Ryne Sandberg's HOF speech

[dhaab]

IMO, Ryno quit on his teammates in the middle of a horrible season. That '94 Cubs team was a very bad team and was in dead last at the time he quit. They obviously had no post season hopes whatsoever.

 

I realize that Sandberg had some personal problems he wanted to straighten out in his life, but how many other athletes in sports have to endure problems in their personal lives while they continue to play? How many of us every day working stiffs have to live through personal tragedies, yet continue to go to work every day through it all?

 

IMO, the fact that Sandberg quit on his team like he did made him lose out on being a first ballot Hall of Famer. And the fact that he stood up there on the podium the other day and talked about how he had such a huge respect for the game seemed a bit over the top to me. Anyone who quits in the middle of a season when his team is in last place can't have that much respect for the game.

 

I disagree.

 

First of all, I think it is self rightous for you to write like you know what was going on in Sandberg's personal life, AND to expect him to be a certain way (I guess, how you or others might have been). Really, how can you preach about what he did or how he should have acted unless you're him, going through the same things he went through? The answer is that you cannot. Different people handle situations differently - it's called being human individuals. There are also many people who take time off to deal with their personal problems, he just happens to be one of those people. Sorry that he did not measure up to your expectations, but I doubt he's losing sleep over it.

 

Second, you could look at his respect for the game a little bit differently. Did you think maybe he left during 1994 BECAUSE of his respect for the game? He wasn't able to give his best effort, because of his personal problems. This half-hearted approach was not good enough, and he had to take time off to deal with his problems. This could be seen as SHOWING respect for the game, not the other way around.

 

There are two sides to every coin.

 

Are you the same dhaab that posts at STLTODAY?

 

I admire Ryno for walking away from the game to take care of his kids and trying to get his personal life in order. His wife cheated on him with Raffy and that had to be a very hard thing to deal with. People chastize ballplayers for sticking around too long or simply drawing a paycheck, Ryno never did. He respected the fans and the game too much.

 

In contrast let's look at Mark McGwire. He had no problem cashing the Cardinals paycheck when he hit .187 his final year and couldn't see the ball. He cheated on his wife and lied to everyone about taking andro. He has turned his back completely on Cardinal fans and the city of St. Louis. He is a loser.

 

I'll take Ryno.

 

Sorry, but I don't care a lick about McGwire and he wasn't even mentioned in my comments.

 

As for your comments comparing the two, you really have no idea what happened in their personal lives, so your conjecturing is pretty pointless.

[dhaab]

IMO, Ryno quit on his teammates in the middle of a horrible season. That '94 Cubs team was a very bad team and was in dead last at the time he quit. They obviously had no post season hopes whatsoever.

 

I realize that Sandberg had some personal problems he wanted to straighten out in his life, but how many other athletes in sports have to endure problems in their personal lives while they continue to play? How many of us every day working stiffs have to live through personal tragedies, yet continue to go to work every day through it all?

 

IMO, the fact that Sandberg quit on his team like he did made him lose out on being a first ballot Hall of Famer. And the fact that he stood up there on the podium the other day and talked about how he had such a huge respect for the game seemed a bit over the top to me. Anyone who quits in the middle of a season when his team is in last place can't have that much respect for the game.

 

I disagree.

 

First of all, I think it is self rightous for you to write like you know what was going on in Sandberg's personal life, AND to expect him to be a certain way (I guess, how you or others might have been). Really, how can you preach about what he did or how he should have acted unless you're him, going through the same things he went through? The answer is that you cannot. Different people handle situations differently - it's called being human individuals. There are also many people who take time off to deal with their personal problems, he just happens to be one of those people. Sorry that he did not measure up to your expectations, but I doubt he's losing sleep over it.

 

Second, you could look at his respect for the game a little bit differently. Did you think maybe he left during 1994 BECAUSE of his respect for the game? He wasn't able to give his best effort, because of his personal problems. This half-hearted approach was not good enough, and he had to take time off to deal with his problems. This could be seen as SHOWING respect for the game, not the other way around.

