Red Sox Have New Manager, Zach Greinke Should Be Next

The Red Sox decided to be quick about finding a replacement for Bobby Valentine and they've done that. They've hired John Farrell and done so before the World Series even started. The managerial position is now in order, but that's only a small part of the problems with this Red Sox team.

Let's be blunt here. This isn't a good team. It hasn't finished above 3rd place since 2009, and hasn't won a playoff game since 2008. They had talent on paper, but that hasn't translated into success on the field. Especially with the pitching.

The Red Sox do have money. The LA Dodgers very generously took a lot of bad financial commitments off the Red Sox' ledger. How to spend it to improve the team?

I like Zack Greinke. He's not an Ace, but he's a solid pitcher that can provide some stability to a very chaotic rotation. He was 15-5 with a 3.48 ERA last year, which would have made him the best starter on the Sox.

What I like most about Greinke is innings. He can give you 210 to 220 innings. Starting pitchers who go deep into games help preserve a bullpen and prevent a weak bullpen from being overexposed.

He turned 29 this past weekend so he has a number of good years ahead of him.

This team won't become a World Series contender overnight, or in one off-season. And having Greinke as a #1 pitcher isn't enough to get you there. But Greinke would only be the #1 pitcher in 2013. In 2014 and beyond, he could be this team's #2 or even #3, behind some much better pitching. He's a foundation guy that can make a rotation deep. And deep rotations=playoff contention.

Red Sox Trade Mike Aviles for John Farrell

You know what Fenway Sports Group does? They try to do everything differently. They can't just accept the norm and appreciate its efficiency and how well it functions. They have a compulsion to think and act out of the proverbial box. And this managerial hiring/trade is no different.

Have you ever heard of such a thing in baseball? Trading a Major League player for a Manager? It's only happened 5 times in MLB history. Unassisted triple plays have occurred 15 times in MLB history. So this is rarer than that.

Mike Aviles is hardly an All-Star, and the Sox can easily improve in that position. So I'm not upset about losing him. It's just the notion of surrendering anything substantial to get a 2 year manager with a .475 record. What does Farrell have that the other candidates looked at don't have? What makes him worth paying a price?

I said after the Sox hired Bobby Valentine that the Manager isn't very important. He can really only hurt the team. And that's how I feel about Farrell. He might help foster a certain attitude, but such an attitude must be supported by the performance of the players on the field. Farrell, or any Manager, isn't a solution to problems. The problems are with the roster and they need to be solved on their own.

I don't mind John Farrell as Red Sox Manager, but I can't help but worry that the Red Sox selected him for reasons beyond the realm of baseball. The fans wanted Farrell. Farrell brings that notion of discipline. He knows Boston, we know him, and he knows the organization. This smells a bit like a PR hire.

When the Patriots acquired Bill Belichick, they surrendered a 1st round pick in order to sign him. It was a football decision, and it's worked out for the Pats.It was not a PR hire.

When the Sox hired John Farrell, was the decision a baseball decision? How much PR and placating the fans was involved? How much did the Larry Lucchino publicity machine contribute to this decision?

Was this about selling tickets, or winning games? I just don't know anymore with this ownership. And that's why I don't trust them.

Patriots Blow Save, Win in Extra Innings

One good thing about the Patriots is that they play entertaining 4th quarters. One bad thing about the Patriots is that they play entertaining 4th quarters.

At some point this team MUST learn how to close. The difference between good teams and great teams is the ability to close games when you're ahead, and occasionally steal them when you're behind.

If NFL games were 3 quarters long, the Patriots would be 5-1-1 (tied with Buffalo 21-21 after 3 quarters). Not only that, they would've beaten Tennessee by 18, Denver by 17, Seattle by 10, and New York by 10. In 7 games, the Pats have "won" only three 4th quarters. They've been outscored 4 out of 7 games in the 4th.

The Patriots didn't make game-deciding plays until very late in this game. They didn't make game-changing plays either. They dropped passes, didn't take advantage of the safety, didn't take advantage of Alfonzo Dennard's INT, or a facemask penalty on a punt. The Jets gave the Patriots chances to put them away, and the Pats refused. Instead they tried flea-flickers, and that shit needs to stop right fucking now, Josh.

