That's all I have to say to the esteemed baseball commissioner after the latest debacle to hit his sport (no, not the Mets but I'll mention them in a few).
For some reason, the Milwaukee powers (I'm including him and his wig as two people) that be thought it would be a great idea to start the regular season A) while spring training was still going on, B) in Tokyo, and C) in the middle of the fucking night of the fanbases.
You don't see this in any other major sport. Look at the NFL. You have that Thursday night game (which I hate btw) that stands alone before the other games on Sunday. The NBA started on Christmas. All for the same reason: when the season starts, THE SEASON FUCKING STARTS. All exhibition games should be done. And not only that, but when the Mariners and A's are stateside again, they go BACK to playing Cactus League games. Are you fucking kidding me?
Here's my second point: I'm not a fan of major sports playing outside North America. What's the point? Do I need to see MLB in Japan or the NFL in England? WHY? They're not going to be opening up shop there so what's the point? And with Bud Selig, the answer is always the same: $.
And speaking of $$$$$, you don't think the A's wouldn't mind getting the receipts for an Opening Day game? It's the one game that everyone sells out. You don't think the Coliseum employees would like to get paid for another day? Last I checked, the economy could use a bit of help and Oakland could use the boosted attendance.
Which leads me to my third point: if you're going to schedule a game outside of either fanbase's timezone, do it when the fans can watch. It was 3 a.m. in Seattle and Oakland when the game started. Outside of the lazy hippies and gangbangers in those cities, no one was up at that time to watch the game.
If I'm Bud Selig, I would be more concerned with the fact that you just had to save a franchise in LA while the same problem is happening to his buddy in New York. He has has much bigger fish to fry than making sure Ichiro gets a hero's welcome in Japan.
Fix your sport and stop playing favorites, you toupee-wearing, sausage racing, clueless fuck.
You have some good points, but you miss some.
ReplyDeleteTo call Selig and his wig a "people" is a stretch.
On your assessment of "don't think the A's wouldn't mind getting the receipts for an Opening Day game? It's the one game that everyone sells out." So you think the A's played this game for free? I bet the organization got more money playing in Tokyo than they would have if it were in Oakland. Sure, they didn't get $$$$$, but ¥¥¥¥¥ is just as effective. Sure, the stadium employees got jack-squat, but do you think MLB cares about them?
On your point of "I'm not a fan of major sports playing outside North America. What's the point? Do I need to see MLB in Japan or the NFL in England? WHY? They're not going to be opening up shop there so what's the point?" When you say "opening up shop" I assume you mean a franchise there, but you're missing the point. "Shop" doesn't have to mean a team. Go to Europe or Japan or China. People are wearing NBA/MLB/NFL gear all the time. Just as people here wear European soccer club kits (sorry, had to use their term... that means "uniform" for the uneducated lot like you).
I think Yogurt said it best in "Spaceballs:" MOI-CHAN-DISING!
As far as regular season then back to pre-season, you're right. It couldn't be more stupid.
At least when the aforementioned European Soccer clubs do a tour of American cities, they are EXHIBITION games.