Mary Mazzio - 50 Eggs Films

APPLE PUSHERS - Redux

2012-01-28T14:26:00.004-05:00

Our newest film, The Apple Pushers, is now screening at special events in select cities - and Kathleen Merrigan, the Deputy Secretary of the USDA, recently hosted a fabulous screening at the MPAA in Washington DC. In addition, the trailer went up on the splash page of itunes last week.

For dates and locations of events, please check out www.applepushers.com. And please feel free to "like" our facebook page as well.

Many thanks to the twitters and bloggers who are writing about the film!

THE APPLE PUSHERS

2011-09-19T12:16:00.003-05:00

We have been working on a new film, THE APPLE PUSHERS, for the past year, which delves into the lives and stories of several immigrant street cart vendors who are, from dawn to dusk, pushing fresh produce into low income neighborhoods in New York City - where, like urban and rural neighborhoods all over America, finding a ripe red apple is a serious challenge.

The project came about after meeting Laurie Tisch, a prominent philanthropist (and co-owner of the Giants) in Aspen when we first screened our prior film, TEN9EIGHT. After the screening, Laurie asked me if I would be interested in coming to New York to learn more about what the City was doing to combat the devastating rates of obesity, which were disproportionately affecting inner city neighborhoods. I drove through some of these "food deserts" - the South Bronx, Harlem, Bed-Sty - and although I didn't expect to see places to buy healthy foods, I was struck by the number of fast food joints crammed on city blocks... that were everywhere. No apples - but plenty of burgers and fries and shakes. At low cost.

Fast forward 18 months and the result of this collaboration is The Apple Pushers, a 72 minute film, narrated by Edward Norton and underwritten by the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund; written and directed by yours truly; produced by me, Tom Scott (founder - Nantucket Nectars), and Christine Vachon (Academy-award winning producer - Mildred Pierce, Boys Don't Cry, Far from Heaven); and Laurie Tisch as executive producer. The project had a special screening at the Aspen Ideas Festival this past summer with the likes of Robin Schepper (Executive Director of Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" initiative), speaking after the film.

The Apple Pushers will launch in October - and our fall series of events will be posted within a few days on both the website and on Facebook. We'd love for you to visit our website, www.applepushers.com, and "like" us on facebook.

Inspired

2011-03-04T08:21:00.004-05:00

I had an epiphany yesterday. Rahfeal Gordon, who appears in TEN9EIGHT, and who recently graduated from Montclair University, has started his own inspirational speaking tour and book publishing business - aimed at people just like himself. Young people from low-income communities who have travelled his path, who have felt his pain. And who, like Rahfeal, aspire to greatness.

Rahfeal found out a month ago that TEN9EIGHT was to screen at Harvard. He called me up and asked if he could say a few words at the screening. Fast forward to yesterday. Not only was he invited to speak and to have dinner with faculty and members of the Schlesinger Library at Harvard - but he rented 14 passenger mini-van and brought with him an entourage. A remarkable entourage. High school and college students from the inner city who, like Rahfeal, were determined to make something of their lives.

They arrived at our offices, dressed in their Sunday best - and one of the young women said "We're on the Babson Campus. And later we're going to Harvard. Rahfeal has changed our lives. We've made it."

Wow.

What I had never realized was that sometimes simple geography can make an enormous difference in the life and world view of what might be possible for an inner-city teenager. I hadn't thought that just stepping foot on a beautiful campus - Babson College, Harvard University - could be so empowering.

Rahfeal knew this. And he brought others with him to feel empowered and inspired. And motivated.

I am so proud to be his friend.

Tom Friedman - Steve Jobs Jobs Jobs (and TEN9EIGHT)

2010-01-24T15:41:00.002-05:00

Today, influential columnist and thought leader, Tom Friedman, called on President Obama, in the wake of the Massachusetts Senatorial election, to refocus on the economy and to stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship.

He said this about our newest film, TEN9EIGHT: "In November, a documentary movie — “Ten9Eight” — was released that tracked a dozen students all the way through to the finals of the NFTE competition. Obama should arrange for this movie to be shown in every classroom in America. It is the most inspirational, heartwarming film you will ever see. You can obtain details about it at www.ten9eight.com."

Friedman also called for the president to put NFTE (the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship) in every low-income community. For his full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/opinion/24friedman.html

Wow.

TEN9EIGHT - the update with AMC Theaters

2009-11-17T20:03:00.006-05:00

Just this week, we launched TEN9EIGHT in eight cities in partnership with AMC Theaters. Gerry Lopez, Bob Lenihan, Nikkole Denson, Sun Dee Larsen, Gene Willis, April Beebe, Nate Reid - and the entire AMC team, from top to bottom, has embraced TEN9EIGHT in a most remarkable way.

Since August, when I last posted an update, we had been talking to several theatrical and broadcast distributors, including Sony Picture Classics (and yes, it is true - I stuck to Tom Bernard like a cheap suit.) He had his people watch the film and consider... watch and consider... and watch and consider once again. When it became apparent that we were not going to be picked up by Sony, it was time to saddle up the rolodex.

A friend then introduced me to Bob Lenihan, AMC's head of programming. Bob watched the film. Called me back a day later. Fast forward to last Thursday when AMC opened the film in 8 cities (in an upscale theater and an urban location in nearly every city). The first wave of screenings were free - open to teachers and students - which were jammed. I saw firsthand the reaction of the kids in New York's Lincoln Square AMC. I stepped in about 3/4 of the way thru - worried that they would be jostling and texting and talking and fidgeting... and there was complete silence. I heard reports that throughout the country, the kids at these screenings clapped and cheered - and that reaction, my friends, has been our most powerful and important review of this film. Because we made it for them.

Our official theatrical release began on Friday, with Russell Simmons (DefJam) and Larry Wilmore (correspondent from the Daily Show) joining us for a packed red carpet event in New York. Last night in Washington DC, Deputy Secretary of Commerce, Dennis Hightower, AMC CEO Gerry Lopez (who flew in from Kansas City to be with us), Chris Gardner (profiled in The Pursuit of Happyness), and Joe Saunders introduced the film at a special screening at the Smithsonian.

TEN9EIGHT is playing at select AMC Theaters this week, my peeps. Click here for showtimes. Please bring your friends, neighbors, Facebook friends, frenemies, bosses, in-laws, the whole gang.

TEN9EIGHT - the countdown begins

2009-08-31T09:49:00.004-05:00

As many of you know, we wrapped up post-production on our newest film, TEN9EIGHT (www.1098.com) earlier this summer. We had the good fortune to be invited to screen a sneak peek at the ASPEN IDEAS FESTIVAL, which is where US Supreme Court justices and Administration officials and captains of industry mingle and brainstorm. (They could also, incidentally, be seen walking around in shorts.) A shout out to Kitty Boone who helped insure that the screening was a stunning success in Aspen.

Our friends at PLUM TV not only promoted the screening, which was sold out - but arranged for me to interview a few of Aspen's glitterati attending the Ideas Festival, including the Daily Show's Black Senior Correspondent, Larry Wilmore. Click here for his very funny interview. (Note to self: never wear an unflattering white tee shirt on television.)

But it was Rodney Walker who stole the show in Aspen - everyone wanted to shake his hand - and I was so proud when he stood up to the microphone in an open session with US Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, to ask a question about how the Secretary intended to get parents more involved in their children's education. Arne Duncan, for his part, made it clear that he is doing his job for the Rodneys of this nation. To see Arne Duncan's introduction to the film, check this out.

We also had another sneak peek recently with an audience of students - and one comment left me humbled and touched. "I am so glad I saw this movie," said a 16 year old inner city student. "I am going to become a Queen, a Diva... people are gonna know my name." And the fact that a single student felt more optimistic about her future and her ability after seeing the film - well - that was the whole point of making this movie. (Stay tuned - the film will be released in November during Global Entrepreneurship Week).

The film chronicles the stories of several inner city kids, as they compete in and prepare for a nationwide business plan competition (hosted by the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship), and I am indebted to the Templeton Foundation for providing major funding for this project, and to the Kauffman Foundation, for their funding and support. I am also indebted to Steve Mariotti and my other friends at NFTE, who allowed me unprecedented access to these students and to the program itself.

I also feel so fortunate to have a new set of teenage friends - those who graciously agreed to let me interview them and prod them (and their families) about their lives and experiences - and people who are so full of opportunity and exuberance. They leave me Facebook messages and text me. And what struck me profoundly throughout the process of making this film is this fact: There are millions of kids just like Rodney and Mac and Jessica and Jamal - in every state, in every city. All of whom are seeds. Seeds with the potential for an explosion of color and vibrancy.

All they need is just a little bit of water.

2009 SRAA Champions - St. Ursula's strikes again.

2009-06-03T05:20:00.008-05:00

Congratulations to my favorite high school rowing team, St. Ursula's Crew, from Toledo Ohio, which captured the gold medal this year at the SRAA National Championships held in Princeton, New Jersey.

