Post by 50yardfan on Apr 19, 2011 16:19:06 GMT -5
Dan Hinxman: Barons fumble their way into existence
www.rgj.com/article/20110419/COL0301/104190328/Dan-Hinxman-Barons-fumble-their-way-into-existence?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Local%20News|p
The first possession in the history of the Reno Barons indoor football team began with a kickoff return for a touchdown that was called back because of a penalty, followed by an incomplete pass, an incomplete pass, a delay-of-game penalty, a pitch that went for a short gain and another delay-of-game penalty.
Compared with how the franchise has gotten started off the field, that was downright efficient, seamless and productive.
It's difficult to know today what kind of future the Barons have. The weeks leading up to their opener at the Reno Events Center on Sunday night were a mass of disorganization and misinformation. Had you walked across the street to the Silver Legacy, you wouldn't have been surprised if the sports book had listed the line, the total and the odds that the first game would either be postponed or canceled.
But they made it despite themselves.
Game 1 of this version of eight-man football featured an opponent that wasn't on the schedule. The Tucson Trojans, a semi-pro team of 16 players and 14 helmets (a helmet exchange occurred at nearly every change of possession) was booked just three days before. The original opponent was to be the semi-pro Duo Sports Thundercats of San Diego.
Justin McKenzie, a spokesman for the Thundercats, said the Barons didn't send their half of the bus cost in time. Barons general manager Tim Pierce said Duo Sports failed to provide an itinerary to the team hotel, the Ramada, and when he called them Wednesday to ascertain why they said they might not have enough players to make the trip.
"These guys just really dropped the ball," Pierce said Monday, adding that he has removed the Thundercats from the schedule (they were to play at least two more games) and replaced them with a team from Florida.
Who's at fault isn't important. It is just a window into the challenges the franchise has faced already.
It began at their media kickoff event on March 27, for which the team sent out two different times. That afternoon, the Barons announced that they had fired coach Major Harris, replacing him with Anthony Bartley.
In the three weeks that followed, it was difficult to find information on the team. The website still doesn't have a roster listed (but you can find a bio page for Harris). The Barons did little in terms of promotion, and Pierce said Monday that it was his intention to promote via social media.
And the Barons never sent out notification of a change in opponents.
Maybe we were spoiled by the smooth start-up to the Reno Aces two years ago, but as the story goes, that's one heck of a way to run a railroad.
And on game day, more issues surfaced.
The 50-yard AstroTurf field had a handful of bumps in it, and the padding that is supposed to be atop the wall that encircles the field had not yet arrived. Both conditions created safety issues. Fortunately, no player was injured Sunday. And Pierce said Monday that he was working to get the padding in time for the Barons' next game, Friday against the Stockton Wolves.
And it didn't take long to realize there is a vast difference between professional indoor football (Barons) and semi-pro indoor football (Trojans). The main difference is the Barons are contractual players whereas semi-pro players are either paid by the game or in some cases not at all.
The Trojans are football's version of a really good beer-league softball team. They actually have 11 players and picked up five more to make the trip.
The final score -- Reno 67, Tucson 8 -- could have been a lot worse.
Which brings us to the ray of hope.
The Barons are pretty good.
Given Sunday's opponent, it was hard to tell how good the Barons really are, but they have plenty of athletes and guys who can play the game. The product on the field is entertaining, and it's bound to only get better given Sunday was the first game and that they have only practiced together for a few weeks.
The Barons are playing an independent schedule this year. Next year, they will be part of the upstart Western Indoor Football Association, which Pierce said has three teams -- Reno, Stockton and Tucson -- and plans to add six more.
The Barons are scheduled to face Stockton four times this season.
"We hate them and they hate us, and we haven't even played each other yet," Pierce said.
Now, that's how you promote.
Do you think indoor football has a shot in Reno? Send your letters to sports editor Lauren Gustus at lgustus@rgj.com. Please include your first and last name and hometown.
In the three weeks that followed, it was difficult to find information on the team. The website still doesn't have a roster listed (but you can find a bio page for Harris). The Barons did little in terms of promotion, and Pierce said Monday that it was his intention to promote via social media.
And the Barons never sent out notification of a change in opponents.
Maybe we were spoiled by the smooth start-up to the Reno Aces two years ago, but as the story goes, that's one heck of a way to run a railroad.
And on game day, more issues surfaced.
The 50-yard AstroTurf field had a handful of bumps in it, and the padding that is supposed to be atop the wall that encircles the field had not yet arrived. Both conditions created safety issues. Fortunately, no player was injured Sunday. And Pierce said Monday that he was working to get the padding in time for the Barons' next game, Friday against the Stockton Wolves.
And it didn't take long to realize there is a vast difference between professional indoor football (Barons) and semi-pro indoor football (Trojans). The main difference is the Barons are contractual players whereas semi-pro players are either paid by the game or in some cases not at all.
The Trojans are football's version of a really good beer-league softball team. They actually have 11 players and picked up five more to make the trip.
The final score -- Reno 67, Tucson 8 -- could have been a lot worse.
Which brings us to the ray of hope.
The Barons are pretty good.
Given Sunday's opponent, it was hard to tell how good the Barons really are, but they have plenty of athletes and guys who can play the game. The product on the field is entertaining, and it's bound to only get better given Sunday was the first game and that they have only practiced together for a few weeks.
The Barons are playing an independent schedule this year. Next year, they will be part of the upstart Western Indoor Football Association, which Pierce said has three teams -- Reno, Stockton and Tucson -- and plans to add six more.
The Barons are scheduled to face Stockton four times this season.
