It's a beautiful day (Don't let it get away)

David Ortiz continues to cement his status as a larger than life Boston sports legend …

Bill:
"I feel this is my house, and I've got to protect this house."

 

---

Doug:
"I think our fans, they need to hear some good news, something nice coming through the organization."

 

---

Bill:
Nice? That's nice by a factah of 10 fercrissakes. Thank you, thank you, thank you Mango Salsa Man.

 

---

Doug:
Theo says, "David embodies what we want a Red Sox player to be." Talk about hitting the nail on the head.

 

---

Bill:
We've got Ortiz locked and telling the world how cool it is to be with the Red Sox. We've got Josh Beckett starting the afternoon Home Opener on sunny 60 degree day. Is this heaven?

 

---

Doug:
I know. I'm happiah than an illegal with fake papahs. Even the bad news about Crisp's broken knuckle is manageable in light of all the othah positives.

 

---

Bill:
You know how good I feel? Here's an example. I can watch this animated, retro-videogame of the 10th inning of Game 6 1986 ovah and ovah with nothing by a smile of admiration for what the guy has pulled off creatively.

 

---

Doug:
Are you kidding me? It's one of the best things I've evah seen on the internets.

 

---

Bill:
Two years ago, watching this would have caused me to go into a Kenny Rogers meets cameraman fit of rage. But now that 2004 is in the bag, I can enjoy the video for the pure entertainment brilliance that it is.

 

---

Doug:
The tragedy has become tragicomedy. "A little rollah"? Heh. I've got your little rollah right heah.

 

---

Author's Notes
The link to the video as well as inspiration for the character speeches on the topic come courtesy of Chris O'Donnell (otherwise known as COD here in the comments) who sent me a link to his blog post on the video.

Comments

[Follwer of Tito]

with no game on last night, I just went over to NESN to see what was up. You know, I have never seen the whole "Faith Rewarded" thing before...if that real-life script had been submitted as fictions, you'd have been laughed out of the office. Another thing, Papi does loom incrediblly large when you see 2004 with a little more time for perspective.

Totally agree with the characters today h.b., its all gravy now. Play Ball!

[louclinton]

tragicomedy indeed. we are scathed, but unstoppable. without pain, there is no joy.

Good luck, Bro. to the remnants of the 1946 WS team. 60 years on...

Think Belli or JohnNY will make it to 2064? I know Michelle will be there. That's an itch you have to keep scratching.

Yay RS.

[GaryGeiger]

FOT: You're so right. If you're going to break an 86 yeard old drought (none of that curse crap) you couldn't script it better, to not only stare down history, but to piss on it.
The "Faith Rewarded" telecast was a nice surprise. It brought to mind the guys who were a big part of it, but whose skills eroded over the winter, and were out of town by the end of '05, (Bellhorn, Embree and Millar).
I know I'll get slaughtered for this, but why do the attacks continue on Millar? Yes, it was time for him to go, but the "writers' in this town never miss an opportunity to take a shot at him. He was a good guy, he helped to erase the 25 players, 25 cabs history and, without his 9th inning walk against Rivera, Roberts doesn't get the chance to steal second. Give the guy some peace.

Opening day 2006, and all is well....

[Kluv]

Lets. Go. Red. Sox.

Great piece today, h.b. You hit the nail right on the head.

[Kaz]

I know I posted this quote yesterday, but I didn't want it to slip through the cracks unnoticed because I found it so late in the day:

"We're not happy about being 2-4, but it's better than being 1-5."

--Johnny Muhammed

Have fun with that, New York...he's gonna say something like that every time you put a mic under his nose.

[GaryGeiger]

Plus, has anyone seen the "new" 'Yankee Universe' tee shirts being blabbed about in the NY papers? Yes, it's for a good cause, but doesn't it seem a bit....derivative?

[Sean O]

It's gonna be great when Damon gets to Yankee Stadium and gets annihilated by the dimensions.

As for Millar, he was certainly well-received down at Baltimore this weekend, and not just because he went 0-fer the series.

Can't wait for today, i'll be happily listening over XM.

[bos1]

I love that Papi got 4 years - 52 million... where have I seen those numbers before?? It's good that the front office knows where to place such value. Home opener - GO SOX!

[louclinton]

2 things:

I tried watching the game linked in the strip...couldn't make it to the end. Still too hurtful. It was great hearing Scully thank Harry Coyle et al, which is something they only do when THE GAME IS DECIDED. Also, it cleared up a misconception that I have had for 20 years, and tried to perpetuate in these comments only last month. Marty Barret was the MVP for the game, not the series, but in my chicken-self-denial-is-good-for-the-soul mental state for the last 20 years, I missed that nuance.

And Sean O, XM is the greatest. Let's all sign up. There is nothing to compare to driving home in a snowstorm in April listening to a Padres game, live, with Jerry Coleman ["Oh Doctor!"].

