The Future is when?????

Sports communication today is different than what the article explains. The Big Ten Network is already up and running along with other NCAA conference channels. NFL teams have streamlined the viewing of games on their official websites. The NFL Network is still showing games which other people cannot. Players are using Facebook and Twitter to communicate with their fans and get themselves into trouble with their teams. Sports is trying to reach out to every customer they can. They must be careful or they will alienate their viewers over time.

If customers are forced to pay for the ability to watch their team no matter where they are in the world, then customers might not buy the product. Certain channels are a couple hundred dollars a season to have the ability to watch. If a customer has more than one channel he or she likes, then they are forced to shell out a lot of money. With the tough time today, people are starting to make sacrifices. A lot of people were upset because they were unable to watch Ohio State Football certain dates unless they went to a bar or restaurant. Yes, it gets business in but people are still paying money to watch the game.

Networks are continually trying to raise the rates to distributors and the increases are passed along to the consumer. Time Warner Cable had commercials asking its customers should "we give in" or have the Network stop broadcasting. Networks are forcing people to pay more for TV. The Internet offers the same for streamlining. Unfortunately, people are paying the high rates to see and hear their favorite sports teams. If prices keep going up, then when it will be too much for people during these hard economical times?

The Internet will be more important as time goes on. When the technology to streamline live feeds to anywhere in the world is achieved by all sources, the Networks will have to find another way to get money from its consumers. Computers and cell phones have the capabilities to watch sports on a mobile level. Players and fans will be able to talk more using technology like Twitter. Hopefully, stalking will not increase since fans will be able to get to know a player on a more personal basis. It all comes down to how much is a person willing to spend to watch, get information, and support his or her team? What is the monetary limit for people and their families?

Sports Reporters

If it was not for Bonnie extending the time by a hour, I would not have been able to get my report done on the Columbian Boys Basketball team’s win over Norwalk. The game ended just after 9:30 pm. Even if I had a laptop, I would not have finished the post by 10 pm. I never returned home until 9:50 pm. Also, there was not any room for me to type on a laptop. There was only the scorers’ table set up to write on. I had to make sure I did not hit the guy in front of me in the back with my binder. I feel bad for sports writers who work on the West Coast because of the change in time and trying to make the papers for the East Coast.

I had the extra time to create a story for the blog and my short hand writing style helped remind me of what was going on in the game after I returned home. I wish I could have found a program for the game but they were either sold out during the Junior Varsity game or were sold out for the year. It was difficult trying to figure out what number went with which player. I had to do some Internet searching for players and their jersey numbers. I read the local paper the next day to find out what happened to the other teams in the conference. That piece of information would have been helpful to create a better story. Tiffin Columbian was one game back after that night and after reading this past Tuesday’s paper; they were able to clinch a share of their conference title. It was the first time in 40 years Columbian’s Boys Basketball team had back to back conference titles.

I think it was difficult for me to separate myself from the game and the atmosphere. Again, I had not seen a Columbian basketball game higher than the second row or from behind a video camera. My illusion of grandeur of then and now affected my view on the game. I am still disappointed about the students, the band, and the adults. I could not feel the energy of Saturday Night Basketball like I used to. There was a dance that night, but for how important of a game it was the students still disappointed. Students used to show up late because of the basketball game. If I would become a sports reporter, I would have to try to separate myself from the team and my emotions. I did find myself cheering rather than analyzing. I still have pride in my high school even though I did not like being there. I invested so much time and effort into the basketball program to which it still stays with me. I guess times do change when generations come and go.

