Dear Mr. Checketts,

[killbilly]

First, let me say thank you for having some clue. You are on the right track with this whole traditional club name thing. But, you are still missing it by a hair. If you want to do it right you only have a couple options for "good" team names; Salt Lake F.C./S.C., Salt Lake 1847, Salt Lake 1848, or Salt Lake 1851. Sorry but thats it.

Secondly, the color situation is also very limited and hinges on what Dallas does as well. You have three options that I can see, Orange and Blue, Green and White, or Sliver/Gray and Maroon. You can't use red, black or blue as primary colors they are all over done in the league, yes your marketing kids are going to tell you that those three colors will sell more but 12 red teams in one league is just plain crazy.

Finally, I would like to tell you good luck and I pray that you make the right choices.

Lovingly Yours,
Killbilly

[the cup]

Dear Mr. Checketts,

Let me first thank you for bringing MLS to Utah, something I never dreamed would be a reality. I will repay you by purchasing season tickets and supporting the club. Hopefully thousands of others will do the same.

With respects to the name. Its your team, name it what you want. City Loyalists will support it the same. However, it will be easier to support the club if it goes by Alliance SLC or SLC Highlanders. I might get a headache if I have to explain to others not familiar with the game what Real means. And the thought of Glory has already caused me to loose too much sleep. Feel free to use the names Utah Wolves FC, SLC Silver Knights, or Great Salt Lake Dragons, I won't mind.

Oh, when comming up with plans for the new stadium. Have you ever seen one of Barcelona's home games? They have this little track that runs along the sideline with a camera attatched to a little car that runs on said track. It provides an incredible camera angle as the ball is being played down the side. That would be cool to have in our stadium.

Also, I'm sure you've seen many games from England but notice how many of the stadiums have the seats comming right down onto the ground, level with the pitch. The new stadiums in Columbus and LA still have the seats a few feet off of the ground, especially in LA. Lets be different, lets bring the fans right down level with the playing field.

Lastly, big flags and smoke add to the atmosphere, as I'm sure you are aware. You can get some pretty good smoke bombs in Evanston Wy, I'll bring some if thats ok, at least we could give it a try.

Sincerely, The Cup

PS What kind of prices are we looking at for a hot dog and a Coke?

[Czar Pazzo]

Like others, I first want to thank you for bringing an MLS team to Utah. I will be among season ticket holders. I'm sure there will be many thousands of us excited to support the team.

Name the team whatever you want. We all have our own opinions, some good (me), and some bad (Brian in Boston). But we will support the team regardless. However, I must admit that "Glory" has caused me to lose sleep too.

The Cup had some great ideas. Camera-friendly stadia and seats close to the action, for example. I also think flags are imperative.

I hope there will be bumper stickers, jerseys, t-shirts, and other gear available soon. Maybe you could throw in a bumper sticker to every season ticket buyer. Any way we can get the word out and advertise for the team is good.

Thanks again,
Czar Pazzo

[Bryan Gividen]

Dear Mr. Checkets,

I am MR. EDWARD MAKOBA, I got to know of you courtesy of International Business Bureau here in Abidjan (Ivory Coast). Sequent to my zeal towards foreign investment and also security for my life and my possession, I therefore write to give you a Break-down of this proposal.

I was the personal confidant to the president of Sierra-Leone (ALH. TEJAN KABBAH) who was formerly pushed out of office by a military coup carried out by disgruntled soldiers. However, when these soldiers strucked His Excellency was forced to run into Guinea Conakry on exile, some of his closest aids left for some other countries. While these events took place I decided to move to Ctte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) with my family and a treasure containing the total sum of US $12.000.000 (Twelve Million US Dollars) which was part of the cash left under my control within the presidential mansion where I was in charge of securities.

Right now the situation in my country has returned normal and I do not want to go back. I am seeking for a partner who shall serve as the guardian of this fund with whom I can plan the best way to move this money for investment purposes which is my motive for contacting you to actualise the project.

1) That you shall be required to provide a good Bank account where the money could be transferred and where taxation will not take much toll on the money.
2) That you shall serve as the general overseer and guardian of this fund and all investment thereafter.
3) To assist in providing me and my immediate family a permanent residential permit in your country after the money must have been transferred to your account.

For these services a suitable percentage (%) will be mapped out for you after you have shown your willingness to assist. So if you are interested reply me via email for further details.

Having stated the above clearly, I expect to receive your response soonest as I do not intend to have this transaction delayed.

