It's been a week now since the unspeakable and unfathomable Sandy Hook Elementary School travesty; the world still remains in shock. When I first started to read the timeline on Twitter I initially tweeted that the conversation on gun control should be saved for a more appropriate time, whether that was in the coming days, weeks or months. However, shortly thereafter, after reading the tweets from Piers Morgan and Michael Moore, I came to agreement that NOW is the time to have an honest conversation about gun control in the United States. The deaths of these 20 innocent young angels cannot happen without change. I spent the next couple hours retweeting insightful articles and statistics about the gun control issue in the United States. I insisted that, because I don't have extensive knowledge on the subject and I'm Canadian, I would keep my thoughts to a platform of 140 characters or less. That was before I came across two pathetic stories I could not commit thoughts to, in 140 characters or less.
The first story I felt compelled to write about was from President Obama's speech at the Newtown memorial. Within the hour of the speech, Deadspin quickly compiled a running timeline of insensitive and racist tweets from individuals upset that the speech was interrupting the San Francisco 49ers v. New England Patriots game on Sunday Night Football. In the days following, I was appalled by the +NFL's cowardice to support NBC's decision to pre-empt the game to air President Obama's speech. A true #PRFail in my books.
The second story infuriated me much more than the first. An American armour provider, Amendment II is profiting off this horrific massacre. Yes, sales of Amendment II's armoured backpacks have tripled in the last week. That's correct, hundreds to thousands of American parents are rushing to strap armoured Disney Princesses, Avengers or Swiss Gear backpacks to their children and send them to school "protected" in case another deranged young male happens to stumble upon his mother's semi-automatic rifle in the "hidden cabinet". REALLY? This is the worst Plan B of all-time!
I quickly want to interrupt this train of thought to state that A) I'm aware and proud that since this massacre, thousands of Americans have admitted to the gun control issue and have relinquished their guns and B) I'm the last guy that buys into sweeping global generalizations about the American people. I'm the first guy to defend Americans. I love the United States and many of its people.
That said, for all the gun brandishing, armoured backpack purchasing, 2nd amendment-saluting Americans, I have to say that you are unquestionably delusional. To believe a reasonable solution to preventing another shooting of this magnitude is to strap handguns and rifles to your children's teachers or worse, don your children in armoured backpacks is beyond comprehension.
Armour has never been so stylish for your children!
Are we devolving as a species? I'm unequivocally sickened by this! The solution to this problem sits right in front of our faces; don't allow these guns to be so damn accessible! The thought of purchasing a semi-automatic rifle at the local Walmart truly boggles my mind. I truly could never bring myself to even walk over to that section of the store when I visited an American Walmart. This foreign concept was way too creepy to consider. To be blatantly honest, if I wanted to own a rifle of that kind, I have NO IDEA how or where I could find one. For the average American, it's easier for you to go purchase an AK47 than it is for me to unlock that gun in the latest Call of Duty video game.
If you're THAT pro-gun loyalist that is completely dismissing what I'm saying then I want you to do the following. I want you to strap the Disney Princesses armoured backpack to your little daughter. Then have this conversation with her...
Daughter: "Why do I need to wear this?"
Parent: "It's for your protection in case a bad person tries to shoot you"
Daughter: "Why do we let these bad people have guns?"
Parent: "Our 2nd amendment says we are allowed to bear arms"
Daughter: "I'm scared"
I'm almost certain that child will come to the realization of the real issue quicker than many of these gun-waving individuals. That precious 2nd amendment these people cling to is completely antiquated. It was drafted in 1791! For Pete's sake, SLAVERY had yet to be abolished. There were no semi-automatic rifles in 1791 either. Since that time we've abolished slavery, allowed women to vote, drove, flown, listened to the radio, watched TV, surfed the Internet, Facebook'd, Skype'd, etc. We've evolved in every possible way except for the 2nd amendment.
For the sake of the American people, I hope we see a revolution on the 2nd amendment.
Sunday's loss to the Tennessee Titans was as upsetting a loss to the organization and its fans as anyone could imagine. They were dominated in all aspects of the game, from a far less superior team, as soon as Reggie Bush put the ball on the ground, during the Dolphins second drive of the afternoon. While they were punished and beaten down during a Week 1 road loss to the Houston Texans, that one is forgivable, as the Dolphins were still a team trying to gel and it was rookie Quarterback, Ryan Tannehill's first professional game. This loss to the Titans, on home soil, was much more upsetting.
Ryan Tannehill MUST rally the troops and escape Buffalo with a W
However, the Dolphins can't let that loss be debilitating or deflating as they head down the home stretch of their 2012 season. While more dim, there remains a flicker of light for the team's playoff aspirations. It all starts in Buffalo, tonight.
