2011 Big 12 Tournament

[KCMax]

Use this thread to talk all about the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City, sports and non-sports related.

ARE YOU READY??!??!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysimyyi3Tfo

[bobbyhawks]

I got an invitation saying I was selected to purchase two all session passes to the tournament this year.  I was in the queue right when time began and did not get tickets before they were sold out.  That is either a good sign or the ticket brokers did their thing... or both.

[KCPowercat]

Should keep trying. Tickets were coming up randomly as I clicked. Ended up with an additional 2 lower levels.

Just saw mu has some left of their allotment....that's sad mu.

[grovester]

Yeah, I only found single tickets at noon yesterday, but found pairs later in the day.

[bobbyhawks]

Yeah, I only found single tickets at noon yesterday, but found pairs later in the day.

I will never understand this release process.  I can only purchase a single now.  Guess I will just try to get some tickets outside or hope a friend is pretty generous.  Oh, well... didn't care about Wednesday and Thursday much anyhow.

[AllThingsKC]

So who is going and who is volunteering?

I'M READY FOR THIS!

[KCPowercat]

Luckily this is the only rainy day. Can't wait.

[KCMax]

http://www.bringonthecats.com/2011/3/7/ ... tournament

[Highlander]

Interesting take on KC's ability to keep the tourney into the future from OKC's perspective.  Of the two people offering their opinions, one says it is unlikely that the tournament will leave KC in the remaining life of the big XII(-2) while the other says that the exit of Nebraska and Colorado has shifted the geographic center of the conference south and the dissolution of the football championship game leaves KC with the only marquee event which will not sit well in the south. 

http://newsok.com/multimedia/video/8174 ... tory_title

[KCPowercat]

Interesting take on KC's ability to keep the tourney into the future from OKC's perspective.  Of the two people offering their opinions, one says it is unlikely that the tournament will leave KC in the remaining life of the big XII(-2) while the other says that the exit of Nebraska and Colorado has shifted the geographic center of the conference south and the dissolution of the football championship game leaves KC with the only marquee event which will not sit well in the south. 

http://newsok.com/multimedia/video/8174 ... tory_title

They are quite bitter.  Funny they don't mind keeping the baseball all to themselves.

[KCPowercat]

So volunteered tonight at a hotel at a fan info desk.  Crazy to see how many groups come back to the same hotel year after year.  I recognized at least 5 groups from last year...and these are Baylor, OSU groups.

Couple interesting points:

- The person I volunteered with was nice but not very informed.  The phrase "Everything is moving out to the speedway" sent shivers down my spine (to which I responded, yeah they have a nice outlet mall out there)

- not nearly the restaurant requests as last year same night.  I think the weather drove this.  Didn't even get to send anybody to Rieger....#1 request....Jack Stack.  #2....something close (old people got sent to Frans, young to Flying Saucer)

- Speaking of Jack Stack...asked how to drive there by one ISU fan.  That place is not easy to rattle off streets on how to get there (at least for me).  Dude asked me if I was "new"...man that did not sit well with KCPowercat.  Explained I could drive/walk there in my sleep but not rattling off driving directions.

- Hotel staff LOVE to send people to Cosentinos for a quick bite.....which is fine but mix it up fellas.

Now time to enjoy the tournament. 

[AllThingsKC]

I will be driving around downtown all day tomorrow (well, today).  The weather is suppose to improve as the week goes on.  So, hopefully many people will leave with a great impression of KC.

[chrizow]

this morning i saw the Fox 4 local morning show (i was waiting at a tire shop) and the reporter covering the Big XII tournament focused almost exclusively on how much it costs to park in Standard parking facilities near the sprint center.  she even did a pre-commercial teaser where she covered the sign with her hands and said, "after the break, find out just how much Big Xii parking will take out of YOUR WALLET!"  

$30 parking a block from the sprint center seems like a bargain to me.  in any busy downtown area it usually costs that much to park in a garage on a normal day...

just goes to show how parking-obsessed this city is.  thousands of tourists are gathering downtown, having fun, spending money, and Fox 4's angle was that it costs a lot to park?  kill me.  it wasn't until the 4th or 5th cut-away to the reporter that she actually said anything about the festivities that are scheduled downtown.

