Oh and as a Red Sox fan, a 90 win year isn’t the end of the world. They had injuries, they had some holes, it happens. Sucks it happened at the very end of the season like that, but I still watched all of the playoff games and the World Series and I have high hopes for them this year. A lot of older New England sports fans are the type who go “woe is us we always lose”, but I know a lot of us younger critters are a little more grounded. Hell, we’re spoiled with our 7 championships in a decade, as long as the Sox are competitive i’m happy and I’m absolutely overjoyed if the win the world series

Even after all of the successes of the past decade, they love to wallow in misery and will look for any excuse to rant and rave about how awful their teams are.

As a Yankee fan I have to admit in enjoying the Nation’s angst over the September crash and burn. But, I’m not convinced that the beer swilling and chicken eating had a thing to do about it. It seems like blaming poultry and suds has more to do with the owners, media and the Nation’s need to rationalize the RS epic failure than actual cause and effect. The same behavior that is being blamed for September’s tanking was likely occurring for the entire season, if not most of it, and the RS were playing pretty good baseball until September. Who really knows for sure?

Regardless, Valentine coming to ST to kick ass and take names would be a huge mistake, .. he could lose the team immediately and irrevocably. If he doesn’t show the players respect he’ll get none in return. Besides it’s not only easier to treat them like grownups, as long as that comport themselves as such, it also easier to ratchet thing up than ratchet them down. Moderation would seem to be called for here.

No amount of bluster or head banging will change last season’s outcome, .. it’s history. What Valentine needs to secure is the RS future and that can best be achieved by, at least until circumstances dictate otherwise, taking an even handed approach. The truth of the dysfunction of last year’s clubhouse is debatable. What is not is that Valentine is the new guy and this is a new season and the RS need to put last September behind them. Dwelling on it in ST would be a mistake and unnecessary, .. the players read the paper too.

Of course as a Yankee fan I wouldn’t be too upset if Valentine behaved like a complete ass and ticked off every guy on the roster. I just don’t see that happening because whatever Valentine is or isn’t as a manager he’s not a moron. But, by all means Bobby, .. feel free to thrust upon the player the magnitude of your personality, .. you did after all invent the wrap.

If they could have been able to trust to pride in their work, staying in shape and acting like adults we wouldnt be having this debate today

If adults behaved as people expect baseball players to do, supervisors wouldn’t be required because….you know…adults know what their job is and would just do it without someone looking over their shoulder.

I kid, I kid. If there was a second coming of Stalin he would have been hired by George Steinbrenner many years ago.

Fer Chrissake, these are grown men, NOT middle-school students.

It’s appalling that these pampered millionaires, who are blessed with such superior athletic abilities that they can become wealthy by playing a kid’s game, can’t comport themselves with some maturity and dignity.

These guys KNOW they screwed up. Give them a chance to do a little soul-searching and let them police themselves at first and, if that doesn’t work out, THEN start bringing the hammer down.