Red Sox in 6.
MVP: Jacoby Ellsbury
Showing posts with label ALCS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ALCS. Show all posts
Friday, October 11, 2013
Monday, October 20, 2008
Success causing complacency in Red Sox Nation
The Red Sox season ended last night in Game 7 of the ALCS. The last time the Sox lost in a deciding Game 7 of the Championship Series was back in 2003, the old Aaron Boone classic. For Sox fans, the feeling of watching Tim Wakefield giving up the gopher ball to Boone was the most painful sports moment. Probably even worse than the Tim Duncan draft lottery, the Oden/ Durant draft lottery, and even the Patriots losing the Super Bowl last year with a chance for perfection. It was that bad. The team had come so close, but ultimately it was another year, (85 at the time, but I don’t think anyone was counting, without a World Series title.)
So why did last night’s loss not seem to bother the fans, players, and manager like it did just 5 years ago? 1 win away from the World Series. Is it as simple as the team had won twice the previous four years? Really? I guess maybe that’s good enough for some. Don’t get me wrong there are fans out there who live and die with this team, and they’re not worried about 2003, 2004, 2007, or even 2009, just this team right here and right now.
Terry Francona said, and I’m paraphrasing, that’s he has had the most fun he’s ever had the past couple of months. Wow. I guess World Series rings in ’04 and ’07 weren’t a good time. I think winning it again would have been fun Tito. Maybe that’s just me. I don’t know if this was a cheap shot at Manny Ramirez, by saying how enjoyable the past 2 months were, (the only 2 months Francona has managed the Sox without Manny). This goes back to my article “Sox Gave Away Manny,” chemistry, getting alone, and having fun is important, but so is talent. The team made it further, I’ll admit then I thought when they handed LA the division, and paid for it mind you, but still this was the defending World Series champions. Do you want to get along and have fun playing cards or win? Theo and the crew made their decision.
In 2003, on October 17th, the day after, no Red Sox fan had a productive day. Even if you were able to make it to work or school you were simply in a daze. After 11 innings and having your heart ripped out your chest Temple of Doom style you just went through the motions the next day, at best.
Today? The day after yet another Game 7 loss in the ALCS? You hear things, “They were down 3-1,” “4 ALCS’s in the past 6 years,” “The future is bright (we’ll access this point later on),” “Patriots play the Broncos tonight,” “Celtics start next week,” “The Sports Brief is the best sports blog out there.” Ok not all of that is being said. I still feel that a combination of winning 2 World Series rings has taken away that killer instinct. And not just 2 Championships for the Sox, but look at the entire sports town.
In this decade the New England Patriots got the whole thing started and won 3 Super Bowls, the Boston Red Sox have won 2 World Series titles, the Boston Celtics just won the NBA title, and the Bruins still have a team, so I’ve been told. What comes from all of this? Mainly, spoiled fans. The New England fan base has changed tremendously in the past 7-8 years. Now everyone expects their teams to win, and if they don’t, well look back at all the other trophies and banners. As Besse points out, For a fan base that grew tired of losing and anxious for a World Series title, it's hard to believe that it's now growing tired of winning.
Is the excitement still there? As Jalbert pointed out in his “Old School Fenway” piece, it is, but you have to look for it. It’s not there as much as before with all the corporate and front running fans. For die hard fans, it can be tough, but you have to block out all of those people who can seemingly bring your experience down. Don’t forget, winning championships, despite the recent trend is not easy. My grandfather has still seen the Sox win as many times as I have. Don’t take the success of these teams for granted. Remember it wasn’t that long ago when I was writing letters to the Patriots to start Scott Zolak because he actually won a game.
The 2008 baseball season is over for the Sox, we’ll let it marinate for just a little bit. But here comes the off season. And this isn’t an off season coming of a World Series title, where you have to debate on whether you even need a guy like Johan Santana. No, this will be different. Health, free agents, trades, will be more important this time around. And don’t look now but the American League champs just got better last night, during the game… David Price is here to stay.
-Keefe
So why did last night’s loss not seem to bother the fans, players, and manager like it did just 5 years ago? 1 win away from the World Series. Is it as simple as the team had won twice the previous four years? Really? I guess maybe that’s good enough for some. Don’t get me wrong there are fans out there who live and die with this team, and they’re not worried about 2003, 2004, 2007, or even 2009, just this team right here and right now.
Terry Francona said, and I’m paraphrasing, that’s he has had the most fun he’s ever had the past couple of months. Wow. I guess World Series rings in ’04 and ’07 weren’t a good time. I think winning it again would have been fun Tito. Maybe that’s just me. I don’t know if this was a cheap shot at Manny Ramirez, by saying how enjoyable the past 2 months were, (the only 2 months Francona has managed the Sox without Manny). This goes back to my article “Sox Gave Away Manny,” chemistry, getting alone, and having fun is important, but so is talent. The team made it further, I’ll admit then I thought when they handed LA the division, and paid for it mind you, but still this was the defending World Series champions. Do you want to get along and have fun playing cards or win? Theo and the crew made their decision.
In 2003, on October 17th, the day after, no Red Sox fan had a productive day. Even if you were able to make it to work or school you were simply in a daze. After 11 innings and having your heart ripped out your chest Temple of Doom style you just went through the motions the next day, at best.
Today? The day after yet another Game 7 loss in the ALCS? You hear things, “They were down 3-1,” “4 ALCS’s in the past 6 years,” “The future is bright (we’ll access this point later on),” “Patriots play the Broncos tonight,” “Celtics start next week,” “The Sports Brief is the best sports blog out there.” Ok not all of that is being said. I still feel that a combination of winning 2 World Series rings has taken away that killer instinct. And not just 2 Championships for the Sox, but look at the entire sports town.
In this decade the New England Patriots got the whole thing started and won 3 Super Bowls, the Boston Red Sox have won 2 World Series titles, the Boston Celtics just won the NBA title, and the Bruins still have a team, so I’ve been told. What comes from all of this? Mainly, spoiled fans. The New England fan base has changed tremendously in the past 7-8 years. Now everyone expects their teams to win, and if they don’t, well look back at all the other trophies and banners. As Besse points out, For a fan base that grew tired of losing and anxious for a World Series title, it's hard to believe that it's now growing tired of winning.
Is the excitement still there? As Jalbert pointed out in his “Old School Fenway” piece, it is, but you have to look for it. It’s not there as much as before with all the corporate and front running fans. For die hard fans, it can be tough, but you have to block out all of those people who can seemingly bring your experience down. Don’t forget, winning championships, despite the recent trend is not easy. My grandfather has still seen the Sox win as many times as I have. Don’t take the success of these teams for granted. Remember it wasn’t that long ago when I was writing letters to the Patriots to start Scott Zolak because he actually won a game.
