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Smacker Wants To Be The Next Miles On The Sideline

“If you can’t get better from talking to someone, then it’s just a conversation. It’s not a step in the right direction.”

Tyler McComas

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Interviewing a high-profile head coach after a game is nothing new to Smacker Miles. She’s done it for many years. Ever since she was a kid, she’s always had her own one-on-one time to ask the head coach at Oklahoma State, LSU and now, Kansas, anything she’s ever wanted to know about the game. Graciously, even though the questions were, at times, as basic as possible, the head coach has always treated each one with respect and given a thorough answer.

Les Miles is that head coach and Smacker is his daughter. 

Image result for smacker miles les miles

At the age of 10, Smacker Miles dressed up as a sports reporter for Halloween. Wearing her mom’s blazer and some random pants while holding a microphone, it was clear from an early age what her dream job was. Though she grew up with her father being in a high-pressure career field that often saw criticism from the media, Smacker Miles has never let negative attention deter her desire to pursue sports reporting as a career. For as long as she can remember, she’s always wanted to be where she grew up – standing on a football field. 

But even when you grow up with certain aspirations in life, there’s always a moment where you find your reasoning as to why you truly want to do something. Smacker Miles had that exact experience during the 2016 football season. It just so happens it came from someone who’s now a role model.  

“I’ll never forget what Maria Taylor did in 2016,” said Smacker Miles. ”She came to cover the LSU vs. Texas A&M game and it was when people were talking about my dad’s job. It was a very tough week for us. Maria came to town and on the sideline before the game, she said she really wanted to be here because she wanted to make sure that things were done right and that this story was told the right way. I remember that moment very clearly and being like, I know this is what I want to do and that’s why I want to do it.”

Though her full-time job is with a digital content company, Smacker Miles’ sports media career is quickly gaining steam. Since her dad took the head coaching job at Kansas last November, she followed him and the rest of the family to Lawrence where she now does freelance work for Jayhawk Insider through IMG. Smacker Miles can routinely be seen hosting videos through the official Kansas Football Twitter account with a Smack Talk feature that takes fans inside the football program with breakdowns and special access. It’s not standing on the sidelines as a reporter for the ABC Saturday Night Game of the Week but it’s still a good start for the 25-year-old. 

But as great as it is for Smacker Miles to be able to do what she loves around her dad’s football team, there’s the obvious question of dealing with KU’s losses as a media professional. She’s not doing a postgame radio show or writing a column for the newspaper that has to be unbiased, but it’s still an interesting line to walk.

Sure, she’s seen her dad lose football games before but never as a member of the media covering the team he coaches. When Coastal Carolina left Lawrence last Saturday with a 12-7 win over the Jayhawks, it was the first instance of that exact scenario. So, with the unique situation, was it one of the tougher losses she’s had to endure? 

Image result for coastal carolina kansas

“Honestly, no,” Smacker Miles said. “I’ve always been pretty involved with the teams, because when we were little, we would be forced to go to recruiting events even if we didn’t want to. So I’ve always seen the guys all the way from Junior Day to when they graduate or go to the NFL. The level of investment that you have in the game is obviously going to reflect your joy or disappointment from that game. I would say I’ve always been very bonded with the teams, so this one hurts but I think they all hurt very similarly.” 

It’s situations such as these that make having a front row seat to your father’s job tough to deal with. But though there can be a small amount of bad, Smacker Miles has seen the good make up for it tremendously. It’s no surprise that it helps to be Les Miles’ daughter, especially when you have dreams and aspirations of being in sports media. Since her dad has coached in several high-profile games, it’s meant an opportunity to meet and interact with the best sideline reporters in the industry. 

“I’ve come across so many inspiring women in that role and I don’t have a negative thing to say about a single one of them,” said Smacker Miles. “I’ve met Erin Andrews and she was strong, bold, inspiring and quick witted. She stood up for my little brother one time because he ran on the field when they were painting it. Someone yelled at him and she said, ‘stop yelling at him, he’s a little kid.’ She was awesome. 

“Then there’s Holly Rowe, with the way she just lives her life. She’s just unbelievable. Every interaction with her, you have a story about, wow, she said this, or, she did that. She’s so humble. 

