(Note: I have been writing for the student newspaper at UGA, The Red & Black, for nearly two and a half years now. It’s cheesy tradition for everyone who has been there that long to push out a column in the last paper recalling memories, experiences, etc. Due to a bevy of other columnists running similar bits in the paper and me not being vocal enough, I made the quietest veteran exit ever. Thus, I’ve decided to write what would have been my farewell column here)
Once upon a time, not so long ago (sorry, it was Bon Jovi night on Idol a few days ago and it’s stuck on me), the Bulldog Nation made me ill.
I cheered when Jasper Sanks dropped the ball on the goal line. I hooted and hollered when the Salukis dumped that overrated basketball bunch in 2002. I praised Mark Richt’s mind for giving it to Musa Smith with no timeouts and 20 seconds to go on the goal line against Auburn.
I hated Georgia mainly for its fans, who I thought were self-righteous, whiny and obnoxious…long before I learned that being a “drunk, obnoxious Georgia fan” was a cry of pride.
My parents were right: once you get up here, it’s hard not to become a fan.
Since then, I have attended a plethora of Georgia sporting events as a diehard fan. I have covered nearly every sport on campus in some aspect for the Red and Black. I have also represented UGA in five minutes they probably wish I had gone somewhere else on Stump the Schwab.
With that said, here are some of my favorite memories from sports on campus, off campus and related to Georgia in some fashion from the last four years.
-I remember being in an orientation group with a lanky giant I assumed was going to be Coach Felton’s new center. When the freakishly tall freshman said he played tennis, I figured this was something I would have to see. Four years later, John Isner is the top rated college tennis player in the nation and has Georgia in contention for a national championship. And he’ll still hover over me forever
-In 2008, when junior Matt Stafford has Georgia football in contention for a national championship and extending his run at the Heisman, I can say I was there for his first pass between the hedges…a touchdown to Mikey Henderson during G-Day in 2006. You could sense in the air that the kid would be something special…let’s see if that’s the case
-Speaking of football, my two favorite games have to both be Auburn ones. Freshman year, when we destroyed them at home 26-3, the crowd was extremely into it…jangling keys, chanting and giving me my first real taste of why Sanford is so special. This past year’s as well was something great, partially because of who I was with, but also because we had been on that awful losing streak and the nation was crapping on us. Seeing Tra Battle return that touchdown brought forth a blizzard of good feelings (get it, R and Bers?)
-I’ve been to maybe one Gym Dogs meet a year, but what those girls go through year in and year out is remarkable. That team is the best thing going in Georgia athletics right now.
-Every moment spent on the intramural fields or courts at Ramsey. From the Five-Man Miracle to the Ice Bowl to the most emotionless walkoff strikeout ever, I wouldn’t trade a minute of it.
-Inside “the Saddledome” (which came because at Orientation I said that Stegeman looks like Calgary’s arena), the sheer emotion of beating Florida my freshman year (yes, it did happen), as well as the eerie silence and sheer emotion when Kevin Brophy’s family came in for the LSU game following his death the previous summer. Oh, and back to excitement again after Levi Stukes’s buzzer-beater the same day.
-The human side of being a journalist I learned during the Lady Bulldogs’ collapse at home against Tennessee last winter. Having to rewrite an entire story depicting what seemed like sure victory on a late deadline was one thing, but seeing all the journalists staring at each other outside the Georgia locker room, full of shocked and angry players, dumbfoundedly looking at each other in a “You wanna go in and ask questions first” manner. It was surreal.
-While I’m at it, learning that “Media Days” are a total circus full of questions you wouldn’t imagine…and finding the best quotes come from the players no one is surrounding.
-In general, finding that some people won’t like what you write, some will love it…but to have a comment means they had to read it. Through the paper experience, I’ve also learned to fight for your colleagues, how important it is to stand behind your work and that of your fellow writers…and how writers and those they interview pull the strings on each other so much.
I guess the next step is to move on to what I always dreamed of (and what we never achieved growing up since my dad went to Rutgers before they were good): being able to come back for homecomings, to hopefully some day dress my kids in red and black and teach them how to bark and host those massive football watch parties.
It is, has been and always will be great to be a Georgia Bulldog.
Friday, May 4, 2007
THE REAL MLB CURSE
(Note: Though I wrote this blog a day or two ago, I'm only getting to post it today...an hour after learning that Josh Hancock was legally drunk when he crashed and died last weekend. I'll leave that issue for a later time; to me it doesn't matter how it happened, just that it happened)
Now that the Boston Red Sox are obnoxiously celebrating their World Series championship and getting over their own “curse”, that leaves the Cubs as baseball’s lovable losers.
No World Series since before there were 50 states. Curse of the Goat, Curse of Bartman, Curse of Wood and Prior’s spaghetti arms…call it whatever you will.
In some ways, the Cubs can only be thankful that the “curse” they have is not as bad as one their rivals have.
With Josh Hancock’s death this past weekend in an auto accident, the St. Louis Cardinals are struggling to recover yet again. Ever since Y2K passed, the “Y” (or why if you will) has hung around Busch.
Every time something good has happened to the Redbirds, it has been met with something bad.
In 2001, Albert Pujols came out of nowhere as a squeaky-clean, MVP candidate and face of the franchise. The Cards missed out barely on the World Series.
A year later, the team had to face the death of longtime announcer and ambassador Jack Buck. Though tragic and a blow to the team, Buck was old and could not go on forever; he had been sick for sometime.
If that wasn’t enough, five days later, ace Darryl Kile unexpectedly passed from a heart condition. Just as the Cardinal nation was getting past one disaster, another punched them in the gut.
Now, months after celebrating their first World Series title in 25 years, the Cards are recovering again with Hancock’s passing.
You can’t help but feel for the group of players who survived 2002 and now this. Even when the Indians lost Steve Olin and Tim Crews in the early 90s boat crash, it came all at once, lumping the mourning into one period. Now, the Cardinals are forced again to pull their strength together.
Are the Cardinals “cursed”? It’s probably without reason, but they have been the most troubled team since the turn of the millennium. They’ve been the Def Leppard of ballclubs—every time you think you’ve gotten over the ultimate hurdle, another about 12 feet taller stands in front of you.
Maybe the real curse lies in the Cubs-Cards series. The last two times St. Louis has battled inner death, they’ve been playing the Cubs. If I were on either one of those teams, I would be petrified to see the schedule in the near future if it has them playing in primetime.
A great article on a blog Freudianly titled “Deadspin” cites Hancock’s impactà “His sudden departure -- shocking, horrible, insane -- makes us feel as if we have lost something that we never realized we had. We want to go back and cheer harder for him, forgive his mistakes more easily ... treat him as human in a way we never did as a mere fan. He shifts from middle reliever to human being only in death; this can drive a fan mad with guilt and confusion” (http://deadspin.com/sports/josh-hancock/rip-josh-hancock-256275.php)
In addition, the loyal Cardinals fans who had good relationships with both Kile and Hancock are left to face the mourning again…cursed or not.
“There really is ‘Cardinal love’. After a big win, as the crush of fans makes their way from Busch Stadium, the atmosphere is electric. Cardinals’ fans from different cities and different backgrounds unite together through thick and thin. We can celebrate the good. We can recover from the bad.” (http://apps.dennews.com/blog/?p=196)
Now that the Boston Red Sox are obnoxiously celebrating their World Series championship and getting over their own “curse”, that leaves the Cubs as baseball’s lovable losers.
No World Series since before there were 50 states. Curse of the Goat, Curse of Bartman, Curse of Wood and Prior’s spaghetti arms…call it whatever you will.
In some ways, the Cubs can only be thankful that the “curse” they have is not as bad as one their rivals have.
With Josh Hancock’s death this past weekend in an auto accident, the St. Louis Cardinals are struggling to recover yet again. Ever since Y2K passed, the “Y” (or why if you will) has hung around Busch.
Every time something good has happened to the Redbirds, it has been met with something bad.
In 2001, Albert Pujols came out of nowhere as a squeaky-clean, MVP candidate and face of the franchise. The Cards missed out barely on the World Series.
A year later, the team had to face the death of longtime announcer and ambassador Jack Buck. Though tragic and a blow to the team, Buck was old and could not go on forever; he had been sick for sometime.
If that wasn’t enough, five days later, ace Darryl Kile unexpectedly passed from a heart condition. Just as the Cardinal nation was getting past one disaster, another punched them in the gut.
Now, months after celebrating their first World Series title in 25 years, the Cards are recovering again with Hancock’s passing.
You can’t help but feel for the group of players who survived 2002 and now this. Even when the Indians lost Steve Olin and Tim Crews in the early 90s boat crash, it came all at once, lumping the mourning into one period. Now, the Cardinals are forced again to pull their strength together.
Are the Cardinals “cursed”? It’s probably without reason, but they have been the most troubled team since the turn of the millennium. They’ve been the Def Leppard of ballclubs—every time you think you’ve gotten over the ultimate hurdle, another about 12 feet taller stands in front of you.
Maybe the real curse lies in the Cubs-Cards series. The last two times St. Louis has battled inner death, they’ve been playing the Cubs. If I were on either one of those teams, I would be petrified to see the schedule in the near future if it has them playing in primetime.
A great article on a blog Freudianly titled “Deadspin” cites Hancock’s impactà “His sudden departure -- shocking, horrible, insane -- makes us feel as if we have lost something that we never realized we had. We want to go back and cheer harder for him, forgive his mistakes more easily ... treat him as human in a way we never did as a mere fan. He shifts from middle reliever to human being only in death; this can drive a fan mad with guilt and confusion” (http://deadspin.com/sports/josh-hancock/rip-josh-hancock-256275.php)
In addition, the loyal Cardinals fans who had good relationships with both Kile and Hancock are left to face the mourning again…cursed or not.
