Tossing Batting Practice while wondering why you would ever cheer when the cameras come on you, and you’re announced as a 16 seed…

I’ve spent way too much time in my life, finding ways to cheat the system, and succeed in the NCAA “Brackets” (remember its not a pool, gambling is very very bad, shame on you!)
Perhaps I should devote more time to what DR. Emmett L. Brown once said was “the other great mystery in life, women.” But I digress.

The most productive, yet not completely scientific formula of that was spent on Gatehouse Media’s dime, and uses a little of the Bill Jamesian corollary.
Basketball is a largely difficult sport to quantify using just statistics however it can be done. I try to do it every year, as one of my basic tenets in filling out a bracket is finding teams that do a number of things well (novel concept I know) and in those tough games I compare the numbers against two teams.
What I discovered is that if you can successfully pick as many sweet 16 teams as possible, you’ll be in the running for your bracket championship. First round upsets are nice, but they’re only worth one or two points, and won’t leave much of a lasting impression.
As such I aim to get the sweet 16 right, and hope things take care of themselves from there.
What I look for is a team that ranks in the top 30 nationally in at least four categories and pinpoint them as a potential sweet 16 team. Sometimes the smaller conference teams rate highly in a bunch because they play poor competition, but sometimes they don’t and its up to you to determine what’s an important category and what isn’t.
I look are three point offense and defense, rebounding, turnovers, and free throws as most important but it’s subjective.

For perspective George Mason thrived in 5 statistical categories in 2006, there are other examples, and while it seems rather obvious, sometimes when you go back and look at teams that were allegedly “upset” they only did one thing well, like Duke last year upset in the second round, only did three things well.
This season the NCAA has added a couple new Categories, so I’m going to increase the number to five categories in the top 30 make a sweet 16 team. It’s not scientific, but if you know what teams do well and what they don’t you can help determine who’s going to win those games you usually flip a coin on.

One wrinkle I added last year was the adjusted rankings, because sometimes offensive and defensive scoring numbers are skewed because teams play fast or slow, thus efficiency on offense and defense are far more important.

Traditionally I have found between 8-13 teams per season, depending on the parity of the NCAA will excel in at least four (this year I’m trying 5 to experiment, but 4 might still be the working model) categories, as I look at the numbers sometimes a team may not excel, (i.e. top 30) but might do a lot above average (between 31-65) those are usually the teams that throw the wrinkle off.

I wrote 46 teams breakdowns out on who has a shot at the sweet 16, they were don before the brackets came out, I mean I’m not going to do all your work for you, and make the picks.
Below you will find the teams, the first 25 are the latest top 25 poll, after that they’re in no particular order. I shied away from a lot of 8 and 9 seeds because they almost never make the sweet 16 and it was kind of a waste of an hour of my life to research them. Some of them are done because I had them higher or lower earlier in the week.
The way it works is the team, and then how many categories they excel in, followed by their adjusted for pace rankings, and some notes.

I don’t expect anyone to read them all, but feel free to look for the teams you aren’t sure about and hopefully they help, unless you’re in the pool I am in. Then screw off.


Team – (Number of categories in top 30) Adj off/def…notes

North Carolina (9) 1/23...Is the best offensive team in the country, high FG%, doesn’t turn it over, defensive numbers are skewed by the fast pace they play. Real active on defense, forces a lot of turnovers, probably unbeatable in a track meet. Their rebounding margin, and A/TO ratio are incredible and debunk some of the myths about their lack of toughness.

Louisville (5) – 46/2…Slightly above average offense and defense numbers, tremendous FG% defense, shoots and defends the three well; unselfish (doesn’t rely on one scorer) Free throws are a problem.

Pittsburgh (6) 3/38…Offensively they’re a little stronger than Pitt teams of the past, defensively they’re weaker. Near the top in rebounding margin, so they can overpower weaker teams, but probably don’t shoot from outside well enough to beat a tougher team.
If Blair gets in foul trouble all bets are off. They don’t turn the ball over, and get a lot of easy buckets, but could struggle against a tough defensive team that can shoot from outside.

UConn (6) 22/3…Very strong and can over power teams, but struggle to make shots from outside, and not great from the line. If they end up at the Garden there’s no way they lose in the regionals. Defensively they wear you out, and can probably only be beaten by a Big East team, or UNC unless Thabeet gets in foul trouble early. However a superhuman effort from a guard could get them.

Memphis (7) 43/1…Numbers are skewed slightly because they play awful competition, but they defend like crazy inside and on the perimeter, they rebound and don’t turn the ball over too much. Offensively they struggle from the field, and at the line and suck from beyond the arc. A sound halfcourt team that executes on offense will give them the most trouble, provided they can defend a little bit.

Oklahoma (4) 7/47… Not as statistically sound as one would like. The things they excel in (FG% and rebound margin) are essentially because Griffin is the POY, he hasn’t been the same since the concussion and neither has OU. They are an average shooting team and average defensively; they turn it over too much and don’t force enough. It all hinges on Griffin and who they matchup with.

Wake Forest (6) 34/14…They score pretty easily, but are terrible beyond the arc; are actually sound defensively forcing steals and turnovers. They are the youngest team in the top 10 and it shows at times turning the ball over too much; a bad matchup against a team like Louisville or Memphis

Duke (3) 6/13…This is one of those anomalies sometimes because it doesn’t doing anything exceptionally well, but doesn’t do anything badly either. Their adjusted numbers make up for not hitting the magic number of 4. Only an average shooting team, so a tough perimeter defending team could be a problem. Probably a Sweet 16 team but no more, could be upset in the 2nd round against an athletically superior small conference opponent.

Michigan St. (2) 27/10…We’ll know after the first weekend if the big 10 was better than we thought or it sucked. They struggle at the foul line, and don’t force a lot of turnovers, but make scoring difficult, and rebound like crazy. If a more skilled team matches their toughness they’re done.

Villanova (1) 19/26…They are a guard oriented team that doesn’t shoot the three well, and turns it over more than it should the toughness of the Big East should help them. A team with some size that gets after it defensively would be a tough matchup.

Kansas (4) 20/16…I haven’t liked them all season, but the things they excel at are important, the shoot well, and defend on the perimeter well, rebounding they are solid, but much of that is Aldrich, who is foul prone. They turn it over a little too much, and don’t force many mistakes. A good shooting team that doesn’t turn it over will send them home. As could an athletically superior team.

Gonzaga – (8) 5/12…Their numbers are skewed as well because of poor competition, and they crapped the bed against Memphis at home, They can play fast or slow, and defend well inside. However a team that shoots the 3 well, or a big strong team inside like a Big 10 or Big East team will eventually send them home.

Washington (2) 33/11…They can score, but mainly because they play at a fast pace; they don’t force many turnovers, and give it away too much, and don’t shoot the three well What they do, do well is rebound, and score on offensive rebounds. A team that can match their rebounding, and shoot well eliminates them.

Missouri (6) 16/15…They play a frenetic pace, so they score a ton, and defend pretty well, they don’t turn it over much either; but they struggle to rebound, and make free throws, foul trouble is a problem too, so a good FT shooting team that gets into the bonus early could send them home.
But a legit sleeper pick, especially if they don’t win the Big 12 tourney.

UCLA (5) 2/45…One of the most efficient offensive teams in the country, but doesn’t defend well, compared to UCLA teams of the past, they do still force a lot of turnovers, but allow a lot of easy baskets, a team that shoots well and defends the interior will send them home, but could be a tough out for a lot of pretenders or teams without experience.

Butler (2) 59/46…The don’t allow easy baskets, and will likely win a first round game if they get another mid-major, but that’s as far as they’ll go. They don’t do anything else really well, and you can’t beat good teams that way.
Clemson (4) 9/51…They can score and shoot the ball well, but defensively they suck, and they don’t rebound very well either, they could be first round fodder for a good statistically sound mid-major.

Syracuse (6) 12/37…The orange have good scoring numbers, and defend the three well; they don’t shoot free throws well, and turn the ball over a little too much, but if they aren’t gassed from the Big East Tourney they could be a tough out.
They don’t foul much (UConn only shot 22 free throws in that 6ot epic) so they make teams earn their points, which could be a tough thing for an offensively challenged team to do to beat them.

Xavier (4) 40/24…They defend well and shoot the 3 at a high percentage, and they can rebound. What scares me is the turn the ball over a lot, struggle at the foul line, and don’t create a lot of turnovers either. A good shooting team that defends on the perimeter can send them packing.

LSU (3) 47/56…The SEC sucked this year, and these numbers prove it, I the Tigers don’t really do anything well except rebound , block shots, and shoot free throws. All nice things, and their athleticism might help over a mid-major, but they’ll fall to a more skilled team that can match the athleticism.

Marquette (4) 8/55…The things they do well, are all guard oriented but they only have half that tandem now with the injury to Domenic James. They are poor defensively in all facets, and will bow out to a superior offensive team that exploits those defensive deficiencies.

Florida State (2) 113/9…Defensively they’re strong in a conference not known for much defense, but are poor offensively. Couple that with no tournament experience, and you can pencil them out early. They turn the ball over a lot, and don’t shoot very well.

Arizona St. (7) 11/28… They’re in the top 30 in 7 categories, and top 35 in 10. So they are statistically strong almost everywhere. They are suspect rebounding, and while they’re efficient on offense, getting into a track meet probably doesn’t suit them. They are a strong sleeper, with two big time scorers, a solid defense, and good coaching in the tournament (remember those multiple sweet 16 trips Herb Sendek made at NC St.)

Arizona (2) 7/132…They shoot the ball well, but don’t defend very well from the field, or in forcing turnovers. If they get a bad defensive team they could last a game or two but anyone who can score and defend even a little sends them home.

USC (1) 62/19…They defend very well, and rebound and could steal a game with that combination, an efficient offensive team that forces turnovers is their bad matchup.

BC (1) 27/131…They are here on the strength of two wins, perhaps my BC bias is taking over but I just don’t believe in them at all to do much of anything.

