Portland Trail Blazers…Blazing their own Trail in Social Media

When I do research on what teams are doing social media-wise, all the write-ups seem to point to the same teams…the Boston Celtics and European soccer teams like Manchester United, etc.

But then I saw something different.

I was on Twitter one day and saw a tweet from Kyle Spencer, who works in business development/sports at Ustream…Watching @pdxtrailblazers: http://ustre.am/wdrQ. Is there another pro sports team creating more original streaming content?

I knew I had to check it out and here’s what I found: the Portland Trail Blazers stream their own TV shows on Trailblazers.tv.

The other thing I knew for sure was that I had to find out more.

Recently I sat down with Dan Harbison, Sr. Director of Digital Marketing and Media for the Portland Trail Blazers, to learn more about their social media strategy.

PJ: So, how did you develop your strategy?

Dan: It’s interesting to see the brands that are a lot larger than the won-loss record. Regardless of if the Lakers are in the dumps, say, lost 25 games and it’s a long time since that’s happened, the brand is strong and withstands that.

In Portland, we had some problems. I came along in 2005…we had off-court issues…on the court we were losing and the city was fed up with what was going on and they didn’t feel they had a team or brand that reflected on the team and who they were. If the fans don’t want to be identified as Trail Blazer fans…that’s a big, big problem.

We needed to address this and make it right. We did a deep exploration to see what the city and the fans needed.

In 1977 we won the championships and it was Blazermania. The city and the team were so intertwined—the Trail Blazers were the only professional team here at the time. Fans really feel passionate about their teams (now we have the Timbers in MLS).

To get to the point where people were fed up took a lot. The bottom fell out. We needed to get people engaged, buying tickets, and watching games. In the digital world we could build this back up…we could do this.

PJ: So, how did you start?

Dan: In 2007 we launched IamaTrailblazerfan.com as a way to connect with the people who were still fans and recruit fans and as a way for them to know it’s OK to be a fan. The team started turning around by getting high character guys.

We had to find who was engaged and have them be evangelists and make it safe to be a fan. It might not be a good idea for them to come out and say they were a fan in a room full of non-fans. So, we created a site where it was OK for them to be passionate…online.

In 2007 we also got on Twitter when we got the No. 1 pick in the draft, to peel the curtain back in real-time. In 2007 there were no retweets, no direct messages or @replys on Twitter. It was definitely a way to just broadcast out from a mobile phone. We were the first team to jump on Twitter. In the next few years it grew…a slow burn for the general population.

When Greg Oden came in, we thought why don’t do we a live broadcast for the draft? It would be a way for the fans to ask questions live…we’d put it next to the chat online. We saw the success on the amount of people watching. We were already doing a weekly televised show, so we took the existing TV shows and streamed them live. Then, we rolled out other pieces.

In 2009, the NBA allowed teams to stream certain games depending on rights. We streamed 16 games during the 2009-2010 season. It’s continued to evolve. It’s great to determine how to bring different programs.

PJ: What are your overall goals with your strategy?

Dan: We do live video programming and on-demand pre-game, halftime, and post-game shows. It’s a great way to augment the experience. During the game traffic spikes…the question is how to capture this audience and keep them online longer. Anytime you create a channel you try not to have redundancies or go off-brand. For example, not all of the programming on The History Channel is on the history of the presidents. You have to differentiate.

We try to reinvent the way people use video online.

PJ: What does your lineup on Trailblazers.tv look like now?

Dan: Just a few of the shows we do...from 10am-11am [Rip City Update] with Adam [Bjaranson], who does the pre-game and halftime shows and Blogger Network Manager, Sarah [Hecht]—[they review the headlines, recap the game and preview the next game, etc.].

At noon, our digital reporter, Casey [Holdahl], and Mike Rice do Chalk Talk for the hoop heads…they talk matchups and detailed analysis.

Then we have a more casual, not just straight basketball show. It’s quirky, based off the phrase “Keep Portland Weird.” Not sure if you heard of the show they just launched on TV--Portlandia. We call our show Sportlandia. We have a radio duo from here in Portland, who are younger and the show plays well.

PJ: What other things are you doing in the social media realm?

Dan: We launched a bloggers network where fans create blogs and promote citizen journalism and we have official blogs. It’s just another place for people to contribute.

We promote our super fans. We’ve built a good online community outside the blogs. The fabric is woven for fans—coming to Tweet-Ups, buying tickets together, watching road games together, etc. It doesn’t get much better than that for a brand experience.

PJ: What’s next for the Trail Blazers?

Dan: Mobile devices are interesting. They used to say the primary screen was the TV, secondary was the computer and next was the phone. Now, I think the primary is the mobile phone and the secondary is the computer. We are on the phone every waking hour. We check in on Facebook and Twitter, we listen to music, in meetings people check emails…I don’t, but some people do! It’s our community with friends and networks—you don’t connect through TV for three hours a day. Now the TV is on, we are working on the iPad, and checking emails on our phone. This is content consumption. Now, if we have live engagement with our fans it has to be driven through the mobile phone. This is the next phase. The goal is for the fan to have a solid experience around fan-to-fan and fan-to-organization. The importance is on the mobile device.

