Opening Night on CNN

[SoonerDave]

metro,

I'm more than willing to (and, in fact, did) agree in an earlier post the the ball thing is a little silly, I tend to react fairly quickly to a criticism of something if the bulk of the criticism is just that it "isn't as good as/just like (whatever comparable item applies) in NYC, Dallas, (insert applicable metro yardstick city)." It just seemed to me that the criticism was throwing the baby out with the bathwater, trashing the whole event, and I think that's wrong.

Some sort of cool video board countdown as HOT ROD suggested, or perhaps a staged illumination of an outline of the state of OKlahoma, would be an idea. You could have the outline of the state animated with more of the outline drawn as each second passes, and the zero-mark finishing with the whole state illuminated.

Another idea...you could have the countdown played as a heartbeat in the background, showing an outline of the entire nation, and when you get to fifty seconds, the countdown could cause one state to disappear each second, with Oklahoma flashing largest and last as the count reached zero. The heartbeat would grow louder and louder as each tenth second passed.

Someone, too, could also check into the kind of video productions that are done for the University of Oklahoma football pregames. They do a phenomenal job of cooking up great new video montages each season and they consistently get the crowd worked up into a frenzy.

-SoonerDave

[PUGalicious]

But you're not an east-coast elitist, right?

Let me say these in terms you can understand. Read slowly so that you can comprehend.

I do not live on the East Coast.

I do not have any interests in or ties to the East Coast.

I do not believe the East Coast is inherently a better place than any other coast or location within the United States (or the world for that matter).

I am not an East Coast elitist, no matter how hard you try to ascribe otherwise.

I suspect you personally have devoted a great more thought to the comparison than NYC has.

I have no doubt about that. Oklahoma City has devoted more thought to it than NYC based on Opening Night's blatant, Busch-league ripoff of New York's celebration.

So, in your book, one good ignorant turn deserves another?

Not at all. Your subsequent statement only confirms what I said: "I make no bones about the fact that Oklahoma City is my home, and you couldn't pay me enough to live anywhere else."

You seem predisposed that we should be preoccupied with how everyone else perceives our New Year's celebration...I couldn't care less how anyone perceives it.

I was making my point because so many people on this forum complain about how those outside of our city and state perceive our city and state. Opening Night, to me, was a perfect example why so many have a bad impression of this city and state. When we do ripoff others' traditions, we don't even do it right.

It is an enjoyable, family-oriented way of celebrating the new year.

Good for you.

And its success suggests that more people perceive it positively than you.

So successful that the local news' coverage of it has declined each year...

Actually, you meant to say "definitely," not "definitively."

Wrong (and ignorant) again. I said what I meant to say. Look it up.

[PUGalicious]

I think instead of a ball (going up or down), OKC should do a countdown ticker - maybe with "ALSO" large video screen displays.

Make it truly big city but not a replica of Time's Square or its ball. Make it unique to OKC yet also show that OKC is a big city with its own premier New Years celebration.

EXACTLY!

[PUGalicious]

Well SoonerDave, now reading your latest post, which was posted just a few mins before mine (while I was typing mine). I wasn't sure who you're previous post was directed at. Yes, mine was less harsh than 111's, which is who you seemed to be directing your comments to, however, I agree'd with him on the ball thing, it's totally second rate, if I had any pull on this whatsover I would change it. I agree with you on most of your other points, however, I didn't see how you could call him an NYC elitist. While I agree with you we aren't, nor have tried to be an NYC or anywhere else copycat, we still have to be realistic. While you and I might have a great deal of pride in our city, the fact is, these types of things are impressionable upon outsiders no matter of our own confidence in our city. Is it a dramatic detriment to our city in luring businesses or future residents, probably not, but it still helps the overall image of our city to outsiders and residents alike. As you may know, the one thing this STATE, not just city needs to overcome (and we've been doing a good job the last few years), is to take some PRIDE in ourselves and change outsider's perceptions. That's just my two cents.

That's what I was trying to say, just not as diplomatically as you did.

