RAMP-The Content Optimization Company

No, this does not have to do with how long your food is safe after it has fallen on the ground. The new “45 Second Rule” refers to the allowed length of video clips from team facilities that news stations and non NFL Web sites are allowed to play daily. With the increasing prominence of Internet video, sports leagues feel they must compete with media Web sites when it comes to attracting viewers and advertisers. While other major league sports may express their concern, the NFL has made football the only sport to impose such restrictions thus far.

As NFL spokesman Greg Aiello states in washingtonpost.com article “Under NFL Rule, Media Web Sites Are Given Just 45 Seconds to Score”:

“We have no interest in controlling or limiting what news Web sites do, except limiting the use of video that undermines our own Internet operations. We have important business interests on the Internet, and we have to be careful about that.”

Still, many fear that fans will miss out on valuable content under the new restrictions. Journalists certainly do not embrace the policy either, as evidenced by Houston Chronicle sports columnist John McClain’s video satire of the restrictions.

One of my colleagues recently shared with me a news article from the WSJ that puts into perspective how the internet, once again, creates a level-playing field for advertisers that want to reach the much desired Super Bowl viewer demographic without the need to take a second mortgage on your home to pay for the ad.

Which Super Bowl Ad do you think is the funniest?
Online web destinations like AOL, iFilm, USAtoday.com and Yahoo have taken Super Bowl commercials and created mini-websites that let online users view the Super Bowl ads, and vote for the one they think is the funniest or most memorable. If you stop to think for a moment, the likelihood that a person who watched the Super Bowl and missed an ad either because the hamburgers on the grill were catching on fire, or because the Pizza delivery guy arrived just at the moment the ad was about to be played, is actually pretty high. Thanks to the Web, these individuals will have a second chance to view the Super Bowl ads, and in the process, generate millions of online ad impressions that are ready to be filled with ads. As an advertiser who wants to reach the Super Bowl audience, but does not have the cash to dish out $2.6 million dollars for a 30 second spot (that’s what CBS is charging on Super Bowl XLI,) you can tap into the aftermarket. This is the golden opportunity you’ve been waiting for!

On the Web, the Super Bowls ads undergo a transformation, a virtual one at least, in that they go from being a 30 second spot and transform into online content that can be viewed and shared with millions of people online. So to think that you’ll be advertising on an advertisement is the wrong way to look at it. It is an opportunity that only comes once a year, and the best time to get into it is right after the big game has taken place, and a new team has been crowned as the champ of America’s newest and greatest past-time.

The first game of the NFL kicked off last night with the Dolphins vs. Steelers.  Although the polls predicted Miami to win, Pittsburgh came through with a triumphant victory of 28-17. 

Living in New England, it’s pretty hard not to have at least some idea as to what’s going on with football.  If you’re not particularly interested in it yourself, you probably still hear your co-workers, friends, family members, grocery bag boy or someone else talking about the Patriots.  Fans feel that it is the Pats’ year to win the title again.  I mean, they have won the Super Bowl three of the past five seasons.  They are bound to win it again soon.  Right?     

I myself am not a fanatic fan, but I do like to catch the highlights here and there, and with my busy schedule, it’s easier to listen to podcasts on the go.  I’ve included some of my favorite NFL ones below.

Sports Podcast Network – NBA, NFL, MLB, NASCAR, Boxing, Golf, Tennis, and More Sports Radio On Demand!
Around-the-clock sports coverage through blogs, podcasts and message boards.

Gridiron Grumblings Live! Football Show                                                                                        A live internet broadcast with Gridiron Grumblings and sidekicks Roy ‘The Instigator’ Cankosyan and John ‘Statmaster’ Rakowski.  Discusses news of the week in football, and provides some fantasy strategy, tips and more.  Airs live every Friday evening at 9:05PM ET.

The Fantasy Football Guys
Hosts in-depth discussions on the NFL in general, and Fantasy Football in particular.  

If you want to discover the most talked about teams and players or more podcast suggestions, visit PodZinger’s Zing Index at PodZinger. 

As Bostonians deal with the enormous hole in the ground—and headache—known as the Big Dig, smaller holes will be made in the earth across the pond this week.  The preeminent golfers of the world are now convening at the Royal Liverpool course at Hoylake, this year’s site for the oldest and most prestigious golf tournament, The Open. The British Open, as we Americans like to call it, has been the scene of amazing shots, incredible meltdowns and come-from-behinds for the ages.  This year’s contest—featuring the likes of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Colin Montgomerie—promises drama and all the fanfare of The Open, yet set on a course that hasn’t hosted the tournament since the late 60s.

Although Michelle Wie—the 14-year old phenom making waves on the LPGA and PGA tours—will not tee off this week at Royal Liverpool, she’s certainly the talk of sports podcasters out there. The FIX podcast takes up the debate on whether Michelle should be playing against the boys.

