Chicken and Biscuits

Bill:
Well, it's the end of the Theo Era as we know it.

 

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Bill:
And I feel...

 

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Bill:
Blasé?

 

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Mike:
For me it's more like those stories you hear about climbahs on Mount Everest who have the summit in sight, so close, and yet they're so oxgen depleted and insane that they take off their clothes and staht hiking back down the mountain babbling about a Real Doll needing rescue from the Island of Misfit Toys.

 

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Bill:
Well, the Globe's "J'accuse" expose this morning is certainly the kind of thing that'll knock the wind out of ya.

 

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Mike:
Yeah, only Pedroia comes out that unscathed. Not surprisingly I might add. The dude's a Knight among Knaves.

 

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Bill:
So I'm sure Boston is gonna miss Theo...

 

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Bill:
But I bet Theo is really gonna miss Boston.

 

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Mike:
Yeah, whatevah. Life goes on.

 

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Bill:
That reminds me... I need to return my sunset rental. They called yestahday saying the NBA needs it.

 

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Comments

[Tori]

Hi all!

I love this site - I read it all of the time, first time posting.

Do you really think that Theo will be missed at all? He seems to me like the father who never pays child support and squanders his money at the OTB...........

[Natalie]

Great analogy with the "Death Zone" of Everest, hb: I certainly couldn't trust my impression of reality all season, I thought in August they had a cohesion not seen since '04. How wrong I was! I'd have rather been naked in subzero temps and babbling about my Real Doll being terrorized by Charlie-in-the-Box.


Not sorry to see Theo go. Excited for new energy, I think it's good for businesses to shakeup management when things stop working. This Hot Stove season is now gonna be verrrrry interesting. Keep your Real Dolls away from the flames, y'all.


Oh, and is anyone else craving fried chicken now?

[Bob]

Ben Cherington = Theo Epstein - ego.

Blase is a good way to put it, H.B.

Now that Bob Hohler story this morning, that's another thing entirely. When that shite hit the fan, it splattered bits of digested fried chicken all across New England.

[LarryE]

Welcome, firsttime poster Tori. I was originally a pretty strong Theo fan but I won't miss him one bit.

The Globe story was depressing. We can't trade our entire rotation and you have to wonder how it's going to impact the clubhouse next year. Maybe they've been embarrassed enough to turn it around but since the drinking, video games, etc. is their natural tendency, I frankly will never feel the same about Beckett and Lester. I already can't stand Lackey and Wakefield really screwed up with his remark about giving the fans the opportunity to watch HIM chase HIS PERSONAL GOAL. I hope Cherington can convince Henry et al that character means something.

[Harwich Rich]

Theo will be spotted driving away from Fenway in a "Bumble Snow Monster" suit ;O

[louclinton]

thi...

fuck it

lc

[Bob]

And I thought Theo was young:

http://www.stageagent.com/BenCherington

[soxinsix]

What a depressing article. Whatever happened to the players policing themselves?

[vermonter]

It's all very sad.

[yazbread]

Sounds like the clubhouse needed Don Baylor and his kangaroo court.

[pseudosanity78]

I think it speaks volumes that Pedroia was the only one with enough balls (and character) to comment and not point fingers. If they give him the opportunity to do so, he could be a fantastic team leader.

As for the rest of the team, I can only think of petulant children who throw a hissy fit in the supermarket because mum won't buy them some candy.

I wish I could get paid millions of dollars to work 6 months out of the year and then proceed to drink, eat fried chicken, play Grand Theft Auto and then grouse about how it's all 'too much' for me to handle.
Somebody call the fuckin' wahhmbulance.

[yazbread]

The clubhouse cabal was probably beta testing videos for 38Studios.

[Scott]

Very happy the overrated GM is moving on.

Tito's replacement will take care of the clubhouse BS. Strong leadership starts at the top.

[Kaz]

I can sum up the Hohler story for you all if you don't want to read the whole thing:

"I tried to talk to people at the Red Sox but nobody wanted to talk to me. So, here's what I imagine happened instead based on watching tape of old post-game interviews and listening to bathroom gossip in the front office (I told them I *really* needed to go!).

Also, then, Francona did speak to me...but I threw him under a tour bus anyways."

[Lazlo Freem]

It's been a glorious run but apparently unsustainable. There was a time that it was fascinating to listen to Theo speak. His vocabulary and ability to articulate a point was almost prosaic. Dick Cheney had a similar ability and I'm pretty sure folks grew weary of him as well.

[Natalie]

Lazlo, just because I abhor Dick Cheney being mentioned in any positive light, I am going to point out that I think you mean "poetic" where Theo's (and the asshole ex-VP's) articulation was concerned. Prosaic means dull or unimaginative.

[h.b.]

Let it be written: I admire Dick Cheney more than any other pol since the big guy, Ron R.

(And, yes, I'd go hunting with Dick Cheney. Hell, I'd go to a lesbian wedding with Dick Cheney.)

[Bry M.]

I came here to post basically what Kaz said. What a steaming load. It's pretty clear that the entirety of the Globe sports staff are more interested in being gossip columnists and steering public perception of players than they are actually describing games, breaking down plays or any other kind of actual sports journalism. Not really a surprise, but I thought at least one or two over there actually cared about, y'know, the sport of baseball and how the Sox play it.

[Natalie]

hb: to each his own. I try not to engage too much in politics on this site, so mostly I was using that as an excuse to be an asshole about word usage...

[h.b.]

Fuck the sport of baseball. This is not a sabermetric site. This is a fucking comic strip. I personally know nothing about the sport of baseball. I only follow baseball because of the RealDolls.

