Catch Me on Twitter: Mavs & Nuggets Post-Game Chatter

Last night, I was blown away by Dwight Howard's soft-spoken, verbal smackdown of Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy, (former Miami Heat Coach). Tonight, on Twitter, I'll be virtually attending the post-game news conference following the Dallas Mavericks - Denver Nuggets.

With economic prose, I'll try to capture the essence of the post-game comments.

The live post-game media conference -- available at NBA.com -- is great for sports fans, reporters and news junkies who want an instant fix of sports news.

The format provides Internet access to an unscripted question-and-answer session with coaches and top-performing players from both sides. The coaches and the players offer a lot of insightful comments about life, work and competition.

And yes, sports fan, I think Mark Cuban should offer a better apology to K-Mart's mom & family. You can be frugal with money, but never frugal with apologies or gratitude.


I plan to recap post-game comments live on Twitter after the game. Join me then or follow me later at twitter.com/FrugalDuchess.

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Catch Me on Twitter: NBA Post-Game Media Chatter

This is an off-topic post on sports with a frugal twist: Tonight I'll be on Twitter with an instant recap of the post-game news conference following the Boston Celtics -Orlando Magic basketball playoff game.

Here's the frugal news peg: After each playoff game, NBA.com offers a live, Internet-based feed of the post-game media conference. Last night, for instance, I listened and tweeted about the post-game comments from LeBron James, who chatted about the Cavs recent sweep of the Atlanta Hawks.

The coaches and the players offer a lot of insightful comments about life, work and competition. I've grown mentally taller by listening to LeBron James and his coach.

Additionally, the live post-game media conference is great for sports fans, reporters and news junkies who want an instant fix of sports news. The format provides Internet access to an unscripted question-and-answer session with coaches and top-performing players from both sides.

I plan to recap post-game comments live on Twitter after the game. Join me then or follow me later at twitter.com/FrugalDuchess.

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What I Learned From an 8th-Grade Basketball Game

As the shot clock ran down, there were a few tense moments at a middle-school basketball game involving my son's team. The game was a slam dunk for financial lessons. Here's what I learned from the sidelines.

• Momentum shifts quickly : The score was tied with 60 seconds left in the final quarter. We had the ball and momentum was in our favor. Then we turned the ball over, and the other team went on a 9-0 run. The final score 52 to 59.

My final lesson: I can save money all week, but a $90 shopping run in just 60 minutes can create a deficit.

• Can't control everything: We were sunk by more than a bad turnover during the final minute. When we got the ball back, a clueless ref ignored a flagrant foul that happened right in front of my courtside seat. I would have jumped up and down -- screaming in protest -- if it weren't for a withering please-don't-embarrass-me look from my tweenage daughter. So I just sat down and faced reality. It was painful because in a few heartbeats, the opposing team expanded their lead from two points to five points after the bad call led to a basket and a foul shot (an "and-one," three-point play.)

My financial lesson: Losses happen. Stocks slide; houses depreciate and bounce checks may hit the rim due to forces beyond your call. I have to do my best to make the numbers work and then let go of the rest.

• Stick to your game plan: After the turnover and the bad ref call, you could see the wind go out of my team. And as the game clock ran down, the lead expanded into a score that resembled a rout.

My financial lesson: Do your best to contain financial slides. Losses can have a domino effect. Stay focused in order to limit cash drains.

And finally, I learned a lot from my son. He plays with so much heart, he's an awesome defender. He's fierce and is just under 5-feet-tall. Given his small stature, he did not get much time in that game, which involved a team of much taller opponents.

But when he came in with the rest of the substitutes in the final 30 seconds of the game, my son played as if the game just started. I should save money with that kind of fierce focus.

