I have a buddy, who shall remain nameless unless he chooses to come forward, who is a Pittsbugh Pirates fan only when the team is over a .500 winning percentage. Well, he didn't exactly put it that way, he said that he wouldn't entertain paying to go to a Pirate game unless said prior condition was met by the franchise.Granted, the Pirates suck, McClatchey and Littlefield are retards and the Nutting family is only interested in turning a profit with the team. But as a lifelong NY Mets fan, I've suffered through far worse than any Pirate fan can imagine. Between 1974 and 1985, the Mets had some geniunely horrible seasons. I have little or no memories of 1969 of 1973. But as bad as the Mets were, I still went to the games and cheered them on. They were basically lovable losers. I guess a team can only be that when enough fans really care about the team. Let's face it, Pittsburgh is a Steeler town and only have baseball and hockey fans when the winning bandwagon comes around.
But, one thing struck me today as I was looking a the baseball standings and because of it, maybe my friend's .500 rule should be ammended.
The Pirates and their 40M payroll at 22-28 are now a half game better than the 21-28, 220M and growing NY Yankee payroll. So, the Pirates are getting more production than the Yankess at a 180M discount. Shouldn't that be cause to make an exception to the rule?
Yankees suck!!!!! Gooooooo Mets!!!!
3 comments:
The thing that pisses off Pirate fans that the owners do not seem motivated to better the team. The owners can put a losing product on the field and still make money. As long as they shoot off fireworks and have free concerts featuring bands that had hits thirty years ago, people pay to enter the stadium. I think customers have lost interest in the reason why they should be there (the sporting event) and instead want to sit outside and collect bobblehead dolls.
Since the owners don't treat it as a sporting event (they do nothing to better the team, and seem more concerned with coming up with "zany" things to do between innings) and the customers seem happy with the carnival atmosphere (they still pay to go), why should baseball fans, those who want to see a competitive game, go? Those baseball fans have been marginalized out of their product.
Bluey, I will proudly come forward to more accurately explain my position. Those who know me personally know I'm loyal to my teams thru thick and thin. But in this case, I must draw the line. I've endured, defended, and supported the Pirates through 15 long years of ineptitude, but at some point, enough is enough. After sitting through another pitiful effort in a home opening loss (3 baserunners, none of whom even advanced to second base) after an offseason that didn't see enough significant moves necesaary to become a winner, I can't any longer in good consience continue to line the Nutting's and McClatchy's pockets with my hard earned money. I still watch the games on TV and listen on the radio, I still pound my head on the wall when they leave a runner stranded on third base after he's arrived there with no outs. I revel in well pitched and played games like tonight. I DO take joy in the fact that the Yankees suck, showing that there is some justice in the world. I'm not asking for much mind you, just one winning season. I know the inequities of baseball's economics stack the deck against the Buccos, and I have come to believe in my heart of hearts that any dreams of a championship are almost certainly a fallacy..how sad is that? I merely refuse to continue to support such a broken system and inept ownership with my money...it's the only say in the whole stupid mess that I really have. Maybe if more Cubs fans would take my strategy instead of being mindless sheep they would have won a world series sometime in the last 50 years. In the meantime, the Penguins and the NHL will reap the reward of my continued support. They had the guts to burn it down and start over, both at the team and league level. Until October, GO BUCS!
The Don
Well said by Beukey and the Don. Maybe there would be a chance for the Pirates to be lovable losers if the team had an owner with some passion, who was willing to burn it all down and start anew.
Unfortunately, no one stepped forward last time and as long as the current ownership is making money (in addition to the NY Yankee subsidy they receive that they do not spend), I guess there is no light at the end of the tunnel.
I really thought that McClatchy would cut bait after he reaped the rewards of the All-star game. Unfortunately, the Nuttings are of like mind and are sitting back collecting the profits.
Maybe one day, MLB will fix baseball like the NFL and NHL has done with salary cap minimums and maximums and revenue sharing.
Don't hold your breath on that happening anytime soon. That won't happen unless teams go bankrupt. And that won't happen as long as the basement teams are happy turning a profit by not spending subsidized luxury taxes.
Unfortunately, the only way that ends is when fans stop going to games. But for every Pirates team wallowing, there is a Brewers, Marlins, Twins or A's team that is winning with a marginal payroll.
It can be done, but not with a toady like Littlefield as GM and without decent scouting infrastructure in place.
Maybe the Don is on to something and maybe as Beukey and the Don imply, the fans are too stupid to realize that they are being bamboozled out of their cash with smoke and mirror promotional events.
It would be nice to finally see a meaningful game actually be played at PNC Park.
Post a Comment