MLB

Robinson Cano Signs with Jay-Z, Roc Nation Sports

April 2, 2013 by Shana Renee Leave a Comment

photo via espn.com

“Can’t stop, won’t stop.”

Diddy may have popularized that phrase, but fellow music mogul, Jay-Z, has also taken that term and run with it.

ESPN’s Darren Rovell recently announced that Jay-Z has expanded his Roc Nation entertainment company to include a sports division, Roc Nation Sports. He partnered with Creative Artists Agency (CAA) Sports, on the latest business venture, and has signed the New York Yankees second baseman, Robinson Cano as his first client. Roc Nation Sports will handle Cano’s marketing ventures, while CAA Sports will manage all of Cano’s baseball dealings. CAA Sports also represents Ryan Braun, Cristiano Ronaldo, and David Beckham, to name a few.

This is a bold move by Cano, who’s currently playing out the final year of his $57 million contract and is anticipated to sign a HUGE contract, possibly approaching Albert Pujols’ 10 year, $240 million deal. MLB agent and shark, Scott Boras was set to represent Cano during his upcoming negotiations but that’s no longer the case. However, it appears Cano is confident in Jay-Z and CAA’s capabilities to direct the rest of his career. In a statement, Cano said the following,

At this point in my career, I am ready to take a more active role in my endeavors on and off the field. I am confident that the pairing of Roc Nation Sports and CAA Sports will be essential in helping me accomplish my short- and long-term goals. I am making this important decision now so I can keep my focus on helping the Yankees succeed in 2013, while minimizing any distractions for me and my teammates.

Jay-Z released his own statement and said, “Because of my love of sports, it was a natural progression to form a company where we can help top athletes in various sports the same way we have been helping artists in the music industry for years.”

As shocking as this news is, when you think about it, Jay-Z is absolutely right. Transitioning from music into sports is a natural progression, especially considering the convergence of the two over the years. Yet, unlike the music industry, sports is more stable with continuous growth and more upside. When properly marketed, athletes have huge rockstar potential, and Cano’s stock couldn’t be any higher right now. With Derek Jeter’s career winding down, Cano’s emerged as the new face of the most valuable franchise in the world. There’s no guarantee that Cano will re-sign with the Yankees, but he’s expressed his desire to stay in New York. And we all know, no one offers greater off-the-field earning potential than a New York team.

ESPN’s Rovell also revealed that Jay-Z is considering becoming a certified sports agent, and will eventually like to represent NFL and NBA players in addition to MLB athletes. If he decides to go this route, Jay-Z will have to relinquish ownership of the Brooklyn Nets because of the obvious conflict of interest.

When you are in a position to choose between co-owning an NBA team or representing a bevy of athletes, life is pretty damn good. I have a feeling that Roc Nation adding diversity to its roster could be a game changer in the world of sports and entertainment. This is definitely one business venture to keep an eye on.

-@sdotrenee

Props: ESPN.com

Filed Under: Featured, MLB, Pro Sports, Sports Marketing Tagged With: CAA Sports, Jay-Z, MLB, New York Yankees, Robinson Cano, Roc Nation Sports, Scott Boras

Donald Trumps Blasts A-Rod on Twitter

April 2, 2013 by Shana Renee Leave a Comment

photo via CBS New York

I, like most left leaning Americans, have really soured on Donald Trump. His incessant need to make ridiculous and insulting statements for the sake of grabbing headlines is desperate and pathetic. Yet, regardless of whether I love or hate him, I must give him credit for staying relevant, no matter how controversial his statements may be.

Yesterday, he stirred the pot once again. This time, he stayed clear of our President, but aimed his vitriol in the direction of New York Yankees third baseman, Alex Rodriguez. The Donald attended the Yankees season opener against the Boston Red Sox, receiving an up close and personal look at the beleaguered Bombers. After sitting through an 8-2 blowout, he went on a brief, yet fiery and truthful, twitter rant about A-Rod.

Here’s what he said:

A-Rod’s salary is more than the entire @astros. Half the players on @astros will have better seasons than him. A-Rod is a joke!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 1, 2013

The @yankees should immediately stop paying A-Rod—he signed his contract without telling them he was a druggie.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 1, 2013

I normally ignore most of what Trump says, but this time I feel his pain. Since coming to the Yankees in 2004, A-Rod’s been a huge disappointment. It would be one thing for his skill level to naturally decline over time, but when he’s repeatedly proven to have questionable moral credibility, he’s very difficult to defend. Even for a billionaire like Trump, paying an underachieving 37-year-old $114 million over the next five years is hard to stomach.

Yesterday I read, $92 million of the Yankees payroll started the season on the disabled list: Curtis Granderson, Phil Hughes, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and Mark Teixeira. Not to mention, the Yankees are also responsible for AJ Burnett’s $8.5 million salary this season, even though he’s now with the Pittsburgh Pirates. If you do the math, that’s $100 million being paid out to players not currently contributing to the team.

