One of, what I'm sure will be many quick notes on Theo's departure.
I think in the past few hours I've been able to figure out what bothers me most of all about this situation and the circumstances surrounding it.
I am Theo Epstein. I'm a kid from Massachusetss who grew up loving the Red Sox and would give anything to work for them in any capacity nevermind as the GM. As it was for him, it would be my dream job (of course I'm grossly underqualified and can't really imagine working 20 hour days so they made a better choice going with him). So for the last few hours I've been thinking, "If I were to acquire said dream job what would it take to make me leave it and 4.5 million reasons to stay?"
I couldn't think of anything, and I would imagine that before these past few weeks Epstein couldn't either. Nice work Larry, way to destroy his dream and mine.
Monday, October 31, 2005
Absolutely Disgraceful
Over the course of the next few days you are going to read a lot of stories about Theo Epstein and his fallout with the Red Sox. These stories will contain theories, conjecture, and speculation as to why the organization would let arguably their brightest star walk away spurned after bringing a championship to the most victory starved city in baseball nation. These stories will be wasting words, paper, and your time. There is only one reason that Theo Epstein is leaving the Red Sox and his name is Larry Lucchino, and any spin put on this story by the Red Sox will be an attempt to mask that fact.
This story just broke, but here is what happened as far as I can tell. First, some background, the New York Times, the parent company of the Boston Globe has a 17 percent ownership stake in the Red Sox, creating what is likely the greatest journalistic conflict of interest in sports. This financial relationship lends itself to certain privleges for the Globe, namely leaks and prioritized information but it also limits their ability to criticize to some extent. This has been discussed at great length in the past as some players, managers, and other personnel have felt that the relationship with the Globe was used to cast negative spin on them, for example Manny Ramirez. The Red Sox leaked the story regarding Manny's most recent trade demands exclusively to the Globe. One possible reason for this could be that the Red Sox are trying to cast Manny in a negative light to the fans therby changing their perception of him, diminishing their affection, and ultimately softening their anger should he be delt in the offseason. In a sense the Red Sox used to Globe as a political assistant to change public opinion.
This relationship with the Globe was a crucial pawn in Theo's negotiations as well. On Friday reports from "Red Sox insiders" were that a deal was essentially done, 3 years at 1.5 million per year. However, on Saturday, the Globe's Dan Shaughnessy published a piece about the relationship between Epstein and team president Larry Luccino including inside details about a tense confrontation that took place recently in Colorado. The purpose of this piece, according to Shaughnessy was to assist in bringing the two sides together, which of course is not his job but that's a discussion for another time. Apparently the contents of this story, which were acquired by Shaughnessy presumably from someone within the Red Sox organization, possibly Luccino himself, enraged Epstein. He was particularly miffed about the extent to which the story revealed private details from the meeting in Colorado and was deeply disturbed at the excessive disclosure by someone within the Red Sox.
Jump forward to today. This morning ESPN and other major news outlets led by the Boston Globe were reporting that Epstein and the Sox had agreed to the afore mentioned 3 year contract extension. This apparently was never the case, but the Globe, the news outlet with the closest relationship to the team reported the deal as done. Then at 5:00 PM this afternoon WEEI and the Boston Herald broke the story that not only had Theo not signed the deal but had actually resigned and was currently cleaning out his office.
A few big questions loom over this story. What changed between this morning and this afternoon to make Theo change his mind, if it was in fact ever made up? Why did the Red Sox release reports of a done deal if in fact there was no name on the dotted line? What impact will this move have on the status of the Red Sox on the field given their free agents (Damon, Mueller, Millar) and others who have asked out of Boston (Wells, Ramirez)?
What bothers me the most about this story is the manipulation of the media by the Red Sox to influence the negotiations. One possible reason for the report this morning could have been to put pressure on Epstein to accept the deal. They report it, or at least leak it, then Theo is in a position stuck between a story reporting what all his fans want to hear and his own misgivings about the situation. Also, if a deal was almost finished on Friday why didn't we hear anything about it then and what in the world could have been the point of the piece on Saturday airing all of the dirty laundry about the relationship between Epstein and Luccino especially if things seemed to be settling down nicely?
In the end the use of the media by the Red Sox to make themselves look good and to adversly portray Epstein backfired on them. I think that Luccino and the rest of the organization vastly underestimated Theo as a person. In letting Josh Byrnes go to Arizona to become the GM of the Diamondbacks the Red Sox revealed their intent to resign Theo, but they also revealed their arrogance concerning his potential for leaving. They believed that he was just a good old boy from Braintree who had always dreamed of working for the Red Sox and that there was no way that he would ever leave his "dream job" no matter how much they pushed. But they pushed him too far. Theo is a very private person, as Peter Gammons just reported on Sportscenter, and he was tired (even before these negotiations) of living constantly under the microscope that comes from working in Boston. Now that he has left the stain of this mistreatment lays totally on the Red Sox, they look terrible for a bevy of reasons. First they appear to have spurned and cast off the man who was able to do what so many GMs were not in winning a World Series. Second, they tried to use their own media outlet to bait and switch public opinion on Epstein and in failing made the public more aware that the Red Sox organization is a political machine and that the Globe is their mechanism of manipulation. And finally and most importantly they are without a general manager heading into what would have already been a tumultous off season.
This is shameful and embarassing for an organization that already seemed to be struggling to get out of its own way. With Epstein out and Manny asking for the same the face of the Red Sox in Fort Myers next February could be vastly different from the one that layed down and died in front of the White Sox in October. Without Theo, and if Manny goes with him, I don't like their chances of even having the opportunity to choke in the post season again.
As I fan I am feel terrible for Epstein and will be grateful to him forever for his contributions. I apologize for all of Boston and will certainly miss him.
This story just broke, but here is what happened as far as I can tell. First, some background, the New York Times, the parent company of the Boston Globe has a 17 percent ownership stake in the Red Sox, creating what is likely the greatest journalistic conflict of interest in sports. This financial relationship lends itself to certain privleges for the Globe, namely leaks and prioritized information but it also limits their ability to criticize to some extent. This has been discussed at great length in the past as some players, managers, and other personnel have felt that the relationship with the Globe was used to cast negative spin on them, for example Manny Ramirez. The Red Sox leaked the story regarding Manny's most recent trade demands exclusively to the Globe. One possible reason for this could be that the Red Sox are trying to cast Manny in a negative light to the fans therby changing their perception of him, diminishing their affection, and ultimately softening their anger should he be delt in the offseason. In a sense the Red Sox used to Globe as a political assistant to change public opinion.
This relationship with the Globe was a crucial pawn in Theo's negotiations as well. On Friday reports from "Red Sox insiders" were that a deal was essentially done, 3 years at 1.5 million per year. However, on Saturday, the Globe's Dan Shaughnessy published a piece about the relationship between Epstein and team president Larry Luccino including inside details about a tense confrontation that took place recently in Colorado. The purpose of this piece, according to Shaughnessy was to assist in bringing the two sides together, which of course is not his job but that's a discussion for another time. Apparently the contents of this story, which were acquired by Shaughnessy presumably from someone within the Red Sox organization, possibly Luccino himself, enraged Epstein. He was particularly miffed about the extent to which the story revealed private details from the meeting in Colorado and was deeply disturbed at the excessive disclosure by someone within the Red Sox.
Jump forward to today. This morning ESPN and other major news outlets led by the Boston Globe were reporting that Epstein and the Sox had agreed to the afore mentioned 3 year contract extension. This apparently was never the case, but the Globe, the news outlet with the closest relationship to the team reported the deal as done. Then at 5:00 PM this afternoon WEEI and the Boston Herald broke the story that not only had Theo not signed the deal but had actually resigned and was currently cleaning out his office.
A few big questions loom over this story. What changed between this morning and this afternoon to make Theo change his mind, if it was in fact ever made up? Why did the Red Sox release reports of a done deal if in fact there was no name on the dotted line? What impact will this move have on the status of the Red Sox on the field given their free agents (Damon, Mueller, Millar) and others who have asked out of Boston (Wells, Ramirez)?
