Comments on Advance Indiana™: About That Free NFL Concert

I happen to like Kelly Clarkson's big butt...

2007-09-08T20:02:00.000-05:00

I happen to like Kelly Clarkson's big butt...

This is amazing...the NFL puts on a FREE concert, ...

2007-09-08T12:18:00.000-05:00

This is amazing...the NFL puts on a FREE concert, and people are still complaining because some people got better seats than others to this FREE concert. Why do people think they are entitled to a front row seat to this FREE concert? So someone else got VIP treatment and you didn't. Get over it.

2007-09-08T12:16:00.000-05:00

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I go through life pretty upbeat, pal, and from whe...

2007-09-07T13:21:00.000-05:00

I go through life pretty upbeat, pal, and from where I stood, not everyone, but way too many, were fat smokers. And most of the smokers were rude. I reported what I saw.

The NFL has a right to control the crowd to a large degree, IF they rent the facility. They didn't. They used our public streets and thoroughfares.

And the VIP viewing area was just too large.

I still enjoyed (most of) the music.

I was in the middle of the crowd on Meridian betwe...

2007-09-07T08:39:00.000-05:00

I was in the middle of the crowd on Meridian between Washington and Maryland. It's rude, judgemental and way over the top to characterize the crowd as a bunch on fat smokers. The folks all around me were a montage of about any population. Saw lots of families, especially those with little girls attracted to Clarkson. Everyone was enjoying themselves.
Sure NBC and the NFL controlled the look of the event. Why wouldn't they ... it was their event and they paid for it.
I was glad to see my city represented as a vibrant place. The nationally televised shots of Monument Circle were phenomenal.
The whining among these posts is not surprising, but disappointing just the same. The atmosphere in the city yesterday and last night was electric. Folks came and went and had a good time. Crowds were orderly.
My advice would be to lighten up, but the cynics and skeptics and moaners and complainers who inhabit these sites aren't about to see the brighter side of anything.
What a way to go through life, but to each his/her own.

That should read "live streaming."

2007-09-07T07:58:00.000-05:00

That should read "live streaming."

It's funny that you mention Sprint, anon 7:54. WTH...

2007-09-07T07:57:00.000-05:00

It's funny that you mention Sprint, anon 7:54. WTHR's live coverage included a big plug for Sprint showing off how they were living streaming the concert for their customers.

Superb point, Gary. One of my vendors called at 5 ...

2007-09-07T07:54:00.000-05:00

Superb point, Gary.

One of my vendors called at 5 pm yesterday and left a voice mail, indicating he had "like 200 of these VIP armbands" to give out, wanting to know if I wanted any.

I was already at the no-stage-view portion of the "standing" crowd. Mixed in with the n'er-do-wells NBC, NFL didn't want to show.

It irritated me. Evidently all the Sprint "customer service" folks got armbads, because Sprint was a huge title sponsor. Hell, Sprint's "customer service" is so oxymoronic, they might have done better if they shut down all the offices and sent their powerless employees to the concert.

"Press 1 for new customers, 2 for existing customers, 3 for armbands to the concert, 4 to buzz off, 5 to flip the bird at all our competitors, 6 if you ever thought you'd actually get a human to answer your stupid question..."

By the by, I talked to four different IMPD officers at the concert. All indicated scorn for IndyU nonsense. Just FYI. And all read your blog, along with some others. Unscientific survey, but illustrative.

Watching the concert live on TV, you could see a c...

2007-09-07T07:28:00.000-05:00

Watching the concert live on TV, you could see a clear demarcation point separating the chosen ones allowed near the stage and everybody else behind the barriers. It seems the NFL wanted to control the "looks" of the crowd on TV. If these folks were going to be given exclusive standing rights to the stage area, then they should have been charged a fee, which would have been used to cover all the overtime costs the city no doubt will incur for all the extra police coverage required for the event.

And this tidbit, for whatever it's worth: (actuall...

2007-09-07T05:20:00.000-05:00

And this tidbit, for whatever it's worth: (actually two tidbits): I'm hoping to God the national TV audience didn't see what I saw. It's been a long time since I saw that much fat jammed into too-small clothing with lots of midriff showing. It made the State Fair lookl positively svelte. Hoosiers need a diet. And a stern look in the hall mirror before they go out.

And, anyone who thinks our cigarette tax collections might have gone down when the tax incresed...well, if last night's concert crowd was any indication, we can all retire to the Hamptons soon. What a fillthy, rude habit.

