Pretty girl steals the tourney
Raleigh feeling ugly after losing CIAA
RUTH SHEEHAN
News & Observer (Raleigh)
Talk about getting dumped. Here we sit in Raleigh, blubbering into our tea, the day after the CIAA announced its intention to ditch the City of Oaks for Charlotte.
We got jilted in favor of the more popular girl, with the name-brand clothes and the $70 haircut. The gal with the boob job, the derm-abrasion and Botox – not to mention the collagen injections in her big, puffy lips.
Oh, it was classic. We heard all the standard lines. We got, “This isn’t about you; it’s about me.”
With the 2005 games still to be played in Raleigh, we certainly got, “Can we still be friends?”
Call me naive, but somehow I thought we had something deeper than that.
Sure, sure, there was always talk that we’d be open to other relationships.
But who knew it would hurt so much?
At $11 million in lost revenue, get the Kleenex.
But there can be an upside to a broken heart.
Consider the painful history of a male friend of mine. In the ninth grade, he was dumped by a girl named Claudia for an older guy who had sinewy arms and drove a '56 Chevy.
The fact that he could drive any car was the key.
My friend was brokenhearted.
He was also motivated. He couldn’t drive yet, but he could pump iron. And he did. That’s how he ended up with the six-pack abs and buff physique he sports to this day.
OK, so he’s one or two cans short of a six-pack. But the point is, my friend didn’t just sit around whining and feeling sorry for himself. He did something.
Raleigh can, too.
The tournament may have been lured by Charlotte’s soon-to-open downtown arena. Unfortunately, the luster of Raleigh’s once-new arena – built conveniently out in the middle of a field – seemed to dim after six years. That’s bound to happen in relationships.
But Raleigh’s on a self-improvement kick, too. We’re building a convention center (that would be downtown) and reopening Fayetteville Street Mall (also downtown).
Of course, Raleigh’s social scene is still a work in progress – not enough to compete against Charlotte’s proposed “CIAA Village” or the Queen City’s emphasis on belonging to “both of the Carolinas” as the conference looks to expand farther south.
Going up against Boosterville is a bit like Mary Ann on “Gilligan’s Island” trying to outshine the starlet Ginger.
Still, over time, Ginger may not prove the passionate partner she appears to be now. Her interests might just turn to other suitors.
In matters of the heart, as in economic development, patience is sometimes the best counsel.
So, for now, let’s swallow our pride and agree to “just be friends.” Because this is one of those breakups where you know the CIAA is going to come crawling back.
See, Charlotte’s real pretty. She dresses up fancy. And she’s obviously got a catchy pickup line.
She’s the girl you want to take to the drive-in or the disco.
Raleigh’s the girl you want to bring home to mom.
:tool: 
:butt: :knob:
