The Sports Ace

New Beginnings, Real and Imagined

2010-05-19T15:43:00.022-05:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where grand slams off Mariano Rivera happen more than once every decade.

First off, a sincere apology is necessary. It's been WAY too long since my last post. In the last five months, my job has required much more time, travel, etc., and I have another child due any day. It's been absolutely crazy, yet completely exhilarating and exhausting. But for you, it's no excuse.

Speaking of our impending arrival, it's gotten me thinking a bit about sports stars and their kids. You've read all about Shawn Kemp, Travis Henry and the other guys with tons of kids by tons of women. Their shenanigans are well documented. But what about the other extreme - the incredibly talented athletes who have built legend-like status without so much as a peep about their family lives? Granted, they have a right to their privacy, and more power to them for keeping things quiet. But who would you like to see have a child, or add that family angle to their public persona/image? Who would benefit most from a PR/marketing angle from doing so? An interesting question...

Here are a few people I've thought of:

--Peyton Manning. He's almost assuredly a Hall of Famer, and does a lot of great charity work, but he and his wife do not have kids. Couldn't you see this great QB with a little one? A great, battle-decorated gridiron warrior cradling a newborn? He's already pitching so many products - I have to imagine Huggies and Gerber would be knocking down his door if that were to ever happen. The legend would only grow.

--Joe Mauer. Being a native Minnesotan, like Joe, I know well how he's already a god-like figure locally with one of the richest contracts in sports history and a squeaky-clean image. And having spent some time with him, I can say he's just as down to earth and cool in real life as he might seem. But as a bachelor, he hasn't yet had the opportunity to start his own family. If/when he does, I think his star will only rise even more, especially around this state we both call home.

--Tim Tebow. With all the attention he gets for his personal nature, we all forget he's a two-time Heisman winner, one of the most decorated collegiate athletes of all time and a proven winner. Still, let's be honest with ourselves - he's going to always be a media darling because of his personal decisions. And when he has a wife and kids, the topic of the discussion will merely change - it won't go away.

And an honorable mention: Albert Pujols. The guy is one of the true good guys in sports, and does a ton for charity, including running an organization to benefit children with Downs Syndrome and their families, yet he's so darn good at baseball that he doesn't always get the credit he deserves. This guy is an all-around, well-rounded Hall of Famer.

Who else do you think belongs?

I'm out like the Atlanta Hawks. (then again, being out requires "being there" in the first place...which the Hawks weren't in any way, shape or form against the Magic)

(photo credit to Cosmos Magazine)

Just in Time - Sports PR/Mktg Predictions for 2010

2010-01-12T10:58:00.001-06:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where tanking games at the end of the football season – especially when you’re 14-0 – is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

By now, the “prediction for 2010” buzz has pretty much faded, which means it’s the perfect time for me to join the fray and suggest some things I think will dominate the year ahead. Enjoy.

--Teams on Twitter
You might think that this is obvious and has no place in a prediction post. After all, there surely are teams that have done a good job of activating Twitter, Facebook and other sites to engage their fan bases. But if it’s so obvious, then why hasn’t everyone adopted these practices? It seems to me that a definite majority of teams are still trying to figure it all out – all the way from defining how their athletes use the tools to hiring staff devoted solely to the effort. This will change in 2010…I think this is the year when the tides turn and sports organizations and leagues everywhere really embrace social media.

--Breaking News
Already, we’ve started to see individual athletes taking matters into their own hands when it comes to news announcements, spreading the word themselves through social media tools instead of feeding reporters and the news machine at large. As the landscape of media continues to change, and reporters are more taxed and the news hole continues to shrink, I think athletes will do more and more of this in 2010 so that they guarantee themselves their share of ink and buzz and manage and motivate their individual fan bases. In a world where star power adds dollars to contracts and leads to endorsement deals, and athletes are looking out for “number one” more and more, this makes incredible sense. Plus, let’s admit it, athletes have huge egos. Spreading the word themselves allows them to control the message and hoard the attention…really, it’s PR 101. Think of it this way, and it’s a wonder this hasn’t been done more already.

--ESPN Will Dominate. Even More.
You’ve heard about ESPN Boston and Los Angeles. There’s a simple model at play here: leverage the Worldwide Leader’s brand and existing/growing resources and infrastructure to provide sports content on the local level. As papers and TV stations continue to tighten their belts, sports coverage already has suffered to some extent. So enter ESPN, with a growing brand and more money to spend than the local guys. If they can come in and cover the teams well, and maybe even syndicate content to the local media, they might just have a winner. Meanwhile, visitors to the ESPN sites benefit from all the other content on there too – it’s an infrastructure much more built out than any newspaper site I’ve seen. I expect to see ESPN New York, ESPN San Francisco, ESPN Atlanta and others sooner than later.

--Team Naming Rights
We saw a couple of WNBA teams sell their jersey space, and essentially their nicknames, to corporate sponsors in 2009. Soccer teams around the world (and NASCAR) have done this for years…might a major American brand make a move into a major American sport in 2010? It wouldn’t shock me.

What am I missing?

Have a terrific New Year. I’m out like the New England Patriots.

Happy (Sports Thanksgiving) New Year!

2010-01-01T13:26:00.004-06:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where we always have a feast of football, basketball, hockey, new Xmas presents and yummy eats to keep us company.

New Years Day is one of my favorite days of the year. Sure, it's great for all the usual reasons...we're off from work, we spend the time with friends/family and it's a day that represents the hopes and dreams of everyone. If you're not using at least some of the time to reflect on who you are and what you want to be, you should. It's a wonderful, healthy exercise.

But the icing on the cake (and much of the rest of the cake, actually) for me is the incredible slate of sports action. Here's just a little bit of what's really got me excited today:

--The Rose Bowl. Really, this alone could make my day. Having grown up in Minnesota, and being a Gopher letterwinner, this is the game that never fails to give me goosebumps. I watch the Rose Parade, dreaming of what it would have been like to participate in it. I look at the Big Ten and Pac-10 champs duke it out, hoping that someday in my lifetime I'll get the chance to see the Gophers play in Pasadena. The pageantry, the passion, the tradition...it really is the Granddaddy of Them All. Just for today, Go Buckeyes.

--The Winter Classic. I hope the NHL dude who thought of this got a promotion and a huge raise. I'm not sure anything else has done more for pro hockey in the USA the past few years than this great annual event. And this year, it's at storied Fenway Park...and it features one of the league's top rivalries. Great stuff...makes me wish I was making my Monday flight to Boston a few days early. Only thing: just stop talking about how great the ice is. Seemed pretty obvious to me from that first period like it's not exactly ideal out there. But hey, it's outdoor hockey...I'm not exactly complaining.

--Big Ten Bowls. The Rose, the Outback (and what a great game it is), the Capital One...it's a great day for a Big Ten football fan. Besides, anytime you get to see JoePa on the sideline in a rainstorm, life is good. Now let's go win some games and silence those stupid talking heads who think our conference can't compete.

--Purdue/West Virginia. Can't forget about basketball today...this could be a Final Four preview, and it features another Big Ten team. Can't wait to see my Gophers beat the Boilers next week.

Enjoy the action, everyone. What's getting you psyched up today?

That's all for now. I'm out like Bobby Bowden.

The Tiger Saga: What He Could Learn from Michael Phelps

2009-11-30T20:19:00.009-06:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where the Vikings just keep on winning... :)

You've all heard by now about the Tiger Woods kerfuffle, so I'll spare you the recap. A lot has already been said about how Tiger and his PR team have blown this one...I would agree with that sentiment. None of us know the truth, and it's possible the guy is just trying to protect his family - or that he just doesn't care. Still, he owes the world, the sponsors and the legion of fans responsible for his incredible wealth an explanation. So now, being that Tiger's puckering up tighter than a snare drum and pulling his version of a "no comment" response, what's the best course of action for him to take?

We need look no further than the Michael Phelps situation a few short months ago for guidance. You'll remember he was caught on camera having a little too much fun at a house party, and it turned into a full-fledged PR crisis. And when the photos went public...he came out, ate crow, offered an honest explanation, took all questions and sincerely apologized. And...if you haven't noticed (and you probably haven't, because this crisis was handled very well), Phelps has moved on, and he's pretty much been forgiven for his mistake in the vicious court of public opinion. Crisis PR at its finest.

So what did Phelps do well that Tiger can do?

1. Stop avoiding the spotlight, call a presser and answer some questions. Yesterday. It doesn't matter quite as much what he says - although the truth would be great. It matters more that he faces the music, allows people to connect with him and offers an honest account of the situation and his feelings.

2. Let the media in...a little bit. Tiger has been known for keeping his personal affairs completely to himself, and that's surely his right. But in a situation like this, it gives the public no basis for comparison when judging his character. It might be a strong play for him to give ESPN, 60 Minutes or somebody else an exclusive interview filmed inside his house, with video of his family. Let people see the man behind the domination. I'm not saying he has to become Terrell Owens. But Phelps? Alex Rodriguez? Andre Agassi? When they faced trouble, they went out and did interviews with the big dogs and told their story.

3. Audit (and maybe tweak) your TSR (Tiger Social Responsibility) activities. Taken from the popular corporate PR term corporate social responsibility, this refers to the work Tiger does in the community and the good work he does with his wealth for those less fortunate. Of course, Tiger has his own Foundation, and he's struck partnerships with companies who sponsor events, golf tournaments, etc. Tiger shows up, says all the right things, etc. But lately it's starting to come out that he doesn't exactly go to the lengths that others with his stature do - or that other legends of golf have gone. And when he does, he doesn't always project the right attitude. It couldn't hurt to do more for kids to learn and experience the game of golf, and do it with a smile on his face.

These all would be helpful to Tiger as he goes forward in this accident mess. But I think most people would agree that he simply needs to do something...and fast. What do you think?

I'm out like Lawrence Frank.

Soccer in America

2009-10-23T15:22:00.009-05:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where Brett Favre beating the packers as a member of the Vikings will go down as one of the seminal Minnesota sports moments of this generation.

Thanks to Jackie Adkins (@JackieAdkins) for the inspiration for this post. He is a recent grad of the University of North Carolina, and a sharp young sports/marketing mind. The content here is based on a presentation he wrote entitled "Soccer: The Rest of the World's Game," which he so generously sent to me to write about.

Now, it's no shock that soccer is not as mainstream in America as other sports. Many people think it's a boring sport to watch, that there aren't many goals scored and that it's played sloppily in general (with phenomena like "flopping"). Plus, traditionally, the USA hasn't been a strong soccer nation in major competitions. We all know how we Americans love to rally around a winner...we simply haven't had that chance very often with the national soccer teams.

There are signs, though, that the sport is gaining a foothold in America and could be on the verge of explosion into the mainstream. Here are some proof points:

--Soccer is America's #1 youth game today. Yes, more kids play soccer here today than any other sport. No lie. And as these kids grow up, they'll bring their affinity for the sport into their homes, their decisions and (critical to the growth of soccer) their purchases.

--The USA National Teams are starting to enjoy some success. The Mens' National Team hosted the 1994 World Cup, had a strong showing in 2002 and recently played in the final of the FIFA Confederations Cup, considered a top prep tourney for the World Cup. And you know that the Women's Team has been a dynamo, winning in 1999 and playing well ever since.

--Soccer is the Hispanic world's #1 sport, and as more Hispanics become Americans, they naturally bring the game to the nation.

--Major League Soccer, and women's leagues, are taking off and growing. It took a while, but the fans are coming - and sponsors are buying into it.

All of these bode well for the sport, but what does soccer need to do to continue and stimulate this growth in America?

First, broader exposure to the game would help. For example, currently, not even all of the Mens' National Team games are on ESPN or other forms of cable or network national television. How can Americans rally behind the team and sport if they can't watch their premier teams compete? And this isn't the time to ask for more beat reporters, but even local soccer teams don't currently receive the level of coverage as other local squads - despite the increasing demographic interest noted above.

Second, continue to build slowly but surely. Those looking to turn a quick profit in soccer probably won't do it, and momentum could be lost along the way. Building an empire and a movement takes time - you can't do it overnight. It takes years. Keep taking steps forward, and eventually your journey will be complete. For example, it seems like the MLS has this figured out - as much as they'd like to be a 30-team league, and others want them to be that large, they've been very methodical in expansion and have picked their franchise cities carefully.

Third, soccer's fans in America have to evangelize. New fans have to be won with passion, not with scoring. So, just like with any other branding effort, people need to experience the game in ways they haven't before - that is how they will see the light. And in lieu of broadcast access and other barriers to entry, the sport's ardent fans have got to carry the torch on this one.

Fourth, the Men's National Team needs to do well in South Africa in the 2010 World Cup. In most of the world, this is considered the biggest sports event in the world - bigger than the Olympics, the Super Bowl, etc. And the USA has qualified as the winner of their region...there's nothing that would do more for soccer in America than a deep run in The Big One next summer.

Personally, I really like soccer. I've watched it, played it and announced it. Sure, there isn't as much scoring as other sports, but there's just as much (or more) strategy, talent, rivalry, passion, etc. on the pitch as any other sport. That's the real beauty of the game - just like with a great work of art, you just have to look a little harder to see it. And for those of you who have never played - try it. You might just experience for yourself what so many others have experienced. If soccer were to become a mainstream sport in this nation, awesome. I'm all for it, and I hope this post is in some small way a contribution to that effort.

That's all for now. I'm out like MLB umpires' eyesight this postseason.

Sports Journalism at its Finest...Or Not

2009-09-29T19:16:00.003-05:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where my fantasy football teams (all four of them) are 3-0 instead of the other records they currently have.

I must apologize for my absence. In the last month, I've celebrated a birthday with my son and an anniversary with my wife. I've had one PR project after another at work, keeping me busier than normal. I've helped some family and friends through some tougher-than-normal times. And the real kicker - I and my family packed up our lives and moved into a new house. This insane level of real-life business - which always comes first in my book - has kept me offline for quite some time. So I apologize to all of you. Hopefully now I'll be better about blogging again...I've got a lot to say.

So...I bet you've seen the Terrell Owens interview/presser after the Bills' loss this past weekend. If not, here's a clip:

To reset the situation: Owens' streak of more than 180 straight games with a catch came to an end in the loss, and the media in the room were trying to get his reaction to that. If that's what you call that kind of shenanigans they were pulling in that room.

I've worked in sports journalism, and I know for a fact that sports are maybe the most formulaic subjects to cover in the journalism world. The elements of the different stories you write and people you cover are essentially the same. The features you produce on the players are all basically the same. The feel-good, human interest stories you look for are roughly the same. Before and after the game, from one game to the next, the questions media ask players and coaches are pretty much the same. This isn't to say that it isn't challenging or difficult work (actually, keeping it fresh and looking for new angles can be one of the hardest parts), and that sports journalism doesn't have its share of incredibly talented professionals. All I'm saying is...well...reporters and situations have a tendency to default to the routine.

In Owens' case, the routine for him is complaining incessantly about his plight in life, or that he isn't catching enough balls, or that his teams don't have what it takes. So, naturally, when a long games-with-catches streak ends, the post-game presser will be full of ranting and raving, right?

Wrong. Owens, in a rare show of humility, answered every question straight as an arrow. He didn't raise his voice or insult anyone. He stuck to the company line. And, in this case, I'm going to give him an A. Why?

Because the reporters in the room also defaulted to routine, and put on one of the worst displays of journalism I've ever seen. They expected him to be a brat, and they acted like it. Can you even count the number of leading questions they asked him? Did you see how they baited Owens to get him to snap? And then, when he didn't play the game, how they didn't let up? You can't blame a reporter for trying to dig deep and unearth a story. But there's a difference between approaching a source with a researched, informed, objective, intelligent line of questioning and this nonsense. This was unethical, shoddy and just plain bad journalism. As a reporter, you don't make the news...you report it. Simple as that. You just can't say that for those folks in that room who clearly were trying to do the former.

Sports journalism is a noble trade, and a great passion of mine and many others. I like to see it done well, with sound principle and ethics, and not like this. Here's hoping we see fewer incidents like this in the future.

I'm out like the Washington Redskins.

Gopher Football: The Experience

2009-08-26T19:13:00.005-05:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where Little Leaguers who stand, watch and showboat after hitting home runs get benched. And then suspended. No matter what game or tournament they're playing in. (we need to teach kids today to Respect The Game!)

It won't come as a surprise to most of my readers that my beloved Minnesota Golden Gophers are opening a new stadium this fall, back on campus. It's a rare thing these days: a brand new college football stadium. And, as a season ticket holder (and former letterwinner), September 12 will be a happy, happy day indeed.

But why am I most excited about this? Well, it's all about the experience...the ability to be on campus, tailgating, going to pep rallies and parades, hanging out with fellow rubes, being outdoors, establishing new traditions and adapting old ones, etc. If you've been in the Metrodome for a college football game, well, you know what I mean. I marched in the band, and we had to bus it over to the Dome from campus. Talk about an atmosphere killer..."Hey, let's get on the bus!" And even being on the field playing pregame and halftime shows, I could barely hear myself play...to say nothing at all for the people in the seats. Damn those acoustics.

But, thinking about this a bit broader, there is a lesson here that all of us professional marketers (and beyond) need to keep in mind. These days, when word-of-mouth marketing is even more the gold standard than it's ever been, is there a better way to promote/advance your company, product or brand than to get people excited about it through a positive experience? I dare you to find one. An advocate's endorsement carries more weight with a prospective buyer than anything else in their buying decisions. And first-hand knowledge/experience of a product/company/brand will deliver more return business than any other interaction with that product/company/brand.

Congrats to the University on this seminal moment in its history. Ski-U-Mah indeed. And congrats to those who figured out that the continued success of the Gopher football program depended on a common, shared, positive experience with the team...and then did what they needed to do to ensure that experience would take place every fall Saturday at home for the foreseeable future. Let this be a turning point for Gopher Nation, not only on the field but for the good of the University and the state she serves.

I'm out like Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson.

Breaking News on Twitter

2009-08-04T20:59:00.003-05:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where Erin Andrews and everyone else can live their lives without fear of being videotaped through a peephole. Seriously, throw the book at that sicko(s).

Twitter...it's all the rage these days. Mark Madsen of the Timberwolves told the world he was getting traded. Mark Cuban said goodbye to a player today via Twitter. Ocho Cinco...well, he's being himself. And Drew Rosenhaus incurred the wrath of the Vikings today by Tweeting that Aundrae Allison, a WR (and his client), would be released by 5 p.m. today if not traded before then. Of course, with the Tweet going out, his trade value evaporated and the Vikings had to release him.

For better or worse (I think it's for the better), Twitter and other social media are here to stay in the sports world. Athletes, teams and leagues have unprecedented opportunity to engage their fans and build communities around their teams. And lately, sports figures of all kinds have been using Twitter like in the above examples to break news. What are we to make of this, and what implications does this have on the news cycle of the sports world.

First, now the people doing the Tweeting have the opportunity to break their own news. Basically, this gives them the power to shape the message exactly how they want it to come across, which in the case of some of these examples could be quite helpful/valuable. For example, Drew Rosenhaus, in screwing over the Vikings, protected his client's interests...he did his job. And Mark Madsen was able to break the news of his trade to his fans and thank them for their support. This messenger role has typically been reserved for the media, but technology has enabled these sorts of direct correspondences. As Twitter becomes more mainstream, one has to wonder if these examples could usher in a powerful change in the role of all types of sports media...will their roles change significantly, and - maybe even - will they be needed at all?

