Injuries Keep Shooting Down Sox

Just when you think the Sox are hitting their stride and after a long road back to within a few games of the AL East lead, the injury bug reigns down again on Red Sox nation. This time, it has brought havoc upon a much more significant duo.

Yesterday, in their loss to the San Francisco Giants, Dustin Pedroia drilled a foul ball off his foot. The result: a broken foot. No laser show for a few weeks in Boston. And then today, just a day after losing their star second basemen, the Sox lost their winningest pitcher of the young season. After a single at the plate by Clay Buchholz, he came up lame on his way to second base on Marco Scutaro's force out ground ball. Buchholz had to come out of the game with what was believed to be a strained muscle in his leg. We can only hope this injury isn't serious, because the Red Sox will be full-on looking like the Paw Sox pretty soon if the DL trips continue.

It's been one of the most injury-ridden seasons in recent memory for the Sox. I've said it over and over again that it is incredibly impressive that they are where they are given all the injury problems they've had. If they manage to get through this pair of problems and escape within a few games of the division lead, what more tests will you need? The Sox have a chance to prove they are tough, that they have heart, and that they won't let anything stop them.

Is It Possible For The Same Man To Get Struck By Lightning And Mauled By A Bear In A 4-Year Period?

AOL  -  If minister Rick Oliver ever decided to stop believing in God, it would be quite understandable.

Because Oliver is either living proof that the man upstairs works in strange and unusual ways -- or he's just one unlucky fellow.


Earlier this month, Oliver, 51, who lives on a 17-acre farm near Raleigh, N.C., was mauled by a black bear in his front yard and ended up with a gouge in his wrist so deep that blood spewed like a hose onto his farmhouse floor when he took off his bandage.


According to NewsObserver.com, the attack occurred in the middle of the night when Oliver was up fixing his Chevy Malibu. He heard a distant rustling and decided to check the source of the noise.


When he turned to investigate, he was dealt a heavy blow. "I heard this strange huffing," Oliver said. "And the next thing I know, I had been run over and stepped on by a bear."


Oliver's daughter took him to the emergency room and the cuts were so deep that ER doctors couldn't sew them up. Instead, they bandaged Oliver and told him to keep pressure on the lacerations.


Oliver compares the experience to being "struck by lightning" -- and that would be an apt metaphor, if it were a metaphor.


Thing is, four years ago, Oliver was struck by lightning and says he's had trouble sleeping ever since, which explains why he was in the right -- or wrong -- spot for the bear attack.




First Kobe, now this? Is there a God up there? He keeps making me doubtful. But you could also look at this the other way. There has to be a God in order for this man to still be alive... right? How many people get struck by lightning and get mauled by a bear and live to tell the story? One. Rick Oliver, ladies and gentleman. The most interesting man in the world. I've just decided he must be.


PS -- Speaking of bears.... the Bruins.... Savard and Thomas both waived their no-trade clauses today and gave the Bruins permission to trade them. What's going down in Beantown? Stay tuned.

Bruins Trade Sobotka

On the one day I can't get to a computer, everything happens! The Bruins have traded Vladimir Sobotka, if you haven't heard, to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for defenseman David Warsofsky. Warsofsky is currently playing for the BU Terriers. He is a local kid, having grown up in Marshfield, MA.

Now, a lot of the bandwagon B's fans who praised Sobotka's name in the playoffs will immediately lash out at Peter Chiarelli for making this trade. But overall, this is a good trade for the Bruins. You look at Sobotka -- who is a restricted free agent -- and wonder what the Bruins would have needed to pay to keep him. Would that price have been worth it? Sobotka played 134 games in the past three seasons for Boston. He tallied 6 goals and 16 assists  over that time, with a rating of -16. Not very impressive. He played great in the playoffs for stretches, but that was playing center. He supposedly had some trouble adjusting to the wing. With so many qualified forwards, you really can't afford to pay Sobotka to come back and be what -- your fourth line center? Or struggle at third line wing? Bruins need cap space. This helped, and instead of letting Sobotka walk away, they got a big defensive prospect who is probably super-excited to play in his hometown.

I know you all loved the way Sobotka finished last season, but you have to understand that the dynamic of this roster has changed. Sobotka doesn't fit too well, and we were able to lock up a big defenseman as the barter reward.

Another thing to note: this trade may be a sign that Peter Chiarelli has opted to keep Marc Savard. Just speculation and nothing is definite, but that is certainly a possibility.

Boston also made qualifying offers today to restricted free agents Mark Stuart, Adam McQuaid, and Blake Wheeler.

Stunning Heartbreaker Delivers USA Early Exit

I apologized last night ahead of time for the slow day today, having been doing a videographer job all day long. I get back to my house for the first time since 6:00 this morning, and what news do I get? Oh, Ghana took down the USA for the second straight World Cup to hand the Americans elimination on a silver platter. Just what I wanted to hear.

Like I said, I didn't see this game. Therefore, it would be foolish of me to analyze it or make any conclusions about it. I'll have to see some highlights at some point. But my question is, will soccer ever get big in the States? Every time they have a chance to make a comeback with a magical World Cup run, they end up falling flat on their face. Maybe it just isn't meant to be. The USA is superior in a lot of things, a lot of sports; maybe soccer just wasn't meant to be for us. I don't know. What I do know, though, is that a much less experienced and -- most analysts agree -- less talented Ghana squad is advancing while the American fútbol players' golf season starts a little earlier than anticipated.

Welcome to Boston, Tyler Seguin!

Taylor Hall goes #1 to the Edmonton Oilers. Their loss! Welcome to Beantown Tyler Seguin! The new face of the Boston Bruins franchise. I cannot wait for October.