 

There are two sides to every coin.

 

Are you the same dhaab that posts at STLTODAY?

 

Yes, I'm the same one.

 

Okay, my comments didn't conclude anything about what Ryno's personal problems were. I am merely stating that he was touting himself as someone who respects the game of baseball so much in his HOF speech. I think it's quite hypocritical for someone who quit on his last place team in the middle of a season to say something like that about himself.

 

And you're correct in saying that his situation could be looked at in two different ways. Maybe he didn't think he could give it his best effort. BUT that is my whole point. No sports writers in Chicago ever thought to bring up the other side of it. Do you actually believe he would have quit if the 1994 Cubs were a great team and in first place at the time?

[dhaab]

I'm not trying to flame here because I am new to this board, but I find it rather odd that no sports writers in Chicago have ever written about the controversy surrounding Sandberg quitting in the middle of the 1994 season. Don't get me wrong, I always loved watching Ryno play and was quite sure he would be a first ballot hall of famer...before 1994.

 

IMO, Ryno quit on his teammates in the middle of a horrible season. That '94 Cubs team was a very bad team and was in dead last at the time he quit. They obviously had no post season hopes whatsoever.

 

I realize that Sandberg had some personal problems he wanted to straighten out in his life, but how many other athletes in sports have to endure problems in their personal lives while they continue to play? How many of us every day working stiffs have to live through personal tragedies, yet continue to go to work every day through it all?

 

IMO, the fact that Sandberg quit on his team like he did made him lose out on being a first ballot Hall of Famer. And the fact that he stood up there on the podium the other day and talked about how he had such a huge respect for the game seemed a bit over the top to me. Anyone who quits in the middle of a season when his team is in last place can't have that much respect for the game.

 

Sorry if this pisses people off, but his speech seemed a bit self righteous to me.

 

What controversy? There was a strike in 1994 that ended the season in August. He retired during the strike from that and personal problems.

 

That's not how it happened. Sandberg quit while the season was still being played.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

IMO, Ryno quit on his teammates in the middle of a horrible season. That '94 Cubs team was a very bad team and was in dead last at the time he quit. They obviously had no post season hopes whatsoever.

 

I realize that Sandberg had some personal problems he wanted to straighten out in his life, but how many other athletes in sports have to endure problems in their personal lives while they continue to play? How many of us every day working stiffs have to live through personal tragedies, yet continue to go to work every day through it all?

 

IMO, the fact that Sandberg quit on his team like he did made him lose out on being a first ballot Hall of Famer. And the fact that he stood up there on the podium the other day and talked about how he had such a huge respect for the game seemed a bit over the top to me. Anyone who quits in the middle of a season when his team is in last place can't have that much respect for the game.

 

I disagree.

 

First of all, I think it is self rightous for you to write like you know what was going on in Sandberg's personal life, AND to expect him to be a certain way (I guess, how you or others might have been). Really, how can you preach about what he did or how he should have acted unless you're him, going through the same things he went through? The answer is that you cannot. Different people handle situations differently - it's called being human individuals. There are also many people who take time off to deal with their personal problems, he just happens to be one of those people. Sorry that he did not measure up to your expectations, but I doubt he's losing sleep over it.

 

Second, you could look at his respect for the game a little bit differently. Did you think maybe he left during 1994 BECAUSE of his respect for the game? He wasn't able to give his best effort, because of his personal problems. This half-hearted approach was not good enough, and he had to take time off to deal with his problems. This could be seen as SHOWING respect for the game, not the other way around.

 

There are two sides to every coin.

 

Are you the same dhaab that posts at STLTODAY?

 

Yes, I'm the same one.

 

Okay, my comments didn't conclude anything about what Ryno's personal problems were. I am merely stating that he was touting himself as someone who respects the game of baseball so much in his HOF speech. I think it's quite hypocritical for someone who quit on his last place team in the middle of a season to say something like that about himself.

