September 2006 Archives

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

A winning record three weeks into the season has The Victim riding high and feeling good about himself.

Our pigskin prognosticator is crowing pretty loudly and saying by the time the year’s out, he’s going to make a mockery of this blog by posting a record high winning percentage. He’s also threatening to take his services away, move to Vegas and strike it rich in Sin City.

Of course, the last time The Victim finished a season on the plus side, Sha Na Na was considered a cool band. So my advice is stick with the system and pretty soon you will be rewarded with a little extra spending cash around the holidays.

On to this week’s picks:

Dallas (-9) over Tennessee
New England (+6) over Cincinnati
Seattle (+3) over Chicago
Green Bay (+9) over Philadelphia

Last week’s record: 2-2
Season record: 9-6

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The Red Sox will not be the only ones on the outside looking in during the playoffs. Former Red Sox ace Pedro Martinez will also be watching the playoffs this year as the New York Mets found a torn tendon in his left calf that will end his season.

Martinez would have been a candidate to pitch the opening game of the National League Divisional Series next week. The Mets have clinced the NL East title and come into today with a record of 94-65 -- tops in the NL.

He finishes the season with a record of 9-8 and an earned run average of 4.48 in 23 starts. Martinez had stints on the disabled list this season for a hip injury and for a right calf injury.

Martinez a three-time Cy Young Award winner was 15-8 in 2005 with an ERA of 2.82, and won 16 games in 2004 with the Red Sox.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

It’s the one strategy that can sink your fantasy team before the year even starts…the one most “experts� avoid like the plague…the one most fantasy also-rans fall victim to year after year. We’re talking, of course, about selecting players from the hometown team.

You know what I’m talking about. Doesn’t every league have at least one guy who can’t seem to draft enough Patriots? Heck, I once had someone call Vincent Brisby’s name in the 3rd round. And this year, I saw a guy use a late 2nd rounder on “budding superstar� Ben Watson. Talk about making a donation to the league treasury!

The problem is we tend to overrate our own players. (Kind of like Theo Epstein) It’s only natural. We’re bombarded with glowing newspaper accounts and television reports about “so-and-so� working his butt off in the off-season and wowing his coaches with his tremendous training camp. Then the stiff goes out and lays an egg a dodo bird would be proud of.

My advice; avoid the locals whenever possible, unless they’re available at least 2 or 3 rounds beyond where you think they should be drafted. Let someone else overvalue them. Now I know it’s too late for that particular advice, but here’s where it could help you; identify the homer in your league and sucker him into trading you a better player for the “privilege� of rooting on the hometown hero.

In these parts, the Patriots take the example to a new level. Ask yourself; how many fantasy superstars has Bill Belichick produced?

Tom Brady’s had his moments (2005 comes to mind) but I don’t know too many owners who’ve collected cash thanks to Tom Terrific. Corey Dillon had a very good year in 2004, but chances are someone took him earlier than they should have. If not, they most certainly did in ’05. And then there are the receivers and tight ends. Even when the Pats have a potential stud at one of those spots, Belichick’s “spread the wealth� game planning will drag him down to mediocrity faster than you can say Deion Branch.

So identify the biggest yahoo in your league. Talk up that New England underachiever you have on your roster. Wait for the one week where the game plan features him and allows huge numbers. Keep the free booze flowing. Then pounce like Star Jones on a pork chop!

You just might end up with a 12-15 TD performer in return for Doug Gabriel, Ben Watson. If you're lucky, you won't have to throw in Vincent Brisby!

What are your thoughts on having Patriots players on your fantasy team? Do you welcome them with open arms, or avoid them? Has anyone ever ridden a “flying Elvis� to a fantasy league championship?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Fall is in the air, and that means winter is around the corner. Actually, in New England that really means winter is here, but just hasn’t smacked us upside the head yet.

That smack will be accompanied by the sound of basketballs bouncing as hoop season nears. The Boston Celtics are gearing up for training camp to kickoff next week and the first preseason game on Oct. 10 in Cleveland.

As the season approaches we’ll be giving you more from the players and staff, but here are some of the preliminary things for Celtics fans to look for.

Health issues minimal as season starts
As of Wednesday the Celtics are saying that the only player who is not at full strength is third-year guard Delonte West. He has had back problems for the last few weeks and has been around the team’s facility in Waltham, mostly watching and riding the stationary bike.

Kendrick Perkins (left shoulder), Al Jefferson (right ankle), and Paul Pierce (left elbow) all had “successful minor arthroscopic surgery� since the end of last season. Pierce, who signed a contract extension on July 18, has been working out in Las Vegas. Jefferson and Perkins have been working out in Boston in recent weeks.

Guys will get comfortable on the bench
One of the criticisms of head coach Doc Rivers last season was that there was no set rotation and that the team may have been trying to look at too many guys in game action at the detriment of others. This season Doc and Executive Director of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge have indicated that this will most likely not be the case this season. Specifically, Ainge says he believes a group of young players will “separate themselves� from the pack.

Don’t expect moves for the sake of moves
The average age of the Celtics players is 24 years old, but Ainge has said repeatedly that he is not interested in adding veterans for the lone fact that they’re veterans. He insists he is always looking for ways to make his team better, but bringing in a more experienced guy, who may have not have a higher talent level than the current players, is of no interest to him.

Upgrades to the Gaaaahden
The TD Banknorth Garden has undergone several upgrades since the end of last season. Included in the changes are upgrades to the sound system, the facades along the concourse and concession areas, as well as a first among NBA arenas. The Garden will be the first arena to have a completely high definition scoreboard monitor system.

The Celtics have also lowered prices on some of the seating areas that were previously $40 down to $20.

How are you folks in cyber space feeling about the Celtics this season? Are there questions that they need to answer this season? Players on the hot seat? Coach on the hot seat?

Dump Manny? That’s the question that will be on the minds of Red Sox fans and brass alike this offseason. It may be easier said than done. Our sparring partners take a look at both sides now...

Dennis Whitton: Well, this year Dave, our old pal Manny Ramirez quit on his teammates in early August. What will it be next year, June? It’s high time and then some to get rid of this idiot savant, take 10 cents on the dollar for him or whatever. He’s already issued his annual off-season trade demand, so what’s the holdup?

David Pevear: The big holdup is Big Papi. Without Ramirez coming up next, opponents would have no reason to pitch to David Ortiz in any crucial situation if it could be avoided. Ortiz would hit 60 solo homers and walk 300 times next season. Ortiz without Ramirez would be like Tom Brady without David Givens and Deion Branch. And how is that looking?

Whitton: Get some table-setters on in front of the Papi-nator and they won’t be walking him. Manny’s act has worn as thin as a Fathead. It’s time for Theo Epstein to earn his pay and put a couple packages together to get Ramirez out of town and Andruw Jones into town. That will take care of anybody trying to put Ortiz on base via the intentional base on balls.

Pevear: Now is not the time for the Manny-coddlers upstairs to all of a sudden develop high Yankee-like ideals. The Red Sox have made it this far on Ramirez’s eight-year, $160 million gift from Dan Duquette. They might as well stick it out for the final two years. No way they can scrape Manny off their shoes and hope to stick close to New York in 2007.

Whitton: Stick close to New York? The way this team is constituted they would be lucky to stick close to Tampa Bay in 2007. The pitching staff is either too old or too young, the lack of depth has been exposed ad naseum since the Yankee Massacre, the great defensive infield of Loretta, Gonzalez and Lowell may all be gone next year, and Wily Mo Pena is penciled in as your everyday right fielder. The Sox will not be sticking close to the Yankees next year Dave, believe me. With only two years left to pay Ramirez, somebody (like theAngels?) may be willing to take him off our hands, and we can spread that money around to fill the multitude of leaks that the good ship BoSox has sprung.

Pevear: Because only two years remain on Manny’s contract, he does become more affordable to other big-spending teams. But no team will give up anything approaching equal value for Manny, particularly sensing Boston’s desperation to unload its problem. And even if the Red Sox were to free up Manny’s millions, there is no great pitching out there to spend it on. This is why Theo Epstein is so in love with the promise of Jon Lester, Craig Hansen and Manny Delcarmen. The Red Sox’s best bet to unload Manny is to find a team also looking to unload a hefty superstar contract. How about Manny to the Yankees for Alex Rodriguez?

Whitton: I’d take that in a heartbeat, Dave, but I don’t think the Yankees need any more outfielders or DH’s. They seem to be pretty well stocked in those departments. It’s just too bad the Yanks don’t have any healthy pitchers, or they might make it to the World Series this year. Instead, it’s going to be another chapter in the shoulda-coulda-woulda story of the Bombers.

Pevear: The Yankees’ thin pitching proves there is no pitching out there to be bought. If it were out there, the Yankees would have bought it. The Red Sox should pencil Manny into the cleanup spot for another two years and remain competitive while developing their young pitchers. Just have Theo and Terry Francona crawl on their bellies to Manny and beg him to please play. He might say yes.

What are your thoughts on the Manny Ramirez debate? Which of these guys scored a knockout...Whitton or Pevear?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Terrell Owens addressed the media at 3:35pm and denied attempting suicide. He thanked god for allowing him to be there (alive at the presser) and apologized to the Cowboys organization for the distraction.

When pressed as to why he said “yes� when police asked if he tried to harm himself, Owens claimed he wasn’t really in a frame of mind to be aware what was going on around him and that his recollection of events is fuzzy. T.O. categorically denied being depressed and said he caught passes in practice Wednesday and intends to play football this Sunday.

Kim Ethridge, Owens’ publicist and the woman who called 911, then took the podium to dispute facts in the police report. She denied telling police the receiver was depressed. Then she claimed this was a case of people “taking advantage of� Owens. “If it were anyone else, it wouldn’t be a big deal.� When pressed on that statement, she appeared to backpedal, got flustered and walked off the podium shortly thereafter.

T.O. returned to thank Dallas fire and rescue, along with family, friends and former teammates for reaching out to him. His final remark was “I should be ready to practice tomorrow.� And with that, the podium was empty

Without having heard from authorities responding to the emergency call, I don’t know quite what to make of all this. The initial reaction is to call it an accident followed by a misunderstanding in all the confusion. If Owens really did try to commit suicide, only to respond the way he did today and look as physically stable and coherent as he did at the press conference, it points to an individual more troubled than we thought.

There are a lot of rumblings about people in San Francisco and Philadelphia not being at all surprised that Owens would attempt suicide. Some reports even have those teams approaching him about getting help. I usually say “where there’s smoke there’s fire,� but T.O. did not appear to me like a guy who attempted suicide last night.

Was this incident an accident or suicide attempt? Was it a cry for attention or a cry for help? Either way, T.O. better be sincere in his apologies or he’s not going to like the reaction he gets from his coach. Bill Parcells will respond with compassion if he thinks Owens is trying to seek help (he’s done it before with Lawrence Taylor).

But if Parcells perceives this as just another act in the T.O. circus, look out. The long-anticipated clash between the two giant egos could be one for the ages, making today’s game of he said/she said look like child’s play.

What’s your opinion? Did T.O. attempt suicide? Who’s telling the truth in this story? Should he be allowed to play or should he have to undergo some kind of mental evaluation before returning to the field?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

The Terrell Owens saga has officially turned from comedy to tragedy.

A Dallas police report claims Owens attempted suicide last night by ingesting painkillers and was rushed to the hospital to have his stomach pumped. The report said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'" (Get the full story at ESPN.com)

However, friends and sources close to Owens deny the report, saying the Cowboys receiver just suffered an adverse reaction to the prescription pain-killers he was taking for his broken finger and supplements he ingested. Owens himself, laughed off the report.

What’s the truth? Who knows? The police report relies on statements made by a friend who was with Owens at the time. Publicist Kim Ethridge says she was with Owens and called authorities, but is now telling the media the police got the story wrong.

As I’m writing this, Bill Parcells is facing the media and offering no insight, claiming he’ll fill us in as soon as he knows something. Parcells also seems to be distancing himself and doesn't appear very sympathetic to the situation, almost as if he's tired of the circus and won't be a part of it. T.O. himself is scheduled to speak at 3:15, where we may get his story. Whether we’ll get the real story is another matter.

I’ll be back with an update after the Owens press conference.

Till then, any thoughts? Can the T.O. saga get any more bizarre?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Contrary to the title of the post, this isn’t an attempt to describe the type of pitcher I think Matt Clement is.

Not that I’ve changed my mind on the matter, but when I started this blog I promised not only to voice strong opinions, but to also step up and admit when I’m wr-wr…when I’m wr-wr…when I’m wr-wrrrrr-wr-wrrrrr….wrong. There…I said it!

