Chaos in Red Sox Nation

There have certainly been better days to be a member of Red Sox Nation. Just weeks after suffering through the most historic collapse in the history of Major League Baseball, the old squad who holds down the Fenway fort has continued to spin through a whirlwind of turmoil, drama, and uncertainty. To be honest, I'm not even sure where to begin when I try to dissect what the hell is going on right now. So I'll just throw down random notes and eat some fried chicken. Beckett, Lackey, Lester -- you guys bring the beers!

Video Games, Fried Chicken, and Beers.

Now that the Sox have epically failed and fallen flat on their face, the true reasons have started to leak out to the media. On their off days, starting pitchers were throwing back brews in the club house, eating fried chicken, and playing XBox instead of staying in the dugout and supporting their team in its effort to win a baseball game. Supposedly these guys started doing that on September 1st, and they went 7-20 in the month as a direct result of that. Their 83-52 start to the season happened because the starting pitchers were supporting their squad in the dugout. It was only once they started eating chicken and drinking beer (oh no -- not in America...) that the team fell flat on its face.

If you can't pick up on my sarcasm, I'm trying to say that all of the media outrage about this is a little blown out of proportion. Do I condone the manager allowing this stuff? Hell no. I posted my gripes with Tito last week. Just scroll down the blog to see it. But is this the reason the Red Sox collapsed? Absolutely not. It's the guys drinking the beer and eating the chicken -- not the beer and the chicken itself -- that is the problem. So enough with all this nonsense. If fried chicken was the biggest problem the Sox had, life would be pretty damn good.

Tito's Marital Problems and Pill-Popping.

Okay, fine. So the beers and the chicken isn't the problem. But look! Tito had marital problems. And all those painkillers did him in. I mean, it's totally understandable. Managers spend time on the road with their teams every season. Same goes for the players, the staff, and everyone else. I get that. Trouble with relationships and marriages isn't all that uncommon with those situations. Travelling and separation can be big problems. Tito battled those problems all season. Hell, he's probably battled those issues as they built up over all the years he's been managing. I know that may be jumping to a conclusion, but here's the bottom line. No one was talking about Tito's marital issues after the Sox beat the Yanks on August 31st to move to 83-52 on the season. Trouble in a marriage has no reason to correlate directly to job performance. It hasn't done so in professional sports very frequently. So spare me that sob story. And as far as the pill-popping goes, I'm not quite sure. Maybe a little more radical drug choice would have amped the skipper up enough to get his players a little excited once in a while.

Theo Bolts Out of Town for Greener Pastures. Or Bluer Ones.

Theo Epstein wanted out of here, and he got his wish. Great job by Sox ownership to fight for the GM to stay. Cubs want him? Oh, alright... I guess you can have him. He hasn't done much for us. Only won us two titles. There are plenty of GMs out there who can bring in the players. I guess we'll just have to find one. Hey, hopefully they will. I'd love to see money-baller Billy Bean come to town or something like that. But really Theo? The Cubs? I know what people are thinking. He reversed our curse. He can reverse theirs. Maybe Tito will even follow him there and recreate the curse-breaking battery. Except here's the thing. Unless Theo plans to general manage until he's 92 years old, he won't be reversing the curse in Chicago. No way, no how. The Cubs are the Cubs and there is no changing that. Good luck, Theo.

Youk is Dating Brady's Sister.

I didn't know Tom Brady had a blind sister. But apparently he does, because she is dating Kevin Youkilis of the Boston Red Sox. Not only is Youk, guided by his US Army Tank, -- I mean, his chin -- the ugliest athlete in Boston, (okay, fine, Chara.) but he, according to all reports, is a complete dickhead and a clubhouse cancer. Wouldn't be surprised if he leaves town with the rest of the brigade this offseason. Which leads me to...

Big Papi Essentially Flips Boston the Bird and Sets Sights on Pinstripes.

