Why I Can't Wait Till Next Year

   "Wait till next year."

   The mantra that kept Brooklyn Dodgers fans going for decades now rings truer than ever. Only these days, less people show up to the games. Back then, the enemies were traditional, they were fierce, and they were conquerable. The daunting, dynastic Yankees, always crushing the Dodgers' World Series dreams, have now been replaced by the mad dealings and embarrassing controversies of the machinating McCourts instead of the stacked and starry Phillies. The owners' very public divorce proceedings have distracted players from the game, and Frank's imminent inability to make payroll has forced the roster to focus on their livelihoods as opposed to the next home stand. In the standings, the Dodgers are hanging above the cellar by a thread, and the aspirations of both the 2008 and 2009 seasons feel farther away than 1988.
   It seems that we are entering a new Dark Age for the Dodgers, ushered in by the horrifying Opening Day attack on Giants fan Bryan Stow. Last weekend, the LAPD arrested a man they suspect of being one of the two attackers, but doubts remain as to the veracity of the allegation, especially as McCourt grasps frantically for any shred of legitimacy that remains. Attendance is sliding, in part because many are literally afraid to go near the stadium and its threatening fans. The "LA" symbol, "L" crossed over "A", has become synonymous with the many gangs that operate in and around Los Angeles, culturally associating the team with aggression, fear and violence. This gang mentality among a significant portion of Dodgers fans, many being actual gangsters, results in characteristically gang-like activity, like beating a rival half to death in a parking lot.
   In order for the Dodgers to avoid becoming more of a gang than a ball club, the organization must take unprecedented steps to revive its image. Next year, after the McCourts are out, MLB has left the front office and the team is sold, the Dodgers must reinvent themselves as a community force for good. A PR campaign against gang violence would be a good place to start, and even though it might alienate fans who belong to a gang, it will coax former attendees into purchasing tickets once again. It is time to acknowledge the fact that to many of us, the Dodgers are more than just a baseball team. They are an identity, and part of that identity must be a shared aversion to violence and vitriol.