Monday, September 16, 2013
The New Home of the Digital Drifter
The Digital Drifter has moved! To keep up with the latest news and posts from The Digital Drifter, please visit www.seanwinnett.com.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Does Boise State Still Have a Chance at the BCS?
Hello All,
While I was not able to keep up with writing as much as I would have liked to over the past few months, I can say that it has been an exciting time, full of interesting projects, some crazy college football, and good times mostly all around. While my Boise State Broncos suffered a heartbreaking defeat at home against the TCU Horned Frog just a few short weeks ago, the season is not lost as some may believe. In fact, I think that Boise State losing on the Blue has summed up this college season farily appropriately. LSU is now the sole standout, the team to beat. With teams like Boise State, Oklahoma and Oregon losing at home in recent weeks, the BCS is falling into utter anarchy. A few more upsets and we may have the season that pushes the BCS into implementing a playoff of some sort.
There is still a ton of football to be played in the next week, and a lot could happen. An at-large bid for the Bronocos isn't even totally out of the question. Here are a few of the things that need to happen for Boise State to claim one of the few coveted at-large bids.
- Notre Dame needs to upset Stanford
- Virginia needs to upset Virginia Tech
- Oklahoma needs to beat Oklahoma State in the Bedlam Game
- Georgia needs to Upset LSU in the SEC Championship Game
- Auburn needs to beat Alabama in the Iron Bowl
While not all of these are likely, and in fact, most of them probably won't happen, it would absolutely help the Broncos' chances of making it to the BCS. Most likely of these to happen is Virginia beating Virginia Tech and going to the ACC Championship game to face the Clemson Tigers. Least likely is Auburn upsetting Alabama in the Iron Bowl. But like always, anything can happen in a rivalry game.
If we do make the BCS, expect to see us once again in Glendale, taking on the winner of the Bedlam Game, either the Oklahoma Sooners or the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
Here's to a few more weeks of college football, and to one of the craziest seasons I've been lucky enough to watch. As always, Go Broncos!
While I was not able to keep up with writing as much as I would have liked to over the past few months, I can say that it has been an exciting time, full of interesting projects, some crazy college football, and good times mostly all around. While my Boise State Broncos suffered a heartbreaking defeat at home against the TCU Horned Frog just a few short weeks ago, the season is not lost as some may believe. In fact, I think that Boise State losing on the Blue has summed up this college season farily appropriately. LSU is now the sole standout, the team to beat. With teams like Boise State, Oklahoma and Oregon losing at home in recent weeks, the BCS is falling into utter anarchy. A few more upsets and we may have the season that pushes the BCS into implementing a playoff of some sort.
There is still a ton of football to be played in the next week, and a lot could happen. An at-large bid for the Bronocos isn't even totally out of the question. Here are a few of the things that need to happen for Boise State to claim one of the few coveted at-large bids.
- Notre Dame needs to upset Stanford
- Virginia needs to upset Virginia Tech
- Oklahoma needs to beat Oklahoma State in the Bedlam Game
- Georgia needs to Upset LSU in the SEC Championship Game
- Auburn needs to beat Alabama in the Iron Bowl
While not all of these are likely, and in fact, most of them probably won't happen, it would absolutely help the Broncos' chances of making it to the BCS. Most likely of these to happen is Virginia beating Virginia Tech and going to the ACC Championship game to face the Clemson Tigers. Least likely is Auburn upsetting Alabama in the Iron Bowl. But like always, anything can happen in a rivalry game.
If we do make the BCS, expect to see us once again in Glendale, taking on the winner of the Bedlam Game, either the Oklahoma Sooners or the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
Here's to a few more weeks of college football, and to one of the craziest seasons I've been lucky enough to watch. As always, Go Broncos!
Friday, June 24, 2011
Boise State 2011 Schedule Breakdown Part 2
Well, at this point the Broncos are sitting at a likely 6-0. This is not without some very hard fought battles, and potentially some very close games. With the most difficult game of the season ahead, Boise State still has a long road to travel.
Here is my breakdown for the second half of the Broncos 2011 season -
• Air Force at Boise State - Saturday October 22nd, 2011 – 1:30 PM
Boise State continues Mountain West play against the Air Force Falcons. Air Force looks very stacked going into this season, and I project they will finish 3rd in the conference, behind Boise State and TCU. The Boise State defense should be strong enough to hold the Air Force’s Triple Option at bay.
My Prediction – Boise State 35 – Air Force 14
• Boise State at UNLV - Saturday November 5th, 2011 – 7:30 PM
UNLV is a team that hasn’t faired well in Mountain West play over the past few years. Boise State should be familiar with the territory playing in the Las Vegas Bowl last year. The fact this is an away game shouldn’t prevent Boise State from winning big.
My Prediction – Boise State 42 – UNLV 7
• Texas Christian University at Boise State - Saturday November 12th, 2011 – 1:30 PM
This is the one that all of Bronco Nation is waiting for. In what is the biggest game to happen on the blue in recent memory, Boise State and TCU will go at it more time. This will be the only meeting Boise State and TCU will have as members of the Mountain West, as TCU will depart for the 2012 season to the Big East. Boise State and TCU are 1-1 in their last two meetings, both of which were defensively charged battles at were decided by one score. Don’t expect anything different this time around. Even though both teams have lost some strong players, expect new talent to prove themselves on both sides of the ball for both teams. This will be the Bronco’s biggest test in the 2011 season. However, without Andy Dalton at the helm, I expect TCU to fall a bit short in this trip to Boise.
My Prediction – Boise State 21 – TCU 17
• Boise State at San Diego State University - Saturday November 19th, 2011 – 4:00 PM
After a close win against TCU, Boise State has another challenge. This time it is a trip to San Diego to play the Aztecs of San Diego State. Expect a good matchup, as SDSU will put up a fight. However, with the loss of a few key players and their coach from last season, Brady Hoke, San Diego State won’t quite be able to contain the Broncos.