“There really is ‘Cardinal love’. After a big win, as the crush of fans makes their way from Busch Stadium, the atmosphere is electric. Cardinals’ fans from different cities and different backgrounds unite together through thick and thin. We can celebrate the good. We can recover from the bad.” (http://apps.dennews.com/blog/?p=196)
Sunday, April 29, 2007
BURNED GOLDEN BROWN
BURNED AND BROWN
Did anyone else happen to catch ESPN at all yesterday? Former Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn was sitting in a green room, accompanied by soon-to-be trophy wife Lindy Slinger (which btw is the greatest name for an athlete accomplice ever), and the NFL Draft broke out.
Out of 250-someodd picks, Quinn is likely to be the only one we’ll remember Monday at work. The sight of the shaggy-haired ex-Irish leader sitting, waiting and wishing for his name to be called was the sight of the draft…as ESPN preached to us (another btw…how did Suzy “Please Don’t Leave Me Brady, I Won’t Know What to Do With Myself” Kolber report on Quinn being moved to a room ‘barred from media access to protect his privacy’ to…doing an interview with Quinn about 15 minutes later? What the hell?).
“Regardless of your fan affiliation, how could you not feel for Quinn yesterday? After Cleveland passed on him, ESPN had him on the split-screen for a reaction during damn near every pick, regardless of whether that team needed a quarterback or not. It was like a bizarro Academy Awards, when they have a camera on everyone and show the losers' reactions -- but with Brady as the lone, jilted nominee in every single category. Painful. (http://bluegraysky.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html)”
I’m gonna go the other route with this one and say what’s done is done. Quinn is going to be a Cleveland Brown, albeit 19 picks and a few million dollars after it was anticipated, and it’s time to move forward. However, in the wake of Quinn’s embarrassing day, here’s what he, the Browns and the NFL can do to overlook this day of personal shame
--Don’t show Brady as bitter. Have Quinn continue to promote the same storyline he did when he was expected to go to Cleveland at No. 3. For weeks, we heard that Quinn, a Dublin, OH native, wanted the chance to play for the team he grew up rooting for; now, the team should maybe have Quinn (and the other picks) do an introductory conference where Quinn reiterates living his dream…regardless of how it came to be. This way, he won’t show if he truly is ticked at how his stock fell and can move forward in embracing the team, city and fans he hopes will be cheering him for years to come.
--Likewise, Cleveland’s ownership and coaching staff should also make a statement saying that they “are happy to get a player with the talent and potential of Brady Quinn” and that they are “looking forward to seeing his development”…or something like that. The front office needs to let fans believe that they did not take Quinn as a sympathy pick or did so under pressure from fans; even if it’s not all the way true, they need to create the idea that they took Quinn believing he could be a vital football player.
--Don’t let Brady be full of himself. Most of the reason we sports fans (me included) detest Notre Dame is the sense of arrogance that emits from South Bend. As the 22nd pick, Quinn should say that he is coming into camp not expecting anything, though the Browns likely would not have taken him if they had faith in Charlie Frye. Quinn should say that he is coming into summer camp eager to learn, looking forward to challenging Frye and open to whatever comes. After seeing him almost in tears on draft day, Quinn has no business coming in with a chip on his shoulder. Likewise, get the contract settled; a long first-round holdout would only further permeate the idea that Quinn is spiteful.
--Package the whole draft. Cleveland bypassed Quinn for OT Joe Thomas, who is projected as a lock to be successful. The Browns should promote to the city that they now have two weapons instead of one. Package Thomas and Quinn together on promotional materials, maybe with a photo of Thomas standing in front of Quinn convincingly and a slogan such as “Protecting the Future” or something like that. Browns fans need to know that Thomas is a quality player and not just “the guy we took instead of Quinn the first time”, but also know that Quinn is an important player as well.
“Brady Quinn now has an opportunity to prove the naysayers wrong and he can do it with the team he always wanted to play for. I hope he succeeds. (http://www.leadernotes.com/2007/04/_saturday_i_spent_most.html)”
Did anyone else happen to catch ESPN at all yesterday? Former Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn was sitting in a green room, accompanied by soon-to-be trophy wife Lindy Slinger (which btw is the greatest name for an athlete accomplice ever), and the NFL Draft broke out.
Out of 250-someodd picks, Quinn is likely to be the only one we’ll remember Monday at work. The sight of the shaggy-haired ex-Irish leader sitting, waiting and wishing for his name to be called was the sight of the draft…as ESPN preached to us (another btw…how did Suzy “Please Don’t Leave Me Brady, I Won’t Know What to Do With Myself” Kolber report on Quinn being moved to a room ‘barred from media access to protect his privacy’ to…doing an interview with Quinn about 15 minutes later? What the hell?).
“Regardless of your fan affiliation, how could you not feel for Quinn yesterday? After Cleveland passed on him, ESPN had him on the split-screen for a reaction during damn near every pick, regardless of whether that team needed a quarterback or not. It was like a bizarro Academy Awards, when they have a camera on everyone and show the losers' reactions -- but with Brady as the lone, jilted nominee in every single category. Painful. (http://bluegraysky.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html)”
I’m gonna go the other route with this one and say what’s done is done. Quinn is going to be a Cleveland Brown, albeit 19 picks and a few million dollars after it was anticipated, and it’s time to move forward. However, in the wake of Quinn’s embarrassing day, here’s what he, the Browns and the NFL can do to overlook this day of personal shame
--Don’t show Brady as bitter. Have Quinn continue to promote the same storyline he did when he was expected to go to Cleveland at No. 3. For weeks, we heard that Quinn, a Dublin, OH native, wanted the chance to play for the team he grew up rooting for; now, the team should maybe have Quinn (and the other picks) do an introductory conference where Quinn reiterates living his dream…regardless of how it came to be. This way, he won’t show if he truly is ticked at how his stock fell and can move forward in embracing the team, city and fans he hopes will be cheering him for years to come.
--Likewise, Cleveland’s ownership and coaching staff should also make a statement saying that they “are happy to get a player with the talent and potential of Brady Quinn” and that they are “looking forward to seeing his development”…or something like that. The front office needs to let fans believe that they did not take Quinn as a sympathy pick or did so under pressure from fans; even if it’s not all the way true, they need to create the idea that they took Quinn believing he could be a vital football player.
--Don’t let Brady be full of himself. Most of the reason we sports fans (me included) detest Notre Dame is the sense of arrogance that emits from South Bend. As the 22nd pick, Quinn should say that he is coming into camp not expecting anything, though the Browns likely would not have taken him if they had faith in Charlie Frye. Quinn should say that he is coming into summer camp eager to learn, looking forward to challenging Frye and open to whatever comes. After seeing him almost in tears on draft day, Quinn has no business coming in with a chip on his shoulder. Likewise, get the contract settled; a long first-round holdout would only further permeate the idea that Quinn is spiteful.
--Package the whole draft. Cleveland bypassed Quinn for OT Joe Thomas, who is projected as a lock to be successful. The Browns should promote to the city that they now have two weapons instead of one. Package Thomas and Quinn together on promotional materials, maybe with a photo of Thomas standing in front of Quinn convincingly and a slogan such as “Protecting the Future” or something like that. Browns fans need to know that Thomas is a quality player and not just “the guy we took instead of Quinn the first time”, but also know that Quinn is an important player as well.
“Brady Quinn now has an opportunity to prove the naysayers wrong and he can do it with the team he always wanted to play for. I hope he succeeds. (http://www.leadernotes.com/2007/04/_saturday_i_spent_most.html)”
STAR BRIGHT
A video clip we watched in my “Contemporary Issues and Sports” class yesterday got me thinking about this one.
In case you missed it, Knicks guard and known NBA pain in the ass Stephon Marbury released his line of basketball shoes last summer.
Not a big deal, right? Except that Marbury’s “Starbury 1” shoes were released exclusively at Steve and Barry’s stores…for only $15 a pair.
Marbury openly admits that the reasoning behind his business venture was to show the youth market that buying hip sneakers didn’t have to cost $150. Marbury himself grew up in the projects of New York City and could not afford trendy Air Jordans.
In addition, the Starbury campaign could also be seen as an answer to the growing violence among inner city youth which sees kids who can collect all their change for expensive designer sneakers getting mugged, sometimes killed for the goods. The video bit in particular told of Marbury doing a shoe signing in Minnesota days after a child was gunned down for his basketball shoes.
The Starbury line is also expanding. Bulls center Ben Wallace recently agreed to sponsor his own shoe through the same company at the same price. And tests have shown that the Starburys are not of “$15 quality” and hold up fairly well in comparison to their Nike, Reebok, etc. competitors.
Personally, I think this is a great idea worth the low-cost risk. I’m sure there are a bunch of children around the nation whose parents will be more willing to open for some sneakers if they find out they are $15 and not $150. In particular, since Marbury is an NYC “Playground Hero” and plays for the Knicks, the struggling youth of New York City will definitely be a beneficial target market for the shoes.
In addition, it’s also a way for Marbury himself to erase his image as a selfish, underachieving player. Such goodwill can only outweigh the negatives on the court.
The challenge: making the Starburys on the same level playing field as the Air Jordans, LeBron’s shoes, etc. There is the risk that kids wearing Starburys will be seen as inferior to their classmates since everyone knows they are cheaper—it’s almost placing a bullseye on a kid’s back which says, “I can’t afford ‘real’ shoes”.
In case you missed it, Knicks guard and known NBA pain in the ass Stephon Marbury released his line of basketball shoes last summer.
Not a big deal, right? Except that Marbury’s “Starbury 1” shoes were released exclusively at Steve and Barry’s stores…for only $15 a pair.
