There was a lot of outrage on social media about how Wilson was treated on Sunday, but let's separate some facts from some opinions.
The Seattle Mariners found themselves in hot water over the weekend with regards to the exit of Dan Wilson as the team's manager.
Well, I'm here to separate some fact from some fiction, while also providing a little outside an opinion as well.
What we knew right away on Sunday
On Sunday, the Mariners played their final game of the regular season against the Los Angeles Angels.
Through about six innings, the game was completely normal, as the team celebrated the final day in the career of broadcaster Rick Rizzs.
In the bottom of the sixth or the top of the seventh, multiple media outlets broke the story that Wilson was out as the team's manager after two-plus years.
What I said about it all
As I indicated on social media, and on the 'Refuse to Lose Territory' podcast, I was disappointed that this story broke during the celebration of Rizzs, as I felt it took away from his big day.
What happened after the game
Wilson met with the media like normal following the game, reading from a prepared statement about his exit as the team's manager.
What fans said
After Wilson met with the media, several fans were outraged, as they felt that the organization forced Wilson to go and announce his own firing. They felt that it was an embarrassing way to treat a franchise icon and that the people who clearly made the decision were skirting their responsibilites.
What I said
As I indicated on Monday, I felt that this whole scene was a sign of trust and respect, actually. Wilson was allowed to meet with the team, coach the game and then meet with the media postgame. Typically, when people are let go, they are not allowed to talk because there is fear of what they may say about the organization.
Clearly, the Mariners trusted Wilson to not say anything bad about the organization, and they respected him enough to let him speak to his players and coach the final game.
The truth
I spoke with a source inside the Mariners organization that indicated that Wilson had a hand in deciding how things went down on Sunday. He wanted his players, and the media, to hear this from him, which is why he spoke how he did in the postgame press conference on Sunday.
While I still wish that the story hadn't broken during the final game of Rizzs's career, I now understand things better: If Wilson wanted this moment to address the story himself, he certainly deserved that.