The eight rowed the 1500 meter course - fast and furiously in their boat, named DAISY'S HEROES, a reference to A Hero for Daisy, which was christened a couple of years ago by none other than the real Daisy. Capturing yet another piece of hardware to bring back to Todelo, St. Ursula's Crew is grinning in the photo above with coach Neil McElroy.

However, a special moment occurred moments after their win. Krysten French, a 12th grader, was the coxswain of this boat all season. However, a SRAA rule change concerning age prevented Krysten from competing - and rather than wallow in self-pity, she graciously handed the tiller over to junior Taylor McCollum, cheering and shouting herself hoarse for her team.

In an extraordinary gesture after the race, Taylor handed her championship gold medal over to her friend, Krysten French - - an act of remarkable generosity, compassion, and sportsmanship.

A true hero for Daisy.

Congratulations to Taylor, Krysten, Hollis Dana, Emma Miler, Megan Bodie, Tiffany Carnicom, Maggie Peatee, Erin Sheehan, Paige Myers, and Elyse Kortier.

Junior Mints and Bad Mothers

2009-05-08T09:19:00.005-05:00

A new book has just come out on the crimes and misdemeanors of mothers.

I am so relieved to know that I am not alone.

Here's why.

The kids cycled downtown by themselves a few months ago. They returned, panting and out of breath. That afternoon, they complained of stomach aches and both were on the pot for most of the afternoon.

What did you eat, I asked?

Silence.

Kids: Um. Er.

Me: You didn't buy candy, did you?

Kids: Well, CVS had Junior Mints on sale. Two bags for the price of one!

Me: You know you're not supposed to do that. You didn't eat them all, did you?

Silence. Kids look down at their toes.

I retrieve the empty crumpled up bags out of a backpack. Turns out my little sweethearts bought very special candy. Two bags of laxatives for the price of one.

I have been chuckling for months.

Does this make me a bad mother?

Fire Engines and More

2009-03-25T18:26:00.003-05:00

A big shout out to Brian McKeever of Soundtrack Boston today. Brian is working on our newest film, TEN 9 EIGHT, when a fire alarm emptied the building. Brian stayed behind to make sure he had all the sound files for the film, before dashing outside with an armful of hard drives.

Brian's quote? "Here at Soundtrack - we'd risk death by fire before we lose your project."

More to come on the film.

Apologies to my readers for being such a sporadic blogger. There has been so much in the news - but we are knee-deep in this film at the moment. Plus - my mother has been keeping me busy as she writes on my wall on FaceBook.

She does not yet realize that this makes me look very uncool.

Lenny Clarke

2009-01-24T08:08:00.005-05:00

I am still grinning from my celebrity encounter the other day. Which made me an even bigger fan of comedian Lenny Clarke (in Rescue Me, Fever Pitch) since bumping into him at LaGuardia airport.

As I was waiting for my shoes to come thru the security scanner (and wondering if they would notice the bottle of shampoo I had forgotten to take out and put in a little plastic baggie), I noticed a man in a Fever Pitch jacket to my right - and knew he was from Boston. I was also thinking - hmmm - I wonder how that guy got that nice piece of Farrelly Brothers swag... when I saw his face.

"Lenny?" I stuck out my hand and introduced myself - and immediately he was asking, hey - you're from Boston? What are you doing here in New York? Hey, hon, that is a great jacket - where'd you get that? What do you do? What are you working on? It was like I had bumped into my uncle.

I was also struck by the fact that he was a man of the people. No pretense. He is who he is.

And that he flew coach.

I love that.

Rock on, brother.

Rutgers Football - Again in the News

2008-12-20T14:56:00.003-05:00

Ted Sherman and Josh Margolin of the Star Ledger recently reported that a special university commission found that the athletic department at Rutgers University was allowed to operate without oversight by board of governors or the president of Rutgers.

You might remember that Rutgers recently eliminated 6 varsity sports (including sports which had yielded many an Olympian from Rutgers, including rowing) in its effort to create a football dynasty. The Star Ledger reports that the annual football program budget, which was $7.5 million in 2003, is now over $15 million and accounts for more than half of the total athletic department budget.

School officials, probably sheepishly, acknowledged that the football program (like 80% of all collegiate football programs according to the NCAA) still loses money. In addition - in an effort to keep coach Greg Schiano from leaving Rutgers, the University also rushed into constructing a $102 million dollar stadium, which is undergoing its own investigation by the comptroller for the State of New Jersey.

The Star Ledger outlines several expenses that the football team incurs, including the remarkable line item of having the football team sleep at a Hyatt Hotel before all home games. That's right, folks - home games.

Here is the irony. I remember being housed before the Olympic Games - in the Olympic Village in Barcelona. The Village had no air conditioning and was built over a highway. Swimmers (who had competed early) shouting at 2 in the morning.

No Hyatts for us.

Little Old Lady with Baseball Bat

2008-12-04T10:16:00.003-05:00

You can not make this stuff up. This week's gold star has to go to 86 year old Sonia Paine.

Jonathan Saltzman, in yesterday's Boston Globe, wrote about the recent death of 92 year old Nick George Montos, the oldest prison inmate in Massachusetts, who at various times in his life, ended up on the FBI's Most Wanted List (mostly for armed robbery).

Montos had the misfortune of trying to rob Sonia Paine's Brookline Massachusetts antiques store in 1995 - at the age of 79. When he took out his gun, Sonia put on her glasses, assuming that he wanted to have it appraised. She was initially perplexed when he insisted on tying her up. Paine, who was 73 at the time, wriggled herself free - threw down the silent alarm, and then grabbed a baseball bat (which presumably she had handy for this sort of occasion).

Poor Nick George Montos, who was kneeling in front of the safe. He never saw it coming.

Paine, a grandmother of 6, was quoted as saying: "I wish he'd come in again. I'd beat the hell out of him."

See - life just doesn't stop after the age of 70...

Buffeted by Buffet

2008-11-10T20:03:00.004-05:00

I felt a surge of hope this week with the election of Barack Obama, and not simply because a nation fractured for decades over issues of race could actually elect an African American as president, but because Barack has inspired and excited the likes of legendary investor Warren Buffet, Larry Summers (former secretary of the Treasury and briefly, president of Harvard), Eric Schmidt (co-founder of Google); and Anne Mulcahy (Xerox) - to roll up their sleeves and help solve the current issues facing the country.

I am not certain that the A Team would have been willing to go to work for John McCain.

On other notes - a shout out to my friends who jumped into my latest film project last week (about inner city kids), including Arthur Blank (co-founder, Home Depot and owner of the Atlanta Falcons); Wyc Grousbeck (owner - Boston Celtics); David Fialkow (co-founder General Catalyst); Kay Koplovitz (co-founder USA Networks); Ralph Schlosstein (co-founder, BlackRock); Tom Scott (co-founder, Nantucket Nectars, founder - Plum TV); Beth Westvold (Managing Director - BlackRock); and Ray Hamel (co-founder, Pure Encapsulations).

Thanks also to the Business Pundit for their kudos.

Sarah Palin - Redux

2008-10-05T10:02:00.003-05:00

Just when I thought that John McCain had scored a masterful flourish of political wizardry by appointing Sarah Palin to be his running mate, Sarah Palin had an unfortunate run-in with Katie Couric on CBS, which was hysterically captured by Tina Fey on Saturday Night Live.

Because of Palin's gaffes on CBS, watching the one and only vice-presidential debate last week became both sport and entertainment, also the subject of another Saturday Night Live skit.

And three thoughts came to me during the debate. First - why didn't the moderator, Gwen Ifill, make Sarah Palin answer any of the questions? Second - Palin could have, despite her lack of experience and knowledge on policy issues, actually won the debate. Although I was not expecting such a strong showing from Joe Biden (who was expected to ramble and pontificate), he nearly moved me to tears when he responded to Palin's allegation that he could not identify with regular people or their issues. He almost cried when he mentioned losing his wife and his son - clearly an unrehearsed moment.

Palin, almost robotic, never stopped to look at Biden. Had she said "Joe - I can not imagine the pain of losing a child - I am so sorry," pudits might have overlooked her lack of knowledge on the issues, and instead, applauded her for truly being a real person, a real hockey mom. Instead, she ignored his statement, his pain - clearly forfeiting an opportunity to demonstrate compassion.

The other thought, when Palin reached for her infant, almost as if the baby was a prop, was this: what kind of mother would keep a baby out until 11pm at night?

Sarah Palin - a product of Title IX

2008-09-21T13:21:00.004-05:00

The appointment of Sarah Palin to be the Vice President on the Republican ticket was a brilliant, searing, in-your-face strategic move by John McCain. Palin has energized the party, partly because she shoots caribou (and then eats them in burgers); wears bright red shoes, and talks like a hockey mom.

Well, sometimes.

Claiming that you might have foreign policy credentials because you can see Russia from your backyard - well, most hockey moms I know (and I am one) - would probably have come up with a more convincing piece of spin. Plus, most of the hockey moms I know both spit and swear - and none of this from Palin. Yet.

