Looking for a handout, not a hand up: Will anyone be our Leslie’s Swimming Pool Supplies?
Posted on January 2nd, 2009 – 1:13 PMBy Michael Rand
Sorry to fixate on the Vikings blackout story, but it has quite a bearing on our weekend plans (OK, Stu?!?!) as we imagine it does for countless others as well. In any event, we found a passage in Judd and Chip’s story today to be interesting:
LaCroix said the team has had conversations with various companies about purchasing a bulk amount of tickets, but the response hasn’t been favorable. The Vikings needed corporate help to reach a sellout eight times over the past two seasons. “They are in the same boat as everybody else,” LaCroix said. “It’s the start of a new quarter and a very tough economic and financial environment. So really there is no one that is going to come in and save the day at this point. When you have this many seats available, it ends up being a pretty expensive proposition.”
Yes, all logical and true. Except: Minnesota has 19 Fortune 500 companies, including six in the top 100. Arizona has six total Fortune 500 companies, including ZERO in the top 100. But the Cardinals have found a White Knight in these tough times: Leslie’s Swimming Pool Supplies. Huh? Yes, they bought a ton of playoff tickets and are offering a deal: buy $100 in pool supplies from them, and you get two free tickets to the Falcons game. To be fair, Leslie’s is likely making a killing off those portable pools (pictured). OK, that’s not really true. But almost everything associated with a pool seems to cost about a billion dollars. We had no idea. That said, Leslie’s now calls itself “The World’s Largest Retailer of Swimming Pool Supplies.” Think it stops there, though? Wrong, friend.
But we’re so much more than just great products at great prices. Our highly trained staff of Pool Professionals provide you with unique solutions for all of your pool and spa’s problems and needs.
We’re also told, after querying ArizonaGopherGirl for more information about this place, that it is the retailer of choice for all her pool needs. “I was surprised they could afford it, too, considering there are about a billion pool supply stores in the valley of the sun (especially given the economy — the one that sponsored the pool in Chase Field filed bankruptcy). But, my husband said he could easily drop $100 - $200 there for stuff we need, so maybe we’ll get tickets and go.”
We’re not saying a Minnesota company should or will step up. We just find it kind of odd that AZGG might essentially get to go to an NFL playoff game she cares very little about for free while red-blooded Minnesotans like Stu and DaveMN either make a run for the Iowa border or huddle around Dick Stockton’s transistor radio on Sunday. Especially when you compare the corporate wealth of the two areas.
17 Responses to "Looking for a handout, not a hand up: Will anyone be our Leslie’s Swimming Pool Supplies?"
Bah, I don’t care enough about the Vikings to pay the small fortune it costs to go to a game.
Sad, but true. The only games I’ve gone to in the past ten years have been due to free tickets (One of them being Purple Jesus’ record breaking performance against the team from Whale’s Vagina [agree to disagree] last season).
So yeah, I’ll be huddled in front of my wood stove listening to the transistor radio magically beam voices into my homestead. Unless, of course, I’m not doing that.
In his one and only visit to We Fest, The Hootie spent an afternoon sunning in a very similar pool (in a truck, not a camino). After several beers, Hootie forgot the proper way to get out, slipped, and ended up on his back with a crazy bruise on the back of his leg. Ah, memories.
I have faith that SOMEONE will step up and grab those tickets. It would be pretty embarassing to have a playoff game blacked out.
Make no mistake, I’d love to watch the game, but I’ll settle for the radio broadcast. I think PA and Bercich are decent, and bear in mind that I’m terribly, terribly old. I grew up listening to professional sports on the radio, so it won’t be anything new. I’ll probably be mystified that Roger Erickson isn’t breaking into programming to let me know that Kasson-Mantorville has a 2-hour late start and buses are on plowed roads only.
The Hootie:
At least you didn’t break your crazy neck…
Also, wouldn’t Wisconsin be closer, and have better beer than Iowa? I mean, I’m no Sconniephile, but I’ll give them credit where it’s due. They’re better than Iowa.
How did Peterson end up fourth in MVP votes? Would the Vikes won the division without him?
Rand.
The potential blackout of the game should have no effect on your weekend plans at all because YOU SHOULD BE GOING TO THE GAME!
Seriously, as an out-of-state fan that was at the Giants game last week, I am embarrassed about this potential blackout. If I was at all close, I would be there.
As a blogger for the Strib(and one that focuses primarily on sports mind you), you should definitely already have a ticket and be going. Lead by example!
Outofstatefan: I am doing several things for the .com during the game, most of which would be much easier from the office than from the Dome. That’s all I meant by that. If it comes down to it, though, yes I will be there.
Rand - if you’re at the Dome, you may need someone to fetch hot dogs from the concession stand. I will be submitting my detailed resume, complete with prior concessions experience, to apply for this position.
(I really don’t want to pay the $200 for tickets.)
I plan on following the usual sequence:
Listen to first quarter on KFAN
Watch second quarter with C-Dog on TV (radio if blackout)
Journey to SuperTarget for groceries at half time
Listen to Vikings choke away victory in car on KFAN on way home from SuperTarget.
Listen to last quarter on satellite radio, Westwood One feed if it’s not Don Criqui, Philadelphia feed if it is.
Some freinds and I are getting together to watch the game, so we’re trying to figure out our options if there is a blackout. How far into Wisconsin do you have to go before you are out of the “local market”. Menomonie? Eau Claire? It’s gotta be somewhere around there. We often drive over an hour to golf. A Vikings playoff game offers the same amount of swearing and misery as golf. Why not drive an hour for the Vikes?
Or are there a lot of bars in the Twin Cities that have ways around the blackout rule? I just don’t remember how this works.
Read Souhan’s article. He summed it up perfectly.
Clarence, as a good samaritan, and a UW-Stout alumni, I can say that Menomonie is definitely out of the “local market” (and less dirty than Eau Claire.)
I attended the 1999 NFC Championship Game (dohhhhhh!) and haven’t been back since. My relocation to Arizona in 2000 played only a small role.
Also, who was the kicker who missed the field goal that would have iced the aforementioned game that never really happened? Rashaad Tarkenton.
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