Gotta love this "question" to Colin Clarke from one of the local Hispanic reporters: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/soccer/stories/031004dnspoaddedtime.6e2f8f8f.html
You harvest what you plant. If some of you thought that the issues would be swept under the rug and forgotten you are nuts. People greatly dislike the GM hire. People greatly dislike the coaching hire. People greatly dislike the SI hires. People greatly dislike the direction of the team. People greatly dislike the location of the new stadium. At the moment, no one really cares, because the season has not started. However, any time that the Burn is mentioned once the regular season starts, you will hear the real hell fury sound of scorned fans. No, not at the stadium. However everywhere else. For those of you with weak stomaches that could not handle the polite exchanges on this board. All I can advise, is for you to put on your helmets, buckle your chinstraps, and look the other way. I tell you that the DFW is passionate about its soccer. At the moment that soccer has been kidnapped from its rightful owners, the people. I feel sorry for the employees and players that didn't have a thing to do with the moronic decisions of the off season.
Ok seriously who are these "people." Other than you, Bayardo (and his conies), former coach paleaz, and one hispanic reporter... I personally don't know anyone that fits the 5 statements you make. Are you actaully claiming that every other fan out there agrees with these statements? I would bet you that 90% of Burn 'fans' do not even know who the GM is. I bet you 50% of Burn 'fans' do not know who all the players are. You may be claiming that all hispanic fans agree with you, I am not that tapped into that community. But I do know quite a few fans who certainly are hispanic that do not agree with any of those statement. Listen, I would agree that there are some fans that do not like the fact hispanic players have been removed. But saying "poeple" dislike all of those things is not only misleading, but essentially wrong. There is a segment that agrees with you, but bar far the majority of the audience, hispanic or otherwise, don't follow it as closely as that. Is there going to be a vocal group that would say that? Probably. But no matter what direction you go or what moves you make you will get a negative reaction from someone. Look at how a section of fans has reacted to the idea of Club America or Chivas entering MLS. I am sure you would think it great. I think it's good to get fresh blood and money. But there are fans who are really pissed about it. Not all, not even a majority. Certainly not "people."
I'm going to go ahead and bookmark this thread so we can show theodore what a dickwad he was at the end of the season.
The Las Vegas Strip is pretty impressive. It has all sort of huge, glitzy hotels and massive, bright neon signs. Everybody should see it once in their lifetimes, because there really is nothing like it. And most of it was paid for by people who erroneously thought that "I CAN win this bet" was synonymous with "I WILL win this bet."
I think there is greater evidence that: "People greatly dislike theodore" You are one of the most negative posters I have ever seen on any board. I am not familiar with your personal situation, but is this negativity built on last year, or is this pent up over the entire history of the Burn?
I disagree with you on all counts. Hey Waffle Boy - put your money where your mouth is. What will the teams record be this year? And what will attendance be? I predict 10-12-8 and 38 points with a 4th place playoff spot. Attendance will be 11,000 per game average and IF we get the USA v Mexico game on April 28, I predict 14,000 plus average attendace. Come on Theo Huxtable - you know so much - tell us how its gonna play out.
He's been avoiding that question all offseason, what makes you think he's going to have a change of heart?
Oh it's you Peledre, How have you been my friend. Short on logic and tall on foul-mouthed comments as usual I see. What brings you to our humble little part of the board? If you had been doing a more careful job of snooping, you would have read my answer to the above question some time ago. North, we already discussed this. You didn't forget did you? Don't worry. I will be there to remind you if you forget something along the way. I want an honest answer. How many of you that have come on gnashing teeth about my observation of the DFW soccer market have some sort of financial relationship with MLS? Peledre has already admitted this, and 3rd is indirectly/directly entangled with the Burn. Who else? Why do I ask? Some are of the desperate assumption that if they rant, rave, and debate to no end on this board that they will prevail. It is the customer that you need to be working on. Don't waste your time with me. When and if I go, I will go for free. If you are indeed as worked up about your cash interests, then do what real business people do. Provide a market based product.
All this time and you still dodge the question. I challenge you theodore, to find one illogical thing I have said regarding HSG, Frisco Stadium, or the Dallas Burn, and back it up with proof. And as for your hatred for Burn MGMT and John Wagner, I have an infinite amount of respect for a guy who during his summers in college: instead of working in the mall, or polishing his tan in minnesota like most college kids would do, he went and ran his own business and worked 80+ hours a week in a different part of the country for every summer of his college career. There may be a few guys out there smarter than him, but I guarantee you nobody will outwork him.
I guess I see why you are staying away from predictions theodore, let's not forget your fantastic first entry into the Most Disillusioned Posts on BigSoccer contest.
