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Here's some articles and things about the Lou vs. Ben-the-dick that I have found from different websites.
DISCLAIMER: none of these articles are mine and I didn't write them and I am not claiming that I did.
These are articles I found online and their sources are cited. Aleta's Lou Merloni and Boston Red Sox Site did not write
ANY of these articles. They are taken from news sources I found online. I did not write ANY and I am not
saying that I did so please don't sue me!!!!!!!! again: THESE ARTICLES ARE NOT WRITTEN BY ALETA OR ALETA'S LOU MERLONI
AND BOSTON RED SOX SITE WHICH IS ALSO, BY THE WAY, NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE BOSTON RED SOX OR ITS PLAYERS, NOR IS IT AFFILIATED
WITH MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL OR ITS TEAMS, NOR IS IT AFFILIATED WITH MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL OR ITS TEAMS. The sources of
the articles found on this website are listed, including the site they can be found at and the author(s)'s name(s).
NOTE: these are dated articles, so often their official websites eventually become dead links. Even when that happens,
i STILL did not write ANY of the articles!
thanks!
Ben there, hadn't done that
Affleck proves professionalism belongs in booth
By Eric Wilbur
NESN.com
Staff
May 29, 2002
So, Ben Affleck thinks Lou Merloni is making a mockery of his career? OK, let's look at some of Mr. Affleck's recent projects.
"Pearl Harbor."
"Reindeer Games."
"Bounce."
Come on Ben, you just had to have known that comment was going to come back to haunt you.
Among Affleck's other targets were Trot Nixon and Rolando Arrojo during a five-inning stint in the broadcast booth Monday
night that went about four innings too long. Merloni, understandably, did not react lightly about Affleck's comments during
Monday night's Red Sox telecast from Toronto, where the actor was promoting his new movie, "The Sum of All Fears," the latest
Tom Clancy adventure. "A mockery is his last four movies," Merloni said. "That's a mockery."
It's true. The Framingham native is batting a healthy .250 thus far this season. The Cambridge native hasn't made a good
movie, save a hilarious cameo in "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back," since "Good Will Hunting." Any coincidence that he was
alongside longtime friend Matt Damon for both of those? Nixon sure doesn't think so.
"He absolutely [stinks]," Nixon told reporters. "Matt Damon made you what you are, slick."
To be fair, Affleck was only saying things that all fans say at the ballpark, at the TV in the living room or at the neighborhood
pub. But then again, they are not being handed microphones to have their comments beamed to millions of people in the New
England area. When is the last time you called a major league baseball game? There's a reason for that.
We all dream of doing it one day, being in the booth, making the calls for the Olde Towne Team, but the truth is that it
takes an enormous amount of professionalism. Have you heard any derogatory Yankee chants in the booth lately? How about boos,
jeers or c'mon Nomar, get a hit chants?
They dont have local contests to call the Red Sox for a day.
You don't walk into work and say to your boss, "Hey Bob, great call on that home run last night."
You dont often hear Al from Quincy explain the infield fly rule during a Sox broadcast.
Affleck is a Red Sox fan, and I think that we can all respect that. But the broadcast booth is not reserved for the musings
of a fan. It is for Don Orsillo and Sean McDonough to tell us what's going on in the top of the seventh with runners on first
and third. It is for Jerry Remy to let us know what is up with John Burkett's mechanics or why Grady Little has the hit and
run on. It is not supposed to be for Hollywood actors to promote their latest flick, and oh, by the way, insult a good number
of the players on the field.
I'm all for a different flavor in the booth from time to time to chat and explain what they are doing in town. But Affleck's
five-inning stint was just too much for those who simply wanted to watch a baseball game and not, and I'm saying this lightly
mind you, a comedy act.
Affleck might not have made any new friends in the Red Sox locker room, but we're willing to give him a free pass on this
one. A good number of fans actually enjoyed his comments and candor on Monday night. The same number that thought "Forces
of Nature" was a cinematic masterpiece.
Affleck's stint on the air was certainly not the right forum, but we'll give him the benefit of the doubt. He's never called
a baseball game before. He probably didn't know what he would be getting himself into.
But if he messes up Jack Ryan, he'll have another thing coming.