Image result for holly rowe football

“Recently I’ve made a connection with Lauren Sisler, who’s now with ESPN. I met her two years ago and she asked me for my number and then texted me. I just remember thinking, wow, I looked up to you so much and you want nothing from me and there’s only stuff that I can gain from you and you’re still looking out for me. 

“And Sam Ponder. She had little Scout with her and I just remember looking at my mom and telling her this is what I want.”

The sideline reporter position has changed so much, in a positive way, over the past decade. What was once another male dominated position on the broadcast team, talented women such as Erin Andrews have helped pave the way in the sports media industry. Currently, the sideline reporter position is filled with more talented women than it’s ever seen.

Smacker Miles is just one of the many names that represents the next generation of talented women in sports media. To her, it’s not about the fame or the money. It never has been. It’s the challenge and the dream that keeps her pushing. 

“I like the idea of preparing all week,” Smacker Miles said. “You’re not performing like I did athletically but still it’s the challenge and the motivation of knowing your stuff to be able to do well during the game. I did high school football last fall and that was the first time I actually got to try to do what I thought I wanted to do. You can’t say you want to do it until you’ve actually really done it, you don’t know. But I loved it and it was a great experience. It was a great level to start at because there’s a lot less ego involved in high school sports. Plus, the critics aren’t out too harshly when it’s local and its high school. To take in a game and be in a stadium and be paid to do it, that’s a dream.”

With media experience at The Longhorn Network during her college days at Texas and an internship with the Dallas Cowboys as a production assistant, for now, it’s about Smacker Miles waiting her turn and improving as a talent. Going back to having the advantage of being Les Miles’ daughter, her growth could be sped up due to the talented names in the industry she’s already formed a connection with. 

Image result for smacker miles

“I like when people are very direct with me,” said Smacker Miles. “Tim Brando gave me a great reel critique in the sense that he was very direct, uplifting and kind, but also helped me make changes to it. If you can’t get better from talking to someone, then it’s just a conversation. It’s not a step in the right direction.”

From the outside, it seems Les and Smacker Miles have a unique father-daughter relationship. This was really evident when the two hosted the Les is More podcast with The Players Tribune during last football season. You usually don’t see a father and daughter hosting a college football podcast together, but the admiration and respect they have for one another really flowed and made for a great listen.

Though one is trying to resurrect a football program and the other is trying to reach the sidelines with a microphone in hand, it seems the two are working together to help achieve both of their goals. Smacker is not afraid to ask Les in-depth football questions and Les is not afraid to tell Smacker how to better use Twitter or get the media perspective on things. 

Growing up in a house with a dad that’s won a national championship and two brothers who have played college football at Power 5 schools is only a blessing for Smacker Miles. That life experience has put her well-ahead of the curve in terms of knowledge of the game and will only help when her opportunity arises. Many have paved the way before her, but don’t be surprised to see another Miles in the spotlight of college football in the not-so-distant future. 

Image result for smacker miles

“People would think, that, as a female, I would be competitive with the other females,” said Smacker Miles. “But I find myself literally cheering for the girls. If there’s an all-male crew I’ll be like, mom, they have three guys in the booth and one on the sideline (Laughs). I wouldn’t even say that I’m like really mad about it, but it’s just like, I find myself cheering for any female, even if it’s one that I’ve never seen before, because I know how nervous you are to be down there. But when there’s an all-male crew, I’m like, c’mon, I know there’s a girl somewhere that knows football.”

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How to Help Your Clients with Low Website Conversions

Don’t assume there isn’t enough traffic; focus on optimizing user engagement once visitors arrive on the site.

Jeff Caves

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Graphic for how to increase website conversions
Credit: WPDesigner.Biz

Are your clients dealing with low website conversions? Whenever a marketing campaign is run, and the goal is to convert website visitors into leads, the temptation is to blame low traffic, amongst other issues, for low form fills or appointments being generated.  Just spend more money, you may think! Sometimes, you must look at at least four other potential issues to tackle poor conversion rates. Here are some actionable steps using the IT services industry to increase website conversions.

