John McDonough Resigns

[daske17]

Good move by McDonough and the BHawks. Let's face it, the guy was one his way out from here so he did the right thing and moved on.

 

I agree. McDonough was integral in building the Cubs as a brand despite having a losing product on the field since he joined the organization.

 

Now that Rocky Wirtz in at the helm of the Blackhawks and home games FINALLY being televised, this clearly signifies that Chicago hockey fans have a future to look forward to.

 

Perhaps. But I'd need to know how he's going to work. McDonough wasn't qualified to hire a quality GM, or quality baseball people, and I find it hard to believe he'll be any more qualified to do the same with hockey people. I still have my doubts about Tallon and Savard, but I don't know who McDonough will lean on to make a decision on either one.

 

True, but at the very least, he should be able to rebuild a fan base with his marketing background. And without being a die-hard Hawks fan, from what I know they have some exciting young players to build around.

 

It may not be the beginning of a Stanley Cup run, but the Hawks seem to be in a position to remind Chicago of a rich tradition.

[Jon]

I take McDonough's lack of optimism regarding a potential new owner's desire to keep things the same, especially for the first couple of years, a good sign. Of course, I'm not sure I'd agree with that.

 

It was still probably a good career move, though I'm sure it was hard for him to leave.

[A New Era]

I'm sad he's leaving. I think he would have been good for the Cubs long term. I liked his passion, and how he plainly just came out and said, no more excuses, it's time to win.

 

Goodbye and goodluck John.

[abuck1220]

I'm sad he's leaving. I think he would have been good for the Cubs long term. I liked his passion, and how he plainly just came out and said, no more excuses, it's time to win.

 

Goodbye and goodluck John.

 

saying it's time to win and doing things that will actually lead you to win are two different things.

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm sad he's leaving. I think he would have been good for the Cubs long term. I liked his passion, and how he plainly just came out and said, no more excuses, it's time to win.

 

Goodbye and goodluck John.

 

Saying and doing aren't the same thing though. I didn't like his chances of making the right call with regards to Hendry and the need to replace him.

 

McDonough was nothing but a placeholder. He was never going to be the longterm president of the Cubs, and he probably new it. The Blackhawks are a longterm project perhaps more in need of his marketing skills.

[CubinNY]

I'm sad he's leaving. I think he would have been good for the Cubs long term. I liked his passion, and how he plainly just came out and said, no more excuses, it's time to win.

 

Goodbye and goodluck John.

 

And then proceeded to still employ Jim Hendry. I'm glad he's gone. Hopefully, Hendry will soon follow.

[A New Era]

I'm sad he's leaving. I think he would have been good for the Cubs long term. I liked his passion, and how he plainly just came out and said, no more excuses, it's time to win.

 

Goodbye and goodluck John.

 

And then proceeded to still employ Jim Hendry. I'm glad he's gone. Hopefully, Hendry will soon follow.

 

Let's see if the next guy can get the owner to open up their pocket book as much as John did last year. That is what I'm talking about.

 

Ofcourse we can never directly compare because it will be 2 different owners.

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm sad he's leaving. I think he would have been good for the Cubs long term. I liked his passion, and how he plainly just came out and said, no more excuses, it's time to win.

 

Goodbye and goodluck John.

 

And then proceeded to still employ Jim Hendry. I'm glad he's gone. Hopefully, Hendry will soon follow.

 

Let's see if the next guy can get the owner to open up their pocket book as much as John did last year. That is what I'm talking about.

 

Ofcourse we can never directly compare because it will be 2 different owners.

 

I don't believe he convinced them of any such thing. The owners were trying to increase the value of the asset they were preparing to sell. Cubs attendance and ratings, the biggest revenue generators, vary with the record. Three straight years of bad results would have severely cut into revenue in 2007, making the franchise less valuable. The owners new they would be selling before the bill for those contracts would come in, and gambled that a new owner wouldn't be as worried about those big commitments, at least in comparison to publicly traded Tribune Co.

[Roast]

Wow, this is random.

[jersey cubs fan]

Wow, this is random.

 

I don't think it is. It's been reported, or speculated, a couple of times since Old Man Wirtz died that Rocky might want to hire McDonough because of his marketing skills. The Cubs have been for sale for a while, and anytime something like that happens, higher ups are going to be looking for other options. New owners generally means new management. McDonough was never really going to be a longterm Cubs president. Perhaps this happened sooner than some would have thought, but I wouldn't call it random.

[Roast]

Wow, this is random.

 

I don't think it is. It's been reported, or speculated, a couple of times since Old Man Wirtz died that Rocky might want to hire McDonough because of his marketing skills. The Cubs have been for sale for a while, and anytime something like that happens, higher ups are going to be looking for other options. New owners generally means new management. McDonough was never really going to be a longterm Cubs president. Perhaps this happened sooner than some would have thought, but I wouldn't call it random.

 

True. I just hadn't heard anything about McDonough leaving, at least not anytime in the near future. Random was probably the wrong word. Surprising, maybe.

[RedIvyCub]

I would call it running scared. Wirtz was his safety net so he took it. I find the Canning news forboding at this point. We all know he will win this bid and sounds like he wants to run things if he is disassociating himself from his duties at Dearborn. Maybe "someone" left just in time...and not McD. :wink:

 

Seems to me that maybe they won't hire a President and just wait for the new group to take over and name their own guy. Which means it won't be as drawn out and protracted as everyone seems to think.

[jersey cubs fan]

Wow, this is random.

