(Photo courtesy of U.S. News & World Report)
COM-211 has taught me numerous things, all of them in which I can use to apply to my daily life as well as my writing. It's a phrase that was made 'famous' by John Rooke "K.I.S.S" or a.k.a, keep it simple, stupid. I think that saying, although very small in size, can have a huge impact on all of us. In order to be effective and write conversationally, it needs to be kept simple. Nobody wants to feel like they're of a lesser intelligence or being talked down to when they read a piece. Everyone wants to feel like they're a part of something, and can relate to that on thing, whatever it may be. Which brings me to my next point, social media. The experiment the class conducted a couple of weeks ago was something that really opened my eyes. When the bar was set at 10K viewers, I thought that was downright crazy. I thought there was absolutely no chance that we, collectively, as a class would come anywhere near that number. It wasn't until class that day when the impressions were being tallied that I realized what a huge reach social media can have. Of course, I knew that Twitter is a huge universe, but it just struck me as amazing that we could all contribute to get the video to 10K. Something else that I actually want to thank Professor Rooke for, is bringing in Erik Scalavino from PFW. Not only did meeting Erik in person show me that these types of jobs are possible for me, but it gave me a chance to expand my network as well. I now have Erik as a contact, and he even took the time to dissect my writing and give me tips on how to improve, and coming from a professional like himself, that's like hitting the lottery. But besides that, what he said during his lecture was also incredibly helpful as well. Maybe not everyone in the class cared or paid full attention to what was coming out of his mouth, but as an aspiring journalist I eat that stuff up. I can't get enough of it. Inform the reader, keep it short and sweet but also add some personality, be yourself and develop a style that works for you. All of those things and then some, are things that Erik spoke about when he came to visit, and I couldn't be happier that he did because I feel like it's given me a direction. A goal to work towards. COM-211 has taught me a lot, but perhaps nothing as significant as the three things I just listed above. I was excited to take this class at the start of the semester and it's been everything I expected and more. The things I've learned from this class will definitely be put forth toward my future writing pieces and even future endeavors as I finish out my college career and evolve into hopefully a very successful journalist/broadcaster.
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My Thanksgiving experience was one to forget. As usual, my family was hosting. My grandparents arrived around noontime and dinner was scheduled to be around 1:30. We ate, everything was great. Pardon the rhyme. Anyway, after dinner my mom, my nana and myself all did dishes and cleaned up while we waited for the rest of the family to arrive later for desert.
At about 4:30, everyone else showed up, and then it was a party. We were all having a great time, laughing and catching up, playing games and whatnot, but then all of a sudden, my papa barges into the dining room and says he wants to go home. Nobody at the time understood why or what was going on, but apparently there was a story being re-iterated in the kitchen and he didn't like the vulgar language he was hearing. That didn't go over well with the rest of my family, and everyone's tempers flared and it ended up in a situation where everyone cleared out. Every last family member left. And it wasn't even six o'clock. So after all that transpired, I proceeded to sit on my couch and watch football with my parents for the rest of the night and then went to bed around 10 to get up and work 8-4 on Black Friday. Overall, I would say that this was probably one of the worst Thanksgiving's for me on record. Brendan Howe
FRANKLIN, MA (@Brendan__Howe) Sports media and broadcasting are professions many can only dream of, and John Rooke has had the chance to experience all of the glory that comes with the field. However, four years ago, Rooke struck gold and found his home as the director of the Center for Business, Entertainment and Sport Management at Dean College. During his current tenure at Dean, Rooke has started to bulk up the communications program as well as the sports broadcast team, to the point that Dean has had no choice but to add it to the growing list of majors. Rooke is no stranger when it comes to success in the business, and that's a tribute to all his hard work. 43-year careers don't just happen by showing up with a smile. Here are some of Rooke's major accomplishments to this point in his magnificent career: Play-by-Play Texas Longhorns Women's basketball Play-by-Play San Antonio Spurs basketball Play-by-Play Providence Friars basketball Stadium Public Address Announcer New England Patriots WEEI-FM ESPN Radio Network Pretty impressive, right? It's clear Rooke knows what it takes to get to the top, and that's what he's trying to instill in each and every one of his students at Dean College. Of course, not everyone knows what they want to get into as soon as they get to school, and Rooke knows that. But on the same token, there are some students that have the light go off right away, and Rooke was one of those people. Rooke had torn up his knee due to an injury on the basketball court, and he was in search of what the next step was. He found it in the communications field. "I had always known I was a talker, my nickname as a little kid was 'senator' because I wouldn't shut up. I would always be asking questions, I was loud, and