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

[Summer Romance]

arrrgghhhh!! well, we COULD say that! but we'll probably just internalize it and have it come out as road rage later today

[Curacao]

This is a sad day for Red Sox Nation. Finding a new GM is going to be tough, and it will be almost impossible for him/her to execute the job.

[louclinton]

God Damn! They are now just another team.
Here's the thing, kids. Here's what's different about Boston. Yankee fans are frontrunners, we all know that. They root for the 27 World Championships. Angels fans want to play with their thunder stix and Rally Monkey(r). Cubs fans want a party; the team is the medium for that.
Sox fans aren't fans of the team. Rather, every Sox fan thinks he/she is ON the team. Theo was our guy who was ON THE TEAM. They could sell dirt from the '04 field, or blow up Fenway Park,or sell those silly membership cards, we didn't care. They could jam that effin' Sweet Caroline down our gullets every day (twice on the split admission day-nighters).

We didn't care. We were ON THE TEAM. Theo was our surrogate. He got Papi; he had dinner with Curt; he got rid of that pain in the ass Nomar.

We have all been kicked off the team. God Damn.

[h.b.]

Hey, louclinton, your comment got picked up at Baseball Musings!

And I agree with Dave Pinto that you really nailed what it is that makes this hurt so badly for Red Sox fans.

[louclinton]

Thx, Mr. B.
From the heart.....

[Jason O.]

Show some resolve.
Two good bullpen guys and a quality starter will heal this temporary wound in RSN.

Mr. Steinbrenner may have had a point about LL. However, I'm willing to bet that you'd trade 500 Epsteins for 1 WS.

[dirtdog in ny]

Mr. Steinbrenner may have had a point about LL

Uh, who listens to Mr. Steinbrenna? I don't think we do. Its kinda like the pot calling the kettle black.

[Bob]

Anybody else see the news break yesterday on espn.com and totally ignore it because you read it as "Theo Epstein re-signs" instead of "Theo Epstein resigns"? That missing hyphen was sharp and painful, folks, sharp and painful.

[yazbread]

Think of this from Theo's point of view. The odds of replicating 2004 are slim. Not that 2004 was a fluke, but to win the WS in any year is quite difficult. This team does not look to be a 'lock' to win in the next few years. But Theo would always be held to the standard that he set. So, if things were not exactly not what he wanted in Boston, why not leave? The headaches seem to outweigh the rewards. Best of luck, Theo. I will enjoy watching you build a championship team somewhere else.

[Babe Silverstein]

I always thought Theo looked a bit like INXS frontman Michael Hutchence with a corporate haircut – but I never imagined he would share the swaggering, charismatic rock star’s tragic fate.

The cause of death in both cases (of course Theo’s is only metaphoric): autoerotic asphyxiation.

Hutchence was found dead in his hotel room, naked, the victim of an apparent hanging. Choked to death by his own belt, presumably as he pleasured himself.

In Theo’s case, the belt around the “victim’s” neck was Lucchino’s, but make no mistake, the cold hand on Theo’s lifeless dick was his own.

Theo could have stayed, tried to make things work for the sake of the team (and he was given million$ of reasons to try this) – but he quit in a narcissistic huff. Another victim of autoerotic asphyxiation. Another dead rock star.

So now the Red Sox bring in executive producer Mark Burnett for another reality show: “Rock Star: Red Sox Nation.” The BoSox are looking for a “New Sensation” when they could have been singing “Never Tear Us Apart.”

Shaboo Shoobah,

Babe

[Kaz]

Fuck you, Lucchino.

And did anyone see the footage from Channel 5 after the football game? They were outside the Fenway offices with their camera crew and they shot footage of Lucchino and Theo through a 2ft by 2ft hole under the blinds and next to Lucchino's desk. In one scene Lucchino is looking over some stuff on his desk and in another Theo is talking to someone. In the final scene, Theo is in Lucchino's office and then you can see him realize that a camera is on him through the window from the street and he gets a really disgusted face on him and then Lucchino pulls the blind all the way down.

...and then we wonder why guys like Manny and Wells want out. The mainstream media is only about a step above paparazzi on this one. Fuck you too, Channel 5 and Jorge Quiroga.

[RonF]

So where is the owner in all this? Why hasn't John Henry taken a hand?