Another project I want to figure out is the social experience around the game. It’s great in the arena…chanting, high-fiving people you don’t know, etc. It’s not like that at home. The community experience is not the same. We are starting to get there with live game chats with digital reporters, but I want to take it to the next step. The vision is to see everyone’s reaction in a virtual stadium experience. I am talking with start-ups now about this. It’s more like watching at a sports bar and..yeah, being a part of something larger--these are Trail Blazers fans and these are my people. I want to keep making it better. I am really trying to understand and build that social fabric of fans watching TV.

To check out Trailblazers.tv http://www.nba.com/blazers/tbtv/index.html

Wisconsin Athletics and Varsity…delivering more to their fans

Every week I get an email from the University of Wisconsin’s Athletic Department.

Inside is a publication I look forward to reading…Varsity magazine.

The magazine is presented in a .pdf format, so it looks and feels like a printed magazine, except it’s online. It includes videos and ads, as well as content on Wisconsin sports. Everything you need to know that week on Wisconsin sports can be found in this publication.

In the past few months I’ve read about Montee Ball (football), Beckie Thompson (women’s swimming), Jordan Taylor (men’s basketball), J.J. Watt (former football player), and Hilary Knight (women’s hockey), among others.

This publication gives me an inside view on Wisconsin sports and the athletes—more than I get from my usual sources.

Recently I sat down with Brian Lucas, Director of Athletic Communications, to learn more about Varsity and Wisconsin’s social media strategy.

PJ: What was your strategy behind developing Varsity?

Brian: Varsity started a little over a year ago in December…after we [the Wisconsin football team] clinched a spot in the Rose Bowl. My boss and I had seen Sporting News Today for two years and enjoyed it. It was an innovative way to deliver this information to someone’s email box every day. While I didn’t read it every day, I did skim it and if I saw something that intrigued me, I’d read it. More often than not, I opened it. I read more Sporting News content than before.

We thought we could capitalize on this. Not daily, but weekly. We have a large email distribution list and we could utilize this base. We have 150,000 email addresses and instead of waiting for them to come to our site, we can deliver this information to them. For a while we had been looking at our website to get our message out. Now, the magazine works hand-in-hand with the website. The content can be replicated and expanded.

We hired Mike Lucas from the Capital Times two years ago to write features for the website and thought he could create the content for the magazine.

In the past we pitched to papers and TV stations and if they wanted to do the story, great. The website is like our own media. If we have a good story we can do it for the site. If media picks it up and wants to expand on it…that’s great.

PJ: So, let’s focus for a moment on the media and how, with social media, and less traditional media, there has been a shift in how stories get out to your fans.

Brian: There is a delicate balance between the Wisconsin State Journal and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and their reach (100,000s) and the thousands that watch the 6pm news and our games are televised on ESPN and CBS. So, we can’t just bury our head in the sand and throw the old rules out. We still need to get our stories out and work through them. This is just another outlet…our own. It’s the same as the State Journal…another way to get it out there.

PJ: So, what do the logistics of the magazine look like and how do you add this into your already packed schedule?

Brian: Hiring Mike Lucas helped a lot. He produces a lot of content…two features and a column. Matt Lepay [the Voice of the Badgers], and Barry Alvarez [the Athletic Director], both have columns. The shorter pieces are done cooperatively throughout the office. Brian Mason, one of our assistants, does the layout and makes sure all the content is in place, along with his duties helping with football and track and field. We are trying to get one person to produce this. There is a lot of technology with the videos and links and we could do a lot more with it, such as more Flash ads with movement…if we had one person dedicated to it.

We are starting to do more planning with our video interviews…like what we did with J.J. Watt recently. We are starting to think about if we do this feature…we should do a video to complement it.

PJ: What’s next for Varsity?

Brian: We want to focus more on the marketing of it. It’s a good product…and I’ve talked to people who agree it’s a good product. We want to find ways to get more people to see it. While we have an extensive email list, the numbers are not what we want. We always think we can do better.

To get it in front of more people and get them to read it week-to-week…we’d like to do more with Twitter and Facebook and tease the articles on the inside. The next step is to get people to look inside it.

PJ: Varsity isn’t the only email I get delivered to my inbox. Can you talk a little about your Insider emails?

Brian: The Insider emails started a number of years ago and they were the pre-cursor to Varsity. It started as a daily media email for basketball and football. It included…what’s going on today, notes of the day, practice schedules, etc. Local media liked having the schedule. National media liked being in-tune with the team without searching for this information. They got the stories to their inbox. And, TV liked it. When ESPN came to cover a game they didn’t have to ask for clips or search for stories. We thought if the media liked it, fans would like it, too. It’s a lot easier if someone delivers this information to you. You don’t have to do a Google search for things.

Now, we do football and basketball daily and others [including wrestling, women’s basketball, and hockey] are once a week.

We are delivering information straight to fans from our website and other stories from SI, Wisconsin State Journal, etc….so they aren’t feeling like they are just getting our PR spin.

PJ: So what does your big picture social media plan look like?

