An interview with a blogger

When entering the world of sports there are many different avenues to take. If one is not an athlete, there are plenty behind the scene opportunities. I was granted the opportunity to interview one of the many persons who help to bring the news of sports to fans and enthusiasts everywhere; I am speaking of a sports journalist.

John Jervay is the NFL Web Producer at NBC Sports and has been in the industry since 2004. Mr. Jervay graduated from Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia with a degree in communications. After obtaining his degree Mr. Jervay retuned to his hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to put his degree to work. His first job in the industry was help at the radio station 103.9 FM; which recently changed it name to 100.3, as an intern. After that experience he was fortunate enough to become a production assistant at NBC10 Philadelphia. It was at this job that he would learn another side of news and sports journalism.

John Jervay at work

When I questioned Mr. Jervay about the steps that are needed to complete to get into this particular field, he was adamant about knowing how to write. Learning how to captivate an audience and make them want to read past your first sentence. That advice I truly believe in, anyone can write but it takes dedication and a passion to get readers to follow what you are writing about. To prepare himself for his chosen field Mr. Jervay made sure to keep up to date with the sports happening across the country as well as writing everyday. He is quoted as saying “ I treat it like its exercise and that is the only way my skills will remain healthy.”Today there are no other sports writers that Mr. Jervay aspires to be like, but he does enjoy the writing styles of J.A Adande, Chris Broussard and Tom Curran.

Aside from working as a web producer Mr. Jervay maintains a sports blog entitled After Further Review. It is with this blog that caught my attention of Mr. Jervay. His way of reporting what’s happening in the sports realm really appealed to me. I asked Mr. Jervay why he chooses to cover sports the way that he does and this is what he had to say “Because I feel like I “keep it real” I tell people how it is and not how the media wants you to feel. I try my best to put myself in my readers’ shoes and write what I feel they like to read.” So writing from the viewpoint of a true fan and not treating it as a job has kept Mr. Jervay grounded and allows him to combined both his love of sports and journalism. His passion is basketball but he also enjoys covering football and baseball. As a true home team fan, Mr. Jervay had the privilege to break the news of Allen Iverson’s trade from Philadelphia 76ers to the Denver Nuggets to his station. Another memorable moment was having the chance to interview Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat. Being able to interview him as well as getting to know him on a more personal level is an experience he says he will not soon forget.

My experience and time with Mr. Jervay has given me insight into what it takes to be a writer. My interest in sports is not that of a writer, but that of someone who thinks outside the box and is able to bring that creativity to a franchise. Thinking like a fan and not just business is what drew me to Mr. Jervay’s work. What is taught in this course is the basic outline of the sports industry, from the athletes to the venues they play in. I have learned that holding a degree in a sports related field will not always land you a job. Having the drive and passion, the ability to think not just one step ahead, but even two or three will make a person a great candidate for any job. Following Mr. Jervay’s advice in terms of writing, if you want to become a writer, do not be afraid to let others view your work and accept the criticism. Not everyone will like your style of writing, but if it is something that you love, keep up with it.

Biggest Sport Story This Decade

One of the top sports stories of this past decade I believe everyone should know, unless you have been living under a rock. This big news story that I am talking about has to do with a certain “royalty” and his decision to leave his kingdom for another.

Lebron James born December 30, 1984 is a native of Akron, Ohio. James attended St. Vincent –St. Mary High School where he was receiving national media attention while only in the 10th grade. At the age of 18 he was selected as the number one pick in the NBA 2003 Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was named NBA’s Rookie of the year in 2003-2004, NBA MVP in 2008-2009 and in 2009-1010, and has been both All-NBA and All-Star selection every season since 2005.

King James lead the Cavaliers to consecutive playoff appearances from 2006-2010 but have yet to win a championship. After years of great game play and constant fan loyalty in the 2009-2010 season was the start of strain for James. During the playoffs James was criticized for not playing well in Game 5 where he shot only 3 for 14 and scored only 15 points. He walked off the court for the last time as a Cleveland Cavalier to hisses and boos, even then the fan had no idea what was in store for them.

On July 1, 2010 Lebron James became a free agent. Being a free agent means a player whose contract with a team has expired and then becomes eligible to sign with another franchise. With that news many different teams approached James including the Knicks, Nets, Heat, Bulls, Mavericks, Clippers and the Cavaliers. His decision was kept under wraps during much speculation as to which team he would choose. Press coverage was all a flutter wondering what team he would go to and how it would effect said franchise.