[vasoxfan]

>>>Its kinda like the pot calling the kettle black.
Yeah, but at least he got to keep his kettle. And he knew a good kettle when he saw it. On another note,Peter Gammons said on ESPN that part of why Theo walked away was the fact that he couldn't handle the stress and leaks and PR associated with being a GM for the Sox. Too much PR and not enough baseball. Peter also said that Theo may look back and realize he made a mistake. I agree but that doesn't help now. I think he did make a mistake. PR is huge part of the job at that level. Ohh to be young. What is he, 31 now. We will miss the hometown kid who knew the anquish (and now the Joy thanks in part to him) of being a part of RSN.

[vasoxfan]

Excellent article
http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article_perspectives.jsp?ymd=20051031&content_id=1262997&vkey=perspectives&fext=.jsp

[Billy Mahty]

80 years from now, will people rattle on about "The Curse of the Bambtheo?"

The Red Sox are too much of a quality team to go down the toilet just because they're losing Epstein. It seems like a huge loss to the team, surely, but there could be an advantage in losing some of the strife in the management team.

Sorta related - I don't see many people capable of filling Manny's shoes. Maybe Sheffield. You guys better keep him if you want to stay dominant.

[h.b.]

80 years from now, will people rattle on about "The Curse of the Bambtheo?"

No, it'll be (or is) "Curse of the Lucchino."

[Kluv]

Thanks for expressing (when I couldn't) how it feels right now, h.b.

*sigh*

[vasoxfan]

Don't you mean "Curse of the "Babe Theo" " Not that Theo's acting like a baby but more that it points to his youth and it rhythms better.

[Jason O.]

Billy Mahty: I feel that Vernon Wells will be on the move...there's a high probability his numbers would explode in Fenway.

HB and other soxaholix, I know many of you to be reasonable people. (NYY commentary aside, of course)

Your team won the WS 2 seasons ago.

You are 2 to 3 pitchers (e.g., Ryan, Urbina, Farnsworth) away from being right back in the WS.

[h.b.]

You are 2 to 3 pitchers (e.g., Ryan, Urbina, Farnsworth) away from being right back in the WS.

How about after the front office dumps Manny? Oh, and then the new GM will dump Francona, so we'll need a new manager as well. Oh, and the GM will be a total yes-man to Larry.

Oh, yeah, I'm ready to start shining that bling-bling. Not.

Meanwhile, Toronto GM Ricardi is on EEI just now saying how happy the Blue Jays are they won't have to face a Red Sox team under Epstein.

Oh, yes, here come the mofo championships. W00t!

[NV in SD]

It's a hell of a thing when you abandon hope on the next season a week after the final out of the WOrld Series. How the fuck are we supposed to get anything done in the most crucial point of the offseason when we have no GM?

A few thoughts:

1. Manny- gone

2. Damon- Gone

3. Free agent aquisitions-?

4. Ortiz- 500 walks next year

I want Luccino's head on a plate NOW. How's that massive ego treating you without your wonderboy. If you're such a baseball genius, why don't YOU be the GM (wait- scratch that)

Without question, I am presently more disenfranchised than I have ever been. I hate this whole situation and the identity chrisis I am having as a result of it.

2004 seem so far away right now....

[h.b.]

Don't forget Francona is probably gone if a new GM wants his own guy.

Total loss of stability. Shambles.

[Kaz]

While Francoma has been a reasonably good coach (and really, a pet rock would have felt better than Grady), I wouldn't cry to see him go. There have been so many regular season games where I felt that he let the starter languish on the mound. The game gets way out of reach and then the bullpen has to finally come in as mop up.

That means the starter has this huge cloud over his head (which would often affect their next start). The bullpen doesn't get a lot of close game situations during the regular season to cut their teeth on. The team takes another mid-season loss...that we then see all of the importance in when the last three games are against the division leader and we end up in a tie for the division.

Any one of the times that Francona could have gotten out there when the first two runners got aboard with 1 out would have been key last year...but he just slept on the bench putting all his faith in our somewhat battered starting rotation and none of it in our young bullpen. And then there's Petagine.

[Follower of Tito]

I would Wells would leave. I was prepared for Johnny D to go. I had made an uneasy peace with Manny going...if I had to. I was even prepared to see Papi walk more than the old folks in shopping malls. But Theo...then Tito. Holy Crap! What the hell are you guys doing over there in the eastern part of the state? This feels like the fire sale held in Florida after the Marlins won their first WS.

Does anyone even know about history, let alone read it in that front office. The Chinese general Sun-tzu said, "Keep your friends close, your enemies closer." My corollary to that is:"Be careful who you release, they may just come back some day on another team and KICK YOUR ASS!!"

Dogs and cats living together...mass hysteria!

[pawsoxpop]

Take a deep breath everyone.

