RIVALRY

RIVALRY. This is a strong word. This word has defined seasons, made unknown players become known and even the so called "underdogs" show their fearsome bite. Rivalries have the potential to be called the game of the season, iconic and even legendary. These are the games that people look back on and say, "I remember where I was that day." These are the games that grandparents tell their grand kids about.

On Saturday November 27, 2010 a rivalry continued. This rivalry divides the state of Utah. It separates families for this one after noon. It even goes as far as creating anger within a religion that accounts for over half the population of Utah. The University of Utah has been ranked since week two of the 2010 college football season and BYU has struggled this season to become a powerhouse in the Mountain West Conference. These two statistics meant nothing that Saturday with below freezing temperatures and snow covered bleachers. In a rivalry game, for some unknown reason, records go out the window, hatred takes over and teams collide on an even playing field. The game between Utah and BYU in 2010 certainly lived up to all the hype that a rivalry game is supposed to have.

Utah, normally a high scoring team was shutout for three quarters of the game. BYU was averaging over 160 yards rushing before this game. Utah held them under 75 yards on the ground. BYU threw the ball without skipping a beat in the first three quarters. Unfortunately there are four quarters in a football game. On Utah's first play of the fourth quarter Utah kicked a field goal to score their first points. From that point on it was all Utah. Fumbles, blown punts and even a controversial call went in favor of Utah. Utah fans were screaming vulgarities for three straight quarters and in the fourth quarter as the temperature dropped and the winds blew in the stadium the vulgarities blew out and the uproars began.

Utah scored 17 points in the fourth quarter and BYU was held to only a field goal. After14 minutes and 58 seconds and a blown timeout by Utah, BYU was lined up to kick the winning field goal. The crowd grew louder as the ball was about to be snapped. The snap was good, the hold was good and the kick got off. All this happened within a split second. Simultaneously around the right side of the BYU offensive line, an unblocked Utah player, number 27 (Burton) darted towards the ball. As he was diving towards the ball I wonder if Burton realized that his name was about to be etched into history? Did he know that on his final game, a rivalry game between two teams that hate each other, he was about to become a legend? The ball is blocked and the stadium erupted. UTAH WINS! Fans stormed the field, hoisted players up onto their shoulders and shed tears of joy.

Yes rivalry games bring out the best of both teams. They create memories and leave us with lasting impressions for fans of both sides. This past game proved that even in the bitterest of climates one team can dig deeper than they thought possible and do something amazing. At least for this year, Utah will hold with them for the next 365 days the one thing that means most, bragging rights. I was proud to be at that game and will never forget the explosion of cheers that occurred when the field goal was blocked. Just as Montana to Clark is known as the "Catch," this play will be known as the "BLOCK." GO UTES!!!!!!!

RelevanSi Coverage

Following the press release that I wrote and the event that my PR team helped host in April 2010 for Earth Day, RelevanSi's website posted a great article about the event. Please check it out at http://http//relevansi.com/blog/earth-day-in-logan-utah-2010/

Cody Littlewood was a great Representative of RelevanSi. It was because of all his hard work that the event was such a success. The picture to the right is of my team at the event, just so you aren't confused.

Press Release for RelevanSi

This is a press release that I composed while working with RelevanSi, an international online marketing company. My PR team helped host an event in correlation with an event in Argentina promoting Earth Day. Logan Utah had the unique opportunity to work hand-in-hand with RelevanSi, based in Argentina, in hosting this event. Below is the press release that I wrote for the event.

Logan, Utah to Host International Earth Day Event

Logan, UT, April 6, 2010- Everywhere you turn, people are talking about one major topic: saving the environment and preserving Mother Earth. Indeed, going green has become an international trend, but how can society, from major corporations to individuals alike, participate in creating environmental awareness? On Saturday April 24, 2010 RelevanSi, a newly launched international green marketing company, will be simultaneously hosting events in Buenos Aires, Chicago and logan to answer this very question. Logan's particular event which will be held at Merlin Olsen Park from 12 p.m. until dusk, aims to provide the local community with the tools they need to contribute to spread the green movement.

