Everyone needs to stop knocking on what Ohio State has done on the football field. They have played in seven BCS bowl games this decade. They have wont he Big Ten for four straight seasons. They have a national title while playing for two others. The only games they have lost in the past four seasons have been to teams that finished either in the top 10 nationally or in a BCS bowl. The last time Ohio State lost to a team that didn’t play in the BCS was in November 2004 at Purdue. Everyone gets on their case because they have lost three straight BCS games, two of them being the national title game. Before that, the Buckeyes were 4-0 in the BCS era. Few teams have as much sustained success as the Buckeyes, and they are once again favored to win the Big Ten.

Unfortunately, last year was supposed to be the year. They had a senior-laden defense that struggled against a very good USC team. The offense then couldn’t score against Penn State and any hope of the national title was lost. It is a cruel fate, but because the Buckeyes have had so much success within the Big Ten they unfortunately must win it all or the season is a failure. They no longer have the luxury of middle ground or a rebuilding year, especially since their rebuilding years are so good. Such will be the case this year.

Image: Newscom

Sophomore quarterback Terrelle Prior is talented enough to make sure that Ohio State maintains its 53 game winning streak against teams that don’t play in BCS bowls for that season. There is a reason that teams like Penn State, Oregon, and Michigan tried desperately to woo Prior to campus. He is a difference maker that can do anything he wants to with a football. He came on the scene during a blowout loss at Southern Cal last season and could make a huge difference by playing the whole game against the Trojans in Columbus this year. Dan Herron and Brandon Saine ware good running backs to build around as well. Ohio State’s offense has long thrived on ball control and keeping the other team off the field. The Buckeyes should be able to do while still maintaining a big play element with its receivers.

The defense has a number of holes to fill, but Ohio State always has players that are ready to step in and play. Thaddeus Gibson is the type of defensive end that eats left tackles for breakfast and gives quarterbacks nightmares. The defensive tackles are more than good enough to hold themselves against the run and allow the ends to get to the quarterback. Austin Spitler is the next great Ohio State linebacker, while Chimdi Chekwa is a fantastic cornerback to lead the secondary. Kurt Coleman and Anderson Russell are safeties that can play against both the run and the pass. The defense may step back just a bit, but it is still more than good enough to beat most teams.

Aaron Richardson is a sports writer for www.sportsfantreasures.com. He would like to invite you to check out their Ohio State Buckeyes Store and Ohio State Buckeyes Apparel online today!

Post from: EveryJoe

Ohio State Preview

Miranda writes for Banlking, a new portal for personal finance information, which publishes a weblog, and resources section that contains tools like the highest online savings accounts rates, a free online mortgage calculator, and more.

Image: istockphoto

One of the expenses that many people complain about is the expense of entertainment. Cable and satellite television services cost money (sometimes a lot), and going to the movies can get pricey. But what if you could get all the benefits of watching TV and movies for only the cost of a high speed Internet connection? It’s possible, as long as you know where to go. You can watch on your laptop, desktop, or even your TV, if you have what you need to show the Internet on your set. (There are TV set boxes that can do this, but I like to access the Internet through my PlayStation 3, and watch that way.)

Here are 25 ways to watch free TV and movies online:

