by Alexander Wolff (of course second to my new book, “7 Foot Man-Eating Chicken”).

Must do: Getting to Cooperstown, N.Y., to watch my 12-year-old grandson play in a baseball tournament. 

Binge watching: “Schitt’s Creek” (stay with it … it’s hysterical).

 

Brian Graybill

Brian Graybill

President, Intersport

Must vacation: We recently completed a vacation with extended family in Virginia. Eryn and I had our four boys, plus my parents, so it was a bit chaotic but memory-building. … Later this summer, my wife and I are headed to Italy for a week. Of all my trips to Europe, I have somehow managed to miss Italy, so we are very much looking forward to experiencing its history and its beauty.

Must reads: How about some re-reads — “Good to Great” is next up in the rotation, followed by “Shoe Dog.” I also just read an insightful book authored by a good friend of mine, Dan Doster. It is called “Relationships Matter” and it is a nice two-session read with tons of practical insight.

Must do: I love outdoor cycling, so my goal is to max out the summer weather in Chicago and to grind as many miles as possible on the Lake Shore Trail. It’s important to take advantage of the short Chicago summer before the words of Ned Stark begin to ring true: Winter is coming.

Binge watching: Just binge-watched “Game of Thrones.” I found it to be incredibly compelling. Currently, I’m debating whether or not to make a commitment to “Boardwalk Empire.”


Bryant McBride

Chief executive officer, Burst

Must vacation: Cranberry Island in Maine. Magical spot with special significance for my family.

Must reads: “Just Mercy” by Bryan Stevenson and “The Color of Law” by Richard Rothstein — should be required reading for every American.

Must do: Laugh with my kids as often as possible.

Binge watching: “Willie,” our just completed documentary in screenings across Canada and soon across the U.S. I have watched it so many times that I have lost count, but I still get emotional every time.

 
Sam Coghill

Sam Coghill

Vice president of human resources and performance management, Miami Dolphins

Must vacation: Every summer we take a trip to visit family in Chicago and then head up to Michigan for a weekend with several other families. It’s the perfect amount of summer chaos.

Must reads: I am re-reading “I Heard You Paint Houses” by Charles Brandt. It’s the basis for a Martin Scorsese movie coming out this fall (“The Irishman”). 

Must do: We bought a house that had a seriously overgrown yard. We called it Jumanji because you don’t know what was hiding back there — so far the highlights have been 5-foot iguanas, a flock of wild parrots and what sounded like a thousand frogs. We’ve spent a lot of time this summer working to clean it up a bit and making it a great space for our kids to run around. 

Binge watching: We just finished “Stranger Things.” I love the ‘80s and grew up in the Midwest and it reminds me of my childhood … without the government conspiracies and monsters!

 

Rodd Granger

Rodd Granger

Chief operating officer, Professional Bull Riders

Must vacation: I just finished an eight-day circle tour of Lake Superior on my KTM 1290 SAR motorcycle. It was a 4,000-plus mile journey that took me through seven states and one province. I began solo in Colorado and took three days to get to Marquette, Mich., where I met my friend Scott Robins, an AVP at USI Insurance Services in New Jersey. After connecting in Marquette, we took a clockwise lap around Lake Superior, staying as close to the shoreline and as far away from interstate highways as possible. I try and take a similar trip once a year on one of my bikes, as they are never short on adventure and interesting people you meet along the way.

Must reads: I’m currently reading “1776” by David McCullough as well as “Dare to Lead” by Brené Brown.

Must do: I’ve been attempting to learn to play the guitar off and on. Recently my 11-year-old daughter, who plays piano, reminded me that it is like everything in life: You need to put in the time!

Binge watching: I just finished “Vikings” on History Channel. Next up is “Yellowstone” on Paramount Network. I keep hearing it’s fantastic, and PBR has been a promotional partner.


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