At my Penn State commencement ceremony last May, they left out a line after, “Congratulations to the College of Communications graduating class of 2008.” They should have followed with, “… on spending $140,000 on an education that will provide little help to finding you steady employment in the next year.”
Not to say that it is Penn State’s fault that the economy is in the toilet, most companies are on hiring freezes (or firing sprees), and large corporations cutting their budgets start with public relations and advertising. I just wasn’t prepared for the seemingly unachievable task of launching my career.
With my public relations degree and a pair of useless minors under my belt, I thought finding a job would be a cinch. My 3.71 GPA was impressive even to me, and my internship working in the press box of one of the NCAA’s most prestigious football programs provided me with experience, published clips, and the ability to say I met Joe Paterno.
Finding an entry-level job in athletic communications that pays well is a daunting task, even in a thriving economy, because there are a limited amount of positions being sought after by so many people, several of whom are willing to work for less than the other guy (or girl). So I broadened my job search from public relations jobs in sports, to public relations jobs in general, to communications jobs in general, to non-communications jobs that could get my foot in the door and offer me a salary with benefits!
No such luck. My limited experience is overmatched by the guy (or girl) with five-ten years worth of experience who was just laid off and willing to take a step backward in his (or her) career so that they don’t remain unemployed.
That means I often get to read the words: “We’ve decided to move forward with a candidate whose experience greater fits our needs.”
That’s if I am lucky enough to get an email back, or an interview in the first place. Normally, after spending the $50 plus to interview in New York City (parking is expensive, not to mention it costs eight dollars to cross the George Washington Bridge), I won’t hear from a potential employer for weeks, and my follow-up emails will go unanswered, as will my phone calls.
In a society and time where the demand for jobs is high and the supply is very low, employers can afford to save time, effort and money by forgoing the common courtesy of sending a “rejected” email. Could you imagine if, during the college application process, you never heard back from some schools to let you know if you have been accepted or rejected? It’s just unprofessional and ill mannered.
I once went to a NYC company twice to interview because they happened to schedule my interview on the day of the boss’s wife’s baby shower and the associate couldn’t spare fifteen minutes to question me. Then, after wasting my time and money, and not getting back to me for weeks, I found out that they decided not to fill the position at all!
I’ve even applied for internships, but most companies don’t want to pay interns so they offer college credits in lieu of money. Even if I wanted to work for free, labor laws prevent such actions. So once again, I am out of luck.
Such is the post-collegiate world we are stuck in today.
Aside from Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com, there are other ways of going about the job search – networking, creating an e-portfolio, headhunters, temp agencies, etc. The sobering fact is that these are great ways to lead jobseekers to open doors, but what to do if all the doors are closed?
For the time being, we can only keep treading water and try to keep from sinking.
It is the offseason for all but two Major League Baseball teams: the Phillies and the Rays. The rest of the bunch, which includes the $2.13 billion worth of New York baseball, are discussing trades, contracts, free agents and other personnel changes to make their team a contender next season.
How do the Mets and Yankees become World Series-caliber clubs?
The formula is different for every team. One might need an ace, while another needs a big left-handed bat in the lineup. One might need an “in-your-face” manager, while another needs a free-spending general manger.
One fact that remains a constant for teams in any sport is that selfish players do not help win championships.
Stats gauge a player’s individual performance, but they can’t measure the level of the player’s will to win. Self-serving athletes are the worst teammates because in inevitable situations when the team needs an individual sacrifice, they don’t do what it takes to win.
One player, no matter how talented, cannot win a championship by himself. Allen Iverson couldn’t do it, nor could Terrell Owens, nor Barry Bonds.
Sure, there are exceptions.
Kobe Bryant won championships in L.A., but that was when Shaq was playing center. He made the Lakers choose between him and the Big Aristotle, and ever since Kobe became the sole star on the Lakers, they have not won a championship.
Plaxico Burress is one of the most talented receivers in the NFL, and his play helped the Giants get to and win Super Bowl XLII. However, his constant friction with Head Coach Tom Coughlin and failure to attend team meetings cause distractions in the locker room and set a bad example for younger players who aspire to reach Plax’s star status.
