February 01, 2006
Remembering Jackie
By Karlsie
Yesterday the Red Sox held their fourth annual event celebrating the life of Jackie Robinson. Because of the renovations at Fenway, the event was held at the JFK Library in Boston where speakers spoke not only of Jackie's life, but his legacy at well to a tough crowd - an audience of about 200 middle school kids. (Anyone thinking middle school kids aren't a tough crowd, I challenge you to try speaking to a classroom full of them and see what you think.)
You can read the story at the Sox site
What was impressive was what I learned as an adult.
For example, I didn't realize that the Robinson's used to have jazz parties at their home in Connecticut to send down to the Freedom Riders in the south. When he met Dr. Martin Luther King and thanked him for his work, Dr. King apparently told Robinson, "I should be thanking you." He claimed Robinson had inspired him when he broke the color barrier long before he came along.
Think for a moment, long before Selma, long before Rosa Parks and other events we teach kids about that shaped our history, Jackie Robinson swallowed his personal feelings and projected a level of class, grace and dignity we just don't see much of today in professional sports. Yet, in spite of being one of the most important Americans to have ever shaped this country's history, 200 middle school kids all raised their hands when asked, "Who has ever heard of Dr. Martin Luther King?" and yet maybe, just maybe 75 of them raised their hands when asked "Who has ever heard of Jackie Robinson?"
It's time for all of us to start teaching folks that just because it's sports doesn't mean it's not important. Jackie Robinson and Arthur Ashe did more to integrate this society than they will ever receive credit for because they were athletes. Forget they were well spoken, graceful, educated leaders. It doesn't fit in with the "dumb jock" stereotype, so we celebrate their physical ability and ignore the rest. If you're a teacher that reads this site, think about how you can alter your curriculum to teach future generations.
We wouldn't let kids forget about Dr. King or Rosa Parks, we shouldn't let them forget Jackie Robinson.
We hope you all enjoy the improvements we are making to this site in the next few weeks.
Welllllll lookie hee-ah!
Cheers,
Jack Jablin
Glad we're back everyone. I just didn't know what to do with out the site the last week or so.
Sloan,
It is good to be back. As you know, I have taken the liberty of starting a Yankees Suck dot com FANTASY BASEBALL LEAGUE!
Anyone interested, message me on AIM at SwerveMW4. If you enter at the right time, you can win one of the following:
- A guest editorial on The On Deck Circle (With my self and CTS)
- The ability to submit the first answer to one of our newest additions (TBA soon)
- Higher draft seeding
Cheers,
Jack Jablin
Ahoy all, welcome back to YS.com we missed ye
Thanks guys. I hope the login thing isn't too much of a drag, But we've had tons of requests to do something to hold some commenters accountable and reduce spam. We figured this will help both.
The TypeKey thing could also be a little fun. If anyone would like us to host a graphic for your TypeKey id, we'd be glad to. Here is the logo I created for myself: http://www.yankeessuck.com/typeKeyLogo.gif - please excuse the shameless advertising.
email me if you'd like us to create or host one for you.
Well, now that we are back, why not strike up a convo, or debate. Real simple one, and all I want is your opinion, anyone's. Or you can just say "yes" or "no".
I was lucky enough to win the raffle held by the Sox to get the chance to purchase Red Sox/Yankees tickets at Fenway. So of course I was there early Sat. morning, waiting for my "virtual waiting room"(if you have bought Sox tickets before, you know what I am talking about). Anyway, I of course only wanted one game, and one game only, and that game way the May 1st one.
May 1st. It is the 1st of the month. It is the first time the Sox and Yanks play in the '06 season. Johnny Damon is the first batter of the game. And it is my first Red Sox Yankees game at Fenway.
My question to you all is this, when Johnny Damon comes up to bat, do I stand up and cheer, or boo him out of the Park? I do not know how other fans will react, and frankly I don't care. But I am torn on what I should do. I loved this guy and took it personal when he left. I want to cheer for him for all that he had done for and with the Red Sox. But boo him, and actually sink as low as throwing beer on him for his whole betraying us and going to the Yankees. It's one thing if he left. It's another thing when he left to go to the enemy, the one team he said he couldn't play for, the one team he hated along with all of us.
David Ortiz said he hopes everyone will give him a standing ovation like we did OC. But OC isn't a traitor, we screwed Orlando over by not bringing him back, even after he had done so much for us, he deserved that standing "O" more than anything! But Johnny Damon? Name one guy in Boston who's first impression of the guy now, is that Johnny Damon SUCKS. I have mixed feelings for Johnny Damon. I can't respect him as a person OR a player anymore. And all we, the fans, have left are memories, of an old Johnny Damon, that obviously doesn't exist anymore.
