Theo to appear on Sportfolio on Bloomberg TV tonight at 8!

[David]

http://www.csnchicago.com/baseball-chicago-cubs/cubs-talk/Theo-to-appear-on-Bloomberg-TV?blockID=716586&feedID=10336

 

The Cubs reached an agreement with Bloomberg Sports this offseason to work with the statistical analysis company in getting information on players quickly and conveniently.

 

Bloomberg TV, which can be seen across the country, is airing a new episode of "Sportfolio" tonight at 8 p.m. CST, which features Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein. The episode is called "Theo's Second Act" and is about the rock-star executive's move from one historic baseball franchise (the Boston Red Sox) to another (the Cubs).

[El Duderino]

Is this an actual interview or some kind of fluff piece?

[Guest]

Is this an actual interview or some kind of fluff piece?

 

There's a video preview at the link

[Banedon]

Anyone watch this?

[Soul]

Missed it. Hopefully it will be replayed.

[Guest]

I did. Gonna try to type as much as I remember. They had Theo, Ricketts, and Jerry DiPoto on. Also some journalist or something whose name I can't remember.

 

Theo talked about a lot of the same things he talked about at his introductory press conference. The needing to do something different after ten years and accomplish different things in one's life. The stuff about meshing the objective and the subjective. Talked about how now that everyone has access to much of the same data, you either have to find something new to glean from that data (which is hard, as it's all been combed through pretty good), or find new streams of data altogether. Talked about their model of consensus building with their "brain trust" and how he tries to treat their meetings like a law school classroom. How he wants them to question eachother without anybody taking things personally. DiPoto, who had worked as a scout under them, talked about this as well and how refreshing it was.

 

Ricketts talked about his background in bonds and how his business acumen has helped him as an owner. He talked about how he was into the Bill James stuff as far back as the 80's. Told the story about how 20 years ago on some school assignment he wrote that his ideal job was to be the owner of the Cubs. Talked about how there are no shortcuts and how you need to build a foundation based on scouting and player development to achieve consistent success in baseball.

 

DiPoto basically just gushed over Theo and talked about what a brilliant guy he was and how great it was working under him. Can't remember anything specifically he said.

 

Obviously, they also spent a few minutes talking about the Bloomberg Sports system the Cubs had signed up for. Didn't say much of substance on it, IIRC.

 

It was interesting, but mostly stuff you've probably heard before if you watched the entire press conference and also followed the Cubs convention reports. The show had a weird feel. Like it was pasted together. They'd go from a clip of Theo talking to a clip of Tom talking back to a clip of Theo...then back to a clip of Tom...then DiPoto...then back to Theo... it didn't always feel cohesive.

[photoguy9883]

My lasting memory of the show is the graphic they put up toward the end when they said the Cubs have only been sold three times in the past century.

 

Weegham in 1916, Tribune in 1981 and the Ricketts trust in 2009.

 

Except they forgot Charles Taft buying the team in 1914 and of course the Wrigley family's ownership from 1921-1981, but you know its easy to overlook sixty years of ownership especially when the team plays in a park named after them.

 

The show just confirmed my hatred of business reporting and T.V. business reporting specifically.