All Articles – Page 158 – Welcome to Steelers Takeaways!

Andrew Conte – Breakaway: The inside story of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ rebirth

Andrew Conte of the Tribune Review on his new book – – Breakaway: The inside story of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ rebirth

First, what inspired you to write this book?

I wanted to find out what really happened in all of the closed-door negotiations over the team. I spent a lot of hours as a reporter for the Tribune-Review covering meetings and discussions that took place in secret. Breakaway tells about what happened in all those private discussions. Fans who followed this narrative as it happened can finally get the full story.

Where can readers purchase the book?

Breakaway is available at Barnes & Noble stores across the United States, and at Chapters and Coles book stores in Canada. Many independent book stores around Pittsburgh are carrying Breakaway, such as the Penguin Bookshop in Sewickley. It’s also available online from Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and the book’s website www.breakawaypenguins.com.

What surprised you most about the team’s “rebirth” as you did your research?

The team came very close to leaving. One short-lived plan had the Penguins going to Los Angeles, and the LA Kings going to Kansas City.

Who were the key players behind the scenes that readers may not have been aware of – and how so?

Team owner Ron Burkle played a much larger role in the team’s on-ice decisions than fans realize. He was the catalyst for the Penguins to acquire Marian Hossa in 2008, and then for bringing up Coach Dan Bylsma in 2009 before the Cup run. Burkle does not tell the team leaders what to do, but he brings a business mentality to the organization and encourages them to do what they need to win.

Much is said about Sydney Crosby “saving the franchise.” How much of this is true, in your opinion?

None of this happens without Crosby. When the Penguins win the rights to draft Crosby in the post-lockout lottery, it changes everything. Until that point, the owners plan to sell the team and actually have a purchase agreement in place. Immediately after the lottery, they decide to make a play to keep the team — and to keep it in Pittsburgh. One team insider said it was like selling a house and then finding gold on the property.

How close was this team really in moving?

Very close. Even at the last meeting at a New Jersey hotel where the owners and public officials sit down with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to work out the details of an agreement, the whole thing nearly blows up. The Kansas City deal was comparable with the one in Pittsburgh, but the arena there already was built.

In your opinion – what did the prior ownership do wrong that the team was in such difficult shape?

Howard Baldwin’s group faced a difficult situation: They bought a team that had just won the Stanley Cup, and they were determined to keep the team intact. But after winning the Cup, the players could command more money than the team really could afford. To come up with money, the team ended up selling a lot of long-term revenue streams in the Civic Arena, and so the financial problems worsened.

How involved was the NHL in the discussions and what role did they play?

Commissioner Gary Bettman ultimately was the guy who brought everyone together. When the team was for sale, the league quietly let potential suitors know that it would do everything possible to keep the Penguins in Pittsburgh. No one knows whether the league actually could have kept the team from leaving, but I believe that was one of the key reasons Lemieux and Burkle could not sell the franchise. Then, when the deal for Pittsburgh nearly fell apart, Bettman was the one who convened the secret meeting where the final agreement was reached.

Some were skeptical of Lemieux’s role on the discussions. Do you think he was aware of this – if so, how did it affect him?

At one point, Gov. Ed Rendell says how hard it is to negotiate with Burkle, a friend from politics, and Lemieux, a player he admired as a fan. Everyone had a role to play, and Lemieux played a key part. Ultimately, I believe Lemieux’s biggest contribution was insisting that the Penguins stay in Pittsburgh if at all possible.

What was the “turn around” moment for this team? When ownership knew it was going in the right direction?

Oddly, it might have been before the 2008 playoffs when Crosby got injured and Malkin and the other players had to step up to fill the void. The owners already had agreed on terms for an arena, and they started winning without their best player. Team insiders had to wonder how great they could be when he came back. It was at that moment that Burkle pulled together team leaders and asked whether they had a chance to win. When the answer was yes, he pushed for them to do whatever they needed to win a championship. Even though the team lost in the final that year, they knew they could win the Cup after that.

How important was the new stadium for this team? How difficult was it for them to have it torn down?

The new arena makes it possible for the team to make enough money to stay in Pittsburgh and pay players up to the salary cap. At the Civic Arena, the team had to compete for local fan dollars with two relatively new stadiums — Heinz Field and PNC Park — and the building had many flaws that did not make it ideal for any of its intended uses. At Consol Energy Center, the Penguins should make enough money to be competitive for a long time.

Any last thoughts for readers?

The fans played a bigger role in this whole story than maybe even many of them realize. When the Penguins were competing for the casino license, the fans turned the Gaming Control Board’s meetings into pep rallies for the team. And then when the team nearly left, the fans compelled reluctant public officials to realize the importance of this franchise to the region. Ultimately when the Penguins had competitive deals to stay and leave, the owners chose to stay because of the fan support here. Breakaway really tells the fans’ story.

Andrew’s book launch and signing events:

@AndrewConteTrib

Book Launch: 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18, T.G.I.Friday’s at Consol Energy Center.

Signing event: 1-3 p.m. Penguin Bookshop, 420 Beaver St., Sewickley, Pa. 15143. 412-741-3838.

Signing event: 5-7 p.m. Pensgear Powered by Reebok, Consol Energy Center, near the Trib Total Media Gate, prior to the game.

Mike Bires – Times Online, on the Steelers

Mike Bires – Times Online

Do you think Tomlin feels its too early to consider starting some of the younger players over more established vets? Is the team overvaluing the importance of experience over talent?

The answer to your second question is “no.’ The answser to your first question is that Tomlin will play the players he thinks give the Steelers the best chance to win, regardless if they’re 21 or 36. For example — last year, Maurkice Pouncey started at center at the age of 21. Rookie wide receivers Emmanuel Sanders and Antonion Brown had more touches that veteran Antwaan Randle El.

In your opinion, what current starters should be seeing less playing time, if any? And what are the odds of this happening?

Defensive end Aaron Smith, who’ll miss his second straight game Sunday with a sprained foot. It’s time for Ziggy Hood, a first-round pick in the 2009 draft to start. Smith’s body is breaking down. He’s missed so much time the past two years.

Is this team doing enough to adapt it’s schemes to the talents of the players- is there any feeling that players are being fitted into schemes that don’t best utilize their talents?

The schemes aere just fine. They’ve to the Super Bowl twice in the last three years.

One theory (ok, mine) is that Ben’s foot injury actually helped force Arians and Ben to scheme and play smarter – to take what the defense gave the offense rather than relying on Ben’s escapability to make big plays. Any thoughts on this?

No doubt. I also think that Ben knows that given the way health and performance of the O-line in those early games this year, he was an injury waiting to happen. He had to change.

Why do you think this team has been so seemingly uninspired when it comes to Starks. Even before his injury he seemed to be treated like an lesser necessity rather than a key OL component.

The Steelers saw Max Starks at Big Ben’s wedding. He weight 410 pounds. He was coming off a neck injury. He wasn’t ready for training camp. And he was due to make $5.14 million

How do you think Worilds is developing at OLB. Would you start him at OLB over Timmons if healthy? Why/why not?

