Any Thoughts on FireDanOBrien.com

[Henry Clay]

I saw a link to this site today and did not see it mentioned elsewhere on RedsZone. I'm not sure how I feel about these types of sites when it comes to lobbying for a person's termination. They are classic examples of protest-based free speech, which makes them all-American, First Amendment protected, and almost patriotic, so long as they aren't defamatory. Plus, I think Dan O'Brien is not a good general manager, so I wouldn't mind seeing him replaced. At the same time, I wouldn't want a similar site lobbying for my termination.

Here is a link to the site:

http://www.firedanobrien.com

This site is fairly innocuous with no pejorative expressions (other than that the guy should be fired) or demeaning images (other than a funny picture of Dan O'Brien at a news conference).

With this public lobbying campaign to sack Dan O'Brien, this seems like an appopriate time to look at the merits of this type of site, as well as critique O'Brien and his efforts. As mentioned, I don't know what to think of this type of site. As for O'Brien, he has done far too little to improve the team in the past 2 1/2 years for me to want anything other than a change of management once the new owners assume control.

[MWM]

This site is done by a RedsZone regular and one of our most respected members. I won't mention his name unless he wants to identify himself. I think he's still working on it and it's not a finished product.

I have no problem with it.

[MrCinatit]

well, there goes my idea :p:

[WVRedsFan]

I don't have a problem with it either. Public figures are answerable to the public. And we still have freedom of speech unless that was taken away just a minute ago.

I'm glad he's not finished yet. I clicked everywhere to see what else was on the site.

[Unassisted]

Judging from his column today, if Hal McCoy was making that site, I think he'd cite the Casey trade as a firable offense.

I put that trade under the "Maybe there's hope for DanO" category.

[Heath]

There are worse fire(fill in the blank).com out there.

This person behind this website (not me) is a redszone regular who follows the RedsZone decorum rules to a "T". Not one person who has been criticial of DanO has not once insulted his character or him as a person. However, his work as a GM of the Reds has a left a lot to be desired.

Imagine you are visiting a favorite restaurant. You don't have to eat there, but you like it, and it ENTERTAINS you. You frequent the place on numerous occasions and you enjoy a specific entree. One day you are met by the new general manager. You find the decorum has changed, the menu's changed. Your entree isn't up to par. You ask the new general manager what the deal is. He speaks about 25 minutes on nothing - and doesn't offer you a new meal or any explanation of what's going on. This repeats a few times. When someone asks you about this place to eat, are you really going to give it a good review, though you've enjoyed it all these years?

I'm sure Dan O'Brien is a good guy. He's nice to his family. He might be a good neighbor. Mows his lawn. Cleans up after his dog.

But he's not a general manager.

That's the point we are expressing here.

[M2]

Judging from his column today, if Hal McCoy was making that site, I think he'd cite the Casey trade as a firable offense.

I put that trade under the "Maybe there's hope for DanO" category.

Dave Williams will do a bang-up of replacing Ramon Ortiz's suckitude, so maybe he's figured out replacement value.

[KronoRed]

No problem with this site, it's by a Reds fan who's had enough.

Unlike other FireBlahBlah sites that are usually by other fans trying to make real fans look bad. (FireRonZook being a prime example of the bad kind)

[StillFunkyB]

Don't have a problem with it at all.

In fact, if there were a petition on the site I would sign it.

[MartyFan]

Heck, I have supported DanO pretty strongly and I have no problem with the site...let the people speak!

[M2]

Don't have a problem with it at all.

In fact, if there were a petition on the site I would sign it.

Ditto.

[Ron Madden]

I have no problem with the site.

Will it work? Who knows.

I'd say O'Briens poor job preformance is enough reason
for termination.

[Phhhl]

Normally, I am not into this type of thing. But, O'Brien was clearly the wrong man for the job the day he was introduced to the media and I cannot help but support any effort to get him out of the position in any way, shape or form as soon as possible. I am sure he is a nice man, but the condition of Reds baseball operations is the stake and I wouldn't care if he was Ghandi. Evidence over time has proven Dan O'Brien to be an idiot, and we have suffered too long for the front office to expect expressions of patience or kindness when the subject of our stammering, bungling excuse of a gm is raised.