1. Network Web sites: Many TV networks provide access to television shows, or partial shows, online. NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox all offer some of their TV shows online after the airdate. You can also find access to shows on BBC, Comedy Central and the Cartoon Network, as well as other cable networks. Even if you can’t get the entire show from these Web sites, it is usually possible to see the best clips from the shows.
2. Hulu: You can watch a number of shows, in their entirety, on Hulu. Limitied commercial interruption is a feature of Hulu, and the latest feature is the ability to choose to watch a longer commercial at the beginning of the show, or shorter commercials during the presentation. There are also some movies available on Hulu. Hulu is jointly owned by NBC Universal, News Corp. and Providence Equity Partners, but an independent management team is in charge of it. Those ads you watch before or during the presentation are what pays for the site.
3. YouTube: This one is a little obvious. You can watch a number of television shows, clips, music videos and user-generated content on YouTube. The main problem with YouTube is that sometimes the copyright owners don’t like their shows distributed through the site. So you might run into trouble viewing some of the content. However, in many cases, you can go to the original source to find the show. After all, the main beef others have with YouTube is that it brings traffic away from their sites.
4. Dailymotion: One of the problems with YouTube is that the powerhouses have been suing the site like crazy. Dailymotion doesn’t have that problem. So you can still find plenty of TV shows. And more.
5. TvChannelsFree.com: There are a number of online TV channels available, from around the world, through TvChannelsFree.com. Including broadband Internet stations, and living streaming television, this site offers news, education, cartoon, sports and more. Videos are also available.
6. SurfTheChannel: Watch a number of television shows and movies for free with SurfTheChannel. You can find most of the popular television shows on this Web site, as well as some of the more obscure stuff. Documentaries and anime are available on SurfTheChannel as well.
7. Veoh: One of the cool things about Veoh is that it acts as a player. You can save movies and TV shows for later. The downloadable player is kind of like having your own mini-DVR on your computer. Access to a number of television shows, movies and even user-generated videos.
8. blip.tv: If you want different TV entertainment for free, blip.tv is the place to go. The focus is one television shows that are independently produced — without the aid of the millions that come from the “big guys”. Some of it really is creative and quite entertaining.
9. In2TV: AOL has put together an online TV Web site that offers access to classic television shows. Many of the free TV Web sites only share the latest in television entertainment. If you like classic TV, In2TV is the place to go.
10. TV Land: Another source of classic television is TV Land. Additionally, TV Land provides access to some of its “Prime” shows, many of which are newer and reality based.
11. TV4u: More classic television and classic movies. Yet another place to enjoy the classics from days gone by.
12. Newsfilm Library: If you are into classic newsfilms, you can access them for free from this Web site set up by the University of South Carolina.
13. Joost: This is a very easy to use site, since categories are prominently displayed. For those who are a little edgier, there is even a category labeled “sexy”. You can get news and gossip shows, along with drama, reality, culture, comedy and even gaming. This site comes from the people who brought us Skype.
14. IMDB: You know this site has information on TV and film stars, as well as television shows and movies. However, IMDB is more than just an informational site. It is also possible to watch full-length movies, free of charge, on IMDB.
15. Revver: Watch videos from professionals and amateurs. A number of clips from TVs and movies are available here. You can upload your own creations as well, and even use them to earn a little cash.
16. Babelgum: You can find a number of full length movies, videos and more from Babelgum. The content is free, and it comes from all around the world. There are a number of interesting and entertaining videos here.
17. Movies on Demand: I am, in fact, watching Star Trek — the new version in theaters right now — for free via Movies on Demand as I write this post. (I’ve seen the movie twice in theaters, but now I won’t have to pay to see it again.) I don’t claim to know how it works, and I don’t want to know. The quality of some of the movies lead me to believe…interesting…things about how they were obtained. You can stream or download. I’m streaming because, quite frankly, I’m not sure I want it physically on my computer.
18. CurrentTV: This is another television Web site that offers a great deal of user-generated content. Much of it is creative and entertaining. Even the news shows.
19. BeelineTV: If you are looking for world television, this is the place. BeelineTV features online television channels from all over the world.
20. FreeTube: While some complain about using FreeTube, it does work reasonably well in most cases. You can get access to TV shows in a number of genres, as well as movies and Web cams. Adult channels and children’s channels are available. Comes with the “Family Friendly” version so that your kids don’t accidentally stumble on something they shouldn’t.
21. Free Movies Cinema: This is a free movie site that is rather limited in its offerings, but most of what’s available is worth watching. Includes obscure and indie stuff, and can be a great way for you to expand your movie horizons.
22. TubeZoom: Get access to free movies and TV shows online. Some of them are even new. You can watch trailers as well.
23. Yahoo TV: One of the cool things about Yahoo TV is that it offers a look at show pilot episodes — sometimes before they appear on television. Other TV shows and videos are also available.
24. TV Shack: Watch popular television episodes and movies free of charge. Including new movies. My son might enjoy watching Up (which is the most popular movie right now on TV Shack).
25. Live TV Online: Get access to popular TV stations, including CNN, Discovery, SciFi (or SyFy or however they do it now) and History, as well as network TV. You can also find the television stations run by Forbes, E!, TMZ and more.

