John Lackey has become a lightning rod after strutting through the clubhouse pounding brews. There have been those who said he's the cause of all the Red Sox ails. They point to the fact that things really fell off a cliff after Lackey signed with the Sox.
Others say he's just part of a larger cultural problem. An icon of an era in which management lost its way and made some ill-advised decisions.
The Sports Tonight crew debates the problem of John Lackey.
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"He's a fraud," said Buckley, who prides himself on being 'second-to-none' in his bashing of Lackey. "He's overpaid... but to blame John Lackey who's on the disabled list and hasn't thrown a pitch this season for what ails this ballclub... sign me up if you want to beat up John Lackey. But not about this."
Gary Tanguay says even though both Lackey and Beckett are bad influences, neither has a dime of value on the open market, and predicts it could take a year to clean house - a time frame that is unacceptable to many Sox fans.
The secondary question that's come up as a result of the beer story is 'why is John Lackey traveling in the first place.'
"I don't believe in my heart he's doing it just because of the free beer and the hotel room and because there are lots of hot chicks in Cleveland," says Buckley.
Instead Buckley suggests Lackey's presence has more to do with access to the Red Sox trainers, who can provide the kind of rehab work he needs to get back as soon as possible.
Gary Tanguay doubts the motives are so noble.
"I have a guess," said Tanguay. "It's possibly unfair but these players have put themselves in this position. I think that John Lackey doesn't have anything else better to do... he's not married any more. They take your luggage, the food's great, you stay in five-stars."