Denny Sports World

2013 Sports Wishes

2013-01-01T21:06:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year everyone! The Mayans were wrong as the world still exists. Looking forward to what 2013 has in store for us, I have compiled a list of ten Sports Wishes below (Not including my yearly wish that every Boston sports team wins a championship). Enjoy and feel free to comment below!

10. NBA officials learn how to properly ref a game and not blow the whistle on every trip down the floor

9. NFL refs only call pass interference when it is truly pass interference. No more free 40 yard penalties on third and long, bailing out the offensive team.

8. NFL realizes that the Pro Bowl is a joke and does away with it. Players can still be selected to the "Pro Bowl" so they can have those accolades. However, there is no need to have the Pro Bowl when it isn't a real football game and the best players who are playing in the Superbowl cannot play in the game. Perhaps they can have some type of All-Star weekend like the NHL and NBA have. Skills competition involving throwing accuracy, longest throw, punting, kicking, receiving drills, running speed, etc.

7. NCAAF adopts playoff system now, not 2014. Also, how can you have football teams not play for over a month? In the NFL, there are always talks about the teams with a bye losing their "mojo" and losing their momentum in the playoffs. Sure both Notre Dame and Alabama experience a similar layoff but they haven't played a real football game in over a month. Practice can only do so much. Adopt a playoff system at the end of the regular season with at least eight teams. Can't believe NCAAF does not do this.

6. Mayweather fights Pacquiao to finally get it over with and help revitalize the dying sport of boxing. I know Pacquiao just lost in stunning fashion, insert Chris Tucker line from Friday here, but this is the fight that everyone has been waiting for and neither boxer is getting any younger. Now or Never.

5. NFL rethinks some of its rules, including the infamous Jim Schwartz baffle when he threw a red challenge flag after a TD on Thanksgiving. Scoring plays are automatically reviewed and his red flag negated any potential review. The replay clearly showed the Texans player knee touch the ground and the TD should have been overruled. Perhaps the "ball don't lie" as the Texans ended up losing three of their last four games and rightfully missed out on a first round bye.

4. MLB incorporates some new rules to speed up the pace of the game. Each team is allowed a certain amount of time outs, or mound visits, as these baseball games are taking far too long. Back in the day, games were much shorter. In Boston on Marathon Monday, you used to be able to watch the Red Sox game, then run over to the end of the Boston Marathon to see the winner. Now you're lucky if you catch the end of the race. Watching a baseball game from beginning to end takes three to four hours of your day, never mind Yankees-Sox games. The chart below shows the average length of game in minutes each decade. MLB needs to do something to shorten the length of games.

3. NBA lowers the number of time outs each team has as there are too many stoppages, especially at the end of games where each team fouls one another, then calls a timeout. Do these players really have to be told exactly what to do on every important possession? Whatever happened to playing the game on the fly without calling a timeout and let the best team win. Too many timeouts, too many whistles, not enough end to end action.

2. ESPN stops talking about Tim Tebow. I think he should have a starting QB job somewhere, perhaps Jacksonville, but enough trying to incorporate Tim Tebow into the conversation when it isn't relevant. He is a nice guy but he is not a great QB. There are much better quarterbacks throughout the league who don't get any attention from the "Worldwide Leader in Sports."

1. NHL and NHLPA come to an agreement and they have a shortened season. This needs to happen ASAP and they need to make sure the CBA lasts for at least 10 years so we don't have to worry about another lockout within a few years. Get a season started already! Today should have been the Winter Classic at "The Big House" in Michigan.

Romo'd is the new Munson'd

2012-12-31T00:47:00.001-05:00

Tony Romo blew it again. What a surprise. When it matters most, when the Cowboys season is on the line and they need a win, Tony Romo has risen to the occasion only once in 14 years.

Arguably the best regular season quarterback in Cowboy's history, Tony Romo threw three interceptions tonight. The last interception came with four minutes to go and his team down by three points, looking to make a game winning drive. With a win, the Cowboys would have hosted the first round of the playoffs next weekend. With the loss, Jerry Jones and "America's Team" are in familiar territory and will be sitting on the couch watching the playoffs.

My question to you; is Tony Romo the biggest choker in sports history? A lot of names come to mind for big time choke jobs (Patrick Ewing and the Knicks of the 90's, the Red Sox Billy Buckner, Buffalo Bills Jim Kelly, the 2004 Yankees) but these teams/players actually won big games to be in the spotlight to choke. Tony Romo has only won one playoff game in 14 years with the Cowboys. He has set numerous passing records but when it comes down to winning when it matters most, Tony Romo has as much experience as Mitt Romney does as President of the United States. (I usually don't mix politics with sports but with Washington beating Dallas, the Cowboys being "America's Team," and the looming fiscal cliff talks coming out of Washington, I thought it was only fitting. I won't let it happen again.)

The point here is that Tony Romo did exactly what he has done his whole career. He had a great regular season, threw for thousands of yards and touchdowns, then when the spotlight came on, he choked.

I think the only reason I am surprised that Dallas lost, again, is that I thought to myself, "Tony can't possibly choke again, can he?" Well he did choke, again, and he did it in premier Romo fashion. The word Romo will be added just in time for the 2013 Webster Dictionary. There will be a movie shot by the Farrelly Brothers in which Woody Harrelson, playing Tony Romo, stumbles upon an Amish football player. The phrase Romo'd will be used throughout the comedy.

Poor Tony Romo. At this point I feel bad for him but not for Cowboys fans. Cowboys fans have been spoiled most of their lives and the majority of them aren't true diehard fans. Poor Tony will be thinking about this loss for a long time. He has already had to think of several other choke jobs and this was his chance for redemption. Sunday Night Football after Christmas. NFC East Division Title on the line. Winner Take All. Win and host a first round playoff game next weekend. Lose and you go home with your tail between your legs.Well lose he did and his tail is getting old.

Romo will spend yet another off-season thinking how he can exact revenge while shooting a 68 alongside true winners like Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods down in Myrtle Beach during Celebrity Golf Tournaments. He won't have to ask them for advice, it will come upon him automatically. Tony Romo is like the poor kid in grammar school you feel bad for because he always gets picked on and you feel the urge to give him some advice. "If you don't react to their insults Timmy and you show that you don't care, they will stop harassing you."

If only such simple advice could help Romo. He must wait at least a full calendar year to somewhat redeem himself and bring his team to the playoffs. If that were to happen, he must win multiple playoff games, if not the Super Bowl, and prove that he belongs alongside the names of great Cowboy quarterbacks such as Staubach and Aikman. Romo can have the regular season numbers but in the end, winning is what matters most and that is what Tony seems to have the most trouble with. The only chance Tony has to be in the spotlight anytime soon is if he runs back to ex-girlfriend Jessica Simpson and starts a reality TV show. Til then, Americans will add the phrase "Romo'd" to their everyday vernacular and the International Choke Symbol will be renamed to The Romo.

Add tonight's game to the umpteenth reason why I'm glad I'm not a Cowboys fan. Some memorable Romo follies are below.

Return of the Gronk?

2012-12-29T21:34:00.001-05:00

According to multiple sources, New England Patriots Pro-Bowl Tight End Rob Gronkowski may be used in a limited role during Sunday's game vs the Miami Dolphins. Gronk hasn't played since he suffered a broken forearm during a Point After Attempt.Week 11's slaughtering of the Colts.

This may be exactly what the Patriots need to gain a little momentum heading into the playoffs. Gronk hasn't played the past five weeks yet he still leads all Tight Ends with 10 Touchdowns. A few snaps to get him back into the swing of things may be just what he needs to be ready come playoff time. With Gronk back, the entire offense improves, including the run. This will allow us to run the two tight end set that this offense was designed around. For the entire season, either Hernandez or Gronk has been hurt. With both of them in the lineup and healthy, this Patriots offense becomes lethal.

