The Week in TicketCity Search – Swift Rush to the Top

April 26, 2013 By Leave a Comment

TicketCity Week in Search

Week of
Apr. 22nd
Previous
Week
Event
Searched
1 - Rush
2 4 Taylor Swift
3 - The Lumineers
4 2 One Direction
5 3 Kentucky Oaks
6 - Bruno Mars
7 - Dallas Cowboys
8 - New Orleans Saints
9 - Carrie Underwood
10 8 Justin Bieber

At the risk of having my interneting privileges revoked, I won’t make any snarky comments about Rush, who landed at the top of the countdown this week. They’re on the Clockwork Angels Tour, which takes them through August with over 20 more dates. Taylor Swift reverses a downward slide and returns to the #2 spot.

The Lumineers make their countdown debut this week. The indie folk rockers have been raising their profile in the past year or so, and their self titled debut album has been certified Platinum. The group is quite busy for the next couple months, which is good for all the fans who’ll be seeing them all over the country. That includes the fans around Austin at tonight’s show in the shiny new Austin360 Amphitheater.

One Direction falls out of the top three, though that will likely be a brief inconvenience, and the Oaks slips a bit down to #5.

Bruno Mars returns this week after short but strong run earlier this year. His tour has yet to officially kick off, that’s not until June, so he may not have the momentum to hang around too long.

Finally, a little early NFL fever hits the countdown this week. With the official 2013 schedules out and the draft ongoing, it’s not too surprising fans are getting the urge to check out some games.

Filed Under: Week in Search Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

First Round in the Books

April 26, 2013 By Leave a Comment
The Texans selected a playmaker in DeAndre Hopkins

The Texans selected a playmaker in DeAndre Hopkins

When a team takes a guy in the first round of the NFL draft they are looking at season impact players. The Bills took Florida State’s quarterback E.J. Manual and he might be the only player taken in the first round that is not expected to make his team better in 2013.

When you couple moves that have already been made in the off-season through free agency and what was done in the first round there are a few teams that are worth the price of admission and that I cannot wait to watch in the fall.

Houston Texans

I have to be honest; I was the cynical guy about the Houston Texans. I mused that Gary Kubiak was going to go defense and ignore his offense relying too much on his quarterback and on his mind.

I am so happy that I was wrong. The Texans grabbing Clemson receiver DeAndre Hopkins is enough to get me in a seat in 2013. Andre Johnson needed a weapon to play across from him and Hopkins has the speed, ball skills and attitude to be exactly what the Texans need to pull defenders away from the line of scrimmage to open up running lanes for Arian Foster.

They had other needs to fill but getting help for the passing game will make the entire offense happy.

Cleveland Browns

Let’s be honest; they are a hot greasy mess on offense besides having a good running back but the defense is better and got better in the off season and in the first round of the draft.

They got Paul Kruger in free agency from the Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens and in the first round of the NFL draft they got Barkevious Mingo from LSU. Those two on the outside of the 3 – 4 defense they plan on running is a very good set up.

By the way if you think I don’t Barkevious Mingo can handle the tough fans in Cleveland, he has a brother named Hughtavious. That fact alone has to tell you that he has thick skin. Those two kids must have caught hell growing up for those names.

Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings needed a lot of help and mortgaged the lion’s share of their draft to get three picks in the back half of the first round. The fact that Sharrif Floyd fell to them at the 23rd pick provides great value and could be the best value pick of any team in the first round.

They needed help in the defensive backfield and got it in Florida State’s Xavier Rhodes at pick number 25. He is a big bodied DB and in a division with the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears and the Detroit Lions that size is a premium.

They rounded out the first round at pick 29 with the risky pick in Tennessee receiver Cordarrelle Patterson. He has a huge upside because of his athleticism but also is raw as a receiver and has a lot of work to do in route running and being a polished receiver.

The Viking needed help and they made the commitment in the first round and probably won the day. I’m ready to see all three of these teams play as all three will be better in 2013 than they were in 2012.

