A lot of good things have happened in Boston since Mayor Tom Menino became mayor of Boston back in 1993. The Convention came to Town in 2004. Major construction projects and urban renewal projects were proposed and approved. But most importantly, Mayor Menino will be remembered for completely butchering the names of sports figures in Boston. I mean, the guy was so unaware that I question whether he ever played sports in school.
1. Jason Varitek did not "Split the Uprights." Back in 2001-02, The New England Patriots became the darling of the Boston Sports Scene. Robert Kraft, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady took a moribund franchise and transformed it into the most profitable and one of the most valuable franchises in all of sports. Some of the most iconic videos from that 2001 season was Adam Vinitieri's winning field goals in both the Snow Bowl and in the Super Bowl. In 2010, with a crowd of hundreds in the audience, Mayor Menino thought that Jason Varitek actually kicked those field goals. I note that neither the Patriots nor the Red Sox have won their respective championships since this infamous blunder.
2. Weckler and Grabowski. Apparently believing that Tom Brady can throw to anyone and be successful, the Honorable Mayor Menino believed that Wes Weckler and Rob Grabowski would help Brady to victory in the 2012 playoffs. It was a heated rivalry. And the 2011-12 season was no exception. The Ravens and Baltimore's erstwhile Mayor were talking some smack before the 2011-12 AFC Championship. Menino, in an attempt at throwing back in their face, challenged Baltimore with his notorious line about the the great Patriots' receiving core - the aforementioned Weckler and Grabowski. Note: I can't remember, this might have been before the Broncos playoff game too.
3. Gonk and Wilcock. In an effort to out do himself, Menino again took to the airwaves to discuss the Patriots' team. Again in a fight with the Ravens, Mayor Menino ripped off a couple of excellent zingers at Baltimore. He espoused the virtues this time of Gonk and Wilcock. Seriously, he screwed up Gronkowski's name again, twice in one year? More importantly, how does one interpret Gronk's nickname as Gonk?
4. KJ and Hondo. In perhaps the blogosphere's most notorious example of name bungling, Mayor Menino was championing the Celtics run toward another Championship run. But instead of KG and Rajon Rondo leading the charge this year, Mayor Menino believed that Danny Ainge picked up a couple of new players, nicknamed KJ and Hondo. These guys weren't going to help the Celtics, Mayor" I said to noone in particular when I read this back in June 2012. At least he had the good sense to use his Twitter feed to make light of the whole situation.
Good luck, Mayor. We'll miss you.
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