50 replies to this topic

[AlNipper49]

I thought this was too awesome to be restricted to P&G

Beckett's postgame comments re: his ex-girlfriend singing the Anthem


(original posting credit to mt8)

[5belongstoGeorge]

He's a natural born assassin. Bob Gibson has to be smiling back in Omaha.

[Catch Me Bruno]

Thanks Nip! I read that piece on Beckett this morning on Boston.com and ate it up.

[bmacfarlane]

He flat doesn't take prisoners. Where do they get these "journalist" from. That's a Stuttering John type question, she must not have watched the game.

[sfip]

Unfortunately the volume on my work computer is very low and can't be increased, even after I raise the volume on the youtube screen to the top. Can someone post a transcript of that clip? Thanks.

[ObstructedView]

Unfortunately the volume on my work computer is very low and can't be increased, even after I raise the volume on the youtube screen to the top. Can someone post a transcript of that clip? Thanks.

"I don't get paid to make those fucking decisions. She's a friend of mine. Thanks for flying one of my friends to the game so she can watch it for free."

[dcmissle]

He's a natural born assassin. Bob Gibson has to be smiling back in Omaha.

This may be a hijack -- but what the hell: In every post-season game he starts, Beckett removes the "crapshoot" element, putting the lie to the contention that there is no such thing as "clutch". There is nothing "random" about this -- Josh Beckett is a once-in-a-generation pitcher when the money is on the line.

Theo deserves a lot of credit re-upping Beckett on the relative cheap (3 for 30) last year. But this FO is nuts if it lets Josh get anywhere near FA, where he likely would command from some contender more money than any other pitcher in MLB -- and justifiably so. In Beckett's case, they can take their "no long term contracts for pitchers" philosphy and burn it. I'd be on the phone with Beckett's agent about an extension after the WS. If JD Drew is worth 70 for 5 to them ... well you can figure it out.

[Joe D Reid]

This may be a hijack -- but what the hell: In every post-season game he starts, Beckett removes the "crapshoot" element, putting the lie to the contention that there is no such thing as "clutch". There is nothing "random" about this -- Josh Beckett is a once-in-a-generation pitcher when the money is on the line.

It is a hijack. There probably is no such thing as clutch. There is, however, such a thing as extremely good.

Josh Beckett is extremely good.

[dcmissle]

It is a hijack. There probably is no such thing as clutch. There is, however, such a thing as extremely good.

Josh Beckett is extremely good.

Is CC Sabathia "extremely good"? And if he is, how would you choose between him and Beckett and why, if you had to win one game?

[mt8thsw9th]

I put this up on Youtube as sort of a rush job (in quality, largely since I wanted to get it on the board ASAP), and didn't really tag it with anything that will get a ton of hits. 1500 hits so far, and I'm sure quite a few more as this makes the rounds this morning. I really wish I recorded the response at FOX 25 after this, as they cut away right after that and apologized. I don't have the Micro SD card for my new phone, so I only had 30 seconds to work with.

The funniest Boston sports postgame interview since Belichick dropped an F-bomb during a postgame last winter.

[Joe D Reid]

Is CC Sabathia "extremely good"? And if he is, how would you choose between him and Beckett and why, if you had to win one game?

I don't want to further hijack, so to get back in the spirit of the thread, I'd pick Beckett, because he cusses more fluently. I promise, we'll hash out the clutch/no clutch issue for the 4,000th time during the offseason--that thread usually shows up around Thanksgiving.

[dcmissle]

I don't want to further hijack, so to get back in the spirit of the thread, I'd pick Beckett, because he cusses more fluently. I promise, we'll hash out the clutch/no clutch issue for the 4,000th time during the offseason--that thread usually shows up around Thanksgiving.

The cussing is beautiful. This is hilarious. Thank you Al; mt, you did a public service.

[Mourning Woodward Jr]

Where do they get these "journalist" from. That's a Stuttering John type question

... not too far from a Stuttering John delivery, too.

Beckett, apparently, uses from the playbook emplyed used by John Thompson Jr., among others -- when asked a moronic question, drop an f-bomb or two or three to make your response nearly unprintable (without liberal use of ellipses).

Some of you said recently that Suzyn Waldman has set the progress of female journalists back a few decades -- if so, the Beckett "interview" doesn't help bring things back in the right direction.

