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Thursday, June 21, 2007

Why He's Hated: A DSW Flashback

In honor of the ongoing Boston Phoenix poll asking whether Dan Shaughnessy is the most hated person in Boston, we bring you this landmark post from Dec. 13, 2005:

"I always say I look at the bright side." (ESPN Outside the Lines, Oct. 22, 2000)

And yet ...

"Imagine a 2-0 lead and Pedro Martinez hasn't even started yet? However, if you are old enough to remember 1986 or 1978, maybe you are not so certain." (Boston Globe, Oct. 26, 2004)

"Personally, I already miss the old Red Sox a little. ... They never again will be the cuddly team on a near century-long, quixotic quest. ... Buckner and Friends are off the hook. All of them." (Boston Globe, Oct. 29, 2004)

"In my mind there's no question that the O'Donnell group was the way to go." (to USA Today, Jan. 22, 2002)

"[T]he bag job of a major league franchise sale..." (on the Henry group, Boston Globe, March 27, 2005)

"[David Ortiz is] a giant sack of you-know-what ..." (on WWZN, Jan. 4, 2003; link unavailable)

"I don't care." (quoting Tommy Lee Jones in The Fugitive, to Marjory Eagan on 96.9 FM, when asked how he felt when the Sox recorded the final out of the World Series. Dan replied he had a perfect analogy, referring to Jones' glib response to Harrison Ford when the erstwhile "Han Solo" says he didn't kill his wife; Oct. 28, 2004)

"Why does this stuff always happen with the Red Sox? Why can't it just be about the baseball? Even for one day." (on Pedro Martinez leaving a game early, Boston Globe, April 6, 2004)

"It is therefore no surprise that [Dr. Charles] Steinberg took an interest in the young Theo Epstein. By 1992, he was the Orioles' director of public affairs, overseeing four departments. He'd reviewed 10,000 resumes and interviewed more than 1,000 young candidates when Epstein went to see him during spring break in 1992." (Boston Globe, March 27, 2005. Ed. note: Ten thousand resumes, at one minute per resume, comes to 166.67 hours, or a little more than four workweeks. One thousand interviews, at roughly 30 minutes per candidate, comes to 500 hours, 12.5 workweeks. Combined, that equals nearly 17 workweeks -- one-third of the working year -- devoted to finding a single unpaid intern. No wonder the Orioles were such a mess. Or maybe Dan just made it all up.)


And this post, from Dec. 12, 2005:

On Roger Clemens, Dec. 14, 1996:

But on this day of new beginnings and inestimable wealth, there was no glory, no grace in either Toronto or Boston. Clemens bolted Boston and he spit on Fenway on his way out the door.
... Let the record show that The Rocket is 34 years old and went 40-39 over the last four (injury-filled) seasons while earning $20 million. Despite those numbers, he's now the highest-paid pitcher in baseball (Atlanta's John Smoltz got $31 million for four years). ...He didn't take any lumps yesterday. He took $31.1 million. And he dumped all over the Boston Red Sox, who were good to him for 13 big league seasons.

Dan, on Roger Clemens, following the Red Sox-Yankees playoff game/beanball war:

Which one would you rather have now, Sox fans? Roger Clemens -- who kept his composure and behaved like a professional Saturday night, winning the game for his team despite his obvious anger? Or Pedro, the baby who hits a guy after he blows a lead, then points at his head and at Yankee catcher Jorge Posada, threatening "you're next"?

And on May 13, 2005:

Roger Clemens is the greatest pitcher in the history of baseball. The Red Sox should do whatever it'll take to bring him back home for the stretch run in 2005.


On Pedro Martinez, Aug. 26, 2003:

He's the greatest pitcher we've seen since Sandy Koufax. ... Too bad he got it in his head that we don't respect him. Too bad he wants to leave.

On Pedro, Feb. 21, 2004:

... the Dominican Diva ...


On Curt Schilling, Nov. 29, 2003:

Schilling is back with the Red Sox. Oh, happy day. Son of Tito can leave Schilling on the mound to pitch the eighth and ninth and no one will call for the manager to be fired.

On Schilling, Feb. 21, 2004:

The day he signed with Boston he said, "I guess I hate the Yankees now." He has already looked at the schedule and concluded it'll be his turn to pitch when the Yankees first come to Fenway April 16. He spends time in cyberspace, conversing with Red Sox fans. ... Any wonder Curt Schilling is a hit with Red Sox Nation?

