Manny Being Manny or Being Misquote?
Ok, leave it to the media to take a throw-away comment at the end of a long interview session and run with it. First headline on ESPN, 4th on FoxSports, 5th on CBSSports, 2nd on CNNSI and so on.
Manny said "...losing wouldn't be the end of the world." He also said about 100 other things. Manny doesn't do interviews in case you haven't noticed and he was kept around for this one for far longer than any time I can recall (based on words, not minutes). It seemed to me that he was getting sick of the session and tried to wrap things up with the words above.
He is right, it isn't the end of the world. On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being death, losing the ALCS ranks fairly low, right? So if we take him literally, it isn't a big deal. Now if you fall into the camp that thinks he doesn't care, well, good luck proving that. All of his other statements during the interview were were positive and confident in nature. I can't find the transcript of the whole thing, but Boston.com at least puts the comments into a more neutral setting.
My headline should really say "Manny Being Manny or Are His Comments Being Taken Out of Context" but that would not have fit and would have made for a bad presentation. But you get the idea.
Anyway, in case anyone forgot, game 5 tonight in Cleveland. It's a game 1 rematch. Let's root for similar results.
I recently added my October 2004 archives back on the site (sad that I hadn't done so sooner). You can see how up and down I was during the ALCS. I got fairly pissy and pessimistic, so you can understand my game 3 and game 4 posts (for this year). In fact, they were fairly tame compared with 2004. IMPORTANT NOTE on the archives, it is best to read them bottom to top as when I started adding posts back in, I did them month by month rather than post by post to save significant time. Lazy, sure, but easy.
Last thing, I heard a stat and I am not sure I'm getting it 100% right, but it went something like this. Of the 65 teams that were down 3-1 in the ALCS, 10 have come back to win the series. The last team? The 2004 Boston Red Sox.
Go Red Sox.
Comments
what?! none of the comments related to your October 2004 posts?
I am quite sure I said they would come back from the 3-0 defecit...positive...lol, actually it was the one time that my positive outlook came true. I repeatedly take that side when it comes to my teams despite common sense and I remember multiple people at work remarking that they had heard me profess they would come back. I was lucky for once.
This has a different tone to it.
The effort hasn't been there as many journalists have noted. By effort, I mean, they have looked flat versus just getting beat or beat up like the Yankees were doing in 2004.
It disappoints me to say I had more faith in Kevin Millar in 2004 of getting a big hit (or a BIG walk) than I do in Crisp/Drew/Lugo of doing the same.
Crisp is a likely K
Drew is a likely pop to rightfield
Lugo - who knows other than an out (at least he remains incredibly intense while batting)
A win tonight but without it being dominant from Beckett. Look for a 6-5 type game won by a big hit from someone like Youk late in the game. Pap to save it.
Posted by: blmeanie | October 18, 2007 01:25 PM |
Blmeanie, I was going to say, we didn't have a comments option way back then. You had me worried (that one of us was unstable).
Posted by: Andy | October 18, 2007 02:37 PM |
Tonight the fire comes back into the bats. Jacoby comes in and takes over for somebody (Drew or Crisp) and gets on to be driven in by one of the big bats for the win. Beckett is lights out. Shades of 2004! Come on say it with me Shades of 2004! Or if you prefer doing the Millar idiot thing "Don't let us win one" from just before Game 4 in the 2004 ALCS.
Posted by: Jack | October 18, 2007 03:03 PM |
Didn't Millar and company have Jack Daniels before the game? Millar originally made it sound like they were all sauced when in fact it was just a symbolic gesture.
Bats on fire, I like it!
Posted by: Andy | October 18, 2007 03:50 PM |