My decision to go into the advertising business was partly based on the fact that I enjoy helping clients promote a strong brand message, build authentic relationships with customers and achieve their overall business goals. One brand that I think has done a great job achieving all three of these things is Liberty Mutual. What makes Liberty Mutual such as great brand is that unlike many other large companies, Liberty has taken the time to LISTEN to its employees and customers to find out what is really important to them on a personal level and then LISTENED SOME MORE. All this listening has allowed them to recognize that the Liberty Mutual brand shares a common connection with people: a belief in the importance of personal responsibility.

However, even once this connection was recognized, Steve Sullivan (Senior VP of Communications, Liberty Mutual) and his marketing team needed to create solutions that would address two important questions:

1. How do you really make something like responsibility tangible?

AND

2. How do you connect with people in a way that’s not just another claim from a big insurance company that people are going to disbelieve?

Their solution was the June, 2006 launch of the multi-platform “Responsibility” campaign which was developed by Boston agency Hill Holliday. You’ve probably seen the television spots for the campaign depicting everyday people being confronted with a decision to do the “right” thing or “look the other way.” The campaigns unique strategic approach centers not only the entire campaign but also the entire Liberty Mutual brand around the ownership of a discussion on responsibility. Since the economic recession began we’ve seen a lot of companies jump on the corporate responsibility bandwagon but very few have tried to lay claim on the actual action of responsibility like Liberty Mutual.

Multiple media channels (t.v., print, web, online films), especially interactive microsites whatsyourpolicy.com and more recently responsibilityproject.com, have created awareness, driven people to engage and encouraged active discussions between people around the topic of personal responsibility.  These engagement focused sites have allowed Liberty to have meaningful conversations with people 365 days a year and led to further engagement focused endeavors, such as a series of short films and a partnership with NBC to develop two made-for-TV movies that will promote the theme of personal responsibility. Pretty incredible marketing initiatives considering we’re talking about an insurance company.

The positive response and overall success of Liberty Mutual’s multi-platform campaign has accomplished several important things:

1. Delivered an awesome brand message

2. Spurred online conversations between consumers and between consumers and LM

3. Created positive association between the Liberty Mutual brand and the need for greater responsibility in people’s day-to-day lives.

4. Helped Liberty Mutual to be seen as an “industry thought leader” on the topic of personal responsibility

5. Built strong brand equity

6. Increased premium revenue in auto insurance 17.4% to $3.6 billion in last six months

The “Responsibility” campaign has demonstrated that Liberty Mutual is a brand that understands people’s desire to believe in the brands they buy from. We as consumers crave authentic brands, brand messaging and brand experiences. We want brand messaging to align with our own set of positive morals, values and beliefs. Liberty Mutual’s campaign efforts show that they get this and recognize being responsible and doing the right thing as two values it shares with lots of people. They leverage this connection and are able to create authentic relationships. They encourage people to engage in conversation about doing the right thing so that the more we talk about doing the right thing the more likely we are to make good responsible decisions when it comes to things like insurance, family, friends etc. The people that embrace this type of conversation are the people Liberty Mutual wants to do business with because they provide the most value.

Liberty Mutual has become a brand that stands for something real and authentic. Because of this, they have the rare opportunity to deeply embed their brand not only the minds but in the hearts of consumers, and that’s part of what great advertising is all about.

So, when it comes to authentic brand messaging what’s your strategy? Come across any other brands that are creating great authentic brand messaging campaigns?

Predators forward Steve Sullivan -- always a threat for a 35-goal season if healthy -- is on fire.

Every Thursday, the Genius will list three players to monitor for fantasy relevance. As a rule, the players will be owned in fewer than 50 percent of Yahoo! and ESPN leagues.

Player: LW/RW Steve Sullivan, Predators.

Ownership: 8 percent Yahoo!, 3.7 percent ESPN.

Tonight: The Predators host the Devils at 8:00 pm EST.

Optimism: Sullivan is a point-per-game machine when healthy, with generous doses of penalty minutes and shots on goal to boot. He has started slowly but scored twice vs. Montreal on Saturday and tallied another goal vs. San Jose on Tuesday. Now is an ideal time to add the slick veteran with a whopping eight 20-goal seasons on his resume. By the way, the Predators have won three in a row on their current home stand.

Skepticism: Sullivan, 35, has not played more than 70 games in a season since 2003-04. Also, his position eligibility changes from Yahoo! (LW) to ESPN (RW), so your ability to roster him may depend on your depth at a specific position in a specific format. Ideally, he’d be eligible at both positions in both formats, but the fantasy gods are not always kind.

—

Player: C David Legwand, Predators.

Ownership: 6 percent Yahoo!, 0.9 percent ESPN.

Tonight: The Predators host the Devils at 8:00 pm EST.

Optimism: Where there is pedigree, there is fantasy potential. Yes, Legwand has underperformed (statistically speaking) for the second overall pick of the 1998 draft. But the Preds are hot and so is he: In his last five games, he has two goals and three assists. This includes a one-goal, two-assist gem vs. San Jose on Tuesday night. Though Legwand only has eight points, his career low .063 shooting percentage suggests he’s been the victim of bad luck — and that he’s been in position to post gaudier totals.

Skepticism: Legwand, 29, has not sniffed the power play, with only one PP assist in 19 games. That is not what you want from a fantasy center. And make no mistake: You should not view Legwand as a permanent addition to your roster. But if you need a one-game stopgap, now is the time for him. He’s hot, and he’s at home.

—

Player: RW Niclas Bergfors, Devils.

Ownership: 18 percent Yahoo!, 5.9 percent ESPN.

Tonight: The Predators host the Devils at 8:00 pm EST.

Optimism: His last seven games: three goals, five assists, five PPPs (two goals, three assists). Call him the anti-Legwand: If you want help on the PP, grab Bergfors.

