Boston Sportswriters

They wrote scathing comments about the great Ted Williams, so much so that he chose not to speak to them at one point in his career.  They called Carl Yastremski "old" at age 29 the year he after he won baseball's Triple Crown  in '67 (which has not been done since).  Incidentally, "Yaz" won the AL batting title in '68 despite being "old".  Most recently, the Boston press has pilloried David Ortiz ("Big Papi") despite his coming through with some of the most clutch hits in Red Sox history.  Now, Big Papi is resurging at the plate but has chosen to avoid the press.  Can't say that I blame him, or Yaz, or Ted Williams. 

It must be difficult for athletes to be in the limelight one season only to be in the doghouse the next.  One ex-Red Sox player once bemoaned how the Boston writers could be so critical, yet many of them have never played the game.  Though some get paid tons of money, we must remember that they are human, too, read the criticsm as well, and may not have the thick skin one might expect. 

So, I say to you, Big Papi, I admire your mental toughness and where are your critics now?