It's That Time of Season: 6 NFL Teams Fire Head Coaches

Just hours following the conclusion of the 2013 NFL regular season, six teams have already fired their head coaches due to their team’s under-performance. When a team wins it’s because of the players, but unfortunately when a team loses, the head coach is to blame. The Houston Texans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, and Washington Redskins have all fired their head coaches, after entering the season with much promise to succeed with the talent available on each team.

Feeding the Soul: What You Need to Know

As I start to write this blog post, I hope that everyone had a Merry Christmas and is looking forward to a Happy New Year. Quickly, I would like to give a brief overview of what this post will contain. As stated in the title, I am starting to compose stories I have come across that feed the soul through the use of sport. I plan on continuing a series of posts highlighting a new story every two weeks. I hope that everyone enjoys the stories and learn as much from them as I have.

Leaving Your Mark: Mack Brown and Mike Shanahan Teach Lessons About a Proper Exit

Mack Brown recently resigned from his Head Coach post at the University of Texas.  Mike Shanahan is still employed as Head Coach of the Washington Redskins…for now.  The way each has gone about their respective departures (or soon-to-be departures) has been much different.

Guard The Post: Nelson Mandela: Sport Can Change The World

 

Now that we are two weeks since the passing of Nelson Mandela, and we are approaching the new year, I think it is an important time to realize how vital Sport is for the furtherance of our culture and society. Nelson, who led beyond the world of sport, spoke so eloquently about its value to our society as a whole and that it really can "change the world".

Under Further Review: NBC and ESPN trade rights

We see players traded nearly every day in sports. Unless a couple of super stars are involved in the swap, we tend to just ignore them. Outlets like ESPN, Fox Sports, CBS, NBC break the news about a lot of these player trades, something we're all used to by now. But rarely do the media outlets ever make trades like ESPN and NBC Sports made earlier this week when ESPN gave NBC the rights to the Ryder Cup in exchange for the ability to show English Premier League highlights.

Cano: Bye New York, Hello Seattle

 

This season’s prized free agent and new member of the Seattle Mariners, second baseman Robinson Cano did the unthinkable when he Yankee’d the New York Yankees. It is almost impossible to recall a time in the history of baseball when another team outbid the excessive-paying Yankees. But after many failed signings of exceedingly long contracts with players into their late thirties and forties, it seems as if the Yankees have learned their lesson.

Guard the Post: Keys to Interviewing Success

With Drexel Co-op interviewing continuing and the new year right around the corner, it is time to improve your interviewing skills. Below are a few tips to doing your best at every interview and hopefully getting that dream job!

Becoming a Professional MVP: Seasons Greetings!

Finals are done – thank goodness! Grades are in – fingers crossed! And now it’s time to roast some chestnuts on an open fire…

The 114th Army Navy Football Game

PHILADELPHIA - Football and the military. There really is not a pair of things in this world more American than that. Army versus Navy, part 114. America's game is what they call it. Navy took the game 34-7, making quick work of Army. Army has now dropped the last dozen match-ups.

Under Further Review: Separating Rights and Compensation

Stand-up comedy is predicated on the comedian pulling at the strings of people's insecurities, humility, and repression, which is kind of why every time NCAA president Mark Emmert takes the stage at a major conference or convention a comedy show breaks out. I know, I know. It doesn't sound logical. How can talking about an organization hinging its business on such archaic concepts be comical? Well, just as the NCAA always finds a dodge the ordinary and predictable, Emmert found a way to make his speech hilarious and today's stage was at the Sports Business Journal Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.

Black Mamba Back in Action

Sunday night, Dec. 8, marked the return of LA Lakers legend Kobe Bryant. Bryant returned from an Achilles injury that put an unexpected early end to Kobe's 2012-13 season.  Bryant, the fierce competitor that he is, swore to be back for most of the 2013-2014 season to help his Lakers to make the play offs after missing them last year.  Fresh off a two-year contract extension worth $48.5 million, signed on Nov. 25, 2013, Bryant returned to action at home Sunday to face the visiting Toronto Raptors.  This year's Lakers team with out Kobe played a lot better, entering Sunday night's game with a 10-8 record.  However, Bryant's return did not result in victory, leaving the team with a 10-9 record.

