October 21, 2024 • 37 mins
What if the Oakland A's pack their bags for Las Vegas? Join us as we unravel the complex reality of the move that has stirred the hearts of fans and the Bay Area alike. In this episode of the Dad Hat Chronicles, I, Ed, am joined by my brother Edgardo and co-host Val, aka Stadium Food Girl, to navigate the winding path of the A's location saga. From reminiscing about our childhood in Puerto Rico and the team's legendary 80s players to exploring the highs and lows of their current situation, we share our personal connections and insights on what this move might mean for the franchise and its devoted followers.
As the A's contemplate a new chapter in Las Vegas, we unpack the emotions and business considerations tied to this seismic shift. Edgardo, a lifelong fan, provides a unique perspective on the team's rich history and the bittersweet feelings accompanying the potential relocation. We weigh the allure of modern stadiums and vibrant sports culture against the loss of long-held traditions in Oakland. With Oakland's community hanging in the balance, we reflect on how the city's past engagements—or lack thereof—might have influenced this trajectory and what it means for fan loyalty.
This episode isn't just about baseball; it's about the heart and soul of sports fandom and the complex dance between loyalty, business, and community. With insights into fan protests and the impact on Oakland's identity, we explore whether the A's should retain their name and colors if they move. We also speculate on the seeds of excitement sprouting in Las Vegas, complete with stadium plans and fan events, and consider the possibility of the A's legacy living on in Oakland through future expansion. Join us for a heartfelt discussion that keeps hope alive while honoring the past and embracing what lies ahead.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
you know, oakland has some skin in the game too,
right, in regards to not beingable to get a deal done, right,
and I think that it did drag outfor a very long time.
I mean we're talking stadiumfor the last 10 years, right?
I don't know if you guysremember, but I mean they're
supposed to move to Fremont atone point, then they were
supposed to move to San Jose,then now they're going to build
(00:22):
a stadium in the lakefront inOakland and now all of a sudden
now they're moving to Vegas,right.
So certainly it's been a backand forth and certainly Oakland
has some skin in the game owningIs there anybody there?
Speaker 3 (00:50):
All right, all right.
All right, all right.
Well, welcome everybody yet toanother episode of the Dad Hack
Chronicles podcast.
Obviously, my name is Ed andwith me, as always, I got my
awesome, wonderful co-host, valStadium Food Girl.
What's going on, girl?
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Hi, nothing much Another Monday.
I'm excited for today's show.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Another one, right, another one where we got a
special guest this week.
Okay, we got a special guestthis week.
You and me were discussinghaving various fans of Oakland
right, oakland A's on what.
What's going on right from?
I want to take a look at fromthe perspective of, you know,
being a fan of the team inOakland and then the potential
(01:30):
of fans being excited abouttheir move to Vegas, right, but
this week I figure we started itoff with a fan that I've known
all my life as a matter of fact,all of, actually, all of his
life, okay, all my life as amatter of fact, actually all of
his life.
So with me we have my littlebrother.
(01:51):
Yes, his name is also Edward,but we know him as Edgardo, and
he has been a fan for way toolong, I don't know why, ever
since Puerto Rico.
What is going on, man?
How you doing, buddy?
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Nothing much Excited to be here for sure, talking
about probably the best team inthe MLB.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
You need to calm down , bro.
You need to slow your roll, bro.
Okay, calm down.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
At least the more colorful ones, right.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Have you seen the San Diego Padres City Connect
jerseys?
Speaker 1 (02:22):
I have.
They're pretty awesome.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Okay, so they're not the most colorful anymore.
Okay.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Right.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
So there's, that.
Anyways all right.
So, val, as you already know,like I said, we've been talking
about this, having this wholediscussion on.
We both have our thoughts onthis right.
We have our feelings on theOakland A's, the move, the
ownership and all that.
I don't want to talk about thatjust yet.
I want to talk about, I want toask my brother.
The very first question is tohow does it feel to be, you know
(02:57):
, related to this wonderful, youknow, content creator known as
the dad hat?
I mean, this is great stuffright here.
Right, I hear that he's apretty cool dude.
You know, how can you compareto that?
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Yeah, you know, I'm pretty excited because I think
it's just an honor that we'resharing the same screen, right?
Because I don't typically getthis pleasure to be in such a
wonderful platform, right?
So I've heard about it athousand and one time.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
but now You've heard about it, but never listened.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
I'm living the dream, so the fact that I'm here
living the dream and sharing amicrophone perhaps, is pretty
awesome, to say the least.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
I mean, it's a dream come true, it's a dream come
true you can just go ahead andsay it now.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
My vision board is complete.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
There it is is I don't know what to tell you all
right, man, listen, just youknow, for for the people that
may not know, right, explain tothem how, what, how is it that
you decided that you were goingto choose?
Because by the time when youbecame a fan of the Oakland A's,
(04:04):
we were still back in PuertoRico.
We live back in Puerto Rico.
I didn't have a baseball teamthen.
Right, because when we moved in, I adopted which was back then
the Cleveland Indians, now theGuardians.
That became my team, but youalready came from to Cleveland
as a fan of Oakland A's.
But like, why?
Why did you choose to become afan of the A's?
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Yeah, so back in Puerto Rico, back in the 80s
right we were, baseball was huge, right.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
And.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
I think that we used to play literally baseball is
really within the fabric ofPuerto Rico and I think that for
me that kind of set the stageright and back in the 80s the
A's were a machine, Right, theywere huge Talk about McGuire,
Henderson, Right.
And all those guys, right.
So I mean going to the WorldSeries 88, 89, 90.
(04:57):
Right, and I think that yearthe A's were very, very popular,
plus their colors, right, Imentioned that at the beginning.
I think their colors werepretty cool as well.
So I think that, just, you know, for me it clicked when I was
watching them in the WorldSeries because, you know, back
back then they used to televisethe, the World Series games, and
(05:18):
for me that was pretty awesomeum and um, to watch the A's
growing up, something that justresonated with me and kind of
stuck with me throughout thetime.
So even when I made the move toCleveland and certainly the
Indians back then, the Guardianscertainly had a special place
in my heart as well.
But I could never let go of theA's just growing up with them
(05:41):
and just knowing how pretty coolthey were.
And McGuire, right, one of myfavorite players certainly made
a big hit back in the 90s.
So that just kind of furthersolidified that for me and I've
been a fan ever since.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
I mean you got like to be honest with you, right,
like I mean you grew up withsome great players who everybody
knows, right, ricky Henderson,right, we were just talking
about Maguire Canseco, like Imean those were like I mean,
listen, those were it Like noone really was a fan, like in
during that time, of the Yankeesor anything like that.
It was one of those teams, itwas the Oakland A's.
(06:15):
So, like I mean to have you,you know, become a fan and still
be a fan of that team, you knowit speaks volume, like because
I mean there's been some leanyears with the oakland a's.
I mean there's definitely beensome lean years and I'll give it
to them.
I'll give it to them.
Their colors are pretty cool,all right, green and and uh, you
know yellow piss yellow.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
But it's cool, don't worry about it, it's cool, it's
cool, it's cool, you know we'lltake it no for sure, right and
and and you see all the playersRight.
And then you go into the 2000swhen we talk about Moneyball.
That was pretty big there too,with the movie and everything
else.
So no, I agree, especially theplayers, and I think that once
(06:55):
we start talking about Vegas andand things like that, I think
that the the the thing thathurts the most is the history.
That hurts the most is thehistory right, and I think that
the history that they reallykind of founded in Oakland since
the 60s into the 70s, 80s and90s, and I think that that's
what hurts the most.
But you're right, the playerswere special, you know, just
reading about the A's, you knowcertainly they were good in the
(07:18):
80s.
They should have won more WorldSeries, right, they only won
one.
