Sports Archives

Sox GM Theo Epstein to step down.

Last night was a fiasco on so many levels. And I'm not even talking about the game. They ran. out. of. books. You know, at the BOOK SIGNING?

I got to the ESPN Zone around 5:30 in anticipation for The Sports Guy's book signing, which was scheduled to start at 6 p.m. Once I arrived, the line was about halfway down the block, but not too bad. Since it wasn't very long (yet) I decided to go into the Barnes & Noble next door and get a copy of The Sports Guy's book so I'd have something to read while I was in line and I wouldn't have to worry about buying one when I got inside. I went upstairs to the customer service desk, and the first person behind the desk walked away as soon as I approached them. I got another person's attention and asked her where I could find the book. "Is this the Red Sox book?" she asked me. I replied yes. "Oh, we pulled those from the shelves, you'll have to buy it next door." This confused me, but I went and got back in line lest it get too long. I'd guess about 20 people got in line in the time it took me to do that. I looked at my cell phone, it was 5:41.

A little after 6:00, the line started moving in short bursts every 15 minutes or so. I kept checking my cell phone for updates on the game, but every time I did, the score would get worse, so eventually I stopped. Every so often, someone from the ESPN Zone would come by the line and tell everyone that there would be books inside for purchase if we didn't already have a copy and that we could purchase them for $25 with cash or credit card. Cool.

I got inside and within TV view around 7:00 and saw "Brandon" Arroyo promptly give up a dinger to A.J. Pierzynski. Wonderful. Soon after, I made my way around the corner and into the final stretch of people before TSG. Once I made the corner, I could see the table where they were selling books. As the line inched closer to the table, I started to get a sinking feeling because I saw a few empty boxes behind them and didn't see any books. There was one on the table, which the women in front of me bought. And that's the kicker. That was THE LAST BOOK. When I realized what was happening, I thought to myself, no way can that be the last book. They probably just needed to bring out the rest of the copies that are stored in the back room, right? Well, I wouldn't know because there was no announcement that they ran out of books or anything like that. The people at the table just packed up their shit and left.

When I finally got up to the table, I saw a poor attempt at an order form that the ESPN people wanted everyone to fill out if they wanted to get an inscribed book mailed to them at a later date. I really wish I would have taken a picture of the form, it looked like something they made up on the spot. It was practically handwritten. They expected us to give them our credit card info and shipping address and whatever we wanted the inscription to be. Right, I just waited two hours in line to buy a book and get it signed and I'm going to write my credit card info on a little homemade form like that and wait 4-6 weeks. Sure thing.

I seriously have a hard time getting my head around the fact that this was a BOOK SIGNING and THEY RAN OUT OF BOOKS in roughly 80 minutes!! Shouldn't someone be on top of things like this? They ran out of books at the NYC signing, so whoever was in charge of this fiasco had to have a heads up that something like this could happen.

So when it was finally my turn, I was pretty pissed off but it was too late to turn back now. So I walked up to Bill:
Me: "Hi Bill"
TSG: "Hi, how you doing?" Shakes my hand.
Me: OK, but I'm kinda pissed that they ran out of books. That woman there bought the last one"
TSG: "What, they ran out again?"
Me: "Yeah, you need a new agent or something."
TSG: "It's not my agent, it's Barnes & Noble."
Me: "Funny you say that. I went there right before I got in line and they told me I had to buy my book here. That was two hours ago."
TSG: "I'm really sorry. I'm going to come back and make it up to everyone."
Me: "Um...great..I'll know to buy my copy beforehand next time." Trying to salvage my allotted 30 seconds. "Why do you hate Danny Ainge?"
TSG: Still apologizing..."Wait, What? I don't hate Danny Ainge."
ME: "I know. Gimme some Celtics dirt."
TSG: "Hmmmmm...some Celtics dirt..."
ME: "Are we gonna trade Tony Allen?"
TSG: "Ummm..Yeah, I think we are."

He's A Fan, originally uploaded by leafblower.

The way he said that didn't lead me to believe that at all. Which doesn't mean that we won't be trading Tony this year, but he didn't sound like he had any inside info on the matter. I wanted to tell him to write something positive about Paul Pierce this year, but I was being shooed away, so I quickly made with the sign and he complied. He apologized again as I walked away, and I don't hold it against him, but someone should be worried about their job security over this. Seriously. He's doing this book tour for one reason, to sell books. The book is currently ranked #41 at Amazon, so it's obviously popular. They organizers had to expect a large crowd to show up. It is the baseball postseason afterall. The Sox were playing during the book signing.

When I left, at 7:23 p.m., I walked outside, and the line was all the way down the block, around the corner and halfway down the next block. I'm guessing I was about the 250th person through the line and there were another 750 in line behind me. And I'd estimate about 100 people in front of me already had books. So they sold about 150 books before they ran out. So, using those numbers (and I'm totally guessing here) that means about 475 of the 750 people outside came to this and were unable to buy books. So that's close to $12,000 in book sales they lost out on last night (assuming everyone needing books only bought one copy). Things like that make me wonder how people keep their jobs.

