facebook Members: Keep the A's in OAKLAND

by OAKLANDathletics on Nov 6, 2009 12:47 AM PST Comment 32 comments

Help spread the word and join our Facebook group to keep the A's in Oakland where they belong. We are now at over 13,200 members and counting!!

http://www.facebook.com/letsgooakland?ref=ts

Please don't forget to click on the link to sign the petition at either the FB page or the link provided below and remember to PASS IT ON by clicking the "Suggest to Friends" link at left, and invite everyone you know to join us. Help us keep the A's in Oakland! This information will be used to present to MLB and Commissioner Bud Selig through Oakland City Officials and their new Ballpark Committee to show that we still have the great fan base that we once had.

http://letsgooakland.com/

Thank you so much for the support and Go A's!!!

OKLND. It wouldn't be the same without the A's.

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The same questions as the last time you posted this call to arms.

Has the Oakland city Council made any progress towards the development of a viable economic plan to help keep the A’s in town? How about a new ball park? What about the redevelopment of the Coli area? How about the possibility of a new stadium in West Oakland?

Ultimately, I suppose my question is, has the Oakland City Council actually made any concessions to actually help keep the A’s in Oakland or are they just holding us hostage with emotional appeals?

Because I gotta tell ya, you posted this five months ago and you claimed that “they weren’t taking the situation lightly.” Five months have come and gone. What progress can you show us?

Because from where I’m sitting, not much has happened. No redevelopment plans, no new ballpark. Because from where I’m sitting, San Jose has been rolling out the red carpet. They’ve kept the ballpark funds they’ve set aside safe from cuts despite cutting into their redevelopment plans.

The clock is ticking. What can you show me?

by eastbayexpat on Nov 6, 2009 5:35 AM PST reply actions 1 recs

Since you brought it up...

…are there any updates of note on either San Jose or Oakland? I haven’t seen or heard anything in several months.

In 2008 I was watching a team that was rebuilding. In 2009 I feel like I'm watching a team that just sucks.

by UncleLeo on Nov 6, 2009 7:20 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

The answer is yes and no

I was writing a whole post about it, but I keep having real work to do. In short, San Jose has an EIR in process, should be complete towards the end of January. San Jose has an election scheduled for March to gauge voter support.

Oakland has… crickets and an online petition. There are rumors about Middle Harbor Park based on a Chip Johnson column a few days ago. But no real plan and the petition has no mention of a real plan or site.

Remembering Bill King

by jeffro on Nov 6, 2009 8:48 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Jeffro covered the important parts

But for some additional source data.

http://www.sjredevelopment.org/ballpark.htm

I’ve never seen something like this from the City of Oakland. I’d be predisposed to supporting them if I did.

by eastbayexpat on Nov 6, 2009 9:27 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

+1

I want them in Oakland as well, but the council doesn’t care about the team enough to make some aggressive moves.

It's just more exciting with Billy Beane running the team.

by ru155 on Nov 6, 2009 7:57 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I bet the friends of this Facebook page will top out at 10,105

I would suggest selling one dollar hot dogs to get over 15,000.

I am Ray Fosse's infatuations with Clay Wood and high-definition television.

by franks a lot on Nov 6, 2009 6:53 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I might be a friend on weekends,

and when the Yankees or Red Sox are in town.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Nov 6, 2009 7:44 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I like fireworks

I am Ray Fosse's infatuations with Clay Wood and high-definition television.

by franks a lot on Nov 6, 2009 8:08 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I like pie

Hey Al, just go away, baby.

by doctorK on Nov 6, 2009 8:15 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

mmmmm pie

They call their best player "Kung Fu Panda" and they complain that people aren’t taking them or the game seriously enough? -Nick

by mikev on Nov 6, 2009 9:39 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

{stares}

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Nov 6, 2009 9:42 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

A B -3X = Swedish girls like chocolate @('.')@

by monkeyball on Nov 6, 2009 3:59 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Felix?

by DeJay on Nov 8, 2009 7:39 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

San Jose Please

Seems to me they will be much better off there but that’s just my opinion.

by Trainman on Nov 6, 2009 10:07 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I wish I could disagree with any of the sentiments in these comments.

Sadly, I can’t, other than that they’d be better off of necessity with San Jose. Oakland isn’t doing anything to prove me wrong, though.

"PECOTA can pretty much kiss my ass."-Nico

by jeepers on Nov 6, 2009 10:44 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Las Vegas please

IMO if outside of the bay area (if not san jose), that the best option on the west coast. Even better than oakland I hate to say

by Asfan4ever723 on Nov 6, 2009 11:01 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

What kind of fanbase will they generate in Las Vegas?

Not a very good one, is my “bet.”

Last of the Ninth - Photography

by Flashfire on Nov 6, 2009 11:08 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

To this point...

To this point, I have not seen a single legitimate reason why Oakland is so darn valuable for the A’s to stay in. To be honest, I think it would be a coup for the A’s to stay in the Bay Area and I think that is what should be fought for.

I really don’t understand why we should fight for the A’s to stay in Oakland when Oakland isn’t fighting for the A’s to stay in Oakland. What we know is that the current situation is not a viable longterm situation—the A’s cannot continue to share facilities with the Raiders and they cannot continue to stay in the concrete dump with pee troughs.

But if we are voting for where the A’s should move if a Bay Area location cannot be found, I vote for Portland, OR. But that’s just ’cause I left NorCal to move up here…

Visit my sports blog: Triple Slash Sports

by nobodyinparticular on Nov 6, 2009 11:08 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Speaking of Portland...

