Historic collapse? Maybe. But certainly not the worst

Best.

Baseball.

Night.

Ever.

I know the allure of the game is often how it unfolds at a less-than-frenetic pace, with long, lazy games and a long, lazy season.

But those 10 or 15 minutes in the wee hours – when Longoria homered and the Red Sox finally choked the life out of themselves – were as outstanding a few hectic minutes as I can remember in decades of following the game.

And I really wish I had listened to Boston talk radio last night – or even this morning – because the historic collapse of the Red Sox would have been fodder for some of the greatest fan angst in the history of sports.

But since I have some history myself with that franchise, I am going to say this:

The slow implosion this year would be third, at best, in the litany of Red Sox Chokes that they’ve subjected themselves to over the years.

First would still have to be 1978, the one-game playoff.

I remember driving back from the University of Welland that day, stopping a saloon somewhere around Port Robinson (I should have gone to Mike Smrek’s house, in hindsight) and watching aghast as Bucky Effing Dent hit that homer, Lou Piniella bluffing a catch in right field that ultimately saved a run and Yaz – YAZ! – popping out harmlessly in foul territory at third to end it.

The ignominy of losing to the Yankees, at home, after that 14-game mid-summer lead was a crushing blow to a young man’s fandom and while My Friend Stella wasn’t around at the time, someone else kept me company right off.

The second? Has to be ’86, right?

I’m on a couch at Super Dad’s house back in the day, all by myself, a glass of nectar at the ready, on the phone with a friend about to live the glory, totally prepared to celebrate like seldom before. After all, it was destiny, right? They had to win after all those years of letting us down.

But, noooooooo.

Mookie. Buckner (who should have been out of the game for defensive purposes) and the rest, as they say, is history.

So last night, while comical for the outcry it will create and historic in its nature, was just fun to watch. It wasn’t the worst by any stretch of my imagination.

-

You know me and respecting the game – any game – right?

Well, imagine the angst and utter hatred of that putz Reyes from the New York Mets for what he did yesterday.

And it’s a perfect example of the disrespect I find so galling.

Dude’s in a race with Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun for the NL batting. Reyes gets a hit – a bunt single – in his first at-bat to get his average to .337, ahead of Braun, who’s playing later.

And the guy TAKES HIMSELF OUT OF THE GAME TO PROTECT HIS LEAD!

The bum.

Sure, he wins the title when Braun goes 0-for-4 (he would have needed three hits as it turns out) but if there ever was a case for an asterisk beside an individual title, this one cries out for it.

The right thing to do is play the game, get some hits and see what happens; trust your own abilities rather than take the chicken way out and ask out of the game an inning into it.

I tell you, somewhere Ted Williams’ frozen head is spinning in its cryogenic chamber.

(Williams, of course, played an entire double-header on the final day of the 1941 season, went 6-for-8 and finished hitting .406; he would have hit .400 or better if he’d taken the day off).

-

Maybe we’re evolving?

Somehow I believe every newspaper, television and radio station and website missed the glorious 39th anniversary of, well, The Goal.

Sept. 28, 1972.

Now, since we seem to dredge that moment up as the shining example of our spectacular pucks past, the fact the anniversary came and went without special sections or hour-long reminiscences tells me it’s time to maybe move on?

Oh, wait, most fans were wondering and anxiously waiting to see who’d be suspended for some head hit, no wonder they missed it.

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Since I’m bored with the minutia of the NBA labour talks – really, this weekend is big, bigger than big; a must-settle time or, if they don’t, the next one is a must-must-settle time, as my man Smitch would say – here’s a way to make a point about it:

Q: Hey Doug. Don’t you think competition and even quality of teams would improve if teams in the NBA had power to cut players loose with out paying them off? For instance, Marbury case, Curry with his contract, Arenas and the guns, even Ellis a year or two ago.

Long contracts are nice to have, but at the same time its no secret, that players tend to improve their play, or at least try harder on contract years. I understand that its nice to have a job security, and to have long 15 year NBA career, but how many players getting big bucks to sit on the bench. IMAO, this is actually what killing many teams.

Alex V, Toronto

A: What’s killing many teams is bad management, bad scouting, bad negotiating, bad coaching, bad players and bad luck.

Now, while there is no doubt the league is littered with players on bad, long-term contract, I’m not exactly who it is you think is at fault. I cannot imagine you think it’s the players’ fault for taking contract they’re being offered, do you?

The owners are simply trying to save themselves from themselves and the men they hire to put teams together and to take back things they collectively bargained in past years.

Would the league be better with shorter term, not-fully-guaranteed contracts? Probably yes. But unless the owners are prepared to give something rather than take, take, take then I don’t blame the players for staying out.

-

We are way down on the mail quotient, folks.

Hate to put the pressure on you but …

It gets lonely not having fun stuff to read.

