Well said, Larry Ray, you've already shown more contrition than the 2011 Red Sox, and I don't think it's warranted.
I won't pretend to understand the chemistry of a clubhouse. Theo and Tito's candor surprised even me because this isn't the sort of thing you hear professional executives discuss, except to explain a team's success. But I can see a connection. Steve, I think your employing a bit of circular logic. Chemistry wouldn't be an issue, you say, if Lester did this or Beckett did that. But they didn't. That's the problem, and the question Theo needs to answer is, Why? Did their abilities and talents suddenly abandon them? Or did they not have the mental focus necessary to harness those talents? I don't know. Professional athletes are such extraordinary people, as far as talent goes, particularly the hyper talented like Beckett and Lester. Perhaps they need to be 100% on - or close to it - to perform at that high a level, and the slightest deviation might lead them to failure. I'd be lying if I said I saw this coming. Like everyone I assumed this team was too talented not to make the playoff. I think the problem is the players thought so too. What I didn't like was the sense of entitlement from fans and the team. Josh Beckett predicted 100 wins. Can you imagine Tom Brady saying the Pats should win 15? The Crawford signing turned Sox fans - self included - into pigs in mud, squealing in delight at the delivery of another truck full. Terry is wise to leave. Whatever house cleaning goes on will be messy and he doesn't need it. He'll get a big pay day and full ownership support someplace else. BTW, I don't really blame Sox management for not picking up his option. Even if they thought he was up for the job, would you really want to commit $8 million to a manager who doubted his ability to turn things around? I think both parties made the right decision. On Sat, Oct 1, 2011 at 9:13 AM, Larry Rupp <[email protected]> wrote: > Call it chemistry > > Call it clubhouse comaradery > > But this team lacked the will and edge we had even last year to win. You > started to see it in Spring Training and it permeated into the season. > September just made it publicly viewable but it was there all along. > > My read is Tito was dealing with players complaining about 'stuff' out of > his control - contracts, bus conditions, etc and watching the individuals > point fingers at others rather then themselves. PA - personal > accountability was gone this year. My belief is that because Tito couldn't > change this (or allowed it to happen) he expressed the desire to leave and > give someone else a chance to manage. > > I think he's making the ultimate sacrifice - himself - to get this team to > realize it takes more then individuals to win a WS. It takes a team that > admires more then individual talent. This is a wake up call to the Red Sox > clubhouse. > > He will be sorely missed... > > Sent from Larry's mobile device > > On Oct 1, 2011, at 8:55 AM, Ray Salemi <[email protected]> wrote: > > Her point was that you need it when times get hard. > > I don't know, maybe this was a 1000-year flood. Maybe Theo and Tito are > just creating a narrative for themselves. > > But Tom and Matt and others didn't like this team. Something was > translating out to the fans. > > On Sat, Oct 1, 2011 at 8:29 AM, Dan DiBiase < <[email protected]> > [email protected]> wrote: > >> Personally, I never was aware of any 'spirit' problems when they were >> winning. But then again, I am out of the area and only >> get my info primarily from <http://boston.com>boston.com and Twitter. >> Maybe the local radio had rumors, etc., but I didn't see if. I assumed it >> was >> a 'winning breeds chemistry' kind of thing. Frankly, the items mentioned >> in McMullen's column that was posted yesterday >> didn't seem like a big deal. Tito just seemed really drained at the end of >> this season, physically and emotionally. I wonder, if >> things had settled for a week, if the outcome might have been different. >> >> Frankly, hiring anyone associated with this team - if there really are >> these pervasive issues in the clubhouse - isn't going to >> solve those issues. You would really need to bring in a guy like a >> Valentine of Larry Bowa to really shake things up for a couple >> of years. >> >> Dan D >> Central NJ USA >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> *From:* Ray Salemi < <[email protected]>[email protected]> >> *To:* <[email protected]>[email protected] >> *Sent:* Friday, September 30, 2011 11:14 PM >> >> *Subject:* Re: Tito/Theo Press Conference >> >> I thought it was interesting that they saw the same spirit problems with >> this team as you guys. >> >> On Fri, Sep 30, 2011 at 7:05 AM, Dan DiBiase < <[email protected]> >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >> What I found interesting was the idea that Tito isn't sure he WANTS to be >> back. I guess I assumed he did. But with >> the stress, maybe he'd rather run another smaller market club. Not sure >> what openings there will be this year. >> >> Dan D >> Central NJ USA >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> *From:* Ray Salemi < <[email protected]>[email protected]> >> *To:* <[email protected]>[email protected] >> *Sent:* Friday, September 30, 2011 1:26 AM >> *Subject:* Re: Tito/Theo Press Conference >> >> This was tremendously helpful in understanding what goes on in running a >> team. >> >> On Thu, Sep 29, 2011 at 9:05 PM, Tom Salemi < <[email protected]> >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >> If you've got a half hour it's worth a listen. Confirmed a lot of what we >> talked about, shortcomings in the club house, problems with conditioning, >> etc. >> >> At one point Theo said he's got respect for "most of the guys in that club >> house." Interesting. >> >> >> <http://audio.weei.com/a/46531250/theo-epstein-terry-francona-post-season-press-conference.htm> >> http://audio.weei.com/a/46531250/theo-epstein-terry-francona-post-season-press-conference.htm >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Red Sox Citizens" group. >> To post to this group, send email to <[email protected]> >> [email protected]. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> <redsoxcitizens%[email protected]> >> [email protected]. >> For more options, visit this group at >> <http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en> >> http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. >> >> >> >> >> -- >> Author of Confessions of a Good >> Mother<http://www.amazon.com/Confessions-Good-Mother-ebook/dp/B005LSR57W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315785606&sr=8-1>: >> The story of an assassin and mom who struggles with life balance issues. >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Red Sox Citizens" group. >> To post to this group, send email to <[email protected]> >> [email protected]. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> <redsoxcitizens%[email protected]> >> [email protected]. >> For more options, visit this group at >> <http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en> >> http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. >> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Red Sox Citizens" group. >> To post to this group, send email to <[email protected]> >> [email protected]. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> <redsoxcitizens%[email protected]> >> [email protected]. >> For more options, visit this group at >> <http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en> >> http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. >> >> >> >> >> -- >> Author of Confessions of a Good >> Mother<http://www.amazon.com/Confessions-Good-Mother-ebook/dp/B005LSR57W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315785606&sr=8-1>: >> The story of an assassin and mom who struggles with life balance issues. >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Red Sox Citizens" group. >> To post to this group, send email to <[email protected]> >> [email protected]. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> <redsoxcitizens%[email protected]> >> [email protected]. >> For more options, visit this group at >> <http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en> >> http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. >> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Red Sox Citizens" group. >> To post to this group, send email to <[email protected]> >> [email protected]. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> <redsoxcitizens%[email protected]> >> [email protected]. >> For more options, visit this group at >> <http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en> >> http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. >> > > > > -- > Author of Confessions of a Good > Mother<http://www.amazon.com/Confessions-Good-Mother-ebook/dp/B005LSR57W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315785606&sr=8-1>: > The story of an assassin and mom who struggles with life balance issues. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Red Sox Citizens" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Red Sox Citizens" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Red Sox Citizens" group. 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