You've all probably seen or heard about the interview by now, but David Ortiz basically said he doesn't want to be a part of the Sox "drama" again next season. Simultaneously, he praised the way things are always right in New York, how there is no drama, how it's a great place to play, and ultimately how he will "have to think about" playing there next season. Okay Papi. Do your thing. I don't know what world you're living in, but if you think going to the Yankees in the media hell that New York is will be a hall pass from all this "drama" and that things are always good -- well, you've got another thing coming. But yeah, I suppose things are always good there. They've won like nine titles in the last 10 years. Or one title. Something like that. They made it to the first round this year! Screw Boston... New York is where it's at. Fights with ownership (Jeter), washed up has-beens who think they're still hot (Posada), and early playoff departures (See: Every year except their WS run in '09). Have fun, Papi. You did steroids anyway. *(I have the right to take back all bad talk about Ortiz if he stays in Boston. Otherwise, let's go get Pujols with all that money.)

Who Knows What's Next?

I don't. I don't think anyone does. The first step is to get rid of John Lackey and Jason Varitek. By all reports, they are the guys who formed cliques within the Sox clubhouse more than anyone. Yeah, Beckett and Lester made some questionable character choices, too. But their performances somewhat balanced it out. When your production looks like that of Lackey or Varitek, that type of behavior doesn't cut it. The Sox need change. On that note, Wakefield needs to go, too. I love Wake. He's been an awesome Red Sox player for a long, long, long time. But enough is enough. The guy doesn't have it anymore. I'd love if he hung around as a bench coach or a mentor or a BP pitcher or something. I don't know. But he shouldn't be a regular in the rotation or the bullpen. He's run his course.

There will be plenty of excitement this offseason. A new GM and manager will take the reigns to facilitate the other changes. All I know is that I'm pretty thankful I'm a Boston fan and I can pay attention to the Bruins and the Patriots for the next six months. Because if we were only a baseball town, the winter road to April would be long and chaotic. Hey, Seguin's goal was pretty nice last night. Get ready for the Pats on Sunday.

  

Listen Live at 7 PM

Listen to The Extra Point with Derek and John tonight at 7 PM. Click here to visit the page where you can download the audio stream. It's the first hour of the year for Derek and John and their new show. Callers will be accepted, so listen in for the number. We may post it here once we get there and know the number for sure.

  

Blame It On Tito?

Cries from Red Sox nation are booming across social media waves today. Some are repulsed at the notion that Terry Francona may have managed his last game for the Boston Red Sox. Others are glad that the time may have finally come and are scouting the potential manager market already. I don't stand radically on either side of the spectrum, but I hinted at my feeling in the game day post before the fateful loss to Baltimore. Sorry, Tito. The blame may not be solely on you, but someone's gotta take the hit.

Look. Terry Francona had some great days behind the bench at Fenway. He broke the curse and added another ring in 2007. But Boston is a "what have you done for me lately" town, and Tito has done nothing for us lately. In the past three years, the Sox have played three playoff games. They lost all three, getting swept by the Angels in 2009. 2010 and 2011 were both campaigns that ended short of the postseason. Injuries in 2010? I'll give you that. Maybe not the most talented roster in '09? Fine. But what's the excuse in 2011? I'm not okay with putting it all on injuries this time around. Josh Beckett is a good starter, once an ace. Jon Lester is an ace. John Lackey has been a solid #3 his whole career -- why hasn't he been here? What's the reason for the obvious lack of chemistry and character in the clubhouse? Why are pitchers allowed to slug beers on their off days in the clubhouse? Most of the defenders of Francona are saying that the players didn't show up. They're pinning in on the character not being there. I'm sorry -- maybe I'm missing something -- but what is an MLB manager's job?

Let's think about that guy Bill Belichick. What do I notice about Bill Belichick teams? Even if they aren't always star-studded, even if they aren't in perfect shape, they are always ready to play. Mentally and physically, they are focused and ready. There is no sense of entitlement in that locker room -- every guy knows he needs to go out and earn it. Every guy is accountable. Every guy knows who the boss is, and they are going to do exactly what that boss tells them to do. The result? A cohesive unit. A unit that bonds together, because the coach won't take their antics. A unit that realizes the importance of their coach and would put their hearts on the line to win for him. That's what I see when I see the Patriots and Bill Belichick. A leader who absolutely inspires his bunch to be the best they can be every single night.

