Thursday, February 28, 2013

Patriots Draft Option: Justin Hunter (WR-Tennessee)

As we previewed a week ago, the Pats could be looking to draft a wide receiver, and now that Brandon Lloyd looks to be on his way out, the Pats should be looking for an outside threat.  I profiled Tavon Austin last week, but he is strictly a slot receiver.  Justin Hunter is 6'4 196.  He just recently ran an official 4.44 40 time.  He's big, fast, and freakishly athletic.  For the people who want the Pats to have a guy who can "stretch the field", then Hunter is the guy you'll want the team to draft.  This guy is more than capable of testing safeties deep down the middle of the field, and his height gives him a huge advantage in jump balls.

Now, you may be wondering why a guy with this skill set would even be available late int he first round or possibly the second round.  Well, this draft has some pretty good receivers.  Tavon Austin's stock is rising after having an impressive combine.  Also, Justin Hunter isn't even considered to be the best wide receiver from Tennessee in the draft.  His college teammate Cordarrelle Patterson is widely considered the top wideout in the draft this year.  I would have profiled Patterson, however I just don't see him lasting long enough in the draft for the Pats to pick him.

Needless to say, the Pats don't have a strong track record of taking receivers in the first round.  Selecting Hunter would require them to tinker their drafting philosophy, so it would be surprising to see them do it.  But if ever there was a year to draft a receiver in the first round, this might be it.  I could see Justin Hunter sneakily being the best overall receiver drafted.  Big receiver like that don't grow on trees.

Cue the highlight reel!

Rondo Loses in Connect 4 to 12 Year Old...Promptly Crushes The Kid 5 Straight Times.

NESN- Rajon Rondo has a lot of free time these days. While he waits for the torn ACL in his right knee to heal, the Celtics point guard is chasing his second love: demolishing kids at board games. Rondo is a maniacal Connect Four player, according to a profile by Lee Jenkins in this week’s Sports Illustrated, as an unfortunate child in Dorchester, Mass., discovered. The story relays an account of Rondo meeting up with some kids at the Blue Hill Boys & Girls Club and taking on all comers in his favorite board game. One young competitor named Olissa, 12, pulled the ultimate no-no and actually beat Rondo at his own game. Rondo did not take it well. “I can’t believe it,” Rondo told Jenkins. “But did you notice I played the guy five more times and won them all? I had to show him, ‘You beat me, I’ll beat the [expletive] out of you.’” Uh, OK. That “guy” was a 12-year-old kid, and Rondo felt the need to “beat the [expletive]” out of him in a game made for 12-year-old kids. Winner … Rondo?

It's a move like this that makes me even more happy that the Celtics didn't trade Rondo for that 7 foot tall tomato can in Los Angeles.  This is the type of competetiveness you want in your All Star point guard.  I hate when people just let kids win at everything.  Kids need to learn how to lose rather than grow up being pampered wusses.  And of course NESN is acting all high and mighty basically saying "Yeah, way to go Rondo, way to be a classy guy."  Well you know what, NESN, why don't you go fuck yourselves and continue airing Dennis and Callahan every morning.  Nice of you blowhards to leave out the part about Rondo donating tons of gifts and money to the Boys and Girls Club.  Just trying to stir up a bunch of garbage for Rondo haters to get riled up about.  What is this, amateur hour?  The bottomline message for kids to take away from this is if you're gonna beat an adult at a board game, you better be prepared to repeatedly get the fuck beat out of you the next time you play.  Sometimes you get lucky, kid.  Don't go around thinking your shit don't stink.

And lets be real for a second.  You know this kid went into school the next day and bragged to his friends that Rajon Rondo destroyed him in Connect 4.  I know I would.

P.S:  No way "Olissa" is a real boys name, right?  Must be a typo?


