AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2007 > May > 18 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USBraves need an owner that cares
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Mark Bradley
Bud Selig, who never met a situation he couldn’t misread, believes the Braves will benefit from being owned by Liberty Media for the next 4 1/2 years at minimum. Bud is, as ever, wrong.
The Braves would benefit from Liberty Media, a Colorado conglomerate that by its own admission has no interest in baseball save as a tax dodge, selling as soon as possible to someone who does care about Atlanta, baseball and the Braves. Someone like Arthur Blank, who tried to buy the team but was given unaccountably short shrift by Time Warner, which shouldn’t expect Blank to renew subscriptions to any of its magazines anytime soon.
The hope here was that Liberty Media would bank its write-offs and, quick like a bunny, pass the Braves along to someone who was going to do more than count snowflakes in the Rockies. Bud and his MLB cohorts have dashed that hope by getting Liberty to agree to hold the team through 2011.
Stability is nice in theory, but sometimes reality warrants change. The Braves have spent too long trying to limbo under Time Warner’s budget ceiling. Although Liberty Media says it will allow management to be more flexible with spending, will such flexibility extend to keeping Andruw Jones and still being able to buy a big-ticket pitcher like Mark Buehrle?
Liberty Media isn’t in this to win pennants. It might not know what a pennant is. As odious as it is for the Yankees to burn $18 million on the part-timer Roger Clemens, it isn’t odious to Yankee fans. See, they want to win. Their owner wants to win. Ergo, they like their owner even though he’s a raging jerk.
For a fan, raw commitment matters every bit as nuanced expertise. The Braves have gotten pretty good at maximizing value, but they haven’t played in a World Series since 1999 and haven’t lasted beyond the division series since 2001. No, payroll doesn’t necessarily equal championships — if it did, the Yankees would win the Series every time — but it always plays well with the constituency. And the Braves’ 2007 payroll ranks 15th among 30 teams.
The Mets are outspending the Braves by roughly $30 million. Is it reasonable to think the cheaper team will be able to keep up over 162 games? Is it reasonable to expect Liberty Media to pour fix-it money into its tax write-off? And what about next year and beyond? What happens when Jeff Francoeur becomes a free agent? Will Liberty Media pony up to buy new stars when John Smoltz and Chipper Jones step aside, or must the Braves pin all long-term hopes on Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Anthony Lerew?
Arthur Blank, it can be safely assumed, would have spent more than Liberty Media will. (Not at much as Steinbrenner: Blank is competitive but not crazy.) He’s constrained by a salary cap with the Falcons, but baseball doesn’t have one. He wouldn’t buy a second team just for the sake of owning it. He wanted to do big things with the Braves but didn’t get the chance this time. He won’t get another until at least 2011.
In 2011, Blank will turn 69. Will he still feel the same about Atlanta, baseball and the Braves? Will the travails of his quarterback have soured him on sports altogether? Will he wait in line as Terry McGuirk tries to put together a group and exercise his Liberty-given right of first negotiation? And, after the failure of Atlanta Spirit LLC, do we want the Braves to be owned by a similar cobbled-together entity?
Liberty Media, sad to say, will never be much more than a continuation of Time Warner. The Braves didn’t need 4 1/2 more years of status quo. They needed a new and aggressive owner. They’ll have to wait until 2011 for that.
Thanks, Bud.
Permalink | Comments (41) | Categories: Braves / MLB, Mark Bradley
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By reddawg
May 18, 2007 8:23 PM | Link to this
If Blank owned the Braves, he would have Ron Mexico pitching, and playing shortstop; with dog fighting between innings. Blank is a joke.
By Rob CPA
May 18, 2007 8:37 PM | Link to this
I have no doubt Mr. Blank could make the lead the Braves to the same level of success as he has led the Falcons too!
By Me
May 18, 2007 8:44 PM | Link to this
Yeah right. Blank has done such a fine job with the Falcons he needs to branch out.
By brad in KY
May 18, 2007 9:00 PM | Link to this
Surely you’re joking about signing Mark Buerhle…
Actually, winning championships and not embarrassing your fans in the playoffs is what plays well with the fans…I don’t care what the payroll is as long as we’re winning.
By thugville
May 18, 2007 9:04 PM | Link to this
The LAST person we need to buy the Braves is love-that-thug-Vick guy Arthur Blank.
By Dumbing Down
May 18, 2007 9:12 PM | Link to this
Again, bring back Ted to the Ted! Cut McGuirk and his worthless paycheck… get rid of the retreads and *ss kissers. Branch back out into the southeast where they miss their Braves. The full marketing potential which means more money… will never be realized by these retreads! espaecialy the one who couldn’t cut it at AOL-Time Warner. ATL is fooled again! Bring on Dickey!
