Category Archives: Me!

March 5, 2013 · 8:38 pm

Data In Sports: The 2013 MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference

This past weekend marked a LOT of firsts for me. My first time flying to a city on my own. My first time in Boston. My first time eating authentic New England Seafood Chowder.

It was also my first time at the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, an annual conference held at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Run thanks to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and ESPN, SSAC is a place where people who want to get involved in the sports world further come to learn form those who have already succeeded in making an impact. Those range from CEOs to sports reporters to professionals in marketing, finance, management, or the like. There were a number of 1-hour sessions on a number of different topics.

The main topic that was touched on at some point during every session I attended was the rise of the amount of big data those in sports can collect. This data ranges from statistics on players to analysis on ticket sales in the front office. New information is being collected on players that could never be acquired before, from WHIP in baseball to significant strikes in MMA. In the front office, data can be collected, such as time of ticket sale, location of ticket sale, and how close to the day of the event the purchase is made. All of this data can be used in the future to enhance the quality of the sport as well as the quality of the business, tailoring to the fans.

On that note, another big topic is to enhance the fan experience. With the rise in today’s newest technology, the fans demand the best experience possible, before, during, and after the game. Points noted during the sessions:

  • When ordering tickets, having a physical person there to work with the customer and get them their ticket(s) in the most efficient way possible
  • Reformatting the “captcha” section to something that the fans can better interpret
  • Stadiums with FULL WIFI access
  • Tailoring ads and ticket prices to meet customer  demands

Without the fans, the team is not successful. They would purchase tickets from outside vendors or not even attend the game thanks to such an upgrade in the home viewing experience.

Finally, the fast major point that was a constant all throughout the two days was that you need to be able to successfully INTERPRET the data to the point where something can be done with it. As Brian Burke of the Toronto Maple Leafs said, “Statistics are like lightposts for a drunk: Useful for support, NOT for illumination.” Without the right interpretation, you are not able to stick out amongst your numbers and will not be able to make a lasting impact for the franchise. Interpret the data incorrectly and a franchise can be affected for years to come. In sports, results are based on results, not on intelligence.

As far as my opinions of the panels:

  • BEST panel: Breaking Down The Fight: MMA Analytics
  • MOST ENTERTAINING panel: Monday Morning QB: Coaching & In-Game Decision Analysis
  • Panel that BEST SUITED my career path: eMarketing: Sports Marketing In A Digital Age

This was a BRIEF overview of what was talked about over an intense and action-packed two days. If you care to read the list of tweets I made from the conference from newest to oldest, please feel free to download the PDF version here.

This was such an INCREDIBLE experience. I now know that working in sports  is now what I want to do for a living. I was able to meet so many amazing people that were able to teach me some things that I will definitely be able to take with me to school as well as to the professional world.

It may have been my first time in Boston BUT it won’t be my last! Until next year! :)

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June 5, 2012 · 3:00 pm

What an Awesome School Year!

One week into the summer and I think I have finally caught up on my sleep.

This 2011-2012 school year at RIT, as I am sure a number of my friends can attest, was one with a number of ups and downs. We had our ups with our moments of success, moments where we celebrate our successes and have a good time. We also had our moments of struggle, facing our fair share of projects and being in the library till 3 in the morning or later  (right Jenna?).

Here we some of the noted moments of my school year:

For starters, this was my first year as a Resident Advisor! My dorm experience in my freshman year was a blast so I was nervous that this year would not live up to my expectations. Boy was I wrong. I LOVED my floor and we had a great time. Plus, the ResLife team at RIT is a joy to work with. I was able to grow in my leadership abilities, my teamwork, and my community building. I cannot WAIT to see what my next floor will be like!

NRH 7, I will miss you!

I also became a member of Delta Sigma Pi! Delta Sigma Pi is America’s foremost professional business fraternity and at RIT, it is open to all business, economics, and hospitality majors. For the past two years, we had been working on turning it from a colony to a chapter. And in January, we finally did enough to go from colony to chapter. The first few months have been great and I am looking forward to next year!

Our first pledge class being initiated! DSP!

Next, I got my first co-op as the marketing coordinator for Dale Carnegie Training! I got the call week 10 of winter quarter from my friend Chris and I was really excited to do it. After completing it, I realized that I rushed into taking it and maybe should have waited until the summer when I could have balanced my priorities. But through it, I was able to gain self-confidence, professional skills, and communication skills. Plus, I was able to take AND graduate from the Dale Carnegie course! If you have not taken it, do it. Now.

