Divorce, Loyalty and Sports:

My emotions are running the full gamut today as I sit back and try to make sense of the nonsense that is NFL relocations. I feel very mixed and powerful emotions.

It hurts when you’ve been left by someone you love and hurts even more when the same person leaves you twice.

This is exactly how many, like me, who grew up an OAKLAND Raiders fan feel. One of the most, if not the most iconic team brands in the world, leaving one of the most loyal fan bases in sports, twice. The team was born and raised in Oakland and I grew up along with it. I was 10 when they won their first Super Bowl and I actually got physically upset the previous 3 Decembers after crushing defeats to the eventual super bowl champion Dolphins and Steelers, twice. (are you seeing a theme here?)

Like many other kids, I bonded with my father over local sports teams and in this case the Raiders. Every Sunday during football season my dad would have the transistor radio on with Bill King’s amazing broadcasting talents filing the house, car or yard on Sundays. Bill King seemed larger than life and the play by play was like a symphony of sorts…despite me not knowing what a symphony was back then! Sundays in the Fall were all about my Dad, King and the Raiders.  (Certainly my brother would have been a huge part in this as well but I recall him being in the other room listening to or watching the 49er games)  Those memories are forever etched and is just one example of how a sports team can galvanize communities and families alike.

I felt like the luckiest kid ever when my dad would take me to a Raider game. It was maybe one game every other year but I remember it like it was yesterday. Third deck, could only see half of the near end zone but it was sublime. Parking across the train tracks and walking into the parking lot to what seemed at the time like the biggest block party ever. The Raiders fan base has always connected to the team in a unique and special way. Oakland is as blue collar and working class as any city in the US and the players of that era were closely tied to the community. The fans truly were “part of the magic” that happened on Sundays, most of which ended in wins for the Silver and Black. Simpler times when the players would go out with the fans after home games and socialize…different times indeed.

I’ve been through a divorce and its messy and no fun. The Raiders leaving OAKLAND is like a divorce only in this scenario the fans married the same team again and they left AGAIN. Divorce often drifts to, “who wins or losses” in a array of situations, in the case of the Raiders leaving the city of Oakland, I’m not sure who wins. (but let me be clear, we all know the NFL and its owners win with the insane amount of money being transferred)

Loyalty…it’s a word that isn’t used in today’s society very often for the sole reason of its not showcased nearly enough as it should. The NFL doesn’t care about fan loyalty…they disguise it with phrases such as, “ we tried to get the city of Oakland to put together a feasible stadium option and they couldn’t get it done”…As Roger Goodell plainly stated, “sorry OAKLAND, we tried”. To be blunt, this doesn’t smell right. I get it, it’s a business and that part of the “game” is not lost on me. However, to ask cities, such as Oakland to pony up crazy money and have billionaire’s sit back and expect others to pay is wrong.   The NFL is really good at taking fans money but show absolute zero loyalty to those very same people. Every NFL owner just made $55 million on the Raiders relocation and the real fans of the OAKLAND Raiders and the whole east bay region just got the hardest kick to the gut and may not be able to take a full deep breath for years, if ever.

And don’t get me started on the hypocrisy of the NFL’s stance on gambling. For those that may not be aware, the league doesn’t allow game officials to step foot in Clark County Nevada during the season, period.  The NFL wont even allow Vegas to use the word Super Bowl in betting lines…it has to be phrased something like the professional championship game in betting lingo. The Green Bay Packers stay in a local area casino the night before home games, …really? The league has been so averse to all things gambling and now they have a team that’s going to play in the gambling Mecca of the world and reward that city, whose foundation IS gambling one of the most recognizable sport franchises ever? The NFL is all about money, greed, selfishness and NO loyalty whatsoever. The fans are little pons being played by suits in NYC and it’s amazingly wealthy owners.

For the Raiders, they still will play in OAKLAND next year and maybe the year after. What will the real fans in OAKLAND do? After your wife or husband leaves and then you let them back to only have them leave again and then have the balls to ask for money while they build a new house with a new husband/wife? I know what I would do, what about you?

Was this a case of extortion against the city of OAKLAND? The economics of football, simply put, is not favorable to any city, period.

Regarding the Mayor of Oakland…good for her to holding her ground. As tough as it is for sports fans to have to choose between what’s more important; schools, public safety , etc. or a football team. It’s a huge debate but I applaud her for taking a stand and not wavering on the use of public money.

You can’t put a price tag on civic pride or the civic identity that the Raiders give to the city of OAKLAND. The NFL pitted the Oakland A’s and the Oakland Raiders against each other (NFL wanted the Raiders to kick the A’s out of the Coliseum) and in doing so has torn the fabric of the community apart.

