Primary reasons why people hop the Sox bandwagon

What prompts someone to pull for the Boston Red Sox? Before delving into that question, let's clarify this: There is no such thing as a Red Sox fan that isn't a fan of all Boston sports. If you are supporting one entity, then you may as well support them all, because your face is already covered in dirt. So none of this, “Well I've always loved the Sox but the Cowboys are my NFL team.” No no no, please don't try and get classy and save face.
The “B” [for Bandwagoner] hats are selling like hot cakes these days. Is it because people once felt sorry for the Red Sox because of the curse? (No need for caps on “curse”, it doesn't warrant it). Is it because they feel the pain of Boston always being inferior to New York, whether it's the Yankees or the city itself being far more prestigious than anything Boston ever will? Maybe it's just a fad, and people tend to love fads. The point is, there is no acceptable answer.
That said, here is a closer look at some of those sad-sack excuses people come up with in regards to their undying support of the Red Sox:

The “curse”. Can't hear that one enough, can you? 86 years when they couldn't win a World Series. The ball through Bill Buckner's legs in the '86 series? Bucky “F***ing” Dent? Who knows? Who cares? There is a false sense of “lovable loser-ness” here that doesn't belong (much more suited to the Chicago Cubs). That always wins over some slimy hearts.
The underdog mentality garnered from being slapped around by the Yankees for years on end. Again, underdog is going overboard. Title or not, the Red Sox always had money to spend and seasons to remember. No one likes the Yankees; I can't stand them. But they are the standard of excellence in baseball, with 26 World Series titles to boast and countless daggers into the hearts of Boston fans (no complaints from me about the latter).
The fad. The hats are pretty basic. But then again, cigarettes are pretty nasty. And yet people smoke to look cool, or because it's a habit they can't kick. The Red Sox gain so much media attention thanks to their personal sports network, ESPN. Media attention is the primary reason for the grisly fad that doesn't figure to fade anytime soon.
“Red Sox Nation”. Another media creation. I don't pay much attention to Raider Nation, as entertaining as Black Hole in Oakland is. But any time a group of sports fans utilize this label, it diminishes their credibility greatly. Especially when the title was crowned by a television station, and not even the fans themselves.
Hatred of the Yankees. Might seem repetitive. I can't stand the Yankees, but I would stand behind them under an attack of whining Red Sox fans who are envious of the prestige and glamor of New York. The Giants are Super Bowl champions, and the Jets are on their way. The Mets and Rangers are always competitive. And New York, simply put, is the city that never sleeps. And for good reason. It is one of the best places to be in the world, with everything in every facet of life and culture to offer. Many hypocritical Bostonians end up moving there, like people from all over the globe. When it comes to sports, like it or not, New York is the cream of the crop. And the dislike for the Yankees (and this is what really gets my goat) automatically steers people to pull for the Red Sox, as if it's “If you're not cheering for one, it's the other.” This small-mindedness can again be largely attributed to the overdose the media provides of these two organizations.
You need to feel good about yourself. Sometimes sports act as an escape for us. We wrap ourselves up in our teams. If they win, we win. If they lose, we get down as if we lost. Like the countless Lakers and Cowboys supporters, it's always a safer bet to back a team that constantly wins. Therefore we (well, not me, speak for yourselves of course) are more likely to be satisfied. With that little psychoanalysis comes the striking reality that this is the poorest excuse yet. You really can't hold an intelligent sports conversation with someone like that because it is hard to really take them seriously as a sports fan.

Completing the monopoly: Bruins rising

Figures, doesn't it? Actually, not to me. I don't consider myself much of a gambler, so betting $1 on the Boston Bruins at 50/1 well before the hockey season started was a minimal investment with a nice potential return. I know very, very little about hockey, except that one thing was evident: The Bruins play in Boston, so they will get enough breaks to have a chance to win.
So far, I am looking pretty smart, for a change. All the Bruins have done is rack up 32 points, tops in the Eastern Conference and one shy of the San Jose Sharks' NHL-leading 35. I couldn't tell you much about the Bruins other then that their goaltending is considered among the game's elite. I believe they have a number of big-time fighters on their team, so foul play, as per usual with Boston sports, is likely a factor. I know that the Red Sox didn't win it in 2008, so A.J. Burnett is a likely candidate to end up there to make sure that doesn't happen again in 2009. For now, the Celtics are running away with a pitiful Eastern Conference in the NBA, and in case they slip, the Bruins likely will get enough luck on their side to more than make up for it.
Me, I am predictably disgusted, but hardly surprised. I don't really follow hockey enough to invest the same energy I do into baseball and football, but if a Boston team is winning, I'll take notice. If the Bruins do in fact rise to prominence and win the Stanley Cup, I will feel vindicated in one sense. There was little rhyme or reason why the Celtics became so dominant last season, and even less if the Bruins do the same this year. Except for the obvious theory that there is a higher being watching over Boston sports.
The $50 would be a nice “Sorry for your troubles” pocket cash if the Bruins complete the Boston sports monopoly, but it would continue a despicable trend of absurdity in the first decade of the 21st century. Canadian teams are supposed to rule hockey when the de facto powerhouse Red Wings slip, but Boston has the kind of charmed existence that automatically supersedes that. When the Bruins stand on the Fenway Park field before the Red Sox season opener in April hoisting the Stanley Cup trophy, it will put the cap on the complete takeover of sports. A scary thought indeed.

