Steve Silva

Boston Dirt Dogs. Dirty Water Media. BDC/Boston Globe. Marathon bombing reporting. Broke Aaron Hernandez arrest. Panda Challenge. Wakefield Way. Pulitzer/Murrow

[Steve Silva @stevesilva]

A Call for Boston to Change 'Jersey Street' to ‘Wakefield Way’ to Honor Red Sox Great Tim Wakefield’s Legacy

Please join me in calling on Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and the Boston Public Improvement Commission to approve the name change from “Jersey Street” to “Wakefield Way” on the two-block street outside Fenway Park to honor Boston treasure Tim Wakefield.

Wake personified friend, family, Boston, the Red Sox, and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Tim Wakefield was beloved by every person on planet earth who either met him, or knew of him.

There is no good reason not to do this. Changing from “Yawkey Way” was warranted, but changing back to “Jersey Street” was a hot garbage move.

Here’s a chance to make things right @wutrain.

#WakefieldWay

[Boston Dirt Dogs @BostonDirtDogs]

The undisputed OG of the Tarps Off movement is Rick Melanson of Gardner, MA. In Game 5 of the 2008 ALCS at Fenway Park, the Red Sox were down 7-0 to the Rays in the 7th inning with little hope to stay alive in the series. The park was dead quiet when Melanson suddenly rose from his seat along the right field line and ripped off his shirt, shocking the crowd into action. Inspired by his flabby undulations, the Sox began one of the biggest comebacks in MLB history, resulting in an improbable 8-7 win to send the series back to Tampa Bay. #tarpsoff

[Boston Dirt Dogs @BostonDirtDogs]

CORA! CORA! CORA!
The Attack on Alex Cora

[Boston Dirt Dogs @BostonDirtDogs]

The new NESN scorebug is pretty awesome. You can easily see all the game details, the ad banner, and even the batter. #redsox

[Boston Dirt Dogs @BostonDirtDogs]

Rest in peace Gator. #mvp

[Boston Dirt Dogs @BostonDirtDogs]

LOADED AND LOCKED

[Steve Silva @stevesilva]

Empire Strikes Back

[FOX Sports: MLB @MLBONFOX]

A no-doubter from Roman Anthony! 😮‍💨

📺: FOX

[Steve Silva @stevesilva]

EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

[Red Sox @RedSox]

Roman's there!

[Steve Silva @stevesilva]

Robert Kraft's Mayo Culpa

[New England Patriots @Patriots]

Statement from Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft: https://t.co/2YgHtzzBHK

[Steve Silva @stevesilva]

No big surprise that your friend Curt is not happy with your appearance in the Netflix 2004 Red Sox doc. @Dan_Shaughnessy

[Steve Silva @stevesilva]

RT @BostonDirtDogs: "Mama, There Goes That Old Man Again!"

Bill Belichick - Jordon Hudson - Hawk Tua Girl

[Boston Dirt Dogs @BostonDirtDogs]

18-Wheeler Heading to Dallas to wrap it up. #Celtics

[Boston Dirt Dogs @BostonDirtDogs]

About last night: Kristaps Porzingis was 110% going into Game 1. Celtics three wins away as the cakewalk through the NBA playoffs continues for Boston.

[Boston Dirt Dogs @BostonDirtDogs]

Kyrie will be hearing voices at TD Garden tonight. #Celtics

[Boston Dirt Dogs @BostonDirtDogs]

Exclusive Red Sox Video: Consultants begin cleaning house at Fenway

Sportsology advisers Bob Slydell and Bob Porter began conducting interviews today with members of the Red Sox baseball operations department to determine who will be fired first as #RedSox owner John Henry has ordered a full rebuild of his struggling baseball franchise.

[Steve Silva @stevesilva]

It was 20 years ago today, when Francona taught this band to play. And I broke out my flag during the anthem. #RedSox

[Steve Silva @stevesilva]

The 2004 Flag Photo

I called it my Big Ass flag. I attached it to the side of my house after 9/11, not alone on that one. A few of us had been going to Opening Day at Fenway since ’99-2000, but this was the first time I brought the flag in. It did not have a pole, just a plastic tube to hold onto, making it extremely difficult to wave, which I only did during the last five seconds of The Star-Spangled Banner. Furiously, I might add. And yes, absolutely I am taking 110 percent of the credit for the way the season ended up after my flag waving kicked things off with a bang.

The seat.
Prime spot. Lower box, first base side. You would not guess who was on his way to sit in them if I gave you a thousand and ten guesses. Give up? Former Ch. 7 reporter and anchor Sean Hennessey, who was coming down the aisle as I scampered away before the first pitch. Totally random.

The crowd.
My favorite is the guy in the red jacket, left of flag, next to hand-on-his-heart guy. I don’t know what’s going on in the neck region, but he is Marlon Brand-on Boston Guy in 2004. And he does not give a flying #@&! that the Red Sox had reportedly not won a “World Championship” -- as Joe Castig would say … … IT’S CALLED THE WORLD SERIES IN BASEBALL JOE! THREE TIMES JOE!!! THREE #@&% TIMES!... but I digress… WHO THE FUCK SAYS “BASEBALL’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP?!?!?!” THREE FUCKING TIMES. CAN YOU BELIEVE, IT?!?!?! ... I’m sorry, but this guy is basically Biden in the booth. Another story for another day.

Players in view:
Left to right: Schill, pretty sure Pokey Reese, David, D-Lowe, Todd Walker, and Stabbed by Foulke.

The picture taker:
Venerable Globe photographer and World-Class guy, Bill Greene. One of the all-time greats. The photo appeared below-the-fold on A-1 the next day.

