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SURPRISE, Ariz. – My first thought when I heard the Rangers were hiring Nolan Ryan as the club's president will be considered blasphemous by many.

Tom Hicks, I surmised, was hiring Ryan – the most beloved player in franchise history – as part of a shrewd public relations move to buy himself and Jon Daniels at least a two-year pass from criticism. Maybe more.

Think about it.

Who's going to rip the Rangers when a living legend is running the team?

Who's going to question whether ticket prices should be reduced and whether the lagging season ticket sales are an indication that fans are finally fed up when Ryan is calling the shots? Who's going to criticize Daniels' trades when Ryan has signed off on them?

No one.

OK, perhaps a few people. But the list would be shorter than it would be if Ryan, a Hall of Fame pitcher whose name is scattered throughout the annals of baseball history, wasn't in charge.

That's because folks have so much respect for Ryan for his accomplishments on the field and in the business world.

Of course, all involved deny Ryan is a figurehead. You would expect no less from Hicks, Ryan or Daniels. At least they all understood the line of questioning.

In the world of professional sports, people often lie – let's call it what it is – for what they perceive as the greater good.

Just so you know, former Mavs coach Don Nelson is the only coach honest enough to regularly say you should never believe anything he says the closer it gets to the NBA trade deadline.

There's really no need to listen to the rhetoric anyone from the Rangers provides about Ryan's role with the organization. All we have to do is look and see for ourselves.

Ryan signed a four-year contract Friday to be the Rangers' president, and he immediately gave Daniels a two-year extension. Each is signed through 2011.

It won't take long for Ryan's actions to show us whether he's really the man to turn this franchise into a winner again.

It has been eight years since the Rangers finished above third place.

Ryan is aware we'll be watching intently. Just listen to an exchange Ryan said he heard on satellite radio the other day.

"One guy said I'm a mascot," Ryan said in his familiar Texas drawl. "The other guy said there's no way Nolan would get involved if he wasn't serious about the job."

Ryan said he understands why questions exist about his involvement with the Rangers. We understand why Hicks wanted him. Ryan gives the Rangers local and national credibility.

Besides, he's been an extremely successful businessman in such varied fields as banking, beef and minor league baseball. He's made millions in endorsements because his integrity allows him to connect with all types of people.

Hicks' only question was whether Ryan would make the necessary sacrifices as it relates to his other endeavors to give the Rangers the time they require. After checking with Ryan's wife and his adult children, Hicks took Ryan at his word.

"This was a family decision," Hicks said. "They all decided it was time for Dad to do something he really wanted to do."

Still, none of that answers the question of why Ryan accepted Hicks' job offer.

"The reason I took this job is because this kind of opportunity might not ever present itself again with the requirements I had," Ryan said. "It had to be the Rangers or the Astros, and at my age, this was a good opportunity for me because I've wanted to do something like this for a while in baseball.

"If we were able to build a team that was a consistent winner, it would be very rewarding."

Thus far, the most impressive aspect of Ryan's tenure is that he hasn't blown up the franchise, though you certainly couldn't argue with him if that's what he wanted to do.

He's being patient, at least for now, so he can get a good feel for the personnel on the major league team before turning his attention to the minor league players. It's a trait most successful CEOs have.

"I've been a listener," he said. "I haven't expressed my opinion. I don't want to be critical until I understand everything."

That sounds like a man who intends to be more than a figurehead.