#TwitterSports AKA Sporting Schadenfreude

For those who follow on Scribe on Twitter, it’s sincerely appreciated. It has allowed for the growth of the blog and a great launching pad for The Exchange. Coupled with exisiting relationships, Facebook and sheer persistence, Twitter has done wonders both professionally and personally that make the journey worthwhile. Sadly, for the good that comes from it must follow the bad, or in the case of last night, the utterly awful.

You may have run upon the hashtag, #TwitterSports, quite often. No, the social media network has not launched a sports division (thank the tech gods for that) nor have major media outlets launched dedicated Twitter-based apps. As long as Twitter exists – who knows how long that will be – the tag is the strongest use of sarcasm and criticism you’ll ever see from this Scribe.

It speaks to a level of irrationality, bias and sheer stupidity which spreads in ‘real-time’ across a given geography. If you thought those inappropriate comments and inane proposed trades in your barbershop or work lounge were bad, take a dip into #TwitterSports. Overreaction is the name of the game here; shock tweets, bad rumors and unverified stories run amok and catch like wildfire. Despite the good folks that are on Twitter to enlighten and more importantly, be enlightened, there are unfortunately, far more vocal, if not numerous idiots as well.

#TwitterSports, friends, is sporting schadenfreude.

Last night, #TwitterSports was in top form. The story of last night’s Game 4 is not about the Dallas Mavericks finishing the job, it’s the Los Angeles Lakers being swept out of the American Airlines Center a broken mess of bad coaching, listless play and one absolutely DUMB elbow thrown by Andrew Bynum.

This was expected. After all, a franchise with the rich history of the Lakers will have as many detractors, jealous fans and uninhibited ‘haters’ as they do fans, homers and star-hoppers (to put it lightly). We can just begin with the fact that they play in Los Angeles; the entertainment capital of the world juxtaposed with so many conflicting factions of daily society of all socioeconomic backgrounds.

And I haven’t mentioned the key players in this stage act. Phil Jackson’s leaving (and Knicks fans better stop running with speculation RIGHT NOW!), the Dwight Howard cloud hangs over Bynum’s head once again, Pau Gasol’s toughness is questioned with more fervor, Ron Artest’s suspension in Game 3 adds to his psychosis, Lamar Odom is caught up in his fragrance and this below [blurred out handle b/c this is enough attention to the stupidity] …

No matter what you believe about Kobe Bryant and the alleged rape a few years ago, is such a cavalier reference to sexual assault necessary?

So instead of giving much deserved credit to Dallas for better coaching and even better execution, we’re using the Lakers’ folly as the warm-up act for the biggest #TwitterSports show soon to come; the eventual end of the Miami Heat season. Whether they win the NBA championship, lose in the Finals or lose before getting to the Finals, the Heat’s narrative for the 2010-11 season was set up for some of the most biting, vitriolic, and vicious commentary we’ve ever seen.

The chatter will be as if LeBron James literally spat in everyone’s face last July.

At its core, #TwitterSports is a phenomena replicated from what you’d hear on a normal day before we go to work or class. It’s what we utter in inebriated tones at the local watering holes after a long day of mounting frustration with the world. It’s an arena of social media where the more brutal, the more immediate attention received. These are the rowdy kids in the school cafeteria that throw food while the principal stops by to make an announcement.

Sometimes, you look and just think “you can’t be serious?”

So, friends, if you thought last night was bad, we have yet to see the nadir of social media and sports. Brace yourselves.

Pluggin’: if you missed the mentions on Twitter and Facebook, tomorrow’s edition of The Exchange will not only feature friend of the blog, Paulsen from Sports Media Watch, but will be extended to 90 minutes. We’re going to truly break down the hackneyed discussion of sports ratings, big versus small markets and, of course, talk about the latest happenings. We’ll be looking for your questions, comments and concerns through the chat rooms, Twitter and Facebook, so let your minds churn. If you haven’t done so already, follow The Exchange on BlogTalkRadio.

For those who missed out on the great November interview from Paulsen, BOOM!

What's This About Doing a Show?

When you’ve worked in the media or have made some appearances in the public space, you’re looked upon as some sort of expert in whatever you are discussing at large. Of course, you should be highly knowledgeable in something; whether it’s a specific subject or at least the discipline of conducting interviews & facilitating those discussions.

There is not an arena that this is more evident than in the sports world. Though there are similarities to how other interests are covered, what makes sports media as a whole, for the lack of a better term, “go” is that knowledge is constantly questioned, tested and challenged by the consumers. Yet, it seems that more often than not, there’s a lot of posturing, “shocking” and ego-flexing as opposed to engagement. No one is immune to at least one toe-dip in those waters, but the idea that this is the only way to speak publicly on sports tends to keep people away from actually learning more about and actually enjoying the games.

Well, as you can tell, I’m not all-knowing of anything. Tying “Clinkscales” without spell-check is an accomplishment in itself, let alone having some sort of debate about what we’re watching live on TV.

What I am, however, is someone who has spent the better part of the last eleven years connecting to people of different levels of sports interest whether they are die-hards or non-fans. It’s what drives my work and what will hopefully drive this long-conceived podcast/live internet show.

From the alma mater

As mentioned last Sunday, I will be launching this new show at the end of the month. Two weeks from now, to be precise as the yet-to-be-named show will launch Tuesday April 26th. While it could have been done much, much sooner – a year ago, the idea first came to fruition – I wanted to wait until now as we are entering the best time of year to be a sports fan. Think about what late April brings to us: NBA playoffs, Stanley Cup playoffs, baseball moving through its first month and the NFL Draft. And we’re just getting ready for what should be a great few weeks after that in May and June.

There are going to be a lot of conversations, a lot of debates and honestly, a lot of questions. Maybe this show will be your way to join in the fray, maybe it won’t. Yet, it won’t be boring thanks to some people in the background that are going to make this work. Over the next two weeks, you’ll be introduced to a couple of co-hosts that will help anchor the show from time to time as well as learn a bit about some of the people we’ll interview.