I owe Matt Clement an apology for insinuating he wasn’t really hurt as bad as he was making it out to be and that he simply couldn’t handle the heat of pitching in Boston, so he decided to get out of the kitchen and collect his oversized paycheck. I’m not alone in my sorrow, mind you. Plenty of other area media types put the same belief on record, and countless others thought it but wouldn’t go on the record with it.

Turns out the righty has some serious damage in his pitching shoulder, damage that was discovered during exploratory surgery performed by noted surgeon Dr. Andrews. (Is it me, or does he treat every injured athlete?) Tears in both the labrum and rotator cuff make Clement unlikely to pitch next season as well, meaning his Red Sox career is probably over. (His contract runs through 2007)

So Matt, if you’re listening, I’m sorry for doubting the severity of your injury. I still don’t think you were going to make it here in Boston, but I wish you a speedy recovery and hope you do well wherever you end up. (O.K., so my apologies can use some touching up in the “graciousness� department, but at least I’m no Ron Borges!)

One question; exactly what is going on with the Red Sox medical department? They couldn’t figure this out or try a different approach to diagnose the problem months ago? Where are my medical professionals out there? Help me out here!

Also, what are your thoughts on the Matt Clement era in Boston? Is it over? If so, are you glad?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Who says race car drivers aren’t really athletes? (I think I did)

Michael Simko completed the most athletic maneuver in the history of auto racing, and it was all caught on camera. During Sunday’s ARCA stock car race at Toledo Speedway (bonus points for anyone who can tell me what ARCA stands for), Simko was forced into a wall by Don St. Denis. Not content waiting for Denis to exit his car before taking a shot at him, Simko ran toward the vehicle and jumped feet first through the front windshield, earning perfect marks for execution and imagination.

From there the “ARCA Acrobat� tried to get at his adversary through a more conventional opening, the driver’s side window, touching off a wild fight that would have made the Big Bad Bruins proud. Helmets were thrown, fists were exchanged, and both drivers were suspended indefinitely, though it’s not yet known whether they’ve also been placed on double secret probation. (You can catch the entire story as well as a video clip of the altercation here)

To me, the incident proves what happens to the human mind when it’s forced to endure deafening engine decibel levels while turning left for 3-hours!

Did anyone see this video? How cool was that? Would the guarantee of such incidents every week make you more likely to watch auto racing? Does anyone know where Ricky Bobby finished in the race?

Bring it on NASCAR Nation!!!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

A year after Hurricane Katrina blew the roof off the stadium, the Saints returned to bring down the house.

I don’t mean to get too corny or witty writing about what was a tragedy. After seeing the devastation that hit New Orleans and the sickening sights from the stadium-turner-shelter, I’m actually quite shocked pro football was able to return so quickly. Some argued it never would, and still more said it never should.

I have to admit to being one of the latter. There was a time I found it hard to believe football mattered to the people of New Orleans. There was, and still is, far too much work to be done without worrying about repairing a playground for a bunch of millionaires. How could people even think about pouring hundreds of millions into a stadium when so many remain without homes? I heard residents of the Big Easy speak about how important the Saints were to the region’s morale, but I really didn’t get it.

And then I watched Monday Night Football. If you didn’t see the entire show, pre-game and all, I doubt words can do it justice. You hear about a venue being filled with electricity. This was something totally different. You could almost feel it coming out of your television set. Players and coaches say they’ve never been in a louder venue. Often times, those are just words. They weren’t kidding on this night. The crowd was amazing and never let up till the final whistle. Watching residents with tears in their eyes, if you didn’t feel something move inside you, you’re not human.

Pro football is back in New Orleans, and so are the Saints. Count me among those who’ve changed their mind and think that’s great news!

P.S. I’ve never been a big U2 fan. It’s not that I think their music stinks. It just doesn’t do much for me. Except when Bono is rocking the Superdome.

I was there for the emotional Super Bowl halftime performance after 9/11. It was then I first realized why people shelled out big bucks to see the band perform live. They were awesome. The only question in my mind was whether I really liked the performance, or if I just got caught up in the moment, with the scrolling names of the victims in the background and all.

I’m still likely to flip the station when a U2 song comes on the radio, but once again, Bono reminded me last night how good he can be in a live setting, and how he feeds off the emotion and the crowd feeds off him.

I won’t run out and buy any of their albums, but if the government were to enact a law making U2 the mandatory performers for any emotionally charged big event, they won’t get an argument from me.

Did you see all the festivities Monday night? What did you think? Tell me you didn’t feel a chill run down your spine? Can the Saints feed off that energy all year?

What about U2? Why is it I can’t get into them on radio, but I find them fascinating live?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Drowning my sorrows in a six-pack of observations:

The dynasty days are done: No longer can we expect opposing teams to melt like the Wicked Witch of the West when confronted by Belichick, Brady and the rest of the “flying Elvis� crew in Foxboro. Where it used to be a Patriots blowout or close shave victory, now it’s the home team getting nicked-up and left bleeding on Gillette Stadium turf whenever a quality foe visits “The Razor.�

Tom Brady needs a hug: I can see the line of volunteers forming already. (Ladies, please…no Fighting!)

The Pats QB already admitted to being distracted against Buffalo, but the Denver debacle was another matter, as distraction turned to dejection. Tom Terrific hung his head more often than a frat boy doing the morning walk of shame after seeing last night’s “conquest� without benefit of beer goggles.

I realize Bill Belichick isn’t exactly the touchy-feely type, but he may want to send a little love his franchise quarterback’s way. Love, of course, being defined as a threatening wide receiver.

Rice’s record cooked: Speaking of receivers, my favorite little tidbit from the entire weekend of football was New Hampshire wideout David Ball hauling in 3-TD passes in a win over Dartmouth. The trifecta gives the senior from Orange, Vermont 50-TD receptions for his career, tying him for the top spot on the Division 1-AA all-time list.

Ball, along with all-world QB Ricky Santos, has been the driving force behind the Wildcats amazing run since 2004. The tiny school in Durham, NH, where the players actually have to go to class, has made two consecutive post-season appearances and is currently ranked number one in the country. They’ve even beaten Division One foes each of the last two years, including a 34-17 thrashing of Big-Ten bowl participant, Northwestern earlier this month.

Wondering who shares the record Ball is about to shatter? Some dude named Jerry Rice.

Red Sox in the playoffs: Well, not anyone from the current edition, but more than a few you’ve rooted for before.

I’ll leave the Johnny Damon thing alone. The Mets World Series chances rest on the shoulder of Pedro Martinez. If the Dodgers are still playing next week, you’ll be able to see Nomar Garciaparra (having fun again), Derek Lowe (why did we offer Matt Clement more than him?) and Grady Little (gone but not forgotten…or forgiven). Even the Padres boast Dave Roberts, Josh Bard and Cla Meredith. (Bard & Meredith for Mirabelli? Lucy, you have some splainin’ to do!)

Giambi the role model: I get why the Yankees are disappointed in Alex Rodriguez. If Joe Torre, Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams or Mariano Rivera want to rip him, no objections here. They’ve earned the right.

Tell me again where Jason Giambi gets the nerve to spout off though? Does hypocrisy come in needle or cream form these days?

Sunk across the pond: Once again, the Euros beat us like a rented mule at the Ryder Cup. Don’t know about you, but I couldn’t care less. The format is kind of silly, to be honest.

Alternating shots? What’s that all about? "Hey kids, play nice. Stewart, you’ll get your turn to hit the ball right after little Davis does. Eldrick, you put that club down right now and stop beating Phil over the head with it, you hear me?�

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Final Score
Broncos 17
Patriots 7

Teddy’s Take: Still think you can win against quality NFL opponents by using 3-tight ends and running backs as the basis of your passing attack?

I normally take what television announcers say with a grain of salt. They focus on a theme and then harp on it ad nauseum. However, Chris Collinsworth was right on last night when he said he didn’t like what he was seeing from Tom Brady’s body language. Those were my thoughts exactly.

There is no bigger optimist or team guy on the Pats than Brady. He will not say a bad word about a teammate if you threatened him with torture. The same goes for his coach and the organization. However, you get the feeling he’s growing increasingly frustrated with what’s going on around him and it’s affecting his play. You seriously have to wonder what’s going through his mind now that he’s sacrificed his money for the good of the team, only to have the team fail to spend that money in a way that’s good for the QB.

He already admitted to being distracted in the opener. I’ve never seen Brady consistently misfire over a 3-game period like this before. He’s not finding many open receivers and even when he does, he’s making bad throws far more often than we’re used to seeing.

Is it simply a matter of becoming more familiar with the new guys around him? I’m sure that’s part of it. But he certainly never had a hard time adjusting to new parts in years past, did he? I’m willing to bet it’s more a case of the new players simply not being good enough to make the plays required to beat a team like the Broncos as opposed to the Bills and Jets.

For more on the game, be sure to check out David Pevear’s recap in today’s Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com.

In Detention: We hand out stars to the forehead after victories, but with the first loss of the season it’s time to put some players in detention. First off, let’s keep the entire pass rush after school. No sacks and barely any pressure against Jake Plummer? Come on now, the Steelers were all over him in the AFC Championship and he looked awful against the Rams and Chiefs this year. Ironically, the one time Richard Seymour looked like he had him was when Jake the Snake uncorked the 84-yard TD to Javon Walker that, for all intents and purposes, ended the festivities.

Let’s also keep James Sanders around for some extra credit work. The backup safety was pressed into service due to injury and was picked on like a red-headed stepchild. Give Denver credit…they saw a weakness and went after it. But New England historically suffers tons of injuries in the secondary, so if the backups can’t do a better job, there’s a lot more trouble ahead.

Finally, Stephen Gostkowski gets a little slap with the yardstick for having his second consecutive field goal blocked. Usually when kicks are batted away, it’s the result of poor blocking or a low kick made necessary by the long distance between the kicker and the goal post. Neither has been the case, as Gostkowski has now twice unleashed low kicks from short distances. Don’t know if it’s a mental problem yet, but he’d better correct it before it becomes one. We don’t need to be reminded who he’s replacing.

Quality Quote: “It was tough the way the season ended last year and we wanted to put out a good performance and to beat this team. To come out and play like we did, they were able to do the things they did and that’s very disappointing.‿—Tedy Bruschi

What are your thoughts? Did this game change your mind about the 2006 Patriots? Is Tom Brady going through a slump or is it the lack of receivers causing the Pats passing game to sputter? Will they rebound vs. the Bengals or is 2-2 on the horizon?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

The Red Sox playoff chances mathematically passed away last night after a long battle with indifference.

The team will be publicly waked at Fenway Park Funeral Home. Calling hours are Tuesday-Saturday from 7:05pm till somewhere between 10:00-10:30. A funeral service will be held Sunday at 2:05pm, after which the team will be buried along with all the goodwill built up from the 2004 Worlds Series victory.

In lieu of flowers, ownership asks that you make financial contributions directly to the Boston Red Sox, c/o “The Sucker Fund‿, Yawkey Way, Boston, MA. You can also contribute by paying for your overpriced season tickets well in advance to allow the Sox to collect millions in interest payments or by ponying up ridiculous sums of cash for the right to wear pink hats and the uniforms of players who will no longer be around since they’re not going to pay market rates to keep them.

Feel free to post your remembrances of the 2006 Boston Red Sox on this message board!

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

UMass Lowell has announced Tom Fitzgerald, a Billerica native who recently ended a 17-year NHL career, has been named an assistant coach on the staff of head hockey coach Blaise MacDonald.

A former first round pick, 17th overall, Fitzgerald was selected by the New York Islanders in the 1986 NHL Draft. He was selected by the Florida Panthers in the 1993 expansion draft, and spent the next five seasons in Florida. Fitzgerald enjoyed his best offensive seasons while with the Panthers, scoring a career-best 18 goals in 1993-94 and totaling career-highs for both assists (21) and points (34) in 1995-96 when he made his only appearance in a Stanley Cup Final.

After a brief stint with the Colorado Avalanche, Fitzgerald played the next four seasons with the Nashville Predators (1998-02) and served as the club’s first captain in 1998-99. After two years with the Toronto Maple Leafs he played the 2005-06 season, his final one in the NHL, with the Boston Bruins.

"It's a lot of work to play in the NHL. Believe me, there has been a lot more talented players than me that came through the league who didn't play as long as I did," Fitzgerald told The Sun's Barry Scanlon when he announced his retirement back on Sept. 12. "Other than winning the Stanley Cup I accomplished everything I could have wanted to accomplish. I played in over 1,000 games. I was basically a grinder."

In addition to his work with the River Hawks, Fitzgerald will also work as a studio analyst for select Bruins telecasts on the New England Sports Network (NESN) during the 2006-07 season.

"I wanted to go out as a Boston Bruin. I'm thrilled to retire as a Boston Bruin," Fitzgerald told Scanlon. "I wanted to stay in the game."

