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| Unique Visitors: 297 |
| Total Unique Visitors: 1066207 |
| Visitors Out: 4180 |
| Total Visitors Out: 7999 |
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| England's Evil Empire Champs Again |
| 2008-05-11 11:37:00 |
Manchester United won their 10th Premier League championship today and their second consecutive one as they defeated Wigan, 2-0, on goals by Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs. Meanwhile in London, Chelsea, who was still mathematically alive today, as both they and Man U were tied on points, faced Bolton.Chelsea led 1-0 at Stamford Bridge, but the result at Wigan made it a foregone conclusion that they wouldn't take the title. And just to rub salt into the wounds, Bolton scored an equalizing goal in added time to make it a 1-1 tie. (I guess watching Man U over the last decade and a half is like watching the Yankees in the 1940s and '50s. And you either love them or hate them.)On the other end of the table, Fulham, will all their Americans on their roster, survived the regulation battle with ...
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| A Day For Mom |
| 2008-05-11 10:09:00 |
I dedicate my 1,400th post to my Mom, and all the mothers out there on their special day. I hope you all have a wonderful day with your families.What is a Mother’s Love?A mother’s love is many things. She is a teacher and a friend, someone to guide you through right and wrong, someone to listen and understand.She can comfort you like no other, holding you in her arms. She can fill your spirit with confidence and encourage your unsure heart.She can bring a smile to your saddened face, wipe away your tears, love you regardless of the faults you have, and stand by you throughout the years.A mother’s love is many things, and one thing is quite sure: a mother’s love is special, for no one can love like her.- T. L. NashMy thanks to the Voices of September 11th for sending along the beau...
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| Four Solos |
| 2008-05-11 10:02:00 |
It was a night of solo home runs in the Metrodome last night as the Red Sox won, 5-2. (Don't you dare call it "The Homerdome," as that is a great misnomer, as the Metrodome has actually become one of the tougher parks in the AL to hit home runs in.)Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched seven solid innings, as he settled down after early in the game it looked like The Dice-K Walk Parade was making another appearance. He wound up walking three, striking out seven and allowed just two runs in getting the win. Jonathan Papelbon pitched a solid ninth, bouncing back from the crushing loss on Friday. He allowed just a popup that hit some wire for a cheap hit, but got the final three outs to seal the deal.Kevin Youkilis and Mike Lowell hit homers, and Jed Lowrie and Coco Crisp went back-to-back in the seventh...
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| Answer Me This |
| 2008-05-10 21:24:00 |
Just a few things I'm wondering about, and can't come up with reasonable answers to.1. Why do they call the last man taken in the NFL Draft "Mr. Irrelevant?" It's never made any sense to me. There are hundreds of college guys who aren't picked every year who hoped to be selected, so doesn't that make them more irrelevant? At least the last man take in the draft has the satisfaction of telling the grandkids one day that he was selected by an NFL team. They have to come up with a better name for the last guy taken than that.2. Why do NFL writers and broadcasters insist on grading teams the day after the NFL Draft is completed? Let's face the facts, no one has any idea of how a team does in the draft until after the following season, than you can judge how good it was. Were any Patriots fans...
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| "Playing for Peanuts" |
| 2008-05-10 10:24:00 |
Tomorrow night, a new reality series will debut on Sportsnet New York (SNY) called "Playing for Peanuts." It is being made by John Fitzgerald, who made the fine "The Emerald Diamond" documentary a couple of years back about baseball and how it has grown in Ireland.This reality series is centered around Wally Backman, the former Mets second baseman from the 1980s who was denied the job of managing the Arizona Diamondbacks a few years ago after the stories of his arrest for spousal abuse came to light. The series follows the team he's managing, the South Georgia Peanuts, a minor league team in the now-defunct South Coast League. The team is mixed bag of youngsters and veterans who have dreams of making it to the big time. Backman still has his dream of getting to the Big Leagues as a manager...
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| Brutal |
| 2008-05-09 23:03:00 |
Another awful gut-wrenching loss on this road trip for the Red Sox, on Friday night in Minnesota.You can lay the blame for this one getting away at the feet of many.Jonathan Papelbon blew his second straight save opportunity. He wasn't exactly battered in the ninth with a 6-5 lead against the Twins. But he didn't slam the door again, and an awful walk to a guy who simply doesn't walk, Carlos Gomez, with two outs set the stage for Mike Lamb to hit a ball off the end of his bat to drive in two runs. It was only the fourth time Gomez has walked this season.Julio Lugo cost the Red Sox once again tonight, muffing an easy grounder off the bat of Gomez that would have ended the second inning. But as soon as it happened, you just knew it would lead to something. And it did, as Brendan Harris singl...
