The Rat in The Hat

Army Releases New Photo of Yankee Scout in Spider Hole.
Or is that Contreras in the Offseason?

No Mulligans, and Plenty of Birdies.

Boston Dirt Dogs and SoSH on CBS-4 Sports Final Last Night at 11:30pm

Dirt Dog and Lanternjaw Squared Off Against Mainstream Media

Is it really the Sons of Dan Duquette (would explain a lot)?

What's in a Namath? Don't Know,
but Broadway Joe Blows a 2.0

Namath makes another pass on A-Rod:
"Shhhure the Red Soxx are go ing to sign Allllexx, he's sooo hand some that I would like to kisss him too."

"A-Rod's Bet-ter... A-Rod's Bet-ter..."

The New Chant at Fenway Begins April 16th when
the Red Sox Play the New York Yankees.

Fri. 12/19

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

BREAK IN THE RANKS
IN SOX FRONT OFFICE

Is Larry Looking Elsewhere?
(Can you say "Commissioner?")

Sox CEO Has Had Enough, He's So Pissed at Orza that He's Done Working on the A-Rod Deal.

Werner Steps to the Plate

Tom Takes the Lead on
A-Rod Deal Part Two

Werner, Henry, and Theo Continue Working Frantically to Finalize a New Deal for Rodriguez without Larry.

(Katie and Marissa May Be Involved in New Deal as Well)

Thank Rod It's Friday

It's Alive!

And It is On

The Frankenstein Trade is Alive
(And Doing Well Actually). Shhh.
Werner Takes the Baton. Just Sit Tight.

Lucchino confirms '100% Done Deal' earlier in the week
"that we took to the Players Association." But now "this deal is in our rear view mirror, it's behind us, and I speak for John, Tom."

DEAD OR ALIVE

Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet

It's all the same, only the time will change
Everyday, it seems we're wastin' away
Another site, where the news is so old
Online all night, just to bring A-Rod home

We're a Nation, on an A-train we ride
Closure wanted dead or alive
Wanted dead or alive

Other News, Please

Brad Mills interviewed for Tito's bench coach Tuesday.
Missing Reese Piece? Pokey May be the Mon.
Mr. Assault and Mr. Battery finally charged.
Patriots Silently Marching to Super Bowl,
(But Fake Controversies Draw Little Attention).
Your Kids Grew Up While You Waited for A-Rod.

SoSH Closed to the Nation Again

Traffic Crushes Server Again. But Back Online for Now.

(I think I heard "LJ" more than "A-Rod" on 'EEI from
3:00pm to the 5:00pm deadline yesterday :-)

Deal Dead-
line Passed

(Lucchino calls trade dead, but the fat lady has not sung yet. Chill.)

Schill Spanks Tony Mazz and the Player$ Association: "I'm Pissed"

(Please "Save Target as" to desktop on audio link above.
Now our server is about to shut down: 36,170 visitors yesterday.)

(Listen to every word of the WEEI Big Show call-in melee. Can newspaper and radio guys get 100 things wrong about the Internet in 10 minutes? Yep.)

Sign of the Times

Herald Reports on Players Association Protest

We've Mobilized the Military, and Now the NYPD

"The protest - which didn't even have signs until it was suggested by a Yankees fan - was supposed to be bigger, and was actually born from the bostondirtdogs.com Web site, which said a bus would be bringing Sox fans in from Boston. The New York Police Department had barricades ready and even had a patrolman assigned to the area, but the Boston invaders never showed up and apparently somewhere between 12 and 20 people joined during the afternoon."

Hey Mike Shalin, we hatched the idea for a New York City noon rally 9 hours before at 3:30am from Boston by putting up a simple notice here, and we told folks to make signs, not Yankee fans. How many people did you think would get wind of it, and be available? Get a clue. We had 30 people there. Also heard you on Ted Sarandis saying that the military overseas would like to follow the Red Sox, but "they can't get the paper." Get a clue, part two.

More Signs: "Curt Flood Says Shame on You"

Thu. 12.18:

They're Coming for You Gene

Step Aside Larry. Sit Down Bud. We'll Take Care of This One. There is Nothing to Fehr in Red Sox Nation.

"Tells you a lot about how passionate people are, especially in the Northeast.
I don't know (when it will be resolved), right now it's in the hands of the Players' Association and the owners." - Alex Rodriguez on Today (wuss)

Save Baseball Rally Today!

Join Boston Dirt Dogs, the BLOHARDS (B)enevolent and (L)oyal (O)rder of (H)onorable and (A)ncient (R)ed Sox (D)iehard (S)ufferers of New York, and all the sick and tired, rich and poor, young and old members of Red Sox Nation in a Fan Rally to Save Baseball from the Sketchy Lawyers in the Fancy Suits.

Please Tell Your Friends Who Can Make it into the City

New York City Fan Rally to
Save Baseball in Boston
Thursday December 18th
High Noon until it's Done. Again.
Outside MLB Players' Association Headquarters
12 East 49th Street
New York City

Please brings thoughtful signs, national media coverage expected.
Note time change due to shuttle, train delays out of Boston.
Sources indicate Big Dog, Remdawg, and Bill Lee will be attending.
Yankee fans welcome, it's their sport too.

The Chants:

"Here we go A-Rod, here we go..(clap, clap). Here we go A-Rod here we go."

and

"Let's go Red Sox... Let's Go Red Sox"

Help Liberate
Red Sox Nation

After 85 Years of Suffering

Sick 'Em

Eugene Orza
Lifelong NY Yankee Fanatic
Associate General Counsel since 1984
Major League Baseball Players' Association
Small-Minded and Inflexible

12 East 49th Street, 24th Floor
New York, New York 10017
212-826-0808  extension 230 please
FAX: 212-752-3649
EMAIL: [email protected]

(Request: no home or cell phone calls to Orza on this issue please,
that's over the line, but thanks for sending along)

HE'S GOT UNTIL 5:00PM, OUR DEADLINE, SINCE THE FANS FOOT THE BILL

(If this deal doesn't get finalized, this site will shut down on 12/31, but we're going down swinging. If some PA flunky is really pulling all the strings here, well, color us sick and tired of Major League Baseball for good. We'll be more than happy to get back to the other finer things in life during the summer of 2004 and beyond.)

---

Next on

Tony Deciphers John Henry's Cryptic Post on SoSH and Delivers the News to The Nation.

Original JWH post at: 12/17/03 6:16 pm:
"It's an astonishing ending isn't it? Astonishing."

Edited by JWH at 6:22 pm: "It's an astonishing ending isn't it? Astonishing. In fact, it transcends baseball."

Scott "He's an A-Hole" Boras Now Trying to be the Hero

A-Rod's agent trying to give something back to the game for a change by working on restructuring restructured contract overnight.

Seattle Interested in Getting Nomar

With White Sox deal falling apart, source says Seattle has inquired about our surly shortstop.

Sox brass miffed that Nomar would not do a meet-and-greet with a top Red Sox sponsor earlier this season.
Nomar: "I'm here to play baseball, not shake hands."

Who Will Flinch, in a Pinch,
or Even Move an Inch?

(Hey, we never said it would be a cinch... yes, we know about the lynch)

Gene Orza (above), associate general counsel for the Players' Association, reacts to Alex Rodriguez' restructured contract presentation at his New York office Tuesday.

Hey Gene, Saddam's Spider Hole Will Look Like a
Club Med Vacation if You Even Dare Queer This Deal.

Baseball will lose Red Sox Nation forever. Lose them.

Gene, we have thousands of United States Specops, airborne, seals, and CIA black ops around the world who are huge fans of this site and the Alex Rodriguez led Red Sox. They will contact you by sunset tomorrow if you choose to destroy baseball in Boston.

And when they are though, you will be dressed in a sausage suit and thrown into another spider hole with Tony Pena's pit bulls.

And then...

U.S. Armed Forces Ready to Get After Orza, Fehr if These Dirtbags Think They Will Kill The Nation's Pastime

Right after this bit went live, we got an email at 9:44pm:

"Nice, let me know when this is a go, I'll put it together... "
- LCDR, US Navy Intelligence Officer

The players and the fans pay you Donald Fehr, and you Gene Orza, and all the staff at the Players' Association offices in New York, you're supposed to work for the players in finalizing done deals like this, not against them.

It's Obscene Gene

Larry Lucchino statement: "It's a sad day when the
Players' Association thwarts the will of its members."

11.17 AP Report: In a rare move, the union intervened and rejected an agreement between Boston and Rodriguez to restructure the shortstop’s record $252 million contract, changes that were needed before Texas could send the AL MVP to the Red Sox for Manny Ramirez.

Commissioner Bud Selig set a 5 p.m. Thursday deadline for the trade to be completed. He might also go against the union and approve the restructuring, likely forcing the matter to arbitration.

If the deal does go through, Boston would likely trade longtime shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, possibly to the Chicago White Sox.
“Given the impending deadline imposed by the office of the commissioner, the actions of the players’ association may, unfortunately, determine this issue,” Hicks said.

The commissioner’s office said it was studying the agreement between Rodriguez and the Red Sox, but Gene Orza, the union’s No. 2 official, said it was unacceptable.

“It was clear it crossed the line ... and by a huge margin,” Orza said after meeting with Rodriguez, his agent and Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein. “We did suggest an offer the club could make to Alex that would not do that. As was its right, the club chose not to make it.”

It was not immediately clear what the development meant to the proposed swap of baseball’s only $20 million-a-year players. Rodriguez’s agent, Scott Boras, said he expects the parties to meet again Thursday.

“The dialogue is continuing,” Boras said.

Rob Manfred, baseball’s top labor lawyer, challenged the union’s interpretation.
“The basic agreement contains a rule that requires any special covenant to be an actual or potential benefit to the player,” Manfred said. “In a situation like the current situation, where there was a restructuring, where the player was getting something and the club was getting something, Gene Orza is not the final arbitrator on whether the restructuring provides an actual or potential benefit to the player. The commissioner currently is considering his legal options in consultation with the two teams.”