Eric Wilbur is a NESN.com staff writer.
Merloni, Affleck clear airwaves by
Jim Baker Thursday, May 30, 2002
As unlikely as it would have seemed 24 hours ago, Ben Affleck and Lou Merloni have managed to smooth
over their differences, and it might even lead to a hot date with some supermodels.
The actor from Cambridge and the Red Sox infielder settled their dispute over Affleck's remarks during a guest stint in
the Ch. 25 Red Sox broadcast booth on Monday after Sean McDonough arranged a long-distance hookup between the two on his WWZN
radio show yestrday. Affleck apologized and told Merloni: ``You've got to let me take you out to dinner or find some supermodels.''
McDonough, who called the Ch. 25 Sox-Blue Jays telecast in which Affleck criticized Merloni, kiddingly suggested: ``As
mediator, I should go along for the supermodels.''
Affleck used the Red Sox telecast from SkyDome as a forum to promote his new movie, ``The Sum Of All Fears,'' but stayed
for four innings and teased Merloni for his assertion earlier this year that the Sox had ``made a mockery'' of his career
by several demotions to Pawtucket. Affleck even responded to a Merloni hit Monday with another crack: ``Miracles never cease.''
``I completely apologize. I'm a bit of a knucklehead and so into the team,'' Affleck said via an airline telephone hook-up
to WWZN yesterday while flying over the Grand Canyon. ``I should have known better.''
Speaking to Merloni, who was phoning WWZN from Toronto, Affleck added: ``When you come down to play the Dodgers (June 21-23),
I'll come down.''
Said Merloni: ``I'm glad we had a chance to talk and put it behind us.''
McDonough took responsibility for prolonging Affleck's booth visit and even encouraging his play-calling and analysis,
but told his longtime friend, ``You can come sit in our booth any time.''
Affleck had criticized more than Merloni, nailing Trot Nixon for difficulty hitting southpaws and piling on Rich Garces,
who was shelled again that night. McDonough noted Affleck also said Rolando Arrojo ``managed to keep his `Arrojo-ness' under
control.''
McDonough added, ``Imagine the trouble we'd be in if we mentioned what you said on commercial breaks.'' But he termed Affleck
and Merloni ``both friends and good guys.''
Though Affleck and McDonough both took heat for the actor's promotional-inspired appearance, Affleck said he likened it
to ABC's ``Monday Night Football,'' which regularly had celebrities in the booth to push gigs. But those spots were usually
brief. This wasn't - and Affleck also had fun taking jabs at McDonough and Jerry Remy.
from: http://www2.bostonherald.com/sport/red_sox/lou05302002.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nixon clears the air: Sorry about Affleck flap
by Steve Buckley
Saturday, June 1, 2002
NEW YORK - The next time Ben Affleck is back home in Cambridge visiting the family, he needs to collect Trot Nixon and
Lou Merloni and go somewhere for a cup of coffee. Or maybe lunch.
Affleck grew up in Central Square in Cambridge. What he should do is pick up Trot and Lou and bring them to the 1369 Coffee
House for a cup of joe or the Middle East Cafe for the food. But these three boys need to hang out, and soon, and patch things
up.
This saga began with Affleck visiting Sean McDonough and Jerry Remy in the TV booth during last Monday's Red Sox-Blue Jays
game at SkyDome and taking some good-natured shots at some Boston players. This resulted in Nixon and Merloni taking some
swipes at Affleck, which prompted Affleck to make an appearance on McDonough's radio program the next day to apologize for
saying anything that might be deemed offensive.
The latest twist in this story took place yesterday afternoon in the visitors clubhouse at Yankee Stadium when an emotional
Nixon said he wishes to apologize to Affleck for anything he said that could be deemed offensive.
``I overreacted to all this and I feel terrible about it all,'' Nixon said. ``Ben Affleck is a guy who has worked hard
in life and he's also a Red Sox fan, and I would never want to treat a Red Sox fan in a bad way.
``What bothers me, is that other Red Sox fans might read or hear some of the things I said and because of that feel that
they can say those kind of things to people. And that's just not me. That's not the kind of person I am.
``It turns out that he didn't say anything bad about me and that makes me feel even worse. I feel really bad about this.
That's why I'm apologizing.''
