Pathetic Celebration By The "Empire"

Awwww, wasn't that special? I hope you all got to see the jubilation in the Empire clubhouse last night as "The Team That Even Money Can't Buy" celebrated their entry into the post-season. What little thoughts do you think were dancing around in A-Fraud's head? Maybe the ardent hope that he'll get ONE RBI this post-season, unlike the ZERO RBI he collected in the last two post-seasons? Maybe that he'll break the Curse Of The Purse (the fact that no team with a guy named "A-Rod" has ever won a title).

As WEEI's John Dennis said this morning, "Hey, act like you've been there before". Indeed. May the addled Phineas T. Bluster never again hold the WS Trophy aloft. May this bunch of Bronx Posers go down to ignominious defeat in three straight games. May the cheap Champagne be the last they ever taste.

The "Greening" Of Fenway

First, it was real estate. Then, multi-media communications. Then NASCAR. Now, John Henry is looking to be the Al Gore of Baseball. The New Ownership Group (NOG) has announced an alliance with an environmental activist group known as the Natural Resources Defense Council. The goal is to "green" the 95-year old lady that is Fenway Park with a range of shamefully gratuitous and trendy gestures. Are you ready? How about plastic cups made out of corn starch? Not good enough? How about locally grown organic foods at the already over-priced concession stands? And, the most "moon-batty" of all: a fifth inning recycling stretch. While you're up stretching for the planet, the Fenway "staff" will then go around and pick up your recyclables. How wonderfully carbon-positive of the NOG! Gee, maybe we can all get up and sing, "Eve of Destruction" in unison.

Here's a suggestion, Mr. Henry. At the prices you charge us to squat in a century-old relic of a ballpark, maybe you should pay more attention to, oh, I don't know, BASEBALL! Considering the epic collapse we are witnessing from the soul-less Sox, I think that endeavor would be a little better use of your time and energy. If we want to recycle, we'll handle it on our own time, thank you. Unless, of course you recycle J.D. Drew's contract during that fifth inning stretch.

Tony, We're Beyond Sweat.

There is no one in this town we respect more than the Herald's Tony Massarotti. Over the last several years, he has brought perspective to his coverage of the Olde Towne Team—an extremely rare commodity in Boston. He didn't bash Nomar and Manny when it was easy to do so. He never takes the NOG's formidable PR barrage as Gospel. He doesn't back down from the Big Obnoxious on 'EEI.

However, his latest appeal to the Nation not to "sweat" losing the AL East is too much to swallow. He claims that a loser's mentality can "stain" us forever. No, Tony. We are beyond that now. The curse is over. As ESPN's Bill Simmons points out, that means we never have to see another FOX graphic of Babe Ruth looming over Fenway. But that doesn't mean we have become angst-free. As Simmons also realizes, worry is embedded in our regional DNA. We can't help it. It's what distinguishes true fans from the Pink Hat crowd.

This team has squandered a nearly insurmountable Division lead with a lethargy and casualness that is unacceptable for an organization that is supposedly dedicated to excellence. They have yielded 12 games of advantage to the Empire. They are in danger of gagging away three very practical post-season advantages—home field; the ability of the "best-record" team to choose the off-day schedule that suits them best in the Division series; and the psychological dagger of denying the division to the Evil Ones for first time in a decade.

"Don't worry", says Tony Mazz—their Magic Number to make the post-season is only "4". OK, and the way this bunch is playing there will be another post-season Magic Number—"3". The number of games it will take to be eliminated from the first round.