Winning is overrated

It's US Open week which also means its Father's Day weekend.  The best players in the world will gather at Pinehurst this weekend, the greatest Dad's in the world will spend time with their families, some in front of the television.

In golf, every shot counts.  We don't really recognize it until the tournament or round is over and then we reflect on all the shots that were left out there.  In life, every day counts as a Father.  I wouldn't know but I'm pretty sure it's the truth.  I'm sure Father's second guess some of their decisions every day, just like golfers do.

This past weekend I had a reunion with my longstanding partner in the Member-Guest golf tournament at Meadow Springs.  We haven't played together in a few years, but some things never change.  We still laugh at the same things, we still have our routines that will probably never change.

Although we finished 2-2-1 in our matches, it was a lot better than that.  We only finished two points behind the winners.  We lost the two matches only by one hole, and we tied the second to the last match to the eventual champions by bogeying the last hole.  In golf we call it halving a match.

We should have beat them but who cares.

Winning is overrated in sport, it really is.  Winning is when you know you've given it your all, you haven't left anything at the plate, and hopefully you've made an impact on someone.  Sometimes the ball just doesn't bounce or roll our way, but at the end of the day if we've done the best we can, we are leaving an impact on someone.  We may not know it, but we are.

So happy Father's Day to all the Dad's out there.  

You are winning every day.

Thank you Mom on your birthday

Today is a special day.  It's my Mom's birthday.  She's the one that raised me, never missed one of my sporting events including swim meets, soccer, baseball, basketball, football, we played golf together, and we went to breakfast together.   We traveled all over the northwest to swim meets, a memory I will never forget.  She took me skiing, and chaperoned in ski school, and I think she did so she could be there if I needed her for anything.

She was always there but always made sure she wasn't on the same ski bus as me, which probably was a good thing.

She made my ski sweaters, hemmed all my pants and slacks, and even took in clothes that were too big for me because I was such a little guy growing up.  She sewed the binding on all my wife's quilts, something Kathy talks about all the time.  She always had tapioca pudding waiting when we visited her. She took care of our dog Boogie every day when we commuted to Bellevue from North Bend.

Almost two years have gone by since she passed away and I feel her spirit every day.  As I sit here in our lovely little place in Manson, I can't forget all the fun times we spent here growing up at nearby Wapato Point.  Mom loved being here.  It is one of the main reasons we invested here, it is my "happy place".

During the holidays she always wanted to stay out of the way because she was so considerate.  She wanted to make sure everyone else was doing what they wanted to do.  We would try to include her in the gatherings at other places but she never wanted to go.  She just didn't feel it was her place.

Today, in her honor, we are going to go pick out a tree, decorate it, and celebrate our first Christmas in Manson.  It's very quiet here, but I feel her spirit loud and clear.

Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday Mom.

The Domke Lake Dream

I have great memories here.  You never forget the times you had when you were in your early teens.  Especially when you were hanging out with your childhood mentor, and of course catching fish.

Nestled in the hills above Lake Chelan 45 minutes south of Stehekin lies a remote little lake.  Unknown to most of  the outside world, it's known for its great fishing, picturesque setting, and of course history.  Domke Lake is a dream for the angler who enjoys catching trout, many of them carryovers.


 The fires of 2007 all but destroyed most of the main campground here, but hopes are that it will reopen in a couple years.  It's devastating to look at with all the shags, the main reason why they don't want people camping here.   My wife and I explored around a little while our friends were out fishing, and it wasn't too easy getting around climbing all the logs and downed trees trying to find the main trail.

When you first start the hike from Lucerne Landing off Lake Chelan you really don't know where you are going, or what you might find.  The trail is filled with switchbacks, rugged forest, and views of Lake Chelan to die for.  There's many folks that have made it a tradition to make annual trips here.  I made my first excursion when I was in my early teens, and it was a trip I will never forget.

The area didn't appear quite the same this time around, probably because 40 years is a long time.  A hermit was living here then, it is now managed by a man named Sid, a slim, soft and well spoken man who obviously knows the terrain.  He rides his Honda 110 down the trail once a week on Fridays to retrieve his mail from the Lucerne dock that is one of the stops to Stehekin for the Lady of the Lake.  He keeps himself busy every day, whether he's working on a log hauling project, or chopping wood in preparation for the harsh winter that lies ahead. 

There's no shortage for finding something to do.  You can tell Sid keeps himself in shape, you won't find much excess body fat on this man.

We had the entire lake to ourselves except for a couple Forest Service people who were working on a trail that was washed out nearby.  When we spoke with them you could tell they had a long day and were ready for dinner and a good night's sleep.  I learned their job isn't as glamorous as I once thought it might be.

So the next time you see a forest service person, give them a big thanks.  They deserve it.

Why ad agencies aren't going anywhere

Years ago I bought a car at University Chevrolet in Seattle.  I was enamored by all the trophies in the salesperson's office and for the life of me couldn't figure out what his secret was.  He must have been salesperson of the month and salesperson of the year one hundred times.  He was very unassuming, but obviously got the job done when it came to closing deals.

