The lineups for the match were as follows:
Germany: Neuer, Boatang, Hummels, Badstuber, Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Khedira, Kroos, Ozil, Podolski, & Gomez.
Subs: Wiese, Gundogan, Schmelzer, Howedes, Schurrle, Klose, Muller, Bender, Mertsacker, Gotze, Reus, & Zieler (Yes, the bench does sound more German than the starting 11).
Italy: Buffon, Balzaretti, Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini, Pirlo, Marchisio, Montolivo, De Rossi, Balotelli, & Cassano.
Subs: Sirigu, Ogbonna, Thiago Motta, Abate, Di Natale, Giaccherini, Borini, Giovinco, Diamanti, Nocerino, & De Sanctis.r
Referee: Stephane Lennoy (France)
Germany is said to be the favorite of the match. And the event started off with Gigi Buffon hugging Philipp Lahm and Michael Neuer in tunnel. As the anthems were sung, Italy looked more pumped up for the game. Captians Buffon and Lahm delivered respect and diversity messages. A match as important as this could really stir up some violence from true hooligans. For those who didn't catch the match, Germany wore white jerseys, black shorts, and white socks and the Italians sported blue jerseys, white shirts, and blue socks.
Italy kicked off the match. In the 3rd minute Germany took a corner which was in inches of scoring. Buffon misread the play and Pirlo saved it on the line. A strong performance by each side until one took the lead. Chiellini picked up the ball on the left and dished it out to Cassano. Cassano squeezed between 2 German defenders before crossing it to Mario Bolatelli. Bolatelli outjumped Badstuber for the header and it was in. Italy went 1-0!!! The Germans brought on the pressure, but still couldn't capitalize on their chances. In the 35th minute, the Germans took a corner which Buffon punched away. The ball found its way to Montolivo, who hit Bolatelli on the spot with a 60 yard lobbed through pass. Mario Bolatelli managed to stay onside by a hair and rushed to the net to blast a shot for a goal, however, he got booked with a yellow card for ripping off his shirt in the celebration. The first half certainly wasn't expected and fans eagerly wait to see if Germany has a response in the 2nd. Italy leads 2-0 at the half.
To start the half, Germany took a strategic approach. Podolski (arguably perhaps their best player) comes off for Reus and Gomez comes off for Klose. In the 50th minute Germany is looked much better than they did in the first half. Before the match, the gossip was that Germany was the dominant team, however Lahm's shot is over the net. Germany got more chances, but still, couldn't finish. In the 58th minute, Italy made a sub. Cassano came off for Diamanti. The game progressed a bit and Germany looked like they were in shape to score, but it was still 2-0. The favor switches sides and Bolatelli is alone. He worked his way into the box to miss the shot across the goal wide. In the 64th minute Italy subbed Thiago Motta in for Montolivo. Italy passed it around in the midfield to receive pressure from the Germans. Diamanti took a crack nearly from halfway and gets an angry look from Bolatelli. Bolatelli seemed to be cramping, but it was unsure. His hat-trick was cut short in the 71st minute as Bolatelli came off and on went Di Natale. The next minute Germany took their final sub. Boatang came off for Muller. Italy slowed down the play and Neuer forced a throw in. The game continued, and Germany couldn't get a break. No chances have gone in their favor. Italy kept looking more and more dangerous. Diamanti took another go for a goal, but struck the ball just wide of the post (82nd minute). Soon after Di Natale beat the offside trap and he was all alone! He slowed down and defenders caught up. His hit went to the side, striking the side of the goal (83rd minute). The game went on and finally a chance went in favor for Germany. Klosed tugged Balzaretti. The ball hit off the Italian's chest and hit his elbow in the box. A penalty kick was initiated for Germany. Ozil took the shot and scored!!! 2-1, Italy still in the lead. With plus 4 minutes, Germany was unable to capture the last goal.
What a game for Italy. Buffon looked shaky early on, but Mario Bolatelli is the hero today. Italy takes on Spain for the Euro 2012 Championship in Kiev, Ukraine!
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Bad Luck, Good Luck
Bad luck for the New York Yankees. Good luck for Boston and other American League teams. Wednesday morning the Yanks put C.C. Sabathia on the injured reserve. With 2 weeks until the All-Star break, it was thought Sabathia would miss 2 starts, allowing him to nurse his groin. Come Friday, reliever Freddy Garcia will take C.C.'s spot until he returns after the break. Little did the Yankees know, Andy Petite, 40, would fall. Petite has been very comparable to Sabathia in his performance and strikeout ability.
Petite took a 5th inning grounder to the ankle by Casey Kotchman leaving it fractured. Initially, Petite tried to convince Manager Joe Girardi to let him stay in the game. Petite threw one pitch to the next batter and then he was pulled. The Yankees organization announced that Petite would miss a minimum of 6 weeks. Talk about killing 2 birds with one stone. The Yankees lost 2 of their best pitchers in a day. Luckily, Petite did not need surgery. All in all, the Yankees still won 5-4 against the Indians.
At the time of Petite's injury the Yankees were up 2-1. He recorded 7 strikeouts in 64 pitches. 5 of which batters ate the dust with his slider. Garcia replaced Petite to finish the 5th, and he kept the Indians hitless in the 6th and 7th.
Girardi said Sabathia was feeling a tug-like feeling in his groin. On Tuesday Sabathia underwent a magnetic resonance test. It showed a Grade-1 strain in the adductor muscle (groin) in the inside of his push off leg. Straining this muscle further would make it nearly impossible to pitch, however, Sabathia could pitch, but he did feel the pain. Missing 2 starts is better than missing any more.