Brian: I’d like to tell you we have a grand plan in place. But it seems to change every day with all that is out there. We are always thinking of ways our fans can feel part of what we do.

We try to help fans sift through all of it—there are a lot of voices out there. People want to feel part of it…we try to draw them in whether it’s comments, retweets, etc. We want to let them know we are listening to the chatter online.

It seems like there are changes every day and I’m not sure we can predict what happens next. We’ve had a focus on mobile versions coming into this year—making Varsity mobile and tablet friendly.

To check out Varsity  http://www.uwbadgers.com/genrel/Varsity.html

Andrew Luck...and the Two-Minute Drill

It was a long time coming…close to four months—and, well worth the wait.

Andrew Luck and I finally sat down on a rainy afternoon in Jimmy V’s Sports Café at Stanford for his turn at the Two-Minute Drill.

Andrew Luck

Andrew has been quite busy these last few months. First, it was finals (yes, he is still a student at Stanford and takes pride in that), then prep for the Fiesta Bowl, the Fiesta Bowl, and then training for the NFL Combine and Pro Day (next week at Stanford).

While we were talking, Nneka Ogwumike, the 6-2 forward and one of the stars of No. 2 ranked Stanford’s Women’s basketball team, stopped by to chat with Andrew. Her tournament starts Saturday in Virginia. And, as a side note, this team is a must-see. Another finely coached team by Tara VanDerveer.

It seemed like on every corner I looked today on campus I saw world-class athletes, top coaches (i.e., VanDerveer), and then, there was Andrew…one of the greatest college football players ever.

A few surreal moments during our conversation were when he looked up from his sandwich and noticed his jersey…signed…in a frame…along with all the signatures of his teammates from the team that went 11-2. His comment, “Oh wow…I never noticed that. And, look they spelled losses wrong. I’ll have to tell them.” [It was spelled loses.]

The other moment was when the TV I was facing had PTI on and I looked up and saw the topic and photo was about Andrew. His reaction? A shrug.

Not that he expects this. No, not even in his position at the moment…possibly going No. 1 in the NFL draft. No, it’s just Andrew being Andrew. He doesn’t get caught up in all the noise around him. He’s down to earth and humble.

As I sat down with Andrew to talk, I was humbled by the fact that this is one of the only interviews he’s given in months. Thanks Andrew.

PJ: What was it like to just train for the NFL combine these past few months?

Andrew: It was totally different. I’ve talked to a lot of my former teammates and we all feel the same way. Our work in the off-season was about working with the team. I was used to grabbing [Stanford teammate Chris] Owusu one night and working on slants with him. Or grabbing the center [Sam Schwartzstein] and working on snaps. It was a team focus. Now it’s a me focus. How can I make myself better? It was a different approach to things.

It’s interesting there is a whole industry around combine prep. Not sure this was there 10 or 15 years ago. I’m glad I did what I did. It was nice to be in LA and get different opinions on things.

The other part of the focus is on combine drills. You want to put on a good show...have a favorable performance. It was totally 100% combine driven. I did watch some film, though.

PJ: You look like you are a little more toned than the last time I saw you—at the Fiesta Bowl. Is this from the training?

Andrew: During the football season you get out of shape. You aren’t lifting as much and it’s hard…you taper off at the end of the season. In the off-season you build back up and then lose it again. It’s the cycle of things.

Andrew at the NFL Combine

PJ: I’ve heard they have machines that measure your performance, etc. What was the strangest thing they made you do in your NFL combine training?


Andrew: They took pictures and behind us there was a grid to see if our body was asymmetrical—if one shoulder was out of place, etc. Then, we’d work on the discrepancies and try to fix it. While it was strange, it was kind of cool.

PJ: The actual NFL combine must have been surreal. Tell me about your experience.

Andrew: Absolutely! It was a four-day interview where everything you did was being watched. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever done.

My 40 was faster than I thought. I worked hard and took this seriously. I wanted to do well and sometimes in a situation like this there is a lot of adrenaline and it just takes over.

Anytime you put 270 athletes or so in one space it does turn into a competition, everyone wants to do well. It was a weird dynamic. They broke us into groups and you rarely found anyone negative. We encouraged each other to do well. It was another chance for the GMs and scouts to look at us.

PJ: One more test, Pro Day at Stanford is coming up next Thursday. Are you excited? Will you throw?

Andrew: Yes, I will throw at Pro Day. It’s good. We have a bunch of guys, not the [Jonathan] Martins, [David] DeCastros, [Coby] Fleeners, who this will be beneficial for—to be seen in that capacity one more time.

PJ: After that, you are going back to class. Will that transition be hard after just training for these past few months?

Andrew: School starts the beginning of April and hopefully I will pass my two classes at graduate in June. I am sure it will be a little hard to get motivated to go to class, but I want to graduate…I want to close this chapter in my life.

PJ: And, the draft falls in the middle of this.

Andrew: Yes, the draft could be distracting, however it’s a great opportunity and I’m not complaining at all!

PJ: So what has it meant to you to be at Stanford these last four years?

