tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12586926920430602872024-02-06T18:40:34.405-08:00I-95 SportsBizFrom Amherst to Philadelphia and beyond, the sports business world spans the globe.Kevin Rossihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04208935189612915484noreply@blogger.comBlogger231125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258692692043060287.post-47993306605630654642013-09-30T18:46:00.004-07:002013-10-01T06:34:43.295-07:00Yankees May Have to Say No to CanoRumors have been circulating about Robinson Cano and the new contract he may be seeking. The almost 31 year old Cano is a free agent and is reportedly seeking a contact of ten years and roughly $300 million. Although Cano denies these rumors, his representation of CAA and Jay-Z have reason to push the Yankees for the monster deal.<br />
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Robinson Cano has had a very productive career. He has a career batting average of .309 and has averaged 107 RBIs in the past four seasons. Although impressive statistics, alone they would not warrant a $300 million contract. The current state of the Yankees gives Robinson Cano the best chance of getting a mega deal. The Yankees are saying goodbye to legend Mariano Rivera and long time Yankee Andy Pettitte this season. The Yankees are also dealing with the Alex Rodriguez situation which currently is in arbitration.<br />
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All these factors make for a Yankee organization that is desperate to keep the brand of high profile players that they have become known for. The problem for the Yankees is they have had to learn a difficult lesson about long term big money contracts. Before the 2008 season, the Yankees made Alex Rodriguez the richest player in the history of the league by giving him a ten year contract worth $275 million. With Rodriguez's current on field production (or lack there of) and his off the field issues it is likely that the Yankees are regretting the enormous contract they gave him.<br />
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<u>Final Thought</u><br />
It has been rumored that the Yankees have offered Cano an eight year contract worth $138 million and a six year contract worth $144 million. Either of these contracts would make Cano the highest paid second baseman in baseball. I think the contacts offered by the Yankees are risky considering the age of Cano. Hal Steinbrenner has said that he wants the Yankee payroll to be $189 million or less for the 2014 season. Good luck. It will be interesting to see what the Yankees do. If they give in to Cano's request they may be making a long term mistake (again).<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/dmrosen7">@dmrosen7</a>Drew Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05015270537604889056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258692692043060287.post-16597668546104330442013-09-23T16:51:00.001-07:002013-09-24T06:53:36.530-07:00Henrik Stenson Wins FedExCupI <a href="http://i-95sportsbiz.blogspot.com/2013/09/money-behind-fedexcup.html">wrote</a> earlier this month about the money behind the FedExCup. Now we know who won the big money that the FedExCup can offer, Henrik Stenson. Stenson became to first European player to win the Tour Championship and the ultimate goal of the FedExCup.<br />
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Winning the Tour Championship by Coca-Cola won Stenson $1.44 million. This added to his season earnings giving him $6,388,230 made in 2013. Stenson's first place finish in the final tour event also gave him the the FedExCup title. The big bonus for winning the FedExCup is $10 million. Stenson's total 2013 season earnings are $16,388,230.<br />
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The FedExCup winnings drop dramatically after the first place prize. The second place winner receives $3 million and third place winner takes home $2 million. What makes this drop off more dramatic is the fact that the difference between millions of dollars can come down to a simple shot. One stroke. The entire PGA season is played and a player can lose a million dollars by making a par instead of a birdie on one hole. This was exemplified Sunday with Steve Stricker.<br />
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Stricker knew his position in the Tour Championship and he realized that for him to win the tournament, he would need to make birdies on holes 17 and 18 and hope for a bogey from Stenson. Stenson did not make a bogey. Stricker had birdie opportunities on both 17 and 18 but failed to make the putt on either hole. The result was Stricker winning third place in the FedExCup that was worth $2 million. What he may not have known at the time was if he was able to convert on either birdie putt, he would have finished in second place in the FedExCup and won an additional $1 million. Tiger ended up in the second place position.<br />
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<u>Final Thought</u><br />
I think the PGA did a excellent job setting up the FedExCup. The dramatic prize value differences makes each shot really worth something. Stricker knows this all too well. Stricker had a million dollar putt on the 18th hole.<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/dmrosen7">@dmrosen7</a>Drew Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05015270537604889056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258692692043060287.post-31304935842437956952013-09-19T04:00:00.000-07:002013-09-19T04:00:06.547-07:00Dollars & Sense - Federal Court Says No to Sports Betting in New Jersey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Is there really anything in America as hypocritical as sports betting? <br />
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"Well, you can do it in Nevada, Delaware, Oregon, and Montana, but everywhere, yea, sorry about that," <i>they</i> say.<br />
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New Jersey is the latest state to feel the hypocritical wrath of America's stance on sports betting. On Tuesday, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals voted 2-1 against legalized sports betting in the state. Governor Chris Christie has made the legalization of sports betting in the state a priority, citing increased revenue.<br />
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According to <a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20130918_Federal_court_rejects_N_J__sports_betting.html">an article on Philly.com</a>, casinos in the state of New Jersey brought in <a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20130918_Federal_court_rejects_N_J__sports_betting.html">$1.77 billion</a>. In 2008, the effective New Jersey casino tax rate was<a href="http://www.noslots.com/CasinoTaxRatesbyState.html"> 9.5-percent</a>, thus giving the state a large chunk of change when it comes to taxes.<br />
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After losing the judgement, <a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20130918_Federal_court_rejects_N_J__sports_betting.html">New Jersey can appeal further</a> to either a different U.S. Court of Appeals circuit or to the U.S. Supreme Court. New Jersey is trying to amend the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_and_Amateur_Sports_Protection_Act_of_1992">1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act</a> that bans sports betting in all but four states.<br />
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Opponents to legalized sports betting often cite famous examples of game/match fixing and point shaving scandals as a reason to keep the practice illegal. Perhaps the most famous example of fixing is the 1919 Black Sox Scandal where <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095082/">eight members of the Chicago White Sox</a> purposely threw games so that the Cincinnati Reds would win the MLB World Series and the gamblers would cash in on big bets. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Rose">Pete Rose</a> has been famously banned from the MLB and the Hall of Fame for their roles in gambling with the game of baseball.<br />
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Match fixing has been a prominent topic in tennis, recently. Star players like <a href="http://www.thetennisspace.com/the-inside-story-of-the-davydenko-controversy/">Nikolay Davydenko</a> have been caught up in major betting scandals. According to <a href="http://espn.go.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/9589625/the-match-maker">a recent ESPN <i>Outside the Lines</i> report</a>, Bobby Riggs allegedly threw the "Battle of the Sexes" in 1973 against Billie Jean King.<br />
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Those in favor of legalized sports betting often cite the <a href="http://www.americangaming.org/sites/default/files/uploads/docs/whitepapers/the_impacts_of_gaming_taxation.pdf">increased economic benefit</a> to the increasingly cash-strapped state governments and that legalizing the action will allow the states to benefit from the illegal black market that exists. Job creation can also be cited, though on a lower level relative to other gambling outlets like, say, casinos.<br />
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<a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=4162225">Delaware legalized sports betting in 2009</a> to the heavy opposition of the four major sports leagues and the NCAA. Since then, though, it does not seem that the sports world nor the state of Delaware has been torn apart by any scandals relating to the legalization. The simple fact is, what can be done in any newly legalized state can already be done in any previously legalized state. Perhaps the most logical opponent to that fact would be that the sports books can be more easily monitored and policed if they are kept in only select few states. <br />
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Either way, no matter which side of the sports betting argument you are on, the hypocritical law continues on. No worries, though, did you see the <a href="http://www.vegasinsider.com/nfl/odds/las-vegas/">MGM Mirage</a> has the San Francisco 49ers favored by 10 over the Indianapolis Colts this week? The Colts just got Trent Richardson from the Browns! I'll see you in Las Vegas.<br />
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<b>Follow Kevin Rossi on Twitter <a href="http://www.twitter.com/kevin_rossi">@kevin_rossi</a>.</b>Kevin Rossihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04208935189612915484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258692692043060287.post-50510216960273129422013-09-16T17:44:00.000-07:002013-09-17T06:55:56.598-07:00Money Mayweather Cashes In On Saturday NightFloyd Mayweather Jr. is not shy when it comes to his money. He does have plenty of money to flaunt. Mayweather added to his bank account on Saturday night after his fight with Canelo Alvarez. Mayweather earned a record for guaranteed money and likely a record for total money earned in a fight.<br />
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The terms of the fight guaranteed Mayweather $41.5 million. Although Mayweather set a record for guaranteed money, this is only part of what he will make for his fight on Saturday. The big money for Mayweather will come from his cut of the pay per view money. In addition the live gate receipts for the fight will be around $20 million.<br />
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In total it is projected that Floyd Mayweather Jr. can earn up to $100 million for fighting Canelo Alvarez. After factoring this fight into Mayweather's career earnings, he is likely to surpass $350 million.<br />
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If the ridiculous earnings were not enough to make Mayweather happy, he was also able to beat Canelo to retain his undefeated career record.<br />
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<u>Final Thought</u><br />
The popularity of boxing around the country is not as high as it once was. Even with that fact working against the sport, player earnings are still incredibly high. Many casual boxing fans are willing to spend the $60 or $70 to purchase a fight of high magnitude. The smaller fights with less known boxers, are the fights that tend to receive low television ratings. Personally I really enjoy watching the sport of boxing. I am one who is willing to pay to watch the larger fights, but many are not willing to do so. If boxing found a way to allow big fights to be seen on cable, it could mean a dramatic rise in popularity of the sport. It is highly unlikely however that boxing would be willing to give up the big dollars on pay per view.<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/dmrosen7">@dmrosen7</a>Drew Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05015270537604889056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258692692043060287.post-92118141936824557012013-09-10T06:21:00.000-07:002013-09-12T07:17:36.358-07:00Broken News - Olbermann a Game-Changer at ESPN<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Late night television is awfully crowded. David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel, Jay Leno, Jimmy Fallon, Craig Ferguson, Conan O'Brien, <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2013/09/08/arsenio-hall-returns-to-crowded-late-night-field/2776895/" target="_blank">Arsenio Hall (again)</a>, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/06/jimmy-fallon-seth-meyers-late-night-video_n_3711158.html" target="_blank">soon-to-be Seth Meyers</a>, and those are just the hosts! There is probably an awful reality show or 100. If you're a food fan, there are re-runs of <i>Diners Drive-Ins and Dives</i>. There are <i>Law and Order</i> re-runs and <i>Shawshank Redemption</i> is probably playing somewhere.<br />
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For sports fans, though, options are relatively limited. There is always <i>SportsCenter</i> and other watered-down highlight shows and, if you're lucky, a game that is running inexplicably late.<br />
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<a href="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/521c28b4ecad04457a8b4577-400-300/the-show-opened-with-a-daily-show-style-monologue.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/521c28b4ecad04457a8b4577-400-300/the-show-opened-with-a-daily-show-style-monologue.jpg" /></a><br />
Now,
and for the two weeks leading up until now, Keith Olbermann has been
able to fill the void left for sports fans. The former <i>SportsCenter </i>anchor that left Bristol in the <a href="http://www.shermanreport.com/keith-olbermann-to-return-to-espn-guess-bridges-that-have-been-napalmed-can-be-fixed/" target="_blank">most unceremonious of ways</a> is back with the network and heading his own late night show on ESPN2 aptly named <i>Olbermann. </i>The show debuted to <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/tv-ratings-keith-olbermanns-espn-616613" target="_blank">317,000 viewers on August 27th</a>.<br />
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Olbermann is undoubtedly one of the polarizing figures in the media.