Tannehill and the Dolphins have to put Sunday's loss to the Titans behind them and focus on finishing the season 5-2, as nine wins should get you into the AFC playoff picture this season. Here's how they can do it.
The Fish have five winnable games left on their schedule, some may argue all seven are winnable. Beating the Bills twice and the Jaguars at home are absolute must wins. They will face more formidable foes when they host the upstart Seattle Seahawks a week from this Sunday. That said, if we know anything about this year's Seahawks, or any Seahawks team of the last decase for that matter, they are unbeatable at Qwest Field but often hapless when travelling outside of Washington State.
If the Dolphins are able to win those four games, then a trip to Candlestick Park to play the 49ers and a home and home series against the rival Patriots are the games that remain. From a look at the math, they would need to win only one of those games to be primed for a playoff spot, which they are capable of doing.
Tonight we'll get a great indication if the 2012 Miami Dolphins are a young team learning to win consistently under the helm of a rookie signal-caller in Ryan Tannehill or an ascending team ready to capitalize on a weaker schedule, similar to the schedule they had during their 2008 playoff push. Time will tell.
Thoughts Around the League:
-Bill Belichek is the greatest Head Coach of my generation, perhaps the greatest coach of all-time. That said, can we remove the "genius" tag given to him? As a defensive coach, he's had four years to fix a defense that has sit near the cellar of the league, especially in the back-end. While he's acquired some great defenders in the past few seasons with guys like: Chandler Jones, Brandon Spikes, Jerod Mayo, etc, the pass defense remains one of the worst in the league.
-Michael Vick's days in a Philadelphia Eagles jersey seem to be numbered. If the Eagles cut bait in the offseason, one of the more intriguing storylines is where Vick will land next. I still think Vick has good football left in him. Don't the New York Jets make the most sense?
-If the NFL trade deadline still laid ahead of us, do you think the Pittsburgh Steelers would be on the phone with Miami Dolphins General Manager Jeff Ireland about the possibility of a trade involving Dolphins backup Quarterback, Matt Moore?
-Why do the New York Giants consistently go into hibernation in the month of November under the tutelage of Head Coach Tom Coughlin?
-Are we really jumping off this Atlanta Falcons bandwagon already? One loss, to a divisional opponent, on the road, and we're abandoning ship like the Titanic. Despite only having a slightly above average defense, the Falcons are still the most formidable team in the league and should still be favourites to hoist the Lombardi Trophy in February. Oh and, Matt Ryan is still the league's MVP and is knocking on the door of the "elite" class of Quarterbacks.
-We only may get to witness it two or three times, but how much fun will this Andrew Luck v. Tom Brady showdown be on Sunday? Luck is everything as advertised and more but Brady is still the King of the Jungle, something has got to give on Sunday.
Why does this 2012 Miami Dolphins story sound so familiar? For whatever reason, it feels like Dolphins fans have been down this path before.
Think back to the 2008 Miami Dolphins season. If you can't recall or you forced yourself to "misremember", let me remind you. This is the story of a rebuilding team starting from scratch, merely looking to improve upon on a highly forgettable and historically awful 1-15 2007 season. 2008 brought a new Head Coach and new Quarterback into the fold. A new culture was being created in Miami.
Is this starting to sound more familiar?
Fast-forward to 2012 - how does the 2012 team compare to the 2008 team? Let's go down the checklist:
New game-managing Quarterback? Check
New Head Coach? Check
New culture? Check
4-4 start through 8 games? Check
Played NFC West Division? Check
Zero to few wins against teams with winning records? Check
These resemblances, these eerily resemblances are remarkable. That Miami Dolphins squad would end up winning 11 games on the back of discarded signal-caller Chad Pennington and the "revolutionary" Wildcat offence, earning their first playoff birth in 7 seasons. Despite, an early exit in the postseason this new Dolphins regime led by Vice-President of Football Operations, Bill Parcells provided a small glimmer of hope of what would be a return to glory for the once-proud franchise. However, that small glimmer of hope would quickly darken with each fist-pumping Field Goal after fist-pumping Field Goal from Head Coach Tony Sparano. The 2008 season was the start of a giant step backward, rather than forward.
Field Goal Fist Pump!
Flash forward 3 seasons, Chad Pennington along with "future franchise QB" Chad Henne and said Head Coach Tony Sparano are all gone with only much-maligned General Manager Jeff Ireland remaining to direct personnel decisions.