Worilds has been OK. I would never start Worilds over Timmons. Timmons is close to being great

Who is the heir apparent opposite Ike Taylor. It seems to be a hodge-podge of players there but who’ll be the guy that you think ultimately secures the starting spot long-term?

I think the Steelers have three interesting corner prospects in Keenan Lewis, Curtis Brown and Cortez Allen … Obviously, Lewis is ahead of the two rookies right now … but I know the coaches like both Brown and Allen.

What effect do you see first-year DB coach Lake having so far with the DBs?

I don’t know. Polamalu has already said he appreciates Lake’s expertise. And I will say this, Gay and Lewis are playing better than they did last year.

The AFCN – toughest division in the NFL?

It is right now — no teams has a losing record (Ravens 3-1, Steelers 3-2, Bengals 3-2, Browns 2-2). But don’t dismiss the AFC East even with hapless Miami (0-4). The Bills and Pats are both 4-1, and I’m not counting out the Jets (2-3) just yet. And how about the NFC North with the unbeaten Packers and Lions?

Is coach Tomlin more or less involved in the game day strategy than Cowher used to be? What exact is Tomlin’s role in regards to developing game strategy?

I tend to think Cowher had a little more say. But Tomlin is involved. He lets his coaches coach, but he’s in all the meeting listening and offering his input.

Any last thoughts for readers?

I can’t wait for Oct. 30 and Nov. 6 when the Patriots and Ravens come to town.

Maine Prince, Philadelphia Sports Training Center

Maine Prince, Philadelphia Sports Training Center (March 30, 2011):

Tell us about your center and how it differs from other athletic training centers?

Philadelphia Sports Training Center (PSTC) is an Academic & Athletic Sports Performance Training Facility for all levels of athletes.

PSTC is different from other facilities because as scientific sports trainers we focus on the biomechanical analysis of an athlete to improve their overall sports performance in their respective sport.

How did this all get started and how are you funded?

This started from a conversation with a client, Marc Jackson, former NBA veteran/Temple University standout/Roman Catholic High School graduate while we were talking about the many sports training facilities that I’ve started and developed.

Four different facilities; Aspiring Champions Sports Performance Center in King of Prussia, PA; Summit Sports Training Center in Bryn Mawr, PA (owned by Pat Croce / Ed Snider (owner of Comcast); and Velocity Sports Performance Training, Cherry Hill, NJ; & Rockford YMCA Sports Training Program in Rockford, IL.

We are funded through the revenue from our clients, grants & sponsorships to our youth program, as well as investors from various professional levels.

What specific services do you provide to those that enter the program and at what age are athletes eligible to enter?

In terms of the normal sports training program, our programs start at age 12 with a modified weight lifting program to demonstrate the proper techniques on weight lifting, which also includes our patented Anatomy of Speed Program that I’ve developed over the past 15 years of training athletes.

The NFL Combine Training Program is only for those student-athletes leaving college that have been invited to participate in the exclusive NFL Combine held in Indianapolis, IN at the Indianapolis Colts’ Lucas Oil Stadium.

The NFL Combine training is typically an 8-16 week training program for 5-days a week with 2-3 hour training sessions per day.

How do athletes learn of your program?

Athletes learn of our program through our direct marketing accomplished through typical recruiting practices. We reach out to local student-athletes from the tri-state area of Philadelphia, then we get referrals from the sports agents that want their clients to have the best opportunity to get the most impactful training available.

What’s next for you and the center?

We have programs that run at minimum every 8-weeks for the sports training program. We are now going to be working with several past clients that are NBA Prospects as well as professional baseball players.

We also have an ongoing College Recruiting Seminar that I do nationwide from coast to coast to present the college recruiting process to middle school and high school student-athletes and their parents.

We are also planning LeSean McCoy’s Community Day on May 14th in his hometown of Harrisburg, PA. This is a free event that he wants to give back to the community where he grew up.

Do you work only with those in the Philadelphia area or are you nationwide?

I work with clients in the Philadelphia tri-state area and nationwide. I have conducted a sports training program for the NBPA MBA Program at Stanford University which is a program that instructs NBA players, coaches, past players with the opportunity to receive a Stanford University Certificate of Completion in their MBA Program. My small part if to continue keeping them in shape through the 4-week course.

How do you define “success” as it pertains to a student athlete?

Our facility/company motto of Philadelphia Sports Training Center is….”Where Academics plus Athletics equals Success?” The term of success as we define is a student-athlete that enter high school as a freshman, graduates as a senior, and has the opportunity to participate in their respective sport at the next level…then graduate from college and obtain employment in their chosen career.

How do you work with athletes to prepare them for the pressure and lifestyle found at the college and professional levels?

At our facility, we are blessed that my wife is also a 2-time Academic All-American soccer player from Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA. She focus her efforts as the Director of our Student-Athlete Counseling & Tutoring Program which is an open dialogue with student-athletes to help them as a 3rd party when they have a need to discuss any dilemmas.

We provide them with individual time to discuss what they may be facing and what to look out for in terms of the lifestyle of a college student-athlete and the rigors of playing professionally.

You work with athletes once they turn professional as well. How do you do so and what are they usually interested in focusing on?

When working with professional athletes, their focus is on improving their sports performance to sustain their progress in their sport.

Many times, professional players would rather do without “BIG Brother” watching their every move when they workout and they are always seeking an objective opinion on how to improve. One of the determining factors in a professional players longevity past the average 3-years is the ability to continue to get faster, flexible, stronger, athletic, and maintaining their weekly weight goal.

Every NFL player has a weight maximum and a weight limit where they must be during the 26-weeks of the season including pre-season.

For our Pittsburgh audience, have/do you worked with any players that went on to Pitt/Penn State or that have gone on to play for the Steelers? How so?

I have worked with a few basketball players, Brad Wanamaker, graduating senior, NBA first round draft prospect…we are entertaining the possibility to work with LeSean McCoy, RB, Philadelphia Eagles, former PITT Panther…due to the recent situation with the NFL Lockout. I am good friends with his old high school coach Corey Jett, a Penn State Nittany Lion.

Any last thoughts for readers?

Sports Performance Training is becoming a necessity for middle school and high school student-athletes around the country.

The criteria for athletic scholarships is growing, while the amount of scholarships seems to be reducing, which means that the academic requirements that have already changed from 14 core credits to 16 credits for division I schools is only a mere fraction of the changes that are being made.

If a student-athlete can focus on their grades as much as their athletics then they would be guaranteed a partial academic scholarship, as well as an athletic scholarship which equates to a full scholarship. I believe that sports performance training can be the initiating source to help those high school student-athletes reach their own personal success.

Matt Bodenschatz – Faceoff Factor

Can you let readers know what’s new at the //www.faceoff-factor.com/ – there’s a new site design for starters.

