So will Jim Lange be replacing the RemDawg now?
Catching up on some recent issues of Sports Illustrated, and came upon this item in the February 5 edition:
“… someone got the idea to bring speed dating to Fenway Park. In July, NESN, which airs Red Sox games, will unveil a segment called Sox Appeal. At selected home games one fan will go on three two-inning dates and then decide which prospect he or she wants to watch the rest of the game with. NESN executive producer Joel Feld said the idea gives viewers another reason to watch the game, whether the designated daters ‘hit a home run or strike out’.”
Wow. I’d understand if the Lowell Spinners ran this type of promo. They’re a minor league operation, and those folks have to do anything and everything to get folks out to the ballpark on a regular basis. In that type of arena, the idea is almost palatable.
Or I could understand if Bill Veeck (rest his soul) were still alive and chose to do that cuz… well, he’s Bill Veeck - and you’ve gotta love him for it. Known for sitting in the stands among the plebeians instead of up in his luxury box, he’d likely help some young fella along if there was an awkward pause in conversation. Veeck was a people person, after all.
But the Boston Red Sox have to turn NESN telecasts into baseball’s answer to “The Dating Game”? Really? So…. they can’t get people to tune into… oh, I dunno… the freakin’ *ballgame* anymore? Really? I mean… what interest could there possibly be this year in Dice-K, Beckett Year 2, Schilling in his twilight, Lester returning from cancer, the unnamed closer, Drew replacing Nixon, Crisp (still) trying to replace Damon, Manny being Manny, Papi being hero, Varitek trying to be Fisk, Lugo trying to be the first SS to last more than a year since Nomah was shipped out… and everything else that *will* come up this year that’s actually baseball-related? Is there ever a *shortage* of story lines with the Olde Towne Team, such that we have to resort to gimmicks more appropriately employed by the Portland Sea Dogs or the New Britain Rock Cats?
What’s next? Are we going to see (former DG host) Jim Lange and (former DG producer, the one and only) Chuck Barris take over the booth from Orsillo and Remy on “Dating Game” nights? This would only be embarassing, if it weren’t so downright pathetic.
Okay, I’m done now.