Speaking as a Yankees fan, that is a difficult stat to accept, especially because it’s unreasonable to blame players for being injured. To do so is absurd, even by Trump’s standards. So if you can’t blame injured players for the sad state of the team, who can you blame? When all else fails, A-Rod is always fair game because he’s A-Rod. Even when healthy, A-Rod has a reputation for underperforming, which is a legitimate beef. Then, adding the steroid accusations to the mix really makes him ripe for criticism. If he does manage to recover from hip surgery this season, there’s still a chance that MLB could conclude there’s some truth to the Biogenesis allegations and drop the hammer on him.

For Tiger Woods, winning might take care of everything, but if you continue to falter like A-Rod has, you will continue to come under fire from fans, no matter how many times you’ve attempted to rebound in the past.

-@sdotrenee

Props: CBS New York

Filed Under: Featured, MLB, Pro Sports Tagged With: Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Donald Trump, MLB, New York Yankees, Twitter

Why I Love Sports…From A to Z!

February 14, 2013 by Shana Renee 1 Comment

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, I thought it was only right that I pour my heart out and gush about my first true love, sports. Here are the reasons I love sports…from A to Z.

Athletes- Without you, I’d have nothing. Seriously.

Buzzer Beaters- This is a gift and a curse, but regardless of whether my team is on the winning or losing side, I always marvel in disbelief and think what a ride!

Clutch Gene- Hitting a base hit to extend the inning, leading a game-winning drive with less than two minutes remaining, hitting the game-winning shot, or knocking down a pair of free throws, it doesn’t matter the form. Across all sports, on every level, nothing tops witnessing an athlete in possession of a dominant clutch gene do work, especially when their team needs it most. When they switch into beast mode and takeover, it’s next level amazing.

Debates- Nothing is off limits because the master manipulator that I am will trap you into a circular discussion that has no finish line. And when you’re part of a family who debates every. single. thing, you become extremely good at it. Even if by chance I’m proven wrong, which happens exactly never, but hypothetically speaking, I’d stand my ground like the true champion I am. Test me.

ESPN Highlights- I was raised on Romper Room, The Cosby Show, and ESPN Highlights. But being content watching the same ESPN highlights back to back for hours without interruption is the epitome of living the dream…unless my team lost in the playoffs or championship. Because if that’s the case then it’s the epitome of living a nightmare. And at that point, ESPN ceases to exist in my universe. I’m off that for a week…at least.

Food and Beer- Having a legit excuse to unapologetically and publicly over indulge in terrible, greasy artery clogging food and multiple rounds of beer is a major win.

Gus Johnson- If you mic’d me up in a booth and let me loose, I could only hope the undying passion I have for the game would be as illuminating as it is when Gus is making the calls. In a time when TV personalities are so caught up with appearing fair and balanced, it’s relieving to see a pro like Gus go apeshit over a remarkable game-winning play. He’s a god.

Hi-Fiving- The discomfort caused by having my personal space invaded by strangers is no longer a concern when I’m taking in the action live or at a bar. Locking eyes with a stranger who shares my team affiliation is the fastest way to win me over and remedy my germophobia. It’s also the only time I’ll openly engage in the otherwise uncool social expression of hi-fiving. With every base hit, clutch free throw, or first down, I’m spreading love one hi-five at a time.

Iverson- Cornrows, crossover, rebellious attitude, dripped in diamonds and completely swagged out in jerseys and oversized jeans. That’s the Iverson I’ve loved since his Hoya days. And anything the tabloids report about him these days is rubbish. Miss me with all of it.

~~Jets~~ Jordan- The Jets vs Jordan? Not even close. Despite MJ repeatedly ripping my heart out as a child, and shrugging it off like it was nothing, I appreciate and respect everything he’s done for the game — sports, basketball, and our culture. He set the bar, eclipsed it, and set it again. Salute to His Airness.

Knicks- The extreme highs and lows we’ve experienced together taught me what it means to love unconditionally. I’m your ride or die chick. Believe that.

Lionel Messi- ESPN taught me. I shed my American ignorance of the beautiful game in 2009 when I worked on ESPN’s World Cup campaign. While the media focused on Christiano Ronaldo, true futbol heads put me on to Messi and I’ve been obsessed with watching him play ever since. His agility, explosiveness, passing ability, and dominance are everything. If brilliance was a verb, the definition would be Messi.

March Madness- Duh.

Ninth-Inning Rallies- But only when it’s my team doing the rallying. Otherwise it sucks.

Olympics- The world’s most elite athletes unite on the grandest stage to compete all in the name of national pride. And we get to watch. What’s not to love?

Pro Football- Quarterbacks. Offense. Defense. Special Teams. NY Jets. Sacks. Hail Marys. The Build Up. Overtime. Rivalries. Super Bowl. NFL Redzone. Competition. The Hits. Sunday Rituals. Thanksgiving. Touchdowns. Fantasy Football. Pick 6s. Touchdown Celebrations. And probably a million more.

Quest for Championships- Because at the end of the day, that’s why players play and fans watch them play.