But boy, they really faced agood Dodger team in 88.
Their big red machine, right,the Reds in 1990.
But they were fun to watch,right, they could pitch, they
(07:38):
could run and they could hit theball very far right.
So for me that was prettyspecial and just pretty fun to
watch right and seeing howbaseball was played back in the
day as well.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
It's true, Val.
Do you have anything?
Because I'll keep going if youdon't.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
I know we're going to get into this and I know that
this isn't what a lot of peoplewant to hear, but I'm going to
start it off with I am soexcited for the move to Las
Vegas.
I'm so sorry, yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
I know.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
That with.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
I am so excited for the move to las vegas, I'm so
sorry, yeah, I know that's okay,all this culture she does live
in vegas I live in vegas but youknow what I will say, though.
I'm a texas rangers fan.
I'm from arlington.
I just moved to vegas six yearsago when I turned 24.
Um, and so it is.
It has been fun having the,because the a's weren't always
(08:26):
like a team like last year youknow, growing up, and so it's
just it's, it's just cool now tohave that close to me and the
rangers are gonna be here twice,or what is it?
Three times now a year.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
So yeah, yeah, they're gonna be there, uh, a
while.
No, val, you're right, it isexciting, is exciting to build a
new stadium, right, and finallythe A's are getting what they
deserve right, which is abrand-new stadium, and I think
from that piece, I think Icertainly agree with you.
I think it is exciting to seethe A's play on a brand-new
stadium, state-of-the-art andvery just nice field overall,
(09:05):
right, something that they don'thave in Oakland, right, and
with the old Coliseum and thingslike that.
And, quite frankly, vegas isbecoming just a sports town,
right.
So, with the Raiders now andthe Knights there as well, so
it's really exciting to be partof a sports fan over there in
Vegas, for sure.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
I do have to say, though, as a sports fan over
there in Vegas for sure I dohave to say though, as a
baseball fan, it is tough seeingthe photos on Twitter and
Instagram and news articles,just how much the stadium is
what it looks like.
Now I often joke about it, butI know it's actually not very
funny, but it's almost like,instead of a promotion, it's
(09:49):
kind of a dumb motion when aplayer gets sent from Vegas
their AAA team over to Oaklandright To Oakland yep.
And it's unfortunate that it'sseen that way because you're
going from Las Vegas to Oakland.
But you know, it does break myheart.
There is so much history inthat stadium and and nothing.
(10:10):
There will never be anotherbattle of the bay once this
transition is a hundred percent,and that's right, it's, it's.
I don't know bittersweet is theright word because I know for
fans I don't know if there islike any sort of sweetness at
the end of it with all thehistory and everything else
that's being left behind.
But yeah, you know I'm excitedto talk more about how you feel
(10:31):
as an A's fan with thetransition and you know, what's
to come.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
Yeah, no, for sure.
Yeah, no, I agree.
And certainly you know me notbeing in Oakland or ever been in
Oakland, so certainly, being afan from afar, I think it's.
you know, my perspective ismaybe a little different, right,
you know I can think of whenthe Browns left Cleveland and
how much that hurt, right, andand I used to live there, right,
(10:58):
and I felt how much it hurt forme seeing the Browns leave.
Now they eventually came backand it was fine after that.
But you know, I can onlyimagine it would be very similar
to that sentiment from an A'sfan living in Oakland and seeing
their team move, especiallywhen they were very close to
getting a stadium deal done withthe city.
(11:20):
So I think that that's evenworse.
But yeah, it's certainly toughfor sure.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Let me ask you you, speaking of that, because I
think that's a, that's a that'sa good conversation to have,
right, because you know fromthere's, there's two sides of
the story.
Right, you know, ownership cycle, that we never got closed, that
the city says that no, weactually were closed.
You know we were, we were goingto give you this location and
this is just going to be thearea where we were going to
(11:48):
build the ballpark and all that.
So it's like I want to knowyour thoughts on that because,
you know, in my opinion andagain, I'm just a fan of another
team, right, I'm someone whodoes follow baseball a lot,
right, you know, um, but it, itseems to me like ownership kind
of, you know, played oakland ina way in which, so that they
(12:09):
could say, no, hey, listen, thefans didn't support us, the city
didn't support us.
We are moving to Vegas becausethere's a new market for us and
all that.
You know, because, don't get mewrong, I got my all my thoughts
on, you know, ownership andmajor league commissioner on
this.
So, like I want to hear yourthoughts on that and Major
League Commissioner on this, soI want to hear your thoughts on
that overall.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Yeah, no, it certainly feels that way, right,
because I think that the teamwas really I was hoping and it
seemed like they were operatingwithin good faith, right, and
negotiating from thatperspective.
But the more you heard about itand got exposed to more behind
the scenes and things from thatperspective, but the more you
heard about it and, you know,got exposed to more behind the
scenes and things like that, Ithink that the bitter it was
(12:54):
tasting and eventually, you know, all of a sudden negotiations
cut off and now we're, you know,looking at Vegas plots to build
a stadium and I think thatthat's pretty sad and just
following it from afar again isdifferent than being there.
But you go to Twitter.
(13:15):
You know, for me, just watchingon Twitter, the Vegas Congress
battle it out whether they'regoing to do it or not and things
like that.
You kind of stay close to it,but it's tough, it's tough and,
yeah, they didn't make it anyeasier for the fans in Oakland
(13:35):
and you know they weren'tdrawing a lot of fans.
I mean, to get 2,000, 3,000fans in a game certainly did not
help the rhetoric right, themedia coverage and things like
that.
And so it was certainly a sadmoment and certainly
disappointed, because I thinkthat, in the true spirit of a
fan, I think Oakland has one ofthe best fans, very spirited
(13:59):
fans in the Bay Area, andcertainly it showed right when
they were winning.
I mean the stadium was holding50 plus thousand people, right
so.
But when the product was not asgood, then you know they just
weren't coming obviouslyrightfully so.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
And on that note, I don't know if you remember when
the video kind of went viral ofsome of the ownership from
Oakland was I can't remember whoit was exactly, but some of
those guys were out here duringthe Vegas golden Knights playoff
run and I remember seeing howexcited he looked up in the
suites seeing the golden Knights, I guess the crowd, just how
(14:43):
electric it was for him.
And I think when I saw thatvideo go viral and how excited
he looked, I think for me that'swhen I knew like yeah, this is
something that he's looking for,this is an environment and a
feeling that they are lookingfor and they're not really
getting it in Oakland right now.
And I feel like that kind ofsealed the deal when he came out
here and saw like what anelectric I guess fan base was
(15:05):
like, and then obviously theRaiders being here just probably
makes it easier.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
Yeah, for sure, go ahead.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
You know, and that's the one thing that I wanted to,
you know, touch on right,because you know, not only are
they losing the Oakland A's, butthey're also.
They lost the Oakland Raiders,they lost on with the Warriors.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
The.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
Warriors, right, yeah .
So like that whole town rightnow, it's been like man, what
else can go wrong here?
Right, we started with theRaiders, then the Warriors moved
to San Francisco right.
And now you got Oakland A'smoving to Vegas and you know,
and I want to hear what you guysthink about this is that okay?
(15:47):
So, listen, we got bettingeverywhere now.
So online betting is legal onall pretty much, I think is all
50 states, or most of the statesright now.
Right.
So I think once that happenedRight, I think the the it was OK
to say all right, we can moveto Vegas now.
(16:08):
Right, because since gamblingis legal everywhere, we're okay
to have a WNBA, an NHL team, anNFL team, right.
So now it's okay.
And I think that played a partinto really an untapped market.
For what is Major LeagueBaseball looking for right now?
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Yeah, I don't disagree.
I mean, I think that certainlyVegas was just primed for
something like this.