Monday, February 25, 2013

Tom Brady Gets Extended Until He's 40

Looks like TFB is officially gonna be a Patriot for life.  Obviously this is a smart move by the Pats.  They lock down Brady to playout his career here and they also acquire more cap room because Brady being the classy gentleman he is agreed to a paycut.  This is sort of a bittersweet moment for me and I'm sure for many Pats fans.  Its basically the beginning of the end of the Tom Brady era.  Once this deal is up, its over.  No ifs ands or buts about it.  It makes me wanna just sit here and think of how amazing this ride with Brady has been since 2001.  But I'll save all of that nostalgia and emotion for a different.day.  A day that I dread more than my next Dentist appointment.


A+ Blog.

What are Pink Hats Gonna Do When Ellsbury Leaves Next Year?

Anybody with any sort of understanding of baseball knows that Jacoby Ellsbury is llikely to never patrol center field at Fenway Park again after this season.  He's a Scott Boras client playing in the final year of his contract, which means that he's going to put up great numbers and probably have another MVP caliber season.  Don't believe me?  Just check the track records of Boras clients in their contract years.  But what I'm relally interested in finding out is seeing what player the Pink Hats call their own.

Let me clarify my definition of a Pink Hat.  A Pink Hat can be both male or female.  A Pink Hat attends Red Sox games as if they are social events rather than a competetive sporting event.  Pink Hats stand up and sing along to Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" and have no shame about it.  Pink Hats leave early to avoid big crowds and traffic.  But most of all, Pink Hats love one player...Jacoby Ellsbury.

He's got the Tom Werner sexiness stamp of approval (something Dustin Pedroia does not have), he hits home runs, and he makes incredible web gems in center field.  Those three attributes alone make the Pink Hats salivate. But when he's gone, who's gonna take his place?  I've compiled a list of potential candidates:

Xander Bogaerts
Will Middlebrooks
Jackie Bradley Jr.

So there you have it.  Top 3 potential candidates to win the hearts of all the Pink Hats.  They have the looks and talent to satisfy both Tom Werner's requirements and the Pink Hats requirements.  Jackie Bradley Jr. will likely be Ellsbury's direct replacement in center field.  Middlebrooks has proven he's got the talent to perform well in the bigs, however injury and a disaster of a season made him fly under the Pink Hat radar.  Xander Bogaerts could be the face of the franchise.  Thats how good I think he'll be.

Now lets all sing a shitty song and cherish Ellsbury's final year as a Red Sox.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Celtics Add Jordan Crawford At Deadline...Essentially Stand Pat.

Thank god!  The trade deadline has come and gone and we can finally stop listening to all of these nonsensical trade rumors surrounding the Celtics.  Now, they didn't completely stand pat, adding Jordan Crawford from Washington in exchange for injured guard Leandro Barbosa.  I had previously said that I didn't think the Celts needed a blockbuster deal and rather needed a guard to replace Barbosa and a serviceable big man.  Crawford should fit the bill as the Barbosa replacement.  He is 24 years old and is a decent scorer.  Virtually a younger Barbosa who doesn't quite shoot the three ball as well.

On the other hand, I'm just a little disappointed Ainge wasn't able to make a move for somebody who can come in and protect the paint and grab some rebounds.  It's something that the Celtics are going to really need in the playoffs especially without Jared Sullinger.

Looking forward, I think the Celts are basically hoping the team can pull off a miracle run in the playoffs.  The success of this years team hasn't made much sense, so who's to say the finish won't make much sense either?  That being said, the Celtics still don't have much tradeable assets for next season, and there is a strong chance both Pierce and Garnett call it a career after this season and have their souls ascend up into the rafters.  I'm hoping Danny Ainge has a definitive vision for the future of this team.  If he doesn't, we could see ourselves back in the lottery.

UPDATE: Jason Collins is also being sent to Washington as part of the Crawford deal.  Not a big loss at all for the C's, but expect Ainge to claim a big or 2 off waivers.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Alfonzo Dennard Fights Law...Law Wins.


LINCOLN, Neb. -- New England Patriots cornerback Alfonzo Dennard was convicted Wednesday of assaulting a police officer in Lincoln, Neb., last year.
A jury found Dennard guilty of the felony charge and a misdemeanor count of resisting arrest but acquitted the former Nebraska standout of third-degree assault against another man, Lancaster County attorney Joe Kelly said.
Dennard faces up to five years in prison for the officer assault and up to a year for resisting arrest, Kelly said. His sentencing hearing is April 11.