The 5 Most Enraging Moments Of Boston's Sports Decade

Throughout the enduring pain of Boston's sports gods smiling down on them this decade, there have been many moments that stand out for the frustration and anger they created. For every lucky break or inexplicable comeback they had, the sports world suffered just a little bit more. Take, for example, the infamous Tuck Rule. Now at the time, Boston sports had not gotten on their karmic run, so who knew then that the Notorious Raiders' misfortune would become the Patriots' everlasting treasure. Looking back on it, Oakland was cheated and the Patriots actually cheated. That unfortunate event, as well as Drew Bledsoe's untimely injury in Week 2 of that season, changed everything for the worse. A look back (and hopefully, not forward from this point on) at the 5 most grueling and despised moments in Boston's recent run in sports, in no particular order:

Game 5 of the 2007 ALCS. The end does not justify the means here. The Rays may have won the series in 7 games, but lest we forget that Game 5 may have emotionally and psychologically drained them for the World Series, in which they came out flat against an inferior but rested foe in Philadelphia. The 7-0 meltdown suffered by Tampa Bay was one of the most painful things I've ever watched. It figured Boston was back at their old cheap tricks, coming back from a deficit in a series to prove their place in baseball lore. The Rays (and the fans) had to gut out such a gruesome thought until Matt Garza finally turned out the lights on Boston's 2008 season in Game 7. But the days between Games 5 and 7 were terrifying, to say the least.


Game 4 of the 2008 NBA Finals. As if the Red Sox and Patriots' successes weren't enough, the Lakers got to experience what many past victims of those aforementioned clubs had in Game 4 of the NBA Finals last season. A complete and utter choke job only explainable by means of divine intervention ensued, as the Celtics erased a 24-point deficit to rally for a command 3-1 series lead. They went on to win in 6 games to make it a grisly trifecta in sports titles in the present decade. Perhaps the worst part about the Celtics' title run was that very few people saw it coming. Alas, that's how it always seems to be, doesn't it?

Super Bowl XXXVIII. So many little things that could've changed the game but didn't. Either it was the two failed, ill-advised two-point conversion attempts by Carolina, or it was their kicker, John Kasay, kicking the kickoff following the game-tying TD out of bounds, setting up a short field for Tom Brady to claim to be a hero by leading a truly-defining, 47-yard drive to set up a field goal. When Carolina took a short-lived, 22-21 lead in the fourth quarter, it was the first time we had the pleasure of even seeing the Patriots trail in a game in over two months to that point. The Panthers gave up a touchdown and never led again. Adam Vinatieri, who gets props at least for bolting to the rival Colts after the '05 season, got to experience deja vu and hammer the final nail in the Panthers' coffin.

Marlon McCree's fumbled interception, 2006 Divisional Playoffs. This is the one that killed me to almost no end. Even though it paved the way for Peyton Manning's heroics the following week in the championship game, the annual Patriots charade should never have gotten that far. Tom Brady was picked off for the third time in the game, but McCree carried the return like a loaf of bread, only to be stripped by prehistoric receiver Troy Brown. IT gave the announcers and media a chance to laud a “truly selfless” effort by the overrated Brown, when really the focus should have been on McCree's utter stupidity, as well as Marty Schottenheimer's constant postseason failures. Mercifully, Schottenheimer's career ended after this debacle, but the Patriots luck did not. Predictably, the botched interception set up the tying touchdown and ultimately the 24-21 victory, which the classless Patriots followed up by mocking the Chargers at midfield after the final seconds ticked off.

May 13, 2007. This was possibly the worst of them all because it involved my beloved Orioles being victimized by the Boston terrorism. The Orioles were well on the verge of taking two out of three at Fenway Park, leading 5-0 in the bottom of the 9th. Jeremy Guthrie had pitched lights-out to that point, and got the first out of the inning before catcher Ramon Hernandez mishandled an infield pop-up that ignited a brutal 6-run rally by the Red Sox. The horrendous nightmare culminated with Julio Lugo hitting a ground ball to the right side of the infield. Former Sox hero Kevin Millar made an errant flip to pitcher Chris Ray at first, allowing the winning runs to score. I immediately wen to the gym and took out my frustrations on the punching bag.