My Prediction – Boise State 38 – San Diego State 17
• Wyoming at Boise State - Saturday November 25th, 2011 – 12:00 PM
Sitting at 10-0 by this point, Boise State has but two games standing between them and a likely bid to a BCS game. If the cards were to play out like last season and Boise State can win out, there is a good shot at the big game. This has been the storyline going into the season for the past few years, and it has not come to pass. Wyoming will not pose a threat against Boise State, and the Broncos will roll onto 11-0.
My Prediction – Boise State 42 – Wyoming 3
• New Mexico at Boise State - Saturday December 3rd, 2011 – 4:00 PM
At the end of the season, Boise State could not have a better way to finish out Mountain West play. The New Mexico Lobos will fall as the Broncos continue on towards the BCS.
My Prediction – Boise State 35 – New Mexico 10
There you have it! 12-0 would be a great way to finish out the season, with a more than likely BCS bowl bid. This season is going to be our toughest in years, and we have some very solid opponents throughout. The toughest games this season being against Georgia, TCU, Tulsa, and Air Force.
There are many things that can change as the season goes on, and in College Football, anything can happen. But with a lot to prove going into the Mountain West and a very strong team, Boise State should finish strong.
Stay tuned for more once the season begins!
Here is my breakdown for the second half of the Broncos 2011 season -
• Air Force at Boise State - Saturday October 22nd, 2011 – 1:30 PM
Boise State continues Mountain West play against the Air Force Falcons. Air Force looks very stacked going into this season, and I project they will finish 3rd in the conference, behind Boise State and TCU. The Boise State defense should be strong enough to hold the Air Force’s Triple Option at bay.
My Prediction – Boise State 35 – Air Force 14
• Boise State at UNLV - Saturday November 5th, 2011 – 7:30 PM
UNLV is a team that hasn’t faired well in Mountain West play over the past few years. Boise State should be familiar with the territory playing in the Las Vegas Bowl last year. The fact this is an away game shouldn’t prevent Boise State from winning big.
My Prediction – Boise State 42 – UNLV 7
• Texas Christian University at Boise State - Saturday November 12th, 2011 – 1:30 PM
This is the one that all of Bronco Nation is waiting for. In what is the biggest game to happen on the blue in recent memory, Boise State and TCU will go at it more time. This will be the only meeting Boise State and TCU will have as members of the Mountain West, as TCU will depart for the 2012 season to the Big East. Boise State and TCU are 1-1 in their last two meetings, both of which were defensively charged battles at were decided by one score. Don’t expect anything different this time around. Even though both teams have lost some strong players, expect new talent to prove themselves on both sides of the ball for both teams. This will be the Bronco’s biggest test in the 2011 season. However, without Andy Dalton at the helm, I expect TCU to fall a bit short in this trip to Boise.
My Prediction – Boise State 21 – TCU 17
• Boise State at San Diego State University - Saturday November 19th, 2011 – 4:00 PM
After a close win against TCU, Boise State has another challenge. This time it is a trip to San Diego to play the Aztecs of San Diego State. Expect a good matchup, as SDSU will put up a fight. However, with the loss of a few key players and their coach from last season, Brady Hoke, San Diego State won’t quite be able to contain the Broncos.
My Prediction – Boise State 38 – San Diego State 17
• Wyoming at Boise State - Saturday November 25th, 2011 – 12:00 PM
Sitting at 10-0 by this point, Boise State has but two games standing between them and a likely bid to a BCS game. If the cards were to play out like last season and Boise State can win out, there is a good shot at the big game. This has been the storyline going into the season for the past few years, and it has not come to pass. Wyoming will not pose a threat against Boise State, and the Broncos will roll onto 11-0.
My Prediction – Boise State 42 – Wyoming 3
• New Mexico at Boise State - Saturday December 3rd, 2011 – 4:00 PM
At the end of the season, Boise State could not have a better way to finish out Mountain West play. The New Mexico Lobos will fall as the Broncos continue on towards the BCS.
My Prediction – Boise State 35 – New Mexico 10
There you have it! 12-0 would be a great way to finish out the season, with a more than likely BCS bowl bid. This season is going to be our toughest in years, and we have some very solid opponents throughout. The toughest games this season being against Georgia, TCU, Tulsa, and Air Force.
There are many things that can change as the season goes on, and in College Football, anything can happen. But with a lot to prove going into the Mountain West and a very strong team, Boise State should finish strong.
Stay tuned for more once the season begins!
Sunday, June 19, 2011
And now for something completely different. Boise State 2011 Schedule Breakdown Part 1
It’s never too early to start getting excited for college football. With the state of the NFL questionable at best right now, college football may be our only outlet for football this year; and I’m as excited as could be. The Boise State Broncos face a number of difficult opponents this year, and if they can win out, have a better chance of playing in the big game than ever. The Broncos are shaping up to start the polls in the top 15, though I predict we break the top 10 by the time the initial polls come out. I will be breaking down each game, as well as giving my early predictions.
So lets get started!
• Boise State at Georgia (Neutral site) – Saturday September 3rd – 6PM
The opening game of the season is in the Georgia Dome against the Bulldogs from Georgia. Don’t let their somewhat lackluster season last year fool you, this is shaping up to be a great game. Similar to the Broncos, the Bulldogs are led by a strong quarterback in Aaron Murray. They start without their star Wide Receiver from last year, AJ Green, who went to the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round of this year’s NFL Draft. This will be a battle, and I feel that it is on par with last years opener against Virginia Tech. Should be a shootout, but never bet against the Broncos when they have months to prepare.