The 2008 baseball season is over for the Sox, we’ll let it marinate for just a little bit. But here comes the off season. And this isn’t an off season coming of a World Series title, where you have to debate on whether you even need a guy like Johan Santana. No, this will be different. Health, free agents, trades, will be more important this time around. And don’t look now but the American League champs just got better last night, during the game… David Price is here to stay.
-Keefe
Friday, October 17, 2008
Old School Fenway
The Sports Brief is proud to offer you a special submission from reader and dear friend Brian Jalbert. Please don't forget to scroll down and enjoy our Week 7 NFL picks after this terrific read.
As I was sitting in my seat at Fenway last night for Game 5 of the ALCS, for most of the game, I had planned in my head what type of rant I was going to go on after the game was finally over, the series was finally over, and the season was over. I had a list of things I wanted to complain about, most of which had nothing to do with the Red Sox team, but more with the fans.
Scenario number 1: Two couples sat to our left trying to throw peanuts into each other's mouths from a distance of five feet away. This would be acceptable in a middle school cafeteria maybe, but completely unacceptable at a Red Sox playoff game. Especially in the fifth inning of a possible elimination game. And especially during pitches so I can't see the damn game! (I know I said they were to my left, but anyone that has been to Fenway before knows that if you're in the right field grandstands, section 8 to be exact, your whole body is turned to the left to see the game.
Scenario number 2: The professional camera man. Sitting behind me was a man with a camera so large that I thought it was an old school computer from the 80's. Anytime a big play happened (which wasn't often before 2 outs in the 7th), while most of us were cheering, this guy was busy taking pictures. It made absolutely no sense to me. Although after looking at some of the photos on his camera, it was pretty cool. But that's beside the point.
Scenario number 3: A two-run double puts the Rays up 7-0, the fair-weather fans start to leave the ballpark. This is a playoff game. Not only is it a playoff game, but it's a do-or-die playoff game. If they lose, that's it. How do you leave early? Isn't there a tiny 1% chance of you that thinks they could make the comeback? And if they do make this comeback, don't you want to say "I was there!" instead of saying "Well, we left in the top of the 7th because it was getting late."
And this is what Fenway has become my friends. It was making me sad right before my very eyes. I've been going to games for a while now. I've even emptied out my bank account when I was younger in order to go to a regular season game that Pedro was pitching in the middle of April. I also hold the record for most Sports Bars consumed in one game at 12, but that can be written about in another article. I remember the days of tie ball games in the 8th and hoping Brian Daubach would get a chance in the 9th because he "had a flare for the dramatic." I remember the days that place was loud, that place was the place to be. I never wanted to leave. Most of all, I remember going to game 4 of the 2004 ALCS and fans still holding out hope even though we were down 3-0 in the series to the Yankees, a team we NEVER beat. Now, Fenway had turned into something I was almost embarrassed of. My aunt, who admittedly is not a huge baseball fan, lives in Tampa. Around the 5th, she called me and asked why the crowd was so quiet. She told me we needed some of those cowbells that her fans in Tampa had. I calmly explained to her that in Boston, we always prided ourselves on never having to use cowbells or thunderstix because we made our own noise. And that's what had made Fenway so amazing over the years. It was still old school. The fans still had to show up and make the noise to become the 10th man on the field. Not anymore though. It seemed those days were gone and the "real fans" were far and few between. As that top of the 7th rolled on, I began to wonder if the old Fenway would ever come back. If the place would ever shake again the way it used to. If it would ever be so loud that you couldn't even hear the music playing after a big play or a big hit.
Then, something happened. Almost as if the 7-0 lead by the Rays weeded out those fair-weather fans. They had all left. Now, all that was left at Fenway was about 33,000 people who cared. About 33,000 people who knew they probably weren't going to win this game, but also knew there was a 1% chance that they did win the game and at no point did they want to miss it.
As Pedroia hit a single that stayed in the air for a good 3 hours to right, the place started to gain some life back. Maybe it was a mock cheer because we had cut the lead to 7-1, maybe it was the fact that Gabe Gross easily could have caught the ball, or maybe it was just pure excitement from the Fenway Faithful. Whatever it was, the place was damn loud for a 6 run ballgame. Just as we were settling back in, Papi comes up and puts one out of the park. And we're not talking about a home run that just cleared the wall, we're talking a good 20 rows back. All of a sudden, Fenway was back! The place was loud. People were jumping up and down all over again. It felt like it was a late 90's, early 2000's walk off game. They were down 7-4, but the place was just hoppin because everyone knew that they weren't out of this yet. Fenway was old school once again and it was LOUD! A four run 7th cuts the lead to 3 and Fenway was the place to be. At that moment, I was picturing a man in a business suit trying to get back into the stadium and laughing. Of course, the man behind us was still flashing his camera, and the couples to our left didn't seem to care much, but 99% of that stadium cared. And they cared a lot. As the game went on, we all know how it ended. J.D. Drew became a hero, Sox win, I ate at least 3 Fenway Franks, and the place went nuts. The place was literally shaking. I've never felt anything like it. My knee is swollen to the size of a hot air balloon today from jumping up and coming down awkwardly on it, but at no point last night did I care. Nobody cared. The Sox won. All our worries were behind us.
The whole experience made me feel good again. Made me proud to be a Boston fan again. As the security was kicking us out about 45 minutes after the game, we proceeded to high five the people around us and be on our way. And while I'm watching Games 6 and 7 over the weekend, I'm going to hear those cowbells and think to myself, I'm happy to have had Old School Fenway back, even if it was just for one night.
-Jalbert
As I was sitting in my seat at Fenway last night for Game 5 of the ALCS, for most of the game, I had planned in my head what type of rant I was going to go on after the game was finally over, the series was finally over, and the season was over. I had a list of things I wanted to complain about, most of which had nothing to do with the Red Sox team, but more with the fans.
Scenario number 1: Two couples sat to our left trying to throw peanuts into each other's mouths from a distance of five feet away. This would be acceptable in a middle school cafeteria maybe, but completely unacceptable at a Red Sox playoff game. Especially in the fifth inning of a possible elimination game. And especially during pitches so I can't see the damn game! (I know I said they were to my left, but anyone that has been to Fenway before knows that if you're in the right field grandstands, section 8 to be exact, your whole body is turned to the left to see the game.
