Tampa Must Accept They Are Third Best
By Mike Silva ~ November 16th, 2009. Filed under: Mike Silva.
I just finished bandaging the wounds from the pummeling we received from the mainstream and independent contingency in South Florida this weekend. Honestly, I didn’t think a simple report could create such a stir. I believe the root of the hate stems from the inferiority complex against New York. Let’s face it Tampa has to live with the fact they are the second most popular team in that city to the Yankees. Hearing a New York site pass along information about one of their homegrown players adds to that animosity. It’s ok, Mets fans have to live with it too and you don’t see them attack every negative report about their team. Well, maybe that is a bad example since Mets fans are the ones creating the negative reports. Anyway I digress.
Tampa did a great job going “worst to first” in 2008. They have an incredible farm system, franchise players, and an underrated manager. With that said they will always have to work harder to beat the big boys: The Yankees and Red Sox. There is no shame in this and, to be fair, it’s the biggest issue with the game of baseball. If this were the NFL the Rays might be the Patriots and it’s the Mets and Yankees who bungle their way around.
I am sorry to report that it appears one of your homegrown talents is on the way out. Maybe you should show up to the games with as much passion as you did attacking this site. I mean how can you get outdrawn the year after you won the pennant by a Canadian team? If the Yankees didn’t come to play you nine times a year how much worse would those attendance numbers be? I could only imagine.
Being third best doesn’t mean you can’t win, but rather you need everything to fall in place – just like in 2008. Sorry to deliver the bad news after all I am only the messenger.
November 16th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Guys like you are the reason bloggers are looked down upon.
November 16th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
You know what is really funny about this?
I wrote the piece at Rays Index and I am a New Yorker. I have lived in Manhattan for 9 years.
Also, you will find no other such examples of hate towards New York, New York blogs or New york teams. I have never written a single post complaining about payrolls or advantages that may or may not be bestowed upon New York teams.
I did criticize this site once previously. Like this incident, I criticized a post that lacked simple research or fact-checking. In that case, there were about 20 reasons to believe that David Price had been demoted for something other than delaying the free agency clock. And there were only 3 reasons for the writer to think the Rays were being cheap. And that was the writer’s own bias, lack of crtitcal thinking abilities and ability to do a simple Google search.
So far, you have defended the original post by A) blaming your readers, B) defending something that nobody was saying (nobody said Handshake deals dont happen) and C) by blaming this on New York bias by a New Yorker.
I can’t wait to see the fourth post.
November 16th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
a quick follow-up….
I never said the original Crawford piece was not true. All I did was point out the inconsistencies in the article that the writer failed to notice. Those inconsistencies take away from any credibility that the writer might have had.
And do players and teams lie? Sure they do. Even my 2 month old daughter is not that naive. But why in the world should I think your unnamed source is going to be any more truthful than Carl Crawford and his agent? They do not have a track record for being dishonest. Does your source have any track record at all?
Add that all up together and what you get is a post that lacks any reason whatsoever to be taken seriously. Sorry.
November 16th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
Cork,
Appreciate your input and feedback. However, I put some thought into your fact checking statement. Low and be hold, your not a New Yorker. Interesting why you would present yourself as one when merely a “transplanted” New Yorker. Seems we do fact check here and there. Keep up the good work and great dialogue. We love engaging our audience in debate and stimulating the minds of our readers.
November 16th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
the silva brothers are quite immature arent they?
November 16th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
This is actually so sad that it’s funny.
This site makes up a report based on sources that don’t exist. That report is shot down without question. Yet the response is not an apology, it’s a snide post about inferiority complexes.
I am a Yankees fan and I am embarrassed to be lumped in with people like Mike Silva.
Then again, he does hang out with such models of journalism decorum as the anonymous racists at NoMaas.
What a travesty.
I say this once again: Please provide just one (1) example of this “Frank Russo” person being correct. Just one.
November 16th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
Don’t like immigrants to your city now, do you, Chris?
November 16th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Wow,
Have you ever been here for more than a New York Giants Superbowl?
You know you missed the boat again. It is a”fact” that we are the Tampa Bay Rays not the Tampa Rays. We have never been situated in Tampa,so Tampa can be a third-rate town.
Funny, the town we are actually located in used to be a New York Yankee Spring Training home, but you knew that already……..didn’t you.
The second misguided “fact” is this region of Florida is called “Central Florida” or the “Gulf Coast” not “South Florida” which includes the Florida /Miami Marlins franchise on the EAST coast of Florida.
Unlike the media mecca that is NYC, this region has an identity crisis posed by transplants from around the country and also people who follow their “families” traditional teams.
The generation that will be “Rays core fans” are about 10-15 years old right now, and will be the future Rays ticket and merchandise buying segment in the next decade.
Sure we would love to aspire and rise to the lofty heights that New Yorkers currently follow their teams, but New York had built that history and fan base foundation for over 100+ years. We still have 87 years before we reach 3 digits.
As a native of St. Petersburg, Florida I do not have any inferiority complex to your town. We, the people of this region,chose to live outside those neons lights and endless nights. And maybe that is the reason why New Yorkers’ come here to vacation………for the lifestyle and the laid-back attitude.
