What Kind of City Does Austin Want to Be?

Run-Tex Going Out of Business & The High Cost of Being Cheap

This has been bouncing around my head for a couple of weeks. Forgive me if I go off on a rant here. In early April Run-Tex of Austin closed their doors. They were evicted  because they missed three month’s rent and are late on property taxes. Run-Tex  has been around since 1988. 25 Years. They were an Austin institution as much as anything  in this city. This saddens me as much as it scares the hell out of me. I own 2 small soccer stores and have only been around for 6 years. If Run-Tex can be forced to close down, then anyone can be. Run-Tex going out of business is a crying shame. How did this happen?

Run-Tex had multiple local locations. They have been sponsoring races for years.  They gave out free water on Town Lake, offered running and training groups. Their name is synonymous with running in one of the most active cities in the country. What did that get them ? In the end – nothing. How did it come to this?

No doubt there are several legitimate reasons. But here are a few:  big box chain, Luke’s Locker, the internet and “Buy Local” lip service.

I get this all the time: “I want to support local business, but…” and then they tell you they can get something for $3 less somewhere else. What they are really saying is: “I don’t care if you are local or not – saving $3 is more important to me.” In the end we all want a deal, we want value, we want more for less. But what does getting a deal cost you? What does buying local actually do?

This list is likely not much different than many local businesses, but here is what it means if you buy from Soccer Post in Austin or Round Rock:

1.       You get personal customer service, recommendations and help finding the right gear for you from a variety of options. Try that at Academy.

2.       You help support three families each with children. You give work to 7 part-time college-age employees, all of whom have grown up here, play here and coach here.

3.       You support a store that sponsors several area high school booster clubs. We support the efforts of several youth soccer organizations. We donate balls and equipment and time to local schools, charities and worthwhile causes.

4.       In 2013, I paid $6100 in personal property taxes to Travis County. In 2012, I sent over  $60,000 to the state in Sales Tax money. This money paid for by customers goes to support Texas fire and police services, schools and community projects, etc...I sent a lot more money to the state in taxes than the store made in profits.

When you buy league uniforms from a company in Canada – that money goes to Canada and stays there. When you buy cleats from a company in North Carolina – where do you think that money goes? What do you gain when you buy from a company that has 500 stores nationwide and is listed on the New York stock exchange? Because you can maybe save $5 or $2? Maybe?

Austin is a great city. I love it here. But it used to be a lot more unique than it is now. You can drive down Hwy 183 and I-35 and not know if you are in Houston, Dallas or Oklahoma City. I moved to Austin after college in 1992, so maybe I am part of the problem. Do you want only Chili’s, Applebee’s and Chipotle? Or is Chuy’s, Pluckers and Cabo Bob’s equally as good.

No store can have all the styles in all the colors in all sizes all the time. But we are here, every day, doing everything we can to help support the soccer community – just like Run-Tex did for the running community. No business is promised a profit – we have to earn it every day.  But if you buy your stuff on-line, you won’t have local shops around forever.

Do I sound angry? I kind of am. Am I biased? Maybe.  Run-Tex going out of business is a damn shame. Luke’s Locker is no doubt a great store. But so was Run-Tex. And Run-Tex was owned by someone who lives and works here.  Paul Carrozza gave back to the community in many ways, over and over again. If each person who ran the Capitol 10K bought just one pair of shoes each year from Run Tex, they might still be around today.

The Austin City Council spouts off about buying local and then hires out of state consulting firms and gives tax breaks to national chains that existing local businesses have no chance of obtaining. But that is a separate issue.  The issue is:

What do you stand for? Who do you support?

Are you a giver? Do you support your community? Or are you just a taker?

If you took water from the Run-Tex water jugs on Town Lake, I hope you bought your shoes from them.  If you saved $3 buying shoes on-line – I hope it was worth it.

Looking Back: Bobby Rhine

I know it has been a few months since Bobby Rhine suddenly passed away. Many people who knew him well have written more eloquently than I about the life and legacy of Bobby Rhine. A few nights ago I was killing time with my phone perusing Twitter. I followed Bobby Rhine on Twitter. I had forgotten I followed Bobby Rhine on Twitter. I re-read his last tweet which is still there. “…Going off the grid for some beach time. Cup full of seeyoulaterade.”

I started following the Burn in 1997 – Rhine was drafted in 1999. For every game since then, Bobby has been with the club. He was always supporting the team in every way he could – on and off the field. I was proud that a former FC Dallas player like Bobby was still with the team calling the action. He fit everywhere he ever was at the club.

