Capturing a Fat Part of the Long Tail

By CL * Other CL Posts

Much has been written in the last few years about the Long Tail: the idea that a large and growing part of the economy consists of selling small quantities of many niche items to the few enthusiasts that desperately want them. It has been applied, in various ways, to many sectors of the economy, and I think it's interesting to see how it applies to one in particular.

The sports apparel industry has long been active in the United States (and several ATC contributors have some experience in the field). It has many sectors and styles: replica uniforms consistently sell well, throwbacks had a brief but intense period of popularity, and superstars and hobbyists alike want to maximize their potential with performance-enhancing shoes and training gear.

No startup company is going to knock off Nike, Reebok, adidas, or any of the other huge companies which have firmly established themselves in all corners of the market. But two young companies have made huge strides in the last few years by carefully defining their target consumer, then gaining their trust and faith by making it clear that they weren't interested in anyone else: Under Armour and UNDRCRWN.

Under Armour was founded in 1996 by a former college football player, and rose in popularity as athletes of gradually greater stature experienced and attested to the quality of their training gear. They consciously avoided going for true mainstream appeal, going so far as to "[restrict] sales to sporting goods stores, military-base exchanges and sports- and military-oriented outlets." This focus on the hardcore athlete (real or imagined) paid off; when combined with the intense imagery of their advertisements, it gave Under Armour an authenticity that Nike - too busy collaborating with Cole Haan and selling golf umbrellas - could never enjoy.

Taking precisely the opposite tack is UNDRCRWN, maker of my current favorite t-shirt. Their motto, "There Are More People In The Stands Than In The Game," reflects this idea perfectly - as much as weekend warriors may want to play like their heroes, they spend much more time watching them than they do emulating them. And they need something to wear while doing so. They've collaborated with musicians (including Asher Roth and Mos Def), dabbled in political commentary, and made all this even more clear a few months ago when they debuted the "We'd Rather Look Good Than Play Good" shirt, questionable grammar notwithstanding.

(In discussing this post, Ned pointed out a third company that falls in with these two: lululemon. I don't know much about their overall strategy, but in contrast to the two mentioned above - who operate online and through specialty retailers - they seem to have franchise stores that sell their own line of yoga-related sportswear. They've been growing fast and they seem popular; my one problem with them is that I looked at their sizing chart shortly after getting measured for a suit a few years ago and discovered that by their standards I was small in some measurements, medium in others, and extra-large in others. I'm not sure whether that means that I'm malformed or that they're overly precise.)

I'm sure this isn't news to anyone who pays attention to the sportswear industry, and if there aren't a handful of b-school case studies on each of these companies then there should be. But as a casual observer, and one who believes that ATC's readership is comprised of people who aren't experts in the field but might find it interesting, I thought it worthy of a post. The sportswear industry is dominated by a few huge be-everything-to-everybody companies, but there is plenty of room for small, specialized and focused competitors.

America at a Crossroads Street Corner

By ned * Other ned Posts

A debate has been raging this summer over an issue that impacts millions of Americans -- including the Congressmen themselves. With minimal change in decades, there is little doubt that the oldest profession in the world is in need of reform. But the question is how? Should the government provide prostitution to cover those currently unable to afford the pricey services?

Central to the debate has been the control of escalating costs and government entry into the market. Gary Hart, an independent lobbyist advocating reform, says that the public option could provide a safety net for those currently without choices for coverage. Moreover, he argues that in many street corners single providers are completely dominating the market and a public option would offer some competition to lower costs.

Others feel that costs could be controlled through private means. South Carolina’s Governor Mark Sanford is a strong advocate for increased competition by opening our borders to foreign competition – in particular Latin American providers. Others feel that this market goes through gyrations and is bound to calm down after it gets escalating costs out of its systems. Republican John Ensign points to some creative private solutions in places like Seattle. There ladies of the night are independently banding together to form co-ops where both coital care and high-interest black market loans are housed under one-roof.

