Comments on: Brian Roberts unlikely to attend fan event due to concussion, but Orioles want him to sign autographs

By: Old Gator

Old Gator — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:32:44 +0000

That’s nothing. I once played chess with Stephen Hawking. He beat me – but it took him over an hour.

By: phillyphreak

phillyphreak — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 19:52:24 +0000

Paper I thought the same things but concussions have forced people to retire early in other sports and have severely impacted their lives. Just something to keep in mind. It might have anything to do with getting on a plane.

That said, yea his 2012 chances look slim…

By: randomdigits

randomdigits — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:43:16 +0000

Like there is a big market for O’s signed gear.

By: nategearhart

nategearhart — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:29:02 +0000

10 year old kids? Please, that line will be made up exclusively of douchy memorabilia salesmen.

By: cur68

cur68 — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:23:33 +0000

I don’t know a lot about Robert’s concussion history, latest symptoms, progress, or projected return but Duquette has that information. In the position he’s in, his public statements need to be in line with his knowledge of that and he needs to frame his statements as such. In fact, the best course of action is not to say anything at all, beyond “concussions are complex. I hope Brian is well enough to make it”. By saying what he’s said, he comes off as either ignorant of concussions or ignorant of his player or knowledgeable about his player and calling him out. None of these three scenarios indicate good ‘people skills’. Robert’s concussion status is almost a total aside.

By: Kevin S.

Kevin S. — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:11:07 +0000

El Bravo, do we have a new nominee to the 2012 -nozzle list?

By: WhenMattStairsIsKing

WhenMattStairsIsKing — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:06:34 +0000

You had me until those last few words.

By: WhenMattStairsIsKing

WhenMattStairsIsKing — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:05:22 +0000

At least you’re not the one that said it

By: paperlions

paperlions — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:03:23 +0000

While I agree, in general, it isn’t like Roberts was concussed last week…it’s been about 7 months. If he is still so bad that he can’t get on a plane (I’d be shocked if he hadn’t been on one several times the last 6 months), they he has no shot to play baseball in 2012.

By: paperlions

paperlions — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:59:03 +0000

Yeah, because the GM of a team never ever talks to the team doctors and has no idea how injured players are progressing in recovery. It is one of the horrible oversights of modern day GMs.

By: randomdigits

randomdigits — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:55:26 +0000

Yea it is a damn shame you can’t get from FL to MD by car anymore. Glad I made it down here before they changed the law.

By: benandjerrysberryhorny

benandjerrysberryhorny — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:47:36 +0000

I agree with you about Dan coming off as a bit brazen, but I do believe there is a bit of subtext here basically implying if you can’t sign autographs for an hour, how do you expect to hit a 95 mph heater in Yankee stadium? Dan can’t just come out and say what everyone is thinking due the sensitivity of the subject so he has to beat around the bush for now. Roberts is due to make 10 mil over the next 2 years and that is money the O’s can’t afford to waste. Somehow Dan is going to need to find a way to cut the fat.

By: tomtravis76

tomtravis76 — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:31:47 +0000

Brian Roberts has made alot of money in baseball, gave his career to an awful organization, did alot in the Baltimore community and now it is time to move on, he is holding up the Orioles at 2nd base ( not that the Orioles have done anything in 17 of 20 years of Angelos awful ownership).

Bad way for Duquette to induct himself in the ever dwindling Orioles fanbase. Its not like Roberts is holding himself out over money, the dude has a damaged brain and that has to be awful to live with. Show a bit more class to a fan favorite.

By: hammyofdoom

hammyofdoom — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:25:44 +0000

I’m going to hell but I laughed at that comment… good show Matt

By: randomdigits

randomdigits — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:22:57 +0000

Roberts name wouldn’t be on the list if he had not agreed to it earlier. Guthrie for instance had a prior engagement and will not be attending.

I see no reason why they could not sequester Roberts off in a separate room and control the access to him.

Honestly if 16 months after concussing himself via a self inflicted head injury he is still unable to do things of this nature he needs to arrange a buyout of his contract.

By: saints97

saints97 — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:19:57 +0000

What a douche bag. He needs to publicly apologize really fast, even if Roberts is jaking it just to avoid signing autographs.

By: cur68

cur68 — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:19:22 +0000

Last I heard bright lights, lots of noise, focusing on things up close, and just traveling can leave you nauseous, dizzy, prone to blacking out, and severely depressed (which is not just a side effect of all the preceding in relation to stuff you once took for granted). I’d suggest Dan Duquette take about 5 minutes, head on over to any of the dozens and dozens websites devoted to describing concussion symptoms to the lay person, and get his learnin’ on. Otherwise, he’s heading (ha) for more trouble with his staff…which is how his ass got turfed out of baseball in the first place.

By: WhenMattStairsIsKing

WhenMattStairsIsKing — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:15:53 +0000

“Um, I got Brian Roberts’ autograph, but he signed it ‘Gjabfg, Uajanh, Bniar Stsbero’”

By: Old Gator

Old Gator — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:56:32 +0000

Sounds like a great organization to play for, doesn’t it?

By: phillyphreak

phillyphreak — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:51:39 +0000

I’m no medical doctor but I’ve read that even the simplest tasks that involve mental stimulation can be difficult after a concussion. I guess it depends on how bad his concussion was and how many previous concussions he had. But the effort of such a mentally draining task* (constantly signing your name, interacting with fans, talking with media probably) may not be the best for him now.

*I understand this isn’t rocket science……just preempting some jerk response.

By: tcostant

tcostant — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:38:59 +0000

It’s a huge deal if he needs to get aon a plane. Not sure where he lives…

By: bravojawja

bravojawja — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:32:05 +0000

Of course Duquette isn’t “aware of anything that would prohibit him from doing that” — he’s not a doctor.

Dear Dan:
Let the doctors decide what their patients can and can’t do, and they’ll let you screw up your team in other ways.
kthxbai!

By: koufaxmitzvah

koufaxmitzvah — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:31:15 +0000

Dan Duquette sure comes off as a dick with that quote. I am sure 10-year-old kids are the primary target of autograph sessions, but let’s get real. Plenty of these events are taken over by aggressive adults. If I have a badly bruised brain, I’m not interested in taking part of a circus.