The decision for the Raiders owner Mark Davis to move is not complicated from a business perspective, the average value of each NFL franchise skyrockets with each relocation, Loyalty is huge word and the NFL doesn’t care one bit about loyalty on the fan level…they are only loyal to increasing the revenue of their bank account and protecting the “shield.” Everyone in the NFL is getting richer and yet they are asking the fans to foot the bill for new football palaces…doesn’t smell right to me and there should be a lot of people who should be ashamed that it came to this. The NFL has built a fortress of stadiums and has become the richest league in America. The evolution has been stunning in magnitude and yet so very brutal on sentimentality.

Maybe I’m jaded and by bringing in my personal experiences and lumping them in with the Divorce of Oakland and its beloved football team doesn’t match up. Well in my mind, and the mind of countless others, it does add up and it hurts, deep. Thankfully perspective will shine through and in the end it’s a game.  But for now the team I grew up with and was loyal to just turned and walked away, again. How do you put a positive spin on that?  Well for me I have two main reasons to move on.  Two specific people that I am a lifetime fan of.   Their love, smiles and laughter are as loyal as ever and its been earned on both sides and has noting to do with money.

Top 5 Summer Job Search To-Do List

The traditional summer to-do list is filled with pleasant outdoor activities, like sports, BBQs, swimming, and watching the sunset…

Well, this isn’t one of those kinds of to-do lists, slacker! While you’re busy playing outside, your career is gathering dust inside, and when you pull it out with the winter clothes, don’t be surprised if it’s gotten a bit moldy along the way.

Better yet, don’t put it in the closet at all. Instead, take advantage of the summer months to really get moving. Keep this quick and handy to-do list around to ensure your career and your job search don’t get stale:

1) Learn something new: Boost your marketability with online courses or read up on industry news.

2) Grow your network: Take advantage of the heat to meet up with your broader network and potential hiring managers.

3) Update your personal brand: Overhaul your resume, your portfolio, and your professional social media presence.

4) Spearhead a project: Turn the lull into an opportunity to show your worth.

5) Ramp up your job search: With everyone on vacation, less competition!

Bonus- 6) Volunteer: Gain new experience and meet new people while helping!!

It’s been almost a week and I’m still processing everything I witnessed Last Sunday at Super Bowl 50.

Levi’s Stadium broke ground in April 19, 2012 and the NFL wasted no time in awarding the Super Bowl to the SF Bay Area and I wasted no time networking with my contacts within the 49ers front office, the Super Bowl host committee and the NFL league office to get my name in the hat to work the game.  (Career tip #1)
It’s never too early to start networking or to tactfully leverage your existing network)

After years of delivering guest lectures at college campuses around the country, I am most often asked what I like most about my role with the SF 49ers.  My answer is always the same, “it’s the access my role offers me to witness the behind the scenes action of a NFL game.”  Super Bowl Sunday would be the most access I’ve had yet.

When I received confirmation that I was selected to work Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s stadium, I was ecstatic.  My boys (and parents) were in the car with me when the NFL called to let me know which made it extra special.  Every year the NFL holds its annual big top circus event, otherwise known as the Super Bowl.  This year was extra special as it was the Golden anniversary of the biggest sporting event on the planet.

My first thoughts were of the 49er Public Relations staff that were so pivotal in me getting my start; Jerry Walker, Rodney Knox, (the late) Dave Rahn, Al Barba, Darla Maeda and (the late) Ricky Sandoval (who was actually the teams Security Chief but our bi-weekly racquetball games back in 1991-92 were equal part workout and life / career conversations).

I want top recap my experiences and in the ongoing mission of Voice of the Box, add in my career advice along the way.

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Saturday, Feb 6^th, one day before the game, I was part of the operations team that was mandated by the NFL to be at the stadium to go through a dress rehearsal.  This is the NFL after all and this is the Super Bowl!  I arrived at 9:30am at the Santa Clara Convention center where I was asked to go to pick up my day pass credential to give me access into the stadium for the day.  As soon as I exited my car I heard military Blackhawk helicopters circling at low altitude.  Upon closer look, there are three and the doors are open with mounted high power rifles clearly visible.  A fleet of Military Humvees are patrolling the perimeter and foot soldiers are standing post everywhere with rifles in hand…not slung over their shoulders, in hand!   Moreover, there was local police with specialized dogs sniffing like crazy beyond that.  To say the area was secure is an understatement.  I was concerned at first then relieved that homeland security is at work.

