Give Us a Name We Can Be Proud Of

With only five months until opening day, the Arizona Cardinals still don’t have a definite name for their future home. Currently tagged as “Cardinals Stadium,” it’s “highly unlikely that the name will stick around in today’s sports world,” says Gina Fey, spokeswoman for HOK Sports, the company constructing the new stadium in Glendale.

According to information published by the four major professional sports associations in the United States - The NHL, NFL, NBA, and Major League Baseball – there are currently 103 different stadiums housing one or more professional sports teams. Seventy-one of those stadiums are named after corporations, and six of those share a name with another stadium in a different city, such as the American Airlines Arena, which is the name of the NBA facilities in both Dallas and Miami. Of the 32 not named after a corporation, only six of them have been built in the last 15 years. The remaining 26 are all aging buildings, likely to be replaced with a corporate-named, new-aged building in the near future.

“You want to go to the National Car Rental Center and catch a game?” Nick Morelli, 19, and an avid sports fan asks. “How about Quicken Loans Arena? Or the Pepsi Center; the one in Denver, not the one in Albany. Stadium names today are pathetic.”

While pathetic might not be the best term, unoriginal and un-identifying might be better. There are very few stadiums left whose name defines its occupants. “Arrowhead, Fenway, Yankee Stadium, Mile High. You hear those names, and you know where they are, you know who plays there. You hear FedEx Forum, and it has no identity. It could be anywhere, with any team,” states Morelli. “Even some corporate names are ok, like Coors Field in Denver. Everyone knows it’s in Denver, and Coors is made there, it’s a good match. Busch Stadium in St. Louis is the same thing. That’s not the case for most of the stadiums though. I would never associate Papa John’s Stadium with Louisville, Ky., if someone didn’t tell me it was there.”

Even in the rare case a corporate name fits the stadium, it’s very likely that the name won’t be around for long. One consequence of corporate naming is that many corporations don’t last very long. They are bought out, renamed, resold, and then renamed again. Phoenix’s Chase Field, for example, was previously known as Bank One Ballpark, but was renamed after Bank One was bought out by Chase. US Airways Arena, also in Phoenix, was known as America West Arena until this January, when it was renamed to reflect the merger between the two airlines. Boston’s NHL and NBA arena, currently named TD Banknorth Garden, has undergone 34 name changes since it opened in 1993, all because of various buyouts and mergers with different companies. “I’m from Maine, I go down to Boston two or three times a year to catch a Bruin’s game. Every time I go, the stadium has a different name,” says Morelli. “Why can’t they just rename it the ‘Boston Garden,’ everyone loved that name, and everyone in Boston still calls it that.”

Bostonians aren’t alone. San Franciscans recently voted to change Monster Park, the current name of their football stadium, back to it’s original name, Candlestick Park, after Monsters naming rights contract expires. Candlestick was originally changed to 3Com Park, but the name never caught on. “People were too used to Candlestick, the park is a legend in itself,” says San Francisco native Jesse Weinberger. “And now it’s Monster Park. I hate it; it’s just another chance for big corporations to get their products out. It’s awful. I can’t wait until it’s Candlestick again.” In Denver, most fans refuse to call their new stadium Invesco Field, and simply refer to it by its predecessor’s name, Mile High. “Once you get inside, there are ads all over. Drink this beer, eat this brand of hot dog, drink Coke because Pepsi sucks. Why can’t the companies leave part of the stadium for something meaningful?” asks Weinberger.

The Cardinals have already started to find sponsors for the stadiums interior. It was announced last week that Budweiser has bought the naming rights to an entire end of the new stadium, which will be known as the Budweiser Red Zone. “It’s awful, I want to go see a football game, not be bombarded with advertisements. If I wanted to see ads all day long, I’d just sit at home and watch TV,” states Weinberger.

“The fans are the ones who go to the games, the ones who support the team. Not the corporations. We should have a say in what the stadium should be called. Not some big company just because they have money. I don’t want to go to the Budweiser Red Zone at American Airlines Field inside Snyder Pretzel Stadium. I want to go to a place aptly named like Cactus Stadium or Tillman Field,” says Weinberger. “Products don’t last but ten minutes. Places and heroes live forever. Give us a name we can be proud of.”

Stump the Schwab

I like women.

I like basketball.

I don't like womens basketball.

Come on ESPN, you can find something better to put on the air. Bring back "Stump the Schwab" or "Teammates." Anything else, PLEASE!

