Greetings from Dallas!
The NFL, for reasons only known to them, are pushing this year's "location" as being "North Texas."
Whatever.
It all smells like Dallas to me.
Yes, the new JerrahWorld is indeed, in ARLINGTON, Texas, which is it's own distinct CITY, that has nothing to do with Dallas, other than the fact that it's only 20 minutes away.
And yes, Arlington residents ponied up something like $236 million to help Jerry build his palace. So I get why they are a touch sensitive.
Here are the associated slogans with all of the satellite cities here in the Dallas area.
Addison: "We're Glad Your Here!"
Arlington: "And The Crowd Goes Wild"
Dallas: "Live Large. Thing Big."
Denton: "Discover Denton."
Fort Worth: "City of Cowboys and Culture."
Frisco: "Texas's Rising Star."
Lewisville: "Deep Roots, Broad Wings, Bright Future."
And then these places had no slogan, or at least not any that were part of their official "logo."
Plano, Richardson, Grapevine, Irving, and Farmers Branch CVB.
This is like last year's Super Bowl, which was called "South Florida" and NOT Miami. Geographically, this was accurate, but pointless. Who cares if the Media Center is in Ft. Lauderdale, and Joe Robbie Stadium is in suburban Miami Gardens, and all the great parties with the smokin' hot 20-something's are in South Beach?
Just call it, Miami.
Next year, the Super Bowl lands in Indianapolis. Not because it would be a good place to be for a week in February, if you are covering the event. It's there only because the NFL has been rewarding anybody with a new stadium, with a Super Bowl at some point in the near future.
When the built Lucas Oil Stadium, you just knew a Super Bowl was coming.
Ditto the new Meadowlands.
Of course, every year here in the media room, the next year's city sets up a "visitor's booth" just in case you need to secure a dinner reservation 371 days in advance.
Indy now has a booth set up, where there slogan for next year's game is this: "Get Your Winter On. It's Cool."
Okay, so they are no trying to hide the obvious. Take a perceived weakness, and turn it into a strength.
But seriously. "Get Your Winter On?"
With due respect, Indianapolis, most of us have been wearing our winter for some time now, and we're fucking sick of it.
The Super Bowl should be played in the following cities, on a rotating basis. Period. Ready?
San Diego, Tampa, Miami, New Orleans, and Arizona.
Then just rotate.
These cities provide either an excellent chance of good weather, and sufficient things to do for media and fans who decide to spend some vacation time in advance, leading up to the game.
The league won't do this, however, because they like the ongoing bribery of cities throwing themselves at the league's feet to host such a game.
This week, and this city, could be very good, however. JerrahWorld was simply BUILT to hold this game, and the Dallas/Fort Worth area (yes, "north Texas", groan) has plenty of things to do for a week.
The weather, however, is not cooperating.
Next three days: HIGH temps of 31, 24, and 28 degrees.
Oh, joy.
And, did I mention that there is a cabbie strike going on right now? Apparently, Dallas decided to let electric/hybrid cabs cut to the front of the line at the airport. Great.
Should be a fun week. We'll keep you posted.
Czabe,
ReplyDeleteLet me just start off by saying that I have been a fan for a LONG time and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future. Starting with the nights of "Where You At?/Whatchyou Haulin?" and carrying all of the way through the podcast-only Czabalonian Captivity, I've stuck by my boys. Nothing I'm about to write will change that.
So here it is. We are still 53 weeks out from the 2012 Super Bowl and it has already begun. It comes as no surprise, though I had hoped we would make it a few months longer before it would raise its head. If you put your ear to the ground, you, too, can hear it. What are you listening for? The high-pitched nasally whine of a thousand spoiled brats.
The week leading up to Super Bowl XXXIX produced some truly horrible radio. Host after host, radio personality after radio personality came on the air to bitch and complain about the city of Jacksonville. There wasn't enough to do. The nightlife sucked, The hotels were too far away from the action. And on and on it went. I remember thinking to myself, "God forbid we ever get a Super Bowl. If they think Jacksonville sucks, wait until they get a taste of Indy in February." Sadly, that was the first thought that ran through my mind a few years later when I heard the announcement that we would be hosting in 2012.
This city has hosted the NBA Finals, a hundred and twenty-five Indianapolis 500's, multiple Final Fours, and several other lesser but still significant sporting events (Brickyard 400, Pan Am Games, US Olympic Trials for Swimming/Diving/Gymnastics, etc). All of that will pale in comparison to the Super Bowl. It has already transformed the skyline of our downtown with Big Blue (the new JW Marriott property). It's kind of a big deal for this cow town. Yet, instead of basking in the glow of the national attention and showcasing our city as a great place to live and do business, we'll have to listen to the media elite bitch and moan about how they would rather be somewhere else.
