Bobby is Nobody’s Valentine

Other than the New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals, no Major League Baseball team can stake claim to as much success in the 21st century as the Boston Red Sox. After an epic September meltdown in 2011 resulting in elimination from the playoffs, the Red Sox fired longtime manager Terry “Tito” Francona, deciding to go in a different direction.

STABILITY

Other than New York, there arguably is no tougher and more scrutinizing baseball market than in Boston. The Red Sox own the sports scene in Boston, more than the New England Patriots, Boston Celtics, or Boston Bruins. This means that the hiring of any manager is a critical hire than management can expect to come under close evaluation and strict monitoring by the fans and the media.

Tito was very popular among his players. In spite of the September meltdown and understandable disappointment, Francona built up significant goodwill with many fans in the Boston area during his tenure with the Red Sox, which included two World Series titles. Certainly the next manager would be a person that would appreciate the unique baseball climate in Boston. Certainly the next manager would be a man who understands that harmony in the clubhouse and positive public perception are critical. Certainly the next manager would be a man with the profile of Bobby Valentine. Wait…BOBBY VALENTINE??? (Insert the sound of tires screeching after slamming on the brakes.)

A stunned Ozzie Guilen: "If I'd have known you were gonna hire Bobby Valentine, I'd have applied for the job. I wouldn't be in so much trouble! There aren't many Cubans in Boston." 1

BOBBY VALENTINE – LIKE SHAKING A SODA CAN

Boy oh boy, the Red Sox “went and did it”. Bobby Valentine, by all accounts, has a brilliant baseball mind and is a very intelligent man, in general. So the Red Sox selected as good of a baseball strategist as was available. Picking someone with Valentine’s baseball IQ is not a surprise. Do you know who else has a high baseball IQ? Ozzie Guillen!

Not being exposed to a strong personality for an extended period of time can cause a person to forget just how combustible that person can be. During the latter part of the last decade, while Valentine was managing successful teams in Japan, I had forgotten about Valentine’s antics. Earlier today, Mike Greenberg of ESPN Radio’s “Mike and Mike in the Morning” compared Valentine’s hiring in Boston to shaking a soda can and then opening it – some people may think it is a cool thing to do and see while some think it makes a mess and wastes soda. Either way, the status quo is toast.

What did time soften in my memory? Valentine is the same guy who was fired by former team owner (and future U.S. President) George W. Bush (an oilman by trade) from the Texas Rangers in the middle of the 1992 season with a winning record. I can only imagine that W. had better things to do during his father’s reelection year than make a major change in the organization he owned as a hobby while the team was winning. But Valentine has that effect on people.

Bush, (right): "Bobby, the way baseball works in 'Amerca' is that you're either with us...or you're with the 'terrists'. You're not with us anymore." 2

Valentine is the same guy who was fired after one season with a Japanese team, the Chiba Lotte Marines, in spite of engineering a 180 degree turnaround for the better (finishing in 2nd place) on the field. Why was he fired? Personal differences with the GM…. He had to really get under the GM’s skin to get fired after turning the team around when the GM’s fate is tied to the success of the team.

Valentine is the same guy who was suspended and fined by Major League Baseball for antics as manager of the New York Mets during an extra innings game against the Toronto Blue Jays in 1999. Valentine lost his cool with an umpire during the 12th inning and was ejected from the game. He returned to the dugout before the end of the game, disguised with a fake mustache.

Valentine is the same guy, while managing the Mets in 2000, who reportedly threw players on his team under the bus while addressing students at the Wharton School of Business. The incident and the result are a microcosm of the essence of the man. The Mets would go on to be National League Champions that year, but without the warm and fuzzy feeling one would expect on a pennant winning team.

Umpire: "Oh sorry! I thought you were the guy I just tossed out of here five minutes ago. You look just like him!" 3

THEY DON’T DO THINGS THAT WAY IN BOSTON

So, why I am I writing about Valentine today? What did he do this time? Over the past weekend, he only questioned the commitment of one of the most intense players and best hitters over the course of his career, third baseman Kevin Youkilis (.288 career BA, .390 OBP) – a member of both World Series Championship teams in 2004 and 2007.

