We're a quarter of the way through the football season, so I figured I would post about my favorite topic. Let's start with the surprises of the season so far...
1. Minnesota and Dallas are sucking...out loud! And guess what? They have to play in the Underachievement Bowl this weekend. During last years season, Brett Favre must have been shooting steroids in between texting cock pictures to unsuspecting females because he definitely looks like a 40+ year old quarterback. Dallas is almost inexplicable...Almost. Wade Phillips is not a good coach. Period. Expect Phillips to be canned by the end of the season and make way for Jason Garrett, Bill Cowher, Marty Schottenheimer, etc...to take his place.
2. The Kansas City Chiefs are 4-1 (and could easily be 5-0) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 3-1. They held Peyton Manning to nil this past weekend and just couldn't put up more field goals than the Colts did. They're doing a great job down there and have a potentially epic trio of running backs at their disposal. Another secret to their success is the previously failed head coaches going back to what they do best, coordinating. Charlie Weiss and Romeo Crennel are as good as it gets when talking about Offensive/Defensive Coordinators. They're doing a great job. Look for them to take the AFC West title and get slaughtered in the playoffs.
The Bucs are a weak 3-1. I don't expect a lot to come out of this fast start. They are still young at the skill positions and have an inexperienced head coach. But I will say they're playing with a lot of heart, and they will definitely be a force to be reckoned with in the future. They will most likely end up 8-8 and miss the playoffs, but that's a great improvement over last year.
3. The Chicago Bears are in first place in the NFC North. With supposed powerhouses Minnesota and Green Bay faltering, the Bears have taken advantage. Sans the embarrassing outing against the Giants a couple of weeks ago, it looks like they are grasping Martz' offense well and are complimenting their offense with Super Bowl caliber defense. It is no secret that I'm a Bears fan, and I predicted even in the preseason that this team would make some noise. They will get better as the season progresses, and look for them in January.
4. Randy Moss gets traded, but Vincent Jackson doesn't. Hmmm...This is peculiar. Rumor dictates that there was a Moss/Brady slap fight (over who has the more ridiculous hair style) shortly before his trade, which would explain everything. If any player pissed off the guy we just agreed to pay $19 million per year to, I'd show him the door personally. But if this alleged incident didn't really happen, then the Patriots do the smart thing yet again. They get something for Randy Moss before they don't re-sign him at the end of the year. That's why they've been this good for so long.
The Vincent Jackson soap opera is sort of similar. Vincent Jackson voiced his displeasure over not receiving even a small wink and nod that he would be getting a new, long-term contract this season. So he took his ball and went home. And for the same reason that Belichick and the Patriots have championships and a competitive team every year, AJ Smith has no championships and at least one disgruntled star every year. AJ Smith had the opportunity to get 2 draft picks for Vincent Jackson and not have to pay his salary for the rest of the year...Great deal right? Apparently not. Because the two draft picks offered were 2nd and 4th round picks and not the 2nd and 3rd round picks that he wanted, Smith squashed the deal. So this is what happens:
-Smith has to pay Jackson an entire season's salary for playing 6 games.
-Jackson is a free agent next year, he won't sign in San Diego, and the Chargers
get nothing for him.
-The Chargers lose yet another star player over AJ Smith's childish antics.
-Jackson will probably end up signing with a division rival and burn their asses
twice a year for the next 8 years.
Moral of this story? AJ Smith is an idiot. Archie Manning did say it right when he called him "The Lord of no Rings."
5. Michael Vick has realized his potential. And Kyle Orton has become an elite passer. If Michael Vick keeps this up, when he comes back from his injury, he may be the most dangerous quarterback in football. No shit...
Kyle Orton's new found Superman cape is definitely confusing. He's always shown the capability of winning, but never did he show that he can chuck the ball all over the field, no matter how good your defense was. If this Orton was present in Chicago, would Jay Cutler even be there?