As time passed I realized in a hurry why he was so successful.  For the next 15 years or so I got a hand written birthday card from him every year.  Somehow he found me even though I had moved several times.  

He made it easy to want to do business with him.

This is also true with the job of an advertising agency.  Our job is to make things as easy as possible for the clients to get their message out in the most efficient manner.   I often refer to it as taking the headache off their desk, and doing it in an objective way.

Good agency people look at the brand the way the consumer looks at the brand.  Not the way the company looks at the brand.  Advertising is taking the client's marketing strategy and transforming it into consumer messages, in the simplest way possible.  Marketing is very similar.  It is taking the consumer's wants and needs and converting it into a marketing strategy.

The only thing that really matters is putting aside the biases, and getting inside the mind of the consumers.  One of the biggest advantages of agencies is they can play dumb.  In other words, they can be more objective and throw aside the biases.  That's why agencies are going to be with us for a long time in spite of the fact that clients could do their own advertising.

In my experience sometimes clients feel obligated to conduct business based on relationships that may not be the best use of marketing resources for the company.  Agencies have the ability to place the advertising so the dollars are spent in the most efficient way.

At the end of the day, an agency is an ideal organization to serve as the eyes and ears of the client.  Once the goals and marketing plans can be determined, then the client is in a much better position to focus on what's really important, the management goals and the vision of the company.

My tribute to the #Dawgfather

First of all, before you read on it's important for you to know a few things.  I am a Cougar through and through.  I met my wife in Pullman.  I went to WSU because they have arguably the best communications school in the west.  Some of my Cougar friends probably will have a problem with some of the things I will say here but I don't care.  A tribute is a tribute, especially when it's well deserved.

_________________________________________

I grew up small, with red hair,  and I loved all sports.  I especially loved football, and when I was real young I was a pretty decent player, but I was a lot smaller than the rest of the guys.   I always wanted to be a Husky, but knew deep down it would never happen.   I used to sit and wait for the paper to come so I could read about the Huskies and their next opponent.   Growing up east of Lake Washington the Huskies were the biggest show in town, and I knew all the stats, all the players numbers, and where they were from.  This was long before the Seahawks and Mariners, and of the course we already had the Sonics, who I miss dearly.  I was lucky enough to go to all the Husky games by boat from Meydenbauer Bay in Bellevue.  When the boat arrived at Husky Stadium we walked across the hundreds of boats tied together pre-functioning before the game, we listened to the alumni band, and we watched the crew raise money for the storied program by hauling some people to land on a zodiac.  We sat in the horseshoe end of the stadium.  It wasn't uncommon to sit through the entire game in the rain.  It also wasn't uncommon for the Huskies to lose too, frequently.

Until Don James arrived at Montlake.

Don who?  That was a lot of people's responses when he was hired out of Kent State to become the Huskies' coach on December 23, 1974.  I remember vividly because it was my Mom's birthday.   This kid was lucky enough to go to all the games with my Dad and Grandparents from 1968-1981. I didn't miss a home game. I saw it all, and I saw them all, many already inducted into the Hall of Fame;   OJ Simpson, Anthony Davis, Billy Joe Dupree, Otis Armstrong, James Loften (the best receiver I ever saw by the way), Lynn Swann, Jim Plunket, Randy Vataha, Tony Dungy,  Dan Marino, and a little guy named Sonny Sixkiller, to name a few.  I even knew the 'Ballad of Sonny Sixkiller' and I still do.   "Three yards and a cloud of dust" was the slogan during the Jim Owens' era.   The season ticket holders behind us were awful.   There wasn't one positive thing that came out of their mouths, ever.  They hated Jim Owens.

Their dream came true when Don James showed up on the shores of Lake Washington.  So did Rob Weller and the "wave".

The Huskies went 6-5 his first year.  More fans were showing up.  They booed Harold Warren Moon when he played quarterback but for some reason Don James stuck with him.  A former quarterback himself, I guess he knew something.

He certainly did.

When players walked into a team meeting with Coach James you could hear a pin drop.  I know that because many of my friends played for him.  He had an open door policy but very seldom did anyone go in to his office because they were so intimidated by him.  He was the Dawgfather.

When the Huskies were behind you just knew they would come back and win, somehow, some way.  Only able to muster up 3 first downs against Oregon in 1979, they came back and won on a Mark Lee punt return with 2 minutes left in the game.

It was a typical Don James win.  Ball control, defense, and the kicking game coming up with a big play at the end of the game. Oh, the James Gang kicking game was second to none.

In 1981 I went back to school at Washington State University to pursue my dream of being a sportscaster and I became a big time Coug fan.  I remember vividly an Apple Cup game in Martin Stadium while I was there. It was 1982 I believe.   Don James always walked the entire field before games, sideline to sideline.  His attention to detail was amazing.  Some stupid student threw an apple at him.  He reached down, picked it up and took a bite out of it.  That's what rivalries are all about.  Coach James was sending a message to that student, and his friends if he had any.  I remember James saying he was a 200 point underdog to his good friend Jim Walden.  His sense of humor was priceless.  He once said every Cougar he ever met had a lot of character, "because they learned not to expect much".

We really don't.

