Putting the PR in sPoRts

Braun over Brains

2013-09-06T16:13:00.000-04:00

With another school year in session, it's only appropriate that we start the year with some textbook PR. Spin the PR machine. Ryan Braun has done something that will go down in history, one way or another.

If you don't know the story (See: Bio-genesis scandal) Braun was suspended 65 games after accepting admission to PED use. He was accused of this before and rubbed the names of the sample collector and MLB commissioner in the dirt (Laurenzi Jr; Bud Selig). His admission cost him both a Nike and Muscle Milk sponsorship.

In order to make amends with Milwaukee Brewers fans, the team that has his rights until 2020, he did something that should be commended:

He called every Brewer season ticket holder - personally - to apologize.

Braun wasn't looking for pity. According to various sources, he legitimately apologized to fans and wanted to clarify that he made a mistake. Most of the callers were sympathetic but as the best player on the BrewCrew, he ruined their season half way through the year so some will remain upset for the time being.

So what, you ask? His reputation was drastically damaged and this stunt will exponentially help. He looks like a good guy now. That he cares about his fans. He's admitting and addressing his mistakes personally, through a phone call - not Twitter. He's connecting with fans on a personal level. A cheater is hard to forgive but at least he's over turning his public perception and doing it on his own terms.

Class dismissed.

Had to include this shot...what a jerk.

Brian Urlacher: A Case Study on Athletes & Media Training

2013-03-21T21:38:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, Brian Urlacher rejected an ultimatum of an offer from the Chicago Bears. After spending his entire, 13-year career with the Bears, along with winning NFL Rookie of the Year, 8 Pro Bowl appearances and acting captain, Urlacher is now a free agent.
Why? The Bears simply did not offer him anywhere close to his expected contract.

Whether or not he deserves the money, what's interesting is Urlacher's quiet response to the press release the Bears sent out about not signing him. An obviously personal issue, Urlacher has clearly held back his feelings [with this great and practiced response on 'M&M in the Morning']:

From a PR view; B.U. dealt with this maturely and responsibly. Boring in entertainment standards but this all begs a bigger question:

What happened to big personalities in sports?

No emotion, no curse-words, no overreactions, no Mohammad Ali-moments.
My hunch says that teams of PR pros have 'dumbed' them down over the years. As much as I like to see athletes speak perfectly, it's nice to see their true emotions. Sports are emotional, after all. Let the wild rumpus start!

All this training is turning athletes into robots.

Hooter's Ball Girl Picks Up Fair Ball - Gives it to Fan

2013-03-14T12:39:00.001-04:00

It's much funnier when a Hooter's Ball Girl catches a live, fair ball and gives it to a kid in the stands.

The saddest part is that the Phillies are actually paying her.

So the question becomes: Where is the PR value in this? She's definitely attractive but she's not the main event. Fans don't go to the games hoping Hooter's will bring out their finest talent (I hope not, anyways); they're watching for the players talent. What's the ROI? What's the point? She had her 15 seconds of embarrassment (fame, whatever) but the Phillies still lost.

At least it's only Spring Training.

Chicago Blackhawks rule the NHL

2013-03-09T09:57:00.000-05:00

Undeniably, the Chicago Blackhawks are the best team in the NHL. With one regulation loss this year as of last night, the team of Toews, Kane, Sharp, Hossa, Keith, etc are an unstoppable force. Even more, they have almost clinched a playoff spot at this point (read: this early!) in the season. To make it into the Western Conference playoffs last year, 95 points were needed. Two years ago: 97 points. Three years ago: 95... in 82 games.

This year in 48 games, it's anticipated that teams will need 56 points to make it into the playoffs (at the 8th seed position).

As of March 9, the Blackhawks have 45 points in 25 games (over half the season) and obviously sit in first place. This means that they will only need to win 6 games, anytime in the remainder of the season (which is 20 games) to clinch a playoff birth.

To top it all off, in 2009-2010, Chicago were crowned Stanley Cup Champions.

Enough about the on-ice PR gold mine. The team has also had some great PR success off the ice:

Blackhawks Charities: Have raised over $9-million to support programs and institutions throughout Illinois that work towards creating a better tomorrow for the youth of today. A recent example is the bid for a Marian Hossa 1,000th Game Jersey.
Hossa's Heroes:

The team's only blemish in the last few years was bad tempered Patrick Kane. 2009, the summer before they won the Cup, Kane was charged for assaulting a Buffalo cabbie after the driver was unable to return Kane and his brother change of $0.20. Yep, 20 cents. Both men were charged with felony robbery and misdemeanour counts of theft of services and criminal mischief. Although this was a hot topic at the time, their PR team handled this beautifully and Kane's on-ice performance and eventual Stanley Cup winning goal erased the nightmare.

Chicago Blackhawks will win the Stanley Cup - you heard it here first.

NHL Lockout 2012-13 - Yay or Nay?

2012-10-25T12:10:00.001-04:00

Well, it's not looking good. Today is the last day for the NHLPA and the Owners to come to a speedy resolution without cutting into the traditional 82 game season. The ticker has literally run out on nhllockout2013.com.

As I wrote in June (YEAH THAT'S RIGHT! IN YOUR FACE!), there will be a temporary lockout this year. They are a product of unfortunate trends. Although in this circumstance it is mostly about money, it is still true about ratings. Money has to come from somewhere! If you haven't read an earlier post I wrote on lockouts and why they happen, read here now (otherwise you won't 'get' the
rest of my post).

Look, everything is supposed to be for the fans, that's just fact. And the fans are getting robbed; we want hockey, especially here in Canada! I have never heard so many people say: "I want hockey so badly I would...[insert ridiculous proposal]". I've read national stories about a man who pleaded for the lockout to end so that he could watch the games with his dying father. That's heartbreaking and incredibly BAD public relations for the NHL. I don't think I need to explain why.

