tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623376955346288602024-03-13T23:56:25.624-04:00The Back PageThe musings of a Detroit-area sportswriter in the digital age.Paul Kampehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08081907921299622547noreply@blogger.comBlogger323125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162337695534628860.post-78246533317282871952013-06-10T15:53:00.001-04:002013-06-10T15:53:23.722-04:00ESPN adds intrigue to WNBA with "Ref Cam"<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi725p6M1Bjm5OwCVBCnv6Tw-5GDm-lLOYTDg3DruSyEoyF3fETb_xcyKoMSEhdh_nRRHdjVbmGtb7TBlspSbeYd6G2-f7wVvaSBmMWgHc3lWZBOyq2lL6SjcSWwe6OywX4aum_qnmLBpmk/s1600/WNBA_refcam_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi725p6M1Bjm5OwCVBCnv6Tw-5GDm-lLOYTDg3DruSyEoyF3fETb_xcyKoMSEhdh_nRRHdjVbmGtb7TBlspSbeYd6G2-f7wVvaSBmMWgHc3lWZBOyq2lL6SjcSWwe6OywX4aum_qnmLBpmk/s400/WNBA_refcam_.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's not a cyborg referee, it's ESPN's "Ref Cam"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'll admit I don't watch much WNBA action, but something caught my eye from afar as I ran on the treadmill at my gym: The screen next to the Tigers game was showing eye-level action — as shaky as it was — as a part of the replay during a WNBA game. <br />
<a href="http://www.wnba.com/news/ref_cam_ap_060813.html" target="_blank">It was referee Lamont Simpson as the guinea pig for ESPN's "Ref Cam,"</a>, and he told The Associated Press the glasses were an easy adjustment to his routine.<br />
<i>
"It was fun," Simpson said. "We made some adjustments at halftime and the second half it was almost like it wasn't there," he said. </i><br />
After watching what was being called the "first wedding proposal using Google Glass" days earlier, I assumed ESPN and the WNBA were deploying the new technology on the hardwood. The network was not specific about the technology, but it doesn't appear to be Google's latest goggles or the popular Go Pro cameras made popular by extreme athletes.<br />
The league is reportedly considering using the glasses in future games.<br />
If Major League Baseball isn't about to surrender to instant replay, maybe it could consider using similar technology at least to share with viewers what umpires are seeing when they make atrocious calls.<br />
Watch the camera's debut below:<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/P_rVJ4pHcKY" width="560"></iframe>Paul Kampehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08081907921299622547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162337695534628860.post-62574715818973063422013-05-02T18:16:00.000-04:002013-05-02T18:26:28.674-04:00Reasons for Tom Gores to move the Pistons to downtown Detroit I wrote a story last week about business mogul <a href="http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2013/04/25/sports/local/doc517961427bde5733733557.txt" target="_blank">Dan Gilbert's comments that fellow NBA owner Tom Gores should move the Pistons to downtown Detroit.</a> The only good reason I can think to keep the Pistons in Auburn Hills is my "selfish" desire to avoid another Pontiac Silverdome degradation scenario. Below are comments for and against relocation from Oakland Press readers:<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Andrew_60:</b> "I'll admit there is quite an ambiance at Ford Field with the 'downtown city street' look." </li>
<li><b>John</b>: "Driving to a giant parking lot is a drag." </li>
<li><b>Andrew_60:</b> "There are least a dozen great restaurants within a
few miles for pre-game libations as well. It is a winter sport so 'walking' around town isn't really an issue."</li>
<li><b>Springfieldres</b>: "Dan-I have an idea how about you send your kids to school in Detroit and we keep the Pistons in our 'Farm Field.' " </li>
<li><b>Aamazed</b>: "Like Detroit needs another sports team where patrons are greeted
after the games with beggars soliciting for money have to walk a mile to
your vehicles, and have to deal with traffic jams through the city to
get to the major freeways. ... If it's not broke, don't fix it.</li>
<li><b>Christopher Wicks</b>: "The Palace parking lot sucks and so does the surrounding area. ... Move downtown, at least we can have a nice meal and easy egress after the game."</li>
<li><b>MobiusStrip_1</b>: "Since Gore owns the Pistons and the Palace, he can use the Palace at no
additional cost. It would cost him (and very likely, taxpayers) a lot
of money to build an arena in Detroit just to say that the Pistons are
in Detroit. Why not share an arena with the Red Wings?"</li>
<li><b>Melissa D</b>: "Well, they are the DETROIT Pistons."</li>
<li><b>Daniel Marchione</b>: "Yes it may be suburban, yes it may also be located next to a dump, but
the Palace has found its niche in everything it offers, It books top
entertainers for its venues and it provides convenience right off the
freeway. ... Palace Sports and Entertainment is hugely profitable and the people
booking events have continued to sell out."</li>
<li><b>Melvin Marshmallow</b>: "If Dan Gilbert wants to lend Tom Gores the money to build a stadium in Detroit, fine by me. But
I don't think one red penny of our tax dollars should go towards
building another sports stadium in a city that is allready congesteted
with sports stadiums funded by tax payers."</li>
<li><b>Al Waters:</b> "Gores just bought the team, bought the arena and other assets. The
still state of the art arena has been renovated. Why would he want to
move his team to Detroit, where he would have to pay to play in new
arena?"</li>
<li><b>Sunshine</b>: "As good as an idea as it is, I'm pretty sure Dan Gilbert just wants to have them go to Detroit so he could buy their stadium."</li>
</ul>
Paul Kampehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08081907921299622547noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162337695534628860.post-36858073970466126662013-04-28T20:01:00.000-04:002013-04-28T20:05:17.969-04:00CBC's Don Cherry makes 'outdated' comment about female reporters <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlCR2anmFGVN1oQ65KI0gXaaLiwaE59AK2iUGrMz9OcytRQfB_Bhy_uMgKnSNVI3yDdFJtGKZTziW9eIRtxaqZROvvdQwFfRp7xkAAU8u1pIcMOLJ8tF4QvlEq8ZjX1EvRFi4W3KiWbfsP/s1600/Don_Cherry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlCR2anmFGVN1oQ65KI0gXaaLiwaE59AK2iUGrMz9OcytRQfB_Bhy_uMgKnSNVI3yDdFJtGKZTziW9eIRtxaqZROvvdQwFfRp7xkAAU8u1pIcMOLJ8tF4QvlEq8ZjX1EvRFi4W3KiWbfsP/s400/Don_Cherry.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Times have changed, but not for CBC analyst Don Cherry</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Known primarily for his hockey acumen and outlandish wardrobe, CBC "Hockey Night In Canada" analyst Don Cherry angered some Saturday night when he went on a tangent saying female reporters should not be allowed in men's locker rooms.<br />
Cherry was defending <a href="http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/blog/eye-on-hockey/22122433/blackhawks-duncan-keith-drawing-heat-for-female-ref-comments" target="_blank">Chicago's Duncan Keith, who reportedly insulted a female reporter.</a><br />
"I don't believe a female should be a in a male dressing room," Cherry said, recalling the first time he remembered being approached by a female in the locker room. "Guys are walking around naked and I hear this woman asking me about a power play."<br />
"I don't feel women are equal. I feel they're above us. They're on a pedestal and they should not be walking in when naked guys are walking around. Some guys take advantage of that."<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rPUzCgpUm2s" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
If by "take advantage," it's possible Cherry feels he's defending female reporters, but in doing so implies that women can't hold their own when talking to male athletes.<br />
Co-host Ron MacLean plays "Good Cop" throughout, while bringing common sense to the discussion. It's almost like a segment on ESPN's "First Take," except Cherry has long been known to carry beliefs that many would consider old-fashioned.<br />
Cherry has been known to <a href="http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dailybrew/don-cherry-questions-female-reporters-enter-locker-rooms-164333847.html" target="_blank">make his opinions public, leveraging his soapbox in the past.</a><br />
In his rant, Cherry grasped for traction asking if MacLean would want men in women's locker rooms, to which Dave Hogg, who has covered the WNBA for various media, tweeted this is already commonplace. <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Dear Don Cherry: Men *are* allowed in female locker rooms, dumbass. Ask anyone who has covered the WNBA.<br />
— Dave Hogg (@Stareagle) <a href="https://twitter.com/Stareagle/status/328327053478875136">April 28, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
Predictably, the Association for Women in Sports Media called Cherry's comment "<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">as sexist as it is outd<span class="text_exposed_show">ated." </span></span><br />
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="text_exposed_show">The group praised MacLean for his poise and noted CBC in its response to the group added the disclaimer that Cherry's opinions are not those of the network. </span></span><br />
<i><span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="text_exposed_show">“As you know, Don Cherry has many opinions on a wide range of subjects
and isn't shy about expressing them ... last night being no exception,"