Second, it's already starting to prompt a series of policies from teams/leagues regulating how their athletes use Twitter and other sites. If athletes have the power to correspond directly with audiences without a filter or an editor, teams/leagues then should feel the need to exercise some "quality control," for lack of a better term. So teams, just like companies everywhere, are adopting policies governing how their employees use social media, and what they can and cannot say online. The Green Bay Packers just became one of the first sports organizations to do this.

The debate has just begun over whether or not teams should have the right to do this to their players, and how media like Twitter should be integrated into the fabric of professional sports. This is a conversation I'd love to encourage here on The Sports Ace. I can see how athletes could want to use Twitter to build their own fan bases and their own personal brands, but I also don't blame teams for unveiling policies designed to keep their players focused on their jobs. One thing's for sure - it's going to be fun to watch all of this unfold.

Anyways, these are a couple of interesting talkers that I've been thinking about recently. What do you think?

I'm out like Stephon Marbury's marbles.

Happy Blog Birthday

2009-07-16T09:56:00.006-05:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where the top sluggers always participate in the Home Run Derby regardless of how they feel, what it might do to their swing, etc.

Four years ago today, I started this blog. It's been a rollercoaster ride, but here we are, still having fun. And I'm really excited that today, on TSA's fourth birthday, it has the highest readership and following that it's ever had.

A sincere thanks to all of you for reading, commenting, Tweeting and everything else. It's my privilege to contribute in my own small way to the bigger conversation going on out there, and it's a real honor that you all take the time to engage with me. Here's to the next four years, and beyond!

I'm out like the National League.

Celebrity Product Plugs...in Social Media

2009-07-02T15:34:00.009-05:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where there are still few things more enjoyable and sacred than a Fourth of July with family, friends and some good food and drink. I hope you all had a great holiday!

Shawn Johnson (the gold-medal gymnast and Dancing with the Stars champ) is one of the few celebrities I follow on Twitter (@ShawneyJ) - she's obviously an incredible athlete and person, and I think she's a lot more human in social media than most people with her level of fame. And I think it's interesting how in the past couple of days she's started Tweeting about Crest White Strips...how they're helping her, how they provide value, etc. I would be shocked if she were doing this on her own...Crest probably has her inked to some sort of sponsorship deal.

This appears to be one of the first examples of a celebrity plugging a brand/product through social media, and I think this is a great case study of how it can be done well for two primary reasons. First, Johnson works in her Crest mentions smoothly, completely in her normal tone and style. It doesn't read anything like typical advertising/PR/promotional copy - it's very easy to grasp, and it seems very much like something she would have told you if you were standing two feet apart. Second, she doesn't beat you over the head with it - since starting on June 29, she's written a grand total of four Tweets mentioning White Strips. That's in between 2-3 Tweets a week. If there were too many messages, the celebrity's objectives would seem too obvious, and that might be negative for the brand and the celebrity plugger. But this frequency seems like just the right amount (or maybe just a bit more would be okay) to keep the brand and product on the top of followers' minds.

No doubt that this is the tip of the iceberg - as athletes, celebrities and brands of all kinds look to gain more mindshare in social media like Twitter, these sorts of partnerships will become much more common. I think this one is being executed well, and it should help both the celebrity and the brand/product. And it will be interesting to see how this kind of marketing takes shape in the coming months. Will Shaq get involved? Danica Patrick? Others?

What do you think? Will more of these partnerships be forged? What do marketers/celebrities need to keep in mind when plugging brands and products in social media? Comments welcome.

That's all for now. I'm out like the Marians (Gaborik and Hossa).

Twitter Counseling

2009-07-02T14:40:00.005-05:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where cheaters in major sports never get to play real games - even in the minor leagues - before their suspensions are over.

So there's been a hubbub on Twitter in the past few days about people being sick and tired of reading Tweets from people about Michael Jackson's life, death and legacy. People have berated, snubbed and threatened to unfollow others over this, just because they don't want to be exposed to Jackson dialogue anymore. I might be risking a few follows with this, but to all of you who are doing that: deal with it.

Let's face it: one of Twitter's top strengths is its ability to provide a forum for people to share news and experiences with each other, regardless of geography, in real time. When President Obama was inaugurated, millions of people around the world Facebooked and Tweeted each other, sharing in the experience and the significance of the day. Just as it was a great tool for sharing and community building in a time of celebration, why should it be any different in a time of sadness? That's right, it shouldn't - in fact, it might be even more important in bad times. All people are doing on Twitter is working through their natural grief processes together, in a community of people that supports them. People shouldn't belittle or threaten others or put them down for coping with loss in any way, including this one.

And let's remember, it takes time for people to grieve. As I write this, it's been exactly one week since Jackson died. Anyone who's ever lost someone/something that's important to them knows that it can take days, weeks, months and even years to fully move on from a grief-inducing event. And we all grieve differently. Sure, Jackson isn't a member of the vast majority of our immediate families. But his music brings an entire generation of people back to their childhood, and reminds many more of other memories in their life - many of those good. It's been one week, people...there are lots of people out there still coping with Jackson's death. And that's perfectly normal and okay. It happens every time a song comes on the radio, or another news story hits the airwaves...it's still very fresh. Heck, people are still grieving for Elvis.

Personally, I love how Twitter gives me a way to connect with others I respect and share really big events - both good and bad - with them in a way I couldn't before. This is the essence of how Twitter builds community, and how members of that community support and pick each other up. If Twitter can help people work through major community/national events of loss or grief, such as Michael Jackson's death, then I think it does a tremendous service to us all. We should be helping our neighbors, not tearing them down.

That's all for now. I'm out like the King of Pop himself...RIP.

And Now...Your Phoenix Mercury, Presented by Lifelock

2009-06-04T21:18:00.012-05:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where we're always ready for Game 1 no matter how much time we've had off since our last series. And media discussion of teams' time off between series? Non-existent.

The WNBA's Phoenix Mercury are now presented by Lifelock. No joke (photo at right shows star player Diana Taurasi with Lifelock CEO Todd Davis).

In a first-of-its-kind corporate/sports partnership deal including a major U.S. "big four sport" team, Lifelock obtained the rights to launch the first-ever branded jersey, among other terms. So, effective immediately, you won't see "Mercury" on the front of the team's jerseys. You'll see "Lifelock" instead. There will still be a small Mercury logo on the front, but the average Joe on the street who doesn't follow the WNBA will probably think they're the Lifelocks.

These days, teams are doing just about anything to make some more money and make themselves more attractive to corporate marketers. But no team had gone to these lengths and sold the name on its jersey before this week. Will this start a domino effect - will we see other teams in the WNBA and beyond put a company name on the front of their jersey? (Editor's Note: as of June 9, the Los Angeles Sparks also inked a deal with Farmers Insurance) Or is the jersey sacred enough that this is a one-hit wonder? Time will tell. But, to me, the question now is: should teams do this or not? What decision is best for the franchise?

This issue, to me, is all about branding. Of course, brands are the sets of experiences, reputations and associations that customers have with companies, people or other entities. Any professional marketer knows that a company's brand is an incredibly important asset. It takes great amount of time and sustained effort to build a successful brand, yet brands can implode from a single event. If cash is the lifeblood of a business, the brand is definitely its face.

So how does branding enter into the world of sports? I think a team's name doubles as their brand. Sure, attributes of that brand can be a player, a style of play, a stadium/venue, etc. But ultimately, "The Yankees," "the Cowboys," "the Lakers" and "the Mercury" are brands, just like Coca-Cola, Microsoft or Disney.

Applied to this situation, the Mercury as a franchise have built an identity among a community of people according to that name/brand, as they've operated under that name for their entire existence. The team isn't changing its name in this deal, but it does now have a new name on its jersey. As a result, the team is essentially re-branding itself - or, at the very least, it risks confusing everyone about the true identity of the team and what it stands for.

Sure, maybe the team hadn't been making a lot of money before, and sure, teams have moved to new markets and changed names quite often in all leagues. But this is different - the Mercury didn't move, and its new "name" is a corporate one. Needless to say, this is a huge risk. It may work out well, and it will surely generate revenue in the short term, but my hunch is that people may backlash against a more corporate influence in professional sports. I also believe that the team's brand will suffer, and that it may go through a sort of identity crisis. Put another way, if someone looks at the Mercury on the court and thinks they're the Lifelocks, who really are they? What they're not, by name, is a professional basketball team - instead, they're a bunch of identity theft protectors playing a basketball game. As a result, my initial read on this is that it's a negative for the team and the league in the long-term.

This is why other parts of the announcement release should be concerning to fans of the WNBA. Commissioner David Stern is quoted in the Mercury/Lifelock news release as saying the partnership is "...an important next step in the growth of the WNBA. We are confident that [Lifelock's] alliance with the Mercury and the WNBA will accelerate LifeLock’s growth, and this deal serves as a blueprint for other associations of its kind with all our WNBA teams." This could imply that Stern wants or hopes that other franchises will adopt corporate naming deals like this. Sure, it might pump more money now into the game/league/individual franchises, but I think it would usher in a series of branding issues which would cause identity and broader marketing issues within those teams and leagues. It's the kind of stuff we've never seen before in professional sports.

It seems to me like sports teams - and the leagues and commissioners - should work to preserve their names and identities. After all, their names are their brands...sure, devoted fans will still follow them, but the rest of society will only be confused. Plus, teams and leagues have invested years and huge sums of money in marketing and establishing themselves and building their brands over time. I'd hate to see all of that get tossed out with the trash.

That's all for now. I'm out like LeBron James' sportsmanship.

What I Learned from Tom Brokaw

2009-05-22T09:42:00.008-05:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where we always play defense for 48 minutes.

Last week, my wife and I had the incredible honor and privilege of meeting Tom Brokaw at the annual Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Page One Awards banquet. This is always a wonderful event to attend, because I get to see lots of great friends and help honor the truly great journalism that is practiced every year in Minnesota. But this year, Minnesota SPJ really outdid itself by securing Brokaw to be the keynote speaker.

His speech centered on the dire situation the journalism industry finds itself in today, and what everyone from rank and file reporters to news executives to the general public can do to improve it. I'm sure that you, like me, have heard many people speak on this topic, but I've never heard it done like Brokaw did it.

He didn't mince words. When he talked about why the industry fell into the rut it's in, he said (summarizing): We're forgetting as a society that information isn't free.

In a short, simple sentence, there it is. All of it. Think about it for a minute.

With the Internet, it has never been easier or cheaper to read the news. The number of people in America who do not pay for their news is increasing daily - and, in particular, the youngest Americans have never known what it's like to pay for their news...they've never had to do it before. Of course, this is troubling because it takes serious financial and human resources to do journalism well. It just does. There are so many blogs and "news sites" out there, but how many of them are actually breaking real news? How many of them allocate and invest the resources it takes to do the legwork to report real, accurate, relevant stories - ones which truly make an impact on the way we live our lives, or the way our elected leaders govern, or protect the public? It's a small percentage, to be sure. Most blogs simply aggregate news from other sources, and put their own unique spin on that news. And let's be honest with ourselves and admit that most of the "news" we read on a daily basis is pop culture on a stick, whether it's sports, entertainment, etc.

Of course, we NEED trained journalists and journalism organizations to produce this kind of real, hard news, because it's incredibly important to our way of life. Journalism, after all, is the "Fourth Estate" of government; our founding fathers realized right away that an informed public was the single most important aspect of a democratic society. Why do you think they wrote the First Amendment? Freedom of speech, and the press, and assembly, etc.? Journalism has forever been regarded as a fourth branch, right up there with the executive, judicial and legislative branches...it places checks and balances on the other three, and ensures that the people have the knowledge they need to live their lives and ably elect their leaders. Imagine, for just a minute, what our society would be like if journalism wasn't done, or done well. It's not much of a stretch to say that it would be completely different...there may not even be an America to speak of.

So it is paramount to our future to understand that information isn't free, and that we need to act to invest in it and educate each other about this. Maybe if people have a true appreciation for what's at stake here, they'll be more apt to pick up a paper from the newsstand, or click through on a banner advertisement. At the same time, news executives need to take bold action soon to advance this agenda in the public discourse. Sure, it's self-serving - it's about journalism entities making enough money to survive. But it's also about ensuring that American democracy as we know it can function into the future. If they don't take up the cause, no one will.

To me, Brokaw's statement was sheer brilliance, a masterpiece of wordsmithing that could only be done by one of the greatest journalists of all time. I've literally spent hours reflecting on this since I heard his speech, and I hope you'll give this some thought as well.

What a night it was. Sure, it was an unforgettable because of the opportunity to sit down with Brokaw at the same dinner table and have a once-in-a-lifetime conversation. But I still can't believe how lucky we all were to hear honest reflection on the journalism industry from one of the greatest to ever practice the craft. If you'd like to experience the thrill for yourself, I'd encourage you to visit the Minnesota SPJ Web site at http://www.mnspj.org/ and watch the video of his keynote speech.

This Memorial Day Weekend, as we remember and honor our veterans for all they've done for us, let's not forget that they sacrificed as much to preserve our way of life as anything else. It's our time now to step up to the plate and do our part...I see this is one important way we can do just that.

That's all for now. I'm out like the Boston Celtics.

The Dodgers: Marketing Through The Manny Debacle

2009-05-11T20:56:00.014-05:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where we always play bogey-free golf on Sundays.

You all know by now that Manny Ramirez has been suspended for 50 games by Major League Baseball for a positive test for performance-enhancing drugs. It's the latest black eye on a sport which has been severely battered over the last few years.

But, in this post, I'd like to focus on the Dodgers and the team's marketing. Much has been made of the team's efforts around Manny: it is a case study on how to build a local-market campaign around a superstar athlete. From Mannywood to wigs to jerseys to ticket sale promotions, the Dodgers have been very aggressive in trying to build excitement among Dodger Nation through Manny. And, by the accounts I've read, it was working remarkably well...before the suspension news came down. So, if you're the Dodgers and the centerpiece of the entire effort takes a credibility/reputation hit, what do you do now?

Well, the team seems to be moving forward on the same track, almost like nothing ever happened. Manny will be back in July, after all, and he's still a part of the team. Of course, this begs several questions. Is it smart marketing to keep going with an aggressive campaign built on an athlete with a damaged reputation? What does such an effort say about the team or organization doing the marketing? Do these athletes with damaged reputations still carry marketing weight?

To the latter, generally speaking, recent precedent would suggest that a baseball player's reputation and marketability evaporate when they're hit with steroid-related suspensions/accusations. Just look at Clemens, McGwire, Bonds, Palmeiro and the long list of others in this same situation. But Ramirez' stock - although definitely weakened - still seems to have a pulse, at least. Based on what's going on with the Dodgers, it appears that he might be the guy who breaks precedent and still have a chance to be the central figure in campaigns going forward.

But what about the fact he was busted for, essentially, cheating? Doesn't that matter at all? Shouldn't this change how the Dodgers move forward? In this case, surprisingly, the answer appears to be no. Why?

Allow me to offer a couple of reasons:

Marketing isn't just about the product, service or asset (in this case Manny) - it's also about the pool of buyers you're targeting. Successful marketing surely means that you enable a group of people to buy what you're selling. But that group first has to need or want - or you need to convince them they need or want - what you have to offer. So, as important as Manny is in this entire situation, the Los Angeles/Dodger Nation baseball marketplace is just as important. I'm no expert on Southern California culture, and I'm not trying to label Dodger Nation in any way, but from everything I've read Dodger Nation - for whatever reason - is still buying what the team is selling. Plain and simple. There's still a marketplace for the team, for Manny and for the campaign efforts the team has put forth. And no matter where you land on the right or wrong of the ethics/values involved with the situation, this truth validates the team's strategy.
Maybe this is a sign that we've reached a critical tipping point or new stage in the public's process of dealing with the Steroid Era. I think the public could very well be so burnt out on the bad news that they just don't care anymore; just like the grief process has stages, maybe the public has gone from anger and/or denial to acceptance, and fans are choosing to move on and focus again on the game itself. Let's face it: no one is shocked anymore about players testing positive for PEDs. And Americans love baseball. There hasn't been a scandal in the game's history that has kept fans away for the long-term. Even nowadays, fans are turning out in record numbers league-wide. It seems the Dodgers have recognized this, and are simply moving on along with their fans. This doesn't mean everyone's ignored what Manny did - they just aren't dwelling on it.

No matter what you think about the right vs. wrong of the situation, Dodger Nation continues to buy into the larger Mannywood concept. And the Dodgers in turn are continuing to feed the beast, using their assets (including Manny) to enable their audiences to buy what they want. After all, that's what successful marketers do, isn't it?

That's all for now. I'm out like the Vancouver Canucks and Atlanta Hawks.

Brett Favre to the Vikings?

2009-05-05T19:23:00.002-05:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where we always sweep our first round playoff series.

Every hour and day that passes, it seems more and more likely that Brett Favre will become a Viking. I know Favre plays this retirement game every year, and there's absolutely no guarantee of anything, but all signs and logic point to Favre wearing Purple this season. I can't tell you how excited I am about this.

Yes, I am a lifelong, die-hard Viking fan, so adding a first-ballot Hall of Famer (no matter how washed up) to a QB-needy franchise is exciting enough. But I'll take off my helmet, horns, braids and the Moss jersey I bought the day after the 1999 Falcon debacle to tell you why else I think this is a great move for my hometown team:

Tickets. If you're just joining us, the NFL is big business. And the Vikings, for the first time in a long time, are in serious danger of not selling out every game in the 2009 campaign. Consider that problem solved - and in no time flat - if Favre is signed. Plus, that nice new stadium Viking ownership wants to build might actually stand a chance of getting done if people were more interested in the franchise.
Television. The Vikings not only would feature the best storyline in the NFL, with Favre returning to the NFC North, but also would feature a roster including Favre, Adrian Peterson, Bernard Berrian, Jared Allen, Antoine Winfield, the Williams Wall, etc. The combination of that much drama and talent adds up to a lot of "featured game" national television time - and more revenue and general interest for the team.
Talent. Brett Favre, despite his age and all his supposed injury baggage, would go into training camp as the clear starter...he's surely better than Tarvaris and Sage. Favre would no doubt help Tarvaris and Sage develop and learn, no matter what roles they play in the future. And the Vikings would almost assuredly go into the season as the odds-on favorite to win the NFC and play in the Super Bowl.
Rivalry. The Vikings/Packers is far and away the best rivalry in the Upper Midwest in any sport, and easily one of the best in the NFL. Trash talk flies, practical jokes occur and passions run high all year round. And there are no prouder fans in the NFL than Packer fans. So imagine the best and most revered player in the history of the Packers, a guy who Packer fans absolutely went mental over for so many years, going to their archrival - and then leading them to success. It would be a seminal moment in the long, storied history of this rivalry, and take that passion and excitement to a whole new level. Plus, Packer fans have always seemed to have a good comeback for every brag point or jab that Viking fans throw at them. Favre, to the Vikings? It would be the ultimate all-time zinger to Packer Nation, one for which there can be no comeback. Viking fans are collectively licking their chops right now.

