Jim Thome leaving the Cleveland Indians
Chat with Pat

Am I an oddball or do you agree with me and does that make us both odd balls?

I am an avid sports fan, I love Cleveland and I love and support our teams.

That being said let's get over this Jim Thome obsession!

He is not disloyal to Cleveland. This is not a neighborhood team - it is a business. When the Owner decides to trade all but a few of the best players, and when we have no chance of winning what would you do?

If you were assured a bigger pay check, the chance of playing with a team who is going after superior players and hopefully a ring , would you decide to stay with a team that has decided to start over, get rid of the Pro's and hope to do well in a few years?

By the time (if ever) this team is built, Thome will be old (for this team) and his chances of a good trade will have passed. If by some chance he has health problems and is out for a period of time the Cleveland deal cuts his salary.

The men who play sports are fortunate to work at a job they love but it's no fun to play with a team that has no hopes of winning. Their window of opportunity is short lived - you don't see many fifty year olds playing pro ball.

Granted the amount of money is obscene for all sports players and owners. Most of us cannot afford to go to the games, but this is one of the ways the players get status. Money and records are their claim to fame.

Not to mention the decision is also based on their families, agents and pressure from the players union.

When will we know who our enemy is? I don't think it is always the players. Be prepared to say goodbye to Vizquel and Burks. Why would they stay?

Lets get over it! Let's concentrate on what we have left in sports. We should be debating the Browns choice of quarterbacks, and plays.

The Thome trade should have been news last year when we became a class "A" team. Just ask the odds makers.

Agree or disagree?
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