Many fear that the introduction of a public option will simply undercut prices and crowd out private practitioners. Thus it could lead the way to what is known as a “Single Player System.” This was what the Johnson administration had in mind as a part of their “Really Great Society. High Five!” Voicing this fear was One-Eyed Winston at a recent convention of People of Indiscretionary Means and Parts (P.I.M.P.).

“If the government enters the market we will have no ability to compete and no choice but to fold. Its too big. It will leave thousands unemployed ... and with our skill set we would only then be able to only find employment with the government's brothel - known around here as the public's privates. Man, imagine the paperwork involved in slapping a ho'. Inefficiencies like this will only lead to bad service and desperate clients … really desperate clients,” issued Mr. Winston in a public statement.

To combat this direction, many on the far right have been accused of employing low-level scare tactics as a staple in their rhetoric. There is no base in many allegations. Abortions would not be covered under any currently proposed plan as some pro-lifers fear. Additionally, the fate of grandfathers across the country would not be left in the hands of public Madame panels that would deny services to those who desire it. Lastly, it is an outright lie that “Obama” would be enforced as a standardized safe word to further a cult of personality.

To address these concerns, Democrats hit the streets in August in a series of town hall meetings. It lead to heated discussions including when one angry Carolinian asked John Edwards if he "would refuse the public option and continue to seek care through private means … if its good enough for everybody else it should be good enough for you!”

With a clear majority in Congress, the President could push for reform. But, reform is meeting so much resistance that it looks like there will be no happy ending for all those promised change during the election. Moreover, with a speech before a joint session on health care this Wednesday, the President has chosen other priorities instead.

Disclaimer: The above has all been fabricated as an attempt at satire to make some laugh. Please enjoy as such.

Mixtape Mondays - Tailgating Tunes

The rationale behind some of the tunes from our contributors

Garth Brooks "Beer Run" - Because that is needed as a precursor to the tailgate. You have to start there.

Bruce Springsteen "Glory Days" - Football and tailgating are about having a desire to hold on to your youth. This song is about that,too.

Johnny 'Guitar' Watson "Booty Ooty" - We dare you not to have a great time listening to this song.

Devo "Uncontrollable Urge" - One of the few good things to ever come out of Ohio. Mark Mothersbaugh & Co., beer, and barbecue? Admittedly, it's a bizarre combination, but it works well.

Unknown Hinson "Cheeseburger" - There is only one thing that' more American than football and tailgating, and that's Unknown Hinson.

Refused "New Noise" - Off of 1998's The Shape of Punk to Come. The song was featured in Peter Berg's Friday Night Lights--arguably the best football movie ever made (you can quote me on that)--right as the Permian Panthers are walking out to the field for the state championship game. It's a great fit. The first minute of the song rattles and serves as a perfect psych up to releasing your inner beast. The high energy is a consistent high voltage current that should carry you from the tailgate to your seat

NOFX "Beer Bong" - May or may not fit the feel or the rest of the tape, but it's sort of a "why not" pick.

The Mountain Goats "Fall of the High School Running Back" - It's not really an optimistic or early-season type song.

Simon & Garfunkle "Leaves That are Green" - About passage of time, rituals of youth and the sights and sounds of the fall.

Beach Boys "Be True to Your School" - At the core of your tailgate comes this rationale

YPMB "March On Down the Field" - Because you need to be true to your school

Talking Heads "Stay Hungry" - The motto of a griller who has too many burger patties and not enough mouths. Plus is groovey bass line will keep those waiting in line for that burger tapping their toes - thus burning calories for more consumption.

Toni Basil "Hey Mickey" - Dedicated to the cheerleaders out there.

Screaming Trees "All that I Know" - For the game that gets away.

Quite Possibly the Best Music Being Made Today

By CL * Other CL Posts

I spend a great deal of time using public transportation or walking, and 95% of that time is spent with my iPod turned on. I tend to keep the volume at a moderate level, not least because I don't want the entire subway car to know I'm listening to R. Kelly's "I Like the Crotch on You." There's one exception; one artist that always causes me to jack up the volume to obnoxiously loud levels: The Very Best.

