Johnny Cash is becoming an unhealthy distraction for the Nation

I wanted this to work out well for the Sox.

I really did.

After last year's textbook example of how to keep a solid veteran in their dealings with Jason Varitek, the Red Sox really shit the bed on the Johnny Damon deal this winter. Strikes against the front office were not having a real GM, having their house in disarray and having to deal with Scott Boras. Depending on who you listen to, the Red Sox made a 'take-it-or-leave-it' style offer before Christmas and Johhny and Scott decided to leave it.

While I have a hard time believing that MLB negotiations really operate this way where the player doesn't come back to try and bargain his price up, I also refuse to believe that Johnny didn't think that he'd be able to at least ask for another round of negotiations. I really think this all came down to respect, especially after Varitek's royal treatment 12 months prior.

Is it sad to see a cornerstone of the World Series team leave? Yes, I also felt bad about Dave Roberts, Pedro Martinez and Derek Lowe (yes, even Derek Lowe) leaving for greener pastures. Does it kill me that he went to the Yankees? More than I can express in words. Johnny was the anti-Yankee and the one player above all who you could point to as such. That 2004 team was a collection of mutts and Johnny was top dog. (Side note: How dumb is it for a man who built his entire commercial image on long hair and a counter-culture persona to go to the epitome of corporate baseball and a team with strict facial hair regulations? Have you seen pictures of this guy in Oakland and Kansas City? Considering that commercial appeal is a strong draw for the New York market, this was probably the dumbest miscalculation by Team Boras).

This isn't about that, though. No, what's been bothering me today is the constant coverage of what Johnny's doing in New York, who he's talking to, the constant surveillance of his every step daily. From the Boston publications, I've seen and heard more about Damon than anyone who is actually still on the team.

Me: Hey, Cyberspace! How's Adam Stern's shoulder?
Red Sox Fan Sites and Local Media: Who knows, but did you see that bastard Johnny Damon just got a new Ferarri from Puma? What a dick!
Me: Oh, I'll check back later, then.

Andy Marte and others for Coco Crisp knocked Johnny off the front pages for a few days, especially after Mota failed his physical, but we're back to JNN. Check out Dirt Dogs this morning and the top three posts are all Johnny-related.

Now, without getting into why this may be OK for the Sox in the long run, how I think he'll break down before his contract is up and what would happen if he gets off to a slow start in the Bronx, I'd like to say this whole thing is really unhealthy for Red Sox Nation.

To put it in perspective, I dated the same woman for three of the four years in college. The last year was marred by stops and starts, breakups and makeups and while we'd been through a lot, it was really time to move on. Johnny's contract kind of became like that in many ways.

Now we're in the uncomfortable time where everything the other person does is a personal attack directed at you (ie. the alleged poaching for Manny and others) and even if you wanted to get them out of your head, other people won't let you. In short, you spend all day wondering, "What's that bitch doing???" and then have your friends and hers come up at the bar that night with reports ("That bitch is doing WHAT???")

Not that it takes any insight to say this won't end well... but this won't end well. If he does well, expect icier relations than with Roger 'The Pocket Rocket' Clemens when he comes to Fenway. It's too bad, I liked Damon a lot. He was one of my favorites to watch the past few years and a steady-hitting leadoff man with speed is hard to find (even if he does throw with a rag arm). Heck, that speed also led to an entire chapter on defensive range in Moneyball.

When all is said and done, this will be a fairly embarrassing chapter in Red Sox history. Probably less than the A-Rod/Nomar mess, but still a bad time to be a Sox fan. Lusting after someone has left you only makes it worse.

(Getty Images Photo / Al Bello - From Boston.com)