2010 PDGA Amateur Disc Golf World Championships

Innova is selling custom discs to raise funds for the 2010 PDGA Amateur Disc Golf World Championships being held in Northwest Ohio. The center of the tournament is stationed in Marion, OH and the other courses include: Delaware, Tiffin, Bucyrus, and Upper Sandusky. Players from all over the world are invited to come and compete to be the best in the world. Players from Japan, Russia, Europe, and other parts of the world have been invited to participate in this tournament. The more discs that are sold, the more money we raise goes towards better prizes for the players who place and to the player’s packages they receive for participating in the tournament. Where else will you be able to see the best up and coming prospects from around the world? Ohio has the chance to host one of the biggest tournaments this state has ever seen. Over 1000 people are going to be in Northwest Ohio at one time competing for supremacy. Don't you want to be a part of Ohio History? Come Join us and support your fellow country men and women!
Media Kit List

· 2010 Am Worlds Complete Invite Package

· 2010 Worlds Invitation & Cover Letter

· 2010 Am Worlds Hotel Guide

· 2010 Amateur & Junior Worlds Registration Form

· 2010 Am Worlds Schedule

· 2010 Am Worlds North Map

· 2010 Am Worlds South Map

Fundraising vs. Recruiting

Fundraising and Recruiting are pretty much the same thing, it just involves a different group of people. If it was a Division I (D I) college, then the Athletic Director (AD) has a huge job ahead of themselves. That AD must hope their coaches can bring in the top prospect and perform at a high level. In big schools the alumni (financiers) are kept happier than the players (recruits) because the alumni are the main contributing factors financially. Each step in the article is the same for both recruiting and fundraising. The big difference is the group and the age of the prospect. The coach may not do a lot of the fund-raising, but the coach must be present at all fundraisers their team is involved with. The coach is the face of both the alumni (financiers) and players or soon to be players (recruits). The coach represents both sides of the ball.

I can't believe I'm commenting on Tiger!

I never thought I would do anything on Tiger Woods. I'm not into golf. The only time I watched golf is when Tiger made his US Open comeback on one leg. I knew I would be watching history and I did not want to miss it. Also, my boss was letting me watch it on his TV he brought to work so he could watch it as well.

For the first time, I am actually siding with Tiger here, not about his cheating but by his sponsors dumping him left and right. I guess this happens when you are an ICON in your sport and make a mistake. I do not understand why some of these companies dumped Tiger but kept other stars for other mistakes. Kobe Bryant had rape allegations against him and a lot of his sponsors dumped him, but charges were dropped. Tiger had sex with a lot of women and none of them, so far, have claimed had been raped.

Gatorade, AT&T, TAG Heuer, Accenture, and GM all cut ties with Tiger and ended their sponsorship with him. From the websites below, it is thought shareholders could lose up to 12 billion dollars not having Tiger as a representative. I wonder what would happen if Tiger starts to win again? Will they try to sign him back?

Golf itself will be greatly affected by Tiger not being at tournaments. Many examples of low TV ratings have occurred when Tiger is not playing due to knee surgery. Tournaments lose money when he does not play even if it is televised or not. Without Tiger, professional golf would not be as popular today as it is. TV ratings and the number spectators will drop every tournament in which Tiger does not play. If Tiger can achieve life after a mistake, then he will have to win like he used to. Again, Kobe is a prime example since he has won repeatedly, his status has increased and the sponsors have come back. If Tiger does not perform well, he might become the next Shawn Daly.

1. ^ Shareholder Value Destruction following the Tiger Woods Scandal, by Christopher R. Knittel and Victor Stango, University of California at Davis, December 28, 2009
2. ^ Tiger Woods Scandal Cost Shareholders up to $12 Billion, UC Davis Study Says, Business Wire, December 28, 2009

Tornadoes Win, but Author Feels Somewhat Empty

Tonight is when I made my return to a Tiffin Columbian Boys Basketball game. I graduated from Columbian in 1999 and all four years I was a basketball manager. I saw many games there from behind the players’ bench. This was my first game watching from the stands. It brought back a lot of memories. I noticed some similarities and some differences. I will get to those thoughts after the game notes.

