Story Line #2 – The Caustic Charade

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What Is Wrong With You - the "Board of Leaders" Who Can't Celebrate Success?

All-Stars, the founders and all the volunteers had operated above-board to benefit kids and coaches and families across the entire state. There wewre no improprieties. Barron and Perry and the entire All-Star group only brought honor to the American Legion. Everything was by the book with a program that was produced with excellence in its design and execution. People came from across the entire state. They had a great time. Legion baseball was displayed in a positive light for all to see. Abusing Legion? Dishonoring the American Legion? Nope. Not All Stars. And not the All-Star organizers.

 As the program grew, so did the level of apparent hostility grow within the baseball board. 

In a "normal" world, success would be celebrated. Perhaps in the "Closed World" that is peculiar to the Minnesota baseball board, All-Star success was threatening. Personal grudges,personal  jealousies, personal control and personal power, and other factors tend to thrive in closed-door environments. That's the risk of the Closed System that is our Legion baseball program.

Story #1 Out - In Comes the Substitute

Well, that first dog wouldn’t hunt.  The "They Stole the Legion Brand" story was phony. It barely lasted a phone call. Schaub could not defend it, even though he had been part of the creation of the fake story.

So, on November 5th or 6th, Director Randy trotted out a new justification for their drastic actions. Schaub told  Mr. C. that some board members felt Barron and Perry were 'caustic'. Mostly Barron. They don’t want him, and we don’t want Perry either. Schaub said he was offended, too. 

Accordingly, Randy and company killed the All-Star program because someone's nose was out of joint? Really?  You destroyed a program to get back at its founcders? Where is the logic in that?

Who was "caustic"? When? What words? What "cvaustic" justified their actions?

Schaub Told A Completely Different Story at the Beginning - September 24th

Director Schaub said his board members had been out of line - not Barron.

•  Barron’s in-person report to the Board was on September 19th. The first time anyone voiced the term ‘caustic’ and blamed Barron for personally offending anyone was after November 5th.
• State Director Schaub spoke with Mike Perry on September 24th. He said  his board members that were so out of line with nasty comments and attacks when Barron left the room, that he went home and sent an email to every member. He  said he asked members to set aside personal agendas and be open to new ideas.
• Note: The baseball board is known for nastiness that is expressed after a speaker leaves the room. It has been the norm. Who acts that way?

If there was a legitimate issue or any issue with Barron offending someone or someones with ‘caustic” comments, it would have surfaced immediately. But Schaub told the opposite story. He told of board member misconduct, not Barron’s misconduct

• Randy did not raise any negative or issue with Barron’s presentation
• He said he liked the ideas presented. Randy always praised Barron’s “good ideas’ it seemed.
• He asked Mike to get him an actual proposal fdor the "zip code" trial  (Barron had only decvscribed it verbally with no hard copy)
• Never did Scaub use the term caustic. 
• Never did Schaub state that Barron had offended any board members. Why? 

Let's get real here.  If Barron caused a problem, one would expect Randy to tell Mike - hey your guy Bruce dug himself a hole. He would tell Mike Barron had offended board members.  If there was a finger to point at Barron, Randy would have pointed it. He did not criticize Barron. He did the opposite.

We came to wonder what was real from the State Director. Credibility concerns elevated.  The amiable Randy Schaub too often seemed to offer  a "tell them what they wants to hear" approach. That is a risky  management approach. It can mask reality and mislead people. Misunderstandings and conflict can easily grow.  And did grow.

So what was in Barron's presentation?

Several people had encouraged Barron to go before the baseball board to report on the progress of All-Stars but to also share information and concerns that had built over the five years of operations. 

Barron's Report

We had requested that the state director form a small subcommittee of baseball  board members to foster greater communications and better coordination. Nope. Never happened.Instead, communications deteriorated as the director put his "chief of staff" forward and removed himself from direct contact.

See "A Year of Undercutting". You will understand that Barron was aware of general hostility and what might be termed a "poilitical withdrawal" by many on the baseball board.  The baseball board core has been together for many, many years. Each has their own areas of responsibility that may look to some as "owned territory". We had not yet come to grips with how territorial many board members were as they guarded their "turf". We did not realize the depth of protective armament had built up on that board.

Anyone could sense the air of hostility and uncertainty when Barron entered the meeting room. The board had already established their view that Barron and Mikle Perry were "outsiders" and not very welcome outsiders at that. With the "outsider" lens attached, many board members  viewed All-Stars as "their project" - "their turf".  You could cut the tension.

About a third of the group were slouched down in the chairs. Some arms were folded. Some maintaioned eye contact with the floor . A few seemed to glare. And several board members seemed welcoming and attentive.

Barron’s Comments on the Report of September 21st

I prepared a report that would share who we are, what we are doing, what we have discovered, and additional avenues that can and should be considered. The goal was to stimulate future discussion. I have given plenty of presentations to many different groups. I approached the baseball board members as equals. As ‘we are all working for the good of kids and the Legion brand.’