First off, thanks for the opportunity to talk hockey! Faceoff Factor has a brand new design implemented and maintained by our new web and graphic designer, Doug Graham. In addition to the design, Doug has added a new feature called “Talk Amongst Yourselves,” which gives readers an opportunity to discuss a variety of topics before a story is written on FF. As always, Mike Adams will deliver Game Grades, Jesse Marshall will deliver prospect news and analysis, and the rest of the staff will deliver unique opinions on the Penguins and NHL at large.

James Neal is off to a strong start. What do you attribute this to -was he just “unlucky” last season?

I have been a big James Neal fan for a few years now, and even suggested a year earlier that an Alex Goligoski for Neal swap would benefit both teams. Last season, his lack of production, in my opinion, can be attributed to a number of things. For starters, Neal was accustomed to being the third wheel on a line with two high powered offensive players in Dallas. Coming to Pittsburgh, he was relegated to Mark Letestu and Alex Kovalev, making him the top dog. Put any secondary-type player in that position and he’ll struggle to score. Additionally, he was stuck adjusting to a new system on a team without its most talented players. There was a lot of pressure to produce, and I think it got to him a bit. Now, this year, he’s had an opportunity to go through Camp Bylsma and, more importantly, has had a chance to skate with Evgeni Malkin and Steve Sullivan, two excellent playmakers. I don’t think there’s any coincidence that after an adjustment period and an upgrade in linemates, he’s back to the Neal we saw in Dallas.

Conversely, Sullivan seems to be pressing. What are your thoughts on his expected contribution?

Steve Sullivan isn’t known much as a shooter, but rather a playmaker. I don’t necessarily see him as pressing, but rather finding his way. I’ve been impressed with his skating and vision and think he’ll be a strong contributor to the team once he settles in.

Vitale has played inspired hockey – will there be room for him on this roster though when Crosby and Jeffrey return?

Last night we saw Mark Letestu riding the pine as Malkin made his way back into the lineup. As the team gets healthier, I expect to see more of the same, with Joe Vitale getting the fourth line center job. Don’t get me wrong, I was impressed with Letestu last season and like what he brings to the table, but Vitale, in my opinion, brings a defensive element, a physical element, and a faceoff element that Letestu just doesn’t. Vitale is a better fit for a bottom line — and I think he’ll win out when it comes time to make room for Sidney Crosby and Dustin Jeffrey.

Speaking of returns, what do you expect the top two lines to look like once Crosby and Jeffrey do return?

That’s a difficult question. Ideally, I’d like to see Crosby with Kunitz and Kennedy, leaving Malkin with Neal and Sullivan, but Bylsma likes to shuffles lines, making it difficult to predict.

The power play so far is much improved. What do you attribute this to?

From what I can see, there is significantly more unpredictable movement, which can be difficult to defend. Add in the resurgence of Kris Letang as a dominant offensive (and defensive) defenseman and the addition of the creative Sullivan, and it’s a recipe for success. It’s early, but for the most part I’m liking what I’m seeing with the man advantage.

Any concerns about the minutes being logged so far by Letang and Staal?

Yes and no. Obviously, these two players have increased minutes because of injuries to Crosby, Malkin and Orpik, which means this shouldn’t be a permanent thing. That being said, we don’t know when Crosby and Orpik will return, and with a heavy schedule over the next few weeks, it’s slightly alarming and concerning that Letang and Staal are skating so much. Let’s just hope they don’t wear out, as it’s a long season.

Any early surprises so far with the team?

I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the play of Matt Cooke and Richard Park. While both have proven capable in the past, it’s nice to see both having success again. For Cooke, he appears to have a new-found dedication to respecting his opponents and focusing on hockey — and the result has been tremendous. For Park, he appeared a likely AHL candidate, but his strong penalty killing (bolstered by a shorthanded goal earlier this week) has given him an opportunity to not only stick with the team, but get quality minutes. It’s always nice to see a former Penguin return and do well.

Was it at all disturbing to you how enthusiastically the fans responded to the punishment Asham doled out on Washington’s Beagle – especially in light of Crosby’s concussion issues?

Boy, that’s a loaded question. From a hockey perspective happening “at the spur of the moment,” fans at a game want big plays and hard hits. Fights are no exception. In the spur of the moment, fans always are going to be thrilled with a big TKO that results in some blood. But, I also think most fans are smart enough not to want to see the opponent be significantly injured — hence the applause and stick-taps from the fans and players.

The scoring seems to still be down for this team – even with Malkin in the lineup. What’s the issue behind the scoring problems early on?

No Sidney Crosby. Let’s face it, he is the key to this team’s offense. Last season, we saw a bare bones offense without Malkin and Crosby. This year, it has increased a bit due to Malkin’s return, but Malkin can only do so much when he faces the top defense pairings and defensive forwards each shift. When Crosby returns, it will give the Penguins that much-needed one-two punch, which should help to increase their offensive efforts and put them back into elite territory.

Any last thoughts for readers?

Watch with pride. I have a feeling what we are seeing is the making of a very special season from a very special team. The Penguins are loaded from top to bottom, and with injured players closer to a return, things will get even better. This has all the makings of being an amazing season, and I for one am enjoying the ride so far!

Phil Bourque

Phil Bourque:

How has your NHL playing experience helped and hurt you as a commentator for the team?

My NHL playing experience has given my the credible experiences and knowledge to analyze the game and players. Also having played in the OHL, AHL, IHL, NHL and the German Elite league has given me an appreciation on what it takes to get the NHL and what it takes to stay there.

What part do Ray Shero and Mario Lemieux play in the day-to-day activities of the team?

Ray Shero is very involved in the day to day operations of the Penguins. Mario, on the other hand does not get quite involved but always has the pulse of the players,coaches and managers. He is always involved in major decisions but on a day to day basis lets everybody just do their job.

What would surprise fans most about this team?

People would be most surprised on how well this team gets along and truly is like a family.

How do you feel the salary cap has impacted the team specifically and the NHL as a whole? Is it a positive or negative thing in your opinion?

The salary cap has had such a positive effect on the league as a whole. The Penguins were never a team that had unlimited resources so they always had a self imposed salary cap. The cap has helped the “Big Dogs” who couldn’t control their own spending.

What have been some of the more surprising/interesting players over the years and why?

One the most interesting players I can recall was Al Iafrate who played for Washington and Boston amongst others… He could shoot the puck about 105 mph while using a very short stick….what made him so interesting was that he smoked like a chimney and used to light his cigs while working on his sticks with a blowtorch. Thus earning the nickname Weird Al .

What blogs and websites do you turn to for hockey news and analysis?

I use about 12-15 different web sites including NHL.com, TSN.ca, and Yahoo sports, Also a variety of publications that help me with unique stats and stories.

If you could make any changes to the game – on or off the ice – what you would do and why?

I would not change many things with the game right now as I feel alot has been done since the lockout. I would consider allowing the coaches 1 challenge per game for goals that are not reviewable by replay. If the coach is wrong with his challenge he would lose his teams timeout.

Who are some of the AHL and ECHL and other prospects we should watch out for in the next year or so?

