Nestor & Flanny speak on rally

[Fan4Life]

I don't have any problem with those who want to participate in this rally. If you really think it'll matter, go for it. I don't know Nestor at all, never listen to him since I'm two hours away... I'll admit to being suspicious of any radio jock who claims to acting out of the goodness of his heart. I don't know the guy, so maybe I'm wrong.

But does anyone really think this is going to impact how Angelos does business one little bit? I think it's rather absurd to think Pete's going to wake up tomorrow and say "hmmm... guess the fans don't like losing after all. Time to open up the checkbook!"

I don't recall Nestor advertising his idea as a way to over throw the currrent owership but more over was merely a way to publicly display resentment for the current ownership, and in that regard, I don't see how it can fail.

[Witchy_Chick]

WHEW!!! This was a way long thread.....and about to get longer still with my commentary.

I agree with Flanagan that its horrible timing. Nestor is going to take credit for every cent increased to the Orioles payroll next year, when his rally really has nothing to do with that..

You mean IF the Orioles payroll is increased next year. MASN or not, let’s not act like an increased payroll is a foregone conclusion.

But I really, really doubt that Angelos is going to watch a bunch of people buy tickets to his game and leave and suddenly have an revelation and sell the team. In fact, Angelos selling the team would probably be the worst thing that could happen to the franchise, because he would likely keep MASN, and all of our newfound payroll flexibility would be gone.

What newfound payroll flexibility? MASN was supposed to make an “immediate” impact (as per Angelos’ MASN/Comcast lawyer, whose name escapes me now). The only “immediate” impact I have seen is that we ate $500K of Conine’s contract, and part of Javy’s remaining contract.

But I still stand behind my main point...and that is, nobody should be flippantly saying this is a protest against the owner and not the players. If you are protesting the owner, then you absolutely have to be protesting against the players that are on the field...you are saying that they just aren't good enough.

Well, truth be told – some of them are not good enough. Raul Chavez? Russ Ortiz? Rodrigo? Bruce Chen? Chris Widger? Seriously – are these guys that anyone would see on a roster of a winning team? OK – maybe one, two tops, as a role player. But all of them?? Please. I don't fault them for being here. I fault the FO for bringing in and/or retaining these non-talented, stick-a-fork-in-'em players. I blame the owner for hamstringing the FO with micro-managing and/or feet-dragging on making decisions to get good quality players in here. Enough is enough.

I will not be at the game today. My protest will consist of returning my 2007 season ticket renewal form with a huge red X across it – along with a long long letter of why I refuse to invest any additional hard-earned money into this pitiful excuse for an organization. Call me once you guys finally reach the .500 plateau.

Witchy

[Mackus]

What newfound payroll flexibility? MASN was supposed to make an “immediate” impact (as per Angelos’ MASN/Comcast lawyer, whose name escapes me now). The only “immediate” impact I have seen is that we ate $500K of Conine’s contract, and part of Javy’s remaining contract.

I don't really understand this criticism. How else could we have spent money immediately? There aren't any FAs to spend money on. We showed we were willing to eat salary by taking on Burrell, although that was before the MASN deal was complete, IIRC.

[Hank Scorpio]

WHEW!!! This was a way long thread.....and about to get longer still with my commentary.

You mean IF the Orioles payroll is increased next year. MASN or not, let’s not act like an increased payroll is a foregone conclusion.

What newfound payroll flexibility? MASN was supposed to make an “immediate” impact (as per Angelos’ MASN/Comcast lawyer, whose name escapes me now). The only “immediate” impact I have seen is that we ate $500K of Conine’s contract, and part of Javy’s remaining contract.

Well, truth be told – some of them are not good enough. Raul Chavez? Russ Ortiz? Rodrigo? Bruce Chen? Chris Widger? Seriously – are these guys that anyone would see on a roster of a winning team? OK – maybe one, two tops, as a role player. But all of them?? Please. I don't fault them for being here. I fault the FO for bringing in and/or retaining these non-talented, stick-a-fork-in-'em players. I blame the owner for hamstringing the FO with micro-managing and/or feet-dragging on making decisions to get good quality players in here. Enough is enough.

I will not be at the game today. My protest will consist of returning my 2007 season ticket renewal form with a huge red X across it – along with a long long letter of why I refuse to invest any additional hard-earned money into this pitiful excuse for an organization. Call me once you guys finally reach the .500 plateau.