________________________________________________

Early in my professional career as Sports Director at KNDU TV I covered the 1988 Apple Cup game in Pullman.  Typical of small market television, my good friend Dave Meany and myself were fighting battery problems the entire game and stressing that we wouldn't have enough life for the post game interview that both of us were so excited for.  We were complete wrecks, welcome to broadcasting.   It was our chance to interview the legend.  The Cougs won 32-31 under the gutty leadership of WSU Quarterback Timm Rosenbach.   We were in a hallway waiting for James to come in for post game interviews.  Legendary broadcaster Bruce King of KOMO TV was there and it was a given that he would get the first question.  When the door opened and James entered the hallway there was dead silence in the room.  You could see the devastation on his face, he was drained as well.  You knew how important it was for him to win that game.   I finally got my chance and I asked him about the play of Rosenbach, who was obviously banged up pretty good during the game but was able to finish.  "Coach James, I'm curious on your thoughts of the play of Timm Rosenbach who was obviously hurt during the game, that was a pretty gutty performance, don't you think?"  I knew I wouldn't have many chances with this guy so I wasn't going to hold back.

 "Maybe you should ask him", James replied.

Maybe I shouldn't have worn the Cougar hat.  End of interview.  This was the guy I looked up to for so many years.  I walked away humbled but realized, what a stupid question.

I interviewed him many times, most of them during my tenure at Northwest Public Radio, and KNDU TV.  He was always so cordial, and always picked up his phone when I called him.  He never once denied an interview.  He was only interested in the details of college football, and he didn't like to talk about players.  It was always about the team.  He became uncomfortable when you would single out any one player.  He once said he liked to put in the third string because "the players realize why they are third string".

I will always have the deepest respect and admiration for Coach James and what he accomplished at the University of Washington.  In college one of my most difficult tasks and biggest challenges was a persuasive speech I had to give in one of my classes.  I had to convince my fellow WSU classmates that Don James was the best football coach in America.

As time went on, I didn't have to convince anyone.

My tribute to the Dawgfather.

Small is beautiful

Small is beautiful.  That was the message from Dan Wieden at the recent Ad Age Small Agency Conference in Portland, Oregon.  Wieden is the co-founder of Wieden+Kennedy, one of the premier ad agencies in the world, and a little sneaker company called Nike was one of their first clients.

As we roll through the summer and September approaching, I can't think about how I used to wish the weeks went by fast, and now I'm hoping they would just s-l-o-w down.

As larger agencies continue to flounder and "wobbling around like drunkards", according to Wieden, smaller agencies can smell the blood in the water.  There's so much opportunity out there, we just have to find it.

And sometimes they find us.

If you are checking out this site to see what Mooreshots is all about, "small is beautiful" is a good way to describe us.  We consider ourselves a boutique agency.  We concentrate on one-on-one attention with our clients and there's no surprises.  Whether you are struggling to make a name for yourself, or maybe just get back on track, you might want to think about going small.  Nothing replaces efficient, one-on-one attention with your clients and partners.

Take it from the man who knows, Dan Wieden.  Wieden+Kennedy has eight offices across four continents and he would give anything to be small again.

__________________________________

Dan Wieden remembers when he was working for George-Pacific, a conservative paper products company.  He did everything he could to get fired because he didn't have the guts to quit. When it finally came to fruition he said he felt like a total failure.  After sitting in his car for about an hour pondering what he was going to do with his life, he decided to go home.  When he arrived his wife was folding diapers in the laundry room.  They had two small children and another one on the way. Without turning around she asked him how his day went.  "They fired my ass", he said.  "Well, something will turn up",  It was then that Wieden decided she could have anything she wanted for the rest of her life.

Those words changed his life and gave him permission to fail.

Today, "Fail harder" is the theme at Wieden+Kennedy.  Wieden remembers two young, creative women he hired at his firm who were so intimidated by the company atmosphere that they wouldn't even leave their office.  He told them they weren't any good to him unless they failed twice.  Wieden encourages his people to walk in stupid every morning.  The saying is scattered all over the Wieden+Kennedy office.

When asked about his biggest accomplishment to date he hesitated and said it had to be the Just Do It campaign for Nike.  He remembers traveling to Europe a couple weeks later and people were already sporting the tee shirts.

Following his keynote, a young aspiring ad agency executive asked him how long he stays excited about a successful campaign,"The glow for me lasts about an hour", he said.  Dan Wieden wishes he was small again.

Small is beautiful.

Happy Father's Day Dads

US Open weekend is big in a lot of ways.  The best players in the world gather at an extremely severe golf course trying to win one of the most coveted trophies in all of sport.  The USGA always sets up the course so pars are extremely good.  Birdies are few and far between.  And it's all about making a bunch of par putts from 8-10 feet to save your round.

And it usually happens on Father's Day weekend.

This is the weekend I always got phone calls from my Dad.  His commentary was always better than any of these guys on the Golf Channel or NBC.  He would bring up things these guys wouldn't even think about.   It's a perspective that was always one of a kind, just like my Dad.

It's a perspective that's definitely missed.

Happy Father's Day to you and yours.