It's unfortunate that theyselected the A's and not created
their own expansion team, andyou hear other players within
MLB, right, like Harper Ibelieve Harper is from Vegas as
well Just saying, you know hewould rather have an expansion
(16:52):
team than the A's or whateverthe case was.
But yeah, I don't disagree.
I'm sure that that has to dosomething with it.
I think it's just, you know,the journey with the ownership
in Oakland has been reallytumultuous, right, and I think
that because when, especiallywhen they hired Dave Cavill, you
know he started out very fanfriendly and that kind of
(17:14):
dissipated over the years and Ithink that the lack of
transparency there kind of hurtus a little bit, right,
Especially the fans in Oaklandthat attended the one-on-one
meetings with him, and you knowwe're talking about.
You know he's not going to movethem right and he wants to
maintain the rich history andthings like that.
So, uh, but yeah, but to yourinitial point.
(17:35):
I think there's something to it.
I think that, um, you know, atthe end of the day, this is a
business, right, and and it'syou know there's a business side
and there's a fan side.
So do you understand whythey're making this business
decision right?
Because at the end of the day,it looks like it's all about the
money, and certainly I'massuming that went into the
(17:58):
thought process there andsomething that we'll have to
consider as we move forward.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
Let me ask, because you bring a valid point here.
Looking at it from two sides,right, the spectrum of it's a
business, and looking at it fromthe spectrum of where I'm a fan
, I don't want to lose my teamand all that, right, and I think
ownership and again this is myopinion, again right, like
(18:27):
ownership has done a really goodjob at saying, well, if they
would have supported our team,if they would have supported our
team, we would have still beenhere, which, yes and no, right,
I mean, there's a lot of thingsthat were done in order for fans
to lose hope of the ownership.
I think a lot of the fans wouldhave much rather seen ownership
(18:50):
sell the team and keep the teamin oakland than actually see
them leave.
You know, and and then you knowthat's.
That's something that, like youknow, looking at from the
spectrum of the fans, I writethe business size, I get it.
Man, listen, you know, youwanna, you wanna, you wanna go
to the new shiny toy and youwant to be that owner that
brings in Major League Baseballto that market, right?
(19:11):
You know, for fans such as you,val, right, that you're going
to be there and you're going tobe attending some of those games
, because you are there now andI'm trying to be careful with
what I say, right, just becauseit's a touchy subject, that has
to be.
I see both sides of the coin onthis one.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Yeah, hold on what I'm going to say, go ahead.
No, say it.
It's all right, god, it's so.
I mean it's just weird to methat now I'm seeing the fans,
like now I'm seeing the protests, like it's just man, I'm
probably gonna get canceled, butI don't know.
It's just weird.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
This is the last episode of Val.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
And maybe I'm just not spending enough time being
on like the geolocation onInstagram, seeing what the
parking lot in Oakland lookslike every day.
But I'm just like, where was allof this before?
And then you're going to getthe debate.
Well, they weren't catering tous, so we weren't showing up.
I don't know.
I just feel like if you lovesomething, you're always going
(20:23):
to show up for it, no matterwhat.
And now there's signs andthere's chants and there's
protests and the parking lot'smore full than ever, and now
fans are arranging a a game tocome out and stay in the parking
lot, yeah no, and I'm just likeyou know what it could be,
because I live in las vegas andI love me some major league
(20:44):
baseball and I really
Speaker 1 (20:47):
I could just be selfish too, so yeah, yeah, no,
and and I do think, if I mayreal quick, and I do think that
you know you do have a pointright in regards to, you know,
oakland has some skin in thegame too, right?
Um, in regards to um not beingable to get a deal done, right,
and I think that it did drag outfor a very long time.
(21:07):
I mean we're talking stadium forthe last 10 years, right, I
don't know if you guys remember,but I mean they're supposed to
move to Fremont at one point,then they were supposed to move
to San Jose, then now they'regoing to build a stadium in the
lakefront in Oakland and now,all of a sudden now they're
moving to Vegas, right, socertainly it's been a back and
(21:28):
forth and certainly Oakland hassome skin in the game, owning
the process as well.
But you know, certainly you knowthe fans there as well don't
want to take anything away fromthem, right, because I think
that they have bought intoownership, not wanting to leave,
right, and the history there.
And you know we're patient andwe're going to give you time to
(21:52):
find a location for us to builda stadium, and I think it wasn't
until the last three years whenthey announced a potential move
and back and forth and I thinkthat that's really kind of
bothered some people.
It would have bothered me aswell if I was here in Cleveland
and find out that the Brownswere moving and you know,
certainly you have a lot ofpassionate fans.
But certainly Val you'recertainly right on the money in
(22:14):
regards to Oakland is not by anymeans a victim here and I think
that they do own some skin inthe game as well.
I don't disagree.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
I don't disagree.
I don't disagree, I don't.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
I feel so much better .
Speaker 3 (22:30):
No, but he does bring a valid point right.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
I mean, I've just seen some really passionate fans
who are like how could they?
And I'm kind of like am I dumbfor being confused, like what do
you mean?
How could they?
Like where have y'all been, youknow?
I mean.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
There is a sect of, there's a group, a small group.
You know, it may be it's verysmall, right, but like there's a
group, a small group of peoplethat are, they've been there
from the beginning, right.
They've been there since theywere born, they were fans.
But at the same time, on thesame token, there's a lot of
fans that weren't there either.
Same in Cleveland, right whenCleveland with the Indians, when
(23:11):
they were not good for thosemany years that they weren't
good, you know, those stadium,that stadium was very, very
empty and those seats were cheapto get, right, I remember,
because I bought some of thosetickets, you know, and it was
very affordable, right um.
And then a lot of people aregoing to come, you know they
might say I was like, well, youknow, hey, ed, your brother, you
know he's never been here, butlike I can tell you this, like
(23:33):
this dude buys more jerseys andmore oakland ace uh, uh gear
than I buy cleveland gear.
I'll tell you that much rightnow I'm telling you.
That's a yeah.
He has a whole rack full ofjerseys.
Speaker 1 (23:46):
No, but listen, you're right.
I do want to preface this alsoby saying, too, that it almost
feels too, though, that duringthe process that we were so
close and I say we, but Oaklandwas so close to getting a
stadium that I felt they werevery close in signing that
contract, and I think thatbecause they were so close, and
(24:08):
all of a sudden they stoppedtalking and they didn't want to
negotiate, I think that thatreally set the fans up as well.
Right To really have a sourtaste.
It certainly did me, because Imean, I remember my brother
asking me hey, do you think thatthey're going to move?
And I'm thinking no.
I mean, I remember, um, mybrother asking me, hey, do you
think that they're going to move?
and I'm thinking no, I mean Ijust seen an article, yeah, I
(24:29):
just seen an article saying thatthey're real close to it, right
, and?
And all of a sudden, you know,conversation ended and now
they're not even going to finishin Oakland, they're going to go
to Sacramento and then they'regoing to go to Vegas.
So, um, so certainly, val, Iunderstand your point of view,
but I do believe as well, though, that there's something
different, from a fanperspective that I think that
(24:51):
I'm not sharing because I'm notfrom there, but I can only
imagine if the Browns were toleave tomorrow and I keep using
them because they left and cameback I would probably exhibit
some of the same behavior thatI'm seeing in Oakland as well,
because it does hurt to lose afranchise that you rooted for so
long I mean me, you know, 20plus years, or 30 years, and
(25:14):
some people even longer, right?
So all that tradition andeverything else is going to go
away, and I think that is sad torealize.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
I will say, though.
I will say yes, it is sadbecause now I'm putting myself
in their shoes.
I would be devastated if theRangers left Arlington.
But I will say it's an excuseto come visit Las Vegas, and
nobody can be upset about that.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
No, you're right, Absolutely.
