Rants: Programs

Allow me to rant for a moment. (If you're a frequent reader of this here blog (and I hope you are) you know that I'll rant.) I went to the Sioux Falls Pheasants game on Saturday. This post really has nothing to do about the game but I'm admittedly a sports nerd and take some pride in the little things that go with going to a game. This will be a post about the little things. 85 percent of the people at the game last evening could have cared less about my rant but I'm going to say my piece anyway.

I'm usually one to keep my ticket stub to a professional sporting event, one to keep score during a baseball game and one to buy a program. In fact, I would consider myself a collector of game programs considering there is a tote in the basement of parents' home with programs from all kinds of sporting events dating back at least 15 years I'm sure. (Does the 2000 Mankato Mashers' game program have any value? Probably not. But I'm keeping it.) To me, the game has less value if I don't have a program or someway to know who's who. I would estimate I arrived about 20 minutes before the Pheasants took on the St. Paul Saints.

I walked in the gate and I couldn't find anyone hawking them. Didn't find anything, so I kept walking without one and found a seat. Went back down in the second inning. Still nothing. By then, I did give up. Admittedly, I didn't care who won or who lost and I didn't truly care who the players were but I wanted a program. (The only Pheasants player I've ever heard of is Reggie Abercrombie and he doesn't even play for them anymore. Also, I knew they had a guy from Hartford, S.D. and sure enough, he was cut Saturday.) I'm willing to buy a program too. If something amazing would have happened Saturday, like a no-hitter or a triple play, I wanted to have a tangible object to remember it by. If Joe Smith throws the no-hitter, how will remember? Especially with a name like Joe Smith. I would have had the ticket stub and I guess that would have had to been good enough. I know they existed because I saw other people with them.

I found the same issue earlier this winter when I went to Sioux Falls Stampede hockey game. I did find one there after I successfully hunted down the 16-year-old punk holding the booklets. To prove I'm not picking on the ownership group that owns both teams, I had the same issue when I went to the Wolves game in January or February. Again, hunted that particular person down but only after I asked three other people. (The Wolves only had them in one location in the arena. What's up with that? Granted, there are two main entrances into the building but that baffled me. Why not just put the programs with the 10 stands you have selling Ricky Rubio jerseys?) Same story a few years ago when I was lucky enough to go to a memorable St. Louis Cardinals game. Programs not available anywhere else but the front gate so I ran down the stairs and back up to get a program. (Memorable because of a rain delay, the group I was with and because they were giving out Cardinals snuggies that night.)

I like to lampoon the Twins on the field and even off it (Looking at you, Dick, Bert, Roy, LaPanta, Incomkowski (not going to the work to look up the proper spelling of your name. Sorry.), Laudner, grounds crew, etc.), but in the stadium and in the concourses, nobody does it better and that includes the sales of programs.

When I envision walking into a sporting event, I still picture some big voice, yelling "Programs, Programs! Get your programs!" Every team now is pretty much gone down to the booklet sized programs, which is okay with me. I just wish the marketing of a program wouldn't decrease with them.

Full disclosure: I probably missed them. In fact, I know I did. It's my fault. I still think I have a point here. Yes I went over 700 words on programs at sporting events but this made for a good blog topic. 

Diehards is one word for them


Also weird? The amount of "groupies" with the St. Paul Saints. In this league with teams in Laredo and El Paso, I realize the four hours between the teams is close but are there really diehards like this? These players are professionals and while they may not make much, it's not like they live with host families. There looked like guys who might be on the pitching staff hanging out in the stands (They don't do that in this league do they?). Otherwise, I would say about 50-75 of the 2,502 in attendance were actively rooting for the Saints. It felt like a lot

The weirdest story came at the end of the game. (To tell the longer story, I must first tell you the long stories.) I bought a $7 dollar ticket and then meandered my way down to the sixth row behind first base and behind the third base line in about the 12th row, then firmly behind home plate and then finally down to the third row behind the visitors' on-deck circle. Thanks, Birdcage security. You're good folks.

I'm in the on-deck spot in the ninth inning. The game was tied 6-6 in the ninth inning and the batter of the Birds hit a ground ball that was hit sharply to the shortstop where he reached to his right, only to get enough of a glove on the ball to slow it down en route to left field. The runner on second base rounded and scored, giving the Pheasants the 7-6 win.