[PUGalicious]

Some sort of cool video board countdown as HOT ROD suggested, or perhaps a staged illumination of an outline of the state of OKlahoma, would be an idea. You could have the outline of the state animated with more of the outline drawn as each second passes, and the zero-mark finishing with the whole state illuminated.

Another idea...you could have the countdown played as a heartbeat in the background, showing an outline of the entire nation, and when you get to fifty seconds, the countdown could cause one state to disappear each second, with Oklahoma flashing largest and last as the count reached zero. The heartbeat would grow louder and louder as each tenth second passed.

Someone, too, could also check into the kind of video productions that are done for the University of Oklahoma football pregames. They do a phenomenal job of cooking up great new video montages each season and they consistently get the crowd worked up into a frenzy.

-SoonerDave

Now you're talking. Those are original ideas. That's what I'm talking about. Original, creative thinking that creates a tradition that Oklahoma City/Oklahoma can call its own. That's what my criticism was all about. Not that I wanted us to be like NYC, just not a poor ripoff of NYC's tradition.

[MadMonk]

Some sort of cool video board countdown as HOT ROD suggested, or perhaps a staged illumination of an outline of the state of OKlahoma, would be an idea. You could have the outline of the state animated with more of the outline drawn as each second passes, and the zero-mark finishing with the whole state illuminated.

Another idea...you could have the countdown played as a heartbeat in the background, showing an outline of the entire nation, and when you get to fifty seconds, the countdown could cause one state to disappear each second, with Oklahoma flashing largest and last as the count reached zero. The heartbeat would grow louder and louder as each tenth second passed.

Someone, too, could also check into the kind of video productions that are done for the University of Oklahoma football pregames. They do a phenomenal job of cooking up great new video montages each season and they consistently get the crowd worked up into a frenzy.

-SoonerDave

Those are all good suggestions. I too think we need to come up with our own unique celebration. With NYC's long tradition of doing the ball drop, comparisons are inevitable and you have to admit our version of it is a little "red-necky" with the crane and everything. I'm not discounting the hard work and dedication of those who work on this every year, only saying that I'd like to see something fresh and new. Let's make our own traditions in our state's 2nd century.

[ksearls]

I'm sure that the OKC Arts Council would love to have everyone's help in producing Opening Night via volunteer hours and financial sponsorships. As you know, the event barely breaks even and they need all of the help they can get. You can contact them at (405) 270-4848. If you want the event to be better, put your time and money where your mouths are!

[fsusurfer]

I've lived in OKC 5 years, and I've basically been able to put away most of my preconceived notions on how I used to think of Oklahoma. I enjoy the festivities of opening night, and often forget I am in Oklahoma, until the ball rises...up a crane!

[animeGhost]

Oh wow. I'm sorry, but where do you live? It's not about standards, its about being REALISTIC. And OKC is simply not a large enough city to warrant a NYC-type celebration. So pull your head out of the clouds (or somewhere else), and take a look around. It is a decent celebration/production for a mid-sized city on the rise.

We all have our standards, some of us are simply intelligent enough to pair our "standards" or expectations with reality.

Ok so we're large enough to spend how ever many millions of dollars on a fireworks show for a damn dome but not big enough to make a half way decent ball on a string and pully system...?

[jbrown84]

The dome dedication was a one time thing and the fireworks were donated by then-locally based Six Flags.

[oldglory]

I think instead of a ball (going up or down), OKC should do a countdown ticker - maybe with "ALSO" large video screen displays.

Make it truly big city but not a replica of Time's Square or its ball. Make it unique to OKC yet also show that OKC is a big city with its own premier New Years celebration.

I think Hot Rod and Brad are correct on this one, we need to be different and just get rid of the ball. Invest in some high tech entertainment......

[dismayed]

We should build some tower and park downtown and call it New Years Tower or something. Make some space needle looking thing that the base lights up in increments as the seconds tick away... then when midnight hits the top lights up like crazy, maybe with a computer-controlled light show like what Reunion Tower in Dallas does. Have fireworks blasting off from the top of it. Now that would be cool.