Palin recently told ABC's Charlie Gibson that she was a product of Title IX when asked if she could hold office and raise a family, particularly as Palin's youngest child has Downs Syndrome. I found this answer interesting - as I am not sure that Title IX has anything to do with the balance between work and children, particularly a child with special needs. Title IX, to Palin's point, however, has been critically important in terms of creating opportunities for women on the playing field (and in other areas of education), which translate into very real gains in the workplace.

The real issue is this - John McCain trumped the Democratic Party. Barack Obama could have headed off this frontal assault by appointing Hillary (or, at a minimum, publically promised her a cabinet position) - and failed to do so. In fact, a bold move by Obama might have been, if he couldn't stomach the concept of Hillary as a vice president, named his entire potential cabinet (including Bill Richardson, Hillary Clinton, and others) - which could have blunted any sort of counterpoint move by John McCain.

I think we Democrats are in checkmate, at the moment.

The Closing of the Games

2008-08-24T13:39:00.010-05:00

With the closing ceremonies to be broadcast tonight, withdrawal symptoms will set in for about a week or so. Workouts will be slightly more vigorous, at least, well maybe, for a month.

China has hosted a spectacular Olympics - the Opening Ceremonies were among the most artistic and spellbinding since Barcelona in 1992. (And I am not being biased because I was there to see those Games, but because the archer from Spain ran past all the athletes and then raised his bow and arrow and hit the cauldron, square on, igniting the Olympic flame.)

The athletes and the host country with its zillion volunteers sweated, jumped, ran, and did their very best. This can not be said for some members of the media corps. At the swimming venue, where the not-from-our-planet Michael Phelps (and his mother) were omnipresent. Phelps was, in a word, awesome. Rowdy Gains did an excellent job of commentating, but his co-host was less impressive with comments about which female swimmers were dating who and which swimmer's nude photos appeared on the internet. It was surprising that the official commentators transformed NBC's usual strong coverage into the PEOPLE Magazine version of the Olympic Games.

There was also media commentary on a male swimmer or two - such as who Michael Phelps might be dating, which was a strange and desperate attempt for 15 minutes of fame by swimmer Amanda Beard, clearly trying to become a reality show celebrity. She appeared on E or Access Hollywood as a correspondent (with questions to Phelps such as "where are you going to party tonight"). When asked by the Access Hollywood host "are you dating Michael Phelps," Beard replied, "I'll never tell." She later was pressed to explain this and, in a very diplomatic fashion said: "dating Michael Phelps? Eewwww."

The press also lambasted the track and field program, which, in fact, had a very strong medal haul this year, compared to prior Olympics - just not in the signature sprinting events, like the 4 x 100 relay where both the men's and women's teams were disqualified for dropping the stick. Even though the relay will most likely never change, getting rid of the baton and having a system like the swimmers (one hits the line and the other goes) would be much more exciting. Dropped batons are no fun for the athlete or the spectator.

And of course, there was the 2am coverage of rowing, which is the least covered event at the Olympic Games (possibly followed by canoe/kayak; handball; and table-tennis. OK - and maybe rhythmic gymnastics.) The Chinese women's quadruple sculls won the gold - and their technique was effective and strong. Good for Igor Grinko, the Russian at the helm of China's rowing program. US single sculler, Michele Guerette came within inches of a gold medal in the women's single, making us all proud. The US women's eight won the gold and the men's eight won a bronze medal - and Yazzie Faruq's commentating for NBC was terrific (and enthusiastic). She outclassed the field.

Sadly, it was clear that despite talented athletes (the Winklevoss twins making the final in the men's pair, the determined men's single, as well as the other many boats competing for the US at the Olympics), the US is seriously in need of a systematic development system, properly funded, for all its boats (and not simply the eights, which are now the least competitive event at the Olympics with barely more than a handful of entries). Australia, Canada, and New Zealand (the tiniest of populations) are fielding competitive rowing boats and developing athletes - so this skill and ability is not restricted to the communist countries.

Finally -unlike rowing, there was lots of coverage for beach volleyball players Misty May and Kerri Walsh, both of whom are strong aggressive athletes. However, the post-gold medal match display of hugs in the sand reminded me of the jello wrestling pits of the 1980s. I need go no further with this, except to say: what is up with the rule that the women can't wear anything other than those unbecoming bikini style outfits? And where was the media commentary on this? (And of the fact that the men in the sport can not remove their shirts.) I am sure it is a Budweiser-mandated rule - but if Misty May and Kerri Walsh are to be truly iconic, they could put on real workout shorts that keep out the sand, and, a la Billie Jean King, say: "go ahead, fire me."

Then they would be true role models.

Well - it is only two years from now, when the Bode Millers will rise again from the ashes.

Can't wait.

Igor Grinko's Chinese Women Crank - Beijing Olympics

2008-08-12T08:15:00.003-05:00

The Chinese women, in the women's quadruple sculls, blew away the field in their opening heat. They looked sharp and classically trained by Igor Grinko - - with the same technique that he tried to teach us back in 1992. Technique that is perfect for quad rowing - cutting off the finish and jumping off the foot stretchers.

It suddenly occurred to me that rowing is the perfect sport for a communist country (as is synchronized diving) because there can be no ego, every movement has to be identical with the person in front of you, there can be no individual star or extraneous movement. You have to completely blend in and if you are headstrong and try to do your own thing, you will only slow down the boat.

Countries are still questioning whether the Chinese are using performance enhancements - but if you look at their actual technique, the Chinese are rowing really well. That, plus the development of athletes that China began several years ago, has and will continue to yield strong results. Moreover, the extraordinary support from the Chinese government, which put the time and energy and coaching into their athletes, will pay rich dividends this summer.

Watching the US athletes compete, it struck me that many of these athletes are left to their own devices with little or no consistent coaching - and it is such a shame that the US does not have a similar system of support for its athletes (at least not its rowing athletes). With one of the largest gene pools of athletic talent in the US, more consistent support, money, coaching and facilities for up and coming athletes would result in more consistent results.

We in the US put most of our eggs in the men's and women's eights basket. However, only 7 women's eights are lining up in Bejing and only 8 men's eights lined up - - that is not much of a competition. Frankly, and this might be heresy - but removing the eights from the Olympic program because it is so sparsely attended - and instead adding more events for smaller boats (a lightweight single; a women's four, a men's and women's coxed four; more lightweight events) would be more exciting and more competitive. Plus - more countries can afford to send smaller boats to race.

Watching the rowing events at the Olympics this year is particularly exciting with the addition of the overhead cable cameras in the last 250 meters of the race. The Chinese broadcast is magnificent. In fact, you can actually see who is exerting intensity of effort (and who is not).

A shout out to the perennial Ted Nash, a member of the 1960 Olympic Team and coach to many Olympic and National Team boats. Ted coached the Winklevoss twins who advanced to the semi-finals yesterday, winning their repecharge heat. Ted is a coach who has always been available to almost any athlete that has picked up the phone to ask for his help. Kudos as well to Michelle Guerette, the US single sculler, for winning her quarter final - she looks really smooth and strong. And a great effort as well by the US men's single, Ken Jurkowski, who qualified for the semi-finals.

Finally - many thanks to Lela and the Business Pundit for this little bit of COVERAGE.

8.8.08 - Let the Games Begin

2008-08-07T21:01:00.005-05:00

In celebration of 8.8.08 (notwithstanding the fact that our favorite event, rowing, is yet again relegated to 2am in the morning), both Forbes.com and Inc.com ran stories about Olympians-turned-Entrepreneurs.

Thanks so much to Forbes.com writer Maureen Farrell for including me in Forbes.com's all-star line up, along with this photo of me (looking uncharacteristically bossy. Not.)

Thanks also to Inc.com's Tamara Schweitzer for including me in Inc.com's Olympic - themed coverage.

In other news, we are knee-deep in production on our newest documentary film - and are set to corral about 40 kids in New York next week, which is making my line producer's hair nearly fall out.

Hope everyone is having a good summer.

Celtic Pride

2008-06-27T05:54:00.004-05:00

A shout out to Wyc Grousbeck and the Celtics for bringing home Banner 17.

They have made those of us, born and bred Massachusetts (some would call us townies) - they have made us proud.

Ball Girl Makes Amazing Catch at Baseball Game

2008-06-24T08:28:00.004-05:00

Check out this amazing video from a minor league baseball game. Thanks to Sally Jackson for sending it to me.

Rumor has it that this was a Gatorade Commercial. If so, well done, sirs. Well done.

Igor Grinko - Chinese Olympic Coach - Redux

2008-06-03T13:02:00.006-05:00

I blogged the other day about the article in The New York Times written by Juliet Macur about Igor Grinko and the Chinese Olympic Rowing Team.

I received several comments, including one from Igor, himself - and it is incumbent on me to post Igor's response.

Igor's post is below. Please remember that Igor's first language is Russian - so there are a few typos.

"Some friends sent me your article. I think it's stupid what is you writing there together with Mike Teti about East Germany I mean system for selection and training, not drugs. For my 14 years work with US is any athletes can say I offer drugs to him or her. You just lying. When we trained in Switzerland I called just asked if they can offer something for recovery very natural. Shame on you Mary. I quarantee my Chinese rowers all clean and just training better."