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| Spur-of-the-Moment Emotion, or Showboating? |
| 2008-05-09 16:01:00 |
The New York papers were all agog today about the fact that Cleveland Indians' outfielder David Dellucci was miffed by the show that Joba Chamberlain put on after he struck him out in the eighth inning of yesterday's Yankees-Indians game. The papers, as well as the "Mike and Mad Dog Show" were all over it. Fatso and Fruit Loops are kind of divided over it, with Russo taking Chamberlain to task over it.If you didn't see it, Chamberlain has been known to get all worked up if he strikes out the last hitter of an inning that he works, and he did it again on Thursday, with his fist pumps and yelling. After the game, Dellucci let it be known that he didn't appreciate the antics, and called them "bush league." Dellucci, who hit a game-winning homer off Chamberlain the previous game, also question...
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| 3 Out of 4 in the City of Motors |
| 2008-05-09 10:37:00 |
Lots to enjoy about last night's Red Sox win in the finale at Comerica.Kevin Youkilis is about the hottest hitter on Planet Earth right now, and he connected for another two-run shot last night, and his fourth homer in the four-game series. He and Mike Lowell both had big series in Detroit. David Ortiz, despite the knee that still sore, looks like he's out of the early season funk, hit two homers in this series. Youk is now tied with Big Papi and Manny Ramirez for the club lead in home runs with 7.Josh Beckett got his career strikeout number 1000 last night, and eight in total last night. He scattered six hits in seven innings in getting his fourth win of the year. Encouraging work from the bullpen last night, as Terry Francona did not need to use Jonathan Papelbon or Hideki Okajima. Craig...
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| A Small Miracle in Lower Manhattan |
| 2008-05-08 11:00:00 |
I came across a wonderful article recently written in The Ottawa Sun about St. Paul's Chapel, the magnificent little Episcopal church in Lower Manhattan that was just a block east of the World Trade Center. The church miraculously came away nearly without a scratch on September 11, 2001, and became a sanctuary for the rescue workers who worked tirelessly at the site in the aftermath of the disaster. The front of the church was covered with all kinds of tributes from people all over the world offering their sympathies after the terrorist attacks occurred.You can read the article here.I have gone to many events at St. Paul's over the last six years, and it is a beautiful little church that was founded in the mid-18th century, and before 9/11, it was best ...
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| Bad Start, Nice Comeback, Awful Ending |
| 2008-05-08 09:37:00 |
The Red Sox fell behind the Tigers 4-0 early last night, as Clay Buchholz didn't have it. He gave up five runs total, but the Red Sox marched back with two home runs from Kevin Youkilis, a three-run bomb by Mike Lowell to tie it up at 8 (second time this week Mike fell just a triple short of the cycle), and Dustin Pedroia completed the comeback (or so we thought) with a pinch-single in the eighth to make it 9-8.And Julio Lugo blows it all in the ninth.He made his MLB-leading 10th error in the ninth with no outs, and it opened the door for Detroit to score two runs off Jonathan Papelbon and win, 9-8. And it was slightly ironic that the guy who hit the ball Lugo booted was Edgar (30 errors in 2005) Renteria.It's been a horrific year for Lugo at SS, and he'...
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| He Won't Vote For McCain For What Reason? |
| 2008-05-07 09:09:00 |
I haven't commented on any of those "Letters to the Editor" recently, but I stumbled across one in today's Daily News that really threw me for a loop. Read this one:El Paso, Tex: So I'm sitting here watching the Mets/D-Backs game on Sunday on WWOR. They interview John McCain, who says he grew up a Red Sox fan. Guess what, McCain? You just lost my vote. (Name withheld, for obvious reasons)This one really had me shaking my head. This guy won't vote for John McCain because he used to be a Red Sox fan? As in, not any more? (McCain's now a Diamondbacks fan, being from Arizona, and they weren't founded until 1998.) There are plenty of legitimate reasons to vote or not vote for a certain candidate. His or her stand on the war, h...
