Social Media Gives a Voice to the Little Guys

     One aspect of social media that can be either positive or negative is the power it has to get people's attention. If you can get the attention of the social media world, you gain the power to communicate with those in higher circles. People now can virtually force themselves into relevance if they can succeed on social media. 

     I wrote once before about Dudeperfect. They are a perfect example of a group that creates irresistible content on a regular basis. Their success on social media has spilled over into real life results. They are now a force in the sports and advertising world. Many of their episodes now feature big products and big name stars. Because of their pull in the social media world, big people are paying attention to them. They have released videos with the the USA basketball olympic team, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Dallas Starts and other major sports organizations. They illustrate the pull of social media. I guess when you matter to Youtube, you matter to everyone else.

Best Cities in American Pro Sports

Speaking of Sports Movies

A cool Infographic from EW

Six Great Sports Movies that are Based on True Stories

One of the major ways we communicate what matters to us is through our stories. The stories we hear and tell serve to reinforce the principles we care about. I think underdog stories really resonate with most of us because they reinforce our belief in determination, opposition and overcome. That's probably why we love sports so much. Sports provide great stories! Some of the very best stories in fact. Some of my favorite movies of all time are based on true stories. Here is a list of six of my favorite sports movies that are based on true stories (of course some are truer to the true story than others...but still). All of them are underdog stories, and they will all make you feel good.

#6 - Cool Runnings

#5 - Invincible

#4 - Remember the Titans

#3 - Cinderella Man

#2 - Miracle


#1 - Rudy

Smart Sports Equipment Turns Phones into Coaches

Check out this cool article from ksl.com about technology in sports

Communication Theory can make You better at Sports

When I joined the high school team as a sophomore, I was far from being a polished tennis player. I had only been playing for a year and had never been trained how to properly swing a racket. I just loved to play. The very first thing our coach did when we started practicing was to teach us the mechanics of a proper swing. The time some of us had spent playing before we joined the team had ingrained in us habits that were hard to break and often denied altogether. It surprised me how many of the players on the team were unwilling to change their swings based on our coaches training. Since my high school tennis era, I have reflected on that experience. I have become a fervent believer in the power of seeking and receiving feedback. 

     It was several years later in a college communication course that I was introduced to Johari's window. Probably because my tennis team experience and other similar ones, the concept rang true to me immediately. It provided a framework to explain why communication and feedback are so important. 

The basic concept of Johari's window is simple. There are things you know about yourself, and things you don't know about yourself. There are also things others know about you and things they do not. If you put those four categories into a matrix you get the window with four panes.

Open Area - Truths about you known to both yourself and others

Ex: (I am a male. I know that, others know it too)

Hidden Area - Truths known to yourself, but not to others

Ex: (I listen to the Backstreet Boys. I know it. I keep it hidden from others.)

Blind Area - Truths known to others, but not to yourself

Ex: (My breath smells like death. Others know it. I'm sadly unaware.)

Unknown Area - Truths about you that aren't yet known to yourself or to others

Ex: (I am allergic to Brazil. I didn't know that and neither did anyone else.)

The blind area is the most intimidating window. It is also where the most truth is wasted. These are the truths that others can see but you haven't, can't, or refuse to see about yourself. If a person wants to see clearly where he or she can improve as an athlete (or teacher, or spouse, or neighbor, or friend) this is the richest resource. Why? Because it is truth that is already known by another, and is therefore available to share. Like my tennis coach, who could tell me that I was twisting my wrist when I hit the ball, or that I wasn't holding my racket in the right position. I now have the choice to make that knowledge a part of my open pane by accepting and acknowledging it, or I can force it back into the blind pane by ignoring and denying it.

     A successful athlete needs to be eager to improve. The best place to look for that improvement is in the blind area. While it requires some humility to accept and can sometimes hurt to hear, truth from the blind pane is an athlete's best friend. Rather than hide from coaching and feedback, a great athlete will seek it like the treasure it is. 

Scott Sterling, Local Hero

While Studio C has been growing in popularity locally, last week's sketch about sensational goalkeeper Scott Sterling has gone viral nationally. Here is the original video and a fun interview with Matt Meese, the actor discussing the video's success. 

Sports and Social Media

by Column Five Media.