There was a bigger fellow with long hair and a Saints cap and shirt sitting right behind me. He was keeping score and when the Pheasants were dialing up the dreaded sacrifice bunt with a runner on first and nobody out, he said aloud "Do you think they're going to bunt?" in a very sarcastic manner when it was quite clear they were going to bunt. After the batter somehow missed the bunt on the first pitch, he was ready again and the guy behind me carried out his bit he was on. As if he hadn't already confirmed that he was indeed a moron.

When the final run scored and the Saints were walking toward the dugout, toward me and the dink behind me, he says "Don't worry, we'll get 'em tomorrow." I thought to myself, "He's clearly a supporter, that's fine and we'll all be on our way to the exits. Good day, sir." But his statement of support was not enough. He moseyed on down to the part of the dugout open to the seats above, near the net and the on-deck circle and repeated his sentiment, "Don't worry, we'll get 'em tomorrow," but I would say about two feet of his body was firmly in the Saints' dugout. If I was a player who had just suffered a tough loss, the last thing I would want would be a crazed supporter peering into the dugout to say anything.

Scenes of South Dakota

Here's a photo recap of my first six weeks or so in Mitchell, S.D. (Note: All photos taken with my iPhone. How 'bout that?)

Needless to say, I had to move the seat back a bit.

Did you know the whole building is not made of corn?

Did you know Mitchell is only known for the Corn Palace outside South Dakota? Actually, in South Dakota too.

Welcome to Mitchell, Mr. Taxler.

I loved this Gregory baseball field. The light pole had to be in play.You know somebody has been knocked out going full speed for a foul ball too.

And the press box had to hang over the field, in play.

In the useless info department, the last 26 winners of the Poorman's Fishing Tournament.

Buckshots in Letcher. Not sure if those gas pumps work. Probably do.

Small crowd gathering in Armour to take in some baseball. Also, everyday in South Dakota is cloudy. Seriously, look at the clouds in all of these photos. Unbelievable right? If this wasn't a blog and over the internet, the wind would be slapping you in the face too.

Anyone who has ever lined a baseball field can tell you it's an art. Unless you have no idea what you're doing. That shows through pretty quickly. Sidenote: I have no idea what the chalk cart is officially called. Does anyone know/care?

Armour's Roy King. This reference will only resonate with my Le Center brethren but he is honestly like Ken Schmidt. In his 60s (or near that age), plays baseball in a adult league and is a member of a band. Too bad they don't look alike.

Taken on the first day of work. The sign was damaged by the infamous hail storm and has since been taken down. So I have a real treasure here. (Ok, no I don't.) "It's never been the same old story" is a good slogan. I know The Daily has a couple of other good slogans from past days too.

Near the Missouri River. These sweeping views are underrated in the state. (Not taken far from the Platte-Winner Bridge. I find it funny it is named after those two towns considering Platte is 14 miles away and Winner is 37 miles away. But there is not another town in between the two and it makes perfect sense for those trying to navigate the area. A local used the name and I instantly knew which bridge he was talking about. If if was the Smith Bridge, I might not know what he's talking about.)

These photos don't do it justice. If only I could make a good panorama ...

This was on the Winner side of the Platte-Winner Bridge. I don't know what is on the trailer but the truck had a hell of a time getting out of the valley. Certainly wasn't going faster than 20 miles an hour. It could be a piece of a water tower, wind turbine or silo. I couldn't tell when I was behind him and I can't make it out now. But it's nice to wonder. Also, I've come through Platte three times now and I've seen this Dutch Oven Bakery advertised and there it is on the truck. The store HAS A DRIVE-THRU WINDOW!! YES, A BAKERY!! (Sorry about overdoing it there.) I will be going through Platte again, so I think I'll have to stop. You can't see it but they have a windmill as their logo. If it's anything like the Edgerton Bakery, I'll probably fall into comatose. I'm such a sucker for Dutch-based bakeries.

Make It Quick: NBA Draft Lottery

Just a few short words on the NBA Draft Lottery ... which I love.

Rarely do I make it a point to watch anything related to the NBA in a given year (we've discussed this matter before). But I make sure I watch the NBA Draft Lottery every year.

