Breaking the Rule

Dear Bobby,

You began your managing career before I was even alive. I’m pumped I’ll get to see you in game three of your last divisional playoff series. Before playoff runs, though, you suffered through the crappy Braves teams of the 80s. Before I knew they had a bad history. You took them to 14 straight division titles and a World Series in 1995. I still remember one moment in that series; I was six, and intently watching my favorite player, John Smoltz, struggle to find the strike zone. He got knocked around and finally, reliever Brad Clontz (he of the ballin’ last name) came in for a double play to keep it tight.

As Smoltz walked off, I got so mad when “Hit the road Jack, don’t ever come back, no more, no more, no more, no more” played in the background as the crowd sang along. They were singing at MY team. Not okay. Since then, baseball has always been my go-to sport. It holds a special place. I played baseball because of these guys, the team of the southeast. Atlanta won that series in six games, and Bobby finally had his ring. That and the run of NL East dominance have etched him in the annals of managerial lore. He’s always been the face of the dugout, sometimes stoic, often smiling. His pregame interviews still qualify as the only ones I’ve ever cared to hear.

LZ Granderson, an ESPN.com reporter I highly respect, recently questioned whether Bobby’s lack of titles prevent him from becoming the all-time greatest manager. I can’t say I disagree with his point. Unfortunately, with one of the greatest rotations of all-time that combined for seven Cy Young awards between 1991-1998, Bobby managed one championship. But think of how we gained that one title: homegrown talent, taken from the draft and raised through the minor league system. We’re not the Yankees. Fact is our identity was farthest from. They became the big spenders; we did it the right way. Who cared if we were a top-10 payroll? Did you know the Braves radio network is the largest in major league baseball? There’s a reason for that. It’s character. It’s perception. Call it likability if you want.

It starts with a good front office, and for many years John Schuerholtz did a heck of a job. But a lot of what happens in the day-to-day grind comes from the manager. Could Bobby have done more? I’m sure he’d say yes. But from a die-hard, lifetime Atlanta Braves fan—thank you for providing winners who we could like. Thanks for being a high-character, high-class guy. Who else could break the all-time ejection record and be called classy?

Thank you, Bobby Cox. To quote a favorite movie, “The Sandlot”:

“Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.”

Check out Caleb and Joey Mondays at 4 p.m. or at http://milledgevillesportstalk.blogspot.com.

Posted by Caleb Rule on Oct 8 2010. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.