 

And you're correct in saying that his situation could be looked at in two different ways. Maybe he didn't think he could give it his best effort. BUT that is my whole point. No sports writers in Chicago ever thought to bring up the other side of it. Do you actually believe he would have quit if the 1994 Cubs were a great team and in first place at the time?

 

We don't know what he would have done if the Cubs were in first place. What we do know is that his marriage was in trouble and he retired in an effort to save his marriage and take care of his family. I don't think that disrespects the game at all, just as it's not disrespectful for a player to take time to be with his wife during the birth of a child or to go be with his family during a time of crisis or death. It shows that baseball, while important, is not the most important thing. In fact not only does Sandberg's retirement raise my opinion of him as a ballplayer it does so as a human being. It shows that he had the proper priorities. Family is greater than a game. I think any of the HOFers that sat on that stage on Sunday would agree. It's quite apparent that you're grasping at straws in your attempt to throw mud on Sandberg's legacy.

[The Voice of Reason]

IMO, Ryno quit on his teammates in the middle of a horrible season. That '94 Cubs team was a very bad team and was in dead last at the time he quit. They obviously had no post season hopes whatsoever.

 

I realize that Sandberg had some personal problems he wanted to straighten out in his life, but how many other athletes in sports have to endure problems in their personal lives while they continue to play? How many of us every day working stiffs have to live through personal tragedies, yet continue to go to work every day through it all?

 

IMO, the fact that Sandberg quit on his team like he did made him lose out on being a first ballot Hall of Famer. And the fact that he stood up there on the podium the other day and talked about how he had such a huge respect for the game seemed a bit over the top to me. Anyone who quits in the middle of a season when his team is in last place can't have that much respect for the game.

 

I disagree.

 

First of all, I think it is self rightous for you to write like you know what was going on in Sandberg's personal life, AND to expect him to be a certain way (I guess, how you or others might have been). Really, how can you preach about what he did or how he should have acted unless you're him, going through the same things he went through? The answer is that you cannot. Different people handle situations differently - it's called being human individuals. There are also many people who take time off to deal with their personal problems, he just happens to be one of those people. Sorry that he did not measure up to your expectations, but I doubt he's losing sleep over it.

 

Second, you could look at his respect for the game a little bit differently. Did you think maybe he left during 1994 BECAUSE of his respect for the game? He wasn't able to give his best effort, because of his personal problems. This half-hearted approach was not good enough, and he had to take time off to deal with his problems. This could be seen as SHOWING respect for the game, not the other way around.

 

There are two sides to every coin.

 

Are you the same dhaab that posts at STLTODAY?

 

Yes, I'm the same one.

 

Okay, my comments didn't conclude anything about what Ryno's personal problems were. I am merely stating that he was touting himself as someone who respects the game of baseball so much in his HOF speech. I think it's quite hypocritical for someone who quit on his last place team in the middle of a season to say something like that about himself.

 

And you're correct in saying that his situation could be looked at in two different ways. Maybe he didn't think he could give it his best effort. BUT that is my whole point. No sports writers in Chicago ever thought to bring up the other side of it. Do you actually believe he would have quit if the 1994 Cubs were a great team and in first place at the time?

 

We don't know what he would have done if the Cubs were in first place. What we do know is that his marriage was in trouble and he retired in an effort to save his marriage and take care of his family. I don't think that disrespects the game at all, just as it's not disrespectful for a player to take time to be with his wife during the birth of a child or to go be with his family during a time of crisis or death. It shows that baseball, while important, is not the most important thing. In fact not only does Sandberg's retirement raise my opinion of him as a ballplayer it does so as a human being. It shows that he had the proper priorities. Family is greater than a game. I think any of the HOFers that sat on that stage on Sunday would agree. It's quite apparent that you're grasping at straws in your attempt to throw mud on Sandberg's legacy.

 

 

Excellent points, eloquently stated - just like Sandberg's speech.

[CubbieRich]

Sorry, but I don't care a lick about McGwire and he wasn't even mentioned in my comments.

 

As for your comments comparing the two, you really have no idea what happened in their personal lives, so your conjecturing is pretty pointless.

