The temperatures across the nation are beginning to rise, the daily morning windshield frost is becoming a bit easier to manage and wearing white is finally acceptable again; this can only mean one thing: baseball season is upon us.

Last year I wrote a post extolling the Marlins for making the branding moves they’ve needed for eons to be viewed as a respectable, competitive organization. Sparkly new stadium? Check. Name change? Check. High-priced free agents to draw attendance? Check. Well, it’s astonishing the difference a year makes, and it is with deep regret that I have to inform the Marlins faithful: you were duped, unequivocally and epically duped.

The architects of this swindle are none other than the Marlins top brass, owner Jeffrey Loria and President David Samson, who pulled the public relations wool over the eyes of the Miami fan base, all while lining their own pockets at the taxpayers’ expense. Gone were the likes of Jose Reyes, Hanley Ramirez and Josh Johnson, the star-power intended to galvanize the Marlins’ base and vault the team into annual contention. By midseason, like rats fleeing a sinking galleon, fans followed suit: leaving a stadium to what amounts to little more than an art-deco inspired post-apocalyptic wasteland with a $1.2 billion price tag.

Yahoo’s! Jeff Passan wrote this scathing indictment that details the ordeal, painting the conductors of a con so diabolically perfect they should either be banished to baseball purgatory or given walk-on parts in an Ocean’s Eleven flick. It was with Loria and Samson’s meticulously orchestrated ploy that the denizens of Dade County learned two unfortunate lessons: if it seems too good to be true, it typically is, and PR blitzes can be used for good and evil.

The Marlins’ public relations kamikaze culminated with a series of ill-fated press conferences, wherein Jeffrey Loria steadfastly defended his decision to sell-off his high-priced talent, and further alienated and infuriated whatever remained of the Miami faithful. The disastrous media tour served to rubber-stamp the fact that not only was Loria and Co. complicit in misleading the Marlins fan base, but even worse, they actually seemed to believe their own falsehoods.

Public relations aptitude involves manipulating the media – not in any sinister sense – but in a way that your barometer is always calibrated to pick up on what’s trending, and ensuring that your message is heard and correctly understood. Loria and Samson reached into their black magician’s bag of PR hijinks and pulled off an extraordinary vanishing act, removing a competitive product from the field and increasing their personal bank accounts to boot. The pair of merry pranksters managed to sucker an entire city, and as a result, baseball in Miami is now as relevant as Beanie Babies and Betamax tapes. Until these co-conspirators are unseated from their pedestals atop the Marlins hierarchy, South Florida will never experience the thawing of January’s frost that accompanies ‘hope springing eternal.’ They are condemned to a perpetual winter where the only warmth is a result of the malevolent wool they are still removing from their collective eyes.

-Carter Breazeale

On the list of things that beg for condemnation, referring to brutal, megalomaniacal dictator Kim Jong-un as ‘a great guy’ would appear just behind hating unicorns and ice cream.

Last week, notorious instigator and attention-hound Dennis Rodman visited North Korea with VICE Magazine and the Harlem Globetrotters in tow. The trip, orchestrated by VICE and HBO for a forthcoming documentary on The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, was originally slated as a guerilla-style look into one of the most hermetic countries in the world, and ended up being a wine-and-dine blitz  hosted by one of the most oppressive tyrants on the planet. The Worm really outdid himself with this one.

Publicity stunts are no strange territory for Rodman, famous for adorning a wedding dress and proclaiming his intention to marry himself, among other absurd acts. This venture, however, treads on some politically treacherous ground, and may in fact have long term ramifications on Rodman’s legacy. Regardless of the leeway he’s afforded as a media-loving firebrand, Rodman rubbing elbows and exchanging champagne toasts with a despot like Kim (while the majority of the North Korean population starves) is a bitter-pill for the public to swallow, even if it’s something you’ve come to expect from him.

Channeling his inner Hanoi Jane, Rodman returned from his journey and did what he does best: made it worse. Hitting ‘This Week’ with George Stephanopolous on Sunday morning, Rodman trumpeted Kim’s character and referred to him as a ‘great guy’ and a ‘friend,’ and ardently defended his trip and his actions; sound bites that are sure to remain in the news cycle for some time.