CBC head of media relations Chuck Thompson said. "That said, in as much
as he's hired to give hockey related opinions on 'Coach's Corner,' he
speaks for himself and not the CBC. I should also point out, and
something you likely heard when watching last night, Ron MacLean took
the opposing view and countered Don's perspective, which provided some
balance to the discussion."</span></span></span></span></i><br />
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="text_exposed_show"><a href="http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/locker+room+place+women+says+hockey+commentator+Cherry/8306554/story.html" target="_blank">Fellow CBC sports personnel were quick to disassociate with Cherry.</a> The Calgary Herald noted Vancouver-based CBC sports reporter Karin Larsen tweeted the following: </span></span></span></span><br />
<i>"I'm embarrassed by and for Don Cherry and for CBC. Sorry."</i><span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="text_exposed_show"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="text_exposed_show">The timing of this "discussion" is peculiar, given that women were granted locker room access decades ago. Did Cherry go overboard in defending his friend or were HNIC producers taking a page out of the "Book of (Skip) Bayless?" <a href="http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/locker+room+place+women+says+hockey+commentator+Cherry/8306063/story.html" target="_blank">Keith reportedly had the good sense (or publicist) to apologize for his remarks</a>, will Cherry?</span></span> </span></span>Paul Kampehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08081907921299622547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162337695534628860.post-69265190612372065662013-04-22T20:26:00.000-04:002013-04-22T20:26:27.425-04:00Pistons' Andre Drummond shows appreciation to fans with full-page ad <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcWJBELs41fTlrUIVAflJB4qfMyIiEAdTcObeowILf2nnduqnqi48ss5DQO0SVZpCNZna5dsMFmHk9abOWpin_o_7FygPgOS5RhFGCJdVVl-18oeUVCSNPkyxho_bXqHlX7_5xQwi8sJCW/s1600/Drummond_DFP_ad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcWJBELs41fTlrUIVAflJB4qfMyIiEAdTcObeowILf2nnduqnqi48ss5DQO0SVZpCNZna5dsMFmHk9abOWpin_o_7FygPgOS5RhFGCJdVVl-18oeUVCSNPkyxho_bXqHlX7_5xQwi8sJCW/s400/Drummond_DFP_ad.jpg" width="267" /></a>On the same day area Pistons beat writers were posting their grades for the team's abysmal season, rookie sensation Andre Drummond was thanking fans for their loyalty. Drummond was often a point of praise for the Pistons, who were recently ranked in the top half of the NBA in fan loyalty despite dwindling attendance. <br />
After Drummond slipped to the Pistons in last season's draft, they've patiently brought him along. His athleticism did not go unnoticed. <a href="https://twitter.com/DRE_DRUMMOND_" target="_blank">Neither has Drummond's social media outreach to fans.</a> For the non-Twitter crowd (newspaper readers), Drummond spread goodwill in the form of a full-page ad in the Detroit Free Press. <br />
It remains unclear if the ad was paid for Drummond himself or by the Pistons or Palace Sports and Entertainment, but the thank you note <a href="http://www.detroitbadboys.com/2013/4/21/4250804/andre-drummond-newspaper-ad-detroit-free-press" target="_blank">drew wide praise.</a> <br />
<br />Paul Kampehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08081907921299622547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162337695534628860.post-31213538172798237062013-04-21T21:18:00.001-04:002013-04-28T19:13:20.022-04:00'Mr. Hockey' reaches another Hallmark<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiS1iLGRTU-uFgtdpURJy3uDAlYizLVBK5-1BT5rAnEBFr8Tf-pdz5R2piSS3Mx4i9B56QPrLylO0UfBtRUdadf1JReyL6tamRM3hq2dlagYAapLcHbSelLaOjkqTfdXfGnIya1MzNZmFt/s1600/MrHockey1-highres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiS1iLGRTU-uFgtdpURJy3uDAlYizLVBK5-1BT5rAnEBFr8Tf-pdz5R2piSS3Mx4i9B56QPrLylO0UfBtRUdadf1JReyL6tamRM3hq2dlagYAapLcHbSelLaOjkqTfdXfGnIya1MzNZmFt/s400/MrHockey1-highres.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">c/o CBC</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Gordie Howe had a long and illustrious career, one befitting the nickname "Mr. Hockey." In the tradition of ESPN's famed "30 for 30" documentaries, the upcoming made-for-TV movie <a href="http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/mrhockey/about" target="_blank">"Mr. Hockey: The Gordie Howe Story"</a> focuses on the 1973 season when Howe came out of retirement to play with his sons Mark and Marty Howe.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/cQ0HWQZFjOg" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
Actor Michael Shanks, who portrays Howe, accurately calls the film "a slice of his life" in a "making of" trailer.<br />
The film first premieres at 8 p.m. April 28 on CBC — as hockey fans would want it. The production makes its American debut the following week, May 4 at 9 p.m., on the Hallmark Channel.<br />
In case you were wondering, the film did not take advantage of Michigan's film incentives. It was shot in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, according to Internet Movie Database.<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CXIwF_IBbEQ" target="_blank"><i>Watch the trailer for "Mr. Hockey" here</i></a>Paul Kampehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08081907921299622547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162337695534628860.post-73014387838441109082013-04-21T20:37:00.002-04:002013-04-21T20:40:00.067-04:00Big Papi's patriotic explicative better than typical sports trash talk In an emotional speech, Boston's David Ortiz thanks law enforcement and legislators for their efforts in the Boston Marathon bombing aftermath. He ended by riling the crowd by saying <a href="http://youtu.be/XUQUFm2icyQ?t=48s" target="_blank">"This is our (bleeping) city."</a> (link NSFW)<br />
The <a href="http://deadspin.com/fcc-chairman-is-on-board-with-david-ortizs-f-bomb-476655865?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_twitter&utm_source=deadspin_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow" target="_blank">Federal Communication Commission, which reportedly has no jurisdiction over the regional cable network NESN</a> (and other cable networks), which carried the speech, <a href="https://twitter.com/FCC/statuses/325714412143013888" target="_blank">applauded Papi's sentiment.</a> ESPN and others censored the explicative on subsequent replays. <br />
Surely there are few who would object to Ortiz's exclamation, but the question remains: How much swearing are sports viewers exposed to on a regular basis? There are literally microphones everywhere and there's only so much a seven-second delay can catch — which are typically utilized only for large national broadcasts. <br />
It seems like basketball games in particular are a hotbed for salty language, because of the players' proximity to a live microphone. Add to that the less-than-stellar crowds at The Palace and you've got yourself explicit language over the airwaves.<br />
I'm not condemning bad language in sports broadcasts, but haven't we heard much worse than the message from Big Papi? Paul Kampehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08081907921299622547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162337695534628860.post-83941222521982790522013-04-18T20:32:00.002-04:002013-04-18T20:33:10.736-04:00ESPN attempts to appease media critics with new sourcing policy <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsr6LcOyfxMjSSzzUy89QWM3sDp5N3R4Knfu_21RxQPEddou2WVhYwtHgoC1cfInfHK3NTlXqkOXZ8i8jAGkuwJSp6MKPW32gwRm3pBPnGQJkBOszepZ0A4aO8hl-EXhHmrhCnOFRyzgdK/s1600/800px-ESPN_wordmark.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="98" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsr6LcOyfxMjSSzzUy89QWM3sDp5N3R4Knfu_21RxQPEddou2WVhYwtHgoC1cfInfHK3NTlXqkOXZ8i8jAGkuwJSp6MKPW32gwRm3pBPnGQJkBOszepZ0A4aO8hl-EXhHmrhCnOFRyzgdK/s400/800px-ESPN_wordmark.svg.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sources: ESPN gained a conscience about ethics</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Many casual viewers may not know or even care that <a href="http://deadspin.com/reports-espn-cleans-up-its-bizarre-sourcing-policy-474949386" target="_blank">ESPN has been accused of plagiarizing</a> on numerous occasions. In an even more fast-paced sports news cycle than the one it helped create, the <a href="http://frontrow.espn.go.com/2013/04/espns-attribution-process-for-television/#more-53358" target="_blank">four-letter network is trying to massage its image with a new sourcing policy. </a><br />
You may have noticed in the "Bottom Line" screen crawl the vague <a href="http://www.awfulannouncing.com/2013/april/espn-unveils-reporting-policy-for-television.html" target="_blank">"media reports" or the equally elusive "source."</a> The system is getting a bit more precise. <br />
The guidelines seem like common sense — don't take credit for something you didn't do — but beg the question: What took so long? This is the same thing mainstream media has been doing for several years.<br />
<i>"In the current environment of blogs and Twitter, it is often
difficult to know definitively who was first to report a story, but it
is still important to acknowledge how we initially became aware of that
news. So, with a few exceptions, scripts and BottomLine entries will
state the news was 'earlier reported by' or 'previously reported by,'
rather than 'first reported by,' that ESPN reporter or outside entity.
