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Post Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 9:32 am 
 

Bbarsh- Yes, we are the Evil Empire!  Join us!  Mwhahhahaha!
Actually, the 97 Marlins are an example of how the system is supposed to work.

Small market expansion team, low attendance.  The ownership took their subsidy money plus alot of their own and spent it all on the field.  They laid  out a ton of cash and aggressively pursued and signed some heavy duty talent, and it got them a title.

...Of course, they also went nearly bankrupt doing it.  But hey, it's the world series!   :D

Badmike - I see what you mean, but I think you under estimate Yankee fandom.  I think the fan base it pretty loyal.  This was tested in the recent past  during the 80s and early 90s, when they Yanks couldn't put a winning season together for a pretty long stretch.  I don't think attendance suffered too much then.  I don't remember there being a fire sale for season tickets or anything.  

And there's two ways of looking at it.  Yeah, you can say, "geez, they spent a billion dollars and didn't win.  What a waste! "

But you can look at it another way, and say, "hey, this guy spends a billion dollars every year on players.  He could just pocket alot of that, but I guess he really wants to win."

Of course it helps if your owner is already an unbelieveably wealthy businessman in his own right,  who doesn't need to rely on profits from the ball club at all for income.  Running a multi-billion dollar baseball franchise is kind of a side hobby for him.  He can afford to plow millions back into the team year after year without it hurting him a bit.   :D


Killjoy - The Mets are my wife's team.  They're in great shape this season.  I think they're going to do well again this year.

  

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Post Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 9:36 am 
 

Agent Cooper wrote:
Badmike - I see what you mean, but I think you under estimate Yankee fandom.  I think the fan base it pretty loyal.  This was tested in the recent past  during the 80s and early 90s, when they Yanks couldn't put a winning season together for a pretty long stretch.  I don't think attendance suffered too much then.  I don't remember there being a fire sale for season tickets or anything.  


.


I just think it would be better for you, the true fan, if the Yanks had another stretch like that 80s-90s stretch or the 60s-70s.  Weed out all the bandwagon jumpers and front running types.  The base will still be there, you'll just jetison the idiot wearing the Yanks jersey in Dallas who can't name anyone on the team after A-Fraud....

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Post Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 9:48 am 
 

Agent Cooper wrote:Killjoy - The Mets are my wife's team.  They're in great shape this season.  I think they're going to do well again this year.


i think theres a good chance of them having a good season too. they were not too bad last season either, so if they improve, its all good.

its about time they peaked anyway.....will shush them yankee fans up some :)

Al


Are we nearly there yet?

  

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Post Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 11:05 am 
 

killjoy32 wrote:
its about time they peaked anyway.....will shush them yankee fans up some :)

Al


I agree with Agent Cooper.  Yankee fans just don't shut up.  They never go away.  It's annoying but you have to admire their blind loyalty.  And it's been rewarded quite a lot over the years.

Now Cubs fans.  They are loyal AND unrewarded.  And whatever they are, they are no longer lovable.  Whoever came up with that one is ignorant of reality.  Just ask Steve Bartman.  He needed police protection to save him from a lynching. 8O   There's no love there.  I personally think the intensity, scrutiny and pressure is part of the problem.


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Post Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 11:06 am 
 

Badmike - I have to agree with you there about the band wagoneers.  The yanks attract alot of them when they are winning, and those types are kind of annoying.  I guess it's good if they become long time fans, but the fair weather variety we can do without.

As a Cowboys fan, you must totally get this.  Back in the 70's and mid 90s it seemed like everybody in the world was a Dallas fan, or said they were.  

killjoy - The Mets were really rolling most of last year.  That collapse at the end was kind of a fluke.  I can't see that happening again.  It's the Phillies you have to worry about, not the Yanks.  At least not till October.   :wink:

  

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Post Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 8:36 pm 
 

Congratulation to Badmike who now has over 8000 feedback! PDT_Armataz_01_37



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How long before he passes Cougie?


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Post Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 9:11 pm 
 

benjoshua wrote:How long before he passes Cougie?


He already exceeds the Coog in everything that is important to a customer.  :wink:


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Post Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 10:57 pm 
 

benjoshua wrote:Congratulation to Badmike who now has over 8000 feedback! PDT_Armataz_01_37

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How long before he passes Cougie?




Hell, Coug passed ME up awhile back!!!!



Wow, thanks!  That anniversary passed me by. Now just need to set my sights on passing up Guido someday (right...it took me ten years to get this far!)



