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    Tuesday, August 24, 2010

    On the Fence: Damon With a B


    By now you've heard about the possibility that Johnny Damon may be returning to the Bean for another stint with the Boston Red Sox. The Sox picked him up off of waivers and while Damon has a no trade clause in his contract (one that specifically designates the Boston Red Sox as a team he cannot be traded to) the two sides are trying to work out a deal.

    I am on the fence about these shenanigans.

    On one hand, this adds a new wrinkle to the 2010 Boston Red Sox. It gives us something else to make the final six weeks of a tough season even more interesting. It could make the team more competitive, like adding P.J. Brown to the '08 Boston Celtics roster. The only difference is the history of course with Mr. Damon.

    Would Johnny Damon help this Red Sox team make a push for the playoffs? I think he probably would. Could he be the puzzle piece to take Jacoby Ellsbury's spot in the lineup? Maybe. Does he still have enough juice in his legs to get around the bases and make some plays in the outfield? Yes, probably.

    So from that perspective, I think the move would be great.

    On the other hand, he is a BUM!! He blew off the Red Sox who seemingly gave him a decent contract and an opportunity to build something special only to go the hated New York Yankees. You don't move from one franchise to another in a heated rivalry like that. Go to the Tigers, FINE. Go to the Orioles, OK. Go to the Rays, I don't care. But to the Yankees? I don't f-ing think so.

    Johnny Damon is a traitor through and through. He is a guy that chased the money and the fame and where is he now for it? He's no better for it. Take him, in comparison to a guy like David Ortiz. Ortiz has been the darling of this city, playing for a salary that is, quite frankly beneath him. He has struggled and the media has ridden him, HARD, but he still wants to stay in Boston. He wants to finish his career here and show the fans of Boston that he still can win and do it in style. There have been bumps in the road, but none that have been insurmountable.

    Damon on the other hand, took the money and run, so to speak.

    Johnny Damon is no better then Roger Clemens in my book and he should stay where he belongs...OUT OF A RED SOX UNIFORM!!

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    at 9:18 AM 1 Comments

    Monday, August 23, 2010

    It's Not Over Until It's Ov...


    On Friday night I headed into the Big Apple to help celebrate a good friend of mine's 30th birthday. It was going to be a really special night with a whole lot of good friends, good drinks and great music. We were going to relax and enjoy each other's company and then something happened that ruined my night...

    My phone buzzed once, the score was Blue Jays 2 Red Sox 0. Bummer the Red Sox were losing, but it was only the second inning.

    My phone buzzed a second time...they were losing by 5. Deep breaths...deep breaths.

    My phone buzzed a third time...

    Then a fourth time...

    Until finally the agony was over and the Boston Red Sox had lost 16-2. I could barely see straight to read the numbers on my phone. 16-2 to the BLUE JAYS?!??!?!?

    I looked over at my friend, with a frown on my face and reported, "Time of death...10:30p Friday August 20th."

    He looked at me puzzled. I said, "the Red Sox just lost to the Blue Jays 16-2, I think it's a safe bet that the season is over."

    I know that since then the Red Sox have picked up two wins, but guess what, so have the Tampa Bay Rays. It's not looking pretty for this rag tag group of second stringers. They made a nice run, but they let too many opportunities slip through their hands while the Rays capitalized on every opportunity.

    I hope I am wrong, I truly do, but I just don't see a comeback in the future for this team. My how a week can change my mind...

    So, here's to you 2010 Boston Red Sox, you gave a valiant effort in the face of truly insurmountable adversity. You are to be celebrated and revered as a team that never gave up, but I for one think it's time to think about next year.

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    at 10:41 AM 3 Comments

    Thursday, August 19, 2010

    Jimmy Fund Telethon Happening NOW


    It's an annual tradition in Boston, when the Fenway Faithful come out in HUGE numbers to support the work that the Jimmy Fund does all year long. I'm talking about the WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Telethon.

    Each year celebrities, athletes and every day Bostonians come out to support an incredible cause and have a great day. The telethon is now live on WEEI and will continue throughout the day and into the evening during Red Sox coverage on NESN.