[Doza]

Some of you said recently that Suzyn Waldman has set the progress of female journalists back a few decades -- if so, the Beckett "interview" doesn't help bring things back in the right direction.

Actually I think it does. Don't ask stupid questions, and you won't get stupid answers.

[dcmissle]

It was a cheap stunt, followed by a stupid question and a perfect response.

[educatedcheese]

... I really wish I recorded the response at FOX 25 after this, as they cut away right after that and apologized...

The funniest Boston sports postgame interview since Belichick dropped an F-bomb during a postgame last winter.

You mean local TV stations still air Becks live? Wow, they really haven't been paying attention. You can go live with Belichick and it's worth the risk, but a Beckett press conference has like a 99.9% chance of featuring multiple expertly -- seamlessly, effortlessly -- employed expletives.

This is now my second favorite Beckett media response, just shy of the one in March when JWH sent him over to Daytona to plug the Roush-Fenway racing partnership, and in response to being asked to explain to New Englanders what there is that's so great about NASCAR, he said "It's one of the few sports where you can take a full nap right in the middle of it and still get to see the end of the race. And it's always on Sundays, which is always a great napping day..." I love this kid.

[5belongstoGeorge]

There probably is no such thing as clutch.

I can't wait until Thanksgiving to inform you that you are wrong... If there is no such thing as clutch then there is no such thing as choke. Both exist, and not just in the sports world either. To even hint that they don't exist reveals a lack of reality based thinking that is difficult to even comprehend, let alone quantify.

I've even read that the Moses of Stats, Bill James, believes in clutch. < 5btG logs off SoSH while he shakes his head in bemused disdain at the Stat-zealots>

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

It was a cheap stunt, followed by a stupid question and a perfect response.

I honestly think it was not a cheap stunt. I do believe that the Indians had no idea this girl was Beckett's ex-girlfriend. How the heck would anyone really know that beforehand? She was a last-minute replacement, she's a country singer and she's from the area. It made sense to call her in. I do think it was a massive coincidence.

[PedroKsBambino]

Maybe, but the info that she was his ex was available here well before the game, so you do you have to ask whether the Indians became aware of it as well don't you?

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

Maybe, but the info that she was his ex was available here well before the game, so you do you have to ask whether the Indians became aware of it as well don't you?

If I'm a panicky PR guy in the Indians' front office and my anthem singer has just backed out, I'm not going to have the time nor the inclination to see who my replacement singer was shtupping last year. I'm just gonna get her to the game. I have to think they had far better things to worry about than sticking it to Beckett in this fashion.

How many of us knew who Beckett dates anyway? She's not Alyssa Milano after all.

[LahoudOrBillyC]

I think it was a coincidence. The anthem is supposed to be celebrating the country and, by extension, the game. Who cares who the singer is rooting for, really? If the Red Sox brought in and Indians fan to sing in Game Six, I honestly could not give a rat's ass.

[PedroKsBambino]

If I'm a panicky PR guy in the Indians' front office and my anthem singer has just backed out, I'm not going to have the time nor the inclination to see who my replacement singer was shtupping last year. I'm just gonna get her to the game. I have to think they had far better things to worry about than sticking it to Beckett in this fashion.

If you are a PR director and you are unaware of the PR impact of the people you choose for these things you'll be unemployed very soon, however. Sorry, but it doesn't hold water to say they shouldn't have the same knowledge about what they are putting forward that the average basement-dwelling internet dweeb has. These teams all research the people they put forward for such things, that's very, very basic.

I don't know that there was any intent, mind you, but failing to see this issue when the entire internet did is very poor PR management. So, I think saying 'it's a coincidence' and 'it was sloppy and shouldn't have happened' in no way conflict here.

Edited by PedroKsBambino, 19 October 2007 - 09:56 AM.

[LahoudOrBillyC]

No, I am sure the PR guy knew as soon as everyone else knew yesterday morning. I read a quote from the guy yesterday drinking my morning coffee. At which point, in my opinion, the guy should have ignored the issue and gone on to other matters.