Global Scope: FIFA World Cup Prediction

The 2014 FIFA World Cup final draw, held in Costa do Sauipe last Friday December 6th, decided which teams are facing each other in the tournament's group stages. It also awarded fans with the possibility of simulating what the road could be like for each team in order to go all the way. As of right now we still have to wait 182 days until Brazil and Croatia take to the field in Sao Paulo for the inaugural match on June 12, 2014. It is obviously too early for a real prediction, but it is never too early to feed our curiosity and see which match-ups could arise through a simulation.

The Drexel Connection: Michael Lawson

This week the Drexel Connection spotlights Michael Lawson. Michael currently is the CEO and President of 4A Management as well as being a professional sports agent. Some of his more popular and known clients include Chris Johnson of the Tennessee Titans and Troy Polamalu of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Michael is very relatable to us as college kids because he too started off as an intern somewhere very small. Specifically he started off interning with the Cincinnati Cyclones. From there he went on to work alongside our fellow Drexel SMT Professor Brett Burchette with Nelligan Sports Marketing as the regional director.

State of the Student Union: December 2013

It's that holiday time of the year, but more importantly, it's the end of  the fall term. For some, that means their first term at Drexel is now under the belt. For others, it means their time at Drexel is ending. It's a time of excitement and a time of change. To me, it's a time to look back at how far we have all come and look ahead to where we are all going.

Yankees and Cano at a Crossroads

By: Alexa Fontanella

Robinson Cano, a five-time All-Star, whom many consider the top free agent this offseason was originally looking for a 10-year deal worth approximately $300 million. The Yankees however refuse to land another A-Rod like deal and do not want to go down the same path again. Although Cano’s representatives have lowered their bargaining price, the two sides are still nearly $100 million apart. Many experts and fans believe no player is worth that much money, but the Yankees need Cano more than Cano needs the Yankees. The Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers are also legitimate contenders to land Cano due to their presence in the playoffs the past few years, but this top tier free agent wants to stay in the big apple and remain close to his friend and agent, Jay Z. If Cano really wants to make the big bucks, he needs to sign major endorsement deals, and New York City has the largest market for him to achieve that. Roc Nation Sports has already helped Cano land his first big endorsement with Pepsi this year and as long as he continues to produce on the field, he should have no problem receiving more multi-million dollar deals. In the past, the Yankees would give a player of Cano’s caliber, and whom many consider the best second baseman in the game at the prime of his career, the illustrious contract he is asking for, but not this season.

Becoming a Professional MVP: Pre-Game Routine

By: Patrick Gallagher

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out,” stated Robert Collier, an American author who wrote about the psychology of confident action and becoming your best.

Last General Body Meeting of the Fall Term!

Water Cooler Talk: Giving Back

Today is Thanksgiving, a day to be thankful for everything in your life and a good time to reflect on the last year.  I am very thankful to be where I am right now.  I have about a year left of my undergraduate studies and have made many great connections during my two coops.  I have met a lot of great friends while at Drexel and stayed in touch with my closest friends from high school.  In the spirit of the holiday, I am going to leave you guys with a great piece of advice: always try to give back.

Under Further Review: Will Peralta's Deal Spur Change?

When you read the headline online or saw the ESPN SportsCenter that 31-year-old Jhonny Peralta inked a four year, $52 million contract with the St. Louis Cardinals, you probably didn't even blink. Ho hum. Nothing to see here. The contract is nothing new. Cheating pays the big bucks, I guess.

The Sports Biz Report - Episode 2.6 - Bryan Fyalkowski

Leaving your Mark: Be Thankful in Your Sports Career Pursuits

One of my esteemed blog colleagues, Kevin Rossi, wrote a piece in 2012 titled “Under Further Review: Saying Thank You”.  While I don’t want to reinvent the wheel, I can’t help but revisit the topic of being grateful in your career (and during college) with Thanksgiving less than a week away.  While you should absolutely thank your family and friends, do not forget about that person that you interviewed with or met with at a networking event or career fair.  Don’t forget to thank your clients/customers or prospective clients/customers.  Be sure to express your appreciation to the professor or advisor that as provided advice and mentorship.  These minor gestures of appreciation go a long way in building and maintaining professional, and sometimes personal, relationships.  In the “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” sports industry that we are all in, this aspect is especially crucial.

Water Cooler Talk: Interviewing Keys to Success

Coop search can be a very stressful time.  I am searching for my third coop and honestly this one has been the most stressful out of all of them.  This week the interview requests come out for A round.  The interview is the most important part of the coop process.  Your resume was able to get you the interview but now you need to show the company you are the person for the job.  From my experiences I have learned a few keys that can help during the interview.  

