Sports
LeBrun: Panthers' Bill Zito on his path from Brewers bat boy to one of the NHL's most successful execs
Bill Zito has come a long way since his days as bat boy for the Milwaukee Brewers.
From a World Series appearance as a teenage bat boy to the Stanley Cup Final as an NHL general manager, it’s a life lived indeed.
The Florida Panthers took a chance on Zito in September 2020, handing him his first NHL GM job after the former player agent turned AGM with the Columbus Blue Jackets took several swings at GM jobs elsewhere.
Zito interviewed for GM openings with the Buffalo Sabres (Jason Botterill was hired), Minnesota Wild (Paul Fenton was hired), Wild again (Bill Guerin got it), Carolina Hurricanes (owner Tom Dundon ended up not hiring a GM after interviewing several candidates, naming team president Don Waddell GM instead), Philadelphia Flyers (Chuck Fletcher got it), Edmonton Oilers (Ken Holland got it) and New Jersey Devils (where ownership interviewed several people, including Zito, before ultimately promoting interim GM Tom Fitzgerald to the full-time job).
All of which to say, Zito hasn’t taken the easy road to where he is today. He’s had to be patient. For starters, he took a risk leaving his player agency business. Acme World Sports, a firm he established in 1995, had represented the likes of Tim Thomas, Tuukka Rask, John Madden, Kimmo Timonen and Brian Rafalski. He jumped into a whole new world as AGM of the Blue Jackets in 2013.
So when the Panthers announced this week that they had signed Zito to a multiyear extension (his previous deal was expiring after next season) plus promoted him to the title of president of hockey operations, one had to sit back and consider the path traveled.
“You feel very fortunate, blessed and humbled,” were Zito’s first words when we connected over the phone Monday night. “I feel so grateful to the Violas (the owners of the team) for the opportunity.
“And for the opportunity to be part of something. You know, we’ve been fortunate enough to have the chance to get a real good bunch of people together here who are like-minded. To be able to be part of it is a privilege.”
It’s been quite a journey. One still missing a Stanley Cup, but Zito’s built a team in Florida that can take swings at it not just this year but for multiple years.
“One of the blessings here is the core group,” Zito said. “They’re not just good players, they’re great people.
“And the group of people that I get to work with every day, and learn from and interact with and get challenged by, it’s so extraordinary.”
Team USA Olympic GM Bill Guerin has gotten to know Zito well, and they now will work together as part of the country’s management group for 4 Nations and the Olympics.
“Honestly I love Billy,” Guerin said Tuesday. “No. 1, as a person, him and I have become closer over the past 10 years or so when we were both assistant GMs. He’s one of the smartest people I know. He thinks differently. I really respect that. He thinks out of the box, he’s aggressive.
“There’s always something going on upstairs. I just think the world of him.”
The Panthers have just four players left on their NHL roster from when Zito was named GM on Sept. 2, 2020: captain Aleksander Barkov, Aaron Ekblad, Sergei Bobrovsky and Eetu Luostarinen. The first three are big-time, key veterans to be sure.
Aleksander Barkov and Aaron Ekblad have been part of the Panthers’ core since before Bill Zito arrived as GM. (James Guillory / USA Today)
Zito makes a point to tip the hat to former Panthers GM Dale Tallon for leaving behind a strong core and good assets to inherit.
“I showed up to some pretty good players here,” Zito said. “A little bit of a testament to Dale, right?”
But Zito has been as aggressive as any GM in the league in adding to his core, trading for the likes of Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, Matthew Tkachuk and Brandon Montour. There was also his low-key signing of Carter Verhaeghe, his waiver claim of Gustav Forsling, etc.
“Billy has done an outstanding job reshaping the Panthers,” Waddell said Tuesday.
“Going back to his days as an agent, I have always found Bill to be a creative, out-of-the-box thinker,” Tampa Bay Lightning GM Julien BriseBois said. “It served him well then and it continued to serve him well once he got into team management. He has proven himself to be a thoughtful and bold GM, and his leadership has contributed to the Panthers becoming a top team in the League since his hiring.”