What bothers me the most about this story is the manipulation of the media by the Red Sox to influence the negotiations. One possible reason for the report this morning could have been to put pressure on Epstein to accept the deal. They report it, or at least leak it, then Theo is in a position stuck between a story reporting what all his fans want to hear and his own misgivings about the situation. Also, if a deal was almost finished on Friday why didn't we hear anything about it then and what in the world could have been the point of the piece on Saturday airing all of the dirty laundry about the relationship between Epstein and Luccino especially if things seemed to be settling down nicely?
In the end the use of the media by the Red Sox to make themselves look good and to adversly portray Epstein backfired on them. I think that Luccino and the rest of the organization vastly underestimated Theo as a person. In letting Josh Byrnes go to Arizona to become the GM of the Diamondbacks the Red Sox revealed their intent to resign Theo, but they also revealed their arrogance concerning his potential for leaving. They believed that he was just a good old boy from Braintree who had always dreamed of working for the Red Sox and that there was no way that he would ever leave his "dream job" no matter how much they pushed. But they pushed him too far. Theo is a very private person, as Peter Gammons just reported on Sportscenter, and he was tired (even before these negotiations) of living constantly under the microscope that comes from working in Boston. Now that he has left the stain of this mistreatment lays totally on the Red Sox, they look terrible for a bevy of reasons. First they appear to have spurned and cast off the man who was able to do what so many GMs were not in winning a World Series. Second, they tried to use their own media outlet to bait and switch public opinion on Epstein and in failing made the public more aware that the Red Sox organization is a political machine and that the Globe is their mechanism of manipulation. And finally and most importantly they are without a general manager heading into what would have already been a tumultous off season.
This is shameful and embarassing for an organization that already seemed to be struggling to get out of its own way. With Epstein out and Manny asking for the same the face of the Red Sox in Fort Myers next February could be vastly different from the one that layed down and died in front of the White Sox in October. Without Theo, and if Manny goes with him, I don't like their chances of even having the opportunity to choke in the post season again.
As I fan I am feel terrible for Epstein and will be grateful to him forever for his contributions. I apologize for all of Boston and will certainly miss him.
Friday, October 28, 2005
Where to Start?
There isn't enough room in my head for the events of this past week. The World Series, BC v. Virginia Tech, Bruschi's return, Theo's contract issues.
Starting in order of importance...
The Second Team in the Second City is the last team standing or the first in line at the end of a second tier post-season. Think I used enough number or place references in that sentence?
Thank you Chicago, I will take my plate of crow and have it warmed please. At the beginning of the playoffs I said that the White Sox didn't particularly scare me in the ALDS against the Red Sox. In the AlCS I thought that the Angels would have the advantage due to their experience and their "superior" offense. In the World Series I didn't give a damn because the best team in baseball and my pick at the beginning of the playoffs, St. Louis, was out, and Astros and White Sox fans only show up in the playoffs.
I was wrong. St. Louis was clearly the best team, but they were not the best team for 3 weeks in October which is all that matters. Give the White Sox credit, they weren't necessarily able to create their own opportunities but when their opponent or the umpires gave them a chance they took advantage. Which is much more than you can say about the Red Sox, Angels, or Astros. In the World Series Houston was something like 0 for their last 29 with runners in scoring position, in the ALDS the Red Sox left the bases loaded at least half a dozen times, and the Angels made enough mistakes in games 2 and 3 of the ALCS to deserve to lose. The White Sox made the plays and no one else did. I stand by my statement that had any of those 3 teams played well and the umpiring had been fair things would have been different, but you can't tell White Sox fans that, they're out at their team's parade right now. Congratulations.
So what's next for baseball? Will the Cubs continue the parade of "curse" breaking or will they persist onward as the only team mythically doomed to failure. If we are sitting here talking about a Cubs championship next year I'll be shocked, but I would have said the same thing about the White Sox last year. Of course that would be entirely too much love for the city of Chicago and frankly the east coast has the market cornered on excessive arrogance due to success. We want to be the only snobs on the block thank you.
As a season this was not a banner year for baseball. A team won a division with a record just 2 games over .500.
Barry Bonds missed almost the entire year and possibly forfeited a chance to catch Hank Aaron by doing do.
Raphael Palmeiro created more negative water cooler gossip than Bill Clinton's cigar, and steriods marred the entire landscape of the season.
Jason Giambi was given the Comeback Player of the Year award, which is a travesty, coming back from cheating should not be rewarded.
The Yankees stunk for the first half of the season, which while good for Sox fans, is bad for baseball. Then they were able to back into the playoffs as the Red Sox failed to close the deal which enrages all the pundits screaming for more parody and salary restrictions.
The Indians made one of the epic playoff charges of all time, but then choked nearly as bad as the Yankees in the '04 ALCS by getting swept in a crucial 3 game set by a White Sox team with nothing to play for, destroying what was a great story.
The Cardinals once again proved that a roster just loaded with talent won't win you games in October, robbing fans of a chance to see the scariest hitter in the league take a second crack at the World Series.
The Braves won the most insignificant 14th consecutive division title in the history of sports and then predictably lost in the NLDS.
The playoffs lost luster as no major rivalries were revisited and then ended in an extremely dull World Series. For the Series the White Sox scored just 6 more runs than the Astros, the second smallest margin in a series sweep but the games were low scoring and the fans in both cities lack that rabid edge you see in LA, New York, Boston, or the other side of Chicago. Even Joe Buck and Tim McCarver seemed bored with the proceedings, maybe because in the past 2 years there have been the minimum 8 World Series games played.
And finally, it's hard for me to say this but the Red Sox championship of last season cast a shadow over the entire year. It started out as endearing and fun and became an annoyance for the rest of the country by week 2. By the end no one wanted to hear about it anymore and anti-New England sentiment raged and took attention away from legitimate stories. All in all, not a great year for baseball.
Now on to BC v. Virginia Tech. I want to highlight two plays from the game last night. First, it's third down and a mile in the third quarter, Porter drops back to pass (5 words I NEVER want to hear again). There is time, but everyone is covered. The rush gets through on the left side, but Porter decides to roll that way, takes 2 steps, does an Ashlee Simpson on SNL "Holy Shit my lip synching CD is playing on national TV" dance step / turn around, rolls 3 steps in the other direction and throws his most accurate pass of the night... Right into the hands of his ineligible left tackle who is so shocked that he catches the ball and literally doesn't move before being half-heartedly hauled down by two V-Tech defenders who were aware of what happened.
Second play, it's 3rd and a mile again, this time in the 4th quarter. Porter drops back to pass, V-Tech's left defensive end just absolutely torches the BC tight end assigned to block him and sacks Porter halfway through his 5 step drop. What made this play hilarious was the replay, showing the defensive end go around the tight end so quickly that the only contact made was a push in the back of the d-end TOWARDS the quarterback. Then realizing that he was beaten the tight end decides not to pursue the man that is going to decapitate his quarterback, rather he decides to turn back around and put his hands up in a blocking position as if he didn't see the man go right by him and wasn't aware that the he had just killed Porter. I want to be in the film session when this play comes up and they ask the tight end about it.
Coach: So you saw the d-end coming right?
Tight end: Ahh, yeah coach.
Coach: But you didn't block him?
Tight end: Ahh, no coach.
Coach: So then, after you saw him go by you, you pretended that you hadn't seen him at all?
Tight end: Ahh, yeah coach, I turned around to block in case a safety was blitzing.
Coach: A safety? But not the d-end that had just run by you! Are you aware son, that by the time you turned back around Porter was already on his back?
Tight end: Ahh, no coach, you see I was facing the other way so I didn't really see it...
Coach: Get the fuck out of here.
That just about sums it up. They couldn't move the ball when they had it. They couldn't stop Virginia Tech on defense and no one on the field looked like they had any business playing against Marcus Vick. And they got out coached. It was a statement game for both teams. V-Tech said they belong in the top 3, BC said that they belong against the Clemson's and the Wake Forests of the world. Sorry Eagle fans, they're just not that good.
Topic number 3: Tedy Bruschi's imminent return to the Patriots. I wrote a post about this back before football season started and I used two voices, the crazy Pats fan who wants Bruschi back at all costs and the sympathetic person who realizes that a stroke is not something to fool around with. Both voices are still relevant. If he's ready to come back I will welcome his contributions as much as the next guy, but I can't help but think that if the Pats were 6-0 right now that he wouldn't be out there. I hope it's the right thing to do but I'm just not sure. Also, even if he is 100% he will not be able to make an immediate impact with only 10 days of practice. He always has big play potential but chances are he will not change their ability to stop another team on a down by down basis. For example, if he were playing against San Diego, I can't see the outcome being much different. The Pats need a few saviors, not just one, but if he can intercept Manning in week 9 and run it in for a touchdown I'll buy my first ever Pats jersey with Burschi on the back.
