If there is one thing we can learn from sports, it is that nothing lasts forever. Babe Dahlgren replaced Lou Gehrig as the New York Yankees first baseman. Jimmy Johnson replaced Tom Landry as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.

As brands go, the National Football League hasn't exactly been a leader when it comes to the acceptance of gay athletes. Despite a Diversity Mission Statement that includes the expressed objective of "creat[ing] a culturally progressive and socially reflective organization that represents, supports and celebrates diversity at all levels," the NFL historically has taken a "Don't Ask-Don't Tell" stance when it comes to supporting gay players.

While I've touched on this in my last couple of postings, I can't stop thinking about the transformative impact of cross-platform media activation on sports marketing.

Some things in life are so assumed to be associated with each other that it's almost impossible to imagine them apart - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, peanut butter and jelly, Chicago and deep dish pizza, palm trees and hockey. Ok, maybe not so much on that last one. But, if the NHL has its way, and if the success of the most recent Stadium Series game is any indication, hockey - and even outdoor hockey - could become a southern California mainstay.