Great day to be a Pats fan.  Seriously, people like Alfonzo Dennard are the types of guys you want playing on your defense.  I mean its clear that this guy doesn't back down from anything.  I totally understand Dennard's actions, too.  Oh, you're threatening to arrest me for fighting a guy?  Not without me punchasizing your face, homie.  The best part is that Dennard was offered probation and community service but he turned it down to bring the case to trial.  Love it.  Dude has balls of steel.  Just never backing down.  And lets be serious, there's no way he's gonna get any prison time.  Hell, the all time greats such as OJ Simpson and Ray Lewis killed people and nothing happened to them.  Even Brandon Meriweather stabbed a guy or some shit and it was only talked about for a couple days before people stopped pretending to care.  Athletes get away with it all.
This all goes to show how tremendously gifted Belichick is at drafting defensive backs.  Meriweather, Chung, Ras-I Dowling, Alfonzo Dennard, Darius Butler, Johnathan Wilhite, and Terrence Wheatley.
Studs. 

Monday, February 18, 2013

Patriots Draft Options: Tavon Austin


Just for shits and gigs lets say the Pats let Welker walk.  Lets also say the Percy Harvin rumors fizzle out and they never end up pursuing him.  If so, the Pats are gonna have a hole to fill in the slot reciever position.  Julian Edelman has showed he can do it, but he's also shown how fragile his body is.  I'm not so sure Belichick would be comfortable completely handing Edelman the torch.  That being said, Tavon Austin is a prototypical slot reciever.  He stands at 5'9 175 and has a tremendous deal of talent.  The West Virginia star finished the season with 114 catches, nealy 1300 yards, and 12 touchdowns.  Those stats not doing much for ya?  How about the fact that he is WVU's all time kickoff yardage returner, kickoff TD returner, receptions leader, and recieving yards leader.  Not bad, huh?  Widely considered the most "athletic" person to ever play at West Virginia, Todd McShay has even deemed him the quickest player he's ever studied on tape.  If Austin were 3 inches taller and 20 lb's heavier, he'd be a top 10 draft pick for sure.  If the Pats have an opporrtunity to take him they will.  Because small guys like Woodhead, Welker, and Edelman have answered the most imprtant question in any  man's life....No, size does not matter.






Saturday, February 16, 2013

What's Your All Time Dunk Contest Lineup?

The dunk contest is upon us once again.  Unfortunately the "superstars" are participating less and less in the event.  No Dwight Howard. No Lebron. No Blake Griffin.  Last year's winner was Jeremy Evans and he'll look to defend the title this year.  So with the dunk contest now being just slightly more exciting than the Pro Bowl, I'm left to put together fake dunk contests in my head.

1. Michael Jordan: No need to explain this pick. Best player of all time. The man could do it all.
2. Vince Carter: Vince Carter may not be a Hall of Famer, but he's my favorite dunker of all time.  Dude threw down monster jams.
3. Dominique Wilkins: Wilkins is arguably one of the best players all time.  Him and Jordan both were electrifying.  It would be a sin to leave this guy off the list.

4. Dr. J Julius Erving: Dr J was an innovator and revolutionized the art of dunking. Nuff said.
5. Lebron James: Listen, I hate Lebron as much as the next guy and always will. I think he's a supreme douche.  That being said, he is also a physical specimen who can do whatever he pleases on a basketball court.  He would put on quite a show in a dunk contest. Too bad he's a pussy.

There it is.  My top 5 dunk contest lineup.  And yes, I left out Blake Griffin and Dwight Howard.  Jumping over a car doesn't impress me.  I enjoy the simple things in life.




