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Feb. 21st, 2005 09:34 amRight. So I get out of bed earlier than is strictly necessary on my day off, trudge through snow that I had forgotten was supposed to fall, and triumphantly claim the last copy of the Boston Herald.
And what am I rewarded with for my efforts?
Blatant hypocrisy, that's what.
Look, I am well aware of the Boston sports media's reputation for being a nasty beast. I know that they will turn on their teams, especially the Red Sox, at the slightest provocation, or for no reason at all.
But this is the first time I have paying close enough attention to see this in action. Just yesterday, Karen Guregian said, "When you try and karate chop a ball out of a player's hand, as A-Rod did during the playoffs, and throw out self-serving and idiotic remarks like he did recently, you earn the hits thrown your way [italics mine]."
Today, she opens saying, "The message has been driven home like a 98-mph heater under a batter's chin.
"Red Sox players don't like Alex Rodriguez. Fine. We get it. He gets it. Everyone on the planet gets it. Like any well-delivered purpose pitch, there's no need to keep sending the message.
"Enough is enough."
She goes on to spend her entire column trshing the Sox for everything said in the past week. EVERYTHING. Because, you know, they all spoke out on their own. The media certainly didn't harrass them for quotes to drag the whole thing out instead of just letting it die. Admittedly, they could have taken the "no comment" route, but they didn't, and this is the very first indication that anyone in the Boston media has any problem with that. The coverage in the past week has been amused and rather vindictive toward A-Rod.
Now, just because A-Rod has shown up with his slick politician persona and said absolutely nothing of substance whatsoever, the Red Sox are the bad guys? So, what, now we're going to coddle poor widdle put-upon A-Rod and save him from the big mean Sox?
What's that you say? What of A-Rod accidentally on purpose calling Bronson "Brandon?" Surely they'll at least call him on that tactic, which was last used by Lila Fowler in Sweet Valley High?
Y'all, the article about A-Rod's response DOES NOT EVEN MENTION IT.
Head. DESK.
Oh, wait, upon rereading Guregian's piece of journalistic art, I see that she does mention it.
"So did Rodriguez yesterday, although he did refer to Bronson Arroyo as 'Brandon.'
"Naturally, word got back to Fort Myers, and Arroyo was asked about the possible slight from the man who was vilified for slapping the ball out of Arroyo's hands during the American League Championship Series. Of course, the Sox pitcher couldn't resist.
"'I heard he's a student of the game. It could have been a simple mistake but I doubt it,' Arroyo said. 'Maybe he thinks I'm a nobody and he doesn't want to get my name right.'"
Head. EXPLODY.
So suddenly, A-Rod's masterful use of high school mindgames and Bronson's calm response somehow makes Bronson into the asshole? What. the. fuck, people. What the FUCK.
There is also another article, written by Howard Bryant, which is about how everyone in baseball hates the Red Sox or what the fuck ever, and it is a bit fairer than Guregian's inasmuch as it uses past incidents of not-so-nice things the Sox have done on their own, mostly during games, but the tone and the language of the article is the same, and I don't care. I'd link, but it's available online to subscribers only.
Jesus. I'd threaten to switch to the New York Post after all, but I'm told they're not any better. So maybe it's time to start reading the Boston Globe instead. Surely it can't actually be worse.
And what am I rewarded with for my efforts?
Blatant hypocrisy, that's what.
Look, I am well aware of the Boston sports media's reputation for being a nasty beast. I know that they will turn on their teams, especially the Red Sox, at the slightest provocation, or for no reason at all.
But this is the first time I have paying close enough attention to see this in action. Just yesterday, Karen Guregian said, "When you try and karate chop a ball out of a player's hand, as A-Rod did during the playoffs, and throw out self-serving and idiotic remarks like he did recently, you earn the hits thrown your way [italics mine]."
Today, she opens saying, "The message has been driven home like a 98-mph heater under a batter's chin.
"Red Sox players don't like Alex Rodriguez. Fine. We get it. He gets it. Everyone on the planet gets it. Like any well-delivered purpose pitch, there's no need to keep sending the message.
"Enough is enough."
She goes on to spend her entire column trshing the Sox for everything said in the past week. EVERYTHING. Because, you know, they all spoke out on their own. The media certainly didn't harrass them for quotes to drag the whole thing out instead of just letting it die. Admittedly, they could have taken the "no comment" route, but they didn't, and this is the very first indication that anyone in the Boston media has any problem with that. The coverage in the past week has been amused and rather vindictive toward A-Rod.
Now, just because A-Rod has shown up with his slick politician persona and said absolutely nothing of substance whatsoever, the Red Sox are the bad guys? So, what, now we're going to coddle poor widdle put-upon A-Rod and save him from the big mean Sox?
What's that you say? What of A-Rod accidentally on purpose calling Bronson "Brandon?" Surely they'll at least call him on that tactic, which was last used by Lila Fowler in Sweet Valley High?
Y'all, the article about A-Rod's response DOES NOT EVEN MENTION IT.
Head. DESK.
Oh, wait, upon rereading Guregian's piece of journalistic art, I see that she does mention it.
"So did Rodriguez yesterday, although he did refer to Bronson Arroyo as 'Brandon.'
"Naturally, word got back to Fort Myers, and Arroyo was asked about the possible slight from the man who was vilified for slapping the ball out of Arroyo's hands during the American League Championship Series. Of course, the Sox pitcher couldn't resist.
"'I heard he's a student of the game. It could have been a simple mistake but I doubt it,' Arroyo said. 'Maybe he thinks I'm a nobody and he doesn't want to get my name right.'"
Head. EXPLODY.
So suddenly, A-Rod's masterful use of high school mindgames and Bronson's calm response somehow makes Bronson into the asshole? What. the. fuck, people. What the FUCK.
There is also another article, written by Howard Bryant, which is about how everyone in baseball hates the Red Sox or what the fuck ever, and it is a bit fairer than Guregian's inasmuch as it uses past incidents of not-so-nice things the Sox have done on their own, mostly during games, but the tone and the language of the article is the same, and I don't care. I'd link, but it's available online to subscribers only.
Jesus. I'd threaten to switch to the New York Post after all, but I'm told they're not any better. So maybe it's time to start reading the Boston Globe instead. Surely it can't actually be worse.