I wonder how Youkilis would respond if Valentine told him that his unothodox batting stance is, "not the way we do things in Boston," 6 

Valentine said, “I don't think he's as physically or emotionally into the game as he has been in the past for some reason.” In hindsight, had that statement gone over like a lead balloon, it would be a victory for Valentine. Instead, less than two weeks into Valentine’s regular season tenure as Red Sox manager, Valentine has lit his trademark powder keg in the clubhouse.

Second baseman and 2008 American League Most Valuable Player Dustin Pedroia returned fire at his boss. "I really don't know what Bobby is trying to do. That's not the way we go about our stuff around here. He'll figure that out. The whole team is behind Youk. We have each other's backs here,” said Pedroia, who added, "Maybe that works in Japan." Funny, I thought baseball teams did things the way the manager says they do them.

The Daily Hat Trick ran a piece last week about dysfunctional franchises in professional sports, in light of the rift between Orlando Magic Head Coach Stan Van Gundy and their superstar center, Dwight Howard. Valentine’s Red Sox are well on their way to joining that not-so-elite company. It didn’t take long for the team to move to the head of the sports world’s special needs class.

Pedroia, a second baseman, is saying that Valentine, the manager and Pedroia's BOSS, isn't doing things, "The way they're done around here," but he'll learn in time. REALLY? I wonder if Pedroia's dog is wagged by its tail. 5

RECIPE FOR DISASTER

Changes in an organization’s climate can shorten the memory of an observer. Valentine’s brief tenure has shortened my positive memories of the Red Sox organization. It is tough to remember that, just one year ago, the Red Sox took the field on Opening Day with a roster that was being compared to the 1927 Yankees. Analysts, almost across the board, picked the Red Sox as the favorites to win the American League in 2011.

In spite of an 0-6 start to the season, the Red Sox rallied to take a nine game lead over the division rival Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Wild Card race in September. Sports projection website coolstandings.com placed the Red Sox odds of reaching the playoffs at 99.6%. The team collapsed and the Rays advanced, not the Red Sox.

So in spite of an historic collapse, the termination of the long time, two time World Series winning, manager, the unfavorable public backlash and intense scrutiny on a very talented team in the 2012 season, the Red Sox hire the a guy who could disrupt the harmonious environment of a monastery. Bobby Valentine went “Bobby Valentine”. Now there is trouble in Beantown in the middle of April.

Maybe the Red Sox will return to the postseason. I don’t think they will due to the train wreck that appeared to be forming at the end of last season. Regardless of the team’s on field success (or lack thereof) it is going to be a L..O..N..G summer in Boston. But it won’t be a dull one!

If the Red Sox wanted Valentine to give the team a "jolt", he did! 4

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The Wizardry of Ozzie

Ozzie, Ozzie, Ozzie…you went and “done it” this time! Last Wednesday, the Hat Trick, correctly, predicted that there would be a circus in South Beach sparked by the arrival of Miami Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen. What I could have never predicted is that Guillen would be in trouble less than a week into the season.

New city...same Ozzie! 4

OPEN MOUTH, INSERT FOOT

In a recent interview with Time Magazine, Guillen was quoted as saying, "I love Fidel Castro. I respect Fidel Castro. You know why? A lot of people have wanted to kill Fidel Castro for the last 60 years, but that (expletive) is still here."

The line that was repeated (over and over and over AND over again) was the “I love Fidel Castro,” line. That went over like a lead balloon in Miami, with a substantial Cuban-American population, many of whom have loved ones who escaped Castro’s regime or were tortured, imprisoned, or killed by it. For those of you unfamiliar with Cuban culture in South Florida, just imagine someone making remarks of admiration, regardless of the context, about Adolf Hitler or Osama bin Laden.

Guillen, who is himself Latino, has said a lot of off color things in his managerial career. It makes him interesting. I don’t think Guillen had any clue of the kind of powder keg he lit with his remarks. I don’t think I have every seen Guillen offer as much as a token apology for any of the dozens of whoppers he has served up in the soundbite department during his career. Yesterday, Guillen came to Jesus.

Guillen's shoe leather might be a bit overcooked, from that expression. 3

WORDS

What does this teach us? In a day and age in which it is popular to defy political correctness (until the consequences of doing so come to fruition), words still matter. They can describe, explain, opine and regale. They can also inflame, agitate, hurt, and offend.

