Schilling Diagnosed with Cancer

Status
Not open for further replies.

cjdmadcow

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
1,477
St Albans, UK
yep said:
Why are we using this thread to unpack things we don't we don't like about Curt Schilling, public figure?

He's an unquestionable hero in Red Sox and in baseball, who delivered a perfomance for the ages in the biggest post-season comeback in baseball history, and arguably the most exciting and significant post-season in American sports.

He's a legendary SoSH poster and member, who brought insights and perspective that no other regular poster on this or any other fan board has ever been able to offer, to my knowledge. He's a borderline HOF pitcher, with an unquestioned HOF sock/ankle, who did an admirable job of trying his damndest to be "one of the guys" on this message-board, and often struggled with it.

And now he has cancer. I can't believe I'm reading things like "maybe it's not really BAD cancer, and just for PR". If you ever meet "good cancer" or "PR cancer", let me know what it looks like. My experience with "good cancer" is that you spend a couple years of your life going through surgery and being injected with poison that makes you chronically sick in the hope that you don't die soon.

His post-baseball life and celebrity enabled him to make some spectacular mistakes. Most of us will never get the chance to see how we would fare on a stage that size.

Curt Schilling was once upon a time a regular-ish guy with a sick kid and a family to feed and not a millionare sports hero. And then he developed into as big a "big-game pitcher" as the game could point to: the Schilling/Johnson tandem was a big fucking deal, and it's an open question who was the "ace" between him and the Big Unit.

He then joined the Red Sox in no small part thanks to this board in particular, and his interest in and connection with the Boston fanbase and history in general, and he never missed an opportunity to credit the fans. On Bloodly Ankle day, he gave a press-conference something like waking up at 7am, not thinking he was going to be able to pitch, and then seeing all the signs on route 109 or something...

What the fuck is wrong with us? How spoiled can a fanbase possibly be?

That guy, *that guy*, the guy who pitched a gem through experimental surgery, who was the story for the ages in the post-season for the ages, who stepped up when Pedro flubbed in 2004, who joined this board on thanksgiving night, who did his damndest to ignore the fawning and trolling and piling-on that happened whenever he posted, who started game-threads and who told us what he thought, unfiltered, from the inside, and who did everything he could to be not just a hero but also a fan... *that guy* now has cancer, and we, *this board* are now unpacking his politics and failed business ventures?

Back when SoSh was newsworthy enough to have a "reputation" in the world of baseball media, it had a reputation for being snooty and too-cool-for-school. Closed membership and Curt Schilling were the keywords, with bonus points given to special guest appearances by Tango, John Henry, and Bill Simmons or whatever.

Now that we're too cool even for Curt Schilling with cancer, maybe we can whittle down the membership to three or four under-employed lawyers who argue over politics and post snarky links to embarassing blogs, with a couple of post-graduates in other disciplines to provide technical backup.

I'm trying to imagine a scenario where, say, DH3 got $50MM and a grant from the state of RI, and then blew it spectacularly on a pipe-dream business-plan, and then got cancer... I cannot imagine anything like this thread. The casualness and blase tone and tenor... and DH3 never pitched a big game in his life, that I know of.

G38 had an absolute legendary, heroic, spotless record as a Red Sock, and as a SoSH member, and as a regular guy made good. He had a much less impressive run as a political thinker and post-baseball businessman. And now he has cancer.

MLB may or may not put him in the HOF, the Red Sox might but probably won't retire his number, but SoSH should absolutely do so. There are sub-forums to bitch about his business failings. If Red Sox baseball doesn't count for something, then this entire website is pointless. And if Red Sox baseball is a worthwhile topic, then G38 is a fucking superhero of historic proportions.
 
I can't say it any better than this from yep, so I will just send best wishes to G38 and his family from across the ocean.
 

Bergs

funky and cold
SoSH Member
Jul 22, 2005
21,613
Foulkey Reese said:
Because people need everything to be about them. 
 
Not picking on you, Foulkey, but I'd much rather read people's opinion of him followed by well-wishes than 4 pages of "Thoughts and prayers" posts. Perhaps the former is overly self-absorbed, but the latter is simply schmaltz. 
 

Larry Gardner

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 8, 2003
216
Nashville, TN
There is no way to ever understate the word cancer.....G38, you are going to have the worst year in your life coming up, and it is really going to suck.....you and yours will be in my prayers and hopes for a speedy and full recovery. 
 

