Cashman. D'Oh!

BOSTON.com-Yankees GM Brian Cashman was asked if the Red Sox are better on paper today than the Yankees. "'I would agree because they have a deeper starting rotation. I’m not saying they’re going to beat us. We’re not conceding anything. But if somebody asked me right now, they might be a finished product."'

So, Brian Cashman is not only saying that the Red Sox are the better team on paper, but he is also admitting defeat this off-season. For a guy who seems to be always in hot water with the Steinbrenners because of their constant (and justified) thirst to win, this is possibly one of the dumbest things he could've said. In an off-season where the Yankees have basically failed on all fronts to improve (save the signing of Rafael Soriano), Cashman couldn't have picked a worse time to say the worst thing; that the Red Sox, on paper, are poised to pass the Yankees.

But on paper means absolutely nothing. Look at the Red Sox rotation last year. On paper, phenomenal. However, with the exception of Jon Lester and Clay Buccholz, the rotation failed to produce what was projected on paper (see; Lackey, Beckett.) I am not getting my hopes up over Cashman's statements, because to assume that the Red Sox will fufill their on-paper expectations makes an ass out of you and me.

Still, to have a top-level GM concede that his biggest rival is the better team is unheard of in sports. Cashman basically told the whole Yankees organization that he failed to deliver this off-season AND that his team isn't as talented as their hated rivals. Of all the dumb moves (or non-moves) made by Cashman this past off-season, this is one takes the cake.

New All-Star Format? Success.

The NHL's new all-star format has taken plenty of criticism this year, but it also has its share of fans. If you're asking me, count me in with the fans. Last night marked the first ever fantasy draft to decide the NHL all-star teams, Team Staal and Team Lidstrom. And while I wasn't exactly sure what to expect, I was ultimately satisfied and intrigued by the way things now work.

It was initially a surprise that the captains weren't Crosby and Ovechkin, but Eric Staal and Nick Lidstrom carried the show just fine last night. Whether it was Staal delaying and delaying on selecting his brother Mark, or whether it was assistant captain Patrick Kane lobbying Lidstrom to avoid selecting fellow Stanley Cup champion Jonathan Toews, there was plenty of entertaining banter going on at the 2011 draft. But even aside from the entertainment aspect, I think the new system is good for the event. East versus West has done a few things in the past. It has prevented the Sedin brothers from ever being split. It has prevented Crosby and Ovechkin from playing each other, which they may have done had Crosby been playing in this year's game. It has never allowed any teammates to play against each other at all, but Zdeno Chara will be blasting his 105 mph slapshot at Timmy Thomas on Sunday. It allowed Dustin Byfuglien to reunite with his former Blackhawks teammates Kane, Toews, and Duncan Keith. And more than anything, it has given a fresh mix-up to an event that desperately needed to be revived.

Now we will wait for tonight's SuperSkills Competition, which is bound to be an interesting affair. Bruins fans should get to see their own products on the ice at least a few times. Many of the events involve goaltenders, so Tim Thomas should get his share of work. Zdeno Chara can definitely be penciled in as the favorite to win the hardest shot contest once again. And rookie Tyler Seguin will get to show his stuff in whatever event(s) his captains select him to participate in. All 54 players involved in the festivities will be participating in the final event of the evening, the Elimination Shootout Challenge. It should be a fun night -- arguably more interesting than the game itself -- and all of the players are looking forward to the relaxed, casual, but still competitive break from their regular season.

 

Comment Contest Numero Dos

ESPN.com - A frustrated Toronto Maple Leafs fan won't be doing time or have to pay a fine for throwing waffles on the ice at a game.

"He shouldn't have leggoed his Eggo."

Can you do better? Probably! Comment below.

Missed out on Comment Contest Numero Uno? Here's a link.
  

Austalian Open Finals Preview: Men's

You know how I said this was going up Saturday? Well, I kind of lied. Because, as you can see, it is Friday, and the article is up. But why put off till tomorrow what you can do today, right?

As you may or may not have seen, Andy Murray advanced yesterday in Melbourne, defeating Spaniard David Ferrer. And you've probably heard dozens of times on ESPN, Murray has a chance to be the first man from the UK to win a major in 75 years. But he has a daunting task ahead of him, as he faces Novak Djokovic of Serbia.

