Expert Talks About NFL’s Decision To Back Down From “Who Dat”

The National Football League earlier this week backed off from its threat to sue vendors who sold T-shirts containing the phrase “Who Dat,” citing trademark infringement.

New Orleans Saints fans have used the “Who Dat” phrase as a rally cry for years. It’s a shortened version of “Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints?” The Saints’ fans are even referred to as Who Dat Nation. And with the once-mocked organization making its first-ever appearance in the Super Bowl, various T-shirt designs with the “Who Dat” phrase have been in high demand.

The NFL initially took issue with the phrase being included on T-shirts along with the use of black and gold colors (which the Saints use) and/or the fleur-de-lis. But days before the New Orleans Saints play the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday in Miami, the NFL (referred to by some as the “No Fun League”) backed off, or clarified, its stance.

League spokesman Brian McCarthy was quoted in a USA Today story as saying the league “emphasized that people can use ‘Who Dat’ all they want if it doesn’t include NFL and Saints trademarks. We explained that we would contact merchants only if a ‘Who Dat’ item also contained NFL or Saints trademarks or if it is falsely claimed that an unauthorized item is affiliated with the Saints or NFL.”

Fitness Information Technology contacted Dr. John Grady to get his thoughts on the NFL’s position. Grady is an assistant professor at the University of South Carolina who specializes in intellectual property protection by professional and collegiate sport properties. Grady has published several articles on the subject in Sport Marketing Quarterly.

Q: What was your initial reaction when you heard that the NFL was sending letters to vendors telling them to stop selling T-shirts that included the “Who Dat” phrase?

Grady: “The league has to be seen as taking a proactive stance in fulfilling its obligation to vigorously protect the league’s intellectual property from which it derives substantial revenues. However, sending out cease and desist letters seems like an over-zealous attempt to control fan content that may really backfire on the league in the court of public opinion.”

Q: You’ve written about this in SMQ, but where can a league like the NFL or an organization like the Saints draw the line regarding trademark infringement, specifically with regard to popular phrases, symbols, or the use of team colors?

Grady: “With trademarked logos, the league and its respective teams have very clear rights which they have every right to enforce.  When a slogan like “Who Dat” is used on merchandise, the legal rights become more tenuous, assuming the slogan is not owned by the team or any other person.

“However, the phrase is rarely used in isolation on plain merchandise, such as black and white lettering on a white T-shirt. The merchandise typically uses the team’s color scheme in some fashion, which may be subject to trademark protection depending on the legal precedent in that jurisdiction. 

“What becomes much more of a slam dunk, legally speaking, for the league is when a manufacturer uses the team’s trademarked logos in addition to well-recognized marks such as fleur-de-lis in the team’s colors. This scenario is much more likely to raise eyebrows in the league office as potentially infringing the team’s marks in multiple ways.”

Q: The NFL received a lot of bad press due to its initial stance in the “Who Dat” situation. In past years, the NFL has taken similar PR hits by trying to control the use of “the Big Game” as it related to the Super Bowl or prohibiting churches from hosting Super Bowl watch parties. Is the league’s perceived image of being overly aggressive in terms of controlling trademarks deserving, or is the NFL often justified in taking such stances?

Grady: “The NFL, much like the upcoming Olympics in Vancouver, finds themselves in sort of a Catch 22.  One on hand, they must please their official sponsors who pay handsomely for the right to use the league or property’s intellectual property as part of their sponsorship packages. If they did not take such a proactive stance, sponsors would perhaps be unwilling to renew their sponsorship arrangements, citing the failure of the league to deliver category exclusivity that they were contractually obligated to provide.

“At the same time, they must make the event accessible to every day fans in addition to the corporate hospitality folks who often fill most of the seats at mega sports events. Therefore, it seems a little ridiculous for the NFL and others to be overly aggressive in trying to stop fans from trying to access their event, such as having a viewing party at a church. 

“For example, the phrase “the Big Game” is on every other commercial I’ve seen the past week, from sports bars to electronics stores selling HD TVs.  Clearly, if the NFL had hoped to control the use of that phrase, they missed their chance.  It has become almost a generic shorthand for the Super Bowl, and therefore unlikely to now qualify for trademark protection.”