If the Vikings' front office has any sense, they'll sign Favre sooner than later, let their fan base absorb the news and get excited all summer long, let Favre get comfortable on the team and with the offense, and then sit back and watch the wins pile up in the fall. Worst case scenario, the Vikings would be more relevant and fun to watch than ever before. Good times indeed.

I'm out like anyone hitting against Zach Greinke.

Cleaning House

2009-04-20T20:24:00.002-05:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where we always enter the playoffs playing our best ball of the year.

You may have read that the Minnesota Wild, in the span of a single week, lost their coach and fired their general manager. The beat reporters covering the Timberwolves also believe that the long-suffering Wolves will have a new GM and coach by the time they tip off the 2009-10 season. This is not surprising - of course, both teams have been associated for some time with sustained mediocrity. The Wild haven't been past the first round of the playoffs since 2004 and have botched some personnel decisions, and the Wolves have been even worse to the point that apathy runs rampant through their supposed fan base.

These changes mark seminal moments in the life of both franchises, but to me these decisions go beyond wins and losses. Decisions like these are big risks - it doesn't seem like things could get worse, but wrong hires could send the franchises into absolute disarray on and off the ice/court. But the owners are taking these risks (finally, some would argue) to try to inject life in their fan bases and, even more fundamentally in my opinion, bolster their bottom lines.

Fans in Minnesota seem more forgiving than in other areas of the nation, but they've been growing weary and apathetic lately. They feel their teams underachieve, and that ownership has ignored them and their wishes when making big decisions. Now teams shouldn't automatically do everything fans say they should do, but the lack of success resulting from the decisions that have been made hasn't exactly quieted the doubters. Plus, you don't want to consistently alienate fans to the point where they grow apathetic.

So these moves, to me, are examples of the owners telling fans that they do in fact matter and that they're trying to put a winning product on the ice/court. Sales of just about everything have been down, and buzz/interest around the teams have dropped. When this happens even with the Wild, a very popular team that's sold out every home game it's ever played, that's something definitely worth noting. Changes at the top will give team marketers a powerful new tool with which to reverse these trends: optimism.

Plus, teams need to show they're making an effort to win in order to keep the big checks coming in from sponsors, etc. As I've written before, companies with winning brands want to associate themselves with winning teams, and the closest thing to a winner in Minnesota winter sports this year was the Gopher mens' basketball team. With the Wolves especially, simple supply and demand economics would dictate that the quality of sponsor hasn't necessarily been high lately - and that sponsorships the team does have might not be earning the same dollars that similar deals may be with higher-performing teams in the NBA. It's just good business to make changes that improve your ability to compete and monetize/maximize your assets, and new leadership and resulting sucecss changes the complete landscape from ticket sales to TV contracts to in-venue advertising.

The Wild and Timberwolves, like any other business in these tough economic times, are doing what they feel they need to do to make the most money they can: cleaning house in the front office and injecting buzz/optimism back into their franchises. For the good of the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, I hope it works...oh, and a few more wins wouldn't be too much to ask either, would it?

That's all for now. I'm out like the entire Washington Natinals organization (no, that's not a typo...that's really what their jerseys said. Honest).

It's Opening Day!

2009-04-06T10:38:00.001-05:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where the Big Ten Conference and its teams always get the respect they so rightly deserve.

Opening Day in Major League Baseball is one of the greatest days on the sports calendar every year. Maybe I feel that way because I grew up playing the game, and I’m a die-hard Twins fan. But on this day, every year, even fans of the Royals and Pirates can realistically dream of a World Series run. They have the same record as everyone else, after all…

On this Opening Day, I’ll be watching two things:

The Twins (duh!). My local nine seems poised (on paper) to win another division title, as long as they can beat back the injury bug and hit well with RISP like they did last season. The fact that Sports Illustrated picked them to win the AL Central has me a bit worried (that magazine’s curse, especially for NFL teams, is legendary). But, worst case scenario, this has been a fun team to watch pretty much every day because of their lineup, pitching and defense. I expect more of the same this season.
The economics of the game. This economy has seemingly impacted everyone, unless you’re John Calipari or Manny Ramirez. Will teams – especially the smaller market ones – continue to draw well, or will this be the dreaded sport/season when economics catch up with pro sports leagues? MLB is the first league to start a new season in this recession, yet the Twins have already sold 1.2 million tickets for the 2009 campaign. That’s a strong number of pre-sales, and presumably there will be many more at the gates if the team can make a run. But Minneapolis/St. Paul, like many other markets, has been hit hard – and could still fall harder. Will the Twins be a rallying point for the community, or a luxury area residents can’t afford? And what about teams/markets like Pittsburgh, or Kansas City, or Seattle, or heaven forbid – New York?

It should be another interesting season in MLB. I’ll be tuned in, that’s for sure. My World Series Prediction: Twins over Cubs, in 7 games. And there will be much rejoicing.

And – I haven’t forgotten – my NCAA Title Game Prediction: North Carolina 82, Michigan State 80. Sparty is a heckuva lot better than anyone gives them credit for, and they’re a far better team than the one that played UNC and lost by 35 earlier in the season. Plus, they’re playing at home. But UNC, led by the Chosen One himself Tyler Hansbrough, is the 2008-09 Team of Destiny. The Tar Heels are one game away from another title, and this is exactly the game that Tyler and company deferred their millions to come back to school and win. All season, they’ve wanted it more than any other team in the nation, and they surely have the talent. Don’t expect them to choke now after coming this far.

That’s all for now. I’m out like the Minnesota Wild.

The Resume Cloud - A Simple Tool With Benefits for Candidates and Recruiters

2009-03-18T09:36:00.005-05:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace!

The below post is co-authored with good friend/great PR mind Lauren Fernandez (@CubanaLAF on Twitter). We hope you enjoy it!

Of course, we all know that a resume can make all the difference for a candidate trying to get that first interview for a job they really want. Conversely, it's also an employer's first look at potential candidates they hope to hire and have contribute to the long-term success of their business. From looking at a resume, reviewers can glean an awful lot of information about a candidate's personality - and essentially sum up their "personal brand" and see if that fits with their company. So how can an employer distill all the resumes they receive into usable, comparable information so that they maximize their chances of hiring the right person? And how can candidates make sure they're putting their best foot forward to distinguish themselves from the competition?

How about using a resume cloud?

This is a take on the popular word cloud tools available on the Internet. If you're unfamiliar with them, they are Web sites which take any word processed document and produce a word cloud from it, which is a scrambled mess of keywords that are commonly found in that particular document. The more times the word is used, the bigger it appears in the cloud. This tool is incredibly useful for identifying the words and phrases that you're using most often - and consequently, that stand the best chance of sticking with whoever reads your writing.

Applied to a resume, this word cloud tool could be incredibly useful to employers so that they can see the common words and themes in a candidate's resume. These words/themes are the foundation of the candidates' brand - so they can simply compare that brand to their company's own culture and brand to see if there's a potential match.

Companies are all about their brand, because that is what is being shown to consumers. They need to validate that your mindset and strengths are aligned with their own, because working in the corporate environment means that you are representing not only your own persona, but a company brand as well.

In much the same way, this tool could be incredibly useful to the candidates as well. By running your resume through a word cloud, you could see how you're representing yourself in your resume and what messages you're conveying about who you are. If you like what you see - if the biggest keywords are in alignment with who you are and what you want the employer to see from you, then we think you can submit confidently for that job. On the other hand, if you feel the biggest words do not speak well to who you are and what you want in your next position, then your resume may need some revision.

Word clouds can also be beneficial to the candidate that needs to see what their strengths and weaknesses are – because sometimes they aren’t as apparent to the busy individual who is constantly going. It is also a great way to re-evaluate why you might not have received a call for an interview, especially if you compare the keywords with what are most prominent on the company Web site and news stories about the brand.

It never hurts to pay attention to the exact messages you've sending to those who you may want to work for, and on the employer side, it never hurts to do your due diligence to see whether or not someone will be a good long-term fit with your organization. A resume cloud, we think, could be a very effective tool for both groups. A job opportunity can be viewed as a marriage – both the employer and employee are making a vow to put the brand in the most positive light possible.

Some word cloud Web sites to get you started:

Wordle: http://www.wordle.net/
Tocloud: http://www.tocloud.com/

Thoughts/comments welcome!

Sports Market Audit: Seattle

2009-03-08T15:08:00.003-05:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where March Madness is back in full force. Oh, how we missed it.

I just had the idea to start using some blog posts to take a look at interesting sports markets around the nation, and the latest news/trends/topics coming from them. For my first Sports Market Audit, I'd like to take a trip to the Pacific Northwest and visit one of my all-time favorite cities: The Emerald City herself, Seattle. As any area regular will tell you, when the sun is out, there are few places more beautiful on earth. But when it rains, well, it's downright gloomy.

To put it nicely, Seattle is in one of those rainy periods when it comes to its sports life. The Sonics packed up and moved. The Washington Huskies suffered through their worst football season in school history last fall (although their mens' basketball team just won the Pac 10 regular season title). The Mariners lost 101 games in 2008, and I'm not convinced the return of Ken Griffey Jr. will lead to better things for the local nine this year. And let's not forget the Seahawks, who fought injuries and finished 4-12 in the worst division in the NFL.

But, for me, here's the real kicker (no pun intended): the Seattle Sounders FC, the city's new MLS (that's Major League Soccer, for the uninitiated TSA readers) franchise, is not just competing well with the Mariners for sponsorships and season ticket sales - they're waxing the floor with them. Check out this interesting piece from the Puget Sound Business Journal.

Hmmm. Now don't get me wrong - I'm not trying to argue that one league or one sport is better than another in this post. But how in the world does an expansion franchise in a fledgling soccer league from a city and surrounding region not exactly known as a soccer hotbed trounce quite possibly the most established player on the scene? Allow me to offer some potential reasons:

Just win, baby. The Mariners lost 101 games last year. The Sounders didn't lose any. In today's "What have you done for me lately?" world of professional sports, consider this a statement about which team area fans think will compete better in 2009.
Novelty. They're the new game in town, and people/organizations want to try it on and see how it fits. Nothing wrong with that.
Winners prefer to associate with other winners. The Seattle area is home to several industry-leading businesses - the short list includes Microsoft, Boeing, Starbucks, etc. They all consider themselves winners in their chosen "game," and they want that hard-earned brand of theirs to align with similar winning brands. At this stage of the game, the Sounders have more of a winning brand than the Mariners.
Marketing ROI. Fans follow winning teams more than losing ones - ticket sales are higher, mindshare is greater, etc. So naturally a company's marketing investment in two otherwise equal teams generates greater ROI with the one that wins more. Simple as that.
Urban marketing/branding. This soccer franchise represents a new beginning for the Seattle sports marketplace, which has a bit of a black eye after losing the Sonics to Oklahoma City. Civic, business, community and other leaders in the city and region need the Sounders to succeed in order to prove/reinforce that the Seattle marketplace can continue to be a viable one for sports and broader business in the coming years and decades. They also desperately want to boost civic pride and show people across America that Seattle remains a major player on the national scene. So they've clearly chosen to invest in trying to make their new team a success. It's uncanny sometimes how closely a city's sports teams embody and reflect that city's vibe and brand...so I think you can look at this as a marketing investment by the people and businesses of Seattle in their city's long-term viability and relevance.

So what does this say about the state of sports in Seattle? I can't blame folks there for trying to see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel when it comes to their teams. But I think this shows just how desperate fans there are for a winner and a fresh start - and how badly sponsors and other corporate partners there want to be associated with a winning product. Time will tell whether the Sounders can deliver or not.

I'm out like all those Big East bubble teams from the NCAA tournament.

What's Your Social Media Voice?

2009-02-23T21:59:00.005-06:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where optimism over our Boys of Summer (Go Twins!) always reigns supreme this time of year. Especially when we sign a Gold-Glove All-Star for a bargain price at the start of camp.

Maybe the most fascinating part of social media for me is the voice that people choose to take with the various interfaces like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. There are so many ways to use these sites, and engage in direct conversations of all types with others. But should people interact differently with each other and show different sides of themselves on the different sites? What are the best practices for how to use each interface? Does it even matter?

It seems that most social media veterans have at some point thought about how they want to use these sites, how they want to represent themselves on each one, etc. Conversely, I find that many social media newbies - and even some veterans - haven't seriously thought about how they come across through the different social media channels. Every Tweet, Facebook wall post, status update, group you join, etc. speaks to who you are and what other people will think of you. Put another way, everything about you in social media speaks to your own personal brand.

So the question then becomes: are you presenting yourself on social media the way that you want, and giving the perception of yourself that you want others to have? Is your online self adding value to the community that you are a part of? What are the potential consequences of how you represent yourself, and are you okay with them?

Personally, I believe in using each site differently. Each one seems to have a different vibe, set of users and reasons for existence. Plus, I have many different roles in life just like anyone else, so I give each of those roles the attention/respect I think they deserve on the site that I think they align with the closest. My Facebook profile is my personal social media tool - for personal connections (friends and family) only. My LinkedIn profile is for my professional life only. And my Twitter, loosely defined, is a strategic combination of the two. Sure, there's plenty of overlap in who I engage with on each site and what we talk about. But those people that I connect with through all three sites could look closely and see a different side of me on each one. The content I post, the conversations I have and the tone I use are different for each site. But I am very careful that everything I do supports who I am, my values/beliefs and how I want others to see me in the online world. It works for me.

If you haven't thought about this, then you probably should. And if you have, well, maybe it's worth doing again. Are you portraying yourself in a way that's true to who you are and what you hope to get out of your investment in social media? If the answer is no, then you probably should make some changes. It could mean editing your profile, or restricting what you Tweet about, engaging more with certain contacts or any number of other things. But give it some serious thought, and I think the process will help you achieve your social media goals.

As always, thoughts/comments are more than welcome. What is your social media voice?

I'm out like scoring in the mens' basketball version of the Big Ten Conference.

Nike: The Sports Marketing Giant Cuts Back?

2009-02-12T21:25:00.002-06:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where our teams are always locks for the Big Dance...never on the bubble.

News broke today that Nike, a true heavyweight in the sports marketing business, may cut its budget in that area due to economic considerations (link to a story: http://tinyurl.com/dh2zu4 - thanks to Ron Goch - @RonGoch - for Tweeting it over).

The article raises some interesting points, which I'll elaborate on briefly:

--Potential cuts in partnerships with athletes would be made among lower-tier players, preserving relationships and contractual agreements with better-known stars. If you have limited marketing dollars, you have to make sure you get maximum bang for the buck, and a big part of that is sticking with the key assets that got you to where you are in the first place. Bigger names = bigger traffic = bigger return.

--Nike marketing executives, despite their potential reduction in budget, still probably won't be pleased if they see a reduction in results - namely market share and mindshare. And honestly, they shouldn't be. Their internal staff and outside help will be tasked with improving results using cheaper strategies and tactics, and I think the job can be done. Don't be surprised if plenty of social media, YouTube, etc. ideas get the green light.

--The belt-tightening, if it indeed happens, likely will be a healthy process for the company. It's easy to spend money fast, especially in the sports marketing biz. Granted, the circumstances aren't optimal, but it's not a terribly bad thing for them that they have to look at everything they're doing under the microscope and make sure they're getting the most bang for their buck. They'll emerge from the exercise as a stronger company.

It will be an interesting year at Nike headquarters, not only for the belt-tightening that may occur but also for the great ideas and campaigns that would surely follow. They've delivered in the past, and there's no reason to expect any less this year...I, for one, will be watching with interest and seeing what I can learn from them along the way.

I'm out like the SEC in men's college hoops.

Consequences of the Steroid Era

2009-02-08T21:48:00.004-06:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where the U of Minnesota Marching Band I proudly played in for 4 years finally gets its day in the spotlight...and the USC band takes a back seat.

Unless you've been under a rock, you know by now that Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids a few years ago, according to a report from SI.com. How unfortunate that another of baseball's supposed greats cheated - and countless thousands of kids are crying because their role model couldn't distinguish right from wrong. It makes me absolutely sick.

I think it's about time to start really holding the game's leadership accountable for the Steroid Era, namely commissioner Bud Selig. Sure, people have shown displeasure with his reign, but I don't think he receives the wrath he deserves and has earned. It's any top executive's job to ensure that the product his/her organization provides value for the money consumers spend on it - and does so in a legal, ethical manner. This is even more the case where the product - and the teams and players - are so public. Sure, ticket sales have never been higher, although the recession could change that. But ask anyone 30-50 years from now what they'll remember most about the game from the past decade, and I'm sure their answers will almost universally center on one theme: steroids and cheaters in the game.

And now, with my marketing/PR hat on, the steroid scandal is an absolute branding disaster for the game. Instead of being known as the national pastime, as it has been for generations, baseball is now inherently associated with steroids and cheating. This alone is serious enough, with plenty of implications on the future of the game. But the kicker is that Selig and others in baseball leadership don't seem to be doing much about it. They aren't publicly bashing the cheaters and defending the integrity of the game. They also aren't reaching out any more than normal to fans (namely parents of young kids playing the game) to tout the game's greatness - and to cultivate the next generation of baseball fans, who will be the ones buying the tickets and merchandise a couple of decades from now. To me, these are serious mistakes by the Selig Administration, and they will leave an ugly, lasting stain on the game.

What could they do to improve the situation? Well, for starters, resign and let a new set of leaders reform the game. But since that likely won't happen, I think Selig should come out strong, with his gloves off, and publicly expose any/all cheating in the game and shame/punish the guilty players. Say that there's no room in today's game for cheaters. Establish zero-tolerance policies going forward that strictly police players and ensure the integrity of the game. Convince the players' union that these measures are absolutely necessary and vital to ensure that the game and league still exist a few decades from now. Invest more in existing and new programs to promote the game and teach younger generations to appreciate it. Acknowledge the negative, and reflect upon it, but also highlight the positive and work doggedly to set a new course. And then don't look back.

It's an exercise in good crisis communications. And this is definitely a time of crisis...the future of the game, or at least the version of the game that we all love and grew up with, is at stake.

I'm out like Alex Rodriguez from future consideration for the Hall of Fame.

PR = Sales?

2009-02-04T19:54:00.002-06:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where we always win at home.

I saw a brilliant blog post today from Lauren Fernandez, a Twitterer I follow from the Dallas area (she's a packer fan, but we won't hold that against her). She makes the argument that there's more sales involved in PR than you'd think at first - and she's absolutely right.

Here's the text of her post (also at http://laurenafernandez.wordpress.com/):

"Most of the PR pros I know turn their nose up at being compared to a sales person - maybe it’s because the stereotype of sales people is that slick, used cars salesman that will tell you anything to buy a car. Isn’t that misconception, though, exactly the type of thing we fight in this field? The stereotype that we are party planners might apply to some, but doesn’t apply to us as a whole.

My dad has been in sales for 25+ years, and I can assure you that I would never make the comparison of some who was a national sales manager in the medical field to a used car salesman.

