One of sports most historic franchises Los Angeles Dodgers have become a joke and former shell of themselves and needed a miracle or magic to save them. I'm not saying they are constant world series contenders but they are a historic important team. Throughout the years I've grown to appreciate the Dodger organization for their contribution to black civil rights signing Jackie Robinson, having a great fan base, and playing young exciting players. There has been some setbacks over the years but aside from the few who've operated the organization, the Dodgers are apart of sports and black history and I love that. As of lately the team has become an millionaires toy once fought over between a couple in a bitter custody war, not the team known for James Looney, Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, Clayton Kershaw, and The Chad Billingsley. Frank McCourt purchased the Dodgers after a failed bid to buy the Boston Redsox which already started my bias towards him personally. He also attempted to buy the Anaheim Angels, yet in 2004 he paid somewhere over 400 million and purchased the Dodgers from Fox or newscorp either way it's Rupert Murdoch's money. I actually thought that McCourt had a chance to really make an impact when he hired Joe Torre in 2007. The team had some solid vets but made some bad baseball/ good celebrity decisions were made and the team never really took off. In 2009 Frank and his wife of 30 years Jamie McCourt went through a nasty divorce proceeding. Shortly after the Dodgers were eliminated from the playoffs in 2009 Jamie McCourt was fired from her position as the CEO of the Dodgers, the divorce came right after. As much as they and the team denied the divorce being a distraction, it was clear to see that the instability of the franchise brought it share of problems such as free agency, finding a buyer, trading players, and competing. Players don't want to go to a team and not know who they'll play for and buyers can't buy a team from an owner who himself is fighting for his team, one of the greatest sports franchises had become a kid in a custody battle. In to save the dodgers were the fans whom I have the must respect for. Once Frank McCourt ran the Dodgers into the ground the fans began to show protest by not attending games. The Dodgers lost fans by the thousands and it began to cost McCourt more money to open the doors of Dodgers stadium and play than he was making. This single act by the Dodger fans sort of expedited the process of McCourt having to sell the team. McCourt then filed for bankruptcy to keep his team, then the Majors stepped in and sized the organization pushing McCourt out. One of the greatest franchises were bankrupt, owned by the league, and spinning out of control. Buyers stepped in to buy the team from the league, but the Guggenheim Basketball Group won out. The group consist of a few business investors that all came together to bid. I personally thought Magic's team had no chance to win based on the fact that baseball is like a country club and are very selective on who they let in, Mark Cuban was even turned down three times. The bid was 2 billion dollars and faced by Los Angeles celebrity Magic Johnson who has become one of sports best ambassadors. Some of the members of the group are CEO and head of the group Mark Walter, Mandalay ENT exec Petet Guber, Todd Boehly, Bobby Patton, and ex owner of two baseball franchises Stan Kasten. Together this group along with Magic Johnson won the Dodger organization ending the instability in management and give the Dodgers a new chance to compete. If it came down to choosing the Dodgers or the National League, I'm going with the blue. The Dodgers haven't yet had their run and when they do they won't stop. They're a few pitchers and one hitter from being on the Phillies level. They in my opinion are the best team in the west if James Looney hits well and Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp do they're part. The bad thing is that the line up as is ain't enough by a long shot, but if they hit a streak and dominate the nl west then they'll upset any team and begin they're run. It's good Magic will be apart of this process he's big in L.A but he ain't bigger than the Dodgers, so I personally need him to do his magic but stay out they way which he said he'll do. I also need big blue to perform and start showtime (it pains me to say that ... not a laker fan). The big thing is that the big blue faithful will be there and be felt and the team is in a good position to compete so it should be fun to watch. Go blue!! What am I saying smh? Go Yanks!!!!
posted from Bloggeroid
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