Still, the consequences of using offensive words should depend on each individual situation. No two situations are the same. Ultimately, I think the biggest driver of a reaction to offensive comments should be the apparent intent of the offender.

It is often said that being a repeat offender (for any offense) works to that person’s detriment when the consequences are implemented. In the case of Ozzie Guillen, whose track record of making controversial, often pithy, statements is as long as the day, I think his history works to his benefit.

Ozzie is Ozzie. The Marlins’ management knew when they hired Ozzie, that they hired a guy who would shoot his mouth off. I doubt they thought the topic would be, possibly, the Holy Grail of topics to avoid in Miami. I also doubt management thought they would have to get in front of an Ozzie Train less than a week into the season. All of that said Guillen’s past lends credence to the notion that he bit off more than he could chew with his remarks and that he was naïve to the sensitivity of the Castro topic in Miami. I think that by invoking the fact that people have unsuccessfully tried to kill Castro for decades supports the notion that Guillen was attempting, badly, to be glib and ironic.

That entree of crow doesn't look very appetizing, does it Ozzie? 2

PAY THE PIPER

Guillen’s remarks triggered protests within Miami’s Cuban American community. Of course, some people called for Guillen’s job. The Marlins elected to suspend Guillen for 5 games – roughly a week of baseball. I personally think that after Guillen’s contrite, hour-long Tuesday press conference, the initial flames from this controversy cool off; the Marlins will be able to get back to the business of baseball.

I also think that Ozzie will get back to the business of being Ozzie. But, unlike the past, Guillen knows that politics is a “no-no” topic. He acknowledged so in his own words. Let’s hope that his future words reflect that.

The axiom, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone," comes to mind. 1

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The Daily Hat Trick is sponsored by Sports N Stuff. For great deals on jerseys, shirts, cologne, and other guy stuff, visit http://www.sportsnstuff.biz/.

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Never Leave the Pad Without Packing a Tweet

1

I firmly believe that nearly everyone who produces anything creative in nature, draws (or has drawn) upon some source of real life inspiration, usually a person with success in a similar area of creativity. We witness such inspiration often in music and literature. Athletes, often, discuss former players whose styles inspired their drive to be a professional. Indeed, practicing any skill that brings enjoyment to the craftsman is often accompanied by a senior practitioner.

In bringing you the Hat Trick for most of the last year, I, too, had some sources of inspiration for the Pulitzer-worthy writing you get to consume five days per week. The two most significant inspirations for me were Josh Innes, a radio talk show host in Houston and a close, personal friend of mine, and Jim Rome, possibly the Godfather of sports talk radio.

Today’s edition is inspired by something Rome says frequently on his show. Whenever an athlete posts something to his Twitter page that causes controversy (and often a sense of regret in the athlete Tweeting) Rome says that, “Twitter is like a gun, a loaded gun without a safety.” Lately, athletes have been firing into the air, irresponsibly and with reckless abandon.


TWEET!

Today is about Twitter. In the Old West, outlaws and law abiding citizens, alike, toted shooting irons. The images we see in movies depict a time when men would leave their homes without a hat and a gun as soon as men today would leave without their wallets. Most only used their weapons in self defense. Some fired first and regretted the decision later. A few were simply trigger happy and did not care what the consequences were. I think that athletes today have fallen into an Old West mentality on Twitter and it is time to leave the guns at home.

Twitter and the Old West: "Go ahead! Make my day! (tweet)" 2

On Tuesday, the Hat Trick ran a piece about other athletes who have exercised their rights to free speech but would regret it. Many of you are aware of Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall’s Tweet regarding Osama bin Laden. If you read The Daily Hat Trick regularly, you’ve read several accounts of my take on Mendenhall’s remarks. You may be tired of hearing it.


Here are a few examples of athletes firing their Twitter guns only to have it backfire at them:


Rashard Mendenhall:

What was said: “What kind of person celebrates death? It’s amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We’ve only heard one side…” … “I just have a hard time believing a plane could take a skyscraper down demolition style.”