 

I don't think it is. It's been reported, or speculated, a couple of times since Old Man Wirtz died that Rocky might want to hire McDonough because of his marketing skills. The Cubs have been for sale for a while, and anytime something like that happens, higher ups are going to be looking for other options. New owners generally means new management. McDonough was never really going to be a longterm Cubs president. Perhaps this happened sooner than some would have thought, but I wouldn't call it random.

 

True. I just hadn't heard anything about McDonough leaving, at least not anytime in the near future. Random was probably the wrong word. Surprising, maybe.

 

The timing did surprise me. Rocky Wirtz is supposedly going through a deep evaluation of the Blackhawks management right now. Plus, the Cubs sale doesn't seem to be imminent. Rocky is definitely working at a faster pace than I expected, and hopefully the Cubs sale will be finalized before too long.

[jersey cubs fan]

I would call it running scared. Wirtz was his safety net so he took it. I find the Canning news forboding at this point. We all know he will win this bid and sounds like he wants to run things if he is disassociating himself from his duties at Dearborn. Maybe "someone" left just in time...and not McD. :wink:

 

Seems to me that maybe they won't hire a President and just wait for the new group to take over and name their own guy. Which means it won't be as drawn out and protracted as everyone seems to think.

 

It would seem to make the most sense for the Trib execs to just handle pres duties in the short-term, there's no need for a new one now.

 

I keep drawing blanks on your "someone" reference.

 

 

Canning claims he it was part of a planned succession, and he is staying on as chairman, as well as staying heavily involved financially. But maybe that plan was to give him time to get his ducks in order for the bid and then taking full control immediately.

[Mizzou]

McDonough has been with the Cubs for what, 20 years now? Him just upping and leaving after finally reaching the top of the ladder is sort of odd. But all things considered, he probably knows something that we don't regarding the future of the organization.

[Soul]

Hopefully it's an indication that new ownership will clean house. I pray to God it doesn't mean Hendry gets even more control.

[jersey cubs fan]

McDonough has been with the Cubs for what, 20 years now? Him just upping and leaving after finally reaching the top of the ladder is sort of odd. But all things considered, he probably knows something that we don't regarding the future of the organization.

 

I don't think it should be viewed as odd. He was a longterm marketing man, then elevated to president right in the middle of a new ownership search. Seems pretty clear he wasn't going to be the top guy for long. It's part of the reason why Andy left when he did, he new the sale was coming and didn't want to be part of the transition group.

[Soul]

McDonough has been with the Cubs for what, 20 years now? Him just upping and leaving after finally reaching the top of the ladder is sort of odd. But all things considered, he probably knows something that we don't regarding the future of the organization.

 

I don't think it should be viewed as odd. He was a longterm marketing man, then elevated to president right in the middle of a new ownership search. Seems pretty clear he wasn't going to be the top guy for long. It's part of the reason why Andy left when he did, he new the sale was coming and didn't want to be part of the transition group.

 

Yeah, now the Orioles' owners are wondering if the Cub ownership change is happening just as a coincidence of Andy being on board, or more *because* Andy was on board 8-)

[daske17]

The Tribuneis reporting that Crane Kenney will oversee business operations for the team while Hendry will oversee baseball decisions.

[RedIvyCub]

This is incorrect...from the Tribune...the "president" oversees Business and Baseball but suspect that they don't want Kenney's fingers in the baseball side of things for various reasons.

 

In a statement, the Cubs said Crane Kenney, who took over marketing the team when McDonough was promoted to president in October 2006, will oversee the team's business operations while general manager Jim Hendry will lead the baseball side.

 

Crane Kenney was was McD's boss and was Andy MacPhail's boss when FitzSimons was promoted to CEO. Crane Kenney is an SVP and General Counsel at Tribune Comapny. Long story as the boss should have been the head of Broadcasting (Pat Mullen) who was dumped and is now GM at Fox32. Mark McGuire runs Business Operations and has since Tribune took control. Jay Blunk was promoted to run the Marketing department when McD was promoted to President in October 2006 and Blunk has since been promotoed to a VP. All the good soldiers got their due. :wink:

[RedIvyCub]

McDonough has been with the Cubs for what, 20 years now? Him just upping and leaving after finally reaching the top of the ladder is sort of odd. But all things considered, he probably knows something that we don't regarding the future of the organization.

 

I don't think it should be viewed as odd. He was a longterm marketing man, then elevated to president right in the middle of a new ownership search. Seems pretty clear he wasn't going to be the top guy for long. It's part of the reason why Andy left when he did, he new the sale was coming and didn't want to be part of the transition group.

 

Might have been a small part of why Andy left when he did. There is more to it I am sure that will never be out for the public to know about. Lots of things aren't...

[JeffH]

Quote from Kenney:

 

"Jim Hendry has a well-constructed plan in place and is already working to strengthen our roster for 2008."

 

:pig:

[jersey cubs fan]

Quote from Kenney:

 

"Jim Hendry has a well-constructed plan in place and is already working to strengthen our roster for 2008."

 

:pig:

 

So far it's been all about who isn't going to be here in 2008.

[Banedon]

Quote from Kenney:

 

"Jim Hendry has a well-constructed plan in place and is already working to strengthen our roster for 2008."

 

:pig:

 

So far it's been all about who isn't going to be here in 2008.

 

Addition by subtraction.

[Wilson A2000]

Do we know if the Blackhawks approached McDonough or if McDonough approached them