Afternoon Tea (61.3) A Sobering Conclusion

[Narwhal_McClaren]

We are forced now to inform our fans of unfortunate news. Negotiations with Jonathan Sobers, which all signs seemed to suggest had been proceeding well, have irreconcilably soured. Sobers ended a period of what appeared to be a productive back and forth with this final message: “Sorry, but I will not negotiate with you any further. We seem to be too far apart.” What makes this statement particularly mystifying is the fact that we had heretofore acquiesced to each of his demands—and were prepared to up our offer a pretty penny were the need to arise. We can only assume that this sudden shift indicates a deep seated instability in Sober’s psyche and that we have dodged the proverbial bullet. Building a winning foundation requires not only the right talent but also the right mindsets. 

The question now arises: what shall we do from here? Our attention turns again to another name previously scrawled across our white boards: Roosevelt Davis. By all accounts a loyal and hardworking individual, he would add a powerful bat to our lineup that could serve as a core part of our development going forward. That being said, there are also good arguments (as mentioned in the previous afternoon teas) for patience. What purpose, really, is served by beefing up a lineup that is not is not equipped to make a serious playoff push?

We ask that our fans consider these closing lines to Jack Gilbert’s poem “To See If Something Comes Next”: “Maybe, he thinks, it is like the Noh: Whenever/ the script says dances, whatever the actor does next/ is a dance. If he stands still, he is dancing.” The Noh to which he refers here is a traditional form of Japanese theatre that dates back to the 14th century. I bring this poem up now with one additional instruction: we all must see this off-season as a passage in a Noh play which is affixed with the word development. It is easy to make a move; it is difficult to make a good move. Whatever we do, even if we do nothing, is development. 

Please, trust this. And stay tuned. 

[Jwalk100]

Dont stay sober. Drink some sake!