While last week we did hear a few comparisons to Rex Ryan, for the most part, the Boston media’s reaction to the Bobby Valentine experience has been fawning.
They’re dazzled by his bunt drills in spring training. They love that he’s making David Ortiz play some first base. They love the alcohol in the clubhouse ban, and they love that every time they speak to him, he’s going to fill up their audio recorder with quotes.
In some ways, sure, I can see that his style is what this team needs after so many years of routine under Terry Francona. I get that. I get that new things are always going to be the center of attention, and I get that Valentine making himself the center of attention might be a good thing for a franchise under so much scrutiny for what happened last September.
However, the “Bobby Valentine is doing things HIS way” articles are getting a bit stale at this point.
Today the Boston Globe has a front page story from Peter Abraham on the topic: Red Sox whirlwind. It’s a well-done, informative article on how Valentine is running the camp. It’s also at least the second column in three days on the same premise. Dan Shaughnessy filed It couldn’t be more different on Saturday. Last Thursday we had a full column from Nick Cafardo wondering Why aren’t these fans in Valentine’s camp? Just yesterday, Cafardo wrote This would set him apart referring to how Valentine’s preference not to use a set lineup would make him different.
This is just the Globe/Boston.com. Most of these columns somewhere contain the inference of, if not outright statement of “You gotta love this guy!”
If he brings the Red Sox back to the playoffs, then perhaps he’ll be worthy of the praise that is being thrown at him two weeks into spring training. Judging him on his great quotes, energy and camp routine seems a bit premature.
Coverage from elsewhere this morning:
Vicente Padilla full of intrigue – Michael Silverman says that the Sox pitcher is a leading candidate for The Most Interesting Man in the World.
Mike Aviles welcomes change in plans – Gordon Edes has the former Royal eager to show he can be the starting shortstop.
Jose Iglesias tale: It’s Sox glove story – Ron Borges has Valentine talking about the abilities of the phenom shortstop.
Buchholz goes two scoreless innings in Sox spring debut – Sean McAdam has the Sox starter feeling good in his first outing.
Rask out 4-6 weeks with strain, Bruins sign Marty Turco – Joe Haggerty has the Bruins losing their backup goaltender and signing another.
On Kevin Garnett, playing center – Paul Flannery looks at the tradeoffs for the Celtics in having KG play center.
Don’t let Rondo become another team’s DJ – Chad Finn thinks Rajon Rondo has a lot in common with Dennis Johnson.
Celts react to evidence – Steve Bulpett with a look at the decisions facing Danny Ainge – including the possibility of a trip to the lottery this year.
Tag on Wes Welker, for now – Karen Guregian looks at the Patriots placing the franchise tag on Welker, and where things go from here.
Gregg Williams must pay for bounties – Gerry Callahan says that what the Saints did was much worse than spygate.
Boston Sports Media Watch 
Valentine will be gone in 18 months after he becomes embroiled in a WWE-soap opera style conflict with his players and the media.
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I find it interesting that the Globe (17% ownership stake in the Sox) are out leading the charge that Bobby V is the greatest thing since sliced toast. Toucher and Rich, of all people, brought sanity to this exact point yesterday with their biting in their satire about the Globe and this point. “Bobby V just invented the bunt drill”… was one of several funny things said. Valentine may or may not be good for this team…time will tell. Do I like some of the things he is doing…sure but that is because I thought the Sox won in spite of Francona not because of him. Still to crown this guy the second coming because of how he organizes his spring training practices is just dumb. The fact that he already said he is not in favor of a set lineup will eventually cause problems in Boston….when Tito tried to say and do that he got crucified because the players would not know their roles and therefore not get comfortable.
I agree with Classless, he will do something stupid that will alienate him from the organization. Until he does that, the marching orders seem to be to “pump up his tires” at least at the Globe (that bastion of journalism excellence and non bias reporting).
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As if we all ever needed any more proof that giving “good quotes” and providing “good copy” (i.e., making the media’s job easier) is all that it takes to receive fawning, over-the-top positive coverage.
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So the Clipper stopped yapping with the CM kid long enough to yippety-yip about an NFL team trying to, you know, play like an NFL team?
Like a bunch of guys making a million bucks a year needed a few hundred dollars as reason to want to smash Favre’s ugly mug into the dirt. Sorry, playing hard doesn’t compare with breaking the rules. I know — I’ve done both.
Of course, if the Clipper knew anything about football, Chelmsford might have one more Super Bowl title.
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Agree, with Clasless…in the LONG RUN (with maybe a couple of exceptions) things don’t end well with athletes/coaches who like to flap their gums….since day one I said Rex Ryan wouldn’t last long and he’ll end up sitting next to Mike Ditka at ESPN… he’s.not there yet but he’s heading in that direction…..Valentine seems like another guy who likes the sound of his own voice too much…………and by the way, why does the “comments” section look different….no more “thumbs up/thumbs down ratings?…what’s up with that?
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I love this gnashing of the teeth over Bobby V and how this is going to end bad because he talks to much. Meanwhile conveniently forgetting that the last guy who was just here who seems to be the sympathetic figure in this was the exact opposite of Bobby and it still went bad on him.
As a matter of fact it went worse than you could ever imagine would happen to Bobby V.
I’m going to go out on a limb and say it won’t go bad because he constantly lies for his players.
I’m going to go out on a limb and say it won’t go bad because he’s not going to leave his wife to hook up with college girls.
I’m going to go out on a limb and say it won’t go bad because he’s hooked on massive amounts of prescription meds.
If it goes “bad” it will be because the team just isn’t well constructed personality wise.
So the guy talks too much so what?
If the team decides it wants to compete and not play like dogs then Bobby make all the wild claims he wants ,it won’t matter.
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For the record….I think there is room to dislike Tito and Bobby V. It does not ahve to be an either/or.
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These are the same sports mediots that will be tearing the Sox manager a new one the moment the team hits a bump, and that’s a wrap (copyright, Bobby Valentine).
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I stopped reading the Callahan piece as soon as I saw DeOssie DeIdiot quoted. Who cares what that buffoon has to say?
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