There will be several things that make this podcast/live show “go”, but I can provide three to you right now. For starters, even in this real-time era of texting and social media, it’s still quicker to speak than type. Often, writing becomes a struggle not because of an absence of words, but the greater desire to actually talk. Plenty of times, I wished I was still at my alma mater doing the old show or still volunteering to co-hosting shows on WHCR because something was just too good to not talk about. In this era, why wait when I could do it myself?

Another aspect of this new audio is that I consider myself more of a radio person at heart. There’s an addictiveness to radio that doesn’t exist elsewhere in the media landscape. Ideally, the best programs are about having hosts that are able to speak to listeners and actually listen to their fans to make for better connections. Considering that there’s no social currency on the planet like sports, think of the show as an exchange place.

Finally, what will also make this show work is that there are varied levels of fandom, but nothing that actually bring them all together. Though Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr, I have been able to meet so many cool fans and media personalities – yes, I include bloggers – that are passionate, knowledgeable and far from shy about sharing their opinions. Yet, offline and in-person, there are more people who don’t have the same levels of engagement, but rather are curious about why these games matter in the first place. The better questions come from people who may see the Super Bowl or a Heat/Lakers game as some sort of pop culture event at first, but eventually move beyond culture vulturism – you can think of it like being a sports hipster – and into actually becoming a fan of the sport.

So mark it down, Tuesday April 26th at 9PM Eastern/8PM Central/7PM Mountain/6PM Pacific. One hour of something new, something that might be different, but more than anything else, something fun.

Details of the first show will come as we get closer.

Interview with Paulsen of Sports Media Watch

In the last decade, you may have heard as much about television ratings as quarterback ratings. Whether it’s television, print, radio or online, ‘major’ sports media personalities constantly mention them in some way to justify or belittle the viewership of games. However, with the increased public discussion to viewing measurement, few actually provide proper context behind the much ballyhooed numbers. It’s why a site such as Sports Media Watch has become a go-to destination for media and fans alike over the last five years.

Since 2006, Paulsen has maintained the well-regarded and highly-referenced site which takes a deeper look into Nielsen ratings and major movement in the sports media industry. Certainly one with his own opinions and curiosities about sports media, Paulsen was gracious enough to respond to questions about the purpose of SMW, the public conversation about ratings, social media’s role (or lack thereof) in increasing television viewership and his frustration with the sports media world throughout the LeBron James free agency saga.

In advance, many thanks again, Paulsen.

A Sports Scribe: You’ve operated SMW for a few years now. Could you explain why you came up with the site?

Paulsen: I used to write a lot of Wikipedia posts, which in retrospect wasn’t a great idea. One day in ’06, I read a blog post that quoted fairly liberally from one of the Wikipedia articles I edited, and I realized that it made a lot more sense for me to publish that kind of information on my own blog, as opposed to a place like Wikipedia where you really have no ownership of the things you write.


Scribe: SMW is predominantly television ratings analysis, yet over the past year and a half, you’ve added some excellent in-depth interviews with some major players in the sports media business. How did a passionate fan as you manage to talk to the crew from Inside the NBA and Russ Greenberg of HBO Sports?

Paulsen: I can really thank some very good sports PR people out there for helping me get these interviews, such as Jeff Pomeroy and Megan Bondi at Turner Sports, Nate Smeltz and Diane Lamb at ESPN, Mike Giluyi at PromaxBDA, Brandon Bagley with the Ivy Sports Symposium, and others.

I actually went to Turner Sports in December of last year and May of this year, and they couldn’t have been more gracious and accommodating, from the PR officials like Pomeroy, Eric Welch and Tareia Williams to the on-air personalities like Chris Webber, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson. They showed me an incredible amount of respect, which is amazing considering how bloggers are sometimes viewed by others in the sports media.

In February, I attended the ESPN Wide World of Sports opening, and ESPN’s Mike Soltys and George Bodenheimer were kind enough to take the time to speak with me – especially Mike, who I pelted with sports media questions as we walked through the Disney theme park. Funny story: as Mike and I were talking, a woman came by and just blasted ESPN the Weekend right to our faces. She was the only person I saw who complained.

Also, I should thank Bob Rathbun and Darren Rovell, the first two people I reached out to for interviews.


Scribe: The interviews with former players & coaches turned analysts – NBA’s Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and Chris Webber from TNT and former NHLer Barry Melrose of ESPN – were especially enjoyable reads. Did they discuss anything about how they educated themselves on the media business during or after their active careers in those leagues?

Paulsen: Not necessarily. Kenny mentioned how he didn’t really see being a TV analyst as a career until Craig Sager told him how much potential he (and Inside the NBA) had.

Set Meters used by Nielsen for ratings measurement (via AgencySpy)

Scribe: Nielsen television ratings have been around since 1950, yet it truly started to enter the sports lexicon over the past decade. Sports media critics and industry insiders have had conversations about the metrics for years, yet it seems that only now, these numbers are talked up on the air in the same breath as yards per catch and ERA. Do you see a rhyme or reason to it all?
 
Paulsen: People like to compare. They like to say that their sport is #1, and someone else’s sport is less popular. From what I can tell, sports fans use television ratings as a sort of value judgment, where sports with higher TV ratings are somehow better than sports with low TV ratings.

Just look at the NHL-NBA and MLB-NFL flame wars that erupt each year. I think a lot of fans take pride in how their sport does on an overall level, and on a team level as well. Just going from what I see on message boards, Laker fans are proud, for whatever reason, that their team is the biggest draw in the NBA. I guess it’s a good reflection on Kobe. Yankee fans like to point out how World Series ratings drop when their team isn’t in it. It’s a badge of honor, another thing to brag about. That said, I don’t necessarily agree that TV ratings information is as commonplace as yards per catch and ERA – but it certainly seems more commonplace than it was a few years ago.