Marbury openly admits that the reasoning behind his business venture was to show the youth market that buying hip sneakers didn’t have to cost $150. Marbury himself grew up in the projects of New York City and could not afford trendy Air Jordans.
In addition, the Starbury campaign could also be seen as an answer to the growing violence among inner city youth which sees kids who can collect all their change for expensive designer sneakers getting mugged, sometimes killed for the goods. The video bit in particular told of Marbury doing a shoe signing in Minnesota days after a child was gunned down for his basketball shoes.
The Starbury line is also expanding. Bulls center Ben Wallace recently agreed to sponsor his own shoe through the same company at the same price. And tests have shown that the Starburys are not of “$15 quality” and hold up fairly well in comparison to their Nike, Reebok, etc. competitors.
Personally, I think this is a great idea worth the low-cost risk. I’m sure there are a bunch of children around the nation whose parents will be more willing to open for some sneakers if they find out they are $15 and not $150. In particular, since Marbury is an NYC “Playground Hero” and plays for the Knicks, the struggling youth of New York City will definitely be a beneficial target market for the shoes.
In addition, it’s also a way for Marbury himself to erase his image as a selfish, underachieving player. Such goodwill can only outweigh the negatives on the court.
The challenge: making the Starburys on the same level playing field as the Air Jordans, LeBron’s shoes, etc. There is the risk that kids wearing Starburys will be seen as inferior to their classmates since everyone knows they are cheaper—it’s almost placing a bullseye on a kid’s back which says, “I can’t afford ‘real’ shoes”.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
SEARCHING THE WRECKAGE FOR SPLINTERS
SEARCHING THE WRECKAGE FOR SPLINTERS:
Personally, I think everything that needs to be said about the core of the Virginia Tech incident from last week has been said. Yeah, it’s said, and no, I’m not heartless or anything, but hearing the same stories over and over for a week doesn’t make it any easier to move on.
Thus, here are some of the interesting side angles dealing with how the black day in Blacksburg inadvertently linked with sports…things you may have missed in the avalanche of news coverage.
-It’s probably not the way they would have liked it to increase, but sports merchandise and apparel makers have raked in the cash over the last week. It seems like everywhere you turn nowadays, someone has something Virginia Tech on, and it makes sense because it’s an easy way to show support for the campus and present the “We Stand As One” mentality we have pressed for in the wake of the tragedy. I am curious as to how many retailers sold out of Hokie gear in the last week…even moreso how business turned for the campus bookstores and Blacksburg retailers.
Hokie gear is also a prominent hot commodity across the nation on your sports media outlets. After his no hitter last week, Mark Buehrle sported a VT cap during his news conference. NASCAR’s Denny Hamlin, a VT native, did the same at last weekend’s race.
Again, this is probably far from how these retailers wanted a boost in revenue, but I’m sure they’ll take it; if nothing else, for the solace of helping people find comfort after this tragedy and create a “Hokie Nation”
-Boy did Mike Vick alum himself into some good publicity last week.
The former Hokie quarterback made headlines by donating $10,000 to a relief fund for victims’ families, this after immediately releasing a statement the day of the shootings expressing sorrow and a willingness to help out in whatever way possible.
The Angel’s Advocate (is that a real term? Whatever—“they’re just words, they don’t control us”) says that Vick was truly acting out of goodwill to a campus that helped him become a No. 1 overall pick. In addition, he may have been trying to kickstart other players into doing the same, much like teammate Warrick Dunn did after Katrina.
The Devil’s Advocate (and there have been plenty of detractors in the last few days) claims that Vick is doing this as a way to blind some of the bad press he has received in the last few years and put a good light on himself. No one will talk about what was in that water bottle at the airport when Vick is giving money to aid in a tragedy.
Said one blogger and critic, “How nice of him to sacrifice what he probably spends in one night at the club. (http://llsports2.blogspot.com/2007/04/michael-vick-helps.html)”
My take: I believe Vick probably would have contributed to the campus in some way, but a good PR team also realized that they could make the most out of it and try to get the QB back in the good graces of the national spotlight.
-It’s become a cliché in this post-9/11 world about how “sports bring people together” and “finding solace in the games”, but it’s also true.
My favorite images (if that’s a PC term in the wake of the tragedy) from the fallout was not anything from memorials or vigils or people hugging.
It was the Virginia Tech men’s golf team holding its share of the ACC championship trophy last weekend.
It was the masses at Penn State’s spring football game wearing maroon and orange and forming a VT logo in the crowd
It was also the crowd at the baseball stadium last Friday night cheering on the Hokies against Miami, in what had to be an eerie environment but for one night brought back some excitement and energy to a campus that desperately needed it.
"I think that students need to get back to normal," said junior Chance Hellmann in a Boston Herald blog, who wandered near the diamond with a friend hours before the game. His friend Nicole White, 20, was killed in the shooting. "Anything that keeps your mind off this is a good thing," he said. (http://sports.bostonherald.com/college/view.bg)
This campus needs sports as a way to loosen the fears of the student body. Attending baseball or softball or tennis on campus is a great way to take the mind off what happened and try to regain a sense of normalcy.
As an entry on the Orlando Sentinel blog so eloquently put it, “Sports will never be perfect. There will always be stories that bring a negative light to sports. There will always be cheats and athletes that misbehave on and off the pitch. But this past week also showed that when the world is blackened by senseless actions, sports can provide a needed venue for healing, remembering and most importantly, reaching out to those in need. (http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_soccerblog/2007/04/sport_looks_to_.html)”
Personally, I think everything that needs to be said about the core of the Virginia Tech incident from last week has been said. Yeah, it’s said, and no, I’m not heartless or anything, but hearing the same stories over and over for a week doesn’t make it any easier to move on.
Thus, here are some of the interesting side angles dealing with how the black day in Blacksburg inadvertently linked with sports…things you may have missed in the avalanche of news coverage.
-It’s probably not the way they would have liked it to increase, but sports merchandise and apparel makers have raked in the cash over the last week. It seems like everywhere you turn nowadays, someone has something Virginia Tech on, and it makes sense because it’s an easy way to show support for the campus and present the “We Stand As One” mentality we have pressed for in the wake of the tragedy. I am curious as to how many retailers sold out of Hokie gear in the last week…even moreso how business turned for the campus bookstores and Blacksburg retailers.
Hokie gear is also a prominent hot commodity across the nation on your sports media outlets. After his no hitter last week, Mark Buehrle sported a VT cap during his news conference. NASCAR’s Denny Hamlin, a VT native, did the same at last weekend’s race.
Again, this is probably far from how these retailers wanted a boost in revenue, but I’m sure they’ll take it; if nothing else, for the solace of helping people find comfort after this tragedy and create a “Hokie Nation”
-Boy did Mike Vick alum himself into some good publicity last week.
The former Hokie quarterback made headlines by donating $10,000 to a relief fund for victims’ families, this after immediately releasing a statement the day of the shootings expressing sorrow and a willingness to help out in whatever way possible.
The Angel’s Advocate (is that a real term? Whatever—“they’re just words, they don’t control us”) says that Vick was truly acting out of goodwill to a campus that helped him become a No. 1 overall pick. In addition, he may have been trying to kickstart other players into doing the same, much like teammate Warrick Dunn did after Katrina.
The Devil’s Advocate (and there have been plenty of detractors in the last few days) claims that Vick is doing this as a way to blind some of the bad press he has received in the last few years and put a good light on himself. No one will talk about what was in that water bottle at the airport when Vick is giving money to aid in a tragedy.
Said one blogger and critic, “How nice of him to sacrifice what he probably spends in one night at the club. (http://llsports2.blogspot.com/2007/04/michael-vick-helps.html)”
My take: I believe Vick probably would have contributed to the campus in some way, but a good PR team also realized that they could make the most out of it and try to get the QB back in the good graces of the national spotlight.
-It’s become a cliché in this post-9/11 world about how “sports bring people together” and “finding solace in the games”, but it’s also true.
My favorite images (if that’s a PC term in the wake of the tragedy) from the fallout was not anything from memorials or vigils or people hugging.
It was the Virginia Tech men’s golf team holding its share of the ACC championship trophy last weekend.
It was the masses at Penn State’s spring football game wearing maroon and orange and forming a VT logo in the crowd
It was also the crowd at the baseball stadium last Friday night cheering on the Hokies against Miami, in what had to be an eerie environment but for one night brought back some excitement and energy to a campus that desperately needed it.
"I think that students need to get back to normal," said junior Chance Hellmann in a Boston Herald blog, who wandered near the diamond with a friend hours before the game. His friend Nicole White, 20, was killed in the shooting. "Anything that keeps your mind off this is a good thing," he said. (http://sports.bostonherald.com/college/view.bg)
This campus needs sports as a way to loosen the fears of the student body. Attending baseball or softball or tennis on campus is a great way to take the mind off what happened and try to regain a sense of normalcy.
As an entry on the Orlando Sentinel blog so eloquently put it, “Sports will never be perfect. There will always be stories that bring a negative light to sports. There will always be cheats and athletes that misbehave on and off the pitch. But this past week also showed that when the world is blackened by senseless actions, sports can provide a needed venue for healing, remembering and most importantly, reaching out to those in need. (http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_soccerblog/2007/04/sport_looks_to_.html)”
Thursday, April 19, 2007
DEAD FOR THE TED
While attending an Atlanta Braves home game last week, a friend nonchalantly said to me, “Are the Braves doing anything for the 10th anniversary of Turner Field?”
Disappointing to me was the fact that I hadn’t even thought about it until she mentioned it. Even more disappointing is the fact that the Braves front office is missing a huge PR coup.
