Thursday, July 15, 2010

Molly Knight Kills It

We know Molly Knight is a fine writer, and we know she's a Dodger fan. So it couldn't have been an especially joyful assignment for her to write a detailed account of the McCourts' sad and turbulent divorce.

Yet she's done just that — and she's written perhaps the best article so far on the subject. You'll read this article and feel the pain of all Dodger fans, but you'll also understand the McCourts a little more too.

As a bonus, fellow ESPNer Jon Weisman interviewed Knight about her exhaustive research in writing the article. Be sure to read the part about Jeff Kent.

14 comments:

rbnlaw said...

The behind the scenes article is all you need to know. Jamie pals with Kent? Kent recommends Colletti? Frank sues father-in-law rather than pay him back?

They have turned Chavez Ravine into Peyton Place (there's a dated reference fo y'all). This will not end well for them, but I have absolutely no sympathy for either McCourt at this point.

Now, let's get back to baseball.

Neeebs (The Original) said...

Wow, the Molly Knight article is an EYE OPENER for the details. We all knew there was garbage behind the facade. Sorta makes you not want to give old Frankie another dime of my money.

I especially like the "leaked" plan that McCourt had to double the ticket prices. Lemmings, all of us.

MR.F said...

Where is the part about Kent?

Neeebs (The Original) said...

@Fanerman:

It's in the DT link, the Knight interview.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

SAVE US, MARK CUBAN!!!

MR.F said...

Oh cool, thanks.

MR.F said...

Wow. I mean. Just, wow.

Fred's Brim said...

Reading between the lines, i have deduced that Jeff Kent, acting as an agent for the Giants, was boning Jamie (she loves bad mustaches and fibbing about wrist injuries), got Ned hired so that he could trade away our best talent and create huge long-term financial obligations to players who no longer play for the Dodgers and he got himself paid, to boot. His tears at his retirement press conference were actually tears of laughter, shed at the thought of his off-field activities screwing the Dodgers more than his terrible range at second ever could.

Kyle Baker said...

Agree with all the sentiments expressed in the comments thus far, but would also note that if we ever got a peek behind the scenes of any ownership inner workings, we'd probably see similar thoughts (raising tickets prices, figuring new ways to profit) given that this whole thing is, after all, a business. Not to let the McCourts off the hook by any stretch of the imagination...I guess what I'm saying is that they are all gougers who play off fans' love for the game, and we're just happening to see that thinking for our own team aired as dirty laundry. I'm sure there are and have been similar plans in the inner sanctum of the Yankees front office, as well as from the Royals.

rbnlaw said...

How dare you besmirch the Royals!

Neeebs (The Original) said...

Remember all those empty seats behind the backstop at the Yankees games. Yep, $500 per seat for a baseball game will do that.

Hey, I'm all for supply and demand. The good thing is that I'm a demand sider, and I'm not going to pay past a certain price point.

Josh S. said...

I agree about the ticket price point, but every other email I get now is for some sort of discount on tickets. I got one today (from the Dodgers mind you, not Goldstar or anything like that) offering Field Level MVP/VIP tix for $45 (normally $120). Clearly they recognize they have a problem getting people in the gate, but it seems like they're applying a patch to the problem rather that fix it at the foundation.

Neeebs (The Original) said...

@Josh S.

Here, here.

Sellers never want to recognize a lower value for their wares. So they keep playing the discount game, based on inflated benchmark values.

I'd pay $45 for the $120 seats.

Kyle Baker said...

Glad to hear you're not a supply-sider, Neeebs.

We've had just about enough of the McCourts "trickling down" on us this season.

Hopefully Kershaw can re-discover his Laffer Curve soon.