I Don't Get The Harlem Shake

Just when I was starting to get the hang of Gangnam Style the Harlem Shake comes in and fucks my shit up. I can't keep up with all these viral dance movements.  But what really chaps my ass is how the Harlem Shake is just pure chaos.  As far as I can tell its basically just a sloppy Bernie.  The Bernie is probably the best dance move of all time and is definately my go to move during mating season, but the Harlem Shake is really screwing things up for me.  Am I getting too old?  Should I be taking certain drugs to really appreciate and understand the Harlem Shake?  Every video I see just has some dude wearing a helmet to start things off, then once the drop comes everybody is just gyrating their bodies however the hell they want.  No coordination.  No flare.  No style.  I can't and won't respect it.  Now cue the music and let the ladies swoon!


Friday, February 15, 2013

Breaking News: Lucchino Says Sellout Streak Will End Sometime in April...Even Though It Ended Long Ago

Larry Lucchino is public enemy number one in the Boston sports scene.  John Henry is obviously number two with Jeremy Jacobs coming in a close third.  But Larry is extraordinarily easy to hate.  I've always lived by one simple rule.  And that rule is "if anyone tries to sell me a brick for hundreds of dollars, then hate that person."  Larry Lucchino is the brickseller.  It's high comedy for him to come in and say that the sellout streak is going to probably end in April.  Newsflash Larry, everybody with any common sense knows that the sellout streak was a crock of shit by last May.  The product on the field was garbage and the players were unlikeable and the fans did the right thing by not supporting the Fenway ownership group.  I guess we should be happy that he's atleast admitting that it's over, but why couldn't he have admitted it last year while the team was a laughing stock?  The whole sellout streak shtick was just one embarrassment in an array of embarrassing moves by ownership.

With all that said, this is a do or die season for the Red Sox owners.  If it's another shitty season then the team is going to be sold.  They won't be able to survive one more PR hit.  As much as I'd love to see them sell the team I don't want to watch another terrible year of baseball.  Best case scenario is the team plays well enough to increase the club's value, therefore letting Henry sell the team for more money.  Either way, the main goal is to never have to deal with Larry Lucchino again.  He stands for everything that was wrong with the team last year.

Season is still early, folks.  Give Larry some time and he'll come up with a plan to scam all of us.

Gronk Set To Be Oscars Red Carpet Correspondant

ESPN Boston- On the field, there's very little that Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski isn't capable of doing. As it turns out, he's open to trying some new off-field ventures as well. The 23-year-old tight end will serve as the Oscars Red Carpet correspondent for the "Rich Eisen Podcast" on NFL.com

Get excited New England, because we all now have a reason to watch the Oscars.  I wouldn't be surprised if this years Red Carpet show is the highest rated in Oscar history.  You know what they say...sex sells, violence sells, and drugs sells, but Rob Gronkowski has become #4 on that list.  What I'm so intrigued about is what exactly Gronk is going to be doing.  What is he just gonna interview actors and actresses?  My guess is they just have him try to hookup with every nominated lead and supporting actresses.  "And the Oscar goes too...Anne Hathaway for Les Miserables.....Unfortunately Anne will not be accepting this award tonight as she's currently being Gronk smashed."  Also, I'm setting the over/under on how many times he spikes an Oscar into the ground at 2.5.  I really can't explain how great this is gonna be.  If your not watching the Oscars this year then you're not living life the correct way.

Just a side note but I'd say its pretty much mandatory that Gronk be shirtless throughout this whole thing.

#NoHomo

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Patriots Draft Options: S Matt Elam (Florida)

It's no surprise that Bill Belichick loves Florida players.  It's also no surprise that Safety is a serious position of need for the Pats heading into next season.  Pat Chung will likely be gone after never living up to expectations, and Steve Gregory should never be anything more than a situational DB.  Matt Elam is a junior safety who had a solid season for the Gators.  He finished with 76 tackles and 4 INT's while recording a season high 11 tackles in Florida's bowl game against Louisville.  If you're not familiar with Elam, just watch some highlights from Florida's games.  He has a knack for making big plays in crucial situations.  He's quick, has great instincts, and is a big hitter.  At 5-10 205 he could tack on a few extra lbs but there's no reason to nit pick.  Drafting Elam would be a big pickup for the Pats, especially if they sign Ed Reed, who has been strongly linked to the Pats if the Ravens decide to let him go.  The thought of Elam learning the safety position from one of the best to ever play it gives me a little Flying Elvis in my pants.  Now you may be thinking "Well, what about McCourty? He's been a great safety!" True. But cornerback is his natural position, and with legit safety's playing behind him, there wouldn't be so much pressure on McCourty to lock down a reciever.

