Wednesday, April 30, 2008

RANDY MOSS + NASCAR?


Randy Moss announced the foundation of Moss Motorsports the other day. The team has no sponsors, yet. No drivers, yet. No anything, really. But that's how most race teams start.

The team will run in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the 3rd tier NASCAR touring series (Nextel Cup is #1, Nationwide is #2). The truck series is essentially the arena football league of NASCAR. Lots of old talent that went nowhere, lots of young talent going nowhere, and the occasional young player who will catch the eye of an NFL franchise.

I really don't know what to say.

Source:
Associated Press via ESPN.com

FINALLY


For 8 and a half innings of baseball, frustrated Sox fans must have asked themselves "Will we ever score a run again?" The answer was a resounding yes.

With two outs in the bottom of the 9th, the Red Sox finally got something going against Halladay, who had been all but unhittable to that point. An Ortiz walk, a single by Manny, a single by Youkilis, and a bobble by Vernon Wells gave the Sox a 1-0 victory over the Jays.

Jon Lester was absolutely brilliant, putting forth the best performance of a Sox starter this season. 8 innings, 1 hit, 4 walks, 6 strikeouts, 15 groundball outs, and an uncharacteristically low pitch count of 97.

The bad news is that JD Drew left the game with tightness in his quad. Just when the Sox get Lowell and Ortiz back, another starter goes down. Thankfully, before the game, the Sox had decided to designate Bryan Corey for assignment to make room for Mike Lowell, instead of sending outfielder Brandon Moss to AAA Pawtucket.

Daisuke goes against Dustin McGowan Wednesday night.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Charles Krupa

Monday, April 28, 2008

CELTICS STARTING TO CHOKE


Losing Game 3 was acceptable. It happens. Complacency against a weaker team, a freakishly good shooting performance by a few individuals and some off nights combine just right to make for an upset. But losing Game 4 last night, and the way it was lost, was simply unacceptable.

The Celtics are in the early stage of choking this series and season away. They need the Heimlich, or perhaps the Heinsohn maneuver, and they need to get back to being the best team in the NBA.

The C's shot out of the gate, up 13-3 less than 3 minutes into the game. But the Celtics fretted that lead away with turnovers, fouls, missed shots, and piss poor defensive effort. By the end of the 1st quarter, Atlanta led 29-24.

Atlanta actually pulled away, but the Celtics gradually reeled them in. By halftime, the Hawks led 51-48. The third quarter was a back and forth struggle, with the C's pulling away at the end and leading 75-65 going into the 4th. But the final period was a disaster for Boston.

The Celtics started off the 4th by going 1 for 10 from the field, which allowed Atlanta to regain the lead 86-80 with 3 minutes to go. To make matters worse, the Celtics were 2 of 4 from the line until that point. The C's desperately needed some stops, but every Atlanta possession from the 2:00 mark on ended with either free throws or a field goal.

Atlanta played great. The last two games they've played at about 105% of their ability. And the Celtics played at 85% of their ability. Which isn't good enough.

Look at the game's boxscore, and you find see the 5 or 6 points the Celtics needed in order to win. 10 for 18 from the charity stripe. 0 points from Cassell, 0 from House, 0 from Davis, only 13 from the bench. 12 for 23 from three is good, but that's too many shots from beyond the arc. Only 41.2% from the field.

But Atlanta's stats are where you can really see how Boston lost. 47.8% shooting from the field. 29 for 33 from the line. 8 blocked shots.

The Celtics need to get back to basics and resume playing their formidable team defense which got them to where they are. It's now a best of 3 series, but Atlanta has momentum, and even worse, they have confidence.

Seeing Ted Turner happy makes me puke in my mouth.



Game 5 is Wednesday night.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credits:
AP Photo/John Bazemore

LIST OF DRAFTEES FROM NEW ENGLAND SCHOOLS

Just a list of players from New England schools who were selected in the NFL draft over the weekend.

Bentley College
Mackenzy Bernadeau - OG - 7th rd, 250th overall - Carolina Panthers

Boston College
Matt Ryan - QB - 1st rd, 3rd overall - Atlanta Falcons
Gosder Cherilus - OT - 1st rd, 17th overall - Detroit Lions
DeJuan Tribble - CB - 6th rd, 192nd overall - San Diego Chargers

Connecticut
Tyvon Branch - CB - 4th rd, 100th overall - Oakland Raiders
Donald Thomas - OG - 6th rd, 195th overall - Miami Dolphins

Source:
ESPN.com

Sunday, April 27, 2008

THE SOX GOT SWEPT BY WHO?