Click. Please. Send. Please. Thanks

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Okay, I’m sure you’ve all read about the women and the win over Jamaica last night that – at worst – gets them into the final London Olympics qualification thing next summer, right?

Well, if you didn’t, you can go here and then you can go here and get a true first-hand accounting of it from Kim Smith’s little blog.

Day off for the ladies, they get the surprisingly unbeaten Argentines in Friday night’s semifinal with Cuba and Brazil in the other.

All along, I figured this one would come down to Canada-Brazil for the one automatic berth and I’m sticking with that right now.

But regardless of what happens on the weekend, the women will have next summer to look forward to and that’s a rather big accomplishment.

You should pay attention to this team and this program. Really.

-

Okay, after the Niagara morning there’s a big high-level confab back at the Mother Ship to see if we can’t find ways to jazz this little piece of the interweb up a bit, or at least put in some changes to make it more fun.

Stay tuned, almost time for some alterations, methinks.

-

 

 

Comments

[Andrew Gregg]

Hi Doug:

Larry David built an episode around Bill Buckner on Curb Your Enthusiasm this season. Spectacularly funny.

AG, Toronto

[sam]

You would think with the Evil empire up by 7 runs late in the game that the result was a given the Rays would be on outside looking in.
Nursing a one run lead in the 9th, your closer on the mound, the end result would be a Sox win....That's why they play the Games!

The TOD finish at .500 for the year....not as good as last year - but the pieces are in place and the future looks pretty darn good.

I recently had the pleasure to watch some of the 72 series on some borrowed DVD's - relived the Paul Henderson goal. In '72, I watched the game in the library of my old public school. (which sadly, now sits vacant.) The place erupted with cheers and all was right in the world. I was struck by how chippy the play was, but because it was the hockey event of the decade - It was deemed great Hockey.....when in reality - not so much. Still glad Canada Won

[Matty-Pix]

"It gets lonely not having fun stuff to read."
... Raptor nation can relate! How much longer will we have to hold our breath

Blogger's note: September, 2012? Who knows

[Peter in Italy]

And how is SuperDog today? She is a Boston Terrier is she not?

Blogger's note: I was out of the house by 5:30 a.m., she was fast asleep but she is a Boston and it was rainy -- which plays havoc with walks -- so I imagine she's as cranky as ever.

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Doug, I think you can now replace your all-time favourite "turkeys could fly" quote with one of your very own: "I tell you, somewhere Ted Williams’ frozen head is spinning in its cryogenic chamber." Brilliance!
All is cool with the world, now that the Sox have completed their slo-mo demise. Love that stuff! And kudos to the Jays on their close-out win (even if it was gifted to them by those other Soxes). If memory serves correctly, back in April, you had them pegged at 86 wins. It was a good call, and they were definitely capable of achieving that, young as they are. Maybe T.O. won't be dogged with worst sports town status next year, cuz these Jays are going to make some noise!
Also appreciate hearing your extended take on the owners in answering Alex V's question.
Cheers. Go, Canuckle Women!

[marc in panama]

Hola Doug,

"Stay tuned, almost time for some alterations, methinks."

What? You're going to mess with my daily fix?? Are you gonna go all Mark Zuckerberg on us and ruin DSRB like he did Facebook? Great, I can just hear the uproar now, thanks!

Ciao amigo,

marc in panama

Blogger's note: No, no, no. Nothing big, maybe some tinkering

[billy]

Your constant ragging on a hockey is a disgrace.
You love those SOB's down south so much, why don't you move there?
Even better.
They're gonna build a fence at the border.
That means you'll never get back in.,
Even better.

Blogger's note: Feel better?

[Nick M]

Quick question...
-
Been hearing a lot of Bill Buckner shouldn't have been out there talk lately. Now, not being of that vintage and trying to get a grasp on his abilities, would this be like having Encarnacion on first? If so, that was truly horrible managing.

Blogger's note: He wasn't a terrible fielder in his day by any means but he had some ankle issues and the Sox had been using a guy named Dave Stapleton as a defensive replacement. In hindsight ...

[Amdz541]

What a fantastic night last night to be a baseball fan. And as a Jays fan, watching the Yankees and Red Sox both lose on the final day warms the heart.

Such amazing drama... I've never hit recall on the remote so many times, flipping between all 4 games, on almost every pitch, not wanting to miss a Live moment when Boston choked or TB won.

Amazing.

[ditch]

The jumbo heads are going to tinker? Be afraid. It usually means things go "au chocolat" as they say in France. And that ain't chocolate they refer to. Or is it to which they refer? Yeah. That's gooder.

