LET THE WORD GAMES AND POSTURING BEGIN



Peter MaGowan made a public statement that next year "Bonds will not be the centerpiece of this team". What is this man really saying? If Bonds is on the Giants next season, he will by definition, be the centerpiece of this organization wether Magown likes it or not. Bonds puts butts in the seats. For the last 10 years, Magowan has been lining his pockets with cash BECAUSE of Barry Bonds. Bonds is Giants history, an icon, a symbol of the Giants, as is Mays, McCovey and all of the Giants legends. He IS the Giants right now, and as long as he wears the Orange and Black he will be the centerpiece.

Macgowan also sputtered out the side of his neck that if Bonds didn't return "attendance would be fine". Does fine mean "half full"? Does fine mean being able to hear crickets at night games if the Giants don't field a contender? Becauseuse that's what will happen.

I've been a Giants fan for nearly 40 years, and I'm one of those sicko's that loved Candlestick. I loved the fog creeping over the top of the left side of the stadium at night games. I loved the swirling winds that played havoc with the most talented of outfielders, often making them look inept. When I finally got a ticket to go to a game at Pac Bell, I felt like I was cheating on a girlfriend. Candlestick and I had gone through so much together. When it looked like the Giants were moving to Tampa, I was there at the last game of the season and had to be physically removed from the park, because I refused to leave.

Mr. Magown does not truly understand the mentality of Giants season ticket holders. The true die hard Giants fans are the best in baseball with reguards to class, respect,and knowledge of the Giants and the game of baseball. But, sadly, die hard Giants fans do not own the majority of season tickets. When Pac Bell opened it was all about corporations getting the bulk of the remaining season tickets. Now ATT is filled with the kind of season ticket holders I despise... Status seeking, laptop carrying, Blue Tooth and cell phone wielding, chardonnay sipping, don't know who's who on the field, night game sunglass wearing elitist snobs. These are the same fans who won't show up when it's not posh anymore, or if the Giants arent't doing well. Face it, the newness of the park is wearing off a little. When was the last time you could get tickets,same day, to the final series of the year against the Dodger no less. Not since the Jewel By The Bay opened ... until this year.

So if Mr. Magown thinks he can strip the Giants down with out Bonds to "rebuild" with out taking a brutal attendance hit, he's mistaken. The Giants won't approach 3 mil in attendance next season.

Mr. Magown needs to keep his grocery mega millionare mouth shut, stop posturing for negotiation purposes, and leave baseball matters to baseball knowledgeable people. Stienbrenner can talk because he has the money to back it up.

Put up or shut up Pete.