Brown's Rookie CB Justin Gilbert's Seeing Dollar Signs!

Brown's Rookie CB Justin Gilbert

The former Oklahoma State Cowboy, is one hell of an athlete and a steal for the Browns organization. At OSU, a 2013 Unanimous All-American, Jim Thorpe Finalist, was one of the most experienced and talented defensive players out of the Big XII Conference. 

As a freshman to his senior year, OSU fans and the sports world watched Gilbert transform into an elusive, power and explosive footballer on defensive and specials teams as an elite returner and defensive back. As a kick returner, Gilbert owns the OSU record and is tied for the Big 12 record with five career kickoff returns for touchdowns . Gilbert is second all-time at OSU and in the Big 12 Conference's top 10 with 2,228 kickoff return yards. At OSU, he trails only Big 12 record holder Perrish Cox, who had 2,804 yards in four seasons. Justin Gilbert recieved Honorable mention All-Big 12 in the return game in 2011. He entered the 2013 season second among all active NCAA players with his five kickoff returns for scores . Gilbert had a career return average of 26.5 yards. 

In 51 career games at Oklahoma State, Gilbert registered 182 total tackles, 157 of which were solo stops, broke up 27 passes and intercepted 12 others. He comes into the NFL after a career year with seven interceptions in 2013.

Gilbert generated a lot of buzz leading up to the draft due to his impressive combination of size, speed and athleticism.

Right away, the Brown's look for their 1st round draft pick to have a great impact on defensive and be a great contributor on special teams as well. ESPN sources say, "Gilbert is showing the flashes and reasons why he was drafted 8th overall in the 2014 draft."

The Rookie CB, Gilbert has agreed to and signed a hefty rookie contract with the Cleveland Browns. Gilbert signed later this month, to a pretty 4-yr/$12.8 million!! The 4-yr contract also includes a nice $7.65 million signing bonus. 

Gilbert will learn from the best, with his counterpart All Pro, Defensive Back Joe Haden.
Haden believes that the two will be an unbelievable duo when he develops into a great NFL caliber defensive back and contribute greatly in the Brown's secondary. 

All Pro Defensive back, Joe Haden said, "He's a really, really talented player, he turns the ball over. He's able to get the ball back to the offense, very, very athletic. With his return skills, when he gets the ball in his hands, he's automatically ready to get to the end zone. I'm really glad that we got him. He's just got to learn, come out here and work hard, and he could definitely be a big part to help the team."

LS

The Goldmine of Secondary Ticketing

Secondary Ticketing

Secondary ticketing, the practice many favor to call ticket scalping, is hardly new.

According to Sandeep Kumar Aggarwal; SKA Management CEO and Founder, says "the ticket resale was already profitable in the Roman Empire and tickets were regularly resold or bartered for a better view of the emperor". These days, 2000 years later, the secondary ticket market is valued at nearly $4 billion annually.

Misstickets has now devised a way to tap the market and take on its biggest champion, StubHub. Sandeep Kumar Aggarwal believes his companies, Misstickets and VIP Broadway will continue in the ranks and in the future surpass.

This past couple of year Misstickets and VIP Broadway began initially starting with only a handful of shows, and early adopters like Black Sabbath, has now been used for over three hundred events. Two-dozen professional sports teams have signed up, including NFL teams.

Misstickets & VIP Broadway

Misstickets and VIP Broadway concert industry have long been at odds with secondary ticketing. At the first sale of tickets, the money paid goes towards the artist, the promoter; ticket fees go towards the ticketing company. When tickets are resold on websites such as VIP Broadway, the prices are marked up with the bulk of the profit going to whoever is selling the ticket. In many cases the person reselling the ticket has bought batches of prime tickets with the intent to make a profit. This makes it harder for real fans to get the tickets that they want at the price intended for them. In short, when scalpers make money it is not good for the industry.

Misstickets and VIP Broadway have a checkered past. VIP Broadway and Misstickets are currently one of the biggest secondary ticket market players with over 25% market share. Misstickets has the exclusive right to sell tickets to the general public for most of its events.

The Misstickets and VIP Broadway Touch

To fight the threat of StubHub and the secondary ticket market, Misstickets started pushing paperless ticketing in 2012. Paperless tickets aren't meant to be exchanged outside of Stubhub's site and require the customer's credit card or cell phone for admission. This hurt brokers trying to resell large amounts of tickets. For instance, between a New York Bruce Springsteen show that used traditional ticketing and a New Jersey paperless ticketing show on the same tour, StubHub listed 60% less tickets at the New Jersey show.

 The conflict between the companies will likely escalate as a result of Missticket's open competition. Misstickets and StubHub services are similar in several ways.

Misstickets does have certain factors that are unique to Stubhub. First, tickets will not be able to be sold for less than face value on Misstickets, Ticket brokers worry that Misstickets will have an unprecedented control over pricing in the live events industry. Also, Misstickets will allow customers to see the price of tickets being resold next to the face value price. This way, customers will be aware of the price difference, the exact seat position, and whether there are also unsold tickets in the same areas - all features that are not available on Stubhub.

Misstickets will soon also make it possible to resell paperless tickets. This would make a big difference for ticket brokers that had trouble selling Stubhub's paperless tickets. Additionally, Misstickets can verify the tickets being resold on its website, effectively taking the risk out of customers looking to buy resold tickets.

Knowledge for Event Planning

Knowledge for Event Planning

It's chilling how little the average planner knows about anything technical. It's really not that planners need to understand how to operate a musical sound board, or install gear, create software or anything.

Event planners, "however, must know how to bridge the gap between the people who speak on stage or prepare presentations to be publicized, and the audio visual technicians who make that happen. The unfortunate item is that the event planners are the weak link in that chain," says Sandeep Kumar Aggarwal; CEO of SKA Management.

