Answering fans’ questions at an online town hall for the 2011 All-Star game in Phoenix, Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig made a rare comment regarding the Oakland A’s potential relocation to San Jose.
He was asked what is the latest news on San Jose becoming the new home for the A’s, which have been trying to move south for several years. At face value, Selig used 90 words to say absolutely nothing. But a closer inspection of his answer tells the whole story.
Here was Selig’s response:
“Well, the latest is, I have a small committee who has really assessed that whole situation, Oakland, San Francisco, and it is complex. You talk about complex situations; they have done a terrific job. I know there are some people who think it’s taken too long and I understand that. I’m willing to accept that. But you make decisions like this; I’ve always said, you’d better be careful. Better to get it done right than to get it done fast. But we’ll make a decision that’s based on logic and reason at the proper time.”
By saying his blue-ribbon committee “has really assessed the whole situation,” Selig admits the process is done, no matter how complex it is. Now all the commissioner needs to do is act. It’s been more than two years since he formed his committe and everyone—aside from the San Francisco Giants, who own territorial rights to San Jose and are blocking the A’s path south—is antsy for a decision.
A’s owner Lew Wolff, a fraternity brother of Selig’s in college, has admitted he is weary with the process and isn’t getting any younger. Mayor Chuck Reed has written a letter to the commissioner, who Reed admits he has never never had a conversation with, and is considering taking a photo-op in Milwaukee by dressing a Selig statue in a San Jose A’s jersey.
Whatever.
If there is anything to take away from Selig’s comments, the most telling is that he thinks it’s “(b)etter to get it done right than to do it fast.” This has been standard-operating procedure for baseball, from the time it was excluding minorities on up to turning a blind eye to steroids as the game’s cherished numbers became irrelevant. The problems were alleviated “based on logic.” Slow, plodding logic.
Maybe if Selig took steroids he’d make a faster decision!
That there is no way if the A’s actually ever did come to San Jose (yeah that’s gonna happen) that chuck reed would be around to see it. Serves his ego right. What a sham, he hasn’t even had a face to face with Selig. What was he thinking?
He leverages the city’s stretched finances to obtain land for a team that will never come here. Great job. Way to be responsible with public funds. Oh yeah, and thanks for laying off cops. My neighbor across the street had his truck stolen last night. Schmuck
…..that major league baseball is NOT TALKING TO YOU, Chuck Reed!!!!! GET OVER IT!!!! “…who Reed admits he has never never had a conversation with,”
Selig is not returning your phone calls. Time to move on.
Last night, we Tweeted: ”Can you imagine how cool it would be in downtown San Jose Bud Selig? #HRDerby…”
http://bit.ly/qXRhbm
MLB and San Francisco Giants want more money from the city to allow the A’s to move to San Jose….so expect more city workers to be fired (“layed off”) the next five years to cover the expense. Look at the bright side…crime is rising (murders) to be on pace with Oakland….the A’s will feel right at home.
On the other hand, cutting police has restored the hallowed South 2nd Street hooker biz. Any big city worth its salt has a red light district. Thanks Chuck-O and Figone!
It didn’t take the prostitutes long to come back to San Jose. Apparently they can read (Reed), they know that they won’t get hassled by the cops in San Jose. Reed found a new tax revenue builder. I think this “Hooker” business was the brain child of Dan Fenton, Putting heads in beds!
I hope the Pimps make lots of money and spend it outside of San Jose. What was it, 2 weeks since the SJPD layoffs and the skin business is back and thriving in San Jose Downtown!
Blame Reed!
I have a question for all you “Baseball Fans” wanting / demanding that Selig approve the A’s move to SJ. Mulcahy and BaseballSANJOSE, Chuck Reed / City Council and Planning Commission Members feel free to answer if you dare…
What did all you “hard core” baseball fans do to preserve the baseball program at SJ City College? Ya, they had a “stadium” nealy completed on the campus until some wooman in the neighborhood complained that the high poles/fence in place to protect the area from baseballs leaving the facility diminished her property value.
I’ll tell yo what you did – you sold out the program and the game when you rolled over to allow that BASEBALL STADIUM to be turned into a third world soccer/cricket pitch!
