Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Turn out the lights...

It was a great party, but it's over.

Goodbye, Sawx.

After a thrilling sprint to Game 7 against the Rays, the string ran out, the tank was empty, the immovable object met the irresistible force, etc., etc., and the Sox bowed out of the 2008 ALCS.

As much as everything seemed lined up in their favor, with the historic Game 5 comeback, the metronome-like win in Game 6 (you know, steady, constant, with all the right people delivering), you knew that Game 7 would be a different animal. This wasn't an exhausted Yankees team under enormous pressure like in '04 or a shaky Indians team exposed by Sox batters in '07. These are the Rays, indefatigable, youthful, brash and convinced that they are on a path to a higher destiny.

In a lot of ways, this game reminded me of the ALCS Game 7 of '03, with the inexorable march towards a conclusion that everyone suspected but refused to acknowledge. The Sox had just too many loose ends on their thread this postseason: an exhausted ace (Lester), an injured stopper (Beckett), an inconsistent offense, a mortal superhero (Papi), and too many easy outs (Varitek, Kotsay, Lowrie, Cora, Ellsbury, etc.). They just ran out of camouflage and were exposed by the Rays.

So now it's the off-season... and big question time (for Theo Epstein, Larry Luchinno, John Henry, and the rest of the baseball ops folks):
- What is Varitek's future with the team? Do they re-sign him for multiple years, tender him a one-year deal with options, or cut him loose? My money's on the first, but at a serious discount. Anything more than $6-7M for a .240 hitter with limited power and lots of K's is too much, heart and catching prowess notwithstanding. We'll see what Scotty Boras has to say about that.
- The rotation -- do they need another arm? Lester has established himself as a stud, Beckett (when healthy), is a dominant ace, and Dice-K can be brilliant, but they need more. After watching the Rays trot out 4 quality starters, the Sox need another arm for the rotation. Is it Masterson? Bowden? Bucholz? Or a free agent (Jake Peavy, Ben Sheets, CC Sabathia, etc.)? This will be interesting, as the answer could very well determine the division leader before a game is played.
- Papi Protection - Youkilis established himself as a bona fide stud this season at the plate, but do the Sox need more than that to protect Ortiz and make him the Big Papi of '03-'07? Because clearly, the '08 Big Papi is not gonna help this team. I know his wrist was hurt and a big question mark, but the Rays (and Angels) went after him in a way I haven't seen, well, ever, and had no qualms about throwing him strikes. With names like Mark Texiera out there, don't be surprised if you start to hear rumors of the Sox interest.
- Will the kids keep coming? Ellsbury, Lowrie, Masterson, Delcarmen, Bowden, Bucholz... the list of players from the Sox system who made an impact this season is downright amazing, and that doesn't include Papelbon, Lester, Pedroia and Youkilis, all of whom are in serious consideration for postseason awards. Will the 2006-2008 class of kids continue to get better? Stop and think about this one: Every one of the names above (except Bowden) has experienced growing pains this season, from Ellsbury's slumps to Delcarmen's loss of control to Bucholz's meltdown... can they come back and be more consistent? If they do, the sky is the limit. Who would have imagined so much talent would be homegrown, especially after Lou Gorman stripped the farm system bare in the late '80s?

It should be an interesting off-season. We may be saying goodbye to Mike Timlin, Paul Byrd, Mark Kotsay, Sean Casey, and some others (Coco Crisp?), and saying hello to some interesting new ones...

Bring on the Hot Stove!

Go Sawx!

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Lost weekend...

If you are a Sawx or Pats fan, you know what I am about to post about...

Ugh.

All of the worst fears of these two teams were realized in a 72-hour span (give or take) and all of the flaws were exposed. The result? A collective 0-3 record for the Sawx and Pats and a dose of some serious reality.

Walk with me, people.

After watching Dice-K spin a gem (a flawed gem, yes, but still a gem) on Friday night, the Rays wasted little time in jumping all over Josh Beckett on Saturday night. When the smoke cleared after four innings, it was 5-3 Rays and Josh Beckett looked like a shadow of the playoff ace with the "guts of a burglar"... and things would only get worse, as the Sox squandered a brief 6-5 advantage and wound up losing in extra innings (sometime around 1 a.m. or so) when the Human Surrender Flag, aka Mike Timlin, gave up the winning run.

Cut to Sunday night: The Pats, coming off a solid win over the 49ers that showed off their chameleon-like quality to win with many different styles, were facing a desperate San Diego Chargers team who needed a win to have any shot at keeping pace with the Broncos in the AFC West. All signs pointed to a spirited contest that would feature two teams that genuinely dislike one another (here's one example)... except one of those teams forgot to show up.

Sorry to be harsh, but when you allow a bomb on the first play (and two more) and blow a gimme touchdown opportunity in the first 20 minutes, you ain't winning. The Pats have issues... the secondary is thin, the offensive line is struggling, and Matt Cassel looks like a guy who hasn't had meaningful snaps since his senior year in high school (oh wait... he HASN'T).

Now the Pats find themselves facing a Broncos team licking its own wounds with the perfect combination of offensive weapons to give the Pats fits: potent passing with long ball options and a running game capable of playing keep away. You think teams aren't learning how to mess with Cassel? Pay attention this week to how many times the Broncos blitz up the middle and you'll see how to beat the Pats.

And it's on to Monday... the less said, the better. Of all the pitchers on the Sox this playoffs, Jon Lester seemed like the one who would be this year's Superman. In the 2004 run, it was Schilling, bloody sock and all. In '07, Beckett. This year, after watching him own the Angels (14 IP, 0 ER, dominance and command), you had to figure that yesterday afternoon's Game 3 at Fenway was a sure Sox win. Umm... not so much.

