Boston Globe Reluctantly (And Very Bitterly) Waves The White Flag of Surrender

[shmessy]

Evidently, it is only because Parcells decided to grace us with his presence for a few years in the 1990's and then Red Sox abdicated on August 26th. The Pats are simply lucky and now this year they have a layup schedule continuing their luck streak.

Bob Ryan and his baseball loving editor are despondent.

(It's behind their paywall, so if you don't have a subscription, the above summary basically encapsulates what he said)

http://www.boston.com/sports/footba...oston_now_officially_belongs_to_the_patriots/

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

What exactly are they surrendering to?

 

[shmessy]

What exactly are they surrendering to?

It's a Boston/New England cultural thing that goes back several years. Evidently, you wouldn't understand.

 

[DarrylS]

Thought Ryan bid us all farewell a couple of weeks ago..

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I have no idea what this is about

 

[Uncle Rico]

Pretty good column about Boston becoming indisputably a football town, IMO. Some excerpts:

"That trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers was a de facto surrender. The Red Sox laid down their arms, put up their hands, and walked away. The Battle of Boston was now over. The New England Patriots have won. The Patriots rule. ... This is monumental. There is nothing comparable in American sport. Boston has been a certified Baseball Town since at least 1871"

Goes on to talk about how Boston was maybe the only city in the country that still put baseball over football, but that has changed over time. All starting with bringing in Parcells:

It was a borderline Sally Fields moment. Bill Parcells wants to come here? Really? We’re not a football town. Gol-ly. Are we worthy of Bill Parcells? Do we just call him “Mr. Parcells”? “Your Highness”? What’s that? “Tuna”? Oh, no, that’s too disrespectful.

Well, he did come, and you can trace everything that’s going on today, from the presence of Bill Belichick, a Parcells acolyte, to the good fortune of having Tom Brady as the quarterback, to the very existence of Gillette Stadium itself, back to the hiring of Bill Parcells.

I remember when I heard Parcells was coming, and Ryan pretty much sums it up my feelings in the above quote.

Then Ryan talks about the Pats becoming a model franchise but having the Sox keep the Boston spotlight with a couple of World Series titles. But the inevitable Sox implosion came (" In terms of sound judgment, intelligent planning, and just plain luck, the Red Sox have become the anti-Patriots") and ...

So we are now in step with the rest of the country. ... now we’re voting for football.

The bit about the easy schedule is a throw-away last line; awkward, but harmless IMO:

By the way, it’s a 13-3 schedule, with only one of the on-paper tough games (Baltimore) on the road.

 

[Gwedd]

And I would offer that Baltimore is a very beatable team this year.

I'm not as worried about losing to them as many others are.

 

[Gwedd]

Evidently, it is only because Parcells decided to grace us with his presence for a few years in the 1990's and then Red Sox abdicated on August 26th. The Pats are simply lucky and now this year they have a layup schedule continuing their luck streak.

Bob Ryan and his baseball loving editor are despondent.

(It's behind their paywall, so if you don't have a subscription, the above summary basically encapsulates what he said)

Boston now officially belongs to the Patriots - The Boston Globe

Plus, it's the Globe. They're holding on to the coattails of the NYT trying to not go down with them. BUT, when the NYT finally goes under, and that will likely be sooner rather than later, the Globe will be following right shortly.

 

[Linda_The_Pats_Fan (She was NEM)]

And I would offer that Baltimore is a very beatable team this year.

I'm not as worried about losing to them as many others are.

Unfortunately, we have to play them in their crib. Playing a team that, according to most, has a legit chance at going to the Super Bowl is a huge disadvantage.

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

I still wonder how much was reality and how much was simply driven by media coverage. The old guard of Gammons, Buckley, Ryan, Mazz, Shaunessey etc. are nothing but pathetic fanboys.

 

[RayClay]

Hot stove league starts next week. Is anyone under the illusion that the Red Sox were the #1 over time because they were so successful in the clutch?

