The Broncos go to the Little Caesars Bowl

On December 27, 2011, the Western Michigan Broncos will take on the Boilermakers of Purdue in the Little Casers Bowl. I am BEYOND proud of my alma mater and I WILL be in attendance at Ford Field. WMU has not played in a bowl game since the Texas Bowl in 2008, losing to Rice 38-14.

WMU has beaten a BIG 10 school at Ford Field before and we WILL do it again. We beat Illinois 23-17 in 2008.

There are some VERY special seniors playing in this bowl game!! I have watched them grow mentally, spiritually, and athletically.  I could not be more proud of Dervon Wallace and Anthony Parker!!! They both graduate on December 17, 2011 with a Bachelors of Arts.  

Western Michigan University is offering discounted tickets for students, alumni and faculty. They are even hosting a Bowl Bash at Motor City Casino, for us to get hyper before the game. For students in Kalamazoo, they are providing a bus down to the game and back. I LOVE MY SCHOOL!

There may be MANY people asking “What in the world is the Little Caesars Bowl and is it even important?” The answer is simple, IT IS IMPORTANT TO THE BIG 10 AND MAC SCHOOLS THAT PLAY IN IT. It may sound rude, but just because its not a BCS game or a famous game but it is a bowl game.

 Jordan White had broken receiver Greg Jennings (Green Bay Packers) college record by hauling in his 15^th TD of the season and has been named First Team All-MAC Offense.  QB Alex Carder is a finalist for FRS QB Performance of the Year and named Second Team All-MAC. He has also had his 5^th career 400 yd passing game.  These two along with OL Anthony Parker and others will lead the Broncos to victory!!

I have faith in my Broncos and expect nothing but greatness. CONGRATS to ALL my BRONCOS graduating especially Wallace and Parker!!! I cannot wait to see how far my boys will go. THE POWER OF GOLD!!! 

 

GO BRONCOS! 

sources:

www.wmubroncos.com

A "Dirty" Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day is always a showdown at Ford Field in Detroit, MI. This year the Lions played the undefeated Green Bay Packers. Going into this game, we knew it was going to be a difficult game to win. As I sat on the couch excited for not only football, but food as well, I realized I was not going to be able to sit still.  I am not the kind of girl that can watch football quietly and peacefully. My cousin was in the other room and asked me plenty of times who I was talking to, my response “MY LIONS!!”

I was watching the game with my normal yelling and pacing, and then it happened. I turned my head for one minute and the next thing I know my friend Lions safety Louis Delmas  was limping off the field. Now for those that know me, this is a BIG deal!!  He injured his knee and did not return to the game. I was NOT a happy girl.

As the game progressed, I began to notice little issues arising but I never thought we would experience the issues we did.  Next thing I know, running back Kevin Smith is injured. The Lions were struggling with injuries. As I argued with my male family members, my mouth dropped. I saw Ndamukong Suh pushing the head of a Packer into the ground and THEN watched him “kick” the arm of the player. 

There have been MANY excuses, and reasons given to why it happened. I will not offer any. I am simply here to say Suh is NOT the dirtiest player in the NFL. He is a DEFENSIVE player who plays his position. YES he was out of line for that stunt, but EVERY player makes a questionable decision in their career.

As a consequence, Suh was ejected  from the game, and suspended for 2 games, which is a loss of $164,000. There was an appeal made but it was denied.  Yes, I understand that Suh has drawn MANY penalties and fines in his career, but that in no way makes him dirty. 

Although the Lions lost that game 27-15, I have faith in the abilities of Ndamukong Suh and the Detroit Lions. NO ONE will ever be able to change that!  7-4 is not a bad record and there are still 5 more games in the regular season.

GO LIONS!!! 

Sources

www.espn.com

www.detroitlions.com

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7293935/ndamukong-suh-detroit-lions-suspended-two-games-pay

Expert on Business Plans

Mark Cuban is the owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks. He became owner in 2000. He also owns Landmark Theaters and Magnolia Pictures. He also chairs the board of HDTV cable network. Mr. Cuban is also in the Guinness Book of Records for the “largest single e-commerce transaction”. He is a savvy billionaire with his hands in many different business areas.  When looking at business plans, Mr. Cuban makes sure there is a market for the service/product and the background of the company. 