It gives us a reason to go toVegas, for sure.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
You know, on that note, right on the Vegas, right,
val, because you are from thereand all that like, do you see,
and then you have more ofexperience being there is, do
you see fans turning out, to beturning out to the games like
they would if they were inOakland or the Yankees or Boston
or Texas?
Right, because, from what Iunderstand, and a lot of people
(26:05):
saying they're saying it's like,oh, there's a very transient
city, right, there's a lot ofpeople that are not originally
from there.
They're like they're probablygoing to end up using like they
do with football, but, granted,football is a different sport
and less games.
But, like I said, it's like youknow, for business purposes and
things like that.
But, like I said, it's like youknow, for business purposes and
(26:26):
things like that.
So do you see them having a fanbase just like they have it in
Oakland?
Speaker 2 (26:31):
Absolutely, and I say that because in March we had
big league weekend here, whichis, you know, like a spring
training thing here, aside fromFlorida and Arizona, and the
Oakland A's actual Oakland A'sand Milwaukee Brewers were here,
and when I tell you there wereso many Oakland A's fans out
(26:52):
here, or at least wearing greenand yellow out here.
I don't know if they were justlike aviators, fans or people
that flew out here, but again,and it seems to be in Vegas, but
, um, so many people here.
And then Jose Canseco was doinglike a meet and greet out here,
that the Aviators had like a anOakland A's fan fest that
Saturday, that they were playingthe Brewers out here in this
(27:12):
little stadium that holds 10,000people and I mean it didn't
sell out.
But, um, there were so many, somany fans.
And then the Aviators havingthe blueprint like on, um, uh,
just big posters of what thestadium is going to look like.
And then, during aviators games, um, they also have like the qr
code where you can scan forseason ticket information, and
(27:36):
so I just feel like the aviatorsare also doing a really good
job of embracing it and get us,getting us ready for it and
getting us excited for it bymaking it seem like the aviators
are already here.
Um, I keep hearing like it's notofficial, even though it is
right, like I mean it is.
I don't know, maybe people aresaying it's not official.
(27:58):
It could just be fans in denial.
I'm sorry, but, um, theaviators are surely treating it
like they're opening up tomorrowand it's pretty cool.
The Tropicana is almost fullylike destroyed.
There's gonna be like animplosion party, and so I wonder
Yators fans or a's fans aregonna line up to see that.
I don't know, we'll see, but Ifeel like the city is really
(28:20):
Embracing it now.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
Okay, you know, yeah, and they should right.
I mean it's, it's excitingtimes to get a baseball.
Yeah, and they should, right.
I mean, it's exciting times toget a baseball team, to be
honest with you, right?
So you can't fault them forbeing happy, right?
And I think that that's prettycool.
And to get a franchise likeOakland is even better, so you
can fault them for that for sure.
Speaker 2 (28:41):
I'm sorry as I'm saying this.
I'm like dang, I saw like Iwould hate if there was an
Oakland A's fan on here livingin Oakland.
I feel like they probably wouldhave hung up this call Like I'm
just way too excited.
I'm sorry.
If the Rangers left Arlington Iwould cry.
Speaker 1 (28:57):
Yeah, I mean, and that's the thing, right, I think
that you know, if it was yourteam that was leaving, and
things like that, it's hard.
It's hard to really think about.
Hey, next year they're notgoing to be in Oakland right.
And in three years they're noteven going to be in California,
right?
So for a fan to think like thatespecially a fan, because you
(29:20):
know how we are as fans right,we always try to, we we're fans
but then our kids become fan andtheir kids become fan and and
you try to kind of maintain that, that trajectory in your family
, and I think that's that,that's what hurts, right.
And I think that, again, from afan living afar, never been in
california, I'm sure that I'msomewhat biased and and and
(29:44):
things like that, but I cannotimagine what it feels like to
actually live in Oakland and theeffect it has on the community,
for sure.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
Well, I can't wait for both of y'all to come out
here for a game.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
Let me ask you, ricardo, let me ask you this
question yeah, so let's say, forthe sake of this conversation,
that it has been official.
It is official, right, they aremoving, they're going to go
where the tropic can is.
They're going to build in allthat.
Um, are you and this might be adifficult question to ask but
are you of the belief that theyshould keep the colors, then the
(30:17):
, the name, athletics and allthat like, do you think that
they should keep it or do youthink that they should do keep
clean break, keep the history inoakland, all of that?
This is going to be new name,new team, all of that like, how
do you, what do you feel?
Uh, as a fan of oakland?
Yes, granted, you're not fromthe bay area, never been but,
like you are a fan nonethelessyeah, no, and I cannot thank
(30:42):
baltimore for not taking theBrowns name.
Well, there was a lawsuit.
You remember that?
Right, right the city suedRight.
Speaker 1 (30:52):
So I think in the same breath.
I think for me I'm hoping thatthe A's can stay in Oakland to
at least give the A's fans inOakland some kind of glimmer of
hope that if they do get anexpansion team which I know
there's plenty of articles andthings like that that talks
about potentially in the futuregetting a team I'm hoping that
(31:16):
they can be known as the A'sright to continue their legacy
and continue that.
So my hope is that that thatthe, the, the colors and the
name can remain in Oakland topotentially have another team
years down the road.
Speaker 3 (31:30):
Okay, I can see that.
All right, I like that.
I like that.
If that doesn't happen, do youstill root for the team?
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Yeah, listen, I think it's going to take some time.
You know, I think you certainlymake a relationship with the,
with the players, right, um, andyou follow them and you root
for them and and things likethat.
So I think it's gonna take sometime, um, to kind of get behind
the team.
You're certainly going tofollow the players, you.
You are going to be intriguedin regards to when they open up
(32:02):
and the field and things likethat.
So so I I do think it's gonnabe interesting and I think that
eventually, if, um, if they endup with their colors and things
like that, I will become a vegasfan, um, but, um, yeah, it
we'll have to see.
But, um, yeah, it's, it's, it'sgonna be tough because we can.
Speaker 3 (32:24):
We Because we can take you as a Cleveland fan if
you do decide to not become afan of them.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
Point well taken, point well taken.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
And Cleveland is always in my heart, right, and
here's the thing too, though,right, because I'm in a position
right now, where I'm at, thereis no major league team, right,
the biggest name here in thisarea is the durham bulls, but
that's a triple a team, right,and there has been conversations
about raleigh becoming one ofthose cities for expansion.
(32:56):
At one point they even talkedabout possibly having the tampa
bay rays move from tampa toraleigh, right, so we don't know
what's going on, right?
I mean, the commissioner didsay, hey, you know, we're not
going to talk about expansionuntil both the Oakland A's
situation gets settled and theTampa Bay, the Tampa Bay Rays
(33:17):
situation gets settled.
So I think Oakland A's is onedomino.
I think Oakland A's is onedomino.
There was that Tampa Baystadium that has been, I guess,
approved, but not really, youknow.
So it's still in the air.
So I wonder which situation getssettled first and then we'll
(33:38):
start having those conversationsabout expansion team, because
if Oakland moves to Vegas, thattakes a big chunk of market in
that area of like, there'sreally no baseball teams really
in that that area.
Really.
Yeah, so interesting, it's aninteresting dynamic, you know.
Yeah, no for sure.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
And, and I mean think about Montreal, right, I mean
their colors, rich history tooright.
So when they left Montreal, andthat was you know to, I mean
their colors have a rich historytoo right.
So when they left Montreal andthat was to go to Washington,
obviously, and now we have theNationals, but Montreal, and you
remember, they played in PuertoRico for a little bit of time.
And to have the Expos.
Oh man, that would be prettyawesome too.
But yeah, there's certainly alot of cities out there that
(34:21):
certainly probably deserve ateam because they do have a fan
base.
