Last night was both the most exciting win of the year for the Yankees, and the most gut-wrenching loss for the Red Sox. So because I'm a believer in what Conan the Barbarian said about enjoying watching the lamentation of your enemies and all that jazz, I checked out what Boston fans were saying at Sons of Sam Horn and the Boston Globe's web site. Reading those comments was nearly as much fun as watching Alex Rodriguez and Marcus Thames go deep against Papelbon!
Needless to say, most Red Sox fans weren't very happy over Papelbon's performance. Lots of derogatory nicknames hurled his way (I was hoping for somebody to call him Cinco Dopo, but alas, it didn't happen!) Lots of talk about Daniel Bard needing to replace him. There was some criticism of John Henry - the Yankees have gone 14-3 against the Sox since his juvenile "MT Curse" tweet!
And there was even some grudging acknowledgments that Mariano Rivera is the better closer - many Sox fans mockingly brought up how Papelbon once suggested that he deserved Mo-type money, and how he didn't deserve it.
On Boston.com, some fans even blamed former Yankees beat writer Peter Abraham for cursing their team. One reader wrote, "The Curse of PA? Ever since he left the LoHud blog, the Yanks went on a roll and won the WS. The Red Sox have been sucking ever since." Heh!
Another Sox fan, Timmy15 was so sure of victory after the Sox came back against Chan Ho Park that he wrote this:
Under other conditions I would never start crowing here like I am but I see a switch; Paps will blow the Skanks away in the bottom of 9th - if we even need him by then. Does anyone remember last season when the Sox beat these guys the first 8 games and then took a vacation. Well something like that in reverse may be happening. Just as I predicted yesterday, V-Mart is heating up and he may be the dtraw that stirs this drink....if the Sox lose this game I will not post another remark for two weeks. That's how sure I am.So much for that!
Papelbon looked more like Chan Ho Park out there than the elite closer who wanted to finish up the All-Star Game. Heck, Javier Vazquez, the game's winner, was more impressive than Paps was. (And how about Javy - he was even smiling in the postgame! Maybe he can build on this era of good feeling.)
Anyhow, when Papelbon plunked Francisco Cervelli after giving up the homer to A-Rod, he reminded me why he's my least favorite Red Sox. What a clown.
Remember how Papelbon said he worked out last season while watching his meltdown in the ALDS? Well, I guess the closer now has a new video to watch for motivation in the workout room! Snicker.
I'll be writing more of my thoughts on Yankees-Red Sox today, but in the meantime, please tell me what you think.
I have to be honest, Lisa, when I calmed down from the A-Rod homer, I thought of you, since it was the player you love the most smashing the player you loathe the most. But I didn't have too long to think about it because of the Thames homer.
ReplyDeleteWhat Papelbon did last night reminds me of the sign a fan held up at Fenway when the Sox shellacked Clemens in the '99 ALCS: "Thanks for the memories, Roger, especially this one." Ah, but that was the only game the Yanks lost that postseason! These Red Sox will not be so lucky. In fact, they used up enough good luck for another, oh, 86 years with their cheating.
CC vs. Super Punk tonight. Weather permitting. Wonder if Beckett is going to borrow the old Boston Braves tactic? "Pray for rain!" Well, as Led Zeppelin taught us, "Cryin' ain't gonna help ya now, prayin' won't do ya no good!"
Thanks, Uncle Mike! I was cackling over it!
ReplyDeleteI'm still loving all the hatred directed Papelbon's way by Sox fans today. Heh!
It does amaze me how easily Sox fans turn on their own, from Ted Williams to Nomah to Manny. They even booed Yaz and Tony C in 1970.
ReplyDeleteThough I notice that books about the Sox seem to suggest that they always cheered the Babe when he came back as a Yankee.
Last night was one of the most glorious regular season wins I have watched live in my time. I started jumping up and down right with the guys as they waited for Thames to get to homeplate. Not only was Alex clutch as hell in the ninth but he showed how much more fun he's having with the current Yankees.
ReplyDeleteApparently no one sent the memo to Papelbon that every major leaguer can hit a straight fastball down the middle. I'm okay with that.
Uncle Mike, I notice the same thing about Sox fans. A coworker of mine suffers from being a Boston fan and she doesn't even like half of the present day team! Her favorite is V-Mart, which just seems like cheating when she shrugs off Youk, Pedroia, Papelbon, and Beckett.
Didn't Rivera give up a grandslam the day before?
ReplyDeleteOh, and I find it amusing that Uncle Mike is excited about an A-Rod homerun while calling the Red Sox cheaters. Srsly?
ReplyDeleteTalk about the pot calling the kettle black? 86 years of cheating? Hardly. Yeah, that's how the Red Sox got 27 trophies just like you. How about the 100 years of cheating that the Yankers have been getting away with? Hmmm?
ReplyDeleteReally now there is no bigger cheater in any organized sport than the Yankers. Bigger cheaters than the Steelers, Lakers, and Duke COMBINED! yeah.