Are the Celtics the Best in the NBA?

The question of, are the Celtics really the best team in the NBA constantly comes up in the sporting world and unfortunately I am getting seriously irritated about the answer many sports writers are giving. The sports writers write that even though this team has the best record in basketball, 22-3, they are still not the best team in the NBA due to their weak strength of schedule. This might be one of the stupidest things I have ever heard. Not only have they beaten the Raptors, who won our division last year, three times but they have beaten Orlando, L.A., Cleveland, Golden State and the Nuggets. These games were also won by pretty significant leads. The three games they have lost were by slim margins, two games by two points and one game in overtime, and could have gone either way at the end of the game.

Sure the Celtics have their flaws such as Rondo is young and inexperienced, the bench is not extremely deep and this is the first year the big three have played together but a win is a win and a loss is a loss. The record 22-3 cannot be disuputed and is the best record in basketball, thus making the Celtics the best team in the NBA. We will see if they can continue their run as the best team in the NBA as they take their best record to the West Coast this week.

Glen Murray vs. Jon Lester

As we all sit down and have another Christmas cookie lets discuss the next round of "Who's Now." Last round Tom Brady took a commanding lead over Beckett at the beginning and never let go. This round it is two lesser known athletes who are both great team players. So who will end up at the trop of the Christmas Tree, Glen Murray or Jon Lester?

Glen Murray:

- Right Wing for the Boston Bruins

- Shoots right

- Nickname: Muzz

- In 2002-03, scored 92 points (44 goals and 48 assists)

- 2003 NHL All-Star

- Is a crucial aspect to the Bruins

- A great leader
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glen_Murray

Jon Lester:

- Left handed starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox

- 11-2 record overall

- 110 career strikeouts

- Red Sox drafted Lester in the second round (No. 57 overall) of the 2002 First Year Players Draft

-named Eastern League Pitcher of the Year

- Lester won the series-clinching Game Four for the Red Sox in the 2007 World Series

- fought and beat Cancer

- A great inspiration to the Red Sox organization and to the World

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Lester

My Vote: My vote goes to Mr. Lester because not only is he an inspiration to all, he has proven himself in the big game and he is only 22. Now if Mr. Murray helps the Bruins go and win a cup then I might have to reconsider but as of now, Mr. Lester gets my ballot.

Brady demolishes Beckett

I thought this would be a close one and boy I was wrong. Brady won by a huge margin 10-1. You would have thought I asked who is better, Tom Brady or the entire Miami Dolphins team. All I can say is nice win Brady and better luck next time Beckett.

Stay tuned for the next round of "Who's Now."

Turkey Bowl 2007

Happy Turkey day to everyone and I hope you have a ton of stuffing and mashed potatoes but before you sit down for your fourth piece of pumpkin pie lets talk football. Now you have three games to watch today but are any of them worth watching? Lets get to the rankings chief!

Packers (9-1) vs. Lions (6-4)- 12:30 P.M.

Ranking: 5 pieces of pie

Reasoning: This is by far the most interesting game on tv during Thanksgiving. The Lions are 6-4 but don't let that fool you. Detriot has been playing great football and has been looking for a national audience to prove this to so watch out Packers. On the other hand the Packers have quietly gotten to 9-1 and are a very real Super Bowl contender. The player of the game will be Greg Jennings for the Packers who will catch a lot of passes from Farve as Donald Driver is doubled up.

Prediction: Packers win a close one: 21-17

Jets (2-8) vs. Cowboys (9-1)- 4:15 P.M.

Ranking: 2 pieces of pie

Reasoning: The only reason I am giving this game any pieces of pie is because the Cowboys will prove why they are the second best offense in the league next to the Patriots. Expect T.O., Tony Romo and Barber to have huge games while the Jets offense once again doesn't show up.

Prediction: Cowboys win in a blowout: 42-10

Colts (8-2) vs. Falcons (3-7)- 8:15 P.M.

Ranking: 4 pieces of pie

Reasoning: Could the Colts possibly lose to the Falcons? The answer to this question is yes, but it will not happen. Peyton Manning will still be inconsistent and with the injuries the Colts have suffered it will be a close game. Look for Reggie Wayne and Roddy White to have big games.

Prediction: Colts win by a touchdown: 21-14

The Matchup of the Century

Moving on in the Who's Now tournament we turn to the Ted William's Bracket which starts off with two juggernauts. Who is better right now, Tom Brady or Josh Beckett? Lets get some facts to make this tough tough decision.




Tom Brady:

- 3 time Super Bowl winner

- 2 time Super Bowl MVP

- 4 time Pro Bowler

- On pace to break Peyton Manning's single season touchdown record

- 2005 Sports Illustrated's Sportman of the year

- Helped set the record for the longest consecutive win streak in NFL history with 21 straight wins over two seasons.

- Dated actress Bridget Moynahan

- Has the third-longest active streak of most consecutive starts by a quarterback (NFL)

- Most completions in a Super Bowl

- NFL record for most consecutive wins in post season: 10

- Has a son

- New England Patriots All-time leader(Passing touchdowns)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Brady

Josh Beckett

- Nickname: "Big-Game Beckett"

-2003 World Series MVP
- 2007 ALCS MVP

- Has won 2 World Series

- Became one of six Boston Red Sox pitchers in history to win their first 7 starts

- Was selected to the 2007 All Star Game

- Won 20 games this season

- Came in second for Cy Young voting

- Is only 27 years old

- Will be the ace of the Red Sox for a long time

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_Beckett

My Vote: I am going to Vote for Brady just on the fact that he looks unbeatable this season and no one has ever seen such a dominant quarterback in the NFL. If Beckett keeps up what he is doing for the Sox he will be one of the greatest pitchers of all time but right now Brady beats him out by a slight margin.



VOTE NOW!!!!