Andrew: It’s been a lot of fun…not to say every moment has been great. There are some moments you wish you could have back. But, I’ve loved it. The people I’ve met…the students, the teachers, the people in the community. As you know, there are some great families here and people doing a lot of influential things. It’s cool to be a part of that network and now hopefully I can tap into it.

PJ: What will you miss the most?

Andrew: I was going to say the weather [he laughs, looking outside at the rainy day]. It’s the people…a lot of cool people. They do a great job at Stanford giving us a unique environment to grow and meet all these people.

PJ: What are you most proud of during the last four years?

Andrew: The wins. We did a good job of consistently winning…especially in the last two years. I think they will continue…they have good players and Coach Shaw is doing a good job.

PJ: What was your biggest disappointment?

Andrew: Losing to Oregon two years in a row. That really hurts. I wish we could have done something different. But, alas….they beat us fair and square.

PJ: I noticed you just signed with Nike. Tell me about that and the YouTube video you shot.

Andrew: I am fortunate to be with such a wonderful sports company. I’ve been able to wear it for the last four years here at Stanford. I am blessed to be part of the Nike athletic family.

The YouTube video was an interesting experience. It’s a good thing they didn’t have to stage anything. I was just working out. The production team surprised me…how big it was…from the lighting, camera, and other production people. Reading the script didn’t faze me too much. After all, I’ve called enough plays in my life!

Check out Andrew making his luck…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQbQv8NLjaw&feature=youtu.be

Mayor KJ Scores to Save Kings and Create Jobs in Sacramento

It was just like he was back in his Phoenix Suns’ jersey. As a player, KJ was known for his fearlessness…challenging players almost twice his size.

This time, it wasn’t Hakeem Olajuwon standing between him and the basket during the 1994 playoffs. But, for the City of Sacramento and the fans of the Sacramento Kings, the opponent loomed just as large and a favorable outcome seemed unimaginable.

Guess, they didn’t see that shot…a one-handed, baseline, tomahawk dunk over Hakeem. And, didn’t realize they should never count out their Mayor. He did it again…this time for the win with literally no time left on the clock.

The Mayor greets fans after saving
the Kings from relocation

Mayor Kevin Johnson led the efforts to keep the Kings from relocating to Anaheim. This week after the City Council approved the plan to break ground on a new arena, Mayor Johnson said, “This is one of the finest moments in the city of Sacramento. I want to thank Gavin, Joe and George (Maloof) for embracing Sacramento and for allowing us to embrace them back. We have an eternal debt of gratitude to the Maloof family.”

It was a long haul to get to this point. The City had to prove to the NBA that they had a viable plan, including financing and fan support, among other things. And, they did just that. A few other facts that helped their case:

• The Kings were No. 1 in overall ticket revenue in the off season (despite uncertainties of the lockout and the possibility of moving)
• The Kings were No. 2 in group sales, which demonstrated deep community support
• In December, the Kings had more new corporate partners than any other NBA team in the offseason and is still among the best
• Attendance is up 7.4%
• The Kings had 85% season ticket renewals and a 15% increase in season tickets, again one of the best in the NBA

After the final game last season, in what was thought to be the last game in Sacramento for the Kings, a sports writer commented that “So what might be the final NBA game in Sacramento turned out to be a metaphor for the team’s 26 years in town: a slow start, some thrilling moments, but in the end: heartbreak.”

Not so fast…no heartbreak in Sacramento. Instead joy…jobs…development…and an infusion of revenue.

And, a Mayor who is up for re-election this year. I think he just punched his ticket for 4 more years.

I talked to Jeremiah Jackson, project manager for this effort, the other day to learn more about how they saved the day.

PJ: So when did this effort to keep the Kings in Sacramento start?

Jeremiah: It dates back to last year’s All-Star weekend in LA. Rumors started that the Kings were moving to Anaheim. The Mayor found out these weren’t just rumors—it was true. So, our last-ditch effort to keep the team in Sacramento started there. The Mayor spoke at the NBA Board of Governors meeting last year. He pitched Sacramento. And, prior to this we raised $10 million in a week from new sponsors. We showed that there was untapped potential in the business community and community at large. The NBA was surprised there was this much untapped sponsorship available, especially with no Fortune 500 companies in Sacramento.

Sacramento has stood behind their team, even through the years when they haven’t made the playoffs. The Mayor got a standing ovation for his presentation from the owners—this never happens.

The NBA gave us a year—until March 1, 2012. If we did not have a credible plan in place, the NBA would not object to the Kings moving.

PJ: What came next?

Jeremiah: The Mayor created a “Think Big” committee and worked 100 days—from Memorial Day to Labor Day—digging into options for the city, both public and private, tied to the users of the facility…looking at ways to bring in revenues from ticket surcharges to digital marketing.

On September 8 we presented the framework for the financing plan. Since then, we’ve worked through the legal and financial liability for everything that was laid out in that report.

PJ: I believe it may be unprecedented for a City to keep an NBA team once they have announced they are thinking of relocating. With no blueprint to go from, how difficult was it to develop this framework?