I have made changes to the financial part of my business plan to clearly show accurate projections and other costs. I have also made changes to the management section. Initially I had all three partners as equal and reporting to each other. While all three partners are still equal, there is one managing partner.

I feel the most important section of the business plan to an investor are the finances. The investor needs to clearly see business trends and projections to see if it is worth investing. Start up cost and profits are also important, it shows the investors if there is a return on money. Investors ONLY invest if there is a CLEAR chance for a RETURN ON IVESTEMENT (ROI).

While the TV show Shark Tank is VERY intimidating, I would ne honored to hear the thoughts of all the sharks especially Mark Cuban. I think the best investors are ones that do not hold back, nor “sugar coat” what they think. A business plan can be VERY difficult to put together and EXTRA scary to pitch to an investor. While we may not want to hear “I do not want to invest”, we need to hear it and learn what we can do better. Mark Cuban has experience in many different business ventures and knows how to make money. 

Sources

www.nba.com

www.abc.com

http://bpexpertviews.blogspot.com/

UNDEFEATED

The Detroit Lions are 5-0!!!! If you don’t understand what that means, THE LIONS ARE UNDEFEATED!! The only other undefeated team is the Green Bay Packers. The Lions take on the Packers in our usual Thanksgiving battle.  I have faith in my boys and their abilities. There are only a handful of people that believed this day would come, and all others have been silenced. 

 In case you were on a different planet on Monday October 10, 2011, the Lions played on Monday Night Football for the 1^st time since 2001. We played the Chicago Bears and beat them 24-13.  I had chills when they showed how many people showed up on the streets of Downtown Detroit to support the team, I miss home!!!  It almost brought a tear to my eye to see the one and only Barry Sanders run onto the field. The intro to the game was an AMAZING video of Detroit narrated by Barry Sanders. 

There is a new spirit in Detroit and it is AWESOME!!! Along with the Lions being 5-0, the Detroit Tigers (MLB) are in the ALCS!! It is a proud day to be a Detroit sports fan!!! Many people have doubted Detroit for so long, and for so many reasons. Most people view Detroit as a dump, and a very scary place. True enough the city has been on the Forbes 25 Most Dangerous Cities list, BUT that is no reason to count us out.  While I am not from the city of Detroit, I AM PROUD to say I am from Michigan and live right outside of the city.

The next 2 games are at home, Lions take on the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday and the Falcons next week. Ford Field is sold out!!! To just think 2 seasons ago we had games blacked out and now everyone wants to see the Lions. 

You may not like Detroit, but you will respect Detroit. You may not like The Lions but you WILL respect their record. My team is 5-0…..what’s yours? 

Restore the ROAR!!

The Detroit Lions are 3-0 for the first time in 31 years!! They have beaten the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kansas City Chiefs and the Minnesota Vikings. As a Lions fan, we have gone through many ups and downs, especially in the last 3 seasons. In 2008, we lost EVERY game making our season 0-16. Detroit was and STILL is the butt of many jokes, but the Lions are a force to be reckoned with.

I am NOT nor have I EVER been a Vikings fan so the win last week was extra special for me. The Lions traveled to the Metrodome hungry to win. Unfortunately the 1^st half of the game did not depict that. We were down 20-0 at halftime. The Lions defense was able to hold the Vikings to only 3 points, while offense came to the rescue scoring 26 points. These was the Lions 1^st win at the Metrodome since 1997  (I was in 5^th grade)!! This was a HUGE win for Detroit.

There is not one person responsible for these wins; it is a true team effort. According to ESPN,   Matthew Stafford (QB) has thrown for 977 yards and 9 touchdowns. Javid Best struggled with turf toe on both feet last season, but so far this season he has 143 yards and 1 touchdown.  MEGATRON= Calvin Johnson, has 16 catches, 225 yards and 6 touchdowns. He is a very talented receiver and a threat to any defense.  

Louis Delmas (S) has 7 solo tackles, 3 assists, and a fumble recovery. Delmas attended Western Michigan University (GO BRONCOS!) and was drafted in 2009.  He keeps the defense motivated and makes sure everyone is doing their part to help the team win.

Next week the Lions take on the Dallas Cowboys at the new stadium in Arlington, TX. While most people may think the Cowboys are going to blow the Lions out, TRUE Lions fans know that we have a chance to win this game.