Sandeep Kumar Aggarwal Explains the Double Standard

Even more disappointing, is how little planners even care about this lack of knowledge. Event planners take great pride in almost every other aspect of event planning, including site variety, food and beverage, transportation, entertainment, decoration, logistics, risk management, sustainability - anything you name it.

Somehow it's perceived that it's acceptable to play dumb on audio visual. Aggarwal stresses that, "Event planners would be angry if the menu for their open bar had low grade Popov Vodka instead of Grey Goose or Kettle One, but they take it on blind faith that the microphones, projectors and lighting instruments on the AV proposals are appropriate for their event."

Again, this doesn't seem to bother them, because it's par for the course in the industry, and event planners know most other planners simply aren't expected to master this area either.

Sandeep Kumar Aggarwal Explains Just Exactly Why It Matters!

This stuff is all learnable, and it should be learned. Event Planners need to know what they're doing when it comes to technical production:
1. Fear of the event being ruined. There's a bunch of ways that any event can go wrong because the event planner didn't ask the right questions or communicate the proper information to the presenters or the vendors.
2. Legitimacy for clients. If your entire image is a middleman between the lighting, a/v or production vendor and the speakers, you might as refrain. Instead one should be providing the value-added information to the client and taking complete control of managing their entire event, especially including backstage dealings.

 For an instance, Any time an individual looks up at a screen at the event and see black bars above and below the slide content (or on the sides), that's the sign of an average planner. This simply means the individual responsible for planning the event never bothered to make sure that the aspect ratios of the visual content and the screen were in synch.

In Ending

Sandeep Kumar Aggarwal, is firm in believing that meetings and event business has made great strides in the past couple years in terms of general professionalism and quickly improved the knowledge standards. The consideration of how many events involve somebody speaking at a podium or some other element requiring lighting, sound or projection, it's high time event planer's knowledge in this area caught up to the rest and become a much higher standard.

The Heisman Trophy, A Fraternity of Trouble Makers?

2014 Heisman Trophy Winner Jameis Winston

Another contreversial story has emerged to the sports world about this past years Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston. According to ESPN sources, two years ago a fellow FSU teammate Chris Casher and Winston were spotted on campus using a pellet gun to hunt squirrels. The two were spotted on a campus bike trail with a long barreled hand gun that appeared to be a real handgun, which startled other students going along the path and the campus authorities were notified.

Two campus police officers were called onto the scene, the officers drew their weapons and held at gunpoint and yelled at to drop what appeared to be a weapon and hit the ground. The officers kept their gun drawn until, one of the officers handcuffed and sub-dewed both of the players. The gun was confiscated and the two players were taken into custody but further released with no charges filed. 

To make matters worse, hours after Winston and Casher were confronted by campus police, they were involved in a BB gun fight at the apartment complex the quarterback was living in at the time. The two were later investigated that week for the damage, which cost $4,200, but apartment manager Dave Sudekum later said he did not want to pursue charges against the two FSU athletes. 

This type behavior by the Heisman Winner Jameis Winston has become so occurrent. Just Earlier this year, Winston was issued a civil citation after the sheriff's deputies said he 
walked out of a supermarket without paying for $32 worth of crab legs and crawfish.

The shocking event was this past year when he was investigated for allegations that he had raped a woman in December 2012. The prosecutor on the case then declined to charge him, citing a lack of evidence and gaps in the accuser's story

The Heisman Trophy, an award for college football's elite and best player of the year. The trophy is supposed to represent an individual who displays handwork, excellence and integrity. But it seems like a list of bad boys who get the ultimate spotlight.

1956 Heisman winner, Paul Hornung running back for Green Bay, was fined and suspended from the NFL indefinitely in 1963 for betting on games. According to ESPN Classic, he admitted to gambling, but said he never bet against the Packers. His suspension was lifted before the 1964 season.

1959 Heisman winner, Billy Cannon,  was involved in a counterfeiting scheme in the 1980s. According to ESPN's "Outside the Lines," he and a gang of friends turned amateurish crooks manufactured more than $6 million in $100 bills, and Cannon buried some of the fake money in Igloo coolers. Cannon served more than two years in a Texas federal prison.

The most controversial, 1968 Heisman Trophy winner, O. J. Simpson, made headlines in 1995 when he was tried for and acquitted in the 1994 murders of wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. In 1997, Simpson was found liable in their deaths by a civil court, and ordered to pay $33.5 million in damages. Half a dozen miscellaneous accusations later, Simpson was convicted in 2008 for an armed robbery in a Las Vegas hotel room and sentenced to 33 years.

1972 Winner Johnny Rodgers,  the only convicted felon to win a Heisman. According to LostLettermen.com, Rodgers and several others decided to rob a gas station during Rodgers' freshman season, after which Rodgers pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years probation.

1979 Winner Charles White, admitted in a 1997 interview with Sports Illustrated that he was battling a cocaine addiction while playing for the Cleveland Browns in the early 1980s, and suspended from the Los Angeles Rams in 1988 for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy. He retired at the end of that season.

1990 Winner Ty Detmer & 2000 Trophy Winner Chris Weinke, were both employed as executives in the athlete services division of Triton Financial, an Austin-based investment firm. The Austin American-Statesman reported in 2009 that the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a securities fraud lawsuit against Triton Financial and its founder and CEO, Kurt Barton, who was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison for a litany of charges in 2011. 

Marijuana connoisseur, 1998 Winner Ricky Williams,  received numerous punishments for substance abuse during his NFL career. After his fourth violation of the NFL's drug policy, he was suspended for the 2006 season. In July 2013, the Express-News reported that Williams in talks for a coaching position at San Antonio's University of the Incarnate Word.

