I just want to say that the time has come to throw MLB on the scrapheap and start over. If the owners go through with contraction and filing bankruptcy to get out from under the players salaries, then EVERY city council in those MLB cities should break their contracts and throw the teams out of their palaces. In MLB's place, a new baseball league (NBL?) to take their place, with salary caps, free agency, and drug testing. Gone too is the minor league heirarchy, since the AAA teams now serve no function other than to be the MLB team's "extended bench". All the minor leagues are free to go out and sign up their local talent, and the burden of finding the next great players is put upon the NBL teams' scouts. And the anti-trust exemption? On the bonepile with Selig and Fehr. It's time we fans stood up to these assholes and told them the truth: baseball is EVEN bigger than they are! So long MLB, don't let the foul ball hit you on the way to oblivion!
Originally posted by IncredibleHeelHeat...then EVERY city council in those MLB cities should break their contracts and throw the teams out of their palaces.
(edited by IncredibleHeelHeat on 28.8.02 1837)
*enters IncredibleHeelHeat's fantasy world*
Actually, I bet the Cardinals, Cubs, Dodgers, Giants, Braves and (I believe) the Red Sox wouldn't mind being illegally evicted from property they personally own. Plus, the Marlins and Blue Jays would love having their contracts with independent, private property-owners broken by their respective governments.
Meanwhile, it's not illegal at all for the cities/counties that own teams to unilaterally break their lease agreements. This happens all the time.
Finally, Benoit's winning the strap from Brock next week. Sorry if this sounds a bit choppy; I was deflowering Molly while I wrote it.
*leaves IncredibleHeelHeat's fantasy world*
Damn.
While on the subject, Seattle and Pittsburgh should play for the World Series of Ownership Names: Washington State Major League Baseball Public Facilities District vs The Sports and Exhibition Authority (SEA) of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County
Actually, I bet the Cardinals, Cubs, Dodgers, Giants, Braves and (I believe) the Red Sox wouldn't mind being illegally evicted from property they personally own. Plus, the Marlins and Blue Jays would love having their contracts with independent, private property-owners broken by their respective governments.
Meanwhile, it's not illegal at all for the cities/counties that own teams to unilaterally break their lease agreements. This happens all the time.
Finally, Benoit's winning the strap from Brock next week. Sorry if this sounds a bit choppy; I was deflowering Molly while I wrote it.
*leaves IncredibleHeelHeat's fantasy world*
Damn.
---------------------------------
The point is this: it's time to dump MLB as the sole top dog on professional baseball's ladder if they go through with this work stoppage. They aren't the sole legacy of the top professional level any more than the American Association of the 1890's was. For all the talk about how the sport of baseball will be damaged if this strike happens, I say bull! Clearly, the MLB model no longer works without a major overhaul, and I say it's time to push it aside and start fresh with a new model. Baseball isn't going to be damaged so long as fans realize that MLB isn't bigger than the game of baseball itself.
Call me a lemming, but if they strike for (let's say) a week, come back and start playing games again, I am still going to follow the game. I ain't gonna be happy about it, and I ain't going to respect the players/owners more. I love baseball, I love the Yanks, but whether they strike or play affects my life very little. I will miss it, but I like it too much to say "I am pouting and until you promise (in writing) that you are never e-e-e-e-e-e-ever going to strike again, or you will lose my viewership and rooting interest!"
If they strike for the rest of the season, a la 1994, I will pick it up next year and pout a little on my own that I was robbed out of buying my "2002 NEW YORK YANKEES WORLD CHAMPIONS" shirt.
What can I say? I am the root of the problem? If there were more people who stayed away from the game after a strike, they owners and players would "get it" and the game would change for the best forevermore? Puhleeze.
Going without baseball, in my opinion for me, would be punishing myself. I really don't think they are going to strike, to be honest, but they might, and if they do, it will be a total non-factor in my life. I love it, I can do without it, I will watch it if it is there.
"You know Monsoon, I am impressed, and I don't impress easy" -Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Originally posted by jfkfcGoing without baseball, in my opinion for me, would be punishing myself. I really don't think they are going to strike, to be honest, but they might, and if they do, it will be a total non-factor in my life. I love it, I can do without it, I will watch it if it is there.
I'll still follow the game. I get 140 Padre games on TV a season, and, as painful as it is to watch the Padres, I will still watch. But, I will not set foot in a Major League stadium again. My season tickets go out the window. The next baseball field you'll see me at his Tony Gwynn Stadium on the campus of San Diego State University.