 

Touch a nerve did we? The truth will do that. Big Yak's physical appearance in front of Congress in March said almost as much as his avoidance of telling the truth.

 

For someone with a documented history of deceit, lying, vow breaking and going back on his word, why should anyone be surprised?

[wolf stansson]

Obviously Mac touched some kind of nerve with you. I don't know why. It's not like the Cards were any good with him.

 

Now I'm no Mac apologist or defender, but...

For someone with a documented history of deceit, lying, vow breaking and going back on his word, why should anyone be surprised?

Care to procure any of those "documents"?

[dhaab]

Obviously Mac touched some kind of nerve with you. I don't know why. It's not like the Cards were any good with him.

 

Now I'm no Mac apologist or defender, but...

For someone with a documented history of deceit, lying, vow breaking and going back on his word, why should anyone be surprised?

Care to procure any of those "documents"?

 

++

I was never a big fan of McGwire. In fact, I remember a few conversations with friends about how him and Sammy were obviously juiced up on something and their homerun exploits weren't that impressive.

Add to that the fact that the Cards were a pretty average team with him didn't add to his popularity with me.

 

Obviously some on this board think they can read minds. :roll:

[dhaab]

IMO, Ryno quit on his teammates in the middle of a horrible season. That '94 Cubs team was a very bad team and was in dead last at the time he quit. They obviously had no post season hopes whatsoever.

 

I realize that Sandberg had some personal problems he wanted to straighten out in his life, but how many other athletes in sports have to endure problems in their personal lives while they continue to play? How many of us every day working stiffs have to live through personal tragedies, yet continue to go to work every day through it all?

 

IMO, the fact that Sandberg quit on his team like he did made him lose out on being a first ballot Hall of Famer. And the fact that he stood up there on the podium the other day and talked about how he had such a huge respect for the game seemed a bit over the top to me. Anyone who quits in the middle of a season when his team is in last place can't have that much respect for the game.

 

I disagree.

 

First of all, I think it is self rightous for you to write like you know what was going on in Sandberg's personal life, AND to expect him to be a certain way (I guess, how you or others might have been). Really, how can you preach about what he did or how he should have acted unless you're him, going through the same things he went through? The answer is that you cannot. Different people handle situations differently - it's called being human individuals. There are also many people who take time off to deal with their personal problems, he just happens to be one of those people. Sorry that he did not measure up to your expectations, but I doubt he's losing sleep over it.

 

Second, you could look at his respect for the game a little bit differently. Did you think maybe he left during 1994 BECAUSE of his respect for the game? He wasn't able to give his best effort, because of his personal problems. This half-hearted approach was not good enough, and he had to take time off to deal with his problems. This could be seen as SHOWING respect for the game, not the other way around.

 

There are two sides to every coin.

 

Are you the same dhaab that posts at STLTODAY?

 

Yes, I'm the same one.

 

Okay, my comments didn't conclude anything about what Ryno's personal problems were. I am merely stating that he was touting himself as someone who respects the game of baseball so much in his HOF speech. I think it's quite hypocritical for someone who quit on his last place team in the middle of a season to say something like that about himself.

 

And you're correct in saying that his situation could be looked at in two different ways. Maybe he didn't think he could give it his best effort. BUT that is my whole point. No sports writers in Chicago ever thought to bring up the other side of it. Do you actually believe he would have quit if the 1994 Cubs were a great team and in first place at the time?

 

We don't know what he would have done if the Cubs were in first place. What we do know is that his marriage was in trouble and he retired in an effort to save his marriage and take care of his family. I don't think that disrespects the game at all, just as it's not disrespectful for a player to take time to be with his wife during the birth of a child or to go be with his family during a time of crisis or death. It shows that baseball, while important, is not the most important thing. In fact not only does Sandberg's retirement raise my opinion of him as a ballplayer it does so as a human being. It shows that he had the proper priorities. Family is greater than a game. I think any of the HOFers that sat on that stage on Sunday would agree. It's quite apparent that you're grasping at straws in your attempt to throw mud on Sandberg's legacy.