StuckOnYouk

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 26, 2006
3,538
CT
Bergs said:
 
Not picking on you, Foulkey, but I'd much rather read people's opinion of him followed by well-wishes than 4 pages of "Thoughts and prayers" posts. Perhaps the former is overly self-absorbed, but the latter is simply schmaltz. 
Hearing people bitch about his politics is equally tiresome and has been done in other threads. No need to rehash them in his cancer thread.
 

hbk72777

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
1,945
mt8thsw9th said:
 
Are you hinting that Schilling has brain cancer? That hasn't been reported yet, but you may be in the know. He would be in a long line of ex-Phillies that have developed brain cancer.
 
It does make you wonder
 
 
Quisenberry, Dick Howser, Murcer, Carter, Bonds, Oates, McGraw Daulton. It seems many played/managed for the same teams around the same time, mid 70s to mid 80s
 
Bret - Yankees Phillies, Royals
Howser- Yankees, Royals
Oates- Phillies, Yankees
McGraw- Phillies, Mets,
Quisenberry-Royals
Daulton- Phillies
Carter- Mets
Bonds- Yankees, Giants, Cubs
Murcer- Yankees, Giants,Cubs
 
It's probably coincidence more than anything, Brett and Bonds played for a ton of teams. But there isn't any played on the list that doesn't share a team with another player. 5 teams unite them all (Cubs and Giants are redundant as Murcer and Bonds played for the Yankees). Curt, if this is his cancer type,  wouldn't change anything.
 

Foulkey Reese

foulkiavelli
SoSH Member
Apr 12, 2006
21,795
Central CT
Bergs said:
 
Not picking on you, Foulkey, but I'd much rather read people's opinion of him followed by well-wishes than 4 pages of "Thoughts and prayers" posts. Perhaps the former is overly self-absorbed, but the latter is simply schmaltz. 
I know and agree. I just wanted to take a passive agressive shot at Ras as his post rubbed me the wrong way.
 

estreetfan

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 23, 2006
460
southern cali
Wishing you and your family the best. Thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family. Thanks for coming to Boston and making millions of us happy.
 

Van Everyman

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 30, 2009
26,993
Newton
Yep. I love everything about Curt Schilling -- his outspokenness, his candor, his intellectual curiosity, his competitiveness. Everything.

Beat this shit.
 

reggiecleveland

sublime
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Mar 5, 2004
27,957
Saskatoon Canada
Churchill was a shitty peace time PM, he loved the attention too much and stayed around too long BUT HE SAVED THE FUCKING WORLD.
In terms of the Red Sox Schilling has earned the same untouchable status.
Get well.
 

The_Powa_of_Seiji_Ozawa

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 9, 2006
7,874
SS Botany Bay
reggiecleveland said:
Churchill was a shitty peace time PM, he loved the attention too much and stayed around too long BUT HE SAVED THE FUCKING WORLD.
In terms of the Red Sox Schilling has earned the same untouchable status.
Get well.
 
Good comparison. They rather look alike too:
 

 
 

VTSox

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 27, 2006
293
Curt, via Facebook:

Thank you thank you thank you. Overwhelmed by the response, well wishes and prayers. PLEASE don't feel sad or pity, none needed. I've been so blessed and gifted in my life and while it's been a bumpy time it pales in comparison to the amazing experience my life has been.

There is no 'why me' or "fair/not fair' here, this is life. It could be a million times worse, it could be one of my kids, or my wife.
It's me, and I can manage.

Every year can't, and won't be, 2004. That's ok, it's what makes the 2004's and 2013's so special.

I'll likely be in and out here over the next few months with surgery and then treatment, but please know how incredibly grateful I am for all of your love, prayers and well wishes.

Something came to me last night as I was laying in bed...
"The world goes on after you leave, change it while you're here"
I'm ready, and my Faith in God is absolute.
Thanks and Bless each and every one of you.
Curt
 

ookami7m

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
5,657
Mobile, AL
Fuck Cancer - G38 from his first appearances here to the end of 2004 was an ideal time for us.  Get well soon big guy
 

canderson

Mr. Brightside
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
39,431
Harrisburg, Pa.
Those aren't the words from a man facing "less serious" cancer.

I loathe cancer. Can't think of anyone better than Curt Schilling to kick cancer's ass.
 

Kid T

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 18, 2005
793
San Francisco
No pity or sympathy for Curt coming from me, just some well wishes to beat this shit.  I will be cheering for his recovery much like i did everytime he took the mound.
 

Ed Hillel

Wants to be startin somethin
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2007
43,559
Here
canderson said:
Those aren't the words from a man facing "less serious" cancer.

I loathe cancer. Can't think of anyone better than Curt Schilling to kick cancer's ass.
 
Yeah, especially that last part. It really doesn't sound good.
 
