Tim Busch has been a practicing attorney in Orange County for the past 35 years and is the founder of The Busch Firm, which specializes in high net-worth estate planning, real estate and business transactions, tax, and Religious Organization representation. Tim is also founder and CEO of Pacific Hospitality Group, LLC a hotel development and management company that owns and manages eight hotels, including the Doubletree Hotel at Irvine Spectrum, the Doubletree Hotel Santa Ana/Orange County Airport, the Crowne Plaza Resort near Disneyland the Meritage Resort and Spa at Napa, CA, and the Estancia La Jolla, the Balboa Bay Club and Resort in Newport Beach, CA and Bacara in Santa Barbara, CA. His original business is Busch’s Markets, a 15-store specialty grocery store, operating in Southeastern Michigan.
Tim recently wrote a piece for Fox News entitled: “Bud Light, Target, haven’t the Dodgers learned anything? As a sports team owner, I know better.” I am going to publish that in its entirety and then give you my take:
“Will the Los Angeles Dodgers ever be the same?
I doubt it. One of the most-storied sports brands in history is reeling. It’s the result of management’s foolish decision to invite an anti-Catholic hate group to an LGBT Pride night, then rescind the invitation after criticism from the right, only to re-invite the group after blowback from the left.
The flip-flopping wasn’t the Dodger’s biggest mistake. The real issue is that the baseball team waded into politics in the first place.
I say this as a minority owner of two professional sports teams, one in the United States and one in the United Kingdom. I encourage anyone in professional sports to avoid any involvement in politics, for the simple reason that sports teams aren’t political groups. We aren’t in the business of taking sides in a cause, telling some people they’re wrong while others are right, and wading into the most divisive issues of the day.
Just the opposite: We’re in the business of business, and we should stay that way. While the teams I co-own don’t always steer clear of politics, my message to the Dodgers and every sports team and business is still simple: This is a losing game that will cost you dearly for decades to come.
It baffles me that the Dodgers forgot this basic truth. I’m a Californian, so I love the Dodgers as much as anyone else. But my fondness for the team, built over nearly seven decades, never had anything to do with its political stands. I appreciated that the Dodgers built a good team, showed fans a good time and regularly competed for the highest honors in the game.
That’s the point of a sports team. Score points, please the fans, win trophies. Scoring political points is the last thing a team should ever do.
Yet that’s exactly what a small but vocal group of activists now wants. They demand that sports teams – and every business, for that matter – pick sides in our country’s culture wars. They want companies to take stands on everything from abortion to marriage to sexuality to changing children’s genders with invasive surgeries. I don’t doubt the sincerity of their beliefs. But I’m deeply confused why so many companies kowtow to these demands.
Imagine if the Dodgers had never held a Pride night, ever. Would some people have criticized the team? Absolutely. Would some media outlets have taken potshots at the team? Sure. And would some people have even boycotted the Dodgers? Probably.
But the team wouldn’t be in the pickle it is today. If it had avoided politics, a handful of people would have been upset. Instead, the team jumped in headfirst on one of the most divisive issues. Now legions of fans in the Los Angeles area and beyond are likely to boycott the team, especially in LA’s enormous Catholic community.
Budweiser learned the same thing when it threw its support behind transgenderism. Bud Light sales have plummeted. But they didn’t have to. All the company had to do was stay silent on something it had no right to talk about. It’s a beer company, for God’s sake, not an arm of the Democratic Party.
There’s no point enraging your fan base, especially when people can advocate for their favored political positions in the political process. That’s where politics belongs – in the voting booth, in candidate’s campaigns and in the persuasion that happens around kitchen tables and on social media.
We don’t need it in the dugout, the field, or the boardroom. Fans, sports teams and business leaders have other things to worry about. You know, like supporting the players, strengthening the team, and running a business.
The Dodgers have learned this lesson the hard way. Here’s my advice to them and every sports team, in every league. Don’t hold Pride night anymore. Don’t hoist a conservative flag on some other issue, either. Just stick to sports, which is the only reason people come to the stadium or turn on the game. If you don’t, a lot of them won’t come back or will change the channel.