Q: Finally, who will you be cheering for in the Super Bowl, the Saints or Colts?

Grady: “Having lived near the Gulf Coast for almost eight years and with family still living in Louisiana, I’ll go Saints.”

“Stay Strong, Play On”

FiT Supports National Girls and Women in Sports Day

Thousands of supporters will ascend on Capitol Hill Feb. 3 to voice their support for girls and women in sports during the annual celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD). This year’s theme “Stay Strong, Play On” reflects the progress made by girls and women in sports and encourages female athletes of all ages to serve as roles models for future generations.

Fitness Information Technology (FiT) supports that message by featuring female role models in sports in 100 Trailblazers: Great Women Athletes Who Opened Doors for Future Generations. The book, by author and human rights activist Richard Lapchick, highlights the achievements of athletes, coaches and administrators who broke down barriers and, as a result, provided opportunities for future generations of women in sports.

One of those women is Lyn St. James, a former professional auto racing driver who in 1992 became the first woman to win the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year award.

“When I was growing up in the ‘50s and ‘60s, there were really no role models in sports for me to even think about being a professional athlete,” said St. James, as quoted in 100 Trailblazers. “Now there are so many women out there competing, coaching, managing, organizing and leading everywhere in every way. I’m proud to be included in this collection of women who’ve led the way and who continue to show girls that the opportunities are limitless.”

Now in its 24th year, NGWSD was started by the National Association for Girls and Women in Sports (NAGWS) to advance the efforts of Title IX and other historic accomplishments that are aimed toward achieving gender equity in sport. To assist with the sponsorship of NGWSD events across the country, NAGWS relies on the support of Girls, Inc., the Girls Scouts of America, the Women’s Sports Foundation and the National Women’s Law Center.

To learn more about how to support NGWSD, visit www.aahperd.org/nagws/programs/ngwsd/. For more information on 100 Trailblazers visit www.fitinfotech.com.

Examining Danica’s Deals with GoDaddy and NASCAR

Auto racing star Danica Patrick was involved in two major announcements last month: (1) she signed a three-year contract extension to drive the GoDaddy.com IndyCar car for Andretti Autosports and (2) she signed a deal to drive a GoDaddy.com sponsored car for JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide series on a part-time basis.

Fitness Information Technology contacted Jacquelyn Cuneen, a leading sport marketing scholar, to get her thoughts on the impact of Patrick’s two announcements. Cuneen, a former editor of the Sport Marketing Quarterly, and colleagues published (SMQ, Vol. 16, No. 4, Dec. 2007) an analysis of advertising portrayals of female drivers in the Indianapolis 500 official program that revealed that Patrick’s arrival in the IndyCar circuit altered the way that female drivers were portrayed in advertisements.

Q: What are your thoughts from a sport marketing perspective about Patrick delving into the NASCAR circuit?

Cuneen: “It’s a smart move for her, really. She has twice the opportunity for endorsements since those two motorsports do tend to reach specialty fan bases with different product interests. In other words, it extends her as a celebrand, if that’s possible since she’s already known globally. It can also help each of the associations (IRL and NASCAR) as well as the numerous individual events where she drives—she’ll be a draw on multiple circuits.

“She can definitely expand her own opportunities as well as open up new avenues for all sorts of sponsors by creating crossover exposure between the two circuits. In addition, if her representatives and Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s representatives can work out the details, which they may have already done as part of the behind-the-scenes negotiations, then it’ll be a shot in the arm for both drivers, both circuits, all the sponsors—and both drivers’ fans.”

Q: In what ways should NASCAR market Patrick and how beneficial do you think she’ll prove to be, financially speaking, for NASCAR, especially considering it took a slight downturn financially this past season?

Cuneen: “Hopefully they’ll market Danica as a skilled driver, but we should absolutely anticipate the sex-appeal angle. While the IRL itself never really hyped Danica’s movie star good looks to the point of exploitation, the individual race events went that direction and there’s every reason to expect NASCAR events to do the same.

