Wally Backman Finds a New Job

[SoxAce]

No doubt, but like I said, that is not saying much. It just means he sucks less than Dez White.

Let me ask you something, do you think of David Terrell? Cause he and Bates aren't getting the ball often enough IMO. Do you think Bates is worse than him?

[Rex Hudler]

I am in complete agreeance with this. I was a huge fan of his. I wanted him to replace Manuel half way through the season. I thought he could give this team a lift. Then I hear what he did. I couldn't believe it. I can't stand the bastard!

 

That may be the most hypocritical statement I have ever seen.

[southsideirish]

Let me ask you something, do you think of David Terrell? Cause he and Bates aren't getting the ball often enough IMO. Do you think Bates is worse than him?

Can't say I really don't see enough Minnesota games to know if Bates is dropping balls or not. Terrell looks scared at times out there. He always looks like he is aligatoring it when he goes across the middle. I would like to see more of Terrell to be honest with you. I think with his size he would be a great posession receiver/end zone target. We could use him like most teams use their tight end. If he is up to the task.

[Rex Hudler]

Well I hope he denies it one more time and calls Kenny a liar. Then Kenny will come forward with the information he has on the subject. I would love it. I haven't heard Backman say a damn thing since Kenny said that and I am sure what Kenny said got back to him in one way or another.

If there is more to the story, then even makes your comments even more stupid because the supposed comments weren't the real reason for the firing.

 

I am really disappointed in such a knee-jerk reaction to a situation that anyone with a little objectivity and intelligence could see through.

[southsideirish]

That may be the most hypocritical statement I have ever seen.

and how is that? Please explain and maybe I can explain what I mean better.

[Gene Honda Civic]

That may be the most hypocritical statement I have ever seen. 

welcome to the world that is Southsideirish...

 

he'll tell you it's a joke later.

[southsideirish]

If there is more to the story, then even makes your comments even more stupid because the supposed comments weren't the real reason for the firing. 

 

I am really disappointed in such a knee-jerk reaction to a situation that anyone with a little objectivity and intelligence could see through.

woooweee sorry. Hey if the true story does come out and the reason he was fired was for insubordination then will that make you stupid? I would just like to know.

[southsideirish]

welcome to the world that is Southsideirish...

 

he'll tell you it's a joke later.

wow, the passive agressive type. Nice!

[SoxAce]

welcome to the world that is Southsideirish...

 

he'll tell you it's a joke later.

[southsideirish]

   

turning on me? I would never have thought!

[southsideirish]

welcome to the world that is Southsideirish...

 

he'll tell you it's a joke later.

Cheat you just make s*** up, like that big thing about the Dick Juron Jerry Angelo Conspiracy. What is up with that? Oh sorry, maybe that was all a joke.

[southsideirish]

Wow, I didnt think you guys were going to take it so seriously, jeez, it was only a joke.

ha ha!!!!!!! and its in green!

[SoxAce]

turning on me? I would never have thought!

It was just a funny post man. Lighten up!

[Rex Hudler]

woooweee sorry. Hey if the true story does come out and the reason he was fired was for insubordination then will that make you stupid? I would just like to know.

 

No, actually that would make KW a liar.

 

Since you seem to know the "real story" let's hear it.

 

KW said he believed Backman and that was not the issue in his non-renewal. Yet you want to blame him for that being judge and jury?

 

I am not arguing with you all night. I have already seen some of your idiotic threads. There is no need to argue with someone who can't understand logic and argue intelligently.

 

So have your final say. I know you are itching to do so.

[Mathew]

There are many sides and facets to what goes on in baseball from personalities to performance.  I don't buy that there is any one reason that Wally left the Sox.  I do have a few thoughts, however....

 

1.  First of all, Wally was not fired.  He was simply not offered a new contract.  His previous contract was up.  Secondly, Wally was very emphatic that he would not got back to AA again.  He felt he had earned a promotion.  As it turns out, if he were offered a AA contract in December he could have had a change of heart since many other jobs were filled at that point.  I do think the fact that he didn't want to go back to AA had an effect on the Sox decision not to offer the contract.

 

2.  The Sox actually did indeed offer him a new contract during the season.  Without a guarantee that he would not have to come back to AA and not knowing what was going on with the White Sox, he decided to hold off signing it.  That was his choice at the time.

 

3.  I personally find the story that broke about his "conversation" with Gardenhire stinks, big time.  One source reported it with no direct quotes whatsoever.  Other media sources only reported it a few days later because the story hung out there.  No specific person was quoted and no other media source decided to do any kind of follow up.  With today's media, that makes no sense. 

 

4.  If Wally did make such a comment, I have no doubt it was in jest.  Did he want the Sox managerial job?  Hell yes.  But was he trying to undermine JM to get that job?  I don't think so.  The bottom line is 85% of Sox fans wanted the same thing, Manuel fired.  Many people on this board went to great lengths to make long posts as to why he should be fired.  So to call him an asshole for having the same thoughts you were is quite hypocritical. 

