Reasons to be cheerful

According to a  story  in today’s Globe, Jason Varitek sat on Halloween night, outside his house, giving out autographs to trick or treaters while his daughter gave out candy.

"Waban has been good to us and respected our privacy," Varitek said yesterday in an interview at his home. "It was a good opportunity for me to say thanks.

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Tek on the flight home – courtesy of Boston.com
While some of his teammates are making the rounds on the talk show circuit, Tek was home giving back, yet again, to the fans.  Is it any wonder Sox fans are so enamored of him?  He isn’t flashy, he isn’t terribly outspoken, he just does his job and garners the respect of everyone around him.  Thanks, again, Jason!

Incidentally, if you haven’t seen Papelbon’s appearance on Letterman, you’re missing some good television!   Sure he was a little goofy and even dropped an f-bomb, but he came across as down to earth and very sincere.  I remember watching Johnny Damon on HIS post-World Series win appearance on Letterman and thinking "Man, he really IS an idiot!", not this time.  Papelbon did a nice job of representing himself and the team!

 

Papi is on Regis and Kelly AND Conan today/tonight, while Manny is supposed to be on Leno tonight.  THERE should be some interesting television! 

Kevin Cullen had a piece in yesterday’s Globe where his argument for not-signing ARod is that it will make the Sox no better than the Yankees.  Seriously, if I hear this argument one more time, I’ll punch someone.  There is no shame in spending what you can to compete with the team in your division that spends EVERYTHING it can.  In my lifetime, I have, thus far, seen two Red Sox World Championships because this ownership has the finances and brains to compete with the Yankees.  It’s no coincidence that anytime you see Larry Lucchino, Tom Werner or John Henry near a group of Sox fans, most of those fans are yelling "thank you!".   Stop ‘threatening’ us with the Yankees, folks, it just doesn’t work any more.

My reasons for not wanting ARod?  I have 2, one is that I think anyone who pulls the bush stuff he does (the latest being blowing off Hank Aaron for the SECOND time and allowing that ‘announcement’ during the World Series) doesn’t DESERVE to be on a team like the Red Sox. (Hell, he doesn’t deserve any team with a devout fanbase.  He’s a great player, no doubt, but our team is full of great players.  Great players who just won the World Series.  They’ve done it twice without him and I have no doubt they can do it again without him!)

My second reason is similar to the first in that it’s because he’s the anti-Mike  Lowell.  Mike Lowell not only plays hard (and well!) but he makes no excuses when he doesn’t and he always puts the team first.  To ignore what Lowell has done in his two seasons with the Sox just to chase ARod and stroke his massive ego would be a slap in the face to a great guy and  a good player.  And it would be a kick in the teeth to the majority of Red Sox fans.

Speaking of good guys, on Sunday I’ll get the opportunity to ‘thank’ Kyle Snyder for this great year and for his being such a good sport!  I’m bringing the "Kyle with Steve the ferret" photo for him to sign and look forward to being able to tell him that some of us also root for the guys who aren’t the Papelbons or Becketts. 

I’m all over the place today in this post, my apologies.  I’m still sore and tired from the last two weeks or so – I can’t imagine how the team, you know the ones who actually PLAYED the games, must be feeling!  

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Photo taken by Tex

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