In case you forgot, the DETROIT LIONS ARE 3-0!!!! You may not be a Lions fan, but you have to RESPECT the grind. Watch and you’ll see, the LIONS are a force to be reckoned with!! While we appreciate all the fans we can get, we DON’T need bandwagon fans!!

GO LIONS!!! RESTORE THE ROAR. 

Sources:
www.detroitlions.com
www.espn.com

WESTERN BEAT CENTRAL!!!

On Saturday September 17, 2011, Western Michigan University (WMU) beat Central Michigan University (CMU) with a score of 44-14. In case you didn’t know, WMU and CMU have the biggest rivalry in the Mid American Conference (MAC), well at least to us. As a proud Alumni of Western, this game was special to my heart. WMU had not won against CMU since 2005.  There were 26 juniors and seniors who had NEVER beaten CMU.  This year my Alma Mater, Western Michigan University came out strong and stayed strong all four quarters. 

The game was played in front of 26, 674 people in Waldo Stadium, home of the Western Michigan Broncos. Scoring 3 touchdowns in the 1^st quarter WMU was very confident that this game was in the bag. CMU could not respond to the WMU defense nor stop the WMU offense. Western was up 24-0 at halftime (how and when CMU scored is not important)

Western’s WR Jordan White finished the game with 13 receptions and WR Robert Arnheim with 5 receptions and an AMAZING one handed catch!! Other Broncos with big games were;  #John Potter,  #23 Aaron Winchester,  #30 Dervon Wallace, and #3 Johnnie Simon.

To the seniors that FINALLY beat CMU, I AM SO PROUD OF YOU!! In your last season you were able to not only beat, but also DESTROY Central.  This win brought a new since of pride and confidence to Western Michigan University.

Dervon Wallace, and Anthony Parker are two of the seniors who played on Saturday. Wallace had a wonderful game on special teams and advanced WMU many times on punt returns. Anthony Parker is a force to be reckoned with on O line.  I could not be more proud of these two. I have watched them grow not only on the field but also from boys to men.

The next two games are difficult ones but the BRONCOS can do anything!!! Illnios and UConn are both in big conferences, that are said to be “better” then the MAC,  don’t count us out just yet.

And just in case you did not know; Fight on, fight on for Western, 
Take the ball, make a score, win the game, 
Onward for the brown and gold, 
Push 'em back, push 'em back, 
Bring us fame! 

Fight on, fight on for Western, 
Over one, over all we will reign, 
Fight, Broncos, fight, 
Fight with all your might, 
Western win this game! 


Sources:
www.wmubroncos.com
www.cmich.edu
www. youtube.com

FOOTBALL IS BACK!

Football is BACK!! September 8, 2011 The Green Bay Packers beat The New Orleans Saints 42-34, marking the beginning of the 2011 NFL Season.  

Today also marks the 10^th anniversary of the attacks on September 11, 2001.  The NFL acknowledged this by having all commentators, coaches, and players wear a commemorative ribbon.  There was a moment of silence before EVERY game and some sort of tribute.  I had the privilege to attend the Lions vs. Buccaneers game in Tampa today.  At halftime Military personnel parachuted onto the field carrying the American flag, and a solider surprised his family by coming home.  Watching all the tributes on TV from the NFL has indeed been touching. We will NEVER forget 9-11-01, God Bless America. 

Back to FOOTBALL!  Just in case you missed it on ESPN ; Baltimore beat Pittsburgh 35-7, Chicago beat Atlanta 30-12, Cincinnati beat Cleveland 27-17, Houston beat Indianapolis 34-7, Jacksonville over Tennessee 14-16, Buffalo over Kanas City 41-7, Philadelphia over St. Louis 31-13, Arizona beat Carolina 28-21, San Diego beat Minnesota 24-17, San Francisco beat Seattle 33-17, Washington over New York Giants 28-14, and the night game is Dallas versus New York Jets.