6. The Niners are 0-5. Mike Singletary was supposed to bring discipline and continuity to a team that has had none in the past 8 years. So much for that. The only thing he's brought is a terrified group of reporters that are afraid to ask him questions (which is actually pretty funny). Alex Smith should be excelling finally, and its just more of the same. I think the Alex Smith experiment has run its course and they need to move on.
Not so surprising:
1. The Bills are the worst team in football. Called it a long time ago. Although, Ryan Fitzpatrick has actually been a bright spot. 7TD's to 2INT's so far...not bad.
2. The Jets are good. Yeah, no kidding. Can you believe it? It's not like they have a inordinate amount of talent there...
3. The Cardinals have fallen apart without Kurt Warner. And coupled with that, Matt Leinart not only sucks, but was released. Kurt Warner deserves more praise than he got, and it was apparent immediately that Matt Leinart was incapable of leading a team.
4. Seattle is good at home (really good) and sucks on the road. As per usual...
5. The Bengals have all the talent in the world, but play like they haven't practiced all week. All comes down to coaching. When in the hell will the front office realize that Marvin Lewis is not the answer. He needs to be fired. Another great coordinator, but mediocre coach.
6. Ben Roethlisberger is a self-centered caveman dickhead.
7. The Colts have no defense and Peyton Manning will have to carry them far enough to just miss the SuperBowl again...
8. There will be no repeat champion this year.
We're only 5 weeks in and its been a really interesting season. I can't wait to see with the rest of this season brings.
Enjoy!
and...
GO BEARS!
It has been at least 6 months since my last confession. At least on a personal level anyway. The last six months have been a whirlwind of new ventures, lifestyle changes, and transitions. Lets start off with the new venture...
My bestest friend and now business partner have started an Internet Marketing, Social Media, and Advertising business! Its been fun challenging and rewarding so far. We've both been entrepreneurs at heart since we've known each other, and this is where we try to make the most of it and make it happen. Check out our website at http://www.linxonesolutions.com
The New Pup
Her name is Quinn and she's awesome...That is all.
Football season is back, and I'm happy again. I suffer through 7 months of underlying misery when football is not on. The Bears look good through 2 games. The offense is crisp and hopefully can only get better. And as far as Lovie's take on their receivers ("We have a really good group of young receivers here") It definitely seems that way thus far. BEAR DOWN!
OH SHIT! I almost forgot the Series Finale of L O S T It was great...I know it was split down the middle, but I was one of the people who thought it was poetic and appropriate. A big pat on the back goes out to JJ Abrams, Damon Lindelof, and Carlton Cuse. What a fun 6 years.
Baseball season is almost over...and no one seems to mind. Although we did lose George Steinbrenner this year. RIP Boss.
LeBron James made history as being the closest thing to Hitler in a tank top. The city of Cleveland would like to smother him in the giant banner that donned his likeness that they had to pay a construction company to take down after he made his decision to be Scottie Pippen in Miami. Great decision douche.
Well, as I usually do...And why I don't post that often, I'm running out of steam.
Until next time...
My bestest friend and now business partner have started an Internet Marketing, Social Media, and Advertising business! Its been fun challenging and rewarding so far. We've both been entrepreneurs at heart since we've known each other, and this is where we try to make the most of it and make it happen. Check out our website at http://www.linxonesolutions.com
The New Pup
Her name is Quinn and she's awesome...That is all.
Football season is back, and I'm happy again. I suffer through 7 months of underlying misery when football is not on. The Bears look good through 2 games. The offense is crisp and hopefully can only get better. And as far as Lovie's take on their receivers ("We have a really good group of young receivers here") It definitely seems that way thus far. BEAR DOWN!
OH SHIT! I almost forgot the Series Finale of L O S T It was great...I know it was split down the middle, but I was one of the people who thought it was poetic and appropriate. A big pat on the back goes out to JJ Abrams, Damon Lindelof, and Carlton Cuse. What a fun 6 years.
Baseball season is almost over...and no one seems to mind. Although we did lose George Steinbrenner this year. RIP Boss.