Normally, the Braves have been good with campaigns. Last season, they celebrated the 40th Anniversary of the team moving to Atlanta by honoring a different decade each month, featuring player signings, appearances and giving fans cars from each decade. In addition, I’ve seen how well they do in promoting their string of division championships; trust me, as a Mets fan, I puke a little bit each time they show it in my face.
However, unless they have something massive planned later in the year, the Braves are sleeping on celebrating a decade in a stadium regaled as one of the best in the game.
I had just moved to Atlanta when the colossus that was once the center of Olympic activity became “The Ted”, and everyone was excited and celebrating its opening. Attendance (though mocked throughout the league) has been fairly good, and the facility is top notch.
What the Braves should be doing, like last season with the decades celebration, is promote both within and outside of the park, even with a simple campaign such as “10 at the Ted”.
They should hang banners throughout the outfield so fans can see that it is the important anniversary; visibility does make a difference. Throughout the city, they should rent out billboards on the way to Turner promoting the anniversary. In addition, the Braves have always had a good relationship with the AJC; they should use it to promote the celebration and present a different “Classic Moment” every week or so.
Running with that idea, Braves TV broadcasts should show a different great moment from Turner Field in each game (with all those division championships, they should have plenty to choose from). They could also get commentary from players such as Smoltz and the Joneses who have played at Turner since its opening.
I could go on forever with ideas to let the Braves run with this, and it’s mindblowing to think that if I could come up with all that in the span of five minutes how no one upstairs in the franchise could do something with months of planning.
Maybe I’ll save the really good ideas for the closing of Shea Stadium
Disappointing to me was the fact that I hadn’t even thought about it until she mentioned it. Even more disappointing is the fact that the Braves front office is missing a huge PR coup.
Normally, the Braves have been good with campaigns. Last season, they celebrated the 40th Anniversary of the team moving to Atlanta by honoring a different decade each month, featuring player signings, appearances and giving fans cars from each decade. In addition, I’ve seen how well they do in promoting their string of division championships; trust me, as a Mets fan, I puke a little bit each time they show it in my face.
However, unless they have something massive planned later in the year, the Braves are sleeping on celebrating a decade in a stadium regaled as one of the best in the game.
I had just moved to Atlanta when the colossus that was once the center of Olympic activity became “The Ted”, and everyone was excited and celebrating its opening. Attendance (though mocked throughout the league) has been fairly good, and the facility is top notch.
What the Braves should be doing, like last season with the decades celebration, is promote both within and outside of the park, even with a simple campaign such as “10 at the Ted”.
They should hang banners throughout the outfield so fans can see that it is the important anniversary; visibility does make a difference. Throughout the city, they should rent out billboards on the way to Turner promoting the anniversary. In addition, the Braves have always had a good relationship with the AJC; they should use it to promote the celebration and present a different “Classic Moment” every week or so.
Running with that idea, Braves TV broadcasts should show a different great moment from Turner Field in each game (with all those division championships, they should have plenty to choose from). They could also get commentary from players such as Smoltz and the Joneses who have played at Turner since its opening.
I could go on forever with ideas to let the Braves run with this, and it’s mindblowing to think that if I could come up with all that in the span of five minutes how no one upstairs in the franchise could do something with months of planning.
Maybe I’ll save the really good ideas for the closing of Shea Stadium
TOO MANY MINUTES FOR 60?
Oh boy am I going to get in trouble with this one.
There is no way anyone can underestimate how much Jackie Robinson and his breaking of the color barrier defined the game of baseball. MLB should continue to honor his memory and stress his impact to future generations.
However, I don’t really understand why the 60th anniversary of his breaking the color barrier was such a big deal. You know how they say something can be all sizzle and no steak? This was more like a three-alarm inferno and a single strand of hamburger.
Maybe it’s just the way that ESPN crammed it down my throat and everyone else’s to the point where I couldn’t watch Sportscenter Sunday night, but I still am not seeing the reason this was such a big deal.
I was always taught that among marriages and relationships, five, 10, 25, 50, 75…these are big anniversaries. Nowhere in that is 60 a humongous deal. Are we going to celebrate 61 next year? Or every other year that ends in a “-7”?
I can see it now in the year 2077—“ESPN 18 will honor the 130th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier by nauseating you with commemoration”.
I have a hard time believing I am the only one, as some bad press surfacing within days of the weekend’s celebrations indicates.
Articles in several papers on Sunday (JR day across the game) cited the lack of black players in baseball and how the number is declining. On a day to celebrate black involvement in the game, it can’t be good to show that this is happening…saying under the surface that Robinson’s heroics might be approaching a level of meaninglessness.
Even in that case, talented black players in the game such as Minnesota’s Torii Hunter aren’t doing the effort any cause.
On ESPNews last week, Hunter, who was “honored” by the Twins as being chosen to wear Robinson’s No. 42 on Sunday (each team selected a player they believed represented JR’s ideals), blasted the idea, saying that Robinson was probably “rolling in his grave.”
When one of the game’s most noticeable black players is trashing honoring blacks in baseball, something must be up.
My theory: ESPN made the event into a big deal because it is afraid that inaction would tick off its black audiences, which as we saw with Don Imus over the last few weeks is not a place big business wants to go.
Should ESPN and MLB have acknowledged the anniversary? Absolutely. Talk to Rachel Robinson, Jackie’s widow, and maybe have her throw out a first pitch? Why not. But to promote the 60th anniversary more than the 50th is untraditional and unnecessary if you ask me.
In no way am I saying Jackie Robinson shouldn’t be honored, but I tend to agree with Hunter—even he would probably have stopped watching ESPN last week
There is no way anyone can underestimate how much Jackie Robinson and his breaking of the color barrier defined the game of baseball. MLB should continue to honor his memory and stress his impact to future generations.
However, I don’t really understand why the 60th anniversary of his breaking the color barrier was such a big deal. You know how they say something can be all sizzle and no steak? This was more like a three-alarm inferno and a single strand of hamburger.
Maybe it’s just the way that ESPN crammed it down my throat and everyone else’s to the point where I couldn’t watch Sportscenter Sunday night, but I still am not seeing the reason this was such a big deal.
I was always taught that among marriages and relationships, five, 10, 25, 50, 75…these are big anniversaries. Nowhere in that is 60 a humongous deal. Are we going to celebrate 61 next year? Or every other year that ends in a “-7”?
I can see it now in the year 2077—“ESPN 18 will honor the 130th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier by nauseating you with commemoration”.
I have a hard time believing I am the only one, as some bad press surfacing within days of the weekend’s celebrations indicates.
Articles in several papers on Sunday (JR day across the game) cited the lack of black players in baseball and how the number is declining. On a day to celebrate black involvement in the game, it can’t be good to show that this is happening…saying under the surface that Robinson’s heroics might be approaching a level of meaninglessness.
Even in that case, talented black players in the game such as Minnesota’s Torii Hunter aren’t doing the effort any cause.
On ESPNews last week, Hunter, who was “honored” by the Twins as being chosen to wear Robinson’s No. 42 on Sunday (each team selected a player they believed represented JR’s ideals), blasted the idea, saying that Robinson was probably “rolling in his grave.”
When one of the game’s most noticeable black players is trashing honoring blacks in baseball, something must be up.
My theory: ESPN made the event into a big deal because it is afraid that inaction would tick off its black audiences, which as we saw with Don Imus over the last few weeks is not a place big business wants to go.
Should ESPN and MLB have acknowledged the anniversary? Absolutely. Talk to Rachel Robinson, Jackie’s widow, and maybe have her throw out a first pitch? Why not. But to promote the 60th anniversary more than the 50th is untraditional and unnecessary if you ask me.
In no way am I saying Jackie Robinson shouldn’t be honored, but I tend to agree with Hunter—even he would probably have stopped watching ESPN last week
Thursday, April 5, 2007
FIRST CLASS...OR COACH?
