When the season began, every member of the Red Sox was into it with high hopes. Has the number dwindled down to five, now? And not the five you'd expect. I mean sure Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz are fan-favorites and we all knew they'd give it their all despite a certain Achilles injury. But then there's Cody Ross who resembles Trot Nixon in a few ways. He's the type who will never give up. Pedro Ciriaco knows he's proven himself already, but that's not enough. Mike Aviles just hit .293 in August and seems to be hustling more than ever. Daisuke seems like he wants to be good, but is the effort there?
Anyway, there's gotta be more than five.
Enjoy this blog because what you read is of legendary status.
Friday, August 31, 2012
You Had Us In A Tizzy, Mose
What would a Dwight spinoff be without cousin Mose, played by Mike Schur? Well, we won't have to worry about it because Schur's coming to The Farm! That's awesome. We love you, Mose!
Even Dan Harmon Noted It
Harmon tweeted "hit me in the right spot." To this montage:
That was pretty quality.
That was pretty quality.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Argument 6: What Is The Most Underrated Boston Sports Venue?
Book Answer: Foxboro Stadium
Also known as Schaefer Stadium and Sullivan Stadium, it's hard to disagree with the book on this. The Garden and Fenway were so very hyped and Gillette is so state of the art, that Foxboro reminds some of a simpler time. When New England football was the weak link in Boston sports, where John Hannah, the greatest lineman ever, was the star. Foxboro sounds like a wonderful place to be even if it was god awful. It was also sent out in fitting style. The Snow Bowl. Vinatieri sent the Pats into the AFC Championship Game in 2001 and they eventually won the Super Bowl in Foxboro's final season.
Also known as Schaefer Stadium and Sullivan Stadium, it's hard to disagree with the book on this. The Garden and Fenway were so very hyped and Gillette is so state of the art, that Foxboro reminds some of a simpler time. When New England football was the weak link in Boston sports, where John Hannah, the greatest lineman ever, was the star. Foxboro sounds like a wonderful place to be even if it was god awful. It was also sent out in fitting style. The Snow Bowl. Vinatieri sent the Pats into the AFC Championship Game in 2001 and they eventually won the Super Bowl in Foxboro's final season.
Dustin Clears The Air
Here are six quotes given from Dustin Pedroia in a recent interview:
On the trade: "I want to be a Red Sox my whole career," Pedroia said. "I want to be here during the World Series times, during the September collapse, the biggest trade, and I want to be here when we're world champs again. I want that. I've been through times when not a writer said a bad thing about me, or the talk show hadn't said a bad thing about me, and I want to be here when they say a bad thing about me. I look in the mirror every day and at the end of the season I'm going to look back and say I did everything I could to help us win. Were there parts I regret? Yeah, without question. There were a lot more than in the past, but I learned from those things. It's going to make me better, I believe that. Yeah, I have to believe that. It's going to."
On the Youkilis-Bobby V controversy: "Basically I was trying to get Youk's back and just say, basically, if someone had a problem with somebody just come to them and talk to them about it. It came out wrong. I messed that up. No question about it. Obviously I don't want to call out our manager by any means. I've never been put in that situation before and I didn't know how to respond. I regret that all that happened. I probably should have looked and saw what was going on and tried to check the pulse of how the fans and everyone was reacting to our team. I had no idea."
On the July 26 meeting: "Obviously we weren't playing very good and this meeting was of bigger magnitude because we're all trying to figure out why we're not playing well. Why are we losing ballgames, and how come we're not like we were last year before September? Basically everybody spoke, everybody gave their opinions on why we weren't winning. My intentions when I spoke was to talk about how we can improve and be better. It had nothing to do with Bobby. How many pitches has Bobby thrown this year? How many hits has he got? When that thing came out … Obviously I understand two of the bigger players, it's a bigger story if you name the two. I get it. My intentions in speaking in that meeting was to try and help everybody get on the same page because you can't win if everybody is not pulling together. It doesn't matter if it's the No. 1 guy on the roster, the 25th guy on the roster, Billy, our video guy. Everybody needs to be pulling in the right direction to help us go where we want to go and that's to compete for a World Series every single year. I had no idea that that nonsense would come out and it was like a big deal to try and get Bobby fired. That's not the case."
On the thumbs up photo: "We were in Oakland and Bobby passed out, he was sleeping, taking a nap. We were all tired. We were grinding. David was right there and I took a picture, put two thumbs up, smiled and took a picture. I was trying to keep the guys … We weren't playing very well, trying to keep a loose atmosphere. That was it. You have to enjoy your life. It was funny. I'm not trying to be disrespectful. I had no idea … First off, I don't know how, maybe somebody was just joking around with somebody and told them, 'Hey man, this was hilarious,' and this guy thought it was a story I was disrespecting the manager. That was basically it. I was just trying to keep the guys loose, having fun, playing the game right. That's it. Listen, when you have a different manager, it's a different environment. I was basically thinking, 'This is fine.' Me and Bobby have built a relationship that's pretty darn good. The other night I led off the inning, struck out, and we ended up four or five, and Bobby looked at me and said, 'Hey, way to start it.' I'm laughing. It's normal as a team and normal when you have a good relationship to do things like that, because we're around each every day. We're in the fight together. When times are tough people would view that, 'Oh, can you believe he said this, or did this.' All of our intentions are good. We all want to win the game. Everybody wants to have fun doing it. It's not to disrespect anybody. I've never disrespected anybody."
On Johnny Pesky's funeral: "Johnny meant the world to me, just like he did to everybody. That's something I'm going to have to live with, not being at his funeral. It was just a tough situation. Then I got my wife out for a couple of hours at Josh's thing, she was starving and we went out to dinner real quick and went back to the event. When you look back, yeah, it looks bad, but I had no intentions of disrespecting anybody. That's all I can say."