We won’t get into your fleeting romance with IndyCar racing on City Streets…
You’re so “small town” that Selig won’t give you the satisfaction of a dialogue. You couldn’t even keep the Freekin’ Earthquakes in SJ beyond their portable practice facility.
Mr. Moore,
Wow! Well and passionately stated. Sounded like something I would write!
There are very few hardcore baseball fans left in San Jose and our numbers are dwindling by the day. Those who clamor the loudest for MLB here are more intersted in projecting an image- in throwing money around pretending to be a big league city, than they are in building a REAL city of substance.
Chuck, if you had a pair, you’d fly to Selig’s office in New York and demand a meeting.
They wouldn’t let me past the info desk in the lobby.
4 things stand in way of A’s Baseball in San Jose
1) Buying stadium land
2) Wolff raising money to build stadium
3) Voters approving city taxes for stadium land, city paid stadium area improvements and baseball city free general fund services promised to Wolff
4) Wolff paying off Giants
Enjoy San Jose Giants baseball because you won’t see A’s Baseball unless – our do nothing US Congress members ( Honda and Lofgren ) get off their backsides and threaten to remove baseball antitrust exemption
Whwen was last time Honda and Lofgren did anything to benefit San Jose like get federal funds, jobs or construction projects like other congeresmembers, but we still reelect them for some unknown reason ?
About as likely as hell freezing over since San Francisco’s Finstein and Polesi will stop any baseball antitrust exemption action to support their home team San Francisco Giants
Is baseball special?
Baseball is the only major sport with an antitrust exemption. In fact, as I understand it, it is virtually the only business with an exemption to the Sherman and Clayton acts, which regulate interstate commerce. Thanks to the 1922 Supreme Court, baseball controls at least the movement of its franchises and is somewhat exempt from labor relation laws.
http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/is-baseball-special/
Selig looks like he’s strokin’ out in that picture.
Drewski,
For reasons known only to themselves, of the thousands of photos of Bud Selig available to them, the professional journalists responsible for publishing this article chose that one.
You have obediently complied by giving them the precise reaction they were after.
You win the coveted “Sheep Of The Day” Award. Congratulations!
Please contact me, I need a few extra million.
Reed admits he has never never had a conversation with Selig
Chuck, didn’t anyone tell you as Mayor that ” if you don’t talk to the guy who can sign the deal, you don’t get the deal”
No wonder minor league San Jose loses sports teams, companies, stores, hotels and jobs to smaller cities and major league politicians where their Mayors and politicians talk directly to guy who signs the deal
Being a frat brother to Selig, didn’t work out so well for Wolff or using a minor league Mayor
Strike 3, your out Chuck, time for San Jose’s owners McEnery, Mulcahy, Swenson, Stone, Wolff and rest of movers, shakers and money men with Baseball San Jose to bring up their next Mayor – Sam “Slugger” Liccardo to hit that home run to bring Major League Baseball to San Jose and make everyone dreams come true while earning each owner tens millions
I often wonder why no one brings up the fact that Chuck has “hide” millions of dollars for the “A”s and yet he layoffs Police Officers and Firefighters and claims the city is broke and because of those darn retirements we are in this mess. Hey Chuck, solve the city budget with the Millions you have for the “A”s and maybe you will not see a recall? San Jose WAS one of the safest cities—Haa Haa murders, pimps,violent crimes up…you would think the “A”s would feel right on home in San Jose with the skyrocketing crime rates….Thanks Chuck!
I feel like we are in that movie “It’s A Wonderful Life”, where that once lovely city turned into Pottersville. We are now Pottersville…or maybe Pottysville would be more adequate. We definitely are going down into the sh!thole.
The only people who bring up the “hidden milions” are the unions and their sheep because the hidden millions of dollars is not true, that’s why you wonder why it isn’t brought up more often. While there may be some funding in RDA for the properties, it is one time monies and would not support the police positions. It would be like last year when the POA held out and saved some positions with one time funding but lost those positions this year. We need real solutions.
Lew should sue the Giants, Selig and MLB. yes I am aware that baseball has the antitrust protection but Lew should hire the best antitrust lawyers and go after them all.
