Fans Were Sold Out By the "Should Have, Would Have, Could Have" White Sox of ‘06

By: Dr. Gary S. Goodman
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:26:22
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Cubs fans think I’m nuts.

My team won the World Series last year. Theirs is just a few months away from not winning a championship in 100 years.

Their last-place team just fired manager Dusty Baker, losing skipper for four seasons.

My team’s manager led his team to 90 victories this year, but it wasn’t enough to edge out the Twins and Tigers to earn a spot in the post-season.

What do I have to be disappointed about?

Plenty, as it turns out, but I’ll focus on only one criticism.

General Manager Ken Williams and field manager Ozzie Guillen were like wind-up dolls, repeating the same loser’s refrain all season long.

With the talent they had in the dugout they “should” have had enough to win, they said.

They loved that 2006 team on paper, claiming it was actually superior to the 2005 championship squad, and if this were fantasy baseball, their self-mystification might have worked.

In the real world, their 2006 team was inadequate and superficial, with very little depth.

EXAMPLE: Jason Giambi of the Yanks is hurting too much to start at first base in the playoffs. Instead of being a significant setback, his replacement is none other than clutch slugger Gary Sheffield. Now, that’s depth—exactly what the Sox were lacking all season long.

Who could the Sox turn to when Crede and Thome were ailing?

To nobodies!

Owner Jerry Reinsdorf made a few bucks this year, his coffers filled with the coins of more sellout crowds than ever before.

I contend he did some adroit financial analysis and decided he wanted to cash in by fielding a team good enough to fill seats, but not of the caliber needed to rise to the top spot in the standings.

That’s why his GM and Manager stood pat during trade talks, electing to pass on people like Greg Maddox and Bobby Abreu, who could have made a difference for the Sox, as they did for the Dodgers and Phillies.

For all of Ken Williams’ lip service about wanting to win season after season, nothing tangible was done that resulted in a net gain for the Sox, including the de facto exchange of Frank Thomas for Jim Thome.

In practical fact, 2006 was the year Sox fans were sold out by the management and owner of the team.

Best-selling author of 12 books and more than 850 articles, Dr. Gary S. Goodman is considered "The Gold Standard"--the foremost expert in sales development, customer service, and telephone effectiveness. Top-rated as a speaker, seminar leader, and consultant, his clients extend across the globe and the organizational spectrum, from the Fortune 1000 to small businesses. He can be reached at: gary@customersatisfaction.com.

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