NEW ENGLAND SPORTS HUB...Red Sox Nation, Patriots Nation, The State Of The Celtics And B's

IT IS WHAT IT IS: Belichick Blows It

2009-11-16T22:13:00.004-05:00

Was Bill distracted by something?? 4th and 2 call deep in enemy territory a rare mistake for "Beligenius". His D should be insulted, and his O questioning his decisions...until Tuesday. I feel sorry for those Jets.

THROWBACK

2007-06-27T23:08:00.000-04:00

We like the attempt at an 1982 Sox road uniform this past weekend in San Diego, but they just didn't look right to us:

This is a vintage '61 classic road jersey, which is what the 82 knockoff was supposed to resemble...

Red Sox Shortstops-S.O.S.

2007-06-21T01:17:00.000-04:00

Significant Sox Shortstops Since 2004

Nomar
Pokey
O.C.
Renteria
AGone
Lugo

Short Facts:
Defensive whiz Alex Gonzalez has more homeruns than David Ortiz going into 6/20 games...

Edgar Renteria made 30 errors for the Sox in 2005, but only 13 in 2006 in his All-Star Braves season...He is hitting over .330 with 10 HRs and hits 3rd in the Braves lineup on his way to another All-Star appearance...

Orlando Cabrera made just 5 errors for the Angels in 2005 and 16 in 2006, while continuing to show very good range and a knack for getting the big hit...

Pokey Reese is out of baseball due to personal problems...

Nomar Garciaparra declined a 4-year $48 million contract with the Sox in 2003, was hurt in 2004 and subsequently wound up signing a series of 1 year deals with the Cubs($10 million) and Dodgers($6 mill base plus earned another $4 mill in incentives), before signing a 2 year, $18.5 million contract this offseason to remain with LA following his comeback player of the year award in 2006...Nomar essentially cost himself $9.5 million by not signing the then below market deal with the Sox...

Why the media sucks... « 38 Pitches

2007-03-16T18:18:00.000-04:00

38 Pitches
March 15th, 2007

"The Red Sox owe me nothing. They’ve paid me over 40 million dollars for what amounts to two seasons worth of starts. They didn’t ask for a refund in ‘05 when I couldn’t get my mother out, and on top of that they’ve been respectful of my family at every turn."

-Curt Schilling on his blog and his prospects for 2008.

38 Pitches

2007-03-16T17:56:00.000-04:00

CURT ON THE COMPUTER:
Schilling starts a blog...But why?
To put his many words back "in context"...and of course to promote his new software company. We love the competitor that is Curt Schilling. Who on the 2007 Sox staff would you take on the mound in the big game? We still choose Bloody Curt. Here is his blog:

38 Pitches

We hope you stay out of trouble on the mound and on your blog in 2007. God Bless.

-Red Sox Nation

Expert: Baseball must test for HGH, now - Baseball - MSNBC.com

2007-03-16T17:31:00.000-04:00

NEW ENGLAND SPORTS HUB HIGHLIGHTS:
Expert: Baseball must test for HGH, now - Baseball - MSNBC.com
-Red Sox Nation

TWO MORE YEARS!!

2007-01-29T22:13:00.000-05:00

JOHN KERRY CAN BREATHE EASY NOW

Schilling, signed for the 2007 season, is confident that a deal with the Red Sox can be worked out before Spring Training to keep him in red stockings through the 2008 season.

"My wife and kids want me to continue to play, which was the only reason I was retiring in the first place ... they talked me into it and I felt it was a decision that I wanted to make to continue to play, so [2007] will not be my last season. I was convinced and my family was abiding by that decision [to retire], and they talked me out of it, so I will be playing in 2008."

"I've already had talks with them, and I'm hopeful something can get done soon. We'll talk again this week. I think it should be a pretty painless thing."
-Sox 2004 Hero Curt Schilling on WEEI

RUMBLE IN THE FENS 7???

