The Alpha - Omega of Professional Sports

NCAA 2012 CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDERS ~ UK vs. KU!!

2012-04-02T08:04:00.003-07:00

After an insane weekend, and now that we are past the final four, let’s see what we have to look forward to for tonight’s championship game. Kentucky's star, Anthony Davis, has won the 2012 Naismith Trophy for men's college player of the year. Kansas coach, Bill Self, was named the 2012 Naismith Men College Basketball Coach of the Year on Sunday, becoming the third different Jayhawk's coach to win the honor.

Who will win the 2012 NCAA Championship? Sixty-eight teams had their sights set on New Orleans, but UK & KU have undoubtedly proven this year that they are the best teams to dual for the #1 spot in the Big Easy!!

Tonight is about whether it is all hype, or will UK coach John Calipari pull it off!! Many believe that it is Calipari who has the more talented team with six legitimate NBA prospects and Self with only three “maybes”. Just like the reversal of their letters, it is almost a reversal of their '08 rosters. With all the hype around Calipari's recruiting through the years, he has more NBA prospects on this team than some of the best past teams combined.

Don’t be so quick to overlook KU!! Kansas is still in it!! Although it is widely accepted that the Kentucky Wildcats have more raw talent than the Kansas Jayhawks, and the Jayhawks may be gearing up to face the Wildcats as the “underdogs”, that doesn't mean that the Wildcats will have the most impact on the game. Thomas Robinson is the country's only unanimous All-America selection and provides a tough match up for Kentucky. Robinson has expanded his game as a vicious competitor, and is awesome around the rim!! Tune in to see what is UK’s answer to KU’s best. It will be interesting to see if Self can or will pull it off tonight?

SOURCE:

NAISMITH RECIPIENTS

COACH

PLAYER

16 SURVIVORS: ONE WINNER!

2012-03-21T21:26:00.024-07:00

Who of the surviving teams in the Sweet 16 will be able to take the title in the NCAA 2012 Tournament? Let’s explore who are the remaining 16 teams in no particular ranking order:

1. Kentucky: #1 overall seed Kentucky Wildcats have won the first two tournament games by an average of 15 points. If you have selected the Wildcats to win the NCAA title, you should be pleased with their bracket. Marquis Teague, the freshman point guard, had 24 points in last Saturday's victory over Iowa State. They were able to hold one of the country's top 3-point shooting teams to a 3-of-22 performance from beyond the arc. The Wildcats will get a chance to exact a little revenge over #4 seed Indiana, a team that dealt them one of their few losses this year.

2. Indiana: The #4 seed Indiana Hoosiers are in the Sweet 16 for the first time in over 10 years mainly due to the big shot by Will Sheehey's against VCU (Virginia Commonwealth). Indiana is one of just two teams to defeat Kentucky this season, however, things will be a little tougher on a neutral court. Indiana is playing without guard Verdell Jones III, who suffered a knee injury in the Big Ten tournament that ended his season. One thing remains certain, Coach Tom Crean, who won the ESPN.com's National Coach of the Year award, has done a remarkable job with this team. #1 seed Kentucky v. #4 seed Indiana ~ that will be a good one for sure.

3. Xavier: The #10 seed Xavier Musketeers defeated the #15 seed Lehigh (who defeated the Duke Blue Devils) with 7’ Kenny Frease, a solid low-post threat, Tu Holloway, the best scoring guard the country who is a a high contender for All-American” guard, and Mark Lyons, a “Dennis Rodman” type defensive stopper. It will be interesting to see how Xavier matches Baylor's size and depth.

4. Baylor: Speaking of the #3 seed Baylor Bears, they came into the NCAA tournament feeling very confident after beating both Kansas State and Kansas in the Big 12 tournament. Brady Heslip has really made a difference by scoring 14 of his 22 attempts from 3-point range during the tournament. Not to mention, the Bears have been beasts on the glass!!

5. Kansas: With a last minute win against the Purdue Boilermakers, Coach Bill Self's team, the #2 seed Jayhawk’s, won despite shooting less than 40% from the field. Although Thomas Robinson cannot continue to miss all but two of his 12 field goal attempts, thank GOD for Elijah Johnson who came through with some huge plays down the stretch. If they want to pull off the win against North Carolina State, the center, Jeff Withey, needs to be more of a factor.

6. North Carolina State: The biggest upset was the #11 seed N.C. State Wolfpacks over #3 seed Georgetown. Although the Wolfpacks is the team that many people still believe does not deserve to be in the tournament, they have advanced to the Sweet 16 by defeating two higher seeds, San Diego State and Georgetown. Lorenzo Brown had some essential assists in the two wins, while C.J. Leslie contributed much needed points at crunch time. The Wolfpacks have a very talented team with lots of height and athleticism. Look out Kansas! The Wolfpacks could just give the Jayhawks some unexpected trouble.

7. North Carolina: Although #1 seed Tar Hill’s will have an uphill battle without point guard Kendall Marshall who is out due to a wrist injury, it would not be wise to ignore the Tar Hill’s size, experience and talent. Players Tyler Zeller, John Henson, Harrison Barnes and James Michael McAdoo are all projected as lottery picks in the 2012 NBA draft. The Tar Hill will have a tough time trying to win it all without Marshall, but a Final Four certainly is not out of the realm of possibility.

8. Ohio: The #13 seed Bobcats pulled off one of the more surprising upsets when they defeated #4 seed Michigan. Point Guard D.J. Cooper has averaged 20 points in the team's two victories, one win against South Florida. Ohio has won 10 of its last 11 games, but Friday's matchup against #1 seed North Carolina may be the biggest upset yet!

9. Michigan State: Tom Izzo is one of the best postseason coaches in history. Two more wins and the #1 seed Spartans will be in the Final Four for the fourth time in the last eight seasons. With Draymond Green, one of the most versatile players in the country, averaging 20 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists this tournament, #4 seed Cardinals will have their work cut out for them.

10. Louisville: The #4 seed Louisville and Coach Rick Pitno, have achieved more with less. All season the Cardinal’s program has battled many injuries and depth issues. Although the Cardinals are not fun to watch on offense, but defensively they play hard and give their contenders a run for the money. Gorgui Dieng, center, has developed into a true force in the paint, and Peyton Siva, Russ Smith and Kyle Kuric are three formidable, unstoppable guards. With this matchup, it is more about the Pitino-Izzo matchup because it will pit two of the leagues top coaches against one another.

11. Marquette: Now, the Marquette Golden Eagles have a serious physical style of defense, and offensively, they are the top transition team in the country with Jae Crowder and Darius Johnson-Odom as two of the top 10 players remaining in this year's field. Marquette has rough waters to get through with the Gators in hot pursuit.

12. Florida: The #7 seed Gators have truly been chomping up their contenders. No team had an easier path to the Sweet 16 than the Gators, who defeated Virginia and Norfolk State by an average of 30 points. Florida entered the tournament having lost four of its previous five games, but now it should have some confidence entering its match up with #3 seed Marquette.

13. Syracuse: Although #1 seed Syracuse bounced back with a convincing win over K-State without Jamar Samuels, Syracuse does not have the look of a Final Four team. Thursday's near-loss to #16 seed UNC Asheville created some serious concerns about the Orange's ability to reach the Final Four without suspended center Fab Melo. Coach Jim Boeheim's squad has not advanced past the Sweet 16 since 2003, but they could break that trend this season and get to at least the Elite Eight if they can get past #4 seed Wisconsin.

14. Wisconsin: The Badgers will try to slow things down against Syracuse. Wisconsin averages 59% possessions per game, the fewest in the nation. In the tournament, the Badgers are shooting 46% against zone defenses. That is encouraging and should give Bo Ryan's team some confidence as it prepares to face the Orange. Point guard Jordan Taylor has to do better than his 10 of 15 missed shots against Vanderbilt.

15. Ohio State: The #2 seed OSU Buckeyes is now the Final Four favorite in the East and the top contender for the East Region Champs. It does not surprise me that the “oft-overlooked” is usually the best player. Forward Deshaun Thomas has been Ohio State's best player in recent weeks averaging 24.5 points in the tournament and has also been a force on the glass.

16. Cincinnati: The Cincinnati Bearcats is one of the most underrated teams in the tournament. It was Coach Mick Cronin's team that upset Syracuse in the Big East tournament, and the Bearcats have now advanced to the Sweet 16. Guards Sean Kilpatrick and Dion Dixon combined for 33 points in the win against Florida State and are playing with tons of confidence.

SOURCE:

NCAA BRACKET UPDATES
PICTURES FROM TEAM'S WEBSITE

“It’s March ~ Let’s Stop the Madness!!”

