Since you’ve been gone

January 23rd, 2007 → 8:38 am @ // No Comments

Apparently not satisfied with the correspondences with his readers that I’ve been printing, Murray Chass devotes todays column to making fun of “Red Sox fans” who failed to grasp the humor of an earlier piece, which suggested that the Red Sox sign Barry Bonds, put him in left, and move Manny Ramirez to right. (Chass didn’t actually print any of his responses, perhaps because a) they’re oddly churlish, and b) they’re full of spelling mistakes. In fact, here’s the latest response forwarded along to me: “Perhaos (sic) in your ignorance you are unaware that The New York Times Company is an owner of the Red Sox. If you didn’t know that, it doesn’t day (sic) much for you and your view of things. And you obvioudly (sic) are so blinded by what I write about the Red Sox that you don’t know a joke when you see one. Maybe you are the one who is pathetic.” But I digress…)

The mere fact that so many people didn’t get Murray’s joke (including me) seems to indicate not that said readers are pathetic, but that Chass is as poor a humorist as he is a speller, a writer, and a baseball analyst. What’s more, ironic humor tends to work better when there’s a track record of prescient intelligence, not one of blinding incomprehensiveness. (To wit: nobody thought Steve Phillips was joking when he brought up the notion of Barry playing in Boston, either.)

Today’s column is one in a long line in which Murray, who, honest, has absolutely no bone to pick with the Red Sox or their fans, goes after Crimson Hose supporters. Some other recent examples. August 22, 2006: “Red Sox fans are hurting.” “Red Sox fans…don’t take kindly to criticism of their heroes — unless they level it themselves.” October 4, 2005: “For Boston Fans, a Case of Pinstripe Blues.” (This whole column was about Sox fans. Seriously.) Sept 11, 2005: “Not because I am a Yankees fan, as Red Sox fans believe incorrectly in their mixed-up, Red Sox-motivated minds, but because they have been so smug all season in their belief that last year’s World Series champions would finish ahead of the Yankees this season.” August 2, 2005: “Red Sox fans shouldn’t assume that the wild card, if not first place, was theirs. … If the Red Sox fail to outlast the Yankees…they squandered their best chance to drive a stake into the dark heart of the Evil Empire.” At this point, he should be happy he’s still getting emails. It shows someone cares.


Post Categories: Murray Chass & New York Times

7 Comments → “Since you’ve been gone”


  1. Jack

    17 years ago

    Wow, I’m famous….AND I won a cigar. I feel so special.

    Reply

  2. Ogie Oglethorpe

    17 years ago

    Whenever somebody says, “Not because I am a…”. That is exactly the reason why.

    Reply

  3. cursemyreverse

    17 years ago

    Wasn’t it Murray who said after Arod went to the Yankees that “once again the Yankees have shown the Red Sox how to win”

    It was the first time I had to look up at the top of the paper and think… wait a minute, isn’t this the New York Times?

    Must have been him…

    Reply

  4. jward23

    17 years ago

    What’s funny is the number of people who took Murray’s comment as that of a rambling idiot rather than an attempt at humour. Same with Steve Philips. What’s that saying about perception and reality?

    Reply

  5. chris

    17 years ago

    Seth, you have some pull in the Sox’ front office, right? Surely you can convince someone in the management to keep feeding Murray “information” on the q.t., so we can look forward to an unending series of punchlines. At some point he’s going to run out of Sox fans’ emails on which to base his columns and might actually start casting around for new story ideas. I’m looking forward to headlines in the NYT like, say, “Sox Make Matsuzaka their Closer” or “Sox Bringing Back Oil Can.”

    Reply

  6. urks1989

    17 years ago

    If it wasn’t for the Red Sox and their fans, Murray wouldn’t have anything to write about. He is clearly obsessed. How does the New York Times not see that this guy is stealing money from them? Although, I have to admit I hope the times never catches on to him because the vast majority of Murray’s columns are high comedy. I’d pay to see Seth and Murray on the same talk show together or even better a PPV event…Seth “The Truth” Mnookin vs. Murray “The Deluded” Chass. I’ll take Seth in an early KO.

    Reply

  7. archie

    17 years ago

    I got this email from Chass earlier this year:

    Mr. Palma,

    I’m not sure why you object so strenuously to my giving Red Sox fans a chance to be heard. Why do you think newspapers run letters to the editor? If they write directly to me instead of the editor, they still have a right to be heard. A number of them objected to something I wrote, and I acknowledged that. If you consider that a waste of time, next time skip the column and go elsewhere. There’s a lot to read in the Times.

    You don’t say why you think ill of Larry Lucchino, but I don’t. I also don’t know why you think what I wrote embarrassed him. I called him to get his reaction to the series, he gave it to me after initially declining to and I quoted what he said. I don’t see how or why that embarrasses him. Are you suggesting that what he said was embarrassing? I don’t think it was, but then I obviously don’t think like you. But it’s always good to hear from readers so thanks for writing.

    Murray Chass

    As a neutral observer of the pennant races myself, I was appalled to read your thin-skinned cheap shot levelled at Boston fans. I really thought the NY Times is above that. But I’ve noticed how you relish sticking it to the Boston faithful (didn’t you waste your readers’ time last year by printing letters of Boston fans in your column?). What do you expect? It goes with the territory; it’s Journalism 201. As a columnist, your opinions are bound to disturb somebody. Only a small town hack would use his column as a public forum for spiteful admonishments. It doesn’t educate or entertain your readership (except maybe a small percentage of least-common-denominator NY fans who would rather read thinly-veiled cheapshots than insights into the series. Which, although one-sided, was thrilling nonetheless.) If you couldn’t get to the games — ok. To make a story and publicly embarass Larry Lucchino (asshole that he is) was unprofessional. You’re supposed to be a Hall-of-Fame Baseball Writer. You should act like one. Hall of Famers don’t resort to journalistic retribution. They take the high road. Chass — as in No Class.

    Reply

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