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Visualization Earns Millions: A Super Bowl Lesson & One Writer's Memory File

Yeah. There's been a lot has been written about the power of visualization. But today's sports pages show how visualization will punt millions of dollars into the hands of the New York Giants. Expect hefty multi-million dollar endorsement deals and other profitable perks for quarterback Eli Manning and various players from the Giants following the 17-14 late-fourth quarter (underdog) victory over the New England Pats. It was the best Super Bowl game that I've ever watched or listened to on the radio: Giants' Super Bowl victory

Cynics dismiss visualization has touchy-feely New Age crap. But visualization exercises can yield hard cash and a bottom line impact. Consider the following scenario, which was reported in the sports section of today's Miami Herald.

Night before Game Day: Giants Coach Tom Coughlin:

told his players to visualize their dreams and imagine in their minds what it would be like Sunday if they shocked the world.

''I tell the players it's good to dream,'' Coughlin said. "It's good to dream and visualize and see yourself in those circumstances and situations.'' --(from A 'tremendous' feeling for Giants)

I used visualization exercises to write a book, which will be out this spring. ( What I Learned about Money from Writing a Book ) Old friends and family know that I have been trying to write a book for over 20 years. The text has taken different shapes and genres, but after two decades, I finally have a manuscript that I really like. And it doesn't matter that I completed my first book at 49. It's the journey that counts and I've packed my travel bag with the following visualization tools:

1. Magazine images. I collect images that spell out success in my terms. These images include smiling children, a beautiful house in the Hamptons, pretty gardens and spa vacations. Just glancing through that clip file makes me feel like I've had a spa date or an upbeat meeting with a financial planner.

2. Written goals: About once a year, I fill a small index card with a wish-list of career and personal goals. One year, for example, I really wanted 10 new dress suits for work. The Lesson: Be careful what you wish for. Out of the blue, different women gave me lots of hand-me-down suits. I have kept some and given others away.

3. Positive affirmations. It's so corny but it works. I have a list of about 20 affirmations and on a regular basis, I pick out one affirmation and write it down 10 times. For example:

1. I am saving six months of salary in an emergency fund.


2. I am saving six months of salary in an emergency fund.


3. I am saving six months of salary in an emergency fund. etc.

The trick -- according to some experts -- is to write and repeat the affirmations in the present tense. For example, even if I have not yet fully funded that emergency fund, using the present tense helps make that goal more attainable.

4. Collect positive slogans: From magazines, newspapers, books and websites, I collect various inspirational phrases. Often short phrases -- including slogans from ad campaigns --pack lots of insight into a few words that stick in my mind.

5. Pray. I say a lot of prayers, including: Master of the Universe: Don't let me a bag lady.

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Sharon Harvey Rosenberg is the author of The Frugal Duchess of South Beach: How to Live Well and Save Money... Anywhere!, which will be published in the Spring of 2008 by DPL Press.

Congrats to NY Giants! Super Bowl Lessons in Finance

Congrats to all of my New York friends and New York Giants fans, with a special victory shout-out to Tom & Kathy Lamont! What a game! So many lessons about life, sports and money have emerged from the football field.

The Giants' Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots offers these lessons:

1. Don't discount slow starts: The Giants had an 0-2 start to the current season. The Lesson: Even if our retirement planning is off to a slow start and even if we fall into a financial pit, we can still have a winning season.


2. Expect turbulence: Eli Manning has had a volatile four-year career. "There have been a lot of highs and a lot of lows, but I never lost faith in myself," Manning said during a post-game interview.


3. Don't believe the hype: According to one post-game interview, the New England Pats were already planning post-game victory parties. One Giant team member even reported that he was invited to a New England victory party. Likewise, in finance, it's easy to be taken in by the stellar reputation of an investment adviser or mutual fund. But we should trust our own instincts.


4. Keep battling until the last second: The final outcome of the game was really determined in the closing seconds of the game. The Lesson: It's never too late to win or lose a game. Fortunes and careers can be dramatically altered in a short period.


5. Ideal conditions are not a requirement: I've often delayed projects, savings plans or other endeavors until "the time is right." I've waited for the perfect moment or a "window of opportunity" to get started on new campaigns or creative projects. But sometimes, we have to create our own windows, doors and opportunities. Consider the Giants' post-season run. They repeatedly won on the road to opponents who were favored to win. You don't need home field advantage to win the top prize.

