My earliest real memories of baseball fandom involve the 1978 Boston Red Sox. Things didn't end very well for that terrific team, but one of the guys on that team imprinted on me, and stayed with me for five decades.
But to a little fella who happened to play second base, the guy who occupied that position for his favorite team was way more than just a guy. Remy begat Marty Barrett begat Jody Reed begat Jose Offerman ultimately begat Dustin Pedroia. Those are my guys.
Remy's second act was likely more impactful than his first. After retiring from the Sox in 1984, he took over as the color commentator on the Sox' flagship network in 1988. With his combination of playing experience, New England upbringing and accent, and ready laughter, Remy was beloved across Red Sox Nation.
He was first diagnosed with cancer in 2009, and dealt with fully seven different recurrences of that motherfucker. He threw out the first pitch of the AL Wild Card game on October 5, just 25 days before cancer claimed his life.
Back in the early part of the century, I had the MLB Extra Innings package, and I probably listened to Remy and Don Orsillo call 50-60 Sox games a year. Their chemistry was spectacular, and reached the sublimely ridiculous on many an occasion, as the Boston Herald catalogued in 2015.
For my money, two moments stand out. In the first, Sox roving reporter Dan Roche tells what we'd call today a Dad joke. And it sends Remy into apoplectic spasms of laughter to the point that he can't finish the inning. It's just the best.
In this next clip, Lenny Clarke and Denis Leary joined Remy and Orsillo in the booth for an extended stretch. At about the 10 minute mark, Leary realized that Kevin Youkilis was Jewish, and an already funny segment was elevated. And Jerry Remy could not keep his shit together.
RIP, Jerry Remy, and thanks for the years of joy.
Here's to the RemDawg, taken too soon.
ReplyDeleteI, too, had the Extra Innings package back then, and I watched a lot of Sox games in addition to the Mets losses. I am pretty sure I saw one, if not both, of those clips live. Classics.
I had no idea the Remdog died. Our friends got a dog last week and named him Remy. I suspect this is why.
ReplyDeletePeople really love their baseball announcers, eh?
ReplyDeleteAny fellow residents of the old dominion have any predictions on the next governor in our commonwealth?
i predict we won't have a winner on tuesday night and loudoun county will go heavily for mcauliffe, which will cause eleventybillion cries of fraud from the dipshits who think the loudoun school board fuckery is an organic phenomenon.
ReplyDeleteOne side is incredibly good at generating outrage over manufactured issues.
ReplyDeleteW&M soccer just got a shout-out w Jon Stewart on the Manning-cast.
ReplyDeleteAnd, Rob--you live in the heart of crazy-town for this election, I couldn't handle that.
i saw a still photo of the w&m shoutout. what did he say about it? he's usually pretty self-deprecating on that topic.
ReplyDeletePeyton was joking about his quads, which were pretty jacked in that one photo. He said Jon should have kicked for the football team. Jon said that soccer was cruder back then and players could use their hands. Peyton lost it and started dying laughing. Stewart should’ve given a Steve Christie shout-out.
ReplyDeleteYoungkin is going to win and McAuliffe has nobody to blame but himself. You can’t win when your entire message is “That guy in the vest likes Trump”.
ReplyDeletemarls ain't wrong
ReplyDeleteIt’s been a pretty awful campaign. I think Terry squeaks it out, but with critical race theory and Toni Morrison books as an animating issue, who the fuck knows?
ReplyDeleteknightwolf got his first floor time for minnesota last night. grabbed a board, was +1 in one minute of play. baby steps.
ReplyDeleteRob, I notice you left Mark Bellhorn off the list above. I know he didn’t log the games that the others did, but he was “one of the 25” and played a decent role down the stretch. Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteIs Bellhorn short though?
ReplyDeleteIn old guy news, I think my rec league basketball days may finally be coming to a close. My team lost in the finals of our 40+ league last night when our other guard pulled (possibly tore) his calf and one of our big men played awful after being out of town for a month.
ReplyDeletePart of me wants to come back for at least one more season to finish with a win but I also find myself not nearly as excited about these league games as I once was. Don't get me wrong, I still love to play basketball and am so grateful to have my weekly pickup run back (I'd like two nights) but I don't know if I have the competitive fire to deal with all the BS that comes with playing in a league anymore(shitty refs, guys taking it WAY too seriously, etc). On top of that, the league is about a half hour away, so it's a nearly 3 hour commitment for me on Monday nights. Anywho, I have until after the holidays to decide. I'll probably come back for one more season but I'm definitely not going to play for too much longer.
brevity is the soul of wit, whit.
