Bill Simmons Article

[kyro]

I guess this is strictly for Red Sox fan. If I wasn't one, I'd probably hate this guy's guts. He never shuts up! But, since I am a Sox fan, I eagerly await his column, and I feel like I gotta post this.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/041027

Win it for everyone. (Except Yankee fans and of course Cardinal fans.)

[Uston]

I'm a Sox fan and I'm really growing to hate this guy.

[ThaSaltCracka]

No offense to sox fans, but its idiots like Simmons that make you guys so annoying. The constant woe is me, doomsday [censored] he always spouts about, especially how his poor father has never seen a WS title. Seriously, he needs a [censored] life man.

[Uston]

I couldn't agree more. This guy certainly doesn't speak for me or the hundreds of Red Sox fans that I know.

Here a list of the teams who would gladly trade histories with the Sox over the time I've been a fan (~1985), even if Boston loses the next four games:

Orioles
Devil Rays
White Sox
Indians
Tigers
Rangers
Mariners
Phillies
Expos
Astros
Cubs
Pirates
Brewers
Giants
Padres
Rockies

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
I couldn't agree more. This guy certainly doesn't speak for me or the hundreds of Red Sox fans that I know.


[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah I agree with you, and I wasn't trying to say he represents all sox fans either /images/graemlins/grin.gif.

Seriously, doesn't he realize that if the sox win, he essentially has nothing to write about?

[nolanfan34]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm a Sox fan and I'm really growing to hate this guy.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree he's a little melodramatic, but I'm a big fan of his columns, and I don't see anything out of line with this one. I think you Sox fans just don't like someone writing about the misery of being a Sox fan on a national scale. It's like he's letting out all of the secrets of your little club or something.

What I have more of a problem with is the "woe is me, we're so tortured" rant from all Boston fans, not just Simmons. Yes, the Red Sox have suffered heartbreak, but I think the Celtics have a few titles to their name, and the Pats haven't exactly been too bad lately.

Heck, I'm older than many of the Sox fans on here, and I'd say I'm far more tortured as a sports fan. I've seen the Cardinals lose two (about to be three) World Series, seen the Sonics lose in the NBA Finals, haven't seen the Seahawks even win a playoff game since 1988, and don't get me started on the Mariners.

Even my alma mater tortures me each year...we've lost 6 straight Apple Cups with generally superior teams. And I was on the field, watching from the sidelines when Ryan Leaf spiked that ball with 2 seconds left in the Rose Bowl against Michigan.

I'm happy for Red Sox fans potentially winning this, so we'll never have to hear about the curse, 1918, etc, ever again.

Of course now Cleveland will take over as the most cursed sports town, until Lebron James leads them to the title in 2008....

[Uston]

If the Sox win he'll start writing two columns a month about Beverly Hills 90210 instead of one.

Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe is the guy who will need to kill himself if Boston wins. In addition to coining the phrase 'The Curse Of The Bambino', his entire schtick over the last 15-20 years has been to try spread as much Sox-related misery as possible.

[kyro]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I couldn't agree more. This guy certainly doesn't speak for me or the hundreds of Red Sox fans that I know.


[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah I agree with you, and I wasn't trying to say he represents all sox fans either /images/graemlins/grin.gif.

Seriously, doesn't he realize that if the sox win, he essentially has nothing to write about?

[/ QUOTE ]

He does. He'll write about how awful the Celtics are.

I think it's less that the Sox haven't won a Series and more the manner in which they lost them. Let's face it, the Red Sox have been the Yankees bitch since day one, and watching them blow game 7 last year was quite possibly the most painful thing I've had to endure in my short career as a sports fan. I think winning this one would make any other collapses in the future hurt a little less.

Anyways, I agree with Simmons. Win it for my mom. Who actually got to see the Buckner play, and who every year SAYS she doesn't believe anymore, but I know deep down she's waiting for them to finally break through.

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
I think winning this one would make any other collapses in the future hurt a little less.


[/ QUOTE ] see, you are the audience he writes for.

[kyro]

[ QUOTE ]

see, you are the audience he writes for.

[/ QUOTE ]

that's fine. i don't mind being the pathetic fan who actually gets emotional about this stuff. it's better than hopping from one team to another in hopes one of my six teams will win it this year. maybe next year cracka.

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

see, you are the audience he writes for.

