86 Years from now, Red Sox fans will bemoan "The Curse of Schill the Shill", when way back in 2004 - just hours after the Sox finally won the World Series - hero pitcher Curt Schilling sold his soul to the Dark Side.
At the end of his interview about his team's World Series victory on ABC's "Good Morning America," Schilling signed off: "Tell everybody to vote. And vote Bush next week."
I can stand the "Vote Bush" comment on the air - after all, the guy is a born-again Christian and worth more money than the Baby Jesus himself - who is shocked he's a Bush guy?
But tomorrow - two freaking days after one of the higher points in this Sox fan's existence - The Bush campaign has announced Schilling will join the President on the road.
How can this be?
How can a moment so sweet turn so bitter? How can this Great Uniter use the magic of this event to support the Great Divider?
This World Series was a beautiful, unspoiled oasis in the middle of a stinking election season desert. A place where we could root for the good guys, without fear their wins would be challenged, their players slandered and smeared, or their fans intimidated.
(Ok, well I was intimidated on the New York subway after game 2 - and A-Rod did try to cheat, but give me a break I'm trying to be melodramatic here.)
I'm at a loss, I planned to make the trip to Boston for the parade on Saturday, now I can't see myself cheering for this guy as he drives by. I feel like this is wrong somehow, like somebody should try to stop it. Grab him by the shoulders and say "not this, you can't politicize this! This was different, this was innocent, the game is clean, don't drag it into this muck."
Is nothing sacred?!
Of course not. This stinks.
"John Kerry can wear the Red Sox hat, but we got the support of the most valuable player, I'll tell you."
-- George HW Bush 10.28.04
Yeah well, Manny Ramierez was the MVP, you Jackass.