Public Forum-Mike Deans on Fireworks at the Games

[Rapid]

This article was in the Artesia Daily New Paper today... 8-16-2012

Deans to discontinue Bulldog Bowl fireworks

TO THE EDITOR:
It's with mixed emotion and regret that the Deans Pyrotechnic Team has made a decision to discontinue fireworks at home football games and other events at Bulldog Bowl due to increased concerns over the safety of our fellow townspeople and visitors.
The increased lack of product reliability as well as fan and parking congestion has reached a level that we are no longer comfortable with. The last thing any of us would wish to happen is an injury to attendees or damage to facilities or spectator automobiles. We strongly that it's not a matter of IF something bad may happen but WHEN it will happen.
I would like to point out that we have had one incident when a piece of ordinance went awry and blew up near Sonic Drive-In at the feet of Sonic's district manager, manager and assistant manager with only minor consequences. Incidentally, those good folks passed it off as ''just one of those things that happens'' and held NO animosities toward us. We just can't have that happen again to any of our citizens.
Our FIRST concern has to be the welfare of townspeople and visitor. Again, we feel the risk are too great to continue with the fireworks activities at the Bowl and know without a doubt that many, including the Pyro Team, will be disappointed.


Regretfully,
Mike Deans, Chief Pyro

[Agent Orange]

Thanks Rapid, that sums it up. I forget when they started doing the fireworks, they've been around for at least a decade. So it's the end of a mini era in Bulldog History. So you can say remember when they use to shoot fireworks at the game.

This is an old video I took in 06, but shows some of the fireworks at the game.

[crispysdad]

Aug 16, 2012 18:52:59 GMT -7 Agent Orange said:

Thanks Rapid, that sums it up. I forget when they started doing the fireworks, they've been around for at least a decade.

I can nail it down within 2 or 3 years. Here is what I know for a fact, not even debatable.........The very first year that Mike Deans did the fireworks at the home games Tyler Deans was on the team.

Now Tyler played on varsity for 3 years, 1998 soph, 1999 jr, and 2000 sr. So take your pick, it was one of those 3 years. I am leaning toward 1999.

The reason I remember Tyler Deans was on the team during that first year of the fireworks is because Tyler is Mike Deans' nephew. And when they did the fireworks that very first year I remember thinking to myself that it was probably because of his nephew. Well, probably not the only reason, but probably one of the reasons. Anyway, that was my thinking at the time, right or wrong.