Dr Jeff Cornwall

There is an old saying that any publicity is good publicity. But, when it comes to privately owned businesses I would argue that this is not always true. One of the beauties of being privately held is that you do not have to open your business up to the constant scrutiny that comes with full public disclosure.
Apparently one of the owners of our local minor league (ABA) basketball teams has never learned that important lesson. Her name is Sally Anthony, and she owns one third of the Nashville Rhythm.
Before the start of the current season Ms. Anthony and her partners hired Ashley McElhiney, a former Vanderbilt standout player and Tennessee native, to be their head coach. It was thought by many to be a publicity stunt, as no woman had ever been the head coach of a men’s professional basketball team, and McElhiney had no significant professional coaching experience. But, she proved to be an effective coach as the team has a winning record. This move was clearly good publicity.
After Matt Freije (a former Vanderbilt men’s basketball star) was released from his NBA contract, the Rhythm picked him up for a two game contract. Again, a publicity stunt, but an effective one as he played well and brought people into the stands. Ms. Anthony was front and center at the press conferences announcing Freije’s two game contract.
Then came the Saturday night massacre. As told by Joe Biddle, a writer for the Tennessean, “McElhiney had been ordered by Anthony not to play former Vandy star Matt Freije in Saturday night’s game. It came during a phone call less than an hour before tipoff. Freije had signed a two-game contract and was completing his contract Saturday.
“Anthony never gave McElhiney a reason to bench Freije. As the coach, McElhiney decided to play her best player. Freije’s contract had to be paid in full whether he played in the game or not.”

During the middle of the second game of Freije’s contract, Anthony stormed onto the court, started yelling at Coach McElhiney that she should bench Freije. Her language was so foul and she was so aggressive that security removed her from the arena.
Later Anthony fired the coach and the security guard.
The story is still not over. Anthony has reportedly been hospitalized and was the subject of a 911 call in which she was reported to have taken an overdose.
The business that is the Nashville Rhythm is now in peril according to Biddle from the Tennessean. “This may well signal an end of the franchise. The Rhythm ownership was shaky from the start. Some unknown 30-year-old rock ‘n’ roll wannabe serving as the face of an upstart pro basketball team isn’t exactly a recipe for riches.”
Not all publicity is good publicity, and some can even threaten your business. If you ain’t already in the fishbowl of public scrutiny, for goodness sake don’t willingly jump in! Or as one of my partners always liked to say, the entrepreneur’s goal should be to become rich and not famous.