Five Random Thoughts About The Orioles Sale

 

On a quiet Tuesday evening, a bombshell announcement quickly spread out amongst news source. The Angelos family after 30 plus years have agreed to sell the Oriole's. For now the way the deal stands is they are only selling 40%, but once family patriarch Peter Angelos who is 94 and reportedly very ill passes on. The new ownership group will take full control of the team, with the Angelos maintaining a small percentage of the team.

There's a lot of questions surrounding this deal, and a lot of happy dancing going on. As fans have grown dissatisfied with the ownership, despite our recent successfully season winning the AL East and being in the playoffs for the first time in 7 years. While we wait for the MLB to approve the deal and more clarity is provided. Here are a few random thoughts I have about this transaction.

What Kind Of Changes Will The New Owners Make?

It's customary in any business deal that new owners survey the scene and start making changes. Often a good portion of those changes involve personnel decisions. It is my biggest hope that Mike Elias and his team are left alone, he is a very methodical individual from what I can tell. So far his long-term goal of putting the Oriole's in a situation to be contenders for years to come, looks to be finally coming together. 

We had a surprise successful season in 2022 that shocked a lot of people. Then last season we ran away with the AL East, winning 101 games and the division. Hopefully the new owners leave things as they are from that perspective and keep the momentum rolling.

Will The New Owners Open The Checkbook?

Even with the top farm system in baseball and a ton of prospects who have the ability to be superstars one day. The Orioles still need some veteran help who has been to championships and knows what it takes to get there. Within the AL East you can do all the drafting and developing and rule 5 hidden gems you want, but to battle the big boys of the East consistently the checkbook has to open.

That's not to say just spend on anyone that is a "name". However, in order to make it to the World Series, you need solid hitting and defense and some good damn near great pitching. John Means is a good talent, but he is not a true "ace", for the Oriole's to get one. Some hefty figures will need to get involved.

Will MASN Improve?

Reportedly Ownership of Masn will be included in the deal, I wonder if there are any implications with the Nat's though. So what will become of Masn? during the off-season it is a pitiful channel honestly. During the season when it should be a showcase of the Oriole's legacy and what the Nat's have been able to do since moving to D.C. in 2005. Instead everything is very run of the mill, produce a few documentaries on the teams, show some classic games. I don't know how many times a older game has played on Masn during a rain delay, and it's the same rotation of games. Show younger generations the Oriole's Magic and create lifetime fans with archives. And I hope the commentators are allowed to speak a little bit more freely, and some thought and money are put into the content. 

Hopefully discussions are had about accessing Masn if you dont have a cable subscription and improving the apps.

What Was The Hold up Over The Stadium Deal?

The Orioles and the state of Maryland had fans sweating bullets over a new stadium deal. A deal was finally made in mid-December right before Christmas. While the two sides had been negotiating on a new deal for a couple years including with the previous Governor Larry Hogan, there were alot of twists and turns involved in the discussions. Including a false announcement the night the O's clinched the division, that a deal had been made when in reality it hadn't.

The biggest holdup in the deal was that Angelos wanted to develop the land around Camden Yards. With a vision of having Camden Yards similar to The Battery in Atlanta. Even though there was some logistical issues that needed to be sorted out with an idea like that, it wasn't necessarily a bad one. Now with Angelos agreeing to sell the team, what was the point of holding up negotiations to have that provision in? If selling the team was always in the back of his mind? Unless getting something close to that in the agreement with the state, helped bolster his asking price for the team.

What Will Become Of The Angelo's Legacy?

When Peter Angelos led a ownership group to buy the Oriole's in 1993, he was hailed a hero. Returning ownership of the team to local businessmen with ties to the areas. In the 30 years since, Angelos has grown to be a very complicated figure amongst Oriole's fans, never really loved but hated a good portion of the time. He'd make good decisions like hiring Pat Gillick who architected the Toronto Blue Jays teams that won back to back World Series Championships in '92 and '93. Along with hiring Davey Johnson as team manager and the two led the Orioles to back to back playoff appearances in '96 and '97. But then he wouldnt let them run the team, leading to Johnson leaving in '97 after being voted A.L. Manager of The Year. Gillick left the following season once his contract was up, and the Orioles wouldn't make the playoffs again until 2012.