Post from: EveryJoe

25 Ways to Watch Free TV and Movies Online

Last season was a disgrace for the New York Yankees. Despite having the highest payroll in baseball, the Yankees missed the playoffs. Not only did they miss the playoffs, they decided to shut the doors on the original Yankee Stadium. It was one of the cathedrals of baseball. No other place in the game had witnessed so much history first-hand, but it has sadly gone the way of the wrecking ball in favor of a new $1.3 billion playground across the street. The new stadium has tons of amenities for fans, but it lacks the character and history of the old stadium. The Yankees are back in first place this year, however. They are trying to christen the new Stadium with its own history in year one.

That history would not be complete if it did not involve the Boston Red Sox. Once again, the Yankees are contending for the American League East division crown with their rivals form Boston. Currently, the Yankees hold a half game lead on the Red Sox, but Boston has gone 8-0 against New York to start the season. The Yankees have gotten used to their new stadium, which is conducive to several home runs. Still, they have yet to beat Boston in the new stadium.

Heading toward the postseason, New York has yet to develop a definite ace of the pitching staff. Mariano Rivera is still the man to beat at the end of games, but that means nothing if the starting pitching cannot get to him with the lead. C.C. Sabathia is only 11-7 as a starter, showing that his massive contract is not paying great dividends. A.J. Burnett is closer to being the ace of the staff with his 10-5 record. The depth really isn’t there though after the first few starters. Joba Chamberlain is probably the most promising player in the rotation. The young man is 7-2 as a starter this season, but has not been the pitcher of record in 11 of his starts.

Alex Rodriguez - New York Yankees (Image: Zuma Press)

The offense is of course paced by future Hall of Famer Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod has shrugged off injury and steroid allegations to have another dominant year statistically. He had yet to prove himself in the postseason. Despite missing the first month of the season, Rodriguez has 19 home runs on the season and 59 RBI. Providing him protection in the lineup, free agent signee Mark Teixeira has been worth every penny. He has provided a team high 26 home runs and 77 RBI. He is also batting at a .283 clip, proving that he can get on base and generate runs that way as well. Captain Derek Jeter is in the midst of another good season by providing offense at the top of the lineup. Jeter is one of the most respected players in baseball. He is batting .322 on the year and has scored 69 run so far. He is the unquestioned leader of this veteran team. It will be up to him to get his teammates to band together and form a cohesive unit heading into the playoffs.

Chris Pippin is a sports writer for www.sportsfantreasures.com. He would like to invite you to check out their New York Yankees Store and New York Yankees Apparel online today!

Post from: EveryJoe

Yankees Postseason Preview

Being short of time is a job hazard of running a business. Every day there will be ten equally important tasks demanding attention and in many cases, there will be no opportunity to delegate the work. It is therefore important to think about how to use time effectively and consider strategies for cutting down on time consuming, but unnecessary activities. Here are some tips.

Image: istockphoto

Avoid unnecessary meetings. Meetings are hugely time consuming and often not that productive. Try and get things agreed via email or phone if at all possible and only have a face to face meeting if absolutely necessary. If a meeting really is required, clearly arrange in advance what needs to be achieved and create an agenda. Conducting meetings standing up is another classic way of encouraging quick meetings!

Put your phone to voicemail. In the current economic climate, sales people have gone into overdrive and business owners are being swamped with unwanted sales calls. Even if the caller can be quickly dispatched, each call is still highly disruptive and in many cases really rather annoying. One strategy to avoid unwanted calls is to divert all calls to voicemail. If the call is important the caller will leave a message and can be phoned back. Thankfully, most sales people will not leave a message.

Get more organised. It takes much more time to correct mistakes than to get it right first time. A missed appointment is not only embarrassing and stressful but also takes time to fix. Be disciplined and always write down appointments. Many people also find keeping lists to be a great help. A popular personal productivity system based around lists is Getting Things Done created by David Allen.

Become proactive. Making arrangements can involve a time consuming game of email tennis to fix a time and a place. By proactively suggesting solutions instead of asking questions, this arrangement time can be drastically reduced. Instead of saying ‘when can you make it’, say ‘how about meeting 10a.m. on Thursday, failing that, Friday at the same time’. It is a good idea to give a list of alternatives.

Be assertive. Having to chase a supplier is time consuming and mentally taxing. Being passive unfortunately does not get the job done. By being the kind of customer that is assertive about efficient, quick delivery will increase the chances of things getting done on time. Remember it is the squeaky wheel that gets oiled.

