Dan covers the game between the Red Sox and Hanshin Tigers. Actually, he doesn't cover the game...instead, he describes the music and critiques the pronunciation of the PA announcers. Says the Japanese are doing everything they can to make the Red Sox feel at home--from playing Sweet Caroline to Dirty Water. I liked his bit about Javier Lopez hitting 127 on the radar gun...127K that is.
It was a respectable article. Not sure what has gotten into Dan lately. His acerbic nature has laregely been MIA. He has had a few clunkers of late to be sure but he has had a few entertaining reads as well and I would classify today's input as relatively entertaining.
Happy Easter!
All Shank needed to write was a few sentences: "Hello Boston; I'm Dan Shaughnessy. I've been sent on this all-expenses-paid junket to Tokyo. Let it clearly be noted that I'm one of the 'chosen few.' Many other sports media hacks were left home in Boston, and they are clearly making their displeasure be known at every turn. So, I need to make it clear to all my hack brethren that 'I'm here and you're not.'
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I'm here on The Globe's dime. I'm running up a huge expense report tab while my colleagues at The Globe get pink slips. Not to worry, though: I have tenure. 'Tenure' is a wonderful ploy born of Liberal colleges and schools to keep ensure unending employment. So, who cares if I run up a huge Mini-Bar tab while my ex-co-workers at The Globe walk out of Morrissey Boulevard with sad faces and carrying boxes of possessions?"
The article was a COMPLETE BORE, Shank continues to "mail them in"....
ReplyDeleteAnon 7:21 and 8:23...thanks for your comments. I think it is entirely possible that I have lowered my expectations so much with respect to Shaughnessy's writing that anything that is barely passable for many others is acceptable for him
ReplyDeleteI often think to myself (as I read a sports column), "Could I do as good or better than that?" Shaughnessy and Benjamin are two where I consistently say yes. There are others who truly are a notch above,
He's just been writng a bunch of snoozers lately so he'll have something to help him fall asleep on the trip back...
ReplyDeleteAs long as Shank actually puts some effort into his pieces, fine. I would like to see him cover whether these Japan trips MLB undertakes are really beneficial to basebll, and to what extent they are beneficial if in fact the are.
ReplyDeleteI for one have yet to see any particularly convincing case made for these overseas trips by any American sanctioning body.
The anonymous at 7:21 am commentary is incoherent jibberish.
ReplyDeleteHey Bruce, anon #1 was simply noting what Shank usually is - the pompous dimbulb writer who authors so many worthless pieces as to waste people's time. That he periodically turns out some reasonable pieces doesn't change his hack status.
ReplyDeletewell Bruce, you are the expert at incoherent jibberish.....If Shank ever stops short we won't find you for a week
ReplyDeleteThank you, 7:24. I rather think 'ObjectiveBruce' is much better described as 'ObtuseBruce.' He is an entertaining Shaughnessy apologist, and reading his posts is the other half of the enjoyment that this blog provides.
ReplyDelete