IT Solutions specializes in providing products, services, or solutions related to technology, particularly in areas such as software development, hardware sales, IT consulting, cybersecurity, cloud computing, networking, and digital transformations. They faced challenges with their website conversions. Despite driving substantial traffic through Google Ads and other SEO tactics, they struggled to convert website visitors into form fills for appointment requests. A 2% to 5% conversion rate could be considered reasonable. Of course, conversion rates can vary based on various factors, such as the competitiveness of the local market, the quality of the website (and radio stations help most to fix that) and its user experience, the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, and the reputation and offerings of the IT solutions business. Focusing on improving the quality of leads and providing exceptional customer service can be just as crucial as achieving high conversion rates. Don’t blame EVERYTHING on the marketing tactics! 

The Diagnosis

Upon thorough analysis, several critical issues were identified with IT Solutions’ website:

1. High Bounce Rate: Nobody was checking out the business. If 70% or more of website visitors only visit the landing page, that is an issue.  It could be slow loading times, irrelevant content, poor user experience, or unclear calls-to-action that prevent them from wanting to know more about IT Solutions. You can check the bounce rate on the Google Analytics page for the website in the left-hand sidebar, click on “Behavior” to expand the menu, then click on “Site Content,” and finally, click on “Landing Pages.” You’ll see a list of landing pages and their respective bounce rates.

2. Complex Navigation: It was hard to move around the website to find relevant information about IT services, and it was unclear who they were initiating contact with and for what purpose.

3. Unclear Calls-to-Action (CTAs): The website lacked clear and compelling CTAs guiding visitors toward requesting an appointment. Simply stating “click here for an appointment” is like asking for a meeting whenever or without establishing value. Here are 28 CTAs for free.

4. Lengthy Forms: The appointment forms were long, without qualifying information, and requested excessive information upfront, deterring potential leads from completing them.

Action Plan

1. Optimize Landing Pages:

   – Redo high-traffic landing pages with clear messaging and compelling CTAs.

   – Showcase IT Solutions’ services as benefits, making it easier for users to request appointments, thereby increasing user engagement and conversions.

2. Simplify Navigation:

   – Reorganize the menu and add more action-oriented links.

   – Provide additional options for users to access relevant information, such as “Get a free IT Solutions 15-point checkup NOW” and “Take this 5-question survey to diagnose your IT issues,” motivating them to book appointments.

3. Enhance CTAs:

   – Utilize concise and persuasive messaging throughout the website.

   – Encourage visitors to take action, whether requesting a free download about “5 things you can do to solve your IT issues on your own” or “get a free pizza for booking an appointment.”

4. Improve the Form Fill:

   – Add a further line about the number of employees who qualify for incoming leads.

   – Highlight the value of leads based on company size, prioritizing forms with higher potential impact.

Review landing pages, navigation, CTAs, and form experience to address website conversion issues. Don’t assume there isn’t enough traffic; focus on optimizing user engagement once visitors arrive on the site.

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‘NHL on TNT’ Gives Hockey Fans the ‘NBA on TNT’ Treatment

Watching Albert and Olczyk call a hockey game is like watching Picasso paint and da Vinci sculpt. They are masters of their respective crafts.

John Molori

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NHL on TNT studio

Let’s play a little word association, sports media style. If I say TNT, what is your response? Chances are it will be a three-letter abbreviation of your own, namely, NBA. Over the years, TNT has built a reputation as arguably the premiere network to telecast the National Basketball Association.

The NBA on TNT pregame and halftime shows have become the gold standard with stars like Ernie Johnson, Jr., Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, and Shaquille O’Neal. Still, it’s not just this quartet of roundball royalty that has fortified TNT’s hoops coverage.

The rep was also built on tremendous play-by-play announcers like Bob Neal and Kevin Harlan, color analysts like Doug Collins and Reggie Miller, and courtside reporters like the late Craig Sager and current sideline star Allie LaForce.

Indeed, TNT and the NBA have become synonymous, but I have some news for you. This network is not just about professional basketball. This past week I went off the grid with TNT looking at their in-game and studio coverage of the NHL.

On March 24, the NHL on TNT provided coverage of the Pittsburgh Penguins at Colorado Avalanche matchup. Kenny Albert did play-by-play with Eddie Olczyk on color. Albert is not as noted as his legendary broadcasting father Marv Albert, but he has certainly staked his claim as one of the best in the business – able to cross over to multiple sports with equal aplomb.

