Because you can't pull fat

I guess I was in a little bit of denial about the death of Rod Beck.

I saw the story yesterday morning. I watched updates pile up on Deadspin - tagged "Too Young" - as well as the home papers in Chicago and Boston and still couldn't find much to say.

For a guy I never met, I didn't think this would be such a strange few days. From odd duck quote machine in San Francisco to good luck charm for the 1998 Cubs to a guy who pitched his arm into retirement for the Red Sox, it was a pretty entertaining run.

How many other athletes can you think of that prompt e-mails in the middle of a work day regarding his now famous stay in Iowa, living in a trailer and hanging out with fans?

The stories are better left for people who hung out with him and got to see him in his prime and in his element. Honestly, I'm going to be ignoring whatever is found regarding his death because I really don't want to know.

I'd much rather remember 1998 and a guy who looked like a grammar school gym teacher helping to take the Cubs to the playoffs. Or the man who made the phrase, "I've never heard of anyone going on the DL for pulled fat" famous.

Now, I'll remember a chuckle I just got when looking for a picture to post and an exact quote from Beck. By entering, "Beck, pulled fat" into Google, it suggests, "Did you mean, 'Beck, played fat?'"

Well, that, too.

(Image from MarkGrace.com)