Demonic No More

I have a locker in my dorm room. That might seem weird at first glance, but rest assured it's a Red Sox locker, and it's the envy of my Sox fan classmates. It's nothing too special, just a blue plastic locker with the team logo on it, with spaces for a favorite player's name and number. I got the locker when I was a little kid, and the name and number stayed blank for a long time, waiting for the right player to come along. Then came Johnny Damon, with his crazy hair, broad grin, and fun-loving demeanor; I loved him almost on sight, and so he went on the locker.

You can imagine my torment when, in the winter of 2005, Johnny Damon did what he swore he'd never do: he signed with the Evil Empire. Jesus had turned to Judas, and in a fit of temper I ripped his name and number from the locker. [I had a friend in high school try to put Pedey on there my senior year, but I took him down... I'm not taking any chances!]

Just like all of you, I swore to never root for the traitor, and it stung every time he complimented the Yankees. He seemingly erased his time in Boston from his memory, and I tried to do the same, but every day the locker was there.

Now that Damon is no longer with New York (what a stupid move on both sides), I feel free to remember the good times again. I've heard some speculation that the A's have the money to spend, and at first I felt gleeful: let Damon play with a noncontender after being spoiled by buckets of money in the Bronx. However, after some consideration I came to a different conclusion.


Johnny Damon would perform best in that Wiffle Ball Park in New York, but the carefree culture of Oakland might be somewhere he could have the most fun. The man is the proud owner of two World Series rings, and the A's could be a good fit for him. I'm not saying he wouldn't want to be competitive, but I for one would like to see that hair, beard, and idiot-mentality come back; the corporate New York style just didn't fit Johnny Damon.

Letting Damon go over a few million dollars was a stupid move by the Yankees' front office, and as a Red Sox fan, I applaud it. Now I can go back to remembering the good times, before he was "Johnny Demon"... and I can look at my locker without flinching.