MATT WALSH REVEALS THE HORRIBLE TRUTH

This is breaking, earth-shattering, life-changing news that needs your full and complete attention!

Matt Walsh has shown the NFL that the New England Patriots have videotaped opponents' hand signals from the sideline!!!

Regained consciousness yet?

I'm as stunned as you are, folks. Matt Walsh has submitted tapes of signals dating back to 2000. In total, he has eight tapes. Reportedly, he also has betting slips showing that Pete Rose bet on sports. He's also got evidence to suggest that Jose Conseco used performance enhancing drugs. And finally, Walshy suspects that OJ Simpson is guilty of murder.

Let's keep an eye on Sherlock Walsh, folks. There's no telling what mysteries and secrets he might uncover.

MAYBE LEBRON IS THE NBA'S A-ROD

LeBron may have ended up with 21 points, but he was still 6 of 24 from the field and turned the ball over 7 times. The Celtics' defense shut him down again, and shut down the rest of the Cavs. That's two straight games under 75 for Cleveland.

But unlike game 1, the Celtics weren't sloppy on the offensive side of the court. Pierce and Ray Allen improved on their previous performances. Pierce had 19 points and 6 rebounds, Allen added 16. Kevin Garnett only had 13 points and 12 rebounds, so expect a Shaughnessy column about how his game 2 performance will bring down his PPG.



Powe came off the bench and had 11 points and 7 rebounds (4 of which were on offense). Rondo had 7 points (all free throws), and 6 assists. The Celtics only had 12 turnovers, as opposed to 23 in game 1.

Of course, the Celtics went up 2-0 on Atlanta, but couldn't beat them on the road. The series shifts back to Cleveland Saturday night, where there will be even more token LeBron fouls called. And if James ever does get going, these games will become very interesting.

Doesn't Jason Bateman look like his daddy has taken him to his first ever basketball game?



And you have to give it up for Leonardo DiCaprio. A lot of celebrities go to sporting events and make a tremendous scene when they go: sitting in the front row in a place where everyone can see them. Ben Affleck is probably the best example of this type of egocentric behavior. But not Leo. He just sits quietly, with his hat low, and watches the game.



Thank you, Mr. DiCaprio, for not being Ben Affleck. In fact, I think everyone should go around today and thank people for not being Ben Affleck.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credits:
Elsa/Getty Images
Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images

JOSH BACK AT IT

Vintage Josh Beckett last night in Detroit. Seven innings, 1 run, no walks, and eight strikeouts for the Red Sox ace. And if not for Clay Buchholz and Julio Lugo, the Red Sox would also have come out of Hockeytown with a 4 game sweep. Beckett also recorded his 1,000th career strikeout.

Kevin Youkilis remains the third hottest thing in our solar system (behind the Sun and Scarlett Johansson). In the last 6 games he is 10 for 23, with 4 doubles, 5 homeruns, and 12 RBI.



Meanwhile, David Ortiz has also started to heat up. His slugging percentage has risen about 100 points since the end of April. He was 2 for 5 with a double. And Mike Lowell seems to be hitting his stride, as he was 2 for 5.

The Sox go up to Minnesota to face the Twins over the weekend. Jon Lester faces Boof "My Parents Hated Me" Bonser.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Duane Burleson

EXCITING BUT FRUSTRATING

A back and forth struggle between the Tigers and Red Sox last night ended in disappointment as a Julio Lugo error and a not-so-sharp Jonathan Papelbon blew a 1 run lead in the 9th.

Clay "Variance" Buchholz has been one of the most inconsistent pitchers in the rotation, which is to be expected considering his age and experience level. But just look at how much his performances swing up and down from start to start.

