So, a New York-based writer thinks that it would be an "insult to what (Pedro) meant to Boston" if the fans cheer him on Wednesday? Wow. Amazing insight, Mike.
Let’s go over Mike’s brilliant reasons for WHY we should boo Petey, shall we?
"He used to play there, and then he went to not just another town, but to the hated Big Apple."
I’m kind of still stunned that this is actually what he wrote, but he did. You can click the link and see for yourself. I’ll only speak for MYself here…I love New York. LOVE it. Almost as much as I love Boston. If I had the right job opportunity, I’d move there. I’ve always loved New York. (Heck, the Knicks used to be my second-favorite NBA team!) I think a good majority of Red Sox fans would tell you that New York is a fine old place, the YANKEES are hated, NOT the city.
"It doesn’t matter that he didn’t sign with the New York Yankees, because the Mets haven’t occupied a terribly choice piece of real estate in Boston hearts since 1986 and that episode with Bill Buckner. "
Red Sox fans, don’t you hate it when someone writes as if they are one of us? Raise your hand if you hate the Mets because they beat the Red Sox in 1986 (‘that episode with Bill Buckner’? I’m sorry…was Bill Buckner the only player on the losing ’86 team?). Again, speaking only for myself, the Mets were one of my National League teams for quite a while. Heck, between Pedro and David Wright, I still root for them a little. Yet again, Celizic shows that he hasn’t a clue about the subject he writes.
"It also doesn’t matter that he left Boston because the Mets offered him more money for more years than the Red Sox were willing to pay. Nor does it matter that a substantial number of Boston fans felt the team was making a good move by letting him go. He did, after all, have a talent for saying annoying things, and, as everyone knew, his shoulder was damaged goods, and his arm was probably going to fall off within the next month or two anyway. "
Oh, good freaking God, NO ONE expected Pedro’s arm to fall off within the first couple of months of 2005. But most people with a clue believed that the extra time Minaya put on Pedro’s contract were a crap-shoot. That hand has yet to play itself out. (Ooh, did me and the gambling references.) And, genius, wrong again. It TOTALLY mattered that we all knew Pedro was going to go somewhere else. As I wrote in a comments section earlier tonight, that was one of the MAJOR differences between Pedro and Johnny. Pedro never made any promises – Johnny did. Johnny broke his.
"The jury’s still out on whether four years was a wise investment"
Congratulations on the only intelligent sentence in the piece.
I’m not even going to remark on the crack about Roger Clemens. Celizic is just another one who doesn’t bother to even research what he’s writing about.
"The point is that he left for another team, and no matter how justified he was in doing so, as long as he continues to perform at the highest level, the fans will see that as abandonment. "
I’m getting the feeling that Celizic is the guy who feels abandoned.
"Pedro was great, and now he’s being great for those cursed Mets. Therefore, he has to be booed."
So, if he stunk up New York it would be appropriate to cheer him, Mike?
"Reviling old heroes is what makes the game fun, and few are bigger than Pedro. Red Sox fans have already shown what they’re capable of when they booed Johnny Damon on his return. Now it’s Pedro’s turn."
Ah, I see the issue now. The New York media is still cranky because we booed Johnny. Go figure.
And finally:
"They’ve got to give him everything they got. To do otherwise would be an insult to what he meant to Boston and a travesty of what it means to be a fan."
Too late, Mike, you already tipped your hand. We booed Johnny, so we should boo Pedro. I am going to be so happy on Wednesday night, sitting in Fenway Park cheering Pedro, knowing how much it bothers the likes of you, pallie.
Do people in New York consider Celizic a reputable writer? Because, really, this entire article shows how little he really knows – and how poor his writing skills are.
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