Minnesota (2) 88/20….They defend pretty well, but struggle to score and shoot, they also turn it over too much.

Wisconsin (3) 24/60 Typical Wisconsin team, defends, doesn’t foul or turn it over, they’re pretty efficient on offense though, could make for a surprise.

Michigan (5) 41/67…Like his WVU teams of the past John Belien leads in a lot of seemingly random categories that add up to March success, three point shooting, few turnovers, very few fouls, the contrast is their efficiency numbers aren’t as high as I’d like. They struggle to rebound, and don’t shoot a high percentage, could be a first round winner, unlikely beyond that unless they are matched up with a team that hasn’t seen the 1-3-1 on defense before it’s tough to prepare for on short notice.

Texas (1) 46/27…They don’t do a lot very well, they don’t do a lot poorly either other than shooting threes, however if Abrams gets hot he could be a difference maker. They defend pretty well and rebound.

Dayton (1) 144/41…Don’t do much well, they defend pretty good, but they struggle to score, or shoot from anywhere, and they turn it over a little too much.




BYU (6) 24/17….Another intriguing option, they shoot the ball well, and defend very well. Obviously against inferior competition, but provided they don’t draw an ultra athletic team early they could stick around through the first weekend.

Purdue (5) 67/5…The only other Big 10 team I like besides Mich. St. Purdue’s offensive numbers aren’t good because their best player has been hurt all year. They don’t shoot that well, but if Hummel is healthy that’s an upgrade. Rebounding is an issue for them, which is odd given how well they defend/

Cleveland St. (3) 121/30…An intriguing team defensively, they get after you, force turnovers, and steals, and preotect the ball offensively, they don’t rebound well and aren’t a good shooting team, but getting into a track meet with them and they could upset you.

California (5) 10/87…They are the best 3 point shooting team in the country, but they only make about 6 a game, they shoot very well, and don’t turn it over, defensively they aren’t very good, so a team that struggles to score, or doesn’t defend well could kepp them alive, but teams that do defend will make it tough for them.

Akron (3) 153/50 Doesn’t shoot very well or rebound well, is pretty good defensively, but unless they get a big 10 team that struggles to score they’ll be going home early.

Illinois (6) 96/4…They are so efficient on defense and make it difficult to score, but some of that is a product of the big 10, some of it isn’t. On offense it’s the same story, The loss of their PG who may or may not be back will be an issue as well because they don’t turn it over and move the ball with him, but without him not so much.

Western Kentucky (0) 68/168 They shoot the three ok, and are decent on the glass, but I don’t see a duplicate of last year’s first round magic.

West Virginia (5) 16/7They defend the three, rebound, and don’t turn it over, however unlike WVU teams of the past they are a bad shooting team. They are efficient on offense and exceptionally so on defense, all in all a tough out for anyone.

Utah (4) 51/21…They are very tough defensively but they don’t force many turnovers, so matched up with a good shooting team and they’re going home. Offensively they can shoot the three at a high percentage and a terrific free throw shooting team.

Utah St. (7) 13/169…They are poor defensively especially against the three. They have a lot of good numbers because of an easy schedule, but they are very efficient offensively, they shoot very well, inside and from 3, they rebound well, don’t turn it over and stay out of foul trouble. They can win a slow down game, but not a track meet.

Texas A&M (0) 37/79….They will rebound the basketball, and that’s about it, pack lightly Aggie fans. They are an average team across the board, don’t do anything well, but nothing critically poor. Except maybe defending the three. Matched up against anyone who does anything well and they’ll be done, against another average team it’s a toss up.

Tennessee (3) 15/75 Typical UT team, they try to go up and down and play at a fast pace, they don’t shoot the three well though which is a problem because they like to chuck them up. If they can’t create turnovers on defense and score easy buckets they’re in trouble.

Siena (4) (49/89)…Everybody’s trendy pick which usually results in an early trip home. They play at a fast pace, so their defensive numbers are pretty low, but they aren’t as efficient as I would like; They don’t shoot threes well, and are poor at the line. They rely on getting easy baskets, either off the dribble, or in transition creating turnovers, which they do fairly well, almost 9 steals a game. Rebounding could be their eventual demise.


Miss. St. (2) 69/66 They shoot a ton of threes, at a decent percentage, but that’s about it. They block a ton of shots, but that’s because of Varnado. I don’t see them doing anything well enough to win in the tournament, unless they get a slow mid-major that gets into a track meet with them.

VCU (1) 75/49…Great FG% defense but doesn’t do anything else spectacular, played in a pretty tough mid-major conference; they shoot the 3 well, and are active forcing turnovers, they struggle to rebound, and foul often, so a strong rebounding and FT shooting team is their Achilles.

ND State (5) 32/139…A potential sleeper with the right matchup. Offensively they are very efficient, and shoot the ball very well, especially from three point land.
They are a pretty good rebounding team and don’t turnover it over much. Defensively they are porous, a plodding big 10 team is their ideal matchup, especially one that doesn’t shoot very well.

Maryland (2) 74/48 They shoot free throws well and don’t turn it over; they don’t shoot it that well, don’t rebound and don’t defend the three. An up and down game would be their best chance to succeed.

Northern Iowa (2) 57/127…Typical white kids, they shoot free throws well, and don’t turn it over, they aren’t strong defensively on the perimeter but if forced into a slow down game they could be knock a team off. The MVC probably wasn’t strong enough this year for them to make it to the second weekend.

Tossing batting practice…while wondering if Ted Sarandis kidnapped Sean McDonough during the first overtime, and announced the final 25 minutes of the game.

McDonough’s voice hit octaves last night that was previously unseen or heard in any experience I remember of him.

It never fails, if you wave off a buzzer beater at the end of regulation, you can prepare yourself for a very very long night. Let that be a lesson to you young officials out there. Overtime is not your friend, and your per diem doesn’t increase if it takes three days to determine a winner.

It doesn’t matter that they basically played a third fourth half, I’m pretty sure Jim Calhoun is berating his players for allowing 100 127 points.

The fourth fifth sixth (?!?!) overtime, was the stuff of dreams…for the walkons at the end of both benches. You know they sit in class day dreaming about getting inserted into the game after the first 10 guys have fouled out, got hurt, or become academically ineligible in the middle of a game that seemingly lasted two semesters.

The five six overtime thriller was made all the better when I caught this nugget of a story. Last week’s featured friend Ryan, actually went to the afternoon games, but sold his night session tickets. That accurately sums up Ryan, who right now is working on a self deprecating script of his own life, yet its far too pathetic to be real.


I think the stat “fast break points” should stop after a second overtime, and changed to “slow controlled jog points.”

If you’ve ever played and lasted deep into an AAU tournament (or been on a kick ass pickup team that won’t lose) you know how both teams must have felt by the end. UConn especially looked like an AAU team in OT no. 6 as they just wildly chucked threes and played no perimeter defense.

Calhoun probably had practice at Storrs, at 6am, and if its spring break at UConn he might have had double sessions.
He even stated in his postgame presser he wasn’t tired and could go to practice right away.
I love him because of his miserable ornery persona because its funny, particularly if you’ve played for someone like that, but I can see what it rubs the rest of America the wrong way.

I’m sure there’s No doubt he was wearing that miserable glare, asking rhetorically “how can I play you, if you won’t work hard on defense in the sixth overtime, after four hours of real time playing?” Now if Calhoun is anything like my college coach, which I think he is, the rest would play something along the lines of “shut up! Shut the f*#! Up!” if anybody actually tried to answer the rhetorical question.

So apparently the espn live blog update on the game allows people to vote whether or night they like this game. Beyond my initial question of why would anyone who is reading the in game boxscore vote negatively for any game, only 97.2% of people seem to like this six OT thriller. Seriously, those 2.8% of people have to be the most miserable group of people on earth, probably the folks who call into the Big Show and Mike Adams regularly.

Tossing batting practice, while wondering who the fifth, sixth, and seventh teams are in and out of the NCAA tournament.

I have majored in bracketology since I was about 9, (thanks Dad) and completed my final core requirement to graduate last year by spending the opening weekend of the tourney in Vegas, “watching, just watching” games, so I think I have a pretty good grasp on the NCAAs. But it drives me nuts whenever I see the last four in and last four out column.
If you’re a fan of any other bubble (I promise not to use that word again in this blog) team do you feel better, worse, or unfulfilled after seeing that update?

Who has a cooler, but more useless job to society, Draft Exper Mel Kiper Jr. or Bracketologist Joe Lunardi?

With a 10 hour bus ride to Mississippi to look forward too this weekend I should have ample time to work on my fool proof Bill Jamesian pool strategy, that is almost guaranteed to have at least 12 sweet 16 teams correctly identified.

Who is the Dutch Al Michaels? and how do you say "doyou believe in miracles?" in Flemish?

See even teams ARod begs off of, can't win the big one. No matter what now though the US can't be the most disappointing team in the tournament. And the Sox get David Ortiz back a little earlier. A win win for all Amierican Sox fans involved.

Last week it was too cold, this week it’s damn hot, judging by the fact I look like a lobster from a weekend in Tennessee. But clearly my car has yet to understand the change in geography and with it climate.
I got into it the other day and the digital temperature said it was 39 degrees and had the snowflake icon.
It was in fact 77 degrees.

After a weekend in Volunteer country, I think my retinas are permanently tinted Creamsicle orange.

I finally saw the infamous Rabun county and the Tallulah Gorge this week. The scenery was incredible, but my god I thought the flux capacitor had been activated on the bus and sent me back 125 years.
That area of the world makes Vermont look like Manhattan.

So A-Rod’s having surgery huh, eh, he still sucks.

It was hard not to root for North Dakota St. in the Summitt league final the other night. They’re in their first year of Division 1 tournament eligibility, and they send out a full whitewash of five Caucasian starters.
They epitomize a Norman Dale coached team, rebounds below the rim, solid passing and screening etc.
Is it a stereotype to also announce that they lead the nation in three-point shooting? Is that kind of assumed, like Pitt leading the nation in rebound margin?
Were NDSU and Pitt matched up in the NCAAs there wouldn’t have been a more contrasting set of styles since the 1954 Indiana State high school title game.