On his injuries: "I learned sometimes you've got to be smart waiting a few extra days could mean a lot more to your team than sacrificing a whole month. I learned a ton about that. I learned a lot about trying to be a leader the right way. I watched Jason Varitek for so long, and he led by example so well you had to follow him. He never had to say anything to anybody because we were always demanded to play a certain way. There were some parts where I was vocal, but I think leading by example is the most important thing. I've always played as hard as I can, and people know that. I think just putting your head down and just grinding through it means more than mentioning things to guys and they see that."
Pedroia definitely said what he needed to say. I love him that much more. Put the C on his chest already!
On the trade: "I want to be a Red Sox my whole career," Pedroia said. "I want to be here during the World Series times, during the September collapse, the biggest trade, and I want to be here when we're world champs again. I want that. I've been through times when not a writer said a bad thing about me, or the talk show hadn't said a bad thing about me, and I want to be here when they say a bad thing about me. I look in the mirror every day and at the end of the season I'm going to look back and say I did everything I could to help us win. Were there parts I regret? Yeah, without question. There were a lot more than in the past, but I learned from those things. It's going to make me better, I believe that. Yeah, I have to believe that. It's going to."
On the Youkilis-Bobby V controversy: "Basically I was trying to get Youk's back and just say, basically, if someone had a problem with somebody just come to them and talk to them about it. It came out wrong. I messed that up. No question about it. Obviously I don't want to call out our manager by any means. I've never been put in that situation before and I didn't know how to respond. I regret that all that happened. I probably should have looked and saw what was going on and tried to check the pulse of how the fans and everyone was reacting to our team. I had no idea."
On the July 26 meeting: "Obviously we weren't playing very good and this meeting was of bigger magnitude because we're all trying to figure out why we're not playing well. Why are we losing ballgames, and how come we're not like we were last year before September? Basically everybody spoke, everybody gave their opinions on why we weren't winning. My intentions when I spoke was to talk about how we can improve and be better. It had nothing to do with Bobby. How many pitches has Bobby thrown this year? How many hits has he got? When that thing came out … Obviously I understand two of the bigger players, it's a bigger story if you name the two. I get it. My intentions in speaking in that meeting was to try and help everybody get on the same page because you can't win if everybody is not pulling together. It doesn't matter if it's the No. 1 guy on the roster, the 25th guy on the roster, Billy, our video guy. Everybody needs to be pulling in the right direction to help us go where we want to go and that's to compete for a World Series every single year. I had no idea that that nonsense would come out and it was like a big deal to try and get Bobby fired. That's not the case."
On the thumbs up photo: "We were in Oakland and Bobby passed out, he was sleeping, taking a nap. We were all tired. We were grinding. David was right there and I took a picture, put two thumbs up, smiled and took a picture. I was trying to keep the guys … We weren't playing very well, trying to keep a loose atmosphere. That was it. You have to enjoy your life. It was funny. I'm not trying to be disrespectful. I had no idea … First off, I don't know how, maybe somebody was just joking around with somebody and told them, 'Hey man, this was hilarious,' and this guy thought it was a story I was disrespecting the manager. That was basically it. I was just trying to keep the guys loose, having fun, playing the game right. That's it. Listen, when you have a different manager, it's a different environment. I was basically thinking, 'This is fine.' Me and Bobby have built a relationship that's pretty darn good. The other night I led off the inning, struck out, and we ended up four or five, and Bobby looked at me and said, 'Hey, way to start it.' I'm laughing. It's normal as a team and normal when you have a good relationship to do things like that, because we're around each every day. We're in the fight together. When times are tough people would view that, 'Oh, can you believe he said this, or did this.' All of our intentions are good. We all want to win the game. Everybody wants to have fun doing it. It's not to disrespect anybody. I've never disrespected anybody."
On Johnny Pesky's funeral: "Johnny meant the world to me, just like he did to everybody. That's something I'm going to have to live with, not being at his funeral. It was just a tough situation. Then I got my wife out for a couple of hours at Josh's thing, she was starving and we went out to dinner real quick and went back to the event. When you look back, yeah, it looks bad, but I had no intentions of disrespecting anybody. That's all I can say."
On his injuries: "I learned sometimes you've got to be smart waiting a few extra days could mean a lot more to your team than sacrificing a whole month. I learned a ton about that. I learned a lot about trying to be a leader the right way. I watched Jason Varitek for so long, and he led by example so well you had to follow him. He never had to say anything to anybody because we were always demanded to play a certain way. There were some parts where I was vocal, but I think leading by example is the most important thing. I've always played as hard as I can, and people know that. I think just putting your head down and just grinding through it means more than mentioning things to guys and they see that."
Pedroia definitely said what he needed to say. I love him that much more. Put the C on his chest already!
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Argument 5: Should Ancient Fenway Park Be Replaced?
Book Answer: No.
I'll have a small fondness for John Henry, Larry Lucchino, and Tom Werner in that they saved Fenway Park from demolition and replacement. I may not like them, but that was a good move. It's the best venue in all of sports. 100 years old. Green Monster. Pesky Pole. Fisk Pole. Red seat. Center field corner. Fenway Franks. Everything about is classic, perfect, sharp, awesome. To think about replacing it? Hell no. The field has been graced by some of the best ever. Ted Williams, Babe Ruth, Carl Yastrzemski. This is where Fisk waved it fair, where Dave Roberts stole second, where Teddy Ballgame belted out an All-Star Game home run, a 502 foot home run, and his final home run in his final at-bat. Where Tek pounded A-Roid and Pedroia led off the 2007 World Series with a shot over the Monster. Getting rid of Fenway would be like getting rid of a little bit of Boston, a little bit of history, a little bit of baseball, and a little bit happiness. Leave Fenway alone.
