Good read in this week's "The Fly" section: http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/05.26.04/fly-0422.html
Nice cynical finish to the piece...and poor reporting to boot, not to acknowledge that some of the $65 million for the soccer complex is already in place and will not come from The Fly's own wallet. Cross Metro off the list of potential Earthquakes sponsors... Interesting, too that the former CyberRays GM is part of the baseball organization. Just shows to go you that the two sports are not mutually exclusive (in fact, I think they're more similar than soccer purists are willing to admit).
I don't know. My read of it suggests that the figureheads seem to be holding a "can do" attitude about the possibilities. So long as they are not dismissing it out of hand, as most of the Bay Area media does with soccer, then I'd say there is a fighting chance...better than no chance at all. Hell, if we jump in bed with the A's to get this done, fine! Sew an elephant patch on one of our sleeves! Let's just GET IT DONE! Side note*** See, Spartacus...here's that groundswell of optimism and blind devotion in SJ that I was sniffing for!
When it comes to the politicos and the NIMBY's, suffice it to say that in this case I'll "believe" it when I see it. Give me a shovel in the ground, then I'll "believe".
That shovel will either be to break ground on our new stadium or to bury my lifeless body if the Quakes move away and extinguish my will to live.
"They're actually quite complementary. Baseball is for people over 70; soccer is for anyone younger." Ha! Good one.
Funny. But untrue. Soccer rules in my house. But baseball is second. It's silly to argue that you can't be fans of both.
Soccer rules in my house as well. However, if I'm looking to take a nap on the couch I'll turn on a baseball game or golf.
You know, I can almost understand why someone would play golf. (The six pack in the cart helps) But watching it on tv? Baffling.
Yeah, I read one of those, thinking it was like "Metro" in London and Glasgow, and it isn't. It's pretty low-intensity writing. Speaking from inside the news business, judging by the quality of the writing and grammar, I would guess the writers for that paper are college students or moonlighting second-income people. It's probably a good step after your high school or college paper if you want to work your way up to Rolling Stone.
I wasn't so much interested in this article because of the quality of the writing or even because of the general tone of the article. What I found encouraging was that this issue is even on the radar screen of the Metro and its readers. This rag tends to serve a 'young/hip' readership who are generally more interested in which floggers are playing at which club. The fly section tends to serve simply to denigrate city and county officials. Therefore, to me it was telling that they editors are even aware of the quakes and the stadium issue. I guess they really DO read the Merc! Anyway - I basically go with the view here that "no publicity is bad publicity" and I will take this article as yet another voice weighing in on the relative price/benefit advantage of building an SSS over most other envisioned public works projects currently being discussed in San Jose. I think we're starting to get some traction and support on this issue - I just hope it's in time!
"After all, if there's land available on which to build a stadium, why shouldn't that land be given to the big-league championship team already here? Folks, this is good press.
Of course you can be fans of both. But the reason some people find it funny is because there's a grain of truth in what I wrote. I occasionally go to a Giants game and I'm astounded at the apparent difference between the average age of the fans at Pac Bell Park and the average age at a Quakes match. While there are many more Giants fans than Quakes fans over the age of, say 40... I'm not sure that among people under 20, the Quakes aren't just about even. Which is astounding when you consider the millions of dollars the Giants get in free publicity week in and week out from Radio, TV and newspapers across Northern California and in the national press as well. By the way, I used to love baseball, and I still like it, although I hate the way MLB has bastardized the game. I'll think it's really funny this year when Mexico or Dominican Rep. wins the Olympic Gold medal.
No doubt about it. And your point about the under 20's is well taken. My kids (5 and 8) see tons of soccer--they are growing up with it as part of the sports landscape in this country in a way most of us never did. It's awesome.
Which is exactly what the Metro editors did with that complete about-face non sequitur at the end about "open your wallets everyone". I mean, how do you go from "after all, if there's land available on which to build a stadium, why shouldn't that land be given to the big-league championship team already here?" to the accusation that the politicos are out to frivolously spend your money? Come on, Metro, you can't have it both ways. If a soccer complex is a good idea, it's a good idea...and for good ideas to flourish on County land you'll need the support of the County leadership whether you like them or not. So swallow your pride and take a stand...if you're for it, stand up and say so regardless of whether it makes you look like you're agreeing with a (gaasp!) political entity.
I know the guy who wrote the stadium piece for "The Fly" column, and he's annoyed that the editors -- according to him -- added these comments at the end of an otherwise fair blurb: Great. That will be $460 million for a baseball stadium, and another $65 million for soccer. Taxpayers, please pull out your checkbooks. FWiW, The Metro is supposed to run a piece in the next issue on the Quakes/Canada game. Hopefully the smartass editors will leave their mitts off the copy.
The last line is a bit disappointing, but this is all good news, folks... - The head of the County Board of Supervisors is headed down to Carson for a tour of HDC next month. - The city is publicly discussing a Quakes stadium - The baseball supporters appear to be getting behind both stadiums A couple weeks ago, this all appeared dead-in-the-water... Mike
I find myself in profound agreement with Noah Dahl (OMG!). A little tone of sarcasm at the end, but it shows the sport and the team is on the local radar far more clearly than what we think.