Djokovic has two things going for him in this match-up; Firstly, he beat Roger Federer in the semi-finals, the 2nd best (ranked at least) male tennis player in the world. Anybody who beats Federer in a tennis match is a tough opponent later on. Secondly, Djokovic has already won the major in Melbourne, as he was the 2008 Australian Open champion. He has pulled down the brass ring, whereas his opponent has not.

What Murray has working for him is the Australian crowd, who will no doubt be rooting hard for the Scot to take home a major for the UK. But we've seen this before with Murray; with the Wimbledon crowd behind him, Murray was unable to advance to the finals of the 2009 tournament.

So will Djokovic's experience at closing the deal push him through? Or will Murray finally step up to the plate and win a major? It's going to be a close one, most likely. But I feel that Murray doesn't have what it takes to win when it matters, not now anyway.

Djokovic in five sets.

Is It Weird If I Don't Hate Revis?

We're Patriots fans. We love the Pats. We hate the Jets. It's in our blood. Mark Sanchez is pathetic. Rex Ryan is fat. Antonio Cromartie can't count to 20. LT is the human anti-Superbowl. Ditto for Jason Taylor. I could rattle off something derogatory for every single player on the Jets, the Yankees, the Lakers, the Canadiens -- it's just what we're wired to do as Boston sports fans.

But then there are guys like Mariano Rivera. Derek Jeter. Derek Fisher. Patrick Roy. Guys that play for your hated enemy and give you fits year in and year out -- but you respect them. They're the few exceptions to the overall hatred for their squad. Why the hell am I starting to feel that way about Darrelle Revis?

This guy was a holdout for all of training camp and into the early season. "Revis Island" and all that showboating, self-centered activity clearly labeled himself as a prick. But for some strange reason, I don't mind him. He seems to be maturing and, at the very least, saying reasonable things in the media. Because let's be honest -- that's why we despise the Jets, more than any other factor. It's their obnoxious behavior and media approach. Maybe it's just because he's the only Jets cornerback who can spell his own name, but something about Revis at least invokes a little bit of respect out of me.

Leading up to the divisional round matchup, Antonio Cromartie called Brady an asshole. Classy. But to my surprise, Revis merely praised Brady and how good of a quarterback, how good of a competitor he is. Who are you, the Patriots? The Jets don't praise the other team. That was the initial wake up for me. And since that win, I haven't heard much out of Revis. Took the same approach against Pittsburgh. And now he's headed to Honolulu, where he's taking practice reps alongside Patriots rookie cornerback Devin McCourty. When asked about the potential issues between New England and New York players at this week's Pro Bowl, Revis took the high road again.

"On and off the field we're cool, it's nothing personal," he said. "I'm not into the 'I hate the Patriots' type thing. It's all good."

Maybe it's just in comparison to the overly ridiculous Antonio Cromartie that Revis looks reasonable of late, but a part of me is starting to respect him. I mean, if he's behaving and being respectful, it's tough to hate on the guy. Especially when he shuts your team down pretty successfully. We demolished him on December 6th, but it's irrelevant. We're not about December wins. It's January and February we pride ourselves on. Here's a guy who is doing a lot to stop that success, and -- lately, anyway -- taking the high road. I still despise the New York Jets and everything about them, but I have a growing respect for Revis.

PS - I reserve the right to change this opinion at any moment in time from now to infinity.
 

Introducing Jimmer Fredette

In case you haven't been keeping up on sports news in the past 24-hours, one college basketball player is slowly captivating a nation. Well, that may have gone a little too far, but he certainly is gaining popularity rapidly. His name? Jimmer Fredette,a PG out of BYU.

Fredette put up 43 points against (formerly) unbeaten #4 San Diego Stae University. Fredette ignited the predominately Mormon crowd and became a celebrity overnight. Though he was already a candidate for Player of the Year, Fredette is being recognized as one of the best in the NCAA. And pro players are taking notice.

Pro players like Kevin Durant and last year's first overall, John Wall, took to Twitter to comment on the electrifying performance. Fredette's amazing showing also lead this morning's Sportcenter. Even Nelly (yes, the "Pimp Juice" rapper) said something, adding a wealth of legitimacy to his performance (sorry if I broke your sarcasm meters with that statement.)

What does this mean for Fredette beside notoriety? Perhaps it will lead to a POTY win, and a high draft spot. People are taking notice of the "kid" and he is moving up draft boards already, as Jay Bilas has pegged him as an outstanding scorer, though we all can see that. His rootforability is also through the roof. How could you root against a guy named Jimmer?

