This is the most important thing I see right now. If you read my entries regularly, you know what I mean. If not, this may seem a bit out there. As far as anything ground-breaking, this is it. Everything else is just business as usual within our group.
It's become a given that we know Paola is huge in Mexico, putting racquetball on the table in the social consciousness in her country. She's the only professional Mexican athlete that is a world #1 in any sport. Not only is she that, but she's completely dominating her deporte. Media channels are using sources like bit.ly in multitude to channel to the same six articles featuring Longoria's latest win on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour, knowing that anything "Paola" will boost their data numbers. One of them even mentioned Kane, before interviewing their super competitive sport star.
But this is just fascinating on so many levels. This segment of "La Pura Verdad" - The Pure Truth, features Longoria being interviewed by a suave interviewer on a highly suggestive set that would seamlessly fit in with the most dramatic telenovela programming. The lines of popularity are blurred here. By that I mean, it's part celebrity watch, sports personality interview and political set up.
After her reality show introduction, the interviewer references her body features as he pours her a drink. He asks her if she feels normal, eluding right at the beginning that she is extraordinary. He proceeds to get her talking about her educational history, her deep interest for politics then transitions to her ongoing accomplishments in her sport. The interview then goes on to broaching her lifestyle, travel and social balance. Then she's provided a platform to explain the game of racquetball and all the attributes necessary to play at a high level. The interviewer then makes his move. He starts to name all the attributes of the sport, relating them to Paola. Physical, tactical and psychological... getting to the term "public figure". As he's doing this, he gets off of his set chair, and smoothly gets closer to Paola. Then he asks her if she's a celebrity. After her reply, he injects what seems to be the only challenging question after a lead up. Paola Longoria, the same girl with her name on the clothing line? The same girl that wants to put racquetball in the olympics? He then soft balled a question about the possibility. After getting Paola to share her thoughts, he gets her talking about why she made her move to the city of Monterrey. And ends it with a toast that basically admonishes her to stay who she is because she can do anything she sets her mind to... something like that.
I found her to be articulate and sharp here, even as I kept in mind just how remote any chance is for racquetball's entry into the olympics in the near future. But it was a nugget bomb drop, that will stay in the minds of the Mexican public. Racquetball-wise, this is outside. Racquetball is her springboard. Smartly so, because she is passionate about continuing her reign. Meanwhile, Longoria is also setting up to parlay her accomplishments into something meaningful and influential in Mexico.
Now... back to business as usual? I can't help but think, as I cringe a bit, that too many of my post are pointing to Paola. Yet, "outside" is were the big boom will come from. If there is ever going to be one again. At the very least, our group could become an influential player within sports marketing. We just aren't doing the right things, the right way.
How many weeks until the next pro stop?