The Very Best makes the happiest, easiest-to-listen-to music on earth. It's a partnership between Esau Mwamwaya, a Malawian singer, and Radioclit, a London-based production duo. The backstory is entertaining but irrelevant; your task right now is to watch the video below, then download the mixtape for free. Give it a chance. You have nothing to lose.



I wasn't expecting the album to be released until October 6th - which would have allowed me to post this in time for you to try the mixtape before the album's release - but as it turns out, October 6th is the physical release date. It was released online last week, and can be streamed and bought here. So stream it, and buy it.

That's really all I have to say. I was going to make this longer. I was going to describe the music itself, which is not just afropop but Africanized western pop; half of the mixtape consists of covers of pop songs. I was going to talk about how I was overjoyed at my discover of the mixtape last year, and sent it to my college roommate, only to find out that Green Owl - the label he works for - already represented the group. But I'd rather keep it short and let the music speak for itself.

So, to reiterate: this may be the best pure music being made today. The mixtape was in my top three albums last year, and the upcoming album has already secured a spot in this year's top three. Enjoy.

If Aggravated Assault with a Weapon is a Crime then I’m Guilty as Charged

By Doug Lieblich * Other Doug Lieblich Posts

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly society can lose its core values. Our personal liberties, the moral foundation upon which our framers stood to build this great nation are slowly eroding away, and if we don’t stay vigilant, they’ll be gone before we know it. We will become slaves to political correctness and suddenly lose the ability to enjoy the pastimes we once treasured.

You can imagine my surprise when I was stopped by police officer for pounding a middle-aged man in the face with a tire-iron last Sunday.

At first it didn’t register. Was I on private property? Did I need a license for this tire-iron? Perhaps it was wrong for me to park my car on the middle of that golf course. No. Instead, I was deprived of my fundamental right to assault a fellow American with twelve pounds of steel in broad daylight.

I admit that I did not receive his consent at first, but he was a complete stranger. I didn’t want to disturb him. My point is that we no longer live in a world where one man can take his tire-iron, find another man at a water fountain, and club him in the face with it. I dare to dream and, suddenly, I’m the big-bad villain.

Freedom-hating conformists! It makes you just want to go out and assaul--oh wait, that’s right, you can’t.

My father would always tell me “never trust a man you can’t attack with an iron hunk of metal.” As a boy, I dismissed it as sentimental and old fashioned, but I’ve now realized just how profound it truly is. When you meet a stranger on a boardwalk, a nature preserve, a carnival, or even your local parking lot, you learn a lot about his character by the clothing, posture, manner of speaking, and whether you’re able to strike him with a lead pipe or power-tool.

Call me a hopeless romantic. Call me a nostalgic fool. Call me a felon with three charges of armed assault. I like hitting people in the face. So sue me. But don’t really sue me; you would probably win damages in our “pay-his-medical-bills” court of law.

If bludgeoning someone for no apparent reason is such a crime, then lock me up and throw away the key. I’m tired of getting stares from bystanders, inching away in fear, as if I’m the violent person. If you take a step back, you’d realize the media is to blame. We assaulters are unfairly profiled as muggers, thieves, or even lunatics. I have never stolen so much as a wallet from any of my assaultees. And I never ever follow orders from the voices inside my head. They only choose my lottery numbers.

Consider this a call to arms, America. We need to defend our right to attack. Sheathing our lead pipes, our wrenches, our nightsticks, our broken bar-stools will only allow the government and powerful “public safety” lobby to manipulate us with their shiny small-print books and fancy college talk. That’s a fact. And if you don’t believe me, I’ll smash you in the head with a brick to prove it.

Start Spreading the News

By ned * Other ned Posts

Like the gum littered on subway platforms, New Yorkers symbolize to some a clump of coldness and inconsideration to the rest of humanity. The word "coffee" from a local can almost sound as abrasive as an actual cup from a tin stand on the street at 5am on a cold February morning. As much as midtown is cramped between the hours of 8 to 8, the nose to the grindstone, “live-to-work” lifestyle pervades the city’s ethos. You cannot help but feel some collective pressure to be in motion, to engage tasks, sites, smells and to deliver as you hustle and bustle through your day.

