A Dialogue.

Presented, the two sides of my mind this evening.

You remember all that stuff you wrote on the Internet earlier?

Yeah.

You might want to re-think that.

Why?!? Because a rookie YOUNGER THAN ME couldn't hold a shaky lead? Because the bats were constipated till the tenth inning? Because Mike Remlinger sucks? That has what to do with my defense of Tito again?

I mean...they might have a point. You don't know all the facts and figures. You don't have all those SABR charts, do you? Your only expertise is in Bill Mueller's ass. Admit it.

You ever hear the expression "Forest for the Trees?" I think some people are having that problem right now.

Well, I admit you could call it that, but seriously. Look at where things stand. You know they're not going to go deep into the postseason with...

I don't know ANYTHING! OK? I watched them come back from down 0-3--

Blah blah blah. Spare me. Did you watch any of the years before that?

Look. We don't know for certain what will happen. But I mean, you can predict--

Predict what? Oh, please. I want your prediction.

Okay, here's my fucking prediction, asshole. Here's what I think in my gut.

Let's hear it.

Sox will lose in a seven-game ALCS to the Chicago White Sox. They have come up with the pair of aces this year, and possibly a full house.

Hmm.

And then Terry Francona will lose his job.

You don't say.

Yeah. It sucks, but it's the truth.

So you believe Tito deserves a shitcanning.

Did I say that? I don't think he'll deserve it. I just think it'll happen.

Why's that?

Because that's what we do in this town. We lose perspective. Think about it, I'm starting to sound like a broken record here, but think about if someone had walked up to you at this time last year and told you that in three months, the Sox would win the Series, but it would involve a Faustian bargain on the part of two of your pitchers, one starter and a closer new to the team, and they might not be the same after taking one for the team in the postseason. What would you say? Would you take it?

Yeah, I guess I would.

See?

Right, but I'd also have to question why two pitchers had to commit hari kari to get us to a championship. I'd have to question why it wouldn't be our lot to have found the key to consistency.

Argh. I am going to strangle you. How are we not consistent again?

Schilling.

Okay, point taken.

Nobody gets a free pass.

No, but don't we owe them a little rationality? Now that they've finally won it all, don't you think we could look at things a little more objectively? Could we say, they'll run away with the division, and will get deep into October? Could we stop putting up this arrogant front about Tito, here, as if we know better what's going on behind the closed door of his office?

Yawn. You off your soapbox yet? That crap is so tired. We aren't going to just lean back and relax--it wouldn't be like us.

Well, what are we like, then? That seems to be the issue everyone has. People, I think, don't know how to be sometimes. They think they're not into it if they're not upset.

Yeah, or maybe they think we should aim higher than saying, "They won last year, and they'll get close this year. Okay."

What ever happened to "Still, We Believe?" We pride ourselves on our loyalty, too, not just our pessimism.

Well, then it's always going to be begrudging loyalty. With plenty of complaints.

I don't get it, then. And if that's what it takes to be a Red Sox fan, maybe I'm tired of being a Red Sox fan.

Oh, cool it, Drama Queen. You gonna take your ball and go home? Talk about loyalty. A bunch of criticism gets you so riled up you're ready to leave the game? Isn't that Letting the Terrorists Win and all that? It's just like when they re-elected Bush and all those people moved to Canada. What did we think then? I believe your words were somewhere along the lines of "leaving only means there's less people who think like you in the country. Leaving only concedes your country to the people you object to." YOU decide how to be an American, YOU decide how to approach life, and YOU decide how to approach Red Sox fandom. If you want to be loyal and stick up for the team, well, then maybe it's your job to represent that point of view here.

You know, I think that's the first intelligent thing you've said all day.

Comments

[addicted]

Once again I find my general thoughts typed out before me in your specific words. I have been urging others to demonstrate positivity and faith while undergoing my own inner crisis. I have not and will not lose this fight to enhearten my fellow Red Sox comrades!! We must unite and BELIEVE!!
Oh, yeah, the only thing I know for fucking sure is the perfection that is Billy Mueller.

[Boston Fan in Michigan]

So when you called me tonight, were you really convinced they were going to lose, or were you doing your magical reverse mojo thing?

Also, who do we have to screw to get Bill Mueller back in the high socks?

[Runan]

I pine for Billy's high socks. PINE.

Also, I doubt losing in the postseason this year would cost Tito his job. Not unless he does something catastrophic on par with what Grady Little did.

[sarah]

kind of unrelated, but the chisox don't scare me. have faith, grasshopper. the sox are one piece away from putting it all together, and until then, they are still leading the division by 4.5. it's a good time to be a sox fan.

[Rich Kent]

Tito fired after taking the Sox to the ALCS one year after winning the WS??? And with no closer and no #1 or #2 starter??? He's manager of the year material! Absolutely no way he gets fired under the circumstances you describe. Theo and the trio would lose all credibility.

[Kristen]

//Also, who do we have to screw to get Bill Mueller back in the high socks?//

Probably too much to hope that the answer to that is, in fact, Bill Mueller, hmmm?

Dammit.

Also, I think Tito's safe.

[beth]

sam, i truly thought they were going to lose last night. even when the score was 5-3 Sox, i thought, "watch them still blow it." and then when remlinger gave up a granny, and the tigs were right back in it, i had that creepy-crawly thought again.

[deedee]

All I can say is,

It's a good thing the Yanks are sucking so completely royally right now.

They make US look good.

[deedee]

//Probably too much to hope that the answer to that is, in fact, Bill Mueller, hmmm?//

One can only hope.

[Amy]

All is well until we play teams with animal mascots...

Cubs? Yak. Cards? Yak. DRays? Yak. Orioles? Yak. BJs? Yak. Tigers? Yak.

Rangers? Sweep. Chisox? Very well.

[Martha]

Definitly, we lose perspective big time. My boyfriend and I have long said that Boston fans and media are afflicted with (cue the dramatic music) The Doom Syndrome. It's like they're always on the lookout for anything about which they can wave their arms in the air and shout, "Doom! Doom! Inevitable doom!" Pedro lost two mph off his fastball? Doom! Manny's hitting below 300? Doom! Five errors in one week? Doom!

And the thing is, sometimes they're right, sometimes they're wrong, but rarely is any of it quite as dramatic as they foresee. The White Sox have me shaking in my boots right now and I don't think we've got the pitching to do what needs to get done. Still, I've never understood the desperate desire to predict, to be able to claim they saw the disaster coming, to be the one who knew in advance exactly how it was all going to collapse.

And word to getting Billy back in the high socks.