Mar 10

Sick and Tired

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Is anybody else sick and tired of how much ESPN is push the Miami Heat on us.  I mean, just the other day I was checking out their webpage when I noticed that they now have a sub-category of “Heat Index” under the NBA.  Why is this such a big deal, you ask?  I will tell you.  Guess how many other teams in the NBA, or any other sport for that matter, have their own sub-categor dedicated solely to them on ESPN.  The answer is of course none.

This is ridiculous.  Not only do they televise Lebron‘s stupid “Decision,” but now this.  All this demonstrates to me is two things.  One, they will do anything for ratings and to attract viewership, which includes pushing and/or endorsing a team.  This brings me to my next point.  Bias.  How can anyone say that ESPN is not biased after something like this?  Answer: you can’t.  Where was Boston’s own sub-category when they brought in Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen three years ago?  Where was the Lakers’ sub-category when they brought in Pau Gasol three years ago?  Where is New York’s sub-category now that they have Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, and Billups?  Nowhere to be found.  Clearly ESPN simply wants to ride the Lebron bandwagon for as long as they can.

Well, as for me, I’ll just keep taking pleasure in watching the Heat lose and probably fail to win the eight championships that Lebron promised when he first arrived in Miami.

Mar 10

Lakers on a roll

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The Los Angeles Lakers are currently the hottest team in the NBA.  They have won eight consecutive games, and have not lost since the All-Star break.  They have beaten the San Antonio Spurs during this current win streak.  This winning streak so close to the start of the play-offs has turned the perception that the Lakers were not the team that they have been the previous three years.  Now they are looking more and more like the two-time reigning NBA champions and three-time Western Conference champions.

I for one have thought this all along.  I heard Derek Fisher come out and talk about how they have been pacing themselves for the season because of how much basketball they have played over the last three years.  That seemed like a very good explanation to me.  When you consider that they have played probably 10 months of basketball for the last three years, you realize that that is a lot of basketball.  So for them to pace themselves throughout the regular season only makes sense.  However, they do need to make sure that they get a high enough playoff seed to ensure home-court advantage at least up until the conference championship round.

Mar 10

Miami Heat cry after loss

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The Miami Heat spent their evening crying after a loss to the Chicago Bulls.  After the game, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra made mention that some of his players were crying in the locker room after the game.  After much was made over the comment, Spoelstra came out and said that his comments were twisted by the media.

Chris Bosh also had something to say following the Heat’s fifth consecutive loss to the Portland Trailblazers.  Bosh said that he felt that he wasn’t being used properly following the current string of losses.  He said that he needs to be getting the ball in the post, rather than being forced to take mid-range jumpers.

Personally, I think this was so predictable.  It was inevitable that one of the “Big Three” would be unhappy with the number of touches they were getting.  And as far as the crying goes, Spoelstra said that it isn’t a matter of desire to win, its a matter of working harder.  Well isn’t that obvious.  Anybody can want to win, but very few are willing to put in the time and effort to ensure victory.  That’s what has made Kobe Bryant so successful.  That’s what made Michael Jordan so successful.  That’s what led to Kevin Durant being the youngest player to win a scoring title.

Feb 27

Craig Esherick

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What does the Georgetown University men’s basketball program and George Mason University‘s Sports Management program have in common?  They both have employed Craig Esherick (#mce_temp_url#).

Esherick served as a coach of Georgetown’s basketball program for about 30 years.  During that time he did everything from serving as coach John Thompson‘s chief recruiter, assistant coach, and head coach after coach Thompson retired and before his son took over as head coach.

Esherick has since moved into a career in the following areas:

  • Sports commentator for college basketball
  • Professor at George Mason University
  • Author

Esherick’s latest achievement is Media Relations in Sport, which he co-authored with Brad Shultz and Philip H. Caskey.  His major contribution was to provide the perspective of a coach in dealing with the media.

Esherick said that he would like to continue to write, and possibly write more books that could be used outside of just the academic world.

Feb 24

Remember the Titans

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Remember the Titans is a sports movie that deals with our nation’s past.  The movie is set at a time when our country was going through integration, and it deals with one school’s struggle to overcome differences in order to play football.  It is based on a true story that happened at T. C. Williams High School a local high school in northern Virginia.

One of the key moments in the movie comes when coach Boone, played by Denzel Washington, takes his team to Gettysburg College for hell week before the season starts.  While there, the team struggles to come together and play as a team.  Boone decides that in order to help the kids realize that they are not so very different, he takes them on an early-morning run through Gettysburg, and reminds them of the tragic battle that took place there.

As the movie goes on, the team realizes that in order to be successful, they have to set aside their prejudices and differences and come together as a team in order to win football games.  However, it doesn’t stop there.  They not only have to overcome their own prejudices, but they have to deal with pressure from parents, the community, and other schools who disagree with the integration of the football team.

