Jason is out of town this week so we had to send out the Blessing bat signal. The host of Sportsbook Radio and Vegas Hockey Hotline, Brian Blessing sits in to talk #CoxBlocked and more. Hosted by Ken Boehlke and Jason Pothier.
- A cautionary tale of how #CoxBlocked isn’t new to the sports landscape.
- Who really loses from Cox and AT&T Sports not coming together?
- What the beginning of the season looks like for the Golden Knights.
- Brian’s exclusive video which is posted on our Twitter.
- What will it take to admit Ken’s been right all along?
And much more…
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Joe
Ken (and Brian) I loved the fn passion of this. Absolutely loved it. Why? Because it sounds like you just might finally be getting it . . . . .might be.
You guys hit on it extremely early on in the podcast . . . the inferiority complex that we/I have by living here in the Valley. Your GD right that I have an inferiority complex living in a place in which we constantly have to defend why we all live here. I’ve hit on it before and some others have as well, such as RJ, Jerry, Eric, etc. It is (and has been for the last three years when Foley first started this) tiresome constantly reading national articles, and the comments from all the dbags who know nothing about the Valley, about why we don’t “deserve” pro sports. Yes, “deserve”, like we somehow are inferior, second class citizens. We all know the fn stereotypes that we are the Strip and nothing more and that we must all be gambling degenerates and extremely f’d up people. We must be the island of the misfit toys because who in their right mind would live in a place that is 140 degrees all year round?
You asked about when the team will finally have that realization about how badly they screwed things up. Well, let me tell you when I had that moment when my passion for team and Foley took a complete u-turn. It was during the fn debacle on a fairly balmy November night in Toshiba Plaza. It was when there was a countdown and streamers shot up and a giant flash went up on the video board on the front of T Mobile, accompanied by a cringe worthy OH MY, and I saw “VEGAS golden knights” appear. That was my “you don’t give an F about me Foley so I don’t give an F about you and YOUR team” moment. So lets go back to that inferiority discussion now.
When Foley willfully and intentionally left out the LAS, that was his middle finger in my face moment. You refer to the town as “Vegas”. I used to say it too when I first got here. But I stopped. Why? Because that reference to everyone outside of here is to the Strip. It stands for all the stereotypes that we are degenerates and don’t “deserve” anything, let alone an NHL team in the “middle of the desert”. Does it bother me when you say it? No, because you live here. You fight, and Brian does too, to defend the City . . . .the Valley. Why did Foley drop the LAS? We all know damn well it wasn’t to connect to the City/Valley and his bullshit about how its people outside of here that call it Las Vegas. He felt that calling the team “Vegas” was a way to market it to the tourists (aka the World). Why? Because he never really gave an F about Las Vegas. This was, and remains, just a platform for him. It was always about and always will be about him thinking that he can turn anything he wants into gold. This whole thing is about his ego. Its all about making sure that we all know that he went to West Point and that the Knight “culture” is how everyone should live their lives. Its about making sure that everyone knows that he as a 15 inch @#$% (billionaires all have them) . . . . that he can drop on a table in front of anyone he wants at anytime. Talk about taking us for granted. I don’t even think he cares about taking us for granted because he would have to care first and his words, and actions, have shown that we don’t matter. We did matter when he needed deposits. . . .you know when there multiple billboards up on the 15 about how “Vegas Wants Hockey” (and then got taken down and never replaced). The first thing out of his mouth after it was locked up was about how he wanted to be the “World’s Team” and then that now has now morphed into being the “Team of the Rocky Mountains”. We all know that he has no personal connection to this City. He has his love affair with his winery (I got weekly e-mails from Foley Food and Wine Society right after the deposit was done) and his beloved Montana. Its not about here . . .never has been. Its always been about him. We were just the stage to launch from. Las Vegas was the untapped market that the NHL wanted to go into/explore. This is and has always been a means to an end . . . . . . his end, not ours. A question. Yes, half rhetorical/half serious. Has any expansion owner in any sport declared that they wanted to become the “World’s Team” literally right out of the chute? How the F is that supposed to make us here feel who have that inferiority complex?!?!?!?!?!? Right from the get go it has been clear that we, the Valley, aren’t enough, just a stepping stone. We are the friend with benefits but not good enough to be seen with in public or meet the parents. We just are pretty/handsome enough for Foley.