Gary Bettman is a stubborn man, yes, but he's protecting the league as a whole. I understand that and appreciate that he wants to make everyone happy. If the owners aren't happy and accept a deal where they're not favoured, they will feel cheated. Same goes for the players.

There goes the revenue for NHL13. Or will people buy simply because they can't watch it (maybe have the computers play against each other!)? What about the Winter Classic at the biggest stadium that hockey has ever been played in?

This lockout does so much damage to the sport. Not having children grow up with the ability to watch their favourite athletes, will destroy our entire nation and sense of patriotism. Canada already struggles to find itself an identity, hockey makes us stand out. Remember all of the Gold medals, Summit Series and International Hockey Championships that Canada has won? I hope so because this lockout might mean those are the last times we win. It's our national sport, don't force kids to watch Junior A or B hockey. We need to see the finest talent prosper and young talent grow.

What frustrates me even more is that they aren't even willing to meet. Both sides are so stubborn presently that they are throwing away their future (at least for this year). If there is a season, the league will spend a lot time putting out PR fires via fighting and illegal hits and everything else that gives the game a bad rep. These issues STILL haven't been raised, amended or corrected. Good luck NHL PR dep't and see you next year.

Currently growing a lockout beard.

The Sad State of the UFC today

2012-09-18T12:10:00.001-04:00

Although I have been openly saying Dana White has done a good job over the years, my opinion is beginning to change. Before you call me a flip-flopper, let me explain:

The entire UFC has changed in the last year. There are way too many events. The true beginning of the UFC was in April '05: the first fight after the first season of The Ultimate Fighter. It was dubbed UFC 52: Couture VS. Liddell 2. This was a simple marketing approach. Those who knew the sport, understood the quality of these fighters and what was at stake. Those who didn't, watched these guys coach their athletes and talk shit to each other for at least 5 episodes. No one remembers who won the first fight - but they knew the two had a history. And the drama was built. It was a great fight, yadda yadda yadda, and the sport built momentum to become what it was...until last year.

Taking into consideration that the number of fights have increased, the UFC has been in decline (2012: 11,100 attendance approx - 20 events to date, 31 scheduled, not including one events cancellation; 2011: 12,900 attendance approx - 27 events). This includes going to new, large markets this year such as Calgary, Sweden and Japan.

To date, the UFC has now had 214 events. As mentioned above, in 2005 - they were at UFC 52. In 2012 alone, there has already been 20 events. Since it's not even the 10th month, that's more than 2 a month (or one every two weeks!)
Thanks to Wikipedia, I drew up a quick graph of these:

Events are happening more frequently, which means the UFC has to scramble to create fight cards that will draw fans. Now that the uniqueness of the sport has worn off, the UFC needs to build hype by setting up exciting fights with worthy contenders. Unfortunately, the UFC has been headlining average fighters who will face off against each other multiple times in the same year (Ex: Henderson Vs. Edgar I & II).

Without a strong headliner, fights are hard to promote. What the UFC has switched (and why I have been disappointed) is that they have been having good fighters (Anderson Silva & Jon Bones Jones) headline against fighters who are certainly not worthy (Ex: Silva Vs. Franklin II; Jones Vs. Belfort; Silva Vs. Bonnar - Yep, the Stephan Bonnar from TUF 1, 2005).
Yes, injuries play a large role in choosing the fights. But this wouldn't be a big deal for fighters if they didn't fight 3 or 4 times a year (Henderson). Injuries can ruin a card.
My suggestion to the PR team and Dana, take a break for a while. The UFC is not what it used to be. It's time to build up the hype again. There is some exciting fighters at the top of their game but they're not getting the fights they should. Rather than scheduling a fight in stone, set up fights that are worth watching and not entirely one sided. Get your fans excited and stop pumping out empty, nameless events.

UFC 1000: The same two guys. Coming early 2013.

Lance Armstrong: "Haters gonna hate"

2012-08-24T10:22:00.001-04:00

Lance Armstrong is amazing with or without the titles. Armstrong, aka The Boss, aka Juan Pelota, aka Big Tex, aka The Texan, aka Mellow Johnny, has done more than you in his lifetime. Why do I say that? Here's a quick checklist:

Survive testicular cancer, after it metastasized to his brain and lungs - check (By the way, his cancer treatments included brain and testicular surgery and extensive chemotherapy. His prognosis was originally poor)
Win the Tour de France seven consecutive times AFTER beating cancer - check
Raised tens of millions of dollars for charity - check (Did this via the Lance Armstrong Foundation and Livestrong [the yellow bracelet you wore] which provides support for people living with cancer)
Named the ABC Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year, 1999; Sports Illustrated magazine Sportsman of the Year, 2002; Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year for the years 2002–2005.; ESPN's ESPY Award for Best Male Athlete in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006; the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Overseas Personality Award in 2003 - check

And now, after years of being harassed by anti-doping teams world-wide, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency said it will ban the cyclist for life and recommend he be stripped of his Tour de France titles. What a brutal way to let a guy retire in peace, USADA.

In a statement addressing these allegations, Lance said 'enough is enough' - that he is sick of being bothered by doping claims and PED rumours, which began in 1999. Check out his comments here.

I think this is a great PR move by Lance to explain his reasoning for letting the USADA do whatever they want, show his position and post this on his webpage / tweet it out to people who care about him.
You take away his records, but you can't take away the millions he has raised to help cancer patients/survivors.

Sorry Lance, Haters gonna hate.

