Friday, February 18, 2005
Principles
Let me present an extended metaphor to you and solicit your thoughts:
There's a friend, we'll call him Oswald, that you've grown up with for virtually your entire life. He's a reliable guy, although you've had your ups and downs with him. He's always been there. Sometimes he's a ton of fun, and other times he's kind of frustrating. For your part, you've been pretty unyielding in your support. When he's been successful, you've been right there with him, cheering him on. When he's failed, you've also been there to support him, cheering him on to try again and again.
Recently, though, Oswald's just not as fun anymore. It's almost as if he's not trying. He's a pretty stubborn fellow, and he's basically made up his mind about the way the world works. He thinks he's just average at about everything, and he's not willing to put himself out there to take risks and better his situation. His won't invest time in his job, he won't spend the money to move out of his parents' house, he won't dump his "nice enough" girlfriend for someone who really excites him.
You've remained supportive, though. You encourage him to look for a good job, and tell him that he has more to offer. You spend your valuable time with him, because you're a loyal person, and you figure you owe it to him. He actually lives quite far away, but even when traffic's crappy, you go out to see him, at least four or five times a year. But you're not getting a whole lot out of it anymore. You can't see yourself giving up on him, though. After all, he is your friend.
But things are starting to change. There's another potential friend you've made at work, named Nate. You don't know Nate real well, but he seems like your type of guy. He's young and energetic, but a bit of a "wild card". However, all of the things you once saw in Oswald, you see in Nate. He's loyal, and fun, and has yet to really frustrate you. Maybe that's because you don't know him really well yet, but he also seems like he has the potential to do great things.
Similar to Oswald, Nate's not particularly happy with his job, nor his girlfriend, nor his housing situation, but he seems to be doing something about it. For one, he's looking for a new house. He's also looking for a new job, and has gone on a few interviews. He's motivated and enthusiastic. He could flame out brilliantly, or he could do some great things with his life. And since he's new to the area, he's certainly looking for new friends. Did I mention that he also lives a lot closer than Oswald does?
So, what do you do? You're on the verge of becoming good friends with Nate, and since you're quite busy a lot of the time, there's no way you can devote as much time to Oswald if you want to spend a lot of time with Nate. And it's not like Oswald has listened to your concerns, either, so talking to him probably won't fix things. In fact, one of Oswald's concerns has been that he's going to lose you as a friend precisely because he's so boring and pessimistic - and that certainly doesn't make him any more fun to be around, as he's been so fatalistic.
What would you do? Clearly, as a good person, you're not going to just abandon Oswald. Loyalty is important to you, as well as to him. And, as I said, he's been a part of your life for as long as you can remember. But there's a part of you that is tempted to at least temporarily cut ties with Oswald, and hang with Nate, at least until Oswald gets it together. Maybe having you not spend as much time with him would be the kick in the butt he needed to change his tune. Or maybe he'd just resent it forever, and you would irreparably harm your friendship. And maybe Nate would end up being just as lame as Oswald, and then where would you be?
Ok, fine, I'll cut out the allegory. You may find it absurd, but this is actually all about baseball. Oswald represents the Orioles, and Nate represents the Nationals. I think the parallels are pretty obviously, but let me elaborate: The Orioles have been my favorite team forever. Cal Ripken's my idol, and the team, until the late 1990s, was competitive and exciting. They did things the proper way - the "Oriole Way". But somehow, after the asshat Peter Angelos bought the team, things went downhill. They started spending wildly, and instead of investing in their farm system, they went after free agents. It worked for a couple years, but then the made a few too many mistakes with their investments, and hit rock bottom. If not for the expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the Orioles would have been at the bottom of their division for five years straight.
It wouldn't nearly as bad if they just sucked, but they're pretty much not even trying. Because they have to compete with the free-spending Yankees and Red Sox, Angelos has convinced himself that making a big investment in the team just isn't worthwhile any more. Their payroll used to be among the highest in the majors, and they drew a commensurate number of fans. They had a great ballpark, and a dedicated fan base, and were capable of competing each year. But then it all went to crap, and instead of dusting the team off and making another run, Angelos has now packed it in, and refuses to open the pocketbook, or even make intelligent, relatively inexpensive moves to improve the team. He simply seems consigned to his fate of finishing third every year.
To make things worse, the Nationals have just moved to DC. Angelos fought it tooth and nail, claiming it would steal his business away. And while he was partially right, for the most part, the reason his business will be stolen is because of his own inability to build on the great assets he amassed - a dedicated fan base, a competitive team, a wonderful ballpark. He frittered it all away, and now has made a nice little self-fulfilling prophecy that the Orioles won't be competitive because of the Nationals, and therefore aren't worth significant investment. In fact, it's the other way around: Because he refuses to show the fans that the team is worthy of his investment (Sammy Sosa DOES NOT COUNT - acquiring him was a publicity move that's really a slap in the face to those who follow the team), they are going to withdraw further, especially with such an attractive alternative down the road. He's deluded himself into thinking that their young pitching will eventually come around (it won't), and that eventually he'll be seen as a hero in Baltimore.