sometimes I just liked to hear myself talk. So, I never really equated that with being a reporter or broadcaster until I ripped up my leg in high school." Rooke would get his foot in the door and a year later, he found himself at The University of Texas at Austin with a journalism scholarship. Here at Dean, it's a little bit different of a situation, but all the goals remain the same. As far as knocking down doors to open up opportunities, Rooke had this to say; "Never say no to anything. Can you edit? Can you write? Can you voice? Yeah, sure thing. Even if you're not sure that you can, do it anyway. Figure it out. Say yes, and figure it out. Maybe you don't know if it's for you, but I'd still say yes. Then you come back later maybe and say, you know what? That's not for me. That's a better way to go about things, that's more honest. That's what college is for, to find yourself and what you're good at." Once that process is complete, it's time for the real deal. Here at Dean, you're either in, or you're out. If you commit, you commit. As far as the future goes, not only for the students but the school itself, Rooke has some astronomical sights. That aren't so far fetched. "To be thought of in the same breath as Syracuse. I want to be the small school equivalent. There's no reason we can't be here. I've already seen it, I'm into my fourth year teaching here, I spent ten years teaching at Emerson. The difference is focus. The difference is drive." Dean students are starting to realize just how special this program can be, with Rooke at the helm. "It's like being an athlete." Rooke said. "The most successful athletes are the ones that have that inner fire that burns and drives them to do good things, better things, and to improve themselves, and we need to find not only more students that have that passion and that desire, but we need to find more students that are willing to be trained in that form and fashion. That's what we're looking for here." As I mentioned before, Rooke's 43-year career doesn't just happen because he showed up. No, it takes heart, desire and the will to be the absolute best. This is no punch in, punch out nine-to-five job. But, as far as taking students and molding them into someone that is compatible with the 'Dean Difference', Rooke is all for that. "I'll take someone who's raw, that can't write very well, doesn't speak very well, and give me a couple years to work with this person and I think I can turn them into a communicator if that's what they want to be." Now with Dean making the transition from a two-year school, to a four-year communication powerhouse by the small school standard, it's time that students take advantage of the superior professors the institution has to offer. Rooke is surrounded by Professor Vic Michaels and Professor Gregg Seibert in the communications program that are all putting their brain power together for the benefit of the student body. "We need more kids here that are waiting on our professors here at Dean to say "please teach me". We have some brilliant professors here, and one thing I love about Dean is that everybody's human. You know, they're regular Joe's, they're regular Jane's, they're regular people. So get to know them a little bit, and then when you're in class, ask them to show you the way. Treat them as a guru because that's what they are." It's no secret that every college professor wants their students to go out into the real world and have unlimited success. After all, that's what college is for. But there are certain professors that are better at giving the students the tools to use to accomplish their goals and reach the top of the mountain. Rooke certainly is no slouch when it comes to providing students with the right tricks, advice, and things that will stick with them for years down the line to help them in their endeavors. "I would say personal integrity is everything to me in this world. Your integrity is all you've got. You can't lose that, you willingly give it up when you lie, you cheat or you steal, you do the things you're told not to do. Everybody needs to have personal integrity and personal accountability for themselves. Stop worrying about other people. Stop worrying about that other group of people over there, worry about yourself. Be you first, find out who you are first. That's the message I hope that most students get from taking my classes, help them find themselves a little bit." Rooke has been in and around the business for a long time, and he knows certainly what works and what doesn't. As for any teacher, it's a sense of pride to see their former students doing incredible things in their lives, and for John, it's no different. "I want to see my students on the air. I want to listen to their broadcasts, I want to watch them on TV, I want to read their work online, in a newspaper, or in a magazine. I want them to write books. I want to read their work, and I already do that. I really, eagerly, look forward to seeing their work, to see if they put forth principles that I may have once taught them into practical place." Rooke wants all his students to succeed, and he himself certainly is no stranger to success in this business. When I asked him what he looked back on as his best moment, here's what he had to offer: "I don't know if I can pick one, I would tell you that I've had a handful of them. Any time you win a championship at Madison Square Garden, that's pretty freakin' cool. When you think about all the athletes, all the entertainers that have performed in that building, it's legendary for a reason. I would also tell you that any one of the eight AFC Championship games I've been privileged to call working for the Patriots has been dynamite. I mean, how many people get a chance to be in that