As of now, the Patriots are looking at a potential first round clash with the Cincinnati Bengals. There is a lot of football to be played tomorrow but the Patriots will only receive a first round bye and avoid playing in the first round if they beat Miami and either Denver or Houston lose. I don't see Denver losing to Kansas City but there is hope that Andrew Luck and the Colts beat the sputtering Texans. If this were to happen, Denver would get the top seed and home field advantage and the Patriots would receive the two seed and avoid having to potentially travel to Houston. After tomorrow we will know all of the NFL's playoff matchups. The Texans play at 1pm so Pats fans will know if they have a shot at a first round bye. Expect the Dolphins to roll over and fold as their season will be coming to an end in snowy New England. I envision Pats fans will be throwing snow into the air like this memorable game below. I never thought I would say this but let's go Colts!

Santa Can't Bring NHL Fans Christmas Present

2012-12-29T20:58:00.001-05:00

Even Kris Kringle himself couldn't bring NHL fans the coolest game on earth this holiday season. It's a shame both parties, the NHL Players Association and the owners, haven't been able to come to an agreement yet. Who would have thought that we would end up in the same predicament we were in a few years ago? The NHL was finally becoming relevant again alongside the other major sports in America. In recent years, Lord Stanley's Cup has belonged to major cities like Chicago, Boston, and Los Angeles. This is exactly what the NHL needed and you would think they would want to build off of this and keep the positive momentum moving forward. Instead, greed, amongst other things, has kept both parties from coming to an agreement.

While our Christmas lists weren't answered by Santa Claus, there is a slight glimmer of hope for a New Year's Resolution. Several NHL insiders, including CSN's Joe Haggerty @HackswithHaggs, have recently reported that the NHL has offered a new Collective Bargaining Agreement in hopes to have a shortened season begin in mid-January. However, this may be another media ploy by the NHL owners to make it seem like they are the good guys and they are doing everything in their power to make a season happen. We will see what comes from this recent proposal but we are getting down to the midnight hour. Our only hope may be to join in chorus together on New Year's Eve, Molson Canadian in hand, and sing the following:

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old lang syne ?

Silly New Yorkers

2011-12-26T17:41:00.001-05:00

The NBA season finally tipped off yesterday with a Christmas Day matinee featuring the New York Knicks versus the Boston Celtics. The Knicks won the game 106-104 after nearly blowing a first half lead of 17 points. The Knicks found themselves down by 10 in the second half, but behind solid defense from Tyson Chandler and 17 fourth quarter points from Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks escaped with a two point victory over the aging Celtics.
This was the first victory against the Celtics in the last 9 games. New Yorker's are beginning to believe that the Knicks are back in the spotlight and have a realistic chance at winning an NBA title. While the Knicks are up and coming and "on paper" they look to be a 3 or 4 seed in the Eastern Conference, Knick fans must remind themselves that this was the first game of the season and the Celtics were without their captain Paul Pierce.
There is no doubt in my mind that if Paul Pierce played this game the Celtics would have won rather easily. However, every team faces injuries as Pierce is out indefinitely with a bruised foot and the Knicks are without Baron "B Diddy" Davis for several weeks as well. New York may be the mecca of basketball but they have a long way to go to before they can even think about a championship run. After the win against the Celtics yesterday, you would have thought New Yorkers were going to begin planning a ticker tape parade for the players.
Chill out New York, you barely beat Boston for the first time in a long time in the first game of the season on your home court. La-dee-freakin-dah. If you want to consider yourself a top notch caliber team and sit at the table with the big boys, know how to handle winning. You could learn a thing or two from your rival sports city Boston on how to win. The city of Boston has won a Stanley Cup, two World Series, three Superbowls, and six NBA Titles since the last time the Knicks touched the championship trophy in 1973. Even when you fixed the NBA draft to acquire Patrick Ewing you couldn't find a way to win. Sure Michael Jordan was a hard obstacle to get by but how about Reggie Miller getting inside your players and your fans heads? You almost choked again yesterday
It's great to sit back and laugh at the silly New Yorkers like Spike Lee and John McEnroe. What a bunch of clown shoes. Poor Spike Lee has waited decades longer for an NBA title then rap fans waiting for Detox to be released. So please, New York, wait until you actually accomplish something in the NBA before you act like the second coming of Jesus. You won the first game of the year against Boston, who isn't even your rival because both sides have to win to be considered a rival. We have six titles since you last won yours. Until you actually win a title, this goes to Rex Ryan too, sit down and shut the F**K up!

