Time to chill out. No blogging for a week unless there is an emergency. 
Need to devote some time for doing nothing! Talk soon.
Tag Archives: Blogging
Feeding the Monster – A New Recipe
For those of you who blog or manage a website, if you want to feed the monster you must know what the monster likes to eat.
Read this article. Algorithms rule. Google is like oxygen – get used to it.
Move up or move down on the page. It is now up to you to understand what monster finds tasty these days. I am an investor in Mahalo, a great young company, and this news concerned us all. Mahalo is hand crafting very good video intensive content.
As an aside and as long as I am at it, have you ever noticed how the new media have become a virtual brotherhood? All in service of feeding said monster?
In this newly enabled world where anyone with a keyboard is a journalist, media are allowed to say whatever they want to feed the monster. If you ever go at it or disagree with a member of the media online, other members of the brotherhood will run to the media’s defense. That creates “relevance” and more click throughs and better listing positions and it feels really good emotionally as well. Many members of the media want a one-way relationship. Dish it out. Don’t get dished back. But that is anathema to an interactive real time two-way world.
In this new transparent real time world media itself ironically have developed very thin skins. They can dish it out but they are truly reactionary and defensive when you dish it back. But if I am blogging and I manage websites then I am a part of the media. I, too, feed the monster. The lines have blurred, haven’t they?
Feed the monster carefully. It can bite back. It can create fortunes or take them away. It can make you self important or render you irrelevant. The worst case for most media? Irrelevance and just being ignored.
Monster hungry. Feed it today.
ENTJ
When things are tough I have always found the best course of action is to be an extrovert. To go out and listen and mingle with employees and with customers to see what is happening yourself and to hear from the people that you serve.
In the Myers-Briggs Exam, I am ranked as an ENTJ.
Extrovert – Intuitive – Thoughtful – Judgmental.
Click here to understand Myers-Briggs and also I encourage you all to one day to take this test. I have found it to be most helpful.
The Wizards are struggling. The Capitals aren’t playing up to our collective expectations. Bloggers are blogging like mad. My email box is filled mostly from the same few people with vitriol.
So what do I do?
I go and collect up customers and employees and talk to them. I listen to them.
In the last 48 hours, I have given five speeches to more than 600 people. I have done a video Owner’s Corner to Wizards fans based on questions received on Facebook. I went and shook 500 hands at the Caps season ticket holder party last night. I read and answered most emails. I do blog posts. I talked to sponsors on the phone. I hosted VIP’s and sponsors in our Owner’s Box.
And I feel energized. I am so grateful for your interest and support and for your business and, most importantly, your time.
I preach to never hide when things are tough but remain calm. Be intuitive; be thoughtful; and be judgmental when you have all of the information.
And most of all be an extrovert so that you are collecting information from the people that matter.
Thank you again.
Another One on Bloggers in Press Rooms
Here is a mature and well written piece on the issues at hand.
Everyone knows where I stand and where we as a franchise stand on the matter.
And I am a blogger — I read a lot too — and in my blog — I link to many articles from main stream media and bloggers as well.
I am non denominational in my linking; if it is a good and thoughtful piece — I offer “link love”; and I am not afraid to take to task anyone on my blog when someone writes something I disagree with — that is the power of interactivity.
As I noted — there are 200 million bloggers around the world now — this isn’t a fad — this is mainstream.
Also — why aren’t more owners doing daily blogging? Or answering all fan email? Jump in the water — it is nice and warm and inviting, I promise.
Mia – Welcome to the Blogosphere
Don’t let comments and emails get you down. Everyone has an opinion. Everyone can leave a comment. Everyone has a point of view. Everyone can poison pen and mock someone, too.
But keep the faith. Keep blogging. Keep being a fan. Self express, show gratitude and be authentic. There are way more nice people out there than there are keyboard courage cowards. Trust me on this one. I get reminded of this fact often by our great fans.
Be yourself. Your blog is terrific. Keep at it. The more you blog - the happier you will be. Go Caps!
Time Flies When You are Having Fun
It is hard to believe that I have been publishing my personal blog for more than three years now.
I have updated it for more than 1,000 days and have done more than 5,000 posts.
I have a pretty diverse readership: hockey, basketball and sports fans; people in the film business; people from the Internet business; friends and family; neighbors; and folks that just stumble upon this humble little bit of personal expression. I have had visitors from all over the globe come and hang out.
Thank you for caring about what I have to say and what I am thinking and for spending time here. Thank you for your comments and emails as well.
My blog as been ranked high in terms of visits; in terms of popularity; and in terms of quality.
But I don’t blog as a business. I blog here for personal reasons. I believe “self expression” is one of the keys to happiness and self contentment.
I encourage everyone to create their own blog. Join the party and chime in. Talk amongst yourselves. Have some fun! Thank you.
SB Nation at the NHL All-Star Game
Bloggers were out and about in Montreal all weekend at the All-Star game. Here is a snapshot of what it felt like from SB Nation and a very connected blogger in the community.
The NHL has been a leader in reaching out to the blogosphere and I believe the Washington Capitals have the most developed and largest and most active set of bloggers in the entire NHL. I am pleased to have been part of this movement.
SportingNews on a Comprehensive View of Blogging
Here is a very straightforward and smart piece on the state of blogging in the NHL and the latest incident that shined a light on certain bloggers and their antics at a recent game. For the most part, I have found all of the bloggers I have met to be sincere in their love of the game; articulate; professional; and committed to their audience. I also have NOT met anyone who used profanity in their work about our team and would have to reconsider our embrace of that blog should the words used be graphic, profane, show pornography or incite violence. That certainly is unacceptable for our audience and I am hopeful that the bloggers understand the Do’s and Don’ts of their world if they want to operate as part of a community and participate in the press room with other professionals.
It’s Slow and I Need a Break
Things are slow and I need a break from doing my blog so don’t expect to see any entries for about a week. Enjoy the nice weather!
Very Funny
As I have said, our fans may not use as much profanity as theirs but our bloggers are certainly funnier than their bloggers!