Finally, an announcement is expected sometime today about the fate of Sox general manager Theo Epstein. The news on Boston sports radio is that it's basically a done deal that he's coming back for 3 years for somewhere in the neighborhood of 1.5 million. I hope so. There has been some griping that Brian Cashman and other big name GM's (Atlanta's, whose name I can't remember) who make somewhere between 1.5 and 2 million per year deserve a higher salary than Theo because of their experience etc. I think that's ridiculous. None of those guys, Billy Beane included have had to deal with 86 years of hurt feelings and negativity. None of them have had the guts to make a deal trading away the face of their franchise in an effort to make the team as a whole better. And most importantly, in the 3 years that Theo has been in charge none of them have won a World Series, vanquishing 86 years of demons. He has. He deserves one contract as a reward for bringing redemption to everyone's grandfathers who died without seeing a banner. Pay the man.
Happy Halloween kids.
Starting in order of importance...
The Second Team in the Second City is the last team standing or the first in line at the end of a second tier post-season. Think I used enough number or place references in that sentence?
Thank you Chicago, I will take my plate of crow and have it warmed please. At the beginning of the playoffs I said that the White Sox didn't particularly scare me in the ALDS against the Red Sox. In the AlCS I thought that the Angels would have the advantage due to their experience and their "superior" offense. In the World Series I didn't give a damn because the best team in baseball and my pick at the beginning of the playoffs, St. Louis, was out, and Astros and White Sox fans only show up in the playoffs.
I was wrong. St. Louis was clearly the best team, but they were not the best team for 3 weeks in October which is all that matters. Give the White Sox credit, they weren't necessarily able to create their own opportunities but when their opponent or the umpires gave them a chance they took advantage. Which is much more than you can say about the Red Sox, Angels, or Astros. In the World Series Houston was something like 0 for their last 29 with runners in scoring position, in the ALDS the Red Sox left the bases loaded at least half a dozen times, and the Angels made enough mistakes in games 2 and 3 of the ALCS to deserve to lose. The White Sox made the plays and no one else did. I stand by my statement that had any of those 3 teams played well and the umpiring had been fair things would have been different, but you can't tell White Sox fans that, they're out at their team's parade right now. Congratulations.
So what's next for baseball? Will the Cubs continue the parade of "curse" breaking or will they persist onward as the only team mythically doomed to failure. If we are sitting here talking about a Cubs championship next year I'll be shocked, but I would have said the same thing about the White Sox last year. Of course that would be entirely too much love for the city of Chicago and frankly the east coast has the market cornered on excessive arrogance due to success. We want to be the only snobs on the block thank you.
As a season this was not a banner year for baseball. A team won a division with a record just 2 games over .500.
Barry Bonds missed almost the entire year and possibly forfeited a chance to catch Hank Aaron by doing do.
Raphael Palmeiro created more negative water cooler gossip than Bill Clinton's cigar, and steriods marred the entire landscape of the season.
Jason Giambi was given the Comeback Player of the Year award, which is a travesty, coming back from cheating should not be rewarded.
The Yankees stunk for the first half of the season, which while good for Sox fans, is bad for baseball. Then they were able to back into the playoffs as the Red Sox failed to close the deal which enrages all the pundits screaming for more parody and salary restrictions.
The Indians made one of the epic playoff charges of all time, but then choked nearly as bad as the Yankees in the '04 ALCS by getting swept in a crucial 3 game set by a White Sox team with nothing to play for, destroying what was a great story.
The Cardinals once again proved that a roster just loaded with talent won't win you games in October, robbing fans of a chance to see the scariest hitter in the league take a second crack at the World Series.
The Braves won the most insignificant 14th consecutive division title in the history of sports and then predictably lost in the NLDS.
The playoffs lost luster as no major rivalries were revisited and then ended in an extremely dull World Series. For the Series the White Sox scored just 6 more runs than the Astros, the second smallest margin in a series sweep but the games were low scoring and the fans in both cities lack that rabid edge you see in LA, New York, Boston, or the other side of Chicago. Even Joe Buck and Tim McCarver seemed bored with the proceedings, maybe because in the past 2 years there have been the minimum 8 World Series games played.
And finally, it's hard for me to say this but the Red Sox championship of last season cast a shadow over the entire year. It started out as endearing and fun and became an annoyance for the rest of the country by week 2. By the end no one wanted to hear about it anymore and anti-New England sentiment raged and took attention away from legitimate stories. All in all, not a great year for baseball.
Now on to BC v. Virginia Tech. I want to highlight two plays from the game last night. First, it's third down and a mile in the third quarter, Porter drops back to pass (5 words I NEVER want to hear again). There is time, but everyone is covered. The rush gets through on the left side, but Porter decides to roll that way, takes 2 steps, does an Ashlee Simpson on SNL "Holy Shit my lip synching CD is playing on national TV" dance step / turn around, rolls 3 steps in the other direction and throws his most accurate pass of the night... Right into the hands of his ineligible left tackle who is so shocked that he catches the ball and literally doesn't move before being half-heartedly hauled down by two V-Tech defenders who were aware of what happened.
Second play, it's 3rd and a mile again, this time in the 4th quarter. Porter drops back to pass, V-Tech's left defensive end just absolutely torches the BC tight end assigned to block him and sacks Porter halfway through his 5 step drop. What made this play hilarious was the replay, showing the defensive end go around the tight end so quickly that the only contact made was a push in the back of the d-end TOWARDS the quarterback. Then realizing that he was beaten the tight end decides not to pursue the man that is going to decapitate his quarterback, rather he decides to turn back around and put his hands up in a blocking position as if he didn't see the man go right by him and wasn't aware that the he had just killed Porter. I want to be in the film session when this play comes up and they ask the tight end about it.
Coach: So you saw the d-end coming right?
Tight end: Ahh, yeah coach.
Coach: But you didn't block him?
Tight end: Ahh, no coach.
Coach: So then, after you saw him go by you, you pretended that you hadn't seen him at all?
Tight end: Ahh, yeah coach, I turned around to block in case a safety was blitzing.
Coach: A safety? But not the d-end that had just run by you! Are you aware son, that by the time you turned back around Porter was already on his back?
Tight end: Ahh, no coach, you see I was facing the other way so I didn't really see it...
Coach: Get the fuck out of here.
That just about sums it up. They couldn't move the ball when they had it. They couldn't stop Virginia Tech on defense and no one on the field looked like they had any business playing against Marcus Vick. And they got out coached. It was a statement game for both teams. V-Tech said they belong in the top 3, BC said that they belong against the Clemson's and the Wake Forests of the world. Sorry Eagle fans, they're just not that good.
Topic number 3: Tedy Bruschi's imminent return to the Patriots. I wrote a post about this back before football season started and I used two voices, the crazy Pats fan who wants Bruschi back at all costs and the sympathetic person who realizes that a stroke is not something to fool around with. Both voices are still relevant. If he's ready to come back I will welcome his contributions as much as the next guy, but I can't help but think that if the Pats were 6-0 right now that he wouldn't be out there. I hope it's the right thing to do but I'm just not sure. Also, even if he is 100% he will not be able to make an immediate impact with only 10 days of practice. He always has big play potential but chances are he will not change their ability to stop another team on a down by down basis. For example, if he were playing against San Diego, I can't see the outcome being much different. The Pats need a few saviors, not just one, but if he can intercept Manning in week 9 and run it in for a touchdown I'll buy my first ever Pats jersey with Burschi on the back.