What a Boring Week

What a boring couple of days in sports. As soon as that last game ended Sunday night, it was like the sports world went into a 6 day coma until the Final Four comes back on Saturday. Sure, there is hockey, but they don’t show hockey on TV. Sure, there is the NBA, but how can the NBA compare to George Mason beating UConn in overtime. Sure, there is spring training, but that’s exactly that… training. The players don’t even show up to play. Damn, I can’t wait for Saturday.

No, that is not me.

March Madness

Too many NCAA games to watch, not enough time to write.

Fuckin' UCLA

Damn, there goes my bracket.

Freedom of Speech

Since today was a slow sports day in general, I figured I'd take a break and spread the word on a controversial issue, Free Speech. Free speech is undoubtedly important, as 99% of the internet wouldn't exist without it. This issue affects you, me, and everyone else.

Those who read Tucker Max know he is currently being sued for things he said on his website. Here is his take on things, taken directly from his site, www.tuckermax.com

There is no question that on an average day, I am a huge attention whore, but that is not what is going on here. This is not about me; this is a very serious legal matter, not just for me, but for the entire internet. The issues at stake here could potentially affect every single website and individual who posts on messageboards and chatrooms.

I try not to ask much of you people, but please send the relevant links/my blog post to anyone and everyone you can who has a site that could talk about this and publicize it, and if you have a website, please post about and publicize this case.

In defending my rights I will by proxy be defending everyone's free speech rights, and by writing about this you will be helping defend this cause. The more attention that we focus on this case, the better the chances that freedom will prevail and censorship will be beaten back.

Remember: I don't ask that you endorse me or my site, but only that you endorse the fight against censorship.

Here are some links relating to the current lawsuit, from Tucker's Site:
The Original Aritcle
Updated Article
Newer Article
A great article explaining the consequences of this case

Defending the Kingdom, Part 2

A couple weeks ago, I wrote about how UNC should get an automatic bid to the big dance for being the reigning champion. They made it in anyway, without a “Reigning Champ Automatic Bid.” Today, the Frozen Four bracket was announced. For those who don’t know, “Frozen Four” is the clever name for the NCAA Hockey championship. One team missing from the bracket: Denver University, the 2-time defending champions.

At least in the NCAA Basketball, even after the 35+ automatic bids, there are still 31 at large bids left, enough to include every deserving team. If UNC had been #66 this year, the committee would have bumped off one of the other at-large bids to include UNC. Not so in hockey. There is only a 16-team playoff, with 6 automatic bids. That means 10 teams are still at-large, which might seem like a lot, except that the automatic bids come largely from bad conferences. The WCHA and Hockey East are the only big name conferences in hockey, and they only have two automatic bids. Usually, the 10 at-large bids come from these two conferences, which generally have 90% of the top 25 teams in the country. Those extra four automatic bids, given to Bemidji State, Harvard, Holy Cross, and Michigan State (The only automatic bid that is justified), take up four teams that should make the tournament, such as Denver.

Denver is one of the biggest hockey towns in the country, from the Avalanche, to the Pioneers, down to the Littleton Hawks, one of the best club hockey organizations in the country. To keep Denver out of the tournament is ridiculous. Denver finished ranked #11 in the country, ahead of 6 teams that made the tournament. They also finished 2^nd in the WCHA, arguably College Hockey’s best conference, ahead of 3 other WCHA teams who made the tournament.

It’s ridiculous to think that a team of this caliber does not even have a chance to play for the championship. Especially when they are defending it. There should be a new rule in all college sports, no matter what happens, no matter where the defending champion finishes in the regular season, they should have a chance to defend their crown. The 35+ automatic bids in basketball, the 6 automatic bids in hockey, and all other automatic bids in any other sport, should all have one more automatic bid added to them, the "Defending the Kingdom" automatic bid. While there will be controversy, as some teams may not be up to caliber as they previously were, examples like this, where a two-time defending champion, ranked #11 in the country, is left out of the hunt, should provide enough support for the "Defending the Kingdom" bid.

I'm Pulling for a Shocker

Let's Go Shockers! Even though a Wichita State championship would completely fuck up my bracket, I want the Shockers to win it all. It's not very often a 7 seed makes it this far. Even less often a 13 seed does, that's why I think Wichita State is going to crush Bradley, and then Washington. Yeah, that's right. UConn is not beating Washington. They could barely beat a pathetic Kentucky team, how are they going to beat an underrated Washington?

Shockers is just a cool name too, why have the Huskies or the Wildcats win. And, for us journalists, it's the easiest headline to ever write. "Villanova 'Shocked.'"

Oh, yeah, and I went to high school with Sean Ogirri, and he is a pimp... So it's final, Wichita State needs to win.

My Bracket so far (click on it to make it readable)

Could be better, could be ALOT worse...