The Warriors come to town

Tonight at the Garden the Boston Celtics will face a tough opponent in the Golden State Warriors. the Warriors record of 3-6 does not represent this team well at all. Led by the veteran Baron Davis, The Warriors have many players that can put points up on the board in many different ways. With Stephen Jackson, Kelenna Azubuike,Monta Ellis and Mickael Pietrus the warriors are a very dangerous team who is on a 3 game winning streak. This is also the first time the Celtics will have to come back and play a game after a crushing loss. Last game they lost 104-102 to the Orlando Magic. This game will show how the big three come back from losing. Also the player of the game will Rajon Rondo. Rondo should have a ton of open looks while the Warriors are doubling up on Kevin Garnett. All in all, this should be a great game so get your popcorn ready!

Rondo beats Kessel

Rajon Rondo barely beat Phil Kessel 3-2 in a battle of young talent. Stay tune for the next edition of who's now.

Phil Kessel vs. Rajon Rondo

The next round of the Who's Now competition is between two important members of their teams but yet do not get a lot of attention. Lets get some more information on these two Mystery Men to decide who is more now.




Phil Kessel:

- Plays Center/Winger for the Boston Bruins
- Overcame Cancer in 2007 and still plays
- USA Hockey’s National Development Team's franchise record for most career goals: 104

-USA Hockey’s National Development Team's franchise record for most career points: 180
-United States National U18 Team's All-Time leader for points (26), goals (16) and assists (10) in 12 games during 2004-2005 World Junior Ice Hockey U18 Championships
-Boston Bruins' franchise record for most career deciding shootout goals: 5
-The first NHL rookie to be honored with the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy

-Nickname: Phil The Thrill
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Kessel

Rajon Rondo:

- Point guard for the Boston Celtics

- On March 17, 2007 Rondo pulled down a career-high 14 rebounds in a victory against the San Antonio Spurs.
-Rondo has had six 4-steal games.
-Rondo ended his rookie campaign by being named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.[7]
-Rondo led the NBA in steals per 48 minutes with 3.36.
-Rondo was 10th in the NBA with 128 steals in 06-07 despite playing just 23.5 minutes per game.
-Rondo ranked 4th in the NBA in steals per turnover with 0.93
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajon_Rondo

My Vote: I am voting for Rajon Rondo because I believe that he is the key to the Celtics season. With the Big three, Rajon's passing and stealing capabilities will be much needed for the Celtics to make a run at the championship.



Let your voice be heard and Vote Now!

Lowell, A-Rod or Cabrera

The 3rd base position has become a very interesting topic, especially for the Red Sox, at the GM meetings this week. Lowell is obviously the best choice for the position and Theo is doing everything he can to bring him back but what are the options if the veteran wants to big of a contract? Here are two options that have recently been discussed this week.

A-Rod:

Sure he has attitude problems and yes he was a former Yankee but how many players can consistently hit over 50 homeruns, 130 RBI's and have a batting average over .300. Do I think he is a good fit in the Red Sox organization, absolutely not but if we want a big bat we could easily get him. Not many teams can shell out money like the Sox so if we cannot resign the World Series MVP watch for the Sox to enter into the AROD bidding war.

Miguel Cabrera:

The 24 year-old 3rd basemen for the Marlins might be getting traded this off season. He has attitude problems and is known for not trying to hard but how many 24 year-olds do you know have a line that reads .320 AVG/.401 OBP/.565 SLG. A trade between the Marlins and Red Sox seems very unlikely because the Marlins will want top prospects like Clay Bucholz, John Lester and possibly World Series hero Jacoby Elisbury but keep your eyes open if Lowell does not get resigned.

Okajima beats Maroney

5-1 was the final outcome between these two great players. Okajima has become a favorite to Red Sox nation and Maroney looks like he is getting back on track this season. Stay tune for the next edition of "Who's Now."

Laurence Maroney vs. Hideki Okajima

The next battle in the Who's Now tournament is between two amazing rookies, Laurence Maroney and Hideki Okajima. Who is more Who's now? Lets find out:

Laurence Maroney:

- Runningback for the New England Patriots

- selected in the first round with the 21st overall pick

- Maroney racked up an 1,722 all-purpose yards in his rookie season while he was back up to Dillion

- Nickname: the Predator

- Has been in commercials

- He has been injured most of this season so he hasn't been a major factor for the Patriots

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurence_Maroney

Hideki Okajima:

- Pitched for the Yomiuri Giants in Japan.

- Now pitches for the Boston Red Sox

- Pitching stats:

Japanese Professional Leagues
439 Games
34 Wins
32 Losses
41 Saves
3.36 ERA
681 Strikeouts
Major Leagues
3 Wins, 2 Losses
4/6 On saves
68.0 Innings Pitched
Hits Surrendered: 48
Runs Surrendered: 17
62 Strikeouts.
2.25 E.R.A.

- Has a pitch called the okey-dokey

- could possibly win rookie of the year

- has pitched amazingly in the playoffs

- Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star Game 2000, 2001, 2002

- Rookie of the Month of the American League for April 2007

-MLB A.L. All-Star Game 2007

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hideki_Okajima

My Vote: I am going to pick Hideki just on the fact that he has been more proven. I believe Maroney will become one of the great runningbacks in the league but he has to get stop getting injured. Also the fact that Okajima has pitched amazing in the playoffs has persuaded me to vote for him.

Read, discuss and vote now!!

Seymour destroys Dice-K

The Who's Now tournament has had another casualty in the form of Daisuke Matsuzaka. Richard Seymour wrecked his competition with an 11-2 vote. Apparently Dice-K has not been good enough to move on in this tournament, but my prediction is that in the long run he will be a great assest to the Red Sox franchise. As for Seymour, it was a good win but get ready for the next round because it might not be as easy.




Thanks for voting and get ready for the next battle!

