USA TODAY and OLN Partner on USA TODAY Soul of a Champion

USA TODAY and OLN Partner on USA TODAY Soul of a Champion

Series Premieres in Newspaper and Online Friday, Television Sunday

MCLEAN, Va., Sept. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- USA TODAY announces the debut of USA TODAY Soul of a Champion series on Friday, Sept. 22, in the newspaper and online at USATODAY.com. Cable network VERSUS, formerly known as OLN, will premiere the television series on Sunday, Sept. 24, at 10 p.m. ET.

USA TODAY Soul of a Champion will define the qualities that set true champions apart from other elite athletes, examining the intangibles that go beyond talent alone. From commitment and competitiveness to confidence, intelligence and resilience, experts believe these behaviors are just as vital to the success of an athlete as stats or box scores. As family, friends, coaches and teammates weigh in, viewers at home can go to the websites USATODAY.com or the OLN website VERSUS.com to take the Soul of a Champion Challenge, a new test prepared by sports psychologist Dr. Patrick Cohn to determine which athlete's soul is most like the reader's.

After USA TODAY and USATODAY.com begin their coverage this Friday in the newspaper and online, coverage will continue on a weekly basis with articles and features on different athletes each Tuesday beginning Sept. 26 and continuing through Nov. 28.

"Soul of a Champion gives USA TODAY readers a unique look into the minds and traits of champion athletes and what makes those athletes excel," said Monte Lorell, managing editor of Sports for USA TODAY. "We're excited to partner with VERSUS on bringing this series to not only USA TODAY readers, but television viewers as well."

The series is produced by USA TODAY Live, the television arm of USA TODAY. Lauren Ashburn, executive producer and managing editor of Live, brought together a team of award-winning television sports journalists from around the country to produce, shoot and edit the series. "We shot the series documentary style using a cinema verite look to eliminate the barriers between the athletes and the audience," said Ashburn.

The special one-hour television series premiere on OLN, which will change its name to VERSUS on Sept. 25, will be hosted by Olympic speed skating champion Dan Jansen. After its Sunday debut, it will re-air Tuesday, Sept. 26, at 9 p.m., just before the first half-hour episode profiling boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr. A new half-hour television episode will air on the network every Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET through Nov. 28.

"Soul of a Champion is a signature series for VERSUS, as it delves into the competitive nature and spirit of the champions we celebrate every day," said Gavin Harvey, president of the network. "It's an important part of our first week as VERSUS and will tell the compelling stories of some amazing athletes."

The full schedule for the series follows:

Sept. 22 in USA TODAY and on USATODAY.com:

USA TODAY Soul of a Champion premieres in USA TODAY and online at USATODAY.com.

Sept. 24 at 10 p.m. ET on OLN:

USA TODAY Soul of a Champion special one-hour premiere, hosted by Dan Jansen.

Sept. 26: Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Pound for pound, Mayweather is the self-proclaimed best boxer in the world. What makes him great? After a loss in the 1996 Olympics, his focus and determination has propelled him to an undefeated pro career.

Oct. 3: Martin Brodeur

This goalie helped the New Jersey Devils climb to the top of the hockey world and win Lord Stanley's Cup. Many see him as the best puck-handling goal tender in the NHL. We take a look at the man behind the mask.

Oct. 10: Mariano Rivera

Even non-Yankee fans will appreciate the powerful story of one of baseball's silent warriors. A throwback reliever with two calling cards: a cut fastball and abiding faith.

Oct. 17: Gary Gait

From his behind-the-back passes to his signature leaping-over-the-goal shot dubbed the "Air Gait," Gary Gait has been called the Michael Jordan of lacrosse.

Oct. 24: Justin McBride

He's a bullrider seeking his eight seconds of fame in the world's most dangerous sport. Justin McBride, the pride of Oklahoma, is a real-life Cowboy with the soul of a champion.

Oct. 31: Tom Brady

The NFL's premier quarterback reveals the mental game plan that has made the New England Patriots three-time Super Bowl champions under his inspiring leadership.

Nov. 7: Martina Navratilova

As she reaches her 50th birthday, the need for competition keeps Navratilova on the tournament courts. This nine-time Wimbledon champion left her family behind in Communist Czechoslovakia to pursue her goals and has never looked back.

Nov. 14: Jeff Gordon

Opponents called him "wonder boy" and fans hated his meteoric rise on the NASCAR circuit. Somehow Gordon turned around his image as Mr. Perfect to become a champion of the people.

Nov. 21: Kortney Clemons/Dawn Staley

Clemons lost his right leg to a roadside bomb in Iraq. Now he has qualified for the 2008 Paralympics in powerlifting while keeping his focus on his true passion-sprinting.

In the arena of women's college basketball, no one has left a greater legacy than Staley. She has played in college Final Fours, won three Olympic gold medals, reached the WNBA Finals, and as a coach has turned around a dormant college program.

Nov. 28: Bobby Knight

Soul of a Champion will delve into what makes one of the most reviled and revered characters in college basketball tick.

OLN (OLNTV.com) is the national cable home of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Stanley Cup Playoffs as well as best-in-class events like The Tour de France, the America's Cup, the Dakar Rally, the Professional Bull Riders (PBR), Professional Boxing, the Boston Marathon, AMA Motocross and Davis Cup. Now in more than 70 million homes, the network features the best field sports programming on television and is a destination for sports fans, athletes and sportsmen to find exclusive, competitive events that audiences can't find elsewhere. The network offers unique, competition-themed original programming and is the exclusive home of Survivor in syndication. OLN, a wholly owned company of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA)(NASDAQ:CMCSK), is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.

USA TODAY is the nation's top-selling newspaper. It is published via satellite at 36 locations in the USA and four sites abroad. With a total average daily circulation of 2.3 million, USA TODAY is available worldwide. USA TODAY is published by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE:GCI). Included in the USA TODAY brand are USATODAY.com, an award-winning news and information site on the Internet; USA TODAY Sports Weekly, a weekly magazine for baseball, professional football and NASCAR enthusiasts; and USA TODAY LIVE, the television arm of the USA TODAY brand that brings the spirit and quality of the newspaper to television.

Source: USA TODAY

CONTACT: Steve Anderson, Director, Communications, +1-703-854-5872,
sanderson@usatoday.com, or Heidi Zimmerman, Manager, Media Relations,
+1-703-854-5304, hzimmerman@usatoday.com, both of USA TODAY

Web site: http://www.usatoday.com/
http://www.olntv.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: USATODAY reporters are available for radio and television interviews. To set up an interview, please call Elga Maye, Communications Coordinator at 703-854-5292.

-------
Profile: intent