Cubs' Attempt To 'Improve' Seventh-Inning Stretch Doesn't Go Far Enough
By Chuck Sudo in News on Feb 19, 2013 9:20PM
Tribune Cubs beat reporter Paul Sullivan continues his attempt to make a rebuilding team look sexy in spring training by reporting on the changes that will happen with the taped music played before and during games, the seventh-inning stretch and, notably, the “celebrity” guests conducting the Wrigley Faithful.
“ I think we definitely want to focus on former Cubs players…”
So far, so good.
”(P)eople that are Chicago natives…”
That can be a bit of a generalization, but we’ll give Oboikowitch the benefit of the doubt. Continue.
”(P)eople who know baseball…”
Uh-oh.
”(A)nd who are Cubs fans.”
Goddammit, you lost us.
Oboikowitch said he wants to bring the guest conductor series back to the salute to Harry Caray it was originally intended. To be honest, the best way to do that would be to shitcan the guest conductors altogether and play an old tape (or a video, since Wrigley now has that not-so-Jumbotron in right field) of the Cub fan and Bud man doing his thing. The Cubs could still market it and get a presenting sponsor for the seventh-inning stretch, since the Ricketts family is looking to leverage every aspect of the Wrigley experience it can for revenue, and we won’t have to see Jim Belushi and Mike Ditka yuk it up with Len Kasper and Jim DeShaies ever again.
Here's another idea: bring in everyday, regular Cubs fans to lead the crowd. Contrary to what many of us believe, there are people who pass Wrigley Field's turnstiles who are passionate about the team and may even teach Kasper a thing or two about the organization if given the opportunity to sit in with him and DeShaies.
Oboikowitch said the club is looking to enlist “A-listers” as guest conductors (again, no more Belushi or Ditka), yet said he doesn’t want them promoting their latest project. This puts the club’s desires at cross purposes with the name stars, who are only there to shill their latest movie/tv show/book/album first, the Cubs second.
Oboikowitch also said the club would modernize the taped music played before and during the games at Wrigley Field would be updated to reflect modern hits instead of the best songs of the 80s. Again, we’re OK with that. We get enough of that going to White Sox games, anyway.