NFL EUROPE DISCONTINUED - NFL INTERNATIONAL TO FOCUS ON GLOBAL IMPACT - NFlLMedia.com

From the NFL. The official press release annoucing the death of NFL Europe.

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
280 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
(212) 450-2000 * FAX (212) 681-7573
WWW.NFLMedia.com
Joe Browne, Executive Vice President-Communications
Greg Aiello, Vice President-Public Relations


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
6/29/07

NFL INTERNATIONAL TO FOCUS ON GLOBAL IMPACT:
NFL EUROPA DISCONTINUED

The NFL has determined that it will switch the focus of its international business strategy to
presenting the NFL to the widest possible global audience, including broader media visibility and the
staging of international regular-season games, and will discontinue NFL Europa.

“The time is right to re-focus the NFL’s strategy on initiatives with global impact, including worldwide
media coverage of our sport and the staging of live regular-season NFL games,” commented Mark
Waller, senior vice president of NFL International.

“We will continue to build our international fan base by taking advantage of technology and
customized digital media that make the NFL more accessible on a global scale than ever before and
through the regular-season game experience. NFL Europa has created thousands of passionate fans
who have supported that league and our sport for many years and we look forward to building on this
foundation as we begin this new phase of our international development.”

Last October, NFL owners passed a resolution to stage up to two international regular-season games
per season. The new international series will launch on Sunday, October 28 when the Miami
Dolphins host the New York Giants at London’s Wembley Stadium.

In addition to the 2007 game in the United Kingdom, the NFL is preparing to stage regular-season
games in future seasons in Germany, Mexico and Canada, with Germany being a strong candidate to
host a regular-season NFL game in 2008.

NFL Europa began in 1991 as the World League of American Football, with 10 teams competing in
the United States and Europe. After a two-year hiatus (1993-94) following the 1992 season, the
league returned in 1995 as a six-team, all-European venture, with five teams in Germany since 2005,
and has existed in that format through its final season in 2007.


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Wonkette's Elizabeth (Liz) Glover Crashes Ken Mehlman's Roof Party - Video

Elizabeth Glover's a lot like me. She likes to bring her camcorder to big parties. She did so at this bash held for Republican Party head Ken Mehlman , who's stepping down after an interesting career. But what was more interesting was the camera and Elizabeth behind it. Take a look at the video:


Ken Mehlman Reception FINAL from elizabeth glover on Vimeo

Ken Mehlman Reception FINAL from elizabeth glover and Vimeo.

I Like Paris Hilton For The Same Reasons You Hate Paris Hilton

Jack Myers inspired me to write this short post because it's important for you to know why I think Paris Hilton is worth paying attention to. The reason is simple: she knows how to market herself and build attention. In a world where everyone is trying to do that in some way, or frustrated that they can't, Paris Hilton's figured out how to get herself known. Anyone in PR would be stupid not to pay attention to her, but guess what, that's what we get in some corners, dumb behavior.

But, as I wrote in my webpage article The Marketing of Paris Hilton" she holds a lesson for anyone in the attention-getting industry:

Paris Hilton is an international superstar. And what did Paris Hilton do? Well, nothing. "I came to New York when I was 16 years old, and I got invited to all of these parties all the time." Indeed, this was the case. Think about it for a second..or a minute. Paris Hilton is not an actress. She's not a politician. She's not an athlete. She's a young, attractive heiress with a yen for partying. And she did this in the media capital of World.

But even more, Paris made herself available to the people she met "out-and-about." Stars, agents, photographers, and anyone who was someone--and that was just about most of the people -- at an A-List party.

Then, just as Paris was planning to launch a TV show that has since become one of the most popular in America, the infamous "sex tape" video was released and became perhaps the most sought after amateur product on the Internet. Instead of reducing Paris' star status, it increased it dramatically. Now (and aided by the steamy Carl's Jr. commericial) Paris Hilton's name is the most looked up online according to the Lycos 50, which tracks the most popular keywords looked up. As of this writing -- June 13, 2005 -- It's currently ranked number one. It's been on the list for 82 weeks. Think about that. There are 52 weeks in a year. Double that is 104 weeks. That means Paris Hilton has been on the Lycos 50 Elite for almost two years. That's longer than all but a few established stars.

Paris' status as a celebrity is unquestioned. But the question is, what can a sports marketing specialist learn from this? The answer is everything.

