This is the third article about Greg Maddux’s number being retired I’ve seen which focuses on this:
The bows and hosannas were expected to go much smoother than this. Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux and John Smoltz, the centerpiece players of the Atlanta Braves’ run of 14 division championships, would be honored, one by one, by being inducted into the Braves’ Hall of Fame and having their numbers retired.
Maddux goes first Friday, but Glavine and Smoltz, casualties of the business of baseball, will not be on hand.
The article -- and similar artiles in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and USA Today -- make much of Glavine’s absence and talk about the acrimony surrounding his release from the club, trying, it seems, to turn this into a story about Glavine snubbing the Braves. Which makes no sense given the fact that all of the articles mention that Glavine is going to be at his son’s baseball tournament, and which Glavine really doesn’t want to miss after missing such events for 20 years. And that Glavine recorded a video message to play at the ceremony. And that he says the circumstances of his departure from the team have nothing to do with it.
There’ no there there, folks. Move along.