A fan somewhere has got a lawyer somewhere to represent him in a case against the NFL.
The suit? Saying Superbowl seats cost too much and aren't fairly distributed so that everyone has a chance at them.
My answer?
DUH!
Of course, they are more expensive than an average fan could afford regularly. But at $600 a ticket, it's NOT prohibitive for anyone who wants to see the game ONCE a year. They should be expensive. In a free market economy, price is based on demand. The NFL could charge $10,000 a ticket and still sell-out. I commend football on keeping the prices reasonable.
IF you want to go to the game, it's the extra costs of airfare, hotel accommodations, and your restaurant and bar tab that will blow your budget. It's kind of like Twins tickets. Cheryl and I can get some every year for as little as $10 each. The problem is that with gas, parking, food (and maybe a hotel for the night) the true cost of the game is going to be closer to $200 than $20. And we're only 2 1/2 hours away.
Everybody knows that.
Why should the Superbowl be any different? Is the game exclusive? In a way, yes. But in a good way. Season ticket holders from both teams are given first chance at most of the tickets. THAT'S as fair as it gets. YOUR team is there. You should have the chance to see them. But even the NFL can't seat 140,000 season ticket holders from two teams in one stadium. Something has to give. I think it's fair that player's family and friends should be there supporting them. They shouldn't have THEIR tickets taken away either.
Let's face it, there just aren't that many tickets that should be available for a big game like this. Sometimes life isn't "fair." But in this case, I think football is being as fair as they can be. No system, mandated by a court of law, will be more fair. Will the elite celebrities get THEIR tickets? Some will. But even most of their requests are left unfilled each year.
IF the Superbowl means that much to you, save for it, over a period of years if necessary. But don't blame the system. The system's just fine. IF there's a Super Bowl in the new Vikings stadium in a few years, Cheryl and I could go there if we choose to.
But the price of hotels, gas, and restaurants will prevent that. Gas, food, and lodgings should be cheaper for the average person.
I need a good lawyer.
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Steroids And The Hall Of Fame
I feel sorry for Jack Morris. His stats weren't good enough for players from just before his era. And they weren't good enough for a pitcher after his era. On the current ballot, on stats alone, he is maybe the sixth or seventh best pitcher listed. It all depends on how you feel about Kenny Rogers (not the singer, by the way.) And it's his 15th, and last chance, on the ballot. He simply isn't good enough to make it.
Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, Roger Clemens, Mike Mussina, and Curt Schilling had great careers, and several career defining moments. In addition to that, their win-loss records were better. Their ERAs were better, too.
Jack had one great moment, the game seven triumph in the 1991 World Series, but his career was one of reliability not greatness. His career was longer than most, but that's not a sign of greatness either. He was merely good for a lot longer than most.
I never thought Morris was good enough for the Hall. And it sure doesn't look like he will ever make it.
One thing to also note, no starting pitcher whose career started after the 1970 season is currently in the Hall. Blyleven was a rookie that year. The other guys on the ballot started in the mid-eighties. Jack is a pitcher from a forgotten era, an era that will never have a hall of fame presence.
Other pitchers from that era include Ron Guidry and Rick Reuschel. Morris had more wins than those two, but in nearly all other stats, Guidry and Reuschel were better. And they weren't even considered for the Hall. Gidry was on the ballot, but he never gained more than 10% of the vote.
That brings me to the steroid era. The mid-eighties until today. Some writers have decided that they aren't going to vote for anyone from the steroid era because they don't know WHO did them. That's right, Ken Gumick, a sportswriter from MLB.com, won't be voting for Greg Maddux, the man whose fastball rarely approached 90 mph, the man who had the best pin-point accuracy in baseball history, because he played in the steroid era. The ONLY player that will appear on his ballot will be Jack Morris.
Jack Morris, however, played at the end of the era of heavy amphetamine use. Baseball has been forever tainted. There is no" higher ground" any more. Everyone, from this point forward, will be suspect. And every writer will have the unique responsibility of acting as judge, jury, and executioner of every eligible player. Without any facts at all, merely opinion and hearsay, they will give us our future hall-of-famers.
Greatness and stats will no longer matter.
The Hall has lost its mojo.
It isn't just the end of an era. It's the end of all eras.
Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, Roger Clemens, Mike Mussina, and Curt Schilling had great careers, and several career defining moments. In addition to that, their win-loss records were better. Their ERAs were better, too.
Jack had one great moment, the game seven triumph in the 1991 World Series, but his career was one of reliability not greatness. His career was longer than most, but that's not a sign of greatness either. He was merely good for a lot longer than most.
I never thought Morris was good enough for the Hall. And it sure doesn't look like he will ever make it.
One thing to also note, no starting pitcher whose career started after the 1970 season is currently in the Hall. Blyleven was a rookie that year. The other guys on the ballot started in the mid-eighties. Jack is a pitcher from a forgotten era, an era that will never have a hall of fame presence.
Other pitchers from that era include Ron Guidry and Rick Reuschel. Morris had more wins than those two, but in nearly all other stats, Guidry and Reuschel were better. And they weren't even considered for the Hall. Gidry was on the ballot, but he never gained more than 10% of the vote.
That brings me to the steroid era. The mid-eighties until today. Some writers have decided that they aren't going to vote for anyone from the steroid era because they don't know WHO did them. That's right, Ken Gumick, a sportswriter from MLB.com, won't be voting for Greg Maddux, the man whose fastball rarely approached 90 mph, the man who had the best pin-point accuracy in baseball history, because he played in the steroid era. The ONLY player that will appear on his ballot will be Jack Morris.