But it's going to beinteresting, it really is.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
I hope you guys enjoyed this episode with my
brother.
As a matter of fact, regardingour discussion with the well,
actually, regarding theconversation about the Oakland
Athletics and their move toVegas, make sure you guys tune
in next week where we willfinish our conversation and then
for the next couple of weeks,we will have the discussion from
(34:50):
various fans as far as theirfeelings towards the move of the
Oakland Athletics to Las Vegasand the whole mess that it is
All of that.
Anyways, make sure you guysagain tune in next week.
Also, make sure that you arefollowing Val and myself.
We are on all socials.
Make sure you like andsubscribe for this podcast,
(35:12):
because you know what it is.
Greatly appreciated.
All right, and until then, guyskeep grinding and always
support the minor leagues, seeya.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
Thank you.
you know, oakland has some skin in the game too,
right, in regards to not beingable to get a deal done, right,
and I think that it did drag outfor a very long time.
I mean we're talking stadiumfor the last 10 years, right?
I don't know if you guysremember, but I mean they're
supposed to move to Fremont atone point, then they were
supposed to move to San Jose,then now they're going to build
(00:22):
a stadium in the lakefront inOakland and now all of a sudden
now they're moving to Vegas,right.
So certainly it's been a backand forth and certainly Oakland
has some skin in the game owningIs there anybody there?
Speaker 3 (00:50):
All right, all right.
All right, all right.
Well, welcome everybody yet toanother episode of the Dad Hack
Chronicles podcast.
Obviously, my name is Ed andwith me, as always, I got my
awesome, wonderful co-host, valStadium Food Girl.
What's going on, girl?
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Hi, nothing much Another Monday.
I'm excited for today's show.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Another one, right, another one where we got a
special guest this week.
Okay, we got a special guestthis week.
You and me were discussinghaving various fans of Oakland
right, oakland A's on what.
What's going on right from?
I want to take a look at fromthe perspective of, you know,
being a fan of the team inOakland and then the potential
(01:30):
of fans being excited abouttheir move to Vegas, right, but
this week I figure we started itoff with a fan that I've known
all my life as a matter of fact,all of, actually, all of his
life, okay, all my life as amatter of fact, actually all of
his life.
So with me we have my littlebrother.
(01:51):
Yes, his name is also Edward,but we know him as Edgardo, and
he has been a fan for way toolong, I don't know why, ever
since Puerto Rico.
What is going on, man?
How you doing, buddy?
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Nothing much Excited to be here for sure, talking
about probably the best team inthe MLB.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
You need to calm down , bro.
You need to slow your roll, bro.
Okay, calm down.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
At least the more colorful ones, right.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Have you seen the San Diego Padres City Connect
jerseys?
Speaker 1 (02:22):
I have.
They're pretty awesome.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Okay, so they're not the most colorful anymore.
Okay.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Right.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
So there's, that.
Anyways all right.
So, val, as you already know,like I said, we've been talking
about this, having this wholediscussion on.
We both have our thoughts onthis right.
We have our feelings on theOakland A's, the move, the
ownership and all that.
I don't want to talk about thatjust yet.
I want to talk about, I want toask my brother.
The very first question is tohow does it feel to be, you know
(02:57):
, related to this wonderful, youknow, content creator known as
the dad hat?
I mean, this is great stuffright here.
Right, I hear that he's apretty cool dude.
You know, how can you compareto that?
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Yeah, you know, I'm pretty excited because I think
it's just an honor that we'resharing the same screen, right?
Because I don't typically getthis pleasure to be in such a
wonderful platform, right?
So I've heard about it athousand and one time.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
but now You've heard about it, but never listened.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
I'm living the dream, so the fact that I'm here
living the dream and sharing amicrophone perhaps, is pretty
awesome, to say the least.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
I mean, it's a dream come true, it's a dream come
true you can just go ahead andsay it now.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
My vision board is complete.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
There it is is I don't know what to tell you all
right, man, listen, just youknow, for for the people that
may not know, right, explain tothem how, what, how is it that
you decided that you were goingto choose?
Because by the time when youbecame a fan of the Oakland A's,
(04:04):
we were still back in PuertoRico.
We live back in Puerto Rico.
I didn't have a baseball teamthen.
Right, because when we moved in, I adopted which was back then
the Cleveland Indians, now theGuardians.
That became my team, but youalready came from to Cleveland
as a fan of Oakland A's.
But like, why?
Why did you choose to become afan of the A's?
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Yeah, so back in Puerto Rico, back in the 80s
right we were, baseball was huge, right.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
And.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
I think that we used to play literally baseball is
really within the fabric ofPuerto Rico and I think that for
me that kind of set the stageright and back in the 80s the
A's were a machine, Right, theywere huge Talk about McGuire,
Henderson, Right.
And all those guys, right.
So I mean going to the WorldSeries 88, 89, 90.
(04:57):
Right, and I think that yearthe A's were very, very popular,
plus their colors, right, Imentioned that at the beginning.
I think their colors werepretty cool as well.
So I think that, just, you know, for me it clicked when I was
watching them in the WorldSeries because, you know, back
back then they used to televisethe, the World Series games, and
(05:18):
for me that was pretty awesomeum and um, to watch the A's
growing up, something that justresonated with me and kind of
stuck with me throughout thetime.
So even when I made the move toCleveland and certainly the
Indians back then, the Guardianscertainly had a special place
in my heart as well.
But I could never let go of theA's just growing up with them
(05:41):
and just knowing how pretty coolthey were.
And McGuire, right, one of myfavorite players certainly made
a big hit back in the 90s.
So that just kind of furthersolidified that for me and I've
been a fan ever since.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
I mean you got like to be honest with you, right,
like I mean you grew up withsome great players who everybody
knows, right, ricky Henderson,right, we were just talking
about Maguire Canseco, like Imean those were like I mean,
listen, those were it Like noone really was a fan, like in
during that time, of the Yankeesor anything like that.
It was one of those teams, itwas the Oakland A's.
(06:15):
So, like I mean to have you,you know, become a fan and still
be a fan of that team, you knowit speaks volume, like because
I mean there's been some leanyears with the oakland a's.
I mean there's definitely beensome lean years and I'll give it
to them.
I'll give it to them.
Their colors are pretty cool,all right, green and and uh, you
know yellow piss yellow.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
But it's cool, don't worry about it, it's cool, it's
cool, it's cool, you know we'lltake it no for sure, right and
and and you see all the playersRight.
And then you go into the 2000swhen we talk about Moneyball.
That was pretty big there too,with the movie and everything
else.
So no, I agree, especially theplayers, and I think that once
(06:55):
we start talking about Vegas andand things like that, I think
that the the the thing thathurts the most is the history.
That hurts the most is thehistory right, and I think that
the history that they reallykind of founded in Oakland since
the 60s into the 70s, 80s and90s, and I think that that's
what hurts the most.
But you're right, the playerswere special, you know, just
reading about the A's, you knowcertainly they were good in the
(07:18):
80s.
They should have won more WorldSeries, right, they only won
one.
But boy, they really faced agood Dodger team in 88.
Their big red machine, right,the Reds in 1990.
But they were fun to watch,right, they could pitch, they
(07:38):
could run and they could hit theball very far right.
So for me that was prettyspecial and just pretty fun to
watch right and seeing howbaseball was played back in the
day as well.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
It's true, Val.
Do you have anything?
Because I'll keep going if youdon't.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
I know we're going to get into this and I know that
this isn't what a lot of peoplewant to hear, but I'm going to
start it off with I am soexcited for the move to Las
Vegas.
I'm so sorry, yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
I know.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
That with.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
I am so excited for the move to las vegas, I'm so
sorry, yeah, I know that's okay,all this culture she does live
in vegas I live in vegas but youknow what I will say, though.
I'm a texas rangers fan.
