FCC forgives Big Papi for tart tongue
Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz made a televised pregame speech before Saturday’s game that was well-received by fans at the game while raising a few eyebrows amongst TV viewers, while possibly pleasing the spirit of comedian George Carlin.
“This jersey that we wear today, it doesn’t say Red Sox,” said Ortiz. “It say Boston.”
Ortiz, 37, who has been wearing that jersey for a decade, went on to thank the Massachusetts state police and Boston-area law enforcement officers for their work in the wake of last week’s Boston Marathon bombing.
“This is our f * * * * * * city,” Ortiz said. “And no one is going to dictate our freedom. Stay strong.”
Usually when someone says something like that, they can expect to hear from the FCC, which monitors things like those seven words you can’t say on television.
Ortiz did, in fact, hear from the FCC, but not in the way one would expect. FCC chairman Julius Genchowski took over the official FCC Twitter account to address the situation.
“David Ortiz spoke from the heart at today’s Red Sox game.
I stand with Big Papi and the people of Boston - Julius.”
One has to wonder if Genchowski, a Harvard alum, is also a Red Sox fan.
In any case, as CBS Sports.com baseball writer Dayn Perry put it, “Viva la dirty words!” Sweet who?
As part of Saturday’s tribute to the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing, singer Neil Diamond showed up at Fenway Park to lead the crowd in a live version of his 1969 hit “Sweet Caroline.”
The lyrics have nothing to do with baseball. The composer has no connection to the Red Sox.
The song hit the charts more than 30 years ago. Ever wonder why it’s such a fixture at Fenway?
According to Boston Globe correspondent Stephanie Vosk, most people have no idea.
”It’s just one of those things,” said fan Paul Sundeen in a 2005 interview.
”Everybody seems to sing it.”
Lauren Manforde echoed Sundeen’s confusion, saying, ”Nobody knows. I’ve been trying to find out for years.”
Not even Diamond’s staff knew the reason.
“I’m not sure how it started, but we’re very pleased that it happened,” said Sherrie Levy, a press agent who worked for Diamond.
So what’s the deal? Turns out it’s just one of those things.
Amy Tobey, a production agent responsible for the audio played over the park’s loudspeakers from 1998 to 2004, chose the song after hearing it at other sporting events, playing it sometime between the seventh and ninth innings if it looked like the Red Sox were going to win.
“I actually considered it like a good luck charm,” Tobey told Vosk. “Even if they were just one run [ahead], I might still do it. It was just a feel.”
And it stuck. Like an earworm.
Admit it. You’re singing it now.
They said it …
Mike Bianchi of the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel, after Adam Scott won the Masters with Tiger Woods’ former caddie, Stevie Williams, on the bag: “Is it just me or have you, too, noticed that all of Tiger’s exes seem to be doing pretty well for themselves?”
Golfer John Daly of Dardanelle, via Twitter, looking forward to his 50th birthday: ” ‘Save The Date’ April 28, 2016 - Senior Tour, here I come …”
Brad Dickson of the Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald, on the TV watcher who phoned in Tiger Woods’ rules violation: “The viewer was not identified, but I’m pretty sure it’s the same kid who used to tell the teacher she forgot to assign homework.”
Bob Molinaro of the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, surprised that Tim Tebow is still a New York Jet: “Apparently he’s harder to give away than a used mattress.”
Quote of the day
“Friday night was a fluke. They’ve been nails all year long. They don’t blow leads.” Arkansas catcher Jake Wise on the Razorbacks’ bullpen
Sports, Pages 14 on 04/22/2013