Payback -- Is a bitch.

Regarding Stanley and his bro, it's funny, you know?  I come down on this ridiculous story in such another area code, meaning the 407 and the 860 rather than the 212.

JVG: Brothers in Harm

Here's a guy who literally rips a prominent Orlando citizen and the CMO of one of the most important companies to the entire Orlando-Central Florida community - a place (ALAS!) where the Walt Disney Company does just a little bit of biz-ness!

Then, the Two Santini Brothers decide there's a conspiracy at 645?

I don't think so.

I think the powers that be, in this case, all wear mouse ears and might be club patrons with the likes of the Amway family and some other important Central Floridians who wield an iron first when it comes to loyalty, and the opposite of loyalty and dignity that is burying - err, make that nuking - the (former) employer.

Now, I knew John Lennon, and Alex Martins is no John Lennon, but Alex and his Magicians just might be listening to "Breakfast with the Beatles" and playing this song over-and-over-and-over again.  I can't say it any better, so I'll just pass along a hymn.

It goes:

Instant Karma's gonna get you
Gonna knock you right in the head
You better get yourself together
Pretty soon your gonna be dead

What in the world you thinking of?
Laughing in the face of love
What on Earth you tryna do?
It's up to you, yeah, you

Instant Karma's gonna get you
Gonna knock you right in the face
You better get yourself together darling
Join the human race

How in the world you gonna see?
Laughing at fools like me
Who on Earth do you think you are?
A superstar? Well, right you are

And we all shine on
Like the moon and the stars and the sun
Well, we all shine on
Everyone, c'mon

Instant Karma's gonna get you
Gonna knock you off your feet
Better recognize your brothers
Everyone you meet

Why in the world are we here?
Surely not to live in pain and fear
Why on Earth are you there
When you're everywhere
Gonna get your share

Well, we all shine on
Like the moon and the stars and the sun
Yeah, we all shine on
C'mon and on and on, on, on

Yeah, yeah, alright

Well, we all shine on
Like the moon and the stars and the sun
Yeah, we all shine on
On and on and on, on and on ...

Take a listen, if you have time, and think about it the next time you feel like you've been wronged and you want to trash a colleague. Think twice. It's another day in paradise.

Note to Stanley and Jeffrey.  And, as stated before, how about treating the game, the Commissioner and all of us who've pretty much dedicated our lives to the game of basketball with some RESPECT and dignity.  The NBA is not your toy.

In Daryl We Trust ...

The GLOBALIZATION of Sports, the Evolution of the Fan Experience, Basketball Analytics, Careers in Sports, Talent Identification, The Business of College Sports... oh my. What an agenda!

This weekend, March 7 to be exact, the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference will take place in Boston. The third annual event promises to be the best ever. Stay tuned for an update on The Blog @ TerryLyons.com.


See the official press release:

Cambridge, Mass., February 11, 2009 – As sports leagues and franchises face pressure to drive and sustain profitability during the economic downturn, industry leaders are increasingly turning to techniques from the corporate business world such as statistics, analytics, and modeling techniques. On March 7, 2009, the Third Annual MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference will bring together executives from major U.S. professional leagues, academics, researchers and MBA students to discuss evolving analytic trends in sports management. Organized by the MIT Sloan Entertainment, Media & Sports Club, the conference will be held at the Stata Center on the MIT campus from 8am to 6:30pm.

Daryl Morey, general manager of the Houston Rockets, and Jessica Gelman, the Kraft Sports Group and New England Patriots director of New Business Development and Operational Initiatives, are co-chairing the conference. Speakers will include:

* Ray Allen, Boston Celtics All-Star guard
* Mark Cuban, Dallas Mavericks owner
* Adam Silver, NBA deputy commissioner
* Brian Burke, president & general manager, Toronto Maple Leafs
* Mark Waller, SVP sales & marketing, NFL
* Casey Wasserman, chairman & CEO, Wasserman Media Group
* Steve Pagliuca, managing partner, Boston Celtics and Bain Capital
* Bill Simmons, columnist, ESPN
* Jeff Van Gundy, NBA analyst, ESPN

“As a leader in analysis, technology, and business innovation, MIT is ideal to host the event each year,” says Morey, who is also an alumnus of and has taught sports analytics at MIT Sloan. “With the support of MIT administration and student leadership, the conference has become the leading venue to discuss this important trend in sports.”

Conference panels will tackle timely topics. Executives will discuss what steps and strategies they are taking to adjust to the current economic downturn in, among other areas, ticketing, salaries and advertising.

A globalization panel will look at the business opportunities that international markets offer to the sports industry in areas such as merchandising, media, and partnership/sponsorship.

“Evolution of the Fan Experience” will look at how new technology, game innovations, and customer initiatives are taking the fan experience to the next level.

And, while Boston has emerged as a championship town with the “team-first” Patriots, a Celtics team with three hall of fame hopefuls, and a Red Sox team whose biggest bat overstayed his welcome, it begs the question as to how much is team chemistry worth and can it be taught or even measured? A “Team Chemistry” panel will offer perspectives from professionals who deal with these issues every day.

Last year’s sold-out conference was attended by more than 350 industry leaders and students. Past speakers have included Wyc Grousbeck, CEO and managing partner of the Boston Celtics; Bill James, senior advisor to the Boston Red Sox; Bill Polian, president, Indianapolis Colts; and sportswriter Peter Gammons.

“In the current economic climate, where spending by fans and sponsors is increasingly discretionary, an even higher premium is placed on winning on the field and on the quality of the fan experience. Innovation and differentiation are imperative,” explains Gelman. “On March 7, the people driving change in sports will be at MIT Sloan to share their perspectives.”

This year’s sponsors are:

* The Parthenon Group, a boutique provider of sports industry management consulting: www.parthenon.com
* yOOnew, the world’s first futures exchange for event tickets – designed to help consumers save money and time when buying and selling tickets: www.yoonew.com
* SPARQ, whose mission is to enable every athlete to reach his or her potential using natural and analytically-driven training methods: www.sparqtraining.com
* Adidas, the global leader in the sporting goods industry with sports brands built on a passion for sports and a sporting lifestyle: www.adidas.com
* ESPN, the leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company featuring a broad portfolio of multimedia sports assets with over 50 business entities: espn.go.com