Jeremiah: We only had 10 or 11 months to go from 0 to 100 in our structure, so it was important to have a clean timeline and framework. We had to be unique. This is always a difficult situation, no matter what. It is especially tough in California and it is tough time for municipalities right now. We had to think creatively. This would be the cornerstone of economic development for our downtown. We project we will create 4,100 jobs directly related to the arena itself. Not spinoff jobs to build the arena. And, we will bring in $7 billion in economic activity over the next 30 years.

The question was…how to do this with no public tax dollars. The voters had voted ‘No’ to a tax hike in 2006, so we had to look elsewhere. We needed a unique financial model without putting city funding at risk or raising taxes.

PJ: So, what does the plan look like?

Jeremiah: What is unique about Sacramento is the Downtown Railyards. It was the original end of the Transcontinental Railroad. It is 244 acres of undeveloped land adjacent to downtown. The Federal government is giving more than $200 million for an intermodal transportation hub. It will be like the West Coast Grand Central Station and Madison Square Garden. This hub will link the entire region through the transportation system. It will have a bold impact on Sacramento.

On the financing side…90% of the city’s funds will come from parking leases and city parking garages. And, selling the land where the current arena stands. The Maloofs [owners of the Kings] are putting $73 million upfront and AEG [one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world], is adding just under $59 million up front.

PJ: What were the linchpins in accomplishing this?

Jeremiah: One…the community support was critical. Even when they thought the team would leave, fans stayed at the arena last year after games and chanted…for an hour [“here we stay.” “Sac-ra-men-to”].

Two…is the Mayor…his leadership on this and his relationship with NBA Commissioner David Stern. They have known each other for decades. This relationship enabled us to stay in the game when he let the Mayor present to the Board of Governors. In addition, the Mayor’s relationship with the CEO of AEG Tim Leiweke, was key to getting this done. The Mayor put together the Think Big task force, which pulled together local elected officials and others in the community; our small staff was working on this; and then there was City of Sacramento consultant Dan Barrett, who crunched the numbers.

Three…is the Maloofs…they could have applied for relocation last year and in the final moments they stepped up with an upfront investment. This was integral and we are appreciative of them stepping up at the right time.

PJ: Where do you go from here?

Jeremiah: Over the next 30 days we will get the pre-development agreement set and start the design. The environmental review should be completed by November. In April 2013 we will start construction and it will be completed in August of 2015, opening in Sept. 2015 for the NBA season.

PJ: What does this mean for the City of Sacramento?

Jeremiah: We knew it was big for Sacramento. Sometimes, as a City, we get bogged down in being against things. We knew people wanted to be “for” something. Especially at this time in our country, we knew we had to ‘think big, be big, and act big.’

This is a transformation. It’s about the future, it’s about jobs. It’s a big project and it’s the time to do this. It’s about now.

There were several attempts to build a new arena pre-dating this Mayor. To get where we are is almost surreal. When the City Council approved this [earlier this week], people we’re overjoyed. They did not know this time would come.

1974 NBA Finals, Game 6...a Classic

May 10, 1974.

Game 6 of the NBA Finals.

Boston Celtics—John Havlicek, Dave Cowens, Jo Jo White, Paul Silas, Don Cheney.

Milwaukee Bucks—Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson, Jon McGlocklin, Bobby Dandridge, Cornell Warner.

Final Score: Bucks 102, Celtics 101 2 OT.

38 years later and on paper this still has the makings of a classic.

I’ve been thinking about this game a lot lately.

Ticket stubs to 1974 Finals

A few weeks ago I heard John Havlicek (all-time leading scorer in Celtics history and my dad’s favorite player—he watched him play while at Ohio State with John Lucas, Larry Siegfried, Mel Nowell, and backup Bobby Knight) on a radio show with Elliott Harris, a former editor of mine at the Chicago Sun-Times. Hondo said this was the best game he ever played in and his best performance. “We thought we won, then, we thought we lost…it was the ebb and flow of the game, more than any other game I played in.”

Here’s how it ended: Havlicek scored 9 of 11 of Boston’s points in the second overtime, including the rainbow jumper over Kareem with seven seconds left. Bucks called a timeout to set a play for McGlocklin, but he couldn’t get free. So, Kareem took the shot…with three seconds left…the shot that he made famous, the sky-hook, for the win.

The game is considered one of the top games in finals history. And, at this point I was hoping to tell you I was there. However, while the ticket stubs say Game 6, I was actually at Game 5, which was in Milwaukee. Funny, after all these years we just realized the Bucks made a mistake on the tickets!

I was at Game 5…with my brother, Tom, and cousin, Larry…when the Bucks lost 96-87, however Kareem still scored 37 points. And, yes, Larry, I still have your ticket stub after all these years! It was $4 to go to Game 6…err…5 of the NBA Finals. This was way before teams realized they could charge more and people would still come.

Our memories might be a bit fuzzy, but Tom remembers that most of the games were won on the road (5 out of the 7). So, when they talk about home-court advantage it really didn’t exist in this series, even considering they were playing in the Boston Garden.

I do remember that Larry tried to go down on the court. He was always trying to see who he could meet—broadcasters like Eddie Doucette (who was the Chris Berman pre-ESPN and who created the term sky hook for Kareem’s shot) or players.