Without Lin, the Knicks commit PR suicide

2012-07-16T16:48:00.001-04:00

Jeremy Lin may depart from the New York Knicks. This may be the biggest crisis for any NBA franchise since the lockout. One year ago, Linsanity was looking for a team to play on. After a fantastic spurt with the Knicks, he became one of the biggest names in the game today. According to the Bleacher Report, Lin's had the second highest jersey sales behind Derrick Rose, this year (that means ahead of Kobe and Lebron).

The New York fans will never forget his role and what he brought to their team this season, regardless of how long it was for. Not only did he bring the fans some hope at a desperate time but brought the Knicks some serious revenue. Every news outlet (TIME, ESPN, you name it) in the U.S. and Canada had their take on the New York Knicks and their side of the Jeremy Lin story. It was a publicists dream - no pitching involved - and positive stories coming from left and right. He alone branded the team for the 2011-12 season as 'Linsanity in NYC'.

Now that his contract is up, the fans are demanding him back. However, his contract might be heavy but so far this off-season, the team may as well throw their year away. More on Lin and if keeping him would be a PR dream.

If they want to keep their fans happy, The Knicks should keep him on the bench until the fourth quarter (losing or winning)

Steve Nash to save the Raps?

2012-07-03T14:03:00.003-04:00

WELL, maybe not.

Steve Nash is expected to sign with the Raptors later this week. Two problems: where does this get the team when he retires and is he good enough to win them a championship?

Don't get me wrong, Steve Nash is still one of the best players in the league today. But, this isn't 2005 anymore. There's no Dirk or Finley. Instead, Demar Derozan and Andrea Bargnani will have to do. His 2 MVP winning seasons had players that could start on any team.

However, Captain Canada (Nash) still brings a lot to the table.
Most notably: Publicity!
His personality is enough to reignite a fire underneath Raptors fans to actually go to a game and maybe even cheer.
His talent will be suspect in his final few years but he will be one of the most popular people in Canada (if he isn't already). Toronto has become a dead basketball city in need of revitalization, starting with improving the public eye and ending with a championship.

However, I don't think he will last more than three seasons and his last will be riddled with injuries; but I wish him the best if he chooses the Raps. If they make the playoffs any of those seasons, I will be impressed and surprised. I highly doubt they would make a deep playoff run, never mind a birth.

The last Rap's game I saw, also looked like this:

BREAKING NEWS: STEVE NASH SIGNS WITH TEAM LIQUID:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xRr6FT6DaA

NHL Lockout 2013

2012-06-12T11:18:00.002-04:00

After last night's demolishing victory over the New Jersey Devils, I decided to re-evaluate the effect of the L.A. Kings big win and the position that the NHL will be in next year.

My conclusion: NHL - 2013 - Temporary Lockout caused by: broadcast ratings, lack of attendance (See end of page) / owners ROI or player safety.

What else? The L.A. Kings and New Jersey Devils play in the Stanley Cup and no one cares. This year's Cup Final trailed last year. As USA Today reported: "Ratings for the first two games, on NBC, were down 25% from last year, while the next two on NBC Sports Network were off 33% -- and the overnight for Game 5 on NBC was off 19%."

Here's how I came to that...

Over the last few decades, it seems as though the popularity of teams in professional sports plays an important role of the likelihood of a season the year after. There seems to be a trend on the excitement of the season, ratings and winning team popularity that correlates to the future of the league.
I'm not saying there's a direct cause and effect of popularity. Strikes and lockouts are caused by more than just one factor. For example, rule changes / player salaries vs. owner profit / collective bargaining / player agreement arrangements / etc. are all factors that play a key role.

NBA - 2011/12 - Temporary lockout resulting in half a season caused by owners upon expiration of the 2005 collective bargaining agreement. What else? Despite charismatic owner Mark Cuban, the Dallas Mavericks were certainly not America's team. Their captain and unstoppable leader Dirk Nowitzki lead the Mavs to win the Championship in 2010-11 after beating the Miami Heat 'All-American Dream-Team' of Lebron, Wade and Bosh

NFL - 2011/12 - Not an official lockout but caused by owners and the NFLPA who could not come to a consensus on a new collective bargaining agreement, delaying pre-season. What else? The ratings for the season prior were up 10% however pre-game show ratings were at an all-time low. Perhaps fans were getting sick of the repetitiveness of the same teams doing well and the bad ones still losing

NHL - 2004/05 - Full-blown lock out caused by a labour dispute between NHL owners and the NHLPA over collective bargaining. What else? At this point, the discrepancy between the popularity of hockey and other sports in America was evident. Hockey was not doing well and an unlikeable Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup in 2004. Prior to their Stanley Cup, Tampa Bay had a low attendance record and were looking at possibly moving the team. Tampa also knocked out the top 5 most popular (and well-attended - see below) teams, the Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers and the Calgary Flames, in the playoffs

MLB - 1994/95 - Strike caused by the owners of major league baseball teams who collectively proposed a salary cap to their players. What else? The Toronto Blue Jays, the MLB's least popular team, win back-to-back World Series prior

NFL - 1987/88 - Strike caused by players union who demanded that a wage scale be based on percentage of gross revenues be implemented; NFLPA wanted 55%. What else? John Elway, in his prime, lost the Super Bowl to the New York Football Giants who were heavy favourites over the Broncos and beat them by multiple touchdowns

NFL - 1982/83 - Strike caused by a lack of collective bargaining agreement. What else? San Francisco 49ers win in 1982 for the org's first time with Joe Montana. Despite this, the Bengals were actually the more popular team: a Superbowl dark-horse after finishing the prior-season 6-10 and never having won a playoff game. The game was a bit of a wash, but so was football 20 years ago

For a cool infografic on the history of lockouts and strikes, check this site out.

I guess I'll try another sport, like knitting.

OPEN LETTER TO 'OPEN LETTER TO LEAFS FANS'

2012-04-10T10:39:00.002-04:00

Dear Larry Tanenbaum (MLSE Chairman),
Thank you for accepting some of the responsibility for the Maple Leaf's lackluster performance this year.