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| We Want...A Shrubbery! |
| 2008-05-07 00:29:00 |
After a 16-day drought, Manny Ramirez finally belted his 497th home run, a moonshot in the seventh inning off Detroit reliever Freddy Dolsi over the 420 sign in center field and into some trees they have back there. (Or as the Tigers announcers said last night, "into the shrubbery.")It was memorable, especially for Dolsi, as it was his MLB debut, and it was off the first pitch he threw in the majors. Something he can tell the grandkids one day: "The first pitch I ever threw in the majors was hit by Manny Ramirez for a home run into the center field shrubbery at Comerica."TV trivia question: From what classic TV sitcom were the numbers "4-9-7" made famous in a four-part episode? (Answer below.)David Ortiz also went deep, another blast that went about halfway up the right field seats. Then M...
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| Mother's Day Trivia on Wednesday |
| 2008-05-06 16:59:00 |
This coming Sunday marks that the day that honors that special person in all of our lives: our moms. So in special recognition of the holiday, we'll be having as our special category tomorrow night: Mother's Day Trivia. It will be seven questions about moms and their special day, and there will be two extra credit questions in there as well (the questions will all be multiple choice). So bone up on all that has to do with Mom's Day.Tomorrow night is a special edition of Trivia Night this week, as it simply wasn't possible to have it Tuesday night due to the expected crowds at Thom's due to the Celtics game with Cleveland. (And a fair number of Red Sox fans as well.) We will return to the usual day and time next Tuesday. (We also hope to get going early tomorrow night as well, as it schedul...
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| Tragedy in Nashua |
| 2008-05-06 16:40:00 |
Last Friday night, an incident occurred in Nashua, New Hampshire that made news down here yesterday. Apparently, a 43-year-old woman named Ivonne Hernandez got into an argument with a 29-year-old man from that town and his girlfriend. Hernandez had been drinking in a local bar when the argument occurred.The couple was joined by three other people, and when one of them noticed a New York Yankees sticker on the woman's car, they heckled her with chants of "Yankees Suck!" Hernandez, now in her car, gunned the engine and drove right at the hecklers in a parking lot, figuring they'd all scamper and she'd throw a scare into them.But tragically, she hit Matthew Beaudoin, 29, and killed him. Hernandez has now been charged with reckless conduct, driving while intoxicated and second-degree murder.Th...
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| It's Lowell |
| 2008-05-06 09:21:00 |
Well, those of you who answered my question of yesterday, "Which will happen first: Manny Ramirez hits his 497th home run or Mike Lowell drives in his first RBI of 2008?" Mike Lowell, you were correct.Lowell went deep for the first time in his first at-bat in Detroit last night for his first homer and two RBI of this season in leading the Sox to a 6-3 win to extend their winning streak to four and six out of their last seven. He also had three hits, and came up just a triple short of the cycle. Daisuke Matsuzaka had lots of problems with his control, as he walked 8 in five innings, but allowed just one run on two hits. Kevin Youkilis and David Ortiz both went deep as well to pace the Red Sox attack....
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| Trivia Night Change This Week Only |
| 2008-05-05 14:49:00 |
A special alert to all the Trivia Night regulars of Professor Thom's. This week's Trivia Night has officially been moved to Wednesday night, May 7, at 8 PM. Because of the Celtics second round opening game and the large crowd it will draw to the bar (and it's 8 PM starting time), it will not be possible to have Trivia Night start at a proper hour. Next week we will be back at our usual Tuesday night, 9 PM contest.We do apologize to all of you about the late notice of the change. The Sneak Peek question and the special category will be posted here tomorrow night. I hope many of you can make it in Wednesday....
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| Which Will Happen First? |
| 2008-05-05 11:41:00 |
Namely, Manny Ramirez' 497th home run or Mike Lowell's first RBI of 2008?Both look really frustrated lately, especially Lowell. Manny's been stuck on 496 for over two weeks, and Mike just came off the DL last Tuesday. But the rest of the cast has picked it up nicely, and wailed on so-called Red Sox killer Scott Kazmir yesterday in his first start of the season as the Sox swept the upstart Rays, 7-3. (EVERY time I see Kazmir in Rays uniform I think to myself, "What the hell were the Mets thinking on July 30, 2004?")David Ortiz got the day off to rest his knee, as Dustin Pedroia continued his torrent resurgence, and Jacoby Ellsbury scored twice and stole two bases. Jon Lester got his second win of the year in going six innings, allowing just a home run to Carlos Pena.Now the Red Sox hit the ...