And, more importantly, the reason I keep the ticket stubs, besides that this was the only Championship Series game I have ever been to, is that it reminds me that I have an amazing brother. Here I was the little sister—seven years younger than him and always tagging along. It never bothered him. He promised me that if the Bucks made it to the Finals he would take me to the game. He kept his word. And, to this day he still goes to games with me.

The Bucks were the dominant team that year and were the favorites to win. However, in Game 7 back in Milwaukee, the Celtics double-teamed Kareem (who still finished with 26 points) and Cowens had a big game. The Bucks would not pick up their second title.

And, there were a few other disappointments for Bucks fans that we did not foresee on that day when we were celebrating that great win in Game 6. This was the last time we would see Oscar Robertson play in a Bucks uniform as he retired after the Finals. Oscar, the Big O, was the linchpin to the Bucks’ success. Kareem needed Oscar to win. Kareem brought the Bucks to a second place finish in the division in his first season as a pro. With Oscar by his side in the very next season, the Bucks won 66 games en route to a championship. They repeated as division leaders four straight years.

It’s very hard even for a superstar to win an NBA championship on their own. They need someone else. Michael had Scottie Pippen, Kobe had Shaq, and Kobe had Pau Gasol.

The other major disappointment for Bucks fans was the trade in 1975. The trade that sent Kareem and Walt Wesley to the Lakers for Elmore Smith, Brian Winters, Dave Meyers, and Junior Bridgeman. While Kareem requested the trade, giving up one of the most dominant players in the game is almost unimaginable.

At the time, Kareem won three MVPs in five years, was Rookie of the Year, and the Finals MVP in 1971. He would go on to finish as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer (38,387 points), hold a record six regular season MVP awards, win 6 championships, play in 19 All-Star games, won Finals MVP twice…and on and on.

Kareem played for 20 years and was one of best players of all-time. How do you trade a Kareem, a Michael, a Magic, or a Kobe?

And, while seemingly, the Bucks got a lot for Kareem, they were never able to replace his leadership, his presence, his ability, or work ethic. Kareem was known for doing yoga and keeping fit, which helped him tremendously in the later part of his career during the Showtime Lakers.

On that day in 1975 when Kareem was traded to the Lakers, this little girl became a Lakers fan. This is the only time that I have followed a player and become a fan of his new team. I am a fan of the team first. And, this is typical of most fans. Players come and go these days, but fans stay loyal to their team.

However, in this case, when one of the greatest players in NBA history gets traded, this loyalty goes out the window. Although, I have stuck with the Lakers to this day, well past the Kareem era. I guess it doesn’t hurt that the Lakers do what it takes to win and are one of the NBA’s dynasties.

Peter Varellas...and the Two-Minute Drill

This time listening to Dad paid off…big time.

If Peter Varellas hadn’t taken his dad, Larry, up on trying out for the water polo team his freshman year of high school, we may never have witnessed his rise to one of the best in the world.

In his own words, Peter says he was “adamant about not playing.” And, it had nothing to do with water polo… it was just that he didn’t want to play a fall sport. He played basketball in the winter and baseball in the spring. But, his dad convinced him to try it for a week, if he didn’t like it he could quit.

Peter looking for his shot

This is where it all started…a little push to try out a new sport…playing at Stanford and going to the Championship each of his four years (and winning the title in 2002)…named to 2005 NCAA All-Tourney first team…scoring in 27 out of the team’s 28 games in 2005…honored as Stanford’s Most Outstanding Male Senior Athlete in 2005-6…honored as the Pac-10 Stanford Male Athlete of the Year…named to the American Water Polo Coaches Association All-Academic Team…

And silver medalist in the 2008 Beijing Olympics (with five goals and seven assists in the tourney).

Oh, and by the way, Peter played for Rari Nantes Savona in Italy from 2006 to 2010, helping lead the team to runner-up finishes in the Italian League and LEN Cup in the 2009-2010 season.

I sat down with Peter recently and he shared his insights on his journey, the Olympics, and what’s next.

PJ: What does your training schedule look like?

Peter: Three times a week we train seven hours a day. Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday we train three-and-a-half hours a day. And, Sunday is our day off. We have nine practices a week and eventually we will go to ten.

In the morning on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, we lift weights from 8am-10am. From 10am-12pm we are in the water, and then we come back at night for another water workout.

We started a new strength program with Peak Performance Project (P3) in Santa Barbara. It’s interesting; they have a lot of lab testing equipment and do evaluations to develop individual training for athletes. For me, it’s making a difference. We are lucky to have them. It’s definitely to our advantage.

PJ: What is the advantage of this new training program for the team?

Peter: The challenge we typically have every year before the Olympics is training in the United States. Our team is spread out in Europe playing on club teams. They start playing in mid-October and run until June, depending on if your team makes the playoffs.

This year we made a decision to stay home as a team and train—to build the right team chemistry and train the way we want to. In the past it had been a challenge in the weight room as for 9 months we were with our pro teams and had our own programs. We were left to do our own thing in the weight room. And, we needed to be highly motivated to keep it up. And, some players might now know what they needed to do to get the most benefit. This year we are all on the same page, being on this program for the year.