position? Not many, and I've had a chance to do it eight times. I'm 7-1 by the way. That's a pretty good record." Rooke cracked a couple jokes but I then asked him one final question that would bring it back to the serious topic of goal setting. Rooke always teaches his students to set goals and once you reach that goal, set the bar even higher, that the sky is the limit. So I turned that same theory back around on him and asked him if there was one goal he would still like to accomplish before it's all said and done. "My immediate goal is to develop this department, to teach students the way I know how to do things, because I've had a lot of success in my career, and I still see a lot of students who I look at and think: I was kind of like that. I want for you, just a little taste of what I've had because I've been very lucky. Very fortunate. But, I would also tell you I've worked very hard to put myself in the position to be successful, and so I'm simply providing a formula. What I want you to do is take what I've been able to offer and adapt it to your own life and your own personality and see what you can use and see if you can't get there yourself to where I've been." Rooke is a great sportscaster, but an even better professor. Dean students, including myself, can all learn from him in some form or fashion. Even if broadcasting or media isn't what you foresee for a career, still take the time to stop by his office and get to know him, because the light bulb may go off for you too. Under his leadership and watch, there's no reason that Dean can't become one of the premiere programs in the country. Everyone always talks about the 'family' atmosphere at Dean, and it's true. Dean is indeed a family, and Dean is John Rooke's home. Image Courtesy of Dean College. DO YOU LIKE TO BE ENTERTAINED? DO YOU LIKE SPORTS? DO YOU LIKE ENTERTAINING TALK SHOWS? IF YOU ANSWERED YES TO ANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS, TUNE IN EVERY SUNDAY MORNING TO TALK OF THE TOWN FROM 10 A.M - 12 P.M, AS STUDENT HOSTS BRENDAN HOWE AND ALEX FEUZ, ALONG WITH VARIOUS SPECIAL GUESTS, BREAK DOWN THE HOTTEST TOPICS IN THE SPORTS WORLD. YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS BEING A PART OF THE HOTTEST NEW SPORTS TALK SHOW AROUND. EVERY SUNDAY MORNING FROM 10 AM-12 PM ON WGAO POWER 88.
Brendan Howe
FRANKLIN, MA (@Brendan__Howe) Sports media and broadcasting is a profession many students can only dream of. However, four years ago, Dean College struck gold when they brought in John Rooke as the director of the Center for Business, Entertainment and Sport Management. During his current tenure at Dean, Rooke has started to build up the communications program as well as the sports broadcast team, to the point that Dean has had no choice but to add it to the growing list of majors. Rooke is no stranger when it comes to success in the business, and that's a tribute to all his hard work. 43-year careers don't just happen by showing up with a smile. Here are some of Rooke's major accomplishments to this point in his magnificent career: Play-by-Play Texas Longhorns Women's basketball Play-by-Play San Antonio Spurs basketball Play-by-Play Providence Friars basketball Stadium Public Address Announcer New England Patriots WEEI-FM ESPN Radio Network Pretty impressive, right? It's clear Rooke knows what it takes to get to the top, and that's what he's trying to instill in each and every one of his students at Dean College. Of course, not everyone knows what they want to get into as soon as they get to school, and Rooke knows that. But on the same token, there are some students that have the light go off right away, and Rooke was one of those people. Rooke had torn up his knee due to an injury on the basketball court, and he was in search of what the next step was. He found it in the communications field. "I had always known I was a talker, my nickname as a little kid was 'senator' because I wouldn't shut up. I would always be asking questions, I was loud, and sometimes I just liked to hear myself talk. So, I never really equated that with being a reporter or broadcaster until I ripped up my leg in high school." Rooke would get his foot in the door and a year later, he found himself at The University of Texas at Austin with a journalism scholarship. Here at Dean, it's a little bit different of a situation, but all the goals remain the same. As far as knocking down doors to open up opportunities, Rooke had this to say; "Never say no to anything. Can you edit? Can you write? Can you voice? Yeah, sure thing. Even if you're not sure that you can, do it anyway. Figure it out. Say yes, and figure it out. Maybe you don't know if it's for you, but I'd still say yes. Then you come back later maybe and say, you know what? That's not for me. That's a better way to go about things, that's more honest. That's what college is for, to find yourself and what you're good at." Once that process is complete, it's time for the real deal. Here at Dean, you're either in, or you're out. If you commit, you commit. As far as the future goes, not only for the students but the school itself, Rooke has some astronomical sights. That aren't so far fetched. "To be thought of in the same breath as Syracuse. I want to be the small school equivalent. There's no reason we can't be here. I've already seen it, I'm into my fourth year teaching here, I spent ten years teaching at Emerson. The difference is focus. The difference is drive." Dean students are starting to realize just how special this program can be, with Rooke at the helm. "It's like being an athlete." Rooke said. "The most successful athletes are the ones that have that inner fire that burns and drives them to do good things, better things, and to improve themselves, and we need to