Buoyed by the Tavares promise we closed up shop in Montreal. We closed out the lease on the apartment, sold everything we no longer needed, put the rest in storage and headed to Florida to wait for our lives to change.
I had decided to keep a watch on the Washington situation without being a pest.
I thought I had made myself quite clear of my intentions to Tony and thought he had been quite clear on what my chances were to continue in the same position once the team landed in Washington.
We had rented a house for three months near the Expos spring training site in Melbourne. A month into the Florida stay, my telephone finger started to get itchy. Finally it won out and I placed my first off season call to the new President of the Washington-soon-to-be-Nationals.
They were negotiating a radio deal but they were also working on bigger fish. Starting with a stadium deal. Without one, there is no team in Washington, thus, of course no radio deal.
When I phoned Mr. Tavares I felt reassured. He said, “I know it’s a difficult thing to do, but I’m asking you to hang in there, it looks like we should be able to get you a working visa.”
I thanked him, hung up and waited for Washington city council to give its approval to pave the way for the return of major league baseball. That would set a radio deal in motion and I could get on with my life and career.
Time was not yet tight for me, but it was for the D.C. area. They needed to push it through city council before the new year. Then, on December 15 came a bombshell. Washington councilwoman Linda Cropp threw major league baseball a curve by changing the agreed upon deal.
The slam dunk completely publicly funded stadium would now require at least fifty per cent private funding. The new Cropp-backed deal passed through city council by a vote of 10-3. As a result, Major League Baseball shut everything down in Washington including radio negotiations. In effect, they took their ball and went home, deeming the vote “wholly unacceptable”.
A week later a compromise was reached in council and a wholly acceptable amendment was passed. But things had slowed to a crawl and really wouldn’t get going again until at least after Christmas.
I knew the timing would be pivotal for me. Petitioning for and being granted a visa took time but on New Year’s Day 2005, time was still on my side. And my golf game was improving like it never had before.
January 12 was a particularly fine day. There it was in black and white according to the Washington News:
The Nationals finalizing a radio deal with Clear Channel Communications.
The two having drafted a memorandum of understanding that would make WTEM the home of Nationals baseball for the team’s inaugural season. A formal announcement could arrive in a matter of days, and best of all as far as I was concerned, the line I looked for in that story –
“Radio announcers for the Nationals would be chosen by team officials.”
“If it’s our call you’re in,” Tony Tavares had said. Now I waited for the deal to be finalized so the phone could be allowed to ring. After a week of very little sleep, low and behold, the phone did ring.
It was Claude Delorme who, along with Tavares, had kept things afloat in Montreal. The two of them would handle most of the move to Washington. Tony would set things up in Washington while Claude would close things down in Montreal.
Claude wanted me to send my work to Washington pronto but mentioned that he had called the radio station in Montreal and that they had sent some stuff to Washington earlier that day. Hey, if it was going to be my ass on the line than I wanted to make sure they presented the right stuff to the radio people in Washington. I made a CD of my own with some choice baseball entertainment and shipped it out that afternoon.
Then the phone rang again, this time Claude had me telephone Tony in Washington.
Mr. Tavares referred me to the Nationals immigration lawyer Robert Charles Hill. We were to set in motion my quest for that all important work visa. Mr. Hill asked that I send him my resume and I did post haste. On the afternoon of January 20, I got the first scare that all might not go in the right direction.
From Tony’s pre-Christmas “We should be able to get you a work visa” came, from Mr. Hill’s email:
“One question: I notice that the “Work History” section of your CV lists your employer for 1991 – 2000, and 2001 – 2004 as
“Montreal Quebec Sports” not the Montreal Expos.
What is the organizational relationship between these two entities and which is your actual employer in fact?
This is actually a critically important fact.
I look forward to your reply.
I tried to explain in my return email that day that the ball club and radio station split me up. The radio station handled salary while the ball club handled all the other expenses. He said we would have to prove that the radio station only served as a payroll agent and I figured that’s pretty much what they did. I had worked for the team at their request at three different radio stations. When they left the last two, I was out of work both times. When they signed their last two deals I was suddenly employed.
Now I was once again out of work.
Sounded like a payroll agent to me!!
Sadly, not to him, there was no official paperwork that indicated what I was saying.