I know I said it was hard to root against NDSU, but I did for two simple reasons.

1. I have family closely related to the University of North Dakota, and you’re only allowed to root for one, I think.
2. In writing the Summit league preview for Blue Ribbon a year ago, I picked Oakland to win it, and despite being a year late, I feel vindicated. Slightly.

There are plenty of good seats still available for the Braves home opener, and after seeing one of their commercials I know why. It was one of those fan interview deals, where they ask everyone what they love about the Braves, and you mostly got your standard answers of Derek Lowe, Tom Glavine, Chipper Jones, but there was one that stuck out.
The shapely blonde woman in her twenties who claims she loves watching Bobby Cox; After all there's nothing sexier than a 70 year old man waddling out to make 3 pitching changes a night

According to a recent study organized religion, in America, particularly those who identify themselves as Christian has dropped 11 percent in the last 15 years; meanwhile I'm praying before games, something doesn't quite add up

Driving to Tennessee though the mountains was like going through the Berkshires only for three hrs. It was basically every ride I ever took to Ludlow to visit a former significant other’s mother, minus the sense of impending doom and misery hanging ominously in the room.

So TO has been banished to Buffalo huh? That seems appropriate, there are only two reasons to go to Buffalo, one is if someone offers you millions of dollars and there are no offers anywhere else. The other is if a woman will willingly date, or have sex with you, and again you can't find anyone anywhere else.
TO has done one, and a friend of mine is the other.

I am glad we didn't have to spend countless days and weeks speculating that the Pats might swoop in. I would have eventually talked myself into it, but selling my soul like that would have only been worth it were we to finish what we started with that whole unbeaten business.
Now I can go back to hating him unequivocally; if Ralph Wilson has a sense of humor, or actually has gone into dementia (he is 137 years old and played before helmets) he'd sign Michael Vick too.

By request we’re adding more photos to the blog, and with that, is this week’s photo of my friend from college the immortal (only in his own world,) Ryan who hails from Rhode Island which he will immediately tell you upon introduction.

Ryan is the son of a town elected public official, and one of the great tacklers in the history of his High School football, from his safety position. I think the term yards after catch was invented to convince Ryan to play basketball in college. He also possesses a microscopic collegiate baseball era of 46.00 over 10 innings, in two separate seasons four years apart.
On the basketball court he was an excellent sixth offensive option for the EC Lions, right after blatantly kicking the ball out of bounds when the other four players couldn't score.
Professional (or for that matter collegiate) sports were obviously not his calling, but avoiding real work of any kind, certainly is. (After all he’s the son of an elected official) thus he is currently working as a Hollywood extra, albeit in the Northeast. While he is largely unfamous now, soon enough could be added to the favorite parlor game of citizens of Rhode Island.
I am talking of course, of the six degrees of __________ (insert semi famous, in the real world, but rock start status in RI, athlete, actor, singer or disgraced imprisoned Mayor) game.
If you meet almost anyone from Rhode Island, they can connect themselves to Rocco Baldelli, Chris Ianetta, James Woods (I’m running out now but you get the idea).
Ryan’s goal is to someday be in that game, and not for having played high school volleyball against Bishop Hendricken when Rocco was a senior.



Pictured here is Ryan in his familar blank stare "working" in a scene for a new movie about a NYC subway hijacker starring John Travolta as a lunatic. Here it is difficult to discern what Ryan is doing or thinking, but you the reader can help.

a) is he staring at Travolta’s ass
b) Not doing anything heroic, because he’s a coward
c) Biding his time until he’s a star beyond just his own dreams
d) Disappointing his father because he is not using his degree whatsoever

All other options or captions are welcome in the comments.

Lastly, a shout out to my beloved Green Wave hoop squad for winning the south sectional and earning a trip to the Garden for the EMass finals. Since its been 13 seasons since I went a whole year without seeing a game, I guess we know I was as big a curse to my high school basketball program as I have been to my parents.

Tossing Batting practice…while wondering why no local news producers thought to pair REM’s “It’s the end of the world” with its coverage of today’s “snow storm”

Ok, seriously what the f*#$ is this? It’s March 1st, and I live in Georgia. Like the mob looking for a snitch, snow and cold just seems to find me during softball season.



There doesn't appear to be an Atlanta version of Shelby Scott. The Tv News folks seem to run the gamut from Token Black Guy, to Redneck homosexual, to bubbly blonde woman excited to make snow angels.
When the TV news stations aren't properly prepared for storm coverage, how can regular citizens be adequately ready.

I’m ok with the Stephon Marbury error, I mean era. We needed to do something, and him and Mikki Moore, though if there’s a roster spot available in April, I’d be open to Ainge inquiring about the availability of Maya Moore for the stretch run.
(Ok I promise no more women’s basketball references today).

I’m now resigned to the Celtics ending up as the two seed, and a seemingly more difficult road through the playoffs. I think we’ll look back and see that losing to the Clippers, and blowing that game to the Jazz will be our undoing.
When you give up 100 points to the Pistons, it might be just time to start working toward the playoffs, getting the new guys squared away and such.

I hope to god we don’t play anymore 1 p.m. games on Sundays the rest of the season, clearly the hangover isn’t quite worn off when we play at that time.

Let the Kevin O’Connell era begin!!!!

Matt Cassel, we hardly knew ye, but while I’m a little disappointed we couldn’t get more than a second round pick it’s better than $29 million at one position, and honestly we’ll see how much better Cassel is with Dwayne Bowe, and whoever else he has to throw to. (By the way, the Chiefs wideouts are so nondescript, I had to go to my fantasy football site to look up Bowe’s name. Despite the fact he was my leading receiver this year, and on my roster all season long. Now that’s some real live anonymity).

I am sad to see Mike Vrabel go, he as much as anybody was the heart and soul of a three time Super Bowl champion squad, and the very definition of a Patriot, playing end, and OLB, catching passes on offense, and playing Special Teams.
He’ll have a long career if he wants working tv and radio when he’s done in New England, while shilling for Giant Glass, and Ernie Boch.
I just hope he doesn’t undergo the full frontal lobotomy to remove common sense and decency that’s required currently of our local radio hosts.

Chad Finn’s article about the state of sports radio in Boston, wasn’t exactly groundbreaking news, but what was unique was he was the first person to tell it like it is from a major publication. I’ve been a fan of Chad’s for a long time, and I think much of his point was proven by the Big Show guys who just crapped all over him, and took things out of context to fit their own agenda in the aftermath of the story.

There was an article in SI recently about the Big East, and the author went out of his way to describe Jim Calhoun of being a product of his hard scrabble roots in….(wait for it)

Braintree????

I'm sorry I know I've been gone a couple months, but the home of the South Shore Plaza, and Archbishop Williams is still next to Milton, Holbrook and Weymouth right? It hasn't been moved to area between Dudley and Eggleston squares?
Ok just checking; I’m as big a Calhoun supporter as the next guy (which is to say more so than a Connecticut state legislator) but even though he did have it tough after his father died let’s not go nuts here; I'm pretty sure that had nothing to do with making him a miserable bastard at times.
Though I’m guessing his time spent at AIC (Almost In College) may have contributed to those hard scrabble roots. There is really nothing redeeming about Springfield.


I realize that the Commonwealth of Kentucky may not have Milton’s or a Men’s Warehouse there, but somebody please tell Rick Pitino to find a new tailor. And Ricky, if you’re going to rock with the Colonel Sanders look, you have to go all out, that means monocle and cane, sir.
If you’re KFC you can’t get much better advertising than that on a weekly basis, even I was in the mood for fried chicken and biscuits after the Louisville game today.

Walter McCarty is on staff at Louisville; I don’t really have a joke here, but here’s hoping his 6-9 frame is one day prowling a Division 1 sideline as a head coach. I’m thinking Holy Cross as the perfect fit, just so Tommy Heinsohn can profess his love on a daily basis on local TV and radio.

I miss Tommy Heinsohn, more than you can possibly imagine. The National announcers are just making me sick.

Mike Tirico is a jinx of the worst kind…every time he comments about a stat, the team immediately comes through.

The next two weeks feature trips to rural Tennessee and Mississippi, hopefully they provide as much humor as Georgia has so far.

It’s been 60 days in the south, and I still have yet to visit a Waffle House. Though yesterday I had softball in the morning, and I simply did not function properly without a sausage egg and cheese on a plain bagel from Dunks.

Tossing batting practice…which seems sort of oxymoronic tonight because that will be the only reference to baseball in this entire tome...

Emotional leader my a** I never liked that stiff Garnett, he’s wicked overrated anyway, just look at the stats they’ll tell you how successful they C’s are without him, stats never, ever lie.

Well the C’s certainly haven’t missed a beat (which is more than I can say for my own heart when I saw him come up limping) since KG went down, the schedule is a little friendly and having five games in hand is a good thing at this time of year)

The big news is the loss of Tony Allen…no really, really I’m not kidding, alright, if you’re a faithful reader you’re likely aware of my distaste for him.
What’s more surprising, the fact Tony Allen has 66 turnovers, or he actually has 52 assists this season? I’m not sure how we’ll replace that production. In the D’Antoni seven seconds or less system, how many Turnovers could he have? I think he’d rival the Maris-esque record of 366 in a season set by Artis Gilmore in 1977-78. Of course that’s assuming he’d ever stay healthy, he’s no Iron Horse (unless you count the iron he’s usually packing in Chicago restaurants).

In researching that stat, I discovered that Karl Malone is the all-time leader in career turnovers, somewhere the lone Jazz fan nods in understanding. I guess now the image of MJ stripping him in the finals, is a fitting description of his career.
But seriously, what’s more impressive, that he is the second leading scorer all time, or that John Stockton is the all time assists leader?
Is it safe to assume, after discovering these three factors, that Malone might have been the NBA’s all time leader in percentage of possessions In which he touched the ball?

