The One With Hearsay About Manny Ramirez's Days In Boston

We get a massive amount of tips in our inbox each week. Some are pretty interesting, but don't get published for one reason or another.

It's usually because they're just so absurd or really lack even the most tenuous of news angles to give them the go-ahead. Other times it's because they're just absolute horseshit. But every Friday until we get sick of running them, we'll present to you some of these not-so-shiny gems. All items should be treated as [Sic'd]. Enjoy...

To Be Fair, That Secretary Probably Deserved It

So we had a certain radio personality from Boston come in and lecture our
class today. During the question and answer segment, I asked for some
Manny stories. What I got was a bit more shocking than I had anticipated.
To be clear, I have been a Manny supporter since day one, constantly
argueing on his side.

The first story was about a trip in Anaheim. They were getting on the
plane to Seattle, when Manny informed them that he would be staying in
anaheim, and would meet them in KC, ten days later.

The other story was the Traveling Secretary story. I, like in your Manny
article, assumed this was the Sox letting out information to get rid of
Manny. They actually withheld information; Manny didn't just push him
over, but also stood over him, swinging a bat at his head and saying "I'm
going to f- you up."

(Ed. Note: The WEEI person in the classroom was Dale Arnold, of the Dale and Holley show, who said via email to us that he could not confirm or deny these stories because he wasn't there when they occurred. He was at the school, though, speaking to a "History Of Baseball" in Belmont Hill. The stories were good enough for the students, apparently.)

Who Was Making Fun Of Len Bias?

To Whom It May Concern:

I understand that this likely will not impact the success of your site one bit. But after reading the item today about the Len Bias film, I am certain that I will never waste another second of my time clicking onto Deadspin again.

I know what the site is about, I know it's never been intended to be about straight journalism or informed opinion or anything more lofty than entertainment. But Len Bias's life and death did impact me, as a native of the D.C. area, a Maryland graduate who attended the same time as Bias, and a sports journalist. The way you misrepresented all the stories and the recollections - and what you smirkingly, dismissively and with so much pompous and misplaced superiority called the "legacy'' - of Bias, was so inaccurate, so poorly presented, so ignorant, so limited by your shortsighted world view and so painfully juvenile that it's downright insulting to anybody who really did have his or her live profoundly affected by the incident.

We're not drooling lemmings, mindlessly bleating about the loss of a superstar through his naivete - in other words, we're not stupid, and we don't particularly enjoy being called stupid on a website whose cache is seventh-grade-level tit-and-dick jokes made by alleged grown-ups. I'd have to assume that Mrs. Bias doesn't appreciate her intelligence being questioned in a forum like this, either, not that thoughtfulness or sensitivity have ever been a concern.

I don't begrudge this site doing what it does or even how it does it. If there is that big an audience for this, more power to you. It's been worth it to check in on it occasionally for news and, at certain times, amusement. But there was nothing funny about this, and whatever point you were trying to make by making fun of Len Bias, his death, the impact his had on people of his and my generation and the film trying to put it in perspective, was lost in the usual approach that if, hey, my brilliant generation with all of its worldly experience and radiant powers of observation can't understand it, then it must be just some big goof and open to ridicule, some other stupid thing old people get off on that we can mine for cheap laughs.

There really isn't enough time to explain all the ways you were way wrong in this item, and it's not even worth my time to try to explain it. I can't even understand how the excellent ESPN story on him could end up being fodder for your weak theory that people like us are shallow, deluded jellyfish. That ESPN piece, and the revelations in it, couldn't have come as that much of a surprise to anyone who was around back then, who knew all the dark sides of the story yet still feel a deep sense of pain from a wasted life. It's actually possible for mature, intelligent people to feel both emotions, and lots do - but that range of feeling seems way over the heads of you and your commenters. Instead, you used it for your own utterly misguided purposes. It's as if you woke up that morning deciding, "Let's figure out a way to stick it to all those losers who keep shoving Len Bias in our faces. Whatever it takes.''

It is worth saying that I'm even more troubled than ever by the fact that this brand of mass communications is what is forcing good people, professional journalists who devoted lifetimes to the craft, out of work. This is what sports news consumers prefer, this is what is replacing newspapers. Jesus Christ Almighty.

Finally, if this is the path you want to go down, at least run a spell check on your headlines. If you're going to jump to unsupported conclusions about a "documentary,'' spell the word right.

Thanks for your time. Good luck on your site from now on.

Sincerely,
David Steele

(Ed. Note: Headline is now fixed. Sorry. Thanks for stopping by. )

Oh, For The Love Of Christ

Hi A.J.,

Story Idea: HINT Essence Water Builds their Brand and Partners with the Women's Soccer Pros!

I wanted to let you know that HINT Essence Water has just become the official water sponsor of the Women's Professional Soccer League (WPS), the number one woman's soccer league in the world, consisting of seven teams across the country and many of the world's top players from the U.S. National team to international stars.

The official season kicked off yesterday, March 29th between The LA Sol and the Washington Freedom in Los Angeles. As seen below, soccer stars like LA Sol's Marta Viera da Silva, Allison Falk and Camille Abily enjoyed the hydrating benefits of HINT Essence Water while leading their team to the first win of the season!

HINT comes in 13 delicious flavors that are all-natural and sugar-free and will offer the players a great thirst quenching alternative to plain water without any sugar or sodium. This partnership makes HINT available to all the players and fans and will also include a variety of television-view branding opportunities, a sponsored award at the end of the season, and on-site and off-site activation.

Please let me know if you would like any additional information or samples of HINT. I would also be happy to arrange and interview with founder and CEO, Kara Goldin to discuss this exciting new business partnership.

Rolf, Is That You?

From the Herald-Leader live chat with John Clay:

[Comment From UTCATFAN]
Heard anything about Scott Padgett as a possible assistant?
8:18
JohnClay: Rumor that Nazi called Cal on Scott's behalf. Who knows.

[Comment From CarolinaCat]
Who is Nazi?
8:23
JohnClay: Mohammed
[Comment From Baskervile Holmes]
You sure it's not Nazr?
8:25
JohnClay: it is, sorry

Hey, Thanks, Ashley. I'll Pass This Right Over To Them

Hey AJ – I wanted to let you know about an event next week with medal-winning swimmer, Dara Torres. She will be in midtown unveiling her new milk mustache ad. Let me know if you or anyone else from ESPN The Mag Daily might be interested in attending. Details are below.

Thanks,

Ashley

Send an email to A.J. Daulerio, the author of this post, at ajd@deadspin.com.

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