Being a resident of California all my life, I haven't grown up listening to WLW. I inherited my love for the Reds from my father, grandfather and great-grandfather, all Ohio natives.
This morning, when I got in my car Bill Cunningham was on WLW (via XM) where I had left it last night while listening to the post game show. Cunningham, while I appreciate his zeal, called out Griffey, Dunn, Castellini, and PM.
Some of his choice comments:
-Griffey is a disgrace to the All-Century team, and to baseball in general.
-Griffey deserves to be stripped of his uniform until he calls a press conference to apologize to baseball fans everywhere for his lack of effort over the years.
-Griffey needs to be sat until such time as he learns to hustle. -Griffey should hang it up, and give a $100 million back to Cincinnati.
-Dunn looks like a monkey with a football in left field.
-He continues to insinuate that Dunn was drunk, and in fact is willing to wager that he would have at least blown a .15 on a sobriety test.
-He also referred to Adam Dunn saying "I guess Adam Dunn is black now", which I have no idea what that is supposed to mean, I don't think racial comments are necessary.
-He insists the Reds refuse Dunn's option and pick up a better LF on the Free Agent market
- He speculated that Dunn and Griffey bet on the Pirates to win, and thus could possibly have been trying to throw the game.
-Arroyo should be punished for coming out after 80 pitches.
-Pete Mackanin needs to sit Dunn and Griffey until they apologize. If he chooses not to, he has "little soft ones".
- Castellini needs to fire PM, unless he puts his stamp on this club by sitting Jr and Dunn.
I will tell you, I havent been this disgusted with a talk radio personality in as long as I can remember. Is this truly representative of the feelings of the City of Cincinnati?
Griffey has had his problems, but he was always a high-effort guy. His effort resulted in his body breaking down, but he continued to show that effort, and showed it two-fold when he came back from serious injuries time and time again. As for Griffey and the LONG singles he has been watching. There really is no excuse, but if you had hit the ball the same way, for the last 25 years, and suddenly, it starts falling 10 feet short, you would be stunned as well. Maybe Juniors real problem is coming to the realization he isnt the player he used to be, and adjusting accordingly. Griffey is still good, and can still produce solid offense. The real question will be is he still watching his LONG singles next season? Give the guy a chance to admit to himself he has lost a bit of pop, and adjust before we call for him to be stripped of his uniform.
Dunn, while I cannot comment on his sobriety, made his share of mistakes. He would never even win a "Lead Glove" award in LF, and we can all debate where he should move. The reality is, his worth offensively is far more than what we would get for 13 million on the market this winter. Letting him walk for nothing except compensation picks, would put a serious dent in the offense. Even as good as Bruce is, the odds he puts up Dunn like numbers for the Reds next year is slim. 2009? who knows. Calling Dunn a monkey, and black are both completely out of line. Also, with the Reds history, do you REALLY want to make a claim that Griffey and Dunn were trying to throw the game? Classless all the way around.
Arroyo, gives the Reds tons of innings. Is Bill trying to say he has never gotten halfway through a workday, felt under the weather, and asked to go home early? Yeah right. If one of my employees that work for me gave me 110% every time they came to work, then once a year had to go home early, I wouldn't even think twice.
Bill, a guy who spends all day talking, has no right to question if Pete M has "little soft ones". Last I checked he didnt work for the Reds front office, and has no idea what orders PM gets.
I could go on for hours, but I never listened to Cunningham before, and sure as hell wont now. The Reds are his hometown team, you dont slander the hell out of them, no matter how you feel.
Bill needs to go to some more games, or at least stay until the seventh inning stretch. He is missing on of the most important things about baseball. "...its root, root root for the HOME TEAM, if they dont win its a shame..."