I'll have a small fondness for John Henry, Larry Lucchino, and Tom Werner in that they saved Fenway Park from demolition and replacement. I may not like them, but that was a good move. It's the best venue in all of sports. 100 years old. Green Monster. Pesky Pole. Fisk Pole. Red seat. Center field corner. Fenway Franks. Everything about is classic, perfect, sharp, awesome. To think about replacing it? Hell no. The field has been graced by some of the best ever. Ted Williams, Babe Ruth, Carl Yastrzemski. This is where Fisk waved it fair, where Dave Roberts stole second, where Teddy Ballgame belted out an All-Star Game home run, a 502 foot home run, and his final home run in his final at-bat. Where Tek pounded A-Roid and Pedroia led off the 2007 World Series with a shot over the Monster. Getting rid of Fenway would be like getting rid of a little bit of Boston, a little bit of history, a little bit of baseball, and a little bit happiness. Leave Fenway alone.
Simplistic Commercials
Sometimes the art of simple commercials can be nice. Chevy produced some good ones. Check 'em out:
Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet.
Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet.
Pedroia Wins At Suffolk Downs
No, not Dustin, but instead, a female horse! A racehorse named after Dustin Pedroia was not only favored to win, but did win! By a 9 3/4 length! All Pedey does is win!
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
There Should Be More Statues
That is easily my favorite sports statue in the world. Bobby Orr soaring. It's nice. But could there be more statues? I have some ideas on what moments should be commemorated in their place of lore.
- Fenway Park needs more. They've got the Teammates and one of Ted Williams, but there's many more moments to be commemorated. Maybe one of Yaz who saved the Sox in '67. Maybe Fisk when he waved it fair. Maybe one of Dustin Pedroia!
- I whole-heartily agree that Fisk should have a statue, but I have to single this out. There's gotta be something from the 2004 season. Here are my top five choices for a 2004 statue. Varitek smashing A-Roid, Dave Roberts' steal, Ortiz's walk-off, Schilling's bloody sock, the final out of the World Series. Make it happen.
- The Swamp in Gainesville could use another Tebow statue. They have one already and also a plaque, but Tebow is so great he needs another. Maybe the jump pass, or the chomp, or the red jersey game. Denver should recognize him too.
- The Swiss Inn & Tennis Center in Switzerland should definitely commemorate Roger Federer's contributions to the sport and the country.
- When Brady and Belichick and Kraft are all gone, they should give them each a statue. That'd be nice to see. They're all so influential.
- Outside of Leicester Middle School, a statue of Caleb should be erected in mid-Calebing form. That'd be awesome. I'll make it happen.
Argument 4: Should Tom Yawkey Be Enshrined In Baseball's Hall of Fame?
Book Answer: No.
Ah. This one's hard to answer. Yes, he did mold the Red Sox into what they are today. The street next to Fenway is named after him! Yawkey owned the Sox from 1933 to 1976. He renovated a fallen Fenway and created the amazing teams of 1946 (Williams, Pesky, Dimaggio, Doerr), 1967 (Impossible Dream), and 1975 (Greatest World Series Ever). He never won a title, however. The argument against him comes in that he could have.
Yawkey was, sadly, notoriously racist. It's a dark cloud in Red Sox history, but it's there. He held tryouts for Willie Mays AND Jackie Robinson. He strung them along and never wrote back to them. The first black player on the Red Sox? Pumpsie Green in 1959. Think about that outfield for a second, Ted Williams, Willie Mays, and Jackie Robinson. On the same team! Was what he prevented greater than what he created? I can't quite answer that, but I'd put him in the Hall, although I strongly disagree with the racism.
Imagine that outfield.
Ah. This one's hard to answer. Yes, he did mold the Red Sox into what they are today. The street next to Fenway is named after him! Yawkey owned the Sox from 1933 to 1976. He renovated a fallen Fenway and created the amazing teams of 1946 (Williams, Pesky, Dimaggio, Doerr), 1967 (Impossible Dream), and 1975 (Greatest World Series Ever). He never won a title, however. The argument against him comes in that he could have.
Yawkey was, sadly, notoriously racist. It's a dark cloud in Red Sox history, but it's there. He held tryouts for Willie Mays AND Jackie Robinson. He strung them along and never wrote back to them. The first black player on the Red Sox? Pumpsie Green in 1959. Think about that outfield for a second, Ted Williams, Willie Mays, and Jackie Robinson. On the same team! Was what he prevented greater than what he created? I can't quite answer that, but I'd put him in the Hall, although I strongly disagree with the racism.
Imagine that outfield.
Enjoy Retirement, Scal
Brian Scalabrine, 2008 NBA Finals champion and arguably the greatest player in basketball history, is calling it quits. He's not leaving basketball, though, the Chicago Bulls want him on as an assistant coach! Live on White Mamba!
Monday, August 27, 2012
Argument 3: Is Johnny Damon A Traitor?
Book Answer: Yes
Well, let's take in the facts before we get hasty. Johnny Damon was the leader of the Idiots in 2004 and he led the Red Sox to their first World Series championship in 86 years. He knocked the Yankees out of the ALCS' Game Seven with a Grand Slam. He said he would never ever sign with the Yankees.
And then he signed with the Yankees. He cut off the hair, cut off the beard and went to the dreaded rival. Look, if you wanted more money, that's fine, thanks for your time, go anywhere. Except New York. Don't go there. You won't be beloved anymore.
His career was sent into a downward spiral after that and he now finds himself as a free agent.
So, yes, Johnny Damon was a traitor. But thanks for '04.
