bedsitter23

Successfully implementing the healthcare law is a key goal for Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D), who is considering a run for president in 2016.

This isn’t the first time the Ravens have lent their support to O’Malley’s agenda: Ravens players appeared in a series of print and radio ads in 2009 urging Maryland residents to sign up for Medicaid.

The specifics of the Ravens’s role in promoting ObamaCare enrollment were not immediately clear Tuesday. At a minimum, the partnership represents a symbolic win for the law’s supporters following the NFL’s refusal to help promote the law.

Any involvement from the Super Bowl champions will add a new outreach tool in a state that has already enthusiastically embraced the healthcare law.

“The launch of Maryland Health Connection’s advertising and outreach campaign is an important milestone as we move toward 2014 and the expanded access to health insurance for hundreds of thousands of Maryland residents,” said Joshua Sharfstein, the state’s Health secretary.

Maryland is among the states working hardest to make the new healthcare law work. The state also launched a new advertising campaign Tuesday to raise awareness of new coverage options through the state’s insurance exchange.

Pearce said the exchange has a partnership with the Ravens, but it’s not as if players will be touting the benefits of health insurance. The team says the deal is nothing special, comparing it to advertising arrangements with the Maryland Lottery and Verizon. And the team turned down a request to talk about the ads.

Sports marketers say there’s a reason the Ravens are downplaying their deal with the Maryland Exchange.

“The team might actually anger the fans," said Chris Anderson of the firm Marketing Arm. "And they might be so upset in fact that the fans say you know what I’m not going to come back to the game next week.”   

Anderson said President Obama’s health care reform law is much more political and controversial than the Massachusetts plan was. Indeed, a couple months ago, Republican congressional leaders sent a letter to six professional sports leagues, including the NFL, warning that a team would "risk damaging its inclusive and apolitical brand" by helping promote health care reform.

But the letter writers left soccer off the list. DC United, Washington’s soccer team, will help promote the District of Columbia’s exchange, said its chief, Mila Kofman. She said they’re sponsoring three DC United games next month, running public announcements, and setting up information booths in the parking lot and stadium

"The lyrics are sort of on the mark and we thought it was a good song," Berding told the Wall Street Journal, adding that the team hasn't decided if they'd continue to play it after Bengals wins. "The social media was obviously very negative."

Mitchell Morgan, a Bengals fan who was in attendance Monday, told the Wall Street Journal that he was not surprised at the negative reaction generated by Perry's song.

"I mean, I know what they are going for but it's not going to work. How can you think you can do something like that without any backlash?" Morgan told the paper. "There were Steelers fans next to me laughing."

In a classic example of trying to sweep it under the rug.  The Bengals said they weren't getting rid of it.:

"I can't tell you exactly when the song will play or even whether it will play at all [Sunday]. It's just being moved around."

Sure enough, T.I. greeted the Bengals at their last home game, but the damage was done.

"I mean, I know what they are going for but it's not going to work. How can you think you can do something like that without any backlash?" Morgan told the paper. "There were Steelers fans next to me laughing."
 

Although I have since moved, I like keeping tabs on the Southern Illinois University basketball team.  This means this year, like last year, I went to see them play at Drake.

A decade ago, they were a dominant team in the mid majors- going to the Sweet Sixteen in 2002 and 2007 (losing to Kansas by three points).  I still watch them on tv every chance I get.

It’s odd.  I used to watch Jordan-era Bulls almost religiously but I don’t make much time for the NBA anymore.  Credit to the NBA that they once again have an exciting product, but as in Nascar, I feel  only the last few minutes of an NBA game are worth watching.  Plus, I never really supported a team like I did those Bulls.  I tried a couple of times with Kevin Garnett-era Timberwolves and Mark Cuban’s Dallas Mavericks (Now, I just watch Shark Tank every week).

So, I get my basketball fix with the mid-majors and the Missouri Valley Conference.  There are two stories about this year’s Salukis who were picked to finish last and indeed finished last under new coach Barry Hinson.  January showed the Salukis as bad as everyone said they would be, losing seven games out of eight.  Yet, somewhere in there, Hinson took control and turned things around.  The Salukis won six of their last eight games including beating a really good Wichita State team and beating Drake on the road.

The Salukis lacked a big man, but won by being scrappy and fighting for the ball.  Nothing personified the Salukis than their Senior Guard Six-foot-one Jeff Early who led the nation in rebounds for players his size.  Sophmore Dantiel Daniels had requested to be transferred (The Salukis biggest problem was losing players and recruits who wanted out once Coach Lowrey had been fired), but stayed and has turned out to be pretty good.  Junior Desmar Jackson transferred from Wyoming and when he’s not in foul trouble, is a great all-around player and has an eye on the NBA.

Tonight, the Salukis play in the MVC tournament ranked tenth out of ten teams, but arguably the hottest team going into the tournament.  I will be watching.