I know history indicates that this optimistic Dolphins season is more of a mirage than the start of a successful run in South Beach, but wait Dolfans! Before you start to hit the panic button, or reserve that optimism you've built up for a surprising 4-4 start to the 2012 campaign, I'm hear to tell you, despite these similarities, the 2012 Dolphins, unlike the 2008 Dolphins, aren't a flash in the pan and will continue to build upon this success. Feel free to continue building that optimism. Here is where these two teams differ:
Head Coach Joe Philbin is much more equipped to handle the responsibilities of being the main boss than Tony Sparano ever was. He already calls a better game than Sparano ever did.
While it's preached for rookie QB Ryan Tannehill to limit his mistakes and manage the game, his skill-set is MUCH more diverse than what Chad Pennington could offer as signal caller. Both manage a game exceedingly well but unlike Pennington at the time, Tannehill's best years are ahead of him and he is able to sling the ball when needed.
Ryan Tannehill is the first-round, franchise Quarterback of the future - Chad Pennington was a New York Jets cast-off.
The NFC West provides much more competition to AFC East teams than it did 4 seasons ago, ergo the victories over these teams are more impressive than they were in 2008.
The 2012 Dolphins are winning games through executing fundamentals like running the ball and stopping the run; they are not relying on gimmicks like the Wild Cat to spark an otherwise pedestrian offence.
I hope I talked you off that ledge. While scary similarities remain between the 2008 and 2012 Miami Dolphins, the 2012 team is ready to step ahead.
Half way through the season, the Miami Dolphins are officially in the post-season hunt. Despite the emergence of rookie Quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who they believe will be the franchise QB for 15 years, it hasn't been a Herculean effort from their gun-slinging passer that has allowed them to get to a 4-3 record.
Despite their stout run defense, this Dolphins defense won't at any time this season resemble the '85 Bears D or '00 Ravens D.
For the 2012 Miami Dolphins, it isn't one player or one unit of the team that is guiding the team to a post-season push. They've had early season success because they've received significant contributions from all players and units of the team. The Dolphins are obviously buying into the Joe Philbin program.
Last Sunday, in their 30-9 victory over the Jets, it was the Special Teams unit that played a key role. Jimmy Wilson blocked a punt leading to an Olivier Vernon Touchdown. When the Jets finally had a decent offensive drive near the end of the first half, leading to a possible momentum-building Field Goal, it was Olivier Vernon that blocked said Field Goal, killing any chance of gaining momentum.
In their first win of the season, it was the running game led by Reggie Bush and the offensive line that propelled the Dolphins to an impressive victory. In other victories it was efficient play from Ryan Tannehill and overall stout defensive efforts that led them to victory.
If the Dolphins were to make the playoffs in 2012, it would be because they continued to receive contributions from all players and units. These are the players and units I've been most impressed with:
Quarterbacks: You can't just point to Ryan Tannehill as the one to lead the team at the most-important position. Matt Moore was efficient and instrumental in the Dolphins victory over the Jets after Tannehill left the game in the first quarter with a leg injury. Both quarterbacks have played exceedingly well and have provided the Dolphins stability at a position that has been devoid of stability for over a decade.
Special Teams: Special Teams Coordinator Darren Rizzi has done an incredible job with a unit that has converted a fake punt, blocked a punt for a TD and blocked an attempted Field Goal.
Safeties: While there is still a lot of room for improvement both Reshad Jones & Chris Clemons, the much-maligned Safeties have been key contributors in the run defense and have contributed two turnovers a piece with key interceptions, one by Jones to end the game and one by Clemons near the goal line to stop a key drive by the Jets.
Jones & Clemons have improved their respective games immensely
Rookie Class: For all the flak Jeff Ireland receives, much of it is deserved, he's also acquired some great talent over his five-year tenure, this is no more evident than with his 2012 rookie class. Obviously, the gem of the class is Quarterback Ryan Tannehill but Oliver Vernon is starting to establish himself as a playmaking pass rusher and Special Teams player. Jonathan Martin has been solid on the right-side of the offensive line all season. Once Lamar Miller can fully absorb the playbook and learn to pass-protect, he'll be one of the real steals of the draft. He's shown flashes of playmaking ability, scoring a game-sealing Touchdown v. Oakland in Week 2.
This isn't a Peyton Manning-led Colts team where he practically carries the team to the playoffs, the Dolphins are playing like the cliched "well-oiled machine". If they continue to all contribute in the fashion they currently doing, the Dolphins have a great shot at the post-season!
Finally, for professional coverage of the Miami Dolphins there's no better writer than Ben Volin from the Palm Beach Post. His writing and knowledge of the team is excellent!
I first want to comment that I have a lot of respect for Miami Herald, Miami Dolphins columnist, Armando Salguero. I believe he has a great grasp of the Miami Dolphins organization and unlike me, he shares a professional view of the Dolphins.
