ST. LOUIS COLUMNIST CALLS CREDENTIAL-GATE
'BLUNDER OF THE MONTH'
Sports Illustrated is expected to
do a story about the Kansas City Royals and the team's misguided decision to
pull credentials of two radio reporters. Until then the story continues to
spread across the country.
Columnist Jeff Gordon of the St.
Louis Post-Dispatch (6/19) says he was surprised the Royals came out with a blog
to try to justify its actions:
BLUNDER OF THE MONTH
The Royals were 18-49 through Saturday's loss, a 7-2
thrashing from the Astros. They are on pace to lose 100 games for the fourth
time in five years.
Kansas City hasn't enjoyed postseason play since 1985, when Don Denkinger aided
their World Series conquest of the Cardinals. The only time Kauffman Stadium
draws a decent crowd is when the Cardinals visit in interleague play.
So this franchise should suck up to the local media, not aggravate it. When the
team revoked the press credentials of Bob Fescoe of WHB and Rhonda Moss of KCSP
- for aggressive behavior at GM Dayton Moore's introductory news conference -
the Royals did those two a favor.
Fescoe and Moss have an ironclad excuse to avoid Royals losses for the rest of
the season. And they also have the green light to hammer team management
mercilessly for the rest of the season, without ever having to see their targets
face to face.
Oddly, the Royals front office didn't realize its mistake. Rather than restoring
the credentials, the franchise has attempted to justify the ban.
The Royals even started a front-office blog on their official Web site, offering
their own spin. Here was the explanation for exiling the two radio types: "The
credentials were not revoked because someone asked tough questions - we get
those every day - but for reasons of decorum. The tone, the abruptness, and the
forcefulness of which their questions and added commentary were presented,
offended many at the news conference."
By "everyone," the team means owner David Glass and his son Dan. Here is how
Kansas City Star columnist Jason Whitlock viewed the debacle:
"The Royals turned Fescoe and Moss into martyrs, and in the process they exposed
the owner and his son as buffoons who don't have the necessary tummy to lead a
Boy Scout group - let alone a major-league franchise."