Hockey is a strong suit for Albert. His rat-tat-tat, drama-building style draws viewers in and keeps us on the edge of our seats. Similarly, Olczyk is one of the top four or five NHL game analysts in the business. His style is understated, providing calm and clear analysis of key plays. They work really well together.

Albert eschews any kind of hackneyed and trite catch phrases for his goal calls. An emphatic, “He shoots and scores!” is plenty enough.

Hockey is a different beast when it comes to play-by-play. Unlike basketball, baseball, football, or even soccer and tennis, there is a minimum of breaks in the action. With hockey, a play-by-play announcer has to know the names of the players like he or she knows her kids’ names.

To me, it is the hardest sport for play-by-play and equally difficult for a color analyst. In basketball, after a team scores, the play-by-play announcer will keep silent and give the color analyst time to talk until the play crosses center court. In baseball and football, there is ample room for commentary.

Hockey does not offer such space, but Olczyk gets the most out of the minimal amount of time. Watching Albert and Olczyk call a hockey game is like watching Picasso paint and da Vinci sculpt. They are masters of their respective crafts.

Coming back from a break in the game, Albert and Olczyk provided on air commentary and then tossed to ice level reporter Brian Boucher who has grown into a tremendous asset to the TNT broadcasts. Boucher provided real talk about Colorado’s objectives of staying on top of their division and vying for the top seed in the Western Conference.

The Penguins, squarely in a rebuilding year having dumped talent at the NHL trade deadline, surprisingly jumped out to a 2–0 lead in this game, and the TNT between periods studio crew was all over it. The excellent Liam McHugh hosted alongside Colby Armstrong, Anson Carter, and Keith Yandle.

Armstrong was especially entertaining. With Pittsburgh outshooting the Avs 16-4, Armstrong noted that it’s the best he’s seen Pittsburgh play in a long time. His reasoning was that teams get geared up for playing Colorado even if it’s out of fear. Great stuff.

Both teams tallied two goals in the second period giving Pittsburgh a 4-2 lead heading into the final frame. When Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon set up Jonathan Drouin for a goal to make it 4-3, Albert and Olczyk showed their strengths.

Albert called the pass from MacKinnon and one-timer goal from Drouin, and immediately noted that MacKinnon now had a point in all 34 of Colorado’s home games this season. On the goal replay, Olczyk showed how the play developed pointing out how McKinnon allowed Pittsburgh’s Evgenii Malkin to come in close before making the past to Drouin.

The TNT production team then showed a graphic displaying that McKinnon is now second all-time in longest home points streaks trailing only Wayne Gretzky. This was a sublime sequence of symmetry between talent and technicians like a songwriter, musician, and singer creating beautiful music.

What was supposed to be a blowout win for Colorado had now become a hockey barn burner, and the TNT crew was up to the task. Every goal and key play was followed up with replays from multiple angles showing the genesis of the action.

TNT has certainly taken to the velocity of the hockey broadcast with movement that challenges directors, graphics professionals, and videographers.

When there were breaks in this non-stop action, Olczyk was at his best. No hockey analyst draws on his experience as a player and explains that experience better to viewers. The TNT broadcast also lets Boucher freewheel and join in the flow of discussion without having to be introduced.

TNT does not merely rely on the traditional wide shot of the entire rink. We see close-up shots of each goaltender after a great save and the sweat of players on the bench or in the penalty box.

When McKinnon tied the game at 4-4 with 4:38 left in the third period, we got a series of tremendous crowd shots showing the Colorado fans going absolutely berserk. The sage Albert and Olczyk wisely remained quiet for several seconds, letting the cheers do the talking.

When Drouin scored the game winner at 4:06 of overtime, Albert exercised controlled enthusiasm, raising his voice on the call of the goal, but not becoming the show and overshadowing the play itself. He is definitely in the mold of Dan Kelly, Gary Thorne, and Sean McDonough, announcers who enhance but do not supersede the game.

Putting a cherry on top of this hockey Sunday, TNT showed a graphic that the Avalanche now led the NHL in comeback wins this season with 25 and that they were riding a 9-game winning streak. In analyzing the goal, Olczyk opined that the altitude of playing in Colorado was prevalent as the Penguins seemed to tire as the game progressed – really interesting insight.

