In DC, Scott Allen noted the Capitals are "inviting fans to submit video recordings of themselves reenacting various lines" from the "Unleash the Fury" hype video shown on the team's video board since '07. A Capitals spokesperson said that the team's marketing department "had been planning an 'Unleash the Fury' activation for weeks." The submission page includes "tips for recording and specific lines from the video to record, including classic scenes from 'Hoosiers,' 'Invincible,' 'Slap Shot,' 'Animal House,' 'Rudy,' 'Miracle,' 'Varsity Blues' and more." Submitted videos "may appear in the arena, on Capitals TV broadcasts or on the team's social media platforms" (WASHINGTON POST, 7/31).
SOUND CHECK: In S.F., Bruce Jenkins wrote his "conclusion after taping several MLB games each night and getting a taste of artificial crowd noise: The Giants lead the league in good taste." The piped-in sound is "just enough to eliminate the unsettling silence, but it doesn't obscure the crack of the bat -- one of the greatest sounds in sports, and tremendously audible on NBC Sports Bay Area" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 8/1).
TOUGH TIMES: In Phoenix, Duane Rankin cited sources as saying that the Suns laid off "close to 30 employees." The team "confirmed laying off an unspecified number of employees" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 8/1).
