Enough is enough V3.0
Twice last year, I posted some rules that were to be followed for
comments on this blog. They were very clear: discuss the topic in the
post, or a game, series, player, coaching decision, the league, something that happened or caught your eye that night, ask a question, etc. In other words, stay on topic. I also said that those who comment should not snipe at others by calling them names or dropping the level of this blog into the gutter.
That's why I had to resort to using comment moderation. It worked for the last few months of last season. I relaxed the rules for the offseason because, well, there isn't much to talk about in the offseason. But it seems that some people need to be reminded about the rules here. There will be no more trolling, and no more hijacking of an O-R blog to further some person's agenda instead of adding to the topic discussion.
We've had enough comments in two seasons about turf, parking prices, concession stand lines, concession prices, ushers and so on to last a lifetime. This is a blog first and foremost about a baseball team and secondly about the league it plays in. At least the conversion about the turf last year was timely and had an impact on the team and games. The conversation became overkill, but at least it relevant to the product on the field.
This year, despite my best efforts, this blog has become the parking lot/concession stand blog, which is why I have remind everyone of the rules for comments. I didn't get into this business to write about parking prices or french fries. I don't care about them. Well, that's not true. I do like french fries, but you get my point.
If you want to discuss parking prices and the cost of a cold hot dog, then I suggest you start your own blog. I'll even tell you how to set one up. But for those who want to simply use the traffic and visibility of a blog provided by the Observer-Reporter to spread their word, it's no longer going to happen.
I was thinking recently about the comments somebody made last year about people using this blog for their own personal agenda or to take a pot shot at another blog reader, and how that's chasing away people who want to talk about baseball or whatever the posted subject matter is. I've had numerous people tell me over the last two years that they've stopped commenting on this blog because of this. That's a shame because I spend way too much time on this silly little endeavor to see it ruined by a few. This blog is not something I have to do. I'm not required to spend time thinking of and writing blog posts about a minor league baseball team. This is something I thought would be fun and interesting to try.
After reviewing the comments on my last five posts, and those comments that were not posted for various reasons (snide remarks, libelous comments, comments that can't be confirmed or proven to be true etc.), I found only seven that had anything to do with the subject matter. One suggested that I not waste my time analyzing this team or league (I thought that's what sportswriters were supposed to do?). That tells me there must not be enough people who want to talk baseball or the Frontier League here, and it's probably not worth my time and effort to continue this blog.
I'll give it a couple of weeks and see if this really is a blog about baseball or a blog about burnt hamburgers and parking spaces. If it's about the latter, then you count me out.
That's why I had to resort to using comment moderation. It worked for the last few months of last season. I relaxed the rules for the offseason because, well, there isn't much to talk about in the offseason. But it seems that some people need to be reminded about the rules here. There will be no more trolling, and no more hijacking of an O-R blog to further some person's agenda instead of adding to the topic discussion.
We've had enough comments in two seasons about turf, parking prices, concession stand lines, concession prices, ushers and so on to last a lifetime. This is a blog first and foremost about a baseball team and secondly about the league it plays in. At least the conversion about the turf last year was timely and had an impact on the team and games. The conversation became overkill, but at least it relevant to the product on the field.
This year, despite my best efforts, this blog has become the parking lot/concession stand blog, which is why I have remind everyone of the rules for comments. I didn't get into this business to write about parking prices or french fries. I don't care about them. Well, that's not true. I do like french fries, but you get my point.
If you want to discuss parking prices and the cost of a cold hot dog, then I suggest you start your own blog. I'll even tell you how to set one up. But for those who want to simply use the traffic and visibility of a blog provided by the Observer-Reporter to spread their word, it's no longer going to happen.
I was thinking recently about the comments somebody made last year about people using this blog for their own personal agenda or to take a pot shot at another blog reader, and how that's chasing away people who want to talk about baseball or whatever the posted subject matter is. I've had numerous people tell me over the last two years that they've stopped commenting on this blog because of this. That's a shame because I spend way too much time on this silly little endeavor to see it ruined by a few. This blog is not something I have to do. I'm not required to spend time thinking of and writing blog posts about a minor league baseball team. This is something I thought would be fun and interesting to try.
After reviewing the comments on my last five posts, and those comments that were not posted for various reasons (snide remarks, libelous comments, comments that can't be confirmed or proven to be true etc.), I found only seven that had anything to do with the subject matter. One suggested that I not waste my time analyzing this team or league (I thought that's what sportswriters were supposed to do?). That tells me there must not be enough people who want to talk baseball or the Frontier League here, and it's probably not worth my time and effort to continue this blog.
I'll give it a couple of weeks and see if this really is a blog about baseball or a blog about burnt hamburgers and parking spaces. If it's about the latter, then you count me out.
posted by Chris Dugan at
10:13 AM
13 Comments:
Well said Chris
So, there is really no reason to post on this blog. Chris can see that the complaints are having an effect on the WT junk food sales and apparently the WT can't handle the criticism, not that they ever could.
So now we know exactly where Chris Dugan stands. He is in favor of all the stuff Mr. Williams has done, at least that’s how I see it.
The red herring story about starting another blog is just a smoke screen to cover up the fact the O-R and Mr. Dugan can see what is happening. The Wild Things are going down a greased chute.
What baseball is there to blog about? Another player released, another player traded to the Pecos League.