Skepticism: In fantasy terms, Bergfors, 22, is feast or famine. His saucy November numbers include two dud efforts, on Nov. 11 vs. Anaheim and Nov. 16 at Philadelphia. In each of these contests, Bergfors did not even manage one shot on goal. For that reason, Bergfors is also a viable spot starter, but still too wet behind the ears for permanent rostering.

photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons

Kings RW Justin Williams is an assists machine on a high-powered offense, but he is still vastly under-owned in both Yahoo! and ESPN formats.

Every Thursday, the Genius will list three players to monitor for fantasy relevance. As a rule, all the players will be owned in fewer than 50 percent of Yahoo! and ESPN leagues.

Player: RW Justin Williams, Kings

Ownership: 17 percent Yahoo!, 4.2 percent ESPN.

Tonight: The Kings visit the Red Wings at 7:30 pm EST.

Optimism: Williams tallied an assist and four shots on goal in a 4-2 loss at the Rangers last night. He has six points (one goal, five assists) in six games, not to mention a +3 mark and four penalty minutes on a Kings team averaging 3.50 goals per game (ranking eighth). Scoring right wings do not grow on trees in fantasy; and Williams continues to skate on the top line with C Anze Kopitar and LW Ryan Smyth. A former first-round pick, Williams is only 28 years old.

Skepticism: Williams has never sustained a point-per-game pace in his career, nor has he distinguished himself in any fantasy category save for shots on goal. Of course, that’s why he’s still so widely available.

—

Player: D Brett Clark, Avalanche

Ownership: 2 percent Yahoo!, 1.2 percent ESPN.

Tonight: The Avalanche visit the Canadiens at 7:30 pm EST.

Optimism: Avalanche D John-Michael Liles (bruised right shoulder) is out two weeks, according to Adrian Dater in the Denver Post. The Avalanche lead the NHL with six power play goals. D Kyle Quincey (one goal, five assists, four PPP) has been the story, but Clark is not far behind (one goal, three assists, four PPP). It is easy to forget that the 32-year-old veteran posted serviceable fantasy seasons with the Avalanche in 2005-06 and 2006-07.

Skepticism: Clark has never finished with more than 40 points in a season and Liles is only out for two weeks.

—

Player: LW Steve Sullivan, Predators

Ownership: 17 percent Yahoo!, 9.7 percent ESPN

Tonight: The ice-cold Predators host the white-hot Blackhawks at 8:00 pm EST.

Optimisim: A point-per-game scorer in 2003-04, 2005-06 and 2006-07, Sullivan is skating on the first line with C Jason Arnott and RW Patric Hornqvist. That means it’s just a matter of time before his ESPN league eligibility becomes RW/LW and makes him a bench asset. (Sullivan is currently a RW in ESPN leagues.)

Skepticism: Sullivan has not scored in his last three games. Like his teammates, played atrociously in last night’s 6-0 loss at Dallas.

photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons

Dunzo

Now that the Great Northwest Arkansas Newspaper War is settled, we can move on to other, more important forms of media self-destruction, like giving away all our online content for free!

Here now, at no extra charge, is a loving look back at the Week The Way It Was, Not Necessarily How We’d Like It To Have Been:

To paraphrase one Morning News commenter, “Competing horse and buggy-makers combine. Big news.” Our coverage, in three parts: The Announcement. The Questions. Some Answers. More questions!

Blake Rutherford on how President Obama doesn’t really want to poison the fragile little minds of our nation’s children with his “speeches” about the “importance” of “education.” Don’t believe him!

David Kinkade and legislative pal Dan Greenberg give House Speaker Robbie Wills the business over Wills’ plan to turn the House information arm over to a public relations consultant to “to advocate the objectives of the leadership of the House of Representatives.” Tolbert piles on, too!

Political junkies can’t believe their good fortune now that Glbert Baker’s officially in the race for Blanche Lincoln’s U.S. Senate seat. Others, like fell0w-candidate Conrad Reynolds, are just confused as to why.

It’s time for football, and ArkansasSports360.com’s Jim Harris and KATV’s Steve Sullivan are here to talk us through it.

Oh — here’s who’s supposed to win this week.

Twestival! There’s gonna be one, and to celebrate, Arkansas bloggers are blogging for their favorite charity, Reach Out and Read Arkansas. Among them: Alex Cone and Tsudo.

Entrepreneurs take note: This is one man who will not participate in your recession.

Nick Snowball sticks up for his former employer.

And

A man of influence.

The night Peggy smoked out with Miles Fisher.

Julia Child

I started watching Julia Child’s show “The French Chef” at 6, while visiting my grandparents in North Carolina, and started cooking not long afterwards.  While I don’t remember the first show I saw, the first one I took detailed notes on concerned puff pastry. My grandmother wanted to make croissants; in lieu of sending money for the recipe, she ordered me to write everything down. I dutifully filled several notebook pages with instructions, which involved lengthy breaks for refrigeration between rollings and a mindboggling amount of butter. As far as I know, my grandmother never tried it. When I finally got around to making puff pastry years later, I used Lindsey Shere’s recipe. But it was Julia’s cheerful, can-do manner that guided me through the process.

Seeing the film ”Julie and Julia” this weekend not only brought back memories but made me miss Julia Child more than ever. A big part of the reason is Meryl Streep’s uncanny performance, which is less an act of impersonation than a resurrection. Streep goes beyond mastering Julia’s concertina-like vocal cadences; among other feats, she somehow manages to walk exactly like Julia despite lacking her tremendously long legs.

I can attest to that fact that Streep replicated her gait perfectly because I once found myself walking directly behind Julia and Paul Child as they made their way along Massachussetts Avenue in Cambridge. I was twenty, a visiting scholar of Japanese studies at Harvard and an avid cook revelling  in my first, bare bones kitchen. Harvard’s relaxed schedule (compared with that of Wellesley, where I had spent the past two years) gave me plenty of time to cook and bake, while the TV my father had insisted on buying for me brought Julia Child back into my life. Between studying all things Japanese and cooking with Julia, I was in heaven.