2012-03-10T13:25:00.002-08:00

As the parent of a high school athlete who learns quickly from watching others play, out-hustles everyone on the court, and can easily pick up moves that are beneficial to him, his team and the game, it baffles me why he has been intentionally overlooked by his high school and former AAU coaches. These coaches tend to show favor to athletes who are often breaking the rules (sex, alcohol, academic probation and drugs), showing disrespect to coaches and teammates, display poor sportsmanship and seemingly have no boundaries.

What defines a good high school basketball athlete? In addition to athleticism, my son, Christopher Walker II, is disciplined, and has the desire and abilities to play collegiate athletics at some level. I know you may say that as his mother I am biased toward my son, however, there are many other parents and athletes who have the same assessment of his abilities and character. These athletes have either quit the team or their parents have allowed them to resign from the school because of the lack of leadership of these coaches and the overall deficiencies in the basketball program.

You may ask, “What defines a good high school basketball program and coach?” Well, believe it or not, one of the best ways to get players to enjoy themselves and get the most from their experience is by establishing the right kind of Discipline. That’s right, you heard correctly!! Discipline, accountability, structure and most importantly ~ follow-through! It’s not enough to have rules if you are not going to mean what you say!!

Most coaches go about it all wrong. They may yell, cuss and punish for infractions or inappropriate behavior, however, this only serves to fragment their focus on the team and hinder their motivation, which may ultimately cause the athletes to quit the team.

A simple solution~ Structure!! It is a proven fact that most people function better when there is order. It helps them to feel more secure and they know what to expect and how to perform. Not to mention, they will actually have more fun if they have some good discipline in place.

How can a program improve going forward? Let’s start with:

1. Setting definitive rules,

2. Communicating the rules both verbally and in writing,

3. Following through with the rules consistently,

4. Creating a written schedule, practice plan, meetings, etc. and

5. FOLLOW-THROUGH ~ “Don’t just talk about it, be about it!!”

Threats of discipline are not sufficient. Remember, you are dealing with teenagers who know what they can and cannot get away with. The behavior of players will improve very quickly when a coach is consistent with discipline and there are constructive consequences for either breaking the rules or for not meeting expectations.

How can one avoid getting the reputation of an incompetent coach of an ineffectual program? Implement structure and discipline early on and very soon, you will not have to give out discipline because players will have now learned what they cannot get away with. Without the discipline, you will be cutting the players short, struggling to reach goals, and creating destructive behaviors in athletes who move on to play on a professional level.

Let’s stop the madness! and also stop overlooking those who show great potential and are already disciplined!!

Image retrieved from:

March Madness

I’ve Learned To "Mind My Own Business!!"

2012-02-26T10:49:00.003-08:00

Having completed the online Business Plan Development course, I can appreciate the essential components that investors are looking for in a good business plan. Although the essential components include a vision statement, the target market, my business profile, economic and cash flow assessments, it is extremely important to know whether you possess the characteristics of a successful entrepreneur. Understanding these components helped to identify whether I possessed the guts, brains and capital needed to pursue the endeavor.

According to Mr. Holland, “The most common serious mistake made in business is not picking the right business to begin with.” I now feel that I possess entrepreneurial instinct, the “guts” characteristic, which means having an overwhelming desire and dedication to have my own business and be completely dedicated to the goal.

I also discovered that in order to become a successful entrepreneur, the “brains” characteristic means having working knowledge about the business “before you start it.” Having good common sense pooled with appropriate experience and research is necessary brainpower elements.

Because every business needs sufficient cash flow control, the third characteristic, “capital”, means knowing how to forecast future cash requirements, and how to maintain positive cash flow.

The sports industry is a very competitive environment. By having a growth plan and projected cash flow, I will be able to incorporate these essential components and characteristics in my business, which will help me to control the risks, gain additional experience, and to grow the business.

One specific change that was made to my business plan was the vision statement. Although the vision statement does not tell how I will get there, it set the direction for my business planning. I understand how important it is when crafting a vision statement to let my imagination go, dare to dream, and give the roadmap on how I plan to soar to success. It is important that my vision statement captures my passion.

Ultimately, investors want to know how will they get a return on their investment. In addition to the vision statement, I believe the economic and cash flow assessments are the most important components to the investor reading the plan. The economic and cash flow assessment is the forecast of the business plan highlighting how I plan to grow the business and become financially successful.

Three books that I discovered to be helpful while doing necessary research for my business plan are “Made in America: My Story” by Sam Walton, “The Book of Entrepreneurs’ Wisdom: Classic Writings by Legendary Entrepreneurs” by Peter Krass (Editor), and “The Great Game of Business” by Jack Stack.

EXPERT VIEWS ~ MINDING YOUR OWN BUSINESS!!

2012-02-05T07:35:00.000-08:00

WILLIAM A. COHEN, PhD

A business plan is what is presented to investors in order to obtain financing. Therefore, success will depend on whether there is a good plan tailored to specific needs. William A. Cohen, PhD, is the author & founder of Institute of Leader Arts, and he gives expert video advice by answering these eleven questions:

· What is a business plan?

· What is a marketing plan?

· When should I create a business plan?

· What should I do before I draft a business plan?

· What are the most important parts of a business plan?

· How do I create an executive summary?

· What style business plan should I use?

· What is the length of the average business plan?

· What is the key to a successful business plan?

· What are the top business plan mistakes?

· Should I hire someone to write a business plan for me?

· Where can I go to get help with my business plan?

Dr. Cohen is also Professor of Marketing and Director of the Small Business Institute at California State University, Los Angeles. He has authored 31 business books, including Model Business Plans For Product Business. Some of the critical and key components that investors are looking for are a competitive environment, a growth plan, and projected cash flow. These are considered key, because according to Dr. Cohen, “Smart entrepreneurs know that a clear, well-written business plan is absolutely essential to any new venture: it guides your first steps, helps you develop marketing strategies, and allows you to quickly seize new opportunities.”

VIDEO

"Dare the Impossible - Achieve the Extraordinary." (Cohen, W. 2010)

PHIL HOLLAND

has a thorough understanding of the world of business, and it has been demonstrated through both his successes and failures through various and demanding business professions. He has been an entrepreneur throughout most of his adult life, including “building "spec" houses, the manufacture of automatic doughnut machinery, designing and building apartment complexes, restaurant franchising, doughnut retailing and the development and management of shopping centers.”

With only a $5000 investment, he founded the Yum Yum Donut Shops, Inc. in 1970, which grew to be the largest chain of privately owned donut shops in the United States.

To encourage people to start new businesses shortly after the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles in 1992, Mr. Holland offered a free night course in Compton, CA.

“The course was designed to help entrepreneurs avoid the common mistakes many entrepreneurs make when starting out. With this beginning, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization was formed, My Own Business, Inc. (MOBI). The goal was to help foster successful entrepreneurs worldwide. Mr. Holland brought together a Board of Trustees consisting of business and professional experts who continually expand the content and outreach of the free My Own Business Internet course, www.myownbusiness.org. Mr. Holland serves as Chairman of the MOBI Board of Trustees. “

According to Mr. Holland, the critical and key components that investors look for in a plan are:

A Vision Statement
The People
Your Business Profile
Economic Assessment
Cash Flow Assessment

Some of the reasons these are considered a valuable tool and roadmap are:

Using appropriate information and analysis, it will define and focus the objective,
The plan may be used as a selling tool with lenders, investors, or banks.
It may uncover omissions and/or weaknesses in the planning stages.
The plan may be used to solicit opinions and advice.

For more detailed information, check out my sources:

My Own Business

Stuff of Heroes

Business Plans

Phil Holland Bio

Model Business Plans For Product Businesses by William A. Cohen PhD

The Journey to March Madness ~Are you in the KNOW?

2012-01-21T20:07:00.001-08:00

There are many teams with lots of acronyms in college basketball, and keeping up with them can be a daunting task. Namely, there are currently 33 CBC’s, College Basketball Conferences, but let’s look at the relevant acronyms/logos of the current top conferences along with the conferences RPI rank, Rating Percentage Index, and the rankings of the respective teams in each conference in order to help equip you with up-to-date knowledge of the top contenders on the JOURNEY to March Madness!!!

