(cantotalk.blogspot.com)
Congrats HOF Class of '09.(media.charlotteobserver.com)
The past couple of days, I have been witness to a mix of tragedy and triumph. The Sox have lost 5 straight (knocking on wood they pull through tonight against the O's) in which they scored only 13 runs within that span. And remember that infamous Lebron getting dunked on video? That video was as disappointing as Whitney Houston's career post-Bodyguard. Was I supposed to see Yeti in that clip? The beginning of the Adam Laroche Era doesn't exactly get me into party mode. That added with the death of the Taco Bell Dog had me on the brink of locking myself in the basement. O.K., it wasn't that bad, but it had me checking for a pulse for a few brief moments. On the other side of the coin, how 'bout that perfect game thrown by Buehrle? It was fun to catch those last 6 outs of an historic moment, called by the duo of Harrelson/Jackson, which I believe is one of the best broadcasting duos in baseball (Put that one on the boooooooooooard, YYYYEEEEEEEEES!). It's hard to believe that there have been only 18 perfect games thrown, which is less than the membership of the .400 club, and the 500 homerun group, putting tons of perspective on how rare and spectacular this feat is. The perfecto also gave me a joyous reminder of when crazy Carl Everett broke up Mike Mussina's bid back in 2001. All of this history, and there is a Hall of Fame induction looming for two of the game's legends turned immortals. Cooperstown to me was like Disneyworld to pretty much every other kid back in the day. Going there as a 10 year old, die-hard baseball fan was like a foreign priest going to the Vatican for the 1st time. It feels as if in a couple days, two respectable cardinals will be inducted into baseball's holy land. On Sunday, Jim Rice and Rickey Henderson will be the prominent members of the Class of 2009. On one corner, we have a first-ballot speedster who once proudly proclaimed that he was "the greatest of all time". And then we have another, who had to wait until his 15th and final year of eligibility to be enshrined with the elite. With all the anticipation of seeing a legend on my favorite team being honored, combined with potentially a record amount of third person references in induction ceremony history, Sunday for me will be the ultimate day of rest for me as I watch the festivities in my room, visualizing myself being in good ole Cooperstown.
Worth the wait for this slugger.(getsportsinfo.com)
Jim Rice
Finally, my mom's favorite player enters Cooperstown a Hall of Famer. And I think there are many others in the Nation that are glad that the BBWAA got it right. With help from his induction, Rice will be hailed by the baseball masses as one of the most feared right-handed hitters in his generation, and rightfully so. From his rookie year in '75, Jim Ed and fellow rookie teammate Fred Lynn took the American League by storm from the get go as the 1-2 Rookie of the Year punch for the pennant winning 1975 Boston Red Sox with 22 homers and 102 RBIs in 144 games. Probably for the first time ever, the title, "The Gold Dust Twins", never sounded so intimidating. In a 12 season span from 1975 to 1986, Rice averaged 29 homers, 106 RBIs and a .304 average,while hitting 73 triples during that span! His MVP 1978 season was nothing short of brilliant, considering he amassed 46 homers, 139 RBIs, 15 triples and was the first AL player since DiMaggio in 1937 to rack up over 400 total bases in a season. His supernatural strength inspired even more awe, highlighted by his broken-bat check swings and his carrying of Jerry Remy off the field after his knee injury in Yankee Stadium. His surliness with the media was also well documented during his playing days, and may have been a detriment to his entrance in Cooperstown. But I'm glad baseball's writers finally recognized that he was truly worthy of enshrinement, especially if you put his career numbers next to Rabbit Maranville (How does a .258 hitter make it to the Hall? Another case in point for Jim Ed). And all of these accomplishments were with the Boston Red Sox (16 years), and without help from a bath of HGH or andro, gaining complete respect from pundits and passionate fans alike nowadays. In every sense of the word, the nation is with him.
Finally, my mom's favorite player enters Cooperstown a Hall of Famer. And I think there are many others in the Nation that are glad that the BBWAA got it right. With help from his induction, Rice will be hailed by the baseball masses as one of the most feared right-handed hitters in his generation, and rightfully so. From his rookie year in '75, Jim Ed and fellow rookie teammate Fred Lynn took the American League by storm from the get go as the 1-2 Rookie of the Year punch for the pennant winning 1975 Boston Red Sox with 22 homers and 102 RBIs in 144 games. Probably for the first time ever, the title, "The Gold Dust Twins", never sounded so intimidating. In a 12 season span from 1975 to 1986, Rice averaged 29 homers, 106 RBIs and a .304 average,while hitting 73 triples during that span! His MVP 1978 season was nothing short of brilliant, considering he amassed 46 homers, 139 RBIs, 15 triples and was the first AL player since DiMaggio in 1937 to rack up over 400 total bases in a season. His supernatural strength inspired even more awe, highlighted by his broken-bat check swings and his carrying of Jerry Remy off the field after his knee injury in Yankee Stadium. His surliness with the media was also well documented during his playing days, and may have been a detriment to his entrance in Cooperstown. But I'm glad baseball's writers finally recognized that he was truly worthy of enshrinement, especially if you put his career numbers next to Rabbit Maranville (How does a .258 hitter make it to the Hall? Another case in point for Jim Ed). And all of these accomplishments were with the Boston Red Sox (16 years), and without help from a bath of HGH or andro, gaining complete respect from pundits and passionate fans alike nowadays. In every sense of the word, the nation is with him.
Rickey + HOF = Best. Speech. Ever.(cache.gawker.com)
Rickey Henderson
As much as I am looking forward to Rice's induction, Rickey's speech is absolutely going to steal the show this Sunday afternoon. Almost like how he stole a record 1,406 bases during his stellar 25 year career. And just to think that he has speech coaches working with him. This speech is going to be an insatiable blend of Kennedy's "Ich Bin Ein Berliner" speech and anything George W. has ever said (Get excited!). The enigmatic Henderson redefined the way pitchers hold base runners with his speed and aggressiveness, as evidenced by his 12 stolen base titles. Nevermind his 130 stolen bags in 1982, he is the only player in the AL to swipe 100 bags in a season. And he did it 3 times! Rickey also owns the record for runs scored (2,295), games led off with a homerun (81), and stolen bases in a single series (8 in the 1989 ALCS vs. Toronto). All of this while playing for 10 clubs, including 4 stints with his hometown Oakland A's. Stolen bases and over 3,000 hits aside, Rickey was also known for his quirky quotables and mannerisms, making him a cult hero in sports. His illeisms and his nonchalant grace on the field made him just as good of a character as he was a baseball player, and we like it that way! There have been so many "Rickey-isms" over the years, and each one is more hilarious than the next. Rickey should easily have the record for being the most unintentionally funny athlete of all time. I mean, it's as much of a landslide as the 468 stolen bases that separate him from 2nd place Lou Brock. Rickey, the pressure is on to entertain all of us this Sunday. I have a feeling though, that just like the many times before, Rickey will come through marvelously.
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