Tony Massaroti on Boston.com nailed it -- the Sox, for whatever reason, have disregarded the scouting reports on B.J. Upton and Evan Longoria and have paid the price. Watching Upton and Longoria unload on two Lester fastballs was just unbelievable. If I had those swings, I would own the BWCS softball "B" division...

So now it's a must-win Game 4. Make no mistake: THEY HAVE TO WIN THE NEXT TWO GAMES. There's now way they can afford to lose any of the Fenway games, because they can't win two in Tampa. It's on Tim Wakefield to own the Rays (surprisingly, he has, using their aggressiveness against them) and the offense to score early and put the pressure on Tampa. If they don't, it's gonna be a long night.

It's on Wakefield, Ortiz, Varitek, Ellsbury, and the bottom of the batting order to either get out in front or wake up their bats. Otherwise, it's Rays in 6.

And then a long winter...

Go Sawx!

Thursday, October 9, 2008

ALCS -- Trip to the Trop to Tackle Tampa

Roll Sawx!

It's on to the ALCS after dispatching the Angels for the 3rd time in the last five seasons. Despite the whining of John Lackey that the Angels were the better team, they weren't; they played tight, made errors, couldn't get key hits when they needed them, and when the game - the series - was on the line in Game 4, called for a boneheaded suicide squeeze when a ground ball or fly ball would have plated the go-ahead run.

Look, don't get me wrong - Mike Scoscia is a great manager and they are a good team. But when you get to play 1/3 of your games against the weak AL West (Rangers, A's and Mariners) and you win 100 games, you're not as a good as you might think. Peter Gammons does a better job of articulating it here, but the result bore out what most people suspected: Regular season dominance is often a matter of perception rather than fact, as very few of the "best" teams end up winning the World Series.

So now the Sawx travel to Tampa for the best-of-7 ALCS, with all sorts of storylines brewing: David (Tampa) vs. Goliath (Boston), the kids vs. the vets, the worst-to-first Rays, the bad blood between the two teams, etc. Sufficed to say, it's a series that most people expect to be hard-fought and to go the distance.

One storyline that seems to be a little overlooked is how this season has demonstrated that, without a salary cap in baseball, it is possible to be a small-market team like Tampa and win a division. Lost in all the "Dollar Wars" between NY, Boston, LA, etc. is the tried-and-true baseball edict - if you draft good players, develop them right, mix in some savvy vets and get a little luck (not to mention a steady hand on the till in Joe Maddon), you can win and win big.

And, unlike most Sawx fans, I don't "hate" the Rays. How can you hate a team that plays hard, plays smart, and leaves it all out on the field? Sure, they brawled with Boston in June. Hard slides and high & tight fastballs will get teams ornery, and mid-season is usually around the time you see a few dust-ups. Yes, Johnny Gomes is a cheap-shot artist... frankly, the guy's a punk, but he plays hard and never quits. Much like guys 1-25 on the Sox roster. So how can you hate a team that looks and plays exactly like your team?

I, for one, am excited about this series. I think the two teams are fascinating to watch because they mirror each other in many ways - great starting pitching, great defense, speed on the bases - and yet have so many opposite traits. The Sox are a patient-hitting team that grinds starting pitchers, while Tampa is the definition of the "see ball, hit ball" team. Tampa has a bullpen that's got everything you could want - power arms, situational guys, savvy veterans - while the Sox bullpen remains a work in progress. And, lastly, the Sox can put up a lot of runs in a hurry, while Tampa can struggle for runs against good pitching teams.

Personally, I wouldn't be surprised to see them go the full seven games, each game a 4-3 or 3-1 battle. Each team has big questions... for the Sox: Is Josh Beckett healthy? Can Dice-K go six innings? Will the Sox bullpen fall apart? For the Rays: Can they stay patient against the Sox starters, each of whom pounds the strike zone? Can they score enough runs? Who will close out the game? Will Pena, Crawford and the other walking wounded be able to make it all seven?

Fascinating... starting tomorrow night, we might get our first glimpse of the next five years of the AL East. It used to be Sox/Yankees... now it could be Sox/Rays.

Either way, bring it.

Go Sawx!

Monday, September 29, 2008

A great loss - Paul Newman, 1925-2008

I was away this weekend at a Notre Dame football game, so forgive the tardiness of this post...

This blog is supposed to be for all things Boston (and sports-related), but I'd be remiss in not posting about the passing of one of the greatest American movie stars of the 20th century, and - arguably - the greatest actor of his (or any other) generation. I'm talking, of course, about the great Paul Newman, who died over the weekend at 83 years old.

I can remember my parents watching both "Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid" and "The Sting" with me at an early age and the way they reacted to Newman and Robert Redford in the title roles of these two films. It was the first lesson in a lifetime of understanding the true, transformative power of performance... in Newman's hands, the seemingly most stock roles (outlaw cowboy, con man, pool hustler, race car driver, etc.) became so much more layered and complex, so much more REAL, than they may have appeared.

As a kid who would grow up to be a part-time actor, it was an inspiration to watch an actor appear to shed the trappings of technique and artifice and just BE a character. As I grew older and discovered more of Newman's work - "The Hustler," "The Color of Money," "Cool Hand Luke," "Nobody's Fool," and many more - my appreciation for his work grew. I began to understand that the term "screen idol" is not one that is based on glamour or "heat," but on the performance. Today's "great actors" seem to be so focused on blowing us away with all their technique - facial tics, weight gain, etc. - and miss the very essence of acting: becoming the character. Newman understood that and never forgot it.