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

As mentioned a few days ago, our pigskin prognosticator has somehow managed to defy the odds through the first two weeks of the NFL season. Fear not, however. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut from time to time. By the time this NFL season is over, The Victim will have few snacks left for winter hibernation.

Anyway, on to The Victim’s picks for this week’s television slate:

Pittsburgh (-1 ½) over Cincinnati
Seattle (-3 ½) over NY Giants
New England (-7) over Denver
New Orleans (+3 ½) over Atlanta

Last week: 1-3
Season record: 7-4

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Proving he either a)responded to my challenge or b)never read or heard a word I said, he’s just a great hitter (If I had to guess, I’d say “B�...LOL), David Ortiz shattered the Red Sox single-season home run mark last night.

Big Papi drilled #51 on the season off Twins starter Johan Santana (talk about doing it in style) to break the Red Sox record of 50 held by Jimmie Foxx. That the record stood since 1938 makes Papi’s feat even more remarkable. It’s not like the Red Sox haven’t had their share of great power hitters pass through the Fenway clubhouse. In a way, it’s surprising the mark stood for 68-years, though I can’t think of a better guy to break it.

Apparently, neither could Red Sox Nation. Did you see the reaction from the fans, his teammates and Terry Francona? And then to have Johnny Pesky embrace him like that, it really drove home how special an occasion this was and how special a person Ortiz is.

He may not win the MVP this year, but we know his value to the Red Sox.

What are your thoughts on David Ortiz’ breaking the Sox single season home run record? Where does this rank in terms of all-time great years by a Boston hitter?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

A couple of quick thoughts regarding our favorite BALCO Boys;

The two reporters, Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams, who brought us the BALCO story were ordered to 18-months in prison (pending appeal) for refusing to reveal their source of secret grand jury testimony. How nice…scumbags Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi avoid jail time, but the judge sees fit to sentence two reporters who broke no laws. Chalk up one more for the U.S. legal system!

Speaking of Mr. Giambi, exactly when did he become a bastion of integrity and the Yankee way? Hey, look. It brings a smile to my face whenever I hear about discord in the Yanks clubhouse. If Joe Torre, Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams or Mariano Rivera want to rip A-Rod about his performance and attitude, more power to them. They’ve earned it. But for that admitted steroid user and “miraculous� comeback lowlife to shoot his mouth off…well, let’s just say it take a lot of cajones.

What are your thoughts on the BALCO reporters being sentenced to jail time? Should they divulge their source? What about the whole A-Rod vs. Yankees flap? What’s that all about?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Big Papi hit numbers 51 and 52. The last bit of drama is officially gone from the Red Sox season, but there are always "the kids" to look forward to.

This week the Red Sox announced some of the fall and winter ball assignments for this off-season.

Alvirne High School product Kyle Jackson will be one of six players from the Red Sox organization to play for Peoria and manager Luis Alicea in the Arizona Fall League.

Jackson, 23, appeared in 24 games for the Single-A Wilmington Blue Rocks this season, posting a 6-0 record with one save and an ERA of 1.59. In 45.1 innings pitched, he registered 67 strikeouts and walked 24 batters. With Double-A Portland he was 3-1 with an 2.45 ERA. Jackson struck out 36 batters in 36.2 innings while allowing 32 hits.

Former Spinner Jacoby Ellsbury will also be making the trip to Peoria. A left-handed outfielder, the 22-year-old Ellsbury hit .308 stole 16 bases and had 19 RBI in 50 games with the Portland. In 60 games with the Wilmington Blue Rocks this season, the 22-year-old Ellsbury hit .298 with four home runs and 32 RBI.

He was a member of the 2006 Carolina League All-Star team. He is listed by Baseball America as the “Best Defensive Outfielder, “Fastest Runner� and “Best Athlete� in the Red Sox organization in 2006.

Infielder Manny Arambarris and right-handed pitcher Mario Pena, both on the Spinners roster this past season, will be playing Winter League ball with Arambarris going to Caracas in Venezuela, and Pena pitching for Leon out of Nicaragua.

In a sign of the times for Red Sox Nation, tomorrow’s Red Sox starter Devern Hansack is also slated to pitch for Leon this winter.

Elsewhere, former Spinners outfielder Brandon Moss was selected the 2006 Eastern League Playoff Most Valuable Player last week.

In nine playoff games with the Portland Sea Dogs, Moss hit .361 with five home runs and 10 RBI's. In game four of the Northern Division Series he threw out a base runner in the ninth to keep the game tied. In the tenth, Moss belted a home run to send the Sea Dogs to the Eastern League Championship Series.

In Game four of the Eastern League Championship Series, Moss celebrated his 23rd birthday by smashing two home runs. As a Spinner in 2003, Moss batted .237 with seven homers and 34 RBI.

Any players you're excited about tracking this fall/winter? Prospects in a do-or-die situation this coming season? A guy who needs to step up to prime time?

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

TSN is reporting that Egvgeni Malkin has a dislocated left shoulder. It is not known how long he will be out. But he definitely will not play in the Pens home preseason game on Friday vs. the Capitals.

Other Pittsburgh news is Mark Recchi will also be sidelined with a broken left cheekbone. Recchi was on the receiving end of a high stick in the same game Malkin was injured. Recchi is not expected to miss the season opener on Oct. 5.

In case you missed it last week when our blog was down .....

Ex-Toronto enforcer Tie Domi announced his retirement from the league last week.

Domi's contract was bought out in June by Toronto and he has accepted a job with TSN - not sure what he he's going to do - judge fights on the ice?

12-year veteran Brian Savage has also announced his retirement today.
Having the chance to represent his country on the 1994 Canadian Olympic team that earned a silver medal was what he called the "highlight" of his career.
''I was very fortunate to be able to play 12 years with some great players,'' said Savage. ''Having the chance to represent my country is something that I will not forget and the highlight of my career was playing in the 1994 Winter Olympic Games.''

Also, the NHL has changed a few rules:

*Blades of sticks can now have a curve of 3/4 of an inch - which is up from 1/2 inch...
A player found to be using an illegal stick during regulation or overtime will receive a minor penalty and a $200 fine for the first offense. The fine for a second offense is $1,000. A third offense brings a game misconduct penalty and an automatic one-game suspension. The suspension would double in length for any subsequent violations.

*The home team will be given the choice of shooting first or second during shootouts.

*Punishment for diving — an embellishment in the attempt to draw a penalty — will be a $1,000 fine for a second offense and a possible suspension for a third offense. The length of the suspension would double for any subsequent violation.

That's it for now - but check back Saturday for my picks of the top fantasy players....

I'm particularly pleased with the diving rule change. Which pleases you the most? Do you care?

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

According to the Bruins' web site.... Zdeno Chara's x-ray came back negative...

"Anybody in that position would go down and block the shot. I know it's preseason, but, hey, why not start now…I had an x-ray. It's negative. It's just a bone bruise." Bruin Defenseman, Zdeno Chara

"Yah, he's coming on the trip…we can sleep now. It was a bit of a restless evening, once I got home from [Montreal] and I think Peter [Chiarelli] had the same thought process...if we had to play a regular season game tomorrow, I'm certainly sure he could play." Head Coach, Dave Lewis

In other Bruins news - eight players were sent down to Providence: forwards Jeremy Reich, Nate DiCasmirro, Wacey Rabbit, Dennis Packard, Chris Collins and T.J. Trevelyan and goalies Jordan Sigalet and Mike Brown.

The remaining 36 players on the roster will make the trip for the weekend series with the Islanders - Lewis also said goalies Toivonen and Thomas will each play a full game this weekend .

In other hockey news - Evgeni Malkin is making headlines again - but not because of his problems with his Russian club, but because he was injured in his debut with the Penguins.

According to TSN - The 20-year-old Russian centre suffered what the team called an ''upper body injury,'' possibly his left shoulder, after a violent collision with teammate John LeClair.

His much-anticipated NHL debut turned into a hospital visit after he was crunched by LeClair in a freak play. He had just finished making a dazzling pass to LeClair when the veteran winger, after missing a great scoring chance, crashed into the boards behind the net and took out Malkin in the process. The Russian catapulted over LeClair and landed hard on the ice. A hush came over the crowd as Malkin lay sprawled on the ice for 3-4 minutes.

Malkin went to the hospital - but no further info has been released at this time.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

You guys know what a mirage is as it relates to women, don’t you? It’s the chick that looks decent from a distance, but as you get closer you realize what you saw really isn’t there. You know what I’m talking about, right?

Well, that’s what the Detroit Lions offense is, and has been, to fantasy football players.

Perhaps no team has carried such offensive promise year after year…high draft picks left and right when you look at the skill positions. Joey Harrington, Charles Rogers, Roy Williams, Mike Williams, Kevin Jones. Every training camp you hear the same thing; this is the year these guys bust out and start putting up huge numbers.

Well, Harrington and Rogers are gone. But that didn’t stop the hype machine from shifting into overdrive for the 2006 Motor City madmen. That’s because Mike Martz, “The Offensive Genius,� was taking over as coordinator. Never mind that he’d usually blow all three of his timeouts midway through the 1st and 3rd quarters when he ran the Rams. Never mind that he stubbornly refused to run Marshall Faulk in the Super Bowl because he wanted to beat Bill Belichick “his way.�

“Just wait till you see what this brain surgeon will do for the Lions� we were told. John Kitna will morph into Johnny Unitas. Kevin Jones will play like Marshall Faulk. And start engraving Roy Williams’ bust for Hall of Fame weekend, 2020. The Lions offense was ready to roar.

Yeah, right!

A closer examination after two weeks shows Jones averaging 3-yards per carry, with 3-fumbles and the endzone remaining unchartered territory. Kitna is also a stranger to the goal line, posting a goose egg in the TD column while averaging a “whopping�230-yards passing. Roy Williams has at least put 9-receptions and 107-yards on the board, but like his teammates, he too would need Mapquest to find paydirt.

Granted, there’s often an adjustment period with any new system. And the opponents (Seahawks and Bears) bring very good defenses to the table. However, the early signs are not promising, especially for this owner who got fooled into drafting various combinations of these supposed studs in my three leagues.

The schedule shows Green Bay, St. Louis and Minnesota up next. If you don’t see signs of life, and soon, it’s time to cut your losses and realize these attractive “ladies� were never really there in the first place.

By the way, the monster you see in this large picture is the same one in the tiny photo on top…a true Mirage!

What’s your fantasy football take on the Detroit Lions? Is there hope for those of us who drafted these guys? As always, feel free to chime in with your fantasy related questions and suggestions for the upcoming week!

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

Zdeno Chara scored first for the Black and Gold, but according to TSN-Canada and BostonBruins.com - he left the game after the first period after blocking a shot by Sheldon Souray with his foot.

Now, I wasn't in Montreal and the game wasn't televised, so I can't say how hard the shot was, but Dave Lewis told TSN the following:
"He wanted to continue on in the game. The training staff felt it was best to ice it, elevate it and wrap it up. He was walking around fine after the game."

Sounds like a smart move to me since it's only preseason.

Toivonen got the start in net making 24 saves and letting up just one goal in 2 periods of play.

Now we all know I am not a big Toivonen fan, but if he plays like that most games I will be happy - maybe, just maybe last year was more of a lack of confidence in the defense in front of him thing and the game against the Devils - it was his first game played in 9 months.

Now, don't get me wrong I am not changing my tune on the goaltending - but as I have always said I would love for Toivonen and Tim Thomas to change my mind about being nervous about the goaltending tandem the Bruins are heading into the season with.

The Bs have a pair of games against the Isles this weekend, which again will not be televised. Right now the only televised game is the lone home game of the season - Sept. 30 vs the Rangers at 4 p.m.

What do you think about what the Bs have done so far this preseason? Does preseason matter in any sport let alone hockey?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

…or while we were sleeping. I’m sure someone was sleeping since our last discussion.

Here’s what you missed (or what I would have posted):

Week 2 saw the Patriots look both dominant and shaky at the same time. A win’s a win, and as I told you a few weeks ago, this team’s going to win a lot of games without looking dominant in the process. I still haven’t seen anything, however, to change my mind about this team not having enough weapons to win the whole thing. There’s still time to prove me wrong, but so far my prediction looks right on.

We’ve been told Bill Belichick didn’t want Eric Mangini to take the Jets job. New York papers are now reporting when Mangini returned to Foxboro from his interview with Woody Johnson, Belichick had already changed his defensive coordinator’s computer access code. If BB was really that bothered by the way Bill Parcells treated him, he should take a step back and realize he’s acting no better in regards to his “disciple.� He’s coming across as very petty.

