The Official 'Fire Jay Horowitz' Thread

[Saltzy23]

After today's shenanigans regarding Full Season ticket prices(see the Citi Field ticket thread), seeing the actual amount the tickets are going down(mine are going down $71. Total. For the season. That's 1.02%), calculating how I was notified about my invoice (reading this website)...

...and after witnessing the PR nightmare that has been the 2001-2009 New York Mets I am officially calling for the head of...well the Head of PR.

Jay Horrorwitz(credit to Tom for that) has got to be demoted, moved to another role, or fired outright. It is his job to make sure this team is seen in a positive light(fail), his job there is a constant, accurate flow of information between the team and the media(fail), and to a certain extent his job to guarantee that the fans identify with the team and enjoy being a fan.(fail)

In all honesty outside of wearing some stupid get-up when the team is playing well I have no idea what he does. As far as I'm concerned he's a guy that has been with the team forever, has tenure, and kinda just 'is'. Well, with the current situation someone that is in charge of PR of this team has to be proactive. They need to defend the team when its under attack. They need to make sure that the image of the organization is protected. Be honest. When was the last time you ever even saw him on TV? Would you recognize him if you walked past him on the street?

Does any of this sound or feel like it's been happening? The team, and its image are a total train wreck.

In conclusion, I implore the Mets to get rid of Jay Horowitz and bring in someone young, fresh and in tune with today's issues and how to handle them.

Sorry Jay, your time has come and gone. Enjoy retirement.

[Mongoose]

After today's shenanigans regarding Full Season ticket prices(see the Citi Field ticket thread), seeing the actual amount the tickets are going down(mine are going down $71. Total. For the season. That's 1.02%), calculating how I was notified about my invoice (reading this website)...

...and after witnessing the PR nightmare that has been the 2001-2009 New York Mets I am officially calling for the head of...well the Head of PR.

Jay Horrorwitz(credit to Tom for that) has got to be demoted, moved to another role, or fired outright. It is his job to make sure this team is seen in a positive light(fail), his job there is a constant, accurate flow of information between the team and the media(fail), and to a certain extent his job to guarantee that the fans identify with the team and enjoy being a fan.(fail)

In all honesty outside of wearing some stupid get-up when the team is playing well I have no idea what he does. As far as I'm concerned he's a guy that has been with the team forever, has tenure, and kinda just 'is'. Well, with the current situation someone that is in charge of PR of this team has to be proactive. They need to defend the team when its under attack. They need to make sure that the image of the organization is protected. Be honest. When was the last time you ever even saw him on TV? Would you recognize him if you walked past him on the street?

Does any of this sound or feel like it's been happening? The team, and its image are a total train wreck.

In conclusion, I implore the Mets to get rid of Jay Horowitz and bring in someone young, fresh and in tune with today's issues and how to handle them.

Sorry Jay, your time has come and gone. Enjoy retirement.

This is kind of like blaming the leader of the band for the Titanic hitting that iceberg.

Horowitz didn't set those prices.

Horowitz didn't assemble the team.

Horowitz didn't give the order not to go over slot in the draft.

Horowitz didn't tell the trainers to keep giving injured players cortizone shots and running them out game after game until they finally collapsed for good.

Horowitz didn't make the decision to then tell everybody that the "cavalry" would be back soon.

Horowitz wasn't behind building the stadium with no Mets materials displayed.

Horowitz didn't make Tony Bernazard act like a lunatic.

Horowitz didn't make Omar Minaya blame Adam Rubin for Bernazard acting like a lunatic.

Horowitz didn't acquire Mo Vaughn.

Horowitz didn't acquire Roberto Alomar.

Horowitz wasn't behind the Kazmir trade, or any other personnel decision.

Horowitz didn't tell anyone not to hustle.

Horowitz didn't tell anyone not to play fundamentally sound baseball

Horowitz didn't make the Mets blow a giant lead in September two years ago.

Horowitz didn't make them blow another September lead one year ago.

Horowitz didn't make them lose 92 games this season.

What's he supposed to do? How is it possible for anyone to deodorize what he has to work with? If you could take Edward Bernays, P.T. Barnum and Harry Houdini and combine them into a super-human robo-publicist, what could that robo-publicist do?