While it will always be the Delta Center to me, the home of the Utah Jazz is apparently the Energy Solutions Center, at least according the brightly lit sign outside the arena that TNT showed.
This seems to be a curious use of resources, and a rather ironic moniker, for the “energy solutions” company.

The only thing I'll say about the Jazz game is that Dick Bavetta still sucks. Oh one more thing, usually when a game is that one sided, I'd yell something wise to a ref, like...
"hey which kid is yours out there?"
Well in the case of Thursday, I'd be afraid that Bavetta would point to Jerry Sloan.

Steve Nash could have a lucrative second career as a Mexican Bullfighter. His matador defense isn’t even funny anymore, it’s truly a sham that he’s a two-time MVP, and thus almost has to get into the Hall of Fame, if all offense, no defense point guards can get into the Hall, then Designated Hitters should too.
I think it would be funny if some NBA DJ played "ole, ole ole ole....ole, ole" (it's in your head now isn't it, well hopefully it replaces the Giant glass commercial from last week) every time a point guard scores on him.

Seeing the evolution of Herb Sendek at Arizona State makes me nervous as a hopeful future college head coach. That man has not aged well one bit. If you showed two side by side shots of him at NC State and him now, they wouldn’t even look like the same person.

While it appears unlikely, if Bob Knight gets the head coaching job at Georgia, I will do everything in my power to obtain season tickets behind the bench, I feel like that’s an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.
However he would be missed as an analyst, he’s so awkward yet informative, probably what John Madden was 30 years ago.
I watched more of a women’s game than I ever would normally, simply because I was waiting for him to call them Broads.

Talk radio in Georgia can be hilarious at times, the sense of entitlement fans of UGA have is downright ridiculous. In listening to a show briefly in Athens the other day, the co-hosts had narrowed down the Bulldogs choices to Mark Few, Sean Miller, Tubby Smith, and John Calipari.
Apparently John Wooden has already rebuffed overtures. Their entire basis of argument was that all three are at mid-majors that would yearn for the spotlight. Well all three are at established programs that make regular NCAA tournament appearances and are often spotlighted in the second weekend of the tournament. Oh and hoops is a distant third here behind football and baseball. Yeah this is a coveted job.
The best part was the hosts claiming that there was no reason they couldn’t be perennial SEC East contenders within two years, despite Florida, Tennesee and a small little hoops school in Kentucky all above them. (not to mention Vanderbilt).
Perhaps Pete Sheppard’s retarded in-bred cousin is a flash-guy down here, I’ll listen closer for a name next time.

A somber nod tonight to Milt Palacios, who after seeing Devin Harris' incredible gamewinner from halfcourt tonight, now owns the second mist amazing gamewinner in the history of the Izod/Continentel Airlines/Brendan Byrne Arena.

Tossing batting practice...while wondering if Ty Law and A-Roid are distantly related and have the same idiot cousin...

I want to be upset about ARod using steroids, but then I remember that he's never beaten the Red Sox so thus I'm less annoyed. All those guys will get their comeuppance when (or in some cases IF) they hit their 40s anyway.
With that said, there are a couple things about the A-Roid stammer-fest.

When you commit a stupid mistake that lasts three years, you're either; an idiot, disingenuously lying, or trying to keep the marriage together for the children.
A-Rod is either a) or b) in this case

Didn't the Yanks spring training home use to be Legends field, now it's George Steinbrenner Field? I'm sure The Boss is a legend in his own mind, but first he tears down Yankee Stadium, then he renames the spring training field, I thought old people were supposed to be nostalgic.

Former Bruin/Whaler/Hurricane defenseman Glen Wesley had his number retired in Carolina the other night against the Bruins.
I hope the entire time that banner went to the rafters he saw that wide open net he missed against Edmonton in the marathon ot Stanley Cup final we lost.
No I swear I'm not bitter

PS: F**K You Petr Klima, and for the record if your parents weren’t illiterate communists you’d know there are two E’s in Peter.

If Bud Selig were commissioner of NASCAR the entire field would have been brought back to finish the race the race on Thursday.
And you know what, all joking aside, that’s what I would have rather seen done. The Daytona 379 just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

They couldn’t drive in the rain? Really? That automatically disqualifies you as being considered the best drivers in the world.
I would watch intently if there was an event at Loudon in February without snowplows, in fact I’d buy a ticket and tailgate to that.
The ability to drive successfully in foul weather should be one of the measures of driving skill on the Sprint Cup series.

I spent much of the UConn/Pitt game trying to come up with an all-time starting five of white guys from UConn; so far I’ve got Jake Voskuhl, Travis Knight, and Israeli national team point guard Doron Scheffer. (and no despite the fact Rip Hamilton acts like a weenie, wears a face mask and has a killer mid-range jumper he does not in fact count)

Does anyone know of any Pitt fans? Or for that matter a Pitt grad? I’ve come across fans of nearly every major college program, but rarely do you see Panther paraphernalia when out at a bar (and by rarely I mean never).

I applaud Sean McDonough for calling out the officials in the UConn/Pitt game, and more importantly calling out the officiating in the Big East as a whole this season. He’s seen more Big East games than I have, but the second half of that game was just brutally officiated. One minute it looked like a game at Rucker Park with no blodd no foul, then the next their calling touch fouls.
If I couldn’t have already accounted for his whereabouts I would have thought Ed Hightower was joined by two Jason Harringtons.

Speaking of officials, I think Hightower, and Ted Valentine may each get more TV face time than any five major college coaches combined.
I cannot name a third major college basketball official, but those two are at more games than Dick Vitale.
And after I wrote this, there he was on TV Tuesday night at Purdue, from Hartford, Conn. To West Lafayette, Indiana; that man needs a better travel agent.

Tossing Batting Practice….while wondering just how awkward the monthly sales chart of the Vermont Teddy bear Company must look like the other 11 months a year…

Listening to various sports radio stations around the country in the last week (thanks blackberry) I have noticed one trend, the amount of Valentines day related spots are just overwhelming. But it’s hilarious to hear a middle aged white guy like Dale Arnold try to sell me on buying sexy underwear, a Vermont Teddy Bear, or some sort of internet flower order.
However, now that we’re well into week two of these ads, I’m longing for a perpetual loop of 1-800-54-Giant ads. (Is it stuck in your head yet?)
“We’re there when you need us, Call giant Glass….wherever you are call number..” ok I’ll stop,

I'd like to thank Gov. Deval for reaffirming the claim of Taxachusetts with the proposed gas tax. After paying a whopping 7% in sales tax on everything including food and clothing I was getting a little worried the name wasn't warranted anymore, but hey good luck with that massive 27 cents a gallon tax folks.

Danny Ainge said earlier this week that everyone wants a 7 footer who can shoot and defend, well I'll settle for 6-10 who can rebound and make layups.
Make the damn move Danny, any damn move.

Nate Robinson just completed the same dunk the average 5-7 junior high student with a little athleticism completes. The step on the fat kid for a boost dunk, in this case the fat kid was a skinny NBA player either way I’m not particularly impressed.

With Lucky the Leprechaun now deposed as the timeout entertainment at the Garden, perhaps Nate Robinson has a career ahead of him, once the fact he's a bad defender, undersized, and an asshole for a teammate catches up to him and he's out of work.
It always seemed a little implausible that a white dwarf could complete all those flying trampoline aided dunks anyways.

Memo to Nate, when you’re 5-nothin and all dressed in green, you don’t look like Kryptonite, you look like a black Leprechaun. I would have rather seen him don the glasses, and walking stick and try to dunk a ball spinning on his finger.

When you’re Lebron James apparently you can wear a bright yellow Mr. Rogers sweater and sunglasses indoors.
I don’t understand how that can be fashionable, and yet if I wore it, I’d continue to be a dorky white guy.

Friday night was the always retarded NBA celebrity game, which has absolutely none of the fun of the old NBA rock and jock, and lacks the 100 point basket. But I caught myself watching some of it (it’s lonely here in Deliverance, seriously, just check the date and timestamp of this post).
Terrell Owens won the MVP for the second straight year, while playing like the guy at the park everyone hates. He put up a Kobe-esque line of 40 something points and no assists, which also included zero pass attempts.
Stuart Scott then gave the obligatory All-star interview with Amare Stoudamire. When asked who out there he would most like as a teammate, his answer was TO.
Note to potential suitors for Amare, now that he’s on the block, anyone who identifies with the worst possible teammate in the history of American team sports, probably isn’t someone you want to give up a truckload for.
Neither is someone who’s 6-11 and treats rebounding like an allergy and shows as much interest in defense, as TO does in downfield blocking in the running game.

The Finals MVP award is now being named for Bill Russell, it’s the right thing to do for the greatest winner in sports history, but how did it take so long?

The one thing I learned from the Rookie game last night. If Kevin Durant were still in college he’d be challenging Pistol Pete’s record for points per game average, and would probably get at least 40 per. The fighting Sam Presti’s have a future down there, if only they were on TV once in a while.

Both Michael Cooper and Bill Laimbeer coach in the WNBA…see kids what goes around does in fact come around. I am content with that poetic justice.

Some hatred you never get over…I was legitimately pissed that Laimbeer and his duo won that stupid shooting game.
As Larry told him before his first all-star game, as he tried to shake Legend’s hand…. “Fuck you Bill.”

Seriously the best way to make the skills competition more fun would be if a referee was there to call carrying whenever they dribbled. Or have their college coach screaming at them the entire time to go faster. I could have beat Tony Parker, who looked about as interested to be in the contest as he was at a Desperate Housewives bridal shower.

Pitchers and catchers started working out today, hopefully they’ve got that take the flip, touch the bag, don’t get hurt in a collision down pat, and Tito and Millsie can move on to the old fake to first check the runner at third play tomorrow.
I just don’t understand why spring training has to last almost two months. But I guess it gives all of you folks up north hope that snow, and cold are almost gone.
I’m here to remind you it’s not…now excuse me I’ve got to reserve a tee time for tomorrow.
Sundays are a great golf day down here cause everyone is in church all day smiting and repenting things.