Why do I make it a priority? I'm not sure. But there are a few known reasons here, which will be listed numerically but without significance:

1. I like the "chance" the event is rigged. Nobody likes David Stern and he definitely let the New York Knicks get Patrick Ewing in 1985 but who cares? The whole season is predictable to a degree and you can count on the top teams finishing in the catbird seat (I just wanted to use that phrase). The lottery is so stupid and ridiculous that I have to watch it. I do wish it was live, so we could see the true despair in David Kahn's face, instead of getting it ten minutes later when he infers that Dan Gilbert's kid was the reason Minnesota lost the lottery last year. I don't care that the Timberwolves, who I claim to be my favorite team, have NEVER moved up in the lottery. Or that Minnesota finished with the worst record and landed with the third pick in 1992 with Shaquille O'Neal and Alonzo Mourning going No. 1 and 2. Minnesota has been poorly run for a while, so I can see why Stern might not want to give them the No. 1 pick. ESPN tells me the team with the best odds has only received the No. 1 pick three of 18 times since 1994. The Draft Lottery is hysterically unpredictable.

2. The unpredictable order is beautiful. I like it when the eighth-worst team gets the top pick because everyone else in the room is pretty much indifferent or miserable. In typical NBA fashion, you have to be skillfully bad and be lucky when it counts. It makes us watch, much like the actual draft, something that requires no jumpshots or inbound plays.

3. The fate of a franchise is decided quickly. The actual process takes about six minutes (counting the tedious commercial break when they get down to the final three picks. A short period to decide the future of a team for at least five years.

4. I like how David Stern doesn't even show anymore.

5. I like how I know where the Wolves will finish. That's nice.

Can you believe it? Back to back NBA posts.

Make It Quick: Tailoring an NBA Fan

Publisher's Note: This is a new periodical blog feature called Make It Quick, where I make a point quickly and usually leave you, the reader, wondering what all of the commotion was about. The point is to avoid the lengthy stuff that I sometimes write. (That rule is more for myself than it for anyone else. When I do get the urge, I'll write some long stuff, so don't worry. Also, I'm the publisher of this blog, so I can call myself the publisher.)

On a seasonal cycle, the NBA is at its annual peak. The playoffs are always great drama but this is the best part right now with the conference semifinals and the conference finals. (the Elite Eight and Final Four, if you will. Oh, you won't. I apologize.) The best storylines and teams still remain and the quality of play continues to improve. Plus, as odd as this may sound, my interest usually wanes when the playoffs go down to the final two.

The storylines are clear. The Miami Heat are falling apart despite being mostly dominant in the regular season. They could snap at any moment and look great and win the NBA title, too. We know they have the talent but maybe not in the playoffs. The Lakers are a mess and Mike Brown looks continuously overwhelmed. The Oklahoma City Thunder are dominant on their home court and have the all important 'Big 3' that you need to win in the Association. (I feel dopey writing "the Association.") The Spurs are playing the best of the eight teams left but nobody cares because all of their players are boring.

Those are also the storylines fed to us by ESPN (and somewhat by TNT) because those are the most important teams. I don't argue that the Heat and Lakers are the two most important teams. They are.

But I'm uncomfortable in agreeing with ESPN. In this round, it's been almost scary how I've sort of eaten up their coverage. ESPN says the Heat-Pacers and Lakers-Thunder are the two biggest series and they've largely ignored Spurs-Clippers and they've danced with the big market showdown of Celtics-Sixers.

I feel similarly. I don't care about the Spurs-Clippers because that series is over. Celtics-Sixers doesn't do anything for me. And I've been oddly enamored with Heat-Pacers and Lakers-Thunder because I would much rather see OKC and Indy win than Miami and LA. Plus, I don't like LeBron or Wade (FWIW, I liked both before 'The Decision') and I hate every Laker, with a shred of respect for Kobe Bryant. I always root for the underdog and I care about those series because I see the Pacers and Thunder as underdogs, even though they are proving they are not. Now though, I'm interested in how the Heat and Lakers are co-existing as a unit. I'm enjoying it because it's a psychology and group teamwork project more than it is about sports. It's possible that I'm subconsciously hating on the Heat and Lakers and that's fine with me. I'm not sure.

It makes me uneasy to agree with ESPN is all. I've scarfed down a lot of Sports Center in the last week or two, oddly caring about what the Heat and Lakers and Thunder are doing on their off days. I'm becoming the fan that ESPN and the NBA are trying to create and I'm not very comfortable with it. They want to build fans who care about the national teams and the superstars. I don't like it because everything ESPN does is so flimsy and about personal/corporate interests. (I like Magic Johnson and he's a good analyst but I think it remains a conflict of interest to have him loving/hating the Lakers.)

In the end, I'll be alright. This will pass. I'll go back to my usual NBA-hating self by the time the Finals roll around because there's no way I'm taking Kurt Rambis seriously on TV.