Some people refuse to watch him because of his time in politics with
MSNBC and Current. Some people simply cannot stand his personality.
Then again, some people could care less and just love the snark and<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwAvHZ5s-qA" target="_blank"> nostalgia of the days of <i>SportsCenter</i> past</a>.<br />
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There
is one thing, however, that Olbermann has never lacked, and that's
honesty. Brutal honesty. The kind that makes a made figure so
polarizing. He will always say what is on his mind, and, in this media
climate that is dominated by public relations and "no comments," that
kind of honesty is incredibly refreshing. So refreshing, in fact, that
it is becoming more and more obvious that ESPN <i>needs</i> Olbermann.<br />
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Remember
his exit from the network way back 16 long years ago? He was painted
as the bad guy. His pursuit of "hard news" during his time in politics
with his honest attitude to boot? Further painted him as the bad guy. <br />
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Then consider that ESPN has a brand to protect. <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2012/11/09/why-espn-is-the-worlds-most-valuable-media-property-and-worth-40-billion/" target="_blank"> One large $40 billion brand</a>. They are the PR dog in the fight. Maybe they want to <a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/ombudsman/post/_/id/96/was-espn-sloppy-naive-or-compromised" target="_blank">investigate further into head trauma in football and the NFL</a>. Maybe they want to <a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/ombudsman/post/_/id/119/so-what-if-espn-refused-to-use-the-r-word" target="_blank">stop calling the football team in Washington by their racist nickname</a>. Maybe they want to call the <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/10/the-shame-of-college-sports/308643/" target="_blank">NCAA immoral, monopolistic money grubbing corporate suits</a>. <br />
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ESPN cannot say any of that. But Olbermann can.<br />
<br />
Olbermann
is safe from ESPN's PR. Why? Because Olbermann is a classic case that
goes something like ESPN can tout him when he does well, but if things
go wrong -- and things almost always go wrong at some point when
Olbermann is around -- ESPN can simply blame Olbermann for Olbermann and
remove themselves from harm's way unscathed. <br />
<br />
It's that exact kind of media magic that allows Olbermann (and ESPN by association) to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d1dG1OZ0TA" target="_blank">blast CBS Sports columnist Pete Prisco</a>
for a column that said the players that settled with the NFL in the
concussion lawsuit were only in it for the cash grab. It also allows
him to <a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/ombudsman/post/_/id/119/so-what-if-espn-refused-to-use-the-r-word" target="_blank">blast a writer at the New York Daily News</a>
for sourcing his own tweet in a story about the New York Jets.
Olbermann can lay how he really feels out on the line more so than just
about any other personality at ESPN. And he can do it without
repercussion. Even the seemingly invincible Bill Simmons has been
suspended for some rather inconsequential tweets.<br />
<br />
The
fact that Olbermann has been painted as the bad guy (which he very well
could have been, but that's irrelevant to this case) has actually aided
him in his return to <a href="http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/9485482/keith-olbermann-returns-espn-late-night-program" target="_blank"><strike>Bristol</strike> New York</a>. For now he is benefiting from the ability to be honest and tell the viewers how he really feels. Now, Keith Olbermann's <i>Olbermann </i>is making noise in the crowded late night television space.<br />
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<b>Best of <i>Olbermann </i>(so far...):</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/SgrlqL2vmGA" width="420"> </iframe>
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<b>Follow Kevin Rossi on Twitter <a href="http://www.twitter.com/kevin_rossi">@kevin_rossi</a>. </b>Kevin Rossihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04208935189612915484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258692692043060287.post-47435497973039623452013-09-09T20:39:00.005-07:002013-09-10T06:58:24.432-07:00Scoring a Ticket to the Super Bowl On February 2nd, MetLife Stadium will host the Super Bowl. It would be no surprise that ticket prices for the game in New York would be more expensive than past Super Bowl's simply because it is in New York.<br />
<br />
ESPN's Darren Rovell <a href="http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/story/_/id/9655502/super-bowl-suites-commanding-record-prices">wrote an article</a> detailing the prices that are being discussed for suites in MetLife for the Super Bowl that I could not believe. One big factor that makes suites more valuable in MetLife than in other typical Super Bowl destinations is the potential for bad weather. The game will be held in early February in the northeast part of the country, it would be no surprise for the game to feature adverse winter conditions.<br />
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In a typical Super Bowl, the best suite available can be bought for $175,000. This season's Super Bowl in MetLife has suites listed as high as $945,992 on a ticket buying website. That price can buy you a suite that can hold up to thirty people and provides food and an open bar. <br />
<br />
For the average fan that will not be going to the Super Bowl in a suite, a ticket to the game will still certainly not be cheap. The face value for the tickets have not been released yet, but as a comparison last years ticket pricing in New Orleans ranged from $850 to $1,250. A number that can be better predicted is the number of tickets that will be sold for the game.<br />
<br />
MetLife can hold 82,500, but typically a Super Bowl will make that capacity less due to the need for cameras and media. With this in mind, the breakdown for the ticket distribution is interesting. The National Football league will have roughly 20,000 tickets. The New York Giant and the New York Jets will each receive about 2,500 tickets, the AFC and NFC champions will each receive about 14,000, and the remaining teams will each get about 1,000 tickets. The NFL also reserves about 500 tickets for the general public lottery.<br />
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<u>Final Thought</u><br />
Although the NFL season just started, the Super Bowl is already being talked about. I expect ticket prices to be much higher than normal when they are released. The face value of the tickets end up meaning very little. I will be interested to see what the prices are on the secondary ticket market.<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/dmrosen7">@dmrosen7</a>Drew Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05015270537604889056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258692692043060287.post-59748369069457316912013-09-05T03:00:00.000-07:002013-09-05T03:00:12.033-07:00Dollars & Sense - The Man Behind The Winning Pirates<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
How bad is your favorite team? Maybe they are really bad or,
if you are lucky, maybe they are really good. They could also fall somewhere in
the middle – like toiling between the eighth and ninth spot of the NBA playoffs
every year middle – but fans are too emotional to ever admit being in the
middle.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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For years the Pittsburgh Pirates were one of those teams
that were really bad. Really, really bad. Just ask <a href="http://i-95sportsbiz.blogspot.com/search/label/Route%2030%20Detour">Bryan Fyalkowski</a> who used to
write the <a href="http://i-95sportsbiz.blogspot.com/search/label/Route%2030%20Detour">Route 30 Detour</a> for us. A tortured Pirates fans for all of his years
on earth, the years of losing certainly got to him. <o:p></o:p></div>
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espn.com</div>
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But now, as of this very week, the Pirates are winners.