Automate and batch processes. In every business there is room for automating processes, saving time and effort. A good example is automating the payment of regular invoices via a bank direct debit or standing order. Time can also be saved by batching together similar tasks and doing them all at once.

Avoid distractions. The working day is full of distractions and after each interruption it takes several minutes to get back to the main task at hand. Cutting down on distractions is therefore a quick win in terms of improving productivity. Here are strategies for avoiding distractions:

Turn off email auto receive. It is very tempting to read emails as they arrive which is a great waste of time. It is easy to think that not being online at all times will mean that something important will be missed, but in reality very few things can’t wait a few hours. Turn off email auto receive and try to only down emails a few times each day so there you are in control of you email and not the other way around

Change your homepage. Many people set the homepage on their browser to their favourite news site and it is terribly tempting to spend the first 20 minutes of each day catching up on the latest celebrity gossip. Setting the homepage to a neutral, but useful site like Google helps to get the day off to a productive start.
Avoid social media. Social media services such as Twitter are great fun but are the thief of time. Treat social media like email and try and restrict viewing to once or twice a day.

Unsubscribe to email newsletters. Most email newsletters are only slightly better than spam and never get read. They clog up email inboxes and take time to delete. Unsubscribe, unsubscribe, unsubscribe!

Trevor Ginn is managing director at Hello Baby and blogs at eBay, eCommerce, Life

Post from: EveryJoe

Time Saving Tips for Small Businesses

It is not easy being number two. That is where Texas found itself at the end of last season. The Texas Longhorns’ lone loss on the season came on the final play of the game at Texas Tech. Though they beat Oklahoma, they saw the Sooners voted into the Big 12 title game ahead of them. That led to Oklahoma’s subsequent berth in the BCS championship game, while Texas had to settle for a win over Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. No one knows if Texas was better than national champion Florida last season because they were never given the chance to prove themselves head to head with the Gators.

Image: Newscom

The goals are the same this year. They are a lot like Miami in 2001. In 2000, the Hurricanes defeated Florida State only to see the Seminoles go to (and lose) the national championship game ahead of them. Miami resolved to simply not lose in 2001 and dominated the college football world. Texas is capable of replaying the feat this season in order to win their second national championship in the past five years. Once again, the Oklahoma game will go a long way towards deciding that. In conference games with Texas Tech and Oklahoma State will be difficult as well. Only the Oklahoma State game is a true road game, as everyone else that has a minor chance of beating the Longhorns must come to Austin.

A big reason this team is one of the favorites, if not the favorite, to win the national title is quarterback Colt McCoy. McCoy could very well win the Heisman Trophy — he probably should have won last season. He is one of the favorites, although for the first time in college football history two other players that have already won the award will be playing a full season in trying to get a second. While McCoy has been good, he has yet to lead the Longhorns to the Big 12 championship. He will have to elevate his already fantastic game to another level, but he has more than enough talent around him to do so.

The Longhorn defense was solid last season and could be even better this year. If not for one mistake, the failure to cover and tackle Michael Crabtree on the final play of the Texas Tech game, the Longhorns would have been undefeated. Still, that was atypical of a defense that often allowed few points. This defense doesn’t need to be a brick wall either since the Texas offense can score in bunches. Sergio Kindle is a legitimate NFL prospect at both defensive end and linebacker that can cause havoc in the front seven. No team in the country sacked more quarterbacks last season than Texas, and the Longhorns were the third best team in the nation against the run. It is very easy to see that if this team gets better on defense it will make the offense’s job that much easier. Both factors have other teams afraid well before the season starts.

Writer and editor, Freddie Brister, is a former high school football coach of 25 years. His love of the game of football is reflected in his words and memories of growing up in the South and playing football in the back yard with his brothers, cousins and neighborhood friends. His biggest thrill is watching former high school players he has coached play at the college level. His favorite pastime is watching college football on TV and attending games in person every chance he gets. Freddie Brister is a huge fan of the Texas Longhorns. Check out his Texas Longhorns Store or his Texas Longhorns Apparel.

