According to Boston.com

The Red Sox announced today that Theo Epstein will hold a press conference at Fenway Park on Wednesday at 1 p.m. With all the questions that have been prompted by his departure, it promises to be an interesting session.

Indeed.

I suppose it would be too much to hope that he would be announcing a change of heart...

Mike Barnicle was just on the "Fatso and Fruit Loops" show ("Mike and the Mad Dog" as it's better known) and said that Theo will talk to the press at Fenway tomorrow at 1 PM. Should be VERY interesting.......

I expect it to be an unbelievably bland session that rehashes what has already been released.

If a single item of insight or interest emerges, I'll be very surprised.

I expect it to be along the lines of what retiring politicians spew:

"I just wanted to spend more time with my family."

Or, divorcing celebrities:
"There are no hard feelings; it was an amicable break-up; we decided to go different ways."

If we're really lucky, we'll get the ex-rockband-member speech:
"We had creative differences."

If a bridge is in any way burned, I'd be shocked.

"I get to be a fan again," said Epstein in closing his statement.

It'll be years, if ever, for the truth of all this to come out. Theo doesn't seem like a guy to air his dirty laundry (unlike others involved in this mess).

I just wish he'd set the record straight on why he didn't prefer Minky over Millar

I guess this will set straight all the people who think Theo might change his mind, like Bill Plaschke on Around the Horn.

Maybe Theo will come out on the stage, looking all Glum, act upset, then rip off his shirt showing that he is in fact wearing his Red Sox shirt, and that he signed with them. Stranger things have happened (or have they?)



I can't tell, is this a joke?

Should be interesting, if only to see how uncomfortable everyone will be.

What do you think will be more interesting, Theo's comments at the press conference or the Globe's spin to his remarks in Thursday's paper?

Question: Is this unprecedented? I mean, how many GMs who have resigned from their jobs are given a pow-wow with the press in their employer's park before walking out the door that final time? Maybe it's not unusual, just seems a bit out of the ordinary to me.

Anyway, I agree with SSA, I think it'll be a rhetoric fest.
I expect something along: 'I have all the respect for this organization and thank them for the opportunity to work for the greatest franchise in all of baseball. I wish continued success to those......blah, blah, blah.

I can't remember another GM who resigned/got fired and did a press conference for the team a few days later. Then again, those must be pretty forgettable press conferences if they have happened since I don't remember them.

A press conference ?? why bother we get it ,he isn't coming back...
or his he?

I dont want to get too hopeful but it just seems weird that they have a press conference. He already sent out a press release.

Actually, Theo has agreed to work for the Red Sox for the next few weeks in prep for the GM meetings.

He is probably just doing this in an effort by both Theo and the Red Sox to clear the air over the unmitigated garbage that's been emanating from the Globe and Herald. (see CHB's drive-by wherein he cites no sources yet provides supposedly fresh reporting; see Masserotti's accusation that the Sox were smearing Theo).

All of that is unseemly for both the Sox and Theo. They would do well to clear the air.

This sort of press conference is hardly without precedent. We all remember Bill Parcells's 1997 press conference 3 days after the Super Bowl. The Pats gave him the forum to make his imfamous "if you are going to be the cook they ought to at least let you pick the groceries" comment.

I like to be a conspiracy theorist at times, but people he is not coming back. It was already said that he would remain with the team for a couple days to help the transition. Besides, it will be like hearing a politician at the press conference. Won't be worth watching. He will get asked some really tough questions, but he will knock a lot of them off to the side, and he will just say that it is personal reasons that he isn't coming back to Boston.

Oh, the drama of it all.....why am I having flashsback of the A-Rod trade that wasn't?

Well, despite the suspicious press conference scheduled for tomorrow, I wouldn't believe Theo is actually coming back until I hear Kevin Millar say: 'I liked Theo but I think Kevin Towers will be a tremendous asset to the Red Sox. I can't wait to begin contract negotiations with him.'

I hope he refuses to answer any questions asked by Globe employees.

I'm sure Mr. Shaughnessy will make his presence known. What is most enlightening is how every Globie is tainted by their association with CHB, Snow and Edes's articles.

These reporters have either 1) provided a platform for Sox management to rip Theo, in a gratuitous and pointless manner and 2) reported, incorrectly, that Theo had agreed to re-sign with the Red Sox.

In almost every way, they have failed as journalists. CHB especially. The Globe editors should call him to the carpet for failing to cite any sources, even anonymous sources. What a CLASS guy he is.

Wouldn't it be a hoot if tomorrow Theo walks to the podium and says, "I wanted to take this opportunity to thank...CHB FOR BEING SUCH A !!!!!! We gotcha scoop you d#ckhead!"

Theo bursts into laughter as LL ans JWH walk out from behind a door laughing equally as hard as the point at CHB. "You dumbass, I can't believe you bought that story. What a mindless a$$hole!"

As the laughter begins to die down, JWH says, "He's remarkable isn't he? In fact he transcends asshatedness!"

Theo, Larry and JWH high five one another as they walk away....

Actually, I think it's pretty nice of Theo to do this, and I appreciate it, even if he doesn't say anything much. No one would really blame him if he just had issued the statement and disappeared. Just another instance of him showing his character. It's interesting how the people who messed this up haven't shown any sign yet of doing us the same courtesy. Now, when it's too late, they're suddenly capable of keeping quiet. They're probably too busy scrambling trying to prevent the entire baseball operations staff from walking away.