PJ: What has it been like to be together for the full year?

Peter: In the past we were only together for a few months it was easy to stay motivated…along with the excitement of playing with your best friends. It is a challenge this year. It is a long year without competition. Although, we are mixing in some trips. However, the training to competing ratio goes way up. We have to stay motivated to do this. And, we all know that the real Games count the most.

The decision to stay home is a sacrifice. We are in Europe to make a living as there are no pro leagues in the United States. So, it’s been a financial sacrifice for players. However, we are fundraising and funds do pick up in an Olympic year. This was definitely a factor.

It is nice to be in the United States. I have been in Italy for four years, which was an amazing experience. But it’s nice to be here instead of abroad. We have a lot of older guys with kids and now Dad gets to be home more, which is nice.

PJ: What is the makeup of the team this time around?

Peter: We have five or six guys over 33. That’s a veteran team. We have a core group with two guys who are two-time Olympians and have been together for 10 or 11 years. Most of the team is returning from Beijing in 2008. We stuck together. We didn’t finish—win the gold. The silver medal was nice, but not fun to lose in the final at all. Now we’ve been to the games, we’ve been to the podium. We know what it all looks like—no gray area. That’s the goal—gold. All of the other stuff is taken out of the picture.

Peter with his silver medal

PJ: So, what happened in 2008?

Peter: We had an amazing run through the Games. The US men’s side hadn’t won a medal in 20 years. We won silver in 1984 and 1988. We were ranked ninth in the world and shocked everyone else getting there…not ourselves. I like to think we knew we could play with anyone.

The Hungarians were the favorite in the finals. That being said, we knew what we could do and we could play with anyone.

We were tied late in the third and they reeled off five straight. You can’t expect to win with that. We just didn’t complete the job. We lost the final 14-10. We had played incredible defense all tourney. Our normal shot blocking, defensive execution did not happen. I’m glad we didn’t break down until them. It definitely hurt and motivated the guys thinking of retiring to go for it again.

PJ: So what does the competition look like this time around?

Peter: This year is a lot like 2008. There are a large group of teams that have a chance to win medals. Tourneys come down to one or two goals. It’s a slim margin for error. It’s all about attention to detail.

Germany is playing well and Italy came out of nowhere to win the Worlds in 2011. Both weren’t players in 2008. And, of course the former Slovak countries are always good. Eight teams could win, which is a lot in a 12-team tournament.

PJ: So, you are a lefty. Tell me about the advantage this gives you.

Peter: I got lucky. I thank Mom…she is the lefty in the family. It’s a quirky advantage…it’s just rare.

There are a few advantages playing on the right side of the pool facing the cage…having my dominant hand inside making the pass. When I receive a pass on my right side I am ready to shoot…or a quick pass to my teammates’ strong side. Goalies are not quite used to seeing this…it is a little different than the bulk of the shots they see. It is important for me to be a set-up man for my teammates, cutting passes and making things happen. In some ways it’s like a point guard in basketball. I am able to get a quick release off. When I get a pass, I can make a quick shot and the goalie needs to re-position. I can catch him out of position and not in the spot where he is able to cover yet.

PJ: Did you like playing in Italy?

Peter: I loved it. I always wanted to study abroad in school but couldn’t because of sports. And, this turned out to be such a better way; not just for three months. I had an amazing experience. I had my own apartment…I stayed on the same team. So, there was continuity. I got involved in things outside the pool and was deeply involved in the community. It was awesome.

I learned another language and walked away fluent. I never studied…people we’re so friendly I just picked it up with their help.

I was in Savona, near Genoa in the northwestern part of the coastline. It is part of the Italian Riviera…an hour from the French border and an hour plane ride from Rome, my favorite city. The town has 60,000-70,000 people and everyone knows each other. They got behind water polo. It’s amazing to live in a country where the day after a game everyone was either there in person, watched it on TV, or read about it in the paper. And, they wanted to talk about it. You don’t get this in California or this country. Water polo is big, which is cool.

PJ: What are your goals?

Peter: Short-term is nice and incredibly simple…win the gold medal. It would be the first gold on the men’s side...ever. No more talk about “Back to the Podium,” which was the mantra in 2008.

Next goal is graduate business school. It’s a two-year program starting at Stanford next fall. Not sure what that means for water polo. Although, things cool off for the year after the Olympics. So, for water polo it’s day-by-day.

Mychal Johnson...and the Two-Minute Drill

Recently, someone was asking where I get my ideas for my topics and how do I find the folks I interview. My ideas come from all over—things I read about, conversations I have, etc.

For this interview subject I didn’t have to look too far…as Mychal Johnson is my cousin. And, he just happens to be a former Division 1 defensive lineman.

Mychal at the 2006 Conference
Championship game.

He played in the 2006 Southwestern Athletic Conference’s Championship game for the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions. This was quite a feat for the school, considering it was the first time the team had played in the championship game and the first time anyone but Grambling State and Southern had even played for the title. To get there they had to win six straight games, before falling to Alabama A&M 7-3 in the Championship game.

