Gerry Callahan Kills Manny on his way out

[moskqq]

Manny was not BORN American and his turning down a Presidential invite is hardly AMERICAN.  That you choose to lump Manny's behavior with other celebrities with "swell" heads does in no way justify Manny's actions!

[CelticsWhat35]

I'm not a Callahan fan by any means, but I can't disagree with him here.  Manny's crossed too many lines this season.  If we end up not making a run at the World Series we can put the majority of the blame on Manny and Boras.

I disagree.  I think that luxury was taken away when we traded him.  This team is still talented engough to make a run at the title.  If we kept Manny and he just went through the motions to finish out the season and we lost, then some blame could be put on him.  Now, we are free from his distractions and poor team work.  If they don't win the title, it just means they couldn't get it done.  It happens to all but one team every year.

What makes me mad is that the Sox needed some bullpen help, and I'm afraid Theo didn't have time to make any deals in that regard because the Manny situation monopolized his time.

 I think bullpen help can be had even now over the waiver wire.  I think Theo felt the Manny deal HAD to get done yesterday.

I don't know.  I think anyone worth having would get blocked by the Yankees, but we'll see.

[klg05]

I'm not a Callahan fan by any means, but I can't disagree with him here.  Manny's crossed too many lines this season.  If we end up not making a run at the World Series we can put the majority of the blame on Manny and Boras.

I disagree.  I think that luxury was taken away when we traded him.  This team is still talented engough to make a run at the title.  If we kept Manny and he just went through the motions to finish out the season and we lost, then some blame could be put on him.  Now, we are free from his distractions and poor team work.  If they don't win the title, it just means they couldn't get it done.  It happens to all but one team every year.

What makes me mad is that the Sox needed some bullpen help, and I'm afraid Theo didn't have time to make any deals in that regard because the Manny situation monopolized his time.

 I think bullpen help can be had even now over the waiver wire.  I think Theo felt the Manny deal HAD to get done yesterday.

I don't know.  I think anyone worth having would get blocked by the Yankees, but we'll see.

That's true, but the way the Red Sox are playing, it may only be a matter of time before the Red Sox get passed by the Yankees and then the Yankees won't have that option.  I hope that doesn't happen, but it wouldn't surprise me at this point.

[crownsy]

Manny was not BORN American and his turning down a Presidential invite is hardly AMERICAN.  That you choose to lump Manny's behavior with other celebrities with "swell" heads does in no way justify Manny's actions!

just to let you know, might want to cool it on the political stuff, im sure some people (like me) have strong opinions on the current administration and the respect due it vs office, but we kind of try to stay off that stuff.

just a heads up

[Yi Plays Wii]

[Deleted.]

[crownsy]

Manny was not BORN American and his turning down a Presidential invite is hardly AMERICAN.  That you choose to lump Manny's behavior with other celebrities with "swell" heads does in no way justify Manny's actions!

Can't blame Manny for that, I wouldn't want to meet that loser either...

annnnddd here comes the thread lock. 

[yall hate]

Everytime I start to get nostalgic and feel extra sad manny is gone i keep hearing more things.  like :

General manager Theo Epstein was working with a mandate from within his own clubhouse. After his team’s dispiriting loss to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Wednesday night, Epstein met with a handful of Red Sox veterans, all of whom delivered the same message: Manny had to go.

from Sean McAdam.

And more importantly, and concerning, since it confirms that Manny intentionally quit on this team:

Ramirez tried to sit, citing his knee. Problem is, after Felix Hernandez and Joba Chamberlain had come and gone, the Red Sox ownership and medical staff ordered him to take an MRI. If Ramirez hadn't forgotten which knee was bothering him, he would have been more convincing, but he got mixed up. Massachusetts General Hospital performed MRIs on both knees and found nothing, and the next day, ownership served Ramirez with a written notice that if he did not play, he would be suspended without pay.

From Peter Gammons.

WOW.

Great hitter, affable guy, huge part of the success in past years, completely and utterly attrocious behaviour at the end. Makes you wonder how much we still dont know about or that the team suppressed in past years (like Ortiz begging Manny to come back and Play in 06, when he shut himself down, only to be told no, etc...)

[bandonox]

Typical Callahan.

indeed... i remember reading the herald years ago..
when he spit venom about vinny baker, and thinking how horrible it was... vinny's got an illness, man...lay off.
something tells me he's had that piece ready for a LONG time...

[Brickowski]

Well, this is similar to Callahan's dissection of Vin Baker a few years ago.

Manny deserved it, but that doesn't make Callahan any less of a racist, right-wing shill.

[Finkelskyhook]

I don't see anything that Callahan wrote that's a problem.  