Tossing batting practice...because nobody down here has any idea the relative importance of owning a Beanpot in February

I completely and wholeheartedly miss the Beanpot. I can’t really explain it, especially since I didn’t attend any of the four schools, but I was always a fan growing up, and then in college I had some great memories.
Freshman year I was in the NU student section for the title game, and it was like being a Sox fan. Only instead of “1918”, Terrier fans taunted us with chants of “Safety School” while we were more simple and direct; BU SUCKS!!!! (which it does).
Every time the puck entered the Husky zone, people stopped breathing and an eerie silence came over that section of the arena. Finally the hated Terriers, tied the game, and went ahead with a minute left and the dream died, while the drought lived for NU.

Sophomore year, the result of a 5pm opening round game, was a 2pm pregame show live from Emerson College, and the old Charley Flynn’s.
The Beanpot: where Monday afternoon underage drinking happens.
Two years ago, I was lucky enough to cover a Beanpot, that ended with my arch nemesis BU taking yet another title in overtime in what was a thrilling game with an unsatisfying outcome, Larry Fitzgerald Sr. and journalistic objectivity be damned.
I root for NU, because they never win. I try to root for Harvard, but quite frankly they just aren’t likable with the exception of Ted Donato coaching.
I like BC because Jerry York is a likable figure who was very accommodating to me when I went to write about some of his kids.
Jack Parker is the polar opposite of York, he was an a***** and thanks to an unfortunate November night in college I already detested BU, so I felt better that Parker was a jerk.

Overall, it sucks that I can’t watch it anywhere this week, especially knowing that Northeastern may actually have a shot to win the whole thing; I’d probably even attempt to go if I were back home, at least for the opening round.
The dejection of the Husky faithful was one that the other three schools in the tournament don’t understand. NU isn’t a hockey school, though that’s the sport its best known for. If you were born the last time they won a Beanpot, you could legally drink to celebrate a victory, or wallow in despair tonight. Either way, knowing that NU students rarely need an excuse to party I’m sure there will be libations a plenty. Let’s just hope the riot police aren’t required on Hemenway street tonight.


So wait, NU is no. 3 in the country in anything besides number of student arrests in one small concentrated neighborhood in which you wouldn’t normally expect to find anyone with a suburban upbringing making it their home?
(I’m allowed to make confusing long winded smarmy remarks like that because I lived on Mission Hill for three years. As far as I’m concerned that gives me street cred or at least the ability to disparage my ‘hood. But you Orchard Park, and Bromley Heath folks better recognize.)
But apparently yes, they are the third ranked hockey team in the country, excuse while I attempt to confirm whether or not I am living in a distorted universe in which me, Doc, and my nonexistent dog may have skewed off the space time continuum to an alternate 2009 that appears to be reality to everyone else.
Dunneski, you may be the only one who can confirm or deny this for me.


Mad props to Lebron for the fake triple double the other night, but honestly why do people compare MSG to the Boston Garden and the Forum? What exactly has made it the world’s most famous arena? Their greatest moment is a crippled guy limping on the floor burying two jumpers and calling it a day, and that happened 35 years ago. I’d argue even the old Chicago Stadium has more NBA history than MSG, at least for the home team.

Why do marginal professional athletes who hail from New England always save their best for us? Did Rocco Baldelli give Matt Bonner a pep talk before yesterday’s game?
.
So apparently there was a parade at Fenway last week when the spring training truck leaves? Really are you guys that desperate for spring to start? Why is this a big deal? And if they hired the same moving company I did to move here, well they can expect it to cost an extra $1.5 million (probably why they let Alex Cora go) and it will arrive sometime before St. Patrick’s day.

Earlier this week Maryland’s AD came out in support of Gary Williams the other day, and her quote scrolled across the ESPN bottom line. The woman’s last name is Yow
So the scroll read like this “Yow: ‘I really want to lay to rest any of these crazy rumors floating around…’”
Honest to god, I thought Kay Yow had spoken to us from beyond the grave, or she was claiming she didn’t die. There was a brief 10 seconds of confusion on my part; this is what happens when you only catch part of a scroll while watching a game.

So it took ESPN more than a decade to turn the NFL draft, and to a lesser degree all the other major drafts, into a giant spectacle. Now it appears as though they’ve turned their attention to signing day for high schoolers.
What’s next, national choose an AAU team? Or does ESPN just start trolling delivery rooms to announce the births of the next great athlete?

Tossing batting practice…while seriously wondering just how many I could score on the Knicks "defense"…

Well, that loss sucked last night. I hate the Lakers, but hopefully the good news is that Danny Ainge will realize he’s got to go out and get another big man; preferably at the expense of Big Baby Davis

I will admit to being far removed from the C’s on a daily basis now and only see a handful of games, but he’s just not doing it for me. He’s like a fatter Tony Allen, anytime they do anything good, you jump out of your chair in a mix of excitement and shock.
Not what you want out of your backup power forward.

The fears we all had about Doc last year were realized last night, not his best night on the sidelines with the rotation and such. I also wish Ray and Rondo had talked him out of the plays he drew up at the end of regulation and overtime.

I will say that the C’s didn’t lose because of the officials, but all three of them should be donating a game check to the Red Auerbach foundation for that effort last night. I know he’s never been known for his defense, but how does Pau Gasol only commit one foul in 46 minutes? He grabbed 14 rebounds too, so it’s not like he wasn’t doing anything at the defensive end.
The Celtics front line committed 18 fouls on the game, the Lakers 11, and the Lakers starters combined for six fouls, four of them coming from Odom.
Specific calls are always tough to point to and blame (except for one, see below) but the numbers as a whole at the end don’t lie, even free throw disparity can sometimes, but only Derek Fisher getting more touchy feely than Eddy Curry with his male personal assistant make the total foul numbers even.

(Thanks Jon, I was looking for the right comparison, that’s why you get the big bucks)

I felt even better this morning about the curious officiating when even Bob Ryan came out and asked, what the hell those three guys were doing on the floor for that game.
While I hate the way the NFL sometimes comes out and says, “oops, we screwed up” a few days later with seemingly no repercussions, at least they acknowledge human error. I wish all sports would allow officials to speak, or at least come out and say something to the effect of what the NFL does.
All four of the leagues have their own channels now, you could easily fill a half hour of television dissecting questionable calls.
Then there’d even be a forum to compliment correct calls.

Whoever called KG’s final foul, I’d like to have his finances investigated to determine if he likes to visit casinos, horse tracks, or legitimate Italian Businessman’s social clubs in his spare time. Because Gasol whacked KG twice to knock the ball loose, ok so that call was missed, but to call that ticky tack loose ball foul, well that raises a few eyebrows in a post Tim Donaghy world.

Should I be happy that Andrew Bynum is out 8-12 weeks, or disappointed he isn’t out 8-12 months?

Kurt Rambis without glasses just doesn’t look right, he should be the anti-spokesman for laser eye surgery.

I am disappointed with the crowd tonight too, they were not in playoff form. Loud at times but not nearly enough.
I guess when Chris Evans (???????) and one of the guys from New Edition are your celebrities TNT shows midgame, well that just tells you how unimportant this game really is in the long run.

Cleveland worries me….a lot. Especially now that it has been determined that Lebron can do no wrong; I’d like to think homecourt advantage isn’t that important and that the Celtics can find a way, but the evidence I garnered from my 11th grade science project tells me different.
The NBA had the highest percentage of homecourt wins of the four major sports. I’m not worried about having to go to LA, because we all know real LA fan(s?) will get shut out and thus the noise level won’t be as startling.

Mad props to Lebron for the triple double the other night, but honestly why do people compare MSG to the Boston Garden and the Forum? What exactly has made it the world’s most famous arena? Their greatest moment is a crippled guy limping on the floor burying two jumpers and calling it a day, and that happened 35 years ago. I’d argue even the old Chicago Stadium has more NBA history than MSG, at least for the home team.

Back this weekend with other weekly observations and hopefully positive analysis on a win over the Spurs.

Tossing Batting Practice…while celebrating the fact Silvio Dante is out of a coma and apparently moonlighting as a rock star…

Not sure that’s the best career choice for the former underboss of New Jersey, but hey with Phil Leotardo out of the picture, the feud with New York should be over.

For the record I made it four plays before switching back to the Sopranos marathon on A&E that curbed my attempt to learn College Accounting. The rest of the first half was spent watching an engrossing CBS news special on Barack. (who has crossed over into “Ben” territory as far as first name only referencing)

The ghost of Bill Cowher is alive and well kicking a field goal in the first quarter on the one yard line and it cost me my damned cover. I hope the Major Crimes unit from the Wire turns its attention towards Mike Tomlin, and his point shaving ways.
Since he didn’t have to wear the big puffy jacket, I swear I won’t make an Avon Barksdale comparison ok Leon? (oops, guess I did, my bad).

Think Ken Whisenhunt regrets that decision to defer? Excellent call top gun to give Ben the ball and get him involved right away. On second thought, investigate his ass too.
Quick aside, I’m glad he will be out of my life for 10 months, because every time I heard his name I couldn’t help but think of the Whizzanator, and then I’d be forced to chuckle, even if it was inappropriate.

And since any episode of the Wire has to have multiple story lines, let’s make sure Terry Macauly and his officiating crew are under surveillance too.
Had it not been for that amazing fourth quarter this game would have been marred by flags. I mean Christ, someone from Macauley’s crew flagged Springsteen at halftime.
The Steelers finally got flagged four times in the final three minutes, but for the other 57, it was at one point Arizona 11/106 to Pitt. 4/35.
Only three times in Super Bowl history has a team been penalized for more than 100 yards. Let them play, or at least call it even, holding and illegal contact can be called anytime. So for the disparity to be so great was a travesty.
Santonio Holmes should have been flagged after his TD, and their should have been a review of the final play.
All in all, I wonder if there’s a Donaghy on that crew.

