ESPN Names Boston Red Sox Sportsmen of the Year

Associated Press ^ | 11/28/2004 | AP

[ConservativeWarrior]

NEW YORK -- A month after winning their first World Series title since 1918, the Boston Red Sox were honored as Sports Illustrated's Sportsmen of the Year -- the first major pro sports team to receive the award.

[ConservativeWarrior]

Personally, I thought it was a no-brainer that this award would be given to Pat Tillman. Near as I can tell, the Bosox's chief claim to fame is not wining the series for nearly a century. How can that be compared to Pat Tillman's legacy?

"flame-on, Sox fans"

[SolutionsOnly]

Agreed. Pat Tillman deserved the honor.

A loud 'Boo, Hiss!' shout out to SI.

[bikepacker67]

I'm a lifelong Sox fan, and even I agree that it was Pat's award.

[Jersey Republican Biker Chick]

I was happy that the curse was broken. But, the award should have gone to Tillman. I voted and had others vote too. I guess we got out numbered again. (you get used to it when you are in a red county that is stuck in a blue state.)

[dead]

I hate when they give any kind of "Person of the Year" award to non-people.

[Andy from Beaverton]

I was these magazines would stop playing politics with their awards. It was stupid of Time Mag to name Albert Einstein the man of the century. No two people had a greater effect on the world than Hitler and Stalin.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Hmmmn. Good point.

Didn't think about Tillman as "Sportman" of the Year, though he clearly made the biggest, most important sacrifice!

Individually, aren't they just jumping on the usual (liberal media!) "last news event headlines" of the New York-Boston World Series rather than considering the season-long effort of breaking the home run and hitting records?

[ConservativeWarrior]

I voted and had others vote too.

I didn't realize the recipient was selected by fans. Seems that this is the sort of thing the magazine should pick on their own. It's the "SI Sportsmen of the Year," not the people's choice award for sporting excellence.

[Red Badger]

I was happy that the curse was broken.

The fact that they won means there never was a CURSE. They just sucked for all those years......

[ConservativeStatement]

Am I reading this incorrectly? The headline says ESPN but the story says Sports Illustrated. John Kerry must be happy for his favorite player "Manny Ortez."

[The G Man]

I thought it should have gone to Jim Calhoun and Geno Auriemma over at UConn, who lead the Huskies to NCAA basketball championships in the Mens and Women's tournaments.

[skaterboy]

Told you Time Warner would never give it to Tillman

[ConservativeWarrior]

The headline says ESPN but the story says Sports Illustrated.

Freudian slip on my part. ESPN reported SI's pick. Apologies.

[Bluegrass Conservative]

While I sincerely appreciate the sacrifice made by Pat Tillman, I wouldn't necessarily support his candidacy for "Sportsman of the Year" in SI. The Sportsman of the Year award should go to someone who did achieve greatness in the sports realm that year. While Pat Tillman is truly an American hero, he did not do that.

We, as conservatives, keep asking musicians to shut up and sing, actors to shut up and act, and for the media to report fairly. Along the same vein, we should ask sports magazines to stick to sports and not politics. Choosing Tillman as Sportsman of the Year would have been a truly political choice. Choosing the Boston Red Sox is not a political choice. Personally, I don't think a team should have been chosen, but at least it was a decision based on athletic achievement (and done with grace!).

[ConservativeStatement]

No big deal, thanks for the clarification. :-)

[DTaggart]

Tillman's contribution wasn't to sports, it was to his country. He'd be a good recipient of a "person of the year" award.

But as far as sports contributions, the Sox are the obvious choice.

Thank you SI!

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

It would have been very easy for the Sox to have chucked it in after going down 3-0 to the Yankees. It would have been very easy for Schilling to have said "No Mas" when his ankle became essentially non-functional. It would have been easy for Damon to have stayed mired in his 0 fer hitting slump or Ramirez to have let his fielding mishaps bother him, or for Roberts to not come off the bench ready to run. The fact that none of these things happen and the fact that no team has ever come back from 0-3 down justifies the award IMHO.

[subterfuge]

Too bad for the Sox. Now they've gone from the "Curse of the Babe" to the "Curse of Sports Illustrated." The SI jinx will facillitate a downward spiral for the BoSox next year.

[theDentist]

I agree with you. Their overcoming that particular hurdle was a joy and speaks well of teamwork. But it pales in comparison to Pat Tillman's dedication and sacrifice.

-A boSox fan-

[Tallguy]

Awarding any Sportsman of the Year Award to any team is the equivalent to punting on 3rd down. No offense to the Red Sox, but this is designed to be an individual honor.