PR and publicity involves selling, and any salesperson will tell you that you have to analyze your audience before you even begin an approach. Well, I do that when I start a campaign. A sales person has a deep understanding of why people will be receptive to a certain message, or what type of audience they are talking to - it’s an act of persuasion. Don’t we as PR professionals “persuade” the media to run a story through the art of an effective pitch? And then, once the journalist is hooked, the information that we provide the journalist with needs to be enticing to their audience so they are receptive (there is that word again) to the message. Sounds familar…..

Everytime I pick up the phone, I am selling a client to the media - the organization I work for. You can call it pitching all you want, but it is a very similar concept.

A big part of both a PR and salesperson is to figure out who to sell your ideas to: whether its a product, a non-profit, etc. My dad knows just as much about the products he is selling as the doctors do - he actually scrubs in and has to explain to the doctor how to use the equipment. We, as PR professionals, have to know the ins and outs of what we are pitching.

In this field, you HAVE to be personable. In sales, you have to be just as personable, but you have an entertainment budget. So, it might be a different playing field, but you still have to put yourself out there. I’m not sure how many sales people PR pros have talked to, because all the ones I know are friendly, courteous and always hold me rapt with their conversation. They know how to step outside their circle and make contacts with people they might never have talked to before. They know how to build relationships through conversation, even with those that might not be a salesperson. My personality comes directly from two sales people (although my mom quit when I was born) the type that PR pros turn their nose up at. But guess what I am most complimented on? How approachable and personable I am, and how I am not scared to step outside the bubble and ask questions.

So, look in the mirror and you might see the salesperson within."

This is spot on. Comments/thoughts welcome.

I'm out like the Gopher basketball team. I swear they didn't even get off the bus tonight.

A Grand Victory

2009-02-02T20:11:00.005-06:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where 1-year, $25 million contract offers never happen.

You might have heard, despite the pomp and circumstance of the Super Bowl, that Tennessee women's basketball head coach Pat Summitt is just a single victory away from her 1,000th career win. Her team lost tonight at Oklahoma in her first attempt at the mark, but it's just a matter of time before she hits that incredible milestone.

No matter what you think of Summitt and her coaching ability/style/talent, or whether you love her or hate her, it's time to take a pause and try to fully comprehend the magnitude of what she's about to accomplish. She's the winningest college basketball coach ever, a true trailblazer in the world of women's athletics in America, and she's on the verge of a milestone that has only been dreamed of up until now. The math of how many games you need to win in a season to reach that mark is simply mindboggling, and you don't just need a lot of great players and luck to win that many games. You also need to be able to teach, motivate and relate to players across decades and generations, and to combine superior people skills with a love and deep knowledge of the game. Very rare indeed...unprecedented, actually.

We here at The Sports Ace salute Pat Summitt for her historic accomplishment. May basketball fans everywhere appreciate what she's done for the University of Tennessee and women's sports in general.

I'm out like the NFL season.

Super Bowl Sunday

2009-02-01T08:10:00.002-06:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where every home (including mine) has Rock Band and Rock Band 2 with unlimited song downloads.

Super Bowl Sunday, the unofficial national holiday itself, is finally upon us. Don't forget, in the midst of the 25,000-calorie snack trays, $3-million 30-second ads and lip-synching musical artists that there actually will be a football game played today. I know, what a concept. According to ESPN, 30 million pounds of chips and 8 million pounds of popcorn will be consumed in America today. Sick (literally).

It took me longer than normal to figure out how I'm going to pick this game. I like both teams and think they both have redeeming qualities. But in the end, it all comes down to Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald. Warner is a likely Hall-of-Famer now that he's led another team to the Big Game, and Twin Cities-raised Fitz is in one heckuva zone. The two of them are the key to Arizona's chances today.

And that just won't matter. Pittsburgh is uniquely qualified to actually get to Kurt Warner, one of the best quick-fire QBs in memory, on the blitz. They are good and fast enough in the defensive backfield to take away the Arizona passing attack, which almost by itself has gotten the Cards to Tampa. And they have a QB and offense that has a knack for getting the job done in big games, no matter what their stats (or lack thereof) might be. The Steelers are the tougher, sharper team, and they will show it today.

The Sports Ace's Super Bowl XLIII Pick: Pittsburgh 27, Arizona 17. The most dominant franchise in NFL history will get one for the second hand. And Mike Tomlin becomes the latest Vikings assistant to win the Lombardi Trophy as a head coach.

I'm out like Cris Carter.

One Nasty Losing Streak

2009-01-29T13:29:00.004-06:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where the Super Bowl is always played the week after the conference championship games.

One nasty streak has been bothering Minnesota Golden Gopher fans for some time: 20 losses in a row by the mens' basketball team to Illinois. There have been some vicious heartbreakers in that stretch, including a last-second, snatch-defeat-from-the-jaws-of-victory loss in 2002 that kept the Gophers from winning a share of the Big 10 title and clinching an NCAA berth. Ugh.

For perspective, the last time the Gophers beat Illinois...
--Bill Clinton was still our President, and Gore vs. Bush hadn't happened yet.
--The Twin Towers still stood.
--Y2K was a vicious myth and a huge IT consulting boost.
--"...Baby One More Time" by Britney Spears was the #1 song on the pop chart.
--Tiger Woods only had one major tournament win, the 1997 Masters.
--the Denver Broncos had just beaten the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII, a game which Viking fans could barely watch.
--Napster hadn't even been invented.
--Lance Armstrong hadn't yet won a Tour de France.
--"The Matrix," "American Beauty," "The Sixth Sense" and "Fight Club" hadn't yet been released. In the theaters.

Gophers, end this streak. Tonight. Please.

I'm out like Kevin Love from the NBA Rookies game.

Getting that First PR Job - Tips

2009-01-26T08:10:00.003-06:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where it's always golf season.

Lately I've been seeing a lot of blog posts and Twitter banter about how to land that first PR job. It's tougher than ever nowadays, thanks to the economy. But I think there are still plenty of opportunities out there, and that entry-level folks that position themselves the right way can land well and succeed.

Here are a few tips:

--Network. Meet as many people as you can, and when you meet a pro, get their business card. And then buy them coffee. You get jobs these days by knowing the right person in the right place at the right time, and I don't know anyone that wouldn't sit down with a curious student and answer their questions. The sick thing is that when I've gone to speak at local universities, I bring a tall stack of business cards...and only a handful of students grab one. Immediately those few stand out, and then the ones that actually call me or follow up somehow are the ones I remember.

--Work Hard. This goes without saying, of course. But the early years of your career are the ones in which you will probably work the hardest. You probably don't have a spouse/family yet. So dig in, propose strong value-add ideas, meet as many people as you can and learn something new every day.

--Bring something else to the table other than PR skills. Don't get me wrong - you won't get a job without being able to write, argue, speak, think, etc. But I think some of the best and most valued PR pros are not the ones with a straight PR education and background; they have degrees or work/extra-curricular experience in business, or political science, or journalism, or just about anything else. One of the best ways you can do that is to identify what you know and are passionate about and then look for a job where you can add that unique value to your organization immediately. Chances are you'll be that much happier as well if you're doing the kind of work you're really passionate about.

I could go on a long time, but these are the real keys to me. Reader thoughts/comments/tips are absolutely welcome...drop off a comment. And students, consider this an open invitation to contact me. Email, Twitter at @JasonSprenger, etc. I'd be more than happy to help.

I'm out like Herm Edwards.

How Not to Sell a Stadium to the Public

2009-01-24T12:30:00.003-06:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where we never lose to an unranked opponent in a Grand Slam tournament.

Of all the angles used by pro sports teams to secure local funding for a new stadium, we here in the Twin Cities are hearing a new one: it's a huge economic stimulus/public works project. Yep, no lie.

You may be aware that the Minnesota Vikings are in a desperate stadium situation. Their lease in the Metrodome ends in a few short years, and they're the NFL team worth the least amount of money - due in large part to their lack of revenue opportunities in their current digs. Current ownership, of course, would love to see that change, and of course, they're not going to shell out all of the money it would take to rectify the situation. So public assistance is needed.

For a few years now, the Vikings and owner Zygi Wilf have attempted to push a stadium bill through the Minnesota Legislature. Unfortunately for them, the state has had other priorities, and now with a $5.2 billion budget deficit, the state is hardly in a financial place where it can contribute a half a billion dollars of public/tax money to such an effort. This is not pleasing to current ownership.

Enter the Vikings' PR/community relations folks. Of course, these are tough economic times. So the Vikings are trying to sell a stadium bill with the angle that it's going to create thousands of local jobs and stimulate the economy, helping our area weather the storm and emerge stronger.

To be honest, this isn't a completely stupid idea...it's timely, and it's somewhat true. But the first time I heard this, I shook my head in disappointment. They've stepped up to the plate with the tried-and-true sales angles several times already, in better economic times, and struck out every time. So this strikes me as a desperate, reaching, last-ditch effort to sell the stadium.

But what really bugs me - personally and professionally - is that this angle is built upon the concept of the terrible economy. It's going to be awful hard for the Vikings to win public support and several hundred million dollars to finance the project when they base their sales pitch on a beast that has caused such negative images and experiences among their fan base and the taxpayers they expect to finance it. By bringing up all that negative, it makes your job to persuade and achieve a positive so much more difficult. Plus, they're walking a very fine line between asking for public money and giving the impression that their financial woes are more important than those of their fans and the taxpayers, at a time when millions of Minnesotans have it much tougher right now than the few folks asking for the assistance. You better believe that the second they encounter resistance to this plan, they'll start complaining/whining about how desperate their situation is and threatening to move the team if they don't get their way. Doing that, I think, would make an awful lot of people very angry, and could quite possibly shut the door altogether on the Vikings and their stadium wishes in Minnesota.

Don't get me wrong - I don't want to see the Vikings leave Minnesota. But I don't believe in these dire straits that the People of Minnesota should have to cough up almost $1 billion scarce and hard-earned tax dollars so a New Jersey-based real estate mogul and his fellow suits can profit from a new stadium and the other commercial developments that would go around it. And I don't see this angle faring any better in the court of public opinion and the Legislature than the tried-and-true methods that landed the Twins a new ballpark, the Gopher football team a new stadium and any other pro team around the nation their new arenas. Instead, I think this angle could very well backfire on the Vikings and seal their fate in this marketplace.

I'm out like Venus Williams and Ana Ivanovic.

Paul Blart: #1

2009-01-19T08:53:00.002-06:00

Welcome back to the Sports Ace, where we always make the right predictions (hahahaha...sure). You read it here first: Cards vs Steelers. Woot.

As Ted C Williams so brilliantly noted in his comment to an earlier post, Paul Blart: Mall Cop zoomed to the #1 box office spot this weekend. Could it be that Kevin James' intense Twin Cities swing last week played a major role in spurring the movie to the top? Whether yes or no, here's wondering who the next big name to land in Minneapolis will be. You can't mess with success.

I'm out like the Eagles, Ravens and that referee who ruled that kickoff out of bounds in the Cardinals game (and consequently the rule making that a non-reviewable call). Whew.

Conference Championship Games

2009-01-18T12:31:00.002-06:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where we play a full 60 minutes every time out and advance no matter what seed we are.

A few angles on today's NFL Championship Sunday that I haven't heard much about this week:

--This has got to be the first time ever that both #6 seeds have advanced to their respective title games. Both Philadelphia and Baltimore deserve huge kudos for that, and they follow in line with the Steelers of a couple of years ago who won it all from the #6 seed. Could you imagine if both win today? Take your seed and throw it out the window, baby. But seriously, there's a reason that more #6 seeds don't go to the Big One: it's one tough road to the top, and I would argue that both Philly and Baltimore have their toughest games yet today.

--Kurt Warner might seriously be a Hall of Famer. He's won his ring(s). He's put up the numbers. He's got the story to go with it all. And this season, he's taken a team that he wasn't at the helm of in September to a place it's never been before. I said before the playoffs that if he takes them to the Promised Land, I think he's a lock. Let's see if he can get it done.

My Picks:
Arizona 35, Philadelphia 24
Yes, I'm siding with the home team. The Cards are red hot, and they're led by the afore-mentioned Kurt Warner and one of the greatest WR teams since the 1998 Vikings. At home, for the right to go someplace the franchise has never been, why not? Story to follow...Donovan McNabb, ostracized by Philly fans, packs up and moves to Minnesota to QB the Vikings. It could happen.

Pittsburgh 10, Baltimore 9
If you're a fan of smash-mouth football, this is your Super Bowl. These teams feature the top two defenses in the NFL, competent offenses, underdog coaches and rabid fans. And - if you forgot - they're archrivals. This one's got the potential to be one of the all-time classics, and it very well could come down to the final seconds.

I'm out like Leslie Frazier from every head coaching competition he's ever been in.

The Twin Cities: Where Movie Stars Go to Promote

2009-01-14T20:25:00.003-06:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where we always get four "Yes!" ratings from the judges on American Idol.

You may have heard about the new Kevin James movie, where he plays a mall cop. I heard about it, straight from James himself, many times...on my favorite sports talk radio station, on other area radio stations, in the local papers, on local television - even on Fox Sports Net North during halftime of the latest Timberwolves game.

It's been well documented that Hollywood is trying new marketing strategies to sell movie tickets - and meeting moviegoers is one of those concepts. What's surprising to me is how high the Twin Cities area seems to rate on the list of places for stars to spend prime movie promoting time. This area is well known as the place that produced the Coen brothers and the place where Diablo Cody wrote Juno, among other highlights. But in the last month (give or take a few days), two leading men have come to town and done touring junkets hyping their movies within a week of their release. James spent the better part of two days here, and Will Smith toured the Twin Cities in one whirlwind day just before the release of Seven Pounds.

I think it's great that our area is at least a little bit relevant in some Hollywood circles and boardrooms. But these visits have caused me to wonder quite a bit. How does a movie's marketing team decide where to spend its time in advance of its release? And why have they chosen to visit us here in so-called flyover land? Here are some possible ideas I've come up with...bear in mind that I really don't know if these are true or not.

--Are we a relatively tech-savvy population, and we can Twitter and blog our thoughts around the nation?
--Do we house more people in the target demographics for the movies than other cities around the nation?
--Do we have more disposable income here than in other markets around the country?
--Are they coming simply because they've spent very little time and money here over the years, and they see an untapped marketplace?

Hmmm. I'd love to hear your thoughts/comments.

I'm out like the Timberwolves' winning streak.

Online Newsrooms

2009-01-14T15:24:00.003-06:00

I'm thinking through a potential online newsroom for my company, so I Google searched for some tips on Do's and Don'ts. Here's the most comprehensive site I found on the topic: http://www.tekgroup.com/marketing/tekmedia_tips2005/.

And if anyone manages or knows of great online newsrooms, I'd love to take a look. Drop me a comment with your URL.

Enjoy!

We Got Jacked

2009-01-12T18:11:00.002-06:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace (sarcastic comments typically kick off these posts. Look for them in the future)...

Welcome to the New and Improved "The Sports Ace." For those who may have found your way here via Twitter or something else, I'm glad you stopped by. Come on back soon.

The Twin Cities radio community got Jacked this afternoon...as in Jack 104.1-FM. For the past few days, we've heard teasers on the station that "the end is coming on Monday at 5 p.m...get ready for our happy ending." The frequency has had a history of format changes and turmoil in the never-ending search for advertising dollars, and the smart money today was on a similar change.

So, like any good radio channel flipper, I tuned in around 4:57 p.m., just in time to catch some of "The Last Song." The perfect send-off, I thought. And then, at 5 p.m., the big voice came on. The verbiage (probably not exactly word for word, but it's close):

"And now, it's time for our happy ending. This is the end..."

a 10-second pause (very Sopranos finale-like)

"...of commercials during your drive home! Beginning today, we're offering one hour commercial-free during your drive home. What...did you think we were changing format or something?"

The local media are in a tizzy, because they also anticipated - and devoted ink to - a format change. I belly laughed for a minute and loved every second of "Viva la Vida," the smash hit from my favorite band, as the station's first song as a...commercial-free one-hour drive-time provider.

This is just the latest example of one of the common denominators of PR, in my estimation. Among the best tools in a PR person's arsenal can be a well-coordinated stunt, and a well-coordinated reveal ranks up there on the stunt list. Already the blogosphere is atwitter (pun intended) over this, and I can't wait to read more in the morning. The buzz the station created for an otherwise relatively minor programming change...wow. I dare you to calculate the ROI on that.

I'm out like both #1 seeds in the NFL playoffs.

Prep Football Preview

2008-08-27T08:32:00.002-05:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where we're in such good shape that we never break a sweat during two-a-days.

Tomorrow night (already!) is the unofficial beginning of fall and the 2008-09 sports season, as high school football teams from across the area lace 'em up for the first game of the year. I look forward to this day every year, and it's not just because I'm a football TV announcer in Bloomington. We finally have something else to read about in the sports section besides the Lynx and offseason NFL news...

As a self-dubbed Lake Conference football expert, here's my preview for the upcoming season. Teams are ranked in the order that I pick them to finish.

1. Eden Prairie
The two-time defending state champs are a bit short on star power this year, and they have to replace nearly all of their starters. But they haven't lost in almost three years, and that's primarily because of their truly awesome depth. Eden Prairie will be there at the end...you can count on that.

2. Eastview
These guys went 11-2 and made it to the Dome last year, with both losses to Eden Prairie. Much of that team is back, and they're hungry.

3. Lakeville North
They went to state last year, and they have a good chunk of skill position players coming back. If there's one thing you can count on from Lakeville football teams, you can expect them to play 48 minutes of tough, hard-nosed football every time out. That will keep them in games, and now they have the talent to win them late.

4. Lakeville South
They have one of the best coaches in the state in Larry Thompson and a boatload of returning players from a middle-of-the-pack team. No real stars here, but the Cougars will do the little things right. The real travesty: the two Lakeville teams do not play each other this season. Not only is it a great crosstown rivalry in a big football city, but these two teams would have put on quite a show this year.

5. Apple Valley
They lost their first seven games last year, thanks partially to a bunch of players being suspended, but then won three in a row (including over 2-seed Kennedy) and ran to the section finals. A lot of the team is back, and with their late run last year, they think they can win. Keep an eye out for Varmah Sonie, a dynamite, lightning-fast corner who had 8 INTs and 2 TDs last year, not to mention several electrifying kick returns.

6. Bloomington Jefferson
They have a freak of nature athlete at QB, and he's committed to Minnesota for next year. But this is the year when he needs to put it all together and start playing like the top recruit he is. If he can do that on a consistent basis and emerge as a strong leader, this team could be one of the real sleepers in the metro.

7. Burnsville
This team has been down for a couple of seasons now, and knowing Burnsville football, you just can't keep them down for this long without them roaring back. They're bound to improve, but they just don't have the horses to reach the upper echelon yet.

8. Chaska
They're supposed to be good in the backfield and the wideouts, but what about the QB? And the defense? The jury's still out on this team.

9. Rosemount
These guys lost a heartbreaker to Apple Valley in last year's playoffs, and it seems their bumper crop of talent has been lost to graduation. Can they re-stock and surprise?

