A Red Sox State of Maine

Baby Faces

Intellectually, I know I'm watching Red Sox games...so why do I feel like I'm presiding over a five-year-old's birthday party at McDonald's?

Maybe because it's not far from the truth...I mean, look at the pitching yesterday. Masterson, Delcarmen, Hansen...all under 25. Yesterday's winner, Jon Lester...24 (poor guy, upstaged after his third great start in a row. Sorry, Jon. I'll post something laudatory about you the next time you don't pitch on a night the Celts don't clinch a title, k?) So are your top of the order guys, Ellsbury and Pedroia. It's madness! I'm used to Red Sox teams composed of broken-down hasbeens and yesterday's news (Jack Clark, anyone? Jose Canseco?) All these teeny boppers running around are making my head swim!

Boy, there's nothing like playing National League teams in their little tiny parks to stifle road woes, eh? Even Coco Crisp has gone goofy with power. (Ever since he started that brawl, he's just not the same guy...you half expect him to break into a chorus of "When you're a Jet, you're a Jet all the way!") J.D. Drew is on pace to set productivity records for the month of June. With no Ortiz in the lineup and a hobbled Manny, he has been a godsend. If I were those Philly fans, I would have been showering him with blown kisses and sweet nothings instead of boos, which only seemed to spur him on. After 11 years, it seems kind of silly to still be holding a grudge, actually, although I'm really not one to talk. I still burn with a white-hot hate of Roger Clemens that dates to 1997, and it will be a long, long time before I feel anything less than utter disdain for Johnny Damon. So, yes, I'm a big fat hypocrite....and get over it, Philly fans!

IL play has been good not only for the Sox but also for the Yanks, who are finally coming to life (too bad) and won their 6th in a row last night over Jake Peavy and the Pads. But instant karma's gonna get them, though, for signing Sidney Ponson to a minor-league deal. Ponson, as you may remember, was cut loose by the Rangers earlier this year after creating a disturbance in a bar in Florida (well, wrap me up in clover and feed me crackers, that's a shocker!). One wonders what the Yanks feel they have to gain by this move, considering the big drunk was 1-5 with a 10.47 ERA the last time he was in pinstripes, and the Red Sox owned him. Oh, well. Better them than us. Good luck with that one, Brian.

Just a random thought that's been flitting through my head...aren't you surprised ESPN hasn't run a front page story screaming, "BELICHICK DOES NOT SHAKE JACKSON'S HAND AFTER VICTORY!!!" I'm just sayin'...

Rolling rally for the Celts starts at I think 11am, the same time I will be at the vet's with my practically feral cat Winnie. Hopefully I'll catch it on NESN when we're done. Just another reminder of what it is we're celebrating...

(Pic lifted from boston.com)

Why I Love Sports

Remember the Nike commercial right after the 2004 World Series? Remember that it made you cry?

 Yeah. I bet you do.

So be prepared to weep again...

This is why we love the games, folks.

Thanks, Red.

Banner Edition

WOOOOOOOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! TAKE IT AWAY, FREDDIE!!!

17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17! 17!

Was that not the most awesome final ever? Didn't last night remind you of the '04 ALCS final game? Didn't KG shake that "choker" label forever? Didn't they all juat look so happy? Paul Pierce-lucky to be alive after being attacked with a knife a few years ago, a guy we weren't sure we'd be seeing again in green after last year's disaster-hoisting the trophy over his head, finally claiming his crown, glad he decided to stay after all. He knew what the moment really meant, too: "It means so much more because these are the guys, the Havliceks, the Bill Russells, the Cousys. These guys started what’s going on with those banners. They don’t hang up any other banners but championship ones. And now I’m a part of it.” One of the all-time Celtic greats, he means. Welcome to the club, Paul! We always knew what you were, and now everybody does.

There are so many great things about this series...Garnett breaking out of his box...Doc getting the better of the Zen Master (Phil after the game: "We have to get some players if we're going to come back and repeat, to have that kind of aggressiveness that we need." Sorry, Coach. Jordan and Pippen aren't walking through that door.)...the Celtic bench rolling over everyone in sight, including the geriatric P.J. Brown...Kobe getting stuffed...and Danny Ainge, nearly in tears himself, showing the world the franchise didn't die with Red. You said when you left the first time that you'd always be a Celtic, Danny, and you were absolutely right.