Witchy

And that is a protest that would resonate if carried out by 5,000 people.

[Fan4Life]

And that is a protest that would resonate if carried out by 5,000 people.

Any great idea needs someone to drive it to reality... when do you start?

SG, Bigbird, can you guys get him the season ticket holders names and numbers?

[SilentJames]

Okay here we go.

This whole thing is shaking out as we speak.

My final word on this. I want this to work, I want this to be successful. I want this to be something that doesn't open the doors for potshots at the team, the city and its people. But I just can't shake the feeling that this is all the protest will amount too.

Yes it will get national press, but it will be gone the next day. Except to be brought up with derisive comments from time to time. Around here, of course, we will hear about it more - which is good or bad depending what side you are on.

Possible outcomes:

Best case scenario - Angelos sees the protest and, like lightning striking, he realizes what he has done, goes out spends a ton of money and then sells the team to an ownership group consisting primarily of Ripken, Geppi and Nestor Apparicio.

Worst case scenario - The protest becomes the final straw of embarrassment for many of the current Orioles. Miguel Tejada and Brian Roberts demand to be traded, other GMs knowing that they have the Orioles over the provebial barrell get both for a steal. FAs do not wish to come here and no amount of money will sway them.

Most likely scenario - The protest goes on without a hitch. The FO blusters and plays damage control. Signing FA's might be a little harder, but money usually talks louder than a radio station protest. The team comes back next year improved, but still holding on to a couple holes. Nestor takes credit for any improvements - but still won't go to any games.

My problem with Nestor has always been this, he never has anything noce to say about the Orioles. Last spring the guy was a ghost, he was nowhere to be seen. He was silent and, most likely, stewing in his own contempt. But the SECOND the door opened up for him to come down on this team, he jumped on them like a pitbull on a side of beef. And like said pitbull, tore them apart, their fans apart and continued to proclaim how right he was. It was then I lost any respect I had for the man. Criticsize sure, fine this team deserves it. But you have to be man enough to also praise and support when they deserve it. I have been pretty unhappy with Ehrlich's governorship, but I praise him when he deserves it. I support O'Malley, but he is far from perfect and deserves as much a critical eye as Ehrlich does.

I guess that all I care about is fairness. And the fact that this whole thing is all about Angelos. This isn't about the losing to Nestor - its Angelos. If Angelos sold tomorrow, but we had another 5-6-7 straight losing seasons, there would be no protest (hell there would be no FANS.) When the team does something good, or is up guys like him vanish because it looks stupid to criticsize the owner when the team is riding high.

Lets hope it comes off okay, and nothing stupid or terrible happens. I am interetsed to see what the player/FO reaction will be tonight and tomorrow.

[Hank Scorpio]

Any great idea needs someone to drive it to reality... when do you start?

SG, Bigbird, can you guys get him the season ticket holders names and numbers?

Hey, I've already suggested to our CEO that my company ceases buying season tickets in 2007.

[Fan4Life]

Okay here we go.

This whole thing is shaking out as we speak.

My final word on this. I want this to work, I want this to be successful. I want this to be something that doesn't open the doors for potshots at the team, the city and its people. But I just can't shake the feeling that this is all the protest will amount too.

Yes it will get national press, but it will be gone the next day. Except to be brought up with derisive comments from time to time. Around here, of course, we will hear about it more - which is good or bad depending what side you are on.

Possible outcomes:

Best case scenario - Angelos sees the protest and, like lightning striking, he realizes what he has done, goes out spends a ton of money and then sells the team to an ownership group consisting primarily of Ripken, Geppi and Nestor Apparicio.

Worst case scenario - The protest becomes the final straw of embarrassment for many of the current Orioles. Miguel Tejada and Brian Roberts demand to be traded, other GMs knowing that they have the Orioles over the provebial barrell get both for a steal. FAs do not wish to come here and no amount of money will sway them.

Most likely scenario - The protest goes on without a hitch. The FO blusters and plays damage control. Signing FA's might be a little harder, but money usually talks louder than a radio station protest. The team comes back next year improved, but still holding on to a couple holes. Nestor takes credit for any improvements - but still won't go to any games.

