John Lackey: Last Ode to the Traitor
by Rev Halofan on Dec 22, 2009 12:40 AM PST
in Angels News
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PrintI swore I would not write a tribute to John Lackey but then I was interviewed (LINK) by Randy Booth of the SBN Red Sox blog Over The Monster and I ended up paying homage to Big John.
And so I will write about him one last time for Angels fans and Halos Heaven readers and then just try to move on...
Last week the war of words simmered. We were told that it is "just a business" - which is code for "hide your feelings." We were told that the team's management was to blame. Not an issue of right or wrong, but the din of opinions missed the mark. You see, when YOU or ME put on that replica jersey, turn on that game or buy that baseball card, WE become that player. There actually is no "John Lackey." There is a guy with that name and he has an interesting job and works hard at it, employed by a major league baseball team to repeat precise movements under pressure. Yawn... let's just go to the ballet, that is "just a business" too. And the reason it is a broke business is that you don't wear a tutu to the opera-house and become that ballerina (thankfully). But at the ballpark there was a character we became every fifth day during the season named John Lackey.
You and I have at times become John Lackey. We have been on that mound and had that look of raw anger and seething hatred of the opponent... and having it has given our lives a deeper meaning. Feeling it... we have known how to live a little more certain of ourselves because of that night on the mound against the Giants or that afternoon against Oakland where, when you and I were John Lackey, we told Jason Kendall to stick his arm out a little more and then tackled him.
And so now this thing we have been has become a traitor and, repulsed, we stand for a few weeks of this offseason alone, unsure, not ready to become someone else, to grow our imagination of the possible through the perseverance of this stat-compiling character who defies human incompetence and achieves excellence. I have been him, you have been him and the game pulls us in because it allows us that space to share with the archetype of the hero.
Those who tisk-tisk us that it is "just a business" lack the imagination to enjoy this game at our deep level. We are superior to these sanctimonious scolds; WE are fans, the soul of what these players embody is an energy that melds into our consciousness. We become the player... forget that the guy on the field pirouetting like Nijinsky... he is just 3 or 4 percent of the equation. You and I giving him any attention... that is more than 90 percent of it; Just me and you and a hundred thousand others being one with that moment and understanding its greatness in an inter-generational history woven deep into the American character and international consciousness.
The team store has the John Lackey jersey I always wanted on sale for $20. I couldn't even lift the hangar from the rack my desire was so weak. He has "gone to the dark side" ... "crossed enemy lines" ... "sold his soul to the devil" ... you see, without the complex narrative that you and I add, this is just the ballet populated by pudgy men and boys following stupid rules.
But these human cattle are paid well to hone those reflexes and stretch those calves because who they are forever disappears into the trillion layers of meaning each player commits to when he suits up, takes the field and pulsates his psyche out into the cheering crowd, a diaspora of intimacy and archetype that he will never recover as we become him. It is the ritual communion of the fan - it is all for us, it is all about us and when you have hope, you pull in the energy of the player who embodies it for you and you become him, win or lose, it is the leap of a lifetime from your season seat, your bleacher bench, your living room sofa. Being a fan is living. You and I are more alive because we lived as John Lackey, but now it is time to live our own lives until hope finds us again. And we are here because we believe it will.
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My tribute to John Lackey
will consist of me saying nothing when he pitches.
When he pitches at our park, I hope there is utter silence. Not a word spoken to feed him the emotion he so craves. I hope our silence speaks to the sentiment we now share towards him.
He did what we paid him to and he moved on. His business here is done, and with it goes the Angels consumer, never thanking him for his job.
I hope that there is NOT utter silence.
I hope that he feels the wrath of The Rally Monkey when HE is on the defensive. Standing there on the mound, all alone, the pressure building and the crowd going crazy with blood lust for his further failure.
And let it then sink in with him: “Fuck. I have no control over this situation. I am failing. I am all by myself here with 38,000 people deliriously happy with my failure, and I cannot dig my way out of this. These guys are pumped by this crowd, they are getting on base, they are scoring, and I cannot do anything but look stupid here. Fuck that goddammned monkey.”
Had I owned the Pittsburgh Pirates, I could have saved America.
He gets an initial standing ovation (for game 7 alone)...
and then it’s war after that.
I love this team.
by Downing Rules on Dec 22, 2009 10:53 AM PST up reply actions
Then Lackey loses it when he throws to Kevin Youklis and he drops the ball then
all the runners advance.