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| Clemens Apologizes. Sort of. |
| 2008-05-05 11:15:00 |
Roger Clemens issued an apology yesterday. You may ask for what, for using steroids? To Mike Piazza? For being a complete asshole to the Red Sox fans and every other fan base he's alienated? Well, whatever it was, here it is:"I know that many people want to know what I have to say about the recent articles in the media," Clemens said in the statement. "Even though these articles contain many false accusations and mistakes, I need to say that I have made mistakes in my personal life for which I am sorry. I have apologized to my family and apologize to my fans. Like everyone, I have flaws. I have sometimes made choices which have not been right.""Specifically," Clemens added, "I've been unfaithful in my marriage pretty much right from the get-go. So, sorry about that. Plus I've generally be...
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| My Favorite Python Turns 65 |
| 2008-05-05 10:34:00 |
A very Happy Birthday today to Michael Palin, who turns 65. I've had the pleasure of meeting Michael at a number of signings of his books, and he is genuinely a nice man, and my favorite member of Monty Python. His travel shows are always a joy to watch, and I saw his latest, "New Europe" earlier this year (despite the fact the Travel Channel bounced it around their schedule like the Yankees pitching rotation). Hope it's a great day for you Michael.Thanks for all the laughs. "The Spanish Inquisition" (pictured) will make laugh until the day I die.Speaking of birthdays, it's also a special anniversary. Red and Denton over at Surviving Grady, one of the best Red Sox fan sites on the Internet, are celebrating their fourth anniversary today. (Cinco De Mayo, a great day to begin!) A short while...
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| Moss Shelved as Sox Roll Again |
| 2008-05-04 11:30:00 |
The Red Sox bats were definitely out of the doldrums they were in earlier this week, as they blasted James Shields for seven runs in just over three innings, and went on to win, 12-4 at Fenway last night, as Josh Beckett went 8 innings, allowing four runs in getting his third win.David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia each had three hits, but the struggles of Mike Lowell and Manny Ramirez continues. Lowell still doesn't have an RBI, and that can be chalked up to that thumb injury he suffered in April. It looks like it's still giving him trouble at the plate, although he looks terrific in the field.And Manny is still stuck on 496 home runs, and has been there since April 20. He seems to be fouling pitches back he was hammering just a few weeks back.Brandon Moss wasn't feeling well after Friday nigh...
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| Bloggers Are People Too, Buzz |
| 2008-05-03 22:05:00 |
On Saturday afternoon, I caught a replay on HBO of "Costas NOW," which is Bob Costas' sports show. (I've always enjoyed his take on sports, especially baseball. Very similar to mine.) He had a special live show on this week about sports and the media, and the part that's gotten the most attention has been the part of the show about the Internet. He had on Will Leitch of Deadspin, the entertaining sports blog, and Buzz Bissinger, who is the author of many books on sports, most notably, "Friday Night Lights" and "Three Nights in August," which is about Tony LaRussa and the St. Louis Cardinals. (An interesting book which I read a few years ago.) Their segment had some verbal fireworks on it, to say the least.The YouTube clip gets off to a rollicking start, as Bissinger begins by telling Leitc...
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| The Dam Breaks: Sox Score Seven |
| 2008-05-03 09:56:00 |
I went into Professor Thom's last night to take in the Red Sox-Famous Ray's game, but a two-and-a-half hour rain delay basically put the kibosh on that. The Celtics game dominated the screens, as my friends slowly left the bar. As the young folk made their way in, I decided to take in the game at home, should it finally start. By the time I got on the train for home, the game was underway. On my arrival home, the Red Sox were finally putting runs on the board. About time.They scored seven last night. Five were scored in the fourth, all with two out. Brandon Moss crushed one above the camera well, and it was 2-0. It was 6-0 when the inning finished, and Clay Buchholz was on his way to his second victory of the year, 7-3. He went 5 1/3 innings, allowing one e...