Report Outline:

1. We people – who we are and where we come from.
2. Our Process – what we do and how we do it. The Excellence process that has us tearing down everything we do. What worked. What did not. What could be better. That sort of active review that forms the basis for planning.
3. Brief All-Star review – grew fast and way beyond our capacity on just the second full year. We should consider some additional adjoining tournaments to meet demand. Stats and features were described. People were showing renewed excitement for Legion baseball with many new faces and organizations coming forward including the Minnesota Twins. People are exited to see Legion baseball offering more opportunities. Hopefully the board would see fit to once again sponsor All-Stars on equal footing with a state tournament. 
4. Shared concerns as every indication and every metric showed Legion losing the race for better talented sophomores and juniors. The Twins had shared their concerns for community baseball (as represented by Legion baseball) that the 2024 flow of talent toward private clubs (pay-to-play teams) was the greatest they have ever oberved. 

You shouldn't cite problems without offering some solutions. I offered four recommendations that could be funded by the state Legion or could be self-financing costing the board nothing.

1. Sponsor four fall baseball teams. The State Director had expressed to us interest in fall ball. There are plug-and-play leagues already established  in Minnesota allowing an easy way to see if there is interest among Legion coaches and players for fall ball. Many play for club teams inj the fall leagues.  Why play not for a Legion team?
2. Sponsor a Legion Coaches Association or advisory group.  Legion coaches are the core of the program (or so I thought). They have energy and ideas. Each of us has only so much band width I said. Included Legion coaches and it will [pay dividends.
3. Described in detail the “zip code” approach for a 2025 beta test of 6 to 8 teams. This wpould be an optional limited weekend mini-all-star team approach that coaches could run and use to further their programs and offer anexpanded and competitive opportunity for more players than a year end all-star event can accommodate. This is not new as its been kicked around in discussions for three years. Several board members already had descriptive materials. The board was provided a list of programs and coaches that want to spearhead a trial or beta test in 2025. It would easy to call them and nail down a beta test for a proposal.  Everyone on that board heard this section loud and clear. Several questions were asked.
4. The  final recommendation was to create a board subcommittee for All Stars and whatever else might come along. We need expanmded communication and coordination.

I did poke a little fun at a couple of policies like the practice of giving kids cash for meals (or poker as a vice-director has commented). It frankly violated the "amateur rules" in the National and Minnesota Legion  rule book,  Maybe that was considered "caustic"?  s rules which you people finally agreed and quietly discontinued the practice of cash-for-kids.

The group did seem attentive. But the hiostility was discerable. I almost stopped halfway into the presentation. 

I wanted to ask: – What is the problem here? What is wrong with you people? You have the best and biggest all-star program in the country, and you look like I just ran over your dog. 

Out of respect, I stuck to the script. Looking back, maybe the confrontatiopnal approach woudl have avoioxded a couple of months of drama.

On or about  November 6th, State Director Randy Schaub was unable to defend the story offered in the Sease and Desist letter. It made no sense. It was total fiction. It was false.

So then "Caustic" became the new excuse. Barron and Perry offended some boatrd members so therefore Randy and his officers and some board members had no choice but to  kick the two guys out of Legion baseball and that All-Star program had to be killed, too.

Some one had hurt feelings? We are talking adults here, right? 

And that hurt did not require a sit down to resolve any misunderstandings or misperceptions? Or re;love actual unintended wrongs?resolve actual pain. 

The only remedy was to Kill the program and make the kids and coaches pay the price.

They Made Us Do It

Right out of the ciute the new story seemed whiny and maybe petty. But the attacks and behaviors evidenced to that point had such emotional overtones and emotional energy that we knew there was a lot that was highly personal involved in these actions and behaviors. 

This was not just some reaction to  unspecified accusations of "caustic".

Once again, they (Randy, Tim, Slick, Brandon, Jim and the rest)  took drastic action that they insisted was not their fault. It was not their responsibility or under their comtrol. Those other guys - that mean Barron and horrible Perry - that';s who masde them act. The guys had no other choice. 

Hold On All-Star Fans. Mr. C and Randy Schaub Hold Discussions 

Phone conversations with Schaub and Mr. C began almost immediately following the delivery of the Cease and Desist letter in the November 5th to 20th time frame.

• Fake Story #1 was quickly debunked and dropped from conversation.
• The new "Caustic" hurt feelings story had to be addressed. 
• Mr. C pushed Mr. Schaub for the parties to reconcile. He pushed Randy to reverse course on All-Stars. 

Randy and Mr. C – Trying to Put It Back Together

Mr. C pressed Randy to come to his senses. He argued - you don’t kill off programs that are good for kids and Legion baseball because a few adults have their nose out of joint. That remedy made no sense. Whose nose was injured anyway? Everything was so secretive. 

The State Director seemed to soften his position. Or so it seemed. To us the Director's  “amiable” methodology  might be at play. The "tell 'em what they want to hear' approach to delay or diffuse issues. Was this interaction with Mr. C. going to prove genuiine - or not?

