I need to point out a comment to everyone. It was written by my brother, from a post from last week. My post was published last Friday, but my brother didn't comment until days later, so I (and probably everyone else) missed his comment. It's worth bringing up for discussion.
I had said last Friday that the blog was kind of like my therapeutic journal, but that I didn't get into my "deepest thoughts and feelings." Tom asked for a sample of those thoughts and feelings, and I said that "one of my deepest thoughts involves locally-grown produce from a co-op, an old Apple IIe computer, and the drummer 'Animal' from the Muppets band." Mary commented that it was interesting that my thoughts involved cartoon characters and puppets.
And that's where my brother chimed in:
Mary,
Perhaps you forgot that my brother based his doctoral thesis on bugs bunny cartoons. Then he proceeded to milk it for about 5 years by delivering it at various "academic" conferences. As for his inner thoughts - he's not revealing them because they would probably be a big let down. Since I've known him his whole life, I can tell you he's not as much of a deep thinker as he's led most to believe. His inner thought track usually plays the following thoughts in a continuous loop - Jim Rice, Sunday NY Times, Jim Rice, Three Stooges, Jim Rice, Eggplant, Jim Rice, Jim Rice, Jim Rice, Jim Rice, Jim Rice, Eggplant.......and so it goes. Was I close Bob?by the way - Rice will never make the HOF. You know it. Time to face up to it. Mike
I don't plan on mounting a full defense of Jim Rice's Hall of Fame eligibility. Excellent writers have done that already. Even some blogger for the New York Post (who makes a frighteningly detailed case).
However, feel free to sign the online petition that will help him make the Hall next year.
(And if you don't know who Jim Rice is, he's one of my childhood heroes, a former Red Sox DH and left fielder who was the most feared hitter of his generation. Don't confuse him with the Jim Rice who is in the Motorcycling Hall of Fame. Different dude.)
As for my love of the Stooges and for a really good eggplant parm, well, those things go beyond "thoughts." So technically, they aren't part of my thought stream. No, they are now more like a part of my genetic makeup.
(Which might actually help explain the cancer. Look under a microscope and you'll see a tiny little Moe-like lymphocyte hitting a little Shemp-like lymphocyte over the head with an anvil or something.)
Now see what you've done, Mike? I've got work to do. I can't go You-Tubing the Stooges all morning, darn it....
The fact that you have to even explain who Jim Rice was is probably all that most need to know about this second tier hack.
ReplyDeleteBu the way, Emily(the daughter that actually still speaks to me) and I just got home from a tour of Fenway Park. Great Sox players from the past (and your lifetime) that got mention: Wade Boggs, Carleton Fisk, Yaz, Luis Tiant, Jim Lonborg, and Manny Ramirez. No Jim Rice mention. Not even one. See Bob. Even the Sox have moved on and given up their romantic memories of Jim Ed. Time for you to do the same.
Mike
flame away.
Just want to let you know, i do still talk to my father a little bit. Once he established the favorite daughter to be my sister, Emily, i figured why bother talking anymore.
ReplyDelete"As Fred Thompson and I know, NHL effects the devastatingly handsome."
ReplyDelete-lymphomaniac
Bob, the above sentence illustrates, very concisely, why I love you.
Jim Rice should be in the hall of fame. But no listing of Red Sox greats of his era is complete without the mention of Fred Lynn!
Watching Fred Lynn play centerfield was like watching a demolition derby. On any given evening there was a 23% chance that Freddy would run full speed into the green monster break his shoulder, get a concussion and hang on to the ball.
- Tom
Tom -
ReplyDeletedon't get me started. Yes, Lynn was a good outfielder. Decent hitter, but you think after crashing into that wall he'd realize the purpose of the warning track? those concussions were no doubt the primary cause of his career decline. No question that there were nights when he stood in the batters box and proabably saw at least two baseballs coming from the mound.
Bob - if Rice actually gets voted in on his last shot next year, I'll pay for your ticket to the induction ceremony.
Mike
Lynn's concussions played a part, but so did his leaving Fenway. He swing was made for the Monster. California just didn't do it for him.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to try to find a picture of Jim Rice from the game that Peter and I went to last summer. I'll post it if I find it.
And yes, Mike, you will not only pay for my ticket to Cooperstown, but you'll take me there on the back of your motorcycle, with Dropkick playing all the way.
I get the part about Jim Rice and the Three Stooges, but somebody's going to have to explain "Eggplant" to me.
ReplyDeleteOh, and Tom: I worry about your adulation for a guy best known for repeatedly smashing himself into a wall.