The above title is an offshoot of a quote from the mouth of the inimitable Groucho Marx.
Although I never envisioned becoming a part of this site -- aside from entering my comments regarding other postings -- I've changed my mind, essentially because Dan has berated me for "being unfair" to him in my book, It Was Never About the Babe: The Red Sox, Racism, Mismanagement and the Curse of the Bambino.
I find that accusation both amusing and ironic since Dan has acquired the nickname "Shank" through his relentless and seemingly vindictive attacks on others. Perhaps the best example of this is Curt Schilling, whom Shank continues to shamelessly refer to in his columns. Apparently Curt (another abrasive personality who can easily get under one's skin) upset Dan after his trade to Boston in November, 2003, when he refused to cuddle up to the Shankster.
So, even though Dan lauded Schilling's acquisition by the Boston Red Sox, Curt quickly gained Shank's enmity. From that point onward, Schilling became a moving (and, sometimes, a stationary) target of Dan's. Dan has accused Schilling of "channeling" through a psychotic Astros pitcher who physically attacked his general manager, and of taking millions from the Sox last year even though he knew his shoulder was blown out and couldn't pitch.
Despite the fact that the Red Sox braintrust refuted those claims, Shank never saw it fit to correct that particular charge. I'm sorry, but, Dan, that's unfair! In subsequent postings I'd like to endeavor to illustrate how Dan never saw fit to correct the many, many pieces of misinformation in his tome, The Curse of the Bambino, even though it's in it's 21st printing (at last count), and Shank's gotta know that much of his fairy tale is flat out wrong!
I personally have been pilloried by at least one Dan apologist for refuting the so-called "Curse" even though it's been done before by other authors, albeit in much shorter form. Be that as it may, the myth needed to be buried once and for all.
And Dan really ought to send a "thank you" letter to my publisher, Skyhorse Publishing, Inc., of New York City, since its editor seriously watered down my chapter on the Boston sports media. Otherwise, Shank might have sent a Holy Cross hitman after me.
Finally (for now), I'm using my real personal information to back up my involvement on this website. For one thing, I think that's only fair and proper. A secondary reason, frankly, is I've got a book to promote. And, just for the record, since Dan loves to slam bloggers and Internet addicts, I'm not some cretin holed up in my basement -- we don't have a basement ... we live outside of Atlanta -- endlessly logged on. Our office is off our living room, and that's where our computer is!
3 comments:
Hi Jerry G
Welcome to the site - glad you are here to take over the torch. I have enjoyed your first few posts - understand your feelings toward the Shank and I look forward to reading your posts.
I will continue to post comments but happy to step down after 2+ years of blogging here. It has been fun and I would like to think we have had some success in illustrating the fallacies of the Shank. I would also like to thank the regulars here.
Dave M
Hello back, Dave M...
Thanks for serving our country. I, myself, spent 17 years in uniform, but in Army garb.
I do hope that you, Vader & Mike continue to post. My one concern is that when Shank does do a decent column people aren't willing to acknowledge it. After all, we've got a lot of .200 hitters in MLB.
Jerry, don't sweat the Holy Cross hitmen, they're easy to spot, what with the bow ties and all. I have always said that what got Shank's nose out of joint was the obscene amount of money his contemporary, (and BC grad!), Mike Lupica was making. Not sure that much has changed.
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