The Dodgers earned what’s coming their way. ” –– Tim Busch, Fox News
I am going to take it a step further. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence have no business being at Dodger Stadium, unless they want to pay to see a game, and neither does Black Heritage Night, LGBTQ+ Pride Night, or Christain Faith Day.
The LA Dodgers are a baseball team. They have built a vast number of inner-city baseball diamonds to help disadvantaged inner-city youth have access to baseball. Let’s celebrate that! Let’s celebrate baseball. Religion and politics divide us. Once the Dodgers have embraced any of that… they have lost. Let’s celebrate what joins us together… not what divides us. Rob Manfred started it by moving the All-Star Game from the ATL in what can only be called a Stupid Political Statement. As in Very Stupid!
The Dodgers have a lot to celebrate. They should focus on what brings people together… not what divides us. Baseball should be fun and should provide a release from what divides us. The Los Angeles Dodgers are supposed to be a baseball team, not a political or religious platform.
As a side note: On Monday Night, Clayton Kershaw called a “Player’s Only Meeting” presumably because he was not happy with the Dodger’s decision to have the Dudes of Perpetual Indulgence at Pride Night. Clayton said this: “I don’t agree with making fun of other people’s religions,” he said. “It has nothing to do with anything other than that. I just don’t think that, no matter what religion you are, you should make fun of somebody else’s religion. So that’s something that I definitely don’t agree with.”
I agree, but I take it a step further – None of these groups should have a place at the table. Problem solved!
Back to Dodger Baseball
- So much for thinking Alex Vesia got “fixed ” at OKC. Looks like the same old BP pitcher!
- Tony Gonsolin is a very Elite Starter.
- I remember earlier in the season when many here were predicting a decline for JDM. Well, he’s not ready and he has the final say. 11 HR/39 RBI/13 DBL/2 TRP/ .277 BA/.922 OPS. Pretty Dang Elite! Justin who?
- What makes Bobby Miller so good? His own words: “I’m really not scared of them out there.”
- Remember when I told you that “AJ Preller has the potential to really screw this up?” He’s incredible at it!
- The Dodgers are the class of the NL. The Dodgers really do not have to trade to get pitching, unless there are more injuries. I am personally not counting on May or Buehler… but the fact of the matter is that one or both could pitch this year!
- It looks like we may see Daniel Hudson in July. If healthy, that is huge!
- … and then the rest is s crapshoot. The Dodgers have Jimmy Nelson, Blake Treinen, JP Feyereisen, and Alex Reyes who may or may not be ready by season’s end. Maybe one or two?
- Thor goes tonight… how much more can we endure?
- Freddie Freeman for MVP! He is a machine!
- Luke Williams (former shiny object) is hitting .250 at OKC.
- Diego Cartaya is awakening from his hibernation. He was 2-5 last night with his 5th HR and 3 RBI. He is about ready to go over .200 for the year. It’s about time!
- Landon Knack got spanked for the first time this season: 4 IP/6 H/5 ER/4 BB/4 K – his ERA is up to 2.20.
- Great Lakes beat Beloit 20-0 as they missed an extra point! Everyone hit – even Jake Vogel!
Discussion (39)
Disagree, not disagreeable
As someone posted. He is our most consistent pitcher. Bad every outing. Are we so desperate to throw him out there one more time? And what’s the point of throwing him into the bullpen?? Hopefully DFA sooner than later.
Even if the Dodgers have not learned anything, I have. I have learned that Thor’s mighty hammer is really a memory. The guy has zero confidence out there.
Thor is mentally defeated. He knows it… He stated the truth. After today, one of two things will happen:
1. He will be sent to the bullpen; or
2. He will be released.
He’s not injured… well, maybe his psyche.
Why not just play a repeat of one of Syndergaard’s
other interviews after the game?
Why torture the guy. It’s painful to watch
`If anyone would have told me that we would only score 6 runs after 3 HR, 11 hits, 7 walks and 6 STOLEN BASES I would”ve told him to stop smoking that crap. He would then tell me that we left 11 men on and we were 3 for 14 with RISP. It wasn’t just the pitching that stunk which of course it did.