P.S: I'm writing this as Game 4 of the Sixers-Celtics game just ended. Why the hell does confetti come down after a Game 4 win? It was Game 4, not Game 7. They made the series 2-2. The Sixers did not win the World Championship or win the Flint, Michigan MegaBowl. If they did, they would have a reason to celebrate. That is annoying.

P.P.S: The Lakers gave away shirts before their Game 3? I never thought that would happen. Another side note, Jack Nicholson is 75. He looks old but not 75 old. You know what I mean?

P.P.PS: I don't think Oklahoma City has committed to a color scheme yet. They use blue, orange, black, red, yellow, dark blue. Unless Adidas just send them factory seconds for warmups and sewed "Oklahoma City" on the front, which appears to be a possible.

Frost Arena Fallacies

*I’ll keep this short because it’s Finals Week and this is a terrible time for me to be addressing this in a ungraded blog post but I feel this is worth the time.

I’ve made my point pretty clear over the past few days about how I feel regarding the SDSU athletic department’s decision to move student seating for basketball games at Frost Arena from the sidelines to both ends. If you want a refresher, check out my Twitter page.

You won't see SDSU's student section like this anymore.

I’ll start right there. I don’t think that it’s a very good idea to split what has become one of the best student sections in the Summit League. Two smaller groups located on each end will not be as impactful as the one solid contingent that occupied the sideline in prior seasons. I point to one of the most anticipated Summit League regular season games the SDSU men’s team has ever played earlier this season when the Jackrabbits hosted Oral Roberts. The students were on their game for this one, with the venom clearly directed at the conference leading Golden Eagles. Mind you, not a nearby rival but a team that has asserted themselves as a pesky foe in the conference because of ability, not proximity.

The students relentlessly badgered coach Scott Sutton and did the same with the players, most notably Dominque Morrison when he fouled out with four minutes or so left in the game. He marched over to the sideline, raising the collar of his T-shirt to his chin and let out a breath of frustration combined with exhaustion. The students were going after him for his signature hair and, more importantly, the fact that he was a good player.

Student sections are strong because they are cohesive and can work together. The best or most creative cheers don’t come from the cheerleaders. With the two end setup, SDSU’s student section will be anything but cohesive.

As for the money side of it, I get that season-ticket holders are the guaranteed money in sports. You have to have them and SDSU, coming off a run to the NCAA Tournament, has an absolutely golden opportunity to capitalize on that by selling more season tickets. On a personal front, SDSU could create some demand for tickets, which wouldn’t be that bad of a thing. I realize that an upgrade in reserved seating is needed because there are some real duds for seats in the arena, especially in the reserved corner sections. That said, you jeopardize your rapport with students by moving them.

According to a report from the Board of Regents, 19 percent ($2.3m of $11.9m) of SDSU’s athletic budget in Fiscal Year 2011 came from the General Activity Fund, which is driven by student fees. In FY 2010, student fees made up 21 percent ($2.4m of $11.3m) of the schools athletic income. For this semester, the GAF fee per credit was $24.95. Multiply that by 15 for the average student load per term. It’s important to note that the fee also funds the Students’ Association budget, helps fund the Wellness Center, etc. The fee will likely go up $1 in either 2012-13 or 2013-14 to help pay for The Union expansion and the current proposal to add the addition onto the Wellness Center would include a $4 increase in student fees. As you can see, this is adding up. (For reference, USD’s activity fee is $36 a credit hour.)

Of course, not every student goes to games. Some will never watch Nate Wolters dribble a basketball or watch Kelli Fiegen put down a kill or Austin Sumner throw a touchdown pass. (But that issue is a different subject.)

It is student dollars, which they have no control over because it’s not optional and the fees are something that have been around forever. However, on the reports for FY10 and FY11, only “General Funds” bring in more money to the department coffers. Not gate receipts or guaranteed money or donations. Then, the student money that accounts for roughly 20 percent of the overall budget looms large.

Back to the actual seating choice, the argument that seats on the end are just as good as the seats on the side of the court is absolute baloney. Look at the seating chart map for any professional, semi-professional or college basketball team that has seating on all four sides of the court. None of those parties charge the same rate for seats at midcourt in the 10th row as they do for seats behind the basket in the 10th row. Why? Because those seats are not the same. It’s the same reason why a seat on the 50-yard line is more expensive than a seat in the endzone at a football game.

Because of the way that Frost Arena is setup, it really is like real estate: All about the location. The student section was prime real estate to be bought out by season-ticket holders.