Jerome Simpson's Superman TD

2011-12-26T13:29:00.003-05:00

In case you've been living under a rock and/or busy opening presents and playing with your new toys all weekend, here is the play from the weekend/year, perhaps ever? Jerome has now solidified his name as one of the all time great Simpsons. Let's hope he doesn't follow in the footsteps of the other Simpson who played football...

Time To Shut Up Fat Boy

2011-12-26T13:25:00.000-05:00

One of the highlights from Christmas weekend, besides Jerome Simpson's Superman Flip, was the war of words between Jets Head Coach, Rex Ryan, and Giants RB Brandon Jacobs. Rex is known for his loud mouth rants and has gotten away with it in past years because his gang of green has won, reaching the AFC Championship two seasons in a row. This year, the Jets are now 8-7 and are currently on the outside looking in. They also lost bragging rights for the best Football team in New York City.
After a meaningful 29-14 loss to the Giants which featured Mark "happy feet" Sanchez throwing the ball an uncanny 59 times, Rex Ryan and Brandon Jacobs exchanged verbal jabs. After the game, Ryan told Jacobs, "Wait until we win the Superbowl." Jacobs told reporters how he responded. " I told him I'll punch him in the face. I told him out of all the Giants players on this team you're talking to the wrong one." Reports also claim Jacobs said "Time to shut up Fat Boy" and Ryan said "Go F**k Yourself."
The Jets players and their head coach are known for their trash talking leading up to the game each Sunday and even Giants Coach Tom "I should be fired by now" Coughlin responded by saying "Talk is Cheap." (On a sidenote, this win may have saved the Giants postseason hopes as well as Tom Coughlin's job. With a win next week against Dallas, they will secure a playoff spot and will avoid collapsing down the stretch like previous seasons)
Gotta love this trash talking especially when the obnoxious, overweight, trash talking Ryan gets a dose of his own medicine. Is there anything better than calling a heavily overweight person like Rex Ryan 'Fat Boy'? Brandon Jacobs is right. Ryan chose the wrong Giants player to exchange words with as Jacobs is 6'4" tall and 265 lbs and isn't afraid to tell it how it is. He told the Coach exactly what millions of us have wanted to say for years. Time to Shut Up Fat Boy!

It's Official:Theo Epstein To Cubs

2011-10-12T10:07:00.006-04:00

See ya later Theo. Thanks for the two World Series Titles. But why did you sign guys like Bobby Jenks and John Lackey? Lackey has always struggled at Fenway and has never been an ace. You must have been partying with Pearl Jam too much when you made that decision. No GM and no coach.....the Red Sox soap opera continues...

Eminem and Slaughterhouse Killed It Last Night

2011-10-12T09:48:00.002-04:00

Just Listen.