Manning's 2004 trumps Brady's 2007*

Again, notice the asterisk. Tom Brady may have thrown 50 touchdown passes to set a single-season record* in 2007. Peyton Manning held the legitimate previous mark at 49, breaking Dan Marino's mark that had stood for 20 years. But there are some facts worth noting that in this Patriots-hater's mind make Manning's record-breaking season a more impressive one.
Consider, first of all, that having the class that he does, Tony Dungy sat Manning in the fourth quarter of a number of blowouts to let backup Jim Sorgi take some reps. Bill Belichick, meanwhile, not only usually left Brady in, but once even brought him back out to throw one more scoring pass just to rub it in Miami's face because the winless Dolphins got to within 21 points.
Unlike when New England went for the jugular with nothing on the line other than a record in the final game against the Giants (who won the only matchup between the teams that mattered last season), Dungy pulled Manning after just one series of the Colts' season-finale in Denver. Sitting on 49 against a defense that just two weeks prior had been scorched for 45 points by a sub-.500 Chiefs team, Manning easily could've topped 50. Even with Marino's record gone, Manning should have figured it wouldn't be safe with cheaters still on the loose. But still, Dungy is a class act and wanted to make sure his top-notch players were healthy when the Colts met the Broncos again the next week in the first round of the playoffs.
Brady undoubtedly knew what plays the Jets were running in the 2007 opener, and it wouldn't be much of a shock if he caught some illegal video footage of some of the other opponents the Patriots played. There were games, like the aforementioned Miami contest and a game against Washington the following week in which, despite a massive lead, Brady was still in slinging it against a hapless, defeated foe. Brady connected with Wes Welker in the Washington game for a score to make it 45-0 in the fourth quarter. The pint-sized Welker, beneficiary of double- and triple-teams on Randy Moss all year, spiked the ball like he had just won the Super Bowl (something he will hopefully never experience). What did Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne do after a touchdown? Hand the ball to the official, even if the score put the Colts ahead in the fourth quarter.
All told, Brady maxed out with 50 scoring tosses. Manning probably lost more than a game's worth of action to rest because many of the Colts games that year were out of reach early. No need to rub it in, right? But had slimy Belichick been pulling the reigns, Manning's record would probably still be standing in the mid-50s.

More obnoxious fans: Patriots or Steelers?

Good Will Hunting, Jason Bourne and Entourage whole-heartedly support the New England Patriots, cheating, scumminess, and all. Of course, that's easy when it seems that 97% of the popular universe hails from the New England area. But the Steelers may smoke the Patriots in that department – literally. That's because they have the D-O-Double Jizzle in their corner, the one and only Snoop Dogg. Rumor has it that Billy Madison, Adam Sandler, is a Steelers supporter as well.

The Patriots are more of a “woodwork” team. That means that due to their recent success* (notice the asterisk), many of their so-called “fans” are still coming out of the woodwork (I actually met a guy who claimed to be a die-hard because he just ordered a Matt Cassel jersey over the Internet). The Steelers, admitted cheaters due to excessive steroid use during their reign of terror in the 70s, at least are more steeped in tradition that the team that was almost shipped off to Hartford by Robert Kraft prior to the turn of the 21st century.
These teams have met many a time in recent years, with much at stake every time. The Steelers are still trying to figure out what they are more steamed over, the cheap film the Patriots had of their sideline from the 2001 championship game or Deion Branch gloating to the all the Terrible Towel wavers after the 2004 title game. They played last year during the Patriots run at imperfection, when rookie safety Anthony Smith of the Steelers virtually guaranteed a win. The result, an inevitable 34-13 drubbing.
Pittsburgh is a blue collar, hard-nosed town. They haven't had much to cheer for in the last 15-20 years with their Pirates. The Penguins came up just short last year, while the Pitt football and basketball teams have been competitive if not glorious. But it's all about the Steelers. The terrible towels alone make them an easy target for fans of anyone else, especially their division rivals. The difference is, the Patriots should be despised by all. Especially their so-called “fans”.

Patriots' Welker only benefiting from Moss' presence

Maybe the most misleading stat in the history of football is that New England Patriots' receiver Wes Welker is the first player in NFL history to catch at least six passes in his team's first nine games of a season. Let's forget that he has a paltry 9.4 yards per catch, one touchdown, and his longest gain this year is 27 yards. Welker is among the most overrated receivers in football. All he does is run five-yard patterns out of the slot, which are usual open because defenses are so afraid of lackadaisical Randy Moss they usually assign two or three defenders to him.
Welker getting yardage is like taking any generic fast player and throwing him quick passes that any Average Joe could catch, and because the Patriots' lineman are generally holding and cut-blocking, he can pad his stats with so-called yards after the catch.
One friend of mine claims that although Welker and Moss may not be the most dynamic one-two punch in football, they complement each other better than anyone. I then compared that theory to an over-sized bully and his pint-sized sidekick. The sidekick can still command respect and get his licks in on the helpless victim because he is protected by his mammoth partner-in-crime.
Of course, no one even remembers that Welker was once a member of the Miami Dolphins. He did very little to command any respect of his own, which only furthers my claim that he is hardly anything special. But with Brady last year and Moss still around this year, Welker can reap all the benefits and claim he's the real deal.