Feb 22

Media Relations In Sport: Chapter 9

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So for our textbook for Professor Steve Klein‘s COMM 371 class, Media Relations in Sport, we each have to post on one chapter in the text book.  Mine happens to be chapter 9.

This chapter of the textbook deals with publicity campaigns. Publicity campaigns are used to promote certain athletes, coaches, or athletic programs.  The two examples that the book uses are University of Oregon promoted Joey Harrington as a Heisman Trophy candidate by erecting a billboard in Times Square in New York City, and West Virginia University‘s social media campaign for their star quarterback, Pat White.  The chapter stressed the importance of making sure that both the coach and athlete approve of the campaign and are aware of the recognition it will bring to them.  It is the responsibility of the sports information director to prepare the athlete in particular for the wave of media attention that will be brought to him or her.

I think that this can be a tricky thing to do because of the possibility for things to go awry with the athlete.  If the athlete is not an honest person, then they may be willing to take money from someone which would terminate their eligibility as a collegiate athlete, and would bring about tremendous problems from the NCAA to the university.

In order to avoid a situation such as that one, the chapter recommends that the SID make completely sure that the athlete they wish to promote is not only deserving of those honors athletically, but that they are of high enough moral character that they is a low risk of the publicity campaign backfiring.

Feb 17

My Sports Media Pyramid

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Where do you get your sports news?

I,  probably like most people, get the majority of my sports news from ESPN.  Usually I end up watching Sportscenter, but I find myself listening to a lot of sports radio.

I currently have an internship at 106.7 The Fan working for The Mike Wise Show.  Mike Wise is a columnist for the Washington Post.  So, I definitely enjoy working here and getting to listen to the show and talk sports for a good bit of the day.

One of my other favorite sports radio personalities is Steve Czaban.  He hosts a The Steve Czaban Show early in the morning on AM 570 in Washington D.C. He also is a host for The Sports Reporters with Andy Pollin on AM 980 also in Washington D.C.

The final place that I look for my news is online.  Usually I check the internet on my phone when I am not in a place where I can watch the television or listen to the radio.

Feb 17

When The Game Was Ours

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So, who’s read When the Game was Ours about the careers of both Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. Well, for those of you who don’t know, the book chronicles everything from their time in high school being recruited to play in college all the way to the Dream Team and their retirement. It gives a behind the scenes account of how one of the greatest personal rivalries came about, and subsequently how Bird and Johnson became friends.

The book looks at the early life of both stars.  For instance, Johnson grew up in Michigan, and decided to play ball for Michigan State so he could stay close to home.  Bird initially chose to play for Bob Knight, but after getting injured in a game of pick-up basketball, Bird left without warning before ever playing a single game for Knight.  He instead chose Indiana State which was closer to his home. They both went on to get drafted in the NBA, where they each won numerous championships.

So, for anyone who has not read the book…GO GET IT!

Feb 03

Washington Wizards’ Road Woes

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Well, the Washington Wizards are on the brink of reaching the NBA record for consecutive road losses.  Currently they are 0-25 away from home.  About the only bright spot on the Wizards’ season is John Wall.  Wall has proven that he can play at a high level in the NBA.  Some people in Washington think that coach Flip Saunders may need to go.  I don’t think this is the case.  Washington sports fans have a bad habit of being impatient and wanting their teams to take short-cuts to turn things around.  I think coach Saunders should be given a little more time.  When you look at the roster that the Wizards have, its no surprise that the Wizards don’t have a winning record.  If the Wizards can effectively use free agency over the next few off-seasons, maybe make a trade or two, and continue to utilize the draft, within a couple of years, the Wizards can find themselves back in the playoffs, and eventually, competing for a championship.  For more information on the Wizards, visit http://www.nba.com/wizards/index_main.html.

Feb 03

Los Angeles Lakers trade threat

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So, Mitch Kupchak recently came out and said that the Lakers may need to make a trade before the deadline to help shake them out of the rut they seem to be in lately.  Some people, like former Lakers great Jerry West, seem to think the Lakers are getting too old, and a trade would be an opportunity to get younger.  Here is the link for the article where West said they are getting old, http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/news/story?id=6053767

However, I think this is nothing more than an attempt by management, and maybe Phil Jackson as well, to utilize the media to get a message across to the rest of the team.  This is a classic Lakers move.  Many people in the Lakers franchise have used the media to bring about change:  Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant both used the media to stir the front office into bringing in supporting talent, and Phil Jackson, the Zen master, is notorious for using the media as a medium for coaching.  I think that the front office probably is not actually looking to make a move, rather they’re just hoping to light a fire under the current players.

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