Top Ten Touchdown Celebrations of All Time

Top Ten Touchdown Celebrations of All Time

Kaelin Clay goes Viral

As a follow up to my last post, another local blunder has made national headlines. On Saturday night, Utah's Kaelin Clay made a 14-point mistake when he dropped the ball on the one yard line in a premature celebration. The Ducks recovered and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown. The story has spread across the internet over the weekend. Here's another example of the power of social media to put this kind of event at the fingertips of a worldwide audience. Click the image to watch Clay's goal line flub. 

Failing at Sports in an Epic Fail World

I went to a lot of sports events while I was in High School. Only a handful of the many I attended was memorable enough to stick with me. Some of those games are memorable because we pulled out dramatic wins or beat hated rivals. There is one that stands apart from all the rest, not because of the dramatic way we lost. 

     After a long close match-up with a cross-town rival, our high school basketball team had a narrow lead and possession of the ball with just a few seconds left on the clock. At that point, the unthinkable happened. Our player turned the ball over on an inbound pass right under our opponent's rim. They scored the quick layup before the buzzer and won the game. We were dumbfounded. In all my other memories of high school sports, I can't remember any feat, play or accomplishment by any one specific individual except one, the one who lost us that game.

     It's interesting that of all the heroic and dramatic wins I know I witnessed over my four years in high school, the only specific play I can remember was a fail. For some reason, people love to see people fail. Some revel in others' failures while other cringe, yet none of us can turn away. 

     Failing has become harder to do in today's EPIC FAIL world. Whole YouTube channels are devoted to Fail compilations where you can watch people fail in any activity you'd like to. Sports fails, wedding fails, school fails, work fails, church fails and the list goes on. And while there have always been shows like AFV where people send in blooper videos, now those videos can be shared with one click, and are even captured on a live stream. I wonder how life would have been different for my friend in high school who blew one the biggest games of his life on a blunder. 

     Last week another high school athlete made probably the biggest mistake of his football life. Jason Money of Spanish Fork High School, Utah had a mental lapse, ending with one of the most heartbreaking losses you'll ever watch. Overnight, the video of his failure had gone viral, having been seen by over a million viewers. An article in the Deseret News described Jason's experience of receiving hate mail and death threats from people he didn't even know. He then got phone calls and messages from coaches, opponents, strangers and even professional athletes who offered encouragement and support. 

      Failure can be a difficult thing for any athlete. It can be especially hard for a young athlete. Today's world of instant sharing and epic fails has made failing more common, but it has definitely raised the stakes. While the memory of that high school basketball game may be etched in stone for me, Money's epic fail is etched in something much more dangerous, bits and bytes.

How the NHL has Become "My League"

     If you've read this blog much, you've probably noticed that I am a big fan of the NHL. Although I wasn't raised in a hockey community, I have come to feel like the NHL is "my league," probably more so than any other league. The National Hockey League is one of the best sports organizations in the nation at connecting with their fans. It seems they are one of the best at looking at their organization through the eyes of a fan. In previous posts I've talked about the #hartnelldown, #myplayoffstory and other branding pushes in the NHL. I remember an advertising initiative a few years ago based on NHL fans. Their tagline was something like "hockey fans aren't like other fans." The campaign aimed at building loyalty to the NHL by reinforce a unique identity for hockey fans. 

     They league recently introduced another great initiative that is totally fan-focused. Puck Personalities is a video series on the NHL.com blog in which hockey superstars answer all kinds of questions, some about hockey, most about their personal lives and preferences. The video series allows fans to see the athletes they love on the ice in a more personal setting. I felt like I knew the players I've watched for years so much better after watching just a few short videos. 
     When fans feel connected to players, teams and leagues, being a part of the sport is no longer what they do, but a part who they are. Any business that can do that will be able to build strong fan support, and the NHL seems to be getting better and better at it! 

Links to a few puck personality videos:
Favorite Halloween Costume
Not an NHL player
Bucket List

What is your league?

SportTechie.com

Image from SportTechie.com

I love looking at communication patterns and implications in the sports world. I especially enjoy seeing how sports and technology continue to merge together. If you are interested in sports and technology, I highly recommend the SportTechie.com. I get on this site and find myself clicking from article to article because there are so many interesting insights about how technology is being used in sports performance and sports marketing. Here's a link to a great article about the best teams at social media fan engagement in college football.

