A Great Article On Bobby Cox

by gondeee on Jul 22, 2010 9:01 AM EDT

Take a long lunch or break from work and click on over to SI.com and read this really long, but totally worthwhile piece on Bobby Cox. It's supposed to be about his ejections, but along the way they retell some great stories from his career. Here is just one snippet:

THERE ONCE was a young Atlanta pitcher named Mike Stanton who failed to hold a lead against the Cardinals. A hitter tapped the ball toward first, but Stanton hesitated for an instant before racing to cover the base. The hitter beat out a single. The Cardinals scored a run. And Stanton knew he had lost his team the game.

When Cox called him into the office that night, Stanton braced himself for a violent tirade. Cox was silent. He shuffled some papers on his desk. He sighed a few times. Finally he said, "We can't have that."

That was all. We can't have that. Stanton didn't sleep that night. It was as if he had disappointed his father. Bobby Cox never called Mike Stanton into the office again. And for the rest of his seven seasons with the Braves, Stanton was never again beaten to the bag on a grounder to first.

Truly a must read.

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Comments

Awesome article.

Cox, I salute you.

by jbeachbum24 on Jul 22, 2010 9:34 AM EDT reply actions

Hmm

I did not recall the whole…beating your wife incident… I hope it doesn’t otherwise tarnish my appreciation for what a father figure he’s been for the whole team.

by joshmaurer on Jul 22, 2010 10:19 AM EDT up reply actions

His wife changed her story....

which means it either didn’t happen or she has forgiven him. Either way, that is between them and doesn’t reflect Cox as a manager imo.

by jbeachbum24 on Jul 22, 2010 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Steve Avery tells a slightly different version of this story in the Sporting News

it was a section tribute to Bobby, and he says Bobby glared at Mike Stanton in his office for 15 minutes and then all he said to him was " Get the hell out of my office" and stanton went out to the locker room and told everyone what Bobby sais to him. Over all very funny story though.

Proof that when posting while high or intoxicated can lead to some really funny posts

by bravesrbaseball on Jul 22, 2010 10:39 PM EDT up reply actions

I can’t wait for the Oct 2 salute to Cox. Have my tickets and am not afraid to admit, I’ll probly shed some tears that night. This is a pretty magical season the Braves have going and I hope the ride keeps on lasting. Gonna miss ol’ Bobby, but there alot of ball to be played. I can’t get too sentimental – yet.

by CharlotteChop on Jul 22, 2010 9:44 AM EDT reply actions

Hell, I almost teared up reading that article. It’s gonna be a sad day when he hangs up the cleats for the last time.

by Bobby Cocks on Jul 22, 2010 10:15 AM EDT up reply actions

Hell

I DID tear up reading that article a time or 2, tho none fell. That was well written

by ROBravo on Jul 22, 2010 4:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh, I’ll cry like a baby. Can’t wait to send him off proper. I’ll be there in my #6 jersey.

by Fatvirus on Jul 22, 2010 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions

I need to get one for the game – guess I better start looking

by CharlotteChop on Jul 22, 2010 11:05 AM EDT up reply actions

my wife got me one for Father’s day this year. Ebay was the only place she could find it…. the official store had a 6 week wait back in May. So, you may want to order it soon.

by Fatvirus on Jul 22, 2010 11:07 AM EDT up reply actions

Wait. Oct 2?

Crap. I bought awesome dugout seats for the last home game on Oct 3, thinking that would be the tribute.

"It wasn’t that it was slippery or anything like that. It was just, dadgum, my hands and the balls were so wet..." - Tim Hudson

"And those two guys at the end. My God. Jonny (Venters) and Billy (Wagner), just awesome." - Bobby Cox

by KoKo the Monkey (T-Bone) on Jul 22, 2010 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions

Oct 2 – Bobby Cox Tribute and Bobby Cox Tribute Night per the season schedule
Oct 3 – you can meet Javy Lopez, so you have that going for you :)

by CharlotteChop on Jul 22, 2010 1:12 PM EDT up reply actions

Can’t say enough about what this man has done for this franchise… Haters be damned… On an unrelated note, did anyone else see the Mets are trying to unload Frenchy? So sad… They say his OPS this year is like .670 or so… So sad…

HansonManCrush

by HansonManCrush on Jul 22, 2010 10:28 AM EDT via mobile reply actions

I made a comment to someone in here about the effect of benching Francouer would have on the team. Not from a performance standpoint, but an attitude standpoint. Since Beltran is back, they are something like 2-7 and Francouer is quoted as saying “He’d take a trade as long as he can play everyday”.

by CharlotteChop on Jul 22, 2010 10:34 AM EDT up reply actions

He’d take a trade as long as he can play everyday

Like he has a choice.