Scenario number 2: The professional camera man. Sitting behind me was a man with a camera so large that I thought it was an old school computer from the 80's. Anytime a big play happened (which wasn't often before 2 outs in the 7th), while most of us were cheering, this guy was busy taking pictures. It made absolutely no sense to me. Although after looking at some of the photos on his camera, it was pretty cool. But that's beside the point.
Scenario number 3: A two-run double puts the Rays up 7-0, the fair-weather fans start to leave the ballpark. This is a playoff game. Not only is it a playoff game, but it's a do-or-die playoff game. If they lose, that's it. How do you leave early? Isn't there a tiny 1% chance of you that thinks they could make the comeback? And if they do make this comeback, don't you want to say "I was there!" instead of saying "Well, we left in the top of the 7th because it was getting late."
And this is what Fenway has become my friends. It was making me sad right before my very eyes. I've been going to games for a while now. I've even emptied out my bank account when I was younger in order to go to a regular season game that Pedro was pitching in the middle of April. I also hold the record for most Sports Bars consumed in one game at 12, but that can be written about in another article. I remember the days of tie ball games in the 8th and hoping Brian Daubach would get a chance in the 9th because he "had a flare for the dramatic." I remember the days that place was loud, that place was the place to be. I never wanted to leave. Most of all, I remember going to game 4 of the 2004 ALCS and fans still holding out hope even though we were down 3-0 in the series to the Yankees, a team we NEVER beat. Now, Fenway had turned into something I was almost embarrassed of. My aunt, who admittedly is not a huge baseball fan, lives in Tampa. Around the 5th, she called me and asked why the crowd was so quiet. She told me we needed some of those cowbells that her fans in Tampa had. I calmly explained to her that in Boston, we always prided ourselves on never having to use cowbells or thunderstix because we made our own noise. And that's what had made Fenway so amazing over the years. It was still old school. The fans still had to show up and make the noise to become the 10th man on the field. Not anymore though. It seemed those days were gone and the "real fans" were far and few between. As that top of the 7th rolled on, I began to wonder if the old Fenway would ever come back. If the place would ever shake again the way it used to. If it would ever be so loud that you couldn't even hear the music playing after a big play or a big hit.
Then, something happened. Almost as if the 7-0 lead by the Rays weeded out those fair-weather fans. They had all left. Now, all that was left at Fenway was about 33,000 people who cared. About 33,000 people who knew they probably weren't going to win this game, but also knew there was a 1% chance that they did win the game and at no point did they want to miss it.
As Pedroia hit a single that stayed in the air for a good 3 hours to right, the place started to gain some life back. Maybe it was a mock cheer because we had cut the lead to 7-1, maybe it was the fact that Gabe Gross easily could have caught the ball, or maybe it was just pure excitement from the Fenway Faithful. Whatever it was, the place was damn loud for a 6 run ballgame. Just as we were settling back in, Papi comes up and puts one out of the park. And we're not talking about a home run that just cleared the wall, we're talking a good 20 rows back. All of a sudden, Fenway was back! The place was loud. People were jumping up and down all over again. It felt like it was a late 90's, early 2000's walk off game. They were down 7-4, but the place was just hoppin because everyone knew that they weren't out of this yet. Fenway was old school once again and it was LOUD! A four run 7th cuts the lead to 3 and Fenway was the place to be. At that moment, I was picturing a man in a business suit trying to get back into the stadium and laughing. Of course, the man behind us was still flashing his camera, and the couples to our left didn't seem to care much, but 99% of that stadium cared. And they cared a lot. As the game went on, we all know how it ended. J.D. Drew became a hero, Sox win, I ate at least 3 Fenway Franks, and the place went nuts. The place was literally shaking. I've never felt anything like it. My knee is swollen to the size of a hot air balloon today from jumping up and coming down awkwardly on it, but at no point last night did I care. Nobody cared. The Sox won. All our worries were behind us.
The whole experience made me feel good again. Made me proud to be a Boston fan again. As the security was kicking us out about 45 minutes after the game, we proceeded to high five the people around us and be on our way. And while I'm watching Games 6 and 7 over the weekend, I'm going to hear those cowbells and think to myself, I'm happy to have had Old School Fenway back, even if it was just for one night.
-Jalbert
The Sports Brief's Week 7 NFL picks
I'll admit, I (Besse) went to bed before the Red Sox dramatic comeback last night at Fenway Park. Then again, I know a lot of people that went to bed or left the park, as well. But they all did it when the score was 5-0, or if that wasn't enough, waited until Upton hooked one of the wall in left off Papelbon to make it 7-0. For me, I waited until Ortiz launched a Tiger Woods tee shot into the right field seats to make it 7-4 and a ballgame again. I couldn't do it. I was exhausted and sure the Rays would hold on. The last thing I wanted to do was stay up waiting for a dramatic comeback and not get it, or even worse, root for the Rays to hold and collapse. So instead, I slept soundly until I got a text from a buddy saying, "Wow. What a comeback." Mind you, I'm rooting for the Rays here for several reasons:
1) I just don't like Boston. Not when the team is led by Pedroia and Youkilis, two of the biggest shitheads in all of baseball.
2) Carlos Pena. We both played at Northeastern, although I'd say he played a bit more and a bit better than I did. I also played with his brother Omar, who was a hell of a player himself.
3) Evan Longoria. What a player.
4) What a story. This team is so exciting to watch, and after 10 years of holding down the fort in the basement of the AL East all those first round picks are paying on.
5) I have a friendly lunch bet going with a co-worker who is also a season ticket holder at Fenway. I'm not exactly making bank right now, so any free lunch is certainly welcome when I can get it.
Nonetheless, at least the comeback makes the series exciting again, and will give the Rays the chance to clinch at home. But I said it after Game 4 and I'll say it again, Francona lined up his rotation for this exact situation. Down 3-1, he had a fighting chance with Dice-K, Beckett and Lester. Although the Sox dodged a bullet last night with Dice-K, they now send one of the greatest postseason pitchers of all time seeking redemption, and one of the best lefties in the game today coming off a rough start. The Sox are in great shape to make another run, but the Rays have been resilient all year. This should make for absolute tremendous threater. Too bad Chip Carey and company have the call. Where's Donny O. and Rem-Dawg when you need 'em?