The LA press is absolutely scathing this morning, in a way that would do Shaughnessy proud. "maybe there are better days ahead if Gasol and Lamar Odom ever track down the Wizard of Oz and acquire some courage and heart," snarled T.J. Simers. "The league MVP was AWFUL, unable to break through even the most basic of one-on-one Celtic defenses, unable to carry a team that needed carrying," opinied Bill Plashke grinly. Ouch.

Well, let them stew. This is our night. Seventeen championships! With Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins coming on strong, and a lot of game left in the Big Three, this could be the dawn of a new golden age.

But right now, we'll just bask in the glory of what seemd impossible less than a year ago. Congratulations, Celts!!!

Welcome Home, Youker

Wow...two straight road wins, and done in ways that will, hopefully, serve as primers for the rest of the season. The first was a relatively close game that could have had a disheartening ending, but we were saved from despair by Youk crushing a bomb to right center. He did it just to show off for his family and frineds, I think (See, Ma??? And you said I'd never amount to anything!) The second was an old-fashioned blowout, the kind we certainly haven't seen much of on the road this year and would hardly expect to in any event with no Manny and no Papi in the lineup. I can't believe I'm saying this, but where would this team be without J.D. Drew this year? He's done for the Red Sox what ARod did for the Yankees at various times last year, or what David Ortiz has done for the Red Sox-just put them on his back and carried them. And man...I love Fenway Park, but doesn't the thought of Manny Ramirez playing 81 games a year in that little Cincy cozy cracker box park just make you drool? I mean, two homers in two days by Coco Crisp? (Way to go, Coco! I'm REALLY glad we didn't trade you in the offseason!) I can't figure out how the Reds don't lead the league in homers every single season...I mean, Ortiz could hit about 80 there by himself. Maybe Julio Lugo could even hit one.

Another good sign? Josh Beckett looked really sharp. Seven innings of shutout ball. Although Dice-K, even after being out a few weeks, still leads the team in wins. Hopefully, we'll get him back soon, too. makes you wonder if there's going to be any room for Schilling if/when he finally comes off the DL...

Celtics kept it close but lost game 5 in LA last night, in spite of the Herculean efforts of Paul Pierce to make it otherwise (and I can see why Kevin Garnett has his reputation for going cold at this most inopportune times). Guys, you're not going to be able to come back from 20-point first quarter deficits every time, so I'd prefer you didn't do that again. Oy vey. Now I'm going to be on edge until they wrap this thing up one way or another. I'm going to start thinking about all the ways they could blow this, 'cuz that's just the type of girl I am. Game 6 on the parquet tomorrow. Please, please get it done then so I can get some sleep and focus more of my energies on the Sox. It's been 22 years since I've had to divide my attention this way, and it's exhausting!

In other news, Chien Ming-Wang injured himself running the bases, of all things (another good reason to bag pitchers batting-who wants to see a pitcher run? I mean, Bartolo Colon is pitching tonight, for crissakes) and is out for at least six weeks and maybe a lot longer. Now, I'd never wish an injury on a guy, but I don't mind taking advantage of one when it occurs.  Let's just hope the Indians can stay in the central race so Sabathia doesn't become available any time soon.

For all you Tiger fans-I mean Woods, not Detroit-he's down a shot to 45-year-old Rocco Mediate at the Open playoff today. Now, I love Tiger and always cheer for him any time he plays, but Mediate has been funny and gracious and seriously almost fainted yesterday at the chance for a playoff with Tiger, so it would be nice for him if he won it. As one of the commentators said yesterday, it would be the biggest thing in this guy's life ever to win this, while Tiger's will stay pretty much the same, win or lose. So let's give it up for the old guy! Go Rocco!

The Sox are back to another tiny cracker box park tonight in Philly, facing much tougher pitching than what they got in Cincinnati. They're probably still w/out Manny and Philly's lineup is also much better than Cincy's. Colon vs Hamels, 7:05pm.  

Oh My Freaking EverLoving God!!!!

