Just some things being discussed or that have caught my interest over the past week
The Cincy Nine
20pct of a team gets arrested. The NFL posts record ratings for a non Super Bowl Game. What happens in Southern Ohio next year. Do the fans abandon their team ? Does law enforcement become a growth industry ?
Does media finally realize that entertainment is just that, and that the resumes of the participants, whether film, TV or sport falls into the "too much information" category. We consume entertainment to get away from the real world, not get a stronger dose.
The Sports Media Dependency
Sports media is facing an interesting quandary right now. Any sports journalist or columnist goes to work every morning with some level of fear that a pink slip will be on their desk, or worst, an email in their in box telling them to not let the door hit them on the way out. Sure it may be sugarcoated as a buyout, but no one in the newspaper , magazine, local or national news sports business is immune to the fear. These same media members also know that the more interest in the sport they cover, the better chance they have to keep their job.
So they face a quandary unique for these times. Help enhance the interest in the sport(s) they cover, or risk losing their job if interest declines further.
The NBA All Star Game - The Biggest Party on the Continent ?
The biggest question about the All Star Game ? Not whether Josh Howard should make it. If you have to ask, you don't know. The biggest question is whether the All Star Game will be able to shut down the city. Complete absolute gridlock. Sidewalk gridlock. Road gridlock. Free Buffet Gridlock. 2 dollar slots gridlock. Dwayne Wade shooting commercials gridlock. Party gridlock. Will there be bars opened on Strip sidewalks to serve people stuck in their limos in the same spot for 4 or 5 hours ?
I've been to many Super Bowls, The World Series, NBA Finals, The Olympics, The Final Four, The Stanley Cup, The Oscars, Bowl Games, The Consumer Electronics Show, Comdex at its height when cab lines took hours at any hotel at almost any time. I have been to pretty much every major event that draws major crowds, but there is nothing to compare to the NBA All Star Game. The NBA All Star Game Weekend beats them all. The NBA All Star Weekend is the ultimate party weekend. There may be only 17k tickets for the game itself, but there must be what seems like a million people who come just for the parties. Celebs come to truly party. Fans come to truly party. People who have never seen an NBA game come to truly party. Will it shutdown Vegas ? Stay Tuned.
Me and Dennis Rodman - Together Again
If you didnt see the announcement, my former roommate, Dennis Rodman's new reality show, Geak to Freak premieres Feb 16th on HDNet. Just as the name suggest, Dennis takes every day people who decide they want to take a walk on the wild side. He turns secretaries into strippers, a biologist into a transvestite, its bizarre but gives Dennis a chance to have some fun, and he takes advantage. Here is a clip \
The NHL Beats College Basketball in the Ratings
The NHL on NBC beat College Basketball on CBS, 1.1 to .70 Is College Basketball doomed ? Does no one care anymore about college basketball ? Is the NHL on a resurgent climb ? (This just in, NHL was up again to 1.3 on NBC) Is NBC just really good ? Are both great sports in a crowded market ? Stay tuned
Ramblings - Part 1 Sports.
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(Page 1)2. God damn the Geak to Freak show looks stupid! But I'm sure its gonna be a success. I would love to watch, however, beeing in Europe I gues thats just not gonna happen.
Posted at 10:13AM on Jan 30th 2007 by Kasper Retvig
3. Is HDNet planning on streaming content online? I have Comcast and can't get it thru cable, and can't install a dish, but want to watch!
Posted at 10:23AM on Jan 30th 2007 by Mike Maddaloni
4. Geak to Freak? That's peeeerfect for Denis. I think Tara was better off on her own.
I went on a date once with Denis. He is crazy, but was actually quite the gentleman.
I will more than likely have to watch his show, but don't tell anyone.
You guys were roommates? Interesting.
Posted at 11:12AM on Jan 30th 2007 by Toni Marano
5. Entertainment. Some use it to escape. Others use it to be inspired. That's why there was such a debate when Charles Barkley declared, "I am not a role model." Because some of us believe in heroes. Granted sports heroes are not in the same league as the fireman who races up a burning building or a soldier who constantly faces the ultimate sacrifice. Still, we believe that the character within our athletes means as much as their performance on the court. That's one of the reasons people love the Mavs. They're a good bunch of guys who represent Dallas well. At least that's our point of view. Are we right? I don't know. I just know what's right for me. And that means that entertainment means more than just hedonism.
Posted at 11:15AM on Jan 30th 2007 by jim wegerbauer
6. Met Dennis this past weekend in Ft Worth. He was out partying i guess after filming saturday night. Stopped off at my friends club for a while. he actually dressed normal. nothing weird. he seemed pretty cool.
Posted at 11:17AM on Jan 30th 2007 by John S.
7. WOW, that preview of Dennis Rodman show "Geak to Freak" was awsome. I hope it get naughtier than that as the show continues.
Posted at 12:20PM on Jan 30th 2007 by Hieu Le Bui
8. you hit it right on in The Sports Media Dependency:
"So they face a quandary unique for these times. Help enhance the interest in the sport(s) they cover, or risk losing their job if interest declines further. " - Cuban
Does "enhance the interest" mean that crap we had to go through the day after Michael Vick lost his water bottle at the airport? Those idiots on ESPN radio kept repeating themselves over and over making character judgements on Vick when all the evidence wasn't made available. I kept changing the radio station while driving, listened to a song, then would come back. Again. Same talk show moron same words. Over and over, and, we find out later, there was nothing in the story. Now why can't I see Vick on the TV going over and over how irresponsible sports journalism has become.