Post from: EveryJoe

Texas Longhorns Season Preview

The addition of Facebook pages has led to the advent of businesses on Facebook and the addition of many other features. Displaying your business on a Facebook page leads to many “fans” of the site which helps to further boost your business’ popularity and client network. The use of social networking sites additionally helps in garnering clients through methods that were previously unavailable for many companies.

The Facebook revolution has mostly pertained to young adults who are fresh out of college, since the site was originally intended for college students in its creation in 2004. Because of this fact, many young business professionals have found Facebook’s many business applications to be quite useful when attempting to promote their business online. By creating a Facebook page, you can keep all your “fans” informed of different company events or promotions you may be currently having. Additionally, the more people who add your Facebook page to their profile site, the more potential customers you may gain who view the page through their friend’s profile.

Facebook presents a way to interact with clients from around the world and allows you to present yourself as trustworthy company who is looking not only to promote themselves but to also network and socialize among various groups. Furthermore, the ability to make different group and event pages can send the word out to a diverse amount of Facebook friends all at once.

The addition of Facebook applications has also provided a new venue through which to do business on Facebook. There are now many business-related applications that not only assist in gaining clients, but also help you complete your business on the site itself through conference-call applications and the like. Facebook applications have been around for a while but are slowly gaining prominence as a major factor in the business world. Many apps make it much easier to present your business in a more popular forum than sites such as LinkedIn.

The increasing number of advertisements that surround most pages are evidence of a new type of manner in which to attract potential clients. If your business is seeking a younger audience, you may want to consider the prospect of placing an ad on the site. Most of the ads jump out at every user from the sidelines of the page and make a very obvious statement of their intent; by implanting your own business to join these earlier ads, you will increase your publicity as well as compete with lesser known internet companies. Facebook has provided you with a whole new spectrum to delve your business into and thus far has proved itself to be very successful in different types of business endeavors.

This guest post was contributed by Tiffany Davis, who writes about top online college courses. She welcomes your feedback at TiffanyMDavis82 at gmail.com

Post from: EveryJoe

Why Put your Business on Facebook?

5 Reasons Why Branding and Experience are the Same

This is the second installment of a two-part article. Read Branding and Experience, Part 1.

4. Culture and Expectations

When people take public transit – what do they want? Do they expect better service or do they expect crowds? Public transit users all have the expectation that it is crowded, so the TTC improves upon that image by increasing the number of buses per route. How do these customers treat one another? How do people use your service or product? Do all of these small elements combine to create a good experience? It’s an equation of negatives and positives / pros and cons.

Photo courtesy of Robert Ewart

A prime example would be when we walk into a store and try to avoid that annoying sales representative, or when we are looking for something and a customer service rep patiently waits for us to figure out what we want. Perhaps we’re trying to check out a product and a bunch of people are standing in the way chatting. These are all facets of a much bigger and broader picture. Understanding that there are always points of contact that your organization does not have control over, where can you begin to improve your customer’s experience? This could be air conditioning, cleaner buses, greater environmental friendliness.

The TTC has attempted to address security issues by placing closed-circuit cameras all over the place and has helpfully increased the awareness of the next bus or subway station by introducing automated announcements. Of course some elements that have been introduced had been forced by the Human Rights Commission. The funny thing is that announcements don’t only help the visually-impaired because commuters find them helpful as they no longer need to keep looking out the train window to determine what station it is. Prior to the automated announcements, no one was sure if their stop was coming up — especially if it were crowded and the bus driver wasn’t being particularly articulate in his or her announcements.

Improvements such as the above help address issues not necessarily directly related to getting from point A to B, yet when put together — provides a fundamental part of the greater experience.

5. Perception and Design

A number of years ago — the TTC had some horribly designed ads. That wasn’t the most horrible by far. It always looked like someone “designed” something in Microsoft Word and sent it to the printer. That said, some of their ads are still horribly designed. I think someone finally had the right idea and brought in a designer to provide a more consistent and professional appearance to the presentation of TTC brochures and posters. We don’t need to go over why design is so important. It ties into the customer experience and the exchange of value. Just think of products you purchase these days, how vital its design really is, and how it influences your perception of value.

So what now?

These five separate but intertwined elements illustrate that branding isn’t really branding and marketing isn’t really marketing. The outcome out of all of these “marketing” initiatives is a multi-layered and faceted, multi-directional channel of communication that influences all aspects of the individual’s sensory, emotions, and memory-association. This is one’s experience. The TTC may have introduced subway trains with greater space, but the irony is commuters associate the greater train space with smaller seat space.