November 16th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
Fernando
Did you read Buster Olney today? Said the Yankees aren’t interested in Holliday. Didn’t you hear that here? Just saying….
November 16th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
Cork
You have a great site. My issue is not with the debate, but the clear attack made at this site. The real problem I have is with Joe Smith, not you, but you guys refuse to hear the truth. Odds are Crawford, short of something drastically changing, is out of Tampa. Both local teams will probably keep tabs on this. That is all that report says. Our guy added that CC and company are annoyed about the option being picked up. I would be too if I were them considering I would have no future with the team.
In the end this is baseball – that’s it. The personal attacks just don’t make sense. In case some haven’t noticed it hasn’t stopped me from doing what I do.
November 16th, 2009 at 6:26 pm
To say Crawford might be traded is not news. I have read that in 700 different places and made the same argument myself.
But your writer made a claim about something different using a source that may or may not exist based on something that couldn’t possibly be true.
Once again you are trying to divert people away from the real problems by making claims about something that has nothing to do with anything. Show me one person/commenter/media member that said handshake agreements dont happen or said Carl Crawford wont be traded. You can’t because you are defending things that nobody is questioning.
On the other hand, you still haven’t addressed the real issues.
1) How could Andrew Friedman and Stuart Sternberg have backed out of a handshake agreement if they weren’t even with the team?
2) How does it make any sense to agree to an option if both sides also agree it will never be picked up?
3) Why did Crawford and his agent say publicly, a week before the option was picked up, that they looked forward to talking to the Rays about renogotiating in the weeks to come, and in no way hinting/suggesting that there was a deadline and even implying that they assumed negotiations would go well past the deadline to pick up the option?
THESE are the problems with your post. Three (3!) follow-up posts and you are yet to address any of these problems with the original post.
Rather you just make up issues that you think will distract people from the inadequacies of this site and the writings. Just like how you keep saying “it hasn’t stopped me from doing what I do.” When did I ever suggest you stop? I couldn’t care less whether you keep writing nonsensical horsehit or if you go squat in the backyard and lay an egg. I dont care.
What i do know and do care about is that nonsensical stuff like this is not left unchecked.
November 16th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
Cork
A month ago we were the first to report Yanks might not be interested in Matt Holliday. Today ESPN has it. There was no precedence back then. Perhaps this is the case with Crawford. That is our position. How can you cross reference something that has yet to be reported? We couldn’t do it with Holliday and we are at least proven to have good info. At this point I have nothing else left to say but that I respect your site, enjoyed having you on the show, and would welcome you on again! But I think your off base with the criticism that’s all.
My bigger problem is with Joe Smith and his hatchet job. I am sure this will come back in full to him one day in some way shape or form. This kind of stuff always does.
I think it’s time to end the discussion and respectfully agree to disagree on this topic.
November 16th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
So you criticize your readers, you criticize the organization, and then you write a demeaning article about the Tampa Bay Rays.
Congrats-you’re a douchetard
November 16th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
Wait, a month ago you reported the Yankees might be interested in the biggest free agent on the market? Who happens to fill a need? Damn you have incredible sources
November 16th, 2009 at 9:52 pm
Mike
Read the comment – “might not be”. Please, read before you comment
November 16th, 2009 at 9:55 pm
FJN
Didn’t call the readers out to be mean, but I think (as evidence by the comment regarding Holliday) that reading comprehension could improve. It’s a simple request not an inflammatory statement
November 17th, 2009 at 1:02 am
throw stuff at the wall enough times, eventually some of it will stick
November 17th, 2009 at 8:21 am
Interesting how an inflammatory, unsupported report can draw attention to a blog I and many other Floridians have never heard of. Fortunately, I only wasted 20 minutes of my time reading this trash. I hear the Post is hiring; you’d probably fit in nicely there, Mike. Why don’t you write about the Yankees and Jeter? Certainly your “unnamed sources” have something to say about that.
November 17th, 2009 at 10:34 am
For knowing so much about Tampa Bay you sure have no idea where it is located. Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Ft. Myers are all SOUTH FLORIDA. Tampa/ St. Pete is located on the Gulf Coast of CENTRAL FLORIDA. Do some research next time before you write an idiotic article (3 times). Douche!
November 17th, 2009 at 11:50 am
An unnamed source told me that your unnamed source is wrong
Just saying…..
November 17th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
Quick question for Chris Silva above…the “fact checking” you mention. Was Cork’s statement, “I have lived in Manhattan for 9 years.” the clue that threw up the red flags? Were you able to verify that, indeed, he is more than 9 years old, and as such must have lived somewhere other than Manhattan?
Perhaps it’s not baseball that causes people from other parts of the country to dislike New York. Maybe it’s the fact that, apparently, you have to take a citizenship test before you can be a “New Yorker.”
November 17th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
And your website “might not” suck. Nope it does. You said “The Yankees might not be interested…” “Might not” is what you are using as a defense for your “sources? You know what “might not” means? Absolutely nothing.