In speech fraught with metaphor and parable, Jim Rice was using Jeet as literary device

Statement from Redsock Hall of Famer Jim Rice, regarding his misquoted comments last week that Little Leaguers should not emulate Derek Jeter:



"It is deeply regretful that, regretably, once again our tone-deaf media trogdolytes failed to identify the employment of literary symbolism in my speech last week to the wee folk.

"In mentioning Mr. Jeter, I was, in fact, not targeting him per se, but the rampantly self-indulgent commercialization of sports, which denigrates not only the educational instutions of athleticism but the very soul of the games that we so cherish, which occasionally occurs when players such as he is publicly identified in speeches.

"My humorous and fundamentally positve reference to Mr. Jeter appeared in a multi-textured context which, apparently, was too complex for the sensibilities of my journalist friends.

"This is regretable, because the children that day clearly understood my pure meaning, which I will not re-explain, because I fear reporters would only re-misinterpret it, adding to the regretful dialogue which has already mischaracterized both myself, Mr. Jeter and the good people of Boston.

"To those who callously twist meanings of my words, I say this: "My fists are raised. Do it again, and you shall be heartily beaten off."