Some blue chip prospects coming down the pike are Dustin Jeffrey and Eric Tangradi down in Wilkes Barre as well as Simon Dupres that is playing in the Quebec Major Junior League and representing Canada during the 2011 World Jrs played in Buffalo.

Anything you’d like to add/further thoughts for Pittsburgh Sports Daily Bulletin Readers on the Penguins or any other subject?

Finally, after being blessed enough to play this great game of hockey professionally for 18 years and retiring in 2000 I spent 3 years trying different lines of work that did not come close to satisfying my hunger for a game that gave me the highest of highs. Thanks to Mario Lemieux I was given an opportunity to work as the radio analyst for the Pittsburgh Penguins and talk about the greatest team playing the greatest game.

Richard Weiss, Publisher – Sports Business Journal/World Congress of Sports

Richard Weiss, Publisher – Sports Business Journal/World Congress of Sports (April 7, 2011):

What have you found to be the most interesting developments your publication has covered over the last year or so?

The sports industry bounces back from the recession. In many cases. Sports sponsorships, for example, Are as big or bigger than ever before; NFL ratings dominated.

The labor issue is front and center on everyone’s radar as is the NBC/Comcast deal/

Can you give readers an understanding of what the World Sports Congress is, how it came into being and what the Sports Business Journal’s affiliation is with the event?

A couple years after having launched Sports Business Journal, my dream was to build a World Economic Forum (Davos) type event for the sports industry. It made sense to expand our franchise and bring together industry leaders to discuss and debate strategically where the sports industry is heading andalso provide networking opportunities for industry leaders across different sports.

All of the people who attend our World Congress have other conferences they attend that are “sport specific” but the World Congress brings together industry executives across various sports.

Who typically attends?

The World Congress is attended by senior management in the sports industry – league commissioners, team owners and president, network heads, top corporate sponsors, facility owners and operators…

What were the biggest takeways you had from this recent event?

Corporate CMOs talked about the value of sports and social media. Some of the biggest marketers in the industry gathered on a panel to talk about why sports continues to provide a worthy marketing platformfor brands.

The panel featured Reliant Energy CMO Karen Jones; Farmers Insurance Exec VP & CMO Kevin Kelso; Subway Senior VP & CMO Tony Pace; and Coca-Cola North America CMO Bea Perez.

The CMOs all weighed in on how important sports are to their respective brands.

“It’s very important for our brand,” Pace said. “We try to be somewhat surgical with what we do in sports. When we focus on athletes, we pick an athlete first and foremost if they’re a Subway fan. Then you have to look at their short-term growth, long-term potential.”

Kelso provided a different perspective, since Farmers is relatively new to the sports marketplace but made a huge splash earlier this year by agreeing to a $600 million to $700 million naming-rights agreement for AEG’s proposed events center/NFL stadium in downtown L.A. “Sports marketing is a new area for us to participate in,” Kelso said. “It’s been very high-profile for us.” On MLB’s Opening Day, Perez recalled some Coca-Cola history to describe how important sports has been for her brand. “The reason why Coca-Cola went into bottles,” Perez said, “is two gentlemen came to us … and said, ‘We’d really like to be able to drink Coca-Cola at a baseball game.’” She added, “It’s a big part of the fabric of our brand, the DNA.”

WE ARE FARMERS: Kelso took conference attendees a little deeper into Farmers Insurance’s thoughts behind the L.A. stadium agreement. “Just the strength of the announcement really was a powerful thing for us,” said Kelso. He noted that the California-based firm already has seen $3.8 million worth of ad equivalency value just in media from the January announcement, adding that Farmers does not actually pay AEG until it is clear the stadium is going to be built. “One of our goals for the Farmers Field deal, for sure, was to put the brand on
the national stage and let people know who we are,” Kelso said.

On a similar note, Jones discussed the competition Reliant faces in Texas, since the state deregulated the energy industry 10 years ago, which has led to more than 60 companies competing for consumers. “Three things we love in Texas: trucks, our big hair and sports,” said Jones, who also expounded on the various ways Reliant uses its partnership with the Texans to reach fans on Sundays at Reliant Stadium.

The marketers touched on the power of social media, a big theme throughout the two-day conference. “If you view digital and social media as part of the conversation,” Pace said, “you have to continue to push stuff out there.” Pace specifically highlighted endorser Apolo Anton Ohno’s activity on Twitter as a great plus for the Subway brand.

Perez agreed with her Subway counterpart about the importance of social media, while acknowledging that Coca-Cola hasn’t quite figure it out yet. “We believe that will drive purchase, that will drive transactions,” she said. “Today, can I show you a spreadsheet that shows it translates to sales? No, I can’t. … But we believe this is a space we will continue to learn from, and will be important to our business.”

Kelso said social media is a way for Farmers to stand out in the crowded insurance space. “We are doing a lot of things in social media,” he said. “It’s a great place for us to engage with people. I think we’re all trying to figure out what to do with it. … In terms of just promoting it, updating the brand, all that’s working.”

The NFL lockout is forcing corporate marketers to spend twice as much time developing activation plans for the 2011 season, a panel of sponsorship executives said during a session titled, “Sponsorship Value and Innovation: The New Realities of Sports Marketing.”

Marketers are developing both regular and contingency activation plans for the NFL season. It’s an effort that Jeff Dubiel, Pepsi vice president of sports marketing, called duplicative. “It’s extra resources and extra time,” Dubiel said. It is also an effort that could hurt the return on Pepsi’s activation because it has had to water down its NFL-themed retail displays so that they can be switched from an authentic NFL display to a local college football team. Dubiel said, “It dumbs down the authenticity of the program we’re trying to deliver.”

Gillette and Proctor & Gamble are in a similar situation and have reached a pivotal point in NFL activation plans, said Global Sports Marketing Director Greg Via. The company has developed both NFL and non-NFL-related point-of-sale displays, and retailers will make a decision this May as to which one to feature.

Similarly, Visa has been speaking to its member banks to keep them abreast of the NFL’s situation so that they can determine which marketing materials they choose to use this season. Lynch: “Our plans and our hope is that we’re all systems go. …Everyone is hoping like hell it’s going to be reconciled in time. It’s that powerful a property that we are planning as if things are going to happen.”

Anheuser-Busch, which is starting the first year of a six-year deal valued at more than $1 billion, will test the public appetite for the NFL during the lockout by launching a Bud Light promotion against the upcoming NFL Draft.

A-B VP of Media, Sports and Entertainment Marketing Mark Wright said, “We’re all guns ablazing.”

The ever-elusive ROI: Marketers are still struggling to measure return-on-investment effectively, but the recent recession helped them unearth some formulas that work for their brands.

Pepsi has begun measuring a sponsorship’s effect on brand health, how it delivers against key objectives, and whether it is using all of the assets delivered in a sponsorship contract. Dubiel: “We have a disciplined audit process where a couple of times a year we’re going to report out – yes we got it, down to the picture at an NFL stadium. It forces everyone to think a lot harder about the returns and what we’ve signed up for.”