Whether you like Callahan or not, he's probably around this uniquely talented jerk a lot more than we are.  Ramirez' behavior the last 3 weeks or so reeked of arrogance, tanking, boorish, and flat-out stupidity.  It may have seemed unique to the last several weeks to people who aren't consistently around Ramirez.  Callahan assured the reader that the childish behavior was unique to the last 7+ years.

It would be great if Ramirez had the same perspective that Barry Bonds has right now.  Instead of getting rewarded for not doing his job and being a complete jerk.

Bandanox said:
when he spit venom about vinny baker, and thinking how horrible it was... vinny's got an illness, man...lay off.

Cancer is a illness.  Picking up a bottle is a behavior decision based in selfishness, not a illness.  Baker chose the bottle over his job.  Manny chose to be a jerk over his job.  Same selfish difference.  Baker deserves the same treatment Ramirez does.

[TripleOT]

I can't stand Gerry Callahan,and his "angry middle aged white man" act really sucks, but there's not too much I can disagree with in his article,(assuming the incidents he describes are true). 

How does a guy not take a few minutes out of his day to join his teammates in greeting and cheering up young cancer victims?  And why didn't one of his superiors or teammates call him out about this?  Perfect example of people coddling a supremely talented superstar.  If everyone of my employees at my workplace chose to take some time to engage in a charitable endeavor to help out children fighting cancer, and one person chose not to join them, I'd never forgive him, and I'd think very long and hard about whether I'd want that type of person representing my business.   

As far as Manny not joining his teammates in greeting Bush, well even a blind squirrel can find an acorn once in a while. IMO, that was a proper move, for reasons that aren't allowed for discussion on this particular blog.   

[Finkelskyhook]

I can't stand Gerry Callahan,and his "angry middle aged white man" act really sucks, but there's not too much I can disagree with in his article,(assuming the incidents he describes are true). 

How does a guy not take a few minutes out of his day to join his teammates in greeting and cheering up young cancer victims?  And why didn't one of his superiors or teammates call him out about this?  Perfect example of people coddling a supremely talented superstar.  If everyone of my employees at my workplace chose to take some time to engage in a charitable endeavor to help out children fighting cancer, and one person chose not to join them, I'd never forgive him, and I'd think very long and hard about whether I'd want that type of person representing my business.   

As far as Manny not joining his teammates in greeting Bush, well even a blind squirrel can find an acorn once in a while. IMO, that was a proper move, for reasons that aren't allowed for discussion on this particular blog.   

My feeling is that it's okay to be discussed if the shots are being taken at a certain side of the spectrum.  For instance, if Manny stood up a certain person who counts as his friends a terrorist, anti-American racist "religious" zealots, vile rappers who wish his opponent to be crippled, and embezzelers, I'm sure somebody would have come up with a squirrel conspiracy theory. 

Manny is a jerk.  Instead of taking underhanded cheapshots at the President, you might consider that in order for Manny to be right about not attending, the entire roster and staff was wrong to attend.  I vote no on that.

[Yi Plays Wii]

I can't stand Gerry Callahan,and his "angry middle aged white man" act really sucks, but there's not too much I can disagree with in his article,(assuming the incidents he describes are true). 

How does a guy not take a few minutes out of his day to join his teammates in greeting and cheering up young cancer victims?  And why didn't one of his superiors or teammates call him out about this?  Perfect example of people coddling a supremely talented superstar.  If everyone of my employees at my workplace chose to take some time to engage in a charitable endeavor to help out children fighting cancer, and one person chose not to join them, I'd never forgive him, and I'd think very long and hard about whether I'd want that type of person representing my business.   

As far as Manny not joining his teammates in greeting Bush, well even a blind squirrel can find an acorn once in a while. IMO, that was a proper move, for reasons that aren't allowed for discussion on this particular blog.   

My feeling is that it's okay to be discussed if the shots are being taken at a certain side of the spectrum.  For instance, if Manny stood up a certain person who counts as his friends a terrorist, anti-American racist "religious" zealots, vile rappers who wish his opponent to be crippled, and embezzelers, I'm sure somebody would have come up with a squirrel conspiracy theory. 

Manny is a jerk.  Instead of taking underhanded cheapshots at the President, you might consider that in order for Manny to be right about not attending, the entire roster and staff was wrong to attend.  I vote no on that.

I don't think people were saying right or wrong per se, rather that it's his choice to attend or not attend and that alone doesn't make him a bad person.  Now, if he associated with people who leaked CIA operatives names, then that would be just wrong.

[Roy Hobbs]

I'm sick of editing and deleting posts.  The next political comment on this thread is resulting in a 15 day suspension.  I hope that that is sufficiently clear.

[SShoreFan 2.0]

Honestly,

I have not read a Gerry Callahan article since February of 1993 when he was covering the winter Olympics for the Herald.  I found his articles derogatory and offensive then and I have not read him since.

I am sure he has written pertinent and worthwhile pieces and I am sure this isn't one of them, but I'll never know.