Red Sox Soap Opera

2011-10-12T08:41:00.002-04:00

    A story written in the Boston Globe by Bob Hohler, read here, depicts some "high school" type drama taking place in the Red Sox clubhouse the past year or so. Some of the key highlights of the story depict pitchers such as John Lackey, Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, and others, drinking beers, eating fried chicken, and playing video games while games were still going on. There was division within the clubhouse with Jacoby Ellsbury keeping mainly to himself as he felt betrayed by Youkilis' comments the year prior. There are also allegations that Terry Francona and use of painkillers throughout the past few years affected his performance. According to him he went and saw the necessary people about taking painkillers and it has never been an issue.
    Another key aspect of the article talks about the circumstances surrounding Hurricane Irene in late August. In order to avoid the brunt of the storm, ownership and management persuaded the players to play a day-night double header on Saturday. Players weren't happy about time scheduling of this and supposedly held a grudge the rest of the way. That double-header turned out to be the last time the Sox won two games in a row. John Henry, in an attempt to mend their relationship, bought each player $300 headphones and invited the team for a "players only" night aboard his 165 ft. yacht. This gesture didn't help things.
    There is so much drama coming out about the Red Sox it's disgusting. All of these rich, spoiled players acting like rebelling teenagers. It wasn't everybody on the team, but just about everyone's reputation has taken a hit. Even the captain Jason Varitek was accused of giving up and not being a leader anymore. Buchholz was listed as one of the guys joining in on the video games and beer consumption. Kevin Youkilis is accused of being divisive and disruptive. Adrian Gonzalez came out and said this was the most physically demanding year for him. He complained of playing too many night games and having to travel at 4 a.m. at times. He clearly contributed to the players sentiment about the scheduling of games which seemed to last to the bitter end. There are even reports saying that ownership did not initially agree with the signing of Carl Crawford, who they thought was too similar to Jacoby Ellsbury.
    It's a shame that it has to end this way but hopefully it is for the better. Clearly the players lost all respect for Tito as the clubhouse was more of a country club than anything. Now Tito is gone and it looks like Theo will be leaving to take the Cubs position. They both worked extremely hard to bring Boston two titles and we will be forever thankful. It's just too bad that we will be left with this sour taste in our mouths. Years down the road we will be reminded of the collapse of 2011 and the pompous attitudes of the players that year. As of today we have no clue who will be managing our ballclub and who will be our replacement for Theo if, and when, he leaves. There are so many underlying issues surrounding the Red Sox it's hard to wrap your head around everything. I suggest you read the Boston Globe article and stay tuned for what follows. Hopefully the Red Sox will have a tremendous rebound year in 2012 and can help mend this mess of a situation. We can only hope.

We Got Locked Out

2011-10-11T13:02:00.002-04:00

The NBA will not be playing the first two weeks of games. It's sad that both sides couldn't come to some sort of agreement to prevent this from happening. Who knows if they will have to miss more time. David Stern is single handedly destroying the NBA right now. If this season is lost anymore than it already is he will go down as one of the worst commissioners in the history of sports. I feel bad for the rookies who just want to play and achieve their dream of playing in the NBA. I don't feel bad for the multi-millionaire owners who are demanding more money for the exact same product. They should have learned from the best league we have, the NFL, and not be forced to miss any regular season games. They should know that the public is not in the mood for this right now with the already down trodden economy. They will be lucky if the NBA is able to recapture the audience when it does return. In my opinion, I will not miss the NBA that much. We will still have college hoops and the Boston Celtics may benefit if this entire season is missed. They will have tons of money to be able to throw at a guy like Dwight Howard or Josh Smith. It's going to be interesting to see how this pans out.

First Grand Slam Walk-Off In Postseason History?