Lynch said that since Visa went public in 2008, the company’s management has been increasingly insistent that he show the value of a sponsorship. Lynch: “I can’t talk to my management now without talking numbers first. …As a global company, are we making money off this investment or not? If we’re not making money, we won’t be renewing this deal.”

P&G’s marketing objectives increasingly focus on what the results of a promotion are at retail, so it has pushed its agency partners to be more creative in designing programs that help move products.

Via said, “We don’t have a good handle on it at all. We know when we run a commercial and that commercial is tied to a property and tied to retail activation and shelf space, we can say, ‘OK. We sold product off that.’ And that’s the best way we’ve found.”

A Champions panel offered reflections, advice on the sports business.

In addition to introducing them during a lunch session yesterday, SportsBusiness Journal/Daily honored this year’s class of “The Champions: Pioneers & Innovators in Sports Business,” during a panel discussion at the end of the day.

The five recipients — former WNBA and USA Basketball President Val Ackerman; former PGA Tour Commissioner Deane Beman; IMG Media Exec VP Barry Frank; ESPN Founder Bill Rasmussen; and Premier Partnerships Chairman Alan Rothenberg — reflected on their years in sports and how the industry has evolved.

Each panelist addressed their many accomplishments, and what made them successful. Beman said, “If you play golf, you know you fail more than you win. … I think I was successful because I wasn’t afraid to fail. I wasn’t afraid to advance an idea that might be difficult.”

Rasmussen also cited not fearing failure. “I never really accepted no for an answer,” Rasmussen said. “I was never afraid to fail. In fact, ESPN got started because I got fired from my job at the Whalers.” He added, “You really have to trust your instincts, your passion, your energy.”

Frank recalled his early days in sports business. “A large part of my success was due to that I wouldn’t quit,” he said. “The first big deal I made was for the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary, and I knew there was big money there. … I made about four trips out to Calgary to convince (the IOC) that I could get them more money than they could get themselves.” Rothenberg chimed in, “It’s the ability to seize an opportunity that’s
in front of you, then work energetically. … You build a reputation over time as a person who can accomplish great things.”

The panelists engaged in a good back-and-forth about what the future may hold for ESPN. Rasmussen, understandably not wanting to seem too biased, suggested that even the new NBC Sports conglomerate will not be able to challenge ESPN. Frank took it a step further, declaring that no one will unseat ESPN from its chair atop the sports media landscape. “That’s not my opinion,” he added. “It’s a fact.”

In addition to recalling their careers in sports business, the panelists also discussed what’s ahead for the industry. Frank and Rasmussen agreed that college sports could experience a rebirth in the coming years. “With production equipments costs coming down,” Rasmussen said, “technology improving every hour on the hour, even the smaller colleges are going to figure out how to produce games.”

Looking at the current sports landscape, the panelists were asked about which league they would like to run today. Beman said, “I think everyone would like to run the PGA Tour. … There are challenges, but not the problems other sports have.” Frank took a different angle on the question, mentioning the biggest league in North America. “There’s only one league to run today if you want to be powerful, and that’s the NFL,” he said.

Rasmussen provoked laughter from the audience when he said, “Is Bud Selig retiring soon? I don’t want all the problems he has, but it’s a fun job.” The five didn’t bite much when asked about regrets and mistakes in their careers, though Ackerman chimed in with what she deemed a smaller issue. “I regret that I don’t speak any language other than English,” she said. “I function now a little in the international world … and the ability not to be able to converse with people in the downtime — I try to cough up a few pleasantries — I regret that.”

Beman joked, “I don’t have too many regrets as commissioner. I’m a little upset I didn’t make one more birdie in the U.S. Open in 1969. I might not have had to take the job as commissioner.”

The panelists were asked, “What advice do you give to young people wanting to get into the sports business industry?”

Rothenberg: “Knock on every door. Take the first and best opportunity you’re given. Then do a phenomenal job.”

Rasmussen: “Go to the local radio station, go to the local TV station. Make a pest of yourself if you have to, just get yourself in the door.”

Frank: “The job you want to take, for your first job, is anything that has upward mobility as a possibility.”

Beman: “I agree with Barry. You have to want to be in the sports business bad enough to start at the bottom. Jim Nantz is the perfect example — he started as a runner.”

Ackerman: “You have to pick a specialty. If you want to work in PR, there’s this skill set and this career path. If you want to work in marketing, there’s this skill set and this career path. … Your attitude has to be: no job is too small.”

What sense do you have of the bigger issues the various leagues and teams are concerned about over the next couple of years?

Labor, labor, labor!!!

Many leagues are looking to grow internationally – how are leagues working internally and externally to do so?

All the leagues continue to explore international, the NBA leads the pack…

Technology is rapidly changing the way sports are being played. What is your sense of how they plan to utilize those technologies in the near future without “overusing” them to the point they turn fans off to the actual sport?

A huge revenue driver for teams; most are using technology to enhance the fan experience with state of the art video-boards, concessions technology to allow fans to avoid waiting in lines, ticketing technology that allows teams to get the maximum amount for tickets at various points in time, leading up to a game without being stuck with unsold tickets…

How was the economic downturn addressed at this event – do you get a sense teams are feeling better about the economic climate?

The overall buzz was that the economic downturn is behind us…

What is the buzz about the NFL lockout?

Most agree that agreement will be reached before regular season games…

With the various new forms of media growing in importance (blogs, twitter, etc,.) how are you seeing sports teams addressing the need to work with these “non-traditional” but essential media outlets and how does this event address this issue?

For the most part, teams, leagues and other properties, as well as other companies playing in the sports space are embracing social media, some more quickly than others.

All agree that social media is powerful; all agree that social media communication must be authentic; all agree that they continue to grapple with how to monetize social media. But all know and understand that they have to embrace it and experiment with it.

Willie Williams, Steelers Cornerback, 1993-1996, 2004-2005

First, can you let readers know about your training business – who you train and how.

My company, XPRO Training Consultants provides speed, agility, endurance and skill development training for middle and high school athletes in all sports. Our major sports are lacrosse, football and track & field. We are starting to get college athletes as well through word of mouth.

How did you get started in this business?

It all started when my oldest son, Dominique, who is currently a junior in high school, wanted to play football at the age of eight. I said ok, we have to get you in shape. I took him out to the track and put him through some interval training and speed drills. The next day he invited some of his teammates. The amount of kids grew at every session and I’ve been going at it ever since. I didn’t officially launch my business to the public until January 2009.

Continue reading “Willie Williams, Steelers Cornerback, 1993-1996, 2004-2005”

Cory Giger, Altoona Mirror – On Pirates, Penn State

Cory Giger, Altoona Mirror (August 8, 2011)

First, the Pirates were fielding a patchwork team with so many players out with injury. Which of these players can come back soon and start helping this offense – and will they return in time?

It is remarkable the Pirates were able to hang around in the division race as long as they did playing so many backups, including going seven deep at catcher with Eric Fryer.

The losses of Alex Presley in particular and also Chase d’Arnaud were big because those guys brought speed and a spark to the top of the order. Will they return in time? No.