I fed a fish to a pelican and Frisco bay and he tried to eat my cell phone he ran away

by TradeAndruw on Jul 22, 2010 11:24 AM EDT up reply actions

Bobby Cox, you are a legend, and one of the greatest managers of all time, regardless of what some knuckle-heads around here say.

This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT

by justincredubil02 on Jul 22, 2010 10:29 AM EDT reply actions

Four World Series trips. One World Series win. It’s fair to bring that up when talking about Cox. I suppose it’s up to the individual whether they choose to interpret that as a failure by Cox or not. However, I am not alone in feeling very strongly that the Cox who manages in the regular season and the Cox who manages in the playoffs are not the same guy. Bobby could always prove me wrong by getting the Braves past the Division Series in his final year.

by Zontar on Jul 22, 2010 10:51 AM EDT up reply actions

You have to get to the dance first

If you want to score with the prom queen. I respectfully disagree that it’s fair to bring up his post-season shortcomings, because as many times as Bobby Cox has not won a World Series, there are many managers that have never seen even the playoffs, a lot more of them who have never played in a LCS, and many, many more other managers who have never made it to a World Series, let alone four.

If I may continue with the sports cliches, it’s also not so much how many times you’ve been knocked down, but how many times you get up. Sure, the Braves lost in the NLDS or NLCS the last six playoff appearances, but what did they do the next year? (excluding 2006) They got right back up, won the division again, and gave it another shot. They didn’t pull an 2006 A’s, 2008 Brewers and White Sox and return to mediocrity the following year.

If the regular season is a marathon, then the playoffs are a baton relay. They both involve running, but are largely two different beasts. Admittedly, there are times when Bobby has pulled some head-scratchers in the last playoff appearances, but also do not ignore to give credit to some opposition who find that October Zen, like Kerry Wood and Roy Oswalt have done to us, who just become ice water and simply shut everyone down.

And it’s not like Bobby never won it all. One WS championship is one more than a lot of baseball players/managers will ever get in their careers. Ask Ken Griffey, Jr and Frank Thomas, off the top of my head.

No wonder nobody likes you, Tuttle... everything's a (Pujols) damn debate.

by royhobbs on Jul 22, 2010 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions

Didn’t Thomas get a ring with the WS in 05?

"Jason Heyward was a Greek philosopher reincarnated as a baseball player." - Don Sutton

by UMDBHIK on Jul 22, 2010 11:27 AM EDT up reply actions

yeah, i think so

"Matt Diaz is a baseball player."-Joe Simpson

by 10-4 on Jul 22, 2010 12:27 PM EDT up reply actions

I think you could have stopped after your second sentence – 4 WS – that is a feat in itself.

1 WS win – That also is a great feat that not many people can claim.

This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT

by justincredubil02 on Jul 22, 2010 12:01 PM EDT up reply actions

and we actually went to 5 world series… 91, 92, 95, 96, and 99

by get swoll yunel on Jul 23, 2010 3:31 AM EDT up reply actions

Truth.

This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT

by justincredubil02 on Jul 23, 2010 5:56 AM EDT up reply actions

“It’s those gorillas, he’s just mesmerized by them,” says Pam, her voice a soft Southern singsong. "He could stand there and watch them all day long. I could not understand why until he said to me, ‘Honey, would you just look at the arms on those guys. Could you imagine our team signing one of them up?’ "

I fed a fish to a pelican and Frisco bay and he tried to eat my cell phone he ran away

by TradeAndruw on Jul 22, 2010 10:34 AM EDT reply actions

That one made me laugh out loud!

HansonManCrush

by HansonManCrush on Jul 22, 2010 10:47 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

I laughed at the visual of Bobby just sitting there watching Gorillas.

by Shoert on Jul 22, 2010 3:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Last day?

Do you think Bobby should get run on the last game at the Ted? That would be a priceless standing ovation he would receive. Hopefully the division title is already wrapped up at that point. Good article, great read.

by Crispy on Jul 22, 2010 10:41 AM EDT reply actions

He wouldn't do it

Unless it were conducive to winning the game. The article says about 50 times how much he hates the spotlight and theatrics, he’s not going to do it unless it means something to the game.

