Attendance down

[Irrelevant Dude]

I like the emphasis on the ballpark, but Ricketts' decision to go sauntering around in Africa while the season burns does not inspire confidence.

Unless Ricketts is going to fire Hendry, which clearly won't happen during the season, what else is he supposed to do? He has a General Manager and other baseball people under him for a reason. At this point in the season, what difference does it make if Ricketts is sitting in the bleachers or circumnavigating the globe in a yacht?

[SouthSideRyan]

What exactly would "action by the Ricketts as far as the on-field product is concerned" look like?

 

He should hold a press conference saying how angry he is.

[Banedon]

I like the emphasis on the ballpark, but Ricketts' decision to go sauntering around in Africa while the season burns does not inspire confidence.

Unless Ricketts is going to fire Hendry, which clearly won't happen during the season, what else is he supposed to do? He has a General Manager and other baseball people under him for a reason. At this point in the season, what difference does it make if Ricketts is sitting in the bleachers or circumnavigating the globe in a yacht?

 

People have unrealistic expectations of the team owners, especially when the team is losing...I'm certainly in that boat, and I realize that I'm probably not making my best, most logical arguments in this thread.

 

There are those that want Ricketts to be as frustrated and fed up as we are. And you can't see that when he's in Africa or wherever.

 

It's the same as the folks that want to see the President mad about the oil spill. It doesn't help anything in reality...people just want to see the same emotion that they are having.

[SouthSideRyan]

What exactly would "action by the Ricketts as far as the on-field product is concerned" look like?

 

He should hold a press conference saying how angry he is.

 

Then make Aramis run laps for being bad

[Banedon]

What exactly would "action by the Ricketts as far as the on-field product is concerned" look like?

 

He should hold a press conference saying how angry he is.

 

Then make Aramis run laps for being bad

 

No no. Being bad is fine. It's being lazy but still good that's a punishable offense.

[SouthSideRyan]

What exactly would "action by the Ricketts as far as the on-field product is concerned" look like?

 

He should hold a press conference saying how angry he is.

 

Then make Aramis run laps for being bad

 

No no. Being bad is fine. It's being lazy but still good that's a punishable offense.

 

Well of course he's lazy, he's from Mexico, and he has guaranteed money next year.

[Sammy Sofa]

What exactly would "action by the Ricketts as far as the on-field product is concerned" look like?

 

Well...ok...maybe that's worded badly, but change in front office personel and management is pretty much what I was meaning. Kenney, Hendry, Piniella, etc. A top down change. Maybe that's still coming...

 

It's basically redundant at this point. The Ricketts hopefully realized going into this season as brand new owners that this team was basically "as is" and it was basically going to have to sink or swim as constructed. Storming in and firing everyone and then hiring a whole new front office when that front office basically can't do anything with the team in place would just be saddling them with horrendous PR without ever getting a chance to do anything of significance if the team tanked. Imagine if Ricketts had cleaned house just prior to this season: you really think the average Cubs fan would just sit back with a season like this and smile and say "aw, that's OK, new guys! You get another chance!" No, it would have just compounded the failure that this season is shaping up to be. Now they can just let Lou Walk, they can fire Hendry and whoever else after this season and paint the whole thing as a "fresh start" because they'll actually have some room to work with in terms of improving the team. Yes, they'll still have contracts like Soriano's and Z's, but hopefully Lee will be off the books and the Ricketts will have been able to recoup some of the expenses from the process of buying the team and be able to give the new front office something to work with.

[Sammy Sofa]

What exactly would "action by the Ricketts as far as the on-field product is concerned" look like?

 

He should hold a press conference saying how angry he is.

 

Then make Aramis run laps for being bad

 

No no. Being bad is fine. It's being lazy but still good that's a punishable offense.

 

Well of course he's lazy, he's from Mexico, and he has guaranteed money next year.

 

AND HE'S NOT AFRAID TO SHOOT ANYONE TO GET IT.

[dew1679666265]

I like the emphasis on the ballpark, but Ricketts' decision to go sauntering around in Africa while the season burns does not inspire confidence.

 

Next up for the Ricketts family? Maybe a sailing regatta on the Isle of Wight with Tony Hayward.

 

Ricketts said he informed Hendry and the front office members of the direction he wanted them to take while he was gone (i.e. either start selling or stay the course and see if these players can improve).

 

I don't know what else he could do in Chicago at this moment. If it was in his plans to fire Hendry within this weeks long window that he's in Africa, I'd figure he'd have done it before he left.

[Soul]

2010: the fallout year.

 

 

Hopefully it's not more like 2010-2012, the fallout era.

[jersey cubs fan]

I had not heard a thing about this Africa trip before this thread. How is an owner's vacation schedule an issue?

[Prizefight]

I had not heard a thing about this Africa trip before this thread. How is an owner's vacation schedule an issue?

 

Because cell phones and email do not work outside of Chicago

[UMFan83]

On this subject, I was listening to the Score yesterday (1st mistake) and a guy called in and was asking if it was possible to send some of the Cubs down to the minors "to show that the Cubs management means business" or whatever. So whoever the host was (Holmes?) was humoring him and asked him who he'd send down if he could and his answers were......... Carlos Zambrano and Derrek Lee.

 

When the host questioned him on it he gave the typical Z has a screw loose and doesn't care about winning or something. And when he asked about Lee, the caller admitted how much of a class act Lee has been, and that he would never want to embarrass Lee, but sending him down to the minors was the right move to show the team that they aren't going to put up with poor play.

[J.R.]

He is the chairman of the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs do business in earnest from February through October. It is not unreasonable to expect that he would want to be present.

[jersey cubs fan]

He is the chairman of the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs do business in earnest from February through October. It is not unreasonable to expect that he would want to be present.