But because she was a Cambridge neighbor, Julia Child was more than a TV personality or a name on a cookbook. A slight detour on the route that took me from my Mt. Auburn Street apartment to Japanese class on Divinity Avenue took me by the Childs’ house on Irving Street. That sprawling clapboard house–its location was common knowledge–contained the famous kitchen that now resides in the Smithsonian; passing by, I had to fight the urge to peer through the window at it. To the extent I could afford to, I also shopped where Julia did, at  Savenour’s, a specialty market famous for its meat. The hugely flirtatious proprietor would report to me on what Julia had bought on her last visit and what she planned to make with it.

One night that year, I made Julia’s stewing hen–which was stuffed with bread and herbs and simmered in stock, rather than roasted–and served it to my boyfriend and his best friend. “Do you cook like this every night?” the friend asked incredulously.  Not wanting to seem domestic (though I was) or unstudious (because I wasn’t), I stammered, “Not really.” “Yes,” my boyfriend replied proudly.  He was the only person who truly valued my kitchen prowess, so I quickly changed the subject.

The following year, a Wellesley friend who came over to a party mocked me for cooking all the food myself. “You’re so domestic,” she said acidly. “For roasting a turkey?” I asked. My penchant for making Julia’s Swordfish a la Grand Chartreuse would remain a secret until well after graduation.

During my fall semester in Cambridge, I struggled with my desire to write a fan letter to Julia Child. Though my boyfriend thought she would be flattered, I eventually deemed the the idea creepy and gave it up.  I kept watching “Julia Child and Company” on WGBH but assiduously avoided  going by her house on my way to and from class. (Recently I learned that Julia kept her phone number listed and happily talked to strangers who called with questions about her recipes; perhaps if I’d known this, I would have been bolder.)

It was around this time that my boyfriend and I found ourselves walking behind the Childs in Harvard Square. It was late fall. Julia walked arm-in-arm with Paul, who wore a cap and scarf. Aside from their height difference–she was noticeably taller–the thing I noticed immediately was their closeness; unlike many older couples, they seemed enthralled by each other and kept up a steady stream of conversation. “That’s Julia Child,” I whispered, thrilled.  We lost them in a crowd around Boylston Street; that was as close as I ever came to meeting her.

Twenty years later, while finishing work on my documentary, “Jim Thompson, Silk King,” I learned that Julia Child, who like Jim Thompson had served in the OSS, was posted to Ceylon during the same period as Thompson in World War II. I also knew that she was now widowed and living full-time in Montecito. When my mother called to report that a family friend had invited the French Chef to lunch and was having a nervous fit over it, I asked if I could contact Julia for my documentary.

“She’s awfully old,” my mother said dubiously.

“But she’d remember meeting Jim  Thompson, wouldn’t she?”

“Oh, honey, don’t bother her. Say, how’d you like to have to cook for Julia Child?”

“I’d love to.”

“It wouldn’t make you nervous? I’d be a wreck.”

“No. Why would it?”

Apparently my mother missed Julia Child’s essential message: I learned to cook the classics and so can you. Unlike today’s TV chefs, who fall into two camps–the pros whose cooking says don’t try this at home and the non-pros for whom processed foods and shortcuts trump technique–Julia didn’t see the need for either snobbery or dumbing-down. Her cuisine was classic French as handed down by Escoffier; there was no pretense or trendiness in it. The recipes, though sometimes difficult and time-consuming, were accessible to any home cook in possession of basic techniques and a desire to learn. In every episode of “The French Chef” and “Julia Child and Company,” as well as every cookbook she wrote, her point was that we–the home cooks–could do it too.  

I’m proof of this. And though I’ve learned from Alice Waters, Ken Hom and many other chefs, Julia Child remains my guiding spirit. If I’ve often failed to heed her dictate, “never apologize, never explain,” I’ve certainly upheld her can-do spirit through thousands of meals. Soon I’ll be making yeast for pain levain, something I’ve been wanting to try for years. I’m not sure Julia Child ever made her own yeast; at any rate, it’s not her recipe. (It comes from Steve Sullivan of Acme Bread in Berkeley, one of the world’s greatest bakers.) But it’s a sure bet I’ll be thinking of her when I do it.

Available now

Ryan Mallett and Tyler Wilson on the cover, with Michael Dyer fronting the high school preview section. Free on newsstands and online now. Plus: Check out the free digital edition of the magazine, which includes extra Web-only high school football content.

Video: Steve Sullivan at ArkansasSports360.com sports news partner, KATV-TV, Channel 7, talks about the new edition.

Previously

The 2008 College and High School Football Preview: Cover sneak | Compete edition

It’s strange…this world of technology that is at our fingertips that I should hear this rumor…

The Devils called Steve Sullivan (Nashville Predators). I kind of scratched my head when I read that. My only response was, “What??? Am I reading this correctly?”

It was almost like seeing Ray Emery say he was signing with Philly BEFORE the rumors started.

Once again…technology at our fingertips…especially when hockey players start to use it…you can find out a lot of information before the rest of the world does. It was almost the same as finding out that Chris Drury was going to sign with the New York Rangers BEFORE the Rangers knew anything about it.

Sullivan received the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy a couple of weeks ago for his perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey after a successful comeback after sitting out the entire 2007-2008 season due to a back injury. He returned on January 10, 2009.

Sullivan was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in 1994 (233rd overall).

Sully returning to the Devils? Just like Shanny returning to the Devils…

What’s Lou got going on there?

Rumors are abounding that Lou is letting two Devil lifers (Brian Gionta and John Madden) walk tomorrow at noon. Replace one NJD draft pick and a NJD free agent signing (two players that have spent their entire career with the Devils) with two NJD draft picks that ended up being traded away earlier in their careers…you know I’m still scratching my head with this one.

If the rumor is true that Sully got a call from the Devils…and we all know that Lou said he’s calling Shanny’s agent because he’s not waiting around to hear from Shanny first…what exactly is the game plan for the Devils this season?

I’m more interested in finding out who the coach is going to be! Isn’t that really more important?

I don’t know if it’s something in the water or the air but the Toronto Maple Leafs just can’t win.  Since 1967 they haven’t even been able to scramble together a cup appearance.