When Manny Ramirez is on a team, they usually make it to the postseason – he has been to the playoffs ten times in his sixteen-year career. But when he has a problem off the field, he quits when he is on the field, and that led the Red Sox to trade him so that they could make the playoffs.
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Selfish players are usually more damaging to football teams, hockey teams and even basketball teams than they are to baseball teams. The natural rigidity of the game allows individual performances to add up to a “team effort” more so than in other team sports.
Thus, baseball is driven by statistics and records. Since players are compensated for their individual efforts rather than their team’s performance, the motivation to sacrifice personal stats for the good of the team is not there for all players. A player can make a lot more money by hitting 50 home runs than by winning a World Series.
Unfortunately, many of the most talented players in their respective leagues are also the most selfish. But as Richard Hoffer noted in a 1998 Sports Illustrated article, “there’s good selfish and there’s bad selfish.”
Good selfish is playing hurt, even if you might not be the best option on the field. Bad selfish is going for the RBI, rather than hitting behind the runner to move him over.
So who cares if Pete Rose changed his jersey nine times during his record-breaking game so that he could sell them, as long as he helped the team win? And who cares if Reggie Jackson fought with Billy Martin all season, as long as he crushed postseason home runs?
Stats are tangible, but do not tell the whole story about a player. Egotistical players have the potential to ruin a team, no matter how many home runs they hit, touchdowns they score, or three-pointers they drain.
Stephon Marbury is about as talented a guard as there is, but did he help the Knicks win any championships? No. Instead, he flew home when he learned he wasn’t starting.
John Abraham was the Jets’ franchise player, but did he lead Gang Green to a Super Bowl? No. He didn’t show up to training camp and refused to play in the playoffs because he didn’t want to risk re-injuring a sprained knee with his contract expiring.
Latrell Sprewell choked his coach, refused a three-year, $21 million contract from the Timberwolves, stating, “I have a family to feed,” and then went bankrupt. Did he win any championships? No.
Alex Rodriguez is arguably (it isn’t much of an argument) the best player in baseball, but he has been criticized for padding his stats when the game is already decided and for not performing well in the playoffs. He also left the All-Star game, which was held in his own stadium, to attend a party he was throwing. Oh yea, and he hasn’t won a World Series yet either.
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So for teams like the Mets, who narrowly missed the playoffs by suffering their second straight late-season collapse, and the Yankees, who have the highest payroll in the MLB, how do you take that next step toward becoming a contender?
Before sinking all of their money into Manny Ramirez, Mark Teixeira and C.C. Sabathia, the Mets and Yankees should take a gander at the character of the two teams who found their way to the 2008 World Series.
The Mets and Yankees were statistically on the same level, if not better, than the Phillies and Rays. Greg Dobbs was the only Phillies position player to bat over .300 in the regular season, and he barely did so. The Rays don’t have a single player with more than 20 at bats that hit .300. The Yankees hit just as many home runs as the Rays and the Mets scored equally as many runs as the Phillies. Mets starters recorded a 3.82 ERA as compared to the Phillies’ 4.30, but it was the Phillies’ relief pitching that dominated the Mets’. And though the Rays’ bullpen was superior to the Yankees’, it was Tampa’s starting rotation that outshined that of the Bronx Bombers, throwing seven complete games compared to the Yankees’ one.
Simply put, adding up the statistics doesn’t necessarily translate to wins and losses. The Rays and Phillies hit when they needed to hit, got solid pitching performances when they needed lights-out pitching, held leads late in games, and staged comebacks in dire situations. This speaks to the teams’ attitudes more than it does their talent.
“You don’t see a lot of guys that have statistical numbers play well in these championship series,” Manuel said in an October New York Times article. “What you see is usually the little second baseman or somebody like that carries off the M.V.P. trophy that nobody expected him to do. That’s because he’s comfortable in playing that form of baseball, so therefore when the stage comes, it’s not a struggle for him.”