Also Lew should ask Congressman Honda (D-SJ) for help. Selig will be on his knees begging for mercy if Congress threatens to revoke the antitrust protection.
Selig won’t do sh$t unless he is forced. The Giants won’t do sh$t because they don’t have to.
It is past time for a nuclear option if Lew wants to keep owning the A’s.
Back in the 1980’s, when the Arena was first proposed – Lew Wolf was the owner of the Golden State Warriors, and was shopping for a newer, bigger, and better venue for his team. The Arena was supposed to be his.
Troubles arose when after voter-approval, the land beneath the Arena was found to have so many toxic contaminants, the soil could not even be excavated or removed. Pile-driving could have released the toxics into the adjacent Guadalupe/Los Gatos Creeks, contaminating the Bay. So instead, the toxics were “encapsulated” or simply covered up. That is why the Arena’s northern parking lot is sloped, where a multi-story parking garage was originally proposed.
This also condensed the Arena’s over-all footprint – it had to be made smaller and shallower. And with fewer seats, the Arena did not meet the NBA’s minimum, so Wolff sold the team and the Warriors stayed in Oakland. Lucky for us, the Sharks were created to fill that void.
The A’s Stadium-saga is not the “best idea yet”, it is actually a “do-over”. The devil is in the details, as they say, and Commissioner Selig is showing wisdom in using “logic and reason”. At least someone has to!
Most of the people opposed to the ballpark have some legitimacy as they are taxpayers voicing their views. Santa Clara’s group lost their legitimacy when it turned out a guy named Dellaporta was using college computers from the taxpayers to run the campaign.
Whereas, San Jose Inside bloggers who have served well to cast legitimate doubt on the ballpark boondoggle, this scandal at CSM involving Dellaporta was an embarrassment to the Santa Clsra group who never played fair.
One of the big and expensive stumbling blocks is the so-called Giants “territory.” How did the Giants acquire SJ as their territory?
As I recall many years ago the Giants, after many failed attempts to build a new stadium, were set to go to private investors to build the current ATT park. In order to lure investors the Giants needed to assure them that they had the fan base. at the time San Jose was not Giants territory.
The then owners of the A’s, the Hass family, generously GAVE the rights to claim San Jose to the Giants organization so they could assure investors that they had a significant fan base.
Has this ever been brought up in discussion with Selig? Isn’t it time for the Giants to return a favor?
Over my dead body!
Selig will not allow the A’s to move to San Jose. The delaying tactic is to force Wolff to either stay in Oakland, which he won’t do, or preferably move the team out of state. Baseball evidently wants the Bay Area to contain only one team, the Giants. Baseball actually wants to reduce the number of teams in the league and the A’s could very well be one of those teams. Selig laid his cards on the table with all the skill of a diplomat. He said nothing, did nothing and this means in all its nuances, it isn’t going to happen.
Seems obvious that Bud has already made his decision. Now it is time to focus our resources on preventing this city from further deteriorating—if it is not too late already.
” How many millions have they given Tom? “” The next mayor will do the same crap and blame Reed. Stop electing rich people who know how to steal tax dollars.”
San Jose’s rich owners have already picked next San Jose Mayor – rich kid Saratoga Sam – someone from right family, went to right schools, moved here to run for Council, like them will do the right thing – make them richer with insider city votes, deals, contracts and taxes
Too damn many dime-store lawyers run for the office of mayor!
In Re baseball;
San Jose has no money.
There is still land to be purchased, costly infrastructure to be funded and somewhere in the mix, a VOTE to either authorize or reject a sports stadium.
The Redevelopment Agency is almost a decomposing corpse whose; respiration is less than eight beats per minute – shallow and almost imperceptible, a heart rate of less than forty beats per minute, with Gov. Brown poised to pull the feeding tube.
Gov. Brown is also poised to summarily “bitch slap” those municipalities who have formed “sports authorities” to try to shield siphoned off Redevelopment Agency monies from the long and penetrating reach of Sacramento.