Labour strikes are just as tied into the TTC’s image as the crowds of riders who use the city’s transit services. The TTC can post as many public service announcements as they want about the great work that the TTC and its workers perform, but just like the typical branding and advertisement — there is little for any individual to correlate with their experience. There is no context. We know on a basic level that good people run the TTC but that does not mean poor service levels are acceptable. It is only when individuals experience service levels that meet or exceed their expectations that perception begins to change, as do expectations, culture, and ultimately the overall message that is shared.

Looking at the public transit as an example of customer experience is fascinating because it forces us to acknowledge that there are forces beyond our control. Sometimes it is government policy while other times it is the metropolitan culture. For any product, it can be a similar set of external or internal forces; but the customer is almost always a constant within the equation. Provided that a business has an effective product and does not offend large masses of people; focusing on improving the experience of the customer — which amusingly, is the element that any business organization has the most influence over — will lead to the much sought after branding.

Ehren is an avid web worker. Currently working as the internet fundraising coordinator for the Heart and Stroke Foundation (formerly an online marketing specialist for the book industry), he spends his nights tinkering with online media. One can find his musings at www.onelittlecog.com and share in his joy of road trips at just.gettingsidetracked.com.

Post from: EveryJoe

Branding and Experience, Part 2

5 Reasons Why Branding and Experience are the Same

One of the first things we must understand when we talk about branding, is that branding and customer experience are essentially the same. We’re trained to step back and dissect the two apart; it’s actually quite easy – we do it all the time when we analyze our marketing strategies. The funny thing is that if we were to take a step forward – and look closely at how we respond or rather how customers respond to products, we realize that branding, marketing, and all that other mumble jumble is essentially the same as customer experience.

The greater challenge for businesses and organizations is to stop ourselves from overusing marketing terms or concepts and take that step forward to look at all these elements in a holistic and more humane perspective – the customer experience.

Photo courtesy of Robert Ewart

Think of your local public or mass transit system. What is your gut feeling? I’m going to use the Toronto Transit system as an example, what comes to mind when you think of the TTC? What is your first reaction?

1. It’s all about points of contact

Every time that your organization is in contact with the customer is also the time that you are effectively (or ineffectively) branding yourself. Whether this may be waiting for a subway train, stepping on to a bus or phoning in to ask a question in another language – this is all part of the customer experience. It’s important to identify how your customer interacts with you to really understand how they feel about you. Now we begin to realize that some points of contact aren’t even really “points” at all for you; but they are for the customer.

2. Customer Experience is everything. Just like branding.

Just to name a few: Buses either come in threes or none at all; Subways are crowded; TTC offers help in many languages for a cosmopolitan city like Toronto. We identify the brand based on our individual experiences with it. Newcomers may start off with a fresh point of view however those who are familiar with the logo, the bus system, transfering from one transit line to another – all regard the brand from their own experience, regardless of how much money the government keeps saying it’ll put into public transit.

3. Is your message conveying a point or a rationale?

Without diving into too much history, the TTC often uses the phrase “Ride the Rocket”. Alas, anyone who has travelled on the TTC would likely think otherwise. Not that the TTC isn’t effective at playing its role as the mass transit provider for the population of Toronto – it just happens to set itself up to be the joke of the city when mechanical failures and poor traffic flow continue to frustrate riders. Sure we could simply point fingers at all the different factors including politics and urban sprawl but there are always external factors to any business – that doesn’t mean you are exempt from a customer experience standpoint.

A more positive message that the TTC uses is “The Better Way”. Of course how much better is determined by the customer.

“I’m not suggesting the death of advertising; nor am I suggesting that companies avoid mission/vision statements or logos or color palettes. However, I am suggesting that all of those things are secondary. The primary job of any brand executive is to create an outstanding customer experience.” — Mark Hurst, Good Experience Columns

Tomorrow, we will continue with the rest of this two-part article, finishing up with Culture and Expectations, Perception and Design and Final Thoughts.

Ehren is an avid web worker. Currently working as the internet fundraising coordinator for the Heart and Stroke Foundation (formerly an online marketing specialist for the book industry), he spends his nights tinkering with online media. One can find his musings at www.onelittlecog.com and share in his joy of road trips at just.gettingsidetracked.com.

