It was bound to happen sooner or later, a World Series delayed on the premise of snow. Of course most of us with any sense believed it would only happen if Boston, Milwaukee or Colorado was in the Fall Classic, not a snow in Philadelphia in October.
Snow has been the vex of Bud Selig since he started tinkering with the schedule. First we moved up the start or the season, to give more off days. This cause a multitude of snow outs in the north.
Last year Selig announced he would schedule more off days so that prime time viewing of the playoffs and Fall Classic would benefit the fans. Who was Bud kidding, it was to benefit the advertisers who would then pay the channels big bucks, who would pass the cash onto MLB. Bud's affinity for snow would have better served him a the Commissioner of the NBA, at least the only snow the NBA deals with is the dry powdered kind sold illicitly to players who think that illegal drugs are not illegal for professional athletes.
Anyway the Philadelphia snow out of the delayed rain out is Bud's fault. Place the blame squarely with him. Bud Selig, not in it for the fans, it is for himself and his checkbook.
No one item I must note is the unfair chastisement of the delay of tonight's Game 5 Part II by Casey & Rossi, aka " The Jersey Guys" on NJ 101.5FM. They, Casey & Rossi, were chastising MLB for calling tonight's game because of the weather. Originally the rain was supposed to end by game time with high winds. There was never supposed to be snow. However by the end of the business most of eastern PA and most of NJ north of Trenton had been dusted with the white stuff. Most of NJ was a Shadow Traffic nightmare by 2PM when the Jersey Guys went on air.
The decision of MLB , rain or snow to postpone the Game 5 Part 2 was in my minds the only intelligent decision of Bud Selig in this decade. I had been at a client site in Princeton, and was traveling home through Pine Barrens at 2PM. The road conditions coupled with the visibility were extremely hazardous; and it was even rush hour yet.
For those listening to the Jersey Guys, there complaint was calling the game because of the weather conditions. I assume they tune out during the traffic reports, had they tuned in, they would have realized that asking 48,000+ to re-trek to South Philly for the game would have been irresponsible.
Was MLB right; to postpone the completion of Game 5 till Wednesday? I think so. I was out driving in daylight on slippery roads. It would have not been prudent to have people risk their lives in the current weather conditions with hazardous winds forecasts added. Winds that with a very wet ground might bring down trees and power lines. Add the alcohol factor to that, and you have a potential for catastrophe.
So what has been learned form this experience, not much, Bud Selig continues to demonstrate he is incapable of learning. yes a few weeks ago, he re-thought the scheduling of the playoffs, too many off days. In reality I doubt it was his brilliant original idea, but based on the lower ratings the baseball playoffs were getting in the face of the superior college football on Saturday, Sunday night NFL game,s and the start of the Hockey and NBA season. Loyal baseball fans will tune in, but those sports seasonal fans, weren't staying tuned to the MLB playoff.
Selig has yet to learn the season is too long. The addition of the Wild Card and the virtual extinction of weekend doubleheaders lengthens tunes out the fan. The only doubleheaders are for make up games. Outside of those games, they are not scheduled, too taxing on the players; high potential for injuries. For the first 40 years of baseball, the double header on a weekend was a staple of the sport. And look a the long list of talent, Gehrig, Mantle, DiMaggio, Ripken, and the others who played in the age of the doubleheader.
Shorten the season, start in mid April, not end of March, bring back the doubleheaders, and get the World Series over with by Columbus Day. But of course whats good for the fans, isn't' good for baseball; because Bud Selig like George Steinbrenner isn't dong it for the fans, he is doing it for the money.
Snow has been the vex of Bud Selig since he started tinkering with the schedule. First we moved up the start or the season, to give more off days. This cause a multitude of snow outs in the north.
Last year Selig announced he would schedule more off days so that prime time viewing of the playoffs and Fall Classic would benefit the fans. Who was Bud kidding, it was to benefit the advertisers who would then pay the channels big bucks, who would pass the cash onto MLB. Bud's affinity for snow would have better served him a the Commissioner of the NBA, at least the only snow the NBA deals with is the dry powdered kind sold illicitly to players who think that illegal drugs are not illegal for professional athletes.
Anyway the Philadelphia snow out of the delayed rain out is Bud's fault. Place the blame squarely with him. Bud Selig, not in it for the fans, it is for himself and his checkbook.
No one item I must note is the unfair chastisement of the delay of tonight's Game 5 Part II by Casey & Rossi, aka " The Jersey Guys" on NJ 101.5FM. They, Casey & Rossi, were chastising MLB for calling tonight's game because of the weather. Originally the rain was supposed to end by game time with high winds. There was never supposed to be snow. However by the end of the business most of eastern PA and most of NJ north of Trenton had been dusted with the white stuff. Most of NJ was a Shadow Traffic nightmare by 2PM when the Jersey Guys went on air.
The decision of MLB , rain or snow to postpone the Game 5 Part 2 was in my minds the only intelligent decision of Bud Selig in this decade. I had been at a client site in Princeton, and was traveling home through Pine Barrens at 2PM. The road conditions coupled with the visibility were extremely hazardous; and it was even rush hour yet.
For those listening to the Jersey Guys, there complaint was calling the game because of the weather conditions. I assume they tune out during the traffic reports, had they tuned in, they would have realized that asking 48,000+ to re-trek to South Philly for the game would have been irresponsible.
Was MLB right; to postpone the completion of Game 5 till Wednesday? I think so. I was out driving in daylight on slippery roads. It would have not been prudent to have people risk their lives in the current weather conditions with hazardous winds forecasts added. Winds that with a very wet ground might bring down trees and power lines. Add the alcohol factor to that, and you have a potential for catastrophe.
So what has been learned form this experience, not much, Bud Selig continues to demonstrate he is incapable of learning. yes a few weeks ago, he re-thought the scheduling of the playoffs, too many off days. In reality I doubt it was his brilliant original idea, but based on the lower ratings the baseball playoffs were getting in the face of the superior college football on Saturday, Sunday night NFL game,s and the start of the Hockey and NBA season. Loyal baseball fans will tune in, but those sports seasonal fans, weren't staying tuned to the MLB playoff.
Selig has yet to learn the season is too long. The addition of the Wild Card and the virtual extinction of weekend doubleheaders lengthens tunes out the fan. The only doubleheaders are for make up games. Outside of those games, they are not scheduled, too taxing on the players; high potential for injuries. For the first 40 years of baseball, the double header on a weekend was a staple of the sport. And look a the long list of talent, Gehrig, Mantle, DiMaggio, Ripken, and the others who played in the age of the doubleheader.
Shorten the season, start in mid April, not end of March, bring back the doubleheaders, and get the World Series over with by Columbus Day. But of course whats good for the fans, isn't' good for baseball; because Bud Selig like George Steinbrenner isn't dong it for the fans, he is doing it for the money.
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