To be objective, the Cubs stumbled into spring training. The off-season story lines were less baseball and more "sand in the ice cream" moments for fans.
After months of educated speculation, Tom Ricketts finally admitted that the Cubs had no money to spend this off-season. As some critics retorted, he really meant to say he had the money but would not spend it. His answer lacked credibility. Ownership set a hard line payroll and operations budget. Theo Epstein could not knock down that wall. From one calculation, Epstein has booked $376 million in unproductive contracts. That was the knock that got him booted in Boston, bad dead money deals (Crawford, Gonzalez, etc.) The one thing die hard fans, who know the championship window is short, is that your team cannot spend any money to fix last season's problems.
Another family stumble and subsequent bumble was Daddy Ricketts racist emails. A baseball business that prides itself on being inclusive (because everybody's money is green) was extremely slow to address the Joe Ricketts story. And when Tom Ricketts addressed the media, he came off defending his father's tactless posts than appeasing the public's negative reaction to the story.
Piling on to the narrative was the fact that the Cubs have partnered with the most right wing extremist media company, Sinclair, to launch the new Cubs network. There is a partial "guilt by association" splatter when the new cable channel was announced by the business operations folks like Crane Kenney. But Kenney came off clueless with the changing dynamics of cable and entertainment distribution. He is still following the failed Dodger model. Yes, the team got its money but the cable partner got burned at the stake. Other cable operators in LA refused to pay the carriage fees for a Dodgers only channel. So, less than half of the coverage area can see Dodger games. And that number is shrinking because people are revolting from high cable bills (mostly unwanted sports add-ons) by cord cutting.
Besides the political incorrectness with Sinclair, the "sales pitch" of the new regional sports channel was a thud. An introductory rate of "only" $6 per month per subscriber was received as a greedy slap in the face. Lost on the Cubs is that their former home, Comcast, is the largest cable provider in the metro area. Comcast could probably say it will not carry the new Cubs network because it has its own sports channel (featuring White Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks). Comcast is not going to push away its current subscribers to a $100/month cable bill just for the Cubs sake.
It is possible that the revenue projections and "investment" outside the baseball team have come to haunt the Ricketts. They bought the team with the largest debt in baseball history. That has to be coming due. They over built around Wrigley Field. They are pushing premium prices for everything around and inside the ball park. It is pushing our the casual fan and families. If the new network was going to be the revenue savior, that will not be the case. The Cubs will have build their own broadcast studios, invest in new programs to cover the 24 hours of time to fill, and to find advertisers who have bolted from TV and cable for internet platforms (Google and Facebook).
Then finally, the Addison Russell long over due press conference came off as an over-coached, lawyered-up, one memorized answer fail. Veteran beat reporters came away scratching their heads. Russell did not appear contrite. He did not sound sincere. His delivery was robotic and terrible. And he refused to admit even the basic allegations. Those who were critical of his behavior believed they had confirmed the worst. Many blame the Cubs for giving Russell a second chance when you are selling the Cubs as "family friendly" entertainment. But Russell is one of "Theo's guys," so management is going out of its way to protect their player, even though Russell has been trending down in production the past two years.
As spring training opened, there was little baseball buzz in Cubs camp as the non-baseball issues dominate the media and sports radio. And the Cubs PR machine broke down and did not handle any of them well.
Showing posts with label scandal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label scandal. Show all posts
February 19, 2019
September 12, 2014
THE BUCK STOPS
Roger Goodell has 44 million reasons to scrap together plausible denial in his handling of the Ray Rice domestic abuse scandal. Goodell's compensation package for being NFL Commissioner is $44 million per year. That is almost double a star major league pitching ace's annual salary.
Goodell is now the target of social and political quivers. Pro sports in America has taken over as the largest institutions in conjunction, perhaps, with the rise of entertainment technology and more leisure time due to underemployment in various traditional work sectors. Entertainment is escapism. When real world issues collide with an entertainment game, things can get complicated quickly.
Goodell muffled the punt, and is being called for unsportsmanlike conduct. He may get ejected from his own game.
