Final Fantasy... Finally

Sorry everyone, the draft has come and gone and you best be sured that I WILL give each NFL team their grade. But first I wanted to let you know that I started this blog as a class project for my Multi-Media Communications class. And in the class we were responsible for doing a featured article, podcast, and a vodcast. So I wanted to post those for you all to see and critique.

HE Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother

“The road is long, with many of winding turns

That lead us to (who knows) where, who knows where?

But I'm strong, strong enough to carry him - yeah

He ain't heavy - he's my brother.

So on we go

His welfare is of my concern

No burden is he to bear

We'll get there

For I know

He would not encumber me

He ain't heavy, he's my brother”

Those are the opening lines for the hit song most popularly performed by the Hollies, “He Aint Heavy, He’s My Brother.” For Thomas Bisogno these words were in his heart in 1985.

You see at the early age of twelve, Thomas’s younger brother, Michael, was diagnosed with a rare form of kidney disease. The disease also negatively impacted Michael’s blood pressure, causing him to develop hypertension. Since that point he had to take various types of medication to treat both of his conditions. Michael did, however, live a happy enough childhood, even after the illness; he played noncontact sports like softball, worked happily at the local Deli, played cards, spent Sundays watching major league baseball with his brother (Thomas), travelled to six flags and sporting events with his friends; he was no different than most other kids his age, except for his kidney issue.

It was at that point in 1985 when Michael’s kidneys finally gave out on him. Mrs. Bisogno (mother to both boys) mentioned to her eldest son, Thomas that Michael was in desperate need of a transplant for him to stay alive and Thomas preceded in doing what was needed for his brother without hesitation. He said to his mother that if he was a match, he would definitely volunteer for the transplant… and he was indeed a match.

It was on a Sunday at Albert Einstein Medical Center in the Bronx, that both Thomas and Michael were admitted. The surgery would be the next day and it was that night that Thomas laid on the hospital bed staring up at the off white ceiling of the room when he first felt anxiety. That off white ceiling was not just so, it was also a representation of the unknown that faced him in the following day; the questions, the doubts, the fear. But Thomas endured that night and came away more focused in his mission, understanding full well his own strength and understanding that Michael was NOT a burden, Michael was his brother.

Sadly though, Mrs. Bisogno, could not be there for her sons on the day of the transplant for she had passed away prior, but Thomas’s sacrifice meant that he was able to at least give life and love to his younger brother. As he was wheeled into the operation room Thomas’s doubts, his questions, his fears all once again flooded his head… and then he remembered his purpose and regained his calm. Thomas woke up after the procedure and spent the next seven days in the hospital occupied by the constant boredom of television reruns and old magazines on the night stand, while waiting for visitors to arrive. After his release from the hospital, for five weeks, he was off of work recovering. His brother Michael was not as fortunate and had to stay in the hospital for three months worth of old magazines and television reruns.

Michael lived for another four years after the transplant procedure took place, dying in 1989 at the age of only 24. His loss was a great loss for the Bisogno and extended family and all of Michael’s friends. But that lost was delayed, even if only for a short time, due in large part to Thomas’s efforts.

“If I'm laden at all

I'm laden with sadness

That everyone's heart

Isn't filled with the gladness

Of love for one another

It's a long, long road

From which there is no return

While we're on the way to there

Why not share

And the load

Doesn't weigh me down at all

He ain't heavy, he's my brother.”

Not everyone possesses the same courage that Thomas displayed when providing life for his brother, but we all have something that we can provide the people in our lives; no matter our race, sex, religion, or relation; we all were born with the capacity to love. When life challenges our morality to love, it is my hope that we are all able to rise above those challenges, but in the instance that we cannot, I hope that we may all remember Thomas’s example of courage and come to rise above our own strengths to love.

So the first round of the NFL draft has come to it's end game and I have to say, it was probably the most surprising and shocking draft that I've ever seen. Of course the first 6 picks started off as planned, with the only slight exception being the Chiefs taking Eric Berry as opposed to going offensive tackle.

So other than the Superbowl, the NFL has probably no greater event in its arsenal that attracts and excites its fanbase more than the NFL draft. The NFL's marketing department understands this and that is why starting this year the NFL has extended the length of its NFL draft. What used to be a weekend event that only die hard fans might spin the entire day watching, the NFL has shifted the event into prime time with the hopes of racking in Advertising dollars and increasing its relevance to casual fans.

So I was like umm... watching the playoffs and what do you know, I see their latest commercials (to see the other one click here) involving a repetition of words with a constant beat bouncing in the background of the video and I have to wonder whether the people who developed this commercial campaign weren't spending the vast majority of their time on failblog and youtube (which if they're a part of my generation, I'm sure they were.) But how about you decide...



Notice any similarities? You see, this is how I imagine the situation went down. We have our creative team (which consists of our copywriter and art director that make the ad) and they have a deadline that they have to meet. It's late, the coffee has run out, no more redbull in the mini-fridge, and the last five hour energy was consumed like.. five hours ago (wow... how doped up on energy were these two?). So our team is tired and they can't think of an idea and one says to another, "dude, let's like totally look at failblog to keep us up" and the other says back, "Good idea Jay, hey you remember that freakin sweet Ellis Lanksder video from a few months back? Was hilarious." and finally Jay says, "who?" So they both watch the video. And go back to their work and then WHAM! it hits Jay, "dude what if we like, had NBA players saying the same thing and stuff, no one would know the difference!" and his buddy exclaims, "Brilliant!"

You see, they didn't expect me to get to the bottom of this, but I did. And I'm bringing YOU, my oh so faithful blog readers, the scoop! Because that's how we roll. But anyways, moving on, be on the lookout for more posts than usual for this week. Not only do we have the NBA playoffs to occupy our minds, but someone (besides the millions of sports analysts throughout the world) HAS to bring you their opinion of the NFL draft. I'm sure you guys appreciated my flawless undercover reporting and are anticipating my playoff and draft breakdowns, but my final fantasy has passed... until next time.

When you're balling, biking, training, etc. just remember that you heard the secret here first! Launching a covert operation into the Nike facility I used my Jedi mind tricks to have that top Nike Executive reveal these secrets... seriously... well basically... okay, well I may have embellished the story a tiny bit.

But how about the ad, Nike continues to impress and add viral videos that serve two important functions 1.) the most important function for consumers, it entertains them and 2.) the second most important function for a company (the first being that the product sells obviously), it provides a unique selling proposition for Nike Air Sneakers. Just as Jordans aren't simply shoes that you wear when playing basketball, but rather shoes you wear when you "Want to be like Mike"; or like BMW isn't just a car but the "Ultimate Driving Machine"; or as I'm sure my lady blog readers will attest to Louboutins aren't just heels, the signature red soles scream "sexy" (and it better for someone crazy enough to spend $1000 for a pair.)

With this video Nike is telling us that "Nike Air" isn't simply some technology that makes you feel more comfortable when balling, training, biking etc. but that it has a greater value. Nike (as the video demonstrates) is taking the mystique (or "air") of its athletes and inserting it into its shoes. And the result is that you, me, and most everyone else will be more likely to buy their products to gain that "air" just like we were with "Air" Jordans... and that's my final fantasy... until next time.