MWPRInsight: "The Playbook" Poster Child

Panthers' Dwayne Jarrett charged with DWI




CHARLOTTE (AP) — Carolina Panthers receiver Dwayne Jarrett's difficult rookie season on the field has given way to problems off it.

Jarrett, in town for the start of the team's offseason conditioning program, was arrested early Tuesday and charged with driving while impaired.

Jarrett was pulled over in the Charlotte suburb of Mint Hill at 3 a.m., said police spokesman Lt. Sergio Carrera. An officer spotted Jarrett's car cross the center line and run a red light, Carrera said. Jarrett later failed field sobriety tests before he was given a breath test.

"The officer then formed the opinion that Mr. Jarrett was impaired by alcohol," Carrera said.
Jarrett was taken to Mecklenburg County jail and later released on a $1,000 bond.

FIND MORE STORIES IN: Southern California Charlotte Panthers Pac-10 Steve Smith Keyshawn Johnson Muhsin Muhammad Dwayne Jarrett Marty Hurney Mecklenburg County Charlie Dayton Darin Morgan Mr. Jarrett

Panthers spokesman Charlie Dayton said the team had been in contact with Jarrett since his arrest.
"Our players know these kinds of situations are unacceptable," Dayton said. "We have talked to Dwayne and expressed our feelings on this matter and are gathering all the information we can."

Jarrett's agent, Darin Morgan, declined comment.

The Panthers had high hopes for Jarrett when they selected the former Southern California star in the second-round of last year's draft. Three days later, the Panthers released veteran Keyshawn Johnson, believing the 6-foot-4 Jarrett would replace him as the No. 2 receiver opposite the smaller and speedy Steve Smith.

But Jarrett struggled to learn the playbook and adapt to the NFL game. He was beaten out for a starting job and even had trouble getting on the field on game days.

Jarrett was on the inactive list for six of the first eight games. He played more later in the season, but finished with only six catches for 73 yards and no touchdowns.

The Panthers signed veteran receiver Muhsin Muhammad last month, and general manager Marty Hurney indicated Muhammad could serve as mentor to the 21-year-old Jarrett, who holds the Pac-10 career record with 41 touchdown catches.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Panthers' Dwayne Jarrett charged with DWI - USATODAY.com

MWPRInsight: An Awesome Example of Community Relations

Visit with troops in war zone humbles NFL linemen

By Sean Leahy, USA TODAY

Photo Credits: Michael A. Clifton, USO
(1) Carolina's Mike Rucker, center, and San Diego's Luis Castillo, right, were among a contingent of NFL players on a mission to Afghanistan where they spent time with U.S. troops. (2) Bears lineman Tommie Harris, shown climbing a helicopter, said lending support to troops was a priority during the trip. "You don't want to talk," he said. "You just want to be there for them … let them vent and ask questions."

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The injured soldier eating homemade chocolate chip cookies in the hospital bed made the biggest impression on Mike Rucker.

The treats were sent to the medical unit in Afghanistan from an unknown well-wisher in the United States. And they were a sweet taste of home, a distraction from the dangers lurking for the American servicemen and women there.

Rucker, a defensive end for the Carolina Panthers, visited with troops on a 10-day NFL-USO trip. Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris and San Diego Chargers defensive end Luis Castillo joined him on the trip.

The players heard first-hand tales of wartime perils — snipers, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), road-side mines and grenades landing near soldiers' feet. And the NFL crew was happy to serve as a distraction.

"You don't want to talk," Harris said from Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan on Sunday. "You just want to be there for them … let them vent and ask questions."

FIND MORE STORIES IN: United States Afghanistan Bears San Diego Chargers Carolina Panthers Rex Grossman Luis Castillo Black Hawk Tommie Harris Mike Rucker Bagram Airbase

The conversation inevitably pointed toward the playing field. Harris joked he heard "about 60" inquiries regarding Bears quarterback Rex Grossman, whom the team benched for six starts last year before re-signing in February.

The popularity of the NFL stood out for Castillo. Soldiers told him of finishing up missions of 10 or 15 days with one major priority: game updates. "Once they get done with whatever was occupying them," the Chargers defender said, "they get on the radio and get an idea of what the score was or who won the playoff game.