    The Wicked Pissa Dude family invites you to make a donation, of any size you can afford, to support the Jimmy Fund and the fine work they do. No amount is too small and every little bit helps. So if you only have a dollar or if you can skip that DD Coolata this afternoon for a good cause and can spare $5, please do what you can.

    Too many times cancer has hit the Wicked Pissa Dude family already and it is bound to strike again as it has so many others in the Baystate, around New England and throughout the world. The fight to cure cancer is a struggle, but one that is being met everyday by the amazing people at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. The more money that can be raised, the more research they can do and the fewer folks have to suffer due to this terrible disease.

    So, please, join us in supporting the Jimmy Fund Telethon today.

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    at 10:36 AM 0 Comments

    Wednesday, August 18, 2010

    5 Reasons for a Red Sox Comeback

    Time is stretching thin for the Boston Red Sox to make a real comeback of any sort in the final six weeks of the season, but being the optimistic nut job who didn't count the Celtics out at the end of the regular season this past year, I am weighing in as an ardent supporter of the Sox making a final run here in the last weeks.

    There are a number of things that make me believe that this is possible. Here are five of them.

    1.) Pedey is back. While one player a team does not make, Dustin Pedroia is the heart and soul of the Boston Red Sox and even though in his absence they still were respectably above 500, with him back in the lineup you just get a sense that there is more fight in them then you've seen since his injury.

    2.) Starting pitching is strong. Starting pitching on this team hasn't been on point all season, with injuries and some rocky outings from John Lackey and Dice-K, but the rotation seems to have gelled here in the last month or so and appears to be primed to make a run at it. Now if we could get the bullpen in order, we might be talking a ring.

    3.) The bullpen. Wait...what...you just said if we can get the bullpen in order we would be in better shape, now you're telling me they are going to help us get to October? Here is where my optimism comes in. First of all, I don't envision Jonathon Papelbon having any more implosions like he did in Toronto. I think he will steady the ship and he will be ready to go for a final run. The rest of the bullpen has been mediocre at best, but traditionally they pitch better when Pap is on his game. This is a shaky one, but I am erring on the side of positivity here.

    4.) The Rays will falter. You know the Tampa Bay Rays are going to stumble down the stretch, they have to. They have been teetering on the edge for a while now, salvaging wins here and there and getting some lucky breaks from the Red Sox. If the Red Sox can put a string of wins together the Rays luck is bound to run out.

    5.) Don't underestimate the power of the fans to power our local nine into the playoffs just so we can make some noise for the New York Yankees. There is something to be said about a team and it's fan base that can comeback from 0-3 down against their most hated rivals. I know, it was a different team, but it wasn't a different city. The fan support the Red Sox will see down the stretch should be unprecedented and when they feel it, it will lift them past the Rays and into the playoffs.

    You can choose to be negative, but I am looking on the bright side and betting that I'll be right just like I was with the Celtics!!

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    at 4:26 PM 0 Comments

    Tuesday, August 17, 2010

    Psyched for Football Season

    For most in the Boston area the start of the New England Patriots season came last Thursday night when the team faced off in their first pre-season game against the Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints (I like the way that sounds...well I don't know if I like it, but it's better then saying the Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts...isn't it?) but for us here in Southern Connecticut it has yet to sink in that football season is officially upon us. Thanks to WCVB-TV we don't get the first pre-season game on TV down here. (Sidebar: have you SEEN the Channel 5 website? Did they go back to 1999 and steal it from the old millennium? YIKES!!! Love you guys, but update that thing will you?)

    Ok, back to why I am excited about football season starting.

    It just really hit me while I was at lunch and listened to the weekly call-in from Coach Belichick on-demand on The Big Show (if you missed it listen here.) I love the interviews he does with The Big Show because he is typically more laid back and more easy going, he jokes with the guys and he gets a little more in depth about football then he normally does at a press conference.

    I know I may be being optimistic because the season hasn't started yet, but I love the tone that the pre-season has taken this year. I know Logan Mankins is holding out and they haven't gotten a deal done with Tom Brady, but the tone seems to be one of renewal and a new found ease about the team and the way they are doing things, at least that's what I heard in the coach's voice. He seems laid back, relaxed and ready to tackle another season.

