Question of the day...

What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?

My answer...head football coach...@ The U of course!

How about you?

Thinking about Augusta...

Now that the golf season has come to a wimpering close, and football season is in full swing...I've already started to think about the first week in April. While football may in fact be the most popular sport around these days...The Masters is without a doubt the most PURE "Sporting Event" there is.

I've been lucky enough to attend several Masters (and even luckier to play the course!!)and it's simply the best and least cluttered experience there is. While getting to a US Open can require shuttle buses from miles away, at The Masters you can park your car within a reasonable distance and walk right in.

The grounds are not cluttered with big ugly tents (which Philly Mic should be happy about...no tents to bounce a ball off of)...and you can get a beverage and snack for less than five bucks. The crowds are respectful to all...and the beauty is something that cannot be appreciated unless you see it in person. Sorry CBS...even in HD....TV does not do it justice.

As for the people...a lot can be said for southern hospitality. As long as you don't run...there's always a little (or big) green jacket to point you in the right direction. I've had the pleasure to work with the folks that put on the tournament...and without question, they are some of the nicest and fairest people in sport. The officials at just about all other leagues and organizations could learn a lot from the folks at Augusta.

And finally, while they build new "cathedrals" of sport around the country, I'm pretty sure they are not planting any beautiful 100+ year old Oak trees next to these stadiums to echo voices from the past. If you have a chance to spend a 1/2 under the Oak at Augusta...savor the opportunity.

So as the leaves turn, and the NFL fills it's pockets with gobs of money, and "spins" the disgraceful antics of it's player...just remember...some sports just get it right. The Masters may be the last shining example of what sports can and should be. Introduce your children to The Masters..get them playing golf...and give them a gift they will have for a lifetime.

Google...the 800lb....Pig?

It's obvious that Google has achieved a unique status in the world. They have entered the cell phone market, transformed the search market, and are attempting to reinvent industries yet to realize they are under attack. Somehow, they would have you believe they are "not being evil"...I love it...they fooled us from the get go. If Google were playing in the NFL, they would have been flagged a long time ago for blocking below the knees. The Google/Yahoo relationship could easily be flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct...we'll have to check the replay after the game.

Google marches to the beat of it's own drummer...now. The power they wield is impressive...and establishing a balanced business relationship with them is all but impossible regardless of your industry. "Masters of the Universe" one might say.

To be fair, the business value they deliver in the key areas they compete is impressive. They have done a wonderful job of building "user centric" universe that marketers can leverage...and monetize. Untold companies exist due to the simple fact that Google exists.

That being said, it's critical that Google continues to foster an atmosphere of genuine cooperation and an interest in achieving a balanced relationship with the companies that have the ability to drive significant revenue to thier bottom line.

If anyone remembers the late 90's when Yahoo and AOL were the 800lb gorillas of digital publishers...they will also remember the arrogance they brought to the table. While the business evolved, and the market position of both companies eroded, many marketers did not forget the arrogance these companies displayed. This arrogance may not have directly caused the downfall of both companies, but certainly accelerated the rate of decent. (of course Yahoo still has a nice business going)

So what's the moral of the story...never take your current position for granted. The digital world changes rapidly...and good, deep, balanced relationships are critical for long term success. Google needs to start working with marketers to establish balanced value equations that recognize volume..now.

The biggest pig generally gets the best mud puddle....but also is the first to get called to the slaughterhouse.

Wall Street Crackheads

As we observe the financial meltdown, does it strike anyone that what may be charaterized as reckless selfishness in one industry is labelled genius in others?

Think about it, to Wall Street types, the addiction is power and money (and maybe for the rest of us too). They feast on both...like crackheads feeding an addiction. For this, the world labels them scoundrels...and we say "Throw them is jail"!!. We never said that as the market was booming, we were all making money...and life was grand.

Contrast this with the music industry. We see artists abusing themselves all the time (Britney...Amy Winehouse etc etc)...sometimes right on stage (check you tube). The result of this behaviour is either a train wreck of a performance...or pure artistry. Regardless of the outcome, we want more. We pay to see concerts, People magazine lives to see pictures of these people doing stupid things, we give them AWARDS!!! In general...we are happy to excuse this addictions becuase 1) it's entertaining 2)it doesn't affect ME!!

So as we make our way through another case of financial abuse...let's remember, abuse happens across all industries...all the time. Why is it that's it's only when it impacts YOUR wallet...that it actually evokes the anger and rage we currently see with the financial bailout plan. Let's get a little balance folks.

And for the record...I do believe that all the CEO's, CFO's etc who work in the failed companies...and wrote and sold these bad loans should be thrown in jail for a long time. And when they get out....make them live in these communities that have been decismated by foreclusures.