Game six actually being necessary does pose a bit of a problem for us here at The Sports Brief, however. You see, UFC 89 takes place in England on Saturday and is being show, for free, on SpikeTV in a delayed telecast. Headlining the card is an exciting showdown between two promising middleweights. Chris "The Crippler" Leben, fresh of a 30-day stint in the slammer, takes on Michael "The Count" Bisping, who has looked very impressive in a pair of middleweight fights since dropping from 205. Keefe and I are both die-hard Leben fans. He's an exciting fighter who loves to brawl and has a chin of iron, granite, brick, whatever. The only guy to knock him out is Anderson Silva, and well, it's almost an honor at this point to be knocked out by Silva. Bisping, meanwhile, is relentless. He fights at a torrid pace, something you might expect out of Manny Pacquiao at 135 lbs. He doesn't throw bombs like Leben, and his chin, for the most part, is untested. But he's highly skilled, athletic and agile, and it should make for a terrific matchup.
On the undercard, Keith "The Dean of Mean" Jardine takes on Brandon "The Truth" Vera. Jardine is coming off that awful, brutal beatdown at the hands of The Axe Murderer. But he's taking on Vera, a fighter with a completely different style and approach, perhaps one that is tailored to Jardine's liking. Vera is in search of an impressive victory after a couple snoozers for wins, but Jardine is in the same boat.
Keefe and I will go on the record as saying that we like Leben and Jardine, both 'dawgs in Vegas, to come out as winners on Saturday. If you can parlay that ass, let us know. You should consider doing it too.
Onto the picks. I'm praying that Romo starts this week. I have him in four fantasy leagues and need him. I went to pick up Brad Johnson in those leagues as insurance, but in my ESPN league, "Turd Ferguson" (my girlfriend's brother) made a strategic move and claimed him on waivers ahead of me. Well played. I texted him and told him I hope Romo plays just to spite him. Some solid action ahead of us this weekend, including what could be a brutal Monday Night game between the Broncos and Pats. Keefe and I are heading to Gillette next week for the Rams game. Normally we'd be excited, but with Matt Cassel at the helm, that's certainly not the case these days.
For Random Rob this week, I utilized the little box of paper clips on my desk. I counted out seven red (Home team), seven blue (Away team), seven green (Favorite) and seven purple (Underdog). I gave it a hard shake or two, then drew a clip for each game, matching up the color with the respective team.
Keefe's picks:
Last week 7-7, overall 43-45
Chargers +0.5 over the Bills
In a basically pick em game I’ll go with San Diego after what they did to the Pats last week. Bills are good, but get their 2nd loss.
Bears -3.5 over Vikings
Kyle Orton has provided some passing to the offense that’s needed a boast. Matt Forte is solid, but they’ll be better off passing this week in the battle of 3-3 teams in the NFC North.
Steelers -9.5 over Bengals
Is Carson Palmer healthy? I don’t know.
Chiefs +7.5 over Titans
Undefeated Titans have a close call in a game they should dominate. Chris Johnson has good game coming off the bye week.
Saints +3.5 over Panthers
Carolina D looks sorry last week, think the Saints should put up some points.
Cowboys -6.5 over Rams
Roy Williams, in. Pacman Jones, out. Tony Romo, ? Either way America’s team wins by at least a touchdown.
Dolphins -2.5 over Ravens
Ravens O is terrible. The D, is ok. Miami will continue to surprise with another W.
49ers +10.5 over Giants
Giants should bounce back with a win, but asking them to cover with that number, is too much.
Texans -8.5 over Lions
How many 1 win teams in week 7 of the NFL season have been 8.5 point favorites? I’ll still take Schaub, Andre Johnson and the Texans.
Raiders +3.5 over Jets
If the Jets are going to be a playoff team this is one they need to have. I think they win it, but it’s close.
Browns +7.5 over Redskins
Browns beat the Giants, and the Skins loss to the Rams, and Washington is understandably 7.5 point favorites this week. How about the NFL? Anderson and Edwards looked like the ’07 Browns last week, keep an eye on them.
Packers +1.5 over Colts
Colts looked good last week, but how much does it matter? I’ll take Aaron Rodgers and the points this week. No Addai for Indy.
Buccaneers -10.5 over Seahawks
Talk about a stinker on Sunday Night. Seattle is hurting, and quietly Tampa Bay is having a nice season. Can that city have playoff baseball and football this year?
Broncos +3.5 over Patriots
Patriots don’t deserve to be the favorites after last weeks game. It’s not just Matt Cassel hurting this team. The secondary was brutal. Malcolm Floyd and Vincent Jackson looked like All-Pros, what will Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal do on MNF? I’m afraid to watch.
Besse's picks:
Last week: 5-9, Overall: 48-40
Chargers +0.5 over Bills
San Diego looked impressive against the Patriots last week, and I still think the Bills are slightly overrated. Edwards suffered a concussion and it'll be interesting to see how he bounces back after the bye week. LT has a solid two score game.
Vikings +3.5 over Bears
Matt Ryan passed for 301 yards against that Bears secondary. Gus Frerotte is a solid veteran who will find some open lanes through the air and create a little breathing room for AP. Bears may win by a FG, but don't cover.
Steelers -9.5 over Bengals
Carson Palmer is out. Willie Parker is also out. Bengals have a solid pass defense, and but Mewelde Moore has been a nice fill-in. He should rush for 100 yards and a score or two while Big Ben should just limit the mistakes. Solid win for the Steelers here.
Titans -7.5 over Chiefs
Larry Johnson has been suspended and the Chiefs already suck. Look for a virtual shutout in this one for the Titans defense.
Saints +3.5 over Panthers
This could be a fun game to watch two offenses go at it. Both quarterbacks have a lot of weapons, but Brees is one of the best in the game AND he gets Colston AND Shockey (potentially) back this week. I really like this Saints team.
Rame +6.5 over Cowboys
Cowboys win, but there have been a lot of distractions this week. Pacman is a tough hit to that already porous secondary. Whether Romo plays or not, the offense should be sufficient. With him, it's explosive. But the Rams should have some openings to score points this week and at least keep pace for a while.
Dolphins -2.5 over Ravens
I was sorely disappointed by the Ravens defense last week. And that offense is just pathetic. This seems like a trap game to me in terms of betting, but the Dolphins are playing some solid football these days.
Giants -10.5 over 49ers
This could be the last time JT O'Sullivan quarterbacks an NFL team. He has completely wilted under pressure the last couple weeks, and the Giants defensive line will do just that. Solid bounce back performance for the Giants here.