This is not to say that the Mets and Yankees are all prima donnas while the Rays and Phillies are a bunch of Rudys, giving 110% every step of the way. But when Alex Rodriguez sulks in the dugout while having an 0-for-4 night rather than cheering his teammates on, or when Jose Reyes argues with Jerry Manuel and rips his jersey off while leaving the game, it brings the morale of the whole team down.
Players like Mark DeRosa, who selflessly plays all four infield positions and the corner outfield spots, and Sandy Alomar Jr., who in 2006 helped groom catchers Russell Martin and Dioner Navarro while they were his competition, are there to win.
So when Omar Minaya and Brian Cashman decide this offseason whom to pay millions of dollars, they need to look past the numbers on the stat sheets and explore players’ character. Sign athletes who want to win a World Series, and avoid those who are just looking to earn a bigger paycheck.
Selfish players are selfish because they focus on their individual performance instead of the outcome of the game. But that is the nature of the beast in Major League Baseball. If management is going to pay $40 million dollars for home runs, why even practice situational hitting?
http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/how-much-is-your-team-worth-2008/
In the 1961 classic, The Hustler, "Fast" Eddie Felson (Paul Newman) has Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason) against the ropes in an all-night, one-on-one pool tournament. He could have put Fats away at any point, but his enormous ego and weakness for JTS Brown lead to his embarrassing and utter demise.
In the 2008 National League Wild Card race, the New York Mets had the Brewers pinned to the mat. In fact, they had the Phillies beat in the race for the division title, leading their rivals by four games with 17 to play. The Mets could have put either of these teams away, but their lousy bullpen and inability to get clutch hits brought about their second straight late-season collapse.
This weekend was one of the most depressing of 2008 as the Mets squandered their postseason hopes, and my all-time favorite actor, Paul Newman, lost his life to lung cancer.
Newman fought an unwinnable battle all summer against an incurable disease, much in the same fashion that he refused to lay down when he boxed the much larger Dragline (George Kennedy) in Cool Hand Luke. At least he fought.
The Mets showed this year that they had talent, youth and potential, but when it came down to the big spots, they didn't have enough heart or determination, both key ingredients in playoff teams. Here are some stats that illustrate this:
- 29 blown saves, 16 since the All-Star break
- 7-10 record to close the season
- 5 runs scored in their last three games
How about these series of events, which I was unfortunate enough to witness from a lodge box at the fifth-to-last game at Shea Stadium versus the Chicago Cubs: Bottom of the ninth, score tied 6-6, no outs. Daniel Murphy is on third base after leading off the inning with a triple. David Wright strikes out. Carlos Delgado and Carlos Beltran are intentionally walked to load the bases for Ryan Church, who precedes to hit into a fielder's choice, taking away the game-winning sacrifice fly opportunity that had been available after Murphy's triple. Ramon Castro follows by striking out on three pitches and effectively deflating the stadium of hope. The Cubs go on to score three runs off Luis Ayala in the top of the tenth and the Mets go down in order in the bottom half of the inning, blowing the one-game lead they had over the Brewers in the wildcard race at the beginning of the day.
This game was a microcosm of the Mets' season. Runners stranded in scoring position and close games blown by the bullpen have left a bad taste in Mets fans' mouths.
Granted, the collapse was not as dramatic as last season's plummet from first place – the Amazins had a seven game lead with 17 to play – but it stings more. Not only did the Mets acquire arguably the best pitcher in the game in Johan Santana this off-season (who performed brilliantly all year long), but they let it come down to the last game of the season once again, dragging their fans through all 162 games to watch their team fall one game short again. They blew it at home in the last-ever game played at Shea Stadium, while the Brewers simultaneously won their final game with a six-game-old manager.
So who is to blame?
The Manager? Jerry Manuel took a team that was 34-35 under Willy Randolph and went 55-38, putting them in a spot where they should have made the playoffs. He lightened the mood in the clubhouse, played the hot hand all season, and became an instant darling to a New York media that eats coaches and players alive. However, he let the Mets go 7-10 in the most important stretch of the season.
