In the process of trying to rally up support for the renovation financing, the releasing of some new pretty pictures, and the painting everything purple around the ballpark, the Cubs have successfully distracted us from the fact they haven’t made any moves to improve the team. More importantly, since it is actually a bit early yet, they don’t seem to be involved in any serious negotiations or trade talks for any players right now.
You can go to just about site related to the Cubs right now and see the renderings for the renovation. I could have sworn I saw all those pictures once before…I thought those were the rendering that the Tribune Company had done as part of the pitch to the ISFA a couple years ago and part of the touted Wrigley 2014 plan. But I could be wrong and these could actually be new renderings. It was sure interesting timing for them to release those pictures just as everything seemed to be falling apart.
Then there was the kinda pathetic news conference yesterday where Ricketts is trying to promote the job creation that would come from the Wrigley renovation plans. It was almost like some pathetic attempt by a politician to gain support for some stupid, poorly conceived health care bill.
And finally yesterday, some apparent confusion going around as Speaker Mike Madigan stated that he had thought the Cubs had withdrawn the proposal entirely immediately followed by the Cubs saying that things are still moving forward.
Hey…
WHAT ABOUT ADAM DUNN OR PAUL KONERKO?
WHAT ABOUT A RIGHT HANDED SETUP MAN?
WHAT ABOUT TRADING FUKUDOME?
I know that the stadium is important…but this whole thing should be done in a much quieter fashion. The Bears deal Soldier Field was talked about a lot, and when it finally happened, very little fanfare was made of it. I was a little young at the time, but I don’t recall the Sox holding press conferences trying to gain support for building the new Comiskey. It was all done much more quietly by the Sox front office while the focus for most people was still on the team itself.
Here is some advice for Tom Ricketts: Shut up! Go away for a while. If you see a TV camera, run the other way. We’ve seem more of Tom Ricketts in one year as Cubs owner than we’ve seen of Jerry Reinsdorf over the last decade (with the exception of the World Series championship in 2005). Hell, I’ve only seen Old Lady McCaskey about 5 times in the last 10 years…and never heard a peep out of her mouth.
Ricketts obviously doesn’t have the knack for this stuff. Maybe one of the other kids does. We sure as hell know it isn’t Crane Kenney, who is mysteriously missing from any public forum right now. Maybe it’s time to replace Kenney with a new president who actually knows how to do the job of running a sports franchise.
What the hell was the point of that press conference yesterday? I really don’t know. Do you think any lawmakers cared about it? Do you think Quinn or Daley cared about it? Spend less time in front of the cameras and more time working out a viable deal with the state to help in this process.
I want this stadium deal done as much as anyone…but the next press conference the Cubs hold had better be to introduce a new first baseman.