Texans -8.5 over Lions
I think we have a new poll question. Worst current starting quarterback in football is a) Dan Orlovsky b) JT O'Sullivan c) Joe Flacco d) Seneca Wallace e) Matt Cassel
Jets -3.5 over Raiders
This Jets team is looking better and better to me. Raiders are still a joke, and McFadden is coming down to earth a bit.
Browns +7.5 over Redskins
Good game here. Browns looked like they found themselves a bit last week. Jason Campbell needs to pull his head out of his ass and start looking for Santana Moss again. Redskins should bounce back with a win, but no way do they cover the spread.
Colts -1.5 over Packers
No Addai? No problem. Colts continue to roll over Rodgers and the Packers with Dominic Rhodes filling in. Pick him up in fantasy.
Buccaneers -10.5 over Seahawks
This spread could have been 80 and I would have taken the Bucs. Seahawks are the worst team in the NFL right now without Matt Hasselbeck.
Broncos +3.5 over Patriots
How are the Pats a favorite? I can't believe this. I feel like this is one of those "bet the house on this one" games. Even if the Pats find a way to win, it's only by a field goal. Broncos are just a much better team on paper.
Random Rob's picks:
Last week: 9-5, Overall: 53-35
Chargers
Vikings
Bengals
Chiefs
Panthers
Cowboys
Dolphins
Giants
Texans
Raiders
Browns
Colts
Bucs
Pats
-Bess
1) I just don't like Boston. Not when the team is led by Pedroia and Youkilis, two of the biggest shitheads in all of baseball.
2) Carlos Pena. We both played at Northeastern, although I'd say he played a bit more and a bit better than I did. I also played with his brother Omar, who was a hell of a player himself.
3) Evan Longoria. What a player.
4) What a story. This team is so exciting to watch, and after 10 years of holding down the fort in the basement of the AL East all those first round picks are paying on.
5) I have a friendly lunch bet going with a co-worker who is also a season ticket holder at Fenway. I'm not exactly making bank right now, so any free lunch is certainly welcome when I can get it.
Nonetheless, at least the comeback makes the series exciting again, and will give the Rays the chance to clinch at home. But I said it after Game 4 and I'll say it again, Francona lined up his rotation for this exact situation. Down 3-1, he had a fighting chance with Dice-K, Beckett and Lester. Although the Sox dodged a bullet last night with Dice-K, they now send one of the greatest postseason pitchers of all time seeking redemption, and one of the best lefties in the game today coming off a rough start. The Sox are in great shape to make another run, but the Rays have been resilient all year. This should make for absolute tremendous threater. Too bad Chip Carey and company have the call. Where's Donny O. and Rem-Dawg when you need 'em?
Game six actually being necessary does pose a bit of a problem for us here at The Sports Brief, however. You see, UFC 89 takes place in England on Saturday and is being show, for free, on SpikeTV in a delayed telecast. Headlining the card is an exciting showdown between two promising middleweights. Chris "The Crippler" Leben, fresh of a 30-day stint in the slammer, takes on Michael "The Count" Bisping, who has looked very impressive in a pair of middleweight fights since dropping from 205. Keefe and I are both die-hard Leben fans. He's an exciting fighter who loves to brawl and has a chin of iron, granite, brick, whatever. The only guy to knock him out is Anderson Silva, and well, it's almost an honor at this point to be knocked out by Silva. Bisping, meanwhile, is relentless. He fights at a torrid pace, something you might expect out of Manny Pacquiao at 135 lbs. He doesn't throw bombs like Leben, and his chin, for the most part, is untested. But he's highly skilled, athletic and agile, and it should make for a terrific matchup.
On the undercard, Keith "The Dean of Mean" Jardine takes on Brandon "The Truth" Vera. Jardine is coming off that awful, brutal beatdown at the hands of The Axe Murderer. But he's taking on Vera, a fighter with a completely different style and approach, perhaps one that is tailored to Jardine's liking. Vera is in search of an impressive victory after a couple snoozers for wins, but Jardine is in the same boat.
Keefe and I will go on the record as saying that we like Leben and Jardine, both 'dawgs in Vegas, to come out as winners on Saturday. If you can parlay that ass, let us know. You should consider doing it too.
Onto the picks. I'm praying that Romo starts this week. I have him in four fantasy leagues and need him. I went to pick up Brad Johnson in those leagues as insurance, but in my ESPN league, "Turd Ferguson" (my girlfriend's brother) made a strategic move and claimed him on waivers ahead of me. Well played. I texted him and told him I hope Romo plays just to spite him. Some solid action ahead of us this weekend, including what could be a brutal Monday Night game between the Broncos and Pats. Keefe and I are heading to Gillette next week for the Rams game. Normally we'd be excited, but with Matt Cassel at the helm, that's certainly not the case these days.
For Random Rob this week, I utilized the little box of paper clips on my desk. I counted out seven red (Home team), seven blue (Away team), seven green (Favorite) and seven purple (Underdog). I gave it a hard shake or two, then drew a clip for each game, matching up the color with the respective team.
Keefe's picks:
Last week 7-7, overall 43-45
Chargers +0.5 over the Bills
In a basically pick em game I’ll go with San Diego after what they did to the Pats last week. Bills are good, but get their 2nd loss.
Bears -3.5 over Vikings
Kyle Orton has provided some passing to the offense that’s needed a boast. Matt Forte is solid, but they’ll be better off passing this week in the battle of 3-3 teams in the NFC North.
Steelers -9.5 over Bengals
Is Carson Palmer healthy? I don’t know.
Chiefs +7.5 over Titans
Undefeated Titans have a close call in a game they should dominate. Chris Johnson has good game coming off the bye week.
Saints +3.5 over Panthers
Carolina D looks sorry last week, think the Saints should put up some points.
Cowboys -6.5 over Rams
Roy Williams, in. Pacman Jones, out. Tony Romo, ? Either way America’s team wins by at least a touchdown.
Dolphins -2.5 over Ravens
Ravens O is terrible. The D, is ok. Miami will continue to surprise with another W.
49ers +10.5 over Giants
Giants should bounce back with a win, but asking them to cover with that number, is too much.
Texans -8.5 over Lions
How many 1 win teams in week 7 of the NFL season have been 8.5 point favorites? I’ll still take Schaub, Andre Johnson and the Texans.
Raiders +3.5 over Jets
If the Jets are going to be a playoff team this is one they need to have. I think they win it, but it’s close.
Browns +7.5 over Redskins
Browns beat the Giants, and the Skins loss to the Rams, and Washington is understandably 7.5 point favorites this week. How about the NFL? Anderson and Edwards looked like the ’07 Browns last week, keep an eye on them.