But even if the Pats didn't sign Reed, I still think Elam would be a good draft choice.  He's got too much promise and football instincts for the Pats to turn down.  And who knows, Tavon Wilson could progress into a legit starting safety and suddenly the Pats have some serious depth at the safety position.

With all this said, I'm sure if Belichick does draft a safety it'll be someone nobody has ever heard of out of the South Dakota School for the Blind or something.  It's ok, though...because Belichick can do no wrong!

Pretty sweet Elam Highlight Reel below:


Wednesday, February 13, 2013

State of the Celtics at the Break

Holy fuckin injuries, Batman!  The Celtics have limped into the All Star break without Rajon Rondo, Jared Sullinger, and now Leandro Barbosa.  But guess what?  Apparently that shit don't matter.  This team has been playing solid team basketball in the midst of adversity.  Unbelievable defense, ball movement, and chemistry has propelled them above .500 and winners of 8 of their last 9.  Now I could sit here and talk about how much I love this team but I wont.  Ill be realistic right now.  This team needs help.  I think if you asked any NBA expert they would say that Boston is Miami's toughest obstacle in the Eastern Conference.  That's all true but the C's would have no chance in a 7 game series with Miami with this current team.  Specifically, we need a ball handler and a serviceable big man who can rebound.  Playoff basketball is all about having a good inside game and you gotta be able to hold onto the ball late in the game.  Signing a veteran free agent guard to replace Barbosa probably wouldn't be too hard.  Guys like Johnny Flynn, Shelvin Mack, Delonte West, and JJ Redick could all be options.  A serviceable big man would come harder to find as it would likely have to come via trade.  I WOULD NOT TRADE PIERCE, GARNETT, OR BRADLEY!  I think a guy like Kenyon Martin would be great but Danny Ainge basically hates him for no reason.  All in all the Celtics are looking good at the break.  A move needs to be made if they are serious about going on a playoff run.  Danny will make a move before the deadline.  Because if he doesn't, the Celtics are gonna be victim to so much Miami penetration it'll make Sasha Grey blush.

P.S: Tonights game against the Bulls was such an ugly win.

P.P.S: Throw in the fact that Joaquim Noah and Fab Melo were involved and it may have been the ugliest game ever.

Glenn Ordway is Getting Canned. But Does Anybody Care?

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2013/02/13/weei-oust-glenn-ordway/RNKRopz9wsQedslgdqzGaL/story.html

I strongly feel that any local sports fan with half a brain knows that WEEI is for the birds.  98.5 The Sports Hub absolutely blows it out of the water.  So, Glenn Ordway being fired should come as no surprise to anyone.  As a matter of fact, I sort of respect the hell out of WEEI for canning him.  They know The Sports Hub is crushing them in the ratings.  Toucher and Rich (Sports Hub) vs. Dennis and Callahan (WEEI) is the biggest mismatch in sports talk radio history.  Gresh and Zo (Hub) vs. Mut and Merloni (WEEI) also favors The Sports Hub which is sad because Gresh and Zo is the programs weakest link.  Finally, Felger and Mazz beat out Ordway. I never really had a problem with Ordway until he started ranting about a picture of Tom Brady's son that was posted on BarstoolSports.com.  The picture was harmless and Ordway was hotting and hollering about how it was child pornography and a bunch of other nonsense.  Glenn Ordway and everybody at WEEI is just too boring and geared toward the older listener, and that is why they get killed in the ratings.  A perfect is example is comparing the two morning shows.  If you wake up and listen to Dennis and Callahan you'll feel inclined to go directly back to bed and continue sleeping.  Toucher and Rich, however, are so hilarious that you won't even mind going to school or work.  It's amazing, really.  So basically the point of what I'm saying is that WEEI sucks balls.  Viva la Sports Hub!