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| Buzzie Bavasi Dies at 93 |
| 2008-05-02 12:04:00 |
Emil "Buzzie" Bavasi, the longtime general manager of the Dodgers, both in Brooklyn and Los Angeles, died at his home in La Jolla, California yesterday of respiratory failure. He was 93 years old. He was one of the last living connections to the Dodgers in Brooklyn, and served the club for nearly 30 years.It's a shame that Mr. Bavasi was not elected to the Hall of Fame, while his nemesis, Walter O'Malley, was just inducted last year. He was also the first GM of the San Diego Padres, and also ran the California Angels in the 1970s. His son Bill is currently the GM of the Seattle Mariners.My friend Chris had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Bavasi earlier this year, and said he was a joy to talk with. Chris has a nice tribute to him on his blog today, The Professor's Sox.My sympathies to the fami...
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| Bats Stay Cold Again |
| 2008-05-02 11:44:00 |
It was another night of the Red Sox looking like they were swinging with holes in their bats, as they were shutout for the second time in four games, 3-0, at Fenway by AJ Burnett and the Toronto Blue Jays last night.Tim Wakefield didn't pitch all that badly, allowing three runs in seven innings, but the Sox couldn't figure out Burnett, who is now 4-0 lifetime against the Red Sox.In the last 54 innings, the Sox have scored just a meager 5 runs, going back to the three-run second inning last Friday night at Tampa. They haven't had a multiple run inning since. The pitching on the other hand, has allowed just 13 runs over the same span. And they have lost four of those six games.There was some fireworks near the end of the game, as BJ Ryan was called for a balk on what was thought to be the fi...
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| Refreshing Their Memories |
| 2008-05-02 10:05:00 |
Last night at Madison Square Garden, the New York Rangers defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins, 3-0, and avoided elimination in their NHL second round playoff series.The Rangers were down 3-0 in the series to the favored Penguins, and the series returns to Pittsburgh tomorrow night.I love how the media here in New York have mentioned that the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs and the 1975 Islanders (against Pittsburgh) are the only NHL teams to come back from a 3-0 deficit in a seven-game series to win. (And the Islanders almost did it twice that year. They fell behind 0-3 against the Flyers in the next series and fought back to Game 7, only to fall in that game.)But they have very convienently forgotten the last (and most famous) American sports team to come back from 0-3 to win a series of seven gam...
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| Another 9th Inning W |
| 2008-05-01 11:17:00 |
The Red Sox pulled off another ninth inning win last night, after another incredible pitchers duel, winning 2-1 for the second straight night over the Toronto Blue Jays.Jason Varitek singled in Manny Ramirez (pictured), just one play after Brandon Moss' singled and Jed Lowrie was gunned down at home by a strong throw from center by Vernon Wells. Just before Tek's single, I was thinking to myself "They couldn't have two men thrown out at home in the same inning." And as I saw the throw coming home from Wells, I yelled at the screen, "Burn, Manny, burn!" And Manny made it by a nose, and Professor Thom's erupted in delight.It was unfortunate that Daisuke Matsuzaka, who pitched 7 terrific innings and left with a 1-0 lead, didn't get the W, as the bullpen let the Sox down again, as Toronto tie...
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| European Dream Ends For Liverpool |
| 2008-05-01 11:00:00 |
Liverpool's dream of going to the European Champions League Final against Manchester United ended on the field at Stamford Bridge in London last night, as Chelsea won the second leg of the semifinal with a thrilling 3-2 win.The match ended with a 1-1 tie, but since the first leg also ended with the same score, the match continued into extra time. Chelsea had a goal called back because they were offsides early in the extra session, but won a penalty kick moments later and Frank Lampard shot it home to put Chelsea on top.They added another goal to make it 3-1 from Didier Drogba, his second of the contest. It looked like it was all over, but Liverpool wouldn't go quietly into the night. W...
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| Wallace Matthews Is a Big Fat Idiot |
| 2008-04-30 11:00:00 |
One of my "favorite" sportswriters is at it again.Wallace Matthews wrote a column yesterday in Newsday defending Roger Clemens as a "victim" in the latest mess he's in with the country singer Mindy McCready. To read this unbelievable nonsense, go here.You may remember Matthews as the gutless coward who attacked Tim Wakefield last year, with the wrongheaded notion that his games are the slowest in the American League. I wrote about that last May. Matthews seems to be the only human being with some kind of vendetta against Wake, who happens to be one of the classier players to step foot on a Major League baseball field.But he's really gone overboard now in this defense of Clemens, as some kind of victim in this. He seems to imply that this whole thing was a setup by McCready (and Brian McNam...
