Bad Owners

[KnoxHarrington]

So as I was reading about the Knicks rehiring Isiah Thomas for reasons that only make sense to James Dolan, I was thinking about something: what do you do, as a sports fan, if your beloved team has a god-awful owner?

If the problem with the team is that the players suck, that can be dealt with over time. You just get rid of the stiffs clogging up your roster and get new ones. If the problem is the coach, that's even easier; fire him and get a new one. Same deal if it's the general manager or some other front-office personnel.

But what if it's the owner? The only way you could practically deal with that is scrape together several hundred million dollars and buy the team, but that's obviously not going to happen. And if the team is bad because of something to do with the owner's philosophy and management style, such as he's a cheap-ass who won't sign anyone, or a meddling douche who insists on inadvisable signings or trades or who fires coaches for no apparent reason, then there's very little likelihood that the team will improve.

So what do you do? How do you, as a sports fan, deal with a team with a bad owner? Is it a situation where eventually, for your own mental health, you just bail out? What is the limit of loyalty?

Whaddya think?

[A.J.]

If you're a Redskins fan, you blindly keep handing your money over to Dan Snyder; which is really what he's most concerned about anyway.

[Dan 'Hampton]

If you're a Bruins fan you wake up every day hoping Jeremy Jacobs doesn't.

[TripleSkeet]

At least Dan Snyder tries.

If its an ownership like the ones that own the Indians or Marlins the only thing you can do is try to get the fanbase to boycott the team. No more going to games, buying jerseys, caps or any other merchandise. If all they care about is turning a profit make owning the team and unprofitable business so they will sell it.

[Pittsburgh]

If you're a Pittsburgh Pirate fan you take solace in the knowledge that the name "Nutting" will eventually become synonymous with "Carpetbagging villain" and all his children will be hated and reviled in the burg forever more.

[newport king]

i hope the dolan's sell this team at some point, same goes for the wilpons with the mets.

both owners seem like they have no fucking clue what they're doing. i think the isiah move was made because apparently some of the young thugs in that shitty league respect him. he's been a joke as an executive. i only hope he does something so heinous this time that the dolans are forced to sell.

now the wilpons spend money but also charge a fucking fortune to see a team who lets face it, are pretty much a joke of a franchise.

[Enabler]

My immediate family dumped their season tix this year. As well as 2 of my aunts. Plus last year there was a fairly organized, though probably useless, boycott of merchandise amongst Redskins fans. But lil Danny has more money than god so he doesnt give a fuck.

Sndyer is so infuriating because he wants to win but hes such a meddling douche and makes the same moronic mistakes over and over. He may have gotten a clue this year with hiring Shannahan and Allen but of course that is TBD.

Plus theres a strong contingent of Redskins fans who will just never forgive the guy for buying the team away from the Cooke family. That, plus the horrendous decline of the franchise under his ownership makes me wonder if even a Superbowl could get people to actually "like" the little weasely prick.

[newport king]

If you're a Pittsburgh Pirate fan you take solace in the knowledge that the name "Nutting" will eventually become synonymous with "Carpetbagging villain" and all his children will be hated and reviled in the burg forever more.

at least you have one of the nicest looking new stadiums in mlb. and don't have to work a month of OT to afford decent seats.

[Kevin]

i hope the dolan's sell this team at some point, same goes for the wilpons with the mets.

both owners seem like they have no fucking clue what they're doing. i think the isiah move was made because apparently some of the young thugs in that shitty league respect him. he's been a joke as an executive. i only hope he does something so heinous this time that the dolans are forced to sell.

now the wilpons spend money but also charge a fucking fortune to see a team who lets face it, are pretty much a joke of a franchise.



I agree on the Wilpons..

They are horrid..
The fact that Omar will be back is a joke.

He is a terrible GM and the fact that he signed Krod when even coming off a record year, NOBODY wanted him, to big money shows it.

Even his own team said they were worried that be was losing MPH in his fastball every year.

He wasn't great even when he had that year.