Kicking and screaming about the loss of the Redevelopment debt machine monies, the Mayors of these municipalities also threaten Sacramento with costly lawsuits in staged media events. Sit back and watch Gov. Brown as he publicly castrates these morons and neuters the “sports authority” shell game in the same process.
As to the Commissioner of Baseball, he should come to San Jose and visit the Downtown.
He should have; the CEO / President of the San Jose – Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Business Association goofball and his pet lackey- the Councilmember of District 3, the vaulted hotel owners, and the former San Jose politicians give him a tour of Downtown San Jose.
If the Commish doesn’t physically trip over a passed out vagrant partially lying in a vacant storefront’s doorway, get hassled by panhandlers or people openly smoking dope or trying to sell the same, the criminal elements associated with the “Entertainment Zone” that are always present and in vast numbers…but…show the Commish the increasing numbers of pimps and their whores.
Pimps and their whores haven’t been seen in the numbers they are now since the early 1980’s.
Take the Commish to San Jose’s Downtown flagship Saint James Park so he can see hookers ply their open air sex acts while gangsters share their percentage of the dope trade.
Not to forget…there is an issue of bribery still on the simmering back burner.
The aforementioned will finally demonstrate to the Commish that San Jose is all set for Major League Baseball.
David S. Wall
How do you know that there are hookers at Saint James Park were you solicitng their services? And where do you all people come from??????
Reed is the most incompetent Mayor in the history of San Jose. He is- bumbling tool of Ajlouny and the Reoubliczn, a balding example of a political lizard.
Bug ain’t ever going to make a decision. His time is his weapon to have the whole A’s deal unravel without ever having to do anything. He’s jealous of Downtown San Jose and worries that it’ll blow his hometown’s downtown a million miles. He had to do something to keep up with the competition with San jose when he came to Downtown San Jose a few years ago. He was taken back how nice downtown was and felt he had to give his town a fighting chance to hold its own. He’s doing it by stalling. It’s not about money but about his hometown pride.
Selig is an idiot. Grow a set and make the call. Yes? No? I don’t give a sh*t anymore. Just make a decision…
Yesterday’s Wall Street Journal had a front-page article on the sports stadium scamming of Cincinnati. Sad, sad story. Of course, you won’t read or hear about yet another scamming story from the local press. These stories and books keep pouring out, but unless you read the WSJ or NYTimes, you’ won’t know about it. Will anyone in San Jose even care about these scams in the deluge of propaganda from those who support—and will gain from—a stadium
Yesterday, I saw flyers from Baseball San Jose in a downtown window claiming the new stadium will bring 1,000 jobs to downtown. Has anyone asked these people to show us some real numbers—not something that flies out of their asses? That’s a nasty thing to say but nowhere as nasty as the real cost of Lew Wolff’s business deal for this woebegone city.
So do you know the difference between:
– a baseball stadium and a football stadium?
– public funds and private financing?
Finally! A sane post brought to you by NT! NO, these people don’t know the difference between a baseball stadium and football stadium and NO, they don’t know the difference between public funds and private financing. In their worlds, you either ignore reality or repeat a lie a thousand times in the hopes that the lie becomes reality. (pss, for those who chose reality…Lew Wolff want’s to invest nearly $500 million in private money into downtown San Jose; not to mention the millions that will be invested in peripheral developments around the ballpark/train station).
And all us poor taxpayers have to do is to give billionaire Lew Wolff some free land downtown.
Let’s see 20 ticket agents , peanut sellers, beers sales, ushers, valet, the list goes on. 90% of those 1000 jobs will be unskilled part time labor. So you think a couple million in public funds is a good use of public funds? Or did you mean you stand to make big dollars on the deal if it goes thru?
Ball parks are not a good use of public funds. If they can pay players tens of millions they can pay their own way in life. Let baseball buy their own cities. Oh wait they kind of did they bought chuck reed.
