Renegades Announce New Head Coach - Beat Bloomington

With a record of 4-4, and having lost their last two games (at home), the Renegade announced that Tom DeVoe was now the Head Coach for the team.  It will be interesting to see how this actually effects the team's play, but its going to be the final game of the season before the team faces a real challenge.  I gave KC the flip of the coin and picked them over Bloomington this week, they teams were pretty much evenly matched, but I just felt that the Renegades had a better chance of winning than Bloomington, even being on the road.

Next week, the Renegades will be on the road again, this time against the 3-6 Oklahoma City Defenders.  I really don't see Kansas City losing this game, but anything is possible.  In fact, I don't see KC losing either of the next two games, and the only reason to come back and talk about the team before they take on the Omaha Beef would be if the team actually does something incredible, or they completely fall apart.  I am going to stick with my season final of 7-5, their only remaining loss to be against the Omaha Beef.

The Renegade drop their second game in a row, losing 51 to 42 against the Sioux City Bandits.  This really didn't come as a surprise to me, there are a handful of teams that seem to be dominating the league, and Sioux City is one of them.  In fact, this is one of the two teams that I stated it as doubtful the Renegades would beat.  Next week is the game that I wasn't really certain about last week, and looking at this week's results, with both teams at 4-4 but when you look at the Blooming stats I would find myself inclined to give the advantage to Bloomington.  Bringing home field advantage into the mix, while Bloomington is showing a drop in fan support, they are 2-2 at home, while Kansas City is 2-1 on the road.  Flip a coin, but I'm going to go with my gut and say that Kansas City could squeak next week out.  If that is the case, I'm only predicting one more loss this season, and that would leave them at a 7-5 record.  Do I see them winning a championship?  No.  I don't see them making it out of any playoffs that they may luck into.

used without permission

Now, let's get back on the issue of attendance.  Watching the playback of Saturday's game, its clear that the attendance at these games is dismal at best.  You see more pictures of empty seats than you do what anyone could call a crowd.  I am finding it hard to believe that the owners can see a 2014 season here in Kansas City, and looking at the overall numbers across the league, the CPIFL may be a flash in the pan, unless someone can manage to come up with a successful marketing ploy.  Nice experiment gentlemen, but its an failure here in KC.

Now, I have seen some talk about the cheerleaders.  Let's first take into account that they do not pay these ladies to perform, at least not from what I've ever heard.  Working for the KC Renegades is not going to be a major point in any resume they may have.  So, when you get a cheerleader that is plump, as I have heard stated, then either cough some money so that you can hire pole dancers like we've seen in the past, or sit back and enjoy the fact that not all the girls look like they need to eat or they are going to pass out.  I personally like my ladies healthy looking.

Improvements, But Where Are The Fans?

The Renegades have managed to turn it around, going into week five with the record of 2-2. But I'm a skeptic and I have to ask, are they getting it together or are we simply lucky that the last two teams are worse than us? One can only hope that the team is improving, that we may actually see a winning season in arena football in, well, several years. But then again, if there is a winning season with attendance as miserable as it appears in the video footage, very few people will actually know it took place. And what is the future of the team if attendance remains, well, dismal? With rumors of some major changes with Kemper, and attendance bad enough that the owners are not reporting it in the game results (like the other teams are doing), how long can the team remain in KC?

Its safe to say that I am not alone in my apprehension in investing time and money into this team, especially considering that the ownership seems to have put the fans on the back burner again. The Brigade, the Command, the move to sprint and catering to the sponsors over the fans. The sponsors didn't stand with them when the team was down. Sprint was not an improvement for the game experience. Now, after not wanting to invest in the AFL's attempts to get their name back on the map afternshooting themselves in the foot with the lockout to break the player's union, the owner of the Renegades is trying to cheap his way back into the market. And if I'm going to pile it on, why not point out the fact that the owner is backing the superfans, who many Brigade and Command fans held a level of disgust with for their past elitist attitude and rudeness.

Cynical? Yes I am. Arena football has not been the same in Kansas City since the Brigade left Kemper Arena, since the owners failed to follow through in keeping the original AFL alive. And its not just in KC. The level of play is down across the board in arena football.