Rivalries- Yankees vs Red Sox. Cowboys vs Redskins. OSU vs UM. Duke vs NC. Auburn vs Bama. Lakers vs Celtics. Federer vs Nadal. Tennessee vs UCONN. Real Madrid vs Barcelona. Bears vs Packers. The emotions and memories conjured up at the thought of these matchups caused heart palpitations. Did you feel it too?

Streaking and Slumping- Sports is a game of numbers and recordkeeping. In order to deliver on that, streaking and slumping is necessary to raise the level of competition and prove the game is evolving as athletes continue to do what’s never been done before. The good and the bad. Whether you suck like the Charlotte Bobcats or go on a tear like Lebron James, the games needs it all.

The Dunk- Even though Starks and I beefed for years after his dreadful 2-for-18 shooting performance of Game 7 in the NBA Finals against the Houston Rockets, The Dunk is still one of my favorite sports moments EVER!

Underdogs and Upsets- Because you never see it coming. When powerhouses are dropped by underdogs, we all take an unexpected trip to bizzaro world. Up is down. Down is up. In is Out. Black is White. And as crazy as everything appears, I relish in the opportunity to return often because taking a chance on the underdog and watching them actually succeed is pretty awesome.

Vertical Leaps- Yep, I’m reaching here. Get it? Vertical leap…Reach. Dunking is an art. Getting enough elevation off the ground, momentum to finish strong, and a solid grip on the ball is way too much hand eye coordination for me to fathom. How do these dudes do it?

Winning- When I feel the world around me is crumbling, but my team is winning, suddenly everything else seems less important or at least more manageable. Winning. Life’s Elixir.

Xs and Os- Talent is important, but having a coach who understands the fundamentals of the game is priceless. And having one who doesn’t is torture. And when matched up against each other, it’s a beautiful mess.

Yankees- Kiss the rings. All 27 of them.

Zone- Not as in Zone defense or endZone, but more like “Don’t let me get in my zone. Don’t let me get in my zone.” The pure passion, focus, killer instinct, determination, and can’t be stopped(ness) really gets me going!

These are some of the reasons I love sports. But enough about me, I want to hear from you. Join the lovefest and share the reasons you love sports below. There’s nothing worse than being on the receiving end of unrequited love. So I beg of you, on Valentine’s Day, please don’t be that guy or gal.

-@sdotrenee

Filed Under: Fashion, Featured, MLB, NBA, NFL, Olympics, Pro Sports, Soccer, Tennis Tagged With: American football, ESPN, Gus Johnson, Jets, Knicks, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Lionel Messi, Michael Jordan, MLB, NBA, NFL, Valentine's Day, Why I love sports from A to Z, Yankees

Is A-Rod’s public lack of denial an admission of guilt?

February 5, 2013 by Shana Renee Leave a Comment

Photo via JASON SZENES/EPA

According to the New York Daily News, Alex Rodriguez is “Para-roid” about the latest PEDs accusations swirling around him. He believes Major League Baseball and the New York Yankees are conspiring against him in an effort to Pete Rose him from the game. This is all according to anonymous sources, of course.

It’s now one week since A-Rod was linked to PEDs, again. No one’s seen nor heard a peep from A-Rod, except for a statement released on his behalf, in he which he denied the claims.

Is A-Rod’s public lack of denial an admission of guilt? I don’t think so.

A-Rod has a tattered reputation for lying and cheating. Why look for him to shout his innocence from the mountaintops? Would A-Rod playing the victim card truly make a difference or change your opinion of him? Maybe if he hadn’t already lost every shred of credibility, he’d be deserving of the benefit of the doubt. But based on his past, which is full of deceit, no matter how hard A-Rod tried to convince us of his innocence, he’d fall short. No one wants to believe he’s a reformed liar or cheater. He’s so disliked, people want those labels to stick forever. Once guilty, always guilty. Anything A-Rod did or said to prove the contrary would be met with hostility and media backlash.

You know who did proclaim his innocence in a demonstrative fashion, early and often? Lance Armstrong. And we recently saw how that worked out for him. After years of denial, Armstrong finally admitted to doping for the majority of his career. Even when his teammates snitched and USADA banned him from cycling, Armstrong adamantly denied the accusations. He went so far as filing a lawsuit against USADA to reverse the ban. While it was a losing effort, and there was mounting evidence against him, Armstrong maintained his innocence repeatedly and arrogantly. Yet, it wasn’t until he began to collapse under the weight of his own lies, did his truth finally emerge.

If we’re to take one thing away from Armstrong’s situation, it’s that desperate people do desperate things. And after living a lie for so long, you’re twisted mind turns lies into truths. It’s possible that A-Rod is innocent. Maybe the Miami New Times linked his name to PEDs because they figured he’s an easy target. A-Rod’s disliked by so many, it’ll be easy to convince the world he’s juicing again. Our word against his. However, it’s highly unlikely they’d do such a thing knowing MLB would further investigate their reportings.

Unfortunately, we’ve all been down this road with A-Rod before. Fair or not, the court of public opinion has already submitted their judgement. He cheated once before and he’s capable of doing it again.

A-Rod’s in a precarious situation. If he remains silent he’s guilty, and if he speaks up proclaiming his innocence he’s guilty. A damned if you do, and damned if you don’t situation. And yet, he has no one to blame but himself.