Of course, I know the difference between a football and baseball stadium—although I prefer a basketball court. I also know the difference between public and private financing. In the case of San Jose, we already have millions in public financing done. But the boosters don’t want to admit it. Everytime Reed, Liccardo and other supporters say the Wolff deal has no public money in it, they are lying. Ooops, sorry—equivocating, fudging, whatever. Who will pay for the peripherals? You don’t know or care; all you want is your sandbox, or boo hoo. Yesterday’s WSJ article was one of a stream of other similar articles and books in the past two years about the scamming of cities by baseball and football owners. Or don’t you know the meaning of the word? But then you probably don’t read anything except the propaganda.
The scam is in the reason they are not talking personally is to avoid getting called on the scam their pulling. Selig knows it’s a big money scam and he does not want to have to answer questions in court. Reed is going to fire everyone in city hall to build a baseball stadium while the city cries it’s in deep trouble. This will be San jose’s search for Wmd’s in Iraq. It’s all about how to move hundred of millions of dollars from the city bank account into your own pocket. Better watch out this could be a done deal Zelig did not say no. What he is saying is I think what Reed is doing might be illegal and I don’t want to get caught up in it. I like money so if thy can figure it out without dragging me into a bunch of crap and I get lots of cash I’ll let the team move.
Crime is rising the mayor your shinning white hope who spoke about no lying no cheating no stealing is doing all of those things while he turns a deaf ear on residents. The reason these guys justify it is because they say we are rich we own everything and we pay more taxes and salaries so it’s really our money we can do as we please if you object buy your own city.
How many millions have they given Tom? Ask Reed about bonus pay tell him stop lying and hand over the numbers I bet he never does without a court order and more. The next mayor will do the same crap and blame Reed. Stop electing rich people who know how to steal tax dollars. Stop playing their game of parties, they are all on the same team. Ask reed how much money is given to him even when he cannot run again. Where does that money go. Did you know know one ever checks to see did they use it where they said they did.
Selig better be careful Reed would make him his girlfriend if they end up in the same prison cell.
So why did Santa Clara approve the lease of land to Montana et al so an upscale hotel and sport bar can be built near the stadium? Is Oakland a better place to live then San Jose? Is San Jose the only place where there are hookers, cops and firefighters laid off, and crime going up? If you people want to know why cities are broke and are forced to implement drastic cost reduction practices need to look in the mirror and say why do I keep buying cheap overseas stuff so that jobs keep going abroad and continue to the revenue problems that all the states and cities are having.
The most competent and respected San Jose official in town is actually the Mayor of Santa Clara.
Reed cannot govern.
Reed needs to take a political blue pill to get his power up. He is an example of a non functioning guy both in politics, and well, other matters. No Silvio, Newsom, or John Edwards worries with Reed.
As an old immigrant from Northern Italy, permit me to say, they knew what to do with an ineffective leader who could not win the war!!
The mayor of Santa Clara is a manager in the City of San Jose’s Code Enforcement Department.
Have you wondered why Baseball San Jose insiders are spending money and time to promote downtown Baseball Stadium ( or another stadium land use ) ?
Hint: It is not for city and public benefit but for insiders millions high profits
Baseball San Jose is backed by same rich City Hall insiders that get rich at public’s and taxpayers expense
A nice bunch of naive baseball fans will be upset
1) If against all odds A’s Baseball Stadium comes to San Jose because they will not be able to afford high priced tickets, beer, snacks for family and friends
2) If baseball does not come to San Jose because they will realize they have been used by Baseball San Jose insiders to make millions when Council sells off baseball land at fire sale prices to insiders for high profit high rise residential towers
Look at recent low priced city property sales to insiders with city general fund, grants and other city funds used to pay for private developer improvements and very high profits
Heads Baseball Fans Lose. Tails Baseball Fans Lose while Heads Baseball Insiders Win, Tails Insiders Win millions in private profits
Reading the comments above by the short-sighted NIMBY nitwits reminds me why I never read this pathetic website anymore.
Yeah. I’m with you on that. This site is nothing but a complaint fest. All everyone here does is bitch and moan about this city and anyone who tries to make any changes. They’re probably the same ones from the vocal minority who bitched and moaned when the San Jose Arena was first proposed. I bet not one of them would admit now that they were ever against it.