But the most lucrative moment of all: I got the chance to go to DUBAI!! It was through the RIT Honors Business program and I was super excited when we said we were going there. The week that we spent there was mind-blowing. The businesses we visited were advanced and we were able to learn a lot. Plus, riding camels and Tebowing in the 8th-largest mosque in the world were all incredible too. I could seriously go on and on about this trip but feel free to read my recap of the trip here and my day-to-day blog with my friend Kristin here!

Beautiful, huh?

Add in the fact that I got the opportunity to go to Syracuse to attend #140Cuse and you have one of the craziest and most intense school years of my life. Let’s hope that next year, these opportunities will continue to grow and I will be able to further broaden my horizons, all while having the time of my life with my friends :)

(A little more sleep would be nice, though)

God Bless and thank you for reading!

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March 13, 2012 · 10:00 am

My Amazing Time In Dubai!

Well, after hopefully recovering from being on Dubai time for the past week, I am back in the United States!

It is hard to believe that the trip that we had been planning this whole year is finally over. All of the preparation done is finally complete and I am sure I can speak for every other member of the group by saying that we had one of the most incredible experiences of our lives. All of the different experiences, sights, sounds, and interactions make for something that we will not forget for a long time.

The businesses that we visited and representatives that we talked to were extremely helpful in teaching us about the country and business practices in general.

  • At KPMG, we learned about the economy of Dubai, how it is based on tourism, how there is no income tax, and how they work as a firm.
  • The Dubai Financial Market taught us how their market is young and growing and how it makes progress by the day.
  • DUBAL showed us how one of the biggest aluminum plants in the world operates and cares for its employees.
  • The Dubai Electrical and Water Association showed us how they provide fresh water to the people of Dubai (that is quite delicious fyi).
  • Josephine Ford from GE showed us how a large international company operates in foreign markets.
  • Dr. Mohammed Alam taught us the ins-and-outs of Islamic banking.

In short, there were quite a few amazing and educational meetings.

The places we visited as well is nothing short of spectacular!

  • The Burj Khalifa is as tall as advertised.
  • The Dubai Mall is truly the biggest mall I have ever seen, and it even has an ice rink!
  • Take a dinner cruise if you can. They are fun and entertaining.
  • The souks offer a plethora of authentic goods and you can always practice your bartering skills here.
  • The Sheikh Zahid Mosque, the 8th largest mosque in the world, is nothing short of magnificent!
  • Take a trip dune bashing in the desert. It’s more fun than a roller coaster.
  • The Wild Wadi water park is a must on a warm day!
  • The night life is also fun once the sun sets

We also saw that the RIT Dubai campus is a great option for Rochester students to get an international education. RIT’s influence is definitely apparent and I would love to study there. I am now interested in seeing how RIT’s other sister schools are doing!

Seeing the culture was also a memorable sight. The fact that it is a balance between their rich culture and the Westernized ideas made it very comfortable to adjust living there. The people were all very polite and hospitable to us and were willing to help us in any way possible. One thing to watch out for, however, is the occasional reckless driving on the highways from people who want to get from point A to point B.

Eventually, once life becomes a little less hectic, I will be able to put up a Flickr album where people can see the sights we saw and check out all of the places we visited.

In the end, this was definitely the best spring break I have had in my life. Plenty of fun times were had by all. Laughs were shared. There was not a single moment of the day not spent visiting places.

Thank you Democrat and Chronicle for giving Kristen and I the chance to write and share our experiences. Thank you to everyone who had a part in coordinating the trip (Peter, Dana, Tom, Jake, Nikki, and others) because it worked out very well. And finally, thank you everyone for visiting and spending time reading what we shared. We both had a blast writing and we both thank you for sharing with friends and providing feedback for us.

Hopefully the rest of spring will be as beautiful as it was in Dubai.

I'm gonna miss this

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March 2, 2012 · 10:30 am

My Trip to Dubai!

Hello everyone!

So this upcoming week, yours truly will be traveling to DUBAI, U.A.E.! 14 Honors students in the RIT E. Philip Saunders College of Business, 2 instructors, and 2 interpreters are all going for a week to experience different business practices, exquisite sights, and a rich culture.

And there will be one way to follow EVERYTHING that I am doing:

Visit this site: http://blogs.democratandchronicle.com/navigating-dubai/

This is a blog page on the Democrat and Chronicle, the local newspaper in Rochester. My friend Kristen and I, two business students with a passion for social media and blogging, were asked to share our experience with the community. So PLEASE check that out and please share your feedback with me here. Hopefully I will be able to bring Dubai to all of your homes. And when I get back, I’ll be sure to share HERE how it all turned out.

