KC Command Central

Arena Seasons to resume...

2012-01-26T13:24:00.000-06:00

As we are about to enter into another season of Arena Football, we bid farewell to another season of the Lingerie Football League. I wish I could say that this league held my attention. I used by DVR connected to Direct TV to keep track of the MTV2 games of the week, but it just didn't seem to be holding my attention. Sorry, I know that some of the ladies can play, but we also have to remember that one of the league's quarterbacks found it more suitable to her desired career to go on Survivor.

I come back to my blog, preparing for another season cheering on the Chicago Rush, and hoping that the Kansas City Command front office pulls their heads out of their asses and stops letting the owners of the Sprint Center drive away the fans they lost in during the first Season that Arena football came to Sprint. I find that my last discussions were about a new team allegedly coming to Kansas City, the Kansas City Tease.

I'm sorry, while I have had supporters of the league come in and chastise me for my remarks, I have yet to find anything that changes my original findings. The promotion of the League, and its teams still reminds me of something a group of Strip Club owners put together, and they are replacing poles with football gear. I mean, come on, the League Web Page is located on a Free Blog site, they are so low overhead that they won't pay for real web hosting. Yes, I know, this blog is on a free blog hosting site, but I actually have four domains that I have on a real hosting service, this topic just doesn't fit into my domain names. What does it cost me? Less than $115 per year to set up my hosted domains and sites.

And what of the Kansas City Tease? I have heard NOTHING about the team since I first started talking about it. I haven't heard anything about an upcoming season, where they will be playing, or anything that would convince me that I want to waste my time and money checking out something I could see a better version of on MTV2 during the LFL season.

So, I am going to put the subject of the Leather and Lace Football League (LLFL) to bed until someone can manage to so me something that is at least intriguing and not reminding me of strippers playing around with Football.

Arena Football - The Ladies Actually Play

2011-09-10T11:53:00.000-05:00

There are only a handful of cities that have one of the Women's Arena Football Teams, so any pre-pubescent dreams of seeing some female football player have a uniform malfunction that will expose anything these children want to see is highly unlikely. In fact, if you watch the Lingerie Football League on MTV2, you will notice that they do a great job of blocking out any uniform malfunctions. So, what's the attraction?

Sex sells, and the promoters of the Lingerie Football League, and the Leather and Lace Football League, all push the chance that you might actually get a glimpse of something. You see them promoting the game under the format of "Sex Sells", and one can easily come away with the impression that the only thing missing from Women's Arena Football are the stripper poles and people tossing tips at them. But this is not necessarily the situation. Some of the ladies competing in the Lingerie Football League came out of Women's Flag Football. The women who are playing in these leagues actually know how to play football, and frankly, I would probably find the game more interesting if they focused more on the game and less on trying to make them look sexy. That's right, if you put the women in a normal football Uniform, I would still be watching.

But that's not how it works. Why? Because when you're sitting around talking to your buddies, and you mention Women playing football, it's immediately laughed off. When you tell them about how the ladies are playing in swim suit bottoms and sports bras, well, then they listen, with a raised eyebrow, but they listen.

I am in the beginning of my third season watching the Lingerie Football League. This is the second year that MTV2 is carrying it and I would like to thank the people at MTV for not trying to compress the game like they did during the regular season last year. Now, if we could only get a REAL women's arena football team here in KC, because the Leather and Lace Football League that is supposed to be coming in, doesn't sound like its all that big a deal.

Kansas City Tease - LLFL - A Second Look

2011-07-24T10:55:00.000-05:00

I caught hell from one supporter, probably someone in the league, for my dismay in what I saw. I returned with the comment that based on what I found on YouTube, the league looked to be more about playing to the pre-pubescent side of the average male than about adding a little sex to Arena Football. In fact, equating itself to the AFL was a far stretch based on what I was seeing on YouTube. But I didn't totally give up on the idea of the LLFL as a form of entertainment. I decided to take another look, do a little research into the Kansas City Tease and see what they were offering up.

The Kansas City Tease on Facebook offered up something a little different. I got a chance to see the ladies that were involved in the try outs, who are likely team members. The photos showed them in training situations, and to be honest it was a pleasant surprise to find that, while they are all nice looking ladies, it wasn't coming off as if someone was trying to play football with local Strippers. This is not how the LLFL is selling the league to the public. The YouTube Video that I presented in my original post on the Kansas City Tease gave a completely different impression besides showing that the girls were definitely not that good on the field as players. Then again, what do you expect for the small amount of money that they are paid each game, they probably don't invest a lot of time into practices for the peanuts they are being paid.

So, here we go. Impress me ladies. Show me that my dream of an LFL team in KC can be replaced by the arrival of the LLFL in Kansas City. Yes, I understand that its as much about the eye-candy as it is about the play on the field, but remember that, a little good football, a team that can win a few more games than the Chiefs and the Command would be nice. So I will sit back, watch, and probably even come to a game or two, and we'll see what 2012 brings. I'm just hoping that I will not be disappointed and will end up eating my words from my original article.

Week 20 - KC loses to Tulsa, Chicago loses to Milwaukee, and Iowa loses to Georgia

2011-07-24T10:36:00.000-05:00

Kansas City falls to Tulsa 55-71. In a game that is being reported as the highest attended game of the season, posting an attendance of 5575, the Kansas City Command drop one to the Tulsa Talons to close 2011. Coach Barto stated that Command Quarterback Wasil just didn't seem comfortable, and attributed it to his rookie status. Wasil tossed three interceptions, and went 14 of 26 for 259 yards and six touchdowns. Coach Barto also stated that the team was hurt when their leading tackle came out of the game with stomach issues. So Kansas City wraps up 2011 with a record of 6-12, going 4-9 within their conference. So, now we get to sit back and wonder what Kansas City is going to put together for 2012, and if the people at the Sprint Center will come up with a better Season Ticket package to try and get more fans into the seats. They were predicting sell out crowds in three years, but if the Command don't start winning, they won't be able to get a packed house even if they gave a majority of the tickets away. In fact, I would be willing to bet that the increased crowd for this game was due to a high number of give-away tickets or major package deals they made with someone. KC will end their first season back with an average attendance of 4318, with their final game at home being the highest attendance of the season.

Iowa Loses to Georgia 59-63. This really isn't a surprise to me. I believe that I predicted that Iowa was going to have their hands full with this one, that they would lose this game despite having home field advantage. Iowa put up a good fight, pulling themselves up after falling behind by 20 points in the first quarter. But Iowa would not be able to over falling behind and will end their 2011 Season with a record of 5-13, going 5-7 within their conference. Iowa should be pleased, even with the loss. They clearly have fan support, the attendance for their final game of the season, at home, was 10,871, giving them a season average of 8867 per home game.

Chicago Loses to Milwaukee 41-54. I was really hoping that Raterick wasn't going to repeat 2010, when he lost to Milwaukee in the playoffs. This isn't the playoffs, and the loss yesterday to the Mustangs didn't end their playoff run, but this is not the time to be self-destructing. “We just beat ourselves tonight,” said Rush head coach Bob McMillen. “We didn’t give our team the opportunity to win.”

Raterick was pulled from the game before the end of the first half, and backup QB Dominic Randolph put forth a valiant effort against the Mustang's defense to bring the Rush back into the game, but it just didn't work out for them. So, Chicago goes into the first round of playoffs against Dallas, whom they beat in Dallas last week. Can the Rush pull it together. Will Raterink repeat 2010 and take the Rush out of the playoffs in the first round? Or will the Rush give backup QB Randolph the chance to prove himself? As much as I would love to see the Rush take it all the way to the Arenabowl, I don't think Raterink can take them there. In fact, I would be surprised to see them get past Dallas ... would love to see it, but I'm going to be my normal, skeptical self.

Week 19 - KC beats Jacksonville, Iowa Loses Big, Chicago beats Dallas

2011-07-20T12:46:00.001-05:00

KC Wins in Overtime

Jacksonville comes into KC on a two game losing streak, and critics are calling the play by Jacksonville of late, ridiculous. Kansas City, on the other hand, is starting to impress people, even getting pointed out as a team to make a major turnaround in 2012. Wasil is really starting to show some promise, the only problem is that the change came too late. The other problem is in the question of how the previous Quarterback managed to go from bum to winning by transferring from KC to Chicago?

All we can do is start looking at 2012. We can hope that the team will find themselves. We can hope that all of the things that past Brigade fans dislike about the Sprint Center Arena will be taken care of, (yeah, right), and 2012 will not only show us a better team, but an increase in fan and media support.

So, what about next week? Tulsa could be another win for KC. The team is just one slot ahead of them in the standings, and they have a weaker record within the conference and while being on the road. So, if Wasil is the hope of a KC turnaround in 2012, he needs to stand up and get another Win to end the teams 2011 season.