For the Orioles, the 2004-2005 offseason was horrendous. They made half-hearted efforts to sign free agents, and failed at all of them. They claimed they were refusing to overspend because they had no idea what kind of revenue they'd have due to the Nationals arrival. But when you're trying to rebuild a team, and you're competing against the Yanks and Sox, overspending it precisely what you have to do. It's called "investment". Many teams don't even have the resources the O's do, yet manage to find a way to make things work, at least for a few years at a time. The Orioles haven't been competitive for quite a while now. But I can't just abandon them...I won't allow myself to.
But the new kid on the block sure is enticing! Baseball's returning to DC. Everyone's excited. Now, they'll be playing in RFK, a pretty crappy stadium, for a few years. And, as yet, they do not have a new owner, so therefore their budget has pretty much flatlined. But, the possibilities are endless. They will be sold eventually, hopefully to someone with a bigger budget, who will invest in the team. They're having a new stadium built for them. And Washingtonians are so excited about having a team that it's pretty much guaranteed that they'll be a good draw, resulting in good revenue, and therefore hopefully an owner who is willing to draw from that revenue stream to benefit the team. People don't even care the that the team is likely to be miserable for a few years: We're not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. It's possible they could implode, but it's also very possible they could be a great franchise in the long run.
So, what do I do? I used to split season tickets to the Orioles, but now that's not even an option, as (just as Angelos predicted/caused), that group of ticket-buyers has split up. I have formed my own group of Nationals' season ticket purchasers, and we've secured fantastic seats right behind home plate. I'll go to at least 10 games this year, and I'll be able to hop on the Metro and be there in less than an hour, instead of having to leave work at 4:30 to fight the traffic to Baltimore for two hours to make a 7:05 game.
Still, I'm going to remain an Orioles fan. But maybe I'll do so from afar. Because I feel like if I buy tickets, I'm supporting Angelos's destructive activities. I wonder if enough people stay away, if he'll eventually sell the team and give them a fighting chance. I fear that as long as he's in charge, they have very little hope, and I don't want to be lining his pockets. But maybe when a friend's in trouble, they need all the support you can give them? Or maybe they need to be shown tough love? Argh. It's tough having principles.
There's a friend, we'll call him Oswald, that you've grown up with for virtually your entire life. He's a reliable guy, although you've had your ups and downs with him. He's always been there. Sometimes he's a ton of fun, and other times he's kind of frustrating. For your part, you've been pretty unyielding in your support. When he's been successful, you've been right there with him, cheering him on. When he's failed, you've also been there to support him, cheering him on to try again and again.
Recently, though, Oswald's just not as fun anymore. It's almost as if he's not trying. He's a pretty stubborn fellow, and he's basically made up his mind about the way the world works. He thinks he's just average at about everything, and he's not willing to put himself out there to take risks and better his situation. His won't invest time in his job, he won't spend the money to move out of his parents' house, he won't dump his "nice enough" girlfriend for someone who really excites him.
You've remained supportive, though. You encourage him to look for a good job, and tell him that he has more to offer. You spend your valuable time with him, because you're a loyal person, and you figure you owe it to him. He actually lives quite far away, but even when traffic's crappy, you go out to see him, at least four or five times a year. But you're not getting a whole lot out of it anymore. You can't see yourself giving up on him, though. After all, he is your friend.
But things are starting to change. There's another potential friend you've made at work, named Nate. You don't know Nate real well, but he seems like your type of guy. He's young and energetic, but a bit of a "wild card". However, all of the things you once saw in Oswald, you see in Nate. He's loyal, and fun, and has yet to really frustrate you. Maybe that's because you don't know him really well yet, but he also seems like he has the potential to do great things.
Similar to Oswald, Nate's not particularly happy with his job, nor his girlfriend, nor his housing situation, but he seems to be doing something about it. For one, he's looking for a new house. He's also looking for a new job, and has gone on a few interviews. He's motivated and enthusiastic. He could flame out brilliantly, or he could do some great things with his life. And since he's new to the area, he's certainly looking for new friends. Did I mention that he also lives a lot closer than Oswald does?
So, what do you do? You're on the verge of becoming good friends with Nate, and since you're quite busy a lot of the time, there's no way you can devote as much time to Oswald if you want to spend a lot of time with Nate. And it's not like Oswald has listened to your concerns, either, so talking to him probably won't fix things. In fact, one of Oswald's concerns has been that he's going to lose you as a friend precisely because he's so boring and pessimistic - and that certainly doesn't make him any more fun to be around, as he's been so fatalistic.
