Johnny Damon? He's just the latest reminder. And sure, I'm rooting for him next season and plan on cheering him on in person when I have the chance. But Damon's departure didn't taint 2004 for me ... if anything, he reminded me that most of these guys come and go, that it's impossible to keep even the most beloved teams intact for long. Since Oct. 27, 2004, the same night Schilling raised a champagne bottle and gave his famous "To the greatest Red Sox team ever!" toast in St. Louis, could anyone have imagined that two-thirds of his teammates would belong to other teams within 14 months?
But hey, that's sports in the 21st century -- you win a championship, the moment passes, and that's that. In some cases, like with Pedro, Mueller, Lowe and Damon, employees leverage their situations into lucrative contracts with other franchises. In other cases, like with Millar, Bellhorn and Embree, companies cut the cord and try to find someone more productive. And once in awhile, you have someone like Varitek agreeing to stick around at a slightly reduced rate, and only because he's happy where he is. But everyone makes the decision based on what's best for him. That's how the real world works.
The question remains: If you were Johnny Damon, would you have passed up $12 million to return to a team that didn't really seem to want you back? Didn't think so. He's not Anakin, he's not Judas, he's not the Reverse Earl Hickey. He's just another businessman who followed the money and never looked back.
In other words, he's a professional athlete..
Get the fuck over it
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