Mustangs Destroy Barnstormers

Iowa maintains full possession of last place in the National Conference of the AFL, and their win to the Milwaukee Mustangs only ads to this season's disappointments. The only thing that can be said about Iowa at this point is that they at least have Fan Support. The game was actually close for three quarters. The Barnstormers led the first quarter 14-13, then again at the half, 35-29. Milwaukee stepped up and tied the game in the third quarter, but exploded ahead of the Barnstormers with a 41 point fourth quarter, versus 7 by Iowa, to give them a commanding 83 - 49 win.

So, what about next week? The Barnstormers are home against the Georgia Force, and frankly, I'm afraid that Iowa is going to end their season with a loss at home. The only thing that could save Iowa is if Georgia decides to rest their key people in week 20, looking to be fresh for the first round of the playoffs. Georgia can afford a loss, as they have clinched their playoff birth.

Chicago Beats Dallas

After a slow start, Chicago came back in the second half and clinched the division title in their win over Dallas. J.J. Raterink had an excellent game, no interceptions, and the fans in Kansas City may be, (should be) wondering why he couldn't pull it together in KC.

Now comes the fun part. Chicago has one more regular season game. They will host the Milwaukee Mustangs, and then, if nothing changes on the Playoff line up, Chicago will face Dallas again in the first round of the AFL post season. Can Chicago defeat Dallas a second time? It could come down to who has the home field advantage. Chicago managed to beat Dallas at home, but anyone who knows how that works would probably lay odds against it happening twice if Dallas had the home field advantage. Right now, it appears that the game will be played in Chicago, and I am going to put my money on Chicago, as long as Raterink doesn't come unglued next week as he looked at entering the play offs for a second year in a row with Chicago.

Kansas City Tease - Leather and Lace Football League - 2012

2011-07-15T16:39:00.000-05:00

When I heard the news ... I was excited for a moment. My first thought was LFL, the Lingerie Football League. I had mentioned it in a previous article, and I thought for a moment that it was coming to KC. Then I noticed that its not the LFL (Lingerie Football League), but the LLFL (Leather and Lace Football League). Okay, a spin off of the LFL ... it could be interesting. Then I did a little homework, checked youtube and found this...

PLEASE TELL ME THAT ITS BETTER THAN THIS?

FIRST: The only way that this is like the Lingerie Football League is that you have women out there in pads and sport bars playing AT football. In the case of the LFL, the ladies are not doing too bad of a job playing football. However, the video that I found on youtube (see above) shows that there is a major difference in talent ... no only in playing skills, but in looks as well.

FRANKLY, I'M DISAPPOINTED. Yeah, I know, men go to these games to see if there is going to be a uniform malfunction. But it would be nice if a football game broke out. What we have here is a cheap excuse for football, and the name KC Tease fits. I get the impression that its all going to be about TRYING to look sexy and little about actual talent at playing football. Sorry ... GIVE ME THE LFL!

Week 18 - Chicago Wins, Command Lose

2011-07-09T23:25:00.000-05:00

I gave the Command the benefit of the doubt against the Iowa Barnstormers in Week 18, saying that this could be one of two wins in their final three games. I was wrong. Now I'm skeptical that the Command will win another game the rest of the season. Wasil came out strong against Cleveland, scoring an upset. However, he has not been able to pull the team together since, and based on records, the Command should have put on a better performance against Iowa. Despite rallying to come within 8 points at the end of the game, the Command never held the lead.

I was skeptical about Chicago's chances against Georgia with Raterink at Quarterback. But with stats such as 20 for 30, 223, four touchdowns and only one interception, Raterink seems to be performing well back in the lineup for Chicago. Week 19 puts Chicago against the Dallas Vigilantes in Dallas, and Raterink may surprise us all and pull another game out of the bag for Chicago. Am I confident in the win? No. But stranger things have been known to happen in Arena Football. All we can do is cross our fingers that Raterink will not fall victim to last season's finale. All we can do is sit back and see if Chicago can take it all the way back to the Arenabowl.

Raterink Lead Rush to Victory of Utah to Clinch Playoff Position

2011-07-03T08:07:00.000-05:00

Now, wait a minute. Wasn't J.J. Raterink the Quarterback for the Command? Did the team just bench him in favor of Wasil? Yes. But, Chicago had traded DeFoe to the Command for a future consideration, and when Michna suffered his season ending ankle injury two weeks ago, the Rush took advantage of that future consideration and Raterink and he's back in Chicago. That's right ... back in Chicago.

J.J. Raterink was the backup Quarterback for Michna in 2010. After Michna suffered a season ending rib injury in 2010, Raterink came in and took over for the last three games of the season and their first round playoff loss. Raterink's record those four games? 1-3.

But Raterink came out this week and set some descent stats in his 59-35 victory at home against Utah. He went 19-33 for 281 yards and four touchdowns. More impressive, and probably more important, was the fact that Chicago didn't commit any turnovers in the game. But people have to be worried that this could be a repeat of 2010 where Raterink and the Rush lost in the first round of the 2010 playoffs.

But Chicago has clinched a Playoff position ... again. They are looking at the Georgia Force (away) in week 18, then the Dallas Vigilantes (away), then they return home for their final game of the regular season against the Milwaukee Mustangs. Am I going to sit here and try and predict how Chicago is going to do?

Raterink's record is not good with the Kansas City Command. The question is, was it him or the Command? His 2010 record doesn't speak well of his success, but McMillen seems to have a lot of confidence in him, so one has to wonder. The Georgia Force and the Dallas Vigilantes are both strong teams and both still very much in the hunt for a playoff position. The Milwaukee Mustangs, who ended their pursuit of the Arena Bowl appearance last year, are sitting at4-11 will not be making a playoff appearance this year, and unless the Chicago Rush shoot themselves in the foot, and they have been known to do it, they should win. But Dallas and Georgia are going to be touch games that could go either way.

Rush Overcome Mistakes ... Beat Barnstormers

2011-06-26T22:30:00.000-05:00

There are times that I love the phrase ... "I'd rather be lucky than good." As I watched the Iowa Barnstormers take on the Chicago Rush, those words came to mind as Iowa seemed to be the beneficiary of several lucky turn of events in the second and third quarters. Unfortunately, I missed the first quarter of the game, coming in to find Iowa well in the lead. But they couldn't hold it, and as I predicted, Chicago walked away with the victory.

Let's not sell Iowa short. They put up a great fight. They kept the game interesting. They took advantage of some lucky turn of events and for a while there, it appeared that Iowa may be able to pull of an upset. But unlike Chicago's home game against Kansas City, they didn't shoot themselves in the foot, pulled themselves together, and put the points on the board to give them a nice ten point lead to win the game.

Yeah, I know ... several Kansas City fans are Barnstormer fans. Well, I'm not one of them. I started off a Chicago Rush fan before there was an AFL team in Kansas City, and even when I was really into the Brigade, it was hard not to be a Chicago Rush fan first. So, while the Kansas City Command are out of the playoff, and the Iowa Barnstormer fans have seen their playoff hopes fade to black. I can sit back and wait for the post season that will include the Chicago Rush.

So, what's next for Chicago? The Rush host the Utah Blaze, who have their own problems they've been overcoming. Chicago will be facing a team that is now 2-5 on the road, while the Rush are 7-1 at home. Chicago is 6-2 within the Division, while Utah is only 3-3. So, as long as Chicago doesn't shoot themselves in the foot. As long as they do not too many mistakes, they should be able to walk away with a win against the Utah Blaze in Week 17. Week 18 may be a different story as they are away against the Georgia Force.

Command Come Close ... But Mistakes Take Game Away

2011-06-25T10:31:00.000-05:00

The Kansas City Command made another appearance on the NFL network last night as they faced the Utah Blaze in Salt Lake City. Unfortunately, for those who had dreams of a possible wildcard position in the playoffs, that came to an end last night as the Command lost by one point ... 61-60. This time you couldn't lay the blame at the feet of the Quarterback. You really couldn't lay it at the feet of the defense. This time, you have to sit back and look at the terrible performance by Kicker Brian Umstead.

Three missed extra points, including one in the final minute of the game that could have tied and put the game into overtime. Now, granted, the last kick was blocked, but the defender was on the ground reaching up, a little more elevation and the ball would have been clear. But what of the other two points that should have been on the board?

Overall, it was a good game. There was an interception, but considering the past for the Command, that is a major improvement. The team now needs to sit down and work on its mistakes. Penalties, dropped coverage, and they really need to consider replacing Umstead unless he can pull it together and stop missing extra points.

So, what's in store for the Command for the rest of the season? With the playoff hopes out of the picture, its time to focus on next year, and they need to focus on two critical issues. Team Performance and getting their Brigade fans back behind them. Week 17 for the Command is a bye. Then they head to Iowa to take on the Barnstormers before playing the final two games at home against Jacksonville and Tulsa. With this new Quarterback, I am actually going to give the team the benefit of the doubt and say that they could feasibly win two of their final three games. I don't know if they can take the Jacksonville Sharks, but Iowa and Tulsa are definite possibilities.

Kansas City Upsets Cleveland! 50-41

2011-06-19T23:31:00.003-05:00

The team said that there would be some changes this week, and they weren't kidding. Raterink, who had been starting this season found himself benched and backup QB, Wasil came out and took control of the game. I quickly found myself asking "why didn't we do this sooner?" Then I remembered that Kevin Porter is the General Manager and hey, he also sucked as a Coach.

