Remember this? I know we would all rather forget, but it did happen. The ball did go through Bill Buckner's legs. The Red Sox did lose the game. As a result, the Sox did go on to lose the SERIES. (Wikipedia didn't forget.)I have since forgiven Bill Buckner for his careless error in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, as have most members of Red Sox Nation. Here is where I draw the line though; having him throw out the first pitch on opening day at Fenway Park. Yes, you heard me right. In case you missed it. Mr. 5-hole himself was given the honor of throwing out the first pitch today.
I won't dwell on this any longer, I promise. In fact, I have much more important things to discuss than a baseball game in early April. We Bostonians have some playoff basketball and playoff hockey to prepare for.
Since there has been plenty of coverage surrounding the NBA's best team this year, the Boston Celtics, allow me to jump right into what I feel is the most important sporting event taking place this week. I'll give you a hint. It's not the NCAA women's basketball championship.
If you're a die hard Boston sports fan, you've been sweating with anticipation over the pending announcement by NESN as to what they will do about the major scheduling conflict taking place this Thursday night. What is this conflict, you ask? Shame on you.
The Red Sox play there third home game of the season against the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park (whoopedydoo), while up in Canada the Boston Bruins will be taking on the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
As many of you know, only one of these games can be televised in high-definition television (HDTV). Well, guess what? NESN has announced the Bruins game will be broadcast in HDTV on Thursday, while the Sox came can be found on CN8. HA!
This makes since for two reasons: (1) Hockey looks incredible in high-def and you can actually follow the puck (low-def just doesn't cut it); and (2) as I have previously hinted, who really cares about an early April Red Sox game?
The bottom line is the Bruins are playing in their first playoff series since 2004. Everyone knows playoff hockey is much more intense than the regular season. In fact, Milan Lucic and Shawn Thornton will be so jacked up for this series they may decide to fight each other right off the opening face off. Now, that would throw the intimidation factor right in the Bruins' favor.
The Bruins may have lost all 8 games to the Canadiens this year, but you heard it hear first: the Bruins will win in 6. You mark my words.
Enjoy the game Thursday. You know, the one in HD.
Sorry, Mike...but I gotta disagree with you about Buckner's first pitch yesterday. It was one of those moments that can only happen in sports and after 21+ years of misery, Buckner deserved to be there to get recognized by the crowd.
ReplyDeleteNow we can all move on and blame Bob Stanley for that bonehead wild pitch that allowed the tying run to score.
AJ...while you may have been too young to remember, Bill Buckner returned to play for the Red Sox for 27 games in 1990. Guess what? He received a standing ovation his first game back that season.
ReplyDeleteSorry, but yesterday was overkill.
Once again, I disagree. The standing ovation in '90 was kinda like the ovation Lugo got last season after breaking that horrible slump he had going. It was more like, "wow, this guy blows but we're stuck with him so let's throw him a bone."
ReplyDeleteWell, a standing ovation at Fenway Park is an impressive standing ovation any way you slice it. I guess we will have to agree to disagree on that point.
ReplyDeletePlus, the guy has been brought back and cheered for so many times I simply don't see the point in bringing him back, yet again.
Personally, I would have liked to see "Crazy" Carl Everett (and his Dinosaur theory) throw out the first pitch.
Mike, love the blog, keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteI think Buckner throwing out the opening day pitch after the 2004 World Championship would have been more appropriate then yesterday. ‘04 is when Sox Nation took a sigh of relief after 80-somethings years of hardship (which included, among other disappointments, Buckner’s error). And like you mentioned before, he’s been back to Boston numerous times since ’86.
I think you need to survey the "Mike from Methuen Nation" readership of who the Sox should have got to throw out the first pitch. My esteemed colleagues and I were discussing yesterday that given the rebirth of the Celtics “big 3” this season, why not bring back the originals of Bird, McHale and Parrish?
In six? Bold. If they come out flat at all, I'll be hard pressed to ever watch the B's again. To even be in the playoffs should be reason enough to lay it all out.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Buckner ever thought of shaving off that mustache of his? I mean I know the mustache can provide magical powers to whomever bears one, but I really doubt people would ever recognize him without it. Then he wouldn't ever had to deal with people bugging him so much.
Take it from someone who once sported the mustache for a glorious 2 days: the mustache is a great source of comedy for everybody around you, no matter how serious you want to be taken.
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine that somewhere down the road Buckner gave up on trying to be taken seriously because his name became synonymous with blunders and failure, especially in New England.
Of course, I personally never saw the total weight of the 86 loss on Buckner's shoulders. That was lack of team execution, not just one man. Baseball's a pretty tough sport for you to put a loss entirely on one man's shoulders.
I think it's mob mentality to direct blame at one person instead of spreading it out over a group when fans watch their team lose horribly in a big game. For example: Bartman in Chicago. Alex Gonzalez made an error in a situation that could have ended the game AFTER the Bartman incident (which was completely blown out of proportion, even admitted so by Moises Alou.)
One last thought: Arguably the lowest point in the Red Sox quest for that elusive World Series - '86. Amount of years the drought laster before finally winning - 86.
Yea, that's right.
Mike - EEI has the Whiney's for best call-ins...any chance you'll start an annual award for the best comments on this blog?
ReplyDeleteHey Mike,
ReplyDeleteLove the Blog. Sorry I'm a little behind the times on my comments, but I still can barely turn on this damn computer. Since first reading your blog I have viewed a few more. If you have the time check-out, the “Rational Sox Fan” @ http://rationalsoxfan.blogspot.com.
Also, back in the mid-90s I was walking through a hardware store on the North Shore and who did I see, but Bill Buckner. Unfortunately I was not the only one who recognized the former Red Sox. And guys were yelling and heckling Bucker while he was trying to shop for pipes. I can't image dealing with that constantly.
So, I have to say I enjoyed seeing the ovation yesterday and some forgiveness on both sides.