You could send out a million press releases calling it a bouquet of roses, but at the end of the day, it's still a bucket of... whatever it's a bucket of.

[milladrive]

This is kind of like blaming the leader of the band for the Titanic hitting that iceberg.

Horowitz didn't set those prices.

Horowitz didn't assemble the team.

Horowitz didn't give the order not to go over slot in the draft.

Horowitz didn't tell the trainers to keep giving injured players cortizone shots and running them out game after game until they finally collapsed for good.

Horowitz didn't make the decision to then tell everybody that the "cavalry" would be back soon.

Horowitz wasn't behind building the stadium with no Mets materials displayed.

Horowitz didn't make Tony Bernazard act like a lunatic.

Horowitz didn't make Omar Minaya blame Adam Rubin for Bernazard acting like a lunatic.

Horowitz didn't acquire Mo Vaughn.

Horowitz didn't acquire Roberto Alomar.

Horowitz wasn't behind the Kazmir trade, or any other personnel decision.

Horowitz didn't tell anyone not to hustle.

Horowitz didn't tell anyone not to play fundamentally sound baseball

Horowitz didn't make the Mets blow a giant lead in September two years ago.

Horowitz didn't make them blow another September lead one year ago.

Horowitz didn't make them lose 92 games this season.

What's he supposed to do? How is it possible for anyone to deodorize what he has to work with? If you could take Edward Bernays, P.T. Barnum and Harry Houdini and combine them into a super-human robo-publicist, what could that robo-publicist do?

You could send out a million press releases calling it a bouquet of roses, but at the end of the day, it's still a bucket of... whatever it's a bucket of.

I couldn't agree more, and probably couldn't have replied better.

If there were to be an OMHOF ballot surrounding the Mets' front office, I could envision Jay being elected by an overwhelming amount. He's a Mets legend and, imvho, deserves the utmost respect.

[whoisonit]

Fire the PR man ? I had to double check the date to see if i had slept for 4 1/2 month's - nope, looks like i didn't so this isn't an April fools joke. Just a joke.
Read mongoose's post for my view on this.

[Saltzy23]

This is kind of like blaming the leader of the band for the Titanic hitting that iceberg.

Horowitz didn't set those prices.

Horowitz didn't assemble the team.

Horowitz didn't give the order not to go over slot in the draft.

Horowitz didn't tell the trainers to keep giving injured players cortizone shots and running them out game after game until they finally collapsed for good.

Horowitz didn't make the decision to then tell everybody that the "cavalry" would be back soon.

Horowitz wasn't behind building the stadium with no Mets materials displayed.

Horowitz didn't make Tony Bernazard act like a lunatic.

Horowitz didn't make Omar Minaya blame Adam Rubin for Bernazard acting like a lunatic.

Horowitz didn't acquire Mo Vaughn.

Horowitz didn't acquire Roberto Alomar.

Horowitz wasn't behind the Kazmir trade, or any other personnel decision.

Horowitz didn't tell anyone not to hustle.

Horowitz didn't tell anyone not to play fundamentally sound baseball

Horowitz didn't make the Mets blow a giant lead in September two years ago.

Horowitz didn't make them blow another September lead one year ago.

Horowitz didn't make them lose 92 games this season.

What's he supposed to do? How is it possible for anyone to deodorize what he has to work with? If you could take Edward Bernays, P.T. Barnum and Harry Houdini and combine them into a super-human robo-publicist, what could that robo-publicist do?

You could send out a million press releases calling it a bouquet of roses, but at the end of the day, it's still a bucket of... whatever it's a bucket of.
I was waiting a few days to gather some intel before I replied.

I don't care if anyone else cares about this subject. I have always wondered why with the Yankees the entire front office is examined and scrutinized, yet with the Mets only the GM comes under fire. All I hear about with the Yankees is 'Lon Trusts' Moat', how George is doing, the status of his sons' in the organization, Randy Levine(when he was there), and of course Cashman.

Why is critiziting someone that has been with this team forever, saw how things used to be with this team(ya' know, like even when we were losing we still enjoyed being a fan of the team) has a VERY visable position, and in many ways is responsible for the issues this team is having a bad, stupid, or unimportant thing?