Whatever the future holds for Jimmer will remain to be seen over the years. But his spectacular performance in a spectacular game is something he, and a lot of college hoops fans, will remember for a long time.

Austalian Open Finals Preview: Women's

Yes, this is a tennis post. I have a love for tennis, whether it's watching it or playing it. In fact, my first UB article was about Roger Federer (you can read said article here.)

Anyways, the Austrlian Open is the first major tournament of the year, and it is one of the Grand Slam tournaments (along with the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open). This year's Women's Final features an up-and-comer versus a wily veteran. Li Na, of China, the 9th ranked ATP Women's Player, will face off against the red-hot Kim Clijsters, who has made the finals (and lost) twice in Melbourne. Clijsters is the 3rd ranked player. A new fan-favorite, Li is the first Asian Women's player to reach a grand slam final.

Though Clijsters has won three US Opens, and this is Na's first grand-slam final, this one could easily be a close match. Na beat No. 1 player in the world Caroline Wozniacki to advance, taking a win despite facing two Wozniacki match points. Clijsters is coming off a US Open victory, and is playing like she did before a brief retirement in 2007 (she returned in 2009.)

So who am I "predicting" to win? While I'm no expert,I think I can make a somewhat informed descision. Clijsters seems unstoppable right now, winning her semi-final match in just over an hour, while Na went through a three-set thriller. Also, Clijsters has beat Na twice in grand-slam play. Though Na is a very likable, and talented player, look for Clijsters to win in two sets.

On Saturday, my men's final preview will be going up. Keep your eyes open for it.
  

Bruins Finish First Half Strong

The B's got a big 2-1 win over the Florida Panthers last night in their final game before the All-Star break, finishing a 4-game sweep of the season series with Florida. It didn't come without a scare, though. Just days after Marc Savard was re-concussed, David Krejci tumbled awkwardly into the end boards and immediately grabbed his wrist. Krejci injured his wrist last postseason in the Philadelphia series, and we all know how things turned out for the B's from there. Fortunately, this time, Krejci ended up returning to the ice. It didn't take him long to make an impact, winning an offensive zone faceoff cleanly back to Milan Lucic, who roped a wrist shot into the top corner for a 2-0 Boston lead. Their first goal had come a few minutes earlier when rookie Brad Marchand took a sweet feed from Patrice Bergeron, brought the puck all the way around the net, and wrapped it around on sprawling goaltender Thomas Vokoun for the rookie's 13th tally of the season.

The two-goal cushion was ultimately all the Bruins would need, because Tim Thomas is -- well, need I explain? He's been unreal this season, and he was spectacular once again last night. He made several highlight-reel saves, including an epic pad-stack, to preserve the lead and head to Raleigh on a high note. Thomas will be joined by teammates Zdeno Chara and Tyler Seguin for the festivities.

On one of the only negative notes these days for the Bruins, Nathan Horton continues to have struggles of epic proportions. He's gone scoreless in 10 straight games and has just 2 goals in his last 20. Still, coach Claude Julien noted that the effort has been there recently, and everyone hopes and believes that the fortunes will turn sooner than later. But just in case, Horton jokingly asked a favor of rookie Tyler Seguin as he packed his bags for all-star weekend.

"If you see anyone's stick that I may like, grab it," Horton said. Hey, whatever works.
 

B's Prospect Leads Epic Brawl

The Reading Royals (black) are an ECHL affiliate of the Boston Bruins, and they were involved in quite a tussle over the weekend against the Florida Everblades (white). Most specifically, it was Bruins prospect Ryan Donald (#2, black), who some fans may remember from the Bruins rookie development camp that took place in Wilmington over the summer. I don't know if Donald has any puck skills or any of that, but he sure knows how to be heard in a brawl, huh? He jumps in at the 40-second mark in response to some Everblade steamrolling his way in obnoxiously. That's what I like to see. Stand up for your teammates. Mike Egener was the Everglade who sucker-punched one of Donald's teammates. That doesn't fly with the Bruins style. You're gonna pay for that. Not only did Egener pay for it by taking a beatdown from Donald, but he led all players with -- get this -- two 5-minute fighting majors, a 5-minute attempt to injure major, and a 10-minute third man in misconduct. I think people serve jail sentences longer than his penalty time.
  

