Did you really say that, Frank McCourt?
I'll have to admit that I'm a little conflicted about Dodgers owner Frank McCourt. On one hand, compared to previous owner News Corp., McCourt has more or less proven his commitment to building a successful franchise by renovating Dodger Stadium and keeping up with league-wide increases in average team payroll. (Whether the Dodgers are spending their cash on the right players is another matter.)
But McCourt has this clunky insecurity about him, as if he really, really wants Dodger fans to like him no matter how clueless he looks. I can't think of a quote that embodies this feeling more than what he said when the the team played its final game this week at Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Fla., where the Dodgers have held their pre-season spring-training since 1948 (the team plans on moving to a sports complex in Glendale, Ariz. in 2009):
McCourt said many Dodgertown landmarks, such as the street signs and light posts topped with baseballs, will be relocated to the Arizona facility or put on display at Dodger Stadium.
"After all, Dodger Stadium is Dodgertown," he said. "And for that matter, L.A. is Dodgertown."
No, no, no, no, no, Frank.
It's safe to say that any lifelong Dodger fan (as I am) can pick up the total historical tone-deafness of that statement. You don't shrug off abandoning your spring-training home for six decades by implying that Vero Beach doesn't deserve the well-earned Dodgertown moniker on your way out. As I'm sure McCourt knows, the Dodgers have played spring ball at Vero Beach since they were the Brooklyn Dodgers. Vero Beach Dodger fans can arguably claim a stronger emotional attachment to the team than Angelenos.
Granted, holding spring training in Florida as opposed to Arizona makes little economic sense. But the Dodgers' trip there every March was a sign that the team still valued a tradition that pre-dates its arrival in Los Angeles. Moving away from that tradition may be necessary, but it's also a somber ritual — even Tommy Lasorda reportedly cried in the clubhouse following the final game.
As for McCourt, all he should do from here on out is make the economic case for the spring-training move to Arizona and acknowledge the historical significance of this change.
Unlike about 99% of Frank's verbal or managerial pratfalls, I actually have some sympathy for the man this time: moving to Arizona makes sense economically and from a fan relations standpoint. Unfortunately, tone-deafness is one of his hallmarks.
Posted by: Rob McMillin | March 19, 2008 at 10:12 PM
While the move to Arizona clearly makes sense, the point on McCourt is well taken. This guy has no clue what moves the meter for Dodger fans, and time and time again he has shown a complete disconnect with the history of this franchise.
The perfect example is his shameful treatment of Ross Porter. Porter was let go in a completely unprofessional manner in a supposed move to make the broadcast more entertaining. The problem was that Porter was popular with fans, and the result is a broadcast that is much more annoying than entertaining. If McCourt had taken a minute to get to know his audience, he would have seen that this was a bad move.
The McCourts would do well to follow the John Moores model. That is to be invisible to the fans.
Posted by: kingbb99 | March 20, 2008 at 10:55 AM
Right on about Ross Porter! I would give anything to have good old Ross back in the booth with Vin. Is there a more annoying announcer in pro sports than Charley Steiner? Joel Meyers of the Lakers, perhaps.
On the topic of the move to Arizona, I'm fine with the fact that it makes sense from an economic stance. And I'd be even more OK with it if the soul-less McCourts would just admit that is why they're moving the team's spring training facilities there. Instead, we get this quote from Frank.
"It breaks our hearts to know that so many in Los Angeles cannot make the cross-country trek with their families to see it firsthand. And make no mistake, that is the driving force behind the move to Arizona."
McCourt's driving force has always been and will always be greed. The next time he makes a decision based on his concern for Dodger fans will be the first time.
Posted by: McCourt h8r | March 24, 2008 at 03:23 PM
The Dodgers vs World Champ Red Sox was the largest-attended baseball game in history. Good for owner Frank McCourt! Painful if you happened to like the visiting team- even if they earned your respect as World Champions, as the Red Sox deserve.
Barbarism at the Coliseum once was restricted to the arena with Romans attacking Christians.
The barbarians of today sit in right next to you at every Dodger game. Savagery is no-longer limited to the field, as today's Dodger fans verbally and physically attack innocent, visiting-team fans rooting in their midst.
Baseball is a game built on civility, rules, and sportsmanship. Home-team fans, however, no longer behave civilly towards visiting fans - and even well-mannered visiting fans are now harassed- even violently attacked, for attending a day at the park.
I've witnessed increasingly violent abuse at the past 3 Dodgers' games I've attended. No visiting-team fans should subject themselves (and their friends and families) to the reality of verbal and physical attack now routine at Dodger games.
If Major League Baseball cares about keeping fans coming to its ball games, it better activate a zero-tolerance policy towards the belicose culture prevailing against visiting fans attending today's games.
Watch the video I filmed of the freshly-assaulted family of Red Sox fans at the 50th anniversary commemoration event at the Dodgers' 1st home at the L.A. Coliseum. (Warning, audio is emotional, expletive-filled, and only for adults). DemoCastNewsMedia.com
Posted by: Democast Newsmedia | March 30, 2008 at 11:24 PM