This lack of opportunism is an alarming trend.

Even more disturbing is a realization I had while watching this game: the success or failure of the Patriots depends on Devin McCourty more than anyone else.

That's a scary thought, but it's true. Look at this game. McCourty returns a kickoff and the Patriots look strong. He fumbles a kickoff and the Jets almost win. His blown coverages and pass interference penalties have punctuated game-winning drives for opponents. And his interceptions have sealed victories for the Patriots.

McCourty has had much more influence over the outcome of games than an inconsistent 3rd year defensive back should have. Other players need to step up and take more control of the game.

On the bright side, a win is a win. And Alfonzo Dennard looks very good for a rookie. The Pats ultimately made enough plays to win. The Jets clearly suck. There are some things to be optimistic about.

One request, though... Football stadiums should play "Safety Dance" by Men Without Hats whenever there's a safety. Everybody would love it. All the fans would dance and if they don't dance well they're no fans of mine.

Patriots play the Rams in London next Sunday.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Patriots-Jets Drinking Game

Here's a drinking game to play during Sunday evening's festivities. Every time certain words, phrases, or images are shown you have to drink a certain amount.

Anytime a commentator says...
"high-octane" or "no huddle" - 1 drink from a beer
"Oregon" or "Oklahoma" = 1 drink for the first mention, then 2 for the second, 3 for the third, and so on.
"Alfonzo Dennard" the wrong way (it's Duh-nard) = half a beer
Any press clipping about Mark Sanchez = 1 drink
Any press clipping about Tim Tebow = 3 drinks
"Tebow" = 1 drink
Talking about Tebow as a great human being = 1 drink
Anything to do with the number 666 = half a beer and a shot

Anytime this is on the screen...
Fall foliage = 1 shot and half a beer
Foliage from Vermont = the same as above plus a shot of maple syrup
Someone Tebowing = drink a beer for 6.66 seconds
Bob Kraft = 1 drink
Bob Kraft talking to someone = drink as long as he's talking
Bill Belichick pulling something from his sock = 1 drink
Bible verse = a shot for the number of the chapter, and drink from a beer for the number of seconds of the verse, so John 3:16 would be 3 shots and 16 seconds of beer
Any graphic or reference to Belichick as head coach of the Jets = a beer
Any clips from Hard Knocks = 1 drink

Anytime this happens...
Tom Brady yells "alpha milk" = 1 drink
Patriots get a rushing first down = 1 drink
Patriots allow a passing first down = 1 drink
Devin McCourty gets beat on a pass = 1 drink (even if it's incomplete)
Devin McCourty interception = 1 shot
Vince Wilfork tipped pass = 1 drink
Vince Wilfork recovers turnover = 1 shot
Vince Wilfork returns turnover for TD = 1 shot, 1 beer, 1 turkey wing
Rex Ryan is bleeped out or says something that'd be bleeped out = 1 drink
Wes Welker mentioning feet (even in a past video) = 1 drink
Gronk spikes the ball = 1 drink
Gronk doesn't spike after TD = 1 whole beer
Kickoff touchback = 1 drink
Kickoff return = drink until the return is over
Whenever Stevan Ridley or Aaron Hernandez carry the ball without properly securing it = 1 drink

How BC Football Can Turn Itself Around

It's a rough time for Boston College football. The Eagles are 1-5 and that one win came against Maine. They're 113th in the country in rushing, 86th in scoring offense, and 99th in scoring defense.

Both on the field and off it, the team needs new direction. People like to focus their blame on head coach Frank Spaziani, but the problems with the program go beyond coaching. They're philosophical and fundamental.

BC, as an institution, needs to step down from that Hill of Superiority they so imperiously sit upon, and ingratiate themselves to Greater Boston. Be a full part of the community instead of presenting yourselves as the exceptional part of the community.

Specifically, the athletic program needs to realize that the football team is a step-program, a place for coaches to prove themselves before moving on to bigger things. And that's fine. It's okay to be a place where coaches come and go because they got a job offer from an NFL or an SEC team. Most college football teams are like that.