2011-10-11T10:18:00.000-04:00

This was technically the first grand slam in MLB postseason history, as Nelson Cruz delivered the game winning blow to the Detroit Tigers. The interesting part of this feat is that a grand slam walk-off was in fact hit before in 1999 in an NLCS game between the Mets and Braves. However, after the home run was hit by Robin Ventura of the Mets, the players swarmed him just before he reached second base as they celebrated. He technically never rounded the bases and touched home plate, therefore he was only credited with an RBI single. The Mets won the game 4-3 and in the baseball world that's all that mattered.
The biggest controversy that night occured between bettors and Las Vegas. The over/under line was at 7 1/2 and the home run should have put the total over that line. However, since Ventura did not finish his trot around the bases, he was only credited with a single and only the runner from third base scored on the play to make the final score 4-3. Mayhem broke out between bettors and bookies across the country as bettors who took the over were not paid. Bookies were confused on the ruling and bettors who took the over wanted their money. This remains was one of the craziest plays to ever occur in betting history and I know I would have lost my mind if this happened to me. Thanks to Robin Ventura's "Grand Slam Single," Nelson Cruz became the first player to hit a walk-off grand slam in MLB postseason history last night.

Hope Your Monday Goes Smoother Than This

2011-10-10T10:09:00.001-04:00

Drake Pushes Album Back To November 15th

2011-10-10T10:01:00.000-04:00

Drake informed fans via his blog that his new album "Take Care" will be released November 15th instead of his birthday October 24th. According to him, the reason for the delay is receiving proper clearance for three samples on the album. He also gave updates on his future Club Paradise Tour which will begin after the New Year. I'm definitely looking forward to the new Drake album but am a little worried it won't be as good as So Far Gone or Thank Me Later. Hopefully I am wrong and Drake still comes correct. After all, in "Headlines" he does say "People say I fell off...Oohh I needed that." Here is what Drake had to say on his blog.

"The new date for Take Care is November 15th, 2011. I managed to create this album in my hometown of Toronto and the thoughts and stories I wanted to get across just became so clear. It truly felt like when I was here 3 years ago making So Far Gone. So I have completed 19 songs (17 on physical and 2 on bonus), and have run into a roadblock of clearing 3 samples in time to make the October 24th date. My options were to take the songs off and make the birthday release happen, or to take an extra couple weeks to get the paper work right and give you the album they way I NEED you to hear it. The choice was clear as day for me. November 15th you will get Take Care the exact way I created it with no trimmings. This music means too much to me to get attached to dates and I do apologize for the delay but I promise that it is only for the benefit of our experience together. Club Paradise Tour will also be moved to when students are back from the Christmas/New Year break so that I can get to more schools. New dates will be released in the next week…see you all soon."

Drake
TAKE CARE NOVEMBER 15

Murder For Rap

2011-10-10T09:44:00.002-04:00

Former L.A. police detective Greg Kading has authored a book entitled "Murder For Rap" which he gives his account of what happened in the unsolved Tupac murder case. He has spent countless hours on the case and has interviewed all of the prime suspects involved. Whether or not you believe his story is up to you, but HipHopDx recently interviewed him and it is very interesting to say the least. Kading talks about Puffy's controversial involvement, Biggie's role, if any, Suge Knight, and Orlando Anderson and the Crips retaliating for the beating in the MGM Grand following the Mike Tyson Fight. Click here to read the interview.

Hot Dog Thrown At Tiger

2011-10-10T09:08:00.000-04:00

A spectator was arrested at the Frys.com Open on Sunday after running on the green and throwing a hot dog at Tiger Woods. Usually it's the other way around with Tiger throwing his hot dog at innocent strangers. How does it feel Tiger, how does it feel?

Terry Francona Shines As Commentator

2011-10-10T08:02:00.002-04:00

On Saturday, Terry Francona made his debut as an in-game analyst for the Tigers-Rangers ALCS game. He sat along side Joe Buck, replacing Tim McCarver as his color-man. Francona was terrific as he was both funny and insightful. Francona is very knowledgeable of the game and makes it easier to deal with Joe Buck. Francona was quoted as saying he was nervous and didn't like how he couldn't pack a chew or swear while in the booth. Priceless.
The highlight of the night came when it was time to do an in-dugout interview with Tigers manager Jim Leyland. Francona told Leyland that he knew coaches don't like doing these interviews so he'll let him focus back on the game. By the time Joe Buck tried to tell Tito he couldn't do that, Leyland took off the headset and the interview was over. Tito, who looks up to Leyland, did what every manager wish they could do during these stupid interviews. They are trying to manage an important playoff game, and don't have time to answer silly questions about how they think their team is performing so far. Great stuff Francona. Miss you already. Good luck in the future as we all know if you don't manage a ballclub right away, you will be a hell of a commentator.