(edited by mountinman44 on 29.8.02 0746) Rest in Peace, Chick.
I just attended, probably, my last baseball game until 2004. Assuming that they go out on strike, and that there is no World Series this year, I plan on taking next year off from MLB. I did the same thing in 1995, and had a great summer.
Now, I hope that they can get this worked out, so that I can continue to suffer with my Cubs. I just don't think it's going to happen.
I'll still follow the game. I get 140 Padre games on TV a season, and, as painful as it is to watch, I will still watch. But, I will no set foot in a Major League stadium again. My season tickets go out the window. The next baseball field you'll see me at his Tony Gwynn Stadium on the campus of San Diego State University.
I hear that. I am not going to rush out for playoff tickets (or any tickets, but that is more of a financial consideration, less of a pouting thing). No harm in watching though.
My condolences with the Pads. I was rooting for them while they had D'Angelo at 2B.
(edited by jfkfc on 29.8.02 1004) "You know Monsoon, I am impressed, and I don't impress easy" -Jesse "The Body" Ventura
i still haven't "come back" like they said we would from the last strike in 94...
any baseball i do see/hear about is from the local news or sports center when i'm watching and highlights just come on...
"Smeg off, Rimmer." Dave Lister from Red Dwarf "The Nazis had pieces of flare that they made the Jews wear." Peter Gibbons from Office Space "What's the name of the cat?" "Annoying Customer." Randel Graves from Clerks showing off his people skills
I only came back to watch the DBacks kick the Yankees' ass. That was great. If the Twins, DBacks, or the Rockies make the World Series, then I'll watch. Everything else, fuck MLB.
-Jag
"You gotta hate somebody before this is over. Them, me, it doesn't matter."
"Hate, who do I hate? You tell me."
"Who do you love?"
-Wintermute to Case in William Gibson's Neuromancer
I've heard people say that even a 1 day strike will be devastating to the game. That's B.S. jfkfc is a lemming, but at least he is an honest lemming. There are more than enough lemmings for the game to survive. Hey, it has survived 8 work stoppages, and one World Series cancellation, why not 9?
Originally posted by ges7184I've heard people say that even a 1 day strike will be devastating to the game. That's B.S. jfkfc is a lemming, but at least he is an honest lemming. There are more than enough lemmings for the game to survive. Hey, it has survived 8 work stoppages, and one World Series cancellation, why not 9?
No kidding. There was a 1 day strike in 1985 and the game managed to survive(and went on to have one hell of a KC-STL World Series to boot). Mind you 1985 didn't quite have the baggage coming in to it as this year, but still.
Anything less than a week is easily fixable through doubleheaders and extending the season. Both have been done before.
After a week, nobody cares about baseball anymore because football season will be in full swing.
I am hoping for the latter.
These commercials are superfine because they pay for the production costs of putting CHRIS MOTHERFUCKING BENOIT on my GODDAMN TV SCREEN! I will GO GREYHOUND! I am thinking OUTSIDE THE BUN! – Dean Rasmussen 8/1/2002 Smackdown Workrate Report
According to ESPN Radio, there are boxes being shuffled at Fenway by the Red Sox bus to Logan International. No one knows what that means though.
Just some random thoughts... Don Fehr wants the MLB average salary to go up because that is his salary, $2.4 million, to be the head of the MLBPA.
As of this moment, they are haggling over the date the new contract ends. The owners want 10/31/06, the players 12/31/06. Why 12/31/06? Becuase the players will be able to declare free agency and sign under this current contract before the owners can try to change anything in negotiations on the next CBA.
I was listening to John Kruk yesterday covering for Jim Rome. Krukkie, we as fans may not know all the finances of the game, but fans do pay the players' salaries. Or is it just a coincidence when a team raises their payroll ticket prices go up? All those hats and jerseys we buy pay for just about everything. It's no coincidence that the Yankees have more money than anyone in the league. Look at their merchandise sales along with what they get from their own TV network.
The MLBPA couldn't have picked a worse time to go on strike. With the NFL season starting in six days, people will forget about baseball in a hurry.
The players last proposal for the luxury tax affects only three teams... the Yankees, the Dodgers, and the Mets. Do they honestly think, even if they agree in principle today to what's on paper, that the 10 hard-line small-market owners will go for it with only three teams affected? I don't think so. Even if they agree in principle, the contract hasn't been ratified. If they play, great, but we haven't avoided anything yet.
What the hell are you talking about? The Mets have been on a "Chicago-esque futility streak" for their whole existence, minus several trips to the big dance. They've been mired in stupidity/mediocrity since 86.