Curse of the Grackle?
I happened to click on an Eric Wilbur blog link on boston.com today. It would seem the resident sports blogger — is it me or is he a ringer for Andy Richter — has thrown in the towel on the Sox making the playoffs. Well, I’ll admit I was having such thoughts after we were swept by the Royals, I chose to delay my judgement until after the five game series with the Spankees this weekend.
Yes, Wily Mo Pena took his eye of the ball to sneak a peek at the runner and missed the catch. At first I thought if he made the catch, he had a chance to throw the man out, but the replay showed the angle, etc. and it would seem unlikely to get the speedy Carlos Guillen. It would have had to be a perfect throw and I don’t think that happens, so the run would have scored anyway and he still got his out at first base. This was not a play to hang up your playoff hopes on.
At least they won tonight and avoided a sweep by the Tiggers. The Sox also picked up Carlos Pena and Eric Hinske today. Pena might be a good future guy, but Hinske has never excited me and last time I checked, neither can pitch. The WEEI boys commented tonight that the Orioles’ LaTroy Hawkins may be on his way in another deal, but that doesn’t excite me either. The guy hasn’t been good since getting off to a nice start this year.
I picked up Sox/Spankee tickets from my stepbrother today, so Ed and I will be attending Sunday night’s game. We may be able to watch the Sox’s demise in person from some right field box seats. I am hoping they can take at least 3 of 5 games this weekend. However, that optimism may be misplaced for a Red Sox fan. More likely they will drop 4 of 5. We’ll see…
All I want to know is; if the Sox don’t make the playoffs, is Wilbur going to lay claim to the “Curse of the Grackle?” Wilbur references the little guy in the post by stating he was a foretelling of death according to Greek superstition. The funny thing is, I wonder if Dan Shaughnessy will try and steal that for his own. You know he’s the one with the market on curses in this town.
Posts ::
This post has 10 comments (now closed):
JFCC
Thu :: 17 :: Aug :: 2006 :: 09.27 am
It’s nice how none of the doomsaying by Shaughnessy or anyone else means an ounce of crap to me now that the Red Sox won in 2004. Oh, they may not make the playoffs two years after winning the World Series? BFD. As of right now, they’ve still won a World Series more recently than the Yankees.
However, that optimism may be misplaced for a Red Sox fan. More likely they will drop 4 of 5.
Pessimism about the Red Sox is so 2003.
Ed
Thu :: 17 :: Aug :: 2006 :: 09.53 am
@ Jason – Agreed on all counts. I used to watch every game (or as many as I could) in its entirety – hanging on every pitch. That’s how I came to understand the thrills of a pitcher’s duel. I thought the 2003 ALCS Playoffs had killed me – but my fervor was ressurected for the entire 2004 season – which culminated in what can only be called – the storybook ending.
I’m not sure I’m willing to grant them another 86 years – but to have experienced the pure elation I felt on that cool October evening in 2004 – has left me contented for a few more years at least.
In regards to your Yankees dig – I’ll go you one better. At least the Red Sox have won a World Series this century.
The last time the Yankees won a world series, Pets.com was a Forbes 500 company.
The last time the Yankees won a World Series, N*Sync was straight.
The last time the Yankees won a World Series, Mookie was living in his parent’s basement (oh wait, scratch that last one. Still true.)
Sean
Thu :: 17 :: Aug :: 2006 :: 10.26 am
C’mon now! N*Sync was never straight…
JFCC
Thu :: 17 :: Aug :: 2006 :: 10.31 am
@Ed—The thing is, we so thoroughly humiliated the Yankees in 2004, I feel it pretty much made up for all the humiliation the Sox suffered at their hands to that point. We beat Rivera and made the greatest comeback in MLB history, whereas the Yankees, of all teams, got slapped with the worst choke in MLB history. A straight sweep wouldn’t have been nearly as humiliating as what we put them through. And the best part was that it happened the same year as the A-Rod deal.
That said, I have to agree with Bill Simmons that the Red Sox management—including Theo—seem to back to its old tricks (or lack thereof, rather). But whatever. They’ve won in my lifetime (and my dad’s lifetime, thank goodness). They’ve got a good amount of slack to play with as far as I’m concerned.
Ed
Thu :: 17 :: Aug :: 2006 :: 10.57 am
And in our grandfather’s lifetime too!!!
JFCC
Thu :: 17 :: Aug :: 2006 :: 11.09 am
@Ed—yeah, but you know him. He was a Braves fan, having played for them and all. I’m glad Nana got to see it, though—she loves the Sox.
Sean
Thu :: 17 :: Aug :: 2006 :: 09.26 pm
@JFCC – I am a pessimist by nature, so it’s not like I am behind the times here. It has always been a perfect fit for being a Sox fan and even though they did win in 2004, I haven’t been able to stop. While I don’t have to watch every game and no longer listed to sports radio, I am still a diehard fan and want to see them win another one. If the team sucked, I wouldn’t be upset, but they do have the talent to get it done, so it will suck if they fall flat.
All that said, nothing will ever top 2003 for me again. That Aaron Boone homer caused me to punch a hole in my bathroom door. I won’t ever get that upset again. Ed says I should get Grady Little to sign that door… 🙂
JFCC
Fri :: 18 :: Aug :: 2006 :: 08.21 am
Haha. I remember that Boone homer very well, but I didn’t get too mad because at that point I already knew the Yankees would win. Once two teams are tied in extra innings, I pretty much find it a given that the home team will win—and when that home team is the Yankees…
The only surprising thing about that ending was that the winning homer came from Aaron effin Boone.
:: Summer Shudder :: seanobrien.org // OB1og
Sat :: 16 :: Sep :: 2006 :: 01.51 am
[…] That said, I still want to touch upon the flicks of this Summer and on the Sox season that may soon be forever known as the year the Curse of the Grackle started. I’d chuck in some TV or Xbox 360 games here, but I didn’t really do much of either. In fact, I hardly played the 360 and the only TV I have watched is baseball, Mythbusters or whatever is on between the hours of 1am and 4am when I have trouble sleeping (or just don’t feel like it). […]
:: Towel. Thrown. :: OB1og
Wed :: 21 :: Mar :: 2007 :: 01.46 am
[…] may remember that Ed and I were to go to the game last night (Sunday) and so we did. We arrived to the Fenway area about 2 1/2 hours before gametime so that we […]