Forget that!  The Leafs haven’t even assembled a decent playoff streak.  Every three or four years they seem to be rebuilding or restructuring like some old building with stressed out tenants.

They’re always trying to find the easy way out; never wanting to sacrifice the now for a better future and a long and prosperous dynasty.

The Leafs aren’t even doing that right.  Most teams that use that method win a cup every once and while like the 1994 New York Rangers.

Whether it’s managerial incompetence or the curses of the late Stafford Smythe and Dave Keon, the Maple Leafs never catch a break.

In honour of this misfortune I have comprised a list of players and personnel that found better fortune after leaving the Toronto Maple Leafs organization.

14. Ed Olczyk

Olczyk had a few good seasons in Toronto but he somehow ended up on the 1994 New York Rangers which just happened to win the Stanley Cup.  Ed didn’t play a huge part in the win and his name was almost omitted from the cup but the he still managed to be on a winning team.  It’s more than he would have received if had not been traded to Winnipeg in 1991 for Dave Ellett.

13. Gary Leeman

Leeman had lost most of his productivity by 1993 and I won’t argue that Cliff Fletcher robbed the Calgary Flames for Doug Gilmour.  The fact is that Gary ended up on the Montreal Canadiens and he won a Stanley Cup.  That’s probably more valuable and memorable for him than any of the goals he scored for the Maple Leafs. 

12. Russ Courtnall

Courtnall was a great player for the Leafs but being traded to the Canadiens ensured a better opportunity.  In 1989, he reached the Stanley Cup finals.  Even though the Canadiens lost to the Flames, Russ was still able to experience better hockey than in Toronto.

11. Lanny McDonald

It took McDonald his entire career but he finally nabbed a cup with the Calgary Flames in 1989 and he made it to finals in 1986.  As much as Lanny is revered in Toronto, I believe he will always be remembered for being a Flame and that’s really heartbreaking for Maple Leafs hockey.

10. Pat Burns

Burns made it to the 1989 finals before becoming the Maple Leafs coach in 1992.  He found fortune again after leaving Toronto when he won the 2003 Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils.

9. Steve Sullivan

Sullivan wasn’t good enough for Pat Quinn.  When he joined the Nashville Predators he became a 30 goal scorer.  He’s a tough player for his small stature and he is well respected by his peers.

8. Glenn Anderson

Are you kidding me?  Anderson was traded to the Rangers in the 1994 trade deadline and he ended up winning his sixth Stanley Cup Championship a few months later.  That’s one of the quickest turnarounds from player leaving the Maple Leafs.

7. Alyn McCauley

In Toronto, McCauley was mostly occupying his time with getting adjusted to the NHL.  In just one season with the San Jose Sharks he became a Selke Trophy nominee for the 2002-03 season.  On the other hand, Owen Nolan’s career went down hill after joining Toronto.

6. Hall Gill

Gill has just won his first Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins who also made it to the finals in 2008.  I hope he thanks the Maple Leafs for trading him to Pittsburgh.

5. Jason Smith

Smith was another of players that weren’t good enough for Quinn but he doesn’t mind.  When Jason joined the Edmonton Oilers he became an instant success and a defensive force.  In 2006, he captained the Oilers to within one game of a championship and in 2008 he captained the Philadelphia Flyers to the Eastern Conference finals.  Quinn can rejoice that he doesn’t have to trade him from the Edmonton Oilers.  I guess you tell that I’m still just a tad bitter.

4. Paul Maurice

Maurice coached the Carolina Hurricanes to the 2002 Stanley Cup finals.  In Toronto he can’t even coach the Maple Leafs to a playoff berth.  Yet, this season Paul drags the Hurricanes into the playoffs and forces them to the Eastern Conference finals where they lost to the eventual 2009 champions.  They weren’t even supposed to make the playoffs.  If this doesn’t prove that the Leafs are cursed I don’t know what will.

3. Larry Murphy

Larry Murphy had won two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991 and 1992. He was also the 4th pick in the the 1980 NHL Entry Draft and a three time Second All-Star Team member (1987, 1993, 1995) before being traded to Toronto in the summer of 1995. In 1995-96, his only full season with the Leafs, he had 12 goals and 49 assists in 82 games. Then he gets traded at the 1997 trade deadline and wins another two back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Detroit Red Wings in 1997 and 1998. Yet, when he was in Toronto the fans booed him every chance they had and they basically forced his trade to Detroit. Are you kidding me!

2. Roger Neilson

Neilson coached the Vancouver Canucks to their first Stanley Cup final appearance just three seasons after leaving Toronto.  He also became known as an innovator in the game of hockey.

1. Fredrik Modin

Modin couldn’t hit the net if it was two feet in front of him with Toronto.  When he joined the Tampa Bay Lightning he became a bona fide thirty goal scorer and a Stanley Cup Champion.

The 2009 NHL Awards were handed out yesterday, Thursday, June 19, 2009, at the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas. It was a good show, except for Chaka Khan (my opinion, anyways). What happened to having The Hockey Song open the show?

Here are the NHL award recipients:

Lady Byng Trophy (sportsmanship and conduct on ice)
Pavel Datsyuk (DET)

Vezina Trophy (goaltending)
Tim Thomas (BOS)

Frank Selke Award (forward)
Pavel Datsyuk (DET) “My English short”

Pearson Trophy (voted on by players)
Alexander Ovechkin (WSH)

(Vladimir Konstantinov was a presenter, using a walker. He was involved in a car accident after winning the Stanley Cup with Detroit in the late 1990’s. It was GREAT to see him standing up and moving around.)