Beckett Vs. Francis

Or is it Subzero vs. Scorpion? Beckett, aka SUBZERO, will pitch an MVP like game on Wednesday and freeze the Rockies hitters with his combination of fastball and his crazy breaking ball pitches. Jeff Francis, aka Scorpion, has been pretty dominant throughout the playoffs shouting "GET OVER HERE" to Phillies and Diamondbacks hitters, but can he go up against a man who eats, sleeps and shoots ice? The answer is no; Jeff Francis is all talk and no game. Beckett, the Cy Young award canidate, will slay the opponents while Francis, who is not use to the American League, will have a hard time against the patient Red Sox hitters, the greatest DH of all time, Big Papi and the #1 fans in the world, RED SOX NATION. The only thing that could cause a disturbance in the Red Sox force would be if we put Francis' Canadian brother from another mother, Eric Gange, into the game. Of course this will not happen because as previously stated I have kidnapped him and now he is chillin with Willy Mo Pena.

Keep the Faith!

3-1, we have faced tougher odds. the question is do we still have the same magic that we had in the 2004 postseason? The answer is yes but with both returning and new cast members. Pedro is no longer with us, but to take over his roll as a fiery leader Josh Beckett has stepped in. We also have new cast members in the bullpen, Okajima and Papelbon, who always give us faith during the end of close games. Lugo is the new Cabrera, Youk is a better Millar, Lowell is a better Mueller. Pedroia, aka the future, is the new and improved Mark Bellhorn, Jacoby is the new Dave Roberts and JD and Coco combined to create the new Trot and Damon. Then we have the returning members, VTEK- the captain of all captains, David Ortiz aka Mr. Clutch, Manny aka the Natural, Schilling aka the Godfather, and Wakefield aka the Iceman.

Now you may be asking the question, "how are the Sox going to win if they can't get runs?" Well did they score runs when they went down 3-0 to the Yankees is 2004? When their playoff life is on the line the sox come through, from the top of the order all the way down to the number 9 batter. You also might be asking, "how are we going to win without pitching?" Well Beckett is Mr. Automatic in the playoffs so he should do great against CC and the Sunshine Tribe. Schilling is always clutch when the game is on the line, with or without a bloody sock and Dice K didn't have an awful game in game 3, he just didn't have any offense behind him so expect a big game from him when we get to game 7.

If you still find it hard to keep the faith think about this. Unlike in 2004, after game 5 the Indians will have to play in Red Sox Nation which is a difficult task for any opposing team. Fact #2, The Indians do not have an overpowering offense, but the Sox can blow you away. Last but not least, fact #3 I kidnapped Eric Gange.

KEEP THE FAITH!!
GO SOX!!

Richard Seymour vs. Daisuke Matsuzaka

The next matchup in the Bobby Orr bracket of this who's now contest is the big man, Richard Seymour vs. the gun from the rising sun, Daisuke Matsuzaka. Now, here is some information that makes each one of these athletes now.

Richard Seymour:
-Was selected two times to the All-Southeastern Conference first-team (1999-2000).
- Was named All-American first-team selection by the American Football Coaches Association and Walter Camp.
- Drafted by the Patriots in the first round (sixth overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft.
- He has been selected to five consecutive NFL Pro Bowls and three consecutive AP all-pro teams.
- Many consider Seymour to be the best defensive linemen in the NFL
-Nicknamed "Big Sey"
-Married to his high school sweetheart Tanya. Three children: R.J., Kayla, and Kennedy.
-Spends much of his offseason at his home in South Carolina.
-Didn't play football until he was in ninth grade because he was too big to play in Pop Warner -with children his age.
-Created the Richard Seymour BGC (Blessing God's Children) Foundation which holds youth -camps and a health fair where doctors other health professionals were brought together to screen kids, some of whom had not seen a doctor in years. The foundation operates in Columbia, Boston, and Atlanta.
-Plays the trombone.[6]
-Majored in housing and consumer economics at Georgia.[7]
-Lost his father in 2004 to what has been classified by authorities as a murder-suicide.[8]
-Spoke to the draftees from the 2002 NFL Draft about life as an NFL rookie at the NFL's annual rookie symposium.[9]
-Favorite team growing up was the Oakland Raiders.[10]
-Hobbies include reading and DJing.[11]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Seymour

Daisuke Matsuzaka:
- Previously played for the Seibu Lions in Japan's Pacific League.
- He was selected the MVP of the 2006 World Baseball Classic and is an Olympic bronze medalist
[edit] Awards in Japan
1999
Pacific League Rookie of the Year (Sai-Yushyu-Shinjin), Best Nine, Gold Glove, Wins champion of the Pacific League
2000
Best Nine, Gold Glove, Strikeouts and Wins champion of the Pacific League
2001
Sawamura Award, Best Nine, Gold Glove, Strikeouts and Wins champion of the Pacific League
2003
Gold Glove, ERA champion of the Pacific League(2.83), Strikeouts champion of the year
2004
Gold Glove, ERA champion of the Pacific League(2.90)
2005
Gold Glove, Strikeouts champion of the year
2006
Gold Glove
All-Star Game of Nippon Professional Baseball
1999, 2000, 2001, 2004(MVP), 2005, 2006
Matsuzaka pitched his first complete game in the major leagues on May 14, 2007, a 7-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers; he had pitched well over 60 complete games in Japan.
Daisuke Matsuzaka recently signed a multi-million dollar exclusive deal with Sport Card Giant Upper Deck. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
On August 10, 2007 Daisuke Matsuzaka broke the Red Sox rookie record for the most strikeouts in a season with 156 strikeouts. He now has 201 strikeouts as of September 28, 2007.
On September 28, 2007 Daisuke Matsuzaka went eight innings and threw 119 pitches. He allowed six hits and two runs while striking out eight. With the win against the Minnesota Twins to secure the Red Sox's place as the winner of the Division, he closed out his first Major League season with a record of 15-12 and an ERA of 4.40.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daisuke_Matsuzaka

My Pick: Im going to have to go with Seymour on this one. He has helped the Pats get to and win three superbowls. Dice-K has been Mediocre at best and hopefully he will perfrom like his MVP self next year.

Voice your opinions and vote now!

Manny Wrecks KG

This battle wasn't even close. Of course we only had five votes but still Manny won by a landslide beating KG 5-0. I guess Boston Celtics fans are still weary of how KG will perform during the regular season and if he will live up to his nickname, "the BIG TICKET."