So I ask you -- did that culture develop because we got the right players? Did that happen because the players the Pats built a roster with are all intense, focused, hard-working guys who put the team first and buy into the system? Are we that good at assessing character? Or was that system built by the guy up top, molded each day by the man who is monitoring all clubhouse operations as well as the operations on the football field? Speak for yourself, but I can say with absolute certainty that Bill Belichick built that awesome environment. When the environment and chemistry is good, we praise the coach for setting the bar.

That environment, as we can all agree, was horrendous with the 2011 Boston Red Sox. They didn't put their hearts on the line every night. They didn't act as a cohesive unit, having each other's backs when adversity strikes. They weren't mentally or physically ready for the grinds of the critical moments. The environment isn't there. Pitchers can slug beers in the clubhouse knowing that other guys have to work today -- not me. I'm entitled to my day off here. I already did my job, why isn't someone else stepping up? Accountability is nonexistent on this team. It has been for the last three seasons. Sure, you have guys like Pedroia and Papelbon who will admit when they blow it and stress the fact that they need to step up. But I'm talking about the unit as a whole. No one gets held accountable and they sure as hell aren't ready to play every night. They never wore their heart on their sleeve for the skipper.

Maybe you think it's a bad comparison, but I think it correlates pretty well. Why is the coach praised in the case of good chemistry but not held accountable when things go poorly? Why is it not Terry Francona's fault that this team is never ready to play? Is Theo just horrible at judging character? These guys are all shmucks who will never work out, then. That must be it. Belichick doesn't create an amazing team structure -- they just have the right players. The Sox have the wrong ones. Nothing the manager can do there.

Or is that the manager's job? To get his players ready every game, to have them mentally and physically conditioned for any situation, to form a cohesive unit, and to develop a common goal that every guy in that clubhouse will do anything to achieve? To me, that's the manager's job. Joe Maddon has a hell of a lot less talent in that locker room down in Tampa, but he has those guys playing better than the Sox stars. Imagine what he could do to this team? Players are never held accountable and they just go through the motions with this Sox teams. Hell, if a Patriots player ever did what John Lackey does on a regular basis, he'd be cut before he could untie his cleats. That's just a fact.

Long story short, I believe a change was needed. Francona worked well with the Idiots of 2004 and the squad in 2007. Those teams had each other's backs and had great character. He managed the locker room nicely. But it's clear that he has struggled to do the same with this bunch. Is Theo at fault for bringing in players who don't fit in Francona's framework? Maybe. But the past is the past. Gonzalez and Crawford are owed $140 million. You can't just cut them. No starting from scratch. The only path I see here is chipping away at the problem. You gotta find someone who can get these guys to play. You have the raw materials. These players were all very talented and very successful in their previous locations. Why aren't they playing here? Like I said -- an MLB manager has a few jobs. Getting his players to play hard, play smart, and play to the best of their abilities are three of the most critical requirements of the position.

Lately, you've done nothing for me. That's what gets you run out of this town. The Sox have been notoriously forgiving with that topic. We don't give up on guys easily -- we keep them around for what they did. Why is Wake still here? He's been a great player throughout his Sox career. Ditto for Varitek. But why the hell are they still here? They can hardly play the game. There are a few times I can recall the Red Sox dumping someone for a recent failure. Grady Little. Nomar Garciaparra. You guys, thanks for everything -- but you're gone. Funny how both departures quickly translated into our first World Series title.

You can't be afraid to make changes. If Belichick had consecutive losing seasons, I would expect him to be on the hot seat. What have you done for me lately? We want titles now. Tito, you were a great manager at times. But you're not getting the job done. You're not getting these guys to play. Thanks for everything, but we'll find someone who can do the job.