Under Further Review: Braves Bolt for Cobb County's Public Money

Public funding for private facilities seems to be the gift that keeps on giving. Sports welfare, as some call it, puts tax payer money into the pockets of billionaire sports franchise owners. Yes, these are the same billionaire owners that own teams in leagues that dodge taxes because their hide under the ugly guise of not-for-profit status. This is how Roger Goodell made $29.5 million from the NFL and Bud Selig made $22 million from the MLB. The money has to go somewhere. So why not into someone’s pockets that are already lined with Benjamins. The sports welfare aspect is perhaps the most difficult part to digest, though. 

Major League Baseball Funding for Additional Replay

By: Alexa Fontanella

How would baseball history be different if the MLB acquired instant replay years ago?

Guard the Post: Why this College Basketball season will be the best ever

 

The 2013-2014 College Basketball season promises to be one of the best ever. National Letters of Intent combo-commitments, upsets,  growth of the mid-major, the best season-opening tournament in the history of season-opening tournaments, and the most highly anticipated Final Four ever. Sure, we have no idea what teams will make it there, but we do know, based on what we have seen through week 1, that it will be a crazy ride.

Inspiration For The Week: Everyone Has a Story

The other week, I heard a story that really captivated me and made me think about my life. I currently am an intern for the Philadelphia Flyers in the Game Presentation Department. One of the duties I have is to deliver birthday packages during home games at TV stoppages. It is one of my favorite parts of the job because you really get to improvise and have fun with each delivery. Two weeks ago, while waiting for a stoppage, I met an usher who really inspired me.

World Cup 2014: Update

The Sports Biz Report - Episode 2.5 - 2014 NBA Draft Class

Global Scope: Farewell to a Cricket Legend

At the end of the week, one of the greatest athletes of our time and a true cricket phenomenon will be playing his last test match ever, an unparalleled 200th! Ultimately it will be the last chance India fans have to watch their star batsman Sachin 'The Little Master' Tendulkar in action, since he has recently retired from T20s and One Day Internationals (ODIs) already. This could essentially mean the sun is setting for Tendulkar's gigantic brand, who's appeal basically dominated the big money game in India, selling a dozen of products every year. Actually, his brand allure was on full display this week after a massive crowd of people swarmed the Wankhede Stadium in Tendulkar's hometown of Mumbai in order to get tickets for his farewell match on November 14. Unfortunately for those fans only 6,000 tickets were being sold online, and the website offering the services (Kyazoonga.com) crashed after a record 19.7 million hits were registered. This may seem as a surprise, but if you ask anyone in the streets of Mumbai what they think of Sachin Tendulkar, chances are they'll respond with a popular local saying: "Cricket is our religion and Sachin is our God."

The NFL’s First Female General Manager?

With the Miami Dolphins loss against the once winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week on Monday Night Football may lead to an internal collapse, but with that a historical event for the NFL could unfold. A good amount of this article will be based off of speculation. It will be speculation,  but it will be based off of logic events that have taken place so far. So lets start at the beginning of the 2013 regular season for Miami.

Week 8 General Body Meeting - Thursday 7-8 p.m. in Room 141

Phillies Offseason Outlook

Carlos Ruiz (2008).

Long List of Needs

Ruben Amaro Jr. and company have their work cut out for them as the free agent season starts to heat up in the MLB.  With the "Winter Meetings" underway in sunny Florida, the Phillies' front office is beginning to sculpt their plan for improvement.  Just a few years ago the club may have only needed to upgrade at one or two positions.  Now, heading into 2014, the team has a handful of positional and team needs, complicating how the front office plans to improve the team.  This list includes the following:

John Moffitt Walks Away from Football

John Moffitt is not a huge name in the NFL. However if you ask any viewer of “The Real Rob Report” last year if they knew who Moffitt was, everyone of them would tell you they loved the guy. Moffitt was a fan favorite because of the hilarious moments he shared with Michael Robinson, fullback of the Seattle Seahawks, on his show. Nevertheless, 

Leaving Your Mark: For Reid, Sports Professionals, a Change of Scenery is a Good Thing

Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs remain undefeated halfway through the NFL season after going 2-14 in 2012. To say that this is a shocking development would be putting it mildly…especially if you are a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles. While we certainly didn’t run Reid out of town, most of us, including Reid, knew it was time to move on. And boy has the change of scenery worked out well! (Arguably for both Reid and the Eagles.)

Drexel SMTSU - Episode 2.4 - Public Funding and University of Louisville

Fiasco in Miami?