Great PR move. Finally, it seems as though someone in Toronto Maple Leafs management actually cares about the fans! The full page insert in the Globe and Mail (imagine if it were in the Sun?!) is a classy move and certainly boosts your reputation.

The words Tanenbaum used were simple and concise, especially for a Cornell grad, which spread a message that he is disappointed with the entire organization. The letter speaks about the team having an unacceptable end to the season as well as highlighting MLSE's (as a brand) key messages of: passion, hard work and accountability. I think this letter hit the nail on the head. Apologizing, moving forward and reassuring the fans are ways that will always work on the public to increase your declining image.

Although your intentions were good, it doesn't account for the consistent failure in the entirety of MLSE history.

The Raptors and Canucks have also done this.

Another Disappointing NHL Trade Deadline

2012-02-27T16:54:00.001-05:00

UGH.
It happened again. What you ask? NOTHING. The 2011-2012 NHL Trade Deadline produced no significant changes in any team.
In the last week, it was obvious that the Tampa Bay Lightning were the busiest, but no major trades were made in the NHL.

What happened to the good old days when teams would trade for a bag of pucks for other players?
Here's a list of trades that happened this year - or you could just take my word for it that no one made any significant trades.
Here's why (one of many reasons):
When a team decides to trade a big name player (especially for draft picks), they risk the chance of losing some player-based capital (ie: jersey sales, ticket pricing based on superstars along with a million other money makers). Not to mention that the loss of income can hurt a team in the short term, but the team's public view becomes distorted and it's time for the communications team to earn their pay.

With a team's superstar players, an organization builds up a reputation, whether negative or positive. No matter if the player has a good or bad public image, the team's reputation always depends on the outcome of the trade (who got the better end of the deal).

If you were to trade away your best player (let's say 'he' has a eight years of experience), for first and second round draft picks; your team's public image becomes that of a 'team building towards the future'. If you trade for an experienced players, a la notoriously bad at trading Toronto Maple Leafs circa 1996-2006, then your team may become known as a 'team of old-timers' or 'trying to make the playoffs'.

It's not to say that they aren't a variety of reasons to pick up different valued or aged players but what is important is how the public perceives this. Believe me when I tell you: every GM considers this!

On the same note, teams with a poor rapport can obviously gain some great publicity by trading up. Fans who lost interest in their clubs may suddenly be sparked to start watching again due to the team's newest acquisition.

What's important here is the risk involved in trading. Since management is responsible to make money and win, it becomes difficult to see any other way to accomplish this than sticking with your big guns, or the guys who are going to score 30-goal seasons. These are the same guys that your team has been built around for months if not years and the same guys that kids are growing up, dreaming to be like (remember Dave Chappelle's skit?). Is it worth risking valuable players to gain someone who may or may not fit in the system?

Either way, we would all like to see trade deadline days have more action.

Green Eggs and Cam Newton

2011-08-10T12:52:00.001-04:00

"No I will not eat green eggs and ham, Cam I am."

Cam Newton, scheduled to be the Carolina Panthers' number one, has just been given the playbook as homework before the season starts. However, there has been some 'adjustments' in the playbook to help Cam Newton learn the book quickly. In other words, the Carolina organization has 'dumbed-down' the book in order for Newton to understand the basics.

Here lies the issue. In an interview, Newton said: "That's Dr. Seuss compared to doggone Shakespeare". I interpret this in a few different ways.
First, Newton is referring to the difference in difficulty of the playbook compared with others, he basically said the Carolina Panthers needed to dumb it down so he can understand it.
Secondly, he is suggesting the Carolina Panthers do not trust his reading skills.
Thirdly, Newton has a hard time reading Shakespeare.
Fourthly, the Carolina Panthers are simpletons.
Fifthly, Shakespeare is superior to Dr. Seuss.
For more on this, read about it here.

In light of this, I took it upon myself to create the new cover of the playbook:

I feel it is appropriate, the top right corner would naturally display the Panthers' logo.

It appears Newton is happy with his contract and for his sake, I hope he gets some media training in Carolina before he moves forward. Carolina, who went 2-14 last year, is looking to the young QB to step it up. Still, he needs PR.
Next post: 'Newton Hears a Who' and 'One Miss Two Miss, Starting QB Back Up QB'.

I wish him well and as Anthony Jeselnik once said: you should probably read more.

Two minutes for two idiots, and Tiger Woods and Kevin Durant

2011-08-05T12:22:00.003-04:00

No Class
Someone tell me what happens when athletes are on the off season and have time on their hands?
In one night, two 'class acts' got into trouble. Big time.

Making news today, August 5th, 2011:

Last night, Sean Avery was arrested after he pushed a cop. Apparently he was taunting the police by referring to them as 'Fat, Little Pigs'. After challenging them, he was arrested. AND now, he needs some PR, quick.

Last night, Michael Beasley pushed a fan in the face. He was being heckled at a streetball tourney at Dyckman in Washington. Consequences at this time are unknown but what we do know is that his reputation is about to take a hit. And now, he needs some PR, quick.

Haven't heard from either of these guys since the incident. I guess it is true that you only get one phone call when you're in jail.

Speaking of losers, Tiger Woods is looking to shoot worse than par this weekend. Does he still have what it takes or should we expect him to continue his slump. Tune in next week!
Either way, we all know his PR team is excellent and his media training is impeccable. Expect a sob story about his game not being up to 'par' and his failure to 'approach' his "drive" to win. If you didn't catch those, here's a glossary of golf terms.