Royals Reign in the Social Kingdom

 Sports and culture have always been connected. With the growth of technology and social media, that connection has become stronger and more apparent. What happens in sports affects the online world, and what happens online can have just as strong of an impact on sports. The climb of the Kansas City Royals to the world series has electrified MLB fans across the country. While late game heroics and gritty baseball have taken the spotlight, there is a parallel level of hype surrounding the team in the online world. 

     USAtoday reported that the hit song "Royals" by Lorde has been banned in San Francisco by some local radio stations until the series ends. Here's a fun example of the blending that happens between the sports and social worlds. In addition, the Royals' success has also brought to the public eye a YouTube video made before the season started, in which some Kansas City locals "prophetically" sing about the success of their team. While America will continue to love its underdog stories, the ways in which we engage and take in those stories will continue to change as quickly as the social media world does. 


Click Here to see the Original "Lorde" Video

Hockey Fights Infographic

Check out this infographic on hockey fights. It's a couple of years old but still informative, especially for looking at trends.

Worth the Fight?

     The NHL season just started this month, and while fans are following their teams with high hopes, they are also wondering whether a long standing part of the sport is disappearing. Fighting. Just yesterday, an article showed up on cbssports.com an incident in a game on Tuesday in which linesmen broke up a fight before it started. While in most settings, breaking up a fight before it starts would be tallied as a success, not everyone agrees that’s the case when it comes to hockey. If fighting is going to go away, it is not going to slip away without being noticed. Fans care about fighting. Some don’t like it. Some argue it’s as much a part of the game as the ice and the puck. Anyone who isn’t sure whether or not fans care about fighting should go check out hockeyfights.com, which provides updated fighting stats for both individual players and teams. The site even provides an opportunity for site visitors to vote for winners.

     Whether for better or worse, fighting is fading from the NHL. So far this year, fights per game is as low as it’s been in almost a decade, and steadily decreasing. Fans now have about a 30% chance of seeing a fight when they attend a game. Past and current players also agree that the use of “enforcers” to infuse physical intensity into the game is becoming less and less prominent in the league.

     Not everyone is sad about the idea of fighting disappearing in sports in general. Many see it as part of a larger problem. Sports mirrors society. Some argue it helps shape society in someways. By encouraging violence, are we setting up role models for ourselves and our kids that we will regret?

     I recently took up a part time job filming little league football games on Saturdays. I’ll admit I've been a little surprised with the way coaches and parents talk to their 7 year old kids. “I don’t care who you hit, just hit someone!” or “you need to take someone out.” As I've watched quietly from behind the camera, I’ve debated in my own mind whether this is just harmless pep talk, or whether it teaches kids that treating each other right had limit. Can we really encourage violence and fighting in sports but expect civil behavior off the field? Like I said, I’m still debating that question myself, and while I’ve always enjoyed watching the gloves come off at the rink, I now find myself asking the same question the NHL is wrestling with. Is it really worth the fight?

Waiting or Winning: Using the Off-season Right

The commercial side of sports continues to change the way we play and participate with them. One of the most notable ways sports have changed as communication technology has developed is the off-season. One author claims that sports coverage has gone from 90% on-field and 10% off-field to probably 60% off-field. This transformation has made marketing and advertising a 12-months-of-the-year undertaking. There is no offseason. While it is pretty easy to get even moderate fans engaged during playoffs and championships, leagues, teams and players don’t want their brands leaving the public light during the long months of off-season.

    The problem these organizations have to overcome is a lack of newsworthy stories. How do we keep fans invested in our team when we are not playing any games? There are lots of sites and blogs that recommend ways to spice up off-season presence for sports teams. While not the only way to keep fans connected, social media is turning out to be one of the cheapest yet effective ways to achieve off-season brand building.

     Social media teams have come up with some creative and interactive ways to provide programs to keep fans engaged. The media team for Mizzou went with a strategy of making a theme for each day of the week. “Mizzou Monday,” “Trivia Tuesday,” “Where in the World Wednesday,” and so forth. On Wednesdays, fans were encouraged to post pictures of themselves wearing Mizzou gear from different places around the world.

     Since the NHL season ended, the League has been releasing “SEASON IN :60(ish)” videos for each of their teams providing a quick highlight video of their season. A new video comes out about every day and gives fans some hockey highlights to watch during the offseason. Yesterday they started the “30-in-30” campaign, during which each day for 30 days content on NHL.com and social media is focused on a different team. An organized media campaigns like this keep fans interested, knowing that each day holds something new to consume.