Petite took a 5th inning grounder to the ankle by Casey Kotchman leaving it fractured. Initially, Petite tried to convince Manager Joe Girardi to let him stay in the game. Petite threw one pitch to the next batter and then he was pulled. The Yankees organization announced that Petite would miss a minimum of 6 weeks. Talk about killing 2 birds with one stone. The Yankees lost 2 of their best pitchers in a day. Luckily, Petite did not need surgery. All in all, the Yankees still won 5-4 against the Indians.
At the time of Petite's injury the Yankees were up 2-1. He recorded 7 strikeouts in 64 pitches. 5 of which batters ate the dust with his slider. Garcia replaced Petite to finish the 5th, and he kept the Indians hitless in the 6th and 7th.
Girardi said Sabathia was feeling a tug-like feeling in his groin. On Tuesday Sabathia underwent a magnetic resonance test. It showed a Grade-1 strain in the adductor muscle (groin) in the inside of his push off leg. Straining this muscle further would make it nearly impossible to pitch, however, Sabathia could pitch, but he did feel the pain. Missing 2 starts is better than missing any more.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
WOW
Not much to say here... I never thought this would happen. Not in 1,000 life times. But for real, who gave LeBron super human drugs? This is an unreal performance by him. Just not giving a flying hoot and sinking straight buckets. Dribble, dribble, uh, little fake, no look, sinking buckets. Baskets for days! Many people expecting him to exceed 50+, but not the case. A bit upset seeing so many Bostonians supporting LBJ!! Sad sad day for Boston. Pierce didn't look big nor did Rondo. Expect the C's to bring the heat in Miami like they did tonight at the TD Garden.
Eastern Conference Finals - Let's Get It!!!
Man, Celts website calls the Garden the Jungle... why didn't I think of that? It's going to be packed with green (trees/canopy reference) and oh boy, will our team be a real mean green machine tonight. Celtics tip off at 8:30pm tonight and it's going to be loud and we're going to be proud. After LeBron can't handle The Truth, the Celtics took Game 5 94-90 and I believe that we'll advance to The Finals tonight. The Heat must tally a win in our den tonight and I just don't see that happening.
What did I tell you last blog? Doc Rivers and the Celts got this. In my lifetime I've never seen a Celtics coach that has connected with the players as well as Doc. He's like your dad. He's at the game and you put that much more "umph" into your play to win it for him. And no worries. Not like Mayor Menino butchering KG (KJ) and Rondo's (Hondo) names will put us down; it's just another "Menino-ism"!
After questioning the use of Chris Bosh last game, he'll need to play a bigger role tonight. Bosh played in Game 5 for the first time since May 13th and didn't do too shabby. In his 14:23 of playing time he managed to make 9 points and 7 rebounds - almost a double-double. While Miami fans may be angry about the shortage of usage of one of their Big Three in Game 5, it was not Spoelstra's intention to overuse Bosh. Tonight, look for Bosh to start and play big minutes. While it "was not fair" to Bosh to put him in with 3 minutes left in Game 5, tonight expect him to do bigger things for Miami.
On the brink of elimination, Miami is 0-1 with their Big Three in the lineup. Last year Miami got knocked out by Dallas with a 105-95 loss. While it was a poor performance by the Miami, performance is the only thing to measure. That means it is very well possible for the Heat to choke tonight, especially with a freshly returned Chris Bosh.
The Celts had mostly poor performance from Pierce (The Truth) and Rondo in Game 5, but let's expect Pierce to start off where he left off. Pierce only sunk 6 buckets for 19 shot attempts with Rondo going 3 for 15. Rondo had terrible turnovers as well making Boston fans cringe. If these two don't come out tonight with their game faces on and top notch mentality, the Celtics might be in trouble. On the other hand, Allen's ankle locked up in Game 5, but at the shootaround today he seemed fine. Look for Allen to sink some 3's per usual and overall a tough battle to move on or continue on.
What did I tell you last blog? Doc Rivers and the Celts got this. In my lifetime I've never seen a Celtics coach that has connected with the players as well as Doc. He's like your dad. He's at the game and you put that much more "umph" into your play to win it for him. And no worries. Not like Mayor Menino butchering KG (KJ) and Rondo's (Hondo) names will put us down; it's just another "Menino-ism"!
After questioning the use of Chris Bosh last game, he'll need to play a bigger role tonight. Bosh played in Game 5 for the first time since May 13th and didn't do too shabby. In his 14:23 of playing time he managed to make 9 points and 7 rebounds - almost a double-double. While Miami fans may be angry about the shortage of usage of one of their Big Three in Game 5, it was not Spoelstra's intention to overuse Bosh. Tonight, look for Bosh to start and play big minutes. While it "was not fair" to Bosh to put him in with 3 minutes left in Game 5, tonight expect him to do bigger things for Miami.
On the brink of elimination, Miami is 0-1 with their Big Three in the lineup. Last year Miami got knocked out by Dallas with a 105-95 loss. While it was a poor performance by the Miami, performance is the only thing to measure. That means it is very well possible for the Heat to choke tonight, especially with a freshly returned Chris Bosh.
The Celts had mostly poor performance from Pierce (The Truth) and Rondo in Game 5, but let's expect Pierce to start off where he left off. Pierce only sunk 6 buckets for 19 shot attempts with Rondo going 3 for 15. Rondo had terrible turnovers as well making Boston fans cringe. If these two don't come out tonight with their game faces on and top notch mentality, the Celtics might be in trouble. On the other hand, Allen's ankle locked up in Game 5, but at the shootaround today he seemed fine. Look for Allen to sink some 3's per usual and overall a tough battle to move on or continue on.