“However, at the same time, NASCAR likely wanted her because she’s an established driver with a loyal fan base, and those fans will follow her when they may not have had any previous interest in the stock car circuit. Her current followers are used to watching her drive around Indy-car tracks at about 50 mph faster than the speed she’ll hit on a NASCAR track, but they’ll stick with her. However she performs, she’ll also draw new fans to NASCAR and she’ll prompt some existing NASCAR fans to switch favorites. Her merchandising should take off—that’s where she and NASCAR may realize the first big returns on this venture.”

Q: Patrick will be driving a GoDaddy.com car in both racing circuits. There’s been much criticism over GoDaddy.com’s sexually suggestive commercials, which have earned quite a bit of attention particularly during the Super Bowl. What are your thoughts on Patrick’s relationship with GoDaddy.com and how she’s been portrayed in a sexually suggestive manner in some of its advertising and marketing campaigns?

Cuneen: “Danica herself has control over how she’s portrayed in advertising. If Danica wants to be portrayed as a serious driver on either circuit, she would be better off insisting on commercial/advertising portrayals that depict her as such. Indy driver Lyn St. James had good looks as well as driving skills and thus had the opportunity to be featured as a sex- symbol rather than an accomplished driver, but she instructed her agents to not commit her to such depictions; Danica could do the same if she preferred to do so.

“There are numerous male drivers with movie star good looks and strong celebrand credentials (e.g., Helio Castroneves, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Sam Hornish Jr., Kasey Kahne), but we don’t see them featured in sexually suggestive portrayals to the extent that Danica has permitted for herself. Hey, it’s her business and her decision, but it doesn’t do much to help her standing as a serious threat on the track and it doesn’t do much to blaze a trail for future female drivers.”

Q: Tennis star Anna Kournikova didn’t start the trend of female athletes appearing in sexually suggestive advertising but she probably popularized it more than anyone. Now female athletes in tennis, swimming, soccer, racing, and other sports are regularly appearing in similar sexually suggestive advertising. What are the benefits and drawbacks of this trend, for both the advertisers and the athletes?

Cuneen: “There is a great financial benefit for the athletes, for sure. There’s no denying that it’s also beneficial for their sports, because it draws attention to them. The advertisers benefit as well, but maybe not to the extent one might think if the target is the female consumer. First of all, research, much of it published in the Sport Marketing Quarterly, informs us that women prefer to be portrayed as strong, competent, and independent in advertisements, particularly in sport-related ads. Second, male consumers, more than females, respond to endorsements while female consumers, more than males, seem to respond to cause marketing.

“Finally, Danica’s original management agency, Players Group, wished to avoid the pitfalls of marketing her as an Anna Kournikova-type glamour-girl and designed a strategy for her modeled on the marketing plan used for tennis player Maria Sharapova—one that would let her develop as a performer. Note that even in her famous I Feel Pretty ad for Nike, Sharapova kept her game face on while everyone around her stereotyped her as a sex symbol. With few exceptions (i.e., Secret, Peak), Danica’s initial portrayals also featured her as strong, competent, and independent (e.g., Firestone, Argent).

“It would be interesting to know why her new management devised a plan that seems to be the direct antithesis of the original, particularly when Danica herself hoped to overcome the sex-appeal angle according to previous comments. Danica is awaiting her first major victory while Sharapova had already won a major championship at her comparable stage of career development, but Danica’s top ten finishes certainly place her among the racing elite and leave plenty of room for her to be portrayed as a top driver. However, there will always be a question about her abilities as long as she decides to go Kournikova’s rather than Sharapova’s route.”

Berri Explains Research on NFL Draft and Quarterback Performance

An intellectual spat recently broke out in the New York Times and spilled over into the blogsphere, and one of the wedges of division is a recently published journal article by a pair of distinguished sport economists.