3 Reasons to Admire Bill Parcells & Why I Read the Sports Section First

My high school gym teacher would be surprised: The Sports Section is the first newspaper section that I read. And that's odd because I hated gym class, sit-ups and the stupid blue uniforms we had to wear for PE during the 1970s.

But I now realize that a lot of wisdom --about money, career management and life-- is contained in the Sports Section of newspapers (online and traditional). Consider these insights from NFL Legend Bill Parcells -- the new v.p. of operations for the desperate Miami Dolphins.

1. The Importance of Self-Acceptance

After fighting himself, Parcells has accepted the importance of football in his life.

''I've quit being ashamed of what I am,'' Parcells said. ``I think I'm a guy that likes football very much. I guess you call that maybe a male menopause, when you realize and you're no longer ashamed of what you are. . . . I can't get the game out of my system, really.'' -- Bill Parcells

Lesson: There are a number games, scores and replays that I can't get out of my system. Like Parcells, I've learned to just accept my personal playing field and make it work for me.

2. The Role of Evaluation

As he plans to turnaround the Dolphins (1-14), Parcells is taking the time to analyze and review the team.

''I have to evaluate all the things that are here, first of all, and attempt to do that as expeditiously as possible and see where we go from there,'' Parcells said. ``I don't know where that's going to take us.'' -- Bill Parcells

Lesson: From finance to personal development, it's important to consider the options and measure the risks. Lack of information and an absence of self-awareness have contributed to my worst errors. In contrast, my personal victories -- professional and personal -- occur when I have both feet on the playing field and my head in the game.

3. Live with urgency, but plan carefully.

From his new post, Parcells will soon make a number of changes.

''We've got things to do,'' Parcells said. ``I do feel a sense of urgency in that regard, but I'm going to make sure I'm as analytical as possible when it comes to that and hopefully not overlook something that I should have seen or make a mistake in an area that I shouldn't have made a mistake in.'' -- Bill Parcells

Lesson: We don't have an unlimited supply of time, money or natural resources. It's important not to waste opportunities and to find a balance between action and thought.

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Financial Points from D-Wade's 31-Pt Eclipse of the Suns

* ETA: Special Welcome to Miami Heat Fans! Let's Go Heat!!

My sons and I are big fans of Dwyane Wade, the All-Star guard for the Miami Heat. I learned a lot about personal finance from tracking D-Wade's total eclipse of the Phoenix Suns earlier this week. The Heat won 117 to 113 ("Scintillating finish") and the game provides a good playbook for financial management.

Here's what I learned:

• 
  Recovery requires hard work and rehap: D-Wade aka "the Flash" had knee and shoulder surgeries over the summer, following devastating injuries during the 2006-2007 season. With hard work and rehab, Wade plays better with each game and has had a string of 30-point-plus games. The Lesson: Even if I have serious setbacks (financial, professional or personal), I can rally back with proper exercise, good judgement and discipline. Credit scores can be improved; accounts can be balanced. Tomorrow, I will write a piece about sports, money & rehabilitation.) In the meantime, here is a helpful article about sports injuries.


• Adversity is an excellent teacher: Quite frankly, the Miami Heat b-ball team was off to a horrible start this season. I cringed when I listened to the games on the radio. My sons and I averted our eyes when we glanced at the sports sections. But the Heat have finally put together a two-game winning streak. "We found out a lot about ourselves in these last two games," said Udonis Haslem, who plays forward. The Lesson: I've made some stupid mistakes (personal, professional and financial) in my life. I've had some horrible starts. But being stupid taught me how to be smart. Sometimes from a pit, I have a great view of the world and the motivation to climb forward.



• Consistency is important: Now that they have won a few games, the Heat need to keep the drive going. Here's what Shaq (#32 Shaquille O'Neal ) said in the Miami Herald: "This was a good game for us...Now, we just need some consistency." The Lesson: Consistency and strong performances (financial and otherwise) are a daily struggle. Saving money is a daily drill.