Friday, June 1, 2012
Game 3 is a Serious Deal for the Celts
As many Bostonians know, the Celtics are facing the Miami Heat for the Eastern Conference Final. Rajon Rondo called Game 2 a "must-win situation" and after a disappointing loss which makes Game 3 a must-win times 34567896534567 cross your heart and hope to die situation. Tonight in the Garden the Celtics will fight 'til the death to capture a win.
The Heat lead the series 2-0 making the situation in Boston devastating for many fans. If you know Boston, you know they don't kid around with sports. If the Celtics lose this series the city will be in shambles as it's a long summer to watch the Sox who are nothing shy of disappointment this season. However, there is still hope. Baseball is a long season and things can turn around.
The Celtics will look for big things from key players such as Rondo, Pierce, Garnett, and Allen. It's no secret that Boston has a tough squad. LeBron James even noted that Rondo's performance in Game 2 was not unnoticed. The exact words were "absolutely amazing" and that's what tonight will be if the C's grab that W. Doc River's seemed very confident in his interview on Thursday stating that the Celtics will be "ready to play". There is no other coach that will get the Celtics out of this slump other than Doc Rivers. As Garnett has said, Doc has never told them a lie. He's always told the truth and brought the best out of them. That's just what Doc will do tonight.
And for any of you Boston fans that have a doubt, watch this video. If this doesn't get you pumped and believing, get out of my city!
The Heat lead the series 2-0 making the situation in Boston devastating for many fans. If you know Boston, you know they don't kid around with sports. If the Celtics lose this series the city will be in shambles as it's a long summer to watch the Sox who are nothing shy of disappointment this season. However, there is still hope. Baseball is a long season and things can turn around.
The Celtics will look for big things from key players such as Rondo, Pierce, Garnett, and Allen. It's no secret that Boston has a tough squad. LeBron James even noted that Rondo's performance in Game 2 was not unnoticed. The exact words were "absolutely amazing" and that's what tonight will be if the C's grab that W. Doc River's seemed very confident in his interview on Thursday stating that the Celtics will be "ready to play". There is no other coach that will get the Celtics out of this slump other than Doc Rivers. As Garnett has said, Doc has never told them a lie. He's always told the truth and brought the best out of them. That's just what Doc will do tonight.
And for any of you Boston fans that have a doubt, watch this video. If this doesn't get you pumped and believing, get out of my city!
Monday, April 23, 2012
Alfie To Return To The Senators' Lineup
I don't get it. How does Daniel Alfredsson get destroyed by Carl Hagelin, suffers from a concussion, and then returns to the lineup just a little over a week later? Is he Superman? Brendan Shanahan says he thinks Hagelin is a good kid, but whether intentional or not you see him skate at Alfie and then elbow him in the face. And it's not just an elbow... Alfie's head gets mashed between Hagelin's hard knock and the boards, yet he is fine a week later. I swear he has super powers. The flaw in Shanahan's system is if there is an injury or not. Hagelin received a 3 game suspension while Matt Carkner received a 1 game for his quarrel with Brian Boyle.
Carkner's role in the lineup is to start and carry out beef. He intentionally elbowed Brian Boyle in the head and then continued to repeatedly punch him in the face against the boards until everyone jumped on him. If the NHL wants to crack down on targeting the head, how is Carkner's actions only a 1 game suspension. Hagelin claims he was just trying to finish the check, but Carkner clearly tried to injure Boyle. Injury or not, if the NHL wants to banish head injuries from targeting the head, Carkner should be out 5+ games.
It doesn't even matter if Boyle is significantly larger than Alfie. The actions taken upon Boyle are clear intentions of injury. Alfie is much smaller and of course he is more likely to get hurt.
Carkner's role in the lineup is to start and carry out beef. He intentionally elbowed Brian Boyle in the head and then continued to repeatedly punch him in the face against the boards until everyone jumped on him. If the NHL wants to crack down on targeting the head, how is Carkner's actions only a 1 game suspension. Hagelin claims he was just trying to finish the check, but Carkner clearly tried to injure Boyle. Injury or not, if the NHL wants to banish head injuries from targeting the head, Carkner should be out 5+ games.
It doesn't even matter if Boyle is significantly larger than Alfie. The actions taken upon Boyle are clear intentions of injury. Alfie is much smaller and of course he is more likely to get hurt.
Big Push For The Olympics
NBC Sports is launching is biggest promotional campaign for the Olympics ever. It plans to broadcast 30 second commercials across 20 TV channels and 66 websites upon the last 100 days leading up to the Olympic games in London, 2012. The effort started Wednesday, April 18, 2012 with 16 year old swimmer, Missy Franklin, on the "Today Show".
100 days after Franklin's commercial airs, these ads will reinforce the message "The world comes together in London," said by NBC's John Miller, head of their sports agency. The NBC Sports Agency is responsible for marketing and branding NBC's sports division worldwide. Another feature to their ad campaign will revolve around the top advertiser, General Motors. These ads will commemorate the top 30 most memorable moments of General Motors from past Olympics and viewers are encouraged to vote for their favorite moment online at NBCOlympics.com.
NBC has partnered with Comcast. Many of the commercials will air on Comcast owned channels, in the homes of Comcast users, and also on NBC affiliate channels. More advertising will occur at NBC theme parks, gas stations, Best Buy stores, and American Airlines. According to NBC, this is their biggest Olympic campaign yet. NBC's research shows that past viewers enjoyed the Bejiing and Vancouver games and are very likely to tune in for this summer's Olympic games. Who would doubt this? The Olympics are popular worldwide - bringing pride, unity, and success to different nations.