Maybe Boston would prefer it this way -- without Brady

When Tom Brady went down for the season in Week 1, I was thrilled – not that he was injured, but simply that his Golden Boy aura finally experienced a little gray. I was ready to start focusing elsewhere, not wondering whether the Patriots would torment the league with their cheating the way they have this entire decade since that fateful day when Drew Bledsoe went down in 2001. But for Boston, the kings of charmed stories, it just seems to keep getting better for them. Matt Cassel, a nobody, leading a ball-control offense for a team now inexplicably in first place in the AFC East. With about a dozen running backs out, an undrafted free agent putting up 100-yard games. And a defense with a number of veterans gone still keeping teams under 20 points. No, the nightmare isn't over. It's just continuing.
New England may have had the best of both worlds after Tom Terrific tore up his knee. They could either have a down year and claim a freebie with Brady out, or have another playoff season and let smarmy Bill Belichick stick it to his critics that the sum is greater than the whole of its individual parts.
If the Jets can't avenge a disgraceful Week 2 loss in New England this coming Thursday, the ridiculous saga of Boston sports will continue with the Patriots at 7-3 and in first place in a crummy division who's deficiencies are masked by overachieving teams having winning records. Buffalo and Miami are not legitimate contenders, and the Jets are teetering on the brink. With everything that should have knocked the Patriots out like a wave of anesthesia, the legend and the lore keeps growing with every lucky win they get.
We can't say for sure if they still know the plays the opposition are running, although in today's contest against Buffalo it sure looked that way. Now it's up to the Jets, they of ratting out the Pats last year, to relieve the football fans of more Patriots-related suffering. Enough is enough.

Dirtbag Wilfork let off the hook by Goodell

This is why people should hate the New England Patriots, and why commissioner Roger Goodell may truly be a Pats fan. He let the NFL’s scummiest player out of a possible suspension despite what is one of the most disturbing pieces of video footage from the 2008 NFL season. Jay Cutler can now commiserate with the likes of J.P. Losman, Jason Witten, Brandon Jacobs and Michael Turner, all four of whom Wilfork was fined substantially for cheap shots on last season. Following a Denver turnover, Wilfork was seen not only pummeling the Broncos quarterback to the ground, but utilizing an elbow to his helmet that left him wobbly. The footage was not in HD, but the violent and malicious intent was as clear as day. As a football fan, that hit even made me feel a little queasy, although hardly as bad as Cutler felt lying face-down on the turf.
Rodney Harrison may be out for the season, but the despicableness of Patriots players is very much alive in the mean spirit of Wilfork. Somehow, some inexplicable way, Goodell let Wilfork off easy. Adam Jones goes to a few too many strip clubs and is banned from the NFL. Wilfork throws an elbow that could jeopardize a player’s health and merely has to cough up a few chump-change dollars.
In a season where we should all be rejoicing that Tom Brady is out for the season (not rejoicing that he is injured, but simply the fact that the Patriots have to try and win without their Golden Boy), New England has again benefitted from a pathetic schedule and weak division to get out to a 5-2 start.
And it’s because of the consistent inhumane acts of players like Wilfork that one day, the tables should truly turn on the game’s biggest cheaters. One can only hope so, no thanks to Goodell.

Time to reflect on the 2008 MLB season

Now that the Tampa Bay Rays are in the World Series, it’s no longer necessary to mention that they are the biggest surprise team in baseball in 2008. However, as the World Series is upon us now, let’s take a look back at the biggest other surprises, and busts, from this past season. I will also dole out my awards for the best individual performances.

Top Surprise Teams (Besides Rays)
- Minnesota Twins (88-74). The Twins were supposed to tank after dealing Johan Santana to the Mets for a very little haul and watching Torii Hunter depart in free agency. Instead, they battled the White Sox down to the very last day for the AL Central title, falling just short in a one-game playoff. Justin Morneau had an MVP-caliber year to help ignite an offense that on paper should still be one of the weaker ones in baseball. Their rotation, spearheaded by up-and-comers such as Scott Baker, kept them in many games, key because their bullpen still ranks as one of baseball’s best.
- Florida Marlins (84-77). Like the Twins, the Marlins greatly overachieved in a 2008 that was supposed to be a rebuilding year for them. Thanks to outstanding offensive years from the likes of Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla and great pitching from youngsters such as Ricky Nolasco, the Marlins were able to hang in despite a shaky bullpen and very little fan following. They ultimately came up short, but Fredi Gonzalez’s squad has paved the way for a breakout year in 2009.
- St. Louis Cardinals (86-76). The Cardinals used a patchwork starting rotation for virtually the entire year, yet Tony LaRussa’s team overcame that in addition to a two-week injury to all-world hitter Albert Pujols to stay in the hunt into September. The world champs of two years ago were also without the services of their ace Chris Carpenter for virtually the entire season, but utilized overachievers such as Todd Wellemeyer and Braden Looper to stay afloat.

