Social Icons

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Jackpot! WATCH UFC 116 Here!

Create a Meebo Chat Room

Classic Jerry & Don


If you're a regular Sox-viewer, Jerry & Don probably have the tendency to crack you up from time to time. I've never seen Don crack himself up like this before, though. I mean, this is a solid 5-minute rant about Christmas cards, Jerry bashes people who send cards telling all the great things in their life, and then Don absolutely loses it when he finds out TC sends cards like that. He just cannot speak, sounds like a little school girl trying to pronounce his words, coming out all high-pitched. Then Jerry gets all apologetic and makes a completely BS excuse to justify how he's accidentally offended Tom Caron and his family. The most impressive part, though, might be the way Don pulls it back together when things go wrong. Base hit Baltimore, run scores. That's not a funny thing. So I need to stop laughing now. And he takes on a serious tone again. A true professional.



If I Told You A Two-Headed Calf Was Born In Egypt Recently, Would You Take My Word For It?

AP  -  A farmer in northern Egypt says his cow has given birth to a two-headed calf that he calls a "divine miracle."


Sobhy el-Ganzoury said Saturday it took two hours and much pulling to deliver the rare calf. He said the difficult birth has weakened the calf's legs.


El-Ganzoury said the veterinarian informed him that the calf, which was born this week, is now in stable condition and is expected to survive. He said he intends to keep the animal as a reminder that "God is able to do anything."




Some news stories truly tell themselves. They don't need much input from the blogger. This is one of those cases. This calf has two heads. It's incredibly freaky looking. And it's real. Not photoshopped. That is all.

Police Bust Columbian for Attempting to Transport Replica of World Cup Trophy... Made Out of Cocaine

AP  -  Fans worldwide have fashioned replicas of the World Cup trophy out of everything from papier-mache to plastic. But a lawbreaker in Colombia gets top prize for most original material: cocaine.


Airports anti-drug chief Col. Jose Piedrahita says that Colombian authorities found the unusual statue during a routine security check by anti-drug agents Friday in a mail warehouse at Bogota's international airport.


The 36-centimeter-high (14-inch-high) statue was inside a box headed for Madrid, Spain. The statue was painted gold with green stripes on the base.


Piedrahita said Saturday that laboratory tests confirmed the cup was made of 11 kilos (24 pounds) of cocaine mixed with acetone or gasoline to make it moldable.




To be honest, I'm surprised they even arrested this guy. If I was the cop in this situation, I would have just been too impressed. Sure, cocaine is illegal and you can't just go ahead transporting TWENTY-FOUR POUNDS of it on airplanes to other countries. In that regard, I guess you have to arrest the guy. But this is just downright impressive. Here's my analogy. What if a 16-year-old constructed a system of immense waterfalls and fountains flowing with beer around a beautifully made replica of the Taj Mahal, constructed with cigarettes and scratch tickets? Would you arrest the kid? I mean, clearly he's breaking the rules. But he's not being abusive or destructive or anything. He's being absolutely creative. Same goes with this dude. It's not like he's dishing out cocaine to little kids or endangering his own life by consuming it. He's just building a replica of the world cup trophy. Isn't that the point of creativity? Picking an idea that nobody else will ever think of in a million years? If it is, my Columbian friend here easily takes the trophy for that (no pun intended).

UFC 116: Who Will It Be?

In case you missed it yesterday, Rick Burke posted his analysis of tonight's title fight between true Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar and interim Heavyweight Champion Shane Carwin. Lesnar has missed nearly a full year with his illness (intestine) and looks to defend his title against Carwin, who destroyed Frank Mir in the battle for the interim belt this spring.

Rick believes that Carwin and his 5XL glove sized hands -- "lunchboxes" with "dynamite" in them -- will be enough to take down Brock Lesnar in four rounds. What do you think? Does Carwin have what it takes to defeat Brock Lesnar? Or will Lesnar come back strong and deliver Carwin his first loss in the UFC? Hell, Carwin hasn't even had an opponent take him out of the first round yet. Catch all the action on Pay-Per-View tonight at 10:00 PM EDT. For those of you who are short on money and don't want to pay to buy the fights, I'll make an effort to get a link up here to a stream of the fight.

All I know is that for UFC fans, this is NOT a battle that you want to miss.

Germans Blast Argentineans, 4-0

I didn't catch any of this game due to prior engagements, but how about Germany, eh? They destroy Argentina, 4-0, en route to advancing to the final four. They will face Spain, who knocked off Paraguay 1-0 on a Villa strike in the 83rd minute.

For Argentina (my pick to win it all... I guess I should avoid too much soccer analysis and stick with the sports I follow closest, huh?) it is a disappointing exit from a World Cup during which stud talent Lionel Messi failed to notch a goal. After thoroughly impressing and dominating teams until this point, Germany proved to be too much for the sky blue and white stripes of Argentina. 

We're down to just four teams. Who will take home the World Cup to their country?

The End of An Era?