While no one detailed the agreement between Rodriguez and the Red Sox, Boston president Larry Lucchino said the union proposed “radical changes.”
The agreement called for some salary to be reduced and some to be deferred in exchange for giving Rodriguez the right to become a free agent earlier in the deal, a high-ranking baseball official said on the condition of anonymity.

Currently, Rodriguez can end the contract after the 2007 season. He also can end it after 2008 or 2009 unless he gets an annual increase from $27 million to either $32 million or $1 million above the largest salary of any position player.

“It is a sad day when the players’ association thwarts the will of its members,” Lucchino said. “The players’ association asserts that it supports individual negotiations, freedom of choice and player mobility. However, in this high-profile instance, their action contradicts this and is contrary to the desires of the player. We appreciate the flexibility and determination Alex and Cynthia Rodriguez have shown in their effort to move to Boston and the Red Sox.”

That’s not the way Orza saw it.

“The principle involved is a transcendent one, affecting all of Alex’s fellow players,” he said. “To his credit, Alex, from the outset, recognized this.”

If Selig approves the restructuring and the union files a grievance to block it, the case would go to Shyam Das, baseball’s arbitrator.

Feeling Lucky Gene?

Statement from Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino regarding Players Association decision

Red Sox President/CEO Larry Lucchino issued the following statement tonight after the Major League Baseball Players Association rejected the agreement the Red Sox and Alex Rodriguez reached on a restructured contract: "Theo Epstein and his staff worked diligently and tirelessly and reached an agreement with Alex Rodriguez. Theo had the full support of John, Tom, and me along the way. The Red Sox and Rangers had agreed to the players to be involved in this transaction and were working toward an agreement on financial considerations to be included. A lot of time and effort has been invested on all sides to reach this critical point, but the Players Association rejected the agreement Alex took to them and, instead, proposed radical changes.

It is a sad day when the Players Association thwarts the will of its members. The Players Association asserts that it supports individual negotiations, freedom of choice, and player mobility. However, in this high-profile instance, their action contradicts this and is contrary to the desires of the player.

We appreciate the flexibility and determination Alex and Cynthia Rodriguez have shown in their effort to move to Boston and the Red Sox.

It has already been a fruitful off-season for the Red Sox, and we will continue to pursue all available avenues in our ongoing quest to improve our team as we look forward to 2004 and beyond.

SoSHUT DOWN

Media frenzy causes Sons of Sam Horn to close the site to the public.

"The AP mentions kinda irk me... this is a members only forum that the public is allowed to view, but taking content and reporting it without permission from the poster seems kinda wrong to me. I'll open it back up at some point."
- Dope who runs the site

Is John Henry talking to 200 people behind closed doors while a Nation waits?

If a deal falls in the forest and no one hears it, does it make a sound?

Wed. 12.17

Magglio is a Go!

Manny Who?

12.17.03: Contingent upon a completion of the Alex Rodriguez-for-Manny Ramirez megadeal between Texas and Boston, the Red Sox have conditionally agreed to trade shortstop Nomar Garciaparra to the White Sox for outfielder Magglio Ordonez, ESPN's Peter Gammons has confirmed.

Change in the Weather?

Newsday: Nomar is headed to Chicago for Ordoñez

"The Red Sox moved a gigantic step closer to finishing the long-awaited trade for superstar Alex Rodriguez when they agreed yesterday to send shortstop Nomar Garciaparra to the White Sox for outfielder Magglio Ordoñez, contingent upon completion of the Rodriguez-for-Manny Ramirez megadeal, National League sources told Newsday yesterday.

The stunning agreement with Chicago potentially opens the Red Sox's shortstop position for Rodriguez, the 2003 American League MVP, and sets the table for Boston's greatest offseason ever. The Red Sox's probable double blockbuster would be a major coup for the historic and ill-fated franchise as it tries to break its 85-year championship jinx and the Yankees' stranglehold on the intense AL East." - NY Newsday - December 17, 2003

No Worries Nomar, Chicago Will Then Send You to the Dodgers for Pitching Anyway.

Cowboy Up Throws Dirt Down on Garciaparra's Grave

Millar Buries Manny, Nomar on ESPN

"We'll Take A-Rod"

(over Manny AND Nomar)

ESPN Sports Center 12.16.03: "Repeating our top story tonight, Dan Patrick (DP) talks to Kevin Millar (KM) about the predicted trade between the Rangers and the Red Sox. Dan asked Millar about adding Alex Rodriguez to the lineup, and he didn't hesitate:"

KM:  ...When you're talking about a guy who's going to be a leader and be the face of the organization that's Alex Rodriguez, Manny leads in the batter's box and Nomar prepares himself to play hard everyday but you're talking about a leader in Alex Rodriguez... LA fans should be excited to get a player like Nomar. I mean Nomar Garciaparra's a two-time batting champion, you know Manny Ramirez is one of the greatest hitters in the league but when you're looking at an all around great player who can hit 50 home runs and drive in 140 and possibly obviously win a batting title and with his defense, I mean A-Rod's the best in the game.

DP: You gotta choose, you can have Alex Rodriguez or you can have Manny and Nomar, who you taking?

KM: I'm taking Alex Rodriguez, Schilling, and Foulke.

DP: No, no I don't know if it works that way.

KM: Alright, You gotta take A-Rod...  DP: You already got those guys (Schilling, Foulke)...

KM: We got those guys, we'll take A-Rod.

DP: When the season begins, who's throwing the ball from shortstop to you?

KM: Alex Rodriguez.

(Shoulda got that haircut in September guys)

MORE BREAKING NEWS

John Henry is on the verge of signing Barry Zito for the 5th starter spot in the Red Sox rotation saying "you can never have enough pitching."

(but unfortunately the mega-deal for Barry Bonds as the 5th outfielder fell through... "we'll have to battle the Yankees with what we've got")

GET A CLUE

Tues. 12.16

Dotting T's and Crossing Eyes

A-rod and his wife checked in the Player's Association building at 11:10
this morning. - garryhancock, redsoxnation.net

Second Thoughts

Sox first choice is Rich Aurilia. Bellhorn signed to back up.

What the Fark?

Have We Jumped the Shark?

A little history lesson folks, it's not who you know... it's who we know.

Track record in this space includes early warnings on: Jason Varitek's 2001 injury prognosis and carryover into 2002, John Burkett's (the original napkin with $5.5m over two year deal on it) signing, the Henry/Werner/Lucchino group being awarded the team two months early, Trot Nixon's real offseason gain, Dan Duquette getting fired, Joe Kerrigan getting fired, Grady Little getting hired, Jose Offerman getting released, Curt Floyd and Bobby Howry mid-season pickups, Lou Merloni's return, Grady Little getting fired three weeks early, Terry Francona getting hired two weeks early, Schilling and Foulke signings days early... and A-Rod for Manny, and Nomar to Dodgers, and assorted gossipy treats. We don't dabble in rumor and innuendo.

(But yes, we are considering shooting the web page designer...
and moving to movable type soon :-)

Sox Won't Get Left Out

Manny Good Replacements

Magglio Ordonez, Richard Hidalgo, Jim Edmonds, Adam Dunn and Austin Kearns are on the outfield radar screen.

Source: Press Conference Thursday

(Not Confirmed by Us Yet, But it Definitely Won't Be During Halftime of the Patriots-Jets Game on Saturday Night)

On 12.15.03 4:44pm EST...

EXCLUSIVE BREAKING NEWS

Ladies and Gentlemen, WE GOT HIM!

PLAN A-ROD IS A DONE DEAL

A High Ranking Baseball Source Confirmed Monday that the Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers Have Reached an Agreement That Will Send Manny Ramirez to Texas in Exchange for MVP Alex Rodriguez.

Players, Dollars Involved Confidential

BOSTON ROD SOX

Alex Rodriguez Will Be the Shortstop, the Leader and the Captain of Your Boston Red Sox.

Alexcellent Move for Boston	Texas Justice for New Yorker

"Take it to the Bank." Official Announcement Possible by the End of the Week. It's Done.

(as in 100% Done)

Done Like Grady Going, Francona Coming,
Schilling and Foulke Signing Done. Done.
(Sauerbeck to Cubs Fell Apart Sunday Night)

JOHN HENRY IS IT.

"Come on now. Don't start to waver on us. It's the holidays. Be of good cheer! It's going to be just a great, exciting season. Hang in there." - John Henry, on SoSH

Hey Famous Flip-Floppers, Don't Forget to Get Back on the Bandwagon Before it's Official.

Sorry Gammons, Mazz, Shaughnessy, McAdam. Way to Stay the Course Ordway, Lobel, Edes.

"So, lemme get this straight, (Boston Dirt Dogs) is the only "reporter" in America who has enough information to report on the ARod for Manny deal; and his information is counter to the partial information everyone else has, which is that the deal is close to dead? " - DieHard3 SoSH, 12.13.03

Hey NotSoBigMike and the smarmy wing of SoSH, do you like apples? Huh. DO YOU LIKE APPLES?

Nomar, thanks for the memories,

seriously, you'll be missed. See you when the Dodgers come to town.

Manny, thanks for the fun and the fodder, you'll be missed too.

The Biggest Trade in the History of Baseball Goes Down.

Mon. 12.15

PATS WIN TENTH STRAIGHT!

Happy Theo? Now back to our regularly scheduled programming...

MOORAD OPENS HIS LYING MOUTH ON MANNY

"Manny wears his heart on his sleeve," Moorad said. "The fact that he made a statement at one point that he wanted to play at home in New York (no, he said "play for the Yankees" Jeff) is water under the bridge. The Yankees had a chance to claim him on waivers. They didn't and that's that. "At this stage, he's very happy to continue his career in Boston. If he finished his career in Boston, he'll be very happy to do that."