No wonder nobody likes you, Tuttle... everything's a (Pujols) damn debate.

by royhobbs on Jul 22, 2010 10:49 AM EDT up reply actions

Page 10

is some of the best sports writing I have ever read.

No wonder nobody likes you, Tuttle... everything's a (Pujols) damn debate.

by royhobbs on Jul 22, 2010 10:50 AM EDT reply actions

What a great article. Could have been longer, as far as I’m concerned.

"Jason Heyward was a Greek philosopher reincarnated as a baseball player." - Don Sutton

by UMDBHIK on Jul 22, 2010 11:01 AM EDT reply actions

So true. I was dissappointed when I realized I was on the last page.

This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT

by justincredubil02 on Jul 22, 2010 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Great article, but I wonder if anyone else was bothered by the frequent use of “ocean of numbers”.

The birth of Jason Heyward was God’s punishment for the sins of the people in New York and Philly.

by TonyAlmeyda on Jul 22, 2010 12:10 PM EDT reply actions

i was… but maybe thats the tittle of the article….

Jason Heyward is what Willis was talking about.....

by Hektor DiPaula on Jul 22, 2010 1:02 PM EDT up reply actions

“Thumbing His Way Back Home”

The birth of Jason Heyward was God’s punishment for the sins of the people in New York and Philly.

by TonyAlmeyda on Jul 22, 2010 4:11 PM EDT up reply actions

that was the theme he created and used it to carry the story along…its a device used by writers…i think its a bit weak and detracts from the article’s oterhwise greatness

"No. Lonely people mixing with one another? Breeding? Creating an even lonelier generation? You're not even allowing natural selection do its work. Pssh. You're like the guy who invented the seat belt."

Dwight Schrute

by Swo12bv on Jul 22, 2010 11:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Awesome Article

Said his 14 grandkids call him “Grand-Bobby”

God Bless You Bobby

A lot of room in right center, if he hits one there we can dance in the streets, the 2-1....

by ATLBRVS_19 on Jul 22, 2010 12:35 PM EDT reply actions

When I posted my FanShot on this last night, my search of the si.com site failed to turn up the article tucked away in the "/vault" section.

Regardless, I gotta stick to my position that everybody needs to go buy the magazine. It will cost a few dollars, but the photo montage of Bobby screaming at all the umpires is truly priceless.

by fandave on Jul 22, 2010 2:06 PM EDT reply actions

Is he going to be on the cover? He deserves to be.

by Gage23 on Jul 22, 2010 9:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Gotta love how Heyman subtlety takes Bill Hohn to task at the end of the article.

by masterankerich on Jul 22, 2010 3:04 PM EDT reply actions

Bobby Cox is the greatest manager of all time and the true face of the Braves franchise (all due respect to Chipper and the Big 3). I always wear a a Cox #6 Jersey Shirt to every Braves game. I’ve been surprised to see others wearing one in various ballparks, because when I got mine the official Braves store wouldn’t make one for me and I had to get it done custom. It may be completely crossing the line between sports/real world, respect for other opinions, whatever, but I would honestly say that if someone doesn’t respect Bobby as a great manager, I really don’t think that I could be friends with that person.

by Sir Stealth on Jul 22, 2010 3:11 PM EDT reply actions

Here's the main image from the article

The birth of Jason Heyward was God’s punishment for the sins of the people in New York and Philly.

by TonyAlmeyda on Jul 22, 2010 4:33 PM EDT reply actions

Thanks!

by fandave on Jul 22, 2010 6:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Great article

Bobby is one of the greatest managers of all time and will be missed

by Braves24 on Jul 22, 2010 4:45 PM EDT reply actions

Is Mike sure

“We can’t have that” wasn’t in reference to his hair? I seem to remember Bobby chiding him a bit about that from time to time.

I’ve had problems from time to time with Cox’s on field strategic moves and handling of the ‘pen but, ultimately, he’s been incredible. He’s always set a great tone for this franchise, going back to his first term as manager and starting again when he came back to be GM. We act like pros, we don’t tolerate knuckleheads (at least not for long), and we don’t act like assholes. That vibe starts at the top.

And he never showed back up in the dugout wearing a Graucho disguise, unlike some dildo I could name.

"FIP isn’t horseshit. It’s just horseshit for Hudson." - frozendesert

by Sam Jethroe on Jul 23, 2010 2:49 AM EDT reply actions

Some managers get thrown out of games and you think, “geez, what a jerk.” Bobby gets thrown out of games, you think, “geez, what a guy.” This was a great article.

by John Holton on Jul 23, 2010 12:48 PM EDT reply actions