Happy Thanksgiving

This turkey isn't going to get his wish. We're all going to be feasting on turkey tomorrow and watching football. Our Patriots get to play on America's day. What more could we ask for? Ultimate Boston will be vacationing for a few days, folk. Enjoy your turkeys and your families and your football. That's what it's all about. Vaya con dios!

  

NBA Recap: Sabbatical

Hello all, and welcome to a "special edition" of the NBA recaps. I have some news: I'm taking a week sabbatical from the updates. Why? Thanksgiving days away, and I'm going to be very busy this next week. So I apologize, but nobody comments anyway, so it doesn't seem like anyone will be rioting anytime soon. I thank all of you who do read, and I hope you will continue reading next week. It's a hectic time of year for everyone, so I'm sure most of you will understand.

I'll leave you for the week with this picture.

-Ed B.
 

Victor Headed for Motown

Reports have surfaced today that the suspected deal between Victor Martinez and the Detroit Tigers is about to be finalized. The Sox all-star catcher/first baseman will be headed for Motown on a 4-year, $50 million deal.

Pathetic is the word that comes to mind. With every day that passes, I accumulate a greater and greater disgust for the way the Red Sox organization handles their business. People have been saying all along that this ownership group just cares about the money and nothing else. I always stuck up for them, but it's getting downright impossible to continue to do so. You're going to go buy the Liverpool soccer squad for a bazillion dollars, but you can't bring back our top priority free agents? I've had enough of it. The truth is,  our owners aren't what we were hoping they'd become. You look over there in New York, and even if they have a bunch of assholes running their team, guess what their goal is? To win championships. That's it. They'll spend money until they're bankrupt if it means bringing a championship to their city. Here in Beantown, the Red Sox have become the organization most guilty of lacking that drive.

Fantasy Hockey: Defensemen

At this point in the season, it has become apparent that this season entails the emergence of a new generation of fantasy-elite blue liners. Many youngsters are taking over as franchise defensemen for NHL teams and several of them are helpful in fantasy, such as P.K. Subban, Erik Karlsson, John Carlson, and a few others. For those of you lucky enough to draft Dustin Byfuglien hoping to get solid points and PIM have been rewarded countless times over with a point-per-game pace as well as 28 PIM, 10 PPP and 76 shots. He has been the best defenseman in fantasy so far and continues at a torrid pace, with RW eligibility to boot. Here's who caught my eye this week:

Who Dat? The Answer

Sorry about this answer being so delayed, but whatever. Here it is. Did anyone score big? I have a feeling someone did. The bigger question, though... who might that someone be, and whose eyes did they guess correctly?

11/21 NBA Recap: Rondo-less

The Celtics faultered north of the border and the Lakers out gunned the gun-slinging Warriors. Here's today's NBA recap.

- The Rondo-free Celtics lost another close game in the Sunday matinee, this time to the Toronto Raptors. Andrea Bargnani put up game high 29 points, while Reggie Evans controlled the boards with 16 rebounds. Nate Robinson stepped up in the starting point guard position, putting up 22 points.

- It was a very inconsistent, up and won game for the C's, and I didn't like what I saw. Sure, Rondo wasn't playing, but Nate stepped up in his place. The bench wasn't scoring, the starters were forcing shots on the block (Shaq in particular), and the team looked like it was taking the night off. Don't let the score fool you; though they only lost by one, the Raptors were pretty much in control until the last couple of minutes. This is the team I hate to see playing, and I hope that they turn it on tonight vs. Atlanta. I'm aware that it's a long regular season, and the Celtics won't win them all, but this is a team that they should beat, Rondo-less or not.

Who Dat? Take a Guess

With the Thanksgiving break approaching and school work getting all crammed in, I apologize for the slow times here at UB lately. Things will brighten up soon. But why be a negative nancy when there's this game called Who Dat where Bruce is winning and has just over a month to hold a 4 point lead? It starts today for you. Guess it!

Bruce	8 points
Fitch	4 points
Ed B	3 points
Magz	3 points
Enahs	2 points
Kshep	2 points
Mikey Diggs	2 points
Craig89	1 point
Hink	1 point
T-Money	1 point

  

Sorry Peyton

Hopefully today helped to further solidify this ridiculous debate over which star quarterback is "better." Every analyst agrees that Tom Brady is the guy in a clutch situation or to win you one big game. How is that not enough to be considered the best? I don't know. But even despite that, the three pathetic interceptions thrown at critical times tonight by Peyton Manning helped to reestablish the Patriots' dominance over the Colts. We're back. It feels so right. It's time to party like it's 2001 through 2005 baby.

  

11/20 NBA Recap: Good Money

Blake Griffin scored a career high 44 points and Rudy Gay's talents outdid those of the team from South Beach. Here's today's NBA recap.

- After turning the ball over to Lebron James late in the game (which turned into a bucket to tie the game), Rudy Gay made up for his mistake by hitting a game-winning shot as the game clock was fast approaching zero. Though Gay only had 15 points in the game, he is vastly improving as a player, helped by his stint with Team USA over the summer. This begs a question for the 2012 Olympics: does the USA stick with the Durant-led team that won with unity, grit, and obviously superior talent, or does the US Olympic committee allow Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and other such stars back on the team even though they weren't willing to play in the FIBA tournament? I say stick with the squad that just won it in Turkey. They were all willing to play, and showed they were just as apt to win as the 2008 squad.