But thanks to anyone here that has bought something from me...!



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Post Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 10:58 pm 
 

jasonw1239 wrote:
He already exceeds the Coog in everything that is important to a customer.  :wink:


Yep...looks, brains, and the ability to use spellcheck!!!!!  :P

Mike B.


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Post Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 11:43 pm 
 

benjoshua wrote:Now Cubs fans.  They are loyal AND unrewarded.  And whatever they are, they are no longer lovable.  Whoever came up with that one is ignorant of reality.  Just ask Steve Bartman.  He needed police protection to save him from a lynching. 8O   There's no love there.  I personally think the intensity, scrutiny and pressure is part of the problem.


It has been pretty rough being a Cub fan and I have only had to endure it since the mid-eighties.  I can't imagine the pain and suffering some of the old-timers have had to deal with.  1984, '89, and 2007 were disappointing seasons but nothing for me tops 2003 as the most painful Cub fan experience ever.  To fall so far so fast after being so close against the Marlins was sheer torture.  :cry:

Mark my words...this is the year the Cubbies finally break the curse.  One hundred years since the last World Series win.  I don't think God would make us wait another year.  :wink:


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Post Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 7:32 am 
 

Kingofpain89 wrote:
It has been pretty rough being a Cub fan and I have only had to endure it since the mid-eighties.  I can't imagine the pain and suffering some of the old-timers have had to deal with.  1984, '89, and 2007 were disappointing seasons but nothing for me tops 2003 as the most painful Cub fan experience ever.  To fall so far so fast after being so close against the Marlins was sheer torture.  :cry:

Mark my words...this is the year the Cubbies finally break the curse.  One hundred years since the last World Series win.  I don't think God would make us wait another year.  :wink:


Brewers shall ensure that curse stays intact :D

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Post Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:00 am 
 

Plaag wrote:
Brewers shall ensure that curse stays intact :D

ShaneG.


Just like they did last year eh?  :lol:   I do think it will come down to another race to the finish between the Cubs and Brewers but the Cubs have made some interesting moves this year and I dont think they are done yet.  The Astros, Cardinals, and Pirates will all be rebuilding this year (arent the Pirates rebuilding every year though?) but Cincinnati may be a sleeper in the central division.  Dusty Baker apparently knows how to get the most out of his teams.


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Post Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:51 am 
 

Kingofpain89 wrote: Pirates will all be rebuilding this year (arent the Pirates rebuilding every year though?)


No, we never rebuild.  We just f**king suck, all the time.  :x  We will continue to suck all time as long as we have this sh*t box owner who is more interested in lining his own pockets at the expense of the franchise and the fans and get someone in here new.  The Nuttings, heh, they should change their name to the f**king Nothings.

Yes this is what 15 straight losing seasons does to a fan, although to be honest my anger isn't actually pretty well placed and I am far from the only one here who feels this exact same way.  The Pirates over the last 15 years have been a laughingstock and the worst franchise any of the four major sports.  I am not even sure that there is a close second.


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Post Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 10:05 am 
 

bclarkie wrote:
No, we never rebuild.  We just f**king suck, all the time.  :x  We will continue to suck all time as long as we have this sh*t box owner who is more interested in lining his own pockets at the expense of the franchise and the fans and get someone in here new.  The Nuttings, heh, they should change their name to the f**king Nothings.


In the late 70s my middle brother and I were huge baseball fans (of the Texas Rangers), but our favorite National League team was the Pirates.  Loved the uniforms, and the personalities like Dave Parker and Willie Stargell (the "We Are Family" days), and rooted for them in the 1979 world championship year.  Of course they haven't done anything since and have a 15 year losing season streak, which is ridiculous. Saying a team based in Pittsburgh is a small market team is ludicrous (an excuse for owners not wanting to spend any more money than necessary), and they are #1 poster child for what is wrong in baseball.  Thank God the DFW area has owners like Jerry Jones and Mark Cuban, because without them shaming Tom Hicks to at least spend SOMETHING the Rangers would be worse than the Pirates or Royals of the baseball world.

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Post Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 10:09 am 
 

bclarkie wrote:
No, we never rebuild.  We just f**king suck, all the time.  :x  We will continue to suck all time as long as we have this sh*t box owner who is more interested in lining his own pockets at the expense of the franchise and the fans and get someone in here new.  The Nuttings, heh, they should change their name to the f**king Nothings.