<a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=330903108">After 20 straight losing seasons</a>, the beloved Buccos have reached 81 wins meaning that
no matter what they do the rest of the way they will finish .500. Just talk to
a Pirates fan and you will see what it feels like to get a monkey the size of
an entire city off your back.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The greatest news of all is that the Pirates have the
framework in place to keep winning. Last year looking like the year that they
were finally going to do it until a wretched final month and a half of the
season derailed their chances. This season they finally did it, and they can do
it again going forward.<o:p></o:p></div>
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At the core of the Pirate’s recent success is All-Star
outfielder Andrew McCutchen. McCutchen is only 26-years-old and is working off
of one the most team-friendly contract in all of baseball after signing a<a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDEQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.post-gazette.com%2Fstories%2Flocal%2Fbreaking%2Fpirates-mccutchen-agree-on-new-contract-220986%2F&ei=w9AnUvefIuz84AOl74DwBA&usg=AFQjCNE47C671rPsuIdJWUrTuFXOxH4OWg&sig2=Xa1xVIMUA1poO4tFMTnbag&bvm=bv.51773540,d.dmg">6-year $51.5 million extension</a> prior to last season. “Cutch” has also been able
to keep his name in the National League Most Valuable Player discussion for the
last two years, going for 31 home runs, 96 RBI, and a .327 average last year
followed by 18 home runs, 75 RBI, and a .320 average through 135 games this
season.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Even though he plays in Pittsburgh, McCutchen is marketable
as well. He has a notable endorsement with <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&ved=0CEoQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbeforeitsnews.com%2Fsports%2F2012%2F10%2Fandrew-mccutchen-signs-endorsement-deal-with-evoshield-2471774.html&ei=l9AnUvrGIM_k4AObmIHQCA&usg=AFQjCNH_WUT1wq1jteL8nUL7cFwX9L0LZw&sig2=wp3vBMH4mit5eOyjdeO1Iw&bvm=bv.51773540,d.dmg">EvoShield</a>, a company that makes
protective athletic gear such as McCutchen’s shin guard. He is most known,
though, for his appearance on the cover of the popular video game <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8B8HEsReO8">MLB 2013 The Show</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Most importantly, in this day and age when the actions of
athletes are often overblown, McCutchen has managed to stay away from it all.
Keeping a clean image in the current social media ultra-microscopic climate is
essential and something that McCutchen recognizes which helps to boost his
approval amongst fans and endorsers alike. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It is difficult for an MVP caliber player on-the-field to be
just as effective off-the-field, but McCutchen is doing just that. Now that the
Pirates have broken the 20-pluc year curse, McCutchen’s marketability will
continue to climb and he will continue to put Pittsburgh on the baseball map.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Follow Kevin Rossi on Twitter <a href="http://www.twitter.com/kevin_rossi">@kevin_rossi</a>.</b></div>
Kevin Rossihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04208935189612915484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258692692043060287.post-59582644610662549432013-09-02T21:13:00.002-07:002013-09-03T06:37:10.429-07:00Money Behind the FedExCupIn 2007 the PGA Tour implemented the FedExCup. The FedExCup takes place throughout the entire golf season and concludes with the FedEx Cup Playoffs. The playoff system consist of four different tournaments in which the number of golfers participating in the tournament is decreased after each tournament. The cuts are made after each playoff tournament based on a points standing.<br />
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This season's FedExCup Playoff started with the Barclays in which the top 125 players were entered into the tournament. After the Barclays, only the top 100 players advanced to the Deutsche Bank Championship. The third stop for the playoffs is the BMW Championship, only the top 70 players will be invited to play. After the BMW, the top 30 players will compete for the Tour Championship by Coca-Cola in Atlanta.<br />
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The players are not just competing for the pride of being named the FedExCup Champion. The four playoff tournaments will offer a purse of $8 million each for a combined $32 million in prize money. Although the purse money for the tournament is quite lucrative, the most potential money to be gained is through bonus money.<br />
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The PGA Tour offers $35 million of bonus money for the top 125 players in the FedExCup standings. The winner of the FedExCup will receive $10 million. Second place will receive $3 million and third place gets $2 million. The winnings trickle down to 125th place who receives $70,000.<br />
<br />
<u>Final Thought</u><br />
The FedExCup Playoff has been a big success since its implementation in 2007. Once the four majors in golf are complete, it is difficult to get the big name players to want to continue and compete. The FedExCup Playoff has made golf meaningful well into September. As a golf fan, it is a great to have the golf season extended for the players I enjoy watching. The players are now starting to view the FedExCup not only as a way to earn more money, but as a tournament that they want to compete in and win.<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/dmrosen7">@dmrosen7</a>Drew Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05015270537604889056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258692692043060287.post-33615204822068834842013-08-29T06:01:00.001-07:002013-08-29T06:01:47.419-07:00Broken News - ESPN and NFL Falling Together?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
All good things must come to an end. We know that, even if we are in denial. That's why Hannah Montana came to an end and gave us <a href="http://www.theonion.com/articles/let-me-explain-why-miley-cyrus-vma-performance-was,33632/">Twerkin' Miley Cyrus</a>. Or at least that's why I think it happened. <br />
<br />
Anyway, the NFL and ESPN are both monsters at the top of their industries. The NFL tops sports leagues and ESPN tops sports media. It just so happens that the two are also partnered in the top sports media rights deal on the planet with nearly <a href="http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2011/09/19/Media/ESPN.aspx">$2 billion of ESPN's hard-earned cash</a><span id="goog_1096892788"></span><span id="goog_1096892789"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a> going straight into Roger Goodell's deep pockets for Monday Night Football rights. Though the cash is going out, it's also coming back in as MNF is ESPN's highest revenue generating property.<br />
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Convenient, eh? ESPN's parent company, Disney, must be so proud.<br />
<br />
Both ESPN and the NFL have risen to their seemingly unreachable heights over the past 40 years or so. I know, it's hard to remember a time when the NFL wasn't king. Same with ESPN. <br />
<br />
Although ESPN and the NFL may be at the top of their industries, both are deeply flawed properties. ESPN -- who controversially <a href="http://www.thenation.com/blog/175895/espn-journalists-speak-out-concussion-documentary#axzz2dD2Nbveq">pulled out of a collaboration</a> with PBS Frontline that tackles the concussion issue in football -- has struggled through a bipolar relationship with entertainment and journalism. They are only solely one when it's inconvenient to call themselves the other which is the case with their now severed relationship with PBS. Their journalism has taken a major step back, so they're claiming entertainment.<br />
<br />
Aside from that, ESPN is dealing with more pressure from viewers than ever to show more highlights and <a href="http://deadspin.com/how-espn-manufactures-a-story-colin-kaepernick-edition-1185400028">less useless B.S.</a> (note: not referring to Bill Simmons). Regardless viewers feel like they're getting more B.S. than ever. So as they try to keep their journalism from butting heads with the properties they hold rights to, their entertainment may actually be struggling too. Did <a href="http://www.hbo.com/the-newsroom/index.html">Aaron Sorkin </a>write this script?<br />
<br />
The NFL has issues of its own. And we're not talking about <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/24/sports/football/nfl-pressure-said-to-prompt-espn-to-quit-film-project.html?_r=0">potentially having pressured ESPN out of the PBS documentary</a>. We're talking about <a href="http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/47668524/">concussions</a>. <a href="http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/8867972/ucla-study-finds-signs-cte-living-former-nfl-players-first-time">Head trauma</a>. A lawsuit with <a href="http://nflconcussionlitigation.com/">nearly 5,000 former players</a> over issues with concussions. The more you read the more bleak it looks for the NFL as settlement day will eventually come.<br />
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It all makes me wonder, will the inevitable fall of the NFL be tied to the inevitable fall of ESPN, or vice versa? This may sound crazy, but remember, all good things must come to an end. Nothing lasts forever. I'm not saying that the NFL or ESPN will be gone tomorrow. They will likely last far past the rest of my lifetime. <br />
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Think about it, though. Take a moment to think about where ESPN and the NFL will be in the year, say, 2113?<br />
<br />
When there are issues to be investigated, people tell you to follow the money. In the case of the NFL and ESPN, the money leads directly to one another. The issues are already present and the dots are already being connected. Will ESPN and the NFL eventually fall together? It's an answer that may not be so much good as it is true.<br />
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<b>Follow Kevin Rossi on Twitter <a href="http://www.twitter.com/kevin_rossi">@kevin_rossi</a></b>Kevin Rossihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04208935189612915484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258692692043060287.post-34226136105452611542013-08-26T20:47:00.000-07:002013-08-27T08:14:57.139-07:00McGrady Retires.... From the NBAAfter a sixteen year NBA career, Tracy McGrady has decided to retire from the NBA. It is important to make the distinction between retiring from basketball and retiring from the NBA. McGrady is keeping his options open when it comes to playing basketball again. After announcing his retirement on ESPN's "First Take," McGrady was asked if he would consider returning to China to play. McGrady responded "Officially retired from the NBA. Door's still open."<br />
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Tracy McGrady had a long and very successful career in the NBA. McGrady who was drafted out of high school played for seven NBA teams that included Toronto, Orlando, Houston, New York, Detroit, Atlanta and San Antonio.<br />
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McGrady was an NBA all-star every season from the 2001 season until the 2007 season. He averaged 19.6 points per game for his career, but that doesn't truly describe how good Tracy was in some seasons. In the 2002-2003 season while playing with the Magic, McGrady averaged 32.1 points per game. McGrady's success on the court paid off for him.<br />
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During his NBA career, McGrady's career earnings in salary totaled nearly $163 million. McGrady's single season high salary was $23,239,562. He earned this in the 2009-2010 season while on the Knicks roster. McGrady not only earned significant money through playing contracts, but he also was the beneficiary of endorsement deals. When first entering the league, McGrady signed a six year, $12 million dollar contact with Adidas.<br />
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<u>Final Thought</u><br />