As the men's final is set at Wimbledon 2010, and a young star, Tomas Berdych, is poised to take on veteran Rafael Nadal, a sad realization is dawning on most tennis fans; the era of Roger Federer is nearing it's end.
Now don’t get me wrong, Federer proved me wrong once before after he lost in the finals at Wimbledon 2008. I thought his career was over, and so did many others. However, in the time that has passed since then, he has won four majors while on his way to breaking Pete Sampras’ record of career grand-slam titles (16.) He also in that time completed a career grand-slam by winning the French Open in 2009.
However, Federer is two years older and the field is getting that much better. Obviously, you have Nadal, but two others, Novak Djokavic and Andy Murray, are on the cusp of greatness, while others, such as Berdych, Robin Soderling, and Juan Martin Del Potro are almost there. One can’t count out veterans such as Andy Roddick and Nikolay Davydenko making runs either.
Federer is also nearing the age of thirty. Though in most sports thirty is still relatively young, in tennis it is about as old as it gets. Sure you have people hanging on to past glory by playing well past thirty, but most don't reach the same level of success they once had. Because of Federer's inevitable aging, he may not be able to keep up with younger, fitter players such as Nadal and Murray. Although Federer has the tools to beat these players, his body and age might hinder him.
So why is this sad to me? Well, here’s the thing; though Djokavic, Murray, Del Potro, and others are very good tennis players, Rafael Nadal is just that much better. He is extremely strong, incredibly fit, a little unorthodox, and can adapt his game to any surface. I have a sneaking suspicion that if Federer is to retire soon, or his form dips drastically, Nadal will take the ATP by storm and sweep almost every major. Though Rafa is exciting to watch and overall likable, it is never fun to see an athlete unmatched and winning everything, much like Federer was from 2003-2007.
Federer is arguably the best player in the history of tennis, male or female. His time as top dog is up, it seems, and the tennis world, especially the fans that enjoy great matches and tough championships, will surely miss him.


Going Out With A Bang

AOL  -  Tom Moore was a man who loved fireworks. And like all fireworks fans he was a fan of July 4.


When he died in May at the age of 70, his wife Anne and friends at Santore & Sons Fireworks decided on an original way to mark his passing: he would be cremated and his ashes scattered in a Independence Day fireworks display.


"It's definitely a way to go out with a bang," Anthony Santore, who is making the fireworks containing Tom Moore's ashes, told AOL News. "The final party, the final hurrah, is the fireworks show."


They won't be alone. Around 200 people are likely to show up at the event on Sunday at Lake Disston in Florida. There will be a barbecue, corn on the cob and canoes so people can enjoy themselves even as they say their goodbye to Tom.




Doesn't everyone want to go out with a bang? What more exciting a way to end your existence on planet earth than to actually BE the fireworks at a Fourth of July celebration? True American right here. I don't know if Tom requested this before he died, but if he did, he's a phenomenal American at heart. America is defined by the crazy F's -- fast food, football, and fireworks on the fourth. I think every American should have the privilege of deciding whether there ashes will go into a July 4th fireworks production. Just like how we can choose to be organ donors. They should add a check box on the ballot. You can also have your ashes become fireworks to show your true American spirit. Anyone agree? Heck, everyone might just start dying just to be in a fireworks show. I have to admit, it would be a pretty cool story to tell!

Friday, July 2, 2010

Nava's Bloop Lifts Sox To Victory


The Boston Red Sox, after another day off yesterday, came into play tonight against the Baltimore Orioles with a chance to move within a half-game of the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. Easy win against the Orioles, they're terrible... right? Not so fast.

The Sox found themselves in a 2-2 game in the bottom of the eighth inning, in danger of becoming just the seventh opponent this season to score less than three runs on Baltimore. Tim Wakefield was still the pitcher of record, having hurled 8 innings giving up just 2 runs. After a Marco Scutaro wall-ball double off the monster, Daniel Nava was called upon to pinch hit for left fielder Eric Patterson. It wasn't exactly a laser show, but Nava's bloop to right field got the job done. The perfectly placed, shallow fly fell between a trio of Orioles and plated the eventual winning run. Boston 3, Baltimore 2.

JD Drew was the sole spark of offense prior to Nava's pinch-hit single in the eighth inning. Drew blasted solo home runs in the 2nd and 5th innings off Baltimore starter Brad Bergesen to keep the Sox knotted up on the scoreboard. Bergesen actually pitched a good game, going 7.2 strong innings. Nava's bloop single, though, delivered him his third earned run and the subsequent loss.

Boston is now just 0.5 games behind New York for the division lead. Will the Red Sox overtake the Yankees by the All-Star break? With the Sox facing Baltimore and the Yankees facing Toronto, I wouldn't bet against it.

PS -- Have any of Nava's heroics earned him a date with Erin Andrews yet? For the love of God, just give the kid what he wants!

Two Gorillas in a Cage


The Matchup: Coming up this Saturday night is a clash of two Mixed Martial Arts titians, Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin for the undisputed heavyweight title. This fight will barely fit inside the octagon: Lesnar at age 32 stands at 6’3” weighs 265 pounds, and has a reach of near a mile (81 inches). His not so well known 35 year opponent stands at 6’2”, weighs 265 and has a reach just one inch shorter than Lesnar. This battle seems almost too close to call as both opponents destroyed their well respected opponent and UFC veteran Frank Mir. Both have successful backgrounds in wrestling; Carwin the NCAA Div. 2 Heavyweight champion in 1999, and Lesnar the NCAA Div. 1 Heavyweight champion in 2000. But there are a few things that tip the scale in one competitor’s favor. When I first saw Lesnar fight I thought to myself, “there is no way this guy will ever be beaten again. Mir got lucky grabbing his ankle and he will never again allow anything like that to happen, he is just too big and powerful”. But then this Carwin guy comes out of nowhere with a 12-0 (7 by K.O. and 5 by submission) record and hasn’t even gone into the second round. This guy has dynamite in his hands.

X factor: Lesnar’s illness. The holes in his intestine that kept him out of his last matchup November 21st 2009 will certainly have an impact on the fight. Even though Lesnar’s trainers say he is stronger than he has ever been, I feel his illness has had a negative impact on Lesnar because he finally knows what it feels like to be hurt. Another thing that scares me about Lesnar is his last match against Mir. Mir was able to stand with Brock for a while; it was only when Mir was taken to the ground did Lesnar begin to dominate. If Lesnar is going to stand a chance with Carwin he needs to work on his stand up skills or he’s going to find himself sleeping in the middle of the ring. 

