Boob Wolff Whines Again

Oakland Athletics owner Lew “Boob” Wolff is making the rounds of the local media pitching his idea for a San Jose stadium and philosophizing on the A's need for a couple of hitters, which everyone thinks they need. In his comments to the San Francisco Chronicle he makes it clear that he does not want to spend the money and would prefer to develop home grown talent. In the last ten years the team has not done very well in this department. They produce “patient” hitters that get on base, but also leave too many runners in scoring position. During his interview on Comcast's broadcast of tonight's game he says he wants the new stadium and fan base to generate the revenue to acquire these sluggers. This is at once an insult to the current fan base and admission that he will do little to improve the team over the off season. With three losing seasons under his belt and a fourth likely and with his constant whining about the Coliseum it is he that alienates and destroys the fan base. I am beginning to believe the conspiracy theorists who posit that he is doing this intentionally and waiting for his new ball park before he hatches the moves to make this team a contender. Am I being too emotional? Hell, yes! I am a fan and that is short for fanatic. The A's cultivate an emotional relationship with us and now Boob Wolff wants to take this away. And going off to San Jose may as well be leaving for the moon. Some dismiss this as a purely business action. Well I hate businessmen and guys like Wolff make me want to become a Commie.

Lew Wolf Sucks

Yes, he does! In today's San Francisco Chronicle, John Shea's front page article details the Oakland Athletics attendance woes. Shea cites several reasons. First, is the team's managing general partner's public disparagement of its stadium. Second, there are those silly tarps on the third deck which limit attendance. In addition, A's President, Mike Crowley, says the economy and the A's recent performance do take their toll. Some suspect the team is sabotaging attendance in order to facilitate its move from Oakland. Lew Wolf whines that this is“...A bunch of crap.” Well, Boob Wolf, if you are not deliberately planning this, then you are incompetent, because your marketing approach is abysmal. I think the later is more of a condemnation than the former.

The tarping of the third deck is particularly galling. Some of the seats are pretty good and a reasonable price. The lack of these seats keeps me from some games. With the A's doing well a few years ago, I am certain they loose at least 200,000 in attendance due to the tarps. They can sell 50,000 against the Yankees, Red Sox and Giants and probably additional sales against the Angels with the former capacity.

Either Lew “Boob” Wolf is a grand conspirator or a lousy businessman. You decide.