I believe I speak for your entire listening audience when I say that we really have no sympathy for you at all during this week. You are GETTING PAID to do something that most of us can only dream of being able to AFFORD to do. While we are heading to our depressing 9-5 jobs, you will be hob-nobbing with NFL greats. As I'm coming home from the third job I recently picked up, you will be "forced" to attend swanky parties with beautiful people. Then, on top of all of this (and this is what really gets me riled up), YOU ARE GOING TO GET PAID TO GO TO AND COVER THE F'ING SUPER BOWL!!
STFU already. You are living the dream. However, if years on the job have made you callous to that fact, I have an offer for you. In 2012, I'll be you for a day and you can be me. One day during Super Bowl week, you can report to the fire department for me. Later in the day, you can run a school gym and enjoy some of the finest 5th and 6th grade "B" level basketball you have ever seen. It's FAN-tastic. Then, when it's all over, you can clean up everyone else's mess. In the meantime, I'll "drag" myself down to radio row and "suffer" through interviewing MVP's and big league shot callers. I'll suck it up and attend Media Day or somehow find a way to enjoy a nice meal at Ruth's Chris or St. Elmo's. I guess I'll even head out to the parties if I really have to. My gig really isn't that bad, but I'd make this trade with you once, seeing how you've provided so much entertainment for me over the years. It's the least I could do.
Let me know either way.
In the meantime, here are my two attempts at a new slogan:
1. Super Bowl XLVI. It's in Indy. Get over it.
2. 2012: The year we get screwed...
Thank you Trev.
ReplyDeleteNo shit!!! STFU and report Czaben - boohoo for you that the city doesn't have nice enough weather for you. Had to listen to the same BS when Jacksonville had the super bowl and now this.
ReplyDeleteGood comments everyone..Czabe is pissed because it is not warm enough to hit the links..quit your bitchin like everyone has said. On top of the steak dinners you are getting, you get to check out the hot babes at the strip clubs at night..oh and by the way you can always go to the Maxim party down there..tough job Czabe.
ReplyDeleteWaaaah, It's cold. Waaaah, They're not calling it Dallas. Waaaah, Only the cities I like should host the SB. Fuck you Steve Czaben. Get over it.
ReplyDeleteCzabe:
ReplyDeleteThe answer is simple and I am actually surprised the NFL hasn't done it already.
Build their own stadium. Move the corporate offices there. Expand the leagues ego.
But, the playoff between cities to host the Game at the end of the year for 2 decades or more would be interesting to watch.
Add in Santa Clara California to the mix of perpetual superbowl cities as soon as that stadium is built for the 49ers... that crib is gonna blow away jerrahs world and have awesome weather year-round.
ReplyDeleteActually, Indy in Feb. 2012 will be pretty interesting. Think massive glass Habitrail, with hamster tubes connecting literally every thing bigger than a shoebox in the downtown area, and nothing is farther than 6 blocks away from anything else.
ReplyDeleteWe may be a little low-key and Midwestern (and the nation's largest city without a navigable body of water) but give us our due- we do these big events pretty well. You'll have fun here, and you've got a lot of fans in town.
I am and have been a huge Czabe-file for years, but I have to agree 110% with Trev and others echoing his sentiments about the SB locale. What's so appealing about you, Czabe, is your voice of the everyday guy. However, you're way off base on this one Czabe, and you should really man up and admit it publicly (or on your website).
ReplyDeleteAs a side note, I'm from Green Bay and am so thankful we're not even close to having enough strip clubs, er, infrastructure, to host a SB. Our dirty secret that this tiny town is a cold, godforsaken shithole with less than zero to do would be out to EVERYONE.
Here, here, everyone, especially you, Trev. As a huge Colts fan living in Virginia, my wife and I make the trek to Indy every year for a game. We love to eat, go out, and shop (well, she does at least). Guess what? Indy has ALL of this. There are at least a dozen hotels within easy walking distance to the stadium, and others within a few minutes drive/taxi.
ReplyDeleteThis column is as annoying as when Kornheiser slammed Jacksonville years ago for the Super Bowl. I've come to the determination that most of these guys are a-holes who live in the same fantasy world as the athletes they write about.
Isn't PLANO's slogan something like "Drug-addicted white teenagers capitol of the world"?
ReplyDeleteSteve,
ReplyDeleteWill there be an official apology to Andy Pollin (Andy Pollie!!! from the old days with Tony Kornheiser) about the weather in Dallas and your 'flip out' at him, on this.
Love your shows in the morning and afternoon
Julie
Czabe is right, you expect a little better for the Super Bowl. In fact, you expect the best. This week is like having the Jets playing the Bears on Sunday.
ReplyDeleteRant all you want, Czabe. Some on the mark. Some...not so much.
ReplyDeleteBut, last time I checked (OK. I didn't really HAVE to check...), Arizona was NOT a city.
The irony is many media elite will bitch about spoiled athletes, but when the media think the week is about them (the week leading to the Super Bowl) they turn into what they bitched about all along.
ReplyDelete