Relations between athletes and actors didn't used to be so convoluted. In ye olden days, Joe DiMaggio and Jackie Gleason
would belly up to the bar together at Toots Shor's. Jack Nicholson palled around with the Los Angeles Lakers. Tony Conigliaro
dated Mamie Van Doren. Wayne Gretzky married Janet Jones.
Now we have one big ol' kid named Ben Affleck cracking jokes about his beloved Red Sox and it turns into a steel-cage wrestling
match. To his credit, McDonough worked to bring the combatants together when he booked Affleck and Merloni to appear on his
radio show. As McDonough put it last night: ``It was such a little dust storm. In no way did Ben mean anything he said to
be malicious. He was just having some fun.''
At first, Merloni didn't see it that way. Same with Nixon. But Merloni has made his peace with Affleck, saying yesterday:
``We're cool. It's all fixed. Looking back on it, I may have overreacted.''
Now it is Nixon's turn to extend the pinetar-covered olive branch. These are not happy times for the Boston right fielder.
He went into last night's game against the Yankees hitting only .244, with just 18 RBI in 46 games. With left-hander David
Wells going for the Yankees, Sox manager Grady Little sat Nixon and started Brian Daubach in right field, even though Daubach,
too, is a left-handed hitter.
``We all know what Trot's going through,'' Little said. ``He's a battler. You'll see him go through two or three of these
spells a year, but when you get the end results you'd never notice it.''
It's almost as if Nixon, in an attempt to right himself, was cleansing himself of all nagging worries and controversies.
And if he feels summoning writers to his locker to issue a public apology to Ben Affleck is going to help, so be it.
People who know Ben Affleck say he's a great guy and a loyal Red Sox fan. People who know Trot Nixon and Lou Merloni say
they are great guys and loyal teammates. Yet somehow, they found themselves at odds over what McDonough correctly called ``a
dust storm.''
Ben says he's sorry. Lou says he may have overreacted. And now Trot, too, says he's sorry.
Baseball, anyone?
(taken from: http://www2.bostonherald.com/sport/sports_columnists/buck06012002.htm )
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After snapping at Eddie "Lou could drive to Pawtucket blindfolded" Andleman last week for
his joking around, here's Lou on Ben's roast: "He said I'm bad for team chemistry, I'm bad in the clubhouse, he
said the only mockery is his batting average, with that I got my first hit and he says 'miracles never cease,' he just kept
tearing me apart for five minutes. I'll leave a #%&! ticket for him for every #%&! game. I don't care that he
won't show up, fine. It's disappointing and unprofessional coming up (to the broadcast booth) and talking trash about
our team. He doesn't know anything about me. Just because he's from Cambridge and he's friends with
Matt Damon, that's probably why he's still acting. That's the only reason he's still going. He's a joke." from: http://www.bostondirtdogs.com/2002_a/Aff-Flack!.htm
Tuesday, May 28, 2002
Last night's Red Sox telecast on Fox25 had the potential to have very low
ratings. The first hour or so went against the second half of the Celtics game, and the Sox jumped out to a fast lead. Ben
Affleck joined Sean and Jerry in the booth and made the telecast a bit more entertaining. Some observations of what he had
to say: (as posted by David Claborn in the Red Sox Newsgroup)
* He and brother Casey and Matt Damon are all over in England doing a play and all pissed b/c they can't get any Sox games.
Even better? He's taking the rest of the summer off because he thinks this is the year and doesn't want to miss anything.
He didn't explicitly say "this is the year", but instead stuff like "i see this bunch of guys and, I dunno, ...I think something
special is going to happen this year" and etc.
* Castillo was hitless through 3 IP and Affleck said "I think Frank the Bank may get a no hitter tonight." Hadn't heard
that not-to-appropriate nickname before. Which isn't to down Frank -I think he's playing above his
ability this year. He's
been a really nice pickup by DD, IMO.
* "sending you down to the minors was making a mockery of your career? Hitting .192 was making a mockery of your career,
Lou. Do you think everyone from Framingham gets to play with the RedSox?"
* Ben was being pretty critical of everyone on the team in a good natured, Boston type of way. Except, that is for the
studs. "Nomar Garciaparra is the one man I can think about marrying. He's "something" (can't remember the exact word used.)