The game.
Home opener, Friday, April 9 vs. the Blue Jays. The Sox came home 2-2 after opening in Baltimore. They lost 10-5, Bronson and Timlin got lit up pretty good.

Opening Day 2004. How it started/You know how it ended.

[Steve Silva @stevesilva]

Our Lucky Star

Larry Lucchino was an outspoken original and the man who ran Red Sox to greatness. Rest peacefully in God's hands, Larry.

Some Larry Lucchino Quotes of Note

“We’re not interested in that slow process (of rebuilding). We play for championships. That’s what we want people to understand. We have three in 10 years. Part of it is we have an obligation to our fans who support us so fervently and buy so many of our tickets. And when I say ‘go for it,’ I mean go for the postseason, though John Henry said so well here the first day of practice — ‘We play for championships.’ And if that means refocusing after finishing last, then we do it. But we’re not trying to finish third.” -- April 2, 2015

“I actually like being the underdog ... We’re just scrappy underdogs trying to win for our franchise and for our fans.” -- February 14, 2013

“I’m not comfortable addressing that because it sounds too much like an analysis on Bobby Valentine’s shortcomings and we’re not going to get into that. We need to press a reset button because of the dismal performance of the club and we all share the responsibility for that. By answering that question, we end up criticizing someone who we do not intend to criticize. We don’t think it’s fair or proper to do so on television or publicly or in any form for that matter.” -- October 2012 on the attributes they are looking for in the next manager after Bobby Valentine was fired

“Larry Lucchino runs the Red Sox.” -- John Henry in September 2011

"Manny [Ramirez] has issues with Boston and privacy, from the week before... actually our first meeting with him about being traded was the week before we took over the team in 2002, but the short answer to the question is yes he did [ask for a trade]. We certainly have some perspective on it. It has happened annually, and our general response was 'it's that time of year' and we'll explore it as we explore other trades." -- July 28, 2005

"[Gerry] Callahan I've been in baseball 24 years, 15 of those at CEO level, earned my share of criticism and critics along the way but [Will] McDonough is one that I just inherited. He's had his knives sharpened since his pals didn't prevail in the auction. This guy has more personal axes to grind than your local hardware store and I think you've got to keep that in mind when you read this. Not going to talk about that [broadcasting entity question], but I think there are personal, family issues that relate to this. Anyway, I must say I developed a new favorite newspaper Callahan.” -- January 6, 2003, On the Globe’s Will McDonough columns after John Henry’s group purchased the Red Sox

George Steinbrenner: “That's B.S. [Lucchino calling the Yankees ‘Evil Empire’] That's how a sick person thinks. I've learned this about Lucchino: he's baseball's foremost chameleon of all time. He changes colors depending on where's he's standing. He's been at Baltimore and he deserted them there, and then went out to San Diego, and look at what trouble they're in out there. When he was in San Diego, he was a big man for the small markets. Now he's in Boston and he's for the big markets. He's not the kind of guy you want to have in your foxhole. He's running the team behind John Henry's back. I warned John it would happen, told him, ‘Just be careful.’ He talks out of both sides of his mouth. He has trouble talking out of the front of it.” -- December 29, 2002, Larry Lucchino owning all the real estate in George Steinbrenner’s head.

"No, I'll make a comment. The Evil Empire extends its tentacles even into Latin America." -- December 24, 2002, Lucchino invents an Evil Empire after Jose Contreras signed with the Yankees over the Red Sox.

"At the end of the day, we chose Grady Little to be the manager because Grady did it the old-fashioned way: He earned it... We're well aware of the mini-melodramas that took place last season, and we believe Grady has the right temperament and social skills to deal with those situations if they rear their ugly heads again... There's something about someone who knows your system, knows your people, knows your personalities, knows your division, knows your league, knows your media. That was a significant part of this." -- March 12, 2002

"We have the advantage of being new and the sort of energy that comes from being new... we've certainly made an effort to reach out because we were well aware of the criticism that the previous administration was less available."

On the Fenway Park lifespan: "there's an old saying, `You've got to deal with the wolf closest to the sled,' so that's what you have to deal with, the things that really have to be dealt with immediately." -- February 27, 2002

“For those of us who have been diagnosed with cancer, time is a precious commodity. The time and distance from the scientist’s lab bench to the patient’s bedside must be shortened.”

[Steve Silva @stevesilva]

Schilling post on Facebook: "No I don't [need to come to Fenway Park on Opening Day]. Not this time. It's about the 04 team and Wake, and we all know the media, CHB in particular, will be writing things that have nothing to do with either of those things, even more were I to attend. Let the focus be on 04 and Wakey and Stacey [sic]. I'll forever regret what happened but I cannot in good conscience put my self in a position that would detract from the recognition that team and the Wakefields deserve. FWIW I wrote a letter to all the people whose opinion matters to me, so the people I care about know."

[Steve Silva @stevesilva]

Curt Schilling says he will "forever regret what happened" when he spoke about Tim and Stacy Wakefield in confirming he will not be coming to Fenway Park on Opening Day to celebrate the '04 championship with Red Sox teammates.

Schilling: "No I don't [need to come to Fenway Park on Opening Day]. Not this time. It's about the 04 team and Wake, and we all know the media, CHB [@Dan_Shaughnessy] in particular, will be writing things that have nothing to do with either of those things, even more were I to attend. Let the focus be on 04 and Wakey and Stacey [sic]. I'll forever regret what happened but I cannot in good conscience put my self in a position that would detract from the recognition that team and the Wakefields deserve. FWIW I wrote a letter to all the people whose opinion matters to me, so the people I care about know." #RedSox #WakefieldWay

https://t.co/CoEdQaf4xn

[Steve Silva @stevesilva]

@RedSox How is changing Jersey Street to Wakefield Way coming along? Everything submitted to the city? #WakefieldWay