The Decision: I’m going to choose this fight on who has the biggest hands. Everyone has heard of Lesnar’s “lunchbox” size hands with 4XL gloves. But I bet fewer people have heard that Carwin in fact needs 5XL gloves. Not to mention that Carwin has explosives in his lunchboxes. Therefore, the title is going to switch owners Saturday night and Carwin will be crowned the new UFC heavyweight champion. There is no way this fight lasts all five rounds, but it will last longer than the 1:08 average Carwin is used to fighting. After a few rounds of crazy haymakers thrown from both fighters, Carwin will submit Lesnar in the fourth round with his kryptonite, a leg lock. Don’t agree? Tell me what you think.

How Cool Would It Be To Become An Ultimate Boston Intern?

So, if you're reading this now, it probably means you've found our site pretty interesting over the past few weeks. Truth be told, our views have taken big hits over the past week or so, and we're continuing to fall lower and lower. So, we decided that to increase our product, you have to increase the work that goes into it. Right? Well it's not like this is my day job, or any of our jobs, so we can't exactly increase the time we put in. Thus, we're going to open the doors to our most loyal viewers to jump in.

A good majority of our audience consists of high school and college students. For those of you who fall into this category, I can guarantee that you will need to write your résumé at some point in time if you haven't already. Well, what better way to build a resume than doing something you enjoy?


An internship does not have to be paying. It just has to involve work and experience to gain. So, why wouldn't we be able to offer internships? If you're a writer, you can apply to be an intern blogger for Ultimate Boston. If you have a knack for finding interesting and intriguing news stories before everyone else, great -- we need the likes of people like you! Here's a brief rundown of the two intern options we plan to introduce.


Intern Writer - Okay, so you read our blog all the time and you have views you would like to express. Why not become a writer for Ultimate Boston? Now you can, very simply. Send us TWO samples of your work in the form of potential blog articles from recent occurrences in the sports world or anything else in the world that is intriguing and appropriate. You can send the articles to the email address at the top of our page. Please note that a key requirement of becoming a blogger for us is proficiency in spelling and grammar. If your spelling and/or grammar is poor, we will most likely decline your application until those skills are at a proficient level. As long as they are within reason, though, we can probably work with you. Humor is always a good quality, but please take notice of the fact that we don't condone vulgar or offensive language at Ultimate Boston. Undertones are fine, subtle humor is fine, witty humor is fine -- but no swearing, racial slurs, etc. We try to keep our potential audience as large as possible, so keeping everything appropriate is necessary. With your submission, please include your full name. The expected work load to keep your standing as an intern writer is a minimum of 2 QUALITY blog posts per week.


Intern Researcher - So maybe writing isn't your strong point. Do you have sources that allow you to find crazy videos, wacky news stories, intriguing sports news, or anything else that would be 5-star blog material faster than the rest of the internet buzz? Seems like you have what it takes to be an intern researcher, without a huge workload. Send us an email saying that you wish to be an intern researcher. Include your full name. In the email, send us your first blog-worthy, unique news story. You do not need to write anything about the story -- just show it to us, and we blog about it. Sounds easy, right? Well, you will need to maintain a workload of sending us 3 BLOG-WORTHY stories per week in order to keep your standing as an intern for UB. You can always send more (and you are encouraged to send more), but 3 is the bare minimum for being an intern researcher.


Sound good? I think it's a pretty easy résumé builder. We would be classified as a (very) small business, and working as a non-paying intern with us is certainly valid experience. If nothing else, you may just get more exposure. You never know who will be looking, see something they like, and inquire about your services. In fields like blogging, exposure is NEVER a bad thing.


So send us your application today. Not difficult at all! Just send an email to the address at the top of our page. You'll hear back from us shortly thereafter, and hopefully you'll be brought on as the newest Ultimate Boston intern! Once you have completed 3 weeks of intern work at the work rate we have established, you will be listed on our page as an official intern of the Ultimate Boston staff!


Well, what are you waiting for? Get involved today!

B's Release Roster For Development Camp

The wait finally ended last week to see whether it would be Tyler or Taylor for the Bruins. It was Tyler, and now another wait is about to come to an end. Bruins fans will get their first chance to see Seguin take to the ice as a Boston Bruin.

The Bruins released their development camp roster today for their 4th annual development camp to be held from July 6 - July 10. The squad looks as follows:

Forwards:
Tyler Brenner, Jordan Caron,
Joe Colborne, Craig Cunningham, Alexander Fallstrom, Justin Florek, Mark Goggin, Jared Knight, Tyler Randell, Max Sauve, Tyler Seguin, Ben Sexton, Ryan Spooner, Nick Tremblay 

Defensemen:
Yuri Alexandrov, Matt Bartkowski, Ryan Button, Marc Cantin, Tommy Cross,
Ryan Donald, Steve Kampfer, Zach Trotman,
David Warsofsky 

Goaltenders:
Adam Courchaine, Matt Dalton, Zane Gothberg, Mike Hutchinson



Tuesday, July 6th will be the first day of the camp. That day will involve fitness testing for the players. The on-ice event is closed to the public for that day. For the remaining four days, though -- Wednesday (7/7) through Saturday (7/10) -- the on-ice segment of the camp will be open to the public and the media at Ristuccia Memorial Arena in Wilmington, MA. Ristuccia is the facility that the Bruins practice at during the regular season.


On that list, I've put in boldface font the players that most fans and media are creating the most hype about. Obviously, you can expect that a lot of fans will jump at the opportunity to see Tyler Seguin skate for the first time as a Bruin. Jared Knight and Ryan Spooner -- Boston's 2nd and 3rd picks, respectively -- are electrifying pure scorers that the Bruins are also very excited about. Joe Colbourne is Boston's 2008 first selection and is a big, powerful forward that many believe will make a run at a roster spot with the NHL club next season. David Warsofsky is the BU defenseman that the Bruins acquired the rights to via the Vladimir Sobotka trade. Having grown up in Marshfield, MA and playing one season at Marshfield High School, local fans will also be very excited to see him in action once again.


