I personally know Pirates fans who have never been to Pittsburgh. Never seen PNC Park. They’re Pirates fans, because their fathers, who left Pittsburgh in the ’70s for better work, were Pirates fans. And their fanhood was handed down, from father to son. Because those fathers never lost their Pirates fanhood.

And just because those sons of Pirates fans never been to Pittsburgh, most definitely does not make them any less Pirates fans, than you or I.

Secondly, the reason it’s always been a pipedream of mine for Cuban to buy the Pirates, is not because I think he’d throw his own money at the team, like some drunken sailor. He’d still run the Pirates as a self-financing entity. But, he’d also work like a dog to promote the Pirates, and try to maximize the team revenues. By both increasing attendance, and bringing in additional corporate advertising/sponsorship.

And then use those additional revenues to bolster the team. It would be the same circle as it is now – revenues generated going back into the team. It would just be a bigger circle.

I’m not one of those “yinzers” running around, going “Nuting is cheap, sale the team!!” But one thing that does hurt the Pirates is having a principal owner who is happier, the further he is from the public spotlight.

It’s my opinion that the Pirates would benefit from having a more visible owner, who wasn’t afraid to get down and dirty, promoting the team. Ron Burkle can get away with being reclusive, because his partner is a Pittsburgh icon. But that reclusive style isn’t working, for the Pirates. And won’t work, whether a Nutting is the principal owner, or anyone else uncomfortable in the public spotlight.