Notes from the Coast: Patriots' Post-mortem

It was a courageous season that ended with a miraculous 11-5 record. However, when you lose the MVP of the NFL, your starting RB, as well as many other key players to injury, and then have to rely on a New York team to get into the playoffs, it shouldn't be a surprise that the 2008 Patriots will not be playing into 2009. Here are some thoughts on a very grueling and somewhat disappointing season.

• Bill Belichick won't win the Coach of the Year Award (see Miami Coach Tony Sparano instead) but after winning all year with a bunch of scrap-heap players, some rookies, a retiree, and a QB that hadn't started a game since High School, Belichick has probably done his best coaching this year.
• Big props to 39 year old future Hall of Famer Junior Seau for getting off his surfboard in San Diego and coming out of retirement to rejoin the Pats when they needed him. In previous years the incentive was to finally win a SuperBowl but this year it appears Junior simply wanted to help out a coach and organization he has grown to respect.
• Player I want back next year: Rodney Harrison--With a young Secondary, the Pats could use his leadership and guile for another year. I just hope he has something left in the tank after all his recent injuries.
• Player I don't want back next year: Lawrence Maroney--He has one more year left on his rookie contract but with all the nagging injuries and a bunch of unfulfilled potential, I think it's time time the Pats labeled this draft pick a "bust".
• I do think Scott Pioli may accept the Head of Football Operations job Cleveland, as long as, Eric Magini is not chosen by the Browns' Owner as the new Head Coach.
• My guess is that after seeing what happened to Eric Mangini in New York recently that Pats' Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels may wait a little longer before accepting a head coaching job in the NFL.
• Had Charlie Weiss gotten the axe from Notre Dame, there may have been a chance that he and Romeo Crennel would have considered returning to the place of their greatest success as Coordinators under Bill Belichick in New England.
• Some are reporting (and dreading) that Tom Brady is behind schedule in rehabbing his injured knee and may need another surgery which would keep him out of the 2009 season. However, we will all know the truth come March 1st when the Patriots will be forced to slap their franchise tag on back-up QB Matt Cassel for a possible insurance policy in case Brady's knee is not progressing.
• Talk about unfair, next year will be the third year in a row that the Patriots will have to play Peyton Manning and the mighty Colts -- at Indianapolis!
• Again unfair, the Chargers made the NFL play-offs with an 8-8 record and the Patriots at 11-5 do not. Yet, because the Chargers have a worse record, they could draft as many as 8 spots ahead of the Pats in the 2009 NFL Draft next April.

Notes from the Coast: Hot Stove Thoughts

Now that it has officially dipped below 60 degrees on the west coast and the Baseball Winter meetings are less than 2 weeks away, this is probably as good a time as any to stoke-up The Ol' Hot Stove and examine the latest offseason baseball rumors.

• No doubt that Mark Teixeira is a perfect fit for the Red Sox but there are several teams interested in the 28 year old First Baseman. Fortunately for the Sox, Teixeira has not re-signed with the Angels yet and truly wants to play close to his home in Maryland. Even better, it seems Teixeira may also want to play for a contender which would then eliminate both his hometown teams the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals.
• That said, Red Sox fans should pray that C.C. Sabathia accepts the Yankees' offer of $140 million over 6 years because then that would greatly reduce the chances of the Yanks making a strong offer to Mark Teixeira. Unfortunately, the Yanks' offer has been on the table for over a week, so it looks like Sabathia may pass and take a lesser contract to play on the west coast.
• Even though Red Sox owner John Henry is a big fan, I can't believe the Sox are truly interested in free agent Pitcher A.J. Burnett. If anything, Sox GM Theo Epstein is probably trying to drive up the price for the Yankees. Word is that the Yankees are committed to acquiring 2 of the top 3 free agent pitchers on the market, so upping the ante will again make it tough for New York to make a strong bid for Teixeira.
• Now a free agent, former Sox Pitcher Derek Lowe desires a return to Boston. However, with Scott Boras as his agent, I wouldn't expect Lowe to accept a hometown discount which would make his chances of returning to Fenway as a 4th starter highly unlikely.
• Even if the Sox trade Pitchers Clay Bucholz and/or Michael Bowden to Texas for young Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, I wouldn't expect them to move Justin Masterson into the starting rotation. With Mike Timlin gone and Manny Delcarmen somewhat inconsistent, Masterson is too valuable in the bullpen. Instead I would expect the Sox to pick-up a veteran pitcher again like Paul Byrd and Bartolo Colon or maybe trade Julio Lugo to the Detroit Tigers for Dontrelle Willis in order to fill the 4th starter role on the pitching staff.
• It looks like Japanese Pitcher Junichi Tazawa will be signing with the Red Sox. The 22 yr old right handed pitcher's fastball has been reported anywhere between 90-97 m.p.h but he still needs a lot of seasoning so his signing shouldn't affect or impact any Sox front office decisions this season.
• There have been many speculative reports about the amount of suitors and contract offers for Red Sox Catcher Jason Varitek. Even if the Sox aren't offering Varitek the kind of money and years he and Boras want, I still expect him to finish his career with the Sox. Now that his divorce is final, I expect Varitek to have a better year at the plate which would mesh well with an incentive laden contract. Plus, Varitek's expertise at calling a game and his handling of both young and foreign pitchers would be invaluable training for a young catcher should the Sox acquire one.

