Iowa Barnstormer's Arena Football Talk

[bettman]

The real trick is in sustaining those numbers over the long haul. The Quad City Steamwheelers averaged 9,000-ish through the first two seasons of play in the af2...then the numbers began dropping with each subsequent season. Keeping the novelty from wearing off and those fairweather fans from bolting is a huge challenge.

[Mastermind]

The real trick is in sustaining those numbers over the long haul. The Quad City Steamwheelers averaged 9,000-ish through the first two seasons of play in the af2...then the numbers began dropping with each subsequent season. Keeping the novelty from wearing off and those fairweather fans from bolting is a huge challenge.

I agree with this, however, Iowa plans on being in the AFL within 3-5 years.

I know there is an outside chance of the Barnstormers being moved up to the AFL if things go well in the AF2. Will anyone from the AFL be here tonight? What sort of stipulations need to be met for that to happen. It seems to me things are started off on the right foot for this. As a Barnstormer fan from day one, I am excited.
1:11
Jerry Kurz - I am here in my capacity for the AFL and af2. It is the goal of this team to move to the AFL in the future, however, it is incumbent on the fans to make it happen or not.

[bettman]

My point is regardless what league an arena football team plays in, keeping people coming back year after year is a daunting task. For all practical purposes, the AFL is still a minor league of sorts...even though it is the top division for arena football. Simply having the AFL brand is no guarantee of sustained large crowds. Las Vegas learned that lesson and Grand Rapids is the current example of this.

[Mastermind]

Des Moines already proved that it could sustain large crowds for the AFL, and that was before it became so popular.

[dogbo]

Glad to see the 'stormers finally won again! I"ve been to 3 games this year. Great time!!

[dogbo]

Good news on the Barnstormer’s front.

Despite a pretty lousy record to date, they had the second largest crowd of the season (9600+) last night as the ‘Stormers whipped up on Quad City Wheelers. Also, it was blackout night (i.e…meaning fans were asked to wear black to the game) and I’d say 60 – 70% of the fans complied. It was a great atmosphere!

Last I heard, the Barnstormers had the first or second highest attendance figures in AFL2.

[bettman]

Good news on the Barnstormer’s front.

Despite a pretty lousy record to date, they had the second largest crowd of the season (9600+) last night as the ‘Stormers whipped up on Quad City Wheelers.... Last I heard, the Barnstormers had the first or second highest attendance figures in AFL2.

The Barnstormers are #2 in the af2 at 9,174 per game. Spokane is the league-leader with 10,594.

The Steamwheelers have to be the most inconsistent team in the division this season. QC absolutely crushed Green Bay (a solid team) a couple weeks back, yet they've gone 1-2 against the Barnstormers, who have been near the bottom all season long. The Wheelers at 7-7 could still make the playoffs, but I'm not betting that will happen.

[dogbo]

On Soundoff last night, there were commenting on how they rec'd feedback that some of the QC fans that traveled to Des Moines were offended by the pregame smack (i.e..Quad City jokes) that were played on the big screen prior to kick-off.

[Ingersoll1978]

On Soundoff last night, there were commenting on how they rec'd feedback that some of the QC fans that traveled to Des Moines were offended by the pregame smack (i.e..Quad City jokes) that were played on the big screen prior to kick-off.

I missed that. Do you know what they said?

[QuadCityImages]

I heard the announcer on Mediacom Connections mention it late in the game, but no specifics. Probably just typical DSM snobbery. I would be curious what exactly was said though.

[bettman]

I'm sure it was nothing compared to the pre-game smack that is in store for the "Iowa Chops" when they make a tour of AHL arenas this fall.

[dogbo]

Here's the link to the podcasts to Soundoff. It would be the July 13th episode. They discussed it a few times during the show.

I can't recall any specifics.

http://feeds.feedburner.com/SportsSoundOff

[bettman]

From what I can gather listening to the audio, it was mostly tongue-in-cheek. I didn't see the video, so perhaps I'm missing a little context here. One of the SoundOff viewers emailed some comment about growing up in Davenport and said the stink eventually wears off once you're 100 miles west of Iowa City. Just your typical garden-variety insult; nothing really below-the-belt in my opinion.

QC has a bitter rivalry with Rockford in hockey, going back to their UHL days. Since Rockford is just two hours away, there are IceHog fans aplenty in Moline when the two teams meet. It's always a cordial affair, and I've even made friends with a few Rockford people who have sat next to me. I've never seen any attempt to insult or humiliate out-of-town guests who visit the QC to watch their respective teams play. Perhaps insulting visitors who support the home team by purchasing a game ticket is not a very classy move, nor is it the best approach in showcasing your city's hospitality.

