Vin Scully Speaks McCourt: Much Ado About Nothing
Vin Scully joined Yankees play-by-play announcer Michael Kay Thursday, on Kay’s afternoon radio show on ESPN’s 1050AM in New York, talking everything from the current play of the Dodgers, to Scully’s relationship with owner Frank McCourt.
Judging by the reaction of local media, both the Mason & Ireland Show and the Stephen A. Smith Show, one would think that Scully spoke as a blind sheep about the Dodgers. According to Ireland, he even insinuated that he believed Frank McCourt would return to prominence as a Dodger owner, due to the semantics of the legendary broadcaster.
When Kay asked Scully if McCourt still attended games at Dodger Stadium, he replied like so:
"Well I will say this, I understand he comes to the game. For the first couple of months, and for years, he sat in a seat alongside the Dodger dugout. But obviously, with everything going on, he does not want to be center stage, and I can’t blame him. I do think, and I have heard, although I can’t see, he comes into the ballpark and goes into his office. When the game starts and everyone is basically in place, he walks down to an executive suite, which is near third base on the press level, and he’ll watch the game from there. And then, I assume because I can never see him, he will then leave before the crowd leaves. And I can understand the fact that he would like to be behind the scenes at least a while, until they push him back out center stage."
Our own version of ESPN Radio in Los Angeles, took the final eight words of Scully’s answer and ran with them. Some said it was Scully’s way of showing his support of McCourt, others said he was merely giving a corporate response. But what John Ireland never played, was the whole answer to that question, nor the most important answer of Scully’s in the whole interview, when Kay directly how often Scully comments on the ownership fiasco. Scully answered appropriately, but for Mason & Ireland listeners in Los Angeles, we never got to hear this from Scully:
"Zero. The only times I would ever comment is if all of the lawyers came onto the field to play."
That is classic Scully, and exactly where his comments should stay. To be fair, Stephen A. Smith played that quote. But both he, and John Ireland dwelled far more on Scully’s account of Frank McCourt as person. To Scully, McCourt is a “wonderful man”, as the two have spent plenty of time together and have always had a “solid” relationship. Again, to LA radio personalities, a sign of Scully’s blindness to the evils of McCourt.
Yet again, wrong. Michael Kay asked how Scully’s relationship was with McCourt, not an analysis of the McCourt regime. For all we know, McCourt may in fact be a great guy to share a meal with, and start a length conversation. Consider George W. Bush, whom plenty of men would love to have a beer with him and talk baseball all afternoon long. That has nothing to do with the politics of the former President, and likewise Scully’s dinner arrangements show little effect from McCourt’s style of ownership.
Scully’s interview is ‘much ado about nothing’. He gave great answers, regardless of the selective excerpts heard in Los Angeles. Plus, as an employee of the Dodgers and the McCourts in particular, he was never going to come out swinging at the boss, anyways.
Listen to the interview yourself, I highly recommend it. He is rightfully critical of the Dodgers play, and even expresses his disappointment in the signing and floundering of Juan Uribe. And the best part is that there’s a few bonus nuggets included as well, as Kay and Scully chat about the issues of scripting a marquee radio call, with Jeter’s 3000th hit on the door step.
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