My Prediction – Boise State 34 – Georgia 24
• Boise State at Toledo – Saturday September 17th – 6PM
The Toledo Rockets are an opponent we have faced a few times in the past, with the Broncos dominating last year in Boise. I had the pleasure of attending that game as a student last fall. Toledo faired decently in the MAC conference last year, but still was left out of the MAC championship thanks to the dominant Northern Illinois.
My Prediction – Boise State 45 – Toledo 17
• Boise State vs. Tulsa – Saturday September 24th – 6PM
The Tulsa Golden Hurricanes absolutely dominated the Hawaii Warriors in last year’s Hawaii Bowl. This is the game that I really got to see what Tulsa was all about. They possess a very potent offense, with a somewhat middle of the road defense, especially for competition is Conference USA. Tulsa is currently my way too early pick to take the Conference USA championship this year. Look out, this one might be a whole lot closer than everyone expects. Look for Boise to take it in a close one.
My Prediction – Boise State 42 – Tulsa 35
• Boise State vs. Nevada – Saturday October 1st – 6PM
This is the rematch that every Bronco is waiting for. However, this is not the Nevada team that finally took down the Broncos last year and ended their hopes of making it to another BCS Bowl game. Without Colin Kaepernick at the wheel, I don’t see the Wolfpack even putting up a fight this year. Look for a blowout in Boise.
My Prediction – Boise State 48 – Nevada 13
• Boise State at Fresno State – Friday October 7th – 7PM
Last year the Broncos shut out the Bulldogs in Boise. I don’t expect that to happen again this year, as Pat Hill and his Fresno State Bulldogs play a whole lot different when playing in Bulldog Stadium. The Broncos should win comfortably, but look for Fresno to put up a fight early.
My Prediction – Boise State 35 – Fresno State 17
• Boise State at Colorado State – Saturday October 15th – 4PM
Boise State opens up Mountain West play at Colorado State. For our first official Mountain West game we play against a perennial MWC bottom dweller. Look for this one to be over quick.
My Prediction – Boise State 49 – Colorado State 14
This concludes the first half of my predictions for Boise State in the 2011 season. At this point the Broncos should be sitting at 6-0, with three tough games sitting in front of them. Look for the second half of my predictions coming soon.
So lets get started!
• Boise State at Georgia (Neutral site) – Saturday September 3rd – 6PM
The opening game of the season is in the Georgia Dome against the Bulldogs from Georgia. Don’t let their somewhat lackluster season last year fool you, this is shaping up to be a great game. Similar to the Broncos, the Bulldogs are led by a strong quarterback in Aaron Murray. They start without their star Wide Receiver from last year, AJ Green, who went to the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round of this year’s NFL Draft. This will be a battle, and I feel that it is on par with last years opener against Virginia Tech. Should be a shootout, but never bet against the Broncos when they have months to prepare.
My Prediction – Boise State 34 – Georgia 24
• Boise State at Toledo – Saturday September 17th – 6PM
The Toledo Rockets are an opponent we have faced a few times in the past, with the Broncos dominating last year in Boise. I had the pleasure of attending that game as a student last fall. Toledo faired decently in the MAC conference last year, but still was left out of the MAC championship thanks to the dominant Northern Illinois.
My Prediction – Boise State 45 – Toledo 17
• Boise State vs. Tulsa – Saturday September 24th – 6PM
The Tulsa Golden Hurricanes absolutely dominated the Hawaii Warriors in last year’s Hawaii Bowl. This is the game that I really got to see what Tulsa was all about. They possess a very potent offense, with a somewhat middle of the road defense, especially for competition is Conference USA. Tulsa is currently my way too early pick to take the Conference USA championship this year. Look out, this one might be a whole lot closer than everyone expects. Look for Boise to take it in a close one.
My Prediction – Boise State 42 – Tulsa 35
• Boise State vs. Nevada – Saturday October 1st – 6PM
This is the rematch that every Bronco is waiting for. However, this is not the Nevada team that finally took down the Broncos last year and ended their hopes of making it to another BCS Bowl game. Without Colin Kaepernick at the wheel, I don’t see the Wolfpack even putting up a fight this year. Look for a blowout in Boise.
My Prediction – Boise State 48 – Nevada 13
• Boise State at Fresno State – Friday October 7th – 7PM
Last year the Broncos shut out the Bulldogs in Boise. I don’t expect that to happen again this year, as Pat Hill and his Fresno State Bulldogs play a whole lot different when playing in Bulldog Stadium. The Broncos should win comfortably, but look for Fresno to put up a fight early.
My Prediction – Boise State 35 – Fresno State 17
• Boise State at Colorado State – Saturday October 15th – 4PM
Boise State opens up Mountain West play at Colorado State. For our first official Mountain West game we play against a perennial MWC bottom dweller. Look for this one to be over quick.
My Prediction – Boise State 49 – Colorado State 14
This concludes the first half of my predictions for Boise State in the 2011 season. At this point the Broncos should be sitting at 6-0, with three tough games sitting in front of them. Look for the second half of my predictions coming soon.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
"All Night: The Movie"
Last night I had the privilege of attending the premiere of "All Night: The Movie" at the Egyptian Theater in downtown Boise. The film was created by Jacob Lyman and Kyle Sutton, and was filmed in Boise, Idaho with a budget of around $8000. I have known Kyle for some time now, and have seen this project grow. Congrats to both Kyle and Jake on a job very well done.
"All Night" follows a group of party minded youths on an adventure that takes them down many crazy paths. What surprised me most about this film was how well it captured the essence of Boise. It may just be because I knew a random handful of individuals involved (many that I knew from outside the movie, and was surprised to see included). If you have not lived in Boise, you cannot truly appreciate the "big small town" feel that it has. It seems impossible to go out and not bump into people that you know, and this film seemed to really represent that well.