On July 8, 2010 James took park in a television special “The Decision” to announce his move to the Miami Heat. While to some the move was something good, others found it to be a major slap in the face to the game and to his hometown of Ohio. The media ate up every moment of his choice and actions from that point on, some calling his elaborate dealings to be ego driven and unnecessary. Dan Gilbert the Cavaliers owners wrote an open letter to the fans of Cleveland where he was not afraid to show his true feelings toward their fallen King. NBA legend Sir Charles Barkley called James a “punk” for leaving the Cavs by way of national broadcast, and many more critics agree.

My take on the whole situation is this; Lebron can do whatever he pleases. He became a free agent and made a choice. The way he went about it I don’t necessarily approve but a choice is a choice. Granted his actions have cost him some fans and creditability but that does not mean he isn’t a great player. The whole media surrounding his choice escalated to a point where fans were either on the for Lebron or “die” Lebron team. The impact of this in the NBA franchise is a good thing in my opinion. It brought direct attention to the NBA and will certainly boost sales for Miami Heat tickets. This move has named the Heat the next “Dream Team” after the fearsome players of Chicago Bulls. Now being compared to Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen; Lebron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh will either have to put up or shut up.

 For more Biggest Sports Stories of the Decade check out the video below




For other news articles and my references check out:
Cleveland.com
ESPN NBA
Bloomberg BusinessWeek

The Fine Men of Sports-Reggie Bush

In the second installment of The Fine Men of Sports we will learn about Reginald Alfred "Reggie" Bush II.  This young gentleman was born March 2, 1985 in San Diego, California. Standing at 5'11 with a 203lb build Reggie Bush plays for the New Orleans Saints, the 2010 Superbowl Championship Winners. Being drafted in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft, Reggie Bush became #25 and a heart throb for women everywhere.

Starting his career at the University of Southern California, Reggie Bush was the first freshman that USC has seen since 1974 to lead the Pac-10(Pacific-10 conference) in kick off returns. His 1,331 all-purpose yards set a USC freshman record and was awarded ESPN's Pac-10 Newcomer of the Year.




In 2005 Bush was a unanimous First-team All-American and winner of the Heisman Trophy. He was also named the Associated Press College Football Player of the Year, Pigskin Club of Washington D.C. Offensive Player of the Year, and Touchdown Club of Columbus Player of the Year. Reggie also won the Walter Camp Award and the Doak Walker Award; which is given to the nation's best running back.

Unfortunately all has not been fun and games for Mr. Bush.

• Just before the 2006 draft, reports surfaced raising questions about whether Bush's family received gifts in violation of NCAA policies. 
• In November 2007, sports agent Lloyd Lake sued Bush and his family for not repaying over $290,000 in gifts. 
• On June 10, 2010, the NCAA announced major sanctions against USC. The NCAA found that Bush had received lavish gifts from Lake and his partner, Michael Michaels, from at least December 2004 onward, including a limousine ride to the 2005 Heisman Trophy presentation. As a result, USC was slapped with four years of probation and forced to vacate its last two wins of the 2004 season as well as all of its wins in the 2005 season. The Trojans were also banned from bowl games in 2010 and 2011 and will lose 30 scholarships over three years. The NCAA also forced USC to permanently disassociate itself from Bush.
• On July 20, 2010, incoming USC president Max Nikias stated that the school would remove jerseys and murals displayed in Bush's honor from its facilities, and would return the school's copy of Bush's Heisman Trophy.

 Now despite all the negative attention Reggie Bush is receiving one can not downplay his actions on the field. Having a shaky start in 2006 and 2007 season he became a surprising attribute to the Saints in the following years.


So ladies and ladies please have your napkins ready, and enjoy an eye full of the New Orleans Saint's #25 Reggie Bush!  

References :
Yahoo Sports
NFL
Wikipedia

Come one, come all....please?!

In these trying times the public want a way to escape their financial woes, but at the same time, not spend a lot of money. IAAM.org had an article that can be seen here, that touches on what facilities are doing to raise attendance while keeping the cost down.