Finally, an announcement is expected sometime today about the fate of Sox general manager Theo Epstein. The news on Boston sports radio is that it's basically a done deal that he's coming back for 3 years for somewhere in the neighborhood of 1.5 million. I hope so. There has been some griping that Brian Cashman and other big name GM's (Atlanta's, whose name I can't remember) who make somewhere between 1.5 and 2 million per year deserve a higher salary than Theo because of their experience etc. I think that's ridiculous. None of those guys, Billy Beane included have had to deal with 86 years of hurt feelings and negativity. None of them have had the guts to make a deal trading away the face of their franchise in an effort to make the team as a whole better. And most importantly, in the 3 years that Theo has been in charge none of them have won a World Series, vanquishing 86 years of demons. He has. He deserves one contract as a reward for bringing redemption to everyone's grandfathers who died without seeing a banner. Pay the man.
Happy Halloween kids.
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Why I'm Rooting for the Astros
I can't help it. I want to like the White Sox, I really do but every fiber of my being rebels against everything that has precipitated their rise this post-season. Don't worry I have reasons beyond the fact that they eliminated the Red Sox...
1. The White Sox haven't beaten teams so much as their opponents have beaten themselves. Give them credit, when the opposition has made mistakes they have capitalized but without those mistakes it's questionable whether they would have made it this far on their own. Not to use the Red Sox as an example, but if Tony Graffanino even gets one out on his Buckner-esque blunder in game 2 of the ALDS Iguchi only has the opportunity to tie the game with his home run, changing the whole dynamic of the game. Don't get me wrong, there was no way the Red Sox were winning that series and give Iguchi all the credit in the world for making them pay for the error, but his heroics were preventable and without them that game is in question.
2. Every single bad call, in a post season ridden with terrible umpiring (so much that there is a nationwide call for instant replay in every city except for one half of Chicago) has gone the way of the White Sox. Josh Paul's "dropped" ball that was clearly caught is the most glaring example. Once again you must give credit to Joe Crede for driving in Pierzynski with the winning run but there is no doubt that the inning should have been over. Of course the Angels had enough mistakes in that game to bury themselves regardless, but they should not have had the opportunity to play extra innings stolen from them by a self-concious umpire who was fooled by a sneaky player trying to steal a call. The Astros were burned by the same problem in game 2 of the World Series. Jermaine Dye actually admitted that he was not hit by the pitch that placed him on first and loaded the bases for Paul Konerko to hit his game and series changing grand slam. How did the ump not notice that Dye didn't walk towards first after the pitch? The calls coupled with the errors really lead me to believe that the White Sox are not beating their opponents in the game as a whole, they're just taking advantage of situations they were not even able to create on their own. Good on them for getting the big hits but I'd rather see them win it on their own.
3. They are not a long suffering franchise like Fox is trying to convince us that they are, and if they are it is because Shoeless Joe and the Black Sox threw the World Series. They didn't trade Babe Ruth, there was no goat, they lost on purpose and nearly ruined baseball in the process. If anything deserves a curse that's it. But since we don't believe in curses anymore... The White Sox fans have not had to endure the soul crushing Steve Bartman's, Aaron Boone's, Bill Buckner's or Bucky Dent's in their 88 year losing streak. They don't sell out every regular season game, including Tuesday afternoon day games in April, like the Cubs. They don't have an arch nemesis that has won 26 championships while they have had to sit and watch like the Red Sox. I would be willing to bet that most casual fans were not aware that the White Sox hadn't won the World Series since 1917 before this post season began. Why? Because it has not consumed a city, they are the Mets of Chicago and while 1908 and 1918 are / were catch phrases, 1917 is just an ugly black mark on baseball's history.
4. Bagwell & Biggio. These two guys don't exist in the A-Rod era. Solid players that have been with one team for almost their entire career, despite many tough years and terrible supporting casts. They have never chased pin stripes or huge contracts elsewhere. They have never left citing the, "need for a ring." Rather they stuck it out and waited for their team to develop into contender. And you never heard them spout off at the mouth about how their team/manager/ownership is not committed to winning blah blah blah. They played with class and you have to respect that and root for such loyalty to ultimately be rewarded with a championship in what is probably their last shot, at least together.
5. Cubs fans have been waiting longer, attending more regularly, and have come agonizingly closer than White Sox fans. I don't want to say that the White Sox fans don't deserve it, they do. Every fan that legitimately follows his or her team deserves to see them win a championship, but it's hard to deny the long agony of the Cubs and their more loyal contingent. Maybe I align with them more because they remind me of the Red Sox. Old stadium, rabid fan base, impossible to get tickets, close calls, and long standing misery at the hands of some alleged "curse" that is beyond their control. The White Sox have a new stadium that until this season sometimes stood half full and have no montage of tough breaks that prod the throbbing ulcers of their fans. Now all of the sudden the stadium is packed? It just feels different.
6. Ozzie Guillen, Scott Pierzynski, Paul Konerko, Scott Podsednik, and Carl Everett. I know many of the Red Sox and especially Damon and Millar are annoying but these guys are downright obnoxious. Guillen acts like a street punk for most of the game, Pierzynski knows damn well that the ball was caught, Konerko is mugging for free agent dollars, Podsednik didn't hit a single home run in the regular season and by no means should be hitting walk offs in the World Series, and Carl Everett doesn't believe in dinosaurs or that man walked on the moon. That might be the most biased paragraph I've ever written but from the manager on down there's something about this White Sox team that just gets under your skin and annoys you. And I didn't even mention the closer Baby Huey Jenks who falls into one of my least favorite categorys "Really, (like Orca) Fat Professional Athletes." It's your damn job to be athletic, get in shape.
Now a few reasons that the White Sox winning wouldn't be so bad.
1. Frank Thomas. I love the Big Hurt and would love to see him get a ring as a reward for hanging on waaaaay to long to the game he loves. In his day he was the scariest hitter in baseball and I will never forget seeing him just level a catcher at home plate when he was out by three steps when I was a kid. I don't remember what team it was or who was catching but I think he just regained conciousness this week.
2. Clemens and Pettite are still Yankees in my mind. I will always hate Clemens for reinventing himself outside of Boston and for disrespecting the Red Sox so badly by saying he wants to go into the Hall of Fame as a Yankee. Pettite is not a detestable kind of guy the way Clemens is but he too made his legend as a Yankee and for that I never want to see him win another ring.
3. Before the last week of the regular season Astros fans are as apathetic as the Texans offense. I just can't get behind a team whose fans only show up when it matters and wave stupid white towels. Actually that describes both of these teams so that category is a wash.
I'm sure this won't be the most popular post I've ever written, and I can think of at least one person who is going to really blast me. All I can say about that is I've heard a lot of bashing of New Englanders and Red Sox fans, this is no different and no less valid than those opinions.
1. The White Sox haven't beaten teams so much as their opponents have beaten themselves. Give them credit, when the opposition has made mistakes they have capitalized but without those mistakes it's questionable whether they would have made it this far on their own. Not to use the Red Sox as an example, but if Tony Graffanino even gets one out on his Buckner-esque blunder in game 2 of the ALDS Iguchi only has the opportunity to tie the game with his home run, changing the whole dynamic of the game. Don't get me wrong, there was no way the Red Sox were winning that series and give Iguchi all the credit in the world for making them pay for the error, but his heroics were preventable and without them that game is in question.
2. Every single bad call, in a post season ridden with terrible umpiring (so much that there is a nationwide call for instant replay in every city except for one half of Chicago) has gone the way of the White Sox. Josh Paul's "dropped" ball that was clearly caught is the most glaring example. Once again you must give credit to Joe Crede for driving in Pierzynski with the winning run but there is no doubt that the inning should have been over. Of course the Angels had enough mistakes in that game to bury themselves regardless, but they should not have had the opportunity to play extra innings stolen from them by a self-concious umpire who was fooled by a sneaky player trying to steal a call. The Astros were burned by the same problem in game 2 of the World Series. Jermaine Dye actually admitted that he was not hit by the pitch that placed him on first and loaded the bases for Paul Konerko to hit his game and series changing grand slam. How did the ump not notice that Dye didn't walk towards first after the pitch? The calls coupled with the errors really lead me to believe that the White Sox are not beating their opponents in the game as a whole, they're just taking advantage of situations they were not even able to create on their own. Good on them for getting the big hits but I'd rather see them win it on their own.
