John Beilein Show - Great Success

Welcome back Points fans. How’s February treating you? Spring training has begun and the Major League Baseball season is right around the corner. BUT FIRST! The college basketball season is getting interesting. Bubble teams are preparing for a dash to the finish and the elite teams are trying to polish off their seasons for a top seed in the tourney. Basketball fever is sweeping the University of Michigan campus. Will they make it? Can they hold up? Do they have enough quality victories? With all these unanswered questions (and a required attendance from our teacher) I headed to the John Beilein radio show this past Monday to see what the man in charge had to say.

The John Beilein show is hosted by Pizza House in Ann Arbor, MI. Pizza House is in the heart of campus and was packed for this specific show. The vibe was fantastic from the very beginning of the program. Anticipation mounted as the show’s start time began and Coach had no shown up yet. Did he forget? Not quite. At 6:50pm (the show started at 7:00) a calm, cool, and collected Coach Beilein waddled into the restaurant greeted by a standing ovation from the throngs of Wolverine fans. All in attendance could tell, this was the man Michigan basketball could believe in. And as soon as the questions from host Jeff Roach started, we were even more sure. Every headscratching inquiry Jeff threw at Coach was answered in a matter-of-fact, thoughtful manner. Jeff seemed very prepared for the back and forth dialogue with Beilein, asking him opinions on specific details from games and referencing conversations and interviews from earlier in the season. Jeff and John seemed to have a very good rapport and their conversation flowed seamlessly from topic to topic. Beilein had a well informed, well intentioned response to every question...amazing because he showed up minutes before the show began = little time to prepare with the host. Everything was very professional.

The atmosphere of the restaurant was what I would call "Very conscious" of the fact that there was something significant happening in front of them. I had to keep reminding myself that thousands of people were listening to this discourse because it seemed as if everyone was just talking to each other...and that's a good thing.

I think this show can be a beacon of fanaticism for Michigan Basketball fans. It something to do on cold winter nights in Ann Arbor...its fun...the food is good...Beilein is awesome. They just need to advertise it more to students. I had never heard of this radio show before my Media class. If the Michigan sports network targets a students, possibly advertising AT the games, more fans are sure to show up at Pizza House...and you should go too!!!!

Daytona 500 - Kenseth Reigns over Weathered Field

Happy Belated Valentines Day out there bloggers.

My career as a NASCAR fan is 152 laps strong, but I really wish it was 200. The 51st running of the Daytona 500, and the 1st NASCAR race I’ve ever watched, was cut short on Sunday and surprisingly enough, I was annoyed by it. Articles across the internet agreed. Ending the Daytona 500 in lap 152 would be like ending this year’s Game Five of the World Series after 5 innings. With weather like the stuff brewing in Daytona, Sunday’s race had to end though and in the end the threatening rain just added an intriguing twist on the day.

Commentators were checking in on team strategies throughout the day as drivers raced hard continuously. Their thinking: “The rain could come at any moment so I better be in first if that red flag drops”. Lucky for Wisconsin native Matt Kenseth, he was in position to dart out to the lead when said flag reigned over the field. Many other drivers would have been in such auspicious positioning if not for the Earnhardt, Jr./Vickers crash in lap 124 that derailed 10 fellow drivers. Although my eye isn’t as trained as most NASCAR enthusiasts, it seems like Earnhardt wasn’t right. He was missing pit stops, and had a penalty called against him…everything seemed a little out of control and then the crash with Vickers. Earnhardt was one of the drivers I had heard of before the race = my second favorite driver behind my statesman Kenseth.

From a distance, Kenseth always seemed like a very cerebral driver. He was never the flashiest “pedal to the metal” guy, but his conservative style netted the Series Championship in 2003. Matt’s quiet demeanor probably doesn’t win many points with NASCAR fans, but he sure has made me a fan of the number 17 car. I always rooted for the Larry Birds, David Ecksteins, or Mugsy Boogs of the world and that’s what Kenseth bring to NASCAR. (If you find more beauty in a bounce-pass than a dunk, check out CJ Lee of the Michigan basketball Wolverines. The senior co-captain plays relentlessly and intellectually.)

As for the rest of the race, I was intrigued by ESPN’s lead-in going into the race on Sunday morning: “What other sport would face off a 53 year old with an 18 year old?” I think that’s a beautiful question to pose to new NASCAR audiences that might be drawn into the Daytona 500… “The Great American Race”. While FOX was the main carrier of the race, ESPN did a great job covering the race, keeping tabs on story lines as they unfolded while constantly running a “Who’s in What Place” tab at the top of their main page.

The excitement of the Daytona 500 was mildly unexpected in my eyes. I watched the NBA All-Star game a few hours after the Daytona and while flashy, it lacked the intensity and grit of the NASCAR race. Despite almost a quarter of the race washing down the drain, the Daytona 500 was a joy to watch.

Phelps Phlop

WHAT ARE WE DOING?!