10. Bloomington Kennedy
No team, outside of Eden Prairie, lost more to graduation this year than the Eagles of Kennedy. They had their best team in 24 years last fall, and took third in this ultra-tough conference, but they fell hard in the playoffs and I don't think they can keep up the pace this year. They have some very talented players, but they don't have nearly the talent they did and they're not very experienced or deep. The hunch is they'll wear down over the course of the season.

11. Eagan
They've won just two games in the past two years, and this season doesn't figure to be any better. Eagan fans, be sure to catch some volleyball this fall...you may actually see some wins in the gym.

I don't think the 5A state champion will come out of the Lake this year (my money's on the Classic Lake, with Wayzata, Minnetonka, Edina, etc.), but you have to think the conference will put 2-3 teams in the state tournament for the fourth year in a row. With this tough conference as a training ground, someone always makes a run at the end...the only question is who it will be.

And my first announcing game of the year: Eden Prairie at Jefferson. Oooh...I can't wait...

I'm out like the Twins' defense.

USA...USA...

2008-08-24T22:07:00.002-05:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where our medal count is always on top.

It was a memorable Olympics in Beijing...so many wonderful performances by so many athletes. But I have to give special recognition in this space to the men's volleyball team. Of course, the heinous attack on the Bachmans has been well documented in this space and beyond. The emotional rollercoaster that the entire family, including that volleyball team's head coach, has been on has been incredibly sobering. And then the team goes out and navigates the Olympic tournament undefeated, winning the gold medal with style on the last day of competition. To quote John Popper and Blues Traveler, from the hit song "Runaround," "Hollywood's calling for the movie rights..."

In a crazy sort of way, I got real emotional when I saw that team win gold. I know the Bachmans, and I know them to be among the nicest and most philanthropic people I've ever known. They've had the worst two weeks anyone could imagine going through. Yet, in the end, one of their own has achieved the ultimate prize in their chosen course in life, overcoming all the obstacles along the way. What's more, Barb is recovering better than doctors envisioned, the family has rebounded, our community and my extended network has rallied and an overwhelming negative of international scale has somehow produced an optimistic ending. I've written before that it's just terrible when bad things happen to great people. Well, that happened in this case, but a very short time later some really great things have happened to the same really great people. What a beautiful yet bittersweet set of circumstances.

I hope to be at Todd Bachman's funeral this week, and I hope I get to give my support to his family, my friends, in their time of need. But I also hope to meet Hugh, say hello to Wiz and help the family celebrate its amazing triumph over evil; funerals also are celebrations of life, after all. Todd's life and accomplishments alone certainly are worthy of toasting, and I think the Bachman family has offered us all a poignant lesson (building on all the lessons I learned from Barb, Wiz and the others in my childhood) about what's possible in life, even when the chips are down. It's an inspiration and a comfort that I will keep with me for a long time to come.

I'm out like Beijing 2008.

An Olympic-Sized Update

2008-08-15T11:11:00.003-05:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where winning gold medals in world-record time is standard procedure.

It hasn't been that long since I posted (yes, it has...I'm sorry), but a lot has happened. Let's get caught up.

The Sports Ace has a new job! I'm now the Manager of Public Relations for a growing data storage/IT company based in the Twin Cities area. It's one heckuva opportunity that's bound to consume plenty of my time, so please understand if I don't get a new post up every day from now on. Employment + kids: no time.

Brett Favre is a Jet. One thing struck me about this development: it was the perfect ending to the perfect mess of a story. Seriously, the plot twisted every day for more than a month, and the ultimate twist came at the end when Favre moved to the Big City. TSA's guess: Favre plays one season in NYC and then brokers a trade to Minnesota for the 2009 season. Do you think he's really going to be happy in New York? He just needs some time to put space between him and Green Bay...and then he'll get right back on his righteous horse and manufacture his next move. It could happen.

Michael Phelps goes for eight gold medals this weekend, and he already has six. Congrats to him on a truly superior achievement, and to his relay teammates for their roles in his success. Two things bother me though: 1) his relay teammates are getting nowhere near the credit they deserve for their roles, especially Jason Lezak, who swam the best relay anchor leg in history to give the U.S. victory over France. And 2) Phelps is not necessarily the best Summer Olympian ever. He's won the most gold medals ever, and he's definitely earned a place in that debate. But that doesn't necessarily mean he's better than all those who dominated their sports but simply had fewer chances to medal. Jesse Owens? Mia Hamm? Misty-May Treanor and Kerri Walsh? Carl Lewis, who won nine golds in a wider range of athletic disciplines than Phelps? Just a few of the other worthy candidates.

Back at training camp, the Vikes' biggest question mark for the upcoming season? Defensive end. Seriously, you can't make this up. After a whole offseason of Jared Allen talk and visions from media and team of the Vikings having the best D-line in football, one injury has made them thin at the position and worried about their prospects for success. Oh, how things can change in a hurry. To the Twin Cities football media: you should be ashamed of yourselves...you drank too much Kool-Aid. To the Vikings PR people: you've had a brilliant offseason and training camp.

Last but certainly not least, I know you've all heard about the attack in Beijing last Saturday on the Bachman family, known for its ties to U.S. volleyball. This one hit close to home for me - I grew up going to church with the entire Bachman family. I wasn't especially close with Todd, who was murdered, but knew him to be a stand-up guy who was a wonderful, giving CEO, father and person. I was - and still consider myself to be - friends with Barbara, the mother who was attacked while trying to save Todd, and her youngest daughter Wiz, who played for the U.S. team in 2004. Trust me when I say that you may never meet a nicer person than Barb Bachman...she directed me in church choir for several years, and just two weeks ago when I saw the entire Bachman family at a funeral, she had a big hug for me and couldn't wait to hear what I'd been up to. This is a profound tragedy, and it would be for anyone in any place, but one that has deeply affected a lot of people from my neck of the woods. I hope Todd is in a better place, that Barb keeps improving and makes a full recovery, and that the Bachman family and company can move on from this despicable act with the same spirit and generosity that has been their hallmark for decades. I'm one of the many who will line up to support them with anything they need when they return from China.

I'm out like baseball as an Olympic sport.

Can't We All Just Get Along?

2008-08-01T12:22:00.002-05:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where opposing managers and coaches always can't seem to get enough of our squad.

In case you've been hiding under a rock, Twins fans were rather unruly in the 7th inning of last night's victory over the Pale Hose. Gardy was ejected for arguing a terrible call, and then punted his cap on his way off the field. Of course, being the followers that Minnesota sports fans are, a few donkeys threw their caps and baseballs on the field after Gardy left, causing a five-minute delay in the game and an evacuation of the field by the visiting team.

I was reminded immediately of the Chuck Knoblauch fiasco, and the national black eye that Twins fans took in the hours and days afterward. I was there...the brunt of the action happened just a couple of rows in front of me in the lower deck left field area. I promise you that what happened that night was much worse than the events of last night. There were more people throwing more dangerous items - I even feared for my own safety. This is not to say, however, that last night's festivities were somehow all right. They were absolutely not.

I'm not exactly sure what it is about the Minnesota sporting public that makes us snap like this. I'm sure the booze has something to do with it - well, maybe a lot to do with it. But maybe it's the fact that Twins fans want so badly for the team to win - because Minnesota fans haven't had a lot of other good teams to cheer for lately - that they almost have an edge about it. It's kind of like the Cubs/Bartman syndrome...the ultimate example of fans having an edge. The Cubbies were 5 outs from a pennant, and Bartman got in the way of Alou catching that foul ball, and now he's in hiding because of the threats he's faced ever since. Maybe it's the fact that Twins fans are nostalgic and can't ever seem to move on when things happen, as evidenced by the fact that A.J. Pierzynski still gets booed in every plate appearance in the Dome (come on people...he was a great Twin, and his departure was the best thing that he ever did for the team because it brought in Nathan, Liriano and - ahem - Bonser). Whatever it is...again, today, one of ESPN.com's top headlines calls out Twins fans for their idiocy.

I hate being embarrassed to be a die-hard Twins fan, and I hate donkeys that can't control themselves and cause us to take it on the chin. To the people out there who are guilty of last night's events: shame on you, and I hope you pay the appropriate price. There's nothing wrong with being a passionate fan. But there is a line we just can't cross, and because this has happened more than once now, I fear this isn't just a blip anymore...it's a trend. And the thing about trends...there's bound to be a next time.

On a brighter note, I got my first look this morning at the still-being-built TCF Bank Stadium. I have seen the future of Gopher football, and my oh my, it is going to be good.

I'm out like Jared Allen from last night's scrimmage.

There's No Crying in Your Beer

2008-07-31T15:03:00.004-05:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where our Hall of Fame, ring-wearing quarterbacks are welcomed into the locker room with open arms.

Is there any place in the sporting world right now more miserable than Wisconsin? Let us consider the evidence:
--The Brewers, who were supposed to be in a tight playoff race with the arch-rival Cubs, got completely waxed in a four-game series at home against said Cubbies. I think they'll make a run at the playoffs, through the wild card, but for all intents and purposes, the NL Central race is over.
--Brett Favre. It's already bad for the loyal fans of the Cheese that they have to watch their legendary quarterback forced to the sidelines by the very team some of them own. Now, they also may see that legend jump ship and play for the arch-rival Vikings...because Brett wants to play in Minnesota more than he wants to return to Green Bay. Wow, I never saw that one coming. The only thing worse for packer fans: the eventual certainty of Favre throwing at least 3 TD passes on Opening Night (formerly Jersey Retirement Night) in Lambeau, beating them again in Minnesota and leading the Vikes to the Big Game. I'm not saying any of this is a certainty by any means, but seriously, this Favre thing is a nightmare any way you slice it in Sconnie land.
--The Bucks? Ha. Irrelevant.
--The badgers? Still in most preseason Top 25 lists thanks to a deep running back corps, and bound to stay there for a while thanks to their softer than Bounty schedule. But this team has the most question marks of any UW squad in at least a decade, and they all begin at QB. I'm not saying it will be a terrible year for them (I sure am hoping though...), but it sure looks like the toughest road in a long time.

Viewing this as a homer sports die-hard who's endured an awful lot of heartache over the years (Gary Anderson, 41-0, Kucek's dropped punt snap, 10/10/03, Northwestern on Homecoming in 2000, T'wolves in 2004, etc.), I think that cloud might finally be moving east across the St. Croix River. We're not out of the woods here ourselves yet, but the forecast calls for sunny skies.

I'm out like Manny Ramirez.

I Think I Tore a Thumb Ligament

2008-07-30T16:10:00.004-05:00

Seriously...if one more Twin goes on the DL because of a hand injury this year...

Sorry it's been a while. The Sports Ace has had a couple of funerals and some other personal crises to deal with.

The local nine sure are making things interesting again this year. A win tonight, and they taste first place since the early part of the season. If they can keep pitching and hitting well with RISP, I like their chances. One thing's for sure...I think the wild card's going to be out of reach, and that the Twins will have to win the division to make the playoffs.

Oh yes...T-minus one month until the Gopher football season kicks off. Ski U Mah. And less than one month until the high school football season kicks off. My preseason predictions coming soon...

I'm out like those two Penn State defensive linemen.

1-0 Losses

2008-07-21T09:20:00.003-05:00

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where we never lose a ballgame by a 1-0 score.

Congrats to the Burnsville Blaze, the state champions of Senior Babe Ruth baseball. Look for these achievers at a varsity level near you in the next few years.

Greg Norman couldn't quite get it done on the golf course in the British Open, but he thrilled us all anyways with the thought that he could still win a major. Let's hope he was at least able to get it done in other ways while he was on his honeymoon.

The Twins have lost FOUR 1-0 games this year. One or two is a lot, but four?? TSA's pats on the back today go to Scott Baker, who's been on the hill for three of those four 1-0 games. All three of his losses this year have been in 1-0 games...that just sucks for him. Seriously...you get him any run support at all and he's a 9-0 pitcher. Plus, the Twins would be in the race for homefield advantage throughout, not 1/2 game behind the White Sox in the division. Ugh.

Also, the Twins are at the Yankees for three games starting tonight. Will they have that east coast bias at play, as I've talked about before? Who knows. I'll personally be watching for a few of my buddies who will be in the House that Ruth Built tonight to personally witness the action. If you see three crazies with Circle Me Bert signs, chances are it's them.

I'm out like John Daly.

To Favre, or Not to Favre

2008-07-17T10:28:00.003-05:00

Seriously, I'm as burnt out as anyone on this whole Favre thing, and I hope people can find something else to talk about soon. And Brett, let it go.

But I heard a rumor yesterday that made me think fresh thoughts about the whole scenario: Brett Favre WANTS to be a VIKING. It may sound crazy, but you know, it really isn't that farfetched. Darren Bevell, Vikings coordinator, is a good friend of Brett. There are some former Packers on the roster, including Darren Sharper. They play in a domed stadium, and the closest thing the Vikes have to a cold-weather game this year is October 19 at Chicago, so Brett would be able to play in favorable conditions pretty much all year. And the Vikes have a very real shot to win the NFC this year and get back to the Super Bowl.

At first, I thought that there's no way the Vikings would want to sack up with a player who has burned the franchise and its fans so many times. But he's a Hall of Famer coming off a great year, and he would firm up the team's QB position - really, the one glaring question mark right now on the entire team. The thought that the Vikings and Favre could be mutually interested in one another actually makes a lot of sense. As Tarvaris himself said, what team wouldn't be interested in adding Brett Favre? And as such, what fans wouldn't be excited to root for him? Of course, the Packers will keep him and eat his salary before they let him go to Minnesota. But it's an interesting twist to the story...I think it makes more sense than Tampa Bay does.

I'm out like Alex Rodriguez from the All-Star Game.

PR Pitching

2008-07-16T15:03:00.003-05:00

I invite you to take a look at the public relations pitch at the link below:

http://executivesuite.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/14/pr-pitch-of-the-month-or-maybe-the-decade/

My guess is that anyone with half a brain will be able to see why this is a poor pitch. It's not necessarily that the PR person makes controversial connections between societal trends and issues and her client's product, although their validity certainly is debatable. It's more about the fact she could have used simpler language and edited out at least 100 words and still said the same exact thing. And this was written by a VP-level practitioner who's supposed to know how to write and how the media work. Not good at all.

In PR terms, this is a bad pitch because the reporter could read this three times and still not understand what the news is and why it's important - and the media simply don't have the time to figure it out. There's a myth in PR today that longer and "hipper" is better. But the "pros" who operate this way fail to recognize that what media truly want - and need - is a concise, relevant and unbiased news hook, with supplemental materials available upon request. This pitch clearly doesn't fit that description, and in fact works against the ultimate objective of placing a client or idea placement in the media. Said another way, it doesn't serve the best interests of the client. If I paid this person for this work, I'd demand my money back.

I'm out like Jesse Ventura.

All-Star Sigh of Relief

2008-07-16T14:23:00.002-05:00

Rumor has it that Bud Selig himself was loosening his tie, throwing on his cleats and heading to the bullpen to warm up last night. He would have volunteered himself to be all-time pitcher to avoid what would have been a PR catastrophe for his sport.

This might be a slight exaggeration, but we should all be incredibly relieved that we didn't see or hear our favorite Bud last night until he handed the MVP trophy to J.D. Drew. He was seriously exposed last night for the latest failure of his tenure as commissioner: neglecting to come up with a contingency plan for how to resolve the All-Star Game. If only he would have learned something from the 2002 game, in which Torii Hunter robbed Barry Bonds and the game ended in a tie.

The MLB All-Star Game remains the greatest exhibition game in sports, but it needs some serious reform to avoid nightmares like what nearly happened last night. I propose two changes:

--Make the game a true exhibition again, and not the determining factor in anything important like home-field advantage in the World Series. Or at the very least, lower the stakes. Bud and his clan gave the game this weight a few years back to encourage the mega-stars not to skip it for the extra time off. But just ask any manager or any NL team - it isn't working. The game isn't structured appropriately to decide such a matter - you need bigger rosters to avoid emptying benches, or at the very least you need a fair and merciful way to end it if we have a marathon like last night. Terry Francona and Clint Hurdle did a helluva job last night, considering the circumstances.

--Regardless of what you do with the implications of the game, come up with a way to end the game in true exhibition style, if necessary. I propose that if the game is tied after x number of innings (maybe 11, to give the players time to try to decide it on the field) that there be a All-Star Game Home Run Derby. Each team sends five players to the plate, and they each get just one out. Their own pitchers - or coaches - throw to them. The league whose team hits the most HRs wins. Wow, what an ending that would be...fans might root every season for a tie. There would be a clear winner at the end of the night, sort of like there is now in the NHL. Plus, the game would be decided in a showy style, bringing in elements of drama, power and grandeur.

The health/safety of the players and the integrity of the sport are the two most important things to consider and preserve in making any changes. It's my opinion these two ideas maximize both. If a couple of stars choose not to participate, well, it's their loss, public reputation and ultimately earning power on the line. I think the vast majority of players will still consider it a great honor to play in this great game.

I'm out like Billy Packer.

Nightmares of Fenway

2008-07-10T16:16:00.002-05:00

If you're a good Twins fan like me, you hated to see the team get swept in Boston. They played all right the first two nights, yet lost both games by one run. Of course, then they got blown out.

You know, I hate to say it, but it seems like our Twins have an East Coast bias of their own. You know how the media (ESPN especially) seem to give the Yankees and Red Sox more air time, coverage, analysis, etc...well, that all would lead an impartial observer to believe that those teams are better or more important than the others. And I think the Twins are picking up on that to some extent. Every once in a while, you catch a glimpse that they might seem to be intimidated by the big-market teams, especially in their home stadiums. Now granted, the Red Sox are just plain lights out at Fenway this year, and the Yanks seem to be improving as they always do this time of year. But I worry that our team gets psyched out a little bit, and that the deck is slightly stacked against the Twins before the first pitch is even thrown. It's just a perception of mine...

But wow, what a game and comeback today. The bullpen righted the ship, and Morneau had a career day, capped off by the game-winning homer in the 11th.

Finally, the Lynx continued their collapse, falling under .500 last night by blowing an 18-point lead at home against a previously 1-17 team. Does it get any worse than that?

I'm out like afore-mentioned Lynx.

A Dog-off, a Classic and some Domination

2008-07-07T09:24:00.003-05:00

What a Fourth of July weekend it was...

On Coney Island, a dog-off was needed for Joey Chestnut to keep his hot dog eating title belt. You can't make this stuff up. Truly, starving children in Africa are crying their eyes out...if Nathan's wanted some good PR, why wouldn't they donate as many hot dogs as are used in the competition to some poor area halfway across the world. And only in America can a man eat 59 hot dogs in 10 minutes - one nearly every 10 seconds - and have it not be enough. Granted, it's kind of interesting to watch people eat that fast, but it is the ultimate in gluttony.

Across the pond, Rafael Nadal beat Roger Federer in what may have been the greatest tennis match of all time. Here's hoping ESPN replays it in its entirety, rain delays edited out, as soon as possible. But seriously, how great was that match...

And in local sports, those Twins keep right on winning. But how about the Eden Prairie American Legion baseball team? Those kids won a major national tournament in Tennessee this week, beating a team from Tennessee in the quarters and again in the finals to polish it off. All of a sudden, after a less-than-stellar varsity baseball season, those kids from EP have figured it out again. Just win, baby.

