Sunday, October 30, 2016

Haven't I Seen All of This Before?

It's Sunday and since I'm bored, thought I'd cruise over to that infamous nethead forum.  Seems they're opining that Arizona won't be able to keep the Rattlers name.    Oddly, several pretty well informed responses saying "maybe", and of course the even more persistent and adamant, yet lacking any documentation or proof saying "no this new AFL is the sh*t and will stick it to Arizona for leaving"... As we've seen from Green Bay, Iowa, and Spokane.. moving to the IFL from the AF(whatever) is a dagger in the heart of attendance.  However a four team AFL isn't being well received based on the leagues Facebook page.  Lots of "where's my refund" and "this league is a joke" posts.  I'm interested to see how the fans in Arizona will receive the IFL product.  One things for sure, if they don't drop their prices from their AFL price points, there's going to be a lot of empty seats.

Speaking of Arizona.. in case you've been under a rock, the first revision of the 2017 schedule is out.  Baring any 2016 style collapses this should also be the final version, but this is indoor football after all. The marque matchup in week 1 is Arizona at Sioux Falls.  The league got the game right, but really this game should have been in Arizona to give the fans the best game possible to help build up fan interest and confidence.  But as bad as arena availability is in Sioux Falls, it looks to be even worse in Arizona, so I'm guessing they just couldn't get thing done.  A shame.  

Speaking of Shame.. Seriously.. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is up with the arena, or the ownership in Salt Lake?  The Screaming Eagles play ZERO Saturday home games, and only play a handful of Saturday games at all.  I applaud Project French Fries for saving the Colorado Ice Crush, but multiple ownership rarely works out.  

Something occurred to me while I was vacuuming the other day.  This fan run team really isn't that new of an idea. I mean, I've seen this all before.  It's been going on for decades in college as the boosters have a lot of say in how the teams are made up and run.   But this is allegedly different, or so it would seem.  I browsed on over to the Salt Lake page looking for a schedule and I stumbled upon the "Join the Front Office" button.. (Direct Link https://saltlakescreamingeagles.com/front-office/) And, after I got over the fact these scheisters are using an image from a Sioux City Bandits versus Omaha Beef game in the CIF, or perhaps the CPIFL that i'm betting they didn't pay the photographer for... You can sign up and PAY to be an assistant GM for $40 a month.  $10 a month to be a "scout".. Huh!?!?! Is anyone ACTUALLY going to do something so stupid? I mean really? At least at a strip club $10 will get me some lady parts in my face.  So, on one hand I guess they're being transparent that you have to pay to have your "fan" vote actually matter, but on the other hand... man this just seems like a futile effort.  I'm not even sure Sioux Falls perhaps the most marketable franchise in the league with the biggest and most passionate fan base could even sell these things.  So stupid... I can't even.. 

The rest of the IFL schedule, from the eyes of this Storm fan... is pretty boring.  56% of our games are against three teams.  Iowa, Green Bay and Wichita Falls.  We don't go to Arizona, nor Spokane though we host both teams, and we don't play Salt Lake at all.  Guess we'll have to wait until next season to see them play if they're even around.   Financially it's a pretty sweet travel schedule so maybe we can afford some halftime entertainment to fill up those 30 minute halftime breaks we have.  Maybe something cool like 2 kids racing RC monster trucks.. or my personal favorite 11 minutes of nothing.  For the record, the league standard is 20 (per 4.2.D in the rule book) "unless otherwise approved by the League Office"

Well, that's it for now kids... enjoy the rest of silly season..