Summer of Gronk II

As we all already know, the Summer of Gronk started a bit too early this year and the monster tight end has already found himself in a heap of criticism.  Video of him dancing and wrestling with a few of his meathead buddies has caused Sports Radio shows, Pats fans, and ESPN to debate whether or not Gronk needs to grow up.  The answer is simple. No. Gronk doesn't need to grow up at all.  He's perfect as is.  Look, there's nothing wrong with going out and partying when you're a 23 year old NFL superstar.  Yeah, he has a broken arm.  But has a broken arm ever caused anyone from going out and doing things?  It's not an ACL injury where you shouldn't put pressure on your knees.  It's not a back injury where you shouldn't be doing much of anything.  This is just a case of Pats fans being uncomfortable with a player who doesn't quite fit that uptight "Patriot Way" mold.  But that's not a bad thing.  Bottomline is Gronk is going to be dancing, wrestling, and fornicating all summer long.  He's still gonna catch a ton of TD passes and will be right up there with Jimmy Graham as the best tight end in football.  Leave Gronk alone and let the guy have a little fun.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Hypothetical Tuesday: Allen Iverson and the Celtics

This is obviously a long shot to happen but what the hell? Lets discuss it.  Now, I've always been a fan of A.I.  I remember the glory days just strolling into my 4th grade classes with my Iverson 3's on just letting all the ladies know that I was the alpha male bad boy baller.  Unfortunately, Iversons career spiraled out of control due to him being a degenerate gambler and basically blowing all his money on shit he didn't need.  Now The Answer is looking for answers.  He needs a job.  He's only willing to play for an NBA team.  And the Celtics are in need of a guard, thanks in part to Leandro Barbosa tearing his ACL in typical 2013 Celtics fashion.  The pro's:  1. Iverson would come dirt cheap. 2......Uhhh....I got nothing.  The cons clearly outweigh the good in this scenario.  He's too much of a headcase and has been out of the game for so long now.  Its truly a shame.  Iverson was unbelievable in his hay day.  But mark my words, if he somehow lands with the Celtics, im paying whatever amount it takes to go see him play.

Probably only like, $20 give or take.

Do Bruins Fan Realize Just How Good The B's Are?

Listen, before i go any further I want to say that I have a very basic understanding of hockey and I'm really not a huge fan of the sport.  I consider myself an expert in many things, such as: Working at Grocery Stores, Watching TV, and Talking about the Big 3 sports.  However, hockey would be towards the bottom of my expertise list, somewhere below Organic Chemistry yet slightly above the Female Reproductive System.  But anyway, I've noticed recently that Bruins fans have been constantly complaining about lack of production on the powerplay.  Yup, that's right, the B's are 8-1-1 atop the Eastern Conference and people are complaining.  I guess that's Boston for ya.  But my problem with it is that the Bruins won the goddamn Cup in 2011 while having poor powerplay. So not only have they done this shit before, but the players from that team have built much more chemistry and are still barely in their prime.  Do people know Tyler Seguin is just 21?  Did you know Patrice Bergeron is only 27 even though it seems like he's been on the team since Viet fuckin Nam?  Chara is only the best defenseman in the game, too.  Oh and that alien looking motherfucker in the net is pretty decent.  How bout a little Marchmont and Lucic (both mid 20's) and you got yourself one hell of a dynasty.  Plus, all these players are locked up on good contracts that don't jeopardize the teams financial standing.  So, all im saying is lets take a deep breath about the powerplay and just enjoy the best era of Bruins hockey we're all probably ever going to see.  This is Boston.  We're gonna have plenty of shit to complain about.

Cool. I think this just about meets my hockey quota for the year!

Monday, February 11, 2013

KG Talkin Up A Storm

In case you missed last night's game against the Denver Nugs, KG was playing for keeps.  Mike Gorman's reaction was so priceless too.  The Big Ticket drops the "Get that Shit Outta Here N**ga" bomb and Gorman just casually plays it off in his stereotypical honkey voice, "HA-HA KG is talkin up a storm out there!" Fucking Gorman. So smooth. Celtics legend, no doubt.

