Live TV and the NFL Draft. North Korea. Bend it Like Kratz. We Can All Buy a Bugatti.
I remain a big fan of the NFL, even with the kneeling down protests (though I still feel that Saturday is for football). It still amazes me that two networks dedicated Thursday night to a live broadcast the ‘drama’ of the 1st round of the NFL draft. While I was slightly interested in who the Cleveland Browns would pick at #1, and who the Atlanta Falcons selected, it is remarkable that ESPN and Fox can justify the block of prime time advertising dollars dedicated to this draft. While in some minds the NFL is no longer one of our passions, it is obvious the broadcast and cable networks feel differently. There are some marketeers and former TV execs who read this blog so please enlighten us with Thursday night’s ratings and the continued power of the NFL.
The timing of Korean peninsula “peace talks” obviously correlates to the North Korean economy and its people. After many years of economic sanctions imposed by the United States, Japan, Germany, and to a lesser degree China, is Kim Jong Un finally succumbing to the people of his country? Time will tell.
Remember that Atlanta United went through hell in their inaugural season due to the delays of the opening Mercedes Benz stadium. The delays led to Atlanta United playing on the road and a ridiculous, compressed schedule in late August and September. Dovetail that with injuries and a lack of depth and United simply ran out of steam late in the season and in the 1st round of playoffs. This year is different as their schedule is normalized with their home and away schedule, and more importantly United has added depth to their player pool. Yesterday was a perfect example. After Montreal scored to take a 1-0 lead, the Impact decided to ‘bunker down’ and get all their players behind the ball. Tata Martino, United’s manager, countered with a substitution at halftime, taking off a midfielder and adding on an attacker. Another substitute, midfielder Kevin Kratz, was also added into the mix to add to the attack. #KevinKratz would start on most Major League Soccer teams and if you don’t know how he impacted yesterday’s 4-1 win, watch the game highlights. Magical.
Automobiles are usually a depreciating asset at best unless you purchase a classic car that increases in value over time. Yesterday I read an advertisement touting a 10-year auto loan which at a minimum allows some people to get in way over their heads by purchasing expensive cars. This craziness is not the same as the home-loan debacle of yesteryear but it sure smells like we could be heading that way. 120-month auto loan – meh.
Carmel-by-the-Sea: In one word – stunning.
Adios and Have a Funday Sunday!