As an Expos employee, a visa would have been a whole lot easier. Now according to the lawyer, the odds had changed and so was the focus of the work permit. The burden of proof would have to focus on criteria to prove “extraordinary ability”. This is the only way for a Canadian to win a battle against an American for my type of job in the United States.
It brought me back to the last time I was unemployed and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation had brought in an American as a temporary replacement to do Blue Jays baseball on television. How was it possible that I was going to lose out both ways?
The next day, January 21, I was suddenly in panic mode and I called a friend I thought might be able to help. He was an Expos fan who had visited the broadcast booth a few times in Philadelphia. He was also a U.S. Senator for the state of Delaware. I explained my dilemma and asked for his help in any way that he could.
Senator Colin Bonini would be a rock all the way through some very tough days to follow. His answer was succinct and unwavering:
“No Bother, I just left a voice-mail for Bob Hill.” read his email ” I’ll let you know when I hear anything.”
I then fired off an email to the lawyer myself.
Mr. Hill:
l hope I’m not becoming a pain but this whole situation is quite critical for me and I’m trying to help you help me in any way possible to make this happen.
Not sure if my friend Senator Bonini could help in any way but thought I’d give that a try.
Some other arguments that may help:
You asked if I had won any awards and the answer was no.
But I AM the only Canadian ever to do full time play by play for a major league baseball team, having been selected for my previous job over several hundred of other applicants, all other Canadians as well as Americans and it appears that would be the case again.
As for my knowledge of what’s gone on with this franchise previously, I would have to be the only person who has seen, listened to or broadcast just about every game in their history dating back to 1969.
I was not an employee at the radio station and thus did not receive employee benefits that others did such as dental, medical and the like.
It strictly was baseball in conjunction with the Montreal Expos baseball team, who just happened to work it out that the radio station paid me.
Sorry we’re all a little crazy around here right now, twenty-five years of working to get to this spot is reaching a head.
Thanks for your help so far.
On the January 24, Mr. Hill responded:
Set forth below are the nine criteria for an O-1 petition.
The applicant must be able to meet the requirements of at least three of these criteria.
Obviously, the more evidence one can give, the greater the likelihood of success for the application.
There were nine possibilities and so I set my sight on trying to fill as many as possible.
Here were my best chances
1 Receipt of nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards for excellence in the field of endeavor;
2 Membership in associations in the field which require outstanding achievements of their members (as judged by recognized national or international experts in the discipline or field);
3 Published materials in professional or major trade publications or major media about the alien concerning the applicant’s work in the field (include the title, date, and author of such published materials, and any necessary translation);
4 Participation on a panel, or individually, as a judge of the work of others in the field;
5 Authorship of scholarly articles in the field in professional journals or other major media;
6 Employment in a critical or essential capacity for organizations and establishments that have a distinguished reputation;
7 High salary or other remuneration commanded by the applicant for services (as evidenced by contracts or other reliable evidence); or other comparable evidence.
In order to make a determination as to whether Elliott will be eligible for an O-1 visa, we would need to review carefully any materials supporting each of the above criteria. An important supporting document for an O-1 petition is an Advisory Opinion from an appropriate “peer group” in the area of the applicant’s ability. . .
I tried to answer the criteria.
First I called Expos beat writer Stephanie Myles and asked for her help.
I had her go through the Montreal Gazette newspaper archive to find stories about myself including the one she did on the front page of the sports page the previous summer detailing our battle to put Expo games on the air.
Than I fired off another email to the immigration lawyer showing how I would answer the
criteria while sending along some of the stories we had found:
1. Receipt of nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards for excellence in the field of endeavor
-Doesn’t being the only person in my entire country to ever hold the position I held, a recognition of the highest award of excellence possible
3. Published materials in professional or major trade publications or major media about the alien concerning the applicant’s work in the field
-There have been several over the years but they are all at home in storage…
There was however a big story on the front of the Sports section last summer in the Montreal Gazette
5 Participation on a panel, or individually, as a judge of the work of others in the field
-It was my job to select other broadcasters to work alongside me the last two years as we filled from city to city…Then determine which ones were good enough to be invited back in the future
7.Employment in a critical or essential capacity for organizations and establishments that have a distinguished reputation;
-Can I fit in here anywhere ?