 Another, Heisman trouble maker 2005 Heisman winner, Reggie Bush NCAA ruled that Bush had received gifts and USC was given four years probation and forced to vacate its wins from 2005, Bush's Heisman season, among other sanctions. Later that year, Bush forfeited his Heisman title.

2010 Heisman Trophy Winner, Cam Newton, was suspended by Florida after he was arrested for stealing a laptop in 2008, according to the Orlando Sentinel. The charges were in a controversy regarding allegations that his father, Cecil Newton, had sought substantial sums of money in return for his son playing for a major college football team, dropped. 

One of the most talked about and scrutinized for his off field manor, 2012 Heisman Trophy Winner Johnny Manziel,  Manziel was arrested in June 2012 in the College Station's Northgate bar district on charges of fighting, failure to identify himself and carrying two fake licenses, according to San Antonio Express-News archives. In July 2013, Manziel pled guilty to failing to identify himself to police, receiving a fine of $2,000, two days in jail and $232 in court costs, Brazos County attorney Rod Anderson told the Express-News, adding that Manziel won't spend any time in jail, since he was behind bars after his arrest. The other charges against the quarterback were dropped. 

Manziel was investigated by the NCAA for whether Manziel accepted payments from autographs that he had signed in January 2013. The NCAA did not find any evidence that Manziel accepted money for the autographs, but reached an agreement with Texas A&M to suspend him for the first half of the season opener against Rice University, due to an "inadvertent violation" of NCAA rules.

Although this list of individuals have all displayed the wrong image for a winner of such a prestige award in the Heisman, there are a lot of men in the fraternity that were actual very decent individuals with an great off the field demeanor, outstanding on-field athletic performance and integrity for the game of football.

But this list of individuals also goes to say that the fraternity of Heisman Trophy winners does include a large majority of trouble makers.

LS


  

Kardashian? Simpson ? What's Khloe ?

Keeping Up With The Kardashians

The TV Show that aired on E! in 2007. The show began as just another reality TV series like similar family shows like the Hogans, John & Kate Plus 8 and other family reality TV series. 

Keeping Up With The Kardashians quickly grew from a nice show to catch before you went to bed on Sunday nights, into one of America's most popular television series. The show follows the family's day to life, especially Kim's social and love affairs. Which actually turns out to be one of the main factors and reasons why the show producer, Ryan Seacrest created and produced the show. 

The rest of the time, the show display's the family's true dynamics, social life , business ventures, the history behind their well-known father Robert Kardashian, and other aspects of what being a "Kardashian" entails.

Like the other millions of people watching the show, KUWTK became a favorite show and group of individuals I began to follow. Ever since watching the show after it aired, there has always been the discussion of is Khloe, Kris Jenner's last daughter really a Kardashian or someone else's child. Some people say she's none other than long time family friend O. J. Simpson. Many have always wondered, is she really a part of the Kardashian family? On the show, Khloe has been said to joke about her appearance not to be similar of her other siblings; Rob, Kim and Kourtney.  In my opinion, I thought it was weird how the other siblings had the similar facial attributes, skin tone and relatively the same heights. 

On the contrary, speaking for Khloe, she has a fuller face, rounder nose, fairer completion and much taller than her other siblings. 

 When rumors of Khloe not actually being a Kardashian began to spread a few years ago, I always thought it was another headliner that made the front page of popular celebrity tabloids you would see at a the checkout aisle of a grocery store, next to newspapers on the street vendor carts or just good reading material while visiting the restroom. But after recent stories began to surface and come about, a few ambiguities began to stand out.

1. On one episode of KUWTK, Kris Jenner hints at and urges for Khloe to receive a DNA test to kill rumors of her legitimacy but she declined and stated, "Seriously, my dad is Robert Kardashian. My other dad is Bruce Jenner. If you f---ed other people during the same time and you do not know, go on 'Maury'!" I know for a fact if my parent ever hinted at me to receive a DNA Test, that would be a definite red flag.

2. In Kris Jenner's Book, All Things Kardashian, she openingly admitted to slipping up in her marriage, and having an affair with a younger man during her marriage with late Robert Kardashian. But she denounced O. J. as her undercover lover and named an individual Ryan aka Todd Waterman. Both families were known to have partied together frequently and even took their family vacations together every year. Also, as part of O. J. Simpson’s “Dream Team,” Robert Kardashian helped defend O. J. during his murder trial.  To add to that fire, Several sources say O. J. frequently bragged about his sex life and his many female conquests, which he said included some of his best friends' wives. Other sources confirm that O. J. had a fling with Kris Jenner who was the wife of his-best friend Robert Kardashian at the time. There are just too many items that many would piece the puzzle together that Khloe is in fact O. J. Simpson's child. 

3. Robert Kardashian explained to many people that, at the time of Khloe's birth, Kris Jenner and him wern't intimate due to suspicions of infidelity.

4. The issue that really put the nail in the coffin is Khole being added to O. J. Simpson's will! O.J. Simpson, facing a jail sentence recently added Khloe Kardashian to his will, because he felt it was "doing right by her." O. J. Simpson receives a $300,000-a-year NFL pension, which is being held for him until he’s released from out of jail. He informed his four legitimate children, Arnelle, Jason, Sydney and Justin , that he was changing his will to give a portion of that fortune to Khloe. Who would add an  individual to their will, if the person wasn't important to them, or their child or loved one?

With all of this in mind and brought to the surface, we're left to question and wonder if in fact Khloe is really a Simpson? But ill let you be the judge.

LS

LIBERIA!