William M. Jennings Trophy (goaltending duo)
Tim Thomas & Manny Fernandez (BOS)

Hart Trophy (MVP)
Alexander Ovechkin (WSH)

Bill Masterton Trophy (perseverance)
Steve Sullivan (NSH)

Jack Adams Trophy (coaching)
Claude Julien (BOS)

James Norris Trophy (defenseman)
Zdeno Chara (BOS)

Calder Trophy (rookie)
Steve Mason (CBJ)

King Clancy Trophy (leadership, humanitarism)
Ethan Morrow (EDM)

Scotiabank Fan Fav (fan favorite)
Roberto Luongo (VAN)

Mark Messier Leadership Award (innaugural season..compassion, skill, focus)
Jarome Iginla (CGY)

Art Ross Trophy (most points)
Evgeni Malkin (PIT)

Maurice Richard Award (top scorer)
Alexander Ovechkin (WSH)

Lifetime Achievement Award
Jean Beliveau (MTL)..10 time Stanley Cup Winner. First Conn Smythe winner.

Find this interesting? Kindly share it with others….

Troy and Marc: Off the Mic: Troy and Marc: Live Again, June 17 …

Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk won his second straight Selke Trophy as the NHL&s top defensive forward tonight at the NHL Awards Show in Las Vegas. He beat out.

Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk won his second straight Selke Trophy as the NHL&s top defensive forward tonight at the NHL Awards Show in Las Vegas. He beat out.

Sullivan Awarded Masterton Trophy at 2009 NHL Awards This was well deserved. I am so glad to see Steve win this because his was the story of the year, in my opinion. He can also boast being the first ever Predators player to win an …

Troy and Marc: Live Again, June 17. Posted by Steve Sullivan at 5:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0). Post a comment. (If you haven&t left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will …

Sullivan Awarded Masterton Trophy at 2009 NHL Awards This was well deserved. I am so glad to see Steve win this because his was the story of the year, in my opinion. He can also boast being the first ever Predators player to win an …

After the essence of pre-vis, seeing things in advance is very helpful especially when planning or in some cases, adding material for a project, because of an ability to accomplish something more with what is available. At the 2009 Produced By Conference on its second day at Sony Studios, the aspects of Mo Cap (or Motion Capture), which is being optimized by the top people in the business from Bob Zemeckis to David Fincher to James Cameron, was brought into focus.

Performance/Motion Capture Production Technology Performance basis of creatures is motivated ultimately by camera angle. Certain examples of what was done in the past to emphasize mo cap was always personified by the dotted faces of actors used to create the computer grids. To personify this point, footage is shown of Bill Nighy paying the slithery captain in “Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest”. Nighy called his getup when he was playing the creature: his “funky computer pajamas. The thing is that mo cap still can’t capture directly around the eye sockets and the actual eyes. Steve Sullivan, Sr. Technology Officer at ILM, breaks down the different perspectives of motion capture. “Facial Mo-Cap” involves a “zillion” dots on the face and uses the same fundamental techniques as “Body Mo-Cap”. Make up can be sometimes used to make the dots. Sometimes it works but it depends on the lighting. When you start working on facial re-targeting where you actually align a new face with a different performance, it becomes a subjective artistic endeavor. These re-targeting exercises however can now be done in real time. Sullivan then shows a test using a live low res example running off an XBOX 360 console and not one of their super computers. The result is still fairly comprehensive.

The realization is that once you do the actual mo cap and get the data, then you can do camera coverage. After that, you just go back and key out any problematic frames. Sullivan then showed an “Indiana Jones” video game engine optimizing mo cap which was made in two hours. It wasn’t done to show the possibilities of FX but more to see how the actual story could play out. This kind of low tech Mo-Cap with facial re-targeting is effective in his mind for actor freedom and director control. It also allows on-demand capture for quick experimentation and real time documenting for timing.

Rob Readow and Debbie Denise from Sony Imageworks began the ball rolling on Mo-Cap back when director Bob Zemeckis first came in with “Polar Express”. They went about with different tests. The second one they did for “Polar” at Imageworks was green screen with full digital environments like “300″. They suggested the InMotion Mo-Cap system they had been working on to Zemeckis. Zemeckis was hesitant but it was Tom Hanks who said that it could allow him to play both the boy and the conductor in the same movie which seemingly ultimately swayed the director. Despite what anyone thinks, according to Readow and Denise, these movies are still mounted as big pictures. The box that they first worked on for “Polar” was only 10 feet by 10 feet which is the most the computer could do at the time. On “Monster House” they could have the ability of 200 cameras shooting on once. And by the time “Beowulf” came around, they could capture horses running across the soundstage.

The importance aspect to remember is that it is still a live action shoot of sorts. The actors just don’t have to hit their marks. The “Beowulf” shoot itself took 38-40 days. Denise says Hanks said that it was the hardest he has ever worked because you never go back to your trailer. Readow follows up Denise’s observations talking about using the Sony DXC-M3A camera as a virtual camera rig where you are using its systems to shoot in a virtual world. That is how they got the realistic camera movements in “Surf’s Up”. By comparison when they worked on some of the elements of “Watchmen” specifically Dr. Manhattan with Billy Crudup, the scanning was done low impact on set. After the initial scan done in live action with the dot structure, the body fabrication was scanned off a bodybuilder with the head and partial torso of Crudup melded together. The simulation software even worked to cause the muscles to ripple. However the camera still racked Crudup in 2D space. Even in the small sequence where Manhattan is forming, the dyanmic simulation of the circulatory systems was done on set with Mo-Cap with the final VFX adding the other different elements such as heat, static and luminescence.

Greg LaSalle, Founder of Mova, works in the essence of the balance between real and photoreal. He worked on “The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button” using aspects of their proprietary Mo-Cap system but wanted to let Oscar winner for “Button”: Steve Preeg talk about that show. Greg talks about Mova in a different light saying that his company works with effects companies but is not actually one themself. Their specific system is called Contour Digital Capture. It records the precise motion that is needed to make something photo real like Brad Pitt’s older head replacement in “Benjamin Button”. When this information is outputted from their system it is like a raw reconstruction. The result is alot of reference video. It becomes what is known as Data Driven Mesh (DDM). From this information you can create FACS which is normal face shape computer systems but ones that operate in real time. This way the expressions are more natural and you are able to get subtle and accurate skin, bone and muscle positions. They have also recently integarted invisible make up which lets the pores and ridges of the face shine through on the scan. Mova is a subsisdiary on On Live which is a new video game avatar system that will be able to be optimized in the future. The test we saw has divisive possibilities in many different sectors. This is not a rendered scan operation but instead it would have scans of people filtered through an engine running in literal real time.

