Braves P John Rocker returns today from his 14-day suspension
from MLB for comments made in Sports Illustrated last year, and
the Braves' handling of the situation is profiled in a front-page
story by Douglas Blackmon of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. How Rocker
and the Braves "overcame the reaction to his outburst last year
is a complicated and often serendipitous tale" and involved
"expert crisis management by [Braves President Stan] Kasten and
his fellow executives, as well as the Braves' unwillingness to
sacrifice a prized financial asset on the alter of public
outrage." Blackmon: "Fickle American attitudes on race and free
speech worked to his benefit as well. It also turns out that
many people in the nation seem to share at least part of Mr.
Rocker's disdain for New York City."
STEP-BY-STEP: After Rocker's comments went public,
Kasten and Braves GM John Schuerholz "sprang into crisis-
management mode." Both execs "decided that they would take
every question from the media, and would personally respond
to as many e-mails and phone calls from fans as possible."
Time Warner Chair Gerald Levin and Vice Chair Ted Turner
"were kept in the loop," as Kasten became "nauseated by the
potential impact on" Time Warner and TBS. Kasten: "It was
clear we had to come out immediately and say how we felt."
While Atlanta's civil-rights coalition "publicly blasted"
Rocker's comments, Kasten and Schuerholz "decided to engage
them directly" by agreeing to a face-to-face meeting.
Braves officials then "met repeatedly" with the group and,
except for releasing Rocker, "went along with most [of
their] suggestions," such as putting the entire team through
diversity training. City Council member and coalition
member Derrick Boazman, on Kasten: "He's very smooth. I
think he understood the gravity of the situation and why we
were upset by hearing Rocker's comments and then trying to
rehabilitate this cat" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 4/18).
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: NEWSDAY's Steve Zipay writes that TBS
"doesn't plan to isolate on" Rocker tonight during its
broadcast of the Phillies-Braves game. Instead, the net
"will focus on the impact of Rocker's return, from the
anticipated protesters outside the stadium to cameras in the
bullpen eschewing a commercial for live shots if and when
he's summoned to the mound." TBS Braves Producer Glenn
Diamond: "We want to satisfy [viewer] curiosity, but you've
got to be cautious about overdoing it. Is it as big of a
story as when he'll come to New York? Probably not. Is it
significant? Yes" (NEWSDAY, 4/18).
