(Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports)
Rockies owner Dick Monfort has been in hiding with the Rockies accumulating so many losses since June. It was interesting he spoke to Denver Post’s Patrick Saunders and Mark Kiszla the other day. There’s no question something was up for him to be open to couple of sportswriters. Now we know why.
It turned out Monfort is embroiled in a controversy with a frustrated Rockies fan. Mike Ferguson expressed his disgust about the sorry state of the Rockies after watching his team took a 9-0 loss in what was an awful performance against the Dodgers on July 4. Apparently, the beleaguered Rockies owner told Ferguson if he does not like the experience and product, don’t come.
He also apparently told another Rockies fan that maybe it’s time for the Rockies to move out of Denver in an email that KCNC-TV obtained. This was in response to another fan that expressed his dissatisfaction.
That note enraged not only Ferguson and the other fan, but Rockies fans. Ferguson has yet to call back or answer his email despite receiving an apology from Monfort along with a phone number to call.
Monfort was wrong to write this to Ferguson and to another season-ticket holder. There’s no question he said this out of frustration. Monfort is no different than us. We say things that we regret when we speak out of frustration.
The Rockies owner has received criticism at the games and through his inbox by frustrated Rockies fans in recent weeks. It has gotten nasty. That bothered him more than the losses. It can’t be losses since he has seen his team played bad baseball for years, but he hasn’t been bothered. This is probably why he was downcast when he spoke to Kiszla and Saunders the other day.
Good for Rockies fans for finally getting to Monfort. It shows they care, and it shows they have a good fanbase than people give credit for.
Monfort better understand that fans won’t let up until he makes changes. So what happened to him should be a good thing for Rockies fans. If he can’t tolerate criticism, he is going to have to understand things have to change with his ballclub before it gets ugly.
It’s good to know he has acknowledged the criticism about his sorry baseball team rather than ignore fans’ email. Even if he got personal, so what? It shows he hears the criticism. That’s something fans like to hear more than anything.
It may be a sign that the beleaguered Rockies chairman has no choice but to make wholesale change if the Rockies lose 100 games. He knows he can’t offer the same front office to a frustrated fanbase this coming season.
Monfort should have a sense of urgency heading to the offseason. He has to make it right for the fans. He has that opportunity by firing Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd and Rockies assistant general manager Bill Geivett. It’s something he has to do since the blame is shifted to him as a reason the Rockies stink.
Monfort loathes firing people in his organization, but he has to understand the customers are always right. With a 11th losing season in 15 years under this current baseball administration, the customers have every right to be angry at Monfort.
There’s no question the Rockies owner is bearing the brunt of the blame. The fans know blaming O’Dowd and Geivett is a futile in exercise, so they are putting the pressure on Monfort to do something by firing his baseball people.
If Monfort thinks this is going to go away, he better think again. Fans know they can tick him off, so they will continue to get at him until it’s time for him to make the changes.
Not even finishing strong will make things better. O’Dowd and Geivett lost credibility with the public to bring them back under any circumstances.
Yes, there is anger about Monfort. Fans finally got to him. That should be a great thing. Maybe for the first time there could be changes with the baseball operations at 20th and Blake.
There should be outrage about what Monfort’s behavior.
There is more of a bright side to all this has gone on with Monfort and couple of disgruntled fans.
Fans have him thinking, and they have wiped the smirk out of his face when it comes to collecting money.
Rockies fans should take a bow for doing their job.
Contact or follow Leslie Monteiro at @LightRodWriter
Leslie Monteiro
Leslie is a contributor for Lightning Rod Sports. He covered high school sports in Bergen County out in North Jersey, and has written op-ed columns on sports such as Bleacher Report and NY Sports Digest.
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