“Chin Music” For “Top-Step Shill”

The Daily Kos reported the other day that the Repugs are planning to dump a lot of money into the race for John Kerry’s senate seat in Massachusetts when Kerry runs for re-election next year, which prompted Kos to utter a sentiment equivalent to “bring it on” (and I must admit that the possibility of watching Kerry “mop up the place” with a Repug challenger like Andrew Card has truly delicious possibilities).

It’s a bit of a concern, though, that Kerry’s approval rating sat at 48 percent as of last November, but I think he was still suffering the fallout from the non-joke at the time.

Now, though, comes news from Will Bunch at Attytood that current Red Sox pitcher and former Phillie ace Curt Schilling could be recruited to run against Kerry (I mean, it’s WAY too early to think seriously about this for now, but you never know).

Schilling pitched wonderfully for the Phillies particularly in 1993, the last time they went to the World Series. However, he was also a total egotist who, among other things, would sit with a towel on his head in the dugout to avoid watching closer Mitch Williams risk blowing games that Schilling left after the Phillies were leading (hey, watching Williams gave me indigestion also, but for what Schilling was getting paid, he could have toughed it out).

And in a sign that he truly knew when to use the spotlight to his advantage, he earned the nickname “Top-Step Shill” for managing to be the first player to greet another Phillie who would hit a home run (appearing on the top dugout step, as it were, timed for the very moment that he would be captured on T.V.).

Schilling eventually wore out his welcome, whining as the Phillies started to lose more and more, eventually forcing a trade to Arizona for four players, none of whom panned out (thereby granting former G.M. Ed Wade the eternal enmity of Phillies fans).

So given the fact that Schilling has thoroughly established himself as a “me” guy who enjoys the spotlight, and has ensconced his “winger” cred in the process (and part of that is some truly commendable work on behalf of ALS), I think he could present an interesting challenge for Kerry, though when it comes to dispatching athletes from the political arena, Kerry, a seasoned pol in his own right operating on what is basically friendly turf, could consult Ed Rendell for some pointers (I wonder what Lynn Swann is doing these days anyway?).