I felt that, all things being equal, he'd go back to Boston. As the process went about, reading the newspapers, seeing that their offer was at three or four years, I thought, 'I have to personally talk to Johnny myself.' I thought we had to bring this to a halt, not let this drag out.
I spoke to Johnny yesterday. He's not worried. He just needs to get it calmed down, so that's why he's not a defensive player for them right now.
I want the Johnny Damon that is fun-loving, keeps people loose, is a positive-attitude guy both on and off the field, in the clubhouse, and when he shows up for work, he has an infectious impact on the other guys. I don't want him to tone that down at all. I want the real guy.
Johnny was a perfect fit for us. We had a big-time interest in him.