[PedroKsBambino]

I think that's not how a PR guy should see that issue, though. Not that he should care about the Red Sox pitcher's feelings mind you, but his job is to make the Indians look like a classy organization (which, Lofton excluded, I believe they are and have been for years now). Instead, by doing it this way he leaves the impression---accurately or not---that they did this to play games with Beckett and generates headline stories on all the sports websites about this issue.

It's not that I care a great deal (or think Beckett cares) it's that a PR guy is supposed to see exactly this kind of issue and be sure it doesn't occur and harm his team's image isn't it?

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

Do you really think this has harmed the team's image? As far as I can tell the universal reaction has been utter amusement.

I really believe this is no big deal. And Beckett's reaction after the game certainly leads along those lines.

[mt8thsw9th]

Do you really think this has harmed the team's image? As far as I can tell the universal reaction has been utter amusement.

I really believe this is no big deal. And Beckett's reaction after the game certainly leads along those lines.

Yeah, based on the comments the video has received, by and large people find the comment hilarious, and the only ones who are leaving comment disparaging the video and/or trolling comments are Indian fans. There's been multiple "what a jerk, blah blah, good luck losing tomorrow" type posts which have miraculously disappeared.

Basically, I highly doubt this turns anyone against the Red Sox or Josh Beckett.

Edit - well apparently I completely misinterpreted whose "image" was going to be affected by this.

And yes, I think people will think it's a bit tacky, but I doubt it will draw the acrimony a tacky PR stunt like, say, having Bucky Dent throw out the first pitcher against the Red Sox would.

Edited by mt8thsw9th, 19 October 2007 - 10:24 AM.

[The Allented Mr Ripley]

If you are a PR director and you are unaware of the PR impact of the people you choose for these things you'll be unemployed very soon, however. Sorry, but it doesn't hold water to say they shouldn't have the same knowledge about what they are putting forward that the average basement-dwelling internet dweeb has. These teams all research the people they put forward for such things, that's very, very basic.

Your sanctimony withers before the white-hot glow that emanates from Dr. Charles Steinberg.

[LahoudOrBillyC]

It's not that I care a great deal (or think Beckett cares) it's that a PR guy is supposed to see exactly this kind of issue and be sure it doesn't occur and harm his team's image isn't it?

I guess I don't see how the Indians were harmed. He got a singer to sing the anthem, she sang it well. It was a brief story, likely forgotten in 10 minutes.

[dcmissle]

Do you really think this has harmed the team's image? As far as I can tell the universal reaction has been utter amusement.

I really believe this is no big deal. And Beckett's reaction after the game certainly leads along those lines.

I was unaware of the circumstances of her appearance and withdraw my cheap stunt remark. The Indians generally seem to be a classy and extremely well run organization.

[PedroKsBambino]

That's a very inaccurate characterization of how it's been reported, SJH.

Teams have been known to go to extraordinary lengths to get an edge. But the Cleveland Indians swear Thursday night's choice of pre-game singer is not a piece of gamesmanship.

Danielle Peck, a country music singer who also happened to date Red Sox ace pitcher Josh Beckett, will sing the national anthem and "God Bless America" at tonight's Game 5 in Cleveland. Beckett is scheduled to start the game for Boston.

"It's an incredible coincidence. Honestly," said Indians spokesman Bob DiBiasio.

ESPN

More...

Cleveland Plain Dealer

Don't see 'amusment' there and, more to the point, it's not the kind of report a PR person is trying to accomplish. I just think it's very obvious that PR people don't want stories like this. I really doubt if you asked Mark Shapiro that he'd say he wanted this story out there gameday either---or risk that it fired up Beckett or someone else. Likely? No...but can you really say he's happy about this occurrence? I doubt it.

Mind you, I find it amusing personally. But I also would be very upset if my PR staff had created a baloney issue like this before a big playoff game, too. I think people here are confusing "should it have happened" with "how much do I really care?"

Seems to me it is a mistake, not an intentional one, and not any huge thing. But also something which they should have foreseen better and addressed better, too. As I noted earlier, the Indians are not the kind of organization who would play games on this stuff, and that reputation reflects not doing things like this often/ever. Which is kind of the point, isn't it?

Edited by PedroKsBambino, 19 October 2007 - 10:26 AM.

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

That's a very inaccurate characterization of how it's been reported, SJH.

Did you miss this from the ESPN article?

