Fuck these goddamn gutless fucking assholes

[Eli]

And fuck. I'm not trying to say Hendry should be here in 2011. Just firing him in 7/20/10 does nothing extra for you in the future. Thanks for turning this into "Yeti chugs Ricketts and Hendry's dong". Fuck Hendry. I just don't see a point in firing him right now. It does ABSOLUTELY. NOTHING. FOR. THE. FRANCHISE.

I appreciate the levelheadedness, and you're right that firing Hendry today, July 20, wouldn't accomplish much.  But he probably should have been canned when it became clear in May that he had essentially lit $147 million on fire and then flushed the ashes down the toilet before chasing everything into the sewers with a giant, donut-fueled shit yet again assembled a mediocre team despite the vast resources available to him.  In theory, that would have given Ricketts and Co. some time to get a new front office in place.

Besides, after the season, you could make the argument that Hendry should be kept on board because the winter meetings will be coming up soon and a new regime wouldn't be ready in time for those. Then you could say he'd need to stick around because you can't bring in a new GM during the middle of free agency.  Suddenly, it's next season and Hendry is still the GM.  There are always excuses to not make a change, but in reality, teams fire their GMs all the time.  I don't know why Jim Hendry seems to be so bulletproof.

[Waco Kid]

Since this has deviated from what I was originally trying to say, I'll Kurt this and reexplain.

It seemed to be some people's takeaway from that presser that Ricketts gave them a vote of confidence and guaranteed those two clowns will be in the front office next year. It was definitely not that. He didn't give anything definite other than that Jim is the GM now (like today), he will start and lead the search for the manager (they won't hire anyone until after the season anyway), and Jim will retain his spot until at least October 4th. After that, there is nothing set in stone.

And I think Ricketts messed up here, because if nothing is set in stone then don't say anything that gives an impression of a vote of confidence. Say your disappointed and leave it at that. Based on the way that presser sounded to me, that appeared to be a vote of confidence.

[Armchair_QB]

Enough to this discussion. It's time to start burning shit.

[R-V]

Since this has deviated from what I was originally trying to say, I'll Kurt this and reexplain.

It seemed to be some people's takeaway from that presser that Ricketts gave them a vote of confidence and guaranteed those two clowns will be in the front office next year. It was definitely not that. He didn't give anything definite other than that Jim is the GM now (like today), he will start and lead the search for the manager (they won't hire anyone until after the season anyway), and Jim will retain his spot until at least October 4th. After that, there is nothing set in stone.

And I think Ricketts messed up here, because if nothing is set in stone then don't say anything that gives an impression of a vote of confidence. Say your disappointed and leave it at that. Based on the way that presser sounded to me, that appeared to be a vote of confidence.

Yeah, Ricketts had a few options today and he clearly chose the dumbest. As I see it, here they are in order of increasing dipshittedness.

1. Fire Hendry and Ricketts to let everyone know it's a full housecleaning.

2. Don't go to the press conference. Let Hendry deliver the news. Wait until the end of the season to fire them.

3. Go to the press conference, and choose not to talk about Hendry and Crane. Wait until the end of the season to fire them.

4. Go to the press conference, and say that Crane is gone but Hendry stays.

5. Go to the press conference, and say they'll both be here next year (no matter what Yeti says, they'll be back. Sorry tubs but I'll take Bruce Miles' analysis over yours)

(some other options that are really, really dumb)

50. Go to the press conference, say they'll both be back, AND that you trust that penisface Kenney to HELP PICK THE GODDAMN MANAGER.

I'm done giving that hoopledick the benefit of the doubt.

[Brownie]

Does it brighten anyone's day to know that I briefed Chuck about the Ricketts and Hendry show this afternoon, and the look on his face couldn't be more disgusted if Alfonso Soriano attended the press conference in which Soriano got a lifetime contract with the Cubs with total no-trade rights.

It doesn't? Me neither.

