WITH REGARDS TO THE ARENA II
Wanye
October 18 2012 03:54PM
At first we looked back and were shocked to find that we had written the original with regards to the arena article over two months ago. Then when you think about it absolutely nothing has happened in the time since - no end to the lockout, no movement on the arena whatsover.
"Time literally stands still when you are having fun." - Nobody, Ever.
QUOTING YOURSELF IS SO GAUCHE
Having said that let's look back at what a certain young Bieber fan said a little while back. It still all applies as we have mind smashingly gotten nowhere in the 60 days since.
Let's all take a deep breath and calm down. 99% of what we are witnessing is theatre designed to create fear among us average folk and force the government's hand into publicly funding a greater share of a private-public partnership.
It is all theatre designed to rile us all up and get us all scared and demand that our protecting powers that be get us our shiny new arena and hang the cost. Tough to try and rile up the population though when there is no hockey though isn't it?
Even Exciting Last Place Hockey provides infrequent moments of joy for fans and creates an environment much more likely to demand an arena deal get pushed through. Except that this pesky lockout is providing absolutely nothing for Katz to leverage positively in getting a deal done. That makes it harder for him to complete this deal and it is already proving to be a very difficult job.
CONSIDER THE WHITE KNIGHT
The quickest way to get the deal done is turn up public pressure to 1000 until someone cracks and the thing gets built.
We all know that this arena is getting built. The City is putting in some money, Katz is putting in some money. Other government entities at all levels are being pressured in back room deals to contribute money too. Think they are going to be more apt to kick in some cash if they can look like White Knights swooping in at the 11th hour and saving an arena deal "moments before it cratered into the ground?"
Can you think of any Conservative Governments that might want to look like heroes in a traditionally Red City like Edmonton? The bigger the outcry for a saviour to come in to this deal the better off they will look. The better off they can look to the average voter the more likely a politician will get off his or her wallet and come riding to the rescue.
TAKING SIDES
Katz is one of our top 5 business heroes and Mandel is the best Mayor in a generation. Having said that man oh man what the hell is going on here? Why does Edmonton have to be one of these cities that has to push and strain to get anything done to leap the city forward? Why does everyone involved have to be so combative that they can't even look each other in the eye much less get a deal done 4 years in?
Regardless of whose side you are on we can agree that this negotiation process doesn't reflect the spirit of Edmonton in the least. A four year, drawn out, public display of small mindedness and poorly timed bluffing on both sides is an absolute black hole for positive vibes in Edmonton.
We are behind the arena 100%. Not on Katz' side, not on the side of City Council. Neither side is representing the average Edmontonian in the least. And seeing as us average Edmontonians are going to be the ones paying for this thing any which way you slice it, it is particularly out of touch and embarassing.
Don't let politicians, rich people or the media scare you. It is all a show designed to get a rise out of us all and everyone freaking out and blogging, tweeting and screaming their heads off is playing right into their practiced plans. Whether it's through a per ticket surcharge, $9 beers or tax increases you are paying your portion of the arena whether you like it or not. And odds are you won't even notice.
This sucks. I miss Jordan Eberle and the lil baby NUUUUUUUGE. Sing it Katy Perry.
UPDATE: THIS STUFF IS STARTING TO CIRCULATE
Yikes. Look at the number of likes.
MORE ARENAS MORE NHL MORE FIST
LESS SUCK
YELLING!
TOOTHLESS PROTEST!
#4 guy has the right idea. But I believe in order to be heard, and taken seriously, it should be a pants-less protest, shirts optional, cheers! :)
I WANT TO BE A PART OF THE GROUP TOO!
Edit: You effed me yet again smyberle! Curse you!
#5 guy is talking about my kind of protest. Assuming supermodels are provided naturally.
THATS WHAT SHE SAID!
Mandell is the best? Oilers leave now! I am sick of city council pretending to be city council.
The AB government is not going to kick in any money. As soon as they do that, Calgary is going to be looking for the same thing.
Now about this pantsless protest . . .
When they built Rexall Place 1 they got money through some sort of Agricultural Funding program. I kid you not.
