Ever notice how in newspaper journalism there is often a `throwaway' paragraph with a subject that is merely related to the main article, not directly connected to the story itself? I'm guilty of skipping them, simply because they're usually just quick facts that I'm already aware of, in the case of the Jaguars, or they're just useless. Not today.
I was reading a little pre-game blurb in the Orlando Sentinel about the role of the starters in tomorrow's game when I was struck by this section at the end:
Let the madness begin.
Thankfully Michael Vick is still dominating the story lines, because I'm just dying to read the hit piece someone puts out on the ESPN to show how Jacksonville is days away from moving to L.A. and that the city can't compete with other markets. Of course, what the traditional media says about our team will be far overshadowed by the sniping and attacking that our own fan base will do to justify why we can't fill our stadium.
I mean what the fuck. This guy Blames Byron Leftwich in what can only be considered thinly veiled racism:
JDR Naming The Gimp Starter (to stroke is ego) back in February instead of making him PROVE he deserves to be the starter
If you think naming The Gimp the starter before camps even started has no effect on sales, I have to wonder what universe you're living in.....
Or This guy:
Other reasons that didn't help:
- Brian Williams DUI bad mouthing Jax.
- Barnes DUI bad mouthing Jax.
- Jags player getting caught with gun and drugs in Tennessee. Player was released.
- Sharon getting arrested for stolen police gun in his vehicle. Charges dropped.
- Players are not tipping the public when going to night clubs and restaurants.
- Players very rude to the help at their hotel. No tipping and rude.
- Byron out in the Ocean Club and being rude to VIP guy. Byron had a drink and tried to get in with his drink which the rules don't permit. Byron says" do you know who I am, I'm Byron Leftwich of the Jaguars". He wasn't allowed in with the drink. Np tips either.
I know a lot of people in this town. I don't work at any of those places so don't read anything into it. They come to my business. Remember I have a poll going. Garrard 203 and Byron 33. Gray probably has 40 or so. I don't keep track of him. So I talk Jaguars with everybody.
One Jag player I polled said Garrard. Another star on the team would not give in either way. That told me he is not sold on Byron. Spoke to a guy that handles one of our running backs security system. Does not care for Byron. Have fun with this post!!!!
THE FANS WANT BYRON TO SHINE OR LEAVE. He has one more chance and he's blowing it. I want to see it play out regardless of what the Byron loving fools think I think!!!!
Did Steeler Fans quit going to games when Big Ben struggled? Did Cincy black out because of all the arrests?
Only in Jacksonville do we not sell our our stadium because a player tips poorly.
Again, what the fuck?
I get so sick of all the excuse making by our "fans" for why tickets don't get sold. It's Byron's fault for being black, or being slow, or being a starter, or trying to play when hurt. Or it's Shack Harris's fault for not getting a big name free agent, or drafting the sexy pick, or cutting Donovin Darius. Or it's the US Navy's fault for decommissioning an Aircraft Carrier. Or it's the Marketing Department's fault for not targeting Savannah, Orlando, and Gainesville. Or it's the economics, Jacksonville just can't sustain it, we're not rich enough, we don't have enough big corporations.
Excuses, excuses, excuses.
Do we want the team or not? Do we want the respect and credibitliy as an NFL City, or do we want to lose what might be the best thing to happen to Jacksonville in decades? If we lose the team, we lose any national respect, we lose the attraction to large companies, and we lose face to the rest of the state. Don't cite economics and outsourcing when you "excuse" the fans for not showing up, if we lose that team I assure you it gets far harder to market the city as a location for development and investment.
Yes, we have a problem. We have about 4,000 seats unsold for our regular season games. It's like we have 64,000 die hard fans and we're stuck with 4,000 schmucks who won't buy. It's just such a disappointing thing to hear about this.
In a year where we're on the edge of greatness, when we've got all the pieces together to make a run for the big prize, we've fallen into our self defeating trap of underselling and underwhelming support.
Anyhow, for good analysis of this subject, as usual, I defer to FBT at Jaguars Journal
For a look at the back and forth of Jaguars fans about the issue you can read this Message Board Thread
I apologize for the rant.
-Chris