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#Post#: 75060--------------------------------------------------
Re: Predictions
By: Clarkaddison Date: May 22, 2012, 11:46 am
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The Ricketts family dysfunctional and despicable? On what do
you base that conclusion? How many times have you sat down to
dinner with them?
BTW, I agree that Joe's proposed superpac campaign sucks. But
painting the entire family with that broad brush defies logic.
#Post#: 75062--------------------------------------------------
Re: Predictions
By: Deeg Date: May 22, 2012, 11:58 am
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The info that's emerging - that it was Joe calling the shots in
the negotiations, his bragging (on camera) that it was the fact
that the Cubs could sell out the ballpark with bad teams that
attracted him to the idea of buying the team - is just the tip
of the iceberg. As the relationship with the city and fans goes
South (as it's already doing) Joe is going to be less and less
likely to want to see any of his money spent on the organization
apart from the bare minimum to keep the fans hooked.
The problem is, Tom Ricketts can't extract himself from the
stink. It's obvious Joe and Pete are involved intimately in the
financial side, and the growing ill will on the part of the fans
is going to further poison the relationship with the ownership.
It's not so much a question of the SuperPAC money as the fact
that the PAC was set up to "limit government spending" - and you
have Ricketts insisting that the Cubs get hundreds of millions
in government spending for themselves. This is the meme you
increasingly see reported in the press, and on top of the not
insignificant fact that Obama is a Chicago politician and
Chicago is overwhelmingly Democratic the odds of any significant
public funding for the renovations are increasingly slim. And
if the Ricketts don't get their publicly funded Wrigley upgrades
- which is where they saw the dollar signs flashing - they
aren't going to spend heavily on trivial things like payroll.
It's no wonder Joe sent Laura to the Kerry Wood retirement
festivities, because they're trying to shift the focus off this
whole debacle as much as possible. But I doubt it's going to
work.
#Post#: 75066--------------------------------------------------
Re: Predictions
By: Clarkaddison Date: May 22, 2012, 12:22 pm
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We'll see soon enough. I'm not bothered by the shrunken payroll
this year, because it was a lost year going in. Let's see what
they spend on the draft and next year's free agent class.
If their motivation really is profit over Cubs success, they'll
sell quickly because the Dodgers' sale exponentially increased
the value of all franchises.
#Post#: 75081--------------------------------------------------
Re: Predictions
By: Deeg Date: May 22, 2012, 1:41 pm
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Let's hope they do.
Make no mistake - there are exactly two relevant factors in this
ownership. First is Joe Ricketts making money. Second is Tom
Ricketts' ego. This brewing debacle is a body blow to both,
especially if public financing for Wrigley is a casualty. If
Joe isn't printing money and Tom isn't being glorified in
Chicago, things are going to get mighty ugly mighty fast.
#Post#: 75098--------------------------------------------------
Re: Predictions
By: Clarkaddison Date: May 22, 2012, 2:27 pm
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You obviously have formed your opinions on the Ricketts family
based on what you've read. Having read the same, I'm willing to
give them the benefit of the doubt. I don't believe that Joe's
politics (which I'm diametrically opposed to) influence his
offspring on the running of the Cubs.
Whether Tom is able to repair relations with Rahm remains to be
seen.
I give them credit for rebuilding the front office, not only
hiring Theo and Jed, but also the additional hires that brought
the smallest staff in the majors up to par, and bringing the
organization into the 21st century technologically. I really
think better times are in store for the Cubs. Let's hope we are
still around to enjoy it.
#Post#: 75100--------------------------------------------------
Re: Predictions
By: Deeg Date: May 22, 2012, 3:10 pm
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I base my opinions on the Ricketts Family from growing up with
them as an outsider, going to a high school full of people like
them, studying them like Margaret Mead. I've seen how they
think, what motivates them. They aren't like you and me. They
might look cute, but it's dangerous to imbue them with human
emotions.
#Post#: 75104--------------------------------------------------
Re: Predictions
By: davep Date: May 22, 2012, 3:39 pm
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Other than not having a high enough payroll to suit you, exactly
what do you have against the Ricketts family? You have been
quite vague about complaints.
What have you seen them do that you feel is so wrong?
#Post#: 75105--------------------------------------------------
Re: Predictions
By: JR Date: May 22, 2012, 3:46 pm
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Any chance at all that the lower payroll is due to the
inevitable Soriano salary dump and trying to take care of most
of that charge during this year?
#Post#: 75111--------------------------------------------------
Re: Predictions
By: Deeg Date: May 22, 2012, 5:18 pm
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[quote author=davep link=topic=73.msg75104#msg75104
date=1337719165]
Other than not having a high enough payroll to suit you, exactly
what do you have against the Ricketts family? You have been
quite vague about complaints.
What have you seen them do that you feel is so wrong?
[/quote]
Other than the $10 million SuperPAC fiasco, the SuperPAC set up
to "end government spending" by a man who wants $300 million is
government spending directly to his pocket and Joe Ricketts
saying he bought the Cubs because they sold tickets even when
they sucked, you mean?
#Post#: 75113--------------------------------------------------
Re: Predictions
By: Jes Beard Date: May 22, 2012, 5:20 pm
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[quote author=JR link=topic=73.msg75105#msg75105
date=1337719598]
Any chance at all that the lower payroll is due to the
inevitable Soriano salary dump and trying to take care of most
of that charge during this year?
[/quote]
The worst thing the Cubs could have done was to have gone on
another 2006-2007 spending spree to try to win in 2012. The
next worst thing would have been to have spent enough to be
com-petitive.
The current course should have been taken in the middle of the
2006 season
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