Is It Roof-Ready Yet?

The media on this today: What was known–or is it: “knowable”?–at the time?

Is that the question? Or is it rather…known to whom? Who’s responsible? (And for what, exactly?).  Because the “major players,” the men themselves, (and okay, sure, probably also a few women) all knew it.  And what was shared?  Was there a cover-up?  Well, okay, I knew it, too, even way back then.  Before it was even “officially” being planned.  But only because Dad was running for City Council at the time.  And because he wanted everyone to know it. (This was fourteen years ago).  And was anyone “interested” in this “information” (if you could call it that–because it was more like “common sense”)?  Some were interested (or, I guess, “approved” of what Dad was saying), but oddly enough, those who wanted a new stadium–with the sort of “passion” we’d rather not see from our current players, off the field at least–were very upset with him, even hostile.  Someone (an ex-football player), actually tearing up from anger, snarled at him: “This is our legacy, pal, okay?”  Now everyone seems to know, to the point where it can’t be discussed anymore, not without, once again, hostility. People do seem bitter about it.  But what aren’t people bitter about?  Attendance is way down–the team lost money, a lot of money, last year.  Hot dogs are, what, $6.00?  Is it true they’re charging extra for ketchup, mustard, and relish?  Beer for $10.00?  $12.00?  “I wouldn’t know, because we can’t even afford tickets to get past the gate.”  Is the team going to be “any good” this year?  At least better than the last three seasons?  So far it seems they will be…Still, winters are long and they promised us that we would have…Did they?  Who’s “they”?  Who promised?  And how could they, truly?

I don’t remember any such promise–but I’ve become even more cynical on the new stadium than those who do.  All that I remember them saying is that they were building it with the plan of adding a roof later.  And that’s still my understanding.  It was the “roof-ready” idea that Dad hated, and it was strenuously opposing that idea that cost him too many votes for him to get elected–and I can now see why he hated it, even though I just wasn’t very interested then.  I could check the news of the past ten or so years, but…there’s obviously still no roof.  So of what value is the media of a distant past on this seemingly highly charged “non-issue”?  People are saying it’s, at best, the “same difference” whether “something like this” gets reported on or not.  I know, I know…“people are saying, people are saying”–that’s not journalism!  But now people with connections in the industry are saying that they no longer make roofs of “that” design.  Wow.  I hope that’s not true.

But, um, actually…because they can’t pay for a roof without a roof.  You need a roof in our climate to pack a stadium for more than just a season of football.  Because even if the team is winning, which….The media would certainly know how much the stadium cost and how much of that is still owed.  But I’m too afraid to look.  Can’t we just all pretend that it’s now all paid off and we’re all squared with the taxman?  (And by this I mean: That the taxman is all squared with us?).  Please just say yes!  If not, wake me up someday, if you’re not too busy, and when I ask, Is it roof-ready yet?, just say, soothingly if you can: Whatever it will be, it will be.