Comments for Toeing the Rubber http://www.toeingtherubber.com A Red Sox Blog by Cyn Donnelly Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:55:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Comment on Where I rant about Josh Hamilton by Anita http://www.toeingtherubber.com/2012/02/rant-josh-hamilton/comment-page-1/#comment-10629 Anita Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:55:44 +0000 http://www.toeingtherubber.com/?p=7715#comment-10629 When I first read that he was counting on a combination of a fierce public religiosity and a contractually mandated traveling minder, I said to myself, he's not likely to make it. That's not how it works. Then when he made such an exhibition of the home run derby second round--so much so that he got the lion's share of publicity--but didn't actually win either for himself or for his team, I thought to myself, his head is not in the right place. The public relapse also indicated to me that there were probably private relapses and that his ego will defeat him again and again. Sobriety requires a lot of humility. And that's no way the same thing as well-crafted apologies and crocodile tears at a press conference. Alcoholics are incredibly stubborn and stupid about their addiction. Being able to sign contracts for millions and have public adulation almost whenever they want must make it easy to lie to themselves and truly difficult to face the truth that they absolutely cannot have just a little bit, just in the off season, just this one time, of a sip of their drug of choice. So Josh Hamilton is commonplace; he is in no way the best or worst of those millions of people who could not get out of their own way well enough to stay clean and sober. He joins a host of talented, beautiful, lovable and damned people who wrecked their own lives and swept like a tornado through the lives of everyone who cared about them. (When I saw your headline, for a moment I feared he was on his way to Boston. I don't know if your faithful readers could have handled that column!) When I first read that he was counting on a combination of a fierce public religiosity and a contractually mandated traveling minder, I said to myself, he’s not likely to make it. That’s not how it works. Then when he made such an exhibition of the home run derby second round–so much so that he got the lion’s share of publicity–but didn’t actually win either for himself or for his team, I thought to myself, his head is not in the right place. The public relapse also indicated to me that there were probably private relapses and that his ego will defeat him again and again. Sobriety requires a lot of humility. And that’s no way the same thing as well-crafted apologies and crocodile tears at a press conference.

Alcoholics are incredibly stubborn and stupid about their addiction. Being able to sign contracts for millions and have public adulation almost whenever they want must make it easy to lie to themselves and truly difficult to face the truth that they absolutely cannot have just a little bit, just in the off season, just this one time, of a sip of their drug of choice.

So Josh Hamilton is commonplace; he is in no way the best or worst of those millions of people who could not get out of their own way well enough to stay clean and sober. He joins a host of talented, beautiful, lovable and damned people who wrecked their own lives and swept like a tornado through the lives of everyone who cared about them.

(When I saw your headline, for a moment I feared he was on his way to Boston. I don’t know if your faithful readers could have handled that column!)