All of these Bruins events are somewhat teasers, given that the season is still months away. But it will certainly be very exciting to get our first glimpses of our future on the ice in Wilmington.


Crazy question... but who else really wants to go see this? Maybe get an Ultimate Boston trip? We might qualify as media and get a chance to interview Seguin, right? Hey, it's worth a shot. Send us an email if you'd be willing to join UB in attending development camp. Maybe we'll make it happen.

Apparently We Want No More Kobayashi?

AP  -  Former world hot-dog eating sensation Takeru Kobayashi of Japan wants to compete in this weekend's annual Fourth of July contest on Coney Island, but still can't agree to a contract with the organizers.


Kobayashi, one of the world's premier competitive eaters, won the contest for six years up to 2007 and then had to settle for second-place finishes behind American Joey Chestnut. He moved to New York in March so he could train with local hot dogs.


But his chances of getting revenge this weekend against Chestnut, from San Jose, Calif., seem slim because of a contract dispute with the event's organizer. Kobayashi, 32, has balked at signing an exclusivity clause with the group, and can't compete unless he does.


"I really want to compete in the event," Kobayashi told Japan's Kyodo news agency.


In a report from New York on Friday, Kyodo quoted Kobayashi as saying the event "holds a special place in my heart," but added he did not agree with the conditions.


Kobayashi became a celebrity and a hero in Japan by eating his way to victory from 2001 to 2006, a feat that remains unmatched. But Chestnut has won the title for the last three years, setting a world record by scarfing down 68 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes last year. Two years ago, Chestnut beat Kobayashi in a five-dog eat off, after they tied at 59 franks each.


Chestnut says he still sees Kobayashi as a rival - and a bitter one. They don't talk to each other, and did not shake hands after last year's eat off. Kobayashi lost to Chestnut last year by only 3 1/2 hot dogs.


In May last year, Kobayashi beat Chestnut in a pizza eating contest, consuming 5 3/4 pizzas in six minutes. Each pizza weighed one pound (0.45 kilogram). Chestnut could only manage 5 1/2 in that time.






First of all, let me start by saying that Kobayashi has nothing on Joey Chestnut. Kobayashi reminds me of like the Montreal Canadiens. You had your time at the top, and you were amazing during that time, but your time is done, and you no longer have a chance to win it all. Because now Joey Chestnut is the king. So, don't mistake my message here. Joey Chestnut is the champ.


But my question is... why is there a contract dispute here? Why would the organizers not want a Kobayashi - Chestnut matchup? It's like the NBA refusing to give LeBron a contract or something. Why wouldn't you want the two best eaters to battle each other in a hot dog eating contest? It just doesn't make sense. The tournament should have been begging Kobayashi to register; not the other way around. I'm not really sure what an "exclusivity clause" is when it comes to hot dog eating contests, but one side or the other must be able to figure it out. One of the top two stars in this "sport," and they can't get the contract negotiated just to let him compete? Utter absurdity.


PS -- I don't care that Kobayashi won a pizza eating contest. Who competes eating pizza? Hot dog eating contests are the only legitimate ones. So Chestnut is still the biggest boss out there.


PPS -- ESPN the Magazine claimed last year that Joey Chestnut can drink a gallon of milk in 41 seconds. Regular humans can't drink a gallon of milk in 1 hour (known as the "Gallon Challenge"). Could this even possibly be true? Vote 1 for there is no chance in hell Joey Chestnut downs a gallon of milk in 41 seconds. Vote 5 for he could definitely wipe out 6 acres worth of dairy cows by drinking milk at 41 seconds per gallon.

Report: Pierce Is The Man


Several internet sources have reported that the Boston Celtics and Paul Pierce have agreed to a 4-year, $61 million contract. Ric Bucher of ESPN, however, reports that the deal is not officially completed. Supposedly, the Celtics and their captain are negotiating on whether or not the fourth year of the contract is guaranteed or not.

Bottom line here, though, is that Paul Pierce just went up a million notches in every Boston fan's book. This is absolutely phenomenal hometown discount. On the open market, given the caliber player and leader he is, most believe Pierce could be making closer to $90 million in a contract of similar length. Signing this one for $61 million is equivalent of a second-tier free agent out there (or even less in some cases) and it really helps the C's work with their roster.

So, if anyone had the impression that Pierce was selfish, all-about-the-money, and unfaithful to the team that has given him everything -- that's not the Truth.

Down Goes Brazil!

In a World Cup that has been anything but predictable, Netherlands took the field today and handed heavy favorite Brazil their first loss of the tournament. Unfortunately for the Brazilians, it came in the knockout round -- they're headed home early.

So, there goes the team that I would have picked if I was a gambling man back on Day One. Who is left? I think I'd have to pick Argentina as the favorite, but they have a very tough matchup against Germany. Either way, this Netherlands squad is headed to the semifinals to do battle with the winner of the Uruguay-Ghana match coming up later today.

Who will win the World Cup? Leave your vote in the comments.

This Isn't A Funny Joke Anymore

ESPN Boston reports that Jason Varitek will miss the next 4-6 weeks with a broken foot. Is this even real life? Seriously? Varitek and Martinez are both out with broken bones, so we will need to plug in a minor leaguer to be our catcher for a little while. We have Beckett and Buchholz injured and ailing in the rotation. Pedroia and Ellsbury are absent from the top of our order. Honestly, who's next? This is one of the worst injury plagues we've seen a team have in recent memory. Guys going down every day like it's normal. Unfortunately for the Sox, it's not normal. Our outfield is already patched up with rookies and lifetime minor leaguers. Now, our infield is becoming the same. And with Delcarmen headed to the DL today as well, our bullpen is morphing into that style as well. Are we seeing the Red Sox slowly die into the Paw Sox? Because pretty soon we might just be seeing the entire Paw Sox lineup. Literally.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

B's Bring Back Jeremy Reich

The Boston Bruins have made their second small signing of the day, this time bringing forward Jeremy Reich back into the mix for his second stint with the organization.

