Just take a look at a sample of what baseball fans had to endure last night:
There was more. Much more. It started early, in the All-Star pregame show, and didn't stop until my late local news took over the airwaves.
Now, I have to say that Rivera is certainly deserving of honors like these. He's been an incredible closer (read: #GOAT) and everything that we know points to him being a class act through and through.
I've just had enough.
That, and I can't help but think that a large part of the media's gushing over Mo comes from the fact that he plays for the Yankees. Had he played his Hall of Fame career in a smaller market, say Seattle or Minneapolis or wherever, I can't imagine that there would the same love-fest from the media.
Case in point, 2013 is also Todd Helton's final season. Todd may not have #GOAT status like Mo, but he is a future Hall of Famer like Mo. Todd bests Mo in both rWAR and fWAR.
But Todd hasn't been getting a season-long farewell tour. Todd doesn't get an entire All-Star Game broadcast devoted to how great he is.
Yes, Todd's off the field character took a major hit with his DUI just before spring training. But that cannot be the only explanation for the national media ignoring him in the final year of his great career.
No, the most likely explanation is true in this case: Todd is being ignored because he isn't a Yankee. Or a Red Sock. Or Cub or Dodger or Met or Giant or Phillie or any big market player.
I have to pull for every other team in the AL East, even if [shudders] it's the Red Sox. Why? Because I have had enough of the well-deserved honors, and every time I see it, I can't help but think about the shameless bias in the sports media, and how they are failing to honor another deserving great.
So I'm looking at you, Rays, Blue Jays, O's and [gulp] Red Sox. Please--PLEASE--spare me.
For the love of Todd, spare us all.
I understand how you feel. Yes, Rivera is a great closer and probably a good guy. I don't need the MLB pushing a player on me. I also don't think he deserved the MVP of the game, that was ridiculous...This is why Bo Knows did not award him first half all star, enough of the pandering! You may disagree but I don't think Helton is a hall of famer either and I can't cheer for the Red Sox, in fact I won't. I will never forgive them for the 2007 World Series slaughter of the Rockies.
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