I want to clap for him, and thank him, but we were betrayed. He blames the Red Sox, and says they didn't come after him like they wanted him. 4 years, $40 million?? ARE YOU KIDDING JOHNNY???!!!?!?! Plus, he won't stop talking!! It's like he DOESN'T want us to forget about him, but we have because we have Coco. He posted the Thank-you AD months after he left. Mo Vaughn and Drew Bledso did the same thing, with in a week of leaving the team. Johnny Damon wanted to be a rock star. He was one in Boston, but with out Boston, he isn't Johnny Damon, he isn't Jesus, and he sure as hell isn't a Rock/Movie star. He is just another sell-out playing for the Yankees. Just like Jason Giambi. The surfing, guitar playing, long haired rebel for the A's. But once a Yankee, suit wearing, gelled hair, limo ridding, sell-out.
Anyway, what I am possitive about, is the sign I am bringing. If you watch the game look for me. the sign will read:
"There's no way I can go play for the Yankees."
-Johnny Damon
5/01/05
So do I clap, and thank him, like my mind says I should? Or boo him and curse him like my heart says I should? I will be at Fenway at 12 to see BP. And I will then ask Damon to sign the poster. Maybe he will, maybe he won't. Either way, he's gonna see it, and maybe have an idea on how I feel.
I can understand how you feel, but the reality is Damon did nothing wrong. First of all, he is not a Red Sox farm product, he came up with the Royals. He played for the Sox for four years (he may play longer for the Yankees). The bottom line is the Sox could have had Damon if they wanted him, or at least imagined the possibility of his departure. Sure, he said he would never play for the Yankees (gee, I never heard a player say that before), but I bet he believed the Sox wanted him to retire in Boston. You have every right to boo him, but for the years he wore the Red Sox uniform, he gave the team all of himself.
If I were there I wouldnt clap nor boo. Just neutral.
JCacho,
Out of curiosity, do you say you would be neutral because you are torn between the two, so you would just do nothing? Or would you be neutral because you don't care? Or is it because you don't find this a big deal? Are you a Sox fan? I am just wondering.
Why would you boo JD? After all, last year at this time he was heralded by all at this site as perhaps the best CF and lead-off hitter in the game. Some of the comments were so ludicrous that I thought the poster might be sleeping with Damon. Of course, after he signs with the Evil Empire his legions of fans jumped ship faster than the bad guy in Titanic. Let me ask you this: Given the choice to work the same job for far more money at a competitor or stay at your old job for less what would be your choice? Before you boo JD think about what you would do in the same situation. Personally, I'd take the money and run.
Id be neutral because :
1. Dont want to boo him because he did what most people would do and take the money, plus he has apologized like numerous times to the Boston fans. Also wouldn't want to discourage players from joining the Sox in the future IO, not tarnishing our reputation as fans.
2. Wont applaud him because he's a traitor.
RIP Curt Gowdy. Truly one of the best ever and the Anti-Cosell of his era.
Cacho,
Neutrality is near impossible, and I think Sox fans shouldn't have to defend their choice on Damon. DO whatcha gotta do, and don't feel sorry.
I for one, still think of #18 as Scott Brosius
You say that as if we had a choice to resign him or not. Our decision was to overpay for him or not. The organization made the right choice and ended up getting a younger, cheaper player, who might just end up being better than Damon. Their numbers at the same age are very comparable.
JCacho-
"...plus he has apologized like numerous times to the Boston fans."
He thanked them, never apologized to them. He instead blamed the Red Sox over and over again.
"Our decision was to overpay for him or not."
Though I agree with you 100% on what you had just written, you don't think 4 years $40 million was a bit much? I mean ya it was a good deal, but I don't think he was worth that much. The only reason he got $52 million from the Yankees is because thats the Yankees, and they just add $20 million to whatever a player is worth.
And Birds-
It doesn't matter right now how good JD is. It's more than that. It doesn't matter that he did the "smarter" or more "normal" thing to take money. It's the simple fact that he went from the Red Sox to the Yankees. I will continue my qoute from before....
"There's no way I can go play for the Yankees, but I know they're going to come after me hard. It's definitely not the most important thing to go out there for the top dollar, which the Yankees are going to offer me. It's just not what I need."
He did the very thing he said he wouldn't. Johnny left for what? Not a better team, or a playoff chance, he left for money.
We loved Johnny Damon, and we didn't leave him, he left us.
Damon wasn't interested in the Yankees in the beginning (except maybe for leverage), until the Sox (In their belief that they were the only suitors for Damon), decided they didn't have to negotiate their offer to Damon any further. I believe that Damon felt slighted by the Sox, and in taking the Yankees offer, he extracted some measure of revenge. Plus, it was a lot of money (lol)!
Johnny Damon has good financial advisors. Plus, he needs to keep his hot wife happy. Cutting his hair should be a good start.
Oh sh!t did I say that out loud??
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