Imagine this scenario: although it is your first season on the job, you are the coach of one of your league’s most prominent franchises, winners of three championships in the last 10 seasons. Your team has been playing well all season, to the point that two weeks before the playoffs, it has the second-best record in its conference and seems primed to win another title. For most coaches, this situation would warrant praise and merit. You would be held on a high pedestal in hopes that you could continue instilling your system in your players in hopes of reaching the promised land again. Fans and press and the front office would hold you in high regard. If you are New Jersey Devils coach Claude Julien, it means you are cleaning out your office right about now. Unexpectedly (or so we should think), team big wig Lou Lamoriello fired Julien earlier this week despite the fact that the Devils are currently leading their division and second in the Eastern Conference with a few games to go before the playoffs. Julien, in addition to the players, writers and fans, was stunned. Maybe he should have seen this coming though, as Lamoriello fired coach Robbie Ftorek late in the season in 2002-2003 before the Devils eventually captured the Stanley Cup (another slap in the face: this time, Lamoriello replaced Julien with…himself). The stunning firing is also a PR disaster for the Devils. I personally remember seeing one of the team’s beat writers explain how unexpected this was on ESPNews, not good for the way the Devils handle business. In addition, with the Stanley Cup chase weeks away, more attention will be given to the disaster on the bench than the success on the ice. “This is the sort of move that makes me hate the business side of sports entertainment. Even if we accept that the decision to fire Claude Julien will marginally improve the New Jersey chance at a Stanley Cup-a dubious promise- it’s still wrong. Not only did Claude Julien do nothing wrong, he’s actually done pretty well”- Tom Benjamin (http://www.canuckscorner.com/weblog/nhllog/archives/2007/04/the_madness_of.html) The canning of Julien is just the latest in a string of head-scratching coach firings in successful situations which could shed negative lights on their respective teams: -After finishing with the best regular season record in the AFC and boasting some of the league’s best talent on both offense and defense, the Chargers axed Marty Schottenheimer. Though Schottenheimer is held as one of the league’s top coaches and was responsible for turning San Diego into a playoff contender in three seasons, it is largely believed he was forced out for his inability to win playoff games. -Despite a national championship, several SEC championships and reaching the NCAA tournament every year in his tenure on the bench, Kentucky essentially caved in to fan and alumni pressure and forced out Tubby Smith. Though Smith was successful to some extent, he could never meet the high expectations placed on him with being coach at Kentucky, and his recruiting skills came into question as well. Sure, a coaching change could fire the team up and bring success. However, there is the downside. In pushing out coaches in the middle of successful runs, teams are putting themselves in danger of not being able to find a suitable replacement. Front offices come off as cold and setting too high of a bar when they change coaches in manners like this. I remember when Schottenheimer got fired, one analyst on ESPN (sorry I’m speaking like Larry Munson—this was months ago) pondered why anyone would want to take over the San Diego job when the organization treated Schottenheimer as badly as it did. Likewise, Kentucky is now facing the possibility of having a dinosaur-sized egg on its face after not being able to find a suitable replacement for Smith after running him out of campus. Or, as Arkansas is learning, teams could find that karma is a you-know-what and that coaches can bite back. The Razorbacks recently canned Stan Heath as head basketball coach despite the fact that he had turned the program around following a nasty scandal left by predecessor Nolan Richardson. Heath reached the NCAA tournament despite losing three perimeter players, and his team was in line to make a run at the SEC championship next season returning all starters. Some say Heath’s dismissal falls in the same calculating category as the displaced coaches above. The Hogs thought they found their replacement in Creighton coach Dana Altman. However, days after accepting their job, Altman decided to back out and return to Creighton. Is it possible that Altman saw the way Arkansas handled Heath and changed his mind, fearing intense pressure? “This season, (Heath) led Arkansas to the NCAA Tournament despite losing all three perimeter starters from a year ago. He could have had every key guy returning, with the potential to be a preseason Top 20 team next season. Yet that’s not good enough for their retiring AD (Frank Broyles) and some crazy fans. Arkansas deserves someone far worse than Altman.” –Matt Zucharski (http://yellow-chair-sports.blogspot.com/2007/04/good-for-dana-altman.html)
Saturday, March 31, 2007
TALES FROM ABOVE THE RIM
Gonna change it up from the usual "fix-someone-else's-problem" format and go with random thoughts. I just returned from attending my first (hopefully of many more since I am obsessed with the NCAA tournament) Final Four and wanted to share some things I noticed
-The city of Atlanta is doing a great job as host of the event. If nothing else, the city promoted itself as a town receptive to large crowds for events of this magnitude and a place with a lot to do. Centennial Park was a zoo, but is serving as a great meeting/gathering place--free concerts all weekend, stands with merchandise, food and games, free concerts all weekend, and a big screen to air the championship game Monday night. In addition, ESPN was broadcasting television at Atlantic Station (creating another fan gathering zone) and CNN Center. In all, just a great atmosphere for an event like this.
-With such a large crowd, several companies made great (even if minor on the surface) PR moves to create awareness. LifeSavers, Hardees and Vault were giving out freebies, and ESPN radio was passing out t-shirts; a cheap and easy way to get people to promote/display your product. In addition, State Farm put its logo on seat cushions awaiting each fan inside the Georgia Dome. Who knows, maybe someone will think, "Wow, I like State Farm since they cared to make my backside comfortable"
-The ESPN radio team of familiar faces (Andy Katz, Pat Forde) and not so familiar (Bob Valvano, Atlanta's own John Kincaid) presented themselves very well, but they may want to rethink analyst Doug Gottlieb's representation of the organization. While the rest of the broadcast team and their guests (NCAA coaches) were dressed formally and took pride in being live on the radio at CNN Center, Gottlieb looked like he just rolled out of bed in a t-shirt and jeans. I know you're on the radio and don't need to worry about what you look like, but it just came off to me as lazy and unprofessional.
-Nothing comes cheap at the Final Four...I'll leave it at that.
-Florida coach Billy Donovan dodged a PR crisis...sorta. Hours before tipping off tonight, word broke that Donovan was going to be offered the head coaching job at Kentucky. In answering questions, Donovan seemed to dodge the news and preach remaining focused on the game tonight. However, if he really is intent on staying at Florida, wouldn't he have just put everyone on ease and said, "I'm withdrawing my name from consideration"? Even if he does want to wait until after the Final Four (and understandably so) to deal with his future, this did put somewhat of a dark cloud over the Gator camp.
-Everyone who has dogged this year's NCAA Tournament for being "boring" and "uneventful" should watch another sport. Yeah, this year's tourney hasn't had the traditional Cinderellas and buzzer-beaters to replay over and over again as past years have had, but the competition has been great. The Cinderellas were there--they were just disguised as an underappreciated No. 2 (Memphis) and an overachieving No. 5 (Butler). More importantly, in the end, the two teams that played the best consistent winning basketball all year (Florida and Ohio State) will be playing for the championship, and that's how it should be.
Should be fun to watch Monday night...the "One Shining Moment" recap video is among my favorite 3-minutes of the year.
JC
-The city of Atlanta is doing a great job as host of the event. If nothing else, the city promoted itself as a town receptive to large crowds for events of this magnitude and a place with a lot to do. Centennial Park was a zoo, but is serving as a great meeting/gathering place--free concerts all weekend, stands with merchandise, food and games, free concerts all weekend, and a big screen to air the championship game Monday night. In addition, ESPN was broadcasting television at Atlantic Station (creating another fan gathering zone) and CNN Center. In all, just a great atmosphere for an event like this.
-With such a large crowd, several companies made great (even if minor on the surface) PR moves to create awareness. LifeSavers, Hardees and Vault were giving out freebies, and ESPN radio was passing out t-shirts; a cheap and easy way to get people to promote/display your product. In addition, State Farm put its logo on seat cushions awaiting each fan inside the Georgia Dome. Who knows, maybe someone will think, "Wow, I like State Farm since they cared to make my backside comfortable"
-The ESPN radio team of familiar faces (Andy Katz, Pat Forde) and not so familiar (Bob Valvano, Atlanta's own John Kincaid) presented themselves very well, but they may want to rethink analyst Doug Gottlieb's representation of the organization. While the rest of the broadcast team and their guests (NCAA coaches) were dressed formally and took pride in being live on the radio at CNN Center, Gottlieb looked like he just rolled out of bed in a t-shirt and jeans. I know you're on the radio and don't need to worry about what you look like, but it just came off to me as lazy and unprofessional.
-Nothing comes cheap at the Final Four...I'll leave it at that.
-Florida coach Billy Donovan dodged a PR crisis...sorta. Hours before tipping off tonight, word broke that Donovan was going to be offered the head coaching job at Kentucky. In answering questions, Donovan seemed to dodge the news and preach remaining focused on the game tonight. However, if he really is intent on staying at Florida, wouldn't he have just put everyone on ease and said, "I'm withdrawing my name from consideration"? Even if he does want to wait until after the Final Four (and understandably so) to deal with his future, this did put somewhat of a dark cloud over the Gator camp.
-Everyone who has dogged this year's NCAA Tournament for being "boring" and "uneventful" should watch another sport. Yeah, this year's tourney hasn't had the traditional Cinderellas and buzzer-beaters to replay over and over again as past years have had, but the competition has been great. The Cinderellas were there--they were just disguised as an underappreciated No. 2 (Memphis) and an overachieving No. 5 (Butler). More importantly, in the end, the two teams that played the best consistent winning basketball all year (Florida and Ohio State) will be playing for the championship, and that's how it should be.
Should be fun to watch Monday night...the "One Shining Moment" recap video is among my favorite 3-minutes of the year.
JC
Monday, March 26, 2007
THE EDGE OF REASON
The world of sports PR is so bizarre sometimes that even a maligned field like pro wrestling can have a moment of good PR here and there.
I was playing around last week looking for information on athletes and steroids (maybe something regarding the latest bust surrounding Gary Matthews Jr.) when I discovered that in addition to Matthews, several pro wrestlers were named as receiving products from the down South pharmacy in question.
I know, steroids in wrestling, big shock right?
While messing around, I stumbled into a great self-made PR defense from one of the accused wrestlers. Adam Copeland, who wrestles under the stage name “Edge”, was listed as receiving HGH from the pharmacy of doom. He addressed the controversy on his MySpace blog (http://www.myspace.com/therealratedrsuperstar) in a forthright manner.
Most notably, Copeland stated the allegations were true and even admitted that he “wanted you to get my response straight from me and not through the words of another write.” Copeland addressed that he had said on a previous TV interview that he took steroids to help him recover from neck surgery in 2004 per the request of his doctor. Essentially, he summed it up that the news reported last week was nothing that wasn’t already known.
In addition, Copeland wrote that his usage occurred before the WWE’s implementation of a “steroid and wellness” policy and that his drug tests have come up clean since. Copeland also goes on to take full responsibility for his usage and reiterates that he does not condone any of his comrades or fans taking steroids.
I applaud “Edge” for attempting to spin this negative publicity in a positive light. By admitting to the story and reinforcing that he’s already been over this, he takes away the steam from the muckrakers who will likely run with this story. In addition, Copeland avoids the “cloud of denial” associated with athletes (including his fellow wrestlers named in the report) who say nothing and are socially implicated. “Edge” may get a more free pass from the fans; if crowds chant something akin to “You Took Steroids” while he’s in the ring, he can simply reply, “Yeah, you didn’t know that?”
Though his profession may not be the most esteemed, Adam Copeland’s response to the steroids controversy was executed as well as possible…nothing fake or staged about it.
JC
I was playing around last week looking for information on athletes and steroids (maybe something regarding the latest bust surrounding Gary Matthews Jr.) when I discovered that in addition to Matthews, several pro wrestlers were named as receiving products from the down South pharmacy in question.