The Victim went 1-3 on his pigskin picks after opening the season with a stunning 6-1 mark. For you math majors out there, that brings the season’s slate to 7-4, a revolting development for those of us who like to supplement our income going against his advice. All I can say is; it’s a long season. Water seeks its level. The Victim will be drowning in debt soon enough.

Did I already mention I hate Herm Edwards?

How long before Charlie Weis contacts Romeo Crennel about becoming his defensive coordinator at Notre Dame? You know poor Romeo’s going to be looking for work this offseason, don’t you?

Did anyone catch that debacle in the Oklahoma-Oregon game? If not, I’ll give you all you need to know. The refs signaled Oregon recovered an onsides kick, even though a Sooners player had picked up the loose football away from the scrum and was already walking toward the sidelines with it. They never even looked to see who had the ball before making the call. Even worse, when apprised of the mistake, no one in charge stepped forward to do anything about it. I’m not condoning violence, but I think I understand why Europeans sometimes beat their soccer refs to a pulp.

I’m happy to report no death threats yet from my David Ortiz column. Is that because most Red Sox fans have already killed themselves or because they agree with me?

Chime in with your thoughts…the phone lines are now open!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

I know what’s coming. I can hear the comments now.

“Prep the padded room. The goofy Greek’s lost all his marbles. He’s nuttier than Anne Heche post-Ellen.�

It’s one thing to razz the NASCAR crowd. (Where did Ricky Bobby finish in the Cup Chase, anyway?) You’ve probably forgiven me for pouring milk on the Coco Crisp bandwagon. (Why aren’t I getting many arguments about that one anymore?) Someday, you may even come over to the dark side regarding Theo Epstein. (Is that gorilla suit still handy?)

But this, this is downright blasphemy. Picking on a Boston sports icon while giving props to the mortal enemy? Start the “Fire Panos� letter to the editor campaign immediately!

Now I caution reporter wannabes out there. This is extremely dangerous. Do not try it at home. I am a trained professional. (So are circus monkeys, but that’s a matter for another day) Here goes;

David Ortiz should leave the MVP arguments to the voters and just play baseball.

In case you missed it, Ortiz was trying to state his case, in the process putting down Derek Jeter’s candidacy using arguments about power hitters being more valuable and saying Jeter benefits from being surrounded by superstars. He went on to question how well Jeter would do hitting in this (Red Sox) lineup.�

Jeter’s reply? “I’m not thinking about the MVP right now. We’re thinking about winning the division. No one here is focused on individual awards.�

To paraphrase Howard Cossell; Down goes Papi! Down Goes Papi! Down Goes Papi!

Forget for a moment that throughout most of Ortiz’ tenure with the Red Sox he’s been protected by one of the greatest hitters in history. (If I recall, didn’t Papi complain when Terry Francona temporarily flip-flopped him and Manny Ramirez in the batting order a few years back? He may occasionally say dumb things, but David’s no dummy!) Focus instead on this;

If David Ortiz really wants to be MVP, if he really wants those monstrous stats to be fully appreciated, he should grab a glove and put his body through the grind of playing 150+ games a year. Doesn’t even have to be at shortstop, the most physically demanding position other than catcher. A first baseman’s mitt will do just fine. Just like he used to do in Minnesota.

You remember those days, don’t you? 125, 130 games a year…many others missed because of nagging injuries…about 20 home runs…75-80 RBI’s? That was around the same time Jeter was carrying the pre-$200 million Yankees lineup (a bunch of “legends� named Brosius, Girardi, O’Neil, Tino and Knoblauch) to title after title.

Don’t misunderstand. I love Big Papi. He’s perhaps the greatest clutch hitter in Red Sox history. A fantastic teammate and clubhouse presence, I’m fully aware of what he’s meant to this franchise. Simply put; No David Ortiz= No 2004 World Series. Conversely, I hate the Yankees. Can’t stand Jeter and would love someone to wipe that arrogant, I’m Al Gore and I’m better than you, smirk off his face.

But right is right. Derek Jeter deserves MVP consideration this year and every year. For anyone to suggest otherwise is ludicrous. Unfortunately, David Ortiz spoke those words. Try as he might, it’s too late to take them back. We finally know the secret ingredient in Big Papi’s mango salsa.

Sour grapes!

What are your thoughts on the Ortiz-Jeter flare up? Who does deserve to be AL MVP? Should I go into the witness protection program for saying negative things about Big Papi?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Despite what you may have heard, we didn’t all go on vacation at the same time. Teddy did not go on strike. And neither Gayle nor I went to rehab. There was also no battle royal to see which of us would get top billing on the blogging marquee.

So what happened? Well, we all got sucked into a really long season of NCAA Football on PlayStation 2.

Okay that’s not true either.

The truth is the blog went through an updating process with all sorts of technical mumbo jumbo with servers and stuff that we’ll just chalk up to technical difficulties. However, for the record I did dive head-first into NCAA Football 06 (I haven’t picked up the 07 version yet).

Now that things are back up and running we’ll be hitting you up with the latest and greatest on the sports scene again every day. You may have seen that Teddy took David Ortiz to task in today’s paper, and I know Gayle was at the Bruins pre-season opener at Tsongas Arena.

Just give us a chance to recover from the wild late-night celebration and we’ll be lighting up the computer screen before you can say Roethlisberger.

Welcome back folks!!!

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

WOW - Lynn was right, I have soooooooo muuuuchchchch to say ....(y'all will read what I mean if and when Lynn can figure out how to post correctly LOL)

So, with out any further ado - allow me to endulge myself ;-)

First up ... the debacle of the preseason game - which kicked off the NHL season - at the Tsongas on Sunday.... The New Jersey Devils wiped the ice up with the Bruins defeating them 5-0, I wasn't surprised - Toivonen was in net for his first time in 9 months.

Now, before the Toivonen fans start to say "it's only preseason" - let me explain myself.

What I saw out of Toivonen was he was going down way to early and yes I know the Bruins took way too many penalties and Hannu didn't have much of a "D" infront of him - but to me he still LOOKED AWFUL!

Some Bruins fans seemed a bit upset that Chara and Kessel were not in the line up, but this reporter had the entire Bruins squad not dressed for the game sitting right in front of her - I am embarrassed to admit when I first saw Chara standing next to me - my mouth dropped open wider than Jenna Jamesen's.

I was literally in AWE of the man - he is HUGE!!!!! It was quite funny seeing him try to sit in the stands with his knees up to his chin, he had asked the security guy if he could sit at the table with me and I was not complaining, but the table was for press...so after he introduced himself to me, like I didn't know who he was!, he sat down in section T with the rest of his teammates.

I have to say, the Devils fans - and yes there were some in the stands - got a treat. Scott Gomez, Patrik Elias, Brian Rafalski all dressed for the game and saw #2 goalie Scott Clemmensen in net.

Here's what Claude Julien had to say after the game about playing in the Tsongas:

"It was nice for us to be able to come here and represent the organization, especially with the farm team here."

This was his response to Toivonen getting cheered when he would make a save and then the Devils getting some cheers of their own in the 3rd:

"If we came in here and slowly changed people's minds, that's great. It will make it easier for (the Lowell Devils) when they start. We know where we are, we are in Massachusetts and it's kind of normal that there would be that reaction, that they would be cheering for their home team - which will be our organization down the road."

The Bruins took out their revenge - with a much better line-up - out on Montreal last night, beating the Habs 5-2....

Marco Sturm led the scoring with 2 goals and an assist, Chara showed why the Bruins acquired him the first day of free agency with a goal and an assist. Phil Kessel had 2 helpers. Mark Mowers and Paul Mara had the other 2 goals for the Black and Gold. Tim Thomas got the start in net and made 18 saves on 19 shots.

I only wish the game was televised, or that tonight's game would be - but no, the way out of the Pennant Race, no way they're gonna make the playoffs - Red Sox are playing the Twins. All I have to say is thank god for Internet on my phone and NHL.com for having their up to the minute official score sheet up... funny how I had to tell John Bishop of BostonBruins.com about that, considering he was searching for ways to find the score....

I will leave you with this final thought, as I was walking to the game on Sunday - the newsroom isn't far from the Tsongas - I listened to ZOMBIE NATION (the Bruins goal song) about 150 times - obssessed much?

Anyone else out there as excited as I am that OPENING NIGHT is two weeks from tonight???

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

I’ve already cautioned you against reading too much into the NFL preseason. Now I’d like to warn you not to read too much into the first week of the regular season. That goes double for you Fantasy Football players out there.

That said, I’m getting a very bad vibe about Larry Johnson, not so much because of Trent Green’s injury and the offensive line problems compounded by Willie Roaf’s retirement. No, the biggest challenge facing LJ is Mr. Rourke’s…I mean Herm Edwards’…ability to turn fantasy giants into midgets.

Believe me, this one hits close to home. In my restaurant league, I had the choice of protecting either Johnson or LaDainian Tomlinson. Choosing between LJ and LT is like walking into your bedroom and seeing Charlize Theron on one side of the mattress and Hale Berry on the other. No matter which side of the sack you hop in, you’re getting a fantasy keeper.

I’m not so sure anymore. The Hermanator’s complete lack of offensive imagination, combined with his inability to manage a game properly (remember, they had to hire a game clock coordinator when he was with the Jets) could turn Johnson from stud to dud. Now, I’m not talking about a Kevin Faulk-type season. But I have a hard time believing LJ will be the 1,500+ yard and 20+ TD monster he should be.

My Charlize Theron is looking more and more like Julia Louise Dreyfus. And when you’ve passed on Charlize Theron, Elaine from Seinfeld is no consolation prize!

What are your Fantasy Football thoughts from Week 1? Am I right to worry about LJ? Who else will suffer or improve as a result of a coaching change?

Any Fantasy related questions for the week?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

I’m not going to get into the blame-game involving Deion Branch again. What I’d like to do here is put out a couple of quotes from Branch and Tom Brady, in case you missed them. This is Deion’s opening statement at his introductory Seahawks press conference:

“First and foremost, thank you all. I’d like to thank you all for giving me the opportunity to be here and be a part of this team. I’d also like to thank Mr. (Robert) Kraft, Coach (Bill) Belichick and Scott Pioli and the organization of the New England Patriots for drafting me and giving me the opportunity to be the player that I have excelled to be. Hopefully I can continue to be that player here with the Seattle Seahawks and deliver as such that I did with the New England Patriots and I will be ready and prepared to do that when my time comes. I would also like to thank the fans back in New England and also thank my teammates who have been a great big support of this whole process that I have been a part of. I’m going to miss those guys, but I think right now this is the most important thing now. I am a Seattle Seahawk and I’m proud. I’m ready to get going.�

Pretty much tells you all you need to know about what kind of player/teammate the Patriots are losing. By the way, for those who took exception to Branch’s “I have 3 kids to take care of� comment the other day, be advised one of his sons is disabled and will require a lifetime of special care.

Now then, the other comment that caught my eye comes from Tom Brady’s Wednesday meeting with the press;

"He meant a lot to me as a person and as a player he meant a lot to this organization. Part of it is just this crazy deal that we’re associated with. I don’t think I’ve become de-sensitized to it, I think it’s tough every time. For example, last week, I spent a lot of energy thinking about it. You look at the end of the week, it really wasted a lot of my time and a lot of my energy. It was a big mental drain and I think it affected the way I played. I just didn’t feel like I brought as much to the table as I normally could. That’s why I’m excited about this week – hey, I learned a good lesson, I’m going to go out there and try to do the best I can do.�

An honest admission from the Patriots QB and very reminiscent of the Lawyer Milloy fallout. Having been through this kind of scenario before, I’m sure Brady will bounce back quite nicely. Now whether this Patriots team has a suitable replacement for Branch as it did for Milloy (Rodney Harrison and Eugene Wilson), remains to be seen.

Was anyone else impressed with the way Branch handled himself on the way out the door? Do we now have a better understanding why he drew this financial line in the sand? How about Brady? Will he bounce back? Or does he simply not have enough weapons at his disposal to carry the team to a Super Bowl?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The Boston Celtics announced on Monday that they had reached a multi-year contract extension with 21-year-old center Kendrick Perkins.

Tuesday the 6-foot-10 280-pounder joined director of basketball operations Danny Ainge in talking about inking the new deal and his role with the Celtics.

“We’re excited about what Kendrick could possibly become,� Ainge said. “I think he’s even exceeded the expectations we had for him as a young player just from where he’s come to this day, and he’s proven that he’s an NBA center, he’s proven that he can rebound and block shots and defend the center position in the NBA.�

Perkins, a 2003 draft-night acquisition from the Memphis Grizzlies along with Marcus Banks, averaged 5.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in 19.6 minutes per game this past season, his third in the NBA.

