Full Court Press

The Cell and the Zell!

I don't mind the name change. It's a natural practice in today's 'big business' of MLB.

What I do mind, is that horrible eye sore that is right next to home plate that looks ridiculous on baseball telecasts.

Why do they need a blue screen advertisement right next to home plate!? I refuse to watch tv telecasts with that over-agressive media monstrousity reminding me to watch some horrible WB TV show ever darn pitch. That's why they have commercials!! Shame on them.

I'd put a roof on it and call it the Fukudome...

Sam Zell doesn't seem so bad now...does he?

Anybody else find it ironic and funny that there could actually be picketing against cockfighting....In Wrigleyville?

and Kudos (or is it Kodos?) to the Sun Times for the "Godzilla-like numbers" choice on the Fukudome poll....hilarious...

It will always be Wrigley Field no matter what it's named

name it what you will it's still wrigley field to me!

It won't affect attendance at all. Plenty of us will complain, but for the few who actually boycott, there will be hundreds of people waiting to take their spot. The company who buys the naming rights will probably be boycotted at a much larger scale.
Also, correct me if I am wrong, but isn't the red marquee protected by landmark status? If it is, the company putting up 100's of millions of dollars will not only have to face public scrutiny, but everyone who walks in the main enterance will still be greated by a sign that refers to the ball park as Wrigley Field, no matter what else the official title. I am not so sure too many companies will be lining up to put out that kind of money for that kind of return.

The same people who worry about a name change are the same ones who don't even watch the game.
Life goes on people...

would you call the small island of bars surrounded by Boystown Wrigleyville still?

I have an idea. How about the CUB's fan's promise to boycott any company who purchases the naming rights? What would they have to gain by spashing their name all over the ballpark when nobody will by their product. And the Cubs following is second to none. It's not just about Chicago. Cubdom is nationwide. I bet that might put a little spike in their future sales profits. Put that little tidbit out there and maybe there won't be the interest.

Do you really think the drunks... er... fans will notice?

Hey, just kind of kidding....

Here is a Zell symmetry idea:

Zell should sell it to a sovereign wealth fund (SWF) and start a big freaking brou-ha-ha over it. Then his newspapers and tv/cable outlets could cover the raging war over a SWF as the potential owner. Then they could host a cage match at Wrigley "soon to be called something else" Field between the winner of a "Name Wrigley Field" contest (which was promoted in the Tribune and on WGN) and the top dog at the SWF. Winner takes all. Oh, and the battle royale could be carried by WGN TV and cable outlets.

Zell wins.
Wrigley wins.
Cubs win.

Fans? Who gives a rat's a** about them?

It's still going to be the same old pit where you have to pee in a trough no matter what it's called. Maybe Mr. Zell could bring a level of sophistication to the place, like losing the Old Style and bringing in a more tasty European lager. And toilets.

You're right Seedy, why should anyone care about the fans? They don't care about baseball, so it all seems even to me.

Roman responds: The ladies rooms have troughs too?!?!?

having been a fan of the Cubs since the 1960`s and having attended over 200 games at Wrigley......the place sucks.....always has. I dont care if you call it "the Zell"....tear it down and build a new park....if the Cubs can win the world series is all I care about.....Please let it be this year those the low class....nitwitted scumbag Sox fans will shut the F@#& up for once.

Damn, you Cubs fans are a bunch of ignorant losers! You are so worried about maintaining your "fine" tradition of 100+ years of bad baseball, in a dumpof a ballpark.

If any of you had taken the time to go to school and learn about the capitalist system, you'd have learned that ownership in a property conveys certain rights to the owner thereof. One of these absolute rights, is that the owner can do with his property what he pleases, within the parameters of the law.

Mr. Zell is completely within his rights to sell the naming rights to Wrigley Field...if any of you don't like it, buy the f***ing team and name it whatever the hell you want.

Personally, I think he should sell naming rights to Koehler, the ballpark can be appropriately nicknamed, "the Toilet".

will anybody refer to it as it's new name anyway? These things have a way of working themselves out. I am sure quite a few 'corporations' will be hesitant to spend 20 million a year, when most people are still going to call it 'Wrigley' field. Especially if the Wrigley co. buys the naming rights. They could probably figure a way for the 20 mil to be a tax write-off, and everyone will be happy.