In case anyone cares, a lot of us still expect the Reds to win. Someone email Castellini this url.

[vaticanplum]

I have no problem with this -- that's what the Internet is for, and there's so much crap about there that there's no arguing that it's a very legitimate opinion -- but I don't see anything on it. Just a picture, no text apart from the header. What am I missing?

[jmcclain19]

Man guys - I step away from the net for a few days and suddenly my secret is out :)

I guess now is as good a time as any to "step out from behind the curtain" so to speak.

The owner of firedanobrien.com is me. I bought it when he was hired with the intention of never having to use it, and to prevent it from the type of nastiness I've seen elsewhere. I was hoping that the domain name would never have to be used. With the same intentions I bought firedanobrien.org & firedavemiley.com

But it has come time to use the site. The Reds are terrible and getting worse, stuck in the mire they don’t seem to know how to get out of, only that the best solution must be to dig deeper in hopes of coming out the other side.

Frankly, the only reason there is only a front page on the site is just due to nothing other than bad timing.

I'm getting married here in just a couple of days and I haven't had any spare time to devote to finishing and uploading things I've been developing for it. So I threw a simple graphic up there in the interim while I polish up things and get it ready to go love.

To answer some questions
-Yes the site will have a petition feature
-Yes the site will chronicle the entire administration of Dan O'Brien from Oct of 2003 up till now. Looking at all levels of his administration, from draft, to organizational philosophy to free agent signings & trades. With as little slant as possible. Sad thing is, no real arugmentative slant is needed for the site. Simply laying the facts out for all to see is quite the damning indictment, as it won't take much beyond that to see just how bad the Reds are as a whole and how much worse things have gotten since O'Brien took his spot in the big chair.

Look for a debut of the site live in all its glory to come as pitchers and catchers report - which is just as baseball fervor has started for the 2006 season. We'll use some friends in the media, both online, print and radio to get the site's message out, and it will become unavoidable for the new owners not to take notice.

Thanks guys for the kind words - and I encourage everyone to check back at the site mid-February.

[StillFunkyB]

I have nothing against DanO, the man. I don't know him.

I do have issue with what he has done with my favorite baseball team.

[Henry Clay]

As much as I have disliked similar sites in the past, I like the notion of a model "fire-fill in the blank-.com" site that aspires to be objective and non-nasty. I like even better that a Reds fan went out and bought the domain with the idea of preventing someone from creating an inappropriate site.

As for O'Brien and the site's content, I don't think the site will need much flourish or embellishment to demonstrate the guy's inept management of the team. Although he has made a few good draft picks and signed Joe Randa, he has otherwise done poorly. The Womack trade is probably the best example. I still haven't met a single baseball fan who could explain the merits of that move -- well, except for folks viewing the trade from the Yankees' perspective.

I look forward to seeing the site in final form.

[captainmorgan07]

i ahve seen worse like fireubranmeyer.com that was un called for

[marcshoe]

I hope to never see the site in the envisioned form. I hope by February that there is no need.

[MartyFan]

Since the middle of last season I have been at a complete loss and in denial that DanO could be so miscast in his current role...I have defended him to the tooth and unfortunately every time I have he has outdone himself and me by proceeding to do something even more backwards...Perhaps in a different situation with a different team DanO could thrive. With this team and with the cards he has too play, NO WAY!

Wouldn't a better website be addressed "FireJohnAllen.com"? His inability to see the true needs of the team and organization are the reason someone like DanO is in the chair too begin with.

So, who's going to do it? Who is going too launch "FireJohnAllen.com"?

[marcshoe]

True enough. When Allen cleaned house a couple of years ago it seems the next logical step would be that if the new regime did no better, Allen would be next out the door.

That hasn't happened yet, obviously.

Allen's always struck me as a caretaker, maybe because that's how he got the job in the first place. But he hasn't ever seemed like he had any permanence in his position.

I would assume that at the least the new owners would put their own man in this position, though.

[Henry Clay]

I hope to never see the site in the envisioned form. I hope by February that there is no need.

