27 FEB 07: LION COUNTRY SAFARI?
Columbus's latest pro sports team played its first game Monday night. But there was NO live television, NO broadcast on local radio - and in fact, the only Lions on the air at all Monday seemed to be "Between the Lions" for children on GPB.
The Columbus Lions went on the road for its first game, and downed Daytona Beach 45-42. Get used to that matchup, because I didn't realize until Monday night the "World Indoor Football League" has only four teams in it. Somehow I thought the world extended beyond Georgia and Florida - maybe to Alabama?!
The Columbus-Daytona Beach game was webcast, with live streaming audio. But the first two links for listening at the Lions' web site didn't work with my Windows Media Player. Thankfully, this is football - so the triple option wound up working successfully.
But things were a bit confusing at the Columbus Lions web site. When we checked it late in the third quarter, the home page showed Columbus leading 28-21 - but the streaming audio revealed Columbus actually was losing 28-27. Well, the state of Florida IS famous for its recounts....
The Columbus Lions used two different quarterbacks in its opening-night win. But the announcers on the Daytona Beach webcast openly admitted they didn't know how to pronounce the name of backup Chinedu Okoro. This is why hockey hasn't exactly caught on in Daytona Beach, either.
It was a bit saddening to call up the Columbus Lions web site during the third quarter of a one-point game, and see it showing "19 visitors online." Perhaps hundreds of fans called up a window with the streaming audio, then listened while they tried to hack the Alabama and Auburn football sites.
(Only 19 visitors at the Lions' web site during the opening game? C'mon, folks - this team already paid its Civic Center rent for the season.)
The Columbus Lions web site shows an ad for WGSY-FM "Sunny 100," but that station didn't broadcast Monday night's game. Not even co-owned WSHE-AM did -- and that station has coach Jason Gibson on its midday sports show once a week. Does that mean Gibson isn't a born-again Christian?
Jason Gibson admitted he wasn't sure how his players would perform on opening night, because the Columbus Lions have a lot of rookies. In fact, they're SO YOUNG that I don't think the team has an official car rental company....
There's a big regional presence on the Columbus Lions roster. Five players are from Tuskegee University. Four went to Fort Valley State. Three attended Auburn. And hopefully all of them graduated, because the payroll isn't that big.
The Columbus Lions will play their first home game at the Civic Center March 10 - one night after the Harlem Globetrotters come to town. Which event do you think will draw a bigger crowd? And will Lion players watch the Globetrotters, to take notes on the dunks?
BLOG UPDATE: The Muscogee County Library Board discussed what to do with six million dollars in surplus money Monday. This is sales tax money left over, after the new central library was built -- so apparently sculptor Albert Paley has been paid off, once and for all.
Chattahoochee Valley Library System Director Claudya Muller says one idea for the surplus money is to soundproof the central library's study rooms. That way, teenagers researching the history of rap music can turn it up as loud as they want.
Claudya Muller added another possible use for the six million surplus dollars is to buy more library books. Excuse me, but this doesn't make any sense. The library staff threw out a lot of old reference books when they moved from the Bradley Library to Macon Road - either that, or they were mislabeled and sent to the Labor Day weekend book sale.
WRBL obtained a letter from the Muscogee County School Board to the Library Board. It warns the School Board will oppose any plan for a "park" around the central library. I'm not really sure why. Consider how many future business leaders could be trained, by having them sell off lawn mowing privileges.
OUR TEXT FOR TODAY: Two total strangers are chatting in an online game room.
"This is the most fascinating discussion I've had all day."
"Discussion?"
"Yes."
"Now I know you're gay."
Make of that what you will -- and now let's see what else made news Monday:
+ A court hearing was held on a campaign to recall Marion County Commissioner Frank Powell. Bryant Vaughn of the "Coalition for the Betterment of Marion County" declared the closer he gets to county government, "the more it smells like a manure pile." So does this mean Talbot County won that fight against sludge?
(Frank Powell denies he's done anything deserving of recall. But the Coalition for the Betterment of Marion County claims he's violated open meetings rules, by whispering to other commissioners during meetings. Do they really want Powell to say out loud how good-looking the constituents are?)
+ WRBL reported the plans for whitewater rafting through downtown Columbus and Phenix City have been postponed until the summer of next year. One obstacle is that part of the Chattahoochee River has been cited for having too much unhealthy bacteria. I may never spit in the river while I'm running on the Riverwalk again....
+ The Georgia Lottery awarded Rodrick Doss of Waverly Hall a check for $500,000. Doss won that prize playing the "Jumbo Jumbo Bucks" scratch-off game. But compared with tonight's jackpot, "Jumbo Jumbo" simply isn't "Mega."
+ Instant Message to the web site WeWantTVChoiceGA.com : I don't quite understand your commercial - but I had a fascinating TV choice Monday night. It was Oprah Winfrey on ABC, versus Jesse James on PBS.
COMING WEDNESDAY: "American Idol week" begins in Columbus, and we offer our version of an "Idol Rewind"....
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