Please treat this as highly confidential.

Thank you and God Bless.

Yours Truly, EDWARD MAKOBA

[prk166]

First, let me say thank you for having some clue. You are on the right track with this whole traditional club name thing. But, you are still missing it by a hair. If you want to do it right you only have a couple options for "good" team names; Salt Lake F.C./S.C., Salt Lake 1847, Salt Lake 1848, or Salt Lake 1851. Sorry but thats it.

Yes, yes, those can only be the good names, especially on the year thing. Because as we've seen with other pro sports teams in this country they too nealy exclusively have a year in their name refering to some important year in the state or cities history. There's tons of them such as the San Francisco 49ers... and... welll... errrrrr.... excuse me for a moment while I try to remember all the others.

[dysko]

Yes, yes, those can only be the good names, especially on the year thing. Because as we've seen with other pro sports teams in this country they too nealy exclusively have a year in their name refering to some important year in the state or cities history. There's tons of them such as the San Francisco 49ers... and... welll... errrrrr.... excuse me for a moment while I try to remember all the others.

Philadelphia 76ers... and a little thing we called the Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776).

[Bill Schmidt]

Dear Mr. Checkets,

I am MR. EDWARD MAKOBA, I got to know of you courtesy of International Business Bureau here in Abidjan (Ivory Coast). Sequent to my zeal towards foreign investment and also security for my life and my possession, I therefore write to give you a Break-down of this proposal.

I was the personal confidant to the president of Sierra-Leone (ALH. TEJAN KABBAH) who was formerly pushed out of office by a military coup carried out by disgruntled soldiers. However, when these soldiers strucked His Excellency was forced to run into Guinea Conakry on exile, some of his closest aids left for some other countries. While these events took place I decided to move to Ctte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) with my family and a treasure containing the total sum of US $12.000.000 (Twelve Million US Dollars) which was part of the cash left under my control within the presidential mansion where I was in charge of securities.

Right now the situation in my country has returned normal and I do not want to go back. I am seeking for a partner who shall serve as the guardian of this fund with whom I can plan the best way to move this money for investment purposes which is my motive for contacting you to actualise the project.

1) That you shall be required to provide a good Bank account where the money could be transferred and where taxation will not take much toll on the money.
2) That you shall serve as the general overseer and guardian of this fund and all investment thereafter.
3) To assist in providing me and my immediate family a permanent residential permit in your country after the money must have been transferred to your account.

For these services a suitable percentage (%) will be mapped out for you after you have shown your willingness to assist. So if you are interested reply me via email for further details.

Having stated the above clearly, I expect to receive your response soonest as I do not intend to have this transaction delayed.

Please treat this as highly confidential.

Thank you and God Bless.

Yours Truly, EDWARD MAKOBA

Oh this ranks in the TOP 10 funniest posts I've ever read. It is probably in the top two.

Since I got drawn into posting by that post, rather than just reading the letters, now I am forced to balance my praise of the joke with a positive comment.

I love the letters. I hope you actually send them. Checketts will see how very different MLS fans are. He will certainly be happy to find that he's entering a sport where the customers help sell the product and feel like they are part of a community with owners, players, and business people working to develop the sport in America.

[Bill Schmidt]

Philadelphia 76ers... and a little thing we called the Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776).

also minor league baseball: Inland Empire 66ers of the Cal League. There have to be others if you get into all the college teams.

[Blitzz Boy]

Yours Truly, EDWARD MAKOBA

Go ahead & laugh, but guys that send out E Mails like this have more money than & are more honest than some people who have owned pro soccer teams in this country.

[Blitzz Boy]

Dear Mr. Checketts,


PS What kind of prices are we looking at for a hot dog and a Coke?

Ask Utah Man Rabble Rabble. Rice Eccles will be running concessions for a while.

How much is Mr Checketts going to charge for a St Provo Girl once the Green Jello Bowl opens?

Or better yet, can we use the "Olympics" rule & de facto suspend our goofy liquor laws for the Highlanders?

(Don't tell me we didn't rewrite our liquor laws for the Olympics. You could buy booze at Frank N Furter's Castle, errrrr, City Hall and the brewpubs were serving beer in plastic cups so you could walk around on the street with it & they could turn their tables faster.)

[rabble-rabble]

Ask Utah Man Rabble Rabble. Rice Eccles will be running concessions for a while.

How much is Mr Checketts going to charge for a St Provo Girl once the Green Jello Bowl opens?