To be honest, this signing really confuses me. Unless Boston has the intention of making Daniel Paille a top-three-liner, this acquisition really makes no sense. So I guess they must be planning to do that with Paille. Because Jeremy Reich has played 99 career NHL games, scoring 2 goals and 4 assists in that span. His plus-minus is -18. He's accumulated 161 penalty minutes. It doesn't take a hockey expert to tell you that this guy won't contribute much on the score sheet. He's a fighter and a checker. A no-doubt fourth-liner. Interesting.

A signing like this, for most likely the minimum salary (minimum level salaries don't go against the cap) suggests to me that Chiarelli might be happy with his team the way it is right now. Yes, clearing cap space would be nice. But for those worried about what happens when Tyler Seguin needs a new contract in three years, the Bruins are still okay with that. Michael Ryder and Tim Thomas will both be off the payroll by that time, and that accounts for a total of $9 million. That will be enough to sign Seguin to the extension. So as for the franchise player, he should be all set.

Does this move mean the Bruins are done dealing? And if so, are you happy with their team? Vote 1 for the B's need to deal more, they aren't cup contenders yet. Vote 5 for this team, as it is, can make a run at Lord Stanley's mug.

Report: Bruins Will Part Ways With Miroslav Satan & Steve Begin

According to several internet sources, Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli has told the agents of Miroslav Satan and Steve Begin that the club is planning to head in a different direction for now. Begin was the B's fourth line center this past season, while Satan was a second-half signing who brought a good jolt off offense to the squad.

I'm not sure how I feel about this one. Begin I sort of expected to be gone. We traded for Campbell, re-signed Thornton, and re-signed Paille. That's our energy line. Those three guys. But letting Satan go -- explicitly telling him the team is heading in a different direction -- that one surprised me a little. Yes, the Bruins have a lot of forwards who can contribute. But Blake Wheeler still isn't signed and Marco Sturm might be out until close to the holidays with his knee injury. This decision by Boston tells me that they plan to use their system to fill their voids. Hell, they might not even end up signing Wheeler or Mark Stuart, both restricted free agents. They are very tight on cap space, and with guys like Joe Colbourne in their system, they may elect to fill their holes with their youth. After all, that is the strategy that has developed guys like Boychuk, Krejci, Rask, Lucic, and more. With any holes in the roster, you might expect that the Bruins will turn to their AHL unit for the pieces.

Chiarelli, in many interviews today, has seemed satisfied with the quiet day and is almost appearing satisfied with his current roster. With several of the suitors for Tim Thomas picking up goaltenders today, the chances seem more and more likely that he will be Tuukka Rask's goaltending partner this season. With dozens of Marc Savard rumors being born and dying away shortley thereafter, one might wonder if Chiarelli even has any intentions of trading Savvy at all. One report I read yesterday said that GMs around the league are really just fueling a rumor fire with Savard, hoping Chiarelli will give in. There is a possibility that the Bruins have never and will never intend to trade #91. But, I guess we'll have to wait to see whether or not that is true.

One Less Destination For Thomas As Rumors Continue To Fly Wild

The San Jose Sharks have reportedly signed free agent goaltender Antero Niittymaki, filling their void between the pipes. The Sharks were rumored to be a possible destination for Tim Thomas to land, so this is some bad news for Boston in the hunt to deal the Tank.

The Bruins are really cramped when it comes to cap space, as they literally don't have enough space to fill out their own roster of players with reasonable salaries -- definitely not Blake Wheeler and Mark Stuart, who made $2.8 million and $1.3 million respectively last season. Rumors still say that the Tampa Bay Lightning may but possible suitors in the sweepstakes for Boston's former Vezina Trophy winner. Stay tuned for more news.


UPDATE -- Tampa signs Ellis as their new goalie. They're out. Seems as though Washington and Atlanta may be the only two teams left in the running for Thomas. Outside chance that Philadelphia still may be an option.

Bruins Re-Sign Paille

It didn't take long into the free agency period for the Boston Bruins to ink fourth line grinder Daniel Paille to a 2-year, $2.15 million contract. Paille showed flashes of great energy last season during the second half and playoffs. Additionally, Paille was one of our top penalty killers. You gotta have guys like this on your team, so it seems like a pretty reasonable contract for the Bruins to give. Just barely over $1 million per season -- not a huge cap hit.

What other moves are coming today for Boston? Reports say Chiarelli is working hard to sign Patrice Bergeron and Zdeno Chara to extensions past this upcoming season. Stay tuned.

Vampire Causes Woman to Crash Car



This would be classified as one of those news stories that really tells itself. This woman claimed she saw a vampire in the road, slammed her SUV into reverse, and backed straight into a nearby canal. Makes her husband get out of bed to come pick her up. Isn't the mistake obvious here? Whenever you see a vampire standing in the middle of the road at night and you're driving toward it in your car, and there's a canal nearby, never slam it in reverse and drive into it. You just gotta take the fangs to the neck. It's like a quick little tetanus shot. Stings a little but then you can continue with the rest of your day. This lady clearly should have just taken the bite. The alternative was much worse and far more time consuming for everyone.


PS -- Phenomenal job by these news reporters maintaining a half-serious tone while telling this story. In particular, the part that said there were no drugs or alcohol involved. Give these newscasters a raise.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Rays Shine To Earn Series Split

After winning the first game of a two-game set with the Rays, the Sox had a chance to move into a tie with the Yankees for first place tonight due to Seattle's 7-0 win over New York. Unfortunately for Boston, nothing went their way in a 9-4 loss to Tampa Bay.