[NOG]

I was a little worn out from working out of town last week so I decided to spend the night at home Saturday. After watching the game on tv, I must admit I am dissappointed in that decision. The atmosphere looked amazing and the guy they kept showing in the crowd, who made the Beat Quad City shirt with medical tape was a riot. Also after listening to the Soundoff podcast, I really wish I could have seen the video ripping on the Quad Cites at the beginning of the game, if Murph and Fales had a hand in it, it had to be hilarious. Although not sure if it would have topped "The Largest Nut Sack in Des Moines" promo.

On as side note, I always forget about watching Soundoff in the summer, looks like it is a lot more intersting now they have the Barnstormers to talk about, especially with the rivalry with the Q-C. I wonder if Omaha will get a team eventually?

[Mastermind]

omaha has an indoor team called the Beef, and I believe they play Sioux City. I'm pretty surprised they don't have a team.

[bettman]

Also after listening to the Soundoff podcast, I really wish I could have seen the video ripping on the Quad Cites at the beginning of the game, if Murph and Fales had a hand in it, it had to be hilarious.

I'm not so sure the video really ripped on the Quad Cities per se. I think it was more a generic heckling of the QC fans who attended the game. At least, that's what I gathered from the portion aired during that Soundoff podcast. Have the Barnstormers heckled every visiting team this season, or was it just the Steamwheeler fans who received special treatment?

[bettman]

omaha has an indoor team called the Beef, and I believe they play Sioux City. I'm pretty surprised they don't have a team.

There will probably be four or five af2 teams headed for extinction at the end of this season. It's entirely possible the league could set up shop in Omaha before too long. Just to be safe, Keith Murphy should start writing some bits to taunt the Omaha visitors when they visit Wells Fargo.

[dogbo]

Also after listening to the Soundoff podcast, I really wish I could have seen the video ripping on the Quad Cites at the beginning of the game, if Murph and Fales had a hand in it, it had to be hilarious.

I'm not so sure the video really ripped on the Quad Cities per se. I think it was more a generic heckling of the QC fans who attended the game. At least, that's what I gathered from the portion aired during that Soundoff podcast. Have the Barnstormers heckled every visiting team this season, or was it just the Steamwheeler fans who received special treatment?

Actually (as mentioned) they do QC jokes almost every week during Soundoff. Pick any podcast within the last couple months and you'll probably hear a segment on this. I think they are pretty over-the-top, but some are brutal (in a humorous way)>

[QuadCityImages]

I suppose they have the "DSM is Iowa's Chicago" disease that I see coming out of the capital city sometimes.

I can't stand listening to sports talk radio, but I made it as far as their jokes about the prison bus and mustached women. I guess I was expecting something more specific to the QC area rather than just general schoolyard insults.

[dogbo]

You were expecting too much QC. It is juvinile stuff.

There are at least a couple threads on the subject on the Barnstormer's fan form. See "Outsiders Experience at the Well" and "Keith and Andy's Video" theads if interested. http://www.theiowabarnstormers.com/foru ... 6FBCFFF883

[bettman]

I went back and listened to a few of those podcasts...

Wow. I don't exactly know what to say about them, other than it sounded like something you might overhear in a junior high school lunchroom. Granted, hearing "The Quad Cities suck" was hilarious the first eight times Andy screamed it, but after about a dozen times it lost some of its comedic punch.

[bettman]

I suppose they have the "DSM is Iowa's Chicago" disease that I see coming out of the capital city sometimes.

I guess I'm not really sure what you're trying to say with that comment, but I lived in Chicago during the early 90s. I never once saw television airtime in the Windy City devoted to bashing downstate cities. Whatever they're doing on SoundOff is purely a Des Moines concoction, and is in no way patterned after Chicago. You're just gonna have to trust me on this one.

If people in Des Moines want to entertain themselves by bashing (in jest, or in all seriousness) the Quad Cities, who cares? We here in the QC are sufficiently content with ourselves, to the point that we don't seek validation from WHO's Sunday night sportscaster.

[QuadCityImages]

I didn't mean that the bashing was something Chicagoans do, I was just using it as an example of a state that is utterly dominated by one city. In culture, amenities, population , influence andabout everything else, no other city in Illinois has a quarter of what Chicago has. I don't feel Iowa and DSM have that kind of a relationship, but there are some that feel that any other city than our capital is just some small town. I get that feeling on some other internet forums much more than I do on aDSM, however, which I aways appreciate.

