“Working hard and winning awards…someday”
By Paul M. Banks
-The Cleveland Show
Best viral vid I’ve seen in ages. Hastily Made Cleveland Tourist video, includes a shot at Detroit. Since their economy is based on LeBron James, it’s good for the city that NBA season starts soon.
-Maybe you’ve seen that video already, as it was featured on both Tosh.O (my new favorite television show- new season starts tomorrow night!) and Michael Moore’s latest documentary “Capitalism: a Love Story,” (more on that later) but did you see the guy who made the Cleveland video has received death threats, and also inspired the city’s tourism bureau to hold a contest in response.
-The Cleveland video may be this year’s answer to the Numa Numa guy.
-Some great links from The Big lead’s Oktoberfest
-A list of the 60 hottest women in sports movies
-A guy who proposed via sports talk radio
-Over the years, I’ve heard plenty of Bears PR department horror stories from numerous journalists working in the field. I have my own personal stories, but I’ll save that and the other stuff I’ve heard, for another time. Point is the Chicago Bears organization has a traditionally adversarial and harshly unfriendly approach towards dealing with the media. They’re pretty closed off to all but a small, select few.
It’s all part of manipulating message control in a manner that would make the old Soviet Union proud. (Like having their own reporters who work for them attend press conferences and toss softball questions at the players). It’s what makes this next item so funny:
-Press Release of the Week
The Bears media schedule for next week is as follows:
Monday, Oct. 5: Media are advised to be at Halas Hall no later than 11:30 a.m. Select players will be available in the media room starting at approximately noon. Head Coach Lovie Smith will hold his Monday press conference in the media room at 12:30 pm.
Tuesday, Oct. 6: No media availability
Wednesday, Oct. 7: Practice 11:00 am – 12:30 pm CT; Players and coaches available off the field
Thursday, Oct. 8: Practice 11:00 am – 12:30 pm CT; Players and coaches available off the field
Friday, Oct. 9: No media availability
Saturday, Oct. 10: No media availability
Sunday, Oct. 11: No media availability
-So there you go, out of the 168 hours of next week, the Bears will be available for a whopping 5 and change. Yes, it is the bye week, so there won’t be as high a need for stories, but seriously, in the grand scheme of things- this isn’t Centcom or the Pentagon, where you would need restricted access. This is just talking about watching a group of very large, mostly black men, running around a field. But hey, if publicity for the team is in such a ludicrous demand that they can flourish despite this hard-line organizational approach- more power to them.
-And Bears fans themselves will also have less freedom. With apologies to Bill Maher, here are the New Rules, to be enacted at Soldier Field for ticket holders
The following are PROHIBITED inside Soldier Field:
Any size or type of backpacks
Purses and bags larger than 12″ x 12″ x 12″
Fanny packs
Duffel bags
Non-fitting, over sized camera and binocular cases
The following items ARE PERMITTED inside Soldier Field following an inspection by security:
Small purses
Diaper bags (with related items)
Medical bags
Clear zip-lock bags for personal food
Clear Bears Pro Shop bags with merchandise from stadium stores
Cameras (6″ Lens Max.) & binoculars with fit-to-size cases
All permitted items must fit into the 12″ x 12″ x 12″ template box at the gates
-But hey, if tickets are in such a ludicrous demand that they can flourish despite this hard-line organizational approach- more power to them. That’s enough negativity for now, let’s go to something uplifting. A great message of caring during this Breast Cancer Research Week, It’s our Email of the Year:
Soxman,
Thanks for the photo opp. With my wife following the game on Sunday 9/27. She has cancer and fears she won’t see the 2010 season. She is originally from Houston and is an Astros fan. She came to Chicago in July of 2008 and has been a long-time fan of your writing and the advice column you used to post on your myspace. She has been determined to meet you for months. Your words meant a lot to her and her determination and hope that she will beat her ailment has never been stronger. Thanks again, and God Bless You for the Sox Spirit and pure good you bring to the games and the lives of the people you interact with. We hope you are active once again on the internet and into 2010!
Ricardo G.
-The Motor City Bowl is no longer! The bowl no one wants to attend or qualify for has re-branded itself, with a cute and cuddlier name. See things are turning around for Detroit. But seriously when did this happen? That story really flew under the radar.
Dec. 26, 2009
LITTLE CAESARS PIZZA BOWL
Big Ten vs. MAC
1 p.m. EST – ESPN
Ford Field – Detroit, Mich.
-Penn State CB Knowledge Timmons…that’s our name of the week
-It’s good to see that Michael Moore documentaries include viral vids now, the following was right towards the beginning of “Capitalism: a Love Story”. The movie is by far his best, and essentially his most apolitical. I know they may sound funny to call a Moore film apolitical, but I’ve always found economics and economic systems to be devoid of politics…in theory and in their purest form. And that’s what this film is about. Economies are about money, pure and simple. How much you got, how much you don’t got, and that’s what guides how I vote for the people who will make policy decisions. It’s more about money than ideology or partisanship.
And if you’re one of those people who’s been out there protesting to help protect health care corporations and preserve their profits and you’re NOT someone who works within the most elite levels of that industry- than you are a complete retard!
-Finally, we’ll close with the Email of the Week
Can’t you find an advertiser for a sport’s product, or something other than sex. Give me a break. It’s hard enough for a man or woman living in this sex-saturated culture without having virtual naked women shoved in our faces while reading up on the NCAA basketball teams.
You are advertising trash. (“Play Now! My lord!” Evony)
Try some common sense and dignity with your site.
~Connie Akers
-Put your money where your mouth is, go grab us a Disney account or something. It reminds me of a time I was listening to sports talk radio, and a caller told the host “go get a job, go get a real job.” The on-air personality responded “Ok, are you hiring? I’ll send you a resume” Oh, and Connie, here’s a completely unnecessary and overtly gratuitous cheerleader pic that I know you’ll love:
