Hollywood it's not
Patrick Stone
Issue date: 5/1/08 Section: Sports
There was a moment of clarity a few weeks back that told me Terry Francona was substantially more prepared to defend a World Series title in '08 as opposed to '05.
During the April 20 game, the one where the Sox upended the Rangers bullpen when Dustin Pedroia clobbered a triple into the triangle, Tito made a stand he refused to make during the last title defense.
Jacoby Ellsbury strode to the plate in the first inning wearing a sly grin, coifed hair and a pair of see-through orange sunglasses. Not the kind that actually protect you from the sun, no-no. The kind Bono wears when he's standing on a soapbox somewhere informing the world about great he is. The kind you drop a few hundred bucks on at a designer store in the north end of Boston. Jacoby grounded out, jogged back to the dugout, got a nasty stare from Tito, then came back out to the field his next at bat minus the shades.
In 2005, the Sox were like the Cleveland Indians in Major League II. Coming off an improbable run, only two or three guys were actually prepared to play baseball again while the rest were appearing at televised functions reliving the season past. You're going to tell me Johnny Damon wasn't doing his best "reformed" Ricky Vaughn impression? Or that our signing of Deplorable Human Being Edgar Renteria didn't mirror the trade for the wiggling hips of cocky slugger Jack Parkman? At think at one point, we even replaced Kevin Millar with Omar Epps just to see if anybody was paying attention.
Just a month into the season, the Sox already looked ready to cash in and just take in the memories of 2007. Of course, they made it tough for fans to call them on it, what with the disastrous Japan trip and a Spring Training that read more like a promotional tour for the Rolling Stones. Some guys came ready to wipe away some personal faults, like J.D. Drew playing like he actually has a pulse, Coco Crisp proving that he's nobody's backup, and Manny Ramirez telling the world he doesn't know the meaning of "Down Season." As for the rest, it was a steady diet of "I'm not going to use the Japan trip as an excuse…but…the Japan trip is totally why we're struggling." Again, a completely valid point. If the company I worked for gave me a vacation, then halfway through shipped me to another country to do my job, then gave me back my vacation time, I'd be ticked off too. But for someone like David Ortiz or Jason Varitek, you can only ride that pony for so long.
During the April 20 game, the one where the Sox upended the Rangers bullpen when Dustin Pedroia clobbered a triple into the triangle, Tito made a stand he refused to make during the last title defense.
Jacoby Ellsbury strode to the plate in the first inning wearing a sly grin, coifed hair and a pair of see-through orange sunglasses. Not the kind that actually protect you from the sun, no-no. The kind Bono wears when he's standing on a soapbox somewhere informing the world about great he is. The kind you drop a few hundred bucks on at a designer store in the north end of Boston. Jacoby grounded out, jogged back to the dugout, got a nasty stare from Tito, then came back out to the field his next at bat minus the shades.
In 2005, the Sox were like the Cleveland Indians in Major League II. Coming off an improbable run, only two or three guys were actually prepared to play baseball again while the rest were appearing at televised functions reliving the season past. You're going to tell me Johnny Damon wasn't doing his best "reformed" Ricky Vaughn impression? Or that our signing of Deplorable Human Being Edgar Renteria didn't mirror the trade for the wiggling hips of cocky slugger Jack Parkman? At think at one point, we even replaced Kevin Millar with Omar Epps just to see if anybody was paying attention.
Just a month into the season, the Sox already looked ready to cash in and just take in the memories of 2007. Of course, they made it tough for fans to call them on it, what with the disastrous Japan trip and a Spring Training that read more like a promotional tour for the Rolling Stones. Some guys came ready to wipe away some personal faults, like J.D. Drew playing like he actually has a pulse, Coco Crisp proving that he's nobody's backup, and Manny Ramirez telling the world he doesn't know the meaning of "Down Season." As for the rest, it was a steady diet of "I'm not going to use the Japan trip as an excuse…but…the Japan trip is totally why we're struggling." Again, a completely valid point. If the company I worked for gave me a vacation, then halfway through shipped me to another country to do my job, then gave me back my vacation time, I'd be ticked off too. But for someone like David Ortiz or Jason Varitek, you can only ride that pony for so long.
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