However... I have philosophical differences in how I view the Miami Dolphins, in particular to two of his recent 'Miami Dolphins in Depth' blog posts. In these posts he shared his thoughts on GM Jeff Ireland and the search for a franchise QB.
First, in a post titled, 'Jeff Ireland is not the Devil', Salguero shared his sentiments that despite the desired replacement of Ireland from all of "Phins Nation", Salguero feels Ireland hasn't done as bad as a job as many Dolphin fans believe. In the post, he states that Ireland made wise choices in not signing Flynn, resigning Soliai, signing Garrard and trading Brandon Marshall.
He also defended Ireland against onslaughts from Ryan Clark and Joey Porter who claim free agents are avoiding playing for Miami because of Ireland. This could be a hangover from 2010, when during the draft process, when interviewing WR prospect Dez Bryant, Ireland asked Bryant about his Mom's past of prostitution. Salguero's defense of Ireland was that Porter specifically has a history of ripping front office personnel that has either cut or traded him (Porter was cut from the Dolphins after the 2009 season).
I agree with Salguero with all accounts. Garrard can provide QB stability throughout the 2012 and maybe 2013 season. They did resign Soliai for a bargain and trading Marshall alleviates any future headaches when he inevitably gets into trouble again. I'll go one further, Ireland has DRAFTED considerably well. After years of other Dolphins GMs missing on first round draft picks, Ireland has hit on every single first rounder he's selected in Jake Long, Vontae Davis, Jared Odrick and Mike Pouncey. He's also found undrafted free agents in Davone Bess and former CFL standout, Cameron Wake.
However, Ireland has just as many misses in the draft and in free agency. Here's a list of misses:
Justin Smiley (free agent Left Guard in '08)
Ernest Wilford (free agent Wideout in '08)
Jake Grove (free agent Centre in '09)
Pat White (Drafted Quarterback in '09)
Patrick Turner (Drafted Wideout in '09)
Is he the only GM in the league that has missed in the draft and free agency? HELL NO. But, despite any spitefulness from Joey Porter, his comments shared by Ryan Clark show, "where there's smoke, there's fire".
I ask Salguero, why should the Dolphins retain his services? He's been an average GM, AT BEST!
Salguero's other post, titled, 'Dolphins don't seem done at Quarterback' goes into detail a draft strategy for QBs going into the 2012 draft. Salguero states that while he likes Texas A&M prospect, Ryan Tannehill, he would not reach to draft him in the first round. The earliest Salguero would select Tannehill is in the 2nd round.
My dispute to Salguero is that if the Dolphins think he can be a franchise QB, you can't reach for him at any position. So Armando can put whatever grade on him, but if Jeff Ireland, Head Coach Joe Philbin and Offensive Coordinator (also former coach and mentor of Tannehill at Texas A&M) believe he's a legitimate franchise QB, you draft him if he's available at 8, 40 or 268.
I believe while still VERY raw, Tannehill possesses all the physical skills and QB accumen to be a franchise QB. If he's available at #8 when the Dolphins are on the clock, they should sprint to Commish Godell to make that selection.
Ideally, going into the 2013 season, I'd love to see the Dolphins have a new GM and Ryan Tannehill as their starting QB. I guess Armando has different opinions. Either way, I feel bad for both of us as fan and columnist, 2012 will be UGLY!
What is the one thing people clamour for most at the end of the calendar year? LISTS! Your eyes cannot travel far between the television, magazines/newspapers and the Internet without stumbling upon a list. Heck there are even top 10 lists of the top 10 lists!
With that said, call me fashionably late, but here are my, "Top 10 PR-Sports Stories of 2011"
10. Ryan Braun - Did he or didn't he?
Just when you think that the steroid-era in baseball is in our rear-view mirrors, 2011 National League MVP and Milwaukee Brewer, Ryan Braun was busted in December for testing positive for elevated levels of testosterone caused by a banned substance. It has not been confirmed by Major League Baseball whether the banned substance was HGH or another Performing Enhancing Drug (PED) but this story certainly came at a bad time. Bud Selig must have been thinking, "you've got to be kidding me?!". MLB had wrapped up a great season with the most dramatic, down-to-the-wire regular season in history and just when we think MLB has moved beyond the PED problem, their NL MVP is busted. Fortunately for Commissioner Selig and the rest of MLB, this story didn't gain too much national attention as there were bigger stories that overshadowed this one, a couple of these stories that are on this very list! PR Summary: After making significant efforts to change the public perception that the MLB is a no-cheaters league, their MVP, guilty or not, has tarnished said efforts.