It will be at the discretion of the news desk to determine when and for
how long a story warrants this treatment on television."</i><br />
ESPN was first to report Lawrence Frank's firing Thursday afternoon. The Oakland Press and other media outlets credited them as such whether through re-tweets or written accreditation. <br />
It's not difficult to give credit to other news orgs, whether it be through re-tweeting, "hat tips" (h/t) or "courtesy of" (c/o), or even using "via." A good policy is mentioning the actual source, whether it's a competitor or not, and a good, old-fashioned hyperlink.<br />
That wasn't so hard, so what took "The Worldwide Leader" so long to get on board with journalism ethics? Might it have something to do with the fact their network's acronym puts the word "entertainment" before "sports?"Paul Kampehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08081907921299622547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162337695534628860.post-36361529985011408162013-03-27T20:05:00.000-04:002013-03-27T20:10:41.710-04:00Former Michigan RB Vincent Smith selling off shares of Jadeveon Clowney hit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7DwDUwRMeFaq-lGm0hhIV8PZ2glriYeY90QLNioMy8Aq6P4FvywwusMX8Wo8UAoGyqzGqtaxbSupMedZkOaDGm6SOmmQwqSOh6Bn_iXILOoYjn9tHeoXCcIsGEsPAKpr4IyynAJx3IpBE/s1600/SC_notebook.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7DwDUwRMeFaq-lGm0hhIV8PZ2glriYeY90QLNioMy8Aq6P4FvywwusMX8Wo8UAoGyqzGqtaxbSupMedZkOaDGm6SOmmQwqSOh6Bn_iXILOoYjn9tHeoXCcIsGEsPAKpr4IyynAJx3IpBE/s400/SC_notebook.png" width="308" /></a></div>
Months before Brandon Knight was getting posterized and unfairly criticized, it was Michigan running back Vincent Smith who made headlines simply for being on the wrong end of a spectacular play. <br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC44nP7ClxM" target="_blank">Smith infamously had his helmet popped off when he was hit by the unblocked freight train manned by South Carolina's Jadeveon Clowney</a>. Like Knight's forgettable moment, and pretty much every outstanding play these days, the Clowney hit quickly made the social media rounds. <br />
Nearly three months later, the Clowney hit recently became a 38-time "Best of the Best" champion on ESPN. The clip has another three million views on ESPN's YouTube channel. And recently, it was learned the still image of the hit will grace the cover of SC's spring football media guide (above). <br />
At least Smith has a sense of humor about it, similar to the route chosen by Knight — <a href="http://www.sportsgrid.com/ncaa-football/jadeveon-clowney-hit-vincent-smith-autograph/" target="_blank">Smith reportedly signed copies of the photo</a> at a recent autograph session — for a reported $60! If that isn't owning up to a situation ... <br />
As quickly as Internet memes and heavily-circulated GIF images and videos took off, so to it seems has the ability for redemption if handled properly. Paul Kampehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08081907921299622547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162337695534628860.post-751096028965047122013-03-11T20:21:00.000-04:002013-03-11T20:22:57.359-04:00Pistons' Brandon Knight now famous for the wrong reasons <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdjyvUP2WyeLrhWHO8m34okEjPtgKavtLO3YbyYKo-Pwin5OTOKp-pW1kfFlhr3hTha5shXNP0OXghYSb7txFqJPpqCAhk1mrQFI-k9S_PieYrGkSKYcClwNkk6FxSoqdM4iqD_6hdXyKK/s1600/Pistons+Clippers+Bask_Kamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdjyvUP2WyeLrhWHO8m34okEjPtgKavtLO3YbyYKo-Pwin5OTOKp-pW1kfFlhr3hTha5shXNP0OXghYSb7txFqJPpqCAhk1mrQFI-k9S_PieYrGkSKYcClwNkk6FxSoqdM4iqD_6hdXyKK/s640/Pistons+Clippers+Bask_Kamp.jpg" width="450" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#RIPBrandonKnight</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The notoriety that comes with being "posterized" on the wrong end of a vicious dunk now extends well into the social media realm. Not only did the Pistons' Brandon Knight get mentioned almost as much as his aggressor DeAndre Jordan Sunday night, his name spawned the <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23RIPBrandonKnight&src=typd" target="_blank">#RIPBrandonKnight</a> hashtag, which quickly became a trending topic.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1_rKW3HL9GE" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
One cunning web user leaped to update <a href="http://www.awfulannouncing.com/2013/march/video-deandre-jordan-posterizes-brandon-knight-creates.html" target="_blank">Knight's Wikipedia page to say Knight had been killed by Jordan's dunk,</a> according to Awful Announcing. <br />
It was all good for a laugh in the Sunday night sports wrapup shows, also. Monday, Knight had some fun with it, too: <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
It wasn't in the scouting reports that the clippers threw lobs lol<br />
— Brandon E Knight (@BrandonKnight07) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrandonKnight07/status/311001874239221760">March 11, 2013</a></blockquote>
As expected, Knight didn't use the tag agreed upon by the web community at large, but it was good to see him have some fun at his own expense.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">UPDATE</span>: Those <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/wp/2013/03/08/why-the-wizards-moved-steve-buckhantz-off-the-floor/" target="_blank">VIP seats created at NBA arenas at the teams' broadcasters' expense</a> I mentioned a couple weeks ago are worth a cool million for the Wizards this season, recent reports revealed. <br />
Long-time Pistons play-by-play voice and class act George Blaha, apparently <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholm_syndrome" target="_blank">suffering from Stockholm Syndrome</a>, said of his poor sight lines at the Verizon Center:<br />
<i>“Washington had great seats,” Blaha told The Washington Post.
