tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55307784381993547592024-03-14T02:55:04.702-07:00Anthems and AtleticosMusic & Sports. Sports & Music.Scott Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836612937937010847noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5530778438199354759.post-24696037756762082622017-12-22T09:10:00.000-08:002017-12-22T09:10:48.765-08:00Top 10 Records of 2017<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--><b>10. The National -</b> <i>Sleep Well Beast</i><br />
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<b>9. Sampha - </b><i>Process</i></div>
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<b>8. The xx -</b><i> I See You</i></div>
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<b>7. Spoon -</b> <i>Hot Thoughts</i></div>
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<b>6. War on Drugs -</b> <i>A Deeper Understanding </i></div>
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<b>5. Grizzly Bear
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<b>4. St. Vincent -</b> <i>Masseduction </i></div>
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<b>3. LCD Soundsystem -</b> <i>American
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<b>2. Kendrick Lamar - </b><i>DAMN.</i></div>
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<b>1. Queens of the Stone Age -</b> <i>Villains</i></div>
Scott Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836612937937010847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5530778438199354759.post-22014082356905314572016-12-13T14:59:00.001-08:002016-12-13T14:59:40.962-08:00Top 10 Records of 2016<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>10. Whitney - </b><i>Light Upon the Lake</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>9. Radiohead - </b><i>A Moon Shaped Pool</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>8. A Tribe Called Quest - </b><i>We Got it from Here...Thank You 4 Your Service</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>7. </b></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>The Growlers - </b></span></b><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">City Club</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>6. Solange - </b><i>A Seat at the Table</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>5. M83 - </b><i>Junk</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>4. Bon Iver - </b><i>22, A Million</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>3. Frank Ocean - </b><i>Blonde</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>2. Beyonce - </b><i>Lemonade</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>1. Car Seat Headrest - </b><i>Teens of Denial</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b> </b></span>Scott Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836612937937010847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5530778438199354759.post-79896981239592173852016-05-08T08:01:00.001-07:002016-05-08T08:01:44.655-07:00To Mom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I think about you most at night.<br />
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It usually starts when putting Davis to bed. Reading a book you read to us as kids, some of them the same exact copies, with your faded handwriting adorning the inside covers. Singing him songs, remembering the reassuring voice that was always there to calm me. Saying his prayers, where you are always first on his list.<br />
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Every night, I tell him everything special he sees in the world is you smiling down on him. I ask you to watch over us and there's never any doubt that you do, every single day.<br />
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After he's asleep and the house grows quiet, so does my mind. In that space, when reflecting on the day that has been, it's hard not to be able to share the highs and lows of parenthood with you...to say you were right in every piece of advice you gave me.<br />
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This month brings so many anniversaries- our first Mother's Day without you, your and Dad's anniversary, two birthdays, and of course, the day you passed away one year ago. As difficult as these days will be, we have also been blessed with a new baby. In Harrison's face and pure goodness, I'm reminded constantly of your presence and the example you left all of us.<br />
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We don't miss you any less nor has the hurt subsided at all, but we carry more of you with us - your love, your wisdom, your eccentricities, your warmth.<br />
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The grief still hits just as hard, out of nowhere and unexpectedly debilitating at times. But every night, when it's calm and it's easier to remember, I am so thankful for all you gave and continue to give us.<br />
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Good night, mom. I love you. I miss you.Scott Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836612937937010847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5530778438199354759.post-66551785714034179032015-12-08T20:08:00.000-08:002015-12-08T20:08:08.189-08:00Top 10 Records of 2015<b>10. CHVRCHES - </b><i>Every Open Eye</i><br />
<b>9. Deerhunter - </b><i>Fading Frontier</i><br />
<b>8. Mark Ronson - </b><i>Uptown Special</i><br />
<b>7. Waxahatchee - </b><i>Ivy Tripp</i><br />
<b>6. Kurt Vile - </b><i>B'lieve I'm Going Down</i><br />
<b>5. The Weeknd - </b><i>Beauty Behind the Madness</i><br />
<b>4. Grimes - </b><i>Art Angels</i><br />
<b>3. Father John Misty - </b><i>I Love You, Honeybear</i><br />
<b>2. Kendrick Lamar - </b><i>To Pimp a Butterfly</i><br />
<b>1. Tame Impala - </b><i>Currents</i>Scott Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836612937937010847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5530778438199354759.post-24950708724172224272015-01-01T20:21:00.000-08:002015-01-02T11:41:32.034-08:00Top 10 Albums of 2014<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: white; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">10. Sylvan Esso - <i>Sylvan Esso</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">9. Caribou - <i>Our Love</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">8. TV on the Radio - <i>Seeds</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">7. Death From Above 1979 - <i>The Physical World</i> </span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">6. The War on Drugs - <i>Lost in the Dream</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5. Future Islands - <i>Singles</i> </span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4. Spoon - <i>They Want My Soul</i> </span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. Run the Jewels - <i>Run the Jewels 2</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. Real Estate - <i>Atlas</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. St. Vincent - <i>St. Vincent </i></span></div>
Scott Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836612937937010847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5530778438199354759.post-25764449619008967382013-12-07T12:17:00.000-08:002013-12-07T12:28:09.129-08:00Top 10 Albums of 2013Once again, my only blog post of the year is my annual Top 10 Records list. Blame baseball and a baby.<br />
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For some musical accompaniment, <a href="http://open.spotify.com/user/scarter19/playlist/0nsYmqd6KKkF2BBT314CmZ" target="_blank">click here for a Spotify playlist featuring select tracks from my Top 10 Records of 2013.</a> Or, listen to a standout song from each album below (sorry about some of the live versions).<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>10. Queens of the Stone Age - <i>...Like Clockwork</i></b></span><br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/92347741&color=122f81&auto_play=false&show_artwork=false" width="100%"></iframe>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>9. Jagwar Ma - <i>Howlin'</i></b></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_fxfgnUu7ZA/UqKeMYB09DI/AAAAAAAAAOU/HkSR65UUklw/s1600/jagwar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_fxfgnUu7ZA/UqKeMYB09DI/AAAAAAAAAOU/HkSR65UUklw/s200/jagwar.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>8. The National - <i>Trouble Will Find Me</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>7. Arctic Monkeys - <i>AM</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>6. Local Natives - <i>Hummingbird</i></b></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sOTh3W7D480/UqKeZxL1VMI/AAAAAAAAAPI/dG4Qt2Tn33o/s1600/localnatives.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sOTh3W7D480/UqKeZxL1VMI/AAAAAAAAAPI/dG4Qt2Tn33o/s200/localnatives.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. Disclosure - <i>Settle</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. Haim - <i>Days Are Gone</i></b></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i5SCPa3a7Eg/UqKeY-eJmVI/AAAAAAAAAOw/Km1AqBDIGBE/s1600/HAIM-Days-Are-Gone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i5SCPa3a7Eg/UqKeY-eJmVI/AAAAAAAAAOw/Km1AqBDIGBE/s200/HAIM-Days-Are-Gone.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. Arcade Fire - <i>Reflektor </i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. Vampire Weekend - <i>Modern Vampires of the City</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. Daft Punk - <i>Random Access Memories </i></b></span><br />
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Scott Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836612937937010847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5530778438199354759.post-81880144851854878992012-12-09T17:44:00.001-08:002012-12-09T17:47:50.479-08:00Top 10 Records of 2012It's time for the annual collection of my favorite records of the year. Since the last blog post I wrote was 2011's Top 10 list, let's just get right to the best of 2012.<br />
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<a href="http://spoti.fi/YRS460"><i>For some musical accompaniment, click here for a Spotify playlist featuring select tracks from my Top 10 Records of 2012.</i> </a>Or, listen to some standout songs from each album below.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>10. Grimes - <i>Visions</i></b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">9. Alaba<span style="font-size: large;">ma Shakes<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: large;">- <i>Boys & Gi<span style="font-size: large;">rls</span></i></span></span></span></span></b> <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">8. The Shin<span style="font-size: large;">s - <i>Ports of Morrow</i></span></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">7. Twin Shadow - <i>Confess</i></span></b><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EJAbh-TQLsI/UMUk0V782iI/AAAAAAAAALI/irKAc_HrhCk/s1600/twinshadow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EJAbh-TQLsI/UMUk0V782iI/AAAAAAAAALI/irKAc_HrhCk/s200/twinshadow.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">6. Jack White - <i><span style="font-size: large;">Blunderbuss</span></i></span></b><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4KP1CHgqgio/UMUoPpyCkcI/AAAAAAAAALY/8nziL2QJcUM/s1600/Jack-White-Blunderbuss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4KP1CHgqgio/UMUoPpyCkcI/AAAAAAAAALY/8nziL2QJcUM/s200/Jack-White-Blunderbuss.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">5. Dirty P<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">rojectors</span> - <i>Swing Lo Magellan</i></span></span></b><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GpW7ymztRe8/UMU0L2CVCtI/AAAAAAAAALo/F3abfMnKF4U/s1600/dirty+projectors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GpW7ymztRe8/UMU0L2CVCtI/AAAAAAAAALo/F3abfMnKF4U/s200/dirty+projectors.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">4. Divine F<span style="font-size: large;">it<span style="font-size: large;">s<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: large;">- <i>A Thing Called Divine Fits</i></span></span></span></span></span></b><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7bQQNM8Km8E/UMU2dghGaHI/AAAAAAAAALw/RnoAuxr5rMw/s1600/divine+fits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7bQQNM8Km8E/UMU2dghGaHI/AAAAAAAAALw/RnoAuxr5rMw/s200/divine+fits.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">3. Frank Ocean - <i>Channel Orange</i></span></b><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1V-THw7-I7g/UMU3ol1GpnI/AAAAAAAAAL4/UqHE-E8aAVM/s1600/frank+ocean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1V-THw7-I7g/UMU3ol1GpnI/AAAAAAAAAL4/UqHE-E8aAVM/s200/frank+ocean.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. Japandroids - <i>Celebration Rock</i></b></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PNHr20GTDXI/UMU6JNOjgwI/AAAAAAAAAMI/lw4JYfTbnuY/s1600/Japandroids-Celebration-Rock1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PNHr20GTDXI/UMU6JNOjgwI/AAAAAAAAAMI/lw4JYfTbnuY/s200/Japandroids-Celebration-Rock1.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. Grizzly Bear - <i>Shields</i></b></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IHzYoNpQI1w/UMU7rfNGZHI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/mNIbqvgElEM/s1600/grizzly+bear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IHzYoNpQI1w/UMU7rfNGZHI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/mNIbqvgElEM/s200/grizzly+bear.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<object height="81" width="100%"><param name="movie" value="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F55087633&color=002555&auto_play=false&show_artwork=false&show_playcount=false&show_comments=false"></param>
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<b>There it is. Grizzly Bear becomes the first band to land in my top spot twice (including 2009's <i>Veckatimest</i>), so clearly they're doing something right in my book. Thanks for reading and listening. Who made your Top 10 in 2012?</b> Scott Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836612937937010847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5530778438199354759.post-84934451728477226362011-12-07T15:15:00.000-08:002011-12-07T23:13:37.917-08:00Top 10 Records of 2011<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Welcome to Anthems and Atleticos <b>Top 10 Records of 2011</b> list, a collection of my favorite records from the year in music. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="http://spoti.fi/t9g1If">Click here for a playlist featuring select tracks from my top records of the year on Spotify</a></b></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Honorable Mentions</b></span></div><ul style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Washed Out- <i>Within and Without</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">The Black Keys- <i>El Camino</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Adele- <i>21</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Holy Ghost!- <i>Holy Ghost!</i></span></li>
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</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>10. Real Estate- <i>Days</i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EaRGBkd_UOU/Tt_kVVdCkUI/AAAAAAAAAG8/w2JBPYvpCvM/s1600/Real-Estate-Days.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EaRGBkd_UOU/Tt_kVVdCkUI/AAAAAAAAAG8/w2JBPYvpCvM/s320/Real-Estate-Days.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sun soaked and laid back, Real Estate’s <i>Days </i>is a fantastic reminder that bands don’t always need to resort to extremes to produce great music. This is an easy record to enjoy, giving you the sense that it was effortlessly made to perfectly accompany those windows-down, sunglasses-on, stress-free moments of summer. But don’t let the simplicity fool you, Real Estate has it all figured out on their sophomore offering- they’ve distilled a formula that’s as classic as it is refreshing. Listen to "It's Real":</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F22293839&show_comments=false&auto_play=false&color=5a57f9"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F22293839&show_comments=false&auto_play=false&color=5a57f9" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <a href="http://soundcloud.com/dominorecordco/real-estate-its-real">Real Estate - It's Real</a> <a href="http://soundcloud.com/dominorecordco"></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Radiohead is about the closest thing to an automatic qualifier as you’ll ever see on any year end list, mine included. While <i>King of Limbs</i> isn’t even close to being one of their best albums, Radiohead is still leading a game that most bands don’t event know how to play. Everything they do moves the needle forward, from how they record and release music to how they package it (<i>KOL</i> could make this list on they way it <i>looks</i> alone). It’s a small sample size at just over 37 minutes in total length, but that’s plenty of time for Radiohead to remind you that they’re in a league all by themselves. Listen to "Lotus Flower":</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i> </i></b></span> </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F10750439&show_comments=false&auto_play=false&color=5a57f9"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F10750439&show_comments=false&auto_play=false&color=5a57f9" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <a href="http://soundcloud.com/porchnight/lotus-flower-radiohead">Lotus Flower - Radiohead</a> <a href="http://soundcloud.com/porchnight"></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>8. SBTRKT- <i>SBTRKT</i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f2w3kjX0rTE/Tt_m4zQdigI/AAAAAAAAAHM/7oGNDttqa3c/s1600/SBTRKT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f2w3kjX0rTE/Tt_m4zQdigI/AAAAAAAAAHM/7oGNDttqa3c/s320/SBTRKT.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</style> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">Beat-maker/producer Aaron Jerome’s sound may be as difficult to describe as his alias is to pronounce (It’s ‘s</span><span style="font-size: small;"><i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">ubtract’</i></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">, for all you vowel lovers out there). This record can be categorized as anything from post-dubstep to electronic pop, and each guest vocalist gets their own music styling to sing over. Jerome’s Young Turks label mate Sampha deftly croons on a majority of the tracks, but the standout moment here is easily the mesmerizing lurch of “Wildfire” featuring Little Dragon’s Yukimi Nagano. If songs this perfect are what SBTRKT is pushing out on a debut record, it’s easy to see how his sound (however defined) will be a major influence in years to come. </span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Listen to "Wildfire":</span><b><i> </i></b></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </b></span> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F16637498&show_comments=false&auto_play=false&color=5a57f9"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F16637498&show_comments=false&auto_play=false&color=5a57f9" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> </span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://soundcloud.com/nme_radar/sbtrkt-wildfire">SBTRKT - Wildfire</a> <a href="http://soundcloud.com/nme_radar"></a></span><br />