The accreditation center the day before the game was an event unto itself.  I learned that there were 40,000 day passes issued on the day before the game alone.  Everyone from broadcast engineers to caterers to technicians working on the miles of high tech cabling were all scurrying about like worker-be ants marching around Levis Stadium.  Everyone making last minute preparations and testing their equipment over and over, covering any and all contingency plans to ensure the “circus” would go off without a hitch.  I was at the stadium to make sure my audio equipment and connections to the official stat crew, who log in every play of the game into a specialized software system, were in place and operational.  We had to check the entire system, and have it approved by the league to make sure we were set for game day.  Before we started the dress rehearsal with the league officials, I took out my camera to snap a few shots of the field below as the Broncos were holding their last walkthrough.  The stadium was empty except the players on the field.  Anyone who was at the stadium were nowhere close the field.  No sooner was the camera to my eye the door to the booth I was in busted open and a frantic security guard asked me to put the camera down and step away from the window.  Yes, security was tight and yes, paranoia runs deep on NFL teams!

After a 90 minute game simulation, the league staffers who were overseeing this exercise were confident we were ready to go.  I was then issued my game day credential and game day (league issued) polo shirt.  Time to get back home to rest and get ready for the biggest day in my announcing career.  I took the elevator down to ground level to retrace my steps back the way I came in.  No chance of getting lost in the lower reaches of the stadium as security is everywhere to guide me.  I pass the halftime entertainment locker rooms, the team locker rooms, the cheerleader locker rooms, the mascot locker rooms, NFL equipment locker room, referee locker rooms and a number of other rooms that have been assigned.  All of which are much different that a regular season game.    Before I make my way out, I walk past two large rooms that have been transitioned into the “podium” rooms where head coaches and star players will be sent to conduct post-game interviews.  I head out to the brilliant sunshine and cloudless afternoon, take one look back at the stadium and think to myself, tomorrow will be great.

Career tip #1

The number of people it took to coordinate the accreditation center on the day before the game was mind boggling.  The Super Bowl is awarded to the host city years in advance and SB host committees are set up immediately.  Tip #1 is to research what city is hosting the next two to three Super Bowls and strategically connect with hiring managers via LinkedIn.  The number of volunteer opportunities is immense.  The hundreds of roles at the accreditation center is just one idea.  But the cast of thousands of volunteers and paid jobs in and around the Super Bowl week are there for the taking.  Super Bowl City is yet another area to focus. (I know a college student who flew in from Mt Pleasant, MI to be a shuttle driver).  You just never know who might be on your shuttle that you can engage in a conversation and connect with.  The Super Bowl entertainment committee leverages a massive amount of volunteers to help with a number of roles leveraging the in game entertainment.  The NFL as well as large corporate sponsors are hosting large scale hospitality events all week leading up to the game and are always looking for local help.  There are event planning companies that specialize in putting together these grand scale events at sporting events so there is yet another avenue to pursue.  (Bay area Company SportsMark is just one company for you look at to get ideas).

Security companies who have contracts with event planners, the league or the venue is yet another idea.  The sheer number of yellow jacketed event security staff was amazing.  From parking lot attendees to helping media know where to walk, to actually being on a post to funnel the mass of humanity are all in need in large numbers based on the all the shifts they work.  Catering companies employ countless volunteer and paid roles on a variety of levels.  The list goes on but I think you get the picture!  Get in touch with the host committee EARLY.

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SUPER BOWL SUNDAY:

The day is finally here and the weather could not be any better, really.  I meet my game day carpool friends from the 49ers staff who I normally ride down to the stadium with on a typical NFL Sunday.  My timing to pick them up is precise which a good way to start the day.  Not a lot of banter in the car drive down but we do offer each other a treat…in the form of playing the NFL Films music CD to get us going…it was perfect!  We arrive at NFL employee parking lot at Avaya Stadium (home of the San Jose Earthquakes) and there are plenty more volunteers and paid roles on hand directing traffic and answering questions.  The NFL provided employees transportation and I was pleasantly surprised that they contracted with a local school district to use their buses as shuttles.  Good call on part of the NFL to spend some dollars locally.

