I was thinking about all the different types of sellouts around sports and I think I have come up with a few different examples of how many different ways Players, teams, and or fans are sellouts or will sellout. In no order of significance.
1. Yankee fans selling out on A-rod. It is already happening in New York that many fans and reporters are willing and advocating the trade Alex Rodriguez. Trust me now is not the time to bail out on the youngest player to hit 450 HRs because he is the highest paid player of anything in the World. This is the same guy that the Yankees traded Alphonso Soriano for and have been rumored to want to reacquire. The Yankees and fans sold out on Soriano in trading him, the fans and media are selling out on A-Rod and Brian Cashman (ironically named in being the Yankees GM) has sold out the Yankees future by making far too many trades.
2. The city of Detroit for not scheduling a Lions game and Tigers game on the same Sunday. When the Lions open up their season and the Tigers close theirs down, it would have been possible to sellout two games on the same intersection of downtown. The Lions continually sellout the home games and the Tigers have been selling outain and are making a playoff run which in turn may be the only way they would be able to have the two-fer of sellouts in October. Being the great sports town that Detroit is, the fans would sellout both games for sure.
3. Chris Brown of the Tennessee Titans is sellingout on the Titans and his fans. The oft injured Brown is in the final year of his contract. The Titans drafted Lindale White as well. Brown's agent, Wynn Silbermann, formerly asked for a trade last week. Brown and his agent believe being traded away from a crowded backfield is his best career move. To me that tells me he is either not competitive or just does not believe he is good enough to get the bulk of the carries. How much does he think he is really going to get as a free agent? I am not looking for a player who wants out at the first sight of serious competition for his job. To me he is just a sellout.
4. Monday Night Football is a sellout for selling out to itself. They moved MNF to ESPN this year and changed the crew up. To me if they were really looking for an improvement in ratings, they would have made adjustments to the actual games! There were so many things to tweak but they never really did anything bout the actual games. They should have had more variety of teams on, less Packers (so we didn't have to hear Madden say Brett Favre's name over 100 times per and besides he is washed up now, move on!), and had an 8 O'clock start time EST. They should have had some signs that the games didn't mean anything because there wer so many games that weren't sold out.
5. The Brewers and Carlos Lee are sellouts. The fans of the Brew Crew are the big losers in this though. The Brewers need to trade Carlos Lee or resign him to a multi year deal. The fans have not had a World Series contender since 1982 and have never even won the World Series. They need to run the team less like a business and more like a team that wants to win. How about making a run for once instead of setting new lows in mediocrity. The Brewers and Detroit Lions are like distant sports cousins I guess, but do they both Sellout on their fans? Either way they have never won it all. The Lions only claim to a chamtpionship in way back in 1957 before it was even called the Super Bowl.
6. Maurice Clarrett was a sellout to the team that made him famous, the Ohio State Buckeyes. He was also a sellout to the fans of OSU, and he was a sellout to coachs of OSU. Then to top it off he sold out his NFL career by having a year off. He then sold out his future when he was arrested for aggrevated robbery. He is now better known for non football activities, which is not good.
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Hey Bob. I liked this post and found it quite interesting. I like the concept and theme. Especially #4 that talks about MNF and how they sold themselves out. You'd think that they would realize that not EVERY football fan wants to watch the Packers and Dolphins every week. They are finally going to attempt a "flex" schedule for Monday night games that will allow them the better matchup. Let's see how it works.
As for the Lions and Tigers having games on the same day...ARE YOU CRAZY??? Being from Michigan, you know that there are only two seasons here. Winter and Construction!!! It's already hard enough exiting onto Warren avenue to make my way down to Woodward. Where are you going to put the parking for almost 100,000 fans? No sell out there. Only common sense for NOT scheduling them for the same day.
Bob, I great post, I think it will provoke some interesting conversation. That being said, I've been a die hard Yankees fan since I was introduced to MLB when I was a kid, and I feel the need to defend my position on the whole A-Rod thing.