Theo may in fact be back, after more back-and-forthing and yakety yakking. If not, I'm sad to see him go, but if he actually doesn't want the job, then the team is probably better off with somebody else.

There are other candidates out there who would probably make good GMs. After the WS win, there will not be too many people who won't jump at the chance to be GM of the Red Sox. And Lucchino will have to be on his best behavior now; if not I'm sure his goose is cooked. The pressure is all on him now.

I don't think Manny is going anywhere except to the All-Star Game and hopefully the World Series again as the Red Sox left fielder. And I hate to say it, but I think Jason, Babe and the other Yankee fans are seeing things more clearly than many of us in Red Sox nation. This is not the Yawkey or Sullivan years. We'll never have to put up with people like Pinky Higgins, Don Zimmer or Tom Yawkey anymore and be amazed when somebody competent like Dick Williams or Lou Gorman finally gets a chance. I have a feeling the next GM will be perfectly capable of putting a winning team on the field. Maybe I'm crazy, but I can't get all worked up about this.

[h.b.]

Maybe I'm crazy, but I can't get all worked up about this.

Consider yourself lucky.

Welcome to the Pete Carroll years for the Red Sox! Can't hardly fucking wait.

[Pond]

PSP is right. Now is not the time to panic. If Theo is replaced by some stuffed shirt, maybe we should panic but there is some front office talent out there. All we need to do is grab it.

Personally, I think Tito has earned his pay as our manager and it would be a great shame if he were to go. It's easy to Monday morning quarterback and say he should have gone to the pen after we watched one sail over the starter's head. It is much harder to see that coming before the pitch. Also remember, except for far to few exceptions, he didn't have a bullpen to turn to in pressure situations.

Lou, seriously man, you got to watch the coffee in the morning. But an outstanding job characterizing our beloved nation.

[h.b.]

By the way, please read this and then tell yourself it's all going to be swell.

A Few Bad Men

We're just at the tip of the iceberg, folks.

[Sean O]

We're fucked. nuf 'ced.

Rot in hell, lucky.

[pawsoxpop]

HB, I read "A Few Bad Men," and while it was sort of interesting, it doesn't really change my opinion that much. I never said "it's all going to be swell," I just said that Theo might still be back, that probably the Sox can find another good GM and that Lucchino will now have to watch out because if the team tanks it is his head on the chopping block now. I stand by all those statements.

The stuff about Shaughnessy doesn't surprise me. The guy has not done an honest day's work in years; all you have to do is read the first three paragraphs of anything he writes to know that. If the Sunday column had any original material in it, it was DEFINITELY not because of any hard-nosed reporting -- which he hasn't done in years. It was because it was fed to him by somebody. The stuff about his daughter is revolting but hardly surprising.

The fact that a manager of the Pawtucket Red Sox was asked to chew out a newspaper writer for the Pawtucket Times does not surprise me either. I worked as a reporter for many years, and I would say that if a month went by when some source or other didn't object to one of my stories, then I wasn't doing my job. If somebody in the front office is reading your articles and objecting to them, you should take that as a complement. You're doing your job.

All the backbiting and Machiavellian machinations are sort of interesting but not surprising either. Maybe Theo has decided he'd rather quit than work with Lucchino, so he's decided to play "chicken" with the Sox to see if he can get more power. If so, he still might win that game. I can see Henry or Werner firing Larry and bringing back Theo -- especially if any other decent GM candidates don't want to work there either now.

Bottom line, there are jerks and fools in every organization I've ever worked for, and I don't see why the Red Sox or any baseball team for that matter are going to be any different. But I still think that the current owners have overcome the CULTURE of drunken, old-boy mediocrity that characterized the front office under the Sullivan and Yawkey regimes. Are they as classy as Bob Kraft? Undoubtedly not. Are they as bad as Harry Sinden? Nope. I'll stand by that until proven otherwise. I think the Sox still might end up with a good GM and another trophy within the next few years.

[Aaron]

Folks, for the love of god, step away from the ledge. When Yankee fans are trying to cheer you up, it's a sign you've lost perspective.

I won't try to pretend losing Theo isn't a big loss, but it's not like he was infallible. For all the brilliant moves he made in 2003 and 2004, almost everything he did this year (especially as relates to the bullpen) failed spectacularly. He is a good, young GM, not a superhero. He is not irreplaceable.

Although I totally agree that Luccino is an asshat.

[Cathryn]

As someone else already said over at Surviving Grady, there *is* crying in baseball. This is one of those days when my daily sports blog round is not good for my hydration level.