My most favorite performances of his were "Nobody's Fool," "Road to Perdition," and "The Color of Money." In those films, all wildly different in their story and style, you could see portraits of men who, for a variety of reasons - unfaithfulness, a criminal past, lifetime of loss - all come to realize the weight and price of their mistakes, and must reckon with the cost of those mistakes, with wildly different outcomes. The regret and sadness, never overplayed, always subtle, plays around and sometimes in the frames of Newman's portrayal, but is never the focus of the scene.

I could write more about his style, his charity work (over $200 million raised by his Newman's Own food products), his humility, and more, but to make such a fuss would miss the very basic essence of the man.

I'll simply say this: Watch his films, observe the ease in which he inhabits and becomes his characters, and marvel at how simple it all seems. Then realize what you're watching is the goal of every actor - to become the character. And realize that, with his passing, a great actor and good man has left us, leaving behind a lifetime of work that is a master class on how to become a legend.

Some clips:
"Road to Perdition" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IK7hBG4xQhQ
"Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQfyOr3e-34
"The Hustler" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF1Jjyvec2E

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Ticket punched!

Playoffs!

The Sawx are into the postseason, and did so in fairly dramatic fashion, taking down the presumptive AL Cy Young Award favorite, Cliff Lee, and using the oft-maligned bullpen to wiggle out of some tough jams late in the game. They had big hits and solid starting pitching as well in taking down the Indians 5-4 and clinching a spot in the 2008 playoffs.

So now we wait to see what the Angels decide to do for the playoffs, since they have the prerogative when it comes to selecting when their series with the Sox would start. I know there is still a chance the Sox can win the AL East (they are 3 games back), but after watching Tampa sweep the Orioles in a doubleheader last night (the first EVER doubleheader sweep in Rays history), it's pretty much a foregone conclusion that the Rays will take the AL East Division title.

If the Angels decide to start the series on Wednesday, the Sox will need just Beckett, Lester and Dice-K for their starters, as the games go Wed/Fri/Sun/Mon/Wed. Should the Angels decide to start on Thursday, the Sox will need a 4th starter, either Wakefield or Byrd (Colon is out after pulling a Rolando Arroyo and disappearing into the Dominican for a BBQ), which means Tito Francona will have a decision to make. My money's on Byrd, given that he's been sharper of late and the knuckleball is too unpredictable in the Fall, esp. at Fenway.

Regardless, "Mission Soxtober" is accomplished, and we can look forward to postseason baseball and some late nights in our immediate future.

Go Sawx, and congrats on a hard-won playoff spot.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Tough Tampa Trek Torpedoes Title?


Uh-oh...

Some numbers:
- 1 out of 3
- 1 out of 9
- 8 out of 18

And the scariest one - 2.

What do they mean? The Sox went down to Tampa this week looking to claim first place in the AL East and strike fear into the hearts of the Rays. Instead, they dropped two of the three games and leave 2 games back in the division with 10 to play.

This is the second week in a row the Sox had a chance to take over the division, only to lose 2 out of 3 to the Rays.

The Sox have now dropped 8 of the 9 games they have played this season at Tropicana Field (aka, the Trop). More on that later...

Additionally, the Sox have lost the season series to the Rays 10-8. This is the maybe the most dangerous stat.

Those last two don't bode well for the division title and the postseason.

I think we can all feel secure that, barring an HISTORIC collapse, the Sox will be playing October baseball. At the very least, they have the AL Wild Card well in hand, thanks to a 7-game lead in the Wild Card standings.

However, should the Sox finish with only the Wild Card, they will be the No. 4 seed in the playoffs and will open on the road against the Los Angeles/Anaheim/Orange County Angels. Yes, those same Angels who posted a 6-1 record against the Sox and appear to be much stronger this year than past incarnations. This year's Angels may be the deepest team they have had since that 2002 world champion team. The Angels have all the ingredients that the Sox struggle with: Big game pitcher (Lackey), deep rotation, solid bullpen, deep lineup, speed and solid defense.

As for the losing record at the Trop and in the season series, this is where it could get dicey. For whatever reason, the Sox have not been a good road team; the usual formula is win 2/3 of your home games, and go .500 on the road. The Sox, however, are under .500 on the road (dominant at home, tho), which -- as the No. 4 Wild Card seed -- could be problematic. Say the Sox make it past the Angels (on the road); their reward would be a 7-game set with the Rays in second round (since they will torpedo the AL Central winner) where the Rays would have home-field advantage. Given the 1-8 record at the Trop, that -- again -- doesn't bode well for the Sox.

Having said that, tho, there is one other troubling number: 2.
- 2 key guys are hurting, and there's no telling when (or if) they'll be good enough to help. Mike Lowell's hip is a mess, and he can barely run or field. The Sox need his bat AND glove, because Lowell at 3rd puts Youk at 1B and gives the Sox an above-average fielder at ALL the infield positions. And there's the J.D. Drew saga... say what you want about him, but his mere presence in the line-up makes the Sox so much more dangerous. He lengthens the line-up, gives Papi/Youk/Lowell/Bay protection, and plays great defense and lets Ellsbury relax and play CF. They need him, and heh as to come back.
- 2 spots in the pitching staff are up for grabs. With Beckett/Lester/Dice-K, the Sox have maybe the best 1/2/3 in the AL right now, with each guy capable of dominating. However, they need a No. 4 starter, and right now the candidates are Wakefield, Byrd and Colon... and all three have questions. Most likely, they won't have to worry about a No. 5 starter, but they will need a long guy out of the bullpen, and they have those three guys competing for those 2 spots.
- 2 games out. Like I said, the Sox winning the AL East is the best possible outcome over the next two weeks. Win the East, and they have home-field advantage for the 1st round and maybe the 2nd round if the Angels get knocked out. So logic would dictate that if the Sox win just two more games than the Rays in the next two weeks, they will win the division. Not so fast, tho; the Sox lost both key tiebreakers by dropping this series (head to head record and divisional record). So in reality, the Sox need to win THREE more games than the Rays to take the AL East title outright. Not impossible, mind you; the Sox have all 7 of their remaining 10 games at home (against the Indians & Yankees), while Tampa will have 8 of 12 on the road. It COULD happen.