By Oh Reallllllllllllllly?
May 18, 2007 9:42 PM | Link to this
I remember when everybody was happy when Blank bought the Falcons from the Clampetts. What has he done with the Falcons that the Smiths didn’t? The last person I would want calling the shots for the Braves would be this dude. Plus, unlike football, Blank couldn’t go on the field during the game just to get his face on the television. If Blank needs to buy another local team, let it be the Hawks. It’s not like anybody really cares about that team anyway.
By Denzel
May 18, 2007 9:47 PM | Link to this
I’m not sure who the bigger joke is..Arthur Blank or Mark Bradley and his laughable opinions.
Blank has lost all credibility with Atlanta sports fans. Not only with his kid gloves treatment of Vick but for turning the Georgia Dome into a hip hop festival on Falcon game days.
By Orlando Rivera
May 18, 2007 10:30 PM | Link to this
Yeah I guess having too many blacks at the Georgia Dome does ruin the experience of going to Falcons games. That’s what you meant by turning Sundays into a hip hop festival Denzel?
Nevermind that he actually did something the Smiths could never do, and that’s make Atlanta relevant. Whether that was due to Vick we’ll have to see. Blank is all about bringing in the fans to make the money and that’s why he’s stuck around Vick for so long.
I don’t think he could do the same for the Braves, as they have become a niche product since Fulton County Stadium was replaced and the Ted has left the building.
I agree with Oh really that I wish Blank would take over the hawks. Considering that no one will ever win that dispute he should swoop right in.
By Matthew at the SLC
May 18, 2007 10:33 PM | Link to this
I used to admire Arthur Blank. He saved Falcon Football and gave us hope. Now, I would ashamed to be a Falcon fan. Blank should have never pampered Vick the way he has. The damage is already done. And to make maters worse, the Falcons do everything they can to cover up their problems and hide them from the public. At the very least, Vick should have been threatened to be bench for some of his antics, but NO, they trade his competition. I miss the Chris Chandler and Dan Reeves days. We were only a few pieces away from a solid contender in 1999. Injures and lack of depth killed us. We did not low-life THUGS on the team and Coach Dan Reeves was well respected.
By Harry from Hiram
May 18, 2007 10:37 PM | Link to this
Blank could not own the Falcons because he would not know how to behave around decent athletes. I think he likes to hang with the boys from the hood and mingle with rap stars.
Baseball is too family oriented. The good decent white folk at Turner Field would never come back.
By Bob
May 18, 2007 10:40 PM | Link to this
Can you imagine Arthur Blank in the Braves Dugout from the 7th inning on sitting next to Bobby? Arthur Blank has his hands full with his other investment. I will take my chances with Liberty at this junction.
By Najeh Davenpoop
May 18, 2007 11:37 PM | Link to this
The best way a pro sports owner can show that he cares about a team is to open up the checkbook and spend a lot of money. George Steinbrenner is the greatest owner in sports solely because he is willing to spend whatever it takes to acquire the best players. Blank would be a fine owner, but any other billionaire willing to spend nine figures on the payroll would be a fine owner too. I’d rather have an individual owner than Liberty, but the terms of the sale stipulate that Liberty can’t decrease the Braves’ payroll, so as far as I’m concerned the new ownership is fine.
And those of you who think Blank is a bad owner for the Falcons need to get your heads examined. Blank was willing to support the second highest payroll in the NFL the last two years. If you think Vick was being coddled, blame the helmet-kisser Jim Mora. If you think Vick needs to fix himself, blame Vick, not the ownership. The Falcons are really lucky to have Arthur Blank signing the checks. In fact, if anything Blank needs to tighten up the purse-strings a little so that Rich McKay isn’t so willing to pay gigantic contracts to injury-prone players like John Abraham.
By The Grinch
May 18, 2007 11:44 PM | Link to this
Man, you people are a trip. Arthur Blank is an ideal owner. Yeah, Vick is making him look bad right now, but he went out and did what he could to make the fans happy by getting the most exciting player. That’s backfired so far but he couldn’t have known that. You think 31 other teams weren’t slobbering over Vick in ‘01? He’s also made the Falcons facilities the envy of the NFL in an effort to make this a place free agents actually want to come. He’d spend whatever it took to make this team competetive if he could. You people must really not remember the Smiths. I guarantee he’d be a hell of a good owner for the Braves. The problem is, judging by these blogs the majority of this city’s fans don’t deserve a good owner.