Trap Game?

This Sunday The 4-0 Patriots take on the 2-2 Browns. Is this a possible trap game? Yes, for any team but the Patriots. The Patriots take it one game at a time and are prepared for Jamal Lewis, derek Anderson and Braylon Edwards. The Browns also have one of the worst defenses in the league, which should make this a field day for Brady and Moss. Another key element to the Patriots winning will be Runningback Sammy Morris so watch out out for his game breaking capability. My prediction for Sunday's game is 38-3. Why such a low score for the Brown's? I can tell you the answer in four words: Rodney Harrison is back. Look for Harrison to have a big emotional lift on the Pats.

Can Schilling get the Sweep?

The 9-8 Curt Schilling tries to go for the sweep against the 13-7 Jered Weaver on Sunday. The Angels have homefield advantage on their side this time and they have proved that it was useful during the regular season going 54-27 at home. Both lineups may take a hit in the 3rd game of the series too. Dustin Pedroia, who usually would bat leadoff, might not play on Sunday do to an injury that took place during an attempt to make an amazing catch during yesterday's game. This will impact the Red Sox lineup but Alex Cora has proven to be an All Star utility player and a great back up second baseman. While Pedroia will be a huge loss, the Angels might lose their best power hitter, Vlad the Impaler. Sure Guerrero has not been a huge factor in the first two games but he is always a threat. Vladi got injured on a fastball thrown by Manny Delcarmen during game two and even if Guerrero is back you have to wonder if he will be 100%.

My Prediction:
The Sox will sweep the Angels but it will be a close game. Schilling will probably only last 6 innings but he will only give up around 4 runs. Weaver will fold with all the pressure and the dynamic duo of Ortiz and Manny will take advantage of this. Boston's bullpen will continue to be the best in baseball and take a guess of who will be MVP of the game? Thats right, JD Drew.
Lets hope my prediction is right!

Big Ticket vs. The Natural

Here we go, The Bobby Orr bracket starts off with two amazing athletes: Kevin Garnett and Manny Ramirez. Lets give some facts about these superstars.

Kevin Garnett:
Nickname: The Big Ticket or KG
Position: Power Forward of the Boston Celtics
Height: 6ft 11in
NBA Most Valuable Player: 2004
NBA All-Star Game MVP: 2003
10-time NBA All-Star: 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
8-time All-NBA:
First Team: 2000, 2003, 2004
Second Team: 2001, 2002, 2005
Third Team: 1999, 2007
8-time All-Defensive:
First Team: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
Second Team: 2006, 2007
NBA All-Rookie Second Team: 1996
4-time NBA regular-season leader, rebounds per game: 2004 (13.9), 2005 (13.5), 2006 (12.7), 2007 (12.8)
2-time NBA regular-season leader, rebounds: 2004 (1,139), 2005 (1,108)
5-time NBA regular-season leader, defensive rebounds: 2003 (858), 2004 (894), 2005 (861), 2006 (752), 2007 (792)
NBA regular-season leader, points: 2004 (1,987)
NBA regular-season leader, field goals made: 2004 (804)
J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award: 2006
Career triple-doubles (regular season): 16 (as of March 4, 2007)[14]
Career triple-doubles (post-season): 3 (as of 2006)
First player in NBA history to:
average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists per game for 6 consecutive seasons. (1999-2005)
average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists per game for 9 consecutive seasons. (1998-2007)
reach at least 18,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, 4,000 assists, 1,200 steals, and 1,500 blocks in his playing career.
Holds Minnesota Timberwolves franchise record for most points in one game with 47 vs. the Phoenix Suns on January 4, 2005.
Holds Minnesota Timberwolves franchise career records for points, 19,041; rebounds, 10,542; assists, 4,146; blocked shots, 1,576; steals, 1,282; and games played, 927.
Ranked #70 on SLAM Magazine's Top 75 NBA Players of All Time in 2003.
Achieved 10,000 total rebounds in his career on January 13, 2007.
Career stats (regular season): 927 games, 20.5 ppg, 11.4 rbg, 4.5 apg, 1.7 bpg, 1.4 spg, 0.491 FG%, 0.289 3FG%, .780 ft%
Career stats (post-season): 47 games, 22.3 ppg, 13.4 rpg, 5.0 apg, 1.9 bpg, 1.3 spg, 0.458 FG%, 0.333 3FG%, .761 ft%
Put the excitement back into Celtics Basketball
Is good friends with Paul Pierce and David Ortiz
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Garnett
Manny Ramirez:
"Manny Being Manny"
One of the most natural hitters of all time
11-time All-Star (1995, 1998-2007)
World Series Champion (Boston, 2004)
World Series MVP Award (2004)
2-time Hank Aaron Award (1999, 2004)
8-time Silver Slugger Award (1995, 1999-2006)
American League batting crown (2002, .349)
Led AL in home runs (2004, 43)
Led AL in RBI (1999, 165)
3-time led AL in slugging percentage (1999-2000, 2004)
3-time led AL in OPS (1999-2000, 2004)
3-time led AL in on base percentage (2002-03, 2006)
Twice led AL in intentional walks (2001, 2003)
8-time Top 10 AL in total bases (1996-99, 2001,2003-05)
8-time Top 10 AL MVP (1998-2004)
9-time Top 10 AL in home runs (1998-2006)
8-time Top 10 AL in RBI (1995, 1998, 1999-2001, 2004, 2005)
5-time Top 10 AL hitters (1997, 1999-2000, 2003, 2006)
6-time Top 10 AL in times on base (1997, 1999, 2003-05)
Member of Major League Baseball's Latino Legends Team
28-game hitting streak in 2006
Loves the game of Baseball
Comes up with really cool handshakes
Favorite movie is The Matrix
Nickname for Manny and Ortiz: The Dynamic Duo
This pretty much sums up Manny: "I don't worry about my numbers. I'm just going out there having fun. You only live one time. You want to make sure you go out there and play hard and have fun. That's what it's all about."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manny_Ramirez
My Vote:
My vote goes to Manny do to the fact that I have not seen KG during the regular season as a member of the Celtics and Manny is one of the greatest hitters of all time.