On Schilling, Nov. 9, 2005:

It's not a suggestion from Curt Schilling or any of his little late-night, on-line friends. ... It's just something that makes sense. ...


On Nomar Garciaparra, July 10, 2000:

In Boston, there never has been a ballplayer like him. Red Sox manager Jimy Williams said it best two years ago when he observed, "It’s like he’s been here before." True. Sometimes it seems as if Garciaparra is the reincarnation of Tris Speaker or Rogers Hornsby - an old hardball soul in a young man’s perfect baseball body.

On Nomar, June 10, 2004:

By any measure, Garciaparra is one of the most popular Sox players of all time. He's the fourth-leading hitter in franchise history, trailing only Ted Williams, Wade Boggs, and Tris Speaker. He has played hard for every inning of every game since he first got called up at the end of the 1996 season.

On Nomar, Aug. 1, 2004:

Thank the baseball god, he's gone. We no longer have to watch Nomar Garciaparra pretend that he cares about the fortunes of the Boston Red Sox.

Now that the Red Sox need a shortstop, will Dan next write about how they need to bring back Nomar? Stay tuned.

22 comments:

Iain said...

In daily dribs and drabs the stuff is palatable, but a compilation of CHB 'highlights' like this one leaves me needing a beer to wash the foul taste out of my mouth.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Hey everyone, here is that article from the Phoenix about Dan Shaughnessy. Link below will take you to the article.

Boston fights back over Red Sox critic and his clichés

Boston, June 20, 2007 – The Boston Phoenix this week has identified the most hated man in Boston, and its Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy. Sports blogs across Red Sox nation are talking about Dan Shaughnessy’s controversial segment in the March 26th Boston Globe regarding Curt Schilling’s personal blog. Shaughnessy’s work has caused uproar and backlash in the sports world. Adam Reilly’s response to that article comes out in this week’s Boston Phoenix, explaining why we shouldn’t listen to him this time.

Click here to view the complete story:


Shaughnessy, a native of Groton, Massachusetts, has worked as a sportswriter for the Boston Globe for twenty years. He is a celebrated columnist, having been voted eight times as one of America’s top ten sports columnists by Associated Press Sports Editors and named Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Year seven times. Shaughnessy is also the author of 11 books.

The Boston Phoenix, founded in 1966, is published each Thursday and distributed free in more than 1600 sidewalk and store locations. The Boston Phoenix is part of the Phoenix Media/Communications Group, which includes editions of the Phoenix in Boston, Providence and Portland, ME, as well as FNX Radio Network, Mass Web Printing, Stuff@Night, People2People Group, g8wave mobile media and www.Thephoenix.com

JJ said...

This myth needs to be busted...

Or Pedro, the baby who hits a guy after he blows a lead, then points at his head and at Yankee catcher Jorge Posada, threatening "you're next"?

Pedro was indicating "I'm going to remember what you (Posada) are saying" as he was pointing to his own head, not threatening "you're next".

Sorry, Suzyn Waldman and Shank.

Len said...

Thanks

dbvader said...

I liked the article for the most part. Adam Reilly did a good job of listing the reasons he is despised. I wish he had pointed out his lazyness, inability to analyze the game, and his many factual errors. Also, I don't think the "funny looking" aspect counts for much. Bob Ryan is no matinee idol, Tony Maz looks like a balding 14 year old, and Carfardo... well I won't say what he looks like. Shank's looks are more an after the fact reason to dislike him.

The biggest problem I had with the article is the conclusion.

Then again, why don’t more people admire Shaughnessy’s willingness to tangle with Schilling, or Ramirez, or Patriots owner Bob Kraft, or other eminences from the Boston sports scene? (Credit him, too, for acknowledging that the New York Times Company’s ownership of the Globe and ownership stake in the Sox is problematic.) The New York Daily News’ Mike Lupica is nicknamed “The Lip” for his similarly combative approach; it’s meant as a compliment.

Maybe, in the end, Shaughnessy’s situation says as much about Boston as it does about the man himself. In case you haven’t noticed, this can be an angry town. For the better part of a century, the Sox’ internal and external enemies (Bucky Dent, Bill Buckner, Grady Little, etc.) simultaneously stoked and released that anger. But then — after the Patriots’ Super Bowl championships destabilized this dependable equation — the Sox’ 2004 Series win destroyed it forever.