The work of David Berri, an associate professor of economics at Southern Utah University, and Rob Simmons, a senior lecturer of economics at Lancaster University and the editor of the International Journal of Sport Finance (IJSF), which is published by Fitness Information Technology (FiT), regarding quarterbacks’ NFL draft position and their subsequent performance was pulled into a dispute between journalist Malcolm Gladwell and Harvard psychology professor Steven Pinker. While they went back and forth in print, and later on the web, I was interested more in the analysis of Berri and Simmons’ research than the playground-like spat between Gladwell and Pinker (and later journalist Steven Sailor).

What I’d like to provide in this forum is not another medium to prolong the dispute but rather a chance for the Berri and Simmons research to be further examined. In order to do so, FiT contacted Berri, who has had four articles published in IJSF and who used his blog to defend and clarify his research, to ask him some questions about his and Simmons’ journal article titled “Catching a Draft: On the Process of Selecting Quarterbacks in the National Football League Amateur Draft,” which was published in a recent issue of the Journal of Productivity Analysis.

Q: For those who haven’t read the article, can you give them a brief summary of the research?

Berri: In this paper, Rob and I are examining the NFL draft. The motivation behind this institution is that league parity will be enhanced if the worst teams in the league are given access to the best amateur talent. But can NFL teams identify the best amateur talent? From previous research we had already seen that quarterbacks in the NFL are very inconsistent across time. In other words, identifying the best NFL quarterbacks in the future—even when you have already seen the quarterbacks in the NFL—is difficult.

With respect to the NFL draft the problem is even harder to solve. College football isn’t the same as the NFL. So we shouldn’t be surprised that the drafting of quarterbacks is difficult. Here is what we specifically found:

1. We did find several factors that predict where a quarterback will get drafted. Specifically, we find that taller, faster, and smarter (i.e., better Wonderlic scores) quarterbacks get drafted first.

2. The factors that predict draft performance, though, don’t predict NFL performance.

3. Given this result, we shouldn’t be surprised that where a quarterback is drafted doesn’t predict how well a quarterback will perform in the NFL.

NCAA Wins in Long Run with Legal Settlements

An interesting guest column was published in the most recent issue of SportsBusiness Journal by a couple of prominent sport management scholars regarding the NCAA and its ability to evade court rulings like Adrian Peterson evading a linebacker.

Mark Nagel and Richard Southall, co-authors of the forthcoming second edition of Sport Facility Management: Organizing Events and Mitigating Risks, published by Fitness Information Technology (FiT), wrote about some recent settlement agreements by the NCAA. In the Nov. 30-Dec. 6, 2009, issue of SBJ, they describe how the NCAA has successfully implemented a legal “four-corners offense,” ending lawsuits with settlements and thus eliminating the potential for a judge or jury to force the NCAA to change portions of the model it uses to run the most powerful organization in college athletics.

Nagel and Southall primarily detailed the NCAA’s settlement agreement with former Oklahoma State pitcher Andy Oliver, who received $750,000 from the NCAA in October, just two weeks before their trial was scheduled to go to a jury trial. Oliver was initially suspended by the NCAA in 2008 because in 2006 his adviser had contact with the Minnesota Twins, which drafted him out of high school.

Oliver certainly shouldn’t be blamed for settling the case out of court, because $750,000 is a big figure, although it’s rather small compared to the NCAA’s 2008 income believed to be in the neighborhood of $614 million. As Nagel, an associate professor of sport and entertainment management at the University of South Carolina, and Southall, an assistant professor in exercise and sport science at the University of North Carolina, write:

Within this landscape it remains to be seen whether there is a potential plaintiff sitting on a metaphorical legal bench who cannot be induced to play the NCAA settlement game. Most of the business-related cases against the NCAA have been settled because plaintiffs have had vested financial interest in settling rather than engaging in protracted legal battles whose outcomes were not assured. However, if this potential plaintiff does not need to protect a future career and is already financially secure, then the NCAA may be unable to hold the ball indefinitely.

Nagel and Southall conclude their guest column by stating that, “Perhaps Ed O’Bannon or Sam Keller is such a plaintiff …”

The "EA Sports" Sam Keller

That leads to a law column written by Anita M. Moorman, JD, an associate professor of sport administration at the University of Louisville, and Marion E. Hambrick, a doctoral candidate in the same program, in the September 2009 issue of FiT’s Sport Marketing Quarterly. They write about three pending court cases involving the business activity of licensing, two of which involve O’Bannon and Keller, who have received plenty of press for their lawsuits against the NCAA.

