Idiot: Beating "The Curse" and Enjoying the Game of Life (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Dear Baseball Fan:

I know what you’re thinking: Couldn’t he have come up with a better title? My mother agrees with you, but unfortunately Genius just doesn’t have the same ring.

Let’s get something straight right away. I may be an idiot, but I’ve tried to do more in this book than just revisit the Red Sox’s Miracle Season. I want to give you a sense of what it’s like to grow up with baseball dreams, to spend long years climbing the ladder, and then over the course of three years to see the building blocks of those dreams fall into place.

In this book, you’ll be reading about the son of an Army staff sergeant—a thrill-seeking Orlando kid who at age thirteen was gifted with a man’s body, including rare speed and reflexes. It was some straight talk from my brother that kept me from abandoning that talent, which led to my eventually catching on with the Kansas City Royals and later the Oakland A’s.

Starting in 2002 with the Red Sox, I got to see what can happen when a determined front office decides to roll the dice and acquire players who, like me, leave the thinking out of it—who trust their instincts and play team baseball.

Forget what you’ve read about the posse of long-haired rebels who eventually made up the 2004 Red Sox. I’ll give you the straight dope, including who’s got the biggest mouth (hint: his first name is Kevin); what Pedro Martinez was doing all those times when you couldn’t find him on the bench; what game David Ortiz should never play; and why I sometimes question Curt Schilling’s sanity. Memo to Curt: the statue of you is being erected.

What’s it like being responsible for the hopes of millions? In the fall of 2004 my teammates and I got to find out. What I’ve tried to do in these pages is bring you inside, show you the black humor that erupted when it seemed we could do nothing right, and the immense joy that followed when 25 guys took turns picking each other up, and by sheer force of will reached baseball’s summit.

Red Sox Nation (both natives and new arrivals), this one’s for you.

From Idiot by Johnny Damon…

On what it takes to make the majors… “It’s never about your talent. Everybody in the minor leagues has talent. If you’re planning on building a career in baseball on just talent alone, you’ve got no chance. Most important, you need will. You’ve got to work harder than the next guy, and you have to want it more than the next guy. Guys who make it do so with their heart and mind.”

On Nomar…“It was virtually impossible for Nomar to go out in public. If he went, he needed a private room or he had to be shielded by the other players so the public wouldn’t get to him. Nomar had to deal with his superstar status every day. If one fan wanted an autograph, there’d be a hundred behind him. Nomar spent much of his time in his room getting food delivered. It was the only way he could get to eat.”

On “The Curse”…“When you got down toward the end of the season, that’s all you heard about…‘Do you believe in the curse?’ ‘Is the curse overtaking the team?’…Since Dan Shaughnessy is the guy who invented this curse nonsense in the first place, I find it kind of odd that he keeps talking about it. He’s a bright guy. I can’t believe he actually believes it. I guess the Curse of the Bambino has a better ring to it than the Curse of Dan Shaughnessy.”

On getting support from the fans during the ALCS slump…“I went out into the field, expecting to hear it from the Fenway Fans. But we have some really great fans there in center field. ‘Johnny, we’re all right,’ they said. ‘Just get the job done next time.’ ‘Come on, let’s go, John. The game’s not over. Make something happen.’…I didn’t hear one nasty comment…I was pumped. They were rooting us on.”

On valuing the game…“I think back to that day Damian Jackson and I collided in Oakland. Before that…I said I was going to retire if I won a World Series. But now, having had that experience and almost having the game taken away from me, when I think about it, I cry, because I don’t ever want to leave this game. I know the day will come and I won’t be ready. This game is so precious and meaningful to me.”

About the Author

Johnny Damon is beginning his eleventh year playing Major League baseball. A feared contact hitter and base stealer, Damon is only one of four players in baseball history to drive in more than 90 runs from the leadoff position. He lives with his wife, Michelle, in Central Florida and has a twin boy and girl.

Peter Golenbock has written numerous New York Times bestsellers, among them The Bronx Zoo with Sparky Lyle, #1 with Billy Martin, and Balls with Graig Nettles.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Crown; First Edition. 1 in number line edition (April 4, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 030723763X
• ISBN-13: 978-0307237637
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #597,175 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Rushed to make a buck, May 3, 2005

By	N. Berry "north" (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm a huge Sox fan, but hugely disappointed with this book. First, it's clear they rushed it to print to cash in on the recent WS win. Very poorly written (which isn't Damon's fault, as he's not a writer) The book jumps all over the place and repeats itself constantly. He continually talks about how the players don't care about the Boston media, but then focuses on it repeatedly. We all know Shaugnessey is an idiot. He didn't have to put it in the book 10 times.

As someone else mentioned, he does come off very cocky. Pinpoints certain stats in certain years to make himself sound like the league MVP. He calls out teammates/ex-teammates for specific plays/decisions.

I was hoping that this would be an "inside" look at the 2004 Sox from the player/clubhouse standpoint. Don't buy it if that's what you're looking for. Unfortunately, it's just an inside look at a player who thinks a lot of himself. I was surprised that he came off like this. I expect it from someone like Schilling, but really thought Damon was more down to earth. Oh well. I'll wait for Bill Mueller or Tim Wakefield to write a book before I buy another one.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars What a Jerk, August 16, 2005

By	northvanman (North Vancouver, BC) - See all my reviews

Like so many others, I am also a die-hard Sox fan and was, before reading this book, a big Johnny Damon fan. Still love the Sox, but a Damon fan no more. I'd assume (maybe wrongly) that someone writing their first book would write about the things that matter most to them. It comes as no surprise that the book is mostly about baseball and that makes sense because it's been the biggest part of Damon's life since he was a teen. What are the other most important things in his life? Apparently not his kids. Hardly mentions them. His new wife? He seems to like her, but we get no indication of why. Helping others? Well, if you count partying, I guess so. No, what Johnny really likes is himself. He loves his hair, he loves to party, he loves how he's a "go to friend", he loves how he "takes lots of balls for the team" as a leadoff man (he must mention that at least half a dozen times), and he loves to be a passive aggressive critic of his teammates. From what he's written, he seems to have no depth as a person and seems to be living in a perennial frat party.

The inaccuracies in the stats, cited by others, are appalling.

Idiot indeed.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Even I can write a book!, September 19, 2005

By	John W. Pringle - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The only thing I got from this book, other than the fact that Johnny Damon thinks very, very, very highly of himself, is that anyone can get a book published...even if there is no meaningful content!
I love the Red Sox and I still love Johhny Damon as a baseball player, but as an author, Mighty Johnny has struck out!