Cleveland Browns lay off 15

what's not to understand? lerner is a self-appointed football genius, a superior judge of football acumen. most every successful football operation has the owner find himself a gm-type to run his team first and then let him hire the coach.

lerner did it backwards. he fell for mangenius and let him dictate his choice for a gm. great.

is there anyone who doesn't have more faith in the chiefs righting themselves faster with pioli as gm and whomever he hires as his head coach? anyone?

 

In some of these departments the employees are guilted and made to feel like they have to put in more hours than another to prove their total commitment to Organization, and hence move up.

 

Do you not live in America? Or the world, for that matter?

 

I've worked in media relations, so I know a little about what people in that field do. I know they work as hard, or harder, than writers and editors at newspapers or broadcast stations.

That being said, I also agree that most pro and major college teams are overstaffed. No way does one team need 4-6 media relations people. The people who are truly overworked and understaffed are the small college SIDs, many of whom double in marketing or some other athletic department function. They set up for events, track stats during events, sometimes do radio broadcasts and write and distribute stories after the events. Makes for some seriously long days and nights.

Given the current state of the economy, I would expect many organizations will look at cutting staffs this year. If the economy stays bad, pro sports are going to get hit HARD. Every game is televised now, anyway. When the choice is paying for a month of groceries or taking a family of four to a game, what ya gonna do?

 

That's exactly the sort of point I was trying to make.
Very well put. Mark.
I have completely overlooked the smaller-school SIDs.
They indeed work their asses off and have very little help from interested students.
Large schools, and I mean with their football sports information, are overstaffed.
So are front offices of pro teams of all different sports.
I honestly believe that.

But, thanks Mark. You clarified some points I was trying to make.
I certainly never meant to imply that SIDs are lazy.
The thread is about one team's entire front office.

 

Some of these universities have as many as 30 varsity sports in which they field teams. That's a substantial workload. I realize the average is about 15 or so, between men and women.

When I was an SID, my "vacation" was the road trips when I did radio. It meant only working 6-8 hours per day, instead of 12.

A lot of the minor-league teams have media relations people who also double up, either in broadcasting or marketing, so they have plenty on their plate. The BCS schools and major league professional teams are the ones who have it made, when it comes to having enough people to cover the workload.

 

Anyone else getting the vibe that Blitz is harboring a grudge because "Teree Brwadshaw" didn't get the letter he sent him as a seven year old saying how "totally cool" he was?

Blitz at seven years old->"Dear Teree Brwadshaw, I think you is totally cool and I likes watching you play the football. Go Steelerrs!"

Blitz at 20-> "Damn, it must have been the PR guys! They never gave him the letter!"

Blitz now-> "PR staffs suck."

 

And also in some of these departments, there are office eggheads who demand that the people in media relations work a 9-5 schedule -- somehow neglecting that most events happen at night and that the media relations staff is always, always at the event until after the last sports writer leaves.

Blitz, I hope you quit while you're ahead. You're embarrassing yourself.

 

Your declaration that I'm ahead, Buck ... well, that gives me comfort.

 

Buck, what about getting 5 people together and rushing the PR department?

 

This is a great point - a point I was trying to make but Buck made it far more eloquently about working longer but not necessarily smarter.

I've asked many media relations workers why the hell they need to be in the office at 8:30 in the morning when they also have an 8 p.m. tip-off that night -- or why, after flying on the charter back from a night game -- and thus getting back at 4 a.m. -- they are expected to be in the office at 8 a.m. the next day.

I've probably asked more than 20 this question -- still waiting for a good answer.

Even some of the bosses I've asked don't have a good answer, other than some vague crapola about accountability.

 

I agree -- I do blame the bosses for that silliness -- but I also know that a number media relations folks seem to relish the "I work 15 hour days and I am a martyr but I do so because I'm an important part of the team" part of the job description..........