On the CUSP Podcast - NBA PR Memories

A recent podcast from Columbia University's Sports Management class:



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http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thecuspshow/2016/12/12/episode-45-pr-at-the-nba-1

Memories of Squeeze

Remember this one?

Can't Get it Out of My Head

Classic ... basement recording:

Crisis Communication

Oh boy.

"Bad news doesn't age well," said the chairman of PwC on the day after the 2017 Academy Awards:

Here was the advance PR video:

The steps thus far:

1. Owned it.

2. Owned it right away (and again, and again).

3. Apologized.

4. Promised to review to specifically identify mistake.

5. Followed up with statement.

A Final Q&A ...

Here's the Answer provided:

"You know, every parent brags on their daughters or their sons. You know, if your mom and dad don’t brag on you, you know you got problems ...

But man, my daughters are something. And — and they just surprise and enchant and impress me more and more every single day as they grow up. And, so these days when we talk, we talk as parent to child, but also we learn from them.

And, I think it was really interesting to see how Malia and Sasha reacted. They were disappointed.

They paid attention to what their mom said during the campaign and believed it because it’s consistent with what we have tried to teach them in our household and what I’ve tried to model as a father with their mom and what we’ve asked them to expect from future boyfriends or spouses. But what we’ve also tried to teach them is resilience and we’ve tried to teach them hope and that the only thing that is the end of the world is the end of the world.

And so, you get knocked down, you get up, brush yourself off and you get back to work. And that tended to be their attitude. I think neither of them intend to pursue a future of politics and in that, too, I think their mother’s influence shows.

(LAUGHTER)

But, both of them have grown up in an environment where I think they could not help, but be patriotic to love this country deeply, to see that it’s flawed, but see that they have responsibilities to fix it. And that they need to be active citizens. 

And they have to be in a position to talk to their friends and their teachers and their future co-workers in ways that try to shed some light as opposed to just generate a lot of sound and fury. And I expect that’s what they’re going to do. 

They do not — they don’t mope.

And — and what I really am proud of them, but what makes me proudest about them, is that they also don’t get cynical about it. They — they have not assumed because their side didn’t win or because some of the values that they care about don’t seem as if they were vindicated that automatically America has somehow rejected them or rejected their values. I don’t think they feel that way.

I think they have in part through osmosis, in part through dinner time conversations appreciated the fact that this is a big complicated country and democracy is messy, it doesn’t always work exactly the way you might want. It doesn’t guarantee certain outcomes. But if you — if you’re engaged and you’re involved, then there are a lot more good people than bad in this country and there’s a core decency to this country and — that they got to be a part of lifting that up. And I expect they will be.

And in that sense, they are representative of this generation that makes me really optimistic. I’ve been asked — I had — I’ve had some off-the-cuff (ph) conversations with some journalists where they said, “OK, you seem like you’re OK, but really, what are you really thinking?”

(LAUGHTER)

And I’ve said, “No, what I’m saying really is what I think.” I — I believe in this country. I believe in the American people. I believe that people are more good than bad. I believe tragic things happen. I think there’s evil in the world, but I think at the end of the day, if we work hard and if we’re true to those things in us that feel true and feel right, that the world gets a little better each time. That’s what this presidency has tried to be about. And I see that in the young people I’ve worked with. I couldn’t be prouder of them.

And so, this is not just a matter of no drama Obama, this is — this is what I really believe. It is true that behind closed doors, I curse more than I do publicly...

(LAUGHTER)

... and sometimes I get mad and frustrated like everybody else does, but at my core, I think we’re going to be OK. We just have to fight for it, we have to work for it and not take it for granted."

-- Thus was the end of the Obama Presidency.

End of the World, REM Style

No words needed;

Vote!

Tell me something good?

Name your fave (TV sports personality)? #NHL #NBA #ESPN #CollegeGameDay #NBAonTNT #NHLonNBC

— DigitalSportsDesk (@DigSportsDesk) December 15, 2016

Guilty!

Yep.  Guilty as charged.

Just Do It

How to Make an Ass of a Former Political Opponent?

Goal: To Make an ass of a former political opponent

Tactic: Call his ass in to your transition team HQ and leak it to (the "dishonest") media you use like an orchestra conductor that said opponent is being considered for a cabinet-level post for a Federal Agency he once was going to eliminate, but, oh yeah, he couldn't remember the name when he was on stage for a party debate.

Yeah, that's the ticket.

Result: Thank you, sir, may I have another?

The SBA ...

I honestly thought it was a blurb from The Onion ... but, it's not. It's true!

Honored to be appointed by President-Elect @realDonaldTrump to serve as head of @SBAgov advocating for our small businesses & entrepreneurs!

— Linda McMahon (@Linda_McMahon) December 7, 2016

This is really happening.  It happened. (It might happen, if the House and Senate don't step up with at least one ounce (no steroid pun intended) of dignity.

Now, keep in mind, the (gulp) PEOTUS was quoted as saying Mrs. McMahon "has a tremendous background," and "is one of the top female executives, advising companies around the globe."

But, anyone who might've heard of Hulk Hogan and his crew, knows this is what her background is (was?).  