"In today's economy and everyday life, both people and businesses are looking to find eco-friendly alternatives to accomplish tasks or generate products," stated Michelle Swenson, co-founder of RelevanSi. "Our event plans to entertain, inform and above all else, educate business owners, consumers and even interested individuals with ways they can contribute to the change that today's environment desperately needs," Swenson continued.

The Logan event will have local businesses showcasing the ideas, products and services that are currently being used in the green movement. These businesses will highlight the advantages of being eco-friendly, according to Swenson.

The mission of the event is to raise awareness about green issues and all proceeds will go towards RelevanSi's upcoming non-profit video blog, which will elevate awareness and promote education through original documentaries concerning environmental issues in Argentina and ultimately throughout the world. "The goal of the video blog is to generate participation of international specialists in videos and forum discussions which show the work of sustainable companies worldwide," said Pablo Carrega, RelevanSi's co-founder and CEO. The funds will finance the equipment for video filming production, the establishment of a forum for educational exchange, and the creation of tutorials on how to easily adopt a greener lifestyle. Finally, the money raised will travel to undereducated Argentine provinces to promote environmental awareness, spreading educational videos and green methodologies.

In conjunction with these events that will be taking place in both Argentina and Chicago, RelevanSi's Logan event will offer the community the unique opportunity to learn how to change current trends and how to start going green, implementing ideas that have been generated from around the globe.

Tebow Update

Here we go again. Tim Tebow is willing and ready to show two NFL teams what he can do. This article was written a couple of days ago on espn.com and I thought I would share it with anyone who is reading this blog. Here it is:

The Buffalo Bills and Seattle Seahawks want to see what Tim Tebow can do in person.

The quarterback said he will have individual workouts with both teams -- which each have long-term needs at quarterback -- following his workout at Florida's pro day, on March 17, according to a report on NFL.com.

Tebow

Tebow, who took part in the NFL scouting combine but did not throw there, is expected to unveil his recently revamped throwing motion at Florida's pro day.

The Bills have an immediate need for a quarterback, while the Seahawks are eyeing a long-term solution to eventually succeed veteran starter Matt Hasselbeck.

Tebow said he has been working out with Arizona State offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone and Marc Trestman, the coach of the CFL's Montreal Alouettes, on key aspects of the pro passing game, according to the report. Mazzone coached San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers at NC State, while Trestman worked with Steve Young and Rich Gannon with the 49ers and Raiders, respectively.

Tebow has a supporter in former Buffalo quarterback and Hall of Famer Jim Kelly, who has said the two-time BCS national champion and Heisman Trophy winner could be the answer to the Bills' QB woes. The Bills have started nine different quarterbacks since Kelly retired and are mired in a decade-long playoff drought.

"Whether it's Tim Tebow, whether they'll have a shot at him when draft time comes ... you have to look at the top three quarterbacks in the draft, really study them," Kelly said last year, in an interview in USA Today. "And you look for a guy with good character, good leadership ability and good arm strength."

Gone so Soon!!

Everyone knows someone that has passed from this life on to the next in a very sudden manner. Know body knows when there time is going to come. This past weekend Utah State University lost a student who was much more than that. Trent Walker was the kind of person that everybody should aspire to be. He lived a life of kindness, honesty, compassion and humility. He wasn't just a student to me, he was a friend. We have have studying the same major for nearly two years now and have had multiple classes together. He was always the first person to offer help or give suggestions in all our group projects. His ideas were incredible and the PR world will miss his imagination. Life is to short to not live it the way that Trent did. He had a great influence on many people and I was fortunate enough to be around him as much as I was. The world will truly miss Trent and my thoughts and prayers go out to his family and his loved ones. The Utah Statesman wrote a very awesome article about Trent and here is the link if you would like to read it. Peace and Love Trent, thanks for everything.

http://www.usu-tube.com/view/full_story/6605198/article-Aggies-remember-friend-who-died-in-crash?instance=campus

Tim Tebow's New Style

When I first set up this blog it was supposed to be for professional purposes only. It was meant to track PR releases from different companies and showcase some of my skills as a undergraduate in PR. This entry is going to go against the main purpose of this blog and discuss something a little more personal.

