Dear Arena Schedulers:
We would like to share the results from an unscientific poll conducted on Facebook from Thursday at 6 p.m. until yesterday at 6 p.m. The question asked to Facebookers was simple enough:
“Would you try to play curling if it was offered inside Wesbanco Arena?”
It’s a good question for a couple of reasons. First, people love curling and they believe they easily could play the sport. And second, the new, $1.7 million ice pad at Wesbanco Arena will not be used as often as it rests barren of blades.
Sure, the Wheeling Nailers’ preseason camp opens next month, and the team’s first home game is scheduled for Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. Along with ECHL hockey, local high school teams play games in the arena, and at times the venue hosts events like cheering championships, the Sam Andy Classic, wrestling tournaments, and the annual Toughman Contest.
But the building’s 185×85-foot patch of ice is silent most of the time, so …
“Would you try to play curling if it was offered inside Wesbanco Arena?”
Well, 32 “Likes” and 56 comments later, here are the results:
- 54 – “Yes”
- 1 – “No”
- 1 – “Are you serious?”
Other comments included:
- “SWEEP SWEEP!”
- “While I like the idea, I slip and fall looking at ice on TV.”
- “My knees probably wouldn’t cooperate.”
- “It’s harder than it looks.”
- “As long as there is beer involved.”
And … “Yes. I can’t tell you why. But I love it. I watch it on TV when I see it. But for the life of me, I can’t tell you why.
P.S. I like to call it the smudge pot game.”
Buy the equipment. Paint the courts under the ice. Pick a charity.
Sincerely,
Call Us the Smudge Pot People