Packers +1.5 over Colts
Colts looked good last week, but how much does it matter? I’ll take Aaron Rodgers and the points this week. No Addai for Indy.
Buccaneers -10.5 over Seahawks
Talk about a stinker on Sunday Night. Seattle is hurting, and quietly Tampa Bay is having a nice season. Can that city have playoff baseball and football this year?
Broncos +3.5 over Patriots
Patriots don’t deserve to be the favorites after last weeks game. It’s not just Matt Cassel hurting this team. The secondary was brutal. Malcolm Floyd and Vincent Jackson looked like All-Pros, what will Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal do on MNF? I’m afraid to watch.
Besse's picks:
Last week: 5-9, Overall: 48-40
Chargers +0.5 over Bills
San Diego looked impressive against the Patriots last week, and I still think the Bills are slightly overrated. Edwards suffered a concussion and it'll be interesting to see how he bounces back after the bye week. LT has a solid two score game.
Vikings +3.5 over Bears
Matt Ryan passed for 301 yards against that Bears secondary. Gus Frerotte is a solid veteran who will find some open lanes through the air and create a little breathing room for AP. Bears may win by a FG, but don't cover.
Steelers -9.5 over Bengals
Carson Palmer is out. Willie Parker is also out. Bengals have a solid pass defense, and but Mewelde Moore has been a nice fill-in. He should rush for 100 yards and a score or two while Big Ben should just limit the mistakes. Solid win for the Steelers here.
Titans -7.5 over Chiefs
Larry Johnson has been suspended and the Chiefs already suck. Look for a virtual shutout in this one for the Titans defense.
Saints +3.5 over Panthers
This could be a fun game to watch two offenses go at it. Both quarterbacks have a lot of weapons, but Brees is one of the best in the game AND he gets Colston AND Shockey (potentially) back this week. I really like this Saints team.
Rame +6.5 over Cowboys
Cowboys win, but there have been a lot of distractions this week. Pacman is a tough hit to that already porous secondary. Whether Romo plays or not, the offense should be sufficient. With him, it's explosive. But the Rams should have some openings to score points this week and at least keep pace for a while.
Dolphins -2.5 over Ravens
I was sorely disappointed by the Ravens defense last week. And that offense is just pathetic. This seems like a trap game to me in terms of betting, but the Dolphins are playing some solid football these days.
Giants -10.5 over 49ers
This could be the last time JT O'Sullivan quarterbacks an NFL team. He has completely wilted under pressure the last couple weeks, and the Giants defensive line will do just that. Solid bounce back performance for the Giants here.
Texans -8.5 over Lions
I think we have a new poll question. Worst current starting quarterback in football is a) Dan Orlovsky b) JT O'Sullivan c) Joe Flacco d) Seneca Wallace e) Matt Cassel
Jets -3.5 over Raiders
This Jets team is looking better and better to me. Raiders are still a joke, and McFadden is coming down to earth a bit.
Browns +7.5 over Redskins
Good game here. Browns looked like they found themselves a bit last week. Jason Campbell needs to pull his head out of his ass and start looking for Santana Moss again. Redskins should bounce back with a win, but no way do they cover the spread.
Colts -1.5 over Packers
No Addai? No problem. Colts continue to roll over Rodgers and the Packers with Dominic Rhodes filling in. Pick him up in fantasy.
Buccaneers -10.5 over Seahawks
This spread could have been 80 and I would have taken the Bucs. Seahawks are the worst team in the NFL right now without Matt Hasselbeck.
Broncos +3.5 over Patriots
How are the Pats a favorite? I can't believe this. I feel like this is one of those "bet the house on this one" games. Even if the Pats find a way to win, it's only by a field goal. Broncos are just a much better team on paper.
Random Rob's picks:
Last week: 9-5, Overall: 53-35
Chargers
Vikings
Bengals
Chiefs
Panthers
Cowboys
Dolphins
Giants
Texans
Raiders
Browns
Colts
Bucs
Pats
-Bess
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
How the Angels blew the ALDS I do not know...actually yes I do
If you watched last night's ALDS game 4 between the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels, you got a lesson in the art of seizing momentum, then failing to use it to your advantage and, ultimately, ending your season prematurely. In perspective, game 4 was a microcosm of the entire series. Mike Scioscia should be getting a lot more heat than he is right now, and I hope over the next couple days that will come to fruition. In particular, Scioscia made a couple questionable decisions, or lack thereof, in the final inning and a half of game 4.
First was the botched suicide squeeze play in the top of the 9th. With Reggie Willits on 3rd with one out, the Angels had momentum on their side. Two opportunities to get that run in, Erick Aybar at the plate and Chone Figgins on deck at 2 for 4 on the night and 7 for 16 over the span of games 2, 3 and 4. So he decides to pull a suicide squeeze and it failed, miserably. Not only did Aybar whiff on the bunt attempt, but Willits got caught halfway down the line and eventually tagged out by a diving Jason Varitek.
And for the record, that play wasn't even close. The ball popped out well after Varitek tagged Willits, and it was the force of his glove hitting the ground after he tagged out Willits that caused the loose ball. So I'm not sure why people are considering this a controversy, or asking me for my take on the "controversy." Put it to rest. Willits was out and Varitek had the ball pop out of his mitt after rolling around like an idiot.
But I digress. Here's my problem with the bunt attempt. You haven't bunted all series, which was a headscratcher. Lowell was standing at third with a wooden cane looking as vulnerable as ever and you didn't test the waters. Then last night you've got Kevin Youkilis at 3rd and the entire infield is in. And while it's a 2-0 pitch and odds are a fastball is on the way, not only are the Sox in position to field the bunt, but it's just as good a situation to swing away as it is to bunt there anyway. You're getting a FASTBALL! Look at it this way, if Aybar can lift that ball into the outfield, Willits has a shot at tagging and scoring. If he stings the ball on the ground, he'll need to hit it right at a guy in order for it to NOT get through. The Angels had Boston up against the proverbial wall. It reminded me of Heath Herring against Big Nog at UFC 73 when he landed that earth shattering head kick, then told Nog to stand back up. You don't knock down a seasoned veteran, former champion and guy known for taking abuse and utilizing late heroics to pull out a win. That's what the Red Sox are. And by going for a high risk play and getting burned, the Angels basically knocked down the Red Sox, and instead of delivering a knock out kick to the head, told the defending champions to stand back up and have at it.
