The Revolution will be Televised and Tweeted

I have been following the twitter feeds of individuals who have been covering the tragic death of Mike Brown, who was killed by a Ferguson, MO police officer on August 8. What I read has been nothing short of sickening. It’s truly sad that there is an open season on the lives on Black men in America and it’s those who are to “serve and protect” us that are doing these atrocious acts. Tonight’s coverage of the situation in Ferguson by MSNBC was mind-boggling and chilling. The fact that police officers waited until nightfall to attack the peaceful protestors with tear gas and rubber bullets is beyond me. Sidenote: I commend the local and national reporters who have risked their lives to cover the story, especially Washington Post’s @WesleyLowery, who was arrested in a nearby McDonald’s while covering the story. Check out his timeline for the details. However, I’m also appalled that CNN would rather do a story about Iraq and not on Ferguson. I now know how they feel about us, but I digress.

The police response to the citizens of Ferguson are outrageous, not to mention they are violating a plethora of civil rights afforded to us by the Constitution, starting with the 1st Amendment. Who will police the police? Why is this happening in America in 2014? Additionally, I have some questions that need to be answered.

1. Why are the local and state officials silent on the matter?

2. Why did it take a tweet from Gov. Jay Nixon to inform us he was finally going to get involved on the situation?

3. Why does a small-town police force need military-grade weapons including a tank?

4. When will the Ferguson PD release the name of the officer who killed Mike Brown?

5 Will Mike Brown’s family get the justice they deserve?

I pray that justice will be served and questions will be answered for the people of Ferguson. I also urge my generation to get involved in your respected cities and demand change not only in Ferguson but across this country. We owe it to our ancestors.  But for now, sign this petition: https://www.change.org/petitions/president-barack-obama-please-enact-new-federal-laws-to-protect-citizens-from-police-violence-and-misconduct

Lutheran group hosts education forum

http://dallasexaminer.com/news/2014/apr/28/lutheran-group-hosts-education-forum/

Dallas Cowboys 2014 schedule a treacherous road

When the 2014 NFL schedules were released on April 23, it felt like Christmas morning. NFL fans across the country were already making projections of how their teams would fare by season’s end. However, for Cowboys fans, the slate of games looked like a nightmare on Elm Street. The Dallas Cowboys will open their 2014 campaign versus NFC rival San Francisco 49ers on Sept. 7 at AT&T Stadium. The most recent matchup between these storied franchises was a Sept. 2011 overtime win by the Cowboys at Candlestick Park. QB Tony Romo rallied the troops to victory by overcoming a 24-14 fourth quarter deficit while dealing with a broken rib injury.

The season opener will set a barometer of a team who has gone 8-8 in three straight seasons. The Cowboys’ first 10 games of the season are favorable with road games at Tennessee and St. Louis and a trip across the pond to play Jacksonville in London on Nov. 9. The team will have five prime time games including a week 4 tussle with the New Orleans Saints and an Oct. 27 game versus the Washington Redskins on ESPN’s Monday Night Football.  Following the week 11 bye, four of their final six games of the season are on the road with trips within the division at NY Giants (Nov. 23), at Eagles (Dec. 14) and the season finale at Redskins (Dec. 28). Speaking of the Eagles, the Cowboys will host them for the annual Thanksgiving Day game on Nov. 27. The overall view of the schedule is that while difficult, the Cowboys can find ways to win at least 11 games and win the division if they do not get in their own way. Being that Romo has turned 34, the Boys must become a run-oriented team to take the pressure off Romo so that he doesn’t make anymore game-ending turnovers. In addition, the defense must step up in 2014 and protect double-digit leads in the fourth quarter if the team will have any kind of postseason success.  The Dallas Cowboys should go 11-5 and will avoid yet another “Win and In” situation.

Dallas Cowboys release defensive end DeMarcus Ware

The Dallas Cowboys released defensive end DeMarcus Ware Tuesday as the NFL Free Agency kicks off the 2014 season.
The seven-time Pro Bowler was set to make $16 million against the cap and wouldn't budge to a pay cut to stay with the franchise. He is the all-time leader in sacks for the club and is second only to Jared Allen in that category since entering the NFL in 2005.  The decision was a tough but inevitable one for owner Jerry Jones, who says the team is open to bringing back Ware after he tests the market. The de facto leader of the defense brought an emotional edge to the defense and was a menace on opposing quarterbacks.
However, his play has declined since 2010 as he has battled numerous injuries and Father Time. There is no doubt that suitors will line up for Ware's services but which team is willing to pay his asking price? As for the Cowboys, the move saves them $7.5 million in cap space and will continue to do team evaluations as the free agency period progresses. In addition, it puts them in the right direction to fix a defense that among the worst in the NFL last season and cost the Cowboys numerous wins because of their inability to hold double-digit leads in the fourth quarter. The Dallas Cowboys have the 16th overall pick in the May 8 NFL Draft.