Thank you so much for stopping by and hopefully everything goes well!! :)

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August 6, 2011 · 12:00 pm

Movie Review: RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

Yesterday, I took my brother to the movies, something I enjoy doing on Friday when new movies come out. The movie he wanted to see: Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

Now, going into this, my expectations were honestly not that high. I was not the biggest fan of Planet of the Apes for some reason so I thought this would be the same thing.

I was wrong. This movie was GREAT and I enjoyed it quite a bit.

The story revolves around two characters: Dr. Will Rodman (James Franco) and the chimp Caesar (Andy Serkis). Rodman created what he thought to be a cure for Alzheimer’s and it does not go through because the chimp that was the test subject goes crazy. Before that, the chimp showed an increase in IQ tenfold. Well, the chimp had a child (Caesar) who inherited the skills his mother had. Seeing as how the skills work, he gives the serum to his father (John Lithgow). Dr. Rodman even finds a girl (Freida Pinto) and the two of them raise Caesar together.

Serkis truly has a skill for playing motion-capture characters. The whole time, I thought that they used real apes! This was what made me famous, as he played Gollum in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and he won awards for that role. He also played King Kong in the movie King Kong. His body mimicing of an actual chimp is flawless.

The storyline, also, was better than I expected. The story of the father, and watching his struggle as he deals with Alzheimer’s, is very moving. As you see how bad he is, and then as he gets better with the medicine, you feel for him and smile along with him. But then as he gets worse, you feel for him and struggle along with Rodman as he tries to take care of him.

The only problem, I see, is the fact that I have a feeling, despite the great quality of the movie, it will get lost in the shuffle of all of the summer blockbusters, like HP, Transformers, and Captain America. It is a great movie, but does not have any qualities that will make it one for the history books.

In the end, I definitely recommend going to see it. The critics loved it, I enjoyed it, etc. I give it a 3  out of 4 and my bro gives it a 3.5 out of 4. If you like a movie with a moving story, its fair share of action, and great acting, this is for you.

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August 2, 2011 · 8:00 pm

What Friends Are For

I seriously have the greatest friends in the world. Just wanted to throw that out there.

This past weekend, I took a trip to Patchogue, New York (in Long Island) to meet up with some of the guys from RIT: Jake, Sam, Alex, and Jon (whose house we stayed at). We had been planning this for weeks and it was finally coming to pass.

The way down from Rochester with Jake and Sam could not have been worse for most people. It rained. We paid a ton of money for gas in New York when it was thirty cents in cheaper in New Jersey. Traffic on the GW Bridge was awful. Worst of all, the music system did not work!! But in reality, it proved what great friends we were. Jake, Sam, and I could hold a conversation for eight hours! That’s unheard of in this day and age. It was incredible! (Of course having 3G helps…)

Once we got in, the bromances were brought to life again. These guys were the guys I chilled with on a regular basis and we had all kinds of fun back at school. We saw Dave Matthews together. We held “Acoustic Fridays” in the dorm tunnels (I sang because I’m still learning how to play guitar). So when we saw each other, the fun picked right back up.

We were supposed to go out to the port Friday night but it rained. Instead, we went bowling. We talked shop, goofed around, and had one amazing time. Shooting shots between the legs and dancing to the music like idiots also added to the fun.

Saturday, we went to Fire Island. I had not been to the ocean since I went to the Bahamas in sixth grade! When we got there, it was gorgeous. It was hot. The water was cold. The girls were beautiful. Guitars were broken out about halfway through. We body surfed along the waves crashing on the shore. We all got nice and tan from the sun (well, at least most of us…). All in all, it was one of the best trips I have ever taken to the beach and I cannot wait to be back.

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At night, we visited Port Jefferson. This is a beautiful area that reminded me of Lewiston, NY because it has the small stores, near the water, and is truly a great place to walk through. We took a walk through the dock admiring the boats that we could only dream of buying.  We saw the ferry that takes people and cars over to Connecticut. And yes, we got delicious ice cream.

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But then, we did something that we were actually pretty nervous about. Jon brought up the idea. We decided to set up near the ice cream stand and play/sing for people! AND WE MADE FOUR DOLLARS! I didn’t think I could make any money with my singing. That was something I had always wanted to do and actually doing it proves how hard it is. Hopefully we will be able to keep that up  the next school year and possibly play for others in the city of Rochester (for tips).

When I got home after a flawless drive back on Sunday, I took a moment to thank God for all of the blessings I have. I realized that I truly have the greatest friends on the face of this planet. They are always so kind and respectful. Regardless of what we are doing, we always have a blast and make the most out of any opportunity we get. I know RIT was the right school for me and it is mostly because of those that I love.