If football players are the best athletes in the world, why are they often so winded bordering on collapse when they run 90 yards. Even drunk I think I could run that far w/o collapsing to the ground after looking for oxygen and a defibrillator...score one for basketball players who are in fact the best athletes in the world.

If Bruce had a sense of humor he'd have played Jungleland last; it would have given James Harrison more time to rest at least.

Seriously nobody does a better live show than Bruce. I’ve been to four of his shows, and they’re all easily the best I’ve ever been too. (Please leave your Jimmy Buffet jokes below)

Why do people keep saying pressure and empty backfields are what Kurt Warner wants. I use Super Bowl XXXVI as evidence he does not thrive in that environment. The prosecution would like to call Ty Law to the stand.
Moments after I typed that thought down for later use, after yet another incompletion, Warner found James Harrison wide open over the middle for six the other way.

Say what you want about the man, and I’m sure Giants fans will; but he sure as hell plays entertaining Super Bowls.

Nice to see the Edge still dulled in big games, you can take the Colt out of Indy, but you can’t…well you know the rest.

The Cardinals got what they deserved by blitzing Roethlisberger on the final drive. I wouldn’t even rush him, just drop 11 guys into coverage and wait for him to make a mistake, which he is prone to when given time. He’s like the anti-Warner.

I do look forward to the year 2019 when Roethlisberger is finishing up his career in Chicago, leading his team to an 8-3 record, before collapsing late in the season and getting exposed for being a free wheeling selfish gunslinger. All while John Madden, (respirator, and drum stick in hand)and Joe Buck, and Jim Nantz proclaim he “loves the game” while fawning over him.

Overall it was a great fourth quarter in an otherwise boring game. I hesitate to say it was the greatest Super Bowl ever, I think the Pats/Panthers was actually a better fourth quarter but it was certainly a game that won’t be forgotten soon, and if Santonio Holmes can remove David Lousy Helmet Catch Bastard, from weekly highlights, and mention then it will be well worth it to deal with Steeler fans for the year.
At least I don’t live in Pittsburgh.
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Tossing batting practice…while finally over the bye ready to take on the crush of media scrutiny that is Pro bowl week…

It was somewhat evident back in November, but two months after the AI trade, the Pistons simply cannot cover Rajon Rondo anymore. Cleveland worries me greatly though. It does appear that Lebron isn’t quite getting every single call as of late.

So apparently Happy Gilmore was on Bravo the other night; however inside the Actors Studio with Carl Weathers did not follow the second funniest golf movie ever made. Apollo Creed, Chubs, and “the black guy from Predator” those three characters should be worthy of an hour of James Lipton’s time.

We can elect a black president, but I never thought I’d see the day a black chairman of the RNC was elected. I think the values and beliefs of many in my little corner of Jesusland have been turned upside down.

Our long national nightmare is over…the Mets have found a way to fill that gaping outfield hole, by signing World Series hero Bobby Kielty to a minor league deal.
This is the info you find on the MLB network while watching awkward announced highlights of the 1948 World Series.

Mercifully the Jason Varitek contract saga is over, however the “Fran-coma’s gotta pinch hit for Varitek with the bases loaded in the fourth inning of the back end of a doubleheader” saga should be starting up any day now. I look forward to the EEI yahoos now trying to sell the concept of Kevin Youkilis, late inning emergency catcher.

We all know Tito is loyal to his veterans who he’s gone to battle with, and I have no problem with that. We’ve seen it with the rotting corpse of Kevin Millar, and the human strikeout machine that was Mark Bellhorn. Eventually Tito pulled the plug on those guys late in their “difficult” seasons.
So Price is right style (meaning closest without going over) what’s the exact date we see Tito wave the white flag on Tek?
My early vote is July 20th but like the Tuna says, I reserve the right to change my mind once the season starts.

As many of you know my boss’ son was the Dodgers top draft pick last year, and earlier this week he was invited to big league training camp. Now more than ever I am praying for Manny to resign with them, just for the inside stories alone.
Hopefully he won’t end up with a full chapter in Joe Torre’s Dodger years sequel.

I can sort of understand and get used to "ya'll" being a prevalent term, but turning it into a plural ya'lls will never ever sound right under any circumstances. It's already a freakin plural for Christ sakes.


If you simply saw the score scroll down sometime Friday you’d have no doubt seen my
New college hoops obsession St. Mary’s drop a heartbreaker to Gonzaga. While it was on the road, keep in mind that the Gaels were up six when superstar African-Australian Patrick Mills went down with a sprained wrist. To that point Mills had 18 points in about 12 minutes of action, only to not return. He’ll likely be fine come tournament time, so be weary of the 10th seeded Gaels shocking some two-seed from the big east in the round of 32.

Now that enough time has passed and I can ignore the abomination of a 2005 season he had do you think its possible for Boston to begin construction on the Mark Bellhorn bronze statue, they could even put it in the spot previously earmarked for Dave Henderson that had to be scrapped thanks to the rest of his teammates.

***
Now for my long awaited Super Bowl pick…With the Over/Under set at three and a half, I will take the over….for number of e-trade baby commercials.

So I made a living in this postseason (not literally of course because gambling is illegal NCAA folks who may be monitoring this, and I have no tangible money to bet)
On taking the underdog, which led me to a 5-1 record the last two weekends. So while I despise the Steelers, and would love to see the Cards win, I have to go with Pittsburgh here, mainly because the Cards have become this trendy pick. This is what happens when you have two weeks to talk about a football game and you can talk yourself into any angle or possibility.

The surest bet of the night is Springsteen going over the allotted 12 minutes at halftime. And if you really like prop bets I think its +25,000 he gets hauled off the stage at the 17 minute mark with one of those 1920s vaudeville canes as he preaches to the world about stopping hunger, war, or republican domination.

Tossing batting practice...while wondering if Vegas allows prop bets as to whether Sam Casell is dressed in uniform on a given night...

When I’m in charge of basic human common sense, I will decree there to be a cap on what you order at a drive thru, Like the 12 items or less line. I sat in a drive thru today after a single person ordered $24 worth of food from McDonalds. I mean really, unless its 2am and you’ve got the munchies, go inside
This will go along with my Death Penalty for double parking platform I intend to run for Mayor of Boston on someday.

You heard it here first This year’s Davidson potential, in the NCAA tournament. St. Mary’s. They may not even win their conference tournament because of Gonzaga, which makes them even more underrated. They’re the highest rated mid-major on the board statistically (in the stats I believe in) and I’ve now watched them annihilate San Diego on its home floor, and blasted Fresno St.
Update: or you possibly heard this spiel from Seth Davis who’s apparently touting the Gaels (I didn’t even have to look that up, that’s how good or pathetic I am)

So in reading the ESPN headlines the other day I see that “Billionaire” Tom Rickets, is about to buy the Cubs.
Is there a better word that could appear in front of your name on a headline, or on a scroll?
I know that the words, beleaguered, embattled and much maligned are the polar opposite of the spectrum and are three phrases I never want to see in front of my name in any circumstance.

At the only bar in town here in Gainesville there is in fact a framed Byron Dafoe Atlanta Thrashers jersey.
If I could find my Blaine Lacher autographed picture I got at the very brief height of his popularity I'd donate it.
When all you have for internet is a blackberry, I have to say coming across names like Lacher and Dafoe provide brief moments of entertainment courtesy of Wikipedia. Which was how I found out that Byron Dafoe played 35 games over two seasons with the Thrashers allowing 3.31 goals a game before retiring after the lockout.

As an aside there are no actual bars here in town, because a county ordinance states that a business must make more than 50% of its business from food in order to serve alcohol. I can’t believe the Puritans missed that one back home.

Reason # 4126 why Tom Brady is the quintesential American dream: the fact he traded up to a girlfriend who is worth more money than he is. He literally does everything right by the book.

So I visited the mall of Georgia the other day, which is allegedly the largest shopping center in the Southeast. It’s basically the South Shore Plaza if the town of Braintree annexed Holbrook and gave the land away to build acres upon acres of stores.
The only caveat was it was the empties mall I’ve ever seen. Perhaps it’s the economy, or the simple fact its so damn big it can’t help but look empty.

In the first sports store I saw was dedicated to all college stuff except for the display of a Sox jersey, Brady, and Favre replicas, see Carolina Panthers, that's what you call a nation.
Then I saw that apparently colleges down here print up tee-shirts dedicated to each and every game of the year. I found this to be absolutely hilarious, imagine if we did that for baseball or even NFL football? How many different catchy nicknames could enterprising entrepreneurs come up with for the Sox/Yanks rivalry? Would they get to 19?
But if you feel the need to commemorate that Labor Day weekend drubbing of Appalachian St. For just $12 you'll never forget it.

As I've gotten older I've struggled with the idea that the players I'm rooting for are my age and younger, I think its still ok to wear jerseys of your favorite player, provided they are in fact older than you, thus you'll never see me in a Papelbon or Ellsbury jersey.
Down here the obsession with college football throws a huge wrench into that, but I still firmly believe wearing a college players jersey anytime after you turn 18 makes you a huge dork...I'm looking across the bar at a guy in the Tim Tebow jersey trying to get it with a blonde way out of his league as proof of this theory.
Doesn't it basically say I'm unhappy with my life and aspire to be a 20 year old college quarterback?
I guess if you’re in your fifties and aspire to be young again, then I can understand. But if you’re 26 and rocking that jersey, then maybe just maybe you should give ITT Tech a call, or some other online university, at the very least get that GED, there’s still time to make something of yourself.

Now that I’ve got internet, and hopefully cable by tomorrow I’ll be able to comment more on sports again in addition to the occasional witty retort to life in the south.

Tossing batting practice while training to figure out the proper response to the cable guy telling me he can't make it this morning because he is snowed in...

Yeah there is barely an inch of snow on the ground, there may have been more this morning but I suspect it will always melt before the end of the day.