Once the Olympics start, NBC's focus will shift from past Olympics to current Olympian stars. Some of the top athletes anticipated to be showcased are Michael Phelps, Kerri Walsh, and Jordyn Wieber. Sponsors of the U.S. Olympic Committee will also be integrated into the campaign. These sponsors include Coca-Cola, Anheuser-Busch, and BMW. It's said that Coke will focus on conversations with "Olympic hopefuls", Anheuser-Busch will feature youthful music, and BMW will highlight footage of the top athletes.
100 days after Franklin's commercial airs, these ads will reinforce the message "The world comes together in London," said by NBC's John Miller, head of their sports agency. The NBC Sports Agency is responsible for marketing and branding NBC's sports division worldwide. Another feature to their ad campaign will revolve around the top advertiser, General Motors. These ads will commemorate the top 30 most memorable moments of General Motors from past Olympics and viewers are encouraged to vote for their favorite moment online at NBCOlympics.com.
NBC has partnered with Comcast. Many of the commercials will air on Comcast owned channels, in the homes of Comcast users, and also on NBC affiliate channels. More advertising will occur at NBC theme parks, gas stations, Best Buy stores, and American Airlines. According to NBC, this is their biggest Olympic campaign yet. NBC's research shows that past viewers enjoyed the Bejiing and Vancouver games and are very likely to tune in for this summer's Olympic games. Who would doubt this? The Olympics are popular worldwide - bringing pride, unity, and success to different nations.
Casinos Are A Go
The NFL finally allows teams to accept advertisements from casinos. This should lead to huge amounts of cash flooding into the NFL. Why haven't they approved this earlier? Are casinos that shady and unethical? People love them and even Bob Kraft tried to bring one to Foxboro. The allowance of casino advertisements will be valid until March 31, 2014. Of course the NFL has to give it a test trial before going forward, right?
Being the last of the major four leagues to allow casino advertisements, it's obvious the NFL has set major restrictions on the types of advertisements by casinos. Ads can only appear in stadium, limited to the venue's concourse and upper bowl areas. Radio and print, television, digital and mobile device ads are all prohibited. Also, the ads cannot be sports themed, betting on sports, team logos, and players and coaches. All ads must have a positive message and refrain from mentioning about the possibility of "winning it big time". Also, the casinos agree to donate 5% of their deals value to the league's anti-ganmbling program for their employees. Oh yeah, it gets even better. The league demands that each club displays ads on mediums where the audience expected to be 70% ages 21 and older.
Casinos seem to attract a certain type of person. Who is to say that ads will make more people gamble? If anything, it will pile up some serious cash for the NFL to work with. Not like they already need it.
Being the last of the major four leagues to allow casino advertisements, it's obvious the NFL has set major restrictions on the types of advertisements by casinos. Ads can only appear in stadium, limited to the venue's concourse and upper bowl areas. Radio and print, television, digital and mobile device ads are all prohibited. Also, the ads cannot be sports themed, betting on sports, team logos, and players and coaches. All ads must have a positive message and refrain from mentioning about the possibility of "winning it big time". Also, the casinos agree to donate 5% of their deals value to the league's anti-ganmbling program for their employees. Oh yeah, it gets even better. The league demands that each club displays ads on mediums where the audience expected to be 70% ages 21 and older.
Casinos seem to attract a certain type of person. Who is to say that ads will make more people gamble? If anything, it will pile up some serious cash for the NFL to work with. Not like they already need it.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
In The Works...
Really? Now that Salavat Yulaev Ufa won't be making the playoffs,Alexander Radulov comes running back to Nashville. Apparently the paperwork for his return has already been filed. Drafted 15th overall in 2004, Radulov has been one of Nashville's top prospects before leaving the NHL in 2008-09 season. Arguably the best player in the KHL, perhaps he seeks comfort in fellow Russians, the Kostitsyn brothers. Alexander had played on a team with some teammates he was not too enthusiastic about playing with who are now gone (One was mentioned on a TSN video, J.P. Dumont).
Radulov has his last year on his 3 year rookie level entry contract (worth $980K) to complete, and coming to Nashville in the playoffs would complete it. The NHLPA has agreed to bypass Radulov through waivers and after this season, he will become a restricted free agent. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly has said there are no limitations on Radulov's return.
Predators' GM Bill Poile expressed his belief that Alex would eventually return to the NHL. He has a desire to be the best and wants to play against the top talent. Is Alexander Radulov really seeking to play against the top elite or is he just chasing top dollar? Perhaps he feels comfortable returning with familiar teammates. Many other Russian players have fled the NHL back to the motherland that have had no Russian teammates. Some examples are Alexander Svitov and Alexei Morozov.
Radulov has his last year on his 3 year rookie level entry contract (worth $980K) to complete, and coming to Nashville in the playoffs would complete it. The NHLPA has agreed to bypass Radulov through waivers and after this season, he will become a restricted free agent. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly has said there are no limitations on Radulov's return.
Predators' GM Bill Poile expressed his belief that Alex would eventually return to the NHL. He has a desire to be the best and wants to play against the top talent. Is Alexander Radulov really seeking to play against the top elite or is he just chasing top dollar? Perhaps he feels comfortable returning with familiar teammates. Many other Russian players have fled the NHL back to the motherland that have had no Russian teammates. Some examples are Alexander Svitov and Alexei Morozov.
Pretty gnarly, eh?
Because It's The Cup
Last February the NHL and MillerCoors (MolsonCoors to Canadians) came to a league record deal of $375 million. Of course this calls for a new campaign. The last postseason campaign, "History Will be Made", was too oriented toward diehard hockey fans. The Stanley Cup, a 120 year tradition, is recognized by many throughout different communities. Whether an actual fan, casual fan, or non-fan, many can identify with the Cup even if they do not follow hockey religiously. Every franchise, sponsor, and other stakeholders imaginable are responsible to launch their own promotion of this campaign.
