As we hit the middle of January, a look at some good ideas, little things, smart moves that have popped up and are noteworthy. Individually they may not seem to be huge deals but in a business that is very large in stature but small in community, it’s the little touches that go a long way.
Giants Take An Ad To Show Their Twitter: The New York Giants put together one of their most satisfying performances in a long time in beating the Atlanta Falcons last weekend, and had nothing but positive things to say about all the fans support they have gotten through their run to the playoffs. Much of that has come out through social media, but what to do with a fan base that may be a little older and not as tech savvy? Go the traditional route, with a little spin. On Friday the Giants took out full page ads in local newspapers, aggregating their players twitter messages. Nice way to mix the traditional media spend with the new medium, and expose those who may not know a tweet online from a tweet by a bird, to what the team is doing in the social space.
Coast Guard Reaches Out To Lead: Tim Fitzpatrick is the new athletics director at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut, and he is all about leadership and community. The problem is that the Academy, like all service academies, draws from all over the country and may not always have the local presence that other universities have. It’s not like there are dozens of young people from New London, or even the State, day tripping to the campus for classes every day. The Academy is also a Division III athletic institution, with good traditions but not the athletic legacy of Army, Navy of Air Force. So how does one spread the message? Fitzpatrick created the first-ever speakers bureau, intended to make head coaches, athletic administrators and other members of the Bears’ sports staff available to speak at schools, community events and other gatherings upon request throughout the New London region. Although not tremendously novel, the bureau will help fill a gap and bridge the connection between the Academy and the local connection and maybe forge long range ties that bind for both business and support, as well as expose the amazing stories of those involved with the school to young people who may know nothing of what goes on behind the gates and on the ships.
Finding The Jewish Kate Smith: Fordham University has had more than its share of challenging athletic seasons in men’s basketball and football in the last 20 years. The once proud traditions have hit the skids, but things may be on the upswing at least in hoops. Coach Tom Pecora’s squad posted wins at venerable Rose Hill Gym over Georgia tech and nationally ranked Harvard, and grabbed a groundswell of great press. One of the better stories was not about the players or the coaches, it was about a Cantor who found the Jesuit University and volunteered to sing the National Anthem. Cantor Daniel Pincus from Congregation Shaarei Shalom belted out his song, and Fordham responded with three straight wins, making him the school’s Jewish good luck charm. The streak ended with a narrow loss to Xavier, but Cantor Pincus added some color and some divine inspiration to a well covered story in New York.
Saints Nice Move: Sometimes even in the most stressful of situations, a little move goes a long way. As pointed out by Sports Illustrated’s Peter King this week, the New Orleans saints PR team, led by Greg Bensel had a full house for media for their playoff game with the Detroit Lions last weekend. However that did not stop the saints from a very touching gesture, not filling a prime press box seat at Saturday night’s game in honor of the late Detroit beat man Tom Kowalski, who died unexpectedly in August. They left a note in his place: “The New Orleans Saints honor the memory of Tom Kowalski.” Did it mean a little less space for others? Maybe. Did it show that sports goes above the game? Sure did.
The Timeless Game of Baseball: Courtesy of our friend Ben Hill, here is another of those little things that make sports great: On March 31, Shelby Harris of Rock Island, IL will turn 111 years old. Five days later, he’ll throw out the first pitch at the Quad Cities River Bandits home opener. Harris is the oldest man in America, and the River Bandits have extended the invite to have a man who has seen his share of baseball get another well deserved turn in the spotlight.
Again, none of these are mind blowing, game changing Tebow-inspired programs or ideas. What they are, are smart, fun interesting little things that show foresight, interest and remind us how important those little things we can do are to those who watch and follow and play.