Daisuke Matsuzaka had a fairly good outing, hurling 6 innings and yielding 3 earned runs. The dagger for the Sox was a 6-run eighth inning by the Rays offense during which Manny Delcarmen completely imploded. I'm about to recite Delcarmen's stats tonight. Hopefully they don't give you a hemorrhage:

0.0 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 0 K.

Do you know what his ERA was tonight? Infinity. Literally. His ERA was actually infinity. In the books it would go down as 99.99. But it was infinity. Didn't record an out. Delcarmen, who started the season so strong, has seen his ERA skyrocket to 4.59 over his recent struggles. That's something that needs to be figured out soon.

David Ortiz was one of the bright spots for the Red Sox, hitting 2 doubles and driving in 3 runs. Adrian Beltre had the other RBI for Boston.

Even with the disappointing loss, the Red Sox are just 1 game behind the Yankees and remain a game ahead of the Rays in the AL East. After a much needed day of rest, Boston will take on the last-place Orioles on Friday to round out the first half of the regular season.

Rate How Awkward This Commercial Is


Is this the most awkward commercial NESN has aired in the last 4,271,283 years? I think there's a serious chance it might be. Vote 1 for this is as normal as eating a bowl of cereal for breakfast. Vote 5 for this is as awkward as urinating on the speaker at a Wendy's drive-thru.

4 Days After Breaking Foot, Pedroia Takes Ground Balls On Knees

Dustin Pedroia misses being in the lineup for the Sox. And when faced with the disappointing reality that he'll probably be out for a total of 6 weeks or so, he doesn't exactly take the bench time with a grain of salt. Pedroia is so anxious to play, he's back out on the field taking grounders. On his knees.

He's unable to bear any weight on his broken right foot. So he crutches himself out to second base, and he gets down on his knees, and he starts fielding grounders hit to him by whoever hits grounders at a Red Sox practice. Just pure greatness. Relentless grit. That's why he's the heart and soul of this team. This trip to the DL is hurting Pedroia's heart more than it is hurting the Sox lineup (and it's going to really hurt the Sox lineup).

So if anyone doubted that Pedroia cares about baseball and the Red Sox more than anyone in the whole wide world, you've now been reassured that it's true. No questions asked.

Heroic Chihuahua Dies Saving Children


Let's have a moment of silence Manchas. What a trooper. How many chihuahuas do you know that would stand up to two vicious pit bulls and save the children's lives? Give his own life in exchange for the human lives? This is why dogs are our best friends, and are cooler than humans. Because they just live and die by the sword. If I gotta give my life today, so be it. It's what I'm meant to do. I'm going to stop these pit bulls from hurting the woman's children. That's my duty. I'm not going to complain, call into work, say I'm hungover, cut corners, have someone else do my job for me, build an electronic machine so that my job is to just sit here and push buttons on it. I won't do any of the crap that humans do. I'm just going to do my job, and if it takes my life, then God rest my soul. These pit bulls will go no further. And they didn't go any further than Manchas. God rest his soul. He's a brave chihuahua and won't be forgotten anytime soon.

BREAKING NEWS: 98.5 Radio Reports Doc Rivers Will Coach Celtics In 2010-11

According to 98.5 The Sports Hub Boston Radio, Doc Rivers will stay coaching the Boston Celtics for the next season. This breaking news may bring more doubt to the rumors that Pierce and/or Allen may leave town. C's fans definitely have to be happy about the fact that Doc is staying, and it gives a little assurance to the idea that Boston still has the intention of winning a title next year instead of rebuilding around point guard Rajon Rondo.

Stay tuned for an official confirmation of Rivers' decision to remain in Boston instead of take time to see his kids play their respective senior years of sports. Keep in mind that his son is expected to continue to play basketball at higher levels and may go to the NBA -- so, Doc will certainly have more time to watch him play.

B's Trying to Extend Chara & Bergeron

CSN has reported that Peter Chiarelli told WEEI recently that the Bruins are working on extending the contracts of Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron past this upcoming season. Both Chara and Bergeron are set to be unrestricted free agents in 2011-12.

This is probably one of the final steps in cementing what will be a solid core of Bruins players for multiple years into the future. Not many can argue with the fact that Boston is a Cup contender this season, and bringing back the entire crew (Sturm, Ryder, & Recchi are the only other NHL rostered players with just 1 year remaining on their contracts) for multiple years would be a great step in the right direction. One might suggest that Chara may even be earning less money than his current $7.5 million per year -- he is likely past his prime and may be closer to the $6 million range. Either way, locking these guys up will only help the B's future.

PS -- Still no word on the trade front. Real slow the past few days. Makes you wonder if the roster is going to look the way it is right now heading into the season. I'd be happy if it did.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Pierce to Opt Out of Contract

CSN  -  According to ESPN's Marc Stein, Celtics captain Paul Pierce has informed Danny Ainge and company that he is opting out of the final year of his contract. Pierce had until June 30th to either pick up or opt-out of the final year of his contract.

The Celtics could still re-sign Pierce, perhaps to a longer and more "cap friendly" deal.



My initial thought when I read this frightened me, but this could also be a very good sign for the Boston Celtics. As I mentioned in previous posts, the only way that Boston can sign a second-tier free agent (like Joe Johnson) would be if Pierce opts out and signs a more cap-friendly contract. The first half of that trick is done. Now, hopefully Pierce will stay with the Celts. He will be an unrestricted free agent come July 1. Pierce has said several times that he wants to be a Celtic forever, but you never know what kind of offer a team will make at The Truth. If Boston can keep him for half the former price, though, the C's will be in very good shape to potentially sign a free agent or a couple of free agents. The rules are tricky, but as we said, this was the first step that needed to happen. It seems like it will happen, according to pretty reliable sources. So, let the games begin.