I have not had many experiences within the "no budget" (films under $25,000) community, however I feel that this is a great outlet for aspiring film artists. Much work was put into this project, and it was shot over the coarse of two summers. All of those involved did it for the good of the project, and it is very apparent that all those involved cared about creating something special.
I look forward to seeing more projects from these two, and hope that "All Night" sees more showings and hopefully a spot in a film festival or two.
"Kyle Sutton (Writer, Producer) and Jake Lyman (Writer, Director)
Check "All Night: The Movie" out on Facebook here.
"All Night" follows a group of party minded youths on an adventure that takes them down many crazy paths. What surprised me most about this film was how well it captured the essence of Boise. It may just be because I knew a random handful of individuals involved (many that I knew from outside the movie, and was surprised to see included). If you have not lived in Boise, you cannot truly appreciate the "big small town" feel that it has. It seems impossible to go out and not bump into people that you know, and this film seemed to really represent that well.
I have not had many experiences within the "no budget" (films under $25,000) community, however I feel that this is a great outlet for aspiring film artists. Much work was put into this project, and it was shot over the coarse of two summers. All of those involved did it for the good of the project, and it is very apparent that all those involved cared about creating something special.
I look forward to seeing more projects from these two, and hope that "All Night" sees more showings and hopefully a spot in a film festival or two.
"Kyle Sutton (Writer, Producer) and Jake Lyman (Writer, Director)
Check "All Night: The Movie" out on Facebook here.
Post Grad
Well, Graduation from Boise State has come and gone. As most of those in my situation, the number one priority is now on the job hunt. I have focused my job hunt on Advertising, Public Relations, Marketing, and Web based firms here in Boise. It feels like such a big step going from student to a career, but it is one that I am very ready for. Freelance work was fun for awhile, and I will continue to do a bit more work if the right projects present themselves.
One thing that I have always wanted to focus more on is the Digital Drifter. Trying to find the time and the correct focus for this blog has been something that was far more difficult than I ever expected.
One thing that I have always wanted to focus more on is the Digital Drifter. Trying to find the time and the correct focus for this blog has been something that was far more difficult than I ever expected.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
The New Face of the Digital Drifter
Hey all,
So much has changed since our last meeting! I am now a member of the freelance community! That means that I got laid off and am exploring my many options of what I can do with my life for the last semester that I am considered an Undergrad. I love it! I get to work from home, usually my couch, which has been a dream of mine since I was but a youth. But seriously, I am actually enjoying it and it is panning out which is always a plus. I have two steady clients in my first month and a half of doing this gig and I have two more on the horizon.
Now you may be asking, what exactly do you do? I am a freelance social media and public relations consultant; though I have primarily been working in the social media realm. I create and manage social media accounts for businesses. This means that I am the one putting together Facebook and Twitter accounts, as well as blogs for a company. I actually think I found the job that I was born to do. It gives me plenty of time to manage my life around my work; I get plenty of time for the gym and for my friends and I get to work at my convenience. I love it. Seriously though, have I said it enough yet?
As always, much to come. I have many new ideas that I can actually work on now that I am not taking 19 credits and working in an office. So, let's see if I can make some use of this newly found free time. Thanks for tuning in - I hope you will check back.
Eternally yours Internet,
The Digital Drifter
So much has changed since our last meeting! I am now a member of the freelance community! That means that I got laid off and am exploring my many options of what I can do with my life for the last semester that I am considered an Undergrad. I love it! I get to work from home, usually my couch, which has been a dream of mine since I was but a youth. But seriously, I am actually enjoying it and it is panning out which is always a plus. I have two steady clients in my first month and a half of doing this gig and I have two more on the horizon.
Now you may be asking, what exactly do you do? I am a freelance social media and public relations consultant; though I have primarily been working in the social media realm. I create and manage social media accounts for businesses. This means that I am the one putting together Facebook and Twitter accounts, as well as blogs for a company. I actually think I found the job that I was born to do. It gives me plenty of time to manage my life around my work; I get plenty of time for the gym and for my friends and I get to work at my convenience. I love it. Seriously though, have I said it enough yet?
As always, much to come. I have many new ideas that I can actually work on now that I am not taking 19 credits and working in an office. So, let's see if I can make some use of this newly found free time. Thanks for tuning in - I hope you will check back.
Eternally yours Internet,
The Digital Drifter
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Musings of a PR student
Summer Vacation - something that I have not truly gotten to enjoy in years. I start summer school in a month, but until then I have absolutely nothing scheduled. I am a recently laid off PR student who graduates in December - and I have no idea what to do with my time. I am starting to look into freelance work and maybe an agency or two that I could apply at, but until then, for the first time in awhile, I am just a normal twenty-something.
The reason that this is such a big deal, as most would not consider it to be so, is that I was really "comfortable" in my lifestyle. I love school (shocking, I know), I loved my job, and I loved where I was heading. I guess it was a necessary reality check going into my final semester at school that you never really have everything figured out. Though I am sad to leave agency life behind me for at least the time being, I realize that it happened and I must move on. Everything happens for a reason, even though it may not always be the reason we want it to be. I recently was given a bit of advice that really struck something in me, and that is that there is only one thing you can be sure about life, and that is that it goes on.
And that is what I am doing at this juncture, I am going on with life in the best way that I know how. So, while I am left at a crossroads, I know only that I will move forward, never back. I have come a long way in my time at Boise State University; I found passion, hope, and a lust for life. I will not lose these things, I will embrace them. Here is once again, to the next step - wherever it may take me.
The reason that this is such a big deal, as most would not consider it to be so, is that I was really "comfortable" in my lifestyle. I love school (shocking, I know), I loved my job, and I loved where I was heading. I guess it was a necessary reality check going into my final semester at school that you never really have everything figured out. Though I am sad to leave agency life behind me for at least the time being, I realize that it happened and I must move on. Everything happens for a reason, even though it may not always be the reason we want it to be. I recently was given a bit of advice that really struck something in me, and that is that there is only one thing you can be sure about life, and that is that it goes on.