:(
 

terrisus

formerly: imgran
SoSH Member
"The world goes on after you leave, change it while you're here"
 
Don't worry Curt - you have. 
My world, and the world of so many others, was completely changed by what you did - by what the Red Sox did - in 2004. The world will never be the same.
 
 
 
"It could be a million times worse, it could be one of my kids, or my wife.
It's me, and I can manage."
 
I also want to say that's a pretty awesome sentiment.
 

steeplechase3k

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Oct 25, 2005
2,979
Portland, OR
I like to think of my self as tough. I kicked cancer's ass.

But Schilling is a hell of a lot tougher than me (see the bloody sock game, I couldn't have done that). So I'm confident in his ability to beat cancer.

Kick that cancer's ass Curt!
 

sfip

directly related to Marilyn Monroe
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Apr 19, 2003
7,838
Philadelphia suburb
SoSH and yep get a shoutout from Curt's facebook page:
 
 
Haven't been able to post on SOSH in a long time as my id and password got screwed up, but if anyone from there is reading this please pass along my thanks to the fantastic folks over there. And please tell Yep I said thank you very much for taking the time to post something that meant a lot to me.
 

BoSoxLady

Rules Red Sox Nation with an Iron Fist
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Apr 24, 2003
3,448
Nip has re-set G38's pw. Hope to see him return.
 

JMDurron

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
5,127
reggiecleveland said:
Churchill was a shitty peace time PM, he loved the attention too much and stayed around too long BUT HE SAVED THE FUCKING WORLD.
In terms of the Red Sox Schilling has earned the same untouchable status.
Get well.
 
Damn right.  Not that the sentiment for this particular situation should be any different either way, but this is still dead on.
 
Curt, best of luck in your upcoming fight.  Now those personality traits that helped make you so awesome in the postseason become an asset for you again, fighting against your own body in a completely different way.  Kick cancer's ass.  
 

Bone Chips

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2009
736
South Windsor, CT
I've only purchased one jersey my whole life and it was the day after Game 6 in 2004. #38. What Curt Chilling did in that game, and the World Championship that followed, changed my life. Sounds so loserish to admit, but it's true. And since I am protected by the cloak of Internet anonymity I'll suspend my pride momentarily and tell you straight up what Curt and the 2004 Sox meant to me.

I watched the Aaron Boone homerun the year before, alone in my new one bedroom apartment, sick as a dog. I had just gotten divorced. 2003 was the culmination of 10 years of absolute hell for me. I lost my Mom to a rare blood disease in 1993. Three days after the funeral my Dad had a complete nervous breakdown and had to be institutionalized until his passing a few years later. Both were in their early 60's. It felt like the rug had been pulled out from beneath me and I slid into a nasty, alcoholic funk until my wife couldn't stand it anymore and divorced me in 2003. And to top it all off - Aaron Fucking Boone. Salt in the wound.

It felt perfectly fitting that I was a Red Sox fan. We were both star crossed failures. But in 2004 things started to change. I got a new job, started to get my sea legs after the divorce, and learned how to be a single father... there seemed to be a glimmer of hope. Like ever other year I found solace in baseball and the pennant race that season. And then came the playoffs and another matchup with the Yankees. Would this year be different?

The Game 3 drubbing by the Yankees was so similar to the Boone game for me. One of my childhood buddies (a Yankee fan no less) was getting married that night. I went to that wedding (alone) and sat in the bar at the reception watching the game with a bunch of obnoxious Yankee fans. Same old song and dance. I felt foolish in a way for getting my hopes up. Who was I to have hope?

We all know what happened after that, and I swear to God words will never adequately describe what that miracle did for me. It changed my whole perspective on life. It rejuvenated me and restored hope at a time in my life when I needed it most. What Curt did in game 6 was the most heroic thing I've ever seen in sports. For me it felt intensely personal - like someone had finally stood up and punched the bully in the mouth.

Fast forward to October 30, 2013, where I was blessed to witness another miraculous game 6. This time I was not alone. I was with my son, who is now a wonderfully perfect 13 year old. And this time I wasn't watching it on TV. I was at Fenway Park, clean and sober, living out a lifelong dream of seeing my beloved Sox win the World Series at home. And I was wearing that same #38 jersey I bought back in 2004.

Before we went into the park my son and I watched ESPN prepare for their 6:00 spot on Yawkey Way. Curt had his game face on and unfortunately didn't look over to us. If he had, I would have just waived to him and said "thank you for 2004". So Curt, if you figured out this whole password thing, please know that in central CT there's an overly sentimental guy about your age and a 13 year old boy who are praying for you. I can't say enough how much I appreciate everything you did in 2004. I can assure you, it most definitely changed my life - more than you can imagine. Get well buddy.
 

brs3

sings praises of pinstripes
SoSH Member
May 20, 2008
5,200
Jackson Heights, NYC
SemperFidelisSox said:
Curt, my blood type is O+ if you're ever in need of donors for anything during this process.