Chuck, I'm impressed with your post! A Cubs fan that actually cares about baseball and not the mighty mystical Wrigley Field? I hardly believe it. But before you go calling Sox fans low class nitwitted scumbags, just remember - we have a ring from this century and toilets in our ballpark. We don't need to shut up about anything. I can also go to U.S. Cellular and not be relentlessly hit on by obnoxious alcoholics wearing blue jerseys. If I were a Cubs fan however, I'd be very vocal about the craptacular Wrigley and the matching product on the field.

One more debate about the Chicago Cubs that has nothing to do with actually winning a ring. Just the way Cub fans like it.
This destraction will take your minds off the fact that the Cubs have not won a title in 100 years and baseball will be on the back burner on the North side of town as usual.
If they keep the name and finsh with 82 wins and a 3rd place finish the fans will be dancing in the streets.

Maybe if you stopped showing up year after year because of the bad baseball your message just might have some real meaning.
Oh hell... what am I saying? You don't care about the product anyway. Just the cute box it comes in.

Yeah Chuck..tell us how you really feel?

Roman, you're right. People will still go. Like all the people who said they were through with baseball after the strike, and more recently with the steroid era. People always come back, especially Cubs lemmings, uh, I mean fans (Sox fans too-who calls the new place Comiskey now, like everyone said they were going to?). But I think its a bad business decision for Zell--he should learn from the hard lessons of Macy's after they tampered with a Chicago icon. Chicago is a very "local" big city. The same people Zell is alienating are the same people buying his newspaper. Or not buying his newspaper.

Rich

What difference does the name of the park make? I really don't get it. Would you feel better if the owners bought the Cell and renamed it Wrigley?
For years, the Blackhawks following was far more dedicated than that of the Cubs (albeit over 20 years ago). Somehow they got over the "Stadium" getting changed to the UC.

As Homer said..."generally you can explain a lot of things by the fact that people are stupid".

to the tune of Charlie Daniels "The Devil Went Down To Georgia"

the devil heads up the tribine and he's looking for some cash to steal
he's in a bind his paper is behind and he's willing to make a deal
with the sale of the Cubs not going so hot he jumped up on his desk and said boys let me tell ya what.
I guess you didn't know it but I can sell the naming rights to Wrigley too and if you care to take a dare I'll make a bet with you.
now the team looks pretty good this year but give the devil his due I'll bet that trophy of gold against my soul this idea will go through.
a voice spoke loud we're the Cubs fan's and it might be a sin but we'll take that bet you're gonna regret cause re-naming wrigley just ain't-a-happenin
so devil told the world at large the bid was 'bout to start when suddenly the mayor himself realized wrigley had a heart
he looked at what was done to soldier field and old comiskey park and was saddened at the thought of losing another land mark.
so he and the city council called up greedy zell
they told the devil you've crossed the line take your greedy soul to hell
wrigleyville rejoiced that night but no one thought to gloat for in their minds still remained that damn devil goat.

yeah chuck..the nitwitted scumbag chet lemons can kiss my george orta tattooed @$$...a new stadium would rock...The Zell has a nice ring to it...and the Zell wouldn't came from families, coaches, and umps getting beat up by those nitwitted scumbag chet lemewinks....freakin felchers

and weedhopper..I'm ok w/drunk and I wouldn't notice...I'm gonna call people weedhopper all day today, too...Feb 29th...leap year...Weedhopper Day

anybody else waiting for Fukudome (God I love typing/saying his name) to have a Godzilla-like performance?...The Sun Times is...and I am too[queue Beast's Roar]

someone should draw Godzilla tearing down Wrigley Field being ridden by Sam Zell...I'm not a drawrwer

Anyways...Happy WeedHopper Day

did anyone complain when Comiskey Park became something else................

whats good for the south side is good for the north side.....yeah, Dunkin Donuts Park for the Cubs

Ah, Chuck, yer a man after me own heart.

Encouraging fans to stay away from Wrigley if the name changes is all well and good, but for those who have spent thousands on season tickets and hundreds on single-game tickets, it's not gonna happen. And we all know that corporations own alot of the tickets nowadays and they care for the team about as much as Zell does, which isn't saying much. Despite his Chicago background, Zell is nothing but a money-grubbing cretin. He doesn't deserve to be called owner of the Cubs, but it is what it is, and winning the Series is the thing. I mean, come on, the Cubs have been playing in the same place for 90-odd years and have yet to win the Big One. Oh, the humanity!