For every positive comment on this site, there are a dozen about how horrible it is compared to others. I’ve lived in San Jose all of my life(40 years), and it’s like most of these commenters here are describing some city I’m unfamiliar with. From their descriptions I’m living in the drug/gang/hooker infested hellhole, where I need a Hummer to get around since the potholes in our roads are bigger than a Prius, where a bunch of uneducated/illiterate heathens are threatening my way of life, and I need to bar my windows since my neighborhood is turning into some suburban ghetto. I guess my experience in my hometown has been an illusion all of these 40 years.
If I hated where I lived as much as these people seem to, I’d think the rational thing to do would move to where I would be happier and just get out of the way. Isn’t that what most people who are unhappy with where they are living would do?
No, they don’t. Most people try to make the situation better. I’m glad you have had no negative experiences here but many have seen the other side of this city and think we can do better.
“I’m glad you have had no negative experiences here but many have seen the other side of this city and think we can do better.”
LOL. I never said I had abolutely no negative experiences, but the positives outweigh the negatives by a whole hell of a lot. Whenever I come to this site I’m amazed by overwhelmingly negative, self-loathing portrayal of this city by the commenters here. They whine complain about the current state of the city, but then they bitch and moan when anyone tries to make a change.
I remember as a kid taking the bus downtown with my friends in the early 80’s to the Jose Theater for the 50 cent triple feature/popcorn special, having to sidestep all of the homeless drug addicts from the bus stop to the theater. Now the theater is a world-class Comedy club, with nice restaurants around it.
I remember as a SJSU student in the late 80’s being solicited on a weekly basis by prostitutes as I walked back to my car after class. Now, when I take my kids to the MLK library and walk around the campus with them, it seems like a entirely different world.
I remember as a teenager having to find a ride to Fremont to take the BART to the Oakland Coliseum anytime there was a big concert, since there was no venue for anything like that in the entire South Bay. Now if I want to take my kids to see the Circus, or enjoy sporting event or concert with my wife or family, I can head to the Shark Tank and keep my tax dollars in my hometown rather than the East Bay.
I remember my local library being worn, outdated, smelly, and lacking books and other media. Now we have a brand new, bright, well-stacked, modern library for my family to enjoy, although the open hours leave a lot to be desired.
The point is that yes, we can do better as you said, but most here ignore the fact that we are already doing better in many ways than in the past. Constantly complaining, bitching and moaning anytime some proposes any new changes, as most do here, isn’t going to improve anything.
Biggest small hometown in America, formerly Capital of Silicon Valley which business voted by moving there is now Palo Alto
Small town Mayor, attitude, downtown, city staff politics, and businesses
San Jose could have been a big city contender except for weak Mayors, vision less Councils, mismanaging City Managers and greedy political insiders that drained city budget to get rich from city aand redevelopment tax money
Maybe Selig see’s this now pathetic city for what it is. On what planet is a game more important than Public safety????This city has been run into the ground .no wonder no one wants to live here.writing is on the wall! watch and see how many “trained professionals”leave for better pay,benefits and a city that appreciates its workforce
YES we ” know the difference between public funds and private financing.” are going into the field of dreams Baseball Stadium BUT you DON’T
It is a private – public partnership not just private money baseball stadium
“Lew Wolff want’s to invest nearly $500 million in private money into downtown San Jose;”
and City of San Jose in 1Oth year of budget deficits, service cuts and 3nd year of employee layoffs has Council investing $80 million or more taxes without THE REQUIRED VOTER APPROVAL which you continue to ignore
There is no legal contract from Wolff that will recover taxes spent if voter turn down baseball stadium or MLB and Giants do not approve A’s coming to San Jose
Major League Baseball has NOT approved and may not ever approve moving A’s to San Jose which MLB continues to stall San Jose and Wolff for last 2 years and Mayor Reed has unbelievable as it is has not even talked to MLB about A’s moving to San Jose ever
$ 80 million is not counting $30-40 million in city stadium infrastructure costs and free and subsidized city services promised to Wolff and his local partners
The promised ” millions that will be invested in peripheral developments around the ballpark/train station).” are just dreams as is baseball stadium and Wolff $ 500 million BUT the taxpayers money is real as are the cit layoffs and service cuts
Downtown San Jose has been a tax money losing pit for years with little to show for taxpayers except more tax money to be spent ( wasted )
And while we are on subject of ignoring ” reality or repeat a lie a thousand times in the hopes that the lie becomes reality. ” the city has loses millions tax money on Sharks year after year while Sharks Team Owners make millions profits from sweet deal city gave them called “the most profitable in professional sports ”
All downtown only generates $2 1/2 million in sales taxes way less than millions in city subsidies to HP Arena and downtown.