Cassel & Pats, Kings of Miami!

Little DP Wins Big MVP Award

B's Beat-up Canadiens!

Bruins log first win against Montreal in 13 games with an exclamation point. Milan Lucic gets revenge on the Les Habs' Mike Komisarek from last year's playoffs.

Notes from the Coast: Back from the Dead Post

It took 22 years, 4 GMs, 3 Presidents of Basketball operations and unfortunately 2 untimely deaths, but the Boston Celtics finally hoisted banner #17 to the rafters the other night. It was a very touching ceremony that involved former Celtic greats passing the trophy/championship baton to a weeping Paul Pierce. And the whole thing only took 15 minutes!

• Could Bill Belichick be having his best coaching year in 2008? Tom Brady, Lawrence Maroney, and Rodney Harrison are all out for the season yet the Patriots stand at 5-2 while the Colts and Chargers are only 3-4 and 3-5 respectively. At this point in the season the Pats amazingly have a better record than over-hyped 'Brett & the Jets' team down Route 95, as well as, the highly-touted and Superbowl favored Dallas Cowboys.
• Thank goodness the Phillies won the World Series! Miracle year or not, there was no way a team like Tampa which has only been in the league 10 years, barely gets any fans, and whose top player only makes $6M deserved to win it all.
• Don't look now but the Boston Bruins are a young and talented team. After back-to-back shut outs by Goalie Tim Thomas the B's are also 5-2 on the young season and just 1 point out of first place. Unfortunately, Thomas is 34 yrs old and as the elder statesman of the Bruins, he'll be hard-pressed to keep up this pace throughout the long season.
• "Industry sources believe the Yankees will make a serious push for Manny Ramirez to play right field next year." That industry source is simply agent Scott Boras trying to drive up the price and/or years for Manny's next contract which puts Dodger's GM Ned Colletti lose-lose situation because the bidding will probably start at 4 yrs $25M.
• Celtic Banner factoid; The word "NBA" is stenciled over a white basketball background if the Celts clinched their championship title at home and over green if it was done on the road.

Ode to Charissa Thompson

This diddy was not created by this blog but you can can consider the message endorsed by BSB (although Erin Andrews will always be #1). Anyway, here's a little something to carry you over until the next posting...

More funny videos from the "ryanparkersongs's channel" channel at Heavy.com

Old School Sports: Summer Lawn Jarts

I was listening to Sports radio this morning and someone mentioned Lawn Darts or 'Jarts' and it started me reminiscing about when I was a kid in Duxbury and I would steal away from my chores to walk down Hawkins Lane and visit Jim and Erva McDonald.

Jim and Erva were from the Quincy/Milton area and had a cottage in Duxbury for years. They were probably in their early 70's with children who had already grown and married. Erva was nice to me but when I stopped by I spent most of my time with Jim.

Mr. McDonald was a thin-wiry guy with a full-head of hair, big ears, and tan, leathery skin. I remember he always wore pants and a white t-shirt with an occasional unbuttoned short-sleeve collared shirt over it. He smoked a lot (but not as much as Erva) and liked his drink. Their place was a little brown cottage probably built in the 1930's complete with a screened-in porch, window boxes, and huge flat lawn that ran up against the woods which separated their lot from Mom's back yard. When they got into arguements, Jim would often spend his time in a large one room furnished shed that was just a few steps from the cottage and kind of like a small guest house.

