Clueless

The stable ownership of a professional sports’ team can be a blessing or a curse for fans.  In Chicago, it’s been more of the latter—Comiskey, McCaskey, Wirtz, Wrigley, minus those occasional family members, e.g., Chuck Comiskey and Rocky Wirtz, who’ve had a clue.  Did I forget to mention the Reinsdorf clan?  Well, put them at the top of the list.

 

Jerry Reinsdorf’s son Michael, president of the Bulls, was quoted in both Chicago papers today; apparently, Reinsdorf felt the need to shoot himself in each foot.  He would’ve been better off sticking a foot or two in his mouth to keep from talking.

 

The younger Reinsdorf vigorously defended the front-office tandem of John Paxson and Gar Forman, saying, “We believe they’ve done a great job.  I know that in this market, with some of our fans and some in the media, they look at it differently.  That perplexes me.”  What perplexes me is how Reinsdorf could cite the 2006 free-agent signing of Pistons’ center Ben Wallace as evidence of astute management.  When he wasn’t doing performance art on court as a statue, Wallace publicly pined to be anywhere but Chicago.

 

With the Sun-Times, Reinsdorf offered this gem:  “People think the Reinsdorfs—my dad and myself—that it’s just about loyalty.  It’s not about loyalty for us.  It’s about [how] we believe we have the right people in place.”  For what, exactly?

 

Since Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson left the building, so to speak, after the 1997-98 season, the Bulls have won zero championships.  That’s coming onto twenty-one seasons, (unless you think the 18-46 Bulls have a shot).   Paxson served as team GM, 2003-2009, before moving up to v.p.; Forman then assumed the role of GM.  Did I mention the zero championships?

 

Over at the White Sox, Kenny Williams has served as GM or team v.p. since late 2000, a period of 18-plus years.  So, since Michael Jordan left around the turn of the century, the two teams the Reinsdorfs control have won one championship in a combined forty-one seasons.  And Michael Reinsdorf says it’s not about loyalty.

What, then?  It can't be about the winning.