Some first-time GMs sit on their hands too much, reluctant to get beat in a trade. That was not Zito.
Not every first-time GM gets to their second contract. That’s just a fact of life in the fast lane. And some of those first-time GMs never get another shot.
One thing I’ve heard repeatedly over the years from veteran GMs is how, over time, they have to learn to delegate more. When one becomes GM, you realize your butt is on the line with every decision. The buck stops with you. That’s an overwhelming feeling and often what you see with first-time GMs is that they feel the need to check in on every single facet every single day. GMs have to learn to grow into a place where they know they have people taking care of certain things and must learn to let go a little.
To this, Zito took a deep breath before answering.
“Everything you said is accurate and spot on,” he said. “It’s a little different for me because I did have a sports agency, so running a business is something I had experience with.”
“With the knowledge of the interaction you just referenced and my own personal experience, I still don’t get it right,” he added with a laugh. “It’s still hard to delegate. I struggle.”
Bill Zito and Panthers coach Paul Maurice address the media before the 2023 Stanley Cup Final. (Lucas Peltier / USA Today)
Zito can laugh at himself about it because he hopes it’s something he will get better at over time. But it all comes from a place of caring so much about every little detail in the day-to-day operation of the hockey side of the franchise.
He truly lives and dies with every win or loss.
In the meantime, Zito has tried to absorb as much knowledge as possible from people around the league.
He points to a Board of Governors call during the pandemic when Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs made a comment to the group at large that really stuck with him.
“He said, ‘Somebody smart once told me no one ever listens themselves into trouble,’” Zito said. “I thought that was real interesting. I know I need to do a better job of it. And I think probably everybody could.”
Right now, it’s all about the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Panthers are hoping for another deep run.
The offseason will be busy as always, Reinhart is a pending unrestricted free agent having a career season. One of the things I found interesting a couple of weeks ago talking to Reinhart about his impending contract decision, is that he mentioned his comfort level with Zito as a factor as to why he’s not stressed out about not having signed an extension yet.
“I think the relationship that we have, me and Billy, me and the organization, it’s all positive, all mutual,” Reinhart said. “I’m very comfortable with it being ongoing. We’ve got bigger things in mind the next couple of months, hopefully. But I’m not losing sleep over it by any means.”
That feeling is mutual.
“I have nothing but respect for Sam and it’ll get done at the right time,” Zito reiterated Monday night.
If Reinhart stays, no doubt it will be for less than what his market demand would be on July 1. But who can blame him if he’s willing to take less?
They’ve built something special in South Florida. And everyone wants a piece of it.
(Top photo of Bill Zito: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
CITY SECTION
SEMIFINALS
OPEN DIVISION
Narbonne 27, Birmingham 7
San Pedro 40, Carson 34 (OT)
DIVISION I
Palisades 63, Eagle Rock 45
King/Drew 35, Kennedy 23
DIVISION II
South Gate 62, Arleta 43
Chatsworth 21, Sylmar 20
DIVISION III
Panorama 22, Los Angeles 6
Van Nuys 17, Fulton 12
SOUTHERN SECTION
FRIDAY’S RESULTS
SEMIFINALS
DIVISION 1
Mater Dei 36, Corona Centennial 7
St. John Bosco 20, Orange Lutheran 17
DIVISION 2
Murrieta Valley 55, Oaks Christian 52 (OT)
Newbury Park 20, Yorba Linda 14
DIVISION 3
Simi Valley 28, Loyola 25
Edison 42, Vista Murrieta 14
DIVISION 4
St. Bonaventure 20, Apple Valley 13
Oxnard Pacifica 28, Thousand Oaks 16
DIVISION 5
La Serna 34, Summit 22
Palos Verdes 27, Foothill 24
DIVISION 6
Murrieta Mesa 31, St. Francis 28
Glendora 25, Dana Hills 21
DIVISION 7
Rio Hondo Prep 42, West Torrance 21
Warren 41, Yucaipa 17