Taylor Swift was supposed to be the Game 5 vocalist, but when she couldn't attend, DiBiasio said a country music booker recommended the up-and-coming Peck. She is from Coshocton and her single "I Don't" is a hit.

She was a backup choice. It's a coincidence. There's absolutely nothing to see here. Maybe the Indians are not happy about it or whatever, but this is the smallest of small potatoes. It will be forgotten about by tomorrow night.

An embarrassment would be playing "Here I Go Again on My Own" like the White Sox did at Comisky as Chuck Finley (having filed for divorce from Tawny Kitaen 3 days prior) warmed up to start there. Their PA guy got fired for that, and rightly so.

[mabrowndog]

The clip is hilarious. And apologies by the station aside, I don't think Fox25 was at all displeased that it aired. It was tremendous to hear it live.

I honestly think it was not a cheap stunt. I do believe that the Indians had no idea this girl was Beckett's ex-girlfriend. How the heck would anyone really know that beforehand? She was a last-minute replacement, she's a country singer and she's from the area. It made sense to call her in. I do think it was a massive coincidence.

Here's what I found by going to DaniellePeck.com and clicking "Gallery":



At the very least, this is laziness and stupidity by the Indians promotions and marketing people. I mean, her site is the first google result. It took me all of two mouse clicks to find this. She may not have been signed up with knowledge that she and Beckett had boned down in the past, but how fucking hard is it to see if you might embarrass yourself and your team by bringing in an anthem singer so blatantly displaying the other team's logo? Whether it actually caused any harm in the aftermath is irrelevant -- why would you put your team in this light to begin with?

And I love the "last minute replacement" argument. Yeah, right. The home of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame -- a metro area with more than 5 million people -- and you can't find someone?

Yes, in the end it's yet another harmless event. But I love laughing at and deriding the incompetence of those who screw the pooch in the easiest of non-rocket-science endeavors, and this is the second boneheaded and moronic pre-game ceremony decision of the ALCS.

[5belongstoGeorge]

Yes, in the end it's yet another harmless event. But I love laughing at and deriding the incompetence of those who screw the pooch in the easiest of non-rocket-science endeavors, and this is the second boneheaded and moronic pre-game ceremony decision of the ALCS.

The Cowsills in 2004 being the most moronic decision ever in the history of baseball.

[The Allented Mr Ripley]

No, that godawful Terry Cashman song as the WS banner was raised was the easily the worst. It's even more unforgiveable considering the Boston Pops were already there. That's like having Pauly Shore giving a dissertation on nuclear physics while Niels Bohr sits beside him.

[Foulkey Reese]

No, that godawful Terry Cashman song as the WS banner was raised was the easily the worst. It's even more unforgiveable considering the Boston Pops were already there. That's like having Pauly Shore giving a dissertation on nuclear physics while Niels Bohr sits beside him.

I remember Cashman getting KILLED on WEEI for that awful performance and him actually calling in to defend himself. That was some good radio.

"Well lots of people came up to me and told me I did a good job.....so there"

Edited by Foulkey Reese, 19 October 2007 - 10:45 AM.

[PedroKsBambino]

Did you miss this from the ESPN article?

I read it and that's exactly why I said it does not at all suggest what you claimed. Seems to me you are combining your opinion of the issue being minor (which I agree wtih, btw) with the actual coverage.

She was a backup choice. It's a coincidence. There's absolutely nothing to see here. Maybe the Indians are not happy about it or whatever, but this is the smallest of small potatoes. It will be forgotten about by tomorrow night.

My point has been precisely that the Indians likely aren't happy about it. I haven't read people here (and certainly I have not) suggested it is anything but small potatoes. But those are different issues, too.

The point to me is that your PR staff is paid to prevent silly stories like this from taking coverage away from the things you want covered. I'd be very surprised if any of the people here in PR disagree on this. That is entirely different, though, from saying this thing is a big deal...it's not.

[LahoudOrBillyC]

Seriously, 'dog, who cares if the anthem singer is a Red Sox fan? Have the Red Sox had anthem singers who were Yankee fans in the past? I would bet anything they have. Should a PR director ask for the affiliation of the anthem singer? Christ, I hope not.

I am amused by comments saying, "Of course, *I* don't care about such stuff, but ..." That's the point, no one cares about such stuff. In order to convince myself that this was a PR error, I need hear at least one single person say, "*I* was personally insulted by this action."