What would you do? Clearly, as a good person, you're not going to just abandon Oswald. Loyalty is important to you, as well as to him. And, as I said, he's been a part of your life for as long as you can remember. But there's a part of you that is tempted to at least temporarily cut ties with Oswald, and hang with Nate, at least until Oswald gets it together. Maybe having you not spend as much time with him would be the kick in the butt he needed to change his tune. Or maybe he'd just resent it forever, and you would irreparably harm your friendship. And maybe Nate would end up being just as lame as Oswald, and then where would you be?
Ok, fine, I'll cut out the allegory. You may find it absurd, but this is actually all about baseball. Oswald represents the Orioles, and Nate represents the Nationals. I think the parallels are pretty obviously, but let me elaborate: The Orioles have been my favorite team forever. Cal Ripken's my idol, and the team, until the late 1990s, was competitive and exciting. They did things the proper way - the "Oriole Way". But somehow, after the asshat Peter Angelos bought the team, things went downhill. They started spending wildly, and instead of investing in their farm system, they went after free agents. It worked for a couple years, but then the made a few too many mistakes with their investments, and hit rock bottom. If not for the expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the Orioles would have been at the bottom of their division for five years straight.
It wouldn't nearly as bad if they just sucked, but they're pretty much not even trying. Because they have to compete with the free-spending Yankees and Red Sox, Angelos has convinced himself that making a big investment in the team just isn't worthwhile any more. Their payroll used to be among the highest in the majors, and they drew a commensurate number of fans. They had a great ballpark, and a dedicated fan base, and were capable of competing each year. But then it all went to crap, and instead of dusting the team off and making another run, Angelos has now packed it in, and refuses to open the pocketbook, or even make intelligent, relatively inexpensive moves to improve the team. He simply seems consigned to his fate of finishing third every year.
To make things worse, the Nationals have just moved to DC. Angelos fought it tooth and nail, claiming it would steal his business away. And while he was partially right, for the most part, the reason his business will be stolen is because of his own inability to build on the great assets he amassed - a dedicated fan base, a competitive team, a wonderful ballpark. He frittered it all away, and now has made a nice little self-fulfilling prophecy that the Orioles won't be competitive because of the Nationals, and therefore aren't worth significant investment. In fact, it's the other way around: Because he refuses to show the fans that the team is worthy of his investment (Sammy Sosa DOES NOT COUNT - acquiring him was a publicity move that's really a slap in the face to those who follow the team), they are going to withdraw further, especially with such an attractive alternative down the road. He's deluded himself into thinking that their young pitching will eventually come around (it won't), and that eventually he'll be seen as a hero in Baltimore.
For the Orioles, the 2004-2005 offseason was horrendous. They made half-hearted efforts to sign free agents, and failed at all of them. They claimed they were refusing to overspend because they had no idea what kind of revenue they'd have due to the Nationals arrival. But when you're trying to rebuild a team, and you're competing against the Yanks and Sox, overspending it precisely what you have to do. It's called "investment". Many teams don't even have the resources the O's do, yet manage to find a way to make things work, at least for a few years at a time. The Orioles haven't been competitive for quite a while now. But I can't just abandon them...I won't allow myself to.
But the new kid on the block sure is enticing! Baseball's returning to DC. Everyone's excited. Now, they'll be playing in RFK, a pretty crappy stadium, for a few years. And, as yet, they do not have a new owner, so therefore their budget has pretty much flatlined. But, the possibilities are endless. They will be sold eventually, hopefully to someone with a bigger budget, who will invest in the team. They're having a new stadium built for them. And Washingtonians are so excited about having a team that it's pretty much guaranteed that they'll be a good draw, resulting in good revenue, and therefore hopefully an owner who is willing to draw from that revenue stream to benefit the team. People don't even care the that the team is likely to be miserable for a few years: We're not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. It's possible they could implode, but it's also very possible they could be a great franchise in the long run.
So, what do I do? I used to split season tickets to the Orioles, but now that's not even an option, as (just as Angelos predicted/caused), that group of ticket-buyers has split up. I have formed my own group of Nationals' season ticket purchasers, and we've secured fantastic seats right behind home plate. I'll go to at least 10 games this year, and I'll be able to hop on the Metro and be there in less than an hour, instead of having to leave work at 4:30 to fight the traffic to Baltimore for two hours to make a 7:05 game.
Still, I'm going to remain an Orioles fan. But maybe I'll do so from afar. Because I feel like if I buy tickets, I'm supporting Angelos's destructive activities. I wonder if enough people stay away, if he'll eventually sell the team and give them a fighting chance. I fear that as long as he's in charge, they have very little hope, and I don't want to be lining his pockets. But maybe when a friend's in trouble, they need all the support you can give them? Or maybe they need to be shown tough love? Argh. It's tough having principles.
Comments:
Post a Comment