Top Disappointments
- Detroit Tigers (74-88). Like many so-called “experts”, I had this team winning the World Series. Instead, they not only missed the playoffs, but finished in last place (behind even the Royals) in the suddenly weak AL Central. Their pitching was awful, especially their bullpen, while a lineup considered by many as the best in baseball never really got going on a consistent basis. By the time the dust cleared from a shocking 0-7 start, it was too late.
- Seattle Mariners (61-101). For some unknown reason, your truly had this awful club picked to win the AL West in 2008. Instead, they achieved the dubious feat of not having a single pitcher win 10 games. Starting pitching was a weak point in a surprising 2007 campaign, and the trade for Orioles ace Erik Bedard was supposed to fix that. Instead, Bedard pitched only 15 games for a team that lost a disgraceful 101 games.
- Arizona Diamondbacks (82-80). Yes, the Rockies could easily be on this list instead of the D-backs. My NL pick for the World Series, the D-backs showed that a great starting rotation can’t overcome a horrendous bullpen. With Brandon Lyon blowing saves left and right, many a great effort from Brandon Webb and Dan Haren were wasted. The offense never fully flourished, and instead of running away with a subpar NL West, Arizona ended up barely finishing over .500. The team that ended 2007 with the National League’s best record took a step backward in 2008.

Awards
- AL MVP: Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox. It pains me to give this to a Boston player, but Justin Morneau faltered greatly down the stretch for the Twins, and Carlos Quentin’s idiotic self-inflicted wrist injury cost him a chance for the award. Pedroia was the spark plug all year for a Red Sox lineup constantly enduring injuries. He hit .326, narrowly missing the batting title to Minnesota’s Joe Mauer, and tied Ichiro Suzuki for the league lead in hits with 213. Pedroia played in 157 games and also led the league with 118 runs scored.
- NL MVP: Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals. Perhaps missing two weeks due to injury only enhanced Pujols’ case as the NL’s top player. He still finished second in batting average (.357) and on-base percentage (.462) and fourth in homers (37) and RBIs (116). The Cardinals offense went as Pujols did, as he once again proved that no one in as feared and respected at the plate than he is. Chase Utley, Lance Berkman, Hanley Ramirez, and Ryan Howard all deserve consideration, but Pujols deserves the trophy.
- AL Cy Young: Cliff Lee, Cleveland Indians. Lee will also easily grab Comeback Player of the Year, as he bounced back from an injury- and ineffectiveness-plagued 2007 campaign to post an astonishing 22-3 record and 2.54 ERA while earning the start for the American League in the All-Star Game. He almost single-handedly turned a forgettable season for the Indians into a late-season push to .500.
- NL Cy Young: Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants. I changed my mind about taking Brandon Webb, who won 22 games but faltered a bit down the stretch when his team was still in contention. Lincecum went 18-5 with a 2.62 ERA and a league-leading 265 strikeouts. His win and ERA totals were good for second in the league behind Webb and Johan Santana, respectively. Lincecum’s dominance prevented the Giants from being an utter laughingstock this year, as the baby-faced ace was perhaps the lone bright spot in yet another miserable season by the Bay.
- AL Rookie of the Year: Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays. Even though he missed more than a month with a fractured wrist, Longoria was one of the main reasons the Rays went from worst to first in 2008. He led all major-league rookies with 27 home runs and all AL rookies with 85 RBIs for baseball’s best team and was outstanding defensively at third base. Chicago’s Alexei Ramirez should finish a close second, while Boston’s Jacoby Ellsbury will also garner some votes.
- NL Rookie of the Year: Geovany Soto, Chicago Cubs. Soto appeared in 141 games for the National League’s best team, posting impressive numbers, especially for a backstop. He led all rookies with 86 RBIs while hitting a solid .285 and clubbing 23 homers. He was as valuable as anyone for the 97-win Cubs in 2008. Cincinnati’s Joey Votto also had an outstanding rookie season and deserves consideration.
- AL Manager of the Year: Joe Maddon, Tampa Bay Rays. This one is almost self-explanatory. The Rays remarkable turn-around and run to the top of the AL East standings was baseball’s best story in 2008. Maddon got the most out of a roster that, on paper, wasn’t anything dynamic. Seemingly every move he made turned out well, and his “9=8” slogan seemed to energize his team throughout the season.
- NL Manager of the Year: Lou Piniella, Chicago Cubs. Yes, normally it would be hard to fathom Sweet Lou, manager of the talent-loaded, high-payroll Cubs, getting the nod. But in a year in which no other team took center stage quite like the Cubbies, Piniella deserves the award. He kept his team focused and competitive despite endless talk of the curse, and guided the Cubs to their most wins since 1945. Chicago was one of the most exciting teams to watch, and that’s no coincidence.