On the plus side, let's look at the good things Kevin Durant is doing for the community, Oklahoma City Thunder and the NBA. Here's a look at his 'schedule' for the month of August (via TheScore.com):

His involvement in the community is quite impressive. Despite blowing out each opponent he faces single-handed, his impact on the regular, everyday people he is playing against is priceless. (I guess you can read more about Kevin Durant's social responsibility somewhere else, if you want to. I don't recommend leaving this blog though...ever.) This outreach will prove to enhance Durant's presence in the community and his worldwide reputation. He needs PR (in order to put this story in the press).

Too bad all athletes can't behave like Kevin Durant.

NHL Awards: Missing the Wide-Open Net

2011-06-23T12:42:00.000-04:00

The NHL Awards took place last night. On a night where the glitz, glam and fashion statements (read Kevin Smith Jersey and Jorts) come out, it was probably the worst awards show I've witnessed. If you missed it - you can check it out here but you don't have to.

To begin, the duration of the red carpet was 2 hours...I had no idea the NHL Awards were close competition to the Oscars?
Jay Mohr, who I actually (normally) enjoy, botched his emcee duties.
Drying paint got bored of his jokes. His spoof of 24/7, called 24/6 (Hilarious duplication! Get it!? 24/6 not 24/7) was not funny.

Jon Hamm put you to shame, sir, even though he loves the Blues.

Who invited Dierks Bentley? I still don't know who he is and I was watching.

Historically, the NHL Awards are an opportunity to reward the players who have stood out in the league and made a difference in their communities. It is a PR dream to showcase the highlights that individuals have played throughout the season, on and off the ice. This is the one chance that the NHL can finally say that they are doing good in the community as well as fuel the egos of the young stars who performed particularly well. They tried, but unfortunately, the award show turned out mundane.

I ask an important question: How can you fail to mention the important people that passed away this year, some of which had a major impact on the NHL?

Derek Boogard became the first player in NHL history to die of concussion complications in the millennium of 'increased player safety'. Pat Burns, one of the most influential coaches ever, wasn't credited.

And what was with the American patriotism. I'm all for American Troops and what not, but seriously, it's also a Canadian game. Where were the mounties presenting awards? It seemed to me that despite the Ryan VS Ryan segment, the awards missed that point that hockey is truly Canadian.

I thought Tim Thomas's mustache was going to get up off his face and beat up Luongo and Schneider during the William Jennings (award for least goals against in the regular season).

In terms of acceptance speeches, here's a note for players: PRACTICE YOUR SPEECH! How can Jeff Skinner go up to the podium, attempt to wing it and have no clue what to say. If he didn't say 'uhhh' after every word it wouldn't have been the worst acceptance speech. Zeppelin were upset with how much he rambled on. Ok, bad joke but seriously Jeff, you're a rookie; you need to show that you're serious and professional about your job (that DOES include public speaking by the way).

So to Jeff Skinner and Corey Perry: You need media training. You need Trill PR.

Despite a decent award night for Daniel Sedin, seeing this photo made me smirk a little bit more:

So after all the mentions of hot topics: the Vancouver riot (Mohr said Vancouver is the marijuana capital of the planet - I say Amsterdam), Canada getting a new team (Atlanta was the butt of all jokes), the booing of Bettman at the Cup presentation (round of applause?), concussion syndrome a la NHL Poster Boy Sidney Crosby and many others (uncomfortable silence); the NHL awards and Gary Bettman failed to clean up the messy loose ends that will undoubtedly tie-up the off-season, full with drama and speculation.

One thumb up for Alex Burrows, who showed enjoyment after being insulted.

Case Study: PR Lesson on How to be the Pittsburgh Penguins Comm. Dept.

2011-04-08T17:14:00.000-04:00

Pittsburgh Penguins PR department have had their hands full.
Here's a look at the roller coaster of events that they have dealt with in the last few months and how they have handled them.
I call this section: PR 101

Evgeni Malkin out with season ending surgery.
How the PR Team did: B-
What is more than a nightmare for the team became irrelevant as the Penguins clinched fourth spot. There was internal knowledge of the state of Malkin's knee, so an explanation to the public was relatively simple and they delivered a good message: "It's bad. He's done for the season."

Sergei Gonchar, top defenseman, traded.
How the PR Team did: A
Dealing with the explanation of trades are actually relatively easy for the PR team. They often stick the spokesperson at the helm with some media training (or not) and let them answer the tough questions. It's the coaches/GMs career on the line; and no one else. In this case: "Gonchar is old and expensive".

Captain Canada aka Sidney Crosby suffered two consecutive vicious hits in early January and was concussed.
How the PR Team did: C-
Plans to return any day, now...but the PR team has said that for over a month now. It's time to be clear - is he playing in the playoffs or not? Their response: "We're not taking risks".
OK BUT WHEN WILL HE PLAY AGAIN!?

Lastly, the Penguins had to deal with GM (Super) Mario Lemieux's comments about head shots and dirty play from specific players in the league (to remain unnamed) seems quite satirical considering this...

Matt Cooke - A goon amongst gentlemen

How the PR Team did: A+
He has been suspended for his sixth time in 800 games, this time, for the remainder of the season (14-plus-games). Cooke has only 300 points but managed to rack up just under 1000 PIMers in his career (988), more than one minute per game.
Complete knucklehead - but despite this, he has a great PR team around him. He publicly admitted he has to change his game and what he is doing is inappropriate conduct.

Good work PR team! Next, keep Matt Cooke out of the papers after his next stunt (which will happen) and you're communications department will remain the best kept secret in the NHL.

I guess winning a Stanley Cup pays the bills for the future - what happens next year?!

Last-Call Pick Up – A Quick Look at Upcoming Free Agency

2011-03-04T14:53:00.001-05:00

Easy-pickings.

