From the SIFL: Dan's Diatribe - Poll Position Uncomfortable
Posted on June 11, 2009
by Dan Ryan - SIFL Director of Communications
Has the SIFL become a microcosm of society? Have we, in fact, proved that democracy has reached its zenith?
If a regional indoor football league can’t administer a popular election, than what does it say about our nation and western civilization in general?
First it was Krys beating Adam on American Idol. Then on Dancing with the Stars, the cute gold medal gymnast beat the naked guy from the Sex in The City movie who everyone said was a much better dancer. Then NASA nearly had to name a billion dollar piece of the International Space Station after Stephen Colbert because a quarter of a million people voted for it.
You know, if NASA can muddy up a poll, then we’re in good company…
But we have in fact, created our own version of Colbert Nation in the form of the Austin Turfcat fan machine that has lifted its players to the highly coveted VIDSWAP.com Player Of The Week Award five times this season.
The outrage this time is that a defensive player from a 71-15 wipeout got a few more votes than Houma’s Omar Haugabook, who had three touchdowns in the Conquerors’ first victory of the season. Happened earlier this season. Will probably happen again.
From the league perspective, I wanted Haugabook to win. Houma has a new management team and this would have given them a little extra momentum. Besides, Haughabook nearly beat Florida State when he was at Troy and anyone who can make Bobby Bowden snarl “dadgumit” on a fall Saturday in Tallahassee is okay in my book.
But is what Austin’s doing wrong? Not really. They are fans of the Turfcats and they are helping their player. J.R. Turner did have some good numbers and Turfcats coach Chris Duliban is pleased with Turner’s effort this season. In a perfect world, you'd like to see Austin's fan machine vote for other players if that player had a better game, but that's like asking folks in Northeast Ohio to vote for Kobe over LeBron. It ain't a perfect world, anyway.
It was a little irritating when Austin brazenly declared that a Turfcat will win player of the week each and very time on their podcast -- shouldn’t the focus be on getting crowds of 3,000 like Louisiana -- but again, it's just a burp in the cosmic scheme.
Is it a credibility liability? We’re in our first year. What hasn't been questioned?
A sincere attempt to involve the fans has broken into a firestorm. Calls for reform. Smack talk. Claims of injustice. All over whether a player gets a certificate and another line on his resume.
The decision was simple, or at least we thought. Our player recognition in 2009 would come in four forms: Game MVPs as selected by those on-site; Player Of The Quarter by coaches and staff and the Season Ending All-League team by a committee of coaches, staff and media. Since the SIFL would have three games a week maximum in 2009, let’s give the fans a say with the weekly award. Build rivalries. Fan Involvement. All that stuff. Perfect.
But nooooooooooooooooo.
Earlier this season, LA’s fan blog cried foul, and suggested we take the vote out from the general population to a select committee. In other words, take the vote out of one group’s power and put it in another. Hmm. They used the term popularity contest. Aren’t are elections?
One week, we tried the WWE approach. It worked in the fact that our web traffic doubled for two days and it generated a buzz. Probably won’t do that again, because now we’re trying the fate of America depending on the general population approach.
That means I’m about to go Civics teacher on y’all and tell you how important is to vote and voting gives you power and all that that stuff and then I’m about to go Peter Parker’s uncle on y’all and say with great power comes great responsibility. About to.
It’s a football vote, people. It’s supposed to be fun. And you are going to have fun, even if it isn’t fun.
The player of the week poll is going to stay for the rest of the season. It’s going to come back next year, but as a fan compliment to the official announcement (Great. Another committee. Maybe we'll go BCS and just let a computer pick the darn winner) along with other fan involvement programs I wanted to do this season, but the hectic start-up deemed otherwise.
The fans will have a say in the end of the season balloting, but as one collective vote. And the coaches and league staff have complete control on who gets the Hooters gift cards. It'll get us through year one.
So for now, if you don’t like the fact that Austin’s winning every week, you and several hundred of your friends get together and vote for your guy. Austin machine, keep on doing what you’re doing, but occasionally do look at the credentials of the candidates and make a good decision.
Democracy and western civilization are not riding on the SIFL, but then again, maybe they are.
Dan Ryan is Director of Communications For The Southern Indoor Football League. His blog will run every Tuesday on SouthernIFL.com beginning next week.
