I'd just like to start this second blog with a little quip I've heard a few times: great men realize when there is a need; true leaders recognize that need and fill it. The phone calls, the emails, and the posts have started rolling in; I'll let you, my closest followers, decide if I'm just a great man or a true leader. And one more thing. You're welcome, all of you, my loyal supporters. Really. You're all welcome, and I'll continue to do my best to serve you (as long as you keep on mailing me those checks).
A few years ago, on the website sta.cathedral.org/~eberman, a young man who called himself "Thunder Thighs" left some disturbing messages on the "town hall" section of the page. Those comments closely mirror the comments (or should we say graffiti?) left on this blog a few days ago. Let's take a look at those un-American, I-don't-support-the-troops words and see if they have any credibility.
From 1918-2003, Boston Red Sox fans claimed that their team was "cursed." I neither have the time nor the desire to rewrite the history of that sorry franchise, but I will mention one thing. Red Sox fans traced that curse back to the sale of Babe Ruth, that famous slugger, to the New York Yankees. The ghosts of baseball, Babe Ruth, or whoever, Red Sox supporters cried, cursed the Red Sox for doing something so very stupid.
But even a quick look at baseball history, any knowledge at all of Red Sox history, completely rejects such a simple interpretation of the past. Anyone who knows anything about baseball knows that the Red Sox were in danger of folding. The money the Yankees gave to the Red Sox for Babe Ruth kept that franchise afloat. There was no curse, ever, there was just a terribly managed franchise. So in four years they've won two championships. Impressive. In 85 years they've won that same amount. Not so impressive. In fact terrible. But not as terrible as the Chicago Cubs.
The Cubs have not won a championship since 1908. Almost 100 years. They have a nice stadium, they had Harry Caray, and they...well I guess that's about it. So in 2007 they had a better record than the Orioles. 1908 says it all.
Thanks for checking in, Dsyntax. I hope all is well with you in Cali. I also hope I've clarified some things for you.
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2 comments:
since mr berman has been so eloquent in his attack on my friends in chicago, i feel the need to respond, though I do confess, belatedly.
mr berman appears to consider my comments regarding the baseball side of his choosing as random schadenfreude at their recent misfortune. simply not so.
throughout our time at the great saint albans school for boys the two of us had a running gentlemen's wager (though no money was ever collected on either side) over who would have the better record each year between the two teams.
now that the monopoly of the evil mr angelos has been lifted from my fair city of washington, a third team has entered the equation (at least in my mind).
so as all can plainly see, my comment was not an unwarranted mock of the O's, it was merely an update on how our wager turned out this year. i do confess i felt rather happy over it, but that cannot be avoided when competing with a squad led by the likes of mr angelos.
i freely acknowledge the passage since the last time the trophy was brought back to the north side, but that is immaterial to our year-to-year results. to understand the joy of winning the world series, i would have to turn to mr berman and inquire how it felt during the o’s last successful campaign, in 1983. oh wait ...
This is good.... Update! Is this now Eli in Spain?
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