It is a pretty good explanation for why Josh Donaldson is as much of an asshat as he always seems to be.
That is, a horrific childhood with a literally psychotic, abusive father.
Sure, Kookie Bob Klapisch has to pile on with silly lines such as, "The booing was so vicious that it could've—and should've—broken Donaldson."
Stop blaming things on the fans. Booing "shouldn't" break anyone playing professional sports, much less a 36-year-old in his 12th years in the majors, making $21 million a year.
But hey, I'm old enough to remember when, after Richard Nixon was elected president in 1968, the great cartoonist Herb Block agreed to give him "a free shave"—that is, depict him without the thuggish, five-o'clock shadow that he had been drawing on him since Nixon's McCarthyist days.
Of course it didn't last—Nixon couldn't help being Nixon—but it was a nice olive branch.
So in the same spirit, and in light of what Josh Donaldson has endured in his life, I'm willing to lay off the guy. For now.
Though I'm sure that when he's gone 0-for-April and is acting like a total asshat again, I will feel differently.
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A horrendous childhood is an explanation, but it's not an excuse. Hope he gets the help he still seems to need.
I sure hope he paid well for the PR.
Sorry to hear that Josh encountered an abusive child. He is still an asshole and needs to seek help. Styling on 25 flyballs in 2022 does not get my sympathy.
I'm looking forward to the Oprah interview . . .
Not too many fucks will be given on this worthy blog for JD. There are many kinds of abuse in this lousy world, and rare is he/she/they who haven’t experienced it. My prediction is that he will spend much of the season safely tucked away on the IL, with plenty of company.
Fans have paid their money ( or TV subs) and have every right to boo. I honestly fear for Hicks, as he will become the focal point for the the fans ire when the team stumbles. Hope each side remembers fans belong in the stands, players on the field.
No amount of paternal abuse makes up for being an asshat. Look, I get it, growing up in an abusive house will be extremely difficult. But I'm sure there are loads of decent folks who grew up in that kind of environment, or even worse, and still turned out okay. And this is not an 18 or 19 year old kid that we're talking about. This is a guy who is approaching forty, for God's sake. And making more money in a few weeks than the vast majority of people will see in 100 lifetimes. I don't feel any sympathy for this asshat. You, and you alone, and no one else, make the choices everyday that make you good or evil. Let the booing begin.
A coworker from long ago summed up raising kids so well I still remember it 40 years later:
You owe your kids two things. Teaching right from wrong, whatever way you choose. And a chance (not necessarily a blank check) at getting an education.
Once they are 18 and have those two things, if they turn out to be an asshole, that's on them.
It's apparent that Jackie Donaldson has been his own asshole for many years.
@LBJ…unfortunately I can personally relate to that…so true…
Well, so much for THAT. And yeah, I'm sure I'll be booing with the rest of you pretty soon. Just thought a moment of acknowledgment might be good...
With all due respect, FUCK DONALDSON…
Unfortunately, I have no information on Joe Pepitone's childhood.
I know he grew up in Brooklyn. I know growing up with Italian parents and a name ending ina vowel in Brooklyn can be a mixed blessing. Two of my cousins were killed by members of a unique organization that is said (in Brooklyn, anyway) to not exist.
Perhaps Pepi's childhood would explain him.
Next, let's look into Ron Swoboda's upbringing. Ukranian?
Pepi DID have a horrible childhood, again with a psychotic father. Very sad case.
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