Vote NOW!!

Hobbs beats Allen 4-1

Ellis Hobbs beat Tony Allen in the lastest edition of the who's now tournament. Lets see how far this underated cornerback can make it in this contest.

3 Things Wrong with the Red Sox

Despite The Red Sox recent success and even though the Magic Number is only 16, I still have some complaints as a member of Red Sox Nation.



1. Buchholz No No not good enough?
- Why is Clay Buchholz in the bullpen and not in the starting rotation? John Lester has a 5.26 ERA and 3 wins in 7 starts while Buchholz is 3-0 in 2 starts with a 1.50 ERA, 17 strikeouts and a no- hitter under his belt. I just cannot comprehend why we do not move Lester to the bullpen. I know Clay is a rookie, but when he is hot let him start! Don't throw him in the bullpen were his talent will not be used to its fullest capability.

2. J.D. or Jacoby?
- J.D. Drew I am not giving up on you, at least not yet, but once again when you have a rookie who fields amazingly and is a great hitter why not start him in the line up everyday? Jacoby right now is hitting .444 while Drew is batting .252. Now I know Drew has played in more games than Jacoby so therefore he has a lower average, but he needs to get out of this season slump and become the five tool player he can be. If he doesn't I believe Jacoby should play right field when Manny comes back and then we have another speed demon on the bases.

3. Who did we get for Willy Mo?
- I cannot believe I am saying this but as of right now it looks the Red Sox got the bad end of the Willy Mo Pena deal. The invisible man has not showed his face yet in a Red Sox uniform and I am left wondering if Theo did not just pay the Nationals to take him off our hands. Until I see this mystery man I will not be happy with getting rid of a player who can only hit fastballs.

Ellis Hobbs vs. Tony Allen

Now on to two fo the more underrated players in this tournament.

Ellis Hobbs:
earned All-Big 12 Conference first-team honors as a senior
received the Academic Athlete of the Year Award
was a finalist for Christian Athlete of the Year at ISU
When everyone was injured Hobbs stepped up to the challenge, snagging three interceptions, and earning 371 yards on 15 kickoff returns in his rookie season.
He will be a starting cornerback this year for the Patriots and has a lot of skill to bring to the secondary.
Pissed off LT by doing the "Lights Out" dance when the Pats beat the Chargers in the playoffs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellis_Hobbs
Tony Allen:
selected by the Boston Celtics with the 25th overall pick of the 2004 NBA Draft
Is a great off the bench player
was selected to play for the rookies in the Got Milk? Rookie Challenge during All-Star Weekend
frequently assists the Celtics in charity work in and around the Boston area
Wants to become a teacher when he retires
Stepped Up as a leader when Pierce was injured.
became the first player in OSU history to score 1,000 career points in just two seasons
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Allen_%28basketball%29

My Vote: Ellis Hobbs because he will be more of an impact player in the starting lineup.

Schill beats Moss by Close Margin

Sorry for not updating the blog for a while guys. With College and other things going on in my life I have just been so busy and this is the first time I have gotten to sit down and write in a long time.

But enough about me, back to the tournament. Schilling barely beat my man Moss 7-4. He will move on to the next round but we will see if he makes it very far.

Curt Schilling vs. Randy Moss

Up next a battle of two controversial athletes: Randy Moss and Curt Schilling. Lets see what makes each of these athletes "now."

Curt Schilling:
1993 National League Championship Series Most Valuable Player (MVP)
1996 Lou Gehrig award from Phi Delta Theta
1996 March of Dimes Phillie of the Year award
1997 Sets National League record for strikeouts by a right-handed pitcher with 319
1997-99, 2001-02 Named to National League All-Star Team
2000 Philadelphia Sports Writers Association Humanitarian Award
2001 Shares World Series MVP honors with teammate Randy Johnson
2001-02 Cy Young Award runner-up
Has an ALS Charity
2004- leads Red Sox to the World Series (with a bloody sock)
Believes Barry Bonds take steroids
has his own blog called 38 pitches

Randy Moss:
Patriots Newest Wide Reciever
Rookie record 17 TD catches
He is third only to Anquan Boldin and Bill Groman for most rookie receiving yards with 1,313.
Moss has caught 101 TD passes through 9 seasons, 5th most in NFL history. He trails Jerry Rice, Cris Carter, Marvin Harrison, Terrell Owens, all of whom have played more seasons than Moss.
Has caught 13 or more TDs in a season 4 times. He trails only Terrell Owens and Jerry Rice in such seasons.
Is the only player next to Jerry Rice to catch 17 or more TDs in a season twice (Moss accomplished the feat in 1998 and 2003).
Moss has had 3 seasons where he averaged at least one receiving TD a game. 1998 (17 TDs in 16 games), 2003 (17 TDs in 16 games), and 2004 (13 TDs in 13 games). By doing so, he is the only wide receiver in NFL history to accomplish this task.
He had back to back 100 catch seasons, first in 2002 and then in 2003. He joined Sterling Sharpe, Jerry Rice, Herman Moore, Cris Carter, Marvin Harrison, and Rod Smith as the only receivers to do so.
At the end of the 2006 season, Moss is averaging approximately 11.2 receiving TDs per season, which is an NFL record.
Holds the record for most 1,000 yard seasons in his first seasons of the league. In his first 6 seasons in the NFL, he had 1,000+ yards in each seasons, setting an NFL record.
Moss is the only player in NFL history to average 100 yards and 1 TD per game through a 16 NFL game season.
Has some attitude problems that will hopefully be taken care of by the New England Patriots organization
Gives a real deep threat for Tom Brady to throw to
Is a pretty good dancer
Fred Biletnikoff Award (1997)
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (1998)
Five time Pro Bowler
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Moss

VOTE NOW!!!!

The Truth has been Spoken: Pierce runs over Chara

17-2 was the final outcome of this round between The Truth and the Big Z. Luckly the Big Z got some love from his hockey homies and got two votes.

