Arcade Digital is proud to launch WWW.CFDBLAZE.COM

Posted on March 5th, 2010 by John Sostak

The CFD Blaze

The CFD Blaze are the Chicago Firefighter and Paramedics Football Team.  They play in the NPSFL, which is the National Public Safety Football League.  Arcade Digital is very happy to take their new site live.  Click here to experience the CFD Blaze.

Arcade focused on the user interface, and back-end functionality developing a very sophisticated content management system (CMS) and Wordpress blogging platform.  The site is an Arcade custom web design and user interface built open source with WP 2.9.  Although not completely populated, is still a fun site to visit.  Like the team, the website has a strong blue-color feel, and an intuitive navigation and user interface.

This site will be rich in media,  These guys are not only football players, but firefighters, so they have great media content and a fabulous story.   We wanted to make compelling galleries and video as accessible and easy to share as possible.

Marketing needs demand social media integration, and with compelling media, we can use social media websites and Internet sharing as a low cost marketing solution.  By using YouTube and Flickr, we have social media partners that also contribute to the reach of this first year football team.

The 2010 season will be the first year the Chicago Fire Department fields a team in the 14 year old NPSFL.  A 1st year not-for-profit is as; or more, challenging then a young entrepreneurial for-profit start up.  Arcade wants to make sure that the compelling message of the firefighters and paramedics that compete in the NPSFL is well spread online.

Each of the players, coaches and administrators in the NPSFL, and the CFD Blaze are volunteers.  No one involved in NPSFL Football receives a salary, and they play for charities.  The Chicago Fire Department charities include The Burn Camp, which is operated by the IFSA and has been renamed Camp I Am Me.  It is a summer camp for Illinois children that have been scarred, and is a place where these children can interact without feeling uncomfortable because of the injuries and scars they have sustained.

The CFD Blaze are also playing for the Gold Badge Society, and Ignite the Spirit.  Ignite the Spirit is a very high profile organization, responsible for the annual Chicago Firefighter Calendar as well as the annual Chicago Firefighter-Paramedic Ball.

The Blaze are playing their first official NPSFL Football game on April 10th in Chicago.  They CFD Blaze will be playing the seasoned CPD Enforcers.  The CPD Enforcers are the Chicago Police Department’s NPSFL team.  I am certain that from game one, this will be a fun rivalry.  They play each other in baseball every year, and it is a great game, held at Comiskey Park (US Cellular Field).  Keep track of the Blaze on their site.

Some modules that will be introduced on the Blaze site very soon will be the Blaze store, which will make posters and t-shirts available.  The current store link on the site is merely a redirect to the Ignite the Spirit website and store, which has a few Chicago Firefighter calenders remaining.

The Blaze site will also offer ticket sales.  They will play 2-4 Chicagoland area games annually, as well 2-3 road games.  Our online ticket process will make it easier to lock in game tickets.  The men are playing stadiums that will be crowded, so as family, friends and fans, we want to insure we are in the arena.  Online ticket sales also allows for more efficient Internet marketing, with clear conversion statistics, which benefits the club, and the charity.  To be able to clearly predict what a game or fundraiser will generate allows the CFD Blaze to more accurately sponsor charities in need of benefactors.

Arcade Digital is looking forward the CFD Blaze season, and I hope everyone who reads our blog commits to helping the newest team in the NPSFL and the Chicago Fire Department Charities.

Tags: CFD BLAZE, CPD Enforcers, flickr, football, Internet Marketing, NPSFL, social media, youtube

Super Bowl Saints vs Colts! Good enough excuse to put up a picture of Kim Kardashian & Reggie Bush.

Posted on February 7th, 2010 by John Sostak

Reggie Bush and Kim Kardashian, Reggie is famous for being a New Orleans Saints Running Back. What is Kim famous for?

Today is February 7th, 2010, which means we are all watching the Super Bowl 44 in Miami.  It is also an excuse to post a picture of Reggie Bush with his big bootied girlfriend, Kim Kardashian.  Another in the recent celebrity phenomenon of Hollywood women putting out a sex tape, and becoming famous for being famous, thanks to shitty reality TV.

The Indianapolis Colts are favored by 5 points over the New Orleans Saints.  The official line at the moment is the Colts -5 and the game total is 56 1/2, which is the highest over-under ever on a Super Bowl.

I became sick of the NFL entering the playoffs.  Teams like the New York Jets limped in because the Colts decided that an undefeated season doesn’t matter.  The Colts sat it’s starters against the Jets in week 15, which allowed the Jets to win.  This win eliminated teams, and kept the playoffs a possibility for the New York Jets.

The Super Bowl is an enormous media event, and everybody has plans for the game, and tomorrow an enormous percentage of our population will call in sick to work.  I am working at the firehouse, and a sick day is not an option as a Chicago firefighter, we don’t get them.  I take this as a sign to watch the game at home with my dogs.

I suspect the Colts will win and cover, but I will be rooting for the Saints.  I’m still disappointed the Bears lost to the Saints in Super Bowl 41, after a Devin Hester 91 yard kick return for a touchdown started the game, and gave the Bears a 7-0 lead.  Bears went on to lose 29-17, and the game wasn’t as close as the score makes it appear.

I am laying off the play, but will lightly tickle the over so I have a rooting interest.  Colts are better, but they have not been easy to bet on.  New Orleans Saints have an amazing offense, that was lucky to beat the Vikings to make it to this game.  The Saints defense, and the Vikings turnovers are why this team is on the field, instead of in the stands at Super Bowl 44.

One of the most annoying Super Bowl traditions is the halftime show.  The Who are performing, and I just need to say, so what!  I hate the halftime show.