There are many slogans beginning with the word "Because...". Examples are "Because it's the Cup" and "Because in hockey, there are two half times". The NHL wants to break even further into social media by "socializing" the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It would be similar to what March Madness is like and their promotional campaigns. This will appeal more-so to casual and non-fans. During the 2012 playoffs bars will feature Stanley Cup tap handles for MillerCoors (MolsonCoors) beverages. About 4,000 in the United States and 2,500 in Canada will participate in this promotion. Go figure as it is the only trophy in America's top four sports leagues you can drink a beer out of. Many of sponsor's packaging will include "Because it's the Cup" branding. I've seen NHL branding ever since the new sponsorship. Coors packaging in the New England features the Boston Bruins and so does Bud Light. Stores often have Bruins logos with the Cup featured in windows.
The new TV campaign is broken down into four themes. The first is "Two Halftimes" which recognizes and promotes team relationships and camaraderie in homes and bars during the playoffs. Next is the "Where its been" showing unique places the Cup has been. Following the many places the Cup has been brought is the "City" theme which shows how the playoffs bring communities together and lastly the "Story" aspect which demonstrates the history of the Cup.
There are many slogans beginning with the word "Because...". Examples are "Because it's the Cup" and "Because in hockey, there are two half times". The NHL wants to break even further into social media by "socializing" the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It would be similar to what March Madness is like and their promotional campaigns. This will appeal more-so to casual and non-fans. During the 2012 playoffs bars will feature Stanley Cup tap handles for MillerCoors (MolsonCoors) beverages. About 4,000 in the United States and 2,500 in Canada will participate in this promotion. Go figure as it is the only trophy in America's top four sports leagues you can drink a beer out of. Many of sponsor's packaging will include "Because it's the Cup" branding. I've seen NHL branding ever since the new sponsorship. Coors packaging in the New England features the Boston Bruins and so does Bud Light. Stores often have Bruins logos with the Cup featured in windows.
The new TV campaign is broken down into four themes. The first is "Two Halftimes" which recognizes and promotes team relationships and camaraderie in homes and bars during the playoffs. Next is the "Where its been" showing unique places the Cup has been. Following the many places the Cup has been brought is the "City" theme which shows how the playoffs bring communities together and lastly the "Story" aspect which demonstrates the history of the Cup.
Coke's Effort
Coca-Cola enters its last year as partners with the NCAA and its tournament March Madness. What was once a shocking deal, 13 years which has been estimated to cost Coke $50 million yearly for numerous rights, is about to end strongly. Coke's efforts are still strong to push forward and market one of it's newer products, Coke Zero.
The Coca-Cola Company is trying to spread it's digital and social media. With the new tablet technologies, iPads, iPhones, the Android system, etc... more people are accessible than ever before. There are many prizes to be given away which are incentives to watch the tournament. Prizes include tickets to the Final Four, concert tickets, and more. With computer, television, and mobile screens, there are plenty of marketing options. Coke has even employed top NCAA analysts on certain channels (especially those with exclusive NCAA broadcasting rights) to represent their product and the March Madness 2012 campaign.
I've seen the efforts by Coke personally. They are truly using all of their assets to market their product during the final four. At Endicott College, the dining services are partnered with Coke products (Coke, Powerade, Sprite, etc...). At certain dining venues on campus, Coke Zero is on signs and posters, with raffle opportunities to win Coke mini fridges and more.
The Coca-Cola Company is trying to spread it's digital and social media. With the new tablet technologies, iPads, iPhones, the Android system, etc... more people are accessible than ever before. There are many prizes to be given away which are incentives to watch the tournament. Prizes include tickets to the Final Four, concert tickets, and more. With computer, television, and mobile screens, there are plenty of marketing options. Coke has even employed top NCAA analysts on certain channels (especially those with exclusive NCAA broadcasting rights) to represent their product and the March Madness 2012 campaign.
I've seen the efforts by Coke personally. They are truly using all of their assets to market their product during the final four. At Endicott College, the dining services are partnered with Coke products (Coke, Powerade, Sprite, etc...). At certain dining venues on campus, Coke Zero is on signs and posters, with raffle opportunities to win Coke mini fridges and more.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Pretty Boy
It's no secret athletes usually give each other lavish gifts with their big-time contracts. Athletes have been known to give cars, expensive dinners, jewelry, and more as presents. A highly noted event of this is when Brian McRae leased pitcher Frank Castillo a convertible Mercedes-Benz after he knocked one out of the park during batting practice at Wrigley Field. However, this gift might be the first of it's kind.
Jonathon Niese admitted upon arriving to spring training that he received a nose job over the offseason. Wait... it gets even better. The whole thing started off as a joke once former teammate Carlos Beltran said he would pay for Niese to get a new nose. The original motivation was aesthetics, however, Niese got the best of this fun. Beltran promised to pay for the surgery before he was traded last July to the San Francisco Giants. According to Niese, Beltran has not covered the tab, but he doesn't care if he pays for it. The new nose has made it easier for Niese to breathe during workouts, but he is not sure how it will effect him on the mound.
Beltran signed a two year deal this offseason witht he St. Louis Cardinals and will be making approximately $13 million this year. Niese is one year from arbitration and earned $452,000 last year. It would look bad upon Beltran not to carry out his promise, but at least Niese will be a more handsome stud on the mound. Maybe we'll see more fashion-esque fun in sport. Any ideas about the Edmonton Oilers Taylor Hall?