8. High salary or other remuneration commanded by the applicant for services (as evidenced by contracts or other reliable evidence)
Does my work broadcasting Expos games fit the bill….How about as an announcer on ESPN2 doing hockey commentary on live broadcasts, that was about ten years ago…I believe those contracts are in storage if I still have them.
Also called hockey play by play on TV during that same tournament
9. Other comparable evidence.
I believe that’s what I have been providing you
In order to make a determination as to whether Elliott will be eligible for an O-1 visa, we would need to review carefully any materials supporting each of the above criteria. An important supporting document for an O-1 petition is an Advisory Opinion from an appropriate “peer group” in the area of the applicant’s ability. . .
-At what level are we talking…we can get from other play by play announcers,
-we can get from a team’s head of broadcasting…PJ Loyello of the Florida Marlins
-A general manager (Omar Minaya of the Mets)….Manager and Hall of Famer Frank Robinson
Since all my personal info was back in Montreal in storage, I was spending most days and nights trying to track down stories on the internet and when I found a few more I would forward them to the Nationals immigration lawyer.
The emails went back and forth.
Mr. Hill informed me that he was still waiting to hear back from Tony.
He wrote:
“We are looking at all options and if we do the leg work to document your qualifications, we can get an approval within a couple of weeks.
If you aren’t qualified according to the government criteria, not much can be done.
Which brings me to the State Senator. I am still waiting for Tony to consent to my discussing client matters with a third party, but generally, political “influence” is useful to break through red tape and get things moving. It does little good at all in convincing the government of substantive qualifications. I am working with both the Governor and Senior Senator from Maryland on a case involving “extraordinary ability” in business right now and neither has gotten much more than a standard “thanks for your concern” letter from the government.
Your questions/comments under the O-1 provide a good starting point – but we will need objective, corroborating documentation. Some of the news stuff should be available on the internet, no? Is there an association for sports broadcasters similar to the sports writers? If so, that is the place for the advisory opinion.
As soon as I get in touch with Tony, we will move on.
And I waited for Tony to get in touch, And waited.
Meanwhile I kept digging.
I sent Mr. Hill several stories that Stephanie Myles dug out from the Gazette archives.
Stories on me from other publications. Articles that I had written and were published on a sports website on the internet. Proof that I had been used as a baseball expert on major league baseball’s own radio show as a morning headliner and pre-game shows all over major league baseball.
I wondered what this would look like to the immigration people and asked the lawyer how the information I was sending would go over:
“Are we building a case? It seems to me this can all be so subjective” I asked
“Elliott,” He responded, “All this helps build the case as you suggest; but you are also correct – it is all quite subjective.
I have much to work with but must await final instructions from Tony.
When I get them, I will be back in touch.
So I sent him more stuff to support my position.
Bob Hill’s January 25 reply pushed my yo-yo feelings on the subject up to positive with a gust to heart warming.
“Elliott, this is good stuff! Thanks. Keep digging. Bob”
I thought we were on the right track, there was still ample time. It was still six weeks until the National’s first pre-season game and 10 weeks until opening day. I let the Senator know of my progress and while he hadn’t been contacted, he asked me to keep him up to speed.
Then the shit hit the fan.
The radio deal that was agreed upon was scuttled. The memorandum of agreement was never signed and while the two sides would meet to try and resurrect the deal, they never would. Little did I know that the negotiations would have to start again with other entities. I was getting a little worried and decided to hedge my bets.
I could always return to Montreal and work at the all-sports station that I had called Expos games for. I checked in with the new station manager Wayne Bews to see if I was still needed:
“If I come back to Montreal…what is there….we’re talking money as usual of course.
I’ve got some great ideas that will work but I won’t come home unless it’s worth my while, of course we’re hoping we won’t have to.” read my email.
His response-
“Call me if you can in next few days so I don’t leave a paper trail on your other question….hope the dream works out”
We talked and I gave him some ideas for the morning show. We agreed that to pay me what I needed, some people currently at the station would have to go. And we left it at that.