DIVISION 8
Serrano 10, Lancaster 0
St. Pius X-St. Matthias 21, Salesian 14
DIVISION 9
Highland 27, Quartz Hill 14
Long Beach Wilson 32, Great Oak 13
DIVISION 10
St. Anthony 17, Garden Grove Pacifica 14
Silverado 58, South Pasadena 7
DIVISION 11
Portola 30, Baldwin Park 14
El Rancho 28, San Gorgonio 21
DIVISION 12
Palmdale 33, Mary Star of the Sea 27
Carter 70, Hacienda Heights Wilson 48
DIVISION 13
Gahr 28, Anaheim 12
Pasadena 37, Lynwood 0
DIVISION 14
San Gabriel 44, Duarte 22
Pioneer 49, Ganesha 28
8 MAN
DIVISION 1
Finals
California School for the Deaf 44, Flintridge Prep 42
DIVISION 2
Semifinals
Lancaster Baptist 38, Thacher 18
BOULDER, Colo. — Terrell Timmons Jr. was, like so many now, sold on the grandiose vision. The transfer wide receiver was convinced Colorado would make a stunning charge toward a conference title not just because of the Buffs’ famous coach — but powered by his new quarterback, Shedeur Sanders. Sanders had a direct hand in swaying many key players to take the risk.
“Two is going to take us there,” Timmons said before the start of the season.
A guarantee that, at the time, could’ve seemed a smidge idealistic.
But three months on, Colorado is not hard to find at 8-2, ranked No. 16 in the College Football Playoff rankings and in control of its own destiny in the shortening race toward a Big 12 Championship Game appearance. A Colorado win over Kansas on Saturday inside Arrowhead Stadium combined with No. 16 BYU beating No. 21 Arizona State on the road and Utah beating No. 22 Iowa State at home Saturday would clinch the Buffaloes a shot at the conference crown. They can also get there by winning out, including against Oklahoma State on Black Friday.
Yes, the Buffaloes are headlined by their effervescent head coach, Deion Sanders, the Heisman Trophy front-runner in two-way rarity Travis Hunter — and their quarterback. Shedeur Sanders is a pretentious lightning rod to some, a celebrity athlete with a celebrity father to others, and is in contention to be the first quarterback selected in next year’s NFL Draft. He has thrown for 3,222 yards and 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions through the first 10 games and is completing 72.9 percent of his passes, tied for second place in the FBS with Ohio State’s Will Howard.
GO DEEPER
If Shedeur Sanders wants to be drafted No. 1, he needs to act like it
But to get to where they are now, the Buffaloes needed much more. Shedeur, teammates say, knew it, which is why he went to work.
Beyond the endless reels of social media interview clips, beyond being one of the most efficient quarterbacks in college football for a second consecutive season, perhaps Shedeur Sanders’ most impressive feat was his role in aiding in building this Buffs roster.
His stardom helped lure a likely successor, too. On Thursday, Colorado landed a commitment from five-star quarterback Julian “JuJu” Lewis, a former USC commit. During Lewis’ first visit this summer to Boulder, he posed in a Colorado uniform on a gold throne as Shedeur handed him a set of keys, signifying what he would be inheriting.
Deion Sanders made no bones about flipping rosters if something isn’t up to snuff. He’s cleaned house at a historic rate. And after a humbling 4-8 season in 2023, Colorado had no choice but to beef up its offensive line and add to an already talented wide receivers group that featured Hunter, Jimmy Horn Jr. and Omarion Miller. Shedeur Sanders went recruiting, too.
Timmons said Shedeur reached out on social media to gauge interest after Timmons entered the portal from NC State last December.
“I would say 2’s approach is a very pro-mindset,” Timmons said when asked to describe working with him now on a day-to-day basis. “He’s very detailed with everything he does in the film room, on the field, off the field, everything. He’s very intelligent. You can tell he really looks up to Tom Brady with just the way he moves and operates.”
When former Ohio State running back Dallan Hayden was in Boulder on his official visit after entering the portal in April, Hayden said Shedeur wanted to sit down with him and explain what this year’s offense would need.