     A few years ago, the Carolina Panthers did a big scavenger hunt campaign. During “The PantherPurrsuit” fans completed different tasks to win awards and prizes. This year BYU is doing a similar kind of campaign that connects Cougar fans nationwide. In their Twitter campaign #BYU50 they are posting pictures of prize boxes they are dropping across the country and the first BYU fans to arrive win the prize. Programs like the Panther Purrsuit and #BYU50 are great ways to get fans excited about their teams even when no games are being played.

     There are lots of ideas out there to make the off-season brand building time rather than brand downtime. But the idea is basically the same. Get the fans involved and help them feel like they are connected to teams and player. Creativity will be the key to continued success in sports social media!

#hartnelldown

One of the biggest reasons social media are so powerful in drawing fans, building loyalty, and strengthening fan identification is the element of user involvement. In a way unlike anything available before the explosion of social media, fans can now feel like contributors and participants in the teams they love. In fact, some of the most successful social media campaigns in sports have been fan-initiated. Wise organizations can learn how to capitalize on fan movements.

     As I’ve mentioned, social media works a lot like waves. Anyone who has experienced big waves knows that when a big wave comes your way, there are only a few options. The first is to let it hit you, the thrashing to follow will result—at best—in some salt-water nose spewing and a full body sand rash! Another option is to simply try to swim under it before it breaks. Option three is to turn around, start paddling and ride it to shore. An organization can result to the tidal movements of social media in much the same way. They can let it thrash them, try to avoid it, or turn and ride it.

When Hartnell lefy Philly for Columbus, he posted this
letter on facebook praising and thanking his fans.

     When some Philadelphia Flyers fans noticed how often Scott Hartnell hit the ice, they created the #hartnelldown trend, which kept track of how many times he went down each game. Rather than resenting the joke, Hartnell embraced it, and even started the #hartnelldown foundation. The popularity of the movement has grown into something impressive. Hartnell pays a chunk of money to various charities for each time he falls in a game. It is incredible to see just how much has come of what started as a joke from some fans. When Hartnell was recently traded to Columbus, he announced that the #hartnelldown foundation would continue to support youth hockey programs in Philadelphia and expand to Columbus. If you look at any of Hartnell’s social media sites, it is immediately apparent from tweets and comments that his fans don’t just appreciate his hockey skills; they also respect him and appreciate his class. When this wave came crashing, Scott Hartnell started paddling and rode it in rather than standing and letting the wave score a big #hartnelldown. 

The #hartnelldown childrens' book

A Change of Focus and Riding the Social Media Wave

     “When my kids used to run, I would often warn them not to be careful not to trip or fall. Why would I say that? That’s like saying ‘don’t think of purple elephants!’ If they are focused on not tripping, they’re probably going to trip. I tried to change how I talked to them. When they started running, I’d say ‘Yes, Run! Keep going! Run fast! Run far!’ It has been several years since I heard this story from an enthusiastic professor and yet I can still what she said almost word for word. It has been a source of repeated reflection even for me even after completing her class. I think it stuck with me because it rang so true to me. We often feel a need to focus our attention on obstacles and challenges rather than opportunities.

     As I’ve been reading story after story in the news about social media policies in sports, this story keeps coming to my mind. Almost every policy seems to be designed to prevent problems and avoid embarrassment. While there is no doubt social media can cause problems for sports organizations; continually framing social media as a problem to be contained paints a negative picture in the minds of users of what social media is meant to do. In other words, it seems that constant focus on the problem may in fact perpetuate the problem. I want to be clear, I am not saying that problems shouldn’t be addressed and prevented, but I do think they should not constitute the central focus of policy writing and user education.

     I think more will come from embracing social media and training on how to do it right than in trying to ban or teach the do-nots. There are all kinds of opportunities that sports organizations could tap into with social media. While one author suggests some simple and practical guidelines for problem prevention, he also argues that organizations should focus on positive social media use by employees. Colgate University has started to focus social media training on what should be said instead of what shouldn’t be. They emphasize the powerful tool that social media can be for individual athletes and the school.

