One for Youppi!
Such was the scene at the Expos game last night, only the second game of the year at the Big O. Just the day before, I cheered along with 35,000 others as the Expos came from behind to win dramatically in the bottom of the ninth. But such is baseball in Montreal. It seems just recently I was lamenting the team’s departure, but here they are again.
The game was exciting for the play on the field, but that was only a part of the atmosphere. The visitors were the Florida Marlins, now owned by the very same Jeffrey Loria that all but drove the Expos into the ground last year. And now the Expos are owned by the league that threatened to shut them down last year. Hello, conflict of interest, is that you on the line? All it took was one fan to initiate, and soon thousands were screaming “LORIA SUCKS!” and various less savoury words. At one point a fan managed to get on top of the Marlins dugout with an anti-Loria sign. One of the Marlins players angrily snatched it away. Did I mention that Loria took the entire coaching staff, the scouting reports and all the computers with him to Florida when he left?
As one baseball columnist pointed out, “This is baseball’s worst scandal since the White Sox wore short pants.” On the one hand, I like baseball, I like the Expos — they’re not even such a bad team — and I would like to go to many games this year, especially considering it should be the very last (see above picture for why). On the other hand, by paying admission, I am essentially giving my money to the very league I despise.
What is a fan to do?
Previously: J School
Subsequently: Pravda
Comments