Three sports thoughts: Baseball lockout, Ortiz and fans bashing Brady

Here are three sports thoughts on timely topics: the baseball lockout, David Ortiz' election to the Baseball Hall of Fame and fans continuing to bash Tom Brady for leaving them out of his first retirement post:
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Baseball fans being taken for granted
The owners and players are showing that they don't really give a damn about baseball’s fans, as their labor impasse drags on and on.
In the greater Boston area, Red Sox' fans' equivalent of Groundhog Day --- Truck Day --- has already been stolen from us. Yes, the departure of the Boston Red Sox' equipment truck leaving Fenway Park in early February is a silly tradition, but it's one that's always made Red Sox fans feel as if spring were that much closer. But not this year, thanks to the lockout and protracted half-hearted negotiations between the players and owners.
On a more serious note, spring training and the season are now both in jeopardy, thanks to the owners' and players' stupidity. It's frustrating to see the lack of talks, and even though federal mediation might have helped the situation --- something requested by the owners and rejected by the players --- the only thing that will end the dispute is intensive negotiations.
Both sides should show they care enough about the fans and immediately return to the bargaining table and stay there for daily marathon sessions until they reach an accord.
Hard work --- and not making petty threats --- is the only way to end the lockout and achieve a lasting agreement.
If their differences mean there will be a severely shortened season or none at all, fans should consider boycotting the games when and if baseball finally does resume.
Both sides' behavior is reprehensible, and it's even worse coming with the pandemic still disrupting our lives.
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David Ortiz deserved first-ballot Hall-of-Fame selection
Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz absolutely deserved to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on the first ballot. He repeatedly delivered in the clutch for the Red Sox, especially in the playoffs and during the World Series, and he was the unquestioned face of the team for most of his time (2003-2016) that he was with the Sox.
Although Ortiz received just under 78 percent of the votes (75 percent is needed to be elected), that total compares favorably with someone who should have been a unanimous choice when he was elected in 1962 --- the legendary Jackie Robinson. Yes,, the first Black player in the Major Leagues, whose rookie season was with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, also received only under 78 percent of the votes cast that year. 
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Fans' anger against Tom Brady misplaced
No fan base holds a grudge quite like New England’s.
Instead of being happy for Tom Brady finally deciding to call it a career after 22 years total and 20 years with the Patriots, all I heard last week on talk shows for several days after Brady retired was that he didn’t mention Patriots' fans in his original Instagram post announcing his retirement.
Yes, Brady's failure to mention the Patriots was odd and the wrong thing to do, and yes, the way Brady handled his retirement announcement, with him denying it on Saturday, Sunday and Monday until he released the news on Tuesday, three days after the news first broke, was extremely sloppy.
But Pats' fans focusing on being left out of the announcement was over the top. Even after Brady later in the day, thanked Pats' nation in response to a posting from Pats' owner Robert Kraft --- and then later in the week released a video thanking Pats’ fans and responded positively to head coach's Bill Belichick's congratulations many Pats' fans were unmoved and remained upset with him.
Those complaints were shortsighted. We’re talking about the GOAT, who was the most amazing Boston-area athlete I’ve ever had the privilege of watching.
I don’t say that lightly, given that I saw Red Sox legend Ted Williams as a kid, as well as Bill Russell, Bobby Orr, Larry Bird, David Ortiz, and the Sox’s 1967 Impossible Dream hero, Carl Yastrzemski.
Brady should be appreciated, not scorned for breaking the Patriots' championship drought in 2002, and then adding five more Super Bowl titles with the Patriots.
And, count me as one of those who believe both Brady and Belichick were responsible for the Patriots' incredible run from 2001 to 2019 --- although I would have loved to see Brady finish his career with the Patriots.