 

Perhaps joking with a buddy was a bad idea.  But how many times have any one here made a comment in jest that was meant to stay in that room only??  When casual comments land in print, they look 10x worse than they were intended.

 

5.  That said, Backman is not without his faults.  I don't pretend to know everything he ever did or said, but I know enough that like all of us, he was not perfect.  I believe his biggest crime was not being patient enough in waiting for a position that White Sox personnel were telling him was all but his.

 

6. Lastly, regardless of everything else, Backman is one hell of a manager.  His players loved playing for him, they played hard and they won games.  He was a master at the game itself and won games for his team.  Watching him over two seasons it was evident how much of an effect he had.  I for one, will miss watching Wally manage.

I have yet to wholeheartedly agree with a post more than this one every point right on. If he did utter that statement it would have been likely typed in green on this board. I hope he gets a shot and hope it worked out o.k. for the Sox in the long run too, but to out and out hate the guy for taking a 4th hand account of an alleged phone conversation is ignorant.

[cwsox]

Southside and Vince, you both are completely full of s***.  First of all, Backman denied it twice, once in an article in the Birmingham News and again in the Tribune article a few days ago.

 

The reason it was never denied earlier in any source other than the Birmingham News, is because the writer of the story never bothered to call Backman to get his response (don't they teach you that Intro to Journalism?) and no other news source, including any of the Chicago papers ever followed up on the story.  The original story was bulls***.  Backman was never contacted, Gardenhire was never contacted and two unnamed Twins assistant coaches were indirectly quoted. 

 

If you know ANYTHING about journalism, you can smell a hack job a mile away here.  There is a reason no other media outlet touched the story.  I figured you guys to be a little smarter than this.

Rex, had anyone else said that, I would have taken that as meaningless. But from you...

 

that makes a difference.

 

What you say - succinctly - makes sense. Also know you as a friend of WB so...

 

If your version is the or closer to the reality that what was the au currant story, then note I did post right away to say I was glad he was still in baseball. If your story is true, it is good he is away from KW for his own sake. If the other version has has some truth to it, glad he is working. If there is a kind of combo of the various stories, whateer, he is working.

 

Your insights are always very appreciated because you are so literally seeing from a perspective none of us have access to, so thanks for the heads up.

 

And still glad WB got a job!

[southsideirish]

No, actually that would make KW a liar.

 

Since you seem to know the "real story" let's hear it.

 

KW said he believed Backman and that was not the issue in his non-renewal.  Yet you want to blame him for that being judge and jury? 

 

I am not arguing with you all night.  I have already seen some of  your idiotic threads. There is no need to argue with someone who can't understand logic and argue intelligently.

 

So have your final say.  I know you are itching to do so.

Where is all the hostility coming from? Why is it if your opinion differs the other person gets so uptight around here? I would really like to know that.

[cwsox]

and Rex -

 

you said

Perhaps joking with a buddy was a bad idea. But how many times have any one here made a comment in jest that was meant to stay in that room only?? When casual comments land in print, they look 10x worse than they were intended.

 

5. That said, Backman is not without his faults. I don't pretend to know everything he ever did or said, but I know enough that like all of us, he was not perfect.

 

I kind of said that above. he made a mistake. we all do. He is still in baseball. That was mistake he should not have made, but he has rebounded.

 

But help me, my friend, you know I have the greatest respect for you and listen to you and I am trying to sort this out - if he did joke about this in confidence, then what was it he denied?

 

I am glad he is still in baseball.

[southsideirish]

Rex, had anyone else said that, I would have taken that as meaningless.  But from you...

 

that makes a difference.

 

What you say - succinctly - makes sense.  Also know you as a friend of WB so...

 

If your version is the or closer to the reality that what was the au currant story, then note I did post right away to say I was glad he was still in baseball.  If your story is true, it is good he is away from KW for his own sake.  If the other version has has some truth to it, glad he is working.  If there is a kind of combo of the various stories, whateer, he is working.

 

Your insights are always very appreciated because you are so literally seeing from a perspective none of us have access to, so thanks for the heads up.

 

And still glad WB got a job!

Oh now I understand. Your a friend of Wally Backman. I must have offended you. Well proceed.....

[SoxAce]

No, actually that would make KW a liar.

 

Since you seem to know the "real story" let's hear it.

 

KW said he believed Backman and that was not the issue in his non-renewal.  Yet you want to blame him for that being judge and jury? 

 

I am not arguing with you all night.  I have already seen some of  your idiotic threads. There is no need to argue with someone who can't understand logic and argue intelligently.

 

So have your final say.  I know you are itching to do so.

Rex excellent job on analysis as usual. Man SSI, your getting into arguements with two respected people on this board (Rex and Steff) and still think your right.. Dude just back off of comments that you know your wrong of. But.. I don't think that'll happen.