Well its championship Sunday and riding the heels of my perfect 4-0 weekend last weekend, I"m going to throw out this weekends version.
Since I've been without television or regular internet all week these will be without prejudice (or any form of actual game information)

ARIZONA 27 - Philly 20
I think McNabb is due for a stinker, he has managed to successfully sucker in all of the Philadelphia region and is due to absolutely destroy their souls, or at the very least render them to watching the Phillies WS dvd in and endless loop until pitchers and catchers report.
In a world where the Tampa Bay Rays can make the World Series, why can't the Cardinals make the Super Bowl?
If they get their run game on track early the Eagles won't be able to blitz without risking Larry Fitzgerald repeating last weeks perfromance.

BALTIMORE 11- PITTSBURGH 8
Nobody believes in Joe Flacco, and I don't either, I believe in three Stover field goals, a safety, two or three killer Roethlisberger interceptions and a Willie Parker fumble. All of this will happen early in the game so Steeler fans get nervous and have that "this isn't happening again" vibe they get from having lost four AFC title games at home in the last 15 years.

A Cardinals/Ravens Super Bowl the least watched or anticipated game in Super Bowl history, Next on NBC

Tossing batting practice…while trying to understand how people can complain it's cold and then go out and have baseball practice; in shorts.
 
Congratulations to Jim Rice for the long overdue induction into the Hall of Fame. Rice was known as a bit of an ogre to the media and fans but I have nothing but fond memories of him taking the time to be young to a young child (me) many years ago.
I understand people have issues with his induction, and while some people say there isn't a definitive argument in favor of him getting in, I have yet to hear of a good one for keeping him out.
The fact his on base percentage wasn't  high enough? Well, if OBP were the be all end all stat guys like Scott Hatteberg would be raking in the big bucks.
Look getting on base is important, but so is extra base hits, and driving in runs. That's what Rice was paid to do, it didn't always work out for him, but the game was different in his era.
And for the record, of the top 10 in walks in the 70s only three are in the HOF. Of the top 21 in on base percentage only 6 are in the HOF.
In the 80s the number is a little greater but still not much better. I don't expect the Hall to be opening it's doors to the likes of Ken Singleton, Sal Bando or Gene Tenace anytime soon.
The home road splits are a tough argument to me if people are going to apply modern logic of Sabermetrics then what about the fact that ballparks are so much smaller today? That might have changed the way Rice approached a certain at-bat, numbers can't quantify everything a hall of famer is, like Justice Potter once said, "I know it when I see it" and I will trust the players of that era, who definitively say he was as dangerous a hitter as there was in that era.
 
I hope everyone enjoyed their Boston Sports Christmas, also known as NY elimination day.
I know I couldn't wait to open my presents that were the NY Daily news and Post.
It's been an unprecedented third elimination day party in four months. Though in fairness the Yankees were like a daily execution for a month before they were officially eliminated.
So much for that immortality for Eli, and Teflon Tom Coughlin, hehehehe.
 
I'd say we're going to miss Josh McDaniels but since Bill hardly let's his assistants talk I don't really know much about him, then again he called a crap game in the Super Bowl so I say good riddens, I hope his Bronco teams struggle with pass protection in big games too.
The loss of Brad Seely might hurt on special teams, but as long as Dante Scarnechia is around, (which he probably will be until about two weeks after his death) I think the special teams will remain solid especially since Belichick keeps his hand involved in that phase.
 
I was watching the Wake Forest/UNC game Sunday night and while my first reaction was holy crap Wake is 4th in the country! But upon further review I see why, this Point guard they have in Jeff Teague was very impressive, good enough that despite never having heard of him before tonight, I had to check out if he's an NBA prospect, and he is in fact a lottery pick in 2010 mock draft, which I think is a mockery in and of itself.
 
The Tar Heels still suck defensively yet they're adjusted defensive ranking is 15th even more shocking is Duke is number one in that category.
I think both numbers are a reflection of who they played in nonconference play. I was surprised to see NC is among the national leaders in steals per game, but I'm not sure if that's a product of the tempo they play or the competition or both. When the final numbers come out just after the brackets do, I'll have a better idea  and will make my picks accordingly.

  Is Jake Delhomme the worst quarterback to almost win a super bowl?
Trent Dilfer, mark Rypien and Jeff Hostetler are considered be the three worst to ever actually win one, but Doug Williams has the lowest career QB rating of a champion.
In Super Bowls decided by seven points or less, Delhomme is clearly the leader in the clubhouse for worst to almost win one, but his career numbers would be better than Dilfer Rypien and Williams.
 
 
Whenever the NFL honors the punt pass and kick winners, those kids never ever look like they even play football, at best they look like future Salary Capologists. I mean even Scott Pioli played college football.
I guess if they're going to dedicate their lives to kicking then they might have a future.
Which reminds me, if somehow someway I ever manage to procreate which god willing (see I'm already getting religious down here) won't be for a long time, I will absolutely be steering my child towards throwing lefthanded and punting/placekicking.
Backup quarterback and Bullpen catcher are two of the best jobs in America, but there is a small timeframe in which you can do either of those. Kickers and situational left handed relievers can play into their forties, and 25 years at the league minimum can add up nicely.
It doesn't require much athleticism, see Mitch Berger, Morten Anderson or Jesse Orosco, which is a good thing since athleticism is not a trait possessed in my genetics.
If my child becomes one of those professions I would consider myself a successful parent, even if I have to be Earl Woods and tie his right hand back behind him, or make him kick balls off a tee until his foot bleeds.

Just to remind everyone, I was 4-0 in the wackiest divisional round in history, too bad I don't actually gamble, I'll be back to continue my best Carnak impression later this week.
 

Tossing Batting Practice….because I only have about three weeks until Spring football starts to dominate Southern life again down here…

So mercifully the College football season is over, and while I have despised Florida for so many years, I have to say I like Urban Meyer. Any friend of Belichick’s is a friend of mine.
Now somehow we have to find a way to get Major White into a Patriots uniform next season, that man hits like a young Lawyer Milloy.
Give props to Oklahoma’s defense for staying in it, but their offense just couldn’t come through when it mattered most. I thought they were a little too run heavy in short yardage situations.

I hope the crazies in Oklahoma who disparage Bob Stoops for not winning BCS games don’t come out in full force.
I think the argument is a little unjust, twice he's played teams with nothing to lose that wanted to prove themselves and their conference, while for Oklahoma any bowl that’s not the BCS title game is a disappointment. One of those games they lost on a freak play.
The other bowl loss was to maybe the greatest team of all time, or at least one that’s in the discussion, so I'm giving him a pass and think he's one of the three best coaches in the country.

I’m sorry I said it before but I’ll say it again, Florida lost a home game in the regular season, that should have precluded them from consideration for this game.
Maybe Texas should have been here, possibly Utah. But the closest argument is USC, and they lost a road game, in a traditionally hostile environment to an Oregon St. team that finished tied for first with them in the Pac-10.
I will not understand the fascination with College Football down here until a National Champion can be crowned legit.

Florida is just the winner of the BCS Bowl. That is all.

The goal in the NFL is to win your last game…well in College the Gators are one of 34 teams who was able to lay that claim.

I loathe Ohio State but Terelle Pryor is fun to watch, and his career spectrum can run the gamut from future disgraced quarterback serving time in Federal Prison, to former National Champion with an awkward throwing motion losing his starting spot to a Kerry Collins equivalent in 6 years, for fun let's say its Matt Cassel, who proves he's not as good without the best receivers and coaches in the game, while ruining another team's salary cap down the road.
(If Cassel stays with us, then let's name that quarterback, I’m guessing it’s from a pupu platter of either Kyle Orton, Kellen Clemens, Matt Leinart, Brady Quinn, or by that point Scott Mitchell, or Erik Kramer might have a kid quarterbacking the Lions)

BC's loss to Harvard (thank god for spell check because I actually spelled Harvard without the R originally) the other night was God's way of reminding the folks at the Heights just who they are.
Sure BC is a destination school if you're a marginal coach who can put your team in the national spotlight on occasion and otherwise stay afloat with trips to the NCAAs and one or two big wins a season.
It is not a destination school if you're a big time head coach in the making, or already are one. Open your eyes BC, as the Tuna says, "you are what your record says you are"
And your record over the last 50 years says you're a steppingstone school....

(all of the above does not apply to hockey)

It’s nice of the Celtics to take on so many qualities of the old 80s C’s but the sleepwalking through the middle of the winter isn’t really a quality the newest incarnation should copy of the boss’ former teammates. Somehow I don’t think this was ever part of Danny’s “Vision”
The good news is they did this last year, and it’s the right time to expose some flaws that can be fixed before the trade deadline.

Hopefully my shady movers will finally show up this weekend, so I can actually unpack and get out of the Bates Motel, thus leaving me less time to blog. So here’s my NFL picks.

Baltimore 4 – Tennessee 2 Both offenses suck, and I see this going to extra innings, with the Ravens pushing two across with the help of the international tie breaker in the 10th

Arizona 31- Carolina 27 – No real rationalization behind this pick other than I liked the way the Cards handled the run last week against Atlanta if they do that again they’re moving on, besides they cant be any worse this time around on the East Coast (47-7)

Philadelphia 16 –NY Expletives 13 --- As long as a Manning isn’t in the Super Bowl then I’ll be happy and can celebrate Martin Luther King Day properly. Though I’m afraid America can’t handle a world where Philadelphia is the standard for professional sports.
Then again this decade has brought six titles to Boston, and America is plunged into the worst economic depression in 70 years, take that for what its worth I guess.

Pittsburgh 18 Chargers 10 ---Now the Steelers defense gets awarded the Touchdown that cost me six fantasy points earlier this season.
In all seriousness though for the second straight week the Chargers are involved in proverbial “game I hope nobody can win” because I detest both teams, so logic says Pittsburgh at home, but if Roethlisberger (unlike most unintelligent Pitt fans who call him Ben because they either think they know him, or can’t pronounce or spell his last name I will use proper AP style) has his brain still scrambled its anyone’s bet how this goes.

