Yankee Fans 'Outraged' That Bobby V's on NYC Radio
Bobby V Defends Going on New York Radio,
Praises Francona, Won't Bite on Schilling
Francona Chimes In Too, Regrets Red Sox Comments
From The Michael Kay Show on ESPN 1050 New York:
Michael Kay: “Now you’re weekly with us Bobby, when we announced it last week, I wonder if you sensed it, because you were on the road, but people went nuts [Valentine: Nuts], Yankee fans are outraged.”
Bobby Valentine: “I’m gonna tell you why, you got a lot of good advertising Michael, that’s all I can say, everyone knows where you are on the dial.”
Kay: “First of all Red Sox fans think you’re a traitor. Yankee fans, they’re calling me Mata Hari, why do you think that this is such a big deal?”
Valentine: “I guess they think there aren’t people who care about the Red Sox, or care about baseball who listen to your station, they think there are only people who bleed that navy blue Yankee or whatever it is or the orange and blue Mets. I happen to know there’s a lot of people who listen in the New York metropolitan area who give a damn about the Red Sox and I’m glad that I have a chance to be with you every week.”
Kay: “Because so many people acted so angrily in Boston, and I know that you’re a man of your word Bobby, was there a part of you that said, ‘You know what, maybe I better bag this?’
Valentine: “Well, I’m a commitment guy and I thought that this was the right thing to do and why shouldn’t I do it? It’s absolutely ridiculous to think that they’re protecting me, and talking to some of the other radio show hosts, they felt that I needed protection if I went on shows with the hated enemy, that I’d say something stupid and wind up getting in trouble. I’m just going to try to say what’s true and see if I can stay out of trouble.
Don La Greca: “Looks like Terry Francona’s not going to go to the ceremony for the 100th anniversary at Fenway Park, as someone who has been fired by organizations before, do you understand where he’s coming from?”
Valentine: “You know I didn’t take a big bite out of that apple. … I don’t know that I can comment on that other than ‘to each their own,’ and I think that Terry is as much a part of the Red Sox history and the Red Sox nation as anyone and if he’s not here, he’ll be truly missed.
Kay: “I was listening to the interview that you did with WEEI, and you have a weekly with them in Boston, and it seems not much gets to you but you don’t like answering questions about Curt Schilling. Why is that a hot button issue with you?”
Valentine: “I don’t care about answering questions about something that is really relevant. I can’t go on a radio show and say I’m going to answer everything that every commentator thinks about me, that’s not what I’m on for. I’m on the show to talk about the Boston Red Sox.
Kay: “But Schilling has said negative things about you and you're usually the type of guy that returns volley.”
Valentine: “And so have many others.”
Update: Tito Goes on with Kay, Regrets Slamming Sox Publicly
"That came out the other day and I wish I had handled it a little differently. I think I'm smarter than that, but I'm not comfortable going back there. But I wish I would have kept some of the reasons to myself and I'm a little disappointed in myself for that." -- Terry Francona, follows Bobby V on Michael Kay radio show