It’s past last-call, the house lights are on and people begin to clear out of the club. As desperation sets in, each man begins to pick up a prospect and plan the rest of the night quickly before competition settles in. But there’s always one lonely, drunk, unattractive girl in the middle of the dance floor (who just can’t find a man) and similarly, here is a list of the players that have yet to be asked to ‘dance’, either.

Take a brief look at this table. I’ll wait. Done? Great.

Salary shredding has been the theme for this years trade deadline and as of July 1, the above players will be on the market. The NHL may have a public relations nightmare with the drama about to succumb since half of the teams will have money but no affordable players. Get used to it, Bettman.

Who’s worth picking up?

Richards! Undoubtedly the best player amongst the rest of these misfits since the Notables will definitely be re-signed faster than BizNasty2point0 will be able to tweet about it. Any team could use a Brad Richards-esque player but the New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs will be the two top-contenders in the bidding war.

Forget about other Centres - Brooks Laich, J. Arnott and M. Handzus who aim to compete for a third line position (maybe second-line-centre for the Senators).

Tim Connolly should have been taken off this list since he’s numbers are ghost like Swayze.

The left-winger market is so pathetic; I wouldn’t even touch them with Chara’s stick. Sitting second to Richards is Simon Gagne, despite his translucent play for the Bolts. Gagne’s contract will be unbelievable (upwards of $6-million/year) but I’m sure his agent is happy. Gagne’s pitch to teams will likely include: a Social Media Press Release (SMR), a YouTube video of why he would like to play for them, and mention of his Facebook, Fliqr, Del.ic.ious, Digg and Twitter pages. His contract is set to be: non-negotiable, non-refundable, not-two-way with a no-trade clause and, like his play this year, non-existent. Not worth purchasing him, in my opinion.

*Note: All other FA right-wingers are in their mid 30s.

Vokoun and Bryz are both decent goalies but Vokoun will be pushing 35 this year and Bryzgalov will undoubtedly want an obscene contract extension with Phoenix.

Phoenix Coyotes

Money needed for buyout: $200-Million

Paying Bryzgalov’s next contract: $70-million

Keeping up with maintenance fees: $5-million

Staying out of the red: $100-million

Keeping their franchise alive: pricey.

I hope you enjoyed a quick glance at the free-agency market, as bare as it is.

Canada's rate of child obesity in children is rising - CSN Stores maybe the answer

2011-01-14T14:35:00.003-05:00

It's no mystery why American kids are fat. They love fatty foods, sitting on the couch playing video games and WATCHING sports; as opposed to playing them. So here's an idea to make sure our beloved Canadian children do not follow the path of our southern friends. I'm on a site right now, called swingsetsandmore.com. It offers brand name swingsets, bikes, trampolines and tons of other accessories for bargain prices. CSN Stores has over 200 online stores where you can find anything you need whether it be swingsets, fitness equipment, or even cookware!

It's pretty dope, actually.

If your kid doesn't like sports or finds themselves not fitting in with athletics at school, you need to hook him/her up with a trampoline! Provides endless physical exercise and tons of fun! Haven't you seen gymnasts' bodies? They're unreal.

If your kid is already over weight, a swingset will help them develop a fit core and build leg strength to get rid of that nonsense and become healthy and comfortable again.

SO - Here's the deal:

The first person to check out this site and comment on it below will win a $25 gift certificate to CSN Stores!

CHECK IT OUT NOW!

http://www.swingsetsandmore.com/

KO's and Oks for the UFC

2011-01-05T14:15:00.001-05:00

Chael goes to jail.

Well, maybe.
Dana White has put Chael Sonnen's career in the UFC on hold after Sonnen had been convicted of money laundering. He illegally transferred $69,000 into his account; how? I don't know. Something to do with plumbing. But it happened. Read more here.

In a press conference yesterday, Dana White made the right call by announcing that Sonnen will be put on 'time-out' until he gets his personal life together. Sonnen's manager also made a statement saying Sonnen plans on complying with authorities (UFC and other) in order to make this event go over as smoothly as possible.

A good move on Dana White's part since the UFC is still struggling to enter their ideal market and join the ranks of the cable TV network that includes the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL. However, as White tries to legitimize MMA more and more, his efforts are still quite different from other leagues. Simply banning an athlete from a fight may actually be more detrimental to their career than in any other sport.

MMA fighters have a maximum amount of fights that they are allowed in a year. In fact, UFC fighters range between 2-3 a year to 12 times (once a month - if the doctor clears them and rarely does this happen). In considering this, top pay-per-view fighters are looking at $500,000 (GSP made $400k for UFC100) at contract; including bonuses and not including endorsements. For someone of Sonnen's caliber, provided his sponsor(s) drops him, he may be missing out on between $200,000 - $300,000.
My favourite part about this - he only laundered $60,000. That's not even half of what he could of made at UFC 128.

Here are my predictions for UFC 126:

Middleweight Championship bout: Anderson Silva (WINNER) vs. Vitor Belfort^[1]
Light Heavyweight bout: Forrest Griffin vs. Rich Franklin^[1](WINNER)
Welterweight bout: Jake Ellenberger vs. Carlos Eduardo Rocha^[1](WINNER)
Light Heavyweight bout: Jon Jones (WINNER) vs. Ryan Bader^[1]
Bantamweight bout: Miguel Torres (WINNER) vs. Antonio Banuelos^[1]

Well there you have it. I'm out.

And remember...when you're in the eyes of the public: it's better to be safe than sorry.

Technical Knockout: The Boxing Hall of Fame: An Ultimate Embarrassment

2010-12-15T14:21:00.001-05:00

Got PR?

Well, International Boxing Hall of Fame, you will certainly need some after your plans to induct two terrible men; one of which is the worst possible choice I could imagine.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, read this post first and I'll just wait here.
Waiting...
Waiting...
Done? Ok, great.