LeBron James made history as being the closest thing to Hitler in a tank top. The city of Cleveland would like to smother him in the giant banner that donned his likeness that they had to pay a construction company to take down after he made his decision to be Scottie Pippen in Miami. Great decision douche.
Well, as I usually do...And why I don't post that often, I'm running out of steam.
Until next time...
The year is 2010. And if you haven’t come to terms with the fact the world and how business is done has changed, you are in for a bumpy ride going forward.
Believe it or not, there are still businesses out there clinging to the hope that one day, all that money they continue to invest into print advertising will eventually pay off. If you’re seeing a great return on print advertisements, my hat’s off to you because you’re in the minority. To stay competitive in today’s marketplace, you have to evolve and adapt to the changes around you.
In other words, you need to leave the Stone Age Marketing tactics behind and upgrade yourself to 21st Century Marketing.
Stone Age Marketing consists of limiting your advertising and promotion strategies to what worked yesterday, not today. Advertising in newspaper coupon fliers, big yellow books, and direct mailers are prime examples because their effectiveness is lost due to a declining audience. Even TV and Radio commercials aren’t as effective as days past with the advent of DVRs, satellite radio, and iPods. Marketing strictly on these mediums is the equivalent of writing an important message on a stone tablet when a PC with Microsoft Word sits right next to you.
The reason these once-effective mediums now lack consistency is that audiences have turned their attention towards easier-to-use options. There’s no secret that Social Media has swept the globe and swallowed its population whole, or that the average person consults Google before Yellow Book.
So being privy to that knowledge, why would you still cling to the Stone Age when the 21st Century is just as available to you?
What Is 21st Century Marketing?
When you think back to the expectations we had for the turn of the century, you’d think we’d be flying around in hovercrafts and jet packs and getting teleported from town-to-town. Unfortunately, we haven’t reached those Star Trek-esque levels (yet), but it certainly doesn’t mean there haven’t been some monumental advancements in communication, technology, and marketing.
21st Century Marketing is what’s working RIGHT NOW. This is the form of marketing that’s building your presence and authority across the Internet’s most recognizable and frequented sites. 21st Century Marketing involves leveraging websites like Google, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Linked In, Posterous, Foursquare, Digg, Reddit, Delicious, and blogs to efficiently build relationships with your current customer base, as well as provide a means for potential customers to find you and get to know you.
There’s a reason that major companies are redirecting significant portions of their advertising budgets towards Social Media. If you pay close attention to commercials these days (if you’re not fast-forwarding them with your DVR), businesses are redirecting customers towards Facebook and Twitter even more than their website. And it’s because of two words: IT’S WORKING! And, of course, MILLIONS of people are using these sites on a daily basis.
While still a necessity, a website normally doesn’t provide the same level of connectivity and conversation as a blog or social network does. And with 21st Century Marketing strategies being what they are, establishing and nurturing those relationships is a key element to successful business.
If you go back in time as little as five years ago, most companies never thought it was possible to build their business through Social Media campaigns. If you think about it, you can probably envision the forward-thinking few who walked into a meeting and suggested implementing marketing strategies that gave the customer a voice and allowed two-way communication to strengthen the bottom line getting laughed out of the room.
Before the rise of the Social Web, the customer’s voice was very limited, and for the most part, muted. As consumers, we listened to ads and made the best buying decisions with the information available. In most cases, that information translated to who had the catchier sales pitch and still does to this day. The only difference is today, where those pitches take place has evolved.
Case in point: Old Spice DOUBLED their sales with their most recent YouTube campaign.
Today, companies providing outlets (Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc.) for their customers to voice opinions, rate products, and provide reviews are the ones winning the ball game. They understand the new generation of consumers will not be won over by speaking loudly because they no longer control the volume…their customers do. If your company is unwilling to satisfy your customer’s needs by opening up the lines of communications, they’ll find a company who will. Simple as that.
The year is 2010, and it’s time to get on board with what’s working this very second. You’re in the 21st Century, so it makes sense to market your business so people also living in the 21st Century can find it, learn it, understand it, and most importantly, use it, right?
