Dan's penchant to turn with the tide is on display today. The Red Sox have won four straight convincing playoff games and Dan uses that as an impetus to call them America's team. He also says there is a sense of inevitably about their playoff run...a curious claim in one of Dan's feel good columns
A few thoughts:
- Do the Red Sox really hold the place as America's team? Granted, they are wildly popular across the country but when did they really assume that role as America's team? (I am not trying to take a shot at Shaughnessy here - I truly am curious is this a legit claim or Shaughnessy hyperbole?)
- I do object to his declaration that there is a sense of inevitably about the Red Sox playoff run. He conveys a sense of dominance that I'm just not seeing. The Red Sox have been vulnerable to good pitching this year and all it takes is a couple of strong performances from the Indians starters and/or poor performances from the Sox starters (Schilling is not a sure bet; Wakefield has even more question marks) for this to be a very competitive series. I am sure Negative Dan will emerge immediately after a loss or two
DM
6 comments:
No post for the Jacoby Ellsbury/ Native American names in Sports piece?
Anyways, if there were any time perfect for CHB to come out with a pessimistic and sarcastic column right now would be the perfect time. Hell, if I wrote for the globe at this very moment I may very well just write a story just consisting of "BREAK ERIC GANGES ARM INTENTIONALLY SO WE CAN TAKE HIM OFF THE ROSTER NOW!" copy and pasted 50 times or some other story that is about as depressing as possible.
I'm sure if we loose the series CHB will go on and on about how this year just didn't have that special feeling surrounding '04 and how everyone hoped rather than expected success from this team in the playoffs.
Thanks for the note dubegedi. I totally missed the Ellsbury piece and cant seem to find it now either. I regret missing it
I am sure you are right about Shank--if the Sox lose, he will spew columns in the spirit you mention
Dave M
I expect he got the America's team thing from USA today. They had a front page, above the story about Red Sox fans called something like "The New America' Team" or something.
I'll see if I can find it.
Here is the Jacoby/Native American teams piece
http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/
redsox/articles/2007/10/12/
theyve_had_some_chief_concerns/
Found the USA Today article here
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/
baseball/al/redsox/
2007-08-22-Roadattendance_N.htm
And even though the online headline doesn't day it, I clearly remember the term "America's Team" either on the front page or on the redirection headline in the continuation.
Thanks for the posting the links.
As for the Indians-Ellsbury column, the throwaway line that makes Shank look foolish is the one about Mary Kate and Ashley. Trying to be cute (and it is a decent enough line) but it runs counter to the seriousness that he otherwise seems to be trying to convey
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