Post from: EveryJoe

Branding and Experience, Part 1

Let’s be honest — since they first laced them up in the fall of 1970, the Cleveland Cavaliers have never been the first and last name in NBA excellence. Still, despite its largely bleak history, the franchise has had its moments, and here are the best of them. The five greatest playoff-series wins for the Cavaliers:

5.) 1992 Eastern Conference Semifinals – Cleveland 4, Boston 3
The Cavaliers won their first best-of-seven series since the Miracle Year of 1976 and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second time in franchise history as they outlasted an aging but still potent Celtics team. It wasn’t a particularly close series on a game-by-game basis — four of the seven games were decided by 16 or more points. But amidst the blowouts stood one certified thriller. That was Game 4, a 114-112 white-knuckle classic won by the Cavaliers in overtime to tie the series at two games apiece. Cleveland won that game despite the best efforts of the late Reggie Lewis, who scorched the Cavs for 42 points (Lewis averaged 28.1 points per game in the series, proving that Michael Jordan wasn’t the only wing player whose eyes lit up at the sight of a Cleveland uniform.) In the deciding seventh game at the Coliseum, six Cavaliers scored in double figures and Cleveland rang the curtain on Larry Bird’s career with a dominating 122-104 victory.

4.) 2006 Eastern Conference First Round – Cleveland 4, Washington 2
Making their first playoff appearance since 1998, the Cavaliers made their return to the postseason a stylish one, as they squeezed by the Wizards in a series that saw three games decided by a total of three points. LeBron James won two of those games with last-second shots. In Game 3, his contested leaner in the lane gave Cleveland a 97-96 victory. In Game 5, he tiptoed (some would say traveled) along the baseline and hit a lay-up just before the buzzer to win the game 121-120. And in Game 6, Damon Jones — who had entered the game for the first time just 14 seconds earlier — drilled a corner jumper with five seconds left in overtime to give Cleveland the game, and the series, 114-113. It was the first time since 1992 that the Cavaliers had advanced in the playoffs.

Image: Newscom

3.) 2007 Eastern Conference Finals- Cleveland 4, Detroit 2
Playing in their first East Final since 1992, the Cavaliers fell behind 2-0 with a pair of heartbreaking losses at the Palace of Auburn Hills. But then the series shifted to Cleveland, and LeBron James took over. In Game 3, he punctuated his 32-point, nine-rebound, nine-assist performance with the play of the series, his fourth-quarter dunk in the face of Rasheed Wallace. In Game 4, he went for 25 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds as the Cavaliers tied the series with a 91-87 win. Game 5 saw LeBron’s performance for the ages, as he scored 29 of his team’s last 30 points and hit the game-winning lay-up with 2.2 left in overtime. And in Game 6, it was the Daniel Gibson Show, as the rookie poured in 31 points on just nine shots to lead Cleveland to a series-clinching 98-82 victory in front of a delirious crowd at the Q.

2.) 1976 Eastern Conference Semifinals – Cleveland 4, Washington 3
The Miracle of Richfield. More than three decades removed, the first playoff series in franchise history is still the best playoff series in franchise history. Four of the seven games in this marathon were decided either in the last five seconds or in overtime, and the Cavaliers won three of them. In Game 2, Cleveland prevailed 80-79 when Bobby “Bingo” Smith drilled a 25-footer with two seconds to play. In Game 5, the Cavaliers trailed 91-90 and Washington’s Elvin Hayes had an opportunity to put the game away at the free-throw line with six seconds left. But he missed both foul shots, and Jim Cleamons dropped in a put-back lay-up at the buzzer to give Cleveland a 92-91 victory. In Game 7, played in front of 21,000 screaming Cavaliers partisans at the old Richfield Coliseum, Dick Snyder broke an 85-85 tie when he banked in a left-handed runner with four seconds to play. When the Bullets’ Phil Chenier missed a desperation shot at the buzzer, fans poured onto the floor, mobbed the Cavaliers players, and in an unconscious homage to Cleveland’s reputation as a football town, tore down the baskets.

1.) ???
And the number-one Cavaliers playoff-series victory? It hasn’t been played yet. Maybe we’ll see it in June.

