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How it feels
Previous post: Goodbye Victor Martinez
Next post: For your Saturday entertainment …
Beside the Point: The Blog by Patrick McManamon
Musings on the world of sports
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Patrick McManamon- Patrick McManamon: Bad news Browns a hopeless cause
- Lerner’s thinking was not illogical
- Dear coach Mangini: This is not New England
- Patrick McManamon: Here's what the Browns should try the rest of the season
- Warriors give coach perfect birthday gift: regional title
- Another wacky, crazy Browns week
- Look beyond wins and losses in Akron/Kent game
- Cavs' vision finally becomes clear
- Cavs' vision finally becomes clear
- Accorsi could be brought into bigger role with Browns
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Is that a photo of the self-loathing Indian on those old TV commercials who always used to cry about the white man's pollution?
The press in all mid and small sized markets need to start a crusade to get fans screaming about the lack of revenue parity and a true salary cap. Unlike football and basketball, MLB is a joke of fair competition. Until the system is changed, only 7 large market fan bases will be rewarded for their loyalty and entertainment dollars spent. How can you consistently lose Belle, Ramirez, Thome, Sabathia, Lee, Colon, Martinez and many others and not see that the system is stacked against you. The Yankees have become an evil empire that sucks the heart and soul out of fair competition. To be sure, they (Yankees) have comrades in this effort (LA, LA, RSox, Wsox, Cubs and Astros). Fans wake up and revolt! Scream in the media and to Congress! Don't be a pawn and let sleeping dogs lie (emphasis). And don't be fooled when they try to mislead you by citing the exceptions to the rule (Rays, Marlins, Indians). We need change now!
Rick, that's a very solid idea. It would take other cities to rise up, in addition to Cleveland. But baseball is benefiting from Congressional Antitrust laws, so technically, the entire business is under control of the government. It's pure common sense that a salary cap is needed for a level playing field, which is why Congress will probably do nothing.
Going the congressional antitrust route is probably a better bet than trying to mobilize fans in multiple cities. That crazy Player's Union will fight a cap tooth and nail, but they're cannibalizing the entire industry, destroying the golden goose.
I'm guessing I was dating myself and nobody knows what the hell I was talking about. The Indian and his tear is a total ripoff of this commercial. http://xr.com/pmql
Or public service announcement. I guess it's not a commercial.
Alan, I remember the commercial from when it was airing on our black-and-white television. So, yes I "got" the popular culture reference. It was one of the early attempts to make Americans feel guilty about littering, which some of our fellow citizens regard as a constitutional right. The alternative was that owl singing "Give a hoot, don't pollute". The crying Indian actually won one of those advertising awards, whatever they're called. I think a better representation of current events would be Chief Wahoo burying a hatchet in the skulls of the current team management. Then he could sing his death song.
i was just a kid and i remember that commercial.
mr. show did a pretty good comedy sketch based on that.
I would not disagree with what Rick says. Look at my now hometown of Miami. The Marlins barely draw 5,000 a game. Baseball should not be in south Florida, yet the city is going to spend 600+ million dollars to build a new baseball stadium for the Marlins?! I was a sports nut at on e time. Not anymore. I just don`t go to games anymore. Not baseball. football, basketball. I would go to a Panthers game however. The fans are subsidizing pro sports teams. If I`m going to spend my money on sports it will be at Kent State when I come home or at the "U" where my son attends.
I agree that MLB needs to change and make some kind of revenue sharing possible. Until then this "housecleaning" will continue.
Does anyone else think that the Dolans should hold a press conference to explain why the trades were done and what the future holds for their team?
Yes, a press conference would be the correct thing to do, if it weren't for the cynical response that it would receive from the faithful. Lifetime Tribe fans (idiots like myself) have seen multiple rebuilding plans. When the Hart/Peters Plan actually worked, starting in 1994, I was stunned. In the past: Promises, promises, crap. And then we just started winning, and winning again. Even the taint of the 1990's Juiced Era hasn't dimmed the accomplishment of a successful youth push resulting in multiple playoff appearances. But fast forward to 2009 and even a 10-year-old fan has been treated to several failed rebuilds. Failed in that the plan did not sustain itself for more than a year of success. So, a press conference would be nice, but I, for one, would just roll my eyes.
How many of us could withstand a constant barrage of negativism, coupled with poor ticket sales during and following a playoff season? How long until Nashville sends the private jet for Mr. Dolan and we're hearing about the new stadium deal next to Dollywood and the Grand Ole Opry? How short are people's memories in this town? Is it really worth all the venom you're spewing? Will you be content to drive past a vacant stadium on E. 9th and Carnegie?
If any of this makes sense or gets you thinking, then how about showing a little support for your hometown team. There are 32 teams. Only one wins the title each year. We are not "entitled" to it every year. We are one of only 32 cities to be fortunate enough to enjoy a MLB team. But that's not guaranteed to us, either, just as the Browns were not required to stay here when a more supportive and enthusiastic city came calling.
Without a massive amount of fans screaming to congress loudly online, on the phone and especially in the media, Congress is like to not listen. This would also cause fear and panic among MLB owners. If you want a level playing field and a chance to keep all-stars until retirement, this is probably the only way to create a system of fair competition in which the fan is truly important.
Fear and panic among MLB owners?? You've gotta be kidding me.
Here, I'll give you one example of dozens I could offer up as to why it's absolute lunacy to argue Congress is going to get involved: George Mitchell. You know, the guy who wrote the Mitchell Report? You know, the same guy who, if the report was written earlier, would have outed the entire Cleveland Indians' starting lineup? The guy is the American special envoy to the Middle East for the Obama Administration and is on the Red Sox's masthead as a DIRECTOR.