It was an interesting week in L.A., wasn't it? The most memorable moment of the series, for me, was standing in the press box with the Phils down, 5-3, late in Game 4. I was talking to Jack McCaffery from the Delco Times about how the Phils were in serious trouble. He looked at me and said, "They're going to win this game, Gonz. They're going to hit a few homers and pull it out." At first I thought he was kidding, but he was dead serious.
So I went back to the auxiliary press box and relayed the message to Ford, who dismissed the comments. "Jack has been wrong before," he said. Then the Phils hit two homers, at which point Ford alternated between cursing and rewriting. Good times all the way around.
One thing I won't miss about L.A.: Dodgers fans. Anyone who bashes Philly fans ought to spend some time with these people. It'll sweeten you on Philadelphians right quick.
From: Sheridan, Phil
To: Ford, Bob; Gonzalez, John
Subject: LA Confidential
I hope it's clear that Ford (and the rest of us for that matter) curses in that situation because everything we've written during the previous two hours becomes virtual landfill the moment Matt Stairs' home run leaves the park.
I was at Dodger Stadium 20 years ago to the day when Kirk Gibson's legendary World Series homer went out to roughly the same part of the ballpark. This was similar. You scramble to rewrite and make deadline and it is only later that you can really enjoy what you saw.
For me, the most vivid memories of the Stairs homer will be the highlights I saw later, which showed the faces of his teammates in the dugout. There was a joy there that was just infectious. The Phillies looked like a team that actually could win this thing.
My other signature moment will be that double play Chase Utley turned. He was crawling toward second base from one side while Rafael Furcal dove in from the other. It was just a determination play, pure and simple.
I won't miss anything about L.A., because I'm going to gorgeous and friendly Philadelphia on the first flight out of this arid tangle of concrete.
From: Gonzalez, John
To: Ford, Bob; Sheridan, Phil
Subject: LA Confidential
Yes, yes, that's what I meant. Wasn't throwing Ford under the bus (this time). Every writer here cursed, me included. I was thrilled that the Phils pulled it out, but it made writing on deadline pretty difficult.
But that's why they pay you guys the big bucks, and I get the mediocre money . . .
From: Ford, Bob
To: Gonzalez, John; Sheridan, Phil
Subject: LA Confidential
Yes, please make it clear. I was cursing about the complete rewrite at 11:30 p.m., not about the reason for the complete rewrite.
Favorite moment? It has to be when I stole the box of souvenir newspapers from under Jim Cohen's nose and he couldn't find them for a while. That was pretty good. I also liked the fish tacos at lunch with my good friend Phil Sheridan, otherwise known as El Diablo.
I think all of the baseball has been memorable, but I go with the body of work that was Brett Myers' three hits in Game 2. That was quality entertainment.
From: Sheridan, Phil
To: Ford, Bob; Gonzalez, John
Subject: LA Confidential
Fantastic Fish Tacos, please. Would it be wrong to mention the margaritas in the paper?
From: Gonzalez, John
To: Ford, Bob; Sheridan, Phil
Subject: LA Confidential
Other good moments: Pretty much everything Shane Victorino did, eating burgers at In-N-Out, running into the Phils' ownership (not to mention Don Mattingly) while at dinner in Pasadena, and last but certainly not least, Ford's always stellar impersonation of Cohen. The last one is pure genius.
Ford, when newspapers become extinct, you can always get a gig as Frank Caliendo's understudy.
From: Sheridan, Phil
To: Ford, Bob; Gonzalez, John
Subject: LA Confidential
No way on that one, Gonz. Ford is actually funny.
From: Ford, Bob
To: Gonzalez, John; Sheridan, Phil
Subject: LA Confidential
Well, it's good material.