Tracy McGrady should be known as a great NBA player. Unfortunately McGrady never had real team success. McGrady also unfortunately had to deal with injury problems, especially late in his career. If McGrady can stay healthy, I hope he can continue playing basketball wherever that may be.<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/dmrosen7">@dmrosen7 </a>Drew Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05015270537604889056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258692692043060287.post-37563125180832902742013-08-21T09:38:00.004-07:002013-08-22T05:42:23.386-07:00Broken News: Former NFL Player Davis to Head You Can Play<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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that came out earlier this week that you may not have heard about, or cared
about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sports news, that it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This news is unlikely to have popped up on
your score ticker and unfortunately did not break through A-Rod’s stranglehold
on the media spotlight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, you probably
missed it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it is important – very important
– news that you need to know.</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://sports.nationalpost.com/2013/08/20/patrick-burke-steps-out-of-you-can-play-spotlight-former-nfler-wade-davis-to-take-over/">named Executive Director</a> of You Can Play. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Davis played in the NFL
with the Tennessee Titans and <a href="http://i-95sportsbiz.blogspot.com/2013/08/dollars-sense-will-washington-ever.html">Washington</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After struggling to make it through training camp and off of the
practice squad, Davis retired due to injury.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After his playing career was over, Davis came out publicly that he is
gay.</span></span></span><br>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Even though he was
finished with the NFL, he did not let the status of being a former professional
athlete go to waste.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Davis started a
media company, InMotion, and has enjoyed a career as an LGBT activist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has had work published on websites like
Outsports, Huffington Post, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">New York
Times</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Davis has spent nearly three
years working with inner-city LGBT youth.</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/the-huddle/2012/06/06/wade2x-large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/the-huddle/2012/06/06/wade2x-large.jpg" width="320"></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">USA TODAY</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Patrick Burke is the
brain behind <a href="http://youcanplayproject.org/">You Can Play</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Burke, a scout for the Philadelphia Flyers, put the idea into motion in
2011 after his openly gay brother, Brendan, was killed in a car accident.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Burke wanted to continue the legacy that his
brother had begun.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Since 2011, You Can
Play has become one of the most well-known activist organizations for
the LGBT community in sports.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They counseled
Toronto Blue Jays’ shortstop <a href="http://youcanplayproject.org/news/entry/you-can-play-meets-with-escobar-blue-jays-management">Yunel Escobar</a> after he wrote a homophobic slur on
his eye-black.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You Can Play
has also begun a groundbreaking <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=665247">partnership with the NHL</a> to provide training
and seminars in various LGBT related areas.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Over the past year, You Can Play has been linked in a mentoring role to a group of
<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/gameon/2013/04/05/brendon-ayanbadejo-gay-nfl-players-four/2056205/">potentially four professional athletes</a> that were planning on coming out at the
same time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Although he is stepping
down as the public head of You Can Play, Burke will remain heavily
involved in the organization’s planning and vision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Davis, Burke says, is the only man he would
trust in the position.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The news may not have
made your radar, but it should have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
important – very important – news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What Burke
has accomplished in a little over two years is remarkable and the room for
growth is still tremendous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In order to continue
improving the climate for the LGBT community in sports, groups like You Can
Play are invaluable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like it or
not, with leagues partnering with LGBT activist groups, the conversation is
here to stay.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now it is up to Wade
Davis to continue the conversation that Patrick Burke started.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Follow Kevin Rossi on Twitter <a href="http://www.twitter.com/kevin_Rossi">@kevin_rossi</a>.</b></span></span> </span></div>
Kevin Rossihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04208935189612915484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258692692043060287.post-74053821679731267842013-08-15T03:00:00.000-07:002013-08-15T03:00:06.714-07:00Dollars & Sense - Will Washington Ever Change Their Nickname?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbk7gKfxJOQFStSI7wVyMA3bi1HPeZOfCbmqgcvhbmx_W6uOU3umSqBC9ENfQhENPBM1vg0Qs3TjJ1jj0YuRWuEX1HqPkK7449c7k1CXLuD4s7JoT99i8BXT1Ik9K7AfphzrtsEB1WXeSr/s1600/Dollars+and+sense+header.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbk7gKfxJOQFStSI7wVyMA3bi1HPeZOfCbmqgcvhbmx_W6uOU3umSqBC9ENfQhENPBM1vg0Qs3TjJ1jj0YuRWuEX1HqPkK7449c7k1CXLuD4s7JoT99i8BXT1Ik9K7AfphzrtsEB1WXeSr/s640/Dollars+and+sense+header.png" width="640" /></a></div>
The football team in Washington has a racist nickname. Really there's no way around it. Well, of course, <a href="http://www.theonion.com/articles/report-redskins-name-only-offensive-if-you-think-a,33449/?ref=auto">it's only racist if you think about it</a>. And when you think about it, you probably have an image of the skinned skull of a Native American or of the outwardly racist former owner, George Preston Marshall, or some combination of both. Yes, this is the same Marshall that was the last owner to integrate his football team in 1962 and only did so because the league stepped in.<br />
<br />
Some contend that the nickname is to honor the Native Americans and their fighting attitude. This seems to be a bit disillusioned and a Hail Mary pass to save the name in the face of public outrage.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/files/2012/10/pigskins1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Hail to the Pigskins!" border="0" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-94960" height="320" src="http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/files/2012/10/pigskins1.jpg" title="Pigskins" width="320" /></a>In Dan Snyder's defense, it's tough to toy with a brand that was recently valued at <a href="http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mlm45ekfed/3-washington-redskins-4/">$1.7 billion</a> by Forbes. But, you know, sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same. <br />
<br />
Either way, tough decision or not, the name is racist. The name <a href="http://www.thenation.com/blog/174811/dave-zirin-redskins-need-name-change#">needs to change</a>. Let's be honest with ourselves;<a href="http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9376010/rename-washington-redskins"> enough is enough</a>.<br />
<br />
Enough is exactly what many mainstream media outlets are saying to Washington's nickname. <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/sports_nut/2013/08/washington_redskins_nickname_why_slate_will_stop_referring_to_the_nfl_team.html">Slate is the latest media</a> outlet to join in a a boycott on using the nickname. <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/sports/2013/08/09/2443081/three-more-news-outlets-quit-using-the-name-of-washingtons-pro-football-team/">The New Republic and Mother Jones</a> also followed suit. The team will now be known as "the football team from Washington." Heck, the nickname is even on the list of words band from the <a href="http://deadspin.com/at-least-one-espn-program-bans-the-use-of-redskins-1125365988">National Scrabble Championship</a> that used to air on ESPN. <br />
<br />
<br />
So how much is a team's nickname -- their brand, if you will -- really worth? <a href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9540075/dan-snyder-refuses-change-washington-redskins-mascot-espn-magazine">ESPN's Peter Keatin</a>g recently wrote about this, and below is a <a href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9540075/dan-snyder-refuses-change-washington-redskins-mascot-espn-magazine">quote from his article</a>:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">It might seem that the Redskins, who have represented our nation's
capital for nearly 80 years, have a uniquely powerful brand. But pro
football teams get most of their value from the sport they play (62
percent, Forbes says) and the market they're in (17.4 percent).
Just 6.5 percent, on average, comes from their brand equity -- the value
teams get from fans being able to identify with individual franchises.
Put an NFL team in DC and it would be worth more than $1 billion even if
you called it the Washington Smallpox.</span></i></blockquote>
This is pretty major research considering how much emphasis we put on the importance of a team name (<a href="http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9462545/the-remaking-new-orleans-pelicans"><i>Exhibit A: New Orleans Pelicans</i></a>). But, nonetheless, it shows that there are much much bigger factors into a team's value.<br />
<br />
Many people shy away from talking about changing the name because, well, that means they need to come up with a new one. Everybody is trying to avoid a Pelicans-esque catastrophe. Personally, I think that <a href="http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2012/10/18/hail-to-the-pigskins/">Pigskins is a viable candidate</a>. It's a perfect candidate at least until Liberals start trying to protect pigs (<i>Hint: If you are trying to argue for or against something, never bring up Liberal or Conservative agendas. It makes you look like a conspiracy theorist and lose all credibility.</i>)<br />
<br />
<img alt="http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/sites/default/files/article_media/dan-snyder-never-usa-today.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/sites/default/files/article_media/dan-snyder-never-usa-today.jpg" /><br />
<br />
So as owner Dan Snyder continues to live in his money-filled bigoted world -- "<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/redskins/2013/05/09/washington-redskins-daniel-snyder/2148127/">you can use caps</a>" -- it may be coming time to change the name. The financial hit won't be as big as Snyder or his supporters "estimate" in the press. Changing the name is a long-term move for society and for the team. As the number of media and people refusing to use the nickname grows, the number will sure exceed the number of those refusing to continue supporting the team if the name changes.<br />
<br />
The time is now to change the nickname of the football team in Washington.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Follow Kevin Rossi on Twitter <a href="http://www.twitter.com/kevin_rossi">@kevin_rossi</a>.</b>Kevin Rossihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04208935189612915484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258692692043060287.post-1534738777055711552013-08-08T03:30:00.000-07:002013-08-08T03:30:01.208-07:00Dollars & Sense - Numbers Don't Add Up For NCAA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbk7gKfxJOQFStSI7wVyMA3bi1HPeZOfCbmqgcvhbmx_W6uOU3umSqBC9ENfQhENPBM1vg0Qs3TjJ1jj0YuRWuEX1HqPkK7449c7k1CXLuD4s7JoT99i8BXT1Ik9K7AfphzrtsEB1WXeSr/s1600/Dollars+and+sense+header.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbk7gKfxJOQFStSI7wVyMA3bi1HPeZOfCbmqgcvhbmx_W6uOU3umSqBC9ENfQhENPBM1vg0Qs3TjJ1jj0YuRWuEX1HqPkK7449c7k1CXLuD4s7JoT99i8BXT1Ik9K7AfphzrtsEB1WXeSr/s640/Dollars+and+sense+header.png" width="640" /></a></div>