You know what this is (via Los Angeles Times' Showtracker)

 
Scribe: Until this past July, you were once very active on Twitter; using the forum to engage with your readers outside of SMW itself. Yet, shortly after The Decision, you tweeted “underrated aspect of LeBron saga: the unbelievably poor state of American sports media. And I don't just mean ESPN.” Could you elaborate a bit on that statement?
 
Paulsen: I truly believe the coverage of NBA free agency, and of LeBron James in particular, was the nadir of sports journalism – at least since I’ve been following it. Lots of rumor based reporting, the ‘Allan Houston’s house’ story being arguably the worst of it.

The coverage of LeBron post-The Decision has produced, in my opinion, some of the worst sportswriting in recent memory. There’s one writer who has gone after James in such a personal, unprofessional manner over the course of the past several months that it amazes me he is considered one of the better NBA writers out there. He’s just one of many. The number of cheap shots taken at James, whose only crime is being very full of himself, has been frankly disheartening.

I’m not a big fan of moral outrage, especially when it comes to something irrelevant like sports. I can’t muster up the energy to be offended by something like Hanley Ramirez not going hard after a ball. As far as LeBron’s special goes, I really have no respect for anybody who watched it and then complained about it afterwards. Everyone knew what it would be days before it actually aired. Nobody had to watch it; if they wanted to know where he would sign, they could have just checked any sports website that night. I watched it, and then I got on with my life. I didn’t feel the need to complain about it for four months, and I surely didn’t feel the need to judge somebody on the basis of sixty minutes of easily escapable television.

Anyone who has watched LeBron over the years knows he has a big ego. For me, that’s mildly amusing. For others, that is a high crime. I guess it comes down to perspective – or lack of it, in the case of the sports media. If LeBron wants to think of himself as a “winner” when he hasn’t won, that’s his prerogative. I don’t need to write articles sneeringly pointing out the fact that he hasn’t won a championship. A lot of these guys take James’ hubris personally, which tells me that they need to perhaps take some time off and reevaluate their lives.

The defense of the people of Cleveland has been particularly ridiculous, considering that James was a free agent and owed neither the city nor the Cavaliers anything. The fans of Cleveland deserved nothing from James, or any other player, the same way no fan in any city deserves anything from the people providing them optional entertainment. As far as James not informing Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert, I just think of the many, many players who are not informed about trades, or about being cut – like Damon Jones, who in 2008 reportedly found out from his limo driver that Gilbert’s Cavs traded him to the Bucks.

Overall, it was a pretty awful summer for anyone who enjoys rational thought, as opposed to screaming outrage, cheap shots, and the ravenous tearing apart of yet another athlete. There’s a lot of people I lost respect for over the summer, not that it would (or should) matter to them.


Scribe: Being that social media has become part of the new normal, how much of a role do you think it plays in attracting eyeballs for sports programming, if at all.

Paulsen: I think the influence of social media is a bit overstated. I may be wrong about this, but I can’t imagine that a tweet or Facebook message from ESPN or Turner is going to get someone who wasn’t going to watch a sporting event to suddenly decide to tune in. Even in the case of dedicated (as opposed to casual) sports fans, I’d imagine the effect of social media on the decision to watch a sporting event would be negligible.


Scribe: Considering how deep in the forest you are when it comes to the sports industry, do you have the same sporting interests today as when you were younger? If not, how do you reconcile such changes?

Paulsen: Probably not. For example, the first couple of times the Spurs made the NBA Finals (’99 and ’03), I wasn’t necessarily thinking about it through the lens of their negative effect on the NBA’s TV ratings. Once I became more aware of the business of the NBA, it was tougher for me to watch their subsequent appearances without thinking about how poorly the games were doing in the ratings. For games that I know will do poorly – for example, Bucks/Hawks Game 7 last year – there is certainly that feeling of ‘nobody’s watching this’. Generally, games and series that do terribly tend to correlate with games and series that aren’t very fun to watch. I can’t think of very many series that have been entertaining and well-played that still had terrible ratings. Maybe Devils/Ducks in ’03, but perhaps a more astute NHL viewer than I can tell me whether or not that series was actually good hockey (I enjoyed it, at least).

At the very least, I can say that the business aspect of sports is very much present in my mind when I’m watching games.

As far as how I reconcile this with my personal sports fandom, sometimes I have to separate myself from the business aspect of sports in order to enjoy it. It’s been a bit more difficult to do that since I started the blog.

The San Francisco Giants and their fans couldn't care less about ratings (via SF Chronicle)

 
Scribe: Much is made about how this past World Series between the new champion San Francisco Giants and the Texas Rangers was tied as the lowest rated series of all time despite the teams being from the 5th and 6th largest media markets in the United States. When both teams defeated the favored Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees, immediately there were cries about how the Series would fare poorly because neither team (more so New York) was involved. Do you see some sort of self-fulfilling prophesy when it comes to ratings: if people start predicting doom, doom will happen? If they begin to hype something, ‘everyone will watch’?
 
Paulsen: In a way, yes. It’s kind of a chicken and egg scenario. The Yankees are a big TV draw because they can attract large audiences. Those large audiences watch the Yankees because they’re told the Yankees are popular and important. Here’s my ‘theory’: there’s a base level of popularity these teams bring to the table, which is magnified by media attention. The Yankees are already extremely popular, and media hype just shoots them further into the popularity stratosphere. There’s no doubt in my mind that the Yankees would be the best draw in baseball even without media hype – but if the media gave more equitable attention to the Yankees and other teams, perhaps the gulf between a Yankee World Series (11.7 in 2009) and a non-Yankee World Series (8.4 in 2008 and 2010) would not be as great.

