An Introduction.
If you find the world of professional sports as exciting as a collection of belly button lint, you may want to stop reading now. I'm going to be talking baseball. I will eventually get on to other stuff, but I'm starting with baseball. Forewarned is well...forewarned. |
| Source: Wikipedia |
Anyone Can Have
A Bad Century.
Both the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox shared one major distinction for the majority of the 20th century. Neither team had won the World Series since the end of World War I. Legend has it that both team's World Series droughts were due to a curse.A Bad Century.
- The Red Sox had the curse of the Bambino. Before the 1920 season the Red Sox sold Babe Ruth, baseball's best pitcher to the New York Yankees. Ruth became the greatest home run hitter baseball has ever seen. The Yankees won a bunch of World Series. The Red Sox had to wait until 2004.
- The Cubs have the curse of the billy goat. During the 1945 World Series versus Detroit, Sam Sianis (owner of the Billy Goat Tavern and the billy goat in question) was asked to take his goat and go home, because the goat smelled awful. (I've been in the bleachers in Wrigley Field. The goat gets a bum rap on the smell thing). Sianis, angry due to the eviction, said "Them Cubs, they ain't gonna win no more." The Cubs haven't been to the World Series since.
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| Source: Wikipedia |
Who Doesn't Need An Epstein?
If you watch TV, listen to the radio or pay attention to annoying pop-up ads, everyone is pitching a Theo Epstein. Virility, diet, investing, residual income, complexion and even house cleaning has a one item magic answer. (Anyone have a Roomba?) But Theo Epstein didn't become Theo Epstein by magic. Epstein got a degree from Yale and started at the bottom rung, the PR department of the San Diego Padres. He worked hard, learned his craft and eventually had a hand in the Boston Red Sox winning 2 World Series. In addition to hard work, Epstein is also a success because he is willing to make a tough choice and perhaps be wrong. (Anyone remember John Lackey? Maybe he's selling Roomba's.) So hard work, dedication, discipline and more hard work leads to magic. Go figure.Note: As I prepare to publish this post, the Cubs have yet to set a press conference to announce the hiring of Theo Epstein. Did I mention disappointment, frustration and embarrassment?
It will be interesting to see what Theo pulls off and how much $$ he's given. He made some great moves and some brave moves. Getting rid of fan favorite Nomahhh in the middle of 2004 was incredibly gutsy. He also made some bad moves, Lackey, Crawford, J.D. Drew, etc... But if in 2000 you asked anyone in Boston, "If your new GM wins not one, but two World Series in a five year period, would you let him stay on another 10 years?" I'm sure they would say yes.
ReplyDeleteTheo will eventually get a big budget but not right off the bat. Wrigley Field is in need of major capital improvement and the Cubs have one of the worst streams of ancillary revenue. He also needs to build a staff and determine exactly what he has in the farm system. By that time Soriano's contract will be off the books (provided the Cubs don't give him and $$$$) to someone else. Theo leaves a town where he raised the bar in terms of baseball. If he pulls it off in Chicago he goes to the Hall. By the way, I am sure you remember where Nomar landed. Did I mention frustration, disappointment and embarrassment?
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