I know, I know. This is usually a space reserved for professional sports, not "amateur" sports. However, some of the so called "amateur" sports make money. A lot of money, to be somewhat exact. But happens when you try to up the jig when the jig is already up? Well, you get this little organization called the NCAA.<br />
<br />
Throughout the offseason, the media has become fixated on Johnny Football. Really it's quite graphic. They seem more willing to talk about Johnny's tendency to<a href="http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/9521439/heisman-winner-johnny-manziel-celebrity-derail-texas-aggies-season-espn-magazine"> sip a Stella Artois</a> than Johnny's tendency to win football games and, you know, the Heisman trophy. It doesn't even matter that Johnny's last name is actually Manziel<i> </i>- errr, I think - and that Johnny Manziel is human being.<br />
<br />
Nope, he's just a recently felled carcass ripe for the feasting.<br />
<br />
That's why when paired with his recent run-in with the egregiously overbearing NCAA rule book, I still kind of feel bad for Manziel. Yes, he broke a rule (read: a stupid rule) by allegedly <a href="http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/9537999/otl-ncaa-investigating-johnny-manziel-profiting-autographs">accepting money for autographs</a>. And yea, breaking rules is bad. But sometimes it takes somebody of Manziel's stature to show us how bad the rules really are.<br />
<br />
(<i><b>Related: </b>No matter your view on Manziel, <a href="http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/9521439/heisman-winner-johnny-manziel-celebrity-derail-texas-aggies-season-espn-magazine">Wright Thompson's take</a> on Johnny Football is worth your time.)</i><br />
<br />
One of the angles that has been taken by some, ahem, journalists has been focused on Manziel's family money. Why does Manziel need the money if his family is already filthy-oil-rich? [*Checks current location; still in America*] If the same, ahem, journalists are so outraged by Manziel's greed, then maybe they need to take a quick look around our countries landscape and realize greed's prominence in our culture. Whether you believe that to be right or wrong, it's omnipresent nonetheless.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2012/1208/ncf_u_manziel4_400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2012/1208/ncf_u_manziel4_400.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Johnny Manziel is only eight months removed from taking home the<br />
Heisman Trophy, but his world has been turned upside down. (ESPN)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Anyway, back to the real point here. Manziel's alleged actions show a major injustice within the NCAA rules. Sure, many of us knew that these injustices existed, but maybe some of us needed a little reminder by perhaps the most famous and polarizing college athlete of right now getting caught in one of those infamous unjust NCAA scandals.<br />
<br />
Check.<br />
<br />
How much longer can the NCAA hang on to its profit-mongering ways? The O'Bannon case is in full swing, and the case by the current and former players involved is looking stronger and stronger by the day. Certainly not helping the NCAA's case is that the public perception of the organization tanks every time it goes after a player or botches one of its one investigations.<br />
<br />
Perhaps one of the most obvious examples of NCAA profiteering is in its jersey sales. Year after year, the NCAA sells jerseys from each of the schools and with certain numbers and no names (<i>obviously</i>). However, the numbers <i>just so happen </i>to match the numbers of the prominent and most popular players at each school. Hmm, something seems a bit too fishy here. Do you really believe that the No. 2 Texas A&M jersey hanging in the window of your local sporting goods store isn't Johnny Manziel and it <i>just so happens </i>to be a randomly selected number?<br />
<br />
Right. It almost feels like our intelligence is being insulted.<br />
<br />
Well, ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas was tired of his intelligence being insulted by the all-to-convenient jersey numbers (<i>he's a lawyer too, so we know what happens when you insult them</i>). <br />
<br />
On Tuesday he took to Twitter and NCAAShop.com. Over a <a href="https://twitter.com/JayBilas">series of tweets </a>throughout the day, Bilas tweeted out screenshots of what comes up when you search certain players in the site's search bar. Needless to say, the results were astounding. <br />
<br />
You can <a href="https://twitter.com/JayBilas">check out his timeline</a> to see for yourself. My personal favorite was when he search for former LSU safety Tyrann Mathieu, the same Tyrann Mathieu that had been SUSPENDED by the NCAA last season for failed drug tests, and his jersey still came up. <br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Notwithstanding his suspension, NCAA still sells Tyran Mathieu, searchable by his name, on <a href="http://t.co/qpH4tNnIpH">http://t.co/qpH4tNnIpH</a>. <a href="http://t.co/FtN3Y0NLQD">pic.twitter.com/FtN3Y0NLQD</a><br />
— Jay Bilas (@JayBilas) <a href="https://twitter.com/JayBilas/statuses/364861369734029312">August 6, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
Later in the day, the NCAA <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2013/08/06/ncaa-shop-search-football-jerseys-johnny-manziel/2625119/">disabled the search feature</a> on the site.<br />
<br />
Bilas's work completely undermines the NCAA's spoken stance on the issue. They are defending themselves in the O'Bannon suit partially under the idea that a No. 2 Texas A&M jersey is simply a No. 2 Texas A&M jersey and not a Johnny Manziel jersey. Getting off on the technicality that there is no name on the back looses its footing when you can find a No. 2 Texas A&M jersey on NCAAShop.com by entering "Johnny Manziel" in the search bar.<br />
<br />
As the NCAA continues investigating the case against Johnny Manziel, remember that the NCAA has also racked up quite the case against themselves. The hypocrisy is as transparent as ever and widespread change seems to be on the doorstep of college athletics. If there's one person that knows all about the NCAA hypocrisy it's Johnny Manziel because we all know that he didn't earn the nickname Johnny Football by going to math class.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Follow Kevin Rossi on Twitter <a href="http://www.twitter.com/kevin_rossi">@kevin_rossi</a>.</b>Kevin Rossihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04208935189612915484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258692692043060287.post-71512382862830847712013-08-05T21:56:00.001-07:002013-08-06T07:07:46.396-07:00Alex Rodriguez Set To Lose More Than SalaryMajor League Baseball handed down some impacting punishments for many players on Monday stemming from the Biogensis performance-enhancing drug scandal. The biggest name being suspended was Yankee third baseman, Alex Rodriguez. After frequent denial of drug use, Rodriguez was suspended for the remainder of this season and all of the 2014 season. It is likely that he will be able to play some more games this year as the appeal process takes time to complete.<br />
<br />
If the suspension is upheld Alex Rodriguez will lose considerable dollars in salary. It is projected that Rodriguez is set to lose anywhere between $30.6 million and $32.7 million. Although this is a significant loss for any person, Rodriguez will be able to handle the financial hit better than most people.<br />
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<br />
Alex Rodriguez will lose more than just his salary with his suspension. Rodriguez was not a well-liked athlete before the scandal broke. In fact, Forbes magazine ranked Alex Rodriguez in the top ten list for most disliked athletes in 2013. With the news of the suspension, fan support for Alex Rodriguez will be expected to fall further. For a player that has already made hundreds of millions of dollars, image must mean something.<br />
<br />
<u>Final Thought</u><br />
Alex Rodriguez has proven that his image as a player and a person are important too him. If Rodriguez willingly took a risk by taking performance enhancing drugs, he clearly cares what others think of him. Rodriguez has a guaranteed contract and he knew how much money he could potentially be risking by trying to remain a dominant player in baseball.<br />
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I believe that performance-enhancing drugs provided Major League Baseball with years of success. Exciting players appeared all around the league and they were able to set records that previously seemed untouchable. Rodriguez was a part of this exciting era in baseball and I honestly can't blame him for using the drugs. The unfortunate decision for Alex Rodriguez was the continual denial of his use of the drugs. Had Rodriguez stopped using PEDs once baseball started to get serious about the situation, many fans around the league would have better understood the situation. Alex Rodriguez now faces over a year suspension that could potentially cost him a lot of money and any brand equity that he had left.<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/dmrosen7">@dmrosen7 </a>Drew Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05015270537604889056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258692692043060287.post-79213123036668366252013-08-01T03:30:00.000-07:002013-08-01T03:30:04.614-07:00Broken News - NASCAR Leaves ESPN for NBC Sports<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A lot of people love NASCAR. A lot of people really don't understand the point of watching cars drive in circles. No mater which end of the straightaway that you stand on, all you need to know is this: half of a NASCAR season is worth a <a href="http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2013/07/29/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/NASCAR.aspx">10-year $4.4 billion television contract</a>.<br />
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Yes, that's right. $440 million per year for the second half of the season's races. That's what NBC is paying NASCAR. The first half of the season isn't cheap either; Fox has those rights wrapped up for <a href="http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2013/07/29/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/NASCAR.aspx">eight years and $2.4 billion</a>.<br />
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However, the focus has been on the recent deal with NBC. Amazingly, the focus isn't (or at least shouldn't) be on the incredible price tag. Live sports rights have been ballooning for years. We're used to that by now, I think.<br />
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The focus should be on with whom the deal was made. Making a deal with NBC Sports Network, the same NBC Sports Network that has had well-documented issues growing since its inception, is a curious decision. Even more curious is the fact that NASCAR is leaving ESPN to do so.<br />
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Sure, the deal allowed NASCAR to increase its media rights dollars by nearly 30-percent. But what about the lost value in media attention. ESPN is the chief provider of said media attention. Why jeopardize that valuable media attention for the sake of a cash-grab?<br />
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According to <a href="http://deadspin.com/what-i-learned-from-a-year-of-watching-sportscenter-5979510?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_twitter&utm_source=deadspin_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow">Deadspin</a>, NASCAR garnered 2.1-percent of <i>Sportscenter's </i>coverage last year. That places NASCAR ahead of soccer's 1.3-percent and behind the NHL's 2.7-percent. We have watched the NHL's coverage on ESPN outlets diminish year by year since the league left ESPN for NBC. <br />
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Could NASCAR be headed down a similar path as the NHL?<br />
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Scary is that it very well could be, and it's already near the bottom. With soccer growing, it is conceivable that NASCAR's coverage could fall and soccer's could rise. Trending downwards coming off of record television deals is not a territory that any league wants to find themselves in.<br />