3. They are not a long suffering franchise like Fox is trying to convince us that they are, and if they are it is because Shoeless Joe and the Black Sox threw the World Series. They didn't trade Babe Ruth, there was no goat, they lost on purpose and nearly ruined baseball in the process. If anything deserves a curse that's it. But since we don't believe in curses anymore... The White Sox fans have not had to endure the soul crushing Steve Bartman's, Aaron Boone's, Bill Buckner's or Bucky Dent's in their 88 year losing streak. They don't sell out every regular season game, including Tuesday afternoon day games in April, like the Cubs. They don't have an arch nemesis that has won 26 championships while they have had to sit and watch like the Red Sox. I would be willing to bet that most casual fans were not aware that the White Sox hadn't won the World Series since 1917 before this post season began. Why? Because it has not consumed a city, they are the Mets of Chicago and while 1908 and 1918 are / were catch phrases, 1917 is just an ugly black mark on baseball's history.
4. Bagwell & Biggio. These two guys don't exist in the A-Rod era. Solid players that have been with one team for almost their entire career, despite many tough years and terrible supporting casts. They have never chased pin stripes or huge contracts elsewhere. They have never left citing the, "need for a ring." Rather they stuck it out and waited for their team to develop into contender. And you never heard them spout off at the mouth about how their team/manager/ownership is not committed to winning blah blah blah. They played with class and you have to respect that and root for such loyalty to ultimately be rewarded with a championship in what is probably their last shot, at least together.
5. Cubs fans have been waiting longer, attending more regularly, and have come agonizingly closer than White Sox fans. I don't want to say that the White Sox fans don't deserve it, they do. Every fan that legitimately follows his or her team deserves to see them win a championship, but it's hard to deny the long agony of the Cubs and their more loyal contingent. Maybe I align with them more because they remind me of the Red Sox. Old stadium, rabid fan base, impossible to get tickets, close calls, and long standing misery at the hands of some alleged "curse" that is beyond their control. The White Sox have a new stadium that until this season sometimes stood half full and have no montage of tough breaks that prod the throbbing ulcers of their fans. Now all of the sudden the stadium is packed? It just feels different.
6. Ozzie Guillen, Scott Pierzynski, Paul Konerko, Scott Podsednik, and Carl Everett. I know many of the Red Sox and especially Damon and Millar are annoying but these guys are downright obnoxious. Guillen acts like a street punk for most of the game, Pierzynski knows damn well that the ball was caught, Konerko is mugging for free agent dollars, Podsednik didn't hit a single home run in the regular season and by no means should be hitting walk offs in the World Series, and Carl Everett doesn't believe in dinosaurs or that man walked on the moon. That might be the most biased paragraph I've ever written but from the manager on down there's something about this White Sox team that just gets under your skin and annoys you. And I didn't even mention the closer Baby Huey Jenks who falls into one of my least favorite categorys "Really, (like Orca) Fat Professional Athletes." It's your damn job to be athletic, get in shape.
Now a few reasons that the White Sox winning wouldn't be so bad.
1. Frank Thomas. I love the Big Hurt and would love to see him get a ring as a reward for hanging on waaaaay to long to the game he loves. In his day he was the scariest hitter in baseball and I will never forget seeing him just level a catcher at home plate when he was out by three steps when I was a kid. I don't remember what team it was or who was catching but I think he just regained conciousness this week.
2. Clemens and Pettite are still Yankees in my mind. I will always hate Clemens for reinventing himself outside of Boston and for disrespecting the Red Sox so badly by saying he wants to go into the Hall of Fame as a Yankee. Pettite is not a detestable kind of guy the way Clemens is but he too made his legend as a Yankee and for that I never want to see him win another ring.
3. Before the last week of the regular season Astros fans are as apathetic as the Texans offense. I just can't get behind a team whose fans only show up when it matters and wave stupid white towels. Actually that describes both of these teams so that category is a wash.
I'm sure this won't be the most popular post I've ever written, and I can think of at least one person who is going to really blast me. All I can say about that is I've heard a lot of bashing of New Englanders and Red Sox fans, this is no different and no less valid than those opinions.
Monday, October 24, 2005
Road Tripping
Gallavanting all over the Mid-Atlantic / Southeast does little for my sports information upkeep.
(Horrifying revelations coming ahead, prepare to lose all respect for me.)
Until last night I still was not aware that the Astros had beaten the Cardinals.
Until the middle of the game last night, when I happened past a television in a bar I was unaware that the World Series had started.
Until tonight at 10:00 PM I had forgotten that game 2 was being played.
Due to excessive driving I did not watch one second of football today.
I hereby turn in my testicles and my right to comment on sports until at least tomorrow.
On the upside, it's been an absolutely amazing weekend and with everything going on I've barely missed being glued to a box for 8 hours.
Anyway, just thought I'd relate my ridiculous failure as a male and throw myself at your mercy, begging for forgiveness.
Go Astros. I want my Red Sox to be the only curse breaking Cinderella story of this decade, wait until 2014 Pale Ho's, and try to have some absolutely soul crushing defeats (and sell out every regular season game regardless) before you consider yourself truly anguished.
Speaking of, someone please test Scott Podsednik for steroids immediately. With his walkoff tonight he became (I think) the only player in MLB history to have 0 home runs in the regular season and 2 in the post season. Obviously I don't think he's really juiced but give credit to his adrenaline for getting it done. Bobby Jenks you should buy him dinner tonight, or maybe just give him one of yours you fat bastard.
Brad Lidge is sitting in the corner of the Astros clubhouse staring at Podsednik's regular season numbers, blurring them only with the tears of shame dripping off of his chin. That's like losing an arm wrestling match to your grandmother with your girlfriend watching.
Now as this randomness continues, an appeal to Mother Nature.
ENOUGH!
We get it, be nicer to the O-Zone, stop tearing down the rainforests, stop paving everything in the NY metropolitan area, stop genetically producing little dogs the size of purses (no offense Ruby, you're cute).
This latest little Caribbean treat, Wilma, is supposed to make 3 landfalls in the US alone. That's right 3. After a devastating horizontal trip across Florida this lovely lady will turn north, likely making land for the second time as a category one hurrican somewhere in the Washington DC area. Then, after a being joined by a fast moving tropical storm somewhere off the coast it could potentially bring SNOW to New England.
If it snows before Thanksgiving that just might do it for me. Bye bye east coast forever.
Real info tomorrow...maybe.
(Horrifying revelations coming ahead, prepare to lose all respect for me.)
Until last night I still was not aware that the Astros had beaten the Cardinals.
Until the middle of the game last night, when I happened past a television in a bar I was unaware that the World Series had started.
Until tonight at 10:00 PM I had forgotten that game 2 was being played.
Due to excessive driving I did not watch one second of football today.
I hereby turn in my testicles and my right to comment on sports until at least tomorrow.
On the upside, it's been an absolutely amazing weekend and with everything going on I've barely missed being glued to a box for 8 hours.
Anyway, just thought I'd relate my ridiculous failure as a male and throw myself at your mercy, begging for forgiveness.
Go Astros. I want my Red Sox to be the only curse breaking Cinderella story of this decade, wait until 2014 Pale Ho's, and try to have some absolutely soul crushing defeats (and sell out every regular season game regardless) before you consider yourself truly anguished.
Speaking of, someone please test Scott Podsednik for steroids immediately. With his walkoff tonight he became (I think) the only player in MLB history to have 0 home runs in the regular season and 2 in the post season. Obviously I don't think he's really juiced but give credit to his adrenaline for getting it done. Bobby Jenks you should buy him dinner tonight, or maybe just give him one of yours you fat bastard.
Brad Lidge is sitting in the corner of the Astros clubhouse staring at Podsednik's regular season numbers, blurring them only with the tears of shame dripping off of his chin. That's like losing an arm wrestling match to your grandmother with your girlfriend watching.
Now as this randomness continues, an appeal to Mother Nature.
ENOUGH!
We get it, be nicer to the O-Zone, stop tearing down the rainforests, stop paving everything in the NY metropolitan area, stop genetically producing little dogs the size of purses (no offense Ruby, you're cute).
This latest little Caribbean treat, Wilma, is supposed to make 3 landfalls in the US alone. That's right 3. After a devastating horizontal trip across Florida this lovely lady will turn north, likely making land for the second time as a category one hurrican somewhere in the Washington DC area. Then, after a being joined by a fast moving tropical storm somewhere off the coast it could potentially bring SNOW to New England.
If it snows before Thanksgiving that just might do it for me. Bye bye east coast forever.