There’s a delicate line that you toe when executing a PR stunt, as many of the best ones involve some fervor or backlash. A rehearsed meltdown or tirade at a press conference is one thing, singing the praises of an authoritarian dictator who imprisons political enemies in concentration camps and has threatened to exact nuclear winter on the U.S. is another. It’s no coincidence that Rodman made his rounds on the Sunday talk shows and the new season of The Apprentice, on which he stars, debuted later that evening – but generating awareness for the show, if that was indeed his aim, in the manner that he did is unacceptable, and frankly, abhorrent.

Whether Rodman truly believes Kim Jong-un is a ‘great guy’ is his own business, but using it as publicity fodder is distasteful, and will only serve to alienate the few remaining apologists who chalk up his behavior as simply “Dennis being Dennis.” While we all can agree that a productive dialogue needs to be established between the United States and the DPRK, Dennis Rodman and his own brand of ‘basketball diplomacy’ is not the way.

I’m going to get this out of the way right off the bat – yes, I’m stunned; no, I can’t believe it either; and yes, Sunday’s loss is going to sting for a long time. As an Atlanta sports fan you would think I’d be desensitized to these mammoth collapses and choke-jobs by now, but every single one hurts just as bad as the last. I felt it necessary to address this up front, and hopefully experience some sort of therapeutic catharsis by putting it into words.

As misery loves company, I can at least take solace in the fact that there may be one person currently having a rougher time in the world of sports than me, and that would be Notre Dame’s Manti Te’o. In a story that has more bizarre twists and turns than a David Lynch film, the prodigious linebacker from South Bend has found himself the undesired focal point of the national conversation.

I’ll spare you the salacious details, because by the end of this sentence the story will have changed once more – but suffice to say this has disrupted the Heisman runner-up’s plans as he prepares for the NFL draft. Was the nonexistent/dead girlfriend saga borne of an elaborate hoax that Te’o actively participated in, or is this simply a case of twenty-something naiveté and a cruel prank that snowballed? Sports analysts are drawing their own conclusions, and until Manti makes the decision to shed some light on this extremely murky ordeal, they will continue to do so.

It will be interesting to see how this affects Te’o’s draft-stock. A virtual lock as a top-five pick prior to the emergence of this story (which typically involve hefty signing-bonuses), many now wonder if his value has plummeted out of the first round. Do potential character flaws trump natural athletic prowess?

Protecting your image and personal branding should be on the top of your list of priorities, because as the public’s opinion of you falls, so does the amount you receive on your checks. What steps should Te’o take to ensure he is career is not defined by this odd story? Provide your thoughts in the comments section!

-Carter Breazeale

There’s a little less than one-month until Election Day. We’ve been inundated with talking points and political rhetoric from both sides, and I feel it’s a fair assumption that many Americans are ready to cast their ballot and be done with it. Politics can wreck a dinner or make for awkward water cooler conversation, as we all have strong opinions which may not mesh with the ideals of our families or coworkers. Political discussion is best reserved for an opposite-editorial, and you’re in luck, because today we will outline the three paramount points to crafting an exceptional Op-Ed.

Make a firm point and provide supportive evidence

There’s nothing more frustrating than a fence-walker. When drafting your opposite-editorial, ensure that you make strong assertions; and stick by them. Op-Eds serve to separate you and your opinions from those of your contemporaries, and also aid in establishing you as an expert on your topic. Make sure you provide distinct evidence that supports your argument or claim, as an opinion without corresponding facts will not connect with or sway your audience.

Controversy Sells

Pundits like Keith Olbermann and Anne Coulter have made millions by stirring the proverbial pot. Do not be afraid of backlash to your views; your aim with your Op-Ed is to generate a conversation, not necessarily convert the opposition. Contentious viewpoints provide for intelligent debate, either for or against, and your name will be connected with them. Do not shy away from controversy; make an intelligent argument, complete with support, that may ruffle some feathers.

Connect to a timely topic

Any number of newsworthy issues may provide a platform for you to apply your opinion. Just because you’re not an expert on the Middle East does not mean you do not have an informed take on the situation that is based in your political beliefs. You will rarely find an issue that directly correlates to your area of expertise. Seek out notable stories and provide your two-cents; you never know if your perspective will resonate with an editor who wants your opposite-editorial in their publication.

These three tips have helped our clients when writing an Op-Ed, and provide a steady guideline for drafting one with a high probability of being published. The next time you want to discuss politics, take it to paper and let your voice be heard.

-Carter Breazeale

PR/PR Public Relations