Did Jerry Remy just get handed a gold watch?

Note from Cyn: Because he’s such a good friend and knew I’d be mostly out of commission today, Tru agreed to contribute this morning’s post. (Which I’m posting about two hours after he sent it to me!) Thanks, as always, Tru!

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(Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images)

Jerry Remy had his moment last night at Fenway Park, where the NESN people, former teammates and broadcast partners gathered around to give props to the “RemDawg.” The on field ceremony lasted a long time. Now I don’t time these things, but it seemed to me a really lengthy, drawn out affair. I wonder if the ring ceremony ran longer.

I also took note of the heartfelt comments by his current booth partner Don Orsillo, who was reading carefully scripted remarks, word for word. We all saw the highlights of his booth antics with former and present NESN broadcast mates, and Jerry’s few comments to the Fenway crowd, as he offered thanks to everybody. Of all his comments, I liked the Rice reference to Cooperstown the best. (Note from Cyn: During the entire on-field ceremony, Rice seemed to be talking everyone’s ears off. At one point, Hazel Mae put up her hand as a barrier between them, seemingly saying “Enough!”. It cracked me up!)

And as the night wore on, people from the field ceremonies came into the booth, offering their well wishes and anecdotes, including video appearances from Dennis Leary, a call from Rene Russo and John Henry’s and Tom Werner’s top ten list, which I thought was pretty good. I wonder how many hits Jerry’s web site got last night, but to be candid, I did not look. I also hope Lenny lands a role in Mel Gibson’s new picture; it’s the only way I’d go to see it.

So I’m kind of wondering in a cynical way what this was all about. I thought overall the occasion was pure entertainment and marketing, as NESN and the Sox (tied at the hip), got a chance to honor one of their own. Why? I mean, the Sox have club house attendants who have been around for a bit longer; are they up next? These unsung heroes of dirty laundry and tidy goings on should have their moment too, don’t you think? And what about the front office people, who survived Gorman and Duquette, and now, toil with a kid barely old enough to shave? Do they get feted for making sure tickets are sold, contracts mailed and there are enough staples to go around? Are they not as important as Jerry?

I could not help thinking that maybe something was wrong with Jerry. Perhaps he’s sick and he might not be able to continue his work. He could have eaten one of his own hot dogs. I don’t like those kinds of macabre thoughts, but I’d be lying if I said I did not think it. I like listening to Jerry, and think he’s pretty fair when calling a game. He helps me notice things that I might have missed. And I often find myself laughing out loud when he cannot stop laughing, cutting up and causing Orsillo to go over the falls. Nah, it cannot be that, as I should think Jerry would find that distasteful. Besides, you don’t get this kind of celebration just for having bad hair.

So maybe the Red Sox wanted to honor some former ball player, perhaps from a different era and he said screw you, I’m not coming. I mean who could it have been? Calvin Schiraldi? Maybe they asked Zimmer to come, but he begged off fearing Pedro Martinez might show up. Sam Horn? Who knows? But if the Remy gala was a replacement, could Wally be next? Nah, I don’t think it was any of that, either. It took a lot of time and effort to organize this spectacle.

So is it retirement looming in the near future? Has Jerry amassed enough wealth selling Wally Chairs on his web site to retire comfortably to sit home and drink wine and smoke cigarettes? Jerry got a Mustang convertible for his 20 years of service with NESN. Was that his gold watch?

It’s hard to say what prompted this. I know NESN has a huge reach, and for that Jerry also is RSN President. His duties must be to pour over the books to make sure people are buying their membership cards, meeting the monthly quotas. Although the position is honorary, I wonder who will foot the gas bill for his next RSN mandated appearance as he tools up in his new GT convertible. Nah, NESN wouldn’t be that shallow, would they?

No matter what the motivation was, I’d like to think, and maybe I will, that the whole affair was nothing more than a tip of the cap for one of their own; acknowledging a local guy who grew up loving the Sox, and eventually got to play the game with his boyhood idol. Maybe it includes him going on after his ball playing days were over to find new success, while remaining close to the game he really loves. Maybe behind the scenes Jerry is a good guy, who likes a lot of people and knows how to balance his on air duties without causing Sox players to charge up to the broadcast booth for a little chat. Maybe it is all of these things. Hard sayin, not knowin…

Copies of the ceremonies will be available shortly at The Remy Report, at $19.95 a pop.