Learning how to dance
We can learn from losing the NCAA bid
So Des Moines isn’t good enough for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament as a first or second-round site. Sure it would have been nice for our city, but the first and second rounds of the NCAA basketball tourney aren’t the Olympics. And, to be fair, Des Moines isn’t Chicago.
Even so, there are many who are disappointed, including us. The tournament would have provided a great revenue stream for local businesses, which would have snowballed into all our lives. The national TV exposure might have been good for the city, too, although the TV folks seem bound and determined to find unshowered, toothless Iowans in bib overalls to represent us. But, like true Iowans, we chalk it up to stupidity, smile and move on.
So we are what we are, and that’s OK by us. As our president once said, “You can put lipstick on a pig, but it is still a pig.” That’s not a slam on our fair city, as those of us who are real Iowans take great pride in our pork. What other city would dare to have a hockey team named after pigs? Well, did, anyway.
We don’t need to pretend to be something we are not. We need to learn to be proud of what we are. And if we’re not good enough for the NCAA, so be it, but we deserve an honest reason.
Some have claimed that there isn’t enough to do in Des Moines. We know that’s hogwash, and they do, too.
What is it that people can do in Tulsa, Okla., that they can’t do in or around Des Moines? Is shopping at their Dillard’s, Scheels or Old Navy stores somehow a better experience than shopping at ours?
The Cheesecake Factory, Granite City and P.F. Chang’s restaurants in Cleveland, Ohio, must serve tastier food than what we offer here.
Those who stay in the Sheratons, Embassy Suites or Marriotts in Charlotte, N.C., apparently will have better sleeping experiences there than if they stayed in the same chains here.
Give us a break.
Des Moines is good enough for a hit Broadway musical like “Wicked.” Bruce Springsteen and Britney Spears thought our city was acceptable enough to include in their U.S. tour itineraries. And Bass Pro Shops chose to open a store here — one of only a few new locations in North America this year.
But we provide much more. Visitors to Des Moines don’t need to be confined to their hotel rooms in March or choose from run-of-the-mill chains. Our city is unique, which can be seen in our skywalk access to dozens of independently-owned restaurants and bars. Historic hotels provide one-of-a-kind lodging experiences. And one doesn’t have to travel far to locate a number of shopping areas, each with its own distinctive flair. If visitors here want something more, they can even find places to gamble or strap on ice skates. Hell, we now even have a world-renowned sculpture garden that will surely sparkle in the snow.
But before this column starts reading like an advertisement for the Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau, we have to admit that our city doesn’t have it all. Most importantly, we know that we need an airport with direct flights to and from major cities — a Southwest hub that provides low-cost airfare, which will impact fans’ decisions to travel or stay home. We understand this issue and how it affects travelers, but it doesn’t cut the muster for the teams who pass on commercial flights and charter planes to transport their athletes and personnel to their destinations. Last we checked, those planes can fly in directly to DSM.
When referring to the NCAA bid, Al Lorenzen, director of the Des Moines Area Sports Commission, has been quoted as saying, “I can tell you we’re not going to quit asking the pretty girl to the prom.”
Well, getting turned down can be taken personally, and we don’t want to give the impression that we’re offended. But if we want to take any date to the prom, we must first learn how to dance. This experience — despite its unhappy ending — was a good first step. CV
