Red Sox Attendance Record a Joke

I was under the impression that ‘Baghdad Bob’ was dead, but I could swear I heard him today as I mistakenly tuned my radio to the channel that was broadcasting the Red $ox game. I almost chocked on my watermelon as I heard him say that two more outs and this will become an official game. I stopped and looked outside to see if there were some ominous clouds or maybe I had missed out on some weather warning of some major storm that was about to hit the area.  Any of this was possible to me since I had just awoken from a short nap. The sun was shining brightly with no hint of impending doom so what the heck was this guy talking about or worrying about it being an official game?

Thankfully I was relieved of my concern as he said that the Red Sox are going to break the attendance record for consecutive sellouts – I don’t quite remember the number because it means absolutely nothing to me but it was somewhere in the 740’s and something about the Portland Trailblazers.

Then it happened – inning ended and it became an official game. I never heard an announcer so relieved or excited about such a meaningless event other that maybe having to endure one of those merciless slaughters when a team scores 15 runs or more in an inning. This was followed by the reading of a prepared speech – something that had the Steinberg/Zucchini signature all over it. It was utterly embarrassing and almost as phony as the record itself and some of the Oscar acceptance speeches; I want to thank my mother, those overweight fans that have hurt themselves trying to get out of our outdated seats. We want to thank the people of Maine and N.H. all those faithful pink hats, etc... On an on it went ad nausea.

This record will go in the same record book that’s reserved for Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds and all the rest of the steroid users who achievements are tarnished by the usage of performing enhancement drugs. This record is as valid as many of the airline on time statistics. An airline can claim it left on time as long as it pulls out of the gate at the schedule flight time – it could sit on the tarmac or just a few feet away from the gate and stay there for thirty minutes but it ‘legally’ claims to have left on time.

Not only is this record a joke but the Red $ox management are an even bigger joke for making such a big to do about something that never happened.

I could care less – it’s just another meaningless point of reference and comparison that is tainted with a big asterisk *

Congratulations Red $ox for the resurgence of Baghdad Bob (I’m sure that I will see him soon teaming up with Wally the Green Monster as they will be available for a price to make appearances at birthday parties, bar mitzvahs, and many of the Jordan furniture stores).

Red $ox = Red $ux

How do you lose a game when you are ahead 9 – 0? It would be a somewhat of an easy feat in football where a touchdown, point after and a field goal would give you 10 points; but baseball – you need to score 10 separate times.

Red Sox spoiled “Nation” was witness to this collapse playing in their little historic 100 year old museum that’s just as much of an attraction as their overpaid “Texas tough guy,” and their Menino impersonator. Up 9-0 with three innings left to play the “chicken and beer” guys that were the cause of their beloved manager, Terry (Tito) Francona; the one who brought them two World Series, getting fired, managed to do just that losing 15 – 9. What an embarrassment? The fans who for years have called their rivals from NY many derogatory things should now be eating crow. I ask you, if the Yankees “suck” as you have so deemed them, where does this put you in comparison? (BTW I am not a Yankee fan but I do respect them and their organization).

I’m afraid that a new curse has been put on this team – the “Francona” curse and management deserves it. While fans boo their new manager Mr. Henry & Co. are laughing all the way to the bank. Instead of booing their new manager who inherited many of the same spoiled brats that were there for last year’s collapse why don’t you look and place blame on the real culprit, the man who runs, according to their owner, the Red Sox, Mr. Lucchino.

The team is an embarrassment and the organization doesn’t care because the fans will continue to come and dish out on average of $500 a game for a family of four between parking, tickets and concessions. I’m not a Valentine apologist and was never a fan of Valentine but think that he’s not the reason the Red Sox are performing so poorly. Remember that their new General Manager selected Dale Sveum to replace Francona but was shot down by Mr. Red Sox Baseball Operations. Larry Lucchino was the one who wanted Valentine to deal with the problem players of last year instead of getting rid of some the bad apples on the team. The man inherited some garbage and that’s what you still have garbage, very expensive garbage.