I'm not scared. Why should I be? The Sox have won two world championships in the last four years, all while completely making over the entire roster. It's just that playing all those games last season to win the World Series (162 regular season plus 14 more in the post-season) may be catching up to this team through fatigue, injuries and an unexpected rival who just won't go away in the Rays.

Either way, I'm ready for the postseason.

I just wouldn't be a Sawx fan if I didn't feel a little nervous about all of the above.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Our accents... (sigh)

I know this won't be a popular post, but it drives me nuts when I go somewhere like Fenway or out in Boston and I hear "F-in ree-taaahd!" from some knucklehead.

Look, I get it -- Bostonians have an accent and are provincial, and part of the fun for tourists to visit "Baw-Stahn" is to hear our accent, memorialized in "The Departed" and "Good Will Hunting" and "Gone Baby Gone." Go anywhere in America and you will find similar (simi-lah?) examples of local accents from "REAL (fill in the blank)-ians"...

But it's like nails on chalkboard everytime I hear some ciggy-butt smoking six-toothed moron talking about how they "gawt wrecked at the bah and told that kid he was reetahded."

Sure it's charming and funny. But after 10 innings of listening to the alligator-skinned, summer-teeth having, perma-tan woman behind me at the Sox game the other night... let's just say I think everyone's IQ dropped a full point listening to her.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Big Weekend!


If it's mid-September, then it must be time for a pennant race here in Boston. This year, as it has been for the last 10, is no different -- give or take a few off years (I'm looking at you, 00-02), as the Sox get ready to take on the Birds of Blue from Toronto.

Or, as the inimitable Joe Castiglione calls 'em on the Sox radio play-by-play, the "Torontonians."

The Blue Jays are in town for 4 games in 3 days, and are the hottest team in baseball, winning 11 of their last 12. They are also 6.5 back in the wild card race, trailing your hometown Red Sox. Am I worried?

A little...

Not about the Blue Jays, mind you. The Sox are gonna be in the playoffs. Have no fear.

What worries me is:
A) During Wednesday night's 14-inning affair, the Sox showed a remarkable ability to NOT get a big hit. I was at the game with the lovely Mrs. Wikked Hahd and, as much as I enjoyed watching Beckett snap off his curveball and frustrate the Rays, it was a little worrisome that the Sox had about 5-6 chance to win the game and couldn't come thru.
B) Big Papi... he looks, umm, a little frustrated that he doesn't have his usual protection. Look, I love Youkilis as much as the next guy and think the guy is having an unbvelievable year, but -- gulp -- he's no Manny, and opposing pitchers know this. And Papi is feeling that loss of protection, as evidenced by the rash of pop-ups he's been hitting lately. I'm hoping it's just a little mid-September slump, but it's a little concerning to see Papi like this. After one of his at-bats, he nearly broke his bat on his thigh -- a sign of frustration I'm not sure we've seen since early May when he was hitting .190.
C) Mike Timlin. Love his competitiveness, he's a great leader and a real gamer. But he's done. Check out this blog... 'Nuff said.
D) Jacoby Ellsbury... he's fast, his defense is awesome (his catch Wednesday night was even more impressive in person) and he is a star in the making, but he HAS got to start getting on base consistently to take the pressure off the rest of the lineup. Paired with Pedroia at the top of the order, they make the Red Sox engine go, and he needs to kick in gear.


Anyway -- I'm still excited for the September pennant race and the postseason (I got my official RedSox.com postseason ticket lottery email yesterday), but would love to see some of these issues ironed out before we start spending quality time with Joe Buck and Tim McCarver on a nightly basis.


Go Sawx!

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

New format, new header, new... everything.


So it's been a while since I've posted, well, anything. As such, it's time to shake it up.

From now on, I promise to be more diligent in posting and commenting (commentating?) on what ever is happening.

Starting today...

Tom Brady's gone. There; I said it. Deal with it.

It sucks... and now we, as fans, have a choice. Piss, moan and complain all season about "What could have been?!?!" or buckle down and start supporting the Pats. Because you can bet your ass the first thing Belichick told his players -- and the first thing the captains of this year's squad backed up -- was "He's gone. Suck it up and play your game, and we'll play our game, and we'll be in Tampa in February."

And that probably happened around 8 a.m. yesterday morning (Monday).

So what if Matt Cassell hasn't started a game since high school? So what if this makes an undefeated season a virtual impossibility? So what if Brady won't be able to become the first multi-MVP winner since Favre in the '90s. The Jets plan on showing up next Sunday at the Meadowlands, and I know Belichick and the Pats will be there as well. And I expect a hard-fought game that will come down to the 4th quarter and the final few possessions.

And I expect all of us fans to be right there for the Pats. I know I will.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

A Post! A Post!