Tossing batting practice while contemplating a career in Nascar after getting to New Jersey in three hours from the Bing last week...

Greetings from Georgia, where it's rained for five days straight and hasn't dipped below 50 degrees/ As long as its not snow, I'll build a freaking Ark if need be. I made it down here relatively safely with the help of Grandpa, we only had a half dozen near death experiences, but was an interesting ride nonetheless. Here are the intial thoughts of life on the way to, and in the south.

All minivans should be banned from the fast lane, punishable by imprisonment and public flogging. We need a crime that can bring back public flogging as a punishment, and I think this could be it.

Anyone who tries to clean their windshield on the highway deserves a lesson in physics and then the death penalty.
All people from Connecticut are idiots, a-holes or both (I’m looking at you JT).
Some guy decided that despite it being 4 degrees, and him not possessing washer fluid it would be a good idea to drive 70 mph while leaning out his window to pour water in the windshield. Of course most of it wound up on my windshield, immediately froze and I almost hit a guardrail because I couldn't see.
I hope he drives off the Housatonic River bridge

NBCs David Gregory apparently trolls Maryland rest areas wearing a blue Dodgers jacket with his last name written on the back of the jacket, presumably for when people like me see him and can't remember why he seems familiar, or because he has a huge ego, but probably a combination of both.

One thing we're missing out on in the Northeast is more black sports radio hosts.
(A side note Microsoft suggests I say blacker sports radio hosts, instead of more black, a Microsoft employee hasn’t been this wrong since Bill gates fired his stock managers)

Anyways, Michael Holley is tremendous but his best usually doesn't come out unless he's got Vince Wilfork or Richard Seymour on, and his pop culture references and slang aren’t going over the head of a middle aged white man with teenage children.
Down here so far I've heard at least four lengthy soliloquies that sound like the Miller High life guy, and boy do these guys like to call people out in a more colorful and humorous fashion than anyone on Weei.
PS: I hope that after a long fruitful career with 5 more Super Bowl titles Wilfork, Seymour and Ty Warren are plying their radio trade like Brentson Buckner does down in Charlotte, he's basically black Fred Smerlas only smarter and infinitely more hilarious.
Or maybe he’s everything Smerlas isn’t but you get the idea.

In Charlotte I have heard the term "Panther Nation" thrown about repeatedly. I mean really? They are a nation? Show me a Panther fan with a mailing address outside the Carolinas and then we can revisit the concept.

Say what you want southerners about Massachusetts being a liberal and immoral state that allows gays to marry, while you folks are so religious and pious, but you won't find any highway billboards advertising sex shops and strip clubs where we live.
(the Heathens in Connecticut might though)

It didn't actually hit me that I lived in the south until I stopped at the burger king over the Georgia border. It was just different all the way around and very uncomfortable.
The only difference between me and Reggie Hammond (Eddie Murphy) walking into the redneck bar in 48 hrs was my skin color.

Apparently the UGA football team went through 5 offensive tackles this year, if they grow their young boys like they did the two female burger king attendants, I think the Dawgs could safely go through 5,000 tackles without much drop off.
Those two were clearly vying for the title of ugliest woman in the county, with the consumption of each burger.
They’ve probably been married twice, and have seven kids between them.

So I've decided that anytime anyone asks me to say "park the car" I'm simply going to reply with, "ok but only if you say 'life is like a box of chocolates'..."

Back later this week with more Dueling Banjos, and football nonsense.

Tossing Batting Practice.....while wondering if Stephen Gostowski had to yell FORE! after each of his kicks on Sunday.

Reason number 4,301 why Jets fans bring absolutely nothing to society, Fans showing up to the game with their Pennington jerseys on so they could cheer either way.
Seriously, name me a Jets fan who is famous, or a contributing member to society? They're entire fan base can be summed up by Kevin James, who looks creepily enough like Mangini that I could almost wonder if he was prepping for a role and actually replaced Mangini three weeks ago.

There is some justice in the world, that Man-rat was fired, but it doesnt take all the luster off. Brett Favre should immediately be removed from first ballot hall of fame consideration for that INT he threw to the DLineman. Thanksfully the the NY media won't let him off the hook, but it was putrid to see Peter King blame the injuries for him.

Seriously who hires Man-Fredo now? He can't get hired as a head coach again right away, because he clearly still has some learning to do. But what head coach in their right mind hires this guy to be on his staff? Not only will he take all the team secrets with him, he clearly has no problem burning bridges for those who have helped him.
Those are definitely qualities I look to avoid in an assistant coach. College may be his only option right now.
Someone in the League will likely hire him, and I look forward to him screwing whoever eventually does. A rat is a rat, that's just who they are, maybe he can sign Kazcur with him.

I wish a I knew a Cowboys fan this week, but then the other 51 weeks every year I'd probably regret being friends with one. So I guess I'll just let it go.

Hey Joe Flacco, if a nice Maryland girl inivites you back to her place under the guise of making you crabs for dinner, stop, turn around and go home. Or wait, actually proceed without any caution whatsoever. It'll be ok.

Long live the prohopet Conan O'Brien, who stated this summer "the Jets acquired Brett Favre this week. He was willing to come to NY because he wanted to see what this whole losing thing is all about."

17weeks ago I stated football was dead to me, so for that I'd at least like to thank Matt Cassel and the rest of the team for making things intersting for the fall and giving me a reason to destroy my liver, spend lots of money and enjoy the hell out of every Sunday this year.

Except for you Kazcur you should be sentenced to an eternal existence of eating cheese, running mazes, and getting stomped on by defensive lineman.

Football is dead to me now, but may be the BCS has it all right at least in that scenario the Pats are in the playoffs.

Now I guess I'll focus on basketball, but with the move to Deliverance I'm stuck with only relying on ESPNs coverage of the Celtics. I already know I miss the Celtics comcast commercial with the KG dunk, and the anythings possible scream.

But its 61 degrees in Gainesville, Georgia today, so I guess I can make a sacrfice or two.

Tomorrow will be the start of my drive down to a whole new life, so if anything of interest pops up along the way I'll be sure to document, and mock it.

I'm taking another shot at this for a bit. With my new mobile phone I can post from anywhere, and I think the prospect of me assimilating into southern life has great comedic potential. I will also attempt to porovide a view from the "outside", of the region since its warm enough to be outside before april here.

In honor of the tiny keys these will now likely be a series of tinier posts than previous forays into internet blogging however they'll be more frequent as I can simply type ideas as they come.

Punctuation and spelling will likely be at an all time low.

Tossing batting practice like a lefthanded cancer survivor….(the bitter version)

Well since I grossly misjudged the ’07 Sox after falling behind in the LCS, I figure I’ll try it again and hope for the best, after all the LCS really doesn’t start until the Sox are facing elimination

Its almost like Comcast sports expected the worst, because Drive for 17 has tempered my bitterness just slightly, or gave me more bloodthirst for a title…one or the other.

I knew Lester was in trouble in the first, mainly because the Raqys cheerleaders (a first in baseball btw) were touting the fact Lester throws a lot of strikes, and yet he got out of the inning in five pitches.
That told me the Rays would go up there hacking, at fastballs early in the count, and two innings later the Sox were down 5-0.
The lone solace I take is that I hope someone smarter than me took notice of this, and we’ll see more early count breaking balls if we’re somehow lucky enough to get this to a game 6 or 7.

Its time for a reverse ’07 here, and pull Jacoby for Crisp. It’s like watching spring training in Major League with him now, except he hasn’t dropped to give Tito 20 pushups after he pops up. I will just refer to him as Willie Mays Hayes from here on out.

The game tonight turned when Maddon basically dared Francona to pull Ellsbury and hit Coco, a switch hitter against a lefty. Unless Ellsbury has astronomical numbers against Howell, that include a crooked number before the decimal point he should not have been hitting in that situation.

Things I think I liked about tonight’s game

That Varitek knew where third base was on Cora’s Single, after all its been a while since he’s been on base running all over the place.

Things I know I disliked

I know we all love Pedey for his big swing, and clutch play, but come on, see an f’in strike before swinging at that soft pus Howell throws at you in the first AB.

Seriously, someone in the Sox clubhouse needs to tell Papi he’s due for a B-12 shot, and inject him with one of those Miguel Tejada shots. Or possibly petition major league baseball witht eh idea that for the best interests of baseball Ortiz needs to be allowed to bat from second base so he can hit home runs again.
After all chicks dig the long ball. (of course his wife is a hideous Wisconsin cheesehead, so I guess this metamorphosis into, “not good enough to avoid being cut by the Twins” Ortiz might explain how he wound up with her in the first place)

I was disappointed Youk didn’t get more distance on the bat toss when his K ended an inning. You’re already ruing a generation of N.E. little leaguers with your childish acts, so you might as well go full out in terms of petulance.

I really cant believe that Lester or someone else who throws hard hasn’t buried a fastball into someone’s back for the Rays. Longoria and Upton look a little too comfortable up there, and sadly that message can’t be conveyed tomorrow with the Special Olympic Hurdler taking the mound for the Sox. (if Roger’s the Rocket, then that’s what Wake is)
Hitting is about timing, and pitching is about disrupting timing, if off speed pitches aren’t disrupting the timing enough, then leaving stitchmarks and a tattoo of the word Rawlings on someone’s ribs can do the job just as effectively.

I am officially the last convert of the Nation to the Anti-Varitek side. That passed ball was gross, and whether he got crossed up or not, that was Gedman-esque. He can’t hit at all, and honestly if I see one more shot of him looking into the dugout, calling a pitch; and then TBS telling the world that he calls a phenomenal game I will snap.
I haven’t seen such gross misrepresentation since this (hint scroll down to 75)
For those who don’t bother to scroll through, its merely the d-bag of an assistant coach I had, who is taking credit once again for being the head coach last season.

And, one bonus Patriot complaint, if nothing else, it was a successful trip to SD if Kazcur tore his Achilles.
Though it was tough to see Cassel getting pounded, and not be able to blame that rat **** for the missed block.