Looking Forward: 2011 Beanpot

For most of the country, February 7th will be an ordinary Monday night, a mere hangover from Superbowl Sunday. But for four schools in the city of Boston -- four passionate hockey programs with innumerable amounts of pride on the line -- there won't be anything insignificant about February 7th.

The 59th annual Beanpot will take place on that Monday evening. In the first game -- set for 5:00 PM -- the Northeastern Huskies and the Harvard Crimson will battle for a spot in the championship round. Now, giving all due respect to this matchup, the Beanpot wouldn't be what it is without these teams. But in this day and age, it's all about the other two squads who will step onto the TD Garden ice at 8:00.

The last 17 Beanpot titles have been brought home by either Boston College or Boston University. 12 of those went to the Terriers, 5 to the Eagles. BC has won two of the past three Beanpots, though. And -- for what it's worth -- the past three Beanpot champions have gone on to win the NCAA National Championship. No big deal, though.

It's a strange setup this year, and BC vs BU will not be the championship game. For the previously explained reasons, though, the first-round matchup has become the focal point of the tourney. It's like the 1980 Olympics. The US did play a gold medal game, you know? But the true champion was decided in the previous round. I suspect that might be the case for the 2011 Beanpot.

Boston College (17-6-0 overall) and Boston University (11-7-6 overall) rank 1st and 3rd, respectively, in the Hockey East standings. The Eagles are 3-0 this season against the Terriers, outscoring them by an impressive 17-9 margin in those games. Because of the one-sided nature of the season series, fans will have to expect BU to come out flying, hungry for a statement victory. Sophomore forward Alex Chiasson has become the Terriers' biggest impact player, amassing 22 points on the season to lead his squad. The high-flying Eagles, though, are led by fellow sophomore Cam Atkinson, whose 30 overall points rank him second among Hockey East players this season. Couple that with goaltender John Muse's impressive .931 saves percentage and an expansive core of young, explosive players, you've got yourself a handful on the BC side of the ice. But when it comes to the Beanpot, there's too much at stake. Throw the records out, ditch the stats. It's going to come down to the emotions and the determination on the ice. With two teams so talented, so well-coached, so prestigious -- the hungrier team will win.

I can only count down the days. A week from Monday, the action begins. BU and its 29 all-time Beanpot titles will look to dethrone BC (15 all-time titles) and its recent reign of dominance in the northeast region. The 59th Annual Beanpot will be full of excitement. The games may only last 60 minutes, but the memories for these players will last forever.
  

Phew... Thank God for Roger

What would we do without Roger Goodell running the National Football League? All this lockout talk has dominated the media, and people have begun to worry. But have no fear. Goodell announced today that if there is a work stoppage next season, he and his chief negotiator -- who make a combined $15 million per year -- will cut their salaries to $1 each. I feel much safer now. It's basically life and death, right? Roger Goodell can't live and support his family on a $1 salary. He definitely hasn't earned enough to last him through next season.

Let's be real here. This is a meaningless statement from Goodell, and it worries me. I interpret this as a preemptive act to save his own ass in the event of a lockout. Something to make us sympathize with him. Well, no sympathy from me. You know why? Because Roger Goodell's job is to run the National Football League. If there is no NFL next season, why the hell should he even get one dollar? I know it's more difficult than it appears on the surface, but it still boils down to one underlying principle. If there's a lockout, Goodell has failed. It's like you're coaching a team and they refuse to play their games. You've failed as a coach. He will have failed as a commissioner if he can't get this mess fixed. For me, the superficial salary promises make matters even more touchy. I just don't get his motive behind it. Do you think that's what fans wanted to hear today? Did I want to get an ESPN text alert this morning saying that Goodell will drop his salary to $1 if there's a lockout? Praise the Lord, we're saved! Even though the biggest day of the NFL year is less than two weeks away, it was definitely imperative for our commissioner to announce his proactive approach to fixing his catastrophe.
 

This Is What They Call....

...the best of both worlds.

Shaq + Bruins = AMAZING.
  

He's Back, Hopefully Better Than Ever

It has been a while since Celtics fans have seen Kendrick Perkins, lace up his sneakers to play basketball. In fact, the last anyone saw of him playing was in Game Six of the 2010 NBA Finals, where he was injured early on. Let's just say I'm a little more than ecstatic to see Perkins back in the line-up.