Well, let's take in the facts before we get hasty. Johnny Damon was the leader of the Idiots in 2004 and he led the Red Sox to their first World Series championship in 86 years. He knocked the Yankees out of the ALCS' Game Seven with a Grand Slam. He said he would never ever sign with the Yankees.
And then he signed with the Yankees. He cut off the hair, cut off the beard and went to the dreaded rival. Look, if you wanted more money, that's fine, thanks for your time, go anywhere. Except New York. Don't go there. You won't be beloved anymore.
His career was sent into a downward spiral after that and he now finds himself as a free agent.
So, yes, Johnny Damon was a traitor. But thanks for '04.
This Day At Pats Camp
It was very very busy! Let's bullet them:
- Not only did Aaron Hernandez sign a $40 million dollar contract over five years, but he gave $50,000 of it to the Myra Kraft Foundation as a thank you to the Kraft family. How nice.
- Jabar Gaffney and Dont'e Stallworth were released as every NFL team had to cut their team down to 75. Strange that they're gone again.
- Zoltan Mesko, the Patriots punter, won the Community Service award. Nice job, Mesko, you're becoming one of my favorites.
The season starts in only 13 days!
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Kevin Sussman Gets A Promotion
No, he'll still be the owner of a comic book shop on the show, but Sussman, who plays Stuart on the Big Bang Theory has been promoted to series regular. He's no longer recurring, but a regular. I wonder how that will play into things...
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Greg Daniels Makes The Right Choice
It's safe to say that if The Office went into this season and then went into Season Ten, there would be no Toby, Dwight, Jim, Pam, Michael, Kelly, Jim, Pam, Andy, and more. So Greg Daniels made the right decision in saying that Season Nine will be it's last.
The Office has long been my favorite show and I am definitely saddened that it's going to end, but optimistic. Daniels said that in the final season, he hopes for a Michael return, we'll meet some of Dwight's family (lead into The Farm spinoff), we'll meet the documentary crew, see David Wallace running Dunder Mifflin again, see Roy's (yes that Roy) wedding, and test Jim and Pam's love. Along the way from September to May, I'll give updates and create different Office things. I'll provide a recap of each episode, as well. I am going to miss The Office so very much. My favorite is coming to an end...
The Office has long been my favorite show and I am definitely saddened that it's going to end, but optimistic. Daniels said that in the final season, he hopes for a Michael return, we'll meet some of Dwight's family (lead into The Farm spinoff), we'll meet the documentary crew, see David Wallace running Dunder Mifflin again, see Roy's (yes that Roy) wedding, and test Jim and Pam's love. Along the way from September to May, I'll give updates and create different Office things. I'll provide a recap of each episode, as well. I am going to miss The Office so very much. My favorite is coming to an end...
The Biggest Trade in MLB History
In the above picture that I created, I tried to show each player in their finest Red Sox moment. Carl Crawford on the final day of 2011 when he provided the most hustle. Nick Punto when he became a member. Adrian Gonzalez had many fine moments, but none made Red Sox Nation happier than when he was traded here. Josh Beckett was Boston's hero of 2007. He was the ALCS MVP and Cy Young runner-up and they would not have won the World Series that year without him.
Today, the Red Sox completed the biggest trade in MLB history with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers will take nearly all of the over $250 million dollars combined among these players. The Red Sox just cleaned house. I don't know how to feel.
It's nice with a clean slate, but I think Crawford and Gonzalez could have provided something. I understand that Josh Beckett would still be here if we kept the other two, though.
Ah, Josh Beckett. In my opinion, his legacy will be that we would not have won it in 2007 without him. Although, I probably still will not care for him due to the beer, the chicken, and the awfulness.
I'm gonna miss Gonzalez. He had provided big things for Boston and was one of 2012's bright spots. I still find it weird that in the offseason of 2010 when we traded for him and signed Carl Crawford, the Red Sox were supposed to win the World Series and dominate the world. Now, neither of them are here.
And Carl Crawford. In the month that he played this year, I thought he was going to be able to provide something in 2013. Guess he won't. I thought he had some potential.
Punto. Who cares about Punto?
I can see how this could benefit the future. I may still miss Gonzo and Crawford, but I know that this is for the best. However, I still want Lucchino, Henry, and Lackey outta there. Wouldn't it be awesome if Yaz or Nomar or someone like that bought the Sox? Wouldn't it be awesome if we go on a September tear? This could make or break Boston's future.
I don't know how to feel.
Today, the Red Sox completed the biggest trade in MLB history with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers will take nearly all of the over $250 million dollars combined among these players. The Red Sox just cleaned house. I don't know how to feel.
It's nice with a clean slate, but I think Crawford and Gonzalez could have provided something. I understand that Josh Beckett would still be here if we kept the other two, though.
Ah, Josh Beckett. In my opinion, his legacy will be that we would not have won it in 2007 without him. Although, I probably still will not care for him due to the beer, the chicken, and the awfulness.
I'm gonna miss Gonzalez. He had provided big things for Boston and was one of 2012's bright spots. I still find it weird that in the offseason of 2010 when we traded for him and signed Carl Crawford, the Red Sox were supposed to win the World Series and dominate the world. Now, neither of them are here.
And Carl Crawford. In the month that he played this year, I thought he was going to be able to provide something in 2013. Guess he won't. I thought he had some potential.
Punto. Who cares about Punto?
I can see how this could benefit the future. I may still miss Gonzo and Crawford, but I know that this is for the best. However, I still want Lucchino, Henry, and Lackey outta there. Wouldn't it be awesome if Yaz or Nomar or someone like that bought the Sox? Wouldn't it be awesome if we go on a September tear? This could make or break Boston's future.
I don't know how to feel.