Unmoored, Boston’s collective rage could have latched on to the woeful Celtics or Bruins. Instead — with some encouragement from the man himself — it’s glommed on to the Curly-Haired Boyfriend. Whomever you blame, the outcome isn’t pretty.


First, how does he tangle with anybody except to call them names? Second, the idea that the anger directed towards Shank is somehow the residual of past resentment towards the sports teams is hilarious. Why don't fans attack Carfado or Maz with the same passion? It's because, while those two are bad, Shaughnessy insults his readers, is lazy, and somehow gets promoted as the voice of the Globe and N.E. sports fans. Also, I have hated CHB since '94, long before any of the local teams offered fans any reason to be happy.

Josh Drimmer said...

well done. now I need to take a shower.

Monkeesfan said...

Cafardo looks like Jabba The Hutt straining to imitate John Colicos.

The other big reason why people hate Shank is because he's rarely if ever correct in his arguments. This on top of his serial insults to readers and all the other arrogance he brings to the table is why he is so hated.

Certainly he's not the only writer in New England worth hating - it's fitting that the other worst sports writer in this town used to be Shank's Boston Globe college.

Anonymous said...

Reilly also forgot to mention that Shaugnessy has never imparted any insight into the game of baseball that the readers can't figure out for themselves.

Oh and the big one ... how the vast majority of his targets are minorities.

Anonymous said...

Nice collection of quotes, even if the unverified quote from WWZN is still in the mix. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. Somebody claims to have heard it.

Anonymous said...

Oh, perhaps you all should get over your glee over the angle that Reilly took on his Phoenix story, and perhaps read the entire piece (it's OK, nobody will see your lips move if you read it at home), rather than focus on his recapitulation of the reasons why the luv-luv-luv the local team crowd "hates" Shaughnessy. Maybe check out his blog, as well, to find that one of the comments he quotes in his recap of why some people hate Shaughnessy was reprinted "to show just how over the top some of Shaughnessy's detractors are," although reprinting it was inappropriate.

Anonymous said...

OB/Globe Employee:

What does "recapitulation" mean?

Thanks,

Tim

Anonymous said...

OB used "recapitulation" correctly. It means "a concise summary".

BTW, I didn't have to look it up...But my lips did move a little while reading it.

Anonymous said...

I started early hating CHB for his tireless shots at Jim Rice ... before Curt Schilling and "Jurassic Carl" he used his column to throw shots at Jim Rice ... even long after he had retired. He is vindictive and uses his column as a bully.

dbvader said...

OB,

You got us. We should all give up. One person posted a stupid, immature, disgusting comment on Shank. That repudiates all the well reasoned, well documented posts and comments on this site and throughout the web. Dan Shaughnessy should never be criticized again.

Monkeesfan said...

OB, who's really over the top - those who dislike Shank, or Shank and his rumpswabs?

Anonymous said...

Ah... many CHB classics. You did miss one classic though, the "take for example the piece of junk that is Jose Offerman" line.

Anonymous said...

Paul:

I know OB used it in the correct context.
I was just wondering what it meant. Sometimes
people who blog, like me, are really stupid. Just
ask Shank or OB. OB is wicked smart.

Tim

Anonymous said...

dbvader's reading comprehension problems continue unabated.

I don't suggest that one obnoxious comment on a skin-mag Web site "repudiates all the well reasoned, well documented posts and comments" [chuckle], merely that rather than being a manifesto for why Shaughnessy is bad, the Phoenix piece captures the often irrational hatred behind much of the commentary from from self-proclaimed media critics.

My point has always been the irrationality of the premise that everything Shaughnessy writes is bad, a view clearly held by most, but not all, of the posters around here.

dbvader said...

Again obtuse bruce, why does one comment suggest anything?

Anonymous said...

Sorry, Tim. Sometimes sarcasm is hard to pick up in print. Cheers!

Monkeesfan said...

Bruce, it isn't dbvader with reading comprehension problems. The hatred of Shaughnessy is in no way irrational; it is legitimate because Shaughnessy is a worthless writer who insults the intelligence of the reader when he's not insulting players and others who had to gall to be successful when he has not. There's nothing irrational about holding that anything Shank writes is useless, because one is hard-pressed to cite anything he writes that has any basis in the real world.