So the Command came out and actually played football. There weren't the mistakes, there weren't the penalties, and there were completed passes. Wasil even kept the ball and ran it in for a one yard sneak. Cleveland was clearly caught off guard, and that was the entire difference in the game. So, now the skeptic in me has to sit back and ask ... is this going to carry over into next week?

Next week the Command are in Utah taking on the 7-7 Utah Blaze. Kansas City has a record of 2-5 record on the road versus the Blaze 5-2 record at home. But the new Quarterback could change the stats.

Now, let's talk about fan support. Again, I watched the game on Nifty-TV, and the first impression that I got looking at the screen during the National Anthem was "there's no one there!" According to Arenafan.com and their attendance stats for week 15, the Command had an attendance of 3,938. I find that hard to beleive, even through the game as I continued to keep an eye and an ear on the game today. I will admit, there were more people in the lower seats after the introduction of the players and the National Anthem.

Will attendance be up for the final two home games? KC goes up against Utah in week 16, its an away game. Week 17 is a bye, Week 18 is against Iowa in Des Moines, and the final two home games are at home. Depending on how this new Quarterback does against Utah and Iowa will have a direct factor on if attendance will remain around the 4,000 mark, improve or decrease. Away against Iowa is a coin toss on a winner there. A win against the Jacksonville Sharks would require another upset, and I will give the Command a chance against Tulsa based on what I saw today. But frankly, I believe that the KC fans have already given up on the Command this season. It is going to take a major marketing plan for 2012 to get the fans back in behind this team.

Week 15 - Barnstormers, Rush

2011-06-19T13:13:00.000-05:00

The Iowa Barnstormer (3-10) hosted the Dallas Vigilantes (8-5) this week, and to be quite honest, the odds were not in favor of the Barnstormers. Entering the game on a three game losing streak, the Iowa Barnstormers brought to the table a record of 2-4 at home versus Dallas's two game winning streak and a record of 3-4 on the road. So, one would think that the Barnstormers would have a reasonable chance to win against Dallas, but at the end of the day, Dallas was victorious ... 65-55.

So what about next week? The Barnstormers will be on the road against the Chicago Rush. What's my position here? Well, I figure that Chicago is going to win.

The Chicago Rush were in Spokane for week fifteen, and the 6-7 Spokane Shock took the day, 63-60. Spokane was 5-2 at home and on a two game winning streak. Chicago was 4-3 on the road and on a one game winning streak. But the loss poses not threat to Chicago's playoff dreams this year. Having a record of 9-4 coming into the game and on top of their division and second in the conference, with Iowa bringing their dismal road record up against Chicago's 5-1 record at home, Chicago should remain on top of the hunt for post season.

Week 16, based on records, the Arizona Rattlers should beat the Philadelphia Soul in Philly. The Dallas - Tulsa game could be a close one, and Tulsa will be hungry as they are still in the hunt for a wildcard slot, and if Dallas loses to Tulsa, Dallas may find itself looking at a wildcard slot for the playoffs. And finally, I've already called this one. Chicago over Iowa.

Fan Interference

2011-06-13T18:07:00.002-05:00

Photograph by Daniel Russell

UPDATED - We've all seen it at the home games in the past. The people who find their way to the Super Fan area of the End Zone reaching into the field of play after the ball. But its not just one group of people, and its not just here in KC. Fans sitting along the sidelines reach into the field of play after the football, sometimes interfering with the play itself. This despite warnings at the beginning of the game that this could result in offenders being kicked out of the game.

Someone is going to get hurt. There is going to be a collision between a player uniformed to take an impact with a fan who is not, and the fan is going to get hurt. Then what will likely happen is that this fan will be one of those who sees an opportunity to profit from the encounter and they are going to sue Sprint and the Command for their injuries.

Maybe its time for the league owners to sit down and come to an agreement. That a statement has to be made regarding Fan Interference. Penalties against the home team when a fan reaches into the field of play. Fans removed from the game for reaching into the field of play. There are plenty of opportunities to get a souvenir game ball sitting back along the sidelines, or sitting behind the goal posts. There is no need for situations like the one shown in the image above, showing a fan reaching into the field of play with a five gallon bucket trying to take the ball from the field of play.

Kiss Playoff Hopes Goodbye

2011-06-12T12:11:00.001-05:00

Kansas City really needed a win against Milwaukee on Saturday night. Unfortunately, the offense failed the team, the defense couldn't hold, and the Command, unless the rest of the conference falls apart, are out of the hunt for a wildcard slot in the AFL 2011 Playoffs.

The Command needs to develop its talent. It needs to acquire more talent. The sports fans of Kansas City are not supporting the team that well now, and it will only get worse as Arena Football tries to re-establish itself after the one season collapse of the AFL, and the added one season exclusion from the new league.

How bad can it be? Well, take into consideration the plight of the Kansas City Royals. The Baseball strike did a lot of damage to baseball in Kansas City. Attendance is still down from the numbers prior to the strike, and with the team having less than successful seasons, the matter is taking a long time to heal. But KC is a baseball town, and the Kansas City Royals are working hard to get the fans back into the seats. People like Royals Stadium, and the owners of the team and the stadium are working hard to make it better, more appealing to the fans.

The Command are trying to make their comeback in an arena that many AFL fans do not like. The people at the Sprint Center believe that in a couple of years that the old Brigade fans will come around and they will be back to the 9,000+ attendance level. There have been some improvements ... parking around the stadium for Command games has apparently dropped. There is a small lot in which tailgating can take place, right across the street from the Oak Street entrance to the Sprint Center. Ticket prices seem to be comparable to other arenas in the region, but the team is losing and as I have said ... a lot of fans don't like Sprint Arena.

But the biggest killer for the team at this time is the fact that their record is currently 4-9, and people are not talking about how exciting the games are. If the Command are going to make it in Kansas City, they NEED to win back their old Brigade fans. They need to win back the fans that they lost when the moved from Kemper Arena to the Sprint Center. They need to find a way to bring excitement back into their game, and they need to create some promotions that the large groups in Kansas City will support instead of trying to work around them like they did with the Scouting event they held this year.

Here's what's left for 2011:

Cleveland Gladiators

@Utah Blaze

@Iowa Barnstormers

Jacksonville Sharks

Tulsa Talons

The teams that I have in bold are pretty much a given to win against the Command, based on their records. I am tempted to take the Iowa Barnstormers against KC, since the Barnstormers will be at home and they've made some changes that will hopefully get their team up and running for next year. Tulsa has a slightly better record than KC, but being here in KC there is a chance that the Command could win. So, my prediction for the rest of the season is a final record of 5-13. That's right, I figure at best, they will win one more game, and that's being hopeful on my part. I am willing to bet that KC has already won their last game of the season.

KC Command - Iowa Barnstormers - Its down to the final six weeks.

2011-06-11T14:27:00.002-05:00

The Kansas City Command (4-8) are away against the Milwaukee Mustangs (3-8). The Iowa Barnstormers (3-8) are away against the Arizona Rattlers (10-2). Both games are on Nifty-TV tonight, and the question now hits me, which game do I want to watch live? Actually, the choice is simple.

The Iowa Barnstormers are going to have their hands full against the Arizona Rattlers, especially since they are the visiting team. But in my book, the Barnstormers have been playing better football, and as a viewer it will make a much better game. Kansas City is taking on another miserable team ... Milwaukee ... and the chances are that the Command may walk away from this game with another victory. But it doesn't promise to be that exciting of a game ... not with both teams struggling. I will give KC the advantage, as Milwaukee just put into play a new quarterback, replacing their starting quarterback in the past week.

But Kansas City still has a chance to make the playoffs ... it may be a slim chance, but it is still there. Four teams from each conference will go into the playoffs. Right now, the playoff positions for the National Conference are:

Arizona Rattlers 10-2

Chicago Rush 9-3

Dallas Vigilantes 7-5

Unless something goes drastically wrong, there is no one in the conference that can unseat these three teams. The battle for the last slot right now is coming down to the following three teams:

Utah Blaze 5-6

Spokane Shock 5-7

San Jose SaberCats 5-7

Now, the Spokane Shock are playing against the Utah Blaze this week (14) and one of the two teams will find themselves with a new loss. Kansas City needs a win. Kansas City needs for the three teams competing for the final position to fall apart over the next four weeks and Kansas City needs to step up and start stringing wins or they will be watching the playoffs from home. But the future doesn't look too bright, with Kansas City facing Cleveland in week 15, Utah in week 16, then wrapping up their season after a week 17 bye, taking on the Iowa Barnstormers in Week 18 in Des Moines where the Barnstormers are still getting fan support.

The Barnstormers, on the other hand, are looking at what should be a loss for them against Arizona this week (14), then they are at home against Dallas for week 15, away against Chicago for week 16, at home in week 17 against Tulsa before wrapping up their season at home against Kansas City in week 18. To be honest, its over for Iowa. They might be able to beat Dallas, Tulsa, and KC, but they are not going to get a clean sweek and beat Chicago or Arizona, not without it being a major upset.