O’Bannon’s case filed against the NCAA and Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC) focuses on former student-athletes and the fact that the NCAA and third-party commercial entities, particularly the CLC, have benefited financially from merchandise sales while the former athletes have been prevented from receiving compensation.

NFL Tells Captain Morgan to Walk the Plank

When Philadelphia Eagles’ tight end Brent Celek scored a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys earlier this month, his end zone celebration set off a marketing firestorm.

Celek struck a “Captain Morgan” pose because the rum company was offering to donate $10,000 to the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund every time a player performed the pose after scoring a TD. But the NFL immediately stepped in and threatened a “significant” penalty to any future player that participates in the now short-lived Captain Morgan campaign.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told Yahoo! Sports: “A company can’t pay a player to somehow promote it’s product on the field.”

Fitness Information Technology contacted Dr. David Stotlar, a professor of sport marketing at the University of Northern Colorado, to get his perspective on the issue. Stotlar authors Developing Successful Sport Marketing Plans, 3rd Edition, Developing Successful Sport Sponsorship Plans, 3rd Edition, and is a co-author of Fundamentals of Sport Marketing, 3rd Edition.

Q: Would this be a textbook definition of ambush marketing, as the NFL labeled it in its response?

Stotlar: Clearly an example of ambush marketing. The worst thing is that they are enlisting others to help them achieve that fraud.

Q: What are your thoughts about the NFL’s reaction to the Captain Morgan campaign?

Stotlar: I think it’s a fitting reaction. If you stop the players from participating, you can take away the stage. Ambush marketing is completely out of control. If a company wants to contribute to NFL Charities, there is an appropriate way to do that.

Q: Even though the NFL is squashing this campaign, would you say it has been a success in terms of bringing exposure to Captain Morgan?

Stotlar: Not so much. Some say that any publicity is a good thing, but unethical behavior seldom has lasting positive effects.

Q: Another campaign that does have the NFL’s blessing and has been very popular the last couple of years is the Coors Light mock press conference commercials. How would you rate the success and popularity of this marketing campaign?

Stotlar: I think the novelty is wearing off. They were funny and interesting in the beginning, but it’s getting a little old and predictable.

Sport Marketing Association Honors WVU College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences Faculty Member with Lifetime Service Award

Morgantown, W.Va. [Nov. 6, 2009] Dr. Dallas Branch, associate professor of the Sport Management program at West Virginia University’s College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences (WVU – CPASS), was presented with a Lifetime Service Award by the Sport Marketing Association (SMA) and Fitness Information Technology (FiT) for his service and dedication to the Sport Marketing Quarterly (SMQ).

Dr. Dallas Branch with Lifetime Achievement Award from SMA and FiT

Shortly after beginning his teaching career at WVU, Branch started SMQ in 1992 to advance the study and practice of sport marketing. He was the journal’s first editor and served on its editorial board for nearly 18 years.  Branch was also the co-founder of the SMA, which was established in 2002 to provide a national forum for sport marketing and management education and professionals working in the industry.

“The Sport Marketing Quarterly was created to bridge the gap between sport sciences academicians and professionals working in the sport marketing field,” said Branch, who received his award at the annual SMA conference in Cleveland on October 29. “I have enjoyed serving on the editorial review board and watching the journal grow with the support of the SMA.”

Dr. Nancy Lough, associate professor and director of the Center for Sports Education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and the journal’s next editor, has served on the editorial review board with Branch for nine years. Her goal as the incoming editor is to “honor Branch’s leadership and continue to provide a publication that serves as a legacy to his years of service.”

“Dr. Branch pursued the vision to create one publication to serve both academicians and sport marketing practitioners. Sport Marketing Quarterly has continued to strive toward fulfillment of the original vision, through incorporation of unique aspects such as a case study section and professional profile in each issue to compliment the cutting edge research produced by sport marketing scholars from around the world,” said Lough.