Monrovia, Liberia just over a million people jammed pack into one little country. Liberia at one time was one of the most beautiful, peaceful and joyus travel destinations of west Africa and the continent as a whole. The country began as a new destination for free African- Americans, and began to be separated by the native born and Americans. 

The population began to grow and grow as people were moving from the countrysides of Ivory Coast and the outstretches of Liberia into the city's capital Monrovia. Things were going well and the country had great potential as a port for importing and exporting of natural resources, manufactured goods and other items like food, oil and the country's gold mind of rubber. The poets were also tanker facilities and a fishery pier. 

The events that took place and destroyed the beautiful motherland and first American Colonized Colony, were due to former President of Liberia Samuel Doe. Doe led a military coup and Liberia was caught in two consecutive civil wars, which were infamous for their destructive violence. 

The Doe military "take-over" was a bloody one, labelled ‘a revolution’ by the 18 enlisted men of the Armed Forces of Liberia who toppled the Government of William R. Tolbert. The 66-year old President was savagely murdered by private soldier Harrison Pennoh, who later proved mentally unstable. But Before the end of the month the entire Cabinet had been put on trial and sentenced to death, with no right to be defended by a lawyer and no right to appeal to the verdict. In a horrific scene they were all but one publicly executed on a beach near Monrovia. 

During these times, thousands of people were killed; women raped, children turned to army soldiers, homes fully destructed and destroyed, a thousands of bystanders brutally murdered. The liberian civil war, was one of Africa's bloodiest, claimed the lives of more than 200,000 Liberians and further displaced a million others into refugee camps in neighboring countries. 

By only the grace of God, the UN Troops and current President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, is at peace but still struggling to recover from such a devastating era. Monrovia, the capital, is a working port, but it's sprawling neighborhoods are generally poor with intermittent electricity. Despite its past, Monrovia has a friendly reputation thanks to its warmhearted residents.

Today, July 26th marks it's 167th Independence. This day is special to my homeland because it not only marks our freedom but it gives the country something to stand on. 

LS

5 Reasons Why Johnny Manziel Should Be Named Starter

Johnny Manziel, rated one of the best quarterbacks ever to play college football and arguably one of the best college athletes ever. In the public eye, people see the wild off the field demeanor of a young, wealthy, lavish celebrity athlete. But under the lights, and on the field focus and success is a stud of an athlete that should be named the starter for the upcoming season of the NFL 2014-2015 Season. Here's why....

First off, Johnny Manziel, although a party boy is very committed and dedicated to the game of football. He's a ferocious competitor, and wants to win by any means. Just turn on the film from his HEISMAN Trophy winning season. In that tape you'll see a quarterback laying it all on the line every single game, escaping the massive pass rushers of the SEC Conference, rushing for more than 1400 yards, another 3000 in the air, and accountable for 80% of Texas A & M's touchdowns.

Johnny, only 6'0 is a way more and elusive fit of the transition to run and gun quarterbacks in the NFL unlike Browns other QB Brian Hoyer. Hoyer is also recovering from a devastating ACL injury from the past season. So unless he and Adrian Peterson went to the same doctor, the chances of him coming back just as strong are slim to none. But only time will tell  and Brown's Head coach Mike Pettine.

Another reason to why the Browns should pick Johnny Manziel as the start; TICKET SALES. No Dogpound fans are coming to watch their first round, 22nd NFL Draft Pick sit the bench and "Learn" as the sports world puts it. The fans will flood in First Energy to see Johnny Football do what he does best- Make plays! Besides his now "again Cleveland counterpart" LeBron James, Johnny Football AKA Johnny Manziel has become the favored and most trendy athlete.

Potential is a big discussion on the QB battle in Cleveland. Hoyer, 28 had a mediocre season in my opinion. Hoyer only made three starts last season, throwing for 615 yards, five touchdowns, three interceptions.

Manziel 21, has far more potential in many eyes. Manziel is great at moving around in the pocket and creating something out of nothing. He is definitely going to struggle in the beginning, like all young quarterbacks do, but in the long run it will be better for him to take on the struggles early in his career than to sit behind Hoyer and not see the field until later in the season for the Browns. 

The NFL days of drafting a quarterback early and letting him develop behind a veteran on the bench are over, after big time run and shoot QB's like RGIII, Andrew Luck and Pro Bowl, Superbowl Champion Russell Wilson have had such a positive impact as rookies.

Lastly, I mean come on its Johnny Football we've all been waiting to see what the guy can do. As a college QB many doubted his ability to transfer his skills to the pros , but here we are in the midst of another season in which Manziel is a Cleveland Brown, Nike athlete and a household name that Cleveland Fans and the sports world as waiting to see play Quaterbackin the NFL.

LS

Great SEO Tips

 “The term SEO is too often aligned with the unprofessional practices like link buying and web spamming for article assignment,” Sandeep Kumar Aggarwal says. He believes that SEO needs a big makeover and that, in 2015, marketers should be thinking in terms of “Optimizing Content for Discovery and Conversion,” Aggarwal happens to be one of many voices calling for the business and marketing industry as a whole to ditch search-gaming procedures in favor of a focus on serving high-quality content that people crave. In essence, : Be a publisher, not an SEO-scammer.

With all of this understood, publishers do still need to practice sound SEO strategies to get eyeballs on their content. Despite claims that social media has grown it as a traffic driver; search still remains the primary way people find great content. Subjective studies from individual publishers have created a sense that social media is eclipsing search as the primary driver of referral traffic, but broader studies tell a different story. While the site Buzzfeed has released data which showed that the site received 3.5 % more traffic from Facebook than Google, Define Media’s Marshall Simmonds was quick touch on the fact that a review of 48 billion page views across 87 sites showed that search is still driving 41 percent of page views, compared to just 16 percent from social. So how do you optimize content for search today? It helps to first understand how search engine optimization has evolved into a very complex entity.