"We provide a small distraction for them and provide some moment that's not life and death."
Camaraderie is key to the soldiers' sanity in the war zone, Castillo said. The players joined in for some late-night bonding and practical jokes that, when the visitors are gone, help to ease the tension of the dayside dangers.

"If they thought about it solely as life-and-death situations," Castillo said, "I don't know how they'd be able to do their jobs.

"They joke to make it easier for them to deal with."

Rucker and Castillo toured a small area of the Afghanistan terrain in a Black Hawk helicopter. Though the players were limited to areas that posed little danger, they still wore bullet-proof vests. Rucker was surprised by how uncomfortable the vests fit, and said his NFL brethren would be hard-pressed to operate with similar agility.

"I had to tip my hat," Rucker said. "It's not like these guys are giants. They're guys (that) in the football world might be a kicker. And here they are carrying an 80-pound backpack and a weapon for a long period of time."

The trip to Afghanistan, which took roughly 40 hours in each direction, concluded Sunday. And what was the one guilty pleasure soldiers said they missed most? A beer, according to Harris.

"It's a dry campus out here," he said.

Visit with troops in war zone humbles NFL linemen - USATODAY.com

MWPRInsight: Another Example of No PR Counseling

Duhon's reaction to benching brings more discipline for guard
ESPN.com news services

Add another item to the laundry list of issues the disappointing Chicago Bulls have had to face this season.

Guard Chris Duhon, who was benched for the Bulls' game against the Detroit Pistons Sunday for missing the team's morning shootaround, was disciplined a second time by general manager John Paxson for making flip comments about the punishment.

It's unclear what action Paxson took Monday, but Duhon was on the inactive list for a second straight game Tuesday when Chicago faced the Utah Jazz.

"That's a coach's decision," interim coach Jim Boylan said when asked if Duhon was still being punished for missing the shootaround.

During Sunday's telecast, it was revealed that Duhon had not received permission to attend Saturday's college basketball game between his alma mater, Duke, and North Carolina. He reportedly slept through the shootaround.

"I did meet with Chris," Paxson said, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. "We obviously talked it out."
Duhon's benching comes on the heels of a two-game suspension for Tyrus Thomas for an unexcused absence from practice. Rookie center Aaron Gray reportedly had words with Boylan recently. And Joakim Noah was suspended earlier in this disappointing Bulls season.

"Obviously when things go badly, they go badly," Paxson said, according to the Sun-Times. "I'm disappointed in what happened in the last couple of weeks, but … I've dealt with it the way I feel was right and we'll move on from there."

Duhon's response to the benching may have led to the second discipline.

"I don't play anyway, so it doesn't have that much of an effect on me," Duhon said, according to the Sun-Times.

Duhon later was interviewed on WMVP-AM 1000 and said he didn't expect to return to the Bulls next season.

"I probably won't be back," Duhon said, according to the newspaper. "I don't know what the summer has for me."

Duhon is averaging 5.8 points and 4.1 assists.
ESPN - Duhon's reaction to benching brings more discipline for guard - NBA

MWPRInsight: A Great Story about a Great Man

First black b-ball player reflects
By: Holden Slattery
Issue date: 2/29/08 Section: News






Julius Pegues' name will not turn up in any NBA record books or highlights, and that's fine with him. But he will turn up in a search for the first black man ever to play basketball for the Pitt Panthers. He'll also turn up as a distinguished consultant for the Federal Aviation Administration.Pegues used basketball scholarships to earn an aeronautical engineering degree from Pitt and never looked back. This past Sunday, Pitt honored Pegues at the Pitt-Louisville game. This year marks the 50th anniversary of his graduation. At center court of a packed Petersen Events Center, Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg handed Pegues a commemorative basketball. "I was humbled, and I'm still in awe of how they put all of that together to observe my 50th anniversary and being the lone black player," Pegues said Wednesday from his home in Tulsa, Okla.

Pegues was impressed with the crowd at Sunday's game, especially the student section known as the Oakland Zoo."If we had 1,300 people in our arena, we probably would have had a better record than we did," Pegues said. "The atmosphere is great!"Pegues, 72, played for the Panthers from 1954 to 1958 - one year on the freshman team and three on varsity. He is now the 34th leading scorer in Pitt history. He said he started every game in his four seasons at Pitt and helped the team win its first Big East title.

