Last week, PawSox owner, Larry Lucchino was interviewed by WPRI. In that interview, he claimed that the state of Rhode Island needed "to be flexible" when it came to publicly financing a new Providence waterfront  stadium for the team.

Anyone who reads this blog on a regular knows that one of my favorite things to do is to point out irony, and moreover, when people can't seem to grasp their own particular brand  of it. The irony here, and what Lucchino seems to completely fail to grasp is this: He asks, we, the State of RI for "flexibility", when the ownership group has demonstrated a rigidity Viagra users would envy. Let me explain.


Although the term "everything is on the table" has been bandied about when it comes to keeping the PawSox in Rhode Island, team ownership has clearly indicated that is not the case.

Would they consider upgrades to McCoy to keep the team in Pawtucket? Absolutely not.

Would they consider attempting to add the "amenities" that Pawtucket lacks around McCoy to create a more lively business community? Absolutely not.

Would they consider another parcel in Providence outside of the prime parcel that they're drooling over? Absolutely not.

Would  they consider building the stadium completely on their own billions of dimes? Absolutely not.

Would they be willing to release their own internal feasibility study regarding upgrades to McCoy to the public,or at the very least, state and city leadership? Absolutely not.

So, you see, while Lucchino may be asking the state for "flexibility" team ownership has demonstrated the flexibility of a window display mannequin, which is to say, none. Now negotiations have moved underground, so we, the people, don't even have an idea just how "flexible" we will have to be.

My advice is to limber up and stretch - maybe take a couple of yoga classes - because chances are, Lucchino et al. will ask us to have the flexibility of a prima ballerina. While you're at it, stop by your local drugstore and grab some personal lube. Even in light of the flaccid nature of our collective sphincters - due to frequent and vigorous penetrations by the state - this one's going to hurt.

Imagine my surprise when I read today's follow-up in the Providence Journal regarding Jim Skeffington's stadium  proposal, and the now open meeting being held between team owners and the I-195 Redevelopment Commission. While most news outlets reported that the meeting was opened due to a request by the team owners, I happen to know that the I-195 Commission received quite a bit of public push-back on the closed-door, executive session.

In today's Journal story by Kate Bramson, Skeffington is quoted as saying, "We're certainly willing to have discussions with them, but as a private company, our financial information is confidential," our financial capabilities," he continues, "They know our proposal, but we'd be happy to put it in writing."

I read this about a half-dozen times before the absurdity of the statement really sunk in. They'd be "happy" to put it in writing? There hasn't been a hard copy of the proposal submitted to the I-195 Commission already?

Later in the article, Skeffington says, "I know you and other people are eager to have these answers. "You don't negotiate these in public. You sit down with the people who are the parties of interest here, and in our case, it's us and the state and the leaders of the state government."

Bramson writes:

There is a serious flaw in Skeffington's logic here. While we may be compared to 'shareholders' in the deal, there is one huge difference between the shareholders of a corporation and the public at large. If shareholders don't like the direction in which their investment is headed, THEY CAN DUMP THEIR STOCK IN THE COMPANY! If this deal goes through, in any fashion, we, the people of Rhode Island, will be saddled with a bad investment with no conceivable way out of it. Moreover, he literally says that's the way we've always done it. I don't know about you, but I'm getting pretty damn sick of the way we've always done it. 

I've been criticized over the last couple of weeks for 'caricaturizing' Mr. Skeffington, and while I agree that the level of discourse needs to be raised in Rhode Island, I also believe that Skeffington et al. have done a damn fine job of turning themselves into caricatures.

Lets' not forget, Skeffington will benefit doubly from this ill-conceived deal. The law firm at which he is employed is the contracted legal counsel for the I-195 Redevelopment Commission, and while Skeffington has recused himself as the go-to legal beagle for the commission, I doubt that he will recuse himself from the profits his law firm will cull from their lucrative contract with the I-195ers.

As one internet commenter put it, regarding the art of negotiation, "If the first offer is 'We want everything' the only way to  get a fair deal is if the first counter-offer is 'You get nothing.'

The term "unmitigated gall" comes to mind...