Enjoy the day, kids.

lc

[Natalie]

lc- I agree. I still have psychic pain re: 1986, probably because it was one of the rare times I saw my mother cry (a lifelong Sox fan, she passed away in February of 2004, imagine that). But enough of the painful, it's Opening Day! May the Fens be alive with joy and laughter as the Sox make it 6-1...

PS- Anyone else see Damon on Letterman last night? All cleaned up and metrosexual, no thanks: I prefer my men to be men. I'll take the rough-and-ready Dirt Dogs (up to and including the portly and beersoaked Wells) over effeminate blue lipstick, perfect coifs and pressed jeans any day!

[Kaz]

T-minus 3 hours and 35 minutes to game time and I am settling into my office with MLB Radio online and surround sound speakers...but also close enough to the game to actually mix in a bit of the "roar of the crowd" from the actual park.

I might even go grab a Sausage Guy $5 sausage from his cart on Landsdowne St for lunch just for authenticity.

My first tickets of the year are for Thursday...damned if it probably won't be rained out (or at least be miserable to watch because of the rain/threat).

PLAY BALL!

[NV in SD]

Ahhhh- Kaz, you're KILLIN me ova heah. The best substitution I'll get today is to walk down to the hot dog cart in Little Italy for what is sure to be a marginally acceptable replacement for a Fenway Frank. C'est la vie (at least it's about 75 out today ;)).

I'll be listening to Joe and Trup's call- hopefully MLB audio will be picking up the broadcast pre-game. I'd love to hear the crowd's reaction to Pesky, Doerr, and Ferris' introductions.

LET'S GO RED SOX!!!

[vancouversoxfan]

GG, you are so right about Millar.

Opening day in the Fens and I can see it live and in colour on Canadian Sportsnet.

Indeed, it's a beautiful day!

[Jennay]

Natalie-I saw Johnny on Letterman and I have to agree, he looked too pretty!
Kaz-I'm jealous, I would love a sausage sandwich for lunch! diet? what diet?
2 hours till game time, have my computer all set to go here at work-Go Sox!!

[Tman]

Kaz,

I am so jealous.

[George Lake]

So, Mahty, where does that Lite Beer award hang today? Ouch!

[Aaron]

Goddamit, I'm so jealous of everyone back home right now. I have to wait until the end of July before the Sox make it way out here to Seattle, and the swarms of RSN descend upon Safeco Field to turn it into "Fenway West." In the eight years I've lived out here, I've seen roughly 15 Sox games, and with the possible exception of 2001 (when the local nine won 116 games), there wasn't one time where we didn't outnumber the Mariners fans in their own stadium.

They have a beautiful stadium out here, and good, cheap seats are always plentiful, but gawd, I miss Fenway right now.

[Peter*]

We are all ready for a very memorable day, and Josh Baseball will make us stand up and cheer. Let's do it!

[Millar for MVP]

I will be reduced to listening on MLB audio with the volume up just enough for me to hear but not so loud that it climbs over the cubicle walls.

[IkeG]

I see they brought Mohr up to temporarily replace Crisp. We got lots of outfielders --- probably remembering last year when they got so desperate that they trotted out an injured Jose Cruz Jr.

I agree on the Boston writers' treatment of Millar. What's their problem? One guy (Wilbur, I think?) was saying how old the "Cowboy Up" stuff is going to get when the O's are mired in 4th or 5th. Maybe true, but a cheap shot.

[Jason O.]

HB, I thought for sure that today a Soxaholix character would say:

"I'm happier today than a Duke lacrosse player."

[dirtdog in ny]

Jealous, yeah I am. I do have the baseball package on cable, so I'll be seeing it, but there's a few major drawbacks--you never know if the game will be covered by nesn until it starts, there's no pre- or post- game, and the nanosecond the final out is made, the screen goest blank. On the other hand, I can flick over and watch Arroyo pitch, the Reds are playing this afternoon too. Caught him the other day, he looked great, homerun and all. Its fantastic that papi is here to stay, but I do wish Arroyo was too, instead of Wells but, you can't have everything...

[Jason O.]

Hello Dirtdog:

Go to indemand.com, get to the mlb page and click the "schedule" tab....that will take you to the master monthly schedule and it is on this page where you will see the correct cable feed listed for all games for the month. This is 95% accurate.

[Kaz]

15 minutes to game time and the crowds on Comm Ave and in Kenmore are reaching a blue, red, and white fevered pitch (no, not "Fever Pitch", may Fallon rest in hell). Horns every 30 seconds from dad, mom, and the kids getting in the way of daily traffic...or BU students passively-agressively taking back their streets by ignoring turning vehicles and green lights...even heard my first call for "PRRRRoograms" on the Brookline St bridge earlier.

Trust me, I don't post to stir up the jealousy...I just want to pass on the sights/sounds that come from working near Fenway on Opening Day to those that turn to the Soxaholix to feed their Sox habit...an enabler for the addiction, as it were.

[Bob]

Biggest intro ovation: Big Papi, naturally. Job title that needs to be changed immediately: the guy who's in charge of "performance enhancement."

[h.b.]