 

 

There is no grasping at straws here. There is two sides to this story, but the Chicago media presented only one side. The one that wouldn't tarnish Ryne Sandberg's image. All I've ever wondered about is why the other side of this story has never been written about.

 

Someone taking time off to be with his wife or bereave a death in the family is quite different than quitting your job and not coming back.

 

Obviously none of us really know what Ryno would have done had the Cubs been in first place that season. I'm sure he had personal problems, but if your team is playing great and you have the chance to win a championship, the decision becomes MUCH harder to make. I happen to believe there is no way he would have quit if they were in first place at the time. If he had, the media and the fans would have crucified him. But he had an easy decision because the season was lost already. The fact that he bailed on his teammates and let them go through such a lousy season without their best player is pretty lame, IMO. You have your opinion and I have mine.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

There is no grasping at straws here. There is two sides to this story, but the Chicago media presented only one side. The one that wouldn't tarnish Ryne Sandberg's image. All I've ever wondered about is why the other side of this story has never been written about.

 

Someone taking time off to be with his wife or bereave a death in the family is quite different than quitting your job and not coming back.

 

Obviously none of us really know what Ryno would have done had the Cubs been in first place that season. I'm sure he had personal problems, but if your team is playing great and you have the chance to win a championship, the decision becomes MUCH harder to make. I happen to believe there is no way he would have quit if they were in first place at the time. If he had, the media and the fans would have crucified him. But he had an easy decision because the season was lost already. The fact that he bailed on his teammates and let them go through such a lousy season without their best player is pretty lame, IMO. You have your opinion and I have mine.

 

I think the intent of your comments are clear. You want to tarnish the reputation of a player who played the game the right way. You don't like Sandberg because he's a Cub and so you're looking for any angle you can to diminish him and his reputation. It's quite clear.

 

Surely being in first place would have made the decision a tougher one. Sandberg played the game to win and had he and his team been in that position, he would have had a tougher time calling it quits. No doubt. I don't think, however there is any difference in what he did and taking time to be with his family. The only difference is that what his family required could not be fixed with a short term leave. In fact, as we later learned, it could not be fixed, but that doesn't take anything away from the nobility of his trying to repair a damage in his family. What you call lame, I consider noble. I just pray that when you have a family, you'll have a greater appreciation for them than you think Ryno should have had for his. If not, I forsee an unhappy union in your future.

 

I think the "other side" of this story, as you call it, was never written because most of these writers are family men. First they respect the privacy of a man who sought to protect his family and they respect that those personal issues were more important to the game. Secondly, because most, if not all, see that it is a non-story. There's nothing there really. Why would they seek to tarnish someone's image because he chose family over baseball? If you think that baseball would be more important than saving a marriage, it is you that have some mixed up priorities.

 

You're right. I have my opinion. You have yours, which is really sad if you believe a game is more important than family. I hope you share these beliefs with the person you choose to marry sooner rather than later.

[bhogg]

standing ovation for Vance!

 

 

Nevermind the fact that Ryno walked away from the biggest contract in baseball.

 

 

Kinda tough to say a guy is classless when that guy holds his family above all others and doesn't stoop to such levels as playing ball just for the money.

 

 

Heck, if 1/10 of the rumors are true, Sandberg was battling marital problems for quite some time. I think in 1994, it all came to a head with his wife walking out and leaving him holding the bag. Sure, he could have hired a nanny or got a family member to take care of the kiddos, but apparently he places too high a value on family.

 

When Ryno retired, I was pretty devastated. I couldn't imagine what would cause him to do such a thing. It really wasn't until I had kids of my that I realized what could have been going through his mind at that time.

 

 

There are plenty of guys you can look down on and say they disrespect the game. Ryne Sandberg is not one of those guys.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

One last point as we lay to rest this ridiculous argument. Regardless of whether the divorce was a forgone conclusion or not, Sandberg's children were ages 10 and 12 at the time. Anyone who has been a child through a divorce knows what a difficult time that is, and especially for children at that age.