In his first game back, Perkins put up a respectable seven points and six rebounds in seventeen minutes of play. Not too bad at all for a guy who hasn't played a game of basketball in eight-ish months. He also shot 60% from the field.

Even though the Celtics were playing the lowly Cavaliers, I can't help but get excited for the second half of this season. The Celtics were playing like a well-oiled machine before Perkins' return, and having him back is like adding a shiny new gear. Remember, the Celtics lost the final two games of the Finals without Perkins. He is another big man who can obviously dominate the boards and on defense, but also help spread out playing time for the bigger guys. The corps of Perkins, Semih Erden, the O'Neals, KG, and Glen Davis is a solid rotation of guys to spread the wealth in the four and five spots. Add an improving Luke Harangody to that list and you may have the best group of big guys in the league. And as the old adage goes, rebounds win championships.

Perkins still is a long way away from tip-top shape and a starting position, but he has to take baby steps. However, his return (and, hopefully, his subsequent play) is just another bright spot in the Celtics 2010-2011 season.
  

What's Next for #91?

Yesterday, I made a post about the ramifications of Marc Savard's recent head injury on the Boston Bruins lineup. In the first game with the new combinations, the B's dropped a 2-0 decision to the LA Kings. And unfortunately for the black and gold, the loss against LA wasn't the worst loss of the night.

It was officially reported last night that Marc Savard sustained another concussion -- the medical staff deeming this one "moderate" -- as a result of the hit he took from Matt Hunwick over the weekend. It isn't the severe concussion he received from Matt Cooke, and David Krejci did only miss a few games earlier this season with what was also considered a moderate concussion. But it's so much different for Savard, who had only gotten 25 games under his belt before hitting the injury report once again. It's daring and bold to suggest such a horrific outcome, but is there even a next step for Marc Savard at this point?

I wouldn't go as far as to say this injury might end his career, but you certainly have to worry. The last concussion, for all intents and purposes, took nearly a year to fully recover from. During the rehab, Savard was diagnosed with depression and had considered the prospect of retiring from the game he no longer felt as connected to. The temporary change of heart was gone once he got back into the locker room with his teammates, though, and Savard gained more and more confidence with each game that passed since his December 2nd return to the lineup. He amassed 2 goals and 8 assists in his 25 games of action, but it was clear he was getting his bearings back lately.

These head injuries can get real serious, real quick. It might even be the best option, as James Murphy of ESPN suggested this morning, for the Bruins and Savard to mutually agree on the forward spending the rest of the season on IR. This thing has been lagging, and if rushed back one more time, he would be in danger of career-threatening injuries without question. But who is really to say it isn't already at the career-threatening level? He had questioned his motive to rehabilitate himself last time -- it can't be a whole lot better this time around. We obviously hope that Savard chooses to stay, work hard, rehab himself, and get back to the level he once was as an elite playmaker in the NHL. He's still got plenty of years left on that contract to do so.

Until further notice, though, Boston must proceed as if Savard is a nonfactor for an extended period of time. We'll have to see if the new line combinations work. Julien moved Horton to the wing with Seguin late in the game against LA -- we'll see if he's trying spark the two newcomers this season in a dynamic duo up front.
 

People Do Still Hate the Steelers, Right?

I know that everyone and their mother was rooting for the Steelers this week against the New York Jets. That's totally understandable. I also understand anyone who was rooting against them due to the fact that Big Ben only needs one more ring to catch Brady. I understand all of that. But does any Pats fan in their right mind actually want Pittsburgh to win the Super Bowl? Maybe it's just me, but I feel like I'm meeting lots of new Steelers fans. Just because they beat the Jets, it doesn't mean you have reason to like the Steelers. They're the Steelers. They do steroids, they do drugs, they're rapists, they epitomize the bad culture of sports. They are a high-class version of the Oakland Raiders. The fans at their stadium are barbaric and obnoxious. And above all, they are the only team who sniffs a spec of our dust in the success category in the past 11 years. So who in their right mind would be rooting for them against such an admirable Packers squad?

Maybe everyone is rooting for the Packers, I don't know. I do know that plenty of people are, but I'm saying that EVERYONE should be. At least the Packers gave us a run for our money in the regular season, even without their star QB. But I don't know if I'll be able to sleep at night knowing that the team who won their third championship of the millennium and tied our quarterback in rings is the very same team we laid a beatdown on a few months ago. Kobe already won a championship in the last year. The world won't be right if another predator gets a ring.

