21

 

(Photo: Getty Images)

I'm gathering there are those who weren't a fan of how we closed out the previous year on this here bloggity.

Given that was...you know...yesterday. And all my troubles seemed so far away.

So I shall endeavor to win you back.

Oh, 2021. How different I feel already!

OK. Maybe not. 

So let's deal with a few famous 21's, starting with the guy at the top of the page, and the first one I think of: Paul O'Neill.

(Photo: Getty)

I was so happy when Paulie showed up in New York in 1993. Not that Roberto Kelly was a bad Yankee at all, but Paulie helped change the culture.

He was my kind of player: hard-nosed, brutally tough on himself. Every at-bat was war, to the point that he was known as "The Warrior," which sometimes meant hearing that Patty Smythe song ("bang...bang...") but it was a small price to pay.

Opponents hated him. They still think he was "whiny." Funny thing is, he's about the nicest guy to deal with. Just listen to him on Yankees broadcasts (what is it about athletes that I admire going into broadcasting?).

Oh yeah, about the broadcasting, he's become the next in line of famed and beloved Yankees who find a new following in the booth. From Phil Rizzuto to Bobby Murcer to Paul O'Neill.

One note about Bobby Murcer: His two most-famous uniform numbers were? Wait for it...2...1. I'll be here all week.

But, back to O'Neill.

Water coolers beware! The Year of O'Neill brings fire and passion but also brings results with five championships in six World Series appearances (1 for 1 in Cincinnati and 4 for 5 in New York).

Twenty-one is more than a card game or a former New York speakeasy or a route number.

It's Tiki Barber, who did a lot of good for the Giants. Some might say that good included his leaving. Ouch. But, if you're a Giants fan, then you must remember that the guy was a heck of a player. I'm not a Giants fan and I remember that.

The number 21 is also represented by Mike Eruzione, and that means not only will we come out winners but, as underdogs (and let's face it, we sort of are right now) we'll show the world that we belong! Eruzione was the captain of the 1980 Miracle on Ice team. He also scored the game-winning goal in the "Miracle" game against the Russians.. But, remember, the U.S. still had to beat Finland for the gold medal.

There are many who want baseball to retire 21 for Roberto Clemente (don't count me among them, as great as he was). Clemente was a remarkable player. A tremendous hitter and defender with an insane throwing arm who reached 3,000 hits in his last regular-season game. He was also a great humanitarian and he died 48 years ago last night in a plane crash that was delivering aid to Nicaragua following an earthquake. 

(I love Clemente and mean no disrespect. I just think we've overdone the retired numbers thing and if you're going to retire numbers across baseball for Jackie Robinson and THEN Clemente but NOT Babe Ruth then you've got some flawed thinking).

He sits among the most popular and iconic athletes in Pittsburgh and is one of three statues to greet visitors at the entrance to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, NY (with Lou Gehrig and Jackie Robinson). 

I know, I know. I've left out your number 21 -- Kevin Garnett or Roger Clemens or Sammy Sosa or Tim Duncan or Warren Spahn or Stan Mikita or LaDanian Tomlinson and Peter Forsberg or Dominique Wilkins or Charles Woodson.

But I could also throw in Spud Chandler or Bob Kuzava or Kevin Maas. Or Scott Sanderson. Or Fred Sanford (no, not THAT Fred Sanford, but the one who played for the Yankees from 1949-1951, going a mediocre 12-10.).

Or even Tony Dungy (pre-coaching, with the Steelers).

Or Cleon Jones (see? I know my Mets).

The point is that we want 21 to be good to us. To take the good that came out of 20 (Jorge Posada/Horace Clarke) and make it rock this year.

For there was good -- that's the exact point. The human spirit survived. We had moments that weren't our best but we rallied and took what we could get. Those of us who "get it" made the best of whatever we could.

So let's do this, 21. We'll show our passion and fire. We'll come out of this OK.

Champions. That's who we are.

Just like Paul O'Neill.

Number 21.