Angelos interview in PressBox

[DrungoHazewood]

I am not the upset that the Red Sox outdraw the Orioles. I am a bit surprised that people take this fact and turn it around by insinuating the "Red Sox fans are better than Oriole fans" somehow.

I can see why the O's are often secretive about what they do. Angelos grants an interview where he just talks off the cuff for an hour and makes some comment about how the Sox have rabid fans who'll pay the highest prices in the game, and competing with that kind of revenue-generating machine makes it difficult for the O's.

But that's thrown back into his face by folks who interpret that as him saying "O's fans suck and they're the reason we can't generate the revenue to compete."

If you guys want to look at it that way, have at it.

[wildcard]

Angelos is the guy so many people love to hate. Even when he just tells the truth he is going to catch grief. Nine losing seasons will do that to the fans.

[MP]

Angelos is the guy so many people love to hate. Even when he just tells the truth he is going to catch grief. Nine losing seasons will do that to the fans.

Yeah we're just frustrated at losing and we need a scapegoat. That poor, poor man!

When Delgado signed elsewhere, Angelos said "I'm pleased that we're not party to this financial insanity that has taken hold of the game." Then he beats that drum again in this interview, referring to the cost for premium pitching as "lunacy".

What a fantastic message to send to the free agents in the league, as well as the current players on the team. Make no mistake about it - if you play for the Baltimore Orioles then you need to understand that your organization completely resents your salary. Such an inviting message to send! Warm and fuzzy, isn't it??

[Ruzious]

If you want it to change you need to go to more games and get your friends and family and coworkers to go, too. If we're really better than the Sox we should be outdrawing them by 8,000 when we're 18 games behind them in the standings.

It's a catch-22. If we go there to support the team when it stinks year after year, what motivation is there for Angelos to improve it?

[SoBo]

I cannot believe what I am hearing from some our "fans." Our owner just told you that it was your fault that we have had 9 years of losing. And you sit there and say, you know what, he's got a point. Man, maybe if we were as good a fans as those guys in Boston we would be competitive. Geez, I guess I should go a buy full season ticket plan and support a team that has had no chance of competing in 8 out of the last 9 years. Then we'll be competitive. That's the ticket!

This bs that Boston fans are better than we are is a joke. At no time have they endured a 9 year losing streak. As quoted on NST the Sox had 30 winning seasons in the last 36. Now if they had gone to the playoffs 2 times in the last two decades do you really think they would have such RABID fans. Give me a break!

I'm so pissed I can't even see straight. I swear, I thought I would come to the OH and see people flying off of the handle about this article and the clear slap in the face. And what do I get, a handful that are upset. But I then get a lot of "fans" that attempt to justify PA's comments.

It's a sad day to be an O's fan.

[SoBo]

It's a catch-22. If we go there to support the team when it stinks year after year, what motivation is there for Angelos to improve it?

Thank you... Just ask Cubs fans what their "rabid" fandom has gotten them in the last 90 years. I mean Camden Yards was pretty damn full those first several years of losing after 97. The reason we didn't pull fans in the 70's, I don't know, I only saw 3 years of the 70's. But don't tell me we suck as fans because I remember listening to every single game of that 22 game losing streak in 88 with my folks. We are great fans, don't ever forget it. My God, look at the support of this site after 9 straight losing seasons!

[bgfield]

Hot Dog

Boston = $4.00

Baltimore = $2.50

Someone mind telling me where I can get a hot dog in OPACY for $2.50?

[MP]

I cannot believe what I am hearing from some our "fans." Our owner just told you that it was your fault that we have had 9 years of losing. And you sit there and say, you know what, he's got a point. Man, maybe if we were as good a fans as those guys in Boston we would be competitive. Geez, I guess I should go a buy full season ticket plan and support a team that has had no chance of competing in 8 out of the last 9 years. Then we'll be competitive. That's the ticket!

This bs that Boston fans are better than we are is a joke. At no time have they endured a 9 year losing streak. As quoted on NST the Sox had 30 winning seasons in the last 36. Now if they had gone to the playoffs 2 times in the last two decades do you really think they would have such RABID fans. Give me a break!

I'm so pissed I can't even see straight. I swear, I thought I would come to the OH and see people flying off of the handle about this article and the clear slap in the face. And what do I get, a handful that are upset. But I then get a lot of "fans" that attempt to justify PA's comments.

It's a sad day to be an O's fan.

And the Lord said you have to RIIIISE-UP-ahhh!

Amen, brother Sobo. Amen.

[frankpembleton]

I cannot believe what I am hearing from some our "fans." Our owner just told you that it was your fault that we have had 9 years of losing. And you sit there and say, you know what, he's got a point. Man, maybe if we were as good a fans as those guys in Boston we would be competitive. Geez, I guess I should go a buy full season ticket plan and support a team that has had no chance of competing in 8 out of the last 9 years. Then we'll be competitive. That's the ticket!