Recently, Jonathan Martin went “incognito” from the Miami Dolphins. It was first reported that Jonathan left the Dolphins after an alleged “prank” that his teammates pulled during lunch where they made Martin sit by himself. It was later reported that there were a lot of other factors that played a part in him leaving the team. It was later reported that Jonathan Martin had been verbally abused by Richie Incognito.

Under Further Review: A College, an Arena, and a City in Debt

The University of Louisville is riding high. They are about to embark on defending their NCAA men's basketball championship from last year, and their football team has one of the most exciting quarterbacks in the game right now in Teddy Bridgewater. It is a great time to be a Cardinal. 

SBEN Live to Stream the Sport For Social Change Conference All Next Week

It is hard to believe that it has been almost two full weeks since the first annual Sport For Social Change Conference was held at Drexel University. Throughout the day, five different presentations presented on a variety of topics. Dr. Eric Zillmer and Bruiser Flint presented on athletes giving back and becoming role models. The Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation presented on developing our nation's youth with sport. Eli Wolff presented on access and inclusion to sport. Go! Athletes and Craig Cassey Jr. presented on LGBT issues in sport. Patrick Hruby presented on safety issues in sport.

It was a tremendous day and we are happy to announce that we will be sharing it in video again next week in conjunction with the Sports Business Education Network. Over the course of next week, SBEN will stream one presentation each day.

Check it out starting Monday Nov. 11, and use the hashtag #S4SC on Twitter if you tune in! Follow the link HERE.

Guard the Post: The Current (and Future) State of the NCAA

 

In today's (social) media landscape, stories travel faster than an Alabama fan leaving the Stadium in the 2nd quarter with the Tide up by 40. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has been at the forefront of the sport conversation for weeks now, especially during this football season. From Schooled: The Price of College Sports to Arian Foster, and All Players United (APU) to the Ed O'Bannon case, the NCAA is an massive entity that is continuously being criticized by everyone across the country.

The Power of Jay Z: Samsung and the NBA’s New Relationship

The NBA is on the verge of receiving a major payday at the expense of Samsung, which will be taking over basketball arenas and televisions across the country. As the 2013-14 NBA season is underway, Samsung recently signed a whopping $100 million sponsorship deal, that would make the company the official handset, tablet and television provider of not only the NBA, but the NBA’s D-League, and WNBA. This deal will become one of Samsung’s most extensive partnerships, with the hopes of enhancing the game of basketball and providing a much needed and improved fan experience. If you have watched any of the games so far this season, I’m sure you have come across Lebron James’ new commercials with Samsung. The endorsement with such an elite and high caliber player like King James is only the beginning of the company’s takeover. This is a significant deal for Samsung because it is furthering their push to top their competitor Apple, and become dominant in their market.

Becoming a Professional MVP: Finding Your Triple-Threat Stance

With the Philadelphia 76ers starting the NBA season 3-0 (yes, you heard me correctly), I couldn’t help but turn my attention this week to a fundamental basketball skill that I’m sure you were instructed to develop from a very early age: getting into the triple-threat position.

Seattle Sounders set MLS record, average 44,038 fans per game

With the regular season over, Major League Soccer released its annual attendance report. To no avail, the Seattle Sounders once again topped this year’s regular season average attendance. This is the fifth straight year that Seattle has claimed a new benchmark. This year, the Sounders averaged 44,038 fans at CentruyLink Field.

A Legend Retires and Is his Former Team Really Tanking??

There were rumors prior to the NBA season started that an anonymous coach had admitted that they were planning to tank this year with the hopes of a high draft pick. Everyone immediately pointed to the Philadelphia 76ers. This was due to the Philadelphia 76ers trading away Jrue Holliday for Nerlens Noel and then reporting that Nerlens Noel would sit out the whole year. Not to mention that it is clear that the 76ers are in rebuild mode.

Beckham Decides on Miami for MLS Team

Last December David Beckham left the Los Angeles Galaxy. He felt that at that point of his career it was time to retire and move on to new ventures. That new venture will be his own MLS team. Beckham has been considering a location for a few months now, and he has finally settled. The start up fee for Beckham was a discounted $25 million. That is quite the fair price for the ex-MLS star considering BPL team Manchester City and the New York Yankees payed a whopping $100 million to launch their team the New York City FC. The MLS still has to give Beckham the go-ahead to choose Miami as the location for his team. 