The last time the Red Sox lost a series to Tampa Bay was August 2006. The last AND ONLY time the Red Sox had been swept by Tampa Bay was in a 2 game set at Fenway on June 30 and July 1 of 1999. John Wasdin and Jin Ho Cho were the two losing pitchers. This weekend, for the first time ever, the Rays swept the Red Sox in a 3 game series. And they should be embarrassed.
The Sox scored a total of 5 runs in 3 games. An 8 inning 2 run start by Buchholz was wasted, a 7 inning 2 run start by Beckett was wasted. And the Sox made James Shields look like Pedro Martinez circa 1998.

This team has been terribly inconsistent. After winning 6 in a row, they've lost 5 in a row. And don't look for things to improve. The Red Sox and Blue Jays square off for three games. Toronto swept the Sox a few weeks ago, and Roy Halladay is tarting Tuesday night.

Sources:
Baseball-Reference.com
ESPN.com

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Mike Carlson

PATRIOTS MAKE UNEXPECTED PICKS ON SECOND DAY OF DRAFT

We should be used to this by now in New England. For years, people here have expected the Pats to draft some linebackers, only to see them get more tight ends and linemen. This year, we expected a draft loaded at the top with defensive backs, instead the Pats took a linebacker with their first pick. And in the draft's second day, the surprises kept on coming.

Round 3, Pick #15, 78th Overall: Shawn Crable, LB, Michigan

Crable was born to play OLB in a 3-4 scheme like New England's. He had 7.5 sacks in '07 to go along with a ton of tackles for losses. He's big (6' 5" 243), and fast. The one big knock on him is his work ethic. The people at Michigan felt like he never put in 110%, and that cost him a bit. But to get a talent like this in the 3rd round is a bargain. And if any coach and team can get this guy to give it his all, it's Belichick and the Pats.

Round 3, Pick #31, 94th Overall: Kevin O'Connell, QB, San Diego State

I'm not surprised the Pats picked a QB, I'm just surprised they picked one so early. O'Connell is tall, he has a strong arm, he's tall, he has a strong arm, he has a strong arm, and he's tall. He's got the physical qualities and skills to be a good QB, but he needs to work on reacting under pressure. He's a work in progress, which is good because #12 is still #1 on the QB depth chart and will be for a long time.

Round 4, Pick #31, 129th Overall: Jonathan Wilhite, CB, Auburn

Wilhite doesn't have the numbers of a big-time college defensive back (only 3 picks in 3 years), but he does have the talent and skills. He's a good size for a CB at 5' 11" and 185 lbs, and he's fast. He's had some injury issues, and his character is a question mark, but for a 4th round pick, he has a great deal of upside.

Round 5, Pick #20, 153rd Overall: Matthew Slater, S, UCLA

Slater's career has been riddled with injuries. He was a reserve wide receiver his sophomore season, but didn't see much playing time. UCLA moved him to safety, but he saw most of his action on special teams, and excelled on kickoff coverage. I think this is what caught Belichick's eyes. He could turn into a solid special teams specialist as well as a backup safety.

Round 6, Pick #31, 197th Overall: Bo Ruud, LB, Nebraska

Ruud is another one of those work in progress kind of guys. He's got the size and the strength, he just needs some fine tuning on his basic defensive skills before he can be an impact player. But as you can see from the video, he's already a good pass defender. He put up some solid numbers in college for the Blackshirts. In 4 years and 47 games, he had 216 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and 5 INTs (3 returned for touchdown).

So there it is, the 2008 Patriots draft. Six of the seven picks were defensive players (although Matthew Slater can also be listed as WR). Three linebackers, three defensive backs. Only one non-BCS school had a selection.

All in all, it looks like a solid draft. But of course time will tell on that one. The defense has some new blood, which it desperately needed. But the Pats still have a great deal of room for improvement.

Sources:
ESPN.com
Boston.com
UCLA Bruins Official Athletic Site

Saturday, April 26, 2008

CELTICS FALL TO HAWKS


Kevin Garnett finished with 32 points and 10 rebounds (16th straight playoff double-double for KG), and every Celtics starter was in double figures, but offense wasn't the problem for the C's, it was defense.

Atlanta outrebounded Boston 43 to 35, shot 47.4% from the field, and 55.6% from 3. The Celtics just didn't have that defensive edge that they had in games 1 and 2. The Hawks, for their part, played one of their best games all season. They didn't make any mistakes, and took advantage of every Celtic miscue.

But losing this game is far from the end of the world. Atalta's exuberant post-game celebration should light a fire into the C's. And to be honest, winning this series in 5 games will be much better than a sweep, which would have resulted in 9 days off for the boys in green.

Game 4 is Monday night in Atlanta.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Gregory Smith

GREAT START BY BUCHHOLZ WASTED


A brilliant 8 inning start was wasted as the Red Sox hitters failed to do anything significant at the plate. Buchholz had a 1 hit shutout going after 7, but allowed a pinch hit single and a 2 run homer to give the Rays a 2-1 lead. Some may question Francona for leaving Clay in the game, but I have absolutely no problem with it. His stuff was electric and he was confident.