-@sdotrenee

Filed Under: Featured, MLB, Pro Sports Tagged With: Alex Rodriguez, Doping, Lance Armstrong, Major League Baseball, Miami New Times, MLB, New York Yankee, PEDs, Pete Rose, Steroids

Last night in MLB: Yanks win AL East, Miguel Cabrera wins Triple Crown, playoff picture shapes up

October 4, 2012 by Shana Renee Leave a Comment

Photo via AP

Crisis averted.

Last night the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 14-2 and completed a three-game sweep to top the Baltimore Orioles in the American League East.Â It’s their 13th AL East title in 17 seasons.Â Last night’s win, coupled with the Oakland A’s also sweeping the floundering Texas Rangers, gives the Yankees the best record in the American League.

It was a thrilling end to an interesting pennant race for the Bronx Bombers and their fans. After letting a 10-game lead slip, MLB fans watched the surging Baltimore Orioles clip at the heels of the Yankees.Â Despite coming shockingly close to overtaking the Bombers, the Yankees never completely lost control thanks to resurgent bats, and the return of Andy Pettitte down the stretch.Â Â Not even the Boston Red Sox, the Yankees struggling archrivals who have been an utter failure and disappointment all season long, mustered up the effort or care or want to play spoiler and keep things interesting.Â Perhaps the Dead Sox charged this sweep to the game in the name of guaranteeing Bobby Valentine would get the axe?Â The writing’s on the wall.

Meanwhile, the hobbling AL East Champs can take advantage of some much needed rest.Â With MLB’s new Wild Card format, the Yankees won’t know their opponent until Friday.Â The Yankees will either face the Baltimore Orioles or Texas Rangers in Game 1 of the ALDS on Sunday.

In related news, the Yankees Captain and shortstop, Derek Jeter, finished the season with the most hits in MLB with 216.Â Not bad for an old washed-up 38-year-old, uh?Â *sarcasm*Â That brings his career hit total to 3,304. Ty Cobb is the only player in MLB history to reach this milestone at a younger age than Jeter.Â WAR? What is it good for? Absolutely nothing.Â Congrats to Captain Clutch.

And, the biggest MLB headline to emerge last night was the Detroit Tigers Miguel Cabrera winning the first Triple Crown since 1967.

According to Yahoo! Sports,

Cabrera became just the 15th player to win baseball’s Triple Crown, joining an elite list that includes Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams and Lou Gehrig. Cabrera topped the American League with a .330 batting average, 44 homers and 139 RBIs, becoming the first Triple Crown winner in the major leagues since Boston’s Carl Yastrzemski in 1967.

Curtis Granderson and Josh Hamilton each finished the season with 43 home runs, one shy of tying Cabera’s home run total.Â Congrats to Cabrera who will face the Oakland A’s in the first round of the playoffs.

Here’s what the complete playoff picture looks like:

FRIDAY
(winners advance to LDS round)
NL â€” St. Louis Cardinals at Atlanta Braves, 5 p.m. ET
AL â€” Baltimore Orioles at Texas Rangers, 8:30 p.m. ET

SATURDAY
ALDS Game 1 â€” Oakland Athletics at Detroit Tigers, 6 p.m. ET
NLDS Game 1 â€” Cincinnati Reds at San Francisco Giants, 9:30 p.m. ET

SUNDAY
ALDS Game 1 â€” New York Yankees at Baltimore or Texas
NLDS Game 1 â€” Washington Nationals at Atlanta or St. Louis
ALDS Game 2 â€” Oakland at Detroit
NLDS Game 2 â€” Cincinnati at San Francisco, TBD

MONDAY
ALDS Game 2 â€” New York at Baltimore/Texas
NLDS Game 2 â€” Washington at Atlanta/St. Louis

TUESDAY
ALDS Game 3 â€” Detroit at Oakland
NLDS Game 3 â€” San Francisco at Cincinnati

WEDNESDAY
ALDS Game 3 â€” Baltimore/Texas at NY
ALDS Game 4* â€” Detroit at Oakland
NLDS Game 3 â€” Â Atlanta/St. Louis at Washington
NLDS Game 4* â€” San Francisco at Cincinnati

THURSDAY
ALDS Game 4* â€” Baltimore/Texas at New York
ALDS Game 5* â€” Detroit at Oakland
NLDS Game 4* â€” Atlanta/St. Louis at Washington
NLDS Game 5* Â â€” San Francisco at Cincinnati

FRIDAY
ALDS Game 5* â€” Baltimore/Texas at New York
NLDS Game 5* â€” Atlanta/St. Louis at Washington

*if necessary, all series are best of five

-@sdotrenee

via Yahoo! Sports

Filed Under: Featured, MLB, Pro Sports Tagged With: AL East champs, American League, bobby valentine, Boston Red Sox, bronx bombers, Derek Jeter, Detroit Tigers, miguel carbrera, MLB, MLB playoff schedule, MLB Playoffs, NY Yankees, triple crown

Athletes tweet reactions to ESPN’s ‘Broke’

October 3, 2012 by Shana Renee 1 Comment

Photo via ESPN

After last night’s premiere of Broke, I took to twitter to see what the general consensus was among athletes.Â Did they feel it accurately portrayed some of the challenges they face in becoming a millionaire overnight?Â Did they identify with the excessive lifestyle Andre Rison, Keith McCants, and Leon Searcy lived? Will it impact how they spend their money going forward? Or, did some continue to think, “that’ll never be me?”

