As long as you stilll have one more at bat

Susan/Circle:
Just when I think I can no longah reconcile cheering for the Red Sox while seeing anothah person crying for help or just croaking right there while the anguish porn camera is rolling, along comes Jonathan Papelbon.

 

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Mike:
Totally. I mean aftah reading about the kid vomiting in grief when they took his puppy away, I was like, "Fuck the peanuts and cracker jacks, this lot ain't nevah getting back."

 

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Susan/Circle:
Papelbon spends the entire week checking on his family and friends, his Godmothah is homeless, his Novembah wedding hotel undah watah, and he comes in with poise, aggression, and ahm action to work a dynamic 8th.

 

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Mike:
No mattah how bad the situation, one can't give up on baseball.

 

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Susan/Circle:
Baseball represents America. And America represents hope.

 

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Mike:
Today is the day the day things staht to get bettah for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, the rally has begun.

 

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Susan/Circle:
All it takes is for one good thing to lead to anothah good thing … down but nevah, evah out.

 

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Notes from the author:

Is the tone of today's strip out of character for the usually acerbic, sarcastic, and iconoclastic Soxaholix? Perhaps, but, honestly, I just didn't have it in me today to veer the strip into those murky, toxic waters . While in the past it's been easy to provide and irreverent and profane voice to such topics as the death of the Pope or the Terry Schiavo ordeal, for instance, the abysmal, and seeming to get worse each day, situation resulting from Hurricane Katrina feels different to me. And it's not like I don't have whole shit load of personal impudence building up inside me over what is happening, or rather, not happening, with respect to the rescue operations. I just don't feel right in having The Soxaholix strip/blog generate humor or otherwise take advantage of the situation. (Goodness knows it's not like there isn't a lot of that going on already.)

On the other hand, it felt equally wrong to just ignore the cataclysm entirely.

I want to add, too, that I'm earnest in my belief that baseball is a reflection of ,or a hope of, our better nature and all that we aspire to as individuals, as fans, as teammates, and as a nation. After all, the essence of the game of baseball is about leaving home and fighting adversity as you attempt to return home.

Now I know it's quite easy and borders on the unseemly to sit hear with dry feet from the comfort of my cozy abode and wax philosophical or take a Pollyannaish "bottom of the 9th but we can rally view" when I'm not the one being tested every minute by the crisis. But when the alternative is to gnash my teeth, wring my hands, and bang my head on the floor while shouting "Something. Must. Be. Done!" and is as equally ineffectual in having a positive impact on the situation, I'll take to wearing the rally cap and hoping for the best.

Comments

[David]

Well said.
We should be grateful for our good fortunes,
do what we can to offer relief,
and keep up hope.

[Wardo]

You did a fine job, as always. I don't remember when I started coming here (probably by way of Joy Of Sox or Surviving Grady) but it's been a source of irreverence and information and a great way to start the day. Out here in Chicagoland most Sox fans are fairweather (and nobody cares about the White Sox). Besides, my wife loves seeing the Cask 'N Flagon in the corner of the screen. You keep posting, we'll keep reading.

[pudge]

Granted, but couldn't you have squeezed in a joke about Jaret Wright? :-)

[h.b.]

Granted, but couldn't you have squeezed in a joke about Jaret Wright?

Or what about the "embedded" Red Sox, Ramiro Mendoza?

[Kluv]

Well. Fucking. Said. H.B.

Thanks.

[buckner was framed]

One of the things that distinguishes Sox fans is our self-proclaimed status as 'the most intelligent fans in baseball'. However, it is strips like today's that truly reflect that intelligence and an ability to keep things in perspective. Thanks, HB, for once again making me think. Kudos, also, to the Sox brass for initiating a response to the Katrina tragedy rather than waiting to be a part of a forthcoming MLB response.

[vancouversoxfan]

Excellent thoughts, h.b. I feel compelled to write today so please indulge me for a non-sports moment.moment

As a cop, I along my blue brother and sisters will often "demonize" those on the other side of the law so that we won't have to think of the root causes of many (but not all)crimes, namely addictions and poverty. If we had to think of those causes everytime we arrested somebody we would be driven crazy or become social workers which is not what the citizens want us to be.

When I first saw the looting in the Big Easy, my first thought was "shoot the bastards". However over the coming days I realized that when you have little to begin with, and then have nothing left and you are living in a state of anarchy, you gotta do, what you gotta do. Even if it means stealing non food items like TVs so you can sell them for money hopefully for food or transportation or whatever. Really is it any different than the store owners gouging people on the price of generators, gas etc.

On the other hand you have the roving packs of pure evil who are raping, assaulting and shooting just for kicks and who are hampering the rescue efforts. Those bastards should be subject to shoot to kill orders.

