![\"schilling\"](\"http:\/\/graphics.boston.com\/bonzai-fba\/Globe_Photo\/2007\/05\/23\/1179965361_2568.jpg\")
process of re-signing with the Red Sox after last week’s World Series triumph.<\/p>\nSo, the rumored return of Curt Schilling to Philadelphia is not going to happen.\u00a0\u00a0Yesterday, he signed an incentive-laden 1-year,\u00a0$8 million contract with the Red Sox, that could be worth up to $14 million.\u00a0 Maybe we should be relieved because, by all indications, Schilling has one of the more massive egos in professional sports and I, for one, will enjoy not having to listen to him for the next year or two.<\/p>\n
As evidence of his constant need to be the center of attention and admiration, let’s review how Schilling handled the process of re-signing with the Red Sox after last week’s World Series triumph.<\/p>\n
First, how a normal, decent person would handle it:\u00a0 A few days after the World Series, Mr. Normal-Sized-Ego would call his employers and say, “I’d like to come back next year, I’d like a one-year deal, let me know if you’re willing to talk”.\u00a0 The employer would then say, “Yes, we’d like to have you back, let’s negotiate”.\u00a0 Then the two sides agree on a contract and the player releases a statement saying, “I’m thrilled to be back with the Red Sox to try to win another championship next season”.\u00a0 That’s it, done deal.\u00a0 That’s all that had to happen here.<\/p>\n
\u00a0So how did Schilling handle it?\u00a0 Well, first he ‘broke out a pen and paper’ <\/a>to write goodbye letters to his teammates and coaches.\u00a0 Let’s also note that not only did he write these sweet little goodbye letters, but he also felt the need to go on the radio and announce to the world that he wrote them.\u00a0 Then he publicly listed the 13 teams <\/a>that he would consider playing for next year, presumably to get the fan bases in all of those 13 cities talking about\u00a0him and the possibility of him coming to their team.\u00a0 Was that necessary?\u00a0<\/p>\n In the end, he re-signed with the Red Sox, about 9 days after the World Series ended, and before any other teams even had a chance to negotiate with him.\u00a0 For one last bit of fun before he ended this particular ego-trip, he had this to say on his blog, 38pitches.com<\/a>:<\/p>\n “Did I \u2018leave\u2019 money on the table, yes. Could I have gotten another year? I think so. In talking with my advisor Ed Hayes, assessing the market place and current free agent crop as well as existing contracts. Looking at the teams that called, my best guess would be around $14-15 million for a 1-year deal with the potential to get 25-30 for a two year deal.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n So, don’t we all just love Curt Schilling.\u00a0 He writes goodbye letters (apparently those just couldn’t wait another week or two to see if he was actually leaving) and he took less money to stay in Boston (at least according to him).\u00a0 I can’t help but think those gestures would\u00a0seem more genuine\u00a0if he would let other people point them out, instead of doing it himself.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" So, the rumored return of Curt Schilling to Philadelphia is not going to happen.\u00a0\u00a0Yesterday, he signed an incentive-laden 1-year,\u00a0$8 million contract with the Red Sox, that could be worth up to $14 million.\u00a0 Maybe we should be relieved because, by … Continue reading