January was coming to an end and so was our time in Florida. Our hope had been that certainly by now something would be worked out and the Nationals would now be putting us up with spring training underway. We couldn’t find anything in the area affordable or for less than three months and we frantically looked for something without having to go all the way back to Montreal with the prospect of having to come right back. A daunting task indeed with a jam packed minivan with barely enough room for two grown-ups and children aged almost two and five. Barring a quick change and with only two days left to make a decision, we decided to find something quickly in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
I let the Nationals’ lawyer know where we could be reached.
Mr. Hill:
I’m not sure who to talk with at this point.
I know the radio deal has hit a snag, but they’ve got to go somewhere.
As far as visas are concerned, we were facing a timeline before and another week has passed by.
Has Tony said anything at all?
We are leaving Melbourne Florida on Monday and heading to Myrtle Beach for February,
email will be the same but our contact telephone number will change, I will forward that ASAP.
Fingers crossed, hoping for the best.”
His response?
“Still no Tony.
Elliott – I sent him a reminder again this morning.
Getting a team up and running in a new city – especially after the contentious relocation we had here in DC and the Baltimore thing still unresolved! – has got to be a 25 hour a day job. I can only wait on the visa stuff for now until it percolates up to the top of the list. Do let me know your number in SC as I suspect once we move we will be under extreme time pressure. All the best, Bob.”
Then we waited and waited and waited.
No deal was announced.
I wanted to call Tony Tavares, but had promised myself not to pester.
On February 5, I received an email from the Washington Nationals President. He had been trying to reach me but my phone wasn’t working properly.
“You are impossible to call on a telephone, so I suggest you call me at the following numbers which actually work and I’ll answer.
Either at the apartment, on the cell or at the office.
Tony
He wanted me to send him another audition tape. What happened to the ones I had sent and the Montreal radio station had sent?
He didn’t know.
Official receipts proved both had been signed for but they couldn’t find either.
I rushed one out express.
Apparently they were once again closing in on a radio deal and I was closing in on a heart attack.
Three days later, the beat writer for the Washington Post, Barry Svrluga, got in touch and wanted to talk. He had been told that the Nationals were interested in me for the radio job and wrote just that the next day.
Meanwhile there was a radio development in Montreal.
The radio station had hired someone for the morning show.
I emailed Wayne Bews at the station:
“Does that mean there will no longer be an opening in the morning ?
The return email shocked me.
Sorry for the delay, we did hire Denis Casavant.
We do not plan on making any other changes to the present line up.
You told us you were not interested.
Clearly my earlier email and our conversation suggested anything but.
However it was also clear at this point that I wouldn’t have been able to commit just yet.
By Barry Svrluga
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, February 9, 2005; Page D01
The Washington Nationals, who are still without a radio deal to broadcast their inaugural season in Washington, are considering hiring Elliott Price, who served as the voice of the Montreal Expos, to be their play-by-play man, team president Tony Tavares said.
“I’m waiting for them to make a deal, but I’m very interested,” Price said in a telephone interview yesterday. “I’ve seen or listened to every game in the history of the franchise.”
With the team’s pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training next Tuesday and position players to follow on Feb. 20, the decision on a play-by-play broadcaster is among the most intriguing to the team’s nascent fan base. But there are several areas of importance that both Nationals and MLB officials must deal with over the coming weeks, ranging from the continuing sale of tickets to working out a compensation package with Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos.
The Nationals are still trying to finalize a radio deal after an apparent pact with Clear Channel Communications fell apart nearly two weeks ago. The leader is Infinity Broadcasting, two sources said, which would likely put the games on one of its FM stations. Infinity Broadcasting’s WJFK-FM-106.7, already serves as home to the Washington Redskins.
“There’s nothing I’m doing that’s more important,” Tavares said regarding radio.
Yesterday, the Nationals announced that mini-season ticket packages of 41 or 20 games will go on sale at 12:01 a.m. Thursday for those fans who have already registered their interest in tickets through the team’s Web site, www.nationals.com. Fans who have not yet registered on the site will have until 11 a.m. today to do so to be eligible to purchase tickets Thursday morning. That pre-registered group will receive an e-mail later today with instructions — including passwords — to enable them to purchase the plans over the Internet or by phone beginning Thursday.
The packages will be available to the general public beginning at 12:01 a.m. Monday on the Web site, and by phone beginning at 8 a.m. Monday at (202) 675-NATS.