]]> Comment on Where I rant about Josh Hamilton by Elaine Apthorp http://www.toeingtherubber.com/2012/02/rant-josh-hamilton/comment-page-1/#comment-10628 Elaine Apthorp Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:12:12 +0000 http://www.toeingtherubber.com/?p=7715#comment-10628 I dunno. I think I get what you're saying, Cyn, though I admit I haven't followed The Josh Hamilton Story closely and don't have a strong opinon about it. But media hype on a multitude of subjects is nauseating: TV squalking heads repeating slogans about particular players until I have to turn off the sound in order to sustain my will to watch the sporting event in progress. I have no idea what's actually the case with any of these folks, and only an inkling, in a few cases, of how voluntarily the individual player participates in the carnival that develops around his name. In this case the dude wrote a book. Because he wanted the pub, or because he hopes to help other addicts? I don't know the answer to that question, and the answer would mean everything to me. So I have no opinion of Josh Hamilton either way. If some perception of his story helps another person struggling with addiction or helps dissuade someone from sliding down that path, I'm grateful that's the case. There are a number of recovering addicts in the game whose stories have been really educational to folks like me in less public walks of life, and when these athletes have let the public know of their addiction and efforts to recover I've often experienced that as a stand-up thing to do. I remember when Dennis Eckersley talked about his alcoholism; that made a huge impression on me. I appreciated his honesty a great deal--because it did seem like simple honesty. A struggle with addiction is not a slogan to pin to somebody's career. I dunno. I think I get what you’re saying, Cyn, though I admit I haven’t followed The Josh Hamilton Story closely and don’t have a strong opinon about it. But media hype on a multitude of subjects is nauseating: TV squalking heads repeating slogans about particular players until I have to turn off the sound in order to sustain my will to watch the sporting event in progress. I have no idea what’s actually the case with any of these folks, and only an inkling, in a few cases, of how voluntarily the individual player participates in the carnival that develops around his name. In this case the dude wrote a book. Because he wanted the pub, or because he hopes to help other addicts? I don’t know the answer to that question, and the answer would mean everything to me. So I have no opinion of Josh Hamilton either way. If some perception of his story helps another person struggling with addiction or helps dissuade someone from sliding down that path, I’m grateful that’s the case. There are a number of recovering addicts in the game whose stories have been really educational to folks like me in less public walks of life, and when these athletes have let the public know of their addiction and efforts to recover I’ve often experienced that as a stand-up thing to do. I remember when Dennis Eckersley talked about his alcoholism; that made a huge impression on me. I appreciated his honesty a great deal–because it did seem like simple honesty. A struggle with addiction is not a slogan to pin to somebody’s career.

]]> Comment on Where I rant about Josh Hamilton by Tex19 http://www.toeingtherubber.com/2012/02/rant-josh-hamilton/comment-page-1/#comment-10627 Tex19 Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:41:08 +0000 http://www.toeingtherubber.com/?p=7715#comment-10627 I'm not here to defend him. I do pray for anyone who has an addiction as I too am closely involved with those who have one and fight it daily. Typically the addiction is the symptom of a much deeper mental issue or problem...but I'm not so sure that's the case with Hamilton. Agreed, he should not have 'put it out there' so soon into his recovery. Recovery is tough and it's a life long process for some....so yes he should have waited till his career was over to write about it. I will tell you that recently I've heard through some sources here that during his recovery and physical rehab in the minor league team here in Texas(near to Austin), he had been seen drinking but it was kept quiet. I'm sick of the media and people 'glorifying' athletes like gods. But it does sell newspapers and magazines I guess. I’m not here to defend him. I do pray for anyone who has an addiction as I too am closely involved with those who have one and fight it daily. Typically the addiction is the symptom of a much deeper mental issue or problem…but I’m not so sure that’s the case with Hamilton. Agreed, he should not have ‘put it out there’ so soon into his recovery. Recovery is tough and it’s a life long process for some….so yes he should have waited till his career was over to write about it. I will tell you that recently I’ve heard through some sources here that during his recovery and physical rehab in the minor league team here in Texas(near to Austin), he had been seen drinking but it was kept quiet. I’m sick of the media and people ‘glorifying’ athletes like gods. But it does sell newspapers and magazines I guess.

]]> Comment on Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story by Anita http://www.toeingtherubber.com/2012/01/jews-baseball-american-love-story/comment-page-1/#comment-10621 Anita Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:49:40 +0000 http://www.toeingtherubber.com/?p=7699#comment-10621 Beautiful story, Cyn. My only concern is that Netflix will be overwhelmed and I won't be able to see this film right away! Please do seriously consider making it your personal oral history project to record your father's baseball stories and memories beginning right away. I have no doubt you'll be glad you did. Beautiful story, Cyn. My only concern is that Netflix will be overwhelmed and I won’t be able to see this film right away!

Please do seriously consider making it your personal oral history project to record your father’s baseball stories and memories beginning right away. I have no doubt you’ll be glad you did.

]]> Comment on So Pedro by Lauren http://www.toeingtherubber.com/2012/01/pedro/comment-page-1/#comment-10616 Lauren Wed, 25 Jan 2012 01:43:08 +0000 http://www.toeingtherubber.com/?p=7689#comment-10616 What fun! What fun!

]]>