MLB All-Star Game a Warning for the Future?

After being officially awarded the MLB All-Star game in 2012, many KC fans and residents tuned in to this year’s game and week-long festivities for a glimpse of what the city will experience exactly two years from now. Kansas City officials can only hope that the 2012 All-Star game will be an improvement from this year’s installation, which was the lowest rated ever and received poor reviews across the nation.

The 2010 All-Star game ratings were estimated at 7.5 according to the Nielsen ratings system, the lowest in the game’s history. Not only were viewers disinterested in watching the game on TV, but those who did watch or attend the game complained about a boring, low-scoring affair.

Many of the problems that contributed to the poor interest in this year’s game, such as the early start time, are easily correctable for MLB. Kansas City officials must be concerned with the poor reception this year’s event garnered; if baseball fans continue to ignore the All-Star game, the 2012 event hosted locally could fail to meet revenue expectations for the area.

Money Magazine Lists Overland Park as Seventh Best Place to Live in America

Overland Park was ranked seventh on Money Magazine's "Best Places to Live" list that was released on Monday.

The magazine, which listed cities with populations from 50,000 to 300,000, featured several other Kansas City suburbs in the rankings. Shawnee finished 17th, Lee's Summit 27th and Blue Springs 49th.

Many factors went into ranking the cities, including housing, affordability, school quality, arts, health care, safety and more. Overland Park has been in the magazine's top ten list before, placing ninth in 2009 and and sixth in 2006.

Mel Gibson Episode Proof Celebrities Held To Higher Standards

By now most people have heard parts, if not the entirety of, Mel Gibson’s angry rant over the phone to his now ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva. While harsh words from Gibson that have been leaked to the public are nothing new, this latest episode is proof that fair or unfair, today’s celebrities live under a much different microscope than those in the past.

Gibson has made headlines in the past with his rants about Jews and African-Americans, however this latest rant – which involves death threats and plenty of foul language – may be the most detrimental to the actor’s career. The audio tapes of the couple’s argument are in the hands of authorities and charges of domestic violence may be the next step in the process.

While Gibson’s rant clearly deserves to be given to authorities, the fact that it has been leaked to the general public shows the microscope today’s celebrities live under. With networks at E focused on every step, especially misstep, a celebrity takes, actors, musicians and politicians live in a much different world than those of the past did. Fair or unfair, Mel Gibson’s acting career is likely over, and hopefully his behavior and consequences serve as an example to both celebrities and the general public alike.

Time Warner Cable Launches 4G Network at The Power and Light District

 

Time Warner Cable will launch it's new 4G Network this Friday night at The Power and Light District.

In conjunction with Adam Blue Productions, Time Warner Cable will present Liverpool - A Tribute To The Beatles on the Kansas City LIVE! Stage at 8pm followed by The KC All Stars at 10pm.

Time Warner Cable will kick off it's 4G Network service in the Kansas City area introducing the nation's first 4G service.  Road Runner Mobile will soon be a reality and it will have more power than any other cell phone network.  Sprint is in on the plan so if you have Sprint then you are ahead of the game.  The other networks expect to follow with their own 4G networks later this year.  Road Runner Mobile and Sprint present the latest and best new cell device in the HTC Evo which runs on the new 4G network.

The concert is free to the public on Friday so get there early.

World Cup's Final Game Fails To Live Up To Hype

After a tournament filled with questionable officiating, world superpowers flaming out in the first round and the US surpassing yet failing to reach expectations, the world cup final failed to build on the momentum the tournament had built. While Spain won on a breathtaking extra-time goal from Andres Iniesta, the final game as a whole was marred by penalties and failed chances.

After fast-paced and thrilling matches in the tournament’s knock-out stage, the World Cup’s final game featured a Dutch squad who seemed intent on destroying soccer’s reputation of “the beautiful game.” Rough fouls, kicking players on the ground, and constant crying to the referee were as much of the game’s final highlights as Iniesta’s volley to win the world’s biggest sporting event. Countless missed chances by both sides to score on breakaways and gift headers combined with the penalties made for a rather forgettable game, despite the heroics at the end.

With momentum gaining throughout the tournament in terms of ratings, crowds and overall interest, it would be a shame for the tournament’s biggest game to turn off some of the new fans it has won. Hopefully for the sport, Iniesta’s final goal will be talked about more than the game and tournament’s dark moments.