Did you see that? Did you see it? I'm still hyper ventilating, still can't believe what I saw really happened last night. In case you didn't see it, here's Bob Ryan to clue you in, who looks like he just rolled out of bed after sitting up slamming them all night with Marion Ravenwood.

(Bob also makes the same mistake I do, calling it "The Forum" before correcting himself. But, man.."Staples Center?" Ugh!)

If you want to read a blow-by-blow account followed by a Laker fan immediate reaction, I'd suggest going here, and then going over to the idiot Plaschke's column. The natives, it seems, are turning on their MVP.

Everyone keeps repeating the fact that the Celts came back from a 24 point deficit, which they did-but it's more impressive to me that they came back from a 20-point deficit in the middle of the third quarter. Shouldn't that be just about the game for a team, at home, with the so-called best player in the league on your side-you know, the guy who decided it was ok to lah-dee-dah until his back was to the wall, at which point it was just too late? You think Air Jordan or Bird would have let this happen to their team? Or Shaq? Or...Paul Pierce? Did you see him block that Kobe jumpshot?

(Great line by Denton this morning:  "And somewhere, there will be a newspaper with pictures of Laker-fan Jack Nicholson and Kobe Bryant with the headline "You can't handle the Truth!")

The best part is The Greatest Coach Ever's take on the lockerroom mood after the game: "They're depressed." Good. I'd rather have them depressed than pissed, that's for sure.

Hats off to all the guys who decided not to mail it in, even though it really did look hopeless pretty late in the game. Pat Riley was right- we do love those three pointers from James Posey in the playoffs! And if the Celtics do, in fact, take this series, if anyone other than Pierce is the MVP there should be a commotion not seen since the '68 Democratic convention. He is The Man.

I never count my chickens before they hatch, though. While I'm elated, and it's clear that history is on the side of the Celtics (no basketball team in an NBA Final has ever come back from 3-1) there's also that little part of my brain that reminds me that no baseball team had ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in a championship series, either. Still...I saw the '04 Yankees. The '04 Yankees, while not friends of mine, were certainly well known to me.

And these Celtics are no '04 Yankees. Not an ARod in the bunch.

Like Paul Pierce said, at this point we're all just waiting to exhale.

The NBA playoff schedule is designed to torture us...no game until Sunday eve. While some are expressing a desire for the Celts to win it at the Garden, I couldn't care less. The sooner you can stick a fork in these guys, the happier I'll be.

GO GREEN!!!! MAKE US PROUD!!!

Wusses

I'm talking about the NBA refs here, and you all know what I mean. The Greatest Coach Who Ever Lived (insert eye rolling emoticon here) rattles his sabers a little bit, and all of a sudden the Lakers get thirty-four free throws to Boston's twenty-two? Please! What a bunch of pansy-asses. Oooo, we can't have one team upset with us during the playoffs! We must even the score on the Lakers' home court! Assholes.

But even with the refs working against them, and Pierce in foul trouble, the Celtics kept coming back and made it a game all the way through. With 36 points, the whiny-ass Bryant was practically the whole show for the Lakers (see Dave's blog for Curt Schilling's courtside take on Bryant's behavior in Game 2). Lamar Odom and Gasol? No-shows. Ray Allen tried mightily to make up for the loss of Pierce, and a better game from Garnett and this game would have been in the bag. Oh, well. Game 4 Thursday.

Oh, and for all the people whining that the Patriots should "give back" the first Lombardi trophy because of unsubstantiated rumors...are you all willing to say that the Lakers should now give back the '02 O'Brien? Hmmmm? Let's not be hypocrites here, folks. Sen. Specter, I'd expect you to pursue this with the same zeal with which you went after Spygate...except you won't because neither Comcast nor the '76ers have anything to do with this...yet.

The Red Sox played a terrible game yesterday-at least, their pitchers did. What a freaking buzzkill, after the back-to-back jacks to go ahead. Remy's excuse-making notwithstanding, Josh Beckett simply needs to find a way to put it together more consistently (note to Tito: when he's been bad, Josh has been more than "a tick off") and Hideki Okajima should never be allowed to pitch to the Orioles again. I mean, c'mon guys! The Orioles are eleventh in the league with a .255 BA, but they're slapping the Sox around like they're Murderer's Row. On the bright side, I did enjoy Eddie Murray's visit to the dugout. But this morning I remain supremely irritated at the Sox for letting that one get away, and at Josh Beckett for not yet really getting his act together.