Sport Marketing Quarterly - Volume 18 - Number 3 - 2009

According to Lough, SMQ maintains subscriptions in 25 countries, in addition to the United States, and every member of SMA receives a subscription to SMQ.

Past and current SMA executive board members have served on the editorial review board and published in SMQ. In honor of Dr. Branch and the editors who served after him, the editor of the journal now maintains an official position on the SMA executive board.

Published by FiT of the International Center for Performance Excellence (ICPE) at WVU, the Sport Marketing Quarterly is available to the general public in print and online subscriptions.

For more information about the Sport Marketing Quarterly, visit www.fitinfotech.com. Information about the SMA is available at www.sportmarketingassociation.com.

Panel of Pro Sports Experts Offers Insight, Opinion

A group of proverbial heavyweights in the sport industry gathered at West Virginia University Wednesday night to share their insight, opinions, and plenty of jokes during “The Business of Sports” discussion.

The distinguished lecture series featured Ken Kendrick, managing general partner of the Arizona Diamondbacks; Bob Nutting, principal owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates; Oliver Luck, president and general manager of the Houston Dynamo; and Sam Huff, a Hall of Fame linebacker and current radio broadcaster for the Washington Redskins. It was a great opportunity to hear the foursome’s viewpoints on a variety of timely topics and their responses to questions were, at times, as humorous as they were insightful.

Below are some of their thoughts on a variety of topics that were discussed.

• On public financing of stadiums

There has been plenty of research, much of which has been published in the International Journal of Sport Finance, regarding the benefits and/or drawbacks of public financing for construction of new stadiums and arenas. All three panelists associated with professional teams claimed that there were long-term benefits for communities that receive a new professional sports facility, despite many sports economists who claim otherwise. Both MLB owners on the panel also happen to own teams that received public financing to help fund stadium construction projects.

Pittsburgh footed a large portion ($174 million) of the bill for the Pirates’ new PNC Park, which opened in 2002 but was five years prior to Nutting’s ownership. Kendrick’s Diamondbacks and their retractable roof stadium (Chase Field Ballpark) cost taxpayers approximately $238 million.

“It’s difficult to talk about public funding of stadiums during these economic times,” Kendrick admitted. “Economic impact studies show there can be a return on investment. Over time, there is tremendous tax revenue and jobs are created and I think that model still works. But having said that, in this time (of economic struggles) I think public funds should be used other ways.”

Luck was previously the CEO of the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority, which oversaw the construction and financing of Houston’s three new professional sports venues—the Astros’ Minute Maid Park, the Rockets’ and Comets’ Toyota Center, and the Texans’ Reliant Stadium.

“The city of Houston took on approximately $1 billion in municipal debt to build three new venues,” Luck said. “All three were up for a public vote and all narrowly passed and they were funded by hotel and rental car taxes. Because of those new venues, Houston has been chosen to host the Super Bowl (2004), Final Four (2011 and 2016), MLB all-star game (2004), NBA all-star game (2006), and (in 2010) the MLS all-star game and that’s important for a city that was down on its luck after the Oilers left Houston. It helped to rejuvenate the urban core of Houston.”

• On small- and mid-market teams competing in Major League Baseball

Both Nutting and Kendrick consider themselves owners of mid-market clubs, although based on the most recent MLB revenue reports the Diamondbacks are a few rungs above the Pirates. The biggest limitation, according to Kendrick, was that small- and mid-market teams are less able to successfully cope with injuries to key players. If they retain All-Star caliber players, often much of the team’s salary is invested in that one player.

The Diamondbacks, winners of the 2001 World Series in a dramatic Game 7, 9th inning rally to defeat the New York Yankees, have had some very talented players on their roster. In fact, five of the past 10 National League Cy Young Award winners played for Arizona (Randy Johnson in 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002, and Brandon Webb in 2006). Arizona made it to the playoffs in 2007 and finished second in the NL West in 2008 but this past season finished in last place in its division due in large part to an opening-day injury to Webb.

