It's early Sunday morning and I'm still in the office. I was looking over the TV listings on zap2it.com and I realized that this is quite possibly one of the worst Sundays for watching sports.

I guess I could watch college basketball but after 20 straight weeks of NFL, no ACC matchup can hold the proverbial candle to a pro football game.

I also thought about watching the Australian Open men's final until I realized what time it starts -- 12:30 PCT. I'll be asleep before the first set ends.

So that leaves me with little options. We put a poll on bakersfield.com/sports asking readers what their plans were for this week.

I guess I'll be cleaning the garage because I don't have a passport for the trip to Cabo San Lucas.

So what are you're plans? Let's hope they're better than mine.

 

 

According to the Bakersfield Jam majority owner Stan Ellis, the nation’s looming recession, subprime mortage crisis and general financial challeges were the reasons for the team slashing ticket prices earlier this week.

Well, one out of three isn’t bad. At least, they were right about general financial challenges. But I’m sure the financial challenge is more on the team’s end, rather than the consumer end.

The Jam lowered the highest-price tickets, baseline to baseline, from $27 to $15. Also select corner sections went from $22 to $10, and end zone seating went from $11 to 7. Upper bowl tickets will stay the same price at $5. Students and military, with proper I.D., can now buy upper bowl tickets for $1. No discount was previously offered.

I'll give the owners and management credit for finally lowering the ticket prices. But don't blame the national economics for lower than expected attendance figures. C'mon, it's not the recession. Just be honest and say, "We overestimated the value of our product, and the community's interest in minor-league basketball."

I'm theorizing, -- I try not to guess – management/owners looked
over the books for the first season and the first half of this season, and realized they were in the red. Not a light pink, probably more along the lines of heads-will-roll-blood-red.

It was time for a change and the Jam spin doctors – my brother is in media relations for a large auto insurance company, so I know all about spin – decided to blame the recession for the woes.

Now, don't get me wrong. I think the Jam is a great product. But until it has a proven record as a winner or at least a .500 team, don't charge customers and potential customers an exorbitant price. No one wants to pay "discretionary income" to watch a bad team.

No, I don't have a business degree, but here are my thoughts on building a financially viable product. Lower the tickets price to well below what management/league perceives the value is for first two years. Expose people to the product and re-coop some investment through concession sales. Create atmosphere, build enthusiasm.  Then, raise ticket prices after you build a fan base.
 

"If you build it, they will come," only works in the movies.

It took approximately 10 minutes of research but this really should come to no surprise to anyone that's been paying attention to the minor league sports scene in Bakersfield. For the first time in 184 days, two Bakersfield franchises won on the same night.

The Jam's 22-point victory over Anaheim, and the Condors's 5-1 win over Victoria ended the half-year long drought.

The last time two Bakersfield minor league teams won on the same night was June 30 -- the Blaze thumped Modesto 7-2, and the Blitz routed Laredo 33-6. That will likely never happen again because of the demise of the Blitz.

There is a shred of good news, the Jam and Condors share dates 13 times during the final two months of their respective seasons -- starting Saturday when the Condors host Las Vegas and the Jam are on the road against Anaheim.

Maybe both teams can turn their seasons around in time for playoffs by winning on the same night.

My wife was surprised at how calm I was after the loss. She tugged on my leg as I was walking past to get another can of Mountain Dew and asked, "You going to be OK?"

"Yeah, I'll live. Nothing new."

I sounded a lot like my Little League baseball coach, "You can't win them all."

It was nice to claim to be a fan of the defending Super Bowl champions, and arguably the second-best team in the NFL.

For 23 years, I never knew what it was like to root for a Super Bowl champ. Dozens of losing seasons, a few trips to the playoffs and plenty of disappointments, you'd think I'd be use to it. But when your team gives you that thrill, that opportunity to open your door and shout out to the world, "That's what I'm talking 'bout," in the middle of the night, it's tough to face reality.

I'll move on. "It's baseball season now!" 

I knew two things about the BCS National Championship before the game even started. I'm sure any one that's followed college football had a relatively good idea about one of them.

Ohio State was not going to win. No way, no how would the BCS folks let LSU lose on their home turf. The Bayou Tigers playing in the Bayou for the national championship. C'mon that's about as unfair as asking Britney Spears to watch her kids after a hard-night of drinking.

When the bowl games were being decided, you know the BCS folks were salivating at the thought of ticket sales from rabid Tiger fans. Bowl games are about making money, not crowning national champions.

Even when Ohio State jumped out to that quick 10-0 lead, I thought this is just like last year's title game. Remember, the opening kickoff return for a TD, and subsequent thumping Florida put on the Buckeyes.

Louisiana State is not the best team in the country. Who is? Looking at the losses and wins, you have to believe USC is the No. 1 team. I'm not a Trojan fan, my loyalties are to two colleges -- one of which doesn't have a football program (Bradley U.) and the other lost to Rutgers in the International Bowl -- so don't go there.

LSU lost to two subsequent unranked opponents, Kentucky and Arkansas. Kentucky was No. 17 in the polls at the time, but quickly fell out of the rankings.

I've always felt the SEC gets put unjustly on a pedestal by the media. "Best Conference in football from top to bottom." It always seems to have six or seven teams in the Top 25. That's the biggest joke. This year, it's Florida, Kentucky, Auburn, Alabama, Louisiana State, South Carolina and Tennessee all getting votes because of conference play.

Florida got whacked by Michigan, remember the Wolverines started off 0-2, but still finished No. 13 in the final AP poll. Michigan finished No. 18 in the AP poll with four losses and a win against Florida. HUH!

Then Illinois, which defeated Ohio State, dropped all the way to No. 20 after getting blasted by USC. The Trojans beat the team that beat the No. 1 team and don't get rewarded but LSU will get votes because they play in a "tough' conference. Hard to figure out the rationale.

It's weighted toward SEC teams, I guess I should get over it because there will always be an ESPN Coast bias.

Every year, you're expected to make a resolution. A change for the better. Using my own experience, it's easier said then done. I've never kept a resolution but I'm going to go down the path again this year, and try NOT to veer off the edge.

I've actually decided on two resolutions. A professional and a personal change. Thought that might help my chances of at least keeping one.

PROFESSIONAL
Take the full leap and jump into the Web. I've dipped my toes in the kiddie pool in 2007, but it's time to walk a few steps and plunge into the deep end. I resolve to update my blog at least two to three times a week, and make a impact in the Californian's sports Web site. We can improve on the site with video and the overall look.

PERSONAL
Go to the gym and get back into shape. Had some arm problems during softball season last year and I really hope working out, as well as loosening up before games, will make the difference. If anyone knows of a good strength program let me know. I used the Nolan Ryan workout during high school but it's probably a little out-of-date. Plus, I'm not a 17-year-old outfielder anymore.

Well, this is the first step. Feel free to keep me on track. Write me at rpriest@bakersfield.com if you think I'm slacking. Sometimes we need a little kick in the rear to get us going.

Have a blessed New Year