9. Tiger Woods - His trip back to normality, including his golf game
Granted, Tiger Woods is so 2010 but the 2011 Tiger Woods story doesn't focus on adult-movie starlets and a multi-million dollar divorce. The 2011 Tiger Woods story rather focuses on the precipitous decline of the greatest golfer of my generation, possibly of ANY generation. Tiger Woods won 1, yes 1 tournament in 2011. You know who know earned more money than Woods in 2011? Woods' fall-from-grace has left a gaping hole in the PGA Tour landscape. The PGA is simply devoid of a star. Because of Tiger's struggles, ratings for tournaments, even the Major Opens, plummeted when Tiger wasn't walking down the 18th fairway in contention for the lead. 2012 could be a damaging year for the PGA if Woods is unable to regain his vintage Tiger form. PR Summary: The popularity of golf and the PGA in North America rest upon the shoulders of Tiger Woods. If he doesn't regain a small amount of success he had earlier in his career, the sport will continue to lose popularity.
8. "The U" - Miami University highlights the greed and corruption of collegiate football
In the final days of the summer, Yahoo Sports revealed that University of Miami Booster, Nevin Shapiro, who himself had been incarcerated for his role in a $930 million Ponzi scheme, had provided 72 U of M athletes with thousands of benefits from 2002 to 2010. Some of these benefits and NCAA infractions included Shapiro paying for: prostitutes, abortions, parties and jewelry. It was also noted that at least seven U of M Hurricane coaches had knowledge of or even participated in these acts. This scandal highlighted everything that is wrong with collegiate sports, the "student-athlete" and the greed of these football programs and the NCAA. It was the largest college football scandal since SMU was handed the "death-penalty" in 1987 when SMU Athletics payed players "under the table" for approximately ten years.
"The U" could face the same fate as the SMU Mustangs, but as of writing, no decision has been made. PR Summary: This is a PR nightmare for the NCAA who are highly scrutinized for fostering the greed within these football programs. Their Bowl Championship Series (BCS) is a money-pit that every college wants inclusion into and scandal from the BCS extends further than the football programs that compete in the Bowl Championship games. The NCAA and BCS continue to fight the perception their system invites corruption.
7. The NHL off-season - A summer full of heartache
The 2011 off-season for the NHL was filled with tragedy. The deaths of tough-guys Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien and Wade Belak were not only devastating to the families and players that lost a cherished Dad/Son/Brother and teammate, but it made the NHL investigate the role of the "enforcer" in the sport. For years it was debated whether there was a place in the league for the player whose sole purpose was to fight in an attempt to motivate his teammates or protect the team's untouchable superstar. After these three losses, the NHL was forced to probe beyond their place in the league and look closer into these players' lifestyles. With drug abuse and suicide in play, the ramifications of encouraging and even celebrating this type of player (as Brian Burke did with his romanticism of Colton Orr's role in the league) have to be scrutinized to the fullest extent. PR Summary: After this tumultuous off-season in the NHL and having to combat the perception these enforcers are susceptible to a self-destructive lifestyle, it would seem the league's defence of fighting in the sport is nearly indefensible.
6. Vancouver Riots - And here we thought it was only a game?
June 15th, 2011 provided one of the ugliest moments in Canadian sports history. The seventh and deciding game of the Stanley Cup Finals, where the hometown Vancouver Canucks were outclassed by the relentless and hungry Boston Bruins provided the catalyst to city-wide riots throughout the streets of Vancouver, casting an ugly shadow over the city. Although the riots were out of the control of the NHL, these riots provided a bitter aftertaste of what was an enthralling NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. PR Summary: It was a tough two years in sports for the city of Vancouver. First, despite an overall exciting, heart-felt and memorable Olympics, there was the tragedy that befell the games officially kicked off with the Georgian Luger who died after sustaining insurmountable injuries in pre-trials on the Luge course. Fast forward a year, and after a thrilling Stanley Cup Finals, the people of Vancouver erased all the good that came from the series. Will we ever see another sport event be awarded to Vancouver again? It will take one helluva PR campaign to do so.
5. NFL & NBA Lockouts - Did they actually help the product?
If you followed the NBA and NFL lockouts respectively, you would have consistently read about the long-term effects missing an entire season would have on the popularity of the two leagues. We had previous proof that there would be ramifications if player unions and owners didn't reach a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement. The falls in popularity for both the NHL and MLB are well documented. And while there may be a microscopic percentage of fans that tuned out the NBA and NFL because the idea of millionaires and billionaires fighting over money was too ridiculous, when both leagues reached agreements and saved their seasons, the fans came back out in droves!
When the NFL owners and NFLPA came to an agreement in late July, it ushered in a free-agent period that swept the nation into a frenzy. This two week free-agent frenzy carried momentum over into the regular season where the league set rating records.