The Sox only managed to get 5 hits off Tampa pitching, all of them singles. Ellsbury's infield single in the 5th accounted for Boston's sole run of the night. Pedroia was 0 for 4 with a strikeout, a double play, 4 men left on base, and 2 men left in scoring position with 2 outs.

David Ortiz was scratched from Saturday's lineup with a bruised knee he received while stupidly diving headfirst into first base. Sliding headfirst into first is just moronic. There's no tag to avoid, and sliding like that invariably slows you down (friction).

Sean Casey was placed on the 15 day DL with a hip flexor strain he received while rounding third the other night. His spot on the roster was filled by Brandon Moss who was called up from AAA Pawtucket.

How many baseball injuries occur while running the bases? It seems like running the bases is more treacherous for baseball players than riding a motorcycle with no helmet and no license is for football players.

Josh Beckett returns to the mound Sunday afternoon to face James Shields.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Mike Carlson

PATRIOTS DRAFT TERRENCE WHEATLEY - CB - COLORADO


With the departure of Asante Samuel and Eugene Wilson, the Patriots are in desperate need of defensive backs. He's not a "stud" CB, and many draft experts predicted him being drafted much later than the 2nd round. But he's a solid player. He's had some injury trouble with his wrist, but nothing glaring. He's a good size for DB at 6' 0" 170 lbs.

In his senior year with the Buffaloes, Terrence had 5 picks and 11 passes broken up. He also had 42 tackles, 1 of which was for a loss. He also returned kicks for CU. He
returned 37 kickoffs for 919 yards (24.8 yard average).

The third round begins tomorrow morning. It should be interesting because the Patriots have three picks in the 3rd.



Sources:
ESPN.com
SI.com
Rivals.com

PATRIOTS DRAFT JEROD MAYO - ILB - TENNESSEE


With Junior Seau being a flake, the Patriots were forced to address their possible hole at inside linebacker. Even if Seau returns, having a young and versatile playmaking linebacker will be a huge plus.

The Pats were expected to take a cornerback with this pick, but frankly, we needed some help at inside linebacker. Seau, even if he comes back, is ancient, and nowhere near the playmaker he used to be. Bruschi is still solid, but has aged into more of a Ted Johnson type of solid as opposed to making the game winning tackle or sack or INT solid he was in '03 and '04.

There are also plenty of CBs out there. And I'd rather the Pats get a pair of solid CBs in the 2nd and 3rd rounds as opposed to just one stud CB in the 1st. We don't need one more defensive back, we need several. We need depth at that position.

PATS TRADE PICKS

The Pats traded their 1st round pick, as well as their 5th rounder, to the Saints for New Orleans' 1st round pick (10th overall) and 3rd round pick. This is simply a phenomenal move in terms of value. The Patriots could probably get the same player THEY wanted at #7 with the 10th pick, but now they'll get him for slightly less money, and get an additional pick in the 3rd. Absolutely brilliant.

MATT RYAN GOING DOWN SOUTH

The Falcons, in desperate need of a new face to market to their relatively apathetic Atlanta fans, selected Matt Ryan, QB out of Boston College. Frankly, I think Matt Ryan is a bit overrated. He's a solid passer, but is much better at managing a game than being a "gunslinger" which is what he was his senior year (and had 19 INTs). BC had a relatively easy schedule for most of their 2007 season, and Ryan's numbers were juiced significantly thanks to opponents like Bowling Green. In tough games against tough opposition, he struggled. Under consistent pressure and he turned into Drew Bledsoe. He has a lot of work to do on fundamentals, particularly learning to step up into pressure instead of stepping back away from it. Not a bad pick for the Falcons, who could use some good ink and some positive anticipation, but Ryan is still a project.



Source:
ESPN.com

Friday, April 25, 2008

SOX OUTBULLPENNED


It used to be that when the Sox and (Devil) Rays were in a battle of bullpens, the Sox would have a decisive advantage. Even in the days of Chad Fox and the closer-by-committee, this was true. It isn't that Tampa Bay's relief corps has improved that much, it's that our bullpen has fallen into mediocrity.

The longer last night's game went on, the more you felt as though Tampa would win. When Timlin came in to pitch the 11th, I had already started writing this post. I'm a pessimist by nature, but watching the Sox bullpen and predicting failure is more realism than pessimism.

To be fair, the relievers were great until the 11th. Aardsma continues to impress, as he threw a hitless 7th. Corey had an interesting outing but didn't let up a run. Lopez didn't blow it in the 10th. And until the 11th, Timlin looked decent.

Another big problem for the Sox in this game was David Ortiz. There have been a few times this season at which we all felt like Papi was emerging from his slump. But every 2 for 4 game he has seems to be followed by an 0 for 5, or an 0 for 4 with a walk. Last night he was an astonishing 0 for 6, with 4 men left on base, a strikeout, and a huge double play in the top of the 11th. The Sox are hitting .299 as a team. If you took out Ortiz's .177 average, they'd be hitting .314 as a team.