People know the difference in 10th year of budget deficits, layoffs and oppose spending tax money on unrealistic Field of Dream Stadiums
Time for San Jose and Chuckie to get this silly idea out of their heads. We cannot afford the A’s or any other team. Chuckie, put your check book away. Your are already way over drawn.
San Jose Professional Sports Team 1-4 Losing Record
Won 1 – Minor League – Hockey Team after San Jose built New Arena and gave away millions in team’s “the most generous ” ( badly negotiating by Mayor who had conflict of interest ) Arena and Parking Lease deals
Lost 4 – Major League Teams – Baseball, Basketball and Football
Golden State Warriors basketball – San Jose struck out – Wolff sold team
Sharks Hockey – moved to San Jose after Council gave Sharks ” Team’s management agreement with the city was considered one of the most generous in the NHL “
http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/06.22.00/sharks-0025.html
SF Giants baseball – San Jose struck out
SF 49er’s football – San Jose struck out and smaller neighbor Santa Clara won
Oak A’s baseball – MLB delayed for 2 years – when will Wolff sell A’s baseball team like he did Warriors basketbal if he can not move team to San Jose ?
Hilarious that you say San Jose lost on the Sharks management deal but Santa Clara wins by handing over their bank account to the 49ers.
This picture of Selig is too funny. He looks like Dr Evil of the mike myers fame. is that what metro is trying to tell us?
And the whining continues from the geriatric, 1950’s loving, NIMBY, “Benedict Arnold” San Jose contingent. Some of you should really consider moving from our great city. To the rest of you…C’ya at the ballpark!
Gosh, Tony, you’re so smart and upbeat. Why can’t everybody be more like you?!
Yup see you at the San Jose Giants cause that is the only ball park you will see
The A’s cannot move to San Jose because Chuck Reed has never had the guts to back the proposal. No real citizens committee exists, and there has been no real effort on the part of any elected official to make this happen.
San Jose is a convuluted spiral of medicore leadership and Reed is the rotten fruit on a vine of a tree fertilized with the manure of conservative loonies with no sense. The stature of the “snake” in downtown San Jose is a really a pile of crap, a testament to Reed, Liccardo, Dando, McEnery, Hammer, and the Council of Ten Dummies.
There is no real opposition group to the A’s Ball Park in San Jose. There are many people, many of them average citizens, who are opposed, but there is really not a group opposed to the park, just average folks.
That is the key. In Santa Clara, there was an opposition group, organized and funded (a chunk from people outside of the city), but it failed because the average person wanted nothing to do with these wackos. Yes, there were people very much opposed to the stadium who have good jobs and families, but their voice was drowned out by anti stadium leaders who throw 211 cards at people at council meetings, and come off as bullies. Whereas in San Jose there is no group, but plenty of residents who are opposed who are very decent, middle class people. The opponents to the ballpark are San Jose residents.
There is no real available land in San Jose. The only large parcels for a ball park are in Santa Clara.
The Giants are funding the opposition, it is clearly the Giants who are running the blocking pattern and that is why Selig, who is a friend of the owners has no interest in crossing the Giants, who are driving the economic engine of the Major Leagues.
If there is no organized group opposing the stadium(just individual citizens) and, the Giants are funding the opposition then who is getting the funding? I haven’s gotten a dime. Where do I sign up?
Of course Selig is a “friend of the owners.” It was the owners who unanimoulsy selected him! It probably didn’t hurt that he was a major stock holder (part owner?) of the Milwaukee Braves before they moved to Atlanta and bought (owned?) the Seattle Pilots, moved them to Milwaukee and renamed them the “Brewers.” Of course he is a friend of the owners, he was one! Selig is a frat brother of A’s Owner Lew Wolfe, which obviously has to mean something.