Well, the best part of baseball is that you get to do it all over again the next night. Bartolo Colon tries to bounce back from a rough outing against Garrett Olson at 7:05pm. Go Sox.

LE-ON PO-WE

....CLAP CLAP CLAPCLAPCLAP!!!!

What a time to havethe game of your life, eh? A bench player with 21 points in 15 minutes, in the Finals? If the Celts win this series, that could elevate him to Dave Roberts territory. Very nice job, Mr. Powe, in leading your team in what turned out to be a nail-biter.

Which leads me to another rant about the Boston-hating, Kobe-loving ESPN. Ohhhh, they all immediately pointed out, Celtics showed complacency, they had it in hand and fell asleep at the wheel, this might end up being the preview of the wheels coming off the Celtic wagon! Yeah, they hope. Michael Wilbon-for whom I have no respect after that snarky article he wrote about Sean Taylor, insinuating the kid was responsible for his own death in his own house-playing up the Kobe angle, how that last few minute run showed the Lakers where daylight lies in this series, etc. That gold-plated asshole J.A. Adande (taking his cue from the whining of the greatest coach ever, natch) then comes out with an article about how the officials seemed to have money on the Celtics. Hardly a word from any of them about powe, or how the Celts gutted out and did, after all, come out with an impressive win. Sheesh. I'm now resuming my boycott, right after Mike & Mike, anyway.

It's too soon to call the series, of course. But if the Celts can take one in the Forum, you're got to feel good about their chances coming back to the Garden. Besides, I'd hate to see the Lakers take it on the parquet, which they're going to have to do if they want to win now.

Great weekend all around for Boston fans. Celts up 2-0, and the Red Sox gave us two awesomely pitched games by old guy Timmy and whippersnapper Masterson-how do you send him back down now? (One has to wonder if we'll see Curt Schilling at all this year.) Saturday was fun, a dominating performance where the Sox scored early and often and wiped away the bad taste Felix Hernandez had left the night before (Hernandez loves Fenway Park, unlike most opposing pitchers).  But Sunday was more significant IMO, because it's important that a team gunning for the World Series be able to win the squeakers as well as the laughers. The Sox had nothing going on offense save the magic bat of J.D. Drew, but it was enough. Hmmm, you think David Ortiz is worried about that #3 spot? Don't worry, Papi, J.D.'s just keeping it warm for you. It's nice to know that there are guys in this lineup who can do that.

In a little bit of karmic payback, it seems not all is love and sweetness in the Rays' dugout, either. Good. Serves them right. Matt, you should have learned from Schill: don't shake off your catcher. Speaking of dugout spats, there's word on the streets that Manny and Youk went at it not over the mound brawl but because Youk has an annoying habit of flipping out after every bad at-bat. Huh. Well, that probably does get old after a while. I guess it's a good thing Manny never shared a bench with Paul O'Neill...

Much needed night off for everybody-including the fans-then the Sox get back to business on Tuesday at 7:05pm against the O's.

Why Boston Fans Rock

So, Paul Pierce gets taken out by Kendrick Perkins, the human equivalent of a brick wall. He is clutching his knee in a manner reminiscent of Lanier in '71. The Garden-rocking just a few minutes ago-is now a tomb. Crisis hotlines light up all over New England, teetotalers start slamming them back. 'Bye, hopes and dreams. Congratulations, Kobe and Phil. It's over.

But then-he's standing up! Oh, my God, he's back! (a great line from one of the columnists: "there should have been the Indiana Jones music playing") And what do the fans do? They start chanting, "Willis Reed!" Easily half the fans in the seats weren't even born in 1970, and many more were too young to have personally witnessed that historic game. This tells you just how much Boston fans know and appreciate the history of sport, and recognize when they are in the presence of such a "moment." You think those starwatchers at the Forum would have connected those dots, or even knew those dots existed? Nah. I mean, after all, Nicholson is in the house. Maybe Spielberg will show up.