[/ QUOTE ]

that's fine. i don't mind being the pathetic fan who actually gets emotional about this stuff. it's better than hopping from one team to another in hopes one of my six teams will win it this year. maybe next year cracka.

[/ QUOTE ]
truely sad.

I was merely pointing out that even if they win this year, you still expect them to collapse again at some point, so even a WS ring doesn't make you happy. Thats sad, and so is taking pot shots at people.

[kyro]

[ QUOTE ]
Thats sad, and so is taking pot shots at people.

[/ QUOTE ]

*snicker*

irony at it's best. well played

[Uston]

Of course now Cleveland will take over as the most cursed sports town, until Lebron James leads them to the title in 2008....

Cleveland already has that distinction. The only way Boston, with the history of the Celtics and recent success of the Patriots, can overtake Cleveland is if they enter the ninth inning of games four, five, six, and seven with twenty run leads and lose each game.

[ThaSaltCracka]

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[ QUOTE ]
Thats sad, and so is taking pot shots at people.

[/ QUOTE ]

*snicker*

irony at it's best. well played

[/ QUOTE ]
I am a good player, I know.

[WEASEL45]

maybe he'll go back to being funny

[Bulldog]

[ QUOTE ]
Of course now Cleveland will take over as the most cursed sports town, until Lebron James leads them to the title in 2008....

Cleveland already has that distinction. The only way Boston, with the history of the Celtics and recent success of the Patriots, can overtake Cleveland is if they enter the ninth inning of games four, five, six, and seven with twenty run leads and lose each game.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know...what about Philadelphia? They are a big market with teams in all four major sports, and don't have a title in any of them in 21 years. In fact, I think each of the teams has only been to one final in that span (none for the Eagles).

[Uston]

The Phillies won in the 1980's and I believe the Flyers won in the 1970's. Cleveland has won nothing in basketball ever, nothing in baseball since 1948, and nothing in football since the merger.

[youtalkfunny]

[ QUOTE ]
Cleveland has won nothing...in football since the merger.

[/ QUOTE ]
Whadduya mean? I saw Art Modell holding the Lombardi Trophy, just a few years ago! /images/graemlins/grin.gif

I'll stick by the Sports Guy. I think he's the nuts.

[Josh W]

I think it's pretty obvious from reading this thread that there are no regular readers of Simmons posting here.

I see the cracka talking about Simmons mentioning "expecting them to lose". Please. In every article he's written in the last 8ish days, he's talked about why it's different this year. Why it was the Yankees feeling a sense of "uh oh". Why the fans didn't give up. Why the players didn't give up.

I see a branch of this thread talking about "tortured sports cities". When ESPN.com came out with there 15 most tortured cities this past summer, they had a columnist write a column for each city. And they asked Bill to write regarding Boston.

Simmons agreed to write the column, given the provision that HE COULD DISAGREE WITH THE WOE IS ME ATTITUDE. His stance was that it was a great city, with a great, winning history. He said that, yes, some fans had a "woe is me" attitude, but for the most part, that wasn't the case. And those that had that attitude had it undeservingly so.

In fact, if you read Simmons, you'll see that he agrees with the points you guys are trying to make. Of course, he's doing it on a national stage to the delight of a large audience. You guys are going it on a small forum, to the delight of yourselves.

If you guys are going to try to demean a guy's writing, at least READ the writing.

Josh

[daryn]

sweet post

[sublime]

If you guys are going to try to demean a guy's writing, at least READ the writing.

please stop making crazy demands

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
I see the cracka talking about Simmons mentioning "expecting them to lose".

[/ QUOTE ] I didn't say this, so please don't put words in my mouth. I said he always writes, or is it now wrote, about how sad is is to be a Red Sox fan, and personally, I am tired of hearing about it. The Red Sox have been very good for the past 5-6 years, they just hadn't won a title until this year. IMO, that is no reason to complain about anything, and thats what he does.

[ QUOTE ]
If you guys are going to try to demean a guy's writing, at least READ the writing.

[/ QUOTE ] as for this, I have in fact read dozens of his articles, and he does write funny and interesting articles, especially when their not about the Sox.

[Josh W]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I see the cracka talking about Simmons mentioning "expecting them to lose".

[/ QUOTE ] I didn't say this, so please don't put words in my mouth.

[/ QUOTE ]

My apologies. You said:
[ QUOTE ]
you still expect them to collapse...