In January, Shedeur came across tape of former FAU wide receiver LaJohntay Wester, who had entered the portal a few weeks earlier.
“I pulled up his film, and I was recruiting him myself,” Shedeur said in April. “I pulled it up myself and was like, ‘Nah, we need this guy. This is the guy we want, this is the guy we need on the field.’”
Like his dad, Shedeur sold Wester on the vision of what it could look like if it all came together in Boulder. In his first year with the Buffaloes, Wester has nine total touchdowns and has been one of most dynamic receivers in the conference. In last week’s 49-24 win over Utah, Wester had a 76-yard punt return for a touchdown.
“He’s just a complete quarterback,” Wester said of Shedeur last month. “I’m glad to be on his side.”
LaJohntay Wester (10) has been a key addition for Colorado this season. (Ron Chenoy / Imagn Images)
Another new wideout, former Vanderbilt transfer Will Sheppard, caught two touchdowns against Utah. At 6-foot-3, Sheppard is Shedeur’s most physically imposing receiver, an ideal complement to the all-around skill of Hunter and the speed of Wester and Horn.
While the receiving corps was boosted in the offseason, Hunter remains Shedeur’s go-to option. Hunter leads the team with 74 receptions, 911 yards receiving and nine receiving touchdowns.
The pair spoke of the chemistry they’ve developed earlier this month on Shedeur’s podcast “2Legendary.”
“You’ve just got to have that brotherly bond, even outside of football,” Hunter said. “If you trust me outside of football, of course you’re going to trust me on the field.”
For this pass-happy offense to reach its apex, more trust was needed elsewhere, too. As stellar as the second year in Boulder has been for Shedeur, the first was equally maddening.
Despite being one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the country and having a 27-to-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio, he was also the most sacked quarterback in college football. He was sacked 52 times in 11 starts.
Shedeur called former Indiana right tackle Kahlil Benson after he went into the transfer portal last November to introduce himself. That same day, former UTEP guard Justin Mayers went into the transfer portal, and he had five missed calls from the same number. The guy who kept trying him? His future quarterback. A few months after he signed at Colorado, Mayers posted a video on his own YouTube channel of Colorado’s offensive linemen snowmobiling in the mountains above Breckenridge, Colo., with Shedeur.
One of those linemen was former five-star left tackle Jordan Seaton, who jokingly jumped out of his blocking stance shin-deep in snow with Shedeur laughing nearby. Shedeur, Seaton has said in various interviews, was one of the main reasons he chose the Buffaloes. As the race for Seaton’s signature heated up last December with other high-profile programs vying for his talent, Shedeur FaceTimed Seaton showing off his pricey diamond necklace and said, “We can shine together.”
Seaton was a mandatory blindside addition for the Buffaloes to try to keep Sanders upright. Still, the Buffaloes rank 94th in allowed pressure rate in 2024 (33.6 percent), only slightly better than last year’s brutal year in which they were 110th (36.7 percent). Shedeur and the line also have allowed 31 sacks through 10 games, which is 17 fewer sacks than this point a year ago.
Seaton said Shedeur’s desire to dissect defenses from the pocket and not overreacting to mistakes has helped his learning curve as a true freshman left tackle.
“Having a calm quarterback makes me more calm,” Seaton said last month. “It’s like Mike and Ike with me and Shedeur.”
Clint Trickett knows the range of Shedeur’s magnetism. Now Georgia Southern’s pass-game coordinator, Trickett recruited Shedeur while an assistant at Florida Atlantic four years ago. Before Shedeur joined his dad when Sanders took the Jackson State job in September 2020, Shedeur had committed to FAU.
“You want to have a quarterback who is your lead recruiter and who is that driving force, but at the same time, to have one that makes people want to come play with him, that’s not common,” Trickett said. “Most quarterbacks are all about going and getting it, but most don’t have the star power to bring them in the boat. That’s what makes him special.”
Colorado’s ambitious plan is working.
