Here we are. We have an agreement, the season is moving forward, and @BNightengale is still carrying owners' water and posting their outrageous opinions about how it's all the Union's fault. Let's break it down in a thread.
Jerry Reinsdorf is one of the key architects of 1/
Jerry Reinsdorf is one of the key architects of 1/
collusion. For those who don't remember, from 1985-87 MLB engaged in a violation of the CBA to prevent free agents from receiving any offers from any team other than their original team. It was a direct violation of the CBA. Andre Dawson had to offer a blank contract to the 2/
Cubs. Tim Raines, who was perhaps the best player in baseball at the time, was not offered a single contract and missed an entire month of play before returning to the Expos. Over three arbitration cases the owners had to pay millions of dollars in damages. Reinsdorf was on 3/
MLB's Player Relations Committee, a group of hardline owners, who were responsible for all of the labor strife throughout the 80s and 90s. So, let's ask his opinion on the current state of labor relations.
Before we get into that, let's look at the White Sox. He bought them 4/
Before we get into that, let's look at the White Sox. He bought them 4/
in 1981 for $19 Million. Forbes now values the team at $1.65 Billion. Not a bad investment. That value and growth not going away due to lack of fans in the stands this season.
And, he owns the Bulls too. I don't know much about basketball, but I watched The Last Dance. 5/
And, he owns the Bulls too. I don't know much about basketball, but I watched The Last Dance. 5/
It was too much to play for a 4th consecutive championship so he let Jordan retire, traded Pippen, and chased Phil Jackson away. He's allergic to paying athletes what they are worth. That needs to be considered in the background of his quotes, which I am now going to review. 6/
“I was concerned the union was maneuvering not to have a season,’’ Reinsdorf told USA TODAY Sports.
The Union was doing what? It proposed 114 games, 89 games, and kept asking for more games, yet it was the Union. And, Nightingale posts this quote without any background 7/
The Union was doing what? It proposed 114 games, 89 games, and kept asking for more games, yet it was the Union. And, Nightingale posts this quote without any background 7/
about the Commissioner's threats, the proposals for fewer and fewer games out of MLB. Nope, it's treated as if it's true, when it's patently false. We shouldn't have to revise this.
But, that's not enough. Nightingale continues with more propaganda. He'll just publish it. 8/
But, that's not enough. Nightingale continues with more propaganda. He'll just publish it. 8/
“I kept hoping against hope that we’d reach an agreement and get more games in this season. I just hope the clubs and the union can figure out a way to get along before the start of next season."
More games. That's what Reinsdorf wanted all along. You'd think as one of the 9/
More games. That's what Reinsdorf wanted all along. You'd think as one of the 9/
senior owners he might have conveyed that to the Commissioner.
“I don’t think the game was [best-] served by all of the acrimony.’’
Again, this is from one of the chief architects of collusion, who was responsible for not agreeing to CBAs each time they were renegotiated 10/
“I don’t think the game was [best-] served by all of the acrimony.’’
Again, this is from one of the chief architects of collusion, who was responsible for not agreeing to CBAs each time they were renegotiated 10/
until after there was a crippling strike or lockout. He is the one who thinks the game isn't served by acrimony. Yeah, let's just print that with no historical background on the man making the quote. Good idea.
There's a throw away line about how Reinsdorf gets a 11/
There's a throw away line about how Reinsdorf gets a 11/
COVID test 2 times/week. The rest of us have to wait in lines for hours and hope CVS doesn't run out. Plus, if anyone can work from home it's someone who doesn't work, but collects money based on other peoples' labors. And, then for the whopper 12/
Reinsdorf, 84, hasn’t calculated the exact losses but says they “are in the nine figures."
Let's visualize: 100,000,000. At least $100 million. Losses. Is the for him alone? It's written that way, because it goes on to talk about the Bulls having played 75% of their season. 13/
Let's visualize: 100,000,000. At least $100 million. Losses. Is the for him alone? It's written that way, because it goes on to talk about the Bulls having played 75% of their season. 13/
There's no fact checking. Just print it. $100M in losses this year for the White Sox. I'll let others dive into that figure.
“I don’t know how much money we are going to lose. There are just so many unknowns. When we had the long layoffs in ’81 and ’94..." 14/
“I don’t know how much money we are going to lose. There are just so many unknowns. When we had the long layoffs in ’81 and ’94..." 14/
No responsibility here. Hey, they were just layoffs from playing. We decided to take a break.
The whole thing is an embarrassment. Reporting is not supposed to be giving someone a platform to just say what they want and publish it. Someone has to provide context, to fact 15/
The whole thing is an embarrassment. Reporting is not supposed to be giving someone a platform to just say what they want and publish it. Someone has to provide context, to fact 15/
check. There are some who will do that. Bob Nightingale is not that person. He is not a reporter. He is a stenographer. /end
Someone kindly pointed out that I have misspelled Bob's last name in this thread and older ones as well. That was not intentional. It's Nightengale. My spellcheck changes him into a bird.
The LA Times did a wonderful report of franchise values and growth since each owner took over. Reinsdorf has made 12% a year compounded since he bought the White Sox. 8,150%. He's done even better with the Bulls. More than double the growth. latimes.com/sports/dodgers…