Entangled? I would like to think that I am as entangled as Steve Davis of the Dallas Morning News or Tobias Lopez of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram is. The only difference in my mind is that I don't get paid to cover the Burn. But I do work in professional media. I try as much as possible to be impartial and independent on my website. I do come on here and post my opinion from time to time, and Steve and Tobias don't. You probably feel I am entangled as I happen to disagree with you on this subject. There have been times when I have agreed with you as well. I have many negative opinions of the Burn. I happen to agree that the Burn under Hunt have not paid enough attention to the hispanic market. I just don't feel that Hispanic players is the answer. I also don't think that the sky is falling. I also don't feel that current leadership are "morons." Are there things I would do differently? Sure. I think for the most part I walk a fine line of trying to convey WHY certain moves are made and what the thinking is behind them. Do I agree with these reasons? Yes and No. For example I have long said I did not like the LA trade last season. I have tried to explain what Jeffries said were his reasons. My opinion of that trade and my attempts to explain it are totally seperate. So the Burn hire me to do their radio show. And they send me to preseason. Frankly props to them for sending and hiring someone like me who tries to take an objective look. They could just send someone from their PR office like they did the first few years. They could just have Brad and Players on the radio show. There have been several times in the past when they have been quite angry with me for reporting or commenting on something. Just becasue you don't agree with me does not make me "entangled."
Regarding hispanics and the Burn, I have now promised out 12 tickets to hispanics and at least nine were Really Excited about getting them.
My only financial realtionship with MLS is the hundreds of dollars I pour annually into MLS by buying tickets to games, TV packages, replica jerseys and weak collateral merchandise. As far as serving the customer - moving back to the Cotton Bowl was the first big step. The fact this helps sponsorship is a bonus. Step 2: This team HAS been overhauled. Maybe not the way you would have done it, but so what, you seem a bit erratic at times. Like me maybe. Compare last season's opening line up with this season's. How many starters match up - 4? Maybe less. Step 3: Frisco ground breaking. A brand new stoccer stadium the Burn run. How is that not serving teh DFW soccer customer. Too far way for you? For $10 million - any MLS soccer stadium within driving distance is a good deal since the City of Dallas isn't giving away land downtown. There are more - but since you seem solely fixated on the last names of the coaches and players none of this is relavant to you.
Theo, most who either support the Burn or engage you in this forum have been broadly dissed by you as either racist, self-interested, sugar-coated cheerleaders, or gringo suburban dilettantes. Your shrill negativity ceased offending me when I realized that you really enjoy playing the provocateur and that you represent a cabal, if any, who have never provided (and will never provide) any reliable economic support for the team and will be dissatisfied regardless of investor effort. Theo as periodic entertainment, great; Theo, as occasional reminder to the emperor that he wears nothing, great; but Theo, as spokesman for the Dallas soccer fan of any stripe, I'm not buying it.
Inferno man.. Did you "give" them the tickets for free. If so, sure they were thrilled. Try to get a bunch of them to buy the tickets and you might find a different reaction. And, Theo is right to a degree. There is a lot of "people" who won't be going to the games anymore..I know alot of Latins and don't know any who will support the Burn this year. And since we are talking about Latins, does anybody even care anymore about Pareja?? The team gets a new guy who hasn't even played yet and only practice three times and people just erase his name from the team?? Ne even a mention in the paper when talking about the Burn. He was two time burn mvp and two years ago was on the MLS best 11. One bad "Sucklake" season and a couple of minor injurys and he is done??In case we forgot everybody sucked last season..
What's to talk about? I loved watching Pareja and I love how he tries to honor the shirt everytime he plays, but he is old (read: limited future) and enters another season with an injury. I hope he gets healthy because we could use his leadership, especially late in matches, but I think it would be silly to count on him for a major role given the aforementioned problems.
Well, I don't see myself as anyone's spokesman. I hold my own opinions and I appreciate everyone else's non-spin original ideas. I do want to clear my name of some baseless accusations with plain and simple facts. Boring and pointless, but I do not like folks lying about me. North and Peledre: Don’t be spreading lies. They only make you look as though you have something to hide. Look at my response. North, you were on this thread and full well know that I answered the call. https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=97757&perpage=15&pagenumber=2 Peledre, scrolling down to your last post you clearly stated peanut butter. I take that to mean you are a nutty buttered bread boy or simply disingenious. https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=96527&perpage=15&pagenumber=4 As to your friend John Wagner, I don’t think he is the dolt you make him out to be. I am beginning to see that he just doesn’t like certain groups of people.