• Randy was going to talk to his people. He agreed to speak to speak with the guys that were the drivers behind the actions. Who were they anyway? Randy was going to attempt to mediate or so he said.
• On Monday November 18th, Mr. C called Barron and Mike. Randy said he and the board  needed an apology from Barron as an essential step to begin to get moving in a positive direction. Just an apology from Barron - not Perry.
• Barron agreed and emailed an apology to Randy on the 18th: 
• Randy- I want to issue a true apology to you and the others that were offended by some previous remarks and tone. I certainly know from business to step back and take a few breaths when one is angry, especially when using email or text messages. I do understand I came off as caustic and probably condescending to you and others when I sent commentaries that clearly had some anger underneath. Everyone has passion for the program. And all of us, everyone deserves to be treated with respect. Bruce Barron
• Randy emailed his apology acceptance to Barron the next morning:
•  Bruce! Just speaking for myself, I accept your apology, and I hope we can work together to improve Legion baseball here and into the future. You know I valued your ideas and opinions, and the Legion Prospect Series has been a resounding success due to the hard work you and Mike and others have put into it. Thanks for the note! Randy

Honestly, Randy’s note was appreciated. But by this time, one had to doubt. The actions taken were harsh to the level of organizational violence. Was this the “amiable” side again telling someone what he thought they wanted to hear? Was it genuine? Or was this the ‘good cop bad cop’ routine? Time would tell.

• According to Mr. C, Randy went back to his people and then got back to Mr. C the next day
• Oops. Randy was goung to be fine. But his guys, specifically identified his vice-directors Brandon Raymo and Jeff “Slick” Miller, would not accept an apology that was contained in an email.
• Raymo and Miller would only accept an apology in person. Really. OK. Hmmmmm.
• Having a sit down meeting would probably be best. Barron and the vice-directoprs had little or no contact or relationship. Mayybe, just maybe, some good could come out of a sit down. After all, that is what real people do. Adults resolve differences by meeting up. It’s just baseball and kids, right? Barron thought – look at Randy. Acting like an actual leader. Bringing people together to get on the same page. Maybe.
• Barron replied that he would meet any time and anywhere. It could be one-on-one or one-on-a-crowd. You pick it Brandon. If you want to meet in Montevideo – let’s do Montevideo. If Miller wants to meet in Ottertail, let’s do it. Just say when and where.
• Randy  spoke with Mr. CV the next day. He spoke with Raymo and Miller who each refused to meet. They backed out. What is the message to take away from Schaub and Raymo and Miller?

What were we learning? The state director had no influence with his vice-directors? Were we being played? Was the State Director positioning himself in a favorable light with Brandon and Slick as the obstacles?

What is going on here? 

• Randy and a few others claimed they had to take unprecedented action to defend….ummmm. to defend what exactly? 
• The job of a leader is to put their unruly people in a room and go fix or straighten out their personal issues or slights. These are grown adults with the mission of serving kids and baseball. 
• If the State Director was a leader and if “caustic” was more than a charade, he would have demanded people meet, drop your attitude at the door, and work to fix the problem for the greater good. 
• Randy. Dude – your title reads “State Director”. Raymo and Miller’s titles read “Vice Director”. 

Deception Revealed - Game Over

But wait! 

This back and forth “let’s start to fix it” with Schaub turned out to be a total charade! 

At the same time Randy claimed to be ready to resolve issues which he insisted “caustic” to be the operative issue, Schaub had already sent out a secret letter with a brand new storyline  that we were never expected to see.

His letter was sent Novcember 14th.

Mr. Schaub's request for an apology was on November 18th.

Was the State Director acting in good faith?

Oh yes!

An all new story had been cooked up.

It appears to us that the State Director scrapped the first storyline that was contained in the Cease and Desist letter. Most likely, Mr. C had debunked it as false. Maybe they realized it seemed almost juvenile to say that they suddenly came to know five years after starting All-Stars that they set it up differently than they wanted for their today's purposes.

Likely trotting out the second pony - He Was Caustic - might seem to whiny or even a bit immature for adult consumption for the new audience.

So between November 6th and the 14th (we believe) out came the new story. It is best described in the words of an unknown board member who blurfted it out at the spring board meeting:

The Prospect Series guys were going to steal our top Legion players and start their own league!

 So they killed All-Stars to protect top-tier Legion baseball taklent from those predatpors Mikle and Bruce.

• Wow. Just crazy wow.

Who was sent the new story?  All The 539 Legion post commanders across the entire state.

Why send a story to them? To stop Barron and Perry from soliciting them for funds that owuld be used against Legion Baseball.

• Wow. Just crazy wow.

Down The Rabbit Hole - Was the Red Queen or Mad Hatter There By Chance?

• There is a danger when you cut off all direct communication as the board and the state director did as of September 24th. 
• And then you gather and communicate only within your tiony group asd if in some doomsday bunker.
• And then go down rabbiot holes chasing demons and mosters that are  not even there.