 

[BSR]

Even back in the day, I would still say the Bruins fans were more die hards and the Sox fans were casual. The Bruins fans always get the shaft in coverage and play in this city.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

You'd never know it's a football town listening to EEI. In the car as I scan stations it's bees ball 24/7 on EEI. Admitedly the FM station is 24/7 shrieking about how cheap Kraft is and how it's the End of the Patriots with the 2012 OL.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

It's a Boston/New England cultural thing that goes back several years. Evidently, you wouldn't understand.

No I get it now hat I saw more details. I didn't really know you were talking about Boston becoming a football first city/region.

For me, I'll always be a Boston sports fan, but I have been putting football first for quite a long time. Football has a certain ritual to it, a build up over the week that is deeply noted when you have to wait that extra feakin' day to get to Monday Night football. Ever moment of a football game has some extreme talent on display that can be appreciated.

Baseball is a good social/activity sport. Best watched when doing other things/social events so you can look up and catch the play or replay. Granted it can get exciting at times and there is real drama, but the pace is still painfully slow by comparison.

 

[drew4008]

This is a result of the Red Sox failures more than anything, IMO. Every spring training, Boston is abuzz about the Red Sox potential and ready to be captured again. Yet their front office and coaching is just abysmal. If the Red Sox were making a run into October, it'd be big, big news and you'd hear about them everywhere... I think that goes without saying.

And on the other hand you have arguably the best run franchise in sports in the Patriots... the antithesis of what the Red Sox have become... so obviously their popularity is going to soar in comparison.

 

[51Hits]

I just visited MA in July, and all you saw was Patriots flags, windows decals, businesses named after the team (Patriot liquors)

Living outside of MA, all you ever hear is people just care about baseball that's simply not true, at least not anymore. I'd imagine so back in the day...But I think our friend here hit it on the head

Hot stove league starts next week. Is anyone under the illusion that the Red Sox were the #1 over time because they were so successful in the clutch?

Precisely. Did the fans call WEEI, and all the other sports shows and demand to listen to 24/7 Sox coverage? Or were they forced to listen to it? It's painfully obvious the sports writers, particularly the globe, were bias for the Sox. Now with times changing we wont be hearing about the Red Sox misery during a Pats winning streak, as you would so much in the last decade.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Sox. But they've always been a distant 2nd to my Pats.

 

[Pat the Pats Fan]

And I would offer that Baltimore is a very beatable team this year.

I'm not as worried about losing to them as many others are.

except for that playoff loss, the last few times we have played the ratbirds, they have found a way to lose. Some memories, a dropped pass inside our 5 that would have been a 1st down last in the 4th. Tubby Wrecks calling timeout as their D line stopped TFB on a 4th and one, then the pass interference in the endzone. They don't scare me.

 

[Patriot Missile]

There used to be a day when the best part of my morning was picking up the Globe in the morning. Then on the ride home I would pick up the herald. Just a peaceful time of good read after read. I like the internet but admit there are days I miss the the simplicity of a good newspaper. Its too bad times have changed so quickly that trash and controversial material sells like hot cakes. One thing I did admire about newspaper journalists is that they were accountable for what they write. Some still hold to guns in that regard. But some have crossed over the threshhold because it is a get it now society or we will replace you with someone who can. Basically reward for stirring the pot. Internet and reality shows certainly have changed the world Imo. Both good and bad.

 

[lurker1965]

What is this "Globe" thing you refer too?

 

[JoeSixPat]

"That trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers was a de facto surrender. The Red Sox laid down their arms, put up their hands, and walked away."

I'd say this speaks more to the Sox ownership getting the team ready to be sold by dumping salary to make them more attractive.

I don't doubt that Ryan is hearing this too and knows the team is in for a few years of transition - hence he's forced to admit what we've all known for years - football is King.

But I tend to agree with the speculation that with the Dodgers setting a price point of $1.5 billion and the Red Sox aquired by the present ownership at $750 mil (along with NESN) it does make sense that you want to sell while the market is hot.

It'll also help that the next owner gets an instant cash infusion of $24 million in 2014 from the new TV deal to help offset the big investment.

Other rumors have Lucchino leaving the organization for other pursuits and John Henry clearly has additional interests suggest that there's going to be a lot of transition for the team and organization - and Ryan knows it.