He tried to compete with George Steinbrenner but wouldn't open his checkbook nearly as much. When he did there were cases of bad luck like Albert Belle, Chris Davis, and Mark Trumbo or talents signed who already seen better days like Vladimir Guerrero. Things like that aren't necessarily his fault, but occurred on his watch and at times his insistence. He refused to really invest in the farm systems leading to the Oriole's being way behind other clubs in that aspect.

When his son's took over, they made the shrewd decision to bring in Mike Elias who was in the front office when the Astros built their farm system, which led to them being playoff contenders every year. Winning the World Series in 2017, a year before Elias would be hired by the Orioles. To their credit they largely let Elias build the team how he see's fit.

Now things took a turn when Louis Angelos filed a lawsuit against John with a claim he wanted to move the team to Nashville, which sent shockwaves of fears up O's fans back's. Since that lawsuit it just seems John is never transparent with fans and the media, or outright caught in a lie. From the blunder of how stadium lease negotiations were held. To his continued promises and then resistances to "open the books", his lashing out at a reporter about asking a question on MLK day. He soon drew the ire of O's fans, who were rather tired of him always choosing the worst time to undermine the Oriole's when things were rolling in the right direction.

Once the Angelo's family no longer has complete control of the team, I think people will give them a little bit of a break. However, the family will never be considered ideal owners in the eye's of O's fans. Under their Ownership the Oriole's only made the playoffs six times in their 30 years of ownership, never appearing in the World Series. They aren't in the conversation as one of the worst ownership groups in sports history, but they never will be considered one of the best.

                                    

Honestly I don't care about rich people with rich people problems. As long as we see more fruitful years of the Orioles in the playoffs, and a World Series championship before I hit 40 (I just turned 38). I will be a happy man.

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Streaming Wishlist: Nickelodeon on Paramount Plus

 Paramount Plus has a Nickelodeon hub on its service. Sadly, it is missing a lot of classic Nick shows. Sure Kenan & Kel, All That, and  Are You Afraid Of The Dark ? are available. But there's so much more if the SNICK heyday we deserve. Especially when we pay the subscription price every month.

Paramount Plus needs alot of help with their offerings. I figured I'd give them a hand with some programs to make available.

My brother And Me 

It's really hard to belive that My Brother And Me only ran for one season. The way Nickelodeon use to replay it I legitimately thought it ran alot longer than it did.

The show followed a middle class Black family in Charlotte and the misadventures of the two brothers and their friends. It really was a underappreciated gem and gave Amanda Seales her first role. Years later knowing how important representation is, Paramount Plus needs to provide parents a opportunity to introduce a new generation 

The Secret World of Alex Mack 

The Secret World of Alex Mack debuted in October 1994 and ran for four seasons. The series followed preteen Alex Mack who accidentally  comes in contact with a strange chemical that grants her powers.

Soon along with her best friend Ray and her older sister Annie, they work to keep her powers hidden from everyone else including the plant that created the chemical. The series was a combination of many genres from slapstick silly to dangerous situations. 

It was a staple of the SNICK TV block and a pioneer of young females in the STEM field. Refresh the ratio on the show and make it available.

Space Cases 

One of my favorite Nickelodeon shows that most people probably don't remember. The show drew me because Walter E. Jones (Zack from Power Rangers) was in the show, he first starring role after leaving Power Rangers.

A Star Trek esque show for kids, it followed the students of a space academy who board a ship and find themselves stranded on the other side of the galaxy, light years away from everything they knew. 

Of course on they're journey back they visit new places, and meet new alien races. The show dealt with themes such as prejudice against other races. 