Having said that, one thing that bothers me is when sports fans complain about the Yankees, Red Sox, Heat, Lakers, Penguins, Red Wings, Cowboys, Patriots and others getting lots of nationally televised games. With few exceptions, these teams always get substantially higher ratings than others, and that’s on the fans, not the networks. I’ve heard it suggested that if the Rangers and Giants got more national TV appearances, the ratings would have been higher for the World Series. But the Rangers were on FOX as many times as the Yankees last season (granted, not always as the featured game) and the Giants had two fewer appearances. As another example, just this past week, ESPN aired Suns/Heat on Wednesday and TNT aired Suns/Magic on Thursday. In both games, Phoenix was blown out. The Heat game drew a 1.4, nearly twice the rating of the Magic game (0.8). Why shouldn’t the networks give the Heat more national appearances than the Magic? Say what you want about the Heat hype, but nobody’s forcing anyone to watch.


Scribe: Finally, SMW’s existence is based on a belief that sports fans should care or at least be aware of viewing measurement. As a whole, do you think they do care?

Paulsen: I would say the belief of SMW is not necessarily that sports fans be aware of viewing measurement, but that they have accurate information. There are plenty of newspaper articles that don’t distinguish between a cable rating and U.S. rating, an overnight and a final or even between a rating and a share. Granted, who cares, it’s just TV ratings. But when I see a lot of the incorrect comparisons that go on, it can be a bit frustrating.

As far as whether sports fans care about viewing measurement, I would go back to my answer earlier. Fans want to know how their sport is doing relative to other sports, and from that perspective, I do think they care. They don’t care enough to think about it too frequently, and I don’t think it’s a top of mind concern when they’re watching actual sporting events, but it matters enough for them to want the basic information.

Interview with Sideline Pass' Mia Jackson

Since joining the dark side of social media that’s called Twitter, Scribe has come across some fascinating people in the sports media community who engage directly with readers, viewers and listeners outside of their outlets. Though our observations range and some folks have bigger internet muscles than others, the engagement we have on Twitter has made for substantive and more often than not, smarter conversations about sports than any other time in the history of sports media.

On that note, you will see several interviews on Scribe in the coming weeks from people who not only have some good stories to tell, but I’d consider just good people. They have unique perspectives in the sports world that can help fill in some of the gaps in our knowledge, not just challenge previously held beliefs or hum a familiar beat.

The first interview in this series comes from someone I have been fortunate to get to know over the past 16 months beyond sports discussions. Mia Jackson is the proprietor of Sideline Pass, a website that speaks to female sports fans in a way that few others can. Recently, we conducted an email interview where the Stanford grad and still-proud member of Raider Nation talks about the site’s purpose, the importance of the ‘Hi Mom’ crowd and how some sponsors are dropping the ball when it comes to using sports to market women.

In advance, thanks, Mia!

Scribe: Sideline Pass has grown tremendously within the last year. Could you tell us about the site and a bit about your own background?

Mia Jackson: Sideline Pass gives the female fan a place to explore all areas of fanhood. There’s spirited discussion for the diehard fanatic who reads newspaper stats. There’s information for the newbie just learning about sports. And, there are the Cuties for fans who simply like to see the players on the field or court.

I’m a sports nut who’s also a businesswoman and mom. I’ve lived South, West and East, currently residing in the DC Metro. I’m a Stanford grad and so is my daughter, and I love the Cardinal. As the oldest of 6, with three athletic brothers and passionate sports parents, I had no choice but to learn to love the games.

I’m a member of the Raider Nation – often painfully but unapologetically and would love to learn how to build a winner from Eddie Robinson, leadership skills from Phil Jackson, team development skills from Bill Belichick and how to look cool from Tom Landry.


Scribe:  The About page tells us, “we watch the game differently than men but no less fervently and passionately”. While this may be very obvious to some, it’s not to others. How do women watch the game differently than men?

MJ: Many women fans are equally as passionate, engaged and excited about football as our male counterparts - some even more so. We’re fiercely loyal (just ask those diehard Cowboys fans in our stream). But I think at times our nurturing side takes over, especially when we are following a specific player that we like. For example, one of my Twitter friends is Favregirl – I don’t see a guy choosing that name.

Also, many of us are team moms, requiring us to focus on the whole team and the full realm of kids’ needs. I think many of us also enjoy the stories that accompany athletics; those tales of triumph that we can use as teaching examples.


Scribe: Based on the community the site has built, could you estimate the fandom among readers? How many would you say are ardent fans as yourself, how many are more casual and/or were relatively unfamiliar?

MJ: That’s hard to say. There’s a progression for some who are looking for a way into the games. I’d say the majority, 55% or so, are hardcore. About 25% are casual followers who enjoy the stories and maybe follow one team without expanding into the rest of the league. 20% or so would be the “my [husband/boyfriend/son/daughter] is a fan, so let me check this thing out”.

Jackson chatting with Cleveland Browns star Joshua Cribbs

Scribe: It’s common to see players waving to the cameras saluting their mothers after making a huge play or discussing the importance of their female guardians in their upbringing during sit-down interviews. Sideline Pass makes a point to talk to the “Hi Mom” crowd, guardians of active young athletes. What made you decide to target this group?

MJ: My sisters, cousins and friends are moms of young athletes and many of them are ignored by major vehicles. However, they often are the ones who are keeping teams on task.

Early on, I noticed that many of the women I interviewed were wearing many hats. For example, one LA mom, Jammie, broke down her job, showing us how detailed the task was – everything from monitoring weigh-ins, to maintaining paperwork to controlling playing time for each team player. It was an intricate, detailed process and many have no clue how much time it takes. And don’t forget the all important snacks!

Then there are the moms who are clueless, like one of my cousins, who had no idea how to manage her son’s high school career. In either case, there is a need for recognition and information.


Scribe:  For years, the NFL has made a push with growing its popularity among women. Yet its media partners and sponsors rarely, if at all, use football to appeal themselves to women as they do with men (example, every beer advertisement focuses on men bonding around the game). Is that something that is discussed within the Sideline Pass community?