Sean Casey had to leave the game in the 2nd with a right hip flexor strain. He's listed as day-to-day.

Clay Buchholz takes on Edwin Jackson Saturday night.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credits:
AP Photo/Chris O'Meara
Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

SOX CAN'T CUT OUT THE MIDDLE MEN


A solid MLB debut for Justin Masterson went to waste last night as the Sox bullpen couldn't hold onto a lead against the Angels.

Masterson went 6 innings, allowing just 2 hits, 4 walks, and 1 run. He struck out 4, and his sinker induced 11 groundball outs and only 3 flyball outs. He threw 95 pitches, 58 of which were strikes. But then Javier Lopez came into the game.

The Sox had a 3-1 lead, and only needed to get 9 outs for a win. But Lopez walked the first man he faced, then allowed a single. Delcarmen came in, but also struggled, allowing another walk and an infield single which made it a 3-2 game. Then Okajima came in, but allowed back-to-back basehits, which knocked in 3 more runs.

Aardsma allowed another run in the 8th, then Tavarez let in one more to make it 7-3. Those runs turned out to be important, as David Ortiz hit a 2 run homer in the 9th, but the Sox still came up 2 runs short.

On the bright side, Coco Crisp is still hitting. He was 2 for 4 with 2 doubles and 2 stolen bases. He's been a very pleasant surprise so far this season. Manny, Pedroia, and Youkilis are 1, 2, 3 in the AL batting title race. And Justin Masterson looked GREAT for someone who hasn't even pitched in AAA ball yet.

All things considered, having three scratched starting pitchers, losing 2 of 3 to Anaheim isn't that bad. The games were close, almost playoff like in that respect. But you know what helps you win close games? Middle-relief. And the Sox simply don't have much reliability in that department.

The Sox travel to St. Pete to take on the (Devil) Rays. Tim Wakefield goes against Matt Garza

Sources:
ESPN.com
MLB.com

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Steven Senne

Thursday, April 24, 2008

CELTICS CRUISE PAST HAWKS...AGAIN


Atlanta tried everything in a desperate attempt to sneak out of Boston with a win. Mike Bibby tried to get the crowd riled up by calling them bandwagoners. The Hawks brutally fouled Paul Pierce early in the game. But the Celtics are too good, and the Hawks are too mediocre.

KG tallied his 15th straight post-season double-double with 19 points an 10 boards. He also added 3 assists, 2 blocks, and 2 steals. Before the game, he was awarded his Defensive Player of the Year trophy. And in a gesture that summed up his first year in green, he invited his teammates over from the bench to bask in the glory of the award ceremony.

Rajon Rondo had an impressive night, with 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists. Ray Allen was 3 for 6 from beyond the arc and had 15 points.

And can you believe how hot Bruce Willis's girlfriend is?



Her name is Emma Heming, she's 29, and a Victoria's Secret model. He's fifty-friggin-three! Nice work, Bruce!



Very nice work indeed.

Game 3 is Saturday night in Atlanta.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credits:
AP Photo/Charles Krupa

PATS SIGN FORMER COLT POLLARD

The Pats recently agreed to terms with three veteran free agents: tight-end Marcus Pollard, punter Scott Player, and d-lineman Kenny Smith.

Pollard is 36, and a 13 year veteran of the League. He spent 10 of those years with the Colts, where he put up his best numbers. Last year, he caught 28 passes for 273 yards, which is a decent average. With Watson and David Thomas ahead of him, Pollard will be more of a 3rd tight-end who may be a secret weapon near the goal line.

Fun fact: Pollard is the active leader for 2 point conversions with 5. He's two behind Marshall Faulk for #1 all-time.

Scott Player may not be a household name, but he is a household face. He's this guy:



Single facemask bar, and a Hulk Hogan style bleach-blond Fu Manchu. Gotta respect that.

Source:
Patriots Insider

AILING SOX FALL 6-4


The magic seemed to run out last night. After losing Daisuke to flu-like symptoms, Jon Lester was moved up a day. Lester pitched well for someone on short rest, going 5 and allowing 4. Ortiz tied the game in the 5th with a 2 run blast, but Craig Hansen allowed a solo homerun in the 6th. The Angels' bullpen was outstanding and the Sox lost for the first time in a week.

Hansen has looked solid in AAA Pawtucket with 12.1 scoreless innings and 13 strikeouts, so judging his performance in 2008 off one Major League appearance is unfair. He did strike out 3 Angels, so it wasn't all that bad.

The parade of unexpected starters continues Thursday afternoon, as Justin Masterson makes his Major League debut for the Sox. Masterson hasn't even pitched in AAA ball yet. But he's 1-0 with a 0.95 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. In 19 innings, he's struck out 23 batters. He'll face Joe Saunders.