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<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>7. The Antlers- <i>Burst Apart</i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CEav0a5KJLo/Tt_omvfaoaI/AAAAAAAAAHU/5uMqTuA9ToI/s1600/the-antlers-burst-apart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CEav0a5KJLo/Tt_omvfaoaI/AAAAAAAAAHU/5uMqTuA9ToI/s320/the-antlers-burst-apart.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: small;">If Real Estate is my list’s bright, easy listener, <i>Burst Apart</i> is that record’s antithesis. It’s brooding, emotionally complex, and better enjoyed alone in one’s head rather than on some party playlist. Antlers frontman Pete Silberman wails through compositions that are legitimately heartbreaking and cathartic all at once, showing a gift for song writing that few of his contemporaries possess. He looks inward to deliver songs that are both distressing and stunning, none more powerful than the album opener “I Don’t Want Love.” Listen: </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F22449289&show_comments=false&auto_play=false&color=5a57f9"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F22449289&show_comments=false&auto_play=false&color=5a57f9" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <a href="http://soundcloud.com/transgressive-records/the-antlers-i-dont-want-love-3">The Antlers - I Don't Want Love</a> <a href="http://soundcloud.com/transgressive-records"></a><br />
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<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>6. TV on the Radio- <i>Nine Types of Light</i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wjm15E-C8Jg/Tt_pyYMPO7I/AAAAAAAAAHc/V0d6avIWIwE/s1600/TV-on-the-Radio-Nine-Types-of-Light.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wjm15E-C8Jg/Tt_pyYMPO7I/AAAAAAAAAHc/V0d6avIWIwE/s320/TV-on-the-Radio-Nine-Types-of-Light.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Sometimes it’s tough to distinguish great records from average records made by great bands. 2011 saw releases from some of the biggest veteran names in indie rock, some very good and some pretty pedestrian. TV on the Radio, for all the critical praise they’ve received and the respect they’ve garnered from fans, is a band that has gotten better and grown more confident with time. Even though </span><i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Nine Types of Light</i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> is their most accessible album to date, it is not complacent and in its own way pushes forward the bold art rock that put these guys on the map. While they may have streamlined the message, there is no denying the forceful soul that makes TVOTR one of my absolute favorite bands. Listen to "New Cannonball Blues":</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F13447500&show_comments=false&auto_play=false&color=5a57f9"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F13447500&show_comments=false&auto_play=false&color=5a57f9" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <a href="http://soundcloud.com/igamusic/tv-on-the-radio-new-cannonball">TV On The Radio - New Cannonball Blues</a> <a href="http://soundcloud.com/igamusic"></a><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">5. Wilco- <i>The Whole Love</i></span></span></b><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><span style="font-size: small;">Speaking of indie heavyweights, Wilco’s eighth studio album is their best effort in a long time. <i>The Whole Love </i>blends the best parts of the three post-<i>Yankee Hotel Foxtrot </i>records into an album that shows this current lineup finally hitting its full stride. But, that’s really splitting hairs when it comes to a band led by one of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s greatest songwriters. Jeff Tweedy’s crew is so accomplished, they can only be compared against themselves- and there’s no such thing as a mediocre Wilco album. Both sonically adventurous and full of beautiful quiet moments, it’s more disjointed (in a good way) than <i>Sky Blue Sky </i>or <i>Wilco (The Album)</i>. That’s always been Wilco’s strength though, to deliver incredible songs in unexpected ways. Listen to “I Might”:</span></span><br />
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</div><object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F19986032&show_comments=false&auto_play=false&color=5a57f9"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F19986032&show_comments=false&auto_play=false&color=5a57f9" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <a href="http://soundcloud.com/antirecords/wilco-i-might">Wilco - I Might</a><a href="http://soundcloud.com/antirecords"></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">4. M83- <i>Hurry Up, We're Dreaming</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">First things first: most double albums get automatically disqualified in my book. It’s a very rare case where I feel like the artist couldn’t have trimmed the fat and put out one really solid, single disk. Then you have a double record like <i>Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming</i> from a guy (Anthony Gonzalez) who built his reputation on same-sounding, shoegaze-y electronica. Everything points to this being a really difficult album to digest. Somehow, it all works phenomenally well on this stellar record. Gonzalez has seriously upped the ante vocally and with his ethereal pop sensibilities. Of course, it all comes down to great songs and there’s no shortage of outstanding works. “<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Midnight</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">City</st1:placetype></st1:place>” will rightfully get the lion’s share of attention, but “Steve McQueen”, “OK Pal”, and “Claudia Lewis” are also among the best songs of the year. Listen to “<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Midnight</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">City</st1:placetype></st1:place>”:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><i> </i></b> </span><br />
<object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F19087066&show_comments=false&auto_play=false&color=5a57f9"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F19087066&show_comments=false&auto_play=false&color=5a57f9" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <a href="http://soundcloud.com/m83">M83- Midnight City</a><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">3. Tune-Yards- <i>W H O K I L L </i></span></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">Merrill Garbus’ stunning <i>W H O K I L L </i>is an album full of contradiction- weird, horizon expanding, genre busting contradiction. The Tune-Yards’ leading lady is the chief paradox, being one thing one second and something completely different in the next breath. She can nimbly move from guttural, masculine growls to sweet falsetto in the same line of verse. It’s a lo-fi, tape loop record that also has big horn section moments. It’s a record that takes tiny bits of things you find familiar and chops them into a sound that can be as jarring as it is foreign. The only constants on this album are Garbus’ invigorating vision and unique talent; she’s a pioneering voice uninhibited by any sort of boundary. Listen to "Bizness": </span></span></div><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></span></b> <br />
<object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F10688101&show_comments=false&auto_play=false&color=5a57f9"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F10688101&show_comments=false&auto_play=false&color=5a57f9" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <a href="http://soundcloud.com/snipelondon/tune-yards-bizness">Tune-Yards - Bizness</a><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">2. Fleet Foxes- <i>Helplessness Blues</i></span></span></b><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">“So now I am older/Than my mother and father/When they had their daughter/Now what does that say about me?” sings Robin Pecknold on <i>Helplessness Blues</i> opener “Montezuma”, leading with the type of self-reflective, existential questioning that weaves throughout Fleet Foxes’ gorgeous second album. After the massive success of their debut and the scrapping of initial sessions for this record, it seemed as if Pecknold’s intense perfectionism might get the best of his songwriting efforts. Instead, he and his immensely talented bandmates let it all hang out, taking risks and making their pastoral folk a much more personal experience. They are also a phenomenal live band and my affection for this album got a huge boost from seeing them twice this year. They’re just an amazing band whose sound resonates with me on every level. Listen to "Bedouin Dress":</span></span></div> <br />
<object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F12737355&show_comments=false&auto_play=false&color=5a57f9"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F12737355&show_comments=false&auto_play=false&color=5a57f9" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://soundcloud.com/magic-arrows-blog-1/fleet-foxes-bedouin-dress">Fleet Foxes - Bedouin Dress</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1. Bon Iver- <i>Bon Iver</i></span></b></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">What makes an album your favorite of the year? For me, it’s simply the record that you connect with the most; it’s the record that instantly changes your mood the second you put it on. This is an intensely personal album for me. It’s the soundtrack to long walks and longer drives. Its indirect lyrics and inviting musical textures allow you to create your own meaning and move you to a range of emotions. Justin Vernon, deserving of the acclaim he will continue to receive for Bon Iver, has crafted something beautifully ambitious out of a soundscape that is as warm as it is bleak. </span><i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Bon Iver</i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> creates a complete environment around you as you listen; it envelops you and makes you feel. This year, it just made me </span><i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">feel</i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> more than any other record. Listen to "Holocene":</span></span></span><br />
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</div><object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F21402225&show_comments=false&auto_play=false&color=5a57f9"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F21402225&show_comments=false&auto_play=false&color=5a57f9" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <a href="http://soundcloud.com/boniver/holocene">Bon Iver- Holocene</a><br />
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</div><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Thanks for reading and listening. I'd love to hear your thoughts and your own personal Top 10 lists. Leave them in a comment below! </span></span></b><a href="http://soundcloud.com/boniver"></a>Scott Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836612937937010847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5530778438199354759.post-55458676799371615822011-11-02T11:15:00.000-07:002011-11-02T11:21:39.876-07:00What Sports Teams Can Learn From Tech Companies<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.gameops.com/carter-files/learning-from-tech">(From "The Carter Files" on GameOps.com, originally posted on 9.26.11)</a></span><br />
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</style> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">One of the greatest strengths of the sports industry is the willingness of its professionals to share best practices, ideas and concepts. Despite competition on the field, sports marketers are usually eager to lend a hand to a counterpart with another team. The common goal of succeeding in a heavily nuanced profession, with the same pervasive challenges and obstacles present in every game and market, bring sports minds together. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">While sports marketers may be well on top of what’s going on around their league, sometime the laser focus on what will and won’t work within sports prevents a full appreciation of other industries. Maybe it’s the pressure of the season, the demands of the multiple hats that most must wear, or even a lack of desire to expand our business approach beyond the realm of what we have come to know best. Whatever the reason, it’s just as important to understand the successes and failures of companies in other trades as it is to stay current on sports business trends. The more influences you are exposed to, the more diverse your business knowledge is, the more curious you are, the more valuable you’ll be. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tech companies are among the easiest to learn from, since their entrepreneurial philosophies often mean they aren’t afraid to push the envelope and test the boundaries of traditional business practices. Though seemingly disparate on the surface, the sports and technology industries actually have a lot in common. Both essentially aim to connect people, be it through a ballgame or a social network. Both are often entertaining diversions, making daily life more enjoyable by providing an escape or a simpler way of doing something. They are both dynamic, constantly changing industries where creativity thrives. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">From Google’s renowned corporate culture to Apple’s unique ability to hype a product launch, sports teams need only look to the biggest names in the industry for inspiration. Here is a closer look at three of those companies and what can be learned from them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Facebook<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">500 million active users and growing. In the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region> alone, users spent 41.1 million minutes on Facebook in August- almost 10% of all time spent anywhere online during the month. The numbers are so ridiculous they’re almost impossible to comprehend at times. Everyone would love to have that kind of customer base, right? Well imagine what it’s like when you want to make changes when you’ve got that kind of following. Facebook just rolled out some layout alterations and announced more major profile updates that are on the way. The response was as predictable as it was immediate. People naturally resist change, but people <i>vehemently</i> resist changes on Facebook. No matter the irony of people complaining about Facebook via Facebook, the site has become so entrenched in our lives that even the simplest of adjustments sends folks into a tizzy. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">How many businesses would risk so much initial backlash, for any reason? That’s the beauty of Facebook though. It’s always changing. Despite knowing what kind of reaction they’ll get, their strong belief in constant development and growth repeatedly leads them to new heights. This isn’t the first time they’ve done it (remember when you were a “fan” before you could “like” things?). The bottom line is that Facebook users will adjust and using the “new” Facebook will become as routine as brushing their teeth. For Facebook though, this is necessary product maintenance that keeps them relevant. Much like any relationship, things will get stale if you don’t make improvements or find ways to deepen connections. Sports clubs face similar recoil when making big changes, since people hold special places in their hearts for their team. There are times that certain things need updating though, whether it’s a new mascot or logo or doing away with a once popular promotion to make way for new ones. If you’ve done your research and are making the change for the right reasons, your fans will support it in time. Facebook teaches us that in order to strengthen bonds with customers, teams must persistently pursue improvement and continuously develop ways to enrich the fan experience- even if you get a little negative feedback along the way. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Zynga<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Unlike Facebook, most people can’t tell you who the CEO of Zynga is or even what the company does. But if you are one of the 500 million people on Facebook, you’ve seen them in action. Zynga is the mastermind behind all of those messages you get from friends asking for your help building a new town hall or requests for corn or wood or whatever else they need to get to the next level of FarmVille. They are the creators of a gaming empire which brought in $279.1 million of revenue in the second quarter of 2011 alone. Through titles like CityVille, Mafia Wars, Words with Friends, Zynga Poker and the aforementioned FarmVille, Zynga has revolutionized the way that businesses have monetized social media. Sure, the most literal way to learn from a company like Zynga is to embed your own game into your Facebook page, like the Boston Celtics’ “3-Point Play” which collects invaluable fan data. However, it is the <i>way</i> in which Zynga games attract people where the real lesson is gained. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Above all else, Zynga’s games are designed to be incredibly addicting. They have simple concepts, they look great, and they are free- to an extent. Your time playing is limited however, by lack of resources or energy points that are exhausted quickly. This drives the impetus to return daily, since you can’t just sit there and play forever (unless you pay of course). So, loyalty is encouraged, as is social interaction. Asking friends for help allows you to advance to levels you would other wise have to pay for. Teams must learn to channel this ability to keep fans wanting more. Often when we come up with a great in-game feature or successful promotion, we want to trot it out every game. Zynga’s model would suggest doing the opposite. By limiting the performances of your popular dance team or running a ticket special less frequently, you will drive up demand and reduce the likelihood that they’ll lose their luster. You must find a way to make <i>your</i> games addictive. You have to make fans feel like they can’t miss what might happen next. If you can create that sort of vibe, you’ll be able to drive a much larger social conversation where fans feel the need to share their experience with everyone they know. It’s important to honestly ask yourself if you are providing the type of fan experience that people can’t get enough of. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Netflix<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">In what could go down as one of the biggest marketing blunders ever, Netflix recently announced that their DVD rental and streaming services would become separate entities. Customers could choose one delivery method or the other, but if they wished to keep both their monthly bill would increase by 60%. They lost over a million subscribers in the weeks after the move and severely tarnished a brand built on years of customer-first practices. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Netflix’ first mistake was severely misjudging the delivery preferences of their customers. Most subscribers felt that neither service by itself was worth the price they previously paid for both. Sports teams can learn an important lesson here, since clubs rely on several channels to deliver their message to fans. While it may be most enticing to focus communication efforts on social media, which is cheap and immediate, there are still fans out there that do things the old fashioned way- a lot of them, actually. You can never abandon the personal touch of a phone call or an in-seat visit. Even the email newsletter seems archaic these days, but it remains an extremely effective way to reach most people. An over reliance on either approach leaves a big segment of the market feeling neglected. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">A more complicated issue presents itself when it comes to price increases. Fans will see right though greedy, short sided cash grabs. They know the difference between decisions made to make money and changes made to improve the quality of the product they’re being offered. If you must raise prices, there are ways to do it without insulting your fan base. Variable and dynamic ticket pricing models may bump up the cost of tickets for high demand games, but fans understand paying a bit more to see the Yankees host the Red Sox versus the Mariners. Another way to raise prices more thoughtfully is to offer an alternative. For instance, if you increase the cost of an individual ticket purchased on the day of a game but freeze the price of the same seat bought in advance, fans will be less likely to get upset. The Netflix example shows that you cannot overestimate the value of your product, but more importantly, you can never underestimate your customers. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></div>Scott Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836612937937010847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5530778438199354759.post-30583065319845506072011-09-20T11:53:00.000-07:002011-09-20T11:55:10.985-07:00Battling the Dog Days of Summer: Midseason Motivators<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.gameops.com/carter-files/midseason-motivators"><span style="font-size: small;">(From "The Carter Files" on GameOps.com, originally posted 7.1.11)</span></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Everyone who has ever worked in sports knows the feeling. In every league, you reach the halfway point of a season where it seems like you have to dig a little deeper to make great things happen. Baseball offers the best description of that grind, where the expression “dog days of summer” succinctly explains the daily difficulty in maintaining a high level of performance amidst a marathon-like season. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">For teams and players, the All Star Game in July is a symbolic break in the monotony. It’s a chance to take stock of stats and standings; it’s a moment to regroup before it’s too late. A few weeks later, the trade deadline offers teams a literal injection of fresh blood for the stretch run. For those in the business office though, the midseason pick me-up isn’t going to come from a new starting pitcher or a left handed bat off the bench. Sports marketers, like players on the field, need to consistently produce results and provide compelling reasons for fan support no matter how exhausting the season may be.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">During those dog days, finding motivation to come up with fresh ideas can be tough. Naturally, it’s harder to get amped for a Tuesday game in July than it is for Opening Day. The ability to discover the motivation to continually try and improve marketing efforts can be what separates a good operation from great ones. Managers need to lead by example and find ways to energize their crew and keep morale high, while every staffer must take personal responsibility for finishing the season as strong as they started it.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here are some quick midseason motivators to help encourage staff energy and spur efforts to continue producing at a high level.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Take a Staff Trip to Another Stadium</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">After a long homestand, hanging out with coworkers may be the last thing on your mind. However, taking a staff trip to a rival ballpark or stadium can provide a fun, camaraderie building experience. Even if it’s just a handful of people, this will give you a chance to let loose while also gaining more appreciation for the hard work put into running a sports team. Take notes on things the other team does well and borrow some ideas. It’s equally important to remind each other of the things you might do better than your rival. You’ll never know what you do well or where you can improve unless you have an actual basis for comparison. Most folks working in sports are incredibly competitive and a visit to another ballpark can easily spark a desire to one-up the team down the highway.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Utilize Social Networks to Help Generate Ideas</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Even the most creative minds in the business hit mental roadblocks. Sometimes the ideas just don’t flow, no matter how many brainstorming sessions you have. During those times, the best answers usually come from the people you are trying to persuade- the fans. The most effective and personal way of conversing with your fans on a wide scale is through the use of social media, which makes it easy for them to suggest things they’d like to see happen. Whether it is asking their opinion on ways to improve partially-formed new promotions or taking polls on the most popular mascot skit or soliciting feedback on concession items, social media gives you the ability to immediately refocus efforts where they matter most. Also, hosting live social media events (tweetups, social media seating sections) at games is a great way to bring the most active members of the online community in direct contact with your team. It bumps up the pressure to be on point when you know you’ll have people critiquing every aspect of your operation for online consumption. The jolt of excitement these types of events bring can be a welcome change during midseason doldrums.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Recommit to Your Responsibilities as a Mentor</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">It is said that the best way to learn is to teach. During the middle of a season though, it can be easy to forget about the younger members of your team who look to you for guidance and advice. Too often, interns are asked to complete a task without proper explanation of why it needs to be done. When you take the time to teach those less experienced, you gain a better understanding of why you love what you do. Their infectious enthusiasm can help invigorate your daily routine and provide opportunities to reevaluate practices that have long been accepted as standard operating procedure. By showing them the ropes, you’ll remember what you felt like when you started in the industry- when every idea had unlimited potential and every game taught a new exciting lesson. Beyond training someone to be contributing member of the team, recommitting to your responsibilities as a mentor is personally gratifying. It is so much easier to battle through the midseason grind when you know you’re helping others grow.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Schedule Job Swaps</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Much like taking the time to engage with interns, making sure you have a proper appreciation for fellow veteran coworkers is an easy way to stimulate ideas and remain hungry for success. Set up a time on a slow event night when you can swap job responsibilities with someone else in your department. For instance, the Director of Entertainment can head down to the field to quarterback ceremonies, skits and contests while the Promotions Coordinator moves upstairs to get a better understanding of how the video and scoreboard crew, music and PA personnel operate. There are bound to be rough patches for every staff during a long season, where tensions flare due to stress, exhaustion, or even overexposure to each other. Plain and simple, it’s a lot easier to communicate with someone when you’ve been in their shoes. Those tensions become easier to squash when you have a solid appreciation for your coworkers’ hard work and the little details that they also deal with on a daily basis. In addition to building morale and cooperation, job swaps also provide an opportunity to approach old ideas in new ways. A coworker may suggest a more efficient way to accomplish a daily task or they may simply realize something they can do differently in their normal capacity to help you in your job. It shakes things up and reminds everyone how important it is to pull on the same end of the rope.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Plan a Promotion Just for the Staff</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sometimes it’s ok to plan a theme night or promotion just for fun. Especially in baseball, there are plenty of games on the schedule where you can relax and try to enjoy your own show. While every promotion should aim to sell tickets and generate attention, sometimes ideas pop up that just won’t be effective in those areas. Those “just for fun” ideas don’t have to be throwaways though. If there’s a slow stretch on the promotional schedule or a weeknight that could use some spark, consider planning an event based around pop culture events, music, movies, or entertainment personalities that are running topics of conversation or inside jokes in the office. Give your staff the opportunity to plan a theme night that’s pressure-free, and often that can help break creative barriers brought on by midseason fatigue. By doing something different, whether it’s having the staff dress up or playing a totally different type of music or using staff members for all the in-game contests, you might find the ideas start flowing a bit easier. Your fans won’t mind the change of pace either. Afterall, if you aren’t having fun, how can you expect them to?</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div>Scott Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836612937937010847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5530778438199354759.post-40922990651374877062011-07-01T11:45:00.000-07:002011-07-01T11:45:33.158-07:00Keeping Your News in the News: 8 PR Tips for Sports Teams<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://bit.ly/mH6UVA%20">(From "The Carter Files" on GameOps.com, originally posted 4.27.11)</a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Some would argue that this is the best time of year for sports fans. You’ve got the NBA and NHL playoffs going and baseball is only a month into the season. Throw in the NFL lockout and the occasional college football scandal and there is no shortage of sports stories to inundate your news feed. There are periods during the year though, where sports do not hold the collective attention of the Nation. In those times, teams fight a constant battle to keep a positive media spotlight on their organization. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Plain and simple, the media reaches far more people than a team’s marketing department could ever touch. Having an effective media and public relations strategy is essential in keeping your team in the public eye, whether it’s the busiest time of year or the middle of the offseason. Of course you could always sit around and wait for media to come to you, but usually that means something bad has happened. On the other hand, if you proactively and aggressively pursue better relationships with members of the media you can help shape the story being told about your team. After all, with the amount of work put into your product don’t you want the people in front of the microphones, cameras and keyboards selling the same experience you are? </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Media and Public Relations personnel must do more than prepare daily statistics packages. They are the liaison between the media and the entire brand. Not only should they be informing media members about the players on the field, but they also need to publicize upcoming promotions, depict the game experience and push team marketing initiatives. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Here are 8 PR tips to keep your news in the news:</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>1. Choose Your Spokesperson Wisely</b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If a team is actively engaging local and national media, someone is going to have to get in front of a camera at some point. For most organizations, this responsibility falls on the Media or PR folks. It doesn’t have to. While that department should surely be in charge of arranging all interviews, the job of doing the talking shouldn’t be one that is delegated by default. Ideally, a team should have a consistent spokesperson who best presents the brand as a whole. They should be charismatic, personable, well-spoken and easy to relate to. They should be the most well informed staff member, having an innate knowledge of everything the team does. It makes things a lot easier if the PR person embodies these characteristics, but if they don’t it’s alright to have someone else within the organization be the mouthpiece for the team. Bottom line, the person doing the interviews should be a person that viewers or listeners will like and trust.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>2. Know Your Non-Sports Media</b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">When you’re a professional sports team, it’s easy to get to know the local sports media. After all, it is their job to cover your team. While they are tremendously important and constant maintenance must be done to build better relationships with them, there is simply a much more natural connection with sports reporters than with non-sports media. That being said, a good PR effort reaches out to all media, no matter what they traditionally cover. It is the news departments of every TV station that plan feature stories or interviews where your team could reach a new segment of the population. It is the radio promotions people that plan grassroots events your team could take part in. Don’t disregard them just because they don’t know what your first baseman’s slugging percentage is. The more members of the media you develop relationships with, the more people you have to contact when you need to plug something. It takes more work to get in with non-sports media, but in the end these folks are more representative of the community as a whole and therefore extremely important.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>3. Always Be Available</b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The media doesn’t keep a normal schedule. Quite frequently, they are making plans long before the rest of us wake up or hours after we go to sleep. Being available when they need you is critical. Whether it’s an on-camera interview at 5:00am or setting up a time to talk minutes before game time, a team’s flexibility and dependability go a long way in ensuring future coverage. People who are constantly under deadline appreciate others who can help them out on short notice and they remember all the times you came through with information or an interview. If you expect them to run with something when you send out a press release, you better be there to return the favor even if comes at the most inconvenient time.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>4. Press Releases Are Not Enough</b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Every team sends out press releases when they need to promote something. While you can always tweak the effectiveness of releases and make them more appealing to read, simply sending them out to a distribution list is not enough to solicit attention. Imagine what your email inbox looks like when you step away from your desk for lunch. Now imagine what it would look like if every single business in the community emailed you every little thing they did. Press releases should be followed up with personal attention. Even better, put out phone calls in advance of releases to let media members know you have something big on the way. Remember though, they might not be on your schedule, so be cognizant of when you reach out. Taking the time to reach out on an individual on a personal level will help increase the chances of your news making the real news.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>5. Create Fully Packaged Stories</b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Yes, there is a theme here. It’s convenience. Not for teams, but for the media. The more convenient you can make things for them, the better off you’ll be. Considering how hard traditional media (especially print) has been hit during the recession, media members have less time and resources at their disposal. By approaching them with well thought out story ideas and concepts, you are not only helping them out but you are increasing the likelihood that the team will be covered for something other than a nightly score recap. For example, instead of just sending a release about an upcoming jersey auction that will benefit a local charity put together a list of people that a station could interview to build a story. If you go to the media with the ability to bring together a team representative, a contact from the charitable organization, and possibly someone who benefits from the charity, you can’t lose. Keep in mind though, stations are incredibly competitive and they don’t want to run the same story a rival did. You must come up with fresh angles for different outlets. Again, take the guess work out of it for them and you’ll end up being far more successful.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>6. Keep an Open House</b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">While the most outwardly visible component of any organization is the team on the field, the media needs to know and understand all of the roles that it takes to provide that team with a place to play. They should be welcome to tour the park and get insight into all of the people that really make things happen. Even a casual invite to get a behind the scenes look at the stadium or arena could lead to better communication. Job swaps are also very effective. Ask media members if they’d like to fill in for someone on your staff for a few innings or minutes, possibly your PA announcer, DJ, or scoreboard operator. This will not only lead to a greater appreciation of all the work that goes into your game experience, but it could lead to feature stories on those important positions. Giving media special access and insight into what makes the team tick is an important step in building a two-way relationship with them.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>7. Use Your Star Power</b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Your team spokesperson can only generate so much buzz while on air. Sometimes, you need to call in the big guns. For major league teams, this means getting players out of the locker room and in front of a microphone. For minor league teams, it most often means putting the mascot front and center. Players and mascots, while not always the most effective verbal communicators, simply add excitement that team personnel cannot replicate. Always make sure they are accompanied by the team spokesperson, especially if the player is speaking to something other than on-the-field matters. While it’s obvious that mascots help to liven up a visual piece, even taking the mascot to radio interviews can be beneficial. Even though no one can hear or see them, just having them in the room for a radio visit will heighten the fun for the media members, creating a better broadcast and raising the chances of them inviting you back.