    Of course, I didn't see the first pre-season game, but the highlights I have seen and what others who did see the game are writing it sounds like it was a success and the fact that the Patriots will have Wes Welker back in red, white and blue puts everyone at ease even more.

    What will the outcome of the season be? We'll surely make our predictions as we get closer. For right now, it's nice to have something to be optimistic about, God knows we can't be optimistic about baseball in October.

    -Adam

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    at 1:15 PM 0 Comments

    Wednesday, August 11, 2010

    Now We Must BELIEVE

    Remember back in 2004. Remember when the Boston Red Sox were one year removed from the home run that rocked the Nation by Aar...I am not even going to put his name on this blog. Remember when the Red Sox were down 3-0 to the dreaded New York Yankees? Remember when Boston fans came to game 4 of the ALCS with signs that read BELIEVE?

    Only Boston fans would have the guts to bring signs to the ballpark that read Believe. Even after all of the heartache. Even after all of the tears. Boston fans still truly did Believe in their beloved Boston Red Sox. We Believed in that band of idiots to pull off the unthinkable and they did. They pulled off the biggest comeback in professional sports history, amplified by the history between the two teams. And the rest is history...until...

    THIS YEAR.

    It's time once again Red Sox Nation to BELIEVE. Break out your rally caps. Grab a Boston.com sign that reads Believe and is shameless promotion for the website and start BELIEVING in this 2010 club.

    It's not enough to just simply think, oh maybe they have a shot at getting the wild card, you really have to BELIEVE it in your gut. You can't just wear a rally cap and hold a sign...it doesn't work that way. In 2004, all of Red Sox Nation truly believed there was something special about that team. There was something in them that wanted to break the curse and when millions of fans are that certain about it, so too are the players.

    You know the players can feel it from the stands. The belief that their fans have in them to pull off the unthinkable. Now We Must Believe.

    It will take some nicely timed losses by the Tampa Bay Rays for us to pull off a nifty little comeback here at the end of the season. It will take a couple of wins on a good night for the Red Sox to pull it off, but I truly BELIEVE that they can do it. I BELIEVE that when push comes to shove, the adversity this team has faced this season will give them the strength to power through and become a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs. The Boston Red Sox are the team that NO ONE wants to face in the playoffs because we have insane starting pitching and our bats can go off on any night (hopefully they will down the stretch.)

    So, are you with me? Do you BELIEVE in the 2010 Boston Red Sox?

    Now WE MUST BELIEVE!!

    - Adam

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    at 10:48 AM 0 Comments

    Wednesday, August 4, 2010

    The Boston Celtics Run on Diesel

    It's official Shaquille O'Neal is a member of the 2010-2011 Boston Celtics team.

    When I first heard rumors about this signing I didn't know how to feel. On one hand, I love Shaq I think he is GREAT for the game of basketball. He's a guy who loves to play the game, reaches across all demographics and is a great ambassador for the sport. On the other hand, rumors have flown that he was one of the causes of the demise of the Lakers teams he was a part of and he was also the demise more recently of the Cleveland Cavaliers team that the Celtics decimated in the playoffs last year.

    So...I was on the fence.

    Now I am securely over the fence and excited to see Shaq Diesel (or as I like to call him the ORIGINAL SUPERMAN) in a white and green uniform.

    From a basketball perspective it will be nice to have a big man who can score other than Kevin Garnett. It will be nice for Rajon Rondo to have someone to dish the ball to who can literally just throw it down. Imagine a front court of Kevin Garnett and Glen Davis with Shaquille O'Neal and Jermaine O'Neal coming off the bench...it will be magical.

    So, Miami, you can have your LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh pairings all day. I will take my rag tag bunch of aging superstars to the bank every time. I still love Ray Ray from downtown. Pierce off the dribble (although slightly less often then he used.) Garnett with the fade away J. Shaq with the power moves on the block. Jermaine O'Neal with...whatever Jermaine O'Neal does. Compliment that with the BEST point guard in the league and the best backup big man in the game (Glen Davis) and you've got a team that can compete.

    Don't get me wrong, the road to the finals will go through Miami and it will be a tough road, but powered by a little Diesel I like our chances...let's just hope Doc can keep the mega-star mentality under control.

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    at 4:44 PM 1 Comments