I'm from arlington.
I just moved to vegas six yearsago when I turned 24.
Um, and so it is.
It has been fun having the,because the a's weren't always
(08:26):
like a team like last year youknow, growing up, and so it's
just it's, it's just cool now tohave that close to me and the
rangers are gonna be here twice,or what is it?
Three times now a year.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
So yeah, yeah, they're gonna be there, uh, a
while.
No, val, you're right, it isexciting, is exciting to build a
new stadium, right, and finallythe A's are getting what they
deserve right, which is abrand-new stadium, and I think
from that piece, I think Icertainly agree with you.
I think it is exciting to seethe A's play on a brand-new
stadium, state-of-the-art andvery just nice field overall,
(09:05):
right, something that they don'thave in Oakland, right, and
with the old Coliseum and thingslike that.
And, quite frankly, vegas isbecoming just a sports town,
right.
So, with the Raiders now andthe Knights there as well, so
it's really exciting to be partof a sports fan over there in
Vegas, for sure.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
I do have to say, though, as a sports fan over
there in Vegas for sure I dohave to say though, as a
baseball fan, it is tough seeingthe photos on Twitter and
Instagram and news articles,just how much the stadium is
what it looks like.
Now I often joke about it, butI know it's actually not very
funny, but it's almost like,instead of a promotion, it's
(09:49):
kind of a dumb motion when aplayer gets sent from Vegas
their AAA team over to Oaklandright To Oakland yep.
And it's unfortunate that it'sseen that way because you're
going from Las Vegas to Oakland.
But you know, it does break myheart.
There is so much history inthat stadium and and nothing.
(10:10):
There will never be anotherbattle of the bay once this
transition is a hundred percent,and that's right, it's, it's.
I don't know bittersweet is theright word because I know for
fans I don't know if there islike any sort of sweetness at
the end of it with all thehistory and everything else
that's being left behind.
But yeah, you know I'm excitedto talk more about how you feel
(10:31):
as an A's fan with thetransition and you know, what's
to come.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
Yeah, no, for sure.
Yeah, no, I agree.
And certainly you know me notbeing in Oakland or ever been in
Oakland, so certainly, being afan from afar, I think it's.
you know, my perspective ismaybe a little different, right,
you know I can think of whenthe Browns left Cleveland and
how much that hurt, right, andand I used to live there, right,
(10:58):
and I felt how much it hurt forme seeing the Browns leave.
Now they eventually came backand it was fine after that.
But you know, I can onlyimagine it would be very similar
to that sentiment from an A'sfan living in Oakland and seeing
their team move, especiallywhen they were very close to
getting a stadium deal done withthe city.
(11:20):
So I think that that's evenworse.
But yeah, it's certainly toughfor sure.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Let me ask you you, speaking of that, because I
think that's a, that's a that'sa good conversation to have,
right, because you know fromthere's, there's two sides of
the story.
Right, you know, ownership cycle, that we never got closed, that
the city says that no, weactually were closed.
You know we were, we were goingto give you this location and
this is just going to be thearea where we were going to
(11:48):
build the ballpark and all that.
So it's like I want to knowyour thoughts on that because,
you know, in my opinion andagain, I'm just a fan of another
team, right, I'm someone whodoes follow baseball a lot,
right, you know, um, but it, itseems to me like ownership kind
of, you know, played oakland ina way in which, so that they
(12:09):
could say, no, hey, listen, thefans didn't support us, the city
didn't support us.
We are moving to Vegas becausethere's a new market for us and
all that.
You know, because, don't get mewrong, I got my all my thoughts
on, you know, ownership andmajor league commissioner on
this.
So, like I want to hear yourthoughts on that and Major
League Commissioner on this, soI want to hear your thoughts on
that overall.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Yeah, no, it certainly feels that way, right,
because I think that the teamwas really I was hoping and it
seemed like they were operatingwithin good faith, right, and
negotiating from thatperspective.
But the more you heard about itand got exposed to more behind
the scenes and things from thatperspective, but the more you
heard about it and, you know,got exposed to more behind the
scenes and things like that, Ithink that the bitter it was
(12:54):
tasting and eventually, you know, all of a sudden negotiations
cut off and now we're, you know,looking at Vegas plots to build
a stadium and I think thatthat's pretty sad and just
following it from afar again isdifferent than being there.
But you go to Twitter.
(13:15):
You know, for me, just watchingon Twitter, the Vegas Congress
battle it out whether they'regoing to do it or not and things
like that.
You kind of stay close to it,but it's tough, it's tough and,
yeah, they didn't make it anyeasier for the fans in Oakland
(13:35):
and you know they weren'tdrawing a lot of fans.
I mean, to get 2,000, 3,000fans in a game certainly did not
help the rhetoric right, themedia coverage and things like
that.
And so it was certainly a sadmoment and certainly
disappointed, because I thinkthat, in the true spirit of a
fan, I think Oakland has one ofthe best fans, very spirited
(13:59):
fans in the Bay Area, andcertainly it showed right when
they were winning.
I mean the stadium was holding50 plus thousand people, right
so.
But when the product was not asgood, then you know they just
weren't coming obviouslyrightfully so.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
And on that note, I don't know if you remember when
the video kind of went viral ofsome of the ownership from
Oakland was I can't remember whoit was exactly, but some of
those guys were out here duringthe Vegas golden Knights playoff
run and I remember seeing howexcited he looked up in the
suites seeing the golden Knights, I guess the crowd, just how
(14:43):
electric it was for him.
And I think when I saw thatvideo go viral and how excited
he looked, I think for me that'swhen I knew like yeah, this is
something that he's looking for,this is an environment and a
feeling that they are lookingfor and they're not really
getting it in Oakland right now.
And I feel like that kind ofsealed the deal when he came out
here and saw like what anelectric I guess fan base was
(15:05):
like, and then obviously theRaiders being here just probably
makes it easier.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
Yeah, for sure, go ahead.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
You know, and that's the one thing that I wanted to,
you know, touch on right,because you know, not only are
they losing the Oakland A's, butthey're also.
They lost the Oakland Raiders,they lost on with the Warriors.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
The.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
Warriors, right, yeah .
So like that whole town rightnow, it's been like man, what
else can go wrong here?
Right, we started with theRaiders, then the Warriors moved
to San Francisco right.
And now you got Oakland A'smoving to Vegas and you know,
and I want to hear what you guysthink about this is that okay?
(15:47):
So, listen, we got bettingeverywhere now.
So online betting is legal onall pretty much, I think is all
50 states, or most of the statesright now.
Right.
So I think once that happenedRight, I think the the it was OK
to say all right, we can moveto Vegas now.
(16:08):
Right, because since gamblingis legal everywhere, we're okay
to have a WNBA, an NHL team, anNFL team, right.
So now it's okay.
And I think that played a partinto really an untapped market.
For what is Major LeagueBaseball looking for right now?
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Yeah, I don't disagree.
I mean, I think that certainlyVegas was just primed for
something like this.
It's unfortunate that theyselected the A's and not created
their own expansion team, andyou hear other players within
MLB, right, like Harper Ibelieve Harper is from Vegas as
well Just saying, you know hewould rather have an expansion
(16:52):
team than the A's or whateverthe case was.
But yeah, I don't disagree.
I'm sure that that has to dosomething with it.
I think it's just, you know,the journey with the ownership
in Oakland has been reallytumultuous, right, and I think
that because when, especiallywhen they hired Dave Cavill, you
know he started out very fanfriendly and that kind of
(17:14):
dissipated over the years and Ithink that the lack of
transparency there kind of hurtus a little bit, right,
Especially the fans in Oaklandthat attended the one-on-one
meetings with him, and you knowwe're talking about.
You know he's not going to movethem right and he wants to
maintain the rich history andthings like that.