PS -- Tomorrow is going to be a slow day. Won't be able to post things until around 5 or 6 in the evening. Apologies. Spend the time to go out and celebrate Seguin's arrival, though.

Bruins Prepare For Franchise-Altering Draft

For the non-Bruins fans who read Ultimate Boston, I guess I'll give my apologies for the overload of Bruins information today. Don't worry, once the almighty decision is made tonight, it will be a quiet, anxious summer awaiting the drop of the puck in the season opener from Prague.

Actually, I can't say that. In all likelihood, I'll be joining the rest of the Bruins fans in reveling about the opportunities all summer long.

Taylor or Tyler? It's been asked for a year now, and the answer comes tonight. It seems as thought Peter Chiarelli is happy standing pat without any trades to bolster the roster. He will wait until one of these two studs lands in his lap before electing to wheel and deal anymore. Which will it be? The overwhelming consensus is Seguin, with Hall going to Edmonton. But news broke this afternoon regarding Edmonton's serious push to get the #2 pick from Boston in addition to their #1. Now, while we all know that would never happen, it may be a sign that Edmonton isn't too comfortable choosing between these two great talents. Add in the fact that they still haven't shown their hand regarding their choice, and Bruins fans still have reasonable hope that either of the two players will drop to #2.

Tune into Versus to catch the draft action. It starts at 7 PM EDT. Will this Bruins roster look the same at this time tomorrow? The next few hours will truly be a franchise-changing period.

Naoko Funayama Tweets No Trades Today

So, there you have it. NESN reporter Naoko Funayama is in LA for the draft, and she reports that Peter Chiarelli doesn't expect any trades to go down today. This seems to stay in line with my previous post about how important Edmonton's pick is. If the Oilers take Hall, Chiarelli's trade interests may start heating up again post-draft. If they take Seguin, though, the Bruins are good to go up front. No trades necessary, whatsoever.

Although Taylor Hall is the consensus #1 choice, the fact that Steve Tambellini has still yet to announce who they will select with the top pick does leave a window of hope for B's fans. Just sit by the media outlets and wait for more breaking news to pour into the stream of stories.

Bruins Ink Recchi To 1-Year Deal

According to NESN's Jimmy Murphy, the Bruins and Mark Recchi have agreed to a 1-year contract extension. The deal is expected to be officially announced on Monday.

This was a big question mark for the Bruins heading into the offseason, and I think most Bruins fans will be glad to see Rex returning. He played a critical role in our offense come playoff time, and his veteran experience in the locker room is second-to-none. Recchi also had a pretty solid regular season, tallying 18 goals and 25 assists for 43 points.

Many speculate that Recchi will continue to play with Patrice Bergeron moving forward. The two yielded great production for stretches in the postseason, and we can only hope that continues to progress into more success in Boston.

Exhausted Isner Loses In Second Round

American hero John Isner put on a historical show two days ago at Wimbledon, spending 7+ hours in a day smashing a tennis ball to decide a single set that was never decided before sundown. He finished the set on Thursday -- a 70-68 win in the fifth and deciding set -- and was right back in action on Friday to face Thiemo de Bakker in round 2. Unfortunately for Isner, he was unable to keep performing in a superhuman manner. He lost in straight sets, 6-0, 6-3, 6-2.

Isner won the fewest games in a single match at the tournament this year, one day after finishing the match in which he won the most games in a victory. He failed to strike a single ace in the match, a severe downgrade from his record 112 aces in the match versus Nicholas Mahut. De Bakker took down Isner in just 1 hour and 14 minutes --  slightly shorter than the marathon match that took 11 hours, 5 minutes to decide.

Nonetheless, I'm pretty sure nobody thinks any lesser of Isner because of his second round loss. In the same way that yesterday's winner was irrelevant in the big picture, Isner's accomplishment will easily overshadow his second round loss in the long run. Can you imagine playing an 11-hour Wimbledon match over three days and then having to come back and gear yourself up for a brand new match? Isner showed visible fatigue and had to be treated several times for a neck injury. It was a lost cause for the American to try and win more matches moving forward. It's definitely not the point here. The point was Isner's historic accomplishment in winning the most remarkable tennis match in the history of the sport.

Draft Day: Why Oilers Decide Everything

For hockey fans (Boston and Edmonton fans in particular), the night is finally just hours away. The 2010 NHL Draft is just around the corner, and the age-long debate will soon be decided: Taylor or Tyler?

After thinking long and hard about the draft, the pieces involved, the possibilities for each side, the benefits, the costs, the rumors, and all of that, I've concluded that the Oilers' decision will dictate the direction the Bruins' franchise goes in. Peter Chiarelli has reiterated that the gap between Seguin and Hall is so small that he wouldn't consider it to be worth it to trade up and snatch the #1 selection. So, here are what I believe the outcomes will be if Edmonton picks this one or that one.

If Edmonton Selects Taylor Hall: This is the scenario that, in the past 24 hours, I have grown more and more fearful of happening. I had reached a point where I would have been satisfied with Boston taking Seguin and making him a winger. Playing him with Savard. Lots and lots of goals. But then the Marc Savard trade rumors surfaced. So this is the vibe I've gotten. If Boston gets Seguin and not Hall, they seem to be interested in shipping Marc Savard and Tim Thomas in the trade market. What they will get back? I have no idea. But it seems that this is their goal if they are dealt the hand of Tyler Seguin. Make Seguin your third-line center and deal Marc Savard. I'm not saying this is what I would do, but this is what I think Chiarelli has the intention of doing. Clearly, the franchise goes in a particular direction with this outcome.