MJ: Definitely. More specifically, other women who maintain sites or those who are in the business for a living are well-versed on the gap that exists in marketing. One blogger wrote, “If you believe Super Bowl commercials, women don’t: buy cars, buy tires, watch movies, register website domain names, … drink soda, drink beer, or eat snacks ….”

But I believe that they also show men as a monolith. "Men do laundry, and women watch the NFL," said Sue Rodin, managing director at Lead Dog Marketing, New York, and president of the national organization Women In Sports and Events. Proctor and Gamble is finally approaching the market in a new way, showcasing its Febreze and shampoo products – even if women still aren’t quite integrated enough into the ads it shows promise.

Leslie Wexner, founder and chairman of Limited Brands and one of the most successful marketers to women, says in Women Want More, “You can’t sell to women like they are men in skirts.” When I see a great ad, I speak on it, hopefully encouraging marketers to keep it up.


Scribe: You have some interesting angles for all things Sideline Pass both on and off the field. One of the features you show are the “Sideline Cuties”. Certainly, we’re all human and notice a looker wherever our eyes tell us to go. Not specific to the site, but do you think that for some fans, the looks of players is a major attractant to the sport itself? Why or why not?

MJ: Oh heck yeah! Why wouldn’t you – if only in appreciation of the time and attention these players put into their bodies? Guys do it all the time – Serena posts a new workout shot and Twitter goes wild. If I can see Hines Ward (one of my favorites) run a beautiful route that’s great. But when he looks fine doing it, that’s awesome. We post shirtless shots and women will comment quickly; they like it.

Jackson with Washington Redskins QB Donovan McNabb

Scribe:  You have been looking to expand the scope of Sideline Pass for a while, discussing other sports in the calendar at least through the associated social media accounts. Though the NFL is certainly the bread and butter for the site, how much interests have your readers shown in these other arenas?

MJ: I’m getting many requests for other sports, particularly basketball. Just yesterday, a woman fan told me that she needed her other B’s: basketball and boxing. This year we will add much more basketball to the mix – including the WNBA. We’ve also left it open for discussion on our Facebook page. College sports are big and the baseball fans really got into the playoffs this year. Bottom line, we’re game.


Scribe: There has been a tremendous uptick of interest in advanced statistics in football. It’s still an aspect of analysis that doesn’t get much attention save for diehards. Do you see this being incorporated in the future or do you feel that it’s something your readers can grab onto elsewhere?

MJ: I would love to bring in more, especially as the number of women engaged in fantasy football increases. According to Yahoo’s David Geller, the company is working to make its online fantasy football tools more appealing to women who now represent over 14% of its audience. “Not only is it fun, but it’s a bonding tool for many couples,” said Geller. That stat is a few years old and I’m certain that the number has only increased. We’re also chatting with companies like Thuuz.com, a new startup, to see where there’s synergy for the stats & facts driven sites and SidelinePass.com.


Scribe:  Finally, though Sideline Pass features great interviews with players, broadcasters and others involved with the NFL, you’ve had several outstanding interviews with women connected to the sports industry. While there are women in the ranks of these leagues and teams, they have faced tremendous resistance to reach them. Could you speak to some you may have faced in creating this forum and speaking to the female fan?

MJ: While there has been some resistance here or there, I’ve had overwhelmingly great experiences with the players and team officials. Where I find the most challenges are out in the field at times, with men who don’t believe women can have a voice in the game.

Recently, I went to a local sports bar and the discussion turned to the recent hit changes. One of the gentlemen said, “Excuse me but we don’t discuss football with women because you can’t understand it.” He asked me if I’d ever talked to anybody who really made those hits. Fortunately for me, I had – one Carl Eller, a member of the famed Minnesota Vikings Purple People Eaters. Then, as if on cue, a group of six women walked in the bar, in their sports gear, ready to catch the game. I couldn’t have scripted it better.

Just like in any other field, it takes time to remove barriers.. Most often, those barriers are imaginary, as they have little to nothing to do with actual ability. The number of men who follow us, ready my newsletter and comment on my Facebook page always surprises me. But then again, if they love football and they love women, what better place for them to be than sidelinepass.com?

While You Wait: Norman Einstein's, Perpetual Post & Radio

So, if you've been following Scribe on Twitter, you know this writer is back in the football beat, though keeping a close eye on other happenings. Though this blog has not been as frequently updated as planned in this time off from school, it's all in hopes of making sure that from this point on, Scribe is better than ever before.

You have also been following the track of Hurricane Earl (or laughing at the gloomy reports from the east). It's thrown a wrench in some travel plans for this Labor Day weekend, so feel free to take advantage of the extra time to catch up to the latest Scribbles Elsewhere.

In this month's Norman Einstein's, my piece explores the not-so-discussed history of integration in the NFL. However, you should check out the remaining excellence from my teammates Alex Birdsall from There Are No Fours (Tragedy & Transcendence: Armando Galarraga's Imperfect Game), Patrick Truby from There's No 'I' in Blog (Hardball Heroes: A Conversation with Amber Roessner), Brian Blickenstaff of Touch & Tactics (48 Seconds: Curtis Johnson Jr. Fights for a Dream), Andrew Reilly of the widely-referenced 35th Street Review (Uneasy Lies the Bear That Wears a Crown) and of course, the Head Coach known as Cian O'Day (Thorn from the Lions' Paw).

In addition, Chris Pummer and I discuss the potential 18-game NFL regular season on The Perpetual Post. There will also be words on the state of television, which will have a slight sports perspective from my end.

Also, for some unexpected visuals, check out the latest from the Scribe Tumblr account.

Finally, if you haven't been able to catch if in the last two weeks, I have been a guest host for WHCR's Sports at the Half. Chi Chi & myself have been mostly talking up football, but there's more to come with the US Open and other events. I will be back in the studio this Labor Day at 5PM since I have no life.

Perpetually Posting

Ladies & gents, check me out!