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>8. Everyone Loves Presents</b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">When it comes to keeping top of mind with members of the media, it always helps if they’ve got some sort of constant reminder of your team. Never be ashamed of sending care packages filled with extra promotional items or dropping by stations with complimentary bobbleheads or t-shirts. Those items go a lot further sitting in front of a media member than collecting dust on your desk. It’s a scientific fact that everyone loves free stuff, including the media. </div>Scott Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836612937937010847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5530778438199354759.post-12411929032417522112011-05-05T10:56:00.000-07:002011-05-05T10:56:36.088-07:00The Repeat Customer Success Cycle<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.gameops.com/carter-files/cycle">(From "The Carter Files" on GameOps.com, originally posted 3.29.11)</a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">As the calendar turns to April, baseball executives around the country are switching gears from a planning phase to an execution mode. It’s time now to actually do all the exciting things you’ve talked about doing. For game operations professionals, this means a much brighter focus on delivering stellar entertainment, presentation and promotional events. Once gates open for the season it is the stadium experience that takes center stage, propelling everything from ticket sales to buzz in the community. So, let’s look at how these crucial organizational components fit into a larger picture during the season, where maximizing business opportunities is always the objective.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">As my colleague Pat Walker pointed out in our <a href="http://www.gameops.com/features/essay-writers/decade">Best of the Decade audio roundtable,</a> the game operations department may not be the first folks to sell a ticket but they can be the best source of renewal that any organization has. The renewal, or repeat customer, is absolutely critical for any sports team. Sports marketing guru Jon Spoelstra laid it out in clear terms when he said, “Increasing the frequency of purchase by customers is the best and most efficient way of building a business. It is a quick-fix silver bullet.” Think about how hard your sales staff must work to get a first time customer to a game. Then think about that customer’s likelihood of returning to another game after they’ve been exposed to your team’s incredible stadium experience. Indeed, building your repeat customer base is easier and more economical than searching out a stadium full of newbies. While new business prospecting will always be imperative to an organization, moving a fan from the 1-2 game a year threshold to attending 5-6 games is simply more effective than recruiting people who have never touched your live product. During the season, game operations personnel must understand the vital role they play in building the all-important repeat customer base. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Think of building your repeat customer base as a never ending cycle. There are different points in the cycle where a fan may be introduced to your team, but all departments must work together to keep them moving towards increased involvement and more frequent stadium visits. Here then is the Repeat Customer Success Cycle, a simple strategy for building in-season business. During the season, we all know it’s incredibly easy to get caught up in day-to-day details. This cycle helps to provide perspective amidst that daily grind. It helps to show that the game operations staff is not just in charge of fun and games, but more importantly it is the catalyst in turning new fans into rabid, repeat customers. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">The Repeat Customer Success Cycle</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Each of the six points in this cycle is important. A breakdown in any of these phases could let a potential repeat customer slip through the cracks. While it doesn’t matter where or how a fan enters this cycle, it is essential that you work with other departments to constantly move them through the cycle as often as possible. The more a fan touches the following six points of the cycle, the more likely they are to buy frequently.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">1. Game Experience/Entertainment</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">So a family just purchased tickets for their first game ever at your stadium. What do you want them to experience while they’re there? What memories do you want them to take home? How do you want them to describe the event to others? The game operations department must keep the answers to these questions in mind at all times. You want fans to have fun. You want kids pestering their parents about when they can come back. You want them thinking about friends they can bring with them next time. It’s your job to turn a meaningless ticket stub into a tangible, outstanding experience. Once they’re in the door, it’s your job to make them want more.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">2. Build Brands Within Your Brand</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">A team’s brand is made up of a lot of things. The collective identity conjured up in the public’s mind about your team consists of their perception of the stadium, players, staff, logo, colors, concessions, parking, prices and on and on. Developing a strong brand identity takes thoughtful, consistent effort. One way to build an overall brand is from the inside out, by building brands within your brand. The most important example of this is the branding of your mascot. Especially in the case of Minor League teams, the mascot is the most constant representative of your organization. When someone sees your mascot out in the community, what do they think and feel? Do they immediately think about how much fun it is to go to your games? Other sub-brands you can cultivate include in-stadium performers (dancing grounds crew, emcees, half time acts, etc.), long term employees that have become fixtures at the stadium, and players with quirky or marketable personalities. Not only can these things be great for entertainment, but they can also lead to sponsorship or merchandising opportunities. If you can get fans to buy into these mini-brands, you’ve got them hook, line, and sinker when it comes to your team’s overall brand identity.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">3. Stay Relevant</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Let’s face it- it’s a very long season. Finding people who have the time, money, and interest in attending every single one of your games is getting harder and harder to do. Keeping people interested in your team all season long is a battle that must be fought with creativity and determination. Some important tactics to staying relevant and visible include focusing on your promotional schedule, public relations opportunities and community involvement. As covered in February’s edition of The Carter File, making constant additions to your promotional lineup is a great way to keep fans looking for the next big thing to get excited about. Staying topical and current in your promotions can also create great PR opportunities where you can take your message to the media. Of course, there is no substitute for being active in your community. Whether it’s a mascot appearance or charitable event, you never know what kind of people you’ll come across and how well they might take to your passion for your team. To stay relevant in a world short on attention and resources, you must consistently produce new ideas, new products, and new ways for people to encounter what your team does best.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">4. Client/Customer Service</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">As fans become more familiar with your team and stadium experience, it is imperative that they are given an outlet to express their thoughts and opinions. Providing fans with an opportunity to give feedback not only allows you to improve your product, but it makes them feel more connected to the team. The most visible part of the customer service team is the game day staff. Most teams do a phenomenal job of hiring friendly, helpful seasonal personnel who do everything they can to ensure fans enjoy their visit to the stadium. Beyond them though, the front office must also take an active role in following up with fans and clients. Monthly follow up calls in the middle of the season can do wonders in hyping up a client about upcoming promotions or a newly scheduled performance by their favorite ballpark entertainment act. Give your most passionate fans all the information they need to sell the team for you. In addition to these personal interactions, social media has blown open the doors for transparent interaction between teams and their fans. Between Facebook and Twitter, it’s much easier now to make sure your biggest fans are engaged, aware, and active.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">5. Increase Contact</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">For a front office, it’s often impossible to imagine how the team’s daily news and notes aren’t ubiquitous, water cooler conversation topics. When you’re so entrenched in the season, it’s difficult to take a step back and realize that most people simply don’t think about the team anywhere near as much as you do. That’s why it’s important to increase contact with fans throughout the season. Through the official website, social media channels, blogs, advertising, community and media appearances, etc., fans must have ample opportunities to encounter team news and promotions. Another important means of contact, though seemingly diminished in the social media era, is email communication. The allure of free access on Facebook and Twitter should not detract from database building goals, where an email address can be just as valuable as a phone number. Bottom line, don’t take the chance that people are paying attention on their own.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">6. In-Season Sales</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Just because the actual season has started, it doesn’t mean that sales season has ended. To the contrary, the easiest sales opportunities present themselves when the excitement of the season is at hand. A lot of teams with aggressive ticket sales strategies employ an inside sales staff- part time telemarketers who can follow up with individual ticket buyers or businesses during the season. Given the right tools and resources (see points 1-5 of the cycle), this sales force can be the difference in turning a casual observer into a mini-plan holder or a business lunch into a company wide picnic. A fan may have really enjoyed their first experience at the stadium, but may not know where or how to become more involved. A commitment to in-season sales will ensure that opportunities to grow repeat customer purchases and participation are not missed.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">When considering these six points as part of a circular process, it’s easy to see how different departments must work collectively to build a repeat customer base. The core of the cycle though is the game experience. The game experience is what you’re selling during the season. Game operations personnel must not only focus on providing compelling entertainment, but they also must work to provide deeper opportunities for increased fan involvement where sales and marketing staff can capitalize. They must understand that in terms of business development, they are the organization’s most effective means to grow the repeat customer base and that’s no small responsibility.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Scott Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836612937937010847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5530778438199354759.post-28931813712182005402011-04-26T21:35:00.000-07:002011-04-26T21:35:55.381-07:00Thoughts On Losing A Friend<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span>I woke up this morning to some stunning, tragic news. It was the kind of news that's delivered by messages and calls from people you don't talk to everyday, where you look at your phone and immediately know something bad has happened. I woke up to learn that a friend had passed away suddenly last night. Darrell Copeland was 25 years old. The shock and senselessness of the news won't soon wear off, if ever.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We hired Darrell as a media relations intern for the Fresno Grizzlies in the spring of 2007. He was an absolute godsend. When thrust into a vastly increased role midway through that season, he handled himself like a seasoned veteran. We worked side by side, every day that summer. We learned together, laughed together, and made the most of unexpected situations. After his internship, Darrell became the official scorer for the Grizzlies. Seeing him at every game was one of my favorite parts of the day. Whether we were trading cracks on his beloved Fresno State Bulldogs or my Dodgers, or trying out new superstitions to spur on a winning streak, his laugh and smile were always there to greet me when I got to the press box. Darrell's easy going way made everyone feel welcome. He was a good guy, an honest guy, a guy you could always count on. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I don't think anyone can really do a suitable job of making sense of the loss of someone so young. Darrell didn't drink. Didn't smoke. Never got into trouble. He was just a clean cut, friendly kid who loved sports and his alma mater. I guess the only thing any of us can take away from such terrible news is how precious life is. None of us are guaranteed tomorrow. Each day is a gift that must be spent enjoying our loved ones. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">While I can't even fathom the heartbreak Darrell's family is going through, my only hope is that the thoughts and prayers of all the people he touched somehow reach them and provide comfort sooner rather than later. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Until we meet again DC3. You will be missed.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div>Scott Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836612937937010847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5530778438199354759.post-24274622789344613872011-04-14T19:58:00.000-07:002011-04-14T19:58:01.751-07:00My Coachoosings<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">In a matter of minutes I'll be out the door on my way to the desert, getting a head start on what surely will be another epic weekend at Coachella. With the help of the official Coachella <a href="http://www.coachella.com/interact/coachooser">Coachooser</a>, I've got a decent idea of how I'm going to navigate the landscape out there. I may need to clone myself a couple times or master the art of freezing time like Evie from <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2UkZzdyD0A"><i>Out Of This World</i></a>, but there are no rules that say you have to take in a whole set...portion control is the key here. That being said, beer tents and weirdo art displays will do their best to distract me from my mission. Do not fall victim to their advances! Follow the music!</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here's how my Friday schedule stacks up, with !!! leading everything off, fresh off a super intimate show that the wife and I thoroughly enjoyed in Visalia last night.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">!!! (Chk Chk Chk) 2:20-3:10</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Titus Andronicus 3:30-4:10</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Drums 4:10-4:45</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Morning Benders 4:45-5:20</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Pains of Being Pure at Heart 5:20-5:45</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti 5:50-6:15</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lauryn Hill 6:15-6:50</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">YACHT 6:50-7:10</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sleigh Bells 7:30-8:10</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Black Keys 8:40-9:30</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Crystal Castles 9:30-10:20</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Robyn 10:50-11:40</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thao with the Get Down Stay Down 1:55-2:35</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Tallest Man on Earth 3:00-3:30</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Foals 3:30-4:05</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Delta Spirit 4:05-4:45</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Two Door Cinema Club 4:45-5:20</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cage the Elephant 5:20-6:05</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Broken Social Scene 6:05-6:55</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>first bathroom break of the entire weekend </i></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">One Day as a Lion 8:15-8:45</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mumford & Sons 8:45-9:15</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wire 9:15-9:30</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Animal Collective 9:45-10:55</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Arcade Fire 11:20-close</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">And finally, Sunday...</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Twin Shadow 1:10-1:40</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Menomena 1:40-2:00</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">CSS 3:30-4:00</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wiz Khalifa 4:00-4:35</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Nas & Damien Marley 5:00-5:50</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Death from Above 1979 6:10-7:00</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Foster the People 7:00-7:25</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The National 7:25-8:15</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Chromeo 8:15-8:55</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Strokes 8:55-10:00</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Kanye West 10:30-close</span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Is there any way I'll come close to sticking to this itinerary? Not a chance. But, that's the beauty of this festival. You get pulled in so many surprising directions and pleasant discoveries are all around you. Hopefully when I get around to recapping the weekend, I'm not burnt to a crisp. Time to double check that I packed sun block...</span></span></div>Scott Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836612937937010847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5530778438199354759.post-1273366078769425342011-04-11T21:56:00.000-07:002011-04-11T21:58:11.352-07:00Our Wedding- One Month Later<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of Walmer Medina</td></tr>