Well, the truth is…it was mixed. Here are some of the best twitter reactions during and after Broke.

Some athletes believed the doc was a cautionary tale and encouraged current and aspiring professional athletes to tune in:

Everyone in sports, doesn’t matter if u play or not. Associated with it in some form or another should be watching ESPN #30for30 “BROKE”

October 2, 2012 8:07 pm via Echofon ReplyRetweetFavorite

@KingJames

LeBron James

I hope all athletes and inspiring athletes watched the 30 for 30 #Broke…don’t just say it can’t happen to you. Do something about it.

October 2, 2012 9:40 pm via Twitter for iPad ReplyRetweetFavorite

@DwyaneWade

DAD

This 30 for 30 is something serious… My fellow athletes take care of ur money…

October 2, 2012 9:20 pm via Twitter for iPhone ReplyRetweetFavorite

@DemaryiusT

Demaryius Thomas

Broke on espn… you should check it out #dontfallintothetrap

October 2, 2012 8:32 pm via Twitter for Android ReplyRetweetFavorite

@50janderson

James Anderson

Broke: on espn right now everyone should tune in

October 2, 2012 8:02 pm via Twitter for iPhone ReplyRetweetFavorite

@DeAngeloRB

DeAngelo Williams

Watching Broke by @BillyCorben on @ESPN right now. Eye opening stuff for a current (& young) professional athlete. Must watch!

October 2, 2012 9:28 pm via Twitter for Android ReplyRetweetFavorite

@LoMoMarlins

Logan Morrison

Watching 30 for 30 Broke! Good Life Lesson For Athletes.

October 2, 2012 9:00 pm via Twitter for iPhone ReplyRetweetFavorite

@Qui22Rodgers

JacQuizz Rodgers

Others just reacted to the absurdity of the stories shared and the doc overall:

This 30/30 crazy

October 2, 2012 9:01 pm via Osfoora for iPhone ReplyRetweetFavorite

@CutonDime25

Lesean McCoy

Sick to my stomach after watching that 30 for 30 broke but it was educating while telling good stories

October 2, 2012 9:48 pm via Twittelator Neue ReplyRetweetFavorite

@roddywhiteTV

Roddy White

Watching broke!!! 500,000 on ur friend!!! Smh!!!

October 2, 2012 8:50 pm via Echofon ReplyRetweetFavorite

@ajgreen_18

Aj Green

Some athletes in and out of the game attested to the accuracy of the doc:

Unfortunately family can be an athletes worst enemy #Broke

October 2, 2012 8:50 pm via Twittelator ReplyRetweetFavorite

@damienwoody

Damien Woody

Can’t lie it’s TOUGH telling a loved one “no” but hell I had to do it! Dont feel good and sometimes there is tears but that’s life. #broke

October 2, 2012 8:51 pm via webReply RetweetFavorite

@Follow24Hodge

Julius Hodge

Just watched 30 for 30 on Espn……..Be smart with your $

October 2, 2012 10:03 pm via Twitter for iPhone ReplyRetweetFavorite

@MikeVick

Mike Vick

The Cleveland Cavs watched together.Â Omri Casspi instagrammed the following pic with the caption, “Our cold tube is pretty full lol.”:

Judging by the reactions of NBA hopefuls in college, Broke was their Scared Straight.Â Here’s what some players thought:

This ESPN 30 for 30 is REAL life.

October 2, 2012 8:58 pm via Twitter for iPhone ReplyRetweetFavorite

@NerlensNoel3

Nerlens Noel

Can’t wait to get my smart car. Never going #broke

October 2, 2012 8:50 pm via Twitter for iPad ReplyRetweetFavorite

@3JMcCollum

CJ McCollum

December 31, 1969 8:00 pm viaReply RetweetFavorite

You dont know when the ball is going to stop bouncing thats why im going to get my degree .. #blessed

October 2, 2012 9:14 pm via Echofon ReplyRetweetFavorite

@KevinParrom3

Kevin Parrom

IM NEVER GETTING MARRIED!!! *shrugs

October 2, 2012 8:56 pm via Echofon ReplyRetweetFavorite

@PierreJackson55

Pierre Jackson

Or having kids! Lol

October 2, 2012 8:58 pm via Echofon ReplyRetweetFavorite

@PierreJackson55

Pierre Jackson

Others were a bit skeptical, overall.Â Athletes like Arian Foster seemed uninterested in the doc, while others like Wilson Chandler didn’t believe the doc would suddenly make athletes more conservative with their spending:

Nope didn’t see it. RT @MrSavarino1868: I hope @ArianFoster watched 30 for 30 tonight and learns to spend his new contract wisely

October 2, 2012 11:40 pm via Echofon ReplyRetweetFavorite

@ArianFoster

Arian Foster

Believe it or not there are people who educate themselves before the television tells you it’s an issue.