And that is what I am doing at this juncture, I am going on with life in the best way that I know how. So, while I am left at a crossroads, I know only that I will move forward, never back. I have come a long way in my time at Boise State University; I found passion, hope, and a lust for life. I will not lose these things, I will embrace them. Here is once again, to the next step - wherever it may take me.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Another excuse as to why I am a horrible blogger
Once again I find myself trying to explain why it has been so long since I have updated. I keep asking myself why I do not just make the time to update, as I have so many ideas for posts that I would like to share with you.
For the first time in my life, I can legitimately say that I have not a minute of free time, and when I do, I feel like doing nothing except kicking back on the couch and playing some Call of Duty. As the semester draws closer to a close, I can feel myself preparing for a greater change than I am ready for. My long semesters of 19 credits and working are about over. I am 14 credits away from a degree, and the key to move past this time and into the next phase of my life.
Who knows what lies upon the horizon? So many decisions to be made over the next 8 months, and all will be monumental. The only comparison I have was the last semester of High School. Things seemed like they would change so much, and they did, but in the most amazing ways that I could never have imagined. Here is to the next step -- may it bring as much amazing change and positive influence on my life as the previous steps have.
Legitimate updates to follow - until then... enjoy the ride my friends ;)
Sean
For the first time in my life, I can legitimately say that I have not a minute of free time, and when I do, I feel like doing nothing except kicking back on the couch and playing some Call of Duty. As the semester draws closer to a close, I can feel myself preparing for a greater change than I am ready for. My long semesters of 19 credits and working are about over. I am 14 credits away from a degree, and the key to move past this time and into the next phase of my life.
Who knows what lies upon the horizon? So many decisions to be made over the next 8 months, and all will be monumental. The only comparison I have was the last semester of High School. Things seemed like they would change so much, and they did, but in the most amazing ways that I could never have imagined. Here is to the next step -- may it bring as much amazing change and positive influence on my life as the previous steps have.
Legitimate updates to follow - until then... enjoy the ride my friends ;)
Sean
Monday, February 8, 2010
Saints, Snowboarding, and a few minor house cleaning issues.
Once again it has been too long my friends. Hello again and welcome to my little corner of the internet. How have you been? We've missed you!
First things first - I would like to say congratulations to the New Orleans Saints! Superbowl 44 Champions! The Saints had me a bit scared going into the second quarter, but by the start of the second half (well after that amazingly executed onside kick), I was content that Brees and the rest of the Saints could put this one away. Anyone else glad to see pro teams take chances like the Saints did last night? Made me think of something Boise State might attempt. Fun fact though, last nights onside kick to start the second half was the first onside kick attempted before the 4th quarter ever in Superbowl history. Big call, big payoff. That is what the game of football is all about!
In an attempt to start doing more during the winter, I went (read: attempted) snowboarding up at Bogus Basin for the first time in years yesterday prior to the Superbowl. For never really knowing how to snowboard (I think I am truly a skier at heart) I think I did OK by the end of the day. I am feeling it today, but there were a few times yesterday that I really started to have fun. This was, of course, in between some of the hardest crashes I have had doing anything in awhile. It was totally worth it though, and I may even attempt to go up again next weekend. A few pictures from snowboarding yesterday are posted in my Flickr feed - check them out!
In the craziness that is 19 credits at Boise State and work three days a week at Drake Cooper, I really haven't been able to blog much lately. I have been learning so much that I want to share with you all, and I feel that I am finally moving towards a point where valuable content will be available readily through this blog. It's coming soon - I promise! I really do enjoy posts like this though, as it gives me a chance to share a bit of Boise life with the rest of the world.
In my last note of the day, I would like to acknowledge some major changes that are coming. My group: the people I live with, I party with, and do pretty much everything else with is coming into a great deal of change. Josh is deploying to Afghanistan, Anthony is moving home, and Mat is in a similar place I am. I have been living with my best friends for the past 4 years now (has it really been that long???). I just want to say thank you to everyone - It's not goodbye by any means. Josh will be back in a year, and I will still see Anthony and Mat. It is just an odd change to note, as this may be one of the most significant events in my life since I moved in with Josh and Mat almost half a decade ago.
I look forward to the turns that life will take, and I hope that the next 5 years will be as absolutely amazing and influential as the past 5 have been.
Cheers! And I will see you all soon.
Sean
First things first - I would like to say congratulations to the New Orleans Saints! Superbowl 44 Champions! The Saints had me a bit scared going into the second quarter, but by the start of the second half (well after that amazingly executed onside kick), I was content that Brees and the rest of the Saints could put this one away. Anyone else glad to see pro teams take chances like the Saints did last night? Made me think of something Boise State might attempt. Fun fact though, last nights onside kick to start the second half was the first onside kick attempted before the 4th quarter ever in Superbowl history. Big call, big payoff. That is what the game of football is all about!
In an attempt to start doing more during the winter, I went (read: attempted) snowboarding up at Bogus Basin for the first time in years yesterday prior to the Superbowl. For never really knowing how to snowboard (I think I am truly a skier at heart) I think I did OK by the end of the day. I am feeling it today, but there were a few times yesterday that I really started to have fun. This was, of course, in between some of the hardest crashes I have had doing anything in awhile. It was totally worth it though, and I may even attempt to go up again next weekend. A few pictures from snowboarding yesterday are posted in my Flickr feed - check them out!
In the craziness that is 19 credits at Boise State and work three days a week at Drake Cooper, I really haven't been able to blog much lately. I have been learning so much that I want to share with you all, and I feel that I am finally moving towards a point where valuable content will be available readily through this blog. It's coming soon - I promise! I really do enjoy posts like this though, as it gives me a chance to share a bit of Boise life with the rest of the world.