If Edmonton Selects Tyler Seguin: Heaven for Bruins fans. I may not be correct, but I damn well hope that Peter Chiarelli would be making his three centers untouchable if he was dealt Taylor Hall in this draft. A dynamic goal scoring winger who will almost assuredly light it up with a phenomenal puck-moving centerman to distribute. If the Oilers take Tyler Seguin -- who, in the past few days, many scouts have actually jumped back on the bandwagon with -- then Boston should be just about done dealing. Sure, they will still look to trade Thomas. And they may look to trade some of their bottom-tier forwards. But there is no way the Bruins trade Marc Savard if they get Taylor Hall. I just don't see how they could. Clearly, a whole new direction for this franchise based on one decision by Edmonton GM Steve Tambellini.

So, ultimately, if I'm seeing things properly here, we shouldn't expect a trade of Marc Savard before the draft tonight -- or at least not before the Bruins somehow guarantee which player they will receive in the draft. In light of the fact that Boston seems to be reluctant to play Seguin at the wing, maybe Peter Chiarelli will realize that the price to get Taylor Hall may not be as high as the price of trading Marc Savard to clear center space for Seguin. Personally, I'd keep your three borderline-all-star centers intact and make your new star forward a winger. But who knows -- the B's could have inside information that leads them to believe Seguin can't play wing effectively at the NHL level. I don't know. We can beat this debate to a pulp, but we still won't get the answer until tonight. It's almost here. The crazy analysis can cease in just a few hours' time.

Will it be Taylor or Tyler? Nobody knows -- seemingly not even the men making the decisions.

Madden '11 Preview

Yahoo!  -  Quickly, name the two best quarterbacks in the NFL.


Peyton Manning and Tom Brady? That's probably the conventional wisdom, and the most popular answer out there. There's Manning and Brady, with Drew Brees either recently having joined that super-elite group, or at the very top of the next tier below.


Madden NFL 11 flips the script, though. They've got Brees and Manning as the best quarterbacks out there, with a significant drop-off to the next tier of guys, which includes Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Philip Rivers.


Some player ratings for this year's edition of the Madden franchise have slipped out, courtesy of the gang at Operation Sports. They've got the top-10 players at every position, and the top-five quarterbacks look like this:


1t. Drew Brees, 99.
1t. Peyton Manning, 99.
3. Tom Brady, 95.
4t. Aaron Rogers, 94.
4t. Philip Rivers, 94.


As far as teams go, last year's Super Bowl competitors top the list, with the New Orleans Saints at a 92 and the Indianapolis Colts at a 91.


Also feeling the Madden love are the Baltimore Ravens, who have the league's third-best rating with a 90. The Dallas Cowboys are an 87, the best team in their division by a full six points. The Jets are the best team in the AFC East, with their 89 rating trumping the Patriots' 86.


At the other end of the spectrum, the Rams are the game's worst team, rated 66 overall. The Bills are a 67, the Lions are a 68, the Bucs a 69, and the Browns a 70.


No team in the NFC West rises above a rating of 79. Welcome to suckville.



Let me first say that Madden 11 looks phenomenal in all the video trailers, just like every madden before it has. Exception gameplay animations, and according to the critics, a new way to spend less time in the playbook and more time on the field. Definitely a good thing for the entire Madden audience. I have no idea how they intend to implement this new, quicker style, but I'm sure it will be interesting.


Now, as for the ratings. Drew Brees and Peyton Manning are the two highest ranked quarterbacks (both ranked 99) and there is a considerable drop-off to the third place Tom Brady (95). Many critics are complaining about this allotment of rating points, but I think I see it fit. If you're going to go by the season they just had, Brady is definitely a tier below those guys. It makes perfect sense. However, here's were my beef on that matter comes into play.


If you're going to use ratings based on the most recent NFL season, then you need to keep that consistent for everyone. My first example is Randy Moss (95). Let's be honest, folks. Randy Moss wasn't a 95 this year. I'd rank him maybe a 91. But no way was he a 95. This was one of the most frustrating years ever for Pats fans, and Moss just had a terribly inconsistent season. Additionally, I have a gripe with the Chris Johnson-Adrian Peterson matter. Chris Johnson (rightfully so) earned himself a 99 rating last season. The next best halfback is Adrian Peterson, listed at 98. No chance. Again, for his career -- yes, Peterson definitely deserves a 98 rating. For last season? In comparison to Chris Johnson, you cannot tell me AP was only 1 Madden point shy of his performance. Chris Johnson was a beast. Peterson was an inconsistent, rumbling and fumbling halfback. No bash on Peterson here, but if you're going by last year's production and Chris Johnson set that bar at 99, you can't just dish out a 98 for AP. Doesn't do justice to CJ.


Overall, though, there is no doubt I'm going to buy this game. Ratings don't really matter in the long haul. You build a franchise and your favorite players are irrelevant, because you're looking to find the best ones. If the improvements are as they claim, my $60 will be a solid investment on this game. All I hope is that my purchase doesn't yield me a replica of Madden 10 that I virtually cannot distinguish from one another. I trust you, EA Sports. Make it happen.

Laser Show.

Five hits. Three homeruns. Five runs batted in. Dustin Pedroia, my friends. Laser show. Relax. With one on in the 10th inning, Pedroia blasted his 3rd homer of the game into the Coors Field bleachers to put the Sox up 13-11. This came after Papelbon blew an 11-9 lead in the 9th inning. Papelbon managed to come back strong and get a pretty undeserving win, but a win nonetheless. The Sox manage to salvage the final game of this three game set. Thanks to Dustin Pedroia, of course. He and Beltre are definitely the biggest bosses in town right now. Or at least they are playing that way.