So hiding your post in a quote of Northside's post and failing to answer the attendance questions constitute "Answering the Call" as you put it? If I had any idea what you are talking about here I'd be able to formulate some kind of response.
Well - you kinda answered the question. You said Which means you think they'll finsih 9th or 10th. But they can finish 1 point our of teh palyoffs of 12 points out. Big difference and one woudl be an improvement over the other. I want a prediction of the teams record and attendance. Just for the record. But you have not answered the repeated question. Actually I think John Wagner is a dolt but has nothing against certain types of people. I think he can negotiate a good deal with ISD and county officials but he doesn't know jacksh** about how to run a soccer team. Not much anyhow. But maybe he doesn't have to know if he lets GE and Colin Clarke run the show - but I am still not sure if he's learned that yet.
OK Theo - I went to the thread, thinking I must have missed your answer. Here is what I found: You seem to have missed part A on question 2. To wit: 2. What will the Burn's record be in 2004? The answer should be in the form of numbers. If you wish to just make general statements about how many factors there are that can change everything - that's a fine (and truthful) statement, BUT - it is not the answer. Hesitant to support all your big talk and strongly held opinions with an educated estimate of how you think the team will fare? Fine - but your lack of a forthright response is being perceived as wimpiness and not being willing o back up your theories and beliefs with a numeric projection of what the season standings will look like. Seems like you are afraid that the variables People don't like will turn out to be good choices (oh no!) and that things will go better than you predict (oh the shame!) So, come on Theo - express your negativity and sense of foreboding numerically. Hint: the answers are 5 numbers How many Burn wins? How many Burn loses? How many Burn ties? Total points earned? (3 for a win, 1 for a tie) Average attendance for regular season?
It just seems bizarre to me that any team in this day and age in the USA would hire a guy to be a sports executive who was a racist or that any racist would have a desire to be a sports executive. Is Lamar Hunt such an idiot that he wouldn't cover this aspect with his executive selection - maybe ask him what vision he has for marketing the sport. Just because you don't specifically cater/patronize a certain ethnic group (affirmative action style) doesn't make you a racist. Its almost like Theodore is suggesting that Wagner is somehow getting thrills out of keeping the Burn fanbase "lilywhite" or something. The fact remains that in order to put the stadium package together, Wagner needed: 1) relatively inexpensive land 2) a supportive local government (not prone to corruption, interest peddling, excessive zoning restrictions, etc) 3) partners in financing (i.e. either a wealthy and willing municipality, school distract, and/or other public partner) 4) a decent population density 5) room for a training facility Other factors that are nice would be, but are more negotiable include: 1) other attractions (bars, restaurants, etc) near the stadium 2) plenty of parking and/or 3) relatively easy transportation/access 4) a safe area of town There simply are not many downtown type places that you can wrap all of these things together. That is why the stadium is where it is. As far as the marketing goes - there are many ways to skin a cat. I am sure that Wagner takes a value approach to the whole marketing dilemma. What are the largest demographic groups that we can reasonably expect to draw from? What types and costs of advertising are effective with each group? How reliable an audience is group x? To be honest - as a completely independant observer without an ax to grind in this fight - I sometimes wonder why MLS executives even bother about the IMMIGRANT (with a capital I) fan groups at all. At DC we have plenty of fans with diverse backgrounds. And some of them are the first to admit that sucking up to El Salvadoran fans as a block was one of the worst moves DC ever made. The fans were fickle. They supported the team only so much as it put their interests first and they were abusive to other fans. If Theodore's tone is the average response from IMMIGRANT (ALL CAPS) fan groups - than you probably don't want that much negativity around anyway. Passion is great, but not if it is a passion that burns everybody around it. I would think that true Burn fans (just like true DC fans) don't give a flip what the other fans beside them look like as long as they are not constantly running down the team, looking down at one another and abusing each other. As far as having to go far to see your team. Join the crowd. Wouldn't you expect the most passionate fans to be the ones most willing to find a way to the game? Be glad that you have top-flight soccer within an hour's drive. 150+ million Americans (or something like that) don't. No amount of marketing can overcome the negativity and criticism of a collective group of people who are out to be destructive to a well-meaning organization. Lamar Hunt has invested too much in Dallas, MLS and the US Soccer community as a whole to be held up as such a pariah. It just doesn't make any sense. It may take Wagner, Hunt and others a little time - but at least they are making efforts to a) improve the team b) improve the fan amenities c) be responsive to the fans d) increase the value and quality of the overall product What can any of these guys possibly have done to make someone as bitter as this Hispanic "reporter", the assistant coach and people like Theodore?