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Saying that time has flown by would be a monumental understatement. One month ago today, I married the love of my life and my best friend. The days leading up to our big day, the wedding itself, our incredible honeymoon, and the weeks since then have moved at light speed. It’s really hard to comprehend at times. We spent so much time planning everything and just like that, we’re sitting in line at the Social Security office waiting to get her named changed. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">As surreal as it all has been, it has been equally perfect. It all happened so fast though, but perfect days aren’t meant to last forever I suppose. Perfect days are the ones where you close your eyes and try to burn images into your mind, telling yourself that you need to remember things exactly as they are. I found myself looking at the time during our wedding reception, as if trying to slow down time by concentrating on the hands of the clock. Of course, before we knew it, the night was over and we were married. With us though are those images forever burned into our memories: our wonderful families and amazing friends coming together to celebrate, a gorgeous atmosphere colored brighter by touches of our personalities, a perfect day more magical than we could have ever imagined.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Summing up everything that happened on our wedding day would be impossible. But I did want to go through some of the bigger things, music being one of them, and document them for posterity. After all, writing helps one to remember. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our ceremony started at about 5:00, just before sunset where the sky seems to change color by the second. Kianey’s mom and step-dad and my mom and dad were the first down the aisle, as we played Vitamin String Quartet’s version of the Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows”. It seemed so appropriate. God only knows where either of us would be without them. I followed our parents, accompanied by Richard King, a great family friend and the man who would marry us.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Once in my spot, I had to keep reminding myself not to lock my knees, since that’s a great way to faint. The emotions were in check while I was taking my place, but I started to lose it a bit when the wedding party started to make their way down the aisle. We stayed with another Vitamin String Quartet cover for their entrance and it was awesome. The pure passion embedded in Arcade Fire’s “Wake Up” made for an <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wake-Up/dp/B000QMUB1A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1302555288&sr=1-1">incredible instrumental </a>as our best friends took their places in front of our guests. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Now, Kianey was pretty adamant about not walking down the aisle to the traditional bridal chorus. She decided on “Something,” one of the greatest love songs ever written. It just so happens to be a Beatles song, written by my favorite Beatle- George Harrison. The <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Something/dp/B000TPMADG/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1302579886&sr=1-11">string version of the song had an amazingly dramatic opening</a> to signal her arrival, so we kept things consistent with a Vitamin String Quartet cover. I’ll never be able to listen to either version of this song again without getting misty eyed. As the song started and our guests turned to welcome Kianey, I can’t explain the feeling that came over me. Every single pair of eyes in the place was staring at my beautiful bride, and hers were locked on me. I’ve never been happier than I was at that moment, to see her walk down the aisle towards me and our new life together. In that instant, the world was a perfect place and it seemed like we were the only two people in it. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">After the ceremony, while we took pictures and caught our breath, was cocktail hour. For me, it was the only part of the wedding where I was allowed to script all of the music. I consider it to be the most important-and difficult- playlist I ever created. Here it is:</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">The Black Keys- <a href="http://soundcloud.com/pablo-coss/the-black-keys-everlasting-light">“Everlasting Light”</a></span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">• An awesome opener to an album we both love. The Black Keys were one of the first bands of mine that Kianey admitted to liking, so they hold a special place in our hearts. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Mayer Hawthorne- <a href="http://soundcloud.com/wereofftherails/mayer-hawthorne-your-easy-lovin-aint-pleasin-nothin">“Your Easy Lovin’ Ain’t Pleasin' Nothin'”</a></span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">• One of the best live shows we’ve seen together, Mayer Hawthorne is a true soul throwback. Try not liking this song, I dare you.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">M. Ward- <a href="http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/s/Never+Had+Nobody+Like+You+featuring+Zooey+Deschanel+/2pSK1H?src=5">“Never Had Nobody Like You”</a></span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">• True-to-the-letter lyrics from one of the best songwriters out there. Plus, Kianey thought he was a snazzy dresser when we saw him live with Monsters of Folk.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">John Legend- <a href="http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/s/Save+Room+produced+By+Will+i+am+and+John+Legend+/yvDTZ?src=5">“Save Room”</a></span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">• Another song that’s impossible not to love. It’s also sexy as hell, like my wife.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Father MC- <a href="http://soundcloud.com/paul-ess/09-father-mc-ill-do-for-you">“I’ll Do For You”</a></span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">• As children of the early ‘90s, we both listened to a ton of hip hop from the era and this is one of those songs that just takes you back to being a kid recording tracks off the radio to a cassette tape. When you listen to it though, it’s really just about a guy who’s professing his love and commitment for a girl and asking for hers in return. Fitting.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Marvin Gaye- <a href="http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/s/If+I+Could+Build+My+Whole+Worl/2LB4Xr?src=5">“If I Could Build My Whole World Around You”</a></span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">• We chose to have Motown and soul artists played during dinner, otherwise there would have been a lot more on this list. This song was kind of a nod to my dad, who isn’t shy in telling you how much he loves Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell duets. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Dave Sitek- <a href="http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/s/With+A+Girl+Like+You/1VPQf9?src=5">“With A Girl Like You”</a></span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">• The slowest song on the mix, but a powerful, straightforward plea from TV on the Radio’s mastermind: “I want to spend my life with a girl like you…can I dance with you?”</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">The Beatles- “Got To Get You Into My Life”</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">• I’m pretty sure this is self explanatory from all angles. There was going to be at least one Beatles song at every major junction of the wedding.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Passion Pit- <a href="http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/s/Little+Secrets+Album+Version/3DBVx3?src=5">“Little Secrets”</a></span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">• One of our favorite bands and always something we can listen to together. Just a happy, happy song to reflect the mood of the day.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Arctic Monkeys- <a href="http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/s/Baby+I+m+Yours/32kM2g?src=5">“Baby I’m Yours”</a></span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">• Wait, this is the slowest song on the mix. But, it’s one of my favorite covers ever recorded. A classic love song updated by an underrated band who sings it every bit as tenderly as the original.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Feist- <a href="http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/s/Inside+And+Out/2gTGnZ?src=5">“Inside and Out”</a></span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">• Speaking of cover songs, this Feist track got picked because Kianey wanted more female singers…and because it’s awesome.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Ray LaMontagne- <a href="http://soundcloud.com/goldmanmill2/01-ray-lamontagne-you-are-the-best-thing-gossip-in-the-grain">“You Are The Best Thing”</a></span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">• The chorus pretty much says it all: “You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings- <a href="http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/s/Tell+Me/2zdBVW?src=5">“Tell Me”</a></span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">• Love, love, love Sharon Jones. Love this song and everything it means.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Dirty Projectors- <a href="http://soundcloud.com/foe-mania/stillness-is-the-move-dirty-projectors">“Stillness Is The Move”</a></span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">• Not a traditional love song in most senses, but a beautifully offbeat track that really feels like “us” to me. Plus, it’s got some gorgeous lines in it: “There is…noth-ing…we can’t…do.”</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Bob Marley and Lauryn Hill- <a href="http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/s/Turn+Your+Lights+Down+Low+With+Lauryn+Hill+/3p6WfS?src=5">“Turn Your Lights Down Low”</a></span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">• We both loved this song while in college and discovered it again together. It really takes on new meaning when you’ve found the person you want to marry.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">For the reception, our wedding party made their grand entrance to Daft Punk’s “<a href="http://soundcloud.com/eagle_fly_xiii/digital-love-daft-punk">Digital Love</a>.” Kianey and I made our entrance as husband and wife at the 1:02 mark of <a href="http://soundcloud.com/user2351382/pretty-please-love-me-by-estelle-feat-cee-low">“Pretty Please”</a> by Estelle. While it’s tough picking out the favorite part of a day filled with memories, making our entrance into the reception to this song was definitely in the top 5.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Selecting the song for our first dance was tough at first. We considered “Something” but obviously decided to use that for the bridal entrance. When the song came to us though, it hit us like a ton of bricks. The Princess and The Frog is a movie that means a lot to us and Neyo’s <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehmUs0ou1mc">“Never Knew I Needed”</a> from the soundtrack really summed up how we found each other. It’s about finding love when you least expect it and how your life can be turned upside down when you do. Plus, it wasn’t super slow so it was easier for me to dance to.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Other favorite musical selections for the evening included <a href="http://soundcloud.com/stgorivas/red-hot-chili-peppers-i-could-die-for-you">“I Could Die For You”</a> by the Red Hot Chili Peppers during our cake cutting, “I Want You” by The Beatles for the garter removal and toss, and Paula Abdul’s “Forever Your Girl” for the bouquet toss. The very last song of the night was “Two of Us” by The Beatles, naturally.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">We had some fantastic help in planning our wedding and none of this would have been possible without our incredible vendors, who made years of dreaming come true:</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.chantrellescatering.com/padua-hills-theatre.nxg"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Padua Hills Theatre</span></b></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The tone of our wedding all began when we picked our venue. We fell in love with the Padua Hills theatre the second we stepped foot on their grounds. It reminded me of Santa Barbara. Kianey loved the ceremony site, the view, and the charm of the place. The theatre itself, where our reception took place, was stunning inside. It was simply the only place we could imagine getting married. I won’t even get started on how good the food was, as it may have gotten the most compliments of anything on the day.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><a href="http://www.palosstudio.com/"><span style="font-size: small;">Palos Studio Photography</span></a></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Louis and Erin Palos were our incredible photography team. They made everything so easy on us and captured the perfection of the day. Considering how much we loved our engagement pictures, we know our wedding photos will be amazing. Super talented, super down to earth and one of the best vendor decisions we made.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.eexpressdjs.com/"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Entertainment Express</span></b></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">I don’t envy anyone who helms the music at my party when I don’t have a finger on the playlist, but these guys did a phenomenal job. Not just from the DJ booth, but also as our master of ceremonies. They let us get our special tracks in there while making sure the party was happening. Plus, keeping a bride and groom calm and on task can’t be easy, but Brett from Entertainment Express was about as on point as you get. Music, lights, effects, flow of the entire day was-again- perfect.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.honeyandpoppies.com/"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Honey and Poppies</span></b></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Trying to decide what your wedding “looks” like is a lot harder than it seems. Kianey and I had a bunch of initial ideas we loved that reflected our personalities, but we didn’t really know how to put them all together. We wanted the vibe to be unique and eclectic but colorful and memorable. Megan at Honey and Poppies, our truly talented florist, nailed it. We knew we wanted to incorporate succulents and peacock feathers into our arrangements, but couldn’t have imagined what she came up with. I never thought I would be so pumped on flowers…well, just saying flowers doesn’t do them justice. Megan helped build the atmosphere of the entire day and really made it feel like us.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">As soon as we get our pictures back, I’ll be sure to post some, as it’s so hard to try and describe what an incredible day it was without having visual assistance. For now, it’s just fun to sit back and remember the exceptionally perfect start to our lives together.</span></div>Scott Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836612937937010847noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5530778438199354759.post-33734509969512085342011-02-15T17:04:00.000-08:002011-02-15T17:04:30.078-08:00Ticket Stub Tuesday- Arcade Fire<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U343ZJVNllc/TVshXIoWz8I/AAAAAAAAACs/IUrqb4bV1B8/s1600/AF1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="234" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U343ZJVNllc/TVshXIoWz8I/AAAAAAAAACs/IUrqb4bV1B8/s320/AF1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://kcdouglas.tumblr.com/post/3253209454/photo-set-2-arcade-fire-at-the-ukrainian-culture">Photo courtesy of K.C. Douglas</a></td></tr>
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Arcade Fire</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Ukrainian Culture Center</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">February 11, 2011</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">To say that Arcade Fire had a good week would be a bit of an understatement. As unforgettable as the last several days have been for them, it has been equally memorable for me. I started crafting this post in my head on Friday morning, when I found out for sure that my name was 1 of about 500 on a list to see a secret show at the unlikeliest of venues. In a word, the feeling that comes to mind most when recalling Friday night and the days that followed is lucky. I feel lucky to have incredible friends, one of whom camped out over night on the streets of Downtown Long Beach for a shot at tickets. I’m lucky to have seen a show that was amazing on so many levels its hard to express. I’m lucky to have shared such an intimate moment in time with a group of artists on the precipice of wildly unexpected worldwide acclaim.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Since Friday though, I’ve rewritten this in my head over and again. Not only because the show has already become legendary in my mind’s eye, but Arcade Fire then went out and won themselves a Grammy- for album of the year no less. I felt compelled to write about the significance of <i>The Suburbs </i>and what it means for the musical landscape to have such a haughty honor bestowed upon a band on an independent label. It’s all really pretty amazing and as far as I can remember, unprecedented. While most people ask how a band they’ve never heard of won the biggest Grammy, I’ll contend that no one deserves it more. In my sphere of influence, Arcade Fire are the heavyweights, as opposed to the underdog no one saw coming. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">It’s not easy to stay relevant in the indie universe. Sure, your loyal fan base is ridiculously intense, well informed and appreciative of actual artistry. They also happen to be insanely critical. They’re ready to dispose of you because you’re too big or because the cool blogs didn’t give your new album a perfect score. What Arcade Fire has done in the span of 6 years is special. They started their career with maybe the most applauded independent releases of the decade in <i>Funeral</i>, a seminal record that made them instant indie darlings. I’ve never seen a band become so important as quickly as they did. Funeral carried so much weight that nearly everyone expected their follow up to bomb. How many times have we seen the music blogosphere build up a buzz band only to brand them as a flash in the pan when they fail to recreate the magic? With <i>Neon Bible</i>, Arcade Fire clearly established that any type of success would not have an effect on their voice. By now, indie fans expected greatness from Arcade Fire. I can’t imagine the pressure felt by Win Butler and company when they set out to record <i>The Suburbs</i>. I can only point to one possible explanation as to how they managed to best themselves again, and it’s the reason that makes them so important: These wonderful people live to make music. It’s what gives them joy, it’s how they make sense of themselves and the world around them, and it’s what will keep them from succumbing to the pressures applied by both mainstream and independent music fans alike. Their music that stems from undeniable passion and talent is and will continue to be generation defining.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is the context that made Friday’s show something so exciting. It was the feeling inside the tiny Ukrainian Culture Center though, that made the show so remarkable. It’s hard to say who was more ready for the show- the band or the assembled diehards. As Win Butler put it mid-set, “We can’t tell you how good it is for the spirit to play a small show like this.” I could write for days breaking down each song of the setlist, but the nuances of each song were simply overshadowed by vibe of the whole experience. It was 500 fans who simply wanted to be there more than anyone else singing every word at the top of their lungs. It was the planet’s best live band leaving everything out there, only to take the energy further by embracing and encouraging the collective magic in the air. It’s as if everyone in the room, both fans and band members, felt the magnitude of the moment. It was a communal celebration of a band that meant everything to everyone there, just before they took their talent to the world stage.