Real info tomorrow...maybe.
Sunday, October 16, 2005
Sunday One Liners
- Never let your girlfriend take you home at 11:50 in front of all your best friends. NEVER
- Football games that live up to the hype are rare, USC v. ND was one of the top 5 games ever.
- The Patriots' schedule is not fair.
- Playing one solid half of football is not enough for the Patriots to win anymore, especially since they are destined to play only playoff contenders for the rest of the season.
- Ladanian Tomilinson is a fantasy God, a touchdown passing, receiving, and running in the same game is just unreal
- I am really allergic to something at my buddy Berth's house, my eye was swollen shut this morning, either that or I got beat up by a townie in Worcester last night.
- Regarding the previous statement, I hate cats.
- I will not go out of my way to watch Houston play Chicago in the World Series, neither will you.
- BC should hardly have moved up in the polls after yesterday's near disaster against Wake Forrest.
- ND deserved to stay at their ranking despite a loss.
- The kids who prematurely stormed the field before the USC v. ND game was over spent the longest night of their lives in jail, if they weren't from ND I'd feel bad for them.
- Matt Leinart has replaced Tom Brady as the official "Guy I Would Choose to Trade Places With" if given the choice. This change was precipitated by the amount of time Brady spent on his back this afternoon.
- Here's the thing, I really don't want to get a job, but I would love some income, who wants to be my sponsor? "NESL, the offical law school of the Boston Slant" or "Gibson Gibson Domain, for real estate truly slanted in your favor" or "The Ways and Means Committee, offically slanting your tax dollars into babysitters for state officals."
- I was clearly not an advertising major.
- What the hell was the point of this post?
- My buddy Mike called a 300 pound girl at midnight last night to tell her to come meet us at the Blarney Stone.
- 2 years ago Berth made out with said 300 pound girl...in a bush.
- Mike clearly called her in hopes he would see the spectacle again.
- StatTracker + hangover = bye bye Sunday.
- Your life is pretty lame when you really look forward to your Monday night old man hoops league...really really lame.
- If anyone has been patient enough to get to this point in the post I thank you, and you get a prize...as soon as that sponsorship kicks in.
- Football games that live up to the hype are rare, USC v. ND was one of the top 5 games ever.
- The Patriots' schedule is not fair.
- Playing one solid half of football is not enough for the Patriots to win anymore, especially since they are destined to play only playoff contenders for the rest of the season.
- Ladanian Tomilinson is a fantasy God, a touchdown passing, receiving, and running in the same game is just unreal
- I am really allergic to something at my buddy Berth's house, my eye was swollen shut this morning, either that or I got beat up by a townie in Worcester last night.
- Regarding the previous statement, I hate cats.
- I will not go out of my way to watch Houston play Chicago in the World Series, neither will you.
- BC should hardly have moved up in the polls after yesterday's near disaster against Wake Forrest.
- ND deserved to stay at their ranking despite a loss.
- The kids who prematurely stormed the field before the USC v. ND game was over spent the longest night of their lives in jail, if they weren't from ND I'd feel bad for them.
- Matt Leinart has replaced Tom Brady as the official "Guy I Would Choose to Trade Places With" if given the choice. This change was precipitated by the amount of time Brady spent on his back this afternoon.
- Here's the thing, I really don't want to get a job, but I would love some income, who wants to be my sponsor? "NESL, the offical law school of the Boston Slant" or "Gibson Gibson Domain, for real estate truly slanted in your favor" or "The Ways and Means Committee, offically slanting your tax dollars into babysitters for state officals."
- I was clearly not an advertising major.
- What the hell was the point of this post?
- My buddy Mike called a 300 pound girl at midnight last night to tell her to come meet us at the Blarney Stone.
- 2 years ago Berth made out with said 300 pound girl...in a bush.
- Mike clearly called her in hopes he would see the spectacle again.
- StatTracker + hangover = bye bye Sunday.
- Your life is pretty lame when you really look forward to your Monday night old man hoops league...really really lame.
- If anyone has been patient enough to get to this point in the post I thank you, and you get a prize...as soon as that sponsorship kicks in.
Saturday, October 15, 2005
A Rainy Saturday
Today, my roommate Dave and I stood out in the rain (rain does not do the deluge which abused us relentlessly justice) for an hour and forty five minutes watching BC do their best impression of, well... BC in an important game against an inferior opponent. It looked like Syracuse all over again. At the half the score was 20-7 Wake Forrest and it easily could have been worse.
So we left.
In the car on the way home I said to Dave, "It would really suck if BC came back to win on some kind of last second miracle."
Sigh...
By the time we made the mile walk back to the car (still in the rain), stopped at Moogy's, and drove back to Somerville the score was 27-21 Wake. BC dominated the third quarter when they decided to actually run the ball instead of throwing a wet ball to receivers with wet hands trying to run on a wet field (i.e. somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,000,000 dropped passes). In the 4th Porter did his best impression of Manning in the snow in Foxboro (read: choke) with a terrible floater intended for no one that everyone in the stadium and watching on TV could tell was going to be picked and taken all the way back about half a second after he let it go. It was.
At this point we were feeling good about our decision to leave. We were still soaked as we entered the house and the game appeared to be just about over, especially as Wake Forrest added a field goal to make it 30-21. Typical BC choke.
Right?
Enter Matt Ryan. (Note: You may never see Quinton Porter out of the ball cap ever again.) Less than two minutes later, following a brisk drive through the air capped by a Ryan to Gonzalez touchdown, the score was 30-28 and my emotions were beginning to be torn.
I looked at Dave, and didn't even need to say it. Of course I'm rooting for BC, but good God I hope they don't win on a last second miracle touchdown because after having spent nearly two hours suffering through a monsoon only to leave prematurely it would be a shame to miss a classic finish. Not a shame, a travesty, a sporting cardinal sin.
After a 15 yard penalty on Gonzalez for excessive celebration had BC kicking off from their 20, Wake went three and out from their 40. The punt kicked into the end zone and BC took over with just over two minutes to play and 80 yards to a win. Yes, technically a field goal would have won the game but if you saw last week's game you know that the kicking game is hardly a strength of the Eagles.
Now I'm really nervous. I won't want to face myself in the mirror if I miss a game winning march down the field for a huge comeback win (in a game I was at!), but then again I won't want to face myself if I root against my school either. A lose / lose situation. At least we were dry.
As I'm sure you're aware Ryan drove them down the field in a little over a minute, scoring on a 30 plus yard fade to the corner hauled in spectacularly by Kevin Challenger (one of the best names for an athlete you will ever see).
After the touchdown, with the camera on Challenger the announcers decided that it was time to give us a weather report. Not only was BC now winning, but also the rain had stopped completely. And I quote, "It's pretty much perfect down there right now."
Insult to injury anyone?
At this point these same announcers reminded us that in their last two meetings Wake Forrest had beaten BC in the last minute of play. The clock read 1:16, perhaps some vindication? The Deacons mounted a bit of a drive, and actually had an open receiver with a clear path to the end zone that was just screened from seeing the ball and making the catch by a diving BC defensive back (who was woefully out of position). The game ended on a sack and my inner debate raged.
Could I have lasted another 2 hours in my state of saturation and near hypothermia?
Is missing a classic finish my punishment for being a fair weather fan and leaving at halftime?
Is it now better to lie and say I didn't even go to the game?
Is it now better to lie and say I stayed for the entirety?
Is it now better to leap out the window of my apartment into traffic, offering myself as a sacrifice for the thousands of BC fans like myself who fully deserted their team when they needed them most?
Will the sun ever shine on Massachusetts again?
Could this blog be more dramatic?
Sigh...
So we left.
In the car on the way home I said to Dave, "It would really suck if BC came back to win on some kind of last second miracle."
Sigh...
By the time we made the mile walk back to the car (still in the rain), stopped at Moogy's, and drove back to Somerville the score was 27-21 Wake. BC dominated the third quarter when they decided to actually run the ball instead of throwing a wet ball to receivers with wet hands trying to run on a wet field (i.e. somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,000,000 dropped passes). In the 4th Porter did his best impression of Manning in the snow in Foxboro (read: choke) with a terrible floater intended for no one that everyone in the stadium and watching on TV could tell was going to be picked and taken all the way back about half a second after he let it go. It was.
