TOP 10 STUPID THINGS ORIOLES FANS IN BALTIMORE SAY TO DEFEND PETER G. ANGELOS:
10. “Hey Nestor, if you don’t pipe down and start encouraging more people to buy Orioles tickets, Peter Angelos will get his feelings hurt and move the team…”
This was addressed here at WNST.net at length and is only No. 10 because there are nine more stupid things I’ve heard because this one is a virtual “never going to happen” scenario. Anyone who thinks the Orioles are leaving Baltimore because the stadium is empty is simply an idiot.
9. “Look at the attendance. They’re losing money. There’s no way he can make money with an empty stadium.”
This is exactly what Angelos hopes you believe and you take pity on him. I swear for the few remaining Orioles apologists there’s a Stockholm Syndrome at work. The worse he treats the community the more some defend him.
8. “I’ll care about them when they start winning…”
Over the next few days we’ll show you that winning isn’t even a part of the financial equation. Trying to win would actually be a far greater financial risk of tens of millions of dollars and we’ll explain it all. But we’ll address “Excuse No. 8” plenty.
7. “We’re rebuilding the farm system via the draft…”
This is a joke when the Orioles continually chose “slot players” and spent a decade ignoring every Scott Boras client or anyone who wanted legitimate “free market” money.
6. “I don’t give Angelos any of my money…”
YES, you do. See the $38 per year on your cable bill if you’re in Maryland.
5. “Give them a chance! They just hired Dan Duquette…”
On a personal level, I’m looking forward to Duquette shooting some morbid videos at his desk (like the ones MacFail made famous) on the tail-end of the many losing streaks the 2012 Orioles will undoubtedly endure. If you see the Saturday Night Live skit quality of his interviews and laughs (I always see a Dan Aykroyd awkwardness…)
4. “It’s disrespectful to Nick Markakis, Matt Wieters and Brian Roberts to complain. The players are trying hard. You’re not a REAL fan if you complain…”
Just so you know, the club has lied to all three of these guys repeatedly as well about trying to improve the team. They always say they’re going to be active in free agency. They always talk about adding to the farm base. Grow the arms, buy the bats? Remember that? The truth is the players who have talent on the team deserve better than to wake up the day after the Super Bowl and see Jeremy Guthrie traded away for a bag of baseballs.
3. “Manny Machado and Dylan Bundy are coming soon…”
The kids on the farm? When has this organization EVER consistently produced talent from the farm system? It’s like these clowns have no clue. This is the Orioles’ broadcast team’s favorite crutch – telling us to go to Delmarva to watch the next phenom.
2. “Look, the Orioles were losing LONG before Angelos came to town. So don’t blame Peter. They didn’t win under Jacobs and EBW’s money didn’t help them after 1983…”
Angelos inherited crowds of 3.6 million per year, Cal Ripken and a beautiful stadium that was the toast of baseball. Any references to the team before 1993 is just a stupid, meaningless argument. But I still hear people make this one…
And the No. 1, Stupid Things Orioles Fans Say is…
1. “New York and Boston spend too much money…”
The Orioles play in the “always tough” American League East. It was Andy MacFail’s favorite crutch and “go to” line. We can’t compete with the Yankees and the Red Sox. They generate too much revenue. We need a television network.
When I approached Andy MacFail at the University of Baltimore appearance last year, it was the one question that would level the playing field for his favorite excuse.
Here’s how the cowardly former V.P. chose to answer it and speak to the fans and a very legitimate question:
Angelos spoke at length in 2006 with Pressbox and guaranteed the fans that when the MASN money came, it would be spent to improve the team.
This team has become an annuity for Angelos and his heirs…to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars of siphoned revenues from your pockets.
Either you think that’s unfair or you don’t.