Let's first talk about Mikey T.
Once named "The Baddest Man on the Planet" along with other monikers such as "Iron Mike", "Kid Dynamite", "The Unbeatable Retard", "The I Guess He's Beatable Retard"and eventually the "Manhattan Molester", we must remember the past of Mike Tyson.
At an incredible 20 years old, Tyson knocked out the aging Trevor Berbick to become the youngest heavy weight champion of all time. He finished his career 50 wins (44 KOs) and 6 losses (5 KOs). But most impressively, Tyson simultaneously pissed off the entire boxing community, most of the USA and eventually most of the world. How?
Total Recall: Rape. Prison. Conversion. Comeback. Failed comeback. Bankruptcy. Retirement.

I guess PR was just promotions back then since both Don King and Teddy Atlas failed to protect a mentally destroyed boy by introducing him to society and not a shrink.

Tyson deserves to be in the boxing hall of fame, but when he dies. He doesn't deserve the ego boost or the press surrounding this introduction.
If you truly dislike Mike Tyson, check out this site for a good laugh. Also funny, Tyson won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year 1989 - I bet they wish they could revoke that.
Next candidate SYLVESTER STALLONE. Yes, that's right. A movie star, NOT a professional fighter, will be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. We're talking about an actor, not even his character Rocky Balboa, will be granted this honor. Stallone has never been in a professional fight in his life. But I can understand why they granted him this honor; he created such a great character. Or not. But wait, he based 'Rocky' off of a real person. But, wait, Rocky wasn't original at all. But wait, he made 5 movies. But, wait.

This is the worst thing I've heard the IBHoF doing. Call me when you finally induct your 12 fighters for 2011 and I'll give you some free advice on why your campaign turned ugly and you've lost your crediblity. Hint: Learn from Sesame Street: "One of these things just doesn't belong here": "One of these men isn't really a fight-er."

My suggestions, add Rocky's lady-friend into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and then close it down until MMA and boxing collaborate, selfish children.

While Alex Rodriguez will have asterisks next to his name, Stallone will have a quote: "I feel like a kangaroo... all this stuff in my pocket."

Expecting a call in early 2011, before boxing turns into this.

Hit and Miss - Tom Brady and Peyton Manning: A Case Study

2010-12-10T13:05:00.001-05:00

The "changing of the guard" has come for Peyton Manning.
He has lost the yearly competition with Tom Brady for the 'Ultimate Quarterback of the Universe', especially when public relations is involved.

Hit- After having an argument with friends over Tom Brady, here are some conclusions I have come to.
A- Amazing. Not much of a conclusion, I know, but the truth is he has 27 Tds and 4 picks all year. Pretty impressive numbers, all around. Numbers speak louder than words and we all love stats! Free pr.
B- Bundchen, Gisele. He has a gorgeous, super-model wife. If you have an argument, he will always have a hotter wife, end of story. And what a story that the media eats up any chance they get. Remember when Brady had a hurt leg and was using a cane? Good PR move to escape that one.
C- Cassell. People said that the offensive line with the was the reason that Matt Cassell was so good when Brady was hurt. The Pats O-Line is pretty good, but in actuality, Cassell looks pretty good. He started 3-0 with KC and they are currently 8-4, probably making the playoffs and leading the AFC West.
D- Decisiveness. Recently, a small minority of people claim that Brady's receivers are the reason that he has been so successful.

Incorrect. For two reasons:

Brady decides who to throw to based on a number of factors such as their position on their field, his ability and the judgment of their ability.
Tom Brady shares the ball. Name one receiver that has played with the Patriots in the last few years that has become a standout, incredible player with the Pats and continued to be good anywhere else. Brady makes his receivers good.

In fact, try to name the best receivers for the Pats and then compare them to any other receiving core. Almost Randy Moss, but his best years were way behind him before he came and left the Patriots.
*Wes Welker hasn't played anywhere else yet, so we'll leave this point like Barry Bond's career; an asterisk.
E-Ego. As in keeping it in check. Although Tom Brady might be one of the most confident people in the league, I'm not a statistician, but I'm sure he is one of the league leaders for comebacks; especially in the fourth quarter. He has always kept his cool, from press conference to field. Peyton has been noticeably 'off' of his usual self while the Colts have struggled and this has been evident in his conversations with the media. I guess the clever MasterCard commercials he was in didn't cross-over into showing his real personality.
I could go onto F but I relieve you of my profanity.
As much as I am happy for Brady, there is still hope for Peyton to prove to be the better of the two. In the next three weeks, he is set to play the Texans, who have a pass defensive ranking that is dead last, KC who is ranked 21st and the Titans; who showed that they couldn't stop Indy on Thursday Night Football, December 9th.

Miss- The miss, in Manning's case, is the playoffs. The 7-6 Colts may be near the top of their but they have to play two up and coming teams that will look to literally run all over the 29th ranked rush defence. The Houston Texans, with incredible running back Arian Foster, and Kansas City's HB Jamal Charles, will likely have record setting days with the help of the struggling Indianapolis D. Also, the Texans' and Chiefs' rush defense is slightly above average so watch for them to completely shut down the last ranked and non-existant run game of the Colts.

There is hope for Indy to squeak out another win over the Tennessee Titans (Defense Pass Rank #25) at the end of the regular season, who will surely be unforgiving since their two point lost on Dec. 9.

Can't wait to hear the disappointment in Manning's voice when he has to tell the league he is retiring on account of his team being bad and ruining his stats!

Admission: Vick is quite Sick, McNabb is McBadd.

2010-11-16T16:30:00.002-05:00

I have to admit: Michael Vick is still quick, slick and a great pick for comeback player of the year.

Even though he has just signed a brand new contract at $40-million to $80-million, Donavan McNabb had 3 turnovers last night. But, Washington front office will only owe McNabb under $4 million, if he is cut within 10 games.

