In Orlando, Shannon Owens noted the Jaguars have "purchased three electronic billboard advertisements" in the city featuring QB Blake Bortles and other NFL Draft picks with the message, "Welcome To The Family." There are 10 billboards "in the Jacksonville area with the same image, but a different message that states 'Welcome To The New Generation Of Jags Football.'" Bortles is "displayed front and center in his UCF uniform and he's joined" by Jags RB and fellow UCF alum Storm Johnson. The billboards will "stay up for three days." Jags Senior VP/Communications Dan Edwards said that this is the "first time the Jags put together a marketing campaign" such as this in Orlando following a Draft (ORLANDOSENTINEL.com, 5/12).
MOTORING ON? In Detroit, Jamie Samuelsen writes Pistons fans are "thankful their owner Tom Gores isn't making news on the Internet," but they "sure would like to see him make some basketball news." Former Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars was relieved of his duties April 14, and it “bears pointing out that every other team in the league is busy putting together its offseason plans and scouting for the draft." It would be "ironic if the Pistons attended the draft lottery to be held next Tuesday and didn't have a clue yet as to the name of the person who was actually going to make the pick" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 5/13).
THE SHARK TANK: In San Jose, Mark Purdy cites sources as saying that Sharks GM Doug Wilson and coach Todd McLellan "will indeed return" next season. But Purdy wrote someone “needs to come out and publicly outline" the team's offseason plans "to the folks who buy tickets.” Warriors co-Owner Joe Lacob can "bluster and strut annoyingly," but "at least you know where he is at all times." Sharks Majority Owner Hasso Plattner "disappears into thin air, or onto his yacht, and says nothing" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 5/13).