Boston-hater haters rejoice, and attack yours truly

I deserve it. All my Boston-bashing has come back to bite me yet again, as your beloved Red Sox have completed another amazing comeback en route to a World Series title. I was left speechless, even a tad bit queasy. I knew subconsciously it was possible, but I couldn’t grasp it as reality. Until it actually happened, that is.
J.D. Drew, the great one, a hero yet again. A team with no business being in the playoffs succumbing to Fenway magic. It was bound to happen. So let’s give credit where credit is due, wherever credit is due. Perhaps it is time for me to stop fighting it and instead embrace it as cold-hard fact. After all, I have long-searched for happiness in sports. My Orioles have been in the toilet for years, and the Ravens’ best years are long behind them.
The Patriots are hurting this year, and the Bruins aren’t exactly the cream of the crop, but no worries. The Red Sox and Celtics are not only picking up the slack, they’re capturing hearts and places in history with each passing day.
I avow you this right now. If miraculously, somehow, the Red Sox don’t win these last 2 ALCS games behind Josh Beckett and Jon Lester, I will not bash Boston and say “Just kidding!” about this recent rant. Rather, I will simply express pure shock that this unimaginable comeback didn’t lead to a third world title in five years for the Nation. That a team winning solely with momentum and confidence, and not sheer talent, is in the World Series instead of the best team baseball has seen in years.
The two aces are still left to go for Boston, and I would really be surprised if a Boston fan told me he/she was concerned about their team’s chances at this point. Even down 3-2, how could you be worried? Tampa Bay will help your team out even if they are not doing enough themselves to get by.
I’m not a rocket scientist, nor do I claim to be one. But I envision a bounce-back start from Beckett, followed by a classic dominant performance by Lester in Game 7 so send Beantown into yet another frenzy.
Red Sox Nation, start preparing for the victory parade.

Shhh – NFC South quietly making waves

You know that division where every team is at or above .500? The one with all the hoopla, the top-notch quarterbacks and such? Okay, the NFC East has lived up to its hype for the most part. The division boasts the defending Super Bowl champions and everyone’s consensus Super Bowl pick for this season. In addition to the Giants and Cowboys, the Redskins have been an early-season surprise at 4-2 while the Eagles are treading water at 3-3.
But the East isn’t the only NFC division with an impressive resume through six weeks. Thanks to the upstart Falcons, the South also has three teams with winning records and a fourth at 3-3. The Buccaneers, Falcons, and Panthers are all 4-2 thanks to solid quarterback play and strong defenses. The Saints, another chic Super Bowl pick this year, have been their usual Jekyll-and-Hyde selves, hanging in despite a boatload of injuries.
Let’s face it, sexiness sells. The NFC South is hardly “sexy”. The Bucs and Panthers in particular are hard-nosed, grind out it teams who rarely achieve style points for their success. Even with a dynamic player like Steve Smith, Carolina has never won pretty. The Falcons have garnered more attention in recent years for their disgraced former star quarterback than anything they’ve done on the field. Fortunately, it’s been a new young sensation at QB that’s helped Atlanta regenerate excitement.
You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who truly believes this year’s NFC Super Bowl representative will come from outside the NFC East. The North and West are clearly a cut-below. But lest we forget that it was just a few years ago that the NFC South produced back-to-back Super Bowl teams and then a title game representative the next. While they have won a total of just one playoff game since 2005, perhaps it’s time to start giving them some props again.

Big Brother was watching Sox in Game 1

Did you see that Game 1 of the ALCS? Well someone above certainly did, and he was donning the famous “B” cap. The 2-0 Red Sox victory was sprinkled (maybe “tainted” is a better word) with the kind of breaks that have no business being the determining factor in a championship series. Mark Kotsay, the team’s obligatory in-season pickup-for-nothing, was inevitable right at the heart of that. The left-hander hit a check swing double off James Shields in the 5th inning to set up the game’s first run. He almost duplicated the feat in his next at-bat but was thwarted by a great effort from Rays’ shortstop Jason Bartlett.
Then, of course, was Dice-K getting lucky, just as he has all year. The Rays hit themselves out of a game-tying inning in the 7th before Evan Longoria aided reliever Justin Masterson with a double play ball in the 8th. Of course, sandwiched in between was a ball glancing off the glove of left fielder Carl Crawford to plate the much-needed insurance run.
The Red Sox, as usual, got more breaks last night than a Kit Kat bar, while the Rays could only scratch their collective heads. Considering that there is no team with that kind of karma, this bad movie will have a predictable ending yet again in 2008. Unfortunately, the final victim will be the Philadelphia Phillies and their die-hard fans, starving for a championship for the first time since 1980. The Phillies are no match for the Red Sox, and bitter memories of Super Bowl XXXIX will arise and once again haunt city of Brotherly Love.
The final word is this. Since that matchup is obvious, it will be Brad Lidge choking again in the postseason at the hands of a David Ortiz walk-off home run. The rerun will air sometime next week during the Red Sox’s final frontier.

Ponder this theory on Dice-K

Okay, so you, the reader, have to make a decision now. The decision is regarding Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka of the Boston Red Sox, whether or not he is one of the greatest pitchers of all time.