Sox Down Rays, Move Within 1 Game of Yanks

On a night that began with new Bruins acquisitions Tyler Seguin and Nathan Horton throwing out the ceremonial first pitch, the Boston Red Sox went on to impress the newcomers in their first trip to Fenway Park. The Sox exploded for 8 runs after being held in check early by James Shields en route to an 8-5 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

John Lackey twirled a 7-inning gem for Boston, yielding just 1 run on 8 hits. He got some help from Big Papi, who blasted a first-pitch fastball from James Shields into the right field bleachers with two men on base for his 17th homer of the season. Ortiz continues to quiet his critics from the season's beginning, most of which claimed that he would never regain his former offensive prowess. Despite a relatively low .253 batting average, Ortiz's 17 homers and 50 runs batted in speak for themselves -- we're not even at the half way mark yet.

Adrian Beltre also had a spectacular game, going 4-for-4 to raise his season batting average to a gaudy .349. Just like Ortiz, Beltre has consistently kept his preseason critics quiet with phenomenal hitting all year long. He's been the most consistent anchor in this Red Sox offense since April.

With the win -- and New York's loss to Seattle -- Boston moves to within 1 game of the Yankees for the AL East lead. They stand 2 games ahead of Tampa, with the second game of this two-game set awaiting them tomorrow night.

Dennis Drinkwater On Top Of His Game


For those of you who don't already know who Dennis Drinkwater is, he's the guy who sits behind home plate at every Red Sox home game. And he always displays super cat-like reflexes when homeruns are hit. This video is a perfect example. Watch the man in the red. He jumps up WAY before anyone else. Legit, on contact guy is out of his seat. Incredible. Keep an eye every homer. He's always on top of his game. Many people are already familiar with Drinkwater. But if you're not, then I'm glad to introduce him to you. Guy is a 2009-10 Sox legend. Instantly.

Seguin for Cy Young!


Nathan Horton has some work to do. But did you just see Tyler Seguin's pitch? Kid was worried and nervous about being able to throw a first pitch anywhere near the strike zone. Right down the middle! To those who doubted Tyler, shame on you. What a stud. If this isn't a clear indication that Seguin will contest Bobby Orr's standing as the best Bruin ever, I don't know what is. Just an amazing performance. How much do you think Seguin and Horton love Boston by the end of today? They must be as anxious for the season to start as I am. Because everyone knows it -- they're about to play for the greatest sports city with the greatest atmospheres in the entire sports world.

LT Guarantees Title With Jets

In an interview with ESPN, New York Jets running back Ladainian Tomlinson guaranteed that he will win a Super Bowl with the Jets. It was implied that he believed that would happen this season. Wait.. LT is being cocky? I don't believe it.

Anyway, I have said several times that if I were a betting man, I'd put my life savings on the Jets NOT winning the Super Bowl this year. Just my opinion. Do you even remember the last time a team was all hyped up from offseason acquisitions and then went on to win the Super Bowl as the run-away favorite? I don't. And the Jets picked up some guys that I'm still not sold on. LT. Cromartie. Taylor. Guys that were studs on their teams where the competition at that position was weak. Guys that are washed up (see above). Guys with character issues. Guys that might not fit the winning mold together as a team. Haven't we learned yet that it takes a true team to win a title? I'm just not sure the Jets have it. Couple that with the fact that their quarterback, Mark Sanchez, is still inexperienced and didn't really win them any games last year, I just don't see them as the team to win it all yet. It takes a quarterback who can win the big game for his team. Not a guy who just avoids making mistakes (which he even struggled mightily to do in some games last season).


Yes, I'm a Pats fan. So naturally, no matter what, I'm not going to agree that the Jets will win the Super Bowl. Ever. But even from an impartial standpoint, I really just don't believe the Jets have the goods to get the ring.

PS -- LT's tattoo. Impressive. I guess I have to revoke all of my statements. He is so committed and ready to win. He got a tattoo for it. He must mean complete business.


Seguin To Wear #19, Horton #18

Tyler Seguin will become the first Bruin to dawn the #19 since big Joe Thornton back in his Boston Bruins tenure. Will Seguin be able to do what big Joe was unable to do in winning a Cup here in Beantown? We can all sure hope so.

Seguin didn't seemed phased by the Joe Thornton comparisons at today's press conference. I'm growing to like this kid more and more. Such a professional. Very mature. Has his sights on a goal, and he won't stop until he gets it. I'm very excited for the season to start.

Nathan Horton will dawn the number 18 for the Bruins. The last Bruin I can remember that wore #18 was Kyle McLaren, but I'm sure there was someone along the line between here and there that wore it. Either way, this duo seems excited to be involved in Bruins nation.

Freaky Weird Never-Want-To-Come-Face-To-Face-With-It Outrageous Petrifying Animal Of the Day


AOL  -  The newest attraction at the Venice Beach Freakshow is a real doubleheader.


Until now, only a handful of people had ever seen a live two-headed albino hognose snake -- but that all changed when Lenny and Squiggy were unveiled at the California sideshow this past weekend.


The 9-month-old hognose joined the Freakshow's other live two-headed snake, Laverne and Shirley, and about a dozen other live multiheaded, extra-limbed turtles (including one with two heads and six legs).




This is exactly what you wanted to wake up to, right? Hey, it's better than waking up to the Bruins making some retarded trade or the Red Sox losing another player to a broken neck or something. At least this is just something you can look at and say, "Wow." All I know is that I never, ever, EVER want to meet this snake anywhere except for that California showcase when it's locked up in a cage or container that it absolutely 100% cannot escape from. Oh and I also know one more thing. I would never want to touch his little turtle friend here with a 10-foot pole.



