RED SOX LEGION

Who needs NESN?

By Tim O’Sullivan

Leaving the depths of a New England winter and flying south to sunny Florida is every Mainer’s idea of a wonderful vacation. Mix in the Red Sox spring training in Fort Meyers and superstars like Nomar and Pedro, and you have a Maine sports fan’s dream vacation. Dave Eid made such a trip a couple of weeks ago, but it wasn’t his vacation. It’s his job.

Eid is the sports director at WGME-TV 13 in Portland. He convinced his bosses that a trip to the Sunshine state was a worthwhile expense.

“I pushed really hard,” Eid said. “I thought it would be something that not only I would enjoy, the station would enjoy, but our viewers would enjoy.”

Management sent Eid on his way and told him to do the best he could. Spring training is an iffy proposition. Half the squad may be on a three-hour bus trek into the middle of the Okechobee. Florida’s infamous torrential rains could wash out an entire weekend. Players needing to focus, or get adjusted, or comb their hair, may deny pre-season interviews. The WGME bosses knew the risks, and perhaps prepared for the worst. Eid himself wasn’t without reservations

“I’m a natural worry wart,” he confessed, “and it’s really risky in spring training.”

The trip started with bad omens as Eid had two flights cancelled due to the winter storms. But, eventually he made it to Florida, and all the pieces fell into place. Eid came back to Portland with a treasure trove of interviews.

“When we were leaving Florida,” Eid recalled, “I was literally like two feet off the ground. Because I knew, pardon the pun, we had hit a home run.”

More like a game-winning grand slam in the bottom of the ninth against the Yankees.

Eid interviewed the superstar Red Sox, those known by first name only: Pedro, Nomar, Manny. He interviewed the second-tier stars, essential cogs and all-stars: Carl Everett, Derek Lowe and Jason Varitek. He also bagged three engaging veterans trying to make comebacks: John Valentin, Bret Saberhagen and David Cone. Not to mention players desperately trying, like they do every spring, to make the Opening Day Roster: Morgan Burkhart and Mike Neil, who at age 30 and with an Olympic baseball gold medal under his belt, Eid called the most interesting story of the camp.

It was Eid’s first trip to spring training, and he said it was an experience he’ll never forget, but it wasn’t as easy for him to go down south as you might think.

“I really hated to leave my wife and 22-month-old son,” Eid explained. “He’s definitely a daddy’s boy, and it took him a few days to warm back up to me when I came home. He was not happy.”

Gee Dave, you sound like a great dad, but do you really expect us, the frigid Maine Red Sox fandom eager for any hint of sun and spring, to feel sorry for you?