October 2, 2012 11:42 pm via Echofon ReplyRetweetFavorite

@ArianFoster

Arian Foster

Oh my God everybody watches 30 for 30 and is good with money all of a sudden.

October 2, 2012 9:34 pm via Twitter for iPhone ReplyRetweetFavorite

@wilsonchandler

Wilson Chandler

Same thing you do with a little is what you’d do with a lot…

October 2, 2012 9:35 pm via Twitter for iPhone ReplyRetweetFavorite

@wilsonchandler

Wilson Chandler

Â And then there’s Delonte West…smh:

Hell naw I ain’t gon be on no E60…homie I’m 10yrs in…counted a mill in all 2dollars bills before I turned 21…I den been broke got back

October 2, 2012 8:40 pm via Mobile Web ReplyRetweetFavorite

@CharleeRedz13

Delonte West

Got broke again…got back again….and so the world continues to turn…..hey u can’t take it wit cha…

October 2, 2012 8:41 pm via Mobile Web ReplyRetweetFavorite

@CharleeRedz13

Delonte West

U think ima die and let another-joker spend all the money I saved..u must be crazy ..oh imma save some …spend more..u do d same shit.!

October 2, 2012 8:44 pm via Mobile Web ReplyRetweetFavorite

@CharleeRedz13

Delonte West

Naw…I’m watchin dis joint…I mean I got my story too…mine start before NBA….but as a man I make decision ..that I weigh good and bad

October 2, 2012 9:22 pm via Mobile Web ReplyRetweetFavorite

@CharleeRedz13

Delonte West

Yesterday I wrote I was disappointed in the doc and was interested to see how it evolved in the past few months, if at all.Â And some of ASE’s readers reached out to ask if my opinion changed.Â While they beefed up the list of experts to provide more context for viewers, overall, I still believe it was too surface and a huge disappointment.Â My reasons for feeling this way are overwhelmingly long, but if you reached out privately, I’d be happy to discuss.Â As I mentioned, I’ve done a ton of research on this topic, including interviews with athletes and sports professionals, and I know it doesn’t just start and end with athletes overspending.Â That’s oversimplifying a very complex issue.

Also, I don’t believe athletes flippantly detailing their outrageous spending habits does anything to change this culture among athletes.Â If Billy Corben thought using brash personalities would ignite dialogue about a taboo topic, then perhaps the documentary was a success.Â But the manner in which the content was disseminated won’t do much to decrease the rate at which athletes mismanage their money and ultimately go broke.

And quite frankly, I’m surprised by athlete reactions.Â I don’t think their community was portrayed in a positive way at all.Â I’ve always felt the media reports these stories at nauseum not to inform the general public about the pitfalls athletes encounter, but to exploit them.Â Broke was no exception.

I could go on and on, but I won’t. It’s on record that Broke was probably my least favorite of the 30 for 30 series so far.Â But I’ll definitely be tuning in for next week’s 9.79* doc about track and field at the 1988 Seoul Games.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the doc. Sound off in the comments below.

-@sdotrenee

Filed Under: Featured, Media, MLB, NBA, NFL, Pro Sports, Sports Marketing, Sports Tweet of the Day Tagged With: 30 for 30, Andre Rison, Arian Foster, Arian Foster tweets, athletes going Broke, Broke, Delonte West twitter, Dwyane Wade tweets, ESPN, ESPN 30 for 30, Keith McCants, LeBron James tweets, Leon Searcy, MLB, NBA, NFL, Omri Casspi, sports documentary, Twitter, Wilson Chandler

VIDEO: Josh Hamilton Has Historic Night, Hits 4 HRs

May 9, 2012 by Shana Renee Leave a Comment

Photo via Patrick Smith/Reuters

If there was any worry that Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers, would be off to a slow start after his off season relapse, cast your worries aside.Â This season, he’s been one of MLB’s top stories and is having his best season to-date.Â He currently leads the majors in three categories: HRs (14), RBI (36), and BA (.406).Â This gaudy statline, just one month into the season, was enough for Hamilton to receive American League Player of the Month honors for April.Â As a result of his off the charts performance, the Rangers stand atop the standings with the league’s best record at 20-10.

And the hits keep coming, literally.Â Last night against the Baltimore Orioles, Hamilton went 5-for-5 with four 2-run homers.Â No matter who the Orioles placed on the mound, Hamilton responded with a hit.Â Hamilton’s record night made him the 16th member of the four home runs in one game club.Â Carlos Delgado last did it in 2003.

After the game, Delgado took to twitter and welcomed Hamilton to the club while also giving a nod to Shawn Green, the former LA Dodgers right fielder who also shares this honor:

#Rangers Mr. Josh Hamilton very nice game. Welcome to the club!!!!!!! @shawngreen15

May 8, 2012 10:19 pm via webReply RetweetFavorite

@carlosdelgado21

Carlos Delgado

Yes, MVP talk is premature, but with Hamilton only getting hotter, it’s hard to imagine he won’t be a contender come September.