Monday, June 28, 2010

Seguin & Horton To Throw Out First Pitch At Fenway Tomorrow Night... Awesome.

Bruins fans, it is the moment we've all been waiting for. We will finally get to see Tyler Seguin on the playing surface. Only it won't be the Garden, and it won't be on ice.

Reports have confirmed that two of the newest impact players on the Boston Bruins -- Tyler Seguin and Nathan Horton -- will be in attendance at Fenway Park tomorrow night to throw the ceremonial first pitch. Why is this so exciting to me? Does anyone else agree? In the big picture this is no big deal, but I actually might set my DVR timer to make sure I don't miss this. It's like their initiation into Boston sports. I legitimately am more pumped for this ceremonial first pitch than I am for the game that will follow it. I love Boston sports. And I love the Bruins. And I love the Red Sox, and everyone else in Boston.

We know Seguin can put the puck in the net, but can he throw a strike? Vote 1 for no chance in hell. Vote 5 for the guy could easily win the Cy Young.

 

Sample text

Sample Text

Sample Text

Ultimate Boston knows that you care about how your personal information is used and shared, and we take your privacy very seriously. Please read the following to learn more about our privacy policy. By visiting our website, you are accepting the practices outlined in this Privacy Policy.

This Privacy Policy covers Ultimate Boston's treatment of personal information that Ultimate Boston gathers when you are on the Ultimate Boston website and when you use Ultimate Boston services. This policy does not apply to the practices of third parties that Ultimate Boston does not own or control, or to individuals that Ultimate Boston does not employ or manage.

Information Collected by Ultimate Boston

We only collect personal information that is relevant to the purpose of our website. This information allows us to provide you with a customized and efficient experience. We do not process this information in a way that is incompatible with this objective. We collect the following types of information from our Ultimate Boston users:

1. Information You Provide to Us: We receive and store any information you enter on our website or provide to us in any other way. You can choose not to provide us with certain information, but then you may not be able to take advantage of many of our special features.

2. Automatic Information:

o We receive and store certain types of information whenever you interact with us. Ultimate Boston and its authorized agents automatically receive and record certain "traffic data" on their server logs from your browser including your IP address, Ultimate Boston cookie information, and the page you requested. Ultimate Boston uses this traffic data to help diagnose problems with its servers, analyze trends and administer the website.

o Ultimate Boston may collect and, on any page, display the total counts that page has been viewed.

o Many companies offer programs that help you to visit websites anonymously. While Ultimate Boston will not be able to provide you with a personalized experience if we cannot recognize you, we want you to be aware that these programs are available.

E-mail Communications

Ultimate Boston is very concerned about your privacy and we will never provide your email address to a third party without your explicit permission, as detailed in the "Sharing Your Information" section below. Ultimate Boston may send out e-mails with Ultimate Boston-related news, products, offers, surveys or promotions.

Cookies

Cookies are alphanumeric identifiers that we transfer to your computer's hard drive through your Web browser to enable our systems to recognize your browser and tell us how and when pages in our website are visited and by how many people. Ultimate Boston cookies do not collect personal information, and we do not combine information collected through cookies with other personal information to tell us who you are or what your screen name or e-mail address is.

The "help" portion of the toolbar on the majority of browsers will direct you on how to prevent your browser from accepting new cookies, how to command the browser to tell you when you receive a new cookie, or how to fully disable cookies. We recommend that you leave the cookies activated because cookies allow you to use some of Ultimate Boston's coolest features.

Ultimate Boston's advertising partners may place a cookie on your browser that makes it possible to collect anonymous non-personally identifiable information that ad delivery systems use to present more relevant ads. If you would prefer to opt-out of this standard practice, please visit our advertising partner Platform-A's privacy policy and opt-out page.

Sharing Your Information

Rest assured that we neither rent nor sell your personal information to anyone and that we will share your personal information only as described below.

Ultimate Boston Personnel: Ultimate Boston personnel and authorized consultants and/or contractors may have access to user information if necessary in the normal course of Ultimate Boston business.

Business Transfers: In some cases, we may choose to buy or sell assets. In these types of transactions, user information is typically one of the business assets that is transferred. Moreover, if Ultimate Boston, or substantially all of its assets, were acquired, user information would be one of the assets that is transferred.

Protection of Ultimate Boston and Others: We may release personal information when we believe in good faith that release is necessary to comply with a law; to enforce or apply our Terms of Use and other policies; or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Ultimate Boston, our employees, our users, or others. This includes exchanging information with other companies and organizations for fraud protection and credit risk reduction.

Syndication: Ultimate Boston allows for the RSS syndication of all of its public content within the Ultimate Boston website.

With Your Consent: Except as noted above, we will contact you when your personal information is shared with third parties or used for a purpose incompatible with the purpose(s) for which it was originally collected, and you will be able to opt out to prevent the sharing of this information.

Children Under 18 Years of Age

You must be 13 years and older to register to use the Ultimate Boston website. As a result, Ultimate Boston does not specifically collect information about children. If we learn that Ultimate Boston has collected information from a child under the age of 13, we will delete that information as quickly as possible. We recommend that minors between the ages of 13 and 18 ask and receive their parents' permission before using Ultimate Boston or sending information about themselves or anyone else over the Internet.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

Ultimate Boston may amend this Privacy Policy from time to time, at its sole discretion. Use of information we collect now is subject to the Privacy Policy in effect at the time such information is used. If we make changes to the Privacy Policy, we will notify you by posting an announcement on the Ultimate Boston website so you are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and under what circumstances if any, it is disclosed.

Conditions of Use

If you decide to visit Ultimate Boston website, your visit and any possible dispute over privacy is subject to this Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use, including limitations on damages, arbitration of disputes, and application of California state law.

Effective Date of this Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy is effective as of 2/2/2011 and last updated 2/2/2011.