As a policy the Celtics do not disclose the terms of contracts, but Ainge did say today that Perkins would not have to worry about where he was going to play for the next five year. Perkins current deal runs through the upcoming 2006-06 season and published reports indicate that his new deal is for four years and anywhere from $16 million to $20 million including incentives.

“It’s not like I’m stopping here, I’m satisfied with this contract,� Perkins said. “It’s motivation for me to keep working. It’s a lot of stress off my shoulders. Now I can just go out and play basketball. I’m happy to be a Celtic. They’ve been loyal to me since I got here.�

Perkins even joked about being able to be a leader among this young Celtics teammates because of his size and by putting enough “base in my voice� to let them know he’s serious.

In the off-season Perkins underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder after missing time in February and then dislocating his shoulder in off-season workouts. He and Ainge insist that he is ready to play now and that they’re just being cautious so as to avoid any accidents. Has been going through full-contact drills and workouts, he just hasn’t been playing in full scrimmages aside from one time while back home in Texas during the summer.

“I think it’s fine,� Perkins said. “We’re just being on the safe side.�

Perkins also said he hasn’t set individual goals for this season because he doesn’t want to take away from the goal of winning basketball games by playing for statistics.

The longest tenured Celtics player (as a member of the Celtics not as an NBA player) other than Paul Pierce, he also said he plans to take it upon himself to have a positive impact on a lot of the new players.

Eastman returns
The Celtics also announced this week that Kevin Eastman has re-joined the coaching staff as an assistant coach. Eastman first joined Head Coach Doc Rivers’ staff in September, 2004, as an assistant coach.

Eastman, who coached for more than 22 years at the collegiate level, spent the last year as Nike Basketball’s National Director of Skill Development. He has also owned and operated Kevin Eastman Basketball Camps since 1999.

Eastman spent five seasons from 1994-1999 as head coach at Washington State University. He was also a head coach at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, an assistant coach at the University of Tulsa, and as head coach and athletic director at Belmont Abbey College.

He has also had stints as an assistant coach at the University of Richmond sandwiched around jobs at Virginia Commonwealth, and Colorado State University from 1980-83. Eastman began his coaching career as an assistant at Richmond in 1978.

Eastman is a 1978 graduate of Richmond, where he played his collegiate basketball and later earned his Masters Degree in Athletic Administration.

What are your thoughts about Perkins signing on for another four years after this season? Feeling good about the upcoming year? Still waiting for the Iverson deal?

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

When I heard Jon Wallach say it I almost drove my car off the road - I thought to myself this can't be right, this has to be an "everybody drink" moment that Dale and Holley always have fun with .... but, no such luck what I heard coming over the airwaves of WEEI was correct...

THE NEW YORK ISLANDERS HAVE SIGNED GOALIE RICK DIPIETRO TO A 15-YEAR, $67.5 MILLION DOLLAR DEAL!

Not to take a quote from fellow blogger, Teddy Panos, but I can't help myself ... Brain Dead in Ohio.... I think it's more like Brain Dead in New York.

Seriously, can someone please explain to me why on earth anyone would sign any and I mean any athlete to a 15-year contract!!!!

With DiPietro a week from his 25th birthday, the netminder will be nearly 40-years-old at the end of the contract.

At least no one can say the Bruins were ever that stupid to make a deal like that.

Speaking of the Bruins ....

With Training Camp opening on Thursday, Tom Fitgerald announced his retirement today - (see the story in the Sun tomorrow by Barry Scanlon).

On BostonBruins.com, Fitzgerald said:
"I’m very proud to retire as a Boston Bruin," said Fitzgerald. "I came to Boston with an agenda, which was to play here and live out a childhood dream. I did that and I’m very lucky and very fortunate. I took a lot of pride in wearing that sweater and I’m walking away a very happy man."

The web site also said Fitzgerald will join the NESN team as a studio analysis for selected Bruins games this season.

So, now that I've gotten the DiPietro thing off my chest ... what do you guys think? Good or bad move by the Isles?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Is there something in the Ohio water?

My two favorite off-beat stories from the weekend gridiron wars both come from the Buckeye State. Now, we New Englanders like to think of ourselves as rabid football fans.

Truth is, we’re “Johnny Come Latelys� to the sport compared to the rest of the country. There are parts of the South and Midwest where Football is religion. And then there’s Ohio, where they sometimes take the games too seriously.

Consider the Buckeye fans who celebrated a big win at Texas Saturday by rioting in the streets of downtown Columbus. At least 40-fires were lit in student neighborhoods, pretty impressive considering classes don’t start till September 20th. One of the jubilant participants even crashed his car into a police control center set up to keep the “celebrants� under wraps. The best part of the story; he was an Ohio State cheerleader. (Insert your own joke here)

The pro crowd isn’t much better behaved. At the Browns season opener, a member of the notorious Dawg Pound (you know, those men that dress and act like canines while chewing on bones) stole Levi White’s wheelchair right at the stadium.

Which leads me to conclude if anyone were to remake Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young’s famous 1970’s anti-war tome, Four Dead in Ohio, they might want to consider changing the name to the title of this blog.

What’s the wackiest fan behavior you’ve ever seen or participated in at a sporting event? Can you top the male cheerleader or wheelchair thief from Ohio?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Depending on who you listen to, first impressions are either misleading or the best indicator. Therefore, it can be both dangerous and advantageous to draw conclusions from them. With that as a backdrop, I offer my conflicted impressions from Week 1 of the NFL season:

The Patriots are better than they showed against Buffalo. They’re also not as good as the majority of Patriots fans think they are. Bill Belichick is a fantastic coach…by far the best in the business. But he’s not a magician. Unless he pulls a #1 receiver out of the hat containing Chad Jackson and Doug Gabriel, his team will eventually be done in by its lack of a big play threat.

Yes, I remember winning Super Bowl XXXVI with guys like Fred Coleman on the roster. Do YOU remember that Troy Brown had 101-receptions? Bottom line; you need a legit threat at the position to keep defenses honest.

Explain to me again why so many chose the Carolina Panthers to win it all? OK, they played without Steve Smith Sunday. What was Jake Delhomme’s excuse in last year’s NFC Championship? I hadn’t seen a performance that bad since Madonna gave up acting. And now you want me to believe he’s the right guy to lead a title team?

Bill Parcells really likes Drew Bledsoe. The Tuna always had a soft spot in his heart for the first grocery he ever picked. (Parcells didn’t do the shopping with the Giants, in case you forgot) That said, I don’t think he gets to October before either benching or pulling a Latrell Sprewell on his starting QB. That is, if Terrell Owens doesn’t beat him to it.

Did I miss the story announcing Houston as a sister city to New Orleans? First, the Texas town opens its doors to Katrina refugees, an incredibly generous gesture. Then the Texans select Mario Williams over Reggie Bush. In case you missed it, the defensive end accounted for all of 3-tackles against the Eagles, while the Heisman Trophy winner’s all-purpose yards total reached 141. Which gift do you think Bayou country will be more grateful for in the long run?

The Kansas City Chiefs weren’t happy with their defense, so they went out and hired Herm Edwards as coach. The move was reminiscent of Roseanne Arnold having plastic surgery on her face. There are “biggerâ€? problems there than a face lift, if you catch my drift. So now the Arrow-Heads have a struggling offense and a bad coach to go along with their lousy defense. And yes, I would say that even if I hadn’t decided to protect Larry Johnson over LaDainian Tomlinson in one of my Fantasy leagues. 

So Brett Favre gave retirement serious thought before deciding to return for another go around with the Packers? Funny, I thought his career ended years ago. I’ve said it before. I’ll say it again. Mr. There’s Something About Mary is the most overrated player in the history of the NFL. Now, someone go perform the Heimlich on John Madden. I think he just choked on his six-legged turkey.

Finally, the 5-year anniversary of 9/11 has come and gone. For those of us who take these games so seriously, I urge you to recall how meaningless it all seemed that fateful Tuesday morning. I, for one, will never forget. I hope you don’t, either.

That's my take...what's yours?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

News Flash: The Patriots trade disgruntled wide receiver Deion Branch to Seattle for the Seahawks first round draft pick in 2007.

Teddy’s Take: Well, we finally have a resolution to the situation, though I don’t think it’s the one Patriots fans were thinking of, or were hoping for, all along.

I have to admit to being way off base about this one. When Branch first threatened a holdout, I envisioned something similar to the Richard Seymour situation…a few missed days of camp to get the message across that the player was serious, followed by quiet behind the scenes negotiations to get a deal done. All sides would be happy and the Patriots could go about the business of winning another Super Bowl.

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine things getting as nasty as they did. Branch wanted to be here. His teammates wanted him here. Bill Belichick wanted him here. And now he’s in Seattle.

I think it’s safe to assume the Patriots bluff a couple of weeks ago blew up in their face. Letting the agent explore a sign and trade was supposed to show Branch he wasn’t worth as much as he thought. Turned out he was worth exactly what he thought, and from that point on, there was no turning back. Not unless Bill Belichick was going to change the financial structure of his team to keep his #1 wideout.

What I also think is open to discussion is that financial structure. Why, with so much room under the salary cap, were the Patriots so unwilling to budge? The cap numbers are only going up the next few years, so there’ll be even more room to maneuver. Exactly who are they saving the money for? More importantly, who are they saving it for this year? Who can step in and be the player Branch was for this offense?

A lot of questions…very few answers. I think the Patriots blew this one big time.

That’s my take…what’s yours?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz.......Huh? What? The Red Sox are still playing? Wake me when the season's over!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Final Score
Bills 17
Patriots 19

Teddy’s Take: As Al Davis said; “Just win baby!�

This certainly wasn’t what we expected. Nonetheless, it still shows up as a notch in the victory column. In many ways, I think the Pats are fortunate not to have lost that game. There were more than a few opportunities for the Bills to put New England away. Thankfully, they’re not a very good team, or a well-coached one, for that matter.

It was funny to hear Bill Belichick sound almost chipper afterward. I think he knew his team dodged a bullet and was quite relieved. I doubt he’ll feel the same way after watching the film.

Tom Brady, on the other hand, sounded disgusted. Being the great teammate he is however, Brady tried to shoulder all the blame, even when pressed by reporters about his receivers not getting open. Fact is, the media was right this time. If Brady doesn’t get some weapons at wide receiver, the Pats offense will struggle to score points and blow teams out. Chad Jackson and Doug Gabriel will help, but Deion Branch’s value to the Pats offense was clearly evident Sunday.

The big positive was the running game. We touted the offensive line all preseason, and boy did they come through, opening holes consistently for both Corey Dillon and Laurence Maroney. 41-carries for 183-yards says it all. The defense was also very good, allowing only 240-yards. I have a hunch ball-control offense, rock solid defense and close games are going to be recurring themes in 2006.

Starring Roles: Laurence Maroney (17 carries, 86-yards) and Corey Dillon (16-73) combined to form a formidable 1-2 punch. They’ll probably continue to share the burden for another couple of weeks, but expect the rookie to grab the job full-time sooner, rather than later…Rodney Harrison made his presence felt in his first “real� game back with 9-tackles, a great sign for the long-term well-being of the defense…Bill Belichick also gets a star on the forehead for earning career victory number-100 and for making the adjustments to get it. I’d love to have been a fly on the wall at halftime.

Quality Quotes: “I don’t blame them. I don’t think we gave them much reason to cheer. They want to see us do some things offensively, put the ball in the end zone and we turned the ball over. We can’t complete a pass, and I would be booing up there, too, if I was them.�—Tom Brady on the crowd booing the home team.

What did you think? Were the Patriots lucky to escape with a win? Was this game an indication of how the year is going to go or just a case of New England playing down to the competition?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The No. 25 UML men’s soccer team battled to a scoreless tie on Saturday with Franklin Pierce, the top-ranked team in the nation. This after men’s soccer coach Ted Priestly surpassed 100-win mark with a 3-2 win over Dominican on Aug. 29.

Old hat for the winningest coach in UML history, but this year his face is one of very few that stayed the same.

The River Hawks -- picked third in the NE-10 preseason poll -- are sporting 21 new players this fall and new coach in former scribe Marc Connolly.

Connolly, a Westford native and long-time soccer columnist for ESPN.com, MLSNet.com and USSoccerPlayers.com, was named to the UMass Lowell men’s soccer coaching staff, announced head coach Ted Priestly.

Connolly spent nine years covering the U.S. National Team for ABCSports.com and ESPN.com, and was a contributor to USA Today, ESPN The Magazine, Boston Magazine and Four Four Two.

Former assistant coach Brandon Curran a Tyngsboro native -- the first player in River Hawk history to earn All-American honors -- is now a defender in the USL First Division with the Charleston Battery in South Carolina.

