When we received this afternoon an e-mail from the Ravens announcing the names of their P.R. interns for the 2010 season, our first thought was to say, “Why should we care about the names of a team’s P.R. interns?”
And then we remembered a recent tweet from NFL spokesman Greg Aiello, who pointed out that the two men interviewed in our inaugural PFT Season Preview magazine — Commissioner Roger Goodell and Browns coach Eric Mangini — once worked as P.R. interns. Indeed, Mangini was hired by the same guy, Kevin Byrne, who has hired Tom Valente, Tyler Koonce, and Stephanie Sones.
So don’t be shocked if, in about 15 years or less, one of more of those folks are working in a far bigger and better role with an NFL team or the league office.
If nothing else, the message should be clear to any member of today’s “I want it now, and I don’t want to have to work for it” generation. Plenty of you aspire to be coaches or agents or General Managers. But you don’t land in those jobs without first demonstrating your competence and your passion by taking a thankless, low-paying, entry-level job, busting your ass every day, hoping for new opportunities, and seizing them when they arise.
Mangini climbed the ladder (or, more accurately, tiptoed through the minefield) under Bill Belichick. “He called it in Cleveland ’20-20s,’” Mangini said. “Twenty years old, $20,000 dollars. The other term was Ph.D. Poor, hungry, and driven. So he gets young
guys, he puts you in operations or he puts you wherever and then you show
that you have value, and then he may bump you up to another department;
you show you have value, he bumps you up, and then, you know, you
either survive and rise or you get cut out.”
Notwithstanding the gaps from one generation to the next, one thing that remains constant regardless of hairstyles, clothing trends, or musical tastes is the power of hard work and ambition. Valente, Koonce, and Sones may not be making much money or basking in the spotlight now, but they’re possibly laying the foundation for an opportunity to do so at some point in the future.
Far more members of the younger generation (and, yes, I realize how old that makes me sound) think the ideal job is going to fall out of the sky like a ripe apple or a lottery ticket with all the right numbers. It doesn’t work that way. In any line of work — and especially in sports — the best jobs end up in the possession of those who will go without sleep in pursuit of a dream.
Your best chance at that dream job – Become an NFL player first, then people will think you are entitled to an NFL coaching job, just cuz you played the game.
If you didnt play in college, you have almost no chance of getting anywhere – Thats why so many of the coaches act like dumb jocks rather than professionals.
And thats why most people who play video games can manage a clock better than a pro coach.
Ravens suck, there only good front office guy will ALWAYS be a Brown. WIZARD OF OZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Considering that the Ravens have a murdering thug playing for them, the PR person is likely to be ready to be commish after dealing with that.
In any line of work — and especially in sports — the best jobs end up in the possession of those who will go without sleep in pursuit of a dream.
No mention here of actual competence as a requirement. Because the best jobs usually go to those who are so single minded in lusting after them that they’ll do anything to get them: Brown nosing, being your incompetent boss’s bitch, claiming credit that’s not yours, backstabbing, exploiting nepotism, and stepping over anyone who dares to get in your way.
And thanks for the life lesson Florio. Now back to the football…
“JimmySmith says:
July 21, 2010 4:05 PM
Considering that the Ravens have a murdering thug playing for them, the PR person is likely to be ready to be commish after dealing with that. ”
Lame and failed outdated shot. Just another jealous hater.
Too bad Jeremy Green was never a P.R. intern.
Or….was he? Because that’s a way more interesting connection.
“Ravens announcement of P.R. Interns could include future drug addicted child toucher.”
“# jahbird says: July 21, 2010 4:09 PM
My boss worked 16 hours a day, his finance threatened to leave him. He works 10 a day now, got a raise and a promotion, and now he has a wife.”
Yeah, but he can’t afford to pay for her plastic surgery.
So what’s the point?
So you’re saying that interns can sometimes go on to achieve success in the very same fields that they are gaining experience in as interns?
Who else knows about this? If only there were some kind of program to promote this.
Far more members of the younger generation (and, yes, I realize how old that makes me sound) think the ideal job is going to fall out of the sky like a ripe apple or a lottery ticket with all the right numbers.
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Of course it won’t. Obama will make them with the stimulus plan (See the funny joke I made there).
yea florio, pretty preachy to my generation. where’s the part about me going to college for four years and being highly educated and more than qualified and having a fantastic job and working hard at it – but not even being able to land one of these internships no matter how much i wanted to? sure hard work matters, but it ain’t all that easy getting in the door in the first place. stuff it with your preachy bs.
Thanks for the talking-to, you charlatan hack. We want more news and rumors now.
