If you walkaway, walkaway

Bits of the 2004 Championship Pennant flutter sadly in November's long shadows. It gets dark so early. Being a fan today feels like a shocking rudeness — one continually burns with shame but cannot understand why. It's as though our whole intention was suddenly terribly misguided, as though the site we built on really is a swamp, or someone else's property, or both. And, as in a dream, there is no moment after finding out. …

Bill:
I feel like I have nothing to say today.

 

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Bill:
It's not that I think anyone already understands what I feel (though many surely do), and it's not that I think "everything's already been said."

 

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Bill:
It's more like the feelings themselves are resentful toward the idea of their being made public — like they have a humility that makes them cringe at the thought of a witness.

 

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Bill:
I believe it is at this point that one tends to say, "I feel fine."

 

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Author's Notes:
Everything today heavily inspired by Wenderoth's Letters to Wendy's entries "November 6, 1996" and "November 20, 1996."

Comments

[pawsoxpop]

Thank you Aaron.

[h.b.]

Honestly, I should never comment on this site. It ruins the whole thing for me.

So I'll go back to lurking.

[NewtonNephew]

I think there is reason for alarm. BDD has posted some of Peter Gammons' comments frnom a Sunday radio interview. Assuming the transcription is accurate, Gammons, the most respected baseball journalist in the country, said that:
(i) CHB's claim that LL "fell on his sword" for Theo by killing the Colorado trade was "lies" given to CHB by Charles Steinberg, and
(ii) that the "upstairs" people, i.e., top managament at the Red Sox organization cares only about marketing and milking the "Red Sox Nation" craze. "[I]t's not about practical baseball. .... They don't think the baseball is important."

That should be alarming to all Red Sox fans.

[Bob]

Sorry for the ong comment, but it's interesting to apply it to certain people, don't you think?

NARCISSISTIC PERSONALITY DISORDER

An all-pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behaviour), need for admiration or adulation and lack of empathy, usually beginning by early adulthood and present in various contexts.

Five (or more) of the following criteria must be met:

Feels grandiose and self-important (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents to the point of lying, demands to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)

Is obsessed with fantasies of unlimited success, fame, fearsome power or omnipotence, unequalled brilliance (the cerebral narcissist), bodily beauty or sexual performance (the somatic narcissist), or ideal, everlasting, all-conquering love or passion

Firmly convinced that he or she is unique and, being special, can only be understood by, should only be treated by, or associate with, other special or unique, or high-status people (or institutions)

Requires excessive admiration, adulation, attention and affirmation - or, failing that, wishes to be feared and to be notorious (narcissistic supply)

Feels entitled. Expects unreasonable or special and favorable priority treatment. Demands automatic and full compliance with his or her expectations

Is "interpersonally exploitative", i.e., uses others to achieve his or her own ends

Devoid of empathy. Is unable or unwilling to identify with or acknowledge the feelings and needs of others

Constantly envious of others or believes that they feel the same about him or her

Arrogant, haughty behaviours or attitudes coupled with rage when frustrated, contradicted, or confronted

[pawsoxpop]

Okay, in an attempt to lighten the mood, here are my three candidates for the next GM:

3. Mrs. Manny Ramirez: Put an end to Manny's trade demands.

2. Mike Tamburro (Pawsox GM) - What better way to show that you're serious about developing a competitive minor league system than promoting a man who helped create one of the most successful minor league franchises in the country?

1. David Ortiz: Probably the best choice of all because a. it would be a substantial bump up in salary for one of baseball's most underpaid players; b. Papi has great baseball instincets, knows how to delegate and is not rattled by the Boston celebrity machine; c. it would give him something to do when the team is on the field and it would be harder for stupid writers to say he shouldn't be MVP because he's "one dimensional."

[NewtonNephew]

Bob, who are you claiming is the narcissist? We don't really know any of these people, but the description seems better to fit LL than young Theo.

I agree -- Papi for GM!