Check out Hamilton’s record-tying night:

-@sdotrenee

video via Stradux

Filed Under: MLB, Pro Sports, Sports Marketing, Sports Tweet of the Day Tagged With: 4 HRs, AL West, Baltimore Orioles, Carlos Delgado, Josh Hamilton, Josh Hamitlon Hits 4 HRs, MLB, MLB MVP, MVP, Texas Rangers

Why Moving MLB on FOX to Prime Time Won’t Boost Ratings

February 16, 2012 by Shana Renee Leave a Comment

Allow me to briefly interrupt Linsanity and alert you to some upcoming changes to your MLB viewing habits.Â Yes, believe it or not, it’s that time of the year again…already.

This season Fox is shuffling its schedule in an effort to produce better ratings for its Saturday Baseball franchise.Â Starting in May, eight weeks in a row, games will start at 7PM/EST rather than the usual afternoon start.Â According to USA Today,

The move, to be formally announced today, will start May 19 with regionalized coverage of five games, led by Boston Red Sox-Philadelphia Phillies. Fox’s idea is to package five or six games in prime time, compared with the usual three in Fox’s afternoon slots, offering options to swing viewers between games and, when games end quickly, switch to other games.

Fox doesn’t face competition from local TV baseball since other MLB games can’t start within three hours of the beginning and end of its coverage window. And putting extra games in prime-time coverage means involving more team home markets, which helps ratings. Last year, Fox tried baseball on three Saturday nights and averaged 2.6% of U.S. TV households â€” 50% higher than its Saturday afternoon games.

While this new strategy will boost ratings, as evidenced by last season, I don’t believe it will significantly and consistently move the needle.Â Here’s why.

For one, the MLB season is entirely too long.Â With 162 games on the schedule and six games a week in your local market, MLB doesn’t offer the same type of appointment viewing the NFL, or even the NBA, does.Â MLB’s schedule is too decadent, and fans are never starving for more.Â On any given night, you can turn on the TV and indulge in an MLB game.Â That’s obviously not the case with the NFL.Â And traditionally, that hasn’t been the case with the NBA, either.Â This season is an exception because of the lockout.Â But if we were still to compare the two, it’s still very clear that MLB doesn’t measure up to what the NBA has to offer.

Unlike MLB, the NBA has done a fantastic job at marketing its players.Â Aside from a handful of teams, on any given night, fans are able to convince themselves to tune into any game because there’s a good chance they’ll see a good one-on-one matchup.Â That’s what makes the NBA unique.Â They have enough stars throughout the league to drive ratings.Â And they’re creating new stars each day.Â Â Jeremy Lin is an obvious example, but also Ricky Rubio and Kyrie Irving are worth noting on a smaller scale.

MLB can’t compete with that.Â Also, when you consider that May – June is the peak period of the NBA playoffs, there’s little chance sports fans will choose to watch baseball over basketball. Although Saturday Night Baseball games will be regionalized, they still don’t have enough nationally recognized talent to draw fans on a consistent basis.

Furthermore, Saturday Night Baseball on Fox is now competing with Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN.Â Most of the time, both networks carry the same series.Â As a result, the chances that MLB fans clear their schedules to watch two teams, other than their own, play back-to-back nights, during the Spring/Summer months, are slim.Â If polled, the overwhelming response would show staying indoors on Sunday night is preferred.Â Also, while a Phillies-Red Sox matchup is compelling in theory, selling pitching matchups are a better bet.Â And ESPN will also win that battle because of the way pitching rotations are broken down.Â The majority of the time, Ace’s are reserved for Sunday, which is another huge marketing chip for the worldwide leader.

Generally speaking, MLB fans are simply wired differently than NFL and NBA fans.Â They’re known to follow their favorite team, division rivals, and not much else.Â If someone is chasing a record, then that helps boost the national appeal of the sport, but aside from that, MLB fandom is localized.Â If you asked the average NY Yankee fan to name the starting rotation on the Atlanta Braves, they’d be clueless.Â But if you asked a New England Patriots fan to name five offensive players on the Atlanta Falcons, they’d fare much better.

But it’s not all bad news for Fox.Â As the article mentions, the move to prime time will help boost the network’s advertising rates, which is reason enough to move forward with the plan.Â But when it comes to building an audience and better connecting with fans, I think they’ll fall flat.

How about you? Do you think there’s a better chance you’ll watch Fox’s Saturday Night Baseball lineup since it’s moving to prime time?

-S. Renee

Filed Under: Featured, Media, MLB, Pro Sports, Sports Marketing Tagged With: Boston Red Sox, Fox Baseball, Major League Baseball, MLB, MLB on FOX, NBA, NBA Playoffs, Saturday Night Baseball, Sunday Night Baseball, USA Today

MLB CBA Talks Roll as Media Stays Out

November 9, 2011 by Shana Renee Leave a Comment

Photo via AP

Yesterday, I was perusing my iPad and came across the headline: Significant Progress in CBA Talks. A few seconds passed before I realized the headline was referring to Major League Baseball, not the NBA. Yes, in case you’re unaware, the NBA isn’t the only professional sports league in the midst of negotiating new labor terms. Bud Selig, the owners, and the MLBPA have been privately working toward a December 11 deadline. Their self-imposed goal of reaching new terms by the World Series expired, but news reports indicate they’re still on target to reach the hard deadline. If they don’t hit any snags along the way, it is expected that player movement will proceed without interruption.

