Regarding "Districts exercise sweeping powers" (Sunday front page), the political contributions totaling $3.5 Million over 15 years offered by representatives of various MUDs (Municipal Utility Districts) may or may not have resulted in corruption. What is for sure is that the statement that the "state’s leading tea party conservatives......have championed their creation in what ethics reformers say is a clear example of special interest influence in Austin" is false.
The Tea Parties have only been around since 2004. MUDs were created in Texas over a century ago by the Democrats. It is unclear from my research whether the Chronicle saw fit to investigate the "special interest influence" of MUDs prior to 2004, much less assign blame for alleged misdeeds.
Pete Smith
Cypress, TX
Sunday, October 9, 2016
Sunday, October 2, 2016
Deja Vu All Over Again
Regarding "When the Super Bowl first came to Houston and Rice Stadium" (Sunday Page A14), compliments to John McClain and Dave Barron for the charming retrospective of the 1974 Super Bowl, Houston's first. I enjoyed the remembrance nearly as much as I did when I read the same article authored by Barron in the Chron during Super Bowl week of 2004.
No criticism intended. I think recycling is a noble thing, particularly in the newspaper business, and you couldn't have picked a better story to retell. So many weird and wonderful moments: Hunter S. Thompson speaking in tongues; sports writers busted for playing cards for money; the Minnesota Vikings forced to practice in the bird poop encrusted Delmar Stadium whilst the the Miami Dolphins wallowed in luxury at the state of the art practice facility at the Astrodome. The list goes on.
My favorite anecdote in both articles, though, was the revelation that upon the occasion of the eighth Super Bowl ever, the best use that the NFL could find that weekend for the Astrodome - the Eighth Wonder of the World - was to host brunch for all 3,000 Swells attending the game. Granted, it must have been one awesome smorgasbord, since Chronicle society columnist Maxine Messenger gave it two huge thumbs up, but I asked in 2004 and and I ask again today: why was the Superbowl not played in the Astrodome, the most awesome sports venue on the planet? It's as if NASA all of a sudden decided in 1969 that instead of launching Apollo 11 to the moon, they were going to send it to Philadelphia.
It couldn't have been economics. Rice could hold just over 71,000, and the Dome could have easily been configured to hold 66,000. Surely 5000 additional seats - a measly $75,000 in additional gate at $15 a pop - wasn't the reason? Then again, Maxine Messenger reported that the Saturday brunch for Super Bowl Hob Nobbers at the Dome also cost $75,000. Maybe somebody was just doing the math.
Still and all, I can't help but think that if the game had been played in the Astrodome, ticket prices might have soared to $20 each, everybody would have been rolling in dough, and the Astrodome might have once hosted a Superbowl. But that didn't happen, and it never would, which brings me back to my original question: why wasn't Superbowl VIII played in the Dome?
Pete Smith
Cypress, TX
No criticism intended. I think recycling is a noble thing, particularly in the newspaper business, and you couldn't have picked a better story to retell. So many weird and wonderful moments: Hunter S. Thompson speaking in tongues; sports writers busted for playing cards for money; the Minnesota Vikings forced to practice in the bird poop encrusted Delmar Stadium whilst the the Miami Dolphins wallowed in luxury at the state of the art practice facility at the Astrodome. The list goes on.
My favorite anecdote in both articles, though, was the revelation that upon the occasion of the eighth Super Bowl ever, the best use that the NFL could find that weekend for the Astrodome - the Eighth Wonder of the World - was to host brunch for all 3,000 Swells attending the game. Granted, it must have been one awesome smorgasbord, since Chronicle society columnist Maxine Messenger gave it two huge thumbs up, but I asked in 2004 and and I ask again today: why was the Superbowl not played in the Astrodome, the most awesome sports venue on the planet? It's as if NASA all of a sudden decided in 1969 that instead of launching Apollo 11 to the moon, they were going to send it to Philadelphia.
It couldn't have been economics. Rice could hold just over 71,000, and the Dome could have easily been configured to hold 66,000. Surely 5000 additional seats - a measly $75,000 in additional gate at $15 a pop - wasn't the reason? Then again, Maxine Messenger reported that the Saturday brunch for Super Bowl Hob Nobbers at the Dome also cost $75,000. Maybe somebody was just doing the math.
Still and all, I can't help but think that if the game had been played in the Astrodome, ticket prices might have soared to $20 each, everybody would have been rolling in dough, and the Astrodome might have once hosted a Superbowl. But that didn't happen, and it never would, which brings me back to my original question: why wasn't Superbowl VIII played in the Dome?
Pete Smith
Cypress, TX
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