The world was revolted by the release of the elevator tape which showed a brutal act of domestic violence. The question is whether Goodell, who as judge and jury of all player behavior in his league, saw this tape prior to giving Rice only a two game suspension. If so, he was an idiot and liar because he said this week he never saw the tape until recently. The AP story states the police gave the NFL a copy of the tape three months ago, and has a voice mail confirmation from the league office of its receipt and viewing. The public backlash is getting intense. NY Post headline rewrites the NFL as standing for "National Football Liars."
Major sports are all about public image because major corporations do not want associate themselves with negative public perception. There still is a guilt by association in brand marketing.
Goodell has lashed severe penalties in his 8 year tenure as commissioner. He whacked the New Orleans Saints and coach Sean Payton for Bountygate. In that scandal, he stated that "ignorance is no defense" to the team's explanation of the events.
The growing problem with all professional sports is that the commissioners are seizing too much authority over teams, players under the cover of some kind of "institutional control." To protect the game, he must police the game. Now, this goes beyond in-game infractions to outside criminal behavior and moral indiscretions. A prime example of this was the NCAA penalties against Penn St. for criminal child abuse at the school. Many people, including the governor, deplored the interference and sanctions against Penn St. which is beyond the charter of the NCAA. Recently, the NCAA backed off some of the sanctions but the matter is still in litigation.
Now, many employers have moral clauses in the employee contracts. But football, baseball, basketball, hockey all have collective bargaining agreements which should take care of player disciplinary actions. However, the union has been silent in the Rice case. Commissioners are using the old baseball "best interests of the game" as an inherit power to do whatever they want to preserve the status of the sport and their iron fist control over it. But many people really believe it should be the team, not the league, that should take action against one of its employees for bad behavior which is disruptive to the team.
Also, there is a large percentage of people who believe that in criminal matters, the team and league should just defer to punishment and judgments of the court system against its players. But in the Rice case, Rice skated because he made a quick deal for a diversion program so the charges will go away without a conviction. Prosecutors made that decision after seeing the evidence, including the tapes, so it hard to imagine that Baltimore citizens won't be upset with their local authorities.
Since Goodell is employed by the NFL owners, they will have to make the ultimate decision on Goodell's fate. As more and more negative press, possible pending Congressional investigations, and now an expensive external investigation, the Rice scandal continues to grow. Owners do not like to be in the negative spot light. It is bad for business. It is bad for their reputation. And they don't want to be ambushed by reporters asking embarrassing questions.
In Goodell's case, he lived by his sword, and that same sword may take himself down.
Goodell is now the target of social and political quivers. Pro sports in America has taken over as the largest institutions in conjunction, perhaps, with the rise of entertainment technology and more leisure time due to underemployment in various traditional work sectors. Entertainment is escapism. When real world issues collide with an entertainment game, things can get complicated quickly.
Goodell muffled the punt, and is being called for unsportsmanlike conduct. He may get ejected from his own game.
The world was revolted by the release of the elevator tape which showed a brutal act of domestic violence. The question is whether Goodell, who as judge and jury of all player behavior in his league, saw this tape prior to giving Rice only a two game suspension. If so, he was an idiot and liar because he said this week he never saw the tape until recently. The AP story states the police gave the NFL a copy of the tape three months ago, and has a voice mail confirmation from the league office of its receipt and viewing. The public backlash is getting intense. NY Post headline rewrites the NFL as standing for "National Football Liars."
Major sports are all about public image because major corporations do not want associate themselves with negative public perception. There still is a guilt by association in brand marketing.
Goodell has lashed severe penalties in his 8 year tenure as commissioner. He whacked the New Orleans Saints and coach Sean Payton for Bountygate. In that scandal, he stated that "ignorance is no defense" to the team's explanation of the events.
The growing problem with all professional sports is that the commissioners are seizing too much authority over teams, players under the cover of some kind of "institutional control." To protect the game, he must police the game. Now, this goes beyond in-game infractions to outside criminal behavior and moral indiscretions. A prime example of this was the NCAA penalties against Penn St. for criminal child abuse at the school. Many people, including the governor, deplored the interference and sanctions against Penn St. which is beyond the charter of the NCAA. Recently, the NCAA backed off some of the sanctions but the matter is still in litigation.