According to statsheet.com, here are the top 10 conferences in the order of the RPI rank, along with the rank of each team listed in the order of their current overall standings:

#1 BIG TEN CONFERENCE

1. Michigan

2. Illinois

3. Ohio State

4. MichiganState

5. Purdue

6. Wisconsin

7. Indiana (tied with Iowa)

8. Iowa

9. Minnesota

10. Northwestern

11. Nebraska (tied with Penn State)

12. Penn State

#2 BIG EASTCONFERENCE

1. Syracuse

2. Cincinnati

3. Georgetown

4. Marquette (3-way tie with South Florida & West Virginia)

5. South Florida

6. West Virginia

7. Connecticut (tied with Seton Hall)

8. Seton Hall

9. Notre Dame (tied with Rutgers)

10. Rutgers

11. Louisville

12. St. John’s (tied with Villanova

13. Villanova

14. DePaul (tied with Providence)

15. Providence

16. Pittsburgh

#3 BIG 12 CONFERENCE

1. Kansas

2. Baylor (tied with Missouri for 2^nd place)

3. Missouri

4. Iowa State

5. Kansas State (tied with Oklahoma State for 5^th)

6. Oklahoma State

7. Texas (tied with Oklahoma)

8. Oklahoma

9. Texas A&M

10. Texas Tech

#4 ATLANTIC COASTCONFERENCE

1. Duke

2. Florida State

3. NC State

4. North Carolina

5. Virginia

6. Boston College

7. Maryland

8. Miami(FL)

9. Clemson

10. Georgia Tech

11. Wake Forest

12. Virginia Tech

#5 SOUTHEASTERNCONFERENCE

1. Kentucky (tied with Vanderbilt for 1^st place)

2. Vanderbilt

3. Florida

4. Georgia (tied with Tennessee for 4^th place)

5. Tennessee

6. South Carolina

7. Mississippi State (5-way tie for 7^th place with Arkansas, Alabama, LSU & Ole Miss)

8. Arkansas

9. Alabama

10. LSU

11. Ole Miss

12. Auburn

#6 MOUNTAIN WESTCONFERENCE

1. Colorado State (tied with San Diego State for 1^st place)

2. San Diego State

3. Air Force (4-way tie for 3^rd place with New Mexico, UNLV & Wyoming)

4. New Mexico

5. UNLV

6. Wyoming

7. Boise State (tied with TCU for 7^th place)

8. TCU

#7 ATLANTIC 10CONFERENCE

1. Xavier

2. Dayton

3. Duquesne (tied with Massachusetts for 3^rd place)

4. Massachusetts

5. Charlotte (7-way tie for 5^th place with George Washington, LaSalle, Richmond, Saint Louis, St. Bonaventure & Temple)

6. George Washington

7. LaSalle

8. Richmond

9. Saint Louis

10. St. Bonaventure

11. Temple

12. St. Joseph’s (PA)

13. Fordham

14. Rhode Island

#8 MISSOURI VALLEYCONFERENCE

1. Creighton (tied with Wichita State for 1^st place)

2. Wichita State

3. Drake

4. Evansville (3-way tie with Illinois State & Missouri State)

5. Illinois State

6. Missouri State

7. Northern Iowa (tied with Southern Illinois for 7^th place)

8. Southern Illinois

9. Indiana State

10. Bradley

#9 PACIFIC 12CONFERENCE

1. California

2. Oregon (tied with Stanford for 2^nd place)

3. Stanford

4. Arizona (3-way tie with Colorado & Washington)

5. Colorado

6. Washington

7. UCLA

8. Arizona State (tied with Washington State for 8^th place)

9. Washington State

10. Oregon State

11. Utah

12. USC

#10 CONFERENCE USA

1. Marshall

2. UCF

3. Memphis (tied with Southern Miss for 3^rd place)

4. Southern Miss

5. Texas- El Paso (tied with Tulsa for 5^th place)

6. Tulsa

7. Rice (tied with Southern Methodist for 7^th place)

8. Southern Methodist

9. UAB

10. Houston

11. East Carolina (tied with Tulane for 11^th place)

12. Tulane

Whether you are a die-hard or a band-wagon-fan, this site is a great place to get the latest updates and stats as we get closer to March Madness. You are one click away from accessing more information about my top favorite teams.

From the statsheet.com site, you can find more information about your favorite team or your team’s biggest competitor, including statistics, tables containing the current standings for the conferences broken down by overall record, the record for home games, the record for away games, the record at neutral sites, and the record against the top 25 teams.

SOURCES:

MARCH MADNESS

JOURNEY

All images were retrieved from:

CBC

ARE TOP NBA PLAYERS OUT OF BOUNDS? YOU MAKE THE CALL…..

2012-01-08T10:07:00.000-08:00

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Houston Rockets: Kyle Lowry

.....BUT be careful when you do. In the case of Houston Rockets point guard Kyle Lowry, not only are his actions poor sportsmanship, but it appears to be criminal as well. According to Mark Berman of my FOX Houston, a warrant/summons has been issued for his arrest, and he has been charged with misdemeanor battery on a female referee after an incident at a CHARITY, pick-up basketball game in Las Vegas this past September. GO FIGURE!!

Allegedly, Lowry was upset with the calls of a female referee, approached her at the end of the game, and threw a basketball at her striking her in her torso. He became upset and called her “the B**** word”, challenging her to meet him outside. After the referee walked away to the designated area for officials, she was once again hit with a basketball at a high rate of speed.

Lowry later apologized for his behavior, however, the other two male referees support her account because Lowry was allegedly verbally abusive to them as well, but did not physically assault them. Although for a misdemeanor the punishment could be less severe, if convicted as charged, Lowry could face up to six months in prison and assessed a $1,000 fine. This is very unfortunate for him because it comes at a time when Lowry is playing the best basketball of his career this season, averaging 15.3 points and 10 assists per game.

GRADE ~ F (Hitting a woman, Kyle? Why didn't you hit the male referees, tough guy?)

Why Do So Many NBA Players Get in Trouble?

Nobody likes to watch their team struggle, but with a shortened season and games coming fast and furious on this season’s schedule, the players have to adjust quickly and try and right the wrongs that the lockout has placed on the season. Are they mature enough to handle the pressure? Let’s look at some of the athletes who may not make the grade.

Los Angeles Lakers: Andrew Bynum

http://bleacherreport.com/tb/bcPS4

.. has immaturity issues, is an injury concern, and additionally, he has never actually put together a good consistent NBA season. Although he is still young, and teams continue to lineup to get a shot at him, he also has his off-court battles. Law enforcement sources tell TMZ “... Bynum was pulled over Tuesday for driving without a license plate and having illegally tinted taillights. Bynum walked away with a fix-it ticket.” Unfortunately, it was not a lesson learned, because days later Bynum was pulled over in his Porsche 911 on the freeway for going over 80 mph. Bynum was cited and released.

GRADE ~ B-

Memphis Grizzlies: Josh Selby

... the 20-year-old, Grizzlies rookie guard, is facing a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge after police found probable cause during an October 5, 2011 incident at the University of Maryland. Selby is well known for his bad attitude, troubles with NCAA clearance (age and other issues), playing the game selfishly, and with poor game management.

GRADE ~ C-

Minnesota Timberwolves: Michael Beasley

His attitude is the main reason why he landed in Minnesota to begin with. THE VIDEO SPEAKS FOR ITSELF!!

GRADE ~ D-

Because many talented athletes start getting pampered at early ages, I believe all the attention they receive often leads them to the mistaken belief that they can do no wrong. Although these athletes are highly skilled, they each have some red flags concerning their character and/or attitude that have either resulted in their having done very little towards making their teams any good, or will result in bigger troubles and disappointments down the road.

Character and maturity should be the first factors considered before a team drafts an athlete or considers adding an athlete to their roster via a trade.

SOURCES

ROCKETS KYLE LOWRY CHARGED WITH BATTERY OF FEMALE REFEREE

LAKERS' ANDREW BYNUM TRAFFIC FINES

GRIZZLIES SELBY CHARGED WITH MISDEMEANOR MARIJUANA POSSESSION

IMPORTANCE OF SCOUTS ~ JOSH SELBY

TIMBERWOLVES' MICHAEL BEASLEY SHOVES A FAN

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHecSDRrem4&feature=player_embedded

“All I Want For Christmas is a ROI/ROO from the NBA!!”

2011-12-10T18:28:00.000-08:00

Although the lockout has condensed the 2011-2012 NBA season, the league has made it official and will tipoff on Christmas Day with five games. As a big NBA sports fan, it is a Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas present to me!! “Thank you, Thank You, Thank You!!”

With the NBA’s opening day this Christmas and getting the season underway, it should also be a great gift for the devoted fans, the league, potential sponsors and three networks, TNT, ABC, & ESPN. For the remainder of the 2011-2012 season with only 16 games per team being flushed by the lockout, a 66-game schedule could be played, which could mean more revenue for the teams, and more paydays for the players.

The five starters are: Boston Celtics visits New York Knicks at noon on TNT; Miami Heat visits Dallas Mavericks at 2:30 pm on ABC; Chicago Bulls visits the Los Angeles Lakers at 5 pm on ABC; Oklahoma City Thunder will host the Orlando Magic at 8 pm on ESPN; and last, and maybe least, Los Angeles Clippers will visit the Golden State Warriors at 10:30 pm, also on ESPN.

Keeping in mind all of the revenue that has already been lost due to the lockout, sport marketers must now do some serious magic “pull the rabbit out of the hat” tricks in order to create the buzz to engage the fans and get additional sponsors onboard.