 

In fact, here is what Sandberg himself had to say about it.

 

"I was going through some rough times in my life when I retired,'' Sandberg said, the passing of years making it easier to talk about what he wouldn't comment on then. "I was going through a divorce. As a dad, I felt it was important to take care of business outside of baseball. Baseball went on strike three weeks later [prematurely ending the 1994 season], so baseball was in a little bit of turmoil, and everything just kind of hit at once. I felt under those circumstances I couldn't play on the level I was used to.

 

 

I think Sandberg deserves more respect not less because he chose to be a father at a time his children would need him most. I'd hope that I would have the unselfishness and courage to make a similar decision. In fatc, I hope that all fathers would.

[dhaab]

There is no grasping at straws here. There is two sides to this story, but the Chicago media presented only one side. The one that wouldn't tarnish Ryne Sandberg's image. All I've ever wondered about is why the other side of this story has never been written about.

 

Someone taking time off to be with his wife or bereave a death in the family is quite different than quitting your job and not coming back.

 

Obviously none of us really know what Ryno would have done had the Cubs been in first place that season. I'm sure he had personal problems, but if your team is playing great and you have the chance to win a championship, the decision becomes MUCH harder to make. I happen to believe there is no way he would have quit if they were in first place at the time. If he had, the media and the fans would have crucified him. But he had an easy decision because the season was lost already. The fact that he bailed on his teammates and let them go through such a lousy season without their best player is pretty lame, IMO. You have your opinion and I have mine.

 

I think the intent of your comments are clear. You want to tarnish the reputation of a player who played the game the right way. You don't like Sandberg because he's a Cub and so you're looking for any angle you can to diminish him and his reputation. It's quite clear.

 

Surely being in first place would have made the decision a tougher one. Sandberg played the game to win and had he and his team been in that position, he would have had a tougher time calling it quits. No doubt. I don't think, however there is any difference in what he did and taking time to be with his family. The only difference is that what his family required could not be fixed with a short term leave. In fact, as we later learned, it could not be fixed, but that doesn't take anything away from the nobility of his trying to repair a damage in his family. What you call lame, I consider noble. I just pray that when you have a family, you'll have a greater appreciation for them than you think Ryno should have had for his. If not, I forsee an unhappy union in your future.

 

I think the "other side" of this story, as you call it, was never written because most of these writers are family men. First they respect the privacy of a man who sought to protect his family and they respect that those personal issues were more important to the game. Secondly, because most, if not all, see that it is a non-story. There's nothing there really. Why would they seek to tarnish someone's image because he chose family over baseball? If you think that baseball would be more important than saving a marriage, it is you that have some mixed up priorities.

 

You're right. I have my opinion. You have yours, which is really sad if you believe a game is more important than family. I hope you share these beliefs with the person you choose to marry sooner rather than later.

 

 

Why must you assume things about people you don't even know?

 

I don't hate Sandberg at all. In fact, he's one of the best players I've ever had the chance to see in person. I happened to see the game he hit two home runs off Sutter to beat St. Louis in 1984. That game pretty much put him on the map as a superstar in the major leagues.

 

This has nothing to do with how I feel about the man. It has to do with how and why the media choose to write positive or negative stories about a player who did something as controversial as quitting in the middle of a season.

 

I happen to be a father of two who has gone through similar family problems to Ryno. I know first hand how much it can take out of you. However, I kept working throughout my personal problems. I tried to keep them separate from my professional life.

 

Finally, I never said that family wasn't as important as someone's professional life. What I said was that quitting in the middle of a job isn't a good thing. Sandberg played for a team and he bailed on them in the middle of a season. If you have ever played team sports, you know that isn't considered a very noble thing, regardless of the reasons for doing it.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

 

Why must you assume things about people you don't even know?

 

I don't hate Sandberg at all. In fact, he's one of the best players I've ever had the chance to see in person. I happened to see the game he hit two home runs off Sutter to beat St. Louis in 1984. That game pretty much put him on the map as a superstar in the major leagues.