Nothing to see here, move on……Frank Drebin, Naked Gun….
Great post by Mark and dodgerpatch.
The sisters are a hate group. That is not appropriate at Dodger Stadium. I have seen pictures of them and attendees of Pride Night. The children at Dodger Stadium should not be subjected to that. Me either.
I still have not forgotten Opening Day 2020. I didn’t appreciate the BLM display. A display glorifying a Marxist grifter group. Totally un American. Then it was topped off with our star player kneeling for the anthem. It was like he came into my living room and took a dump. I couldn’t watch for about 40 games after that.
Jackie Robinson Day. 100% for it. That’s relevant to baseball and the Dodgers.
The rest. No thank you. If I have any more politics jammed down my throat I will not be watching any more Dodgers games.
Just got home to check the box score.
Rhetorical question – but why in hell do we still have Syndergaard, Vesia and Bickford still on the staff??
Ok, a question. With a 0-2 count, how much of blame is throwing a slider in the middle of the plate? Bazooka and/or Smith
Just not enough good relievers.
Ouch, that hurt. But them leaving runners on numerous times hurts just as much. Bazooka pitching more like a pop gun.
Oh brother, this pitchers are not good for my heart!
Only ‘good’ result is that he lasted 5 innings
I generally like to focus on the positive.
Syndergaard is, by far, the most consistent pitcher on the Dodgers roster. You know exactly what you will get, each and every start.
Will someone please pull the plug on this Syndergaard “experiment?”
Do not watch or read any of that. The media is not my friend.
.
Whoever suggested LLynn, go check how he is doing today:
4in
8 hits
8 ER
3 HRs
having now a 6.55 era
Let’s see if Thor is not as bad.
If you are inclined, read Jason Whitlock’s take:
https://www.theblaze.com/fearless/oped/whitlock-the-dodgers-anti-christian-indulgence-underscores-the-importance-of-america-first?utm_source=theblaze-breaking&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20230531Trending-WhitlockDodgers&utm_term=ACTIVE%20LIST%20-%20TheBlaze%20Breaking%20News
He claims that the MLBPA has been asked to intervene.
My take on all of this is that Clayton Kershaw will retire as a Ranger… not a Dodger!
Not religious at all, but I respect others’ beliefs. Keep religion and politics out of sports. I saw firsthand what politics can do to sports. I was in Munich during the 72 Olympics when the terrorists killed the Israeli athletes. Lives taken over religious intolerance. Disgusting.
Feel free to attack the website where this story was found as a few select will undoubtedly do so, but once again not a good look to alienate players. A players only meeting and now two players (CK and Treinen) vocalizing their disdain for a poor decision by the Dodger brass. Play baseball, just do baseball, entertain fans with baseball and competition.
https://www.breitbart.com/sports/2023/05/31/dodgers-pitcher-blake-treinen-blasts-team-honoring-anti-catholic-drag-queens/
Let’s continue the hot hitting!!
Thanks MT for sharing the article from Tim Busch. Very reasonable view in my opinion.
I am a huge fan of Clayton Kershaw and also appreciate his approach to the situation. I attended the last Christian faith night at Dodger stadium in 2019 and was very impressed with the testimony of Clayton and his wife Ellen. They have set up a foundation called Kershaw’s Challenge that provides services for many needy people of all faiths and backgrounds in LA, Texas, Africa and other places. The event in 2019 also had a few other Dodgers participate in a small postgame gathering including Kenley, AJ Pollock, and Turner Ward. It was totally optional and a few hundred people stayed well after the game to attend. I hope they continue the event in the future.
Josue DePaula is at Rancho he was 0 for 3 last night. Should be fun to see how does.
Tuesday scores
Oklahoma City 7, Reno 0
Tulsa 9, Wichita 8
Great Lakes 20, Beloit 0
Inland Empire 11, Rancho Cucamonga 0
Wednesday schedule
4:35 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Robbie Peto) at Beloit (Gabe Bierman)
5:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Robbie Erlin) vs. Reno (Konnor Pilkington)
5:05 p.m.: Tulsa (Kyle Hurt) at Wichita (Carlos Luna)
6:30 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Peter Heubeck) vs. Inland Empire (Walbert Urena)
Next week (on June 5), the Arizona Complex League and Dominican Summer League start their seasons on Monday.
