San Francisco 49ers vs. Baltimore Ravens…

Who do you think is going to win?

Me? I’m taking the 49ers 31-20. Should be a fun game!

And let’s not forget about the commercials. Some good ones I’ve already seen by Samsung, Budweiser and Doritos. Can’t wait!

Broncos and Jets: Ticking PR Time Bombs?

This blog post originally appeared on The Gutes.

You may have heard the news: Peyton Manning, who missed the 2011 season with a neck injury that many thought could threaten his career, has signed a contract with the Denver Broncos to be the team’s next starting quarterback. This is great news for Broncos fans everywhere because they haven’t had a popular starting quarterback since the John Elway days, right? Wrong…

After taking over a struggling 1-4 team, quarterback Tim Tebow led the Broncos to victory after victory last season, struggling for the first three quarters before “Tebow Time” took over late in the game. With an offense that quickly transformed into an option attack, and a defense that kept every game close, the Broncos eventually won the AFC West title. Tebow was also a major reason the team won their first playoff game in electrifying fashion against the Pittsburgh Steelers in overtime.

The signing of Manning has caused some dissatisfaction in Denver and throughout Bronco Nation. The so-called “Tebowmaniacs” are demoralized at the loss of their savior and Tebow himself can’t be too happy with his sudden departure from the team that he resurrected last season, although you would never know by speaking with him. Even after signing one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, Elway (now an executive with the team) has left a fan base divided, and this isn’t likely to change any time soon.

While Manning has the potential to lead the team back to the playoffs this season, one has to wonder how much of an injury risk he remains. Should something happen to the new face of the franchise, could we be looking at a potential PR nightmare in Denver?

Tick…tick…tick…

And what about Tebow’s new team. On paper, the New York Jets acquisition of the quarterback would appear to be a slam dunk for their fans. Already one of the most popular athletes in the world, Tebow brings his marketability and football skills to the center of the media universe. This situation has the potential to put him in LeBron James territory when it comes to his marketing value. But what does his acquisition do to the chemistry of the team? If he becomes the starting quarterback, will Tebow have the leeway to struggle as he originally did in Denver, while playing in the #1 television market in the country?

Tick…tick…tick…

Right now, the Jets now have the equivalent of two starting quarterbacks in Tebow and Mark Sanchez. The team just signed Sanchez to a three-year contract extension last week, a move that was met with a mixed reaction from Jets fans that have waited since 1969 for a return trip to the Super Bowl. Sanchez is 27-20 as a starter in the regular season and has a 4-2 record in the playoffs. Like Tebow, he’s led multiple game-winning drives and who can forget that he’s defeated Tom Brady and the New England Patriots three times over the past three seasons (something no other quarterback in the league has done). Will diehard Jets (and Sanchez) fans revolt if the coaching staff hands the ball over to Tebow as the starting quarterback in 2012?

Tick…tick…tick…

Whether its comments by Coach Rex Ryan, or issues involving players and/or fans, the Jets always seem to be in need of a PR makeover. Now, Tebowmania is about to sweep New York and one has to wonder what that means for the city. The team has always needed a “good guy” who can lead the team back to its glory days. Will the arrival of Tebow be the new incarnation of “Linsanity” that Jeremy Lin brought to the New York Knicks? Or are we looking at a quarterback controversy that will bring on a PR nightmare in New York?

Tick…tick…tick…

From a public relations standpoint, both the Broncos and Jets will be interesting to watch this season. You have to wonder what happens to the Broncos if Manning gets hurt. How quickly will the backlash come from the fans? How soon will you hear the “I told you so’s” from local sports writers? How will the Broncos be able to save face?

Tick…tick…tick…

And what about the quarterback situation in New York? Will Tebow be the starting quarterback? What about Sanchez? If Sanchez starts the season as the team’s quarterback, and struggles, will the coaching staff be forced to make an immediate change? What if he plays well? Will fans still demand increased playing time for Tebow?

Tick…tick…tick…

Both camps are walking on thin ice right now with fans due to their recent moves. As with any trade, the sky’s the limit for the potential. Who knows? The signing of Manning and trade of Tebow could end up being great for both franchises. But, if something goes wrong, you could easily be looking at a major PR nightmare in both cities.

Tick…tick…tick…BOOM!

If Everyone Gets a Chance…

…could you please click on this link to check out my latest blog post.

It’s not necessarily what you might be used to reading from me,  but I’d really appreciate it if you could just click the link and if you have any thoughts on the content, please leave a comment. 🙂

Thanks!

Alex Rodriguez, Cameron Diaz and Some Popcorn…

People need to leave Alex Rodriguez and Cameron Diaz alone. Obviously the Super Bowl is a big game and Diaz was afraid that her boyfriend might choke…

NFL “Sorry” for Super Bowl Seat Issues

The NFL has apologized to Super Bowl ticket-holding fans who were denied seats to Sunday’s game between the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. I’m sure that an apology is nice, but I’m willing to bet that it won’t be enough to stop lawsuits over the issue.

Did anyone else hear the chants against Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones prior to the game? Some pretty upset fans…

From CNN:

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday took full responsibility for the seating fiasco, in which about 400 fans with tickets were denied seats because certain sections of Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, which hosted the event, weren’t ready.

About 1,250 fans were affected, but roughly 850 of them were relocated to other seats while the remaining 400 were left without, the NFL said. Some people in the Dallas Cowboys organization volunteered to give up their employee tickets so affected fans could have a seat, Goodell said.

“We apologize to those fans that were impacted by this,” Goodell said at a news conference Monday. “We will certainly do a thorough review and get to the bottom of why it all occurred, but we take full responsibility for that as putting on this game.”

Loving the New Volkswagen Super Bowl Commercial…

If you don’t want to be spoiled before Sunday…don’t watch the video below!

The new Volkswagen commercial for the Super Bowl is the best one I’ve seen yet…Very cute!