In light of this comment, I hereby revise my earlier post. I also hope the site is moot by February. At the same time, I hope there is another job in baseball for O'Brien. Not to sound too much like Napoleon Dynamite, but I think he has skills, just not GM skills.

On a related note, my wife predicted O'Brien's poor performance when he was announced and had the first press conference. I can still remember her comments, and she repeated them back to me today. She saw the guy's long "thank you" list and said, "This guy is giving his Oscar speech, and he just got the job. It's like he sees this as an ending, like a reward or something, when he should be grim and know that he is starting a long, hard job." I don't think the guy ever attacked the Reds' problems with the necessary attention and focus on what was wrong. Kullman & Maddox may have been under the gun to do something, but they also yielded very useful results during their bout of emergency moves.

The best thing I can say about O'Brien's work to date is that the guy has had sense not to trade the core of young talent that was on hand when he arrived. He has done little to enhance that talent while it remains young and tied to the Reds, but at least he didn't trade away Dunn, Kearns, and LaRue for spare parts. At the same time, a few good pitching acquisitions that were better suited to GABP would have given the Reds a chance to compete last year and into the future. In that category he failed miserably (after all, who spends millions to bring flyball, HR-allowed leaders to pitch in GABP?).

[MrCinatit]

but hasn't Dan0 attempted to trade away Dunn, Kearns, LaRue and Pena, but (fortunately) failed miserably - so far. get rid of the guy before he does the damage he has the potential to do.

[wheels]

In light of this comment, I hereby revise my earlier post. I also hope the site is moot by February. At the same time, I hope there is another job in baseball for O'Brien. Not to sound too much like Napoleon Dynamite, but I think he has skills, just not GM skills.

On a related note, my wife predicted O'Brien's poor performance when he was announced and had the first press conference. I can still remember her comments, and she repeated them back to me today. She saw the guy's long "thank you" list and said, "This guy is giving his Oscar speech, and he just got the job. It's like he sees this as an ending, like a reward or something, when he should be grim and know that he is starting a long, hard job." I don't think the guy ever attacked the Reds' problems with the necessary attention and focus on what was wrong. Kullman & Maddox may have been under the gun to do something, but they also yielded very useful results during their bout of emergency moves.

The best thing I can say about O'Brien's work to date is that the guy has had sense not to trade the core of young talent that was on hand when he arrived. He has done little to enhance that talent while it remains young and tied to the Reds, but at least he didn't trade away Dunn, Kearns, and LaRue for spare parts. At the same time, a few good pitching acquisitions that were better suited to GABP would have given the Reds a chance to compete last year and into the future. In that category he failed miserably (after all, who spends millions to bring flyball, HR-allowed leaders to pitch in GABP?).

Your wife's a very wise lady.

It's been said here too many times to count....DanO's overmatched as a GM, and with guys like Dean Taylor whispering in his ear, he's got no chance. He's far better suited to be a minor league director or something of that ilk.

As an aside, if the name Dean Taylor doesn't send chills of fear down your spine, you simply haven't heard of him. I'm really worried that he would be the guy hired to replace O'Brien.

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

[MartyFan]

but hasn't Dan0 attempted to trade away Dunn, Kearns, LaRue and Pena, but (fortunately) failed miserably - so far. get rid of the guy before he does the damage he has the potential to do.

They've done nothing of any worth together, maybe the parts they would bring would be able too be a better product on the field?

[KronoRed]

They've done nothing of any worth together, maybe the parts they would bring would be able too be a better product on the field?
Agreed, but I sure don't want Dan O making those deals.

[MartyFan]

Agreed, but I sure don't want Dan O making those deals.

I can't say that I disagree with that.

[M2]

They've done nothing of any worth together, maybe the parts they would bring would be able too be a better product on the field?

Those new parts need to be able to pitch. DanO inherited something that should have been easy to fix -- the worst pitching in franchise history -- and managed to make it worse.

[Redsland]

jmcclain19,

Feel free to mine my "wacky quotes" thread for fodder, if you like. And I listed all of his FA acquisitions in a thread a few weeks back. If you'd rather lift that than repeat the research, feel free to do an "advanced search" on my username and "poppel".