Jim was a real character and sort of a surrogate grandfather to me. He told stories/fables about the war and facing Ted Williams as a young pitcher in a Spring Training game. I can't remember if Jim was still in HS or just out of the war when he faced Williams but chances are the story wasn't even true. Jim was big into golf and we would either watch golf on TV together or when Mom permitted, he would let me caddy for him at North Hill CC, a public 9-hole course in Duxbury.

Many times after watching golf or mowing the lawn, he would break out his cigarettes and the Lawn Dart set and we would play. Occasionally he would let me win, but he was definitely one of those old-timers who knew his way around a horseshoe pit and was equally adept at Lawn Darts.

Anyway, I hadn't seen or even heard of Lawn Darts until this morning but it reminded me of Jim and those few times times I played as a kid. Then I thought how cool it would be to own a set, so you could play at the beach or you could play in a yard where bocce ball doesn't fair too well. What I didn't realize is that Lawn Jarts were banned in North America back in the 80's due to several injuries and a few deaths.

Sure the product name 'Jarts' is taken from Javelin-Darts, but I think today's censorship only guards against people using their own common sense. Kids and drinking should defintitely be monitored when using the game, but isn't that obvious?!? It seems like no one is accountable for anything anymore...even their own stupidity. Anyway, although you can still buy a safer, rubberized version today; the true vintage, steel sets are now only available on the black market for $60 and up. So if you come across a set at a yard sale -- grab 'em!

Check out these links for more info...

http://lawn-jarts.com/lawn_jart_history.php

http://lawn-jarts.com/lawn_jarts_banned_in_the_usa.php

Dreading Manny

Stop the presses! Manny Ramirez finally decided it was time to have his haircut!

Even though he is almost 37 yrs old, Manny still conducts himself like a spoiled little child who acts out when he doesn't get everything he wants. Whether it's being made to take anger management classes after roughing-up a Team attendant or just cutting his hair, he doesn't like being told what to do. So when Manny finally decides to abide by the team rules and trim his dreadlocks, there has to be something in it for HIM!

Manny's comments on the big 'event': "It's still long. If I come back next year, it will be shorter."

Manager Joe Torre's reaction: "He haunts me with this. Manny says every time he gets a hit, it's the hair. I say it's the ability. He knows as well as everybody else around here that his ability is special. He's a character."

The plain truth is -- Manny cut his hair when he wanted to and only because it's part of his offseason campaign to get another big contract. However, as Jason Stark of ESPN points out, being a model citizen the rest of this season could backfire on him as many as GM's around the League realize that this is just an act and when Manny gets his money, he will probably turn back into the problem child he was in Boston.

Julio 'Wally Pipp' Lugo?

Similar to Wally Pipp getting injured in 1925 and losing his job to a back-up named Lou Gehrig, Julio Lugo may be in danger of losing his job to rookie Jed Lowrie. Even though Lugo makes $9 MM more a year than Lowrie, performance ranks supreme in Boston and based on the exibition Lowrie is putting on thus far, Lugo may never start another game at Shortstop.

Jed Lowrie's 2008 Stats:

Doubles - 13

Triples - 2

RBI's - 29

Avg. - .310

Games - 42

Lowrie's Last 7 Games:

Hits - 10

Doubles - 6

RBI's - 7

Avg. - .400

• Jed Lowrie tied a career high with three hits on Aug 14th against Texas. He also accomplished the feat May 10th at Minnesota.
• Lowrie has 3 straight multi-hit games, and has hits in 12 of his last 13.
• He also has at least one double and one RBI in each of his last four games.

Scouting Report (Offense):

"Lowrie hits for average very well, and equally from both sides of the plate. Outstanding plate discipline, in true Red Sox form his best attribute may be his ability to work pitchers for good at bats. Fundamental and athletic."

Scouting Report (Defense):

"An intelligent Shortstop with a decent glove and average range. His arm is strong but he needs to work on his throwing accuracy. So far Lowrie's defense is ranked 5th among the 62 major league shortstops (Derek Jeter and Jose Reyes are ranked in the 40's)."

All-Time Baseball Movie Hitters

1. Kelly Leak, 'Bad News Bears' Chico's Bail Bonds, .665
2. Roy Hobbs, 'The Natural' New York Knights, .422
3. Crash Davis, 'Bull Durham' Durham Bulls, .398
4. Dottie Hinson, 'League Of Their Own' Rockford Peaches, .377
5. Willie Mays Hayes, 'Major League' Cleveland Indians, .356
   

-Courtesy of ESPN

Red Sox Come Alive, Win the Battle of 1917!