What I think was meant: Two things: 1) I think he was uncomfortable with the outpouring of joy in response to news of a death. Hey, I whooped and hollered like anyone else and even I felt a little cognitive dissonance from rejoicing in response to a news of a death. It just so happens that THIS death unequivocally equaled “justice”, which is from where my source (and I believe many sources) of euphoria came. 2) I think he was trying to stir conversation. If you look at his Twitter history, it is consistent with that theme.

Mendenhall? 8

Would you ever find the same remarks in The Daily Hat Trick if I were in their positions? Not only “no”, but “hell no”. Everyone has a right to say or think what they want. But when those thoughts are put in a public forum, they are subject to the free speech and thoughts of others in REACTION to those thoughts. Even if you disagree, you’d have to be an ostrich with his head in the ground to not see that the masses were elated because the man that the masses held responsible for killing 3,000 Americans, and forever altering our lives forever, met his end. You HAVE to expect backlash from those types of remarks at that time.

You believe your eyes, don't you Mr. Mendenhall? 3

Reggie Bush:

What was said: "Everybody complaining about the lockout! Shoot I'm making the most of it! Vacation, rest, relaxing, appearances here and there! I'm good!" he wrote. "Right about now we would be slaving in 100 degree heat, practicing twice a day, while putting our bodies at risk for nothing."…"FYI last tweet was a joke! Relax people damn it's called sense of humor! Cry me a river why don't you..."

What I think was meant: I think he was trying to make a tongue-in-cheek, humorous remark in light of the lockout. Frankly, I got the “joke” on the first go round and I think this is evidence that people take Tweets WAY too seriously.

Would you ever find the same remarks in The Daily Hat Trick if I were in their positions? NO! Just because I don’t have a problem with what Bush said doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t anticipate a problem from making remarks, essentially, about getting over on my employer. He’ll either be released, traded, or paid, like every other NFL player under contract, without having to do the work that most players do right now. Some people are incapable of seeing the humor in that and since Bush is more of a “mainstream” celebrity athlete (as opposed to a “lightning rod” type like Terrell Owens), not all press is good press.

Okay, this picture is a little dated, but if you were Reggie, would you rather be "relaxing" like in the photo, or ramming yourself and being brought to the ground by big, stong, men when it won't help your career, long term? 4

Hockey Agent Todd Reynolds:

What was said: "Very sad to read Sean Avery's misguided support of same-gender 'marriage.' Legal or not, it will always be wrong,"… "To clarify. This is not hatred or bigotry towards gays. It is not intolerance in any way shape or form. I believe we are all equal."

What I think was meant: “WTF is wrong with Sean Avery? F___ them F(pejorative)S! God created Adam and EVE, not Adam and STEVE!”

Would you ever find the same remarks in The Daily Hat Trick if I were in their positions? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

First of all, for those of you not familiar with the National Hockey League, Sean Avery is the most infamous goon of his time. This is the same man who referred to ex-girlfriend Elisha Cuthbert as “sloppy seconds”. That Avery is taking a controversial, not necessarily popular, moral high ground on behalf of a demographic – gay people – that he is not a part of, is absolutely shocking to me.

That said, even if I held every homophobic view under the sun, I should have the sense to know that the world will perceive remarks, like those of Mr. Reynolds, to be bigoted and no normal person expecting to do business with and sell (in part) his reputation to others wants to be associated with bigotry in any way. Reynolds was very foolish in posting those comments.

Reynolds? 5

Tennessee Titans Running Back Chris Johnson:

What was said: "Y did the police just walk into my condo saying they think it's drug activity because it's alot of traffic but it was the MTV camera crew."… "Hard being young, black, and rich."

What I think was meant: The Orlando Police Department dispatched officers to and searched Chris Johnson’s home because a neighbor saw a number of high-end vehicles entering the area and reported possible drug activity. I think Chris Johnson was PISSED that he was minding his own business in his home, doing nothing wrong, and some nosy, pot-stirring neighbor called the police, assuming the worst, with absolutely no reasonable cause to think so. I think he was angry and, let’s face facts, Chris Johnson is young, black, has gold teeth, dreds, and does have an unusual amount of money for a guy fitting his profile. I’m going to scrap political correctness and just say it: if Johnson is a clean-cut, middle-aged white guy, nobody calls anybody.