Hey Jeff, maybe Red Sox Nation will not be very happy to have the Yankee Lover back. But that's not your concern is it?

Tejada Signs with O's

Does the $12m per year prohibit Nomar's signing, or trading?

A-Rod meeting with Player's Union today.

A-Rod is Keeping His Sox On

MVP Offers His Thoughts on Foulke

"He's a winning player -- he's got ice in his veins," Alex Rodriguez, the Sox shortstop-in-waiting, said yesterday morning, a few hours before he and his wife, Cynthia, were to attend the wedding of a good friend. "He's a phenomenal pitcher. I think they're going to love him in Boston. I think he's made for that place. I saw him 20 times a year in our division. He has a funny way of getting out of whatever trouble you put him in. He's an extremely intelligent pitcher, too."

And Keeps Asking About the Red Sox Way

"Rodriguez said yesterday morning he didn't know where matters stood but expected to speak at least twice with his agent, Scott Boras, before the day was through, sometime between his friends' exchanging of vows and their last dance at the reception. But his behavior yesterday -- he was very inquisitive about many aspects of the Sox, and displayed considerable knowledge of the team's inner workings -- suggested a man who had hardly ruled out the possibility that his team, the Texas Rangers, would ultimately agree to send him to Boston.

To that end, Boras has already had a number of discussions with players union executive Gene Orza about a possible restructuring of A-Rod's contract ($179 million is left to be paid) that would make it less burdensome to the Red Sox. According to one industry source, those talks have explored the clause that gives Rodriguez the right to declare free agency after the 2007 season, voiding the last three years of his contract." - 12.14 Boston Globe, Gordon Edes - On Baseball

Mainstream Media Back on Plan A Train

A-ROD FOR MANNY WILL HAPPEN - New York Post, Joel Sherman, December 14, 2003 -- NEW ORLEANS - "Rangers and Red Sox ownership have described the Alex Rodriguez-Manny Ramirez trade talks as a back-burner issue now. But a person familiar with the negotiations still expects a deal to be consummated, because the main actors involved are untenable where they are.
A-Rod might have hated being on a last-place Ranger team the last three years, but at least he was not booed. Now, however, with his desire to get out so public, Rodriguez's life in Texas would become even more miserable. Plus, he is in a mutual-hate relationship with manager Buck Showalter.

Ramirez was hardly beloved in Boston to begin with. Now the outfielder has publicly exclaimed he wants to be a Yankee, making him a Fenway villain forever. Plus, he knows management put him on irrevocable waivers, meaning it would have taken nothing in return simply to be rid of him."

No Kidding

"I'd trade Nomar and Manny straight up for A-Rod," Chaisson declared. In the brisk, unsentimental manner of a future general manager, he ticked off the reasons: Rodriguez "is a franchise player," Ramirez doesn't always play hard, and Garciaparra "didn't do too well in the playoffs... He just couldn't hit for power."
- Chris Chaisson -13

Young Red Sox fans weigh in on trade talk

(Nomar and Manny Shirts Were in the "Clearance" Bin at the Red Sox Lansdowne Street Shop on Saturday)

Sun. 12.14

DONE DEAL

(and having a really bad hair day)

God Bless the Armed Forces of the United States of America

"He was just caught like a rat"

- Major General Raymond Odierno, 4th Infantry Division,
U.S. Army, on the capture of the Butcher of Baghdad

Surprise, Surprise?

Sauerbeck Heading to Cubs

12.14.03 Boston Herald notebook: "Scott Sauerbeck's days with the Sox appear to be all but over. The left-handed relief pitcher, who was acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 22, is believed to be on the verge of being sent to the Chicago Cubs. The holdup, however, is the fact that Sauerbeck is arbitration eligible and without a contract. He must agree to a new deal (most likely by tomorrow) before the trade can become official."

Schilling Comes to Fenway

12.14 Boston Globe: "Schilling was a surprise visitor for fans attending the "Christmas at Fenway" event that included the opportunity to buy single-game tickets for April and May. The event also will be today from 8 a.m.-3 p.m."

Sat. 12.13

The Gambler

On a warm N'awlins evenin' Texas bound for nowhere,
He met up with the gambler; they were both too wired to sleep.
So they took turns a starin' out the window at the darkness
'Til rumours overtook us, and he began to speak.

He said, "'Sons', I've made a fortune out of readin' people's faces,
And knowin' what their cards were by the way they held their eyes.
So if you don't mind my sayin', I see Hicks is out of aces.
For his waste-of-money contract, I gave him some advice."

So I handed him my spreadsheet and he scrubbed down my last number.
Then he bummed a cigarette and asked me for a light.
And the night got deathly quiet, and his face lost all expression.
Said, "If you're gonna play the game, Tom, ya gotta learn to play it right."

You got to know when to Tellem, know when to sell him,
Nomar will walk away so know when it's done.
You never count out Alex when I'm sittin' at the table.
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.

Now Ev'ry gambler knows that the secret to survivin'
Is knowin' what to throw to Gammons and knowing what to keep.
'Cause ev'ry hand's a winner and ev'ry hand's a loser,
And the worst thing that can happen, is you sign Nomar cheap.

So when he finished speakin', Hicks turned back towards the window,
Crushed out his cigarette and faded off to sleep.
And somewhere in the darkness the gambler, he broke even.
But in his final words I found an MVP that I could keep.

You got to know when to Tellem, know when to sell him,
Nomar will walk away so know when it's done.
You never count out Alex when I'm sittin' at the table.
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.

You got to know when to Tellem, know when to sell him,
Nomar will walk away so know when it's done.
You never count out Alex when I'm sittin' at the table.
There'll be time enough for gloatin' when the dealin's done.

Plan A-Rod Dealing Goes Underground

They're all tired of the media hassle, but trade talks continue off the radar on the remaining 1% issues. Shhh.
New comments from Alex coming tomorrow.

It Ain't Over

Don't Say Good Bayou Yet

Light and Day
(It's the song you're stuck listening to until the IT guy gets back)

Nomar, Manny is more than you'll pay
'Cause A-Rod's value is more
Than you can let by or not
More than you've got
Just buck up and pay
Buck up and pay and reach for A-Rod

You don't see cash fly into the red
One more you're done
Just follow the seasons and take your time
Reach for the right guy
You don't see cash fly into the red
One more you're nuts
Just buck up and pay
Follow the day and reach for A-Rod

Just like John Henry
Follow Henry and reach for A-Rod

You don't see cash fly into the red
One more you're done
Just follow the seasons and take your time
Reach for the right guy
You don't see cash fly into the red
One more you're nuts
Just buck up and pay
Buck up and pay and reach for the sun

Just buck up and pay
Buck up and pay and reach for A-Rod
Just buck up and pay
Buck up and pay and reach for A-Rod

Positive Sign

Foulke Festival at Fenway Today as Sox Sign Closer

Theo Doesn't Foulke Around

Like Francona and Schilling, "Done Deals" Get Done.
Three year deal for $21 million with a 4th year that will vest.

"I had to take the money and run"

Sorry Peter Gammons "Foulke heading back to Oakland." Sorry Gary and Greg at Fox Sports New England "big news on the Sox coming up (after Friday's Celtics game)... Foulke stays with A's."
Yous Guys Was Wrong. Domino #1 Falls.

Fri. 12.12

Plan A-Rod is 99% Done Deal

John Henry Hammers Home a Deal for A-Rod. It's Just Down to Union Do's and Don'ts

(and Nomar Garciaparra has played his
last game in a Red Sox uniform)

Nomore

Dodger Blue for You: Tellem told the Red Sox that 6-7 teams would be after Nomar who rejected a
4 year, $48 million contract last weekend.

Boston Rod Sox	Texas Yankee

SMOKESCREEN

"Well I think there's a lot of issues at hand, and if I had to guess, if I was a betting man I would probably say that I'll probably be back in Texas. I mean uh especially when you have a lot of smoke and you have a lot of talks going on usually nothing gets done. So I'm just, you know, staying tight, expecting to be a Ranger next year, and hopefully, you know I signed a 10-year committment and I want to be committed for those 10 years and if anything happens different then we'll cross that bridge when it does but right now I just see a lot of smoke and I don't see much happening."
- 12.11 Alex Rodriguez

Thurs. 12.11

What the Foulke?

SOX NO LONGER OPTIMISTIC ABOUT SIGNING CLOSER

Was Keith Just Hosing Sox for Better A'$ Deal?
Can Francona Step In? Is Theo Giving Up? Can Curt Put in a Good Word? Is Gammons Right? Were We Wrong?

Sox Turn to Troy

Boston Asks Angels About Percival

Loose Lips Lucchino Speaks

"No comment... that's easy 'no comment'... and 'no comment'"

(but he does confirm that Francona was a done deal early as we said)

Wed. 12.10

Nomarked Man

No Change in the Weather for Sox

"Nearing the end of this past spring training, Sox owner John Henry engaged Garciaparra informally about the various grievances Garciaparra held and what it might take for his star shortstop to commit to a long-term contract. Henry found himself dismayed by the inflexible tenor of the conversation; the issues were intractable, if not impossible to repair. Garciaparra hated the lack of space in the Sox clubhouse. He was frustrated with the lack of privacy in the city, and he couldn't deal with an unreasonable media. He even disliked the fact that the weather was different from what he grew up with.

Henry came away with the belief that he simply could not reach Garciaparra; as long as he played in Boston, Garciaparra's complaints could not be mollified. After all, he may have been able to pay $700 million for a baseball team, but even Henry couldn't change the weather.