It is important to note that sponsorship arrangements do not always involve the exchange of cash, and that sponsors care about the value that they will get from the partnership. According to Stotlar, “Successful sponsorships often involve trading goods and services that a corporation controls and the sport organization may need.” This is a quid pro quo (something for something) arrangement that has been generally termed “value-in-kind” (VIK).

While many sponsors will be looking for a positive return on their investments (ROI), many experts in the industry will be focusing on return on objectives (ROO). “This model suggests that corporations establish a budget for the accomplishment involved in specified sponsorship objectives. (Stotlar, 2009)

Additionally, with the 2012 All-Star Weekend on the horizon, it is not enough to just hope that the devoted fans will return, but we can at least hope that the public will perhaps tune in on Christmas day and the remainder of the basketball season out of curiosity about the top teams and a look at the brightest star athletes.

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SOURCES

NBA IS COMING BACK FOR CHRISTMAS

NBA CHRISTMAS DAY SCHEDULE

WE BELIEVE IN SANTA CLAUS

Stotlar, D. (2009). Developing Successful Sport Sponsorship Plans: Financial Implications, Chapter 7.

SCOTT HOLTE ~ KNOCKING OUT ODORS & THE COMPETITION

2011-12-03T13:52:00.000-08:00

Through social networking via the Sports Industry Network Group, I had the distinct pleasure of networking with Scott Holte, President & CEO at Enigma, Inc., HMG, Inc., (Holte Management Group) and DryLocker, Inc. He graciously accepted my invitation to connect and sent a wonderful email to thank me for the connection. Scott is a solid contact with a strong history and track record of doing extraordinary things. In his response to my request, he stated, “I am committed to changing the country, the way we do biz, communicate and support one another.”

Scott has a diverse background from sales to management, and has an excellent track record in creating, implementing and executing several coherent, well-planned and executed sales campaigns. He also has a “hands-on management approach and the moxie to make it happen.” He prides himself on knocking out the competition and procuring supplementary placement over existing brands.

This blog post is a very exciting opportunity for me. Through our connection he sent one of his projects “just for fun to show to me”, and also requested that I let him know what I think about it because he is interested in bringing it to his home state, Texas.

The DryLocker® is a patented technology for application in consumer electronic products to dry, deodorize, and kill bacteria in a myriad of items using movement of air, heat and ozone. The items include athletic equipment, gear, footwear, and is also great for the outdoor type whom also snowmobile, ATV fish, several other activities like drying boots, apparel, gloves and many more usages.

Because sport has proven its revenue potential as a marketing vehicle, a developing a tailored sponsorship proposal and getting information about potential sponsors are essential elements of the marketing process. A quality sponsorship proposal should emphasize benefits to the sponsors needs, be tailored to the sponsor’s business category, and explain how the benefits can be leveraged through the sponsor’s existing marketing programs to achieve extended impact. Only then can an effective sponsorship proposal be developed and potentially take this marketing campaign to the next level.

I agree that the DryLocker® applications are unlimited and offer a great opportunity for investors and/or sponsorships, while possessing several important business characteristics to capitalize this endeavor. I look forward to continue networking and possibly forming a long-lasting business relationship with Scott Holte.

SOURCES

https://www.elance.com/s/startupguro/
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/scott-holte/25/9a/981

Media & Broadcasting Rights

2011-11-19T07:01:00.000-08:00

Think of a sports broadcast as a form of property. Usually a league or a team owns the rights of the game and how it is disseminated to the public. That property right to distribute the game is central because the dissemination of sporting events through any one of various media outlets constitutes one of the most important source of revenue for professional and amateur organizations.

Sports programming involves more than just broadcasting the game. It involves news programs, features, and sports talk shows. Fees earned from media rights bring in billions of dollars per year.

On Wednesday, November 16, the Los Angeles Dodgers, currently under a shield of bankruptcy, sued Fox Sports in bankruptcy court Wednesday for allegedly interfering with the team's bid to sell its valuable broadcast rights. The team and media rights for the 2014 season and beyond are going up for sale under a settlement the team recently reached with Major League Baseball (“MLB”). However, according to Fox Sports, its Prime Ticket regional sports network holds the exclusive right through November 2012 to renegotiate a new local-media deal with the baseball team.

In order to settle disputes over how the bankruptcy would be resolved, Frank McCourt, the owner of the Dodgers’, (currently going through a divorce), agreed to sell the franchise as part of a deal with MLB, but before the settlement was reached, Fox Sports, a unit of News Corp, which also owns the Wall Street Journal, sued the Dodgers in bankruptcy to block the proposed sale of its media rights.

"DIVORCE, INTRIGUE &, OH YEAH, BASEBALL"

“What’s the big deal?” Well, according to a 2003 survey by Broadcasting & Cable magazine, MLB teams received $692 million from local TV and radio broadcasts. Approximately $493 million was derived from rights fees from regional cable networks, TV stations, and radio stations, and approximately $198.3 million was received from the sale of advertising time. (Conrad, M. 2008)

It is alleged that McCourt is attempting to sell the Dodgers' future broadcast rights in order to payoff creditors. Fox Sports stands to lose a large chunk of revenue if the Dodgers’ owner is allowed to avoid honoring his current contractual obligations.

"DODGERS UNABLE TO DODGE BANKRUPTCY"

On a side note, among other lucrative deals, FOX Sports Media Group has reached a multi-year, multi-media rights agreement with Zuffa, LLC, owner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) brand, and also signed a new multi-year agreement with Conference USA for national television rights to a variety of marquee Conference USA events, including football, basketball, and Olympic sports.

SOURCES

VIDEOS

DODGERS SUE FOX SPORTS

Conrad, Mark (2008). The Business of Sports: A Primer for Journalists. Routledge.

PLAYERS UNION ~ "TO BE OR NOT TO BE?"

2011-11-10T20:09:00.001-08:00

Although impasse issues have previously occurred in labor disputes in both Major League Baseball and the National Football League, the biggest recent controversy is the National Basketball Association (“NBA”) and National Basketball Players Association (“NBPA” or “Union”) role in the NBA lockout. The role of the Union is to represent the players in negotiation with the owners.

The current 2011 NBA lockout is the fourth lockout in the history of the NBA, which began at 12:01 am on July 1, 2011. The lockout will remain in effect until the Union reaches a deal with the NBA owners. The union generally negotiates on the player’s behalf for improvement in wages, however, in more recent negotiations involving major sports leagues, many unions have been seeking to maintain the current situation, also known as the status quo.

It is important to note that this is not a strike. Although the effect is the same, the strategic difference between a strike and a lockout is the leverage assumed by each party. When it is timely implemented, a strike, or threat of a strike, is initiated by the union and becomes the chief weapon for the union. It can be very effective if implemented prior to playoff or championship games, which is a great source of team revenue.

A lockout, or threat of a lockout, is initiated by the management and is leverage for the management. It serves as the leagues’ and owners’ strategy. The optimal time to implement a lockout is prior to the start of the season, and before the players receive the majority of their salaries. According to Mark Conrad, “The owners can save money, put pressure on the union for settlement, and not pay out any salaries as the weeks go by.” This is a tactic intended to force the players hands to salvage the season and their paychecks.

As of this date, David Stern, NBA Commissioner, and the owners have delivered an offer that most players feel is unacceptable. According to CBS Sports’ Ken Berger, the Union could acquire half of the leagues needed signatures from the Players and deliver a petition for a vote to decertify the Union as early as Monday, November 14. “The union needs signatures from a third of its membership to order a vote, which would then be decided on a majority ballot. Delivering a petition with half of the union's Hancock could send chills through the NBA and signify the end of the 2011-12 season.” (Ziller, 2011)

What does it mean to decertify? Charlie Zegers with about.com explained,

“"Decertification" of the NBAPA would mean the union would no longer have the authority to negotiate on behalf of the players -- essentially making every NBA player an independent contractor. Such a move would give the players some flexibility; they could challenge the salary cap as an anti-competitive measure under anti-trust law, for example. But they'd also be giving up any collectively-bargained benefits (pensions, minimum salaries, etc.) It's an option for the players, but it's probably a last resort.”

For more information about the implications of an NBPA decertification, watch this video!

SOURCES:

ESPN.go.com

ARE “WE READY?” ~ IT’S “MORE THAN A GAME!“

2011-10-24T14:24:00.000-07:00

Songwriter, Mason Hall, filed a lawsuit against Lionsgate and Interscope LeBron LLC on Tuesday, September 6, 2011, in Georgia Federal Court stating he is the author of a copyright composition entitled, “We Ready.” This alleged copyright infringement lawsuit against Lionsgate, et al is over a piece of music that was allegedly used without permission (a license) in a documentary entitled “More Than A Game”, which chronicles the rise to stardom of LeBron James beginning with his high school years in Ohio. The original song that Hall wrote was performed by Archie Eversole.