PS -- Rashard Mendenhall knows how to appreciate some irony.
  

Ochocinco No More

First of all, Chad Ochocinco no longer exists in the National Football League. Well, not for long anyway. The highly publicized wide receiver announced today on NFL Live that he is changing his name back to Chad Johnson. Additionally, it has been reported that he wishes to leave the Bengals. Surprise, surprise -- everyone wants to leave the Bengals. But the tricky thing is, Chad and his fellow goon squad co-captain both said they want to go play for the same team.

"I'd do anything to play for someone like Rex Ryan or anyone who has that type of mentality," Ocho said when discussing the New York Jets and their style of organization. Then it was T.O's turn to throw in his two cents.

"I'm jumping on that bandwagon, too, because I was thinking the exact same thing, Chad," Owens said.

Wouldn't that be something? If that ever happened, you could just rename ESPN the Jetwork or something creative like that to signify that the Jets will, without backing it up with a championship, dominate the sports media outlets 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

As for those lingering rumors that Chad wanted to come play in Foxboro, Bengals coach Marvin Lewis took a bit of a shot at his wide receiver when asked about the possibility that the Patriots would bring in #85.

"Belichick's smarter than that," Lewis said.
  

Cheesehead Pays the Price

Chicago Tribune - John Stone said that when he went to work Monday morning at Webb Chevrolet in Oak Lawn, he decided to wear a Green Bay Packers tie he's had for years to honor his late grandmother, a huge Packers fan.

Little did he know that the seemingly innocent gesture would cost him his job, Stone said.

Stone said that when he showed up at work, general manager Jerry Roberts called him over to his office and then ordered him to take off the Packers tie or else he would be fired. Stone said he thought Roberts was joking and went back to work.

An hour later, Stone said, Roberts came to the showroom floor and again demanded he take off the tie. When he didn't, he was fired, Stone said.

Two sides to this one. On one hand, doesn't it have to be somehow illegal to actually fire someone for wearing a particular team's paraphernalia, in the form of a business tie no less? Something tells me you can't just do that. There need to be some grounds for a job termination, and disliking the Green Bay Packers shouldn't be the only criteria a boss needs to pull the trigger. Having said that, this jamoke they call John Stone has the balls to waltz into a Chicago car dealership, where he works, and flaunt his Packers tie. Roberts claims the dealership has ties to the Bears in an advertising campaign and that the Packers apparel directly conflicted with that deal. The problem is, I have a hard time believing the Bears included the prohibition of any employee wearing a Green Bay Packers tie in the work space when they made their agreement. I don't know. It's just a stupid scenario between a bunch of sore losers in Chicago and a sore winner from Green Bay. You make the call.
 

Meet Your Coach

BROCKTON, Mass. -- Bill Buckner, still youthful-looking at 61, received a standing ovation from a packed house of 450 guests when introduced as manager at the Brockton Rox Hot Stove Banquet Friday night at the Shaw Convention Center.

The Brockton Rox, for those who are unfamiliar, is a small, un-affiliated minor league team that plays in the Can-Am League. The Rox is a family-friendly ball club, and often pull publicity stunts in order to sell tickets at Campenelli Stadium. They have had former Red Sox pitchers Oild Can Boyd and Spaceman Bill Lee pitch for them on occasion. They have also had Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake take on Tito Santana in a wrestling match at one of the games. But this is the coolest stunt of them all, and it may not even be a stunt.

Buckner is the manager for the Rox, and not temporarily. This is going to be huge for the Rox to push tickets, as Buckner is just kind of infamous in New England. But I hope people don't come to the game to heckle Buckner for his famous error, and come to pay respect to a player who was a solid piece of 1980s Red Sox teams. I attend a few Rox games a year, and I sincerely hope there is no heckling toward Buckner. Yes, his error did turn the tide in the 1986 World Series, but thatteam wouldn't have made it without Buckner. Besides, all should be forgiven with Buckner after the Sox have garnered two World Series victories since the error.

The hatchet was buried during 2008 Opening Day at Fenway Park, and hopefully it won't be dug up during Buckner's tenure as Rox coach. I wish Bill Buckner luck as the Rox coach, and hope he can bring another Can-Am title to the "City of Champions."
  