If the Red Sox had done a similar thing, I would assume it was on purpose and intended to insult the other team.

[LoweSox]

Shots of Beckett during the 7th inning last night:





How cool is this guy? It's the 7th inning of an elimination game in the ALCS and he looks absolutely bored.

I suppose that Beckett's error did come in the bottom of the inning, but besides that, two innings of hitless ball with 2 Ks--and at the end of the game--is a mighty way to roll your eyes.

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

Seriously, 'dog, who cares if the anthem singer is a Red Sox fan? Have the Red Sox had anthem singers who were Yankee fans in the past? I would bet anything they have. Should a PR director ask for the affiliation of the anthem singer? Christ, I hope not.

I am amused by comments saying, "Of course, *I* don't care about such stuff, but ..." That's the point, no one cares about such stuff. In order to convince myself that this was a PR error, I need hear at least one single person say, "*I* was personally insulted by this action."

If the Red Sox had done a similar thing, I would assume it was on purpose and intended to insult the other team.

Didn't the Sox have Spike Lee, noted Yankees fan, throw out the first pitch at Fenway once?

[PedroKsBambino]

Pretty sure they did, SJH.

Of course, I don't think most of us would argue that The Dentist is a wonderful example of creating only positive coverage for your team, either.

[Maalox]

I honestly think it was not a cheap stunt. I do believe that the Indians had no idea this girl was Beckett's ex-girlfriend. How the heck would anyone really know that beforehand? She was a last-minute replacement, she's a country singer and she's from the area. It made sense to call her in. I do think it was a massive coincidence.

I agree. Although just based on that clip, I do think her presence bugged him a little. Not saying it affected his performance one iota - but based on his response, my guess is that he wasn't crazy to see her there.

[sfip]

Bruce Springsteen did a concert in Fenway. Do you really think anyone cared that he's a major MFY fan?

[Otis Foster]

Beckett is indeed a piece of work. I hadn't seen this before, from Rosenthal on Fox:

When Beckett barked at Indians left fielder Kenny Lofton and Lofton chirped back and the benches cleared Thursday night, plate umpire Gary Cederstrom jumped in front of the pitcher, telling him, "Not a word, not a word, not a word."

Beckett complied, escaped a two-on, two-out jam later in the inning, then walked off the field and told an Indians fan behind the Red Sox dugout to "Go ---- yourself."

If the RS don't roll the dice and go long term with him, they're nuts.

[86spike]

I agree. Although just based on that clip, I do think her presence bugged him a little. Not saying it affected his performance one iota - but based on his response, my guess is that he wasn't crazy to see her there.

I think the annoyance was based on not wanting to talk about his personal life with sports reporters.

Obviously the topic would havenever come up had she not been there, so I guess her presence was the true root of the annoyance... but I think he was annoyed at the reporter who asked him (it probably wasn't the first he'd heard about it either), not at her presence or at the Indians for hiring her.

[MentalDisabldLst]

I think the Red Sox should find Fausto Carmona's 3rd-grade teacher and get her to sing the anthem on saturday. and the 7th inning stretch. bonus points if she can't even carry a tune in a paper bag.

[bmacfarlane]

Why change what's working, bring back Beckett's old girlfriend.

[smastroyin]

I don't think this was gamesmanship in any way on Cleveland's part, but I do think the Red Sox should stick them in a hotel in Quincy, serve them lousy late night food, and then blame the Head of the Charles.

[mostman]

Why change what's working, bring back Beckett's old girlfriend.

Now that would be absolutely hilarious. If she sings the Anthem in Boston for 6 I will then know that the Red Sox lack not a sense of humor.

[E5 Yaz]

Why change what's working, bring back Beckett's old girlfriend.

Considering the starting pitcher for the Red Sox on Saturday, wouldn't the appropriate first-ball thrower be Randy Johnson?

[bmacfarlane]

Considering the starting pitcher for the Red Sox on Saturday, wouldn't the appropriate first-ball thrower be Randy Johnson?

I think Joe Torre would be best.

edit:Sorry E5 I initally missed the humor, I think you are correct.

Edited by bmacfarlane, 19 October 2007 - 12:38 PM.