Yes this is what 15 straight losing seasons does to a fan, although to be honest my anger isn't actually pretty well placed and I am far from the only one here who feels this exact same way.  The Pirates over the last 15 years have been a laughingstock and the worst franchise any of the four major sports.  I am not even sure that there is a close second.


I'm glad I don't feel your pain.  As a Braves fan, I've had it pretty good over the past decade and more.  Yeah, only one World Series trophy, but still a solid showing.  The Braves fans are fairly fickle, but I'm not complaining. It makes getting tickets easy and not too expensive.  However, I only go to one or two games a year so I guess the fickle label fits on me as well. :oops:  

This year might actually be interesting for the Braves.  If either Hampton or Javy Lopez return to form, we might give the division championship a run.  Not that I actually believe they'll stay healthy, but stranger things have happened.  I personally believe several key players will get the injury bug and doom us to mediocrity.  Smoltz, Glavine, Hampton, Chipper and Lopez are all ancient(and there may be others).  Thank God we got rid of Andruw Jones(what were the Dodgers thinking?) 8O


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Post Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 10:25 am 
 

Badmike wrote: Mark Cuban.


Believe me, people around here are and have been begging for Cuban to come save this team.  He is a Pittsburgh guy born and bred(as a matter of fact he grew up about 5 minutes from my house and went to Mt Lebanon HS which sits right next my school district) and people around here been clamouring for him to come home. :)  Granted he is kind of an asshat sometimes, but he wants to win, will spend to do it and thats what everyone around here is hoping he would do here.

Its pretty sad, we used to have sme great teams both in the early 90's and in the 70's, but it seems this franchise can't get out its own way now.  Between the gree of ownership and the completely mismanagement by the Front Office its become a joke.   We get the best of both worlds here in the Burgh, we have one the best ownerships in all of sports with the Rooneys and the Steelers and as noted above likley the worst of all with the Nothings and the Pirates.  

If you really want to laugh(and have the time) here's a link that show how the Steelers and Pirates "compare" over the last 27 years:

http://mondesishouse.blogspot.com/2006/ ... elers.html


And here is one that shows 79 reason why its hard to be a Pirate fan:

http://mondesishouse.blogspot.com/2007/ ... irate.html

And yes this site is based here in PGH.


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Post Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 10:35 am 
 

Oh and here is a couple more links form that site, The Pittsburgh Pirates: where careers come to die:

http://mondesishouse.blogspot.com/2006/ ... -stop.html

and

http://mondesishouse.blogspot.com/2006/ ... rt-ii.html

And yes this stuff is all 100% true, you can't make this stuff up.  :?


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Post Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 10:47 am 
 

bclarkie wrote:
Believe me, people around here are and have been begging for Cuban to come save this team.  He is a Pittsburgh guy born and bred(as a matter of fact he grew up about 5 minutes from my house and went to Mt Lebanon HS which sits right next my school district) and people around here been clamouring for him to come home. :)  Granted he is kind of an asshat sometimes, but he wants to win, will spend to do it and thats what everyone around here is hoping he would do here.

Its pretty sad, we used to have sme great teams both in the early 90's and in the 70's, but it seems this franchise can't get out its own way now.  Between the gree of ownership and the completely mismanagement by the Front Office its become a joke.   We get the best of both worlds here in the Burgh, we have one the best ownerships in all of sports with the Rooneys and the Steelers and as noted above likley the worst of all with the Nothings and the Pirates.  

.


Jones and Cuban may be nuts and pain in the asses sometimes but you know they want to win at all costs and throw their own money into the team to do so. Hicks, not so much, he's the typical bean counter sports owner that scrupulously goes by a "budget" and cuts or trades players because of the market (or so he says).  One of the signs of a con man sports owner is when your team is continually "rebuilding" and you are pleaded to wait "just 3 or 4 years and the team will be competetive".  Luckily I've gotten old enough to see these buzzwords for what they are, and don't give thieves like this my money.

I'm sure anyone would love Cuban as an owner...look at the Jason Kidd deal that will go through today, he wants to win NOW and saw other teams in the conference improve, and even though their cast of characters might be a better and younger team in 3-4 years decided he wanted to win NOW and went out looking for a superstar. Meanwhile Tom Hicks is trying to pick up cheap talent on a budget so the Rangers can be good "someday". Please.

If you were a Pirates fan though I wouldn't be too optimistic though as Mark is a huge Cubbies fan, I think he's looking that way more than anything.

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