I wasn’t sure what to write about when I decided to start this blog — some cheesy personal biographical stuff, or generic ramblings about life, sports, music, family and the other things that interest me — but then I received an e-mail from a fellow Red Sox fan, directing me to a Dan Shaughnessy column in the Boston Globe about how Manny Ramirez — I will never, ever, I swear to God, refer to him as ManRam — engineered his trade to the Dodgers.
Essentially, the column suggests, Manny took a dive during the last few weeks so the Sox would be forced to trade him, thus ensuring that his remaining two option years would be dropped, a new contract negotiated, and his new agent — Scott Boras — would get his cut. Manny’s thrilled to be in L.A., hitting again like the Hall of Famer he is, and Mannymania is sweeping L.A.
They’ll learn.
[Incidentally, I tend to write with the 38,000 songs on my iTunes playing on shuffle in the background. I'm going to mention what's playing from time to time, maybe with inserted comments. Right now, "Bad Misunderstanding" by the Critters (1966), a sunshine pop gem written by Vini Poncia and Pete Andreoli. Not quite as great as "Mr. Dieingly Sad," but quite fine.]
Critters Anthology 1965-1967
Back to Manny. This smelly deal interests me for the same reason the recent Brett Favre fiasco held my attention. Here are two legitimately great athletes, past their prime but still among the biggest names in their sport, holding both their teams and their leagues hostage while they try to milk a few more dollars and a few more moments of glory out of their careers. I’ve written novels about both the Red Sox and Packers — “Green Monster” doesn’t have a Manny character in it, as such, but you could see elements of him in the book; “Frozen Tundra,” which will hopefully be published next year, is about the problems that befall the post-Favre Packers.
[Instrumental backing from "Surfer Girl" by the Beach Boys, from "Stack-O-Tracks," the extremely rare 1966 album that included only music, with no vocals. I kind of wish the CD had never been issued; I still have the vinyl LP. Not worth much now, I'm guessing. But I like this track. Very peaceful.]
Beach Boys "Stack-o-Tracks," 1966
I predict the Manny-Favre situations will keep occurring, and more often, as players become bigger than their sports. Can you imagine what would happen if Tiger Woods decided not to return to the PGA Tour after rehabbing his knee injury? He’s so much bigger than the Tour that it is only through his own good will and sense of tradition so far that he hasn’t split off to establish TigerTour, Inc.
Baseball and football players will still need leagues, but Babe Ruth came close to forming his own league when he felt that his money-earning possibilities were being too restricted by major league baseball. Back in the ’20s even Babe Ruth had to eventually cave in to the existing structure; Tiger Woods wouldn’t have to. Manny swings his own trade to L.A., Favre forces the Packers to let him play for another team; the stars are getting closer and closer to telling their teams and leagues, “You can’t tell me what to do.”
From the perspective of a Red Sox fan, good riddance to Manny. No team can — or should, anyway — continuously put up with that level of selfishness. I wish Favre were still in Green Bay, but maybe he’d gotten too big for that huddle, too.
[We'll go out on the Everly Brothers' 1962 b-side, "How Can I Meet Her" (flip of "That's Old Fashioned"), written by Gerry Goffin and Jack Keller. Keller was no Carole King, but did get his writing credit on some decent '60s pop tunes, like the Cyrkle's "Turn Down Day" and Bobby Vee's "Run to Him." This song isn't in that category.]
The Everly Brothers, "How Can I Meet Her," 1962 (Goffin/Keller)
Tags: Beach Boys, Critters, Cyrkle, Everly Brothers, Favre, Green Monster, Manny Ramirez, Packers, Red Sox, Rick Shefchik