     It is obvious that social media is going to continue to integrate into all aspects of sports. Twitter and other media is growing as a major source of endorsement andadvertising income for athletes. In 2011, Twitter reported that 50% of NFL players and 75% of NBA players are on the site. I can only guess what that number is now, three years later. Sports organizations who want to be successful are going to need to learn how to use social media in a positive way. There are a few great examples of effective sports social media that are interesting to read about. The Cleveland Indians, LA Kings, Atlanta Hawks, and WWE have all received attention for their innovative approach to social media. 

     Others are going to need to follow the lead of organizations like these and become more innovative in using social media rather than trying to control it. With a huge wave like social media approaching the sports world, it will be interesting to see the difference between those who try to constrain it and those who choose to ride it. 

Business or Individual Priorities in Social Media Policies

     Not too long ago I mentioned the story of Spencer Hadley, a BYU linebacker who faced official discipline for violating his school’s honor code. He was caught because a few pictures snapped by friends had reached the school within a few hours. He, like many other athletes learned that even what you do in your “private life,” is not necessarily private any more-  This is largely because constant blurring of the line between public and private behavior. While punishment for actions in an employee’s (including athlete’s) private life have long been debated, few can deny one fact; it is getting harder and harder to tell the difference between public life and private life. Social media has been one of the most influential factors in this blurring trend. Some argue that no organization should be able to limit the “voices” of its players. They 
say it is a violation of first amendment rights. Others argue that it is well within the right of the employer to monitor and even stifle the social media choices of its players. One argued that the monitoring and censoring of players’ social media messages is comparable to the monitoring of internet usage by corporate organizations, many of which have lost lawsuits over the issue.

     The NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and MLS have all adopted social media policies to put at least some restrictions on players’ social media use. Most of these focus on when players can use social media more than what they can say. A simple Google search of college sport social media policies will turn up many results from schools across the nation. Many of these policies, like USC’s, focus more on teaching the athlete and protecting him or her from future embarrassment or damage.

      Some assume that a lot of the problems with athletes and social media stem from the near celebrity status of many pro and college players. It is clear, however, that even at the high school level (and younger), appropriate social media use is a problem. In fact, it may be even more of a problem as high school age athletes are generally even more lacking in maturity, experience and long-term mindedness than college and professional athletes are. Some coaches have banned sites like twitter completely because of all the problems they have caused for their teams and players. It seems that the focus of social media policies shifts in focus from protecting business interests to protecting individuals as you move from the highest levels of sport to the lowest. So those who draft social media policies need to be aware of the level for which they are writing their policies. 

Social Media Explosion

Just a couple of weeks ago, we saw the most massive social media event in history to date. The 2014 FIFA World Cup, held in Brazil, destroyed old social media records. The final match between Germany and Argentina beat out last year’s Super Bowl for most Facebook interactions with around 280 million interactions from over 88 million people! FIFA’s world cup app also became the biggest sports-event app ever. This leaves me wondering, how big will social media get in sports? While I don’t know that it will be soon, I get the feeling that records like these will continue to be broken, and more and more frequently as social media and sports continue to integrate! As more media site and apps are developed, they will continue to open doors for fans to connect with their sports.

Sports teams are beginning to study, analyze, and write about social media and sports more and more. The fast pace of social media evolution requires constant evaluation of current trends and sites. While the handful of major media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) has been dominant for sports media use, more sites will undoubtedly continue to grow, as will the creativity with which they are employed. Vine is one example of a medium that has been gaining popularity in sports.

     There are many creative ways that teams and leagues are using social media to promote their brands. My wife recently entered us in an LA Kings sweepstakes giveaway, as a reward for entering they sent us this picture showing SKELTON sitting on the bench with the Kings’ great players. She immediately put it as our Facebook banner picture. Our page basically became an advertisement for their brand.

     I have been amazed with the ways that I have seen the NHL and other leagues using social media platforms to tie fans even more strongly to their brands. For example, they created the #MyPlayoffsStory for this year’s playoffs, encouraging fans to post pictures, graphics and videos of their playoff experience to Twitter and other social media sites.  Sports marketers continue to use social media in ways I had never considered. They will continue to open the doors for fans to get closer and closer to the games they love!

Social Big Man

“There's some big women down there in Texas. It's like a goldmine for Weight Watchers.”

“Every ethnic group is racist, people need to realize that.”

“If all babies are cute, why there be so many ugly people in the world.”

