Social media isn’t as scary as you think.

In week 14 of class we discussed APS superintendent Winston Brooks and his social media crisis. Winston made offensive comments on Twitter towards another APS official, comparing her to livestock. This ruined his personal online brand and did serious damage to APS as well. Here are a few tips on how to avoid the mistakes that many public figures have made through social media:

Always keep it professional: Remember that even if you are not a public figure you are still representing yourself, as well as possibly your job. Everything you say or post on social media reflects how others see you. Keep your content professional, always be respectful and if you are unsure of what to post try posting about content related to your interests such as sports, cooking, traveling or etc.

Think before you post: Basically if you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say it at all. Everything you post is being read by the millions of users on the internet and sadly can be used against you or can get you into trouble. Always ask yourself, “Would I want my employer or family to see this?”

Get training: A lot of people do not realize how much of an impact social media has. If you are unsure of how to use certain sites or what you should be posting there are many ways you can become informed about the topic. There are many classes offered from universities such as this one that help you use social media in a professional manner. If a class is something out of your budget there are also many books you can purchase online or even YouTube video’s you can watch for free! One of my personal favorite websites is laurenconrad.com, here is a blog post on her site that also has social media tips.

Be yourself: Don’t let all the rules that come with social media scare you away. Although you should be professional this does not mean you have to be a robot either. People like when you are yourself; don’t be scared to let your personality shine through! There are many ways to share what you’re passionate about or what movie isn’t worth paying to see at the box office. Let people get to know the real you!

 

Dallas says No to “Johnny Football”

Dallas Cowboys Fans everywhere are buzzing and complaining about Thursday night’s draft pick. Endless teams passed on Johnny Manziel, although he could have been drafted as high as #1. Instead Manziel was the 22^nd overall draft pick, but before the Cleveland Browns drafted him the Jerry Jones and the Cowboys had the chance to snag him at #16. So why didn’t they? Many don’t understand Jones’s reasoning, what could be better than the Heisman trophy winning quarterback fresh out of college?

Jones claims that he wanted to avoid controversy by having Manziel and Tony Romo on the same team, “He also said the extracurricular activity that would go along with a pick of “Johnny Football” had to be considered, along with the inevitable talk of a potential quarterback controversy.”

Controversy and media headlines have never stopped Jones, ever. Jones is almost infamous for taking in attention calling players. Terrell Owens, Dez Bryant and “Pac-Man Jones” are just a few of the players that have worn the Dallas star on their football helmet. In the past Jones’s seemed to have the mentality, if they can get the job done that’s all the matters.

The headlines might have been worth it, especially because the media is already infatuated with the Cowboys. Drafting Manziel could have been the perfect solution. Manziel necessary did not have to become the starting quarterback but instead could have been Romo’s backup.  Manziel could have shadowed and learned from Romo, instead of taking his job.

Jones believes that Romo still has a lot of years left in his career, his knowledge and experience with the game is more important. However, Romo’s career might not be as long as Jones think considering Romo has consistently suffered from injuries for the past few seasons. Romo currently had back surgery and is claimed to be healthy at this point.

Unfortunately for Romo is not getting any younger and Cowboy fans are not getting more patient as they years pass. While Romo has been the quarterback for the Cowboys they have failed to win a playoff game. Romo however does know the team and has been successful in many late game comebacks. Hopefully Jones is right with his confidence in Tony Romo because if not Cowboy fans around the nation will be telling Jerry, “I told you so.”

Photo courtesy of: http://sports-memes.com/

What is professionalism?

Although technology is advancing at a rapid rate I personally think professionalism is still held to the same standard, if not even higher in today’s society. The reason I believe this is because now people and their presence is open to the public due to the internet. I have always thought of a professional person to be someone who is qualified, skilled and mature. These qualities can be displayed not only in person but online as well, which is becoming more popular.

When I think of professional online personas these individuals come to mind:

 https://twitter.com/BrittanyToll

https://twitter.com/kayla_ayres

https://twitter.com/LaurenConrad

https://twitter.com/InternQueen

These individuals display professional qualities through their Twitter accounts and also often Tween about work related topics. I will soon graduate in December of 2014 and I look up to these people online and the qualities they display.

Like I have said before, whether you want it to be or not, your social media accounts are a part of your resume. Employers look at it and it can either make or break a job for you. This is an important part of the interviewing process in today’s society. I think professionalism in the 21^st century has more pressure than it did in the past. Not only do people have to be professional in person but also online, 24/7.