R.I.P. Al Davis

2011-10-10T07:49:00.001-04:00

The 82 year old influential football legend passed away on Saturday. On Sunday, the Raiders went out and beat the Texans 25-20 as emotions ran high. Not to sound evil, but his passing may be the best thing to happen to the Raiders in a very long time. Al Davis continued to "run" the organization even though he may or may not have been all there mentally. 82 is old, and his old school way of doing things hasn't worked for the Raiders in a long time. Tell me the last time they had a winning season? In many people's minds he brought the team down the past decade or so and now that he is gone, younger, smarter, decision-makers can try and bring the Raiders back to relevance. Perhaps they can start by drafting talented football players instead of drafting track stars who run four second forty yard dashes. R.I.P. Al Davis.

Which Shade of Green is Worse Off?

2011-10-10T07:40:00.000-04:00

Whose locker room is going to implode first, Jets or Eagles? Both teams lost again on Sunday and their season hangs in the balance. The Jets are 2-3 and remain two games back of the Bills and Patriots. The Eagles, aka "The Dream Team," dropped to 1-4 as Vick threw four interceptions and took another beating. Vick has already shown signs of team disarray and rumors have Jets players calling out Mark Sanchez and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. So my question is, which team is worse off and will either team make the playoffs? Many people, including myself, predicted the Eagles and Jets to reach their division title games. Plenty of football to be played which means there still is time for the Eagles to soar like Ryan Q. Baldner.

Thaaaaaaaaaaa Yankeeees LOSE!

2011-10-07T14:49:00.002-04:00

The season isn't lost after all as the Yankees fell to the Tigers last night 3-2. The Yankees went down 2-0 early and could never get a big hit when they needed to. They left the bases loaded a few times as guys like Gardner and Russel Martin popped out. The Yanks story of the year, Ivan Nova, couldn't shut down the Tigers offense and was "yanked" out of the game early. The Yankees used just about every pitcher they had, including Phil Hughes and C.C. Sabathia, to replace him. Even with the Yankees stacked lineup and the advantage of playing at home, they couldn't produce more than two runs and left tons of runners on base.
Like I said in my blog the other day, an Ex-Red Sox player, Victor Martinez, came up with the game winning RBI. Call me Nostradamus because I predict the future. Just like I predicted Marchand scoring last night but that's for another day. Adrian Beltre hit three ding dongs to knock out the Rays, now Victor Martinez comes up with the big hit and also had a home run the other night. Nice job Theo, way to let these guys go. The AL Feast has been devoured as the Sox, Rays, and Yanks now all have 8 A.M. tee times. Hey, it's supposed to be 80 this weekend, can't blame them for wanting to get a few holes in. I bet ya J.D. Drew can't hit a ball playing golf either.

See Ya Later Hank Williams

2011-10-06T11:15:00.002-04:00

We will never have to hear Hank Williams and his "rowdy friends" sing the opening to Monday Night Football as both parties have agreed to end their relationship. This decision comes after Williams used an analogy between Adolf Hitler and Barack Obama on Fox News. The catchy opening theme song, which has been around for 20 years, was pulled before October 3rd's game between the Jets and Ravens and according to Hank Williams, he was the one who ultimately decided to pull the plug. He posted the following on his website. "After reading hundreds of e-mails, I have made MY decision," he wrote. "By pulling my opening Oct 3rd, You (ESPN) stepped on the Toes of The First Amendment Freedom of Speech, so therefore Me, My Song, and All My Rowdy Friends are OUT OF HERE. It's been a great run."
Take it for what it is. I can't say that I will miss the song, but you knew it was time to finish doing what you were doing, grab a beer and sit down when you heard the intro begin. You didn't want to miss any real football action. Everyone loves watching Monday Night Football, regardless of who is playing, and Hank Williams "Are You Ready For Some Football" song was like the National Anthem. Once it was over, you were ready for some football. This proves that you have to watch what you say at all times, no matter what your job is.