I did a quick search for golf on PodZinger and came up with quite a few items for those looking for interesting podcasts while waiting on the first tee.  For golfers looking for the basics—including tips for purchasing the right clubs to etiquette—try Golf for Beginners, or for those seeking to cure the slice with a bit of eastern culture, GolfingZen – The Podcast explores the mind of golfers and gives good tips for gaining focus and clarity on the course.

Boston’s Mayor Thomas M. Menino recently launched the city’s first podcast designed to share information on services and programs. The podcasts are around 13 minutes long and are released once a month.

According to the Mayor, a lot of people in the Boston community are already using iPods and portable MP3 players so podcasting will be a good way in reaching out and communicating with the young people.

In light of this, we thought it might be fun to showcase a few “homemade” Boston-made podcasts.

Boston Behind the Scenes
A podcast featuring the scenes and events of Boston.

Boston Geek
Geeky residents of Boston who sit around, drink beer, and ruminate on the topics of the day and share their thoughts on technology/gaming news.

Wicked Good podcast
Witty observations and wacky misadventures from the heart of New England.

Best Red Sox podcast
The state of the Boston Red Sox as described by three guys from Connecticut who have it all figured out.

Original Red Sox Podcast
Dante and Todd’s true labor of love, another year in the life of their beloved Boston Red Sox via a series of podcasts showcasing their take on the glory that is the Red Sox Nation.

Tomorrow is one of the biggest days in U.S. World Cup team history. After the loss to the Czech Republic in which the U.S. team appeared listless and apathetic, the team responded with an energetic and gutsy performance last weekend against Italy and managed a draw even though the team was down a man for the second half of the match.

For the US to advance we have to beat Ghana and hope Italy beats the Czechs. Let’s hope we hear the cry of “GOOOOOAAAAALLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!” early and often for the US on Thursday. I’m just a casual fan of soccer, but the World Cup manages to suck me in every time.

If you’re also hooked on the World Cup and wondering how you are going to juggle the 10:00 a.m. game with work, or are curious about how the rest of the world is experiencing the Cup, here are some Podcasts I’ve discovered that keep me up-to-speed on all the latest news and chat. The best part is I can enjoy them whenever I want and my co-workers think I’m listening to music on my iPod…

The World Soccer Daily Podcast is a syndicated show in the US on Sirius Satellite Radio and it does an excellent job of mixing daily highlights with amusing banter

If you are looking for soccer with more international flavor, check out this Spanish podcast which is all futbol, all the time. I’m not always sure what they are saying, but they certainly are excited.

Soccer Shout is based in the UK and comes with all the passion and intensity the Brits bring to the game. The episode discussing the U.S. match versus Italy is especially rousing.

With the excitement that accompanies the start of the Major League Baseball season each year, comes the opportunity monetize every aspect of the game. Sports betting is a huge business that focuses on separating fans from their money. Beating the book is a podcast series on the My Sports Radio site that gives opinions and insight into turning the national pastime into a personal profit (or loss) center.

This headline could describe me every time I play Project Gotham Racing 3 on my Xbox 360.  I do have the Enzo Ferrari, a $1+ million car, in my PGR3 Garage.  I still can’t finish a race without smashing it into a wall at high speed. 

But, alas, this story is about Swedish video game entrepreneur Stefan Eriksson, who started now-bankrupt Gizmondo.  Eriksson was driving on the Pacific Coast Highway when he slammed into a pole at 162 mph.  Eriksson told police that his German friend Dietrich was driving, but police noted that only the driver’s side airbag had blood on it and Eriksson had a cut lip.  Dietrich had “run away.”

Eriksson had also let his payments on his Enzo Ferrari, a $600k Mercedes, and one other car lapse after moving them from Britain, and was arrested and held without bail for Grand Theft Auto.

Note to Eriksson:  Don’t make up fake friend you tried to remember from SNL Sprockets (“Lieben meine Affe-monkey!”), don’t leave bloody evidence contradicting your story, don’t forget to make your car payments, and don’t try things you saw on Grand Theft Auto 3!

I’m not the biggest hockey fan, but Richard Zehnal’s NHL results, news and rumors is not to be missed. While the information is very matter-of-fact, Richard’s delivery is not. I can’t begin to guess his native tongue, but he clearly knows how to talk hockey.

* This is how PodZinger accurately interpreted one of Richard’s statements.

On my way into work today, I heard a news story about the lost productivity that will be experienced by companies with distracted employees talking about March Madness and figuring out their betting pools.  After reading Barbara’s blog entry today, I decided to try to find that news clip in PodZinger because I couldn’t remember the exact number.  So I typed “march madness lost productivity” and lo and behold, it came up with the dollar figure in the snippet in the first and third entries, both from CNN.  The figure that CNN is using is 3.8 billion dollars of lost productivity!  So I guess everyone will be standing around the water cooler or blogging .