2010: Lets Make This Year Count

First of all, I hope that everyone had a happy and healthy holiday season and that you are as excited about 2010 as I am. With 2009 in the rear view mirror, I have my hopes set that 2010 will be a big year both as a professional in the industry and as a fan. It is safe to assume that all of you reading this and visiting this site share these hopes with me; to advance your career in sports, and to be reminded every day why you wanted to be in sports in the first place by being a fan and following the roller coaster that is professional sports. I personally have held a variety of internships in my professional life while I have followed the UFC and the NFL in my personal life, and have had much to be thankful for in 2009, but also have much to be desired in the future.

On a personal level, I have really come to understand what it is like to be an aspiring member of the sports industry. 2009 marked the moment for me when the light bulb went off that I needed to be setting myself apart from the rest of the pack and that I needed to get creative with my professional image while developing my craft. I may have been late to the party, but I discovered websites such as Twitter and LinkedIn in 2009, sites that I would refer to more as modern day tools then just calling them websites. These sites have been very useful in my career development and I look forward to utilizing them in new ways in 2010 like I believe everyone else should do. It is also my hope for everyone that the job climate of the sports industry grows, allowing more opportunities for qualified individuals. 2009 saw great economic turmoil, and as a result, companies were forced to cut back and in some cases, downsize. These circumstances have been hard on everyone, but there is reason to be optimistic in 2010 because it is a new year with new opportunity. I believe that the road to success is kind of like sailing around the world; you may make great progress, but you can always keep going, you just need to want to. 2010 is when I would like to see all of us aspiring to make our mark in sports reach our destination.

As a fan, 2009 certainly had its ups and downs. It has been exciting for me to watch the UFC grow and many of the blogs I have written for this site are focused on how the entity will continue to expand in the future. Global expansion, major corporate sponsorships, and mainstream acceptance are a few of the things I am looking for in 2010 for the UFC and I am confident my expectations will be surpassed. As a fan of the NFL, I have been as equally disappointed in my Giants as I have been with the NFL’s stance on social media, the absence of the NFL Network in New York, and the lack of putting a new CBA into place. 2010 for the NFL means a Pro Bowl played in Florida, going abroad to Europe and the possibility of an uncapped year, none of which excites me. Still, the NFL provides story-lines and entertainment for all of us, and being an optimistic person, I hope that things will get worked out in time, because as a fan, I’m not going anywhere.

My resolution for 2010 is to make my mark on this industry. All of us, established or not, should be working as hard as we can to be our best and to stay passionate about our craft, and this site is a prime example of people who care about what they do and have set a good example for me in my professional life. So, all the best to everyone in 2010, lets make it a great year.

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