 

Oh my goodness this is stupid. Like really really dumb stupid. He has next to no influence on what goes on during the season. He's got multiple siblings and underlings that can express ownership opinion when needed. And furthermore, his most important work is October-February. Once spring training starts, there's nothing for him to do.

[dew1679666265]

He is the chairman of the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs do business in earnest from February through October. It is not unreasonable to expect that he would want to be present.

 

Outside of simply making his presence be known (show up in the bleachers every once in a while?), what specifically can Ricketts do in Chicago that he can't do on a boat in Africa? I'm sure he's keeping very much up to date with the goings on in the standings and with attendance.

 

Why do you think it's important that he be here?

[CUBZ99]

He is the chairman of the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs do business in earnest from February through October. It is not unreasonable to expect that he would want to be present.

 

Oh my goodness this is stupid. Like really really dumb stupid. He has next to no influence on what goes on during the season. He's got multiple siblings and underlings that can express ownership opinion when needed. And furthermore, his most important work is October-February. Once spring training starts, there's nothing for him to do.

 

Not true, he could do things like..... oh say...fire the GM or other managerial staff.

[CUBZ99]

He is the chairman of the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs do business in earnest from February through October. It is not unreasonable to expect that he would want to be present.

 

Outside of simply making his presence be known (show up in the bleachers every once in a while?), what specifically can Ricketts do in Chicago that he can't do on a boat in Africa? I'm sure he's keeping very much up to date with the goings on in the standings and with attendance.

 

Why do you think it's important that he be here?

 

Please tell me this isn't the meme going around on talk radio?

[UMFan83]

He is the chairman of the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs do business in earnest from February through October. It is not unreasonable to expect that he would want to be present.

 

Outside of simply making his presence be known (show up in the bleachers every once in a while?), what specifically can Ricketts do in Chicago that he can't do on a boat in Africa? I'm sure he's keeping very much up to date with the goings on in the standings and with attendance.

 

Why do you think it's important that he be here?

 

Please tell me this isn't the meme going around on talk radio?

 

It's the first I've heard of this.....I think we should stop discussing this before someone picks it up and eventually it does go on talk radio.

[CUBZ99]

He is the chairman of the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs do business in earnest from February through October. It is not unreasonable to expect that he would want to be present.

 

Outside of simply making his presence be known (show up in the bleachers every once in a while?), what specifically can Ricketts do in Chicago that he can't do on a boat in Africa? I'm sure he's keeping very much up to date with the goings on in the standings and with attendance.

 

Why do you think it's important that he be here?

 

Please tell me this isn't the meme going around on talk radio?

 

It's the first I've heard of this.....I think we should stop discussing this before someone picks it up and eventually it does go on talk radio.

 

Agreed, its ridiculous.

[J.R.]

Ricketts could easily conduct the offseason business in absentia.

 

He should be here now to suffer through the [expletive] with the rest of us. It's awfully convenient for him to duck out and go across the world while the dreams of those with whom he slapped backs and guffawed at the Cubs Convention are being shattered daily.

 

The move smacks of apathy.

[dew1679666265]

He is the chairman of the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs do business in earnest from February through October. It is not unreasonable to expect that he would want to be present.

 

Outside of simply making his presence be known (show up in the bleachers every once in a while?), what specifically can Ricketts do in Chicago that he can't do on a boat in Africa? I'm sure he's keeping very much up to date with the goings on in the standings and with attendance.

 

Why do you think it's important that he be here?

 

Please tell me this isn't the meme going around on talk radio?

 

I don't live in Chicago so I don't know if it's a talk radio subject or not. I just saw it in an article recently.

[jersey cubs fan]

Ricketts could easily conduct the offseason business in absentia.

 

He should be here now to suffer through the [expletive] with the rest of us. It's awfully convenient for him to duck out and go across the world while the dreams of those with whom he slapped backs and guffawed at the Cubs Convention are being shattered daily.

 

The move smacks of apathy.

 

Okay, you were a little sneaky before, now I know you're kidding around.

[RegulusBlue]

Maybe people are hoping the family will realize that changing the bathrooms, adding food choices and installing a Toyota sign were not and are not things fans really care about. The whole "fan experience" crap makes me sick. A winning team is the best experience. Why the Ricketts family worries about "perserving Wrigley Field for the next generation of Cub fans" is beyond me. THE tradition at Wrigley Field is losing, do they not realize that?

 

Every team in the division has a new stadium, except for the team that has made the most money.

 

I got this one.

 

As long as the "tradition" of Wrigley lives on, the Ricketts family has effectively installed a floor on their investment. Just as we harp and moan that they are paying attention to the wrong things, they are installing insurance.

 

In the long run, the presence of fair weather fans keep this team as a viable big market entity in lean years.

[fiver]

Ricketts could easily conduct the offseason business in absentia.

 

He should be here now to suffer through the [expletive] with the rest of us. It's awfully convenient for him to duck out and go across the world while the dreams of those with whom he slapped backs and guffawed at the Cubs Convention are being shattered daily.

 

The move smacks of apathy.

 

Okay, you were a little sneaky before, now I know you're kidding around.

 

JR,

 

I do understand the emotion behind your post. The cubs regularly raise my blood pressure as well...but this isn't quite a serious as Tony Hayward jaunting over to England to frolic amongst sailboaters for a weekend. You want Ricketts to instill a sense of urgency. You want him yelling at the umpires, or Hendry, or Lou or someone...but I don't think he's going to be that 'in your face' type of guy. Honestly, Hayward couldn't have helped by staying on the gulf coast this past weekend, and I seriously doubt Ricketts is hurting the team by spending time overseas right now. Personnel changes are going to turn this team around, not Rickett's presence at Wrigley.