There’s still time for NESN to pay proper tribute to Don Orsillo
COMMENTARY
There’s still time for NESN to get one thing right.
Maybe you’re among those who are outraged by the tone-deaf decision to replace Don Orsillo, a superb broadcaster whose popularity seemed to grow with each passing spring – with Dave O’Brien, a superb broadcaster too, but one whose bond with the core fan base is not nearly as sturdy or enduring, and probably never will be given the awkward way he came into the job.
Maybe you were among the 62,000-plus fans who signed the petition pleading with the Red Sox and NESN to hit the rewind button, reverse their decision and keep a good thing going.
Maybe you were among the 33,000-plus fans that attended Sunday’s 2-0 victory over the Orioles and cheered the tribute to Orsillo shown on the video board in the eighth inning, an homage the broadcaster emotionally reciprocated by saluting the fans from the booth behind home plate.
And maybe you were among the tens of thousands of fans watching from home – or at least flipping over from the Patriots’ rout of the Jaguars – who wondered why NESN didn’t show the video tribute.
I’ve reached out to their public relations department to ask why they didn’t show the video. I’ll let you know if there’s a response. There were reports that the decision was a conscious one by NESN …
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… which would be petty. Yet there is a chance to rectify it, if so. (Update, 7:41 p.m.: NESN released a statement Monday night reading, “Yesterday’s Don Orsillo tribute by the Red Sox was designed to be an in-ballpark celebration for the fans in attendance. NESN already had separate plans underway to recognize Don during our last telecast of the season this Sunday (Oct 4). We look forward to celebrating Don’s career at NESN throughout that game.’’)
It would have been nice to do it at Fenway. But the venue doesn’t matter as much as the gesture itself.
Orsillo deserves his due before he goes. And NESN viewers deserve to see it.
After 15 years as the Red Sox’ play-by-play voice, Sunday was Orsillo’s last day in the Fenway work space, at least until the next time the San Diego Padres come to Fenway. It will be announced that he is joining their broadcast team after the season finale October 4.
He will make more money and see more sunshine, but it won’t be home. Yesterday brought a farewell that no one wanted but those with the power to make such decisions.
Any chance that NESN would reverse the decision was slimmer than the Red Sox’ current hopes of making the postseason. (They are 6.5 games out of the wild card with seven to play, in case you stopped paying attention when anyone in their right mind would.) The Boston Herald’s Michael Silverman reported Sunday that NESN, staggered by the backlash, did recently offer Orsillo a chance to join Joe Castiglione on WEEI’s radio broadcasts.
But the offer was for less than half of what he earned at NESN – the Padres deal is for considerably more money – and he would have been to make frequent calls to advertising clients as well as work 40 or so events in the offseason. Orsillo said no. Sources have confirmed that information to Boston.com.
He’s not staying. There’s no maybe about that. NESN is getting the person they want into the booth in O’Brien. And Orsillo is moving on to a tremendous professional opportunity, though all things considered he’d prefer no change at all from the job he grew up dreaming about, the one he’s loved for a decade and a half.
But getting it right and making are two separate issues. Making it right would mean keeping him around. That’s not happening.
Getting it right? That still can be done. The Red Sox have those seven games remaining on the road. All will be broadcast on NESN. There is still a chance to give Orsillo a proper sendoff.
There’s still time for NESN to get one thing right.
Yeah, I know. Given the chronic gracelessness in how its decision-makers have handled the situation so far, our time is probably better spent on more hopeful wishes. Hey, did I mention the Red Sox aren’t eliminated yet?
Photos: Evolution of the Green Monster
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