Wednesday, November 30, 2011

What Pink Hats have done to the Red Sox


Our long Red Sox national nightmare finally ended last night as the potentially insane Bobby Valentine was finally reported to be the next Red Sox manager. Now I hate this. I didn't want Dale Sveum either. The guy I wanted was Mike Maddux but he backed out. This was a lame crop of managers by they way. Between the group out there, then yes Bobby Valentine was probably the best choice. He looked like the manager version of Kate Upton compared to the Roseanne Barr of Gene Lamont. What really gets me angry about this whole situation is how the great puppet master Larry Lucchino undercut his new puppet in Ben Cherington so blatantly in the public and totally making it so that we, as fans, can never take anything Cherington says seriously again.


Now lets get to why the pink hats are to take some of the blame for the joke the Red Sox are now. The pink hat fans have totally taken over Fenway Park and have made it tough to be a die hard fan. The ownership has taken full advantage of the pink hats and good for them. They've made a ton of money off them. The pink hats started to pop up in 2003, really emerged in 2004 and are now basically 75% of the fan base. I hate pink hats. Pink hats are the reason that Valentine is the manager now. Lucchino saw and listened to the fans, heard that there wasn't really a lot of excitement for Svuem ( and rightfully so) and then went to the guy that pink hats have seen on ESPN and heard every bandwagon fan from Boston to Maine get excited and boom, next thing you know he's the guy that's been the number 1 choice all along when we all know damn well that Svuem was all but hired. The pink hats helped sign Crawford and now they've helped Lucchino hire Bobby V. They should own a 50% stake in the team.


Now a pink is not just about gender. Men and women can be pink hats. I have probably seen more male pink hats then female pink hats. Also pink hats don't have to physically wear a pink hat. They can wear a whole damn uniform but they're still pink hats. I was a Sox game a few years back and there was some guy sitting in the stands trying to impress his girlfriend and she asked about who the "number 9" was up in right field. The guy didn't know. He didn't know! Its Ted freaking Williams. Only the greatest Red Sox player of all time. Only the greatest hitter who ever lived. Another sign of a possibly pink hat is there reaction when you call them a pink hat. If you call me a pink hat I'm just gonna say "yah ok" and laugh it off. But if you call a pink hat a pink hat, look out. They freak out and almost always say "I'm not a pink hat. I know what I'm talking about. I watch every game" And they always say it in a high pitched voice. It happens 100% of the time, every time.


They've turned Fenway and Yawkey Way into almost a amusement park setting. They get every ticket and phase out the die hards and the people that know what their talking about. Bandwagon fans are every where but the ones I respect are the ones that don't try to act like they know what their talking about. Pink hats I have almost no respect for. I don't have a problem with the girl fans, I say god bless them but the guy pink hats just kill me and suck the life out of me. Nothing could ever drive me away from my love of the Red Sox but they way the operate down there is embarrassing and how they care what the fans say is killing me slowly. Listen to the scouts and your baseball operations people and not Joe Six Pack out in Quincy who saw Bobby V on Baseball Tonight. You think Belichick listens to us? Hell no and things have been working out for him lately.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Red Sox Off Season


Going in to this key off season for the Boston Red Sox, I thought they had one definite move to make- and that was to resign Jonathan Papelbon. Yes, he blew the save in Game 162 but if you don't have a dominant closer who's been through the fire and came out clean on the other side then you don't have anything. All those people that were "happy" to see him go, ask yourself this- Are you going to get anyone better to replace him? Heath Bell has been good in San Diego but that's San Diego. Can he handle Boston? Franciso Cordero is old and he had a good year in a contract year (always a red flag). K-Rod's arm is about to fly off at any second. Daniel Bard isn't ready. He was terrible in September and just cause you can throw 100 MPH doesn't mean you can get the three biggest outs of the game. Before Pap left I was thinking they should make into a starter. I am intrigued by Joe Nathan. He'd be cheap money but he's coming off Tommy John and who knows if he can be effective. I say Nathan and whoever steps forward between him or Bard. The closer is not the only move the Sox need to make.


Manager. The Sox still don't have a manager. It looks like Dale Sveum is the leader in the clubhouse and I don't know about you but I'm not really feeling that. Maybe its cause I remember him sending every runner to the plate that he possibly could and getting them thrown out. They say because hes been in the clubhouse before and knows the players but he hasn't been here since 2005. The only players he knows in that clubhouse is David Ortiz (more on him later) and Kevin Youkillis (him too). I was on the Mike Maddux bandwagon but he backed out. Sveum was named interim manager of the Brewers in 2008, took them to the playoffs, and then they demoted him back to hitting coach and hired Ken Macha. That's a little strange right there. Sandy Alomar Jr is my choice right now. Former catcher, knows pitching, and would have respect from the players.