“It was one of the best places to call a game. And if you were down on
the court and you missed that (Ariza) call, shame on you. But hey, I
thought it was in, too. It’s our job to get it right no matter where we
sit.”</i><br />
Blaha also praised Washington's media relations Wizards:<br />
<i>"If you didn’t have the best statisticians in the league and a great
media relations group, it would be extremely difficult. They make it as
easy as possible. But you really have a problem with depth perception
there.”</i><br />
The WaPo entry suggests the premium seating isn't going anywhere, but I still feel if a broadcaster is paying for the rights to carry a team's games, they should be picking their seats, but that's just me. <br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Paul Kampehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08081907921299622547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162337695534628860.post-69009055077350288682013-02-28T13:16:00.002-05:002013-02-28T13:25:06.151-05:00Both teams' announcers blow call at end of Pistons-Wizards gameThe fine folks at Awful Announcing, who, if you're interested in this post then I would recommend you follow them, have pointed out that the <a href="http://www.awfulannouncing.com/2013/february/wizards-announcer-calls-game-ending-airball-as-game-winner.html" target="_blank">home and visiting broadcasts BOTH incorrectly called a last-second 3-point attempt as the game-winner</a> for the Wizards Wednesday night. <br />
The <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SnUy3pz3U0w" target="_blank">Wizards' broadcast team appears to be the loser, shouting "Dagger!"</a> after the ball grazed the net. (Watching at the gym without sound, I also thought the shot was good.) <br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/J1FYMHmUauI" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
Meanwhile, on the Pistons' broadcast, George Blaha said the shot was no good, but reasoned that it had been released after the buzzer. After replays disproved his assertion, Blaha points out the broadcast "booth" is actually in the rafters of the arena. <br />
Awful announcing substantiates Blaha's excuse, reporting Washington's Verizon Center is one of just two NBA arena's which relegate TV broadcasters to the upper bowl of the stadium. Paul Kampehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08081907921299622547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162337695534628860.post-11462500647152031322013-02-27T15:29:00.000-05:002013-02-27T15:40:10.508-05:00MLB enters 21st century, makes classic highlights available onlineYou may have noticed it can be quite difficult to find your favorite MLB highlights on YouTube. Recently, though, it seems the league, which typically does a good job of sharing recent highlights, has <a href="http://mlb.mlb.com/search/media.jsp?mlbtax_key=classic&start=1&trackVal=First&hitsPerPage=12&hitsPerSite=10&c_id=mlb" target="_blank">uploaded a significant cache of classic highlights to it's website, mlb.com.</a><br />
The move is a departure from MLB's draconian measures of holding its copyrighted material hostage and includes such Tigers highlights as:<br />
Cecil Fielder's 1993 roof shot at Tiger Stadium (There's also the 1991 home run when <a href="http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=20085397&topic_id=&c_id=mlb&tcid=vpp_copy_20085397&v=3" target="_blank">Fielder hit it all the way out of Milwaukee's County Stadium</a>)<iframe frameborder="0" height="224" src="http://mlb.mlb.com/shared/video/embed/embed.html?content_id=25607047&width=400&height=224&property=mlb" width="400">Your browser does not support iframes.</iframe><br />
A much younger and skinnier Miguel Cabrera puts the Florida Marlins ahead in Game 7 of the 2003 NLCS against the Cubs<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="224" src="http://mlb.mlb.com/shared/video/embed/embed.html?content_id=25399787&width=400&height=224&property=mlb" width="400">Your browser does not support iframes.</iframe><br />
<br />
A two-HR inning from Magglio Ordonez in 2007 <br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="224" src="http://mlb.mlb.com/shared/video/embed/embed.html?content_id=21859073&width=400&height=224&property=mlb" width="400">Your browser does not support iframes.</iframe><br />
Other Tigers moments include stellar defensive plays from Lou Whitaker and Brandon Inge, as well as the day Carlos Guillen hit for the cycle. <br />
You could spend hours locked away in this vault of treasures. It also includes some of Bo Jackson's finest plays, enough Barry Bonds clips to satisfy even Barry Bonds himself, and even a scuffle or two. Paul Kampehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08081907921299622547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162337695534628860.post-3208521257165442122013-02-26T20:01:00.000-05:002013-02-26T20:01:06.253-05:00U-M clarifies which block 'M' it wants media to use <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVU1zTNniDd6kuXntdt2xUI6uC4kVAwwVGtU4_qB3xkHFzLMaS1VcFeUUxnpzwSuHZkrVGiPH6oVTmyJkaVcfQ7s1l8eA2379fhuhhSn9FB0HOeaVxtVXkZSTMoSWWWODrvQyG4_hPq5OQ/s1600/U-M+logos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVU1zTNniDd6kuXntdt2xUI6uC4kVAwwVGtU4_qB3xkHFzLMaS1VcFeUUxnpzwSuHZkrVGiPH6oVTmyJkaVcfQ7s1l8eA2379fhuhhSn9FB0HOeaVxtVXkZSTMoSWWWODrvQyG4_hPq5OQ/s640/U-M+logos.jpg" width="472" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">U-M issued the following notice to the media </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As many alternate uniforms as Michigan's football and basketball teams wear these days, there's at least as many iterations of the famous block "M" floating around. <br />
At The Oakland Press, we recently received a politely-crafted letter from U-M Public & Media Relations requesting we use just the two latest versions of the famed insignia. The notice also asks that "we," assuming this is a standard letter sent to all local media, remove any of the offending versions from our archives.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3kqmC3bvL-seWdSn-o58dYMIU9JJjvBoQsL79AxkaHA_uKMInmXntZiAm14QsBHYlR_JTO82PWBy_-vyam4coxwmjeQyTNOkqjwkfI0RkXAwCqvW0OPKcLhn8YnyZGpxQ1YLCTqt1eRcG/s1600/7501_michigan_wolverines-primary-2012.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3kqmC3bvL-seWdSn-o58dYMIU9JJjvBoQsL79AxkaHA_uKMInmXntZiAm14QsBHYlR_JTO82PWBy_-vyam4coxwmjeQyTNOkqjwkfI0RkXAwCqvW0OPKcLhn8YnyZGpxQ1YLCTqt1eRcG/s200/7501_michigan_wolverines-primary-2012.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not a "blocked "M"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"One of the goals of the athletic department is to create brand consistency by clearly defining and limiting versions of the block M that so distinctly represent our institution." <br />
That's an interesting justification coming on the heels of the ever-changing uniforms that have found their way into the Wolverines' locker rooms of late. <br />
We try to use the latest versions on logos, but it's strange a program which is constantly changing it's look is insisting media stick to two of its logos. <br />
For a quick <a href="http://www.sportslogos.net/logos/list_by_team/750/Michigan_Wolverines/" target="_blank">history of the evolving block "M" and other University of Michigan logos</a> from the past, visit SportsLogos.net.Paul Kampehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08081907921299622547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162337695534628860.post-57211816043067124582013-02-25T17:00:00.001-05:002013-02-25T17:00:04.806-05:00YouTube videos of NASCAR crash at Daytona raise ownership issue <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgduniJ39Iw1FSUxWyAJeZm_S0mbt3IazkC-5UmjFjb3SY2mGj8pVTw67ks0hQbLkiTBC2XX8GgXFJcEHAGlmsIHOmSuxnc12wSKo7TAUiAlRcQnstpPPeDKd_rOlXqTUzer9bdAZDTBsOq/s1600/APTOPIX+NASCAR+Dayton_Kamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgduniJ39Iw1FSUxWyAJeZm_S0mbt3IazkC-5UmjFjb3SY2mGj8pVTw67ks0hQbLkiTBC2XX8GgXFJcEHAGlmsIHOmSuxnc12wSKo7TAUiAlRcQnstpPPeDKd_rOlXqTUzer9bdAZDTBsOq/s400/APTOPIX+NASCAR+Dayton_Kamp.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NASCAR: Nothing to see here</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Do you ever look at the back of your ticket stub or take a minute to consider broadcast rights before posting photos and/or video from a game you've attended?<br />
