AMERICAN CENTURY CELEBRITY GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

July 15, 2004

Mark Cuban

Mark Killen

Jon Miller

MODERATOR: Mark Killen, Mark Cuban, Jon Miller, we'd like to have Jon start off with background on the Fallen Patriot Fund and NBC Sports.

JON MILLER: Thank you guys for coming out. Sorry we are a little late getting started.

NBC is happy to be the conduit between American Century and the Fallen Patriot Fund. The tournament has been around for 15 years, and we've been very proud of the fact that we've raised close to $2 million, but the majority of it has come in the past three or four years, starting with the Firefighter Fund that we did for 9/11 victims. And then we hooked up with American Century Mark for the Fallen Patriot Fund last year. I think went to $650,000 last year. This year, a million dollar hole in one on the 17th hole, any player who gets a hole in one will get $500,000 with the other $500,000 going to the Fallen Patriot Fund.

We've got a great partnership with American Century led by Bill Lyons and Mark Killen and Brian Jeter, who have been obviously great partners but very supportive of the charitable endeavors of the event as they will get into.

MARK KILLEN: Well, we are thrilled to be the title sponsor of this event. It's a terrific event and we are equally thrilled to be able to contribute to the Fallen Patriot Fund. Two years ago, when Mark started this up, we had the opportunity to help facilitate the fund raising we were really thrilled to do that. As an example, we've announced that we are going to start the contribution this year with a $50,000 contribution to the Fallen Patriot Fund.

MARK CUBAN: Appreciate that, thank you. I like that.

MARK KILLEN: There are a number of ways that funds are raised for this particular cause. The players who want to maintain amateur status donate their winnings to the fund. There are other players out there that are not amateurs, they are pros who in the past have donated some of their winnings to the fund. We are doing silent auctions, live auctions, both last night and Friday night again and that ought to really generate a lot of money for the funds.

In addition I think there's an autograph signing at the Horizon that will generate some money for the fund. So we've encouraged all the celebrities and their guests to contribute to do what they feel is right and we hope to raise $750,000 this year for the Fallen Patriot Fund.

MARK CUBAN: First, let me say, thank you, Mark, again for your increased generosity, and thank you to the American Century Fund and Brian Jeter, and thank you to Jon Miller and NBC.

It's a foundation and a fund that you hope you never have to start, but reality is reality, and we feel blessed to have the partners that we do in NBC and American Century.

To be able to combine fun for a good cause and be able to have all of these celebrities come out and go out of their way to contribute really means a lot to me, to the fund and I think to people across the country.

I can talk a lot about what the fund means and what it represents but I think probably the best way to do it is to ask Staff Sergeant Mark Graunke, Junior to come up and say a few words. Mark embodies the best of who we all are and what a hero truly represents, so if you will please join me in welcoming Mark, I'll let him say a few words.

SERGEANT GRAUNKE: Thanks for the introduction there, Mark.

I came out here as a representative of those who have benefitted from the Fallen Patriot Fund. There are so many of us out there, and so many more to come. I'm just really excited to come out here, to share my story and have the possibility of helping raise additional funds for other families such as mine.

MARK CUBAN: Let me just add for those of you who are going to be at event tonight, we'll be auctioning off all kind of fun stuff as Mark alluded to. We've got the four jerseys that Michael Jordan has worn from the Bulls to the Birmingham Barons Friday night. Got my days confused.

We'll be offering off more suites at the Mavericks' games, and we're going to have some surprise things I'm sure we're going to throw there, as well. We're going to make it interesting, exciting, and it's going to be great entertainment so hopefully everybody will be out there.

Q. Mark, I have a question for you. You've got you did very well raising money last year, at this point, are you able to honor 100% of the applications that come in or have any applications come in to receive a grant, the Fallen Patriot Fund?

MARK CUBAN: No. People that are eligible and we've approved, not a single person has been turned down.

Q. About how many people has the Fallen Patriot Fund served at this point in time?

MARK CUBAN: We've awarded and presented to 35 families to this point. We have two more that we're about to make, and then we really don't have a backlog of applications, but part of the process is getting everything approved by the different areas, different service areas. So we have to make sure we stay within their guidelines and go through all of their approval processes.

So we've got some more in the hopper that are coming as well. Unfortunately the applications keep oncoming in.

Q. How much money has been raised so far or entering this tournament?

MARK CUBAN: We've paid out $700,000. I don't know the exact amount of money we've raised, but we've paid out $700,000. And I've made the commitment that all administrative costs but I'm not going to let somebody go without helping them in some way, shape or form. All of the money that is raised certainly helps and lets us do things faster and more efficiently but it's my commitment in matching all of the funding that comes through to make sure we take care of everybody.

Q. So 350,000 has been raised and you've matched that?

MARK CUBAN: No, 700,000 has been given to families. We've given 35 of 700,000 I honestly don't know the exact amount that's been raised but I think in total it's over $1 million at this point.