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There are still <a href="http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2013/07/29/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/NASCAR.aspx">14 Nationwide races</a> and three Spring Cup races left in NASCAR's inventory arsenal. Of course, third place is likely not where ESPN would like to find itself behind NBC and Fox, but a consolation prize could potentially become very important to the long-term health of NASCAR. Keeping ESPN in the action, as little as it may be, would be the best way to begin to mitigate the potential media loss that NASCAR could face.<br />
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A saving grace for NASCAR on the media front could be the level of success that Fox Sports 1 attains. If FS1 is able to put a chink in ESPN's overpowering armor, then the move may not end so poorly. Also, this could be the deal that puts NBC Sports on the map, though I wouldn't hold my breath.<br />
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Simple fact is that ESPN does not need NASCAR, but NASCAR may very well need ESPN. The calculated risk that NASCAR is taking to speed past ESPN to a new co-home at NBC Sports just does not seem to add up. NASCAR still has a chance to keep ESPN in the picture, and they would be wise to do so in order to keep their name in the mouths of the most dominant media outlet.<br />
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The caution flag is out on NASCAR, and they would much rather see the green flag in the media than the red flag.<br />
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<b>Follow Kevin Rossi on Twitter <a href="http://www.twitter.com/kevin_rossi">@kevin_rossi</a>.</b>Kevin Rossihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04208935189612915484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258692692043060287.post-31648305169651650672013-07-29T20:14:00.002-07:002013-07-30T07:47:39.866-07:00Brewers Giving Back To FansThis season has been nothing short of a disappointment for the Milwaukee Brewers. Not only have the fans had to deal with a team that is nearly twenty games under the .500 mark, but they are now dealing with the loss of their star player. Ryan Braun recently was suspended for the remainder of the season for what Major League Baseball called "violations of the Basic Agreement and its Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program."<br />
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Although the Brewers have been struggling this season, fan attendance has not struggled. The Milwaukee faithful have averaged about 31,000 fans this season despite lackluster performance on the field. Brewers owner, Mark Attanasio, knew that the organization needed to do something to give back to the fans.<br />
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For the month of August, each fan that attends a game at Miller Park will receive a $10 voucher that can be used for tickets, food, beverage or merchandise. With the average attendance and twelve home games in August, the vouchers are expected to cost the Brewers organization about $3.6 million.<br />
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The cost of the voucher program is mainly offset due to Braun's suspension. With Ryan sitting out the remainder of the season without pay, the Brewers will save about $3 million that would have been owed to Braun had he been playing.<br />
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<u>Final Thought</u><br />
When I first heard of the voucher program that the Brewers were offering, I thought it was an excellent idea. Not only will the program not cost the team too much additional money, it is great for publicity. It shows that the Milwaukee Brewers organization truly cares about the fans. It will be interesting to track how well Brewers games are attended in the month of August.<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/dmrosen7">@dmrosen7 </a>Drew Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05015270537604889056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258692692043060287.post-72418165770511209932013-07-17T14:25:00.001-07:002013-07-18T04:49:20.596-07:00Broken News - Fox Sports Must Improve Web Presence To Compete<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The launch of Fox's 24/7 sports network, Fox Sports 1, is now less than a month out from its August 17th date. <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/news/20130310/media-circus-fox-sports-1/">Many experts believe</a> that the new network will be the biggest competition that ESPN empire has ever faced. Fox Sports 1 certainly has the financial backing and the upfront live sports rights to make a splash. They have also been acquiring big name talent, especially <a href="http://www.awfulannouncing.com/2013/june/jay-onrait-and-dan-o-toole-finish-tsn-career-in-style.html">some recognizable names</a> to their direct competition to ESPN's <i>Sportscenter</i> in <i>Fox Sports Live</i>.<br />
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As much as Fox Sports 1 may be a viable competitor to ESPN, there is one glaring hole that Fox Sports will need to rework to become an even bigger threat. Their website.<br />
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Powered MSN, <a href="http://foxsports.com/">foxsports.com</a>'s clear strength is their coverage of Major League Baseball. With respected veterans Ken Rosenthal and Jon Morosi on the beat, Fox Sports is to keep their name in the news-breaking mix. A close second is their NFL coverage with highly respected NFL insider, Jay Glazer, breaking the news (aka <a href="http://deadspin.com/5972201/espn-suddenly-remembers-that-jay-glazers-name-is-not-sources">"Sources"</a> if you only follow ESPN coverage).<br />
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But that's just about it... The rest of Fox Sports' beat are covered by good journalists, but not names that you will be citing to your friends as the original news-breaker when you share your daily sports musings. Being good is never a bad thing, but if the goal is to keep up with ESPN, coverage will need to improve.<br />
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Perhaps the most glaring area that will need improvement is with their national columnists and commentary. ESPN has both Bill Simmons (with Grantland) and Rick Reilly heading this department. As ESPNW continues to grow, more writers will have a chance to showcase their talent. Grantland has an impressive list of contributors with names like Zach Lowe, Brian Philips, Andy Greenwald, and my personal favorite Charles Pierce. <br />
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Fox Sports has, er, Jason Whitlock.<br />
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We all know <a href="http://sportsanalyticsblog.com/articles/statistics-and-research-are-essential-in-creating-context-for-complex-connnections--2">my thoughts on Whitlock</a>, who if anything, may be the most polarizing writer in sports. That's worth something right?<br />
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And let's not forget the leaps and bounds that ESPN has on all of the competition including Fox Sports in terms of original content, journalism, and just straight stranglehold on the complex sports media industry. When a new opponent enters the ring, it can be easy to overplay their hype. Fox Sports is promising. But is has a damn high mountain to climb if it wants to be at ESPN's level. <br />
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For now, it seems that Fox Sports' focus is on the television side with Fox Sports 1 and the preliminary talks of a Fox Sports 2. And that's fine. Just remember that when to comes to taking down an empire, Fox Sports has a long way to go.<br />
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<b>Follow Kevin Rossi on Twitter <a href="http://www.twitter.com/kevin_rossi">@kevin_rossi</a>.</b>Kevin Rossihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04208935189612915484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258692692043060287.post-29203523376963321232013-07-15T19:45:00.001-07:002013-07-16T07:47:03.993-07:00MLB All-Star Game Viewership Tonight's MLB All-Star Game will determine which league has home field advantage for the World Series. Will this be enough of an intrigue for fans to watch? Major League Baseball sure hopes so. Mixed reactions are still felt today after the MLB decided that home field advantage would be determined via the All-Star Game starting in 2003 to make the game more competitive.<br />
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Many fans liked the idea because it was an incentive for players to "play harder." The plan was also devised to help the problem of declining television viewership. The plan initially worked in 2003. Although viewership did not rise from the previous year, it did stay the same. Major League Baseball was satisfied with this result but expected increases in the years to come.<br />
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The prevailing trend since the change when it comes to television viewership revolves around the quality of the game. If the game is interesting in score, more viewers have tuned in. Unfortunately for Major League Baseball, the 2012 All-Star Game was anything but a close game. The National League beat up on the American League 8-0. This lead to the lowest-rated and least-watched All-Star game since they started keeping track of television data.<br />
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<u>Final Thought</u><br />
Hopefully for Major League Baseball the game tonight is competitive. It is difficult to determine prior to the game how close it will be because the game features the best players in all of the sport. For the All-Star Game to be viewed more heavily, MLB had to be hoping for Yasiel Puig to be voted in by the fans. If he were to have been voted in, he would have been a major attraction to the game. It will be interesting to look at the television viewership for tonights game!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLJGYLic3-LdWWzEezZDpTezi3vEBemiOjIqlU5qcyvhWmzQmjskMjlcH_T35fy7PxXY6ObrgWXzFeZmCVeuRhtv0rSj64Tq6tEwB3FjAAhk78pF53jFJJ39wjLl7soj_WcB_445yTZV60/s1600/twitter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLJGYLic3-LdWWzEezZDpTezi3vEBemiOjIqlU5qcyvhWmzQmjskMjlcH_T35fy7PxXY6ObrgWXzFeZmCVeuRhtv0rSj64Tq6tEwB3FjAAhk78pF53jFJJ39wjLl7soj_WcB_445yTZV60/s1600/twitter.jpg" height="147" width="200" /></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/dmrosen7">@dmrosen7 </a><br />
<br />Drew Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05015270537604889056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258692692043060287.post-34706832560770519502013-07-11T04:00:00.000-07:002013-07-11T04:00:05.507-07:00Dollars & Sense - A-Rod's Impact on Minor League Attendance<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbk7gKfxJOQFStSI7wVyMA3bi1HPeZOfCbmqgcvhbmx_W6uOU3umSqBC9ENfQhENPBM1vg0Qs3TjJ1jj0YuRWuEX1HqPkK7449c7k1CXLuD4s7JoT99i8BXT1Ik9K7AfphzrtsEB1WXeSr/s1600/Dollars+and+sense+header.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbk7gKfxJOQFStSI7wVyMA3bi1HPeZOfCbmqgcvhbmx_W6uOU3umSqBC9ENfQhENPBM1vg0Qs3TjJ1jj0YuRWuEX1HqPkK7449c7k1CXLuD4s7JoT99i8BXT1Ik9K7AfphzrtsEB1WXeSr/s640/Dollars+and+sense+header.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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For a paper in one of my classes back in my freshman year of
college, I sat down with the General Manager of the Trenton Thunder (NY Yankees
Double-A affiliate), Will Smith, to talk about what it is like to be a GM at
the minor league level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, one
of the major points that I wanted to touch on was how to consistently put butts
in the seats, which is the goal of any GM in sports but especially minor league
baseball.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He went through the laundry
list of business promotions, the focus on selling to groups, the whole nine
yards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> But m</span>inor league baseball has a
unique attendance draw that nobody else has.</div>
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Rehab assignments.</div>
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Now, he was clear that they do not ever root for a player
to get hurt just so that there will be the inevitable rehab assignment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But these assignments are such a huge
draw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where else can you see major
league stars play while sitting in a $10 seat in the first row?</div>
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Alex Rodriguez, the New York Yankees third baseman
recovering from hip surgery, recently began a 20-day rehab assignment through