Don't have time for much posting these days, but i did want to post on a few topics:

- SAWX! SAWX -- Wow... this team has been around the world, lost it's No. 1 & No. 3 starters, lost its All-Star thirdbasemen, endured a major slump by arguably its best hitter, has endured weeks of Ellsbury/Coco talk, and now has a team-wide case of the sniffles, yet sits in FIRST PLACE in the AL East. Dice-K's undefeated, the kids have been a revelation, and the bullpen has been patched together yet remains mostly effective. Paps hits 100 MPH the other night? Holy Schnikies, Incrediboy!

- Celts Quest for 17 -- C'mon Atlanta... you didn't REALLY think you had a chance, did you?!?! Bob Ryan absolutely nailed it in this morning's Globe (no surprise) about what makes this team so formidable. Instead wiping you out, they just keep coming at you with stifling D and timely buckets (not to mention some WIKKED intensity) . My favorite part has to be the following, perfectly captured by The Sports Guy's column on the NBA MVP from last week, talking about Garnett's influence on the Celts in 2007-08: "Every time an opponent kept going for a shot after a whistle, KG defiantly blocked the shot just out of principle. Eventually, everyone started doing it. No shots after the whistle against the Celtics. That was the rule. It was a series of little things, baby steps if you will, but they added up to something much bigger." Finally, I can be excited about the Celts in April again, and not because they have a lottery pick.

- Matt Walsh -- Please... give it a rest. I know many people have been saying it, but it bears repeating: If this REALLY had something, don't you think he would have come forward a long time ago, if for no other reason than he would have made millions? A lot of people have grown sick of the Pats' dominance and are looking for reasons why they are consistently better than the rest of the league (I'm talking to you, Arlen Specter), and many of them would be more than happy to pony up some dough to see Belichick and the Pats hoisted on their own petard. Best part about this has to be the statement issued on the news by the Pats... "It is important to note that there has never been a confidentiality agreement restricting Matt Walsh and no legal protections were ever necessary for him to speak to the NFL... He demanded to be released from responsibility for his statements, and after a frustrating and lengthy negotiation period, a settlement has finally been reached. Walsh has been granted a significant number of privileges... none of which the Patriots or the NFL were obligated to give." Does this sound like a team with something to hide? I don't think so either.

- Finally -- R.I.P. Don Gillis. A true Boston sportscasting legend, he originated the nightly TV sports anchor post in Boston on Channel 5 and is one of the few ever to do play-by-play for all four major sports franchises in Boston. He was also the voice of Candlepin Bowling for years in the Boston area. The Globe has a nice tribute to Gillis here. Here's a link to Gillis in a tribute to the 1967 Impossible Dream Sox: http://youtube.com/watch?v=G1qlOjIVBuY. Godspeed, Mr. Gillis... here's hoping you always pick up that 7-10 split in God's Bowling Alley.

Friday, April 11, 2008

Real? Or fake?

You be the judge... pretty cool, nonetheless...

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Jeopardy!

This clip kills me...



Former "Cheers" writer Ken Levine posted this clip on his blog "...By Ken Levine" and it just started jogging my memory of favorite "Jeopardy!" clips. I love the establishing shot of Boston in the open, and the categories for Cliffy are perfect, from "Civil Servants" to "Bar Trivia" and "Celibacy"... and the denouement -- Cliff's now famous "Who are three people who have never been in my kitchen?" -- is just priceless.

While we're at it, here's a compilation of some of the best SNL "Jeopardy" skits featuring Will Ferrell's smarmy Trebeck and Darrell Hammond's over-the-top Sean Connery. Good stuff...

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Lords of the Bling-Ring

The Sawx got their rings today... and it was every bit the celebration that you would expect, altho definitely a different event than the memorable 2004 ring ceremony.

For one, the Yankees were the opposing team for that memorable April afternoon in 2005, which was delicious for all sorts of reasons and probably was a tough one for Joe Torre and his boys to swallow, having lost that 3-0 lead in the 2004 ALCS. It was fun, tho, to hear the reaction that Mariano Rivera got that day, and the smile he had on his face in reaction. This year's opponents, the Detroit Tigers (the team of my youth), just don't elicit the same feelings.

Two, the roster of ex-Red Sox players that came back for their rings in 2004 was much bigger than this years', what with Derek Lowe and Dave Roberts (among others), making the trip back and getting ovations. Today, it was just Royce Clayton (who?) and Doug Mirabelli, as star-crossed a Sox player as we've had in a long time. Mirabelli, who was cut just a few weeks ago in spring training, clearly was still smarting from his dismissal, as he grabbed his ring and headed for the door before they had even finished announcing his name.


So now the 2008 season can "officially" begin. No more trips around the world, no more lengthy introductions as the visiting team in someone else's house, and time for some home-cooking. The Sox, who sit at 3-4 after the first week of the season, clearly are having a tough month, but it's good to have them home.


Good luck boys...

Thursday, April 3, 2008

SOX WIN! SOX WIN! SOX... whine?

Item (from today's Globe sports section): "I've been fighting a lot of [expletive], man," said Ortiz, whose recuperation from knee surgery has not been abetted by the frequent-flier miles. "Thank God it's early in the season; I can put myself together. But it's hard, man.

"Let me break this down for you. We were in Fort Myers, then we went to the other side of the planet. We came back to LA in one place [Dodger Stadium], then went to another place in LA [the Coliseum], and now we're leaving the country again. You tell me, what do you think?"

And yet the Sox are off to a better start than in either of their last two World Series-winning years, when they split their first four games in both 2004 and '07.

"I guess we're good," Ortiz said when reminded of that fact.

