Ok, I'm no Walt Whitman and Jason Varitek is no Abraham Lincoln, but - truth be told, I just couldn't help myself. :-)
So, unless you live under a rock, you've probably heard the news: Our big C, Jason Varitek, will remain with the Red Sox for 2009! You all know I have a soft spot for Tek, so I had to come out of my blogging hibernation to make mention. I don't want to hear any whining about his batting average last year, I don't want to hear any complaining that he can't reach Dustin on the fly. Save it - because, having Jason on my team gives me some kind of unexplained, warm, cozy feeling of normalcy and overall comfort that "everything's going to be all right".
It's not as if he hasn't made his contributions - he's a two-time World Series champ, for crying out loud - the only catcher in baseball to receive 4 no-no's. That's not a coincidence, you non-believers, that's talent. Tek deserves another crack at it (pun intended) to step up to the plate (pun intended again) and show us he wants to be a Red Sox player, that he has what it takes. I believe we'll see great things from Tek again this year, they may not be as tangible as (dare I mention his name?) Manny's batting average - but, I've no doubt whatsoever that he brings something to Red Sox Nation that is just as important - leadership, talent, a love for Red Sox baseball unsurpassed by most. So, let's not piss and moan about it - like we do the miserable weather this time of year - let's embrace him, rally around him, believe in him - as he believes in us, and has for 11 seasons. If you can't muster the enthusiasm - then look at it this way: Who else was there? Who'd you rather have had? Posada? Over my dead, Yankee-Hater body. :-)
In other Red Sox news, Truck Day is Friday, February 6. Hang in there, folks - this, even more than that poor woodchuck they pull out of that stump each year, helps to get me through these last dismal, pathetic, ice-encrusted weeks of winter!
Finally - in other sports news: My favorite Superbowl commercial:
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