To My (30) Loyal Readers

To the 30 or so people who visit my site everyday, and those who accidently stumble upon it, I will be chilling on the beach for the next week and a half, away from my computer and all other forms of civilization, except hot girls in swimsuits...

I'll be back on March 20, so until then, there won't be any new posts.

Farewell Abby

I watched from my 3^rd level, top row seats, the first game David Aebischer played in after he had officially taken the reins from the greatest goaltender in the history of the game. I was there when his whole family and another 30 or so friends took over section 372 at the Pepsi Center, waving flags and screaming like there was no tomorrow every time Aebischer came close to the puck. I was there when the Avs lost in the second round of the playoffs to Minnesota last year (two years ago actually, last “hockey year” though). Unfortunately, I wasn’t there to see Aebischer’s last game in Colorado.

He had his ups and downs, but in the end, he did the best he could, and never got any credit for it. Following up Patrick Roy is like Santana following Jimi Hendrix. Both are amazing, but once you hear Hendrix, even Santana’s greatest performance doesn’t even compare.

For years - actually, since the day Patrick Roy announced his retirement – Pierre Lacroix has been under pressure to find a “playoff-worthy” goalie. Finally, nearly 3 seasons later, he accomplished that task. Unfortunately, it was at the expense of Abby. Although he actually was well liked in Colorado, contrary to many beliefs, we knew this day would come. Hopefully Pierre’s genius mind has brought in another legend from Montreal.

The Todd Bertuzzi Handbook, Pg. 34

In a move straight out of the Todd Bertuzzi handbook, the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Evgeny Artyukin was suspended for taking off the Senators Antoine Vermette’s helmet, and then smashing over his head multiple times.

Is this guy insane? Sounds like something from Happy Gilmore (the only player to take his skate off and try to stab someone with it). Artyukin received only a two game suspension. I know that if I would have even attempted this in an ACHA game, I would have been done for at least the season.

I know that hockey is a violent sport, and I know Vermette is ok, but that move is unexcusable. A hockey helmet is designed to withstand a solid piece of rubber hitting it at 100 MPH. It is a sturdy instrument, and could easily kill someone if it’s smashed into their head. Just because nothing did happen to Vermette doesn’t meant that Artyukin should be let off this easily. It was essentially assault with a deadly weapon. Artyukin should not only be suspended for the rest of the season, but should be charged with a crime.

I play hockey, I know the sport. I know it’s violent, and shit happens. I have been the target of many cheap shots, and have cheap shot people a thousand times myself. Nothing like this though. This was a blatant attempt to hurt someone, and should have a much greater punishment than a two game suspension.

Click Here to go to the article on ESPN.com, which includes a video of the incident

Boom Goes the Dynamite!

I’m sure most people have already seen this clip, but I didn’t feel like writing anything today, and the clip is fucking hilarious. I feel bad for this guy. I do the same thing he does, sports updates for my school. Luckily I’m on the radio though, so no one knows what I look like when I fuck up hardcore, and I have a much better producer than this show, who knows to cut to commercial if I start fucking up this bad.

#42

Pat Tillman is a Hero. He is a legend. His story will live on forever. Here in Tempe, at his alma mater Arizona State University, there is not a single person that is more respected and honored than Mr. Tillman.

For those of you who don’t know the story, first punch yourself continuously in the face until you realize what an idiot you are, and then continue reading. Tillman was killed in 2004 during a tour of Afghanistan. He played football side-by-side with Jake Plummer at ASU, and led the Sun Devils to the 1997 Rose Bowl, where they were one play away from winning their first national championship. He was then drafted by the Arizona Cardinals, where he played a few seasons, before turning down a $3.6 million contract extension, so he could go serve his country in the military. During a skirmish, Tillman was shot and killed. Tillman was initially believed to be killed by enemy forces, but it later surfaced that he was killed by friendly-fire in a crossfire situation.

Today, the Army opened up a criminal investigation into the matter, looking to charge a fellow ranger with negligent homicide. Looking back on the life of this man, I do not believe that this investigation should continue. Tillman dropped his whole life and went into the army to protect his country. He knew what a dangerous job it was going to be, and he wanted to be a part of that. He wanted to fight for his right to live in America, and he did a damn good job. He is a role-model for thousands, and should be a role model for everyone. Tillman understood the dangers of death, and continued anyway. He knew that it could be friendly fire, enemy fire, or any other number of reasons that might lead to injury. He took that risk.

By investigating the matter, the army is putting the blame on someone. Think of how hard it is for the man who knows he accidentally shot a nations hero. His life must be a living hell already. Is the army’s goal to make it worse? To put a man in front of an entire nation, and say “This is the man that killed Pat Tillman.”

