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Monday, March 08, 2004 |
"You Have Fifteen Minutes To Reach Minimum Safe Distance"
U.S.S. Mariner today accused Seattle Times columnist Bob Finnegan of resurfacing his favorite fairy tale, namely, the return of Griffey, Jr. to the M's. I understand their concern, as much of what passes for sports "journalism" is actually the manufacture of plausible trade rumors. So we read, with a jaundiced eye, the LA Times story Jon linked to today. It contains some amazing stuff -- if true, especially, the part about Graziano's alleged concern about McCourt's wild optimism regarding business matters. I can understand M's bloggers thinking Finnegan's back on the wacky weed -- any trade sending Griffey, Jr. anywhere would involve the recipient team's GM sharing from that same pipe. But in this case, too many other things are simultaneously going wrong, all at once, so Newhan's story gains instant credibility:
- Of course, there's the protracted sale itself. If this were such a good deal, MLB ownership would have put this one in the can back in October.
- McCourt's blatant disregard for legitimate fan concern. Come on, Frank, we deserve better than a cheap brush-off.
- His shameful firing of Dan Evans.
- The departure of Graziano and Rone. Rone, the article says, "is credited with increasing sponsorship sales 271% and raising net revenues 51% in five years with the club", so presumably they know a thing or two about business plans.
- Peter O'Malley's timely comments about Frank's plan, or lack thereof. Hmm, has he been talking to Graziano, too?
- Maybe I'm reading too much into this one, but Arte Moreno's comment
"We have a business plan," Moreno said, "and it's not like it's written on the back of a napkin."
was delivered by somebody who (a) actually read Frank's business plan, and (b) has made a lot more bucks -- and in an arguably closer-related business -- in his lifetime than Frank. My guess is, it wasn't just a napkin, it was a cocktail napkin.
In the movie Aliens, before the colony's terraforming generator went supercritical, the automated warning voice cried, "You have fifteen minutes to reach minimum safe distance." Whether they have such machinery at Chavez Ravine or not, Graziano blasted off for deep space before the reactor blew. The rest of us will just have to sit and watch.
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