Talking Points Memo’s Rachel Slajda reports the Bowl Championship Series, still smarting from the poor public response to their Tweeting endeavors, have enlisted former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer to quash the nationwide hate-fest.
“Playoff advocates have had an easy ride where they have never been called on to explain exactly how they would create an alternative. There is tremendous division among playoff advocates,” Fleischer told Politico. “While the BCS has its share of critics, once people see both sides of the issue, they will see why the system has its great support.”
Fleischer’s firm specializes in media training for sports organizations, offering interview prep, crisis management training and other services. He’s worked for Major League Baseball and Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association, among others, according to his firm’s web site.
Fleischer recently did some P.R. work for the San Francisco 49ers, an association the San Jose Mercury News’ Tim Kawakami condemned at the time (“it™s ridiculous for the 49ers“or any sports franchise“to trot out any time-tested political attack dog, whether he or she be Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Socialist or whatever”), even though George W.’s former flack was replacing this guy.