• Assist others: Phoenix guard Steve Nash is not one of my favorite players, but I admire him. I sort of understand why he has been named MVP in past years. He moves the ball well; he manages the floor and he gets his team involved in the action. For instance, over the last 7th games (as of December 11), Nash has earned at least 14 assists per game. He feeds the ball to his teammates. (He had one great behind-the-back pass, that was one of the Top 10 Plays of the night on NBA.com.) The Lesson: It's not enough to just score points. You have to play defense and you have to help other people score. Likewise, I've really made an effort to get my children involved in frugal living. From Nash, I see the importance of assisting others and giving back.

• Seize the moment: "You have to take opportunities," said Miami Heat Coach Pat Riley, according to a quote in the Miami Herald. "When you have an open shot, take it and make it."
  

By the way JLP at AllFinancialMatters recently ran a great post (The Top Ten Endorsement Income Athletes for 2007) that mentioned LeBron James and money. LeBron -- a good friend of D-Wade -- is also very smart about money and about giving back to others.

Frugal sports tip: NBA.com has terrific game highlights, post-game shows and other video clips that are excellent. We don't have standard or cable TV in my house, but through the Internet we watch many entertainment and sports programs.

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How To Score Super Bowl Freebies & Tickets to Other Hot Events

The 2007 Super Bowl is over in Miami, but it's not too early to think about scoring freebies for next year and beyond.

In Miami, tickets for assorted Super Bowl events (parties, games & other activities) ranged from $15 per person to over $1,000 a head. That's pretty rich.

But a family friend -- a high school coach -- not only managed to attend a few of the events, he managed to get paid also. He volunteered to help the NFL! By the way, this strategy also works for other major events, including visual and performing arts presentations. For example, I know people who attended the international King Tut exhibit by volunteering at our local museum. The same logic applies to plays and other events.

For Super Bowl XLI, the High School Coach volunteered to help the NFL run an interactive theme-park/parking lot activity called the NFL Experience. The Miami Herald featured this event in this article.

Volunteers will help run the NFL Experience, a combination of interactive skill games, autograph sessions with the pros, official merchandise sales and a football-card show that opens Jan. 27 and runs through Super Bowl Sunday on Feb. 4. Volunteers may get assigned to other pregame events, too, like concerts featuring Kanye West and Daddy Yankee. -- source: The Miami Herald

Altogether, about 6,000 volunteers were needed for Super Bowl-related events. What's more, in addition to volunteer duties, my coach-friend also scored a part-time, short-term gig with the NFL.

As a volunteer, he also received the following:

"...a black guayabera shirt with the Super Bowl logo, two free tickets to the NFL Experience (regular cost is $15 for adults, $10 for kids under 12), a certificate of participation, plus free parking and snacks during their shift."
source: The Miami Herald

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Financial Lessons From the Rainy Super Bowl in Miami

You can't control the weather & you can have an amazing turnaround within a short period. Those are a few of the lessons I've learned from Super Bowl XLI in which the Indiana Colts beat the Chicago Bears by a score of 29 to 17 last night in Miami.

Here's are 3 things I have learned while tracking the game:

1. Deal with less than ideal conditions. The weather in Miami? Quite frankly, it was awful all Sunday. The game took place during a constant drip. (cool & windy). It was not the best weather for a football game, especially in Miami. But both teams played hard to win.

Financial Lesson: In the past, I have delayed saving or debt reduction because I've waited for perfect conditions: a better job, a large bonus, a book contract. But the act of waiting for the perfect moment can be just a hidden procrastination tactic. Note to self: Deal with slippery conditions!


2. Rebound from a horrible start. The term "Swiss cheese" was used to describe the Colts lackluster defense unit earlier this season. Yet during the playoffs and the Super Bowl, the defense unit has played well.

Financial Lesson: A poor start is no excuse for a poor finish. Being in a financial pit is no excuse for inaction or continued defeat.



3. Patience and hard work pay off: Colts coach Tony Dungy --the first African-American head coach to win a Super Bowl-- and quarterback Peyton Manning were considered to be Super Bowl bridesmaids, that is, close to the altar--but no ring!