This week, there'll be a lot of Perpetual Post work this week. Tonight, I'll jump onto another podcast, discussing NFL free agency with Chris Pummer. Chris and I will bring the discourse to text tomorrow on the site.

Later this week, I will be covering Opening Night for Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ. In addition to talking about the stadium's atmosphere and structure for TPP, I will also give you the first new Scribe video for 2010. For those who didn't see the previous look during its construction, check out last spring's post.

Next week, we will roll out divisional previews. I'll join the conversations on the National League East and Central along with the American League Central.

Finally, in relation to Scribe, your next roundtable is coming later this week; this time, the focus is shifted to the NHL. If you have yet to check out last week's NBA roundtable, do yourself a favor and take time to read parts one and two.

Now, before you ask about college basketball, anyone who has been on this space knows that there's not much said about the game. Last year, for the first time since I could remember television, I didn't tune in for one second of the men's tournament (I did watch the women's final, however). Also, for the third straight year, I did not fill out a bracket.

Because of personal preferences and a rather unwelcoming experience covering a Big East game four years ago, I've pretty much shut myself away from the amateur game. However, as some have noticed on Twitter, I have been asking for NBA prospects that I should keep an eye on. It's understandable that some out there may not like this stance, but considering how little I've seen of John Wall and how I just learned who Evan Turner is, I figured this would be a good time to turn into the game with some interest.

I just hope for you Kentucky fans that John Calipari doesn't get another coaching brainfreeze as he did two years ago for Memphis.

Say What?!?!: Speaking of March Madness, if you missed this month's edition of Norman Einstein's Magazine, take a walk with me and Rodney Brown.

Scribe Updates - I Still Love You

It's been a rough three week stretch for your 45,329th favorite blogger. Between midterms, papers and... life, you haven't had much to read on here and there has been shockingly little promotion of other works. Here's where things stand now before you check out some newness:

• This week, you'll have a couple of roundtables coming your way on the NBA & NHL as they are steamrolling towards the postseason.
• We're doing MLB division previews at The Perpetual Post. I will take a look at my favorite division to watch in the last two years, the National League West. Top notch pitching, overlooked defenses, enviable weather, Arizona's 975 uniform combinations. There's a very good chance that I will add chatter for another non-eastern division as well.
• I underpromoted this month's edition of Norman Einstein's Magazine, which is a shame. However, as we strive for, the works is always timely. Do yourselves a favor and read the goodness.
• I don't find myself that interesting of a person, however, I invite you to ask questions that may be too long for Twitter, but just as easy to access. Get your Formspring on about all things sports and whatever else comes to mind.
• Finally, a site design update: closer to launch than it appears.

The Deleted Scenes for "Hardwood Graduation" will be published later this afternoon.

Phil or Pat? Who Would You Take?

Color me amazed!

A question to Scribe’s Twitter followers got the attention of @NBA_on_ESPN_RV and has inspired a pretty good debate. To elaborate on those 140 characters:

You’re given a team that has been in the middle of the road for some time. There’s playoff potential, but equal potential for them to get embarrassed in the first round. Because of that treading-water phase of the franchise, you haven’t been able to draft a can’t-miss player and cap space is preciously thin. However, while your squad doesn’t have superstars, some players are on the radar of contending teams.

You have a chance to grab one of these two all-time great coaches. Which would you take: Phil Jackson or Pat Riley?

Of course, the question was inspired by Jackson passing Riley as the winningest coach in Los Angeles Lakers history last night.

Personally, I know who I’d make the case for, but I would hear what you have to say first.

State your case in a comment here, Facebook or on Twitter.

Twittering (9/14)

Because reception in the press box (not the rest of the media area, however) was non-existent, it was fruitless to try to converse with all as intended. However, being that we have a doubleheader for Monday Night Football, there's a doubleheader for Twitter... so long as the body makes it through the San Diego/Oakland contest.

Feel free to also ask questions and leave comments (via Twitter or this post) about yesterday's action, including the Redskins/Giants game. Since Monday's deadline night for the Beacon's sports section, I'll be polishing off two articles for the paper while the Patriots and Bills hold American television hostage. It's still the ideal time to chat as I'll be in such game mode that you'd swear I took a Jake Delhomme interception to the house.

By the way, never feel that it's going to be just about the NFL. As a subscriber the MLB Extra Innings, I would be the first to scream "turn to 432 RIGHT NOW! Blankety Blank is throwing a no-no!". For that reason, I ask that if there is something happening with your baseball team (non-northeastern teams, especially), you have permission to harrass us. Also, if you miss the NHL and NBA, cry with us, too.

twitter.com/asportsscribe

Twittering (9/13)

Since today's the first Sunday of the new NFL season, a lot of passions have been stirred and reinvigorated. So, beacuse you may be thirsty for a conversation, feel free to chat with your friendly neighborhood Scribe on Twitter throughout the games you follow.

Also, some baseball and US open thoughts are certainly welcome.

Will be sans laptop while covering today's Washington Redskins/New York Giants game, but feel free to Tweet.

twitter.com/asportsscribe

Kickoff

Assuming that the webmaster at the New York Beacon took all of last week off, the 9/3 edition of the paper was not posted online. Thankfully, this week's version is up and considering that the NFL season begins tonight, it was timely to give fans here in the Boroughs something to whet the appetite until Sunday afternoon when the locals play.

While I previewed the Washington Redskins/New York Giants tilt on page 38, the sports editor, Marc Rasbury (who had been covering the US Open as well) gave a bit of dap to both the G-Men and the Jets.

And so it begins again. A year ago, the New York Giants started what was a promising defense of their Super Bowl championship with a statement win against a division rival. The just-retired Michael Strahan greeted his fans and former teammates at midfield, the soon-to-be jailed Plaxico Burress had just signed a new contract hours before the start of the game and many of the stars of the epic Super Bowl XLII shined in front of the home crowd. About fifty-two weeks later, much has changed except for the place and the opponent. The Giants open their season against the Washington Redskins this Sunday with hopes of once again getting a leg up on the NFC East in hopes of their fifth straight postseason.