<a href="http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/als-morning-meeting/205225/daytona-crash-video-tests-fair-use-copyright-for-fans-and-journalists/" target="_blank">NASCAR, to much scrutiny by media types</a>, flagged a popular video of Saturday's crash at the end of the Nationwide Series race for copyright infringement, to which YouTube initially obliged, but later rebuked. <a href="http://www.awfulannouncing.com/2013/february/nascar-vs-youtube-video-site-sides-with-spectators.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter" target="_blank">NASCAR had been claiming the video constituted copyright infringement</a>, but later said the move was made in attempt to protect the victims in the horrific crash. The merit of the complaint remains in debate, but begs the question — Where does a fan's ownership over photos and videos end?<br />
Does a fan surrender its rights to any media the second a ticket is purchased? Where do you draw the line?<br />
Professional leagues scramble to protect their lucrative broadcasting deals, ignoring the fact that most fans wouldn't record an entire game from the stands even if they could legally do so.<br />
It's clear the <a href="http://youtu.be/wVW65Tyji_s" target="_blank">Daytona video that drew NASCAR's ire</a> isn't meant to be a reproduction of that day's broadcast. The impromptu video and subsequent coarse language add a human element to a tragic event. <br />
It's also evident <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/news/20130225/media-circus-ed-reed-fox-sports/?sct=hp_wr_a3&eref=sihp" target="_blank">Fox was eager to avoid the Daytona crash</a>, instead moving on to planned pre-race "coverage" Sunday afternoon. <br />
It seems the Google-owned video platform made the right call this time and could serve as precedent in the future of fan-generated media during times of crisis. Paul Kampehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08081907921299622547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162337695534628860.post-33167693057427488402013-02-24T18:26:00.002-05:002013-02-24T18:26:57.855-05:00After due diligence, Associated Press issues correction for Manti Te'o story <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWr3ACouGrePNMHEaLxwilhPlTUKF0FvtsMRXLgtv4FSJuuhttzYkz1y48fGUUsRtex0xOuC0uUSh6APQVlOSXl6wBZ4R0tI-9PmNZN4q4dsgSTeWDZ8UWIAESl5KdsUp8KhfofDXiR0ao/s1600/d0117mt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWr3ACouGrePNMHEaLxwilhPlTUKF0FvtsMRXLgtv4FSJuuhttzYkz1y48fGUUsRtex0xOuC0uUSh6APQVlOSXl6wBZ4R0tI-9PmNZN4q4dsgSTeWDZ8UWIAESl5KdsUp8KhfofDXiR0ao/s400/d0117mt.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
A few weeks back, Feb. 11 actually, the ever-prudent <a href="http://collegefootball.ap.org/article/correction-references-manti-teos-girlfriend" target="_blank">Associated Press took the corrective measure to retract any references to the death of Manti Te'o's girlfriend</a> in any of its stories which were published by various news outlets prior to Deadspin's revelation that there really was no girlfriend whatsoever.<br />
<a href="http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2013/02/12/sports/college/doc511aac61ece80732699393.txt" target="_blank">We ran the correction</a> on TheOaklandPress.com and associated stories, but it's not likely many organizations bothered to go through the steps to right the fable several many weeks after the revelation was pulled from the murky depths of humanity, like a catfish.<br />
The correction read:<br />
<blockquote>
"In a Sept. 15, 2012, story about Notre Dame’s college
football victory over Michigan State that highlighted linebacker Manti
Te’o's performance, The Associated Press erroneously reported that he
played in the game a few days after the death of his girlfriend, who had
a long battle with leukemia. Other AP stories through Jan. 3, 2013,
also contained references to the girlfriend’s death, including some
directly quoting Te’o and his father, Brian Te’o, about how he played
through personal grief. On Jan. 16, Notre Dame officials and Manti Te’o
said there was never a girlfriend or a death, and that Te’o was
victimized in a hoax. Others have since come forward to say Te’o was
duped in a series of phone calls and online messages purporting to be
from a girl he never met in person."</blockquote>
Director of media relations Paul Colford told media watchdog Poynter the <a href="http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/regret-the-error/203803/ap-issues-correction-for-stories-citing-manti-teos-fake-girlfriend/" target="_blank">AP issued the Te'o reversal</a> basically because it felt a need to hold the Te'o story to the same standards of any other story:<br />
“Of course, almost everyone already knew the T’eo story was false, but
we feel an obligation to carry formal correctives in any case," he told Poynter.<br />
And just when you thought we had moved on from the Manti Te'o girlfriend hoax, <a href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/draft2013/story/_/id/8977883/manti-teo-faces-nfl-combine-media-horde-pretty-crazy" target="_blank">Te'o answered questions about the scandal from hordes of media at the NFL Combine. </a>Even if Te'o wins a Super Bowl championship or enters the Pro Football Hall of Fame, we'll always remember his girlfriend that never existed. <br />
<br />Paul Kampehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08081907921299622547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162337695534628860.post-59245090065111760282013-02-24T17:56:00.001-05:002013-02-24T17:56:35.767-05:00Possible 2014 NHL Winter Classic jerseys arrive before official announcement <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQyqmACsbL4jy7BJuGzE0ZFjCMe13NcNDkjVu8rlKsWGcrYn1cJuHZdoGT-aqfrEUhevhk2XJgO3763_Ksahz5t_ILVYL6eiSH61LMYyQCxzHBT0aycyId_KkeEJDctUuJyCIUOAa-_ebx/s1600/570x375x2013-Leafs-Red-Wings-Winter-Classic-Jerseys.jpg.pagespeed.ic.j02RnVF9mY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQyqmACsbL4jy7BJuGzE0ZFjCMe13NcNDkjVu8rlKsWGcrYn1cJuHZdoGT-aqfrEUhevhk2XJgO3763_Ksahz5t_ILVYL6eiSH61LMYyQCxzHBT0aycyId_KkeEJDctUuJyCIUOAa-_ebx/s320/570x375x2013-Leafs-Red-Wings-Winter-Classic-Jerseys.jpg.pagespeed.ic.j02RnVF9mY.jpg" width="320" /></a>Despite the fact the <a href="http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/8968729/report-toronto-maple-leafs-detroit-red-wings-set-2014-winter-classic-michigan-wolverines-football-stadium" target="_blank">NHL has yet to officially announce the 2014 Winter Classic will again be rewarded to the Detroit Red Wings</a> and the University of Michigan as a makeup gift for the lockout shortened 2012-13 season, the unused uniforms from the game may have already made their online debut.<br />
SportsLogos.net, one of my favorite websites as a media savant, reported online auctioneer <a href="http://news.sportslogos.net/2013/02/22/red-vs-blue-at-winter-classic-leafs-wings-jerseys-spotted/" target="_blank">Ebay may have possibly erred (or not) in putting the suspected Winter Classic uniforms</a> up for sale. <br />
It is interesting neither jersey appears to have a special event patch marking the game, but it seemed clear well before the date that the event wouldn't be taking place.<br />
Both jerseys seem to encapsulate each teams' heritage without being gaudy like today's collegiate alternates.<br />