The Tiffin Columbian Tornadoes battled the Norwalk Truckers in a NOL (Northern Ohio League) match up. This was a matchup of the #4 Tornadoes going up against the #2 Truckers. The Truckers were tied with Bellevue at the top of the conference going into tonight. In the first quarter, Columbian came out firing with the first 5 points being scored by Jared Kuhlman from the perimeter. At first, Columbian was unable to get into the paint but with the persistence they were able to score short baskets. Norwalk seemed very flat and not very aggressive. The Tornados were able to get two big steals and widen their lead. The only weakness Columbian had during the 1^st quarter was leaving either wing open for the Truckers to have a free shot on the three point line. Columbian was able to rebound successfully on both sides of the ball.

Norwalk was still flat during the 2nd quarter. They did not rebound at all on the offensive side of the ball. They were however getting more aggressive as the half came to a close. On the other hand, Columbian started to get sloppy and take unsecured shots which most of the time were unsuccessful. Columbian’s perimeter shooting was not working as well in the first quarter but they were able to get underneath the basket for layups. At halftime the score was 30 – 20 Columbian leading Norwalk by 10.

The start of the 3^rd quarter Columbian again came out aggressive but was still sloppy. Norwalk came out using more strategy and making easy baskets to build their confidence. Norwalk moved the ball around until there was an opening and started to climb back into the game. Columbian was still getting turnovers but were unable to covert the turnovers into points. Their shooting inside the arc was declining. Norwalk by the end of the quarter was making baskets and getting rebounds while Columbian was staying aggressive but losing their lead.

The start of the 4^th quarter Columbian was leading Norwalk 42 – 39. Columbian’s ten point lead was down to only 3 points. The 4^th quarter started right where Norwalk and Columbian ended the 3^rd quarter. Columbian was sloppy while Norwalk was executing plays. Tiffin was not taking secured shots. Most of the shots were taken way too fast and off balance. Columbian started to play more aggressive, most of Columbians takeaways came in the 4^th quarter, and they turned them into points. With two minutes left Norwalk had to start fouling so the game would not get out of reach. At the time, the score was 54 – 50 with Columbian still holding onto a lead. Unfortunately for Norwalk, they decided to foul Columbian’s Derek Kneeskern who by that time had 24 points. He made 3 out of 4 of his free throws to end the game with a total of 27 points and leading the Tornadoes in scoring. In the end, the Tiffin Columbian Tornadoes beat the Norwalk Truckers 59 – 52.

Again, for me this was a night for a different point of view, a spectator and not a high school manager. The seats were as hard as I remembered and the warm-up drills were the same just without the tear away pants back in my time. After the singing of the national anthem, I was reminded of Curly and Shannon always saying “Play Ball!” The line of students and young children lining up on the court to slap hands with the home team starters when they were announced still continues each game. And yes, even in the present time seeing a student dressed up in a costume this time it was “Captain Tornado.” I still think back when the visiting team was being announced my class would hold up newspapers like the other team did not exist. I did enjoy the honoring of the seniors. Each senior had to pick a teacher who they thought helped them the most throughout their time at Columbian. Two of them were my old teachers and always enjoyed their class.

I was disappointed though at some things. The student section was not standing the whole game or was cheering the whole time. Only three rows of students stood and not for the whole game. They were not loud or crazy as they used to be. They were sitting down most of the 4^th quarter when the score got close. The gym was not as filled as it used to be for a Saturday night game either. The band did not play during timeouts or breaks in the game. They played before the 1^st quarter and at half time. The band did play “Come Sale Away” but it was not as moving as “Sweet Child of Mine” from Guns N Roses or “Come out and Play” from Offspring. I did not feel the energy like I used to. It felt somewhat empty without all the energy from the crowd. There were parents who made noise but not as much as the student section should have. I enjoyed the game but left feeling like something was still missing.