Yet Shedeur’s approach to leadership has been called into question by some. After Colorado was smoked by Nebraska in Week 2, his postgame comments about being sacked five times in comparison to none taken by Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola appeared to some like he was pointing blame at his own offensive line. In September, The Athletic’s Jim Trotter spoke to two former NFL general managers about how Shedeur’s personality and leadership style may impact how he’s viewed throughout the rigorous draft process.
“The stuff about the comments and things like that, people will worry about that a little bit, but the work ethic is the thing,” one former GM said.
On the first play of the game against Utah last week, Shedeur telegraphed a pass that was intercepted. He responded by going 30 of 40 for 340 yards, three touchdowns and completed 73 percent of his passes. Critical of himself afterward, Shedeur said he needed to “take over a little bit more” and was going to apologize to the rest of the offense.
“I can’t put the team in that type of situation,” he said. “I’m thankful for the defense. I may need to take them out to dinner this week for saving me and saving the team.”
His father has routinely said that if Shedeur is given adequate protection from his offensive line, he is good enough to win games with his talent. Deion recently said he will “privately” have a hand in which teams draft Shedeur and Hunter, speaking specifically to Shedeur on FS1’s “Speak” sports show, he wants an organization “that can handle the quarterback he is.”
The duo strolls the sidelines together before every game as Deion bestows advice on his son. “Show them who you are,” he said before the win over Utah.
Shedeur has been known to clap back at those who speak disparagingly of the Buffaloes or flaunt any number of his ritzy possessions — diamond-encrusted watches, cars, you name it — in the general direction of detractors.
Teammates say they don’t see that side of him as being a true representation of who he is. They chose to listen to what Shedeur Sanders was pitching because it’s playing out just the way he said it could. Or, in the parlance of his father, the way it always would.
“You know, he’s all on social media and famous, but he’s really a normal person,” Timmons said. “He’s not Hollywood. He’s a normal person like me and you. He’s just really good at what he does.”
(Top photo: Dustin Bradford / Getty Images)
Former 49ers star Terrell Owens and current San Francisco wide receiver Deebo Samuel engaged in a war of words this week.
Owens, who racked up 8,572 receiving yards over his standout eight-year run with the Niners, recently questioned whether Samuel was consistently giving his best effort when he was on the football field.
“Deebo is not really playing up to Deebo’s standards,” Owens said during a recent appearance on 95.7 The Game in San Francisco.
Deebo Samuel Sr. #1 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up prior to the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Levis Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Owens went on to suggest that Samuel was not consistently giving his best effort when he was on the football field. He also took aim at Samuel’s fashion.
“It seems like he’s more focused on his pregame attire than the game. If we can shift that focus, maybe that can energize and create some more production from an offensive standpoint. I’m just being tongue-in-cheek with that.”
49ERS’ BROCK PURDY, NICK BOSA RULED OUT FOR POTENTIAL SEASON-DEFINING GAME VS. PACKERS
Samuel is often photographed during his pregame walk to the locker room. The 49ers social media account frequently shares photos of Samuel’s choice of clothing. The 28-year-old’s fashion statements have made headlines throughout the season.
Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; San Francisco 49ers former receiver Terrell Owens before Super Bowl LVIII against the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium. (Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports)
Samuel, who earned First-team All-Pro honors in 2021, apparently caught wind of Owens comments and issued a four-word response. “T.O cut it fam!!!!” Samuel wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday.
From a statistical standpoint, Samuel’s 2024 production could be considered underwhelming. He has recorded 490 receiving yards over the nine games he’s appeared in this season. The normally dual-threat playmaker has just one receiving touchdown and one rushing touchdown this year.
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel (19) runs for a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Samuel has only racked up 79 yards on the ground in 2024. He finished 2021 with a career-best 365 rushing yards, and ended the 2023 campaign with 225 yards on the ground.
Owens is a Pro Football Hall of Famer and developed a reputation for being one of the hardest working players on any team he was on during his NFL career. But, Owen’s career was also riddled with controversy, which at times prompted questions about his maturity. Owen’s off the field antics merely exacerbated some of those concerns.
The 49ers will try to bolster their playoff odds when they play the Green Bay Packers on Nov. 24.
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