The Sox are back in action at San Francisco to take on the Giants tomorrow. Start time here on the east coast is 10:15 PM. Hopefully Boston can string together a few more and get back on the winning ways.


PS -- I'm still angry at Papelbon.

Papelbon Does It Again...

Does anyone in Red Sox nation still think that Papelbon deserves to wear that mean, intimidating stare on his face? I mean, do batting practice pitchers wear that stare? Because that's what #58 is right now. The Rockies labor through 8 crazy innings and the Sox fight back from behind twice, and then the big intimidating closer comes in to shut down their chances. Except it works the opposite way with Pap. He comes in and is the shining ray of hope that Colorado has been looking for. Time to tee off. This guy hasn't been the same pitcher since 2008. He was a walking heart-attack last season and he's been the same this season. He's lucky to have gotten out of that ninth inning alive. That shot to centerfield was a foot away from getting out of the yard. Great catch by Darnell.

I hope the Sox come back (again) to win, obviously. But how long are we going to use our best batting practice pitcher as our closer? Time to either get Pap's act together or get his act out of the ninth inning.

What Part Of "Do Not Touch The Top Of Adrian Beltre's Head" Did You Not Understand?

I completely love this. It's become a custom for the NESN crew to show Beltre in the dugout after every mammoth homer he hits. And every time, his teammates try to touch the top of his head. And he gets very angry about this. It all started three weeks ago after his gorilla longball from one knee against the Rays. The guy doesn't like to have the top of his head touched. How long until someone heads (no pun intended) to the disabled list with a cracked skull for touching Beltre's scalp?
PS -- Beltre is a boss, I've been saying it all along. Guy is posting unreal numbers.

Celtics Draft Texas Guard Avery Bradley

Well, you can spray the fire extinguisher on any lingering rumors of the Celtics trading that #19 selection with Kendrick Perkins or any other package to get veteran help or acquire more draft picks. With the 19th pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, the C's selected Texas point guard Avery Bradley.

With this pick, the C's get the backup point guard that they need (it is likely that Nate Robinson will be gone) and they get an exceptional athlete in the process. Two years ago, this kid was ranked the top high school athlete over John Wall. Wall has since excelled at the NCAA level, but Bradley definitely has the physical tools to become a player. Interesting pick, but not too bad. Hopefully he can become the bench spark that we will need to bring in that can successfully run and energize the offensive unit at critical times in the game. Avery Bradley, welcome to Boston.

Source: Sheed to Retire

A source close to the NBA recently announced that Rasheed Wallace is set to retire after 15 NBA seasons, walking away from the final two years of his contract with the Boston Celtics. Sheed, I'll be honest. I hated you most of the regular season. I think most Celtics fans did. And I feel weird saying this next part, because it didn't conclude with Banner 18. But you earned your stripes in the playoffs. You played hard. You played tough. You played clutch. You played good defense. You didn't even get suspended for having too many technical fouls. You did alot of good things. I gained a lot of respect for you. And even though we didn't take home Banner 18, I appreciate what you gave to this team. Congratulations on a good career, most of which I hated your guts. But it's all about how you finish, and you went out on a good note -- 4 points shy of the highest note you could have possibly gone out on. Good riddance. Ball don't lie.

The Story That Won't Go Away: Chiarelli Hints That Savard May Still Be On Trade Block

Boston Herald  -  The Bruins may be making headlines during or soon after NHL entry draft weekend that dramatically overshadow their selection of either Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin in tomorrow night’s draft. The Bruins’ No. 2 overall pick of one of those talented 18-year-olds will be a very big deal, but according to a well-placed league source, B’s general manager Peter Chiarelli is attempting to engineer blockbuster deals for No. 1 center Marc Savard and erstwhile top goalie Tim Thomas.

Chiarelli has steadfastly refused comment on possible B’s trades, but he talked in general terms today about what he expects to be a busy trade market, in which centers are a very much coveted commodity.

“Guys (GMs) are being more pro-active,” said Chiarelli. “A lot of that is because of all the parity we’re seeing. Once we get into the playoffs, anything can happen.

“Forwards in general (are coveted). The free agent market is thin, and centers are very thin. So who knows? I know there are a lot of teams that are looking for centers. And that’s not just because of rumors you hear; you just look at their lineups and there’s a lot of teams looking for centers.”

If the B’s do deal Savard, it clears icetime for Seguin, assuming he’s the player available at No. 2. Savard’s cap hit of just over $4 million (for six more years) would be erased. As for Thomas, who is owed $5 million a year for three more seasons, he has lost his No. 1 job to Tuukka Rask and presumably would welcome a move to a club for which he’d have a chance to start.

Once again, the rumors about Marc Savard are surfacing. This article you just read was only released about an hour ago. The Savard-for-Kaberle rumors have subsided, but supposedly Chiarelli has a Savard-and-Thomas package deal in mind. In one sense, it makes sense -- you find a way to deal Thomas and you shovel loads of cap room out of the way, hopefully getting value in return. On the downside, like I've said every time a Savard rumor arises, he's our most skilled offensive player. I don't even know how to analyze the possibilities any further. Lord, please just let it be Friday night already!!

New Hope: Bruins Grant Tank's Agent The Right To Actively Seek Trade With Other Teams

After the initial announcement a few days ago that the Bruins would be actively shopping Tim Thomas, speculation arose that Boston would have a difficult time dealing him. The idea was that teams knew the B's were desperate to dump Thomas and his salary, and thus, they would be very stingy and Boston would never get fair value (if any value) in return.