Up 1-0, by all accounts a big advantage in a 2-3-2 series. And we still have our captain. And that blabber about the Lakers' vastly superior bench has been shut up for at least a couple of days.

Just another day in the seemingly never-ending pageant that is the NBA playoffs.

Lots of drama, in fact, for Boston teams yesterday. The Sox proved that the Rays aren't really as all that as they would have you believe, with their second sweep in as many meetings, while in between pitches broke out a hockey game. I had to laugh at Coco's characterization of the fighting ability of the Rays: "People were trying to scratch like we're playing football or something. After that, people were trying to pull my hair. I'm down on the ground. The fight is pretty much over, baseball time-wise. You want to come in late and throw some extra blows, get your little blows in. That's cool. I covered up. It's all good." Who knew Coco had such a nasty, sarcastic streak in him? And the Rays have really got to build a bridge and get over it. James Shields practically removed himself from the game in the second inning, which was mind blowingly stupid. Get the game in hand first, you guys. Hit Coco in the 7th or 8th, or wait 'til you get home.

(Like the Sox will undoubtedly do to the Yanks for the Farnsworth shot to Manny's head, if the Yankees aren't too pathetic by then.)

So, after the two teams exchange fisticuffs, Manny then takes a shot...at Kevin Youkilis? What the hell was that? Yes, I can understand getting a little sick of each other after a while, considering all the time they spend together, but what in God's name are two players on a first place team trying to take each other out for? Guys: Keep it in the clubhouse, and don't make your manager and teammates make lame excuses for you afterwards. I don't know what happened and I don't really want to know, but I can go watch my friend's two five-year-olds go at it if I want to see that type of crap. Now stuff it.

Bartolo Colon goes for win #3 against Seattle's $117 million, 21-39 bust tonight, a group you might expect to be throwing punches at each other in the dugout.

Let's kiss and make up, guys, and continue this home winning streak!

(Both pics lifted right off of boston.com)

Seems Like Old Times....

....dinner dates and flowers
Just like old times, staying up for hours
Making dreams come true, doing things we used to do
Seems like old times being here with you

My brother ran up and down the street last night screaming, "BEAT LA!" (he's, um, 35 years old.)

Celts and Lakers in the championship round. Last year at this time, with the Celtics coming up snake eyes in the draft, and King Kobe pissing and moaning about wanting to get out of town, who'd've thought we'd be standing here at the same place we've stood ten times before?

Now, the Lakers aren't on par with the Yankees in my dossier of hated teams, but only because I don't follow basketball as closely. Right now, led by their narcissistic, whiny shooting guard and their overrated "thanks Michael and Shaq" head coach, they are more hateable than ever. I would like nothing better than for the Celts to take this series-and the O'Brien trophy-but they are going to have to play oceans better than they have up to this point. Last night was a good start to that.

Still, there's a clear difference between cheering for a team that has won nothing recently and cheering for one that has a few championships under it's belt. You get spoiled in that respect, and it does make you a bit obnoxious to otehr fanbases, no doubt. Unlike the Patriots, when I was (and still am, to an extent) monumentally pissed off after the loss, if the Celtics don't win I'll still be able to say it was a great season and thank the team for giving us such a great ride.

But, of course, it will be a lot better if they do win.

GO GREEN!!! For real, this time...

Quickies

Manny-looking good. I feel a long ball coming on any day now.

Papelbon-not looking so good, and I don't want to hear any apologist sputters about how only one ball was hit hard off him. Bloops come around to score same as shots to the gap do. Good thing he had a four-run cushion. Shape up, Paps.

Colon-looking very good. My guess is that Buchholz will be nursing that finger a little while longer. Trying hard not to get my hopes up too high, though.

Varitek-looking good, surprisingly, considering he is not often the guy on fire when the rest of the team has been slumping. Got robbed by Ichiro, who has probably been wasted in right field all these years.

Celtics-after last night, I'm tempted to say, "you guys suck." 31% field goal shooting? Brick after brick from the free throw line? 11-for-38 from the trio? KG...it's really time to step up here. You can't count on 41 point performances from Pierce every night.

All for now. Garden awaits!