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Maybe one day I’ll come back to this show and spend more time on each song. It would be easy to get caught up in paragraphs describing the show’s lightning rod of an opener in “Month of May” or the flash point when the band went 8-deep on vocals for “Rebellion.” I could dissect how much I love Regine Chassagne’s time in the spotlight and how I wish I could just relive the live experience of “Haiti” and “Sprawl II” every time I put the needle to the record. I could definitely write an entire post just about “Wake Up” and the flood of emotions that came with it, considering it will play a prominent role in my wedding next month. But for now, the entirety of the show is overwhelming enough. I just may be too clouded by the circumstance of it all to dive into details. Your favorite shows of all time just feel different. They take some time to digest. They stay with you, creeping into your subconscious unexpectedly and hitting replay on sounds and images as if to keep the experience as vivid as the night you lived it. For now, I’ll just be happy for being lucky enough to be there.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Super Annoying Guy(s) of the Show: </b>None. Maybe for the first time ever. Oh, there were potentials...it was an all-ages show after all. Could have been the group of kids in front of us trying to out-cool each other before the show. Could have been the guy who smuggled in a bottle of champagne and then sprayed it over everyone. Could have been the dude behind me singing too loud and too often out of any sort of tune. In the end, everyone was there for the same thing and it was perfect. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Moral(s) of the Show:</b> Sometimes you are lucky enough to be a part of an important moment. Soak it up, burn it into your brain, and share it with those around you. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>*Note: </b>There were no actual tickets for this show, hence no ticket stub photo. Our names were on a list, we got a wristband and we were in. Here’s my wristband, the wonderful little piece of suffocating plastic that secured my entrance into one of the best shows I’ll ever see.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div>Scott Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836612937937010847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5530778438199354759.post-44902787417487123942011-02-14T10:05:00.000-08:002011-05-05T10:58:07.224-07:00Building the Perfect Promotional Schedule<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.gameops.com/carter-files/building-the-perfect-promotional-schedule">(From "The Carter File" on GameOps.com, originally posted 1.31.11) </a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">For every baseball fan, there are four words that can automatically ease the pain of a long, dark winter. Pitchers and catchers report. It’s a tangible end to the offseason, but more importantly it’s the beginning of a new year filled with optimism and excitement. After months of planning, tweaking, and move making, it’s about time for the rubber to hit the road. It’s time to see how the newly shaped rosters of our favorite teams will actually perform. It’s also time when the business side of baseball puts their own roster to the test. That roster is the promotional schedule- the sports marketing equivalent to a team’s starting lineup.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The promotional schedule not only serves as the creative backbone for your sales force, but it also says a tremendous amount about your team. Taking pride in perfecting your promotional calendar tells your fans and community that the organization is invested in continual improvement of their product. Especially over the past couple of years, reductions in budget and soft sponsorship sales have been tough on promotional personnel. So now more than ever, it is essential to step up creatively to provide new and compelling reasons for fans to get excited about your season.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Building a perfect promotional schedule can start with something as simple as a change in mindset. Back when I was a young and impressionable baseball executive, I clearly remember one of my mentors describing his job to a client. “We throw 72 parties a year,” he said. That one line changed the way I developed a promotional schedule. Every home game is a party and you’re inviting the entire neighborhood. If you look at the plans for one of those parties- say a Tuesday night in June- and you aren’t excited about it, good luck at the gates. You must have goals for every single promotion in order to convince fans that attending a party multiple times at the same place is a worthwhile expenditure of their time and money.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">What then are the most significant things an individual promotion needs to do? Here are five: <b> </b></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>1) Sell tickets</b></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>2) Enhance the game experience</b></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>3) Elevate the team brand</b></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>4) Create partnership opportunities</b></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>5) Generate publicity and attention.</b> </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The more events you create that accomplish all of these goals simultaneously, the more perfect your promotional schedule will be. In and of themselves, these aims are pretty self explanatory and most promotions nail at least one of them. Honestly though, how many promotions on your schedule achieve them all at the same time? If you consistently challenge your creative team to approach promotional planning with an attention to comprehensive success based on these goals, your fans, community and colleagues will take notice.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">With these objectives in mind, here are some more tips to help build the perfect promotional schedule.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Variety is the spice of life.</b> If planning a promotional schedule for a sports team is like planning a season’s worth of parties, would you ever throw the exact same party twice? Fans need things to get excited about and giving them variety in your promotions creates anticipation for upcoming games. You also have to consider all of the different demographics that make up your fan base. There should literally be something for everyone in your promotional lineup.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Give your fans a voice.</b> One of the greatest things about the ubiquitous nature of social media is that it’s so much easier to hear directly from your fans. Use that to your advantage and include their input and advice when coming up with promotions. One of most simple ways to get fans involved is by allowing them to vote on the aesthetics of giveaway designs. Instead of mandating the player name on the back of a t-shirt or the likeness used for a bobblehead, leave that decision to the fans and open it up for vote on your Facebook page. Wouldn’t you be more likely to attend an event you had a part in planning?</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Providing value is not a fad.</b> In the midst of the realities of a recession, value became the buzz word in promotions. Fans now expect more for their dollar and it should be that way. Even as familial budgets slowly rebound, providing value needs to remain a priority for teams. There are too many entertainment options to compete with to not try and deliver promotions that wow people. Luckily, sports teams have more resources to leverage as value than most business. A movie theater isn’t going to excite anyone by packaging a ticket with a behind the scenes tour of their projection room, but access and experiences at your venue can easily tip the scales when someone is deciding whether or not to take advantage of a promotion.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Old favorites can always be improved. </b>Ask any baseball marketing executive what their most popular promotion is and odds are they’ll say fireworks. Fireworks draw everywhere, but that doesn’t mean you should just phone it in every time pyrotechnics are on the schedule. Think about ways to make small enhancements to these tried and true events. Work with your vendor to make sure that the music for fireworks displays are tied into larger themes for specific games. If you don’t already do so, allow fans down on to the field postgame to take in the show. Even fireworks can get stale if you neglect to shake things up.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Combine weaker ideas. </b>If you just don’t feel like an idea stands on its own, merge it with other minor plans to create one big mega-promotion. For example, a discount hot dog night or a cartoon character appearance or kids run the bases promo or postgame movie might not floor folks by themselves. If you combined all of those smaller promotions into one massive kids’ extravaganza though, you’re much more likely to capture the attention of families who won’t be able to say no. When you can overload people’s senses with detail after exciting detail, it’s a lot easier to achieve the five important goals mentioned earlier.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"></span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The schedule release is a big deal.</b> Again, if you aren’t excited about your promotional schedule, you can’t expect fans to be. Creating enthusiasm for your event calendar starts with its release to the public. The more fanfare your schedule is released to, the more likely fans and media will pay attention. Of course, you have to have compelling events and good ideas to really grab them. By essentially forcing a reaction out of your market, you can hone in on the promotions that the public perceives as most interesting. Conversely, you can start making early adjustments to improve promotions that don’t get a good reception. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Constantly add. </b>Just because you’ve released your promotional schedule doesn’t mean the work is over. New promotions should be added to your calendar regularly, as the best ideas often come in the middle of the season when you’re surrounded with excitement of live event production. Pay close attention to current events and other teams to see if there are ideas you can tap into. Follow trending topics in social media to make sure you aren’t missing opportunities to capitalize on things you aren’t familiar with. Your promotional schedule is a living document that needs continual maintenance to stay fresh and persuasive.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">With all the anticipation in the air as we close in on Spring Training and Opening Day, it’s equally exciting to see baseball’s brightest business ideas unveiled across the country. The infinite stream of creativity displayed annually is one of this industry’s most enduring strengths. Although building a perfect promotional schedule may be an endless endeavor, sports marketers have never been ones to shy away from taking things to the next level.</span></div>Scott Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836612937937010847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5530778438199354759.post-54201471662971078672011-02-12T00:07:00.000-08:002011-02-12T00:07:08.982-08:00Arcade Fire Secret Show Setlist<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Oh. My. Gawd.</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> There are</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">not enough words </span><span style="font-size: small;">to describe how incredible tonight's Arcade Fire show was. A million thanks to the man who made it all possible, Mr. K.C. Douglas. The full scope of this show will be transcribed in detail soon, very soon.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">For now, the pertinent details. Show was top secret. Tickets went on sale at 3 locations in LA today at noon. Most camped out over night to scope out the 3 spots based on clues tweeted by AF last night. Show location wasn't divulged to anyone but those who got on the list.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Show was here, at the Ukrainian Culture Center on Melrose:</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here's my spot for the show:</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">And finally for tonight, the flawless setlist:</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
Month of May</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rebellion (Lies)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Neighborhood #2 (Laika)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">No Cars Go</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Haiti</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">City with No Children</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Intervention</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Suburban War</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wake Up</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">We Used to Wait</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">*Encore*</span></i></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ready To Start</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Keep the Car Running</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">...more on this next week!</span></div>Scott Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836612937937010847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5530778438199354759.post-38473700224235526312011-02-08T11:03:00.000-08:002011-02-08T11:44:59.002-08:00Ticket Stub Tuesday- Paul McCartney<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_q75cwRES-HM/TVGSIzbdmhI/AAAAAAAAACc/lGOjQUV3C2s/s1600/McCartney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_q75cwRES-HM/TVGSIzbdmhI/AAAAAAAAACc/lGOjQUV3C2s/s320/McCartney.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: small;">Paul McCartney</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">November 29, 2005</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Los Angeles, CA</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Most of my friends will tell you I’m about as big a Beatles fan as they know, and most of my friends are pretty big Beatles fans. From a very early age, The Beatles taught me basically everything I love about music. They’re even probably to blame for turning me into a bit of a music elitist. That’s because once I realized how incredible they were, I just held musicians and artists to a higher standard. For awhile in high school, I only listened to The Beatles…for almost 2 whole years…just The Beatles, nothing else. I spent hours making mixtapes- recording my favorite songs from CD’s to cassettes- since CD burners barely existed and iPods weren’t even fathomable. I made mixes of every possible kind: compiling my favorites written by each member, grouping songs based on instrumentation and how they made me feel, creating new track listings of their albums that included the singles written during the same recording session (imagine “Paperback Writer” and “Rain” on <i>Revolver</i>). My favorite part of going to church on Sunday mornings was getting the chance to listen to <i>Breakfast with The Beatles</i> on KLSX in the car. There also happened to be a Beatles only radio station in LA for a short while and I thought being a DJ for them might be the coolest job ever. When asked-for my first web bio- the four people dead or alive I would most want to have dinner with, I responded without hesitation. John. Paul. George. Ringo.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">While my Beatles phase grew out of obsession into a more regular appreciation, it always saddened me that my favorite band was one that I never would be able to see live. Seeing that most of my favorite artists hold a special place in my heart mainly because of their live shows, the connection I’ve always held with The Beatles has been because of their timeless music and message. They have always been perfect to me, every song, and every album. Nowadays, when I put on a Beatles record, they seem as fresh as the first time I heard them- like it could have been written and recorded a month ago. Their sound and influence is present in everything I listen to, and their cultural relevance is everywhere. Still though, the feeling of seeing and hearing those songs performed in front of you isn’t really ever going to be possible. You can only catch glimmers of what it would be like, but in the case of seeing Paul McCartney live, that glimpse is everything you would ever hope for as a Beatles fan.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">I did see Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band in 1997. As cool as it was to be in the same building as a Beatle, that show was as much a celebration of Ringo’s cohorts (Cream’s Jack Bruce and Peter Frampton to name a few) as it was of his own work. George Harrison, my favorite Beatle, hadn’t toured since the early ‘90s. I’ve seen countless Beatles tribute bands, some good, some not so good. McCartney was the Holy Grail then, but it always seemed like seeing him in concert was a pipedream- too expensive, too rare, too many other people with the same idea. I don’t remember exactly how we got them, an early Christmas present I suppose, but my parents came through with 3 tickets to see Paul at Staples Center in 2005. My Mom, ever gracious, let my Dad be the one to take my sister and I to the show. I remember thinking then that it was fitting I would see Paul for the first time with my family, since The Beatles were such a big part of growing up in my house. </span><br />