Throughout the season, numerous high-level executives sought to feel Garciaparra's positions out, but his attitudes only compounded sentiments of seasons past. He fumed that Boston just wasn't right for him. While it is unclear if the Red Sox attempted to negotiate a contract extension during the season, the club made overtures to him, the biggest being a commitment to open dialogue immediately. Earlier in the season, Garciaparra angered Henry's sense of openness and peace by trying to engineer a media boycott, a move some Red Sox execs referred to as "childish." Even the red carpet line along the clubhouse, designed to provide the players with a sense of privacy and space, was a project largely aimed at pleasing Garciaparra." - 12.10 - Howard Bryant, Boston Herald

Gammons Chimes in Again, But He's All Over the Map

"Some of our big corporate sponsors want to meet Nomar at functions or luncheons, or whatever, and he just won't do them," said one Boston official. "Alex is very good at these things. He'd be huge for us."

Gammons Doesn't Think Theo Can Sign Foulke. And Predicts John Henry Will Fail in Texas Trade for A-Rod.

"The Commissioner" Predicts Sox Can't Pull it Off.

"Nomar's agent has made it pretty clear to us that we're not going to be able to sign Nomar" - John Henry, 12.9

LOBEL CHAT TUESDAY NIGHT

"John Henry reiterated that what Nomar and Arn Tellem said was disingenuous at best. The Red Sox were not happy about the Nomar call and their so-called position. They have made big time good faith offers to Nomar and have seen no willingness on Nomar's part to even suggest that he might be staying and they decided a long time ago, that if they couldn't get this guy signed by December, they were going to move him, and not get nothing... despite the fact that he bought a house here. A lot of private discussions going on here and the public whining is nothing more than an exit strategy and a negotiation strategy, in my opinion. It has nothing to do with hurt feelings, give me a break.

John Henry told Dan Roche that he had dinner with A-Rod and his wife down in Florida. They talked about the Manny trade, but they did not talk about a contract. I think that we're all well aware that removing Manny from the local scene is a high priority for the Olde Towne team. While his mother might faint at the prospect, her son is driving this train. It just so happens that it coincides with Nomar becoming a free agent after next year and the Red Sox perception, no matter what he says about his new house and his foundation and how much he's sacrificed on and off the field, worn the uniform with pride... they obviously feel it would take too much money to resign him." - Bob Lobel, redsoxnation.net chat 12.9

Tues 12.9

HEADED FOR DIVORCE

HONEYMOON'S OVER FOR NOMAR

"He seems to believe it is the winter of 2000." Tellem moves end Nomar's career in Boston

Henry calls Tellem's (and Nomar's) comments the "height of hypocrisy"... "He says we are being disingenuous, I take great umbrage in that. It is the height of hypocrisy to make statements like that. I hope he is being more honest with his client than he is with media." - Nomar Contract Negotiations Strained

Tellem Off John: "His statements are outrageous, I'm very angry about it." - John Henry

Going...  Going... Goneciaparra.

Lucchino "Outraged" at WEEI Call

Mon. 12.8

It's Nomar in the Car

Emotional, Nervous Nomar Calls WEEI to Address The Nation While on His Honeymoon. Rips Red Sox for Not Letting Him Know They're Trying to Improve the Team. Won't Talk About Previous Contract Extension Offers and How Much His Agent Misjudged the Market for Him.

Garciaparra Goes on the Offensive. Paper Push Followed by Radio Call.

Arn Tellem wants fans to 'tell 'em to keep Nomar in Boston.' Problem is, most fans want A-Rod at short.

Nomar's new negotiation/exit strategy talks about the uniform, houses, and charities. Nothing about the money he wants.

Sox don't take bait, make him wait

(Nomar can't be signed in Boston anyway, Sox brass roll their eyes at agent's publicity stunt)

WEEInterview with Dale & Neumy

Is he happy here? Or is the honeymoon over in Boston? You can read his words... and listen to his voice
(we've called in Roger Clemens to translate for us):

12.8.03: Nomar calls in to WEEI, unedited. DA: Nomar, Dale and Neumy how are you?

NG: Good how are you doing.

DA: We're doing great, congratulations on your wedding.

NG: Oh thank you very much I appreciate it. How 'bout those Pats huh? The Pats are doing great, I was watching them on TV.

Buy a house, sell a house, get new tax shelter

DA: Nomar a lot's been written and said, words put in your mouth over the last few months, you get the chance to say them yourself. You want to stay with this team?

NG: Oh yeah, absolutely. Matter of fact I mean I think that's one of the reasons why I'm calling. I think that's one of the reasons some of this stuff is just come out over today as well is that um you know there's been a lot of stuff, a lot of speculation about that, lot of questions, and where that's coming from or where that's coming from, I'm even scratching my head wondering where it came from (hee, hee). Umm, because uh I've always said that I don't think it's ever, nothing's, you know how you can judge people, people try to speculate on people usually you hear it from their words, and the other way is to you can read it from their actions and as far as I'm concerned my words, I don't think I've ever said publicly, or privately, that I've ever wanted to leave Boston, or play somewhere else, or put another uniform on. And that's you know, and then on the field, I think my actions you know I'm going out there day in and day out and giving it my all on a daily basis, throwing my heart out there on the field, trying to win the game every day, you know, playing hard, I don't think anyone can dispute that. And then if you think off the field, I'm just thinking about the actions off the field here I've had with a wonderful foundation, unbelievable people have supported and helped out with. I have baseball clinics, baseball camps that I run, have another one in January coming up, hitting clinic that I'll be having and you know here I am I just purchased a new home there in Boston, so I was like man, any of those actions say I wanted to leave? So (hah) I don't think there's any indication that I've ever wanted to leave and I still feel that now.

It's just his expression, that's the impression

BN: Nomar some of the reports about your dissatisfaction about playing with the Red Sox or your desire to go elsewhere come from guys that are highly respected and in the business of covering baseball and that are there if not every day, then five days a week at Fenway Park. Are they just making this stuff up?

NG: Well I'll tell you um, they've, like I said, if you're there, what are you gonna judge someone on, like I said, I'm sure any of them have said I've never said I wanted to leave, you know, I bet you they're judging basically probably on my expression. No one has ever come up to me and talked to me for the reason to know why "well how do you feel, you want to leave?" and what and they'll know, they'll all say it, I never said that, I never said I wanted to leave, and like I said my actions, I've gone out there, and I, and I, and I tell people this, and I, uh, even, you know, um the article I'm sure if you read it today, I've said, I admit I don't make their life easy, you know, but I also said, but I've also respected every single one of them, I always have I don't think anyone can dispute that I've always given them respect and I go out there, my job day in and day out is to put a uniform on and go out there and play baseball for the Boston Red Sox, as best as I possibly can, and I'm a pretty focused person (hee hee), I don't think anyone can argue with that, I'm pretty focused. I'm pretty, you know, determined, and, that's what I go out there to do. It's nothing against them, it's nothing personal, everyone says well 'he hates them' I go 'hates such a strong...' I've never said I even hate the media there, I've never said that, I've said, but my job is to go out there and play for these wonderful fans, for my teammates, and go out there and do the best, so that's really where my focus on and often times they can speculate well he's unhappy here well a lot of times if my face is showing if there's unhappiness, or you know off the field that you know when they're in the locker room and he's showing that he's unhappy a lot of times, sometimes it's not, it's because I'm either disappointed the way I've been playing or the way you know our team's been playing. You know, we're struggling, that's really the times, when you think about it, the times when they're saying that, you know one year we didn't make the playoffs and I know we had a perfectly great team to make it and we didn't. And, you know, then there were times when I was struggling and they were saying oh he's unhappy, and that's not you know, sometimes it's on myself, 'cause I'm just so intense and I set high standards for myself. And my team.

He likes the uniform, fits comfortably

DA: You have one year left under contract here, your preference would be to sign a contract extension in this offseason and stay here for the foreseeable future.

NG: Absolutely. I've said that. I've said that all along. I said um you know, once again when it comes about, when you talk about I've gone out there day in and day out, I don't know, maybe you guys disagree telling me, but uh I think I've gone out there putting that uniform on, and showing the respect of that uniform, I mean it's the only uniform I've known since becoming a professional baseball player. And I've always said that's the only uniform I want to know when my career is over. And that's the uniform that, it fits pretty comfortably I'll tell you that right now. It feels good every time I go out there, and I know what it represents on a daily basis when I do put that on and that means a lot to me.

Answers with a question

BN: Nomar your agent was quoted as saying that the Alex Rodriguez talk is a slap in the face to you. Do you believe, you the individual, that this talk is a slap in the face to you?

NG: Well, I guess the best way for me to do that, I mean, I'll ask you guys, what if you guys woke up one day you know and you start reading in the paper that your station was interviewing people to take your spot. You know, that your station is out there interviewing to get someone to replace you guys. How would you guys feel about that? How would you guys take it? And uh, am I right?

More head scratching

BN: Well we also recognize that perhaps it is the business of radio as it might be the business of baseball correct?

NG: Oh absolutely, and understanding that too and uh that's understandably there that's fine too but at the same time you'd also like to know, you'd rather not read about it, you'd also like to hear from maybe your uh, your employers.. uh, you know... that you uh, that they're, they're thinking about doing this or whatever especially after you know all the stuff that you've done and that you've given, you know both on and off the field. And what you've embraced, and that's really where you feel, where you see that where you're kind of going kinda sit there scratching your head. And I know a lot of stuff, a lot of things have come out and I'm, people are wondering I've always put in a perspective of a if you're a fan, let's say, if you're a fan and maybe, you're a young fan  you're going out there and your a fan of the Boston Red Sox, and your a fan of say me and your going out there and your reading that we're getting rid of him, or we might replace him with someone else, and you know and your a big fan of me and your going, your questions are 'why?' and then you're reading 'oh, because he's unhappy' well that's why we're gonna replace him then you know now all of a sudden you're hearing well that's not the case and so you still sit there scratching your hair well then why are we doing it? Like I said that's another way to look at it you I'm sitting here scratching my head the same way.