Jonathon Niese admitted upon arriving to spring training that he received a nose job over the offseason. Wait... it gets even better. The whole thing started off as a joke once former teammate Carlos Beltran said he would pay for Niese to get a new nose. The original motivation was aesthetics, however, Niese got the best of this fun. Beltran promised to pay for the surgery before he was traded last July to the San Francisco Giants. According to Niese, Beltran has not covered the tab, but he doesn't care if he pays for it. The new nose has made it easier for Niese to breathe during workouts, but he is not sure how it will effect him on the mound.
Beltran signed a two year deal this offseason witht he St. Louis Cardinals and will be making approximately $13 million this year. Niese is one year from arbitration and earned $452,000 last year. It would look bad upon Beltran not to carry out his promise, but at least Niese will be a more handsome stud on the mound. Maybe we'll see more fashion-esque fun in sport. Any ideas about the Edmonton Oilers Taylor Hall?
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| Jon Niese (AD/Adam Rubin) |
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| Taylor "Frankenstein" Hall |
Sports in Images - 1
I wanted to make a series of posts that depict sport in images. Good
times, bad times, bloopers, amazing plays, etc... Here's my first one,
enjoy! (If the animation doesn't work on click on the image. Some images are not animated).
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| Fishing in Australia |
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| I first discovered this back when C.C. signed with NYY |
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| Boston Bruins Stanley Cup party tab |
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| Mascot fail |
First Ever Fantasy Sport Awards?
One of the biggest growing trends in sport of my time has been Fantasy Sports. Men everywhere obsess over it. Friends join leagues where winners take home money/trophies, bragging rights, or simple friendly bets. TV shows have even been created in honor of fantasy football. The show The League is about a group of friends who play in a fantasy football league in order to win the "Shiva-bowl" and take home the "Shiva" trophy. With the grammys that have just passed by and the Oscars on the way, there is no doubt that it's an award season. SiriusXM's Fantasy Sports Radio (XM channel 87, Sirius 210) is attempting the first fantasy sports awards (at least the first I have heard of *shurgs*) called The Fantasies. I would think this idea would have been thought of 2-3 years ago at least.
The awards will air on SiriusXM's Fantasy Sports Radio (XM channel 87, Sirius 210) on February 23, 2012 at 8:00pm EST. Unfortunately, I discovered about this rather late. The polls are closed so no one can vote anymore nor see the who is competing for each award, but I can list the awards being given this year. The official website features 14 awards (and another blog gives some of the players up for baseball awards):
- Fantasy Football Stud – for the best fantasy football player in 2011
- Bell Cow - for the best running back in fantasy football in 2011
- Mr. Fantasy Baseball – for the best player in fantasy baseball right now
- 1st Star – for the best player in fantasy hockey right now
- The Bernie Madoff Award – for the biggest fantasy football “steal” on draft day or free agency in 2011
- The Jerry Rice Award - for the best wide receiver in fantasy football in 2011
- Fantasy Ace – for the best pitcher in fantasy baseball right now
- Hoops Hero – for the best player in fantasy basketball right now
- Big Man on Campus – for the best player in college fantasy football in 2011
- Hot Wheel – for the driver most likely to finish the 2012 fantasy NASCAR season with the most points
- Alley Oop – for the fantasy basketball player whose value will rise the most in 2012
- Back on the Bandwagon – for the fantasy baseball player expected to be the most improved in 2012
- Worst screwing – to the player who caused the most frustration in fantasy football in 2011
- Gunslinger – for the best quarterback in fantasy football in 2011
Of those listed, let me talk about who will win. Miguel Cabrera will win Mr. Fantasy Baseball. He plays in the American League, he is very consistent, and he is not limited to first base (third base eligible). Justin Verlander will win the Fantasy Ace. This stud's mug is on the MLB 2K12 video game cover and he is the American League MVP and Cy Young Award winner. Carl Crawford is most likely to win the Back on the Bandwagon award because the club he plays for gives him the best to chance to likely put up better numbers than the others nominees.
I can't wait to see who wins, especially my favorite, 1st Star - the player best in hockey fantasy right now. However, I feel there needs to be more diverse categories and awards in each sport for athletes to win.
Long Lost Twins?
Is Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) from the office secretly related to the Manning brothers? Decide for yourself.
Leagues Toughest Guy (NHL)
When it comes to hockey, many fans associate the word tough with the Boston Bruins. It's no secret that the Bruins play hard, rough, and defend for each other. You can say their motto is rough and tough, at least their attitude and mentality show it. This past Sunday Boston Bruins forward Milan Lucic was highlighted above the team as the league's toughest player. NHLPA polls show 20% of players around the league voted for him. Before Sunday's game versus the Minnesota Wild, Lucic commented on his award, "It's good to heart that... It's an honor to be recognized by the people around the league as being a tough player. For myself, you take a lot of pride in that just because in the way I play and have to keep that up" (Gulizia, p.1).
In 56 games this season for the B's, Lucic has netted 20 goals (tied for team first with youngster Tyler Seguin) and tallied 22 assists for a total of 42 points. Lucic is ranked second in the club for most penalty minutes. Many compare Lucic to Cam Neely. Both play similarly. Lucic hustles hard, he can play the body, skate well, and bang the puck into the back of the net. He's the real deal when it comes to a grinder who can score. Oh yeah, and he's not afraid to drop the gloves, but it takes two to tango. Forward Chris Kelly complimented Milan Lucic pointing out what's unique about his teammate, "I don’t think there’s too many guys that can skate like he does, score like he does and fights like he does... He fights all the tough guys - he does it all" (Gulizia, p. 1).