4:10 PM ET
Nationals (23-32) Last Place 9.0 GB
Dodgers (34-22) First Place 1.5GH
SP Patrick Corbin L
4-5 4.88 ERA 62.2IP 40K
SP Noah Syndergaard R
1-4 6.27 ERA 47.1IP 33K
Confirmed Lineup
RF Mookie Betts R
1B F. Freeman L
C Will Smith R
DH J. Martinez R
3B Max Muncy L
LF Chris Taylor R
2B M. Vargas R
SS Miguel Rojas R
CF T. Thompson R
Partly-cloudy-day
1% Precipitation
68° Wind 8 mph Out
There is, if you have a subscription, a ludicrously great article on Dodgers’ prospect Maddox BRuns @TheAthletic. ($$$$$)
Amazing, insightful and well-written.
If you’re not too busy worrying about the collapse of the American Empire.
* Geez Kirsten looked like she just rolled out of bed in her pre-game.
* I got through 5 1/2 innings with the Babbling D-Train before I threw my remote thru the TV. The comment that finally put me over the top was “it’s important not to give away outs in the Big Leagues.” I’ve also heard enough about his career and his whooper-dooper. I don’t care. The game looked fine while I listened to some nice jazz.
* Poor Vesia certainly made this game more interesting.
* I’m sold on the match up use of relief pitching and not guys assigned to innings. Big adjustment for my old school thinking. I love Phillips and like him as a closer. But using him to get out the meat of the order, regardless of the inning, is working.
* As discussed last week by Jayne Cobb, we can be feast of famine. It’s a feast right now with the top of our order. Nice to see and it and it better continue tonight as we get the Syndergaard experiment again. I was hoping it lines up so he pitches on June 16th so I don’t have to intentionally miss watching 2 games.
Things are so different than when I grew up in the 80’s. The only things that were controversial in society in the 80’s that you looked back at were the hippie woodstock people and the disco freaks. Before the hippie woodstock people you couldn’t find any weird people. Now practically everybody is a hippie and a freak and other weird things.
Religion and politics do not good bedfellows make. Quickest ways to start a fight. Baseball is supposed to be a release from the everyday stress of life. It is supposed to be fun. It is after all, a game. There should be no special nights for any groups. You look on the schedule and you see all sorts of groups getting recognition at a game. I believe in celebrating days that mean something to the country as a whole, not for individual groups. Or days celebrating the team’s icons. Stick to baseball and hot dogs, that is what you do best. One Star Wars night was enough. I mean how many times can you dress up as a Wookie and sit through 9 innings of baseball? That costume has to be uncomfortable. When I had a family and I went to the stadium with my children, we went to enjoy the game. Well, I did anyway, the girls were there for the peanuts and frozen malts. I would not take my kids to a game where a bunch of whacked out weirdos in nuns outfits with their faces painted like Kiss, would be in attendance. We had a saying in the trucking industry, KISS, keep it simple stupid. The Dodgers should adhere to that philosophy. Showcase your talent on the field, do not cater to any groups but your loyal fans.
Going to see the Loons tonight in Beloit near my home.
I’m glad Kershaw and Treinen spoke up on the topic. I’ll bet most of the other players agree but are afraid to speak.
Why do this to your players and your team. Simply unnecessary.
Perhaps I’ve simply lived to long. I’m not equipped with the understanding of why the topics are front page where I don’t even see how crap like this is even talked about. Is this what is important to college students at this moment in time? If so then death can’t be soon enough, at ;least for me. What a stupid tomorrow they promise. The dangers of being born after 2023 could make for a future stranger than anything. I thought the past had some very ugly chapters but the future is really scarry.
This is right up there with not standing during the National Anthem. No place in sports andI’m going to boycott that game. I’ve been a Dodger fan since they moved to LA., but this turns my stomach.
“But I’m deeply confused why so many companies kowtow to these demands.”