Because of segregation laws at the time, Pegues was unable to play basketball for any college in his home state of Oklahoma except for Langston University, a historically black college that did not offer engineering. But a Tulsa oil man named E. Alex Phillips helped him get to Pitt.

When Pegues was playing at Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, Phillips used to watch the team play. Phillips helped to pay for Pegues' first year at Pitt, and after an impressive season on the freshmen team, Pegues received a full scholarship.


To read full article go to The Pitt News

Media Credit: Courtesy Pitt Media Relations
In 1954, Julius Pegeus became the first black man to play on Pitt's basketball team. He averaged 17.6 points per game, he said.

MWPRInsight: A Page out of "The Playbook"

Bledsoe Is Out of Football and in Business for Himself

By GREG BISHOP
Published: March 10, 2008


BEND, Ore. — On the first day of the first football season after his retirement, Drew Bledsoe actually missed two-a-days. In the morning, he climbed into his boat and floated on Whitefish Lake in Montana and allowed for 30 minutes of reflection.

Then he started training camp.

This was not training camp like the ones Bledsoe reported to during his 14-year N.F.L. career. This was Camp Bledsoe, the beginning of his transition. He grabbed a camera and asked his wife to snap a shot of him sitting on a deck, feet in the water, beer clutched between his legs. He sent the picture to dozens of friends still playing in the N.F.L., all sweating through training camp in the sun.

“As you can see from this first picture I am maintaining my strict workout regimen,” he wrote them. “You can see here I am alternating some 12-ounce curls with some toe swirls. I generally do these until the bottle gets too light to offer enough resistance then I start over with a fresh one.”

The messages continued through the first week of camp — Bledsoe riding his motorcycle, sipping wine, playing golf. By the end, Bledsoe knew deep down what he already suspected. His N.F.L. career was over.

“When training camp came and went, and I wasn’t there, that was when the official break happened,” said the 36-year-old Bledsoe, who announced his retirement last April. “I left that phase of my life and moved on to the next one.”

Last week, quarterback Brett Favre joined Bledsoe in the retired quarterbacks club. Next season, Favre will experience what Bledsoe went through this year, a transition from veteran signal caller to real-world rookie.

On a recent two-day tour of his new life in the city of Bend, Ore., Bledsoe conducted a business meeting over wine, coached third graders on the basketball court and closed a business deal on the ski slopes at nearby Mount Bachelor.

Bledsoe began planning his transition six years before his retirement, about the same time his tenure ended with the New England Patriots. They selected him out of Washington State with the first overall pick in the 1993 draft, and Bledsoe’s entire family traveled to New York City, their first trip together on an airplane.

“Like the Waltons go to New York” Bledsoe said.

During his ninth season in New England, against the Jets in late September 2001, Bledsoe took the most vicious of hit of his career. Linebacker Mo Lewis smacked Bledsoe along the sideline as he tried to run for a first down. Four liters of blood flowed into Bledsoe’s chest cavity, until his lungs failed to inflate.

Bledsoe went back into the game, but he could not remember plays he spent years practicing. He needed assistance getting dressed after the game. In Bledsoe’s absence, the Patriots turned to a young and unknown quarterback named Tom Brady. Bledsoe threw a touchdown pass in the American Football Conference Championship game that year, but Brady started in the Super Bowl, and the Patriots’ dynasty began with Bledsoe on the sideline.

“I don’t play the what-if game much,” Bledsoe said. “And of course, I believe had I not gotten hit, we would have done the same thing. As an athlete, you have to believe that.”
After that season, Bledsoe felt a strong urge to walk away. Instead, he went to Buffalo, where he made his fourth Pro Bowl, then to Dallas, where he was benched again. His career ended with more than 44,000 passing yards and 251 touchdown passes.

The Cowboys pulled Bledsoe at halftime of a game against the Giants in late October 2006. He said he decided to retire then, but waited until the season ended to make sure he was not simply making an emotional decision.