The Sox and Texas Rangers tied the record for most combined runs in an American League game as Dustin Pedroia grabbed 5 hits, David Ortiz hit 2 HR's, and Kevin Youkilis had a 'hat trick' of sorts with 2 HR's along with 2 strike outs and 2 errors!

A Byrd in the Hand

Cleveland's 37 yr old Paul Byrd was aquired by the Red Sox to support the Pitching Rotation. Now Clay Buchholz can go back to Pawtucket and get his head straight, Bartolo Colon can take his time rehabbing, and Curt Schilling can feel less guilty about taking $8 MM to sit on the DL this year. More importantly, the clubhouse is buoyed knowing the Sox brass went out and got someone to help out down the stretch. Let's just hope Byrd can help the Sox staff and doesn't fly South this October like his namesake.

Dog Days of Summer

There are only 52 days and 46 games left in the Red Sox season, yet it still seems to be dragging. I’m not sure if it’s a World Series hangover, a case of Manny 'Malaise', or the lingering affects from the Japan trip, but the Sox seem to lack consistent energy and are not the exciting team they were last year. Earlier in the season, they led the league in come from behind victories and you felt it was just a matter of time before they hit their stride and started dominating again -- but they never did and probably never will this year.

Things I am getting tired of in 2008…

1. All the one run losses on the Road
2. J.D. Drew striking out without swinging
3. David Ortiz’ nagging injuries
4. Lack of production/fielding from Julio Lugo
5. Getting swept at Tropicana Field
6. Okajima’s blown leads
7. General lack of power in the line-up
8. Jason Varitek at the plate
9. Daisuke Matsusaka’s frequent walks/high pitch counts
10. Don Orsillo laughing at Jerry Remy
11. Manny Delcarmen’s grooved fastballs
12. Tampa Bay’s many wins in the bottom of the 9th
13. The ‘Shift’ on David Ortiz
14. Theo Epstein not acquiring bullpen help
15. Waiting for Bartolo Colon to get off the DL
16. Coco Crisp not fulfilling his potential
17. Josh Becket having a below average year
18. Manny Ramirez ‘Mania’ spreading in Los Angeles
19. The Front Office trimming payroll
20. Papelbon allowing runners on base
21. Getting smacked around by the Angels
22. Lack of spectacular catches from Crisp
23. Buchholz’ and Ellsbury’s sophomore slumps
24. Mike Lowell looking like he’s 52 with all his gray hair
25. The pathetic bottom third of our Batting order

The Manny Rules?

Will Manny Ramirez cut his hair as Manager Joe Torre and the Dodger's organization has requested he do to conform to team rules or will his production at the plate allow him to play by his own rules (as he did with the Red Sox)? Ironically, people in LA feel like they already know Manny and an LA Times beat reporter and Torre even have a bet on what Manny will do by next Monday when the Dodgers return to LA from their road trip. Good luck with that one!

Meanwhile back in Boston, the Boston Globe is reporting that the Baseball Commissioners Office is investigating Manny's fake knee injury and possible tanking of games to get out of his contract with the Red Sox. Can you say 'Integrity of the Game' violation? They seem to take that pretty seriously at MLB headquarters...just ask Pete Rose.

The Revenge Bowl: Sept 14, 2008

Bring on the J-E-T-S! The Patriots will now face Eric Mangini & Brett Favre this season with the chance to avenge both the Super Bowl XXXI loss and SpyGate!

Early Returns on Big Trades

Xavier Nady: Left Fielder -New York Yankees

• Games (9)
• Hits (12)
• HR's (4)
• RBI (11)
• Avg. (.400)

Manny Ramirez: Left Fielder -Los Angeles Dodgers

• Games (4)
• Hits (10)
• HR's (2)
• RBI (5)
• Avg. (.625)

Jason Bay: Left Fielder -Boston Red Sox

• Games (5)
• Hits (9)
• HR's (1)
• RBI (6)
• Avg. (.429)

Are you kidding me?

It came out an hour after the trade was finalized with the Dodgers that Manny Ramirez asked his agent Scott Boras to tell the Red Sox he would behave the last 2 months of the season if the Red Sox would drop the (2) $20 million options on his contract.