the Yankees’ minor league system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A-Rod’s
presence was certainly felt, drawing huge crowds (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Single-A speaking</i>) out to the ballpark.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/media/USATODAY/USATODAY/2013/07/03/1372903541000-07-03-2013-Alex-Rodriguez-1307032208_4_3_rx404_c534x401.jpg?87cc7ae5b5e3d133be9f113f907a13faa9f8741e" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" id="irc_mi" src="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/media/USATODAY/USATODAY/2013/07/03/1372903541000-07-03-2013-Alex-Rodriguez-1307032208_4_3_rx404_c534x401.jpg?87cc7ae5b5e3d133be9f113f907a13faa9f8741e" style="margin-top: 109px;" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">usatoday.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The assignment began in Charleston, N.C. with the Riverdogs,
the Yankees’ low-A affiliate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According
to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://bleedingyankeeblue.blogspot.com/2013/07/arod-riverdogs-what-media-ignored.html">Bleeding
Yankee Blue</a></i>, last year the Riverdogs averaged just under 3,800 fans per
game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their stadium seating capacity is
about 6,000.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On July 2<sup>nd</sup>, the
first game that A-Rod played in Charleston, an impressive 8,255 fans came out
to Joseph P. Riley Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the
second largest crowd on head at the park, just behind its <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/alex-rodriguez-hitless-two-bats-rehab-debut-053522172.html">opening
day in 2007</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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After another night with the Single-A Riverdogs and another
night above capacity, A-Rod made his way down I-95 (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://i-95sportsbiz.com/">Hey, that’s us!</a></i>) to play
for the high-A Tampa Yankees. The night prior to A-Rod’s arrival, Tample had a
crowd of about 1,500 fans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The very next
night with A-Rod in the lineup, the Tampa Yanks more than doubled the
attendance <a href="http://www.mcall.com/sports/mc-alex-rodriguez-not-frustrated-rehab-20130708,0,4189861.story">with
3,148 fans in attendance</a>.</div>
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As A-Rod moves his way up through the system, more of the
Yankees’ farm system will feel the power of having a superstar major-leaguer on
their field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With likely stops in
Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, A-Rod’s name will be a
huge draw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eduardo Nunez recently
finished a rehab game with Trenton on the Fourth of July and Derek Jeter has been
in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for a few days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Although Thunder GM Will Smith said that they certainly do
not root for players to get hurt, he certainly does not mind the extra faces in
the stands. The Thunder are one of the more successful minor league franchises
and even after a couple of days of fireworks and a <a href="http://deadspin.com/minor-league-bat-dog-of-11-years-dies-718921810">retirement
party for their long-time bat-dog, Chase</a>, A-Rod’s presence will surely
bring the best crowds of the season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <b>Follow Kevin Rossi on Twitter <a href="https://www.twitter.com/kevin_rossi">@kevin_rossi</a>.</b> </span></div>
Kevin Rossihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04208935189612915484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258692692043060287.post-72405457318387016712013-07-09T04:58:00.000-07:002013-07-09T04:58:37.176-07:00The Aftermath of the Bounty Scandal Many people faced consequences after the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal was unravelled. Many agreed with the punishments because players may have been injured more than was necessary during games. Those who thought the punishments were too harsh typically noted that many teams around the league had similar programs intended to target certain players on other teams.<br />
<br />
At the heart of the issue was then Saints defensive coordinator, Gregg Williams. Williams was accused setting up programs that rewarded players for targeting and hurting other players in the league. After Williams suspension was over, he was hired by the Tennessee Titans.<br />
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Williams now is facing potentially more issues stemming from the scandal. Former NFL player, Barrett Green is now suing Williams and the Redskins for ending his career prematurely. While Williams was serving as the defensive coordinator for the Washington Redskins in 2004, Barrett Green suffered a career-ending knee injury while playing for the Giants against the Redskins.<br />
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The curious part of the story is that Barrett Green was playing linebacker and was hurt by Redskins tight end Robert Royal. The lawsuit claimed that Royal had played some defense for Gregg Williams while with the Redskins. The lawsuit says that Royal "intentionally lowered his helmet and drove into Green's knee at full speed." Later in the complaint, the Redskins were accused of a bounty program when the complaint said, "Redskins coaches directed their players to disregard criminal and civil laws, as well as NFL rules, to intentionally injure opponents."<br />
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<u>Final Thought</u><br />
It will be very difficult for Barrett Green to have success with his lawsuit because of the lack of evidence. Although Gregg Williams was "convicted" by commissioner Roger Goodell, legal action outside of the league was not taken. For Green to be successful with his lawsuit, he would need to prove many aspects of the injury that are most likely unprovable. Although this lawsuit will most likely prove to be a failure, it is interesting to see how many more lawsuits come from the bounty scandal. If an injured player can prove they got hurt by Williams defense in New Orleans, it is a possibility that Gregg Williams could face some serious legal actions.<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/dmrosen7">@dmrosen7</a>Drew Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05015270537604889056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258692692043060287.post-55674060907314602212013-07-03T18:22:00.000-07:002013-07-03T18:57:16.202-07:00Dollars & Sense - Stevens Making the Leap from College to the NBA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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With the sports news in an afternoon lull, it looked as if we were all going to be heading into the evening wondering what A-Rod will do in his couple of at-bats at Single-A Charleston. And then... BOOM!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">thesportsbank.net</td></tr>
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Out of nowhere, the Boston Celtics plucked the 36-year-old coaching prodigy, Brad Stevens, from the tight grasp of the Butler Bulldogs. Stevens, who led Butler to two NCAA Championship games in his six seasons at the helm, has reportedly agreed on a <a href="https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/352588636623089664">six-year deal worth $22 million</a>. Having turned down the <a href="http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball/story/2013-03-29/ucla-coaching-search-brad-stevens">UCLA head coaching </a>job earlier in the offseason, the Celtics must have been one of Stevens' dream jobs that he said would be the only way that he would leave Butler.<br />
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The opening on the Celtics bench was created when previous head coach Doc <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2013/06/23/doc-rivers-no-kevin-garnett-trade-los-angeles-clippers-boston-celtics/2450593/">Rivers was traded</a> (<i>yes, the coach was traded</i>) to the Los Angeles Clippers for a 2015 first round pick. The Rivers trade was one of two major deals that the Celtics have made in their rebuilding offseason; the other was sending superstars <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--nets-pursuing-trade-for-kevin-garnett--paul-pierce-171213145.html">Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett</a> as well as Jason Terry to the Brooklyn Nets for Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, Kris Joseph (<i>wait two Kris's with a "K"?</i>) and three future first round picks. <br />
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With all of the movement at the head coaching position in the NBA this offseason, the Celtics' move to hire Stevens now joins the Nets and newly retired-player-turned-head-coach Jason Kidd as the two major coaching stories to watch going into next year.<br />
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Stevens' situation is particularly interesting for two reasons: 1) Stevens is making the leap from college to the NBA, and 2) the Celtics are rebuilding. Stevens is certainly not the first coach to make the leap, but given his status and accomplishments at Butler, he is one of the most intriguing. <br />
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The Celtics are no stranger to hiring college coaches. Prior to Doc Rivers, the last three Celtics coaches had a wealth of college head coaching experience. John Carroll took over after Jim O'Brien's resignation. Carroll was a one-time Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year at Duquense. Before Carroll, it was O'Brien, who won the 1996 NCAA title as an assistant at Kentucky. And of course, how could we forget Rick Pitino, who bolted from Kentucky after the 1996 NCAA title. In hindsight, maybe it wasn't the best idea to give <a href="https://twitter.com/BillSimmons/status/352545809633509378">Pitino all of the keys</a> to the organization.<br />
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Last time the Celts hired a successful college coach, he kicked things off by stealing Red Auerbach's presidency. This can't go worse.<br />
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillSimmons/statuses/352545809633509378">July 3, 2013</a></blockquote>
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Of the three coaches before Rivers, O'Brien had the best record going 139-119 for a .539 winning percentage. The three combined to go 255-287 over seven seasons. At Butler, Stevens went 166-49 in six seasons.<br />
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Stevens though offers great hope. Although the Celtics may struggle this coming year, the franchise is clearly building for the future and are willing to ride it out with Stevens as indicated by the six-year deal. It will be interesting to see how Stevens handles the NBA-size egos, although many have already made the joke that he coached better talent at Butler than he will this year with the Celtics.<br />
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<b>Follow Kevin Rossi on Twitter <a href="http://www.twitter.com/kevin_rossi">@kevin_rossi</a>.</b>Kevin Rossihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04208935189612915484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258692692043060287.post-76596947846244163882013-07-01T20:40:00.005-07:002013-07-09T04:58:54.478-07:00So Much Talk About Taxes!It may not be a new trend, but every time I hear of a high profile athlete signing with a new team I always hear about taxes. It makes sense that we only hear about the high profile players because they have the most to lose in taxes by signing big value contracts.<br />
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The latest example is Dwight Howard. Howard is currently a free agent and exploring different teams that he could play for next season. The only thing that is a near certainty for Dwight is that he will receive a max contract or something close.<br />
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Currently Dwight is being rumored with many teams across the league. Two of particular interest for tax reasons are the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets. Both of these Texas state teams have an added advantage when signing free agents because they operate in a state without income tax via the state. Florida professional sport teams also enjoy this added incentives to acquire free agents.<br />