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| Heroes Galore |
| 2008-04-30 10:47:00 |
The Red Sox' five-game losing streak came to a memorable end last night at Fenway, thanks to the collective efforts of a number of individuals.Jon Lester was sensational last night. It was the best game he's pitched in his young MLB career (including last year's World Series win), as he went 8 innings and allowed just one hit. He walked four, but they were spread out and he was never in trouble the entire night. He struck out six, but unfortunately came away with just a no-decision.Roy Halladay was just as good over 8 2/3 innings, allowed just three hits until the rally started. Big Papi walked, Manny Ramirez singled, and Kevin Youkilis sent the faithful home happy with a single that Vernon Wells couldn't handle that allowed the Big Man to score the lone run of the game.Not to be left out ...
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| Trivia Q&A: April 29 |
| 2008-04-30 01:16:00 |
We had another busy night at Thom's for Trivia, and an exciting and fast-moving Red Sox game on as well. 15 teams took part, and when the Red Sox pulled out the nailbiter, full attention was brought over to our Trivia Night festivities.I had a number of comments from the Trivia players that this night's contest was particularly tough. The scores seemed to bare that out, as in the first two rounds there were no perfect scores (or in General Knowledge), but there were four in True or False.The scores were generally very close throughout the night, with 10 of the 15 teams withing five points of the lead going into IQ Trivia. It turned out to be a tough round of IQ Trivia, as only one team got only four out of five correct, and that turned out to be the winners, Cheating Devices, who came from...
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| Obama's Worst Nightmare Returns |
| 2008-04-29 09:32:00 |
Barack Obama's worst nightmare has returned, and there doesn't seem to be much he can do about it.Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who's been shooting off his big mouth about how America brought the 9/11 attacks on itself among other bombastic nonsense, has clearly fallen in love the attention its brought himself, and is now milking for every cent it can bring him. Last week he kicked it off by sitting down to a softball interview with PBS' Bill Moyers, and yesterday he gave another one of those "America is the world's worst terrorist nation" speeches while hailing fellow racial inflamer Louis Farrakhan in Washington, DC. (Wright's racist spewing is well-known, so I won't recap the "highlights" here.)It appeared that Wright crawled back into the woodwork after Oba...
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| Brooklyn Trivia on Tuesday |
| 2008-04-28 16:25:00 |
Trivia Night this week will feature as its special category: "Brooklyn Trivia." There will be seven questions about the largest borough in New York City, which also happens to be the birthplace of one Omnipotent Q. For those of you who aren't up on New York's hippest borough, the questions will be of the multiple choice variety.There will be a Red Sox game against Toronto on at Professor Thom's on Tuesday night that begins at 7 PM, but we hope to get the festivities rolling on or before 9: 30 PM. This week's Sneak Peek question is:Of the 50 US states, how many of them were named for US presidents?We will have the other usual four categories as well, so I hope to see many of you on Tuesday night....
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| More Clemens Schadenfreude |
| 2008-04-28 10:50:00 |
Every Red Sox fan's favorite villain has more trouble on his hands. Some more really serious trouble.As if Roger Clemens' lying in front of Congress last February wasn't bad enough (and a perjury charge seems to be forthcoming), it was revealed in today's New York Daily News that The Carpetbagger had a 10-year affair with troubled country singer Mindy McCready.Yep, Roger was having an affair with this woman when she was just 15.Can you say, "statutory rape?" (I'm not sure of the state laws surrounding it, or whether there is a statute of limitations regarding it. They first met back in 1990.)Clemens met her while with the Red Sox in Florida, and claims he's never had any kind of sexual relationship with her. You know, the "we're just good friends" line.This should really damage his defamat...
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| Good For Carlos |
| 2008-04-28 10:06:00 |
The New York media this morning is making a huge big deal over the fact that Carlos Delgado hit two home runs in the Mets win over Atlanta yesterday and didn't acknowledge the fans and take a curtain call for each one.Count me in the group that applauds Delgado for not doing it.It's been a real struggle so far this season for the Mets first baseman, and he's been hearing the boo-birds big time at Shea Stadium. He had just one home run and a .186 average coming into yesterday's game, and heard the jeers during the players' introductions. But he went deep twice yesterday, and ignored the fans who wanted him to come out of the dugout both times. And the press here seems to think it was Delgado's way of giving the Mets fans The Middle Finger.But he explained it after the game, to the New York ...