Too little, and way too late. Sure he was well received (like Wayne Gretzky and David Beckem before him) in Los Angeles on Friday and went 2-4 in his debut with the Dodgers but Ramirez may have realized Thursday night that he shot himself in the foot by forcing the Red Sox hand. Not only is he now in a new league but also a league without a DH, so he'll have no days off in the field the rest of the way. Also, he will be to patrolling the huge left fields of the NL West which will expose his lackluster defense. On top of that, but he'll be facing the top NL pitching in the West while hitting in a weak Dodger line-up with little protection behind him. All of which will not help his campaign for a huge new contract.

Ramirez is seeking a 4 year $100 million deal to finish out his career but early reports are that he would probably only get about $35 million for 2 years (less than the 2 Red Sox options). In the end, what Manny (and Scott Boras) probably wanted was for Boston to void the 2 options on his contract, so he could become a free agent at the end of the year. Then, with Ramirez raking at Fenway the last 2 months of the season, Boston and their deep pockets would be in the bidding to help drive up the price on a new contract.

It's obvious that Manny Ramirez does not like to be controlled nor told what to do, so him having to take anger management classes for an altercation last month and the Red Sox holding all the cards on his contract was enough for him to quit and hold his talent hostage from the team. Unfortunately, it got ugly when the Red Sox called his bluff. His plan backfired and now the word his out on Manny as a possible 'quitter'. Big market teams won't be as interested in giving the 36 1/2 year old Ramirez what he wants this off-season unless he really tears it up the rest of the season and now that may not be as easy as Manny once thought. Oops!

Manny Gets His Way, Sails Off to LA-LA Land

Hitting savant and malcontent Manny Ramirez was sent out of Boston to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-way deal that included the Pittsburgh Pirates right before the trading deadline.

The Red Sox may have rushed this deal because they gave up a Hall of Fame hitter in Manny, along with a hard-throwing young Reliever in Craig Hansen and solid Outfield prospect Brandon Moss all for Pittsburgh Pirate Outfielder Jason Bay. Plus the Red Sox will be paying $7 million to the Dodgers to cover the remainder of Ramirez' 2008 salary!

Unlike Pittsburgh's deal with the Yankees last week, it appears the Pirates got the best of Sox GM Theo Epstein this week. While Jason Bay is an All-Star Outfielder, he will be 30 soon and as an NL hitter, it remains to be seen if he can protect David Ortiz in the line-up against stronger AL pitching. Also, the Red Sox still never got the bullpen help they so desperately needed. Meanwhile, Yankees GM Brian Cashman only gave up 4 prospects (and not Ian Kennedy) who were a few years away from the Majors to the Pirates for left-handed Relief specialist Damaso Marte and OF Xavier Nady, who has similar stats to Jason Bay.

Sure Jason Bay is a lot cheaper (he only makes $6-8 million) but this is Boston, so it shouldn't be about the money. Besides Bay's agent is Scott Boras, so he'll look to double that money when he is a free agent after next year. Nor is 'addition by subtraction' a good excuse for this deal because we're only talking about putting up with Manny for 2 more months and the Red Sox with their inconsistent pitching and slumping bats were barely on track to make the play-offs with Manny but now their chances are worse without him.

In short, the Pirates gained 2 good players and 2 prospects and the Dodgers gained a happy Hall of Fame hitter for 2 months in a contract year to bolster their play-off chances (plus 2 first round draft choices should Manny not sign in LA). All so the Red Sox could lose their headache and PR nightmare for 2 months. So if the Sox were really willing to give away this much to get rid of Manny, then why the heck couldn't this deal have been made for Mark Teixeira?!?

Red Sox Trade Rumors:

The 2008 MLB Trade deadline is less than a week away and as always, the Red Sox are a big part of the rumor mill. Some rumors are far-fetched while other may provide a little insight into what the team may look like next year.