"I'm not Manny"

BN: Well if you are then hurt or disappointed or whatever word you'd like to use, if the A-Rod deal busts out Nomar, would that put a crimp on your continued desire to be with the Red Sox and be a stumbling block in a future deal with team?

NG:  Well uh I mean what I don't know what you know I don't know what they have well once again I'm sit here not knowing anything because the Red Sox haven't contacted me or told me anything. You know, they have not told me what their intentions are. They have not told me all you all I can do is you know I'm reading just like everyone else is reading and a lot of times you know I'm calling today because a lot of things I'm reading is that I'm unhappy and I'm really right here to clear the air that it's not I think hopefully you guys can tell (hee hee) and everyone can tell that's that's not the case I've always loved playing there I've always appreciated the way the fans with the way it's unbelievable the way they've taken to me and I think I've also you know what I always say the best way that I can repay these people that come day in and day out that watch us and support us you know what one, prepare myself to come out and play every day and doing the best I can day in and day out and that they can see that. And that's what I've tried to do.

If the phone don't ring, that's John Henry

DA: I'll play devil's advocate for them, for a minute, I wonder if the timing of you honeymoon has hurt this somewhat, if all of this has come up very recently, I would imagine they would say 'well how can we call a guy on his honeymoon and talk about all this stuff?'

NG: You know, they could, I'm sure they're gonna use that, I'm sure they're gonna talk about that as well but here I am at the same time, you know, on it, and calling you guys, obviously there is something that's carrying as well from both ends, you know, if that were the case, there's also you know you talk about the business aspect... there's numerous ways to get messages across to individuals, you know you feel like you can't contact or whatever. And even those, we all know that there's different methods and different people you can contact and that hasn't even gone the way it should have you know?

DA: They haven't called your agent either in other words?

NG: Not necessarily to talk to me or to go out there and discuss what their actual intentions are.

Head scratching, uniform wearing continued

DA: I'm wondering if you're a victim somewhat, of their desire to unload Manny Ramirez?

NG: Um you know I'm not like I said once again those are great questions maybe to ask them. You know maybe to get and uh like I said I'm not here to go out there and say, you know I'm not here to play victim, I'm not here to say any of that. Think when I coming out here is really trying to answer some of those questions that like I said if you're a fan reading this and scratching your head well does he well you know her I am you know I love, you know, fan maybe watching him play, maybe watching the Red Sox and I enjoy him out there on the field and wondering well he doesn't really want to be here, why? And I'm answering that question right now, well that's not the case. It's not that I don't want to be here, that's never been the case and that's never and that's what I'm telling you right now. As far as my desire to still continue to wear that Boston uniform, it's there and it's always been there.

More on the frickin' house, nothing on money

BN: If tomorrow the Red Sox announce a trade Alex Rodriguez for Manny Ramirez, and the next day they announce a trade that Nomar is going to the Angels or Dodgers, how would you react to that?

NG: I'd definitely be hurt. I mean that's for sure. I mean how, how you know here, here's something, I'm in a place that I've given so much of my life and so much of my effort. I mean like I said off... you know I have a foundation that I really hold true and dear to my heart. I've given so much. Um, like I said, maybe you guys disagree, have I worn that uniform with respect and honor day in and day out when I go out there? And when you do that that takes a lot of, that's not just for show, that takes a lot of effort, that comes from deep down inside in your heart. And then not only that here I am had the best part of my life continuing on and here we are we decided to make you know to buy a new home out there, you know there's obviously decisions to make because when you make those decisions those are pretty serious decisions because of something that you feel in your heart. And knowing that that's not going to happen, that that's gonna go elsewhere, I'd feel like anyone else would feel in that situation.

Media won't drive him away

DA: Do you think that part of the impression people have is because if you had your druthers maybe you wouldn't deal with the media everyday like you're forced to do?

NG: Um, you know I... when it comes to, you know like I say when it comes to the media it's there, like I said do I like it, do I enjoy it, no I don't necessarily enjoy it, I don't embrace it like maybe some other people do but at the same time it's, they're not gonna, I'm not gonna, they're not gonna cause me to say I want to leave a place, a wonderful place like Boston, regardless of you know dealing with them or not dealing with them or whatever, I understand, I've also come to the fact to understand that they're there. And like I said, last year, I never made, you know people talk about how he made rules, and how he's gonna talk to the media. That was also something just to help me so I go out there and focus and stay focused. At the same time I was still willing to make myself available. I could have gone the other route and just not made myself available, you know (hee, hee) but I didn't do that either. You know I try to just make compromise to some degree and everything but out of respect for them and also out of respect for myself and what I needed to do, but at the same time, whatever I do, or however I feel, or whatever my inclinations are on them doesn't make me say hey I want to leave this wonderful place. That's not gonna drive me away.

He's out of the loop

BN: Nomar, if the Rodriguez trade happens, some of our callers have wondered whether you could possibly be here next year with this guy in another position, is that possible?

NG: You know I haven't, like, for once it's hard for me to comment on a lot of that because I don't know what the situation is, I don't know what the intentions are, I don't know... nothing has been said to me. And until stuff like that has been said to me and brought up to me, I can't really comment on it you know what I mean? You understand where I'm going at? Cause I, you know none of that's been brought up. All I'm going on is, I'm kinda stuck out here just like the rest of you on the outside in because, going OK, you know they're saying, well they're not saying anything, you know, it's all brought up by the Rangers, and the next thing you know they're going out there you know the next day you're reading that they're going out there and they're visiting with them. Um, so I don't really know any of the intentions, I don't know any of that because like I said I haven't got a call from them as well. You know about what's going on or what their intentions are, what their future is.

Actions speak louder than clichés

DA: The bumper sticker of this conversation is that you're not unhappy and that you want to stay here?

NG: Right, I mean that's ...absolutely, I mean I've always, like I said I've always felt. I've always felt and believed that your actions you know speak for themselves. And I thought my actions have spoken pretty strongly that I've wanted to be there. I think that's what, you know, I think that's what I've always appreciated about playing there and about and appreciated about playing in front of these great fans, is that, regardless of what's going out there, regardless of stuff that comes along, that could be said here and there, that they've always known well you know we enjoy watching him or we enjoy coming out to see him play because he's giving me that effort day in and day out. And that's one thing you can see. And I've thought my actions have always spoken for that.

Thinks fans are wondering about him

BN: Nomar last question, is this a tough time for you right now?

NG: Uh it is a tough time, well I'll tell you what, it's the most wonder time for me I'll tell you that right now, my wife is unbelievable and I mean I got the greatest gift of my life, the greatest time in my life, and at the same time this is... and then you throw this on it uh this is just a time where it raises more questions, it's onw where you're scratching your head going, huh, everything you've done and what you've tried to do you've just asking questions, where's it leading to and that's really where it is, like I said I'm really here to let people know especially since I think I owe it to all the fans that have always been there and supported me wondering, because I'm sure they're reading all this stuff and wondering like well does he not want to be here and I'm just telling them well that's not the case, and that's one you know I've always wanted to be there. So is it a tough time for me right now? Well at the same time I have the greatest thing in my life going right now too.

(Neumy followup: ...interesting that we've tried to get Nomar on during the season many times on this show, during the good and bad times, to no avail... now he wants to come on...)

Tellem: Trade Talk is "Slap in the Face," Sox Brass "Disingenuous"

---

Deal in Owners Hands

"Still, their marketing folks remind them that their three current stars --Garciaparra, Ramirez and Pedro Martinez -- are reluctant to schmooze the potential clients from Fleet Bank (re: Bank of America), Ford, Volvo, Bob's Stores, etc. They know that Alex can be the face of the franchise for the next seven years, during which time he may well be heading for 600 homers, which may not sell tickets for a franchise that sells out most games, but becomes the frontpiece of NESN as that local sports network gets overhauled. What they don't know is whether they can re-sign Garciaparra at an average of $11 million annually, and whether the $15 million a year difference is worth it." - Gammons 12.6

Thanks Todd

It Was a Good Run for Walker

Sox don't offer arbitration to Walker and also bid adieu to right-handed pitchers John Burkett, Todd Jones, Robert Person and Jeff Suppan, as well as catcher Bill Haselman.

Red Sox claim Malaska off waivers

Lefty pickup clears way for Sauerbeck move

Sat. 12.6 - Sun. 12.7

No Snowjob: Everybody's working on the weekend. What's the deal?

John Henry works on getting A-Rod. Theo trying to move Nomar.

No More Nomar

Deal with Dodgers
is in Place for Perez

Sox shopping Garciaparra out west
(But want more than OP in return)

The Boston Red Sox have been actively working on a deal to move shortstop Nomar Garciaparra to the Los Angeles Dodgers for left handed pitcher Odalis Perez, who they may move in another trade.

"In high-stakes trade talks more intriguing than any Freeway Series game, the Angels and Dodgers competed Friday to trade for Nomar Garciaparra, but the owners of the Texas Rangers and Boston Red Sox must first agree to a separate deal before either local team can bring the star shortstop back home."
- Los Angeles Times, 12.6.03

California Dreamin'

When Nomar leaves our town (Nomar leaves our town)
His shirts go on eBay (what will people pay?)
Free agents will walk (Free agents will walk)
On a winter's day (on a winter's day)
He'd be safe and warm (He'd be safe and warm)
If he was in L.A. (If he was in L.A.)
California dreamin' (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day

Stopped in to a church
That was near LA
Well, he got down on his knees (got down on his knees)
And he got married that day (and said he wanted to stay)
You know he never liked the cold (Never liked the cold)
You thought he wanted to stay (but he is going away)
California dreamin' (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day

When Nomar leaves our town (Nomar leaves our town)
His shirts go on eBay (what will people pay?)
He was going to walk (And won't take a walk)
Or do what media say (he do what Mia say)

If he wasn't signed here (if he wasn't signed here)
He would leave today (He would leave today)
California dreamin' (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day
California dreamin' (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day
California dreamin' (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day

"Sun, beach, what else is there?"
- Nomar Garciaparra

John Henry Meets with MVP

Sox Owner Sits Down with Alex to Seal the Deal

Plan A-Rod: Let's Do It

Alexcellent Move for Boston	Texas Justice for New Yorker

Is it Just a Matter of Money? Or Manny?

