IS IT TRUE? March 22, 2011

IS IT TRUE that there is finally some news of discussions that someone may actually benefit from purchasing the naming rights for the new Downtown Evansville Arena?…that such discussions about naming rights usually would have been going on for not just the building but a lot of things in it by this stage of the game?…that if Evansville is to follow Louisville’s lead in the end result that an announcement will be made in the summer of 2011?…that the YUM Center in Louisville benefits YUM by granting them selling rights for their products in the YUM Center?…that Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium does the exact same thing?…that if one would want to guess as to what businesses could derive immediate benefit from advertising at a stadium one would need to look no further than one’s own stomach?…that the right question on who would benefit from naming the building is “what local company” could financially benefit from the purchases by spectators that have bought tickets?…that the list will not be long because there are not many headquarters in Evansville but that there are some logical candidates?…that the Ski Dome or the Double Cola Arena both fit the bill?…that the Grippo’s Dome or the Emge Arena may even get some traction and make some bucks from selling their own products?…that the Bunny Bread Arena may work too?…that it is widely believed that Double Cola and Grippo’s are headquartered in Evansville?…that alas they are headquartered in Chattanooga and Cincinnati respectively?…that Evansville has adopted them both as our own and that they can still benefit financially from naming rights?

IS IT TRUE that the Executive Inn parking garage is now speculated to start the demolition process in three weeks or four weeks after the demolition crew showed up?…that the big impediment in the way of getting going is down to the Verizon Wireless hardware on the roof?…that we have to wonder where the manager is or if there even is a manager on this project?…that this line item should have been on someone’s master schedule (what master schedule) at least three years ago?…that it is nearly April and that so far the physical progress shows all of the organization of a dog chasing its own tail?…the deal to remove the communications hardware should have been in place before the company known as Woodruff Hospitality was even an idea yet?…that the sooner that Woodruff can get the bungles of the City of Evansville’s past efforts behind them, the sooner this project will run more like a business and less like a circus?

IS IT TRUE that the University of Tennessee has made the decision to fire former USI head basketball coach Bruce Pearl?…that Bruce is one of the most passionate and entertaining basketball coaches in America?…that passion and charisma sometimes go hand in hand with a contempt for overly restrictive rules?…that when Coach Pearl paced the sidelines at USI and became an interactive member of the Evansville community that USI was always a factor in the chase for a Division 2 National Title?…that during Coach Pearl’s time here USI won a title and was runner-up for another one?…that ESPN Sports columnist Pat Forde called USI “Bruce Pearl’s purgatory” in an article about his post USI successes published in 2008?…that whether we are Bruce’s purgatory or one of his best memories that Evansville still enjoys seeing our adopted friend Bruce Pearl do well and look forward to seeing more successes in the future?…that we wish a quick recovery and prosperity again for Coach Pearl?…that Evansville will never forget the gregarious and passionate winner that spent a dozen years with us here?

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer is proud of the year that both the USI and UE basketball teams had this year and look forward to more wins in the future?…that local players with Division 1 talent are not a problem growing here?…that UE in its golden years landed much of that local national caliber talent and hung five NCAA championship banners with mostly local talent on the floor?…that just two players from SW Indiana could have easily propelled UE to the top of the Missouri Valley Conference and perhaps as far as the NCAA Sweet 16?…that UE defeated the Sweet 16 Butler Bulldogs this year at Hinkle Fieldhouse?…that with Tyler Zeller (Washington) and Kyle Kuric (Evansville Memorial) in Aces uniforms that UE would have been ranked this year and made some noise nationally?…that basketball and local business have something in common?…that we have drifted to become a place where our best talent has to leave to excel on the world stage?…that when this talent drain, brain drain, or whatever one wants to call it is corrected that our teams, our businesses, and yes our local government may once again be seen as formidable competitors on a national scale?

IS IT TRUE that Forde’s article about Bruce Pearl is at the following link?…that is makes you remember just how in tune to Evansville that Coach Pearl was?

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=3299331&sportCat=ncb