Command Drop Another One ... Chicago 58 - Command 30

2011-06-04T17:46:00.002-05:00

Update: Attendance for the Rush vs KC game ... 3635 ... the second worst attendance this season for the KC Command. This number taken from the Attendance report posted on Arenafan.com.

Again I consider myself fortunate not to be one of the handful of people who went to the game to watch the Chicago Rush tromp the Kansas City Command. Instead, I fired up Nifty-Tv on my little Acer netbook, and worked on other projects on my main laptop while giving the game my divided attention. What I got to see was ... Chicago almost, almost skunking the Command through the first half. There were only seconds left on the clock when the Command scored their touchdown to finally get a score on the board. Then they managed to get a safety. Then, just when I was about to wonder if the Command were going to wake up, the Rush kicked one into the net, the Command muffed it, and Chicago scored. This all took place with only seconds left on the clock for the first half.

Again, the Command failed to convert possessions into points. An interception, a missed field goal, just to mention two of them. Chicago, on the other hand, came out in the second half and put the game away. Yes, the command managed to score 21 points in the second half, but the Chicago Rush came out and put 35 points on the board. Now, you can make excuses, say its a new team, say that Chicago is the division leaders with a record of 9-3 coming into the match-up, but the simple truth is that the team needs to work on their skills, they need to stop making stupid mistakes, like Face-Mask penalties, muffing kick-offs, etc...

And now for my favorite part ... attendance. Again, I will have to go to Arenafan Online sometime over the next week and get the attendance for the game. There is no way that Sprint Center is going to admit that this may be the worst attendance yet this season. Excuses? Yeah, there are going to be excuses. The last really bad showing was on a Friday night, and Friday nights are always bad for game attendance. This game it will be that they were competing against the big NASCAR race out at the Kansas Speedway. How about there was the marathon on Hospital Hill this morning as well? The truth is that the fans in Kansas City are fickle. They are not going to support a losing team. Add to that group of people the ones such as myself who simply aren't going to go to the Sprint Center and watch a losing team. Hell, I would find it hard to go to the Sprint Center and watch a winning team, because I know for a fact that if the team was winning, and attendance was up, the cost of parking would be up again as well. Right now, the concessions are working hard to get people to spend money on their highly overpriced products.

Let's face facts. The Kansas City Brigade blew their first season in KC. But they made the games fun to attend, the price was right, and parking was cheap. The upper level seats were not sitting on top of two levels of suites, and the perks that were being given away were making it up into the upper levels as well as the lower level seats. Yes, the audio sucked in Kemper, but I don't go to a football game for the sound quality. The Brigade moved to Sprint and attendance started to drop almost immediately. The people who were in the upper deck immediately realized that the 'similar' seats were not similar. There were a lot higher up. The perks were gone, parking ranged from 10 to 25 dollars, and the deals that the Brigade made with the people at the KC Power and Light District (who eventually turned their backs on the Brigade) took players away from the after game autograph sessions mandatory by the AFL rules.

Yes, I know, I've covered all this before, but NO ONE SEEMS TO BE LISTENING! Sprint Center isn't working for the Command. The Arena Football fans do not like Sprint. But there are other problems, such as the "Red Capper" that brings play to a stop, sometimes breaking momentum, so that someone can run their damn commercials. The perks are only making to the people who can afford the premium seats or are in the give away seats on the corners of the end zones. A lot has changed, and none of it anywhere need being an improvement.

So ... I will stand my ground. I will remain a FORMER season ticket holder that is unwilling to spend the money for the product being offered. Besides, why should I pay to attend a Command game when I can watch them make mistakes and blow games on Nifty-TV for free?

Oh, and for the people providing the feed out of Sprint for Nifty-TV. I have watched a number of games, in particular, the Chicago Rush, this season, and the feed for the Command is the most problem plagued channel I've been on. And for a final note, if you like watching the Command on Nifty, you might like to use the Channel for the opposing team. Its fun to listen to them complain about how they are sitting just under the Stratosphere, and talk about how 'no one' appears to be showing up for the Command home games.

Command Attendance third worst in League

2011-06-01T16:49:00.000-05:00

When you look at the average attendance per game in the Arena Football League, the Kansas City Command have the third lowest average attendance. When you look at total attendance to date, Kansas City has the second lowest attendance. How bad is it? Even the people for the Kansas City Command have stopped adding the attendance totals to their post-game reports. The review of the Command victory over the shock on the KC Command web site referred to the crowd as "the thousands in attendance." Well, you can get the numbers from Arenafan Online, and the posted attendance for the Command vs Shock game at Sprint Center was ... 3,870. That just happens to be the second lowest attendance at a Command home game this season, and well below the attendance that the Kansas City Brigade were bringing in on their worst night prior to the collapse of the original AFL.

So, who are the best and the worst? The top average attendance in the AFL right now belongs to the Orlando Predators. The worst average attendance belongs to the Milwaukee Mustangs. Between the Command and the Mustangs is Georgia, and taking a look at our neighbors to the north, the Iowa Barnstormers, they are averaging more than twice the average attendance of the KC Command.

You can blame a losing season. You can claim that this is their first year in KC. You can take it any direction you want, and it simply doesn't fly. The Barnstormers lost six games in a row, still held attendance above 9,000. The Kansas City Brigade packed more people into Kemper their first year out, and the Command aren't a new team, they are an old team with a new name, something else that upset a number of AFL fans in KC, the needless name change. I would say, let's see how attendance looks when the Chicago Rush come to KC this next weekend, but that wouldn't be a fair comparison. There could very well be a number of Chicago fans that come down to KC for their first experience in the Sprint Center. It would be fun to hear their comments about the arena after the game. But I will be watching attendance, and I will likely be watching the game from home on Nifty-TV unless somehow I fall into Free Tickets again.

Command Win Against Spokane Shock

2011-05-28T21:58:00.001-05:00

Let me start off by saying that the Command better be grateful that they were not playing a good team. I caught the Shock vs Command game on Nifty TV. I cheated. I went to the Spokane Shock channel and pulled the game up, and when they finally got the broadcast stabilized, I found myself sitting back and shaking my head as the Command came out of half-time leading by two touchdowns, held through the third quarter, then almost gave the game away in the fourth. PENALTIES. Stupid mistakes that almost cost the Command the game. Bad play calling on a goal line stand, repeatedly beating themselves against the Shock defense with running plays, then missing a field goal. Add insult to injury ... a penalty for interfering with the kick catch that gave the Shock better field position than they really should have had.

Stupid mistakes. Bad clock management early in the second half. I couldn't help but sit and shake my head as the announcers for ESPN AM 700 out of Spokane commented on how the Command were probably the worst clock management team they had seen. Then they talked about how few fans were in attendance at the game.

Let's face facts. The Command are not going to come close to making the playoff's this year. They are not 4-7, and with the Chicago Rush coming in next weekend, they are unlikely to make .500 by the end of the season. So the Command need to address their team problems. They need to address their marketing problems. They need to address the fact that a sport that used to pack 9,000+ fans into the Sprint Center on a bad night and with a losing record, can barely get 3,000 to 4,500 fans into the seats now. This partnership with AEG, the owners of the Sprint Center, could be as devastating to the Command as the ESPN relationship to the old AFL was to the league. Some hard decisions need to be made, and they must address two issues. How to make the Command a winning team and how to win back the fans that they lost.

Kansas City Takes it From Tulsa

2011-05-21T21:48:00.001-05:00

courtesy KCCommand on Facebook

In a game that was riddled by missed opportunities and mistakes by both teams, the Kansas City Command manage to TAKE the game from Tulsa in the final four-tenths of a second. The final play of the game, after a fumble that almost ended the game with the Command losing, KC managed to get a pass into the end zone to take the win.

I caught the game on the internet when the Command were tied 7-7. I put the broadcast on my little 9 inch Acer and kept an eye on the game while I continued playing around on the Internet and tracking the severe weather to the North and Southwest of Kansas City. What I noticed in the game was that Tulsa seemed to be suffering the same problem as Kansas City. The arena looked almost empty. I would bet that there were more people there than at the last two KC Command games, but the support for Arena Football seems to be suffering in several markets. Can we simply say its a matter of needing to present a better class of player, a better product for fans?

I have now attended a home game, and I have watched a Command game on the internet. I had hoped that I would have been more supportive myself, but all that comes to mind when I think about the home game I attended, and now that I reflect on the online broadcast ... the game is missing some of the 'excitement' that I remember from the KC Brigade games at Kemper and the game I attended in Chicago. I even found myself sitting back tonight thinking ... wow, 14-13 Tulsa at half-time. This is a low scoring game. By the end of the game, the scoring wasn't much better. I need some excitement in my game. I also need the officials and the league to stand up to the idiots that have their seats on the sidelines and tell them to STOP interfering with play.