I guess this settles the debate of whether or not the Sox players were in favor of the Japanese adventure that started their defense of last year's Series win. Ortiz, who probably commands as much respect inside -- and outside -- the Sox clubhouse as any player, clearly was not a fan of MLB's desire to "taske this show on the road," as it were. But just in case you think it's just Big Papi being Big Disgruntled-i (wow, that didn't work), take heed of Curt Schilling's post on http://www.38pitches.com/ on the Japan trip.

Highlights include (full post is at http://38pitches.com/2008/03/20/last-boring-uneventful-day-of-camp%e2%80%a6):
- "Late last year we had confirmation of MLB’s desire for the Red Sox to open the 2008 baseball season in Japan... I know the players gave this a lukewarm reception at best, which deteriorated the deeper the discussion got."
- "I don’t believe MLB thought the players would have any objections and would be looking forward to the trip. To the contrary, on the initial call we actually told MLB we pretty much decided on not wanting to do this, and that as a club we’d voted not to go."

So was the trip overseas worth it? I guess it depends on your perspective... if you are MLB, then yes: Based on the interest level (nationally & internationally), now you have even more impetus to seriously consider adding some form of a Japanese team(s) or league to MLB. If you are teh Sox ownership: Yes, yes, yes. For financial reason principally, but also for the stability and longevity of the Red Sox brand and general goodwill.

However, if you're a player... hmmm. Remember when the Yankees did this a few years ago? Well, they had a horrible April and spent the first part of the season playing catch-up. For the Sox, the jury's still out.

But you have to wonder if there is any lingering acrimony between the players and the management, esp. give the brouhaha that preceded the trip concerning the Sox staff and compensation, not to mention the obvious reluctance to participate voiced publicly by Schilling and Ortiz and, surely, by many more privately.

And the fans? We'll see... Having the Sox defense of the Series begin thousands of miles (and 13 hours ahead) of the usual time probably wasn't all that damaging to the fan base. I for one, though, am wondering if it will all be so copascetic when all of a sudden Papi or someone else has to go on the DL because the time spent in an airplane flying to or back from Japan caused some kind of damage to their recuperation from injury or, like JD Drew and Sean Casey, aggravated a twinge (back and neck, respectively).

The worst-kept secret in baseball is that the Sox aren't as deep as they have been. Only time will tell if this will come back to bite them.

And then you might hear something from the fans... stay tuned.

In the meantime, enjoy this NSFW 2008 Sox preview from fellow Braintree High alum and noted Bostonian Paul "Fitzy" Fitzgerald...



More of "Fitzy" at http://www.townienews.com.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

"American Idol" and... Dolly Parton?

(EDITOR'S NOTE: A certain part of me is more than a little bemused that I am blogging on "THE PHENOMENON THAT IS AMERICAN IDOL!" seeing as how I find the whole enterprise a remarkably unauthentic way of uncovering musical talent... but, nevertheless, on with the show!)

Last night's "American Idol" was a textbook illustration of where (and who) most of today's pop music had its origins, especially in the wake of yesterday's news that the New Kids are getting back together (more on that later). This week's "Idol" used the song catalogue of Dolly Parton, which seems like a strange choice.

I'm well aware that Dolly Parton is about as iconic a singer and songwriter as there is, with a catalog that stretches back to early roots of rock-a-billy and still influences pop music today. But if you were to ask the average "Idol" viewer who Dolly Parton is, most would say "that lady who has a theme park and freakishly large boobs" (there -- I said it... call the PC police and arrest me for using the word "boobs") and not "iconic singer/songwriter." That's just the way it is...

I, for one, greatly enjoyed last night's show, but not because of the performances; some were OK, a few were good, but the majority of the singers seemed to be either a) cowed by Dolly's presence and songwriting chops, or b) hopelessly outclassed by better material than their middling talents could master.

No, I enjoyed because I got to see and hear just how influential Dolly has been and continues to be on today's music scene (the emotions and harmonies of songs like "Jolene," "Here You Come Again," the "Smoky Mountain" song, and, of course, "I Will Always Love You" are the progenitors of 75% of the pop music on the radio today). Crikee! Having Dolly follow Lennon/McCartney week was like a master class in songwriting. Say what you want about her appearance or whatever, but the Woman can sing and write with the best of them.

The other reason I enjoyed last night's "Idol" was because it seemed like the judges -- Randy, Paula & Simon, or as I like to call them Dawg, Crazy Paula & Scrooge -- truly had no idea what to make of any of the songs or performances. Simon, for one, seemed like he was against choosing Dolly's catalogue for last night's episode from the start, basically torpedoing every performance on the basis that the songs just didn't fit them. And yes, the man is harsh and cruel -- he told Carly that she needs to have "a serious talk with whoever is dressing you" -- but he says what we are thinking, just in a very blunt fashion. I love the guy and would take his critiques more seriously than either Randy or Paula's.

So... interesting night of TV. My prediction: If 17-year-old David doesn't win, it could be the Australian guy (Michael), who's coming on. I can't wait for the chaff like Kristy and Rumeal Robinson to get dumped so the contest can really start.

As for the New Kids, well... maybe the New Kids on the Block/NKOTB/whatever have something to offer the world of music. I know one thing: As a Bostonian and child of the '80s, I'll be watching to see if this is a triumph or a disaster... which is probably why it's worth it to them to get the band back together.

In the meantime, here's some of their best work. Good luck, Kids. You're gonna need it...

"Step By Step"


"Please Don't Go Girl"


"You Got It (The Right Stuff)"
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vmz8ygxruoc&feature=related

Monday, March 31, 2008

All four No. 1's in the Final Four -- I AM SMART! S-M-R-T... I mean S-M-A-R-T!