[southsideirish]

Rex excellent job on analysis as usual.     Man SSI, your getting into arguements with two respected people on this board (Rex and Steff) and still think your right.. Dude just back off of comments that you know your wrong of. But.. I don't think that'll happen.

The wierd thing is people say that personal business should not be reported, but then the same people that do so also know players or coaches. Then they share personal information about them. However, it is all good information about them. I mean if personal information shouldn't be shared, then don't share any of it. Good or bad. If that is what you believe. Isn't that hypocritical?

[Guest JimH]

I believe Rex on this whole Backman story.

 

Does anyone think it's possible this Twins writer, or one of the Twins coaches, could've made this stuff up, or embellished it?

 

And let's suppose this writer is a Twins fan, wouldn't he enjoy sticking the needle into the White Sox organization?

 

I think that's what happened.

 

In fact, I can see the coaches sitting around with Gardenhire, in ear shot of this writer, saying, "hey Ron, wasn't that Wally B. calling, tellin' you we should kick the s*** outta the Sox? He wants Manuel's job ya know ... hahahahahahahaha!!"

 

And then the writer takes it and runs with it.

 

Funny how the writer directly quoted no one.

 

We have a writer here in the Daily Herald (in Chicago), Barry Rozner, he does the same thing a lot with the Blackhawks. He mixes in so much of his personal opinion and personal perspective and conveniently presents it as fact, so as the reader believes it truly happened exactly as he describes it.

 

It's called journalistic skill ... and poetic lisence.

 

As I understand it, Backman specifically denied having that conversation. But he was probably not renewed, in part, because the White Sox organization felt that quote would dog him in Chicago forever.

 

However unfair, it is best he gets a fresh start. By all accounts he is a fine baseball man and deserves his new opportunity.

[Rex Hudler]

Rex, had anyone else said that, I would have taken that as meaningless.  But from you...

 

that makes a difference.

 

What you say - succinctly - makes sense.  Also know you as a friend of WB so...

 

If your version is the or closer to the reality that what was the au currant story, then note I did post right away to say I was glad he was still in baseball.  If your story is true, it is good he is away from KW for his own sake.  If the other version has has some truth to it, glad he is working.  If there is a kind of combo of the various stories, whateer, he is working.

 

Your insights are always very appreciated because you are so literally seeing from a perspective none of us have access to, so thanks for the heads up.

 

And still glad WB got a job!

Thanks Vince......... Allow me to add one more thing.

 

I said all along that I didn't think KW and Backman would not mix. I always believed that Backman wouldn't get the Sox job unless they made a move in the middle of the season.

 

So my arguments have nothing to do with sour grapes over Wally not getting the Sox job.

[southsideirish]

Thanks Vince......... Allow me to add one more thing. 

 

I said all along that I didn't think KW and Backman would not mix.  I always believed that Backman wouldn't get the Sox job unless they made a move in the middle of the season. 

 

So my arguments have nothing to do with sour grapes over Wally not getting the Sox job.

Rex, how good do you know Wally Backman? How long have you known him for?

[southsideirish]

I believe Rex on this whole Backman story.

 

Does anyone think it's possible this Twins writer, or one of the Twins coaches, could've made this stuff up, or embellished it?

 

And let's suppose this writer is a Twins fan, wouldn't he enjoy sticking the needle into the White Sox organization?

 

I think that's what happened.

 

In fact, I can see the coaches sitting around with Gardenhire, in ear shot of this writer, saying, "hey Ron, wasn't that Wally B. calling, tellin' you we should kick the s*** outta the Sox?  He wants Manuel's job ya know ... hahahahahahahaha!!"

 

And then the writer takes it and runs with it.

 

Funny how the writer directly quoted no one.

 

We have a writer here in the Daily Herald (in Chicago), Barry Rozner, he does the same thing a lot with the Blackhawks.  He mixes in so much of his personal opinion and personal perspective and conveniently presents it as fact, so as the reader believes it truly happened exactly as he describes it.

 

It's called journalistic skill ... and poetic lisence.

 

As I understand it, Backman specifically denied having that conversation.  But he was probably not renewed, in part, because the White Sox organization felt that quote would dog him in Chicago forever.

 

However unfair, it is best he gets a fresh start.  By all accounts he is a fine baseball man and deserves his new opportunity.

Hmm, maybe I should have done a little more research on this subject. This seems to make sense. I just remember reading a lot about it at the time. It is hard to tell who to believe. Man I hated Backman when I first heard this. I believe your right about why he was not renewed and not given a fair shake at the white sox job. Just the simple fact that that rumor is out there is bad and hard to shake. True or not. Why is nothing being done to the writer that first reported it. Can't Backman sue him or something? I would think he could. There should be something done to that reporter. This could have killed the man's career.