No wonder other countries don't like Americans! We have way too much time to waste on such minor issues. He bought it, he can do what ever he wants with it.

Remember POSSESSION is nine-tenths of the law; something that you acquire means that it is difficult for other people to take it away from you. Unless it's the U.S. government of course!

Sam Zell you are the WINNER!!

As a daily reader of both the Times and Trib for the past 30-odd years, I'd have to say I've always felt the Times was the better paper. Those days are rapidly coming to an end. The past two days of Zell-bashing is the most bush-league stunt I've seen any newspaper (above the level of a college rag) pull off. Honestly, I've never seen such a concerted effort by respectable reporters, Editors and true hacks (i.e. Mariotti) to create hysteria; perhaps they're doing it in a misguided and pathethic attempt to win over Trib readers to build up the Times' dwindling numbers. Regardless, these articles and columns seem more appropriate for that crappy rag pumped out by the Tribune every day (i.e. Red Eye), or better yet, the Onion.

For Rich in Naperville, perhaps you should take the time to travel the U.S. so you can learn that the Cubs fan base does not include half the population of the country. I can state with great certainty that no national or international corporation or conglomerate is going to tremble over the fact that a few fans will boycott their product in the event they were to buy the naming rights for this dump. I'm sure Boeing would fear such repercussions and the hit they'd (in your mind) take on their bottom line! As usual, like most Cubs fans who think the world revolves around them, you are mistaken.

And thank you, Chuck, for showing us Sox fans that Cubs fans such as yourself are able to so eloquently express their thoughts through the written medium. For being "high class," you appear to have a very limited vocabulary; perhaps you should ask the Trustee that administers your trust fund for an advance so that you can purchase a thesaurus.

Greg Couch brings up an interesting bit of subterfuge that Zell has been engaging in.

Under the guise of doing repairs, the Trib has asked that Wrigley Field's landmark status be temporarily recinded. This is necessary because there are many structural and cosmetic changes that cannot be made as long as the stadim is designated as a landmark.

The most important of these is the sign over the entrance at Clark and Addison, and the scoreboard. These can't be altered in any way whatsoever while Wrigley is shackled by this historic designation.

It would be awfully hard to change Wrigley Field's name under these circumstances.

"The Zell has a nice ring to it...and the Zell wouldn't came from families, coaches, and umps getting beat up by those nitwitted scumbag chet lemewinks....freakin felchers"

Another Cub fan showing off his fine command of the English language. Please keep in mind that Sox fans aren't the idiots that attack their own team's players. Funny how guys like yourself don't have the stones to face up to that fact, while you continue to beat into the ground Ligue's attack on Gamboa.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/graphics/pdf/022908bondsunseal.pdf

They have unsealed Bonds indictment...

Its baseball related...

(I was totally wrong about Bonds, he is a bigger DB than I ever imagined.)

"I'd call it Wait Till Next Year Field. Better yet, put a roof on it and call it the Fuku Dome."

http://espn.go.com/

Hitman, someone stole your joke and its on ESPN.com's main page today!!

Chuck, I too am impressed with your post. I wouldn't change a thing. Right on man.
Julie, are you saying that 'sober' fans at U.S. Cellular don't hit on you? Only ones with beer goggles on? That certainly is a tell-all. You have been downgraded back to cute.

HEY STEVE B. Take your capitalist ways back to the same place Pres.Bush, Metallica,and all the politicians on capitol hill,go to HE double hockey sticks!!! I belive in the constitution and values,and great history.NOT CAPITOLISM,YOU COMMIE!!!

It doesnt seem like there are alot of Cubs fans here, but im going to post anyway! Every one should visit www.keepitwrigley.org. Im the daughter of the founder and I am helping to promote the site. Our Website isnt about boycotts or protests. It is about people who have a common interest coming together and saying one thing 'keepitwrigley'! If the name of Wrigley Field is ultimately changed, then yes to MANY people it will still remain, affectionately, 'wrigley', and yes, people will still go to the games.