• One of the pressing needs for the Sox is in the bullpen and more importantly the set-up role and middle relief. Brian Fuentes of the Rockies, Huston Street of the A's, and the Orioles' George Sherrill have all been oferred but the price has been too high.
• After last year's bad trade with Texas for Eric Gagne, Sox GM Theo Epstein has got to be hesitant about trading top young prospects like Jed Lowrie, Michael Bowden, and Clay Buchholz for a relief pitcher who may not be able to handle the heat of a Pennant race again.
• Also, Theo seems determined to convert either Justin Masterson or Michael Bowden into relief help ala Jonathan Papelbon. Masterson did well in Seattle but the true test will be against the Yankees and Tampa.
• After trading 4 prospects to the Pirates for Xavier Nady and top lefthanded reliever Damaso Marte, it appears the Yankees are going for it in their last year in the old stadium. This action could also force Theo and the Sox to make a move before the deadline.
• Should the Sox make a move, look for them to try to package either Coco Crisp or Julio Lugo (and his $9 mill salary) with lesser prospects for Mark Texeria who is the last year of his contract.
• Crisp is batting .252 and seems to be in steady decline, so it may be time to move him while his contract and skills are still coveted. Even though Lugo is only out until mid-Aug, you have to think he is on the way out since the Sox already contemplated Juan Uribe as a short/long term replacement at Shortstop.
• Long term, the Sox may be exploring a Jed Lowrie-Dustin Pedroia middle infield. However, since Pedroia has quick feet and Lowrie does not (Pedroia played SS in college and Lowrie 2B), the Sox could look to flip their positions again for a stronger defensive infield in the future.
• Finally, the Manny Ramirez factor is always in play. With two-1 year $20 million options on Manny's contract, the Sox hold all the cards in Manny's future. If it gets to a point where Manny no longer wants to play for a 1 year deal and his antics continue to distract the team, then the Sox might just exercise his option for next year and then trade him with his permission. Then with 2 months left in this season and another year on Manny's contract, the Sox could get some worthy compensation for him.

Time To Tweak Sox?

Are the Red Sox suffering the same kind of World Series hangover that plagued them down the stretch of the 2005 season or is this the beginning of the end of a great run with these core players? The Sox have been inconsistent in many areas of the game this year and with 57 games left in the season, it doesn't look good for them to defend their Championship title.

The Sox have one of the worst road records for a contending team in the history of baseball and are 3-5 since the All-Star break. Unlike last season, their set-up and middle relief have been horrendous and both the defense and starting pitching unreliable at times this year. After strong starts, Jacoby Ellsbury and Clay Buchholz seem to be approaching 'Sophomore slumps' and both Coco Crisp and Jason Varitek have been struggling at the plate all year. The bottom of their batting order is one of the worst in the league and even Manny Ramirez is showing his age lately.

In contrast, the Yankees are one of the hottest teams in baseball. Despite injuries to Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui, they are 8-0 since the All-Star break and recently have been bolstered by the additions of top hitting Outfielder Xavier Nady and left-handed relief specialist Damaso Marte. The Yankees were 9 games out of first place on July 4th and 6 games behind the Red Sox and now they are tied with the Sox in the loss column. Oh yeah, let's not forget that the Sox still have been chasing the Tampa Bay Rays in the standings for almost 2 months and it's the LA Angels that are the best team in the AL this year. Not only that but they've been swept by both the Rays and the Angels already this season.

With the Yankees moving into a new ballpark next year, there is no way Boston will be able to compete with New York in the future financially, so you can't blame Red Sox Management for wanting to see what the younger players can do. Plus, I'm sure Sox GM Theo Epstein is a bit gun-shy after the Eric Gagne for David Murphy et al trade fiasco last year. However, with a rabid fan base and by far the highest ticket prices in the game, the Red Sox also cannot afford to rebuild and aside from Dustin Pedroia and John Lester, it doesn't look like the kids are stepping up. This means that with aging stars and lackluster production, it could be time to make some big time moves and change the club to keep the momentum going into the future.

Manny phones it in...

And begs out of the line-up against Joba Chamberlain and the Yankees.

Welcome Back!

Brady, Moss, and the rest of the Pats open Training camp and get to work on 2008.

Just Jacobs Being Jacobs?

Boston Bruins' GM Peter Chiarelli acknowledged that placing Glen Murray on unconditional waivers, the first step toward a buyout, was a challenging decision. "It was really, really difficult," said Chiarelli of Murray, who was due $4.15 million in 2008-09. "Muzz is a very good person. He meant a lot to the room. It's something where you have to make hard decisions in this new system."

If Murray goes unclaimed and the Bruins complete the buyout, they will trim $2,766,667 from their 2008-09 cap hit, bringing their current number down to $55,469,999 just below the $56.7 million cap ceiling. When the Celtics were making their championship run, Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs was asked if he would consider spending over the salary cap, like the Celtics did, to win a Stanley Cup. His reply was absolutely.

Now there is no doubt that Glen Murray's production has dropped each of his last 5 season and he's had a series of nagging injuries since the '05 season, but at 35 Murray is the type of role player and leader that a Stanley Cup contender needs in the locker room. Sure $4 MM may be a bit too high Murray right now, but the larger question is whether Jabobs and Chiarelli will put that savings back into the team and not be afraid to spend over the cap or will the Bruins continue to be fiscally conservative and flounder in mediocrity??