Dolen I thought was heading in the right track with getting Walsh and letting him build a nice young athletic team with room for the next two years to get max guys again.

The Thomas thing has me worried again.

If he gets any higher than a consultant, this team is in deep trouble.

If he is just a scout and helps on the draft, thats OK.

[newport king]

i keep hearing how isiah is good at the draft..didn't he trade 2 picks to get eddie curry?

[Kevin]

i keep hearing how isiah is good at the draft..didn't he trade 2 picks to get eddie curry?



Well that goes his horrid GM side..

In the draft, he actualy has a much better record than Walsh..

Walsh has had some bombs at the draft..

The most recent being Jordan Hill...

[Pittsburgh]

at least you have one of the nicest looking new stadiums in mlb. and don't have to work a month of OT to afford decent seats.

True about the park: beautiful view for as low as $7.00 a seat to watch some of the worst baseball ever played thanks to an owner who had to be flushed out of hiding to own up to it.

[El Mudo]

True about the park: beautiful view for as low as $7.00 a seat to watch some of the worst baseball ever played thanks to an owner who had to be flushed out of hiding to own up to it.

It would be so much better if the Winter Classic was there instead of at Heinz.

[DonInNC]

Knox - As an Orioles fan, I've been dealing with your dilemma for years. I tried bailing for a couple years, but I ended up coming back. I've decided to wait him out.

[Barnaby Jones]

At least Dan Snyder tries.

If its an ownership like the ones that own the Indians or Marlins the only thing you can do is try to get the fanbase to boycott the team. No more going to games, buying jerseys, caps or any other merchandise. If all they care about is turning a profit make owning the team and unprofitable business so they will sell it.

What's more likely is that they'd just look to move the team! Fans of teams with bad owners are mostly fucked until the owner dies!

[KnoxHarrington]

What's more likely is that they'd just look to move the team! Fans of teams with bad owners are mostly fucked until the owner dies!

I love when this move backfires on an owner, like how the dopes that owned the Seattle Supersonics tried to blackmail Seattle into a new arena, Seattle told them to go screw, and they ended up in Oklahoma City. Nice job, douches.

[Kevin]

I love when this move backfires on an owner, like how the dopes that owned the Seattle Supersonics tried to blackmail Seattle into a new arena, Seattle told them to go screw, and they ended up in Oklahoma City. Nice job, douches.



No....

That was the NBA that was blackmailing Seattle for a new arenan..

They saw that every other league was getting one there and were pissed.

The Sonics ownership did plenty wrong in that ordeal, but the stadium thing was Stern and the NBA more than ownership..

[hanso]

Al Davis comes to mind for this thread. Raider nation is a tiny village at this point.

My 2nd grade teacher was Mrs Plunkett the QB's wife. And that's almost the last time they were good.

[Dudeman]

Donald Sterling. Clippers.

http://www.cantstopthebleeding.com/img/donald_sterling.jpg

[TripleSkeet]

What's more likely is that they'd just look to move the team! Fans of teams with bad owners are mostly fucked until the owner dies!

Depending on what city you live in moving the team is almost just as good.

When Norman Braman owned the Eagles he was despised here. He threatened to move the team and we were ecstatic. Go the fuck ahead. This is Philly, we would have a new one within 2 years. Hopefully with an ownership group dedicated to win.

[A.J.]

Knox - As an Orioles fan, I've been dealing with your dilemma for years. I tried bailing for a couple years, but I ended up coming back. I've decided to wait him out.

Angelos was born exactly one year before George Steinbrenner.

Just sayin'.

[Kevin]

Angelos was born exactly one year before George Steinbrenner.

Just sayin'.



Angelos will live forever..

forever

forevorrrr...

[Snoogans]

http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2007/09/21/alg_lupica.jpg

[Pittsburgh]

One of the major problems with a fan boycott of a MLB small market team like the Pirates is the revenue sharing without a real minimum payroll.
Nutting will make millions with no one in the stands as long as he is allowed to spend close to nutting on his payroll.