Would you ever find the same remarks in The Daily Hat Trick if I were in their positions? No. The cops came, quickly realized there was nothing inappropriate happening, apologized, and left. No harm…no foul. I would have been PISSED, too and may have echoed Johnson’s sentiments to the other people in the room, friends, and family, but race is the ultimate lightning rod in America. Unless I was treated like a King (Rodney King, Martin Luther King, etc.) I don’t think I would have made a public statement involving race. I would not have done as Johnson did, but I UNDERSTAND.

I would probably agree with the decision to Tweet if THIS happened to Chris Johnson. 6

LeBron James:

What was said: “Crazy. Karma is a b****. Gets you every time. It’s not good to wish bad on anybody. God sees everything!” – LeBron James’ Twitter after the L.A. Lakers’ 112-57 demolition of James’ former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers.

What I think was meant: “In your face Cleveland!”

Would you ever find the same remarks in The Daily Hat Trick if I were in their positions? No. Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert sank to a low level, last summer, in his inflammatory and angry response to LeBron James' decision to take his talents to South Beach. I understand why James would want to return fire. Still, the Cavs became a competitively worthless franchise after James’ departure. LeBron’s Tweet could be perceived as laughing at or kicking others while they are down. Again, I may have made similar remarks in private, with glee. But that type of remark, for a public-brand sensitive individual like James, was not the best for his image.


Maurice Jones-Drew:

What was said: “All I’m saying is that he can finish the game on a hurt knee ... I played the whole season on one.” - In reaction to Jay Cutler leaving the 2010 NFC Championship game in the 3rd quarter and standing on the sideline during the second half.

What I think was meant: "Jay Cutler was a punk."

Would you ever find the same remarks in The Daily Hat Trick if I were in their positions? No. Questioning another NFL player’s toughness, as I understand, is tantamount to a verbal declaration of war from another player. I pick my battles and that one seems unnecessary. It also comes across as ignorant, in my view, to question how hurt another player is without knowing all of the facts. It turned out that Cutler had a ligament tear in his knee.


Carmelo Anthony:

What was said: “I got 5k for whoever see @ihatekatstacks and slap the shit out her pigeon face ass. Real talk. U fucked with the right one now."

What I think was meant: This needs to be put in context. Kat Stacks is a small time Internet sensation who is famous for sleeping with (mostly) underground or emerging rappers then blabbing about it on the web. Allegedly, she claimed to have slept with (the married) Anthony. Understandably, Anthony was furious and that fury is reflected in his words.

Would you ever find the same remarks in The Daily Hat Trick if I were in their positions? Offer a bounty for battering a woman (no matter how despicable)? Um…NO.

Kat Stacks (left) and Carmelo Anthony's wfie, Lala Vasquez (right). If Melo did tap that behind his wife's back, HE MESSED UP! 7

Chicago White Sox General Manager Ken Williams:

What was said: "No comment ... and make sure you write that it is a no comment with a head shake from side to side," Williams said.

What I think was meant: This isn’t even a Tweet. This was Williams response to the news that outspoken, colorful, and sometimes controversial White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen activated a Twitter account. What I think was meant was, “Oh no! Ozzie has a Twitter page. God help us all!”

Would you ever find the same remarks in The Daily Hat Trick if I were in their positions? I think Williams made the only comment he could have made. Fortunately, to date, there have been some media-friendly Tweets, but no melt downs from Ozzie on Twitter…YET. He embarrasses his superiors in front of the camera: the old fashioned way!


What We've Learned Today

Note that in every instance of whether I would post the same remarks to Twitter as the athletes in question, the answer is always, “No.” We live in a much smaller world, thanks in large part to the Internet. When people are looking at us to see what we have to say, as is the case with anyone famous, anything that we do say WILL be interpreted. Unless it is your goal, make sure there is no room for MISunderstanding and make sure the message you send is the one you want received.


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To advertise with The Daily Hat Trick, or to submit a guest column, please contact the editor at eric@thedailyhattrick.info.