The most important game of the day was the Lions vs. Buccaneers. The Detroit Lions won the game 27-21!! Many people do not believe in the talent of the Lions. Some have even said the Lions are “cursed”. Lately the Lions have struggled. In 2008 they ended the season 0-16, 2009 2-14 and 2010 6-10. BUT Lions fans are DIEHARD fans. We believe in our team for better or worse. The defensive line is massive and prepared to kill to offense. There are even Playoff predictions being made. After watching the game today, I am PROUD to be a LIONS fan. While there were some issues with ball placement, fumbles and gaining yards, there is a lot of potential. I am aware that in this game potential means nothing; it’s all about actions. The Detroit Lions will have an AWESOME season and prove all the haters wrong. GO LIONS.  

Sources: espn.com

nfl.com

detroitlions.com

Women and Sports Media

Women have been able to make a way into the sports media world over the last few years. All-men sports, have always questioned if the particular sport was accepting of women commentators, anchors, and journalists. Also questioned if the female was knowledgeable in the sport.  YES there are females who have MORE sports knowledge than males.

There have been many stories of disrespect against females in this career path.  One particular case was that of ESPN’s Erin Andrews when nude pictures of her surfaced. Erin has been voted Sexiest Sportscaster and many men enjoy watching her reports. These pictures surfaced from a peephole where someone was watching Andrews. While I cannot predict what would have happened if she had not been a sports reporter, I can almost guarantee the photos would not have been of ANY real relevance.

Another big issue was with reporter Inez Sainz. While at the Jets practices, it was said the players acted like “frat boys”. Now I in NO WAY defend the Jets players for how they acted, BUT how to you expect 53 men to react to a women in tight, short clothing showing up to practice? It shows little to no respect for yourself or the sport itself.  I have to put  MAJOR responsibility on the reporter. As a woman in this field we have to be VERY mindful of what we do, what we say, how we dress and how we act.

There is no excuse for the way Sainz dresses while doing interviews and reports. If you want respect you have to demand it and in this business, show you are worthy of it.  No the players had to right to embarrass or offend her, but she did both those things on her own.

ESPN analyst Jemel Hill commented on the situation stating “... Then there's the matter of the attire she's worn on the job around professional football. A quick Google search turns up numerous images of Sainz standing on a football field in clothing that seems better suited for a nightclub.”

            You must dress for the part you want in life!! It may be old fashioned and some may even call it a double standard, but as WOMEN we have to act a certain way.  There is no reason that we need to dress provocatively or have a certain attitude to make it in this business. It makes it harder for the women that actually respect themselves and the sport to be able to get in. There are much better ways of getting the job done, simply DO YOUR JOB!! Use your brains and not your body to get what you want and need.

Sources: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/09/13/reporter-sends-mixed-messages-about-conduct-at-jets-practice/

http://www.cleveland.com/ohio-sports-blog/index.ssf/2010/09/espn_columnist_jemele_hill_tak.html

The Lockout is OVER

The National Football Players Association began in 1956, in order to try and solve issues with in the NFL, creating the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) in 1968.  The union decertified in 1987 for lockout. In 1998 the 1993 CBA was extended until 2003. The 2011 lockout happened because the CBA expired and the owners and players could not come to an agreement. On March 11, 2011 the NFLPA decertified. Due to the decertification, players were able to file anti-trust lawsuits against the owners.

This was a HUGE controversy because the owners and players could NOT reach an agreement for a while. The fans were NOT happy about the lockout and most didn’t understand it. This lockout was NOT because the players did not want to play.  It happened because of the lack of communication and understanding between the owners and NFLPA.

On July 27, 2011 an agreement was reached and the lockout ended. The NFLPA was able to negotiate an agreement with the owners. The new CBA cannot be ratified for 10 years meaning it cannot be touched until 2021 and there is no opt out.  The end of the lockout came just in time for the start of training camp.

The NFLPA did an amazing job getting the players what they needed. Better healthcare, pensions, and keeping a 16 game season. Hopefully the two sides can now see eye to eye and try to see things from the others point of view. 

I feel the NFLPA is a great asset to the players and was a HUGE help in this situation. Although players could file individual lawsuits against the owners, majority of the players relied on the NFLPA to take care of the situation. Players were REALLY excited to play and fans were even more anxious to watch!!

FOOTBALL IS BACK!!!! GO LIONS :) 

Sources 

http://www.nflplayers.com/Member-Services/About-us/CBA-Download/

www.nfllockout.com

http://www.nflplayers.com/About-us/History/

It's just a mascot....right?

