THE TIMES, THEY NEED TO BE ACHANGIN’
By Bill Smith
If you are an observer of politics at all, and with all that’s going on today unless you’re the pinball wizard, you are aware that our republic is mired in red tape, partisanship, greed and incompetence. Because 0f the morass, nothing gets done to solve any problems. The best that can be hoped for is that one of these over-legislated, ungainly laws will be amended to satisfy some knee jerk crisis which accomplishes little but to add more paper to the pile.
One such behemoth is the IRS tax code. It is so complicated, entire industries have been born, trying the explain the thing; another is the Immigration laws. The topic is bandied about loudly but I will wager that less than 5 % of the Congress know these laws’ contents; again, a confusing, toothless amendment to assuage those of the jerked knee is the cure de jure. If Congress were honest and competent, these laws and their kin need to be junked and rebuilt from scratch.
It appears to me at least, that the Red Sox organization finds itself in a quandry, in many respects, similar to the attempts at repair of these unwieldy pieces of legislation. Problems are treated as shaving nicks when tranfusions are needed. Let us examine events of late and attempt to blow away the clouds of the spin doctors and other media. Why are we, the loyal, the die hards, the time worn fan base, forced to endure the dark night of the soul while we watch the apathic attempting unfelt enthusiasm.
From my sources in Boston, albeit unlettered as they are, I learn that much of this fan base is so disillusioned, so frustrated, that former zeal has been replaced with anger which has progressed to the point of indifference; it is time for the Red Sox leadership to realize this and take what painful steps as are necessary to heal the ailing beast.
The super rich, such as our illustrious owner, don’t buy necessities. They acquire toys, things to be played with and then cast aside when boredom replaces interest-yachts, spouses, flipping businesses for short term gain and sports teams. To my knowledge not one major sports team is operated as a full time business for the owners. They were rich to begin with and acquire teams as an expensive hobby.
John Henry and gang bought the majority interest in the Red Sox in 2002, the culmination of smaller having smaller interests in other sports teams. Since then, he(his group) has bought a soccer team, the Liverpool F.C. and half of Jack Roush’s NASCAR team (now Roush Fenway Racing). Toys, all toys.
An owner of a toy loses interest in the oldest toy and that is our plight today. He’s bored with us and he won’t let those who can, do what must be done. The inability to repair the broken, and knowing how and not doing it, render the same result-a broken system stays broken. There is only one reasonably available way for Congress to fix these broken laws. Repeal them and start from scratch; unfortunately they don’t know how. There is only one reasonably available cure for the Sox. The then New England Sports Ventures(now FenwaySports Ventures)_ should admit it has lost interest in it’s oldest toy and sell to some one who is interested.
Do not misunderstand. Under Henry’s ownership two Championship teams were built. Fenway was salvaged and refurbished, and an unbelievable string of consecutive home sellouts started. At away games, Red Sox jerseys competed with the home fans. The steel driving man, et al. built a strong, vibrant franchise. But now, after two world series wins he started losing interest in baseball and got into soccer and auto racing in a big way. e.g. NESN, one of the parts of the organization, began trumpeting the virtues of the Liverpool soccer team, in such a way as it was in competition for the Red Sox. Bad trades were made and the team, our team, as second banana, began to suffer.
Chickengate and player performance were not the causes of the September collapse. They were symptons of the growing specter of ennui that was manifesting itself in the above mentioned shortcomings, open player discontent and lack of communication between the head and body.
So, Mr. Henry, please look in the mirror and have a serious talk with yourself. Admit to yourself that your ardor has cooled and your first thoughts are not with the Red Sox. Your original vision was admirable and you reached it. You have two trophies and a beautiful stadium. Thank you. Now, it is time for you, unlike our feckless Congress, to do what has to be done, for the betterment of the team. I feel, in your pursuit of newer louder toys, that you have forgotten the most important things, the storied team and the sport’s most loyal sports fans. It is time to move on.
Confess that you know your work here is done and a brand new, energized ownership needs to shepherd our precious team to continued greatness and into it’s second century; it is broken, you broke it, you know how to fix, so fix it. If you do not, I assure you of one thing. Your record skein of sellouts is history.
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