Athletes who are negative about the negativity of Boston

BY DREW SCOTT

As the Orioles left Boston with their respective tails between their legs, news started to surface that Luke Scott had his feelings hurt by the Fenway faithful.

“Glad to get out of here with negative people,” Scott said. “Just a lot of trash talking, a lot of vulgarity. It just takes away from the game.”

Maybe Scott’s psyche would have been in better shape if his team had managed to win a game, but I’m sure that I speak for the rest of Red Sox Nation when I extend a half-hearted apology to Mr. Scott.

Speaking of classless fans, the throngs that filled the Bell Centre last night were thoughtful enough to boo the United States National Anthem. Since one need not pay much attention to fans of a hockey team that is about to be swept, let’s take a look back at some of the athletes and coaches that have found it necessary to talk smack about Bean Town and its sports fans.

David Wells

Well at least David Wells doesn’t hate Boston, but he certainly hates Fenway Park quite a bit.  Also if you have been missing those legendary Wells words of wisdom, fear not, because last week he was announced as part of the TBS broadcast team.

Here is what Wells had to say about Fenway during the 2003 ALCS between the Sox and Yankees: “My record against Boston, it’s not very good. It’s just that. I would like to say it’s a great city, I wish it was as wide open out there as it is here. It’s just something that I’ve always had difficulties, and like I said, whenever they are ready to get rid of this place, let me push the button, get another stadium; I think they deserve it. It’s great history. It’s great for the fans to come out and see a ballpark like this. I admire it in certain ways than others, but like I said, I’ve got to block that stuff out and just go out and pitch my game.”

Although I’m sure there are some fans in Boston that might secretly agree with David Wells, you just don’t say such things about America’s Most Beloved ballpark. Of course, after he became a member of the Red Sox, Wells decided that he loved Fenway but hated Boston.

Mike Bibby

The crowd at the Garden let Mike Bibby know what they thought about his “bandwagon” fans comments during last year’s playoffs.

Here’s what Bibby had to say about the crowds that started to fill the Garden after the arrival of the Big 3, “bandwagon jumpers trying to get on this now. I played here last year, too, and I didn’t see three-fourths of them. They’re for the team now and they might get a little rowdy, but that’s about it.”

When Bibby was asked if he thought Boston had fair-weather fans, his response was, ““You could say that…I remember them having bags on their heads. It’s a different look. I guess that’s what happens when you win.”

The response that Bibby received from the Boston fans? Just an endless amount of boos and “Ron-do’s be-tter” chants, as well as a ticket back to Atlanta once the Celtics sent the Hawks packing after Game 7.

Barry Bonds

Despite any of the rumors that were floating around last season, there was a time when Barry Bonds had absolutely no desire to play baseball in the city of Boston.  When he was interviewed in 2004, apparently he didn’t feel the city had grown much from its racially charged past.

Bonds said, “Boston is too racist for me…I couldn’t play there.”

Apparently this opinion was based on information that he received from other players and no experience that he himself had been through. He went on to explain what he based this opinion on, “Only what guys have said…but that’s been going on ever since my dad [Bobby] was playing baseball. I can’t play like that. That’s not for me, brother.”

Well Barry, we’re sorry to hear that you have some ill feelings towards the city, but something tells me that the majority of Boston fans would prefer to see your large cranium and bad attitude squeezed into just about any cap except for one with a ‘B’ on it.

Rick Pitino

Rick Pitino would probably be happy to know that since he left Boston, the negativity in this town has certainly been scaled back quite a bit.  I mean three Super Bowl Championships, two World Series titles, one NBA title, and a Sport Stacking Championship can certainly help to turn that mindset around, but nonetheless times have been better in the city after Pitino’s famous tirade.

This legendary press conference moment really needs no introduction:

“Larry Bird is not walking through that door, fans. Kevin McHale is not walking through that door, and Robert Parish is not walking through that door. And if you expect them to walk through that door, they’re going to be gray and old. What we are is young, exciting, hard-working, and we’re going to improve. People don’t realize that, and as soon as they realize those three guys are not coming through that door, the better this town will be for all of us because there are young guys in that (locker) room playing their asses off. I wish we had $90 million under the salary cap. I wish we could buy the world. We can’t; the only thing we can do is work hard, and all the negativity that’s in this town sucks. I’ve been around when Jim Rice was booed. I’ve been around when Yastrzemski was booed. And it stinks. It makes the greatest town, greatest city in the world, lousy. The only thing that will turn this around is being upbeat and positive like we are in that locker room… and if you think I’m going to succumb to negativity, you’re wrong. You’ve got the wrong guy leading this team.”

2 Comments for “Athletes who are negative about the negativity of Boston”

1. matt Says:
   April 21st, 2009 at 2:10 pm

   Good idea with the column, just wish you went beyond a couple of not so great examples. Gary Shefield, Byron Scott, Jason Kidd ect

2. wine rack iron Says:
   January 15th, 2011 at 8:08 pm

   Are you able to pls deliver much more details about this topic??? BTW your internet site is first-class. Sincerely..

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