To learn more, read my article.

But the bottom line is that the reasons I like Paris Hilton are the same one you hate her for. That's terrible. But when you wonder why you don't get noticed for the good work you do, think about your ill-will toward Paris Hilton and consider a change. You'll get what you want if you do.

COMMISSIONER GOODELL PRESS CONFERENCE - NFL Rookie Symposium

From NFL Media.com

COMMISSIONER GOODELL PRESS CONFERENCE
NFL Rookie Symposium
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida – June 25, 2007


Re: How the Symposium has lasted this long and the concern about
players in their first year...

RG: The focus for us is how do we make these guys better men. What can we do
to help prepare them for the decisions they will have to make as NFL players?
It’s a big transition from college, so I think we’re providing some tools for them.
The big focus for us is how do we expand on this, how do we make it better? It’s
a great start but we want to make sure that we continue to promote these
messages and give the players the kind of resources and tools they need to
make good choices.

Re: On the rookies and if they asked questions of him...

RG: Yes. I thought they were great. There were a lot of questions. They were
good questions, direct questions. I think that’s terrific and I’m glad they felt
comfortable enough to ask them.

Re: If this will help the players in the long term. Is the goal to help them no
matter what kind of career they have?

RG: The whole focus is how do we make these men better men, and how do we
make sure that they understand that the skills they learn here are life skills;
things that will help them throughout their lives and well beyond their NFL career.

Re: How the message on player conduct is getting across...

RG: I think we’re being more clear with them of what we expect. There is a
higher standard of behavior being that they are football players. The vast majority
of our players do understand; only a select few of our players don’t. They get a
lot of focus, they get a lot of attention, and it has a negative impact on the players
in our league and the NFL in general. I think they have a better understanding of
what we’re going expect from them in the future.

Q: Why do they have a better understanding?

RG: Because we reinforce it at every opportunity. We feel very strongly here. The
clubs are doing it at the club level and I think what we’ve done with the personal
conduct policy came out just great. There are not many people who are unaware
of what our standards are.

Re: Why some players still don’t seem to grasp it...
2

RG: I’d be naïve to think that everyone will understand it. We’re going to have to
make it a priority going forward. Again, we’re making players more aware of our
standards of behavior. Secondly, we’re giving them more tools and resources to
make sure that they can make those decisions, and hopefully that will have a
great impact.

Re: What you discussed with the players...

RG: Several things. I just tell them a little bit about my own background, being in
the league for 26 years. I told them about what I think is important with respect
to supporting the NFL shield. I did discuss personal conduct. I did talk about our
responsibility to them, and about the resources we’re providing to them. I spoke
to them about how important it is making their families proud in everything they
do both on and off of the field.

Re: The reaction of the players while he was speaking...

RG: I thought they were outstanding. It was a little difficult in the room to survey
every conversation. You could tell the players were engaged. They asked very
good questions, very responsive questions to what I had said, and I think they
listened very intently.

Re: The process in evaluating a violation of the policy...

RG: First we get the facts, and then once we’ve done that we make an evaluation
of where it sits in our personal conduct policy and make a determination.

Re: Overall goal of the symposium and this class of rookies...

RG: That we are concerned about them as men. Not only how they become
great NFL players but how they become great men. How they conduct
themselves appropriately for the remainder of their lives, not just in the National
Football League.

Re: How did the players ask questions? Did they raise their hand, stand up,
grab a microphone?

RG: They did both, they had a microphone. They asked a lot of questions about
the services they have available to them, what we could do to help them, am I
available, what is my perspective and how I go about making decisions. They
were very good questions.

Re: Your perception of how the fans perceive personal conduct issues...Do
you believe personal conduct is a problem in the fans’ eyes?

3
RG: The reaction I’m getting from the fans is quite supportive. We are standing
up; we are making sure our players are held to a higher standard. They want
that. People have put an awful lot of time, energy, money, into the National
Football League, and I want them to feel good about what they’re doing.

Re: Whether the symposium always has the same focus...

RG: We adapt the symposium to whatever the issues are at the time. We
obviously have adapted the agenda here to some extent to make sure it’s
responsive to issues that they may be facing, that they’re comfortable making the
transition to pro football from college football.

Re: Congressional hearing on retired players...