So, uh, but yeah, but to yourinitial point.
(17:35):
I think there's something to it.
I think that, um, you know, atthe end of the day, this is a
business, right, and and it'syou know there's a business side
and there's a fan side.
So do you understand whythey're making this business
decision right?
Because at the end of the day,it looks like it's all about the
money, and certainly I'massuming that went into the
(17:58):
thought process there andsomething that we'll have to
consider as we move forward.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
Let me ask, because you bring a valid point here.
Looking at it from two sides,right, the spectrum of it's a
business, and looking at it fromthe spectrum of where I'm a fan
, I don't want to lose my teamand all that, right, and I think
ownership and again this is myopinion, again right, like
(18:27):
ownership has done a really goodjob at saying, well, if they
would have supported our team,if they would have supported our
team, we would have still beenhere, which, yes and no, right,
I mean, there's a lot of thingsthat were done in order for fans
to lose hope of the ownership.
I think a lot of the fans wouldhave much rather seen ownership
(18:50):
sell the team and keep the teamin oakland than actually see
them leave.
You know, and and then you knowthat's.
That's something that, like youknow, looking at from the
spectrum of the fans, I writethe business size, I get it.
Man, listen, you know, youwanna, you wanna, you wanna go
to the new shiny toy and youwant to be that owner that
brings in Major League Baseballto that market, right?
(19:11):
You know, for fans such as you,val, right, that you're going
to be there and you're going tobe attending some of those games
, because you are there now andI'm trying to be careful with
what I say, right, just becauseit's a touchy subject, that has
to be.
I see both sides of the coin onthis one.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Yeah, hold on what I'm going to say, go ahead.
No, say it.
It's all right, god, it's so.
I mean it's just weird to methat now I'm seeing the fans,
like now I'm seeing the protests, like it's just man, I'm
probably gonna get canceled, butI don't know.
It's just weird.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
This is the last episode of Val.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
And maybe I'm just not spending enough time being
on like the geolocation onInstagram, seeing what the
parking lot in Oakland lookslike every day.
But I'm just like, where was allof this before?
And then you're going to getthe debate.
Well, they weren't catering tous, so we weren't showing up.
I don't know.
I just feel like if you lovesomething, you're always going
(20:23):
to show up for it, no matterwhat.
And now there's signs andthere's chants and there's
protests and the parking lot'smore full than ever, and now
fans are arranging a a game tocome out and stay in the parking
lot, yeah no, and I'm just likeyou know what it could be,
because I live in las vegas andI love me some major league
(20:44):
baseball and I really
Speaker 1 (20:47):
I could just be selfish too, so yeah, yeah, no,
and and I do think, if I mayreal quick, and I do think that
you know you do have a pointright in regards to, you know,
oakland has some skin in thegame too, right?
Um, in regards to um not beingable to get a deal done, right,
and I think that it did drag outfor a very long time.
(21:07):
I mean we're talking stadium forthe last 10 years, right, I
don't know if you guys remember,but I mean they're supposed to
move to Fremont at one point,then they were supposed to move
to San Jose, then now they'regoing to build a stadium in the
lakefront in Oakland and now,all of a sudden now they're
moving to Vegas, right, socertainly it's been a back and
(21:28):
forth and certainly Oakland hassome skin in the game, owning
the process as well.
But you know, certainly you knowthe fans there as well don't
want to take anything away fromthem, right, because I think
that they have bought intoownership, not wanting to leave,
right, and the history there.
And you know we're patient andwe're going to give you time to
(21:52):
find a location for us to builda stadium, and I think it wasn't
until the last three years whenthey announced a potential move
and back and forth and I thinkthat that's really kind of
bothered some people.
It would have bothered me aswell if I was here in Cleveland
and find out that the Brownswere moving and you know,
certainly you have a lot ofpassionate fans.
But certainly Val you'recertainly right on the money in
(22:14):
regards to Oakland is not by anymeans a victim here and I think
that they do own some skin inthe game as well.
I don't disagree.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
I don't disagree.
I don't disagree, I don't.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
I feel so much better .
Speaker 3 (22:30):
No, but he does bring a valid point right.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
I mean, I've just seen some really passionate fans
who are like how could they?
And I'm kind of like am I dumbfor being confused, like what do
you mean?
How could they?
Like where have y'all been, youknow?
I mean.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
There is a sect of, there's a group, a small group.
You know, it may be it's verysmall, right, but like there's a
group, a small group of peoplethat are, they've been there
from the beginning, right.
They've been there since theywere born, they were fans.
But at the same time, on thesame token, there's a lot of
fans that weren't there either.
Same in Cleveland, right whenCleveland with the Indians, when
(23:11):
they were not good for thosemany years that they weren't
good, you know, those stadium,that stadium was very, very
empty and those seats were cheapto get, right, I remember,
because I bought some of thosetickets, you know, and it was
very affordable, right um.
And then a lot of people aregoing to come, you know they
might say I was like, well, youknow, hey, ed, your brother, you
know he's never been here, butlike I can tell you this, like
(23:33):
this dude buys more jerseys andmore oakland ace uh, uh gear
than I buy cleveland gear.
I'll tell you that much rightnow I'm telling you.
That's a yeah.
He has a whole rack full ofjerseys.
Speaker 1 (23:46):
No, but listen, you're right.
I do want to preface this alsoby saying, too, that it almost
feels too, though, that duringthe process that we were so
close and I say we, but Oaklandwas so close to getting a
stadium that I felt they werevery close in signing that
contract, and I think thatbecause they were so close, and
(24:08):
all of a sudden they stoppedtalking and they didn't want to
negotiate, I think that thatreally set the fans up as well.
Right To really have a sourtaste.
It certainly did me, because Imean, I remember my brother
asking me hey, do you think thatthey're going to move?
And I'm thinking no.
I mean, I remember, um, mybrother asking me, hey, do you
think that they're going to move?
and I'm thinking no, I mean Ijust seen an article, yeah, I
(24:29):
just seen an article saying thatthey're real close to it, right
, and?
And all of a sudden, you know,conversation ended and now
they're not even going to finishin Oakland, they're going to go
to Sacramento and then they'regoing to go to Vegas.
So, um, so certainly, val, Iunderstand your point of view,
but I do believe as well, though, that there's something
different, from a fanperspective that I think that
(24:51):
I'm not sharing because I'm notfrom there, but I can only
imagine if the Browns were toleave tomorrow and I keep using
them because they left and cameback I would probably exhibit
some of the same behavior thatI'm seeing in Oakland as well,
because it does hurt to lose afranchise that you rooted for so
long I mean me, you know, 20plus years, or 30 years, and
(25:14):
some people even longer, right?
So all that tradition andeverything else is going to go
away, and I think that is sad torealize.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
I will say, though.
I will say yes, it is sadbecause now I'm putting myself
in their shoes.
I would be devastated if theRangers left Arlington.
But I will say it's an excuseto come visit Las Vegas, and
nobody can be upset about that.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
No, you're right, Absolutely.
It gives us a reason to go toVegas, for sure.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
You know, on that note, right on the Vegas, right,
val, because you are from thereand all that like, do you see,
and then you have more ofexperience being there is, do
you see fans turning out, to beturning out to the games like
they would if they were inOakland or the Yankees or Boston
or Texas?
Right, because, from what Iunderstand, and a lot of people
(26:05):
saying they're saying it's like,oh, there's a very transient
city, right, there's a lot ofpeople that are not originally
from there.
They're like they're probablygoing to end up using like they
do with football, but, granted,football is a different sport
and less games.
But, like I said, it's like youknow, for business purposes and
things like that.
But, like I said, it's like youknow, for business purposes and
(26:26):
things like that.
So do you see them having a fanbase just like they have it in
Oakland?