And if that isn't gonna work for ya, then go cry yourself some replacement level tears.

(Tee hee... channeling my inner Dick Cheney.)

[h.b.]

No prob Nat.

I basically take the Graham Greene view of finding great pleasure in being the misanthrope.

If everyone hates Cheney? Well, I love him. Everyone a vegetarian? Pass the fucking meat. Everyone promiscuous? Oh, hi, I'm celibate. Etc.

[pseudosanity78]

I see a new website a-brewin'.

h.b.: Oh HAI! I can haz Reel Dollz? Wiv stek?

[ponch]

I look at it this way - Theo, Turk: Deep and heartfelt hanks for '04 and '07. best of luck in your new jobs. We're going to go in a different direction. Like the saying goes, I root for the laundry (and Pedroia, because he's what every one of this spoiled, overpaid brats should try to be like)

[SAC]

Red Auerbach is looking for work. Move him from Faneuil Hall to the Sox clubhouse, and have him put a little stink-eye on the fat boys. (I'd bet a silver dollar Red could take Rick Perry in a debate.)

[h.b.]

I like Rick Perry, but I'm pretty sure Webby the Real Doll would kick Perry's ass in a debate.

[Natalie]

hb, I was with you until "Everybody is promiscuous? Oh, hi, I'm celibate." That appears to be the exact moment that contrarianism becomes self-abnegation or "cutting off one's nose to spite one's face." No, thank you. :)

[h.b.]

Natalie,

Oh, don't worry. The misanthrope is just talk. It's not actually acted upon in many cases, e.g., in a room full of anti-smoking zealots the misanthrope may argue vehemently for the pleasures of nicotine, but may not actually smoke himself.

[Natalie]

Ah, so it's less misanthropy and more devil's advocacy. I can dig it: I was raised by a fantastic man who would NEVER agree with me, even when I knew he was on my side. Made me want to kick him in his shins most of the time, despite the fact it served to make me a better critical thinker.

[h.b.]

Yeah, definitely devil's advocate, though there is a certain inherent animus to it (at least in my version) so that's where the misanthropic part comes in.

I mean you're dealing with a guy who is 1) anonymous 2) chooses to interact with fans on a website rather than in person.

Bukowski sums it up best: "I don't hate other people. I just feel better when they aren't around."

[pseudosanity78]

One of my favorite quotes is along those same lines, I think it's Oscar Wilde-'Whenever people agree with me I always feel I must be wrong.'

[COD]

A new GM and new Manager gives the Red Sox some cover to say goodbye to Veritek, Wake, and anybody else they may want get rid of. Not saying I agree - just that I think they will do it. I think Tek could be useful as a backup again. Unfortunately, I'm not sure Wake has much on the field value left in him.

[Natalie]

Oh COD, I could not disagree more. I think 'Tek needs to start his managerial career by hieing off to a Single or Double A skipper post, and Wake (as cheap as his annual option is) can eat innings until he's 50. He's a bargain over the course of a 162 game season...

[COD]

I don't want a 5+ ERA innings eater on my staff at any price. Even if he is just long relief, he is taking innings from a youngster than could put up a 5+ ERA for major league minimum, with the bonus of maybe getting better.

[Jeff in NC]

So now we find out if this ownership group is worth a fuck. Easy to motivate and run a loser, less so a bunch of "winners" (ref. 70's vikings, 80's bills, 2011 redsox). We find out if they can do more than sell bricks. We can talk about players behaving like babies over work schedules, but for owners to not see that shit coming is really being asleep at the wheel.

I will give benefit of the doubt to Wake unless he says something like that again. Lackey can eat my ass. Pedroia for President. And Dick Cheney = Frank Burns (the duvall version).

[Kaz]

Olbermann has multiple sources claiming Globe article was hit piece by upper management because Tito and Theo chose to leave them.

[pseudosanity78]

I agree that the loss/firings of Tito and Theo is a good smokescreen for the big fellows to make a 'clean' break with older players/fan favorites who have seen their better days. And then if the Sox eat it in 2012 they can call it a 'rebuilding & restructuring' year.

[Kailua Phil]

For the first time in over 60 years I am embarrassed to be a Sox fan. Where was the organization leadership while all this was going on...hiding out on John Henry's yacht?

[Jeff in NC]

Well, Kaz, assuming thats true, this has all the makings of a breakup in the 7th grade...

He: "I love you"
She: "I want to breakup"
He: "You are a slut"

How embarassing.

[Natalie]

On a lighter note, I am finding this Toby Keith ode to the red Solo cup delightful today. As one site pointed out, it's as if Big Yellow Joint from Arrested Development was brough to actual musical life: http://www.uproxx.com/music/2011/10/toby-keiths-red-solo-cup-is-impossibly-delightful/

I won't give it away but there's a cameo sure to make any Sox fan hiss. :)

[cmdrflake]

Leaving the Red Sox has consequences. Ask anyone whose left Fenway since 1901!
Only Tom Yawkey didn't get thrown under the proverbial bus at the end, but he was a very, very old school boss, and he died with his boots on.No one cares what they say about you when you're dead.
WARNING!! "If yer' fixin' ta hang a man.. ya' better do it right...'Cause ya never know when he'll come a callin."-- Man with No Name just before he blew Sap #1 away.

[louclinton]

well, well, look who stayed out of the political talk, for once.

lc

[Harwich Rich]

Wow Lou,I guess things DO change ;O

[soxdownunder]

Jeez, what a train wreck ...

sdu

[louclinton]

fuck off luscious