According to Eriq Gardner, Hall is seeking an injunction to prevent further damage, which includes barring the distribution of the film by Lionsgate. Additionally, he is requesting punitive damages and profits from the movie in excess of $1million, or the maximum statutory damages allowed for copyright infringement. (Hollywood Reporter, 2011)

Hall has an tough battle ahead to prove these allegations. First, he has to prove that the song that was used in this documentary is the song he authored. Although the chant, “We Ready”, used by LeBron and his teammates is similar, the song performed by YaBoy is clearly different.

According to Ben Golliver, “YaBoy can definitely make a solid argument that his song was inspired by James and his team's actions rather than the Eversole song itself, considering he references the players in his lyrics. Perhaps most important: the beats in the two songs are different, the verse lyrics in YaBoy's version are totally new and the chorus, while very similar, isn't a word-for-word rip off.” (CBSSports.com, 2011)

Next, Hall would have to provide supporting evidence that he obtained a license from Steam to use their famous melody. This is important to know because with the theory of “clean hands”, Hall could not sue for the infringement of two words if he did not obtain a license for the famous notes taken from Steam’s song, "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye."

According to Glenn, because the phrase “We Ready” is a common vernacular of the English language, copyright law may not protect it. Even if the court should find that it is protected as a part of Hall’s song, the court may still decide that the phrase was so minimal (de minimis) in comparison to the entirety of the work that the average person could not know the original source of the phrase and therefore it would not be protected. (Sports and Entertainment Law Blog, 2011)

I also believe the Georgia Federal Court will be faced with the task of balancing the scales when determining policy considerations for discouraging copyright infringements claims with the decision to grant copyright infringement claims because this could open the door to other possible frivolous, insignificant infringement claims, also known as the “slippery slope.” On the other hand, this could have all been avoided if the legal team at Lionsgate would have done their “due diligence” by conducting a comprehensive search to determine whether the song was licensed by someone else and paid to license the song, which would have been far less expensive than the costs associated with litigation, especially time and money. If the case is ultimately dismissed, expenses will still be incurred to defend their position.

SOURCES

HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

CBS SPORTS

YOUTUBE 1

YOUTUBE 2

YOUTUBE 3

JOHN LUCAS ~ "WINNING A DAY AT A TIME"

2011-10-20T14:31:00.000-07:00

The purpose of this Informational Interview with John Harding Lucas (Lucas) was to make contact with a sports industry professional and learn about his role and responsibilities. The secondary goal is to have an opportunity to establish a business relationship that may foster networking opportunities that could reap benefits now and in the future. I am very pleased that both objectives were successfully met.

Lucas is a retired, professional basketball athlete and coach. He is also the founder of John Lucas Enterprises, a network of drug treatment programs, especially for athletes, and owner and founder of John Lucas Basketball Resources based in Houston, TX. It is nothing short of a miracle what Lucas has done with his life and in the lives of others. From humble beginnings growing up in the 1960-70’s in Durham, NC, both parents were educators (principal and assistant principal) and very instrumental in shaping his academic foundation. Additionally, while his parents worked tirelessly after school during the desegregation movement, Lucas was blessed when he was in elementary school to work with the high school coach at his father’s school who took an interest in his athletic development.

Unbeknownst to millions of his fans, amongst his numerous amateur and professional athletic accomplishments is the little known fact that he graduated Valedictorian of his senior class and earned his master’s degree in secondary education, which he received during his first year in the NBA. This exceptional academic talent paired with his very rare athleticism in basketball, football and tennis, along with his very solid spiritual foundation are key components to the successes he has experienced in his lifetime.

Among the questions asked, “Why did you choose to attend the University of Maryland instead of University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) or Duke University, he humbly stated that he had over 1,000 scholarship offers ranging from academic to athletics in basketball, football and tennis. Though he felt some pressure from mentors to attend an in-state college, however, he was entering college at a time when coaches felt that freshmen could not play sports during their first year of enrollment. While the head coach at the University of Maryland, Charles Grice “Lefty” Driesell, had only heard about him and had never actually seen him play, Lucas was offered a starting position on the team. This was the second time that a coach took a personal interest in his athletic development and worked unceasingly to help shape him into a star point guard and an All-American in both basketball and tennis. Lucas states, “I had someone who believed in me and was willing to give me a chance.”

In describing his strengths and weaknesses, Lucas offers that his strengths in sports was having the capacity to make others better because as the point guard, he was the facilitator and had a lot of confidence in his teammates with an uncanny ability to get them to believe in themselves. Another strength he identified was obtained from watching his father who worked beyond eight-to-five each day through the late hours of the night. Lucas came to believe that if you want to become better than others or yourself, you have to put in the extra time to be successful. He professes, “Hard work is key to success.”

Paradoxically, Lucas states that the strength of his weakness is perfection. He asks, “Who am I in competition with?” In competing with himself, he has found that due to the high standards he has set for himself, he will never measure up. Because he is always under self-examination and self-scrutiny, he sometimes misses the fact that he has accomplished the task and continues to push harder, thereby, missing an important part of the journey.

This specific subject led us into a discussion about his toughest personal or business experiences, and how his leadership skills has prepared him for his career opportunities. As a top point guard in the NBA from 1976 until the late 1980’s, he was the first NBA player to gain public attention by openly admitting his dependency on illegal drugs and alcohol and submitting to anti-drug and anti-alcohol treatment in order to remain in the NBA. He entered a recovery program in 1986, which was the beginning of a long and painful recovery process, and he proudly affirms he has been sober for over 25 years. This process would eventually restore his reputation, skills, and his credibility, and also enabled him to find his spiritual growth again.

At the age of 32 when his career as a professional athlete was coming to an end, he had to learn how to function as an adult and not as an adult athlete. He learned that some of the skillsets that he was able to apply in his life as an athlete was not always applicable in his personal life, and he states, “playing sports is what I did and not who I was.” After successfully completing the drug rehabilitation treatment, he started drug rehabilitation programs of his own and now has over 13 treatment centers in order to help other athletes reform their lives and quit addictive habits. Additionally, according to Lucas, he was commissioned to write all the major drug policies for all major sports, and because of his knowledge and education, he has written a book entitled “Winning a Day At A Time”. The book is about winning off the court. Lucas has also written his own fitness programs for his treatment units, and created his own modalities without having to employ medical professionals.

He eventually returned to the NBA as a general manager, became the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers and was instrumental in drafting LeBron James. He also has coached the San Antonio Spurs, the Philadelphia 76ers, was assistant coach of the Denver Nuggets for three years, and as recent as the 2009-10 NBA season, was an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers under head coach Mike Dunleavy.

When asked to describe one thing, if any, that he would change if he had to live his life over again, he responded adamantly, “Not one thing about my life would I change.” John Lucas states that for the longest time in his life by waiting on the next coaching opportunity, he rejected the gift and purpose that God has given him to be of service to others, but he has now fully accepted his gift and declares that his best coaching experience is being a life coach. Starting with his own two sons, John Lucas III and Jai Lucas, he has successfully developed them both academically and athletically and prepared them for life in the pros. John Lucas III is currently playing with the Chicago Bulls and his younger son, Jai Lucas, is playing internationally. He states, “It was very important for me to give my own sons a part of the gift that I have been blessed with.”

He recommends that in order to leverage my career in the sports industry I should attend National Events and Expos, as well as network with people in the industry who are doing things that are of interest to me. Additionally, he suggests another way to take my career to the next level is to develop a questionnaire for others to complete that will ultimately help me to understand what are the current needs in the industry and try to find the best way to address those needs.

In conclusion, this interview was very informative and was relative to the Sports Management and Operations objectives. I have total admiration for his candidness and his ability to beat the odds. The journey that he has taken in order to accomplish all that he has and to become the individual he is today is truly miraculous. He does not hesitate to acknowledge and thank God for the Blessings and opportunities he has been afforded. Lucas is highly regarded as one of the best resources for basketball training and development in the country. Top NBA and collegiate players across the nation travel to Houston, TX during their off-season, especially during this lockout, to participate in his workouts and training sessions.

I am hopeful that I will be awarded an internship with his organization and acquire some of the knowledge and skillsets that he possesses and utilizes daily as he has dedicated his life to helping others regain and maintain control of their lives. Working with his organization will also be an opportunity for me to continue to develop my non-profit business plan that is centered on working with and developing athletic scholars for life during and after college.

REFERENCES

Lucas, John H. (2011) Personal Informational Interview. Interview convened on October 12, 2011.

JOHN LUCAS RESOURCES
JOHN LUCAS ENTERPRISES

USA Basketball's Social Media Status

2011-10-14T12:32:00.000-07:00

This presentation analyzes USA Basketball’s (USAB) use of social media network in comparison to the NBA and the US Olympic Team USA. Virtually every business is into social media marketing. Although they may not be receiving the best results, some are just happy to be on the circuit. This is not a good marketing strategy!