Hendry should have been replaced the day Ricketts got the keys to Wrigley. That's not a firing, it's a change in direction. Hendry could have been praised on his way out (you know, a "we wish him the best unless he winds up in St. Louis or Milwaukee or Houston"), he would have declared his time in Chicago a success (in 5 of his 7 full seasons as GM, the Cubs were north of .500), and Ricketts could have brought in someone that fit his organizational philosophy.

Regardless, Yeti is right. Remember the dumbfuck from Miami who cleaned out his front office in the middle of 2003 and brought in a geriatric manager and unknown GM to run the show the rest of the way. I'm soooooo glad the Cubs stayed the course and waited to axe their manager until the end of his contract. That was a positive thing for the organization.

[Sterling Archer]

Since this has deviated from what I was originally trying to say, I'll Kurt this and reexplain.

It seemed to be some people's takeaway from that presser that Ricketts gave them a vote of confidence and guaranteed those two clowns will be in the front office next year. It was definitely not that. He didn't give anything definite other than that Jim is the GM now (like today), he will start and lead the search for the manager (they won't hire anyone until after the season anyway), and Jim will retain his spot until at least October 4th. After that, there is nothing set in stone.

And I think Ricketts messed up here, because if nothing is set in stone then don't say anything that gives an impression of a vote of confidence. Say your disappointed and leave it at that. Based on the way that presser sounded to me, that appeared to be a vote of confidence.

Yeah, Ricketts had a few options today and he clearly chose the dumbest. As I see it, here they are in order of increasing dipshittedness.

1. Fire Hendry and Ricketts to let everyone know it's a full housecleaning.

2. Don't go to the press conference. Let Hendry deliver the news. Wait until the end of the season to fire them.

3. Go to the press conference, and choose not to talk about Hendry and Crane. Wait until the end of the season to fire them.

4. Go to the press conference, and say that Crane is gone but Hendry stays.

5. Go to the press conference, and say they'll both be here next year (no matter what Yeti says, they'll be back. Sorry tubs but I'll take Bruce Miles' analysis over yours)

(some other options that are really, really dumb)

50. Go to the press conference, say they'll both be back, AND that you trust that penisface Kenney to HELP PICK THE GODDAMN MANAGER.

I'm done giving that hoopledick the benefit of the doubt.

Fire himself?  Why, that's just bold and crazy enough to work!

[Brownie]

Since this has deviated from what I was originally trying to say, I'll Kurt this and reexplain.

It seemed to be some people's takeaway from that presser that Ricketts gave them a vote of confidence and guaranteed those two clowns will be in the front office next year. It was definitely not that. He didn't give anything definite other than that Jim is the GM now (like today), he will start and lead the search for the manager (they won't hire anyone until after the season anyway), and Jim will retain his spot until at least October 4th. After that, there is nothing set in stone.

And I think Ricketts messed up here, because if nothing is set in stone then don't say anything that gives an impression of a vote of confidence. Say your disappointed and leave it at that. Based on the way that presser sounded to me, that appeared to be a vote of confidence.

Yeah, Ricketts had a few options today and he clearly chose the dumbest. As I see it, here they are in order of increasing dipshittedness.

1. Fire Hendry and Ricketts to let everyone know it's a full housecleaning.

2. Don't go to the press conference. Let Hendry deliver the news. Wait until the end of the season to fire them.

3. Go to the press conference, and choose not to talk about Hendry and Crane. Wait until the end of the season to fire them.

4. Go to the press conference, and say that Crane is gone but Hendry stays.

5. Go to the press conference, and say they'll both be here next year (no matter what Yeti says, they'll be back. Sorry tubs but I'll take Bruce Miles' analysis over yours)

(some other options that are really, really dumb)

50. Go to the press conference, say they'll both be back, AND that you trust that penisface Kenney to HELP PICK THE GODDAMN MANAGER.

I'm done giving that hoopledick the benefit of the doubt.