I know some people will harshly disagree with my view, but I encourage to you ask yourself what an MLB manager's job really is. You don't call a play from the playbook on fourth and two. You don't design an inbounds play with 2 seconds left to win on a buzzer beater. You don't construct forechecking schemes and power plays to execute in the third period. You make a lineup, get it ready, and play the game. Make pitching changes and send in pinch hitters. Sac bunts (Tito? Yeah right.) and small ball (Tito? Yeah right.). But the biggest responsibility is having your baseball team ready to play. If you can honestly tell yourself that Tito successfully had his team ready to play, then so be it. You win, I guess. Let me just schedule you a doctor's appointment before you leave.

The future is uncertain. We'll see what happens, I guess.

   

And Then There Was #162

Go Yankees is right. For one night, we can only pray that the New York Yankees win themselves a ball game.

That isn't the only part that is right about this man's cardboard sign, though. Meltdown. Enjoy your meltdown. Boston has suffered through exactly that in the past month. Having blown a 10-game wild card lead to the Rays, the Red Sox would re-write the definition of "limping" into the playoffs if they manage to secure the final American League berth.

So it goes to game #162 to decide it -- and that's not just in the American League. In addition to the Sox and Rays being deadlocked after 161 contests, the Braves and Cardinals of the National League find themselves in the same exact situation. It's pretty remarkable, really. Each and every sports fan has, at some point in their journey, discussed the notion that 162 games may be a bit ridiculous for a sports season. But if nothing else, one would argue, it gives a large enough sample size that there could be no doubting who the best four teams in each league are. 162 is plenty, right?

Maybe not this year, and maybe not in either of the two leagues in Major League Baseball.

One-game playoffs may be needed in both leagues after the final day of the 2011 (all but) regular season. Can the Sox do it? Can they avoid what would rival the Bruins of 2010, the Yankees of 2004, and several other collapses as one of the worst in recent memory? It rides on the arm of Jon Lester tonight, who takes his 14-0 lifetime record against  the Baltimore Orioles to the hill at Camden Yards.

I'm not a fortune teller, so I cannot say whether or not Boston will be popping champagne, moping in the corner, or preparing themselves for a one-game showdown by the time tonight is through. I cannot say whether Jon Lester will shut down the Orioles or whether he will lay an egg in their nest. As a sports blogger, I don't bother trying to predict what will happen (well, okay.. maybe just for NFL picks). Rather, why don't we look at why it's happening and what strategies may have or could still avoid it?

The biggest question everyone is asking regards the issue of blame. Whose fault is this horrid collapse that could make this season one of the most disgraceful in Sox history? Is it Theo Epstein for assembling this roster? Is it Terry Francona for failing to put that roster in positions to win ball games? Or is it on the players for failing to win the ballgames with those chances they're being provided? It would be foolish to say that the blame falls solely on one of these entities, but it may be equally foolish to suggest that it's an even three-way split.

The easy answer is to blame the players. They're the ones out there performing every night, winning or losing the games. Sox fans have been angered in the past month by the lack of intensity, emotion, and heart that this entire squad has shown. Did Theo assemble a group of shmucks who don't give a rat's ass about winning? Are they all just personally incapable of stepping up to the big stage? Or has their coach instilled an even-keel mindset into the team that has rendered them unable to get hyped when the bell rings?

Enough hypothesizing and questioning. First, I'm not blaming Theo. The general manager's job, when it comes to building the roster, is to provide the pieces. That's it. Provide the pieces that your coaching staff of choice can work with to win a championship. Has he done that? I believe so. I understand that the pitching rotation has suffered incredible injuries, but I believe this team has the talent to overcome those issues. The Boston Red Sox of September 28th, 2011 have enough talent to win. They are a playoff caliber roster. Theo did his job.

So how can I blame Francona? The guy has delivered our two championships. The only two in a million years, for all intents and purposes. Doesn't that give him a free pass? In my view, no. That's the reality of Boston. Folks, you all accepted the new nickname this year. We're the City of Champions, oh yeah! Well, the reality is, this is a "what have you done for me lately?" kind of town. If we're the City of Champions, we aren't satisfied with 2 titles for the Red Sox, 1 for the Celtics, 1 for the Bruins. We aren't satisfied with 7 years of championship-free football from the Patriots. When things go poorly, change is necessary. I digress from the situation at hand, though -- the bottom line is that Terry Francona's time here has potentially run its course.

