More Sporting News Fallout about the O's...

Well, I just got up and logged onto the Baltimore Sun, and a segment called the Flip Side has a blurb titled, "Orioles Join Not-so-Elite Company".

Here's the blurb:

"So this is what nine straight losing seasons gets you - the company of the Oakland Raiders, New York Knicks and St. Louis Blues.

The Orioles have been lumped in with those teams in The Sporting News' selection of the worst pro sports franchises.

And how disrespectful is this? The pieces at sportingnews.com on the other three members of what Sporting News calls the "Feeble Foursome" at least are real articles. The Orioles get only a chronology - lists of dates with short summaries of what happened.

Sheesh. Would Sporting News have done the same if it had picked the Kansas City Royals?"

Well, I have no idea who wrote the piece, but like I have asserted before in a few posts, the Orioles got the mention as the worst franchise in baseball, not sorely because of our record, but because of the endless hirings, firings, players going in and out, our owner, the declining attendance, fan apathy, not using our resources at all properly and other reasons that I don't care to go into.

Sorry I must say this, but the fall from one of the elite franchises in baseball to a laughing stock has been shocking. I don't think has anything to do with us being the playoffs during the 90's and sucking it up, while the Royals, Pirates and Brewers have been just as bad or worse.

It's the soap opera storylines and car crash mentality that has now been placed on the Orioles like a black storm cloud by baseball, the media, and even some Orioles' fans.

Folks, I know it sucks that some magazine gave the Orioles such a dubious title, but in my mind the only way to erase the notion we are the worst baseball franchise in sport is to be smart & start winning - plain and simple.

Boomer and the Padres, News on a way, way old friend: The San Diego Padres and David Wells are going to be reunited. According to ESPN, 'The Padres and Wells' agent agreed in principle Friday to a $3 million, one-year deal that gives the 43-year-old left-hander the chance to make another $4 million in incentives.'

He's always been one of my favorite baseball players, not only for his pitching, but his outspokeness and how someone like him could possibly be considered a professional athlete.

Most of my friends trash him, but he made to that to the level thousands dream of, and throws the ball across the plate a whole lot better than I do.

I'd love to see him in better shape, but I'll take him as he is.