A side note, there will be Twitter activity during some live games throughout the season. Let me just warn that I not exactly sure if I will do so during the games I cover at Giants Stadium. However, I may do so for all other NFL action and certainly for seven of the Giants road contests (will be unavailable for the October 3rd game in Kansas City). Please feel free to comment and ask questions about any and every team in the league. Heck, feel free to Tweet about CFL as well!

Thoughts

If you're discovering Scribe for the first time, welcome and enjoy the journey. If you've paid attention for a while, you'll understand that discussing the "hot button" topics is not something done very often here unless offline questions mitigate the need.

So, let's get these out of the way, shall we?

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David Ortiz has made himself look pretty bad for much of the season. Sure, he's hitting much better than the Big Papi of the learly part of 2009, but that presence in the batter's box is not as intimidating as it once was. Now with the revelation that he was one of the players who tested positive for PED use in 2003, all sorts of questions and indictments are swirling about; leading some to ponder if the Boston Red Sox "sold its soul to the devil for a ring... or two".

As cliche as that all sounds, do you know what the most canned response really is? "They're all a bunch of lyin', cheatin', sons of (hey now!) only out for themselves."

Truthfully and unsurprisingly, though, there has been a collective ho-hum reaction, even with Ortiz's adamant denials of PED use. However, as mentioned when former teammate Manny Ramirez was suspended for fifty games, it's hard to get indignant when baseball (for as much as I do love the game) is a sport in which skirting the rules is in its very DNA. In this chapter of its long-storied history, however, the players, not owners, commissioners or media members, are writing the story.

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So the NBA has decided to allow teams to place ads on practice jerseys and the response has been... well, some folks are getting their compression shorts in a bunch. Where was this reaction when the NFL made the same announcement weeks ago. Yes, this Scribe believes that comparing the NFL to the NBA or any other sporting entity is comparing apples to oranges; by the nature of the games played, the business decisions within each league

Yet, there's a sizable pocket of the sporting public (which includes the media) that does not see each league as separate spheres in the sports universe. What's a minor or even unimportant detail for the NFL is suddenly another black eye for the NBA? Hmmm....

Maybe that's reading too much into it, but at least Ball Don't Lie is having fun with it.

Solid work from Reading Between the Baselines

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Michael Vick. There are a lot more people rooting for him than what you may be led to believe. In fact, you might be one of those who are looking forward to see him take the field this October. For those of you who are still seething that he was reinstated into the NFL, here's an attempt to quell the maelstrom.

Beyond making his life a public relations hell and essentially villifying him above those others in the league who have committed some wrongs (a handful of grave ones), what more can be done to further the point that he shamed himself? In fact, is it absolutely wrong to believe that Vick could become America's Ultimate Second Chance? I know that there are some uber-cyncial folks out there who disagree and there are several image consultants who are looking at the star-turned-felon as a perfect case study for rehabilitating a public persona, but let's understand something here: he's 29 years old.

Ideally, he has a lifetime to amend his wrongs, especially after spending time in prison and house arrest. This doesn't excuse or condone his actions as disgusting as they were. His youth is not only an advantage on the field, but in the years off of it in that while he may never be considered for any Humanitarian of the Year awards in some circles, he can be considered someone who turned his life around for the better among his family and peers.

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Until the next posts, both later today. Oh, and if the Pittsburgh Pirates call, email or Tweet you, don't answer. They might trade you for a pack of hot dog buns.

Follow Scribe on Twiiter (but learn the rules first).

Tweets

Truthfully, it was an agonizing decision to “join the dark side” they call Twitter.

Personally, I don’t think I’m that interesting of a person to be followed, despite being intrigued by those around me. Just as any social networking site or blog can be used as an exercise in vanity, Twitter seemed (and still feels that way) to be self-adulation on steroids.

However, after a week of being convinced by friends, mentors, colleagues and family, it seemed that joining Twitter couldn’t be as bad as I previously thought. Many businesses have found ways it can attract attention, if not customers, to their offerings. Many bloggers and media personalities that I pay attention to are avid users of the microblogging site. Many friends use it to keep up with their personal interests.

Despite some unwavering personal reservations, I feel that Twitter will be a great way to not only enhance Scribe’s profile, but it allows for us to learn about each other in a different way.

So before anyone who comes across Scribe thinks of sending their Tweets, here are a few rules I prefer to live by:

1. Certainly, personal thoughts will be sent and shared among readers, yet if you don’t get a ReTweet about those non-sports thoughts, it’s only because I’d prefer to discuss that stuff for something more than 140 characters.
   
   
2. The Twitter page was created to build a community around Scribe intended to discuss sports only. For that reason, I ask that we stray from politics, religious or sexual stories unless there may be some relevance to Scribe. This I BEG of you to keep in mind.
   
   
3. Do spread the love about all things that were, will be and are Scribe. This page exists to help continue the conversations that are on the blog. As discussed with some over the weekend, many of you feel far more comfortable talking about a post or video offline or on other forums such as Facebook. Yet, consider this a quick and dirty way to let something loose. It might be cathartic, it might be curious, yet it should be like any blog comment; fun, funny and/or thoughtful.
   
   
4. From time to time, there may be a call to arms. I may investigate an angle for a future post or story, so any way that you may be able to help is truly appreciated. I will certainly reciprocate in the best manner possible.
   
   
5. If there’s a question, just ask. If there’s a brief thought that needs a mere note for the time being until you can get to your computers, leave it here and refer back to it to complete it. If there’s someone who I should check out (regardless of subject, so long as it’s none of the Big Bad Three in rule 2), let me know.

So let’s have some fun with this, shall we?

twitter.com/asportsscribe

Caped (II)

The promised video.



Expect more long-awaited thoughts today along with a reasoning for finally joining the dark side. For those who knew of the resistance, you'll be pleased with why it's a necessary evil, for as long as the service last. All I know is that it better be worth it.