Currently, Mychal is the varsity coach for the defensive line at Beverly Hills High School in Beverly Hills, CA. He also handles all the video for the defense and is the head junior varsity baseball coach.

This past fall I had the pleasure of watching him coach his squad and although they had a rough game, I could definitely see the impact he has made on the kids. Mychal definitely has a bright future ahead of him as a coach and I for one, will be cheering from the sidelines.

He has successfully made the transition from player to coach, but as with all journeys it has taken a little time to get here.

I sat down with Mychal recently and he shared some insights on his transition.

PJ: So, what has the transition to coach been like?

Mychal: It still is difficult. I played football since I was 13 years old and stopped when I was 23. It was my life. I did things, made choices for football. And, it stopped out of nowhere. It’s been hard to find things that are that competitive.

Coaching fell into my lap. It has changed my life. I still miss playing. It was a lot of who I was and it was tough after it was over.

I struggle every day with not being in full control. I can do the scheme; teach the technique—every aspect except execute the play. It’s a lot different. I used to rely on my talent to get the job done. Now I motivate the players to get the job done.

PJ: So, it’s been a total shift for you. How does that make you feel—to be teaching and motivating the players, instead of executing?

Mychal: It’s frustrating and exhilarating at the same time. To be molding a kid brings in the mental aspect—far more than in my playing days. It’s more satisfaction. I have to find ways to motivate the players and to show them how to do things right. Physically, they can’t do what I can do. Athletically, they are not at my level.

This is what drives me and keeps me coming back. Not having complete control is the driving force in this. It’s different from what I am used to.

PJ: So, who are your coaching role models?

Mychal: I saw many different personalities in my coaches. Now, I do research on successful coaches like Nick Saban and Bill Belichick. I go to clinics and read books. I know the X’s and O’s—I know this from being in football for so long. Things I don’t know I study.

It’s funny, I never understood why coaches did certain things—like make us run laps, etc. Now, I know why.

For the most part, I look at coaches who changed the landscape of football…like Lombardi…to understand the style they were using and mold myself based on that.

For me, it’s the day-to-day challenges off the field—grades, etc…making sure they are doing things better. We aren’t in this to just win football games. We are trying to build them into good people with good character.

Grandma (my Aunt Elaine),
Mom (my cousin Debbie),
and Mychal.

PJ: What advice would you give other athletes who face this transition?

Mychal: Always having a plan. I know it’s a cliché. But, that’s where it starts. Your playing days will come to an end, whether it’s high school, college, or the pros. You can’t play forever, so you need to find something you’d like to do after—whatever you love. Find what you are good in. I fell into it. But, if I think about what I was good at was always working with kids.

PJ: You are just getting underway with your spring sport, baseball. How does your team look this year?

Mychal: Baseball is one of the main sports at my school. If you can run, you play soccer or baseball. It’s interesting; they don’t have Pop Warner football or feeder programs here. We have good kids and we compete for the league championship every year. Rarely do we have great hitting, not a power team. But, we focus on bunts, sac flies, taking bases, good fielding and defense. We try to win like that.

PJ: And, how is it to slow down the pace from football?

Mychal: It’s a good thing. I’m not in charge of as many kids. In football I have 20-30 kids, while in baseball it’s around 15. So, I can do more individual work. It’s a nice break. Football is so intense—a lot of time off-the-field in game prep, meetings, looking at film. In baseball the work is on the field. It’s good to go home and not watch film, just to work on the lineup, etc. That’s nice…sort of like my vacation, I guess.

PJ: What are your goals?

Mychal: Coaching football is now my passion. Furthering that as a head coach in high school or I’d love to coach in college. Breaking though in college is much harder. And, of course, teaching in high school.

PJ: I couldn’t end my interview without this question. I know each level you played you had to bulk up and increase your calorie intake. What was highest calorie intake and where are you now?

Mychal: This changed dramatically when I stopped playing. At my peak I was at 3,000-4,000 calories per day and still had a tough time gaining weight. I had to eat right before I went to bed—ice cream and peanut butter sandwiches. I was working out so much.

Now, I’m around 2,000 calories per day, which is pretty low for my size. I’m at 220 lbs. now. My playing weight was 245 lbs. [and, listed at 6’5’’ in his playing days] I’ve gone down a bit and would still like to lose 5-10 lbs.

I don’t work out as much as I did before. It’s good that I married someone, Valencia, who watches her health. I am definitely healthier than I was four years ago!

And, it’s tough as football coaches have the worst eating habits. I am one of the smallest on our coaching staff. I try to keep in check.

Favorite Team: Packers—no wavering on that. I was raised a Packer fan. (Good answer!)

Favorite Sport: To watch and play I still love football. However, I am growing fond of golf, although not sure if it is growing fond of me!

Favorite Athlete: My inspiration growing up was Ken Griffey, Jr. For sure, he is my all-time favorite. I loved baseball first; didn’t play football until junior high school. Another one is Tiger Woods for his mental capacity. It was outrageous when he was in his prime. How he could channel the mental aspect—now I have a great appreciation of that knowing how hard golf is. And, I love Kobe. I have a Lakers bias.