If your social media endeavor is not yielding tangible results or maximizing its fullest potential, it is time to take a second look at your social media presence in comparison to others, and ask yourself whether you are doing the right thing. Are you? Let's take a look at this video to see where USAB stands in comparison to others. Enjoy!

https://twitter.com/#!/anoel36

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/natalie-lee-walker/12/b02/326

Sports Still Draw Fans Despite Recession

2011-10-07T19:26:00.000-07:00

The article, “Sports Still Draw Fans Despite Recession”, has highlighted some very intriguing details with regard to the survival of sports and franchises in a downturned economy. In spite of unemployment rising dramatically, “many people are still spending at least some money on sports activities.” According to Bain-Selbo, "Once you gain a taste for it, you want to see an event, and it's a relatively cheap thing to do." (Bain-Selbo, E. 2008) It may be considered an extreme view, but it is believed that some fans are actually FAN-ADDICTS (fanatics).

Although this belief helps to explain why ESPN and CBS television networks agreed to pay the Southeastern Conference (SEC) $3 billion to broadcast mainly football games over the next 15 years, this is a small factor in the prescription for curing the ails of the sports industry. The only league that appears to be unaffected by the severe slump in the economy is pro football. The NFL does not have as many worries as other leagues in the industry. Economic strain is felt in other areas of the sports world such as the NASCAR races, Major League Baseball (MLB) games, college campus athletic employees, and collegiate sporting events.

Additionally, not mentioned in this article is the affect the NBA lockout could have on the sports industry. After the expiration of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) on June 30, 2011, the league imposed a lockout. Since Friday, July 1, 2011, the matters in dispute between the Owners of the thirty NBA teams and the National Basketball Association Players Association (NBAPA/Union) players (Players) are sure to have some long-term detrimental consequences, specifically to the fans and the economy, if the impasse continues.

In an effort to incentivize fans to attend more sporting events and to stimulate economic activities, cities and states governments are directing a significant amount of public funds into professional sports venues. The government hopes to recoup some of the expense by selling the naming rights of the facility.

A perfect example is the new Amway Center facility in Orlando, Florida. This new event center is an exceptional state-of-the art facility that has more amenities available to the fans. The luxurious boxes has big leather chairs, lower level luxury and premium seating, reserve seating at the restaurant with buffet, a variety of restaurants (Asian, Mexican, etc.), a jungle gym activity area, picture taking opportunities, updated technology includes 1,100 screens, a HD (high definition) control room, 42’ tall scoreboard, and touch screens for ordering concessions or dining items.

Although this is an increased opportunity to make more money with these amazing amenities available to the fans, some franchises are still operating at a loss. Another idea that I believe would be an effective means of generating revenue is for franchises in the sports industry on both the collegiate and professional level to “take a bite of the apple” and partner with Apple. With the recent passing of the former CEO, Steve Jobs, Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius. The timing is "ripe" to partner with Apple, and further enhance the vision of Apple and generate more money for the sports industry by getting those fans in the stand.

There are millions of people who either have or desire to have an iPod, iPhone, iPad, iMac notebook computer, or iTunes gift card. Leagues in the sports industry could appeal to the FAN-ADDICTS, who is also seemingly addicted to these items, and offer giveaways to a specified number of attendees or discounts to those who currently own one or more of these items. As an additional incentive, the fans could use their iPhone to text a representative of the franchise with the hopes of possibly winning a designated Apple item or monetary gift. The fan(s) will receive a text "YOU ARE THE WINNER" during the game; however, the recipient(s) MUST be present to win.
Other ideas for giveaways would be to Partner with the local utility company and lottery commission; or the BOGO theory, buy one, get one half-off on tickets or concession items. Let’s not forget our seniors and grandparents. One of these establishments could sponsor a “TAKE A CHILD OR GRANDCHILD TO THE GAME NIGHT” by offering ticket and concession packages with gift cards from places like local grocery store establishments, Massage Envy spa services or partnering with other local or national popular sporting goods chains and gyms.
Click on my video for interesting "did you know" facts and benefits of Partnering with Apple.

SOURCES:

Can Sports Avoid This Recession?

Sticking Points of the NBA Lockout

"Will Adidas+Reebok Be Able To Rebound?"

2011-09-30T12:34:00.000-07:00

The story which I found to be one of the biggest sports business stories of the decade is about the world’s second and third biggest sporting goods companies, Reebok and Adidas, respectively, lacing up to run with the #1 big dog, Nike, in an attempt to become “king of the hill in the world of sports shoes and apparel!” (Howard, T. 2005)

In August 2005, the CEO of Adidas, Herbert Hainer, announced the deal to merge the two companies in a cash transaction buyout of Reebok’s stock, which included the 17% stake held by founder, Paul Fireman. Hainer believed this would help Adidas to take on Nike, the number one sporting-goods brand, while giving Adidas a stronger presence in North America, and Reebok, who had a strong presence in the United Kingdom, a stronger presence on the global stage.

As reported in the CNBC video, 10 Years in the Making, under the “hit or miss” category, the decision of Adidas to acquire Reebok for an estimated $3.8 billion is considered one of the big misses. The goal was to become a big challenger to Nike; however, it actually made both brands weaker. When Adidas bought Reebok, Adidas had a 10% share of the market and Reebok had an 8% share, now it is reported that Adidas has a 6% share and Reebok has a 2% share.

Although it was previously believed that Reebok was “on the rebound” with the “toning shoes”, which Reebok claimed “wear a pair of shoes to burn more calories and tone muscles better”, unfortunately, it was the focus of an investigation and class action lawsuit. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is cracking down on the company for alleged false claims. As of September 29, 2011, the FTC has announced it was settling a class action lawsuit for $25 million with Reebok and creating a fund to refund customers.

What Adidas has discovered is that although Reebok had NBA and NFL marketing deals, they had no proprietary assets. Consequently, this decline is in large part due to the NFL announcement in October 2010 that Nike would be the official uniform provider of the NFL beginning in April 2012. According to CNBC’s Sports Business Reporter, Darren Rovell, “As CNBC reported Monday, Nike will produce all on-field apparel including game uniforms and base layer, as well as sideline personnel apparel and fan gear.” The Reebok $300 million deal with the NFL will expire before the 2012 season.

Is Adidas+Reebok able to rebound? Stay tuned! The game is not over yet!!

Reebok still has a 10-year agreement that went into full effect with the 2004-05 season with the National Basketball Association (NBA), which also applies to all Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) teams, teams in NBA's development league, and includes, with limited exceptions, exclusive rights for Reebok to design, manufacture, sell and market licensed merchandise headwear, T-shirts, fleece and other apparel. Additionally, beginning with the 2006-07 season, Adidas was able to get its name on NBA apparel, including team warm-ups, by signing an 11-year global merchandising marketing deal. Now that’s a slam dunk!!

Nike (Greek Goddess Victory) remains #1 and “king of the hill in the world of sports shoes and apparel!” I would suggest that maybe Adidas+Reebok should change it’s name to Adonis (Deity of Greek Mythology) ~ handsome god of desire and manly good looks who died, but was reborn. That indeed would be interesting to see the two Greek deities battle it out ~ or merge to be known as the world’s greatest love affair. Hmmm…..now that’s a thought!!

RESOURCES

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/manufacturing/2005-08-02-adidas-usat_x.htm

http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=1368367744

http://www.cnbc.com/id/35687695/Reebok_Finally_On_The_Rebound

http://www.cnbc.com/id/39632866/Nike_Will_Have_Exclusive_NFL_Apparel_Rights

http://www.benmautner.com/widerangle/2005/08/adidas-bought-reebok.html

http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/brandnewday/archives/2006/04/adidas_spends_big_with_nba.html

SHAWN RESPERT, MULTI-TALENTED FORMER PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE!!! LIFE AFTER BASKETBALL~

2011-09-15T12:58:00.000-07:00

I had the distinct honor and pleasure to meet and speak with former NBA player, Shawn Respert, at the Houston National Golf Club in Houston, Texas. Although he is an avid golfer, he was a former Michigan State University basketball star, and also obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Communications. In addition to his life experiences and specialties, his impressive list of accomplishments include Assistant Basketball Coach at Prairie View A&M University, Director of Basketball Operations at Rice University, Manager of Player Development with the NBA and currently Director of Basketball Operations at the NBA/Houston Rockets.

Whether he is negotiating a new contract for himself or for one of his long list of athletes that he has helped to develop, there is a sincere appreciation for his impressive list of accomplishments. Shawn has expertise in evaluating an athlete’s basketball skill sets, which includes identifying areas of strengths & weaknesses, and creating a workable plan to promote growth and development in the areas of concern for both professional athletes and basketball franchises. While his experience in the sports industry includes helping to educate and manage the careers of professional basketball players, Shawn believes that the most important aspect is the “overall development” of the athlete. Therefore, he is acutely aware of the importance of building and maintaining relationships created between the players and the business operations.