If you’re still relying on marketing initiatives that aren’t working, it’s time to re-evaluate your strategy and leave the stone tablets behind
Believe it or not, there are still businesses out there clinging to the hope that one day, all that money they continue to invest into print advertising will eventually pay off. If you’re seeing a great return on print advertisements, my hat’s off to you because you’re in the minority. To stay competitive in today’s marketplace, you have to evolve and adapt to the changes around you.
In other words, you need to leave the Stone Age Marketing tactics behind and upgrade yourself to 21st Century Marketing.
Stone Age Marketing consists of limiting your advertising and promotion strategies to what worked yesterday, not today. Advertising in newspaper coupon fliers, big yellow books, and direct mailers are prime examples because their effectiveness is lost due to a declining audience. Even TV and Radio commercials aren’t as effective as days past with the advent of DVRs, satellite radio, and iPods. Marketing strictly on these mediums is the equivalent of writing an important message on a stone tablet when a PC with Microsoft Word sits right next to you.
The reason these once-effective mediums now lack consistency is that audiences have turned their attention towards easier-to-use options. There’s no secret that Social Media has swept the globe and swallowed its population whole, or that the average person consults Google before Yellow Book.
So being privy to that knowledge, why would you still cling to the Stone Age when the 21st Century is just as available to you?
What Is 21st Century Marketing?
When you think back to the expectations we had for the turn of the century, you’d think we’d be flying around in hovercrafts and jet packs and getting teleported from town-to-town. Unfortunately, we haven’t reached those Star Trek-esque levels (yet), but it certainly doesn’t mean there haven’t been some monumental advancements in communication, technology, and marketing.
21st Century Marketing is what’s working RIGHT NOW. This is the form of marketing that’s building your presence and authority across the Internet’s most recognizable and frequented sites. 21st Century Marketing involves leveraging websites like Google, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Linked In, Posterous, Foursquare, Digg, Reddit, Delicious, and blogs to efficiently build relationships with your current customer base, as well as provide a means for potential customers to find you and get to know you.
There’s a reason that major companies are redirecting significant portions of their advertising budgets towards Social Media. If you pay close attention to commercials these days (if you’re not fast-forwarding them with your DVR), businesses are redirecting customers towards Facebook and Twitter even more than their website. And it’s because of two words: IT’S WORKING! And, of course, MILLIONS of people are using these sites on a daily basis.
While still a necessity, a website normally doesn’t provide the same level of connectivity and conversation as a blog or social network does. And with 21st Century Marketing strategies being what they are, establishing and nurturing those relationships is a key element to successful business.
If you go back in time as little as five years ago, most companies never thought it was possible to build their business through Social Media campaigns. If you think about it, you can probably envision the forward-thinking few who walked into a meeting and suggested implementing marketing strategies that gave the customer a voice and allowed two-way communication to strengthen the bottom line getting laughed out of the room.
Before the rise of the Social Web, the customer’s voice was very limited, and for the most part, muted. As consumers, we listened to ads and made the best buying decisions with the information available. In most cases, that information translated to who had the catchier sales pitch and still does to this day. The only difference is today, where those pitches take place has evolved.
Case in point: Old Spice DOUBLED their sales with their most recent YouTube campaign.
Today, companies providing outlets (Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc.) for their customers to voice opinions, rate products, and provide reviews are the ones winning the ball game. They understand the new generation of consumers will not be won over by speaking loudly because they no longer control the volume…their customers do. If your company is unwilling to satisfy your customer’s needs by opening up the lines of communications, they’ll find a company who will. Simple as that.
The year is 2010, and it’s time to get on board with what’s working this very second. You’re in the 21st Century, so it makes sense to market your business so people also living in the 21st Century can find it, learn it, understand it, and most importantly, use it, right?
If you’re still relying on marketing initiatives that aren’t working, it’s time to re-evaluate your strategy and leave the stone tablets behind