“This year our top pitcher, who had won the Cy Young, was injured in the first game of the year and he missed the rest of the season,” Kendrick said. “That was a devastating injury for us to try to overcome.

“It would be nice to have unlimited money like the New York Yankees. But I think that (Arizona’s) competitive model is a very good one and, frankly, for me it’s a lot of fun to beat teams like (the Yankees).”

Athletes Need to Tweet with Caution

It’s nearing a point in time when coaches or executives of a sports franchise or team must consider implementing a policy with their players regarding Twitter. The list of players who have embarrassed themselves and/or their team/organization with their tweets seems to be growing daily.

The most recent offender is Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson, who’s no stranger to controversy. Following Sunday’s loss to the San Diego Chargers that dropped the Chiefs’s record to 1-6, Johnson posted a series of messages on his Twitter account criticizing the credentials of Kansas City first-year head coach Todd Haley.

According to a report in the Kansas City Star, one of Johnson’s tweets read: “My father played for the coach from ‘rememeber the titans’. Our coach played golf. My father played for redskins briefley. Our coach. Nuthn.”

Other players from other sports leagues and university athletic teams have also posted tweets they ultimately regretted. Some have criticized fans, some have criticized opposing players, and some, like Johnson, have criticized coaches.

Last month, Texas Tech football coach Mike Leach actually banned his players from having Twitter pages. The mandate came one day after one of his players tweeted: “Wondering why I’m still in this meeting room when the head coach can’t be on time to his on[sic] meeting.”

Leach’s Twitter ban may seem a bit drastic, but at least opponents of the Red Raiders won’t find any inside information on them from Twitter. Wisconsin football coach Bret Bielema admitted earlier this season that his staff actually scours upcoming opponents’ Twitter pages while scouting the team.

While banning players from using Twitter is probably a bit of an overreaction, it would be wise for teams and organizations to put the players through a Twitter PR session. Players need to understand there are ramifications from their tweets and if players treated their tweets as though they were speaking directly to the media—I’ve noticed the media has begun using players’ Twitter accounts as a source of information more frequently—they will be less likely to have their names added to the growing list of players that commit Twitter fouls.

Perhaps Nick Barnett said it best. The Green Bay Packers linebacker said he would close his Twitter account (although he continues to tweet) after posting an offensive message to fans. The lesson he learned: he acknowledged that he often gets emotional and he now realizes that “everything is public” on Twitter.

Celebrate Wooden as a Teacher on His 99th Birthday

On this day when John Wooden celebrates his 99th birthday, you can browse the Internet and read many stories exalting his amazing accomplishments in basketball. Wooden is widely regarded as the greatest coach of all time—in any sport. Sports Illustrated and ESPN named him the greatest coach of the 20th century, and with good reason. While at UCLA, he led the Bruins to 10 NCAA titles, including seven consecutive championships. At one point during his tenure, UCLA had an 88-game winning streak that spanned four seasons. Wooden retired on top, winning his 10th national championship in his final game in 1975.

As a player at Purdue University, Wooden achieved equal success. He was a consensus three-time All-American from 1930-32 and led the Boilermakers to the 1932 national championship. Later, he became the first person ever to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player (1961) and a coach (1973).

But while many consider Wooden the greatest coach of all time, he has always considered himself more of a teacher than a coach. Consider the comments Wooden made when speaking to former UCLA player Swen Nater (known at the time as Bill Walton’s backup) and current UCLA professor Ronald Gallimore, co-authors of You Haven’t Taught Until They Have Learned: John Wooden’s Teaching Principles and Practices, published by Fitness Information Technology.

“I always considered myself a teacher rather than just a coach,” Wooden said. “Everyone, everyone is a teacher. Everyone is a teacher to someone; maybe it’s your children, maybe it’s a neighbor, maybe it’s someone under your supervision in some other way, and in one way or another you’re teaching them by your actions.” (pp. xv-xvi)

Because of his mastery of coaching and success on the court, years ago Wooden was labeled as the “Wizard of Westwood,” but he is quick to say, “I’m no wizard, I’m a teacher.”