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| Indignity |
| 2008-04-27 19:33:00 |
To paraphrase the great Harry Doyle (pictured): "What, just two goddamned hits?"That's what many Red Sox fans were saying after something happened today that many of us thought never could happen: The Tampa Bay Rays swept the Defending World Champion Boston Red Sox in a three-game series.Yes, I know the Rays are a better team this year, and are perhaps the best Tampa Bay team in their short history. But that doesn't make up for the lost weekend the Red Sox just suffered through. They scored just five runs in three games, and just one (yep, just one goddamned run) in the last two games. The Red Sox offense was simply MIA, especially today. (David Ortiz was out of the lineup for the second straight day, which leads me to believe there really is something wrong with the Big Man.)Josh Beckett ...
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| Hangin' With The Eck |
| 2008-04-27 19:25:00 |
Here is the picture that appeared in yesterday's edition of the Boston Globe of Yours Truly posing with my pal Chris Wertz and Hall of Fame pitcher Dennis Eckersley at the Players Club at Fenway Park on Thursday evening in celebration of the release of the documentary "Blessed: Still We Believe 2." The Eck was a really friendly guy who gladly posed for pictures, signed autographs and talked baseball with everyone....
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| Perfectly Dreadful |
| 2008-04-26 23:49:00 |
The Red Sox dropped their second straight game at Tampa on Saturday night, and the shame of it was that it was a fabulously pitched game by Clay Buchholz (pictured) that went to waste. They have now dropped four straight, as Sean Casey was put on the DL after injuring his hip on Friday night.Buch pitched his best game since the no-hitter last September, allowing just one hit until the eighth. He gave up a hit to Dioner Navarro with one out and the Sox holding a 1-0 lead. With two outs, Akinori Iwamura connected into the right field seats to make it 2-1 Tampa Bay lead. Buchholz got the last out and pitched a complete game loss. The bullpen was rested tonight, something it desperately needed.Iwamura better be careful when he steps into the batter's box tomorrow, as he needlessly did that st...
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| Dave Destroys Stuff |
| 2008-04-26 12:31:00 |
I've been a longtime fan of David Letterman, and especially his old time "Late Night With David Letterman" show that ran from 1982-1993 on NBC. (I must admit I'm not that big a fan of his current show, but I do check it out from time to time.) I loved all the wacky stuff he did and the oddball guests who would appear, like Andy Kaufman, Brother Theodore and Crispin Glover. And of course, nobody could top the immortal, late, great Larry "Bud" Melman. I was a nightly viewer, and it was always worth staying up to 1:30 AM to see what he would do.I've been checking out some old Letterman Late Night clips online, and I always thought one of the great recurring things he used to do was "destroying stuff." He did it with an hydrolic press, a steamroller, and my personal favorite, just throwing stu...
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| The Hallowed Ground of Fenway Park |
| 2008-04-25 12:04:00 |
It was a quite a memorable and historic day for me at Fenway Park on Thursday afternoon.The fact the Red Sox lost to LA didn't really put a damper on the day. I took Amtrak up to Boston, and as soon as I got off the train I ran into some difficulty (I'm never getting off at Back Bay again), and had to take a cab to the park. After hoofing it up Lansdowne Street, I hooked up with my friend Chris and some other people for the Fenway Park tour. I was incredibly excited as we immediately walked on the field at 11:55 AM and stood with some other folks on the warning track behind the batting cage as the Red Sox took batting practice. (I had to bend down and pick up a couple of rocks as souvenirs!) We saw David Ortiz hitting shots while Peter Gammons was chatting w...
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| Masterson Masterful, Bullpen Blows Up |
| 2008-04-25 11:29:00 |
It was a brilliant day at Fenway Park on Thursday afternoon, with brilliant blue skies and warm temperatures. (I'll have more on the day in the next post.) The Red Sox have been bothered by the flu, which has gone through the clubhouse. Terry Francona made a wise decision by holding Tim Wakefield back so he can start in Tampa on Friday night. Wake owns the Rays in the dome, so the Sox were forced to bring up another starter from the minors, namely rookie Justin Masterson.Masterson, who was drafted two years ago out of San Diego State, was mentioned prominently in Johan Santana trade talks this past winter, and is considered by some scouts to have a future in the majors as a number 3 starter. He's started this season at Portland in the Eastern League, and got the call for the finale against...
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