XM MLB Chat: History redefined by ESPN: missing highlights of 2003 ALCS Game 7, Red Sox-Yankees

The game was condensed to 1 hour on ESPN Classic and showed their orientation: excessive time spent on Roger Clemens (their obsession since day 1), lingering on his face when nothing was happening, and staying with him for an extremely long, slow walk off the field. At the very end of the hour with seconds left, ESPN chose to go to their booth guys for some garbage time, chit chatting, then went to Aaron Boone's at bat. They spent a lot of time on Boone's reaction after the game, which was mainly that he was speechless. History has been redefined by ESPN accordingly. (Even MLB.com wrote at the time that the use of Mariano Rivera was key to the win).*

Not 1 pitch was shown of Mariano Rivera's historic 3 scoreless innings in a tie game, 9th, 10th and 11th. (He was also the winning pitcher of the game).

On the 2 occasions Rivera was shown to be at the stadium, once in the bullpen and once in the dugout, the camera shot was 1 second or less.

Also erased from history by ESPN, (what actually happened after the game while Aaron Boone was saying nothing) the sight of Rivera boosted to the shoulders of his teammates, being carried across the field. Rivera was named MVP of the ALCS.

How fun it must be to edit history at will and without fear. After all, Bill Plaschke even said closers will never pitch 3 scoreless innings. The media drive works--Mo almost doesn't exist.

*On 10/17/03, even MLB.com thought Rivera was the key to the win:

*(MLB.com): NEW YORK -- "It was an American League Championship Series that had classic written all over it before it began. By the end, it had rewritten the definition of classic...

If the outcome of the deciding Game 7 can be boiled down to one thing,

it was that the Yankees succeeded in going deep into the well of

their best pitcher -- closer Mariano Rivera --

and the Red Sox went too deep into the well of their best pitcher -- Pedro Martinez....

Yankees manager Joe Torre, meanwhile, went deeper into the well of Rivera's considerable talent as a closer than ever before, and it paid off to the tune of

one of the most amazing non-save situations in postseason history.

It was the shining moment for

the very best October closer in history -- three innings of masterful work well worthy of
his MVP status....

When the Yankees took two of three at Fenway Park with two games in Yankee Stadium, the Yankees had the Red Sox by the proverbial throat. They let the Sox slip out of the stranglehold, but once they got back to even,

they went to the man who could put the grip on the game like no other.

And the Yankees didn't let go, thanks to Rivera and a little magic

from Boone at the end.

Classic."

Suggestion: If you're interested in accuracy, do not patronize ESPN advertisers. Never mind--passivity is the order and disease of the day:

"But this awful corrosive passivity is far more pervasive, and, unlike the psycho killer,
is an existential threat to a functioning society." (Mark Steyn, 4/18/07).

Example of rationale put forth by ESPN/MLB minimizing Rivera, as expressed by opinion leader Buck Martinez, 10/08/07:

Buck Martinez comment on Trevor Hoffman on WFAN

"Let me say this about Trevor Hoffman.
Hitters are more tired in October which is why Mo does better
than Hoffman would."

Buck actually says nothing about Hoffman. All he does is knock Mariano Rivera, with the incredible statement that "hitters are more tired in October."