Home Is Where the Surf Is

"What Silicon Valley is for programmers and Nashville is for musicians, Manhattan Beach has become for professional athletes. Sports figures are increasingly calling the pricey coastal city home. 'On everybody's street they have a Kings player,' said a blase-sounding resident..."

"From past residents like Tiger Woods and Shaq to current ones like Maria Sharapova and Nomar, all these athletes can be found in a city of about 35,000 people pressed into less than four square miles..."
-LA Times

Posey Gone but not Forgotten

James Posey stung Celtic Nation last week when he decided to accept an offer to join Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets. There is no doubt that Posey’s departure leaves a huge void on the team. When he came to Boston, he was the only player with championship experience and he quickly became the unspoken leader of the second unit and the best 6th man the Celtics had since Bill some 22 years ago. Also, with his swagger and fearlessness Posey helped bring together and give an identity to a team full of new players. His pre-game pep talks, clutch 3-point shooting, and ability to draw an offensive charge were legendary and with his energy and defense he often inspired the team to victories when the ‘Big 3’ weren't on their game.

With Posey gone, GM Danny Ainge has some big shoes to fill. It’s now almost imperative that the Celts re-sign Tony Allen, Eddie House, or both. If House stays, then the Celts will retain some of the fearless shooting and energy that Posey brought off the bench. If TA re-signs and continues to rebound from his torn ACL, then the Celts will once again have an athletic defensive stopper, as well as, a scorer off the bench.

Even though there was a mutual love affair between Posey and the Boston, in the end the security of a 4 year contract was too strong a pull for him. I guess the only silver-lining for Celtic fans is the fact that Jame Posey didn’t sign with Los Angeles Lakers or fellow Eastern Conference rivals Cleveland and Detroit. Just another great play by Posey!

Red Sox vs. Angels: Friday night @ Anaheim

Parking = $8

2 dogs + 2 beers = $24

Tickets = Cheaper than Fenway

Post game fireworks show = Free

Seeing Manny write his ticket out of Boston = Embarrassing

Unlike Sox, Revs all biz on road trip!

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- An American Airlines flight from Boston to Los Angeles was diverted to Oklahoma City Friday after a passenger stripped, put his clothes back on and then tried to open an emergency exit door before being subdued by members of the New England Revolution Major League Soccer team on board, the FBI said.
Members of the Revolution helped grab the man near an exit door and tie wraps were placed on his wrists, FBI spokesman Gary Johnson said. The man, whose name was not immediately released, was taken off the flight in Oklahoma City and was undergoing mental evaluation, Johnson said.

American Flight 725, a Boeing 757, arrived in Oklahoma City at 1:35 p.m. CDT and was back in the air an hour later on the way to Los Angeles, said Tim Smith, a spokesman for American Airlines.
The trouble began when a man on the flight emerged from a bathroom without his clothes on, Johnson said.
"He was asked to go back to the bathroom to put his clothes on and he did and went back to his seat and then allegedly attempted to open an aircraft emergency exit door," Johnson said.

"Members of the Major League Soccer team, the New England Revolution, were on the flight. They were able to subdue him," he said.

The Revolution play Chivas USA in a third-round SuperLiga match in Los Angeles on Sunday.

Baseball All-Star Game Notes:

The Home Run derby may have survived another year after Texas Ranger Outfielder Josh Hamilton hit 28 'Mantlesque' home runs in the first round. Hamilton is a great story but has only hit 40 home runs in his career! It's pretty obvious that MLB uses the juiced baseballs from the McGuire-Sosa era for the contest, but that was ridiculous.

• What I did enjoy was Fox showing the honorary captains Ernie Banks and George Brett giving inspiring speeches to the AL & NL squads in the locker room before the game. I just hope the young players knew who they were.


• It was a nice touch with the Hall of Fame legends coming out of the outfield before the game ala 'Field of Dreams' but remember that Boston did it first in the final All-Star game of the 20th century at Fenway Park in 1999.


• Current All-Star players should take notice that every Hall of Fame legend took their cap off to the crowd except for Willie McCovey who chose to stand-up from his wheel chair under his own power instead!


• As good as Bob Gibson looked for his age, Gaylord Perry looked bad. What is ironic is that Gibson was born in 1935 and Perry in 1938!


• Wade Boggs is a wimp for only wearing a Yankee cap instead of the Tampa cap he took money to wear into the Hall of Fame and/or the Red Sox cap he wore for much of his career.