And is this about the money? Of course it is. This is college sports. Yes, blaming the money is the easy answer but it’s easy because it’s true. If money didn’t matter, nobody gets moved, everyone remains happy and I’m not writing this post. We know why I am.

If the athletic department values season tickets and donations, they should try looking at it like this: Students, at the beginning of each semester make donations — some knowingly and most unknowingly — to tennis and golf and soccer and equestrian. They make donations to swimming and diving and cross country and to softball. Students also donate to football and basketball and they are consistent in their donations from year-to-year.

I hope that the athletic department doesn’t take student money for granted because students are more than just a card swipe at the gate.

I also want to make clear that the Students' Association missed on this one. They had a clear chance to stand up for student seating and instead they nodded their heads and went along with this. Not exactly what you have in mind when you vote for your leaders. They probably wouldn't have been able to stop the change but at least put up a fight.

I’m not sure why I’m getting worked up about this. First, the decision has been made and with the end of semester here, there is not going to be student opposition. The seats will be done for volleyball season. I still stand by my original plan: If you’re going to move the students, move them to one end. That would keep them together as a unit, not split the group up and the group still can look imposing.

I’ve never watched a basketball game from the stands because I’ve always watched from press row. Sitting there, I would think to myself that students have pretty good seats too, all things considered.

I can’t say that anymore.


*This did not end up being a short post.

What 'Bout the Blizzard?

Earlier this week, news broke that Brookings will be the new location for the Alexandria (Minn.) Blizzard of the North American Hockey League, which is a junior league that is called Tier II in U.S. junior hockey. Tier I is the United States Hockey League (which has teams like the Sioux Falls Stampede, Fargo Force and commonly draws some of the best high school players in the country that are willing to forgo their last years of high school before college and the NHL. Tier II is sort of the next level, where it appears that there is a handful (1-3) guys that will be playing D-I hockey. Alexandria had a player committed to Bemidji State for 2012-13). Tier III is what sort of team will replace the Blizzard in Alexandria when the announcement becomes official next week.

The new team in town will likely be assuming the Blizzard moniker and will play at the Larson Ice Arena. (Apparently that's what a Blizzard would look like in a personified form. I'm not going to be able to even break that down any further.) According to this story from the Alexandria newspaper, the ownership group wasn't sure that they could afford to keep the team around in the city of roughly 12,000. That number is about half of Brookings' population and less than Aberdeen (S.D), Austin (Minn.), Bismarck and Minot (N.D.) -- the other four teams in the division -- by a lot.

For comparison, Aberdeen has had an NAHL team for the last two seasons, is now at the top of the league in attendance and is in the process of trying to add onto their arena at the Brown County Fairgrounds. Teams in Owatonna (Pop. 25,599) and Albert Lea, Minn. (18,016), have failed in both of those towns and were bought out by Texas ownership groups, although the teams had different reasons, like running a "pay-for-play" scheme in Albert Lea. The point here is that teams come and go ALL THE TIME. This really could be a short-term deal if it doesn't work out, although if the Blizzard made it seven years in Alexandria, it can probably do the same in eastern South Dakota.

There are a ton of questions to be answered with how this team would work in Brookings. First of all, it will be important to find out why the ownership wanted to come to Brookings and what they see as a goal. Who is the target? They will need to draw college kids to come watch this but still make it attractive for families. It's a balance that I think can be accomplished but must be done delicately. If that's the case, they are going directly after the type of people that SDSU is trying to sell on men's and women's basketball and I already know that the Blizzard can beat the Jackrabbits on price. Junior hockey might not blow your socks off but it is another way to fight for the entertainment dollar and it is something cheaper to consider if both are competing on the same night.

Alcohol is served in other NAHL arenas and that will be a key selling point in getting college students to come watch. Larson is a city building and there will probably be a ton of rigamarole to get that approved but cheap beer won't hurt the rapport with students. Larson Ice Arena is a solid little rink and there's going to need to be some upgrades. Check out this link and see what Alexandria had in a nondescript building. Just like a Sioux Falls Stadium or any minor league ballpark, you need party areas and fun locations for groups and Larson doesn't have that, yet. You can pretty much count on the ownership group demanding those upgrades. The league also requires that the team has its own permanent locker room in its building, something that is small but needed.

And it doesn't end there. There's going to need to be host families and arrangements with the Brookings School District to tutor the kids. You need a radio broadcaster who knows hockey. You have to build a fan base, create excitement and sell season tickets to the 27 home games. On that note, it helps that Brookings is a rare hockey town in South Dakota.

Lots of unknowns but I'm anxious to see what this becomes.