Faithful

by Stewart O'Nan and Stephen King

Blog by throwslikeagirl@YankeesSuck.com
"We knew this team would contend. We had the players. They just had to perform — just deliver." This is how author Stewart O’Nan explains the fortuitous timing of his latest book project, a collaborative diary with Stephen King, of the 2004 Red Sox season. Yes, that’s THE HISTORIC 2004 CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON. The one that hasn’t had a happy ending for 86 years. Somehow O'Nan and King just sensed that this WAS the year. In a word: Spooky.

They’ve titled the resulting book in honor of the generations of Red Sox nation who have religiously followed their prodigal team — very simply — "Faithful."

We spoke with Stewart O’Nan just after the book was sent to print in early November — within just a couple of weeks of the Sox’ tidy sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series. The book should arrive in stores on November 22, or can be pre-ordered online now. An audio version is being recorded even as Stewart and I are speaking. "They tell me that this is the fastest book to go from manuscript to production since the Starr Report," O’Nan told us. We think we heard a bit of breathlessness still in his voice.

The book’s bold cover design features an image that will forever be an icon of this season: Jason Varitek’s glove all-up-in-the-pretty-face of Alex Rodriguez during July’s legendary bench-clearing brawl. "As a Sox fan I will always be stirred by that image," said O’Nan, "Here’s this prima donna, Arod, going up against Tek, the ultimate dirtdog — and Tek’s saying ‘We’re not gonna back down, we’re gonna be tough and you’re not gonna yell at OUR guy." O’Nan agrees with many observers of baseball that this was a galvanizing moment in the rivalry of the two teams: "A-Rod really encapsulated what the Yankees were — a one-guy, one contract bunch. The Sox showed us then that they were gonna be a TEAM. Plus, Arroyo was great – he just pitched beautifully for us. The Yankees (ultimately) lost because they didn’t have the (pitching) talent, or the team."

O’Nan, ironically, was not at Fenway for that tipping-point game. He was watching the action while attending his wife’s family reunion on the Rhode Island shore. "Everyone was piled into the living room in front of the TV. Watching the Sox with generations of fans is like watching old family movies. We all feel the emotion of it, and everybody has their memories."

Yet O’Nan thinks Sox fans aren’t as sentimental as their reputation for undying loyalty may suggest. New Englanders — especially the ones who have forked over top dollar for a precious seat at Fenway — are a tough crowd.

O’Nan joined Stephen King at the park for several games over the summer, with tickets scrounged-up like any other fans. At times they attempted to take notes, but that effort usually gave way to just experiencing it. "The feeling was important" says O’Nan of how Boston’s fans relate to their team. "Players can go from goat to hero in one inning. First the crowd is all over a guy, booing him, screaming ‘you suck!’ and the next moment we’re all cheering him. For all of our faith and hope we can be a hanging jury." His favorite stretch of the season was the series against the Angels, A’s and Texas. "That full month of the season was very exciting. We went 8 and 1. It just showed me that this team had it together, and they made it look easy."

If you look around New England lately, there seem to be even more Sox fans than ever — proudly displaying their "B" emblems. "This team turned a lot of people into Red Sox fans. I think we got a lot of Mets fans now," says O’Nan. But will the Sox now become what they hate? Will they now become the Yankees?

"Let’s face it," O’Nan says about the state of The Rivalry, "We are a privileged, East Coast, high-payroll club. No one else has to deal with them - or CAN deal with them. The new owners have a new philosophy, but they have to respect the tradition. Bringing in Yaz — who hated the old owners — to throw out the first ball in the World Series — was a good move. I’d say don’t give up on our prospects — don’t chase them away. We’ve given away great pitchers in the past: Pavano, Suppan – both were Red Sox. Let’s not mortgage the future."

O’Nan sees a bright future for the Sox. He’d like to see "sleeper" players like Kevin Youkilis and David McCarty given a chance to show their value. And as far as predictions go, well, let’s just say if Stewart O’Nan and Stephen King decide to do a book on a Triple Crown contender, I will bet on their horse.

Mad as Hell: How sports got away from the fans - and How We Get it back

by Mike Lupica

Reviewed by lefty@YankeesSuck.com
Growing up a Met fan, my early baseball knowledge came through the wisdom of Mets commentators Ralph Kiner, Bob Murphy and Lindsey Nelson on WWOR-TV9 out of New York. Later, in college, a stack of the morning’s sports sections always accompanied my morning coffee because, although I’d seen Dave Kingman strikeout five times the night before, I needed more commentary on why his new “Compact Swing” wasn’t quite working. On the top of the stack, in case time was an issue, was always The Daily News. Mike Lupica’s column was usually the reason.

Lupica always seems to find a new perspective or different point of view on well written subjects. Or he states the obvious in a way that validates his reader’s thoughts that somehow couldn’t be put into words “Exactly!” I’d often blurt while my fist slammed the table to spill my coffee and startle a police officer or two sitting at a nearby stool.

So years later, after marriage and a couple of children and the1994 baseball strike, my interest in pro baseball had diminished drastically. My wife must have observed this void in my soul, because underneath Santa paper one New England Christmas was a copy of Mike Lupica’s book, “Mad as Hell – How Sports Got Away from the Fans – and How We Get it back.”

“Exactly!” I exclaimed as I pounded my fist into a pillow startling my wife and awaking our sleeping baby. “Sorry dear, but you bought me the book,” I reminded her after I put the baby back down and turned off the light.

In the book Lupica goes into every sport and exposes the scams and problems. He exposes the biggest sports scam he dubs the new-stadium hustle. Here he describes how the owners leverage their teams to coerce governors and mayors to give them what they want and get you, the taxpayer, to foot the bill. But after every chapter, he offers reasonable ways that society and fans can take back their sports.

In a chapter titled “Old dogs, Old Tricks,” Lupica tells the charming story of how Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell after telling his fans in 1994 he would never move his team, in 1995 in sold out the city of Cleveland by moving them to Baltimore while riding on a private jet with Maryland Governor Parris Glendening, while telling fans he “did it for his family.” “Owners have all the qualities of dogs except loyalty,” he writes.

Some other chapter titles are; Agents and other Weasels, Sports as the Cotton Club, and Talking Pigs, a chapter on pro boxing. What’s his solution for the boxing fan? Stop acting like Kevin Bacon in Animal House by taking the punishment while declaring “Thank you sir may I have another. ”

At one point in the book, Lupica reminds us that as in society, “the good guys will always outnumber the bad guys.” So at least we have the numbers on our side, even thought our numbers don’t have the dollar sign in front of them. Our dollar signs are behind us.

At the end of each chapter Lupica asks; So what do we do? Mike Lupica wrote the book. We started this web site. What are you going to do to help us reclaim our beloved sports?

Your first move should be to read his book!