By BigWhiteClansman
May 18, 2007 11:46 PM | Link to this
I would imagine that if Blank owned the Braves, the first move that he would make would be to bring that thug Lastings Milledge to Atlanta, then Milledge could make dem Braves fans ‘bend dem knees’!!!…
By Larry
May 19, 2007 1:38 AM | Link to this
Grinch,
Vick was drafted one year BEFORE Blank bought the team; however it WAS Blank that gave 130 million to the most inaccurate, fundamentally flawed, and degenerate QB in NFL history.
No thanks!
By Andrew
May 19, 2007 1:39 AM | Link to this
I’m glad to see that racism is still thriving in Atlanta.
By Pinball34
May 19, 2007 3:39 AM | Link to this
BLUCK FANK.
By Ron Mexico
May 19, 2007 7:08 AM | Link to this
Hey Arthur, I can run East and West on a football field, I can run from the law, so I can surely steal you a base.
Ron
Are you kidding? Aurthur Blank is a pus. Arthur would not know how to buy the right team
By Big John
May 19, 2007 7:46 AM | Link to this
Mark,
Thanks for the joke of an article today. Let’s see. Blank is on his third coach since he’s owned the team. The 2007 Falcons will be picked to have a loosing record this season. How will he look making a pitching change in a suit and tie. No thanks Mark.
By B. Spencer
May 19, 2007 8:18 AM | Link to this
An owner who cares or an owner who muddles. I would not characterize the Falcons as a model ownership. Maybe better than Smith but not good enough to reach the next level because you have an owner who meddles. Do you see Kraft on the sidelines and in the middle of decisions?
By fact man
May 19, 2007 8:36 AM | Link to this
Arthur Blank is an ideal owner. Yeah, Vick is making him look bad right now, but he went out and did what he could to make the fans happy by getting the most exciting player.
Wrong. The Falcon thug was drafted in 2001. Blank bought the Falcons in 2002. Blank extended Thug’s contract in 2004.
Him buy the Braves? I can just see him walking around the bullpen patting the pitchers on the back or sitting in the dugout with Bobby. Gag me.
By Connie Lingous
May 19, 2007 9:40 AM | Link to this
Agree with most here - Blank is a joke and a fool.
By the way Mark, I liked your hair better when you wore it poofy.
By Mountain Man
May 19, 2007 9:49 AM | Link to this
Arthur Blank should stick to selling hammers and lawn fertilizer. His long nose on the sideline is disgusting especially when he acts like a coolie to Ron Mexico. I can see him now running out on the ballfield and rubbing a player’s privates when the player takes one in the crotch.
By leesmith
May 19, 2007 9:55 AM | Link to this
Blank is now involved in helping a vicious felon cover up his involvement in a dog fighting ring and Mark Bradley thinks he is a great man. Bradley is sick. But this is another example of the Atlanta medias strange, obsequious obsession with “Mr. Blank.” Blank will do everything he can to protect Vick and people like Bradly will do all they can to protect Blank.
By Jack Meeoff
May 19, 2007 10:14 AM | Link to this
I don’t agree with Connie Lingous on the former but do on the latter.
By Grampus
May 19, 2007 10:16 AM | Link to this
Mark, buddy, I really don’t think you thought this way all the way through.
For one thing, Blank has the Falcons on the national stage for sure, just not the not one a true professional sports team wants to occupy.
Secondly, do you think Blank will magically cease his hands-on style and let the Braves run themselves - successfully - as they have for many years? Do you see Bobby Cox sharing the field with Arthur?
Blank selling the Falcons to Liberty Media sounds like a better idea.
By The BRAVES Can Do It. Arthur Blank CAN'T Help.
May 19, 2007 11:03 AM | Link to this
If any of you folks are wondering how intelligent Artie Blank would be as a baseball ownder, let us look at it like this little analogy:
HOME DEPOT is to LOWE’S
as
ATLANTA FALCONS Franchise is to NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS Franchise
In sum, I’ll take Liberty Media owning My BRAVES instead of A. Blank turning them into the “HOME DEPOT” of MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL.
Does anyone really want to see the ATLANTA BRAVES involved in sexual discrimination (or worse) lawsuits reported by nationwide news outlest such as HOME DEPOT and the FALCONS have under Blank’s [ ahem ] “leadership?”
Ummm………..no, thanks.
By The BRAVES Can Do It. Arthur Blank CAN'T Help.