R.I.P Neil Armstrong
While Buzz Aldrin starred on Dancing with the Stars, Neil Armstrong laid low. He never wanted to be a celebrity. Yet he still was. Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon and he will forever live in American history. He was a pioneer. Who would have thought that one small step could have such a big impact? Because it was one giant leap for mankind. R.I.P Neil Armstrong.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Argument 2: Who Is Boston's Greatest Athlete of All-Time?
Book Answer: Bill Russell
Let's keep going with the theme of yesterday. My argument that the greatest of the greats featured these players. Brady, Bill, Bobby and Ballgame. Tom Brady, Bill Russell, Bobby Orr, and Ted Williams closed the case that the greatest of the greats are from Boston. But who's Boston's best athlete? To make it a tad fairer we can put in a backup from each sport. Larry Bird for basketball, Carl Yastrzemski from the Sox, Ray Bourque takes the Bruins, and I'll go with Tedy Bruschi for football. Eh, why not make it an even ten? Doug Flutie and Rocky Marciano can be the wild cards. Then it's simple. You set up a bracket with the big four as the top four seeds.
Let's keep going with the theme of yesterday. My argument that the greatest of the greats featured these players. Brady, Bill, Bobby and Ballgame. Tom Brady, Bill Russell, Bobby Orr, and Ted Williams closed the case that the greatest of the greats are from Boston. But who's Boston's best athlete? To make it a tad fairer we can put in a backup from each sport. Larry Bird for basketball, Carl Yastrzemski from the Sox, Ray Bourque takes the Bruins, and I'll go with Tedy Bruschi for football. Eh, why not make it an even ten? Doug Flutie and Rocky Marciano can be the wild cards. Then it's simple. You set up a bracket with the big four as the top four seeds.
I'm just kidding that's not a good way about it. Here are the simple facts: Ted Williams would have set the home run record had he not gone to the army for three years, but he still ended up with 521. The last player to hit .400. Triple Crown winner. MVP. Pennant winner. All-Star Home Run. Red Seat Home Run. Last Home Run. Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived. Sorry, Brady, Bill, and Bobby, but this one goes to Ballgame.
The Office Season 9 Poster
What you just saw was the poster for Season 9 of The Office. Yeah, it's pretty strange. Meredith appears to be passed out. You're correct, Stanley is doing a crossword. Good news: Catherine Tate is not there. Bad news: the person who plays Angela tweeted a picture of them together. Oh yeah, I know what you're thinking, but more on The Office tomorrow.
Uni Watch Power Rankings Conclude
All four Boston sports teams made the top sixty! Yeehaw! Here's the scoop on each one. The Patriots were ranked the lowest at #58. They ranked #15 among NFL teams. Not bad. Good stuff, New England. The Red Sox were up next at #42 and ranked #16 among MLB teams. Jolly good show. The Bruins were amazing. #5 overall and #2 in the NHL. Awesome. So were the Celtics. #10 overall and #1 in the NBA. Boston rocks the unis too, it seems. They go great with rings.
My pick for the best:
My pick for the best:
So awesome.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Sigh.
It's that time of year again, sadly. Today was the first day of school. I'm now a freshman in high school. As I do every year, I try to find ways to countdown or make the year go by quicker. Only one has worked in the past. This one is sure to be completed. Why? Because it's only for 100 school days of the year! It'll swing me right into the second half of the year, where I should be in the swing of things, and wouldn't remember the challenges I set anyway! I have this book titled 'The Best Boston Sports Arguments: The 100 Most Controversial, Debatable Questions for Die-Hard Boston Fans' by Jim Caple & Steve Buckley. Every school day I have (it excludes days off, vacations, and weekends) will feature the argument they provide. I'll tell you what they thought and argue it myself! How enjoyable! Without further ado, here is the very first argument:
Are The Greatest Of The Greats From Boston?
Book Answer: Yes.
My Argument: There's one way to go about this. Every city that doesn't have all four major sports (basketball, baseball, football, hockey) is eliminated. This is the greatest of the greats, after all. This is who remains:
Boston, Chicago, Dallas - Ft. Worth, Denver, Detroit, Miami, Minneapolis - St. Paul, New York City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco Bay Area, Washington DC.
It's only fair that each city get to brag now,
Washington DC boasts Alex Ovechkin, five-time all-star and two-time MVP in the NHL, but what about the Wizards? Do you settle for Michael Jordan even though he was way past his prime in DC? How about the Nationals? Ryan Zimmerman, maybe. In a couple of years, it'll be Stephen Strasburg, but not now. For the Redskins you make a push for Joe Theissman. But really? DC is weak.
San Francisco starts out strong. Joe Montana and Willie Mays are arguably the greatest in their respective sports and heck, Chris Mullin played on the Dream Team, but hockey just destroys it. Joe Thornton's the best you send out there. That's not a good guy to send out there.
Phoenix probably can't go wrong with Randy Johnson representing baseball and Charles Barkley headlining basketball, but there goes that hockey again. Sure, they had Bobby Hull, but not in Phoenix, that was back in the Winnipeg days. So what now? Thomas Steen? Why even bother with football? Although, Kurt Warner's 2009 season probably put him in Arizona sports lore.
Philadelphia isn't awful. Wilt Chamberlain gets sent out there, but then it's just a string of good players, not greatness. Mike Schmidt from the Phillies, Donovan McNabb from the Eagles, and Mark Howe from the Flyers. Philadelphia just isn't at the greatness level.
New York probably comes closest. Baseball is just crazy. You could pick Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, or Babe Ruth and be happy with each one, but I'll say the Babe for this argument. Mark Messier probably gets in the NHL's Top Ten of all-time. Joe Namath ranks among the top twenty quarterbacks of all-time and Patrick Ewing among the top twenty-five basketball players, but for this argument, each one has to be in the top ten. Sorry Empire.