He has done a great job managing egos and personalities with the teams he has had since coming here. The titles in 2004 and 2007 were memorable teams that he was able to keep level-headed and in check all season long. But let's be honest -- Francona has never been a coach to win games with brilliant coaching decisions. He has never been one to get fired up, to make bold choices, or to really establish a gritty environment in the clubhouse. Do your job every day, keep your nose to the grindstone, and things will work out. They have worked out twice. But as we approach the sixth failure in his eight-year reign (and the fourth straight, all pretty pathetic efforts) -- when do we cut the ties? I can't help but think about what a guy like Joe Maddon could do with this Sox team. A manager with the fire of Ozzie Guillen or the small-ball genius of Mike Scioscia. Maybe there are greener pastures. Maybe another failure should spell the end of the Francona era. Am I calling for his head? Am I saying he's the sole reason this debacle has surfaced? Of course not. Theo signed John Lackey. Theo signed JD Drew. The players have been injured and those healthy ones have gone through the motions and neglected to wear their heart on their sleeves the way Pedroia does every night. They don't seem to understand what it takes to be a Red Sox hero. Ask Dave Roberts, Kevin Millar, Pedro Martinez, and all of those guys whether they took plays off or lacked a desire to give everything they had and more. Red Sox nation misses those types of players, too. Everyone is accountable for the mess that has become the 2011 season's ending.

Having said all of that, there is still hope. There is still a season to be salvaged tonight and a postseason to be embarked on. 22 teams around the league would die for the opportunity to play a postseason game this year. The Sox can still be one of the eight teams who gets to do it. It isn't all bad -- I'm not claiming the world is ending. This thing can easily be turned around. Hell, we could be on our way to another World Series title.

Like I said, though -- I'm not a fortune teller. We'll have to let the cards fall where they may, and hopefully wake up in the morning with a postseason berth. Take it one day at a time from there.

Week 3 NFL Picks

Late start today, so no fantasy advice for you guys. Feel free to email me if you have pressing issues and you value my input more highly than ESPN or Yahoo.... in that case, I'm honored.

New England 41, Buffalo 21.

Jacksonville 13, Carolina 24.

San Francisco 23, Cincinnati 10.

Miami 20, Cleveland 17.

Detroit 28, Minnesota 17.

Houston 24, New Orleans 27.

NY Giants 23, Philadelphia 31.

Denver 14, Tennessee 22.

NY Jets 17, Oakland 20. [UPSET]

Kansas City 12, San Diego 30.

Baltimore 26, St. Louis 13.

Green Bay 21, Chicago 24.

Arizona 20, Seattle 7.

Atlanta 28, Tampa Bay 21.

Pittsburgh 30, Indianapolis 3. [LOCK]

Washington 17, Dallas 31.

We'll see how it goes.

Current Overall Record entering week: 18-13

Current LOCK Record entering week: 1-0

Current UPSET Record entering week: 0-1

Week 2 NFL Picks, Fantasy Thoughts

Last week was a horrendous week for me. So it's time to get back on track. Not only were my selections awful, but I never got my Thursday night pick in and I didn't choose my usual LOCK and UPSET pick. So this week, we're finally tuned up. Let's call Week 1 the preseason for predictions. This is the real deal.

Oakland 24, Buffalo 17.
Green Bay 31, Carolina 10. [LOCK]
Kansas City 16, Detroit 33.
Cleveland 17, Indianapolis 14.
Tampa Bay 27, Minnesota 21.
Chicago 20, New Orleans 28.
Jacksonville 10, NY Jets 27.
Seattle 12, Pittsburgh 19.
Baltimore 24, Tennessee 13.
Arizona 17, Washington 20.
Dallas 23, San Francisco 14.
Cincinnati 7, Denver 17.
Houston 26, Miami 28.
San Diego 24, New England 35.
Philadelphia 30, Atlanta 20.
St. Louis 21, NY Giants 17. [UPSET]

There are your Week 2 winners. What about fantasy football? I haven't talked much about it so far. To be honest, I'm not sure if I'm qualified to after last week. I lost my opening matchup in both of my leagues, and in one of those leagues, I benched nearly a hundred points (see: Matthew Stafford, Steve Smith, Cedric Benson, & more). But I'll just go with the Matthew Berry approach. I'll give you a few guys I like as sleepers and a few guys I dislike as busts in the second week of the season.

