"Memo to Jose Canseco: Before you write a book, you have to have read one."-Bill Reynolds of the Providence Journal, as quoted by Peter Gammons when Canseco's book deal was announced two years ago.
I share this for two reasons: it's absolutely mystifying to me that anyone is taking seriously the ravings of a notorious dirtbag like Canseco, who much of the sports commentariat seems to have forgotten has no credibility to speak of- the guy makes Victor Conte look downright classy by comparison.
But even more importantly, I quote Gammons because... where'd he go? I used to love Peter's weekly hot-stove pieces, but the dean of baseball columnists has written two columns since mid-December, and he was all-but-silent during the historic world championship run of the team he's covered for 30 years, the Boston Red Sox.
What's going on? Has Peter begun some kind of semi-retirement? Or is he being phased out in favor of the talented-but-far-inferior Buster Olney, much the same way David Aldridge was eased out of the NBA beat in favor of Chad Ford? (Note: I haven't watched an entire "SportsCenter" in months, so I don't know if he's still been doing TV appearances. Can anyone fill me in on that?)
UPDATE: Spoke too soon: Gammons has a new column today. Does that mean he reads me?
Posted by Stephen Silver at February 7, 2005 11:36 PMWhile I have no doubt that players like McGwire and Palmiero used steroids, I wish the information had come from a more reliable and trustworthy source.
Posted by: Bill McCabe at February 8, 2005 06:28 AM"Memo to Jose Canseco: Before you write a book, you have to have read one."
Going by that logic, how do we account for Pete Rose having authored more than one book?
re : reliable and trustworthy sources. Eyewitnesses to sleazy, unethical and/or illegal acts are often sleazebags or criminals themselves.
Posted by: CSTB at February 9, 2005 01:03 AM