11/05/24
August 02, 2002
Bowden must go,: according to Keith Olbermann, because of his words and his lack of actions in the aftermath of his September 11th reference. Olbermann says, "One feels that had Bowden chosen to stand up and breathe life into these flat words, the apology might have seemed sincere, the trespass understood, and the reaction limited to some brief suspension or leave of absence. Instead, Bowden has compounded cruelty with cowardice." Like all the other managers Olbermann mentions, should Bowden give up his job?
I don't see the problem either. Olbermann isn't making much sense.
posted by elsoltano at 10:52 AM on August 02, 2002
No, maybe it isn't the worst he could've said, but he could've chosen better words. I think we all agree that baseball will go down with a strike, but I hate to think that it will be as devastating as 9/11. If baseball ends, it won't make me rethink the value my life, as I am sure many other did, after the attacks. No, Bowden shouldn't be fired, but he should've stepped up to the mic on the apology.
posted by rebeuthl at 11:07 AM on August 02, 2002
Darn, I thought this was about Bobby Bowden (FSU)...I'd love to see him go. No, Jim Bowden (Cincy Reds) shouldn't be forced to leave over this.
posted by msacheson at 11:15 AM on August 02, 2002
Being a dumbass is its own punishment. The media, of all people, should not be in favor of firing someone for saying something stupid.
posted by rcade at 11:22 AM on August 02, 2002
He's gotta go!
posted by djacobs at 11:46 AM on August 02, 2002
His remarks were a tiny bit stupid, but nothing to get worked up over. How does firing him solve anything? Just another case of over-reactionary sports media making a big deal out of nothing. Did Bush step down after his so-called "tasteless" "trifecta" joke (in which I still fail to notice the offensiveness)? Of course not. Bowden is still the man for the job. If he leaves then baseball is over! That's gonna be my new line, to replace "the terrorists have already won." If I don't get a free meal here at your lovely steakhouse, baseball is over! You hear me? Over!
posted by Succa at 12:05 PM on August 02, 2002
Rebeuthl I think you, like many others, are misreading his words. Look at the quote carefully: "If players want to strike, they ought to just pick Sept. 11, because that's what it's going to do to the game,'' Bowden said." He's not saying that a work stoppage == Sept 11th. He's saying the the effect of Sept 11th to the United States is like the effect a work stoppage in baseball will have on the sport of baseball.
posted by elsoltano at 12:39 PM on August 02, 2002
He probably shouldn't be fired. I mean, it was a dumb thing to say for several reasons (Inappropriate comparison, it's wrong to say baseball won't survive, and besides, don't you fly planes?) But it's just a guy making a ludicrous comparison. I mean, it's not Al Campanis, a guy in the front office of a major-league baseball team, trying to explain why blacks don't have the necessary skills to become front-office executives. Which revealed not only idiocy but a probable prejudice in hiring practices as well. It was dumb, but I've heard dumber.
posted by nath at 12:55 PM on August 02, 2002
posted by hysdavid at 03:05 PM on August 02, 2002
Sr. Sun Tan, I don't think I misunderstood the quote. But why even make any comparison? The two are not on the same scale. If anyone thinks it is, they need some help. If anything, 9/11 taught many people where sports belong; as entertainment. Not the end-all, be-all to life. I think that's why everyone is making a stink of the quote. The two (baseball & 9/11) do not belong on the same level.
posted by rebeuthl at 05:03 PM on August 02, 2002
Well it looks like Selig took the middle ground and fined him. But its an 'undisclosed' amount, so I have no idea whether its excessive or not. It's certainly better than firing him, but it won't placate crybabies like Olbermann.
posted by insomnyuk at 12:16 AM on August 03, 2002
I thought the analogy was apt: Essentially, if there is another league strike, the MLB will go down in flames. I'm sorry, but I don't see the problem. It's not like he said "Osama bin Laden is the best" or something like that.