Monday, October 12, 2009

Time to "Stop Believing"?

Charles Steinberg and Joe Torre stand before a great wall.

Is Charles Steinberg, Dodgers Executive Vice President/Creative and Communications, the man responsible for making Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" the Dodgers' official eighth-inning song, making his way toward the front office revolving door? From T.J. Simers at the LA Times:

IT BECAME apparent recently the Dentist was missing, the Dodgers' image maker hired to replace the Tipper Gore Lady, who had been hired to replace Derrick Hall in an effort to make the McCourts look good. And you think your job is tough.

Dr. Charles Steinberg was not at the two playoff games in L.A., and for those holding hands over ears, it was pretty apparent someone else was calling the shots in regard to the music being played in Dodger Stadium.

Insiders say Steinberg lost ground when the McCourts fell for Dennis Mannion, hired as COO. [...]

The Dodgers would only say, "Dr. Charles Steinberg is not available. However, the Dodgers have granted Charles permission to entertain offers from other Major League Baseball clubs and he is currently doing so."

While the exact job duties of an Executive Vice President/Creative and Communications are unclear to us, it was apparent at this year's Blogger Night that Steinberg was involved in making "Don't Stop Believing" and "God Bless America" Dodger Stadium staples this season. If Steinberg leaves, will those "traditions" stay? Stay tuned.

10 comments:

Unknown said...

I hope so! I don't mind God Bless America, though it can feel a bit much at times, but dump the Journey song, there has to be a better one out there. To be honest it all feels like a copy of Boston's playing of Sweet Caroline. Let's come up with something new, something uniquely LA. Maybe something with a Mexican flavor? I'd go for that!

Kyle Baker said...

GBA needs to stop. Maybe just do it once a week, on a Sunday or something. The jingoism goes way too far for my taste, as does the "god" part. Do something secular for those of us who believe that no god or gods are blessing one particular country over another, or one team over another.

Also, they play DSB at many ballparks, not just Dodger Stadium, so that may make it easier to just kill off. I hear it in the background between innings of many MLB games.

Xeifrank said...

I think he said that Jamie McCourt was the one pushing the GBA during the 7th inning stretch, but yes he was the one pushing the Journey song. I hope they can the Journey music and keep GBA.

That's a great photo of Charles and Joe standing on the Great Wall. Sure looks cold. Kind of like playing baseball in Denver in October. I wonder how many of the players actually finished the hike on the Great Wall. It's not an easy walk, especially in cold weather like that. Atleast they didn't have hundreds of thousands of people hiking it with them like I did.
vr, Xei

Kyle Baker said...

Excellent article on Beard Mode here: http://tinyurl.com/yjaw9an

Nostradamus said...

@DB

Way to work in "jingoism".

Excellent usage, brotha!

Steve Sax said...

@Mr C / DB:

Agree on using "jingoism". One of my favorite scrabble words to get rid of the pesky o-i-i combo, plus grab a bingo.

rbnlaw said...

DB and I share the same sentiment regarding GBA. Of course, I'm also old enough to remember the Flyers using GBA in place of the Star Spangled Banner in the 70's. They even used Kate Smith's rendition which was very rousing, as opposed to the more somber (and sometimes off-tune)versions we've been treated to this year.

Anonymous said...

Definitely agree with Dusty Baker... There's no need to include GBA at every single freaking game. I understood it at Opening Day and could possibly get it being played on Sundays, but every game? Too much, in my opinion.

As for Don't Stop Believing... I like it! It doesn't feel at all as if we're copying Boston's Sweet Caroline, or any other team. I like singing along to it and watching that guy dance along to it at every game. :)

Alex said...

GBA good on 4th of July and other national holidays. Otherwise, forget it!!!

and Journey are from S fuckin F!!!

LOLO said...

KEEP GBA AND JOURNEY SONG - STEINBERG BRINGS A LITTLE CLASS TO THE MCCOURT DODGERS - THEY NEED ALL THE HELP THEY CAN GET!!!