Jack Morris, however, played at the end of the era of heavy amphetamine use. Baseball has been forever tainted. There is no" higher ground" any more. Everyone, from this point forward, will be suspect. And every writer will have the unique responsibility of acting as judge, jury, and executioner of every eligible player. Without any facts at all, merely opinion and hearsay, they will give us our future hall-of-famers.
Greatness and stats will no longer matter.
The Hall has lost its mojo.
It isn't just the end of an era. It's the end of all eras.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Wolves Roll
The starters didn't even have to play in the fourth quarter. The TEAM made 16 three-pointers, and the T-Wolves went on to win 126-95. Love and Pekovic, as usual, did the heavy hauling, but it was the entire team that was shooting well.
I didn't see much of the game with RAW on one channel and the BCS title game on the other, but I turned back frequently to see the Wolves win going away. It's hard to believe that they are still just a .500 ball club.
Let's see if they can put together a win streak now.
I didn't see much of the game with RAW on one channel and the BCS title game on the other, but I turned back frequently to see the Wolves win going away. It's hard to believe that they are still just a .500 ball club.
Let's see if they can put together a win streak now.
What A Game!
Florida State didn't look like the best team in the country in the first half. If not for a gutsy fake punt late in the second quarter, they wouldn't even have scored a touchdown.
But the second half, specifically the fourth quarter, made this a game for the ages. ESPN has a LONG highlight reel posted. If you didn't see the game this is the best Reader's Digest version ever assembled. It showed how the game changed, and even though Auburn still looked strong, they couldn't stop the Seminoles when they really needed to.
Great, great game. No sport is as good as football at its best. Last night, it was clearly at its best.
But the second half, specifically the fourth quarter, made this a game for the ages. ESPN has a LONG highlight reel posted. If you didn't see the game this is the best Reader's Digest version ever assembled. It showed how the game changed, and even though Auburn still looked strong, they couldn't stop the Seminoles when they really needed to.
Great, great game. No sport is as good as football at its best. Last night, it was clearly at its best.
Monday, January 6, 2014
Recreational Drug Use
Twin's prospect Eddie Rosario was suspended for 50 days for recreational drug use. You have to fail TWO tests to get suspended in that area. It's not a performance enhancer.
From what I found out, it wasn't marijuana either. He took pain pills to help him with a wrist injury earlier last year. And when he suffered some back pain he started taking those same pills for his back without an additional prescription. It's possible that he's now hooked on them and finding an illegal source to get more. All of this is speculation. IF it's an addiction, they should treat it like alcohol abuse and provide treatment.
This got me wondering, players are regularly tested for recreational drug use and performance enhancers. That would include marijuana. I wonder if all the Colorado Rockies would be exempt from that part now? OR if all players who recently visited Colorado would be exempt now? In Colorado, marijuana use is now legal. It's like buying beer.
Since last week, marijuana use in the state is at an all-time high. Just like Colorado natives.
rim shot
I'll be here all week.
Rocky Mountain high, in Colorado. -John Denver
From what I found out, it wasn't marijuana either. He took pain pills to help him with a wrist injury earlier last year. And when he suffered some back pain he started taking those same pills for his back without an additional prescription. It's possible that he's now hooked on them and finding an illegal source to get more. All of this is speculation. IF it's an addiction, they should treat it like alcohol abuse and provide treatment.
This got me wondering, players are regularly tested for recreational drug use and performance enhancers. That would include marijuana. I wonder if all the Colorado Rockies would be exempt from that part now? OR if all players who recently visited Colorado would be exempt now? In Colorado, marijuana use is now legal. It's like buying beer.
Since last week, marijuana use in the state is at an all-time high. Just like Colorado natives.
rim shot
I'll be here all week.
Rocky Mountain high, in Colorado. -John Denver
Football
The Chargers/Bengals game was disappointing. Cincinatti was the only real team to KILL the Vikings this year. Yesterday, they looked totally incompetent. San Diego made them look really bad.
Green Bay with Aaron Rodgers at the helm wasn't quite good enough to pull off the win against a surging San Francisco team. San Fran has now won 7 straight and the Packers are done for the year. I was actually surprised that the game was as close as it was. The cold didn't seem to matter much. It actually got a little warmer as the game went on. And Kaepernick looked unstoppable.
Rodgers best play was an incredible escape from an obvious sack that led to a nifty touchdown. And he was the reason Green Bay survived as long as they did even with that defense.
Two great teams. A frozen environment. A super game that had the winning field goal scored as time ran out. It would have made a great Super Bowl.
And yet it was the only the first round.
More great football ahead.
Green Bay with Aaron Rodgers at the helm wasn't quite good enough to pull off the win against a surging San Francisco team. San Fran has now won 7 straight and the Packers are done for the year. I was actually surprised that the game was as close as it was. The cold didn't seem to matter much. It actually got a little warmer as the game went on. And Kaepernick looked unstoppable.
Rodgers best play was an incredible escape from an obvious sack that led to a nifty touchdown. And he was the reason Green Bay survived as long as they did even with that defense.
Two great teams. A frozen environment. A super game that had the winning field goal scored as time ran out. It would have made a great Super Bowl.
And yet it was the only the first round.
More great football ahead.
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Durant
Kevin Durant scored 23 points in the fourth quarter last night, 48 for the game, and OKC ended up beating the Wolves by FOUR. The Wolves dominated the first 3 quarters. Love was his usual great self with 30 points and 14 rebounds for Minnesota except that he missed FOUR free throws in the last 27 seconds. You do the math.
sigh
sigh
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