Post by 50yardfan on Apr 30, 2011 12:25:51 GMT -5
www.thetimesherald.com/article/20110430/SPORTS/104300316
OK, Port Huron, let's make a deal.
The next time somebody comes into town with the idea of starting an arena football team, we kindly tell them to go pound sand, and continue down the road?
Is everyone OK with that? Good?
For a town that has seen its fair share of shysters come in and promise, "This time, it will be different," we sure do get fooled easily. And this one was so easy to spot.
Free beer at the introductory press conference? A league that features a team that plays all road games? A team website with a stock photo and a link to a roster that lists as the team's only quarterback a guy who hasn't played a game?
These aren't just warning signs, these are, "Hey, we're not going to make it so don't even bother," signs.
It's not my beat, so I've stayed out of this. Thankfully, our beat writer Joseph Hayes saw this coming fairly early on, and worked tirelessly to get people on the phone to talk about the team's problems. I'm sure he could write a book based on all of the rumors he chased down. If the number of comments on our website is any indication, many of you would read said book.
But enough hindsight, let's look toward the future, at things that would be better options for McMorran Arena than another arena football team in a suspect league.
» A weekly fireside chat with Charlie Sheen. Then we could really find out how someone celebrates a life of "no sleep, smiles, alcohol and just binges, girls and gambling." And, of course, #winning.
» More Third Eye Blind concerts.
» An All-American Hockey League team. Wait, people might not realize this is sarcastic and actually try to make this happen. Please, God, don't make this happen.
» A one-man show featuring Ben Stein reading Snooki's autobiography from cover to cover. Actually, can we make this one happen?
» Anything involving Tony DeFeo.
» Free root canals!
But seriously, I understand it's hard to get things to come to Port Huron, and that they're desperate to fill dates.
Situations such as the Predators, however, make us look silly. Yes, us. Because even though it might have made some extra money for the arena on a couple of nights, the city continues to look foolish for believing something such as this could have worked.
I've always been an optimist, and I still think legitimate things can work here. But the more we let illegitimate teams and leagues continue to fool us, the less the chance the legitimate ones will look our way.
OK, Port Huron, let's make a deal.
The next time somebody comes into town with the idea of starting an arena football team, we kindly tell them to go pound sand, and continue down the road?
Is everyone OK with that? Good?
For a town that has seen its fair share of shysters come in and promise, "This time, it will be different," we sure do get fooled easily. And this one was so easy to spot.
Free beer at the introductory press conference? A league that features a team that plays all road games? A team website with a stock photo and a link to a roster that lists as the team's only quarterback a guy who hasn't played a game?
These aren't just warning signs, these are, "Hey, we're not going to make it so don't even bother," signs.
It's not my beat, so I've stayed out of this. Thankfully, our beat writer Joseph Hayes saw this coming fairly early on, and worked tirelessly to get people on the phone to talk about the team's problems. I'm sure he could write a book based on all of the rumors he chased down. If the number of comments on our website is any indication, many of you would read said book.
But enough hindsight, let's look toward the future, at things that would be better options for McMorran Arena than another arena football team in a suspect league.
» A weekly fireside chat with Charlie Sheen. Then we could really find out how someone celebrates a life of "no sleep, smiles, alcohol and just binges, girls and gambling." And, of course, #winning.
» More Third Eye Blind concerts.
» An All-American Hockey League team. Wait, people might not realize this is sarcastic and actually try to make this happen. Please, God, don't make this happen.
» A one-man show featuring Ben Stein reading Snooki's autobiography from cover to cover. Actually, can we make this one happen?
» Anything involving Tony DeFeo.
» Free root canals!
But seriously, I understand it's hard to get things to come to Port Huron, and that they're desperate to fill dates.
Situations such as the Predators, however, make us look silly. Yes, us. Because even though it might have made some extra money for the arena on a couple of nights, the city continues to look foolish for believing something such as this could have worked.
I've always been an optimist, and I still think legitimate things can work here. But the more we let illegitimate teams and leagues continue to fool us, the less the chance the legitimate ones will look our way.