P.S: Im so jealous that as a white kid I'm not allowed to say this after blocking a shot. I guess I'll just stick to saying "GET THAT SHIT OUTTA HERE, SON!"

Spring Training Preview 2013

Do you smell it in the air yet? The smell of springtime? The smell of sweet grass freshly mowed? The sound of baseballs cracking off a stick of pine? Well, me neither.  Blizzard of 2013 had different ideas and that little weasel Punxsutawny Phil is a lying sack of shit.  But anyway, the Red Sox spring training truck has departed Boston and gone to Ft. Lauderdale.  Pitchers and catchers have reported to camp and baseball has officially technically sort of begun!  We all know the Sox are coming off one doozy of a year.  Every player underperformed to the best of their ability and Bobby V lead the team about as well as Roy Horn played with Bengal Tigers.  BUT...there are reasons to be optimistic about this team moving forward:

John Farrell and Starting Pitchers

Jon Lester and Clay Bucholz have both pitched for Farrell when he was pitching coach, and they both have a ton of respect for the guy.  Respect was a huge problem for last year's squad as Bobby V struggled to gain confidence and trust from both the players and the coaches.  Farrell is already respected and is as professional as they come in the league.  I could easily see Lester regaining his ace of staff form under the guidance of Farrell, and Bucholz was pitching lights out early last season before the entire operation sort of went to shit.  If both those guys can become leaders, and with John Lackey looking to be in the best shape of his life, I don't see how it won't rub off on young guys like Felix Doubront, Daniel Bard, Matt Barnes, and Allen Webster.  Oh, and Ryan Dempster has the potential to be the best #3 or #4 starter in baseball.

No More Big Ego's

Sayonara Beckett! Adios Gonzalez! Happy trails Crawford! Man, getting rid of those players and their absurd contracts was superb.  Look, if the Sox want to get back to being on top they need players that just live to play the game.  Look at the San Francisco Giants for example.  Nobody in their lineup really stands out as a superstar.  They just play sound baseball and have an above average pitching staff. Hell, Lincecum is a Cy Young winner and they won the World Series without him last year.  Looking at this year's Sox team I like the players we have.  Ortiz and Pedroia are obviously great emotional leaders, and young guys like Middlebrooks and Drew/Iglesias are playing with something to prove.  Ellsbury is a Scott Boras client in a contract year, so you can expect him to play at an MVP caliber. And Victorino is one of those gritty guys that love playing the game.  I'm excited to see what this lineup can do.

Bullpen Stability

Joel Hanrahan is a proven legit closer.  Unlike when we signed Andrew Bailey and Bobby Jenks, Hanrahan has no recent injury concerns.  Also, John Farrell was so clutch in naming Hanrahan the closer because it eliminated unneccesary uncertainty amongst the players.  Bailey seems willing to accept his set up man role with open arms.  Franklin Morales is a dynamite lefty who throws gas and Andrew Miller (former #1 overall pick) has transformed himself into a dependable lefty specialist.  Throw in Alfedo Aceves' wild and unpredictable swag and you got yourself a respectable bullpen.  All good bullpens have that one wildboy, you guys.

I got a feeling things are about to turn around for the Red Sox!

Percy Patriot?

Percy Harvin on the Pats?...Yes please! With rumors circulating that Minnesota is shopping the talented yet frustrated reciever, the Pats are emerging as a possible destination.  And I don't see a reason not to pull the trigger on a deal for Harvin.  Lets face it, the Pats title window with Brady is closing quicker and quicker after every year they don't win. Welker is over 30, although still effective in the offense, but Harvin is younger and more explosive. Also, let us not forget that Belichick gets a little gator in his pants for those Urban Meyer Florida players. Sure, Harvin has an attitude, but with TFB (Tom Fucking Brady) throwing him the ball how unhappy could he possibly be? He has one year left on his contract. I say, take him for one year, and if he's as good as he's been in Minnesota or better, then sign him long term.  He would make the offense AND special teams so much more explosive.