Among the core focuses of our discussion was leverage and power. Shawn is currently in the final month of his 3-year contract with the Houston Rockets, but he continues to leverage his status and roles in the industry to negotiate a new contract with three other prospective NBA franchises. Although he has to contend with the NBA lockout for the 2011-12 season currently underway, he remains confident that there will always be a market for the assets he provides to the sports industry.

Shawn explained to me that when under a contract and before a negotiation can take place, other teams seeking to hire new top staff members must communicate and get permission from the front office executives of the team where the prospective candidate or athlete is currently employed before they are able to recruit and negotiate terms of a contract. To communicate without the expressed permission of the league is considered “tampering”, which is a direct violation of the rules. Because the NBA tries to maintain “the appearance” of an even leveled playing field, especially when it comes to recruiting top employees and players, no team should have a clear advantage over another team.

An example of tampering that he cited was in 2003, the Cleveland Cavaliers (CC) were heavily fined because it was alleged that former head coach, John Lucas, encouraged his scouts to recruit LeBron James, a high school athlete from Akron, OH, and allowed him to workout in open gym at the CC facilities. Although this action was at a time when recruiting and drafting high school athletes was allowed, it created the appearance of an uneven playing field. Shawn stated, “as long as he was just out looking, it was ok, but to have actually invited him to workout in the CC facilities was considered “crossing the lines”!!”

According to most, LeBron was arguably the #1 pick that year and CC happened to have the worse stats in the NBA, which placed them in a position to have the most balls in the lottery. It worked!! They were awarded the 1^st draft pick option, and hence, LeBron James became a Cleveland Cavalier. After an extensive investigation, it was concluded that there was sufficient evidence to support their claims of tampering and they were heavily fined $750,000.

Shawn also explained that because there are some very restrictive rules associated with basketball negotiations that carry very stiff penalties for violations, it does not matter whether it is prospective players or front office staff candidates, it is better to do your research, know the rules, and get the required permission before beginning any negotiations, especially when you are under an active contract.

I truly enjoyed my very first golfing experience and informative conversation with such a multi-talented, well-spoken and well-rounded sport’s professional that is actively making a difference in the industry.

For more information on Shawn's life experiences and impressive career, check out:

SHAWN RESPERT GOES OFF......
RICE OWLS

CANCER SURVIVOR

SAY GOODBYE TO THE "DUMB JOCK" MYTH! ~ WHAT'S YOUR GAME PLAN?

2011-08-20T11:57:00.000-07:00

YOU CAN PLAY

In looking at the requirements for DI eligibility, I was very pleased to see that NCAA has implemented academic reform efforts. Their ultimate goal is for student-athletes to graduate with a meaningful degree to give them the best edge when preparing them for life after college.

Some of the Division I academic reform highlights start with increased high school academic requirements for prospective student-athletes. These measures are to ensure that after student-athletes are enrolled in college, they will meet the standards that will ultimately certify they will graduate and in a timely manner. Another tool that they have developed and implemented is the Academic Progress Rate (APR). This tool monitors and measures how well student-athletes who are recipients of scholarships are performing term by term. It is a comprehensive team measurement that is based on how individual team members are progressing academically. The benchmark is 930. If a team does not make the 930 threshold, they are subject to sanctions. The good news is that the NCAA works closely with the APR-challenged schools to help them achieve improvement and minimize punishment.

Because academic, not athletic, achievement is the most reliable path to success in life, the NCAA tracks both graduation success rates (GSR) and the percentage of student-athletes who become professional athletes. As of October, 2010, the most recent GSR cohort, 79% of Division I student athletes earned their degrees. The breakdown by percentage of student-athletes who become professional athletes are: Baseball – 9%; Men’s Ice Hockey – 3.6%, Football – 1.7%; Men’s Basketball – 1.2%; Women’s Basketball – 0.9%; and Soccer – 1.6%.

Overall, it is important to make sure that your student-athlete understands that meeting the academic eligibility requirements to play a sport at a given college is not the same as meeting the academic standards for admission to that college. No matter how enthusiastic a college recruiter or coach is about a student-athlete, the college’s admissions staff will make the final admissions decision. And no matter how outstanding the high school athlete, athletic abilities, simply meeting NCAA academic requirements may not be sufficient to gain admission to desired colleges.

According to the CollegeBoard, "the more rigorous a course load your student athletes take, the more options they have when it comes time to choose a college. Some of the things you can do to give students the best chance of going on to the college of their choice include:

Helping to plan a challenging course schedule
Keeping records of classes and grades
Keeping track of graduation requirements
Advising which college admission tests to take and when to take them
Connecting students to information on various colleges, majors, and careers.
Recommending colleges to match academic profiles and career goals
Advising on "safety," "good fit," and "reach" schools
Sending transcripts to colleges
Start now getting letters of recommendation
Understand aid awards and how financial aid works, and connect your student-athlete to local scholarship opportunities"

CLICK THE "YOU CAN PLAY" LINK FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ELIGIBILITY!!

SOURCES

http://www.ihoops.com/classroom/eligibility

http://www.ncaapublications.com/p-4193-2010-11-your-path-to-the-student-athlete-experience-pack-of-100-due-late-summerearly-fall-2010.aspx

http://bcove.me/tw2pr2w2

Photo~ Christopher Walker II ~ aka C-DUB II~ "Superstar" Student-Athlete

What’s Your Career Path Plan “B”

2011-08-07T02:01:00.000-07:00

Lewis Howes's Social Media LinkedIn Expert

On July 28, 2011, I accepted an invitation to participate in a WorkInSports Webinar hosted by Lewis Howes entitled “Using Social Media To Improve Your Sports Job Search.” I found the one-hour session to be very interesting, informative and helpful in building my contacts through social media networking on LinkedIn.

Lewis Howes went from being a two sport All-American athlete in college, to playing Arena Football. After one year of playing professional football, he had a career ending injury that left him in a full arm cast for six months, not including another 8 months of rehab.

After a year of sleeping on his sister’s couch during recovery and trying to figure out what he wanted to do next, he looked at various job opportunities, but had never entertained the idea of becoming an entrepreneur.

Since then, along with a famous inventor, Chris Hawker, he has co-founded a manufacturing company www.trident-design.com, which develops cushioned cast covers to help make the experience of having broken bones more comfortable. He is also creator and co-founder of Ripple Results, LLC, an interactive and social media-marketing firm.

Lewis is currently in the process of starting his third company, which includes educational training on social media, online marketing, videos, and more. Additionally, he has co-authored the book, “LinkedWorking”, but is author of “LinkedIn Master Strategies.” These two sources provide everything needed to maximize the LinkedIn experience for business or professional careers.

Because he saw a hole in the sports industry when it comes to online marketing, he also founded SportsNetworker.com. According to Lewis (2011), “There is an old way of thinking when it comes to the sports world, and many teams, leagues, and organizations are still unwilling to dive into online marketing and social media as a way to interact with prospective employees, customers and fans.”

SportsNetworker.com is a resource that covers the best tips and practices on social media in sports and they host regular sports networking events around the world to help connect more people in the industry.   It is affiliated with "The Sports Executives Association" (SEA) and is a membership site that connects the top sports professionals together, and creates ongoing education and training that provides a better understanding of the best way to increase business for your sports organization and so much more. To learn more about becoming a member, go to www.SportsExec.net.

And, for those of us who find it hard to connect with new people and leverage other networks to receive more referrals and opportunities, then you will want to go to www.ShyNetworking.com to learn more about their networking course. I think he created that site just for people like me!

Check out www.lewishowes.com . to know more about either the books, guest-speaking engagements or webinars.

SOURCES

LINKED IN PROFILE

COACH JOHN WOODEN, A COACHING LEGEND~ DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WINNING AND TRUE SUCCESS

2011-07-27T22:57:00.000-07:00

As an avid basketball sports fan, I have wondered how the UCLA basketball team went from being one of the weakest teams in the Pacific Conference to being THE BEST team with record wins that are still unmatched in the world of basketball today.

UCLA’s basketball program has the international reputation of being No. 1. The major reason for that success was head coach, John Rupert Wooden. As the Bruin’s head coach with the highest winning record in all of sport’s history and an unprecedented 10 NCAA championships, including seven consecutive wins from 1966-1973, he tells us the meaning of true success in his TED video with profound simplicity.

Why should we listen to him?

This speech is a road map for aiming higher, developing good character, setting standards, and tapping into inner strength. His legacy resonates through his students, athletes and faculty, and now thanks to TED, it has reached over 844,645 more people. In this inspiring talk, he shares the advice he gave his players at UCLA, quotes poetry and remembers his father's wisdom.

Coach Wooden redefined success and urges us all to pursue the best in ourselves. He states, "success is not about medals or career wins. It is more about peace of mind and knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of being."

