Manager Julio Franco?

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

This from Heyman's SI.com column today.

� Some people around the Mets say things are better in the clubhouse with Julio Franco gone. They say he was a divisive influence who was constantly second-guessing manager Willie Randolph. "It was obvious he wanted Willie's job,'' one uniformed Met said.

I raise this not to defend Franco -- his performance alone merited his departure -- but to point out that the things sports reporters get away with is getting worse and worse.

Heyman makes a damning statement about Franco with absolutely NOTHING to back it up.

"One uniformed Met" could be anybody, and it could also be nobody. We'll never know.

And let's assume that he's talking to a real person and it's a player or coach. Well, something coming out of David Wright's mouth is different than coming from, say Scott Schoenweis or David Newhan.

This kind of cheap-shot journalism is rampant is sports reporting today, and we'd never get away with it on the news side of the business.

Hell, he's not even backing it up with a second source, which we do for just about everything.

Anybody can say anything about anybody if they know their name won't be attached to it. And it becomes an avenue for cheap shots.

Curt Schilling took a lot of grief for his comments about Bonds, but at least he put his name behind it. Given the culture of sports reporting today, those comments could easily could have been issued "by one unifomed player."

It's one thing to use sources for background about a trade that's coming or something along those lines, solid news that a team won't or can't comment on (or a trial balloon).

But another to allow someone to throw some cheap shot bomb around and hide.

(jumps off soapbox)

[Zvon]

Well said, well put, well done.

[Guest Edgy DC]

"One uniformed Met" is a better and more specific source than I'm used to seeing sports reporters use. It beats "an unnamed NL executive," and the old reliable, "a source familiar with Randolph's thinking."

[Zvon]

Edgy DC wrote: "One uniformed Met" is a better and more specific source than I'm used to seeing sports reporters use. It beats "an unnamed NL executive, and old reliable, "a source familiar with Randolph's thinking."

Its actually the same ambiguous thing Edge, imo.
Its a source that cant be confirmed or consulted.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

The surprise here is how late Heyman is arriving.

Talk of Franco's unpopularity in the clubhouse surfaced almost immediately after he'd left (albeit also from unnamed uniformed sources). You know, stuff like, he didn't think he had to excercise and shit. I'm sure it was discussed right here.

[Centerfield]

Julio Franco - Ira Similarity Score rising.

Hell, include me in that group too.

[Guest Kid Carsey]

Hey:>>>They say he was a divisive influence who was constantly second-guessing manager Willie Randolph. "It was obvious he wanted Willie's job,'' <<<

That makes two of us.

Feel bad for Heyman, the Knicks front office is in court, Jets / Giants sucked last week and
both QB's are hurt and now Belicheat gets caught again, and the Mets and Yanks seem to
have a playoff spot sewn up (forget I typed that last part). I applaud his hairy moose cock
sucking way of coming up with something a little controversial to shift focus his way for a
few minutes.

[Benjamin Grimm]

It's funny how Franco was a "great clubhouse guy" while he was here (remember how he got on Carlos Beltran in April 2006 for not wanting to take a curtain call?) and immediately after he departed we started hearing about how he was a "bad clubhouse guy."

[Zvon]

lol--I cant believe I had no use for this graphic work since he was shipped out (and before, somewhat--I was waiting
for a BIG clutch HR pulled down the left field line--and we all know that was not going to happen anymore for Ol Man Rivah)
and now I posted it twice in 24 hours.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Pulled down the leftfield line?

The leftfield ine is usually pretty safe from Franco.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Page 2 of this thread:

http://cranepoolforum.qwknetllc.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=6832&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=franco&start=20

[Guest Iubitul]

="Yancy Street Gang"]It's funny how Franco was a "great clubhouse guy" while he was here (remember how he got on Carlos Beltran in April 2006 for not wanting to take a curtain call?) and immediately after he departed we started hearing about how he was a "bad clubhouse guy."

Is it possible that he was a great clubhouse guy last year, and let bitterness over his lack of use this year turn him into a bad clubhouse guy?

[Benjamin Grimm]

I guess that's possible. You'd expect more maturity from someone his age, but one thing I've learned is that age doesn't always bring maturity.

[HahnSolo]

Who is this Julie Franco of whom you speak?

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

HahnSolo - "Who is this Julie Franco of whom you speak?"

Well, he did kind of hit like a girl this season.

[seawolf17]

"Say what?!"

[Guest Edgy DC]

Can Jennie hit?

[seawolf17]

Looks like she can. Can't find stats anywhere, though.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

seawolf - "Say what?"

I knew that comment would likely come back on me. Of course, it did garner a Jennie picture in response, so I'm pretty happy.

Edgy - "Can Jennie hit?"

As far as I'm concerned, Jennie can do whatever she wants.

[Theoldmole]

Julie Franco, kitchen staff, Wayside Chapel Community Church

[Zvon]

Interesting image in light of this thread.