The Fever Perceiver

Captain’s blog star(t) date 11111.1 Star date thing won’t
work. Too many numbers. If there is to be a riff, it must be accurate. Can’t
have it any other way. I figured I best be coming up with a name for this web
log thingy. Did you know that’s what a blog is? A web log. I’ve been (t)asked
to do one. And make it good. Ok, I can only promise one thing. It will be
random. Back to a name. Oh wait, I have
my first head line: Fever Fumes
Frustrate Faithful. We’re painting
and remodeling the Fever office so I’ve been relegated to the Coaches offices.
With no internet. And it stinks. Wait,
another headline: Fervent Fever Foulness
Fancies Flight of Febreze. Febreze on the desk. Absolutely true. Can’t make
this stuff up. But I’ll try. Do you
edit a blog? Is it just flowing train of thought or does one put something
cohesive and non-ramblematic together . Can I make up words like ramblematic?
By the way this is under the auspices of the Tri-Cities Fever Professional
Indoor Football Team. Since I’ve yet to bring up one darn thing Fever related,
maybe a check of my priorities/ego is in order. First better get a title: I’ll
come up with that later

Talking politics around the water cooler today. I’m the only
Patty Murray fan. Our mostly Republican office doesn’t think Bachmann has a
chance even though she won some poll in Iowa. I think Gov Perry of Texas will
get the GOP nod losing in the general to Obama. Travis Vance is back in the house
after a couple of seasons away. The big man is hitting the ground running as
his background is obviously heavily versed in the language of indoor football
being a veteran of multiple facets of the operation in various leagues.
Tri-City Businesses here we come.

Fever Perceiver

I’m Curt Cartier. I’m the Fever’s Public Address announcer.
I’m the only employee who’s been with the Fever since the beginning expanding
my role from a game night contract employee to a full time one in December of
2009. Yes, I came aboard full time when the Fever was just beginning to come
back from some of its lowest lows. The Fever has continued to grow and thrive
under the leadership of IFL Executive of the Year in Teri Carr, (Teri
absolutely hates recognition. It is why I’m doing it here. If it makes the
final cut, it’ll be a miracle. Maybe.) and a proven track record of winning
with Head Coach Adam Shackleford. In fact, the environment has changed so much
in just a couple of seasons. Now, players not only don’t want to get out of
Tri-Cities as fast as they can when the season is over never to return but also
are coming back to stay. 6-8 current Fever players are back in town working
jobs to stay in the community because they like it so much here. I will say
this working full time Fever: It’s never boring and the football fun never gets
old. That’s it at the core for me. It has to be fun or why do it?

Coach Shack has offered 51 contracts to players. The wacky NFL
lockout is rippling across the IFL landscape as hundreds of rookies have no
rookie camp experience. It’s that simple. There’s no time to get acclimated.
There is no experience to draw upon in this year’s once in a generation oddity:
that is no real off-season in the NFL. Once NFL rosters are cut to 53 and
practice squads established, the Fever will have a much better idea of where
the roster can shape up. Coach Shack has his core of guys. It is not about
re-vamping or re-tooling…..heh…yeh yeh he said tool…..cool…..it is about
re-loading and making each position stronger.

2012 will have a Mirage Pool n Spa hot tub giveaway during
the half time ball toss and look for more changes besides just this Fever
Perceiver bit. Online we hope to be able to offer you much more including the
stellar looking Fever Gear 2012. Browse and shop for Fever gear online! Coming
soon. Get the contracts signed, son. This ain’t a handshake world anymore.

September 11^th Torch and other Fever members were
at the new Southridge Sports Complex for the dedication of a large piece of
World Trade Center steel now permanently displayed. It was an amazing
experience and turnout. And it was bloody hot. When the unveiling took place
it seemed strange to me that people clapped. I certainly understand why people
chose to applaud, after all it was a really big deal that so many people worked
together so quickly to get it all together and make it happen. But for me, I
was feeling nothing but somber when the cover was peeled away. What the
monument represents is so powerful I’m moved to this day when I think about it.
When the flag was raised for the first time, the grief I felt for all the
victims and their loved ones will always be seared into my memory. If you haven’t
had a chance to take a look, I would highly encourage you to do so. It is very well
done. Informative, reflective, collaborative, solid. Never forget.

The 2011 season for me came to down to a defining moment. I’m quite sure it’s not what you’re thinking, but here are a few possibilities: a) Fever make Title Game; b) Teri Carr named IFL Executive of the Year; c) Fever have the best regular season record ever and have the second best overall campaign in franchise history; d) Wenatchee Exhibition Game streaker (OK, he BARELY took his pants off) trying to get away from Toyota Center “personnel” over the dasherboard TWICE with nary a security peep in sight.

Answer?

DAAAHHHHHH. None of the above.

Alas, no, this is what rocked my world about the Fever in 2011 compared to a 2010 team that would strut around like they were the cock of the walk. Even when they started the 2010 season 0-4. Classsy. To Shack’s credit, he inherited a squad that he would not recruit in a million years. But when you’re dealing with the fallout of Richard Davis, geeeeez, and the fact that Pat O’Hara of course would take a hometown gig if offered, Shack had to play the hand that was dealt to him. After an EPIC 4 OT loss in Fairbanks to open the 2010 season, I knew the “Love Shack” was our guy. Dude has just got character. Finishing 2010 7-7, and attaining a first round playoff showdown with Billings, Mother Nature entered the postseason mix and oblitiarted the Outlaws home field by rippng through Billings with a tornado that heavily damaged the complex just hours after the Fever had been beaten by the Outlaws causing an eventual and unavoidable rift between the Outlaws and the brass in Billings whose backroom dealings forever remain shrouded in controversey and whose effects are still being calculated today, relegating the opening round playoff game for 2010 to a venue barely passing as a practice facility, the Fever fell to the eventual league champions in 2010. Sorry, I tend to tangentize, I was trying to set up the fundamental difference between last year and this unforgettable season……

It was against West Texas, and it was a totally random moment. . The halftime performance of about
half a dozen girls between the ages of 6 and 9 was running a tad long as the
guys came out to the bench area to get ready for the second half. I was
concerned because I didn’t want to draw anyone’s ire running over the mark
where all halftime funsies needed to be concluded. And the Fever was down
significantly at the half, so this was serious playoff business, but to a man
each guy stopped, acknowledged, encouraged, danced and supported those little
girls. As supportive as these guys were to these young people, it had to have made their day
I’m sure. It made mine. It was so genuine. No airs put on here, just pure fun. Every guy on the 2011 Fever team was an outstanding man and pretty good football players, too. These guys played for each other, their coaches and their franchise. And it was a privilege to be a part of it. In my radio past, I ended almost every broadcast the same way. I’d like to continue the tradition here. So until next time, never take the blessing of this country for granted, and keep ‘er in the holster.