Leaving the Bagel Behind
Having been a sportsman throughout my youth, I learned early on never to second guess athletes. One day you can’t miss a backhand even if you try, as they say—and the next you’re flailing like a dowager. Fans don’t ever get it. Nor do sportwriters. If A-Rod is having a hell of a year, it means that he will have a hell of a playoff.
If only it were that simple. I just watched the Yankees lose the fourth and final game to the Indians. A-Rod played well, but not for A-Rod, because he didn’t deliver under pressure, the sign of true greatness. What is painful for me (as a journalist) is that last summer that I could have had an exclusive, in Waugh’s word, a “scoop.”
It seems that in balmy months, A-Rod went to see a friend of mine who sells very expensive Manhattan apartments. She showed him some of the best and he liked them. Then, suddenly, he rang her and told her he was no longer interested. (He showed this courtesy because he’s a gentleman—and it doesn’t hurt that she’s pretty. In another courtesy to locals, he batted in more than 150 runs and hit some 56 homers that year.)
From these events, it’s apparent that A-Rod decided back in the summer that he was through with New York City. (Who can blame him?) Had my realtor friend told me that A-Rod had lost interest in buying a flat here in the Big Bagel, I would have known that no matter what happened, this great player and attractive gent, had decided to move to Los Angeles long ago. It is not very important, but I find it amusing that sportwriters missed the signals.
I used to be a great Yankee fan because of my friendship with Mickey Mantle and Billy Martin, starting in 1956. Despite George Steinbrenner, I have remained a Yankee fan, almost. What saddens me is the departure of Joe Torre. If pro athletes had his dignity and grace, some of us would still trust and love pro sports. Goodbye Joe. May your successor have a scintilla of your elegance.
The Media
Comments
i think the fans in L.A will love to have alex hitting 50 plus homers for their team.....i hope its the angels that take him.
now, how about them redsox!!!
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I must be way too cynical. I love pro sports; as entertainment. But “trusting” entertainers seems a bit rash.
About the only sport I can trust is golf. In that sport, players still call penalties on themselves.
Try and even imagine Bobby Richardson trying to convince the umpire the opponent was safe because, “I didn’t even touch second base before I pivoted to throw to first.”
BTW, I am closing in on 60 y.o. Isn’t that the age the Yanks become interested in hiring you as a starting pitcher?
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The Red Sox are the slightly poorer man’s Yankees, with a bloated payroll and a fan base filled with a sense of whiny entitlement.
The Indians, on the other hand, have the 7th lowest payroll in the majors, with not a jerk or prima donna on the roster. Go Tribe!
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I agree with Piatak on this one too. Go Tribe!
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Taki- love the website in all it’s originality. My esteem is only increased by the discovery that you are a baseball fan. I wonder if you are a Cricket fan too? Anyway, there is talk of A-Rod going to my beloved Giants too. I don’t know which would be worse, the hated Angels winning the world series (they will with A-Rod), or the Giants saddled with another aging slugger under a huge contract.
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Young people whose dream is to come to nyc and make their mark should to look to A-RODS stint there and take heart.As you step up to the plate there is great fanfare and delusions of glory (move to nyc).First pitch BAM! BASE HIT!Running to get on first(going to work on the A train) You land a big bucks contract and all the extras that come with it;Beatiful babes,cool restaurants ,all night wild parties.Your are the toast of the town!(YOU BECOME ADDICTED TO YOUR EGO).Next Pitch CRACK!Line drive up the middle.As you begin to pass second base heading for third time begins to take its toll.Tne NYC RAT PACE and obsession on being a WINNER ALL THE TIME begins to wear on you(you begin to burn out).Does that stop you,FUCK NO!(You become a cocky NEW YAWKER!)Third base coach is waving you on (your therapist).As you begin to round third base heading for home you get caught in a NY SQUEEZED PLAY(GETTING MUGGED TRYING TO SCORE WEED IN ALPHABET CITY).Suddenly you come to a realizatoin of what life in NYC is really about,A GRAND LIFE EXPERIENCE THAT COMES WITH AN EXPRITATION DATE!Of course during this epiphany you get called out by the umpire(fired by steinbrenner).END OF SEASON!The NYC snobs,yobs and pervs(your freinds)begin the backstabbing n catcalling to run you out of town.Alas young people take heart.A small market team from the west coast likes your big city resume(they can buy you cheap). So young people its your choice.Age gracefully in obscurity on the pacific ocean or rot slowly infamousely on the hudson.GO GIANTS!
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Ever since the Dodgers departed, who the hell cares?
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