Or better yet, can we use the "Olympics" rule & de facto suspend our goofy liquor laws for the Highlanders?

(Don't tell me we didn't rewrite our liquor laws for the Olympics. You could buy booze at Frank N Furter's Castle, errrrr, City Hall and the brewpubs were serving beer in plastic cups so you could walk around on the street with it & they could turn their tables faster.)

On the subject of food, I noted in a thread in the FOOD & TRAVEL board that for football games, Rice-Eccles brings in about 10 food vendors who set up concessions stands behind the south end zone seating. Great variety and the stands have included Polynesian, Greek, Navajo Tacos, char-broiled burgers, "yuppie-coffee" stands (nothing like a double chocolate mocha to warm up at a November game in the snow), and Italian. I can usually find something I am in the mood for at the Ute games. Possibly they'll do something like that for the MLS matches. Currently the Blitzz games pretty much have the school's stands which offer hot dogs, cokes and popcorn, (with the Chile Verde stand out front).

As far as rewriting the liquor laws, while the Olympics definitely loosened things up around here for a few weeks, (when else have you been EVER able to walk down main street in Salt Lake carrying a beer), the inside of Rice-Eccles remained alcohol free for the Opening and Closing ceremonies.

[Bryan Gividen]

...I can usually find something I am in the mood for at the Ute games.....

Except for a good football team that is....

*runs off*

[seahawkdad]

Except for a good football team that is....

*runs off*Keep running...pre-season ranking is 21. How's the 'Y' doing?
...Checketts will see how very different MLS fans are. He will certainly be happy to find that he's entering a sport where the customers help sell the product and feel like they are part of a community with owners, players, and business people working to develop the sport in America.Very astute observation. A recent edition of Business Week made this point about what brands are all about. The ones that grow have what you said...customers who help sell the product. I'd never thought about soccer in the US that way, but it's true. We're collectively selling the product and Checketts just bought into a nation-wide branding activity.

And, for my family, at least one of us may be returning to Utah. My son is getting restless and is thinking of moving West. I told him about Utah's new team and I think it sold the move:cool:

[Blitzz Boy]

Keep running...pre-season ranking is 21. How's the 'Y' doing?

And if the Utes do turn out to lose a lot this year, at least Utah fans will be able to boo them.............

Maybe Checketts can use that as a marketing tool?

"Did you receive a letter saying that you are not allowed to boo your favorite college football team even if they get shut out by their biggest rival who then celebrates a conference championship & bowl bid on your field?

Then come to Salt Lake Highlanders games.

You can boo all you want.

And with Thomas Rongen coaching Nick Rimando, Chris Carrieri & Steve Shak, boy; will you get a lot of chances to boo."

[stucknutah]

And with Thomas Rongen coaching Nick Rimando, Chris Carrieri & Steve Shak, boy; will you get a lot of chances to boo."

We can only hope that only one of those four ever become Highlanders. Feel free to choose which of the four you would prefer. I'll take the short mouthy one who didn't lose his position to a developmental player. And maybe Rongen as head of player development, not as coach.

[Bryan Gividen]

And if the Utes do turn out to lose a lot this year, at least Utah fans will be able to boo them.............

Maybe Checketts can use that as a marketing tool?

"Did you receive a letter saying that you are not allowed to boo your favorite college football team even if they get shut out by their biggest rival who then celebrates a conference championship & bowl bid on your field?

Then come to Salt Lake Highlanders games.

You can boo all you want.

And with Thomas Rongen coaching Nick Rimando, Chris Carrieri & Steve Shak, boy; will you get a lot of chances to boo."

As a side note, we received no letter or reprimand of booing our own football team - though personally, I would never boo my own team. Counterproductive. I'm sure they realize being shut out for the first time in some 500 or so games to the Utes (who, by the way, only won by 3... 3-0 in American Football... I remember that it was the same weekend as the MLS final and more goals were scored in it then points were scored in the Utah-BYU game) is embarrasing as is.

[dysko]

As a side note, we received no letter or reprimand of booing our own football team.

Rean and enjoy... the memo must have been left out of your football season tickets by mistake.
http://www.sltrib.com/byucougars/ci_2390956

[Bryan Gividen]

Rean and enjoy... the memo must have been left out of your football season tickets by mistake.
http://www.sltrib.com/byucougars/ci_2390956


Well that certainly makes me look foolish.

Sorry about that.

Definitely isn't going to stop the 20,000 students or so in the stands I'll tell you that.