The 41-game plan offers a $2 discount off the prices that will be charged for a single game ticket. They range in price from $205 to $738, and include the home opener at RFK Stadium, April 14 against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The 20-game packages don’t offer a discount from single-game tickets, but both partial plans will include other perks, such as the right to purchase a parking pass and a 10 percent discount off merchandise at the team store.
Single-game tickets won’t go on sale until mid-March. The club has sold more than 17,000 full season tickets.
“We’ve had almost three months now, and we’ve tried to listen to our fans, to talk to our fans, to see what they wanted,” said David Cope, the team’s vice president for sales and marketing. “We think they’ll respond favorably to this, and I think this market is going to be able to support these plans financially.”
Meanwhile, Angelos and MLB President Robert DuPuy met in New York yesterday afternoon to discuss a financial package that would offset the effect the Nationals will have on the Baltimore club.
The two sides have been negotiating since September, and are moving closer to a deal. Both DuPuy and Angelos declined to comment when reached yesterday. More discussions are planned in the next few days.
Finalizing a deal with Angelos has an impact on any television deal the Nationals are able to strike, but not on radio. Tavares spoke at a forum on baseball’s return to Washington Monday night at the National Press Club, and said there that “conventional wisdom” used to be that baseball broadcasts were better off on AM.
“We don’t believe that’s the case anymore,” Tavares said. He said a strong FM signal could carry to West Virginia to the west and Pennsylvania to the north.
Should Infinity, which runs five stations in the Washington market, get the deal, its officials would likely have some say over who is involved in the broadcast team, though Nationals officials want their influence to be heavily felt.
Price offers both advantages and disadvantages. He grew up in Montreal, and it’s likely that no candidate knows more about the history of the franchise. He began working on the team’s broadcasts as a pre- and post game host in 1989, and took on regular play-by-play responsibilities in 1991 when games were on television and the radio voice moved over to do TV. He was the full-time radio voice of the Expos from 2001 to ’04.
But Tavares said yesterday that because Price is Canadian, the club must secure a visa for him to be able to work in the United States.
“He’s definitely in the mix,” Tavares said. “But we’d have to get past this visa issue, and we have to do it quickly.”
Another call from a Washington newspaper and more optimism that I was the leading candidate. That didn’t sit well with some folks.
That very classy Washington Post columnist and talk show host Tony Kornheiser referred to me on the air and in print as “That dope in Montreal”, suggesting that this wasn’t really the way for the team to go; that the whole idea was to leave the Expos back in Montreal.
I emailed the esteemed Mr. Kornheiser:
Dear Mr. Kornheiser
I have spent the better part of twenty-five years working hard to reach for the top in a profession where the opportunities are limited.
I have worked my way from covering a major league baseball team for a radio station for seven years.
I spent two years on the pre and post game shows for this same major league baseball team.
Then, nine more years doing play by play for this team waiting for a chance for the top spot, sitting behind a hall of fame caliber announcer in Dave Van Horne, now with the Florida Marlins.
I spent a year in agony when the radio game’s were pulled and then four years as the lead voice of the Montreal Expos.
Let’s see now…decent math makes that twenty-two years with a year off for good behavior which all clearly adds up to “That Dope in Montreal”.
Perhaps it would have been prudent and decent of you sir to shell out ten bucks or so,
go to mlb.com and pick any of the one hundred and sixty-two games I broadcast last year and then give us your opinion.
Not that I would ever compare myself, but for argument’s sake, surely there was a Tony Kornheiser in 1958 who suggested that they should leave all that old Dodger stuff behind while starting anew in L.A. and forget about that somewhat unknown “Dope from Brooklyn” Vin Scully.
Don’t punish me because I was born in Canada, if you so choose punish me because I’m not worthy, Or based ON FACT, praise me because I am.
I am a baseball play by play announcer regardless of my nationality, and the chance remains I may be denied to ever do this again BECAUSE I am “that dope in Montreal”.
Elliott Price
Sadly I have never heard back from the gentleman. However, not getting a deal done was hampering my chances to get the job and I could feel the walls of time closing in.
Now less than four weeks until the first pre season game but almost two months until the season opener.
I asked Tony Tavares what my chances were.