Back to the stepping stone thought, and being the World’s Team, we are the number one tourist destination and so Foley can use the “VEGAS” brand to market to all those tourists who can then go back and care so FN much about this team, HIS team. The writing has always been on the FN wall the whole time. We don’t matter. Why were you surprised that they didn’t think twice about driving a bus up to Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, etc.?!?!?!? I’m surprised that Foley started so small actually. I expected that he would have sent his caravan to New Delhi, Hong Kong, and Tokyo instead. Why crawl when you can sprint out the womb. Who cares about southern Nevada . . . .small potatoes on the Foley grand scheme of things. Any billionaire knows that you must think big.
Ive said it before, I support the NHL in LAS VEGAS. I have season seats. I support the NHL and this town, BUT I don’t give a F about the Knights . . . .sorry GOLDEN Knights (Foley’s its MY NAME and I will shove it down your throats) now and never will because I have a long history with my prior love and I’m loyal as F as a fan. Just like Brian said regarding the Sabres, I am not throwing away years and years of caring, but this could have been my second team (BTW, his situation of Sabres first, Knights second is infinitely much easier when your team is not even in the same conference). Won’t be this season and won’t ever be. BUT what could they for me to at least care about them slightly/the first step toward dropping my intense desire for Foley, not the NHL, not his staff that is dictated to, to fail miserably? Admit that dropping the LAS was insulting and will be corrected next season. “Oh, but four words is just too long and the London Knights won’t” blah blah blah blah. . . . Foley, you caused the issue with your hard on for the Knights “culture” so you figure it out. I help you out . . . .LAS Vegas Knights or LAS Vegas Goldenknights. Easy fix. 3 words now. BTW, how is it the minor league soccer team can have a 3 question poll up the same day they get a team and the first question that they ask is “How would you like us to refer to the City”, yet Foley couldn’t do the same thing?!?!?!?! He could have, but he didn’t give an F. Our opinions didn’t matter then and they don’t matter now.
Ken, you are starting to now to more fully get it. I hope that you continue to “get it” because in 5 years when they MIGHT start to get it, possibly when T Mobile is either a) empty on Tuesday night game against Columbus or b) has 14k Wings, Hawks, Kings fans in it, no guarantees (#Coxblocked) hopefully you are the one that can explain to the new group in charge of the team where they went miserably wrong. Last thought. Why is it that it is so fn hard for these franchises, especially in the NHL, to learn from the past mistakes of other franchises?
As always, thanks for lending your ear and allowing me to share my thoughts.
RJ
Joe, it is like read my fn mind and looked into my fn heart when you wrote this. I can’t criticize a single word, I agree completely.
I will add a few things to pile on a little. For years, locals have been saying that ‘Vegas’ is where the tourists go, Las Vegas is where the people live. Vegas has Celine Dion and Carrot Top, Las Vegas has the 51’s and the Spring Preserve. Vegas has hotels and casinos, Las Vegas has homes and high schools. Vegas has Guy Fieri and Todd English, Las Vegas has PT’s and Steiner’s. When Foley chose to identify this team as Vegas instead of Las Vegas he chose to identify his team as being for the people who COME to Vegas; not the people who LIVE in Las Vegas.
Also, I kind of envy that you still have a primary NHL team. My loyalty is to my city and if there is a team here, they are my team. Without a second thought I abandoned years of Ducks. I did the same thing the minute the Raiders announced they are coming to Las Vegas. I was a Packers fan since the days of Don Majkowski, but I’ve been a Las Vegan since birth and thats where my heart will always lie.
Thanks for so passionately expressing the feelings many locals share. Ive been trying and failing to put that sentiment into words for months.
Brandon
It doesn’t feel like this team even cares about reaching out. I feel like this team only cares about Summerlin and the Strip. There’s been nothing in Henderson, Centennial, the east side, Boulder City. The Raiders have done more in the community in shorter time than the Knights, with the viewing party at T&M, the stores opening up at Galleria Mall and Downtown Summerlin, the Raiders being at the high school football games this week. The Knights keep dropping the ball every chance they get. This road trip was an okay idea but why not visit Reno, St. George, Lake Havasu and Fresno? If this tv deal doesn’t get done, this team will be gone in a few years. I feel that almost 100 percent of Las Vegans know the Raiders are coming, I wonder what the percentage of people is who even know of the existence of this team.