I know, steroids in wrestling, big shock right?
While messing around, I stumbled into a great self-made PR defense from one of the accused wrestlers. Adam Copeland, who wrestles under the stage name “Edge”, was listed as receiving HGH from the pharmacy of doom. He addressed the controversy on his MySpace blog (http://www.myspace.com/therealratedrsuperstar) in a forthright manner.
Most notably, Copeland stated the allegations were true and even admitted that he “wanted you to get my response straight from me and not through the words of another write.” Copeland addressed that he had said on a previous TV interview that he took steroids to help him recover from neck surgery in 2004 per the request of his doctor. Essentially, he summed it up that the news reported last week was nothing that wasn’t already known.
In addition, Copeland wrote that his usage occurred before the WWE’s implementation of a “steroid and wellness” policy and that his drug tests have come up clean since. Copeland also goes on to take full responsibility for his usage and reiterates that he does not condone any of his comrades or fans taking steroids.
I applaud “Edge” for attempting to spin this negative publicity in a positive light. By admitting to the story and reinforcing that he’s already been over this, he takes away the steam from the muckrakers who will likely run with this story. In addition, Copeland avoids the “cloud of denial” associated with athletes (including his fellow wrestlers named in the report) who say nothing and are socially implicated. “Edge” may get a more free pass from the fans; if crowds chant something akin to “You Took Steroids” while he’s in the ring, he can simply reply, “Yeah, you didn’t know that?”
Though his profession may not be the most esteemed, Adam Copeland’s response to the steroids controversy was executed as well as possible…nothing fake or staged about it.
JC
Monday, March 5, 2007
BLOODY HELL
It’s been described as the most intense rivalry in sport.
Duke and North Carolina could play competitive tiddly winks and draw interest. Between these schools, there is so much bad blood that everything gets magnified.
Today, we saw some of that bad blood on the floor at the Dean Dome at the end of the regular season basketball finale, another chapter of this feud we’ll be seeing for years to come every time these two teams take the floor.
In case you missed it, with UNC comfortably in the lead and 14 seconds from victory against the Blue Devils, Duke’s Gerald Henderson landed a WWF-style forearm to the face of driving Carolina star Tyler Hansbrough. Hansbrough left the game with a bloody nose (and will probably look like Marcia Brady tomorrow), while Henderson was ejected and suspended for the team’s opening ACC tournament game.
Of course, the debate raging now is whether or not Henderson’s shot was intentional. Both Henderson and Coach K claim it accidental, with K saying that his program “doesn’t play like that.”
Some bloggers, such as one simply identified as LD, beg to differ.
“Everything about the punch/elbow/forearm leads to one interpretation: that Henderson was frustrated with his team's performance and the result, and in order to protect whatever sense of self worth, he had to do something violent and outside the bounds of the rules of the game. This was a vicious, violent assault (http://gunslingers.blogspot.com/2007/03/wow-how-embarrassing-for-him-and-cbs.html)”
My whole point in writing this is to establish where to go from here in a PR/Marketing sense, but I couldn’t go forward without giving my take.
-I believe that first and foremost, Hansbrough should not have been in the game in the first place. Shot to the grill aside, when a game is out of reach, most logical coaches take the stars out on the off chance a freak injury happens. Let’s say Hansbrough had broken his wrist falling on a slick spot or sprained his ankle. Roy Williams would have been hung next to the burning effigy of Bill Guthridge in Chapel Hill.
-Looking at the footage, frustrated as Henderson might be, the shot looked accidental. With Hansbrough driving, Henderson extended his arm to swat it; instead, Hansbrough had the ball knocked out to the side by a previous foul, forcing Henderson to “short-arm” the block instead. After that, it was a momentum play.
-I also think that Henderson should not have been suspended immediately. I know that is NCAA policy, but I think that there should be some remedy where league officials (not the three on the court in the heat of the moment with thousands of Carolina fans breathing down their necks) review the tape tomorrow and then determine a course of action. Knowing this, the officials should have called an intentional or flagrant foul, which would have hurt Duke today and not down the road. Personally, I would have just ended the game after the shot with 12 seconds left and the result secured.
Now on to where to go from here. The ACC tournament starts this week, and there is an off chance Duke and Carolina could face each other again. Thus, my suggestions to avoid disaster and move past “The ‘Was it Really a’ Punch”.
-Have Gerald Henderson hold a press conference before the ACC Tournament starts (maybe Wednesday or so) just to clear the air. I know he spoke to the press afterwards to clear his name, but doing so later would make his efforts seem more genuine…even if his intentions weren’t good.
-Have some official from the ACC issue a final verdict. Sure, it won’t change Henderson’s suspension, but word from the league giving final opinion will help both sides come to grips with the incident.
-This one’s a little more out of human control, but Duke needs to beat NC State Thursday without Gerald Henderson. Should Duke win, they’ll advance and get Henderson back for Friday’s second round bout. But if Duke loses, their fan base will blame the outcome on the suspension, and this incident will further simmer.
-Do whatever it takes to bar ESPN, CBS and whomever else from showing the footage ad nauseam. Sure, YouTube will always be there, but you know the networks will show this forearm for the next few weeks over and over and over and…well you get it. The best way for it to blow over is for people to move on, and seeing the clip will only make the sports fan want to go out and knock someone across the nose themselves in overexposure frustration.
I guess perception is all about which team you’re more a fan of, as was written by one blogger:
“If you're a Duke fan, the forearm with which your Gerald Henderson decked North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough was: (A) a nudge; (B) an accident; (C) a blatant offensive foul on Hansbrough. If you're a North Carolina fan, the forearm with which Henderson knocked your Hansbrough to the floor was: (A) vicious; (B) horrendous (intentionalhttp://memigo.com/info?id=630380)”
Personally, it’s March. There’s bigger and better things on the horizon for college basketball. Duke, UNC, their fans and the media should be focusing on prepping for a national championship run.
In three years of student-paper writing, I’ve heard countless times from coaches and players that they have to forget about the previous game the minute it ends and look ahead.
I hope they all take their own advice
JC
Duke and North Carolina could play competitive tiddly winks and draw interest. Between these schools, there is so much bad blood that everything gets magnified.
Today, we saw some of that bad blood on the floor at the Dean Dome at the end of the regular season basketball finale, another chapter of this feud we’ll be seeing for years to come every time these two teams take the floor.
In case you missed it, with UNC comfortably in the lead and 14 seconds from victory against the Blue Devils, Duke’s Gerald Henderson landed a WWF-style forearm to the face of driving Carolina star Tyler Hansbrough. Hansbrough left the game with a bloody nose (and will probably look like Marcia Brady tomorrow), while Henderson was ejected and suspended for the team’s opening ACC tournament game.
Of course, the debate raging now is whether or not Henderson’s shot was intentional. Both Henderson and Coach K claim it accidental, with K saying that his program “doesn’t play like that.”
Some bloggers, such as one simply identified as LD, beg to differ.
“Everything about the punch/elbow/forearm leads to one interpretation: that Henderson was frustrated with his team's performance and the result, and in order to protect whatever sense of self worth, he had to do something violent and outside the bounds of the rules of the game. This was a vicious, violent assault (http://gunslingers.blogspot.com/2007/03/wow-how-embarrassing-for-him-and-cbs.html)”
My whole point in writing this is to establish where to go from here in a PR/Marketing sense, but I couldn’t go forward without giving my take.
-I believe that first and foremost, Hansbrough should not have been in the game in the first place. Shot to the grill aside, when a game is out of reach, most logical coaches take the stars out on the off chance a freak injury happens. Let’s say Hansbrough had broken his wrist falling on a slick spot or sprained his ankle. Roy Williams would have been hung next to the burning effigy of Bill Guthridge in Chapel Hill.
-Looking at the footage, frustrated as Henderson might be, the shot looked accidental. With Hansbrough driving, Henderson extended his arm to swat it; instead, Hansbrough had the ball knocked out to the side by a previous foul, forcing Henderson to “short-arm” the block instead. After that, it was a momentum play.
-I also think that Henderson should not have been suspended immediately. I know that is NCAA policy, but I think that there should be some remedy where league officials (not the three on the court in the heat of the moment with thousands of Carolina fans breathing down their necks) review the tape tomorrow and then determine a course of action. Knowing this, the officials should have called an intentional or flagrant foul, which would have hurt Duke today and not down the road. Personally, I would have just ended the game after the shot with 12 seconds left and the result secured.
Now on to where to go from here. The ACC tournament starts this week, and there is an off chance Duke and Carolina could face each other again. Thus, my suggestions to avoid disaster and move past “The ‘Was it Really a’ Punch”.
-Have Gerald Henderson hold a press conference before the ACC Tournament starts (maybe Wednesday or so) just to clear the air. I know he spoke to the press afterwards to clear his name, but doing so later would make his efforts seem more genuine…even if his intentions weren’t good.
-Have some official from the ACC issue a final verdict. Sure, it won’t change Henderson’s suspension, but word from the league giving final opinion will help both sides come to grips with the incident.
-This one’s a little more out of human control, but Duke needs to beat NC State Thursday without Gerald Henderson. Should Duke win, they’ll advance and get Henderson back for Friday’s second round bout. But if Duke loses, their fan base will blame the outcome on the suspension, and this incident will further simmer.
-Do whatever it takes to bar ESPN, CBS and whomever else from showing the footage ad nauseam. Sure, YouTube will always be there, but you know the networks will show this forearm for the next few weeks over and over and over and…well you get it. The best way for it to blow over is for people to move on, and seeing the clip will only make the sports fan want to go out and knock someone across the nose themselves in overexposure frustration.