Cousin Skeeter

Skeeter is a mischievous but good hearted kid who goes to with his cousin Bobby and family. The weird thing is, Cousin Skeeter is a puppet but it's never acknowledged in the show. 

Skeeter was voiced by comedian Bill Bellamy who provided all the necessary wisecracking. Megan Goode was a co-star of the show as Bobby's friend Nina. The theme song was a alternate version of 702's Steelo. Bring Cousin Skeeter back so we can get some good laughs.

Taina

Taina debuted in 2001 on Nickelodeon, running for two seasons. The series followed teenager Taina Morales who aspires to be a singer and actress. To help her get there she attends the fictional Manhattan High School Of The Performing Arts.

The show follows Taina and her friends as she navigates teenage life while frequently daydreaming about being a big star. The message is clear with this show, don't give up on your dreams. I think more kids could use that inspiration now more than ever.

The Brothers Garcia

The Brothers Garcia debuted in the summer of 2000 and was a historical moment in TV history. It was the first English speaking show that featured an all Latino cast and crew.

The format was a boys will be boys plot following the brothers and their family growing up in San Antonio, TX. John Leguizamo narrated the series similiar to shows like The Wonder Years, Everybody Hates Chris, and Young Sheldon. 

The show ran for four seasons and a sequel series, The Garcias was actually released in 2022 on HBO Max. It only lasted one season as I'm sure no one was aware that it existed. Paramount Plus needs to make this hidden gem available 

The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo

The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo was a different kind of Nickelodeon show. Mainly a whodunit series for kids, I believe it helped kids draw out they're curiosities and learn how important details are. Shelby Woo is a teenager living with her grandfather (Pat Morita) who operates an inn.

In her spare time she interns at the local police department, and comes across a case of two she thinks she can solve. Which would put her sleuth skills to good use. She always faced adversity but always got the job done. 

Good Mystery series in general are missing from today's offerings. Ones aimed at kids and preteens are pretty much non-existent. Paramount should do us a favor and allow us to put our detective skills to use watching the show.

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Streaming Wishlist: Paramount Plus MTV Edition

 In my previous article I touched on what programs I would like to see on the Peacock app. Well I'm back to touch on the Paramount Plus app. I initially got Paramount Plus upon launch when they had a promotion running 31 days free or something like that. At first I was instantly disappointed in the app, because it didn't have a queue. It's a first world problem but in today's streaming world, you need a damn queue. 

Once they woke up and realized the error of they're ways it got a little better. You can find classics on there, and they have had some good mini-series like The Offer. However, for Paramount to be a film studio that is over a 100 years old, and be apart of a conglomerate with so many channels. The app still leaves a lot to be desired. 

Just like the Peacock app, Paramount plus has a variety of programs and movies to add in their selection. Not just from the studio, but from other Viacom companies like CBS Nickelodeon, MTV, BET, and VH1. But I will admit they probably have the weakest offering of programming amongst streaming providers. Coming in a notch below Peacock, which is a shame due to the vast amount of programming in their archives.

To keep this blog as condensed as possible, I'm only going to cover MTV and VH1 in this blog. BET has been covered in a previous blog via BET Plus, and Nickelodeon will get its own blog.

Making The Band 

This one may get a little iffy and I can understand why MTV may shy away from this. The first season aired on ABC and featured notorious scammer Lou Pearlman looking for his next boy band. Which he found with O-Town. Subsequent seasons featured Diddy first making his rap group Da' Band and later Danity Kane and Day26. 

Diddy's version bought us funny moments like having Da' Band walk to Brooklyn for cheesecake. Or the famous Freddy P and Ness fight. To the Day26 curating season producing a soulful acapella faceoff.

Point being we need this show available. 

TRL

Debuting in the fall of 1998, Total Request Live (TRL) was a daily countdown show of the top ten music videos for the day. In a studio overlooking Times Square it didn't take long for the show to be a pop culture juggernaut. Having interviews with the biggest stars at the time most of them in the pop music genre, anybody who was anybody in music visited TRL.