In my last note of the day, I would like to acknowledge some major changes that are coming. My group: the people I live with, I party with, and do pretty much everything else with is coming into a great deal of change. Josh is deploying to Afghanistan, Anthony is moving home, and Mat is in a similar place I am. I have been living with my best friends for the past 4 years now (has it really been that long???). I just want to say thank you to everyone - It's not goodbye by any means. Josh will be back in a year, and I will still see Anthony and Mat. It is just an odd change to note, as this may be one of the most significant events in my life since I moved in with Josh and Mat almost half a decade ago.
I look forward to the turns that life will take, and I hope that the next 5 years will be as absolutely amazing and influential as the past 5 have been.
Cheers! And I will see you all soon.
Sean
Monday, December 28, 2009
Justarant (yes, a rant)
As this blog slowly drifts to a place that actually has meaning and is not just the rants and raves of a student in Boise, I find that the real world seems to change with it. As I find purpose in this grand theater that we call life, so much changes. In the next few months, my whole life is going to be flipped upside down. Currently, I am living with three of my best friends, and have been for years now. As circumstances would have it, this is all coming to a crashing halt in the months to come.
Not only am I completely occupied with school and work, (as I should be, I am getting close to graduation; it's crunch time!) but I am losing one of my best friends for a year as he is deploying to Afghanistan. This is not the entire reason for everything breaking apart either. One of my other roommates is moving in with family, and the other is yet undecided. This leaves me in a peculiar situation, where for the first time in years I am looking for a roommate who is not someone in my very close group of friends.
In any case, this is a time that really snuck up on me. It seems that for so long it has been me and this very tight knit group, and now for some reason everything feels as if it will never be the same again. It is a scary, yet very liberating feeling. This will give me the opportunity to really focus on school and my career, as I need to at this very important section of my life. I expect the next year to be a great one, even though some of the people who I have shared every experience with in the past years will not be present. I look forward to next semester, and I look forward to furthering myself as a student and a professional.
Have a safe and happy holiday season everyone, I'll be back soon - I promise :)
Not only am I completely occupied with school and work, (as I should be, I am getting close to graduation; it's crunch time!) but I am losing one of my best friends for a year as he is deploying to Afghanistan. This is not the entire reason for everything breaking apart either. One of my other roommates is moving in with family, and the other is yet undecided. This leaves me in a peculiar situation, where for the first time in years I am looking for a roommate who is not someone in my very close group of friends.
In any case, this is a time that really snuck up on me. It seems that for so long it has been me and this very tight knit group, and now for some reason everything feels as if it will never be the same again. It is a scary, yet very liberating feeling. This will give me the opportunity to really focus on school and my career, as I need to at this very important section of my life. I expect the next year to be a great one, even though some of the people who I have shared every experience with in the past years will not be present. I look forward to next semester, and I look forward to furthering myself as a student and a professional.
Have a safe and happy holiday season everyone, I'll be back soon - I promise :)
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Tumbling back to Tumblr
I discovered Tumblr quite some time ago when it was brand new. It was a site that I created an account for, and set up direct updating from Twitter, FaceBook, and my Blog. I then completely forgot about it! It just didn't offer what I was looking for at the time. This was about the point in my life where I was engulfed with Twitter and this blog didn't exist yet. If my memory serves me correctly, this was also the time I was discovering public relations - but that story is to be saved for another day.
I recently have rediscovered Tumblr and I am very impressed. I had almost completely forgotten about it, but I was linked to a friends Tumblr account through their Twitter. When I when to their Tumblr profile I was in shock at how different it was than I remembered. It has evolved into a very functional, user friendly social media platform. I will be playing around over the next few days, trying to discover what else Tumblr has to offer - If you are on Tumblr, you should add me! My Tumblr URL is - http://seanwinnett.tumblr.com/.
Also, if you have any fun thoughts or cool applications for Tumblr, let me know! I want to hear all your cool uses for this very cool site!
Sean
PS - I LOVE the way that Tags are done for this site :) - Very impressive guys.
I recently have rediscovered Tumblr and I am very impressed. I had almost completely forgotten about it, but I was linked to a friends Tumblr account through their Twitter. When I when to their Tumblr profile I was in shock at how different it was than I remembered. It has evolved into a very functional, user friendly social media platform. I will be playing around over the next few days, trying to discover what else Tumblr has to offer - If you are on Tumblr, you should add me! My Tumblr URL is - http://seanwinnett.tumblr.com/.
Also, if you have any fun thoughts or cool applications for Tumblr, let me know! I want to hear all your cool uses for this very cool site!
Sean
PS - I LOVE the way that Tags are done for this site :) - Very impressive guys.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Looking Forward
With yet another semester coming to a close, I am extremely looking forward to the one month break that is only days away. I have actually managed to finish up all my projects and papers, and only have one final left, which is not until Thursday. Next semester is looking to be just as busy as this semester was, if not even more. I am set to take 19 credits next semester, including classes such as PR Writing, Reporting and News Writing, Advanced Studies in Media, Mass Communications and Democracy and a few other upper division Comm classes that I have left to take before I graduate.
Another change for next semester is that I am now the Project Manager for the Boise State chapter of PRSSA. I think this will be one of the more fun aspects of next semester, and I am really looking forward to another great semester in PRSSA. We have a really great group of members, and I believe that we will have a lot of fun next semester.
Looking forward to it!
Sean
Another change for next semester is that I am now the Project Manager for the Boise State chapter of PRSSA. I think this will be one of the more fun aspects of next semester, and I am really looking forward to another great semester in PRSSA. We have a really great group of members, and I believe that we will have a lot of fun next semester.
Looking forward to it!
