Among the many reasons these were silly include the fact that the nicknames weren’t even the proper words for their numbers (Ochocinco should be Ochenta y Cinco, no?), but apparently the two connected on a certain level that the rest of us just can’t understand.
That bond appears to be a bit threatened right now, however, after Ochocinco invited the large media scrum gathered around him to participate in a group hug last week.
“Hey, before we go,” he told the assembled media members, “I don’t know you guys. Can I get a group hug? Like, really quick from everybody? I love you guys.”
Ever on the investigative case, longtime Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy decided to dig inside the Red Sox’ clubhouse to see if Cinco Ocho would emulate Ochocinco.
“Hugs? Are you kidding me?” Papelbon incredulously asked Shaughnessy. “Some of you guys around here don’t use deodorant. You guys smell. I’m dead serious.”