2007-01-29T20:14:00.000-05:00

LUCCHINO UP TO HIS SAME OLD HIDDEN BALL TRICKS?
There were indications in Boston that the Todd Helton trade possibility is developing into another power battle between Larry Lucchino and Theo Epstein, who is reluctant to give up young players after trades in the past year in which he sent shortstop Hanley Ramirez and righthanded pitcher Anibal Sanchez in a package to Florida, and righthanded pitcher Cla Meredith to San Diego.
-- Rocky Mountain News

Trot Trot To Cleveland

2007-01-20T13:12:00.000-05:00

THE END OF AN ERA

Trot Nixon Shunned By Sox, Signs for $3 million with the Indians

Apparently the Jamesian Sox decided that they had had enough of the gutsy, gritty, but often injured leader that was Trot Nixon in a Red Sox uniform. They would rather give $70 million for a similar prototype, the difference being that the new guy is a tin man model missing the proverbial heart and respect of his teammates. I just don't see how having Drew in RF is better than Trot/WMP in RF, with $12 million in the bank for Clemens or another ace at the deadline. After all, any rational Sox fan must fully expect to see WMP in RF for the 60+++ games that Drew will be unable to answer the call anyway.Theo has never had more heat on him than he will if the 2007 team flops, as, finally, this is 100% his team. Let's hope he's right, because last August/September really sucked waiting for the Pats.

This is the end of an era for another reason: Trot was the last player in the organization to be drafted/signed/delivered to the big leagues by sweet Lou Gorman.
-RED SOX NATION

Rocket Redux

2007-01-15T09:49:00.000-05:00

“I don’t think it’s any different than last year. Three teams are always players in this situation: my hometown team, Boston and the Yankees...I’m really not any closer to making a decision.”

-Rocket Roger Clemens tells MLB.com

2007-01-15T09:44:00.000-05:00

Goose Gossage, who is a favorite to be voted into the Hall of Fame next year, said he hopes former Sox slugger Jim Rice joins him.

“From my standpoint, there was no more fierce guy than Jim Rice. No one scared me, but Jim Rice got my attention.” . . . -Goose Gossage

2007-01-09T20:33:00.000-05:00

WHEN IN DOUBT, HUG IT OUT

Way too much has been made of "THE HUG"...

If anyone can stop the Chargers, it is the Dynamic Duo of Belichick and Brady...And of course, the Patriots best defensive line of all-time...

Mismatch:

Belichick vs. Marty Scottenheimer in the playoffs may level the playing field for the Patriots

The keys to a Patriots victory:

Use the dominant defensive line to hold L.T. to around 100 yards and 1 score

Utilize the stellar ball control skills of Tom Brady to minimize L.T.'s touches

Still more ball control via the runningback duo of Maroney-Dillon

The dangerous playoff mind of Bill vs. the post season brain lock that is Marty

If the ball control works, AND the Pats have 3 or less turnovers, then:

Philip Rivers will be forced to throw

Rivers vs. Beligenius

=PATRIOTS 27, Chargers 24

-PATRIOTS NATION

2007-01-06T10:15:00.000-05:00

FA'TOINE?

Antoine Walker told to slim down by Pat Riley

2007-01-06T10:02:00.000-05:00

And A Firm Handshake:
“We do a lot of self-scouting after the game - what we did well, what we did poorly - and I (don’t) really evaluate those things,” said Mangini, before deadpanning, “but I thought my handshake was strong. Firm. My dad always told me it’s important to have a good handshake and I try to be consistent with that. I’ve experimented with a couple other different kinds that haven’t worked for me.”

-Jets Coach Eric Mangini

Patriots Go From Papa Gino's To Pepto Bismol At Kicker

2007-01-06T09:18:00.000-05:00

"I’ve probably gone through four bottles of it this season,” he said, laughing. “It’s no big deal.”
-Pats Runny Kicker Steve Gostkowski

OUR KICKER IS "THE SHIT"

PATRIOTS GET MAD AND EVEN

2007-01-01T10:28:00.000-05:00

NOW IT MAKES SENSE:

Patriots, enraged about Bobby Wade's dirty knee cutter on Rodney Harrison, have Vinny T throw the ball to run it up in the 4th quarter.

“It was a dirty play. He wasn’t just trying to block me. He dove at my knees intentionally. He was trying to hurt me. The whole play was dirty.”