Now, many employers have moral clauses in the employee contracts. But football, baseball, basketball, hockey all have collective bargaining agreements which should take care of player disciplinary actions. However, the union has been silent in the Rice case. Commissioners are using the old baseball "best interests of the game" as an inherit power to do whatever they want to preserve the status of the sport and their iron fist control over it. But many people really believe it should be the team, not the league, that should take action against one of its employees for bad behavior which is disruptive to the team.
Also, there is a large percentage of people who believe that in criminal matters, the team and league should just defer to punishment and judgments of the court system against its players. But in the Rice case, Rice skated because he made a quick deal for a diversion program so the charges will go away without a conviction. Prosecutors made that decision after seeing the evidence, including the tapes, so it hard to imagine that Baltimore citizens won't be upset with their local authorities.
Since Goodell is employed by the NFL owners, they will have to make the ultimate decision on Goodell's fate. As more and more negative press, possible pending Congressional investigations, and now an expensive external investigation, the Rice scandal continues to grow. Owners do not like to be in the negative spot light. It is bad for business. It is bad for their reputation. And they don't want to be ambushed by reporters asking embarrassing questions.
In Goodell's case, he lived by his sword, and that same sword may take himself down.
July 23, 2013
INNOCENCE LOST
The Cubs trade of Matt Garza was lost in the big baseball news of yesterday.
No one saw it coming late yesterday afternoon that MLB had suspended Brewers OF Ryan Braun for the rest of the season (65 games) without pay. The shocking thing was that Braun accepted the suspension, but only admitted "he made some mistakes" in the past and left the Milwaukee clubhouse to avoid the press.
Yahoo Sports columnist Jeff Passan went off on Braun's conduct in his column today. He called him a self-centered liar and cheat. He was the ultimate self-protectionist. He took the deal to get ahead of the massive suspensions to come down later from the Biogenesis scandal. But Passan believes that Braun is not "sorry" for his actions, or even letting down his teammates and defenders.
Comments from fans on Milwaukee radio were very harsh. They were duped by Braun's strong denials during the first drug test appeal (which was tossed on a contract technicality). When he told the fans afterward that he had "proved his innocence," it seems that was another bold face lie. Brewer fans were angered by the fact that in retrospect, Braun burned the local drug test taker with malicious lies but gets to go home with the remaining $117 million contract as his security blanket. The face of the Brewers franchise is now closer to a mug shot.
Brewers GM Doug Melvin was terse with the media before last night's game. He was happy the suspension was done but he was blindsided by the news. Braun took the suspension in stride because he was probably going to be put on the DL anyway with a hand injury. Braun gets an extended vacation and will return in 2014. Melvin gritted his teeth when asked if Braun would continue to be the future of the Brewers. Melvin signed Braun to the huge extension that now looks worse the scandal itself. If Braun's consistent career MVP numbers were created in large part by HGH, steroids or some other PED, then Braun's return to the team could be a bad dead money contract if he hits .220 and his production fades away. The Brewers are stuck with Braun. He is untradeable. It will be hard to spin PR to change the negative attitude towards a patent liar.
The Brewers fans lost their naive innocence last night with Braun's suspension. It was a sucker punch in the throat. It will be hard to imagine that the blue collar folk will embrace such a stained role model next season.
ESPN commentators were of the opinion that there has been no incentive for players not to cheat. Melky Cabrera took his suspension last year and parlayed it into a multi-million deal with the Blue Jays, partly based on his previous juiced statistics. Braun gets a "light" 65 games without pay ($3.4 million) but he gets to keep the remaining $117 million, which in part was based upon his PED past. Unless players get "season long" or the possibility of a lifetime ban (like the gambling on baseball rule), there is no real disincentive not to cheat.
Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees will be the nuclear bomb in the scandal. If the reports are true, that MLB has a mountain of evidence against him from the Miami clinic, then A-Rod's huge contract could be essentially voided which would benefit the Yankees. A-Rod has already admitted to using PEDs in the past. Every team he has been on in his career has been tainted by the steroid era rumors. One would suspect that MLB will come down hard on A-Rod.
None of the players caught up in the Biogenesis scandal answered MLB investigators questions. That was their right under the CBA and law. But even the union president signaled last week that the union would not support an appeal of players who clearly violated the drug policy rules. The union head inferred that his recommendation to players would be cut "a plea deal" with MLB. Braun took that advice and cut a favorable outcome for himself. A move as Passan said was solely motivated to protect Braun from harsher penalties.
MLB has tried to clean up the sports image. But this latest round of PED allegations brings back the ugly cloud of suspicion and doubt of the steroid era back in every clubhouse.
No one saw it coming late yesterday afternoon that MLB had suspended Brewers OF Ryan Braun for the rest of the season (65 games) without pay. The shocking thing was that Braun accepted the suspension, but only admitted "he made some mistakes" in the past and left the Milwaukee clubhouse to avoid the press.
Yahoo Sports columnist Jeff Passan went off on Braun's conduct in his column today. He called him a self-centered liar and cheat. He was the ultimate self-protectionist. He took the deal to get ahead of the massive suspensions to come down later from the Biogenesis scandal. But Passan believes that Braun is not "sorry" for his actions, or even letting down his teammates and defenders.
Comments from fans on Milwaukee radio were very harsh. They were duped by Braun's strong denials during the first drug test appeal (which was tossed on a contract technicality). When he told the fans afterward that he had "proved his innocence," it seems that was another bold face lie. Brewer fans were angered by the fact that in retrospect, Braun burned the local drug test taker with malicious lies but gets to go home with the remaining $117 million contract as his security blanket. The face of the Brewers franchise is now closer to a mug shot.
Brewers GM Doug Melvin was terse with the media before last night's game. He was happy the suspension was done but he was blindsided by the news. Braun took the suspension in stride because he was probably going to be put on the DL anyway with a hand injury. Braun gets an extended vacation and will return in 2014. Melvin gritted his teeth when asked if Braun would continue to be the future of the Brewers. Melvin signed Braun to the huge extension that now looks worse the scandal itself. If Braun's consistent career MVP numbers were created in large part by HGH, steroids or some other PED, then Braun's return to the team could be a bad dead money contract if he hits .220 and his production fades away. The Brewers are stuck with Braun. He is untradeable. It will be hard to spin PR to change the negative attitude towards a patent liar.
The Brewers fans lost their naive innocence last night with Braun's suspension. It was a sucker punch in the throat. It will be hard to imagine that the blue collar folk will embrace such a stained role model next season.
ESPN commentators were of the opinion that there has been no incentive for players not to cheat. Melky Cabrera took his suspension last year and parlayed it into a multi-million deal with the Blue Jays, partly based on his previous juiced statistics. Braun gets a "light" 65 games without pay ($3.4 million) but he gets to keep the remaining $117 million, which in part was based upon his PED past. Unless players get "season long" or the possibility of a lifetime ban (like the gambling on baseball rule), there is no real disincentive not to cheat.
Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees will be the nuclear bomb in the scandal. If the reports are true, that MLB has a mountain of evidence against him from the Miami clinic, then A-Rod's huge contract could be essentially voided which would benefit the Yankees. A-Rod has already admitted to using PEDs in the past. Every team he has been on in his career has been tainted by the steroid era rumors. One would suspect that MLB will come down hard on A-Rod.
None of the players caught up in the Biogenesis scandal answered MLB investigators questions. That was their right under the CBA and law. But even the union president signaled last week that the union would not support an appeal of players who clearly violated the drug policy rules. The union head inferred that his recommendation to players would be cut "a plea deal" with MLB. Braun took that advice and cut a favorable outcome for himself. A move as Passan said was solely motivated to protect Braun from harsher penalties.
MLB has tried to clean up the sports image. But this latest round of PED allegations brings back the ugly cloud of suspicion and doubt of the steroid era back in every clubhouse.
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