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If Dwight resigns with the Lakers, he might be subjected to the 13.3% state income tax in California for individuals earning more than $1 million. The reason why Dwight would not automatically be subjected to this tax is because of his residency. State income tax is assessed by where someone is considered to have primary residency. Dwight has a home in Florida that he could attempt to use as his primary residency.<br />
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The tax factor for Dwight Howard is significant because if he has to declare residency in California, he could be accepting a lower value contract with the Lakers. Although the contract with the Lakers would be a max deal, a four year deal from a Texas team could result in higher net dollars.<br />
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<u>Final Thought</u><br />
It will be tough for Dwight to declare residency in Florida because the state of California has more aggressive policies in tracking information related to taxes. Dwight would also be an easy target because of the high gross value he would receive per season. I would be curious to know how big of a factor taxes play in Dwight's decision. Although I do not think taxes alone will decide where Howard plays next season, it is understandable that taxes will weigh into the decision.<br />
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For teams who have the benefit of playing in a state with low or no state income tax, they should take advantage of it. These teams have the ability to add an incentive that another team could not match no matter what they do. Taxes are one of the rare things that teams do not have the ability to control.<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/dmrosen7">@dmrosen7</a>Drew Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05015270537604889056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258692692043060287.post-12067665801378843682013-06-26T09:13:00.001-07:002013-06-26T09:13:42.230-07:00Dollars & Sense - Business Fallout For Aaron Hernandez<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>"You should probably lay low for a while because you're probably wanted for murder." - Anchorman</i><br />
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Alright, so maybe Ron Burgundy was talking to Brick Tamland and not Aaron Hernandez, but at this rate he may as well have been. The troubled New England Patriots tight end seems closer and closer to finding himself with a murder charge on his record sheet after <a href="http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story/_/id/9424056/aaron-hernandez-new-england-patriots-taken-police-custody">his Wednesday morning arrest</a>, something that does not look so nice next to his <a href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13230/aaron-hernandez">175 receptions</a>, nearly 2,000 yards receiving, and 18 touchdowns. <br />
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Of course, nothing is official yet. Hernandez could be hit with just the original obstruction of justice since breaking a security system and busting a cell phone are not exactly aiding justice, per se. Then again, maybe Hernandez gets off with nothing at all. Some may cry professional athlete with that, but who knows, maybe all of the evidence that is piling up against Hernandez like the winter snow in Foxborough is just a big inconvenient coincidence. <br />
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In addition to feeling the heat from the authorities, Hernandez is beginning to feel the heat on the business end as well. Cytosport, a sports nutrition company best known as the makers of Muscle Milk, has <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/patriots/2013/06/21/aaron-hernandez-cytosport-endorsement/2446909/">dropped Hernandez</a> from their athlete portfolio. Other athletes that endorse Cytosport are Clay Matthews (Green Bay Packers), Ian Kinsler (Texas Rangers), and most recently Clayton Kershaw (Los Angeles Dodgers) among others. <br />
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Upon hearing the news of Hernandez's arrest, the Patriots promptly released the 23-year-old. As for his contract with the Patriots, Hernandez signed a 5-year, $40 million extension in 2012 that included $16 million guaranteed. He is represented by Athletes First. It remains to be seen if the Patriots could recover some of the guaranteed money that they owe Hernandez, although that will likely be contingent on the legal proceedings.<br />
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The Patriots had already asked Hernandez to<a href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000213806/printable/why-aaron-hernandez-was-asked-to-leave-patriots-facility"> stay away from Gillette Stadium</a> and all team facilities. Owner Robert Kraft said that he did not want the Patriots' facilities to become a media stakeout like Hernandez's North Attleboro home has become.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">athletetattoodatabase.com</td></tr>
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Many will try to breakdown Hernandez's involvement (<i>or lack thereof</i>) in the murder of Odin Lloyd and pin it on a certain piece of character that may look questionable. Is it because Hernandez has tattoos? His alleged gang involvement? The jock culture sense of entitlement?<br />
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Circumstantially, you could make an argument in favor of any of the three. That is the easy way out, though. <a href="http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9416013/aaron-hernandez-death-odin-lloyd">Read Charles Pierce's piece about Aaron Hernandez and the American Way</a> because he puts my thoughts in much more eloquent writing. You will enjoy it, trust me. But even if there are guns in the world, just don't shoot people. Is that too much to ask? Professional athlete or not, I don't think we are asking for anything too outlandish.<br />
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Now Hernandez is arrested and in the hands of the police. If Hernandez is charged in connection to Lloyd's murder, he will become just another athlete that threw it all away. Then again, he already lost his endorsement and his contract, so maybe he already has.<br />
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<b>Follow Kevin Rossi on Twitter @kevin_rossi.</b>Kevin Rossihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04208935189612915484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258692692043060287.post-76339529777153563732013-06-19T03:30:00.000-07:002013-06-19T16:23:18.383-07:00Broken News - San Francisco Giants Open Social Media Cafe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While some teams are left wallowing in the past, some are blazing a trail for the future. Professional teams that are ahead of the curve on the technology side of the game are the subject of envy from many top industry executives. Social media has been one of those technologies that some teams find themselves on a road to success while many are left scratching their heads in the dust.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The San Francisco Giants have been one of those trailblazing teams for some time now. Just check out some of their stats from a<a href="http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130617&content_id=50917914&vkey=pr_sf&c_id=sf"> press release on Monday</a>:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #cccccc; line-height: 18.1875px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>They currently lead all of baseball in Instagram (over 255,000) and Google Plus (over 1 million) followers; are ranked fourth with 434,000 Twitter followers and fourth with 1.69 million Facebook fans. Of the top 10 trends in sports for 2012, #SFGiants ranked fifth, ahead of #Jeremy Lin, Super Bowl, Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant and the New York Yankees. In 2012, AT&T Park was the third most "checked-in" Facebook venue in the world, behind Times Square and Disneyland.</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Giants have taken another big step forward, this week announcing the opening of their <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/2013/06/the-giants-new-social-media-cafe-in.html">social media cafe </a>called "@Cafe." The cafe will serve coffee, tea, and your typical cafe affair, but it will feature TVs showing the batting practice for those that arrive early and the game. @Cafe's big feature is its video board that will show Giants-related Tweets, Instagrams, Facebook content.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the most recent social media projects from the Giants that I thought was well done was a question and answer session on Vine with outfielder Hunter Pence. Vine, a social media platform where users post 6-second videos, has been tough for many to figure out how to leverage. The Giants, of course, found the way by having fans send their Vine of a question using a specific hashtag and Pence would then answer in a 6-second Vine of his own.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Innovation is key on social media as the space becomes more crowded by the day. The teams that get it are the teams that use social media as a way to connect with fans and more than just a simple PR broadcast extension. The San Francisco Giants are on the cutting edge, what is your favorite team doing?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Follow Kevin Rossi on Twitter <a href="https://www.twitter.com/kevin_rossi">@kevin_rossi</a>.</b></span></div>
Kevin Rossihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04208935189612915484noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258692692043060287.post-42144754355739546272013-06-17T21:36:00.000-07:002013-06-18T04:50:59.965-07:00Clayton Kershaw Looking for the Big DollarsClayton Kershaw is in the final year of his two year deal that paid him $19 million. Kershaw is in talks with the Dodgers over a new deal that he expects to receive after this contract expires. Recent rumors have leaked that suggest Kershaw is looking for a big payout.<br />
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Looking a Clayton Kershaw's career numbers, he is deserving of a generous long term contract. Kershaw has been in the league for five and a half seasons, all of which are with the Dodgers. In his time in the league, Kershaw has posted a career ERA of 2.70 and an equally as impressive record of 66-41. Adding to his credentials, Kershaw won the 2011 NL Cy Young Award after posting a 1.84 ERA.<br />
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Major league pitchers have been the beneficiary of big contracts especially in recent years. In March, Justin Verlander received a seven year extension worth $180 million. The rumors have suggested that Kershaw is looking to get paid more money than Verlander making him the highest paid pitcher in baseball. Most suggest that Kershaw is looking to make somewhere in the $200 million range. One <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/clayton-kershaw-tells-dodgers-plug-leak-contract-talks-152050020.html">Yahoo</a> article suggest that Kershaw can be looking for as much as $300 million!<br />
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Clayton has been upset to hear the rumors come out in public and he blames the Dodgers. When asked about his upcoming contract Kershaw said, "I think the reason we've been able to continue discussions for this long it that it's not been talked about." Kershaw later went on to say that is has become a distraction and told reporters "I guess you'll have to talk to the Dodgers as to why it came out. I don't love the fact that I have to talk about it."<br />
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<u>Final Thought</u><br />
The Dodgers have shown a recent willingness to spend money under new ownership. I am expecting that Clayton will be the highest paid pitcher in baseball next season. In the current economic climate of Major League Baseball, Clayton deserves top dollar. Everyone is aware that this year is the last of Kershaw's current contract. It is no surprise that reporters are talking about what will happen next. Kershaw should not be offended or upset by the rumors circulating, he is about to be the highest paid pitcher in baseball.<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/dmrosen7">@dmrosen7</a>Drew Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05015270537604889056noreply@blogger.com0