-Hard Hittin' Rodney Harrison

"Patriots players were particularly incensed at Titans coach Jeff Fisher, whom they believed winked and smiled toward the field after Harrison was injured. Linebacker Tedy Bruschi [stats] charged the Titans sideline before being restrained.
Bruschi declined comment, and Fisher apologized, “if there was a misunderstanding.”

Harrison wasn’t having any of it.
“It was a dirty play,” he reiterated. “I don’t even know the guy (Wade). I don’t even know him. But their whole offensive line is dirty. Their whole offense is dirty. They’re a dirty team.”
Incensed, the Patriots [team stats] went for the jugular. They left their starters in for most of the game and let Vinny Testaverde [stats] throw a 6-yard touchdown to Troy Brown [stats] with 1:45 left." (Herald)

Some teams, notably Mike Shanahan's Denver Broncos, teach a technically, or at least gray area of legal but dirty strategy broadly labeled as "cut blocking" on offense. Offensive players dive low at the backs of defensive player's legs near the line, making it tough to detect. In the open field, players aim at or below the knees, which is what happened to Rodney. Or, even worse and riskier to the offensive player:Two players will go high and low on a defensive lineman, brushing close to an illegal block, with the low player going after the calves of the defensive player. Remember that playground prank, when one friend would crouch low behind you and another would push you? Think of that in high speed, delivered from an NFL linebacker.

-Patriots Hub

Nomar and D'Lowe Party On

2006-12-29T10:40:00.000-05:00

INSIDE TRACK FLASHBACK

And speaking of over-served, there was the night in 2001 that shortstud Nomar Garciaparra, much to the chagrin of his then-galpal Mia Hamm, got shattered on shots of his favorite Jose Cuervo Tequila Reserva in Barclay’s office.
“Oh, yeah, I heard him hiding in the back hallway telling her (on the phone), ‘I’m not undermining you, I’m just hanging out with my friends.’ ”
(Add whip sound effects here . . .)
During the night in question, No. 5 drank himself silly and then a few hours later found himself - and his hangover - in the Rose Garden at the White House!
“I got up around 11 that morning, turned on the TV and there’s Nomar in the Rose Garden with President Bush dedicating a T-ball field,” the Rackie reminisced. “I’m looking at his face, and he looks green around the gills, so I call his cell phone. ‘I’m in the Oval Office right now,’ he said. ‘And when I get home, I am going to kill you.’ ”

One of our fave tales concerns former Red Sox [team stats] whipping boy Derek Lowe, who, thinking he wouldn’t start against the Yankees the next day, was in a jolly mood when he arrived at the Rack at 10 p.m. one night in 2004.

“ ‘You don’t have to worry about me,’ ” the happy hurler declared, according to Barclay.
“He was in a good mood and drinking heavily,” the Rack maestro recalled. “At one point he was behind the bar pouring drinks and then checking coats. He was having a helluva time.”
But wouldn’t you know it, the next day the hungover party boy got the call to the mound to start against the Bronx Bombers. Do we even have to tell you he went four innings, giving up 10 runs?
“I’ll never forget the headline in the Herald the next day, ‘Lowe Down Dirty Shame,’ laughed the Rack owner. “I thought, ‘Whoops, I hope we don’t get blamed.” (You didn’t.)

Sage Advice For Both Theo And The Dirt Dogs

2006-12-23T20:01:00.000-05:00

SIGN 'EM EARLY AND OFTEN

Nomar Garciaparra had a similar situation with the Red Sox in 2004. Nomar was making a superstar's salary of $11.5 million that year and during the season the Sox offered a $60 million, four-year extension. Nomar said no, figuring he could get more on the free-agent market. That forced the Sox' hand. Knowing he wouldn't likely leave, they traded him to the Cubs midway through the season. Then he got hurt. He was hurt again in 2005 and landed with the Dodgers last season. After a good comeback year Nomar signed a two-year, $18.5 million deal to remain in L.A. Not bad, but still short of that $60 million package he turned down with the Sox.
So the smart thing is to re-up when your team offers you a fair-market deal. That's what Vernon Wells did. It's an old story. A bird in the hand... You know the rest.

