Following game 2 of the 2007 World Series I hoped that when the Big Schill got a standing ovation as he left the field that Fenway faithful were saluting a good single game performance, and not a hall of fame career. When Curt signed a contract to put him back in a Sox jersey for the 2008 season, it looked like I got my wish. Instead it just turned out to be a $8M tease. After a season of injuries and controversy, my suspicion was sadly correct: that World Series cap tip was the end to Schilling’s final pitching performance. Schilling (as I’m sure you heard) announced his retirement, meaning that his final pitch thrown led to a World Series victory. Not too shabby.

Most blogs will thank Curt for helping bring not one, but TWO, World Series championships to the Olde Towne Team. They will thank him for the bloody sock, for making 55,000 New Yorkers shut up, and, maybe if they’re really savvy, for teaching Beckett how to pitch instead of throw. But I’d like to thank the Big Lug for one more thing that will probably go unnoticed by most of Red Sox Nation.

Let’s take a trip back to 2003, say, late November. We all know that Theo flew out to the Schilling household in Arizona to try to convince Curt to waive his no trade clause and join the Sox. They provided him with data about pitching in Fenway and all the run support he’ll get, but Schilling wasn’t convinced. Even with all the good data, he was still worried about something else: who will his manger be? The Sox had obviously fired Grady, but still didn’t have a replacement yet. So one of Schilling’s requirements for joining the Sox was that his former manager Terry Francona be hired to lead the team. Who knows if the Sox would have hired Tito without Schilling’s ultimatum, but it seems to only add to his lore as a Red Sox.

So thanks big guy, but for some reason, I have a feeling we haven’t heard the last from you.