The 2009 Pregame Picks Winner and Iron Man of Halos Heaven.com
And then You-kiss-my-ass goes and kicks Lackey's ass...
That would be sweet.
Angels baseball. We do what we must, because we can -- HaloDutch
Wow
Very well-written and cleverly expressed. You made me realize things about myself just now. I WAS John Lackey. That’s pretty deep man.
If you aren’t a really invested Angels fans, you just won’t get it. I’ll bet you that these people telling us how we should feel and behave have some sort of attachment or passion, or at least vested interest that alters their viewpoint beyond the bounds of what an outsider would consider “rational.” Unless you are a robot, it seems pretty hypocritical to me to criticize fans for acting like fans.
Fuck Rev,
that was spot-on. One of the best post I have ever read from you.
Thanks for the flags John. I loved your passion. Now I will passionately root against you until the day you retire or out of some weird reason, come back to us.
Do it for Nick '09
by BryanHarvey'sMoustache on Dec 22, 2009 2:27 AM PST reply actions
Mr. Moreno, marketeer that he is,
understands our passion, knows how to exploit (alter/manipulate) it, and is working on the same…..right now.
When you think about it, one realizes that we have lots of potential heroes on this team minus Lackey, Guerrero, Figgins, Oliver (and Hudler). Here come Hunter, Morales, Weaver, Abreu, Aybar, Kendrick, Wood, Kazmir, Reckling, and more.
I have no doubt that if these guys don’t fill the bill, Moreno will buy us another hero (not named Bradley)
Damn, I miss Hud!
When Wally Joyner left to go to the Royals
because our management was so cheap that they would rather sign a HS OF who had to go on a 2 year Mormon Mission instead of the son of one of their former players who grew up right next to Anaheim Stadium and could throw nearly 100 mph…… that was a sad day.
Losing Lackey to the Red Sox to me is not sad. When he was with the Angels I was never really all that attached to him and what sentiment I did have for him was sort of like, “well he’s our idiot so I’ve got to like him”. I mean how was I suppose to relate to someone that can’t even keep their lips closed…….
What is really going to make me happy is seeing John have to pitch to Victor Martinez who as of right now I’m pretty sure the Red Sox see getting considerable time at C. The guy was horrible defensively with the Indians throwing out baserunners (9 out of 65 attempts) with a CERA of 8.90, then he went to the Red Sox where he proved his CS % was no fluke as he threw out 9 of 65 runners but at least his CERA went down to 5.57.
just noticed the picture in this thread....
even in a Red Sox jersey…. Lackey still hasn’t learned how to close his mouth…..
Whatever happened to McKay Christenson?
I love this team.
by Downing Rules on Dec 22, 2009 10:54 AM PST up reply actions
Wordsmithed and arctulated very effectively
Respectfully disagree that only those who obsessively live vicariously through the accomplishments of others are deemed worthy enough to considered the “true fans”.
News flash; it's *not* 'just a business'
It is surprising that in all the sports media churned out every day, this deeper level of meaning about what’s really going on is so rarely written about. What is also surprising is how both players and management, by their actions, often seem to ignore and abuse the great engine of fandom that runs this sport. Nice job, Rev.
No witty sig here.
by SonomaCoHalofan on Dec 22, 2009 7:10 AM PST reply actions
Great Post
I still have not decided what I’m going to do with my Lackey jersey. Thinking about burning it.
My friend just sold his signed, replica one
For like $30.
Lackey used his career in an Angels uniform to make quite a bit of cash for himself. If you feel slighted, you should do the same.
"You gotta have nuts." - Torii Hunter / Part-Time Nemesis of the HH Reply Function
by Commander_Nate on Dec 22, 2009 9:09 AM PST up reply actions
He was a pig headed d-bag
but he was OUR pig headed d-bag.
later john, can’t wait to watch you get lit up in 2010.
What do you need a fancy suit for, Charlie, you ain't got no job to wear it to.
solid take on lackey and fans BUT it has equal parts...
rational, knowing that a new hero will eventually cushion the blow of the departed. equal parts sounding like a jilted and scorned ex who’s pissed because you got dumped for somebody else who had more than you all the while you knew the ex had a roving eye towards the end of the relationship. you have to know the next thing will be better because the person who is bitter and resentful is stuck in the past. with that said i love reading anything rev posts!
I've always been more of a Vladimir Guerrero guy
And by the end of 2006 I was transitioning to a Juan Rivera guy. Then he busted his leg.