[bettman]

I don't feel Iowa and DSM have that kind of a relationship, but there are some that feel that any other city than our capital is just some small town. I get that feeling on some other internet forums much more than I do on aDSM, however, which I aways appreciate.

I didn't get the feeling that the WHO guy was calling the Quad Cities a small town. They just kept saying how it sucked...repeatedly. I suppose that was SoundOff's way of the stoking the rivalry between the Wheelers and the Barnstormers. You can bet this QC bashing likely will spill over into the hockey season, unless Andy Fales gets back on his meds before October.

[pioneer98]

I didn't get the feeling that the WHO guy was calling the Quad Cities a small town. They just kept saying how it sucked...repeatedly. I suppose that was SoundOff's way of the stoking the rivalry between the Wheelers and the Barnstormers. You can bet this QC bashing likely will spill over into the hockey season, unless Andy Fales gets back on his meds before October.

Boy, I hope you are right!This is precisely the type of thing that will rile up the fans in QC. All we need is some local media (the QC Times or Dwyer and Michaels) to pick up on this QC bashing and hype it when the Lamb Chops come to town.

[bettman]

Boy, I hope you are right!This is precisely the type of thing that will rile up the fans in QC. All we need is some local media (the QC Times or Dwyer and Michaels) to pick up on this QC bashing and hype it when the Lamb Chops come to town.

Are you kidding me? The QC Times would actually join SoundOff in bashing the Quad City Flames. DeVrieze and Doxsie hate the Flames more than most Iowa fans do.

This trash-talking BS is pretty lame by my estimation. Isn't this the sort of crap you pulled in junior high to look cool? It's minor league sports for crying out loud. Some people take this stuff WAY too seriously.

[Mastermind]

I think that is precisely the point. It is minor league sports, might as well have some fun with it. I think the sound off piece was pretty cheesy, but who cares. I think DSM would welcome the trash talk, it might actually make more people want to go to the games.

[bettman]

It is minor league sports, might as well have some fun with it.

I think minor league sports is plenty fun without the trash-talking. For me, the entertainment value is derived from the action on the field, not from some nasty insults which are hurled carelessly at the opposing team and its fans. I suppose a little taunting/intimidation of your opponent is always part of the game. However, I've learned that at least 50% of my fellow man doesn't know when to cool it in rhetorical competitions such as these. Once it gets out of hand, the genie is awfully hard to put back in the bottle. (see: soccer in South America, politics in the US)

[pioneer98]

Boy, I hope you are right!This is precisely the type of thing that will rile up the fans in QC. All we need is some local media (the QC Times or Dwyer and Michaels) to pick up on this QC bashing and hype it when the Lamb Chops come to town.

Are you kidding me? The QC Times would actually join SoundOff in bashing the Quad City Flames. DeVrieze and Doxsie hate the Flames more than most Iowa fans do.

This trash-talking BS is pretty lame by my estimation. Isn't this the sort of crap you pulled in junior high to look cool? It's minor league sports for crying out loud. Some people take this stuff WAY too seriously.

Don't you remember the UHL? There were a TON of Mallards fans that would come out just to root against Flint or Muskegeon because of their "lame" trash talk. I'm in favor of whatever puts people in the seats.

I'm not saying it should be completely out of control, just a good, solid rivalry, that's all. Aren't rivalries generally good for sports? How do you think rivalries get started?

Anyone who can't take junior high insults is the one probably taking things too seriously. In fact, it's tough to be a fan of any team in any sport and not get taunted or trash talked to occasionally. It goes with the territory.

[bettman]

I'm not saying it should be completely out of control, just a good, solid rivalry, that's all. Aren't rivalries generally good for sports? How do you think rivalries get started?

Anyone who can't take junior high insults is the one probably taking things too seriously. In fact, it's tough to be a fan of any team in any sport and not get taunted or trash talked to occasionally. It goes with the territory.

Of course rivalries are good for sports, but I'm not sure unbridled trash-talking is what makes a rivalry good. I'd rather watch two teams who are evenly matched to the point where every play is virtually a cliffhanger, than listen to fans from City A bash fans from City B because that's what they're all told to do.

I suppose the QC Steamwheelers could've played some pre-game video making fun of the Barnstormer fans when they visited in April, but I'm glad they didn't. It's always cheap and easy to appeal to the lowest common denominator. The focus should always be the game, not what fanclub can come up with the crudest insults. Given the fact minor league sports are widely marketed as family entertainment, I don't see how children would learn very much positive about respect and sportsmanship by encouraging behavior such as taunting visitors with mean-spirited comments.