ReplyDeletemark, i'm taking a season off of men's league soccer because of my own leg issues, but i'm not ready to pack it in. just plan to stop getting old.
I'm not sure whether to envy or pity you guys for your competitive endeavors. I've been moderately tempted to play some footie for the first time in 30 years, but I feel like I'd just be asking for an orthopedic incident of some kind.
ReplyDeleteI'll probably just stick with biking, hiking and lifting and let my juices get flowing when I ride down a big hill or really nail tossing my paper towel into the gym trash can.
Age is a bitch. I have been doing 90-min mountain bike rides near me. We have a fantastic open space area w/ really good trails near where I live. I was out last Saturday and came off a little decline area and landed hard, even w/ front suspension. I stayed on the bike, but it jarred my neck and made me think that maybe this is not a good activity for somebody who had spine surgery two years ago. I’m gonna try and ignore that thought for the timebeing. Not ready to give that up. Or snowboarding.
ReplyDeleteIf I could get two good pickup runs in a week I'd definitely stop the leagues. Pickup with my group is more fun and we go for 2+ hours so it's a great workout.
ReplyDeleteI'm as healthy as I've been in some time after a really rough year and half+ that included a sprained knee (6 weeks of PT), a car accident that resulted in a herniated disc in my neck and a partially torn labrum in my shoulder (much more PT), a broken elbow from outdoor basketball and two broken ribs in the league.
All those injuries and a lack of pickup ball meant I was both very rusty and not healthy enough to play at a level I was happy with until recently. I'm finally starting to feel like myself again (relatively speaking) so I'm sure I'll convince myself to play in the league again but I can see the end of that particular form of basketball in sight. In related news, I just signed up for tennis lessons.
I've been hunting a used mountain bike lately. I don't know that I'd do anything too crazy on it, but I like the idea of riding through the woods.
ReplyDeleteI've been on a bike five or more days a week since I started commuting over 12 years ago, so my balance and instincts are good, but I don't know how I'd do on more challenging terrain.
I'm also going to have to buy some long socks or dorky calf sleeves. My heavier deadlifts keep scraping the skin off my shin.
i was training for an adventure race about six months ago and took a header off my mountain bike that took a big chunk out of my helmet. no concussion, but my ribs and shoulder took a pretty big hit, too. shoulder still isn't really the same. thankfully, strength ain't my game.
ReplyDeletewelcome to 'this week in old man injuries'. our musical guest is les coole and cukes. stick around, we've got a great show!
ReplyDeleteLes Coole and the Groin Pulls
ReplyDeleteMcAuliffe's dancing moves have cost him a few points fer sher.
ReplyDeleteDenver local news is a mess after the Von Miller trade. Yesterday was pure mourning. Tonight, they've pivoted to "we're still 4-4 and Teddy can pick it up," which is pretty delusional.
ReplyDeletei'm not sure what marls was doing on the g:tb machine at 4:55 am, but his tweet was prescient. youngkin's gonna win in virginia.
ReplyDeleteJohn King on the touch-screen on CNN! Not looking good for Terry, unless the Dems increase their Fairfax County ballot stuffing.
ReplyDeleteMarls stuffs.
ReplyDeleteit's over here in the commonwealth, tr. white supremacist outside shoulda told you.
ReplyDeletei drink way too much on election nights
ReplyDeleteMay be over for Phil Murphy in NJ. That is a shocker.
ReplyDeleteCondolences to my left-leaning friends in Virginia. Here in NC it's aces with folks such as inside trader Richard Burr, Trump enabler Thom "Unnecessary H" Tillis, Trumpster Madison "Truth is Elusive" Cawthorn, and a redistricting map several years ago that a Federal Court said was "surgical" in its aim to dilute and dismiss black voters.
ReplyDeleteAnd TR, my buddy who covers Broncos and NFL says Miller trade was great for team. Fangio was never a fan, he wasn't productive, and he would have been a free agent after season, which meant he could have walked and Broncos get nothing, or they would have had to overpay for him. Instead, they offered to cover a chunk of this year's salary, which got them a 2 and a 3 from Rams. Which oughta translate to productive players.
Interesting intel, Dave. I hear you on the Miller trade. But the less sports-savvy folks in town simply see the biggest sports name In the city leaving. It is a Broncos town, far more than anything else.
ReplyDeleteIf Denver finishes 7-10, I’m not sure Fannypack Fangio will be back.