Similarly, when the NBA owners and players union reached an agreement in December of 2011, saving 80% of the season, it too ushered in a free-agent period that saw one of the best Point Guards in the game be dealt and a slew off wildly entertaining game scheduled for opening tip-off on Christmas day. The NBA has carried this momentum into January where they too, have set rating records.
PR Summary: Disasters averted. Rebuilding the image of a professional sports league after a suspended lockout is a bumpy road to travel. Ask MLB and the NHL. However, by saving their respective seasons' both PR departments for the respective leagues can campaign and spread their message that the owners and player unions were able to save their seasons for the fans.
4. Lebron James - Even Ric Flair was jealous of his "heel heat"
Minutes after, "The Decision" on ESPN went dead on that July evening of 2010, Lebron James choice to, "take his talents to South Beach" catapulted him to becoming one of the most hated men in American sports. Shortly after signing with the Miami Heat and aligning himself with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh to form, "The Big 3" or my personal favourite, "The Heatles", James quickly proclaimed that the Miami Heat would win, "not 5, not 6, not 7", but 8 NBA championships. That hatred grew.
Then came the Lebron James cartoon called, what else, "The Lebrons". A cartoon with the premise to highlight all the characteristics of Lebron James, *roll eyes*. The hate boiled over. James was hated for his audacity and ego more than his ability to drop 35 on your hometown team. He was the man that left his hometown underdog team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, to join forces with a superpower. Aspiring pro wrestlers who perform under a heel character, take notice, James was making the villainous Joker, from Batman lore, look like Mother Theresa.
The culmination transpired during NBA Championship Finals in June. James, now embracing his villainous persona, were out to vanquish the upstart and underdog Dallas Mavericks. By doing so, James could then look down on everyone he had turn his back on.
However, in typical WWE and Hollywood fashion, the villains were defeated by the heroes. The Dallas Mavericks won the NBA Championship in 6 games. James himself, shrivelled when his team needed him most. In fact, many point out James' shortcomings are the reasons why the Heat didn't win and James could not capture his first NBA Championship.
With 2012 upon us, James' villainous role has subsided for now but the 'Nature Boy' Ric Flair would certainly be a fan of Lebron James, circa 2011. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
PR Summary: James' publicists have put in a lot of effort to repair his image after he sullied it with his actions from, 'The Decision'. While time is always the best healer, his late-year interview with Rachel Nichols also helped considerably.
3. Tebow 3:16- Tebowmania ran wild whether you liked it or not
Considering this is my third time blogging about Tebowmania, even if you try to resist its force, you're going to be sucked in, one way or another. Tim Tebow. There's not much else that can or should be said after saying that name. You all know the player and situation by now. Tebow is the quarterback of the Denver Broncos that is revered across the nation except for the executives that employ him. He's the quarterback, pundits say can't throw the football yet he keeps pulling off miraculous victories.
Without a doubt, Tim Tebow has presented the most unique NFL story ever; he is a beloved player that isn't very good but keeps on winning.
Sure, we've seen Heisman trophy-winning quarterbacks in the NFL. We've also seen many of these award-winning quarterbacks that couldn't hack it in the NFL. However, we have never seen a collegiate player this popular, who threw the football like he was throwing a javelin, struggled to complete a pass all game but in the 4th quarter would flip the script and pull out the aforementioned miraculous victory. I stress miraculous because he also happens to be one of the most spiritual players in the league.
The story of Tim Tebow reached all new highs in Wild Card weekend of the NFL playoffs. Tebow and the Broncos were hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers, who had the #1 rated defence in the league. Many predicted Tebow wouldn't complete a pass. Well, he did. He completed 10 passes for 316 yards including an 80-yard touchdown to win the game in overtime. And no, I didn't make a mistake, he actually threw for 316 yards. Guess what Tebow's favourite passage is in the Bible?
Unfortunately, the Tebow story is done until the summer. The Broncos marched into Gillette Stadium on January 14th to battle the AFC-leading New England Patriots. The Broncos were blown out 45-10. Whether you consider it praise for New England quarterback and former 'Golden Boy' Tom Brady or an indictment on Timmy Tebow, but half way through the third quarter, Brady had twice as many touchdowns than Tebow had completions!
Despite the horrific end to the 2011 season, I'd bet money on my organs that the #1 story going into the 2012 season will in fact be, "Timmy T".
PR Summary: Marketing and PR departments in the NFL must act quickly to exploit the goldmine that Tim Tebow is right now. Schedule your Tebow TV appearances, sell your Tebow jerseys and book your magazine covers while the iron is still hot. Something tells me, he may a flash-in-the-pan by this time next year.