Start #1: 5 IP, 3 ER
Start #2: 6 IP, 1 ER
Start #3: 3.2 IP, 7 ER
Start #4: 6 IP, 0 ER
Start #5: 8 IP, 2 ER
Start #6: 5.1 IP, 1 ER
Start #7: 4 IP, 5 ER

With Buchholz pulled after 4, Tavarez came in and generally sucked, giving up 3 runs in an inning, turning a 5-4 game into an 8-4 game. He has been one of the biggest disappointments on this team. None of us expected him to be lights out, but we didn't expect a 7.15 ERA from him either. And unlike kids like Delcarmen or Hansen, Tavarez has no excuse.

But a solo shot by Youkilis in the 6th chipped away at the lead, and Lowell hit a 3 run bomb in the 7th to tie the game at 8-8. Then in the 8th, Pedroia had a pinch hit RBI single to put the Sox ahead. Fun stat: in his career Pedroia is 5 for 7 as a pinch hitter.

Then came the bottom of the 9th inning. As much as Lugo might get the blame for what happened, it's important to remember that Buchholz and Tavarez were the ones who allowed 8 runs. Nevertheless, Lugo's 10th error of the season (he's on pace for 45) was a big one, and in the end it cost the Sox the game.



Even though Jed Lowrie's struggled a bit as of late, is there any doubt that he will be the starting short-stop in 2009?

Josh Beckett vs. Justin Zoolander tonight. Normally this would sound like a fantastic pitcher's duel. But Beckett has a 4.19 ERA and Verlander is sporting a 6.28 ERA and a 1-5 record.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credits:
AP Photo/Duane Burleson

SHAUGHNESSY RESPONDS TO MY POST

A few days ago, I wrote a response to Dan "Shank" Shuaghnessy's Sunday column

I also sent an e-mail to Shaughnessy with a link to the post and said this:

I just read your column from Sunday's Globe. I wrote a
response to it on my blog. I think you should check it
out if you have the time.

This was his reply:

sorry -- no time for fanboy rants.
shaughnessy

To which I answered:

Actually, it wasn't a rant, it's a pretty well
structured and well formulated argument. But if you
don't have time and/or are afraid that some amateur
might blow your arguments utterly out of the
proverbial water, that's cool.

I just wanted to show everyone how afraid Shaughnessy is to even read what us lowly fans think of his column. He couldn't even give it a glance? He somehow found time to respond to my e-mail in about 30 minutes. And his comparison of Kevin Garnett to A-Rod clearly proves that he isn't doing much research for his columns.

Also, Shank's response illustrates how he and his elitist columnist buddies in print media view all us bloggers. We're just "fanboys." There's no way we could ever come up with an opinion on the same level as the great Dan Shaughnessy.

Who else wants to start a collection/bake sale to raise enough money to get Carl Everett back here and pay him to kick Shaughnessy in the nads?



Photo Credit:
Boston Globe/Jim Davis

WE DON'T LIKE KINGS HERE IN BOSTON, LEBRON

How sick did TNT's announcers make everyone with their incessant LeBron ball-washing? When he was 1 for 10 from the field, all they could talk about was how unselfish he was. When he finally made a basket, they ogled the finishing touch on his lay-up.

King James was held to 2 for 18 from the field, and turned the ball over 10 times. The Celtics also had some trouble with hanging onto the ball (23 team turnovers), but were able to dominate on defense, coming away with a 76-72 win over the Cavs.

Ray Allen had 0 points for the first time since 1997. Pierce had 4 points and 6 turnovers. But, Kevin "A-Rod" Garnett had 28 points and 8 rebounds (suck on that, Shaughnessy).



Kendrick Perkins added 7 points and 12 rebounds. Rondo had a big night with 15 points and 6 assists. Cassell came off the bench with 13 points, including two huge 3 pointers down the stretch.

Both teams were sloppy, and I don't think this game is a good indicator as to how the series will go. James, Allen, and Pierce will all improve in the games to come. But if you ask me, the Celtics are capable of more improvement than the Cavs.