find not only more students that have that passion and that desire, but we need to find more students that are willing to be trained in that form and fashion. That's what we're looking for here." As I mentioned before, Rooke's 43-year career doesn't just happen because he showed up. No, it takes heart, desire and the will to be the absolute best. This is no punch in, punch out nine-to-five job. But, as far as taking students and molding them into someone that is compatible with the 'Dean Difference', Rooke is all for that. "I'll take someone who's raw, that can't write very well, doesn't speak very well, and give me a couple years to work with this person and I think I can turn them into a communicator if that's what they want to be." Now with Dean making the transition from a two-year school, to a four-year communication powerhouse by the small school standard, it's time that students take advantage of the superior professors the institution has to offer. Rooke is surrounded by Professor Vic Michaels and Professor Gregg Seibert in the communications program that are all putting their brain power together for the benefit of the student body. "We need more kids here that are waiting on our professors here at Dean to say "please teach me". We have some brilliant professors here, and one thing I love about Dean is that everybody's human. You know, they're regular Joe's, they're regular Jane's, they're regular people. So get to know them a little bit, and then when you're in class, ask them to show you the way. Treat them as a guru because that's what they are." It's no secret that every college professor wants their students to go out into the real world and have unlimited success. After all, that's what college is for. But there are certain professors that are better at giving the students the tools to use to accomplish their goals and reach the top of the mountain. Rooke certainly is no slouch when it comes to providing students with the right tricks, advice, and things that will stick with them for years down the line to help them in their endeavors. "I would say personal integrity is everything to me in this world. Your integrity is all you've got. You can't lose that, you willingly give it up when you lie, you cheat or you steal, you do the things you're told not to do. Everybody needs to have personal integrity and personal accountability for themselves. Stop worrying about other people. Stop worrying about that other group of people over there, worry about yourself. Be you first, find out who you are first. That's the message I hope that most students get from taking my classes, help them find themselves a little bit." Rooke has been in and around the business for a long time, and he knows certainly what works and what doesn't. As for any teacher, it's a sense of pride to see their former students doing incredible things in their lives, and for John, it's no different. "I want to see my students on the air. I want to listen to their broadcasts, I want to watch them on TV, I want to read their work online, in a newspaper, or in a magazine. I want them to write books. I want to read their work, and I already do that. I really, eagerly, look forward to seeing their work, to see if they put forth principles that I may have once taught them into practical place." Rooke wants all his students to succeed, and he himself certainly is no stranger to success in this business. When I asked him what he looked back on as his best moment, here's what he had to offer: "I don't know if I can pick one, I would tell you that I've had a handful of them. Any time you win a championship at Madison Square Garden, that's pretty freakin' cool. When you think about all the athletes, all the entertainers that have performed in that building, it's legendary for a reason. I would also tell you that any one of the eight AFC Championship games I've been privileged to call working for the Patriots has been dynamite. I mean, how many people get a chance to be in that position? Not many, and I've had a chance to do it eight times. I'm 7-1 by the way. That's a pretty good record." Rooke cracked a couple jokes but I then asked him one final question that would bring it back to the serious topic of goal setting. Rooke always teaches his students to set goals and once you reach that goal, set the bar even higher, that the sky is the limit. So I turned that same theory back around on him and asked him if there was one goal he would still like to accomplish before it's all said and done. "My immediate goal is to develop this department, to teach students the way I know how to do things, because I've had a lot of success in my career, and I still see a lot of students who I look at and think: I was kind of like that. I want for you, just a little taste of what I've had because I've been very lucky. Very fortunate. But, I would also tell you I've worked very hard to put myself in the position to be successful, and so I'm simply providing a formula. What I want you to do is take what I've been able to offer and adapt it to your own life and your own personality and see what you can use and see if you can't get there yourself to where I've been." Rooke is a great sportscaster, but an even better professor. Dean students, including myself, can all learn from him in some form or fashion. Even if broadcasting or media isn't what you foresee for a career, still take the time to stop by his office and get to know him, because the light bulb may go off for you too. Dean College certainly has hit the jackpot with Rooke, and under his leadership and watch, there certainly won't be any question that there is nothing junior about Dean, and they'll be hitting the big time, in no time. Notes from the field trip to Gillette Stadium on October 16th.