     Each of these three statements come straight from the twitter page of Sir. Charles, one of the NBA’s most infamous talkers. Although social media hasn’t necessarily changed how sports figures (like Charles Barkley) think and speak, it has changed how much access they have to share those thoughts. When I found out that Charles Barkley was going to be a sports analyst following his retirement from the NBA, I remember thinking something like, “that won’t last long, he won’t be able to think anything worth saying.” While he may or may not have thought of an intelligent thing to say yet, it is fifteen years later now and, to my surprise, it seems he has thrived in the ever changing sports reporting climate. And while he has talked about moving onto other things, he has stuck around.

     It seems like the changes in social media have been ideally suited for a person like Barkley, because they allow him ongoing access to his audience. While as a player he was known for his big mouth, his opportunities to share his thoughts were mostly restricted to air time provided by the media. Sites like twitter have given him a platform on which he can voice his blunt and often hilarious opinions.

     Although even Charles admits that he sometimes has to censor his comments, his commentary on both sports and social issues can be not only funny but surprisingly refreshing. And while he has ruffled quite a few feathers with his openness and honesty, it seems that many viewers find such an honest voice refreshing in the midst of so much “fluff” in sports journalism. I laughed out loud in appreciation when I read his comments on Johnny Manziel. It was nice to hear someone say with so much bluntness what I had been thinking of little Johnny football all along.

     I was never a great fan of Sir Charles until I found his twitter page. I scrolled through more than a year’s worth of tweets, then read a dozen internet stories about him, then watched almost 40 minutes of Barkley clips on Youtube. Social media has given me access to Barkley in a way that was not available in the old media format and I have to admit now…I am a fan.

Group Roles in Fantasy Leagues

      The world of sport seems to evolve right alongside business and technology. Sports coverage and broadcasting often change to take advantage of innovations that come along. Fantasy sports league may be one of the most drastic and noticeable developments in recent sports history. The Fantasy Sports Trade Association (FSTA) reported that in 2013, there were 33.5 million people playing fantasy sports in the USA, amounting to billions of dollars spent on fantasy sports per year.

     While fantasy sports may have had a somewhat obscure start, they have recently exploded into a major branch of sports consumerism. They have even changed the way sports producers themselves broadcast their products. One writer points out that fantasy sports have changed pre-game, in-game and post-game coverage. This growth has given fantasy sports a culture all their own.

     DudePerfect, a well-known sports Youtube channel that produces satirical sports stereotype videos released the “Fantasy Football” edition last September. It has been viewed on Youtube over 4 million times!

     As I watched their video, I was reminded of Benne and Sheats’ small group theory. They suggested that each member in a group plays different roles that either help or hinder the group from reaching its goals. They divide these roles into three categories: task-related, social, or dysfunctional. While not every fantasy league role matched, I was surprised at how many did fit the at least one role in the small group list.

     Here is a link to a more detailed description of each role. After becoming familiar with the communication roles watch the video and see how many of the small group roles are taking place in the fantasy league culture. I found as I looked at the list that many of the fantasy league behaviors correlated mostly to the dysfunctional group roles. For example, aggressor, blocker, and dominator.

Learning Sports through Video Gaming

Our self-appointed quarterback gathered us in a huddle to “make a play” for the upcoming offensive effort. He asked each of us what route we wanted to run. Each player in our little huddle named his intention; crossing routes, 10 yard hooks, fades. His eyes came to me and waited for my response. I told him that I would just run straight out as fast as I could.  With a look of disapproval he responded “so, a fade?” In my previous playing experience, I had rarely had a plan for where I was going to run, and if I did, it had been drawn on the palm of the quarterback’s hand. I didn’t know that there were names for them. 

     I lacked a lot of the training and instruction about the fundamentals and specifics of the sports I participated in.  Although I loved playing, I usually felt a little (or a lot) lost about even basic terminology. I have experienced similar feelings playing many sports. Cut, streak, box out, post up, take it to the key, pick left were all things people shouted at me playing basketball without ever explaining to me what they meant. 

     It can be really frustrating for a person to play a sport for the first time and have no idea what people are talking about or what their objective is.

Some suggest that this is one great value of sports video games. They argue that instead of being mind-numbing obesity producers, video games may be a great teaching tool. A story posted in June of this year discussed the ways sports games can teach young athletes important concepts of the sport and prepare them for actual participation in sport.

     An article in the Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, makes an excellent case for using video games in Physical Education instruction. The authors suggest that video games can provide mental models, introduce sports-related language, enhance motivation and train in teamwork and strategy among other things.