According to TSN, though, that may change with this Peter Chiarelli decision. According to sources, Timmy's agent -- Bill Zito -- has stated that if he was given permission to seek trade, he would make plenty of phone calls to find an option. Tim Thomas has a no-trade clause in his contract, so it makes sense that he would only waive that to play in a location he desired to play in. With this new permission granted, there is a much better chance that the Bruins will find a way to make that happen.

With the draft coming tomorrow night, you can expect Chiarelli to have his phone lines ringing and dialing off the hook for the next 24 hours. Will Thomas be a Bruin for long? Can they find a way to rid his salary and get a little value in return? Stay tuned.

Draft Day Special: What Will The C's Do?

Still bleeding in the wake of last week's gut-wrenching Game 7 loss, Danny Ainge and his Boston Celtics organization will need to pull their act together in time for tonight's NBA Draft. The Celtics currently have the 19th selection in the first round. Will they use that to take a player?

Reports in recent days have said that Danny Ainge hopes to move the pick in the interest of acquiring more veteran help that can improve the team this year. The general consensus is that whoever they draft at the #19 slot, it will take them a few years to be ready to make effective contributions on a championship-caliber team. So is trading the pick and acquiring a veteran the right move?

In my opinion, I'm not so sure it is. To improve this team substantially, I think the Celtics need to make every effort to splash the free agent market come July 1. What would my plan of action be? Attack Joe Johnson. Hard.

You might realize initially -- we can't afford Johnson. He'd send us over the salary cap. And you'd be right. And this is where Danny Ainge needs to sit down and have a talk with his captain, Paul Pierce. Pierce is the X-factor in the Celtics landing a second-tier free agent this offseason. Thanks to the NBA's strange salary cap rules, Boston could work their way around cap issues and land a guy like Johnson. Here's a brief run-down of the NBA salary conditions.

There is a hard cap in the NBA, and there is also a luxury on salaries going over that cap. You can't, however, go over the cap at will. The only way a team can sign a player that brings them over the salary cap is if that player is returning to the same team. If the money is being spent on a returning player -- the cap is unlimited on that negotiation.

So here's where Pierce and Allen come in the biggest. Allen re-signs at a lower price, whatever they see fit. He becomes Boston's sixth man, the true definition of instant bench offense. Probably the best sixth man in the NBA. Then, Paul Pierce opts out of the final year in his contract. Wait, what? Hear me out. Ainge needs to have this talk with Paul Pierce. Get him to opt out, give his word he won't leave. Pierce opts out -- $19 million off the cap. They now can afford that second tier free agent -- Joe Johnson. Johnson signs and becomes our starting #2. Once Johnson signs on, Pierce signs back on; you can go over the cap to sign a returning player. Boston pulls the strings, adds a premier young shooting guard, and is back in contention for the title. Could this ever work? Paul Pierce's main motive is winning another championship. They all have close relationships with the higher-ups in the organization. I believe this could definitely work. Will it? Who knows.

I've made it clear that I believe the above plan of action is the way they should go about improving the team. That plan is unrelated to the upcoming draft tonight, though. So, what do I think they should do? If they can follow through on a free agent negotiation as described above, I say draft the rookie. We've seen mid-to-late first rounders turn into stars (Rajon Rondo was a #21 pick) for the Celtics. This #19 might be no different. Rather than trading it for a washed-up veteran, make every effort to pull the strings on a free agent signing. That's how Boston will compete for another title.

Bruins Lock Up Boychuk

The Boston Bruins reportedly took a big step toward their 2010-11 success with the inking of Johnny Boychuk's contract extension. Boston reportedly has signed the emerging defensive star to a 2-year deal worth a total of $3.75 million over the two seasons. Sources say Boychuk is slated to earn $1.75 million in his first season and $2 million in his second season.

This is a huge signing for Boston, and it also helps put the flames out to some extent on the speculation about Tomas Kaberle coming to Boston. This signing gives the Bruins a solid core of defensemen locked up for this season, and bringing Kaberle may just seem like overkill at a price as high as Marc Savard. On top of that, this seems to be one of the best prices we could work for a player who was arguably our best defenseman in the second half of the season and the playoffs.

Now we just wait and count down the hours until the big draft arrives. Tomorrow night.... I can taste the transformation of this franchise!

Isner Wins Most Epic Match In History

At last! The never-ending tennis match ended today, and USA's John Isner was able to oust France's Nicholas Mahut after another 20 games of play in the 5th set. Isner won the set 70-68 and the match 3 sets to 2. 70-68 = amazing. We'll never see anything like it again. Rightfully so, Wimbledon has given Isner the day off and he will continue his pursuit for the title tomorrow.

Big John Isner was upset that play was suspended last night. Many believed it would be very tough for him to make it back in peak condition today, given the wear and tear his huge 6'9" frame took during yesterday's 7+ hours of play. Nonetheless, Isner was able to muster up the strength and energy to take down Mahut in the 138th game of the 5th set. Wow.

The match passed the 11-hour mark in total time and passed the 8-hour mark for the 5th set alone. That 5th set single-handedly surpassed the previous record for the longest MATCH in tennis history, which lasted a mere 6 hours and 33 minutes. Simply unbelievable.

With Dice-K's Return, Is It Goodbye For Lowell?

With Daisuke Matsuzaka scheduled to make his return from the disabled list in his start tonight for the Boston Red Sox, the team will need to make a roster move in order to make room for Dice-K. Could Mike Lowell finally be on the move as a result?