First of all, a lot of people assume blindly that Yankees fans are always in complete agreement with all of the transactions Brian Cashman (aka George Steinbrenner's marionette) makes. I'm here to say that this is not the case. In my perfect world, trades for guys like sheffield, johnson, and (gasp) yes even A-Rod would have never happened. Don't get me wrong, these are all terrific players, but I also follow some of the Yankees minor league teams, and trust me when I say the Bombers have given up a lot of potential stars for some aging supernovas. In addition, I agree with a lot of yankee-haters out there that Steinbrenner's deep pockets are not good for the rest of baseball. So when I get dissapointed by an A-Rod error, or chuckle when he hits another meaningless 4th-inning homerun, its not because I don't want my team to succeed. Its just that I think the Boss could have built a competitive team out of homegrown talent (like back in '96), started Nick Green at the third base, and had a few extra million in his pockets to fill in the bull pen and outfield. The problem is Steinbrenner's "win now or else" mindset, I wish he would accept a year or two of mediocrity for a young team to mature, because the result could have a better shot at winning a world series than this current collection of geriatrics ever could.
Last edited by Orangemaniac07 on July 24th at 5:59 AM.
Flying Pig - dont you think it would be just like when the superbowl was in the D again? They really did schedule on purpose to avoid the mess downtown. I just thought it would be sweet with all the fans in the city at the same time. It would be a mess.
Orange - I understand that all those moves aren't all supported by all fans, that would be impossible. If the Yankees didn't try to win it all every year when they just don't have what it takes it is like they go into panic mode and add yet more expensive players. I think it is ok for baseball nut George just makes the market higher for other teams and himself as well. You always have to build from within. remember the 90's championships? Those were won with a majority of players that have gone through the farm system. The Yankees remind me of a fantasy football team that gets over managed by the teams owner. Thanks for reading, I was really doing this all "tongue-N-cheak"
bob- what's sad about the lee situation is that the brewers couldnt sign ben sheets to an extension fast enough (now making over $9 per season) even though he had injury problems before that, didnt pitch even half of last season, and likely wont this year either....plus geoff jenkins salary averages $8 million for this and next year, but lee, who's been our best player the past 2+ seasons, gets the "we dont have the money" treatment....$15 million per may be a bit high, but to start at $10 per shows they probably arent real serious about his future with the brewers.
Creative alternative perspective, Bob. You make some salient points. As for A-Rod, it's difficult to feel sorry for a guy who's making $252,000,000 a year, but cant handle pressure. Nonetheless, the financial damage is done. Either Torre and crew help the guy get out of his funk, or the Boss will help him out of town. That's simply the reality of New York.
Congrats on BotD.
Last edited by MeanDovine on July 24th at 9:25 AM.
Cuz - Jenkins reminds me of Bobby Higginson and the way his contract worked in Detroit. As soon as he got the money he never played like he did before the contract,
Plus Jenkins looks exactly like Brett Favre! Has anyone ever confirmed the two in the same room at the same time? Maybe thats why he osn't playing well anymore. check it out
Mean- I agree that if he was willing to take the deal he should be willing to live with what comes with the deal. Kind of like how Dave Chapelle didn't want the money and what comes with it, ya know.
Plus the Yankees made their bed, they need to sleep in it for once!
Bengals - he fired almost all his assistants this year and brought in some newer coachs and moved some up. OSU Vs. UofM will be another great game and probably decide the Bid Ten title.
Lloyd won't be going anywhere until he wants to go, which is no way to run a program, but he runs a good one.
Last edited by bob260505 on July 24th at 10:20 AM.
Definetly agree on Maurice Clarrett. Its a shame what he has become in comparison to waht he could have been. Also true on Yankee fans. The double in Detroit would be to chaotic though.
bob- jenkins has been more of a second half hitter over the past few years, we'll see if that happens again this season....the sad part is, he'll probably get really hot right after lee gets traded. it should be noted that he did carry the team for about a month last season, shortly after the all-star break. as for looking like favre, i noticed that quite a while ago, although favre is looking much older these days, so i do believe they are in fact 2 seperate individuals. i suppose it is possible though...i'll have to keep a closer watch on things to confirm whether they are the same person or not.
