Let's play the blame game
I don't think I've ever read so many articles on one subject in such a short period of time. Of course, I'm referring to the Theo situation. I figure that, well, reading anything and everything I can get my hands on will help me make sense of this.
I don't know if it can ever make sense but I'm trying. (If anyone is interested in my initial reactions, they can be found here.)
Right now, I'm completely disgusted with the Boston media, specifically the Globe. And the fact that I'm supposedly aspiring to be like these people makes it that much worse. Now, I like the Globe. It's no New York Times (um, not even CLOSE) but it's decent. I read it every single day because it covers the area I live in well, and I enjoy the Sports and Living/Arts sections in particular. But. The way the paper handled the Theo negotiations is appalling. It was obvious that the negotiations were supposed to be kept hush-hush (most likely at the request of Theo himself) yet stories were "somehow" leaked. Sure, it's possible that some Sox employees were getting inklings of the goings-on and decided to tell the media. But the key word there is "possible." The inaccurate article appearing in yesterday's Globe, claiming Theo would re-sign later in the day, revealed the source.
Here's my theory (and many others', I'm sure). Perhaps Theo was about to re-sign but then he read douchebag Dan Shaughnessy's horrendous article on Sunday and again questioned what the crap he was doing. Sox management was unaware of how much that article pissed him off. (And man, if I were the subject of that article, I'd be pissed too. It was degrading, one-sided, and poorly written.) So, John Henry and Larry Lucchino had no reason to think Theo wouldn't be signing a contract yesterday, and Lucchino informed his minions at the Globe. Well, Theo had the last laugh there.
(Random tangent: I despise Dan Shaughnessy. From using the curse to bring himself fame and fortune, to thinking he's all that and a bag of chips because celebs call him at home, he's never exactly been my favorite sports writer. Screw him for writing that the Globe doesn't have "home-court advantage" on Sox stories because they so obviously do. I hope this Theo incident really makes people question his credibility. And the fact that he disclosed information in today's column that was supposed to be kept off the record? Great journalistic ethics ya got there, Danny boy. No wonder the American public distrusts the media.)
What's a person to do when his boss leaks a story meant to, quite literally, show him who's boss? We'd been hearing rumors of a power struggle, but there must have been more to it. Theo wasn't comfortable with his celebrity status in this town, and the fact that Lucchino is an attention whore who probably hated seeing Theo get the credit for the World Series title... trouble. Theo is a good person, that's one reason why this hurts so much. Try as they might, the Boston media will not succeed in making the public think otherwise.
Theo Epstein acheived his lifelong dream a year ago. Why should he have stayed with an organization that didn't show him respect? It was probably the toughest decision of his life walking away from that job, but he can pretty much do anything he wants now. With a Yale degree, law degree, connections at every turn, a ridiculous resume, and millions of people who'd jump at the chance to give him a free meal, a job, or sexual favors, Theo is set for life.
What hurts is that he was GOOD for this town, for this organization. What hurts is that Sox management has screwed over the fans. Again. Do they care about us AT ALL? I think it's a legitimate question.
But it doesn't really matter because the games will sell out for all of eternity regardless.
Someone will replace Theo. That person might do a decent job, might get the Sox into the post-season. This team isn't entirely doomed and I'm not giving up on it. I'm just so disappointed, so angry with the owners and livid that the Boston media has acted in such a despicable manner.
What person in their right mind will want to take over as GM now?
(cross-posted to Let's Take a Breath)
I don't know if it can ever make sense but I'm trying. (If anyone is interested in my initial reactions, they can be found here.)
Right now, I'm completely disgusted with the Boston media, specifically the Globe. And the fact that I'm supposedly aspiring to be like these people makes it that much worse. Now, I like the Globe. It's no New York Times (um, not even CLOSE) but it's decent. I read it every single day because it covers the area I live in well, and I enjoy the Sports and Living/Arts sections in particular. But. The way the paper handled the Theo negotiations is appalling. It was obvious that the negotiations were supposed to be kept hush-hush (most likely at the request of Theo himself) yet stories were "somehow" leaked. Sure, it's possible that some Sox employees were getting inklings of the goings-on and decided to tell the media. But the key word there is "possible." The inaccurate article appearing in yesterday's Globe, claiming Theo would re-sign later in the day, revealed the source.
Here's my theory (and many others', I'm sure). Perhaps Theo was about to re-sign but then he read douchebag Dan Shaughnessy's horrendous article on Sunday and again questioned what the crap he was doing. Sox management was unaware of how much that article pissed him off. (And man, if I were the subject of that article, I'd be pissed too. It was degrading, one-sided, and poorly written.) So, John Henry and Larry Lucchino had no reason to think Theo wouldn't be signing a contract yesterday, and Lucchino informed his minions at the Globe. Well, Theo had the last laugh there.
(Random tangent: I despise Dan Shaughnessy. From using the curse to bring himself fame and fortune, to thinking he's all that and a bag of chips because celebs call him at home, he's never exactly been my favorite sports writer. Screw him for writing that the Globe doesn't have "home-court advantage" on Sox stories because they so obviously do. I hope this Theo incident really makes people question his credibility. And the fact that he disclosed information in today's column that was supposed to be kept off the record? Great journalistic ethics ya got there, Danny boy. No wonder the American public distrusts the media.)
What's a person to do when his boss leaks a story meant to, quite literally, show him who's boss? We'd been hearing rumors of a power struggle, but there must have been more to it. Theo wasn't comfortable with his celebrity status in this town, and the fact that Lucchino is an attention whore who probably hated seeing Theo get the credit for the World Series title... trouble. Theo is a good person, that's one reason why this hurts so much. Try as they might, the Boston media will not succeed in making the public think otherwise.
Theo Epstein acheived his lifelong dream a year ago. Why should he have stayed with an organization that didn't show him respect? It was probably the toughest decision of his life walking away from that job, but he can pretty much do anything he wants now. With a Yale degree, law degree, connections at every turn, a ridiculous resume, and millions of people who'd jump at the chance to give him a free meal, a job, or sexual favors, Theo is set for life.
What hurts is that he was GOOD for this town, for this organization. What hurts is that Sox management has screwed over the fans. Again. Do they care about us AT ALL? I think it's a legitimate question.
But it doesn't really matter because the games will sell out for all of eternity regardless.
Someone will replace Theo. That person might do a decent job, might get the Sox into the post-season. This team isn't entirely doomed and I'm not giving up on it. I'm just so disappointed, so angry with the owners and livid that the Boston media has acted in such a despicable manner.
What person in their right mind will want to take over as GM now?
(cross-posted to Let's Take a Breath)
posted by Pam at 9:26 PM
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