May 19, 2007 11:03 AM | Link to this
If any of you folks are wondering how intelligent Artie Blank would be as a baseball owner, let us look at it like this little analogy:
HOME DEPOT is to LOWE’S
as
ATLANTA FALCONS Franchise is to NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS Franchise
In sum, I’ll take Liberty Media owning My BRAVES instead of A. Blank turning them into the “HOME DEPOT” of MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL.
Does anyone really want to see the ATLANTA BRAVES involved in sexual discrimination (or worse) lawsuits reported by nationwide news outlest such as HOME DEPOT and the FALCONS have under Blank’s [ ahem ] “leadership?”
Ummm………..no, thanks.
By YankeeKiller
May 19, 2007 11:08 AM | Link to this
I would want an owner for the Braves who can understand there is NO ’ R ’ in “Atlanta.”
Apparently, Blank, Atlan-TER’s resident “Moichandising Genius” and proud owner of “Your Atlan-TER Falcons” doesn’t comprehend this.
Keep your attention-craving, bagel-eating @$$ out of the Braves dugout, Blank!!!!!!!
By my favorite number
May 19, 2007 11:14 AM | Link to this
In 2011, Blank will turn 69.
The way I keep hearing it, he has been doing that with his female employees since 1979.
By jm
May 19, 2007 12:21 PM | Link to this
Mr. Bradley, like most sportswriters, I see you are perfectly willing and happy to spend other people’s money (Mr. Blank’s) or to tell self-made millionaires what they should spend their money on.
By Jay
May 19, 2007 1:36 PM | Link to this
Bud Selig is awful, but I dont know if you can really blame this on him. But since you have to aruge against something and you’re worn out about Vick…
By xkeys
May 19, 2007 4:37 PM | Link to this
has anybody else noticed that the braves haven’t won a games since the liberty media sale was approved?
By BRAVES FAN
May 19, 2007 4:44 PM | Link to this
YOU CAN COMPLAIN ABOUT THE YANKEES OWNER ALL YOU WANT BUT LOOK AT HOW MANY CHAMPIONSHIPS HE HAS, AND THEN LOOK AT HOW MANY THE BRAVES HAVE? BLANK AS OWNER HE’D JUST HIRE ALL OF THE ILLEGAL MEXICANS HANGING OUT IN FRONT OF HOME DEPOT.
By RC
May 19, 2007 5:06 PM | Link to this
Blank reminds me of my son who likes the way his BMW makes him “look good” and have people notice him. Just look at Arthur’s picture on the AJC sports home page. Looks like he is checking himself out in a mirror to see how good a major league sports franchise makes him look. You are pretty much looking like a idiot right about now, Arthur.
By Darrin "The Vent King"
May 19, 2007 5:52 PM | Link to this
Those that say, “ah-hh, stop pulling the race card..”, obviously have never read an ajc blog. Love that “southern hospitality”!
By Paul
May 19, 2007 10:00 PM | Link to this
The blog is not about Michael Vick. It’s about the Braves. The majority of these posts are from one or two people. They’re sick people but they’re people who walk among us.
It’s people of different colors all around the world sitting in mosques thinking up ways to kill ALL Americans and something like this brings out all of this hatred.
Atlanta should be ashamed. There is no other paper in the country that has these types of comments on its opinion pages.
Danny Heatly killed a guy through his negligence and Vick has never been charged with anything. Todd Bertuzzi broke a man’s neck and caused life long damage. He’s not a thug?
Two Sens fans beat a woman who was a Sabres fan, are they not thugs? If Atlanta is the most important city in the south then the south is dead.
By Jibo
May 19, 2007 11:06 PM | Link to this
Thanks man for telling it like it is!
By Ezra
May 19, 2007 11:33 PM | Link to this
I agree with everything that was said. In football, Blank ran into some bad luck but in baseball he could outspend his mistakes, especially with Schuerholtz to guide him.
By Anti-Paul
May 20, 2007 3:56 AM | Link to this
Paul - This blog most certainly IS about Michael Vick, particularly the example shown by Mr. Blank of how he handles situations with so-called “problem” players. The M.O. of professionals like John Schuerholz is to ship players who reflect poorly on the city and franchise right out of town. Blank preaches that “quality counts” and only wants “moral quality” players but then brushes off a serious pattern of poor behavior and highly publicized & humiliating stories involving certain players (Vick just happens to be latest and most high profile example). Vick is the reason Mr. Blank has demolished his own credibility in this town. The Braves’ polish and professionalism are the envy of the sports world. No crown jewel in Atlanta shines brighter than the Braves and they are a franchise next to which Mr. Blank finds himself FAR outclassed.