[KCMax]

this morning i saw the Fox 4 local morning show (i was waiting at a tire shop) and the reporter covering the Big XII tournament focused almost exclusively on how much it costs to park in Standard parking facilities near the sprint center.  she even did a pre-commercial teaser where she covered the sign with her hands and said, "after the break, find out just how much Big Xii parking will take out of YOUR WALLET!"  

$30 parking a block from the sprint center seems like a bargain to me.  in any busy downtown area it usually costs that much to park in a garage on a normal day...

just goes to show how parking-obsessed this city is.  thousands of tourists are gathering downtown, having fun, spending money, and Fox 4's angle was that it costs a lot to park?  kill me.  it wasn't until the 4th or 5th cut-away to the reporter that she actually said anything about the festivities that are scheduled downtown.

I can't believe people are being forced to attend these games and park. I won't stop complaining until our City Council can ensure that everyone can get free tickets and park next to the arena for free. Until then, this is a city that can't do anything right.

[mean]

just goes to show how parking-obsessed this city is.

Funny story... we've got a guy in the office this week from a vendor located in NYC, and at my insistence we've been taking him out to lunch at different places every day to kinda show off the city, as he's never been here. Yesterday, my boss, who lives in Lee's Summit, is all like, "Oh let's go to the Famous Dave's (!?) at the Legends (double ?!)!" I pointed out that if he absolutely couldn't live without Famous Dave's, there was one 100x closer downtown.

"Yeah, but there's nowhere to park."

/facepalm

So I suggest Jack Stack. Boss says, "Oh yeah, down on Metcalf?"

Me: "Huh? No dude, there's one downtown."

Boss: "There's nowhere to park downtown!"

Me: "Jack Stack is in the freighthouse. It has its own parking lot. We can park right in front of it and walk in the front door, just like if we were going to Wal-Mart!"

Boss: "Yeah, but how much does it cost?"

Me: "It's free."

Boss: "Oh, well, alright then..."

Then today, I wanted to take NYC guy to Beer Kitchen but boss complained about the parking in Westport. Which blew my mind, but whatever. Anyway, boss ended up not being able to go, so I took him down there anyway, and when we get in the car he says in a bewildered tone, "Dude, is everyone in this town so single-mindedly obsessed with parking?"

I had a good laugh.

[chrizow]

that story makes me want to die.

[loftguy]

I'm starting to believe the gf when she says "is it the air, the water? Something here brings out the worst kind of stupid in people."

If it were an episode of The Office, we could all laugh.

[Highlander]

The Star did the same thing with the parking non-issue.  What's really a pisser is that they make it seem like the surface lots next to Sprint Arena are the only lots downtown...although they do mention that public spaces are available elsewhere and these were just the closest.  I guess they deserve some credit for not making into a sky is falling downtown type thing;

http://videos.kansascity.com/vmix_hoste ... d=70481131

[grovester]

There are probably 3 other threads I could put this in:

KMBC had back to back reports

First was about preventing crime downtown during the tourney, cops/cameras/electronics in cars/etc. with the killer closing quote about KCPD's first priority preventing "violent crimes".  I might have let that story slide if it hadn't been followed with the second story comparing P&L with Legends, pointing out that Legends is profitable and hasn't needed subsidies.  JFC!  Is this how you promote your biggest downtown event?  Unbelievable!  I have no choice but to think it is a hit piece and someone has issues with downtown development.

Couldn't find a link to the video but will post when I do, it'll make you puke.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41997910

[DaveKCMO]

this morning i saw the Fox 4 local morning show (i was waiting at a tire shop) and the reporter covering the Big XII tournament focused almost exclusively on how much it costs to park in Standard parking facilities near the sprint center.  she even did a pre-commercial teaser where she covered the sign with her hands and said, "after the break, find out just how much Big Xii parking will take out of YOUR WALLET!"

the 9pm version of this story included a brief mention of the MAX (including fares + map!). but yeah... that's their opening salvo on KC's biggest sporting event of the year? they even interviewed a 12-year-old boy about it. whatever!