There is creative government money lying about.
Does that also mean less Bieber?
/hides under his desk waiting for the wrath of Wanye to come down
Note: Although I am a rubber trout let me assure you that I am 100% MAN BABY
Oh I am sick of it too homie. Name a better Mayor of Edmonton in the past 20 years though. Mandel aint all bad.
NEVER FORGET WHO CAN MESS WITH COMMENTS IN ITALICS NON BELIEBER
*cackles*
@Wanye
I keep forgetting who has administrator access. Kent, is there any way you can take the keys of the machine away from this madman?
NOPE
Wanye > Computerz
Sob.
#WINNING
I always thought Katy Perry had rockets but...
Waaaaait. What?
I bet the owners of Northlands are like, "fight fight fight fight!"
Aww... you started off so good and then went into industry-dependent drivel. Katz top 5 business hero? Really? Because he consolidated some pharmacy chains?
You're not thinking of maybe Bill Gates or Steve Jobs? Perhaps Colonel Harland Sanders or George Westinghouse? Maybe Henry Ford or Gottlieb Daimler?
It's such a disconnect coming home and talking to Oilers fans about the arena deal and being at work and talking to other people about it. Other people think Katz needs to get stuffed. I come to ON or HF and it's a totally different world.
Yukon Jack had it right today.
Yeah I guess that the first Edmonton based billionaire is an awful person to look up to. I have an immense level of respect for what he has done before the age of 50 from basically an upper middle class start.
gold star for being the best of the worst!
Jan Riemer was pretty good...
"She was the best mayor ever!" - Jan Reimer
....for a chick (yeah i went there)
Yup. Politics is a nasty, filthy business, and the thing I like about Mandel is, he doesn't hide what he's feeling because he's afraid of how it might make him look. He, basically, forged a deal with Katz, and told the city (and we, the citizens), "Trust me. This will work. Let's cough up some seed money to get this thing going." A year later, Mr. Mumble-Sneer starts getting a case of the uber-greedies, backs out of the deal, and puts the Mayor in a terrible position.
Did anyone catch Jay Onrait on Oilers Now a couple of weeks ago? Stauffer was trying to defend the Seattle trip being innocuous and that the fanbase was making way too much out of it, etc. Onrait's response was CLASSIC: "Well... at this point, the Seattle thing was embarrassing and douchey."
Yes, Jay. Yes, it was.
I don't have a problem with a billionaire wanting to make money. And, I understand he doesn't like the spotlight. But, if you want our money, tell us why, make it good, and stay classy while you're doing it. I don't think that's asking too much.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN THE EXPLICIT SOUNDS OF THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE US of A.
Well put Sir.
Maer Mandel...sertainlee did his part.
*kicks back w/popcorn* I'd pay to watch that, make it a weekly event, WE CAN BUY OUR OWN ARENA!!!
*insert obligatory Wanye-Eberle SQUEEEEEEEE!*
@Wanye
Well, that and being gifted $400M sure helps you on your way to being a billionaire.
What could you do with $400M
If anyone is interested in Oilers paraphenalia, I am selling everything I own. I'm done with pro sports altogether. They will never, EVER get another dime from me.
Build a statue of Jordan Eberle that could be seen from space?
City council pulled their own version of the Seattle trip by talking about building the arena without Katz.
Why?
He made a lot of money. OK, that's an admirable accomplishment, but how did he do it?
If it's by making deals like this with the city, is he worth admiring?
Any deals on miniature Stanley Cup replicas? None available here. Will trade for miniature "President's Trophy" banners.
Signed, Vancouver fans.
He made it with Daddy's money.
I hope sir ebs shows up for the pantsless party.
Edmonton's not had a mayor who mugged the thumbs-up for more photo opportunities than Smilin' Billy Smith. That guy was awesome*.
*completely f**kin' useless
"You must submit to supreme suffering in order to discover the completion of joy."
Start collecting green garden hoses for the home-made outdoor rink the Oil play on in 2016!
@Oilanderp
I'll donate some plywood and lumber I have out back,the wife's been after me to clean that crap up for awhile now!