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</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">What I remember most about this show, without a doubt, is the feeling that came over the arena when Paul McCartney took the stage. It was complete euphoria. My reaction and the smile on my face must have been ridiculous as my sister told me “you’re screaming like a little girl.” I was just that happy to share the same space as one of my all-time heroes. All I remember about the actual performance was how great Paul sounded…that and his touring band (same guys to this day) were a bit too douche-y to playing George Harrison’s lead parts or harmonizing John Lennon’s backing vocals. I mean if you are playing shows with Paul McCartney, you are clearly talented…just don’t look like a tool on stage. Stand in the dark on the side and let the man do his thing. Those guys aside, the setlist was insane and every song was incredible. Sir Paul was a young 63 then, and the guy was cranking out a 40 show U.S. tour and playing 36 songs a night. At least two thirds of those songs were Beatles songs, the other third split between Wings stuff and songs to support his new album at the time. There were obvious Beatles choices, like “Hey Jude” and “Let It Be” but also some nice surprises with “Fixing A Hole” and “She Came In Through The Bathroom Window.” I’ve been emotionally moved at shows, I’ve been amped up at shows, I’ve had some truly memorable times, but I can’t ever remember being happier at a show than I was at this one. The charisma, musicianship and artistry that made Paul McCartney a living legend is still there in abundance and I couldn’t feel any luckier than to share it live, if just for a night.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Super Annoying Guy(s) of the Show: </b>It would be funnier if I let my sister tell this part of the story, since she still gets fired up about the super annoying lady a few rows behind us at this show. This lady is probably the *all-time* annoying show-goer. Long story short, said chick repeatedly yells at my sister and I to sit down. We contend that it’s easier for her to stand up and dance than it is for us to sit on our hands during a freaking Paul McCartney concert. I mean, sitting down while Macca is ripping through “Helter Skelter” is down right criminal. This lady took it as far as throwing popcorn at us. I just never understood her beef. It wasn’t like we were talking on our phones or doing spin kicks in the aisles, we were singing and dancing and into it. It’ll be a sad day when all the shows I go to are ruled by people who just want to sit down. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Moral of the Show:</b> If you’re one of those people who hate The Beatles because everyone else tells you how great they are, I feel sorry for you. Especially if you consider yourself a fan of music, an appreciation of their work is essential in my opinion. I’d bet most folks who try and dismiss their influence have never really sat down and listened to <i>Abbey Road,</i> <i>Rubber Soul</i>, or the White Album. Some things you just have to accept as fact. Science, really. If you have the opportunity to see Paul McCartney, one of the truly iconic artists in recorded history, just do it. You’ll be an instant convert. </span></div>Scott Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836612937937010847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5530778438199354759.post-35392816498034137022011-01-25T12:28:00.000-08:002011-01-25T12:32:08.401-08:00Ticket Stub Tuesday- Coachella 2007<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_q75cwRES-HM/TT8wmRJ_nSI/AAAAAAAAACU/pDHE1Xz0CJg/s1600/Coachella2007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_q75cwRES-HM/TT8wmRJ_nSI/AAAAAAAAACU/pDHE1Xz0CJg/s400/Coachella2007.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Coachella Festival</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">April 29, 2007</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Indio, CA</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">In the buzz surrounding last week’s announcement of the 2011 Coachella lineup, I thought it would be appropriate to dedicate this installment of Ticket Stub Tuesday to my first ever experience at the famous festival in the desert. It took me awhile to confirm that 2007 was indeed my first Coachella trip. I thought for sure it had been earlier, that I had been more often, and that I couldn’t have waited 8 years to get with the program. Then I remembered why I never made it out to Indio until 2007 and the circumstances that made it an event I wouldn’t miss for the world.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">When you work in baseball, the little color coded schedule on your fridge or in your wallet becomes the blueprint for your summer. Darkly shaded boxes are dates you won’t be doing anything outside the ballpark. Unfortunately for Coachella, it falls square in the middle of the first month of baseball season and in my case, the Minor League scheduling gods apparently don’t like good music. Nearly every year since I started my career in sports in 2002, Coachella landed on the weekend of a homestand. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">In 2007 though, it didn’t matter that Coachella fell during a stretch of home games. Ending what felt like years of rumors, it was announced that a reunited Rage Against the Machine would headline Sunday night. After working almost 300 straight games, it would be the first home date I’d miss in my career. Aside from being one of my favorite bands growing up, I was lucky enough to see some of Rage’s biggest shows back in the day- the most noteworthy being their final show before unexpectedly breaking up in 2000. Seeing that my RATM partner in crime K.C. and I saw their final show, we had to be there when they reunited. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I had penciled my day’s early schedule to include some bands that I was just getting into. <a href="http://soundcloud.com/tapesntapes/insistor">Tapes ‘N Tapes</a> was coming off their highly touted debut release with <i>The Loon</i>. I had just seen <a href="http://soundcloud.com/benjmulvey/rodrigo-y-gabriela-diablo-rojo">Rodrigo y Gabriela</a> at an Amoeba Records in-store performance and was excited to see them again. <a href="http://soundcloud.com/theasian100/junior-boys-in-the-morning">Junior Boys’ “In the Morning”</a> was near the top of my iPod’s most played list. Even though his debut Veneer had been out for a couple years, Jose Gonzalez was getting a lot of overdue attention thanks to tracks like “Crosses” and his cover of The Knife’s <a href="http://soundcloud.com/charyl/jose-gonzalez-heartbeats">“Heartbeats”</a>. Of all these stellar afternoon sets, the most lasting impression was made by Grizzly Bear. I won’t lie- I didn’t get them or their album <i>Yellow Room </i>until I saw them live. During <a href="http://soundcloud.com/speaker_snacks/onaneck-ona-spit">“On a Neck, On a Spit”</a>, it all clicked for me. Since that set, Grizzly Bear has become one of my favorite bands, churning out my top album of 2009 (Veckatimest). </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">As it neared sunset, we went to stake out a good spot for Rage’s main stage set. By default, we saw Willy Nelson and Manu Chau while we waited. As both road veterans traversed their setlists, there was palpable anticipation in the air as the crowd began to clamor for RATM with chants of “Rage! Rage! Rage!” during the middle of their songs. The wait for Rage to take the stage seemed unbearable. It’s hard to describe the energy that existed in the crowd in the moments leading up to the lights going out on stage, just before Tom Morello’s swirling wave of incendiary distortion kicked off “Testify”, just before Zach De La Rocha launched into a vocal onslaught that reaffirmed his power as both performer and preacher. The set itself was nothing short of triumphant, as they blasted through their greatest tracks like they’d never taken a day off. After the first half of the show or so, I realized that Zach hadn’t formally addressed the crowd as he normally did. Turns out, he was saving 7 years of Bush Administration fueled vitriol for a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QSmnBFaVT8">tirade in the middle of “Wake Up”</a> that made even the most left leaning on the political spectrum shudder. The encore that followed featuring “Freedom” and “Killing in the Name” wrapped up a performance that made the breakup and hiatus seem strangely worth it.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Super Annoying Guy(s) of the Show:</b> All of the people forecasting the defilement of the Coachella vibe at the hands of the “Rage element.” So a couple of meat heads lit some fires? I suppose some bohemian type could have used that as an opportunity to throw some scrap steel on the pyre and call it art. Even though RATM’s music does attract an often undesirably aggressive crowd, their core following are loyal music lovers who can be shockingly well behaved when you weed out the numb skulls who just want to…well…rage. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Moral(s) of the Show: </b>1). If you get asked to play at Coachella, make sure you don’t come on right before Rage Against the Machine reunites after a 7 year break. 2) Coachella was better when you could buy a one-day pass.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>*Note:</b> Coachella was the first of three Rage shows I saw in 2007 on their festival reunion circuit. Rock the Bells followed in August and <a href="http://anthemsandatleticos.blogspot.com/2011/01/ticket-stub-tuesday-vegoose-2007.html">Vegoose</a> after that in October. As incredible of both of those shows were, neither came close to capturing the raw intensity of this performance.</span></div>Scott Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836612937937010847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5530778438199354759.post-30756142651352542902011-01-18T22:54:00.000-08:002011-01-18T23:06:46.417-08:00Coachella Lineup Announced<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">In the annual revelation of <a href="http://www.coachella.com/">Coachella's lineup</a>, months of speculation and rumors became clear tonight. Despite my unsuccessful efforts to will an At The Drive-In reunion into reality, I'm initially pretty pumped on the lineup. Afterall, Coachella is the festival of festivals in my opinion. It sets the tone for the summer and has repeatedly launched act after act from hype to legitimacy. Want to prove how indie you are? Citing your familiarity with bands listed in the smallest font on Coachella's famous gig posters will cement your alt status with your friends. Here's who's coming to Indio this year:</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">At first glance, I'm most excited about a reunited Death From Above 1979 on Sunday, but I wouldn't turn down an offer to see any of the days' lineups. What do you think kids? </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Scott Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836612937937010847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5530778438199354759.post-4956962722927909842011-01-18T11:37:00.000-08:002011-01-20T15:54:55.982-08:00Ticket Stub Tuesday- Vegoose 2007<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Welcome to the first installment of Anthems and Atleticos' <i>Ticket Stub Tuesday</i>. Every week, I'll pick out a stub from over a decade's worth of shows and events and share some stories. Special thanks to all of the friends and strangers who make these tickets come back to life when I think about them. Coachella announces their 2011 lineup today, so I figured it would be fitting to start off with the festival spirit... </b></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_q75cwRES-HM/TTXoD4Ll1kI/AAAAAAAAACM/axWFmEXfrI4/s1600/Vegoose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_q75cwRES-HM/TTXoD4Ll1kI/AAAAAAAAACM/axWFmEXfrI4/s400/Vegoose.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Vegoose Festival</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">October 27, 2007</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Las Vegas, NV</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">One pyramid. Two robots. 20,000 costumed dancing machines. The now-defunct Vegoose festival served as the ridiculously memorable setting for one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. Imagine your favorite music & arts festival. Got it locked in? OK, now take that festival from the desert or middle of Tennessee or wherever, and transport it to Las Vegas…on Halloween weekend. Add in your 5 best friends from college and a handcrafted lineup and you’ve got the makings of something epic.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">We expected it to be a pretty surreal environment to see some shows. The festival grounds would be covered with people in some amazing Halloween costumes. (Special “where are they now” mention goes out to the whoopee cushion we befriended who affectionately referred to herself as “Fart Bag.” Classy that one.) After the last set of this huge costume party, we realized we’d come back to our hotel room on the Strip. No camping, no hippies, no water bottle exchange programs. After the show, we were going to change out of our own costumes (more on that later) and hit Vegas head on. It was almost too much to take in. And then you rundown the lineup you are about to see and it’s hard to figure out why they couldn’t keep this festival going.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The first piece of news that got my attention about Vegoose 2007 was that Rage Against the Machine had added it to their reunion-like festival circuit. They would headline Sunday night. I never thought a RATM show could become the afterthought of a weekend, but Saturday’s lineup was just bananas. We took in sets from M.I.A., The Shins, and the mighty Queens of the Stone Age. They were all great, but they all simply paled in comparison to Saturday night’s main event. I’ve never been so unexpectedly blown away by a live performance. I knew they’d be good, but I didn’t know that two French DJ’s who treated every day like Halloween would turn in the most vivid, visually stunning, all-out-fun show I’d see to this point in my concert going life. During a weekend tailor-made to create good times, it was Daft Punk that left the most indelible mark in all of our minds.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">It was the last U.S. show of their now legendary <i>Alive</i> tour. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Olt8S53PEM0">You know, the one with the giant pyramid and insane light show</a>. I’m used to festival shows and the crowds, and I can generally tolerate the claustrophobic surge and sway of hot, sweaty masses. No one really likes being in that mix though do they? This show was completely different. There were that many people packed around you sure, but instead of being hell bent on getting to the front, everyone just danced. It was a vibe unlike anything I’ve ever experienced at a show. I can barely sit through an instrumental song, but these guys kept everyone moving for nearly two hours of electro-pop madness. From the opening Human/Robot call and response of “Robot Rock” to the hard charging beats of “The Brainwasher”, they mixed and remixed their own greatest hits seamlessly into a nonstop party. Most acts save their biggest hits for the end, but Daft Punk actually took two of their most well known tracks in “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” and “Around the World” and mashed them together for a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ItqVgaTIjI">mid-set megaton bomb</a>. You didn’t want them to end the show. When they finally did though, with their LED-adorned robot suits providing their last send off, we all just kind of shook our heads in disbelief. It was that good. Then we went out to celebrate in Vegas.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Super Annoying Guy(s) of the Show:</b> I’m going to have to give this inaugural distinction to me and my friends actually. I mentioned costumes, and we certainly did our part. Our crew dressed as the cast of <i>Caddyshack</i>, complete with a full size gopher. God bless you Nicabood. I think our humor was probably lost on the server at our hotel’s 24 hour coffee shop, but at least one blackjack dealer got it. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Moral(s) of the Show:</b> 1) If Daft Punk announces a tour within say, two states, proceed immediately to the ticket line. 2) Losing at the tables doesn’t hurt any less because you’re dressed like Carl Spackler. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>*Note:</b> The scratch & sniff feature on the ticket did actually work at some point. Now it just smells like the multitude of sad little ATM receipts that kept it company in my wallet that weekend.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div>Scott Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836612937937010847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5530778438199354759.post-40429835603876987832011-01-10T16:20:00.000-08:002011-01-10T17:07:52.272-08:00Can You Be Your Team's Social Media E.X.P.E.R.T.?<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.gameops.com/carter-files/expert">(From "The Carter File" on GameOps.com, originally posted 12/31/10) </a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Few things in sports business will ever be as dynamic or conscious altering as the ascension of social media. In a matter of months, teams have moved from a tentative adoption of platforms to full scale strategies involving dedicated personnel. The stakes have been raised and more important questions are being asked. How do you capitalize on all of the connections you’ve made over the past couple of seasons? How do you jump from simple fan engagement to mobilization and monetization? How does your use of social media become completely integrated into your organization’s marketing, public relations and customer service philosophies?</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">To address these questions, many have forecasted the rise to prominence of social media managers- staff members committed to navigating the landscape and taking team initiatives to the next level. Given that a haphazard approach to social media will only alienate fans and foster one-way, “us first” perceptions, the expansion of social media focused positions seems inevitable and rightly so. At the major league level, several teams have already hired social media, digital marketing, or new media directors. On the minor league front however, where staff members must have a broader scope of responsibilities, the creation of social media specific jobs seems unlikely. That being said, minor league organizations still need a point person to quarterback new technology efforts.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">So, why can’t it be you? Considering how quickly the environment has grown and changed over the last couple of years, there are people out there calling themselves “experts” that didn’t have an inkling to tweet until recently. Quite simply, the more you use, share, read and interact, the more proficient you’ll become in the realm of social media. Those are the keys though, as you have to commit to total immersion if you hope to be regarded as an authority on the topic. Posting periodic game updates isn’t going to do the job.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Using a fitting acronym, here are some fundamentals needed if you plan on becoming your team’s social media E.X.P.E.R.T.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>E</b>ngage</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>X</b>change</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>P</b>ay attention</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>E</b>xperiment</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>R</b>elate</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>T</b>each</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: small;">Engage. </span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The most essential component to the social media conversation is engagement, but the best way to achieve it may not be in the way you would expect. A genuine way to build your team’s audience is to connect with the most influential members of your local online community. These could be bloggers, traditional media members, or even taste-makers in the creative or cultural communities. Once you’ve identified these folks, do more than follow them. Set up face to face meetings or seek them out in person at mixers and events. You have to remember that as a representative of the local sports team, you too maintain a position of influence. People will be eager to talk about ways to collaborate. After you’ve made an effort to reach out personally, follow up by commenting on blog posts or articles that relate to team initiatives. You’ll be amazed at how much further your organization’s message travels when you’ve appropriately engaged the right people.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Xchange.