Good advice from our client, Chemo101 about open enrollment.

See you next season Bevo

This is to announce the Bevo Blog will no longer be posted until 2011 due to the season ending tonight.

See you next year.

BEVO Blog. January to November

I think, in fact know, that Texas fans are scratching their heads and asking "Wha'-happened?" since last January. The 'Horns were in Pasadena playing 'Bama for the B(c)S National Championship and but for the early injury to Colt McCoy, well, who knows what might have happened.

Going into tomorrow's game against K-State the 'Horns are 4-4 and have a real chance of NOT being bowl eligible for the first time in a very, very long time. Texas was ranked #5 in the pre-season polls and now is just rank.

Texas is arguably one of the most successful money making sports machines in the nation, and under coach Mack Brown have a win-loss record including a B(c)S Championship that is the envy of just about every other FBS program in the nation.

But in Texas, there is winning and then there's "not exactly" and the fans are getting restless. Some are actually calling for Mack to step down. Cooler heads will prevail and while I wouldn't be surprised there will be a new offensive coordinator next season, Mack will, and should be at the controls of the 2011 Texas Longhorns.

There is every reason to be optimistic. McCoy the younger deserves a shot at starting QB and Shipley 2.0 is set to join the team. Can history repeat itself? We'll see.

Optimism is something that sustains fans through times of not-winning although winning beats optimism every time. But right now it's all Texas fans can hang our hats on.

The best we can say is there's a 100% chance that Texas has a 50-50 chance of winning at K-State tomorrow night.

It's something.

HOOK'EM!

Brian Olson
Conversation Starters LLC
"We start the conversation about you"

Walkin' the talk at TLC Meals on Wheels.

Why some won, and others lost.

It's the morning after. Campaign ads have been replaced by pitches for furniture and cars. Whew!

There's lots of "analysis" going on this morning about why candidates won and lost. The best I ever heard was back in 1994 when I was a News Director in Texas. 40 year incumbent and Democrat Jack Brooks lost his seat to an upstart Republican. (Brooks is seen in the background in the famous picture aboard Air Force One when Lyndon Johnson took the oath of office after the assasination of President Kennedy.)

One of our reporters asked Rep. Brooks why he lost. 'The othe guy got more votes than me," was his response. Hard to argue with that logic.

This morning we still don't know who won the Senate Race in Colorado. The folks up in Alaska woke up to the same news. In this era of high technology, counting votes continues to be a labor-intensive task.

After the votes are counted comes the hard part. Not for the people elected but for the people who elected them. Our work has just begun. Hold those who represent us accountable. Write, e-mail or call. Take advantage of the time when they're back in your district. Ask the tough questions. Be involved in the on-going process of government if for no other reason than it's our government.

We, the people.

Brian Olson
Conversation Starters LLC
"We start the conversation about you"

Remembering Election Nights Past

Back in the day when I was a News Director and/or News Anchor, election night was what we lived for. The day starts early and runs long into the night. The latest I recall ever being on set was around 2:30am during an extremely close Senate race in Wyoming.

Our lead political reporter had done his homework and we were able to project Senator Malcolm Wallop the winner, then signed off and went to bed. Our projection was spot on. Our competition trumpeted the fact they stayed on until dawn until the final official results were in. A few bleary eyed folks likely stayed up with them but we were comfortable with both the call, and the decision to call it a night.

My other election memory is the late, great Tim Russert's legendary coverage of the 2000 Presidential Election. It was Bush vs Gore, with Tim pulling out a decidedly analog white board tracking the numbers and predicting accurately it would be the state of Florida which would decide who won and who didn't. Actually it was the Supreme Court, but ultimately based on what Tim predicted about Florida. About the only thing Tim didn't predict was hanging chads.

Flipping around the channels it looks like the networks will have some dazzling imagery to help tell the story. I doubt any of them will match what Tim Russert did with a simple dry erase board. (Which resides in the Smithsonian by the way) Although if Tim were still around, he'd likely use an iPad tonight. But Tim kept it all understandable, which is what a reporter is supposed to do. Tonight I'm just a viewer like you. Here's hoping the focus of coverage is solid information and analysis, not show business, light shows and incessant spin.

I sure miss Tim.

-Brian Olson

Conversation Starters LLC

"We start the conversation about you"

Our new Joint Venture

(Brian Olson and Ann Baldwin)


It's an exciting time for us here at Conversation Starters as we announce our new joint venture partner, Baldwin Media Marketing of Hartford, CT. Owner Ann Baldwin and I have been friends since we started our our careers in broadcast journalism at KGWN-TV in Cheyenne, WY in the 1980's. Both of us moved on to bigger markets and a significant level of experience in broadcast journalism.

Our careers shifted to communications about the same time when Ann started her company and I joined Echostar Communications.

For our new and existing clients the new venture allows both of us to raise the level of service we can offer in traditional and social media, media training and strategic planning. A level of experience and service measured in decades.

We've been working on this project since earlier this year, and are now ready to take both our companies but more importantly our clients, to the next level.

It's going to be a fun ride!

Brian Olson
Conversation Starters LLC
"We start the conversation about you"