The General Manager? Omar Minaya is responsible for bringing in Santana, Delgado and Beltran, three core players whose 2008 numbers speak for themselves. He also signed Wright and Jose Reyes, the homegrown core of the Mets, cheap. He did, however, rely heavily on older players like Moises Alou, Pedro Martinez and Luis Castillo, who either got injured or underperformed. Plus, he let a few relievers like Darren Oliver and Chad Bradford.
The Core? Beltran and Delgado had slow starts, but finished the season strong and clutch. Wright tied the Mets single-season RBI record (124) held by Mike Piazza. Reyes led the NL in hits with 204 while also swiping 56 bases. They do deserve some blame for not coming through in big spots down the stretch, but they shouldn't have been in that spot to begin with.
The Bullpen? The Mets lost their closer, Billy Wagner, to injury and were never able to recover, but the bullpen was in trouble before Wagner went down. All year Manuel had to play mix and match games with pitchers like Joe Smith who could only get righties out and Pedro Feliciano who could only pitch to lefties. Players like Aaron Heilman and Duaner Sanchez, who have proven track records, came up short all season.
Everyone deserves some blame for "collapse part duex," but that does not mean that the team needs a dramatic shakeup. Wright and Reyes should not be traded, Manuel should come back next season, and Minaya should not be blamed for the poor performances of players who underachieved.
The Mets are so close to becoming a World Series-caliber team. The solution lies in cutting dead weight (Martinez, Alou, Castillo, Heilman, Marlon Anderson, Scott Schoeneweis…) and adding a vocal leader and/or a tough ballplayer. The Mets need a Keith Hernandez to teach the team how to win, and a Lenny Dykstra to put on a gutsy display of balls-to-the-wall baseball.
But where do the Mets look to find this grit and guidance?
First, lets focus on second base, where they need a steady presence. Jeff Kent is a free agent and is a proven veteran (not to mention a former Met.) His play is still respectable, but he turned 40 this year and unless he is willing to sign a one or two-year deal, he isn't worth the money. Orlando Hudson is also available and would provide speed, solid offense, Gold Glove defense, and most importantly, charisma. Rich Aurilia is 37, but his play has been steady throughout his career. He also can play all four infield positions. Another guy is Joe Crede, who is known for his spectacular defense. He is a third baseman who, if he could be taught to play second, puts up respectable numbers for the position.
Depending on whether Daniel Murphy is converted from outfield to second base (he is a natural third baseman), the Mets may need to acquire a new outfielder. The Padres have a one-year, $9 million option on Brian Giles, but he is a pesky player with solid offensive stats that the Mets could use in left field. Slugger Adam Dunn is available, and though he boasts a meager .247 lifetime average, he has hit 40 homeruns six years in a row. However, he is notorious for striking out and coming up short in the clutch, both qualities of which the Mets do not need more. David Dejesus had the highest batting average with runners in scoring position this season and is a Brooklyn native. He is not a free agent, but could be a trade possibility from the small market Royals of Kansas City. The Diamondbacks need a second baseman with Hudson on the market and there has been buzz about possibly dealing one of the gutsiest, grittiest and dirtiest players in the game, Eric Byrnes, for Luis Castillo. Sign me up!
The Mets have options with pitching. Santana, Mike Pelfry and John Maine are all solid starters that will be back next year. Oliver Perez is a free agent and unless he is willing to sign for relatively cheap (which he won't because Scott Boras is his agent), he will be pitching elsewhere. The Mets could spend their money on a big name pitcher like C.C. Sabathia, Ben Sheets, Derek Lowe, or Ryan Dempster, or they could go after Esteban Loaiza, Brett Tomko, Claudio Vargas, or Randy Wolf, all of whom are free agents. They need to acquire a few live arms for the bullpen, and young pitchers would be optimal for this role. However, with Wagner's Mets career over, Minaya may consider spending money on a new closer. Here are some options from the free agent market: Joe Borowski, Kerry Wood, Kyle Farnsworth, Brian Fuentes, Francisco Rodriguez, Rafael Soriano.
