Johnny Football must become Johnny Truth. Today.
Never mind the Biogenesis-related Major League Baseball suspensions that are being announced as I write. We expected those. What we didn’t see coming is the latest sports crisis at the hands of Texas A & M and Heisman Trophy winning quarterback, Johnny Manziel. Last night ESPN business reporter Darren Rovell reported that Manziel, who has […]
Stupid happens. Just ask Riley Cooper.
Make no mistake about it. Eagles receiver Riley Cooper was caught in a swamp of stupid when a video of him berating an African-American security guard at a concert surfaced last week. Like many, I wrestled with whether his comment was blatantly prejudice. He used the “n word,” an ugly, unseemly adjective that I wish […]
Milwaukee Brewers, team owner step up to meet PR challenge
If there was any doubt that Milwaukee Brewers owner Mark Attanasio wants to make good on not only a losing season but an unfortunate one for fans after leftfielder Ryan Braun accepted a 65-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball’s drug program, look no further than words and actions from the club’s front office during […]
Ryan Braun will always have a PR challenge
Maybe you’ve heard… Brewers left-fielder Ryan Braun was suspended for 65 games, the balance of the regular season, by Major League Baseball for violating the organization’s drug program. While neither party specified the violations for which Braun was suspended, that Braun accepted the verdict without resistance gives the public a perception that he is guilty […]
Louisville’s Kenny Klein occupies the penthouse of sports PR professionals
Editor’s Note: I intended to post this one week after the Final Four. With all that happened in the sports world, including the tragedy at the Boston Marathon, there never seemed to be a “good” time. While I may have waited too long, the fact remains, Kenny Klein’s picture is next to the definition, PR […]
Football players at NFL Combine should look up to Donald Driver
The end of the NFL Combine is upon us, so being in Wisconsin, I’m looking back at how a former participant with lofty goals and dreams went about his business, was selected in the seventh round of the NFL Draft and experienced a career that many first-rounders never see. Earlier this month, Donald Driver officially […]
When it absolutely has to be there in 44 hours – a missed PR opportunity
The public has had several days to digest the news that Brewers left-fielder, Ryan Braun, became the first player to successfully appeal a Major League Baseball positive drug test. To date, Braun emphatically reiterated his innocence in a press conference at the Brewers Spring Training facility; Major League Baseball spoke out with its own words […]
When social media is cruel, keep communication lines open
You’ve heard the phrase “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say it at all.” Most of us were taught that lesson before kindergarten, but it escaped some people who hide behind screen names and spew mean-spirited comments on social media pages. Among those frequently targeted are public personalities including professional athletes and media. While […]
Snow measurement tool is more than just a stick in the mud
As we work on a fresh version of this blog, we offer a story off the publicity path. PUBLISIDE has become friendly with some information-dishing inanimate objects lately (no, we don’t need professional help — Cleatus the Robot from NFL on FOX said we are just fine!). One such character in our own backyard made […]
Whatever Penn State did with its PR efforts, do the opposite
Sports, among other things, can serve as a respite for fans to forget about ills in the world. This week, the wicked face that stared us from our computer and television screens came from the world of sports. As a sports fan, I hoped what I read wasn’t true. As someone who respects the history […]