The Rodney Dangerfields
As the old dead comedian's catch phrase goes about "no repsect", the same could be said of the national media's attention to the White Sox this year.
No matter how many games they win, without a superstar on the Sox, most of the media considers them a fluke. In the preseason, the "experts" handed the AL Central to Minnesota. Beyond the Twins, some picked the Sox behind the likes of both Detroit AND Cleveland. When the Sox got out to the best start in baseball, all eyes were focused on the 2nd best team in the AL - Baltimore - and their run, only because it had an impact on the only two teams that seem to matter - the Red Sox and Yankees.
As the season progressed before the All Star break, national media attention turned to the LA Angels, who got hot. Then the story was the Yankees, because their team of mega-zillionaires were losing. Immediately following the All Star break, the Yankees became the story when they won 7 of 10 games, getting hot just as Baltimore imploded. And then Boston (again) became the story by splitting a 4-games series against the White Sox. And as the rest of the AL Central faded in the past week, the real story to the national media became the Oakland A's (besides the Palmeiro story).
Still, on August 8, just as on April 1, the Sox have the best record in all of baseball.So now, when the same forward thinking media begins to examine potential playoff teams, the Sox barely get a mention, or they're predicted to lose in the first round (citing the Sox from 2000 as an example). Or, they drone, selectively picking Sox players - especially the pitchers - lack of post-season experience.To the credit of CNN/SI, for what its worth, their power rankings have had the Sox at #1 or 2 virtually all year.
And still, at every chance they get, the national media rips Comiskey Park as among the worst in the league. Have they ever sat in the lower deck? What about the impressive improvements? Its like they're judging the park from 1991 vs the rest of the league's new stadiums. The park the Sox moved into in 1991 is not the same one they play in today- to the tune of millions of dollars of upgrades. If they get out the pressbox, maybe they'd see that.But all this is lost on the likes of ESPN "journalist" Albert Chen.
I hope the Sox just kick everyone's ass...
posted by EasyW @ 7:27 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
I wish your team luck. I am a Cubs fan and I always hope someone waiting a long time for their team to win can get what they want. But I think you are very generous when it comes to this team's chances. I agree that the national media ahs not treated the White Sox with the respect that they deserve, but you are talking about them as though they already won a couple of titles. They have come out of nowhere and they are astounding all but the most optimistic South Sider. Enjoy the ride, but wait until you win before you bash everyone. Be happy that the media has not adopted you like the Oakland A's, who bask in media adulation but have the same number of titles as the Sox during their recent "run."
Gotta agree with A1, our Cubs fan friend, on much of this. If/when the Sox win something more significant than the AL Central, the problem will fix itself. If they don't win anything more significant than the AL Central, well, then, I'd have to say the lack of respect is/was somewhat on target . . .
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