Nomar screwed up big time by rejecting the Sox deferred $48 million deal, but he still gutted it out and wound up with around $40 million from 1 and 2 year deals. As for the Sox, they obviously made one of their best moves here, dealing Nomar for a World Series Championship. The Lesson? Sign the players that you would like to keep at least 1 year before free agency, and deal the ones that you don't plan on resigning. With an average 9% salary increase over the last few seasons, waiting is extremely costly. Exhibit A is Iron Man Johnny Damon, who signed for what the Sox thought was an outrageous $52 million over 4 years with the Yankees. Fast forward to 2006, and the Sox are now forced to give a talented but brittle(He has only played over 140 games once in 8 full big league seasons) J.D. Drew $70 over 5 years to fill a hole that was essentially created by Damon's departure.

Exhibit B is Pedro Martinez, who would have signed for Schilling money (3 years and $33 million) before the 2004 season. Sure they would have lost the 2006 season, paying him $11 million to sit on the D.L.. Instead, they ended up paying Matt Clement $9 million last season to sit on the D.L., and another $10 million this season to rehab for a 2008 season with another club. The most important point is that Pedro was healthy in 2005. Adding Pedro to the 2005 rotation would have given the Sox a great shot at back to back World Series titles. A little hindsight? Maybe, but the sign 'em or deal 'em formula pans out much more often than not. Just try it. The Red Sox seem to finally be getting this, as they signed Crisp and Beckett to deals that are now below market value. Nice job Theo.

-RED SOX HUB

MONEY SOX

2006-12-21T01:10:00.000-05:00

Average MLB salary is up 9%, 2nd highest increase in history.

Red Sox players make an average of 3.99 million dollars a season.

-Red Sox Nation

Dice-K In "The Departed"

2006-12-19T17:23:00.000-05:00

"Matsuzaka also said he was familiar with Boston's reputation as the meanest sports city in America."

"Asked if he had heard that some city's fans and media have a tendency to rip new players in the hope that they might fail, Matsuzaka said: "I don't think that is different from anywhere. I think Boston is the kind of town I could really come to love."

-Daily Yomiuri Online

Apparently, we have a mean reputation in Japan. The Japanese are big American movie buffs, so it must just be the newest Damon, Wahlberg scary movie from Southie...We all know that Sox fans are gentle like newborn kittens.

-RED SOX NATION

Schilling And The Green Monster

2006-12-18T14:35:00.000-05:00

Curt Schilling is the first professional athlete to open his own video game studio, Green Monster Games (GMG). Located in Maynard, MA, Schilling's GMG will focus solely on creating massively multiplayer online (MMO) games aimed at the mass market. Schilling has been a passionate gamer for a long, long time and he's decided to spend the second chapter of his career making video games.

Curt will be fat and happy playing his own version of Everquest

Red Sox Land Dice-K And Rockets

2006-12-18T00:31:00.002-05:00

Japanese pitching rockstar and Red Sox #3 starter Daisuke Matzusaka's wife Tomoyo has an interesting nickname: "Rockets". Fire away.

Meanwhile, the Texas Rocket is waiting for the Sox to call, according to his agents, the Hendricks brothers.

-Red Sox Nation

J.D. DONE?

2006-12-17T20:54:00.000-05:00

Drew will get 2nd opinion on bum shoulder at request of the Red Sox-Deal still on hold

NOW THAT THE RED SOX-GLOBE-CARTEL HAS CONFIRMED THE STORY, IT HAS TO BE TRUE. OH, DREW...

Drew's Shoulder Not Strong Enough To Handle Boston?

2006-12-17T20:45:00.000-05:00

While Dice-K and Julio come out to play down by the Olde Ball Yarde, J.D. Drew still hasn't signed that $70 million contract. The Herald's Tony Massarotti reported on Saturday that problems with his physical have held up the contract. Now, other sources are reporting that Drew still has shoulder problems that have caused the Red Sox to request injury/out clauses in the deal. Stay Tuned...

-Red Sox Nation

PLEASE TAMPER BOSTON

2006-12-10T21:13:00.000-05:00

“Actually, most GMs feel it was a stupid sign and they did the Dodgers a favor.”
-An MLB G.M. on the Red Sox, tampering, and J.D. Drew