Media being Manny

Last night marked the return of L.A. Dodger Slugger Manny Ramirez who was suspended 50 games for violating Major League Baseball's Performance Enhancing Drug policy. Manny missed 50 games and lost $7 million, he owned up to it, in his own way, and that should be it and we can move on, right? Not even close bud.
We are, hopefully, coming out of the dark ages of baseball known as the "Steroid Era," but it seems Manny is getting a free pass. Why are the major sports outlets treating this as if Manny is coming back from a horrific injury and he defied all the odds? Why are the fans flocking to this guy as if he is a victim of some major conspiracy? Now the nonsense will start that if this happened in Boston it would be treated the same way it is in LA, but the reality of the matter is simple, it didn't happen in Boston it happened in LA. ESPN News cut in for Manny's at bats in the minor leagues, some headlines across the nation insinuated that even Manny went 0-3 with a walk in his return, that his presence sparked the best team in baseball who was winning while Manny was on his sabbatical.
This time last year in Boston we were all expecting a Manny trade, heck I was praying for a Manny trade. His antics used to range from missing games down the stretch, to not running out a ball for a hit, to urinating inside the Green Monster at Fenway. But when he began to get physical with teammate Kevin Youklilis in the dugout and push down the Clubhouse Attendant for not getting him the exact number of tickets he wanted (clubhouse attendant Jack McCormick was in his 60's) that is when Manny being Manny became too much for the Boston Faithful. I am appreciative of what Manny did when he was in Boston in terms of his offensive output, but I am glad he is gone and he is Frank McCourt's problem now.
Manny's crimes against the game of baseball don't stop with the steroids and the lack of care about the teams he plays for, but the way he treated LA Dodgers owner Frank McCourt this pre-season shows how much he doesn't understand about the game of baseball, or how highly he thinks of himself at 35 years old. Manny wanted a Mark Texieria or Alex Rodriguez contract, and at this point in the game, not even his lackey, McCourt, would give him that.
Manny lives in a world all of his own. He embraced the "Manny Being Manny" mindset in Boston, and when he got to LA last summer he uttered the words "Welcome to Mannywood," the sad reality is Mannywood isn't LA now that he is there, but Mannywood is the delusional world Manny lives in on a day to day basis.
The fact that Manny is being hailed as a hero and someone who was wronged, for cheating, illustrates just what is wrong with Major League Baseball today. It is like the Godfather Part III when Michael Corleone acknowledges "just when I think I'm out, they pull me back in." Just when we think we are starting to get past the steroid nonsense we have a Roger Clemens, or Alex Rodriguez, or Manny happen. Hopefully we can start focusing on some of what makes this game great, baseball not steroids and certainly not Manny Ramirez.

Boston's Rushmore Part I

In 1941 Construction finished on Mt. Rushmore an homage to George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln in the hills of South Dakota. What does this have to do with Boston Sports? Everything.
Lately in water cooler talks there have been references to what would Boston's Sports Rushmore look like. After several beer filled conversations with some of my buddies, I came to a conclusion there are too many variables in coming up with only 1 Rushmore. There are too many factors to consider when talking about the most influential, favorite, hated, or immortal athletes in such a rich tapestry as Boston sports. Who says there needs to only be one? Below are my nominations for several Boston Rushmores, originally I had discussions for each of them, but some didn't need it and would read like a novel. I welcome the discussions and challenges.

Faces of the Franchise Rushmore:

• Ted Williams (Boston Red Sox)
• Bill Russell (Boston Celtics)
• Bobby Orr (Boston Bruins)
• Tom Brady (New England Patriots)

Boston Coach Rushmore:

• Terry Francona (Boston Red Sox)
• Red Auerbach (Boston Celtics)
  
• Tom Johnson (Boston Bruins)
  
• Bill Belichick (New England Patriots)

Boston Ownership Rushmore:

• John Henry/Tom Werner (Boston Red Sox)
• Walter Brown (Boston Celtics)
• Where there are only 4 faces available Werner will take the place of a Bruins Ownership...I mean who wants to see Jeremy Jacobs mug up there? Maybe next year could be different...
• Robert Kraft (New England Patriots)

Play by Play Rushmore

• Ned Martin (Boston Red Sox)
• Johnny Most (Boston Celtics)
  
• Fred Cusick (Boston Bruins)
• Gil Santos (New England Patriots)

Analyst Rushmore

• Jerry Remy (Boston Red Sox)
• Tommy Heinsohn (Boston Celtics)
• Derek Sanderson (Boston Bruins) *Andy Brickley is the Remy of Hockey, but Sanderson was the man!
• Gino Capelletti (New Englad Patriots)

Didn't Quite Work out Rushmore

• Nomar Garicaparra (Boston Red Sox)
• Dee Brown (Boston Celtics)
• Joe Thornton (Boston Bruins)
• Drew Bledsoe (New England Patriots)

Before Their Time Rushmore

• Tony Conigliaro (Boston Red Sox)
• Len Bias (Boston Celtics)
  
• Norman Leveille (Boston Bruins)
• Darrell Stingley (New England Patriots)