Detox Almost Finished?

2011-10-05T11:04:00.004-04:00

The long awaited 'Detox' album from Dr. Dre has almost become a punchline these days. But, according to Snoop Dogg and other collaborators, the album is almost finished and should be "delivered soon." This album has had so much hype surrounding it the past decade most people thought it would never come out. Until it actually hits stores, I won't even believe it. So hopefully it does come out soon and lives up to the hype. What was better than jamming out to Dre's last album, Chronic 2001? Snoop, Dre, Eminem, (RIP) Nate Dogg, Xzibit, Devon the Dude, DPG, etc. Hopefully these aging artists still give us that old school flavor we are thirsty for and the album is an instant classic. I imagine they will have the usual featured artists as well as some sort of dedication to Nate Dogg. The album may not compare to Dre's previous work but it will be good to hear some of these pioneers of rap back together on the same album. Anything Dre, Snoop, and Eminem touch is usually a hit. Click here to read what Snoop has to say about the album.

Good Morning!

2011-10-05T09:17:00.000-04:00

Rise and shine bitches! One more day til we raise the banner! Hockey is back and it's back big. Feels great to see those Bruins rings studded out. Over 300 diamonds fill these long awaited rings and you can compare them to previous teams rings by clicking here. Go Go Black n Gold! Can't wait to hear Jack Edwards voice.

Ex-Red Sox Players Taking Their Teams to the ALCS

2011-10-05T08:16:00.000-04:00

One of the players the Red Sox chose to let go this offseason, Adrian Beltre, single-handedly carried the Texas Rangers to the ALCS yesterday by hitting three home runs. Beltre, who was an All-Star with the Red Sox last year, hit .321 with 28 HR and 102 RBI. He and Victor Martinez chose not to sign with the Red Sox and now both of their teams, barring a Yankees comeback, will be playing each other in the ALCS. They both thought that they had a better chance to win a World Series with other teams besides the Red Sox. It didn't help that Red Sox management wasn't willing to pay them either. Beltre had this to say after yesterday's win, "From my point of view, Texas gave me the best chance to put a ring on my finger," Beltre added, "and I am just two steps away from it. Hopefully that happens."
Theo Epstein and Red Sox management are to blame for not resigning either of these guys. I can live with not resigning Beltre so that we could afford Adrian Gonzalez but what about Victor Martinez? Our catchers have sucked all year long and Victor is a one of the few premier hitting catchers in the game. Catchers are usually a liability in the batting lineup and hit near the bottom of the order. Not Victor Martinez. He bats fifth in the potent Tigers lineup and I would much rather have him in our lineup than Carl Crawford. Crawford is younger and a different type of player, but it's tough to find a spot for him in our lineup. We already have Jacoby Ellsbury, who is a similar player with way more power, and after the year he had in 2011, we are going to have to pay him a ton of money to stay here when his contract is up next year.
While Red Sox players are practicing their golf swings, Red Sox fans are watching their ex-players bring their teams towards a World Series. It's tough to watch postseason baseball without the Red Sox, especially with the team they had this year. However, as long as the Yankees don't win, it's a victory for all of Red Sox Nation. Good luck Detroit and Texas, you're going to need it against the Phillies.

Styles P "Master of Ceremonies"

2011-10-04T19:22:00.000-04:00

Support real hip-hop and go buy Styles P new album "Master of Ceremonies." It's his fourth studio album and features fellow LOX members Jadakiss and Sheek Louch, as well as Rick Ross, Pharoahe Monch, Lloyd Banks, Pharrell, and Busta Rhymes.