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Saturday, January 13, 2007

Judas? Or just Johnny?


Over the years, I have been buying my little boy Rakes all the Seth McFarland Red Sox figures I can find. After the 2004 World Series year, the next Sox player he released was Johhny Freaking Damon. I bought it, put it on his shelf, and immediately started teaching Rakes Johnny's name. He was already my daughter's favorite player, so she helped me tutor Rakes: eventually, we got him saying " Onny Amon".
2005 was no problem, with the Captain of the Idiot's batting lead off, doing naked pull ups in the locker room, and patrolling CF at Fenway.
Then came the off season of 2005: And the unthinkable became a reality.
Johnny Damon was going to the New York Yankees. The same Yankees he had helped humiliate with the greatest comeback in sports history. The same Yankees he had said he would NEVER play for. The Red Sox offered him a contract, the Yankees offered more, and he left.
I have not let Rakes play with that figure ever since. It's still up on the shelf, but I can't bring myself to get it down. When it first came out that Damon went to the Dark Side, I was furious. And when he came back to Fenway and got booed out of the park, I smiled. As the season went on, I started thinking about it, and what I came up with was this.
Damon was a key part of the 2004 team. He played hard, and played well. But he had only been in Boston since 2002. He had been in Oakland before that, and Kansas City before that. He wasn't some life long Sox player, like Trot Nixon, or even like Jason Varitek, who has never played a Major League game in a uniform other than the Red Sox. He is just another mercenary in a long line of them who have come and gone through Red Sox Nation over the years.
He IS, however, a little different. He was the lead off hitter and offensive catalyst of the team that FINALLY won it all. And for that, he will always be different. I don't know if they win it all without Damon. In fact, I'm pretty sure they don't. He was the identity of that team, the guy willing to talk to some idiot Globe reporter after a tough loss, the guy willing to step up and deflect attention away from some struggling teammate. And after his playing days are over, is Johnny Damon going to be remembered as a New York Yankee? Or as the long haired wild man who led the motley crew that was the 2004 Boston Red Sox to the top of the mountain?
I don't know how other people will remember him.
I just know how I will. And while I will despise him every game he plays for the Yankees, after his playing days are done, I'm going to do one thing.
I'm going to let Rakes finally play with his Johnny Damon action figure.

48 comments:

KAYLEE said...

i honestly dont think that year they would have won it without damon either.He was a big part of our team that year.I will always remember him but not cheer for him as long as he is a yankee.

KAYLEE said...

but hopefully now we can win another one without him......

KAYLEE said...

i just want the pats to beat LT and the chargers tomorrow:)

KAYLEE said...

and I want to fight Vinateri right now for his comments after their games

KAYLEE said...

but i eont even try to fight him cause he is a lot bigger than me this saints game is about as boring s a a chicken trying to fight a cow(dont ask why i used that one)sorry for all the comments but i am awake and bored!

KAYLEE said...

oops eont=wont

KAYLEE said...

i cant tell you how happy that saints win makes me!

KAYLEE said...

but again a pats win will make me happier:)

KAYLEE said...

okay i will shut up now!

KAYLEE said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
KAYLEE said...

i still cant go to bed I am too happy.I will be lucky if I get bed before 2 am tonight:)

Tex said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tex said...

See, Johnny wasn't THAT important to me ever. Its not that I didn't like him. I just thought he was the rock star baseball player and I usually dont go for that. I mean Johnny played his heart and soul when he played for us. I remember him throwing himself against the wall to catch the ball. Remember the game against Oakland and being taken out on a stretcher...Johnny raising his hand to let us know he was ok. Johnny brought us great memories. The homerun into the Card's bullpen in Game 4 that he led off the game with....I came up off my barstool screaming "Its Destiny, it's over!!" I knew then....Johnny was leading us to our World Series Championship finally IN MY LIFETIME!

I will have fond memories of 2004 and Johnny is in them.

But when I just think about Johnny....I think of how he lied to us and realize that he is like most rock star baseball players....loyal to themselves at the expense of being disloyal to a team. And thats ok....cos its baseball. I dont have to like them all. I dont despise Johnny. I learned many years ago when I became so attached to one special player who never got us that far...baseball is baseball. To some players, baseball is money.

JET said...

Unlike my friend Tex, I do despise Johnny.

Peter N said...

I'm a person who finds it hard to hate ANYONE...OK, OK, Osama...definitely. But JD (not Drew) played his heart out for us. Does his change of uniform turn my stomach inside-out? Upside-down? Hell yes...I like your blog!

Peter N said...

And Jet and Tex...hi!! You too K.

Ted D said...

Mornin' everyone. Kaylee, you may want to consider non-caffinated products: I'm just saying! Tex, I guess you rode the ice storm out OK, and I hope you are all right. Hey JET. Thanks for stopping by, and you too Peter. I really appreciate everybody taking the time.

Tex said...

JET its hard to despise someone who's dead to me :)

Ted D said...

Tex, you sound like Michael talking about Fredo in the Godfather!

How bad did the storm get? I saw in TV this morning that OKC got hit pretty good: I need to call my sisters to check on them.

JET said...

"...dead to me." Tex, that works for me.