I guess perception is all about which team you’re more a fan of, as was written by one blogger:
“If you're a Duke fan, the forearm with which your Gerald Henderson decked North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough was: (A) a nudge; (B) an accident; (C) a blatant offensive foul on Hansbrough. If you're a North Carolina fan, the forearm with which Henderson knocked your Hansbrough to the floor was: (A) vicious; (B) horrendous (intentionalhttp://memigo.com/info?id=630380)”
Personally, it’s March. There’s bigger and better things on the horizon for college basketball. Duke, UNC, their fans and the media should be focusing on prepping for a national championship run.
In three years of student-paper writing, I’ve heard countless times from coaches and players that they have to forget about the previous game the minute it ends and look ahead.
I hope they all take their own advice
JC
Thursday, March 1, 2007
FIGHTING FOR SURVIVAL
In case you haven’t noticed, the NHL is still alive.
Remember the league that was on life support at the turn of the century anyways, and should have been left for dead following the labor dispute that brought sports’ first cancellation of a regular season ever?
Since returning to the ice in 2005, the NHL has for the most part been a blip on the sports fan’s radar. The league has a very slim television coverage deal and has yet to be able to replace stars Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, players familiar even to non-fans.
Until last week, when the NHL took over sports coverage and captivated the YouTube audience.
Most people figured that when people started to care about the NHL again, it would be because rising stars Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin finally broke the proverbial ice ceiling.
Instead, fans and non-fans alike were checking in to see replays of the most awesome brawl in hockey in recent years.
The Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres (far from Duke-UNC or Red Sox-Yankees) broke into bedlam in the second period of a game last week. Penalty minutes reached triple digits, and even each team’s goalie got into the mix. The two teams played again three days later, again with a violent outcome.
Right now, the NHL should be shuddering at the thought that they are back in the news for the wrong reasons again.
However, somewhere in the NHL offices, league bigwigs are rubbing their hands together and chuckling over the prospective boost a simple fight could have sparked for the league, and here’s why:
-It’s a known fact that the bulk of fans at a hockey game really aren’t there for the technical aspect and grace of the game. They are there in hopes of seeing grown men exert levels of physical violence they only wish they could mimic at their jobs. Fighting is a much a part of hockey as scoring goals, and in the Ottawa-Buffalo massacres, it got carried out to the utmost extreme. Ever hear the phrase, “We went to a fight and a hockey game broke out?” People like the fights; it’s not a bad thing.
-On that note, clips of Ottawa goalie Ray Emery and Buffalo goalie Martin Biron feebly swinging at each other received thousands of hits on YouTube. In this day and age, exposure of the NHL to the YouTube generation is priceless. The NHL has managed to form a symbiotic relationship of sorts with YouTube (remember the “Vote for Rory” campaign videos which got great viewing earlier this year), which is crucial to reaching the teen and college-aged generation. Imagine the marketing possibilities if this target audience gets attached to hockey.
-The NHL is in a place where any press is good press. The fight was the lead story on Sportscenter, the first time I can remember in a long time that hockey has led the show when it wasn’t the Stanley Cup or playoffs. Also, the buzz the fights created got people talking about hockey again in that slow time for sports between the Super Bowl and NCAA Tournament, even if in a “Did you see that?” fashion.
-Though the cities are two of the worst probably to market hockey (or sports in general in), the NHL should take advantage of the marketing buzz now surrounding Ottawa and Buffalo. I’m not sure off the top of my head if the two teams play anymore for the rest of the year, but if they do, I would make sure to put as much footage (advertising, commercials, prime-time airing of the rematch) featuring the brawl. People will tune in to see if these two teams will beat each other senseless, and, unethical as it might be, the NHL should market that. I can’t fathom the opportunities if these two were to see each other in a seven-game playoff series.
Even if it was just for a week, the NHL took center stage in the sports world once more. Yeah, a massive brawl is not something to take pride in, but if the NHL can spin it to regenerate the public attention it lost after the labor fight, I’m sure the league wouldn’t be complaining.
I know I’ll be watching when the Sabres and Senators play…if I can find the channel
Remember the league that was on life support at the turn of the century anyways, and should have been left for dead following the labor dispute that brought sports’ first cancellation of a regular season ever?
Since returning to the ice in 2005, the NHL has for the most part been a blip on the sports fan’s radar. The league has a very slim television coverage deal and has yet to be able to replace stars Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, players familiar even to non-fans.
Until last week, when the NHL took over sports coverage and captivated the YouTube audience.
Most people figured that when people started to care about the NHL again, it would be because rising stars Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin finally broke the proverbial ice ceiling.
Instead, fans and non-fans alike were checking in to see replays of the most awesome brawl in hockey in recent years.
The Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres (far from Duke-UNC or Red Sox-Yankees) broke into bedlam in the second period of a game last week. Penalty minutes reached triple digits, and even each team’s goalie got into the mix. The two teams played again three days later, again with a violent outcome.
Right now, the NHL should be shuddering at the thought that they are back in the news for the wrong reasons again.
However, somewhere in the NHL offices, league bigwigs are rubbing their hands together and chuckling over the prospective boost a simple fight could have sparked for the league, and here’s why:
-It’s a known fact that the bulk of fans at a hockey game really aren’t there for the technical aspect and grace of the game. They are there in hopes of seeing grown men exert levels of physical violence they only wish they could mimic at their jobs. Fighting is a much a part of hockey as scoring goals, and in the Ottawa-Buffalo massacres, it got carried out to the utmost extreme. Ever hear the phrase, “We went to a fight and a hockey game broke out?” People like the fights; it’s not a bad thing.
-On that note, clips of Ottawa goalie Ray Emery and Buffalo goalie Martin Biron feebly swinging at each other received thousands of hits on YouTube. In this day and age, exposure of the NHL to the YouTube generation is priceless. The NHL has managed to form a symbiotic relationship of sorts with YouTube (remember the “Vote for Rory” campaign videos which got great viewing earlier this year), which is crucial to reaching the teen and college-aged generation. Imagine the marketing possibilities if this target audience gets attached to hockey.
-The NHL is in a place where any press is good press. The fight was the lead story on Sportscenter, the first time I can remember in a long time that hockey has led the show when it wasn’t the Stanley Cup or playoffs. Also, the buzz the fights created got people talking about hockey again in that slow time for sports between the Super Bowl and NCAA Tournament, even if in a “Did you see that?” fashion.
-Though the cities are two of the worst probably to market hockey (or sports in general in), the NHL should take advantage of the marketing buzz now surrounding Ottawa and Buffalo. I’m not sure off the top of my head if the two teams play anymore for the rest of the year, but if they do, I would make sure to put as much footage (advertising, commercials, prime-time airing of the rematch) featuring the brawl. People will tune in to see if these two teams will beat each other senseless, and, unethical as it might be, the NHL should market that. I can’t fathom the opportunities if these two were to see each other in a seven-game playoff series.
Even if it was just for a week, the NHL took center stage in the sports world once more. Yeah, a massive brawl is not something to take pride in, but if the NHL can spin it to regenerate the public attention it lost after the labor fight, I’m sure the league wouldn’t be complaining.
I know I’ll be watching when the Sabres and Senators play…if I can find the channel
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
LEARNING THE HARDAWAY
I know it seems like I’m picking on the NBA a lot in the early postings here, but there has been so much…unfortunate news coming from the hardwood lately.
In the public spectrum, there are dumb things to say aloud, there are things that are atrocious to say aloud and then there are things that make people say, “What the hell was s/he thinking?”
And then there’s Tim Hardaway.
For those of you under a rock in the last week, the former NBA All-Star offered up some love on Valentine’s Day for John Amaechi, the ex-player who came out of the closet in a book released today.
In a homophobic diatribe on Dan LeBatard’s Miami radio show, Hardaway, among other things, said that he “hated gay people” and would have asked that a teammate be traded if he found out he was gay.
As Howard Wasserman said on his blog (http://sports-law.blogspot.com), Hardaway is “another example of how free expression plays out in sport”.
Let me first off agree with Wasserman in saying that I respect Hardaway’s honesty and guts. While I in no way condone his views, Hardaway has every right to speak his mind in the public media. He held steadfast to his views, and many cite that his views more than likely reflect the bulk of the NBA.
However, Hardaway is also now finding out the Blackstonian concept of free speech: you can say what you want, but don’t have protection on the consequences.
Obviously, the backlash against Hardaway has been one of furor. Out of the limelight for years, the former All-Star became the most hated man in sports last week in an instant.
From a PR standpoint, in all honesty, Hardaway is screwed. Although they are his feelings, malicious words such as the ones in his interview pretty much did irreparable damage; he is now going to forever earn the stigma of a hateful and intolerant person.
Of course, Tim had to issue several apologies since the incident. Initially, however, Hardaway’s damage control was laughable. As noted on an NBA themed blog (http://nba.aolsportsblog.com), the guard appeared sorry that he made the comments out loud, not that he was sorry for their meaning; the blog notes that “Hardaway’s apology is as brief as it is meaningless”. Hardaway has since changed his tune, saying that he “no longer hates gay people”, but few will likely buy his sudden change of heart as sincere and rather as an attempt to save even a centimeter of face. In several interviews, Amaechi said he isn’t buying it either, and that any apology would be too late.
Facing a PR crisis of its own, the NBA acted quickly and effectively. Commissioner David Stern announced that Hardaway would no longer represent the league in an ambassador role (which was fairly obvious even without Stern acting at that point). In addition, Stern indicated that the league was considering gay-tolerance training to future rookies.
In another interesting angle to the Hardaway story, the author of http://deadspin.com/sports/nba believes that ESPN is to blame for all of the controversy. It was ESPN who printed an interview with Amaechi in its magazine and announced his shift in sexuality on its television programs, and it was also ESPN whose radio show carried the Hardaway interview and rebroadcast it on Sportscenter over and over. While I don’t think it would be possible for ESPN to conspire this mess, I’m sure they weren’t holding back on sparking a little controversy to draw readers to their Web site, viewers to their programs, etc.
