More "Damon Sucks" Nonsense

Thanks to the plight of one Boston area woman, the "Johnny Damon as Traitor" story is rehashed yet again.

From the article:

"What Damon did is just the ultimate betrayal in baseball," she said in a telephone interview from her home in New Bedford. "I don't see how it could not be considered that."

Fans of the Boston Red Sox need to stop this nonsense. We're sick of it. The Red Sox didn't draft Johnny Damon. They didn't cultivate him in their minor league system (a system that was non-existent during the Duquette era), eagerly watching his progress through the ranks until he made his debut in Fenway Park. They merely outbid everyone else for Damon's services when he became a free agent in 2001, giving him a 4-year/$31M contract.

So why is Boston still surprised that Damon, whose hardly the posterboy for something like loyalty, left the Red Sox to sign with another team for more money? Because it's the Yankees? Come on, Boston, either get real, a life or a clue. Do something, because this whole "Boston-New York" thing stopped being interesting nearly 2 years ago, after the Red Sox overcame a 3-0 deficit and beat the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS before moving on to sweep the Cardinals to win their first World Series title in 86 years.

That was supposed to be the end of it, right? I mean, we were all supposed to move on and enjoy life again. Apparently, some of us didn't get the memo.

Belichick's Chick?

Bill Belichick is a defensive genius. He's also a mastermind when it comes to game-planning for an opponent, and is currently the NFL's top head coach. There's simply no denying that when one thinks of Bill Belichick, an image of him hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy is usually the first to appear.

The Boston Herald's Inside Track is showing a different side to the Patriots head coach, though, one where the coach has hosted the wife of Vincent Shenocca, a self-employed New Jersey construction worker, at various events. Bon Jovi concerts, summer homes in exclusive parts of New Jersey, and even Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston.

If the story is true, and Bill Belichick is the "other man" in this couple's divorce case, it's certainly going to be an ugly footnote (like his forgettable days in Cleveland, and his day as head coach of the New York Jets) to his distinguished career.

As for how it'll impact the New England Patriots, my guess is that it'll have zero impact on the team. Belichick is the ultimate taskmaster, and if he can coach the Patriots to a Super Bowl win (in 2004) while separating from his wife and family, he can certainly work through his name appearing in gossipy tabloids.