Busy times at the Hall of Fame

We are now already at the half way point of the NFL season! It is very busy around here at the Pro Football Hall of Fame as can be seen by the fact that I have not updated my blog in a month. I will work on that going forward.

In the merchandise department we are in full holiday mode as we have placed most of our advertising buys through the end of the holidays. We have planned out weekly promotions and holiday gift items right through the end of December. All of the newspaper ads have to be submitted along with magazine and some Internet promotions. We have some really cool things coming up so please stay tuned and sign up for our free enewsletter so you do not miss anything. Jersey and football specials along with some great gift with purchase items will start in full force in the next two weeks.

We also have a huge special collectibles promotion coming out in the next 10 days which is one of the most special things we have ever done here at the Hall of Fame. We will have signatures of over 130 of the living Hall of Famers on collectible items- just a tease for now! I will write about this and you will see coverage all over our website once this program is released to the public.
 
Tomorrow I am headed to a very special event in California. The event is the Pro Football Hall of Fame Legends Golf Tournament. Over four days we will play the Pebble Beach, Spyglass and Spanish Bay Golf courses. Each foursome will have a celebrity Hall of Famer golf with them each day. I cannot wait to play these courses and it is a great event which raises money for a good cause along with the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I will try to take some pictures and get some information from the Hall of Famers to pass on to everyone. Lynn Swann is the Hall of Famer being honored this year.

By the way, I also celebrate my one-year anniversary with the Hall of Fame on the November 17th. My one year on the job puts me about 35 years behind two of our Vice Presidents Joe Horrigan and Dave Motts!
 
My first half picks generated some good debate- especially in the NFC East where I was accused by a few people of being a “homer” towards my Eagles. Here were my picks through week 4: 
 
NFC- Saints, Eagles, Vikings, 49ers win their divisions as the 1-4 seeds and the Giants and Falcons are Wild Cards (maybe a bit of a homer on the Eagles prediction to win the NFC East). AFC- Colts, Ravens, Patriots, Chargers win their division as the 1-4 seeds and the Steelers and Texans are the Wild Cards (I am taking a wait and see approach on the Jets and Broncos). 
 
Here are my revised picks through 8 weeks: NFC- Saints, Vikings, Eagles (yes they will finish ahead of the Cowboys despite last week’s loss), and the Cardinals (replacing the 49ers) to win their divisions as the 1-4 seeds and the Giants and Cowboys (replacing the Falcons) as Wild Cards. AFC- Colts, Patriots, Steelers (replacing the Ravens, although the Bengals could end up here very easily if they beat the Steelers again this weekend) and the Chargers to win their divisions as the 1-4 seeds and the Bengals and Broncos as the Wild Cards although I still really like the Texans.