[Bob]

NewtonNephew; my thought was to just apply it to whomever you want in the Red Sox front office (past and present). I think it describes one person quite accurately: LL. That said, you're right; we don't really know any of these people. Just going by what I've heard and read from those who do.

[Pat]

Did someone page a troll?

Wikipdeia: Schadenfreude is a German term meaning "pleasure taken from someone else's misfortune" or "shameful joy."

[Ice Princess]

Oh poor H.B. Chin up sunshine.

Sometimes a shakeup can be a good thing. Embrace change & rub your World Series Championship replica ring for luck, hope, and the ever present Sawx fan characteristic, faith.

[pawsoxpop]

So Pat's getting his dose of Schadenfreude from a front-office flap? Yet another sign that we're in a new century. I can see the t-shirts at Yankee Stadium now: Side A: "NY Yankees, 2005 American League East Champions by Split Decision who lost in first round to team that lost in second round but were not swept." Side B: "We kept our GM and you didn't."

Man, that really gets me down.

[Pat]

Wrong again Pops. The stupid group t-shirt section is located at Fenway. Anyone for a nice rendition of Cowboy Up? Thought so.

[NV in SD]

Wow Pat- did you find that all by yourself? Congratulations lady- you just won the "Most Insipid Comment of the Day" award.

You must be new here- schadenfreude was SO mid-summer...

[NV in SD]

...and through the haze, a spot of brightness:

Tek just won his first Gold Glove.

Congratulations Jason- know any good GMs looking for a job?

[pawsoxpop]

As usual, the Sports Guy nails the way I feel about this situation. A bit sad to see Theo go, but by no means devastated. Quote of the day: "Are we losing a young Red Auerbach here? Ummm .... it's a little early to say that ..."

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/051101

Feel free to disagree.

[NYSoxfan]

My vote for Sox GM in lieu of a Theo return: Peter Gammons. Would that not make for an insane 2006? At any rate, if Manny walks, it gives the next GM some flexibility that Theo didn't have. That said, I hope they use that $20 mln to nab Matsui & Konerko...

[NV in SD]

"My vote for Sox GM in lieu of a Theo return: Peter Gammons"

THAT, my friend, would be fucking awesome. Something tells me that he has been offered that job in the past. I picture the conversation going something like this:

Person X:
"Hey Gammo- you are the shit- you wanna be GM of the Sox?"

Gammons:
"Lick my old wrinkly balls."

[donbuddin]

Memo to John Henry

You have 13 hours to fix this fucking mess. Get it right.

yic

[Kaz]

Pretty funny front page, h.b.

[Jim]

This whole saga has the perfect makings for a Harvard Business School case study. Theme: power and its consequences.

[illegitimate son of dwight evans]

how about CHB for GM. If the team's gonna go down, may as well actually pin it on someone worth taking the fall, and just to see his incompetent ass get fired for *something*.

[Blade87]

The magic is no more. Poof. Boston can now go back to being a non contender to the NY (do I have to say their name?)in a weak division.

The WSJ- the same paper which wrote such a glowing profile of our host, HB- put his site on the map, baby!
They also just happened to do a biz profile on John Shuerholtz/Atlant's GM fior 14 years of post season action (but just one WS win...yikes)last summer. Every thing Atlanta's GM believes makes good ball teams, seem to show how Boston does exactly the opposite, just out of spite.

You can call it luck, but whatever it is, it always favors the prepared mind- even in baseball.

To Hart- love your nome de plume and site. I hope we continue to deserve it- many thanks.

Jimy Williams could use a job, Boston!

[George Lake]

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,17120059%255E7583,00.html

Eerie.

[NewtonNephew]

"Loose lips sink ships" is my favorite caption, but it is not one of those available on a t-shirt.

[hating life]

www.lucchino-sucks.com is now a website.

[dirtdog in new york]

Yup, nothing much to say...I keep thinking its just a bad dream, and I'm gonna wake up.........

[valley]

I'm a long time lurker from Ct.After getting over the initial sickness from the Theo mess,I tossed & turned last night thinking Damon will be at the top of the MFY line-up.

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