Touchdowns: - I loved the 'football feel'. The stadium really gave off a football/sporty type setting, all while maintaining it's professional environment as well. It had enough aspects to it that fans can enjoy the game every Sunday, while also not feeling like they're being overcharged. The money is definitely worth the experience. - The cleanliness/modernness is something to be proud of. The stadium opened in 2002 and by NFL standards, that's old. The way the Kraft's have gone about updating the things around the stadium that are most prone to draw in fans is remarkable. They know how to invest and how to keep Pats nation coming back. Turnovers: - I thought there was a little bit of a privacy lack. Granted, the media offices are located behind a locked door, but the door to get to those offices are right next to the tunnel that goes to the lower bowl of the stadium, and right behind concession stands, but it's still accessible to a fan if they wanted to get to it. Which is also concerning because they could break in if it was ever left unattended. That situation isn't likely, but still possible. Extra points: Overall, the stadium is one of the best in the NFL. The combination of professionalism, cleanliness, organization and the football feel make it one of the more enjoyable stadiums in all of football. But, of course, it is the home of my favorite team as well, so maybe I'm a little bias. However, i thoroughly enjoyed the tour and would love to do it again. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10/16/18 98.5 Takes on Super Show Starting on Super Sunday FRANKLIN, MASS. – Talk of the Town, a sports talk radio show hosted by Brendan Howe and Alex Feuz, will now be heard on 98.5 The Sports Hub. The show which was formerly heard on 88.3 FM WGAO, a college radio station at which the two hosts attend, caught the eye of The Sports Hub, and will air in the same time slot as normal, Sunday mornings 10 a.m – 12 p.m. With this merge, the show will now be heard on airwaves all throughout the New England region, as well as streamed online. The show will kick-off on its new station on Super Bowl Sunday, February 4, 2019. The two co-hosts caught the eye of 98.5 producers through their tremendous preparation and interviews week in and week out. They’ve taken the college radio world by storm and 98.5 felt it was time for the show to reach a regional audience. Listeners can hear the show starting on Super Bowl Sunday on 98.5 FM or stream it on The Sports Hub website, TuneIn Radio App, or any other radio streaming application. The show is working to move to a multi-stream TV broadcast as well on NBC Sports Boston, sometime in the summer of 2019. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 2, 2018 IHOP restaurants nationwide to promote National Pancake day with discounted breakfast. Contact: IHOP Restaurant Chain Inc. 1378 Boston Providence Hwy, Norwood, MA (781) 769-6442 [email protected] What: IHOP restaurants will be promoting National Pancake Day across the country with half price offers on traditional three-stack pancake breakfasts. When: Tuesday, October 2, 2018, 7 a.m - 10 p.m. Where: At all participating IHOP restaurants (United States only). (Image courtesy of Groupon) I'm Brendan Howe, I'm a sophomore and communications major at Dean College. I'm part of the sports broadcast team, as well as hosting a sports radio talk show every Sunday. I served as the play-by-play voice of the New Bedford Bay Sox this past summer as an intern, and I hope to continue my broadcasting career this upcoming summer as well. I've been interested in sports ever since I could understand them, and I knew if I couldn't play, then the next best thing was being there to broadcast it and dictate the experience the fans have at home. I'm extremely excited to expand my knowledge in the world of sports media and broadcasting as I make the effort to perfect my craft.
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