Yours truly made a bold and brilliant gambit -- I picked all four No. 1 seeds in this year's NCAA tourney to reach the Final Four. Lo and behold, it came to be! I am a genius and proficient prognosticator!

Well, not really... first off, I did my picks about an hour before the end of the day and then flew off to San Jose and San Francisco for some client work. So, zero thought process on my picks. Secondly, all I really did was look at each game and, 99 percent of the time, pick the higher-seeded team. Lastly, that's not exactly an original strategy; most casual fans of the NCAA tourney use the same "methodology" to make their picks as well.

So why should you care? Well, for starters, this is the first time ever (EVAH) that the Final Four features all No. 1 seeds advancing to the dance. Also, for those of you aware that on May 10 I have an event of important import, I have a chance at winning my share of a $500+ pot in an NCAA pool at work. So if you want shrimp cocktail at my nuptials, you'll be pulling for a UNC/UCLA final.

Otherwise, it's Chex Snack Mix for all...

Thursday, March 27, 2008

They come in threes

News items (courtesy of IMDB.com):
- 3/18 -- Director Anthony Minghella Dies at 54: Director Anthony Minghella, who won an Academy Award for directing the 1996 epic The English Patient, has died at age 54, his agent announced today. Variety reports that a spokesman for Mr. Minghella said he suffered a brain hemorrhage on Tuesday morning at Charing Cross Hospital in London, while in for a routine neck operation.
- 3/19 -- Oscar Winner Paul Scofield Dead at 86: British actor Paul Scofield, who won an Oscar for his performance as Sir Thomas More in the 1966 film A Man for All Seasons died of leukemia on Wednesday at the age of 86.
- 3/24 -- Actor Richard Widmark Dies: Hollywood actor Richard Widmark has died at the age of 93. The Minnesota-born star enjoyed a career spanning more than four decades, during which he made over 70 films.

And so the morbid and often-quoted maxim of celebrity death -- "The come in threes" -- proves out once again (yes, this is a ghoulish entry)...

What's interesting about these three deaths, tho, is the symetry of careers and profile of all three of these gentlemen. Minghella, who (as noted above) is probably best known for his epic adaptation of Michael Ondaajte's "The English Patient," was a singular auteur and film visionary who, because he was not as prolific as some of his contemporaries, was probably overlooked on most people's list of great writers and directors. But I challenge you to find me someone who take books as esotreric and literary as "The English Patient," "The Talented Mr. Ripley," and "Cold Mountain" and make them into films that are a feast for the eyes and compelling films to boot.

And if you really want to be wowed by a director's vision, track down a DVD of his production of Minghella's mounting of "Madama Butterfly" in 2006 at the Met in NY (here's the New Yorker's review from October of '06 -- http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2006/10/09/061009crmu_music).

Paul Scofield, a contemporary of the mid-20th century English master actors like Laurence Olivier, John Gielgud, Alec Guinness, and Ralph Richardson, is the answer to a trivia question (along with seven other actors): Who has won an Oscar and a Tony Award for performing performing the same role on film and stage? Scofield took the honors for his portrayal of Sir Thomas More in "A Man For All Seasons."

Although not as well-known as his contemporaries, Scofield was a giant of the London stage, and was called by many the finest actor of his generation, yet stayed out of the spotlight. The playwright Arthur Miller (The Crucible, All My Sons, Death of a Salesman) considered him to be the finest English-speaking actor. To most people, he's probably best known for playing the patrician father of Ralph Fiennes' character in "Quiz Show" or the ghost of Hamlet's dead father in Mel Gibson's version of "Hamlet"... Had Scofield been more self-aggrandizing (like Olivier or Gielgud, for example), he would probably have been a giant of the American film scene as well. The Boston Globe's Mark Feeney wrote a great appreciation of Scofield's career here -- http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/articles/2008/03/21/a_man_for_all_seasons_was_an_actor_for_all_roles.

Lastly, Richard Widmark was a virtually unknown radio actor when he made his explosive debut in "Kiss of Death" as, well, a lunatic (see the original 1947 version and not the late '90s remake with David Caruso and Nicholas Cage). Widmark would go on to star in some 40-odd other movies, including westerns, noirs, and historical dramas (his prosecuting attorney in "Judgement at Nuremberg" saw him go toe-to-toe with Spencer Tracy and Burt Lancaster), and became a reliable presence for both tough-guy and hero roles.

Funnily enough, Widmark, who was nominated for a supporting Oscar his role in "Kiss of Death" but lost to Edmund Gwenn (who won for his portrayal of Santa Claus in "Miracle on 34th Street"), was also Sandy Koufax's father-in-law. The AP wrote an appreciation of his life and career here -- http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080327/ap_en_ce/obit_widmark_12.

RIP gentlemen... your talents and contributions will be missed, but will live forever in our memories and DVD players.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

This is the kind of client story I like...

Sox Win! Sox Win!

The Sox (or "Sawx" if you're from around here) won this morning's season-opening tilt versus the mighty Oakland A's, thanks to a bomb from Brandon Moss in the ninth and a pair of run-scoring doubles by Manny "Bad Man" Ramirez.

I'm sure that the next 24 hours will see lots of wailing and gnashing of teeth about Dice-K and his so-so performance in the opener (5 IP, 3 R, 5 BB, 6 K, 1 HBP, Ten Zillion pitches) and how "We" overpaid for him and maybe he's just not "that good."