You all; of course I love and admire what he did for us. Which is why I hate him all the more for going to the Yankees.

Ted D said...

I got what you meant JET. I was kinda trying to say the same thing in the story.

Tex said...

Ted the ice hasn't hit thank goodness in Austin. I am hoping it doesnt get to that point...we are just waiting. Its about 37 degrees and still raining so it could happen. the low predicted is around 30. I gotta get my laundry done this morning though in case it does hit.

damon's gone...im over it...waiting on Roger to bust my bubble now

Ted D said...

I'm not holding my breath on Clemens just yet. I just have a feeling if he does pitch again, he's gonna go where the money is, and not make a sentimental choice. And as of right now, where would he fit with the Sox and their rotation?

JET said...

I know that Tedders. I loved your story. But if I ever get a hold of Rakes' Johnny Damon action figure, I'll smash it to smithereens.

Unlike my friend Tex, I'm not over it. But for the sake of peace and harmony on the board, I'll now let it go, for today. ;)

Ted D said...

JET, stay away from Rakes toys!

Thanks for stoppin' by.

Tex said...

JET
I guess with me being older, Ive learned to get over things quicker...makes for less stress and less i think bout it...less i get emotional over it.

Dont get me wrong during baseball season...when we play the yanks and jd bats...ill be booing with much intensity....

Tex said...

and Ted...I think Rake will be alittle old to play with toys when JD is not playing.

Ted D said...

He's only 3 Tex. Damon won't play more that 3 or 4 more years, tops!

JET said...

Every time I get out, she pulls me back in!

Tex, I'm definitely one to pretty quickly forgive and forget...But we're talkin about a key and star member of our world series championship team going to the Yankees. If I live to be 100, I'll never forgive him for that.

BTW: Since JD goes down with a career ending shoulder injury THIS year, I'd say Rakes gets some time with his traitor doll.

KAYLEE said...

Caffeine?i definately did have to o much of that last night......gotta stay away from the soda.

Tex said...

ok JET
perhaps we are talking about the same thing but on a different level.

I do not like him at all because of his lies to the fans....and even though he was an integral part of the 2004 WS Team...he was not a longtimer like Tek. Cos if Tek would not have signed to come back and balked at not getting enough money...THAT woulda hurt bad. Worse than demon.

I guess it goes back to my days following Roger. I loved the man and because I did...I became an avid fan of the Red Sox. When he left..it left me stunned as I hadn't thought about the fact I had became a Red Sox fan. I thought I was only following Roger.

So although I think JD did a really bad thing...its baseball...and he wasn't ever a true Red Sox at heart...

but we can agree to disagree right??

Christine E. said...

I agree with you Tex--if he was just another mercencary that would be one thing--but when he said that he would never go to the Yankees--he lied, and that wasn't event he WORST part! What did it for me was 12 minutes afer he signed the THEM, he was going on about the "Yankee Way" and how he loves the Yankee fans blah blah blah..

While I do not dislike him as much as I dislike Roger Clemens (now THERE is a screw-you-over-as-soon-as-look-at-you-mercenary!) I just wish he would....SHUT...UP....

Ted D said...

red thoughts, thanks for stopping by. I tried to post at yours, but it would not let me. Tex can vouch for me on this, I am NOT computer savvy, so I don't know why I couldn't. But my ego thinks all you guys for stopping here.

KAYLEE said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
KAYLEE said...

thank you!bears got penalized on that One hawks are still holding on:)

KAYLEE said...

fudge knockers SEATTLE WIN THIS DANGIBOO!

KAYLEE said...

i will have to liove with the bears victory GO PATS and START THE DUMB GAME ALREADY!

KAYLEE said...

this game i d boring so far i guess that is what happens when 2 teams with good DEFENSES play each other

KAYLEE said...

GRRRRRRRRRRRRR LT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ted D said...

Kaylee, again, NON caffinated drinks. Please.

KAYLEE said...

haha I need to settle down damn I take a shower and the PATS SCORE maybe i need to quit watching!

KAYLEE said...

and I am Not(at the moment) drinking caffeiene unless it is in this juice I am drinking

KAYLEE said...

TIE GAME WOOH!

KAYLEE said...

WOOOOOOOOOOHHHHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

KAYLEE said...

we did it!!!!!!!!

Christine E. said...

Hi Ted:

I had to approve your 1st post, and it is now up on the site..:-) You should not have any problems from here on out...

Go Sox!

Ted D said...

red thoughts, I STILL can't get on. I'm sorry: I am a moron, but it won't let me. I will try again tomorrow. 3 kids and not a whole lot of free time keep me from getting too deep into it.

Ruthie said...

That was a nice post -- I was one of JOhnny's biggest fans and when he did that he broke my heart.. I've been watching the Sox for forever and I've never, ever seen a player that was so... loved... just LOVED as him. But he threw that away and.. hey, that's fine and.. time goes on and he has to live with where he is and what he did.. I think he sees everyday that where he is now isn't like here and..I don't believe one word about how 'happy' he is -- I can see it in his face/eyes.

Please feel free to ck out my new blog I started Ted -- I just got it up and haven't posted much, but please feel free to pop by sometime and comment.