Brainpower needed from Alberto Contador fans

[Multifaceted Rider]

I’ve been a CN forum lurker for over a year but had something transpire the other day that finally is nudging me out from the shadows (I’ll be honest, you can be an intimidating bunch but I have learned so much from you while getting some really good laughs!). I’m an Alberto Contador fan and occasionally post congratulatory type messages to his official fan website, the Alberto Contador Notebook message board or his Facebook wall. Earlier this week I took the opportunity to post a different type of message to the AC Notebook Message Board—I thought Alberto might find some amusement in how I’ve been getting others to follow him on Facebook and Twitter, but I especially wanted to tell him that there are kids here in the U.S. who know who he is and relayed how a co-worker’s 10 yr. old daughter said to her father, “You should contact Alberto Contador, the guy who won the Tour, and have him come and wish Ms. Michelle a Happy Birthday.” I’ve only met this little girl twice but I thought it was great that she knows who Alberto is and, obviously, she knows I’m a devoted fan.

Shortly after I made the post I received an e-mail from the editor of the Alberto Contador Notebook. I won’t post the e-mail in its entirety but I wanted to at least share this part of it:

“If you have some ideas about new things we could do to help people know what a fabulous athlete and great human being Alberto is, please let us know. I'm interested in projects for children, so that more kids can be like the little girl you mentioned in your message. Something like a kids' fan blog, or who knows what else...we just need critical mass. I'm sure Alberto would feel very proud and loved - and encouraged to win even more - by strong support from kids.”

So, since this is an international forum and there are a number of AC fans who frequent it, I’m hoping you might have some ideas to help out the Alberto Contador Notebook people. This could be a fantastic opportunity for you and/or your kids to get involved!

 

[mortailcoil]

More YouTube videos!!

No seriously, maybe AC could work on Sprinting too.

 

[dsut4392]

I’ve been a CN forum lurker for over a year but had something transpire the other day that finally is nudging me out from the shadows (I’ll be honest, you can be an intimidating bunch but I have learned so much from you while getting some really good laughs!). I’m an Alberto Contador fan and occasionally post congratulatory type messages to his official fan website, the Alberto Contador Notebook message board or his Facebook wall. Earlier this week I took the opportunity to post a different type of message to the AC Notebook Message Board—I thought Alberto might find some amusement in how I’ve been getting others to follow him on Facebook and Twitter, but I especially wanted to tell him that there are kids here in the U.S. who know who he is and relayed how a co-worker’s 10 yr. old daughter said to her father, “You should contact Alberto Contador, the guy who won the Tour, and have him come and wish Ms. Michelle a Happy Birthday.” I’ve only met this little girl twice but I thought it was great that she knows who Alberto is and, obviously, she knows I’m a devoted fan.

Shortly after I made the post I received an e-mail from the editor of the Alberto Contador Notebook. I won’t post the e-mail in its entirety but I wanted to at least share this part of it:

“If you have some ideas about new things we could do to help people know what a fabulous athlete and great human being Alberto is, please let us know. I'm interested in projects for children, so that more kids can be like the little girl you mentioned in your message. Something like a kids' fan blog, or who knows what else...we just need critical mass. I'm sure Alberto would feel very proud and loved - and encouraged to win even more - by strong support from kids.”

So, since this is an international forum and there are a number of AC fans who frequent it, I’m hoping you might have some ideas to help out the Alberto Contador Notebook people. This could be a fantastic opportunity for you and/or your kids to get involved!

"Ms Michelle", as in Obama? We know he's a great athlete, but if he wants to be known as a great human being, surely what he needs is to go out and do some good deeds, rather than have a kids' fan blog?

 

[pedaling squares]

Contador's personality and charm are probably well known in his home country and bordering nations. If the request is for North American fans, I'd suggest they have Contador do more ads, interviews, and appearances in English. I don't for a second think that he or anyone has to work in English to be appreciated. But if they want to let North Americans know what he's really about, they have to have him connect to the target audience in their first language (humble apologies to the millions of Spanish speaking Americans). He seems to have a sense of humour and a decent grasp of English, local kids would love to see this from him but it's lost in translation. As for specific things he could do, well anyone famous who does anything for sick children is revered. Especially someone with a history of serious illness within himself and his family.

 

[hiero2]

I’ve been a CN forum lurker for over a year but had something transpire the other day that finally is nudging me out from the shadows (I’ll be honest, you can be an intimidating bunch but I have learned so much from you while getting some really good laughs!). I’m an Alberto Contador fan and occasionally post congratulatory type messages to his official fan website, the Alberto Contador Notebook message board or his Facebook wall. Earlier this week I took the opportunity to post a different type of message to the AC Notebook Message Board—I thought Alberto might find some amusement in how I’ve been getting others to follow him on Facebook and Twitter, but I especially wanted to tell him that there are kids here in the U.S. who know who he is and relayed how a co-worker’s 10 yr. old daughter said to her father, “You should contact Alberto Contador, the guy who won the Tour, and have him come and wish Ms. Michelle a Happy Birthday.” I’ve only met this little girl twice but I thought it was great that she knows who Alberto is and, obviously, she knows I’m a devoted fan.

Shortly after I made the post I received an e-mail from the editor of the Alberto Contador Notebook. I won’t post the e-mail in its entirety but I wanted to at least share this part of it:

“If you have some ideas about new things we could do to help people know what a fabulous athlete and great human being Alberto is, please let us know. I'm interested in projects for children, so that more kids can be like the little girl you mentioned in your message. Something like a kids' fan blog, or who knows what else...we just need critical mass. I'm sure Alberto would feel very proud and loved - and encouraged to win even more - by strong support from kids.”

So, since this is an international forum and there are a number of AC fans who frequent it, I’m hoping you might have some ideas to help out the Alberto Contador Notebook people. This could be a fantastic opportunity for you and/or your kids to get involved!

The first thing that AC should do is find out when the 10 yr old's b-day is. If soon, then he should first call her, thank her for the idea, wish her "Happy B-day", and then he should fulfill the request, and call "Ms Michelle" and wish her "Happy B-day". Some friends in the press should know that this is going to happen - a GOOD press agent should know how to do these things. So maybe the 1st thing he needs to do is get a good press agent. If that press agent doesn't get results, go to Wash DC, or Hollywood, and find another.

Back to the calls - they are cheap in time, effort, and money. The AC corps should make sure they get at least a little press. Afterwards, they'll need to watch their input lines, and make sure the "contact us" links work. They need to watch and see how the snowball rolls - if it does at all.

Next, AC should look around for children's activities that he can get involved in as a hobby - long term - and he has to ENJOY what he is doing. I don't care WHY he enjoys it - but he must find something that truly charges his batteries, or it won't work, long term.

Involving the kids won't be a short-term (2 year) thing. Responding to kids who are already fans, responding to selected fans, can be a short-term thing, given proper handling. Imho, a blog won't cut it.

 

[the big ring]

And given noone really talks to Alberto all that much, the phone calls could be done by just about any middle-aged, Spanish sounding gentleman ;-)