The swift and utter collapse of the pitching staff has killed the team’s chances. They allowed 8.2 runs per game during the 10-game losing streak, which makes it virtually impossible to win. Everyone knew the pitching would come back to reality at some point after being so good for this long, but it has to be maddening to Pirates fans to see all of the starters fall apart like they have at the same time.

How frustrating was it for the players knowing that as good as they’ve been, they could have been so much better with those injured players in the lineup? Have those injuries served as a rallying cry/furthering of the underdog role for this team?

No doubt everyone is frustrated about the team’s potential had there not been all the injuries, but let’s face it: They were still right near the top of the standings before this collapse by the pitching staff.

The club probably would have won a few more games up until the Phillies series had the offense been better, but with the way the pitching has fallen apart, it wouldn’t have mattered because the wheels still would have fallen off like they are now.

How excited were you about the Pirates’ recent acquisitions of Lee and Ludwick? Can these two realistically help this offense in a significant way?

They were decent moves. I gave Neal Huntington a B- for the deadline because everyone knew he needed a couple of bats, and he got a couple of veterans without having to give up much.

The acquisitions really haven’t had much of a chance to be difference makers because, again, the pitching has been so bad. It’s incredible how baseball works sometimes. The pitching carried the team all season, and just when some moves are made to bolster the offense, the offense really doesn’t have much of a chance because the pitchers suddenly fall apart.

In your opinion, did the front office over-rate their own prospects as they dealt with possible trades? What trades did they turn down to retain prospects?

I don’t think so. There was no reason to trade a Jameson Taillon or Stetson Allie or Starling Marte unless the return was tremendous, and there didn’t appear to be any deals like that out there.

Maybe they could have gone hard after Hunter Pence, but it probably would have taken Taillon and Marte for that, and given that the club was already starting to fall back in the race, that wouldn’t have been a good move.

Alvarez is still struggling at the plate. What’s the issue there and can this get resolved this season?

Pedro is overmatched right now at the major league level. That’s obvious to everyone.

The organization needs to tread very carefully with him right now. As long as he can at least stay afloat to some degree, then it’s best to keep him in the majors for at-bats so he can get the experience.

However, if he keeps flailing at pitches and striking out a ton and drops into the .170 range, it can do a lot of damage to his confidence. We’re getting closer and closer to September, so I’m not sure what good it would do to send him to Triple-A for a week or two and then call him back up. I can see, though, platooning him so he doesn’t have to face lefties or pitchers with pinpoint control who can eat him up on the inner part
of the plate.

Marte seems to be a player without a position when it comes to the Pirates, as a centerfielder, as he’ll always be stuck behind McCutchen. Should they consider trading him for other positional talent?

Marte is a very good player with a lot of skills who looks like he can be a solid everyday big leaguer.

But he probably will never be as good as Andrew McCutchen, so the Pirates have a very big decision on their hands at some point. I think McCutchen will be moved to a corner spot as his power continues to develop, which can save his body some wear and tear, and that would open up a spot for Marte in center.

But Marte also is behind both Alex Presley and Jose Tabata, so those will be tough decisions dividing up playing time. I would expect one of the three to be traded at some point.

In order, I’d keep Marte, then Presley and then Tabata. I’ve long questioned how effective Tabata can be as a corner outfielder until he develops some kind of power, plus he’s not as good of a pure hitter as Presley.

How have the pitching phenoms looked – Taillon, Allie and Heredia so far? Any cause for heightened optimism or concern yet?

There should be major concern for Allie, even though it’s just his first year.

People I trust have told me he doesn’t know where the ball was going when it left his hand for the State College Spikes, and he doesn’t have a long history of being a pitcher to fall back on to give him confidence.

The Pirates fell in love with his power arm and gave him a big contract, and that is highly suspect given that he had not pitched much as an amateur. Just because a guy throws 100 mph doesn’t mean he can do anything as a pitcher. It’s way, way too early to give up on Allie, and he will be given every opportunity to improve his command for several years.

As for Heredia, he’s so young and it’s so early in his career that he still has a ton to learn about being a pitcher and facing professional hitters. Stats don’t mean anything for him at this point given that he only turned 17 on Aug. 10.

Looking at this team next season, what does this team look like to you? What changes can you see that can help this team further improve, and who will be ready to contribute from the minor leagues next season?

The easy answer is that the team will be better, based on improvements from this year.

But I don’t think it’s that simple.

Can Kevin Correia match what he did the first half of this year? Can Jeff Karstens or Charlie Morton?

I doubt Paul Maholm will be around because the Pirates should not spend $9.75 million on his option.

The point is, there’s no telling what will happen to the pitching staff next year or if all of this we saw this season was a one-time blip that provides false hope. Now, the offense should be better, and it’s unlikely there will be as many injuries as there have been this season. So the younger players will still be developing and coming into their own. Also, Pedro Alvarez simply can’t be any worse than he’s been this year, so that’s somewhat of a positive.

As far as minor leaguers being ready to help, I’d say Brad Lincoln will have to be given a shot in the rotation, and maybe Rudy Owens can make a push, although he hasn’t been as good as everyone hoped this season in Triple-A.

Changing gears a bit, you’ve also written a book – “They Know Joe: Behind-The-Scenes Paterno Stories From Those Who Watched His Legend Grow”” – what inspired you to write the book and how can readers purchase it?

I co-authored the book with my colleague at the Altoona Mirror, Neil Rudel, and we had a blast.

It’s a collection of personal stories from all kinds of sports figures about Joe Paterno. We reached out to people from across the sports world who have known Joe for a long time and got them to share their favorite memories and personal anecdotes about the Penn State coach.

We have forewords from President George H.W. Bush and Bobby Bowden, plus chapters on people such as Dan Rooney, Lou Holtz, Kerry Collins, John Clayton, Johnny Majors, Vince Dooley, Beano Cook, Chris Fowler and many, many others.

The book is available at AltoonaMirror.com and by calling 1-800-222-1962.

What surprised you most about Paterno as you researched and (co) wrote the book?

It wasn’t exactly a surprise, but everyone — and I mean everyone — has a story they enjoy telling about Joe.

The man has been a legend for so long and has touched so many people that they all appreciate the opportunity to share their memories. It was fun contacting big-name people around the country and have them be willing to take part in our book.

Jerry DiPaola – On 1994-2004 Steelers and Pitt Panthers

Jerry DiPaola, Trib Total Media, On 1994-2004 Steelers and Pitt Panthers (April 27, 2011)

Steelers:

Who have been some of the most interesting characters on the Steelers teams you covered from 1994-2004, and what made them so? Any examples?

One of my all-time favorite Steelers is a guy who spent only a few years here, running back Duce Staley. Very interesting guy, who abruptly ended an interview one day, and gave you enough time to write a book the next.