Bud Selig and the MLBPA have been so successful at keeping their meetings private that it’s virtually impossible to find any specific details surrounding the new deal terms that have been agreed upon by both parties. However, in an interview with Bob Costas, Selig did suggest changes to the All-Star Game, interleague play, instant replay, and more were a possibility. And, according to ESPN, one of the last outstanding issues to overcome involves signing bonuses in the first-year player drafts.

We’re now a culture that reviews transparency as a right, rather than a privilege. However, Selig is well within his right to keep the progress of CBA negotiations behind closed doors. As we’ve learned from the NFL and NBA, involving the media in the process is problematic. The media interprets and shapes the message they want fans to receive allowing the public to choose sides and scrutinize every chess move. Ultimately, that strategy benefits no one. The images of both sides take a hit as they bear the weight of determining how to divide money of which only 1% of Americans can relate.

While fans have been both annoyed and entertained by the public back and forth between David Stern and Billy Hunter, I’m sure the majority would trade that in for some good ol’ fashioned roundball. Although Selig took his typical boring route of doing things, at the end of the day, it’s more effective and something fans will appreciate come Spring.

Breathe easy sports fans. While enduring a long winter without basketball is still a possibility, thanks to Bud Selig, we’re assured MLB will conduct business as usual. Is it March yet?

- S. Renee

Filed Under: Featured, MLB, Pro Sports Tagged With: Billy Hunter, Bud Selig, David Stern, Major League Baseball, MLB, MLB CBA, NBA, NBA Lockout, World Series

CC Back…La Russa Retires…and other MLB news!

November 1, 2011 by Shana Renee Leave a Comment

Photo via Al Bello/Getty Images

Now that MLB has finished with the formalities of the World Series, we can focus on more important matters, like what the NY Yankees must do to win No. 28.Â At the top of the list was resigning ace CC Sabathia.Â Check!

Yesterday, the lefty announced via twitter that he’ll officially be back in pinstripes.Â After initial reports suggested he opted out of his contract, hours later, the media announced that a new deal was in place.Â The terms are for five-years, $122 million, with a vesting option for a sixth year that has the potential to pay out for as much as $147 million.Â In a nutshell, Sabathia’s original deal was extended one-year at $30 million with a 2017 option that could pay $25 million.

That’s a whole lotta dough and he wasted no time showing his gratitude to Yankees fans.

Yankee fans, I’ll be here fighting for number 28 next year! http://t.co/Wpu5FuLj

October 31, 2011 7:23 pm via webReply RetweetFavorite

@CC_Sabathia

CC Sabathia

Now the Yankees must focus on firming up the rest of the shaky pitching rotation that also included Ivan Nova, Phil Hughes, AJ Burnett, and Bartolo Colon.

In other MLB News, Tony La Russa announced his retirement three days after winning his third World Series title. Shocking indeed, but completely understandable.Â After 15 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals and two rings, La Russa is leaving the sport on his terms, and as the reigning champ.

As a sports fans, one of the most saddening aspects of the game is watching sports icons and hall-of-famers forced out.Â In a refreshing move, La Russa guaranteed that wouldn’t be his reality.Â He’ll no doubt be held in the highest regard by MLB’s most avid and loyal fans in St. Louis, but how does this decision impact the Albert Pujols sweepstakes?Â Will the Cardinals consult Pujols on the new hire in an effort to keep him?Â Will they make a run after Terry Francona or will they show their loyalty to one of their own and promote third base coach Jose “Secret Weapon” Oquendo?

This and many more storylines will make it a very interesting offseason for MLB fans.

First up, Bud Selig may or may not take the stand in the Frank McCourt trial because a settlement may be near.Â I was looking forward to Selig testifying especially after seeing his initial act of reading from a script while presenting the World Series and MVP trophies on Friday Night.Â If you also saw it, then you understand why.Â It was a total disaster amid an otherwise terrific World Series, but I digress.Â With or without Selig on the stand, the McCourt saga is worth following.

The NY Mets will also keep things interesting as they continue to try and pawn off the Mets to minority owners.Â And of course, teams will be wooing Jose Reyes, Prince Fielder, Albert Pujols, CJ Wilson, David Wright, and Jimmy Rollins, to name a few.Â What a hot and action packed winter it’ll be, once the new CBA MLB has quietly been renegotiating is a done deal.

-S. Renee

Filed Under: MLB, Pro Sports, Sports Marketing, Sports Tweet of the Day Tagged With: Albert Pujols, Bud Selig, CC Sabathia, Frank McCourt, Major League Baseball, MLB, NY Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, Tony LaRussa, World Series