Lunch With Crane Kenney...

by Al Yellon on Jun 3, 2008 1:49 PM CDT

... I just got an email from the Cubs that said I did NOT get selected. It reads, in part:

As you might imagine, there was tremendous interest in participating in this first luncheon - more than 2,000 season ticket holders expressed a desire to attend. Our goal from the start was to keep each luncheon small in size to encourage an open and active discussion. Therefore, for this first luncheon, we elected to invite 25 respondees who have been among Chicago Cubs season ticket holders for the longest amount of time. I'm sorry we cannot include you at this time.

As we mentioned in our initial letter, this luncheon represents the first in a series of meetings we hope to hold with our season ticket holders. We are fortunate to have such tremendous fan support and we hope to meet all of you at some point during the 2008 season. Our next luncheon will be held shortly after the All-Star Break and we will be in touch with you if there is an opportunity to include you in a future session.

I have been a season ticket holder since 1992, but I'm sure there are many who have had season tickets longer than that. If anyone here has been selected, please let us know so we can give you some questions to ask at the lunch.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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I just got the same email

I’ve had mine since 1983

by cubswin on Jun 3, 2008 1:52 PM CDT reply actions

Wow.

There are going to be a lot of old people at this lunch.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Jun 3, 2008 1:55 PM CDT up reply actions

Commence jokes about senior citizens...

...NOW!

Nanika Ga Okoru!

Oh, and remember, folks: Alfonso Soriano is NOT batting leadoff. He's batting first.

by daver on Jun 3, 2008 2:21 PM CDT up reply actions

Maybe

they’ll compare ‘45 WS ticket stubs.

"And there's a...BASE HIT! Fair ball! Fontenot will score! CUBS WIN!" -Len Kasper, 5.28.08

by neverAcquiesce on Jun 3, 2008 3:00 PM CDT up reply actions

my grandmother was at game 7 of the world series in 1945.

"I'd rather win ugly than lose pretty," -- Lou Pinella

by anormal on Jun 3, 2008 4:25 PM CDT up reply actions

cool!

""At the end of the day, boys, you don't tell me how rough the water is, you bring in the ship." -- Steve Stone

by kentmeister on Jun 3, 2008 4:27 PM CDT up reply actions

VERY cool.

"And there's a...BASE HIT! Fair ball! Fontenot will score! CUBS WIN!" -Len Kasper, 5.28.08

by neverAcquiesce on Jun 3, 2008 4:43 PM CDT up reply actions

I hope they have enough Ensure.

I haz show: http://hotbeans.wordpress.com

by digitalbenjamin on Jun 3, 2008 3:39 PM CDT up reply actions

Turkey Manhattans for all!

"This is the kind of thing … that makes you want to see the Chicago Cubs team lose." Marty Brennaman

by Bildo1805 on Jun 3, 2008 2:51 PM CDT up reply actions

Season ticket holder since 84...

and not picked either. I wonder who IS going.

Kasey

See the Cubs 2008 schedule (with TV schedule & game-by-game results) at http://ignarski.tripod.com/sched2008.html

by kaseyi on Jun 3, 2008 2:01 PM CDT reply actions

This guy old enough?

I haz show: http://hotbeans.wordpress.com

by digitalbenjamin on Jun 3, 2008 3:42 PM CDT up reply actions

Only since 1999.........

.........for me, but I figured this event to be a bunch of staged crap anyway.

The fix is in; they’ve known all along “who” they wanted to have at this event and you can bet it won’t involve any boat rockers. Probably no bleacher ticket holders either. Look for the Anheuser-Busch rep (with a sky box and gobs of season tix forever) along with other corporate fat cats to be filling their faces at this event.

"Happiness? A good cigar, a good meal, a good cigar and a good woman - or a bad woman; it depends on how much happiness you can handle." ~ George Burns

by tville on Jun 3, 2008 5:00 PM CDT up reply actions

I think you're wrong.

A lot of those fat cats weren’t the longest running season ticket holders. I expect a bunch of grandmas and grandpas who have had season tickets since the Wrigley era.

And remember, they are going to hold more of these; this isn’t a one-time thing.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Jun 3, 2008 7:55 PM CDT up reply actions

That's assuming...........

.........Al, that you accept their explanation prima facie. Just because that’s what the Cubs told us it doesn’t mean it’s entirely the truth.

"Happiness? A good cigar, a good meal, a good cigar and a good woman - or a bad woman; it depends on how much happiness you can handle." ~ George Burns

by tville on Jun 4, 2008 12:33 AM CDT up reply actions

Why would they say...

... they’re having another one if they’re not gonig to?

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Jun 4, 2008 4:07 AM CDT up reply actions

I think he meant the cubs' explanation about inviting the longest running season ticket holders

I’m sure they could find enough fat cats to fill up several of these lunches, and it wouldn’t surprise me if that’s how it shook out. However…

I have to give Crane the benefit of the doubt here. Ever since he took on his new position when John McD left, Crane seems to have made a concerted effort to be out in front with everything that’s going on. Whether that’s talking about possible trades (not the smartest of moves) or BCB interview (definitely a smart move), he has been upfront and willing to put a face/name on an issue. So if he says they’re going with the longest-running season ticket holders first, I’m going to believe him until proven otherwise.

btw – setting aside all of the current success with Lou aside, I’m thinking that Crane is a closet Dusty fan. Why else would he go with the ‘veteran’ season ticket holders instead of the youngsters like Al? ;-)

Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."

by ballhawk on Jun 4, 2008 7:51 AM CDT up reply actions

They will be lead......

by a man in a green golf shirt and pink hat.

by TheRiotSquad2 on Jun 3, 2008 3:13 PM CDT reply actions

Why to I picture Carl Reiner in “Ocean’s Eleven”?

by leothelip on Jun 3, 2008 4:02 PM CDT reply actions

I guess...

The reign of Crane means lunch is on the wane.

""At the end of the day, boys, you don't tell me how rough the water is, you bring in the ship." -- Steve Stone

by kentmeister on Jun 3, 2008 4:26 PM CDT reply actions

Ticket holder Since 1990

and I did not get selected either. I still think we should gather some questions/suggestions for the Cubs front office. Perhaps a Cubs Manifesto. They did say we could email them our comments.

by Chodes on Jun 3, 2008 5:03 PM CDT reply actions

We could.

Let’s wait until the second lunch, which according to the email will be shortly after the All-Star break. If none of us gets chosen that time, then we can do that.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Jun 3, 2008 7:55 PM CDT up reply actions