December 2nd, 2006 → 1:05 pm @ Seth Mnookin // No Comments
If I was, say, a beat writer looking for something to write about, this might be one place to start:
“‘Media availability,’ which results in a coach or general manager saying nothing about everything, is a waste of everyone’s time. Bill Belichick is the master of the genre (except for those times when he lets his guard down and seems to enjoy teaching a little football) and Theo Epstein is the latest local practitioner. Congrats to Bob Ryan for calling Theo out on this earlier this week.”
“Piecing it all together”
By Dan Shaughnessy
The Boston Globe
December 2, 2006
“Back from his fact-finding/Matsuzaka-signing mission in Japan, Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino sat down at Fenway Park last night and discussed three pivotal team issues in the winter of 2006-07.”
“Lucchino Hits on Three Hot Topics”
by Dan Shaughnessy
The Boston Globe
December 2, 2006
“There was no airing of company secrets by Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein on the conference call he held yesterday in advance of his trip Sunday to Orlando, Fla., for the winter meetings, not that there should have been any expectations Epstein would use such a forum to do so.”
“Epstein Mum on Sox Deals”
By Gordon Edes
The Boston Globe
December 2, 2006
So let’s review:
* A year after Theo Epstein left the Red Sox in no small part because of his sense of the team’s (and Larry Lucchino’s) inability to stay out of the media — a sense which was epitomized by a Dan Shaughnessy column deriding Epstein — Shaughnessy writes a column dering Epstein. For not talking to him.
* That same day, Shaugnessy writes another story in which Larry offers up some sound bites about Matsuzaka, J.D. Drew, and Manny — innocuous soundbites, to be sure — but soundbites all the same.
* At virtually the same time, Theo was on a conference call “refusing to comment on trade talks involving Manny Ramirez or the impending signing of free agent outfielder J.D. Drew.”
Could Shaughnessy just be stirring up trouble? Sure. Could this be an early sign of another fault line in what’s already being described by club officials and top executives as an uneasy truce? Absolutely.
Yeah, it should be an interesting offseason.
Post Categories: 2006 Playoffs & Dan Shaughnessy & Larry Lucchino & Oblique references to Beatles songs & Theo Epstein
V06
17 years ago
The first thing I thought of when I saw that LL was in
Japan spouting off about the fair offer the Sox have already made for Matsuzaka is that he was trying to back Boras into a corner and/or make him look bad. Oops, the “stealth” in the stealth mission to get a kick back from Seibu just flew out the window. Why can’t LL STFU for once?!? It’s like he can’t friggen’ help himself when there’s a high profile negotiation going on. I mean why didn’t he give us daily updates on the Alex Cora contract negotiations?!?
LL seriously fucked up the AROD-Boras-players union negotiations in good shape several years ago with his antagonistic behavior and inflamatory rhetoric . For God sakes man, please don’t screw this deal up too!!
“That same day, Shaugnessy writes another story in which Larry offers up some sound bites about Matsuzaka, J.D. Drew, and Manny — innocuous soundbites, to be sure — but soundbites all the same.” states Seth.
But I give Lucchino credit for sticking up for JD Drew and mentioning that David Ortiz was the last player that recieved a bunch of shit from the Boston media. CHB Shaughnessy no doubt is familiar with what LL was alluding to with this mention of Papi. Since he was the one who shit on DO before he was Big Papi.
“‘Media availability,’ which results in a coach or general manager saying nothing about everything, is a waste of everyone’s time. Bill Belichick is the master of the genre (except for those times when he lets his guard down and seems to enjoy teaching a little football) and Theo Epstein is the latest local practitioner. Congrats to Bob Ryan for calling Theo out on this earlier this week.”
“Piecing it all together”
By Dan Shaughnessy
The Boston Globe
December 2, 2006
Hey nice handjob for your pal, Bob. But I find the whole cat-and-mouse game between Epstein-Belichick and the media to be fasinating to watch and entertaining in and of itself. Do you think perhaps the biggest issue is that the reluctance to blab to old, lazy reporters and columnists makes their life more difficult and hence results in scenes like Bob Ryan badgering Theo Epstein at a waste-of-time-for-all press conferance.
I don’t have blind faith that Theo or Belichick are perfect, but they have had some success in the past and obviously feel there is merit to a media blackout at times. So, I agree that from a standpoint of running a winning program, this is the way to follow.
The only, only thing I care about is feeling again like I did on the night of October 27, 2004 (if you don’t understand the significance of this date, then you won’t agree with my position) and if some people in the media are inconvienced in the process due to a less than forthcoming Red Sox FO then I,as a fan, can live with it.
Dave
17 years ago
I personally enjoyed the recent interview where Lucchino stated that the Red Sox had made an offer to Matsuzaka, after of course Theo explained to the press that they were going to keep all aspects of the negotiation process confidential. Theo then commented to the press something along the lines of “if that’s what he said then yes we did make an offer. Nothing more will be discussed about the negotiations. Thank you.” Theo used every fiber of his being to supress his frustration with Larry boy on that one.
Ogie Oglethorpe
17 years ago
It is hard to believe that people still take the time to read the CHB’s articles. They are predictable and a waste of time unless you enjoy getting tweaked by a somebody that talks to you as if you have a 5th grade education.
All of the Yankee fans that live in Boston read him religiously. That is all you need to know.
Ogie Oglethorpe
17 years ago
I recently saw a documentary called “Return with Honor” that was “Based on the memories and experiences of American prisoners in the Hanoi Hilton”. Interesting story. Some of these guys were shot down on the first bombing raid into N. Vietnam and spent 7-8 years being tortured physically and psychologically. What I didn’t know about this story was that LBJ gave a press conference to the Nation explaining that we were in the process of bombing N. Vietnam. I guess he wanted to keep the American public in the loop and win popular support for this police action. The problem was that he gave this address to the Nation PRIOR to the bombing mission being executed. One of the pilots said that he was listening to the address while doing his flight preparation. So, when the jets arrived in N. Vietnam airspace they were greeted with a massive barrage of antiaircraft fire. Ho Chi Minh should have sent the White House a gift basket with the note reading, “Thanks for the heads up!!!”
Do I want to be kept in the loop of the Red Sox dealings? Yes. Do I want that at the expense of their bargain leverage? No. I think the Pats and Sox respective brain trusts are aware that you are at a competitive disadvantage if your counterpart knows your game plan and/or weaknesses. The media doesn’t care about fouling up a deal, just getting scoops and selling papers.