On a rain-soaked evening in the new Yankee Stadium, Derek Jeter lined an opposite-field single for career hit No. 2,722 and became the all-time hits leader for the New York Yankee franchise. The event got some good PR and some decent coverage, but it’s far more significant than the coverage it’s been given, to me anyway. This isn’t the Nationals or Padres we’re talking about, this is one of sports’ oldest franchises and home of the game’s greatest all-time players.
Very nice words from Schilling.Derek Jeter has always been above the fray. As someone who’s wallowed in it, “foot-in-mouthed” it hundreds of times, said dumb things and backed up dumber ones, it’s refreshing. He’s shown up, played, and turned in a first-ballot Hall of Fame career in the hardest environment in sports to do any/all of the above.
That, in and of itself, is an accomplishment.
More importantly to me, though, was this. I enjoyed competing against him as much as anyone I ever faced. Derek was that guy who was going to hit his way, regardless, with enough talent to still get hits when you made your pitch and hit your spot. One of my favorite memories was stepping onto the rubber for Game 7 of the 2001 World Series, being as locked in as I’ve ever been, looking into home plate and looking into his eyes, and us smiling at each other, knowing what we were getting ready to experience...
I have no idea how he felt about competing against me, or about me as a player, but I know competing against that guy, for the decade or so we matched up, was what made the Major Leagues the Major Leagues for someone like me.
So, congratulations Derek, you earned every ounce of respect and accolades thrown your way, and you’re one of the few men I ever competed against who is worthy of having his name mentioned with the same reverence and respect as Lou Gehrig.
He also said the he doesn't believe any "real Sox fans" could hate the guy. He said that Jeter has never done anything on or off the field that warrant anything but "immense respect."
8 Comments:
I have several friends who are sox fans and others who are mets fans and all say they think Jeter is a great player.
I've got to be honest. I've never liked Schilling but this is the first time he hasn't sounded like a jerk. After this, I'm prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Schilling is looking for more supporters to help him run for office.
f**k schilling and yanks willopen and close 2010 season with boston
open and close at Fenway no less.
I like closing the season against them, but opening up against them is annoying. I'd much rather open against someone else, but that's just me.
Nice comments from Schilling.......but I still hate the guy with a passion. You can't back all the other things he has said over the years, especially the things no one asked him about.
Curt Schilling and Jeter "looking into home plate and looking into his eyes, and us smiling at each other, knowing what we were getting ready to experience"?
What a horrible scene.
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