Chris Ballard on Bobby Valentine, SI 4/30

Great story. Congrats to Ballard, who really painted an interesting, compelling picture of Valentine.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/the_bonus/04/25/valentine0430/index.html

 

I remember reading another profile on Bobby V in SI a few years back...reminds me of that line from Die Hard 2: He's an asshole, but my kind of asshole.

 

from the story .... Valentine wanted a mascot, so the tall, wide-eyed Rocca pulled a clown wig over his thinning blond hair and became M-Crash. Gregarious, bright and profane, Rocca was perfect for the job, and by the end of the '05 season M-Crash was a sensation (and something of a sex symbol).


Larry's a blond?

 

How does a clown become a sex symbol?

 

Valentine seems to be the sort of guy who lends himself to good features like this one. He opens up just enough to get a few good stories about him--like the exchange at the meal with the executive, his feelings on Hargrove's use of Johjima, etc.

 

I liked it. The story was entertaining and Valentine has mellowed....

 

You know what I really liked? The interplay between Valentine and his minor league manager while they ate dinner. I like scenes in stories where it feels like you're sitting right there, and the action is just unfolding. I never know how to take notes in that kind of situation. I guess if you have a tape recorder going it's easier to go back and reconstruct, or if you have a steel trap memory you can write down the quotes after they happen, but I'm always impressed when journalists are able to do that. I wish I was a better note-taker.

 

I always thought V got a bum rap from his peers.

So he is a lot different from them. So what?

As for that article, very interesting read.

I love what he had to say about Don Baylor. Baylor and Bobby never had use for each other going back to that lineup card argument when the Mets and Cubs were opening their season in Japan in 2000.

 

Ballard has always been a very good writer. He's also an excellent guy; spent some time with him in nba arenas. Nice to see him doing well.

 

Like him or not, Valentine's always interesting.

Smart guy.

Too smart, oftentimes, for his own good.

 

Terrific little piece of writing in the middle of the story where Ballard talks about the gray sky, gray industrial complexes, etc., etc., and then points out that Bobby is wearing a pink polo shirt.

It's not complex writing, but it paints a very vivid picture, and works metaphorically as well.

 

Yes... exactly it.