State of the Student Union: October 2013

Wow, what a day it was for the Drexel Sport Management Student Union last Friday at the first annual Sport For Social Change Conference. Five different presentations and five different new ways to look at the sports that we already know and love. With these new viewpoints on sports from the professional levels to the youth levels, everybody’s horizons were certainly broadened and futures brightened. We all have the power to change the world in we live in through sports.

A Classic In The Making

Coming In

     
      This year's Fall Classic between the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals has fueled high hopes for an enticing series since being determined. 

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of Week 8

The Good:

London, once again. The National Football League (NFL) is now considering having an 8 game package in London next year. It is clearly no secret that Roger Goodell has a huge interest and desire of expanding over seas. Peter King, of SI, announced a couple of days ago that the NFL was considering this package. This week the San Francisco 49ers and Jacksonville Jaguars played in London and it was interesting to see how much these fans loved the Jacksonville Jaguars arguably more than the fans in Jacksonville. Next year, three games will be played in London. An eight game package will be another step in getting a team in London, which Goodell has made it obvious that he wants.

#S4SC in Review: Dr. Eric Zillmer and Bruiser Flint

The Sport for Social Change Conference started out on a surprising note, as Drexel’s Head Men’s Basketball Coach, Bruiser Flint joined Director of Athletics Dr. Eric Zillmer for the first presentation of the day. Tackling the issue of athletes giving back, Dr. Zillmer and Coach Flint both expressed the wonderful opportunities working in athletics presents for each of them. 

#S4SC in Review: Patrick Hruby

ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS. Patrick Hruby stressed this quote. “In order to get the right answers, we would need to ask the right questions,” he mentioned. However, what exactly are the right questions.

#S4SC in Review: Eli Wolff

Eli Wolff, Program Director of the Sport and Development Project at Brown University, spoke at the Sport for Social Change about the topic of access and inclusion for all athletes but specifically athletes with disabilities.  His presentation had three major parts. The first part that he spoke about was how he had his earliest advocacy movement.  When Eli Wolff was in elementary school he had a Physical Education teacher that would not let him do pull ups on the bar like the rest of the class.  He keep asking to do it until one day he had enough and in the cleaner version said “Screw you I can do this.” 

#S4SC Preview: Eli Wolff and Patrick Hruby

There are two questions that all sports need to consider. How can we make sports accessible to more people and how can we make the sports that we play safer for those that participate? Sometimes we can be blinded by the inevitable scandals or fantasy sports points. At the basis of sports, though, is the need to get people involved not to make money but to simply play. An accessible and safe sport is a great start.

On Friday at the first annual Sport For Social Change Conference, Eli Wolff and Patrick Hruby will share their insights on into how these questions can be answered.

Wolff is the program director for the Sport and Development Project at Brown University. His work and research revolves around the first question of making sports more accessible to all people. He has been in leader in this area working for greater inclusion in sports and education into sports for athletes with disabilities. Wolff is currently a philosophy PhD candidate with a focus on Olympic studies at German Sport University Cologne.

Hruby is a journalist for Sports on Earth, the joint venture USA Today and MLB Advanced Media sports website. Hruby's work focuses on the politics and social issues of sport, writing extensively about amateurism issues in the NCAA, the use of Native American imagery in sport, and safety issues in sports. His presentation at the Sport For Social Change Conference will focus on how we can make sports safer for the participants. Hruby has a mater's degree in journalism from Northwestern University and is also a contributor for Washingtonian Magazine and The Atlantic online.

Wolff will present from 3:00 to 3:50 p.m. and Hruby will immediately follow Wolff presenting from 4:00 to 4:50 p.m. to close out the conference. For further questions and inquiries, email the Drexel SMTSU at drexelsmtsu@gmail.com.

#S4SC Preview: Eric Zillmer and Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation

Following yesterday's preview of the LGBT Issues in Sport section by Kevin Giordano, today I will be previewing two other sections: Athletes Giving Back and Youth Development in Sport.

Dr. Eric Zillmer, the Director of Athletics and Carl R. Pacifico Professor of Neuropsychology at Drexel University in Philadelphia, will be presenting on the topic of Athletes Giving Back. A major part of the Master Plan of Drexel University is to become the most Socially Responsible and Civically Engaged institution in the United States; the Athletic department already does it's part to contribute to this goal. The Drexel Dragons give hours a year to the West Philadelphia community and surrounding neighborhoods and towns. The goal of this section of the conference is to portray how athletes and athletic entities can utilize their standing in society to give back.

The Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation will be presenting on the topic of youth development in sport. With a mission of teaching our country's youth the value of academics, hard work, and teamwork through hockey, the ESYHF serves over 3,000 children in the Philadelphia area. Sport is a microcosm of society; in turn, a lot of what you learn playing sports can be utilized outside the sport realm. Teaching out nation's youth about these core values at a young age is a responsibility for all sport organizations and there is no better example of this in the Philadelphia region than ESYHF.

Attendees of these sessions will learn how they can use their power as a sport organization to not only give back to society, but also help develop the youth of our country, all via sport. For questions or inquiries please email DrexelSMTSU@gmail.com.

Becoming a Professional MVP: The Bootleg Run

By: Patrick Gallagher

 

Shhhhh! Don’t you dare say a word about it – just keep your head up, your mind sharp and your mouth shut if you want to achieve it.

As you may or may not have noticed by now, the bi-weekly posts included in our “Becoming a Professional MVP” column highlights professional development advice using sports moments as the parallel. For me personally, I can remember my father using sports as a crutch to teach me life lessons so that I could more easily relate to the message he was trying to have me understand. And so now, as a way for me to pay it forward, I’m excited to continually share with you various tips (via sports) that aim to help you launch a successful career. This week however, we will actually shift just a bit from professional development to personal development and learn how ‘the bootleg run’ is analogous to keeping your mouth shut when it comes to your meeting your personal goals and objectives.

#S4SC Preview: GO! Athletes w/ Craig Cassey Jr.

As lead-up to the Sport for Social Change Conference on Friday, October 25 at Drexel University in Philadelphia, we will be previewing several of the major presentations during the week. The first up for sampling is the presentation on LGBT Issues in Sport from GO! Athletes and Craig Cassey Jr.

We're excited to have GO! Athletes Executive Director Anna Aagenes discuss issues surrounding college athletes who identify as members of the LGBT community. The organization is at the forefront on this issue and has gained significant credibility for its voice on key issues faced by out athletes. Anna will discuss how the LGBT community and society as a whole can benefit by using sport as a catalyst.

Anna from GO! Athletes will be joined in their presentation by Craig Cassey Jr. Craig is a student at Georgetown University and was an out track & field athlete at the high school and collegiate levels. He has gained attention for his blog, where he discussed issues relating to LGBT issues and experiences in sports. Furthermore, he also serves as one of the nation's youngest LGBT elected officials.

Attendees of this session will gain insight into what it's like being an LGBT athlete at each level of competition and how sport can be leveraged to improve the LGBT community. For questions or inquiries, please email drexelSMTSU@gmail.com.

Sport For Social Change Conference Schedule

10:00 to 10:45 - Sign In and Light Breakfast

10:45 to 11:00 - Introduction

11:00 to 11:50 - Dr. Eric Zillmer 

Topic: Athletes Giving Back and Being Role Models

Position: Director of Athletics

Employer: Drexel University Athletics

Additional Information

11:50 to 12:00 - Break

12:00 to 12:50 - Jim Britt

Topic: Youth Development via Sport

Position: VP and COO

Employer: Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation

Additional Information

*Panel Discussion

12:50 to 2:00 - Lunch

Buffet Style

Chestnut Street Caterers

2:00 to 2:50 - Eli Wolff

Topic: Access and Inclusion to Sport

Position: Program Director of the Sport and Development Project

Employer: Brown University

Additional Information

2:50 to 3:00 - Break

3:00 to 3:50 - Go! Athletes and Craig Cassey Jr.

Topic: LGBT Issues in Sport

Additional Information: Go! Athletes
Additional Information: Craig Cassey Jr.

3:50 to 4:00 - Break

4:00 to 4:50 - Patrick Hruby

Topic: Safety Issues and Remedies

Position: Journalist/Writer

Employer: Sports on Earth

Additional Information

4:50 to 5:00 - Conclusion

Global Scope: Farewell to the Heineken Cup

The Heineken Cup, also known as the H Cup in France (because of alcohol sponsorship restrictions), is considered the most prestigious European club rugby tournament. The Cup’s inaugural season was in 1995 involving 5 countries (France, Ireland, Wales, Romania, Italy) with a total of 12 clubs competing. The Heineken Cup has seen many changes in format throughout its 18 years of existence, leading up to the “present day” version with 24 teams from England, France, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Italy. The competition is held from October to May, overlapping domestic club competitions. Also, The Heineken Cup’s major winners are Stade Toulousain (France) and Leinster (Ireland) with four and three championships respectively.