I did not know Bobby Rhine. I had only spoken to him once briefly after a game at the Cotton Bowl. A couple friends and I were hanging out after the game near the locker room and he came over and started a conversation. What athlete does that? When he died, it hit me harder than I thought it would or maybe even should.

I am lucky, other than grandparents, everyone I love and care about is still here. I have never understood the mass outpourings of grief I see on TV – memorials and flowers left by people for someone who they never knew. Until Bobby Rhine died.

I was in kind of a daze for a couple days. It was so sad and impossible to comprehend.

My men’s team here in Austin, we wear FC Dallas blue uniforms. One player on the team brought black arm bands for the team and we wore them in his honor. I don’t remember if we won or lost. The first FC Dallas game without Bobby in the booth was unbelievably sad. I missed his voice and his enthusiasm. I still do. That photo in the TV booth with Bobby leaning over and calling the action with Steve Jolley – it is the one picture that keeps coming into my mind.

I have 2 kids. I guess when you die the best that you can hope for is that you were loved and you will be remembered. Bobby Rhine was loved by those who knew him and he is missed by many more who did not. One day when FC Dallas wins MLS Cup and raises it into the sky I hope Bobby Rhine is looking down smiling. And when we win the Cup, I hope the players and the team look up to the sky and remember Bobby Rhine.

Wanna be the best ?

2010 All Goals from FC Dallas

Austin Aztex Gone Like The Wind

So the Austin Aztex are gone. This was a big surprise for just about everyone as well as a HUGE disappointment for all. From all indications, everything about the team on and off the field was moving in the right direction. So how did it come to this? What changed?

The team was pretty good. The future looked bright. Attendance was up 25% in 2010 from 2009 to about 3,300 per game. 3,300 fans per game put the Aztex smack in the middle of attendance ranks for USL D1 teams and the Aztex probably didn’t give away any more tickets than anybody else. That is not bad for Year 2 of D1 soccer.

The Austin area has at least 30,000 youths playing some sort of organized club or school soccer. Austin has around 10,000 adults playing some sort of organized soccer. There are about 40,000 people in Austin who are fans of the game, who watch and follow soccer. That is 80,000 people who you should be able to count on to support the local team, right? That does not include friends and family who might go to a game as well.

If every soccer fan in Austin came to just one Aztex game per year – the Aztex would average about 5,333 people per game. Would that be enough to keep the Aztex here – my guess is yes.

Everyone is complaining about Phil Rawlins and what a bastard he is and how he lied to everyone and how in the world he could do this to us. Or maybe we did this to him.

My only problem with the team leaving is that not much had changed from the time the team kicked off until now. The travel costs, stadium costs and stadium issues have been there since Day 1. Maybe the economy is not as good as it was when the idea for the team was born – but what else had changed? Nothing really.

But soccer is a tough sell in the USA. You have to sell it every day, you have to fight against the mainstream for every inch you get. Just ask MLS. Ask FC Dallas. It is every day, grinding work. It takes time to gain a presence and a following. Why? In part, because soccer fans don’t unite behind their sport. Youth soccer organizations work against each other. Many EPL fans think MLS is below them. The Aztex play on an artificial surface.

There are all sorts of reasons why a fine soccer fan won’t watch an MLS game or in this case an Aztex game. Wishing the team well is all fine and good – but if you don’t actively support local soccer it will go away. And now it has gone again. If you don’t go to the games and buy a ticket, you are not supporting local soccer. If you buy on-line or go to Academy to save $5 rather than go to your local soccer store – the soccer store will go away too.

Then you are left with nothing. If you didn’t go to a game this year, you have no right to lament their loss.

Soccer is not big enough in this country to survive through apathy from its own fans and players. Yes the team or the store has to earn your business, but their business is your passion and you should do what you can to support them if they deserve it.

Phil Rawlins deserves some blame for pulling the plug early but Austin soccer deserves more blame for not turning out in better numbers. We only have ourselves to blame.

FC DALLAS "RED & WHITE"

Fastest Own Goal Ever !

Glentoran 1-0 Portadown BURROWS GOAL

World Cup Final

I had Spain as the winner before The Cup started - and I still believe they will win. But it will be nice to see 2 deserving countries play for the Cup who have never won it before.

Lets hope the game turns out as great as it could and should be.

These have been the two best teams of the tournament - with Germany a close 3rd.

My MVP of the tournament: Diego Forlan

Make Some Noise

We have the Vuvuzela horn - in stock. Impress your neighbors, wives, girlfriends and boyfriends with the sound of the World Cup 2010.