For Paul Rudd, the decision to star in Jay Roach’s new comedy, “Dinner for Schmucks,” was an easy one. “I thought the script was really funny,” he says. “That was it. It was kind of a no-brainer.” Of course Rudd, who’s built an impressive resume of smart comedies, was just as enamored of the man behind the camera. Cliff who? The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has just gotten quite a bit of company: As many as 6,600 graves at the country’s hallowed Arlington National Cemetery for fallen U.S. service members may be mislabeled, one lawmaker said on Thursday.New claims for unemployment benefits slipped last week, but stayed at a stubbornly high level that underscored the labor market recovery was having trouble gaining traction.J.A. Happ said all the right things, just as the crafty lefty always has.Julian Assange, founder of the website that published more than 91,000 secret U.S. military reports from Afghanistan, says he’s revealing injustices. President Barack Obama says he’s concerned that disclosure of sensitive information may harm military operations.1. Will the Jets regret cutting Faneca?For many job-hopping careerists, smuggling a resignation letter in their bag like a guilty secret, there are few workplace rituals so hard as saying so long.Subletting in NYC typically involves some kind of covert transaction. Try to find a budget traveler who hasn’t enjoyed the risk of Craigslist’s lease-free rentals. But thanks to a bill Gov. David Paterson signed into law last Friday, renting an apartment for less than 30 days isn’t kosher. Fortunately, there’s a saving grace for those in search of short-term living: Jersey City.Could nail mats like the Acushakti be the next Snuggies?
Winning has become a pre-condition for the Red Sox. They have gotten so good at it, they have conditioned their fans and themselves to believe they are going to win all the time. No matter what. Somehow they’ll find a way. Three games down to the Yankees in 2004? No problem. Down 3-1 to the Indians in 2007? You gotta believe! Seven runs down with seven outs to go against the Rays? Got ’em right where we want ’em.
Looking at the history of the Red Sox, there is B.B and A.Y. — Before Boone and After Yankees. In the B.B. years, there was Bucky Dent, the Big Red Machine, and of course, another B.B., Bill Buckner. That’s the prehistoric era, when Sox fans were conditioned to expect the worst. But the A.Y. years belong to David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Josh Beckett and Curt Schilling. Things are different now.
The Red Sox lost Game 2 of the ALCS against the Rays, but who among us didn’t believe they were going to win? C’mon, they tied the game in the eighth inning — on a wild pitch, no less. They sent up Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz and Kevin Youkilis to the plate in the 10th inning. Everything was lined up perfectly. The fact that they didn’t win the game doesn’t change the fact that Sox fans, and non-Sox fans alike, believed the Sox would win that game.
That’s why it was so surprising that so many people went to bed or left the ballpark when the Red Sox were down seven runs in Game 5. Coming back to win that game was a near impossibility, but nothing short of impossible is impossible for the Sox. We’ve seen that enough times, haven’t we?
So, of course, Josh Beckett and the bullpen were able to shut down the Rays in Game 6. And of course, Pedroia would hit a home run in the first inning of Game 7. Sure, the Rays took a 3-1 lead into the eighth, but these are the games the Red Sox win. Not all the time, but enough of the time that it’s more of a surprise when they don’t find a way to win.
That was the surprise Sunday night. Now, looking back at Game 5, you have to wonder if that wasn’t a last hurrah of some kind. A once great team with one last great moment. Perhaps, it was like when Larry Bird stole the ball, or when Carlton Fisk hit his home run. Those were great signature moments for teams that didn’t win the championship. Now, we have Game 5 of the 2007 ALCS.
And despite the loss, the next time the Red Sox find themselves with their backs against the wall, great expectations of sudden victory will follow.
Bob Halloran is a sports anchor and
reporter. He’s also the author of “Irish Thunder: The Hard Life and
Times of Micky Ward,” published by The Lyons Press.
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