I am one of the top Red Sox haters, but I am starting to wonder after Game 1 of the ALCS. If Matsuzaka isn't perceived as great, he has at least earned the nickname Jam Master (Dice)K. I can't figure out myself how he constantly gets out of jams. I am aware he has good stuff, but so did Sandy Koufax and Walter Johnson. Like all greats, they were human, they had bad outings that they wanted to erase from their memory. But no, not Dice-K. No matter how bad he pitches, he is bailed out.

This is a guy that walks about 5 batters per game, yet continues to defy logic. Watching his games make me sick, especially game 1 of the ALCS, because it's a tease. You think you are about to rally, and then the opposing hitter psyches himself out and swings at an awful pitch to strand the runners. The Rays had 1st and 3rd with 0 outs needing just a ground ball or adequately deep fly ball to tie the game, yet came up empty. They ended up, predictably, being shutout.

So is this one of the all-time greats weaving his magic? Or just the baseball gods once again doing everything in their power to help the Red Sox? That is for you the reader to answer.

ESPN hoping (dying, actually) for Sox-Dodgers Series

If only the world were truly perfect were ESPN… But oh, it can be. Even though Golden Boy Tom Brady is shelved for the year, the Red Sox-Dodgers World Series that is seemingly inevitable will fill up countless hours of airtime. America’s heartthrob sports city against Tinsel Town and all its glory. Manny against the Sox. Nomar and Lowe against the Sox. Joe Torre matching wits with Terry Francona yet again, almost like a renewal of the Yankees-Sox rivalry.
Boston versus L.A. in sports is equivalent to Boston over L.A. Red Sox over Angels. Celtics over Lakers. Harvard over USC (okay, not in sports, but in things that matter, like academics). Besides the obvious sports storylines that this World Series will feature, it will also feature all the Red Sox fans in the celebrity community making their presence felt on both coasts. I can picture it now, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck flaunting their David Ortiz jerseys in the faces of so-called Dodger fans like Alyssa Milano (yea that’s lame, but can you think of any real Dodgers fans)?
It’s almost as if this matchup should’ve been a sure thing since Day One. It’s almost as if the pro-Boston media getting its juicy stories to air supersedes the once-pure aura of sports. This decade has been all about Boston sports, a kind of divine intervention not seen in professional sports. Do the gods feel bad about the Curse and all that stuff? Doesn’t seem to be working for the Cubs.
The Red Sox-Dodgers world series would be nothing more than a sideshow with no desirable winner. Even a Dodgers victory would somehow be diminished in the wake of Boston’s seven other pro titles in the 2000s. And Manny getting another ring would hardly be a settling feeling.
World Are-You-Serious 2008 here we come.

Naturally, Yankees help Sox-- ESPN should be all over it

I've stopped reading ESPN.com, much like I've stopped watching ESPN TV. That's easy in Canada, where they don't have it. While the Yankees were busy parading their history and their tradition in front of my hapless Orioles, lost in the fold was some simple math. Like the number one, Boston's magic number for clinching a playoff berth.

While the schedule makers clearly aired in not making the Yankees' final home game against the Red Sox, the extra insult came in that a Yankees lost would have allowed Boston to clinch a playoff berth prior to their season-ending seven-game homestand. While I don't condone that fact, it is, at this point, inevitable. It would have been much better to have the Red Sox celebrate quietly in the confines of their individual homes rather than tomorrow night at Fenway Park once they get through dismantling the woeful Indians.

So as usual, Red Sox bandwagoners have something to be happy about. This time, they can thank the Yankees for winning and allowing their team to clinch at home in front of the so-called greatest fans in baseball (try telling that to the Wrigley die-hards).

ESPN and its undying Boston-New York bias did not get around to mentioning this in its 12-hour Yankees memory-lane trip today, but given the opportunity it most certainly would have. In an age where the baseball gods are smiling down at the Red Sox 24-7, this is a new low for inconvenient truths.

Dolphins, Saints know stormy times lie ahead for Texans

The 2004 version of the Miami Dolphins and 2005 version of the New Orleans Saints can probably relate to what this year’s Houston Texans team is going through already. With Hurricane Ike ravaging the gulf of Texas, and Reliant Stadium banged up as a result, those two clubs cringingly think back to recent seasons in which they were focused on Mother Nature than their next opponent.
The ’04 Dolphins had their first two home games moved around because of Hurricane Jeanne. Their opener was moved up a day to Saturday, and their second home game was played in a monsoon on a Sunday night. Amidst all of their football troubles that year, the natural disasters helped contribute to a miserable 4-12 campaign.
The Saints ’05 season was much more well-documented, as Hurricane Katrina destroyed New Orleans before the regular season began. The SuperDome was wrecked, and the Saints played their home schedule in three different locations: Baton Rouge, San Antonio, and one “home” game at Giants Stadium in New Jersey. The end result was a 3-13 record and controversy that owner Tom Benson wanted to move the team to San Antonio on a permanent basis.
While those two teams did follow up those nightmarish seasons with winning records the next year, the Texans may be in for a rough go of it this year. Even if their home opener against Baltimore is the only one affected by Ike, their season had already begun on a sour note with a 38-17 drubbing at the hands of the Steelers. Combine that with playing in the AFC’s toughest division, and the off-field distractions could prove to be too much for a team that has still never had a winning season in its six-year history.