Sources:
ESPN.com
PawSox.com
PortlandSeaDogs.com
The Baseball Cube

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Winslow Townson

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

SOX WIN ONE THEY WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO...AGAIN


When Josh Beckett was scratched from his scheduled start against the Angels and David Pauley replaced him, like most Sox fans I felt like this game probably wouldn't go too well. But this Red Sox team has been anything but predictable this season.

Pauley didn't pitch horribly, he made it into the 5th, which is about as much as could be expected. Then Tavarez got 5 outs with relative ease. The Sox tied it in the 5th as Youkilis hit his 2nd homer of the year. Then Ellsbury put Boston ahead 6-5 with his second solo homerun of the night.

Surprisingly, Okajima blew the lead in the 8th, his first blown save of the season. But in the bottom of the inning, Pedroia's double knocked in Ellsbury to put the Sox ahead 7-6. Papelbon threw a perfect, 2 strikeout 9th inning to shut the door.

The Red Sox have won 6 in a row. Ellsbury, Pedroia, Ramirez, Casey, Lowrie, Drew, Lugo, and Youkilis are all hitting over .300. Pedroia's .364 average leads the AL. He's joined in the top 6 by teammates Manny Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis. Along with Lugo, there are 4 Sox in the top 12 in hitting.

Jon Garland faces Daisuke Wednesday night.

Sources:
ESPN.com
MLB.com
The Sports Network

Photo Credits:
AP Photo/Charles Krupa

KIND OF A SHAME, BUT...

For the fourth time in their history, the Bruins went up to Montreal for Game 7 of a playoff series. And for the fourth time, they'll come home eliminated. But unlike the '79 Bruins, who blew a heart-breaking Game 7 lead, or the '71 squad that was one of the favorites to win the Cup; the 2007-08 Bruins may come home in defeat, but they won't come home as losers.

This team wasn't supposed to make the playoffs. Then when Bergeron went down, things looked even worse. A bunch of kids called up from Providence, and a seemingly random assortment of veterans scraped from the proverbial trash heap of the NHL coalesced to form a pretty good team.

And then they drew Montreal in the first round, a team they had fallen to about a dozen times in a row. But out of nowhere, they made games close, then broke through and won a game, then dominated a game. They came up short in the end, and Montreal came up big, but at least they earned an opportunity to come up short in the end, to go out in a blazing failure, instead of some quiet sweep, or another year without post-season play.

We're spoiled in Boston, with the Pats, Celtics, and Red Sox. But the local hockey team got more out of their talent than any of the other three teams. They gave us a show, and perhaps a sneak preview into what might be just around the corner.

Guys like Lucic, Krejci, Thomas, Sobotka, Thornton, and Kessel will be back in a few months. And they'll be contenders. And Montreal's fruity reign of soccer style hockey - complete with diving, flamboyant celebrations, fans who are only tough guys when in large groups, and Steve Begin getting his knees dirty for $12...will soon be over.

Be patient Boston, The Big Bad Bruins will be back.

Monday, April 21, 2008

CELTICS WIN WITH EASE


This game was tied for 49 seconds, then Atlanta took a 2-0 lead for 23 seconds, then tied for 56 more seconds, then Paul Pierce hit a three and the game was over.

The C's didn't have their A game, but their B+ game was more than enough to keep the Hawks on the ground. Apart from a few rebounds that weren't gathered up, the Celtics simply outclassed Atlanta in all aspects of the game. The Hawks were held to 38.2% from the field, and the Celtics shot 46.9% (including 56.3% from beyond the arc).

It was a typical team effort from the C's. None of them had more than 20 points, but 6 of them had 10 or more. KG had a double-double with 16 points and 10 boards. He also threw in 4 assists. Rondo also had a good all around night, racking up 15 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals.

Game 2 is Wednesday night at The Garden.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credit:
AP/Charles Krupa

Sunday, April 20, 2008

RED SOX PULL OUT ANOTHER ONE


The Red Sox have specialized in nontraditional wins this season. Just a few oddities from today's 6-5 victory over Texas:

The Red Sox used 3 different left-fielders, including Julio Lugo in the 9th

Five of the 6 runs scored by the Sox came with 2 outs

The Red Sox left 14 men on base

Every lefthanded hitter that Texas lefty CJ Wilson faced reached base

David Ortiz had an RBI infield single, with Jed Lowrie scoring from 2nd on the play

Wakefield allowed 5 runs in 8 innings, but didn't walk anybody, and only threw 86 pitches

Papelbon got the Save, but didn't record any strikeouts for only the second time this season. His other strikeout free outing was last night's save.