Can we talk about bungled run-down plays? Why don’t we talk about the difference these ex major league
coaches are making? All really the same stuff that we have experienced for many, many years at CEP. Always promising something better “next Year” but never delivering
The only real difference that has made any impact this season is the higher cost to going to CEP to see the same old thing.
I far as suggesting that somebody intimated you should not analyze the game……total bull, read it again.
Wild Things baseball, different same old thing except the new higher prices but…….Don’t blog about that because it doesn’t have a darn thing to do with the Wild Things
OK, I won’t
Ima Fraid
The only thing Mr. Dugan is in favor of is putting some time into authoring a baseball blog, not something that should be authored by Guy Fieri or the local parking authority. Again, if nobody here wants to talk baseball, I'm not going to waste my time.
OT: Anyone watching the Pirates game tonight? Josh Harrison made what might be the worst relay throw in baseball history. It's worth catching on the highlight/lowlight shows.
How do you separate baseball from things related to the teams such as the actions of the management? It all affects the team in some manner.
The price structure at the concession stands has a direct correlation to attendance. Lower attendance equals
less revenue. Lower revenue means greater losses for the entire organization. Greater losses equals layoffs
and a greater workload for the remaining staff. Greater workload means decaying morale. It’s not good but it still all relates to how the fans feel about the team and management. Management, or the teams performance, or lack of it. It’s all part of the game.
With team policies now off limits; what’s left to talk about?
How do you separate baseball from the actions of management? That's easy. The price of a hot dog or some intern's workload has nothing to do with Doug Thennis' ability to hit a slider, who should be the fifth starting pitcher or if Chris Bando should try more steals or hit-and-run plays.
That's the main problem. The organization has never sold the baseball and rightly so because it is not much more quality baseball than watching the high school kids play. It is "minor league" because they choose to call it that. They try and sell the entertainment factor. Some people enjoy it, some don't. I am not going to chastize people who enjoy it. The OR reports on it because it is the only game in town during the summer. Once the novelty wears off and it appears to be the case here it is a tough product to sell. Check the league's history, after awhile teams just pack up and show the product to a different town. Do you think Canton, OH misses the Crocodiles? I hope the team does well and I hope they stay around. If I want to watch baseball, I'll watch the pirates. If I want entertained, I will go to CEP and hope for a nice night and people watch.
what chris bando should do is find some players who can actually hit anything.... in a traditionally hitting-rich league, the wild things are in line at the soup kitchen...
Chris:
Most of us so called Wild Thing bashers are actually afraid (not Ima Fraid) the actions by Mr. Williams this year has priced himself out of the market. Raising the parking $2/car all at once is crazy. The concession prices are Angelos type prices with soup kitchen quality. I would not mind paying the prices if the quality was at the level of prices. The ticket prices except for general admission were raised (actually less than the parking rate) which I can take.
I wonder if Mr. Williams is wanting out of Washington since he is putting out feelers about establishing a franchise in WVA?
I want the team to stay in Washington and have 3000+ per night like in the past, but both winning and a better value for your buck is needed to get back to the good old days. Perhaps a good start would be to bring John Switek (not sure of spelling) back.
When they ditched John, the downward spiral began!
Are the Wild Things uniforms off limits too?
John will NOT be back. I think there are too many "burned bridges" for that to ever happen.
Ima Fraid
I can go to the ballpark, watch the Things play and enjoy the game for what it is - entertainment. Of course we all want to see 'our' team win, or be involved in a well played loss. I believe Mgr Bando will give us that opportunity more times than not. The season has just begun. Peanuts, popcorn and Cracker Jacks can be sung about, not a necessity to consume during the game.
Wild Things fans obviously have never been outside of Washington in the last 20 years. Go to a Pirates game for once and you'll see what price gouging is all about. It's $15 to park; a burger, fries (smaller than at Consol Energy Park) and a soft drink will cost you more than $20. A draft beer is (I forget which) either $8 or $9. I saw a burger for $9 and bottled water for $4. Now that's something to complain about.
Mr. Anonymous of May 30, 9:16 PM.
Yes, I am a Wild Things fan and I have been out of Washington. Something you probably have not done is visit other Frontier League ball parks. Of the current teams and cities, I have been to Gateway, River City, Florence, Evansville, and Lake Erie, plus several cities when the had team in the past such as Chillicotte, Canton, and Richmond.
Many of the parks have free parking and the price of concessions are in the most part lower. Some have higher ticket prices.
You have to realize, this is not major league baseball. The player make a mininum salary which is lower that minimum wage base on a 40 hour week, not the major leagues where the average player salary is over a million.
This is lower than rooke A ball and I don't know now where the Frontier League ranks among independent leagues.
Wake up, we want baseball to stay in Washington.
Ticket prices only pay part of the bill for ownership. Concessions and souviners are a major part of the income. The parking for the Pirates also includes a parking tax of almost 50%, so the fee is actually closer to $7.50 compares to the Williams park of $5 with no local taxes on the parking. I encourage North Franklin Twp. to impose a tax on the parking fee. They should also enjoy part of the revenue similar to the city of Pittsburgh. Perhaps if N. Franklin Twp would impose a 50% parking tax, Mr. Williams could provide free parking, or a portion of the lot free, such as many of the other teams withing the league and people could use the $5 to buy a bottle and a half of beverage or on thursty Thursday, 5 small drinks.
I bet when N. Franklin Twp. decided not to impose a parking or amusement tax for 2012 they did not know Mr. Williams was raising the parking by $2/car.
Put this into your pipe and smoke it.
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