Up next: Curt Schilling vs. Randy Moss. Which controversial athlete will bring home the win?Voting Starts on Saturday so get ready!

Sox Seeing Double

Today was the doubleheader from hell for the Chicago White Sox. First off, the White Sox had to go out against Josh Beckett who is one of the best starting pitchers in the game. To add on to the White Sox's Misery, they are pretty much in last in every offensive category you can think of. so put one and one together, All-Star pitcher against one of the worst offensive teams in the league equals win. Beckett started off shakey, giving up a double, three walks, and eventually walking in a run, but the Sox ace stayed composed and got his league leading 16th win of the season.

The second game of the doubleheader was not nearly as straight forward. You had a 41 year old pitcher that has not been doing so great the past couple of starts. Luckly even Schilling can pitch well against a horrible offense. The Schilmeister only gave up one run in hist outing leading to his 8th win of the season. This win also gave me hope that the old Curt Schilling who could control his fastball is back.

Up Next: Wakefield vs. Buehrle. This should easily be the best pitching matchup of the series. Look for Wake to take advantage of the Chicago offense. Also look for the left specialist, Javy Lopez, to come in during the late innings and shut down the lefty hitters.

Thank you Mr. Anderson

There was an Angel in Anaheim looking over the Red Sox last night. His name is Garret Anderson and he had a 10 RBI game last night against the New York Yankees. Thus the Angels smoked the Yankees 18-9 which means that the Yankees are now 6 back to the Sox and 2 games back to the Mariners. It finally looks like the Yankees poor pitching is hurting them. Mussina got roughed up last night and eventually got his 9th loss of the season. Also the realization that Arod is the Yankees curse came about during the game last night. The curse of Arod is the fact that whenever Arod is hot the Yankees are horrible and when Arod is horrible the Yankees offense explodes and their pitching is decent. Such as last night, Arod hits 2 homeruns and the Yankees lose. Lets hope Arod remains hot for the rest of the season so the curse can be continued.

Things other than the sox to watch tonight:
1. Tonight Brandon Webb is trying to increase his 42 straight scoreless inningings streak against the Brewers at 9:40 P.M.
2. The Angels are going for the sweep of the Yankees. First Pitch at 10:05 P.M.
3. Last but not least, one of my favorite tv shows, Cash Cab is on at 10 on the Discovery Channel.

Zdeno Chara Vs. Paul Pierce

Captain vs. Captain, how could a battle get any better? Both of these athletes have amazing skills on and off the ice and the court so lets get into what makes each of these athletes "Now."

Zdeno Chara:
Nickname: The Big Z
Captain of the Bruins
At 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m), he is the tallest player ever to play in the Nation Hockey League
won the NHL's hardest shot competition at the 2007 Skills Competition, clocking a shot at 100.4 mph (161.6 km/h)
1999-2000:Finished second in NHL and first on team with 309 hits to help Islanders finish first in hits
Zdeno was named to the Eastern Conference roster in the 55th National Hockey League All-Star Game
signed a five-year, $37.5 million contract with the Boston Bruins
was the runner-up to Scott Niedermayer for the James Norris Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the best defenceman of the season
has represented Slovakia in five World Championships as well as in one World Cup.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zdeno_Chara

Paul Pierce:
Nickname: The Truth
Captain of the Boston Celtics
earned MVP honors in the Big 12 Conference Tournament in both 1997 and 1998
10th overall pick in the first round of the NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics
Got Stabbed 11 times and almost died. Next Season he came back and had one of the best seasons of his career.
was a member of the United States National Basketball Team for 2002 and 2006
2-time All-NBA Third Team: 2002, 2003
6-time NBA All-Star: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
NBA All-Rookie First Team: 1999
NBA regular-season leader, total points: 2002 (2144)
NBA regular-season leader, free throws made: 2003 (604)
NBA records
Most free throws made without a miss, playoffs: 21 (Game 1, 2003 Eastern Conference First Round).
Boston Celtics franchise records
Scored 30 or more points in a franchise record 12 consecutive games
Most points scored in a game at TD Banknorth Garden: 50 (February 15, 2006 vs. Cleveland Cavaliers).
Most points scored in a half (including Overtime): 46 (December 1, 2001 2nd Half vs. New Jersey Nets).
Most points scored in an overtime period: 13 (December 1, 2001 vs. New Jersey Nets)
Most three-point field goals made, career: 989 (1998–present).
Most three-point field goals attempted, career: 2769 (1998–present).
Most free throws made in one game: 20 (November 2, 2002 vs. New York Knicks).
Most free throws attempted in one game: 24 (November 5, 2005 vs. New York Knicks).
Most free throws made in one half: 14 (March 2, 2001 vs. Utah Jazz).
Most free throws made in one season: 612 (2005-2006, breaking his own record of 604, set in 2002-2003).
Most free throws attempted in one season: 812 (2005-2006, breaking his own record of 753 in 2002-2003).
Most steals in one game: 9 (tied with Larry Bird; December 3, 1999 vs. Miami Heat).
Most free throws made without a miss, playoffs: 21 (Game 1, 2003 Eastern Conference First Round).
Most points scored in one half, playoffs: 32 (Game 4, 2003 Eastern Conference First Round vs. Indiana Pacers).
Highest scoring average through one month: 33.5 PPG (February 2006).
Only Celtics player in franchise history to lead the NBA in total points scored in a season, scoring 2,144 points in 2001-2002.
Playing with Celtics he accumulated 2,071 points in 2000-2001.
Career scoring average: 23.6 PPG, 2nd only to Larry Bird.
Second favorite sport is tennis
His nickname, The Truth, was coined by Shaquille O'Neal.
He was on the cover of the video game NBA Inside Drive 2003
endorsements include Nike, Spalding, Pepsi, and McDonalds.

My Vote: I am going with Pierce on this one. To me he looks like the all around "now" guy. Many players would not come back after a near death experience, but Pierce came back with more passion for the game then ever. Also the fact that he is on a video game cover and has many great endorsements helps him out.

