Boston sport’s famed “Decade of Dominance” started with the Patriots, went to the mountain with the Red Sox, and the Celtics put a green cherry on top of the whole fan-glorious sundae. And we ate it up. Memorabilia is everywhere and on everyone. We are confident if not belligerent winners. There is more pre and post game than actual game, and, a la elevator musak, the airwaves and 3G waves are now filled with sportsak from homer sports journalists. But, in its own corner of many an office or home, is the old framed photo of the 2004 team in front of the Green Monster, the team that beat the Yankees, nevermind the World Series. A vintage sports story 86 years in the making, evocative of so much to so many, warm feeling that will last a lifetime. They were dreams come true.
Fenway is on ice for the 2010 season, as top slugger Jason Bay leaves the Red Sox for the Mets, and some strange Canadian sport is played in the infield on New Year’s Day.
Like Fantastic Mr. Fox, Tiger Woods will one day emerge from all that he is currently buried under. He will be a bigger celebrity, a bigger personality-he is arguably the greatest athlete in the history of professional sports-but golf is the champagne of sport, and vintage Tiger will someday break all of the records. When he does, the stock market will come roaring back, all will be forgiven, and his fantastic whistle, wink & smile will be marketed to reflect a culture that knows better, but can’t help itself!
When good football teams play well in the first half, but poorly in the second half, it means that they are getting outcoached. Specifically, the Patriots opposing teams at halftime make adjustments on offensive and defense, and their play-calling in the third & fourth quarter is better than New England’s. Play-calling is a young man’s skill; it’s an artform, requiring creativity, new ideas, imagination and enthusiasm. Belichick has coached hundreds and hundreds of games, and is either burnt out or has passed his prime. The old Championship Patriots would surprise defenses in the red zone, with first down passes to Mike Vrabel or a quarterback bootleg. The same players now look tired and predictable.
The New England Patriots and Boston Red Sox have roughly the same payroll, about $125M, but the Patriots have twice as many players to pay salaries to! The Patriots have about 60 players and the Red Sox just under 30. As a result, the Patriots can afford to pay only five of their best players $5M or more per year, while the Red Sox can play twelve of their better players $5M or more. In football, you can really only retain (pay) about 10% of your best players, but in baseball you can hold unto at least 30% of your core team. That’s why success is harder to maintain in football than it is in baseball. Great teams like the Patriots, that win three Super Bowls, can’t keep a dynasty-and specifically a defense-together. Good players like Assante Samuel get greedy, and leave the team to get paid $9M per year. Then Richard Seymour gets traded for someone younger and cheaper. All of a sudden there’s no rush, no pass defense, Peyton Manning is on the other sideline, the noise is deafening, and it’s 4th & 2!
Mercenary heroes... The Johnny Damon affair is a sad reminder of the dishonor and bad behavior that is the flip side of big money sports teams like the Red Sox. Yes, Boston won two World Series titles, ending an 86 year curse, but perhaps without the lasting honor that even the losers of ‘86, ‘75 & ‘68 retain. The Sox won with acquired big contract players like Damon, Manny Ramirez, Curt Schilling & Josh Beckett, among others-fans of their departed teams were brokenhearted-(Oakland, Cleveland, Philadelphia/Arizona & Florida). But Damon & Ramirez would eventually sell-out the Red Sox just as the Sox had out-bid their previous teams and community of fans.
Damon was booed brutally for several years at Fenway Park when he played for the Yankees. Okay, he makes a lot of money and can take it, but guess what, he’s a human being after all, and now does not want to return to a previous “home”. In fact, nice guy Damon is badly booed everywhere but New York and Detroit.
It has all the hallmarks of a financial divorce. A lasting lifelong scar driven by individual pursuits that trump the honor of the common good. (0)
Listen to the Ghost of Johnny Most discuss the Celt's 2008 Season