David Ortiz and Kevin Youkillis. I'm conflicted on this. I love both players but I would resign Ortiz and explore a trade for Youk. There really is no market out there for Ortiz and the DH position has become a dead position in baseball. He can still hit and power in today's game that is hard to come by. Yes he's got a little bit of diva in him but he's still a leader in that clubhouse even though last year happened on his watch. Resign Papi I say.

As for Youk, I don't think he can stay healthy and we have a potential stud 3rd base prospect named Will Middlebrooks. Youk can't handle the grind of 3rd base and at this point he's a 1st base/DH type of player. I don't know what you can get for Youk. The Brewers might need a first baseman and I would call up Theo at the Cubs, maybe get some relief pitching. Then Id give Middlebrooks the job and sign a veteran for him to platoon with. Such as Casey Blake. That's a move I like.


Also theres little moves I would do. Cut the cord with Varitek and Wake. I hate to do it but it's time. I'd sign Michael Cuddyer, good clubhouse presence, can play multiple postions, right handed bat, and have him split right field time with Ryan Kalish, whos ranked as the second best prospect in the Red Sox system and came up in 2010 and showed potential. Also have Jose Iglesias spilt with Marco Scutaro. By the end of the year Iglesias could be the everyday guy. Then have
Ryan Lavarnway spilt with Salty at catcher and Lavarnway could spell Papi at DH against lefties. Hopefully Beckett got a fire lit under his ass and comes back in shape. Same with Lester. Lackey's gone for the year. There's some solid starting pitching out there. Mark Buehrle is out there. I'd go out and get Rich Harden. They had him at the trade deadline but the team doctors said he want healthy. He went on the make every start for the A's after the deadline and now the team doctors are fired (good riddance to them by the way. So many misdiagnosed players the last few years). I'd stay away from CJ Wilson. Too much money and I think he's sligtly overrated.

You could say "Well BJ, you sure got a lot of rookies playing key positons". Yes but there's still a ton of talent on this team. Crawford will bounce back, Adrian will have a better year, Pedroia, Ellsbury are still here. The pieces are in place all we need is a few moves and a change of the culture and the Red Sox will be back.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Team Win


That game last night for the New England Patriots was one the most satisfying, biggest, character building wins they have had in awhile. Last night was basically for our playoffs lives and they came up big. It wasn't pretty. The defense was basically held together by glue, scotch tape, some some helf by Mark Sanchez, and were carried by Brady, Gronk, and Andre Carter.


With five undrafted free agents starting on defense you had to have a program with you just to know some of the guys out there. No Spikes, no Chung, and losing McCourty halfway through, the defense played well. I know, I know it was against Mark Sanchez but at this point we have to take what we can get. Andre Carter has been one of the most underrated free agent signings in the NFL and if he, Mark Anderson, and Vince Wilfork can get the pressure on the quarterback like last night then you can get away with having Sterling Moore, Phillip Adams, and Antwaun Molden in the secondary. Also communication was a big deal last week and this week they appeared to have those problems figured out on the road in a tough environment.


Also last night it was one of those wins that Brady, Branch, Belichick, and the rest of those guys love. It was a make or break game, the season was on the line, everybody was picking against them, and like they always do they come through when they needed to the most. Even Patriot legends like Troy Brown and Rodney Harrison picked the Jets. Brady started out a little slow but once he figured it out and went to the hurry up, he was brilliant. No team plays the "No one believes in us" card better than the New England Patriots.


Now I'm not saying to pack and get ready for the Super Bowl, this team still has a ways to go but the AFC is wide open. All these teams are fraudulent. The Pats have flaws, as do the Ravens, Texans, Bills, Jets, Bengals, and Steelers. I guess you would have to say that the Steelers are the top team in the AFC but not by much.


Big win. 6-3. Still improving. Chiefs up next on Monday night.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Penn State Scandal


In my years of following sports there has been a fair share of scandals. The Bob Knight scandal in Indiana, steroids in baseball, Tim Donaghy and gambling in the NBA, and even SpyGate in the NFL but none of those compare to whats going on at Penn State and Joe Paterno.


This story at Penn State is bigger than sports, that's what make so big. It's by far the worst story that I have seen or read about. It's not about football and Paterno's legacy or wins and losses, it's about eight (probably more) innocent children who were violated and molested by a monster. I'm not even going to get into the details because it makes me sick to my stomach. Jerry Sandusky is just a vile human being and at the bottom of the human decency who was only allowed to keep his job the first time and allowed to keep the keys to the Penn State locker room only because he knew how coach linebackers. He's going to locked up forever.


