esrosedotblog

DAMON THE DEMON

It is time for grievous suffering in the Red Sox fan-world.

I am only marginal myself. I come from years of privation. One pennant, while delicious and exciting, did not boost my long term optimism or enthusiasm.

And it seems that such a grudging attitude was justified.

The team is now imploding.

I am most affected by the loss of Johnny Damon. He has kept my interest in the team alive. Well, he doesn't have the halo in that photo anymore.

I gotta cop to the fact that it is mostly his sex appeal. Whatever works.

Now, even he has gone and committed the unpardonable sin of disloyalty. Disloyalty to what you may ask. Well. That is a point.

But he will pay dearly while he is so well paid.

Here is what 'The Fix' a daily sports column in the Wall Street Journal had to say today. They glean from the nation's papers and websites.

It'll be the most-anticipated haircut in recent sports history: the shearing of Johnny Damon's locks and beard as he moves from the freewheeling Boston Red Sox clubhouse to corporate Yankee Stadium. "I'm still going to be that free spirit that I am," Mr. Damon told a Boston radio station, as quoted by the Hartford Courant. "It's just going to look a bit different."

Newsday's Shaun Powell objects: "Those who sign up for the Yankees also sign away their soul. That's the price of doing business with George Steinbrenner, the George Patton of sports owners, who doesn't want anything clashing with pinstripes. Shirts must be tucked, belts buckled, shoelaces tied, humor and laughter stifled and most important, all hair shall be clipped."

(Your soul? Ouch. The Fix is guessing Mr. Powell isn't a Yankee fan.)