Slithering henchman?????

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

I think at this point it's become an exercise in columnists trying to out-outrage each other.

It gets really stupid at the end, about how the Mets tried to avoid the Tuesday papers but forgot that the Internet existed. I spared you that drivel.

But the part that irked me calling Tony Bernazard a "slithering henchman."

C'mon Ray, justify that.

If you want to take issue with how the guy does his job, have at 'em -- as long as you back it up with facts.

But the name-calling is just silly. If the Mets had stones, they'd call him on it and demand an apology.




By RAY McNULTY
Scripps Howard News Service

The shameful way in which the dim bulbs that run the New York Mets botched the firing of Willie Randolph reminded me of the old joke about space travel to the sun.
You know the one.
About going at night so the astronauts don�t burn up? Well, apparently, the gutless losers in the Mets� front office figured they could avoid the scorching media heat if they dumped their manager in the middle of the Southern California night.
Why else would they send Randolph to the West Coast, allow him to manage the Mets to a series-opening victory over the American League West-leading Los Angeles Angels and conduct his usual post-game interviews, only to hand him a pink slip when he returned to the team�s hotel? Why else would Mets general manager Omar Minaya, the architect of this miserable mess, and his slithering henchman, assistant GM Tony Bernazard, deliberately wait until the team was 3,000 miles and three time zones from home to make a move that could�ve been made last weekend at Shea?

[Guest AG/DC]

Um, why not?

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

"Omar Minaya, the architect of this miserable mess, and his slithering henchman, assistant GM Tony Bernazard, deliberately wait until the team was 3,000 miles and three time zones from home to make a move that could�ve been made last weekend at Shea?"

Well, clearly TWO timezones and 1,500 miles...that would have been OK. Guess they should have done it on the flight, somewhere over Kansas, so no columnists were offended.

[Frayed Knot]

Bernazard is the designated whipping boy around these parts and is often talked about in similar language to what this guy says. He's the behind the scenes guy, the back-stabbing weasel, etc.

Now I personally don't have any problem with that, I just wish someone would actually say WHY they consider Bernazard to be such a slimy rat.
I hate it when writers essentially start their stories by passing off a judgement as if it's accepted knowledge and then basing further conclusions on the same supposed fact.

[metirish]

All future firings should be done at Elaine�s , they can use Keith's table.

From a NY Times Rhoden column.

] �I actually asked him,� Randolph said, �I said: �Omar, do this now. If you�re going to do this, do this now. I know you�ve got a lot of pressure on you, but if I�m not the guy to lead this team, then don�t let me get on this plane.� I did say that to him.�

[Guest attgig]

the media is a joke. they loved to bash willie, and now, they love making him look like the victim. this whole situation is so freakin annoying.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I don't want to give the Mets enough credit for hatching it this way, but perhaps by making Willie into a martyr they knew it would make it look like he was a good enough manager to deserve another opportunity with some other club.

[HahnSolo]

We need some undeniable facts about Tony Bernazard.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

He was a typically average second baseman during his 12 year career. He did did everything pretty well, but did nothing exceptionally. He later became a shadowy, backstabbing, slithering henchman to Mets GM Omar Minaya.*

*It actually doesn't sound much better even when you throw in a few facts before assasinating his character.

[Theoldmole]

Where can I get a slithering henchman?

[Benjamin Grimm]

Here's all I know about Tony Bernazard, in two words:

Street Spanish!

[seawolf17]

I met Bernazard at baseball camp when I was a kid. Still have the autograph on my wall.