Spring Break
Athlete Antics, gone too far
Adam Loghides
Issue date: 7/2/08 Section: Sports
Is there something in the water in Houston?
Last week Astro's pitcher Shawn Chacon performed his best Hulk Hogan imitation, taking down his general manager in the clubhouse cafeteria. Now Red Sox embattled - and sometimes ridiculous - left fielder Manny Ramirez is in the news for a similar attack, this one taking place in Houston where the Red Sox were playing a three-game interleague series this past weekend.
According to reports, Ramirez grabbed his team's traveling secretary, Jack McCormick, and threw him to the ground just hours before their game on Saturday. Why?
Because Ramirez decided two hours before first pitch that he needed an extra sixteen tickets to that day's game. When McCormick responded to Ramirez' request with, "That could be a problem," Ramirez shot back with, "Just do your job."
George Costanza was the last traveling secretary to get this much run. What a thankless job that is - you get no publicity at all and nobody even knows that your job exists, except for the fact that a quirky, bald, funny guy played one on a popular TV show.
The sense of entitlement that these pro athletes have nowadays is ridiculous.
First, take Chacon. He has a lifetime record of 45-61 and was a starting pitcher - and pitched horribly - for a bottom-tier team. When asked to move to the bullpen, he refused. When told to go to the manager's office, he refused. In what has to be the best GM move of the week, two days later Chacon was released. Amen.
I hope his efforts to find a team that will sign him come to an end with those teams refusing to return his calls. Two words for Shawn Chacon: career over.
Saturday's game in Houston was sold out, as are most Red Sox games, whether at home or on the road. Ramirez' demand for 16 tickets was ludicrous, but does he realize that - or even care? I doubt it.
Do you think Ramirez has ever been told "no" to any question he has asked since becoming a pro? I doubt that as well.
The stigma that pro athletes expect everything to be handed to them on a silver platter exists for a reason. A majority of these guys expect free golf, dinner, drinks, etc. Nothing says "deserving of free stuff" like making over $1 million a year, right?
In the past I have backed Ramirez in these types of situations. When he ducked into the Green Monster to relieve himself two years ago, I said, "Hey, that's Manny being Manny." And, while playing left field, he once cut off a throw from center field to shortstop - "Manny being Manny."
Ramirez is a future Hall-of-Famer; he has over 500 home runs and two world championship rings. Given the dugout fight with teammate Kevin Youkilis last month, the team should cut him, but they won't. If it were a back-up middle infielder with a lifetime average of .255, they would.
You know, dropping the traveling secretary because he can't get you a row of tickets two hours before game time - that's just Manny being… stupid.
Last week Astro's pitcher Shawn Chacon performed his best Hulk Hogan imitation, taking down his general manager in the clubhouse cafeteria. Now Red Sox embattled - and sometimes ridiculous - left fielder Manny Ramirez is in the news for a similar attack, this one taking place in Houston where the Red Sox were playing a three-game interleague series this past weekend.
According to reports, Ramirez grabbed his team's traveling secretary, Jack McCormick, and threw him to the ground just hours before their game on Saturday. Why?
Because Ramirez decided two hours before first pitch that he needed an extra sixteen tickets to that day's game. When McCormick responded to Ramirez' request with, "That could be a problem," Ramirez shot back with, "Just do your job."
George Costanza was the last traveling secretary to get this much run. What a thankless job that is - you get no publicity at all and nobody even knows that your job exists, except for the fact that a quirky, bald, funny guy played one on a popular TV show.
The sense of entitlement that these pro athletes have nowadays is ridiculous.
First, take Chacon. He has a lifetime record of 45-61 and was a starting pitcher - and pitched horribly - for a bottom-tier team. When asked to move to the bullpen, he refused. When told to go to the manager's office, he refused. In what has to be the best GM move of the week, two days later Chacon was released. Amen.
I hope his efforts to find a team that will sign him come to an end with those teams refusing to return his calls. Two words for Shawn Chacon: career over.
Saturday's game in Houston was sold out, as are most Red Sox games, whether at home or on the road. Ramirez' demand for 16 tickets was ludicrous, but does he realize that - or even care? I doubt it.
Do you think Ramirez has ever been told "no" to any question he has asked since becoming a pro? I doubt that as well.
The stigma that pro athletes expect everything to be handed to them on a silver platter exists for a reason. A majority of these guys expect free golf, dinner, drinks, etc. Nothing says "deserving of free stuff" like making over $1 million a year, right?
In the past I have backed Ramirez in these types of situations. When he ducked into the Green Monster to relieve himself two years ago, I said, "Hey, that's Manny being Manny." And, while playing left field, he once cut off a throw from center field to shortstop - "Manny being Manny."
Ramirez is a future Hall-of-Famer; he has over 500 home runs and two world championship rings. Given the dugout fight with teammate Kevin Youkilis last month, the team should cut him, but they won't. If it were a back-up middle infielder with a lifetime average of .255, they would.
You know, dropping the traveling secretary because he can't get you a row of tickets two hours before game time - that's just Manny being… stupid.
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