I am very cautious of what I post because it is more important than ever. Everything is online; therefore everything typed can either be used to your benefit or it can backfire just like the Winston Brooks case. From emails to Tweets it’s important to remember that people are reading every word you write. I think it is good for individuals to Tweet about work related topics and give advice/tips; but they should also let their personality shine through. I think if someone is professional through social media and other outlets it can be a great networking tool and can also bring opportunities. There’s a lot of pressure to constantly be professional and but it’s okay to have and be creative with one’s online presence as well. Instagram is a fun way to express yourself and allow others to see your personality.

Coaches can be emotional too.

“Goodbye and Good luck” by Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Director Kelli Finglass, gave a special perspective of the emotion and bonds that are built into the team of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. On the show, “Making the Team” on CMT, Finglass is always portrayed as a tough and intense coach but this blog showed a different side of her. I admire how she allowed readers to gain insight to their end of the year banquet. As anyone could imagine this is probably a special celebration for all the rigorous and hard work these dancers put into an entire football on and off season; not to mention of the DCC’s are five year veterans.

Finglass shared some special ceremonies and traditions, such as the Rookie Ring that every girl receives after completing her rookie year; this has also been a DCC tradition for thirty-six years.

I personally really enjoyed reading her promises that she made to her team. Being a dancer is a tough job and often people do not recognize the sweat and tears that go into the sport. Although Finglass pushes her dancers and may be hard of them it was sweet for her to share her personal thoughts about the team. Some of her promises were:

• I promise you are more prepared to succeed in whatever career you choose, than you were before becoming a DCC
• I promise you have inspired someone.

• I promise your hearts will hurt when you walk out of this dinner and realize you don’t have practice tomorrow night with 37 of your best friends.
• I promise THIS 2013 squad is special and this TEAM will be missed.
• I promise you’ve made me proud!

On the technical side, her blog post was also nicely laid out and very eye appealing which is inspirational to aspiring bloggers like myself. She included various photos that allowed readers to feel like they were a part of this special banquet. She shared thoughts and moment that allowed her audience to feel like they were there. Her photos added an extra element that made it colorful and exciting. To read more America’s Sweethearts visit their website at: http://www.dallascowboyscheerleaders.com/

 

You’re my audience and you matter.

The potential audiences I want to interact with online are sports fans; this audience ranges from everyday people to sport reporters.  The reason why I think it is important to have a diverse audience is because they are people I can converse with while also network with at the same time. Sport journalists for example can be potential employers.  I follow local sport broadcasters and also have a few that follow me back. Like I stated in the NFL blog post a social media account is a part of your resume whether you realize it or not. I want to be able to connect with fellow sport fans while also impress and network with potential employers for when I graduate.

I currently enjoy Twitter the most and find it most useful to share photos, blogs, videos and also my thoughts. I think Twitter allows me to have an audience that I wouldn’t be able to have on social media accounts such as Facebook and Instagram.  I feel like with Twitter I can be professional yet personable with my followers, I can share interesting stories while still talk about my day and allow my personality to come through.

Photo courtesy of Pinterest.com

Although I do find all sport journalists important, I admire females in sports because it is still a difficult field for women.  I believe having a female based audience is just as crucial as having a male audience because male sport journalists are still more common than females and I think connecting with other women via social media allows a chance to work together and build one another up in such a male dominant field. I enjoy following Erin Andrews, Sam Ponder and even Taylor Stern from UNM, these are role models and peers that can help each other be successful in the world of sports. Overall my audience is focused on sport fans of all types and ages and all of them are important to me and my personal brand. These are the people that will be reading my blogs, watching my videos and can potentially be my co-workers or bosses. I don’t think anyone should take their audience for granted because opportunity and the potential to network is everywhere.

 

 

 

NFL Draft and social media?

This week I read a blog post titled, “Can an NFL Prospect’ s Social Media Persona Tank His Draft Stock?” on Thefootballgirl.com. This post raised many important and interesting points because it was in relation with NFL draft prospects and their social media presence.  This blog informs the sports audience how serious social media accounts are being taken and it reminds them that this is a public platform.  Like all people, social media gives employers an opportunity to check in on a person and see what type of information they are sharing on the internet. I did not realize that this was an important consideration in the draft process but after reading the blog it makes a lot of sense. “The Football Girl,” states, “Draft prospects, like regular people, must now view their social media accounts as an extension of their game film and countless other metrics.”

Incoming Houston Astros social media manager also gave some advice in this post by reminding players if they aren’t comfortable enough to say this information to a reporter they shouldn’t being saying it on social media.  This post even gave examples of professional athletes and scenarios such as when St. Cardinal Pitcher when favoring tweets that were pornographic links and photos. This post reminded me a lot of the Wintson Brooks case and his inappropriate Tweets, as public figures these individuals are held to higher standards on their social media accounts.