Double Feature: SEC’s Dominance and Passing of Adrian Peterson’s Son

SEC Makes History With Eight Top 25 Teams

The Southeastern Conference set a record when the AP poll was released for week eight of the college football season. For the first time in history one conference has eight teams in the Top 25. The SEC is known to be a powerhouse conference, but never before has one conference had this many teams included.

MLB Playoffs, Where they Stand, Who is standing Out

Still Standing



 Dustin Pedroia, Prince Fielder, Yasiel Puig, Yadier Molina(Top Left to Bottom Left)

Left in action for the 2013 MLB play-offs are four medium to large market teams.  The Boston Red Sox, the Detroit Tigers make up the ALCS, and the LA Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals face off in the NLCS.  Ideally for baseball, a LA, Boston match up in the World Series would be the best out come.  These two teams boast huge markets, and are iconic franchises on their respective coasts.  However, this match up becomes quite interesting if we think back to a little over a year ago. 

Week 4 General Body Meeting on Thursday

Leaving your Mark: Work with others to achieve your goals

By: Mark Gress

As part of the Sport Management 601 graduate class that I teach at Drexel, I recently invited a guest speaker named Matt Crevin to “visit” class via Skype. Matt has spent the last 20+ years working in the Public Relations Department for the San Francisco 49ers. For most of that time, he has served as the Public Address Announcer. In addition, he has also held positions at FedEx and Microsoft. His most recent ventures include authoring a book titled, “Get in the Game”, as well as running a sports consulting company called Voice of the Box.

The Sports Biz Report - Episode 2.3 - Schooled Film Premiere

Is Change Looming for the NFL?

By: Aaron Coleman

With the NFL’s annual Fall Owners Meeting taking place this week, change may very well be on the horizon for America’s new national pastime.

The Closer: Recap of "Schooled: The Price of College Sports"

As a Drexel student, it is hard to imagine Beaver Stadium on a Saturday, or the Carrier Dome when Notre Dame comes to play Syacuse. Yesterday, myself, along with anyone else that attends or works at a modest university with moderate athletic facilities, were reminded how "the other half" lives; boy were our eyes opened.

Pro Bowl Gets Facelift

The big news from the NFL on Tuesday is the Pro Bowl teams will be wearing newly designed uniforms this year. Earlier in the summer the new rule changes were laid down by commissioner Roger Goodell. Here is the list of rule changes incase you missed it.

Under Further Review: A World Away In A Desert

"FIFA cannot sit by and see greed rule the football world. Nor shall we." - Sepp Blatter, FIFA President.

A world away somewhere in a desert in the Middle East in the oil-rich country of Qatar people are dying. That's the reality of it, no matter how sad or bleak it may sound. Qatar is making the riots across Brazil look humane and controlled. And to think we are still nine years away from the 2022 World Cup.

The Closer: Preview of Schooled: The Price of College Sports

 

Tonight, Tuesday, October 8th, 2013, a specialty, one-of-a-kind documentary is premiering in New York City. Schooled: The Price of College Sports, an EPIX Original Documentary, is a "comprehensive look at the business, history and culture of big-time college football and basketball in America."

Becoming a Professional MVP: No-Huddle Offense

Are you ready for some football? In the late 1980’s, it was believed by some football historians that the 1988 Cincinnati Bengals football team was the first to revolutionize the offensive philosophy of the game. That year, Boomer Esiason and his team based their game plan on having an attack or ‘no-huddle’ offensive style and remained fervent on changing how they attached their opponent throughout the entire season. Their hope was that they could implement a hurry-up, no-huddle offensive system that would speed up the game while mentally and physically wearing down their opponents. Simply put, they wanted to achieve better results when dealing with the crucial moments leading to a win or a loss. Their no-huddle offense proved to be successful and is now a fundamental staple to every NFL franchises’ game plan in order to stay competitive. So how does this relate to us and our professional development in becoming the MVP within our organization?

Take a Step Back and Say Thanks

Sport is such an interesting concept in our society. There are aspects of sport which are spectacular to witness, such as your favorite team winning the championship, experiencing a Cinderella team make a run in March Madness, or achieving a personal goal. Sport can teach us leadership, teamwork, strength, and the ability to overcome adversity. Along with all these benefits of sport, there are the areas of improvement. Governance structures in the NCAA and other leagues are questionable. Safety issues for players are becoming more relevant in the modern era of technology. Finally, the competitive drive in sport can be taken too far causing cheating, lying, and breaking the law. Despite all these pros and cons that are always at the heart of discussions about sport, there is one aspect that is way overlooked – professional athletes giving back to the sick and disabled.