Minneapolis is kind of sad to go through. None of the Wild's hockey players were good enough to have their number retired apparently, as only 99 and 1 are retired. 99 was retired league-wide in honor of Wayne Gretzky and 1 was retired in honor of the fans. Just throw in Marian Gaborik, their all-time scorer, so they can have a hockey player. Timberwolves have Kevin Garnett, although he's known for Boston now, the Vikings showcase Randy Moss, who was known now for New England, and then Kirby Puckett for the Twins. Minnesota is just one big meh.
Dan Marino and LeBron James probably make Miami smile. The Marlins and Panthers do not. Josh Beckett, the 2003 World Series MVP for the Marlins, you can put in with little confidence. What about Pavel Bure and his Panthers? Get out of town, Miami.
Detroit goes bang bang bang. Barry Sanders. Gordie Howe. Ty Cobb. Bang bang bang. And then the team who should provide the most bang (they're named the Pistons for god's sake) just fall flat. If they're satisfied with sending Isiah Thomas or Bill Laimbeer to the front, then they should rethink their Piston fanhood.
Denver goes mile-high in football. You've got your Tim Tebow and your John Elway. Although, most would say Elway. And then disappointment again. Alex English or Carmelo Anthony for the Nuggets, weakens the whole shebang. The Rockies? Pffft. Larry Walker, I guess. Patrick Roy represents the Avalanche, but he's known for his Montreal days. There there Colorado.
Ahh, Dallas. In about fifteen years, this one could make a strong argument. Not yet, though, not yet. It's hard to against Roger Staubach AND Troy Aikman, but Emmitt Smith has to take the cake. Dirk Nowitzki shouldn't depress Maverick fans too much. Nolan Ryan brings the heat from the Range. But hockey kills it again. You don't want to say 'I guess' with greats, but that's what you say with Mike Modano.
Chicago is right there at the second-tier, very close the top. Michael Jordan vaults the Windy City and Walter Payton and Bobby Hull keep pushing, but even though there's two baseball teams, neither provide a whammy. Shoeless Joe was about to until he got banned from baseball. You settle for Andre Dawson, but you wish there was something else out there.
Now we're brought to Boston where the argument concludes. You know it's something when the weakest link is Tom Brady, one of the best quarterbacks ever. From a baseball standpoint, cities would be more than happy to have Carl Yastrzemski, but I'll take Ted Williams to rub it in. Bobby Orr leads the Bruin stampede. Basketball features two of the best five ever. Larry Bird or Bill Russell? It doesn't matter. You win with either. And just to brag a little more, we've got Doug Flutie, if you want to count college.
So, yeah, the greatest of the greats are from Boston. Pretty nice.
(Don't worry, all the arguments won't be that long).
Are The Greatest Of The Greats From Boston?
Book Answer: Yes.
My Argument: There's one way to go about this. Every city that doesn't have all four major sports (basketball, baseball, football, hockey) is eliminated. This is the greatest of the greats, after all. This is who remains:
Boston, Chicago, Dallas - Ft. Worth, Denver, Detroit, Miami, Minneapolis - St. Paul, New York City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco Bay Area, Washington DC.
It's only fair that each city get to brag now,
Washington DC boasts Alex Ovechkin, five-time all-star and two-time MVP in the NHL, but what about the Wizards? Do you settle for Michael Jordan even though he was way past his prime in DC? How about the Nationals? Ryan Zimmerman, maybe. In a couple of years, it'll be Stephen Strasburg, but not now. For the Redskins you make a push for Joe Theissman. But really? DC is weak.
San Francisco starts out strong. Joe Montana and Willie Mays are arguably the greatest in their respective sports and heck, Chris Mullin played on the Dream Team, but hockey just destroys it. Joe Thornton's the best you send out there. That's not a good guy to send out there.
Phoenix probably can't go wrong with Randy Johnson representing baseball and Charles Barkley headlining basketball, but there goes that hockey again. Sure, they had Bobby Hull, but not in Phoenix, that was back in the Winnipeg days. So what now? Thomas Steen? Why even bother with football? Although, Kurt Warner's 2009 season probably put him in Arizona sports lore.
Philadelphia isn't awful. Wilt Chamberlain gets sent out there, but then it's just a string of good players, not greatness. Mike Schmidt from the Phillies, Donovan McNabb from the Eagles, and Mark Howe from the Flyers. Philadelphia just isn't at the greatness level.
New York probably comes closest. Baseball is just crazy. You could pick Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, or Babe Ruth and be happy with each one, but I'll say the Babe for this argument. Mark Messier probably gets in the NHL's Top Ten of all-time. Joe Namath ranks among the top twenty quarterbacks of all-time and Patrick Ewing among the top twenty-five basketball players, but for this argument, each one has to be in the top ten. Sorry Empire.
Minneapolis is kind of sad to go through. None of the Wild's hockey players were good enough to have their number retired apparently, as only 99 and 1 are retired. 99 was retired league-wide in honor of Wayne Gretzky and 1 was retired in honor of the fans. Just throw in Marian Gaborik, their all-time scorer, so they can have a hockey player. Timberwolves have Kevin Garnett, although he's known for Boston now, the Vikings showcase Randy Moss, who was known now for New England, and then Kirby Puckett for the Twins. Minnesota is just one big meh.
Dan Marino and LeBron James probably make Miami smile. The Marlins and Panthers do not. Josh Beckett, the 2003 World Series MVP for the Marlins, you can put in with little confidence. What about Pavel Bure and his Panthers? Get out of town, Miami.
