Fuze Blog | © Bryan Landaburu (aka Willie Vega) | Reno-Sparks-Nevada Blogger

IRL and Champ Car Racing Series to Wed.

Its about damn time.  Sir Tony George and the stand off-ish CHAMP CAR crew have finally agreed to bring the 2 series' back together.  As a fan of open wheel racing this is a HUGE change and gives hope that there may once again be a future for an elite racing series in the US.  Not sure why IRL had to wait till CHAMP CAR went bankrupt before making the deal...that move can only be ego driven, but at least its inked and we should get back to seeing more than 7 cars hit the grid later this year.

• Here's the full article at AutoWeek

Nice job gentlemen...start your engines!

WBV

San Francisco Supercross - attitudes & advertising

 

I blog to you from Club Level section 215 at AT&T Park in San Francisco and the 2008 AMA Monster Energy San Francisco Supercross. As someone who raced and appreciates the talent in the sport, I have been a fan of supercross for many years.  We are also very involved with the industry through our representation of LivFast Freestyle Motocross team - managing their events & sponsor deals, and their clothing line. I have to say I after tonights event, I am disapointed in the current state of MX for a number of reasons:

• team extreme - these are the black hoodie, flat bill hat, semi-adult, angst ridden, monster truck drivin, ready to fight in a second, inked sleeves and hardware faced extrEMEists who give the sport a bad name.  Its no longer about family and competition but instead its who's the baddest ass.
• the format - there are literally 6 races all night...not a lot of racing and not a lot to get excited about.
• no more heros - the greats of the sport are gone so there are no more riders everyone knows, no more rivalries, just riding.
• 10 lap main event BECAUSE OF RAIN - WTF??
• Commercials - worst of all.  In a 3hr program there were 6 races, each lasting about 10-20min - this means we watched OVER AN HOUR OF COMMERCIALS AT A LIVE EVENT. Holy crap what a waste. Not to mention every square inch of eye space covered with a logo of some sort. It's really overload - AN I'M IN ADVERTISING!

Anyway...thats my 2 cents on the state of supercross.  The sport is still one of my favorites to participate in and my son will have a tricked out mini bike when he's 3yo I am sure.  It was still fun but nothing like days past.

WBV

(another treo post - sorry for the typos)

Wanna look up the definition of "real-man" - Start at Mavericks

I am one who has a tremendous respect for Mom Nature and all her power & glory.  Those who tempt MOM eventually lose.  That said, here in the bay area (cali), folks are all chompin' at the bit for Mavericks Surf competition to start tomorrow.  They cancelled 2007 because the swells "didnt qualify" size wise (no SPAM pun intended).  Now, as someone who has ridden in 6'+ swells on a jetski, and broken bones as a result, my respect goes out to those who stare 20' waves in the face and say..."ya, I'll have a bit of that."

So if you want to look up the definition of "Real Man" you can start your search at:

• Mavericks Surf 2008

This year Maverick's got a good healthy dose of "technology" with realtime streams, and a number of other cool web tools on their site.  If you're down here, and have never witnessed Mavericks, the waves and competition are a must-see.

Surf's WAY up!

WBV

Red Bull Air Races | The Most Exciting Thing I've Seen [in a while]

Its not often that I am BLOWN away by something. Not often I say, holy crap, I cant turn away.  This is amazing, Not often that I am immediately drawn into something with full commitment of attention (short of my son playing hammer-time on my flat screen).  Well Red Bull has come up with a new sport that is all these things and more.  If you watch this, and aren't immediately interested, then you have no soul.

The Red Bull Air Race World Series is a global event that pits the worlds top pilots against each other as they maneuver their planes through a course of pylons and gates at 250MPH - 10' off the deck (over water).  It's insanely dangerous and amazing.  They are coming to San Diego in a week or so.  Watch it live or on the TV box.

If you want to catch a glimpse of the experience, Odopod has created about the coolest bit of web technology ever to support this propaganda.  Hop over to Red Bull Co-Pilot and take a ride. When you get to the site click RACE and take off.

For some local flavor, we have a monster air race event known as "The National Championship Air Races" here in Reno (this weekend I might add).  After the first 2 days, there have been 3 crashes (one a mid air collision) and 2 deaths.  Catch this sport while there are still participants.

WBV

Bragging rights - RTO Pro-Am Champion [and minor celebrity]

Every once in a while something happens around these parts that I feel compelled to brag about.  This week it is our team's 1st place finish in the Reno Tahoe Open Pro-Am.  Let me go on a rant, then i will come back to kissing trophies.

If you aren't familiar with the Reno Tahoe Open [RTO], you should get familiar with this great PGA Tour event.  The RTO has been a Pro-bono a client of Fuze for several years.  We handle all their digital marketing (websites, online systems, ticketing, email marketing, hosting, etc.), and this event is one of the best produced events in the area in spite of the fact that: it probably takes the biggest amount of scrutiny, gets the least notoriety, and, every year has to fend off rumors that "it's not going to make it".  To support my sentiment here, In today's RGJ - the primary local news rag - John Smetana wrote an article that is simply perfect and accurate.  He says:

In the past two years, nearly two-thirds of the players who made the 36-hole cuts in the three major U.S. championships were RTO golfers. Seven of the top 12 finishers in the U.S. Open and six of the top 12 at the Masters this year were RTO alumni...So, this week provides another chance to watch in person a future major championship winner or Ryder Cup player (and some past). Pity we can't give you their names right now... [read full article here]

He simply could not be more dead on in his article.  Come on Reno, get behind this event.  One good reason?  How about the fact that this and the Reno Rodeo [questionable] are the "only major professional sports league regular-season events in city history"?? I am proud to be a sponsor of the event, and I encourage other businesses to consider supporting the event (at least by attending) as a sponsor when you are torn between this or picking up the tab at yet another pankake breakfast schmooze-fest.

We [Fuze et al] love this event, and the people who put it on and thats why we get behind it every year.  Jim Kline, and Rich Green are about the best guys you can ever meet [do business with].  Honorable, honest, dedicated, and realistic, these guys year after year put together a mega event with TWO FULL TIME HEADCOUNT, a crap-load of volunteers, great sponsors, and a little agency support from Fuze, BBC, and RKPR.  If you see the magnitude of this event, you will see how big a feat this is.

Anyway, back to ME ME ME.  I am pleased to announce that our team, captained by the baby walrus Kevin Stadler, locked in a 3 way tie for 1st place in this year's Pro Am.  We walked, yes walked Montreux in 100 degree heat [with my dad as my caddie], and despite my half-assed contribution, our team managed to work our way to 17 under par [55] and take home the crystal! Kevin was a great pro to play with - like playin with of my buddies - and man can he swing it.  It was a great day, and winning sure made playing hookie from the Fuze mothership worthwhile.

OK, enough about me.  Don't believe the rumors about the demise of this event, or that its hard to park, or that no good golfers show up.  Its all BS.  Take a day [or 2], drive up to beautiful Montreux, ride in the air conditioned shuttle that drops you off at the first tee box, take a wine walk, oogle houses you'll never afford, and watch some of the up and coming stars of the PGA Tour make shots that you wont believe. Support this event won't you?  Tivo it and watch yourself doing rabbit ears behind your bro-sif's head on camera.

I'll make it easy for ya: Buy RTO Tickets Online Here

Best wishes to the RTO and its volunteers for another successful year. And THANK YOU for putting on such a fabulous, first-class event. Please invite me back to defend my title :-)

Tee it up. Hit 'EM straight!

WBV