If you serve turkey testicles, they will come

Here is the most bizzare story of the day, from Ballpark Digest

The last two seasons should have been gravy time for the Sioux Falls Fighting Pheasants (independent; American Association) as the team set marks for wins. Instead, attendance is plunging after branding and concession changes. What can be done to stem the tide?

No doubt managing partner Gary Weckwerth thought he was opening a new chapter in Sioux Falls baseball after buying the team and changing the team name from Canaries to Fighting Pheasants. Along the way ballpark operations were overhauled, with Ovations brought in to run concessions, and manager Steve Shirley established a winning program on the field.

Instead of crowds swarming the Bird Cage, the opposite happened: attendance plummeted 35 percent last season to 1,922 per game, and it’s even lower this season, some 1,226 fans a game. (That number will rise in coming weeks after school lets out for the summer, though.) What went wrong?

Lots of little things, it seems. First, popular GM John Kuhn was let go. A former Goldklang Group employee and an indy-ball veteran, Kuhn brought many Veeckian touches to the ballpark, greeting fans at the gates and making his presence known throughout the game. He brought in some high-profile promotions along with some high-profile sponsors; he made headlines selling deep-fried turkey testicles, but did it with the backing of a major sponsor.

That can’t be good when you have to rely on turkey testicles to get people to come watch baseball.

 

As Pheasants struggle at gate, owners look for solutions (Ballpark Digest)

***Breaking News*** Miami Heat “very disappointed” over Game 2 loss to Mavericks

In breaking news from USAToday, we are learning that the Miami Heat are “very disappointed” at losing Game 2 in Miami the other night.

“First of all, we let one go,” Heat guard Dwyane Wade said. “We let one slip away. We’re a very confident team going into the fourth quarter when we have the lead, whether it’s one point and obviously 15.
But just looking at the film, even watching on my own, just looking at the things you felt we could have done better as a team, the little mistakes we made that they made us pay for.”

I have to wonder if the Miami Heat ever thought that maybe they are too full of themselves? Nah, probably not.

Heat ‘very disappointed’ in late Game 2 collapse (USAToday) 

Charles Barkley in a league of his own

I’m not sure if you have seen this but I think it’s pretty funny. Charles Barkley actually breaks his golf club on a drive.

Lots of people have issues with Sir Charles. I think he has much greatness.

 

 

Video: Charles Barkley shatters driver on 1st tee at Champions Tour Regions Tradition at Shoal Creek (MSF)

Wake Up Call: Dirk is better with age

From Business Insider:

Dirk Nowitzki is having the best postseason of his career, averaging 28.4  points per game, while leading the Mavericks back to the NBA Finals. Nowitzki’s  newfound dominance can be traced back to a plan hatched by his coach before the  regular season even started.

This year, Nowitzki averaged just 34.3 minutes per game. That was down over  three minutes from 2008-09 (37.7 min/g) and 2009-10 (37.5 min/g), and was his  lowest amount of playing time since his rookie year (20.4 min/g).

The fewer minutes led to Nowitzki’s lowest scoring output (23.0 ppg) in seven  years. But the benefit appears to be a Dirk with fresher legs in the NBA’s  second-season. So far, Nowitzki’s playing time in the playoffs is up to 38.9  minutes per game, which is in line with previous postseasons. Last year he  averaged 38.8 minutes and in 2008-09 he average 39.4 minutes. And despite nearly  identical playing time, his scoring is up 2.0 points per game over the last  three years, when he averaged 26.7-26.8 points.

In his older age, the fresher legs have made Nowitzki a better shooter. His  effective field goal percentage (eFG%; which weighs shots based on their point  value, a 3-pt shot is worth more than 2-pt shot) was at a career-high this  season (.545) and has continued at nearly the same rate into the postseason.

All data via Basketball-Reference.com

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ABOUT LAST NIGHT:

What you missed while wondering how to make a memorable marriage proposal.

Excuse me, but aren’t we brothers?

When butter is the new weapon of choice.

Which part of this story is the weirdest?

It’s just impossible.

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TODAY IN REX MORGAN

You can’t buy friends

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Have a great weekend, thanks for reading the blog. Have a safe and enjoyable holiday!

LA Angels fans trying to break record for wearing masks?

You just have to wonder how people come up with marketing ideas to put fans in the stands at a baseball game right?

It’s a masked ball at Angel Stadium tonight, as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the “largest gathering of people wearing costume masks,” as all fans will be presented with a complimentary Angels Wrestling Mask and asked to wear it for ten minutes.

“We are constantly looking for ways to connect and engage with our great fan base,” said Angels Vice President of Sales & Marketing Robert Alvarado. “Setting another world record to compliment last season’s blanket event will be a unique and memorable experience for our fans, and another memory during our 50th anniversary.”

If I’m a baseball player seeing this, I’m wondering how in the world 40,000 can be instructed to wear this joke for 10 minutes anywhere.

All in the name of a record? Just goes to show there’s one (or 40,000) born every minute.

