Suddenly there came a tapping

Susan/Circle:
The more I hear about the 2011 Red Sox the more it's once upon a midnight dreary.

 

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Mike:
Yeah, and the new skip isn't going to have it easy, you know stahting off as the mastah of an unmerciful disastah.

 

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Susan/Circle:
Seriously. Deep into that dahkness peering, long I stand here fearing, it's gonna be all "Wait until the year aftah the year aftah next year."

 

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Mike:
Perhaps you should sit divining, pink-hatted at ease reclining, on the bandwagon's velvet lining?

 

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Susan/Circle:
Quoth the Raven: Nevah that whore.

 

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Comments

[da kine]

I'm assuming that Poe was used intentionally since was a son of Baltimore, in which case: eff you hb, for reminding me of those fucking Orioles.

[da kine]

(Also, awesome strip.)

[Bob]

But Poe was born in Boston, da kine.

Hey, anybody else notice that most of the city's sportwriters have done an excellent job of burning bridges with the Red Sox? It's a feeding frenzy out there, with every writer naming names. I'll bet that the Sox players are taking names and keeping score. Might be a slow news season next year.

[soxinsix]

Excellent, hb.

[h.b.]

Forgot the Poe and Baltimore connection. Just wanted to use the phrase "Never that whore." :)

Meanwhile, with the usual "the characters are not me" caveat, I confess I'm not really in a good place w/r/t the Red Sox and all the ugliness I'm hearing: players vs players, players vs press... I know this stuff goes on, but it makes me less and less interested in pro sports. And, really, despite being a "lifer" I do believe it is possible to "quit" a team and move on with a life that precludes giving any attention to sports.

[Natalie]

Ah Poe, so apropos (Jesus, read aloud that sounds like a lame attempt at humor, I am disappointed in my inadvertent self)... the sinister heart of the Sox beating underneath the floorboards of the season, driving us slowly mad...

[Scott]

On the bright side the MFY's are 1 loss away from being eliminated. AJ Burnett today...

[pseudosanity78]

I think loving a team is a lot like the mafia. You're in for life. Even if you try to get away in witness propection ('quitting' the team) and whatnot you know someday some Joe Pesci looking motherfucker could show up on your doorstep and shoot you in the face.

[COD]

I have to admit that I have not watched one minute of pro football this season. I've lost all interest in it. I did enjoy watching the last few innings of the Yankees - Tigers last night. Why can't we get pitchers like Verlander? He was throwing over 100 mph in the 8th inning, at 110+ pitches.

[yazbread]

I guess Verlander didn't put on 20 pounds over the course of the season.

[h.b.]

Imagine there's no Red Sox
It isn't hard to do.
Nothing to root or cry for
And no epic collapses too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

[LarryE]

or (presumably) drink in the clubhouse between starts.

[Natalie]

Yuck, Imagine is the cancerous NutraSweet of songs-schlocky, naive, and disturbing in its message of a utopia driven by no possessions and Montessori school esque "sharing." I am surprised you, hb, as a liberatarian can stand it. In re: pro baseball, it'd be one thing if we had the ability to redirect baseball passion to a marginally less money-corrupted college system as you can with football or basketball...Maybe we should concentrate on the minor leagues? Is that better? Because, regardless of the Sox qua Sox, I cannot imagine my life without *baseball*

[h.b.]

Nat,

Oh, you're right. I absolutely can't stand it. Worst song ever.

Which is why I turned to it. Seemed fitting for an organization is as much disarray on John Lennon post-Beatles.

But seriously. Every year older I grow, the easier it is to imagine no sports in my life. (Actually the easier it is to imagine lots of things that I once cared deeply about falling away, i.e., politics, working, ego, possessions... Fuck I am becoming John Lennon!)

[Rob in CT]

You may say I'm a hater,
But I'm not the only one;

CHB is a masterbater,
With his articles, I am done...

(Geez, Poe makes it seem so easy, too...)

[Harwich Rich]

Oh,h.b. a working class hero is something to be ;)

[yazbread]

Natalie - you sound like William Buckley ('No, Yoko, I Can't Imagine').

[Rob in CT]

Imagine has never been a favorite - really, most all of JL's solo stuff is dreck to me.

On the other hand, over the last few weeks I've rediscovered my admiration and love for The Beatles. Damn, Sam! At their best, they really were amazing. The White Album is just frigging genius. It is on that basis that I give Lennon a pass for his solo career.

[Natalie]

yb: oh fuck, does this mean I have to turn in my liberal card?

[NolaSox]

Beatle's comments today reminded me of 09/10/2009 strip - classic one about Doug's lusting over Garfield girl - and our Beatles lyrics on the day of the remastered release.

[James]

I might be wrong on this...But I'm pretty sure the worst song ever is McCartney's
"Silly Love Songs". Further illustrating that the whole is indeed greater than the sum of its parts...Whether we are talking of Sox or Beatles.

[Lazlo Freem]

Imagine if the MFY tank it tonight. Here they are in 2011 with no internal crisis, no injury problems, no manager firings, no beer in the clubhouse, a pitching staff exceeding all expectations, and they finished in first place. After all that going for them (or not against them), they only play 4 more games than us.

Of course we know they will rally and win the next 2, and go on to win the ALCS and WS. With respect to the gooch, we know that, right?