In the postgame show, Anson Carter made a great point that the chemistry between Drouin and MacKinnon stems from the fact that they have been playing together going back to junior hockey. McKinnon joined in from the arena for a postgame interview. The analysts asked solid questions and even did a funny MVP chant together as the interview ended.

The NHL on TNT takes no back seat to its elder NBA sister. The broadcast provides viewers with flash, dash, and serious hockey talk from every angle – in studio, from the broadcast booth, and on the ice.

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Kim Mulkey Now Has Everyone Anticipating Washington Post Story

I can’t imagine what headline, under normal circumstances, the Washington Post would have to put on a Kim Mulkey story to make me want to read it.

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photo of LSU women's college basketball coach Kim Mulkey
Credit: Dailymail.co.uk

The Washington Post, you might’ve heard, has a story coming out about controversial LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey. The reason you might’ve heard is because Kim Mulkey told you. The Tigers coach read a fiery prepared statement just before her team started the Women’s NCAA Tournament. In the statement, Mulkey threatened to sue The Post for defamation before the first word was even published.

Now, I’ve never run a public relations firm but that did not seem like a good idea. The Washington Post story on Mulkey is one of the bigger stories in sports right now and nobody even knows what’s in it. The reason the story, apparently unflattering to Mulkey, is even on anyone’s radar screen is Mulkey herself.

It all started with an innocuous social media post by Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde right in the middle of the most anticipated two days in sports, the NCAA Tournament Round of 64. On his X account, Forde posted: “Hearing some buzz about a big Washington Post story in the works on LSU women’s hoops coach Kim Mulkey, potentially next week. Wagons being circled, etc.”

You know what generally will go unnoticed at 4:00 on the first Friday of the NCAA Tournament? A post on X about a women’s basketball coach. But don’t tell Mulkey, she saw Forde’s post and decided to fight fire with nuclear weaponry. The result: the average person like me now is really interested in what has Mulkey so incensed. By “average person like me” I mean that I can’t imagine what headline, under normal circumstances, the Washington Post would have to put on a Kim Mulkey story to make me want to read it. Maybe:

“LSU Women’s Coach Discovers Ark of the Covenant”

Or:

“Mulkey Reveals True JFK Assassin(s)”

Perhaps:

“Famed Women’s Basketball Coach Reveals the Mystery Behind Slow Drivers in the Left Lane”

Literally any of those catch my attention more than whatever will likely be the Washington Post headline about Mulkey. But now Mulkey is “Mad as Hell and is not going to take this anymore” so I now have an interest I would never before have had in this story. It has been fascinating to watch the online speculation about the subject of the article and all we really know, as of now, is that it will be written by Kent Babb. This is a dream come true for Babb; he writes an article that is, presumably, not flattering about Kim Mulkey and, before it is even published, she gives the article the greatest commercial anyone could give it. Babb couldn’t have entered into a business agreement with Mulkey and had this turn out better for him.

For those who don’t follow Babb, he is a former NFL reporter who now is an award-winning writer for the Washington Post. In his 14 years with The Post, he has written sports features and authored a couple of books. One of those sports features stories was a deep dive into what he viewed as a large inequity in the level of pay for LSU head football coach Brian Kelly and his LSU players. It is this piece Mulkey described as a “hit piece” and, based on that piece, referred to Babb as a “sleazy reporter.” Babb, and many others, resented the fact his story was labeled as a hit piece. In fact, Babb essentially confirmed he was the author Mulkey was referencing when he shared the original article on X with the comment: “Hit piece?”

Whether a printed piece or a recorded interview, I can’t imagine a better promotion for it than the subject of the interview threatening a libel/slander lawsuit, especially before it is even released. That simply screams “This piece is salacious!!” Also, libel and slander suits get settled all the time, right? Of course they don’t, they seem to never even get filed. That little thing called discovery is a scary thing for most public figures.

The NCAA Tournament has been very entertaining, and I think the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight will be terrific. For only the fifth time ever, the top two seeds have advanced to the third round which sets up for a remarkable weekend. For me, I guess it will now include a Washington Post article, not a sentence I’d normally say.

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