It's hard to believe they would scrap this concept completely and begin again from scratch for next year's uniforms, but it is, after all, the NHL at work. Paul Kampehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08081907921299622547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162337695534628860.post-31587759304250438692013-01-20T14:42:00.000-05:002013-01-20T14:46:51.610-05:00'Saturday Night Live' mocks media in 'Hunger Games' press conferenceWith all the pageantry and <a href="http://tvfury.wordpress.com/2012/04/02/the-hunger-games-full-of-symbolism/" target="_blank">parallelism between the "Hunger Games" to the modern Olympics</a> in the recent film of the same name, the writers of NBC's "Saturday Night Live," fresh off hiatus, took the next step and followed up with the postgame press conference. The media was portrayed in a stereotypical, but hilarious nature. Watch below:<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="288" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" scrolling="no" src="http://www.hulu.com/embed.html?eid=_qdf6njk6a5_mpnfwsqrda" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="512"></iframe>,/p><br />
<br />
The concept of going beyond the Games into the follow-up questions is pretty funny and was executed well by the writers and, SNL actors and even show host Jennifer Lawrence, who played the role of Everdeen in the film. It was surprising how far the show went in mocking <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1951264/" target="_blank">the film, which has a sequel upcoming,</a> in using its protagonist. <br />
The recent talk of the use of performance-enhancing drugs was brought up in the Games press conference. At one point, the main character, Katniss Everdeen, is asked if she used PEDs, which she denied, while her co-winner and believed love interest was asked if he was taking "performance-reducing" drugs.<br />
Everdeen and her co-winner were asked to discuss specific moments in the Games, such as using a hive of wasps to kill one of her rivals, and other moments which may have been turning points.<br />
There's always questions left unanswered at the end of films, but thanks to "Saturday Night Live," a few inquiries stemming from the wildly successful "Hunger Games" film may have been addressed. Paul Kampehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08081907921299622547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162337695534628860.post-88720729211676484132013-01-17T15:30:00.003-05:002013-01-17T15:31:41.200-05:00Crazy sports stories lead to excellent front pages I don't get around to this blog too often during college hoops season,
but I've been saving some of my favorite front pages in recent weeks to
share: <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuyW9eGovwri8Ql0Moi42yZGqQjihHIrtE9Ja365Qhjwla2NdiTwrc8FJzvvU2FpclQDipoUBJ7-B9dVW0q21MVSia-femzxakld_vgLznIU-mcQ1xmRPsLnjvXNYoLYH8ptsiy5Q1bHlP/s1600/130110HallFameNewYorkTimes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuyW9eGovwri8Ql0Moi42yZGqQjihHIrtE9Ja365Qhjwla2NdiTwrc8FJzvvU2FpclQDipoUBJ7-B9dVW0q21MVSia-femzxakld_vgLznIU-mcQ1xmRPsLnjvXNYoLYH8ptsiy5Q1bHlP/s320/130110HallFameNewYorkTimes.jpg" width="174" /></a> First, there was the New York Times making terriffic use of artistic white space with the Baseball Writers of America failed to elect a single candidate to the Baseball Hall of Fame.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVrLN48rIaCbFeKV5ZaBth6BEVzZVFD75VyWrrgqiu9rQUb-0MoweAA6O9VsZXqY6BqRxRM_ucTGOOQv9gv1NqxpqWBMYerGr3KLHcC53-02GIaaI_sUR7eS-ezyxNH-4w93GvMtyGuvVr/s1600/NY_NYP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVrLN48rIaCbFeKV5ZaBth6BEVzZVFD75VyWrrgqiu9rQUb-0MoweAA6O9VsZXqY6BqRxRM_ucTGOOQv9gv1NqxpqWBMYerGr3KLHcC53-02GIaaI_sUR7eS-ezyxNH-4w93GvMtyGuvVr/s320/NY_NYP.jpg" width="295" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMfk9DlrJxugGAiOjPIro7GW2H3bK-q6d62nWqISm0xjc0-hYaEKBy470EreSs9nQoURNPCP1AfZMolgNDlAm0M1iyspqkHN089K05r5UcMjiNP-Zv5cHkbeUbA_TW_V74R2sIAVdOz8sI/s1600/BAz4n57CAAEFdx0.jpg_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMfk9DlrJxugGAiOjPIro7GW2H3bK-q6d62nWqISm0xjc0-hYaEKBy470EreSs9nQoURNPCP1AfZMolgNDlAm0M1iyspqkHN089K05r5UcMjiNP-Zv5cHkbeUbA_TW_V74R2sIAVdOz8sI/s320/BAz4n57CAAEFdx0.jpg_large.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
And the New York Post, which routinely has sensational, but accurate and very clever, headlines. NY Post leaned on its graphics department to crucify Lance Armstrong. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
And finally, the Chicago Sun Times has the best headline I've read thus far regarding the Manti Te'o "Catfish" girlfriend hoax.<br />
I spent several minutes trying to create a headline that merged Notre Dame, "Catfish" and Manti Te'o, to no avail. The Times' copy editors did one better. Paul Kampehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08081907921299622547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162337695534628860.post-49211727966852521592012-11-20T15:57:00.003-05:002012-11-20T21:38:02.176-05:00Red Wings games offered up for 'Hockey Night In Canada' classic<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZV6GXwAisj1420LLE0trElz3gJtD4YCtfH9ZjI0OPkA0WH1DZ1yOllmsslU7ONkjmqhNIJWL1jaAMmfaxlsYDq66OAsVim_yG4q5fCWwFrUIuOWSIoL5gTVporgKRzY1Oy6TFAtQmIDkU/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-11-20+at+4.03.57+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZV6GXwAisj1420LLE0trElz3gJtD4YCtfH9ZjI0OPkA0WH1DZ1yOllmsslU7ONkjmqhNIJWL1jaAMmfaxlsYDq66OAsVim_yG4q5fCWwFrUIuOWSIoL5gTVporgKRzY1Oy6TFAtQmIDkU/s320/Screen+shot+2012-11-20+at+4.03.57+PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The agony of early-90s Red Wings playoff defeat</td></tr></tbody></table>New NHL games might be absent from your regular fall viewing lineup, but Fox Sports Detroit and CBC are keeping Red Wings fans happy while living in the past during the NHL lockout.<br />
In particular, though, <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockeynightincanada/yourpick/" target="_blank">CBC has been re-airing "Hockey Night in Canada" classics, voted on by fans </a>via its website and Facebook pages.<br />
This weekend's (Nov. 24) HNIC broadcast featured two classic Red Wings games to choose from.<br />
Most notably, the Red Wings' 11-1 win in December 1995 in which they scored nine goals on Patrick Roy in the game's first two periods. That would be <a href="http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=145407" target="_blank">Roy's last game in Montreal, as he insisted the Habs </a>coach, with whom Roy had a strained relationship, had left him net despite his obvious struggles that night, in order to humiliate Roy. <br />
The other Red Wings option is not quite as notable around these parts and doesn't serve as much consolation for the absence of the Winter Classic — Detroit's May 1, 1993 overtime playoff elimination at the hands off the Toronto Maple Leafs. This was just another link in the chain of early 90s playoff futility for the Red Wings. <br />
Likely, long forgotten by fans in these parts, the game was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1993_Stanley_Cup_playoffs" target="_blank">the Leafs' first playoff series victory over the Red Wings in nearly 30 years.</a> Toronto then survived a seven-games series with the St. Louis Blues before falling to the Wayne Gretzky-led Los Angeles Kings in a seven-game conference final. That series' Game 6, not Game 7, was another choice for this week's HNIC classic for its <a href="http://youtu.be/N51jmflc5Io" target="_blank">infamous no-call on the Great One</a>, which has been called the most controversial play in Leafs history.<br />
The voting has closed and the winner has yet to be announced, <a href="http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/detroit/index.ssf/2012/11/cbc_hockey_night_in_canada_all.html#incart_river_default" target="_blank">but MLive noted early voting favored a 1984 Quebec Nordiques (remember them?)-Montreal Canadiens matchup. </a><br />
The Red Wings options had far fewer votes, however. So, thanks to YouTube, I'll share some of what you're likely missing on CBC this weekend. As I previously noted,<a href="http://theopbackpage.blogspot.com/2011/11/hockey-night-significant-casualty-of.html" target="_blank"> I'll also be missing CBC, permanently, due to my evolving philosophy on television viewing. </a><br />
So, without further ado, here is that infamous 11-goal outburst that led to Patrick Roy's trade to the Colorado Avalanche:<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/AWKHFq62iEo" width="420"></iframe><br />
<br />