...and that goes for Pedro and Manny, too."
* When Bryant Nelson got his first major league hit, all three guys broke out of the cynical/cutting joke mode and enjoyed
the moment. Sean: "He's floating a foot above the earth right now." Jerry: "He'll never forget it
for the rest of this
life." Ben said something nice, too, but I don't know what it is.
* "you guys [Sean and Jerry] have a couple of obligatory comments you make each game: Hillenbrand has learned patience,
and Trot's no good against lefties."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Posted 5/29/2002 07:01:14 PM
So here's the Affleck/Merloni summary: Affleck called from an airplane and
said it meant alot to him to clear this up. Merloni was calling from Skydome. Affleck: "Lou, I completely apologize...I was
a knucklehead...shooting my mouth off...just was talking out of envy" Lou answered: "I appreciate it...I'm glad we got this
cleared up." Affleck then offered to do something to make it up, to do something for charity for him, said he was going to
send him a copy of all his movies but then he read in the paper that Lou hates them all. (reference to Merloni's quote in
the paper) He didn't imagine that anyone would even listen to what he had to say. He said he should've been smarter about
it. McDonough said he didn't stop him because he's known him long enough to know that he was kidding about it all. Lou said
he felt like he'd give a little jab back by putting down Ben's movies. Lou said he'd check out the new movie and he thought
it'd be ok. (laughs) Ben ended up saying he'd take Lou out to dinner and set him up with a supermodel or something. Lou said
he'd put his boys on a leash and keep them from going after Ben. Ben ended up asking for a Merloni jersey. Lou laughed at
that and said they'd set something up.
Affleck angers Merloni
by
Michael Silverman
Wednesday, May 29, 2002
TORONTO - Actor Ben Affleck's color TV commentary Monday night touched a raw nerve with Lou Merloni, who was under the
impression that he was the target of too many barbs from Affleck.
``I don't even know the man,'' Merloni said before last night's game. ``If he says it to my face, that's one thing. But
I don't know, he's got his own problems to deal with, so I don't want to say anything.''
For a few innings, Affleck was the guest of Ch. 25's Sean McDonough and Jerry Remy, both of whom said that Affleck poked
more fun at them than any individual Red Sox.
``He was very well-informed about the Red Sox,'' said Remy.
Merloni, who went 2-for-4 in the game and also made a standout play at second base, said 15 to 20 messages were waiting
for him on his cellphone after the game from friends and family members upset about Affleck's commentary. The Cambridge-born
actor, in town to promote ``The Sum of All Fears,'' apparently made sarcastic comments about Merloni's batting average and
a few other items that did not sit very well with the pride of Framingham.
``He tore me apart, said I'm bad for team chemistry,'' said Merloni. ``After my first hit, it was, `Miracles never cease.'
That was bad, it was very unprofessional.''
Though sincerely annoyed, Merloni did manage to crack how Affleck's career peaked with ``Good Will Hunting'' and that he
could not make it through ``Pearl Harbor.''
``If I see a movie and I don't like it, I don't call you guys and talk about it. I'd like to find out why he did that.''
from: http://www2.bostonherald.com/sport/red_sox/lou05292002.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GOOD WILL MISSING: On the lighter side, an unlikely feud bubbled up this week between Red Sox second baseman Lou
Merloni and actor Ben Affleck.
Affleck, a Massachusetts native touring to promote the film "The Sum of All Fears," spent a few innings in the Red Sox
television booth Monday night and apparently threw a few too many barbs at Merloni, who is batting .250. That night, Merloni
went 2-for-4 and made a big play in the field but afterward found more than 15 phone messages from friends complaining about
his treatment by Affleck.
"He tore me apart, said I'm bad for team chemistry," Merloni told the Boston Herald. "After my first hit, it was, 'Miracles
never cease.' That was bad, it was very unprofessional."
For his part, Merloni said Affleck's career peaked with "Good Will Hunting" and that he couldn't sit through "Pearl Harbor."
Touché.
(from: http://c1.zedo.com/ads2/i/3853/0/152009354/0/i.html?e=i;s=194;b=%23ffffff;d=1;z=0.09708268715638846 )
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