That changed in Miami.

"It's just been a long time coming for us," defensive end Dwight Freeney said. "We've been through so much as a team, been so close so many times. We finally got a chance in the Super Bowl and we seized it." --source Newsday

Quote of the Game from Colts Coach Tony Dungy:

"This may not have been the best team we had over the last five years, but it's definitely the team that's been through the most," said Dungy, who had one of his sons on the postgame podium with him. His son James committed suicide in December 2005.

"This wasn't the easy road, it was the tough road. And tonight, more than anything, we were a team, fighting together all the way through." --source: Newsday

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Lessons from the NFL: What I learned from the Colts' Victory over New England

The Colts' recent NFL Playoff victory over the New England Patriots is overrun with lessons from the playing field. I watched the game tonight with my parents and this is what I picked up from the NFL competition.


1. Small Gains Count: After a less than promising start in the first half of the game, the Colts were able to climb back onto the playing field with a series of field goals during the second half.

Three-point scores are not as pretty or as lucrative as touchdowns, but small gains add up.

My financial lesson: Small change adds up. Sometimes I'll be able to save several hundred dollars or more in one month. Those are my touchdown months. Other months, I'll be lucky to stash just $25 into my emergency funds. Those are my field goals. But even small gains represent progress.

2. Rally from deficits. By half-time the Colts were down by a score of 21 to 3. But the Colts continued to rally from that deficit.

My financial lesson: Even in middle-age, I can recover from deficits in different areas of my life. I can rally.


3. Keep playing as long as the clock is ticking: The game was a nail-biter until the last 16 seconds. Anything could have happened. Both teams stayed fiercely competitive.

My financial lesson: Time is more valuable than money. Keep going. Keep playing. Make every possession of time count.
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Mental Toughness & Other Credit Scoring Lessons: NFL's New England Patriots

It's possible to recover from a series of mistakes and financial fumbles if we go back to the sidelines and constantly review our charts and errors. That's the wisdom I picked up from Sunday's NFL playoff game between the New England Patriots and the San Diego Chargers. Here's a link to the Washington Post story about the game.

Like many of us--the quarterback, Tom Brady, struggled with his game. He was hit with a long list of problems during the game. I've had some everything-seems-wrong moments in my life. Therefore, I admire Brady's focus:

All game long he had struggled. His range was off, he underthrew and overthrew, he was hurried and sacked. But after each failed drive or turnover, he would return to his sideline and study his charts, imperturbable.

"You know it's just not letting anything get to you," Brady said. "It's staying focused no matter what's swirling around you. Just continuing to mentally fight through whatever obstacles there might be." --Washington Post

New England won the game in the final minutes, defeating the San Diego Chargers by a score of 24 to 21.

They call it mental toughness and it pays dividends.

I think the most important thing is, we have a bunch of mentally tough guys in here who don't give up, regardless of the situation," New England defensive back Ray Mickens said. "I think that shows today, that we didn't get down on ourselves just because we were down by 11 points, but just kept hammering away and being mentally tough." Source: Washington Post

Financial Lessons I picked up from the sidelines:

1. Constantly study your charts, balance sheets and strategy.
2. Don't give up.
3. Stay focused.
4. Chip away at deficits
5. Constantly look for opportunities to score points.

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Financial Lessons from Spike Lee, James Brown & Basketball Tickets

From a bio on James Brown (rest in peace) to money lectures to his kid about expensive courtside seats, movie mogul Spike Lee has been making some smart moves lately.

James Brown -- who passed away at age 73 on Dec. 25 -- was the G-dfather of Soul and called himself the "hardest working man in show biz."

But now, according to Variety magazine, Spike Lee will be directing a movie about the soul legend. Smart move for several reasons:


1) Movies about music legends have been major money makers and the darlings of critics, including blockbusters about Johnny Cash and Ray Charles.

2) The recent box office success of Dream Girls will probably launch other me-too movies about African-American pioneers in the pop music business. Here's a quick Dream Girl factoid, which featured Beyonce, Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy (playing a James Brown-inspired character) and Jennifer Hudson.