</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">One of the greatest strengths of the sports industry is the willingness of its professionals to share ideas and best practices. Seek out your counterparts with other teams, both within and outside of your sport, and exchange ideas with them. If there is a team with a particularly strong social media approach, odds are they are more than willing to give some pointers to a fellow colleague. Because other teams are the closest model to what may work for your organization, be vigilant in following other sports brands and offer to exchange good ideas of your own for tips on how to execute their more refined strategies. Especially amongst common league members, it’s in everyone’s best interest to fully participate in the social media space. Turning on-field rivals into online collaborators will yield a richer conversation for fans and create business opportunities you might not have thought of on your own.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Pay attention.</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">As simple and as obvious as it sounds, it’s astonishing how many sports properties continue to push their message out through social channels without actually paying attention to what’s being said around them. Part of the job of the social media point person is to monitor the conversations involving their organization. If there is negative feedback, it’s the responsibility of the social media coordinator to inform and work with involved departments to resolve issues. Of course, don’t be afraid to share positive comments as well. It’s also important to pay attention to the way people react to your online messages. Keep tabs on analytics and use them to refine when and how you introduce new concepts into the conversation. You can’t learn how to better engage fans if you don’t pay attention to what they care about.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Experiment.</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Facebook and Twitter may rule the social media landscape, but there is a constant barrage of new technology popping up every day. Which do you pursue and which do you ignore? If you’ve engaged influencers, exchanged best practices with colleagues, and paid attention to the larger online conversation, chances are you’ll have a good idea of the most pressing technologies to experiment with. Early adopters are often the most trusted voice when it comes to new communication channels. If your team can be on the front end of a trend, chances are that your message will resonate more clearly than brands jumping into the fray late in the game. Some emerging tools that surfaced in 2010 will continue to play a larger role in the social media picture next year. Social gaming integrated into Facebook and mobile applications, location based services like Foursquare, QR codes, and group buying platforms like Groupon are all avenues that need to be fully explored in 2011. Experimenting with new technology will offer opportunities to both enrich connectivity and generate revenue from your online presence.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Relate.</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">At their core, social media channels allow fans to get closer to their favorite teams and athletes. While the rise in connectivity has produced ample marketing and sales opportunities on the business end, teams cannot disregard the sacred bond built with their fan base. Now more than ever, teams must constantly hone their ability to relate to fans. Know what they want, know what they care about, and know the areas where they wish they could gain access. Sports teams have a distinct advantage over most brands in that people reserve unusual amounts of passion for their favorite clubs. You can never take that enthusiasm for granted. If you can appreciate and effectively reward their loyalty with an honest and respectful openness, social media will allow your fans to sell your brand for you.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Teach.</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Just because you’re the “expert” on your team doesn’t mean you should be the only one who understands social media. If you can get other departments to appreciate social media as a tool, you’ll ultimately be more effective in introducing cross-functional initiatives. For instance, its imperative the ticket sales department is trained to understand your social media strategy if you want the leverage to create aggressive ticket promotions to distribute through your channels. Also, teach the sponsorship department how your vast presence online can deliver more interactive opportunities to activate corporate partnerships. Continually teaching and training others will only help to make your organization’s use of a social media a more natural extension of customer service and marketing tenets. Likewise, including the input of revenue generating personnel in the creation of your social media strategy can greatly increase your ability to fuse digital know-how into a profitable enterprise. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">As ever-changing as the social media environment may be for sports teams, one thing is certain: it’s too late to turn back now. Teams will be more consciously aware of their need for forward thinking leaders to plot the course. Why can’t you be their E.X.P.E.R.T.?</span></div>Scott Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836612937937010847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5530778438199354759.post-8755223865235781942011-01-06T20:06:00.000-08:002011-01-06T21:00:57.672-08:00Predicting the 2011 NFL Playoffs...As My Mom Would<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Considering how wide open the NFL has been this season, your guess is as good as mine when it comes to predicting the 2011 playoffs. So rather than rehash the participants’ stats, personnel, and recent history, I figured I would get a real objective look at how this tournament is going to shake down. Whenever I’ve hit a slump in picking sports games (just for fun of course), there’s really only one person who I can look to for an unbiased perspective on sporting outcomes. It’s someone who cuts right through all the experts’ jargon and Vegas’ betting line with resolute decision making criteria. That person is my Mom. Say hi to my Mom:</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_q75cwRES-HM/TSaOErsTTTI/AAAAAAAAACI/c1q8hVY3FZI/s1600/mom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_q75cwRES-HM/TSaOErsTTTI/AAAAAAAAACI/c1q8hVY3FZI/s320/mom.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Does my Mom actually care what’s happening in the NFL? Not in the slightest. She just knows my Dad and I care and that it keeps us out of trouble on Sundays when I’m visiting. Most of her sports knowledge comes through osmosis I suppose, since she’s always preferred mascots over players. She’s always been steadfast in her picks though- unwavering and decisive. Considering the parity in NFL these days, I’m rolling with those instincts.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">I wanted this to be somewhat scientific though, so I had to get down to the roots of her forecasting prowess. When I asked her to help me with this project, besides just asking “Why?” she proceeded to tell me her three main factors in calling games. The secret boils down to this: 1) Tenacity of team name/mascot; 2) Location of the game (with special attention paid to indoor vs. outdoor stadiums); and 3) Uniforms and team colors. Sit on that ESPN.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">So, I created a scoring system for her. Moms would simply rate each team in every game on a 1 to 5 scale (5 being the highest or in case of location, the biggest advantage) for each of the 3 measuring standards. I gave her some pictures of each teams’ unis and laid out where the games would be played. Highest point total moved on. I didn’t bother explaining how the NFL reseeds teams after each round, since rankings based on prior performance are absolutely pointless in this model. Let’s get to the results.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Wild Card Round</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><u><span style="font-size: small;">New York Jets at Indianapolis Colts</span></u></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jets: 6 points (2 pts team name, 2 pts location, 2 pts uniforms)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Colts: 13 points (5 pts team name, 5 pts location, 3 pts uniforms)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rex Ryan and his squad get the boot, much to his <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeOonqxHN6I">excitement </a>(too easy). Mom put a ton of stock in home field advantage for Indy, commenting that it might be “too stuffy” in a dome for the Jets who are used to colder weather.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><u><span style="font-size: small;">Baltimore Ravens at Kansas City Chiefs</span></u></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ravens: 11 points (5 pts team name, 1 pt location, 5 pts uniforms)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Chiefs: 9 points (1 pt team name, 5 pts location, 3 pts uniforms)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">It came down to the uniforms on this one, with team name and location advantages nullified. Good thing for the Ravens, Mom digs purple and thinks the <a href="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/imported_assets/197305/robinsonc.jpg">Chiefs helmets</a> are boring.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><u><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></u></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><u><span style="font-size: small;">New Orleans Saints at Seattle Seahawks</span></u></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Saints: 10 points (5 pts team name, 2 pts location, 3 pts uniforms)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Seahawks: 9 points (3 pts team name, 4 pts location, 2 pts uniforms)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Losing record? Not the problem. The Seahawks would be better off in Mom’s book if they had a tougher team name and got rid of that “<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Mw8xYR4fPRc/TKOyuFthhwI/AAAAAAAABEw/AqnVnrCwed8/s1600/greensocks.jpg">weird green trim</a>.”</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><u><span style="font-size: small;">Green Bay Packers at Philadelphia Eagles</span></u></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Packers: 10 points (2 pts team name, 3 pts location, 5 pts uniforms)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Eagles: 9 points (4 pts team name, 3 pts location, 2 pts uniforms)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here’s where some family influence may infiltrate Mom’s infallible reasoning. Both my Dad and I are Packers fans, which may account for her high marks for the Green & Gold. Philly’s home field advantage is completely neutralized since the Pack are also used to <a href="http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/eagles-snow-reu.jpg">cold weather.</a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Divisional Playoffs</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><u><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></u></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><u><span style="font-size: small;">Indianapolis Colts at Pittsburgh Steelers</span></u></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Colts: 7 points (2 pts team name, 3 pts location, 2 pts uniforms)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Steelers: 10 points (2 pts team name, 3 pts location, 5 pts uniforms)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bye weeks prove more beneficial than we thought! While the Steelers get full marks for their bold color scheme, Indy actually gets <a href="http://nickcoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Peyton-Manning-Mustache-commercial.jpg">docked</a> a point in the uniform category from Round 1 to Round 2. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><u><span style="font-size: small;">Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots</span></u></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ravens: 11 points (4 pts team name, 3 pts location, 4 pts uniforms)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Patriots: 7 points (1 pt team name, 3 pts location, 3 pts uniforms)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The soon-to-be league MVP means jack when Mom thinks your team name is weak. Hopefully I didn’t slant her opinion by providing her pictures of New England’s throwbacks and <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4ow2Juu7nMo/SSwu4Who2yI/AAAAAAAAJs8/AdWz303UquU/s400/PatriotslogoPatPatriot.gif">“Pat the Patriot”</a> helmets. Oops.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><u><span style="font-size: small;">New Orleans Saints at Chicago Bears</span></u></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Saints: 6 points (2 pts team name, 2 pts location, 2 pts uniforms)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bears: 13 points (5 pts team name, 5 pts location, 3 pts uniforms)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Is this where I tell you that my Mom loves bears? It’s her <a href="http://cherbeardecor.com/images/boyds%20football%20bear.jpg">favorite animal.</a> Like, they’re all over her house favorite. So, it was no surprise to me that the Saints didn’t stand a chance here. Mom scores major points with me by saying the only reason the Bears didn’t get a 5 on uniforms is because they’re <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oK1Tai0cRuU/TNwucKgPVFI/AAAAAAAAA9w/llH1abXMzlY/s1600/Kirk-Gibson-1988-World-Series-Home-Run-Photograph-C10103671-788431.jpg">“too close to the dumb San Francisco Giants”</a>. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><u><span style="font-size: small;">Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons</span></u></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Packers: 10 points (2 pts team name, 3 pts location, 5 pts uniforms)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Falcons: 8 pts (3 pts team name, 3 pts location, 2 pts uniforms)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Apparently Mom isn't buying the Falcons as a #1 seed either. Despite lingering concerns that the Lambeau hardened Pack may be deterred by the “<a href="http://writingsofmaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/runnynosekids.jpg">stuffiness</a>” of the Georgia Dome, it’s the old school unis that put them through to face their arch rivals in the NFC Championship.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Conference Championships</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><u><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></u></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><u><span style="font-size: small;">Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers</span></u></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ravens: 7 points (3 pts team name, 1 pt location, 3 pts uniforms)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Steelers: 10 points (2 pts team name, 5 pts location, 3 pts uniforms)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Perhaps growing immune to the Ravens as a menacing team name with cool colors, Mom gives Baltimore their lowest score of the postseason. More importantly, she gives a huge nod to the Steelers’ home field advantage even though “Heinz Field? <a href="http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/cm/goodhousekeeping/images/jacob-castillo-fb.jpg">Like the ketchup, Heinz?</a>” was her first question.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><u><span style="font-size: small;">Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears</span></u></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Packers: 8 points (1 pt team name, 2 pts location, 5 pts uniforms)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bears: 13 points (5 pts team name, 5 pts location, 3 pts uniforms)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Is this where I tell you that my Mom spends a fair amount of time in Chi-town on business? Citing impressive knowledge, she noted the city was “having a comeback sports year…you know, because they won the <a href="http://i.dailyherald.com/stories/291/291378.jpg">Stanley Cup.</a>” Sorry Packers, at least you’ve got sweet uniforms.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Super Bowl XLV</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><u><span style="font-size: small;">Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Chicago Bears (at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, TX)</span></u></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Steelers: 6 points (1 pt team name, 2 pts location, 3 pts uniforms)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bears: 10 points (5 pts team name, 2 pts location, 3 pts uniforms)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">At this point, you shouldn’t be surprised that Moms picks the Bears to win the Super Bowl. You just need to get to Vegas and put it all on <a href="http://www.blogdownchicagobears.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/cutler-drunk.jpg">Jay Cutler’s right arm.</a> When they look at you all crazy like, feel free to recite this fail-safe methodology and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07G23zMGa4g">laugh all the way to the bank.</a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">In all seriousness, a special thanks to my Mom, Peggy Carter. She was way too gracious and played along despite her busy schedule. It was actually quite fun to talk to her about all of this, and if you need some bonding time with your mother, I suggest getting her take on the NFL Playoffs. </span></span></div>Scott Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836612937937010847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5530778438199354759.post-35137136872426098852010-12-29T12:40:00.000-08:002010-12-29T12:47:04.175-08:00Yeasayer Goes All Radiohead<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Merry Christmas Yeasayer fans! The Brooklyn band, who landed on A&A's <a href="http://anthemsandatleticos.blogspot.com/2010/12/top-10-records-of-2010.html">Top 10 Albums of 2010 list</a>, have posted a full length live album from an October show in Brussels on <a href="http://yeasayer.net/xmas/">their website</a>. You can name your own price for the download or swipe it for the low, low price of on the house. I don't know why more indie bands don't go the <i>In Rainbows </i>route with live recordings. They've got the material that otherwise goes unheard, and indie fans are the type of people who still actually pay for music. Seems like a natural way to spread the gospel of a band's live performance prowess while picking up some ancillary cash. I'm especially a fan of "Tightrope" on this recording, which up until now was only available on the <i>Dark Was The Night</i> compilation. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.weallwantsomeone.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/yeasayerlive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="199" src="http://www.weallwantsomeone.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/yeasayerlive.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://yeasayer.net/xmas/">Head to their site for the download.</a></span></td></tr>
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</div>Scott Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836612937937010847noreply@blogger.com0