The problem is that First, the owners have to agree on changing the territorial rights they gave the Giants (not likely because if they do it to the Giants they know that it someday could be done to them) or the Giants have to agree to give up their rights to SJ – also not likely due to the very complex relationship between free agency and large-market vs small-market teams longterm success. Bottom line, the Giants would be foolish to reduce the size of their “market” by a fraction of a square-inch or a single consumer especially to another baseball franchise that has to compete for fans from the same medium size market pool.
again, the other owners would be very reluctant to upset the apple cart because they know what they do to the Giants or for the A’s (depending on your perspective) could be done to them.
Chuck Reed is a typical self-important pissant. Chuck Reed makes it all about him. Just listen to him speak on any topic – “me, me, me… I, I, I…” He wears an American Flag themed tie then feels the need to bore us with tidmits form his life to
bolster his “all-American” image!
Friends of Chuck who lurk here, please do him a favor and whisper this in his ear: “In the owners circle, you don’t amount to chopped liver.”
Giants are not being honest. They have no right to fund the opposition.
A year after the 49er election, it turns out that a San Francisco stadium leader, Michael Antonini ran the Santa Clara opposition movement and Bailey served as a front guy, which some investigatiions are proving that he still is falsely claiming to be in charge.
My point is that the Giants and other SF interests are funding these wars against South Bay wars.
Why don’t you go to down town on a weekend with a couple of you Hispanic friends. Ask them to wear bright blue shirts… I bet the real San Jose finds you. Bet you wish when you called 911 the cops got there in seconds.
If you get thru that walk up to a few of the nice kids from the east bay and say hey man got anything for me. Make sure you have 40 dollars in your hand.
Your right San Jose was much improved part by hard work of career city employees and part by the economy forcing out less fortunate people. The 1st of the month goes father in places with cheap rent.
Why is it you feel the wealthy can move in with wall street scams to fund projects they profit from at the expense of the city. City projects should never pay out at a wall street CEO bonus pay rates. How about taking those funds and building an affordable college for profits schools are scamming everyone with federal loans the city could do something that would help those who live here.
What you really meant is get out of the way I have money and I want more.
As my little daughter would say, “Wow! Just Wow!”
The REAL San Jose has found me every day for over 40 years. The idea that I have find some Hispanics to wear blue shirts and try to buy some dope to experience what you think is the “real” San Jose is beyond hilarious. Maybe if you take that white sheet off you head, you can see other dimensions of our city beyond the myopic, paranoid picture you are trying to paint.
It must be scary to live in your world. Maybe you should try something new. Try to get out. Treat yourself to a Coke and a smile. You will be OK.
back up the bus city has no money i get it make city employess pay for it better yet bring in street
walkers greed
…another caption for the picture for the greatest baseball commissioner of all time:
“Hey Chuck Reed, What you play? Semi-Pro?”
CAptions for the photo of the greatest baseball commissioner of all time:
“Hey Chuck Reed, I’m in your d-o-o-o-o-o-ome!”
Twenty years ago, then owner of the A’s, Mr. Haas was kind enough to let the Giants stay in SF buy allowing them to have rights to Santa Clara county rather than moving to Florida. I would’ve been glad if Giants moved to Florida then. This was not meant to be a permanent solution since economic situation of the Giants has changed dramatically with the new ballpark. Problem is the Bud Selig has no backbone in countering with the Giants territorial issue and continues to stall for almost 3 years until everybody gets fed up. Giants territorial issues has already created resentment against Giants from people of San Jose. Facts are SF Giants don’t represent San Jose and they never will. Selig cannot do nothing for A’s. If I was Wolff, start looking for alternative sights near Alameda/Santa Clara county line, maybe on landfill at Dixon Landing Rd or at Tesla plant location off of Hwy 880. If they build it there, the stadium will be located close to all areas and this will be economically benefitical for both counties.
Yeah, taking his time on whether or not the South Bay gets to steal yet another franchise from the real Bay Area is pretty much exactly the same thing as not letting black people play baseball. That’s a pretty solid analogy.