Sunday, August 01, 2004
'At least it didn't break for a commercial': Reader No. 1 on Boston, Nomar and the Sox:
"A good example of how Bostonian is even the most 'professional' of the local newscasts, Channel 5. Midday Sunday stories, in order:
" 1. Nomar No More (6 minutes)
" 2. The weather
" 3. Shaw's Supermarket threatens to strike
" 4. Hate literature distributed in Newton
" 5. Al Qaeda Threatens Terror Attacks in New York -- 10 minutes in. Oh well, at least it didn't break for a commercial. Aren't those the guys John Edwards mentioned in his speech on Wednesday?
"So in Bostonian tradition, quick thoughts on Nomar:
"1. It's an obvious shame that a guy who showed heart and talent for years ended badly. Check out the Dirt Dogs "Achilles Heel" coverage. Despite the bizarre story of the heel, look at how much fans still loved him.
" 2. Much of what Shaughnessy writes today is true, although unsurprisingly he neglects to mention his role in the Nomar Tragedy as chief tormentor of Red Sox players.
" 3. It was evident watching Theo's press conference that he really didn't want to do this. He is too professional and lawyerly to explain the real reasons so unfortunately he has supplied Talk Radio's Bloodthirsty Shutins with a dubious rationale for dealing a potential future Hall of Famer: we needed more defense... oh well, Theo will survive.
" 4. If the Red Sox management deserves a knock, it's for not having executed the A-Rod deal - which wasn't the beginning of Nomar's unhappiness here, but was the fatal blow from which the relationship couldn't be salvaged. Larry Lucchino and John Henry will be kicking themselves through the rest of their ownership tenure for getting into a poker game they couldn't win.
" 5. Looking down the road, this suggests 2 paths for the Red Sox. The obvious one which Talk Radio will bandy about for the rest of the year is that the team has created payroll space to retain Pedro and Varitek, and replace Space Cadet Lowe with a more reliable 3rd starter. The less obvious one is that Doug Mientiwicz and Orlando Cabrera are the face of the future Red Sox. Peter Gammons has been banging the drum in his regular media appearances that letting your strategy be dictated by what the Yankees do is a mistake (see point #4 above). ... A little Moneyball, anyone?"
"A good example of how Bostonian is even the most 'professional' of the local newscasts, Channel 5. Midday Sunday stories, in order:
" 1. Nomar No More (6 minutes)
" 2. The weather
" 3. Shaw's Supermarket threatens to strike
" 4. Hate literature distributed in Newton
" 5. Al Qaeda Threatens Terror Attacks in New York -- 10 minutes in. Oh well, at least it didn't break for a commercial. Aren't those the guys John Edwards mentioned in his speech on Wednesday?
"So in Bostonian tradition, quick thoughts on Nomar:
"1. It's an obvious shame that a guy who showed heart and talent for years ended badly. Check out the Dirt Dogs "Achilles Heel" coverage. Despite the bizarre story of the heel, look at how much fans still loved him.
" 2. Much of what Shaughnessy writes today is true, although unsurprisingly he neglects to mention his role in the Nomar Tragedy as chief tormentor of Red Sox players.
" 3. It was evident watching Theo's press conference that he really didn't want to do this. He is too professional and lawyerly to explain the real reasons so unfortunately he has supplied Talk Radio's Bloodthirsty Shutins with a dubious rationale for dealing a potential future Hall of Famer: we needed more defense... oh well, Theo will survive.
" 4. If the Red Sox management deserves a knock, it's for not having executed the A-Rod deal - which wasn't the beginning of Nomar's unhappiness here, but was the fatal blow from which the relationship couldn't be salvaged. Larry Lucchino and John Henry will be kicking themselves through the rest of their ownership tenure for getting into a poker game they couldn't win.
" 5. Looking down the road, this suggests 2 paths for the Red Sox. The obvious one which Talk Radio will bandy about for the rest of the year is that the team has created payroll space to retain Pedro and Varitek, and replace Space Cadet Lowe with a more reliable 3rd starter. The less obvious one is that Doug Mientiwicz and Orlando Cabrera are the face of the future Red Sox. Peter Gammons has been banging the drum in his regular media appearances that letting your strategy be dictated by what the Yankees do is a mistake (see point #4 above). ... A little Moneyball, anyone?"