Does he have any control over the players on the field? Of course not.

Here is a list of things he DOES have control over, and has been asleep at the switch on for years.

The ticket situation going on right now where the team plastered that the "average ticket plan would be going down 10%". Technically accurate, yes. Devious and misleading? Um, yea kinda when you see the actual breakdowns.

The Omar Minaya/Adam Rubin fiasco from this season. Horowitz is the head of PR. His 'technical' job description(as per Mets.com) is "Vice President, Media Relations". If THAT wasn't "media relations" I don't know what the hell is. Where was he? Did he have a comment? Can he explain why the GM went on stage and went ballistic on a reporter in the middle of a press conference?

Then there are 'day to day' things that I've seen people here complian about forever. I was watching that 'Yearbook' show on SNY yesterday and they were profiling the '71 team. I never even realized the Mets used to have an Old Timers Day. It was awesome. Satchel freaking Paige pitched. Gil Hodges bat and hit one to the track. Wouldn't it be awesome to see Manual and HoJo playing? To see Doc on the mound. Daryl hit. Carter catch. Keith play 1st again. What about banner day? The fact that they almost never wear the pinstripes and blue hats, which most fans wanna see more of. The black jerseys and hats, which most fans want to see less of.

How about all the flaws Citi Field had when it opened. Forget about the obstructions and that stuff. What about the complete lack of Mets history in the place when it opened. You're telling me he didn't take a walk through, or have ANY part in planning the layout of the place? Someone that at this point should have some level of understanding of what a Mets fan 'is', and is in the position he is in should have picked up on how disappointed we were gonna be. I mean I felt it the nano second I walked into the place for my tour back in February.

Anyway, I feel that these are ABSOLUTLEY valid, viable points. I don't care if you think I am making something out of nothing or not.

[ReyesOfHope]

...The Omar Minaya/Adam Rubin fiasco from this season. Horowitz is the head of PR. His 'technical' job description(as per Mets.com) is "Vice President, Media Relations".

...Anyway, I feel that these are ABSOLUTLEY valid, viable points. I don't care if you think I am making something out of nothing or not.

Jay's job description is Media Relations more so than Public Relations, and while P.R. traditionally overlaps media relations, media relations does not necessarily function in a P.R. capacity. A PR director is usually the public spokesperson for an organization, but in the Mets case there is no true P.R. Director so some of your criticism is off the mark. Maybe the Mets should hire a true P.R. staff, and then let Jay do what he does, media relations.

[Saltzy23]

Jay's job description is Media Relations more so than Public Relations, and while P.R. traditionally overlaps media relations, media relations does not necessarily function in a P.R. capacity. A PR director is usually the public spokesperson for an organization, but in the Mets case there is no true P.R. Director so some of your criticism is off the mark. Maybe the Mets should hire a true P.R. staff, and then let Jay do what he does, media relations.
Perfectly fair reply.

Whatever the situation is the Mets P.R./Media relationship has been a total joke the last decade. He is in "charge" of that.

How's this for a better question. What exactly does he do for the (I'm sure) high 6 figures he makes working for a MLB team as the "VP of Media Relations"?

Is that a fair question to ask?

[PVNICK]

Perfectly fair reply.

Whatever the situation is the Mets P.R./Media relationship has been a total joke the last decade. He is in "charge" of that.

How's this for a better question. What exactly does he do for the (I'm sure) high 6 figures he makes working for a MLB team as the "VP of Media Relations"?

Is that a fair question to ask?

Is Jerry Della Famina stil available (or alive for that matter)?

[Paulypal]

This team has much bigger problems than Horowitz. I dont get it. On the other side of the coin...saying he belongs in some kind of HOF is just as silly. Are we that desperate to see anyone to have anything to do with the Mets in any kind of HOF?

I want players that on the team to get into the HOF....not a vote on here by 12 people to get Ron Hodges in??????????????????????????? You know I would like to get players that go into the one in Cooperstown.

As Met fans we are really grasping at straws here.

[Saltzy23]

This team has much bigger problems than Horowitz. I dont get it. On the other side of the coin...saying he belongs in some kind of HOF is just as silly. Are we that desperate to see anyone to have anything to do with the Mets in any kind of HOF?