The Red Sox will need to give one player on their active roster the boot, and when faced with that question, who do you pick? Daniel Nava was the one called up for Matsuzaka's place, but it would be counterintuitive to move him now that he's become one the biggest offensive contributors of late. Guys like Reddick and McDonald aren't necessarily tearing it up, but their production is certainly sufficient thus far. And with a banged up outfield, do you really want to cut off one player from a platoon that has worked so well? Ellsbury is still hurt, Cameron is always on-and-off, and JD Drew has been suffered from a sore hamstring. You really have no room to toss out an outfielder. So what's next? Do you take Dustin Richardson out from the bullpen where he's been a pleasant surprise? Removing a bullpen pitcher will just make that list in the pen even thinner than before, a list that Terry Francona has been carefully monitoring to avoid overusing guys like Daniel Bard. As much as you might hate to say the time has come, Mike Lowell is the guy you need to designate for assignment here if you still can't work some kind of negotiation with another team. Lowell is 4 for his last 45 (.089) and is, for all intents and purposes, the most useless player the Sox have on the bench. He's so hobbled up that he can't really run much, so he's only really valuable in pinch-hitting situations. Given that he's 4 for his last 45, that doesn't seem to be working too well, either.

I know that many Sox fans will get that bitter feeling of seeing such a great Red Sox player leave town on such a dull note. It hasn't been hostile and there has been no aggression -- Lowell is a respectful guy. But just know that whatever the outcome is, Lowell just wants to play baseball. He's said before that the Sox are wasting a roster spot on him, and that he would like to at least give it a shot somewhere else where he can play. From a neutral perspective, anyone can tell you that Lowell isn't doing much help here. So the all-around right decision would be to let him go. The guy gave so much to Boston, the least we can do is accommodate his wishes  (which, in fact, are actually best for the team, too.).

Will this move happen? It will have to happen before tonight when Daisuke Matsuzaka is activated and takes the hill against the Rockies.

To Every Village, An Idiot; To Every Sport, A Bad Sportscaster

I don't have much to say, but I just needed to say something about this guy. This is why I hate Joe Buck:


Final moments of Superbowl 36: "Kick up...kick is on the way...and it is...GOOOOODDD..ITS GOOD...ITS GOOOD...ITS GOOOD..THE GAME IS OVER..AND THE PATRIOTS ARE SUPERBOWL CHAMPIONS!!!"--Pat Summeral


Final moments of the 2007 World Series: "Game over...series over...and the Red Sox are World Champs again."--Joe Buck


Seriously? how about "the 2-2 pitch..HE STRUCK HIM OUT! THE RED SOX WIN THE WORLD SERIES!" No, none of that excitement that defines sports?


I know. This is a poorly written, fragmented rant. But after today's unbelievable World Cup, I listened to the announcers (who weren't even American) say "Can they do it here? And DEMPSEY IS DENIED AGAIN...OHHHH AND DONOVAN HAS SCORED!!! OH CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS!!??" over and over again. It was so exciting hearing the announcers go crazy, as weird as that was. The genuine excitement of whoever calls the games helps capture the excitement that we as fans feel when the moment is happening live.


To me, that is part of the purpose of these guys. They state obvious happenings of the game but do so in an attempt to make things more understandable and exciting. Joe Buck is understandable but so is my old writing professor and that doesn't mean I want him calling the biggest game of the season.


My point is, every sport has a bad sportscaster. John Madden was pretty poor for the NFL before he retired. Luckily he was a color commentator. But the biggest problem right now is Joe Buck, because he always ends up calling the American League Championship series and he always ends up calling the World Series. And even when his favorite team, the New York Yankees, makes the series, he has a hard time showing emotion over their victory.


WS 2010: "Ground ball to Cano, and the Yankees are back on top! World Champions for the 27th Time."


I don't know. For me, I like the guy who sounds like he is sitting next to me on the couch watching the game. When something great happens, he shouts, "can you believe it!" But Joe Buck acts like he has seen it all before, and he needs to go.

Real Impressive, Papelbon.

Over the past year or so, I've gotten used to Jonathan Papelbon and his brutal blown saves every once in a while. I've sorta learned to just tune them out and move on. This one, though -- this one hurts a lot more. I don't even know exactly why, because it's just a regular season game with the Colorado Rockies. But it stings.

John Lackey hurled 6.2 innings of 5-run ball. Not an overly impressive performance, but he bested Ubaldo Jimenez, who was sent to the showers by the Sox offense in the 6th inning after teeing off for 6 runs on him. Score 6 runs on Ubaldo Jimenez -- most teams haven't been able to score any on him this season. You bring 6 guys around the bases on Jimenez, you're in real good shape. John Lackey even contributed offensively with a double to the track in center field. He would score on a Marco Scutaro single. Things were looking great. The Red Sox had taken down the invincible Ubaldo. Then Papelbon came in.

Shut-down closer, right? Yeah, I know that everyone is bound to have a bad outing here or there. But this loss brought Pap's ERA up to 3.64 on the season. In 28 appearances out of the bullpen, guess how many 1-2-3 innings Papelbon has tossed? 9. Out of 28 appearances, only 9 have been clean domination. He's been an average pitcher at best this season. His 1.21 WHIP is his highest since his rookie year. And now he's giving up multiple homers in the 9th inning, multiple times in a season. Unacceptable, really. How long can you hand the ball to Papelbon in the ninth knowing that Bard is a much more talented pitcher? If I were calling the shots here, I'd mix them up. I'd give Bard some 9th inning looks as well as Papelbon. If one guy starts to thrive more than the other, you stick with the hot hand. But tonight was a perfect example of just how important the closer is, and ours has underperformed quite a bit.

The Sox will look to brush off the heartbreaker and bounce back tomorrow in the final game of this three-game set. Luckily for Boston, the Rays have already lost tonight. The Yankees are tied with Arizona in the 6th inning.