Speaker 2 (26:31):
Absolutely, and I say that because in March we had
big league weekend here, whichis, you know, like a spring
training thing here, aside fromFlorida and Arizona, and the
Oakland A's actual Oakland A'sand Milwaukee Brewers were here,
and when I tell you there wereso many Oakland A's fans out
(26:52):
here, or at least wearing greenand yellow out here.
I don't know if they were justlike aviators, fans or people
that flew out here, but again,and it seems to be in Vegas, but
, um, so many people here.
And then Jose Canseco was doinglike a meet and greet out here,
that the Aviators had like a anOakland A's fan fest that
Saturday, that they were playingthe Brewers out here in this
(27:12):
little stadium that holds 10,000people and I mean it didn't
sell out.
But, um, there were so many, somany fans.
And then the Aviators havingthe blueprint like on, um, uh,
just big posters of what thestadium is going to look like.
And then, during aviators games, um, they also have like the qr
code where you can scan forseason ticket information, and
(27:36):
so I just feel like the aviatorsare also doing a really good
job of embracing it and get us,getting us ready for it and
getting us excited for it bymaking it seem like the aviators
are already here.
Um, I keep hearing like it's notofficial, even though it is
right, like I mean it is.
I don't know, maybe people aresaying it's not official.
(27:58):
It could just be fans in denial.
I'm sorry, but, um, theaviators are surely treating it
like they're opening up tomorrowand it's pretty cool.
The Tropicana is almost fullylike destroyed.
There's gonna be like animplosion party, and so I wonder
Yators fans or a's fans aregonna line up to see that.
I don't know, we'll see, but Ifeel like the city is really
(28:20):
Embracing it now.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
Okay, you know, yeah, and they should right.
I mean it's, it's excitingtimes to get a baseball.
Yeah, and they should, right.
I mean, it's exciting times toget a baseball team, to be
honest with you, right?
So you can't fault them forbeing happy, right?
And I think that that's prettycool.
And to get a franchise likeOakland is even better, so you
can fault them for that for sure.
Speaker 2 (28:41):
I'm sorry as I'm saying this.
I'm like dang, I saw like Iwould hate if there was an
Oakland A's fan on here livingin Oakland.
I feel like they probably wouldhave hung up this call Like I'm
just way too excited.
I'm sorry.
If the Rangers left Arlington Iwould cry.
Speaker 1 (28:57):
Yeah, I mean, and that's the thing, right, I think
that you know, if it was yourteam that was leaving, and
things like that, it's hard.
It's hard to really think about.
Hey, next year they're notgoing to be in Oakland right.
And in three years they're noteven going to be in California,
right?
So for a fan to think like thatespecially a fan, because you
(29:20):
know how we are as fans right,we always try to, we we're fans
but then our kids become fan andtheir kids become fan and and
you try to kind of maintain that, that trajectory in your family
, and I think that's that,that's what hurts, right.
And I think that, again, from afan living afar, never been in
california, I'm sure that I'msomewhat biased and and and
(29:44):
things like that, but I cannotimagine what it feels like to
actually live in Oakland and theeffect it has on the community,
for sure.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
Well, I can't wait for both of y'all to come out
here for a game.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
Let me ask you, ricardo, let me ask you this
question yeah, so let's say, forthe sake of this conversation,
that it has been official.
It is official, right, they aremoving, they're going to go
where the tropic can is.
They're going to build in allthat.
Um, are you and this might be adifficult question to ask but
are you of the belief that theyshould keep the colors, then the
(30:17):
, the name, athletics and allthat like, do you think that
they should keep it or do youthink that they should do keep
clean break, keep the history inoakland, all of that?
This is going to be new name,new team, all of that like, how
do you, what do you feel?
Uh, as a fan of oakland?
Yes, granted, you're not fromthe bay area, never been but,
like you are a fan nonethelessyeah, no, and I cannot thank
(30:42):
baltimore for not taking theBrowns name.
Well, there was a lawsuit.
You remember that?
Right, right the city suedRight.
Speaker 1 (30:52):
So I think in the same breath.
I think for me I'm hoping thatthe A's can stay in Oakland to
at least give the A's fans inOakland some kind of glimmer of
hope that if they do get anexpansion team which I know
there's plenty of articles andthings like that that talks
about potentially in the futuregetting a team I'm hoping that
(31:16):
they can be known as the A'sright to continue their legacy
and continue that.
So my hope is that that thatthe, the, the colors and the
name can remain in Oakland topotentially have another team
years down the road.
Speaker 3 (31:30):
Okay, I can see that.
All right, I like that.
I like that.
If that doesn't happen, do youstill root for the team?
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Yeah, listen, I think it's going to take some time.
You know, I think you certainlymake a relationship with the,
with the players, right, um, andyou follow them and you root
for them and and things likethat.
So I think it's gonna take sometime, um, to kind of get behind
the team.
You're certainly going tofollow the players, you.
You are going to be intriguedin regards to when they open up
(32:02):
and the field and things likethat.
So so I I do think it's gonnabe interesting and I think that
eventually, if, um, if they endup with their colors and things
like that, I will become a vegasfan, um, but, um, yeah, it
we'll have to see.
But, um, yeah, it's, it's, it'sgonna be tough because we can.
Speaker 3 (32:24):
We Because we can take you as a Cleveland fan if
you do decide to not become afan of them.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
Point well taken, point well taken.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
And Cleveland is always in my heart, right, and
here's the thing too, though,right, because I'm in a position
right now, where I'm at, thereis no major league team, right,
the biggest name here in thisarea is the durham bulls, but
that's a triple a team, right,and there has been conversations
about raleigh becoming one ofthose cities for expansion.
(32:56):
At one point they even talkedabout possibly having the tampa
bay rays move from tampa toraleigh, right, so we don't know
what's going on, right?
I mean, the commissioner didsay, hey, you know, we're not
going to talk about expansionuntil both the Oakland A's
situation gets settled and theTampa Bay, the Tampa Bay Rays
(33:17):
situation gets settled.
So I think Oakland A's is onedomino.
I think Oakland A's is onedomino.
There was that Tampa Baystadium that has been, I guess,
approved, but not really, youknow.
So it's still in the air.
So I wonder which situation getssettled first and then we'll
(33:38):
start having those conversationsabout expansion team, because
if Oakland moves to Vegas, thattakes a big chunk of market in
that area of like, there'sreally no baseball teams really
in that that area.
Really.
Yeah, so interesting, it's aninteresting dynamic, you know.
Yeah, no for sure.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
And, and I mean think about Montreal, right, I mean
their colors, rich history tooright.
So when they left Montreal, andthat was you know to, I mean
their colors have a rich historytoo right.
So when they left Montreal andthat was to go to Washington,
obviously, and now we have theNationals, but Montreal, and you
remember, they played in PuertoRico for a little bit of time.
And to have the Expos.
Oh man, that would be prettyawesome too.
But yeah, there's certainly alot of cities out there that
(34:21):
certainly probably deserve ateam because they do have a fan
base.
But it's going to beinteresting, it really is.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
I hope you guys enjoyed this episode with my
brother.
As a matter of fact, regardingour discussion with the well,
actually, regarding theconversation about the Oakland
Athletics and their move toVegas, make sure you guys tune
in next week where we willfinish our conversation and then
for the next couple of weeks,we will have the discussion from
(34:50):
various fans as far as theirfeelings towards the move of the
Oakland Athletics to Las Vegasand the whole mess that it is
All of that.
Anyways, make sure you guysagain tune in next week.
Also, make sure that you arefollowing Val and myself.
We are on all socials.
Make sure you like andsubscribe for this podcast,
(35:12):
because you know what it is.
Greatly appreciated.
All right, and until then, guyskeep grinding and always
support the minor leagues, seeya.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
Thank you.
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