For the record, Igor has coached several world championship winning teams - and frankly, I was not among the best athletes he ever coached. Igor was always honest with me about that fact and I always respected him for that. On a personal level, Igor always had a dry sense of humor about us, and about himself.

My blog was primarily focussed on how much money China is spending to support its athletes, which I think the US ought to be doing. It comes as no surprise to me that a well-funded system in China produces crews that are clocking the rest of the world. In fact, the Chinese are light years ahead of the US in terms of athlete development and support. And Igor's comment that they are training better - this very well may be true.

My blog posting did not say that Igor would cheat. Igor is driven to win - and will take every competitive advantage that he can. That being said, I will take him at his word.

The Chinese 24 Karat Olympic Machine and Igor Grinko

2008-06-01T16:46:00.008-05:00

New York Times writer Juliet Macur documents her visit with the Chinese National Rowing Team and their coach, Igor Grinko, in today's New York Times. Three things about the article struck me as remarkable. First - that the Chinese Government underwrote a $10 million dollar rowing facility and sponsors 1200 rowing athletes. The support of the US government is downright stingy in comparison. Olympic athletes here in the US receive only a few thousand dollars in support. The Chinese, like many European and Asian nations, cover living expenses, food, travel, and training costs. Former US Olympic coach, Hartmut Buschbacher, also coaching in China, was quoted as saying "If you are surprised at how good the Chinese have gotten, then I think you should come here and watch them train and see this place... if you think this is not going to lead to performance, then I'm sorry, you are stupid." I loved this quote - classic Hartmut Buschbacher. To the point. And blunt.

I had the chance to work with Hartmut while he was the Olympic Team coach for the women's sweep program - and I thought he had a great non-nonsense attitude. He also designed personal programs for athletes - instead of generic workout program for all athletes, which I thought was brilliant.

Second and more importantly, despite the allegations of doping (addressed below) - it also struck me that Igor Grinko is thriving in China - a system much like Russia, where Igor's scullers (usually the quad) won multiple gold world championships and Olympic medals. China has an enormous population, so it was only a matter of time before really good athletes, particularly from Inner Mongolia, would emerge. In addition, Igor has all the tools at his fingertips - doctors, labs, physical therapists, new equipment - and, more importantly, everyone will do what he dictates. Furthermore, unlike what happens here in the US, Igor can develop athletes - rather than focus on a shorter term strategy of selection. Sadly, the US has forgone the concept of athlete development for the past 15 years - which means that really good potential athletes are not identified or developed - which is partly responsible for the meager medal showings year after year by the US Team. At this point in time, only the men's and women's eights are supported with consistent and rigorous coaching - but even then, there is very little development. On top of this, there are precious few trials events for the Olympic Games, so unless you happen to be invited to a camp, there is little incentive for unidentified athletes to continue training after college. So it comes as no surprise that Igor can and will develop really fast and powerful crews in the sort of environment that China has in place.

Third - Mike Teti, the US men's Olympic coach, has gone on the record as suggesting that doping is responsible for the rapid improvement of the Chinese teams, who were largely absent from the international scene 10 years ago. Grinko, in the Times, responds "no secrets, no mysteries going on here... they're just doing this like the East Germans did in the 1970s and 1980s." I laughed when I read this quote - because although the East Germans had government support and a rigorous training program, it was common knowledge that the East Germans doped heavily and consistently, not just in the 1970s and 1980s, but beyond. Teti knows this as well, given that he was a member of several Olympic teams before he started his coaching career.

Nonetheless, having visited China and Inner Mongolia - and seeing how large and athletic many Chinese athletes are - - and having been an assistant coach to the Korean Olympic Development Team - - I saw first-hand how these athletes are developed and trained. They all live together in government apartments - and they train full-time without distraction. So it comes as no surprise that they are fielding very competitive and talented teams. In fact, a link on the New York Times's website (click here for the article) shows clips of the Chinese Team. Their rowing technique is very good - clean and smooth, with very little boat check.

That being said, Igor Grinko was our Olympic sculling coach in 1992. So I have a bit of knowledge about how he coaches and how he interacts with athletes. In fact, in 1991 and 1992, Igor was very frustrated with his American athletes - partly because there was no system or support in place for consistent training - and partly because he had very little control over headstrong American scullers. He also did not understand the mental aspect of American athletes, thinking that the larger athletes would always outperform the smaller athletes. In Russia, rowing is a job. Here in America, it is a passion. Moreover, Grinko's workouts were designed for Russian athletes - meaning that, at least as far as we were concerned, they availed themselves of performance enhancements which, more than anything, helped them to recover quickly. We did not. In fact, while we were training in Colorado at altitude early in 1992, Igor insisted that I do back to back workouts (40 minute erg pieces) at a heart rate of 186 (a beat below my anaerobic threshold, when I would start generating huge amounts of lactic acid). Most of the other women's thresholds were around 140 - 160. After several days of this kind of work, which should have in theory worked, I nearly tanked. In fact, the doctor at the US Olympic Training Center took a blood test. "Get the hell out of here" he said. "You have completely depleted your glycogen stores. It will take you months to recover and I don't know if you'll be able to recover in time for the Games." Igor's workouts, at least then, were brutual for women who were not taking drugs to help them recover from workouts. I also recall training at altitude in St. Moritz when the women were crying on the way to workouts. People were at the limit, both physically and mentally, under Igor's workout program.

Although I am sure Igor is smart enough to have his athletes avoid any performance enhancements which are specifically noted on the International Olympic Committee's banned list - I share this anecdote. In 1992, one of our assistant coaches told us, while we were training in Switzerland prior to the Games, that Igor was trying to get his hands on a new drug that the Italian cyclists were using to rid the body of lactic acid more quickly. That substance was not yet on the banned list because it was so new - and furthermore, one of us on the team found out that an Italian cyclist had died after taking the substance because his heart fibrilated.

To be fair, I never asked Igor myself if this was true - and the drug never materialized as one of the assistant coaches had purportedly placed a call with the US Olympic Committee to confirm that enhancements NOT on the banned list were still banned. And frankly, even if Igor had located and procured that drug - very few of us, being a fairly feisty bunch of independent minded people, would have been insipid enough taken some blue pill or blue drink. In some countries, athletes are told that "vitamins" are in a drink or a pill - and they simply swallow. In the US, especially with scullers who are older and cranky, with no money or glory at stake, we don't.

So after reading the New York Times article, here is what I think. The Chinese athletes are earning their results, particularly because of the money and support of the Chinese government. If the US had a strongly supported development system in place, instead of a catch-as-catch can selection process - we, too, would be more competitive.

However, that being said, I would not be surprised at all if Igor could put his hands on something that was not yet on the banned list. Something to optimize his athletes. Something small and and something blue.

St. Ursula's Academy and Daisy's Heroes

2008-04-10T15:57:00.011-05:00

Daisy and I travelled to St. Ursula's Academy in Toledo, Ohio this week to visit the two-time champions of the Head of the Cuyahoga (and winners of the Chris Ernst/A Hero for Daisy trophy) as well as the rest of the fabulous St. Ursula's community.

After a screening of A Hero for Daisy, Daisy read her prepared speech, which she practiced several times without prompting, to about 700 girls - telling them that she was very glad to miss two days of school. She also told the girls that they made her believe that she could do anything.

That afternoon, we attended the christening of St. Ursula's brand new Resolute eight, a fine fast racing shell, which the team had voted to name "DAISY'S HEROES."

I was so moved by the naming... and decided that I needed to bring my 15 year old bottle of champagne which I had been given at the Olympic Games. The bottle had the Olympic Rings - and for 15 years had been stored at the back of my refrigerator.

I had been waiting for a perfect time to open that bottle. And as far as I was concerned, there was no better time to uncork that baby - than over a boat named for Daisy's newest heroes.

The St. Ursula's community was so remarkable. The girls were funny and smart and vivacious and grounded. They make Toledo proud.

Thank you to Cindy Dana, to St. Ursula's, and to the City of Toledo - for making us feel so welcome. This was an event that Daisy and I will remember forever. Click here for fabulous coverage by The Toledo Blade.

BlackRock - Redux

2008-03-27T13:49:00.006-05:00

Larry Fink, the Chairman of BlackRock, was on the front page of the Wall Street Journal the other day. BlackRock, along with Highfield's Capital, is backing PennyMac, a new fund formed to acquire non-performing mortage loans from banks and other financial institutions. Larry and the other founders of BlackRock transformed what began as a tiny fixed income shop, beginning with 8 people in 1988, into a trillion dollar global asset management firm - a firm which was grounded around the concept of risk-management. (A concept that was not utilized by many Wall Street firms, as evidenced by the shellacking of Bear Stearns.)

Speaking of BlackRock, my friend, Chris Poe sent this photo of me with Ralph Schlosstein, one of BlackRock's founders, which was taken immediately prior to the screening of "we are BlackRock" in New York City at Gotham Hall.

You will note that the reason I am having a less than stellar hair day is because I was sweating profusely prior to the screening of this latest film, all the while, trying to look calm and collected.

