A's sold to Lew Wolff?

First thing's first, I'm not striving to create a hard core Oakland A's blog, especially since I'm also going to write about my trials and tribulations as a student and musician. I'm doing this more as a form of self expression. I will write down my personal experiences as an A's fan but don't expect me to be a stat-geek and SABR-nerd. So I will not write anything like, "I like so and so's K/BB ratio," and there will be nothing from me about VORP, WHIP, ERA+ and stat splits. Although being an A's fan in this day and age of Moneyball, you become a little bit of stat-geek no matter what, I save all of my stat-geekness for my posts on Athletics Nation, a sweet A's blog. If you want to be a part of an awesome community of A's fans, I refer you over there.

Now on to business, rumor has it that the A's are being sold to Lew Wolff, the current VP of "Venue Development" (i.e. get new stadium) and a group of investors. Originally the rumor was that only Ken Hoffman's stake in the A's were being sold but now we're hearing the all of the A's are going to be sold.

Click here for John Shea's article on the San Francisco Chronicle (1/11/05).

or

Click here for the AP wire report posted on espn.com (1/7/05).

It is said the with Lew Wolff as the owner of the A's it'd be easier for the A's to move to San Jose. The Giant's territorial rights (hey isn't this a monopoly, and aren't those illegal here in America?) won't matter much since Wolff is Bud Selig's fraternity brother.

As a fan I'm don't know what to think about the probable move. I an A's fan because I'm an East Bay native; born in Hayward, raised in Fremont, go to college in Hayward. I identify with the East Bay, I'm not a "snobby peninsula type." Some of my friends my bust my balls and say I'm a band wagon jumper, and in a way they're right, I jumped back on the band wagon in 2000-2001 and that is my current incarnation of being an A's fan. However, I did follow the A's during ther Bash Brothers era during the late 80's, when I was a little kid. I there was a kid in my grade level in elementary school name Mark Maguire (not McGwire) and I snickecked every time his name was announced over the school PA. I remember watching the A's on TV for the 88', '89 and '90 World Series, I remember going to the Coliseum (pre-Mount Davis, of course) to watch ballgames, they were my team because they are as East Bay as I am.

If they move to San Jose, they'd cease to be "East Bay." But more than that, I'm afraid a new stadium in San Jose would make the A's more the the Giants and their SBC park. It's a nice ballpark but it is way overpriced. I feel that as an A's fan I am privy to secret, if they move to San Jose the secret would be out and it wouldn't feel the same anymore.

ADDENDUM TO MY POST (this time I won't change font to courrier, sorry)

Blogging around and encountered a thread about the A's sale on Athletics nation, click here to see the thread. This is what I wrote when in response when somebody ripped into me when I posted my feelings:



Are you questioning my "fan-ness"?

I am a proud A's fan, don't get me wrong about that. But I'm afraid that the new A's ballpark "Insert Corporate Name" Yards in Oakland, San Jose or elsewhere will be too much like SBC park. Although SBC is a nice ballpark from a visual perspective, I can't stand it from a baseball fan perspective. I can't stand the fact you can only be seated in the middle of innings. I can't stand the prices. Or the park being a wi-fi hotspot so I can check my email at the game. I'm all for more fans, but I can't relish the thought of a bunch of hipsters at the game because it's the "in" thing to do. Bandwagon jumpers are fine we all have jumped on the bandwagon at some point an time. Last of all I can't stand the distractions from the game, the Coke slide, the kids concourse and insufferable renditions of "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." This is not football and we don't need no Ashlee Simpson to make a mockery of my entertainment.

I go to the Coliseum for the baseball. I am afriad that a new stadium, built to the current trends will take away from the experience. It will be eye candy though.

Ahd what's the big deal about the grass? What about all those stadiums with fake grass. Each stadium should have homegrown quirk. Fenway has the green monster, Wrigley has the ivy and the fake bleachers across the street and we have a fucked up field come football season. Don't you just love when Chavvy catches a foul pop for a touchdown?
I go to see the Oakland A's for three things; 1 baseball 2 the opportunity to drink 3 to have fun with my friends.

"Evil will always triumph, because good is dumb." - Spaceballs
by secret ASian man on Tue Jan 11, 2005 at 07:55:20 PM PST [ Parent Reply to This ]

Yes

If you are saying that if the team moves to SJ, you wont be a fan, then yes, I am questioning your "fan-ness".

Oh and the Coliseum is already named after a coporate entity.

Oh and people already talk on cell phones at A's games.

Sorry to ruin your A's Experience for you.

by Surfin in Santa Cruz on Tue Jan 11, 2005 at 08:03:23 PM PST [ Parent Reply to This ]
Hmm...

I never said I'd stop being a fan. I've just said it wouldn't be the same.

I've never called the structure the A's and the Raiders play in anything but the Oakland Coliseum. Who the hell call it the Network Associates, or McAffee or whatever Coliseum except for broadcasters and journalists who would get into trouble if they didn't.

My cell phone conversations at games usually consist of, "I'm in 220 where are you?" or "Can't talk, watching ball game."

If wanted to be a Giants fan, I'd be a Giants fan, I don't want the A's to turn into a lame version of the Giants, who are already lame.

"Evil will always triumph, because good is dumb." - Spaceballs
by secret ASian man on Tue Jan 11, 2005 at 08:12:03 PM PST [ Parent Reply to This ]