Dallas Morning News reports that Texas is ready to move if John Henry structures a financial incentive package that saves the Rangers big coin. Rangers would send Rodriguez to Boston for "moody, but productive, slugging outfielder Manny Ramirez" if the Sox take A-Rod and the $180 million remain on his deal. And the Red Sox would have to ante up a significant portion of Manny's $20 million annual salary over the last four years. Gammons confirms deal heating up. Sox say they won't eat Manny Money.

boston.com poll (over 5,000 voters): 65% prefer Alex over Nomar (35%) as Sox shortstop

Courant Chatgate

"We was Wrong"

Jacobs the Liar to get Spanked by Ombudsman

The Courant had a big pow-wow on the Jacobs column yesterday. Today, the ombudsman, Karen Hunter, has acknowledged that Jacobs the Liar's piece was out of line and will be publishing a reprimand/correction/apology to GSG in tomorrow's Sunday Hartford Courant.

Not Exactly. Reader's Rep Mails it In.
No reprimand or apology. Courant can't get it right.

Fri. 12.5

The Calm Before the Storm

Storm came early, News comes late

Check back at sunrise, when press will
let us know, let us know, let us know

The deal looks like a GO. No not that deal but ...

Foulke Hero
Storming into Hub

He'll sign with Sox, but not before Sunday

Something Else Might Be Happening

Lefty Out

Sauerwalk is Going to the Cubs

Are we being Punk'd? Cubs say he's in the middle of their wish list. Deep Throat says it's a go, stay tuned

Jeremy Giambi Released (But his wife gets to stay)

COURANT CHATGATE

Hartford Courant Has Big In-House Pow-Wow on Friday. The Boston Globe Was Never Going to Run a Story on this Subject... Jacobs the Liar Again.

(Pedro Gomez line pulled out of online edition, what else did they screw up at The Courant?)

Did Jacobs the Liar Get His Fake Transcript from Butch Huskey's Shoulder Pretzels or Butch Hobson's Elbow Chips?

"Who wants copies of the SoSH transcripts? I got 'em...you need 'em!...
Our #800 line will be open for Calls to take orders" - BHEC 11.28.03

Did you buy a bad transcript Jeffrey?
Where's the retraction for the libel Hartford Courant?

Simmons Chimes in on Schilling, SoSH Saga

Philly's Shallow Center Slams Schill, Tito:

On Schill: "When he starts pledging eternal love to Boston, have your fun but don't believe him -- he'll have changed his mind by the time daylight rolls around."

On Tito: "He couldn't even handle Bobby Abreu when he was in Philadelphia;
Manny Ramirez will leave cleat marks on his back."

(No wonder they have the 'tough town' rep in Philly... I mean, the negativity...)

Terry Calls 'EEI at 8:30am. Caller Rips Him at 8:45:

"Is he too happy and giddy to be the manager of the Red Sox?"

WELCOME TO BOSTON TITO

No More Winged Frogs Bumpin' Booty
Or Little Ghosts Capable of Haunting

It's Tito Time

Sox Get a Major League Manager

"By respecting the game, I mean as a player, when you leave the batter's box, the game's not over. They need to care about each other to get signs when it's a pivotal point in the game, break up double plays, caring to run the bases correctly when they get on on an error instead of a base hit, caring enough to back up bases when its 100 degrees in June, caring about their teammates on the field, fiercely... being on time enough to show your teammates respect."

An Inspired Choice

Thu. 12.4:

Good Time for Some Trot Talk

'I'm Ecstatic' (and he hates LAX)

ESPN AllNight: Red Sox OF Trot Nixon on the acquisition of Curt Schilling, keeping Nomar, Dauber's nuptials, and stolen luggage. Click link under Audio Clips, right border, just under the (shocker) Schilling interview :-)

Titofficial Today

2:00 o'clock, Fenway Park

Let's Talk Tito! Fenway Francona is Final!

Moorad Speaks on Manny

(Does it really matter what came out of his mouth?)

Trade Winds Blowing in Boston

Schilling Signing Only the Beginning of the Remaking of the Red Sox

 Foulke Hero Should be Signed
A-Rod for Manny Deal for Real
Nomar May Be San Diegoing

Wed, 12.3

Shark is Jumped, Slapped, Strip Searched,
Tackle-Twilled, Drawn and Quartered

Time for a Clean Slate Everyone

"Art Martone and Curt Schilling get it. The internet is a vast constellation of communities, the Red Sox Nation being one and SOSH, RR, ProJo, DirtDog's site, Allan Wood's The Joy of Sox site, and many others being our favorite "street corners" to hang out at.

The internet makes the printed newspaper irrelevant. SOSH and its sister sites make the Globe sports section irrelevant. As Seth notes, the level of discourse on SOSH far surpasses the level of sportswriting at the Globe and Herald. We KNOW these guys for the nasty little idiots they are.

Jeff Jacobs really needed an editor to tell him that his article was irrelevant as well and save him his latest embarrassment.

Now if Nomar, Pedro and the rest of the guys were smart, they'd show up for chats online with the fans and bypass the mediots entirely.

That's what's got Jacobs and the other hacks very scared indeed. Scared to death of a kid in the newsroom with computer access and a jones for a Boston Red Sox fan website." - Valmoose, RedSoxNation.net, 12.3.03

JACOBS REPLIES TO ONLINE ONSLAUGHT

SoSHit Hits the Fan

Jeff "The Jerk" Jacobs Puts Our Man GodSamGod Through Hell

Hartford Hack Claims to Have Curt's Confidential Chat

His name is Jeff Jacobs and he is 52 years old. He's the equivalent of a 30-hour-a-week intern at The Hartford Courant sports department. He slaps together a few words, cuts-and-pastes some copy, and someday wants to answer the phones. He remains single and lives in his parents basement in North Windsor.

Jeff sounds like a petty old man who does a lousy job and is probably not well liked at the newspaper. Jeff is also half a man who disserves two masters, his paper, and his public.

Jeff Jacobs, Hartford Courant, today:

"His name is Sameer Ohri and he is 25 years old. He is a 30-hour-a-week employee of The Courant sports department. He puts together the scoreboard page, edits some copy and answers the phones. He is single and lives with his parents in South Windsor.

Sam is a nice young man who does a good job and is well liked at the newspaper. Sam is also a young man who serves two masters.- Read on for the nasty, nasty

Well GSG, you've been bitchin' about the paper not getting any recognition... didn't know you were going to do it the hard way :-)

Jealous Jacobs Shanks SoSH

"One pathetic thread about trying to get rid of Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy is nothing short of libelous. One poster recommends taking him out and shooting him. Scary stuff." (Boo hoo you a-hole, it's a rant, a joke, cherry picked from a million other postings)

Spanks Sports Guy, More Lies

"Simmons made his mark with a combination of effective storytelling and statements such as saying he hoped Geno Auriemma or Coach K were caught having sex with animals." (Ahh, jealousy rears its ugly head too, on all fronts mentioned above). After an exhaustive review of our old Digital City/Boston Sports Guy archives, our tech guys could not find ANY references to Geno Auriemma or Coach K and animals, as you claim, either from Bill or his emailers. And obviously there's nothing of the sort in the ESPN/Page 2 archives. Reading from the "transcripts" again Jeff? What's the frequency Kenneth?

And Attacks Art, Not Smart

"Yet the site also has nurtured a close relationship with a few other media members, notably Providence Journal sports editor Art Martone. Martone, a SOSH member, heralded the site after Schilling's signing and was roundly applauded on the boards. His bosses may not be as happy to discover the only reason the Courant - a New England competitor - found out that Manny Ramirez was placed on irrevocable waivers because GodSamGod saw that Martone posted the news of The New York Times story on SOSH before our first deadlines. The Globe had nothing the next day." (Going after Art Martone? ART MARTONE, Art Freakin' Martone?!?! What they do to Shaughnessy on a daily basis will be a love-in compared to your future Jeffrey)

Mainstream Media Strikes Back
at Internet Reign.

First Hohler's Hit, Now Jacobs Jolt.
Will SoSH Lockdown the Joint with Secret Handshakes and Passwords? Schill to Chill Online?

Early Bird Gets the Rathbone

Jeff,

I don't read the Hartford Courant sports page and your clueless sour grapes make me glad I don't. Bill Simmons is exponentially more entertaining to read than your middle-aged, out-of-step drivel... SoSH and Boston Dirt Dogs are the future. FYI, most baseball savvy perusers of these websites don't even chime in. They just realize what you don't. That a lot of people are qualified to have an opinion and offer insight to compliment what the "professionals" put out there. Keep your old timey typewriter clickity clacking.

Dave (Los Angeles, CA, founding member Boston Dirt Dogs)

---

Reply from Jeff Jacobs (4:27am EST, can't sleep buddy? Us too, in fact, we never do)

Dave:

Thanks for taking the time to write. Bill is a talented writer and one totally unafraid to cut me a new sphincter on a half-dozen occasions when he was the Boston Sports Guy. My clueless sour grapes were the result of a collaborative meeting with the editors in my department.

Sam made a mistake, other media outlets had the transcripts and we wanted to address it before somebody else did it for us. There was already speculation who the editor or writer at the Courant was and the thought process was to sort of set the record straight and tell the story before it got out of hand. Sam was actually part of this. He realized what he did.

I think it's great that baseball aficianados (sic) have a place to meet and chat. It's just not a good idea for somebody in our business to confuse his job with his fandom and start giving up sources to the very athlete who is in the middle of negotiations and compromise our beat writer.