Bledsoe says he is still bothered by the perception at the end of his career that he was too slow and his skills were declining. He insists his skills “had not diminished to any measurable degree.”Bledsoe wished he could show up at the scouting combine wearing a disguise, pretending to be from a small school, essentially starting over.

“Perception always bugged me,” said Adam Bledsoe, his younger brother. “In the latter half of his career, he became a whipping boy.” Bledsoe relished standing on the field, the center of attention, 80,000 fans packed in the stands. But after the second benching, after teammates started addressing him by Mister, he decided to fade into the background. He started to decline interview requests and began starting businesses.

He knew the statistics of recently retired players, the marriages that crumbled, the money that disappeared, the friend who refused to watch football for three years after retirement. Gone were the people who made his doctor’s appointments, gave him directions and planned nearly every minute of his day.

His biggest fear: finishing football and having no reason to get out of bed in the morning. As a result, Bledsoe said yes to everything. During his career, a winery deal with three other N.F.L. quarterbacks — Damon Huard, Rick Mirer and Dan Marino — fell through, so Bledsoe started his own vineyard. He planted the grapes three years ago, and the winery will start producing in 2010.

To read entire article go to link...Bledsoe Is Out of Football and in Business for Himself - New York Times

Helpful Tools: Online Press Release 101 - Publicity & promotion

Online Press Release 101 - Publicity & Promotion - Biznik
By Barry Hurd


Whether you use word-of-mouth marketing at the local coffee shop or submit to the communication gurus, start by understanding the five starting points of press release 101.

Know what you are pitching, what you have to offer, and who you are pitching it to. Almost 30 million people a month use Google and Yahoo News to find relevant and local news content.

To understand what type of impact a press release can have on business, we can use the Seattle metro as an example: the Seattle Times has a Sunday readership of 1.1 million, and an online monthly readership of 3.5 million. If you stop and realize this is for the entire paper and site at Seattle Times in comparison to just PR news, the numbers start to be very comparable on a local level.Now think for a moment and multiply that result by fifty states.

From PR Web and PEW research: "Research has shown that editors take approximately 7 seconds to read your headlines and first paragraph. * 98% of journalists go online daily * 92% for article research * 81% to do searching * 76% to find new sources, experts * 73% to find press releasesOn an average day, 68 million American adults go online * 30% use a search engine to find information * 27% get news"

With that math in your head, lets take a look at the basics of press releases.

1- What is a press release?A press release is a short, direct, and concise statement that pitches your idea, service, or product. It needs to be written so that it grabs attention, gives fast and relevant information, and saves the communication specialist time when they utilize the information.

2- What is a newswire?The newswire historically was a service that sent your press release to newsrooms, websites, radio, tv stations, and other media outlets. Over the past few years the newswire has been evolving to catch-up with how online media is transforming the PR industry.

3- What newswire services should I use?There are two free services that transmit your press release, both http://biznik.com/click?u=http%3A//www.pr.com/&t=www.pr.com and http://biznik.com/click?u=http%3A//www.prleap.com/&t=www.prleap.com. Be warned - if you have a competitive market or lackluster release, you get what you pay for. http://biznik.com/click?u=http%3A//www.prweb.com/&t=www.prweb.com and http://biznik.com/click?u=http%3A//www.prnewswire.com/&t=www.prnewswire.com both offer paid versions of newswire, and are better options for businesses that want to be competitive.

4- Who receives a press release when using a newswire?That is an amazingly complex question. In reality, newswires have become almost like radio stations. Hundreds or even thousands of communication specialists will read your release, but they may not act on it.Almost all newswire services reach major online portals such as Google and Yahoo. A variety of other online news portals also syndicate the content: NBCi, AskJeeves, MSN News, etc. Social media sites such as Technorati, Mashup, and TechCrunch also monitor newswire syndication.

5- What makes a good press release?Think of a good press release as a one page introduction to who you are and what you have to offer. This letter is going to go onto the desk of someone who reads hundreds of them each day, who has the unfortunately daunting task of deciding which one is ” news worthy” and requires honorable mention in the media source they work with.

Tips to improve your press release success-

Be bold. You have seven seconds to get some attention. If your first line or two doesn’t suck them into what you are saying, they will not continue or be impressed.