Me gusta (Players I like)
1. Cadillac Williams vs NY Giants. If Steven Jackson is hurt, Cadillac is going to be a pretty good play on Monday Night Football. The fact that he is on Monday night is a little alarming, since you'll have to know for certain that Jackson is inactive before he's a safe bet. Still, he performed well with his carries last week and I see him continuing to do the same on a Rams offense that may see a banged up Sam Bradford hand the ball off more than usual.
2. Tim Hightower vs Arizona. Hightower is a guy I have liked from the outset, being in a Mike Shanahan system that has a history of churning out 1,000-yard rushers. Against his former squad, Hightower will look to shred the Cardinals defense -- a defense which gave up 422 passing yards to Cam Newton last week. What do you think Arizona's defensive group has been focusing on all week? Hey guys, don't forget about the rush defense. Shoot. I think they forgot about the rush defense.
3. LeGarrette Blount vs Minnesota. I had him benched all week, but I think I'm putting him back in there. I'm a little biased because I'm hoping to see the production out of him, but I have to agree with Matthew Berry on this one. He got 5 carries last week, was ineffective, and the Bucs lost. Common sense says you'll change things up a bit. It's not a terribly difficult matchup, and this guy was a 1,000-yard rusher last season. Whatever the gaffe was in Week 1, I'm thinking (hoping) that it's a thing of the past for Blount.

No me gusta (Players I dislike)
1. Jamaal Charles vs Detroit. Look, I know you Charles owners had to start him in Week 1 against Buffalo. It didn't work out quite as well as you'd hoped. He'll bounce back, right? Well, I'm not so convinced. I don't think you're going to get normal Charles production out of him this week, and I actually don't know if you'll even get formidable production out of him. Seeing what Ryan Fitzpatrick did to the Chiefs defense leads me to believe Matt Stafford will shred them apart. If he does that, KC will need to pass the ball. On top of that, the Lions defensive front is a ball hawking, very aggressive bunch who may give Charles owners fits this afternoon.
2. Rex Grossman vs Arizona. Matthew Berry loves Sexy Rexy again this week, but I tend to believe otherwise. Look at Cam Newton's performance last week. A lot of it was due to broken coverage, not laser beams that found tight holes in the secondary. They were fundamental mistakes that can be corrected. Corresponding to the fact that I like Hightower this week, I'm guessing the Cards defense allotted their whole practice week to fixing the horrible coverage woes that surfaced in Week 1. They probably fixed a good amount of them. At least enough to keep Grossman in check.
3. Plaxico Burress vs Jacksonville. Owners who took a chance starting Plax last week ended up getting rewarded with some points. I would cash out while you're ahead. (No, I'm not saying to drop him. Just saying to bench him for the week.) Whether Pats fans like it or not, the Jets are probably going to get a pretty big lead and control the game against the Jaguars. Marky Mark won't be throwing to Plax very much if they don't need to air it out. I wouldn't be surprised if I could count his fantasy points on one hand without my thumb today.
 

Never Forget.

We all remember where we were ten years ago today. At 8:46 in the morning, I was sitting in my fifth grade elementary school class. My teacher explained the situation to us, but our naive minds couldn't fully comprehend its significance at the time. But I can remember the pain and shock that overtook every adult influence in my life. As I began watching the footage and getting a grasp of the enormity of the attacks, the naive component of my mind started to move aside. This was real. This was happening. This was devastating for an entire nation, and I would grow up in the midst of an ongoing recovery effort for America.