I realize anybody who writes a column is fair game. I covered the NHL for 15 years and was courted by all sorts of would-be bloggers and puck heads as some sort of all-knowing guy. The beat guys feed information to keep the knowledge going. I also know the day I became the columnist, I became the dummy because everybody has an opinion. So I'm just out here skating my wing, Dave, aging not so gracefully. Again, thanks for taking the time to write.

Jeff

---

Jeff Continues to Stink Up the Joint at The Courant

Mr. Marijuana Lives a Glass Bong Himself

"I admit I smoked marijuana when I was 19. And unlike Bill Clinton, I'm not going to fib to you. I inhaled plenty. And so have plenty of adults reading this." - Jeff Jacobs, The Hartford Courant.

Jacobs the liar... and the hypocrite

---

Mon-Tues, 12/1-2

Curtesy Call

WEEInterview with The Big Curt

---

I understood a long time ago that as a starting pitcher I'm getting paid to pitch 9, I'm not getting paid to pitch 6 or 5 or 7. I only get to play in the game once every 5 days and those are my 9 innings. So I take those 9 as seriously as I can.

---

12.1.03: Curt Schilling (CS) on WEEI 850 AM with Dale (D) & Neumy (N) 1:00pm:

Coming around to Boston

N: It was reported recently that you would not come to the Red Sox...

CS: A prominent member of the national media had come out and said that I had said I wanted to play for the Red Sox, and the Red Sox were the team of choice for me, and I was pissed because number one I never mentioned the Red Sox, and number two I never said anything of the sort, the writer and I were discussing the situation and he said something about the comment and I said "listen, I'm not playing for the Red Sox, I never said that, and then I threw on top of it some reasons why I probably wouldn't play for the Red Sox. Well, it turns out I was wrong because I'm a Red Sox now, but it was a situation, I did say it, but it wasn't intended to mean it the way it came out in the article.

Pedro communicado

D: There was another quote that you talked about where you had a comment about Pedro Martinez at one point during the ALCS (CS: yeah, hee hee, yeahyeah).  Are you concerned about your first discussion with Pedro after, and you did call him a punk then..

CS: Yeah, yeah :-) I'm not really concerned because I've already spoken to him, yeah, Pedro and I talked for about 20 minutes yesterday, it went great! He sounded as excited as I am about this, um, we talked a little bit about this next season, and uh the next couple of years and I made sure that he understood that his future in Boston was very important to me during this whole process.

Mechanics don't require a tune-up

N: Curt, durability has been a hallmark of yours and just beginning in '97 you've thrown 250 innings or more except for last season when you had the two issues with the appendicitis and whathaveyou and I suppose that some Red Sox fans are saying here's a guy that's 37, and boy it'd be great if he could be as durable as Clemens, but what is it about your makeup or your dedication to conditioning or whathaveyou where these innings have kicked in later in your career as opposed to earlier?

CS: I think beyond the preparation and the work it's the mechanics. I think I have very simple mechanics. I don't tax myself at any one point through the delivery which I think is a very big key to staying healthy, you know? That, and I understood a long time ago that as a starting pitcher I'm getting paid to pitch 9, I'm not getting paid to pitch 6 or 5 or 7. I only get to play in the game once every 5 days and those are my 9 innings. So I take those 9 as seriously as I can.

Strange batter up

D: You are very well known for your legendary information accumulation. You've got a book on every batter and situation, are you concerned about a shift to the American League and having to start that information gathering almost form scratch?

CS: Uhh yeah. I don't know how to elaborate on that but yeah that is a concern. It was something I addressed with the Red Sox, they set up a presentation for me, they explained to me how they were going to assist me in doing that, and when they were done I was pretty satisfied.

---

His (Terry Francona) rules are: be on time, and play hard. And if you do both of those you never have a problem with him. And in the big leagues, it seems that those two things are very hard to get everybody to do nowadays for some reason.

---

The right stuff

N: Specifically now, Epstein and Lucchino, in terms of preparation and in terms of providing you with the necessary information, could you at all describe exactly what they showed you Curt that sight unseen going against the Baltimore Orioles or something on the second day of the season that you would have plenty of input as to the strengths and weaknesses of their hitters.

CS: Well, umm, it would be a pretty in-depth answer if I got into the details but the fact of the matter is I have a setup for myself that I use every game, that I work with on every start and there are very few pitchers in the league that throw like me, or have stuff like mine so seeing those pitchers work against hitters I'm going to be working against this year was something I needed to do. They came out here. They had an accumulation of specific pitcher's starts over the last three years, so I'm gonna get to see history of guys that throw kind of like me against hitters I'm gonna be facing, that's the only thing I can do, to work with guys I haven't faced. And obviously working with Jason Varitek and hearing his intents and as in-depth as he is in getting ready for games, I think it's gonna be a great match.

---

I think it's important that you understand one thing, you don't... I'll tell you right now I have a huge ego with a ball in my hand.

---

We are family

D: You've won a World Championship with the Arizona Diamondbacks, you're going to a different kind of baseball climate than though you're used to in Arizona (CS: heee hmmm) and I got the impression you wanted it different. You wanted what's gonna happen here?

CS: Yeah I do, I do. I've had 3 awesome years out here, these people have been really, really good to me. I've enjoyed my time here. I helped bring the first world title to the city, in any sport which I'm very, very proud of, but it's different. It's different when you head back east. And you get into New York and Boston and Philadelphia and you are a part of the city. You are part of these people's families that come to the park every day. And they take it personal. And it adds a different element at the ballpark. And I love that and I'm excited to be a part of that. I'm excited to try and pitch my ass off so they don't cuss at me on a consistent basis. Because I understand the dynamics and how this works and it's a lot of fun. I was in it in Philadelphia to some extent but I've been a little bit of a part of it in New York and in Boston being a visiting player but I've never been a home team player and I'm looking forward to it.

When Spaceman's Bong reeled him in

N: And I was reading a piece in the Arizona Republic over the weekend about your little online chat session (CS: Haaahaahaa) 3:39am? Talking with Red Sox fans online?

CS: It was tough to sleep. It was tough to sleep. I had a lot running through my mind you know and it was pretty, pretty cool. I mean these people, once they got passed I guess the awe factor which makes it very hard to talk to people... they were baseball fans. They were the kind of baseball fan I am. I know my stats, I know my history. I know my numbers. I know my favorite players. And that's what we were talking about and you know there was the obviously every now and then sprinkled in 'please come to Boston' but it got past that pretty quickly and we just kinda talked, and it was fun and relaxing but their passion in Boston and in the Red Sox and in their desire to have me in Boston, it came through. And it was flattering. And you know, I'm human. It's not unlike humans to want to be wanted and when you see something like that it sticks with you.

---

You will hear people talk about me being... I guess the derogatory term was a "media whore." The fact of the matter is, I do interviews, and I answer questions, based on people asking me to do interviews, and asking me the questions. I think you've gotten a pretty good understanding. I'm not a yes-no guy when it comes to the game of baseball, I've been playing this game since I was four years old, and there's a passion there for me that doesn't allow me to answer these questions that you ask in a yes-no fashion.

---

Sox took their best shot

D: Everyone wants to be courted, and everyone wants to be wanted, but tell me what Theo Epstein, John Henry, and Larry Lucchino did to make you feel you had to be a part of this organization.

CS: It was really two things, it was their proactiveness on making the trade to begin with, to think that the Boston situation came about so fast because the Red Sox thought they might have an opportunity to sign me, was impressive. Add that to the fact that when they showed up here they made sure that I understood how important it was to them that I was a Boston Red Sock, what it meant to their organization, what it meant to the future of their organization. What it would mean to me, um, and they were going to be here, they were going to answer any question, and they were going to do anything that they could possibly do to make me a Red Sock and uh, it just worked... Theo used the word "synergy," there was a synergy there in a negotiating standpoint, even though we parted ways on that Thanksgiving night, not feeling like something was going to get done, you know, I wanted to make sure that people understood that if it didn't happen it was just going to be something that wasn't meant to be, because they did everything they could possibly do to get me in a Red Sox uniform.

Neumy McCarver and the World Champion Yankees

N: It's strange Curt in a way that in this white-hot rivalry between the Yankees and the Red Sox, had the cards fallen differently you might be on WFAN in New York talking about how you were going to beat the brains out of the Boston Red Sox, because you are today embracing the Red Sox-Yankee rivalry and hoping that you can supplant them as world champions? (Geezus Neumy, they got you too? Hello. Florida Marlins World Series Champions, Josh Beckett ring a bell?)

CS: I mean I can't tell you with any degree of certainty how it would have played out, but it was my understanding based on people I know in the game that if this deadline had hit on Saturday at 3:00 there was going to be another team that would have made a deal immediately and I would have been talking to another club and I'm not really sure that there are many teams out there that were on the list anyway so I can presumably that might have been. That was another thing that I desperately wanted to avoid. I did not want the Red Sox to think I was trying to leverage the Yankees, or use the Yankees as leverage in any way, umm, and vice-versa. I didn't want anybody to think I was going to hem-and-haw with the Red Sox to get the Yankees going, it was a matter of trying to find a situation that Shonda and I felt worked for us, and that we were comfortable with, and our kids were OK with and that we could do.

---

...you know my goal now is to go out and try to take the Cy Young from Pedro... or Derek... or Tim, or whoever that ends up being this year. You get on the staff and you compete with each other in a friendly way. I want to pitch better than Pedro, but not because he pitches badly, but because he throws a gem and I throw a better gem.

---

Theoretically speaking

N: We are kind of big Theo Epstein fans around here based on what he's done in a very short period of time but you'd have to admit that it's pretty unusual to deal with a general manager who's younger than you are?