Lucic commented the tough mentality is a team effort and he is happy to be individually recognized on behalf of the team. Among Lucic, other Bruins won awards. Patrice Bergeron won most underrated player award. For this first time since "The Comeback Kid's" concussion in the 2007-2008 season, hockey fans are seeing signs of the old Bergeron who was scoring 70+ points a season. Bergeron has made a successful recovery and still has the chance to be the superstar he can be. Defenseman and Captain Zdeno "Big Z" Chara was also recognized as the league's hardest defenseman to play against and for having the hardest shot. Be sure to watch the former Stanley Cup champions as they finish off their six game road trip this week.
Wednesday, Feb. 22 vs St. Louis Blues - 8:00pm [NESN(HD)]
Friday, Feb. 24 vs Buffalo Sabres - 7:30pm [NESN(HD)]
Saturday, Feb. 25 vs Ottawa Senators - 7:00pm [CBC, NESN(HD), & RDS(HD)]
Oh, for those who haven't seen how these bo$$e$ roll. Stanley Cup tab.
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| Lucic pumps up crowds after fighting |
In 56 games this season for the B's, Lucic has netted 20 goals (tied for team first with youngster Tyler Seguin) and tallied 22 assists for a total of 42 points. Lucic is ranked second in the club for most penalty minutes. Many compare Lucic to Cam Neely. Both play similarly. Lucic hustles hard, he can play the body, skate well, and bang the puck into the back of the net. He's the real deal when it comes to a grinder who can score. Oh yeah, and he's not afraid to drop the gloves, but it takes two to tango. Forward Chris Kelly complimented Milan Lucic pointing out what's unique about his teammate, "I don’t think there’s too many guys that can skate like he does, score like he does and fights like he does... He fights all the tough guys - he does it all" (Gulizia, p. 1).
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| Lucic lands a left jab |
Lucic commented the tough mentality is a team effort and he is happy to be individually recognized on behalf of the team. Among Lucic, other Bruins won awards. Patrice Bergeron won most underrated player award. For this first time since "The Comeback Kid's" concussion in the 2007-2008 season, hockey fans are seeing signs of the old Bergeron who was scoring 70+ points a season. Bergeron has made a successful recovery and still has the chance to be the superstar he can be. Defenseman and Captain Zdeno "Big Z" Chara was also recognized as the league's hardest defenseman to play against and for having the hardest shot. Be sure to watch the former Stanley Cup champions as they finish off their six game road trip this week.
Wednesday, Feb. 22 vs St. Louis Blues - 8:00pm [NESN(HD)]
Friday, Feb. 24 vs Buffalo Sabres - 7:30pm [NESN(HD)]
Saturday, Feb. 25 vs Ottawa Senators - 7:00pm [CBC, NESN(HD), & RDS(HD)]
Oh, for those who haven't seen how these bo$$e$ roll. Stanley Cup tab.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Pawngo Stunt Angers Boston Sports Fans
Perhaps this stunt will gain the support of many sports fans who hate Boston. Many people dislike Boston sports and would support those who mock Boston's teams. The stunt can be seen as classless, but it could be positive exposure for the new company in the sports world. As if the outcome of the game was not enough punishment for diehard Boston fans. What does everyone think? Was this stunt a good business move for Pawngo or not?
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Wednesday, February 15, 2012
SI Struggles - New Swimsuit Issue to be a Step in the Right Direction
When it comes to men, sports and women are the cream of the crop. However, since 2009 Sports Illustrated has been in a slump, but estimates an 8% increase in advertising revenue. Sports Illustrated did not release a specific number of dollars that 8% represents, but does expect a better outcome for this year's swimsuit issue. The content for this issue goes far beyond the printed magazine and can be found on many platforms. The best part is the content on different platforms is not necessarily the same. SI Swimsuit Edition of 2012 will branch to SI.com content, media for iPhones, iPads, Android, Nook, & Kindle. VH1 also made a special program to honor the swimsuit edition and DirectTV has joined with SI to create an app allowing smartphone users to scan "digital watermarks" in the print magazine to unlock additional content else-wise unavailable to others. This year's issue will include athletes again. Digital media will have pictures of models that give the reader a 360 degree view. When clicking on the pictures, it will seem like the model is spinning, giving it a video-like feel. Any online media (including phones and tablets) will feature links to the models' Twitter pages so readers can follow the models online. With all the different platforms, the swimsuit issue will reach 65 million readers.
The breakdown for the location of advertising revenues are as follows:
- Print: 55%
- Online media: 31%
- Experimental/Event marketing: 10%
- Smartphones & Tablets: 5%
These numbers make sense, but I would think that online media would be closer to the print media. This year's issue has 211 pages of which 82 are ad pages. In 2011 there were 86 ad pages and 77 in 2011. Perhaps the 9 page ad gap from 2010 to 2011 played a strong role in generating smaller revenues than previous years. An interesting stat to pay attention to is that 38% of the readers for the swimsuit issue are women. This number is a lot higher than people would think. There are many typical ads people may think are for men. Companies advertising in this year's issue include Kru82 vodka, Gillete, Lexus, and the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. Take note that Gillette is targeting women for its Venus line of razors. It may be beneficial to advertise certain products for women in the swimsuit, but research must be conducted to see women's perception of the magazine. If women do not feel pretty while reading the issue, maybe it would be a good idea to advertise cosmetic products.
Last years smartphone and tablet technology was made in haste and this year looks to be much better. The Creative Director of Sports Illustrated, Chris Hercik, said, "This was really the first time where we had an entire year to completely build out the product and make it deeper, smoother and much more interactive" (Sport Business Journal, Fisher).