Manny Ramirez got ejected for arguing balls and strikes in the 2nd. Manny rarely shows emotion on the field, especially at the plate

But a win is a win is a win, and the Sox now have 13 of them. But the Rangers aren't a good team. Good teams find ways to win games they probably shouldn't win, like the Sox did today. Bad teams find ways to lose games they should win, like the Rangers did today.

The Red Sox look for the 4 game sweep tomorrow morning in the annual Patriots Day Game. Clay Buchholz goes against former Sox prospect Kason Gabbard. On ESPN.com, Gabbard's picture has him wearing a Red Sox hat, and Buchholz still doesn't have a picture. It's kind of funny when the two images are placed next to each other as tomorrow's starters.



Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Winslow Townson

FAMOUS RESULT


Is it me, or do the games in this series keep getting better and better? With the exception of Games 1 and 5, every game has been decided by 1 goal. The Bruins have scored 15 times, the Canadiens have scored 14 times. This is a classic Stanley Cup series.

Game 6 was a back and forth tussle, but wasn't as close as the 5-4 score suggests. Two of the Habs' goals were freaky and borderline lucky. Montreal also benefited from calls and non-calls that went their way all night.

Montreal got penalized for diving two times last night. But each time, a Bruins would receive a matching penalty for holding or interference. This has been a trend in the NHL all season. There have been very few straight diving penalties. Both Steve Begin and Andrei Kostitsyn should have gone to the box by themselves, and the Bruins should have gotten power plays. Instead, there were 4 on 4 situations. I mean how hard is it to get Steve Begin to his knees? All you need is a tap on the ankle or $12.

The first goal was scored during one of those 4 on 4s. Saku Koivu won a faceoff in the Bruins' zone. Defenseman Dennis Wideman stumbled around to find the puck instead of playing the man. And that man - Christopher Higgins - found the puck, made a great individual effort to get to the slot, and snapped it past Thomas.



Phil Kessel tied it up in the 2nd with the goal of the year. Marc Savard had the puck at center ice, but blew an edge and went down. Kessel scrambled and picked up the loose puck and took it in by himself. He had two defensemen in front of him, two Canadiens behind. But he took it in 1 on 4. He went inside out on the defenseman, passing to himself through the defenders legs, then wristed it past Carey Price to tie the game 1-1.



Montreal took the lead back thanks to some fortunate timing. A Bruins' power play was winding down when the puck squirted out of the zone and was grabbed by Steve Begin. But with Tomas Plekanec just coming out of the penalty box, Montreal already had a man behind the Bruins defense. Plekanec got the pass, had plenty of time, and beat Tim Thomas to the post to make it 2-1 Montreal.



The Bruins had two big near misses in the 2nd. Krejci hit a post, and the puck drifted along the goal line behind Price, who nearly kicked it in himself by accident. Chara had another chance with a wrist shot from the low wing. The shot beat Price, but it hit the elbow of the post.



The 3rd period saw the worst officiating of the night. Roman Hamrlik blatantly hooked down Marc Savard by jamming his stick into his armpit, then pulling. It was right in front of the ref, but he did nothing. The Canadiens, aware of their "special" French rulebook, took advantage by hacking the Bruins with their sticks, holding them against the boards, and doing all that borderline stuff that the Bruins would get penalized for.

But the B's were still able to score. Sobotka tied it up at 2-2 3:13 into the period. Halfway through the final frame, goalfest began. After 4 total goals in 50 minutes of hockey, Boston and Montreal combined for 5 goals in the last 10 minutes.

Francis Bouillon's shot deflected off the shaft of Shane Hnidy's stick, making the save impossible for Thomas. About two minutes later, Milan Lucic tipped in a shot to tie the game at 3-3. Two and a half minutes later, Sturm hit Kessel with a centering pass and Kessel tipped it in to give the B's their first lead of the game.



Eleven seconds later, that lead was taken away as Christopher Higgins took advantage of a defensive overload to make it 4-4.

Ninety seconds after Higgins tied it, Sturm put the Bruins ahead for good. It was a complete all around effort for the German winger. He outmuscled the larger Roman Hamrlik twice to create space for himself to shoot once, then get his own rebound, drag the puck across the slot, wait for Price to commit, then snap it past him.



Phil Kessel now has 3 goals in 2 games played this series. Marc Savard leads all scoring in the series with 6 points (5 assists, 1 goal). This is the first time the Bruins have forced a Game 7 after being down 3-1. It's the first time Montreal has allowed a Game 7 after being up 3-1.

Game 7, Monday night, 7:05 PM, on NESN, CBC, but not on Versus. Another brilliant decision by Versus, carry Game 6 of the Philly/Washington series, not Game 7 of Boston/Montreal an Original 6 rivalry and a series that's provided 4 amazingly classic games already.