CS: Yeah he had an issue with me calling Mr. Epstein... which I had an issue with not calling him that for a brief period of time, I'm impressed, I've been a couple of negotiations prior to this with my agents which is one of the reasons why I didn't have an agent this time, umm, and I've never spoken with somebody who, you know what, I could tell that Theo was a fan, but he didn't allow being a fan to get in the way of doing his job, and that mattered to me, that was important to me.

Mystery-manager-in-waiting paging Manny Ramirez

N: Curt with the exception of one 10-12 minute phone conversation that I had (when Tito declined to come on "ticked off at myself for comments made in the paper, presumptuous...") with Terry Francona, he impressed me with his enthusiasm and his honesty, if nothing else, in all likelihood he'll be named manager of the Boston Red Sox this week, you have a history with this man, you know better than I or a lot of people listening what he's going to bring to the table here in Boston, could you please amplify?

CS: Well, Tito is a straight shooter. He is a guy that doesn't have a problem telling you he's made a mistake um, I guess the overriding factor, or his overriding dominating personality trait is that his players don't question where they stand with him. He's not going to let you walk on him. He's going to treat you with respect. He expects the players to police the clubhouse themselves. He allows them to do their thing. He will pull you off the field if you don't hustle and bust your ass.

His rules are: be on time, and play hard. And if you do both of those you never have a problem with him. And in the big leagues, it seems that those two things are very hard to get everybody to do nowadays for some reason. But I can tell you there was a situation in the previous job that he had where a player was late, multiple times toward the end of the season, and basically after like the second or third time Terry basically said "pack your stuff and go home, you're not playing anymore... the season's over for you," and this was a superstar player. And as players we all said you know what "good for you" you know, we love the guy that was in trouble, but you know what it was just an incredible lack of disrespect, what he was doing. About 10 minutes later, the front office comes down and says "Terry can't do that," which I think ended his reign in Philadelphia, but I've been led to believe that Terry's going to have a say in his coaching staff, or whoever gets the job is going to have to pick the run of the mill of their coaching staff, and if it's not Terry, it will be somebody like him, so that's a good thing.

---

We wanted to make sure the ownership understood that we were going to be a part of this community. That we were not going to show up, put our uniform on, go pitch and go home. That we were going to try to use our time to have an impact on the people living around us and I did the same exact thing, and we decided to do the same exact thing with the Jimmy Fund for that reason.

---

"What you do for yourself, dies with you, and what you do for others lives forever"

D: You mentioned a synergy, and my final point here before we let you go concerns the synergy between you and the city of Boston. Your wife Shonda had a health problem, a health issue a couple of years ago and she ended up doing a consultation at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a place that we know and love and have a relationship with as well. And the whole thing comes full circle, and your in Boston. And one of the first moves you made as a member of the Red Sox was to make a huge contribution to the Jimmy Fund and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

CS: Well when we came to Phoenix, we committed a million dollars upon the deal being struck with Colangelo, my extension. Half of that went to the United Way which was Mr. Colangelo's charity in Phoenix. And we did that for two reasons. Number one, we knew the money would make a difference in people's lives. Number two, we wanted to make sure the ownership understood that we were going to be a part of this community. That we were not going to show up, put our uniform on, go pitch and go home. That we were going to try to use our time to have an impact on the people living around us and I did the same exact thing, and we decided to do the same exact thing with the Jimmy Fund for that reason. We wanted Mr. Henry, and Mr. Werner, and Mr. Lucchino to understand that if they're going to do a matching program with the players, then we're going to change what the numbers look like. Because we have a chance to make a difference in people's lives. And my wife has a saying that we both use in a lot of speeches for the charitable events we've done, and that is "what you do for yourself, dies with you, and what you do for others lives forever," and that money is going to impact people's lives for a long, long time whether I'm a player or not and we've assured people in Arizona that we are going to remain part of the community here with ALS and with The SHADE Foundation, as we are in Philadelphia, with the ALS foundation there. And we're going to jump into bed with the ALS group in Boston and The SHADE Foundation will have a presence in Boston, and we will be part of the Jimmy Fund programs that the Red Sox want us to be a part of. It's important to us that while I'm a player I have this window to do this and I want to make a difference, not just on the field, obviously they're paying me to win games, and all this stuff is good and well, but I have a chance to change people's lives long after I'm done playing.

---

Different people handle the media in different ways, and the people in the media are human beings too. There are players you're not gonna like. There are players that you're gonna hate. There are players that you're going to love. And you're going to report on those players and a lot of the time personal opinion gets in the way of reporting the story.

---

Schilling soapbox shifts into overdrive

N: Curt my last question has to do with Martinez, and you obviously pitched with Randy Johnson in a 1.-1.A, 1-2 setup to great success. We know Martinez has a huge ego, that's what makes him great, could you let us in on any kind of bits and pieces of your conversation with Pedro in terms of his acceptance of you as a Red Sox pitcher?

CS: I think it's important that you understand one thing, you don't... I'll tell you right now I have a huge ego with a ball in my hand. And that's one of the reasons why Pedro is as good as he is. You don't get to be a three-time Cy Young award winner, one of the most dominating pitchers in the history of the game, without feeling pretty good about yourself. How that translates, and I've been reading a bunch of stuff over the past couple of days about the media's relationship with some of the player's on the Red Sox, and I think it's important that people understand. You will hear people talk about me being... I guess the derogatory term was a "media whore." The fact of the matter is, I do interviews, and I answer questions, based on people asking me to do interviews, and asking me the questions. I think you've gotten a pretty good understanding. I'm not a yes-no guy when it comes to the game of baseball, I've been playing this game since I was four years old, and there's a passion there for me that doesn't allow me to answer these questions that you ask in a yes-no fashion. But that doesn't make me right, and them wrong. Different people handle the media in different ways, and the people in the media are human beings too. There are players you're not gonna like. There are players that you're gonna hate. There are players that you're going to love. And you're going to report on those players and a lot of the time personal opinion gets in the way of reporting the story. Pedro's a fantastic guy, I've known Pedro a long time, never in depth, and not to the extent that I'm going to get to know him, but the fact of the matter is, I think we're both as excited as each other to see what happens here. Pedro is the number one man on this staff and people tried to make that into a story before it was even a done deal and it's not. I didn't have a problem being behind RJ, who's got his share of Cy Young awards, and I'm not going to be... you know my goal now is to go out and try to take the Cy Young from Pedro... or Derek... or Tim, or whoever that ends up being this year. You get on the staff and you compete with each other in a friendly way. I want to pitch better than Pedro, but not because he pitches badly, but because he throws a gem and I throw a better gem. That's the way you push each other, and that's how you raise the bar. It's not about wanting to do better at someone's expense. And I made sure Pedro understood that again, his being here beyond this year was very, very important to me in all of this, as well as a couple of other guys on this team, and the Red Sox front office made it clear to me that this is a team that's gonna be put together to win it for the next four, five, six years and on. - end. If you don't count Dan Patrick, Jim Rome, Bob Ley, and (gulp) Tom Arnold.

SoSH Sells its Soul to the Red Sox

Big Bad Bob Hohler Brings the House Down as the Bear Has
Jumped the Shark :-)

"The media's job, in essence, is to act as our agents."  - Paul M, SoSH dope
(turn out the lights folks, the party as we knew it and loved it, is over)

Censored signatures. Avatars outlawed. Lapdogs Lapdogging ownership 24/7. All Star struck. Suddenly self-important. "Look-at-Me!" postings galore. Press pass requests! Locked down threads when SoSHouse Organ is the music of the day. The irony is astounding. The hypocrisy hilarious. And now, after a Bob Hohler bitch slap about John, the former "carpetbagger!", Henry's obscenity call, SoSH buckles fast with a main board rated PG and a restricted P&G (but the timing was really a Big coincidence, it's about "traffic, lurking minors, and publicity"). Crockpot lovers around the world saddened by sellout (I love mine).

Our favorite site is at a crossroads as they've gone (gulp) mainstream. As one veteran poster noted recently "just call it redsox.com and cut out the middleman." Or call it the Stepford Sons of Sam Horn.

Now Net Minders are Real Whiners, Spinning Schill, Slamming Writers and Fans Who Use Phones

Curt Gets "Clued In" By Don't-Know-it-All

"Curt, meet Dan Shaughnessy. It doesn't matter what you say to the guy, how you say it, what you intend. I guaranty you the first time you have a bad outing Shaughnessy will write an entire column about the "13-million dollar man" who can't get it done, the washed-up 37 year old albatross around the Sox's management neck. You can be sure that unflattering comparisons will be made between you and Roger Clemens, and you will be consigned to the nether world inhabited by Pedro in Dan's bizarro Red Sox Nation. There's another guy, Steve Buckley by name, affectionately known as "Buckshot" by those of us who despise him, who has made it his personal campaign to drive Nomar out of town. He's easy to recognize: a middle-aged, slightly overweight guy with dyed hair who whores his way around the local media and writes for the local tabloid. Guy's you can respect: Gordon Edes, Tony Mazzarotti. Guys who write about baseball but not as often who I think you can trust are Bob Ryan, who's probably the most intelligent sportswriter in town, and Howard Bryant. Just remember that the media scrutiny in this town is intense and filled with agendas. It's really a small town mentality where people hold grudges and will search any controversial angle to get eyeballs to the page, since the competition is intense.

And I haven't even mentioned the monster that is WEEI. Listening to your interview yesterday makes me think you can handle just about anything from that quarter, but let me clue you in on something: the fans who call these radio talk shows do not represent the majority of the fans. They are a small percentage of whiners ('EEI even has something called the "Whiner Line" on which callers can record their rants against anything and everything); they constitute what Rick Pitino famously called "the fellowship of the miserable". Listening to them one could easily make the mistake of thinking the fans are all embittered cry babies whose chief preoccupation in life is to drag down anyone above them. There is indeed that element among the fans, as in life. But don't confuse them with general sentiment." - Dalton Jones, SoSH