That which doesn’t kill you will make you stronger

August 21st, 2006 → 1:48 am @

Believe me, I know how much this sucks. I stayed up until 1:30, too. I also had to wake up at 6:30 in the morning. And I also had trouble sleeping. That was a brutal, brutal game. A brutal game in a brutal series in a brutal month.

So take a day off. Take a week off. Don’t read the sports section. Don’t listen to ‘EEI — or any sports radio, regardless of where you live; it’ll only make you depressed, or mad, or both. Take a walk. Treat yourself to a nice lunch. Find something to be thankful for — the weather, or the lobster roll at Legal, or your family, or your dog. If you don’t live in New York, be thankful for that: there’s nothing like a couple of days of intense humidity to bring out the stench of rotting garbage. Look on the bright side: now you can schedule that October vacation. And remind yourself: it’s only a game.

Then, if you still find yourself itching for some baseball, watch this. There’s no way you won’t get goosebumps. (You can also read my book. It’s cheery. Inspiring, even. Honest.) And remember: This is not 1986, or 1978, or 1975, or 1967, or 1948. This is 2006. The Red Sox won the World Series less than two years ago. They won it by staging the most amazing comeback in the history of sports. They won it by sweeping the best team in the National League. And they will win it again.

I promise.

***

EDIT: Despite all this optimisim, one thing I need to get off my chest. For two and a half years, Francona has been a good manager — good on-field decisions, good handling of an oftentimes tough clubhouse, good dealing with both rookies and veterans. But he blew it big time last night. Papelbon hadn’t pitched in four days, Timlin’s been a mess and Javy Lopez (the pitcher, not the catcher) had been called up about 2 minutes before he came in the game. I know Francona wanted to try to keep Pap fresh for today, but last night was a two-inning save situation if I ever saw one. And then asking Youkilis to bunt over Ortiz was a horrendously bad move. Despite chugging around first after his shot down the line, Ortiz is, to put it mildly, not a fast dude. And Youk? He has exactly one sacrifice in his professional career. And that includes the minors.

Post Categories: Videos that restore faith in humanity

Life is unfair

June 14th, 2006 → 12:05 am @

After a game like this, you need some sort of reaffirmation of all that’s right and true in the world. Yeah…this should do the trick. (And you sir, are a great American.)

Post Categories: Baseball & Ben Cohen & Oblique Refrences to Killed Newsweek Headlines & Videos that restore faith in humanity