Fire himself?  Why, that's just bold and crazy enough to work!

Remember when McCaskey fired McCaskey? That was awesome!

[CT III]

Does it brighten anyone's day to know that I briefed Chuck about the Ricketts and Hendry show this afternoon, and the look on his face couldn't be more disgusted if Alfonso Soriano attended the press conference in which Soriano got a lifetime contract with the Cubs with total no-trade rights.

It doesn't? Me neither.

Hendry should have been replaced the day Ricketts got the keys to Wrigley. That's not a firing, it's a change in direction. Hendry could have been praised on his way out (you know, a "we wish him the best unless he winds up in St. Louis or Milwaukee or Houston"), he would have declared his time in Chicago a success (in 5 of his 7 full seasons as GM, the Cubs were north of .500), and Ricketts could have brought in someone that fit his organizational philosophy.

Regardless, Yeti is right. Remember the dumbfuck from Miami who cleaned out his front office in the middle of 2003 and brought in a geriatric manager and unknown GM to run the show the rest of the way. I'm soooooo glad the Cubs stayed the course and waited to axe their manager until the end of his contract. That was a positive thing for the organization.

I have to admit, I laughed thinking about Chuck's reaction as you told him all this.

Anyway, I take my pessimism seriously, so I've actually come up with two worst case scenarios:

1. Tom Ricketts is a complete fucking idiot who actually thinks Hendry is doing a good job.

2. The finances for this team are so fucked up at this point that Ricketts doesn't feel they've got the money to pay Hendry to go away and pay somebody good to replace him.

3.  Profit!

[Chuck to Chuck]

Also, Hendry may give out shitty contracts, but he buttrapes the shit out of people on trades.

Like the Nomar and Pierre trades?

Listen.  He's got a good record on trades where the counterparty is broke and facing huge salary increases.  That's about it.

[Brownie]

But wait until Aramis Ramirez carries the Cubs on his back the next couple weeks and we can all credit JIM HENDRY and the CUBS WINNING FOR PINIELLA!

[Yeti]

5. Go to the press conference, and say they'll both be here next year (no matter what Yeti says, they'll be back. Sorry tubs but I'll take Bruce Miles' analysis over yours)

Give me the exact quote that says he'll be back. Please do this. Seriously.

The ambiguity shows me that he won't be back. If he was going to be back, he'd say, "Jim will be our GM in 2011." He didn't. Instead he was ambiguous, which would have to tell me that it's the opposite of what he said. I'm not really sure what is so hard to understand about that. Bruce's words seem to indicate that he was speculating as opposed to basing that off of inside information that he has.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some Disney programming to get back to. I am right about this, and you rest assured that I will point right back to this when he is fired. And if for some strange reason he's the GM in 2011, feel free to point right back to this and call me a common PenFoe.

EDIT: To further do analysis of the words that Ricketts said, when he was saying the "Jim will be here going into next year...." part, he was stuttering/pausing a little but once he found the right words to say, he went right at it. He also stuttered on talking about him leading the search for the manager. If he was really sure about this stuff, I think he'd be able to say it right away.

[Canadouche]

When the owner of a franchise issues "full support" of a GM or manager, doesn't that usually serve as the prelude to a firing? 

[Bort]

When the owner of a franchise issues "full support" of a GM or manager, doesn't that usually serve as the prelude to a firing? 

No, the Cubs always badmouth people before getting rid of them.

[Canadouche]

When the owner of a franchise issues "full support" of a GM or manager, doesn't that usually serve as the prelude to a firing? 

No, the Cubs always badmouth people before getting rid of them.

You're right, although that was the old ownership.  Also, fuck.

[Chuck to Chuck]

When the owner of a franchise issues "full support" of a GM or manager, doesn't that usually serve as the prelude to a firing? 

No, the Cubs always badmouth people before getting rid of them.

You're right, although that was the old ownership.  Also, fuck.

That's another headline that doesn't match the words at the press conference.