Field Hockey keeps it in the River Hawk family
Joanna DaLuze, the 2005-06 UML Chushing Award winner as outstanding female athlete of the year and a member of the field hockey team from 2003-05, was named an assistant coach of the River Hawks this season.

DaLuze was a two-time All-American and three-time NE-10 Conference All-Star, including the Co-Player of the Year in 2005. She scored the game-winning goal in double overtime of UML’s 2-1 triumph over 11-time champion Bloomsburg in last year's national championship game.

Basketball rosters updated
The River Hawk men’s and women’s basketball teams have posted updated rosters for the 2006-07 season.

Seven new freshman players are slated to suit up for coach Kathy O’Neil’s women’s team this season as Linda Knower is the only returning senior and one of two returning starters. Guard Glennies Morel (Lawrence High/Lawrence, Mass.,) is the most local freshmen additions.

Ken Barer’s men’s team will look to replace a senior class that included the senior backcourt tandem of Carl Benn and Brandon Arnette as well as the Chicago-area connection of Necus Mayne and Stacey Moragne.

Moragne (left) was selected as Daktronics Division II Northeast Region Men’s Basketball Co-Player of the Year, NE-10 Conference Co-Player of the Year, a Daktronics All-American, and a NABC All-American. He finished his career third on UML’s career scoring list with 2,041 points.

Like the women, the men’s team will return just one senior from last year. Six freshman are listed on the roster including Sun All-Star Adam Dombrowski out of Groton-Dunstable High School, Chris Donald a Randolph resident out of Catholic Memorial High School, and Ali Kanaan a 6-9 big man from Canada.

New faces will also include juniors Dashon Harper, a sharpshooter who sat out last season, and Mike Watson a Bronx native who transfers in from SUNY Delhi.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

For your television “viewing‿ pleasure this NFL weekend , here are The Victim’s picks…for “entertainment purposes only,‿ of course:

New England (-10) over Buffalo

Jacksonville (-2) over Dallas

Indianapolis (-3) over NY Giants

Minnesota (+4) over Washington

San Diego (-3) over Oakland

2006 Record: 1-0 (0-1 for you and me)

Last Season’s Record: 3-4

(Check out The Victim’s Bio)

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Rebuilding on the Fly; those are the code words for the 2006 New England Patriots.

Of course they won’t come out and say it. The goal is always to win championships, as it should be. In fact, I think that scenario is much more likely now than I did even three months ago. Still, the roster turnover and jettisoning of key veterans like Willie McGinest and Adam Vinatieri point to a rebuilding project. If a championship comes of it, as it did in 2003, all the better. But the intent is clear. Rebuild and restock a roster that had grown old and even a bit soft in ‘05.

Look at the Patriots roster today, compared to opening day last year. It’s overrun by rookies, 2nd year guys and young veterans playing ever increasing roles. By the end of the year, the transition will be even more complete as Laurence Maroney and Chad Jackson entrench themselves as permanent fixtures at the skill positions.

So why then, you ask, have I been predicting 12 or 13 wins in this here rebuilding year? 3 reasons; The Killer B’s, potentially dominant line play and a kiss from the NFL schedule maker.

The Killer B’s: Belichick and Brady. As long as those two grace Gillette Stadium, this team will always have a chance to win a title. As exhibit-A, I present 2005, when an injury ravaged team was in position to host the AFC Championship until its self-destructive tendencies, and some poor officiating, combined to sink the season in Denver. As best I can tell, the coach is still number one in the league at what he does, as is the QB. Until that’s no longer the case, don’t ever count these guys out.

Dominant Line Play: If this is where games are really won and lost, New England will win a ton. The offensive line is young, deep and growing. The D-Line is even better, stocked with All-World talent (Richard Seymour) and former first round picks about to take the next step (Ty Warren and Vince Wilfork). Expect the Pats two greatest weaknesses last year (running the ball and stopping the run) to become their biggest strengths.

The Schedule: I asked this before…I’ll ask again; who will beat them this year? Here’s my take:

Worst case scenario, give them 5-1 in the division, and even that loss in Miami is a stretch. The Lions and Texans at home account for 7. At Green Bay makes 8. I’ll give them a home win against Da Bears and a season-ender at Tennessee for 10. Road matchups against the Jaguars and Vikings could prove tricky, but I think they win both. For the sake of argument (and because you almost always lose a game you’re supposed to win), I’ll only give them only one, so we’re up to 11. That leaves home games with the Broncos and Colts plus a visit to Cincy. Giving New England one of those brings us to twelve, though it’s not a stretch to say they win 2-of-3.

So there are your 12 or 13 wins. I don’t think I’m being at all unreasonable or a homer. Remember, I think the season ends before Super Bowl XLI, most likely in Indy, but this schedule begs for at least a dozen “W’s.� Remember, they won 10 last year with a murderous schedule, more injuries than James Sokolove could handle, and a tank job the final game against Miami.

Finally, let me say the Deion Branch situation won’t necessarily alter my view. With or without him, my prediction holds. Are they a better team with Branch? Of course. Do they win the Super Bowl? I don’t think so. Not in 2006. But to borrow a popular phrase from Red Sox Nation…wait till next year!!!

Those are my thoughts…what are yours? Tell me where I’m right and where I’m wrong. Did I miss anything obvious?

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

OK, is it just me or is anyone else happy that the Alternate Third Jeresy the Bruins have been wearing for the past few seasons has been retired?

I really couldn't stand that shirt, I know the bear head was to be all that was Bruins, but I never liked it.

The Bruins announced some time ago they were not going to wear that jersey this season but it wasn't until last night that NESN Sportsdesk told the fans that they would be wearing the sweaters the team wore in the 1966-67 season, Bobby Orr's rookie year.

No offense, but if they were going to resurect a jersey, I would want it to be from the 70s, when they last won the Cup.

So, are you going to miss the "Pooh Bear" jersey? Do you think they picked the right year to bring back?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Time for this “guru� to predict how the final NFL standings will look come January. Of course, you could use the dart board pictured on the left and probably make out better than I will. However, since I did it prior to the start of baseball season, I might as well give the gridiron a shot. And hey…my hardball picks don’t look too bad right about now. Bet I end up better than a few so-called experts.

AFC East
New England (Belichick and Brady combo will always contend for title)
Miami (Not as improved as people think…Gonna fund lots of renovations in Vegas)
NY Jets (Mangini needs to be Houdini to make losing disappear this year)
Buffalo (Dick Jauron and Marv Levy? Come on guys, move into this century!)

AFC North
Pittsburgh (Did you know Terrible Towels make great dish cloths?)
Baltimore* (Steve McNair and healthy “D�=Ravens miss the playoffs, nevermore)
Cincinnati (Fun to watch, except when they don’t have the ball)
Cleveland (Romeo, O Romeo, where for art thou offense?)

AFC South
Indianapolis (Patriots monkey is gone, but playoff King Kong still exists)
Tennessee (Jeff Fisher is a very underrated coach)
Jacksonville (Jaguars engine needs a tune-up)
Houston (Mario Williams over Reggie Bush? AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!)

AFC West
Denver (For whom the Bell tolls at RB…a fantasy player’s nightmare)
San Diego* (Tomlinson & Gates make for smooth sailing w/Rivers)
Kansas City (Was it Herm Edwards stellar playoff coaching that got him the gig?)
Oakland (What’s the over/under on Moss quitting on the team? I got Week 6)

NFC East
Dallas (Maybe I’m crazy, but I think TO responds to Tuna Talk)
Washington* (Might win it all if Mark Brunnell weren’t 74 years old)
Philadelphia (Someday, they’ll get McNabb a weapon that doesn’t self-destruct)
NY Giants (Killer schedule keeps this talented bunch in the cellar)

NFC North
Minnesota (Best of a very bad lot)
Chicago (Should change name to Chicag…they have no “O�)
Detroit (Matt Millen makes Mike O’Connell look like Red Auerbach)
Green Bay (I see it ending real ugly for Brett Favre)

NFC South
Atlanta (Make or break year for Michael Vick…I say he makes it)
Carolina* (I still can’t get over how bad Delhomme was in NFC Championship)
Tampa Bay (Old “D� sinks this pirate ship)
New Orleans (Bush is most exciting rookie since Barry Sanders)

NFC West
Seattle (By default…playoffs won’t be as easy this time around)
Arizona (A lot of talent, but a year away)
St. Louis (Time to bury the “greatest show� under the turf)
San Francisco (So many holes, and they chose a TE at #6?)

*Denotes wild-card teams

AFC Championship: Indianapolis over New England (Manning’s going to win one of these years…why not this one?)

NFC Championship: Dallas over Seattle (Best defense in the game…nobody knows it yet, but they will)

Super Bowl XLI: Dallas over Indianapolis (Parcells rides off into the sunset in style!)

Those are my picks…what do you think? Let’s see yours! Perhaps I’ll give out a pair of Lock Monster tickets to the person who correctly picks the most playoff teams.

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

With rookie camp opening this weekend, trianing camp Thursday and their first pre-season match-up against the Devils at the Tsongas a week from Sunday, I'm still a bit weary about the goaltending the Bs plan to open the season with, and I'm not sure I'm the only one that feels that way.

Wes Goldstein of CBS SportsLine.com wrote (I underlined the part I feel is most important to my argument.):

"As far as Boston is concerned, Chara is the key. The Bruins believe they'll be better than the 24th-ranked offense because of newcomers like Savard, and they are trying to appear confident about goaltenders Hannu Toivonen and Tim Thomas, who have less than a full season of combined experience. But Boston's success will likely depend a great deal on how the group along the blue line performs."

Apparently the Bruins really are confident in the tandem.

In a conference call with GM Peter Chiarelli and Head Coach Dave Lewis, (whole transcript is on BostonBruins.com) the question was posed about Toivonen and Thomas and here is what the new management had to say:

Q. Obviously upgraded up front with Savard and on defense with Chara. How do you feel about your goaltending? Some might wonder whether there's enough experience there with both Toivonen and Thomas?

Peter Chiarelli: I feel the same way. Hannu has always been projected as a bona fide goaltender. He doesn't have the experience we would all feel a little more comfortable with. Nothing's changed in the projections. Tim is a battler who has faced a lot of adversity. He's come into his own. He can go back and pick three or four teams with goaltenders of limited experience that have done very well. I feel comfortable with that.

I still have my doubts, again as I have said numerous times in my blog - I think Hannu is too flashy and he is not solid enough. He lets in too many soft goals - I still think back to the Coyotes game when he let one in from behind the blue line in OT - enough about that. Maybe, just maybe, in fact I am praying that Toivonen can prove me wrong.

I know that Toivonen went down early in the season with his injury but 9-5-4 is not the signs of a solid goalie - JMO.

As far as Thomas goes, there is a reason the 32-year-old has spent almost all of his professional career in the AHL.

Sure he gave the Bruins fans some hope last season, but what else could the Bs do after both Toivonen and Andrew Raycroft, who has since been traded to Toronto for goalie prospect Tukka Rask, went down with injuries?

Thomas's record for the Black and Gold was not as good as many Bs fans seem to think, it was 12-13-10. with 2.77 GAA and a SV% of .917

Maybe just maybe, last season saw Toivonen and Thomas both not playing to their potential. Maybe they will have more confidence with the team in front of them - especially with the 6 foot 9 inch Chara.

Do you think the tandem of Toivonen and Thomas will help the Bruins given the team in front of them, or are you as skeptical as I am?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Say what you will about the 2006 Red Sox (Lord knows I’ve had more than my share of bad things to say), but you must admit this team has a lot of heart.

I’ve seen one too many editions fold like an accordion after being slapped around by the Yankees. The 2001 version pulled one of the great “lay down like a dog��? jobs of all-time. This year’s squad could have been forgiven for doing the same, especially with injuries forcing names like Jarvis, Snyder and Gabbard to the mound while the batting lineup resembled spring training at its best. Heck, even the front office got in on the act, unloading David Wells and raising the white flag. The excuses were all in place.

But give the guys in that locker room credit. While you’re at it, make sure to pass some along to the much-maligned Terry Francona. They’re still playing hard…they’re playing reasonably well…and the manager hasn’t let them give up. To a man, I’ll bet deep down inside everyone in that clubhouse knows the season ended with that Yankees 5-game sweep. To come back and compete with the Blue Jays (who are still trying hard to finish 2nd) and the White Sox (desperate for a wild-card berth) is an indication of this team’s character.

I know, I know. You say it’s their job and they’re paid very well to do it. Unfortunately, there are too many past and current examples of teams (not just the Sox) doing otherwise. So when you see one playing hard till the end (you don’t win 2 of 3 from the White Sox with this roster if you’re not playing hard) you have to at least tip your cap to them.