Full Court Press: Announcing the Center for Hospitality and Sport Management

An email announcing the creation of “The Center for Hospitality and Sport Management” last week may have come as a surprise and left some of us scratching our heads in confusion. After hearing from the new Center’s Program Director Jonathan Deutsch and Senior Vice Provost John DiNardo, many of those concerns can be put to rest.

Beckham group is in final stages of Miami expansion bid

David Beckham is in the midst of another shopping spree; his most expensive purchase to date. Beckham is in the final stages of becoming the owner of a new Major League Soccer franchise. The team will most likely be located in Miami, Florida.

The Sports Biz Report - Episode 2.2 - Sports Media Industry with Hayley Zedeck

First General Body Meeting Thursday Night

Special Feature: "League of Denial: The NFL Concussion Crisis"

This Podcast was aired yesterday on ESPN Outside the Lines, and it includes the co-authors of the book and upcoming PBS Documentary entitled "League of Denial: The NFL Concussion Crisis", Mark Fainaru-Wada and Steve Fainaru.

With the upcoming "Sport For Social Change" Conference (http://s4scconference.blogspot.com/), and concussion issues being one of our sections, please take a listen to this podcast!

http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=9760613

 

 

For the Second Straight Year: Phillies fans having bad deja vu

For The Second Straight Year...

Closer for the Phillies, Johnathan Papelbon.

 ...the Philadelphia Phillies phailed to make the Playoffs or play well enough to post a record above .500.  In 2012, they finished right at the mark going 81-81. This year they finished with a 73-89 record, good for 7th worst in the majors.   Sunday September 29th, marked the last game for the Phillies, which they lost... sort of.  On the field they did lose the game, off the field the organization got a small victory that day for the team's poor play over the last week over the season.  That victory: drafting 7th overall in next year's draft.  That player will not be playing in the MLB next year, and maybe not even the year after that, but the future will improve.

Above the Rim: For the Love of Football: Tinkering with the NFL schedule

If there’s one thing America loves more than anything, it’s football. But is more football good for the sport? Over the past couple of years, Roger Goodell and the NFL has considered expanding their schedule to include 18 weeks and expanded playoffs. The longer regular season talk has died down a bit with player safety becoming more and more of a concern. However, multiple media outlets have reported that the league has seriously considered adding two more playoff teams annually. To offset the added playoff games, the NFL would also eliminate one preseason game per team.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of Week 4

The Good: London. The National Football League (NFL) had their yearly game in London this year and this got me to thinking if London might find itself with a team in the future. There were already rumors speculating that London is trying to get a team or at the very least a Super Bowl in their arena. A couple weeks ago I was playing Madden and I decided to start a fantasy with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Gutsy decision I know but I’m a sucker for their new jerseys. After the season I moved the team from Jacksonville to London as the London Black Knights. Interestingly enough, the owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Shahid Khan, has interest London. He has been quoted saying that “Jaguars are the home team for London.” Not to mention that he just became the new owner of Fulham.  It might not be long before we see a team, not necessarily Jacksonville, move to London. The market, fan base, and opportunities that London would provide would be an excellent business decision for a few struggling NFL teams at the moment.

The Sports Biz Report - Episode 2.1 - Sport For Social Change Conference

Leaving Your Mark: Post Co-op tips

All too often, faculty, staff, academic advisors, co-op coordinators, and I emphasize what you should do as you start your six-month "ultimate internship." We talk about asking questions, introducing yourself to your bosses and co-workers, being punctual, dressing professionally, etc. However, we may not spend enough time evaluating what you have learned from your recently completed co-op (an applying this to the classroom), reflecting on the experience, and transitioning back to the classroom. Here are some reminders:

The London Experiment

By: Aaron Coleman

 

 

Let’s face it, it is probably fair to say that most American NFL fans are not huge on NFL games being played in London during the regular season. Fans are probably not too keen to see their squads potentially lose a home game just so our mates across the pond can watch the Steelers and Vikings play live in a “soccer” stadium. Personally, I would honestly not be too excited for Robert Griffin III, Alfred Morris, and the rest of my Washington Redskins squad to have to take a 10+ hour flight to go play in front of an unfamiliar “home” crowd.