Happily...

Ladies and gentlemen,

You know how the summer gets. It's not only the time for barbeques and baseball, but it also wedding season.

Two of the greatest people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and witnessing blossom into a lovely couple are officially tying the knot this weekend. Since there are many fellow alums from the alma mater and friends from both families to see, you may not see much activity on Scribe this weekend.

The operative word is 'may'. Just as any other trip, there may be a time where some quick thoughts on current happenings are published or one of several drafts is finally completed for your amusement.

Keep checking in and hopefully, neither bride nor groom pull a Richard Jefferson... well, actually, if one of them has a Black Card, then PLEASE DO!

Seriously, to all of you that are fortunate to be united with the love of your life, regardless of orientation, cherish it. My parents were married for 43 years and despite the hell they endured together, they came up with five wonderful gems... and me.

To those of you still finding that person, the challenging search can still be rewarding as making the discovery (so I hear).

And for those who find themselves ever in a unfortunate (and pricey) situation as the San Antonio Spurs forward and former bride-to-be, I can only wish the best, despite such drastic circumstances.

Say What?!?!: A favor to ask; Convince ME to go on Twitter with sound reasonsing and maybe a minimum bribe of $250.

Halftime (I)

Can you believe that one-half of 2009 has already passed by?

In some sports depots around the country, this year can’t end soon enough (talking to you, Detroit and Washington DC, despite your successful NHL teams). In others, the fun shouldn’t stop (the state of Pennsylvania and the city of Los Angeles). However, as we move into the second half of the year, there are six more months for a city/town to experience nirvana. There are also six more months for a city/town to discover sports’ version of The Ninth Circle.

You will undoubtedly read, listen to and watch a plethora of previews, mock fantasy drafts and ‘fearless’ predictions as all of the inactive leagues return this fall. If you’re fortunate to have a team in the active sports still in a playoff chase, you’ll certainly get swept up in the push for the postseason and beyond. However, between today and tomorrow, here are a few stories that you should keep an eye on as summer cools into fall and fall freezes into winter.

Today will be a general look at the sports industry while tomorrow will take on specific games.


“You know? I could do without the senior prom.”: For starters, there has been much made in recent weeks about gifted young athletes (and their families) trying to capitalize on their talents sooner than American society has traditionally expected them. Those of us who have followed sports long enough are certainly aware that leaving college early or forgoing it entirely is nothing new. However, there are players who are forgoing their senior years in high school because they feel that there’s not much left to accomplish at that level.

Bryce Harper and Jeremy Tyler are going to grab those GEDs and take faster tracks to their lofty professional goals. The ultimate senioritis, if you will. This has the “get your education” crowd up in arms because as opposed to dealing with athletes who rather pass on being essentially rented by colleges, now they have to contend with those see little opportunity to mature against players they routinely dominate.

While the next six months are far too short of a time to answer these questions, hopefully, we can finally ask what our country seems to avoid; Why is it such a problem for kids with NBA dreams – or truthfully, American kids – to take a different path where prodigies of nearly every other sport save football can get a leg up on their pro careers without a college degree? Will Harper, Tyler and many others who will follow be better players for the extra year they are giving themselves? Most of all, is it time to redefine, if not eradicate amateurism as we know it?



“Recession-proof? Yeah, right.”: There is this long-held belief that both sports and alcohol are recession-proof industries as the consumer demand is supposed to be so strong and insatiable that it will buoy both business through the tough times. Yet, you can’t change the channel or read something online without noticing beer ad after beer ad after hard liquor ad during programming that historically strayed from those spots.

Not too long ago on Scribe (via Advertising Age), you may have read about NBA teams taking advantage of relaxed rules about liquor ads in stadiums and team paraphernalia. MLB and the NFL have a longstanding relationship with the liquid courage producers – you can even say that those leagues were founded on them – but they have given those companies more opportunities to advertise. Even ESPN has taken to adding more hard liquor companies to sponsor and integrate their products into their shows and broadcasts.

This may reek of desperation or speak to a well-designed strategy, but with so many media and entertainment vehicles hitting them up for money, is when will the alcohol well run dry? Also, with the controversial, but effective means of PETA in terms of the Michael Vick scandal, should we expect organizations like MADD and the NCADD to pressure the NFL in light of Donte’ Stallworth’s vehicular manslaughter?




“Geez, did he really say that?”: A few weeks ago, you read about a rich-media application currently being used by the New England Patriots to keep fans abreast of their comings and goings. This came about because of a previous discussion on social media as the NFL used fake MySpace and Facebook profiles as part of background checks on draft prospects. Now as players, coaches, even teams and commissioners are gravitating to Twitter, there has been plenty of news about what’s being said on the micro-blogging service. Unfortunately, it’s not always for the right reasons.

Social media – more specifically, Twitter – is something that we are still trying to understand, if not, master. As Yahoo!’s Charles Robinson points out, there are some pros and cons of these figures being able to use 140 characters to speak their minds without a middle man (which isn’t all that bad, despite the access I have through the Beacon). Within the last few days, we’ve read a Twitter war of words between the Cincinnati Bengals’ Chad Ochocinco and Shawne Merriman of the San Diego Chargers, we found that Dwayne Wade may not be getting a NAACP Image Award any time soon (a screen cap of an n-word laden tweet was removed) and Charlie Villenueva may be a free agent because of his Tweets… okay, so maybe not the last one.

Some of you probably have your own accounts to follow your friends and family, favorite athletes and entertainers, media figures and bloggers. Because of that, I must ask the all-important question: is this only the beginning thanks to its increased use from our stars or has Twitter jumped the shark?

And if you’re wondering, Facebook is just enough for me and Scribe.

Say What?!?!: It’s been quite a while since you’ve been treated to a video. While it’s not going to be the most anticipated video posted on this blog (from the new Yankee Stadium), I hope you enjoy what’s to come tomorrow night/Thursday morning.