From that, Steve Preeg, Oscar winner as an animation supervisor for “Benjamin Button” last year from Digital Domain, talked about what Mo-Cap allowed them to do on that specific movie as a workshop example. In “Benjamin Button”, they had to do 325 body double head replacements in 325 shots over 52 minutes. The big obstacles and goals was locking Pitt’s performance to the body double’s head motion, making sure the body motion adhered to the dialogue timing and then that the eye line was right. They tended to use a blendshape route which allows for linear transformations between individual shapes. They originally thought about doing emotional study and creating some elements ala Andy Serkis in “King Kong” but that was out of and beyond the budget. What they did was strap Pitt into the Mova system. Unlike the dot system, Pitt’s face was covered with a green paste which allowed a more infinite scan of his skin. Preeg said this allowed much more pore detail to come through. The problem can be stablization because nothing at any time in this process is stable. They actually had to build a plug in for Maya to deal with this issue.

The fear was that at some times the wrong part moved in simulation or if Pitt couldn’t hit that particular point. The other concern is that there is no data captured right around the eyes. They had to create an eye rig to match that. The hardest part of the eye to recreate, according to Preeg, was the goopy part where there is an angle of reflection. Add these elements to the onset data capture where you have to track 3-4 cameras per shot. You shoot the material on set in layers to get positional information but then you have to track the head markers through the other elements. The onset was the first part. Now several months later you need to get Pitt’s take on Ben. Pitt was strapped into the HD Viper Cam rig. He basically had to angle into the audio keys (what Preeg calls almost “visual ADR”). Add to that equation, “Image Analysis” which brings the timings closer together. The thing is no matter what you do, the computer still can’t get across intent. This is a creative endeavor but there always needs to be an artist behind the notion. This technology will never replace that kind of talent in terms of the actor. A big point was made on this.

Patrick Runyon, Product Specialist at Xsens, brought a real world example of Mo-Cap with a portable system that is used in the industry. Specifically cited was Third Floor who was represented in the pre-vis panel. Their system called MVN uses the continuing trend of flexible capture. It doesn’t require cameras but uses motion trackers and wire frames inside a suit along with scopes and magnetic parameters. Biomechanics eventually comes into play for the aspect of the precise measurements. You just need a laptop, the case with the hardware and the suit to make it work. The onscreen motion set within a 3D grid was real time and showed the practical application of scanning real world movements on the fly in a virtual setting.

In the essence of wrap up, several questions were posed. Rob Readow at Imageworks spoke about future technologies specifically the aspect of “passive digital” where the scan doesn’t need to be in “line of sight”. He said that the aerospace arena is leveraging the data but that currently optical is still the highest fidelity. Readow was also asked about adding stereoscopic elements in post in terms of Mo-Cap and also animation. He says that it is fairly easy to add an extra eye for Stereo 3D as long as they have the other data from the opposite eye complete. He brings up the point that “Polar Express” was originally not in 3D. They were told 3 or 4 months ahead of release that this was a new angle. They got it done but that was not the plan from the beginning.

Denise from Imageworks also was asked about a rig that was supposedly used on Spielberg’s upcoming “Tin Tin” movie which apparently incorporated mounted head cams with the body suits instead of dots. She says that it is just another way to capture all the facial tracking markers. It is simple image recognization. James Cameron’s “Avatar” is using this kind of rig as well. It simply uses a different marker set.

Mo-Cap like Pre-Vis offers more complicated and infinitely fulfilling ways in which to realize many possibilities that couldn’t be done before but also make the realization process a little smoother by allowing virtual worlds to come alive in a more organix way.

For more info on Mo-Cap, visit The Motion Capture Society.

As I went through the stack of mail today I was pleasantly surprised to find that one item was not a bill or some sort of junk mail. It was an invitation to an open house at Josh Brown’s studio. There are going to be four potters showing their work from noon till 5pm on both Saturday and Sunday.    I attended an event like this two years ago and fun was had by all.   I am sure that there will be plenty to eat and drink as everyone sits around the fire and learns a thing or two about pottery. 

This promises to be a great prelude to the Frostburg Arts Walk that is taking place on Saturday from 5 till 8 pm. The are of Jason Stakem, Steve Sullivan, Greg Browne and Josh Brown will be showcased. Stop by and see the work of some of the most talented potters in Western Maryland.  Josh’s studio is located at 18126 Mt. Savage Road,  about one mile downhill from the Frostburg Post Office.

When I got home today I was excited to see that the Masterton Trophy nominees had been announced because I thought for sure that I would see Teppo’s name among them. But what did I see? HUH? You really want to know? THIS, THIS IS WHAT I SAW.

Chelios, Sullivan, Zednik named Masterton Trophy finalists

I’m sorry WHAT!?!?!?!

Chris Chelios? Re-he-heally?

Dear Hockey Gods,

Do you hate Buffalo that much?

Love,

Kim

Because I’m pretty sure that fracturing your tibia (the larger bone in the lower leg) is nowhere equal to having your chest cracked open and having your still beating heart poked and prodded by a lot of sharp instruments.  

I know Chelio is 47 and yeah it’s great that he’s still playing all the power to the old guys but seriously shouldn’t he be using his hockey stick as a cane by now? He played 28 games this year and didn’t register a point but APPARENTLY he played a big role behind the scenes which was obviously enough to warrant his nomination for an award that is given to the player “who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey”. Just because the guy is old doesn’t mean that he deserves to be recognized for it. Let me know when I can come at his beating heart with a scalpel I’ll be first in line.

