UPDATES | DOUG ELDRIDGE
HALAPIO STARTS
NOVEMBER 2017
A long road, a big window, and a national stage!
18mo ago, I signed Jon Halapio off of a used car lot, in St. Petersburg. Last year, I sent him to the Pats and then the Giants. In October, Jon was moved up to the active roster and dressed for his first NFL regular season game.
On Thanksgiving night, Jon made his first start. It was only fitting, that he made it on the same sidelines where I met my wife, later proposed to my wife, and that very night, carried our son to his first Redskins game. Yes, all on that same sideline.
A lot can happen in the blink of an eye. It was a special night for all involved. God is Good! //DE
WEEKLY ABC HITS
SEPTEMBER 2017
Earlier this month, I began doing a weekly segment with ABC 7 Good Morning Washington. The focus is generally around the Washington Redskins and the storylines surrounding the team--both on and off the field.
We've also talked about issues such as Jemele Hill's suspension from ESPN and the broader social issues facing the world of sports, such as POTUS tweets about the NFL, Papa John's stand-off with kneeling players and the future of key contracts, from Cousins to Goodell. //DE
MEDIA SUMMIT
SEPTEMBER 2017
At the end of September, I was proud to join our three prospective Winter Olympians at the Team USA Media Summit, in Park City.
This was the second such summit--following the Hollywood shoot we did, in April--and our guys were on point and in the zone.
Kudos to Tucker West and Chris and Alexa Knierim. Many thanks to the Team USA crew and the 100+ journalists who made the //DE
NFL ON FOX NEWS
SEPTEMBER 2017
It's an interesting time for sports business, especially across the NFL. I was privileged to join Neil Cavuto for a couple of segments--on FOX News and FOX Business--to discuss a variety of football-related front page issues, including the Kaepernick saga, Roger Goodell's contract stand-off, Jerry Jones's growing ire, and the future of the game amidst sagging ratings.
It's always a pleasure to do live television and I think Cavuto is one of the nicest guys on the small screen. Period. //DE
TRAINING CAMP
AUGUST 2017
As August comes around, so too does NFL Training Camps (at the end of July) and the NFL Pre-Season. It's a nail-biting time of year for 'roster bubble' guys as 90 men are brought in to camp and the numbers are eventually cut down to 45 on the Active Roster and an additional 8 for the Practice Squad.
Jon Halapio had a strong preseason program, culminating with a start--and full game played--against the Jets, in Game 4 of the Pre-Season. He was eventually cut and signed back to the Practice Squad, where he'll begin the 2017 NFL Season. We're proud of Jon, happy for his family, and excited for a great season ahead. //DE
INAUGURAL "JH3"
JULY 2017
I'm proud to have worked with NFL client, Jon Halapio, to launch the inaugural Halapio Three-Point Football Foundation.
Like AD47, the JH3 is run in partnership with the NFL Foundation and USA Football. It is a free program for children ages 8-12 and was hosted at his high school, in St. Petersburg, FL.
Frustratingly, just like AD47, we got a torrential downpour just after lunchtime, so the program was moved indoors. Nobody skipped a beat and Jon's enthusiasm was infectious. I look forward to building on this in the years to come! //DE
1st MLB GAME
JUNE 2017
Family time is the best time. Period. We took Alexander to his first MLB game, at Nationals Park. The seats were good, the sight lines were great, the weather was nice, and Alexander slept most of the game.
I want him to grow up knowing that family is the most important thing. No second place and no substitute. I want him to see that we bundled him up and took him to places when he was only a few weeks old. Family first...from the very beginning. //DE
3rd ANNUAL AD47
JUNE 2017
One of the business trips I look forward to each year is the AD47 program, in Laurel, MS.
Three years ago, we started the AD47 Football Leadership Academy with NFL client, Akeem Davis. In many ways, I can't believe it's already been that long...seems like yesterday. In year 1 (2015) we capped it at 53 kids, just like an NFL roster. In 2016, we upped it to 100 kids and were completely 'sold out' for the free, one-day event, that we run in partnership with the NFL Foundation and USA Football. This year, we kept it at 100 and once again filled every spot, DESPITE there being a tropical storm that dropped 36hrs and 6" of rain across the south east. It's an honor to work with clients like AD and I'm grateful to have the opportunity to impact the lives of children who need this type of attention and guidance the most. //DE