Angels to break world record for fans wearing wrestling masks (Ballpark Digest)

A new season, a new attitude for the AirHogs

Last night, I had the opportunity of going to the “meet and greet” for the new Grand Prairie AirHogs baseball team called the “Taste of QuikTrip Park”. It was a great way to indeed meet the new team. I was very much impressed.

There is a ton of excitement already about just how good this team might be.

I had a chance to hear new manager Ricky VanAsselberg describe his expectations for this year:

I hit it off with Ricky right off due to his south Louisiana roots, and I have to tell you, this guy is successful, having coached for 6 years and having 5 championships under his belt. I got the feeling we are in store for lots of fun at QuickTrip Park this year.

I had a chance to meet some players. Only four players remain from last year’s roster: Greg Porter, David Espinoza, Danny Jordan, and Marcus Salmon. When I spoke to Porter I asked him what he saw as the biggest difference between this roster and last year’s and he said “this team is more mature.” I took that to mean this team was more serious about winning and at least that was my impression. I had only been at the park for just an hour and had learned that Chris Garcia (Infielder) had already been called up by the Atlanta Braves. Whatever you think about the minor leagues, the ultimate goal for a player here is to “make the show”. Get that call for the major leagues.

In speaking to these players, even though some had only been here a few days, there was an air of a winning attitude already. I thought to myself this looks much different than last year. It looks like everyone is on the same page.

I heard the phrase “Teamwork, makes dreams work.” Wow, how’s that for a new attitude? Lots of these players are from AA and AAA minor league teams and Greg Smith was on the Colorado Rockies team last year as a pitcher.

There was also some big news about the games and promotions out at the park this year. On 6/24 the San Diego Chicken will be out at the park. I wonder how he and Ace Bacon will get along?

There is also going to be an AirHogs Officer Club which means you pay 40.00 and get all you can eat and drink the rest of the night, in a suite I think, but I will get clarification on the suite part.

There is going to be a new food court kind of set up this year with vendors from Texas Skillet, Pizzaiolo’s Italian food, Snoball Corral (shaved ice), and Flores Fajitas Mexican food, to go along with the QT Stores site.

All in all, I was very, very impressed and looking forward to a great new season of AirHogs baseball. Ya’ll all better come on out and jump on the bandwagon. This team is going places!

Looks like Jason Garrett’s raise paid off

Yeah, when you get a job like the head coaching job for the Dallas Cowboys, you should be able to get a 4 million dollar home.

Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett put his house on the market about two weeks ago with none other than agent to the stars Allie Beth Allman.

Also, Rhonda Aikman bought a home in Preston Hollow and Troy quietly put his home on the market.

Two weeks ago we all wondered where the Garrett’s could be going.

To Maplewood, it seems. The Garretts apparently have a contract on a glorious circa 1999 Euro-villa with smooth-as-a-baby’s-butt limestone exteriors, large living and entertaining areas, wide wood planked floors, 11 foot ceilings down, gourmet kitchen with two of just about everything, breakfast room, den, loggia, pool, study, four bedrooms, four and a half baths, 6900 plus square feet, study, sitting room, two bedroom, two bath apartment over the 3 car rear garage, and yes, four fireplaces. Not really pricey, either: listed for $3,795,000.

What is it about millionaires, football, and fireplaces?

Grand Prairie AirHogs have a new skipper

Hang on to your hats folks, we are about to see some great baseball in Grand Prairie. The season is about to start for 2011, and there are new owners, and a new coach. Things are going to get pretty interesting around here.

From AirHogsbaseball.com comes this news:

The Grand Prairie AirHogs announced today that Ricky VanAsselberg has been named the team’s field manager for the 2011 season.  VanAsselberg comes to Grand   Prairie after two years as the manager of the American Association champion Shreveport-Bossier Captains.

“I’m thrilled about getting the chance to manage the AirHogs,’’ said VanAsselberg.  “I know the folks in Grand Prairie are excited about the 2011 season.  It’s a great area for baseball.  I think the fans will really enjoy watching this team play.”

VanAsselberg led the Captains to the 2010 American Association title by sweeping Sioux Falls in the finals.  The Captains finished the regular season with a 58-37 record.  In 2009, VanAsselberg led the team to a 48-48 record – a 22-game improvement from the previous season.

And what kind of fire and brimstone will VanAsselberg bring? Have a look.

Sometimes, baseball just makes no sense

So you go to bed at night thinking the world will at least stay on its axis until you can wake up the next day. I couldn’t sleep for some reason and got on my computer at 3:30 AM and the news came all the way in from left field. (Pardon the pun)

Rangers’ part owner Chuck Greenberg could resign as early as today? What the Hades??

Why?

CBS Golf Announcer David Feherty gets drilled

Many of you know Irishman-turned-American David Feherty, who is also a comentator for CBS Sports and golf, is a no nonsense guy. So why would he dress up in a ridiculous suit and let a kid hit a golf ball at him? The end result (no pun intended) seems like it was a bit painful.