Selig to get a statue

[hawing]

I think the biggest reservation I have (and it's not a deal-breaker) is that so many fans of other teams dislike Bud, some intensely, and some illogically transfer that dislike to the Brewers' organization and fans - because apparently every Brewers employee and fan automatically worships at the altar of Selig. Either that or they remain convinced that Bud is secretly pulling strings to help out the Brewers (as evidenced by their long history of on-field success).

 

I consider Bud's baseball career to be a mixed bag for sure, but for me the good outweighs the bad enough so I don't mind a statue. But I'm not looking forward to the backlash from other MLB fans I know.

[Flying Dutchman]

Here's Jim Caple's view, obviously not a positive one. Nor are the comments to this article. I'm not saying he was the best commissioner ever, but I just don't understand the absolute hatred of him and all he's done.

[TheCrew07]

I think statues historically speaking have been for the great players from a franchise and not the ownership. I don't have strong feelings either way about the statue itself, it just strikes me as odd. For whatever reason, I'm okay with broadcasters getting a statue more so than an owner, not just in baseball, but in any sport. Yes without them there wouldn't be a franchise, but most owners don't do any of the dirty work to make their franchise successful, and those that try more often than not just mess things up. Baseball is unique in that teams typically have a signature radio voice like we do with Uke. When I think of Yount and Molitor, I think about Uke's calls of their exploits, because that's all we when I in my youth... only 1 or 2 baseball games per week were on TV and it was never the Brewers. I think it's easier for fans to identify with the broadcasters and players more so than the owners.

 

I like some of the other ideas that have been tossed around, like the statue being inside the park in that home plate area, or a couple of busts around the park at various entrances, the history buff in me also likes the idea of a historical marker. Like I said I don't have strong feelings either way, but it doesn't surprise me that there is some resistance to the statue being put out front with the franchise icons as us little people really don't indentify with an owner at all. I wonder if he wouldn't have put his daughter in charge of the franchise if people would feel differently, the ineptitude of the franchise under her watch reached epic porportions. At any rate, I've never stopped and looked at the statues outside the stadium on my way in, we'll always tailgate as long as possible are usually pressed for time when I'm with a group. If it's just a couple of us we normally go eat in Fridays and watch batting practice, and of course I want to get inside early to watch that as well so I can honestly say I've never looked at them.

[PrestigeWorldwide]

Jim Caple has such an anti-Bud bias that you can not possibly trust anything he says on the subject. I like Bud for all the reasons already mentioned in this thread but I feel I am still able to be objective when evaluating his performance as owner and commissionor, and some of the things Caple has written about him are absolutely ridiculous.

[topper09er]

Also, seriously, who cares that the All-Star game tied after 12 innings? I mean, who cares?! People talk about that like he implemented the DH or something.

[RockCoCougars]

That dork Caple hates Bud like every other Twins fan out there due to the contraction talk from about ten years ago. What those twits conveniently forget is that most of that talk originated from their skinflint owner wanting to either cash in on the team or apply a threat to the populace for a new stadium.

 

I don't care what anyone says, Selig has been a great commissioner. As a purist, I haven't always agreed with everything that's happened under his watch, but the game seems to be as strong now (perhaps even stronger) than it was pre-strike.

[dlk9s]

I like how Caple fit in an oh-so-creative jab at Prince's weight in that article.

[Invader3K]

If people don't want a statue, maybe they could just rename it "Selig Park" instead. After all, other cities have stadiums named after former owners.

 

Seriously though, that Caple article was ridiculous. Also, it sucked. There's a "Beavis and Butthead" reference in the first paragraph. I minored in English writing in college and I think I could compose something more compelling than this schlock. Also, judging by some of those comments, I think most fans are happy just being generally ignorant and overly negative about everything. I suppose it's easier to go through life that way.

[TheCrew07]

Boy I wish I would have that article before I posted because I posted some similar ideas but in no way do I want to be associated with that clown.

[Invader3K]

I wonder if he wouldn't have put his daughter in charge of the franchise if people would feel differently, the ineptitude of the franchise under her watch reached epic porportions.

