Bob Hussey

Welcome to my website. 

I’m Bob Hussey, a consultant specializing in public relations and government affairs.  As of February 2009, I am serving in an 'of counsel' capacity at Snow Communications, a public relations firm based in Minneapolis. 

From 1997-2004, I was a Vice President of Ovations, a UnitedHealth Group company focused on the health and well-being of people age 50 and older.  Prior to joining Ovations, I was a political appointee at the U.S. Department of Justice and worked on the 1992 Clinton-Gore Presidential campaign.  More details on my background can be found here.  Some thoughts and tips on public relations can be found here. 

I've also been published in Minnesota Monthly, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Human Resource Executive and Rain Taxi.  Samples of my writing can be found here, including a recent article on how 3 young men from Minnesota helped the U.S. Rowing team win Olympic gold in 1924.

If you have questions or would like to contact me, please click here, or e-mail me at bob@bobhussey.com. 

Thanks for visiting.

For A-Rod, the Road to Cooperstown is This Way
February 11, 2009

With the revelations this week that he tested positive for banned substances back in 2003, Alex Rodriguez finds his baseball legacy in serious jeopardy.  The apology he gave in an interview Monday with ESPN's Peter Gammons seemed genuine enough.  His explanation for what happened back in 2003 did not.  Unless he does a better job of navigating this media crisis, one of the greatest players ever to put on a baseball uniform will never make it to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.   

Here's what Alex should do if he wants to get back on track to the Hall:

1) Get all the facts out right now.  Rodriguez' statement that he doesn't remember what banned substance(s) he took lacks credibility.  His offhand remark that whatever he took was generally available at the local GNC store appears to be an outright lie.  The banned substances found in Rodriguez' system were testosterone and an anabolic steroid known as Primobolan.  Neither substance was, or ever has been available over-the-counter at GNC or any other nutritional supplement store.  By not coming clean about what he actually took in the Gammons interview, A-Rod is adding fuel to an already hot media fire. 

2) Apologize once again.  Once all the facts are out, he needs to apologize once more.   

3) Take a significant pay cut.  Like a Wall Street banker, Alex has always seen money as a scorecard.  By being the highest paid player in baseball, he must be the best player in baseball, a label he's always sought.  But the two huge contracts A-Rod has signed in his career (averaging $25 million per year and totaling in excess of $500 million) have never endeared him to the fans.  The money has also placed significant mental pressure on Alex to perform as the best player in baseball.  His poor post-season performances attest to the fact that he's not mentally tough enough to handle this type of pressure.  

If he takes a voluntary pay cut, say down to $18 million a year, he'll still be more than fairly compensated.  The pressure won't be as great to live up to the contract, and he can win back some fan support at a time he desperately needs it.  Without the pressure of having to hit a home run at each at-bat, Alex will likely perform much better in the post season. 

4) Focus your off-field charitable efforts to curbing steroid use in young athletes.  Saying your sorry is one thing.  Actually taking action to show your contrition is much more effective in reviving one's reputation.  The use of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs is on the rise in our high schools and colleges.  A-Rod could create and fund an organization devoted to education and raising awareness for this growing problem.         

5) Make it about the team.  In 2007, Yankee captain Derek Jeter was in the running late in the season for MVP, but always dismissed reporters' questions about his chances of winning the award.  For Jeter, it was always about getting back to the World Series.  If he hit .240 in a season but the Yankees win the championship, he considers it a successful year.

A-Rod should take a lesson from his teammate.  For Jeter, it's never about individual statistics or glory.  It's about being a Yankee, playing hard and winning championships.  That's why he's so beloved by fans and respected by sportswriters.  It's this latter group, the sportswriters, whom A-Rod needs to impress if he hopes to get to Cooperstown.  Alex should focus his efforts solely on winning championships.  That he will hit 600 home runs in his career is a given.  If he helps the Yankees win a few championships, while helping some young kids avoid the mistakes he made with performance enhancing drugs, it would be hard to vote against his induction into the Hall of Fame.     

There's the road, Alex.  Are you smart enough to take it?