Fantasy Sports on MySpace? Why not!?

I am on MySpace, and was wondering why there is not a Fantasy Sports application. There are groups, but no official applications. The thrill of fantasy is that you play against your friends. It just seems logical that if MySpace is a medium in which you can communicate with close ones, then this should be offered. Fantasy sports is a rapidly growing industry, and it is highly popular among young people. MySpace would be breaking into a major market segment that could reap huge returns. No doubt they would have to use an ambidextrous model, so that the Fantasy Sports team is in sync with the other groups, but they will have direction and guidance in their own area.

Also, there is a general sentiment that MySpace is for younger users, while Facebook is more appropriate for college students. Why not jump on people when it is early?

How has someone suprised me today - Part 1 - Monday March 2nd

Today, one of my students really surprised me. I teach math at a local elementary school on Mondays, and I have been working to teach one of my students, Mitchell, how to carry and borrow when adding and subtracting. For a few weeks, we had been stuck in confusing carrying and borrowing. However, the first time I ask him to do a problem, he got it right! Of course, it was mostly because of hard work on his part, but I think doing examples with him about things he likes (such as video games, cartoons, etc.) helped him to learn faster. This is just another example that creativity can lead to great things. I had a goal that I wanted Mitchell to know fully how to add and subtract large numbers, and I used a mix of ideas and examples from different areas to help him learn.

New Idea for T-shirt

One more path cropped up in my intersection for the T-shirt idea. In addition to featuring basketball, I could also do famous boxing matches. The idea would be to find great shots in black and white, so that they would have a vintage appeal.
I have never seen this before. However, for this idea, I think I would have to figure out how to legally use pictures because some of them are so old. That could pose a challenge.

National Society of Black Scientists and Engineers Organization Structure

With today's discussion about ambidextrous organizations, I thought about how this could be applied to an issue I have with one of my organizations, the Society of Black Scientists and Engineers. The issue is that it is difficult to get freshmen and seniors deeply involved with the organization. I believe a good idea would be to have a focus group in this area, that work to find creative ways to include freshman in activities and how to address why senior participation tails off, and what we can to fix it. In this case, however, I think it would be best to have a cross functional structure so that everyone on the executive board knows what is going on. The ambidextrous structure would also cause some overlap because for certain positions, such as treasurer, it is best that there remains one for unity across the organization.

Just a Thought from Today's Class

Today's discussion about the Lumen and Absorb teams helped me recall my first job. My first job was at Luby's Restaurant, a restaurant chain in Texas. As in the typical first job, you might not like what you are doing much, but it helps to have friendly people working around you and a helpful, supportive manager. However, my manager was quite the opposite. He was not supportive, never communicated with any of the employees, and harshly criticized employees for their mistakes. This did not create a positive atmosphere, and as a result, there was an extremely high turnover rate, high absenteism, and declining performance. Soon, my manager was replaced with someone who was a better people person and promoted a really enjoyable atmosphere. As a result, most of the original issues went away.

Improvement to Sabermetrics

Sabermetrics is a process used by sports general managers, particularly in baseball and basketball, in which statistics are used to make personnel decisions. This has been effective, as it allows a team to acquire undervalued players, keeping their payrolls small. However, I think this process could be improved with some of the concepts we have learned in class. Team chemistry is largely ignored by sabermetrics, and we have learned that it can be crucial to a team's success. If a team is not able communicate and do not feel comfortable with each other, it is a recipe for disaster. Also, general managers have to ensure that they don't have an overload of talent in one area. The team should consist of players that have unique domains of skills. This would inhibit the possibility that the team is overly strong in certain areas but weak in others.

Teams - A Context That Works for Me

This week we learned about the necessary conditions for a successful team. The team activity was great but I wish we had more time to bond as a team. I think we would have been more successful.



When thinking of teams, I try to apply it to a context I know and love, basketball. A team consists of usually 10 to 15 players. This makes it really easy to get to know your teammates, and everyone is liable for their play. Otherwise, they will be cut from the team. Also, different players usually have different areas of expertise. Some players might be better shooters and offensive players, while others are better defensive players. And yet, some players are meant to be leaders. With all of these forces combined and a bit of chemistry, you have a successful basketball team.