[doug]

it's ironic to me that baseball is this slow paced game that one sits and watches for 3 hours or so at a leisurely pace...but last night in a matter of 3 minutes one teams season ended and another one's was extended....shear drama....again seeing it happen to Papelbon well just made it that much sweeter, he blew 2 key games within a week....good answer in regards to long term contracts, and speaking of which there was this article on Grantland the other day in regards to amnesty 2.0 which the owners have apparently already agreed to but this time there will be no counting it towards the cap..which will be fascinating as there will be that many more players in the marketplace but also all it is is G.M's owners being allowed to get rid of contracts they never should have offered in the first place...but further to this "amnesty 2.0" is this point , if the owners are pleading that they are broke and the current economic model is broken think about this, for argument sake let's say each team rids itself of a $15 million contract (which is a way low number) that works out to $450 million dollars, and on top of that if this doesn't count against the cap, then teams will resign other players so in essence this will cost the owners minimum $600 mill and really closer to a billion when you look at some of the contracts mentioned...if the owners are broke and before the league even plays its first game under this new agreement the owners will have spent close to a billion, and they say they are broke, yea right...all a hard cap does is save the owners from themselves so don't by this competitive balance hogwash....this is a interesting discussion of players to axe, and look at the Pistons 87 million worth of contracts to choose from, and yea right it's the players fault...I like what Rashard Lewis of the Wizards says and he is exactly right...anyway these tinkers may be interesting to see, but don't let the tall foreheads alter it to a great degree, well that's silly as that's what tall foreheaded people do...

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7026680/welcome-amnesty-20-nba

[David Huctwith]

Yesterday was the 70th anniversary of Ted Williams playing that DH.

[Lorie]

Afternoon, Doug!
Having a wee bit of experience with alterations lately, I have (another) three words to live by: adequate seam allowance. Don't let 'em cramp your style, hem you in or make you wear Peter Pan collars. Oh, wait...scratch that last one. That's a personal fashion thing of mine. But seriously, Doug - we like it around here. It's comfortable. You're like that comfy pair of Hush Puppies that fit just right. We've worn you in. Or you've worn us down. You know what I'm saying? I guess a bit of change is okay, but just a bit. Slowly. Subtlely. And NOT SIGNFICANT! So, before the Big Meeting, please gird your loins and stand your ground. Cheers!

[Lorie]

Hold it! There's a song waiting to be written - and inspired by today's blog. (And with apologies to Gordon Lightfoot...) "There was a time in this Fair Land when the Stella did not run...". Cheers. Again. Those Smooth Belgian Beverage Ones.

[John]

I usually follow this thing pretty closely but I must have missed something along the way ... what are you doing down in Niagara all the time?

Blogger's note: Real life stuff

[LeeZ]

Doug, surely you misinterpreted @Billy. I have his post pegged as pure satire, tongue planted firmly in cheek, no? I mean, who in their right mind would write something like that and mean it! But if I'm wrong and if Billy was actually serious, Billy, meet me at camera three, please (anyone get that reference, btw?). Billy, don't you think it's time you moved out of Mom's basement, got rid of your Star Wars action figures and, well, you know, got a...life?

[Mr. Cook]

Perhaps the best sports infographic ever. Apologies to Doug and the rest of the Boston fans for making it so visceral. http://www.sportsclubstats.com/MLB/American/ALEastern/Boston_ChanceWillMakePlayoffs.html

[james]

Is there any possibility that TSN will present the Canada/Argentina semi live? Or the final if Canada makes it? Please rattle their chains for me.
You are absolutely correct about this team. Their unselfish approach to the game is a real pleasure to watch.

Blogger's note: Nope, just learned everything -- even gold medal game -- tape delayed

[David in Oakville]

I had the Yankees / Rays game on the radio but turned it off after the score reached 7 - 0. The radio announcers mentioned though that none of the Yankees top three closers would make an appearance in the game. At 7 - 0 that is no big deal but as the Rays came back, I have to wonder if this result is truly fair to the Red Sox that the winning hits were made against the Yankees second tier stoppers.

No excuses for the Sox though!

Totally agree with your comments on Reyes... and love the Ted Williams remark! Hilarious Doug.

As always Doug, very diplomatic in your handling of the outrageous suggestion that NBA management be given the ability to dump a player and void their contract as they see fit. Totally agree players are responsible for the effort they make to earn the contract that they negotiate.. but lets not blame them for the collective stupidity of NBA GM's with too much money and too few brains. Hedo should be ashamed of the effort he made (and his attitude) but not for taking the contract he was offered.

[doug]

this is a quote from Joe Posnanski in a article on baseballs wild night yesterday...and to me it is the perfect quote to describe baseball as it is exactly the truth..i am going to use it in the future when talking to people about why I am a baseball fan and here it is......"I’ve written this before: I never argue with people who say that baseball is boring, because baseball is boring. And then, suddenly, it isn’t. And that’s what makes it great"..what a great line and quote...it succinctly describes all that is baseball....