If you have any images you would like to share or ideas for pictures you would like to see posted, please contact us at picture@bucsboosterclub.com.
Week of January 13th:
The regular viewers to this site may have noticed that the
website has gone through three distinct versions. A few
people have asked about this so I thought I would provide a
little insight. First of all, I must say that the Booster
Club website is maintained by my daughter and me and that this
is our first website...ever. In fact, we had to call on
several friends to find out how you even get started. Once
we found a web hosting service, we were able to use their
default software to produce the original Des Moines Buccaneers
Booster Club website (Version 1). The default software did
a great job for us, but we soon ran into its limitations, namely
a maximum of 18 total pages and 5 photo galleries. We soon
obtained a more sophisticated software package and Version 2 of
the website soon followed. This version, however, was
short-lived. In the process of clearing up some server
space, Version 2 was accidentally deleted, resulting in this
error message. Because I also wanted to save
hard
disk space on my computer, I completely deleted all the files
from my Trash Bin before realizing that the wrong files were
removed from the server so Version 2 was just plain gone-- never
to be seen again. So it was time to bring back Version
1...or so I thought. As it turns out, once a website is
deleted, at least the way I deleted it, the domain name
(www.bucsboosterclub.com) is also gone. You may have
noticed this when our home page opens and it has a different
"actual" name. So that brings us to Version 3, which is
what you are currently viewing. We are now using a much
more user-friendly program to develop and maintain the website
and we no longer delete files without first changing the names,
uploading and testing and re-testing to make sure they really
are unimportant. I have been asked why I chose white
letters on a blue background for the website and the simple
reason is because I can change the background color but have
absolutely NO IDEA how to change the color of the words to
something other than lime green and
white and I have yet to find a background color that works with
lime green. My guess is that
something went wrong in the software installation process.
If you are wondering what this has to do with a hockey website, the answer is simple. For starters, even hockey fans must learn a new skill to further their enjoyment of the game and the real reason this is the picture of the week is because it is extremely difficult to take a Picture of the Week when you lose the charger to your camera and both of your batteries are dead.
Week of January 6th:
This week's installment is more of an editorial comment than
a humorous picture and the idea came to me after an incident
involving the Omaha fans following the Saturday night game
against the Lancers but it extends to fans from all visiting
teams, not just from Omaha. When someone travels a couple
hours to watch a game between the Bucs and their team, there's
no reason to be rude or cruel or curse at them or flash obscene
gestures their way. Sure the visiting fans are traveling
to support their team and their cheers can be obnoxious but
remember, while they are at 95KGGO Arena, they are spending
their money on tickets that
would normally go un-purchased, buy
the concessions that would normally stay in the freezers and
purchase the raffle tickets that increases the winner's share.
By attending a game in our barn, they may be cheering for the
"wrong team", but their money is still directly supporting the
Bucs. If you don't want visiting fans in our barn,
convince your friends, family members and co-workers to attend
the games so the home games are sold out every week because if
the games are sold-out, there won't be any tickets for the
visiting fans to buy. The Ice Box in Lincoln provides the
best home ice advantage in the USHL and do you know why?
Because it is nearly impossible for visiting fans to get a
ticket because virtually every game is a sellout.
As a fan that has been to every arena in the USHL but two (and have travel arrangements for both of those), what makes the games fun is the atmosphere-- it's talking to the home team fans and seeing the same folks in the same seats at every game, it's asking a hometown fan to take our picture with their mascot, it's cheering so loudly for the Bucs that it forces the hometown fans to make more noise for their team and it's trying to grab the promotional shirts, bags, beads and hot dogs that are tossed into the stands. There is absolutely nothing wrong with cheering for your team and having some good-natured fun at the expense of the other team's fans and even sparring back and forth with them during the games but after the final horn sounds, regardless of which team wins, we are all there as fans to support the USHL and its teams and players and to have some fun. When the game is over and everyone starts heading for the doors, instead of cursing at the visiting fans, thank them for coming to our barn and wish them well on their trip home.
Let's make the atmosphere at 95KGGO Arena the best in the league so the visiting fans want to come to our place, then sell it out with Des Moines fans so they can't.
Week of December 31st:
This week's picture comes to us from the Sioux Falls Arena after the Bucs - Stampede game on New Year's Eve. Did you ever wonder what happens to all the popcorn they make but don't sell? Well here's your answer. We found 11 large bags of the stuff left over after the Bucs game. For starters, I'm not really sure how you misjudge the amount of popcorn required for an event by this much. I would think that during the 2nd period you would simply stop popping it but I guess that's not how it works. I really hope there are some concerts or other events being held at the Sioux Falls Arena in the coming days because this sure is a lot of popcorn considering the Stampede only has three home games in January. To the credit of their staff, the bucket of popcorn we had during the 2nd intermission was quite tasty.
In case anyone was wondering, here's what 11 large bags of popcorn looks like when you have the Sioux Falls Arena security staff chasing you out of a room marked "Arena Staff Only". Apparently the staff doesn't have much tolerance for goofy Des Moines fans after a shootout loss. In my defense, I didn't see the sign because my back was to the door when I ducked inside.
Week of December 24th:
Here's two fans that decided to show up 3 hours before the game on December 28, 2007. Maybe they were going through hockey withdrawals because the Bucs have been on Winter Break for the past 12 days, maybe Santa forgot to bring them a watch for Christmas or perhaps they are simply Zamboni groupies. I'm not really sure but to avoid a lawsuit, let's call them Super Fans for being the first two (and apparently the ONLY two) in the arena this early for Friday night's game. Congratulations Val and Torii. You are the inaugural Picture of the Week.