Report involving Incognito and Martin investigation released

Independent investigator Ted Wells released his finished report on the bullying scandal Friday that involves Miami Dolphins offensive linemen Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito. The report revealed that Incognito and two other players including offensive lineman Mike Pouncey engaged of a pattern of harassment including teasing and verbally abusing Martin with racial comments and sexually explicit comments toward his mother and sister. The Dolphins soon suspended Incognito once the allegations were made known during the middle of the 2013 season. The NFL has since made the Wells report available to all clubs and to the public. Here is a link to the report: nfldolphinsreport.com.

Broncos, Seahawks advance to Super Bowl XLVIII

The Seattle Seahawks forced three second half turnovers including an interception in the end zone with 22 seconds left to defeat San Francisco 23-17 to claim the NFC title. The NFC West Champions will be making only their second Super Bowl appearance in team history with their first coming in Super Bowl XL in a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Seattle proved to be the better team in the second half as their top-ranked defense held the 49ers to only seven points and limited the running game. They also made key plays on both sides of the ball including a touchdown on 4th and 7 to take a 20-17 lead. Seattle will face the Denver Broncos who claimed the AFC crown with a 26-16 win over New England. Peyton Manning threw for over 400 yards and two touchdowns while the injury-plagued defense kept Tom Brady in check and shut down their running game. The Patriots have now lost their second straight AFC Championship game and are 8-8 in their last 16 playoff games.
It's only the fifth win by Manning in the storied rivalry with Brady and also improves his playoff record to 11-11. The AFC West Champions will be making its seventh appearance in the Super Bowl, the first since 1998 and Manning will be making his third appearance in the big game looking to capture a second championship. For the first time in a while the top-seeded teams from each conference will meet in New Jersey on Feb. 2 for the right to raise the Vince Lombardi trophy.

Off the Field Accountability is Lacking in Professional Sports

The trial involving former Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Josh Brent began this week in a Dallas, TX courtroom.  The 25-year-old is accused of intoxication manslaughter after leaving a Dallas-area nightclub Privae on Dec. 8, 2012 and crashing his vehicle, which resulted in the tragic death of teammate Jerry Brown, Jr.
According to USA Today, a toxicologist testified Wednesday that Brent had a blood alcohol level of .18, which is twice the legal limit of .08. Brent originally told police following the crash that he only consumed five alcoholic beverages prior to the fateful incident. As of today, testimonies are still being heard by the jury from waitstaff of the nightclub and former Cowboys teammates.
Furthermore, Brent was indicted for manslaughter in addition to the intoxication manslaughter charge. He can be convicted of the manslaughter charge if the jury finds he was not intoxicated and faces 20 years in prison but can also be sentenced to probation.
The ordeal with Brent is simply a chapter in the lengthy book of pro athletes not holding themselves accountable for their actions when they decide to have a night out on the town. They make way too much money in their respective sports to make poor decisions that can alter their own life and the lives of others as it is being displayed right now in a Dallas courtroom. There is no excuse why athletes who make upwards of $20 million a year are somehow too poor to rent a limousine or to have designated driver if they decide to get hammered in a bar. Athletes should be more aware of their actions because they are a direct representation of the teams that keeps them gainfully employed.

Charlie Strong in Uphill Battle at Texas

The University of Texas hired Louisville coach Charlie Strong on Jan. 5 to replace the outgoing Mack Brown. Strong was formally introduced as the 29th head coach at Texas the following day and is the first African-American coach in the program history. There is no doubt that Strong can lead the Longhorns back to national prominence and in line for another national championship. His 37-15 record in four seasons at Louisville including a victory in the 2013 Allstate Sugar Bowl over Florida is more than enough proof that he is the man for the job.

The hiring of Strong by athletic director Steve Patterson has received mixed reactions among the Longhorn faithful. While some agree that Strong was a great hire to move the football program forward, others such as long-time booster Red McCombs say otherwise. The co-founder of Clear Channel Communications said in a radio interview Monday with 1250 ESPN in San Antonio that the hiring process was "a bit sideways" and the hiring of Strong by Texas was a "kick in the face." He later went on to say that Strong would make a great position coach, maybe even a coordinator. It is comments like these by McCombs and other boosters like him at Texas is the battle Charlie Strong will be up against as he takes over the football program. 