 

This has nothing to do with how I feel about the man. It has to do with how and why the media choose to write positive or negative stories about a player who did something as controversial as quitting in the middle of a season.

 

I happen to be a father of two who has gone through similar family problems to Ryno. I know first hand how much it can take out of you. However, I kept working throughout my personal problems. I tried to keep them separate from my professional life.

 

Finally, I never said that family wasn't as important as someone's professional life. What I said was that quitting in the middle of a job isn't a good thing. Sandberg played for a team and he bailed on them in the middle of a season. If you have ever played team sports, you know that isn't considered a very noble thing, regardless of the reasons for doing it.

 

I don't see anything controversial about what Sandberg did, and the media likely didn't either. What's interesting is not only is it not being written about now, it wasn't written about then. Why? Because it's inconsequential. I followed Sandberg as closely as any player. I remember being extremely dissapointed that he retired. When I began to learn why, I supported him in that decision. It was the right decision then and it's the right decision now. I also don't recall there being any debate at the time of whether he was wrong in what he was doing. I think the media, his team mates, and fans realized then just as they do now that he was making the right call. His family, his children, were and should have been more important.

 

The fact is your situation was likely very different from Sandberg's in the fact that to financially provide for yourself and your family, you had to keep working. Sandberg had been making 7 million a year for 3 years at the time of his retirement. He was capable of quitting. In fact, he was leaving a lot of money on the table when he walked away. Also, I'm only assuming this, but I doubt your professional life required you to be away as much as Sandberg's did. It's really hard to be there for your children or to try to reconcile with a spouse when you have to go on the road as often or when you are constantly in the public eye. Surely he was lucky that he was in a financial position to walk away to be there for his family. If I were in the same boat, I likely wouldn't have that luxury, but you can bet I'd do the same if I could.

 

I have played sports and yes, I can understand how some would feel upset at a team mate bailing on them. But what Sandberg did was different than a player saying I'm tired so I quit or I want to quit so I can travel the world and smoke pot, ala Ricky Williams. When one looks at why Sandberg made his choice, no sane person can argue with those priorities. Your last statement I think is completely wrong. The reasons do matter. No sport, no season, and no game is more important than family. There are reasons that make it acceptable to walk away from playing a game. That's what this is. Regardless of how much we invest in it. Regardless of how much time we spend watching, playing, or discussing it. It is a game. It's not more important than the well being of someone's family. I think Sandberg's team mates recognized that. I think the media recognized that. I think the fans recognized that. The fact that you don't makes me really question how you think putting a game above the needs of family is acceptable in the least.

[CubbieRich]

Why must you assume things about people you don't even know?

 

This has nothing to do with how I feel about the man. It has to do with how and why the media choose to write positive or negative stories about a player who did something as controversial as quitting in the middle of a season.

 

I happen to be a father of two who has gone through similar family problems to Ryno. I know first hand how much it can take out of you. However, I kept working throughout my personal problems. I tried to keep them separate from my professional life.

 

Finally, I never said that family wasn't as important as someone's professional life. What I said was that quitting in the middle of a job isn't a good thing. Sandberg played for a team and he bailed on them in the middle of a season. If you have ever played team sports, you know that isn't considered a very noble thing, regardless of the reasons for doing it.

 

Trying to drag a Cubs player down to St. Louis level. There is no more a biased and mouthpiece for a MLB team than the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. Considering they also own a piece of the Cardinals, they rarely criticize the team. Writers Bernie Miklasz, Joe Strauss and Rick Hummel are mere lapdogs for the team.

 

McGwire told the Cardinals and Cards fans he was retiring, by hiding in California and Faxing his retirement to St. Louis. What a class guy. He's afraid to go back to St. Louis, because he'd be booed. McGwire was a surly, arrogant, one-trick pony of a player, who juiced up and milked $$$ millions from the fans in St. Louis. It took Sammy Sosa to get him away from being such a jerk and enjoy 1998.

 

In Rick Reilly's book on McGwire, he readily admits that he was unfaithful to his first wife and young infant son. What a loser.