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AMERICAN CENTURY CHAMPIONSHIP

July 18, 2010

STATELINE, NEVADA

THE MODERATOR: We're going to have the Gene Upshaw Scholarship Press Conference right now. Last year the American Century Championship initiated the Gene Upshaw Scholarship Award to honor the memory of the NFL Hall of Famer and long-time PA executive director and, more importantly, a real good friend of a lot of folks here at NBC.
The award recognizes attributes within a Tahoe area student that reflect the leadership and excellence in sports and academics, attributes prominently displayed by Gene throughout his entire life. We're proud to announce the scholarship this year is being considerably increased from $2,000 to $5,000, as NBC Sports and Edgewood Companies will each contribute $2,500.
Our guests today are Gary Quinn, Director of Business Development from NBC Sports; Brian Davis, Marketing Manager, Edgewood Companies; our special guest, Terri Upshaw, Gene's wife, and the 2010 scholarship award winner, Samantha Brumbach. Her family is also here. I'd like to introduce them. Jeff, Susie and sister Casey. Guys, wave if you would.
(Applause)
Also her principal from Whittell High School is here, Sue Shannon. Thanks for coming, Sue. We appreciate you being here.
I'd like to introduce Gary Quinn to take it from here.
GARY QUINN: Can you hear me okay? Thank you all from the media for coming. As you know, this is the second year that we've been able to do this, and we're thrilled to be able to honor Samantha. And I know that Gene, as I'm sure Terri would agree, would be very proud that she's the recipient of a scholarship that bears his name.
As Phil mentioned, he was a very, very good friend of this event for many years, and someone who touched, always touched my life personally because he would always have a nice, kind word, want to share a beer, go out for a bite to eat.
And obviously I was very saddened when he passed and could think of no better way because he's such a valuable member of this community and was such a leader during his playing career. Obviously as head of the NFL Players Association, was just a tremendous leader.
And it just seemed like such a natural thing to do to be able to honor his name for local students. And we read Samantha's essay a couple of months ago and just blown away by all of the qualities that she shares with Gene. And she's just a natural fit for this honor.
And I also really, really want to thank Brian Davis. His team at Edgewood with Chuck Scharer and Randy Fox, Bobby King, they've been with us day one, 21 years ago. It's hard to believe that we're working on our third decade here.
But it's just an amazing partnership that we have with them. We made a call the other day and we talked about increasing the scholarship a little bit to give Samantha a little bit more of a head start. I know she's entering her senior year. And I'm sure that it's money that could be well spent as she starts her college career.
So we're proud of her. Very thankful to Edgewood and very thankful to Terri for supporting us last year in the creation of this, and coming back every year to help honor Samantha. So I'll turn it over to Terri for a couple of words.
TERRI UPSHAW: Thank you. Thank you all for being here. Thank you again. It's truly an honor to come over from the North Shore over here and spend some time. For years Gene would look forward to playing in this event. Didn't have the best scores when he played here, but he had the best time.
So the community, Edgewood and NBC and all, thank you, thank you for creating this scholarship in Gene's honor.
Congratulations to you. It's my privilege to sit here next to you. You exhibit exemplary attributes in athletics and academics. And Gene always believed in academics, athletics, and the arts. And truly it's an honor to sit here next to you. Congratulations and best of luck to you.
(Applause)
THE MODERATOR: Brian, would you say a few words on behalf of Edgewood Companies, please.
BRIAN DAVIS: Just like Gary said, it's been a long-term relationship with them since 1990, NBC. When we got the call last year to be part of the Gene Upshaw Scholarship, the answer was a quick yes. And we loved having Gene out. It's been a great event of course having Gene a part of it for those years was something that we're all proud of.
And the additional money this year for the scholarship once again another fast yes on behalf of Edgewood Companies. And all our staff and employees, it's a wonderful week that we get out here to enjoy with everyone, and we're very proud to be part of this.
And we're even more proud that Samantha's joined us and is a great winner of this scholarship. So we're very proud to do this and we look forward to this scholarship continuing year after year.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Brian.
(Applause)
Let's tell you a little bit about Samantha Brumbach. First, as far as a worthy recipient, I had to make a long list here. So bear with me:
National Honors Society. 4.28 GPA. That number didn't exist when I was in school. Three years of varsity soccer. Northern Nevada Soccer 3A Honorable Mention two years. Second Team one year. Actually played on the boys' soccer team in her junior year.
She's been captain for club and girls' soccer teams. She's involved in UNICEF and Key Club, a community service organization. She will serve as that group's president in 2010/2011.
She'll also be student body executive vice president next year in her senior year. Has done a little bit of ski instructing. And one of her greatest accomplishments, she told me she's proud to keep her life balanced between community service and personal life. So I would like to introduce our recipient winner, Samantha.
(Applause)
SAMANTHA BRUMBACH: Okay. Hi. First of all, I want to thank everyone for being here and thank NBC and Edgewood so much and Terri for being here to present this. So thank you so much.
And honestly, I was completely surprised. I didn't know it had been up to $5,000, so that was just kind of crazy for me. So if you saw my face, I was like, whoa, seriously.
THE MODERATOR: Should have seen your parents' face. (Laughter).
SAMANTHA BRUMBACH: I really am completely honored to be put in the same category as Gene Upshaw because he really seems like an amazing guy.
He had so many successes in his career and won two Super Bowls and playing for the Oakland Raiders. And I did a little bit of research on him. But he just seems like a really great guy.
And so I'm very honored to be rewarded with this scholarship. I admire so much how he balanced his life between academics and athletics and community service. And he just was a leader in all three of those categories. So it's really something I would love to have in my life.
And I remember reading about him. And I'm like, wow, this guy is passionate, he's intense, you know. So I love however whenever he did something it didn't seem like he just went out to just get it done. He put his whole heart into things and he excelled in everything that he did. I'm really honored to be here just with all of you. So thank you. And I just thank you so much. It really means so much to me.
THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. Terri, just hearing what you heard her say about what she's learned about Gene, how does that make you feel?
TERRI UPSHAW: I'll start crying. I miss him. He was truly special. Still really hard. But thank you. I'm sorry.
(Applause)

Q. Samantha, what are your goals after high school? Do you have a college you picked?
SAMANTHA BRUMBACH: I actually haven't chosen where I'm going to go yet. I'm going to see what other scholarships I get and decide from there. And I'm not really sure career-wise either. In fact, I kind of stress out when people ask me, because I like to have a plan, and I don't right now.
But I'm just trusting. And I know I'll figure it out. One at a time -- one day at a time. I know I want to work with kids and I know I want to go probably to a university. But I'm not -- that's about all I know.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you all so much for being here. Samantha, congratulations. We're all proud of you. Way to go.

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