Today's column is a perfect example. After recapping Matsuzaka's rough start, Dan writes "The result of all this will be a five-day frenzy of Dice-K speculation on two continents. Is he hurt? Is he frustrated? Is he a diva? Is he physically and mentally prepared for his first big league start next Friday in Kansas City?
Only in Boston. Only here could there be a crisis after a guy throws a five-inning no-hitter."
As much as he can try to hide it, Dan wants the irrational hype and frenzy. He lives for discussions about whether a player is "mentally" ready or a "diva" because these types of discussions are inherently unprovable and you can have any half ass opinion on the subjects. That is much easier than discussing what goes on the field like whether a pitcher's motion changed or whether he was throwing a different set of pitches.
Further on, Dan's xenophobia pops up. He offers that Matsuzaka's publicist delivered a "head-scratching statement", presumably because there were a few words and phrases that were awkward to the American ear. Anybody who has taken more than a semester of a foreign language will understand that there are words or phrases that do not accurately translate. There is nothing head-scratching about it.
I'll bet grown men love it when a person like Shaughnessy calls them a "diva".
ReplyDeleteHey, let's give Dan credit, he's showing improvement!!!
ReplyDeleteWith David Ortiz, he didn't even wait until pitchers and catchers arrived before calling him a "giant sack of you know what."
With Dice-k, he got almost all the way through exhibition season before ripping on the minority.
Next year, if the Sox sign another minority, the Bigot of Groton might get all the way to Opening Day before letting his racism shine!!!
When is he going to realize that he is just plain dumb? He has become the guy he hates - kinda like Al Pacino turning in to the Godfather.
ReplyDeleteHe had some control issues I guess, but hey, the strike zone is actually smaller here so it's just adjustment. That is what Spring Training is for.
I guess Shank wants to be the first to cast his lot with the Dice-K diva crowd. I'll bet my house that he'll be the first to bring up the $105 million if Dice-K gets roughed up in a couple of starts. I expect John Dennis to be the vice-president of the "Dice-K Diva Club" come June.
ReplyDeleteI think the Dice-K phenomenon is great for the Sox and baseball in general. Is he a diva because he has his own masseuse and has a special diet? No. Has Shank watched a game this spring? I remember seeing Julian Tavarez and Dice-K joking around in the dugout and just yesterday Wake took some time to teach him knuckleball basics. He will find his niche on the team as he is quick to smile, is respectful of others and doesn't want to be a burden on the team (with all the Japanese media coverage...unlike a certian juicer in San Fran).
Shank will once again find himself on the wrong side of history again.
Even other sports writers are sick of CHB. CHB ripped on Fox Sports:
ReplyDeletehttp://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/6620214
I'm more concerned that Dan is projecting Matsuzaka's first start will be "next Friday in Kansas City", since the rest of the Red Sox will be in Texas on Friday. Is there a trade brewing already? Or did Dan just not get the facts right?
ReplyDeleteStill waiting for verification of the "sack of you know what" quote."
ReplyDeleteSuch as the time. The date. The context. And since it was allegedly on the radio, how about some audio tape?
And as for this "sportswriter," isn't he just another blogger?
OB,
ReplyDeleteWill you quit it with the red herring? People heard and Dan has never denied it.
As to the guy at Fox: Do you have any opinion on the substance of his statement or are you just going to rely on your old standby, ad hominem attacks? There is no difference in a person's opinion based on whether he is a blogger or a sportswriter.
OB, you are one tiresome dude.
ReplyDeleteAs I have identified many times before, The CHB's reference to David Ortiz was made on WWZN on Jan. 4, 2003.
At the time, he said: "[David Ortiz is] a giant sack of you-know-what ..."
The rest, as they say, is history.
ahh, OB, just because he's a blogger, doesn't mean he's not also a sports writer. Infact he writer for The Chicago Sports Review, so yes, he is a sportswriter.
ReplyDelete