Bob Lobel: Why We Can’t Get Players Like That

Wednesday, May 09, 2012

Bob Lobel, GoLocalWorcester Sports Contributor

Sports legend Bob Lobel.

Just sitting here, trying to decide if I want Roger Clemens to be convicted of perjury for lying to Congress. I can’t bring myself to say yes to this, no matter how hard I try.

I don’t want the best pitcher in Red Sox history, and perhaps, baseball history to go down taking a called third strike. I want him to come out of this unscathed. So for those of you in Congress with nothing better to do than administer lie detector tests, try a few on yourselves if you’re feeling needle happy. Let's get on with more important things to investigate.

As for the Bruins, it just wasn’t their time. I think the phrase is “out of gas,” like nothing left in the tank. How far will Tim Thomas carry you now? No more visits to the White House for you, Tim. Should have gone when you had the chance. Will Thomas make a trip to Washington if Romney is elected? Who the hell knows, better yet, who the hell cares?

It looks like Bobby Valentine is getting a pass this year and, for the record, I have never seen so many fans jump off the boat and become human torpedoes aimed at Theo Epstein. This is an unusual moment of awareness by Boston Red Sox fans.

Usually fans are so emotionally attached to what they perceive as management mistakes, they seldom show any rational behavior. Not in this case. Here, many fans recognize that Dan Duquette left Boston with a far better team than Theo Epstein. The talent left is thin, and the money spent was thick. That’s a bad combo for future teams.

But we are here now. Bobby Valentine is guiding the ship through iceberg filled waters and having one hell of a time. I just wish he would talk to his coaches a little more. He looks like a loner in the dugout. Maybe he is, but he doesn’t need to look like it. It’s a bad dynamic.

On a side note, how many Red Sox fans went home grumbling the other night after spending their hard-earned money to watch an outfielder give up a home run in the 17th inning? Well, at least young Will Middlebrooks has come on strong at third base and given Sox fans something to cheer about. If he keeps this up, I could go with never seeing Kevin Youkilis at third again.

While this is a little late because I haven’t had this opportunity, the 100th Anniversary pre-game show was a work of art. Turnout was so good, we ended up counting who wasn’t there as opposed to who was. A few guys like Boggs didn't make it, but nearly everyone had the chance to come back. Of course, you had Canseco there, showing off his guns and reminding us of the steroid era that he was a huge part of. Maybe he should have stayed at home, or gone to Worcester early.

I would like to leave this on the positive note of the NFL Draft. This was the most impressive year I have ever seen for the local entry in the NFL. The Patriots got to the Super Bowl last year and now, after the draft, they are presumably a better team. We all know why the omnipotent head coach pursued a defensive strategy this year, and it’s because the team’s window of opportunity is closing.

How many more years for Tom Brady if he doesn’t get hurt? I say 4 maximum, and I mean MAXIMUM. If there were ever a player a sports town would want to have forever, it would be Tom Brady. Never has anyone come as close as he has to having it all and seemed so willing to share it. Like Larry Bird, I already miss him and he hasn’t left yet.