The bus ride from the employee lot to the stadium was very quiet.  Most passengers just alone in their thoughts to get in the right frame of mind.  The bus ride took about an hour to travel the 5.7 miles.  Traffic was heavy despite the massive efforts of the CHP to keep it moving. I still arrive plenty early as the bus arrives at the Santa Clara Convention center.  More gold jacket clad security staff are there to greet and direct us as we get off.  If you didn’t already have your credential you were set in motion to go inside the convention center, if you did, you were moved to a new line to walk over to the gigantic tents nearby to start the security screening process.  More extensive than any airport yet moving quickly, the line zig zagged into a large tent where you were hand scanned, patted down and then sent through a metal detector.  Three times?…why not!  Super Bowl winning head coach Mike Holmgren, Sports Illustrated’s Peter King, Hall of Famer Roger Stabauch all in line with me…not bad!  My head is on a swivel as if someone is going to blindside me, I am taking in the whole spectacle around me and noticing how amazingly detailed this event really is.  Anywhere there is a fence (and there were many to keep areas secure) there is tactful and appealing NFL bunting.  It’s everywhere and it looks great.  The league spared no expense in making every area look like a top notch outfit was in charge.  The gold and Black SB 50 logo and signage was omnipresent throughout the stadium area and surrounding neighborhoods yet it was classy.

I enter the stadium from a different entrance than I normally do on a 49er game day.  I am ushered in through the north entrance and down two flights which ends up in the hallways next to the post-game interview rooms, team locker rooms and field entrance.  Even though I’ve been scanned from head to toe thoroughly, the security presence once inside is still tight.  K-9 police dogs and heavily armed police squads are everywhere.

As I navigate the lower reaches of the stadium I realize I am walking right in front of Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald and just behind me are retired legends Jim Plunkett, Marcus Allen and just ahead John Riggins and Joe Theismann (odd based that back in 1984 they met in the Super Bowl).  The league will be honoring all of the past Super Bowl MVP’s before the game and I’m walking in with many of them.  Just a start of the veritable who’s who of football royalty all around me all day.

Before the gates open up for the fans I walk inside the stadium bowl to get a close look at the field, all the media structures that have been built out and to just walk around to soak it in.   The stadium is sparkling, the playing field is as green as ever and the freshly painted logos on the field are eye popping.  As soon as I see CBS studio hosts, Bill Cowher, Boomer Esiason, Tony Gonzales and James Brown ride off in golf carts, it’s time for me to go up to the press box.

I get upstairs to the top floor of the Verizon Press Box and once the doors open I can sense the intensity and excitement, it’s impossible to not feel it, it’s in the air.  Everyone buzzing around the best they could through the large number of people milling about. The press box has been touched up by the NFL and since it’s a stadium I’ve called home since it opened I see the changes right away.  Where there was once a large dining area for press to sit down and enjoy a hot buffet is now NFL operations command central which has been constructed within the press box.  I try to take a peek but am kindly asked to leave, pronto.  Because of this change in the physical layout of the press box I quickly change gears to, “what about the food for the day.”  I don’t see the normal catering crew setting up the hot buffet and I learn that the NFL has provided box lunches for everyone, to a controlled number.  But at 1:30pm the catering crew opens up the buffet line after all but the line is a ¼ mile long so I skip it.  Walking the length of the press box was unique, it runs the full length of the field and it has now become a game of how many luminaries will I see.  Terry Bradshaw and Lynn Swan…not interested because as a youngster they were bitter rivals with my team, the Oakland Raiders.   Funny how that still lingers inside of me!  Randy White, “the Manster”(half man half monster as opponents would call him) …now I got to see him up close and personal.  The once massive physique is still there but time has not done his body any favors after his playing days.  What jumps out are his hands, I liken them to a workbench vice.  I see Hall of Famer Dan Fouts, who I’ve worked with on the past as a spotter but I don’t feel the urge to talk to him because he was a Charger and I used to yell at him through the TV when I was kid.   (See Steelers comment earlier…same thing!) Truth is, Fouts is a very nice man and easy to work with.  The parade of current and former players who are all in to either cover the game or watch it is steady throughout the day.  My favorite encounter was pre game in the men’s room when I was in line with a guy who looked a lot like former Miami Dolphin and super bowl MVP and two time SB Champion) Larry Csonka.  Turns out I was right.  You just never know who you will have a restroom conversation with!