RG: The focus on retired players is that we have an obligation and a
responsibility to retired players. I think we’ve done some very positive things for
retired players and we’re considering doing some additional things that I think are
quite responsive to the issues. I’ve spent a fair amount of time listening to retired
players and listening to what the issues actually are. Both Gene and I will be
having a meeting with the retired players on July 24th to talk about some of the
ideas that we’ve been developing and hopefully we’ll be able to move this
forward. I think we’re being very responsive to our retired players and I
understand the interest in this. I hope were going to be seen in a very positive
light in terms of being responsive to this.

Re: The London Game and the loss of a home game for the Dolphins...

RG: I understand that and that’s why we’ve said all along that we’re going to
have a limited number of regular-season games overseas because we recognize
that it can be difficult for fans and they lose one of their eight regular-season
home games. It’s not going to happen on a frequent basis. Even if we did two a
year it wouldn’t happen frequently. On the other hand, any time a fan loses a
home game we understand it’s a negative. We’re glad it’s on television. It’s not
the same experience, but I think the club should be proud that their fans are
going to be able to see it on television and more importantly they’re expanding on
a global basis. Hopefully some good will come out of that. There’s not much I can
say other than that. The fact is they are losing a regular-season home game.

Re: Reaction to Pacman and Tank’s latest issues...

RG: We’re waiting to get the facts. They’re both under suspension right now so
we’ll look at the facts and take it under consideration. They understand, as part of
their suspension, that we’ll be evaluating every activity that is going on with them.
They understand that so we’ll take that under consideration.

Re: Hearing their names continually coming up in the news this
offseason...

RG: I would rather them be making good choices. They know that and knew that
when I met with them, and they each pledged to try to make good choices going
forward. We’re trying to do everything we can to support them to make choices. If
they don’t, that’s the decision they make and it will affect their future.

Re: Reaction to hearing these names again...

RG: Disappointment, more than anything else. Either they aren’t getting the
message or they don’t have the ability or the desire. It’s disappointing.

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Joe Montana - Brady Quinn Needs To Work On Touch

In an interview with a Kirk Bolh , former SF 49ers, Chiefs, and Notre Dame QB Joe Montana said “He throws the ball vertically very well, but the touch things, he’s got some work to do. He tries to knock a few guys over.”

Brady would do well to listen to Joe, considered the greatest QB of our time. Montana also offered this about the Raiders JaMarcus Russell: "“He’s obviously got a tremendous arm, but I don’t know what he’s got happening in Oakland. That’s an uphill battle.”

But Bohl's didn't ask Joe why he believed this, making for an imcomplete conversation.

Paris Hilton Talks To Larry King on CNN

I'm watching Paris Hilton talking to Larry King on CNN. I think she did a good job and presented herself well. I actually feel sorry for her because she's both the product of and the victim of our stupidity over beautiful blonde - White - women. She's just living her life, but she's actually gotten used to the ills of people presented to her every day: the photogs, the tabloids, the ill-will from those who have no confidence in themselves.

Yikes!

Well, I'm rooting for her.

Debate Question: "Brownie" and Your Presidential Cabinet

http://zennie2005.blogspot.com - This is a question for the CNN / YouTube Debates and it's regarding the presidential candidates. Remember Michael Brown? "Brownie?" The man President Bush picked to head FEMA and became the poster child for government failure during the Katrina Disaster, and who had no qualifications for the job other than his loyalty to President Bush?

Will you hire your friends to run key government positions, or the best and the brightest? Or are you prepared to tell me that your friends are the best and the brightest?

Vloggerhood - Kenrg's Term Still Not Caught On

At the YouTube As One Meetup, Kenrg, claimed his term Vloggerhood would be all the rage. Here's the video where he introduces the term, which I like. But have you used it? Me? Nope.

Ken's got work to do!

Ann Coulter - John Edwards Assasination Comment Off The Charts

I just saw Ann Coulter's comment on YouTube and still can't believe that she said it. In the video's she's quoted on Good Morning America as saying that if she said anything about John Edwards in the future, she'd "wish he'd been killed in an assasination plot."

See it here:



My question is why did the Edwards camp choose to place this on YouTube? It's not a great way to follow up the Obama Girl Video, and the Clintons / Sopranos Video at all. Let's see, we've got Obama Girl, Sopranos, and ...Ann Coulter's Insult.

Ok.