I am a huge Florida Gator Fan and have been for a long time. No, I am not a "bandwagoner" of the gators even though some people will always think that I am. I am also a huge fan of Tim Tebow, the quarterback, the Heisman winner, winner of two national championships, and, more importantly, what he stands for as a man. Tebow just graduated from Florida University and is chasing his dream of being an NFL quarterback. It seems with all the credentials that I listed above that Tebow would be a hands-down top pick in the upcoming draft, however, Tebow is not even predicted to be picked in the first round. He has been under a lot of scrutiny from NFL scouts and ESPN analysts because of his elongated throwing motion and his lack of experience taking snaps from under center. While I agree with all of the things being said, yes Tebow has a long throwing motion and has never really taken snaps from under center, I think what makes Tim Tebow Tim Tebow is the intangibles that define his character. He has the leadership skills that every player wishes they had or wishes they could listen too. Tebow willed his team to victory in the SEC championship game in 2008 and ultimately willed them to victory again in the BCS National Championship game one month later. What about his infamous speech after the gators lost to Ole Miss? Did that not speak volumes about his character and what really defines him as a quarterback? I believe it did. If we take a look back over history we will find that it is not always the most qualified man that gets the job done, it is the right man that gets the job done. Think about the 1980 U.S.A men's hockey team. They were a bunch of college players that had never played together but Herb Brooks picked each and every player for a specific purpose. He didn't want the NHL stars he wanted the right men for the job and it was those boys who shocked the world 30 years ago by beating the Soviet Union and ultimately winning a gold medal. This point is no only found in sports but it can be found in politics, business, education and any other aspect of life. Tim Tebow has what it is going to take to make his dream come true of being a successful NFL quarterback. He is proving that now by changing his throwing motion, taking snaps from under center and many other things. But it is what is inside of Tebow that is going to create success. It is the guts to take on defenders rather than running out of bounds, although this is not always the smartest idea. He studies the game just like the NFL great quarterbacks such as Drew Brees and Peyton Manning. In the end of all this it is only going to take one team to take, what they are calling, the risk on Tebow and let him work his magic. People will see what it really takes to play quarterback on Sunday's. Mark my words, Tebow will find success. It is only a matter of time before the critics are silenced and Tim Tebow becomes Tim Tebow on Sunday's.

If you want to read a professional writer's article click on the following link:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft10/news/story?id=4935351

"Twitter Olympics"

In most of my classes that I have been a part of, the bulk of the material is centered around the positive and negative effects of social media. Social Media outlets are generally known from sources such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, traditional radio and television and many other media outlets. Social Media has swept the nation and the globe, to be honest, due to its immediate impacts, fast generating information and its personal touch that comes from the people behind it. Twitter has rapidly become the quickest and most personable source of social media. A person following a professional athlete can get updates or read posts from two minutes before game time and updates as soon as one minute after the game.

This years Olympics in Vancouver Canada have been dubbed the "Twitter Olympics." Athletes such as Shaun White, Lindsey Vonn and many more can keep their followers updated on their health status, feelings of pressure and the ultimate feeling of winning medals all through the use of Twitter and its 140 character limit. It is amazing to me that anyone can follow these athletes and be so close to the action and experience of the Olympics. The following article was posted on wired.com and I found it to be very interesting. So check it out at the following URL.

http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/02/athletes-confused-by-olympic-social-media-rules/

GO U.S.A!!!!!!!!!!!!!