[/ QUOTE ]

I see now that I was way off base.

Josh

[nolanfan34]

Josh,

As someone who has read every Simmons article over the past 3 years, I consider myself a big fan. I certainly don't think my post implied that I thought he was a gloom and doom fan. I think he gets a little dramatic once in a while, and in the middle of the regular season was frustrated, like all Red Sox fans.

But overall, I've always enjoyed his pieces about the Red Sox, because he always has talked about not believing in the curse, and just wanting the Sox to win so he can be a "normal fan" like those fans of any franchise that has won a World Series.

I just think there are plenty of Sox fans out there who don't like him talking about this, because they want to revel in their misery without others jumping on the bandwagon. That doesn't apply to Simmons though, I will say it made it a little easier to watch the Cardinals lose knowing that there were people like Bill's dad who have been waiting for this for such a long time.

[Bulldog]

[ QUOTE ]
The Phillies won in the 1980's and I believe the Flyers won in the 1970's. Cleveland has won nothing in basketball ever, nothing in baseball since 1948, and nothing in football since the merger.

[/ QUOTE ]

Cleveland has no hockey team (fewer chances to win) and no football team for several years. Also, Cleveland is a tiny little city--you guys are supposed to lose. Philly is what, #5 in population in the US?

[daryn]

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I see the cracka talking about Simmons mentioning "expecting them to lose".

[/ QUOTE ] I didn't say this, so please don't put words in my mouth.

[/ QUOTE ]

My apologies. You said:
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In risposta di:</font><hr />
you still expect them to collapse...

[/ QUOTE ]

I see now that I was way off base.

Josh

[/ QUOTE ]


ouch!

[ThaSaltCracka]

since my words are being so distorted, I suppose now I need to clarify.

Kyro said this:
I think winning this one would make any other collapses in the future hurt a little less.

I then replied to Kyro:
I was merely pointing out that even if they win this year, you still expect them to collapse again at some point, so even a WS ring doesn't make you happy.

so yes Josh you are indeed way off base.

Ouch indeed Daryn.

[Josh W]

Hmmm, how do you explain your comment where you say:

[ QUOTE ]
The constant woe is me, doomsday [censored] he always spouts about,

[/ QUOTE ]

The point is, he DOESN'T spout this stuff. There is no gloom and doom in his articles. He talks about how this year is different. He talks about how Boston is NOT cursed. He talks about how Boston is NOT a tortured city.

That is his point. My point is, by saying otherwise, you are expressing your ignorance regarding his writing. Which is fine...there are thousands of writers I don't read.

But then I don't go bashing them, either. You should express the same courtesy to Simmons.

Josh

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
Hmmm, how do you explain your comment where you say:

[ QUOTE ]
The constant woe is me, doomsday [censored] he always spouts about,

[/ QUOTE ]

The point is, he DOESN'T spout this stuff. There is no gloom and doom in his articles. He talks about how this year is different. He talks about how Boston is NOT cursed. He talks about how Boston is NOT a tortured city.

That is his point. My point is, by saying otherwise, you are expressing your ignorance regarding his writing. Which is fine...there are thousands of writers I don't read.

But then I don't go bashing them, either. You should express the same courtesy to Simmons.

Josh

[/ QUOTE ]

dude, I have no idea how you can even say this, this right here take from his latest article:
How will your life change if the Red Sox win the World Series?"

The Sports Gal asked me that question last night, minutes before Foulke clinched Boston's third straight win over the Cardinals. Let's just say that it's a best-of-seven series and Game 4 happens tonight. Seemed like a relevant question.

"That's easy," I told her. "Everything would get wiped away. No more baggage. No more Babe Ruth pictures, Buckner highlights, fans walking around with Curse signs, 1918 chants, announcers hinting at doom around every corner. Everyone would just leave us alone. We'd be just another baseball team."

Pedro Martinez
When people talk about Pedro's days with the Sox, they'll talk about Game 3.
That was the simple answer.

Here's the complicated answer, which I wrote in a column three years ago: "We're haunted by the possibility of living an entire lifetime -- 80-90 years, followed by death -- without celebrating a World Series title. That's not a curse; it's an imaginary guillotine that hangs over us every season. We're just waiting for it to go away, that's all. And only Cubs fans can truly understand.

Note what he himself claims to have written three years ago. So I will revert back to my earlier statement, which you just happened to quote for me.