Be brief. One page. The important section is the first paragraph. Anything past one page is a sure fire travel plan to the round filing cabinet.

Be timely. Link everything you say to something else that is newsworthy. Publishers and communication professionals are looking for ways to connect your story to something else that is HOT! If you do this for them, they like you.

Be available. List your contact info. Answer your phone. Read your e-mail. Be fast in responding. If they are kind enough to send an inquiry, be kind enough to send back a response the same day!

Be ready. Have your longer statement ready for when they reach out. A press release is like getting a “yes” from someone for a first date. Make sure you are ready, well mannered, and kicking it up a notch when you meet them for questions and answers.

If you really want to see how the online and social media realm is affecting the world of publication relations and press releases, you can take a quick read through www.myragan.com - Online Press Release 101 - Publicity & promotion - Biznik

MWPRInsight: Great Community Relations Initiative

Change what they see. Influence how they think. Impact what they do!


Tied to Greatness Advances Eleven- City Tour to Charlotte
Groundbreaking Teen Program Inspires Young Men to Improve and Value Their Personal Image

Author and Image Authority, Alex Ellis advances to Charlotte, NC with Eleven-city tour Tied to Greatness; an image program designed to empower young men to make quality decisions regarding their personal image from the inside out. Since the February 1st New York launch over 900 teens have been captivated with a fresh vision of healthy image using the power of positive male role models, inspiring entertainment, and principle based instruction. An additional 300 young men are expected at Midwood High School on Friday, March 7th at 9:00am, joined by a congruent army of men from the Charlotte area.

At the heart of planned event is the TIE-TYING CEREMONY. Every man in attendance will personally teach a younger man how to tie a tie commemorating this rite of passage with a symbol of manhood. Men’s Wearhouse has donated fashionable ties and each young man will also receive a free copy of Ellis’ award-winning book, “Restoring the Male Image: A Look from the Inside Out.” “The character and integrity of a man should coincide with an impeccable outward appearance. We are calling on men to sense the weight of responsibility and urgency for our nation’s inner city young men,” states Ellis. “We can’t afford to sit by and watch another generation deteriorate. Mediocrity is not an option. Their greatness must be realized!”

The Charlotte tour date has garnered the confirmation of notable celebrities who were moved by the programs principles and have pledged to share insight and personal testimonies on “Image & Greatness.” Atlanta Falcons Players (Former) Keion Carpenter, Award winning author Omar Tyree, and the President of Urban League (Central Charlotte) Patrick Graham are just a few of the expected celebrities that will be in attendance.

The day’s event will culminate with Oprah Winfrey’s scholarship and three-time Showtime at the Apollo winner, Messiah delivering a poignant Spoken Word expression through the voice of this generation. Finally, Tied to Greatness Founder, Ellis will follow; delivering a stirring address from his award-winning book, Restoring the Male Image: A Look from the Inside Out.
Tied to Greatness will continue tour stops in cities such as Dallas, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit and Newark, NJ.

To learn more about Tied to Greatness log onto http://www.tiedtogreatness.com/.

Helpful Tools: How To Find New Clients | eHow.com

How to Find New Clients

Step 1:Picking new places to advertise your business. Check into new publications in your area. Many of them will offer free or low cost advertising price.

Step 2:Check out networking groups in your area. When you find a local networking group in your area get involved. These are called GBR, which stand for Group Business Referral. If you cannot find one in your area think about starting one with other local business owners.

Step 3:National groups are another great place to find clients. There are a number of these groups and most have local chapters. Just a few minutes and surf the internet for groups that pertain to your business. One example is National Association of Women Business Owners; they have chapters all over the United States.

Step 4:Get to know new business owners in your area. Once you find the new businesses, go and take some time to introduce yourself.

Step 5:Develop a website. We are all becoming do dependent on the internet so use it to your advantage. If you have a website, take the time and money to maintain and update it. Make it stand out against all the others.

Step 6:Talk with family, friends and neighbors for referrals. When invited to parties look at them as new people to talk with about your business.

Step 7:Use bulletin boards in local places of business, such as grocery stores, retail business, and libraries.

How To Find New Clients eHow.com