In the final two minutes of the game, a fan on the sidelines reached out over the wall and caught the ball, taking it away from its intended receiver. That same fan managed to get a hold of a second ball, taking it away from the player after a catch at the wall, ending the play at that moment. Its the same complaint I've had about certain people in Kansas City. Reaching into the field of play, after being WARNED by the announcers that such would not be tolerated, and interfering with the flow of the game.

Anyway, the Command have their third win of the season, but they are still well below .500 and are tied for last place in the division with the Iowa Barnstormers. It doesn't look like playoff this year (manic laughter).

Command Drop Another One ... This Time to the 1-6 VooDoo

2011-05-08T11:55:00.002-05:00

Photo by Scott Soares

Okay, I finally made it to a Command home game. I dawned by old Brigade jersey, put on my white Brigade ball cap, and with my wife, trekked down to Sprint Center and caught my first home game of the season. My overall impression? Well, let's say that you can tell that support of the team is WAY down. But this is good news in some areas. How?

Parking: I parked across the street from Sprint Center's Oak Street entrance for $10.00. This is normally a $20.00 parking lot for other events, but other events bring in more people. There is actually a parking lot for tailgating now, and we stopped in and talked with Big Dog, BC Slasher and Sharon Soares (Arenafan Online) for several minutes before heading into the arena.

Wow, talk about no one coming out. The Marines were there. Gladstone Community Center was there. Ah ... the Marines were there. What used to be a circus of people promoting something to the fans coming into the arena at Kemper is even less than those who were in the entrance during the Brigade's only season at Sprint. You can tell that the "Command" isn't drawing the crowds that the Brigade did, and its the same team under a different name. BC Slasher (Scott) stated that Sprint Center is expecting the team to be packing the house in two to three years. We will see. Right now, attendance is hovering around a 4,000 per game average, with last night's game recording 4,422. And how many of those were "give aways?" I know that my entire row, all eight of us were give aways from Sport Talk 610. Yeah, my first trip to a Command game were on tickets that I got for free from Sports Talk 610.

So, let's talk about the game.

Penalties. I could not believe the number of penalties that were in last night's game. Penalties that worked for and against us. Off-sides, illegal motion, people seemed to have a problem timing the snap. Roughing the passer, running into the kicker, little mistakes that could have been a young team or frustration. Yes, I can see some promise in the young players, but when the 1-6 VooDoo come into Kansas City and pull off a sideline touchdown pass TWICE, we need to talk about issues on defense. One of the two, the safety didn't even look up for the ball coming in, it went over his shoulder into the hands of the receiver for a touchdown. Wake up.

I found the game felt slow, despite the 52-59 score. But let's look at who was on the field. The 2-5 Command versus the 1-6 VooDoo. I would really like to make another trip to a home game and see what happens when the Division Leaders ... Chicago Rush come to Kansas City on June 4th.

ADVERTISING --- OMG! --- This game is getting TOO commerical. I sat down in my seat an hour before the game, and while I was watching the two teams warm up, I was flooded with advertisements from the over head score board and spread out around the area. Then the game started and the Yard Markers were dressed up to look like Pepsi bottles. The team mascot has been renamed from "Max Runway" to "Pepsi Max" Runway. Then we found out that the Red Cap that stops the games for Commercials is apparently not a bad side-effect from ESPN's involvement in the old AFL. He was on the field again last night, and at a high point, at a fourth down stand, we are stopped and waiting while some network does a commercial break, waiting for the Red Cap to say it was okay to play ball.

To be honest, I've had more fun at an Arena Football in the past. Yes, it might have been more fun if there had been another five thousand people in the seats, but I can't see how they're going to get another five thousand people in the seats when I surely can't be the only one talking about ... well ... it was football indoors.

Iowa Barnstormers Sit Fans - More on the ArenaFan Online Article

2011-05-08T11:17:00.000-05:00

If you read my comments on the KC versus VooDoo game, then you may have noticed that I mentioned talking with BC Slasher and Sharon Soares. Yes, the subject of the Iowa Barnstormers Ticket Holder Code of Conduct came up, and no, they do not understand where the owners of the Barnstormers are coming from.

I want to take a couple of minutes and dig a little deeper into the issue. I did a little digging to find the attendance for the Iowa Barnstormers versus the attendance for the Kansas City Command. So far, the highest attendance at the Sprint Center for Kansas City is 5,438. According to BC Slasher, about a thousand of those fans were Iowa Barnstormer fans in KC for the game. That sheds a little different light on the KC attendance issue, but we're not going to discuss that here. If you look at the Iowa Barnstormer attendance records, you will see that they are doing a much better job of bringing in the fans, with a high of 10,552 and a low of 8,103. One can easily say that the Iowa Barnstormers are doing a much better job of bringing in the fans, even with a season that is not much better than the Command.

Okay, with that said, let's talk about seats. If the Super Fans in Iowa are sitting in the same place as the Flight Crew in Kansas City, they are in the front five rows of the End Zone. Yesterday, in my discussion with some of the Flight Crew I was told that there is generally several rows of empty seats behind the Super Fans. This was very visible last night during the game, and those who couldn't afford the cost of the first five rows were sitting back in the sixth row and moved up when the game got started. I doubt that this is the case in Iowa. I am willing to bet that there are people sitting in the first five rows of the end zone, so you can't compare what you can get away with at Sprint Center to what you should be able to get away with at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

I am going to restate my position. I fully agree with the owners. Just because you paid for those seats does not mean you have the right to obstruct the view of those behind you. No, it does not make it easier when someone stands constantly, because they are not standing still constantly. The opinion that it is more disruptive when someone bolts up out of their seat does not fly. That person may block a moment in time, one that I can reclaim from the overhead scoreboard TV. But when they stand constantly, they are blocking ALL of the game, and I didn't pay to sit in my seat and watch the overhead scoreboard TV the entire game.

Let me take a wild speculation here. Should the Kansas City Command start bringing more people in, should there be a demand on the seats behind the Flight Crew in the End Zone. Should the people who buy these seats complain that they can't see because the Flight Crew is constantly standing, and these complaints make it hard to sell those seats, the management of the Sprint Center will tell the Super Fans to take a seat in the same manner as Iowa.

Remember, its about making money not the Super Fans.

Iowa Barnstormers Sit Fans - Reflections on an ArenaFan Article

2011-05-06T15:57:00.001-05:00

“we want to make sure every fan has a good time and can see the game.” The intent of the code of conduct was not to make every fan sit the whole time. Exciting plays, of course, they will stand. Fourth downs are another opportunity. But “a fan should not stand the whole time.” - John Petit, Iowa Barnstormers

The Iowa Barnstormers have put into place a "Ticket Holder Code of Conduct." In this Code of Conduct, it mirrors the basic AFL rules. It calls for orderly behavior, and no swearing. But it goes a step further. It states that fans are to sit in their seats during the game. This step further has angered a group of people who call themselves Super Fans, and Super Fan Sharon Soares recently wrote an article for Arenafan Online attacking this term of the Ticket Holder Code of Conduct.

My intent for writing an article for Iowa was to show them the same respect and love that I have started showing the Kansas City Command. Unfortunately, due to many miscommunications, the love we have for the team was shattered by a concern for the fans. Barnstomers ticket holders now have a code of conduct. Thanks to this political politeness, the Iowa Barnstormers are losing their super fan base. - Sharon Soares, Arenafan Online

Now, I understand that this is going to piss a few people off, but it needs to be said. You need to get over yourselves. This opinion of self-importance and importance as a group needs to be put into check. You be getting certain benefits and special treatment from the owners for being Super Fans, but it only goes as far as your not interfering with the bottom line ... ticket sales. Apparently, you've generated enough complaints and you're interfering with the sale of seats behind you to the point that the owners have decided that its time to take action, and apparently, asking this group of Super Fans to be courteous of others behind them was not something they figured would work. Could it be that they are familiar with the nickname "Fight Crew"? Of how members of your Super Fan section would argue with fans when you were asked to take a break and take a seat?

Think about it? What level of arrogance believes that 40 to 100 tickets in a section are more important than the rest of the section? I could understand that if the 40 to 100 tickets were a major majority of the section, but it is unlikely that they are. To take is a step further and think that these 40 to 100 Super Fans are more important than the other 8,000 people in attendance is, well ... I'm sorry, you say you're educated, but it is apparently not in business.

But its worse. Your complaint that you're being told that you can't stand constantly during a game wasn't voiced just to the owners, not to your friends, but it became an article for ArenaFan Online. You have gone out and told the handful of people who read this site that you think you're more important that the other 8,000+ people attending an Iowa Barnstormers game.

I'm sorry. There are a lot of good people out there who were and are involved in the Flight Crew. They are friendly and courteous to the people around them, and they are very supportive of their team. The problem is that the reputation of the Flight Crew and the so-called Super Fans is not going to be based on these people, but the actions of a handful of self-centered egomaniacs that conduct themselves like spoiled brats.

Its time to take a step back and take a hard look at yourself, and decide if this is how you want to be seen by others.