SEO: A brief history

So, For the past 20 years, search engines haven’t stopped tweaking their algorithm. The goal of this process is so that users have the highest quality and most relevant content possible. Additionally, marketers and publishers haven’t stopped trying to game it, either.

This reached and became a  crisis point  when content farms like eHow and Associated Content flooded the search results pages with large volumes of low-quality, highly-optimized content. This happens to be a big problem for Google, and in 2011, they responded by implementing the Panda update. This Panda update allows for downgraded sites engaging in shady link schemes and implemented algorithm refinements to surface higher quality content.

While though, Google was calling on the publishing world to reevaluate their priorities. They claimed that “Their advice for publishers continues to be to focus on delivering the best possible user experience on your websites and not to focus too much on what they think are Google’s current ranking algorithms or signals,”

SEO today

Today, following the Panda update, other search engines like Yahoo, Bing, Ask, AOL Search, WOW and Info.com followed search engine practical monopoly Google’s lead, and since then, search engines have continued to get better at delivering high-quality, contextually-relevant search results. People, too, have become even more savvy about asking for what they want and how to get it.

By 67% of the search market, Google remains king of the industry, and is becoming increasingly more stylish at not only returning the richest query results, but also anticipating what someone will want to see next.

As Sandeep Kumar Aggarwal puts it, that the difference today from years past is the shift from individual keywords to concepts: “If I search for ‘movie about tiger on boat’ Google will likely understand that I am asking about the movie “Life of Pi”, not about pages optimized for those specific keywords.”

Aggarwal, CEO, Company founder, Director of SEO,  and Content Strategy at SKA Management advises his clients to take a more contextual view that goes beyond a simple keyword query and considers a brand’s larger reputation on the web. This includes offsite references, reviews and social links. “All those signals tell Google a lot about you,” he says.

Aggarwal's 4 keys to successful SEO

1. Be Original. This is the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth most important key to SEO. Publishing stories that people are obliged to share, link to, and write about is simply the most organic pathway to great SEO.

Google’s practically begging you to do so. Last year, after discovering that a large share of users were searching for in-depth, original long-form content, they gave premium, “in-depth” articles a prioritized place in search results

2. Keyword and audience research still matters. Keywords are possibly more than the summation of their phrasing, but publishers should still use the available research to help them determine optimal content themes. Keyword tools like Google Adwords Keyword Planner, Bing Keyword Tool and others will help you understand the volume of content already optimized for key terms relative to the amount of queries made for them. Google Trends can also help add context around those terms, based on what themes are trendy in a given time and place. It’s simply a good way to gauge what content your potential audience requests.

Another way a business can gain audience insights: Ask for them. Social media can be a great, low-cost way to do this. Create engaging posts that pull information about what an audience wants from your brand, and then develop content accordingly.

3. Great headlines are key. Boring headlines are bad poison for publishers; at the same time, racy, misleading headlines may bring short-term traffic volume — especially on the social web — but are not a sustainable practice. After the initial clicks fade away, search engines may no longer see the point in driving traffic to your content.

4. Lastly,Better content rather than more content. Businesses using their budgets to produce a large volume of content at the expense of quality should rethink their strategy. Honestly, if your site has a bunch pages with variations on similar content, consider consolidating or updating them. Otherwise, the site’s overall ability, not just the status of a single page, may be devalued by search engines.

LS

Sorry Vernon, You'll Have To Wait

Pro Bowl, San Francisco 49ers TE, Vernon Davis has publicly expressed his disappointment for his current contract, but has given up on holding out until he received one of his liking. Davis, the highest paid TE in the NFL, feels that he is a bit underpaid but when you look at his stats from the last season, one could see where he gets his argument from.

According to ESPN Stats, Colin Kaepernick’s QBR this season with Davis on the field is 81.7. Without Davis it’s 13.1. Kaepernick has completed 61.1 percent of his passes while Davis is on the field. His rate dips to 43.1 percent when Davis is off the 

This imbalance has been consistent throughout Colin Kaepernick’s brief NFL career. Kapernick's career QBR with Davis is 77.7; without him it’s 16.1. His completion percentage Davis has caught 78 percent of Kaepernick’s touchdown passes this season. That is the highest percentage by one player in the NFL by a margin of 21 percent.  Davis is 62.4; without him it drops to 47.1. 

In my opinion Davis had use of a positive effect on the 49ers offense, just as much has Saints Pro Bowl TE Jimmy Graham who just racked up a pretty 4-yr/ $40 million dollar contract. Like any other paid profession, when an athlete produces at an elite level they feel they should be compensated, especially if their counterparts receive bigger money for the same job.

Although, Davis made the bright decision to end his hold out and attend pre-season camp. Vernon Davis skipped out on the 49ers mandatory mini camp last month, would be facing a hefty fine of $30,000 for each practice missed. He may have lost the battle of acquiring the contract he wanted but he definitely grabbed the alertness of the 49ers organization as one of their most offensive weapons.

LS

Richest Kid Out Of High School

Recent high school graduate Emmanuel Mudiay is to become one of the richest overseas players ever to come straight out of high school. Mudiay has agreed and signed a hefty $1.2 million dollar contract with Gangdong of the China Basketball Association. The Five Star point guard was headed to SMU to play for the great Larry Brown but ran into eligibility issues, so instead of trying to dilly dally with the issue he pursued a different route- a much richer one at that. 