2. Jerry Sandusky & Joe Paterno - The crumbling of an empire
The most horrific part of this story is without a doubt the sexual abuse from former Penn State Nittany Lions Assistant Coach, Jerry Sandusky. There was nothing sadder in the story than what these victims endured at the hands of Sandusky. However, Sandusky was also able to shake a collegiate football empire down to its very core. Happy Valley is sacred grounds to Pennsylvanians; their messiah is Joe Paterno. Paterno or "Joe Pa" is an icon at Penn State and was their Head Coach for 46 years. In 2011, that came to an abrupt end. Many thought Paterno, 85, would eventually retire due to age but no one could have predicted that Paterno would get tangled in a grand-jury report which saw Paterno along with 5 other officials resign or be relieved of their duties. The school, the campus, the state and the country were all saddened by the perverse acts of Sandusky and the loss of a guilty and misguided state figurehead. Penn State University and the Nittany Lions will try to rebound from this saga and for the first-time in nearly half a century, a man not-named Paterno will jog out onto the field at College Station as the football program's Head Coach.
Joe Paterno - Coach of the Nittany Lions for 46 years
PR Summary: Specifically speaking from camp Paterno, his decision to not release an immediate statement after his name was dragged into the story was his biggest miscue. It may and probably wouldn't have mattered, Paterno was a lame-duck, but immediate and complete disclosure is crisis communications 101.
1. Year of the concussions - Sid the Kid bookends a year of "head drama"
January 1st, 2011 was supposed to be one of the most important and signature events on the NHL calendar. The 4th annual NHL Winter Classic at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh would feature two of the games biggest stars, Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin face-off in an epic encounter. The game received significant momentum with the airing of the HBO series '24/7', a behind-the-scenes look into both Crosby's Pittsburgh Penguins and Ovechkin's Washington Capitals. The result of this showdown may have changed the NHL forever. However, it wasn't what the NHL was hoping for.
Half way through the game, Crosby was hovering around the Capitals goal when the puck went blazing by him. Crosby turned around to find the puck;Capitals Centre, David Steckel, was rushing out of the zone. Steckel never saw Crosby and certainly, Crosby never saw Steckel; Steckel's shoulder caught Crosby flush on the jaw and Crosby went down in a heap.
This altercation led Crosby to suffer ongoing concussion-like symptoms and miss nearly 100 games in the last calendar year. As of writing this, Crosby has no immediate plans to return to the Penguins line-up.
However, the story of concussions goes back a lot further than the 2011 Winter Classic. Concussions have been a part of sports forever. What has changed dramatically, is the culture regarding concussions. Gone are the days of the "gutsy" quarterback that would get his "bell rung", shake it off and head back into the game as if nothing happened. The NHL and NFL have instituted strict protocol in handling head-injuries, even if they may not be concussions.
The concussion issue amplified several years ago with the formation of the Sports Legacy Institute (SLI). The organization was started by Harvard graduate and former WWE pro-wrestler, Chris Nowinski; Nowinski was forced to retire from contact sports because of the effects of concussions. The research and testing of SLI highlighted the lasting effects concussions can have on a life passed the athletes' playing careers.
In 2011, the concussion issue reached its summit. The NFL and NHL both put bans on direct head-shots that could lead to concussions. Penalties, fines and suspensions were issued at a consistent rate. The NFL was also subpoenaed from former football players alleging that team doctors' knew the effects of concussions and the teams tried to hide the information from players.
Late in November, Sidney Crosby made a triumphant return to the NHL. In a storybook night, Crosby came back to action with no rust and contributed 4 points in a Penguins win. However, shortly after, Crosby once again experienced concussion-like symptoms and hasn't played since.
We may have reached the apex of the concussion issue in professional sports but we certainly have not seen the last of this issue. In the coming years, rules will be amended, more testing will be done to assure that the safety of the players' brains are the utmost importance.
PR Summary: This issue extends much further than the professional leagues of the NFL and NHL. The concussion discussion will ripple down to minor hockey and football. Any executive in these respective sports, from Commissioner Goodell and Bettman to the Convener of your local minor hockey association must display their commitment to erase the type of head-hunting hits that are susceptible to concussions and must also display a commitment to thorough precautionary measures and evaluation of players they feel may have experienced a concussion.
Tim Tebow. You're not travelling far on the ol' interweb these days without hearing/reading/seeing that name. Even if you're not a football fan, your life has been taken over by "Tebowmania".
The question to ask is, how did this Tebowmania come to be?
Well, I first will try to debunk other explanations (although all of these I'm sure play a role in supporting Tebowmania) and then explain why I think Elvis Presley, yes the King of Rock'n'Roll may provide the best answer.