Game 2 is Thursday night in Boston.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credit:
Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
AP Photo/Winslow Townson

WAKE OF DESTRUCTION

Tim Wakefield was brilliant in a 5-0 Red Sox win Tuesday night, going 8 scoreless innings, allowing 2 hits, walking nobody, and striking out 6. He easily could have pitched the 9th, but for some reason Terry Francona decided to shove Mike Timlin into the game. I guess Timlin needed the work, as he hasn't pitched since May 1st. This was Wakefield's 3rd straight quality start.

And how about Kevin Cash? He went 3 for 4 with a double and an RBI, raising his average to .361. When does it become time to consider using Cash games started by pitchers besides Wakefield? His bat is hot, and a little more rest might help Varitek at the plate.

Ortiz and Ramirez went back-to-back in the 7th. Manny now has 497 career homeruns.

Terry Francona tied Walpole's Joe Morgan for wins as a Red Sox manager with 301.

Clay Buchholz faces Armando Galarraga Wednesday night.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Duane Burleson

DEAR SHAUGHNESSY, KG IS NOT A-ROD

I try to avoid the writing of Dan "Shank" Shauhnessy whenever possible, because I like hanging onto my brain cells. But his desperate attempt to plunge Boston back into the murky swamp of negativity from which he spawned with his Sunday column illustrates two things about Shaughnessy: he is an idiot, and his inability to adjust to the Boston Sports Renaissance has made him irrelevant.

In an environment in which sports columns are an endangered species, dying out because of blogs; only the most unfit, unreal, unintelligent, and outlandish columnists will survive. Shank knows this. He tried riding the waves of sports radio, but his personality failed to make an impression on the air. So now he writes columns like Sunday's wad of toilet paper, and bloggers like me write about him. It's like when Woody Paige vomits his opinions on Around the Horn. Woody's loud and he's wrong, so he gets the attention.



Shank even made an allusion to Andy Reid's "blueprint" for beating the Patriots. As if football teams didn't know that pressuring Brady would slow down the Pats' offense. And as if teams like the Cavs, Pistons, Lakers, and everyone else in the NBA didn't know that getting all the calls, making every free throw, and running your ass off up and down the court would be the formula for beating the Celtics. The Cavs were 2-2 against Boston this season, they hardly needed Atlanta to show them that the Celtics are beatable.

I could analyze, deconstruct, and blow apart almost every argument Shaughnessy makes in his column, but his words are hardly worth my words. I may just be some lowly blogger writing for fun, but at least I can be proud of my writing, my arguments, my opinions.

One sentence, however, was so ludicrously awful, that it must be addressed:

"As for Garnett, I have only two words of warning: Alex Rodriguez."

Unbelievable. Shaughnessy, out of nowhere, compares Kevin Garnett to one of the most reviled athletes in Boston. The Shank tries to point out how A-Rod has no rings, and neither does KG. The Shank tries to portray Kevin Garnett as a choker, just like A-Rod. But it's deeper than that. Shaughnessy chose the comparison to Rodriguez because of things like this:



But all of this is a front for Shaughnessy trying to get under the skin of Boston fans, trying to get fans TO HATE the Celtics for going the full 7 games with Atlanta. TO HATE the Celtics if they lose to Cleveland, or Detroit, or God forbid LA. Shaughnessy wants the 2007-08 Celtics to become the 1986 Red Sox...chokers. That way, he can write more books and columns about how horribly difficult it is to be a Boston fan, and how we should all be proud of ourselves for struggling so valiantly against God's cruel designs.

Back to the quote. A-Rod actually isn't that bad of a post-season performer. He's not "clutch" per se, but he's hardly an automatic out in the playoffs. At the same time, KG has numerous solid post-season performances under his belt. And he looked great in the series with Atlanta. Before coming to Boston, KG averaged 22.3 points, 13.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game in 47 career playoff games with the Timberwolves. That's pretty fucking good, Shaughnessy, yet you dare to compare him to Alex Rodriguez?

As for you, Shaughnessy, I have only two words of advice: stop writing.

Sources:
Shank column
BasketballReference.com