Another interesting story: The Denver Nuggets wont make the NBA playoffs. This was called over a month ago before the 'brawl in the big apple' when Denver was both 12-6 and 16-9, and seemed to be rolling.
Right now they are projected to finish 11th in the West:
http://www.boxscorebasketball.com/projected.htm
10. I know your a basketball guy, and I've never been to the NBA allstar game, but I can't belive that it's bigger than the Super Bowl... (Or New Year's in NYC, Mardi Gras, etc.)
I'm in Miami right now, and the Super Bowl is HUGE. The city is already packed with media and fans. They are closing down Ocean Ave for 2 days because of the crowds and corporate sponsers are out in force with the huge set ups on the beach. I even saw a blimp already.
Posted at 4:52PM on Jan 30th 2007 by sports bettor
11. Please get this on iTunes Store. Please. Please. Please. That is really, really funny. Even if it were free somewhere else and $1.99 on iTunes, I'd still buy it just for the convenience.
Posted at 4:57PM on Jan 30th 2007 by Brad Hutchings
12. I think the all star game in Vegas will be HUGE. If you just look at ticket prices, it's going to be tougher to get than the finals were last year. I know people plan on taking lots of money to Vegas for gambling, etc, but a trip for this game could easily cost 5 grand when you include tickets, hotel, airfare, etc. Hopefully the game will live up to the hype and the NBA and other major sports leagues will have events in Vegas and eventually sports teams aside from the minor league baseball team.
Posted at 8:16PM on Jan 30th 2007 by Jeff Campbell
13. Sorry - the links to tickets i was trying to put didn't work. You can see how expensive i mean here: http://www.stubhub.com/nba-all-star-tickets/?event_id=252821&ticket_finder=4715
Posted at 8:18PM on Jan 30th 2007 by Jeff Campbell
14. True,true,true. Sports and entertaninment. Hey Mark. There was a time way way way way back. When dinosaurs roamed the earth it seems and thats about when it seemed like sports figures were "role models" You took your kid to see them or let them watch them and they said " I want to be like him or her" Now if they say that, more times then not, you re better off saying. "Thats not real" These guys are just people that play sports but you dont want to lead your life like that. I mean unless you have a lawyer on retain and bail money in your locker." Then answer thier questions from there as honestly as possible without breaking their hearts on the delusions that a good percentage of sports figures could give a hoot about what kids think about them as long as they get thier money.Its all about the LOOT. The days of morals and examples and such are long gone except for the few. Same with the writers.They re told get them to read about something thats going to bring in revenue or Outta here. The Rods always been fun to watch on any day, And last but not least, the hockey ratings. They lost so many when they had the lock out. And then started making it into a "civilized sport" that took the fun out of it too.I have an idea for hockey, bring back the fighting and "wire" a few of the guys so you can hear what they re saying!! lol. I guess it would have to be on cable then but anyhow its got a long way to go to even get back to its mediocre ratings of yesterday. Thanks for your thoughts.
Posted at 8:57PM on Jan 30th 2007 by Frankie from Lawnside
15. Mark-
Love Geek to Freak. We don't have HDNet here in Seattle, so YouTube may be our only avenue to watch... which brings up a great point. Don't you think using YouTube for advertising is the same as you have David Stern as the director of marketing for the Mavs?
Jon
Posted at 9:06PM on Jan 30th 2007 by Jon
16. I love your blog, Mark. Keep it up.
--Justin
(http://jbrownblog.blogspot.com/)
17. Yes, the All Star game is going to shut down Vegas. Let's hope none of the players do anything too out of control. David Stern won't be very happy if they do.
Posted at 1:00AM on Jan 31st 2007 by basketball training
18. Yeah, I understand the media section. But sports journalism is not meant to just report the sport; it is meant to promote the sport. It is the job of the journalist to apply their talent to selling the sport. It is after all only entertainment. So why should they be worried about a pink slip? They are in the business of marketing and with that comes high margins and high risk. Otherwise they should go get a government job.
Posted at 7:33AM on Jan 31st 2007 by Gavin the photographer
19. I saw an ad for a plastic blister package opener and thought of you, Mark. And it all started here on this blog. ~sniff~
Posted at 8:23AM on Jan 31st 2007 by solomonrex
20. i dont really love the game but excite me whenever i watching the game is dunking styles.
Posted at 8:45AM on Jan 31st 2007 by pam choji
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1. Mark do you think there is somewhat of a double standard in terms of how the media and general public judge the NFL compared to other sports? Take the Cincinnati team, no one really seems to care, but what would happen if 3 guys on the Mavs got arrested this season? People would be bashing the NBA to no end. And then steroids... The NFL doesn't even want to test for HGH, and they committed $500K to develop new testing methods... that's not taking it seriously, that's a publicity stunt. How does the league get away with this?
Posted at 10:01AM on Jan 30th 2007 by Jake K