UO E-clips, Aug. 16-18

Now, Phelps chases gold on land (Wall Street Journal): If no one in Beijing was happier -- or busier -- than Michael Phelps this past week, his agent Peter Carlisle had to be a close second. A new race is now on for Mr. Phelps: the rush to transform the swimmer's Olympic feat into a marketing juggernaut, akin to Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods. But the window for marketing Olympians -- even those with the rising stature of Mr. Phelps -- can close fast. Many of the new legions of so-called Phelps Phans likely will not see his muscled torso in a pool again until 2012, an eternity for advertisers. ... "It's an aggressive number put out there by an aggressive agent," says Paul Swangard, managing director of the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon in Eugene. "But also eight gold medals was an aggressive number. Not a good idea to bet against the man right now."

Grading your Madden franchise (Daily Emerald): Warsaw Sports Marketing director Paul Swangard plans to incorporate the Madden video game into SBUS 199. Few titles have been more popular in the world of video games than the Madden NFL franchise. According to IGN.com, since its inception as "John Madden Football" in 1988, the franchise has sold over 70 million copies. The game has been so popular that it has become a cultural icon. Tournaments are played, NFL players boast (or complain) about their ratings, and customers line up for blocks to buy it on opening day.

Region's economy down, but not out (Bend Bulletin): Central Oregon's economy in the second quarter of 2008 continued to suffer withdrawals from the housing market's plunge and, looking forward, fundamental income and credit challenges make a repeat of the boom years unlikely, a University of Oregon economist said after releasing a quarterly report that measures the region's economic health. Housing remains the dominant negative force in the local economy, said Timothy Duy, adjunct assistant professor in the University of Oregon economics department.

Athletic department hands out raises to keep pace (Register-Guard): Some of the University of Oregon's key assistant coaches and athletic department administrators are receiving significant salary increases for the 2008-09 fiscal year that began July 1. The new multi-year contracts for assistant men's basketball coach Kenny Payne and football coordinators Chip Kelly and Nick Aliotti are intended to provide staff stability in an increasingly volatile and competitive market for top assistant coaches, UO director of athletics Pat Kilkenny said. "We were trying to create an environment where we could get as much continuity as we could," Kilkenny said.

Kilkenny expects to stick around (Register-Guard): Pat Kilkenny, the University of Oregon director of athletics, has less than a year remaining on his two-year contract, which expires June 30, 2009, but said he expects to remain in the job "a while longer" than that, probably through the end of 2009. A successful businessman and long-time Oregon donor, Kilkenny accepted the athletic directorship at the urging of UO president Dave Frohnmayer, in part to help the Ducks build a new basketball arena.

Getting America on the right track: USA boss trying to restore public's faith (Denver Post): For years it has been the problem few in track and field wanted to acknowledge, let alone debate: Can the sport regain the American sports fans' trust after doping scandals of the past 20 years? Is it safe to root for American track stars the way Americans cheer for Michael Phelps? Will Americans care about track and field again? They are questions many in the sport find annoying and embarrassing. Not Doug Logan, new head of USA Track & Field, who raises them. ... "We have not worked hard to push and promote and get the sport on television," said Vin Lananna, the University of Oregon coach who managed the Olympic Trials this summer. "I don't think we have been visible enough, vocal enough, public enough, celebrity enough to be able to promote."

Olympic gold medalists eyed for sales potential (Los Angeles Times): The closing ceremony in Beijing is still a week away, but sports marketers already are scrambling to determine which athletes can squeeze the most sponsorship gold from their Olympic feats. The early favorites are the whale in the pool, the boomer's delight and a plucky gymnast. ... "Nastia is obviously benefiting from her success so far and stands to benefit even more from the Olympics," said Paul Swangard, managing director of the University of Oregon's Sports Marketing Center. "But her relevancy for most mainstream sports fans disappears in about three weeks. It's not to say there won't be opportunity -- it's just limited opportunity. Limited but still lucrative."

Kilkenny christens Oregon's new stadium (Register-Guard): The new University of Oregon baseball stadium will be officially named P.K. Park, after the school's athletic director Pat Kilkenny. Yet the man who has donated $4 million of the nearly $11 million raised for Oregon's new facility said he hopes his initials signify much more than his legacy at the stadium. "I was kind of excited about the P.K. because I think it can represent a lot of different elements of the history and culture of the game," Kilkenny said Friday afternoon following a groundbreaking ceremony for the stadium located on the Autzen Stadium east parking lot.

Grabbing for gold (Chicago Business): With the cheers of Beijing's Olympics crowds ringing in his ears, Mayor Richard M. Daley returned home last week to a chorus of demands from local groups looking to capitalize on his own Olympics dream. Hyde Parkers want better train service to the Loop. South Side activists want jobs. Neighborhood groups are pushing for affordable housing around Washington Park, proposed site of the stadium for the 2016 Summer Games Mr. Daley hopes to host. ... "The IOC wants some assurance that the bid city population will embrace the games," says Paul Swangard, director of the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon and an adviser to Beijing on hosting this summer's games.

Old grainy movies get new life (KVAL.com, story in its entirety): Some newer technology is breathing life into an almost obsolete art form. Folks carted box loads of old film strips to the University of Oregon Saturday. Amateur enthusiasts watched as experts and archivists from the University showcased the best ways to preserve and protect films. Then visitors got a chance to re-live their old reel on the big screen. "We're trying to remember everything that we have on these 30 year old films. I'm sure we'll watch it and say do you remember that? What about that? So this is going to be a chance to relive real memories," says Perry Patterson who brought in a box of old films with a friend. For more information about restoring your old movies, you can visit the National Home Movie day website by clicking on related content in this story, or newslinks. (Video Link ... may be short lived)

19th Century structure unearthed at Oregon Institute of Marine Biology (KCBY-TV North Bend): What began as a three-inch wide hole in the cement in the parking lot of the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, has turned into a huge hole in the ground. At the end of July, staff at OIMB made the discovery, not thinking much of it. "We took a probe down into the hole to see what was down there. Originally we thought that it was a broken water-line," said OIMB contractor Steve Jones. Jones and other staff members say they weren't expecting to find what came next. "We think it's probably some sort of boardwalk or dock. We really didn't have any idea that anything like this was under here. But this is a very old site that has been used for a number of things over the years," said OIMB Director Craig Young.

Threat of law: Strategy of 2008? (Washington Independent): Though only days old, a liberal non-profit group aiming to hinder Republican fund-raising this election cycle has already provoked a heated debate among legal scholars and political experts over its tactics. ... "These are well-heeled Republicans," said Joseph Lowndes, a political scientist at the University of Oregon, "who are probably well-versed in what they can and can't do with their campaign donations. I can't imagine this doing much to impede their efforts."