What Kansas City Needs Is an LFL Team

2011-05-04T18:32:00.001-05:00

photo courtesy LFL

LFL? Ready for this? Lingerie Football League. That's right, the perfect sport for the man who loves scantily dressed pretty women and arena football. Put that in Sprint Center and maybe, just maybe if they don't try to overcharge for it too, they could get some people to come watch football in their facility.

Now don't get the wrong idea. Yes, the games are designed for the type of men whose IQs sometimes barely beat out the fluid ounces of the beer can they are holding. There are people who say that the LFL makes Wrestlemania look like the International Chess finals, but in the upcoming seasons, check out MTV2 and see if they are carrying the games again on Friday night. I made fun of it when I first discovered the LFL, but I got watching, and if you can get past the play on sex, these ladies can play football.

So, if the Command want to play football at a level lower than Pop Warner, and their marketing people want to assume that ... hey, its arena football, they'll come ... how about someone like the Independence Event Center bring in a LFL team and let's have some fun at the Arena Football Games again.

The Command Drop Another One

2011-05-04T18:05:00.001-05:00

After jumping out to a nice half time lead, the Command were outscored in the third and fourth quarters by Dallas. But its not the losses on the field that Command fans need to be concerned about, its the steady drop in attendance at the games. Attendance for the Dallas game? 3,502. How long do you think that the Command are going to survive in Kansas City if they can't find a way to market themselves and get people once again excited about Arena Football in Kansas City? I am starting to get concerned that the Command may be a one and out in the AFL if they don't start bringing in the fans, and in order to bring in the fans, they have to do two things ... (1) START WINNING; and (2) come up with some ticket packages that will bring in the people who have been sitting back, scratching their heads or saying ... "it isn't worth the hassle of going downtown."

Their next home game may be the start of Sprint's realization that their ticket sales program isn't working. Mother's Day ... Command host the New Orleans VooDoo ... Tickets purchased online are 35% off. Just enter the word "FAN" in the box when ordering, or something like that. You need to go to the Command's facebook page to find the information.

Will I be taking advantage of his attempt to bring fans in? Well, not for the VooDoo, but if they make me a similar or better offer for tickets to see the Chicago Rush come to KC (June 4th), then I might consider be tempted to endure the experience of Sprint Center and the KC Power and Light District/Standard Parking Nightmares.

Yeah, I know. I've been really down on the Command this season. I was excited when the news broke that the "Brigade" were returning to Arena Football, but no one told us the rest of the story. I can remember when the games were FUN! That all went away, and now all I can hope for is that the owners wake the hell up and start working at bringing back the fans who felt and fell abandoned and stop letting the people at AEG and Cordish backrupt them so that they can make their money.

Attendance at Home:

1 - Iowa: 5,438 (W)
2 - Arizona: 4,166 (L)
3 - Dallas: 3,502 (L)

And they have 4,889 Fans on their Facebook Page at the time I published this article. That should tell them something.

I am an Arena Football Fan ... I Wanted To Be A Command Fan

2011-04-27T12:54:00.000-05:00

I was an arena football fan before there was an Arena Team in Kansas City. In fact, I was often torn when the Chicago Rush played Kansas City, because I was a Chicago fan before the Brigade, and leading up to the return of the Brigade as the Command. The trip to Chicago that I took to see the Brigade play the Command was AFL heaven for me. My family and I even went down on the field after the game and got the autographs of the Chicago players ... after they had beaten the Brigade. When people asked about us being in line and wearing Brigade shirts, I would simply explain that I was an Arena Football Fan first.

I was a Season Ticket holder for two of the three years that the Brigade were in KC. I was holding Season tickets when the league folded. I was disappointed when the Brigade didn't make it into the new league its first year, and excited when the news broke that they would be in season two, even if it was under the name "Command." But the more I sat back and watched the process of the team coming back to KC. As I waited for contact on Season Tickets, after seeing who was running ticket sales, after seeing the prices they were looking to collect versus single game tickets, and considering my already insane personal schedule, I found it hard to stay excited.

I am willing to give the Command a second chance. I keep track of what is going on with the games and how sales are going at the Sprint Center. I am not fond of the new team name, I still refer to them as the Brigade when dealing with certain people. I wish they would tell Sprint Center to kiss-off and find a better venue, like returning to Kemper, maybe working out something with the Independence Event Center which could easily host the number of tickets that are being sold now and PARKING IS FREE! I do not like coming into Sprint Center, the scalping that takes place on Parking by Standard Parking, and the fact that there is ABSOLUTELY NO DESCENT PLACE TO TAILGATE really takes away from the Football Experience.

Think about it. The last game they had was an event where they were offering discounts to Scouting Groups. They sold less than 4,500 tickets. When you look at the pictures from the game, the place looked empty. A smaller, more fan friendly venue would be a good start. And frankly, I could live without the drunks that are coming into the game from the Kansas City Power & Light District. The AFL is supposed to be Family Friendly.

I wanted to be a fan ... but right now I'm just disappointed

Command Win Against Chicago Rush

2011-04-26T17:20:00.000-05:00

The Kansas City Command up their record to 2-4, putting them in a three way tie for last place in their division, but still above other losers in the Arena Football League. This last win came against 4-1 Chicago Rush, which are being reported to have melted down and made some Rookie Mistakes in their game against KC. But, hey, its a win, and the Command managed to get ahead and stay ahead to win the game.

So now what? The Dallas Vigilante's, who lead the division with Chicago. Will the Command beat Dallas at home? One can only hope, because if the Command don't start showing some promise, the fickle fans of Kansas City are not going to come to their support. Even with all the crazy ... wannabe ... promotions that Sprint Center is dreaming up to sell tickets at a 'not so good deal', people aren't going to come out and support the team.

So, let's sit back and see what happens. Maybe, just maybe the Command will make their mark at home and raise their records to 3-4, and drop Dallas into second place with a 4-3 record. But rest assured of one thing. Chicago is coming to Kansas City on June 4th. They are not going to forget how they lost, and I remember the last time they had a point to prove.

Command Drop One on the Field and In the Stands

2011-04-18T17:28:00.000-05:00

Attendance for Saturday - April 16th? 4,166. Did the Command win their game? No. Was it close? Based on the score, it may have seemed like they were mounting a come back, but no, 63-49 is not a close game, even in Arena Football. Two touchdowns can happen all too quick, that I will agree with, but you have to be able to stop the opposing team from scoring twice as well.

4,166 in attendance. Its time for the Command to realize that they have made several mistakes that may have cost them a future in Kansas City Sports, unless they can find a way to overcome their past actions. What past actions? The move from Kemper Arena to Sprint Center Arena may have been welcomes by some, but they lost a majority of their loyal fans, the ones that filled the upper deck and end zones at Kemper. Why? Cost. Attitude of the staff working the events. The fact that the upper deck was now a full level of suites higher up than they were at Kemper. There really wasn't a bad seat at Kemper compared to what is offered at Sprint. And the fan perks stopped when they moved to Sprint, the upper deck was too high up and too hard to access, so only the lower deck was getting perks.

Add to the dislike of the Sprint Center by many ... the fact that the Brigade owners, who are the owners of the Command, remember it was just a name change, turned their backs on their fans, taking the players away from the after game signing parties to the clubs at KC Power and Light District instead of having them do the mandatory player autograph sessions after the games. And many of the season ticket holders that supported them at Kemper Arena were complaining that the team was giving better 'per game' discounts than the season tickets were getting. Why should I purchase Season Tickets when I can get the tickets per game cheaper?

Now, the price of tickets has basically gone up. The team is losing its ass, and they changed their name, negating all of the past team jerseys that their loyal fans purchased. There is absolutely no incentive to get involved in the Command's games more than ... well ... coming to see the Chicago Rush join the list of teams that will beat the Command this year.

Sorry ... you lost me when you folded with no warning. You failed to get me back when I saw the price had gone up on the seats I had before ... considerably up.

Command Win Home Opener ... On the Field, Not in the Stands

2011-04-10T19:55:00.000-05:00

April 10th marked the return of Arena Football to Kansas City as the Kansas City Command (formerly known as the Brigade) took on the Iowa Barnstormers in their home opener. Squandering a 34-18 lead coming into the fourth quarter, the Barnstormers came back to tie the game at 41-41. But the Command did something hadn't done yet this year, they dug down deep and managed to squeak out a 62-48 win.

So, do we have something to get excited about? Well, let's just say that the team is now 1-4 for the season, they got their asses handed to them by (at the time) 0-3 Spokane Shock, and they almost gave the game away to the Barnstormers who came into KC with a 2-1 record. So, anything is possible, but I wouldn't get too excited yet.

On the other hand ... Arena Football is not about the sport, its about the money. The investors and owners are all about the bottom line, and if the Kansas City Command is going to remain a part of the Kansas City Sports scene, then they will have to win, not only on the field, but in the seats (ticket sales). A close examination of the photo (lifted from the KCCommand collection on Facebook) shows that there are a lot of empty seats, seats that were mostly filled during the first season of the KC Brigade at Sprint. But ticket sales were dropping like a stone compared to the sales that they were enjoying at Kemper, and it may be a safe bet that if things do not improve, the Command will not last more than one, maybe two seasons is they are lucky and stubborn.

