The Spin of Perspective

Yesterday, the 15th ranked Brigham Young Cougars escaped with a win over the struggling Washington Huskies in Seattle. After Washington quarterback Jake Locker rushed into the end zone for a game-tying touchdown with 15 seconds left, he joyously threw the ball straight up into the air as he was mobbed by excited teammates.

Unfortunately, his youthful spirit violated the new anti-celebration rules, causing him to be flagged for unsportsmanship. The new rules cover everything from planned celebrations to slash-the-throat gestures to, apparently, spontaneous displays of joy.

A look at the actual NCAA rule:

Rule 9/2
2. After a score or any other play, the player in possession immediately must return the ball to an official or leave it near the dead-ball spot. This prohibits:
(a) Kicking, throwing, spinning or carrying (including off of the field) the ball any distance that requires an official to retrieve it.
(c) Throwing the ball high into the air.
been called.

This moved the ball back 15 yards for the extra point, which BYU skillfully blocked, and this wonderful college game was denied the chance of reaching legendary status in the annals of overtime.

Instead, the papers today are all talking about the rules, the officials who could have overlooked the call, the dynamics of a longer extra point, etc.

For my purposes, lets talk public relations from the standpoint of the BYU coach. After the game he said that "But I do know this: throughout the entire game, there were all kinds of [celebratory] plays on both sides," he said. "That [one] was the most visible. But celebration is a penalty. Whether it was or not, I didn't see it, but if it was, it should have been called. Even if it was on our team, it should have been called; the rules are the rules.". Fair enough - a safe stance that avoided calling the other team a bunch of celebrating whiners.

BUT - what if......

What if Coach Bronco Mendenhall had come out with some righteous anger on the side of his opponent? Said "its a shame the officials made that call" and "It takes what could have been a classic memory for both sides and turns it into yet another game severely impacted by officials".

He'd won the game. His kids did what they had to do, block a long extra point, which still should have been an easy make for the Huskies. But to show frustration for his opponent, to empathize with the plight of Jake Locker, who didn't do anything more than be happy to score, how many points would Coach Mendenhall have scored for himself and his University. He may have been fined by the NCAA for criticizing the officials - but he can afford it.

The reward would have been the ultimate in sportsmanship: showing empathy for ones opponent, and championing the spirit of college football - if the not the letter of the law.

The Day the Voiceover Died.

Voiceover master Don LaFontaine died Monday at the age of 68.

In case the name doesn't ring a bell, watch the video below:


You may have heard people suggest you watch a movie with the sound down to feel the impact a soundtrack truly makes. A voiceover artist does just as much in a preview, or in driving the plot of a commercial. Mr. LaFontaine's voice became identifiable to us without us even realizing it. He narrated both our TV and Movie lives.

His voice was his brand, just as much as Sinatra, Johnny Cash, and Pavarotti.

Is there something about you that you can brand? It doesn't have to be exclusive - there were plenty of other voices on the airwaves. It doesn't have to be complicated or catchy. Carol Burnett had the ear tug, Johnny had the golf swing, Michael Jackson had his glove. Not their only talents or IDs, but memorable nonetheless.

Look for things that make you who you are, instead of always looking to create new concepts. The do it everywhere for 25 years. And you will be remembered as fondly as the Master of Voiceovers.