Detroit goes bang bang bang. Barry Sanders. Gordie Howe. Ty Cobb. Bang bang bang. And then the team who should provide the most bang (they're named the Pistons for god's sake) just fall flat. If they're satisfied with sending Isiah Thomas or Bill Laimbeer to the front, then they should rethink their Piston fanhood.
Denver goes mile-high in football. You've got your Tim Tebow and your John Elway. Although, most would say Elway. And then disappointment again. Alex English or Carmelo Anthony for the Nuggets, weakens the whole shebang. The Rockies? Pffft. Larry Walker, I guess. Patrick Roy represents the Avalanche, but he's known for his Montreal days. There there Colorado.
Ahh, Dallas. In about fifteen years, this one could make a strong argument. Not yet, though, not yet. It's hard to against Roger Staubach AND Troy Aikman, but Emmitt Smith has to take the cake. Dirk Nowitzki shouldn't depress Maverick fans too much. Nolan Ryan brings the heat from the Range. But hockey kills it again. You don't want to say 'I guess' with greats, but that's what you say with Mike Modano.
Chicago is right there at the second-tier, very close the top. Michael Jordan vaults the Windy City and Walter Payton and Bobby Hull keep pushing, but even though there's two baseball teams, neither provide a whammy. Shoeless Joe was about to until he got banned from baseball. You settle for Andre Dawson, but you wish there was something else out there.
Now we're brought to Boston where the argument concludes. You know it's something when the weakest link is Tom Brady, one of the best quarterbacks ever. From a baseball standpoint, cities would be more than happy to have Carl Yastrzemski, but I'll take Ted Williams to rub it in. Bobby Orr leads the Bruin stampede. Basketball features two of the best five ever. Larry Bird or Bill Russell? It doesn't matter. You win with either. And just to brag a little more, we've got Doug Flutie, if you want to count college.
So, yeah, the greatest of the greats are from Boston. Pretty nice.
(Don't worry, all the arguments won't be that long).
The Shoezeum
Jordy Geller has an obsession with Nike shoes. He has now created a shoezeum to show off the best. Just look at the picture. That's just a taste. It opens in downtown Las Vegas on August 30th. Pretty cool!
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Gators Poptarts!
Florida, along with Michigan, North Carolina, Arkansas, and Georgia, inked a deal with Poptarts to create Gators Poptarts! Pretty creative flavor name, no? Kinda cool!
Johnny Pesky Remembered
The pregame Johnny Pesky ceremony at Fenway Park featured #6 cut into the grass right behind shortstop, readings from Don Orsillo, Dave O'Brien, and Joe Castiglione, every player on Boston wearing #6, photo montage, wreath around his retired number, illumination of Pesky Pole. Very, very nice.
Avengers Bloopers
Even Earth's mightiest heroes mess up sometimes. Check out the very humorous bloopers from the Avengers at this link. I don't know why you can't embed this one. The person who uploaded it doesn't own it.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Jimmy Fund Time of Year
Yes, it's the end of August, therefore it's time for the Jimmy Fund Telethon. Players like Dustin Pedroia and Adrian Gonzalez have gone on WEEI's The Big Show and made donations. Not only that, but Jarrod Salatalamacchia and Jenny Dell visited the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Pretty cool video:
Jimmy Fallon and Maria Sharapova Play Beer Pong
It's just one of the many wacky antics that Jimmy Fallon performs with his guests. This one was humorous:
Bring Back Tito
Terry Francona, who now is an ESPN MLB analyst, has said that he would like to manage again, but only under the right circumstances. So, please, Bobby V as the manager has to be a circumstance where he could save Boston. Remember, Terry, the fans didn't want you gone, ownership did, and we want ownership gone, so there you go. Bring Back Tito.
Monday, August 20, 2012
2012 Sports President Campaign Posters
So you've heard from the candidates: Dustin Pedroia, Tim Tebow, Kevin Love, Gabby Douglas, and Roger Federer. Here are some interesting tidbits on the candidates:
- Pedroia, Tebow, Love, and Douglas are all running for the very first time. Roger Federer is the only one to do multiple campaigns, this being his second.
- Gabby Douglas looks to be the first female Sports President.
- Roger Federer looks to be the first foreign Sports President.
New Images of Fantasyland and It's Expansion
New images of the Fantasyland expansion have been released. Well, concept art, technically. This depicts Belle reading outside of our cottage with the Beast's Castle in the distance. Note the Mickey lilipad.
This is from the top spire of Cinderella Castle. You can see all the way from the Beast's Castle to Storybook Circus. Great view.This next one depicts Ariel sitting on a rock and just taking in the view of Prince Eric's castle.
I'm so excited for the opening of the expansion! Also, awesome images! So very well done, props to the artist!
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Jeff Demps To New England!
The picture pretty much sums up what you need to know about Jeff Demps, and why I'm excited about this. Not only was Demps a part of the Florida Gators football team, but he was also a part of a Team USA. He even got silver in the relay! Now he's a Patriot! Gator, Patriot, Olympian, perfect combo. So excited for this guy. New England has a soft spot for Gators it seems. Aaron Hernandez and Brandon Spikes are both from Florida.
The Farm Casts
The Dwight Schrute spinoff, The Farm, has already cast Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute, but now, his sister, Fannie, has been cast, along with nephew Cameron. Majandra Delfino will play Fannie and Blake Garrett will take Cameron. Some potential with them. Hopefully Mose will still join in!
The Commercials Just Keep Rolling
August is a gold mine for 'em! Check out some very funny ones below:
Saturday, August 18, 2012
I Pledge Allegiance to the Gators of the University of Florida
Wear Your College Colors is not only a contest, but an event. On Friday, August 31st, 2012, Gators fans and alumni are encouraged to wear blue and orange to show their support for the amazing college. Also on ESPN, there is a contest to see which university has the most fans. Florida is currently in 16th place with 2102 votes. Go vote, I know I have! Go Gaotrs!