"Big-screen musical movie "Dreamgirls" took the Christmas Day box office by storm, grossing nearly $9 million its first day in theaters across North America, according to studio figures issued on Tuesday." --source: Reuters

Savvy Courtside Financial Talk

Us magazine reported that Spike Lee recently took his 9-year-old son Jackson to a Knicks basketball game (no-fight broke out) and offered this advice about courtside seats:

“Someday he’ll inherit my courtside seats, but he’d better be making some money,” Lee has said. “Them seats cost!” --source: Us Magazine

Here's a link to the Spike Lee and Kid at courtside photo. It's the second one down on the page.

I had plans to take my kids to the Heat-Lakers game on Dec. 25 at American Airlines Arena. Ha! The $10 SRO tickets, which I have unwisely touted in newspaper articles and online were all gone. My secret is totally out. The only seats left were $302 each,which would have been about almost $1,000 total for me and my two boys.

Instead, we all watched the game for free at the Eden Roc, a luxury beach-side resort on Miami Beach. We don't have regular or cable TV. The outdoor sports bar was fun, and people kept buying my kids Shirley Temples. D-Wade scored 40 points and the Heat won the game.

Of course, there's another way to watch basketball games for free. I could emulate hip-hop Mogul Jay-Z (aka Sean Carter), who is part owner of the New Jersey Nets. He goes to a lot of courtside games with Beyonce. Check out this photo of Jay-Z and B from People magazine, a publication for which I occasionally report.

Jay-Z and Beyoncé whoop it up while watching the New Jersey Nets play the Cleveland Cavaliers in New Jersey on Wednesday. It was a good night for Jay-Z, who's a part owner of the Nets: They bested the Cavaliers, 113-111.--source People magazine

I'm actually an old-school Springsteen-loving Jersey girl, but I can't cheer for the Vince Carter and the Nets! My brain has gone South!










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Life Lesson from Joe Girardi, NL Manager of the Year

In money and life, vindication is sweet, but a long-term view is even better. That's the snapshot of Joe Girardi, National League Manager of the Year.

Girardi received that honor today from the Baseball Writers Association of America and it's a sweet tonic after he was rudely booted from his position by the cranky owners of the Florida Marlins. (Can you hear me booing management from Miami!!!)

The Florida Marlins did not believe Joe Girardi was the right person to continue as their manager after his performance in 2006. But the Baseball Writers Association of America felt that no one in the National League did a better job than Girardi and named him its manager of the year yesterday. Source: New York Times

In the face of a job loss, Girardi had a healthy outlook that applies to financial, professional and personal difficulties:

“We just move on, and there will be bigger and better things ahead of us,” Girardi said in a published report today.

Here's the link to the complete text of a New York Times sports article.

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Frugal Sports Quote: Ben Wallace & The Bulls.

"I wanted to pass like Magic, jump like Mike, shoot like Bird and cover the ball like Zeke," says Ben Wallace. "But none of that worked out so I decided to play defense and rebound." --GQ November 2006 issue

As an avid Miami Heat fan, I'm bummed about the World Champions 42-point loss to the Chicago Bulls.

Led by D-Wade and Shaq, The Heat seem to play hard only for the post-season run, while coasting in the 82-game regular season. But I have to give props to the Baby Bulls. They showed up to play at AAA (American Airlines Arena) during the 2006 NBA season opener.

Meanwhile, Ben Wallace -- formerly a center from the Detroit Pistons -- wins my award for the most re-invented sports figure.

Once again, here's that Ben Wallace quote from the November issue of GQ magz.

"I wanted to pass like Magic, jump like Mike, shoot like Bird and cover the ball like Zeke," says Ben Wallace. "But none of that worked out so I decided to play defense and rebound." --CQ November 6 issue

My frugal/personal finance/business application: Be real about your limitations and strengths. Take an honest inventory of your assets and adjust your spending and strategy. Focus on the bottom line.

In Rule #1, the best-selling book about investments, the author makes the same point:
Invest your money based on what you know. Play to your strengths.