Then Torii Hunter showed up after 2007. Since then, Vlad was sharing time in my book with Torii and Juan. Now that he’s gone Torii and Juan are probably my two favorite players and Morales and Aybar are working their way in there as well.
When I was growing up it was always Salmon and Anderson and Percival, and way back in the day it was Finley and Snow.
I guess I’ve been in favor of the offensive guys, especially OF and 1B, partially because I used to play those positions. I think a lot of it really had to do with the fact that our rotation has been a rock for so long. Lackey hasn’t stood out more than any of the other guys in a year or two to me. They were all good, and at times have all been the leader. I always cheer for all of them, but I guess I’ve been spoiled by consistency.
My favorite Lackey moments: Game 7 2002, The Jason Kendall Fight (still on my never-used myspace page I think), Game 1 – 2009 ALDS.
For the record, my favorite Angels pitcher for years has been Scot Shields, including last year. I never thought our team would miss someone’s performance that much. Jered Weaver will replace Lackey and already did performance-wise if you look at 2009.
"You gotta have nuts." - Torii Hunter / Part-Time Nemesis of the HH Reply Function
+1 on the Shields love...
that guy has been awesome as a career Angel.
I love this team.
by Downing Rules on Dec 22, 2009 10:56 AM PST up reply actions
You know his WBC appearances are one of the things I like about him
Granted he didn’t do that well in ‘09, which was likely due in part to his injured knee, but he was a good representative for us in both ’06 and ’09. In fact, he’s been the only Angel to ever participate in competition for Team USA while on the 25 man roster and he’s done it twice That shows a certain level of dedication that I think a lot of people around baseball lack these days. I hope one in 2013 we might see guys like Kendrick, Mathis, Weaver or Saunders on the WBC team.
Of course this all comes on top of his dominant performance out of the pen for the Angels.
"You gotta have nuts." - Torii Hunter / Part-Time Nemesis of the HH Reply Function
by Commander_Nate on Dec 22, 2009 11:51 AM PST up reply actions
WBC held really minimal value to me...
other than being worried about my Angels on various teams and their potential for injury. The idea is great, but the timing is what I don’t like.
I love this team.
by Downing Rules on Dec 22, 2009 2:56 PM PST up reply actions
I agree completely...
Do it after the season, not before.
Well written, and I can appreciate the passion.
But I just don’t get it. Is it specifically Lackey we’re supposed to be mad at? Is it any player from our team who leaves? Is it the principle, in that any player who leaves any team for money is a traitor? And if so, why is it okay to accept these traitors from other teams if they are such horrible people for leaving the fans behind who loved them? I certainly don’t recall the people of Minnesota acting the way some of the fans on these boards are acting when Torii skipped town. They still go nuts for him there.
Just because one is aware of the business side to the game, does not make them any less of a fan. We just know to enjoy it while we can. I am emotionally invested in this team, and I don’t want to see anyone leave. It sucks. But I’m not going to attempt to crawl into the guy’s psyche and pretend I know what his motives and intentions are for doing ANYTHING. John has to do for John, and I don’t expect to be taken into consideration when he’s deciding his future. I will boo him not out of scorn, but because he is not an Angel, along with anyone else in the league who can not refer to the Big A as their home field- even the ones I respect.
I am a die hard fan. But I was never John Lackey. None of us were ever John Lackey. If we were, we wouldn’t be wiping clam chowda off of our mole.
Great post, though.
Apologies in advance.
i see your point too
being a true sports fan is bizarre. it`s somewhere in between a business and a marriage. in all cases, it is painful when things are shaken.
No matter what happens from here on, it has been a great season.
by Rally Manatee on Dec 22, 2009 12:47 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
An intriguing and insightful post, Rev, yet again.
The notion that we carry these players within us is right on; your writing here reminds me of the immortal Jim Murray. I don’t say that lightly.
Curious: have you worked on publishing elsewhere? Excuse my ignorance. Also, have you thought of a putting together compilation of your writings on baseball. Angels, being a fan, hosting a website, etc.?
They could be given out as Christmas gifts :)
Is $20 stitched on or is that a replica jersey?
If so, I am down there to get one. Buy low, folks.
I love this team.
last of the stitched replicas
next year REPLICA has goofy plastic lettering and numbers. Serous.
by Rev Halofan on Dec 22, 2009 11:16 AM PST up reply actions
I ordered a Rivera replica from the mlb.com shop
That was stitched. I got it for $25 bucks too before shipping because I had a $50 gift card and they were 25% off that week. So I basically got it 75% off.