Horton Trade Sparks More Savard Rumors

The other day, we basically put out the fire regarding the potential trade of Marc Savard to the Columbus Blue Jackets for the #4 overall draft selection. Just a short while later, though, Peter Chiarelli pulled the trigger on a multi-piece deal with the Florida Panthers to bring Nathan Horton and Greg Campbell to town at the expense of Dennis Wideman and the #15 draft selection (and I love this deal even more since Horton has said it's his dream to come here and since I was shown who Horton's wife is). This trade has sparked more debate and discussion around Chiarelli's next potential move. According to TSN, there's quite a reasonable possibility that Marc Savard could be dealt -- straight up -- for star defenseman Tomas Kaberle of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Now, with this trade, the same complications will apply as before when it comes to dealing Marc Savard. He has a no-movement clause. Savard will need to willingly leave town in whatever trade the Bruins attempt to make involving him. Many speculated that Savard wouldn't leave town to go to a team like Columbus. But with Toronto being a great hockey market and former dynamic goalscoring linemate Phil Kessel there -- would Savard ever entertain the idea? Still not likely, but definitely a possibility.

So now to break down the trade. Would this be a smart move for the Bruins, trading star center Marc Savard straight up for star defenseman Tomas Kaberle?

Advantages: Marc Savard is a pretty small guy, a 32-year-old centerman, and it is very possible that he is past his prime. The Bruins have two current centers on the NHL squad younger than Savard -- Krejci and Bergeron. In addition, many scouts believe that rookie Joe Colbourne will be NHL-ready next season. Colbourne is a highly touted prospect for Boston, and he is a big, Joe Thornton-like centerman. If the Bruins have the intention of playing him in a regular spot next season, it might make sense to work a trade involving Savard. That is, if you agree that Krejci and Bergeron are more valuable than Savard. Additionally, with the loss of Dennis Wideman -- before you tell me that isn't even a loss, hear me out -- they lack a good puck-moving defenseman. Wideman was brutal last year, and I am aware of that. But he was our best defenseman at moving the puck through the neutral zone and he played a key component on the power play. Tomas Kaberle would definitely help this defensive squad -- it would probably give us the best all-around defense in the league, and how good would our offense be? Still pretty damn good on paper. If you think about how the entire team would look as a result of this trade, it isn't as absurd as it sounds initially.

Disadvantages: Plain and simply, Marc Savard is our most skilled offensive zone playmaker. He's proven that over his years in Boston. In his first three years with the B's, he tallied a gaudy 262 points. Last season, battling injuries, he notched just 33 points in 41 games. When healthy, Savard has given us no reason to believe he isn't the best offensive player on the Bruins and one of the best playmakers in the game. When he went down to the infamous Matt Cooke hit, our  power play suddenly became nonexistent. And let's be honest -- when we entered the playoffs without him, we all feared his absence might be too much to overcome. He's very clearly a huge part of this team offensively. With a brand new, electrifying, goalscoring rookie stud coming in (either Seguin or Hall), it would be a bit counterintuitive to ship off Savard before giving him the chance to set up a great talent like that. Ever since the Bruins landed that top draft pick, it was the goal in mind -- get a big goalscorer that Savard can feed. By trading him, you're definitely downgrading your offense in a way. And isn't an offensive downgrade the last thing Boston needs?

Overall, the jury is still out on this deal for me. I'm pretty torn. Kaberle is an all-star defenseman, and there is no doubt in my mind we would have the best back end in the league with this trade. Between Chara, Kaberle, Seidenberg, and Boychuk (if we can re-sign him), we would easily have the best top 4 in the league. Stuart, McQuaid, Hunwick and others can easily combine for a solid #5 and #6. So that's the most obvious advantage here. How much would the loss of Savard hurt us? Well, I think that all depends on how ready Joe Colbourne actually is. There are blinding uncertainties in making a deal like this, but there are also several shining opportunities that could spring from it.

Will Savard be a Bruin come October? Nobody knows just yet. And I guess our only option is to wait around and put our trust in Peter Chiarelli.

Sox Prepare To Face Ubaldo

I can't remember the last time an opposing starting pitcher was so hyped up coming into a Sox game with anyone, but Ubaldo Jimenez's start tonight against Boston is very highly anticipated. After his team escaped with a 2-1 victory over the AL East powerhouse last night, Jimenez will look to continue to wheel and deal his fabulous numbers (13-1, 1.15 ERA).

Coming into this week, many critics of the Red Sox recent play believed that this week would tell a lot about this team. They are set to face two of the very best in the game (Colorado's Ubaldo Jimenez and San Francisco's Tim Lincecum), and these will serve as big-time tests for this red-hot offense. Daisuke Matsuzaka will return from the DL, and we might get an idea of how he will pitch moving forward. It is a huge week for the Sox, and the first significant test comes tonight.

Will the Sox be able to batter around Jimenez and snap his magical streak of late? Or will they just be the next victim to fall at the hands of the Ubaldo ball? Tune into NESN tonight to find out.

Most Ridiculous Sporting Event Ever Surpasses 10 Hours In Length And Gets Suspended By Darkness; Will Resume Tomorrow

As I feared, the time never came today when I could just make that post about how ridiculous this match WAS and how the winner was such a warrior and all that. Because for the second straight evening, this same match gets suspended by darkness. They played four sets yesterday, took forever, and it was suspended by darkness. And then today, they came back to play just one set. One set! That's all they came to the courts to decide today. And they didn't even finish one set in seven hours. How does that happen? We head to tomorrow's action to continue this one with the score 59-59 in the fifth set. Unbelievable. "Nothing like this will ever happen again. Ever," said Isner. And he's probably right. You just don't see 10-hour sporting events like this, needing 3 days to decide a single match. It's like playing a 92-inning baseball game or a 21-overtime hockey game. Just absolutely insane. We've witnessed history, and now we'll have to tune back in tomorrow to continue witnessing history. And hopefully finish witnessing history... but who knows anymore?