I think this is a valid point. He gave the team over to Wendy in 1998, and by that point Miller Park was already secured, if I'm not mistaken. He could have sold the team to an outside investor at that point, and his legacy would probably look much better. Only a few bad years in the '90s after relative success in the late '80s/early '90s, versus a decade plus of futility. I'm guessing there was a huge financial impetus for him to keep the team in the family for a few more years, and I don't blame him for that at all.

[Diskono]

I'm really not understanding why people are having such a hard time with the statue idea. I don't get all this talk about "it should just be a bust" or "put it down the 3rd base line somewhere". Hey, I know, why don't we just put a portrait of him in one of the elevators or in a utility closet?

Geez. The guy is the Brewers. No Bud Selig. No Brewers. No Miller Park. No Yount statue. No Aaron statue (not in front of Miller Park anyways). If anyone who has ever been part of the organization deserves a statue, It's Bud Selig. He deserves a statue, a street, a parking section, and a day in his honor. There's a whole stadium named after the founder of an organization about about 115 miles north of Milwaukee. Yes I realize that man was also a player and a coach, but we are just talking about a statue, not a hallowed shrine.

 

What is it, because you don't like the way he looks? If he looked more like Vince Lombardi would you be ok with it?

I love the idea of giving him a statue, but I can kinda see where people are coming from in regards to the location - I could see how a guy in a suit might look weird next to statues of players. Maybe we could just replace the statue of the Fonz instead?

[clancyphile]

If people don't want a statue, maybe they could just rename it "Selig Park" instead. After all, other cities have stadiums named after former owners.

I was in favor of calling it "Selig Stadium at Miller Park."

[SeriesFinale]

Over a week late, but here is that interview TH gave on KNBR regarding the Selig statue.

[Invader3K]

Unveiling of the Selig statue is today.

 

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brewers/101351319.html

[JimH5]

Terrific ceremony. . .I was able to see a lot of it online. . .

 

Very surprised to see Teddy Higuera in attendance. Yount, Aaron, Molitor, Gantner, Cooper, Gorman, Bando, Ken Sanders, Don August, Augustine, Oglivie, Don Money, Audrey Kuenn, Rachel Robinson. . very nice.

 

And a swell tribute to Bud. He's the one who made all of this possible, through hard work and personal dedication.

 

Congrats to him!

[FIPS133]

Caught a lot of the ceremony on line and it was outstanding. If you can find the time and ability to watch this I would recommend it. Just seeing the parade of former Brewers was really cool. Uecker was awesome, even though we know a lot of his stock lines he's still halarious.

[Hofbraunhaus]

I watched the ceremony on tv and really enjoyed it. Uecker was hilarious as always and I was amazed at how many former Brewers and other notable baseball players were there. One thing I didn't know that I thought was interesting was that Selig and Herb Kohl grew up on the same block as each other. It's kind of crazy that at one time they owned both the Brewers and Bucks.

[Invader3K]

Wish I could have been there.

 

I have to say I'm very disappointed, but not surprised, by a lot of the comments I've heard and read today regarding Selig, though.

[carniesandrubes]

Seemed like a who's who of Wisconsin sports. Besides all the Brewers-related people you had Herb Kohl, Ron Wolf, Bob Harlan, Barry Alvarez & Pat Richter.

[RockCoCougars]

Was Laurel Prieb in attendance, or is he still barred from the stadium grounds?

[dlk9s]

Just watched the ceremony. Fantastic. Really liked seeing Teddy Higuera there. Thought it was really cool that Trevor and Craig Counsell were there, too.

 

And you know what? That is a pretty damn good statue.

[davego]

I'll just say thanks, Bud. All in all, I think as an owner and commissioner you did your best for Milwaukee and MLB. Hard to ask for more then that.

[brewmann04]

any link to where i can watch it today? from the highlights was done very nice and Congrts to Bud.

[jjkoestler]

Ditto on the link.

 

Was anyone at the game? The tent/structure looked enormous.

[ilovebeer]

Bud deserves it, if it wasn't for him, there would be no brewer fan.net. When Bud was trying to get Miller Park, he put of with a lot of crap, if i was him, i am not sure i would have put up with it. People blame is for the strike that cancel the world series, that was not his fault, it was the players, i never thought the tie in the all star game was a big deal, again this was not Bud's fault, if the managers would have used the players Right, it would never have happened.