I don’t believe Pat Tillman would want it that way. He put his life on the line, and knew the risks involved. His name will live on forever alongside words like “Hero” and “Role Model.” He was the most unselfish person I have ever heard about. He wouldn’t want to ruin another mans life.

Click on the Pat Tillman Fund link on the right side of the page for more information, or to donate money to one of the best charities around.

If you like sports, don't move to Phoenix

Growing up in Denver, I came under the impression that the local sports teams were respected and cheered for no matter what. No matter what kind of season the Broncos had, people would be at the games. Lose by the biggest margin in Super Bowl history, and there is still a parade thrown in your honor. One of the worst teams in baseball still holds the single-season attendance record, and Coors Field continues to draw one of the biggest crowds league wide. A Nuggets team, who only made the playoffs once in the 10 years before Carmello arrived, has one of the biggest fan-bases in professional sports. And then there are the Avalanche, who have sold out a record 472 consecutive games. November 9^th, 1995, was the last time an Avs game was not sold out. That means all-time, there were less than a dozen Avs games that weren’t sold out.

Yeah, that's the number of people present during the game.

Then I moved down to Phoenix for school, and one of the first events I attended was an Avalanche vs. Coyotes game at Glendale Arena. Pathetic is the only way to describe the atmosphere. Only about 40% of the stadium was full, and of those 7,000 or so fans, I would estimate about 5,000 were rooting for the Avalanche. How is a team supposed to thrive when the only fans that attend their games are the away teams fans? The Arizona Cardinals play at our football stadium, Sun Devil Stadium. While living in the dorms, every Sunday I would see the crowd rush in and out of the stadium. Again, less than half (only about 25%) of the stadium was full, and well over half of those fans were rooting for the opposing team. A Diamondbacks game had the same statistics. A pathetically filled stadium, with most of the fans against the home team. The only team that has any real fans is the Suns, and that is only because they were good last year.

It’s no wonder that the only championship brought to the Valley was the Diamondbacks in 2001. The only reason they had any fans was because they were still essentially an expansion team, and the fans hadn’t yet lost their interest. Phoenix is one of the youngest big cities in America. We just overtook Philadelphia as the 5^th largest metro area in the country, with over 3 million people in the city. With that kind of number, you would assume that a stadium of 20,000 (Suns, Coyotes), 50,000 (Diamondbacks), even 80,000 (Cardianls) would fill up. In any other city of 3 million people, you could find 1/40 of those people to attend games. In Phoenix, it just isn’t happening. That’s why my only advice is, if you love sports, don’t move here.

Defending the Kingdom

There was a time, about a month ago, when it looked like North Carolina might not even make it to March Madness. This isn’t the case anymore, as UNC is now ranked 15^th and has pretty much locked-in a spot. However, what would the tourney have been like without the ‘Heels, the defending national champions?

I think that it should be made mandatory that the reigning champion has one of the 65 slots in the tournament, even if they are stuck with the play-in game. In the pro’s, it’s not uncommon for a team to win the championship, and then dismantle their whole team (cough, Florida Marlins, cough cough). When a team doesn’t make it to the playoffs the next year, it’s usually not the same team at all, so they shouldn't have the right to defend their championship. There are rarely more than a handful of players from the previous years team. That’s not the case in college though. Teams hold on to a good chunk of their players, and even those that leave, it’s not like they go to another team. They leave completely. They were the champions the year before, and even if they might have a slump, it should be their right to defend their title. Just as all the conferences get an automatic bid, the defending champion should “win” an automatic bid for the next year along with their championship run.

Duke Sucks (Thanks Fark)

I hate Duke. I don’t’ know why exactly. Maybe it’s because I used to like Kentucky. I don’t know why I did that either. Anyway… thank the lord that someone finally beat them. These kids are going to Duke. They are going to be rich one way or another, whether it’s from basketball, or from becoming a lawyer. And I hate lawyers too. I love to see Duke get disappointed, especially by a team that a week ago had “lost their chance to make the tournament,” according to the “Senior Bracketologist” at ESPN, whoever the fuck that is. The main reason I’m glad it’s Florida State that won though, and not some other team like UConn or Villanova:

There aren’t girls like these in Connecticut or Tennessee. And now FSU is almost guaranteed a tourney spot, so we get to see fans like this on TV for another few weeks at least.

Just a sidenote: I go to ASU, so it's not like I don't see girls like this everyday anyway. Basketball isn't my favorite sport in the world though, so when there are girls like this in the crowd it helps keeps me entertained with the game a little more.