Reply to Lochte Robbery Story: True or False

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Speaking as a publicist, I would NEVER have allowed Ryan to do this interview. At least not yet. He didn't need to "explain himself" to the public or to his sponsors - not like this. There was absolutely no need for him to take more time away from other Olympians and the end of the Olympic games. The proper protocol would have been for him to wait until AFTER the games, as he has already taken so much away from the games and other competitors. So much air time has been devoted to covering his shenanigans, that he just should've laid low for a few more days.

He was also completely unprepared and you can tell he had absolutely no media training prior to this. This is what happens when you use a lawyer for your crisis PR needs instead of pairing the lawyer up with a true publicist who is experienced in this realm. Ryan needed to work with a trainer this weekend on everything from his posture to his language to his enunciation. You can tell that they didn't prepare answers in advance either, as he kept going back to being intoxicated. His sponsors DO NOT want to hear this and they certainly DO NOT want to hear it repeated like an excuse.

It's so unprofessional that he was allowed to do this interview, and that he was allowed to do it without anyone to guide him. He ends up looking like even more of a loser and he did nothing that would make his sponsors think this is a guy they should keep on paying. I feel for him, I really do, and I hope he at least thinks about hiring someone in the PR world - not just for any future interviews he does, but also to control how he re-enters the world of social media and to prevent any future issues like his upcoming birthday party in Vegas that coincides with his gf's paid appearance. He needs to totally avoid any upcoming partying, he honestly needs to send the Playboy playmate packing for now as she's not a good look for him either, and he needs to do some major re-branding and re-imaging before re-emerging in the public eye. [/quote]

Do you know that he doesn't have a professional publicist? Because a publicist could recommend all this stuff, but he doesn't have to listen. (If he wants the Playboy va-jay, he wants the Playboy va-jay.)[/quote]

Publicist PP here. I know for a fact that he doesn't have a crisis publicist to help guide him through this incident. He hired a lawyer who handles crisis situations, but that lawyer is more knowledgable on the legal side of things, less on the media training / actual public relations side of things. (that lawyer also made it abundantly clear that he didn't want to work with anyone else) And there's a huge difference between the two. Really, it was his team (manager, coach, regular publicist) who pushed for the lawyer, because Ryan didn't want to be bothered with doing it himself. He also didn't feel he needed to spend more money on hiring people, and you can't handle situations like this on the cheap. It does cost money, but it is well worth it so that you don't continue to look like an ass in front of the world. Plenty of talented people offered to help him and his team just let it all ride on this lawyer.

For example, earlier tonight, Lochte issued an apology on Brazilian tv tonight, but anyone in the PR world knows that you don't do that on the same night that Brazil beat Germany for the gold medal in soccer. You let the country have their night to celebrate. You let the country get through the games, and before you do anything with US media, you give Brazilian tv the apology. Then you call Matt Lauer and invite him in your home to do the interview. But you make it about Brazil first. These may seem like subtle or even unnecessary things to some people, but this is how you successfully orchestrate a crisis PR campaign [b]when you are about to get banned from your sport[/b] and when sponsors have already said they are watching your every move. You don't leave things to chance and you certainly don't think about the few thousands of dollars you have to shell out now - you think of the long term and what you can gain by having the proper team in place to handle all this. [/quote]

Very interesting. Thanks for your take. [/quote]

There's no way he's getting banned from swimming.  He'll get suspended like Phelps did for his DUI.[/quote]

Semantics. I didn't say permanently banned. It could be a one year ban, a two year ban. Hell, it could be an "indefinite ban" and then USA Swimming / USOC can have the option to reinstate him at some future date.

T[b]hink back to Phelps and his 2nd DUI in 2014. He was suspended for 6 months but banned from the 2015 World Championships. What Phelps did though is apologize within 24 hours after the news broke, and each time, he accepted full blame with zero hint of an explanation[/b].

The Lochte situation is also happening at a precarious time for the US as organizers are putting together a bid for 2024 Olympics to happen in Los Angeles, and the USOC is heavily linked to it. Industry chatter says that one thing weighing heavily on the USOC and what they decide to do with Ryan is how it will affect this bid. One reason (out of many) Los Angeles loses could very well be Lochte's antics.[/quote]

But why is the focus on the apology rather than the bad behavior in the first place?  Phelps committed a serious crime and put people's lives in danger.  Of course he immediately apologized...what else could he do?  Lochte pulled a poster off the wall at a gas station, had a gun put to his head, and then paid some money (or his friends did).  Lochte screwed up on the apology, but the underlying behavior doesn't even compare to what Phelps did.

If Lochte's punishment is driven by our hope to get the Olympics in 2024, that is messed up.  I think Janet Evans is one of the people instrumental in that effort.  Let's hope she supports her fellow swimmer.[/quote]

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