And that time the underdog Maple Leafs ousted the Red Wings in the first round of the 1993 playoffs: <br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ruGGgZYDeCk" width="420"></iframe>Paul Kampehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08081907921299622547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162337695534628860.post-72678408675550000122012-10-29T16:11:00.003-04:002012-10-29T16:11:50.088-04:00How I kept busy while the Tigers were getting swept in the World Series <p><script src="http://storify.com/paulkampe/fun-with-fox-s-world-series-coverage.js"></script><noscript>[<a href="http://storify.com/paulkampe/fun-with-fox-s-world-series-coverage" target="_blank">View the story "Fun with Fox's World Series coverage " on Storify</a>]</noscript></p>Paul Kampehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08081907921299622547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162337695534628860.post-60140032741932240392012-10-28T22:15:00.002-04:002012-10-28T22:15:39.532-04:00News orgs tripping over themselves to RIP athletes <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHThpDaX3yrSzCZfAQF6CCg2ld3O0ExnAUEvscL1F59tAGPZw1avrOKxJdM9FKVwwZuJ6VJ3IA2VFgdYCLdlYHN-N2MnGqo7VbglgdWlzeFqUaK4v4bV-sPZ70SGa2WhWfQ_A1p0VRjyxO/s1600/Emanuel+Steward+Gym+B_Kamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHThpDaX3yrSzCZfAQF6CCg2ld3O0ExnAUEvscL1F59tAGPZw1avrOKxJdM9FKVwwZuJ6VJ3IA2VFgdYCLdlYHN-N2MnGqo7VbglgdWlzeFqUaK4v4bV-sPZ70SGa2WhWfQ_A1p0VRjyxO/s320/Emanuel+Steward+Gym+B_Kamp.jpg" width="320" /></a>I'm all for breaking news. I've probably even done it a few times in my career. But I'm struggling to understand media's obsession with being the first to announce someone's death.<br />
Last week, we knew <a href="http://deadlinedetroit.com/articles/2405/back-and-forth_reports_on_emanuel_steward_show_web-speed_coverage_is_slippery" target="_blank">renowned boxing trainer Emanuel Steward was not in good health.</a> And then, just as had been done weeks prior when Lions legend Alex Karras passed away — someone jumped the gun.<br />
But in Steward's case, the family chided the media, the Detroit News and Free Press in particular.<br />
Deadline Detroit details the sordid process of how the News' headline came to be as well as others in the Detroit media who slipped. In the News' case, a pre-written obit, common practice, was posted to their site despite the author's words of warning via email. <br />
Former Steward student Lennox Lewis did have a good point, according to DD, that the family could have taken to social media to refute the claims. That seems to be the defense method du jour. It shouldn't have to come to that, but when moves at lightning speed, just like auto feed errors, expect more of the same. Paul Kampehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08081907921299622547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162337695534628860.post-74920924081728463042012-10-28T21:57:00.002-04:002012-10-28T21:57:39.558-04:00Automatic news feeds: When the 'shit' hits the fanIt may go unnoticed by many readers, but certain "news" sites are maintained and updated by automatic feeds. Their social media accounts, too. That's why I was less than surprised to learn several prominent sites Saturday ran a headline with an explicative.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKRZ7dBQlz40I_Rwx7VRjyRLf4f6aclrx5zU7zd_bQ1TQMwP7P6KL0j3kZpKLqqYU-csPP7XHfd3WY1WrR9q4RYuiIPmCbvpx_eiFqcjIASHUeihGFejX608hYG943b7W_UoTjJ6ami3s/s1600/APTOPIX+World+Series+_Kamp(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKRZ7dBQlz40I_Rwx7VRjyRLf4f6aclrx5zU7zd_bQ1TQMwP7P6KL0j3kZpKLqqYU-csPP7XHfd3WY1WrR9q4RYuiIPmCbvpx_eiFqcjIASHUeihGFejX608hYG943b7W_UoTjJ6ami3s/s320/APTOPIX+World+Series+_Kamp(1).jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://deadspin.com/5955468/?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_twitter&utm_source=deadspin_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow" target="_blank">"World Series 'shits' to Detroit" </a><br />
Spotted and rightfully derided by Deadspin, it reportedly took the sites a while to realize what they had inadvertently done by trusting a machine with little oversight to do a cerebral task like headline writing.<br />
When stories come off "the wire," (The Oakland Press subscribes to The Associated Press, but gets much content from partner newspapers), the content comes with a suggested headline. The headlines are traditionally rewritten for print because they have to be. That's not the case with websites.<br />
And just to clarify, no, we don't "employ" the use of automatic feeds to update our website and/or social media. <br />
Deadspin notes <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=shits%20to%20detroit&src=typd" target="_blank">several Twitter users had fun at these sites' expense.</a> <br />
And while computers and search engines might be good at analytics and search-engine optimization, you can't put a price on the human element. It's like the opposite of the "Replay in MLB" argument.<br />
In short, these offending "Snooze" organizations got what they deserved. Expect more of the same in the years to come. Paul Kampehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08081907921299622547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162337695534628860.post-13455729393844551912012-10-01T20:14:00.001-04:002012-10-01T20:14:22.196-04:00'Biased' Tigers broadcast highest-rated in the MLB<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX5GbKs-jWFRBP0I8gou835xL7EeOTjjlQttg4XHQ6KUp1TkP18O5ufAcvFRd6u39GxOMcmoyNfdJZKqV7fDOcK66-gxY19LUpznv5G-Y9NYNoEJf3nSZaAVkNKFjH1SClOIPKMdDCTVMS/s1600/Tigers+Twins+Baseball_Kamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX5GbKs-jWFRBP0I8gou835xL7EeOTjjlQttg4XHQ6KUp1TkP18O5ufAcvFRd6u39GxOMcmoyNfdJZKqV7fDOcK66-gxY19LUpznv5G-Y9NYNoEJf3nSZaAVkNKFjH1SClOIPKMdDCTVMS/s320/Tigers+Twins+Baseball_Kamp.jpg" width="249" /></a>If you've ever strayed to an out-of-town Tigers broadcast, especially the Chicago White Sox's duo, you know there's a bit of "homerism" plaguing telecasts.<br />
Last week, <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444180004578016652376246198.html" target="_blank">Wall Street Journal made it official, publishing the "Announcer Bias Index." </a><br />
The Chicago team uttered more than 100 instances of bias, which is described as using "we," "us" or "our," using a player's nickname or outwardly rooting for their team during the length of a game broadcast. The report did not specify which games in particular were monitored and it appears the review examines strictly game play-by-play and color commentary.<br />
Fox Sports Detroit's tandem of Emmy Award winner Mario Impemba and Rod Allen were recorded making seven such first-person statements.<br />
It was noted the Tigers' announcers referred to backup catcher Gerald Laird as "G-Money" during their time under the microscope.<br />
Allen told WSJ:<br />
"It's important that when you can, you put a positive spin on the things that are going on."<br />
Impemba and Allen ranked in the middle of the pack, while a handful of broadcasts remained completely impartial. <br />
The study also found big city broadcast teams tended to straddle the fence better than their small-market brethren. <br />
Whether it's the division title race, the MVP race or the chance to see baseball's first Triple Crown in some 40 years, the <a href="http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20121001/SPORTS0104/210010416" target="_blank">Tigers' broadcast is on pace to be MLB's best-watched</a>, according to SportsBusiness Journal. <br />
The report, summarized by The Detroit News, shows Tigers broadcast viewership increased by 42 percent this season, reaching an average of 168,000 households.<br />