One day, I arrived late to his locker stall after a game and by that time Duce had had enough. He saw I was disappointed, but he was through for the day and wouldn’t give me even a brief comment. The next day, a Steelers PR guy summons me and says Duce wants to see me in the cafeteria. He saw I had been shut out the day before and wanted to make amends. We talked for an hour, just the two of us. I thought that was a great thing for him to do, and something most athletes never would consider in similar circumstances.

Another good guy is Duval Love, an offensive linemen from the 1990s. Duval was near the end of his career when I wrote he was in danger of getting cut. The next day at training camp, a Steelers PR guy said, “Jerry, Duval wants to talk to you.” I met him in a meeting room in one of the St. Vincent College dormitories after practice and when he walked in and saw me sitting there waiting for him, he said, “Don’t worry, I’m not going to hit you.”

We talked for an hour and he told me how hurt he was by what I wrote and we ironed out our differences.

There also have been many, many standup guys, including Jerome Bettis, Kordell Stewart (one of the nicest guys on the team), Jim Sweeney, Dermontti Dawson and Mike Tomczak. Joey Porter was another favorite because he just didn’t know how to shut up. Gotta love those kinds of guys.

No one tops Dan Rooney for cooperation, however. And I don’t think I’ve ever interviewed anyone smarter than Tom Donahoe and Kevin Colbert.

The Steelers came so close to so many Super Bowl wins and appearances in the 90’s. How did Cowher and the team handle those frustrations? How did Coach Cowher and the team pull through those too-frequent failures to win it all when they were consistently so close? Who else led the team through these frustrations?

Bill Cowher had a special talent for keeping a team focused, no matter what was happening around it and what had happened the day before, the week before or the season before. He put a chip on his shoulder when things were going bad and just dared anyone — the other team, the fans, the media — to knock it off.

The Steelers were very talented while he was coach and he knew it, but he never let the disappointment of a bitter defeat get in the way of his goal.

The Steelers lost AFC Championship games for many reasons, including special teams failures, the inability to make a big play at the right time and the fact that the Patriots and Broncos were just better. But they never lost because Cowher didn’t have them ready to play.

Cowher also had a lot of good leaders on his teams, including Rod Woodson, Carnell Lake, Bettis, Dawson and Hines Ward. Men with strong wills and good heads on their shoulders.

Did you ever get a sense from players that they felt the team too often played “not-to-lose” instead of “to win”? Were there ever any vocalized issues with the offensive strategies among players?

Playing not-to-lose is not how I would characterize the way Cowher coached. Before the loss to the Chargers in the AFC Championship Game after the 1994 season, Cowher had found a way to win that worked and was of no mind to stray from it in a big game. To me, that is a sensible way of doing things. The problem was that the Chargers hit one or two more big plays than the Steelers did.

A decade later, Cowher finally had a quarterback he trusted to make big plays and he opened up the offense for Ben Roethlisberger in the playoffs. Cowher trusted Ben more than he did Neil O’Donnell, for obvious reasons.

Ben is a great quarterback; O’Donnell was a good one, on his best days.

I truly can’t remember anyone vocalizing their complaints about the offense.

What memories stand out to you most about those teams? Any experiences/inside stories that would give readers a good feel for the locker room antics or player relationships?

I was once in the middle of a locker room fight. It was during spring drills in 2000, the final year at Three Rivers Stadium. One day, linebacker Earl Holmes gave running back Richard Huntley a shove as Huntley ran through the line n a non-contact drill. Huntley turned and threw the ball at Holmes. OK. That was no big deal.

But when three of us were circling Huntley after practice to ask him about the encounter, poor Richard’s eyes got as big as saucers because behind us was Earl, looking for restitution. Earl pushed me out the way and started going after Richard. Several players jumped in and a melee ensued right there in the locker room. Running back Chris Fuamatu-Ma’afala tried to be a peacemaker and ended up with a black eye and at one point linebacker Jason Gildon raised a stool and started swinging it over his head while shouting, “You want some, I got some.” Whatever that means.

But that was the extent of it. No one really got hurt. Someone ran down the hall to get Cowher and when he arrived, that was the end of that.

But it did make for an interesting story in the next day’s paper.

You covered the Steelers after Roethlisberger’s rookie season. What was Ben like as a rookie – any indications of who he was as a person then and of just how good he could be on the field? How did other players react to him? How did he react to the veterans/team leaders?

I became the Trib’s high school sports editor, a position I held until 2010. I am now a general assignment writer with a lot of college football and Pittsburgh Power responsibilities.

From what I could tell, Ben had a lot of friends on the team. I remember he and Bettis making plans for a big night out n New York after a Giants game, limo, dinner, things like that.

There were several indications of how good he could be — the Steelers won a lot of games with him at quarterback, and he made a lot of big plays to make that happen. And that was in his rookie year.

Who were the locker-room leaders on those team and what players kept the team loose? How did they do so? Were there ever rifts in the locker room that you were aware of and who were the “cliques.”

Bettis was a great leader because everyone respected him. He would engage in lots of locker-room banter and was truly one of the guys, but everyone knew he was different. His shoulders were the broadest and he didn’t mind carrying the team. A true professional.

Joey Porter and Lee Flowers were other very vocal team leaders, who backed up what they were saying on the field.

Pitt Panthers:

How has the new coaching staff looked so far? Is the team adjusting as well as it needs to yet and how is the coaching staff doing in preparing this team?

Todd Graham is a good man and, I think, he will be a good coach at Pitt. He means what he says and is honest and sincere about his beliefs. Players recognize that and will play hard for him. But they also adored Dave Wannstedt and played hard for him, and it didn’t matter.

Wannstedt was forced out because he couldn’t win enough big games. Graham will be judged like any coach — on how many Ws he earns.

I believe the team will adjust to the new coaching staff and its new ideas, but it might take a season or two. I still think they can win enough games to get to a BCS game this season because the Big East just isn’t especially challenging, and there is a lot of talent on both the offense and defensive lines.

Is Graham as good of a coach as he is a salesman?

I don’t know yet until we get deep into the season. He looks to be a good coach, and his staff is very professional and very energetic. But it’s too hard to tell by watching practice for an hour a day.

How is this season’s recruiting class and how much of an impact has Graham been able to have on it considering his late arrival? What players should excite fans the most?

There are a lot of speed guys in the 2011 recruiting class, and I will be interested in seeing the running backs — all five of them. Pitt needs depth at that position, and Graham may have to lean on his freshmen to find it.

Graham did the best he could to salvage the class, and I know for a fact that he and his coaches worked hard to keep it together. It doesn’t look great on paper, but let’s see how these players actually perform in games before judging the class.

Can Sunseri be an elite Big East QB and run Graham’s hi-octane offense successfully?

Yes and yes.

It’s the Big East, after all. Tino doesn’t have to be Dan Marino.

That said, Tino is a smart kid with a lot of heart and a good arm. He wants to win and, I think, he will win. There will
be growing pains, and the fans must be patient. But Tino has a good chance of succeeding because he wants it so desperately.

What are going to be the strengths and weaknesses of this team?

Depth could be a problem at running back, wide receiver and in the secondary. But the starters are good enough, if they stay healthy.