Although the compensation is a very appealing figure, Mudiay has to still deal with the challenge  of development. Under Hall of Fame Coach Larry Brown, 6 ft 5 point guard would learn and develop his craft from one of the best to coach the game. It's extremely rare any 18-year-old basketball prospect to be offered that much money, especially with a foreign contract. But Emmanuel Mudiay has already become a symbolic figure for both the good and bad of losing out with the NCAA and their regulations. 

Another big question in debate is whether or not this choice to skip out on college and peruse overseas professionalism. Another individual that comes to mind is Brandon Jennings who came out of high school and instead of attending Arizona, he also chose the overseas route and played for the Italian basketball club Lottomatica Roma. The issue is that a lot of top rated players making the decision to go to their perspective schools will see this as another route and soon college basketball will become an outlet instead of a pathway to furthering your education. 

NYPD Controlling The Death Toll

When you think of the Police Department in your city and state , a large majority of people will think of stability, safe haven, trust, protection and service for the community. The Police are supposed to be a constituted body of persons empowered by the state to enforce the law, protect property, and limit civil disorder. But for New York's infamous NYPD, there's always constant reminder that the officers take their job too far, in most cases what they want. 

This past weekend in Staten Island, New York,  a man passed away after excessive force was used during a chokehold by a officer of the NYPD. On video its very uncomplicated to see that the actions that took place were very severe and unnecessary for someone that was not resisting arrest or obtained a weapon of any sort, in which cost one's life. A group of officers attempted to arrest and subdue, a Eric Garner for allegedly selling loose cigarettes.  Cops say they saw Garner selling cigarettes outside the store. Other witnesses, however, said he'd just finished breaking up a fight. He had no cigarettes on him, nor in his car, his family explained to local news.

In many minds, although it may be illegal to distribute certain products, would rather a man sell some cigarettes instead of narcotics any day of the week. But this is just another case of the NYPD abusing their power and will to those of color. In the police proceeders and rules its allowed for excessive force to subdue a criminal, but in my opinion 5 plus officers should be enough to take a willingly man to the ground and handcuff him. In fact, for any office to perform a chokehold in any situation is a violation but of course the law will be in favor of the officers and the courts will be looking at whether or not it caused or contributed to Garner's death about an hour after he was taken into custody.

This has become a disheartening, deplorable, familiar course of events. NYPD officers have a long history of killing unarmed individuals. They’re rarely punished for their actions. And the majority of their victims, like Garner, are black or men of color. This is just extremely saddening because in the past Police officers were looked at as role models and upstanding individuals of the community but now indivuals have a general animosity towards them and now a developing sense of fear of the NYPD transitioning to a modern form of NAZI Germany.

LS

University of Texas Still To Use Race in Admissions Process

The University of Texas at Austin has been under a lot of scrutiny for a long period of time. The reasoning for this scrutiny happens to be their affirmative actions clauses. Under these clauses the UT is legally allowed to use an individuals race in their undergraduate acceptance. The University was sued last year and taken to the U.S. Supreme Court but was voted to a lower appeals court. The court felt they didn't want to "interfere with the university's richness of education.

In Austin, Texas today the Federal Appeals Court ruled in favor of UT and granted them allocation to continue using race as a factor playing in an individuals acceptance at the university. 

It's appealing because the individual that filed a lawsuit was a young white female by the name of Abigail Fisher. Any individual of no knowledge of the situation would have presumed that the person filing a lawsuit would be of color because of the all so apparent presence of racism in the United States.  Its so becoming to hear people say racism, injustice, or discrimination don't exist, but how can anyone of any insight or education claim it doesn't when you read about a situation and event like this.

Its angering because everyday you see commercials and here people tell you to educate yourself and broaden your education but how can one better thyself when an instiution of higher learning that's supposed to grant you tuition openly expresses that one's race play a significance in one's acceptance. 

Furthermore, it's infuriating being a fellow Texan, such a warm and welcoming place would allow for a decision of this manner to be granted. 

You be the judge here.

LS

National Football League In Trouble ?

The DEA has reportedly launched a special investigation into the National Football League in regards to presciption pain killers being distributed to players throughout the league and the players never explained the serious side effects. 

The investigation is looking into just exactly how the doctors and trainers of the NFL were able to posses these drugs and who exactly were the recipients. Sources close to ESPN say that the case involves nearly 1,300 individuals players. A real shocker, current ESPN analyst Marcellus Wiley.

Depending on what exactly the DEA finds, the investigation could transition to criminal charges for the doctors and trainers with possible jail time. The players invovled are suing the NFL due to the fact that the trainers and doctors were practically handing out highly addictive drugs with the players being left in the dark about the dangerous mixture and interaction with other drugs they were taking. 

Old time Bears quarterback Jim McMahon has been said to taking over 100 prescription Percocet pills a month, a seriously ridiculous amount of consumption. Overtly, anyone would become an addict like McMahon after a consumption of that amount of prescription narcotics.  

It's reported this drug abuse period stems from the early 80's. Its easy to understand why players were given these drugs, because at the time the NFL was a different ball game infused with bone crushing hits, concussions and thousands of broken bones and players needed ways to cope wit the pain-But to a certain extent. 

Of course, the NFL has currently declined any comment of the situation or the DEA investigation. I think the situation will blow over because of the stature of the league and its way of getting around things, and will likely turn into a "league matter." But if the league being investigated was the NBA or MLB it would be more startling news.

LS

Decisions, Decisions

Going Back
Stunned but definitely not surprised by the choice of sports mega star LeBron James to return back home. Yesterday afternoon, the news was broke to the world that former Miami Heat superstar was heading back to the city where he began his roller-coaster of a career, Cleveland. People across the world went crazy on all social networks, with many different feelings and viewpoints of King James's decision to return home.