I'm out like the Cleveland Indians.

Olympics Marketing Mania

2008-07-02T09:50:00.002-05:00

It's not rocket science to expect that over the next two months you'll see a LOT more ads and marketing campaigns featuring Olympic athletes, especially members of the gymnastics team and track and field. The marriage between Olympic sports and business has been a long and happy one, and it only figures to grow this year and in future Olympics.

Rarely, however, do you see Olympic stars transcend their "window" of fame and become full-fledged celebrities with staying endorsement power. You could argue people like Mary Lou Retton, Nancy Kerrigan and Brandi Chastain were able to make the jump, but it doesn't happen often...it takes a certain level of accomplishment, luck, charisma and intangibles to make someone a good marketing investment over the long haul. Of all the athletes that will head to Beijing next month, I believe the strongest candidate to transcend his window will be none other than swimmer Michael Phelps.

Let's consider the assets. All the experts believe he will win enough gold medals in Beijing to make him the single most decorated Olympic athlete ever, making him the bar-setter for excellence - a great brand builder for any company. He's young and successful (23 years old), making him attractive to the groups with quite possibly the most available spending money: millennials, teens and tweens. Yet he's extremely eloquent and well educated and (let's face it) carries enough sex appeal to appeal to women and older demographics. He's humble, crediting his mother, training partners and everyone else around him for his success - that adds to his "likeability factor." Plus, he's not done after the 2008 Games; the experts also believe he'll make another run to participate in the 2012 Games in London, even if he doesn't qualify in as many events. That means that any company willing to strike a deal with him now would position itself for success in another four years, when Michael Mania is in full swing again. It would behoove them to invest in him over the middle years to build his profile in anticipation of 2012, most notably at any number of international competitions on the schedule that will make him relevant on the sports scene and give him a platform to represent a company and its interests.

Best Buy, Apple and Visa, take note. Michael Phelps is available, but likely not for long.

Scott Ullger is no Ron Gardenhire

2008-07-01T08:32:00.002-05:00

I can't blame Gardy for doing what he did last night, going after the ump for a poor warning decision and sticking up for Mauer. What bothers me is the way his back-up manager navigates the late innings.

Let's look at last night, for example (there have been other suspect games in past years). Glen Perkins is rolling along in the 7th, and gave up a harmless single with one out. Ullger gets out the quick hook, pulling Perkins for Crain. Reyes and Guerrier also come in - in the seventh inning - to face hitters. Breslow and Bass also pitch in the ninth. If you're counting, that's five relief pitchers used to get eight outs...with four runs (three earned) given up in that span.

Now, this argument is slightly irrelevant because of the recent lights-out nature of the Twins bullpen. You wouldn't think they would all suck like last night. But when your starter is rolling along, why don't you let him go a while? I didn't see anything to suggest Perkins was starting to tank. Don't go to your bullpen just because it's there...go to it when you need to.

Plus, I know matchups are important, but I've never been a fan of using that many pitchers in that short a span. They're just getting going, especially after so many days off. Maybe they'd do better if they got more than one hitter. Who knows.

Gardy can have a quick hook with starters sometimes, but I think he manages his bullpen well - and he's improved since his early years. Personally, I think Scotty has more learning to do...and that his quick decisions last night might have contributed to the loss in some small way.

I'm out like Interlachen Country Club.

Baseball...

2008-06-25T15:57:00.002-05:00

So...a few more things to get off my chest today...

Lost in the Twins' win streak is the fact they have the second-best interleague record (10-3) in the majors. The best, you might ask? None other than the Kansas City Royals (11-3). No kidding. But the last time the Twins had a record that good in interleague play? 2006, when they went 16-2. And we all know how that season ended up...

Secondly, one of my preferred sports blogs, RandBall, started an interesting discussion today that I think we should piggyback onto: if you could have at-bat theme music, what song would you choose? We've heard some great ones with Twins players over the years...Joe Nathan, Justin Morneau, Corey Koskie, etc. What would you pick? The Sports Ace's selection: "Bittersweet Symphony" by the Verve. Backups, if that's taken, include "My Humps" of Black Eyed Peas fame (sidesplitting laughs every time when this song comes on Michael's cell phone on "The Office"), "Going the Distance" by Cake and "Song 2" by Blur. Let's go now...let me hear you out there.

I'm out like Novak Djokovic.

Kazaam

2008-06-25T11:46:00.004-05:00

When I saw Shaq rapping about Kobe the other day, I couldn't help my brain from flashing back to one of the true low-lights in entertainment history: Kazaam.

Yes, when Shaq decided to take a break from his day job (and I don't mean the time he became a Miami cop), he made this extremely smelly piece of crap thinking he was a good actor. I found myself thinking again the other day that he should just stick to dunking on people, huffing and puffing up and down the court and missing free throws. I mean, he was a platinum-selling rap artist, but he was overrated there too. Way overrated. Did you actually ever listen to his music? I did, and I lost a little bit of myself in the process.

And, you may not have noticed, but the Twins have won SEVEN in a row and won games against the top two pitchers in the National League (Webb and Peavy) and baseball's all-time saves leader (Hoffman) in that stretch! But Gardy, why do you pull Kevin Slowey after six scoreless innings? If a guy's dominating, and he can take pressure off your bullpen, why not let him go? Maybe he knows something I don't, but come on...give the rookie a shot at a complete game shutout. Or at least a win...he didn't even get that last night.

I'm out like Pavol Demitra.

Sensational Sportscasting

2008-06-21T11:37:00.002-05:00

Two things are starting to really bug me about sports and TV nowadays...

1. "The best/greatest/...in history"
I fear this is a growing trend. How many times did we hear the guy calling the NBA Finals say that someone/something was "the greatest in NBA/NBA Finals history"? Yes, there were some remarkable and memorable performances, but I think ABC/ESPN's announcing crew gets near-failing marks for their blatant sensationalism of the series. Not everything has to be a historical comparison, and let's be honest: there have been better series in the last 10-15 years than this one. So let's put some integrity back into sportscasting, for the good of sports. Don't get me wrong - I applaud efforts to add perspective to sporting events. I do that myself as an announcer. But I don't do it just to do it...a play or a game would truly have to rank up there before I'd say so.

2. Players posing with trophies
NBA players/coaches holding the Larry O'Brien Trophy for ads. NFL players celebrate with the Lombardi Trophy before they play the Super Bowl. NCAA athletes in a lot of sports (softball, basketball, etc) clutching the NCAA title trophy before they win it. I don't think most of these are Photoshop illustrations...the inherent problem here: THEY HAVEN'T WON THE TROPHIES YET. Isn't it a bit of a problem to get so comfortable with the greatest prize in your sport before you win it? I would say yes.

Let's borrow from the NHL for a minute...players have so much respect for the trophies of the game, especially the Stanley Cup, that they won't even touch the trophies until they win them. They won't touch lesser trophies, because it stokes the fire within to win the big one. They sure as hell wouldn't be seen dead gripping the Cup before they win it, for fear of throwing away their chance to win it and facing stigma and backlash from teammates and fans. Personally, I think it would be the worst kind of tease to get comfortable on film/photo with a championship trophy and then not win it. Why would you do that to yourself? The networks do it to promote the game...but I think the athletes sell themselves out by participating in it. I'd err on the side of respecting the game, my team and the trophy I'm striving to win and decline the photo op.

Of course, these things are driven by trying to make an event seem bigger than it really is, which in turn leads to higher ratings, more ad and sponsorship dollars, etc. It's all about money. But why isn't it enough anymore to simply appreciate these contests and the players in them? Maybe it's an unrealistic utopian sports vision I have, but I just don't get why tomorrow's games always have to one-up today's.

I'm out like 2001 World Series co-MVPs Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling.

The West is Best - and It's Not Even Close

2008-06-19T08:43:00.005-05:00

Seriously, Tiger won the US Open on a torn ACL? His performance was already legendary...now it's just downright sick. The sickest part though: although he's going to be out until 2009, it was almost worth it. Until he comes back, all we're ever going to talk about is how amazing his US Open run was. And he played three majors on that injury - two wins and a second. He's the best of all time. Get over it.

There's a great debate all of a sudden about whether the Eastern Conference of the NBA is better than the West. Boston is the champion, and Detroit had a great year too. But let me say emphatically: NO, YOU STUPID IDIOTS, the West is WAY better. You measure a conference top to bottom, not just by its best teams. The East may definitely have had the two best teams in the league this year, there's no doubt, but the dropoff from there was significant. Let's get real here...the West is clearly superior.

Let's compare the #8 seeds. The Denver Nuggets barely made the playoffs with a 50-32 record, one of the best records ever by a #8 seed (Golden State stayed home with a 48-34 record). On the other hand, Atlanta stormed in with a head of steam and pushed the Celtics to the brink despite a 37-45 regular season. For all you non-math majors out there, that's a 26-GAME DIFFERENCE with respect to .500 in records, from Denver being 18 games above .500 to Atlanta's 8 games below. The West had EIGHT teams with 50 or more wins, and the East had only three. The worst record in the West was five games better than the East's worst record. Only three East teams had winning records against the West: Boston, Detroit and Cleveland, but 10 West teams had winning records against the East. And, most definitively, the East sucked head-to-head against the West this year, going 192-258. That's a winning percentage of just .427.

Seriously people. Rumors of the West's decline have been greatly exaggerated.

I'm out like Tiger Woods.

Remembering Tim Russert

2008-06-16T09:52:00.003-05:00

We lost another journalistic legend late last week, when Tim Russert collapsed at NBC's Washington bureau.

You only need to look as far as CNN, ABC, NBC, etc. to appreciate how huge he was: those networks broke their own news coverage plans and devoted several hours to a man from the competition. That alone tells you he was the best and most respected political newsman of his time. Personally, I followed him closely...I own and have read his first book, and when I was in DC last year, and I got off the bus outside St. Albans School (by the National Cathedral, where his son Luke went), I felt more awestruck than when I was on the National Mall. I was a great admirer.

The worst part of this, aside from the tremendous void among his family, friends and colleagues, is that the American people won't have the benefit of his letter-perfect analysis, opinion and coverage of the 2008 election and beyond. We would have been a better-equipped public with him at the desk.

Rest in peace, Tim.

The Weekend (My First Father's Day Edition)

2008-06-16T09:27:00.002-05:00

What a weekend, for so many reasons...

--Yes, yesterday was my first Father's Day. I didn't think it would be a big deal, but it really was a special day. I took TLSA to the park, and we played on the swing. We watched the ducks at the pond. I took him with me to get my dad his gift, and his face lit up in wonderment when he entered a Best Buy store for the first time in his young life. And then he reached out and grabbed a Zeppelin CD...already he knows good music when he sees it. The beer was cold and tasty, and my home-grilled steak was perfect, as was the day of sports on TV. A round of golf may have topped the day off, but it was pretty darn good as it was. And the best part: it started all over again this morning, when my son woke up and I got him from his crib. As Bill Walton so sappily said on the NBA telecast last night, every day truly is Father's Day.

--My 10-year high school reunion was Friday and Saturday night, and I have to say that it was way better than expected. There were a few of the so-called "popular" people from my class that sort of kept to themselves, but for the most part everyone mixed very well. Several people I never talked to came up to me and said hello, and it was so fun to catch up and see how everyone was doing. I think it's a real credit to the Lakeville High School Class of 1998 that we all mixed so well. After all, we're truly all on the same team...good to see we acted like it. It didn't hurt either that I got a lot of oohs, ahhs and wows from everyone when they saw me!

--Tiger Woods. Can you even believe this guy? I think this was the weekend that he proved definitively that he's the best ever, regardless of whether or not he wins or loses the playoff today. Can you imagine playing 72 holes on a still-weak left knee, no less shooting 1-under at the US Open? Can you imagine sinking a 12-footer with your back up against the wall on hole 72? Can you imagine shooting 30 on Friday and two eagles on Saturday on the back nine - and that doesn't even account for the one-hop plop shot on 17? It was nothing short of a legendary performance, one we'll tell our grandkids about someday.

I know a lot of people that root for Tiger simply because they want to be on the side of the winning guy. That's boring. I watch him closely because I think he's the most unique talent in sports today, and I can't wait to see what he'll do next. I'll admit: when the putt fell yesterday, I did a fist-pump, Tiger style.

I'm out like Lee Westwood.

The NBA

2008-06-13T11:19:00.002-05:00

Hey, congrats out there to the Bloomington Jefferson baseball team, who will play in the state championship game this afternoon at Midway Stadium. They've had a remarkable run, and having covered several kids on the team in other sports, I personally think they've got what it takes to win one more. Good luck today.

On the NBA, I must come out and say that I'm nowhere near as big a NBA fan as I used to be. The game, in my opinion, has become too much of a me-first game where ballhogs jack up fadeaway 3-pointers instead of setting screens and executing bounce passes. Plus, the integrity of the game is in serious question (can I get just one traveling call some year?). That said, I always enjoy this time of year because it always seems that the best TEAMS get to the Finals. Basketball is a team game, not an individual game, and I think the game is at its best when you have 10 capable players on a court giving their all for 48 minutes. That's what you get to see this time of year.

I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist (yet), given all the Donaghy discussion, but try this one on: whenever a team gets a big lead in a game, at any time in the game, they never seem to hold it. They may not lose the game, but they never seem to be able to preserve their lead throughout. It happened to the Celtics in Game 2, and it happened to the Lakers last night. Call it poor floor leadership or coaching, or just the human let-up response that occurs when you get up by 20 points. But I find it slightly amusing that when I see a team get up by 20, I can count on the losing squad being in the ballgame in the last four minutes. Of course, TV executives don't want to see prolonged blowouts...then people tune out later in the game. They want to see tight, memorable finishes. They want to see the blowups and emotion when a team loses a huge lead and when a team comes back from the brink. It just never fails...and to me, it's very interesting that this happens much more regularly than one would think it would.

That's all for now. I'm out like the Minnesota Lynx's streak of relevance.

Local Sports Marketing Trends

2008-06-10T08:56:00.002-05:00

A couple of the latest sports marketing trends making waves in the Twin Cities area:

--A few Sundays ago, the St. Paul Saints did a promotion where they gave "bobblefoot dolls" away to the first few thousand fans. Instead of a bobblehead, they spoofed the Larry Craig sex solicitation incident at Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport, making the leg underneath the bathroom stall divider shake. This was met by scores of people who said it was over the top and in bad taste. To those people, I just want to say: get a life, and a sense of humor. The Saints are known for over-the-top, irreverent promotions that completely entertain and satisfy their core fan base, and this fits right in with what they've done all along. The same people that complained about this are not the ones most likely to sit outside for 3-6 hours on a rainy day and watch a minor-league baseball game. Not only do I believe this was a brilliant promotion, and extremely funny, but it's more evidence that the Saints know their audience, and they continue to deliver the goods. And just guess how many tickets they sold that day.

--The Minnesota Twins recently had two games in which they sold upper-deck seats along with all-you-can-eat concession coupons. These, apparently, were such huge successes that they are expanding the promotion to six more home games still this year - a rarity in the business today.

I'm not sure what it says about our society that people want to stuff themselves silly at a ballgame, or spend the majority of the game waiting in line where they can't see the game in the Metrodome's pathetically terrible concourses. Personally, when I go to a game, I actually like to sit in my seat and watch the game. But you have to tip your cap again to the Twins marketing team, the same folks who brought the bobblehead craze back to the sporting world several years ago. They've come up with another brilliant way of making their product relevant to the masses and creating an "enjoyable" game-day experience. And it's helping them making the best of a bad situation with the Metrodome and the 2008 edition of the team.

I dare you to find another sports market in this country with the top-to-bottom quality of team marketing and promotions that we have in the Twin Cities. You just don't hear of intelligent stuff like this happening in other places; on the flip side, for example, we heard all about the "19-0" plans made in Boston...we all know how well that worked out for the Patriots.

I'm out like Juan Rincon.

TSA's Weekend

2008-06-09T14:36:00.003-05:00

So, a few thoughts from the weekend that was:

--In a weird sort of way, I'm glad Big Brown didn't win the Belmont. I'm not sure I could have listened to his cocky trainer gloat about him if he did. And you can just imagine the UPS ads that thankfully won't be airing now. Anyone else think the trainer is acting like a sore loser? No press interviews or anything? No doubt the Donald isn't happy about it...yes, the trainer wore a Trump cap in the stands - you would have seen it shortly before post time. I'm sure Trump paid for that privilege...and he can't be pleased that his horse came in last.

--Wow, is Rafael Nadal good or what? That was one amazing display of tennis against Federer.
Like you, I tuned in for a classic and ended up watching a rout of historic proportions. There's no doubt Federer is suffering (let's keep it in perspective, people...he's still #1 in the world) through his worst year in recent memory, but he's still the man to beat at Wimbledon. There's no doubt though about this: Federer/Nadal is the most intriguing thing to happen to men's tennis since Sampras/Agassi.

--Celtics/Lakers...ho hum. It was impressive how the Celts built their big lead in Game 2, but even more impressive how they managed to let the Lakers back into the game late. Wow, what a letdown in leadership by Doc Rivers and Paul Pierce...they got the win, but they may have awoken a sleeping giant.

Best sports you're not watching: the NCAA baseball super-regionals. Those kids sure are playing some entertaining baseball...there have been more plot twists than a I highly recommend you catch the remaining game today and then the College World Series starting Saturday.

I'm out like the Twins pitching staff.

A Broadcasting Legend Passes

2008-06-07T15:53:00.002-05:00

I was saddened to hear the news of Jim McKay's passing today. As a sports broadcaster myself, I feel he's one of the few that I'd tell an up-and-comer to strive to be like - he always seemed to have the right words at the right time, but he never tried too hard to have them at the ready...he just told it like it was. He let the sports do the talking, not his ego. He told not just the bad stories, but the good and inspirational ones too. And off the air, he was as good a man (from the stories I'm reading) as there was. It's no coincidence the greatest of today (Costas and Michaels) called him a mentor and friend.

May Jim rest in peace.

Seasons Ending

2008-06-06T10:44:00.002-05:00

I've been getting some comments recently from loyal TSA readers encouraging me to drop in some of my expert perspective on public relations/marketing (my career) and its intersection with sports. I'll get to work on this, and fold it in as I can.

As a first foray into this realm, if you haven't yet seen Bob Costas' recent 90-minute special on HBO about sports and the media, you are missing out. The hottest issues in sports and media today (social media/bloggers, fantasy sports, talk radio, etc.) get a thorough look in this show, and the panel discussions are riveting beyond imagination. It was easily the best 90 minutes of TV I watched in the month of May, and that includes the season finale of The Office. Check it out: http://www.hbo.com/costasnow/

On other matters, next week will be one of the more depressing weeks of the year. The NHL is over for the year (congrats, Red Wings), and high school sports are wrapping up with state tournaments this week. The NBA Finals and Twins are going, but not much else. That means, of course, that the volume of reading material in the local sports section will drop considerably by next week. I love reading about the Twins as much as anyone, but it will be three more months until football season pulls us out of this funk. The countdown is on.