Source:
ESPN.com
BostonBruins.com

Photo Credits:
Elsa/Getty Images
AP Photo/Winslow Townson
AP Photo/Bill Sikes

Saturday, April 19, 2008

THE KIDS COME OUT TO PLAY


The first time through the lineup against Luis Mendoza, the Red Sox were somewhat tentative. They were probing Mendoza, feeling him out like a boxer in the early rounds of a fight. But the second time through the lineup, every weakness had been exposed, and was thoroughly exploited.

The three kids on the team (Pedroia, Ellsbury, and Lowrie) had sensational nights. Together, they combined to go 4 for 9, with 4 walks, a double, a triple, a homerun, 4 RBI, and 6 runs scored. They were also the three men on base for Papi's Grand Slam.

Ortiz also had a big night, perhaps a sign of breaking out from his slump. He went 2 for 4 with 5 RBI. The big hit was his 2 out Grand Slam in the 3rd to bust the game wide open.



Sean Casey continued his hot streak, and for some reason is still batting 8th. He went 2 for 4 with a double, and 2 runs scored. He also was solid defensively at first.

Even Javier Lopez had a great night.

The one not-so-great aspect of the game for the Sox was Daisuke's performance. He threw a lot of pitches, didn't really challenge the Rangers' batters much, and had to be pulled after only 5.1 innings of work. But it was good enough for a win. He's 4-0 now, the first in the AL to reach 4 wins.

Jason Jennings and his 8.79 ERA takes on Jon Lester tonight.

And in other news, Brian Griese threw out the first pitch at the Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays game Friday night.



The pitch was intercepted halfway to the plate.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credits:
AP Photo/Charles Krupa
AP Photo/Chris O'Meara

Friday, April 18, 2008

DEMONS EXCORCISED


The last time the Bruins won a game in Montreal was December 4th 2006. The last time the Bruins beat Montreal by more than 2 goals was April 7th 2004. That should give you a good idea as to how dominant the Canadiens have been. But that dominance appears to be slipping away.

Alexei Kovalev put the Habs ahead 1-0 in the 1st, thanks to matching interference and diving penalties, which created a 4 on 4. It really could have been just a diving penalty, but the rules are different in Quebec. Maybe the NHL rule book is translated into French in a weird way.



The Bruins came inches away from tying it at the end of the period. Krejci stormed up ice and drove all the way to the net. The puck bounced off goalie Carey Price, off Krejci's body, then off the elbow of the goalposts, bounced around behind the net, and Price swiped it out of the crease before Milan Lucic could tap it in.

The Bruins evened things up 7:45 into the 2nd with only their 2nd power play score of the series. Phil Kessel, who had been scratched from the lineup in games 1 thru 4, returned to the ice and wristed home his own rebound to make it 1-1.



Early in the 3rd period, Carey Price got too cocky with his puck handling. He had the puck in his glove, then dropped it in front of him to set-up a Canadiens rush up the ice. But instead, the puck bounced a little funny, and Glen Metropolit was all over it, gladly accepting Price's early Christmas present.



Carey Price has been great this series, but he's only 20 years old. No 20 year old is immune from getting a little rattled. And after he allowed the Metropolit goal, Price was very, very rattled.

Zdeno Chara got involved in the scoring with a one-timer on the power play. The NHL's fastest shooter loaded up on the blue-line, got a great pass from Dennis Wideman, and the shaken Price was unable to even see the puck, let alone stop it.



The Bruins didn't sit back with a two goal lead. Shorthanded, David Krejci set Marco Sturm free with a great leading pass. Sturm's speed and wrist shot did the rest to make it 4-1 Bruins.



To seal the deal, Vladimir Sobotka scored one of the strangest goals of the series. He was all alone in the Bruins offensive zone, with three Canadiens hovering around him. He was just skating around along the boards. He reached the corner, and fired a surprising 90 degree shot on net. Price was nowhere near ready, and the puck bounced into the net to make it 5-1.

All 5 of the Bruins' goals came from players who had yet to score in this series. The Bruins had scored 5 goals the entire series coming into game 5. They doubled that to 10. Each team has scored 10 goals this series.

Game 6 is Saturday night in Boston.



Source:
ESPN.com
BostonBruins.com

Photo Credits:
Phillip MacCallum/Getty Images
AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Ryan Remiorz

CELTICS PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

The Celtics finished the regular season with an NBA best record of 66-16. The last time the Celtics had 60+ wins was 1985-86, which was also the last time they won it all.

They won the #1 seed in the East, which means they get to play 8th seeded Atlanta. The Hawks were 37-45. The Celtics beat the Hawks in all three of their meetings this season. Atlanta never scored more than 90 points against the C's, and the C's never scored fewer than 98 points against the Hawks.