ActiveSports.com

www.activesports.com

a) Introduction and Audience;

How many have been in youth leagues where information is not easily available? Who doesn’t want to know what their kids’ stats are or compare those stats to the rest of their league? Every parent wants to make sure their child is credited with a goal, assist, point, match to which they have earned. Activesports.com gives leagues the opportunity to use their software to keep track of stats, rankings while keeping it organized and available to the public.

b) Purpose and Goals for the System;

This software helps groups and individuals perform many of the sports managers’ responsibilities and it is not software that is “one size fits all.” It is an array of options people can pick to customize their needs and do not have to use unnecessary software in a bundle.

c) Product;

For Teams & Individuals: Online Registration, League and Facility Management, Access to Sports Websites, Volunteer and Staff Management, Tournament Builder, Online Fundraising Management, Marketing Services. All of these programs are able to be customized to fit the needs of a single person or a team.

d) Features;

Sports Covered: Bowling, Cycling, Fishing, Golf, Gymnastics, Martial Arts, Running, Swimming, Tennis, Track & Field, Wrestling, Hockey, Baseball, Basketball, Cycling, Cheerleading, Football, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Track & Field.

This software has the ability to cover all the sports listed above and more. The software is also able to cover most of the events which take place at the X-Games.

e) Benefits Claimed;

This software organizes and keeps records, people, schedules and much more organized in a single location. Everything is centralized, protected and has the ability to be accessed easily. The online registration will cut down on volunteer time and give the leagues more accurate information since it is the parents or legal guardians who are typing in the information. The online banking reduces errors and also helps keep track of where the money is truly going and where it is being spent.

f) Analysis of Performance;

I am a huge tennis fan. I have played the game since I was 10 yrs old. If the USTA (United States Tennis Association) uses this software, then I am sold. Even the ITA (Intercollegiate Tennis Association) uses Activesports.com. Other Major supporters: POP Warner Little League, NFL Youth Football, Dixie Youth Baseball, and USA Hockey.com

g) Recommendation;

I would recommend this software to any league who is just starting out or who is trying to break into the 21^st century. The software will keep any league or individual organized and help keep records, person and financial, in order and easy to follow. I am actually going to recommend this service to TNT Disc Golf (Thursday in Tiffin) league and some of the other leagues in Northwest, Ohio.

The Blade vs. The Age

The Toledo Blade vs. The Age from Melbourne, Australia

I decided to pick an Ohio newspaper and compare it to an Australian newspaper to see the difference in coverage of the Australian Tennis Open. The coverage was way different. The section for sports for The Age was mostly on the Australian Open when the Blade had nothing. I did not even see a link of any kind. There were some video links to watch some of the highlights but nothing really major or any editorials to read on the Open. Let’s get down to business and compare the two papers

Similarities

Sports of course. Each one had national sports, videos, and pictures but hardly had any of the same sports. The Blade had a few pictures and videos of the Australian Open

Differences

The advertising was very different. The Age had an advertisement to help out Haitian people when The Blade did not have anything for the relief effort. Most of the advertisements in The Age were at the bottom of the screen and it was not any particular business. It was mainly a link to go to another search engine. There really is not any advertising on The Age. The Blade has advertising all over. There is a huge ad which goes across the top of The Blade and advertising all along the left side. The Blade’s advertising consisted of GMC, J. Foster Jewelers, OHMIcars.com, and other links to local restaurants and businesses.

The coverage of sports were different as well. The Age had tennis, cricket, bicycling, and football (soccer). The Blade had college and high school basketball, a story on Tiger Woods, Triple A baseball, OSU, minor league hockey, and a general overall section of Pro sports. It was nice to read a paper and not have to hear or read about Tiger Woods. The Blade focused more on local sports while The Age was more focused towards national sports. I liked there was not much advertising on The Age compared to The Blade. There was a lot more wasted space on The Age due to Multimedia section which was a single column with many photos, mainly of tennis because of the Open. It leaves about half the page with blank spots. There are more links on The Age than on The Blade. The Age seems more organized and not so much cluttered with advertising. Again, you can go to the bottom of the page and select what you are looking for; even trying to find a significant other is possible. The Blade just seems cluttered with advertisements of all kind. I like the navigation of The Age compared to The Blade. Any other sport is available at the top of The Age page while The Blade does not a selection at all.