While many areas are looking into innovative ways to motivate and instruct students, parents, teachers and coaches should begin to consider the possibilities of using video games to teach.

Dealing with Misconduct

It seems like athletes, coaches and owners are getting in trouble so often nowadays we almost don’t even blink when we hear of another one being suspended, fired, or banned. Donald Sterling was recently banned from the NBA for a long history of racism among other things. Stories about athletes behaving badly are so common that some have compiled lists to help us keep track of some of the most severe violators.

     Only occasionally does a story from Utah make it into national headlines. In the past year, there have been a few stories about athlete misconduct from Utah that have made national headlines.

     While many teams and players have been investigated and disciplined by the leagues and associations they play in, not very often is an entire team suspended by its own coach, but that’s what happened to the Union High Football team last fall. When coach Matt Labrum found out that some of his team may have been involved in cyber-bullying, he suspended the entire team and made them earn their jerseys back through community service, study hall time and completing character development classes. Most, but not all the players earned their spot back on the team. The unusual situation apparently spoke to people across the nation. Many applauded this coach’s commitment to developing men instead of winning titles. I think this is a great example of telling it all and telling it fast. Instead of allowing others to “expose” the misconduct of his team, the coach willingly addressed it and sought to rectify it. That kind of response turned this story into something positive rather than negative thanks to the coach’s wise response.

     Another local story that made national headlines for a different reason was the story of Spencer Hadley’s suspension from BYU’s football team because he had been “caught” drinking and partying in Las Vegas. This story is worth reading because it is a unique example of a school holding a stricter honor code than society expects. Many thought it was shocking that Hadley was disciplined for doing the very things that most guys JUST DO in college. An article that was later published in Sports Illustrated about Hadley’s speech to a group of inmates is definitely worth checking out. 

A Coach Who Cares

     What does it take to rise to the top in professional sports? There are over 120 teams total in the four major professional sports leagues in the U.S. (NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB). If you add to that all the hundreds of NCAA teams that are also competing throughout the year, there are thousands of teams throughout the country, each led by a coach with a personal coaching philosophy. Whenever you see a coach who achieves dynasty-like consistency and success, people start to notice. They start looking at the coach’s philosophy about the sport and about his players. 

Pete Carroll is one coach who’s gaining a lot of attention not only because of his Seahawks’ trouncing of the Broncos in this years’ SuperBowl, but also because of his unique and unconventional coaching philosophy. His style is so unique, many have a hard time even giving it a title. Carroll himself said he has heard his style “laidback,” “free willy,” and “doing whatever” coaching, among other things.

     So what makes Carroll so unique? Unlike a distant authoritarian kind of coach who wants his players to fear him, Carroll is extremely positive and close with his players. He encourages team closeness through basketball and other activities outside of practice time and even had a basketball court installed near their practice facility. He is also known for playing music in the locker room and blasting Mackelmore during practice. His philosophy is to make each player not only the best player he can be, but the best person he can be. He encourages individuality and using each player’s unique strengths rather than seeking conformity and compliance. These are the principles he has built his team on and obviously it is paying off.

     While many of us are aware of his recent success in turning around the Seattle Seahawks, his record at USC is probably even more impressive because he not only led his team to the top, but he kept them consistently at the top for almost a decade. Many people doubted his ability to be successful when he returned to the NFL because his energetic, positive coaching style seemed more suited to college-level coaching. However, his success with Seattle has got people curious whether such a positive and personal coaching relationship really is going to emerge as the best way to get players and their teams performing at the highest levels. It will be interesting to see whether he can maintain this kind of success as he continues with the Seahawks.

     Many have long debated the balance between focusing on winning and focusing on having fun and developing the players in sports. If Carroll’s approach continues to work, it may soon be that coach-player communication philosophies start to include the possibility that it doesn't have to be one or the other. Having fun and developing positive communication patterns may not only be the best for players, but a winner's recipe.

Gus Malzahn led the Auburn Tigers to the National Championship
 game just one season after they finished with one of the worst records in the SEC.

     If you are interested in what Carroll is doing with his teams, a few other coaches that I thought about writing about because of their unique philosophies are HerbBrooks, Gus Malzahn and Larry Gelwix. It is interesting to see how different each coach's style is and yet look for similarities in their communication philosophies that helped them reach the top.