Here are the dates of the games:

Game 1: Sun 4/20 - 8:30 PM - vs. Atlanta
Game 2: Wed 4/23 - 8:00 PM - vs. Atlanta
Game 3: Sat 4/26 - 8:00 PM - @ Atlanta
Game 4: Mon 4-28 - 8:00 PM - @ Atlanta
If necessary:
Game 5: Wed 4/30 - TBD - vs. Atlanta
Game 6: Fri 5/2 - TBD - @ Atlanta
Game 7: Sun 5/4 - TBD - vs. Atlanta

Considering a 3-0 season series, and a .350 differential in winning percentage, the Celtics should sweep this series, or possibly win it in 5.

Source:
ESPN.com

WHERE'S YOUR MESSINA NOW?


Mike Mussina had nothing, Manny Ramirez had everything, and Josh Beckett had just enough for a 7-5 Red Sox win last night.

Manny got the scoring started early with a solo homer in the 2nd. Pedroia hit an RBI single in the 3rd, then Manny hit a towering 2 run bomb. In his last 4 at-bats against Mussina, Manny is 4 for 4 with 3 homers, a double, and 6 RBI. Varitek made it 5-0 with an RBI single. Drew added RBIs 11 and 12 with a 2 run double in the 5th.

Mussina got chased out after 3 innings of work. None of his pitches looked good. His fastball had no bite, his changeup was out over the plate, it was fun to watch.

Beckett struggled through the bottom of the inning, allowing 3 runs. But with a 4 run lead and the bullpen worn out from Wednesday's mess, he was kept out there, and it worked out. Beckett settled down in the 6th, and retired the last 10 men he faced. He threw a season high 105 pitches in 8 innings of work.

Papelbon struggled in a non-save 9th, allowing the first earned runs of his career in April and in Yankee Stadium. But it was a non-save situation, which closers sometimes struggle with.

A 2 for 5 night from Youkilis helped boost his average to .371, 3rd best in the AL.

Manny's two homeruns tie him for 2nd in the league with 5. He now has 495 in his career, which puts him 24th all-time. He also is tied for the AL lead in RBI with 18.



The Sox come back to Fenway for a 4 game wrap-around series against Texas. Daisuke goes against Luis Mendoza tonight. We'll also get to see former Sox farmhand Kason Gabbard pitch on Monday against Clay Buchholz in the Patriots Day game.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credits:
Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
AFP/GETTY IMAGES/Jeff Zelevansky

Thursday, April 17, 2008

JUST PLAIN UGLY


If you score 9 runs, you're not only supposed to win, you're supposed to win with ease. Instead, the Red Sox lost horribly 15-9 in the Bronx.

Last night's Yanks/Sox debacle saw 24 total runs, 30 hits, and 11 walks. And an error. The starting pitchers (Wang and Buchholz) combined for 7.2 IP, 17 hits, 15 earned runs, 4 walks, 4 strikeouts and 2 homeruns.

The Red Sox sent 11 men to the plate in the 5th and took a 9-7 lead in what appeared to be yet another improbable comeback win. But Julian Tavarez whizzed it down his legs by allowing 4 runs in the bottom of the frame. Later, any chance at a 9th inning game inning rally was dashed by Mike Timlin, as he allowed 4 runs in the bottom of the 8th.

It's time to face the possibility that Mike Timlin is done. He's 42, has over 1,100 innings and 1,000 appearances under his belt, and just doesn't seem to have anything this year.

One small bright spot of this loss is that David Aardsma appears to be the real deal. Perhaps he can fill the void that may be left by Timlin.

Beckett faces Mussina tonight.

This might be the gayest Yankee picture ever:



Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credits:
Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images
AP Photo/Julie Jacobson

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

SOX FIND MORE LATE INNING MAGIC


You never know what the Sox are gonna give you this year. Last night, it was a solid Wakefield start, a kid making a big debut, some shoddy middle-relief, some good relief of the middle-relief, someone not named Papelbon getting a save, and one of the most frustrating Sox hitters to watch getting the big hit.

One thing that has been too consistent with the Sox is Tim Wakefield's drop in performance once he's pitched two times through a lineup. Like clockwork, that's when Cleveland's rally against Wakefield began. Thankfully, a double play ball ended the threat without too much damage being done.

Jed Lowrie made his Major League debut and racked up 3 RBI. His first came in the 5th and gave the Sox a 1-0 lead. His second and third came in the 7th with a bases loaded single to put the Sox ahead 3-2. That clicking sound you hear is Julio Lugo typing up his resume to get another job once 2008 is over.



Kevin Youkilis stayed red hot with a 2 for 4 night with a double, an RBI, and a run. His average is up to .385. Youk and Manny have 41.3% of the team's total RBI.

Hideki Okajima has still yet to allow an earned run.

Jason Varitek came up with the go ahead hit, a line drive, pinch hit homer in the top of the 9th. Although The Captain isn't hitting all that well so far, he's got 3 homeruns. Last year it took him until May 8th to reach 3 homers.

The Sox go to New York for an abbreviated series against the Yankees. Buchholz faces Wang tonight.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credits:
AP Photo/Mark Duncan