The Montreal Expos: Five Years Later - Discussion Panel

[MJJAdventures]

and now they will win a world series in Washington and they should have one a world series in Montreal

[ExpoJim1]

MLB did NOT want the MONTREAL EXPOS in the Playoffs in 2003!!!! And in 1996 it was Ken Caminiti and his STEROIDS that kept us out of the playoffs. 

[ExpoJim1]

I'm with Van Horne on the need for Competiitive Spirit in Sports. I think nothing ruins a game more than the DURING THE GAME INTERVIEW of Players that they now do in the NBA,NHL, MLB, MLS. Leave the player ALONE!!! They are WORKING!!!! Talk to them AFTER THE GAME.

[ExpoJim1]

I met Michael Barrett in the lobby at the team hotel in Glendale Califormia at the Red Lion Hotel. A GREAT GUY! And truly has EXPO Tri-Colors running in his blood! I really wish he and Vladdy and Rondell and Walker and Cordero, Heredia, Jeff Shaw. Fassero, Mel Rojas, Henry Rodriguez, Ken Hill, Tim Scott, and everyone else would of been Prime Time Players and played in the World Series. Instead, Moises, Marquis, PEDRO, Wetteland, and Cliff Floyd led "LESSER" OTHER teams to Championships. UGH

[ExpoJim1]

I LOVE THE MONTREAL EXPOS!!!!!! Unfortrunately, The Montreal Expos are a perfect example of how MONEY can ruin HAPPINESS. It happened in 1919 and it happened in Montreal in 1994 . F-N Owners being GREEDY! That coupled with the "cost-saving" debacle associate with the BIG "OWE" and watching how Toronto got it right with their "retractable" roof and with keeping a team together to win a championship pretty much DOOOMED the EXPOS. But the MEMORIES LIVE ON!!!! GO 'Spos!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sptrfn]

The Expos went to the next to last day in 1996? I didn't know that. I can't believe I didn't because I am a Cardinal fan, and they had a good year that year.

[upchuck69]

DVH said something interesting that the Expos used to promote the team in Ottawa and upstate NY and Vt but then only concentrated on the GMA. Whenever Selig is gone as commissioner, there could be an attempt to bring baseball back using the wide ranging promotional scheme. But it's going to be an uphill battle primarily because of the changing demographics and most of the younger generation is more interested in soccer than baseball.

[Will87]

@upchuck69 The team can be promoted in Ottawa and perhaps Eastern Ontario as far west as say Kingston where you probably start to get into Blue Jays territory. The difficult thing with upstate NY and VT now is the marketing monsters that are the Red Sox and Yankees. Yes, they were there in the 70's and 80's, but those two franchises have upped the ante significantly.

[upchuck69]

@Will87 Good point but for people living in Burlington, Vt, or Plattsburgh and Malone, NY, it would still be easier to drive to Montreal than to Boston or NYC so I don't think that the Yankees or Red Sox organizations would be too upset if a new Expos franchise started promoting their team in those cities.

[Will87]

@upchuck69 I don't think that the Yankees or Red Sox would be upset if the Expos promoted in those cities, but a hypothetical Montreal franchise would not have promoted in those areas in several decades. In the meanti,e how much inroad have the Yankees or Red Sox made in those areas.

[Nikiaf]

It's time we bring back the team!!

[MontrealExposForever]

@Nikiaf Yes, we need to bring back the team! This city can support a MLB team and the Canadian dollar is much stronger than it was 10-15 years ago, which contributed to the problem back then. We just need a rich investor to step forward.

Bring back Nos Amours!!!

[Monsterdavid22x]

Take a look in the timeline- 1969- Expos debut with loads of sell outs and a strong fan base This continues for 20 years. 1990- Players complain about not getting paid enough. Ironically, this is when the expos are on the rise. 1994- strike when the expos are 6 games on top. 1995- Bud selig appointed comissioner. gives teams no compensation for loses. 1999- The government agrees to pay 100 million towards a downtown stadium. Loria (MLB) rejects this offer? Seriously? THE MLB SCREWED THE EXPOS!

[1Bandit455]

@Monsterdavid22x - Yes - Sad - EXPOS were singled out so Washington could get a Team .

[TheGnarfield]

They wanted it to be a "french/Quebec" team...thats why they ignored fans from other regions. The eternal problem with Quebec.

[Airman241]

teams like Florida Marlins take note,you cannot keep doing over fans and expect them to continue to come

[pjicleanair420]

2 words-vlad guerrero.  What a monster he was in that city

[habsmaniacnation]

Man. That was really painful to watch. Hearing Van Horne's voice brought back a flood of memories. But I glad this was posted.

[habsmaniacnation]

The point about not marketing the players - DEAD ON! I remember when Grissom, Walker & Alou was arguably the scariest outfield in the league. To collectively market them as some "Legion of Outfield Doom", "The Bash Triplets" or whatever would have been a HUGE success! The merchandise money would have been great, more people would come to the park to see them and a greater, all around sense of pride would have been instilled.

P.S. What's with the serious bend in Barett's thumbs?

[aekeramtl]

"nos amours" will always be in our hearts montreal summers are just not the same.

growing up i had such good memories going to watch the expos, and now i'm so dissapointed that my kids will not experience that.

[tartag100]

Would someone please give me the address of internet site that Mr. Makos is giving at about 40m.10s? He's talking about an internet site in which the 1969 Expos season is reviewed week by week. I couldn't hear it. Thanks

[bmxpeter8]

We want baseball in Montreal!!!

[MrCoffea]

I think the whole fan argument being made near the beginning of the video is a bit skewed. Yes, maybe the older fans got jaded after the strike and didn't support the team as much in 1996. However, for us kids growing up, 1994 made fans out of us for life, but we were too young to really do anything about it. I was 9 years old in 1994, yet I have better memories of that summer than I do of the 1993 Stanley Cup Championship. Maybe as an 11 year old in '96 I couldn't do much, now I certainly could

[onnapastoutelasoiree]

Very interesting conversation!!!!!! Miss the Expos!!!!!! It's the only thing missing in MTL for the perfect summer!!!!!!

[mtlforever]

this city can support a team , everyone misses having a team in this city, people would go back to supporting baseball if given a chance

[88yanners88]

wow thank you so much !!!! they always going to be my favorite team forever !!

[TheOttawaguy40]

Thanks for this! I still miss our Expos!

[stickstam]

Well let's hope the Expos rise again, I have a feeling they just might, with the proper ownership and ballpark.

[eliascoblentz]

@stickstam

I wish they would, but I'm 99.99999999999% positive any incarnation of the Expos will have to be in our minds.

[thecoolest514]

Wow I registered for this event but didn't make it. I didn't know they would cover this much! I kinda regret not going now but thanks so much for uploading the video! Kinda feel less bad about not going now lol

[Ricer80]

Thank You! Thank you!!  Thank You!!!!

Awesome Post!!!!

[KrisMTL]

Great video!

[exposhistory]

Thanks for sharing this!