Q. Could you tell us how the relationship developed?

MARK CUBAN: With Mark Graunke? I'll let Mark

Q. How did you develop the relationship with Mark Cuban?

SERGEANT GRAUNKE: After I moved back to Texas from the hospital, my mom found an article in the local newspaper about the Fallen Patriot Fund and a recipient. She went on line to FallenPatriotFund.Org and investigated it. Ended up submitting by mail an application and all of the proper paperwork, and about four months later, I was awarded a grant from the Mark Cuban Foundation, and I got the chance to meet Mark Cuban and just kind of went from there.

Q. Mark, will you ever grow comfortable with your role as a spokesperson? You're getting pretty good.

MARK CUBAN: That's what I told him.

SERGEANT GRAUNKE: As long as my role helps other people who are in my situation, I'm as comfortable as I need to be.

Q. You mentioned last night that you were with, I forget the name of the group you were involved with, what was the name or the title that you had?

SERGEANT GRAUNKE: I'm an EODT, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician. Basically the military's version of a police bomb squad.

Q. So what happened to you?

SERGEANT GRAUNKE: On July 2 last year, I was working in the fields of Kahrbalah (ph) I was picking up bomblets, something that we had fired at them during the war that didn't explode when, the last one I picked up blew up in my left hand, which is now my left hook, and have been recovering ever since.

Q. Are you concerned that the pool of applicants is going to grow beyond how much money you can raise?

MARK CUBAN: Is there a concern? Yes. It just means I have to work a little harder at it, that's all.

With partners like American Century, Jon Miller and NBC, they have been incredibly supportive. I didn't have to go to either of them and pitch them on why was a good reason to work with us. They volunteered. They were very, very proactive in their support and I can't thank both of them enough, both NBC and American Century have been amazing.

Q. A question for Jon Miller. How did you persuade Annika to come over yesterday for a round and get her to be a sevensome going?

JON MILLER: She has played with Donald several times and I saw her at the Women's Open up at the Orchards last weekend, and she mentioned she was going to be in Lake Tahoe because she's bought a home here. This is going to become her permanent home here in Tahoe. She said she would like to come out to the parties and events because she heard what a terrific time it is, so we said "we'd love to have you."

We've been able to get her some concert tickets to see John Mayer and she came over to the hotel afterwards, and we were all sitting around and said, "We're all playing tomorrow would you like to come play?" So she showed up at the 10th hole, played the back nine, shot a 33, didn't miss a fairway, didn't miss a green. Had a great time. I think she was own blown away by the crowds and the outpouring of affection and enthusiasm, and then she came again last night and had a great time. She's leaving either tonight or tomorrow morning to go over to England to get ready for the Women's British Open.

Q. Did you get her husband, David, going because he's caddying for Lou Holtz?

JON MILLER: Oh, is David caddying for Lou? He didn't come out to play. Andrew was kind enough to provide a caddie, and he did a great job.

As much trash as Michael Jordan talked, it's one of the few times I've seen Michael Jordan silenced. She was giving him two and she beat him pretty good. It was fun.

I forgot to mention, I don't know if this has been covered but NBC, and the LTVA and Caesar's have done an extension of this deal to keep the event in South Lake Tahoe and at Edgewood through 2006. So we are very excited about it and we think it's great and looking forward to many, many more years. This is where we think this event belongs and we're excited about it.

Q. What's it been like working with Mark Cuban?

MARK KILLEN: It's been fantastic, it really has. Both NBC and Mark, to be around him, to feel the enthusiasm to this fund has been fantastic.

He mentioned it and I think it may have just passed over earn, that he matches dollar for dollar every dollar that we raise at these auctions; I mean every dollar. So, just think of that. It's been terrific, this guy is pure, and going full speed to raise funds for a great cause and we're glad to help out.

It's been terrific to meet Mark Graunke, also. What an inspiration to all of us, last night, your talk to the whole Caesar's ballroom was phenomenal. I had more people come up to me and comment on that today than probably

JON MILLER: I think the thing that's most impressive, every year we have a player's meeting, players only. We had the 80 players in the meeting room and we go overrules and timings and issues and just a lot of stuff that these players have to be aware of. And then we invited Mark Cuban and Mark to go over the Fallen Patriot Fund and they brought Mark up too many Marks here, boy.

But he walked up and the guys all of these guys stood, gave a big standing ovation. And Mark gave an incredibly eloquent speech, and you could see that it really resonated with these guys, and everybody from John Elway to Jesse Ventura to Trent Green to Trent Dilfer to Donald to all of them were just blown away by this guy's incredible story and what a hero he's become.

A lot of these guys out there, sports stars are considered heroes and they get a little bit uncomfortable with that designation when you see someone who is a true hero like this.

End of FastScripts.