Some are calling it a skit, others are calling it a profane rant from a former sports executive who ripped off Florida taxpayers to the tune of over $1 billion. However, no matter what you call it, no one appears to be laughing.
During a birthday party for ESPN radio personality and Miami native Dan Le Batard, former Miami Marlins President David Samson grabbed the microphone and, while being booed by the crowd, bragged about fleecing Florida taxpayers for more than $1 billion. A rant that he punctuated with a middle finger and a “F*ck you!”
Samson was instrumental in securing $2.4 billion for the Marlins stadium. The vast majority of which will come due in the form of bonds Miami-Dade County was forced to sell, in order to begin construction on the facility. To add insult to injury, then-Marlins Owner Jeffrey Loria sold the team for half that amount only a couple years later.
Loria also reportedly did not share any profits from the sale with Miami-Dade County.
All of this left South Floridians feeling more than just a little bit salty at the former management team who pulled off that boondoggle, and explains why Samson got so vociferously booed by the hometown faithful.
Afterwards, Samson tweeted that the entire thing was a joke:
Whether the rant was intended as a joke or not, there was bragging, taunting, and fleecing. Which makes one wonder why this particular subject was chosen for the joke? If it was a joke, what was the punchline? The middle finger? The “F*ck you!”
Hilarious.
What might be true, is that the skit began as a joke but Samson took offense at the incessant booing and decided to go off-script by lashing out at the crowd.
Whatever the case, if it was a joke, no one’s laughing.
Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter @themightygwinn