So, beer and pizza are on the menu, and I hope the game is a shoot out.  As the Chicago White Sox broadcaster Ken “Hawk” Harrelson would say, “sit back, relax and strap it down.”

Tags: football, Kim Kardashian, Reggie Bush, Super Bowl

Alamo Bowl, Mike Leach, Adam James & Michigan State vs Texas Tech

Posted on January 2nd, 2010 by John Sostak

Coach Mike Leach formerly of Texas Tech University

I’m watching the Michigan State Spartans being dismantled by the Texas Tech Raiders in the Alamo Bowl, in San Antonio.  The Mike Leach firing may have created a slight bit of chaos for the Raiders, but it isn’t affecting the offense, 17-7 with 11 minutes left in the 2nd quarter.

I’ve seen Adam James on the sidelines, so he is no longer in the shed.  He isn’t wearing pads or playing, but he also isn’t wearing sunglasses.

The broadcasters and media are sort of overlooking the Michigan State Spartan drama.  They have suspended 14 players, reportedly for brawling.  For a 6-6 Big Ten team, 14 men short in San Antonio against Texas Tech, it is impressive to see how well they are playing, they just scored a touchdown, now it is 17-14.  The Big Ten has done well in the bowl games this year, so if this continues and Michigan State loses, the conference still looks great this year.

The Mike Leach story has been fascinating.  It is the drama of Adam James, son of Craig James, ESPN analyst vs. Coach Mike Leach.  The administration of Texas Tech may not be the biggest fan of Coach Leach, but they have not been able to make a change, or change his attitude, because his teams continue to win.  His offense has revolutionized football in the Big 12, and Texas.  Spread offense and air attacks are the reality of big time football, and Texas Tech epitomizes this.

Lincoln Riley was the wide receivers coach, and he is offensive coordinator in this bowl game.  He is a young man, and excited by the opportunity to move up.  He has also reported to the administration that Adam James has a bad attitude, and cannot be coached.  Adam is a child of privilege, a prima donna.  Football is a team game and players are considered soldiers, coaches are leaders.  Coaches are tough, they break players, then build them up, coach them up, so they work and are effective in the system the coach plays.

Coaches have 100 players they must evaluate, and organize.  Coaches do not coach around any one player, unless that player is Peyton Manning.  Coaches must mold players to play well in the role that is assigned to them.  Can Adam James fit in the system, without being a disruption to the team?  Is he an effective member of the team, or a key position player that the team must have to win?  Coach Leach and Coach Riley would be the people to ask, not the other players.

Some players have said that Mike Leach was too tough.  Some have said Adam should have been treated better.  Some coaches have said Coach Leach has done nothing wrong, and that Adam was treated fine.  This is he said, she said.  Mike Leach, Craig James, and the Chancellor of Texas Tech have all spoken on ESPN, and all of them are saying things that makes sense, and seem logical.

One thing does not seem logical to me:  Why won’t Mike Leach apologize to the school, and the program?  Why won’t Leach identify that all injured student-athletes are the responsibility of the trainer?  Comply with the request of his boss, the President of the University?

It has been reported Coach Leach was asked to write a memo that outlined injured players will be handled by the trainer, and he refused.  I firmly believe that two wrongs don’t make a right.  We all must answer to someone, including the Athletic Director and the Chancellor of Texas Tech.  If Coach Leach has become so insensitive to the components of the machine around him, it is time for him to move on.  His ego, or his inability to identify his responsibilities may change, on his way to his next job.

“If you keep trying to get even, you’ll never get ahead.”  Coach Lou Holtz

Tags: bowl game, football

Indianapolis Colts Demonstrate What is Wrong in Sports

Posted on January 2nd, 2010 by John Sostak

Last Sunday, all NFL fans thought they may see something special on television.  The Indianapolis Colts were playing the New York Jets, at Lucas Oil Field.  If the Colts win this game, they have won their 15th, and are within 1 of a perfect season.  The Colts pulled their starters after the first drive of the second half, up 15-10, and lost the game to a very bad offensive team, not because the Jets outplayed the Colts, but because the Colts gave up.

The Indianapolis explanation for giving up a perfect season was the need to rest the starters (uninjured) for the post season.  They claim this is to help them win a Super Bowl.

The Colts had a narrow lead, and the back-ups demonstrated how bad they suck.  I can see resting someone and letting a back up get some action in the last couple drives if you are up by 3+ scores.  Otherwise, every play of every game counts.

This was more pathetic the Allen Iverson whining about being benched because of showing up late to practice.  We’ve all heard the AI quote, “PRACTICE?  We’re only talking about practice.”

Gamblers have their own complaints, which are legit.  I want to look at this as a fan, and an advocate of the sport of football.  As a fan, we support our team, mine is the Chicago Bears.  We worship our team, and dream of a perfect season, capped off by a Super Victory.  The Bears almost did it in 1885.  We spend time and money on our team, and the NFL.  In return, all we ask is that they give 100% every year, every game, and every down.  We may want players and coaches replaced, but only because we want to win every game.

The fans that paid for tickets, parking, beer and food at that game were robbed.  The fans watching on TV wasted valuable time on a contest that was given to the Jets.  The fans of the NFL were shafted because the Jets were given a win, which hurts other teams in the hunt for a wild card playoff berth.  This is not the lesson we teach our children, who dream of playing in the NFL, and pretend to be Peyton Manning when they play catch at the park.

As an advocate of the sport of football, and the NFL, to blatantly lose a game calls everything that happens in every game into question.  Indianapolis hurt their fans, as well as the fans of teams like the Ravens, the Steelers, and every other AFC team that is competing for a wild card.  If obvious losses like this are allowed, the NFL will be considered as real as professional wrestling.  Does Vince McMahon have an ownership stake in the Indianapolis Colts?

Tags: football, NFL