Lip Man 1

Unless the Sox get off to a surprisingly decent start I suspect ratings for TV and radio will be at an all-time low.

Possibly going into the 1970 season after the disasters on and off the field in 1968 and 1969.

Like I said White Sox fans will get nothing (OK...Sheets LOL) and like it.

Let's leave the fans out of the discussion for now. Have you ever tried to throw a breaking ball when it's 35 degrees out? Or how about to try to hit a 95 mile an hour fast ball in on your fists when it is freezing out. I'm not saying I want a dome, what I am saying and I just saw this discussion this morning (the Athletic puts out a daily newsletter) asking the question if the regular season needs to be shortened to say 130 games. The first month of the season is gone and things start on May 1st. I'd be all for that. It's ridiculous that fans and players have to put up with these conditions. Now if you insist on playing in late March/early April then do what was done for a short period of time, play as many games as possible in warm weather or dome sites. That was stopped because those teams complained about having to play a lot of home games before school was out and not have as many dates available in the peak summer months. My answer to that is simple....$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Compensate those teams for having to "put up" with doing this for the greater good of the game, the fans and the players.

https://www.southsidesox.com/2024/1/28/24052741/chicago-white-sox-fans-waiting-for-a-new-stadium-dont-hold-your-breath-jerry-reinsdorf-must-get-paid

"White Sox fans...you'll get nothing and like it!" ?

White Sox had plenty of chances before this decade and always failed to do so. Every team in the division, even Kansas City had a run...but not the biggest market team in it. Pretty amazing when you think about it.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/24043407/white-sox-stadium-the-78-development-related-midwest-jerry-reinsdorf-isfa-city-hall-editorial

They are clearly just trying to field a team to get through the season. Competitive my rear end...LOL

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/watch-yasiel-puig-involved-in-venezuelan-baseball-brawl/

it's also the 125th anniversary of the franchise.

He'll pass through waivers not get picked up and return to the Sox organization like a bunch of other guys this off-season have done.

I know that JR regularly attended Sox Fantasy Camp, don't know about Sox Fest. perhaps those who went to it can provide more information. JR had a classic moment at Fantasy Camp one year as told to me by Ed Herrmann. JR was talking to the campers in an evening session and things got so heated that Bill Melton had to intervene to cool things down as they were close to getting physical.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/white-sox/ct-chicago-white-sox-jerry-reinsdorf-soxfest-20240126-7vnfj7lcgvgl3dw64ls2neqzpm-story.html

Says he's "motivated" (Of course he is, this is the last year on his contract...and he wants to find a job next year): https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2024/1/25/24051019/motivated-white-sox-third-baseman-yoan-moncada-feeling-healthy-heading-into-2024

https://soxmachine.com/2024/01/white-sox-hire-john-schriffen/

On a Zoom call with reporters, Schriffen said he doesn’t know the exact number of games he’ll broadcast, but he intends to call a vast majority. “I want to be the voice and face of the Chicago White Sox broadcast,” he said. “That was very clear, and that’s something I talked about with [chairman Jerry Reinsdorf] early on. Whoever he hires, he wanted to make sure that this was going to be their main priority, and I said I am very clear on that. That’s the agreement we had very early on in this process, and that’s the understanding that we have.” -------------------------------------- Obviously that was a big, big stumbling block with Benetti wasn't it?

Quin: Thanks for the clarification I appreciated that you did that. I'm not saying I would have gotten the job, but I certainly would have thought about applying for it. Never any harm in trying. Just as an aside I've met JR twice and we have exchanged correspondence. He can be a friendly, engaging guy when he wants to be but with him the "bottom line" and his world-view (at least with baseball) always takes precedent and overrides some of his better tendencies.

That is one way to look at it and that's not a bad way for Schriffen to approach this.

Harry: I've been broadcasting Idaho State athletes (Big Sky Conference) on radio and on ESPN+ since 1995. Have done football, men's and women's basketball (have three championship rings from WBB to show for it!), volleyball and softball. Have done over 460 games alone just for WBB. Started in the sports media in 1978, worked 14 years in TV sports in Lexington, Kentucky, Monroe, Louisiana and here in S.E. Idaho. Guess you can say I've been around awhile.

You must have missed my reply the last time you brought this up. Could I do the job? Absolutely. but as I said then I'm 68 and have ties to Southeast Idaho. Our house is paid off and I'm going to be inducted next month, into the Idaho State Sports Hall of Fame via the Lifetime Achievement Award. I'm not going anywhere. I would have loved to have worked for the Sox but it wasn't in the cards, maybe 20 years ago I would have at least tried for it but not now.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2024/1/24/24049765/white-sox-new-stadium-south-loop-78-related-midwest-chicago-mayor-brandon-johnson

https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/white-sox-hire-john-schriffen-as-play-by-play-announcer He has the toughest job for a broadcaster, to try to make a bad team interesting and to try to keep the fan base engaged. I don't envy him in the least in that regard.

I suspect JR won't be around to make any decisions like that when the time comes and has been previously posted MLB is not going to turn down expansion team money so a current franchise can move to a smaller location.

I think it would be funny if only a handful of fans showed up.