So thank you guys for the most amazing weekend of the summer! I love you all! Oh, and 19 days from today is when I go back!!!

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June 28, 2011 · 7:26 pm

My New Social Media Internship!

So I am sitting at the beach-side cottage my family is renting in Hanford Bay, New York with glorious weather, cool water, delicious food, and basic cable/limited Internet access (it’s always nice to take a break from the real world). I then receive an email saying “Congratulations!” I was told that I have been named a social media intern/staff writer for Misselle Public Relations and Entertainment Group!!

The company logo. I am so excited!

Misselle PR is a brand new public relations company that specializes in . I have been in contact with the company and their CEO, Noelle, via Twitter for a few months now. She is a very nice and smart person and it seemed like a great company. So when they mentioned they had internship openings specializing in social media (something that I have a HUGE passion for), I was excited to apply for the position.

According to the job outline I was informed of, I will be designing social media campaigns and strategies for new clients. I am very excited! I will be helping a fantastic upstart company succeed. I will gain experience in the workforce that I can be able to use in the future. It seems to be a win-win situation all around! I am so grateful that they have given me this amazing opportunity. Thank you so much Noelle!!

So here’s to the future. Let’s hope everything works out on all fronts. Thanks for stopping by! :)

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June 18, 2011 · 6:52 pm

A Day of CERT Training: A Tribute to my Dad

My father does quite a bit, to say the least.

Not only has be been a captain in the Buffalo Police Department for 25 years, he is the president of C.O.P. Solutions Inc (http://www.copsolutionsinc.com/) which provides emergency preparedness to area organizations. He also helps teach CERT classes, which stands for Community Emergency Response Team. It trains area citizens on how to help other people that may have been affected by disasters. In order to qualify to be part of the team, you need to attend five classes and on the last one, go through drills and a simulation of a disaster site.

One was held today at the Erie County Fire Training Center in Cheektowaga, New York. My brother just happened to be a “victim” (he pretended to be affected by the disaster) and I was in charge of setup.

My bro looks like he needs some help.

The CERT recruits were required to go to different stations and were asked how to handle the situation. Some, like my brother, were on the verge of death. Others were just slightly dazed. It was all up to the CERT member to determine what kind of state the victim was in.

Uhh... ouch

Me in a hazmat suit. Nbd.

All of the participants performed admirably under tense circumstances (they only had 10 minutes to attend to the victims). And it is VERY important in this day and age to have some level of knowledge of how to handle these sort of situations. With the tornadoes that have been striking the Midwest, the tsunamis occurring overseas, and earthquakes abound out West, people have to be called in to save those who are in trouble. Everyone needs as much help as they can get!

In honor of Father’s day this weekend, I thought I would write something that would show the world how amazing MY  father is. A man who would do anything for his family and his community, him taking the time out of his day to teach others how to serve is remarkable. He has done this his whole life. I know that without him, I would not even be close to the man I am today. God bless you Dad! I love you :)

From both of us, we love you Dad!

Oh, and if you are in the Western New York area and are looking to teach your community about how to handle emergency situations, visit his LinkedIn page (trust me, he is the best!)

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June 10, 2011 · 12:00 pm

Best Games From E3

At this time of year, the video game geek inside of me comes out. It’s E3, the biggest video game convention held annually out in California. And every year, I watch and drool at the fact that technology is being used to its fullest and the coolest games are being designed at this very moment. Everything, from action to sports to RPGs, all have the potential to be the next great game. So here were the games that got my serious attention this past week:

-Assassin’s Creed: Revelations: Ezio has been the parkour king of video game characters and it looks like it will continue in what seems to be the final installment of the very popular series. And if the trailers and sample game footage are any indication, the game will have what the fans have come to know and love and then some! The epic story is also bound to have a superb ending that will hopefully satisfy all of our wants. Why can’t it be here now?!

-Battlefield 3: I will admit it, I have never really been a fan of the Battlefield series. I have never been a fan of the gameplay and I have preferred other shooters over it (Call of Duty). But after viewing the various trailers, I can now say that might change. The first thing that struck me was the intense realism. When I first saw the action scenes, I jumped! Plus, the intensity with the style of movements looked good. Hopefully I can like this one as it gets closer to release and I am pleased.


-Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3: Yes, the trailer is not necessarily earth-shattering. But let’s face it, it is Call of Duty. I am going to buy it. You are going to buy it. Millions of other people are bound to buy it. Why? It’s realistic gameplay, simple controls, and addictive multiplayer. And this looks like it will do the same thing. The single-player campaign has a deep story about the U.S. being under attack and it looks so realistic, it is scary to think that is even possible. The multiplayer also looks just as fun. While it will have to compete with the new Battlefield, look for this to be extremely popular around the holiday season.

-Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: The game that my buddies back in “Party Quad” (some of my good friends at RIT) have been waiting for is soon on its way! And by the looks of the trailers, it looks like a gem. The previous versions are all beautiful and epic tales and this is exactly the same. The gameplay is similar to the previous games but with some added features (both 1st and 3rd person). When this bad boy hits shelves, I know the RPG fan is bound to pick it up!

-Gears of War 3: I have played the multiplayer beta and let me tell you, that plus what was shown at E3 blew me away and has me giddy with anticipation. The intensity that Gears has been known for is still present. The graphics are still as sharp as ever. The humor is still there. plus, the multiplayer present in the beta is GREAT. All in all, I cannot WAIT for this one to come out.

-Minecraft Kinect: I will admit, I got addicted to Minecraft for quite a while when I was back at RIT. Now that it is hitting consoles, the fun spreads to even more people! Using Kinect, Minecraft for XBOX will allow users to continue to build and mold expansive worlds that allow for hours of addicting fun. The downside I see to this is that it is for the Kinect and might be exclusive to only that so XBOX users may have to go out and spend money for that. But it looks like fun nonetheless.

-Rocksmith: Guitar Hero for people that actually know how to play guitar!! It has finally come. With Rocksmith, simply connect a guitar that has the ability to plug in to an amplifier into the cord that comes with the game and bam, you can use it as your controller. Notes and chords come across the screen and you strum the real guitar to hit the notes. Its difficulty is based on experience so depending on where you are, the game will fit where you stand. It is a great way to learn guitar and for the pros to show the world world what they have.

-Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time: Words cannot describe how excited I am for this one! The Sly Cooper series, specifically the second one, have been some of the best and most fun games I have ever played. I have been waiting for what seems like ages for a new release for the PlayStation 3 so when I saw the trailer, I became giddy. The gameplay does not look like it has changed (which is not a bad thing!) and the all-ages humor is still present. I look forward to getting this one right when it hits shelves.

-UFC Undisputed 3: I am a HUGE UFC fan. Despite its faults, UFC Undisputed 2010 is still one of my favorite games to break out when it is all said and done. So now that they are FINALLY releasing a new one, I got excited. There are going to be more fighters, the addition of more weight classes, and it gives the user the ability to use PRIDE style rules. For MMA fans around the world, if they can fix the online and not make it as annoying, this can be one great release!

-WiiU: Yes, the name may be stupid. Yes, the graphics may not be as good as what Sony or Microsoft put out. But come on! This is a breath of fresh air that looks AWESOME! An option where you can view your own personalized screen in the palm of your hand to prevent screen-watching is great. You can switch channels and still play your game. I know it’s going to get its fair share of garbage but again, the creative minds at Nintendo put out a hard-to-refuse product.

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May 30, 2011 · 12:00 pm

Memorial Day: A Day of Rememberance

Ah Memorial Day. The unofficial kickoff to the summer! It is a day to enjoy many things. For one, family barbecues are abound. People are calling over the family for some quality time together. If  it is a good day, then you also get work done around the house as a family. Also, and it is a new tradition for me, the MEN’S DIVISION 1 LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP is on! It is supposed to be a happy and relaxing day since there is no school and most workplaces are closed for the day.

However, while having all of that fun, we have to remember the reason why we honor this day. This day goes out to the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives in order to keep our freedom. From the beginning of the history of the United  States up to the present-day conflict in the Middle East against terrorism, our military gives their all just to make sure that threats to our values never have an impact. They are one of the primary reasons why America is THE greatest country on the face of this planet. Whether you are in favor of this current struggle in the Middle East or not, be pro-soldier, so those that risk their lives realize that the ones they are fighting for care for them. If you see someone in uniform, acknowledge them. Thank them for what they have done.

Remember why we celebrate today

Here is a prayer that I found online for Memorial Day (http://bit.ly/mayha2) and then troop tributes courtesy of Toby Keith and Five Finger Death Punch:

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we enjoy every day, we think of how they have followed in the footsteps of your son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Please hold our servicemen and women in your strong arms. Cover them with your sheltering grace and your presence as they stand in the gap for our protection.

We also remember the families of our troops. We ask for your unique blessings to fill their homes, and we pray your peace, provision, and strength will fill their lives.

May the members of our armed forces be supplied with courage to face each day and may they trust in the Lord’s mighty power to accomplish each task. Let our military brothers and sisters feel our love and support.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

God bless each and every single one of you on this day. Enjoy the holiday and pray for all of those still fighting to rid the world of terror. I love you all!

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