Sadly, there have been nasty anonymous stories in the Boston press about Francona's departure: marital problems and painkillers distracting him. It also said the players ignored him in the last weeks because they knew he was a lame duck. Peter King of SI said he shared a hotel with the team late in the season and saw Ortiz and Youkilis hail separate cabs at the same time, not exactly a sign of team harmony. Losing always beings out the finger pointing.

If Epstein can get the Cubs a World Championship, after doing it with the Sox, they should immediately enshrine him in the Hall of Fame for killing the two biggest curses of all time.

Cranky, if Francona doesn't coach again, he would do well as a broadcaster. Francona could follow in the Jeff Van Gundy tradition. Like Van Gundy, it is apparent how much the game is a passion for him. They just walk away from it.

- thanks for dropping by, Cranky!

And the Boston smear machine goes into high gear. Few leave Boston without suffering the wrath of its pathetically provincial and mean-spirited fan base: not Nomar, not Buckner, not Pedro, not Derek Lowe, not Grady Little, not Roger Clemens, not Ted Williams, not Manny Ramirez. It will be the same for Papelbon when he goes, the same for Beckett, the same for Lester, cancer survivor or no. All Tito did was manage the Red Sox to 2 world championships over the last 8 years, after 86 years of splendid futility. All he did when ownership wanted him gone was to agree to represent his leaving as a mutual decision. And what does Boston management do? What does the Boston gutterpress report? What does red sox "nation" lap up? Medical records whose release involves a breach of confidentiality for which Tito should--and I hope will--sue the organization.

One would have thought it could not get uglier than September's historic collapse, probably the single worst sustained choke in baseball history. But it has--much, much worse. The nation has declined from incompetence on the field to moral receivership off it.

Is baseball the new Peyton Place?? Google that one Catherine:)
HUGGGGGGGGG

The Cubs' tradition of losing has crushed every previous miracle worker/baseball genius/savior who has foolishly taken up the gauntlet. Or the batting glove. Whatever the Cubs tossed out there.

It's a sad day in Boston, Catherine. If you had told me a month ago that they would let Terry and Theo go, I would have bet real money against it. This is happening while most people are still in shock about September. What a disaster!

I have to say that if my dad was going to leave us this season, if that was any Design (and he did in late August) I'm pleased he did before this collapse. My step-neph, age 7, said w.o the slightest hint of sadness or anger or mean spirit, "I'm glad Grandpa collapsed before the Red Sox collapsed."

r.

I can't wait to hear what my patients think about this tomorrow. They are gonna piss themselves.