Fantasy Hockey Special: Goalies

For those of you who haven't been following the situation regarding goaltender Evgeni Nabokov, here's a little summary: After another dissapointing playoff withdrawal in 2010, Nabokov left the Sharks and the whole NHL behind to play in the KHL of Russia for a chance to play in his home land and maybe pocket a little more money. After a dissapointing stretch, Nabby was released from his team and began talking with scouts and GMs about returning to the NHL. The Red Wings, hoping to solidify their tandem, signed him to a minimun contract deal for the season but first he had to pass through the NHL's extremely complicated waiver system. Long story short, the Islander's claimed him and Nabokov, within his rights, is refusing to report to Long Island, expressing his wishes to play for a cup-contending team. Three possible scenarios can play out here: either he stays inactive until next season, he reports to play for the Isles, or the Islanders trade him to get a pick or two and he gets shipped to a better team. A frustrating situation for sure, and he even hung up on the Islander's GM.

What does this mean in fantasy terms? Well, Nabokov is potentially a top 5 tender in the league, depending on his physical condition and the team he ends up with. A dream scenario would be Washington or Philly, which would make him a fantasy must. Keep an eye on the situation.

It's a Ghost Ball!!

Since when do golf balls float?
  

Comment Contest Numero Uno

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP)—Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie used an expletive to describe union and NFL leaders Monday in his latest profanity-filled rant. “You’ve got our head union reps acting like an (expletive), and they got their guys acting like them (expletive),” Cromartie told reporters.

Rules: Come up with the funniest comment/reaction possible on this news story, a la Barstool's Caption Contests, except with a story, not a picture or video. If you haven't seen one, here's an example.

"All this swearing is setting a bad example for his 9 kids."

Can you do better? COMMENT BELOW!
  

Mr. B's Celtics Progress Report

Wow, it has been a while since I touched anything from the Celtics here at UB. But because the Celtics are halfway through the season, I felt it was necessary to give them a Progress Report so their parents know if they are excelling or slacking. I'm going to have to morph into "Mr. B" for this post, as this is "Mr. B's Celtics Progress Report."

Players will get one of four possible grades: E for exemplary, S for satisfactory, U for unsatisfactory, and I for incomplete, as the student had too many absences to be properly judged.

So enter into Mr. B.'s classroom so we can evaluate the talent. Let's start from the bottom-up, shall we?

Kendrick Perkins: I - We have yet to see Kendrick in class, as he has missed all of his games due to a knee injury sustained in last year's NBA Finals. I am certainly hoping that Kendrick can come back from this injury and return to make up all of his work.

Delonte West: I - Well, Delonte was suspended for 10 days for misbehavior, and is now at home healing a wrist injury. Though he showed signs of getting a good grade, he got injured too early after the suspension, and therefore cannot be graded.

Avery Bradley: I - Hmmm, well you'll have to talk to the D-League teacher to get a proper grasp on Avery's progress, as he is there polishing his skills. We do love his potential, but we aren't grading potential here.

Ramifications of Savard Injury

There was a time this season when Boston Bruins fans had to question whether Marc Savard would ever be back to his old self -- if he even got back on the ice at all -- after suffering a vicious head injury from a Matt Cooke hit in March of last year. After an attempt to come back during the Eastern Conference Semifinals against Philadelphia last season, Savard missed a large portion of time to start this season as he battled several post-concussion symptoms. He made his anticipated return on December 2nd, but it was clear that he hadn't really found his groove yet on the ice. Linemates Milan Lucic and Nathan Horton both went ice cold, and the Savard line was suddenly, for all intents and purposes, the third line on the roster. But lately, Savvy had begun to find his stride and display his increasing comfort level. We began to see the brilliant, playmaking side of #91 that fans remembered from years past. Couple that with the Bruins success, and things were starting to become very promising once again. And then, in an instant, our uncertainty took the wheel again.

Joe's Roster Projections

Let's spice it up, ladies and gents. Here is my projected lineup, bench, starters and 'pen for the 2011 Red Sox.

Lineup:
Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Dustin Pedroia 2B
Carl Crawford LF
Adrian Gonzalez 1B
Kevin Youkilis 3B
David Ortiz DH
Jarrod Saltalamacchia C
J.D. Drew RF
Marco Scutaro SS

Bench:
Jed Lowrie UTL
Mike Cameron OF
Jason Varitek C
Darnell McDonald OF


Starters:
Jon Lester L
Clay Buchholz R
Josh Beckett R
John Lackey R
Daisuke Matsuzaka R

Bullpen:
Jonathan Papelbon R (C)
Daniel Bard R
Bobby Jenks R
Dan Wheeler R
Hideki Okajima L
Tim Wakefield R
Scott Atchison R

This all seems pretty obvious. These are more than likely going to be the names on the opening day roster. Let's look in detail.