The bottom line is that it doesnt matter who the Mets sign, the players they have now have to step up and face the clutch situations head on, like Paul Newman faced the Bolivian Army in the final scene of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
The Mets have to stop handing teams playoff berths on silver platters. Let Newman stick to the charity.
R.I.P. Paul Newman.
Don't rest until you put together a playoff team, Mets.
Unless you have been living in a sock for the last year, you are probably aware that there is a presidential election rapidly approaching. As always, the age old debate between conservatives and liberals in this bipartisan nation rages on. The issues are basically the same – homeland security, oil, taxes, immigration, education, healthcare, etc. – but the people and the politics are new.
Every politician in every election uses their campaign to bolster his/her image while simultaneously defacing that of their opponent. Unfortunately, the media plays right into this tactic, spending more time discussing Obama’s “lipstick on a pig” comment than important subjects like how he plans to offer health insurance to all Americans if elected.
The media, which seems to have lost its sense of social responsibility, tailors its content to specific audiences, and most audiences are interested in topics that are entertaining rather than relevant. As a result, several Americans are ill informed on the stances their particular candidate takes on several issues and, thus, base their vote on their personality rather than their ideology, on their public image rather than their stance on the issues that matter.
I encourage all Americans to vote, but only if they know why they are voting. If people vote for Obama because P. Diddy tells them to, or for McCain because Rush Limbaugh is their only source of political commentary, then they might as well stay home on November 4.
Do your research. Don’t take this election lightly. The course that our nation takes over the next four years depends on the name you check in the voting booth this November.
To find out whom you really want to vote for in an unbiased fashion, take this quiz: http://www.speakout.com/VoteMatch/senate2006.asp?quiz=2008
Once you find the candidate whose views are most similar to your own, do some more research so that you have points to back up your views. Check out Obama’s and McCain’s views on the issues.
http://www.ontheissues.org/John_McCain.htm
http://www.ontheissues.org/Barack_Obama.htm
What was your first summer job?
Mine was at Kundert Volvo. I washed, cleaned and detailed the certified pre-owned Volvos. My father worked at Kundert and got me the job just after my freshman year of high school. In the three summers that I worked in the filthy garage in Hasbrouck Heights, I learned some basics about how to take care of my car, as well as my money and my time.
I was one of the first of my friends to get a summer job. While I woke up at seven in the morning and washed cars, many of my friends were waking up at noon and going swimming. But when it came to money, we all had enough because they were still getting allowances for making their beds and mowing their lawns (which I also did, free of charge).
Parents and future parents, lend me your ears. This is no way to raise your children.
What better way to instill a sense of personal responsibility into your precious offspring than to encourage them to work summer jobs when they get to high school?
They will do better in school because they are learning to be responsible. They will begin to stop relying on mommy and daddy for money because they have begun the trend of making their own money and as a result, your children will learn to handle their personal finances.
Call me old school, but hard work is never a bad thing for a teenager. Part of the reason why so many teens do drugs, drink and drive, or do poorly in school is because they have never worked and never learned how to be responsible.
However, some people enjoy their first summer job so much because of the people they work with or the amount of money they make, that they stick with that job throughout their high school and college careers.
I believe that teenagers should take on a variety of summer jobs over the course of their summer work careers. A wider variety of jobs means a wider variety of experiences, a greater number of personal connections, and a larger arsenal of material to add to your resume.
In addition to detailing cars, I have worked as a custodian, a retail representative, a cashier at Pier 1 Imports, a mover, a flower delivery driver, a host and sever at Chili’s, a stagehand, and done several other odd end jobs. Some paid better than others did and some were more difficult than others were, but I now have a long list of contacts from which I can choose the people who would be my most relevant references at a particular time in my career.
More doesn’t necessarily mean better, but in this case, it does. So teens, while you still have years left before having to choose a career path, go get a job. Hell, get two!
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