Now its your turn to vote.
On the right hand side of this blog is the poll in which you vote. Also make sure that you comment on this post as to why you voted for the person you did.
VOTE NOW!!!

Ortiz Wins in a Landslide

Was I wrong about this battle or what. As the voters know, Ortiz won the first round by defeating the amazing Tedy Bruschi 7-3. Of course I wanted Tedy to win but the readers spoke up and made Papi go to the second round. The question is who will he face?

Willy Mo Pena traded for the Invisible Man

It was reported yesterday that Willy Mo Pena has been traded to the Nationals for the Invisible Man. I did not think it could be done, but the Nationals actually found a way in which they could become worse. Of course they did get money with the deal which will pay for the drinks they need everytime the see Big Willy step up to the plate. Now on to the player the Red Sox got: the Invisible Man. Who is he? What does he look like? is he a pitcher or a hitter? Does he like Fenway Franks? All these questions will be answered when the, "time is right" according to Theo Epstein.

Now comes the time in which I predict who the Sox got from the NATS. I believe the Sox will get power hitting Dmitri Young from the Nationals because he is older and the Nationals are a rebuilding team. Now this is completely an optomistic pick and hopefully it happens but the Sox will probably get a low end player because Willy Mo Pena is not amazing. On a more serious note, I kind of wanted to keep Willy Mo so I could have someone to blame everything on but right when Willy gets traded someone else steps into the blame game. So heres to you mr. can't save a game even if it was against Tampa Bay, Eric Gagne.

David Ortiz Vs. Tedy Bruschi

This is the first and possibly the toughest matchup in the Larry Bird Bracket.

First Lets List off some of the reasons why these athletes are considered now:

David Ortiz:
aka: Big Papi
2004 World Series Champion
2004 ALCS MVP
4-time All-Star (2004-2007)
Top 5 MVP vote-receiver four times (5th, 2003; 4th, 2004; 2nd, 2005; 3rd, 2006)
2005 Hank Aaron Award winner
3 time winner of the Silver Slugger Award
4 time winner of the Edgar Martinez Award (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006)
Led the American League in extra base hits (2004)
Was the MVP for the American League Championship Series (2004)
Led the American League in Home Runs (2006)
Led the American League in Runs Batted In (2005, 2006)
American League Player of the Month for September 2005 and July 2006.
Member of the 2004 Boston Red Sox team that won the World Series.
Red Sox single season home run leader (54; 2006)
Tied with Babe Ruth for AL single season home run record in road games (32; 2006)
First player ever to hit two walk-off home runs in the same postseason (against the Angels (ALDS) and Yankees (ALCS), 2004)
First player in Red Sox history to hit 40 or more home runs in three consecutive seasons (2004-2006)
Set new record for home runs by a DH in 2005 (47), then again in 2006 (54)
Is friends with Kevin Garnett
Has a Rap CD

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Ortiz

Tedy Bruschi:
Three time Superbowl Champ
2004 got voted to the Probowl
Comeback Player of the Year
Won the Ed Block Courage Award
As of 2006, he has 829 tackles, 27 sacks, and 11 interceptions, 4 of which have gone for touchdowns
suffered from a PFO (Patent Foramen Ovale) which is a congenital heart defect and came back to play
Leader of the Patriots Defense
Speaks up for his teammates
Always gives 110%
accomplished saxophonist and has played with the Boston Pops
wrote a book about his experience with his stroke and his recovery

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tedy_Bruschi
My Vote: Tedy Bruschi because of his huge heart, 3 superbowl rings, leadership skills and love of the game.

Now its your turn to Vote. Make sure you include a reason why you voted for the person if you want to.

Let the Voting BEGIN!!!

Who's Now: Boston Sports Edition
All you Sportscenter fans out there know that Tiger Woods beat Lebron in the Finals of Who's Now. Now I think that Tom Brady or David Ortiz should have won and I found it ridiculous that ESPN put them against eachother in the first round, so i decided to create a Boston Edition of Who's Now. It is ging to work exactly the same way that ESPN's edition worked; there will be four brackets, the Larry Bird Bracket, the Bobby Orr Bracket, the Ted Williams Bracket and the John Hannah Bracket.
The Larry Bird Bracket Consists of the following matchups:
David Ortiz Vs. Tedy Bruschi
Zdeno Chara Vs. Paul Pierce
Curt Schilling vs. Randy Moss
Ellis Hobbs vs. Tony Allen

The Bobby Orr Bracket consits of the following matchups:
Kevin Garnett vs. Manny Ramirez
Richard Seymour vs. Daisuke Matsuzaka
Laurence Maroney vs. Hideki Okajima
Phil Kessel vs. Rajon Rondo

The Ted Williams Bracket consists of:
Tom Brady vs. Josh Beckett
Glen Murray vs. Jon Lester
Adalius Thomas vs. Ray Allen
Rosevelt Colvin vs. Asante Samuel

Last But not least the John Hannah Bracket consists of:
Jonathan Papelbon vs. Rodney Harrison
Patrice Bergeron vs. Tim Wakefield
Manny Fernandez vs. Matt Light
Kendrick Perkins vs. Vince Wilfork

Every couple of days voting will take place on these matchups so let the voting begin!

the Bronx Bombers to close for comfort

Two Words: Sox Bullpen. One name: Eric Gagne. One Month: August. When you combine these three things you get a slumping Sox team who is only four games infront of the Yankees who are on fire. Now who do I put the blame on? Eric Gagne who has a 15.75 ERA and is absolutely horrible? No im not gonna blame him because I actually think it still was a good trade and he will come around. Should I blame Terry Francona? I mean he keeps putting Gagne in game after game and he keeps blowing it. Mr. Francona you get 20% of the blame. The rest of the blame goes to 3 other people involved in the Red Sox organization and the month of August. These 3 people are Theo Epstein, Red Sox Nation and of course Willy Mo Pena. First off Theo, I love the trade for gagne because I think he will eventually come around and be a great setup man for number 58. I still would have liked to see Jermaine Dye in a Sox uniform because I believe he would be able to help a slumping offense. Next on my blame game is Red Sox Nation. I have read many blogs about this series of events over the past weekend and have seen little to no support for the sox on these sites. The Yankees fans are going crazy calling us out and the members of Red Sox Nation aren't showing up. Don't sit there all quite RSN, speak up and tell the world why we are better then them. I know we do not have a lot to be happy about right now but KEEP THE FAITH!!!!! Last but not least Willy Mo Pena. I just want to blame him because he is awful. I wanted him traded but of course not Theo, we have to keep him. He is like the Brian Scalabrine of the Sox, he sits on the bench and contributes once every 30 games.