As for Joe Paterno, he finally got fired last night and rightfully so. He knew damn well what was going on and he allowed it. Joe Paterno runs that school. He could have stopped Sandusky and saved maybe countless children from that animal. But he didn't cause Sandusky was right hand man and defense coordinator. How can Joe Pa sit there was Sandusky for all those years knowing what that freak does behind closed doors? Paterno didn't deserve more than the phone call he got. He didn't deserve a graceful exit and to go out on his own terms. Paterno was a enabler. Paterno probably can't be charged with anything legally but morally and as human being he's going to have live with what happened and why he got fired on his conscience for the rest of his life.


As for all the yahoos that were rioting on the Penn State campus last night- all I have to say is calm down. I know what Paterno means to the school, how he's one of the greatest college coaches, how he's a figure head for the school, how he put that school on the map. But lets be serious Penn State students, your not losing Nick Saban or Les Miles in his prime. Paterno hasn't "coached" in years. You think he's making calls? You think he's putting game plans together? You think he's traveling across country recruiting these kids? He sits up in the box without a headset on. When they need to lock down a recruit, they bring him in and he flashes his championship rings and the kid signs with Penn State. Paterno was lucky enough to keep his job these past three or four days only because hes Joe Paterno. Anyone else would've been canned the day the story broke. Read the report and maybe you wont protest as hard. Take off you Penn State pajamas and maybe you'll see why Paterno is fired and disgraced. Penn State should be embarrassed by what ESPN and CNN was showing. What some of the kids were saying was embarrassing and showed that they were out of touch with what was going on.


Like I said it's the worst story in sports that I have ever seen. Everyday it gets creepier and creepier. How Sandusky wrote a book called "Touched". How the lead D.A. back when the case first broke disapeared, and is now proniuced dead, after he dismissed the case. And now how Sandusky was "pimping" out kid from his foundation to rich donors. It makes me sick just thinking about it. Those who feel sorry for Paterno, they shoudnt.


Until next time...

Monday, November 7, 2011

Deja Vu


Deja Vu is defined as the experience of feeling sure that one has already witnessed or experienced a current situation, even though the exact circumstances of the prior encounter are uncertain and were perhaps imagined. Well what happened yesterday at Gillette Stadium gave every Patriot the feeling of deja vu. Only we know exactly when we experienced it the first time. That game last night played out just like Super Bowl XLII. Pats offense struggled throughout. Then Brady comes though. Then a Giant who wears number 85 makes a unbelievable catch and then after that Manning throws a game winning touchdown. It was uncanny. Eli Manning gave me the same face that probably Tom Brady has given teams throughout the decade. That "I'm totally helpless and I just got punched in the stomach" face.


The defense played well throughout the game but they had a chance to shut up the critics and make a play but they didn't. And lets stop with this whole idea that "the game has passed Bill Belichick by". That's just foolish. He's still as good a coach as ever. I will fully admit that the players aren't good and that goes back to Belichick. Bill Belichick the GM has failed Bill Belichick the coach. Sergio Brown and Tracy White are special teams players, not guys that should be out on the field with the game on the line. Sergio Brown had a tough time making plays at Notre Dame, now hes expected to do it in the NFL? You look around at other teams in the league and they just have better defensive players. The Pats don't have it.


This game also brings home the point even more that Tom Brady has to play perfect and put 30 points plus for the Pats to win. You can tell that he's pressing out there and trying to force the ball into spots that he normally doesn't. All the pressures put on Brady to be perfect and we all expect a him to be perfect and when he's off it's panic time all over New England. Look at the Green Bay Packers. Their ranked 31st in defense but their winning games because Aaron Rodgers is playing at such a high level. If he gets into a slump the Packers will probably lose a game or two. Tom Brady is going to be fine. He's just a bit off.


Now we head to a Sunday night match up with first place in the AFC East on the line against the New York Jets. The Pats are trending down while the Jets are trending up. The Jets laid the hammer down on the Bills defensively yesterday and if they play like Sunday night then its going to a loooooooong night.


Until next time...

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Requiem For A Nightmare


I'm 24 years old. As a sports fan, I've seen all four of my favorite pro teams win championships. The Patriots have won three Super Bowls, Red Sox have got two World Series wins, and the Celtics and Bruins have won a championship each. I've seen so many great players and great games, you think I would appreciate the championships so much that bad losses don't bother me but that's not the case. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the championships and the moments. Nothing can top it. But the losses stay with you more than the wins. They stick with you more only because of the "What If" factor of the games. What if we had won? What would the legacy be? As a society we always want more. There's four devastating games that I've seen and I can never see again if they ever come up on the ESPN classic, NBA TV, NFL Network, and MLB Network. My eyes just start spurting blood. Those four games are Red Sox/Yankees Game 7 2003, Pats/Colts 2006 AFC Championship game, Super Bowl XLII, and the Celtics/Lakers Game 7 2010. Out of all those games, the one that hurts the most and haunts my dreams the most: Super Bowl XLII.