[Boston Fan in Michigan]

I'm more deeply concerned about our minor league system. With Theo gone, there's little guarantee that we're going to take the same tack with our young guys, in recruiting and drafting. If we start trading away our kids under different management, THEN can we freely panic?

[illegitimate son of dwight evans]

Wow H.B., that's about as dark as I've seen you as man-behind-the-curtain.

Remember Manny's under contract and is 10/5. He's not going anywhere unless someone makes a deal for him, and as of this moment there's no one to make that deal.

Damon may very well be gone, as with any other free agent.

Frankly, the more I read about it, the more I think it's the "fishbowl" than Lucchino. And it's hard to say a guy that Epstein hated the fishbowl, he just wanted a little more control of who was doing the looking in. If not for the name the guy is quintessential Boston brahmin, Brookline raised, Yale educated, even the sportcoat-and-turtleneck wearing dad (nouveau-riche in Boston). And like all brahmin, they have a tendency to think everything that goes right is their own doing, and everything that goes wrong is someone else's meddling.

At the end of the day, it's all about the moves on the field. The Sox have a decent core and this is rather ill-timed for the free agent market. Theo wasn't the only guy in the personnel department. We'll see how it all plays out.

[h.b.]

Wish I could be as upbeat.

But I still think that the current owners have overcome the CULTURE of drunken, old-boy mediocrity that characterized the front office under the Sullivan and Yawkey regimes.

Replaced with what? A culture that pisses on their own?

Fuck the Red Sox.

[Kaz]

A lot of what pisses me off about this whole situation isn't even about what's good for the Red Sox or what's good for their ability to play good baseball.

A lot of it is exactly what Sully wrote about...

You just don't do that to good people.

Theo was good people.

[americantrotter]

This is indeed a dark day. The Front office is leaking more young talent than it even possesed 10 years ago. The minors are in a crucial phase of development having only been rediscovered recently. Tito will be gone as the next GM will want their guy. (He did manage us to a World Series title, outdueling Torre with no room for error) Free Agents will avoid us like the plague.

The sad thing in all of this is that John Henry back LL from the beginning in all of this. Not to mention that the CHB was involved. I am still a Sox fan, but Theo took my level of interest to heights never before seen. My bet is we get a bunch of jerk free agents in and its 96-02 all over agin with no Pedro.

[louclinton]

Dear diary:

What a day. So I went out at lunch to hear The Truth from Jim Rome. He gets it right. Lucky sold us down the river and bought the paddle for Shaunnasty to convey us.

Then, diary, I came back from lunch and I had an email from RedSoxNation asking me to vote for the "Play of The Year". At least they didn't ask me to buy a sliver of glass from the .406 club for $86.00. Is is wrong to have as my return email addess [email protected]?

Thanks, diary.

[pawsoxpop]

Dewey Jr., I think you're right on target, especially on the Brahmin angle. I think Theo might actually regret this decision. If not, then good for him.

HB, I know that nothing I can say or write will cheer you up, especially today. So I won't try any more, because I'm not exactly thrilled with the situation and I also wish it was Lucchino who had resigned instead of Theo. But like I said a few days ago, even though this sucks, it is not even in my Bottom 10 Red Sox Management Bonehead Decisions of my lifetime which does not include selling the Babe since I don't go back that far.

I believe things can and will get better for the Sox.

[h.b.]

And it's not just the loss of Theo but all the guys he brought in. Josh Byrnes won't be the last to go.

And, in a tongue-in-cheek way, I'm sort of pissed at all of you who kept insisting "Theo would sign; It'll be fine" when my gut was telling me and as I a wrote in these very comments, "Theo is gone" last week. (Honestly, I felt a chill in this regard from about mid-season on. Something just didn't feel right.)

So there's not a chance in hell I'm going to trust your "all will be well" sentiments no matter how earnest and heartfelt your intentions.

My gut says this is a brutal, brutal blow and will take years to recover from.

Luckily, at least we have the one World Series in our lifetime thing taken care of, so, yes, could be worse.

[lisa gray]

hey hart

i'm real sorry there boy.

what's the sorriest is that lucchino and that asswipe shaughnessy will come out just fine

- wicked hahd chuckle

maybe you get chuck lamar now

hehhehheh

[Ice Princess]

Great capture today H.B., especially the last line. "I feel fine."

Yeah, Fucked up, Insecure, Neurotic, and Emotional.