He said:
“If your tape doesn’t suck and you work things out with the lawyer…”
So I felt a little better.
Another week passed and still no word until finally on Thursday February 18 a deal was announced.
Goodness gracious, was I in or not, time was running on the visa issue. The next day, Friday, I phoned Tony. This time he didn’t get back to me. On Sunday I left another message. This time I got a return call.
The Nationals President now had me worried,
He said that there had been two complaints from local broadcasters with threats that they were going to file complaints with immigration and that might hamper my chances. He would need to talk with the lawyer about what that meant. He thought it might cut my chances to between 50 and 70 per cent, though it might be closer to 50.
Now I was really worried and called the Senator.
Mr. Bonini composed this letter and asked if he could send it to the Nationals President:
What do you think: (I’ll send this along when you give me the OK)
Dear Mr. Tavaras,
As a long-time and dedicated Expos fan (I saw my first Expos game in 1971 and I actually drove from Delaware to Montreal last year for the home opener), first let me thank you for your successful efforts in keeping the franchise competitive over the last few difficult years and congratulate you on your move to our nation’s capitol. I have purchased a partial season ticket plan for your inaugural season at RFK stadium and I’m looking forward to rooting for the “Nats” for years to come.
The reason for my letter today is to offer any assistance I can give you to ensure that Elliott Price remains the radio voice of the Expos/Nationals. I’ve been listening to major league baseball on the radio since I was a small child, and I think Elliott is one of the most entertaining and knowledgeable play-by-play announcers in the business. His obvious affection for the game, intimate knowledge of the players and the Expos/Nationals organization and history, combined with his gift for non-offensive humor and incisive analysis give him the rare ability to make every moment of a broadcast entertaining and interesting. I have listened to Elliott – via the internet – for years now, and I simply can’t imagine Nationals games without him. I hope you will do all you can to keep Elliott as your Radio voice for the Nationals.
Please let me know what I can do to help you help Elliott. I am more then willing to contact the immigration authorities or to try and find a sympathetic ear in Congress. As a State Senator, I obviously don’t have direct access to the federal offices involved, but I can usually get answers when others run into road blocks and I am more then willing advocate for Elliott with members of Congress or others who might be of assistance. Please let me know how I can help you.
Go Nats!
Yours in Service,
Colin Bonini
Senator – State of Delaware
I told him that would be great, more than I could have asked. I couldn’t believe that we were in an all or nothing position. Sadly there’s not much call for what I do in my home country anymore and wouldn’t you know it, both radio voices of the Blue Jays are….American.
Three nights later I still hadn’t heard from Mr. Tavares but I did get get a call from my buddy Bill Ladson, the Nationals beat writer at MLB.com.
Bad news that would be announced the next day.
I was not to be one of the two announcers hired. The next day, there it was in black and white:
By Barry Svrluga
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, February 24, 2005; Page D08
VIERA, Fla., Feb. 23 — Charlie Slowes, who once served as a radio announcer for the NBA’s Washington Bullets, and Dave Shea, a former announcer for hockey’s Boston Bruins, will be named the radio broadcasters for the Washington Nationals’ inaugural season as soon as Thursday, sources close to the negotiations said Wednesday night.
Slowes, who called Bullets’ games for 11 seasons, spent the last seven years as part of the play-by-play team for baseball’s Tampa Bay Devil Rays, taking the job at the team’s inception in 1998. He had previously served as a substitute play-by-play announcer for both the New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles and was the voice of the Class AAA Norfolk Tides.
Shea is a 24-year broadcast veteran who was the Bruins’ play-by-play announcer on television for the last six years. According to the Bruins’ Web site, he has called hockey, football, soccer and basketball at the professional and college level.
Reached at his Florida home Wednesday night, Slowes said any announcement would have to be made by the club and declined further comment. Shea could not be reached. Nationals President Tony Tavares declined to comment on the announcement.
The deals are believed to be for one year.
I called Tony.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “We needed someone for the first pre-season game and we couldn’t get a visa for you in time, if we could have gotten past the visa issue, you would have been one of the two announcers.”
Stunned, I found myself in a strange position, with nothing to say.
I simply put the receiver back in the cradle without saying good-bye.
That was it. It was over. Just like that.
He had never even called the senator.