Jumping Jeebuz, Arroyo just homered again for the Reds!!!!

[Kaz]

Arroyo has really got something to prove...hehe.

Meanwhile, how about that Stern!?!

[dirtdog in ny]

Arroyo is playing his ass off, pretty much flipping off the FO, "see what your gave away"? Thanks Jason, it does take the suspense away, but again, it still sucks to have to listen to the "golf announcers" at comcast...are you enjoying the mfy game, bp and all, oh wait, you probably are in the same boat as me, no pre/post, and YES now has bp before the game too. Its all wasted on me......

[Bob]

I said it once, I'll say it again: Arroyo is Babe Ruth redux.:)

[Kaz]

Oh, wait, Arroyo hit both homers off of the same pitcher (Glendon "Go to your car in the 6th inning and avoid the" Rusch).

[Jennay]

Arroyo homers, sox are winning, beautiful day, and I am leaving work. Does life get any better??

[louclinton]

"trot felt a twinge"-- Jerry T

It's still a beautiful day....

[Natalie]

Um, just the obvious, Jennay. Yanks are losing to the Royals 7-4 in the 7th :) Life is good.

[Kaz]

Did he just say "Loretta...hits it down like he's playing jai alai!" on WEEI??

LOL. He said Jai Alai...

[h.b.]

I heard that! What a great image to use on the radio. I knew EXACTLY what he meant.

[louclinton]

Obviously pandering to people from New Bedford (heh)

[Bob]

Og please just be a Trot-twinge, and not a Trot-out-for-three-months-tear.

[Kaz]

If Trot is out (big surprise...), then it really doesn't even phase me. We have Pena, Stern, and even Mohr now. We're fine for OF right now.

No, Manny, that doesn't mean you get to "be Manny" right now, thanks.

[Bob]

Yeah, but rememember that Coco is out for about a month, too. No Coco plus no Trot equals a fairly big loss of production (offensive and defensive), no matter who the replacements are.

[NolaSox]

Kaz and NV, I wish I could get a decent sausage on the street here in the Quarter, but our selection is limited to Lucky Dogs from guys who truly remind you of Ignatius Reilly.

[harwich rich]

OK so I take back all the bad things I was thinking about Mike Lowell

[Bob]

Too bad the Skankees scored five times in the bottom of the eighth to beat the pathetic Royals, 9-7.

[Bob]

And anybody who thinks Wily Mo is a suitable replacement for Trot in right field should ask Foulke what he thinks.

[Devine]

Good platoon partner (crushes lefties)...maybe not the best fielder (though, sure, it was his first time in that outfield). I just hated the three swinging strikes.

I doubt Trot is out for long (though it wouldn't exactly surprise me). Stern replacing Coco is not exactly a wash, but it's not that big a loss either, the way Stern is playing (and continues to play).

[Kaz]

I think this is the first time Pena has even played in Fenway. I'll cut him some slack on not knowing the wall in RF and a 5-yr old could tip a ball over that wall with his glove if he doesn't catch it on the track.

[Sean O]

Well, I'm certainly happy about Lowell proving me dead-on right, that the Monster would truly be great for him. What I didn't expect, however, was him using the right-center alley to his benefit as well.

Pena needs to shape up immediately, because while I still believe it will be a beneficial trade, oof, he looks horrible now.

Stern is earning his stripes, and I'm really proud of him. Foulke still has a way to go, but this team is looking beautiful these days.

Anyone else get a sense of desperation from the folks down south, with their bloated, old payroll barely beating the lowly Royals? Meanwhile, we have a well-balanced team (except Gonzo, I want him gone yesterday) that is younger and cheaper, and locked up longer. Yeah, I'm happy.

[Kaz]

What did you do with the real Sean O?

;)

[h.b.]

I think this is the first time Pena has even played in Fenway. I'll
cut him some slack on not knowing the wall in RF and a 5-yr old could
tip a ball over that wall with his glove if he doesn't catch it on the
track.

Actually, no. I was alerted to this by a coworker who is a Reds fan and it was corroborated on the WEEI broadcast:

Pena did the EXACT same thing, same spot even, last year as with the Reds in interleague play at Fenway. Manny hit one just on the border of in/out and Pena muffed it causing it to go out!

As my Cincy friend said, "In the outfield, Wily Mo is a total flake."

:)

I'm still optimistic about him though.

[Anon]

Ortiz = Mo Vaugh 2.0. Overpaid for years 3 and 4, when the debilitating knee problems take over. Good.

Nice to see that you continue to smear former players, Millare the latest victim.

You guys are funny. You think the season is set in stone after 7 games.

[h.b.]

You guys are funny. You think the season is set in stone after 7 games.

Gaw, I don't have time for anon imbeciles. Did you even read the strip? What did you get on your SAT for reading comp, 400?

So deleted and IP banned, asswipe.

And no, this isn't a free speech democracy, it's our site, our living room, non-Red Sox fans, frankly, are here at their own risk.

You can be smart, like Jason O for instance, or you be, ah, you.