Thank god I had a fall back with the sign and picture, otherwise, what's the point? Wait in line for hours to talk to Bill for 30 seconds? I heard one of the ESPN people say that about 50 people had already given up and gone home since there were no more books for him to sign. I was really excited for the book signing when it was announced, but when I found out that it would happen at the ESPN Zone, my expectations were lowered greatly. So I guess I really shouldn't be surprised at how last night unfolded.

Other big fans of information leafblower:
Brett Easton Ellis
Chuck Palahniuk

Not so long ago, Timberwolves Head of Basketball Operations Kevin McHale laid down his philosophy on how to run a front office in the NBA. "Sometimes," he said, "the best deals are the ones you don't make." Now McHale wasn't the first HoBA or GM to ever utter that phrase, but any time I can drop the name of the single greatest post player in NBA history, I'm gonna take it.

Prior to last night's draft, the internets had been abuzz with a rumoured deal between Portland and Boston that would have sent Nick Van Exel and the #3 overall pick to Portland in exchange for Celtics superstah Paul Pierce (the only NBA player whose jersey I currently own). Supposedly we would have used that pick on HS stud Gerald Green. Danny Ainge is no dummy and decided to stay put. Good thing to, because thanks (again!) to the Toronto Raptors, the Celtics sat back at pick #18 and watched Green drop right into their lap. To say Green, an athletic small forward, has superstar potential is an understatement. Kendrick Perkins, himself a high school pick by the C's two years ago, who played against Green when he grew up in Texas, reportedly started jumping up and down at the C's draft party once it was clear that Green would fall to Boston.

The entire scenario was eerily reminiscent of the 1999 draft in which Paul Pierce (easily the second or third most talented player in the draft) fell all the way to the Celtics at pick #10. Needless to say CelticNation was pleased with our rosy future as we all settled into bed last night. We just drafted a possible conerstone of the franchise (to go along with stud PF Al Jefferson) and his last name is Green! The stars were aligned for us last night.

Even The Sports Guy's dad loved this pick. So sayeth TSG: "Just a satisfying three minutes all around. I get to root for Big Al and G-Money for the next 15 years. What could be better than that?"

Now let's be clear, Danny Ainge is no genius for drafting Gerald Green. He was easily the most talented player on the board at 18. Much like TSG's dad, I was praying New Mexico SF Danny Granger would be our choice, but Larry Bird made sure he didn't drop past #17, one pick before us. Granger is gonna be a player. Book it. He could have helped the C's tremendously next year, instead we have to (get to?) wait a few years and see if Green (aka G-Money) really is the next Tracy McGrady. Hey, I'm a patient man.

Danny does get props for drafting Ryan Gomes at #50 though. Gomes is easily a first round talent. Both Detroit and San Antonio strongly considered drafting him late in the first. I was surprised the Spurs passed on him, Gomes has Spur written all over him. Instead Danny tabbed the big SF his team needs so desperately just 10 picks before the end of the draft. I'll be shocked if Gomes isn't in our regular rotation two months into the season. Ainge took unheralded PG Orien Greene from LaFayette with pick #53. Again with the Greene! I'm not so sure he'll make the squad, but will be watching him in the summer leagues.

Many thanks to Tien for the photo from last night. He took some others too.

You deserve to lose when you let Fred Jones and Jeff Foster beat you.
Here's to the draft.
This one's for you Bob. Good luck with D-town.

Why did I insist on coming into work today? I felt fine when I woke up but am getting progressively worse as the day wears on. Too much champagna last night methinks, but hey, this only happens once a century, right? I'm just walking around in a daze today (part euphoria/part hangover).
Last night, after it was all over, I started to think about my grandmother, who lived into her 80's but didn't get to see all of this. She passed away earlier this summer. When we were up there for the funeral and everything, all of us gathered around my grandafther's nice, new Toshiba big screen and watched the Sox. Everyday. It just seemed like the right thing to do. It was comfortable. The guys on the team were our extended family and we all shared our ups and downs together. The whole notion of "Sox As Family" and "Red Sox Nation" may seem foreign to people outside of New England but I can assure you it's the real deal. I'm so happy for the team and all the rest of The Nation. We were three outs away from going home and then won eight games in a row! And never trailed in the World Series! Unreal. And now...

It's over.

"You know what I'm happiest for? I'm happiest for Bill Buckner, Calvin Schiraldi, Bob Stanley, Johnny Pesky, Ted Williams, all of the Red Sox that played before us will now be remembered for the great players and great people they were instead of all the other crap."-- Curt Schilling

Globe coverage
The Sports Guy
Boston Dirt Dogs
Soxaholix
Bradley's Almanac
Matt Blueroom
CKelly
Lockhart Steele

PS - The Sox will get their World Series rings next year in a series against the Yankees.

You tell 'em Manny!

We just shocked the United States of America! We just shocked the world! - Kevin Millar to Peter Gammons

All Empire's eventually come to an end. - Larry Luchino to FOX

Methinks I'll be a little late to work tomorrow.

Losing last year helped us win this year. Oh, and we have Curt Schilling.

Did I hear Enter Sandman when Rivera came in in the 9th? LAME!

I definitely heard a "let's Go Red Sox!" chant on TV in the 4th.

But it's not over. We have four W's to go.

I am so tempted to book a flight to Boston on Saturday.

PS - Today would have been Mickey Mantle's 73rd birthday.