Umm... maybe he's human? Hello? He's pitching in Japan where he was born and raised and made his reputation, in front of thousands of screaming rabid fans, and where he is -- for lack of a better term -- a true ICON and baseball deity. How many of us have the intestinal fortitude, aka STONES, to be able to focus and be cool, calm and collected in that atmosphere with all that pressure?

Say what you want about Dice-K (and, judging from the nitwits who call into WEEI every day, you will), but the guy takes he ball every time and never gives up. Sure, I'd love to see him show that dominating streak he flashed in Japan and in the World Baseball Classic, but the guy won 15 games last season and was a key member of a World Series-winning pitching staff -- WHILE PITCHING IN A COMPLETELY FOREIGN COUNTRY AND LEARNING A WHOLE NEW CULTURE.

I think that if the situation were reversed and we sent Josh Beckett to Japan for a season with the expectations of an entire nation(s) on his back, he'd probably submit a similar resume for his first season as Dice-K. Don't get me wrong -- I love Josh Beckett and believe that his breakthrough last season was the beginning of a dominating career, one that I am excited and privileged enough to be able to see for the next few years.

But let's not forget that in his first year in Boston -- in the country of his birth, speaking the same language and watching the same TV and eating the same food -- he posted a worse overall season than Dice-K.

So lay off Matsuzaka. At best, he shakes off this morning's game and goes on to win 20 to become Randy Johnson to Beckett's Schilling... at worst, he's Ron Darling to Beckett's Doc Gooden.

Either way, the guy's good and is gonna win some games, and maybe even help the Sawx win another ring. I for one will keep watching, and keep cheering for Matsuzaka-san.

Monday, March 24, 2008

Deliquent, although not juvenile

Apologies, friends, for not posting for a few days... life, as it often does, interfered with my blogging schedule (such as it is). I'm back now, and ready for action.

So the NCAA tourney has commenced, and I find myself non-plussed by the whole affair, to be honest... as a teenager and a college student, there was no bigger fan of college hoops around. I could tell you not only the names of the starting five of the "almost" undefeated Runnin' Rebels of 1991 but also the name of the booster with the Hot Tub that got them in trouble (Richard Perry) with the NCAA.

As time went on tho, and I moved further from the college scene, I guess college hoops lost some of its luster. Keeping track of 300+ teams and a myriad of players, plus the eventual overexposure of personalities like Dick Vitale, Billy Packer, Digger Phelps, etc... eventually I guess I just found something more worthwhile to occupy my time.

I used to still be able to get interested come tourney time, buying into the "There's no other sports experience like it!"-hype, but even that has waned in recent years. Maybe it's seeing how really mercenary the players have become, or how hard it is to watch the lack of fundamentals (I am old school).

Getting old is an interesting process... sometimes I feel like I am still the same as I was 5, 10 years ago. Other times, like this NCAA thing for example, I feel like I am steadily moving further and further away from my younger days towards middle age. It's like that in politics, too; I used to think that the more liberal, the better. Multiculturalism? YEAH! Political Correctness? YEAH! Apathy or antipathy towards the government and it's role in our daily lives? YEAH!

Now, tho, I feel increasingly like the answer to those questions is "umm... no." And I think it's because I'm starting to realize as I get older that our place in the world and the future that is being shaped by a world that, frankly, doesn't really want much to do with us or, worse, would like to see us go away -- permanently.

So yes, my night table reading is less Sports Illustrated and Entertainment Weekly these days and more non-fiction geopolitical discussions and dog-eared copies of Newsweek. I, for one, think that's a good thing.

Just wish sometimes that more people felt the same...

Friday, March 14, 2008

How much is too much?

So it's the end of the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics, and it's pretty clear that not all the atheletes are on baord with the Games (sorry -- I am trapped in an allegorical loop of mythic proportions).

Basically, it comes down to this: How much is too much when it comes to sharing in the world of social media? When does the line between opinion and vitriol get crossed? What is the line where you stop telling people about yourself?

For example, I know that tonight I'll be going to meet up with some friends for Ethopian food in Boston. But in telling the blog-o-sphere that, am I sharing too much? I don't know.

I guess it comes down to how you communicate it. Last weekend, I traveled to Hurley, NY (tip: you can't get there from here) to attend the 85th birthday of my fiancee's great aunt. It was a fun affair, complete with a family band (there's really no other way to describe it) led by the great aunt's son. At my table was a nephew who is a general and thoracic surgeon; nice guy, dry sense of humor, and it was great to meet him. But while we were sitting there chatting, he mentioned that he and his family had their dog fixed.

Except... well, he had a more interesting term. He said "Our dog had her uterus out," to which most of the nine other folks at the table were a little taken aback by. Being a surgeon, he probably thought nothing of it, but for those of us not in the field, it seemed a bit, well, strange.

So when it comes to how much is too much, it really comes down to this: Would you say you had your dog fixed or that you had its uterus removed? I would say fixed, but only because I'm pretty sure 99% of my audience would be made umcomfortable by me saying the other option. But what would you do? When is "full disclosure" full, and when is it just disclosure?

Welcome to my brain... please wipe your feet before entering

As the first entry in my NEW BLOG (now with no trans-fats), I thought maybe it would be fitting to say a few words about me...

Reasonably tall
Have all my hair
Reasonably well-educated
Less than two months from my wedding
Working in PR

This blog will report on all of the above some of the time, but more likely some of the above all of the time. Which is to say that you can expect this space to contain the stupid, the smart, the witty, the profane, and mostly inconsequential details of a life not unlike many of yours.

OK... enough with the intros. Gotta get to work. I am in the Olympics, after all (more on that later).