Ten years later, we find ourselves in front of our television sets on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. And more importantly than being Patriots fans, being NFL fans, or being sports fans in general, we can all say that we are proud to be Americans. Today, we remember those who gave their lives on that fateful morning. We remember the families and friends those heroes left behind. We remember the brutal turmoil that our country was thrown into, and we rejoice in recognition of the fact that we have fought back. We have brought some of the responsible villains to justice. We have come together as a nation and refused to let adversity be our demise. We made sure that our fallen heroes did not fall in vain.

Those heroes are the ones who have reaffirmed our freedom as a nation. The casual sports fan -- and thus, most of the readers of this blog -- are excited for the start of the NFL season today. But we should all be able to recognize the bigger things. America suffered its greatest loss -- a loss that could have been catastrophic to an incredible degree -- and bounced back from it. Here we are. We are still standing, standing together, together as one. We are stronger and more unified. We were knocked down -- so what? Get back up and keep fighting. That's what Americans do. That's what America is. What's a loss in your fantasy football week or a loss for your hometown team really going to mean in the big picture? I'm a Pats fan. Someone else is a Jets fan. There are Giants fans, Saints fans, Packers fans, Eagles fans, and countless other fans. For at least a day, throw aside the animosity. We are all Americans, and we have made it through our troubles to this point. We all owe the same brave souls who carried us forward in the most difficult time our nation has encountered. Be thankful for America above all else. Enjoy your football, enjoy your beer and chicken wings, enjoy your friends' company. But try to realize that it's all possible because of the amazing heroes that have fallen before us. Remember them. Remember their courage. And remember that America never forgets.

  

Week 1 NFL Picks

On this immensely significant day for America, we have some football to enjoy as well. Here are my Week 1 picks for all the games. I didn't get my Thursday night pick in time, but the cumulative record starts here. What's my winning percentage going to be this season? I'm saying .700 .... I'm feeling a breakout year.

Falcons 24, Bears 14.
Bengals 10, Browns 28.
Bills 9, Chiefs 27.
Eagles 26, Rams 23.
Lions 24, Bucs 17.
Titans 20, Jaguars 10.
Steelers 19, Ravens 16.
Colts 14, Texans 31.
Panthers 16, Cardinals 14.
Vikings 22, Chargers 21.
Seahawks 20, Niners 34.
Giants 10, Redskins 13.
Cowboys 21, Jets 17.
Patriots 30, Dolphins 16.
Oakland 14, Broncos 24.


Let's play some football.

Welcome Back to the City of Champions

The sabbatical has run its course. The last time I blogged about a story in the Boston sports world, it was a full week before the B's hoisted their first Stanley Cup in 39 years. It was a hateful post directed toward the grossly aggravating hockey team based out of Vancouver. It may have even been a bit of a worrisome post, given that the Bruins trailed the series 2-1 and faced a huge hole had they failed to emerge victorious from the game that night. Of course, it all ended up working out for the best. I'll get back to that in just a moment.

The point is, it has been a long time. It has been two and a half months. You may have thought I retired. You may have thought Ultimate Boston was headed down the drain. Well, to be honest, I can't guarantee that won't happen at some point. But it isn't happening now. Not today. We're back for the time being, and it's time to recap what we've missed in the past two months.

Back to the B's. As you can see, I made a pretty permanent decision when I got this tattoo inked onto my back between my shoulder blades. I said I would get tatted up if the B's won the Cup, and I'm a man of my word. A simple tattoo, though, can't explain how much the Cup finally meant to myself, my family, my friends who are diehard fans, and all of the Bruins faithful who have tuned in for every game since the days of Orr, Neely, Bourque, and all the way up through Zdeno Chara and Tim Thomas. To all of the people mentioned, it truly meant the world. And to see Chara hoist the cup above his shoulders, it sent a feeling of goosebumps through every fan's body. Well, at least the fans who have endured through the ugliest days of the past 20 years.