On the field, the traditional offense needs to go. College is a place for experimentation, and not just in science labs and not just by students on a Friday night. Get gimmicky. Try the option. Or a no-huddle style like Oklahoma's or Oregon's. Get creative, be entertaining, be deceptive, be clever, be tricky, be unpredictable. If D-III and high school teams can run the option, so can you.

Schedule more interesting non-conference games. Notre Dame becoming an ACC partner in football is great news for BC. So is Syracuse joining the ACC. And USC will be in Boston in 2014. But Maine? Stony Brook in 2013?

BC is starting a series with UMass soon, and that's smart because the Minutemen are now in the FBS. It would be even smarter to play them at Gillette Stadium, where fans could tailgate in the lots as opposed to riding the schoolbus to games at Alumni Stadium.

BC should play UConn as well. There's a potential for a regional rivalry there.

Speaking of UConn, BC should play a home game at Fenway Park. UConn and Notre Dame are considering it for 2014, but it would be a great spectacle for BC to play NC State or Maryland or Virginia at Fenway. It's 4 miles down the road, the ACC would love it, and it would give the program tremendous local publicity.

I'm a BC fan. And as a sports fan in Boston, it'd be really cool if the Eagles were relevant in college football again. As well as being relevant in Boston. These steps, along with some good recruiting, would go a long way to make that happen.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

The Difference Between Girls' Soccer and Men's Soccer

Had this occurred in a men's soccer game, the guy who got kicked would act as if his chest had been caved in, his lungs had collapsed, and he was on the verge of death. He would have flailed and twitched around until the ref awarded a foul.

But in girls' soccer you adjust your sports bra and get on with the game.

Curt Schilling Blocked Me on Twitter

Yesterday I wrote an angry rant about hating Curt Schilling. I sent a Tweet to Mr. Schilling's account (@Gehrig38).

@gehrig38 I Still Hate You, Curt bloodsox.blogspot.com/2012/10/i-stil…
— BostonBloodSox (@BostonBloodSox) October 17, 2012

And shortly thereafter, Mr. Schilling's account had blocked mine.

Granted, I could have been more clever with that headline. Maybe make him think I'd written something defending him. Maybe I could have been vague and said "A blog post about 38Studios." That might have been a sounder strategy because I don't think he even read what I sent him.

Then again, I didn't want to be deceptive or evasive. That would have been Schillingesque of me.

Regardless, it's just another example of Curt "Bob and Weave" Schilling avoiding tough questions. He made a career of having a big mouth and calling other athletes out. Then he screws up and can't address what he did, or why he did it. Except to WEEI's Dennis and Callahan who each had to ice their jaws after so much ball-washing.

I know this is old news, but that's what pisses me off. We obsessively rage at something for 72 hours, then move on to something else. And in this case, the rage should have lasted until Schilling showed genuine contrition instead of blaming the Rhode Island Governor.

We forgot about how much of a hypocritical jerk Schilling was. He hid, we moved on, and he's escaped the humiliation and humbling that his actions deserved. Curt Schilling is a coward.

What Will the NHL Players Do?

The NHL owners made an offer to the NHLPA that included a 50/50 share in hockey related revenues. The offer also included stipulations that player contracts not exceed 5 years, as well as changes to free agency and arbitration eligibility.

It's a lot of legal mumbo jumbo after that. The players have concerns about deferred payments, points of contention about the time until arbitration eligible, stipulations about revenue sharing. And so on.

Basically, it's stuff for lawyers.

I've been considering Law School for awhile now and all these sports lockouts and CBA negotiations are pushing me closer and closer to taking the LSATs. It seems like the best path to make serious money in pro sports isn't playing basketball at Kentucky or football at Alabama, it's to take Law classes at Suffolk.

Anyway, the fact that the NHLPA needs time is a good thing. They aren't instantly rejecting the offer. They need to digest it, hammer out some details, negotiate a few things. They're giving up a lot, which is always tough. But if both sides bend a bit more, this can get done.

This is a Kama Sutra moment in these negotiations as both parties will need to be flexible. The good news is, they seem to want to get in bed together. Figuratively speaking.