I think this post was particularly interesting because I think many NFL fans, including myself, do not often think about social media presence as an important component when thinking of NFL prospects. Majority of the time fans are more focus are physical performances of these players and their ability on the field. There are not many blogs that I have come across that are written by females interested in sports that addressed an issue such as this one. “The Football Girl” made great points on informing sport fans how a simple Tweet can affect the future of these athletes and that social media an important part of their resume, whether they realize it or not.

Why sports?

Internships in sports

In movies and on TV an intern is often portrayed as the person who has to get the boss’s complicated coffee order from Starbucks or having to shred papers. From personal experience I can say the movies have it all wrong. Being a student intern is one of the best things you can and being an intern in the world of sports is even better. Here are four  reasons why a  internship in sports is so rewarding:

1)      Experience: Whether you are wanting to go into print, broadcast, radio or PR there are internships in each field that are going to give you real life experience you can’t learn in a classroom. By interning with a sports team or local TV station you will be able to go to real sporting events with professionals who do this every day. This past semester I had the privilege of interning for Frank Mercogliano, who is the Sports Information Director for the UNM Men’s Basketball Team and Women’s Soccer Team. I was able to shadow and assist Frank, who has many years of experience.

2)      Networking: People who work in sports are in contact with athletes and media on a daily basis, your internship will allow you to interact and meet people you wouldn’t normally have an opportunity to meet otherwise. You never know when ESPN or other professionals are going to be at a sporting event; always introduce yourself, smile and give a firm handshake. Ask for their business card and make a good first impression,

3)      Resume: A sporting internship is a great asset to add to your resume. By gaining this experience and adding references this will help you in the job process after you graduate.

4)      It’s fun: For a passionate sports fan there better than working in an atmosphere you love, watching the game you love. My two personal favorite sports to watch are football and basketball, and with my internship this past semester I was able to attend every single home game for the UNM Men’s Basketball Team. If a sold out Lobo game at The Pit is not the definition of fun I am not sure what is. When you choose a career field you love your work is something you will enjoy.

Don’t let the misperceptions of internships scare you away. Be bold and pursue the career and sport you love. The experiences and people you meet will be unforgettable.

Here are a few places you can intern for:

ESPN Radio 101.7 The TEAM

Lobo TV

UNM Athletic Communications

  KRQE News 13

State 2014

This past weekend was filled with dreams, hopes, heartbreaks and upsets. It was the NMAA State Spirit Competition, which is known as “State” in the dance and cheer world. Every year the competition gets more and more intense, this year was no different.

The Dance 4A results caught everyone by surprise,  predicted outcomes were: Roswell 1^st place, Gallup 2^nd place, Los Lunas or Farmington 3^rd place. Majority of people thought the battle for first would be between Roswell and Gallup, due to the fact that Roswell took first last year and only beat Gallup by 1.5 points.

The audience did not expect the upset with the second place team. Gallup placed 3^rd, Farmington 2^nd, and Roswell 1^st. Last year the top three teams were Roswell, Gallup and Los Lunas, with Farmington placing 5^th.

All dance teams were required to compete a pom routine on day one and were able to choose the style of dance on day two. Predicted outcomes after day one were Roswell, Gallup and Farmington. But on day two everything changed.

Roswell competed a jazz routine that was absolutely phenomenal. The routine followed a Great Gatsby theme where they wore red sparkly flapper girl costumes and danced to “A Little Party Never Killed Nobody” by Fergie. As always their technique was spot on and the energy never died.

Both Farmington and Gallup competed Hip Hop dances on two day, but took very different approaches. Gallup’s hip hop was fast and energetic and consisted of a lot of technical tricks, Farmington’s on the other hand was very creative and unique with both their costumes and dance. They wore white wigs, which did not fall off the entire dance, earning them major points and they were also strong in their dancing.

Both dances consisted of clean technique and crowd appeal but the judges appeared to prefer Farmington’s dance. Final overall scores were Roswell 173.6, Farmington 167, Gallup 165.5.

Los Lunas, who were third place champions last year placed fourth with a score of 155.5.

The competition will be interesting next year as high schools get reclassified from 4A to 5A, and also because both Gallup and Los Lunas will want to regain their trophies from last year to place top three.

The following dances were recorded by Jozelyn Escobedo and can be seen here:

Roswell Jazz Routine

Farmington Hip Hop Routine

Gallup Hip Hop Routine