And I sincerely hope your site is successful.

[BCubb2003]

I mentioned this before, but I'd be interested in suggestions. If you met Dan O'Brien in a business setting, what would you say to him? How would you express your disappointment? Would you try to get him to describe his thinking on such things as finding a true No. 1 starter, or renegotiating with Rich Aurilia? Would you explain why your vision of developing a team is so dramatically different? Would security have to be called?

[Cedric]

I'd hope most people would show class and tell them their opinions that way. Baseball isn't important enough for me to flat out be hateful to another human being. But I would be sure to question him.

[SirFelixCat]

I'd hope most people would show class and tell them their opinions that way. Baseball isn't important enough for me to flat out be hateful to another human being. But I would be sure to question him.


I don't think the majority have any ill will towards DanO as a person. We are strictly speaking about his (in)abillity to be a successful GM of our favorite ballclub. And in that respect, he deserves our ire. On a personal level, not at all. None of us knows him and I do believe that, if any of us knew/met him in person, we would be quite cordial and such.

I sat behind Mr. Allen 2 season's ago with Mrs. SCRF, creek, and Mr. creek and while I was making comments during the game about how an improved BP would help, I was quite polite when I actually spoke to him...I simply asked, "Hey, Mr. Allen, plan on getting us some BP help now that we are in first place?" (It was the sweep vs Houston 2 season's ago in May). He responded with "we'll see", but still, it wasn't like I was rude ;)

[Redsland]

Were I across the the table from him in a interview setting, my first question would be, "You've spent two years talking about a build-from-within youth movement, but you've acquired no prospects of note. Along the way, you've signed or traded for two dozen 30-something-year olds. As you enter your final contract year could you please articulate what your plan has actually been, and then estimate when it can be expected to bear fruit?"

If we simply shared a conference room, I'd shake his hand and say, "Dismal starting pitching last year. I hope you don't have to eat the Wilson and Milton contracts this year, but if push comes to shove, I'm sure you'll do the right thing."

[MartyFan]

Those new parts need to be able to pitch. DanO inherited something that should have been easy to fix -- the worst pitching in franchise history -- and managed to make it worse.

I agree he should have held off on bringing in anyone with the contract of Milton...I can still see his thinking of the deal and rolling the dice with Ortiz...that said it blew up on him and the fact that Wilson was hurt, Danny Graves Imploded and well, you know the rest...I agree with you but I can also see he was trying...what I can't stand is that Milton, Ortiz, Junior and "RICH" were not dealt at the trade deadline for some value and that Graves, Kearns and Casey were not traded before last season and that Milton was ever resigned!

Okay...I agree.

[westofyou]

Dan O'Brien, the general manager, has freely alluded to that in regards to his unexpectedly triumphant offseason. Whenever asked about his startling flurry of acquisitions, O'Brien is quick to observe that it started with Wilson, that the 31-year-old's signing was the signal picked up by Ramon Ortiz, Joe Randa, Rich Aurilia, David Weathers, Ben Weber, Kent Mercker and especially Eric Milton.

It was Wilson who made the clinching call to Milton. Sean Casey and Danny Graves had phoned first, and the lanky lefty -- the free-agent prize whose kind had paid scant attention to Cincinnati in recent years, and vice versa -- was staggering from the happy talk.

http://www.cincypost.com/2005/02/28/wheeler02-28-2005.html

[SirFelixCat]

Um, woy, do we sit here and laugh or cry?

Sick, man, sick.

[RedsFan75]

Guys we are nothing.

Phillie fans already have a http://www.firepatgillick.com/

At least we gave O'Brien a chance.

:D

[KronoRed]

I didn't know Gillick was 154 :lol:

[redsrule2500]

Dan O makes me want Bowden back sooooooooooooooo bad.

[marcshoe]

Dan O makes me want Bowden back sooooooooooooooo bad.

Not me. I want something better. I want someone who will put together a pitching staff.

[kheidg-]

I think we all should thank jmcclain for putting website together.

[Redsland]

Yeah, worked like a charm.

Must've been all the persuasive content. ;)