Exit Sandman

If this is it for Mo, and all signs point to it indeed being the end, whatta shame. Coming from my extremely homersexual Boston perspective, a damn, damn shame. That's not how I wanted to see one of the greatest baseball career's of all-time end. If it had been during an actual game, although I'm not entirely sure how a pitcher goes about tearing an ACL on the mound, it'd be one thing. But shagging fly balls? In Kansas City, of all-places? Shakespeare himself couldn't have written such a tragedy.

Hey, I'll remember Mo for the good times. Bill Mueller's walk-off home run in the Varitek/A-Rod game. The 2004 ALCS when he couldn't pick off Dave Roberts. Opening Day at Fenway in 2005 when he got a mock cheer from the crowd.

Make no mistake about it, for as mortal as he looked at times in 2004-05, that was eight seasons ago. He was off to a great start again this year (5/6 save opportunities, 2.16 ERA). He'd been dropping hints during spring training that this season would be his last anyways, but I'm sure no one envisioned this being the situation.

Also as Mo goes, so goes the no. 42, never to be worn again by a major league baseball player. So there's that as well. Jackie Robinson's number is officially retired.

Fortunately for the Yankees, this David Robertson kid seems like the real deal (hasn't allowed a run yet this season in 11 innings, striking out 18 batters while walking just 3). My colleague Anthony Russo has been pumping up Robertson as the heir apparent for awhile now, so we'll see how this works out. It's one thing to put up those numbers as a set-up guy; it's a whole other to do it following the undisputed greatest closer of all-time. Just ask Alfredo Aceves how that's going in Boston.

ESPN's coverage of Junior Seau

Let me say first, Rest in Peace to one of the greatest linebackers who ever lived. From his glory days with the Chargers, to his time in South Beach with the Dolphins, to his renaissance with the Pats, one of the classiest and most professional guys to strap on a helmet.

Now this post isn't so much about Seau as it is the way ESPN has been going about covering his death. Which is, how shall I put this: shameful.

Granted it seems as though all kinds of media outlets have been guilty of this too, but you'd think the Worldwide Leader would be better than this. Setting up shop in front of Seau's house, interviewing his parents--his clearly devastated parents? Where is the privacy? They just outlived their son, something no parent ever wants to do. Ever. And then broadcasting the interview/press conference/whatever you want to call it? How in a million years can you justify airing that? Especially considering the next point....

Easy as it may be in trying to solve the pieces of the puzzle, shame on ESPN again for speculating the cause of Seau's apparent suicide. We simply do not know at this time. Me, you, anyone. Speculating is no different from assuming. And it's been said a million times, but it'll be said again right here: when you assume, you make an ass of you and me. There is absolutely no proof just yet that Seau's suicide was linked to his football career. It may appear that way, as a guy who played 19 seasons at one of the most demanding positions in all of professional sports, but again, there is no concrete evidence as of yet.

Sadly, I can't say I'm surprised by ESPN's coverage. It's the same network that beats LeBron James, Tim Tebow, and (once upon a time) Brett Favre down our throats 24/7. Learn your audience.

If this post in any way sounds like I'm trivializing the death of Seau, you are sadly mistaken, because that's not what this is about at all. It's simply about the appalling coverage by the supposed top dog in the sports industry. Junior would not be happy with this, not in the least. Rest in peace.