Or am the only one here still hating those sons o' bitches?

[sonomasox]

Slowly creeping out of fetal position and my pro sports hiatus. This whole week (save for Pats game) has sucked. Glad to see the Yanks close to termination and Jetes striking out to end the game. Sucks that I'm getting pleasure from that and have to deal with the shit show that is Yawkey Way.

FWIW - We've chatted about the Curse of EAP on this creepy site a few years back. Think the CHB has a draft manuscript in the works.

@ Beatles - yep, they were good.

[yazbread]

Yanks will trail in the 9th and that chinless fuck Posada will get a game winning hit.

[vermonter]

Let's go Bruins

clap clap clapclapclap

[Jeff in NC]

In regards to the Red Sox, e grand story arc of the season had a most unexpected ending with foreshadowing of intrigue to come. What else can you ask for? A World Series ring? No.

In regards to pro sports, I gave up on football, basketball, and hockey. College still lives on. Actually following european soccer some - its as corrupt as anything you can imagine.

In regards to the Beatles et al... Not for everyone's taste to be sure, but if one does not appreciate their genius, they have not listened to them for real yet. White Album, yes Rob, one of the greatest ever. Personal favorites though are the Rubber Soul/Revolver twins. As for JL, not a great fan but I actually like Imagine. Ya, ya pile on the derision. But JL is also genius - Why Dont We Do It In The Road to Imagine. However many years later and left right and center are still talking about That song. Dont think many others out there can hang in the same company.

[Jeff in NC]

Ok, nevermind me. Had the why dont we song in my head whilst typing away. Just delete that part of my musings. Move along, nothing to see here.

[Rob in CT]

They say the world has had enough of Red Sox Nation.
I look around me and I see it may be so. Oh, no!

They say their tired of Fenway Franks and all those stupid Pink Hats.
And what's wrong with that?
I need to know.
'cause here I go, againnnnnnn.

[Rob in CT]

@Jeff - Agree on Rubber Soul/Revolver. Both excellent. Listening to Abbey Rd. a lot lately. Its like I've rediscovered this great "new" group all over again.

I think it all started with seeing the "Love" show in Vegas in August. Hearing that re-mastered music on the best sound system I've ever experienced really got me into it again. Good show - Great music.

[cmdrflake]

Poe was semi-forcefuly pushed upon me waaaay back when. Since, I had only the "Simpsons" rendering of "The Raven" in one of their best Halloween (plus one week) Specials to be exPoes'd to it. (INTENTIONAL!)Also not to be missed, Bullwinkle J. Moose's reading of the poem- funnier.
BTW It is OK to hate the Baltimore Ravens.

[yazbread]

I am a rabid Poe fan.

[Bob]

The feeling I get from today's strip and comments remind me more of Poe's "The Happiest Day" than "The Raven."

The happiest day -- the happiest hour
My sear'd and blighted heart hath known,
The highest hope of pride and power,
I feel hath flown.

Of power! said I? yes! such I ween;
But they have vanish'd long, alas!
The visions of my youth have been-
But let them pass.

And, pride, what have I now with thee?
Another brow may even inherit
The venom thou hast pour'd on me
Be still, my spirit!

The happiest day -- the happiest hour
Mine eyes shall see -- have ever seen,
The brightest glance of pride and power,
I feel- have been:

But were that hope of pride and power
Now offer'd with the pain
Even then I felt -- that brightest hour
I would not live again:

For on its wing was dark alloy,
And, as it flutter'd -- fell
An essence -- powerful to destroy
A soul that knew it well.

[Kaz]

In May, we prematurely buried the team based on their early season performance of catatonia. However, in the summer months, they proved to still be alive to our shock! But they fell upon Tito in September such that in his terror at their horrible performance...it killed their season and his job.

All it's missing is for us to look back upon Fenway and watch it split in twain at a fissure...

While we gazed, this fissure rapidly widened--there came a fierce breath of Hurricane Irene--the entire orb of the satellite burst at once upon my sight--my brain reeled as I saw the mighty Green Monster rushing asunder--there was a long tumultuous shouting sound like the voice of a thousand Tampa fans--and the deep and dank Fens at my feet closed sullenly and silently over the fragments of the "House of Epstein".

--Excerpt and paraphrased from "The Fall of the House of Epstein"

[yazbread]

Welcome to the off-season Tampa.

[Rob in CT]

Beltre with 3 dingers. But we had no spot for him on the roster. Never did agree with that move.

And yes, I know that sounds like post-season management from the couch, but if someone bothered to look it up, they'd see I posted the same sentiment back when it happened. C'est la vie...

[Roscoe]

As the Sox were losing, I too found myself listening to the Beatles (Abbey Road mostly) and I want to know if Polythene Pam was hot or not.

[Rob in CT]

No doubt, Roscoe. Pam was a babe... :-)

[urm]

Re Poe:go find "Bells" and go somewhere where you can talk really loud and read it out loud.
of the bells bells bells bells bells bells bells....
most musical poem evah.

[urm]

Re Poe:go find "Bells" and go somewhere where you can talk really loud and read it out loud.
of the bells bells bells bells bells bells bells....
most musical poem evah.

[You Know My Name (Look Up The #)]

All things must pass.