I want players that on the team to get into the HOF....not a vote on here by 12 people to get Ron Hodges in??????????????????????????? You know I would like to get players that go into the one in Cooperstown.

As Met fans we are really grasping at straws here.
...Like I said. I really don't care if people think I'm making a mountian out of a mole hill or not.

I'm a detail oriented person. Having a P.R. dept that has a freaking clue is part of running an successful organization.

Again, does he make roster decisions? No. Is this the most important thing the Mets have going on right now? Not even close. I just think it's something that needs to be addressed. 1. Because with all the issues this club has right now I almost never hear this being mentioned. 2. I think P.R./Media Relations and connecting with the fans have absolutley been part of the larger failures of this team in the recent past. He is supposed to be the face of that. In my opinion, he has failed miserably.

[Gary Dunaier]

The way things have been going I wonder if Freddy "Sez" might be a more effective public relations guy for the Mets! :eek:

[Saltzy23]

The way things have been going I wonder if Freddy "Sez" might be a more effective public relations guy for the Mets! :eek:
The 'moderate' agreement I'm receiving here is good enough for me.

I just don't understand people poo-pooing the notion as though its absurd, trivial, or unimportant.

He's one of the most powerful men in the organization. He's tenured up the wazzu. He is in charge of one area that every Mets fan knows has been ran like garbage. That being P.R. in general and Media Relations specifically. Yet bringing up the fact that in my opinion he and his staff have been nothing but an absolute failure the last decade is a non-issue and an 'April fools joke'.

What can I say? I guess I'm just a nitpicker.

[EasilyFound]

Season Ticket prices will be reduced by an average of more than 10 percent, with several seating areas being adjusted by more than 20 percent. Every Season Ticket Holder invoice for 2010 will be less than 2009.

If you had half a brain, you'd realize, from that statement, that every ticket plan was not being reduced by 10%. All that is promised in that statement is that your invoice "will be less." How much less you have no idea just based on that statement. Such a weasel statement shouldn't have fooled anyone. In fact, it should be clear that with some seats being reduced by 20%, that other seats would have a much less reduction in order for the avg to be 10%.

[NJMetfan4life]

I'm going to be honest, no disrespect, but I disagree with everyone of your reasons for fireing Jay Horowitz

[NYMets523]

If you had half a brain, you'd realize, from that statement, that every ticket plan was not being reduced by 10%. All that is promised in that statement is that your invoice "will be less." How much less you have no idea just based on that statement. Such a weasel statement shouldn't have fooled anyone. In fact, it should be clear that with some seats being reduced by 20%, that other seats would have a much less reduction in order for the avg to be 10%.

Bingo. The Mets aren't going to cut 10% from the cheapest ticket prices. It'll reduce their profits. They are a business. And as a business, they employ people. It's not just Fred and Jeff putting the money in their personal safe.

If you were willing to pay the price before the reductions, then getting 1% off shouldn't be a problem.



As for Banner day:
1) It was done between double headers. There are no scheduled double headers anymore.
2) Gary told a story where someone made a sign out of blinds. Their sign was approved but when they walked onto the field, they pulled the blinds and it said something else.

Honestly, I don't see the appeal of Banner Day. If I want to see peoples' signs, I'll look around the stadium to see them holding them.

[EasilyFound]

2) Gary told a story where someone made a sign out of blinds. Their sign was approved but when they walked onto the field, they pulled the blinds and it said something else.

LOL. And that fooled the Mets?

[NYMets523]

It was probably just some old security usher who didn't think to check.

[whoisonit]

LOL. And that fooled the Mets?

See post #6
http://baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=91807&highlight=GRANT+SUCKS

What kind of person finds something like the old Banner Day a waste of time ? I guess if it's not in a video game it's hard for the little ones to grasp.

[JPS]

Gary told a story where someone made a sign out of blinds. Their sign was approved but when they walked onto the field, they pulled the blinds and it said something else.That reminds me of the time during Shea Stadium's first season when the Sign Man, Karl Erhardt, unfurled his first sign from the facing of the mezzanine, a thirty-foot long banner that read, "WELCOME TO GRANT'S TOMB." Mets maintenance personnel tore it down and threw it away during the National Anthem.

