I Didn't Know This About Bush (re: him as Rangers owner)

[THUNDER HANDS]

We all know that when he was owner of the Rangers (all of 2% of them) that he traded Sammy Sosa for nothing.

But did you also know that as owner he was the ONLY MLB OWNER to vote AGAINST the wild card system.

It was in a Newsday story this morning on him possibly being commissioner once his term is up.

Anyone knew that about him? The ONLY guy to vote against the best thing that's happened the baseball in 50 years.

This guy has ALWAYS been clueless.

[acmejack]

1. He certainly hasn't gotten any smarter1

NT

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. I just know he screwed the city of Arlington

when he promised buisiness owners great returns if they would help him get a tax passed to pay for the new Rangers stadium. It was a burdon from the get-go, and at least SOME of the business owners weren't fooled-namely my brother in law.

PS if you go to Arlington, check out TANSSAAFL - a neighborhood pub - and support some good Dem owners.

[Maestro]

3. Big time Rangers fan here

I'll check out that pub. Where is exactly in Arlington? I'm coming from Midlothian.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

6. Bowen ST.

off Lancaster....I think. It's been a long time since I've been there! (I've been living in AR for the past dozen years). I could take you there, but can't recall all the street names.

Tell Mary Ann that Ayesha sent you.

[JohnKleeb]

4. Wow hes a jerk in baseball as well

The wildcard system is great, I honsestly think we should have more teams in the playoffs but jeez, how could he be against the wild card system, its produced a fair amount of world series winners our past ten years.

[HuckleB]

5. A few pieces on the matter...

Bush's Deal for the Texas Rangers --
How George W. Parlayed $600,000 into $14.9 Million:
http://www.tompaine.com/feature2.cfm/ID/2675

Bush' Texas Rangers' plot thickens into tax evasion and more:
http://www.onlinejournal.com/Special_Reports/102404Mazza/102404mazza.html

Bush Makes a Killing While Arlington Stuck With Fee:
http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/vol17/issue19/pols.bush.html


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I remember this coming up back in 2000, as the only money Bush ever "made" in his life came at the expense of taxpayers. In other words, the only deal he ever made that actually made money, made money via corporate welfare.

[hijinx87]

7. the wild card is an abomination.

the guy is dumb as dirt, but he had that one right.

[KitchenWitch]

8. I never thought there could be a worse commissioner than Selig

But I was wrong...* would be worse.

[KamaAina]

9. Gee, wonder if his best buddy Schilling knows that?

No wild card, no Sox miracle last year. No bloody sock, no Duck boats, no epic Yankees choke, none of it. The only plus to that would have been no Curt on the stump "Schilling" for Bush**.

Imagine life without



Leave it to Bush** to try to screw that up, too.

[tcfrogs]

10. Obviously, hindsight is 20/20

I wasn't a big fan of the wildcard, but they had to do something after splitting the teams into 6 divisions total. I'm glad they have it now, though. It at least adds enough excitement for teams & fans on the periphery of contention.

As for the Sosa trade, I can somewhat justify it at the time. The Rangers got(at the time) four-time All-Star Harold Baines, who routinely hit over .300 with decent HR and XBH power. They gave up a very young "toolsy" player in Sosa, who are often a dime a dozen in major league teams' systems. Sosa had done little both in the minors or his brief ML career with the Rangers to suggest he'd go on to hit a gazillion HR's.

[meow2u3]

11. Who else would name a stadium "The Ballpark in Arlington"?

What would he do next? Rename RFK Stadium "The Ballpark in Washington"? or even "Halliburton Park"?