I'm not buying the logic that this is how the Angels have played all season, so it's not like Scioscia went and changed their approach and philosophy. He had already done that by not playing this way the entire series. Then he decided to go back to it. As my buddy Jalbert said, there's a difference between aggression and stupidity. This was stupidity.
If the Angels were at home, I wouldn't be criticizing Scioscia as much. You're the home team, and if you take a shot and miss, that's okay because if you go out and give up the lead in the top half of the following inning, you still have a chance to come back up and make something happen. But here, you're on the road, not sure if you'll get another at-bat or not and you've just breathed new life into a team that plays as good as anyone in the game at home. It was poor timing by the Angels, because it was their shot to send the series back to LA for game 5, but instead cleared the bases, gave the Sox 2 outs in the inning and sent the game to the bottom of the inning still tied. All the Sox had to do was play for one run to win. And if they didn't get it, they could have simply gone back out in the 10th knowing they'd have another at-bat in the bottom half.
The situation brought me back to our final game at St. Paul's. We were up a run on Thayer Academy in the top of the 7th, but they had a runner on 3rd with 1 out. Keefe and I were in the outfield screaming at the infielders to play in and cut down the run while Parker Chase, our immortal coach, was instructing to play back and get the out. We were irate. His argument was that we were the home team and his contention was to play back and prevent the big inning because if that run scored and tied the game, we'd still have a chance in the bottom half to win it. Which is right. He was absolutely right. But Keefe and I were taking the situation into account, which is just as important as making the standard "correct play." We were probably 6-8 at the time, no chance of winning the league title and there was no playoff format, so this was it. Thayer was at the top of the league standings and a better team than us. The only thing we had to play for was pulling off a great upset to end our careers and have something special to talk about at dinner that night and, potentially, years later over a beer or twenty. So why would we play back and concede the run there? If we lose (which we eventually did in extra innings), so be it. That's what was expected. But we were two outs away from a great upset and instead of going for it, Parker Chase made a decision without taking the situation into account. That's exactly what Scioscia did last night. He made a managerial decision without considering all of the ramifications based on the situation.
But that's not where it ends for the Angels. Let's not forget, they went into the bottom of the 9th tied and managed to lose it right then and there. And it all started with a Jason Bay blooper to right. Did you see how far Willits had to come for that ball? Where was he playing? And where'd he get his route from, Magellan? I joked with Keefe that Scioscia must have had him warming up to pitch the 10th when Rich mused that Willits was running in all the way from the bullpen. Not only that, but people are applauding him for deflecting that ball into the stands and preventing a triple or even inside the park homerun. He never should have even dove for that ball. In a tie ball game, bottom of the last inning, you need to prevent the opposition from getting extra bases. Had he a) not been so far away he could have caught the ball in the air and b) not dove and instead knocked it down and in front of him he could have kept Bay out of scoring position. Take this into consideration. If Bay is still on first, Teixeira would have been straddling the bag and probably doubled up Bay on Kotsay's double play.
Nonetheless, no one saw Willits was sharing a hot chocolate with K-Rod in the bullpen and thus had to run a half mile to the spot. And he didn't exactly learn his lesson either. On Lowrie's groundball, the play at the plate wasn't even close. Bay was rounding third and a few steps down the line before Willits had even corraled the ball. He had so far to run just to get to it, that it would have required Bay stumbling and falling before home plate in order to get him out. I understand there are two outs, but when your season is 120ft away from ending, you need to treat it as a do or die play and assume the bases might as well be loaded with no outs. Willits needed to be more shallow than he was, in a position where he could easily get to a ball quickly have a chance to throw out the runner trying to score. If Lowrie smokes one over his head, I say you tip your cap. But you've already been beat once in the inning by a blooper of a hit, you can't allow yourself to be beaten like that again. That's exactly what happened.
In the end, the Angels played like a team that is 1-10 in its last 11 playoff games. The pitching was fantastic for LA. Lackey, Saunders and Santana all threw great, and I give Santana a lot of credit for posting a 4 spot in the first and bearing down to give his team a chance to come back. You can't ask a guy to do much more that what he did after that first inning. But it was the lack of productive hitting, generating runs and dominating the basepaths. It was the mental lapses in the field, like the 3-run bloop single by Ellsbury in game 3. The Angels luckily found a way to win despite that, but lack of focus and execution will always come back to haunt you. And that's exactly what it did.
Vikings-Saints
Anybody watch this game at all last night? I was checking in frequently because about 3 of my fantasy teams were hinging on the play of guys like Drew Brees, Reggie Bush and Lance Moore. A couple thoughts on all that took place:
First was the botched suicide squeeze play in the top of the 9th. With Reggie Willits on 3rd with one out, the Angels had momentum on their side. Two opportunities to get that run in, Erick Aybar at the plate and Chone Figgins on deck at 2 for 4 on the night and 7 for 16 over the span of games 2, 3 and 4. So he decides to pull a suicide squeeze and it failed, miserably. Not only did Aybar whiff on the bunt attempt, but Willits got caught halfway down the line and eventually tagged out by a diving Jason Varitek.
And for the record, that play wasn't even close. The ball popped out well after Varitek tagged Willits, and it was the force of his glove hitting the ground after he tagged out Willits that caused the loose ball. So I'm not sure why people are considering this a controversy, or asking me for my take on the "controversy." Put it to rest. Willits was out and Varitek had the ball pop out of his mitt after rolling around like an idiot.
But I digress. Here's my problem with the bunt attempt. You haven't bunted all series, which was a headscratcher. Lowell was standing at third with a wooden cane looking as vulnerable as ever and you didn't test the waters. Then last night you've got Kevin Youkilis at 3rd and the entire infield is in. And while it's a 2-0 pitch and odds are a fastball is on the way, not only are the Sox in position to field the bunt, but it's just as good a situation to swing away as it is to bunt there anyway. You're getting a FASTBALL! Look at it this way, if Aybar can lift that ball into the outfield, Willits has a shot at tagging and scoring. If he stings the ball on the ground, he'll need to hit it right at a guy in order for it to NOT get through. The Angels had Boston up against the proverbial wall. It reminded me of Heath Herring against Big Nog at UFC 73 when he landed that earth shattering head kick, then told Nog to stand back up. You don't knock down a seasoned veteran, former champion and guy known for taking abuse and utilizing late heroics to pull out a win. That's what the Red Sox are. And by going for a high risk play and getting burned, the Angels basically knocked down the Red Sox, and instead of delivering a knock out kick to the head, told the defending champions to stand back up and have at it.