What's the problem? How many times do I need to say it? People thought that they would love Sprint, and some do. But there are apparently a lot more people who DO NOT love Sprint Center and the higher cost that are involved in attending events there. Add to that a team that is not winning, owners who are willing to put loyal fans on the back burner to get new, temporary fans and pick up business fans who will drop them like they dropped the Brigade their last season.

I will finish it by pointing out this simple fact. The season tickets that I had set up for the season that never was were considerably cheaper than what Sprint's Ticket Office is wanting for them now. I thought about it, changed my mind and decided that I will wait for the Chicago Rush to come to KC on June 4th and watch KC get their asses handed to them one more time.

Prove me wrong.

KC Command Scout Day Not Official with Scout Council?

2011-04-06T13:53:00.001-05:00

I have been hearing for several weeks that a "Scout Day" with the Kansas City Command was in the works. The date came out in the latter part of March, and I was informed by a ticket broker that I've been working with. However, there had been NO mention of any upcoming event through the Heart of America Council for Boy Scouts. So, at our monthly District meeting, I asked one of the Council Executives why I was hearing about this event from my ticket broker, but not through the Council itself. Here is what I was told...

The Kansas City Command Scout Day was not worked out through the Heart of America Council - Boy Scouts of America. In fact, the only knowledge that anyone I talked to about the event was having received an Email talking about the event. As far as the people I talked to were concerned, the Kansas City Command and Sprint Center set up this Scout Night and were marketing it independent of the local Council.

This is not the first time that a "Scout Event" at Sprint Center was not known by the Local Council. I attended the Scout Day at the Professional Bull Riders event at Sprint Center on April 3 to find out that the group that I had worked up were apparently the only Scouts in the building. We received what we were offered, it was a good time, but it wasn't the event we had hoped to be a part of. Now we have to sit back and wonder what kind of support this Scout Day at the KC Command is going to receive since it is not being promoted by the Local Council and should the Scout I deal with attend this event as a part of Scout Day or take advantage of Council Approved activities on the same day?

All I can say at this time is that "All Plans Are On Hold." That and, if you're going to hold a Scout Day event, you need to work it out through the various Scouting Council in the area, not fish out the local Scouting Groups through emailing their leaders.

Let's Talk About the Kansas City Football Curse

2011-04-05T18:33:00.000-05:00

Let's talk about the Kansas City Football Curse. The Kansas City Chiefs move from their original home to Arrowhead Stadium, and they are never the same. In fact, they struggled for several years to become mediocre, then when they did manage to get a good team together, they couldn't finish. Now, we are looking at the second season of the Kansas City Command (formerly Brigade) at the Sprint Center, their original home being Kemper Arena, and they are off to their second dismal season.

Hey, did you think changing the name would break the curse? Or did you think it would lose the stigma that the Kansas City Brigade made a very poor showing their first year at Sprint, not only with their stats, but ticket sales? The truth will soon be known. As we are looking at the first KC Command home game for 2011 coming up this weekend against the Iowa Barnstormers, will they break their perfect record of ... wait for it ... 0 wins and 3 losses? Are the fans going to see a repeat performance of the spanking that they got at the hands of the Spokane Shock where they lost by 27 points?

No, I didn't purchase Season Tickets for 2011. I talked to a broker, we looked at the prices, but the seats I wanted didn't come at the price I really could justify spending ... not after the downfall of the Brigade. What I will be doing, however, is making it to one game this season ... Scout Night on April 16th vs the Arizona Rattlers. And maybe, just maybe I'll consider June 4th when my original AFL Favs, the Chicago Rush, come to Kansas City.

After that? Well, let's just say that I am holding out for a return to someplace like Kemper Arena or someplace OTHER than Sprint Center.

Tailgating Video from Arrowhead Stadium - Losers!

2010-12-04T09:11:00.000-06:00

There is a reason that the Arena Football League has its Fan Code of Conduct. They do not want the arena games turning into the fiasco that takes place at many NFL games. Take into consideration the video above. These idiots are ruining the Tailgating experience for people who pay $25.00 to park at Arrowhead Stadium for a Chiefs game. They are the kind of people who ruin the tailgating experience for others around them. The problem is that they are not an isolated problem, and it carries over into the stadium.

NFL Football is not longer an experience you can take your children to and not be concerned. The cost is just a small factor in this problem. The drunks, the assholes that pose a threat to those around them because they want to fight about everything. Its bad enough that I have absolutely no desire to attend another Chiefs game at Arrowhead.

Now, for Tony at Tony's Kansas City. He equates this bullshit to the team itself. Just because the fans are losers does not mean that the team will be losers. Get your head out of ass Tony. This was a lame attempt to attack the Kansas City Chiefs and you need to be called out on it.

AFL Games to return to the NFL Network

2010-11-21T19:27:00.000-06:00

I had two main complaints regarding the involvement of ESPN in the previous version of the Arena Football League. First, it was the game delays so that ESPN could to commercial breaks. That was a biggie for a lot of people. But it also took the games off of local television and off the NFL Network. ESPN didn't show much of the games, there wasn't a great demand for Arena Football Broadcasts and ESPN gave the league television slots to other games that would draw a larger audience.

So, we will see how much time the NFL Network is willing to give the AFL. Its not like the NFL is going to have games available. The AFL will give them something live to present to their Football audiences.

The KC Command - The Team and Schedule Set

2010-11-21T19:21:00.000-06:00

I have been keeping a keen eye on the progress of the Kansas City Brigade ... ah ... er ... Command. They have created a new web site (http://www.kccommand.com) and they have posted their 2011 Schedule and Team Roster. They have selected a new Head Coach ... Kevin Porter is now General Manager and hopefully he will do better there than he did as Head Coach. So, things are progressing.

Now, I have looked at the cost of Season Tickets for 2011. The flier promoting season tickets has stated that the package involves ten games. However, the tenth game only comes into play if the team does well enough to have a playoff game at home. You are only getting nine regular season tickets, according to the season ticket flier. And are they making much of an effort to attract back the old Season Ticket holders? I haven't heard anything from them as of yet and I was a season ticket holder for two of the three years they were active before. It will be interesting to see how much support they get in the early stages, and what kind of deals come into play as Season Tickets don't progress as strongly as they would desire.

As for the team itself. Well, don't expect to see any of the old players back. Looking through the team roster, I didn't see anyone that I recognized from the previous team rosters.

How About Replay for Penalties in the NFL?

2010-10-18T15:21:00.000-05:00

We have already established that the Referees sometimes need help when it comes to calling the game. We have adopted instant replay so that we can challenge a Referee's ruling on a pass completion, the placement of the ball, or aspects of the game. With the recent rash of 'bad calls' by referees and the effect these calls have on a game, maybe we should institute instant replay on the penalties called by the Referees. Take into consideration two calls from the Houston - Kansas City game this past weekend. The Illegal Procedures call when the replay clearly showed that the offensive line was responding to defenders in the neutral zone. And the infamous bad call on Flowers, where the Johnson was seen pushing off of Flowers, and the referee called Flowers for the pass interference instead of Johnson. Two penalties that changed the course of the game and there was no way that anyone could challenge the call of the Referee.

Just two examples from a game this last weekend. But there have been numerous bad calls this season alone, calls that people have called controversial, that people have stated changed the outcome of a game. We have replay to insure that the game is called correctly, how about for penalties to keep mistakes from changing the game there? Currently, we are not even told if a play is reviewed and the referee is found to have screwed up the call.

Kansas City Command

2010-10-11T17:18:00.002-05:00

It's Official! The return of Arena Football in Kansas City will include the selection of a new team name, and that new team name is the Kansas City Command. Excited? Yeah, I know, it kind of leaves you wishing for more. I still cannot figure out what was so wrong with the name Brigade. I have heard that people just didn't like the name, but let's face facts, if they would have developed into a winning team, then no one would given the name a second thought. But okay, we're changing the name. Why not the Kansas City Bombers, the Kansas City Stealth if you're wanting to keep the Stealth Bomber in the logo? Everyone that I have talked to about the new name of the team has given me this strange look and agreed ... it's lame.

Let's face facts. Changing the name of the team is not going to remove from the memory of past AFL fans the horrible season the Brigade had before the league went under. It is not going to make up for the number of people who simply do not like going to Sprint Center for the games. It is not going to change the fact that the team folded without any real warning to the fans that were supporting the team with their Season Ticket sales. It could be a hard road back for the team, especially if they cannot come out winning.

So, where am I in this upcoming season? I used to be a Season Ticket holder. I was one of the people who had Season Ticket's paid for when the team folded with the league. I am one of the people who is not really happy with the team being at the Sprint Center, and I promise you we will once again address the complaints about having the games at the Sprint Center very soon. When I found out that the team was being brought back for the 2011 AFL Season, I was excited. However, reflecting back on the Season Ticket sales routines of the past, I am really skeptical about jumping on Season Tickets this upcoming season. If I do go after them, it will be close to the start of the season, I will wait and see what sales promotions they come up with before I invest. And I may forgo Season Tickets this year. The only real advantage you get from Season Tickets is the guarantee that no one will buy your favorite seat out from under you and you may be able to sit exactly where you want every game. But it only saved you $1.00 per game. Yes, you got 20% off at the Team Store (in Overland Park), but it didn't save you anything on items purchased at the games.