The other finalists were Steven Sullivan who suffered a back injury in 2007 and had two back surgeries to correct the problem. He is one of three players to have played for a team, missed 600 consecutive days and return to the same team. The other is Richard Zednik who’s life was almost tragically cut short here in Buffalo when his former teammate Olli Jokinen’s skate hit him in the throat, severing his carotid artery. (Scariest moment of my life right there)

It’s not like I expected Teppo to win being up against the guy who had his throat cut open and almost bleed to death on the ice and another who broke his back and after almost two years returned to active duty. But Teppo deserves every ounce of respect that he gets from his teammates, the coaches and his fans. He could have hung up his skates after last season and no one would have blamed him. But he chose to come back for the last game of the season to prove that he still had what it takes to be a player in the National Hockey League.

I’m predicting, to no ones surprise, that Richard Zednik will walk away with the trophy and if he doesn’t it’s a great disservice to him and to the doctors and medical staff that made it possible for him to even play again.

This season has been a blast…despite the Preds not making the playoffs. Getting the kids several weeks before the season started and taking them to games this year was a big highlight for me. On the ice having my favorite player, #26 Steve Sullivan back this year was fun and his comeback was a great boost for the team the 2nd half of the season. He is a talented and dynamic player and I love watching the guy do his thing on the ice.

From fan day to the final game of the year, 2009 was family fun for the Popes.

By Darryl Dobbs
Last week, we took at a look at the top trade candidates in the East and their fantasy impact. This week, let’s take a look at the Western Conference – where teams five through 15 are closer than I’ve ever seen them.

In fantasy hockey, a player being moved to a new NHL team is often good news for the fantasy owner. A fresh start or a likely shot as a star’s linemate – or both – is just what the doctor ordered for a slumping player.

Here are the most interesting players in the West who could be moved March 4, and what to expect from them if they are…

Niklas Backstrom, Minnesota – Despite solid statistics, young backup Josh Harding has a record of just 2-7-1. Since that record doesn’t tell the whole story, the Wild consider the youngster to have the ability to get in some starts down the stretch. Backstrom is a UFA this summer, so the team may move him to improve their future, while at the same time hope Harding keeps them in contention. Still, it is a million dollar industry and not all teams would take a chance on extra playoff revenue like that. On a new team, Backstrom would play in a weaker system, so his stats will go the wrong way. Odds of being dealt: 25%.

Marc-Andre Bergeron, Minnesota – Another Wild candidate to be moved, Bergeron could actually go regardless of whether they buy or sell – simply because of the numbers game. Kurtis Foster is back now and the team already has offensive pop from the blueline in Brent Burns and Marek Zidlicky. Bergeron’s value will go up or down depending on the team he ends up on. You saw his role in Anaheim last year, and it wasn’t pretty. But a team like Buffalo could really use a QB with his skill. Odds of being dealt: 60%.

Chicago Blackhawks’ prospects – This team has a ton of really great prospects in the pipeline and they already have a young, skilled and deep NHL roster. They don’t seem to want to accommodate Petri Kontiola’s trade demands – yet – but someone will move for a rental. Jack Skille is another candidate to move. They also have three promising goaltenders in the system – Corey Crawford, Antti Niemi and Josh Unice. Odds of one being dealt: 95%.

Erik Cole, Edmonton – His contract is running out and a lot of teams could use a hard-hitting second-line winger. Don’t point to his playoff and Stanley Cup experience, because – come on – he played two games. But still, he would bring the Oilers a decent return and moving him wouldn’t exactly take them out of contention. On a deep, elite team his value will drop as he will man the third line. On a borderline playoff team, he could see a nice pop if placed on the first line. Odds of being dealt: 50%

Marian Gaborik, Minnesota – His contract is up and he is not thrilled with Minnesota’s system. The Wild are likely to move him for some pipeline replenishment. When healthy, he is one of the greats of the game and it is scary to see how he would do on a team that opens it up. Key words – “when healthy”. Odds of being dealt: 80%

Olli Jokinen, Phoenix – Typically when teams “sell” at the deadline, they move out expensive vets and bring in prospects and young NHLers. So what happens when a team already has an abundance of those? For that reason, you may not see Jokinen or Ed Jovanovski moved. If you do, Jokinen can’t do any worse. A change of scenery would be a plus, no question. Odds of being dealt: 30%

Nikolai Khabibulin, Chicago – The Blackhawks have two No.1 goaltenders and three pretty good prospect goaltenders. Rather than invest so much money in goaltending, the thinking is that the ‘Hawks will deal Khabibulin. Don’t be too sure on that – you can’t buy this kind of insurance. If move, though, it can only help owners to have him play every game instead of split time. Odds of being dealt: 40%.

Jordan Leopold, Colorado – The Avs are fading fast, Leopold is finally healthy and his contract is up this year. Throw in the fact that the market for puck-moving defenders is a strong one, and he’s as good as gone. Leopold will thrive as a No.2 PP guy alongside an elite No.1. If he has a guy like Bryan McCabe at the other end of the blue line, that is the type of situation that would give him fantasy value. Odds of being dealt: 65%.

Scott Niedermayer, Anaheim – The Ducks are in a dogfight and they will lose the dogfight if they trade one or both of their big guns on the back end. However, rumors of him being traded to New Jersey won’t die. The Devils are a different team then when he was last there, so his fantasy value will make a sideways move if he goes there. Odds of being dealt: 45%.

Chris Pronger, Anaheim – He still has another year on his contract, but if the return is right, the Ducks could move him. The arrival of Ryan Whitney makes this just a little more likely. Similar to Niedermayer, on any other team Pronger holds the same high value. Only one of Nieds or Pronger will be dealt, if at all. Odds of being dealt: 40%.

Ryan Smyth, Colorado – Teams value his leadership and scoring punch, but because he is locked in for several more years yet the Avs will wait for the right offer. On a weak team, his value rises. On a strong team it drops. He was a point-a-game player with Paul Stastny out of the lineup, but barely a 50-point guy when he was in the lineup. Odds of being dealt: 50%.

Steve Sullivan, Nashville – His contract is up and he is starting to show some of his old form. The back is so far so good, too. The Preds need a playoff spot, so they probably won’t sell. But if they do, he is a great candidate to go. On a good team, he’ll be buried, but on a similar team he’ll be every bit as good as he is on the Preds and probably even better under a looser system. Odds of being dealt: 15%.

