Monday, October 29, 2007
MVP
The MVP of the Red Sox?It has to be Terry Francona.
I’m not talking Most Valuable Player, richly deserved by Mike Lowell.
I’m talking Most Valuable Person. Terry Francona.
I really admire the guy.
Somehow, he manages not only the Boston Red Sox baseball team, (a team that does exceptionally well at the beginning of every century) but the millions of “experts” who also manage the Red Sox, but don’t get paid to do so. (GUILTY!)
Somehow, he manages to be the bridge between ownership and management, and the band of merry millionaires who play the game.
Somehow, he manages to do what even Bill Belichick cannot or will not do: be an articulate spokesman for his team, while dealing with reporters and talk show hosts who will smile to his face, then rip him ten new ones in print, on the web, or on the air.
This is not like managing in Kansas City, Seattle, or even Philadelphia or Los Angeles.
This is not like managing in Kansas City, Seattle, or even Philadelphia or Los Angeles.
Baseball is a year-round sport to Red Sox Nation, and when the games aren’t being played, they’re being talked about.
And somehow, he has the fortitude to deal with everyone from the Lucchinos and Epsteins to the Shaughnessys and Ordways to the Gagnes and Crisps.
Two championships in four years? That’s great.
But win or lose, this guy does so much more.
And somehow, he has the fortitude to deal with everyone from the Lucchinos and Epsteins to the Shaughnessys and Ordways to the Gagnes and Crisps.
Two championships in four years? That’s great.
But win or lose, this guy does so much more.
He’s my Red Sox MVP.
Posted at 9:30 PM by Gerry
5 Comments:
I agree, Gerry. He has showed me over the past four years that he is a master! And so is his (our) team! Enjoy the parade!!!
I enjoyed the parade, but I thought NESN did an awful job.
Too much T.C. and Hazel; not enough Manny and Papi.
Francona is a winner because he was giving the players to win...he never won a thing in philly...he happened to be the right manager at the right time...remember game 4 against the rockies...he lets a righty pitch to a lefty-homerun...later on-he lets a lefty, pitch to a righty-homerun...
if he had no beckett or paps-he would be a .500 man...
Anon, that's what I love about baseball. No games to watch anymore, but we can go back-and-forth about it all winter.
We generally don't do that with the other sports.
Tito did manage to bring the World Series trophy in a few years.
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