Emotions bubbled to the surface as Oakland A's fans decried team owner John Fisher on Tuesday night at the Coliseum.
OAKLAND – More than one vulgar chant was hurled in Oakland A’s owner John Fisher’s direction by upset fans during a ‘reverse boycott’ at the Coliseum on Tuesday night.
But what would A’s fans really say to Fisher if they had a chance to talk with him face-to-face?
Well, they wouldn’t use the quite same harsh language, it seems.
But they would also get their point across in no uncertain terms, and urge him to do right by Oakland A’s fans.
“I think if I was looking at John Fisher in the eye I’d say, ‘Please, sell it to someone that genuinely cares about our community,’” Oakland 68s member Jorge Leon said before Tuesday’s game between the A’s and Tampa Bay Rays. “Sell this team. You’re going to make a profit. Nothing wrong with that money. You have the San Jose Earthquakes.
“Right now, if you took this team away, the name Fisher is going to be ruined, and I don’t think his mom Doris wants that. I would say just sell it now and just be done with it.”
Fisher would likely come last in any popularity contests judged by Oakland A’s fans. But it also seems they would also likely speak to him in a measured tone, to try and rationalize with him that leaving Oakland for a smaller market with no guarantee of long-term success — and hanging local fans out to dry — is simply a bad business decision.
Here’s a small sampling of what some A’s fans would say to Fisher if they had the chance.
Clem Healy, Woodacre: “I’d say the A’s are a historic franchise. They’ve been in Oakland since 1968, and there’s a lot more history beyond that. And it’s just not right to have them not be in Oakland. If you don’t care about baseball, give the ownership to somebody who will care about baseball and put a team on the field that’s going to be competitive year after year. Show the fans that you care about the game itself and not just profit.”
Gil Batzri, Oakland: “I feel like sports are really about place and about the regional fans. If he doesn’t want to be here, he needs to divest himself and he’ll make plenty of money and move on and let somebody take the team that is interested in them being here.”
Michael Pettersen, Fairfield: “I would say that, If you build it, they will come. I would say that Vegas is kind of a mirage, and a 30,000-seat stadium would not do as well as he thinks. You have to spend money on the team and the players, and you would see dividends, especially now since you’re the only show in town in the major sports.”
Tom Falletti, Alameda: “I would ask him, ‘Why doesn’t he just sell the team?’ I wouldn’t be hostile. I would just ask him, ‘What kind of sick game are you playing with all these people? What you’re doing now and over the last 8-10 years, this is like some kind of sick game of chicken, and we all know you’re going to win because that’s what you people do. You just buy your way through. So I would like to ask him what is your game? What are you gaining here, Mr. Fisher, besides just kind of an ego boost that you can play God over 2 million fans.”
P.J. Graves, Merced: “I don’t know that it would do any good if I did say anything. But I think I would have to say that I don’t believe he’s a good person. His priorities are all in the wrong place, and if he doesn’t have the heart for baseball, then he should turn things over to someone who does.”
Sean O’Halloran, Geelong, Australia: “What I’d say is to look at the facts here. This is a potentially successful franchise if you allow it to be one. I think just going for a cash grab, which is just what it seems to be. I don’t see how the Tropicana site will work.
“So what would I say to him? Give the franchise a chance. I don’t think John Fisher’s given this franchise a chance from the moment he purchased the team. I think the team has excelled despite the restrictions that they’ve been given.”