Cuz - In Detroit we call it Tony Clark syndrome or TCS. Its symptoms are hitting .200 or less until the team is out of the playoff hunt and then starts crushing the ball to finish the season with 20 or more HRs and hitting .265 but had to hit .400 the last two months of the season to get it when it didn't matter
exactly...and last year's stats were skewed by the fact that everyone considered finishing 81-81 a huge accomplishment....one think i found interesting in a game recently, was the fact that jenkins went 1-4, and his average went up 2 points....i dont even know how that is possible, but i swear it happened.
Contrary to popular belief, not every Yankees fan hates or wants to trade A-Rod. A-Rod is a sensational player and he will compile his usual impressive numbers in helping lead his club to the playoffs.
bob Read your blog with a great deal of enthusiasm and the Yankee fans' treatment of A-Rod is nothing new in the sporting arena. If anything the hostility towards him is unjust. If anything the Yankees have only themselves to blame as their real problems are tied to their susceptible pitching.
The Brewers are just the sort of inept organization that they've become. Who'dve thought that after Selig's tenureship that things could get worse. It would appear that Brewer fans are being saddled with another inept ownership group who are unable to make a sound decision.
If they're unwilling or unable to sign Lee to a long term contract then trade him but don't procrastinate over the matter.
Maurice Clarett's bio reads like a police blotter. Thank God he wasn't able to secure a place on an NFL roster !
hey tophat, it appeards that Clarrett now has some credentials to make the Bengals with all the arrests and criminal element on that team. Too bad he runs a 4.8 40 yard dash.......lol
bob260505 Clarett can be cast by the wayside much as in the way Lawrence Phillips was. Does anyone remember that buffoon ? What's he doing nowadays ? Panhandling.......I'd heard something about him wanting to make a go of it in the AFL.
Apparently that didn't work out as it was no no from the outset!!
He was known for guiding OSU to a National championship too. One that they have not sniffed or will sniff anytime soon. It is easy to jump on that guy and pick on him so hey how about you pick on the Lions, or the Bengals not a semi educated felon. And i am glad to see a Michigan fan on here, I am going to have fun giving you a hard time. Anymore losses to Minnesota or Wisconsin planned for this year?
DatSTAR My own allegiances lie with the Dolphins and Patriots. And we've had our malcontents over the years. Can't say I'd wish either Clarett or Phillips upon anybody.
Datstar - That championship is tainted with Clarrett and a scam paas interence call that saved it. Clarrett is par for OSU's program. And he may be one of the least educated people in America because if he had any brains he would be playing in the NFL and not in legal trouble. Any OSU athelete and fans know that OSU is not well know as a educational institution like U of M.
Flint Michigan -
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Three time defending (division 2) four square champion
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3. Chris Brown of the Tennessee Titans is selling out on the Titans and his fans. The oft injured Brown is in the final year of his contract. The Titans drafted Lindale White as well. Brown's agent, Wynn Silbermann, formerly asked for a trade last week. Brown and his agent believe being traded away from a crowded backfield is his best career move. To me that tells me he is either not competitive or just does not believe he is good enough to get the bulk of the carries. How much does he think he is really going to get as a free agent? I am not looking for a player who wants out at the first sight of serious competition for his job. To me he is just a sellout.
5. The Brewers and Carlos Lee are sellouts. The fans of the Brew Crew are the big losers in this though. The Brewers need to trade Carlos Lee or resign him to a multi year deal. The fans have not had a World Series contender since 1982 and have never even won the World Series. They need to run the team less like a business and more like a team that wants to win. How about making a run for once instead of setting new lows in mediocrity. The Brewers and Detroit Lions are like distant sports cousins I guess, but do they both Sellout on their fans? Either way they have never won it all. The Lions only claim to a chamtpionship in way back in 1957 before it was even called the Super Bowl.
6. Maurice Clarrett was a sellout to the team that made him famous, the Ohio State Buckeyes. He was also a sellout to the fans of OSU, and he was a sellout to coachs of OSU. Then to top it off he sold out his NFL career by having a year off. He then sold out his future when he was arrested for aggrevated robbery. He is now better known for non football activities, which is not good.