Am I the only one impressed with the Sox effort lately? Would you continue to try if everyone around you, including your bosses, gave up on you?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Actually, this one involved very little "posting" on my part. It's really a post by a regular contributor to the comment sections of this blog. Read on an the floor is yours to debate.

In what could turn out to be a more tumultous off season than last, Sox GM Theo Epstien almost seems VINDICATED by Anibal Sanchez' No Hitter last night. Last Year when the sox 3-Headed GM made the deal which landed Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell and Guillermo Mota for Hanley Ramirez, Anibal Sanchez, Jesus Delgado and Harvey Garcia, Theo was NOT in the picture. In addition,  Epstien has Publicly Stated that he "Would not have done that deal". My sources say Theo, was adamant about not trading Sanchez or Ramirez.
So now what? The Red Sox and Theo have agreed in principal on a contract but have yet to finalize one. This off season somebody has to go. Either Theo takes his 'Small Ball' mentality and leaves or Luchino is shown the door (or "promoted"). Our future hopes were pinned on the left arm of Jon Lester. And now We just want the young man to have a healthy Life. There are still NICE arms in the system but the question remains; Build through the farm system or use it just as a bait farm. Luchino made his point clear when he complimented Cashman and the Yankees for making deals, a back handed  shot at the Boy Wonder. The Free Agent Pitching Pool is weak again this off season and with Houston locking up Oswalt there are going to have to be some Imaginary scenarios that need to be played out.

As it satnds right now, 2007 doesn't look a bright as it used to.

Robz Rantz

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

You veterans of Sports Talk will remember The Victim from last winter’s NFL playoffs. For those who don’t know the story of our Pigskin Prognosticator, I’ve provided this link to Victim’s Rights, my post introducing you to the Nostradamus wannabe whose identity must remain secret, or we could all end up dead! I advise you to read it before proceeding with your “for entertainment purposes only� football wagers.

Remember, whatever The Victim picks, go the opposite way. You can thank me later. Please send your gratitude in the form of a money order to Teddy Panos, c/o….

Vegas Line: Pittsburgh (pick ‘em) vs. Miami

The Victim’s Pick: Pittsburgh

Last year’s record: 3-4 (or 4-3 for you and me!)

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

During my sports writing class at Northeastern University, we had to write an issue paper and I chose the topic of violence in youth sports - with the main topic on how the parents act not the kids particpating, I interviewed Bob Bigelow via phone and tonight I had the opportunity to meet him and listen to one of his speeches at Methuen High School's "Meet the Coaches Night."

It's funny how this post stems from Teddy's previous post about fans booing players.

One of things Bob said tonight was:

"What the parents need to understand is that Methuen High School is not the New England Patriots or the Boston Red Sox, in fact Methuen High School is not Boston College, Northeastern University or even UMass, it is a high school."

"These kids are not Tom Brady or David Ortiz. Tom Brady knows if he misses three passes he's going to get booed, but he's still going to cash a check for $7 million."

"This is not prefessional athletics, they are far removed from that world."

It's funny, when you think about it, they really aren't that far removed.

Kids go to Fenway, Gillette, the Garden or even the Tsongas to see the professional teams of this area and they see their parents and other adults booing the players of the opposing teams and even the home team.

I had an old colleague of mine take his 9-year-old son to a Red Sox-Yankees game and when I asked him if he and his son got into the "Yankees Suck" chant his response was priceless:

"To me it’s not so much booing the people as it is being part of the whole collective."

"It happens every day. But, when you go to a game, to me, especially with the SOX, it’s more than a game, it’s an event. It’s almost carnival like. A mind set, certainly, a game, yes, but it is just a little more than that and booing the Yankees is part of that whole home town experience…"

To me it's sad that parents feel that way - we all remember the little kid with the finger....

How can any parent be proud of that??? If it were my child I would be humiliated.

So, what do you think as parents out there/ Would you or do you allow your children to act that way? And better yet, do you boo opposing teams and players? How do you feel when your son or daughter gets booed at one of their games or matches?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Did you happen to catch Kevin Youkilis’ comments on Fenway fans booing Red Sox players?

They were discussing the topic on WEEI this morning, but the story stems from an interview Youk gave to The Taunton Gazette. The Sox first baseman, and fan favorite, was quoted as saying:

"The way (fans) treat some people is just wrong. If you're going to be a loyal fan, be a loyal fan through thick and thin. There are some great fans out there, but there are some fans that I really, honestly believe, they listen to WEEI and that's their final opinion. I honestly think WEEI is what some people believe is what their (own) opinions are. Being a true fan is sticking by your (players) when they're struggling, not booing him when he's coming into a 2-2 game in the eighth inning."

Talking about Julian Tavarez not tipping his cap to fans as they gave him a standing ovation Monday night, Youkilis went on to say;

"He had no reason to tip his hat to them, they've treated him bad all year. I was watching him every step and was saying to Mark (Loretta), 'Please do not tip your cap.' That's how I felt, for him. I was mad for him, because if he tips his cap here, he's giving in. And that's what the fans do, they give in."

"A guy that gets in trouble with the law is going to get booed, a steroids guy is going to get booed, Barry Bonds is going to get booed because everyone is putting out that he's this and that. But I've never understood why you boo your own team. We're in first place and they're booing guys! I've never got that."

"I'd rather have no one at the field than people booing me all day. Do they really care? They care about the team, but when they boo a specific individual, do they really care about that person? No. If you boo somebody, it's like you despise them."

Interesting stuff and very candid. Make sure to check out the entire story so you can get it in its full context. But it certainly got me thinking.

Though I think fans do have a right to boo, I question how personal things get sometimes. I believe Youkilis is speaking for a majority (if not all) of his teammates, and major leaguers for that matter. Every year, it seems there are one or two guys who bear the brunt of the burden. This year, Tavarez and Rudy Seanez were those guys, even though this Sox team had more holes than an aerated putting green. To single them out is wrong.

But is booing in general wrong? I guess when push comes to shove, I’d have to say booing your own players is, yes. You don’t have to cheer, but you don’t have to boo either. What do you think?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

With football season here, Wednesday becomes a big day for Patriots followers and those who report on them.You see, Hump Day is traditionally the day the Pats focus shifts to the upcoming week’s games. The most widely attended Bill Belichick press conference is Wednesday, and the locker room is always packed with cameras, microphones and recorders to catch the players before they head for the field to implement the game plan devised on Monday and Tuesday.

It’s also the day the first injury report of the week is released, which in many ways is a game in itself. Trying to decipher exactly which of the walking wounded will and won’t take the field Sunday is always an “entertaining‿ endeavor, as Belichick would rather discuss his latest colon exam than openly talk about injuries.

New England lists only 6 players on this week’s report; Tedy Bruschi (Questionable), Chad Jackson (Questionable), Nick Kaczur (Questionable), Tom Brady (Probable), Doug Gabriel (Probable) and Stephen Neal (Probable).

Do not be alarmed by Brady’s mention. It’s been a running joke for a few years now that he appears on the list every week as probable. (Has something to do with the Pats being reprimanded by the league a few years ago about inconsistencies with their list, so this is Belichick’s way of voicing his displeasure.) In fact, the initial list released did not include “Tom Terrific.‿ That situation was quickly rectified when a “revised‿ report was sent out later in the afternoon and the person responsible for the first version was sentenced to three days in the torture chamber. (I’m kidding about that last part…I think!)

Anyway, the official way to read an injury report is as follows: Probable means 75% chance of playing…Questionable means 50-50…Doubtful is only a 25% chance of playing…and Out means 0% chance.

The way to read the Patriots report is this: Probable means he’ll play, unless Belichick is trying to get the opposing coach to waste time gameplanning for a guy in worse medical condition than Fidel Castro...Questionable means “none of your freakin business‿ (these guys generally don’t play)…A player listed as Doubtful likely hasn’t practiced since ‘Nam and won’t play unless BB is really trying to screw with the opposition…Out means out, unless Jesus himself comes down before game time and helps resurrect the player. (It’s been known to happen…not the Jesus part, but players listed as Out on Wednesday have come back to play)

So what does this week’s Patriots report mean? Well, I’m willing to bet my life Jackson doesn’t see the field unless he has a miraculous recovery and returns to practice. If you see Bruschi practice tomorrow or Friday, chances are he’ll play, otherwise no. Kaczur hasn’t played or practiced in a while, so he’s likely out, as he’s not as valuable as Bruschi. The rest of the guys should play.

Oh, one more thing…did you notice Laurence Maroney wasn’t on the list? A very good sign for his fans and Fantasy owners.

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

I love listening to "Dale & Holley" on EEI and I love the way Dale calls the Bruins games - then again anyone is better than Jack Edwards, but .....

What in Lord's name was he thinking when he made the comment on the air today that Hal Gill got more booing than he deserved by Bruins fans.

I am not a Hal Gill fan, infact as a Bruins fan I down right loathe him and can't wait until Toronto comes to town so he can get his head knocked off preferably by Zdeno Chara (here's a plug for Sun sports writer, Barry Scanlon, http://www.lowellsun.com/sports/ci_4294793)

But seriously, Gill is 6 feet 7 inches tall and 240 lbs (Chara stands 6 feet 9 inches, 261 lbs.). Gill should have been a defensive threat just like Chara but he wasn't.

Sure he could defend against superstar Jaromir Jagr, but that was it -where's the hitting? That's right there wasn't any - at least not from Gill.

I think Chara will defintley fill the void most Bs fans felt that was lacking on the blue line the last couple of seasons.

One other thing Dale said today - that I actually agreed with - was that the worst seats in hockey are directly behind the glass. Why anyone would spend $150 to sit behind the net is beyond comprehension to me.

I think the best seats in hockey are anywhere between rows 11 and 15, preferably center ice opposite the benches - JMO.

I for one do not like sitting closer for a couple of reasons, 1. the glass obstructs your view and forces you to watch the Jumbotron when the puck is down the other side of the ice and 2. if you are directly behind the benches you have to worry about trying to see over the players as they are making line changes.

I have this thing when it comes to hockey etiquette no movement when the puck is in play, wait for a whistle.
Hockey is the best sport to see live, but when you have to weave your head in and around people who get up when the puck is in play is completely annoying and why can't the ushers do their jobs? They are not supposed to let people up until there's a stoppage in play - again JMO.

For those of you that must refill your drinks or go to the bathroom the best time to do that is during TV timeouts!

How 'bout you guys, have any pet peeves when your attending sporting events?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The Boston Celtics are having open auditions as they look for talent...uh, singers that is.

They're seraching for vocalists and musicians to perform the National Anthem at the team’s home games throughout the 2006-07 NBA season. Talented groups, instrumentalists, children and other unique performers are invited to attend the auditions on Wednesday, September 12 from 10 a.m.-7 p.m., held in the TD Banknorth Garden’s Gold Room, located on level two of the arena.

Two singers will be selected to perform the National Anthem at the Celtics two home preseason games at the TD Banknorth Garden on October 18 and 25.

In addition, the fan with the best audition, as determined by the judges, will be invited to perform the National Anthem before the Celtics second game of the season, against the Detroit Pistons.

Auditions will be open call and on a first-come, first-served basis. the panel of judges will include Celtics legend JoJo White, Celtics forward Al Jefferson, Greg Dickerson of FSN New England, Kelly Malone of Mix 98.5 FM, Mike Adams of Sports Radio WEEI and Doug Meehan of Fox 25.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

To kick off our Wednesday blogging, I thought I’d share a funny video clip passed along by a buddy of mine. This is comedian/impressionist Frank Caliendo’s recent appearance on the Letterman Show.

I'd never heard of him before, but he’s pretty funny and starts off with a dead on impression of John Madden at his obnoxious best. There's also a darn good President Bush imitation, as well as a quick Bill Clinton and Al Pacino that will draw a few chuckles...Enjoy!

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The following is a statement from Boston Red Sox medical director Dr. Thomas Gill regarding Jonathan Papelbon:

Jonathan Papelbon continues to improve each day. Recent examination and testing are consistent with a transient subluxation event in the setting of a fatigued shoulder. After a period of rest, he will begin a shoulder strengthening program.

Papelbon was removed from his last appearance on September 1 versus Toronto with discomfort in his right shoulder. He is 4-2 with a 0.92 ERA and 35 saves in 59 appearances with Boston this season.

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

It's finally over, the saga of the Pittsburgh Penguins' second-overall draft pick in 2004, Evgeni Malkin that is...

Malkin, 20, officially signed a three-year deal with the Pens this morning after he arrived in Pittsburgh Monday night.

According to TSN he skated with Sudney Crosby today and had feared for his safety while hiding out from his Russian team.

"I definitely was a little concerned," Malkin said, speaking through an interpreter.

So, after three-weeks, the Chronicles of Malkin have finally ended and we can finally stop wondering if the youngster would make it to the NHL this year.