• I understand that this game was part of a tribute to Yankee Stadium but did it have to be an anti-Red Sox zone? Why were there no Boston players in the legends line-up? Unfortunately Wade Boggs, Dennis Eckersley, and Luis Apapricio all decided not to bring Red Sox caps but why not invite Carlton Fisk or Yaz to represent one of the most storied franchises at the ceremony?


• Much like Ted Williams at the All-Star game in Boston, George Steinbrenner was driven out in a golf cart during the first pitch portion ceremony but I'm not sure who looked in worse. A pale, crying 78 yr old Steinbrenner wearing what looked to be blind man's glasses or the somewhat toothless but jovial 81 yr old Williams in 1999.


• I admit that it was bittersweet to hear Florida Marlins' Hanley Ramirez being introduced as the greatest young player in the game. Even though he is only 24, plays shortstop, and is being described as the next Arod; I still think the Red Sox made a great trade in getting Mike Lowell and Josh Beckett for Anibal Sanchez and Hanley Ramirez.


• Boy did Yankee fans show their stripes. It was a disgrace to hear them boo, then cheer, then boo the Boston players. Sure NY and Boston fans are bitter rivals, but this is the only game that we are all on the same team playing for the same goal. It just proves that Boston has the better fans because it's known that they've clapped for Derek Jeter even during regular season games.


• Finally, as you get older it gets harder to be interested in the All-Star game, but whenever I do find the time to watch, I am instantly transported back to the first game I saw on TV when vacationing up Nova Scotia. No other All-Star game has that affect.

Ring Around the Posey?

As Boston Celtic free agent Forward James Posey entertains offers from the Celts, Hornets, Cavaliers, and Lakers, don't believe that his agent Mark Bartelstein is insisting on 4 year deal and don't believe that Celts' GM Danny Ainge will only offer a 2 year contract. This is just part of the negotiating dance.

Posey made $3.2 million last year and seems to be willing to accept a team's $5.3 million Mid-Level Exception salary for his next contract. The only variable is length of time. The Celtics don't want to tie-up another contract for too long but they already have the new 'Big 3' (KG, Ray, Pierce) locked-up for anther couple of years, so there shouldn't be any harm. Since the window for winning more championships is tied to the 'Big 3' and Posey is integral part of that window, then the Celtics should have no problem giving Posey a 3 year deal. Also, while other teams may be willing to offer him 4 years at the Mid-Level, my gut tells me that Posey wants to stay with the 'Big 3' and in Boston.

Finally, once Posey is locked-up, then hopefully Eddie House will soon follow. After all, it was House who recruited Posey in the first place. They are both represented by the same agent and he has made it clear that he wants to stay in Boston.

"With the 30th Pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, the Celtics take...A Risk"

In the hopes of getting value late in the NBA Draft, GM Danny Ainge and the World Champions took a bit of a leap with their 1st round pick. At No. 30, the Celtics selected 6' 5" Guard J.R. Giddens from New Mexico. Giddens is a great athlete who is a good defender with big 'hops' and a nice mid-range jumper. Unfortunately, he also comes with baggage. Along with Kedrick Perkins and Leon Powe, Giddens was a High School All-American in 2003 but transfered from Kansas when he got stabbed in a knife fight at at local club (something he'll have in common with Paul Pierce). At New Mexico he started off on the wrong foot too, before getting his act together for his Senior year.

Save those "Walker" Celtics jerseys because in the 2nd round the Celts traded cash to the Wizzards for Kansas State 6' 6" Forward Bill Walker. Walker is also a great athlete and an active scorer around the rim. He plays much bigger than his size but he is coming off a couple of knee injuries that could handicap him in the NBA.

At the end of the 2nd round Boston claimed 7' 1" Semih Erden from Turkey. The Celts finally got their Center, but unfortunately he is a project that will probably be stuck in Turkey for a couple of years and thus won't benefit from the tutelage of KG.

On talent alone Giddens and Walker could have been lottery picks but injuries and off-court issues make these picks a bit of a gamble. Fortunately, the Celts have a veteran team and a winning atmosphere, so if these guys can't flourish here then they will never be able to do it anywhere in the NBA. Also, if the Celtics lose James Posey and Tony Allen to free agency then Giddens and Walker could provide needed depth for the team. Ainge may not have 1st round magic but he is definitely a 2nd round genius, so we'll have to see how this draft pans out.