Girls' Ice Hockey - Should they play at the Boston Garden?

2008-03-10T14:35:00.006-05:00

Today's Boston Globe reported that the Massachusetts Inter-Scholastic Athletic Association had scheduled the state hockey finals for high school boys to be played at the Boston Garden, home of the Bruins. The girls, however, are relegated to another site, which is not the Garden.

The finals for both boys and girls high school basketball state finals are at the Garden (also home of our beloved Celtics) - and so, inquiring minds might ask, why are the girls playing high school hockey not at the Garden?

The girls will play at the Harvard facility - a top notch rink. However, it is the signal and message which is unfortunate: you do not deserve to play where the hallowed traditions of the Bruins lie... you do not deserve to be where the boys play.

Arguments have been made that ice hockey for girls is an emerging sport (many more high schools offer ice hockey to boys than girls) - but that is the same tired argument that was used decades ago for women playing sports at all. That girls need to "earn" their stripes. However, girls pay tuition, practice, and put in the kind of effort that the boys do.

It is remarkable that in 2008, that this conversation and observation is even being made.

On another note - here at 50 Eggs, we were commissioned to produce a film project for BlackRock, the wildly successful asset management firm. The 42 minute film chronicled the history and entrepreneurial path of 8 founders who came together and grew the business into a global brand of over 5000 strong.

After completing the project, it became apparent to me that BlackRock is a different sort of place with real people who are fiercely dedicated to serving their customers (whether the customer is a large pension fund or a municipal worker - a fireman or carpenter). What was striking was the crew also came to this same conclusion. There were several people who worked on the film (our line producer, our photographer, our sound guy) who all asked: where can I get a BlackRock fund?

Going After the Rocket

2008-02-10T09:22:00.000-05:00

Former Senator George Mitchell's report, all 409 pages, found here, is scathing in its indictment of baseball, particularly the Player's Association. Mitchell took nearly 18 months to compile his report, which was done at the behest of Commissioner Bud Selig, to investigate steroid use and performance enhancement in baseball. The report, which was released in December, named names, including pitchers Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte.

The fact that congressional hearings are being held on this issue - and that senators are spending time on whether professional athletes are using performance enhancements - and worrying about whether Roger (and his wife) used human growth hormone - is a bit like the emperor wearing no clothes. We have young men and women in Iraq, our energy security is at risk - and these senators are waxing forth on an issue which is completely trivial in the scope of pressing issues. Once our troops are back home, once the crisis in the Middle East has been cleaned up, once our economy is back on sound footing, once our reputation as a country has been resurrected, once the problem of kids dropping out of high school in precipitous numbers has been addressed, once the obesity and health issues which are crippling the next generation is faced head on, and once the issue of poverty in this country is actually acknowledged- only then should our leaders in Washington look to other such issues, such as steroid use, to solve.

Frankly - unless and until professional baseball and football have testing requirements as stringent and rigorous as Olympic athletes (and cyclists), enforcement and allegations of performance enhancement in professional sport is a joke. It is common fact that baseball never tested for performance enhancements until recently - and its current testing and penalty system is laughable. It is common fact that our heralded football players, who miraculously come back from devastating injuries within weeks, use enhancements. The only way to stop steroids in baseball (or any other professional sport), is to (a) fire coaches and trainers (for life) under whose watch it happens; (b) have a real testing protocol much like the one imposed on Olympic athletes; and (c) impose real penalties on team owners or sanction the entire team for material transgressions. If all of a sudden, a team could not go to the Super Bowl because 10 players were using - things would change in a heartbeat.

While Bud Selig attempted to assuage public concerns about the asterisk which may or may not be placed next to the name of Barry Bonds by hiring George Mitchell to prepare his report - George Mitchell spent 18 months of wasted time on a self-evident report. Of course professional athletes use substances to keep them in the game. Especially those athletes in professional leagues which have little or no real testing protocol.

George Mitchell, who helped broker peace between Ireland and Britain, should have been using his time during the last 18 months for something more important.

Perhaps working on peace in the Middle East.

Marion Jones Sentenced

2008-01-15T08:54:00.000-05:00

Track star Marion Jones was recently sentenced to serve 6 months in jail for lying to federal investigators about using banned substances and for 2 months for lying about the involvement of her coach, Steve Riddick, and former training partner and father of her eldest son, Tim Montgomery, also a world class Olympic sprinter, in a multi-million dollar check scheme.

There was never any question that Marion Jones took performance enhancements, particularly as she trained under coach Trevor Graham - who has had many an athlete test positive for banned substances. Marion is one of many world class athletes who regularly take banned substances. What people often forget is this: it is only banned if you go over certain limits as an athlete. If you follow the money, you'll find enhancement. You rarely find athletes taking banned substances in low money sports (rowing as a perfect example - all guts, no glory, no press, and certainly no endorsements or money).

The severity of the sentence, according to US District Court Judge, Kenneth Karas, was in part to make an example of Jones. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Karas stated that a prison sentence might make others ''think twice before lying. It might make them realize that no one is above the obligation to tell the truth.'

Making Marion Jones an example, while the many baseball players who testified under oath in front of Congress (and then were subsequently found to have taken steroids or other banned substances) - is not only extreme, but unfair.

Marion Jones has become a national disgrace, sentence enough for her actions. Floyd Landis, Tyler Hamilton, and the many NFL and MLB players who have taken banned substances are not behind bars - - and to make Marion Jones the sacrificial lamb sends a message that if you are a woman and an athlete, especially one of color, all bets are off.

As for the check fraud scheme - that, frankly, is a more serious offense. And to receive 2 months for that involvement means that she did not participate but knew it was happening. Clearly, Jones has some serious character issues that she will need to deal with going forward, but putting her, a mother with two young sons, behind bars for lying about steroid use, makes no sense.

It should be the trainers and team owners who know about steroid and enhancements who ought to be made examples of.

Put a major league manager behind bars - now that would be real deterrence.

Head of the Charles Regatta

2007-10-22T14:08:00.000-05:00

The annual running of the Head of the Charles Regatta happened this past weekend with 8000 rowers racing a 3 mile course on the Charles River. My long-time doubles partner, Cindy Matthes, and I raced in the Master's Women's 2x, placing a respectable 5th place. Cindy and I were doubles partners in the Olympic Games back in 1992 and the days of setting course records and winning gold medals are long past - - but we have continued to row together, three times a week, our lycra sagging and our efforts not so pretty.

That being said, during the last part of the race, we passed Cambridge Boat Club coming into Eliot Bridge, hearing a deafening huge groundswell of cheers - - and my new favorite high school team, St. Ursula's from Ohio, they all hung over Eliot Bridge screaming my name and urging us to crank up the volume.

After my race, heartrate still full on, they put me behind the mike, announcing the remainder of the races for the day - heckling them was more like it. As my friend, Eddie Hewitt, the consigliere of row2k said, "at least you didn't go over the line too much."

To top the weekend, which was unusually sunny and calm, I was en route to the gym today for an executive workout (that would be a jacuzzi and a shower) - and was stopped by several people who remarked that we had received an extraordinary amount of coverage. When I opened The Boston Globe, there we were, in our full glory. But it was not because of our speed.

It was because Cindy and I teamed up with the irrepressible David Fialkow (a wild man venture capitalist) and the exuberant Wyc Grousbeck (owner of the Celtics and former Princeton rowing champion) in the 4x race, with Wyc and David having raised nearly $250,000 for the Perkins School for the Blind. David, a complete novice, had rowed only 2 months prior to the race - and Wyc, a strong athlete in his own right, had not rowed a race in 25 years. They set about raising money by challenging their friends to sponsor their training miles, joining us for workouts, without, remarkably, a single whine, whimper, or complaint.

Anyone wishing to donate funds to the Perkins School for Wyc and David's efforts can send checks payable to the Perkins School to Wyc Grousbeck, Owner- Boston Celtics Management, 226 Causeway Street, 4th Floor, Boston, MA 02114.

Rutgers in the News Again - Its Controversial Decision to axe six Olympic sports - and a new book by a long time critic.

2007-10-04T07:39:00.000-05:00

The controversial decision by Rutgers athletic director, Robert Mulcahy, to cut six teams in order to trim the athletic budget by approximately $2 million dollars, continues to reverberate throughout the Rutgers community. Rutgers, in the wake of a projected $80 million dollar deficit, asked all departments, university-wide, to closely examine their budgets this past year.

Robert Mulcahy, stating that Title IX required him to cut mostly men's sports, made the decision to phase out men's heavyweight crew, lightweight crew, fencing, swimming and diving, tennis, and women's fencing - - all Olympic sports, and sports which developed Rutgers athletes in Olympians and national team members. According to the Wall Street Journal, Rutgers has produced 19 Olympic rowers alone.

Although Mulcahy claimed that Title IX required him to cut the men's teams, he simultaneously increased the budget for men's football, with a pay raise to the men's football coach, Greg Schiano, of $1.5 million dollars. ""Football is a separate issue -- I look at it differently from the rest of the sports. It raises far more money, and ultimately the success of football can carry the rest of our programs," Mulcahy said, according to the Wall Street Journal.