"We hate them and they hate us, and we haven't even played each other yet," Pierce said.
Now, that's how you promote.
www.rgj.com/article/20110419/COL0301/104190328/Dan-Hinxman-Barons-fumble-their-way-into-existence?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Local%20News|p
The first possession in the history of the Reno Barons indoor football team began with a kickoff return for a touchdown that was called back because of a penalty, followed by an incomplete pass, an incomplete pass, a delay-of-game penalty, a pitch that went for a short gain and another delay-of-game penalty.
Compared with how the franchise has gotten started off the field, that was downright efficient, seamless and productive.
It's difficult to know today what kind of future the Barons have. The weeks leading up to their opener at the Reno Events Center on Sunday night were a mass of disorganization and misinformation. Had you walked across the street to the Silver Legacy, you wouldn't have been surprised if the sports book had listed the line, the total and the odds that the first game would either be postponed or canceled.
But they made it despite themselves.
Game 1 of this version of eight-man football featured an opponent that wasn't on the schedule. The Tucson Trojans, a semi-pro team of 16 players and 14 helmets (a helmet exchange occurred at nearly every change of possession) was booked just three days before. The original opponent was to be the semi-pro Duo Sports Thundercats of San Diego.
Justin McKenzie, a spokesman for the Thundercats, said the Barons didn't send their half of the bus cost in time. Barons general manager Tim Pierce said Duo Sports failed to provide an itinerary to the team hotel, the Ramada, and when he called them Wednesday to ascertain why they said they might not have enough players to make the trip.
"These guys just really dropped the ball," Pierce said Monday, adding that he has removed the Thundercats from the schedule (they were to play at least two more games) and replaced them with a team from Florida.
Who's at fault isn't important. It is just a window into the challenges the franchise has faced already.
It began at their media kickoff event on March 27, for which the team sent out two different times. That afternoon, the Barons announced that they had fired coach Major Harris, replacing him with Anthony Bartley.
In the three weeks that followed, it was difficult to find information on the team. The website still doesn't have a roster listed (but you can find a bio page for Harris). The Barons did little in terms of promotion, and Pierce said Monday that it was his intention to promote via social media.
And the Barons never sent out notification of a change in opponents.
Maybe we were spoiled by the smooth start-up to the Reno Aces two years ago, but as the story goes, that's one heck of a way to run a railroad.
And on game day, more issues surfaced.
The 50-yard AstroTurf field had a handful of bumps in it, and the padding that is supposed to be atop the wall that encircles the field had not yet arrived. Both conditions created safety issues. Fortunately, no player was injured Sunday. And Pierce said Monday that he was working to get the padding in time for the Barons' next game, Friday against the Stockton Wolves.
And it didn't take long to realize there is a vast difference between professional indoor football (Barons) and semi-pro indoor football (Trojans). The main difference is the Barons are contractual players whereas semi-pro players are either paid by the game or in some cases not at all.
The Trojans are football's version of a really good beer-league softball team. They actually have 11 players and picked up five more to make the trip.
The final score -- Reno 67, Tucson 8 -- could have been a lot worse.
Which brings us to the ray of hope.
The Barons are pretty good.
Given Sunday's opponent, it was hard to tell how good the Barons really are, but they have plenty of athletes and guys who can play the game. The product on the field is entertaining, and it's bound to only get better given Sunday was the first game and that they have only practiced together for a few weeks.
The Barons are playing an independent schedule this year. Next year, they will be part of the upstart Western Indoor Football Association, which Pierce said has three teams -- Reno, Stockton and Tucson -- and plans to add six more.
The Barons are scheduled to face Stockton four times this season.
"We hate them and they hate us, and we haven't even played each other yet," Pierce said.
Now, that's how you promote.
Do you think indoor football has a shot in Reno? Send your letters to sports editor Lauren Gustus at lgustus@rgj.com. Please include your first and last name and hometown.
In the three weeks that followed, it was difficult to find information on the team. The website still doesn't have a roster listed (but you can find a bio page for Harris). The Barons did little in terms of promotion, and Pierce said Monday that it was his intention to promote via social media.
And the Barons never sent out notification of a change in opponents.
Maybe we were spoiled by the smooth start-up to the Reno Aces two years ago, but as the story goes, that's one heck of a way to run a railroad.
And on game day, more issues surfaced.
The 50-yard AstroTurf field had a handful of bumps in it, and the padding that is supposed to be atop the wall that encircles the field had not yet arrived. Both conditions created safety issues. Fortunately, no player was injured Sunday. And Pierce said Monday that he was working to get the padding in time for the Barons' next game, Friday against the Stockton Wolves.
And it didn't take long to realize there is a vast difference between professional indoor football (Barons) and semi-pro indoor football (Trojans). The main difference is the Barons are contractual players whereas semi-pro players are either paid by the game or in some cases not at all.
The Trojans are football's version of a really good beer-league softball team. They actually have 11 players and picked up five more to make the trip.
The final score -- Reno 67, Tucson 8 -- could have been a lot worse.
Which brings us to the ray of hope.
The Barons are pretty good.
Given Sunday's opponent, it was hard to tell how good the Barons really are, but they have plenty of athletes and guys who can play the game. The product on the field is entertaining, and it's bound to only get better given Sunday was the first game and that they have only practiced together for a few weeks.
The Barons are playing an independent schedule this year. Next year, they will be part of the upstart Western Indoor Football Association, which Pierce said has three teams -- Reno, Stockton and Tucson -- and plans to add six more.
The Barons are scheduled to face Stockton four times this season.
"We hate them and they hate us, and we haven't even played each other yet," Pierce said.
Now, that's how you promote.