Do I have one positive point regarding the return of Arena Football and the change of name to the Command? Well, I actually have a couple, but the one I will touch on is that the new name throws a definite wrench in the name that Tony, formerly known as Captain Brigade, will be able to take as a "stuper fan" this coming season. Think about it? He's been calling himself Captain TBD (to be decided) while waiting for the new name to be selected. Will he call himself Captain Command? Talk about lame.

KC Flight Crew

2010-10-05T15:45:00.000-05:00

With the return of Arena Football to Kansas City comes the return of the KC Flight Crew. You remember them, right? How does one describe them? I think it was best said by a fan in Chicago when the KC Flight Crew made the trip up there for a game ... "Welcome Village People."

Yes, I was a member of the Flight Crew when the team was located at Kemper Arena and we could actually tail-gate. That was the best part of the KC Flight Crew. However, with the move to the Sprint Center and it became almost impossible to tailgate, all we were left with was the antic of the core of the Flight Crew, the ones that dressed up and stood in the front row of the north end zone every home game. It was there that they became known as the "Fight Crew" as they seemed to be in an argument with other fans on a regular basis about their antics on the front row. They became known for reaching over the wall after balls that were still in play, and they became known for their ego after the Brigade front office decided to make them a team celebrity.

I am looking forward to the return of Arena Football to Kansas City. But I am not alone in my feelings that something needs to be done about the more flamboyant members of the KC Flight Crew, in particular, the ones formerly known as the Fred Heads, Captain TBA (as he is currently calling himself as he awaits the teams final decision on a team name) and Slasher, who really needs to leave his plastic machete at home before one of the players gets tired of him waving it over their heads and sticks it up his ass. The flight crew needs to remember that they are just another one of the fans, no one special. They need to understand that fans are not supposed to interfere with the game, and one of these days, they are going to get our team a penalty for their lust for "one more souvenir." They need to understand that more and more people are wanting to see Tony's (Captain TBA) belly, and understand that at the end of the Brigade season, more and more derogatory comments were coming, not only from fans, but from announcers. There is team spirit and then there is foolishness.

Needless to say, I am not interested in returning as a member of the Flight Crew. They lost me in the final season when they thought themselves worthy of celebrity status, signing autographs at the end of the games on a poster that the Brigade produced for them. They are not an 'example' of the kind of fans that the team needs. They need fans that are not only going to come to the games, but are going to promote the games to other people. Who are going to conduct themselves in a manner that will not discourage people from bringing their children to a game. Who are not going to take away from other fans in order to feed their own personal ego needs.

It will be interesting to see, after the last season, how many people return to the KC Flight Crew, and if a new, better fan club appears in 2011.

Kansas City Brigade Seek New Name

2010-09-15T22:54:00.000-05:00

With the return of Arena Football to Kansas City, the owners are looking to give the team a new name. It has been a matter of discussion that the name "Brigade" was not the first choice of the team, but with current events in the world being what they were, the owners could not convince the League to allow them to use the name Bombers. Well, how about something a little more related to the history of Kansas City?

To be honest, I didn't see anything wrong with the name "Brigade". It wasn't the name of the team that kept fans away from the game. With the Kansas City Chiefs still drawing capacity crowds at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City wasn't grasping the 'uniqueness' of Arena Football. In fact, many of the people that I talked didn't see Arena Football as Real Football. The truth be known, the problem was in how the fans were being treated, and the move from Kemper to the Sprint Center drove a lot of fans away. In the last season played in Kansas City, I talked to several people who were unhappy with the seating, with the Parking, and that there was no real place to tailgate for the games.

And Kansas City fans are fickle. They will support a winning team, but they will not support a team that is trying to rebuild. The Royals only get large crowds when there is a popular promotion or a really good team comes to town. We've tried to bring Professional Basketball to KC, and the new arena in Independence was supposed to house a minor league hockey team, which I have yet to hear anything about.

So, instead of addressing the issues that matter, the owners are looking to rename the Brigade. Maybe they are counting on out dating all of the team clothing their past fans have purchased, Counting on people such as myself to purchase the new team jerseys and hats

Anyway, if you are interested in suggesting a new name to the KC Arena Football Team (Brigade) owners, you have until September 27th to submit your suggestion at: http://www.sprintcenter.com/default.asp?sprintcenter=182.

Lingeries Football - OK / MTV Broadcast Sucked

2010-09-12T09:01:00.001-05:00

I finally caught a LFL game on MTV 2 and frankly, I was very disappointed. Not as much as with the game, but with the production work by MTV. It was a series of clips. They cut you from one play to the next, they bounce their graphics in and out of the screen, and it really takes away from the game itself. In short, LFL on MTV 2 sucks, but what can you expect from a broadcaster that focuses on music videos. If the LFL wants to build up their fan base, they need to somehow get someone like ESPN to broadcast their games (but not try to take over the league like they did with the old AFL).

As for what I could get out of the game itself, I watched two thirty minute clips, because the way MTV 2 has them set up, you don't get the entire game because the DVR thinks the program is only thirty minutes long. What I did see showed me some fairly descent football, you could actually see past the scantily dressed babes in pads, and actually see a football game. But the rules are definitely different. One two kick offs, one at the beginning of the game and another at the beginning of the second half. The referees don't get flag happy over fights, so it appears, and the locker room clip that they showed me was almost amusing, listening to this almost cartoon like voice giving those girls hell about the game play. Well, let's face facts, they aren't going to get top coaches in this league.

I honestly believe that I would have enjoyed the game more if MTV hadn't cut it up as badly as they did, and just show the damn game in full. It clearly wasn't being broadcast live, you can't butcher live feed like they did and squeeze thirty minutes of live game time into thirty or forty five minutes of broadcast.

Arena Alternatives - Lingerie Football

2010-08-26T18:41:00.000-05:00

May I make a suggestion (evil grin). You don't believe that Arena Football can be interesting? Well, I beg to differ. For those of us who are just deviates at heart, who are supportive of the wholesale exploitation of women for our own personal amusement, and for you ladies that share these characteristics, how about Lingerie Football?

“This is gratuitous, to the extreme; it makes the WWF look like a chess match. As you can see, the league is filled with lean muscled, oiled down, buxom women, who run around for half an hour wrestling each other to the ground. Add in some mud and you’ve got a prepubescent wet dream.” (askanabc.com)

Now, don't take this too lightheartedly. These women take this seriously, and there is even a Lingerie Football League ... uh ... Superbowl type season finale. This is probably not for the hardcore football fans. This is DEFINITELY NOT a game that you are going to take the kids too. Take a look on YouTube, there are videos of some of the uniform failures that take place at some of the games (hehehehehe). I know, I'm hopeless.

Now I am going to be honest. I would probably attend a game or two out of shear morbid curiosity. The idea of some babe in lingerie and pads losing her bottom or losing her top in a play appeals to my inner child (smile). And I have to wonder if this may not breath a little life into the ALTERNATIVE Football market here in Kansas City since the Chiefs show no signs of climbing out of "Suck" mode in the near future. Why not, the Lingerie Football League actually starts its season on August 28th and runs through January, with their big game around the same time as the Superbowl.

By the way, I understand that MTV has picked up televising the games.

Season Ticket Sales - Chicago Rush?

2010-08-26T15:56:00.000-05:00

Now,I have to take my hat off to the Chicago Rush Marketing Team. They are not leaving any stone unturned when it comes to pushing Season Tickets for 2011.

Imagine my surprise when my wife sends me a text message that the Chicago Rush contacted her wanting to know if we would be interested in Season Tickets for the Chicago Rush 2011 Season. I say this because I live just outside of Kansas City, and while I admit that I have been a fan of the Chicago Rush, I'm not enough of a fan to be driving nine to ten hours (at least) and spending Chicago prices for Hotel and Parking every time the Rush have a home game. But hey, after my wife talked to the man, she had him send us some information for single game tickets, and he told us that if we want to make a single game trip up, he would see what he could do to build us a great package.

Well, the information has arrived and I have to admit, I'm impressed. While the arena that the Rush play in is not as nice as Sprint (concourse wise), I found the seating more comfortable and better than Sprint. Looking at the prices for Front Row sideline Chicago tickets, they are only $60 per game. Lower Level Side Line Tickets are $35.00 per game. Then you look at their Season Ticket promo. Purchase additional tickets at Season Ticket Prices, Half Price Parking, and Four Complimentary tickets to 2011 Season opener, in addition to the standard perks.

It will be interesting to see if and when the Kansas City Brigade Season Ticket sales team starts making calls, and what kind of deal they will be making. As for the Chicago Rush, I will have to see what the season brings in 2011 and if there are any 'critical games' between Kansas City and Chicago.