Silver linings
In Seinfeldian terms, we’ve got a whole lot of nothing going on.
The Patriots are in hibernation, spring training doesn’t kick off for another week, and the Bruins and Celtics are teetering on the edge of irrelevancy. I’m so unwilling to let go of my NFL Sundays that I’m determined to know the Arena League inside and out just so it looks legit when the wife asks me to paint the kitchen one Sunday morning.
“Sorry, hun. The Crush are facing the Desperados and this is a big redemption game for Nick Browder and the boys. Where are the chips?”
Maybe I’ll hook the laptop up to the big screen, download a little Curl TV for the curling jones I’ve suddenly come down with. Put aside at least a little time for the NFL combine, which, admittedly, probably wouldn’t be as exciting as splashing color onto the homestead walls.
To say we’re experiencing a dearth of Boston professional sports action these days wouldn’t exactly be fair to our local basketball and hockey entrants, but then again neither is what they’re putting their fans through. I mean, for God’s sake they’ve got this poor soul deliriously awaiting the start of baseball season. And he’s still got a month and a half to go.
On a related note, I think Curt Schilling just sealed his $13 million for 2008.
“When we saw the schedule that jumped off the page,” team president Paul Godfrey told the Toronto Sun. “We sent a letter of complaint to the commissioner’s office and he said he gets complaints from other teams that they don’t get the same treatment. So it’s a difficult thing to make a schedule. What we’re doing when we complain is letting them know that, next year, it better not happen again.”
Particularly for a team that has been building up its fan base once again after a decade of despair, this seems an odd move in part by Major League Baseball. Eighteen games between the two teams and not even three of them can be on a weekend north of the border? Oh, and by the way, the Red Sox play not one, but two weekend series at both St. Pete and Baltimore this season. Toronto ticket manager Patrick Elster pointed out yesterday that the Jays are the fifth-fastest growing team in attendance, while the Orioles and Devil Rays (sorry, Rays) play in front of a crowd better suited for the Rex Grossman fan club. Who needs the traveling band of Red Sox fans more?
Of course, all this could be fixed by doing away with the unbalanced schedule (19 against Tampa! Get your tickets now!), which, let’s face it, was only implemented solely for the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry. But in the end, it denies fans the opportunity to see more of the Tigers and Twins and more of the, well, Rays. Godfrey, for one, will be glad to see it go.
“There are a number of teams that are concerned,” he told the Sun. “Baseball is somewhat like government: They move very, very slow. The fact is, they will change. The momentum is building up to get back to a balanced schedule. And I think the momentum is building up to go to an expanded playoff format. Will it happen next year? Probably not. But I see it in the near future. We’re all pressing for it.”
Sportsnet’s Scott Carson says that the Red Sox’ lack of a closer is good news for Toronto. “Kind of makes you wonder why Theo Epstein didn’t use some of the cache of cash that he threw at J.D. Drew and Julio Lugo to bring in a bonafide, proven Major League closer,” he writes.
Sure, I suppose there could have been dumber moves than tossing millions at Danys Baez, but hey, that’s your call. When did Jonathan Papelbon assume the role last year? Oh, it wasn’t Feb. 9? Huh.
Difficult to picture them giving A-Rod monster dollars when they control Ramirez through ’10 and Ortiz and Drew through ’11. Then again, club president Larry Lucchino covets big names, and surely would relish the idea of luring Rodriguez from Evil Empire I to Evil Empire II.
The Sox, remember, nearly traded Ramirez for Rodriguez in ’03; if they somehow could part with Ramirez, they could better afford Rodriguez. More likely, they would acquire a first baseman and move Kevin Youkilis to third to replace Mike Lowell, who is a free agent after this season – the top free agent at third, actually, if Rodriguez stays with the Yankees.
What’s more unbelievable, the fact that we’re even discussing this A-Rod inanity again, or that Mike Lowell is due to be the top free agent at third base? Nothing against Lowell, but that’s what you call a weak class.
“Bryant Gumbel, NFL Network: He just doesn’t understand it, and he embarrasses whomever he’s working with by his howlers. Even worse, though, he brings the level of the show down by constantly trying to switch off the action on the field and onto whatever topic strikes his fancy, or perhaps an extended interview with one of the anchor team, sometimes omitting play-by-play entirely.
“Joe Theismann, Mike Tirico and Tony Kornheiser, ESPN: When I die and go to hell, hell will be a Kornheiser bit on T.O.-prolonged indefinitely.”
Classic. And yet, ESPN is bringing the team back after stellar Monday night ratings, touting the trio in the network’s never-ending pride. (Just don’t bring up ESPN The Phone.) It couldn’t be that people are watching (and turning up their Sirius in tandem) in spite of the broadcast, but because of the product, could it? Well, the AFC title game was the highest-rated program of the week, besting American Idol, and Super Bowl XLI (somehow) was the second-highest rated of all time. If Bristol thinks folks are tuning in to see these stooges (and whatever joker is pushing his latest Disney entertainment venture), they’re nuts. As Gumbel proved, you can put the blandest of personalities in the booth and people will watch.
And speaking of those second quarter guests, how exactly is it that every time I look up James Denton is at another sporting event? He’s like a mall Santa Claus.