The defensive line can be very good, maybe even elite, in time. I am eager to see Tyrone Ezell, freshman K.K. Mosley-Smith and Aaron Donald develop over the next few years, but seniors Chas Alecxih and Myles Caragein are also excellent.

Who are the locker-room leaders on this team and what players keep the team loose?

Wide receiver Cameron Saddler will keep the team loose because of his outgoing and fun-loving personality. Tino Sunseri will be the leader because if he isn’t, Graham doesn’t want him as the starting quarterback.

Tom Elling – Pennsylvania Football News

Tom Elling – Pennsylvania Football News (April 23, 2011):

First., can you tell readers how you got started covering PA high school football and what they should expect from your coverage in the upcoming weeks?

I’ve always had a keen interest in sport, especially at the high school level. In the early 90’s at the PIAA wrestling, I brought
up the idea of a state high school football newspaper to my college buddy Rich Vetock.

He loved the idea and we published the first ever state high school newspaper we called Pennsylvania Football News.

In 1999, we decided it would be more expedient to drop the hardcopy version and go entirely on the web. I had earlier developed the nation’s first ever high school wrestling website. We have been going strong. Right now we are gathering the complete schedules for this fall. Our PFN site (www.pafootballnews.com) site attracts millions of viewers from many states. We are eager to get better each year. We have so many contributors that I can’t name them all. But I do appreciate each and every one of them.

What are some of the services you offer readers and coaches and who’s a typical reader of the publication/site?

We provide a weekly scoreboard that includes EVERY high school football game played each weekend. It includes their classification, W-L record, and District.

We also highlight players across the state each week in our Stat Stars pages. Every player who rushes for 200 yards or more, passes for same, received 100 yards or more, etc., we highlight.

We also provide a PFN/Coaches All-State Team for all four classifications (4-teams deep).

What have been some of the most interesting stories you have covered and/or remember on PA high school football?

There are so many but one of the tops was the great Manheim Central vs Pine Richland when Neil Walker (now of the Pirates) played. The game was played in a virtual blizzard and it went into overtime. A blocked extra point won the game for Manheim.

Also an exciting time was when Robbie Gould (now a kicker for the Chicago Bears) kicked the winning FG for the Big 33 to beat Ohio. The snap was high but Ed Hinkel (Erie Prep then Iowa) put it down and Robbie got it through.

Who are some of the elite PA high school football players we should be paying attention to this season?

Probably the top two would be Brendan Nosovitch, QB at PIAA Champion Allentown Central Catholic and Hopewell’s RB Rushel Shell.

Also we expect great things from Upper St Clair’s Dakota Conwell, Luke Hagy (Mt. Lebanon), Josh Stepoli , OL from Greensburg Central Catholic. Woody High’s Mike Caprara (LB), PCC’s Anthony Nixon (RB), and Robert Foster (DB/WR) for Central Valley should have great years.

Do Pitt, PSU and WVU have chances at any of these elite players?

I think the vast majority of these players will be outstanding prospects for all three. We noticed Steve Slaton from Conwell Egan a few years back. He proved to be a great back for WVU and now in the pros. All three could use a QB with the skills Nosovitch has. He may be the most difficult to land.

How does the college recruiting process work – any interesting stories/recruiting techniques you’ve learned of over the years?

The recruiting process has become more of a science with the advancement of technology.

Coaches/parents routinely make highlight DVDs and can ship them off to colleges and universities. But it still boils down to high recommendations from former players and the coaches actually going to watch the player on every down. They look a lot at what the player does when he isn’t directly involved in a play or if he is consistent.

Should college football players get paid – what are your thoughts/opinions on this?

I vacillate on this more than a wishy-washy politician. But I tend to side with not paying the athletes. They do get scholarships, books, etc. So that is something.

I guess my reason for allowing some leeway is for those players who have a family emergency and the school cannot assist him in getting home.

Who have been the most impressive PA high school football players you remember over the past 10 years and what made them so?

Terrell Pryor was electric. No on could get a clean shot on him.

Stevie Breaston wans’t big but he could sure scoot. LaSean McCoy was a dangerous back but the GREAT Pittsburgh Central Catholic defense controlled him in a playoff game at Altoona’s Mansion Park during their run in 2004.

Eugene Jarvis was a jitterbug. Loved to see him carry the ball. In high school. Austin Scott looked like the next Gale Sayers, but he fizzled out in college. Chad Henne was also fun to watch. He was rock solid.. and of course Billy Stull, Tyler Palko and Bruce Gradkowski – all provided thrills with their passing abilities.

Which area players have made it to the NFL over the past 5-10 years that you remember covering – did any surprise you, if so, how?

Robby Gould, Jon Condo, Steve Breaston, Steve Slaton, Sean Lee, LaRod Stephens-Howling, Chad Henne, Darrell Revis, Ryan Mundy, Paul Poluszny, and Kevin Jones.

None were really surprises.. You could say LaRod Stephens-Howling size was against him and Jon Condo made it as a long-snapper.

Do college and NFL teams ever consult with you and/or use your information when evaluating players?

We’ve been contacted by both college and pro coaches as well as several media outlets. Basically, we provide a service for the under-the-radar players.

Everyone is aware of the ‘blur-chippers.’ Many of the smaller programs have told us they found out about players through our publications.

Many of these kids are going go offseason camps to improve their physical abilities. What are your thoughts on them doing so at the high school level and do you see them losing the appreciation for technique as they look to impress colleges with their physical measurables?

I think kids need to be kids.

We sometimes try to push them way too much. I am not a big fan of kids going to college the last half of their senior year in high school. I am also against the NCAA wanting to rush their seasons. All-Star games such as the Big 33 suffer.

A week at a camp would be fine but some spend much more time and money.

If you had one piece of advice for a high school football player – what would it be?

Prepare yourself academically. It is great to have the college football experience, but that won’t last forever and at any time an injury could cause the time you are planning on to be curtailed. No one can take away your education.

Who are some of the best high school coaches in Pennsylvania – and have any area high school coaches made it to the NFL ranks recently?

There are so many. Naturally, winning guys like Mike Pettine (CB West), George Curry (Berwick), and George Chaump have to be in anyone’s TOP listing. Guys like George Novak, who produces top players year-after-year would be in the list. Art Walker had done well at his stops. Mike Williams of Manheim Central has been in PIAA playoffs year-after-year.

And guy like Bob Palko, Joe Hamilton, and Jim Render out your way have been more than competitive year in and out. There are so many more I could mention, but I truly feel the real success of a coach is what kind of citizens his players become.

Mike Pettine, Jr. is the defensive coordinator for the NY Jets. We knew Mike way back when he was at North Penn trying to beat his dad’s CB west teams.

Any other thoughts for readers?

I think we in Pennsylvania are fortunate to have the quality of football for so many years.

The outstanding thing about any sport is the many friends you make. This is especially true in football. I’ve come to know such guys as Mike Ditka, Joe Namath, Bill Contz, Mike Reid, Foge Fazio, and many others because of my involvement in football.