However, Rutgers Football does not make money - and according to the NCAA, 80% of all football programs nationwide lose money. A blogger just sent me an email that the Rutgers stadium required $80 million in funding - and that the men's tennis scholarship budget was a mere $29,500. Although I can understand a desire to restore a football team to prominence, feeding steak to 150 guys on the football team is excessive when other parts of the university are hemorrhaging, and other athletes and programs are sacrificed in the process.

Rutgers Football is doing well, however. And with that success, comes challenges. After defeating Navy last month, Rutgers football fans shouted profanities and "you suck" to Navy - which in my mind, constitutes the usual heckling at the end of a football game, especially with Jersey fans having imbibed one too many. Rutgers President, Richard McCormick, however, sent a letter of apology to Jeffrey Fowler, the Naval Academy's Vice Admiral, clearly embarrassed that Rutgers fans would harrass athletes headed off to Iraq.

The money spent on football and basketball has made William Dowling, a tenured English professor at Rutgers, irate. Dowling, a long-time critic of Rutgers athletics and its push into big time football and basketball, just penned a diatribe, "Confessions of a Spoilsport" which chronicles his 10 year effort to fight against the expansion of Division I sports at Rutgers which has, he claims, degraded the caliber of students and community at Rutgers. The New York Times last week published an interview with Dowling, in which Dowling says "We tried to take on the monster of commercialized sports, even if it swallowed us up and passed us out the other end. Someone should know that we fought the good fight." However, Dowling's response to a question as to whether Rutgers athletics provided minority students with greater opportunities, has created more controversy. "If you were giving the scholarship to an intellectually brilliant kid who happens to play a sport, that’s fine,” Dowling said. “But they give it to a functional illiterate who can’t read a cereal box, and then make him spend 50 hours a week on physical skills. That’s not opportunity. If you want to give financial help to minorities, go find the ones who are at the library after school.”

Robert Mulcahy immediate decried Dowling's remark as racist, as did University President Richard McCormick. Dowling later said, according to ESPN, "none of these kids would have been able to get into Rutgers if they hadn't been able to throw something or kick something or slam dunk something." However, Rutgers officials claim that the 2.7 grade point average of the football team is on par with the rest of the university.

Clearly, Dowling's remark was was not well thought out... and was inflammatory in many respects. However, Rutgers would do well to remember that its fundamental responsibility is to create opportunities for all of its students to become leaders and productive citizens... and not to produce NFL players or NBA players or Olympic athletes, for that matter.

And that a 2.7 grade point average is cause for concern and might warrant the addition of a few more tutors rather than another increase in the compensation for Coach Schiano or his staff.

St. Ursula's Crew - Head of the Cuyahoga - Head of the Charles

2007-09-25T10:42:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to St. Ursula's Crew from Toledo, Ohio, which, for their second consecutive year, won the Chris Ernst/A HERO FOR DAISY trophy for the fastest women's eight. This high school team will be travelling to Boston to compete in the 2007 Head of the Charles Regatta - - and I am excited to meet them.

I, too, will be racing with my long-time doubles partner, Cindy Matthes in the Women's Masters Double at the Head of the Charles -- and we are also teaming up with Wyc Grousbeck (owner of the Celtics) and David Fialkow (crazy man venture capitalist) to row a mixed 4x on Sunday. Wyc has kindly outfitted us with Celtics jerseys and socks - - although it is unclear whether the Celtics will really benefit from four aging athletes all trying to defy their age...

DAISY will also be screening at number of times at the Heartland Film Festival in Indianapolis, IN - on October 20th, 21st, 24th and 25th. For more information, log onto: www.HeartlandFilmFestival.com.

Finally - I was wedged between film critic Jay Carr and OJ Simpson commentator Bill Fallon on Jim Braude's Quiz Night on NECN last week. For the first time in a very long time, I won the NECN coffee cup because of my amazing ability to retain obscure and irrelevant facts about celebrities and politicians in Massachusetts.

I only wish I could remember what I had for lunch yesterday.

Heartland Film Festival

2007-09-15T14:14:00.000-05:00

A Hero for Daisy will be screening as part of the 2007 Heartland Film Festival, October 19-22 in Indianapolis, IN. Exact details will be posted here.

On another note, our favorite football team (The Patriots), which is a narrow second to our second-favorite team (The Falcons) is also receiving less than favorable press. A team assistant was caught filming the Jets coaching staff as they were signalling defensive plays last Sunday. Although everyone tries to intercept these signals in order to read plays - the NFL explicitly banned the videotaping of sideline activity.

My son, a budding football player himself, asked me this after reading the headlines about the $500,000 fine assessed to Bill Belichick: "why would he cheat, mama?"

I had no good answer.

A Hero for Daisy - Redux and Michael Vick

2007-09-10T11:15:00.000-05:00

My friend, Eric Hamilton, a producer in New York, just sent me an email informing me that the 2003 Colby College women's rowing team (which won the NCAA Championships that year), each had their NCAA Championship rings inscribed with the phrase "dream a little... sweat at lot.." (the tagline from A Hero for Daisy).

I was not aware of this - - but am deeply touched. A shout out to Colby Crew.

On other notes, Lemonade Stories will be screening in the UK this fall - details to follow.

Finally - I have been thinking long and hard about the indictment of Michael Vick, the Atlanta Falcon's quarterback, partly because our good friend, Arthur Blank (owner of the Falcons), was profiled in Lemonade Stories.

Pit-bull fighting is barbaric, particularly the methods used to train the animals - and although Vick has not yet been found guilty, Roger Goddell's decision to suspend Michael Vick from the National Football League was probably the right thing to do. There is never an excuse to victimize and beat a dog.

My hope is that the Commissioner will react with the same urgency and with similar sanctions, even if not yet found guilty, the next time a player victimizes and beats a woman.

Rutgers Slashes Olympic Sports to "Feed the Beast"

2007-08-10T12:27:00.000-05:00

My friend, Tom Darling, just circulated today's Wall Street Journal article by Skip Rozin, which reported that Rutgers University (and its board of governors) will be increasing tuition by 7.8% to offset a reduction in monies from the State of New Jersey, but that the increase will not be enough to restore six varsity programs which were cut by Rutgers, being men's swimming and diving, and tennis, men's and women's fencing, and men's lightweight and heavyweight crew.

The irony is two-fold. First, many of the best athletes from Rutgers have gone on to represent the US at the Olympics and on national teams in the sport of rowing. The fencing program also attracts some of the best high-school fencers in the country (mostly from New Jersey). Second, the football team, which indeed had a terrific record this year (11-2), suffered no cutbacks. In fact, coach Greg Schiano's compensation was raised nearly 50% to 1.5 million dollars (and Vivian Stringer, the women's basketball coach, saw her compensation dramatically increase to nearly $975,ooo.)

The Rutgers football program currently runs at a loss. However, athletic director, Bob Mulcahy, stated that the extra money towards football had nothing to do with the elimination of the other varsity sports. "Football is a separate issue -- I look at it differently from the rest of the sports. It raises far more money, and ultimately the success of football can carry the rest of our programs." As Skip Rozin notes, claiming that football can carry an athletic department (or that it truly makes money) is often a specious argument. The NCAA reports that nearly 80% of all collegiate football programs lose money - and Rutgers football is currently in that bottom 80%.

"When you read accounts about the revenue that football generates, they're really full of holes, ignoring capital expenditures and debt financing," says James Duderstadt, president of the University of Michigan from 1988 to 1996. "I think people close to Michigan, with all of its visibility, regard football at this level as more of a headache than a benefit to the institution. We've seen more institutions going heavily into debt to pay coaches over a million dollars, and more programs eliminated in order to feed the beast."

Cutting men's sports (or any sport) at the behest of football is short-sighted. If I remember correctly, a giving report showed that cross-country runners and rowers gave more to their college endowments than other athletes. More importantly, eliminating teams robs student-athletes of the opportunity to learn the lessons of sport, which can then make them into more productive citizens, coaches, teachers and parents after they graduate.

Last I checked, colleges were in the business of creating and educating a future generation of leaders, imbuing them with the opportunity to learn life-long lessons. They are not in the business of sending students to the NFL or NBA or the Olympics, for that matter. Any student who wants to play a varsity sport ought to have that opportunity, period. Including anyone who wants to play football.

However, it doesn't mean that they all get to eat steak and have a disproportionate number of scholarships and multiple coaches to support a roster of 151 players - especially when the NFL can get by with far fewer players. 53 to be exact.

Steroids and Sport

2007-07-29T15:44:00.000-05:00

I am on NECN (New England Cable News) on Monday, July 30 at 7pm with Jim Braude to talk about steroids, sports, and whether women are just as likely to use performance enhancements as men.