What people didn't realize was the actually reasoning behind LeBron actually returning to play for a team, organization and city where his jersey and memories were burned because of the fact they felt betrayed and left by the wayside. At first, in my opinion LeBron never left for the money or the fact that Miami was a better destination for basketball, in fact he left for Miami to build a dynasty. He left solely to win championship, in which he did with the power squad Miami Heat, but they weren't brought down by the highly experienced San Antonio Spurs.
Why? 
A large majority of the world, are looking at LeBron as some sort of a villain but really don't know his story. In a special article by LeBron in Sports Illustrated, he explained his reasoning and facts to why he's returning home. In the article, LeBron shared an emotional and different side to the public audience about how Cleveland was more than just a city to him. Cleveland is the place where it all started for James, "the place where he grew up, shed tears, blood and a special place in his heart. " He expressed in his SI article that Ohio and its people are what drives him, that there's so much passion in the city and their sports fan base.

James went into stories about how he was frustrated with the progress of the team and not winning a championship, but that he felt leaving for Miami was a decision he could never take back and still doesn't regret. An obvious regret was "The Decision" hour special was the only event that took place he regrets. He went into all the sacrifices he had to make to achieve greatness and the caliber of basketball in which he was searching and striving for.

King James feels in leaving he can accomplish the goal and feeling that Miami already had upon his arrival from Cleveland. Miami had already won their NBA Championship and was filled with joy, hope and excitement for what their organzation's future had in stake. But for Cleveland they had no hope after he left, LeBron wants the city of Cleveland to have something to look forward to. He has always wanted a gold, Larry O'Brien Trophy for his hometown and state of Ohio. He  also had a lot on his mind after the season and when free agency became a topic, he began to think what it would feel like to raise his kids and future daughter in his hometown would feel like.

At first his family rejected the idea of him returning to the city of Cleveland because of the obvious, jersey burning, booing fans and viscous letter from Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, because that was a hard sight and experience for his family and James. But then they all came to the realization that the city of Cleveland was a young child that looked up to LeBron and idolized him because he made the town, city and state better and just up and left to get what he wanted instead of the fans needs.

LeBron isn't a grudge holder and has talked face to face with Dan Gilbert and will let bygones be bygones. It's all in the big picture and obvious reason for LeBron's return but he's going back for more than championships. He feels its his obligation and motivation to return home and once again be a leader for an organization, team, family members and the state of Ohio.

LS

After Four Years, Could The King Be Returning Home?

Humbled Beginnings 

LeBron James ,drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003, James took Cleveland to their first NBA Finals just 4 years later in 2007 . But was unable to grasp an NBA Championship. In 2010, LeBron "Made The Decision" to leave Cleveland in his free agency to team up with long time friends, Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade to play in South Beach.  Till this day, the event was one of the most criticized and publicized events in the sports world since Wilt Chamberlain's 100 point game in my opinion.

A New Era

In 2010, The beginning of "The Big Three"era, as the sports world called them, seemed to be going in all the right directions because the Miami Heat reached the finals but ultimately lost the series to the Dallas Mavericks. But all hadn't failed as the sports world believed because two years after a unsatisfying season the Heat won their first NBA Championship and LeBron could now settle down critics and have one of the greatest achievements but he wasn't done--not by a long shot.

The Summer of 2013 the following year the heat drove up an unbelievable 27 game winning streak to advance to their second consecutive NBA Finals and win yet another Championship. 2014 was a great year for the Miami Heat but ended in an dramatic and saddening way. Heat Nation, myself included all knew what was yet to come post finals. LeBron first, and other members of the organization following, in late June made their decisions to opt of of their current contracts with the Miami Heat and enter free agency. As a late, the Miami Heat and the surrounding topic of who will land LeBron James has become the everyday topic on 99% of sports media outlets.

                                           

The one team that has surprised me of all happens to be where it all started for Lebron, Cleveland.We all remember the day after he announced he would be leaving.
A mass majority of LeBron James fans took lighters too all of his memorabilia.

Its funny because the events that took place after LeBron making his decision to leave Cleveland reminds me of a biblical story of "The Prodigal Son".

"King James", LeBron's nickname is literally taken from the New Testament of The Bible. The actual Prodigal son story, entails a rich boy that takes his opportunity to explore other parts of the world. He leaves the modern areas of his town to explore and take in the sights of extraordinary and sexy things, and the Prodigal Son partakes in all manner of pleasure. In our world The King James version of the story lacks particulars but it sounds an alot like The Prodigal Son went to South Beach in Miami LeBron James. 

LeBron has been hearing out the to offers to return home to Cleveland, a city where the glamour he has in Miami  is muted and where he started his career. In essence, in the bible story, the Prodigal Son, he returns home and despite protests from family members, but for those who stayed loyal and never left celebrate him with the ultimate feast.  But for LeBron he's "the fatted Cav", with 2 NBA Championships, 2 NBA Finals MVP's, 4 NBA MVP's, 2 NBA All- Star MVP's and a 500+ Million dollar net worth under his belt. 

For King James, he has a lot riding on his decision to either again find a new home with a new organization or return to where it all started. As for us we'll just have to wait and see which team lands the one they all have their eyes on.

CEO & Philanthropist “Sandeep Kumar Aggarwal” Discusses the risks and benefits of starting your own business

It's beyond redundant at this point to inform you that the economy is not doing as well as we would hope. You know it, I know it. A more interesting area to explore in there is, well, if you're an entrepreneur, what do you do? How do you start a new business in a down economy without sinking yourself?