Speaking of endings, there was a high school tennis match this morning between rivals Wyatt McCoy of Mounds View and Michael Sicora of Buffalo in the state semifinals. These guys have played each other hard at state the last few years, and the winner eventually won the state title. So their final match in their storied high school careers...started at 8 a.m. today. Seriously, what a buzzkill. By the time I read the paper, the match was already underway, and that's one I might have driven the half-hour to the U of M to watch. Who schedules these things anyways...

And the oddest thing I've seen in a long time: Kevin Slowey, pinch-running for Mike Redmond?

That's all for now. I'm out like 2007 Rallykiller Nick Punto.

Rallykiller, Introducing The Little Sports Ace

2008-06-03T09:59:00.004-05:00

Wow, what a hockey game last night. I might be one of the few that stayed up to the end...Fleury was amazing in goal, and how about the Penguins tying it with less than a minute in regulation! The Red Wings reminded me a bit of the 1998 Vikings...so close to winning, yet so far. They'll either bounce back strong and dominate Game 6, or they'll get blown out. Hard to say what their emotions will do, but if I had to pick it, I say Detroit bounces back in a big way, takes Game 6 4-1 and wins the Cup.

No doubt some of you are familiar with my concept of Rallykiller. I love my Twins, but there's always one regular player whose performance seems consistently less than stellar...grounding into double plays in key spots, failing to take extra bases, etc. So I bestow the unfortunate honor of "Rallykiller" to those people. A Rallykiller can earn their way out of the title, if they play well, but they generally hold the title for a while...Nick Punto, Luis Rivas, etc. are former Rallykillers. Thus far this season, Mike Lamb held the title for a while, but Delmon Young took it over in early May.

The Twins and Yankees played a remarkable game last night, and Delmon Young did have three RBI doubles. That, along with Cuddy and Mauer's first homer, are promising signs. But, just for a minute, let's focus on Young's misplay in the 8th. On that double, it seemed he could have tried to stretch it into a triple. Instead, he stayed at second and was caught stealing in the next at-bat by Brendan Harris. The Twins won by one anyway, but Harris' at-bat would have scored Young if he were on third and produced a key insurance run. Delmon, despite showing signs of improvement, still appears a bit timid out there...unwilling or afraid to swing for the fences and do the little things to help the team win. In honor of his 8th inning, Young still, at least for a little while longer, is hereby dubbed Rallykiller.

If you didn't know, I am the proud father of a happy, healthy little boy. The Little Sports Ace (TLSA), as I'll call him herein going forward, turned 9 months old on Sunday and had his latest physical yesterday. 21 pounds, 9 ounces (74th percentile) and just under 30 inches long (94th percentile). He's getting to be a big, strong kid...right on schedule to being a first-overall draft pick someday. (Not seriously of course...I won't put any pressure on him to play sports. But, if it makes him happy, what dad wouldn't like to see his son earn a scholarship and play in the big leagues!)

I'm out like Boof Bonser.

My Own Welcome Back

2008-06-02T14:28:00.002-05:00

Well, hello everyone...

Now that I've been laid off from my last job, I find myself with just a bit of extra time. So I figured I might re-visit my contribution to the online world and weigh in.

First thing's first: I hope Nick Blackburn is all right. What a shot he took yesterday...

Is anyone else excited about the Vikings' chances for 2008-09?

This just in: the Timberwolves still suck.

And I hope Doug Risebrough doesn't go off signing goons anytime soon, like he did with Chris Simon. That one really worked out for the Wild.

The coming Chanhassen High School has been placed in the Lake Conference, giving the league 12 schools starting in the fall of 2009. I think that's great, as the league has had an odd number of teams for years now. Next, the Lake needs to form two six-team divisions and get rid of that annoying rotating schedule it uses in just about every sport.

And I really don't have much sympathy for the Classic Lake Conference. Yes, it would be good if it had more than five teams, but there's got to be a reason why schools have left them in the past and no one will join them now. Personally, I think they should go after schools like Maple Grove, Shakopee, Prior Lake and Holy Angels. Wouldn't you love to see Edina and Holy Angels play at least two hockey games every season? Sign me up.

Also, I need to publicly apologize to Star Tribune preps reporter Jim Paulsen for a rant I put on him last fall, after a playoff football game. Jim, and the rest of the team there, you do a fabulous job, and it's a primary reason I subscribe to your paper and not the other one in town (despite the fact my wife works at the other one). Keep it up.

I'm out like Flip Saunders.

Many Happy Returns

2007-02-06T12:04:00.000-06:00

Wow...how I missed writing this blog. This is merely a test.

A few of my latest rants and raves...

--Congrats to the Indianapolis Colts, former Gophers Utecht and Reid and my boy Peyton Manning for winning the Super Bowl. Good guys really do finish first every once in a while.

--Did you notice that in both the Super Bowl and the BCS Title Game, the losing team ran the opening kickoff back for a TD and then proceeded to suck? Interesting...

--To Gophers AD Joel Maturi - you might finally have done something right. Tim Brewster has done the job in his first few weeks as head coach of our Gopher football team. He's already proven he can recruit...I can't wait to see this guy in action next year. Michael Floyd as a Gopher? Sure does sound good to me.

--Gopher Hockey will be okay. There's NO way they could pull a Holy Cross two years in a row.

--The Timberwolves SUCK. Oh wow, they suck. Can you believe that NBA basketball in a town with Kevin Garnett playing 41 nights a year is completely irrelevant? That just goes to show how far this team has fallen.

--To the MSHSL: great job. Significantly changing transfer rules is a MAJOR step in the right direction. I've seen transfers both help and significantly hurt a team, and I firmly believe that they should be outlawed - unless there are good reasons, like the MSHSL has laid out. Finally.

--Lastly, a little love for the Lake Conference in high school sports. Let's take boys' basketball, for example. There are six teams in the Lake within two games of first place - all six teams have 10+ wins on the year, and they've beaten top teams around the state. Yet, in this week's Star Tribune metro rankings, not a single team made the top 10. This is injustice of the highest order. When a deep Jefferson team with Kansas-bound Cole Aldrich is in 6th place, you know you have one special conference. To all the voters out there: wake up. But I will say that boys' hockey is way down this year. All you need to know: Chaska was in first place last week.

I'm out like Dwayne Casey, Ted Johnson and the 40 high school wrestlers with herpes.

Is Zygi a Hypocrite?

2006-01-17T15:23:00.000-06:00

Get this...the owner of the Vikings preaches winning a Super Bowl as his top priority, then hires an aggressive PR firm to push a political agenda to get a stadium and retail complex built. Good or not good?

Don't get me wrong, I would love to see a stadium built. The Vikings would benefit on the field from the atmosphere and the excitement. And they would benefit financially from all the increased revenue they could command. To me, the Gophers and Twins come first and second, but the Vikings would surely thrive in some new digs.

The only thing about this is that Zygi's starting to seem a little two-faced to me. I have no doubt he would like to win a Super Bowl, and he showed that when he fired Mike Tice and hired Brad Childress. But it all seems to be about the money that he would get from a new retail complex and stadium - not the product on the field. Granted, he's the owner of a pro sports franchise, and he has every right to do whatever he feels will make his franchise worth more when he goes to sell it. But, especially in a community where honesty and character is valued so highly, if what he wants is a stadium AND a Super Bowl, why can't he just say so? I think Minnesotans wouldn't be opposed to a healthy debate between the Vikings and Anoka County about how to get a deal done. But when you bring in some outside muscle to push your agenda, you begin to look like a bully. And Minnesotans hate bullies.

I wonder what the reaction will be around the metro to this PR firm and its work. But I wouldn't be surprised to see a backlash, and if that happens, it sure will be interesting to see how Zygi handles it. He could play Minnesota Nice, but could we also see the East Coast developer in him?

Tice is Out

2006-01-01T19:57:00.000-06:00

Yes, if you haven't heard, Mike Tice is out as coach of the Vikings. And I commend Wilf for doing what he did. Here's why.

Wilf has made it very clear since he's been the owner that he wants the team to represent itself well on and off the field, and he said he will do what it takes to make that happen. When you have good people doing good things in their professional and personal lives, then it all adds up to more good things. That's why I think the Vikings haven't gotten over the hump and won it all, especially in 1998 and 2000. They just haven't had a positive team personality and character, and as the Patriots have proven over the past few years, that can make all the difference.

Furthermore, the people responsible for setting the character of any organization, in the sports world or otherwise, are its leaders. Is it any wonder that Vikings players conducted themselves the way they did when Tice himself violated a serious NFL rule in the offseason? Whether Tice wants to admit it or not, as the head coach of the Vikings it was his job to set a good example for his team to follow with his words AND his actions, and he absolutely failed to do that. And his players, even supposed leaders like Daunte Culpepper, unfortunately followed his poor example by embarrassing the team so many other times throughout the past year.

This isn't about producing a winning football team (which Tice also failed to do in his four seasons as Vikings coach with a sub-.500 overall record). This is about Zygi Wilf having a team that he can be proud of, both on and off the field. Firing Tice was a big step in the right direction, and something tells me there's more housecleaning ahead. The changes may or may not produce more on-field wins, but it looks like Wilf is taking action to improve the character of his football team. And I think that's an off-the-field victory that all Purple fans should celebrate.

Highway Robbery

2005-12-20T14:53:00.000-06:00

So I was calling a boys hockey game the other night between Bloomington Kennedy and Lakeville North, and I witnessed the greatest display of highway robbery (and poor sportsmanship) I've ever seen. Here goes.

The two teams were scoreless through 2 1/2 periods, and North scored on a power play to go up 1-0. A few minutes later, North had a two-on-zero breakaway, and the second player flipped the puck over the goalie to score on a rebound shot. Or so we thought. The referee was right there to wave off the goal, because one of the North players was in the goal crease (later, our video replays showed conclusively that the call was right on the money - and that the player in the crease actually made contact with the goaltender while he was on the ice).

Right after the goal was disallowed, the Lakeville North player in the crease went ape and got right in the face of the guys in zebra uniforms. He drew an unsportsmanlike conduct minor. But even worse, the North coach stopped the game for at least 5 minutes while he argued the call. He was absolutely livid - and this wasn't the first...or second...or even the third time in the game that he stopped the game to hog the spotlight and argue.

Kennedy scored the equalizer 10 seconds into their power play, and then another 1:09 later, they scored the go-ahead goal. With 3 1/2 minutes to play, they had a one-goal lead thanks to North's complete meltdown. And they held on to win the game.

Lakeville North was ranked #9 in the metro and #13 in the state before the game. But unfortunately for them, they are no longer. As a Lakeville graduate, I attended the high school during the tenure of the current coach. At that time, several players quit the team because they couldn't stand playing for him. The team has played in a few state tournaments since then, but clearly the coach hasn't figured out some of the little things. And it cost his team that game against Kennedy. Remember, the Eagles made all the plays to come back and win, so don't take anything away from them. But a team's actions reflect the character and teachings of its leaders. If the North coach had set a different example for his team, to respect the game, their opponent and the calls of the officials, they surely would have held on for the victory. Even in the face of adversity, you have to stay mentally tough. That's where good teams are separated from the great ones. And this North team completely failed their first mental test of the season.

But this goes beyond the game on the ice. This is about teaching young athletes right and wrong. Blaming others for how things unfold in your life doesn't make anything better - instead, you need to step up, take responsibility for yourself and do your best with what you have. That's the game of life, reflected in this one game of hockey. And the Lakeville North coach seems to have lost that game bigtime, much to the detriment of his players. It's really too bad.

I'm back...

2005-12-08T18:25:00.000-06:00

So I'm back...sorry guys.

The Vikings have won five in a row, and struggling St. Louis is coming to town. Yes, the defense is playing better, but one of the more underrated reasons for the turnaround? Koren Robinson. This guy is playing his lights out, and he's corrected a lot of the things that kept him from fitting with Seattle - namely holding onto the football. In hindsight, this was easily one of the top three free agent moves the team made last offseason.

High school hockey is back! Already I've seen some good contests - Jefferson/Lakeville North, etc. But Hill Murray/White Bear Lake? What a yawner. The #2 and #3 ranked teams in the state scored 1 combined goal, and passes were sloppy, skating was lackluster and penalties were frequent. I was completely underwhelmed...glad it's early in the season.

And speaking of low scoring, how about the T-wolves! They may have it put together now, thanks to the fact they only allow 80 points a game. 10-6 after 16 games isn't a bad start, for a new coach and a lot of role players. If they keep gelling, it could be a fun rest of the year.

Gotta run. I'm out like girls hockey players from the Kennedy H.S. team.

Winter Season is Here

2005-11-02T19:05:00.000-06:00

So the Timberwolves start tonight, and the Wild are playing. Winter sports are officially underway...

But I don't care. The high school game of the year is this Friday night: Jefferson at Eden Prairie. I will be on the mic for the game, and I can't wait...it has all the makings of a classic. Objectively, I can't pick against EP when they're playing at home. But if anyone's going to beat them, it could be this Jefferson team - it has found a nice running/passing balance, and their defense has only allowed 13 points in two playoff games. Jefferson also has history on their side. The last time these two teams played a section championship game at EP? Jefferson won a classic game in overtime.

I like the new NHL. Have I said that yet? The shootouts have been fun to watch so far (even the Wild's shootout when they went 1 for 8 and lost), but the game is faster, there are fewer stoppages and the talent level is up. All good things for a game "on ice"...

And the T'wolves? I think they're destined for a 7 or 8 seed this year and a first round exit. But I'm excited to see if Casey's defensive schemes mesh with this team. Like Dallas, there hasn't been much D in the Timberwolves in the past few years. And anytime you get a team together and win with defense, that's a good sign. See the Spurs and Pistons. I think it will take some time, but so far I like what Coach Casey has done with this team. And all those experts predicting KG won't make the playoffs for 2 straight years will be proven wrong.

Notice we're not talking about the Vikes. Ouch.

I'm out like Daunte Culpepper (but I'll be back a lot sooner than one year from now).

Back again...

2005-10-26T19:09:00.000-05:00

Hey all...due to popular demand, I'm writing again. Funny how that works...people actually read this stuff.

So, did anyone notice that Bloomington Kennedy won last night? If you look back a few blog postings, you'll see that I called it: Kennedy would end their losing streak this season. It took them all year long and a non-conference playoff game to do it, but they got it done in convincing fashion. And their reward: a semifinal game against the Eagan Wildcats, who were just as underwhelming as the Eagles during the regular season. Remarkable.

In a real playoff game, the Jefferson Jaguars have drawn the defending state champ Minnetonka Skippers on Saturday night in their Section 2 semifinal. Both teams won big last night, so it's tough to get a read on this game. The Skippers came to Jefferson last year in the same game and routed the Jags, so the layperson may pick them to do it again. But I saw something last night from Jefferson that I hadn't seen in two years: a running game. The pass has carried them, and very well I might add. But this time of year, you need a running game to win the big playoff games. And Charlie Stuckey was impressive in amassing 249 yards last night against Prior Lake. I'll take the Jaguars on a late score, 35-31. Plus, if this happens, then I'll get to call a section championship game at Eden Prairie. That would rock.

Also, I must say I'm very impressed with the job Larry Thompson's done at Lakeville South this year. They won three games in the ultra tough Lake Conference, finished 4-4 overall and put up 62 points in their first round playoff game last night. A .500 year with a brand new program with no seniors? And a victory over your new crosstown rival? A #2 seed in the section, and a playoff run? That is an amazing year, and he deserves mad props.

The Vikes beat the Packers. The Gophers absolutely blew the game against the Badgers. The White Sox are going to win the World Series. Oh, the life of a Minnesota sports fan...it's never boring!

I'm out like the Chaska Hawks football team. You're rated #5 in the state at 5-0, and you beat Eden Prairie. And then you lose your last four games. 20-ton boulders don't drop that fast.

Second try

2005-09-17T12:16:00.000-05:00

So I just had a great posting written, and my computer lost it. Robbed.

--Eastview football has a solid running game, led by a very talented Jake Machacek. Last night I saw him run for 175 yards and 4 TDs in one half, and the Lightning rolled to a 49-9 win at Bloomington Kennedy. Very talented...I can't wait to see if Eden Prairie can contain him.

--The Vikes may just fall to 0-2 this weekend. They are playing a Cincinnati team that is an AFC sleeper this year. Plus the Bengals start a fellow Lakeville alumnus at safety.

--Speaking of Lakeville, how about South pulling the upset over North last night! In the first game in what will be a great rivalry, South went into North and won 24-19. All of the press leading up to the game was about how it would be an extension of the friendships that all of the players and coaches have, and it would be a celebration of football in a truly football-crazy suburb. Try telling that to the North players, who lost to a South team with no seniors and a lot of the players that filled out the depth chart at North last year. This, my friends, is how rivalries are born.

--This just in: Wayzata football is good. A very impressive 3-0 they are, but a big road game at Eden Prairie awaits. Can they pull that one too?

--T-minus 7 days until the Gophers season starts. For real. Of course, they'll be 3-0, but who cares? Can they beat Purdue?

All for now. I'm out like a football in Daunte Culpepper's hands.

Koren Robinson??

2005-09-06T20:06:00.000-05:00

All right, Purple Nation. Can anyone explain to me why the Vikings signed Koren Robinson?

Did they really need another receiver at $1.5 million over two years? And did they need to take another guy with a history of drug use? I'm not sure. All I know is that Robinson was a stellar college wideout at NC State. He torched our Gophers in the Micron Bowl in Miami in 2000. But ever since then, he hasn't been able to catch a cold. Just ask Mike Holmgren...the man definitely did not help the Seahawks' chances last season. And the last thing Daunte needs is for the WRs to get a case of butterfingersitis.

Yeah, Koren's supposed to have cleaned himself up in the offseason, so the Vikes laced his contract with incentives. But right now, there's only one positive I see to this mess. Guess who got demoted to make room for Robinson? Kelly Campbell. And when you compare these two characters, the Vikings definitely upgraded.

Labor Day

2005-09-05T16:35:00.000-05:00

Happy Labor Day to all...

--So far so good for the Gophers. If you still don't believe that Maroney is one of the best backs in Gopher history, get out of here.

--High school football season is underway, and it's more of the same old, same old so far. Eden Prairie pounds another team into submission. Cretin-Derham Hall continues the domination. And Bloomington Kennedy, although much improved over last year in their opener, takes a loss. But my hat's off to my former hometown, Lakeville. It's a team that many experts predicted could win a state championship this year if there was still just one football team. But they split up, with both teams getting pounded in their openers. They may have lost the games, but they WILL win the war. The district, unlike Eden Prairie, built a second high school. They gave more kids a better chance to lead, to play, and most importantly, to succeed in the classroom. The on-field wins will just be that much sweeter when they do come.

--The Big Ten is 10-0 in football so far this year, thanks to Illinois' superb 4th-quarter comeback against Rutgers. Is there any doubt, with three top-ten teams and improved strength all over, that this is the best conference in college football?

--The WNBA playoffs are happening. Does anyone care?

Aw shucks, I can't think of anything else right now. I'm off to grill it up.

Vikings Predictions

2005-08-29T21:03:00.000-05:00

A lot of people have asked me what I think of the Vikings this year. The short answer: 10-6, division champs and probably one playoff win.

