By Lois E. Wilson
The man stood up and offered his hand. “Hello, I’m Bill. I understand that you are the person who has been hired to take over P.R. for the LIBS and replace me. You have a degree in journalism?”
“Yes,” answered the young man. “I’m from out-of-state and don’t know the history of the team. Anything you can share would be helpful in my approach to the position.”
“Well, the team does have a lot of history and not all of it good. It started out as a family-owned team, the POLS. It was successful with several league titles and two World Series wins. It was definitely a first-rate team. Now it is owned by a large group of investors. That has resulted in conflict about whom should manage the team and how—even who should be on it. The board is liberal; the team was renamed LIBS.
“When politics and its correctness invaded the sports world, the investors implemented a ‘quota’ system for drafting and recruiting players. No matter their merit, if they didn’t possess the personal attributes to meet the arbitrary quota for a position, they were passed on until someone who did could fill it. The success of the team declined. Revenues hit bottom, and fans fled. All wanted a new manager.
“A relief pitcher who had been around for years doing different jobs—mostly to little success— wanted the manager position. Investors thought it couldn’t be any worse; some began to help him. He tried to campaign for the leadership position but every time he went out to speak to the group, he seemed to freeze, or get his words garbled. When asked what he planned to do to turn the team around, he would tell them to wait and see.
“One investor ordered the pitcher to bide his time in the dugout. He told him he’d learn to manage better that way. While he was in his confinement ‘biding his time.’ the LIBS began a program of indoctrination and manipulation with him. They hoped for his capitulation. An investor told him to stay in place and not answer any questions or talk to outsiders. ‘Don’t worry he said, It’s all taken care of—you’ll definitely win.’”
“The new manager’s problem was he didn’t know the investors had thrown him a screwball—in fact perhaps they had turned him into one. He thought the P.C. quota was out in left field. He felt neutered. He fought for hiring the best players—he wanted a top offense and defense—to be first again. When he tried implementing a merit system for hiring, the investors threatened him. He was told, ‘Ignore the P.C. criteria and you’re OUT!’”.
“No one knows which side the fans will take in this team’s battle. The fans want the team to be on first with no politics—the question is whether all can unite: the team, the fans, and the investors. It probably depends on which receives the most damage from the track they are currently on. They need a new playbook and a new team name. I’ll be eagerly awaiting your stories and reports. I wish you a ‘win-win’ result. Keep alert, inquire, find the true story, don’t drop the ball, and WATCH YOUR BACK!”