This bs that Boston fans are better than we are is a joke. At no time have they endured a 9 year losing streak. As quoted on NST the Sox had 30 winning seasons in the last 36. Now if they had gone to the playoffs 2 times in the last two decades do you really think they would have such RABID fans. Give me a break!

I'm so pissed I can't even see straight. I swear, I thought I would come to the OH and see people flying off of the handle about this article and the clear slap in the face. And what do I get, a handful that are upset. But I then get a lot of "fans" that attempt to justify PA's comments.

It's a sad day to be an O's fan.

It's called apathy. It's the new Oriole Way and it is Peter Angelos' fault.

I want it to change so badly. It's really the only thing that matters in my eyes. We can talk about potential free agents and trades and the minor league improvement and everything else needed to creating a winning organization, but what does it matter when Peter Angelos is in charge. Everything goes through him. When he blames everyone but himself for the failures over the last 9 years what can you do?

[nadecir]

One other comment about the interview. The fact that he comments about estate taxes indicates to me that he is planning on leaving the team to his sons. We'll probably have to wait to see if Angelos' sons value owning the Orioles or some cash in their pockets instead to determine if they will sell the team.

[Sapper]

People can choose to be upset about what Angelos said if they like. There are reasons why the experience of going to the park at Fenway is total different from going to OPCY.

Some of those reasons are:

1) Boston wins more often

2) They have a larger area to draw fans from

3) Those two things have allowed them to put better players on the field.

4) It has allowed them to maintain a higher payroll

5) Fan don't complain about paying higher ticket prices; they feel the experience of going to the game is worth the price

So there are many reasons why the fan base is different, but there is no denying that it is different. I went to Fenway this year. The excitement level and commitment for the fans is amazing to experience.

Now Angelos himself has to take much of the blame for OPCY not having that kind of atmosphere. In early to mid 90's OPCY sold out. When they put a good product on the field the fan responded. Angelos must take part of the blame for firing Johnson and Gillick when he had a good thing going. It has never been the same since.

However there were other factors. The Yankee and Boston wided the gap on spending for players over what other teams could afford to spend. In the middle 90's no team spend over 100M of payroll. Now the Yankees are double that. Boston followed as much as they could.

More revenue = better players, in most cases. The development of MASN is a neccessary step for the O's to be competitive. We will see much revenue it generations and how that translates to the field.

Angelos is not wrong about the fan base as far as it going. There is a huge difference. But there are reasons for it.

Again you prove what a complete lapdog you are. How old are you? Do you remember Memorial Stadium days? I tell you the crowd there would NOT put up with obnoxious Saaahx fans. And no owner of an Oriole team, no matter how inept in the past would ever "welcome" them with open arms to take over our park and call them better fans.

If you are not insulted by his comments, what he's done to MY team and the absolute joke we've become compared to how we were seen earlier in my lifetime, then YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM.

I don't mean to be rude, but I just don't understand you at all. I seriously think you're just ignorant. And I don't mean it as an insult. I mean it in the literal sense that you just don't know better. I think comments like this just show a complete ignorance of what we once were before this man bought and ruined this team.

Personally, I want it back before its too late. (It probably already is. His tarnish will take decades to wash off, if ever, at this point.)

[bgfield]

You've got a funny way of not trying to be rude.

[Sapper]

It's called apathy. It's the new Oriole Way and it is Peter Angelos' fault.

I want it to change so badly. It's really the only thing that matters in my eyes. We can talk about potential free agents and trades and the minor league improvement and everything else needed to creating a winning organization, but what does it matter when Peter Angelos is in charge. Everything goes through him. When he blames everyone but himself for the failures over the last 9 years what can you do?

What do you think I have been preaching here for years now?

Way to go you few guys (and witchy) here that still get it!

[SoBo]

What do you think I have been preaching here for years now?

Way to go you few guys (and witchy) here that still get it!

In my book, Angelos has one last chance to turn this thing around. And it's this off-season. He's exhausted all his excuses, even blaming his FANS! With the influx of MASN cash, if he doesn't make a big splash. I'm done, until he's done. Got family in St. Louis, if he doesn't go full bore this off-season, I'll be purchasing a Pujols jersey and root for a winning organization until Angelos is gone.

[DrungoHazewood]

What do you think I have been preaching here for years now?

Way to go you few guys (and witchy) here that still get it!

We get it. You hate Peter Angelos with every cell, every fiber, every neuron, every thought, every molecule of your being. We understood that from your first post.

Now what? The rest of us Oriole fans are expected to agree to not talk, debate, discuss, and certainly not get excited about the team until new ownership arrives? Even if that's 20 years from now?