I think the offense will continue to produce. Daunte is very quietly one of the most efficient QBs in NFL history - Peyton, McNabb and Vick get the headlines, but Culpepper is as good as they get. Burleson, Williamson, Robinson and Taylor are a solid foursome at WR. The offensive line, although depleted through injury, will play well because they always do. The return of Jim Kleinsasser is a huge boost to the team in passing and third-down situations. But the question for me is at RB. No matter who starts, you only have two solid backs in Moore and Bennett. Then you have Moe Williams, a prototypical third down back, Ciatrick Fason and maybe someone else. Then you have the Whizzinator himself sitting out this year. It usually takes 2-3 good backs to win in the NFL over the course of a season, so it will be interesting to see if the Vikes have enough horses to balance the offense for Daunte.

And the defense...I'm not sure if they're as good as everyone says they are. First, they must be able to get a pass rush in third-and-long and other obvious passing situations. Second, they must do a better job of creating turnovers - the revamped secondary should help with this. And third, they must tackle. These are the hallmarks of poor Vikings defenses of the past. Granted, there's lots of new personnel, but to shed the stereotype these are the areas where I believe they must improve.

Looks to me like a 10-6 year, Purple faithful. But if that defense gels quickly and stays tough, it could be as good as 12-4...and in the weak NFC, you never know where that might take us. It's like they always say: defense wins championships.

High School Football is Back

2005-08-28T20:56:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone...

A few items today:

--How about them Hawaiians! Their comeback against Curacao in the Little League World Series will go down as one of the greatest championship comebacks in LLWS history. You can bet ABC was absolutely loving that ending (oh, oops, maybe not - because the game went into extra innings, they had to drop national coverage and move the game to ESPN2. Sucks for all those people without cable...)

--Looks like our Twins made a nice run. But now that they're 5 1/2 back to the Yankees, let's just forget about the playoffs and enjoy September for the great races elsewhere in the league. I mean, just look at the NL West. Will someone PLEASE play .500 ball??

--New from the Lake Conference in football: because there are 11 teams in the conference now, there will be one non-conference game each week - most schools in the conference will play a school outside the league for the first time in many years. And most of the opponents will come from the Classic Lake Conference - for all you history buffs, the Classic Lake was the original Lake conference way back in the 50s and 60s. The Edinas, Eden Prairies and Bloomingtons of the world played each other all the time, but that isn't the case anymore. Well, thanks to the unbalanced leagues, get ready to renew some old rivalries...

It all kicks off with a real good matchup this Friday, when the new Lakeville North, two years removed from a state title, travels to Mounds View to play the Mustangs, who will be a top-ranked team this year largely because of their U of M-bound quarterback. Other top non-conference games on the schedule include defending state champ Minnetonka driving to Apple Valley on October 14 and top-five contenders Eden Prairie and Wayzata doing battle in EP on Sept. 23. Another game circled on my schedule? Park of Cottage Grove, a cellar-dweller in the Suburban East in recent years, will visit Lake doormat Kennedy on Sept. 30.

For all you Bloomington residents, my partner and I will be announcing our first football game of the season this Thursday - Kennedy hosts Chaska that evening. Check it out on BEC-TV, channel 16 locally.

Mid-August post

2005-08-16T18:55:00.000-05:00

Hey all! Sorry it's been a while since my last posting. I'll do better.

So I noticed that the Twins have won 3 of 4. The pitching has been amazing, so I'm glad to see some wins on the board. Maybe if they sweep the remaining games from the White Sox, they can win the division. Maybe.

I saw a brief in the Strib sports today about the MSHSL thinking about making state football quarterfinal playoff games neutral-field, artificial-turf contests. This makes a lot of sense to me. I'm not sure that games needs to be played on turf, but neutral sites would get rid of the huge advantage that home teams have in the quarterfinal round. Huge. Especially if the opponent happens to be from a section on the other end of the state. Although it could mean that games would move indoors, and the nostalgic part of me doesn't like that, the teams that get to the Dome are most often the teams that navigate the weather the best - not necessarily the best team. Let's move the games.

And today's thought on the Twins:
Remember recently how they were in an 0-for-24 slump with runners in scoring position? And how that stretch came at a time when the Twins lost a lot of one-run ballgames? Think for a minute. If the Twins hit a merely average .250 in that stretch, they would have had 6 hits. Being that some of the hits would come with bases loaded, you could conservatively estimate that the team would have scored 8 more runs because of those hits. And eight runs in the bank when you're losing a lot of one-run games?? Maybe that equates to 4-6 more wins. And how far back are the Twins in the wild card? As of today, six games. Just a thought to chew on...

I drafted my fantasy football team this weekend. Gotta love the fact I have Marvin Harrison, Michael Clayton, Steve Smith AND Jimmy Smith at WR, Jason Elam at K, Carolina's defense and Deuce McAllister at RB. And Tom Brady will be steady as my starting QB. But my big question is whether Fred Taylor and Michael Bennett will produce. I took them both on their potential, which is definitely big. And my string of consecutive championships could very well depend on how much of that potential they realize...

Some things...

2005-08-06T09:50:00.000-05:00

What's up y'all,

A few observations of mine lately:

--Rafael Palmeiro. When the guy got his 3,000th hit a few weeks ago, I was among those leading his parade to Cooperstown. What a sweet career he's had, and not only full of big numbers but consistency as well. And then we heard about his steroid trouble. As a baseball purist, I'm really struggling with Palmeiro's positive test. I still believe that his numbers are Hall-worthy, and I've enjoyed watching him play over the years. But he cheated, and he got caught cheating. It doesn't matter if it was intentional or not, the fact is he got busted. And that, my friends, is why he should NOT be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Heck, if Pete Rose isn't a member of the Hall for what he did, then Raffy shouldn't be either.

And the sickest thing about this news? Jose Canseco might actually have been right. I don't know if I'm rushing out to buy his book yet, but Jose definitely had a good week. And it wasn't because Janice Dickinson hit on him on "The Surreal Life."

--What's up with the Lynx?

These guys baffle me. In my opinion, the Lynx have had amazing opportunities in the past couple of drafts to get homegrown stars like Lindsay Whalen and Janel McCarville of Gopher All-America fame. Granted, they may have had to draft up and give up talent and draft picks to do it, perhaps making the team less competitive in the short term. But you had an opportunity to get two of the most cherished female athletes this state has ever seen, and you let it go. You may lose a few games, but haven't you been losing games since you started? Also, even if you lose, I guarantee that attendance would have been up, as people really loved these two charismatic young role models. In the WNBA, and the Target Center for sure, there are LOTS of good seats available for every game. And in a league where money talks, the Lynx probably would have had some more of it - which they could have reinvested in the team however they wished.

And then they went and traded their franchise player, depleting your talent and tossing in your playoff towel...and you still don't have anything to draw in the fans. I'm sorry, but this is exactly the kind of series of events that explain clearly why no one in the Twin Cities cares about the Lynx.

--Gopher Football Practice Started! Woo hoo...even though I'll be lucky to attend one game this year after going to EVERY game for the last 7 years, these guys will be fun to watch. That is, until their Big Ten opener against Purdue. The jury's still out on this team, because I don't see a big difference between this team and the one that blew a top-10 ranking against Michigan and then mailed it in the rest of the last two seasons. And with a tougher Big Ten schedule, it gets even tougher for the Gophers. I think they'll go bowling again, but until they can prove they're worthy of the pressure, I can't pencil them into Pasadena, Orlando or even Tampa. But will it ever be fun to watch Maroney this year...for those of you who haven't had the pleasure of seeing him live, he's one of the best pure runners I've ever seen.

Gotta run. Check out the 3M Championship this weekend!

Twins notes

2005-08-01T08:43:00.000-05:00

Too bad about Tori. I guess I am ready to call it a season for the Twins given the results of their road trip and their inability to make a trade to improve the team at the deadline. I heard the Twins had an offer to trade for Soriano. In exchange, they would have given up a really good minor league picture, Loshe, and Romero. I think Soriano would have changed the complexion of the team, but I guess this trade wasn't a good deal in Terry Ryan's mind.

At least we still have the Vikings to distract us from the last two months of this tailspin.

Torii's Hurt

2005-07-30T14:23:00.000-05:00

This is what the Twins were saying after last night's game in Boston. Torii Hunter is down, and that's not good. Just my opinion, but with this setback the Twins are toast. It doesn't matter how long he's out...not a chance of making the playoffs. Hate to say it, but facts are facts.

But this also hurts for me on a personal level. He's a great centerfielder, and he's the Twins undisputed leader. But he's a great person too. Back in my college days, when I did production work with Fox Sports Net, I worked quite a few Twins games and helped bring the TV telecasts to the visiting team's markets. In my down time before the games, I did what any baseball lover with an all-access media credential would do: I hit the field. I leaned on the batting cages and watched the bombs fly. I stood with the players as they loosened up and played catch. I sat in the dugout and spat sunflower seeds. I got to know some players, and I had a truly wonderful summer.

And when I was doing all this, one Twins player was always there with a smile and a handshake for me: Torii Hunter. He always wanted my latest news. He was there to offer congratulations when things were going well, and a word of encouragement when they weren't. I was for the most part a complete stranger with a press credential - but I showed interest, and he took it from there.

I miss those days. And ever since, I've rooted a little harder for Torii than the others. So it follows naturally that I feel a bit worse now that he's out of the lineup. Torii, to give you some advice that you always gave me, keep after it, and don't lose sight of your goal, man. You'll get it done.

High School Sports Season...

2005-07-27T22:27:00.000-05:00

Well, we're nearing the end of July, and that means a couple of things:

two months to go in the MLB season
a few short weeks until football starts
and of course, a few short weeks until high school sports begin again

Don't get me wrong, I can't wait to see the NFL, NHL and NBA start and the MLB playoffs begin. But the fall is also a wonderful time of year because...there's high school sports to follow. Here are a couple subplots I'll be following this fall:

1. A New Era for Lakeville Schools

Beginning this fall, Lakeville will have two high schools, North and South. The Panthers and the Cougars. Red and black, and red and gold. Of course, the school will provide many more opportunities for kids to participate in sports and should help improve academics in the district, and that's what it's really all about. But, if anyone can be critical of the decision, they'll likely cite the fact that Lakeville is the two-time defending Challenge Cup champion. The Cup is given to the high school with the best overall athletics and activities program each year, based on performance, and being as involved as I was during my years there I'm proud of what my alma mater became.

But it's a new day. I was raised in South's new territory, and so I'm particularly interested to see how the athletic programs fare this fall. Granted, who expects much out of a new athletics department? Not me. Eastview is the next-newest Lake Conference school, and it took them a few years to build a strong program. And I would expect that Lakeville South will be much the same on the playing field. But where does a pure bred Panther stake his allegiance when it comes time for the inaugural North/South gridiron war? As the saying goes, it might be a game-time decision.

2. More of the Same?

This will be my second fall announcing high school football games, and as a long-time fan, I've noticed a few trends that I'm sorry to say I'm getting tired of. First, the Eden Prairie football program continues to dominate. Take nothing away from the kids, who come out in droves every year and work very hard to be the best. An Eden Prairie football roster takes three pages of paper, and depth charts go five to ten deep depending on position. Wow.

So maybe it would follow that their coach should be demanding. Well, Mike Grant is definitely that. And quite honestly, I wouldn't be unhappy to see him endure two or more losses this year. When my Panthers ended EP's mammoth winning streak in Eden Prairie two seasons ago, Grant gave no credit at all to a #1-ranked and future state championship team that ended his record streak on his home field - and then beat them soundly in the state playoffs that year. He gave the Jefferson Jaguars no credit at all when they took the Eagles to the brink before losing in last year's regular season finale in a matchup of undefeated, top-ten ranked teams. As the son of a former Vikings legendary coach, he knows more about the game of football than I ever will, and he is undoubtedly a leading high school coach that could likely move up the ladder if he wanted. But will Eden Prairie continue its domination, and if not, will Coach Grant remember his manners?

From one Lake Conference football streak to another, I'm sick of Bloomington Kennedy going winless. Die-hard Eagle fans have waited a LONG time now for a victory, and will this be the year the streak ends? They return a good core from last year's team, but will it be enough? You heard it here first - there will be a post-game party on Bloomington's East Side some time this fall.

Across the metro, will Cretin Derham-Hall continue its football prowess now that it's a member of a real conference? I'm sorry, but all games in the old St. Paul City conference should be struck from the record books because they simply weren't fair. Last year was better, as Cretin teams played an independent schedule of top teams in the area. So how will they fare in a decent football conference, featuring the likes of Hastings, Woodbury and White Bear Lake on a regular basis? Time will tell.

And outside of football, can the Lake continue its absolute dominance of volleyball? Take a look in the rankings at any time this season and I'll bet there will be at least 5 conference teams among the top ten. Eagan and Chaska have been great lately, with Eden Prairie, Lakeville and Jefferson challenging. If you're into every single contest having an impact on a conference title race, look no further than Lake Conference volleyball.

Lots of great stuff to watch. And I'll do my best to stay on top of it for you.

The NHL is Back!

2005-07-18T19:18:00.000-05:00

Hey, what's up...

A few people have asked me what I think of the NHL coming back. I love hockey, and the NHL's return is cause for great celebration. I look forward to watching games again...that is, if someone with a national television station wants to put up any money to broadcast the games. Sheesh.

The rule changes seem okay, for the most part. Fans of the game in the Carolinas, Texass, Florida and Arizona (all two of them) and television executives are begging for more scoring. And granted, I wouldn't mind seeing Sakic, Jagr, Gaborik and company scoring 60-plus goals a year with regularity. Who doesn't love offense in hockey? Taking out the red line might be a good idea, because it could speed up the game. Shrinking goalie pads? Okay, I suppose. Calling obstruction? A worthy effort.

But shootouts??? Give me a break. When entire seasons can be won or lost on a single wrist shot, the game of hockey breaks down. For all time, hockey has been a team game. Did Howe and Gretzky do all that scoring by themselves? How do you think the Edmonton Oilers of the 1980s won all those Cups? Shootouts would produce some immediate, cheap thrills, and may give home crowds more to cheer about a few nights a year. But it could have as much of a damaging effect on the game long-term as any major rule change in history. And seriously - do you think the 2003 Wild, a team that went to the Western Conference finals, would have even made the playoffs if they were facing penalty shots against the likes of Tkachuk, Modano, Forsberg and the great shooters of the West one out of every three or four games? I doubt it.

Also, offense is made to be defended, and defense wins championships. Do you honestly think that hockey coaches will turn a blind eye and allow their defense to give up more goals per game? The truly bright coaching minds in the league will continue to earn their salaries and devise schemes to counteract the rule changes. Who knows what they'll come up with, but like the advent of the Jacques Lemaire neutral zone trap (that won the 1995 Cup for the Devils), something's bound to change.

Bring on the NHL - I've missed it. Just don't make it so those wonderful hockey-playing Canadians don't recognize their national sport anymore.

A Gopher Football Stadium?

2005-07-17T12:21:00.001-05:00

Of course, one of the great debates in the Twin Cities today is whether the Gophers should get a new outdoor football stadium. And how does this stadium fit in with the proposed Twins and Vikings stadiums? Which comes first? Who pays for it?

First off, I see no reason at all why the Gophers shouldn't have their own stadium. Memorial Stadium was leveled before my time at the U, but I grieve anyway when I hear teary-eyed accounts of Gameday in the old Memorial Stadium on campus, with the tailgating and the marching band coming down University Avenue and the weather. As a former marching band member and passionate Gopher alumnus myself, I would LOVE to see this come back to campus.

Who should pay for it? There are obviously several options out there. But one item not getting much discussion: alumni fundraising. I know lots of fellow Gophers that would join me in spending some money so that a stadium could be built. Maybe we each give $100, and we get our name etched into a brick or something. Maybe $1,000 donors get their name on the back of a seat. I don't care how you do it - the team belongs to the University, the state and the alumni that have suffered through several fall seasons inside the Dome. There are lots of us out there - we don't always pack the Dome, but then again, sometimes there are reasons for that. And there are several of us that would do our part to help the stadium effort.

I also believe that the Gophers stadium issue is independent of the Twins and Vikings. The University of Minnesota is a public institution - it is owned by all Minnesotans. If there is demand with the masses, as has been the case, then there should be something done about it. I'm not saying the Twins and Vikings can't get a new stadium, or that I'm not for both of them. I believe they both would be wonderful additions to the community. But why can't our legislators and University leadership work together to do something that's so obviously good for the fabric of the school? This to me has no bearing at all on the other stadiums, especially when the infrastructure (land, parking, etc) is already in place.

In short, in the absense of University and corporate funding and leadership, give passionate Gopher fans the opportunity to put their money where their mouths are. Get the leaders involved past the bureaucratic and political red tape, and get it done. The economic impact around campus would be huge - but more importantly, it would be a huge boost to Gopher pride everywhere. Build it and the true fans, the tens of thousands of die-hard maroon and gold bleeders, will come.

The Sports Ace Kicks Off!

2005-07-16T15:16:00.000-05:00

HELLO!! Thank you for checking out The Sports Ace! I hope you enjoy this blog, and that you all check it out regularly.

As a pseudo-journalist with his own blog, I feel compelled to disclose my biases, so when I get going on something you all can see where I'm coming from. So here we go:

I was born and raised in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, went to college at the University of Minnesota and currently live in a Twin Cities suburb. I respect a great many teams and individuals around the world, but I am first and foremost a Gophers, Twins, Vikings, Wild and Timberwolves fan. It is these teams that make me laugh, cry, celebrate, jeer, yell and scowl. And in prep sports, I was raised in the Lake Conference. I have announced games for five years in the Lake Conference. And I live near a Lake Conference school. I know as much about the Lake as anyone, and I am a true believer that it is the best collection of high schools in the state in terms of overall excellence in athletics, arts and academics.
I believe sports are all about testing yourself, and the emotion and the feelings that come with victory, defeat and the pursuit of excellence. How does Tiger Woods feel when he's standing over a 20-footer for the Masters title? A high-school sophomore on the free throw line with no time on the clock, his team losing by one and two shots coming? A high school football team embarking on its first day of practice in the fall? Every sports story in the world is a function of the basic question: what do you have, and how do you use it? And it is this emotion that I try to convey somehow in every game I call.
I am a passionate high school sports fan. I believe that you can find more of this raw emotion I speak of in high school sports than at any other level. For five years I have been a play-by-play and color announcer for high school football, basketball and hockey games in Bloomington, Minnesota. I have seen truly great kids win state championships and others suffer through winless seasons, but it takes the same commitment to play sports whether you win two or 20 games in a season. And that effort and drive to excel never fails to impress me.
I am an athlete myself. I don't come from an athletic family, and I was never all-state by any means, but I did play high school tennis and normally hold my own when on the field of battle. There are lots of things I don't know, but I consider myself to be a sort of expert in the field and an acute observer and consumer of all types of sport. Hopefully I get you to think of things a bit differently once in a while...
I hate the Yankees. They are the epitome of everything that is wrong with the game of baseball, and they truly do play on a different field than my beloved Twins. Plus, of course, they've eliminated the Twins from the playoffs the past two years.

That ought to get us started. See you around!