Today’s “I want it now, and I don’t want to have to work for it” generation is exemplified by Florio himself. He took the shortcut to being a real journalist by becoming an internet hack that he then snookered NBC into bankrolling. Florio admits that he merely copied the idea for a NFL rumors website from ESPN once he realized that it’s much safer and more lucrative to defame individuals by repeating rumors and inuendo rather than facts.
Are these 3 minorities? Did they have to use the Rooney Rule for these 3 or is that only for important jobs. good think Goodell didn’t have the Rooney rule or he would have never gotten his intern gig w/the jets.
Brian Sipe says:
July 21, 2010 3:55 PM
Ravens suck, there only good front office guy will ALWAYS be a Brown. WIZARD OF OZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Trust me, the LAST thing Ozzie wants to be remembered as is a Brown. Ravens win Playoff Games and Superbowls. Browns win Coin Tosses and Madden Challenges.
Hardwork? It all makes sense now! Thanks Florio, no wonder you ‘landed’ this job!
I wonder if Tyler Koonce is related to George Koonce.
lolol!! i hope none of this p.r. internz ever run into ray – cause ray ray STABBED someone!!!1! like 10 years ago!!1!! but it’s still funny! p.r. intern must stand for Petrified of Ray intern!!11!!!!
Your Right. Ozzie is true brown because he followed the GREAT ART MODELL to Baltimore and left behind the city that pushed him out the door. For that he’s won and developed into one of the BEST GM’s in Football. Rather than the rooney rule it should be the OZZIE RULE!
Cleveland Sucks if you don’t believe me ask LEBRON!
Hey Brownies we took your team, we took your HOF player as our GM, we won a championship and we are a good team that drafts well every year. Sorry you got suck with whatever the hell you guys have now for a team but this one is NOT COMING BACK. Deal with it.
Ah, therefore Ravens fans, you are Browns fans for LIFE! You are the original Cleveland Browns. How ya feelin’ to be a Browns fan? I enjoy, win/lose/draw. Hope your enjoying it as well! It is too bad that you got our team & our city had to start over, but regardless of how you want to shake it, you are none other than the CLEVELAND BROWNS, so how do you like cheering for us?
Perhaps Flacco will do the job well. Considering he cannot get the job done just as the Ravens front office. HERE WE GO STEELERS HERE WE GO! Get used to it Ravens fans. Your purple outfits fit the city well. Manly men you are. Read my screename and dream bitches! WE OWN YOU.
However you can go from being court jester to being a mod for a crappy football website.
Thanks! As a 23 y.o. law student who works 40 hours a week and doesn’t get a paycheck, I didn’t realize I wouldn’t land my dream job right away. Its good to be reminded of how horrible and lazy I am, its just like talking to my mother. . .
We got 6 do you – thanks for yet another history lesson, which is exactly what your SB trophies are…history. Enjoy them as they continue to tarnish because the Ravens will be winning more while you are sitting home for years to come.
I guess the St. Louis Rams are also the Cleveland Browns.
We all know the Cleveland Rams couldn’t wait to get out of Cleveland and become the Los Angeles Rams.
God Love you LeBron….getting out of arm pit city was the smartest move of your life.
Macadamia says:
July 21, 2010 10:03 PM
We got 6 do you – thanks for yet another history lesson, which is exactly what your SB trophies are…history. Enjoy them as they continue to tarnish because the Ravens will be winning more while you are sitting home for years to come.
macadamia nut,
1,2,3,4,5,6 Dream little girl. With faggo at qb the only ring you will see will be at the base of your cock. Now that I own you, spew more of your verbal diarrhea.
DB 26 we love cheering for our team. It something you are clearly not use to. We definitely love the team you sent us (staff and everything). Imagine if we were stuck with an expansion franchise run by an owner who changes his mind every two minutes and drafts busts after busts after bust oh wait I just described the New Brownies. SOOOOOO SORRY.
Bazooka Joe says:
July 21, 2010 4:17 PM
“JimmySmith says:
July 21, 2010 4:05 PM
Considering that the Ravens have a murdering thug playing for them, the PR person is likely to be ready to be commish after dealing with that. ”
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Lame and failed outdated shot. Just another jealous hater.
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I didn’t find it lame or outdated at all. I think Jimmy’s comment was funny and spot-on. Guess not everyone agrees with you.
Oh, and “jealous” of what? The fact that the Gayvens are picked to be in the Super Bowl nearly every year and manage to choke every time? Perrenial choke artists. Yep. No doubt about it.
wow trickbunny. Latest every time we have been expected to contend we make it to the playoffs. The last time the brownies had any expectations they crashed to a 6-10 record. Win something first.