Will You Watch Wally Backman’s Reality Show?
Uncategorized June 18th. 2007, 3:05pm
Would you give this man a reality show? He is former Mets second baseman Wally Backman. You know, the guy who was hired to coach the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2004. About 30 seconds after the announcement, the New York Times exposed some of his alcohol and wife beating issues, and he lost the job.
Much like a fledgling C-list celebrity looking to claim to his 1986 moment of fame, Backman’s the centerpiece to a reality show.
Now Backman is trying to get back to the major leagues by managing the Peanuts, who endure 11-hour bus rides, subsist on $15 a day for meals and play on fields that high school players would shun. At one game, a groundskeeper used a plastic cup to outline the batter’s box with chalk.
While the plastic cup is mildly interesting, here’s what we want to know: can you visit Doc or Darryl in jail/rehab/crackhouse? Will Ray Knight make a cameo? How about getting Sid Fernandez on a scale? Where in the world is Tim Teufel?
Backman Ready for his Show of Shows (NY Times)
5 Responses to “Will You Watch Wally Backman’s Reality Show?”
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June 18th, 2007 at 3:11 pm
I’d rather watch the minor league skip who recently went ballistic make an appearance on Tyler Perry’s ‘House of Payne.’
June 18th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
Why hasn’t anyone given Kevin Mitchell a show? The man was deemed “the bad influence” on Doc and Straw! Now that’s a lasting lineage. He cut off the head of his wife’s cat! That’s a show I’d watch.
Frankly, I wish reality TV existed when the ‘86 Mets won the NLCS and had the infamous coke-fueled, wife-swapping flight home from Houston. Who wouldn’t want to see Keith Hernandez getting his mustache dirty?
Note: When Doc returned from rehab, I attended his first game back at Shea and everyone had “Welcome Back, Doc” signs. I asked my dad where he had been, and my father, without pause, put his hand on my shoulder and said, “On vacation.” Thanks for protecting me, Pop.
June 18th, 2007 at 3:20 pm
Probably better than a reality show on former NFLer Kevin Mitchell:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/nfl/04/30/bc.fbn.obit.mitchell.ap/index.html?eref=si_latest
June 18th, 2007 at 4:30 pm
The sad thing is covered Wally while he was manager of the Birmingham Barons and he did a great job. He’s a really good manager and I really thought when the Sox dumped Jerry Manual that Wally was a leading contender for the job.
It’s too bad his personal troubles got in the way of him getting a chance to manage in the show.
June 28th, 2007 at 4:32 pm
Tim Teufel is managing the Mets single A team at Savannah this year – he’s been managing in their system for a few years. Eerily, he looks exactly the same as when he played.