Shaun Rogers…man or myth?
March 3, 2008Putting Derek Anderson Into Perspective
March 4, 2008
What does it say when Cleveland pulls more fans for an Arena Football Game than New Orleans can for their Western Conference playoff-bound NBA Franchise? I swear, with the right marketing (coupled with ticket prices and setting), you can get Clevelanders to watch any sort of football. We. Love. Our. Football.
17,000 strong attended Quicken Loans Arena last night to watch our Cleveland Gladiators win their first game of the season, taking down the New York Dragons to the tune of 61-49. Looks a lot like Browns/Bengals, doesn’t it? Five touchdown passes later, and this franchise has now one half of their season total from a year ago, when they went 2-14. Even better was the reports of mini-tailgate parties held in nearby parking lots. Tailgating…on March 3rd. How can you not appreciate that?
Oh, and just because the team name is the “Gladiators” doesn’t mean that fans are going to stop barking or yelling not-so-nice things about the Steelers. That’s just the way it is. And I love it.
As much as the aesthetics of the whole Arena League may be different, you’re crazy if you don’t think Philyaw-to-McCullough for a 37-yard TD strike as the first play from scrimmage doesn’t remind fans of Anderson-to-Edwards – yielding the same results. Nothing gets fans more into a game then leading 7-0 with only a few seconds ticked off of the clock. Just ask any of us who watched Ted Ginn run back the opening kickoff in last year’s National Championship Game.
Thankfully, the results with time expired were different. And thankfully every review that is out there today is positive and speaks of “energy,” and fan interaction. Enough to get fans to keep coming back.
While our beloved NFL Franchise continues to load up on free agents and prepares for the second day of the draft, fans will continue to long for the return of the “real thing.” However, I’m willing to bet that one Bernie Kosar will do what he can to make this team its own “thing,” giving us something to look forward to every March going forward.
Welcome back, Football. We missed you – even if it has only been three months.
