Randy is whining to the NY Times because some people are mean to him.
But that is changing. Levine, a deputy mayor under the former mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, called me Sunday to say that he could deal with criticism but that he was displeased that he had been stung by people with "undisclosed conflicts of interest."
Case No. 1: Mike Francesa and Chris Russo. Levine said that the radio team at WFAN lit him up as the Yankees' executive most responsible for offering Torre the contract he rejected, but that Francesa and Russo did not disclose that Levine has, in his role on the YES board, questioned the value of simulcasting their daily program on YES.
"I have seriously questioned the money that YES pays them and whether it's an appropriate fit for the time spot at YES," he said, adding that the terms of the current three-year deal were ultimately agreed upon. "But next year it's up again, and it's convenient for them to attack me to help their own negotiating position."
He goes on to list all the "conflicts of interest" that Kruk and Verducci and Mike and the MadDog have. What a thin skinned coward. Instead of calling up WFAN and dealing with Mike and Dog like a man head on...he whines to the Times. I don't always agree with the talk show hosts and ESPN, but I do on this issue. We've seen Yankee employees be treated horribly before by management and I think...as fans...we should start to exercise our right to speak out against such treatment. I do hope Yankee fans will bring signs to the stadium that say stuff like this:
They know we'll always root for the Yankees to win so they think they can cowardly deal with the Torre's of the team without any repercussions. And I will root for the team, but it doesn't mean we have to root for management. Email Richard Sandomir with a comment on this piece and say you came from Pinstripe Alley. E-mail: sportsbiz@nytimes.com