[Babe Silverstein]

Mr. Brachen,

I was among those who believed Theo would sign. And why wouldn't he? Effin' dream job there, especially for a kid from town. What unspeakable crime did Lucchino perpetrate against Epstein that would make him quit his effin' dream job? First degree Betrayal? Second-degree Second-guessing? Larceny, Fraud, and Conspiracy to steal credit for Theo's work? Heck, that's politics. That's business. Even older than the grand ol' game of baseball and as much a part of the game as the "back door slider." Theo knows this. He's a player.

Given Theo's ties to the movie, it's sort of a cheap shot to quote from "Casablanca" here today -but there are several lines that strike me as pertinent to this discussion.

Why couldn't Theo be as cool and aloof as Bogart's Rick?: "You'll excuse me gentlemen. Your business is politics, mine is running a saloon (ballclub)."

Instead, it seems Theo is being as cynical as Rick: "I stick my neck out for nobody."

And sadly, that "nobody" includes all of his supporters in Red Sox Nation who are wistfully singing "As Time Goes By" and bidding Theo a tearful "Here's looking at you, kid."

Might be easier to handle Theo's departure if you don't perceive him as such a victim.

[h.b.]

Might be easier to handle Theo's departure if you don't perceive him as such a victim.

Yeah, that's it, dude. Thanks.

Might be easier, too, if I just starting deleting the asinine comments or just turn comments off altogether or, you know what would be even better? Taking the advice of Fitzgerald who spurned writing about baseball as "moving in the company of a few dozen illiterates playing a boy's game."

What a fucking joke.

[Babe Silverstein]

Wanna play scorched earth? I'll play.

Get ovah Theo and more importanly get ovah yourself.

Delete away, Brachen.

[NV in SD]

Are you shitting me? With all due respect BAbe, Jay, Billy M (which won't be much) shut the fuck up with your comisserating. Hearing som MFY fans spouting off about how we shouldn't take it so hard and things will be ok is like having your girlfriend cheat on you swith some guy, followed by him approaching you, putting his arm around your shoulder, and saying "It's ok bro. Things will work out for you. Look at it this way- she dosen't have a clue how to suck dick..."

Sorry- that might've been a little innapropriate. I am having a hard time containing my angst today...

Seriously though- save your fucking pity for the homeless.

[h.b.]

In a recent post at the always excellent Boston Sports Media site, Bruce Allen compiled a list of "Things that have ruined sports coverage in Boston."

#7 on his list were "trolls."

In Bruce's words: "Unfortunately, whenever you get people together on-line, you get 'trolls'. Whether they be people who delight in baiting others and causing chaos on messageboards (even ones operated by media outlets), or people who create their own inflammatory “fan” websites for the sole purpose of posting negative, sometimes hateful opinion and stirring up trouble ..."

True dat.

[Ric]

"Sorry- that might've been a little innapropriate. I am having a hard time containing my angst today..."

I, for one, found that very humorous.

If Luccino takes GM control and THEN trades Manny then Yawkey Way is gonna look like the American Embassy in Saigon.

[Aaron]

Well, I never in a million years thought I would ever say what I'm about to say, and I suppose I'm risking an IP banning for saying it, but I'm going to anyway:

I agree with the Yankees fans.

With the notable exception of Pawsoxpop and Dewey's Bastard, the MFY contingent seems to be the only group of posters here today who are viewing the Theo Fiasco with anything approaching objectivity. Losing Theo is a big blow, but it is not the end of the world, and it does not presage the total collapse of the franchise that so many seem to already take as a given.

Jesus H. Christ, I thought this "woe-is-us" bullshit was gone forever after last October. I, for one, have enjoyed spending the past year not assuming the absolute worst about everything related to this team, and I'm sure as hell not gonna stop now. Was all the newfound perspective so shallow that it takes only one bonehead front office decision to revert RSN back to the same tiresome pessimism that made ass-clowns like Shaughnessy rich in the first place?

[Babe Silverstein]

Mr. Brachen,

Why's a kindhearted Yankee fan like me trolling around a place like this, you ask?

Be assured I'm not here to play "Stuttering John." I'm not here to make a name for myself, sell inflammatory t-shirts, or promote some blog. I'm not here to bait anyone or offend (holy shit, that's easy to do around here). I certainly don't post here because I wish to be insulted.

As I've stated here before, I come here for the laughs and the, er, alternative insights you and your Soxaholix fans offer. I try to return the favor in my posts. I try to keep it fun and interesting - and I try not to repeat the same old bullshit (clap, clap, clap-clap-clap)

Mr. Brachen, if you want this "comments" section to be the Grand Canyon of empty echo chambers ("another masterpiece, h.b.! you've outdone yourself again! yankees suck! yankees suck!") well, then, that is what it will become.

[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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