I write this now because the Patriots are playing the Giants this Sunday and ESPN is probably going to be showing highlights of it all week and all Sunday. It'll be a miserable week of hype for a game for Patriots fans. It'll come up in conversation wit your friends and its tough to avoid. Lets review 2007 from the great beginning to bitter end.


It started in the off season. The Pats had just come off the AFC Championship game vs the Colts were they blew a 21-6 halftime lead. Belichick was on a mission that off season. He signed Adalius Thomas on the first day of free agency. Stole Welker from the Dolphins and signed Donte Stallworth. Then the big trade happened. We all know what it was. Trading a 4th round draft pick for Randy Moss. That's when all the experts started to talk about how this team could dominate and that an undefeated season was possible. I knew this team would be good but I didn't think they be THAT good. The Pats went out and blew the doors off the Jets and we knew that this year was going to be real fun after Brady and Moss hooked up for their first of many touchdown connections.


Then the bomb of SpyGate dropped on Monday. All over ESPN and nationally, people calling the Patriots cheaters. Calling Belichick a cheater. Saying that Brady was a product of knowing the defensive signals. To this day no story gets me more mad then the SpyGate stuff. Patriot haters finally had something to on the Pats and they were going to use it. ESPN kept throwing out the cheating card 24 hours a day. Patriot fans all over had banded together like never before. This was our team, our championships. How dare you say they are tainted. It totally became "Us vs Them". We felt we had to defend our team. The players were more angry than ever and you could see it. The Pats started to blow out every team they faced. The haters kept getting louder. Pats fans knew they were just crying because they couldn't stop Brady, Belichick, and Moss. And we rubbed in it their faces. After every win, the "Us vs Them" became worse and worse. And I loved every minute of it.


While the Pats were continuing their assault of the record book and SpyGate died down a bit, ESPN and Haters had to come up with another storyline. Then it became that we were running up the score. Steve Young and Meriel Hodge were crying like the Patriots were kidnapping small puppies and throwing them off bridges. Like Moss and Welker were robbing banks likes Ben Affleck in "The Town". It fueled the fire in the players and fans even more. Then the 1972 Dolphins and Mercury Morris wandered out of the retirement home and found every station and media outlet that would have them and talked about how they didn't want the Patriots to go undefeated because they "cheated" and weren't doing it the right way. They were ultimate frauds. That was the last straw for me. Not only did I want to go undefeated even more, I wanted to do it in style. I wanted Brady and Moss to shatter records. I wanted to Pats to go undefeated and then laugh in the opposing teams face in a way that said "How dare you even step on the same field as us". I wanted Mercury Morris to hand us the trophy and bow down after he did. I wanted to mock all the Patriot Haters that had run their mouth all year and make they say that New England Patriots were the unquestioned greatest team of all time. That was the dream.


They broke every offensive record there was. Were undefeated heading into the Super Bowl, about to play the Giants, and go 19-0. Then the offensive line collapsed against the Giants pass rush and couldn't give Tom Brady time get the ball down field. It was a nightmare. The Pats were up 7-3 for most of the game. Eli Manning found David Tyree in the back of end zone to go up 10-7 with about 5 minutes to go. I'll fully admit I was nervous. But I knew that Tom Brady always came through for this team. And he did. He drove the Pats down field and found Moss to go up 14-10 with about 2 minutes left. We did it. All we needed was one stop and the dream was complete. Greatest team ever. 4th ring for Belichick and Brady. Bruschi, Seau, and Harrison go out winners. Eli throw a ball to right sideline and only Asante was there. This was it! But the ball went right threw his hands. Not yet. Then on third down, Seymour and Jarvis Green had Eli sacked and all wrapped up. I yelled at the top my lungs "BLOW THE WHISTLE!!!". The refs didn't and Eli escaped and threw it up for grabs. I thought it would've been picked by Rodney. Rodney was in the area but so was Tyree. He caught the ball on his head. The next thing I know is the Plax caught the ball in the end zone and that was it. The dream was dead. (No words)


No perfect season. One of the biggest upsets ever. I was stunned. Took awhile to get over it and I probably never will. Worst sports loss of my life. All the Patriots Haters got exactly what they wanted. All the trash talk came right back at me. The Pats haven't won a playoff game since. Brady and Bill are still searching for that 4th ring. David Tyree hasn't caught a pass since February 3rd, 2008 and yet he haunts my dreams every night.


Until next time...