Leave it to a $161 Million Payroll to Try and Steal the Postseason Thunder

In case you missed it, the Boston Red Sox epic collapse is still in motion. Leave it to a $161 million payroll to try and steal the thunder of the playoffs. I mean, would you look at that? They didn't even make the playoffs, yet here we are talking about them.

From Bob Hohler of the Boston Globe:

"How a team that was on pace in late August to win 100 games and contend for its third World Series title in seven years self-destructed is a story of disunity, disloyalty, and dysfunction like few others in franchise history."

Good point, I suppose. It all started with them losing a crap-ton of games during the final month of the season. In fact, they failed to put together any sort of winning streak, never winning more than one game in a row in the whole month of September. Total failure.

Terry Francona, living in a hotel all season while in the middle of a separation from his wife, was "let go" as Boston refused to pick up his 2012 contract option. However, he kept his head up and did color commentary, surviving the voice of Joe Buck during the first two games of the ALCS. We're proud of him.

General Manager Theo Epstein was the next to go, taking the vacant position of Chicago Cubs GM for $15 million over the next five seasons. Obviously, he's planning on ending their 102-year Championship drought.

But the rumors of naughty clubhouse behavior have been floating around for some time now. From the beer-drinking during games, to the eating fried chicken and playing video games in the clubhouse -- apparently during games -- it's no wonder they completely fell apart at the end of the year.

But honestly, we don't have time for this business. We're too busy enjoying some incredible postseason baseball... besides, there's enough drama going on between the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers to keep us interested until one of them advances to the World Series.

If you're down for reading some more dirt on the Sawx, check out the links below. Prepare to be disappointed, disgusted, and thoroughly entertained.

• The Poop Hits the Fans [Over the Monster]



• Red Sox Clubhouse Turmoil Gets Highlighted Again [Fenway West]



• Why Everyone Should Hate the Boston Red Sox [Hardball Chat]



• What’s The Most Dishonest Sentence In The Boston Globe’s Red Sox Postmortem? [Deadspin]



• All That’s Left: The Ruins of the Boston Red Sox [More than a Fan]