I'm serious too. Get well soon.
 
I became a regular donor when my uncle battled pancreatic cancer. Regardless of blood types, everybody should try to donate a few times a year, and should seriously consider donating platelets a few more times a year on top of that. Few eligible donors actually do donate, so those battling cancer are also battling the availability of blood. 
 
Blood is one of the few things that scientists haven't figured out how to duplicate. You can donate at the Red Cross, Mass General, Children's Hospital, and lots of other places. Actual blood donations take less time than this post took to type out. 
 
I hope G38 kicks cancer's ass. 
 

Pearl Wilson

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 24, 2003
7,146
Maine
BoSoxLady said:
Nip has re-set G38's pw. Hope to see him return.
 
That would be awesome. G38 and all other SoSHers who are battling that beast at this moment - a sincere prayer that your care goes well and that you have success.
 

Monbonthbump

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 6, 2005
222
Lincoln,NE
Just want to see if I can post again. I tried getting a new password several times since 2012 and had also been unable to do it. If I can, then so can Curt.
 

Monbonthbump

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 6, 2005
222
Lincoln,NE
Voila, I did it! So thanks, Curt, for your words of encouragement when I got diagnosed with metastatic throat cancer in 2006. I'm still here and you will be too. Now I can go back to lurking, but this was worth the effort to become able to post again.
 

Gehrig38

Ridin' with Biden
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Nov 30, 2003
310
Home of Munch...
Thanks a ton guys. I have a shattered left finger or I'd type more, but I wanted to thank you for all the well wishes and Yep for the post earlier. Bone Chips that was pretty cool too.
I am hoping in some small way that I might be able to post here and keep it here, if so that would be great.
I am having surgery tomorrow and will begin chemo/radiation this week (10 or so days faster than I was expecting) and i'll drop in and update anyone interested.
Again my sincere thank you and prayers and well wishes to all you and yours.
Curt
 

Van Everyman

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 30, 2009
26,993
Newton
Great to hear from you, Curt. I think we can all agree to keep anything you discuss here in house.

Best of luck with the surgery. Cancer is tough. The Big Lug is tougher.
 

kelpapa

Costanza's Hero
SoSH Member
Feb 15, 2010
4,639
Good luck, Curt. You can beat it.
 
Watching you walk off the mound in Yankee stadium and tell the ump he called a great game is one of my favorite baseball memories.
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 26, 2005
30,500
To the extent that SOSH is a community of any sort - and I know that some people participate to greater or lesser degrees but we do often talk about ourselves as a community - communities are supposed to rally around people in times of need.
 
I've also seen this community do incredible things for people who are pretty much anonymous.  I don't think we should stop now.
 
Best wishes to you and your family.  May all of you find strength that you never knew existed for this ultimate fight. 
 

Lynchie

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 21, 2003
1,862
Willoughby
Gehrig38 said:
Thanks a ton guys. I have a shattered left finger or I'd type more, but I wanted to thank you for all the well wishes and Yep for the post earlier. Bone Chips that was pretty cool too.
I am hoping in some small way that I might be able to post here and keep it here, if so that would be great.
I am having surgery tomorrow and will begin chemo/radiation this week (10 or so days faster than I was expecting) and i'll drop in and update anyone interested.
Again my sincere thank you and prayers and well wishes to all you and yours.
Curt
God Bless. You are in our prayers as you know. 
 

JCizzle

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 11, 2006
20,532
I have no doubt you'll beat this, best wishes to you and your family. 
 

SouthernBoSox

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 23, 2005
12,084
Gehrig38 said:
Thanks a ton guys. I have a shattered left finger or I'd type more, but I wanted to thank you for all the well wishes and Yep for the post earlier. Bone Chips that was pretty cool too.
I am hoping in some small way that I might be able to post here and keep it here, if so that would be great.
I am having surgery tomorrow and will begin chemo/radiation this week (10 or so days faster than I was expecting) and i'll drop in and update anyone interested.
Again my sincere thank you and prayers and well wishes to all you and yours.
Curt
Good luck Curt. You know where to find us.
 

terrisus

formerly: imgran
SoSH Member
Great to see you back in here Curt.
 
Glad to hear they're getting right on things. Hoping they have a good idea of what they're dealing with, and a clear plan in place.
Take it easy while you're going through treatment, that's a very tough time. Find something that you enjoy and just try to enjoy doing that.
 
We'll be here when you have time. Expect to see you back again soon.
You'll be in our thoughts and prayers.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.