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Clemens calls for a truce

May 27, 2003 ~ 1:16 p.m.

Jeez, did anyone, limey or Yank, wake up in a good mood this morning�aside from members of the irrepressible �Jesus loves me� crowd, who sing psalms on the 8.10 a.m. train, that is? I know I sure didn�t. I stayed up far too late playing NFL football on my GameCube, because most of the evening was spent just listening to the sounds of the neighborhood Bruce Springsteen concert�no, I kid you not�being carried in the mild air toward our open windows. There is an outdoor stadium close to where we live, and sure enough, it has hosted some big names in music from time to time. Last night, it was The Boss. I overhead him really hollering at one point, obviously an attempt to drive a hyped up audience into overdrive. When the concert ended at 11 p.m., it was remarkably peaceful. Didn�t matter as I was up until two in the morning anyway.

Anyway, if some of your delicate little sensitivities can hack it, I�d like to talk about war. No, not that war. This is a sporting war.

Roger Clemens versus the Red Sox. This has made the front-page news lately, given that Clemens was due to pick up his 300th win last night against his former team in New York. He could have earned it in Fenway Park last week, when he did win his 299th game, but a loss to Texas before that scratched his chance at 300. Much to my everlasting delight, the BoSox denied him last night, crushing him with eight runs in 5-2/3 innings (and handing the Yankees their fifth-straight home loss). However �

The fact remains�Clemens won 192 games of his games during his twelve years with the Red Sox. He is tied with Cy Young himself in terms of all-time win leaders for Boston.

It was one thing to acknowledge that Sox management hustled an unhappy, and relatively unsuccessful, Clemens out of town. It was one thing to acknowledge his back-to-back seasons� Cy Young award-winning work with Toronto. I think Red Sox fans took this in stride, secretly happy for their former hero.

But then he had to do it. He really had to drive the knife home into the hearts of Red Sox Nation by becoming a damned Yankee. This was malice aforethought in our eyes. I still remember Game 3 of the 1999 American League Championship Series when we knocked Clemens out of the game in less than three innings. Oh, the ecstasy. I recall all the �Hey, Roger, have another donut!� signs. We would go on to hand the Yankees their worst-ever postseason loss in their history that fine day. And for Sox fans, it was the only thing to smile about in that series.

I don�t deny for one moment that I strongly disliked Clemens for going to the Yankees and being so successful with them, being a big part of their �98, �99 and �00 World Series championships. I also consider his dirty play against his cross-town rivals, the Mets, despicable. But, part of me realizes that he is going to make history�not against the Red Sox, that chance was blown twice�but very soon, he will win his 300th game. Part of me realizes that he�s 40 years old and despite getting the occasional clobbering, still pitches like an ace. You have to feel good for him.

Clemens harbors no more ill-will against the Red Sox, if indeed he ever did. Regarding his long stint with Boston, Clemens said after his 299th win at Fenway, �It�s never in the past. This town, this ballpark [Fenway Park] are a part of me. I worked here, I gave my all here. That�s the bottom line. That will never change.�

He added that his days with the BoSox, �made me the pitcher I am.�

So, with this in mind, I can say, �Go Roger.� Make history, take your much deserved slice of baseball legend. No more grudges. You want a truce? This Sox fan is willing to give you one.

But still � I�m glad you didn�t get that historic win against us.

� M.E.M.

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