Jesse Lamovsky is lifelong Cleveland sports fan and a sometimes sports writer. Learn more about Jesse and his writing at swerbsblurbs.com.

Post from: EveryJoe

Greatest Playoff Series Wins for the Cavs

The history of logo designing originally dated back to the Ancient Greece, when the rulers and their dynasties used to use cipher as a monogram in their coins. However modern logo design can be traced back to the pre-industrial society when people used to do direct trade with craftsmen, artisans, grocers and farmers.

At that time pottery, furniture, stonework, cattle and other items used to come with the stamp of the craftsmen, which was considered as a signature for trade. Afterward, with industrial revolution, the direct trade between manufacturer and purchaser ended and things started being produced and packed in bulk quantity.  It was the time when the use of business logo came out as a significant thing to differentiate companies and their products among each other.

In this article, we will discuss the evolution of the logos of some very successful brands. Though you have seen these logos change over time,  you may not know how, when or why they evolved.

Pepsi Logo

Image: Pepsi

Pepsi started its journey in 1893, when a young pharmacist Caleb Bradham began experimenting with different soft drink mixtures.

Image: Pepsi

In 1898, Bradham bought the trade name “Pepsi Cola” for $100 from a competitor who had gone broke. At the same time, Bradham himself designed the first company logo in which he used a scribbled script. In recent decades, Pepsi altered its logo several times to keep itself updated with changing trends and design preferences.

The current Pepsi logo (pictured to the right) was redesigned in October 2008. The blue and red globe trademark has been renovated to a smile-like figure. The logo has different variations that change with the different Pepsi products.

IBM Logo

You can easily recognize the logo of IBM, whether you are associated with computer industry or not. IBM started with the name of International Business Machines, and later on changed it to only IBM. The first company logo was the globe shaped design with full company name written on it. But after the failure of this version, IBM simplified the company name and the logo as well. The company introduced its first ‘IBM’ logo in 1947, which was designed by the famous designer Paul Rand.

Image: IBM

In 1972, IBM designed its current logo, which is same as the 1956 version but included horizontal stripes and the blue color. Many years have passed but IBM logo still looks fresh and gives the feeling of innovation and modernization.

Ford Logo

Image: Ford

The history of Ford’s logo dates back to the beginning of the company when Henry Ford’s engineering assistant developed a stylized version of the words “Ford Motor Company” in 1903. Later on, the company tried a variety  of logos in different shapes. The 1976 logo was essentially the last major change to the symbol.

The current version of the logo was developed in 2003 in the honor of Ford’s 100th anniversary. This logo was named the “Centennial Blue Oval.”

Google Logo

Image: Google

The first ever Google logo was designed by the co-founder of Google Sergey Brin in 1998. The current version of Google logo was created by Ruth Kedar in August 1999, which is not very different from its original version. The Google logo is very simple in design and made-up of colorful, basic font. However, for different occasions, Google creates logo variations specific to the event. These designs are called doodles. They are created by the Dennis Hwang, who works as a designer for Google. Dennis has designed more than 150 doodles since start of his work at Google.

The Google logo is simple yet powerful design that depicts the company’s mission “To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” We can certainly say that Google logo in contemporary time has become the most recognized logo in the world.

Apple Logo

Image: Apple

Apple Inc. has revolutionized the technological industry through its innovative and ground-breaking products. Founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Apple has now become the top brand in the computer and technology industry. Many products have been introduced by Apple such as the iPod, iPhone, Mac Book and many others.

The first Apple logo was developed by Jobs and Ronald Wayne in 1976. The logo featured Isaac Newton sitting under an apple tree. This logo was immediately changed by the designer Rob Janoff into a multicolored apple with a bite taken out off its right side. This logo was used from 1976 to 1998.

In 1998, Apple replaced its rainbow logo with a monochromatic design. The new logo is more attractive and eye-catching, while portraying the company’s image as innovative and modern.

Logos are one of the most important elements of branding for any company. These successful companies mentioned here have changed their logos over time in order to create a more modern, contemporary look. When designing your own company’s logo, keep in mind that you may have to alter or completely change it at some point in the future.

Guest post written by Ben Johnson of Logoinn, custom logo design service provider based in UK.

Post from: EveryJoe

The Evolution of Famous Logos