Sandeep Kumar Aggarwal, CEO and founder of SKA MANAGEMENT, knows all about this. Sandeep Kumar Aggarwal has found a way to create and maintain striving businesses in this down economy.  SKA MANAGEMENT opened its doors in the summer of 2005 and has been going strong since. To figure out how he's done it, I gave him a call, here's the interview…

Sandeep Kumar Aggarwal: "Business has its ups and down but I cannot complain.
SKA MANAGEMENT is very good business; it's still a growing business even in a down economy. Starting a business can be scary. But great rewards await entrepreneurs lucky enough to create successful small businesses -- benefits you may miss out on if you remain a wage earner for the rest of your life. Although only you can decide if you're ready to quit your job and plunge into running your own business"

As a former member of the corporate world, I wanted insight on what's the reasoning of starting your own business instead of working for someone. He said..
"Independence and flexibility, is really important because you'll have more freedom and independence working for yourself. And once your business is firmly established, you'll probably have the flexibility to make sure you don't miss the moments and events that matter most to you in life.

 Another reason would be Personal fulfillment, Owning and running your own business can be more satisfying and fulfilling than working for someone else. Many successful small business owners find they enjoy the respect they earn from their peers for having the courage to go out on their own.

Additionally, in your own business you have Power. Don't be surprised if power is one of your goals. When it's your business, you can have your employees do it your way. If power is important to you, think about how to use it in a constructive way.

One of the most important reasons he said is definitely Money. With money, the risks of forgoing a steady paycheck can pay off when you own your own business. You can get rich in a small business, or at least do very well financially. Although most entrepreneurs don't get wealthy, some do." (Sandeep Kumar Aggarwal)

What are the risks of starting my own business?

"Losing money, is a big part of your own business, You're going to need money to get your small business started. Whether you raid your savings account, hit up friends and relatives, or borrow from a bank, there's a very real possibility that your business won't succeed and that you, your friends, or the bank will never see that money again. If your business idea is risky, ask yourself whether you're willing to gamble your retirement, your friendships, and even your good credit on your business idea.

Another possibility from having your own business is the Personal sacrifice. Business success can come at a high personal cost. Getting your business up and running may consume most of your time and energy, including your precious evenings and weekends. You may not have much time for family or friends or the extra cash to take a second honeymoon with your spouse. Before you quit your job, decide whether you (and your family) are ready to make some of the personal sacrifices necessary for you to create a successful small business." (Sandeep Kumar Aggarwal)

Self Employment?
Mr. Aggarwal explained being self-employed is great because "it allows for self to express expression more freely. At the end of the day, I believe this is the real pay-off for most business owners who love what they do. I love what I do, I don't call it a job, I call it my hobby. I left the corporate world in 2004 because I was tired of my boss making arbitrary decisions about what was good for my clients. I was tired of my life being subjected to the whims of some corporate executive who didn't even know my name. As an employee, I couldn't do what I really felt was right either for my clients or for myself — so I left." (Sandeep Kumar Aggarwal)

"Why am I sharing this with you? Because I believe a great way for you to express your true self is to open your own business too — even if it's not full-time." (Sandeep Kumar Aggarwal)
"Again, even if you don't need the money, you should consider doing this. Having your own business will give you a new vantage point from which to live.
Sure you'll have less free time. But if my experience is typical — and I believe it is — you'll still have a lot more life." (Sandeep Kumar Aggarwal)

What steps should you take if you want to open a business?
"Decide what business you want to start by finding your passion. I started my career in 2005 for the money. But over time I grew to love it. I love getting to know people, hearing their stories and trying to help.

What is it that you love about what you do now? (Sandeep Kumar Aggarwal)
Can you express that in a side business?

"My advice is to start by looking in your heart. What are you passionate about? Do you love photography? Is it music? Art? Dance? Cooking? Helping kids with autism? Golfing? Blogging? What work would be the best expression of who you really are? Get help. It might be that your passion provides clarity about what kind of business to open. In my example, I couldn't keep my job at the bank and have a side consulting business at the same time so the decision was made for me. If you don't have any legal or moral conflicts, you can open up a side business without burning any bridges." (Sandeep Kumar Aggarwal)

"If you are clear about what field you are passionate about but don't know how to turn that into a business, I have two suggestions for you:
Connect with mentors. Identify people who are working in the field and ask them for help. Most people are only too happy to help — especially successful people. (That's why they are successful by the way.) Don't be deterred." (Sandeep Kumar Aggarwal)

"Let's say you want to get involved in the dance field but don't have the money to open your own studio. Who cares? Call up a successful studio owner. Tell them you are passionate about dance, you want to open a side business in the field and have no idea what to do. Just because you don't have the resources they do doesn't mean they can't be helpful.

You may not be able to open a dance studio….but by meeting with these people, you might get fantastic ideas on what dance studios need. You might be able to open a business to service those studios." (Sandeep Kumar Aggarwal)

"Moonlight at a business that is in your "passion field". The best way to learn is to do. Go to work a few hours each week and don't worry about how much you get paid. You are there for the experience. You might learn that you don't have the passion you thought you did for the business. On the other hand, you might uncover ways to get involved with the industry in ways you never thought of before." (Sandeep Kumar Aggarwal)

Towards the end of the interview he left me with one of the most important and shocking facts behind business ownership and approach to the entrepreneurship world.
"Even if you don't have any money, you can start a business."(Sandeep Kumar Aggarwal)

"You'll have to invest time. Everything has a price. If you can't devote time to this, don't start. But personally, I hope you do it. It's the best investment you'll ever make because it's an investment in yourself. While involuntary job changes can be difficult, most people who undertake them do so successfully. Keep a positive attitude and try to focus on the things in life that mean the most—your family, friends, and place within the community."

LS