So long, Lobel

I can hear you now, "But Ben, why are you linking to a stinking column about Lobel by Sh*********?"

Can it, Greek chorus!

I grew up with Lobel. As did Bryan, to a far lesser extent. You see, Bryan had this teriffic invention called cable television in his household. My house had an antenna that occasionally blew off the roof. When Bryan complained about how bad SportsCenter anchor Larry Biel was, I just assumed Larry Biel was his algebra teacher. When he mourned the death of Tom Mees I figured Tom must be a cousin or a friend of the family. All I knew was Bob Lobel.

I used to sit through the early news report and watch twenty long minutes of Liz Walker and Jack Williams just to steal a couple of moments with Lobel and perhaps catch a snippet of highlights from the previous night's game that I was unable to watch because it had aired on NESN. Around the trade deadlines or in the thick of free agent signings, Lobel was must see TV for little me.

Lobel told me that the Pats hired Parcells, he told me that Reggie Lewis died, that Greenwell was leaving to drive race cars, Mo Vaughn won the MVP award, Clemens signed with the Jays and on and on. So you see, I depended on the man for an awful lot.

These days, with the Internets and the ESPNews and whatnot, there are very few sports fans who are at all reliant on their local sports anchors. And so it happens that Bob Lobel has been kicked to the curb by an ownership getting rid high-priced talent. Can't say I blame them. Still, I wish it weren't so. Anyway, thanks, Bob.