What the puck: A minor-league tribute to Blago

On what would have been Richard Nixon's 95th birthday, the Illinois House voted 114-1 today to impeach Gov. Rod Blagojevich -- the first chief executive in the state's 190-year history to face such an action, the Chicago Sun-Times reported (linked here).

On Thursday, the Las Vegas Wranglers of the Eastern Conference Hockey League, decided that the Blagojevich situation was ripe for marketing.

The Wranglers said that, for their Friday, Jan. 30 game against the visiting Bakersfield Condors at the Orleans Arena near the Strip, they'll wear black-and-white striped, prison-issue jerseys on what they're calling Rob Blagojevich Prison Uniform Night. The Condors have agreed to wear orange jumpsuit-color jerseys. The on-ice ref and linesman will wear jerseys that look like blue shirts with ties resembling prison guards.

And in true Blagojevich spirit, the team will hold an online auction to find the highest bidder for the seat between the benches.

"We envision goal judges in powdered wigs and black robes and bars on the penalty boxes," said Wranglers CEO and president Billy Johnson. "I'm hopeful the winner of the seat auction will be seated without incident. Some existing fans may not want to let them in."

There really seem to be going overboard on a promotion that has no connection to this particular scandal. They're not even in the same state. With all the misuse of funds and corruption that has to go on in Las Vegas day in and day out, this is the person and situation they choose to make fun of? Those trying to open the Las Vegas Mob Museum (linked here) would love such sorrid pub.

We'll give the team some credit, in the Bill and Mike Veeck spirit, of having fun with a sports promotion. It's the lifeblood of minor-league sports. Two years ago, the Wranglers had a Dick Cheney Hunting Vest night. Each year, the ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Calgary Flames also has one game that begins at midnight, as well as one game each year restricted to fans over the age of 18.

Strippers are welcome. And the Kings and Ducks are welcome to borrow any of these ideas.