He’s obviously an intelligent and accomplished man, but even he does not fully understand the cultural revolution we are currently in.
The people here are more knowledgeable about their history than most. Do you remember the Cultural Revolution in China in the 1960s? Do you remember what that was? Have you ever heard the expression, “struggle session.” In short, it was Mao Zedong implementing his vision of “Marxism with Chinese characteristics” on his population. All of the old, the traditional Chinese culture or any artifacts of traditional Chinese culture, were to be swept away; purged, by force and intimidation. You may have seen images of Chinese men or women up on a pedestal and harangued and humiliated and insulted until they capitulated and caved to the mob, uttered the right words and symbolically self-flagellated. It was a form of ritual humiliation to purge any independent thought they had, any vestigial bond they had to their previous cultural identity.
Cultural revolutions tend to do that. The French Revolution was similar. They even did away with the traditional calendar. Gone were years that started with the birth of Christ. 1792 became Year One … etc.
What you saw Anthony Bass of the Toronto Blue Jays do yesterday was a struggle session. He was pressured by his employer to publicly disavow his beliefs and apologize for them … to renounce what he believed. He was forced to choose a side in our cultural revolution, and to publicly humiliate himself. He didn’t have a choice. His life and his livelihood depended on him capitulating. He was still a coward. Nevertheless, it tells you were the real power is.
In case you didn’t notice, we are in a cultural revolution. It is Marxism with American characteristics, and it is being foisted on a majority of people who don’t want it, but don’t fully understand what it is and why it is happening.
It is a revolution from the top down, by a millennial and Zoomer age managerial class who have been inculcated with this stuff from colleges, which are now Woke seminaries. But it is also driven by the nexus of powerful financial, government and corporate entities. Corporations and startups now have to show compliance with our new religious orthodoxy through ESG scores – Environmental, Social, Governance. If you don’t tick off the mandatory social justice boxes: if you don’t have enough DEI administrators creating mandatory trainings for staff, or if you don’t devote a certain percentage of resources to the promotion of BLM or pride or social justice causes, you don’t get funding by these large financial institutions. It’s that simple.
James Lindsay does a deep dive. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rW9ZuApy9KU
Nature abhors a vacuum. Christianity is receding. People can’t live without religious shibboleths … so we have Wokism – Marxism with American characteristics – filling the breach, and they have even less moral compunction about forcing their will.
It is all deeply, deeply totalitarian. It is dystopic. It’s sad. I wish more people would read Orwell.
I agree Mark. Best not to get involved in politics. It has definitely hurt the Dodgers and some fans are trying to figure out how to react. They love the team, love baseball, but I read the posts on Facebook and you can see that many fans are conflicted. Why would the team put themselves in the middle of this mess?
No easy way out and no one should expect Stan Kasten to find a way out. He’s never been good at this. Best to keep him hidden and try to find a solution, but reversing their original stance makes this almost impossible.
All this goes back to Mark’s point, best to leave politics in another arena, far away from Dodger Stadium.
When will they ever learn?
I would like to know why these events happen, and if they do anything for the teams relationship with city communities.
That said.
The team is not in a pickle.
One month after each event nobody will be discussing either.
Non-problem solved.
Mookie,Freddie,,Will,JD, &muncy. Right now 1-5 is clicking! Vargas at 6 ain’t too bad either! A consistent right handed hitter in left field would make me so happy. Heyward, peralta, and Taylor haven’t been too bad lately. A starter is still at the top of needs right now. I’ve seen stromans name tossed around in the rumor mill. Too much $ and track record says pass! Rodriguez from Detroit, same. Shane beiber now that’s one I might say yes too. Hope the offense doesn’t sleep walk today! Might have to put a 10 spot up with syndergard pitching!
JDM, 12 HR
Fox News lol
So every day I read the recaps and they mention Freddie’s hit streak (now 19). But haven’t seen much about of JD’s streak. Now 14!!! Raised his average about 30 points. I guess second best is still second best.
A lot of athletes put their foot in their mouth when they comment about ‘real world’ issues. Kershaw stands out as a guy who always seems to say the sensible thing.