The universal reaction to Indianapolis getting the Super Bowl has been one of pure ecstasy.  Even one of the Navistar workers leaving the plant with a lay-off notice was happy over what he thought, on balance, was a good day.  But what exactly will the average citizen get out of all this?

  First off, let’s dispel any illusions anyone might have.  Unless you’re part of the power structure, you have ZERO chance of getting tickets for the big game.  This is not like the baseball or basketball all-star games, where season ticket holders are assured of getting in.  The NFL reserves most of the tickets for itself to give to sponsors.  The two competing teams get some, although not as many as they used to.  And each team gets a very small block.  The Colts will get a few more as the hosting team.  But not enough to even begin to dream of distributing to season ticket holders. (Quick note:  If the Colts are playing in the Super Bowl, the ticket math changes drastically.  But remember: That will be Peyton Manning’s fourteenth season at quarterback.  So I’m figuring that window of opportunity won’t be as wide by then.)  So unless you’re willing to drop a few thousand bucks with a broker or on-street entrepreneur, you’ll watch the game on TV, just as you would if it were in Miami, New Orleans, or San Diego.

  Now let’s consider the hassle factor.  For a week or maybe more, it will be virtually impossible to travel anywhere in downtown without encountering some kind of barricade or security roadblock.  It’ll be hard getting to work.  It’ll be impossible to get into a restaurant.  And forget even approaching downtown on Super Weekend.  Of course, you’ll want to stay home anyway, because with all the police downtown guarding the fat cat owners and sponsors, who will be left to protect you and your belongings from crime?

  Yes, the Super Bowl will bring lots of money to the city.  And the hotels, restaurants, and bars who will gather most of it in should be ecstatic.  So should their employees who will enjoy a tip bonanza.  But for you and me, I ask again, why exactly should we be celebrating? 

So why did Indianapolis get a Super Bowl this year as opposed to last? Good question. Fair question. I asked Mayor Greg Ballard that this afternoon. He gave three reasons.

1. The city tied its legacy project to IPS and the new facility that will go up at Tech High School.

2. The city did not put all its cards on the table right away and held back part of its proposal to the very end.

3. Having 8th graders from not only Indianapolis, but across the region participate in presenting the city’s bid to show wide support for the project.

You may not agree, but it didn’t hurt.

I also asked the Mayor who should deserve the credit? He acknowledged the work of the previous administration in the bid, however he also recognized the work of people like Dick Lugar who really laid the groundwork for what Indianapolis is today. And he also said the real winners are the community, as he labeled this a community bid.

Much to the dismay of his critics, you have to give Ballard credit. Not only for this, but for retaking the police department and putting it back where it belonged, the state taking over the pre-1977 pension problem, and seriously promoting government consolidation that went beyond Indy Works I, II & III. (And need I remind some you that former Mayor Bart Peterson could have had consolidation had members of his own party not blocked it in the Indiana General Assembly. I can say this because I was there and many of you were not, so save us all the grief and hassle of trying to argue the point.)

I think a Super Bowl will be good for the city and will open a number of doors if it is done right. That will be the biggest challenge for the administration. There is no do-over for this one and 2012 will be here before you know it. The good news is that Indianapolis has handled major events before, this is the granddaddy of them all.

Nice job. Now get to work!

First things first: Congratulations to Greg Ballard for landing the Super Bowl in 2012.

Here’s hoping he uses the opportunity to say thanks to those who teed up this victory for him — namely, former Mayor Bart Peterson, Colts owner Jim Irsay and the cadre of hard-working corporate types who helped put the bids together both this year and last year.

This is a real chance for Ballard to show that he’s not the kind of leader who’s going to puff his chest out and take all the credit for something with which he had very little to do. (And which he may not be in office to see come to fruition.)

It’s called diplomacy, and word on the street is that Ballard could use a refresher course. He’s reportedly been in a few meetings lately where his short temper and refusal to answer questions have caused a bit of friction.

Today, Ballard has the ability to set aside partisanship and act, for lack of a better word, mayoral. Let’s see whether he rises to the occasion or lets hubris get the better of him.

There is a very good chance Indianapolis will be awarded the 2012 Super Bowl this afternoon in Atlanta. Indy is competing with Houston and Phoenix. I rule out Houston because the 2011 Super Bowl will be right outside Dallas. And the Phoenix was a logistical disaster, ergo Indianapolis gets the bid. However, if the city does get the bid, that presents an interesting question, who should get the credit? Bart Peterson or Greg Ballard. The Peterson people will say they laid the groundwork for the bid. The Ballard people will say they sealed the deal. What do you say?