My Resume

Kevin Lofton II

26 Maple Street Home 567-220-6601

Tiffin, OH 44883 loftonii@sbcglobal.net

Cell 419-618-2186

Experience Electrical Department Manager 2009 to Present

Lowe's Home Improvement, Tiffin, OH

My job is to manage my department and the employees within it. I am responsible for making sure my department is in order, clean, and fully stocked. I make sure every week my shelves are full by going through each aisle and ordering what is needed. I delegate tasks to my coworkers during the day and I make a list of what needs accomplished when I am not at work.

Sales Specialist - Flooring 2008 to 2009

Lowe's Home Improvement, Tiffin, OH

Sales, check on orders, getting jobs ready for installers, putting away stock, and doing cycle counts. I also work with other associates to give customer's the best customer service that we can provide. I have been educating fellow associates, not only in my department, on flooring techniques and information not taught by the LLC.

Inventory Manager 2003 to 2008

Richard's Carpet Outlet, Tiffin, OH

In charge of in coming and outgoing inventory. Makes sure installers have their jobs for the day. Sales. Some installation. Visit with Sales Representatives.

Dishwasher 1999 to 2003

2003 Tiffin University Dining Hall, Tiffin, OH

Washed Dishes and followed sanitation guidelines. Cleaned and provided general maintenance for the dining hall. Catered events and banquets.

Maintenance (Summer Job) 2000 to 2003

Tiffin University, Tiffin, OH

Lawn Care: Maintained sports fields and main campus. General Maintenance. Relocated Professors into new offices. Cleaned the President's home. Organized storage garages and units.

Education M.B.A., General Business Administration & Leadership 2009

Tiffin University, Tiffin University, Major GPA: 3.5

B.A., Business Management, Minor: Sports Management 2003

Tiffin University, Tiffin University. GPA: 3.0

Interests Tennis, Disc Golf, coaching tennis, music, being outdoors, and a good conversation

Personal References

Pam Dubois

6861 Beagle Drive

Hamilton, OH 45011

513-893-4068 Home

513-403-3169 Cell

Dennis Kenna

250 Clinton Ave.

Tiffin, OH 44883

419-443-8358

James Koehl

449 Melmore Street

Tiffin, OH 44883

419-447-4278

"why I want to be a sport _________"

Hello Everyone! I'm Kevin Lofton II. I was born and still in Tiffin, OH. I have received my BBA and MBA (General Business) from Tiffin University. After graduating with my BBA, I was in the flooring industry for about 6 years. I could not find a sports graduate assistantship so I did not go back for my MBA for a few years. I work for Lowe's Home Improvement now first working in flooring but I have moved up to Electrical Department Manager.

"Why I want to be a sports________". Your guess is as good as mine what to put in there. If I do get back into sports, then I would like to a facility manager or get back into coaching. I miss coaching a lot. My coaching career started at Tiffin University. I was Bonnie's student assistant for the Tiffin University Girls' Tennis Team. You should have seen the look on Bonnie's face when I asked if I could help. I loved coaching for Bonnie because I was able to get the experience of coach women and I learned a great deal from them. I just home they learned from me as well. My favorite compliment came from Bonnie when she told me the B Team really liked my taking the time and coaching them.

I became Tiffin Columbian High School Head Tennis Coach in the Spring of 2004. I was only there for one season and only had 2 wins the whole year. The most gratifying experience came a few years later when two of my players, who I taught from scratch, made it to regional’s something I never was able to do. I still keep in contact with one and he played for Heidelberg University the past few years.

I decided to take this course because a new sport has taken over tennis. Okay, I am going to admit this but I am getting old. I cannot keep up with the sport of tennis and the toll it takes on my body. In the last few years I have taken up Disc Golf (frisbee golf to some). The last year and a half I have been working with others in Northwest, OH to bring the World Amateur Championship to Ohio. In June of 2010, the World's will be in Northwest, OH (Bucyrus, Delaware, Marion, Upper Sandusky, and Tiffin). I will be either playing in the tournament or helping run the Tiffin course. I hope to get a better idea on how to advertise and raise funds for this tournament after the completion of this course.

I hope this finds you well and that you will be hearing from me again and enjoy my thoughts.

Kevin "Lofty" Lofton II