 

Filed Under: NFL

Client of the Month: Jerry Hambaugh

April 25, 2013 By Leave a Comment

April’s Client of the Month is Jerry Hambaugh, an Indiana Native and big time basketball fan. Jerry attended the 1980 Final Four with his father and didn’t hesitate at the opportunity to share that experience with his grandson this year.  The pair traveled to Atlanta to cheer on their team, the Louisville Cardinals.  Wearing University of Louisville hats that Jerry and his father made for the 1980 game, Jerry and his grandson Hunter had the chance to rub elbows with  Louisville’s head Football coach Charlie Strong and even Dick Vitale.

Check out some of the photos below of Jerry and Hunter’s championship experience. Cheers to Jerry for being April’s Client of the Month!

Jerry Hambaugh & his grandson Hunter at the 2013 Final Four in Atlanta.

Jerry Hambaugh & his grandson Hunter at the 2013 Final Four in Atlanta.

Jerry's grandson Hunter and Louisville’s head Football Coach Charlie Strong

Jerry’s grandson Hunter and Louisville’s head Football Coach Charlie Strong

Hunter courtside & ready to cheer on the Cardinals.

Hunter court-side & ready to cheer on the Cardinals.

 

 

Filed Under: Get to know TicketCity

Kentucky Derby Performance Trends Throughout the Years

April 24, 2013 By Leave a Comment

There have been 138 Kentucky Derbies, and one is on the horizon. But are today’s horses the fastest of all time? Take a look at the results throughout history in this motion graphic from Ticket City.



Filed Under: Horse Racing Tagged With: ,

Spurs Swan Song?

April 22, 2013 By Leave a Comment
The Spurs big 3

The Spurs big 3

This basketball counts and every game you see will be the best basketball you’ve seen all year.

82 games can stretch out a season and even stretch out a style of play. The NBA really forms into shape during this time of year because now everything matters.

There will be defense, there will be passion and the rest times are over. Players will play harder and coaches will coach harder but the theatre will be off the hook.

 

Best opening series – Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets

Being an Oakland native I grew up with the most apathetic fan base in the NBA. Golden State was the franchise that other players went through on their way to greatness.

They have had short periods of success including 1990 when Run TMC was the high-scoring trio of basketball teammates consisting of Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin.

Golden State was coached by Denver’s current head coach George Karl for a short time and most Warrior fans wish George Karl had never left.

Both teams are really fun to watch and will fill up the scoop in high scoring action. These teams will trade punches and I fully expect this series to go six or seven games.

The series could hinge on the fact that in early April, it was announced that small forward Danilo Gallinari sustained an ACL injury and would be gone for the year. He averaged 16 points and 5 rebounds per game before his injury and Denver does not have a replacement for that scoring.

 

Best storyline – Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets

How’s this for drama?

James Hardin plays against his former team in the first round of the playoffs. Hardin was the Thunder’s 3rd leading scorer in 2011/2012 at almost 17 points per game but could not get paid a max contract with star power on the roster like Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

While everyone in Houston is happy with Hardin’s almost 26 points per game for the Rockets he has made everyone better around him.

Oklahoma City has moved on like a steamroller but Hardin was worth a lot more than his 17 points per game last year. He was Mr. Big Shot and Mr. Clutch.

Can he be Mr. Big Shot and Mr. Clutch when it matters most? I’ll be in the arena for at least one of these games. They love each other in the media but nobody will want to win more than each of those guys individually.

 

Last go around – San Antonio Spurs

Think back to the movie ‘Major League’ when Tom Berringer, Wesley Snipes and Charlie Sheen’s roles are in the restaurant and they toast to “One last good year in the sun”.

That is the San Antonio Spurs right now. They may have the best game day coach in the NBA in Gregg Popovich but their age has shown the last three years late in the season.

Popovich has rested his team, brought in young firepower but the meat of the Spurs will still come from Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker.

While Duncan has been a rock star of a basketball player in 2012/2013 Ginobili and Parker can’t walk over a crack in the sidewalk without getting hurt.

Sure the Lakers do not have Kobe Bryant but they are gaining momentum and player better down the stretch. The spurs seem to be going in the wrong direction. I’m staying with the Spurs right now but if Parker is limited or doesn’t play, all bets are off and this series could go either way.

Filed Under: NBA
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