There are times in your sportswriting life when events happen miles away that effect what you are writing for the next day’s paper, only you have no way in the world of knowing those events are happening. Wednesday was one of those days.
I caught the Lexington Legends afternoon game Wednesday and wound up tapping out a column about how the team’s woeful record on the field, worst in the South Atlantic League, combined with these tough economic times, has really not had much effect on the team’s bottom line at the turnstiles. During the game, I had a nice, long chat with Alan Stein, the Legends’ minority owner and chief operating officer.
(Some of the stuff that didn’t make the paper: As part of the Ivy Walls Management team that also owns the Class AAA Omaha Royals, Stein has been sending quite a bit of time in Nebraska trying to gain a new stadium deal. Omaha is building a new stadium to replace Rosenblatt, site of the College World Series. But the farm team has some issues that need to be decided, as well. And one of the Royals’ minority owners is Warren Buffett, by the way.)
In the course of the conversation, Stein told me how much he liked Ed Wade, the Houston Astros’ new general manager. The Legends are the Astros’ Class Low A farm team. Wade had recently been in Lexington for a visit and to catch up with Stein, who said he enjoyed the visit. He said Wade was a “look-you-in-the-eye” kind of guy, who explained the reasons behind the team’s moves. He said looked forward to a long, working relationship with Wade.
Then this morning, Wade is all over the news. As you’ve probably, Wade and Houston pitcher Shawn Chacon became embroiled in a shouting match in the Astros dining room on Wednesday night, which ended with Chacon putting his hands around Wade’s neck and throwing him to the floor. Wade had reportedly told Chacon to meet him in manager Cecil Cooper’s office. Chacon refused. The two then began screaming obscenities at the other and, well, it was Latrell Sprewell-P.J. Carlesimo all over again. Chacon has been suspended.
Richard Justice gives his take in his Houston Chronicle blog here.
They cut him this afternoon….good for them…they did what management wasn’t willing to do in the Sprewell situation…you know do the right thing.
The Warriors gave him a 10 day suspension and only after people went crazy over the behavior did they then suspend him for 82 games and void his contract.
Congrats to the Astros for doing the right thing IMMEDIATELY.