What do you expect from folks who are in love with taxpayer funded "futbaw?" They would have supported a 5% food and beverage tax as long as it went toward the Ir$ay stadium.

Amos Brown's rants against this concert hit a road...

2007-09-07T05:08:00.000-05:00

Amos Brown's rants against this concert hit a roadblock when, at a news conference for the entertainers, the black artist who sang the national anthem fired back at him. She said she welcomed the chance the NFL gave her to sing before a national audience. Kinda drowned out Amos's "We are 27% of the market" ridiculous rants. (Wilson Shield UP)

Her rendition of the NA, at the stadium at least, was well-received by most. I thought it was flat and way too free-range. Her voice is OK, but not good enough for riffs on the NA. To each his own.

I attended about half of the street concert before the game. The roped-off areas were disgusting. Ordinary folks had no chance for a direct stage view.

And this tidbit, for whatever it's worth: (actually two tidbits): I'm hoping to God the national TV audience didn't see what I saw. It's been a long time since I saw that much fat jammed into too-small clothing with lots of midriff showing. It made the State Fair lookl positively svelte. Hoosiers need a diet. And a stern look in the hall mirror before they go out.

And, anyone who thinks our cigarette tax collections might have gone down when the tax incresed...well, if last night's concert crowd was any indication, we can all retire to the Hamptons soon. What a fillthy, rude habit.

Kelly's butt seems to be getting bigger. She has ...

2007-09-06T20:25:00.000-05:00

Kelly's butt seems to be getting bigger. She has always said she is comfortable with her small breast and big butt. For a while there, I figured maybe the NFL would try to please Amos Brown by having Sir Mix-A-Lot magically appear on stage singing "Baby Got Back" with Kelly.

Kelly has always been sartorially challenged. But...

2007-09-06T18:58:00.000-05:00

Kelly has always been sartorially challenged. But I still think she rocks.

Kelly Clarkson needs to either fire the person in ...

2007-09-06T17:40:00.000-05:00

Kelly Clarkson needs to either fire the person in charge of her wardrobe or lose about 30 pounds. Skin tight pants don't look so good on her. And the blouse she had on looked like it came from the discount rack at Target.

Kinda reminds one of how bart packed the ccc meeti...

2007-09-06T15:46:00.000-05:00

Kinda reminds one of how bart packed the ccc meeting with his cronies doesnt it

I think the biggest ruse the City pulled on the ta...

2007-09-06T14:01:00.000-05:00

I think the biggest ruse the City pulled on the taxpayers is getting them to believe that the NFL is picking up the tab for tonight's event.
Gary, you may need to check out if indeed the NFL is picking up ALL the tab.
Who's paying for all the law enforcement officers at this event?

Answers please

I went by there the other day and there are bleach...

2007-09-06T13:56:00.000-05:00

I went by there the other day and there are bleachers along the sidewalk around the Circle. Odds of seeing over that may be slim to none - if they fill in the gap ON meridian street, well just fuggeddaboudit.

Thus it is why cheating on your taxes, especially ...

2007-09-06T13:50:00.000-05:00

Thus it is why cheating on your taxes, especially the Ir$ay Tax, is morally a-ok!!!!

The elite want this, the elite get front row spots for this, the elite can pay for this.

Who cares. The racist pigs!

2007-09-06T13:09:00.000-05:00

Who cares. The racist pigs!

I'm sure that "insiders" from several segments rec...

2007-09-06T13:02:00.000-05:00

I'm sure that "insiders" from several segments received their "fair" share of swag tickets. The 25th floor included.

The NFL knows how to butter the toast.

I heard a bunch of free tickets were being passed ...

2007-09-06T12:46:00.000-05:00

I heard a bunch of free tickets were being passed out to Emmis Communications employees, even though they have a view of the stage from their building.

Just my luck

2007-09-06T12:22:00.000-05:00

Just my luck

One had to be saavy enough, or told, to go to 1iot...

2007-09-06T12:20:00.000-05:00

One had to be saavy enough, or told, to go to 1iota.com to request "tickets" for the close in spots. I just heard about it yesterday, so I guess I'm not saavy and I certainly wasn't told.

I think the NFL knows how to carefully craft their image, and there won't be anything allowed to sully that idea.

There were rules for the tickets, too. Had to be at least 16 years old, and promise not to wear anything white or with a logo on it (for TV purposes). Kinda leaves Colts wear "out" for this event.

For anybody who was sucked in by the weeks of FREE CONCERT news, sans details, they are in for a BIG disappointment. It won't be like any "free" concert people around here have experienced before.