New WNST protest planned

[Why Not?]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20070925/SPORTS07/109250088/1005/SPORTS

Nothing really new here, except the constant misspelling of the manager's name.

[CharmCityCrab]

I think Nestor would do more good if he worked with the ballclub to buy discounted tickets for a half dozen to a dozen "WNST Night at the Ballpark" events and sold them through his station, maybe as a mini-season ticket package of sorts. Then, have his people make noise and be enthusiastic in support of the team's effort on the field (Even booing where appropriate).

Let's face it, for many of these folks, half the problem they have with the Orioles is that it isn't like the old Memorial Stadium or certain sections of the Ravens' stadium in terms of how the rest of the fans behave, and that diminishes their enjoyment. They go to Camden Yards and have sit around folks who aren't really watching the game, and then get reprimanded by an usher if they stand up too often or make too much noise (due to complaints from other patrons). Half their enjoyment was being with their crowd either ala Section 34 or actually being *in* Section 34 at the old stadium. It was exciting.

Unlike the ownership or the team's hiring decision or the team's performance on the field, that's something that can be changed by a group like WNST, at least in some respects. The ushers won't mess with a large group like that that all wants to stand and chant things if they have their own section (within reason). If it happens enough, maybe it'll spread to a few other sections and other nights. And then it'll be exciting for folks to go to the ballpark again because of the fan experience. Heck, maybe they can even work out a deal to get 6 or 12 $1 off coupons for beer with the purchase of 6 games or 12 games on a "WNST Night Plan".

Even some of the players get excited at these protest nights because they like having the vocal fan support. Imagine how much more psyched they'd be if they had it on a more regular basis and the fans *didn't* walk out after 6 innings!

See, that'd be something productive and helpful. And would get Nestor known in a positive way. I wish he'd think about doing it. His section at the Ravens stadium was a really neat thing to behold in the early years of it (Maybe it still is, haven't looked for it in many years).

[howie14]

I think Nestor would do more good if he worked with the ballclub to buy discounted tickets for a half dozen to a dozen "WNST Night at the Ballpark" events and sold them through his station, maybe as a mini-season ticket package of sorts. Then, have his people make noise and be enthusiastic in support of the team's effort on the field (Even booing where appropriate).

Let's face it, for many of these folks, half the problem they have with the Orioles is that it isn't like the old Memorial Stadium or certain sections of the Ravens' stadium in terms of how the rest of the fans behave, and that diminishes their enjoyment. They go to Camden Yards and have sit around folks who aren't really watching the game, and then get reprimanded by an usher if they stand up too often or make too much noise (due to complaints from other patrons). Half their enjoyment was being with their crowd either ala Section 34 or actually being *in* Section 34 at the old stadium. It was exciting.

Unlike the ownership or the team's hiring decision or the team's performance on the field, that's something that can be changed by a group like WNST, at least in some respects. The ushers won't mess with a large group like that that all wants to stand and chant things if they have their own section (within reason). If it happens enough, maybe it'll spread to a few other sections and other nights. And then it'll be exciting for folks to go to the ballpark again because of the fan experience. Heck, maybe they can even work out a deal to get 6 or 12 $1 off coupons for beer with the purchase of 6 games or 12 games on a "WNST Night Plan".

Even some of the players get excited at these protest nights because they like having the vocal fan support. Imagine how much more psyched they'd be if they had it on a more regular basis and the fans *didn't* walk out after 6 innings!

See, that'd be something productive and helpful. And would get Nestor known in a positive way. I wish he'd think about doing it. His section at the Ravens stadium was a really neat thing to behold in the early years of it (Maybe it still is, haven't looked for it in many years).

To be fair to Nestor, he was doing something very similar to that-group nights-until the Bird hit him with a SuperSoaker. At that point Nestor apparently determined that the team was behind his soaking and declared war.

We also must realize that Section 34 stopped being Section 34 in about 1986. The opening of OPACY didn't cause the end of that.

And, I suspect, the Orioles and Aramark would never discount beer.

[RShack]

To be fair to Nestor, he was doing something very similar to that-group nights-until the Bird hit him with a SuperSoaker. At that point Nestor apparently determined that the team was behind his soaking and declared war.

Is this really true? If so, that's hilarious!

(How can I give positive-rep to the Bird?)

[howie14]

Is this really true? If so, that's hilarious!

(How can I give positive-rep to the Bird?)

There should be some old threads here about the super-soaker attack. Nestor claimed his Tommy Bahama shirt was ruined and swore off the Orioles at that point. I assume the Bird just thought it was a funny bit and didn't know he'd be starting a war.

That's why I knew that the Free the Birds II group's chants to have the Bird sent to them would go unanswered. Besides, it probably isn't even the same guy in the suit after three years or so.

Prior to the incident, he had been encouraging those who were negative about the Angelos regime to put aside their concerns and support the players by going out and sitting in the cheap seats. After that, he started his "sell the team" movement.

[CharmCityCrab]

There should be some old threads here about the super-soaker attack. Nestor claimed his Tommy Bahama shirt was ruined and swore off the Orioles at that point. I assume the Bird just thought it was a funny bit and didn't know he'd be starting a war.

I think a celebrity probably has to take that sort of thing in stride. Is it possible that the Bird "targeted" him for being squirted with water on a warm-summer night because he thought the folks in the group from the station would find it amusing? Sure. Likely, even. But that's probably all it was. It was supposed to be a fun thing. And it's cool water on a warm night.

Granted, I'll take his word for it if he says his shirt was ruined. I met him once years ago and he seemed like a really nice guy. I also used to enjoy listening to his radio program when I lived out in Towson way back when. But it's just a shirt, and he's a fairly well-off guy (He owns a radio station). Assuming it was ruined (And as I said, I'm going to take his word for it, even though my shirts have always survived being soaked with water due to rain or laundry -- maybe that's just the cheap Wal-Mart junk I get and more expensive clothes are different), I'm sure he can easily afford a new shirt.

I don't think, if there was any thought given to it at all, that the Orioles or the Oriole Bird thought he'd take it badly. If they did, they wouldn't have done it, because he's a) bringing them in extra money by holding his nights at the ballpark and b) a local personality with a strong following they want to have good relations with.

So, it probably wasn't done with any malice (Heck, they might have thought he'd enjoy it), it was cool water on a warm day, and it may have ruined a shirt that he can afford to replace without even blinking an eye. Especially for a celebrity figure like that in the public spot light, you've got to take things in good humor to some degree and just move on.