At this point we were feeling good about our decision to leave. We were still soaked as we entered the house and the game appeared to be just about over, especially as Wake Forrest added a field goal to make it 30-21. Typical BC choke.
Right?
Enter Matt Ryan. (Note: You may never see Quinton Porter out of the ball cap ever again.) Less than two minutes later, following a brisk drive through the air capped by a Ryan to Gonzalez touchdown, the score was 30-28 and my emotions were beginning to be torn.
I looked at Dave, and didn't even need to say it. Of course I'm rooting for BC, but good God I hope they don't win on a last second miracle touchdown because after having spent nearly two hours suffering through a monsoon only to leave prematurely it would be a shame to miss a classic finish. Not a shame, a travesty, a sporting cardinal sin.
After a 15 yard penalty on Gonzalez for excessive celebration had BC kicking off from their 20, Wake went three and out from their 40. The punt kicked into the end zone and BC took over with just over two minutes to play and 80 yards to a win. Yes, technically a field goal would have won the game but if you saw last week's game you know that the kicking game is hardly a strength of the Eagles.
Now I'm really nervous. I won't want to face myself in the mirror if I miss a game winning march down the field for a huge comeback win (in a game I was at!), but then again I won't want to face myself if I root against my school either. A lose / lose situation. At least we were dry.
As I'm sure you're aware Ryan drove them down the field in a little over a minute, scoring on a 30 plus yard fade to the corner hauled in spectacularly by Kevin Challenger (one of the best names for an athlete you will ever see).
After the touchdown, with the camera on Challenger the announcers decided that it was time to give us a weather report. Not only was BC now winning, but also the rain had stopped completely. And I quote, "It's pretty much perfect down there right now."
Insult to injury anyone?
At this point these same announcers reminded us that in their last two meetings Wake Forrest had beaten BC in the last minute of play. The clock read 1:16, perhaps some vindication? The Deacons mounted a bit of a drive, and actually had an open receiver with a clear path to the end zone that was just screened from seeing the ball and making the catch by a diving BC defensive back (who was woefully out of position). The game ended on a sack and my inner debate raged.
Could I have lasted another 2 hours in my state of saturation and near hypothermia?
Is missing a classic finish my punishment for being a fair weather fan and leaving at halftime?
Is it now better to lie and say I didn't even go to the game?
Is it now better to lie and say I stayed for the entirety?
Is it now better to leap out the window of my apartment into traffic, offering myself as a sacrifice for the thousands of BC fans like myself who fully deserted their team when they needed them most?
Will the sun ever shine on Massachusetts again?
Could this blog be more dramatic?
Sigh...
Friday, October 14, 2005
Ah Fall...
The season of agricultural death and sporting rebirth. Does it get any better than this? The Red Sox are locked in an epic battle with the Evil Empire Yankees for the American League Championship, the Patriots are undefeated, BC is playing well enough to keep me sane...
(Harsh beeping!)
Okay, the alarm says it's time to wake up from my daily sports fantasy about "The Good Ol' Days."
The bubble has offically burst my friends.
The Sox were swept out of the ALDS by a White Sox team that, were it not for a Don Denkingeresque performance by the home plate umpire on Wednesday night, should be trailing 2-0 to the Angels in the CS and haven't been able to sort out the "ass from elbow" mystery since Reta-wreck peacefully ended the Red Sox season last week.
The Patriots have the most utterly unfair schedule in the history of the NFL (call me biased but I will not relent, it's insane!) and are playing on one perverbial good leg. Fresh off their annihilation by the Chargers, a game in which Monty Beisel did his best speed bump impression (twice!) the Pats just eeked past a Falcons team valiantly led by... no not Michael Vick but Matt Schaub who threw for an incomprehensible 3 touchdowns in his Falcons debut. If this team needs Brady / Vinatierri last second heroics to beat a team playing without its top weapon, what will happen when they face a Colts team coming off of a bye week.
* Sidenote: So far this season the Colts have faced: Baltimore on the road (1-3, 25th ranked offense, 2nd ranked defense), Jacksonville at home (3-2, 22nd ranked offense, 6th ranked defense), Cleveland at home (2-2, 16th ranked offense, 28th ranked defense), Tennessee on the road (2-3, 23rd ranked offense, 16th ranked defense), and San Francisco on the road (1-4, 31st ranked offense, 32nd ranked defense). Add it up and their opponents are 9-14 with an average offensive ranking of 23.4 and a defensive ranking of 16.8 .
Meanwhile the Patriots have faced: Oakland at home (1-3, 13th ranked offense, 29th ranked defense), Carolina on the road (3-2, 26th ranked offense, 24th ranked defense), Pittsburgh on the road (3-1, 10th ranked offense, 14th ranked defense), San Diego at home (2-3, 14th ranked offense, 21st ranked defense), and Atlanta on the road (3-2, 12th ranked offense, 22nd ranked defense). Add it up and their opponents are 12-11 with an average offensive ranking of 15 and an average defensive ranking of 22.
Look a little deeper and you will see that of the top 5 scoring (ppg) teams the Patriots have played 3, the Colts will play their first on Monday night (Rams). Of the top 5 scoring defenses (points allowed) the Patriots have played one, the Colts are scheduled to play 1 (Bengals) this entire season. Make of this what you will, but what I make of it is that the NFL would love to see their marquee boy in the Super Bowl rather than those ho hum boring Patriots.
I know that sidenote was totally biased homerism but looking at the schedule and the likelihood that homefield advantage will come out of these first 7 weeks or so it seems blatently unfair that the Pats would play 3 playoff teams from a year ago while the Colts play Bridgewater State every week until they magically get a bye the week before playing the Pats in New England. Come on, I feel like I'm taking crazy pills but this is stacked in Indianapolis' favor!
Okay enough whining.
The point of this blog was to point out that the whimsical ride of fanciful delights New England sports fans have enjoyed over the past few years is offically over. There will be a new champion in baseball (at least it won't be the Yankees) and the Patriots look vulnerable. Hey, we survived twenty-odd years of it before this golden age, we'll survive it again.
So, what will happen?
Well, the four remaining teams in the baseball playoffs all have weaknesses. The Cardinals are my favorite. Will Carpenter at the front of their rotation and Isringhausen at the back they probably have 2 games right there. The problem is their bullpen, Tavarez can't get it together and he's the stud of their middle relief. Luckily for them their offense is strong enough, if aging a bit, to get them past almost anyone... except mabye the Astros with their starting rotation. These Astros are the trendy pick of the week. Everyone says pitching wins championships and they certainly have plenty. Clemens, Pettite, Oswalt, and Backe all seem to be in stride and if they are all hot at the same time there is no reason they can't sneak out of the NLCS into the World Series.
In the American League the Angels, by all rights should have a 2-0 lead. Even tied they still have to be considered the favorites, they came out of Chicago with a split which is always the goal of the team without homefield advantage. However, I think this series could be decided by game 3 tonight. The White Sox have not played half as well as they did in the ALDS against the Red Sox and they need to carry the momentum of dramatically stealing game 2 into game 3. If not they could be finished. Likewise the Angels need to rebound from feeling like they had one stolen from them and if they were to fold in game 3 they could start to feel like it's just not meant to be. In this cruical game I like the Angels based on the experience of both their manager and their roster. The White Sox roster is loaded with players with no post-season experience including game 3 starter John Garland who was just slightly better than average in the second half, and manger Ozzie Guillen who has seemed almost magical in his decision making thusfar, it can't last. (I will not talk about what could have happened if the White Sox played like this in the ALDS, I won't, I can't, it won't let me sleep at night!)
In the World Series I like the Angels if the Astros make it, although Biggio's and Berkman's desire for a ring in what is likely their last stand could carry Houston to make it a competitive series. If the Cardinals make it back to the Series for a second straight year I can't imagine that they will be denied, their lineup is experienced and they still have the best player in baseball Albert Pujols and most likely the NL Cy Young winner Chris Carpenter. I can't see them laying an egg like they did last season.
