You want to talk about examples of group think? Well, look no further. First, let's look at the decision that had to be made to even play the game:
Here are some of the factors involved:
Fans: How long do you have to tell them NOT to come to the stadium? Can you do that? What about reshceduling, or the back lash?
Employees: Food, Beverages, Merchandise, Parking... All of these were probably in place by 2pm in the afternoon if not earlier. How about getting them in place again if they do cancel and reschedule?
Teams: Rays probably had their hotel rooms checked out. Had their travel plans, etc... If postpone, where do we put them? How long before we even get them a place and out of this stadium? (they actually were moved to Wilmington, DE)
TV: Pregame shows, network schedules, ESPN, MLB.com, Revenue, revenue, revenue.
There is a ton of stuff that gets jammed up here if you decided to call the game LATE in the decision process. Which would have been the case, because it didn't start raining until after 4pm or so. So how do you make that call? What happens if you make the call and at 10pm there isn't a drop of rain on the field?
So what happens? He doesn't make the best decision based on the outcome, and integrity of the actual game. He makes the best decsion based on the surrounding factors such as ease of rescheduling, room availability, and most of all TV revenues. To prove his decision he lies about a weatherman telling him information that was already untrue when he got it. Or, in the very least believed something out of convenience that could NOT have been true. Christ, the Philly networks were showing updates all day about the likelyhood of this game NOT beig played.
Obviously he was pressured by someone representing every issue I state above. No doubt the networks had the largest input. But he failed in his duty to lead, and make the best decision that would protect the integrity of the game. Which again, would be to not eve play the game in the first place.
So, they play the game. And what happens? Lake Champlain in the infield. Rollins dropping pop flies. Infield fly rules being altered because of the weather. And a game that now needs to resume AFTER it is tied, in the BOTTOM of an inning.
SO, the Phils get screwed. How? The Rays don't have to field in a down poor. The infield fly rule will be in effect when they play. The point is it becomes an unequal playing field. Who knows if its unfair. Who cares. But the integrity of the game is lost now because one side gets to play in certain weather, and the other does not.
Now, if the game isn't tied, and they need to make a decision about calling the game, based on the rule, it is a complete game after 5 innings, and the Phils would be awarded the win. Of course this wouldn't happen, it's the goddamn world series. But Selig would have had to make the "whats best for the game" exemption. If he waits til the game is tied, even AFTER 5 innings of play, there is a rule, which he read directly out of the rule book, like a little bitch, all happy and giddy about not having to be the one to think independantly and actually LEAD, or do what his job demands of him. No, now he has a rule book to read form. See! This isn't me! This is the rule book! Pussy
Now, for the first time in WS history, we have a suspended game due to weather. What a great legacy!
This is the leader of the MLB and with his actions last night, he failed Baseball, the fans, AND the networks. His incompetence has once again been highlighted on a national , and this time global level, and I can't see how it goes unpunished.
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The rain does not seem to be letting up at all, and the weather people say that by 8 pm it should start to trail off. We'll see what they do tonight. In my area it is supposed to turn to flurries, and I'm only 30 minutes north and west of the city. It will be cold.
Hopefully, the Phils get it in good and we can celebrate here at home! Nothing would be better for Selig. The fans here won't remember anything other than the wins, and I doubt any Tampa fans have an issue with how it went last night.
In the least, it will be fun to watch. A two and a half inning game! Nothing better than T-Ball to decide on a 6th game of the world series or not.
9 comments:
man you philly fans are bitter bitter people.
just finish the damn thing already so we don't have to read about how much suffering you've been thru.
:)
I don't really see how the MARLINS gained an advantage dolt.
They are working on their golf games.
oops... mistake corrected
Looks like Game 5 has officially been postponed until at least Wednesday.
Just win it and shut all the Haters up. As a die hard mets fan it pains me to say it but GO PHILLIES!
IT
See the thing is this, Bud makes decisions based on his own ass now because of the all-star game debacle...and he still manages to screw eveything up!
Aside: Did you hear tidbit about the Ump collective bargaining agreement that says no ump can do back to back series? This is so they give every ump a chance to call the big game. Seems to be working out well!
Once they started playing last night there was absolutely nothing that could have been done that would be fair to either side. There was no way he would call the game after the 5th (like the rules state) because Tampa Fans would have screamed bloody murder (curious if it was 10-1 if that would have been the case). Plus all we would have heard on sports talk and ESPN is how cheaply the Phils won it....
Out of all the things McCarver has ever said, stating the Tampa Run got MLB off the hook, was clearly his most accurate.
I'd advise you to have Waffle place a wager on the Rays.
Even God can't screw with Waffle's cooler abilities.
What amazes me is how people can look at the situation two completely different ways. Phillies fans wear red colored glasses and Rays fans wear blue (or baby blue). I live in Tampa but am not a native so I can look at this slightly more neutral.
On the radio stations here they bitch and complain about the umps screwing the Rays and how McCarver is an obvious Phils fan. I read all the Phils blogs and its the exact opposite.
Here is something out of the blue, all the umps have sucked. Both teams have been screwed. End of story.
/rant
Thanks for the reply Snuff. You are certainly right in the fact that both sides see it completely different.
although I am of the thought that McCarver hates everyone.
The Ump have sucked, and it has effected both teams.
My rant was more of a stance that the game should have never been played at all, and the fact that Selig continually makes decisions that effect how much his ass will be covered, and not what is best for the GAME.
Either way, it is what it is, and I only hope for a great rest of the series. Good Luck to all the Rays fans!
So far I don't believe we have gotten their best effort.
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