How do you win today? Just hope and pray that it rains hard enough today so that the game gets cancelled.

Someone in the Red Sox Organization is Lying

Let me state up front that I was never a big fan of the current Red Sox owners form day 1 when they were given preference over another group who wanted to purchase the club.

As soon as I started to warm up somewhat to this group they quickly let me down. It was evident that they were jealous of the "empire" that was New York and they would soon try and mimick that organization. This would eventually cause them to price their product out of my reach and would change Fenway primarily as the in place to be seen with baseball as the backdrop. Die-hard baseball fans were soon replaced by the casual "pink hats" who had not sufferred the many heartbreaks of previous years.

I credit them with their successful runs in making the playoffs but I'm sorry to say that this all came at a price. Lately it seems that ownership is more focused on diversifying their portfolio and has either taken their eyes off the ball or they just don't care because they know that people will dish out good money and fill Fenway each and every game day.

What is disturbing about this organization is that there is a bad apple or two who lack class. They seem to have a hard time with anyone who decides to leave the organization. It doesn't matter how much the person leaving has contributed to the team's past success they are quickly painted as bad characters upon departure.

I know this is just speculation on my part but the recent fiasco with manager Terry Francona's departure has me wondering why did his name have to be smeared? Why did certain personal issues have to be put out on New England's clothes line? Why did he get thrown under the proverbial bus?

To my knowledge, he left with class, taking most of the blame for the team's collapse. Yes he was responsible in many ways for enabling these high priced players. So what did he do to merit such an
unceremonious departure?

It's apparent that his comment that he didn't receive help from above seems to have really bothered someone in that organization. It seems that Terry was dealing with more than personal issues. I wonder if he found out that some of his players, who had lost respect for the game,  were being protected by ownership. I wonder if some of these fair haired boys didn't run to ownership and rat on Francona. What didn't they help him with? What was he asking for?

Isn't it interesting how ownership has had numerous press conferences and leaks to the press as they go full court press on damage control.

I find it really puzzling why we haven't heard from the players? It seemed as if Terry bent backwards to appease a number of these spoiled millionaires who play a sport for a living and make it sound that they are really overburdened by travel schedules and night games etc. (Give me a break!!) Where are the veterans such as Veritek (aka the captain), Wakefield, Ortiz et al?

The silence from the players is very telling. The little snip its from Crawford, ("go ask the captain,") and Pedroia and even Ortiz who hinted at the mess has lifted the shade only an inch making it hard to see what was really happening in that clubhouse. It seems as if it's so bad that they don't even want to talk about it or maybe they are being told not to say anything. It's hard to believe that ownership had no idea of the beer video and why isn't MLB investigating how the protected Red Sox logos were allowed to be used without approval. For a group that seems to know all the dirt on their employees, it's hard to swallow the excuse that no one knew anything. I would have like to have seen the faces on a few of them once they found out that Henry was having unprotected discourse with of all people the competitors, Felger and Mazz. Listening a little bit to WEEI in the days after, you could sense the outrage that he granted this impromptu visit to the competitors. For the little he told us, I give Henry credit for having the cogliones to go on the air and answer some questions solely on his own.

I can't believe than no coach has gone to bat for Terry. I'm sure they saw some of what was going on.
Someone up above has no problem smearing Francona but in time as Terry's clothes dry out on the line
the other Red Sox dirty and filthy laundry is either going to have to be washed or thrown out. I can sense a lot of denial coming down the pike as things get aired out. Are the likes of Becket and Lackey going to sing once and if they are let go? There could be a lot of blackmailing going on. This is the byproduct of dishonesty and attempts at character assassination.

It's no wonder why I haven't seen an old timers game in Fenway in years.

Let's see what happens when Theo leaves. I can sense some more shoes dropping.