Jay Cutler: Fair or Foul?

Yesterday was of course a big day for football fans, as it was the day of the conference championships in the NFL. And though both the Packers and Steelers impressed in victories (leading to Superbowl berths), the biggest story seems to revolve around the NFL's resident punching bag, Jay Cutler.

In case you missed it, Jay Cutler left the crucial game early on with an apparent leg injury. So far in his drama-filled career, Cutler has been labeled as a cry-baby, a sore-sport, and not a team player.

The notion that Cutler left the game due to him playing badly is ludicrous, however. I am not a Cutler fan really, as I think he couldn't care less about winning at times, but this instance is different. Cutler isn't the type to admit that he played poorly. Hell, after throwing four interceptions (!) to D'Angelo Hall after a game against Washington, Cutler claimed he would throw the ball to him again. Clearly, the guy has some cajones, and doesn't care what people think about him or his performance.

Now, Cutler played badly in his limited time yesterday. But that doesn't mean he was feigning injury. This is the guy who has been sacked 52 times this season, the most of any quarterback. That, on top of frigid conditions, and having to look at Clay Matthews across the way, could all contribute to an injury.

Again, Cutler is far from a model athlete. In fact, I lean more toward dis-liking him more than toward liking him. But to claim that he's not injured without any MRI results or other medical backing, is uninformed. I'm giving Cutler the benefit of the doubt here, as should others. You don't know what it's like to be battered and bruised behind a terrible offensive line for two seasons in chilly conditions.

What does the UB Faithful think? Was Cutler really hurt, thusly justified and leaving, or is he slowly morphing into Jeff George? Let us know in the comment section or in the all-new UB Forums.

Thanks to ESPN.com for the link.
  

The Rest of the ULTYs

Originally, the plan was to announce the ULTY Awards one at a time and glorify the winners. We announced the co-champions of the first ever award -- Most Valuable Commenter -- earlier this month. Well, after all this slacking and delaying, I just want to get these awards finished. They'll be better next time. But you're all anxious to find out, so I don't want to keep you any longer. Ladies and gentlemen, your 2010 ULTY Winners.

Time for the Game Face

I've been on quite a hiatus lately from Ultimate Boston, and my sincere apologies go out to the faithful readership. But we've just launched a new Forums section, and I'm hoping you all start voicing your opinions on those boards. If you've ever wanted to write posts, or if your thoughts never necessarily fit into the stories we're running -- great chance to let your opinion be heard. On top of that, I've decided it's time to kick it back into gear. In all honesty, I tried to get in the door with Barstool U, which was just launched recently. But I wasn't able to garner their attention. So I figured -- screw em! This is your time! And I'm putting the game face back on. I'm not promising double digit posts a day like the old days, but I'm saying that the posts will be coming back. UB will start to rise back to its old standards. And I can't think of a better time to invite all your friends to become fans. We have a Facebook page that you can share with everyone you know. Word of mouth works too. And you can visit our pro shop and buy our sweet t-shirts too if you want. But I won't get greedy. Anyway, I'm hitting the hay. Get ready for the revival of Ultimate Boston.
 

Where'd You Go?

As with most of the UB staff, I took the Holiday break to spend time with family and friends. But I ultimately didn't have time to make an Ultimate post (get it?). And I'm back.

1) The Celtics just lost to the Washington Wizards, with a scorching 27 points in the second half. They went 9 for 11 in the first few minutes to get out to a 22-11 lead. The rest of the game? 25 for 68 (37%). Woops.

2) I'm looking for opinions on Big Baby. Mine? He's a great sixth guy. But I find that he's taking too many shots. And it wasn't just because KG was out either, although he did lead the team in shot attempts several times when Garnett was out. Thoughts?

3) Three weeks from tomorrow, Jonny Lester and Co. will be arriving in Fort Myers to begin their 8 month quest for a World Series Championship. This needs to come faster, because there are far too many people who still have an AFC Divisional Championship Hangover from last week, and they need some Sox to cure it.

That's all for now. I need to get my stuff together and trek back to New Hampshire....ugh.