It should be an interesting discussion - particularly in light of the ejection of Michael Rasmussen from the Tour de France (among other athletes), several of whom did not actually ever test positive. Rasmussen failed to make himself available for out-of-competition drug tests, a fact which which prompted the Danish cycling federation to ban him from competing in the 2007 World Championships and the 2007 Olympic Games. Despite this well known fact, Rasmussen, ironically, was allowed to compete at the Tour de France, where he was the race leader going into the final time trial with a very comfortable lead. However, a commentator announced that he had seen Rasmussen in Italy (during the dates of the missed drug tests) contesting Rasmussen's claim that he had been in Mexico with family members at the time. The Rabobank Team concluded that he lied about his whereabouts, and they yanked him from the Tour de France and sent him home - another low moment in the Tour de France.

My overall conclusion is this - follow the money, and wherever there is money, there is generally doping. Professional cycling, football, boxing, baseball, weightlifting, track and field, to name a few. In fact, when I was competing, we all knew that most of the Eastern Block athletes used steroids and other enhancements - - but here again, money, apartments, large cash bonuses for Iron Curtain team athletes and coaches, and other incentives were at stake.

Many people hold the athlete accountable when drug tests are positive - but what will really clean up sports is to hold the coach/doctor/staff/owner accountable. If these coaches are fired, things will change very dramatically and very quickly. Steroid use among high school athletes is alarmingly on the rise - and unless coaches check this and insist on random drug testing with serious consequences for those who test positive, the problem will get worse before it gets better.

Are men more interested in sport? John Stossel's book says so.

2007-07-18T15:19:00.000-05:00

I rarely tune into 20-20 or John Stossel, for that matter. But my friend, Roger Talkov (who also used to replicate all of our DVDs) today asked me if I had read Stossel's new book and what did I think of his assertion that men are more interested in sport than women - and did I think that Title IX was killing opportunities for men.

In the interest of disclosure - I have not read John Stossel's book. Nor do I intend to. However, as my pal, Molly Hoyle says, never let the facts get in the way of a good rant. But I will say that without reading his book, this very same argument was vetted in great depth by the US Supreme Court in the seminal Title IX case, Cohen v. Brown University, where Brown University made the same argument as Stossel now does- that men are more interested in sport, justifying Brown's decision to drop women's volleyball and gymnastics. The Supreme Court found that that there was no evidence to support this conclusion and Brown decisively lost its case. Furthermore, although several decisions by colleges and universities to cut men's wrestling or swimming or tennis has recently made headlines, the NCAA's last Title IX report concluded that great disparities still continue to exist between resources and funding for men's college teams and women's teams, including the fact that men recieve $155 million more per year in scholarship monies.

That being said, I never think it is a good idea to cut sports or cut athletes from teams, men or women. If 151 men want to play college football, then notwithstanding the fact that 80% of all college football teams lose money and the fact that NFL team rosters have fewer than 60 players, anyone who wants to play ought to be able to play. The actual athletic budget, however, ought to be allocated fairly to create equal opportunities. Wrestlers who wear polyester unisuits which cost all of $1.49 ought not to have their teams cut, even if fewer men are actually going out for the sport. Ditto for men's tennis and swimming. Athletic directors who cut men's teams, are often responding to budgetary cut-backs and not the requirements of Title IX. And often times, those very same athletic directors, who are axing men's teams, are not cutting back bloated football programs.

That being said, I do not dispute the fact that men and women are different. I, for one, am directionally impaired. My husband is not. I also do not disagree that women and men may approach athletics differently. (Men tend to play intramural sports in far greater numbers than women, for a host of different reasons, while women will run or do yoga or dance if they are not varsity athletes. But the last time I checked, women had to pay tuition - just like the men. And therefore, they should automatically be entitled to the same athletic opportunities as well as the same educational opportunities. The fact that more men are scientists would never be used to shut women out of chemistry courses at a university.

As a postscript - a parent's group in Grand Rapids had to fight the Michigan State High School Athletic Association for equality for their high school daughters, including the right to play (and compete against other teams) in season. The Athletic Association, which lost its case early on, appealed the decision all the way to the US Supreme Court, spending millions of dollars in legal fees for a case that would span nearly 8 years - concluding in 2007.

Donna Lopiano, the head of the Women's Sports Foundation, had a great analogy. If you have a son and a daughter and you can only afford a single steak for dinner, would you really hand the entire steak to your son? Or your daughter? You'd feed them both and each would have to make do with a little bit less.

The bitterness and acrimony over this debate makes me glad that I went to a women's college. At Mount Holyoke, before they built a beautiful athletic complex, we had a second-rate gym and a tiny weight room with 20 year old equipment - but at least it was all ours and no one ever suggested that we didn't deserve to be there.

American Express Member's Project

2007-07-09T14:21:00.000-05:00

We were just notified that our educational outreach and film project (designed to inspire inner city kids to become entrepreneurs and adventurers) has been selected by American Express as the Top 50 Project in their Member's Project Competition.

Given that our odds of being selected are now better than the lottery (AMEX will fund only one project), we would be delighted if you would vote for our project (Number 762) by clicking HERE.

Cheerio,
-m

Scene First Student Film Festival

2007-06-15T16:31:00.001-05:00

The inaugural debut of the Scene First Film Festival was terrific. The event was kicked off with an outdoor film screening overlooking the Cape Fear River and an up and coming local band. There are students here from 28 states and 8 countries - all showcasing their works and passions.

After an evening sitting on a veranda with rocking chairs (very Southern, I was told), chatting to Rick Butler (production designer for The Talented Mr. Ripley) and goading him into telling inside stories, I found myself in front of lots of students this morning, earnest and enthusiastic about their work. In the interest of full disclosure, I am on the board of advisors for this film festival - and joined several famous Hollywood directors and producers. I am not so famous. This, of course, does not bother me in the least. Fortunately, I do not get recognized (except occasionally in the Gap by teenagers) - so I can, and do, know how to enjoy a big meal. (Note to self: The food in Wilmington, North Carolina is fabulous. Start diet on Monday.)

World Team Sports - Disabled Athletes

2007-06-12T09:35:00.000-05:00

I attended an event hosted by World TEAM Sports at Boston University last weekend, where kids of differing races, socio-economic backgrounds, religions, and physical abilities, joined together to play wheelchair basketball, indoor soccer, and golf (learning from a golf pro who had only one arm). They also heard from a one-legged Iraq war veteran describe losing his leg when his vehicle was struck by an IED, but then how he began to press on with the business of life.

As a board member of World TEAM Sports (which serves disabled athletes), I saw first hand how inspiring it was to see a little girl afflicted by multiple sclerosis with braces and crutches, swing her legs around, trying to get to get her feet on the soccer ball - and how none of the kids gave her a break, treating her like a real kid. She hustled as fast as she could, leg braces flying with a grin that stretched from ear to ear. Another little girl, a redhead missing most of her left arm, doggedly fought her way up to the top of the indoor climbing wall, a task all the more inspiring as many of the able-bodied kids her age were unable to get to the top. Kids heckled and cheered each other on, with teams which mixed suburban wealthy kids with inner city kids, blue eyes with brown eyes, different languages and skin color and physical abilities - and it occurred to me how wonderful and remarkable this event was, not just for the disabled children, but for my own children as well.

My good friend Sandy Kendall, a world champion in the sport of rowing, good-naturedly volunteered for the event - and her blog can be found here.

The Sopranos Finale

2007-06-10T19:09:00.001-05:00

I have started a new mob comedy, partly based on complete fiction and partly based on stories my grandmother used to tell us about the Mazzio side of the family. According to my nana, my grandfather came from Sicilian thieves and crooks. She would typically remind us of this fact when my grandfather got out of line, which was fairly often.

That being said, my grandfather's brother, Johnnie Mazzeo (don't ask how the spelling changed), truly did own one of those big blue car carriers which could transport up to 20 automobiles. The funny thing was this - he was not a car dealer.

And so it is with great anticipation that I await the final episode of The Sopranos. I am not sure they can top last week's carnage (and frankly, the best episode of the entire series), but here's hoping.

Salut.
-m

New England Cable News

2007-06-08T17:27:00.001-05:00

For those who may watch New England Cable News (now NECN), I am on tonight with Jim Braude on Newsnight at 7pm EST - for my monthly appearance on Jim's quiz show. Although I have been known to win a NECN coffee mug (this was a highlight), more often than not, I think I am invited solely for the purpose of heckling the other guests. Ciao.

Title IX

2007-06-04T17:07:00.000-05:00

Many thanks to Katelyn Aitcheson, a senior at Union College, who sent me her 70 page senior thesis on Title IX, quoting A Hero for Daisy. Katelyn traces the legislative history of Title IX and the enforcement of Title IX nationwide, as well as at Union College, specifically. As promised, Katelyn will get, courtesy of our friends at LIFE IS GOOD, a daisy hat.

Also - the Women's Sports Foundation has released a new report on the state of gender equity - and unfortunately, the report shows great disparities between the money and resources allocated to women at the college level as opposed to men's sports. Both Katelyn's thesis and the Women's Sports Foundation report will be posted shortly at www.aherofordaisy.com on our Title IX resources page.

In other news, Lemonade Stories screens in the UK at the Swansea Bay Film Festival - and then on to broadcast television in New Zealand, Hong Kong, and the Middle East later in 2007. Also - this month, Apple Pie will circulate as film of the month for Spiritual Circle Cinema.

