By Dan Kennedy • The press, politics, technology, culture and other passions

The Blutarsky theory of Red Sox futility

Blutto_20091013If you’re like me, you probably hadn’t thought about “Animal House” for many years, even though it is the greatest movie of all time.

So what were the odds of finding two Blutto Blutarsky references following the collapse of the 2009 Red Sox?

First, on Monday, the Boston Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy informed us, “In that moment, Papelbon was working on a string of 27 consecutive scoreless postseason innings. His career playoff ERA was John Blutarsky’s grade-point average: 0.00.”

Then, today, Gerry Callahan writes in the Boston Herald: “Guerrero flared a single to center, and just like that, the previous six months of Red Sox baseball was like Blutarsky’s seven years at Faber College: down the drain.”

Must be just a coincidence. (Thanks to Media Nation reader J.M.)

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11 Comments

  1. John

    Shaughnessy consistently references the 1970s and 1980s for his pop culture analogies which drives a lot of people nuts but it’s right in my ballpark as a 49-year-old (who agrees about the movie). As for Callahan, he’s so off the reservation with the rest of the lunatic Right that I never read him – although he’ll be horrified to be connected with Dan so for that alone this has been a priceless connection.

  2. Steve Stein

    What do you mean the series is over? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!

  3. Steve Stein

    For those freaking out over Papelbon: What would happen to Huston Street in this town if the Rockies were the Red Sox?

  4. tobe

    “If you’re like me, you probably hadn’t thought about “Animal House” for many years, even though it is the greatest movie of all time.”

    Dan, get with the program. When I first became an Associate Dean I called myself “Dean Wormer.” That was the best part of the job.

  5. Treg

    Time to start a Callahan watch – maybe there are other coincidences to marvel at in his work.

  6. LFNeilson

    Oh, I think of it occasionally, like the ladder jumping scene.
    zzzzzz

    • Dan Kennedy

      The ladder scene is definitely why they call it art.

  7. Al

    Papelbon has several years of very successful playoff and World Series experience. OTOH, while a long string of scoreless post season innings may be something to be proud of, it’s meaningless when you take the mound for your next playoff batter. What’s more important is how you did during the season, and how you were doing in the weeks leading up to the playoff game.

  8. amusedbutinformedobserver

    And the Red Sox don’t stink until we say they do.

    So what if the leadoff hitter is 74th in the league in on-base percentage, if the closer’s season-long flirtation with disaster ended with a plummet from the high wire, if the second baseman is blaming the grounds crew for losing on same field the other teams plays on, if the big free-agent signing discussion is about whether to re-sign a .267 hitter, if the big DH has two consecutive sub-30 home run seasons, if the Big Three starters gave up 15 runs in 17.2 innings in the playoffs, if the team is sub-.500 on the road, if they were 36-44 against teams with a winning record, or if they’re now in the fifth year of the Search to Replace Nomar and the fourth year of the Search to Replace Renteria.

    Maybe it’s time to call in Dean Wormer to drop the big one. Nah. Let’s cue up to Theo and tell him “thank you sir, may I have another.”

  9. mike_b1

    Dan, don’t you have a son in high school? The two of you should be watching Animal House at least every weekend.

  10. charles pierce

    NO FUN OF ANY KIND!

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