Is it possible we overlook Bob Ryan?
His columns earn acclaim and he shows up on Pardon The Interruption (but, man, is he awkward on television). He’s respected and well-known, but he doesn’t seem to be part of the national conversation in the way that some other (less talented) journalists are. And it’s a shame, because he’s really quite good.
We’ll do our part to give him some love. A few nuggets of wisdom from the Boston Globe scribe’s latest “It Occurs to me That…” column, which is about a hundred times better than Bill Reynolds’ “For What Its Worth” column we grew up reading in the Providence Journal (and somehow still manages to find a weekly spot).
“Zdeno Chara and Ray Allen may be the two most physically fit players in their leagues. If the Bruins and Celtics win, we can send them to Five Guys for some cheeseburgers and fries to celebrate.”
“Kevin Love understands that, first, last, and always, the No. 1 rule of rebounding is, ‘Do you want the ball or don’t you?'”
“When do you think we’ll next hear Wes Welker open his mouth? 2015?”
And he’s not above taking a parting shot: “Has any team, anywhere, at any time in history, ever messed up a valued prospect as badly as the Yankees have Joba Chamberlain?”