As for my recently unemployed status and my plans to address it, the unrest there is about as prevalent as the unrest in the Red Sox clubhouse (and front office... a plea: stop low balling Theo and pay him, a lot, you're not going to do any better). I really don't want to spend another winter in New England, I love it here but I'm seasonally miserable. I've already seen the Red Sox win the World Series, the Patriots win 2 Super Bowls and BC win a national championship (hockey). Sporting-wise there isn't much left. I've lived my entire life within the same 50 mile radius (excluding 3 months on Staten Island, a.k.a. Hell on Earth) and I feel as though if I don't make a move now I might wake up 50 years old, pale, fat, with a rotten liver, and a job I could care less about. The weather of southern California calls me and considering what I've heard from friends that live / lived there I think I would love it. It's just that the timing is awkward. If this were September it would be a lot easier, moving for November 1st is incredbily annoying. It's hard to build a life somewhere if you're constantly traveling home to avoid parental and self inflicted guilt about missing holidays. Essentially what I want is an easy way to move out west and spend the forseeable future not worrying about snow and rain and asshole drivers. That probably won't present itself so maybe I'll be here until January 1st but that will be the latest. No more endless February's and snowy March's for me. I just can't stomach it. I know I'd be leaving a lot behind here but this is a great crossroads of my life and to not make the decision that would clearly make me happiest would be a huge mistake, and one that I may regret for the rest of my life.
Aren't you honored, you just witnessed me talking myself into moving west. How often can you say that you were able to follow someone's train of thought that you know (or hardly know, this is the internet afterall) as they make a huge life decision? Now you can. If you think I'm an idiot, let me know, but I'm pretty sure I've got this one right.
This is probably the worst blog ever. Sorry I'm out of shape.
(Harsh beeping!)
Okay, the alarm says it's time to wake up from my daily sports fantasy about "The Good Ol' Days."
The bubble has offically burst my friends.
The Sox were swept out of the ALDS by a White Sox team that, were it not for a Don Denkingeresque performance by the home plate umpire on Wednesday night, should be trailing 2-0 to the Angels in the CS and haven't been able to sort out the "ass from elbow" mystery since Reta-wreck peacefully ended the Red Sox season last week.
The Patriots have the most utterly unfair schedule in the history of the NFL (call me biased but I will not relent, it's insane!) and are playing on one perverbial good leg. Fresh off their annihilation by the Chargers, a game in which Monty Beisel did his best speed bump impression (twice!) the Pats just eeked past a Falcons team valiantly led by... no not Michael Vick but Matt Schaub who threw for an incomprehensible 3 touchdowns in his Falcons debut. If this team needs Brady / Vinatierri last second heroics to beat a team playing without its top weapon, what will happen when they face a Colts team coming off of a bye week.
* Sidenote: So far this season the Colts have faced: Baltimore on the road (1-3, 25th ranked offense, 2nd ranked defense), Jacksonville at home (3-2, 22nd ranked offense, 6th ranked defense), Cleveland at home (2-2, 16th ranked offense, 28th ranked defense), Tennessee on the road (2-3, 23rd ranked offense, 16th ranked defense), and San Francisco on the road (1-4, 31st ranked offense, 32nd ranked defense). Add it up and their opponents are 9-14 with an average offensive ranking of 23.4 and a defensive ranking of 16.8 .
Meanwhile the Patriots have faced: Oakland at home (1-3, 13th ranked offense, 29th ranked defense), Carolina on the road (3-2, 26th ranked offense, 24th ranked defense), Pittsburgh on the road (3-1, 10th ranked offense, 14th ranked defense), San Diego at home (2-3, 14th ranked offense, 21st ranked defense), and Atlanta on the road (3-2, 12th ranked offense, 22nd ranked defense). Add it up and their opponents are 12-11 with an average offensive ranking of 15 and an average defensive ranking of 22.
Look a little deeper and you will see that of the top 5 scoring (ppg) teams the Patriots have played 3, the Colts will play their first on Monday night (Rams). Of the top 5 scoring defenses (points allowed) the Patriots have played one, the Colts are scheduled to play 1 (Bengals) this entire season. Make of this what you will, but what I make of it is that the NFL would love to see their marquee boy in the Super Bowl rather than those ho hum boring Patriots.
I know that sidenote was totally biased homerism but looking at the schedule and the likelihood that homefield advantage will come out of these first 7 weeks or so it seems blatently unfair that the Pats would play 3 playoff teams from a year ago while the Colts play Bridgewater State every week until they magically get a bye the week before playing the Pats in New England. Come on, I feel like I'm taking crazy pills but this is stacked in Indianapolis' favor!
Okay enough whining.
The point of this blog was to point out that the whimsical ride of fanciful delights New England sports fans have enjoyed over the past few years is offically over. There will be a new champion in baseball (at least it won't be the Yankees) and the Patriots look vulnerable. Hey, we survived twenty-odd years of it before this golden age, we'll survive it again.
So, what will happen?
Well, the four remaining teams in the baseball playoffs all have weaknesses. The Cardinals are my favorite. Will Carpenter at the front of their rotation and Isringhausen at the back they probably have 2 games right there. The problem is their bullpen, Tavarez can't get it together and he's the stud of their middle relief. Luckily for them their offense is strong enough, if aging a bit, to get them past almost anyone... except mabye the Astros with their starting rotation. These Astros are the trendy pick of the week. Everyone says pitching wins championships and they certainly have plenty. Clemens, Pettite, Oswalt, and Backe all seem to be in stride and if they are all hot at the same time there is no reason they can't sneak out of the NLCS into the World Series.
In the American League the Angels, by all rights should have a 2-0 lead. Even tied they still have to be considered the favorites, they came out of Chicago with a split which is always the goal of the team without homefield advantage. However, I think this series could be decided by game 3 tonight. The White Sox have not played half as well as they did in the ALDS against the Red Sox and they need to carry the momentum of dramatically stealing game 2 into game 3. If not they could be finished. Likewise the Angels need to rebound from feeling like they had one stolen from them and if they were to fold in game 3 they could start to feel like it's just not meant to be. In this cruical game I like the Angels based on the experience of both their manager and their roster. The White Sox roster is loaded with players with no post-season experience including game 3 starter John Garland who was just slightly better than average in the second half, and manger Ozzie Guillen who has seemed almost magical in his decision making thusfar, it can't last. (I will not talk about what could have happened if the White Sox played like this in the ALDS, I won't, I can't, it won't let me sleep at night!)
In the World Series I like the Angels if the Astros make it, although Biggio's and Berkman's desire for a ring in what is likely their last stand could carry Houston to make it a competitive series. If the Cardinals make it back to the Series for a second straight year I can't imagine that they will be denied, their lineup is experienced and they still have the best player in baseball Albert Pujols and most likely the NL Cy Young winner Chris Carpenter. I can't see them laying an egg like they did last season.
As for my recently unemployed status and my plans to address it, the unrest there is about as prevalent as the unrest in the Red Sox clubhouse (and front office... a plea: stop low balling Theo and pay him, a lot, you're not going to do any better). I really don't want to spend another winter in New England, I love it here but I'm seasonally miserable. I've already seen the Red Sox win the World Series, the Patriots win 2 Super Bowls and BC win a national championship (hockey). Sporting-wise there isn't much left. I've lived my entire life within the same 50 mile radius (excluding 3 months on Staten Island, a.k.a. Hell on Earth) and I feel as though if I don't make a move now I might wake up 50 years old, pale, fat, with a rotten liver, and a job I could care less about. The weather of southern California calls me and considering what I've heard from friends that live / lived there I think I would love it. It's just that the timing is awkward. If this were September it would be a lot easier, moving for November 1st is incredbily annoying. It's hard to build a life somewhere if you're constantly traveling home to avoid parental and self inflicted guilt about missing holidays. Essentially what I want is an easy way to move out west and spend the forseeable future not worrying about snow and rain and asshole drivers. That probably won't present itself so maybe I'll be here until January 1st but that will be the latest. No more endless February's and snowy March's for me. I just can't stomach it. I know I'd be leaving a lot behind here but this is a great crossroads of my life and to not make the decision that would clearly make me happiest would be a huge mistake, and one that I may regret for the rest of my life.
Aren't you honored, you just witnessed me talking myself into moving west. How often can you say that you were able to follow someone's train of thought that you know (or hardly know, this is the internet afterall) as they make a huge life decision? Now you can. If you think I'm an idiot, let me know, but I'm pretty sure I've got this one right.
This is probably the worst blog ever. Sorry I'm out of shape.
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