Paris Hilton Released From Jail - Some Advice For Paris - Video

At 11:58 PM on Monday, June 25th, 2007, as I was checking website stats and watching CNN, CNN announced that Paris Hilton was being released from jail in LA County.

As I watched the events unfold, I could not help but think that "the system" had unknowingly planted the seed for a person who could become one of the most politically powerful people in the World...with just a bit of a push.

This video contains advice which, if Paris heeds it, will cause her to become that person. She's 22 years old and at the perfect place in her life to start political organizations and a political action committee and direct money toward elected officials that can effectively change the system for the better. If Paris does this, mark this day as the start of a new star in politics.

Paris has been through alot , from thinking she was going home under house arrest, to her medical condition and of course, the unfair and silly media misrepresentations of her. The 45-day sentence she received for driving on a suspended license and violating probation was deemed excessive by even representatives of the LA County Sherriff on CNN Monday night.

I really believe God caused this to happen for a specific reason. A window has been created that, if Paris steps into it, will lead to the kind of changes we need to see and could see in 10 years. She can be an effective force for those who are under-represented and powerless.

Senator Mike Gravel - "Why Hillary Scares Me" - Huffington Post

I just saw this at the Huffington Post -- linked to from the title post here - and had to re-post it. Wow, what a scathing article.

During one of the debates I mentioned that my fellow Democratic candidates scare me. Hillary's speech last week to the Take Back America conference gives me yet another reason to be afraid.

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In an indignant voice she decried the Bush administration's ''stunning record of secrecy and corruption, of cronyism run amok. . . It is everything our founders were afraid of, everything our Constitution was designed to prevent.'' Actually, our Constitution grants Congress the power to prevent these ills but Hillary and her colleagues weren't up to the task.

Our founders' legacy did not stop Hillary from voting for the Patriot Act and then supporting its renewal in 2006 despite revelations that the government was using it to infringe on the very liberties that our founders held sacred. Where was her commitment to our founders when she voted to gut our habeas corpus protections?

As for cronyism -- Hillary has repeatedly authorized billions that the Pentagon gave in no-bid contracts to Halliburton. Even though the Democrats have been in control of Congress for months, they still haven't summoned Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld and the other usual suspects to account for the missing millions in reconstruction funding.

When I think about how Congress enabled Bush's corruption and cronyism, I'm reminded of the lines from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar:


And why should Caesar be a tyrant then?
Poor man! I know he would not be a wolf,
But that he sees the Romans are but sheep:
He were no lion, were not Romans hinds.
In the same frightening speech, Hillary went on the blame the Iraqis for the mess in their country: "The American military has succeeded. It is the Iraqi government which has failed to make the tough decisions that are important for their own people.''

Let me get this straight. The Iraq disaster is not the fault of the delusional neo-cons, the greedy oil companies, or the gullible and cowardly Congressional warhawks. (Most senators including Clinton didn't even bother to read the 90-page National Intelligence Estimate). According to Hillary, the real culprit is the Iraqi government that we created virtually overnight and left to govern a fractured, impoverished society. Talk about blaming the victim!

Hillary, as an active supporter of the war, you are one of many Americans who are guilty. And now all Americans are left responsible, regardless of whether we supported or opposed he war. When we pull out, our hands will drip with the blood of the tens of thousands of American casualties and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi dead. The Iraqi government didn't start this, we did.

Of course we can continue to compartmentalize ourselves from the truth, remove the troops and blame the rubble on the Iraqis. We can feed the collective fantasy that our good intentions and heroic efforts were thwarted by the cowardice and incompetence of others. But if that's what we take from our experience in Iraq, we will never learn the true lessons and we will be condemned to repeat the same mistakes.

The inability to admit a mistake and assume responsibility is not just a morally bankrupt way to walk through life; it is a dangerous and deadly way to lead a nation. When I am president, I will open up all secret files relating to the Iraq war and expose all officials who lied to the public in promoting it. (That's right, Dick, your files too.) My Justice Department will prosecute everyone who lied under oath or ripped off the American taxpayer by exploiting the Iraq reconstruction effort. And I will pardon to no one.

Great Leaders - A Video Tribute - Barack Obama

This video is a tribute to all of the great leaders of the past: JFK, Malcolm X, Doroles Huerta, Confucius, Bobby Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Gloria Steinem, Barbara Jordan, and Gandhi, and to one great leader of our present and our future..Barack Obama. It features the pulsating music of Hans Zimmer.