Schilling Sets Shaughnessy Straight

In today's Globe, Dan Shaughnessy addressed the recent issue of Curt Schilling's non-retirement with his typical amount of sarcasm and skepticism. The column more or less consisted of a question and answer session recounted in what we believe to be it's entirety. Shaugnessy repeatedly attempts to convince the readers that Schilling is doing exactly what Pedro and Damon did: hold the Red Sox over the barrel by using the media and the threat of public revolt should certain contract demands not be met. Unfortunately for Shaughnessy, his column has exactly the opposite effect.

Despite attempts to lure the 40 year old pitcher into switching his story, from one about finding a contract extension in a place he enjoys at the end of his career to a quest for that ever-elusive 'respect,' Schilling sticks to his story. I walked away from the column thinking that Schilling was going about it in what seemed to be more or less the right way, admitting that he would test free agency if not extended before Spring Training. The right way part comes in when he mentions, very succinctly, that it wouldn't be a spite-driven thing, simply a career-driven one. When asked about the worst part of playing in Boston, Schilling hits the nail on the head:

What is the thing you like least about playing in Boston?

"The media is the hardest part of this. There's so much of it and there's a lot of bitterness and jealousy here that doesn't exist in other places. You guys have an immense impact on the ebb and flow of the fans and their take on things. It's an ingrained part of culture here. These fans are waiting to see a guy in J.D. Drew -- who they think is going to break his toe Opening Day because of everything that's been said. Because of what's been written and what's been said. It's unfair to some guys . . . I just think there's a lot of potshots taken because it is personal. You and I have never gotten along very well. [...]

I think there's things that you write that are absolutely and totally unequivocally uncalled for. I think you take personal vendettas to the paper. I think you rip people in the paper because you don't like them whether they're good people or not. As an athlete, that bothers me, but as a teammate of these people, it bothers me even more . . . I certainly came in with a little bias, but I don't think that given what's happened that it's unmerited.

As hard as it is for some people in your business to believe, I don't enjoy talking to the media. I don't look forward to being in front of you guys . . . I find it ironic how people in the media say, 'I've been pretty nice to you,' as if they've gone out of their way to write things that are nice about me as if I'm not a nice person. I'm a good person. I don't wish hateful things on people. I don't hate anybody. I know that I treat people right. I've made mistakes and I've said dumb things, but I wouldn't think people have to go to extra effort to make me out to be a nice guy.

You don't know me beyond what you see in the clubhouse and what you've heard other people say about me. We'll never sit down and have a beer together because we both have families and we're too busy. We're going to know each other as well as a player and a member of the media know each other. And in the scope of things, that's not very deep. You've kind of got to go on what you can see and hear and what people tell you. I go on what I read."

I mean, cmon. Talk about a loaded question and a smooth answer, Curt does a great job here by not only addressing the question, but by addressing, politely, the issues between himself and Shaughnessy.

I guess the reason I'm writing on this whole gig is that Shaughnessy, while a talented writer, far too often plays the role of the hellraiser. He does his best to approach some situation or other with series of aloof, pedantic observations that rarely do more than piss a lot of people off. This column is just a great example of an overbearing media unable to reel in the big superstar.

Go Curt. It's just another reason we should sign him for 2008.