Right on Texas Gal

Well said, Texy.

That Simmons article just sounds like he's just really bitter towards Theo for breaking up the 2004 team. I also love the hypocritical nature he takes about the team chemistry stuff. This is a guy who has talked about team chemistry as an important factor but apparently when his favorite player is involved, there's suddenly no such thing. Pick a viewpoint and stick with it. That article also reads so all over the place too. He's doing wayyy too much with it. What the hell is he trying to actually say here? This sounds like me when I'm trying to tell a simple story and then getting completely sidetracked and ending up talking about something else.

My thing is this -- the moment Manny hired Scott Boras as an agent, I started to slowly cut my losses with Manny. It's just a shame it ended the way it did. I really do agree about Boras having a huge role in this and I also really agree with Simmons about some agents having too much power. It's like they're the Iago, the brilliant manipulators of impressionable minds.

And don't even get me started on journalists in general keeping with that same Iago thing. Sometimes it just takes one guy with a grudge and an ability to turn a phrase to make the public turn against someone. With all the biased crap out there that journalists(from all sides!) are peddling out there and trying to sell as "objective news", it's a wonder all our heads haven't exploded yet.

But in conclusion, well said and I'm sorry I got off on a really big rant.

The Simmons article had some valid points, but they were buried in hyperbole and misdirection.

Like, the constant comparing of Manny's departure to Theo's - Theo didn't quit halfway through the season, and dog it out and shove people, just because he wanted out of his contract. To act like the two situations are analogous, thus implying that Theo is a hypocrite, is bullshit.

And what about that tidbit he slipped in there about how none of the Sox had Coco's back in the fight? REALLY? What fight were you watching, Simmons?

But the thing that pissed me off most about that was that Simmons wrote the article in an accusatory tone, chastising (all) Boston fans for being stupid and not blaming Boras. Acting as though he's come up with this novel, hidden root cause - and he's deigning to instruct us on what really happened. Which is horseshit - any Sox fan with a brain knows Boras was the catalyst, so Simmons tilting at windmills for the sake of fanboy histrionics is infuriating.

Bill: just because people are upset with Manny doesn't mean they aren't ALSO upset with Boras. But we did not sign a contract with Boras. Boras did not play for our team. And more importantly, Manny is a big boy and has to take responsibility for his own actions.

GOD. See what I mean? I swore I wouldn't talk about it. UGH, BILL SIMMONS.

Manny, Nomar, and DLowe are coming for the Sox...

That tidbit about Coco really bothered the crap out of me. I don't even think he saw the fight beyond the initial charge. If he did he'd know that Sean Casey, DeMarlo Hale, and Kevin Cash were in one pile taking care of Shields while I believe Alex Cora was trying to pull Gomes off of Coco(which given Cora's size and Gomes' size, this didn't exactly work out too well). Also I remember Longoria struggling to join the scrum and Julio Lugo was holding him back(probably the best thing he's done all season!)

Simmons is just pissy about the 2004 team being broken up. Psst, Simmons guess what? They're all old now. And I kinda like what we got in return for some of the players ESPECIALLY Orlando Cabrera (via compensation -- Jacoby Ellsbury and Jed Lowrie).

I've said Boras was to blame since it all happened. So Simmons' "big discovery that only he has thought about" is really holding absolutely no water. I bet you he'd be giddy if Jason Bay has a shitty series so he can basically say to everybody "LOOK! I WAS RIGHT!!!"

i think i feel the worst for jason bay poor dude has to answer that same freaking question about manny every time he's interviewed...in defense of manny i found the often racist overtones twords him despicable from the press...i don't defend against his behavior this season but like most sox fans i've moved on but every time i turn on the tv its the same old crap....

Well put, TG.

I agree with keenan... I like Bay. His output on the field will help answer any questions. I hope he sticks around for a while.

And he's no Stan Pappi.

I was at both Cubs/Dodgers games last week, pretty awful experience.
Anyway, one time when Manny was up guy stood and yelled, "Manny sucks!"
Another guy (Cub fan) stood up and yells, "No he doesn't you idiot. I wish he was a Cub!"
About the only laugh I had those couple days.

That Bill Simmons article really frustrated me as well. I've always enjoyed his writing (mainly for his sense on humor), but he's fallen more and more out of touch with the Sox. I just hope the national media doesn't think Simmons represents all Sox fans :/

Piney's right about the Coco part (which really bothered me as well). Obviously he wasn't watching the game prior and missed Beckett screaming out of the dugout at the Rays after the whole Coco sliding hard into second base incident. It wasn't a coincidence that Beckett was taken out of the game before having a chance to retaliate :P

TG sums up my feelings on the article really well, and Manny does have to take accountability for his actions, especially all his recent comments bashing Boston, which really disappointed me.