Well, former Wildcatters and Roughnecks fans, I attended my first Frisco
Roughriders games today -- a 4-3 loss to the Tulsa Drillers. I must
relay that the Riders' Park (Dr Pepper/7-Up Park) is an utterly
beautiful complex. First-class, major league quality yet intimate with
a Churchill Downs feel to it. But it lacks one thing.... Tyler Baseball
fans. Oh yes, the Riders are 86% sold out for the season and it was
good to attend a game with people in the stands. But I'm a little
hesitant to call them "fans" at this point.

Who goes to watch 45 minutes of a 90 minute movie? Or, who leaves a
cliffhanger, nail-biting movie with 10 minutes to go and the ending in
the balance? Well, that appears to be the nature of the Frisco baseball
attendee. A third of them left after 5 innings with the score 3-1
Tulsa. The stand were half empty with people leaving at the end of the
8th with the score 4-3 in favor of Tulsa. Necks' crowds may have been
small to start with but I can't imagine them leaving in such a situation.

Then there was the crowd noise.... or lack of it. I thought I was in
LALA California with a bunch of laid back Southern California Dodgers
fan. "You know, for sure, like I caught some rays and was seen at the
game. But, dude, don't ask me who was playing or what was the score."
Give me a wooden bat and a metal seat any day in Tyler and listen to
what happens.

But, I do have to admit that I did enjoy the game. I just wish it had
been in Tyler with all you "real" baseball fans.

For sure,
Tom