It’s pretty sick, just doesn’t have the arm patch or number on the front. You may want to look into that route.
"You gotta have nuts." - Torii Hunter / Part-Time Nemesis of the HH Reply Function
by Commander_Nate on Dec 22, 2009 11:56 AM PST up reply actions
oh the irony
rev, this is indeed inspiring. i need to email it to all my friends who don`t understand my passion. the ironic part is that red sox fans agree with you more than anyone else. i dream of a day when southern california sports fans are as passionate as new england sports fans. on that day, i would no longer have to feel persecuted for my love for the angels.
No matter what happens from here on, it has been a great season.
by Rally Manatee on Dec 22, 2009 12:40 PM PST via mobile reply actions
Much love always for you Big John........
Yeah, I just stare at my desk, but it looks like I'm working. I do that for probably another hour after lunch too, I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work. - Peter Gibbons
by norcaliangelsfan on Dec 22, 2009 2:00 PM PST reply actions
Breaking News:
Jerry from Buena Park is retiring to Florida. I heard it from his own mouth on AM830 today.
The 2009 Pregame Picks Winner and Iron Man of Halos Heaven.com
Jerry was angry that Chone Figgins did'nt go to either the Rays or the Marlins
so he could be close to him when he moves to Florida in January. He told Biggsy he wrote a letter to Chone scolding him for signing with the Mariners when he could have just as easily gone to Florida which is nearer to his home.
The 2009 Pregame Picks Winner and Iron Man of Halos Heaven.com
Kid
Great article, I can’t even look at those pics of Big John. My 8year old boy loves the game he would always pretend his was John when he’s on the mound (even though he’s a lefty). I showed him the pic of the big sell out. You know what he said? “Dad I’m going to be Torri from now on so I can hit a homerun” THAT A BOY!!
Senor Morales...
I’m going to need you to be the thorn in Lackey’s side. You got us through Teixeira, you can get us through this.
Seriously, maybe it was just me but watching Morales come out of relative obscurity to slug 34 homers and 108 RBI’s made me feel like a kid all over again. It was the same feeling that I had when my dad would write a phony note to the school saying I had a doctors appointment so I could go see a day game at the Big A.
I’m starting to think that Lackey, Figgy and Vlad (although I’m not over that one yet) leaving is not the end of an era but the rebirth of Angels baseball for me. Something new, scary and exciting. I’m pretty damn excited for 2010 and I hope Morales slaughters Lackey the first time they meet.
By the way Rev, this post really is something else. Well done.
I miss Hudler already.
Being as I’m from the great city of Anaheim, got it tatooed on my right arm so everyone knows about it, i been an Angel fan since the Grich,Bonds,Ryan and Tannana days. I am also American first and foremost but i’m from Cuban immigrant parents and when Kendry came out of the wood works with the monster season i was happy as a sissy in boot camp boy!!A Cuban Angels player that i can enjoy rooting for, but then he kinda failed in the post season and i was gonna drop him from my fav list, but hey i moved on, and will officially name him as my fav Angel with Hunter, Aybar and Abreau and Weaver ringing up the top spots.
If practice makes perfect....
Yet nobodies perfect.....
Then why practice ???
He did hit a homerun in game 4. Our only run.
by Wally's World on Dec 22, 2009 10:44 PM PST up reply actions
And in Game 3 in Boston
"You gotta have nuts." - Torii Hunter / Part-Time Nemesis of the HH Reply Function
by Commander_Nate on Dec 23, 2009 4:53 PM PST up reply actions
Highly Rec'd
Great post Rev—thanks for putting into words what many of us Angel fans feel but couldn’t articulate. Good stuff for thought this off-season.
Have fun Big John
<a href=“http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/22/ivonne-hernandez-guilty-c_n_401126.html” target="new"Just don’t piss off the fans >
"Preview" says "love me or leave me."
I love this team.
by Downing Rules on Dec 23, 2009 1:31 AM PST up reply actions
Texas would have been bad enough!
I had heard some speculation that John might want to sign with Texas, and I thought that would be a horrible scenario considering how well the Rangers played us this season, and because I hate most teams from Texas in any sport. But when I read the news that he’d signed with the Sox I was floored. Never have I felt so much hatred towards a player I have loved so much. It was like a shot to the nuts. Business or not, I’ll never root for him again and I hope he does miserably in Boston. Hopefully he turns into a 50% guy and becomes an afterthought by 2011.
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