Years ago, I used to run a small men's softball league -- about 8 teams. Ran for a couple of years then the usual attrition of players and teams began to shrink us down. We were down to 4 teams when most of the guys on the team I played (but did not coach) on left. Rather than leave us with an unbalanced number of teams, we/I decided to go outside the rules and get whoever I could to fill out my roster. One of my players brought in his son and several of his son's other teenaged friends.
Fielding a team half comprised of teens in a men's league, well it was ugly. We lost every game that season and lost them badly. The 10-run rule every game. And yet those kids played hard every inning of every game, knowing we didn't stand a snowball's chance of winning.
After one game, standing around having a beer with some of the other guys, one guy was trying to console me in his own ass-holish, arrogant way by talking about how scrappy and such my team was. I lost it momentarily, tired of the condescention from these guys and told him and anyone within earshot that I'd rather lose every game with the kids on my team now rather than play with the arrogant prima donnas that had been on my team before.
I meant it then, and I've repeated that philosophy on this blog and in my life since. Either play like you mean it or go home.
With that in mind, let me speak about the Red Sox:
Frankly, I wasn't expecting much this season anyway, so I'm not as bummed about the record as many fans. I am upset with the attitude surrounding the team though. I point my finger first at the Boston sports media that has run with every unnammed source and grassy knoll crackpot theory about this team since last season's epic collapse. These guys need a full cup of STFU! Oh hey, just happen to have one here:
Next the owners and GM. Not sure about Lucchino, and Cherri hasn't made a trade yet that I think was worthwhile so the jury's out on him. Youk had to be traded, he was clubhouse cancer, but to a team that the Sox were going to play only a couple of weeks later? Pretty dumb.
As far as the players go, they get the lion's share of the blame. For all the hate heaped on Bobby Valentine by comment trolls, he isn't on the field striking out, booting grounders, or walking in winning runs. He's done as well as he can with the players handed to him. And the team has been decimated with injuries. But . . .
If I was running the show? I'd call a team meeting and have a stack of signed, pre-notorized (yeah I know it's illegal, don't bother telling me) releases and I'd hand them out to every player who didn't come up through the Sox farm system with a couple of exceptions -- Doubront, Morales, Aceves, and a few others.
Then I'd tell these guys that if they want to go, there's the door, gtfo! I'd pay the balance of their salaries and throw them off the property. Only guys that want to play in Boston could stay. No more whining or bitching or tweeting your petty bs! You're either 100% on board or you're out the effin' door! And that goes for anyone I caught leaking stories to the press that were detrimental to team morale as well. I'd let this team sit in the cellar like they did in the 80s for however many seasons it took to scrub the stink from these overpaid prima donnas off that team, then start over.
Just a thought
And 'cause it's my birthday and I'm officially an old man now . . .
Don't know much about this Rita Rusic chick except that she's 50ish, must be independently wealthy since she never seems to work, has a crazy bangin' body, a penchant for tiny bikinis, and a bit of a hoochie streak in her.
Not seein' a downside here folks:
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