WIP Blog By Joseph Santoliquito-Taking Something Positive From Monday?s Ashes
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Tom Gordon nodded his head a few times as one of the Phillies PR people whispered to him briefly in front of his corner locker in the Phillies clubhouse Monday afternoon. Gordon nodded again as he began walking towards the horde there waiting for him, a phalanx of protruding notepads, pens, microphones, cameras, klieg lights and tape recorders.
A cavalcade of Washington batters just smashed Gordon not less than 30 minutes prior, blowing a great comeback by the Phils and the season opener in a dismal 11-6 loss.
Yet Gordon stood there, answering questions, being professional, not cowering or hiding in one of the back rooms. Gordon walked right up to the media and answers their questions—like a man, like the true pro that he is.
Sure, Gordon got shellacked. Sure, he had everyone braying at the moon that he was shot, that he lost the velocity off his fastball. But he didn’t hide. He could have, like some of his teammates have in the past after a disappointing loss, and like many pro athletes do today, sheepishly whimpering away in some cubbyhole to wait out anxious inquisitors writing on a tight deadline.
That’s not Gordon. It’s not part of his character. That’s why I say he’ll return to being the pitcher we all know he can be, to the pitcher he expects himself to be.
Okay, call me a homer, call what you will. But I’ve seen enough games and witnessed enough scenarios where after something dreadful happened, no athlete, regardless of the level, wanted to go back and relive it.
Gordon did. Some in the media will shriek at me, “It’s his obligation to talk to us!!!”
No it’s not!!!
I don’t know how I’d react if my desk was placed in the middle of Citizens Bank Park in front of 45,000 screaming fans—screaming Philadelphia fans (yes, there is a difference between us and others, like it or not)—as I pecked away on my laptop and my words were suddenly transformed unto the Jumbotron and were received by a guttural chorus of boos.
Would I find a place to steal away from questioners wondering why I performed so poorly?
Maybe.
Would a number of the Philly media?
Probably.
But I do know Gordon faced what was possibly the largest media contingent there for an opening day at Citizens Bank Park, given the hype surrounding the defending National League East champions. And he stood his ground.
That probably holds little significance to most fans in this city. All they know is that Gordon blew the game. But if you peel through the BS and the sky-is-falling angle some of the media took, it holds great significance.
Why?
Because Gordon is one of the leaders on this team, a rudder that does as much off the field in helping this team win than any fan or blogger could know or see. He knows the importance of staying emotionally stable, a practitioner in the art of keeping a major league clubhouse on the steady plateau that Charlie Manuel likes.
No one sees that.
It’s one game. The Phillies will be back. Gordon will be back, as either a set-up man or the Phils ad hoc closer for now.
It’s just in the character of this team and one of its leaders.
Joseph Santoliquito is an Emmy Award-nominated writer based in the Philadelphia area who can be contacted at Jsantoliquito@yahoo.com.
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