Classless Red Sox buying their way back atop East

What is it with all of these also-ran teams willingly handing over solid veteran players to the Boston Red Sox for virtually nothing? Are most baseball general managers just green with envy over Theo Epstein? The same can be said about teams' quick willingness to help out the New York Yankees as well.

When most teams in most sports suffer injuries or ineffectiveness, it's up to the bench players or minor league players to step up and fill the voids. But with deep deep pockets, the Red Sox and Yankees have an easier solution -- just go out and buy a player because something isn't going their way.

J.D. Drew whines about back spasms, and so naturally Mark Kotsay is in Boston within days. Tim Wakefield needs a cortisone shot, so the Red Sox pick up rabid HGH user Paul Byrd. Hideki Matsui goes down for the Yankees, and Xavier Nady comes by and hits another 15 home runs down the stretch.

It is a crying shame the Tampa Bay Rays didn't go out and stock up at the trade deadline, and in some ways kudos to them for showing class and not abusing the system like the financial demons above them did. But it is coming back to bite them now, as they will be buried back in second place in the American League East within a matter of days.

O no: Osi's injury hampers Giants repeat hopes

Can you imagine the New York Giants defense without Michael Strahan AND Osi Umenyiora? Unfortunately, that nightmare scenario is now a reality for the defending world champions. For a team that showed off its depth during its incredible championship run last year, their two Pro Bowl ends missing could spell doom for Big Blue.

Can the Giants get pressure on opposing quarterbacks like they did last season with Justin Tuck as their premier pass rusher? I for one would have to say no. It is truly a shame, as Umenyiora is not only one of the top ends in the game but also one of the most likable players as well. He was expected to become the defensive leader after Strahan's retirement, but now newly-compensated coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will have his hands full trying to gameplan without his two top guns from a year ago.

Rays' Friedman whiffed at deadline, paying price

Tampa Bay Rays GM Andrew Friedman has assembled quite a collection of young talent. A team that never won more than 70 games before this year and is now 73-47 is a remarkable story. The Rays are baseball's darlings. But they are suddenly looking more human, day by day.

When Carl Crawford and Evan Longoria landed on the disabled list within a week, it began to expose the roster a little bit. Even more so it highlighted the team's failure to land a big-time bat at the trade deadline. They made a solid pickup in Chad Bradford off waivers to bolster their bullpen depth, but their lineup looks far inferior to that of the league's elite. The blame falls completely on Friedman.

Xavier Nady looked like the ideal fit in Tampa Bay's weak outfield, yet he ended up with the Yankees, who hardly needed another fat contract on their $200M payroll. Ken Griffey and Jason Bay were possibilities, but those pipe dreams quickly faded. Raul Ibanez's name was rumored in the past few days, but no deal was struck. The Rays are now leaning on the likes of journeymen like Eric Hinske and Gabe Gross to help fill the lineup void left by Crawford and Longoria. Carlos Pena and B.J. Upton are hardly reliable as the lineup's mainstays.

The sad part in all this is not just that they missed out on possible key additions, but rather that they have as deep and talented a farm system as anyone to dip into to try and win this year. They decided to play coy with several of their top farmhands and stick with the bats that they had. Considering they have one .300 hitter in their lineup, that wasn't a wise choice.

The Pirates are an utter disgrace, may they continue to suffer

It's official: I hate the Pittsburgh Pirates. At about 8:30 EST I stopped feeling sorry for their pathetic trek of 15 straight losing seasons when they effectively handed the New York Yankees a playoff berth with the trade of Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte for a box of pizza (okay, technically four garbage prospects, but what's the difference?)

The Yankees once again get what they want, and didn't have to bat an eyelash to do it. The Tampa Bay Rays desperately needed Nady's bat. A plethora of other teams could've used Marte's left arm. Did the Pirates actually take the time to see if they could get quality players for these two? No. Instead, they shipped them off for nothing to the Evil Empire. Surely, it's another "rebuilding" phase for the despicable franchise. The Yankees, meanwhile, will rally around their near-$200 million payroll but claim they truly had to dig deep for this one. With a few players on the disabled list, that only left about $150 million worth of talent on the field. However did they make the postseason in that case?

The (expletive)-burgh Pirates are to thank for that.

From one Yankee-hater-turned-Pirate-hater to you, I propose this question. Now that their top man is off the table, do the Tampa Bay Rays turn their attention to Ken Griffey? Regardless, the Yankees got their way. In the end, that seems to be all that really matters.