The show is a perfect time capsule of music in the late 90's-early 2000's . Running for eight seasons there is plenty of material to pull from, and make a playlist if they don't want to upload each episode.

True Life

I'll give it to MTV, they really were pioneers of the whole reality TV genre. Starting with The Real World and continuing with True Life. Which was a documentary series that debuted in March of 1998 and featured one subject or various subjects with a particular topic navigating life.

The show ran for 21 seasons and covered topics for just about everyone. Drug use, plastic surgery, aspiring to be a pro wrestler, aspiring to be a MMA fighter. Being homeless, fighting an illness, estranged from their family, sex addicts, coming out to their family, You name it True Life covered it, which is again another good time capsule that should be uploaded and revered. 

2gether

In early 2000 in the middle of the pop music craze, MTV released a original film that was a parody of the craze called 2gether. Which focused on a boy band being assembled with each member fitting a particular stereotype. The movie was actually funny and the original songs were catchy, the film was enough of a success. A TV series was developed and premiered in the fall of 2000.

It only lasted for about 2 seasons, due to the ailing health and eventual passing of one of the cast members. Along with not being able to catch on audiences. Which is a shame because the show was funny and hit the satire aspects right on the nose. Being 20 plus years later the film and TV series may be appreciated more. 

Say What? Karaoke

Everyone loves a good time signing Karaoke in front of a bunch of people you don't know. While your friends and family encourage you or laugh at you. In 1998 MTV took this premise and made a show Say What? Karaoke. Contestants competed against one another singing songs, while the lyrics played on a ticker on the screen for the at home audience.

It really was the parent for Lip Sync Battle when you think about it. Which also needs to be on Paramount Plus. Anyway it was all in good fun, people dressed weird as shit for some reason, and when we are looking for mindless entertainment. It should be a option on the app.

Singled Out

Before MTV lost touch with it's musical heritage and played reruns of Ridiclousness all day. They would branch out from time to time on programming. Which introduced Singled Out a dating game show that debuted in 1995 on the network. It featured 50 contestants vying for a date with either a man or woman on the show.

The show's legacy is probably more associated with it's hosts like Carmen Electra, Jenny Mccarthy, and Chris Hardwick then anything that really happened on the show. Honestly for situations like Valentines day coming up, it wouldn't hurt to have a few episodes available for viewing for old times sake.

VH1

When I researched VH1's programming history to refresh my memory. They have been on the cheap, reality TV based on former stars format for a lot longer than I remember. Paramount Plus has waken up and put episodes of Behind The Music on there, so they really only leaves us with three classic VH1 programs they need to bring back.

Pop up video 

I am a sucker for useless facts honestly, which is probably why Pop Up Video drew me in as a kid. It was either that or the catchy theme song. In this information heavy digital age, there is so much at our fingertips, but would we really know to look up who was late to the set for a music video? Probably not, which is why pop up video was so great.

Uploading all episodes of Pop Up Video may be worth the subscription price of the app itself. OK, I'm lying but I would be a very happy customer if I opened the app and was able to watch a bevy of useless facts while bopping my head.

I Love The....

I'm a sucker for nostalgia I'm sure you can tell. So Vh1 sucked me in around the mid-2000's when they produced a series of programs featuring celebrities and pop culture reporters commenting on pop culture moments of yesteryear. They covered the 70's, 80's and 90's and the 2000's. It's fun to look back and go I forgot all about that, oh I remember that craze, or damn I wasn't born yet or just too young to appreciate xyz.

Honors Series

I'm not sure if it's a music rights and getting clearance thing, but there is no reason the Honors specials shouldn't be available. Divas Live, Hip Hop Honors, Rock Honors. Much like MTV, VH1 has shied away from it's musical heritage and all the great programming it produced before moving to a primarily reality TV station. 

Bring music back to the forefront and have these programs available to rock out to again, giving the legends their flowers. 

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