There will be immense pressure on him to win early and often to prove the naysayers wrong. Strong and his staff will have the daunting task of recruiting in a state that is brimming over the top with four and five star talent with other in-state schools like Baylor and Texas A&M and out of state schools such as Oklahoma State and Missouri. Moreover, Strong is the best coach by Patterson's standards to resurrect a football program that has fallen out of the national limelight since reaching the 2009 BCS National Championship Game vs Alabama. 

If Strong turned around a dormant and unknown football program in Louisville into 2013 Sugar Bowl Champs and a potential No. 1 pick in Teddy Bridgewater then he can do the same at Texas. McCombs and the other high-dollar boosters must give him a chance to succeed in Austin. However, let's hope that the marriage of Strong and the University of Texas doesn't end in the same manner as Mississippi State and Sylvester Croom.

Semester in Review

The Fall 2013 semester was one of many challenges and new experiences. The Seminar in Strategic PR class was by far one of the interesting classes because I was able to learn about the intricacies of public relations from a planning perspective. I also had the opportunity to soak up knowledge from PR guru @samjb and from other industry leaders.

Furthermore, I learned how to do a communications plan for non-profits and other companies and from my classmates in their various presentations this semester. My only complaint was if we had the chance to visit a PR firm in person just to see what they do on a daily basis outside of our shadowing assignment. I think public relations could be something I could look into as my future career field once I graduate in May.

Why I'm Thankful

I thought about writing about something in public relations but since Thanksgiving is tomorrow I decided to dedicate this post on why I’m thankful.

Well, for starters, I’m thankful that my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins and have given me a second chance on this side of Heaven. I have been through a lot in my 26 years so far ranging from death in the family to my battle with depression. He really has come through for me in my time of need. I’m grateful that He has provided for me in all areas of my life and gave me the opportunity to pursue graduate school at the University of North Texas.

I have learned so much in my year and a half of study at the Frank W. & Sue Mayborn School of Journalism. I have gotten better in my writing and also have picked up certain skill sets like SPSS or writing a communications plan that will help me in my future endeavors after graduation. I’m thankful for the fellow classmates and professors who have imparted their journalistic teachings on me and shared their life experiences so that we can be ready to take on the real world. You know who you are. Finally, I’m thankful that this semester is almost over and I will be five months away from my second degree. Happy Holidays!

50 Novembers

This month marked the 50^th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.  President Kennedy fell victim to an assassin’s bullet while en route to a luncheon in Dallas, Texas on Nov. 22, 1963. I decided to finally visit the Sixth Floor Museum downtown to see what it was all about. The moment I began the tour I was mind blown. It was so surreal to be in the same building where Lee Harvey Oswald committed the heinous act. It was like going back in time. I was fascinated to know more about JFK and also about the social and political climate of Dallas around that time. I purchased the newspaper that ran the day following the assassination as a keepsake of history.

In addition, I also had the chance to listen to Hugh Aynesworth give his account to what happened the day JFK was shot and killed. The documentary that played before he spoke was mind-boggling. I didn’t know JFK was headed to a luncheon at the Trade Mart in the design district of Dallas until I watched the film. Although I wasn’t born in 1963, it was nice to relive that moment in time and learn about Dallas in a different light and see how much the city has changed since that infamous day. Unfortunately, I couldn’t attend the memorial ceremony due to prior engagements but I do believe that Dallas has erased its image as being the so-called “City of Hate.”

Public Relations Clients to Avoid in Business

A moment in time happens in the public relations industry where a new client becomes the opposite of what the firm expected---those days where the agency acquires a client’s business and those days when they part ways with said client. The honeymoon with the new client comes and goes in the blink of an eye and before you know it you’re in for the long haul.

Most lessons in life we learn through trial by fire. Making mistakes is essential self-growth and to discover our strengths and weaknesses. We try our hardest to learn from these mistakes but sometimes it’s not always the case. The following are types of public relations clients you should stay away from when doing business:

1.     The know-it-all client who learned how to do PR while at a Paula Deen cooking seminar. They assume that they can do your job better than you can but doesn’t know the difference between a story written by a reporter and a press release. In the illustrious words of NFL pro Chad Johnson, “Child, please!”

2.     The client who has an initial budget that is well below the firm’s normal retainer for the month. He/she promises more money for the job in two months time. Those two months come and go then another two months pass you by…You see where I’m going with this?

3.     Le pire de tout (Worst of all in French): A client who hires you to do a campaign and suddenly decides to take a vacation with Casper the Friendly Ghost. He/she doesn’t check-in weekly for progress reports but has the audacity to get into a shouting match with you because they were excluded from a story. They soon learn that karma is very real.