As a closing statement let me just say this, Don't give up on the Sox. The Yankees cannot keep hitting the way they are and their starting pitching will eventually kill them. Gagne will come around and our bullpen will be awesome once again. This will be the same for our offense and Ortiz will be clutch once again. So Sox fans keep the faith and not only root for the Sox against Tampa Bay but root for the Orioles against the Yankees. And of course Boo Willy Mo.

Who do you think is to Blame for this Red Sox Collapse? Blog it up!

Pats Vs. Bucs

This is it folks. Football Season is here. Sure its pre-season but if your like me the more football the better. Plus who doesn't like watching players fight for a roster spot? Now I know that Tom Brady will propbably be in the game for only a few minutes, same with Maroney and the other staters, and Randy Moss might not even play but there are still a lot of good stories that can come out of this game. These stories range from what role is rookie Brandon Meriweather going to take on the defense to how is the newly signed Patriot tight end Marcellus Rivers going to look. There is also the umltimate question on offense, which wide reciever is going to get cut. My bet is Reche Caldwell because we brought in such talent in the wide reciever department and with jabar gaffney having a post season like he did last year you do not want to lose that talent.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers also have many questions that need to be answered before the regular season starts. Who will be the Bucs stating QB? My bet is it will be Jeff Garcia seeing that he had such a great season last year with the Eagles and he is a great veteran to have for future Bucs' quaterbacks Bruce Gradkowski and Chris Simms. Also another question will be how does newly acquired Cato June fit in with the Bucs defense. He was a great pick up by the Bucs and there should be no problem but with a new team there might be some chemistry problems between June and some of the other defensive players.

Prediction: the score of tonight's game will be Patriots 28 Bucs-13

Miller Time

For all you Celtics fans out there, Danny Ainge is up to his antics once again. Mr. Ainge recently talked to Reggie Miller about coming out of retirement and signing with the Celtics. Miller, who is turning 42 this month, retired two years ago from the Indiana Pacers and has been a broadcaster for TNT ever since. Now the question is, does Danny Ainge have any idea what he is doing? For once in my life I believe he does. Right now The Celtics have the big three KG, Ray Allen and the Truth and if you add a man who is very clutch, holds the career record for most 3-point field goals made (2,560) and is hungry for a championship it will be very hard to beat them. Sure he is turning 42 but he still is in great physical condition. This would be a win win situation for Reggie and the Celtics.

Now I know there are gonning to be some of you who disagree with me and think that he is to old so let me hear it! Start posting your opinions now!

Glavine's 300 more important than Bond's 755?

Yesterday, Met's pitcher Tom Glavine got his 300th win and also this past weekend Bary Bond's hit his 755th homerun to tie Hank Aaron as the alltime homerun leader. Now with these two events happening so close to eachother which one is more important? From my perspective, I believe Mr. Glavine's 300th win is more important than Mr. Bond's 755th homerun. 300 wins is a hard thing to achieve, especially in today's baseball world in which the bullpen collects a lot of wins and starting pitchers do not complete many games. Also when your a starting pitcher you only get the chance to win a game once every five days, while if your a hitter you will probably have at least 3 at bats every game to hit a homerun and an occasional day off. It will also be a while before we see another 300 game winner, the closest pitcher on the list is the Big Unit with 284 wins but he is out with back surgery and most of the other pitchers that are close are over 40 which means they will retire soon. This is the same with the homerun chase, no one will achieve Mr. Bonds' tarnished record for a while, most sports shows however, have already written AROD in the record book as the one to surpass Bonds which kinds of takes the fun out of it.

Now I know that many of you who read this will get angry and say that the homerun title is the greatest achievement in baseball but when you respond to this post think about this, good pitching and defense wins championships.

Schil is back on the hill

Tonight, August 6th, Curt Schilling takes the mound to try to improve his record to 7-4 against the Angels (64-46) who lead the AL west. This will be a very important series for the Red Sox for multiple reason; they need to keep the 7 game lead they have infront of the Yankees who are heating up, they need to see how Schilling is pitching when he comes back and this series could potentially be a matchup in the playoffs. Now the Red Sox swept the Angels at the beginning of the season in a 3 game series but this is a different Angels team. On the mound against Schilling is Angels starting pitcher Jered Weaver who is 7-5 with a 4.00 ERA. From the looks of this matchup and how Schilling keeps telling the media that this is the best he has ever felt it should be win number 7 for Schill.

Is AROD's 500th homerun a big deal?

As many of you sports fans out there know, Alex Rodriguez hit the big 500 today. But is 500 such a big number in today's world? There have already been 22 major league baseball players who have hit 500 home runs and by the end of this season the number will probably grow to 25. 500 homeruns use to be a set number for players to get into the hall of fame but with the steroid scandal and so many more players closing in on the big 500 will it still be the number to achieve in the future? From my perspective, I believe this number is still great but the new 500 will be 600. Only 5 players have hit more than six hundred homeruns, Slammin' Sammy Sosa being the most recent, and Ken Griffey Jr. is the only major league baseball player who is even close to achieving such greatness. With more and more power hitting players coming into MLB, there will be a lot more individuals achieving 500 making 600 that much better. So, as of right now, a-rod i am not impressed.

Now its your turn to state your opinion. Is 500 still hall of fame worthy? Is 600 the next step? Let the Discussion begin!