Sean
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Promotional Public Relations
Once again the semester is winding to a close. WIth finals quickly approaching, my free time is dwindling away. Haven't had a bunch of time to post lately, but trust me when I say more is to come. Christmas break will be a great time for me to do a bit of catching up with the thingsin my life that I have fallen a bit behind with. In the meantime, please watch this awesome video we made in my promotional public relationsclass last week. We had 25 minutes to concept a video for YouTube and then shoot it, and I think it turned out pretty good. It's about going green and encourages college students to recycle.
More to come in the upcoming weeks, I promise :) Good luck with finals everyone!
Sean Winnett
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Leadership in Public Relations - PRSSA National Conference 2009
Hello All,
I recently had the amazing opportunity of attending the PRSSA (Public Relations Student Society of America) National Conference in San Diego, CA. The conference was a great place for students to connect with other students and professionals in the industry, as well as to get a better feel for where PR is at and where it is going. There were many workshops that I attended, but I am going to focus on two of my personal favorites from the event.
The first workshop I attended was "A View From the Top: How to stand out as a young professional". This workshop was lead by Ron Culp and Kevin Saghy from Ketchum PR. This was a great presentation in my opinion because it gave both an upper and lower management view of young professionals coming into the field of PR. They posed four questions, and then gave the responses that they received from both upper and lower management across many different agencies and corporations.
The four questions they asked were:
1. How can young talent stand out in your organization?
2. What example comes to mind of a young professional who advanced quickly in your organization, and why have they done so well?
3. How can/have employees hurt themselves by trying to raise their profile?
4. If you could anonymously say one sentence to your junior staff, what would it be?
There were many responses and quotes given for each question, so I will briefly go over the most common and relevant responses.
1. How can young talent stand out in your organization?
Senior Management - They show initiative, and they are a team player.
Junior Staff - They go the extra mile, and they show a positive attitude.
2. What example comes to mind of a young professional who advanced quickly in your organization, and why have they done so well?
Senior Management - They know the business, they show quality work, engage us with intelligent ideas, and they go the extra mile.
Junior Staff - Quality work, they present smart ideas, they work hard and they are willing to explore new learning opportunities.
3. How can/have employees hurt themselves by trying to raise their profile?
Senior Management - They should not seek credit all of the time, or follow own agenda instead of the agenda of the team.
Junior Staff - Don't throw co-workers under the bus, and don't skip the tactical work. The ones who succeed are the ones who do not have a sense of entitlement.
4. If you could anonymously say one sentence to your junior staff, what would it be?
Senior Management - What are you doing to prepare yourself for the next level? There is not a bad idea in a brainstorming session.
Junior Staff - Become known for your willingness to take on the most challenging, difficult assignments no matter how big or boring. Be the 3 C's: current, curious, and creative!
I have about 10 pages or so worth of notes from this seminar, as I felt they addressed a lot of the prominent questions a young professional has when going from college into the "real world". I also had the opportunity to stay after the seminar with about five other students to hang out and talk with Kevin and Ron for about 40 minutes. This was where the real insights came out, and allowed for some great one on one discussion about how the industry is evolving and where they feel it is going from here.
The other event I am going to talk about was the speech given at the PRSA National Conference by Arianna Huffington of the Huffington Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/)Arianna was a great speaker, and had some great insights on the industry. The most important piece of information she shared I felt was how drama is a necessary component in the news and in public relations. This is the driving force behind passion, and getting people to care about what you have to say.
Arianna Huffington speaking at the PRSA National Conference in San Diego, CA
Overall, I would say this was an amazing conference where I had the opportunity to meet a bunch of students and professionals in the field and get some great insight on how Public Relations is changing. Since the day I started at Drake Cooper, I have witnessed a passion and desire to always be ahead of the game by everyone here in the shop. This conference strengthened my view on how important this fact is not only for young professionals going into the field, but for professionals already in the public relations field, and any field for that matter. This drive to always improve ourselves, our work, and Drake Cooper in general is what will keep us ahead of the game in years to come! Thanks guys :)
Sean Winnett
I recently had the amazing opportunity of attending the PRSSA (Public Relations Student Society of America) National Conference in San Diego, CA. The conference was a great place for students to connect with other students and professionals in the industry, as well as to get a better feel for where PR is at and where it is going. There were many workshops that I attended, but I am going to focus on two of my personal favorites from the event.
The first workshop I attended was "A View From the Top: How to stand out as a young professional". This workshop was lead by Ron Culp and Kevin Saghy from Ketchum PR. This was a great presentation in my opinion because it gave both an upper and lower management view of young professionals coming into the field of PR. They posed four questions, and then gave the responses that they received from both upper and lower management across many different agencies and corporations.
The four questions they asked were:
1. How can young talent stand out in your organization?
2. What example comes to mind of a young professional who advanced quickly in your organization, and why have they done so well?
3. How can/have employees hurt themselves by trying to raise their profile?
4. If you could anonymously say one sentence to your junior staff, what would it be?
There were many responses and quotes given for each question, so I will briefly go over the most common and relevant responses.
1. How can young talent stand out in your organization?
Senior Management - They show initiative, and they are a team player.
Junior Staff - They go the extra mile, and they show a positive attitude.
2. What example comes to mind of a young professional who advanced quickly in your organization, and why have they done so well?
Senior Management - They know the business, they show quality work, engage us with intelligent ideas, and they go the extra mile.
Junior Staff - Quality work, they present smart ideas, they work hard and they are willing to explore new learning opportunities.
3. How can/have employees hurt themselves by trying to raise their profile?
Senior Management - They should not seek credit all of the time, or follow own agenda instead of the agenda of the team.
Junior Staff - Don't throw co-workers under the bus, and don't skip the tactical work. The ones who succeed are the ones who do not have a sense of entitlement.
4. If you could anonymously say one sentence to your junior staff, what would it be?
Senior Management - What are you doing to prepare yourself for the next level? There is not a bad idea in a brainstorming session.