Now what?
Senator Bonini seemed almost as upset as I was.
His latest email came quickly:
” just left a message on Tavares’s office phone. I have also drafted an email/letter below.
Let me know if you want me to send it. Also, I’m happy to go the press and cause them a little grief if you’d like me to.
Let me know
“Mr. Tavares,
Very disappointed to read that Elliott Price will not be your Play-by-Play announcer.
I’m particularly disappointed that neither you nor your attorney (a Mr. Hill I believe, whom I contacted weeks ago), bothered to return my call/email.
I have been able to help others with immigration problems have their situations resolved very quickly through my many contacts.
I’m having a little trouble believing Elliott was truly given an opportunity for the job, or, perhaps, someone would have called me back?
I don’t know how it works in Montreal, but my experience has been its usually not a good idea to not return calls from Senators who are willing to help.
Is your organization willing to help Elliott land a job back home in Montreal or at least offer him a lesser position in your organization?
Please advise.
Senator Bonini thought I had a lawsuit worth pursuing:
Before we go any other route, I’d recommend talking to my Lawyer about potential legal action.
I’m happy to foot the bill for the first 2 hours ($600.00 – two hours at $295.00 per hour) –
I think it might be worth giving him a call just to see what’s what.
If all we have is two hours – let him know that up front and he’ll tell you if its even worth your time.
He’s a very good guy and a very straight shooter. (He’s also a hell of a lawyer.)
His name is Richard Wier (pronounced Weer), at 302-XXX-XXXX.
I spoke to him this morning, so he knows your name and the basics of your situation.
Colin
It didn’t take too long for Stephanie Myles of The Gazette to call. She was writing the story for the Montreal newspaper and was looking for my side of what happened.
The timing couldn’t have been worse.
We were still in a state of shock and not knowing what direction we would take next.
I didn’t hold back and it wouldn’t look pretty in print the next day.
“I’m stunned. I’m psychologically, emotionally, professionally and financially devastated.”
“We hung in there like we were asked to, let some opportunities slip by the boards and we’re scrambling now, the whole way, he (Tony Tavares) led me to believe that if we could get the visa, that one of the two jobs was mine. I’m not the one who waited until the week before spring training to get the (radio) deal done.
Tavares’ response was this
“I like Elliott Price, but never once did I tell him he had the job. He is a bald faced liar if he is telling anyone I promised him the job. I have told him about the hurdles all the way through. I never gave him an intimation, a wink of an eye, a nod of the head, none of the above. Unless I knew I could do something, I wouldn’t promise something.”
The story went on to say that Tavares consulted immigration lawyer Bob Hill and he was told there was about a fifty per cent chance for a visa, and that Hill usually doesn’t take on cases unless there’s a ninety per cent chance of success.
I suppose a big question right about here, (among a ton of questions) would be:
Did the percentage of success change between November and the end of February?
Shouldn’t somebody have told me three months earlier that my chances weren’t good enough to even apply for the visa ?
Or was this just very convenient now that they were up against the clock and cowered away from even giving me a chance.
Why did that same lawyer write me that he now had enough to go on but was waiting for Tony, but according to him, he waited forever?
Tavares admitted that getting a deal done so late was a major factor in his decision. They needed the broadcasters right away.
I just thought after waiting all that time, that they could have hired one announcer and held on to see if I could get the visa. It’s not like the second announcer was going anywhere.
He was selling cars in Boston since the hockey job he used to have was on hold thanks to the National Hockey League lockout.
“I enjoyed him,” Tony said of me.
“I think he does a good job on the radio, he has a good voice, he does a ton of preparation.
But I am hugely disappointed that he’s disparaging me now because there was only one guy who was pitching for him here, and that was me.”
As for the all-sports station in Montreal, Myles’s article continued –
Wayne Bews went on to say that while we first discussed my future back in September, “We never really spoke about anything here because he was absolutely set on pursuing his dream…He was pretty clear there was nothing to discuss.”
I guess those emails and telephone conversations be damned. I though I finished the story with a great line, as painful as it might have been:
“They asked me to hang in there, I hung in there and they hung me.”
I thought I had a hell of a case against the Washington Nationals. Then however with one incoming email I found I needed them.
(To Be Continued)