My memory hardly spans through all of those years, and that was only half the period of agony. Still, this year's Stanley Cup victory helped put to rest so many of the demons that have haunted the Bruins in my own lifetime. Failing to get Ray Bourque the Cup. Tim Taylor's toe in the crease. The days of standout goaltender Byron Dafoe, never amounting to the grand prize. The relatively failed project that was Joe Thornton. The days when tickets were so easy to come by and games weren't selling out. The nights when Dave Shea broadcasted road games on UPN 38 and Dale Arnold did the home games on NESN. The crushing Game 7 losses against Montreal and then against Carolina the following season. All leading up to the moment -- unquestionably the most heart-wrenching moment in our recent memory -- in which the B's blew a 3-0 lead and let the Flyers soar past them to the conference finals in a season that had seemed destined to finally work out for the black and gold.

It was all erased on June 15th, 2011. Personally, I'll never forget the date. It was the single greatest moment of my life, when it comes to the Boston sports scene. The Pats championships, the Sox titles, the Celtics victory -- they were all amazing. But none of them truly measured up to the sentimental value that the Bruins accomplishment did this June. For me, it was the pinnacle of all the titles in title town. Now, of course, I'm greedy. I want more of them.

Fortunately, we're in Boston. Some of you may now refer to it as the City of Champions. Having garnered titles in each of the four major sports within the last 7 years, it is by no means unreasonable to expect more in the near future. Hell, even the Boston Cannons of Major League Lacrosse took home a championship this weekend. Things really are starting to look like we're the best at everything we do.

The Red Sox continue to edge the Yankees in the AL East with a huge series against the arch rivals looming. Despite their share of injuries to the pitching staff, the Sox look poised once again to contend for their third championship in seven years. It has been four years since their last glory days. Oh, the horror!

Meanwhile, the Patriots (despite a 34-10 shellacking from the Detroit Lions this weekend) look sharp and ready to dominate the NFL as usual. With an impressive set of receivers, a newly revamped defensive line, an improving secondary, and -- of course -- Tom Brady, the team with the longest drought in this city may be ready to finally end this heart-wrenching seven-year drought.

Yup. It goes for you too. We're all greedy and spoiled here in Boston in the 21st century. A seven-year drought? That's the longest active drought in our city? Tell that to the Cubs fans who are approaching the 100-year mark in their drought. Mention it to Buffalo (who knows when they last won). Mention it to Philadelphia, who has a fantastic sports city, but still hasn't seen their Flyers win the Cup in nearly 40 years. The Eagles have never won the Super Bowl. And it has been 28 years since the 76ers brought home the NBA title.

We have it made here in Boston. That's all there is to it. I'm not guaranteeing another championship for the Sox or the Pats this season. I'm not saying the Bruins have undoubtedly kicked off a dynasty at the Garden. I'm not saying the Celtics will compete yet again if the NBA even has a season. Truth be told, all of our teams could drop into 100-year slumps starting today. We may be miserable sports fans for the rest of our lives, reliving the heartache of the Red Sox, Bruins, and Patriots days of old. Reliving the Celtics days just before the Big Three. Maybe that is what destiny has prepared for us. Even still, it won't change the golden age of sports we have experienced. If you're reading this right now, you have lived during an amazing era. Whether or not another parade goes rolling through Beantown in the coming months, years, or decades, the name is irrefutable for this moment. Enjoy it. Remember it. Because right now, Boston is unquestionably the City of Champions.

Three New Shirts On Sale

The last time I blogged, I had probably just finished taking my pet dinosaur for a walk. For that, I apologize. Life is a lot busier than it used to be. I'll get around to it. To the faithful viewers who keep checking back, I'm sorry that I haven't even made a post since our Bruins took home the cup. Although, truthfully, I was pretty much speechless anyway. I may not have been able to articulate a well-written post in the first place.

I'll do my best to pick the blogging game up again, but the tee shirt shop is still motoring forward. Three new tees. The first two pictured above of kinda-sorta replicas of a shirt in Barstool's store, but I changed it up a little and offered it in some colors. To be honest, I made them because I wanted them, not because I wanted to sell them. The third picture shows the newest shirt which was requested by fans. It could get taken down, so I would go ahead and buy it if you're interested in getting it. As usual, pictures of players are susceptible to being removed by the site.

I'll hopefully be making some changes around here soon, but we'll see. Until then, browse the Pro Shop and see if you find anything you like.