Junior Staff - Become known for your willingness to take on the most challenging, difficult assignments no matter how big or boring. Be the 3 C's: current, curious, and creative!
I have about 10 pages or so worth of notes from this seminar, as I felt they addressed a lot of the prominent questions a young professional has when going from college into the "real world". I also had the opportunity to stay after the seminar with about five other students to hang out and talk with Kevin and Ron for about 40 minutes. This was where the real insights came out, and allowed for some great one on one discussion about how the industry is evolving and where they feel it is going from here.
The other event I am going to talk about was the speech given at the PRSA National Conference by Arianna Huffington of the Huffington Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/)Arianna was a great speaker, and had some great insights on the industry. The most important piece of information she shared I felt was how drama is a necessary component in the news and in public relations. This is the driving force behind passion, and getting people to care about what you have to say.
Arianna Huffington speaking at the PRSA National Conference in San Diego, CA
Overall, I would say this was an amazing conference where I had the opportunity to meet a bunch of students and professionals in the field and get some great insight on how Public Relations is changing. Since the day I started at Drake Cooper, I have witnessed a passion and desire to always be ahead of the game by everyone here in the shop. This conference strengthened my view on how important this fact is not only for young professionals going into the field, but for professionals already in the public relations field, and any field for that matter. This drive to always improve ourselves, our work, and Drake Cooper in general is what will keep us ahead of the game in years to come! Thanks guys :)
Sean Winnett
Monday, October 26, 2009
The new ROI (Return on Influence)
I recently stumbled across this video on YouTube from Digital Royalty (Their channel can be found here, and their homepage here) showing their method of social media measurement.
Key Performance Indicators (KPI) :
Digital Royalty recommends picking at least two KPI's from each of the following categories for social media measurement.
Digital Royalty's ROI (measuring social media) -
Once again, please send anything that you guys run across related to social media that you find interesting my way. Thanks!
Sean Winnett
Key Performance Indicators (KPI) :
Digital Royalty recommends picking at least two KPI's from each of the following categories for social media measurement.
- Volume - This includes number of fans or followers, tweets per minute (TPM), trending topics, etc. Anything that represents reach and frequency.
- Engagement - ReTweets, subscribers, sentiment, comments, "likes" on FaceBook, etc. Things that people are using to "spend time" with your brand.
- Conversion - Click through, leads generated, sales. Anything showing activity and action.
- Cold (engagement metric)- (Reach x Frequency) / Time Spent
- Hot- Sentiment and Ecosystem size
Digital Royalty's ROI (measuring social media) -
Once again, please send anything that you guys run across related to social media that you find interesting my way. Thanks!
Sean Winnett
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
How Public Relations Has Taken Over My Life
Hello all,
I have tried many very random ideas with this blog, and rest assured more randomness will follow. Lately however, I have been overwhelming busy with school and work. I am taking primarily PR related classes this semester, I'm doing work with PRSSA (Public Relations Student Society of America) which I am a member of, and work is 100% PR all the time. I don't think I have ever been happier, and I honestly mean that. The title of this post may seem negative towards PR, but I can honestly say that I have never been this driven towards one topic. I wouldn't be doing it this much if I didn't love it. Public relations has truly taken over my life, and I don't think I would have it any other way.
I am getting extremely excited for the PRSSA National Conference that is coming up on November 6 - 10 in San Diego, California. This is the first PRSSA conference I will have attended, and it looks like there is going to be a ton of great industry related workshops. Be looking for some updates while I'm down there. I'm sure there will be a bunch of new photos on Flickr and maybe even a blog post or two. Have a good one guys!
Sean
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Artist Watch: LIGHTS
Hello all once again,
As this blog seems to be heading in a different direction every week, I figured it was time for a music related post.
Today, I am going to talk about an artist I discovered just over a year ago. LIGHTS is a young 22 year old up-and-coming artist from Canada. What sets LIGHTS apart in my eyes from the slew of other pop artists out there is her extremely unique personality, and her keen use of platforms such as MySpace, Twitter and YouTube to really establish a connection and start conversations with her fan base. LIGHTS does weekly videos during her tours to talk to her fans, which does an amazing job of bringing her fans into her world. It makes fans truly feel as though the artist cares about them, and honestly you don't see too much of that these days. She talks about how the tour is going, does special acoustic versions of her songs, and creates a place for her fans to truly get to know LIGHTS. This is a very intuitive PR tactic, even if it isn't meant to be.
LIGHTS truly seems to be ahead of the curve with her use of social media to reach out to her fans, and really gives them something back. Keep your eye out for this one, she appears to be coming up very fast. Her first full album "The Listening" was recently released and can be purchased through her site, and is available on iTunes.
To visit her very cool interactive site, click here.
Here is her latest video, "Savior":
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Changing times
Hey all,
Sorry for the lack of posts as of late. School and work has totally taken over my life. 19 credits is more than I have taken on before, and working three days a week at Drake Cooper has filled what is left of my free time. It will all be worth it in the end, especially if I am able to graduate in May like I am planning. Then I will be fully immersed in what I call the real world. Though, I am curious as to how much more real things can get.
Anyway, I thought a quick update was in order. I will hopefully be back soon with something important to say. Until then, back to reading "Putting the Public Back in Public Relations" by Brian Solis. -- Amazing book! I recommend it to everyone in the PR profession. If you have read it, leave me a comment and let me know what you think. I'm always in the mood for a riveting conversation about the public relations profession. Thanks guys, and have a good one ;)
Sean
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
The Boise River
I took this picture while walking home from school today. This spot on the Boise River is one of my favorite places to stop and relax -- even though I really don't get to do much of that lately. It's a nice little reprieve from the normal daily grind while walking to and from school. Just thought I'd share a nice part of my day with you guys. Have a good one :)
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