…you guys looked like you got hit pretty hard last night.

Last of the Ninth - Photography

by Flashfire on Nov 6, 2009 11:17 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

No kidding. Gosh, it’s weird getting used to the weather up here. We have random cloudbursts where it is storm-type weather and then 30 min later you need sunglasses. And the winds have been ridiculous the last couple days.

Visit my sports blog: Triple Slash Sports

by nobodyinparticular on Nov 6, 2009 2:31 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

How do you like Portland?

With the most recent case of stuff perpetuated by CA that we’re not allowed to talk about on the blog, I feel as if I may be finally pushed over the edge and have considered leaving the state.

They call their best player "Kung Fu Panda" and they complain that people aren’t taking them or the game seriously enough? -Nick

by mikev on Nov 6, 2009 2:31 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I enjoy it

There are plenty of things not to like about both Washington and Oregon—things that we are not allowed to talk about here, but I really enjoy the lifestyle and pace of life here. Having grown up in Cali, I was told it would take a lot of getting used to in regards to the slower pace of life, but there are plenty of things to keep one busy if the mood strikes.

Certainly, the cost of living is lower, and if you’re able to live just across the water in the Camas, WA area, you have both Vancouver and Portland as job areas to drive to (not a long drive at all) and houses are a bout 33-45% cheaper in the Camas area. Depending on your fancy—middle-class suburbs, higher-class suburbs, and anywhere in the spectrum from low to high-class city life is all available in a very small area.

I can’t say that the job market is great, but is there anywhere in America that it is? The benefit is that this area seems have a much more worker-friendly cost-of-living/average income gap.

But you have to be able to deal with rain and lots of it.

Visit my sports blog: Triple Slash Sports

by nobodyinparticular on Nov 6, 2009 2:54 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Rainfall has been odd this year

in the Seattle area. There was almost no rain at all from May to August. Drought conditions. But now for the past month it’s been raining almost every day and pouring in buckets on many of them. Lots of thunder the last few nights.

"Go ahead and overachieve, you scrappy Brett-Favre-colored walk-takers." —Rev Halofan

by iglew on Nov 6, 2009 9:56 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Would this be that extra withholding stuff?

I’ve been to Portland a couple times. Nice place. Could see myself living there if I left California. The only problem with that and Seattle, another city I like, is all that rain.

Last of the Ninth - Photography

by Flashfire on Nov 6, 2009 3:33 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, that's part of it.

Meanwhile folks in the state legislature are trying to block their pay cuts and reduction of living expenses and car allowances. Gosh, the horror of being slashed to 95K per year and not 116K!

OK, no politics.

They call their best player "Kung Fu Panda" and they complain that people aren’t taking them or the game seriously enough? -Nick

by mikev on Nov 6, 2009 11:54 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Portland is DFA recommended.

"Since other people actually read these threads, though, probably best that your particular brand of wrongness not go completely unchallenged." - PT

There are differing opinions on me. According to Iglew "DFA is PT with a sense of humor. PT is DFA with introspective self-doubt. I like them both" but according to sirbed Im "The Stats Killer"

by designatedforassignment on Nov 8, 2009 11:13 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

So I posted a blurb about potential Oakland sites a bit ago

I would much rather the people who want to see the A’s stay in Oakland start doing something that will actually make a difference: Push the City to release a plan, name a site, do something.

Petitions to support some vague concept of a “destination stadium” and a facebook page where “fans” are actually debating the merits of moving to Sacramento don’t mean a whole lot to MLB.

I think it shows a general misunderstanding of the motives for a potential move: 1. No site. 2. No corporate support.

The CIty needs to address these issues and swiftly. I noticed that the Ballpark Study Group appointed by MLB met with San Jose officials (noted here in the 3rd paragraph) a few weeks ago… hmmmm.

Remembering Bill King

by jeffro on Nov 6, 2009 11:22 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

im sorry

but san jose just makes so much more sense. Although being a resident of san jose does make my opinion somewhat biased, oakland just is going to have a world series winner anytime soon. if they couldve gotten a new stadium in oakland, thats different, but that couldnt happen

by thewhizkid on Nov 6, 2009 3:29 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Being North Bay resident

and even though the distance isn’t necessarily pretty, San Jose still makes a lot more sense.

CuttheMullet, from "The Thread":
"Whenever I’m about to do something, I think "would an idiot do that?" and if they would, I do not do that thing."

by DMOAS on Nov 6, 2009 4:19 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

There's a lot of people signed up to that face book group

to which I instantly thought: “where are all these guys on gameday?”

Don't believe in yourself.
Believe in Me who believes in You.

by Zonis on Nov 6, 2009 6:27 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

It only looks like a lot of people

because they tarped off the upper pages.

"Go ahead and overachieve, you scrappy Brett-Favre-colored walk-takers." —Rev Halofan

by iglew on Nov 6, 2009 9:57 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Move to San Jose

This team cannot compete in Oakland under the status quo and Oakland has no ability to improve the situation in the Coliseum. They may not become a juggernaught, but the attendance should improve with a new stadium in SJ. Even if the Raiders leave, the Coliseum will need to be completely torn down and re-done. Is there a plan for that contingency?

"If you don't take out his battery, he's going to keep going all day."

by S Jay Bruin on Nov 9, 2009 10:22 AM PST reply actions 0 recs