October 7, 2024
Our youngest daughter enjoys sports and finding T-shirts, framed pictures and other sports merchandise and items with girls or women playing sports – versus boys or men featured on merchandise – is very challenging.
It’s hard to believe in this day and age it’s still rare to find girls sports merchandise. Not only is it difficult to find girls merchandise with girls or females on the T-shirts, sweatshirts and other items, but it’s even more challenging to find merchandise with a girls cut. (more…)
October 7, 2024
The Utah Jazz, along with three other NBA teams, have advanced to the NBA Western and Eastern Conference Finals. Most of the articles we read are about the players, and a few are about the coaches, but rarely do we read about all those other important people behind the scenes who make the games possible. (more…)
October 7, 2024
The “Business and Marketing of NASCAR, ” sounds like a title of a book, but it’s actually a new class being offered at Virginia State
The class provides students with a taste of what goes on behind the scenes of the fastest-growing motor sport. (more…)
October 7, 2024
As a lifelong Cubs fan, I’m used to saying, “Maybe next year, ” and as the Bears kept turning the ball over in the next half of last night’s loss to the Colts, that same phrase started to creep up into my head.
The Bears have made some great improvements the last three years, and although it’s extremely difficult to get back to the Super Bowl in consecutive years, I’ll remain as optimistic as I am for the Cubs this year!
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Ron Goch, The Telios Group
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October 7, 2024
Roman philosopher Seneca once said, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”
Most people would call Chase Utley, the Philadelphia Phillies All-Star second baseman, one lucky guy. But ask anyone who knows him and they will likely tell you he prepared well for a tremendous opportunity last season. (more…)
October 7, 2024
As I read the newspaper this past Sunday, the headline Coed Marathon Run in Pakistan caught my eye.
I read the story, and although it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it’s uncommon to see men and women running in a marathon in Pakistan, it was still hard to imagine these beliefs still exists in other country and how lucky we are as a country to have the freedom to experience so many things that we many times take for granted. (more…)
October 7, 2024
I don’t watch television all that much, but I’ve been able to catch bits and pieces of bowl games the past week and I’ve enjoyed the close scores in many of the games through New Year’s Day.
Over the last few years, and with the close lost between Nos. 1 and 2 Ohio State and Michigan, there’s been a lot of talk about creating a college football playoff. Although I’d enjoy seeing a football playoff, I’d like to see the bowls somehow included in the playoffs.
I’ve had the good fortune to experience 15 bowls over the years, and whether I was working or attending the festivities and games as a fan, I enjoyed each and every one of them.
Although some of the bowl match-ups don’t seem to attract the attention or TV ratings the NCAA basketball tournament has during March Madness, there’s certainly some great match-ups and significant tradition with many of the bowls I’d like to see continue for years to come.
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Ron Goch, The Telios Group
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October 7, 2024
I recently attended a college football game with friends and we were surrounded by over 100, 000 fanatical fans who only took their seat during TV commercial breaks.
When cameras went live and the ball was in play, each of those 100, 000-plus fans stood and cheered. At times, it was deafening.
As a part of my every day job, I can usually be found working each week in some capacity at a sporting event.
But on this one Saturday, I was just like any other fan as I stood and cheered, clapped, and exchanged high-fives with my friends.
It was great just being a fan, enjoying the game, and the entire event atmosphere. And what a game it turned out to be – a one point win for the visiting team.
People have told me over the years how they think it’s “pretty cool” I have the opportunity to work in sports.
I’m thankful to be working in sports, something I enjoy very much. But I also think it is “pretty cool” to just be a fan!
It’s not every day I get the chance to be a cheering fan and act fanatical at a sporting event. Last Saturday, though, was one of those moments, and my friends will tell you I took full advantage of it.
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Ron Goch, The Telios Group
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October 7, 2024
I was visiting with my daughter Kennedy (whose nickname is “KJ”) before school one day last week, and she asks her trademark question, “Guess what Dad?” And I respond, as I usually do, “What KJ?” “My friends at school can’t believe I really play basketball.” I smile, thinking back to the day my wife Susie brought home the basketball registration form. I was surprised kids could start playing organized basketball so young. It wasn’t so long ago KJ turned six.
So I’m feeling all proud we started KJ at such an early age playing basketball, knowing her friends are equally impressed to learn KJ’s already a pretty good dribbler, a decent passer and a so-so shooter (sounds a lot like her Dad…the so-so shooter part).
Kennedy continues, “I told two of my friends I play and they said, ‘No way!’ I said, ‘Really, I do!’ They didn’t believe me. So, one of them asks Mom, ‘Does Kennedy really play basketball?’ and of course Mom says ‘Yes.’ They just couldn’t believe it Dad!” Kennedy says laughing.
I respond: “Well, now they know you play.”
KJ continues, “Yep! They just didn’t think girls played basketball, just boys.”
Quite surprised, I ask “What?” Kennedy explains, “They think only boys play basketball and girls don’t.” I said, “Are you kidding?” KJ says, “No, really. They didn’t know girls could play on a team. They thought only boys can play on a basketball team.”
Wow, talk about a reality check! Quite stunned, I turn to my wife and say, “Can you believe that? Here, I thought the girls were surprised Kennedy was playing at such a young age, but they’re surprised she’s playing because she’s a girl? Are you kidding me?”
My wife, seeing that I’m getting a bit worked up says, “That’s pretty sad!”
“That’s beyond sad, ” I respond in frustration. “I can’t believe these young girls don’t know there’s girls basketball, and they could be playing too. I thought after all these years, after all that has been accomplished in girls and women’s sports that we’d be much more informed, accepting and open to opportunities for girls and women’s sports. Obviously, we still have a long way to go.”
As I often say, every challenge is an opportunity!
What are your thoughts, suggestions and ideas on how we can all do our part to better inform girls and women of the many opportunities available in sports today?
How can we as parents better educate and inform our kids so they grow up knowing – boys or girls – they have the opportunity to play any sport or extracurricular activity they’d like to try?
How can we as Dads be more open-minded, accepting and supportive of girls and women’s sports, whether we have daughters or not?
We have so many opportunities, and although at first frustrated to learn we still have a long way to go in educating our youth – as well as society in general – I’m excited about the many opportunities in girls and women’s sports today…to participate, to support, to promote, to sell, to encourage…to be an athlete, to be a coach, to be a teammate, to be a fan of girls and women’s sports.
That’s what it’s all about…providing an opportunity, which will only lead to many more opportunities.
Your turn to take a shot!
If you have a thought, idea or suggestion you’d like to share, I’d enjoy hearing from you.
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Ron Goch, The Telios Group