I am so dissapointed to have come into a Chicago Sun Times room and to have read what I read. We live in Chicago and Wrigley Field might be old and run down but it is possibly the most beautiful and memorable place Ive ever been to. And thats a simple thing. I dont travel or have expensive things, I just know that there is something special about that ballpark and maybe some people dont like it or just dont like the Chicago Cubs, and that is fine, but dont trample on other people who do happen to like the Cubs and Wrigley Field.

with all due respect fukudome, was in a post of mine that Ricky never posted(bout 2 monthsago) because of all the fuku's. And I am sure..it was running across the mins of at least a million people anyway.
Mike in FT Wayne....if you are not a Capitalist, then you ARE the Commie..so fuku and your colts.

Mike...your post couldnt be more confusing if you tried.

What the F are you talking about?

Calling someone a Commie, because they are a capitalist?
Do you have your head on straight????

RINNNNNG.......RINNGGGGGGG.......RRRRRRRIIIIIINNNNNGGGGGG

"411..Hello how can I help you...?"

Hi, yes, this is Bculz,....and umm..I have an blogger buddy who is totally not plugged into you, can you please help him?

411 Operator:
"Sure...what can we do for him?"

Bculz:
well...he is a total dolt...who knows as less about Rock Music as he does politics...

411 Operator:
"That seems to be typical for your blog buddies"

Bculz:
well...I know...that is why I try so hard...but...do me a favor...cause this is such an extreme case or moronism...

411:
"Anything for you Bculz, you are our #1 distributor"

Bculzie..
Thanks 411...you know I got your back....could you explain to Mike in FortWayne(which explains everything actually)...why his comments are so flipping ludicris!?

411:
Sure...but..it would be a waste of time. You see, only those that are open to the truth, can be one with it.

411:
That and....we dont work in FortWayne!

"HEY STEVE B. Take your capitalist ways back to the same place Pres.Bush, Metallica,and all the politicians on capitol hill,go to HE double hockey sticks!!! I belive in the constitution and values,and great history.NOT CAPITOLISM,YOU COMMIE!!!"

Congrats, Mike in Ft. Wayne, as your post serves as another shining example of the general idiocy of the common Cubs fan. You first acknowledge Steve B. as being a capitalist, then call him a - I quote - "COMMIE." Maybe when Chuck orders his thesaurus he can buy you a dictionary, or an Econ 101 primer.

Nice try Stuck. I'll help you out here - drunk guys who don't care about baseball hit on me at Wrigley irregardless of what is happening in the game, which is annoying because I'm usually only at Wrigley when the White Sox are there. Guys at U.S. Cellular, drunk or not, courteously flirt with me between innings so as not to infringe on my baseball viewing enjoyment. The guys are generally cuter and younger at Wrigley though. Harry Teinowitz sways the curve in the other direction at the Cell all by himself.

bculz sez:
411:
"That and....we dont work in Fort Wayne!"

Are you famaliar with the simplest directions for how to get to Indiana, from Chicago?

Mark...dont boner up my joke...its funny enough without your paw prints all over it.

and yes...I am familiar with FortWatne...I waxed their ass in Hoops in the GLVC conference every year. Them and St.Joes and IUPUI and Lewis and SIU edville and Quincy....yep...I couldnt be more familiar with small podunk towns throughout the Tri-State area. I have slept on a snowy bus ride through all of them.

lets just worry about winning the world series,its all that realy matters ,you play to win the game! at the moment all wrigley represents is lovable losers and memorable chokes!maybe its time for change ,the sox switched from cosmiskey to the cell and finally won a championship,A hundred years is along time, keep your eyes on the prize!

Call it Millennium Park: It will be that long before the Cubbies win the World Championship. The other MP in Chicago can be re-named anyway!

Jerry..thats funny.

WRIGLEY FIELD WAS THERE BEFORE A LOT OF US WERE EVEN BORN. WE NEED TO KEEP IT CALLED WRIGLEY FIELD. IF BY CHANCE IT WAS CHANGED IN MY HEART OF HEARTS I'LL STILL CALL IT WRIGLEY FIELD. THERE IS NO GOOD ENOUGH REASON TO CHANGE IT. WAKE UP PEOPLE, AND LETS PUT OUR FOOT DOWN.