Wrestling fan I take it? That would make a lot of people feel better though.

I don't think anything major will be said tomorrow. Theo doesn't seem like the type to throw anyone under a bus, even if someone probably deserves it. I'm sure he will say all the 'right' things.

Is that...? No, it can't be. [Pause while music reaches a crescendo. It's Puddle of Mudd's "Control."] It is! It's Lucky Lucchino's theme song...!

I can see it now, Ashton Kutcher comes out with them and tells the mediots they've been Punk'd.

Of course he will say the right things. He's been nothing but class and restraint since he's arrived and will be so tomorrow.

In the classic New England way, I reply "Ay-yuh." You're right on.

Stephen King got it right in his many novels.

When you are a New Englander, you say "Ay-yuh." Like Jed at the sematary.

What a draining, donkey-punch, ya-gotta-be-shi__in'-me day.

Maybe Theo will say, "I don't really want to go -- I'm a gangsta! Just Theo being Theo."

Uh, I think its actually nice of the Red Sox FO to do this...knowing that it will make them look terrible. Theo will come out looking great to boot. They easily could have ended his access to Red Sox media--he'd be free to do what he wants somewhere. Instead, they're giving him a state of the art facility and the support of the Red Sox media team to, in effect, promote himself over them.

HE will likely say it is a personal decision having nothing to do with anyone but himself, however, most of the virulent LL haters will continue their endless diatribes nevertheless.

HUH? What is the deal with people's need on this board to CONSTANTLY take the contrarian view?

The idea that the Red Sox could have stopped Theo from meeting with the media is preposterous. Is there a sports reporter in Boston right now that wouldn't show up if Theo called?

And to hold a press conference, what do you need? A table and a microphone? What "state of the art" technology will the Red Sox be providing? Internet connections so the media can get their articles in faster, when they could walk to Starbucks and get the same thing?

No, this is good for the FO too. They get to prop Theo up one more time, knowing he won't trash them, and come out saying "what are you all making a big deal about. Theo just said himself it was just time for him to move on."

I disagree. Sure, FO didn't have to schedule a formal press conference for him, but I think it's silly to say they could have ended his access to the media; this has been the biggest sports story in town for a full day now, and there is clearly no shortage of media members wanting to talk to Theo. Whether or not he addresses the media from a state of the art facility makes little difference; in either case he would have found many many sets of media ears to listen to and disseminate whatever he has to say.

Edit: what BruceHurst said...

You're crazy, man. Right now, the culpable members of Red Sox, Inc.--Henry, Lucchino, Steinberg--are hunkered down, afraid to utter a word. And th only way Theo will come out looking good is if he says the right things which he will of course, but that's because it's the kind of man he is.

Mighty nice of you to help prove my point even before one world is uttered. Is it so inconveivable that the man is burnt out or shuns the spotlight and wants some time off?

Very inconceivable, considering others have resigned out of respect to Theo.

But, of course, you believe Gammons.

The ownership group cannot stay hunkered down without comment much longer. Someone at the top has to come out soon to reassure everyone that someone is minding the store, and the search for a replacement is on. Perhaps they can let Theo have his day tomorrow, but by Thursday, expect Henry and Luccino to be in front of the media.

You are probably right that they will be seen however it isn't out of necessity. The Red Sox will likely still sell out the season even if we don't see LL or JH before opening day.

If he doesn't have anything significant to add to his resignation statement, what's the point of having a press conference?
It's Henry that should be having a press conference; to anounce the resignation of Luchino.

Anyone know if there's a live audio or video feed anywhere online for this little party?

Well that's my point. Since there is such demand for Theo, they certainly didn't need to let him use their place for his goodbye press conference.

Yes, dag, I wish ownership would do this too...but you made my point. Of course Theo is going to look good---and the rest of them are going to look terrible.

I'm going to take from this that you haven't really been following the story terribly closely, huh?

Can you imagine if they said he couldn't use their facility for this thing? As you and almost everyone else here has already said, Theo's going to come out of this looking great with the Sox the bad guys. Forcing him to go somewhere else for the press conference would just be another reason to bash the ownership.

Mumbles is on 'EEI right now stuttering his way through an impromptu visit. He thinks Theo is coming back, otherwise why have the PC at Fenway.

Thank you all for coming!

Theo is not coming back people, though I wish I was wrong about that. He is gone and the front office has a lot of work to do if they are going to navigate this shite storm they have created.

As I have already written, there is no reason to believe that this has to be anything but a temporary condition but to say the next few days/weeks are critical to the future of this franchise is to grossly understate the situation.

I'm glad Theo is meeting with the press today. Let him say his goodbyes and then it's time to get back to business. Theo will walk away with his dignity and reputation in tact.

Let's hope the team can look back and say they did the same from this point on.

WEEI will carry it live, so it should be available at www.weei.com

I am not 100% but Weei is probably going to carry it live and that is streaming on line...

Well put Ghost

Something tells me we'll move past the bargaining stage later this afternoon.

· Denial
· Anger
· Bargaining
· Depression
· Acceptance

I don't read the Boston Globe or its affiliates out of principle, if you have other sources other than the ranting vitriol of posters on this board, I would be glad to read them.

Is the press conference going to be aired on ESPN News?