To sum it up, Tim Hardaway had every legal right to say what he did last week. However, the damage to his reputation is more than likely irreparable in this 21st century society.
In the public spectrum, there are dumb things to say aloud, there are things that are atrocious to say aloud and then there are things that make people say, “What the hell was s/he thinking?”
And then there’s Tim Hardaway.
For those of you under a rock in the last week, the former NBA All-Star offered up some love on Valentine’s Day for John Amaechi, the ex-player who came out of the closet in a book released today.
In a homophobic diatribe on Dan LeBatard’s Miami radio show, Hardaway, among other things, said that he “hated gay people” and would have asked that a teammate be traded if he found out he was gay.
As Howard Wasserman said on his blog (http://sports-law.blogspot.com), Hardaway is “another example of how free expression plays out in sport”.
Let me first off agree with Wasserman in saying that I respect Hardaway’s honesty and guts. While I in no way condone his views, Hardaway has every right to speak his mind in the public media. He held steadfast to his views, and many cite that his views more than likely reflect the bulk of the NBA.
However, Hardaway is also now finding out the Blackstonian concept of free speech: you can say what you want, but don’t have protection on the consequences.
Obviously, the backlash against Hardaway has been one of furor. Out of the limelight for years, the former All-Star became the most hated man in sports last week in an instant.
From a PR standpoint, in all honesty, Hardaway is screwed. Although they are his feelings, malicious words such as the ones in his interview pretty much did irreparable damage; he is now going to forever earn the stigma of a hateful and intolerant person.
Of course, Tim had to issue several apologies since the incident. Initially, however, Hardaway’s damage control was laughable. As noted on an NBA themed blog (http://nba.aolsportsblog.com), the guard appeared sorry that he made the comments out loud, not that he was sorry for their meaning; the blog notes that “Hardaway’s apology is as brief as it is meaningless”. Hardaway has since changed his tune, saying that he “no longer hates gay people”, but few will likely buy his sudden change of heart as sincere and rather as an attempt to save even a centimeter of face. In several interviews, Amaechi said he isn’t buying it either, and that any apology would be too late.
Facing a PR crisis of its own, the NBA acted quickly and effectively. Commissioner David Stern announced that Hardaway would no longer represent the league in an ambassador role (which was fairly obvious even without Stern acting at that point). In addition, Stern indicated that the league was considering gay-tolerance training to future rookies.
In another interesting angle to the Hardaway story, the author of http://deadspin.com/sports/nba believes that ESPN is to blame for all of the controversy. It was ESPN who printed an interview with Amaechi in its magazine and announced his shift in sexuality on its television programs, and it was also ESPN whose radio show carried the Hardaway interview and rebroadcast it on Sportscenter over and over. While I don’t think it would be possible for ESPN to conspire this mess, I’m sure they weren’t holding back on sparking a little controversy to draw readers to their Web site, viewers to their programs, etc.
To sum it up, Tim Hardaway had every legal right to say what he did last week. However, the damage to his reputation is more than likely irreparable in this 21st century society.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Un-TY-ing Chicago's Hands
You may have missed this somewhere in the John Amaechi madness that overtook the NBA headlines last week (which I'll save for a post down the nightmare, as Amaechi has managed to play the fans like a fiddle)...
Bulls rookie forward Tyrus Thomas has the tremendous upside of an NBA youngster. Sick athleticism, a strong jump shot, high expectations after being taken No. 2 overall in the 2006 NBA Draft.
Thomas evidently skipped the part of the rookie manual on what to say to the media.
Last week, after earning an invitation to take part in the slam dunk contest at the NBA All Star Game (which most would argue that the dunk contest and night-before festivities are more interesting than the game), Thomas made cardinal mistake No. 1 in the sports.
He told the media how he actually felt.
Thomas said something akin to that he was only entering the contest to get a check (the winner gets somewhere between $30,000 and $40,000, and all participants I believe take home a grand regardless) and, win, lose or draw, was representing himself and his monetary desires instead of the league, the Bulls, etc.
While most people know that what Thomas said was essentially true (the dunk contest has not been able to attract prime competitors in recent years due to lack of interest and, according to Shaq, the paltry prize), there was a mild uproar regarding his comments.
Within a day, the Bulls took action, fining Thomas and issuing a public statement in which Thomas apologizes, retracted his comments, said he was proud to be representing the league and the Bulls and whatever else Chicago's PR team could drum up for him.
Yeah, the Bulls took the only recourse possible in a situation like this from a publicity standpoint, but I know I'm not buying it...and I can imagine that other sports fans are not either. I guess an apology was necessary to stop the bleeding, and the fine (although I don't believe that was right either) showed that the Bulls were not going to tolerate his stupidity.
However, Chicago's fine and release tactic pretty much made Thomas's comments are as fabricated as they come. It's not likely that Thomas would go back on his original feelings a day later without someone in the office telling him to wise up and go along with it. He already said he was there for the money; there's no way he would all of a sudden roll out of bed and say, "You know what, I'm going to show the pride I have for the Bulls by throwing down a reverse 360 windmill."
I remember back in 1996, when the umpire collapsed and died on opening day in Cincinnati and then-Reds owner and legendary sports nutcase Marge Schott complained about the game being ruined, then sent flowers to the deceased ump's family. Yeah, it was a nice gesture, but the damage was done, and no one believed Schott acted on her own instinct.
As for the Bulls, maybe they should better "educate" their rookies on how to avoid public mishaps like this.
Or maybe it's what they wanted all along....
If anything in the case of Tyrus Thomas, the Bulls may have done what the NBA hasn't been able to in recent years: stir up interest for the All-Star game. If it is true that any publicity is good publicity, the NBA must be loving this. I'm sure there are people out there who had no idea of the names of any of the contest's participants, and some will probably now tune in to see what Tyrus Thomas will do.
That's all for now. Be nice
JC
Bulls rookie forward Tyrus Thomas has the tremendous upside of an NBA youngster. Sick athleticism, a strong jump shot, high expectations after being taken No. 2 overall in the 2006 NBA Draft.
Thomas evidently skipped the part of the rookie manual on what to say to the media.
Last week, after earning an invitation to take part in the slam dunk contest at the NBA All Star Game (which most would argue that the dunk contest and night-before festivities are more interesting than the game), Thomas made cardinal mistake No. 1 in the sports.
He told the media how he actually felt.
Thomas said something akin to that he was only entering the contest to get a check (the winner gets somewhere between $30,000 and $40,000, and all participants I believe take home a grand regardless) and, win, lose or draw, was representing himself and his monetary desires instead of the league, the Bulls, etc.
While most people know that what Thomas said was essentially true (the dunk contest has not been able to attract prime competitors in recent years due to lack of interest and, according to Shaq, the paltry prize), there was a mild uproar regarding his comments.
Within a day, the Bulls took action, fining Thomas and issuing a public statement in which Thomas apologizes, retracted his comments, said he was proud to be representing the league and the Bulls and whatever else Chicago's PR team could drum up for him.
Yeah, the Bulls took the only recourse possible in a situation like this from a publicity standpoint, but I know I'm not buying it...and I can imagine that other sports fans are not either. I guess an apology was necessary to stop the bleeding, and the fine (although I don't believe that was right either) showed that the Bulls were not going to tolerate his stupidity.
However, Chicago's fine and release tactic pretty much made Thomas's comments are as fabricated as they come. It's not likely that Thomas would go back on his original feelings a day later without someone in the office telling him to wise up and go along with it. He already said he was there for the money; there's no way he would all of a sudden roll out of bed and say, "You know what, I'm going to show the pride I have for the Bulls by throwing down a reverse 360 windmill."
I remember back in 1996, when the umpire collapsed and died on opening day in Cincinnati and then-Reds owner and legendary sports nutcase Marge Schott complained about the game being ruined, then sent flowers to the deceased ump's family. Yeah, it was a nice gesture, but the damage was done, and no one believed Schott acted on her own instinct.
As for the Bulls, maybe they should better "educate" their rookies on how to avoid public mishaps like this.
Or maybe it's what they wanted all along....
If anything in the case of Tyrus Thomas, the Bulls may have done what the NBA hasn't been able to in recent years: stir up interest for the All-Star game. If it is true that any publicity is good publicity, the NBA must be loving this. I'm sure there are people out there who had no idea of the names of any of the contest's participants, and some will probably now tune in to see what Tyrus Thomas will do.
That's all for now. Be nice
JC
Thursday, February 8, 2007
GROUNDBREAKING
Well, you gotta start somewhere....
I am a fourth-year PR student at UGA, and this is the origin of the blogging project for my Campaigns class.As a dual sports studies major and ESPN freak, I think I'm going to aim to discuss public relations/media relations/image/etc. issues in the world of sports: mainstream, local, individual athletes, teams, whatever strikes my fancy I guess.
We all know that athletes are not the most graceful individuals at times, and the bodies that oversee them don't always help along the way.
Likewise, some in the sports world go above and beyond to keep a good name. I'll analyze it all along the way.
That's all for now. Be niceJC
I am a fourth-year PR student at UGA, and this is the origin of the blogging project for my Campaigns class.As a dual sports studies major and ESPN freak, I think I'm going to aim to discuss public relations/media relations/image/etc. issues in the world of sports: mainstream, local, individual athletes, teams, whatever strikes my fancy I guess.
We all know that athletes are not the most graceful individuals at times, and the bodies that oversee them don't always help along the way.
Likewise, some in the sports world go above and beyond to keep a good name. I'll analyze it all along the way.
That's all for now. Be niceJC
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