Uniform Power Rankings
Paul Lukas is going to rank the quality of sports uniforms from #122 to #1. It's a daunting task, but quite fun. He has not yet revealed the best uniform, but he has revealed the worst:
It is pretty bad. Some notables from #122 to #101 are the Orlando Magic (I strongly disagree) at #111, the Detroit Lions at #108, and the Los Angeles Clippers at #106.
When Lukas reveals his best, I'll highlight my favorite teams, and choose my favorite, too! For now, here's my worst:
So very ugly.
It is pretty bad. Some notables from #122 to #101 are the Orlando Magic (I strongly disagree) at #111, the Detroit Lions at #108, and the Los Angeles Clippers at #106.
When Lukas reveals his best, I'll highlight my favorite teams, and choose my favorite, too! For now, here's my worst:
So very ugly.
Michael Phelps Wheaties Style
Michael Phelps has graced his second Wheaties box due to his stellar performance in the 2012 London Olympics. It looks quite nice. Another bullet on the resume. Congrats, Phelps.
Friday, August 17, 2012
$#*! Pedroia Says (Happy Birthday Laser Show!)
The good people over at Vita Coco Coconut Water landed Dustin Pedroia as a sponsor for their coconut water last year. Now they want to goof around with him a little bit. Everything about this video is amazing except for the fact the A-Roid is in it. Why would they put him there? I don't know. I like how Cody Ross talks to a cardboard cutout the whole time. I post this in honor of Pedroia's 29th Birthday.
C'mon Timmy
Remember how in 2008 I had the Sports President Election between Tiger Woods and LeBron James? Tiger won it, but his reputation (along with LeBron's) turned negative quickly. He wasn't the type of guy we wanted in office. In 2011, Tiger was officially impeached. A new campaign was held featuring many different athletes trying to become the Sports President. Aaron Rodgers, Tim Thomas, Kevin Durant, Landon Donovan, and Roger Federer campaigned. Tim Thomas eventually won the title of Sports President and he was slated to hold it until 2016. All of a sudden, he says he doesn't want to join the Stanley Cup champion Bruins in visiting the White House. He says Obama is awful and the government sucks. He supports Chick Fil A. Why can't we get a good guy in office? They all turn sour. He's allowed to have his own opinion and all, but equality and respect are two things that are important in becoming Sports President. So now, we will have a new election now that Tim Thomas has been impeached. Hopefully this guy will hold it until 2016. Please submit names of people that you think would be good for the office of Sports President.
Commercials of the Year?
ESPN says that these two commercials featuring James Harden, Russell Westbrook, and Carmelo Anthony are the commercials of the year. I like the Carmelo one. Both are funny!
Thursday, August 16, 2012
It's Guy Love Between Two Guys
Zach Braff and Donald Faison played JD and Turk on Scrubs. Now, Faison has moved on to The Exes on TV Land. Braff will be guest starring. Oh yeah, it's a guy love bromance reunion. Braff will play Chuck Feeney, a tennis player and Faison's client, who seems to be a lady's man, but turns out to be a man's man. August 29th. Guy love between two guys.
Air Lauer
In the 1988 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, Michael Jordan leaped from the free throw line and slammed it down for a Perfect 50.
In 2012, Matt Lauer did the same.
Pretty good recreation except for one glaring problem. Lauer's white. Still cool though.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Obama Analyzes The Past Four Years
My dad posted this on his Tumblr and I find it to be very humorous, yet also very true. They're supposed to be in .gif form, I don't know what happened.
Bobby V Mutiny
According to Yahoo! Sports, a players and owners only meeting was held on July 26th and apparently Adrian Gonzalez and Dustin Pedroia led the Red Sox in explaining their dislike for Bobby Valentine. They said they don't want to play for him anymore. I can accept the fact that the postseason is a long shot and Bobby V getting fired is too, but with the right manager, I can't complain about this lineup:
CF Jacoby Ellsbury
2B Dustin Pedroia
DH David Ortiz
1B Adrian Gonzalez
RF Cody Ross
LF Carl Crawford
3B Will Middlebrooks
C Jarrod Saltalamacchia
SS Mike Aviles
I can't complain about the bench either:
Pedro Ciriaco
Ryan Lavarnway
Daniel Nava
Ryan Kalish
Bullpen is awesome:
Craig Breslow
Mark Melancon
Junichi Tazawa
Vicente Padilla
Alfredo Aceves
And you now, what? If Lester and Beckett can regain form, the pitching rotation isn't awful:
Jon Lester
Franklin Morales
Felix Doubront
Clay Buchholz
Josh Beckett
So, please, fire Bobby V and hire someone who will take nothing. The 2013 Red Sox team? I have high hopes. Extremely high hopes.
CF Jacoby Ellsbury
2B Dustin Pedroia
DH David Ortiz
1B Adrian Gonzalez
RF Cody Ross
LF Carl Crawford
3B Will Middlebrooks
C Jarrod Saltalamacchia
SS Mike Aviles
I can't complain about the bench either:
Pedro Ciriaco
Ryan Lavarnway
Daniel Nava
Ryan Kalish
Bullpen is awesome:
Craig Breslow
Mark Melancon
Junichi Tazawa
Vicente Padilla
Alfredo Aceves
And you now, what? If Lester and Beckett can regain form, the pitching rotation isn't awful:
Jon Lester
Franklin Morales
Felix Doubront
Clay Buchholz
Josh Beckett
So, please, fire Bobby V and hire someone who will take nothing. The 2013 Red Sox team? I have high hopes. Extremely high hopes.
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