I'm not buying the logic that this is how the Angels have played all season, so it's not like Scioscia went and changed their approach and philosophy. He had already done that by not playing this way the entire series. Then he decided to go back to it. As my buddy Jalbert said, there's a difference between aggression and stupidity. This was stupidity.
If the Angels were at home, I wouldn't be criticizing Scioscia as much. You're the home team, and if you take a shot and miss, that's okay because if you go out and give up the lead in the top half of the following inning, you still have a chance to come back up and make something happen. But here, you're on the road, not sure if you'll get another at-bat or not and you've just breathed new life into a team that plays as good as anyone in the game at home. It was poor timing by the Angels, because it was their shot to send the series back to LA for game 5, but instead cleared the bases, gave the Sox 2 outs in the inning and sent the game to the bottom of the inning still tied. All the Sox had to do was play for one run to win. And if they didn't get it, they could have simply gone back out in the 10th knowing they'd have another at-bat in the bottom half.
The situation brought me back to our final game at St. Paul's. We were up a run on Thayer Academy in the top of the 7th, but they had a runner on 3rd with 1 out. Keefe and I were in the outfield screaming at the infielders to play in and cut down the run while Parker Chase, our immortal coach, was instructing to play back and get the out. We were irate. His argument was that we were the home team and his contention was to play back and prevent the big inning because if that run scored and tied the game, we'd still have a chance in the bottom half to win it. Which is right. He was absolutely right. But Keefe and I were taking the situation into account, which is just as important as making the standard "correct play." We were probably 6-8 at the time, no chance of winning the league title and there was no playoff format, so this was it. Thayer was at the top of the league standings and a better team than us. The only thing we had to play for was pulling off a great upset to end our careers and have something special to talk about at dinner that night and, potentially, years later over a beer or twenty. So why would we play back and concede the run there? If we lose (which we eventually did in extra innings), so be it. That's what was expected. But we were two outs away from a great upset and instead of going for it, Parker Chase made a decision without taking the situation into account. That's exactly what Scioscia did last night. He made a managerial decision without considering all of the ramifications based on the situation.
But that's not where it ends for the Angels. Let's not forget, they went into the bottom of the 9th tied and managed to lose it right then and there. And it all started with a Jason Bay blooper to right. Did you see how far Willits had to come for that ball? Where was he playing? And where'd he get his route from, Magellan? I joked with Keefe that Scioscia must have had him warming up to pitch the 10th when Rich mused that Willits was running in all the way from the bullpen. Not only that, but people are applauding him for deflecting that ball into the stands and preventing a triple or even inside the park homerun. He never should have even dove for that ball. In a tie ball game, bottom of the last inning, you need to prevent the opposition from getting extra bases. Had he a) not been so far away he could have caught the ball in the air and b) not dove and instead knocked it down and in front of him he could have kept Bay out of scoring position. Take this into consideration. If Bay is still on first, Teixeira would have been straddling the bag and probably doubled up Bay on Kotsay's double play.
Nonetheless, no one saw Willits was sharing a hot chocolate with K-Rod in the bullpen and thus had to run a half mile to the spot. And he didn't exactly learn his lesson either. On Lowrie's groundball, the play at the plate wasn't even close. Bay was rounding third and a few steps down the line before Willits had even corraled the ball. He had so far to run just to get to it, that it would have required Bay stumbling and falling before home plate in order to get him out. I understand there are two outs, but when your season is 120ft away from ending, you need to treat it as a do or die play and assume the bases might as well be loaded with no outs. Willits needed to be more shallow than he was, in a position where he could easily get to a ball quickly have a chance to throw out the runner trying to score. If Lowrie smokes one over his head, I say you tip your cap. But you've already been beat once in the inning by a blooper of a hit, you can't allow yourself to be beaten like that again. That's exactly what happened.
In the end, the Angels played like a team that is 1-10 in its last 11 playoff games. The pitching was fantastic for LA. Lackey, Saunders and Santana all threw great, and I give Santana a lot of credit for posting a 4 spot in the first and bearing down to give his team a chance to come back. You can't ask a guy to do much more that what he did after that first inning. But it was the lack of productive hitting, generating runs and dominating the basepaths. It was the mental lapses in the field, like the 3-run bloop single by Ellsbury in game 3. The Angels luckily found a way to win despite that, but lack of focus and execution will always come back to haunt you. And that's exactly what it did.
Vikings-Saints
Anybody watch this game at all last night? I was checking in frequently because about 3 of my fantasy teams were hinging on the play of guys like Drew Brees, Reggie Bush and Lance Moore. A couple thoughts on all that took place:
- The Saints got screwed by poor officiating. Not only did Bush fumble on a blatant facemask that wasn't called, but I thought the ball was out of Peterson's hand before his knee hit the ground late in the fourth.
- Grammatica sucks.
- Drew Brees misses Marques Colston and David Patten, but not Jeremy Shockey. Moore, Henderson and Meachem dropped a plethora of passes last night, most of which were easily catchable. While Brees has still managed to put up good numbers, it's because he's that good. Shockey, meanwhile, isn't as immediate a concern. Billy Miller is a very capable tight end and one tough son of a bitch. Did you see the hit he took late in the 4th, only to come back in two plays later?
- You can't predict the NFL. That game has easy pickings with the Saints only giving up 3.5 at home, coming off a terrific team effort against San Francisco and facing a fledgling Minnesota team that looked uninspired last week against the Titans. Instead, the Saints gave the Vikings every opportunity to steal that game from them and they did. If it wasn't for Reggie Bush, that could have been a lot worse, and we'd be talking more about how badly that offense underachieved last night.
Dancing with the Stars
Can someone explain to me how Kim Kardashian and Jefferson Darcy got voted off, yet Warren Sapp is still on there? I'm sorry but that's just poor. Sapp shouldn't even be on the show, nevermind still a contestant after a couple weeks. I watched briefly last night and couldn't tell you who half the "celebrities" are on there. It looks like it's slowly turning into a D-list celebrity suaree.
That's all I got for now. Sox and Rays for the ALCS, Dodgers and Phillies for the NLCS. I have a bet with Chris in my office for a lunch at JA Stats across the street. I took the Rays. He's a Sox season ticket holder so naturally he's banking on a Sox win. I figure this is a win-win for me. If the Rays win, I'm eating a chef's salad with strips of smoked salmon for lunch on his dollar. If the Sox win, I buy him lunch and hopefully get to watch a Sox-Dodgers World Series. I'm still a Manny fan, and there's nothing I'd love more than watching him pimp a bomb onto the Pike off of Beckett.
-Bess
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