This chastising of Michael Phelps must stop immediately. Regardless of your opinion on drug use, Michael Phelps has suffered plenty...and we're next. What? He's a role model and must be held to a higher standard than the rest? He betrayed your belief in everything good? Is Michael Phelps the reason the economy sucks? Is it Mike's fault your favorite band sucks? Why are we attacking this American Hero so ruthlessly??! If you haven't figured it out yet...it's time to lay off the kid and focus on your own life.

Ok, so maybe you're not the reason Kellog's dropped its sponsorship of Phelps. And you're probably not the reporter probing Phelps for his 108th apology next to the pool. BUT if you watch the next SportsCenter story on Michael Phelps then you are still the problem. All this media scrutiny will end as soon as ESPN sees we don't care anymore.

Why must we dissolve any feelings towards the Phelps case? Because now he's considering taking away the 2012 Olympics from us. That's right, the salacious media and public scrutiny has pushed Mike so far into a corner that he's made an ultimatum. Great work America. Is your memory so short that you can't recall the emotions you felt during this?

This Phelps case shows how ridiculous our standards for great athletes has become. I'm not defending the actions of sportsmen like Michael Vick, Alex Rodriguez, Pacman Jones, or the like...these individuals hurt other people with their actions. Athletes like Phelps and Brett Favre made mistakes humans would make, and I think that's lost in the hoopla of million dollar sponsorships and ESPN commentaries. The humanity of our greatest athletes is what I find so appealing. Michael Phelps is more than a swimmer. He was a student here at the University of Michigan at this time last year, enjoying the youth that most find fleeting. Brett Favre threw interceptions, set records, retired, un-retired...and I loved him for it. The more we demand of these great athletes, the harder it will be for anyone to meet thee expectations.

Where will Michael be in 2012? Hopefully being congratulated by President Obama for setting a new Olympic record and not toking up with the president. Oh did you forget that Barack smoked? See? It's that easy to forget.

Super Bowl Commercials

How great was this year's Super Bowl? The game, the commercials, the halftime show...far more exciting than anyone anticipated. We're getting close to awards season with the Grammy's last night and Oscars right around the corner so why not hand out some of my own awards for Top Three Super Bowl Ads.





And the Pointee goes to....

Third Best Commercial:
Cash 4 Gold
Brilliant. I thought this ad spot was perfect for the Cash 4 gold brand. Super Bowl ads all have their own goals and objectives, but I liked how this commercial really leveraged the Cash 4 Gold name, while sticking to their unassuming roots. Pre-Super Bowl, Cash for Gold appeared to be just another info-mercial company; scamming the public into selling keepsakes and heirlooms. Previous commercials ran like a PowerPoint Presentation with hasty editing and shoddy color schemes…..
But that all changed with this Super Bowl ad. By mixing humor, precise timing, identifiable characters, and a quick revisit of what Cash for Gold means, the company was able to reestablish their brand image. Notice the items Ed McMahon and MC Hammer offer to melt down: Gold sledge hammer, gold hip replacement, gold pants, gold toilet, etc…Cash 4 Gold is definitely poking fun at themselves, softening their image and reaching a new audience


Runner Up:
Coke Zero - Mean Troy Polamalu
While some people think this ad missed the mark, I think it was a bullseye. This commercial went beyond the typical cute kid/animal formula so many commercials implement and I think Coke Zero should be rewarded for respecting our cerebral capabilities. The ad gurus recall the factors that made the "Mean" Joe Green ad of 1979 a hit: embattled, vicious superstar, Steelers Defenseman, hesitant acceptance of coke, campy 70's music...BUT they do this for a purpose! The Mean Joe green ad is one of the most respected of all time, but it gets mocked fairly often on shows like the Simpsons and Family Guy. Coke Zero wants to have fun with the ad too, but in doing so, they advance the message. This new style of Coke has everything the original has, but with a contemporary twist that will make you feel good.


Best Super Bowl Commercial 2009:
Miller High Life - THE 1 Second Ad
This commercial didn't end up on USAToday's Ad Meter, but it's the best commercial NBC aired on Super Bowl Sunday. I won't lie, the fact that Miller (Milwaukee's Best) was behind this ad peaked my interest initially. But what kept me hooked, and apparently millions of other viewers, was the campaign Miller created to bolster the 1 second of commercial time. Miller High Life, a good honest beer at a tasty price, complemented this brand position by cutting through the nonsense of 30sec ads and getting to the point. When you drink a Miller High Life (and you should) you know immediately what you're getting yourself into. Anheuser-Busch aired commercials that looked kind of pretty, but didn't really get to the point. Miller effectively matched product and brand recognition and will undoubtedly receive high level of Return On Investment (ROI). Make sure you check out the rest of the "1 Second Ads That Didn't Make the Cut"...Frugal Bugle, Pigskin Gravy, Bean Dip, Back Bacon, Muckity-Mucks.

Welcome

Hi,
Welcome to my blog. While this is an assignment, you'll find a unique perspective on the sports world. I am Case Ernsting and I am a senior at the University of Michigan. I'm from Wisconsin so when the conversation sails towards Brewers, Badgers, or Packers (like all sports conversations inevitably do), a bias might sneak in.
Thanks for visiting this small corner of the internet and I hope you enjoy.
GO BLUE,
Case