9-Year Old Twins Banned From Youth Hockey
Austin Foglietta scored his 200th goal and had asked to keep the puck. You would think harmless, right? Apparently not, according to his parents and a few others. It is said his coach had freaked out, yelled, and threw a bag of pucks in his reaction to the incident. The coach, Bill Norcross, and his followers deny the accusations. He claims the story has been fabricated, but why would the Foglietta's file an official complaint with Lynn Youth Hockey? Norcross says the Foglietta's mother has tried to run the team herself. He has shown emails requesting that her son play defense. Norcross' response in short: why put him there if it doesn't benefit the team? Why is this the coach's philosophy when he says he was upset about Austin asking for the puck because he values team play. 1) Team play can still be valued and respected alongside personal merit & 2) How is playing players only where it makes the team most likely to win a team-like atmosphere in youth sport?
Either way, Lynn Youth Hockey League said the Foglietta's and the league should end their relationship and kicked Austin and his twin brother William off the team. The two 9-year old twins could not practice or play games with their teams. Norcross' attorny, Kevin Foley, believes Holly Foglietta is making up a story and being persistent about it. However certain laws show the twins should have been able to play up to the date of their hearing. Needless to say the story of the event has many shifting details and the Lynn Youth Hockey League's reaction to the situation seems poor, unprofessional, and ridiculous. It was only a filed complaint. So what if Mrs. Foglietta called it nearly "child-abuse". Is the reaction hinting maybe their is something being covered up? It was quite a harsh punishment for asking to keep a puck to remember your 200th goal WHEN YOU ARE NINE YEARS OLD. Check out the story for yourselves at The Daily Item.
Either way, Lynn Youth Hockey League said the Foglietta's and the league should end their relationship and kicked Austin and his twin brother William off the team. The two 9-year old twins could not practice or play games with their teams. Norcross' attorny, Kevin Foley, believes Holly Foglietta is making up a story and being persistent about it. However certain laws show the twins should have been able to play up to the date of their hearing. Needless to say the story of the event has many shifting details and the Lynn Youth Hockey League's reaction to the situation seems poor, unprofessional, and ridiculous. It was only a filed complaint. So what if Mrs. Foglietta called it nearly "child-abuse". Is the reaction hinting maybe their is something being covered up? It was quite a harsh punishment for asking to keep a puck to remember your 200th goal WHEN YOU ARE NINE YEARS OLD. Check out the story for yourselves at The Daily Item.
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| Austin and William with Lord Stanley |
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
People Have a lot to Say
And people can talk all the smack they want about the Superbowl, about Tom Brady (can't throw and catch a ball by himself), and Boston sports. I have lived in a great time. I've seen all four major teams win championships. Who else has in their lifetime? I laugh when NY wants to bring up the beef. A review of the last decade...
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| Yes, I found this pic on Barstool. |
Cats365
What a genius idea. What other franchise in the NBA comes up with an amazing ticket seasons renewal plan other than the Charlotte Bobcats. Absurd, right? The thought of this club creating a plan of solid gold is like imagining Dikembe Mutombo sinking a bucket from half court... with his eyes closed (however, no problem for MJ... from the free throw line). The team currently only has a current attendance of 16,982 fans per game. Rather embarrassing due to the league's average attendance is 17,105 fans per game, but maybe this new plan will help this struggling franchise. I mean it should. The new plan seeks to connect fans to the organization in a deeper sense. It reaches out to their personal interests outside of the sport, giving the season ticket more value than ever before. Many teams suffering this season are expected to follow in the paw prints of the Bobcats. The team announced its program during the last sales and marketing meeting. Will other clubs be able to catch onto the 'Cats tail?
The Bobcats have split the type of lifestyle activities into several categories including "out-on-the-town", "athletic focus", "family time", "community involvement", and "business networking". The catch to this program is that only season ticket holders renewing their tickets will have access to the new Cats365 program. It's all inclusive because the price for these events are included in the season ticket price. There are an estimated 60 non-game activities to be included in this package. Activities include bowling nights, golf outings, UFC Fight Nights, movies at the arena, sport lessons, business networking opportunities, community service/volunteer events, and more. The new program should give fans a better sense of belonging and will feel a stronger connection to the Bobcats organization. Currently the 'Cats have approximately an 80% renewal rate which is quite high for an organization that had a record of 3-22 as of February 9th.
Despite the poor performance by the Bobcats this season, fans should be open to forgiving their team due to the shortened and oddly shaped season almost taken away by a lockout. Cats365 truly has new ideas that will attract fans once innovated into their current system. I believe other leagues will adopt this policy as well, not just other NBA franchises. I also believe including something about food will increase the value of season tickets. Some franchises have "All-you-can-eat" tickets, where the price of the food is already in the ticket price. However, this would most likely drastically kill concession's numbers. What does everyone think?
The Bobcats have split the type of lifestyle activities into several categories including "out-on-the-town", "athletic focus", "family time", "community involvement", and "business networking". The catch to this program is that only season ticket holders renewing their tickets will have access to the new Cats365 program. It's all inclusive because the price for these events are included in the season ticket price. There are an estimated 60 non-game activities to be included in this package. Activities include bowling nights, golf outings, UFC Fight Nights, movies at the arena, sport lessons, business networking opportunities, community service/volunteer events, and more. The new program should give fans a better sense of belonging and will feel a stronger connection to the Bobcats organization. Currently the 'Cats have approximately an 80% renewal rate which is quite high for an organization that had a record of 3-22 as of February 9th.
Despite the poor performance by the Bobcats this season, fans should be open to forgiving their team due to the shortened and oddly shaped season almost taken away by a lockout. Cats365 truly has new ideas that will attract fans once innovated into their current system. I believe other leagues will adopt this policy as well, not just other NBA franchises. I also believe including something about food will increase the value of season tickets. Some franchises have "All-you-can-eat" tickets, where the price of the food is already in the ticket price. However, this would most likely drastically kill concession's numbers. What does everyone think?
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Logo from the official Bobcats' website
&
Owned.
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