Bob Lobel: Calling All Mothers For Red Sox Nation
Wednesday, May 08, 2013
That sign in Toronto during their first home hockey playoff game in almost a decade, just triggered nothing but anger and everything that goes with it. I would just like to chalk it up to inexperience of fans at a post-season event. There is no other answer. That was my initial reaction followed by “don’t make us prove it” state of mind. I consider that as an example of bringing out the worst in me, personally. The logic is, if we react and act with equal vitriol, we become them. I believe that. I also think they apparently just didn’t get the “Boston Strong” thing.
“Boston Strong” is a slogan to describe a state of mind and a culture that goes way beyond a hockey game. The sign in Toronto was not OK. Now, lets see if it repeats itself. If so, they have a problem. Have to believe most Torontonians don’t want to be defined by the holding of that sign. Ill advised at best. But, hey, it's Mothers day. For some unexplained reason, Father's Day is so far away from competing with Mother's Day that they should just abolish it. Father's Day is right up there with Groundhog Day or Flag day or Secretaries Day, and way behind Columbus Day. Enough.
The cool thing about Mother's Day around here is the Red Sox are usually in first place… then it's all down hill from there. Remember I'm talking about past teams that had high expectations and a very neurotic fan base. It seems that events over the past two seasons have changed both ends of the equation. The fans seem much calmer and also enjoying the product more. The product, i.e. the team, seems to be a dirt dog, lunch pail group with a spread of age and youth led by a John Wayne figure instead of a Mickey Rooney guy.
They are winning games this year that would have been easily lost last year. They are coming back in games, the are getting walk-off wins, they have surprising power and players who are just beginning to show why they are here (see Stephen Drew). Yes, of course, there are a few uniforms that seem to attract the Bob Stanley boo birds. Seems that every year, someone gets that role, like it or not. And yes, they usually live in the bullpen and die on the mound.. The point is simply, all in all, while it's far from perfection, it is a team with a chance to do something special. Every Mother's Day brings that optimism out in us—in first place by Mother's Day, and who the hell knows where by Father's Day.
Who the hell knows when Father's Day is anyway?
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