 

1) Image from nexus404.com

2) Image from theresasheridan.com

3) Image from 911closeup.com

4) Image from celeb.wohoo.co.uk

5) Image from freewebs.com

6) Image from employees.oneonta.edu

7) Image of Stacks from honeymag.com; image of Vasquez from Sports Illustrated via theprobasketballtalk.com

8) Image from ostrichheadinsand.com

Free Speech Faux Pas

The first amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America guarantees everyone on our soil the right to free speech. It is possibly the most fundamental right that anyone in this country has. It is probably the most cherished, too, capturing the very definition, for many of us, of what it means to be an American and responsible for shaping our very own personalities, morals, values, and beliefs.

The ultimate government permit...maybe it shouldn't be issued to everyone. 2

Just because it is sacred, cherished, and precious, does not mean it is always good, when exercised, 100% of the time. Everyone enjoys this right. This means that when one person says something controversial or offensive to masses of people, a negative response, those masses have the same freedom to verbally return fire. That return fire should be expected to also be a negative response. While I am happy to live in a country in which I am free to express any opinion I have, even if it is a negative one, I personally get no enjoyment from being in a negative climate. It is not pleasant nor is it fun, to me.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall ignited a small storm of controversy when he made remarks via Twitter questioning the chain of events that led to the collapse of the World Trade Center towers and the culpability of Osama bin Laden in that collapse on September 11, 2001. He has since chosen to delete one of the Tweets, issue a statement of clarification on his comments, and lost an endorsement deal. Free speech did not work very well in Mendenhall’s favor in this instance.

Today, the Hat Trick is going to look back at some other instances in sports history in which a little less freedom with one’s speech could have saved the speaker a considerable amount of trouble and negative press. Free speech: great for America…a potential liability for public reputations.


KOBE BRYANT: THE OTHER “F” WORD

April 12, 2011 – Kobe Bryant has a verbal altercation with referee Bennie Adams after being assessed a technical foul. Bryant sat on the bench and his lips could clearly be read, saying “fucking faggot,” to Adams.

If not being allergic to money makes me “the other F word” then just call me a “queen” honey (snapping finger in a circular motion)! Bryant was quickly fined $100,000 by the league the following day. I know what some of you are thinking: “He makes over $20 million per year! So what?”

I have been acquainted with a few millionaires, as I am sure many of you have. Rich people don’t stay rich by throwing their money away. Sure, they will not hesitate to pay the extra 25¢ for cheese on a Whopper. They will hesitate to toss $100,000 into a black hole like a penny into a wishing well. Notice that Kobe didn’t do it again?


LEBRON JAMES TAKES HIS TALENTS TO SOUTH BEACH

July 8, 2010 – There was no bigger offseason sports story in 2010 than where LeBron James planned to play in the upcoming basketball season. James, previously with the Cleveland Cavaliers, coordinated with ESPN to air a prime time special announcing which team he had chosen to sign with. Advertising proceeds would go to the Boys & Girls Club, a non-profit organization serving children.

My first thought: “If he is announcing this on national television, he must be staying in Cleveland. No way would he go on ESPN and drop THAT kind of a bomb on everyone.” Then LeBron announced he was taking his “talents to South Beach”.

I think they took it well. 1

TIGER WOODS RECEIVES A TEXT MESSAGE ON THANKSGIVING

You would think that with all of the means of electronic communication available, and the relative anonymity made possible by the Internet, a billionaire golfer would not get busted for cheating by his wife because she found a text message on his personal cell phone from his mistress. That, in and of itself, is not very interesting nowadays, as the media gets wind of, seemingly, every aspect of a famous man’s personal life. Even amid speculation that Woods’ “traffic accident” was caused by a domestic disturbance, this story appeared to be one that would fade from public consciousness by the end of the year.

You know how there are some questionable websites that, if visited, will produce a pop up box? Then if you try to close that pop up, another pop up appears? Yeah…my readers are pretty smart; I don’t think I need to connect the dots for you on this one.

Don't text and drive. 3

OZZIE GUILLEN CLARIFIES WHO IS BEST IN THE WINDY CITY

May 4, 2008 – Colorful Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen does not pull many punches. After a loss, Guillen shared his true feeling about the cross town Chicago Cubs.

"We won it a couple of years ago, and we're horse shit. The Cubs haven't won in (100) years and they're the fucking best. Fuck it, we're good. Fuck everybody."

I think Ozzie cleared it up nicely.

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