My heart goes out to the people of the gulf coast. Baseball is a welcome diversion but these past few days, I am feeling some guilt about how good I have it.

Anyway as on of your northern friends, I say "God Bless America" and let her endure this crisis as she has in the past.

[pawsoxpop]

HB, it is indeed tough to watch the tragedy unfold on TV News and be unable to do anything except send money and prayers. And it does feel weird to be watching a baseball game with all that suffering going on. But then the Sox win, and you can't deny that you start feeling better. It's human nature I guess.

Thanks for the link to the Herald article on Papelbon. I can't imagine having to perform at that level while worried about my loved ones. He is truly an amazing young man.

Now check this out. It was not exactly a trade, but: we end up with Olerud and Wells, while the Tankees end up with Embree and Bellhorn (you can even throw in Ramiro "the boomerang" Mendoza). Much, much better than Sparky Lyle for Danny Cater, for those of us who can remember such things.

[pawsoxpop]

Here's hoping Lenny DiNardo and the other callups from Pawtucket can help put this thing out of reach. And while we're thinking about the hurricane victims, there's this from today's Globe:

"Amid the devastation in Louisiana, add to your thoughts PawSox pitcher Jack Cressend. A native of New Orleans, Cressend has a home in that area. What's more, his father went into the hospital this week with chest pains. As of yesterday morning, the 30-year-old righthander was still with the club and intended to keep pitching. ''He's sucking it up," Lombard said. ''He probably feels there's nowhere to go. It's not like you can go back in there. That's a horrible feeling." . . .

[NV in SD]

This situation went from bad to worse to terrible at an incredible rate. Such a horrible feeling of helplesness here, I shudder to think what it must be like for those who are actually down there. I wonder just what my $25 can do, but like they say, every little bit helps. Baseball has become a guilty pleasure these days...

On a lighter note, we have the hottest team in baseball to divert our attention. 14 straight home games wit 7+ runs! Friendly Fenway is right. I think that the squad that we have this year (as well as '03 and'04) is perfectly set up to play 81 games within the confines. It's just wonderful to watch these guys go out and own the home park. Following this series vs the O's though, the schedule is really going to test us. Angels are always tough, MFY (in NY) is what it is, the jays have owned us this year (though w/o Halladay, they look a lot less threatening), and Oakland will dfinitely be an interesting series. All of that without an off day will definitely show what these boys are made of. If figure if we can get away with something like 8-5, 9-4 over that stretch, we'll be in good shape for the last two weeks.

[buckner was framed]

NV-
thanks for not rubbing it in that you have tix to all 3 weekend games..... bastard

[Bob]

It's so unbelievably sad that we may never get to experience the people, sights, tastes, and sounds of New Orleans again. I truly had some of the best days of my life there.

Dancin' with tears in my eyes
'cause the girl in my arms isn't you
dancing with somebody new
when it's you that my arms are calling to
i'm trying to smile
once in a while
but i found that it just wouldn't do
dancing with tears in my eyes
'cause the girl in my arms isn't you

Oh. Go Sox.

[NV in SD]

Oh, right...

I'm going to see the Defending Champs play three different teams in three days!!! How f-ing sweet is that?

Let's keep it going tonight, Lenny.

[uksock]

Great strip today h.b. I am an english red sox fan and over the last year have enjoyed visiting your site daily, I wondered how you would deal with todays strip and as per usual, you got it right. Watching the unfolding events on the news here I have to keep reminding myself that this is happening in America, the worlds only superpower. Simply shocking. I only hope that things start to improve quickly.

[RonF]

It's as if an atomic bomb went off in New Orleans and Gulfport. And Biloxi got hit hard. No radiation, but the destruction not just of property but of civilization as well.

[harpers]

"Giambi takes it in the ass" - seen on craigslist
http://boston.craigslist.org/clo/95160763.html

[scott12xu]

Wearing that Giambi shirt in NYC would be the equivilant of wearing a shirt that said "I have lots of cash on me and I can't defend myself. Please kill me."

Anyone want to wear that shirt at the next Sox/MFY matchup? Anyone?

Actually Oakland was giving it to Leiter and the MFYs in the ass Friday night - Leiter didn't even last the 1st inning before giving up 6 runs and getting pulled. About time they lost 12-0.

Anyone else a little worried about the other two Sox/O's games tonight and tomorrow? Can we PLEASE pull out two MUST MUST MUST must-wins?

HERE WE GO RED SOX HERE WE GO CLAP CLAP CLAP

[Kaz]

Haha, and the bouncers thought they'd have a problem with "Yankees Suck" t-shirts...