First I will touch on how the venues itself reach their target audience. The idea of traditional marketing seems to be a thing of the past. I am not saying venues have stopped using it; it is just more of a back burner deal.

This day and age a lot companies are relying on social media to reach their audiences. Being apart of the younger generation I feel that this is an inexpensive way to advertise. Like the article stated most consumers will not recognize a venue by name only, but by the events that are held there. Sports teams have taken the steps in creating Twitter accounts and Facebook pages to alert fans to information, updates and even ticket sales to their events. Celebrities such as comedians and musicians have taken to social media to advertise upcoming shows and ticket prices, some even at a discount.

The article also touches on not only how venues reach out to consumers, but how to generate an income that will benefit both venue and the costumer. Offering discount package deals like that of the 76ers at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They offer a Family Fun Pack that includes four tickets to a game, four hotdogs and four sodas. The prices for the packages are based on seat location and range from $99 to $149. Other venues hold $1 hotdog days and a 5 for $5 meal deal.

Having specials like this is a sure way drive attendees to events.  In a article by an NBC affiliate, Austin News KXAN.com speaks about the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and how they used Twitter and Facebook to send out messages to promote a free ticket giveaway. 

I feel that social media is a great way to reach out to fans to let them know what is happening with their favorite events. Another approach venues can use is mobile marketing. Setting up a campaign that will send alerts to consumers interested in getting updates, discounts and even fun games and invites to special events can catch the receivers attention. Everyone loves a good deal and with the down economy its something we are all looking for.

The Fine Men of Sports-Cristiano Ronaldo

Since the World Cup just ended a few weeks ago, I felt it would make sense to have the first "Fine Men of Sports" to be a soccer player. Now there are many to choose from, but one that gets worldwide acclaim for his young and marketable looks.

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro born February 5, 1985 is a Portuguese soccer player who plays as forward for Spanish club Real Madrid and serves as captain of the Portuguese national team. Cristiano currently holds the distinction of being the most expensive player in soccer history after being transferred from Manchester United to Real Madrid in a transfer deal worth $132 million(US). In addition, his contract with Real Madrid, in which he is to be paid $17 million(US) per year over the following six years, making him the highest paid football player in the world. So not only is Cristiano highly talented, he's not bad eye candy as well.

He has received any awards for his outstanding abilities in soccer including:

• FIFA World Player of the Year: 2008
• FIFPro World Player of the Year: 2007–08
• World Soccer Player of the Year: 2008
• FIFPro World XI: 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09
• Portuguese Footballer of the Year: 2006–07

And the list goes on.

At the age of 8 Cristiano starting playing soccer (football) for amateur team Andorinha. In 1995 he signed with local club Nacional, and, after a title-winning campaign, he went on a three-day trial with Sporting CP(Sporting Clube de Portugal).

While playing with Sporting CP Cristiano was first spotted by then-Liverpool manager Gérard Houllier at the age of 16, but Liverpool declined to take him on because they decided he was too young and needed some time to develop his skills. However, he came to the attention of Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson in the summer of 2003, when Sporting defeated United 3–1 in the inauguration of the Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon. Ronaldo's performance impressed the Manchester United players, who then urged Ferguson to sign him.




Ronaldo became Manchester United's first-ever Portuguese player when he signed after the 2002–03 season. Cristiano played with Manchester United from 2003-2009 and was well received by fans and his teammates. In July of 2009 Ronaldo was officially signed to Real Madrid for a six year contract.








Now on to the parade of Cristiano Ronaldo

 DELICIOUS RIGHT!?!?!

Until next time!

Welcome!!

As stated above this blog is dedicated to sports and sports related topics for a class assignment. I’ve been to numerous sporting events professional, semi-pro, collegiate and high school, and just enjoyed the thrill of the games. The hard work of the players on the field and the hard work that goes into planning the game day activities is something that has always left me enthralled.

My blog will consist of my views on different events happening in the sports world. It will range from news, to equipment, from collegiate to professional. I’ll even have a few posts for the ladies ( hottest men in sports! :o) ). Of all the sports I’ve participated in I’ve found a passion for cheerleading (yes it is a sport!), and I am not talking about the “cheerleaders” you see on the sideline at professional sporting events.  So welcome to my world, enter into my brain, sit back, relax and enjoy Sports 4 All Sorts!