The Washington Redskins mascot has been the cause of many controversies.  The most notable was the 17 yearlong lawsuit with Native American plaintiffs in which the NFL team won. The mascot is said to be “racially offensive”.  The definition of Redskin is “used as a disparaging term for a Native American”. The U.S Patent and Trademark Office granted federal trademarks to the team in 1967 and was cancelled in 1999.

I believe the term is offensive and should be changed. There isn’t just one person that sees it as offensive, but an entire race of human beings that are reminded of painful issues when they see the logo and name.  Now as I understand it, the cancellation was overturned in 2003 stating, “ The youngest of the plaintiffs was only 1 year old and could not have taken legal action at the time”. (Native Legal Update)

It doesn’t matter how old a person was when a decision was made, if it is wrong, offensive, and racist it should be changed. I feel like the Washington Redskins won this battle because the majority of Americans does not know what its like to be discriminated against racially. I am not trying to begin a debate or accuse anyone of anything, but I don’t see a team with a derogatory name towards African Americans or Caucasians. No one is more important than the other.

I give the judicial system credit for trying this case as long as it did. On the side of the team, Native Americans are sometimes looked at as strong and tough. I’m sure they didn’t set out to upset the Native American community, but now that they have, it needs to be rectified.

This controversy has affected MANY people, Native American or not. We are all humans and deserve to be treated with respect. Yes, I understand that the Washington Redskins are not the only team with an offensive name or mascot. They ALL need to be rectified. No matter what name may come before American, WE ARE ALL AMERICAN at the end of the day. We need to come together and think about how we are hurting each other.

Maybe one day, we can erase all discrimination. Just because we aren’t calling someone a “Redskin” doesn’t mean we aren't insulting an entire race.

 Sources

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/redskin

http://abovethelaw.com/2009/11/the-washington-redskins-controversy-an-interview-with-amanda-blackhorse/

www.redskins.com

Social Media

Facilities Management

NCAA punishment- Is it fair?

The University of Southern California has been viewed as football powerhouse for years. The football program has recently been under a 4-year investigation for violating NCAA rules.  While still a student at USC, star player Reggie Bush is said to have received many gifts from sports agents including a house, and a new suit for the Heisman ceremony. NCAA rules specifically state

            “Under NCAA Bylaw 12.3, a student-athlete (any individual who currently participates in or who may be eligible in the future to participate in intercollegiate sport) may not agree verbally or in writing to be represented by an athlete agent in the present or in the future for the purpose of marketing the student-athlete's ability or reputation. If the student-athlete enters into such an agreement, the student-athlete is ineligible for intercollegiate competition. Also, a student-athlete may not accept transportation or other benefits from an athlete agent. This prohibition applies to the student-athlete and his or her relatives or friends.”  

The NCAA ruled that Reggie Bush violated these rules and found him to be ineligible starting in 2004. According to ESPN, the “penalties include the loss of 30 football scholarships over 3 years and 14 victories in games in which Bush played.” The Heisman Committee may also have to do an investigation of its 2005 winner.  

NCAA has many rules for students and agents to abide by and I believe there should be a punishment when broken. However, stripping the program of scholarships, victories and a national title seem unfair to everyone else involved in the program. After this story, the NCAA really paid attention and narrowed in on many different rules being broken.

This story is a BIG deal in the college world. Schools and athletes have to tread carefully to make sure they are following EVERY NCCA rule. No program wants to go through what USC is going through. USC has been banned from bowl games for 2 years, will be under probation for 4 year and has lost many scholarships.

There are many different viewpoints on this situation. Some feel Reggie Bush did nothing wrong, others feel it was USC’s duty to protect its student athlete. Personally I think the punishment is excessive and very over the top. There will be students suffering for this mistake for years. They had NOTHING to do with it!!

Other football programs need to take this has a sign; the NCAA does NOT play when it comes to rules. If the program breaks the rules they will have to pay for it. Coaches, students, athletes and fans have to suffer for the mistake of 1 player. Will other players learn? Judging from the Tyrell Pryor situation, the answer is no. College athletes need to learn that NCAA rules are there for their protection. When broken, everything can be taken away in an instant. What is more important, a gift here and there or reputation? Think before you act