Jane Smith and LEMONADE STORIES

2007-05-28T10:18:00.001-05:00

It is with joy and sadness that we celebrate the life and spirit of Jane Smith, the mother of Kay Koplovitz (founder of USA Network), who passed away last month at the age of 93. Jane gave Kay the confidence and independence to be herself, without excuse - and always encouraged Kay that she could achieve whatever it was that she wanted, even in the days when the barriers to women's achievement were so daunting. Jane appears in LEMONADE STORIES - and had such spunk and verve, even in her 90s. She swung a golf club, talked about Kay's mischievous days, voiced her opinions about the writers of DAYS OF OUR LIVES (she was less than pleased about the story line direction they were going in), and bear hugged Kay at the end of the interview. To Jane Smith and all of our mothers who instilled in us a belief that anything is possible, we thank and love you.

Miss Porters and Scene First Film Festival

2007-05-22T07:51:00.000-05:00

I was at Miss Porters School a few months ago, screening A Hero for Daisy and talking with the girls at a school-wide event... and no surprise, I found the girls energetic, articulate, and thoughtful. Long time head of school, Burch Ford, just announced her retirement. Burch has done amazing work both with and for generations of girls - and she will be greatly missed.

This photo was taken this spring - I am in the center on the floor - surrounded by the stupendous Miss Porter's Rowing Team, which inaugurated their new boathouse earlier this year.

Next up - I have the privilege to do a work-shop/panel discussion for the newest hippest film festival, Scene First, which debuts in North Carolina, June 14-17th. In the interest of full disclosure, I am on their board of advisors. This film festival is the first of its kind - devoted exclusively to student film works. So for those of you in school who have made shorts, films, music videos, animated works - now is your opportunity to showcase your inspirations. The website is: scenefirstfestival.com. In attendance during the festival will be: Gary Winick (director of Charlotte's Web and 13 Going on 30); Alan Blumquist (executive director of Walk the Line, Chocolat, Cider House Rules); Rick Butler (production designer - Philadelphia, 28 Days, The Talented Mr. Ripley); Ben Palmer (founder - The Barbarian Group, award winning interactive agency); and others.

Nobles Crew

2007-05-18T14:46:00.000-05:00

Best of luck to our friends at Nobles Crew, who will be watching A Hero for Daisy tonight at a team picnic. Nobles will be racing Groton this weekend. A shout out, also, to Hanover High School's junior varsity girl's crew who will be watching Daisy in the very near future to psych up for one of their races.

For those of you who are American Express cardholders - we would love it if you would log onto www.membersproject.com and vote for one of our upcoming projects, labeled on that site as: INSPIRING KIDS TO BECOME ENTREPRENEURS AND ADVENTURERS (Project ID 762 - type this into the search box for Project ID), which is a project to inspire inner city teens to start their own businessses, equipping them with the skills to become entrepreneurs, adventurers, risk-takers, and out-of-the-box thinkers. We are working with the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship on this project, which teaches low-income teens to think like entrepreneurs so that they can take control of their own futures. PS: The membersproject.com site is very slow.

Lemonade Stories

2007-05-08T14:09:00.000-05:00

For those of you who may be travelling abroad, Lemonade Stories will be airing in New Zealand on Maori TV this spring. The film aired nationwide in Israel (on Noga in February) - and will also air on Alhurra in the Middle East as well as TVB in Hong Kong later this year.

Spoileralertradio.com will be broadcasting a Mother's Day special radio report, featuring Lemonade Stories and yours truly. 7pm on May 13, 2007 on 88.1 FM (in Providence RI) or on bsrlive.com.

Many thanks to all of you who keep visiting www.50eggs.com and our various film websites. Thanks also to Jim Laughlin and our friends at Life Is Good, who supplied us with DAISY hats for students who are writing papers on Title IX and A Hero for Daisy. Any student writing a paper - email us at office@50eggs.com and we'll get a hat out to you. Free.

Thanks also to Isabella Tangherlini - age 8 - who thoughtfully designed an alternative logo for 50 Eggs Films.

Cheers,
-m

Master's Women's Hockey

2007-04-24T08:44:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to our friends and customers, VINTAGE VERMONT, a group of masters women (age 50 and over) who came in 2nd place at the most recent USA Hockey Tournament in Florida. Susan Shane wrote to say that the team watched A Hero for Daisy together the night before the tournament.

Also - congratulations to Hannah Lawrence, Allie Emrich, and Lauren Lewis, high school students in Cleveland OH, who won a prize for their US History Project on the story of Chris Ernst, A Hero for Daisy, and Title IX.

Michigan Title IX Law Suit

2007-04-18T05:21:00.000-05:00

A customer from Flint Michigan recently emailed me. "DID YOU HEAR?" she asked. Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal by the Michigan High School Athletic Association in their long running legal battle to fend off requirements to create equal playing conditions for high school girls. Nearly a decade ago, a number of parents in Grand Rapids noticed that, among other things, high school girls were forced to play out of season, on inferior playing fields, and on abbreviated schedules. These parents, headed by Dianne Madsen, Jay Roberts-Eveland, and Connie Engel, banded together to form Communities for Equity (www.communitiesforequity.com).

CFE, several years ago, went to considerable effort to bring me, along with A Hero for Daisy, to Grand Rapids, Michigan, just as their lawsuit was in its infancy. They, along with the Michigan Women's Foundation, organized a number of events, including an overflow capacity crowd at Grand Valley State University (where hundreds of high school girls were bussed in to see A Hero for Daisy); Calvin College, and Aquinas College. It was a week that I will always remember - I was so moved by the energy and excitement and enthusiasm of these young female athletes - as well as the dedication and tirelessness of their parents who were willing to take on an entrenched and outdated athletic system - so that their daughters would have the same opportunities and facilities that their sons enjoyed.

The Association lost the lawsuit filed by CFE in 2001 when US District Court Judge Richard Alan Enslen, in a 30 page opinion, ruled unequivocally that the Assocation had violated Title IX as well as the 14th Amendment of the Constitution as well as Michigan's own constitution. Unfortunately, the Assocation continued to insist that making such changes for girls would be an undue burden - filing two losing appeals with the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and most recently, an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court. What is remarkable is that these same parents withstood years of costly and draining legal challenges mounted by the Association (from 2001 until last month) - long after their own daughters graduated from high school.

CFE, Diane, Jay, and Connie have created an enduring legacy, not just for Michigan girls, but for all of our daughters - and we salute them. For more on this historic challenge, check out The Detroit News coverage.

2007-03-16T07:15:00.000-05:00

Welcome

2007-03-15T18:30:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the blog of Mary Mazzio and 50 Eggs Films.

We encourage reviews, thoughts, and comments here on any of our films (A Hero for Daisy, Apple Pie, or Lemonade Stories) - as well as issues relating to our films, being entrepreneurship, athletics, overcoming obstacles, Title IX, parenting, motherhood, politics, social change, the economy, religion, starting a business, starting a car, or any relevant issue of the day.

As an update for what is happening here at 50 Eggs Films, our most recent film, Lemonade Stories, which explores how mothers ignite entrepreneurial spirit in their sons and daughters (featuring Richard Branson (founder of Virgin); Arthur Blank (founder of Home Depot); Russell Simmons (Def Jam); Kay Koplovitz (USA Network); Tom Scott (Nantucket Nectars); Billy Starr (PMC); and Kelly Reinhart), aired nationwide in Israel last week - and will be broadcast in Hong Kong and the Middle East in the Spring of 2007.

Our friends at NFTE (the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship) are including the film in their curriculcum for educators this year - and we are working with NFTE on launching another film project, focusing on teen entrepreneurs.

On other fronts, I had the opportunity to visit both Dana Hall and Miss Porter's School last month with A Hero for Daisy. These all-girls' high schools are doing something very special - the girls I visited were extraordinarily articulate and enthusiastic.

I also visited a small elementary school this month. I don't typically speak to crowds under the age of 12 - but I took clips of Apple Pie (which features Shaquille O'Neal, Drew Bledsoe, Mia Hamm, Grant Hill, Tony/Cammi Granato, Erik Weihenmayer, among others) and we talked about overcoming obstacles. I asked the kids to write down (on a post-it note) something they would like to achieve or be better at - the array of goals was so remarkably honest. One little girl raised her hand and said she would like to be better at reading. Another little boy wanted to improve his spelling. Yet another wanted to become an Olympic speed skater. But the post-it which really moved me was by a little girl who apparently took to heart my instructions to paste the post-it note somewhere where it would be seen every day. She took it home and put it on her bathroom mirror. It said "I will become President."

Another item of note - Marci Alboher, who writes columns for The New York Times, recently penned a book: One Person/Multiple Careers. Marci interviewed me extensively for the book - and our conversation reminded me very much about how a good friend of mine, Joel Reck, once told me: "You can have everything... just not all at once." The challenge with having multiple careers and interests is to make sure you don't have so many that everything becomes mediocre. More on Marci's book can be found at heymarci.com.

Comments, thoughts - all welcome.

Best,
-m