Valuable through time...

What's hot today may not be hot tomorrow. Today's great investment can be tomorrow's horrible regret. That's a fact of life. Fortunately, it isn't a universal law. There are exceptions.

Think gold and silver. The ancient Greeks were enamored by precious metals. So were the Egyptians. People have been clamoring for gold and silver bullion since the beginning and it is still immensely valuable today. Nothing holds value through change and stays so solid during periods of instability.

That's why the finance and investment gurus of the world strongly advocate the inclusion of precious metals in a properly diversified investment portfolio. It's also why a company like the Monex Deposit Company (MDC) is in high demand. MDC has been helping individuals make precious metals part of their financial planning and investment strategy for decades. Well known for their strong reputation and customer service, MDC can help anyone interested in precious metal holdings.

If gold and/or silver aren't part of your current strategy, it might be time to rethink your approach and to investigate these value-holding commodities. I'm not a financial expert. I'm not an investment adviser. I do, however, think everyone should do some serious research about gold and silver. It seems to make sense to me.

Is this what they meant by "Anchor Tenant"

When the powers behind the scenes rallied private and public support for the construction of Kansas City's new Sprint Center, the biggest dangled carrot was the presence of a professional sports team as an anchor tenant.

So far, the only professional franchise to call the Sprint Center home is the AFL's Kansas City Brigade.

Sure, they've booked Elton John, Hannah Montana, Disney on Ice, some pro volleyball thing and even a wrestling event. The Big XII hoops tourney is also on the horizon. However, there are no NHL or NBA teams running "pick the logo" or "name the team" contests in Kansas City.

I wouldn't mind it all that much if the Sprint Center ended up being the "house the Brigade built", but I don't think AFL football was what the KC donkeys were thinking as they eyed that AEG carrot.

In any case, it will be great to see the AFL come to a non-rotting KC facility. It would be nice, though, if a guy could catch some NBA action when the Brigade isn't on the field, don't you think?

Philyaw Remains Unsigned

Big Wednesday passed and the Brigade resigned a number of last year's players. They did not, however, resign their quarterback.

Number 1 didn't ink a new deal, meaning that he'll be a free agent. We'd guess there will be high demand for Ray Philyaw when negotiations start, too. Hopefully he's back with the Brigade, christening the new Sprint Center with touchdown passes next season.

Kansas City Infozine reports: "Noticeably absent from the re-signings were Raymond Philyaw and B J Cohen. Philyaw, last season's starting quarterback, has indicated a desire to remain with the Brigade, and team officials are anxious to renew negotiations with his agent sometime in September when the league grants permission for teams to talk with free agents. Philyaw passed for 4338 yards with 85 touchdowns and only 11 interceptions last season. Officials are also anxious to resume negotiations with B J Cohen who had 28 tackles and 6.5 sacks for the Brigade last season."

You can read their whole write-up here.

Finding Land and Managing It

You might be a land-buyer if...

Just a riff on the Jeff Foxworthy "you might be a redneck if..." shtick.

Foxworthy, a popular "blue collar"/redneck comedian who's experiencing some extra success as a game show host, is also the lead player in "The Bucks of Tecomate". This program, which shows up repeatedly on cable TV, is an outreach tool for Tecomate--a growing player in the rural recreational property and wildlife consultation field.

Foxworthy and the Tecomate crew have recently undertaken a partnership with LandsOfAmerica.com, a leading online rural real estate marketing firm.

Tecomate co-founder David Morris says his company has been "developing land into wildlife havens" for years and the partnership with LandsOfAmerica should help anyone looking for Land for sale to find it.

So, whether you're looking for land or a way to improve it (and its wildlife), you might just need a redneck to get you the best information.

KC Ad Firm Boasts of Brigade Affiliation

LE Concepts, a marketing and advertising firm, recently announced its plans to enter the lead generation field. In a recent press release, the folks at LE Concepts did the expected tooting of their own horn by mentioning some of their premiere clients.

The Brigade made the list of happy LE Concepts customers, along with the Royals and "numerous" not-mentioned-by name hotels and restaurants.

Hey, the press release itself is your standard bloviation, but it is cool that the LE crew gave a nod to its AFL client. The big question is what LE is planning to actually do for the Brigade as it enters its first season in the new Sprint Center. I love the Brigade (obviously), but have felt like their marketing approach has been a little too minor-league-y. Maybe LE and the other firms involved with AFL promotion in Kansas City will improve their efforts a bit next season.

Maybe LE should pitch Neil Smith on its ability to generate potential season ticket buyer leads?

Anyway, the press release is a bit of off-season Brigade news.

Former Brigade Star Staying in Utah

Aaron Boone, who once made the AFL all-rookie team as a member of the KC Brigade has just signed a two-year deal with the Utah Blaze.

Boone is a well-traveled football pro, having put in time as an NFL Europe player after playing high school and college ball in the states. Actually, he's a Utah native and a Snow College grad.

Injuries kept AB off the field for a significant portion of last season, but he showed enough during his healthier moments to impress the Utah higher-ups and snagged a multi-year deal in the process. That will allow the gifted athlete a chance to keep plugging away in pro bowl while staying close to home.

Good luck to Aaron, as long as he's not suiting up against the Brigade!

Here's where I found the tip about Boone and his new deal.