He truly knew the difference between winning and success and profoundly explained that it is to never let others who did not see the outcome of the game be able to tell the results of the game from your behavior. He transformed the UCLA team into the most accomplished team in history by encouraging them to never try to be better than someone else. It is good to learn from others, but never cease being the best you can be because that’s under your control. This explains how he was able to rally the team to unprecedented successes and accomplishments.

I can truly relate to his passion for helping others to be the best they could be. It is one of the main focuses of our program. This speech has also helped me to have a deeper understanding of who he was and how he was able to accomplish these great feats. Additionally, it has inspired me to implement in my organization a few of the rules he lived by and used in both teaching in the classroom and in sports:

1. NEVER BE LATE ~ START & FINISH ON TIME

2. BE NEAT & CLEAN ~HYGIENICALLY & CLOTHES

3. NOT ONE WORD OF PROFANITY

4. NEVER CRITICIZE A TEAMMATE

5. DON’T WHINE

6. DON’T COMPLAIN

7. DON’T MAKE EXCUSES

8. GET OUT THERE, AND WHAT EVER YOU ARE DOING, DO IT TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY!!

At the age of 99, Coach Wooden passed away on June 4, 2010. I thank him for having lived such an inspiring life. He truly had ideas worth sharing.

Resources

YouTube

Photo

UCLA Bruins

NCAA “DUMB-JOCK” OR “STUDENT-ATHLETE”?

2011-07-11T05:55:00.000-07:00

http://l.thumbs.canstockphoto.com/canstock2276542.jpg
http://photos1.fotosearch.com/bthumb/CSP/CSP025/k0257010.jpg

Diversity & Inclusion

The NCAA oversees 88 championships in 23 sports. There are more than 400,000 student-athletes competing in Divisions I, II and III at over 1,000 colleges and universities within the NCAA.

The late NCAA President, Myles Brand was dedicated to enhancing the academic environment and eliminating the phrase “dumb jock” from the American vocabulary, and emphasizing the phrase “student-athlete”, instead. In 2005, he brought this idea into even sharper focus when he created the office of Diversity and Inclusion with the commitment to nurturing and encouraging this principle under his leadership.

One of the NCAA’s core values is to oversee competition in a fair, safe, equitable and sportsmanlike manner, and to incorporate intercollegiate athletics into higher education so that the educational experience of the student-athlete is paramount.

Why does the NCAA believe so deeply in diversity and inclusion? According to a recent joint report from the American Council on Education and the American Association of University Professors, they believe that diversity education “extends the meaning of personal, social and moral growth and improves the capacity of college and universities to achieve their missions.” (Harrison, 2010)

http://halftimeadjustment.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/virtual-cops.jpg

Rules Enforcement

Another important program is the NCAA Enforcement Program. The objective of this program is to reduce violations of NCAA legislation and to impose appropriate penalties if violations occur. The program is committed to the fairness of procedures and to the timely and equitable resolution of infractions cases.

In Divisions I, II and III, the Committees on Infractions are composed primarily of individuals from NCAA member institutions. The committees are responsible for determining whether rules infractions occurred and, if so, what penalties should be applied. There are five members on the committee. At least one of the members is from the general public and is not associated with a college, professional sports organization or athletes in any way. The other members must be a staff member of an NCAA school or conference.

It is believed that the presence of both the Diversity & Inclusion and the Rules Enforcement programs in colleges and universities help to raise, rather than lower, academic standards.

SOURCES

All Division I (PDF)

Eight-Year Trends in Federal Graduation Rates and Graduation Success Rates at NCAA Division I Institutions

http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/public/ncaa/about+the+ncaa

"DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE!!!"

2011-06-14T22:06:00.000-07:00

http://imgur.com/g4UqU

With the selection of Kevin McHale as the new head coach of the Houston Rockets, many are left wondering is the “hype” enough to propel the team to a level whereby they are now a team to either be feared on the court or they can now become high contenders for the 2012 championship. As we can see with this year’s championship results, hype does not win championships!!

At the end of last season, we saw how LeBron James defected from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Miami Heat in pursuit of the ring and the media hyped up the new Miami Heat alliance of Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh.

Although I am not a Mavericks fan, but when you think about it, this is about the only way this NBA season should have played out. This whole despicable episode of Miami trying to corner the market on top players in an effort to snatch a championship was an embarrassment from the start. It’s not that any team with money shouldn’t try to use it to get a good core group of players, but the way it went down from the beginning was just plain trifling.

The arrogance of LeBron was totally inexcusable. He snubbed his nose at competitors and taunted any fan who jeered at him with remarks like ''they have to wake up tomorrow and have the same life they had before.” It is not only silly, but it’s juvenile. Where is his PR rep? I guess after waking up Monday morning his life was the same life as before.

Well, with the “loss of the ring”, he got his nose rubbed in it and maybe, just maybe, he has learned a bit of something called humility. That may be wishful thinking on my part, but if his behavior continues, he will have to learn his lessons the hard way!! The longer this goes on, the longer it will take him to win a championship, and it’s only going to get worse. I would suggest that he stop believing the hype and get back to attacking the basket, driving the lane and commanding a game that really matters.

Rockets please take note! Pull your resources together and get a core team that the Houston fans can embrace as a viable contender in this league. Don't believe the hype!!

Sources:
http://boochiereview.com/lebron-with-scathing-remarks-after-the-game-lebron-is-a-jerk/

http://www.youtube.com/embed/Q8Tqb2c_m_Q

"MCHALE TO THE CHIEF"

2011-06-01T21:07:00.000-07:00

(AFP/Getty Images/File, Jim McIsaac)

GM Daryl Morey, aka Project Manager of the Houston Rockets, has hired the new chief of the Houston Rockets. Kevin McHale, former NBA Boston Celtics star, former GM executive of the Minnesota Timberwolves, who was twice forced into an interim coaching role at Minnesota, and has won three NBA crowns in the 1980’s during his 13-season career with the Celtics, is now the Head Coach of the Houston Rockets, a team that has been rebuilding since the days of Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler. His deal with the Rockets is for three years with a team option for a fourth season.

"In a league in which 30 teams are competing for one prize, you have to differentiate yourself somehow,” Morey says. But can a Morey/McHale combination be the right blend to find the right mix? Well, with the right execution I believe they can once again find the chemistry on the court. If they can recruit the talents needed and can successfully work together, it looks like an awesome future for the league. Although it is more of a high-risk and potentially high-reward thing, given that the current Rockets team is not considered a high contender, a little risk is warranted.

McHale has a good feel for the game and he tends to be more of a big-picture guy rather than detail-oriented which is the total contrast to GM Daryl Morey. McHale is not the type to be a puppet and will most likely approach this as an opportunity to coach a younger, up-and-coming team while benefitting from getting their input.

I truly hope that Morey will not interject his past philosophies on how to put together the coaching staff as well as the actual coaching of the team and instead trust McHale to make the decisions necessary to turn this Rocket’s franchise around. It’s time for a new era of Rockets basketball!!

Although, the hiring of McHale may be seen to some as an unpopular move because many feel McHale is being groomed to take over for Morey once he moves on to investment banking, which is his real career, the head coach is still the key to mesh everything together in a coherent system.

The good news is that GM Daryl Morey is a risk taker and will not quit until he gets the ultimate prize ~ the championship!! Why not? Life=Risk!! As a Rockets fan, I really want to see the league succeed in the 2011-12 season, however, it remains to be seen. If all goes well, the fans will be chanting:

"ALL "HALE" TO THE CHIEF!!!"

SOURCES

http://www.nba.com/2011/news/features/steve_aschburner/05/31/rockets-mchale/

http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?section=magazine&id=3658571

FOR MORE INFORMATION, LISTEN TO

NEW ROCKET'S COACH PODCAST

RARE NBA DRAFT SUCCESSES

2011-05-11T12:28:00.000-07:00

THREE ATHLETES FROM THE SAME SCHOOL~UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA~ WHO WERE DRAFTED IN 2007 AND NOW CURRENTLY WITH TEAMS IN 2011 NBA PLAYOFFS ~ VERY RARE!!

Al Horford Atlanta Hawks
Joakim Noah Chicago Bulls
Corey Brewer Dallas Mavericks

(Video by Doug Finger/The Gainesville Sun)

TO BE OR NOT TO BE?

2011-05-10T21:52:00.000-07:00

Although the NBA withdrawal date is June 13, under the NCAA new rules, Sunday, May 8^th, was the deadline for underclassmen college athletes to decide whether to remove their name from consideration in the 2011 draft in order to retain their college eligibility.

Some athletes that have opted out of the 2011 draft are:

• Terrell “Tu” Holloway, 6-0, Junior returning to Xavier

• Terrence Jones, 6-8, Freshman returning to Kentucky

• Reggie Johnson, Miami, 6-10, Sophomore returning to Miami

• John Shurna, 6-8, Junior returning to Northwestern

Stayed tuned for more updates!!