Is This Real Life?

The 5th set is now 53-53. This really isn't even real life. I made that post earlier thinking that within a couple of hours I could make a post about how crazy this WAS and how the winner did a fabulous job. But no -- 29 games later, we're still going strong. There have been 106 games and counting IN THIS SET. We're nearing 9 hours for the total match time. Both of these players have broken the existing record for aces in match. 93 aces for Isner, 84 for Mahut. The previous record was 78. This is so absurd that I don't even know how to react. So I just decided I'd post again saying how ridiculous this is.

Who Is Gary Faulkner?

Gary Faulkner is an out-of-work construction worker who sold his tools to finance six trips on what relatives have called a Rambo-type mission to kill or capture bin Laden.

DENVER – An American on a solo mission to hunt down Osama bin Laden is headed back to the United States, ten days after authorities found him in the woods of northern Pakistan with a pistol, a sword and night-vision equipment.

Who is Gary Faulkner? America. That's who. Is there anything more American than selling all your stuff, growing a beard, and going to remote Pakistani woods armed with a pistol, a sword, and night-vision equipment to purge the earth of the cruel, evil, and ever elusive Osama bin Laden? Seriously, I'd like to thank Gary and our American soldiers who pursue terrorists daily. The importance of our soldiers and their role in vanquishing terrorism from this earth is paramount.

This Tennis Match Is Beyond Absurd

Well, this match at Wimbledon is completely ridiculous at this point. Isner of the USA vs Mahut of France. The match has gone on 7 hours and counting, dating back to last night when it was suspended for darkness. Let me break down the set scores for you. 6-4 Isner, 6-3 Mahut, 7-6 Mahut, 7-6 Isner. Those are the first four sets, tied 2 sets to 2. So the fifth set is the deciding factor. How long has the 5th set been going on? 4 and a half hours. Yes. 4.5 hours. What's the score of the fifth set? 39-38 Isner. What? 39 games to 38? There have been 77 games in the 5th set when there was 45 games in the first four sets combined? Total madness. There's no traditional tiebreak system in the 5th set at Wimbeldon. They play it out until one guy or the other wins by 2 games in that set. But these guys are so drained, I don't know when they're gonna be able to defeat the guy who's serving. Could this go on forever? Witness it for yourself on ESPN 2, which is covering most of the action.

Amazing!

Oh my God! Unbelievable! What was the most frustrating game in the history of any world that has ever existed suddenly turned into one of the most memorable wins in the history of the American nation. Truly remarkable. Jozy Altidore continued his phenomenal game up front for the USA and continued pushing the issue in the final minutes. His ball to the middle was initially stopped by the keeper, but who else but Landon Donovan came in with the support, booting the ball into the empty net for the most rejuvenating goal in US Soccer history. USA 1, Algeria 0. And in a matter of seconds, the feeling of being eliminated from the World Cup was abolished and the feeling of winning Group C was dawned. Just a phenomenal game, a great way to advance, a terrible ending for Slovenia, and an embarrassing unravel for Algeria. Nonetheless, all the credit it the world goes to the United States. Tim Howard turned in another spectacular effort and moved the ball very well in transition, ultimately leading to the rush that notched the winning strike.

When does the USA play next? I don't know. I don't even care yet. Time to enjoy this stellar victory for a little while.

Update - It seems as though the US will probably play again on Saturday. Nice.

USA vs Algeria - LIVE CHAT

Bad Breaks Help Rockies Take Down Sox

For the most part, interleague play has been overwhelmingly kind to the Boston Red Sox in recent history. During this stretch, the Sox have taken a number of games and stormed back to the top of the division. Tonight, though, several things worked against them in mile-high Colorado to deal them just their third loss in their last 11 games.

Jon Lester was on the hill and, per usual, dealt a strong outing. The Sox co-ace went 6 innings, yielding just 1 earned run on 6 hits. Lester had only thrown 90 pitches and would normally have gone out for the 7th (maybe even 8th) inning. However, in the top of the 7th inning, the Sox loaded the bases trailing the game 1-0. With Jon Lester due up and two outs in the inning, Terry Francona justifiably made the move to pinch-hit David Ortiz. Ortiz grounded out to second, and Lester was then ineligible to return to the mound. NL rules, man -- they can be tough.

Even still, the Sox found themselves in a 1-0 game through 7 1/2 innings. In the Rockies' at bat in the bottom half of the 8th frame, they added a little insurance. With runners on 1st and 2nd with 1 out, a routine grounder went Marco Scutaro's way. Perfect double-play ball -- or so we thought. The ball took an unreal bounce, going completely over the head of Scutaro and into left-center. One runner scored and bumped the Colorado lead to 2-0.

In the 9th, though, Boston refused to say die. A red-hot Adrian Beltre roped a double to the track, and he would score two batters later on a Mike Cameron single. After a pinch-hit fly out by Bill Hall, former World Series MVP Mike Lowell stepped up to hit for the pitcher's spot. In the same venue that he earned his 2007 series MVP accolade, Lowell couldn't work the heroics tonight. He hit a grounder into the hole that he was unable to beat out, despite a very long transaction from the shortstop to first base. Long story short, the Sox came out on the wrong end tonight. Jon Lester suffers an undeserving loss, dropping him to 8-3 on the season.

Boston goes right back at it tomorrow night, and they will be up against the horse of the Rockies' rotation. Are you excited to see the Sox face Ubaldo Jimenez? Ready or not, here he comes.