Sadly, this blog post is not a joke from The Onion or SNL- it's REAL. The SBA was born of The Great Depression and created by Herbert Hoover in 1932 as the Reconstructive Finance Corp. and FDR took it from there to create strong programs and loans for small business.

This is an embarrassment to The United States of America. 

Dear Don ...

Dear Donald:

Greetings from the Commonwealth and also from the Island of Manhattan, the place you trekked into as one of the bridge and tunnel crew from your Daddy’s place in Queens. Those two places mark my current dwellings and where I attempt to cultivate the most business.

It is that of which I write.  While we have pretty significant differences of opinion on most major policy issues - mainly because I like definitive policies with a concrete foundation and you like to fly by the seat of your Hong Kong manufactured pants, but let’s leave that for another day, OKAY?

I’m writing today to say I was so impressed with the way you shook-down the Carrier Corp, makers of air conditioners and other luxury appliances. I thought it was great that your very first major move after the election was to make a total jack-ass out of Mike Pence and do your mafia don thing to strong-arm Carrier execs, in a deal where you didn’t even both to consult with the Union heads before you announced it to the world.

Pretty savvy dealings, Donald. Nothing like ‘bustin’ the Unions before you even make it to 1600.

Anyway, since you are still President Elect (might be best to cut this deal before you are bolted down by the laws of actually being POTUS, right?), I thought I’d write to offer you a very similar deal. You can orchestrate about $5 million in tax cuts and payments directly to me and I will promise not to move my small business to Mexico or elsewhere. So many of the small business entrepreneurs are thinking of relocating to either Canada or maybe places like Aruba, Bermuda, or The Dominican.  But, I’ll Make You a Deal.

You do the exact same deal and I’ll keep my business here in the Commonwealth, and you can cozy-up to your good buddy Charlie and say what a great thing you’ve done for Massachusetts.

Since you didn’t exactly “win in a landslide” up here in New England, it will provide you with some much-needed PR and goodwill, just in case you wanna win some seats at the MidTerms or run in 2020. Giving away $5-7 million to large and small business owners is precedent setting stuff. In these United States, it’s just great, because I understand you plan to unite everyone and treat everyone equally.  That’s what you said in Ohio on your Mission Accomplished Victory tour and that’s what you said on Election Night, to help stop the riots in the streets and at the Passport application offices.

So, to be perfectly clear, please contact me and I will provide the details for direct deposit.

The terms: You send a $2.5 million deposit, and I will promise (you know how much promises mean, right) to not move my company. 

Send the second installment (another $2.5M) and I will promise not to fire 1,500 people, but might shelve 400 just to keep my end of the bargain and follow the exact same precedent of the deal you cut with Carrier in Mikey’s home State. (the place where all the young women ran away for their lives after Mikey, the VEEP elect, signed all those draconian laws last year. Remember?  (If not, ask all the company heads at Lilly and even at Angie’s List, okay?) - (crap, even the NCAA was ready to pull up stakes).

So, I’m ready if you need to negotiate and get the best of me.  I might settle for an even $4 million and will let you do one of those fake rally’s with all the white people standing behind you cheering, okay?

We’ll play The Dead’s “Shakedown Street” as your new theme song.  Since Jerry’s already gone, I’m sure they won’t diss you the way Elton, Bruce and The Stones did.

Deal?

Thanks.  Great doing business with ‘ya.

If you can keep sending everyone some $5-7M in tax breaks and people like me a cool $2.5M to keep my biz here in the Commonwealth, you will truly live up to your #1 campaign promise, to Make America Great Again.

Let’s get going, now.  Time’s a wastin’

PS: Nice job with the whole Beijing relations thing. I'm sure you were merely paying respects to General Tso inventor Chef Peng Chang-kuei, right?  I'm sure you've had it many times with Yoko at Mr Chow's on 57th, am I correct?

PSS: Let's buy Hess Trucks for all the poor kids too?

Yours truly,

T

cc: Charlie Baker, Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey (the Senator, not the Goodyear guy).

Trump's Next Cabinet Appointment?

The Trump Administration is starting to look very familiar.

A Change is Gonna Come

Looks like we need to remind each other of the types of change we REALLY seek, not the assault on basic American rights being led by Trump-Pence. Activate. Call Your Congress Rep and Senators.

Today's "Normalization" Moment

The hits will keep on coming' - this one brought to you by the good people at Fox News - and even dear Megan Kelly couldn't stand for this racist viewpoint:

What An Ass; Misleading people on Election Night

What a criminal? 

One "county" in Utah has some trouble with their machines and this idiot starts barking the entire COUNTRY is experiencing problems.

CNN chastised him at 4:45pm for the erroneous tweet.

Just out according to @CNN: "Utah officials report voting machine problems across entire country"

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 8, 2016

GMA's Robin Roberts with Judge Gordon A. Martin, Jr.

See You in September.

It is September. 

Where did the Summer of '16 go?

NYC from The US Open

Embed from Getty Images

A great shot from my friends at Getty Images.

Deutsche Bank Championship

Another Labor Day Weekend in the 'burbs of Boston/Providence with the PGA Tour rolling through town. Gorgeous Autumnal day:

Embed from Getty Images

E.C. and DT

Eric. Derek and Doyle. No intro needed.