This is certainly unprecedented waters for the National Football League. The meteoric rise in popularity for a quarterback that doesn't look any better than you or me throwing a football. In fact, despite winning seven of nine starts this season, Tebow looks like he'll be pulled before the fourth quarter, well before he can make one of his "miracle" comebacks (seen below) and lead the Broncos to victory.
So what is it about Tebow? Let's look at potential reasons for this Tebow hysteria.
He's an exciting running QB?
Tebow certainly makes exciting plays but Michael Vick is a far superior athlete who's far more exciting as a similar style QB. When Vick entered the league in 2001, there was significant buzz surrounding him. He sustained this hype throughout his first year as the starter for the Atlanta Falcons with his dazzling runs and cannon-like arm. However, as his statistics started to dip and the Falcons became an inconsistent club, the buzz around Vick dwindled. Sure that sounds reasonable, but in relations to Tebow, even Vick's WORSE statistics are better than Tebow's BEST statistics. Plus, in 2004, Vick led the Falcons to an NFC Championship game (which they eventually lost to the Philadelphia Eagles). Vick, despite inconsistencies and mediocrity, was still making unbelievable plays and still winning games but cannot sustain the hype he created earlier in his career. So why in despite of below average QB play and realistically zero chance to make any splash in the playoffs (if Tebow and Broncos get that far), does the national football media dedicate so much air-time to Tebowmania? I don't have any doubt that even if Tebow starts to lose more games than he wins, he'll still garner the hype and adulation from NFL fans, writers and analysts.
He's a winner?
Yes. Tebow has won seven of nine starts this season but can you guess which quarterback has an even better winning percentage, Arizona Cardinals QB, John Skelton. Where's all the praise for Skelton? Skelton has a pretty remarkable story, the first player drafted from Fordham University since 1968! Plus, think about some cool nicknames we can give this guy, "Helter Skelton".
Tebow has certainly succeeded more than his predecessor, now Kansas City Chiefs QB, Kyle Orton. However, what's never discussed is that new Head Coach, John Fox was implementing a new offence and defence going into the 2011 season, and oh by the way, there was this lockout thing that cost all NFL teams, including the Denver Broncos, valuable Training Camp time to learn said new offence and defence. The Broncos were destined to start slow, which they did, going 1-4 out of the gate with Orton at the helm. I think even if the "iconic" Tebow was under center at the start of the season they would have struggled anyway.
The Denver defense, that certainly has adapted to John Fox's 4-3 scheme after playing the 3-4 system for each of the past two seasons, has made significant strides. In fact, they've only allowed 16 points per game in Tebow-led victories. Rookie LB/DE, Von Miller is having an outstanding rookie campaign and could very well be the second-coming of Lawrence Taylor.
He's extremely spiritual?
Tebow embraces his spiritual side and expresses his love for the Lord in any pre or post-game interviews. While spirituality can be a polarizing and hot-button topic in sports, Tebow is hardly the first athlete to be open about his religion. NFL Hall-of-Famer, Reggie White was an ordained minister and often expressed his spirituality to any reporter that stuck a microphone in front of his face. The same can be said for future Hall-of-Famer and Superbowl winning QB, Kurt Warner. Kurt Warner in particular, was not only a better QB than Tebow, he won an aforementioned Superbowl and has one of the best rag to riches, rise to prominence stories in NFL history; yet he still never was the center of such hysteria.
The King shares a lot in common with Tebow
So why do we have Tebowmania? I'll answer your question with a question...
Is Tim Tebow the NFL version of Elvis Presley? Think about it... Here's a few reasons why he may well be...
Elvis performed what was, at the time, thought to be African-American music. Similarly, Tebow is a running-style QB we're accustomed to seeing African-American QBs play (Vick, Randall Cunningham and Vince Young).
Elvis, because of his style of music and his risque dancing techniques was a wildly polarizing figure that adored himself to millions of teenagers and young-adults but was also the wrath of an equal number of middle-aged parents and grand-parents because of his raunchy dance moves. Tebow is just as polarizing as half the nation believes Tebow to be a great quarterback and the other half believes he shouldn't even be a backup in the league.
Elvis crossed over to many platforms outside the music world, starring in many movies. The King's hip gyrations are also a signature move that are still mimicked today. Tebow has already been the subject of TV scripts as SNL recently aired a Tebow skit on their December 17th program. Also, like Elvis, Tebow has his own signature move, "Tebowing"
Despite Elvis Presley's success in music and Tim Tebow's success in athletics, comparisons between the two are valid. Tebow may lead a renaissance of the quarterback position from pocket-passer to running improviser. If you recall, Elvis led a renaissance of his own, some sixty years ago. Rock'n'Roll.
Let's just hope the Tebow story ends a lot better!
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