My problem with Nestor has always been this, he never has anything noce to say about the Orioles. Last spring the guy was a ghost, he was nowhere to be seen. He was silent and, most likely, stewing in his own contempt. But the SECOND the door opened up for him to come down on this team, he jumped on them like a pitbull on a side of beef. And like said pitbull, tore them apart, their fans apart and continued to proclaim how right he was. It was then I lost any respect I had for the man. Criticsize sure, fine this team deserves it. But you have to be man enough to also praise and support when they deserve it. I have been pretty unhappy with Ehrlich's governorship, but I praise him when he deserves it. I support O'Malley, but he is far from perfect and deserves as much a critical eye as Ehrlich does.

I guess that all I care about is fairness. And the fact that this whole thing is all about Angelos. This isn't about the losing to Nestor - its Angelos. If Angelos sold tomorrow, but we had another 5-6-7 straight losing seasons, there would be no protest (hell there would be no FANS.) When the team does something good, or is up guys like him vanish because it looks stupid to criticsize the owner when the team is riding high.

Lets hope it comes off okay, and nothing stupid or terrible happens. I am interetsed to see what the player/FO reaction will be tonight and tomorrow.

Well I think Witchy and BBurds are on to our next idea to support and slam adnausium... assuming this off-season is more of the same, lets get the list of season ticket holders (if possible), divy up the names and numbers, and all start calling them and urge them to pass this year. And if we can't get the list, then perhaps we can all pitch-in to an advertising campaign on radio, newspapers, etc, expressing the same thoughts.

[Sports Guy]

Ewwwwww, an O'Malley supporter..Yuck.

And i am sorry but there is no way anything negative comes out of this...Of course, i don't think anything positive comes out of it either.

[GlennGulliver11]

Ewwwwww, an O'Malley supporter..Yuck.

And i am sorry but there is no way anything negative comes out of this...Of course, i don't think anything positive comes out of it either.

Exactly. Protests are all raw emotion. No one protests the war in front of the White House and expects Bush to wake up the next morning and order the troops home from Iraq. But if you don't make your voice heard and your opinion known, you know nothing will become of it.

[Fan4Life]

Exactly. Protests are all raw emotion. No one protests the war in front of the White House and expects Bush to wake up the next morning and order the troops home from Iraq. But if you don't make your voice heard and your opinion known, you know nothing will become of it.

As well as, if you are all words and no action, you're veracity is lost.

[Sports Guy]

SilentJames, I'm not sure I buy any of your scenarios. Some players will have no feelings about it, other than how it affects them today. Most, if not all FA's, will not even know what occurred, or care. The protest will get some play in the media and tomorrow will be business as usual. It will have no real effect, except that it will make the people involved feel good about having done it. And that's cool.

Right...What is going to happen?

Tejada request a trade?

FA's don't come here?

The FO and PA don't/can't put together a good team?

Oh wait, that is already happening. LOL

[Fan4Life]

Right...What is going to happen?

Tejada request a trade?

FA's don't come here?

The FO and PA don't/can't put together a good team?

Oh wait, that is already happening. LOL

I don't understand the criticism... as I replied to Drungo, as far as I recall, Nestor advertised his idea as a way to publicly cast your resentment for the current ownership.. and in that regard, how can it fail? It is the posters on this site that have tried to attach other implications to the protest... if nothing happens, so what? The people that were involved felt they did what they needed to do for themselves.. can't you support that?

[Sports Guy]

I don't understand the criticism... as I replied to Drungo, as far as I recall, Nestor advertised his idea as a way to publicly cast your resentment for the current ownership.. and in that regard, how can it fail? It is the posters on this site that have tried to attach other implications to the protest... if nothing happens, so what? The people that were involved felt they did what they needed to do for themselves.. can't you support that?

I am not criticizing it but at the end of the day, i don't see how it accomplishes anything. There will be no effect either way.

And, to top it all of, he does it on a make up game, during the day, during the week, with no TV coverage.

Its not a bad thing by any means...It is a good thing. It just will have zero impact, that's all.

[Fan4Life]

I am not criticizing it but at the end of the day, i don't see how it accomplishes anything. There will be no effect either way.

And, to top it all of, he does it on a make up game, during the day, during the week, with no TV coverage.

Its not a bad thing by any means...It is a good thing. It just will have zero impact, that's all.

I think you showed your position for this action when you didn't sign up for it, isn't that enough? Is it necessary to convey to all those involved, who have spent time and money, made an effort, that you think they are all wasting their time?