After having to scramble a bit for a game flip chart (any announcers key tool) I finally secure one.  (and a game program too).  Meetings with both teams PR staff (to get inactive players, injury updates and to go through any annunciation questions I have) are complete so I settle into my NFL sanctioned box lunch.  I pass on the turkey and roast beef and opt instead for PB&J…it just felt right at the time.  One more walk around the entire press box and I hunker into my press box booth to settle in.  Its 60 minutes to kickoff.  As I wait for the 3:40pm kick off, I am looking through my binoculars to field level and scanning the entire boundary as it overflows with VIP’s from all walks of life.  Hollywood A listers, media personalities, former players, pro players from different sports (large group surrounding Golden State Warriors Star Steph Curry who is decked out in a custom Panther Jersey with his #30 on it.  It’s approximately 20 minutes to kick off and I take one last step outside my booth to walk and stretch before I will be seated for a while.  The hallways of the press box are a bit quieter and the coaching staff of the Panthers walk by my booth to get to theirs and they all have a far off stare in their faces.  Clearly they are locked in and ready to go.  Game time approaches and an NFL executive sits right next to me as I prepare to work the game…no pressure.  He tells me to relax and do my thing.  Fabulous rendition of God Bless America followed by Lady Gaga ripping through the National Anthem and my heart is pounding.  Finally the ball is on the tee and from this point forward, I do my thing, just like the NFL executive asked me to.

On numerus accounts the execution of Super Bowl 50 was flawless.  So many people coming together to make the bay area region shine.  So many people from arounds the world got the chance to see first-hand the diversity, the character and innovation of Northern California.  The Host committee had a goal to be the most philanthropic SB ever and so far the committee has given away $7.5 million to over 141 local area nonprofits.  They are on target to give more than $13 million, the most ever by a host committee.  In addition to being the most philanthropic SB ever, the game was the most watched single broadcast with 167.0 million viewers, the most in history.

In summary, at an event with the size and scope of the Super Bowl, there are months of preparations, many last minute fires to put out and countless to do lists so my final piece of guidance is this; when thinking over your career search strategy, don’t ask yourself what you want to do or be, rather ask yourself what problem(s) you want to solve.  This changes your career focus from where you want to work to what you need to learn to be able to do bring some unique value.

As Super Bowl 50 fast approaches, I can’t help but think how fun it will be to meet and greet with the NFL Executives, the cast of on air media personalities, media members, front office staff from both the Bronco’s and Panthers as well the global influx of VIP’s from around the world.    Most people know what the word “networking” means but few know how to effectively implement this key strategy.  This has become clear to me in the career coaching work I’ve done with college and graduate students over the years.  They are instructed that they should go out and network, that they should start building contacts and build up their connections.  However, they aren’t offered any tips on how to effectively start the process or leverage any connections they already have.

In a former blog post:

8 Networking Tips To Consider

I wrote about some simplified tips to networking.  Just like the Broncos and Panthers are knee deep in prepping for their game-plan and then executing it on Super Bowl Sunday, you too should be doing the same for your career search.

Am I nervous about my role announcing in the press box at the Super Bowl?  In short, yes.  But if I weren’t just a little nervous there would be something wrong with me.  It’s the biggest game I’ve ever worked (and I’ve announced over 250 games including multiple NFC Championship games).  My voice and call of the game will be heard by a global audience of media members from every corner of the universe.  Yes I’m putting a few more hours in my preparation and perhaps I will give it a little something extra on game day….but the key for me on Super Bowl Sunday is to be myself.  Not to force anything, not to try to do too much.  Sounds a lot like any athlete who talks in clichés.

Being yourself in any situation is important, especially when you are networking or interviewing.  As I’ve consulted with hundreds of college and graduate students and coached them techniques on how to create and execute a career search strategy, I Always make certain to let them know the importance of being themselves.  If you are not, people will see right through you and you will be passed over for any opportunity.  Being real, being yourself in life, let alone any given social setting (including a career search) will no doubt help you separate from others. 

The largest sporting event in the world is now set and we know now who will be playing in Super Bowl 50 at Levis Stadium in Santa Clara on February 7^th. Both the Broncos and Panthers, both number 1 seeds and will face off with 39 and 26 year old QB’s leading the way. Peyton Manning (39) is the oldest QB to lead his team to the big game and Cam Newton, the possible league MVP, is 3 years older than the youngest QB ever to start a super bowl (Dan Marino at 23).

The game is itself is beyond huge, larger than gigantic and bigger than colossal in every aspect. The NFL is celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the big game and the SF Bay area is hosting it for the first since 1985.

The game and all its external trappings have increased every year. The production surrounding the game spans the entire region of the host city, the officially sanctioned league events leading up the game have increased; ticket prices escalate every year, the halftime show expands, the media coverage is endless, etc,etc.

I will be working my first Super Bowl and as usual my focus will first and foremost be on executing my role but also I’ll keep my eyes on the countless behind the scenes roles that help create the “event”, and will write more as the game approaches to shed light on the multitude of career opportunities.

Stay tuned as I will be writing more as the game approaches as well as a full recap of what I learn from behind the curtain of SB50!