The Blaze

Merrill · 12-14-2005, 04:11 PM

According to Mike Runge, the blaze are going to be HUGE compared to that soccer stuff last year. I hate to say otherwise, because I really got...get sick and tired of all the naysayers regarding the viability of Real Salt Lake, but I can't agree.

I've been a football fan all of my life. I love every incarnation of football. I go to high school games. I liked the WLAF, NFLEurope, I even liked CFL when they came to Sacramento. But this Arena Football stuff doesn't even register on my radar. It's nothing more than playground two-hand touch football from elementary school played in pads. People say it's exciting, but to me, it's nothing but gimmicks. It's XFL but worse. And it seems to me that the average AFL franchise lasts about two years and then moves or folds. The Sacramento Attack, the only other AFL franchise in a city I've lived in, lasted one year.

And they named them the Blaze. They might as well have just called them the Burn, I mean, come on...

So will you go to Blaze games? Will you support it? I know this isn't the place to ask how much support they'll get, but I know there're plenty of Football fans on these boards. What do you think?

Jose Luis Luviano · 12-14-2005, 04:46 PM

How can you go wrong with beer, cheerleaders, air conditioning and serious injuries?

montgjules · 12-14-2005, 05:19 PM

I don't plan to watch any pointy ball other than the local college stuff.

Scholesy · 12-14-2005, 06:01 PM

As the great Bill Shankly put it ... (and yes a slightly modified version)

"If AFL were played at the bottom of my garden I would draw the curtains".

AFL ... :yucky:

Real men don't wear tights.

Czar Jake · 12-14-2005, 06:16 PM

I am not interested. However I might go to a game since I always tell people to give RSL games a shot.

I like sport in my sports. Call me a purist but I really hate it when people try to gimmick me with beer, cheerleaders, air conditioning and serious injuries.

mckid · 12-14-2005, 11:46 PM

purist.

dysko · 12-14-2005, 11:57 PM

Hate to say this, but I have thought it for a long time Runge way out of touch with the sports world... and really isn't a very good sports anchor either.

Also, I am a big football fan... I enjoy every variety (Aussie Rules, Rugby, American but in this case we are talking American). I could spend all day Friday watching H.S. football, Saturday watching college and Sunday NFL... then watch Monday Night Football.

No that my personal bias' are out in the open... I seriously doubt that the Blaze will make it largely because I don't have a lot of faith in the Garff organization. The current leadership in that organization is lacking somewhat.

The ticket prices are insane if you want even sort of decent seats.... They only have 8 games to try and make enough money to break even. They don't control parking or consesions. Financialy it will be very hard to make this thing stick.

If you need anymore ammo for why they won't work, their first high profile recruit (Morgan Scalley) has already quit to "go into coaching."

I seriously doubt that AFL will average even close to what RSL did, even if you knock out the world cup game.

With that said, I think Runge is hoping that AFL works... but he is a bean short of a burrito if he really thinks it will out do RSL.

Now to your questions... I, like The Czar, will go to a game to give it a chance, but seriously doubt I will become a long term fan.

Dadof3 · 12-15-2005, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Czar Jake

I like sport in my sports. Call me a purist but I really hate it when people try to gimmick me with beer, cheerleaders, air conditioning and serious injuries.

Beer...MMMM, good...unless $8 each, then aggravating.
Cheerleaders...aggravating, unless hotter than the sun, then distracting.
Air conditioning...can get that in my house
Serious injuries...only good if you are Sigfried & Jensen

Sorry, I have no interest in arena football...and Runge has done his best to ignore RSL from the get-go.

bordelais7 · 12-15-2005, 10:04 AM

Did Luke Staley ever make the team?

I might go once just to check it out, but I don't think there's a chance that I'll ever be a "fan". It's too minor league and too gimmicky. And I'm a huge american football fan.

I used to not care how well they did, but now I hope they fail just because I think Runge's a doofus.

rabble-rabble · 12-15-2005, 10:33 AM

I already stated this somewhere recently (here or on BigSoccer) but I feel that pointy ball (as does soccer) has no place being indoors on a 50 yard long playing area.