A sad and surprising fact is that the current Mets owners are the ones who gave Erhardt the bum's rush in 1981.

BTW, I've been following sports for 40 years and never before have I heard of a fan calling for a P.R director to be fired. :dismay: Is there no limit to all the whining?


Originally Posted by Saltzy23
I really don't care if people think I'm making a mountian out of a mole hill or not.Apparently you do, since you said it more than once.


Originally posted by Paulypal
As Met fans we are really grasping at straws here. You said it, brother. :nod: And even after the straws have long since disappeared, some people are still grasping.

[Meadowlark]

It was probably just some old security usher who didn't think to check.

The buck stops here. ;)

[Gary Dunaier]

See post #6

The venetian blind story is actually two posts earlier, and as much as I'll be happy to take the credit, it was actually posted by whoisonit. :shhh:

It went something like this...


Now, lemme tell you a story. One banner day in the late 70's my friends and I were sitting in front of channel 9 watching the parade of banners pass by as Bob Murphy commented cheerily on some while they filed past him on the field. Up comes 2 men holding a big square banner that said something like 'Let's go Mets' or something like that. As soon as they got in front of the camera they paused. Turns out their banner was a venition blind ... they smiled big and one of them pulls the cord and in the blink of an eye the screen was filled with the message on the reverse of the slats " GRANT SUCKS ".
omg, we thought that was the greatest thing in the history of television.

[Saltzy23]

Hmmmm...Guess I'm not the only craaaaaazy Mets fan that thinks Jay Horowitz blows at his job in today's day and age....

Found on MetsBlog....

http://www.hotfootblog.com/2010/01/17/fixing-the-mets-front-office-public-relations/

Anthony DeRosa, in a post to Hot Foot, says the Mets need to re-vamp their public relations department, writing:

“The Mets public relations is a mess, and the only way to change that is to bring in new, fresh blood. Jay Horowitz is a sweet, lovable guy but it’s time to give someone else a chance to manage this team’s fragile image. Playing in the same city as the Yankees is tough enough without having to deal with your team being a punch line.”

… i think some fans put too much of the blame on jay, actually, who does his specific job very well… from what i can see, jay is more of a player-relations, media-liaison, type facilitator, and he’s great at it, in fact he is considered one of the best in the business… however, i think some fans believe he is the lone person in charge of everything… and he is not… instead, the Mets have an entire Communications Department, with directors, employees, and so on, up and down the line, above and below him, all of whom handle a variety of different tasks, from marketing to community outreach to the coordination of conference calls and press conferences to the writing of media guides…

… i have seen many of these people work up close, and while there are some who seem totally out of touch, there are others who are doing the best they can, but i get the feeling they feel like their hands are often tied, pointing out that the rest of team’s actions repeatedly put them in a no-win situation…

… for instance, yesterday morning on WFAN, i heard the show’s host and several callers question why the Mets felt it necessary to create confusion in a press release and conference call, in response to news that Carlos Beltran had knee surgery… sure, they could easily have just sent out a short release essentially saying, ‘Yes, Beltran had surgery, as a result of recent pain in his workouts, he’ll probably miss April,’ end of story…

… however, early on Wednesday, there was already buzz in New York suggesting the team was taken by surprise when hearing of beltran’s decision… i mean, i heard about beltran’s surgery, and that the team was unaware he had it, as early as 3 pm that day, and i know i’m not the only fan, or person in media, who knew of this… and so, the point is, let’s say the Mets did release that basic, obvious press release… great… but, it would only have been a matter of time before a reporter like Joel Sherman of the New York Post, or Bob Klapisch, or Jon Heyman at SI.com, or David Lennon or Adam Rubin, etc., all started reporting on rumors of chaos, followed by hard news and the truth, because that’s what they do for a living, and then, boom, here we are anyway…

… yes, the media strategy of the team can seem off at times, but they’re only trying to spin the situation they are handed… to me, the bigger issue is the situations they are constantly being handed, from injuries to shirtless executives, and not necessarily the people spinning them…