Opening Day is just under a month away, but we've already hit another annual milestone. Today marks the first day of "Blowhards and Assholes Get All Indignant About Manny Ramirez Day."

The Sox visited the White House yesterday. It was better than the usual perfunctory "handshake and a jersey with the president's name on it" photo op. Bush was witty, charming, self-effacing and gracious. You can see why he's so popular. But more importantly, afterwards the team did the Lord's work by visiting wounded soldiers over at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Well not quite the team. A few guys never made the trip including Theo, Julian Tavares, Devern Hansack and Manny Ramirez. If you're thinking that all four guys are receiving equal criticism, welcome to Boston; you're obviously new here. No, Manny is getting torn a new ass over this. All over WEEI this morning voices are being raised, tables are being pounded with fists, umbrage is being taken, fits thrown, dander raised and cows had. And if the last seven years are any indication, it should last a month or so.

Of course the conniptions are all directed at Manny. It's already been determined that Theo wasn't there because he doesn't like Bush's politics, like he's Muhammed Ali conscientiously objecting to 'Nam. Tavares and Hansack? Who cares if they didn' t go. Manny is dumping all over our wounded vets and dammit he's got to feel some sports radio wrath.

Do I wish he'd gone to the hospital? Goddamned right I do. I wish he and every athlete in the country would go there every day. I wish Manny would put himself at the top of the organ donor list for every one of those heroes and swore a blood oath to put all their kids through college. But this is what Manny is: a spoiled, immature, self absorbed crackpot who can hit. Which is something we all figured out about two seasons into his career in Cleveland. And ever since he's been here he's been exactly that. Like no other free agent signing in the history of sports, he's come exactly as advertised. He didn't suddenly wake up yesterday and decide he was going to be Albert Schweitzer. He was and always will be a douchebag. Get over it. Besides, Schweitzer sucked with RISP.