Keith Tkachuk, St. Louis – The Blues have already pulled off this trick and they’ll do it again. Maybe we’ll even see Tkachuk just head back there in the summer. A trade will probably hurt his value, because his situation in St. Louis is a good one. Odds of being dealt: 80%.

DobberHockey.com will have the fantasy impact of every trade within minutes of it being announced on March 4. It is a “must stop” for all fantasy owners who have their own trade deadlines to worry about.

Red Wings defenseman Derek Meech, front right, pokes the puck away from Predators right wing Steve Sullivan (26) in the first period. (Mark Humphrey / Associated Press)

By Christy Hammond

The Detroit Red Wings (41-14-8) were humbled when the Nashville Predators (30-28-4) scored eight straight goals at the Sommet Center. It was Nashville’s fourth straight win as they fight for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. The 8-0 loss was the first time they had been shut out since Feb. 22, 2008, and it was the first time they’ve allowed that many goals since a 9-4 loss on Jan. 4, 2007.

Nashville scored five unanswered goals in a span of six minutes in the first period. Detroit last allowed five goals in a single period on Feb. 12, 2007, when the Wings lost 6-1 at Philadelphia. It was the first time since March 11, 1993, that the Wings allowed five goals in the first period.

Ty Conklin allowed four goals on nine shots. After Antti Pihlstrom scored Nashville’s fourth goal at 9:51, head coach Mike Babcock pulled Conklin and inserted Chris Osgood into the goal. Unfortunately that didn’t help much as Jason Arnott scored his first goal of the night at 10:48. Arnott would go on to post a hat trick with a goal in each period. Osgood would allow four goals on just 14 shots in the loss.

I’m not going to go into detail describing the eight Nashville goals because I know none of you want to read that; it was a stunning loss. The Wings have only allowed 11 goals in the past five games so to yield eight in one night is certainly a hard pill for Red Wings faithful to swallow.

The Wings will have a chance to get back on track when they head to St. Louis to face off against the Blues on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m.

Nice work, guys

Congrats the Arkansas Razorbacks on their big win on Friday over LSU. You can read more complete coverage of the game and its aftermath on our sports Web site, ArkansasSports360.com.

Meanwhile, there’s more Hog coverage to chew on in the December ArkansasSports360.com print edition. Northwest Arkansas Editor Chris Bahn gets a sit-down with the new Hog-in-Chief Jeff Long. Bahn’s piece opens with a great anecdote about Long’s very first Hog call:

In his first act as athletic director, Long couldn’t afford to flub the most sacred tradition in Arkansas athletics. He took instruction on how to do it, ran through a couple trials and headed off to his introductory press conference.

More than a year later, he’s still not 100 percent confident in his ability to call the Hogs.

“I’m not sure I’ve got it totally down now,” Long says with a laugh. “Sometimes I come forward too quickly. It’s a work in progress for me.”

There’s more in the full cover story, available here. And in this sidebar, Long talks about the need for more transparency in the notoriously secret Razorbacks Foundation.

Long, on the cover

And then there’s this great cover shot of Long by Mike Pirnique, with Long rolling up his sleeves, ready to get to work.

Also this month:

Chris Bahn in a bid for fan patience

Jim Harris on change at the UA

Steve Sullivan on the strange 2008 high school football season

David Bazzel on the Anointed Ones

Justin Acri on the UCA non-championship

(Photo courtesy David Bazzel)

The Hockey News: Special Features: Tragedy all too familiar for Steve Sullivan’s father

When I last left you, Mike Komisarek had just signed a lucrative deal to travel west from the Montreal Canadiens to the rival Toronto Maple Leafs. Much much more has happened since, so here is your quick update:

• Byron Bitz re-signs with the Boston Bruins
• Vernon Fiddler signs with Phoenix for 2 years and $2.2m
• Steve Begin signs with the Boston Bruins for 1 year and $0.85m
• Steve Sullivan re-signs with Nashville for $7.5m over 2 years
• Sammy Pahlsson signs with Columbus for 3 years and $7.95m
• Jason Strudwick re-signs in Edmonton for 1 year and $0.7m
• Mathieu Garon signs in Columbus for 2 years and $2.4m
• Marian Gaborik signs with the NY Rangers for 5 years and $37.5m
• Brian Gionta signs with the Montreal Canadiens for $25m over 5 years
• Chris Neil re-signs in Ottawa for 4 years and $8m
• John Madden signs in Chicago for 1 year and $2.75m
• Fredrik Sjostrom signs with the Calgary Flames for 2 years and $1.5m
• Jason LaBarbera signs with Phoenix for 2 years and $2m
• Martin Havlat signs with Minnesota for $30m over 6 years
• Mark Recchi re-signs in Boston for $1m and 1 year
• Nik Antropov signs with Atlanta for 4 years and $16m
• Adrian Aucoin signs with Phoenix for 1 year and $2.25m
• Karlis Skrastins signs with Dallas for $2.75m over 2 years
• Mikhail Grabovski re-signs in Toronto for 3 years and $8.9m
• Rob Scuderi signs with LA for 4 years and $13.6m
• Jordan Leopold signs with Florida for 1 year adn $1.75m
• Chad LaRose re-signs in Carolina for 2 years and $3.4m

The most notable deals went to Sullivan, Gaborik, Gionta, Havlat and Antropov. Now for a few remaining notable free agents who are still on the open market:

• Alex Kovalev
• Saku Koivu
• Alex Tanguay
• Sergei Zubov
• Martin Biron

Expect all five to sign before long. There are still plenty of teams looking for offense (LA, NYI?), and all four listed skaters can definitely provide their own unique brand of offense. There are also still a couple teams looking for a starting goalie (Toronto?), so you can expect Biron to sign before long as well. Stay tuned in for more updates as the summer progresses! Man do I ever wish puck drop was tomorrow! One last thing to get my readers involved as well. Let me know, of the free agent former Montreal Canadiens, who you would make a contract offer to?

-m.o.b.