It's worth noting the<a href="http://opoutofleftfield.blogspot.com/2012/09/tigers-top-3-million-mark-in-attendance.html" target="_blank"> Tigers again surpassed the three-million mark in attendance</a> this season. Paul Kampehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08081907921299622547noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162337695534628860.post-28704188786751400542012-09-24T16:53:00.000-04:002012-09-24T16:55:22.420-04:00DirecTV mission control crashes and burns on Lions Hail Mary pass vs. TitansIf you're a Lions fan in Metro Detroit, you've likely seen Sunday's Hail Mary catch a number of times already. But, according to Pro Football Talk, some viewers weren't so lucky. Apparently, some <a href="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/09/24/directv-apologizes-for-going-to-commercial-on-lions-hail-mary/" target="_blank">DirecTV customers watching the game on Sunday Ticket were sent to a commercial break</a> rather than the spectacular play.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/spwKO185PfE" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
"I don’t have all the details, but it was our error. We sincerely
apologize to you and all the viewers who missed the TD," DirecTV
spokesman Robert Mercer told Pro Football Talk. <br />
PFT says games on Direct Ticket often veer toward advertisements when they shouldn't. The <a href="http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/content/sports/nfl" target="_blank">service from DirecTV costs between $200-$300.</a> <br />
Some are already comparing it to the <a href="http://youtu.be/vH04QzxBzAQ" target="_blank">infamous NBC "Heidi" game,</a> but since the Lions didn't go for the 2-point conversion to win the game, it didn't quite reach those proportions.<br />
PFT commenter "<cite>z0inks" clarifies: "</cite>In fairness to DirecTV, viewers did get to see most of the play,
and we got to see the ball being caught…but they cut to commercial just
as the receiver went to the ground. <br />
"So viewers had a pretty good idea what had happened….but until they
cut back to the game feed, we didn’t know for sure whether he had
maintained control."<br />
Some other entertaining comments on PFT:<br />
<cite>freshnsoclean:</cite> What do you expect? They need to scrounge up all the chump change they can get competing against cable.<br />
<cite>genaro1331: </cite>Well…. a commercial would be more entertaining than the dreck being televised in that game.<br />
<cite>awm7353: </cite>There is a lot of human intervention on live events and mistakes can be
easily made. A very stressful low paying job with no appreciation when
things go right, but all heck to catch when things go bad.<br />
<cite>thegonz13: </cite>Wonder if Deion and Peyton will mention this can happen the next time they dress up as fairies…Paul Kampehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08081907921299622547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162337695534628860.post-85263398168594154922012-09-23T14:34:00.000-04:002012-09-23T14:34:09.890-04:00British humor finally translates to Americans in 'Dr. Who' leak<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPB7DQa8OFBOgCNnUnNqKmMri3P7r_KuNCTnRTfOPf204F4Q0w1hVSedMWgI0C71LrTCGDO6c_Hhbex1bxGdXg_QVbq3hp3bCGKftYjtaSKGntU5-VghtuOmKIVXnPGcjRqfKIGJLhmCfc/s1600/rexfeatures_1691244e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPB7DQa8OFBOgCNnUnNqKmMri3P7r_KuNCTnRTfOPf204F4Q0w1hVSedMWgI0C71LrTCGDO6c_Hhbex1bxGdXg_QVbq3hp3bCGKftYjtaSKGntU5-VghtuOmKIVXnPGcjRqfKIGJLhmCfc/s400/rexfeatures_1691244e.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
It's unclear whether the producers of the <a href="http://www.digitalspy.com/british-tv/s7/doctor-who/news/a376073/doctor-who-in-new-york-the-sci-fi-drama-in-central-park-pictures.html" target="_blank">BBC drama "Dr. Who" </a>are trying their hand at prognosticating or if they think it's funny to predict the Detroit Lions to win the Super Bowl.<br />
The series was recently seen filming on location in New York City's Central Park when one of its characters was spotted reading the "New York Record" with the main headline: "Detroit Lions win Superbowl." <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcVswveEsl2Vc0N0n00u6jNkeVbAX8M-lNH5rvNTg_nB9-y6TW6et6NF6MVNOksoFHUesXzuJSNo91-fEfA6ciBE8dUXDLJDOgmcPgCWUQxXXAwpQD8RSUqxHZ48K4uFRksybSIAI-W0NX/s1600/Lions_headline2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcVswveEsl2Vc0N0n00u6jNkeVbAX8M-lNH5rvNTg_nB9-y6TW6et6NF6MVNOksoFHUesXzuJSNo91-fEfA6ciBE8dUXDLJDOgmcPgCWUQxXXAwpQD8RSUqxHZ48K4uFRksybSIAI-W0NX/s320/Lions_headline2.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>
The science-fiction program delves in time travel, so the paper could be referring to a season far in the future. <br />
Notice the way the NFL's championship game is spelled in the one-word version commonly used by those unaware or unconcerned with accurate spelling — and commercial businesses.<br />
The league, which currently isn't even paying for its usual referees, doesn't take kindly to other entities, real or otherwise, using its signature game for their own gain.<br />
The hallowed game is spelled "Super Bowl," and that's presumably why supermarkets and other businesses use the one-word iteration in a half-hearted attempt to avoid litigation. <br />
Also, there are several newspapers in New York City, but no sign of a New York Record current or past. Maybe the Brits are ensuring the paper completely circumvents any trace of similarity? <br />
Any guesses what year this scene could be set in? (Definitely not this season.) Paul Kampehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08081907921299622547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162337695534628860.post-58815372459604581962012-09-18T16:53:00.002-04:002012-09-18T16:53:53.825-04:00Effects of NHL lockout on Pistons could be hard to measure The NHL lockout could be resolved any day, but probably won't be. We've seen players' and owners' reluctance to bargain as recently as 2005, when an entire NHL season was wiped out. The Pistons did very well for themselves attendance-wise that season, as noted by fellow Oakland alum Ryan Hegedus on Life On Dumars.<br />
Coming off a championship season in 2004, <a href="http://www.fanfeedr.com/nba/detroit-pistons?id=fb757dc8-17b2-5f51-ac7a-e2334f3d7ab7" target="_blank">the Pistons led the NBA in attendance in 2004-05</a>, a feat they reached numerous times this past decade. But conditions are much different this time around.<br />
"After seeing their <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/attendance" target="_blank">attendance plummet to 28th (out of 30 teams) in the league last season</a>,
it would seem that the latest NHL lockout could only help the team. With a young, exciting core of players led by Greg Monroe and Brandon Knight, the Pistons have a marketable team once again."<br />
It will be difficult to measure just how many fans shed their Steve Yzerman jerseys for <strike>"Thunder Sticks" and Ben Wallace afros</strike> whatever Pistons fans wear these days, because they're a constantly improving team. And really, they can't do much worse than last season, despite <a href="http://theopbackpage.blogspot.com/2012/02/pistons-halftime-shows-here-to-stay.html" target="_blank">countless pathetic attempts to lure fans with concerts featuring novelty acts and other has-beens. </a><br />
Hegedus notes the Pistons have already sold more season ticket packages than last season, but that figure was also likely stunted by the NBA's own lockout last season, which pushed the beginning of the season into late-December. <br />
An unheralded attraction could be the approximately <a href="http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2012/07/11/entertainment/doc4ffd99ff90418671444367.txt" target="_blank">$15 million Palace renovation</a> undertaken this summer, which includes the conversion of more than a dozen suites into everyman standing-room only areas and the addition of "fan-friendly" (no word on the cost) Wi-Fi.<br />
And, as usual, it will be the fans and <a href="http://www.freep.com/article/20120916/SPORTS05/120916033/1053/sports05?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+FreepDetroitRedWings+%28freep.com+|+Detroit+Red+Wings%29" target="_blank">all the employees who count on man-child millionaires to make a living</a>, who pay the price. <br />
Paul Kampehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08081907921299622547noreply@blogger.com0