Therefore, you might expect that I would be glad to rid myself of that city and embrace the peaceful, duderrific lifestyle of the left coast. This could be true especially when you consider how frequently I tried to embrace what “The City” had to offer only to commit faux pas that would cause any true Manhattanite to raise their nose. I proudly purchased both Mets and Yankees hats – much to the stern disappointment of my Mets fan friends and much to the mild indifference and perplexity of the Bronx Bomber bleacher bums. While living in a bastion of progressive thought known as the East Village, I voted for John McCain. I ordered pops instead of sodas and declined the offer to drink them with a straw. I attended a Decemberist concert at Bowery Ballroom before they were signed by a major label and did not have a degree in the humanities – let alone irony.

Considering myself a cultured soul, at other points I tried to take in the finer visual arts that bless New York. The Whitney is dedicated to American artists and the standing exhibit on its top floor houses big names of our tradition – Hopper, O’Keefe, and Whistler to name a few. Calder is known for his mobiles and playful geometric shapes. While in his section of that floor, I noticed a label on the wall next to a light source with canvas over it. As with other Calder pieces, the shadows hitting the canvas were geometric and delighted in constant motion. Wanting a closer look I leaned in towards the masterpiece. My admiration was only disturbed once as the security guard tapped me on the shoulder. I initially thought that I had gotten too close. That notion was corrected. “Sir, that is a window.”

Despite my best tendencies to distinguish myself as someone to poo poo, perhaps it comes with surprise that now two months removed I have a special place in my heart for New York City. New Yorkers are often mischaracterized as inconsiderate. To me instead, they are just indifferent. Encountering so many people in a New York minutes instills that survival technique. You have to be able to cope with a multitdue of sounds, sites and smells that avoidance is your only way out and saying a small-town hello to all passers-by on the street would simply be impossible.

But the cause behind this indifference is what makes New York wonderful. A diversity and vastness of people allows the Big Apple to support a diversity of activities – whether they be pillow fights in Union Square, Santa Con, or a new restaurant to try every week. This diversity of interest too creates opportunities for well-meaning but often aloof midwesterns to carve their own niche in a city that never sleeps. You can see the sights and love every new food you tried in both a Yankees and Mets hat. You just cannot expect a local to help you differentiate fine art as opposed to the mundane. That requires your own desire, resourcefulness and playful ignorance.

The Oakland Raiders: The NFL's Lost Dynasty of the Turn of the Millennium

By CL * Other CL Posts

I became a Raiders fan in the late 1980s, back when Bo Jackson was making football, baseball, and video game history. He's still my favorite athlete of all time, but this post isn't about him. It's about the Oakland Raiders, and their run of dominance in the beginning of this decade that should have brought multiple Super Bowl championships.

This isn't the early-1990s Buffalo Bills, who dominated the AFC for four years before running into bad kicking (SB XXV) and dominant teams (the next three years). The Raiders, in three consecutive years, played extremely well in the regular season and (if applicable) earlier playoff games, before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champions in increasingly painful and creative ways.

(Despite these losses and the Raiders' general futility since then, few people have a sense of the Raiders as a tragic or suffering team. Everyone sees them as a mess, and a team in disarray, but not one that sinks to the depths of certain other teams. They don't have the Lions' clean 0-16, or the longevity of the Cubs' or Clippers' failure, or the whiny "look at us, our suffering is more profound than yours" fanbase of the pre-2004 Red Sox. Maybe it's because they're in Oakland as opposed to their old L.A. home or another larger market; maybe if Raider fans were more literary - or literate? - it would be written and talked about more. Maybe it's because a run like this isn't that out of the ordinary; they were very good (but not great) for a while and very bad (but not historically bad) for a while. Anyway...)

In 2000, their rushing attack led the NFL but the unquestioned team leader was All-Pro/Pro-Bowl QB Rich Gannon. The defense held up its end of the bargain, as this was back when Charles Woodson was good. Having won the division and steamrolled the Dolphins in their first playoff game, the Raiders hosted the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship game.