After last night's game, the domination of the Redskins by the Eagles, Vick looks as good as ever. I only hope that for Vick, this isn't his last hooray before the end of the season. The 6-3 Eagles should easily make the playoffs at this point. Their toughest competition coming next week against the 6-3 Giants and again a few weeks later.

Unfortunately for them, they don't get to plow over Washington, again.

Hit and Miss: Sunny in Philadelphia, Heat Turned Off in Miami

2010-11-12T15:32:00.001-05:00

It must be cold in Miami! The 5-4 Heat, stacked with Bosh, James and Wade, have been in the off-position. For a team that should easily be putting up 125 points a night, the Heat should change their name to the 'Cold'. Perhaps this way their opponents will get sick and...I don't know where I was going with that. Anyways- for a team that plays their starters for the whole game (James and Wade are playing 44 minutes plus per game), one would expect a blowout win every night.

Vick looks sick. Lebron, Dwayne and Chris must feel sick.

First off - Michael Vick, welcome back. I guess if you're a celebrity, you really can get away with murder.

I am still going to praise you. Even after taking a huge hit to your career due to dog fighting charges (and the one by DeAngelo Hall), you have played well and kudos to you.

Enough about you, you still need to earn your respect back. You'll be putting your PR team's kids through University with all the money you owe them.

But here's a list of PR-related things that are missing from this season's dream-team Heat:

A blowout win every night
David Stern to fine them every game for showboating
David Stern declaring them the 2010-11 NBA champions after 10 games
Club shooting where Lebron, Wade and Bosh each get shot 8 times and make a rap video soon after.
The league to ban firearms in the locker room - Oh sorry Gilbert, who would have guessed they would have done something like that?!
W, B and J to quit basketball and dominate every other team sport - Florida Panthers, Florida Marlins, Miami Dolphins...

Thanks for reading...and remember:

When athletes f--- up, there's always PR.

1-800-SEX-LINE - Good work, team!

Unlucky Number 113 for Lyoto Machida ...PR for Koscheck

2010-05-09T15:18:00.002-04:00

IT IS ALL OVER!

A classic scream from ringside announcer Mike Goldberg. Mauricio Shogun Rua knocked out Lyoto Machida within minutes of the first round at UFC 113. Making quick work of what he could not finish, Rua made sure his hand was held at the end of the fight, which was quicker and less painless to watch than UFC 104. And so he should have. With nothing to lose, Shogun came out throwing. In my opinion, Shogun was also the better of the two fighters last time in Montreal at UFC 104. Now that the main event is out of the way, let's get involved with a more interesting topic...

Public Relations...

After a slow fight again Paul Daley, and a questionable knee, Josh 'Kos' Koscheck received more than just a win. He will need a publicist soon to help him as he is now the next coach of The Ultimate Fighter. Seeing how his hair speaks for him, a great move on his behalf would be to hire some great sport's PR person to actually speak for him (not dropping any names, "me") and start promoting the hell out of this opportunity. His name has never been as big as it is now, especially since he is about to fight one of the world's most popular athletes: George 'Rush' St. Pierre. GSP is expected to be the other coach and in true TUF fashion, will end the season with a (successful) title defense against Koscheck (AGAIN). Yes, they fought in UFC 74, which ended in a unanimous victory for GSP. - Check out the fightmetric stats here.

Koscheck needs to make sure people remember who he is before he fights GSP. It appears ratings for TUF have been struggling so look for Koscheck to be in the news for some 'goonery'. Actually, as I wrote this, I noticed that Koscheck has refused to fight in Montreal. As much as I want Kos to be successful, he doesn't have a chance again St. Pierre, he's arrogantly American and his personality sucks.

...And the winner is Dana White for giving Koscheck the opportunity to make a name.

May 1st Massacre - Mayweather Murders Mosley

2010-05-06T14:04:00.002-04:00

Over the Hill: Lucky Number 41

The most complete fighter on the planet, Pretty Boy Floyd provided everything a typical Mayweather fight should have:

Celebrities - In attendance: Mark Wahlberg, The Governator, Jamie Foxx, the Real and Fake Mohammad Ali (& Will Smith), Michael J. Fox sitting next to Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya (aka Mosley's promoter), Nick and Mariah Carey (see what I did there?), Magic Johnson, Paris Hilton, Mike Tyson, Eva Longoria [and they even helped Chris Brown revamp his career by letting him sing the national anthem].

Offensive - Although he still provided his incredible (or should I say impregnable) defense, Mayweather decided to push the fight, rather than taking to the defensive.

Money - Money Mayweather accumulated $22.5 million, not including pay-per view buys or other endorsement deals. As a reminder, his first competitive fight he earned $2,500.

Pacquiao - The only man who can compete with Mayweather, Pacquiao made the prediction that Mosley would win the fight. Now, if all goes well, a 'super-mega-monster fight' will happen between these two. Let's hope drugs, blood and urine have nothing to do with it...Last time I'll say that.

Landing punches - Talk about numbers! Check out the CompuBox numbers for Floyd: 17 of 40 power punches. Normally, his average is about 17 per 38 power punches. His opponents usually land 7 of 47; Mosley landed 8 of 40.
Excellent speed - This has always been a clear trait of Pretty Boy. Mosley couldn't handle him from the get go and Mayweather punished Mosley for being too slow.

Toughness - Almost getting knocked down in the second with a lucky right hook from Mosley, Mayweather showed his ability to handle a punch by throwing right back at Mosley. After that round, they should have just called the fight in Mayweather's favour...
Exciting - The second round provided some dramatic entertainment but from beginning to end, everyone at MGM Grand Garden Arena truly knew what was going to happen.

Mayday May Day Mayweather Mania. Alliteration that's priceless.