And what happened in that game? Early in the second quarter, Ravens DT/whale Tony Siragusa bodyslammed Gannon, injuring Gannon's shoulder. Thankfully, it's not available on Youtube, but Gannon couldn't quite recover and the offense would only manage 3 points. The Ravens, obviously, went on to win the Super Bowl.

In 2001, the Raiders added legend Jerry Rice and won another division championship. They may not have been as dominant as the year before, but the way they lost was more painful. They travelled to Foxborough to play the Patriots in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

This was the "Tuck Rule" game. Out of deference to my own emotional wellbeing, I'll let Wikipedia tell the story:

The game was played in a heavy snowstorm, and late in the fourth quarter an apparent fumble by Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was recovered by Raiders linebacker Greg Biekert. The recovery would have led to a Raiders victory, however the play was reviewed and determined to be an incomplete pass (it was ruled that Brady had pump faked and then "tucked" the ball into his body, which, by rule, cannot result in a fumble). The Patriots retained possession of the ball, and drove for a game-tying field goal. The game went into overtime and the Patriots won, 16–13.

I don't know what to say about the Tuck Rule. Some referees say it was correctly applied here, some say not. There were efforts to change the rule after this game; nothing came of them. The Patriots, obviously, went on to win the Super Bowl.

Having run into one fat bastard and one badly-written or badly-applied rule, the Raiders stormed through the 2002 regular season. 11-5, division title, league-leading offense, top seed in the playoffs, and Rich Gannon was the NFL MVP. They breezed through the playoffs and were ready for the Super Bowl, in which they would face the Tampa Bay Bucs.

Of course, in the offseason, they had traded Jon Gruden, the coach who had made them such a dominant team, and relied on Bill Callahan to lead them. (Sidenote: As a fan of both Nebraska and the Raiders, I do not like him. He should not be confused with this Bill Callahan, who produced one of the best albums of this year, or this Bill Callahan, who produced and wrote one of my all-time favorite TV shows.) Being the evil genius that he is, Callahan elected not to change anything about the offense before the Super Bowl. Who was the opposing coach in the Super Bowl? Jon Gruden.

Now I'm no NFL coach, but if I was about to coach a Super Bowl team against the coach who had devised my entire offensive system, including the signals the players use on the field to indicate what play they are about to run...I would change the system before the game. I would, at the least, mix a few of the formations up. But not Bill Callahan! Tampa Bay intercepted Rich Gannon, who had thrown 10 INTs all year, a ridiculous five times, and three of them were returned for touchdowns. Tampa Bay's defensive players said they had seen every play used by the Raiders at some point in their practices. The Bucs, obviously, went on to win the Super Bowl.

(Incidentally, that Super Bowl is notable for two other reasons: Barret Robbins's disappearance, which turned out to be a pretty awful story, and a sudden reduction in the metaphorical consistency of a song by the Mountain Goats.)

That three-year run of playoff losses that should not have been, all of which came at the hands of the eventual Super Bowl champion, was painful. What have the Raiders been up to since then?

2003: 4-12 (last in the division)
2004: 5-11 (last in the division)
2005: 4-12 (last in the division)
2006: 2-14 (last in the division)
2007: 4-12 (last in the division)
2008: 5-11 (not last!)

It's been a rough few years, and it hasn't gotten much better. A few weeks ago, head coach Tom Cable punched an assistant coach, breaking his jaw. The night Ned left New York, I had a conversation with the bouncer at the bar we were hanging out at - who also happens to be a Raider fan; you'd be surprised where you run into them - that concluded with the determination that the Raiders are doomed to futility until Al Davis dies. Unless he's already dead, in which case the Raiders are doomed to futility until a court rules that zombies are not legal persons and thus incapable of owning and running football teams.

And that's pretty much that. From a near-dynasty that produced zero actual championships, to being so deeply mired in failure that your best hope is the death of the team's owner.

I'm also a Nets fan, and they've had a somewhat similar trajectory (NBA Finals in 2001-02 and 2002-03, haven't come close since), but writing about the Raiders and Nets in successive posts would not be good for me or you. My next post will focus on a much happier topic.