Do you think what Malkin did to get away from his Russian team was smart and do you think the saga is really over?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The UML baseball team is not planning on sitting on their laurels after a 37-win season and a Northeast-10 Conference Tournament championship.

Twelve new faces have been added to the fall baseball roster at UMass Lowell since last spring. That numbers does not include the players that were red shirted last season.

Among the new editions is a first team NE-10 All-Star, a transfer from our friends at UMass Amherst, and a pair of pitchers who were tearing up the local high school diamonds a few months ago.

Last season Jerod Edmondson a native of Johnson City, N.Y., was selected to the NCBWA All-Region First Team, the ABCA/Rawlings All-Northeast Region team, and the Northeast-10 All-Conference First Team.

Edmondson led Saint Anselm with a .371 batting average, and set a single-season program record with five triples and 32 walks. He ranked second in the conference with an on base percentage of .476 and tied for the team lead with 31 RBI. He was successful in 20 of 22 stolen base attempts, and now holds the program record with 39 stolen bases in his career.

Anthony Santos started 48 games for UMass at second base, hit .238 with an .329 OBP, scored 16 runs, and slugged seven extra base hits out of the nine slot.

In high school he played second base and shortstop at Chelmsford High School and was a three-time selection as a first team Merrimack Valley All-Star and a Legion All-Star. He left Chelmsford with a career .360 batting average and four home runs. Santos was named the 2003 Chelmsford High School Outstanding Athlete, also playing basketball under head coach Charlie Micol. He played point guard and served as team captain his senior year.

Locals among the freshman class that are listed on the fall roster include right-handed pitcher Derek Anderson (Dracut) and fellow Merrimack Valley Conference right-hander Matt Monico (Tewksbury).

FALL BALL SCHEDULE
Red/White Intersquad Scrimmages - Sep. 16, 17, 23, & 24.
UML v. Holy Cross - Sep. 30
UML at Holy Cross - Oct. 1
Red/White Intersquad Scrimmage - Oct. 6
Home Run Derby - Oct. 7
Fall Prospect Camp - Oct. 8 (Click here for link to camp PDF)

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

OK boys and girls. It's Labor Day and you know what that means...football season is finally here.

The college kids are already underway, and the NFL kicks off Thursday night with the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers taking on everyone’s up and coming hotshots, the Miami Dolphins.

For this blog, that means wall-to-wall Patriots coverage, the return of “world famous� Pigskin Prognosticator, The Victim, and the beginning of Fantasy Island, a forum to discuss Fantasy Football and disperse advice. Does life get any better than that?

Each week (usually the middle of the week) I’ll post a couple of quick Fantasy thoughts and observations, then invite you to chime in with your opinions and questions. I’ve been playing Fantasy Football for 22-years (our Athenian Corner Football League was founded in 1984) and have won more than my share of titles in all 3-leagues I’ve been a part of. Whether that makes me an “expert� or not, I’ll let you decide. But my opinion is there for you to use, and best of all, it always comes at no cost. (Except maybe for the aggravation of having to hear me say I told you so!) Short of having me show up at your draft and sit at your table, it's the next best thing.

Anyway, with the special Thursday kickoff, I figured I’d let you fly into Fantasy Island a bit early this week. Feel free to ask advice, offer opinions, or just plain make a nuisance of yourself. It’s what we’re here for, and what we do best!

The plane! The Plane!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

You’ve seen it happen before, haven’t you? You’ve probably even been there once or twice yourself, right?

You wake up one morning on a friend’s couch, trying to figure out exactly how you ended up there in the first place.

It all started so innocently, a silly fight over something that could easily be resolved with a little give and take. You even thought about making the first move yourself, but something inside told you to hold your ground. So you drew a line in the sand, decided to prove your point this one time. Things would work out in the end, wouldn’t they? They always did, so why not stand firm and enjoy the satisfaction that comes with winning the battle.

Deep down, you knew you belonged there. You wanted to be there. You were wanted there. As a team, you accomplished great things. Staying together wasn’t just the right thing to do; it was the only thing to do.

Still, you made your stand for pride’s sake. Along the way, stubbornness led you to push a few buttons; those buttons only parties very familiar with one another know how to push or when to push. Things were said and done in anger and spite, things that can never be taken back. And so you laid there on an uncomfortable couch, staring at the ceiling and thinking; how did we ever let it get to this point?

I wonder if that’s what Bill Belichick and Deion Branch are thinking this morning.

What happened? Where did it all go wrong? How did a team in desperate need of a top flight receiver alienate the one they already had? How did a player who was never all about the money become all about the money?

There’s too much common ground for things to end up this way. Deion Branch is perfect for the Patriots. His chemistry with Tom Brady is electric, their best work coming on the biggest stages. Brady even signed a below market deal so other deserving players could get their share. The Pats have money to burn, an estimated $12-million under the salary cap. Lesser talents like David Givens were allowed to leave, presumably so funds would be there to keep the guy they really wanted (Branch) all along.

On the other hand, is there a better fit for Branch than New England? Isn’t the Patriots focus on t-e-a-m exactly why a player like him flourishes? No need to be “the manâ€? week in/week out in Foxboro. Just do your job, prepare properly, and the coaches put you in position to become  Super Bowl MVP on a team that also features all-world talents like Brady, Richard Seymour, Tedy Brushci and Rodney Harrison.

What else could either side ask for? Apparently, a lot!

So we sit here this morning with the breakup all but inevitable. Heels have been dug in. Bluffs have been made and called. Feelings have been hurt. Lawyers are now involved, never a good thing. Even a potential replacement, Doug Gabriel, has been brought in. (Wait till Belichick wakes up on the couch and sees that laying next to him!)

Breakups are never good. Even Jennifer Aniston movies about them bomb. Let’s hope the Patriots 2006 season doesn’t do the same because of Irreconcilable Circumstances.

What are your thoughts on the Deion Branch situation? Can the relationship with the Patriots be repaired or is it over? Who's to blame, if anyone? Can the Pats win a Super Bowl without a #1 receiver?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

The Sox split their 4-game set with the Blue Jays, keeping the "Canucks" at bay in the battle for 2nd place. Talk about “a tree falling in the forest and nobody being around to hear it.�

I’m not sure what’s grown more silent, however…Red Sox Nation or the team’s offense. Consider these two stats; over the last 14-games, the Sox are managing less than 2-runs per contest (1.9) and a measly .194 average. That should change with the return of Jason Varitek and Trot Nixon (definitely today), and Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz (any moment now).

Of course, have you caught the upcoming list of scheduled starters? Is Brian Rose still alive? Does anyone have Reggie Cleveland’s cell phone number? Does anyone care? Hello? Hello? Anyone out there?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

They say timing is everything in life. A split second, an inch here or there, even an innocent decision can mean the difference between life and death. Just ask the guy driving through the big dig the night a concrete panel collapsed, killing his wife but miraculously sparing him. Or ask John Lester.

The Red Sox lefthander was strolling along the road of life, coping with the ins and outs of being a 22-year old rookie thrown into the heat of a pennant race in a baseball crazed town. Chances are Lester was cursing the car accident and subsequent back pain which interrupted his season. But according to a medical source, he should probably send a thank you note to the driver of the other car.

Now, the doctor I spoke with admittedly has not seen the medical reports on Lester and isn’t 100% sure the exact details of his healthcare, therefore he doesn’t want to go on record. Of course, this is a blog, so informed speculation is not only allowed, it’s expected…LOL!

Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma is only detectable through an MRI, which Lester probably received to find the cause of his back pain. Usually this rare form of cancer is discovered after patients complain about exhaustion and suffer weight loss, leading to a closer examination and the test. As best we know, Lester did not complain of either, so the enlarged lymph nodes were probably discovered as a direct result of the MRI to help diagnose and treat the back injury from the car accident. Talk about a fortunate mishap!

The doctor went on to say the success rate for this cancer is generally over 70%, much higher if the patient is younger and it was discovered early. He guesses that’s the case here, as Lester didn’t appear to exhibit any of the advanced symptoms before events leading to the diagnosis. He does caution, however, that this will be a long battle and that Lester will have to be monitored the rest of his life for a recurrence.

If that sounds scary, imagine how scary things could have been had the fickle finger of fate not led to that car accident.

Any other doctors out there care to chime in…on the record or off? Has anyone gone through anything like this or know of a family member or friend who did?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff


I’ve been holding back, biting my lip, biting my tongue, pretty much doing whatever I could to keep from flying to Japan and biting every player for USA Basketball.

That time is over.

Team USA’s loss to Greece and yesterday’s bronze medal win at the World Championships crystallize the pure and simple fact that Team USA just isn’t that good. Those preliminary round blowouts were fool’s gold. We used our athletic ability to bully inferior competition. And even then there were chinks in the armor.

Defensively, the boys in the red, white, and blue showed that they could put full court pressure on a lot of teams and make them fold like a cheap card table, but they also showed isolated lapses in the half-court set. Teams got hip to the fact that if you can make the U.S. adjust and have to defend as a group, openings will present themselves. Those openings are how you account for 62.5 % shooting from the field by Greece. The also knocked down 8 of 18 three-pointers (44.4 %) and didn’t allow the turnover battle to be their Achilles heal (11 compared to 10 by the U.S.).

On the other hand we must come to grips with the fact that Americans don’t shoot, we dunk. Endorsements, video games, and careers have all been built around dunking. The only problem being that in the international game -- unless you can dunk over five guys without drawing a charging foul -- you’re going to have to score from outside.

Dwyane Wade, Carmello Anthony, and LeBron James are great scorers, but scoring and shooting are different things. If the best pure marksman we throw out there is either Shane Battier or Joe Johnson, we might as well pencil in a bronze medal finish at best. Especially against teams that zone up and sink back to cut off the post and drives to the lane. Welcome to the international game.

Don’t just take my word for it. Coach Mike Krzyzewski made reference to the difference in the way basketball is played.

“What I think is that worldwide basketball is terrific,� Krzyzewski was quoted as saying. “There are really three different games that are played by our country. We play and NBA game – that if the world played, it might be different results. Then there’s an international game, then there’s the collegiate game. So, when you cross-over from one to another, in worldwide basketball, I think it’s up for grabs. There are so many good teams and so many good coaches. The talent level worldwide has sky-rocketed. But, they are different things. It just depends on what you judge it by. If you judge it by international basketball, it’s wide open for everybody.�

There you have it, it’s wide open. We’re not playing the NBA game, and the dirty secret is that the NBA game has become so much of it’s own game that success here doesn’t translate into success elsewhere. That’s why the USA doesn’t exactly have the same street credit it once had when it comes to the elite teams in international circles.

So if you’re wondering how why we added another bronze to go with the bronze medal in the 2004 Olympic Games, and a sixth place finish in the last World Championships…

Short and sweet, when it comes to this game, we’re overrated.

P.S. Spain smoked Greece in the gold medal game 70-47.

It's time for you folks in the blogosphere to sound off on USA Basketball. Are you feeling good about the chances of this current team to bring home a gold in 2008?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

The grades are in, and with the regular season opener a week away, the Patriots are on the verge of flunking their course in player relations.

First off, let’s get this straight. I think the Pats are going to be very good this year, Deion Branch or no Deion Branch. Are they a playoff team and one to be reckoned with? Absolutely. Can they win a Super Bowl without him? As currently constituted, no.

The amazing part is things never had to get this far in the first place. What everyone thought was a situation that would work itself out may have just reached the point of no return. The relationship appears fractured, with the gap growing wider and wider.

Branch has filed two grievances, grievances he’ll probably lose. Even so, he seems prepared to sit out till Week 10, at which point he can return and still be eligible for free agency. The Pats can’t fine him once the regular season begins. They can withhold paychecks, but Branch has already racked up over half a mil in fines. He looks more than willing to eat the final year of his contract to get a major payday down the road.

Does Deion have a signed contract he should honor? Sure. Then again, so did Lawyer Milloy and Ty Law, and no one cried for them when the Patriots didn’t honor the final years of deals they put their signatures on. That’s the business of modern day pro football, and it’s a two way street. Both players and management must do what’s best for them, because lord knows the other side won’t hesitate to cut ties when the situation suits them. If you’re going to rip Branch, you’d better be prepared to rip New England’s brain trust for their business decisions.

The real issue here is the Patriots are without their top receiver, whoever’s fault that is. What I fail to understand is why? Why not get this taken care of earlier, one way or another? What has been gained by playing hardball with a player most people believe the Pats really want to have as part of their future?

Bill Belichick’s bluff has been called. BB basically dared Branch and his agent to find a better offer. He did. The original thinking was he’d realize the rest of the league didn’t regard him in the same price class as other top notch receivers, namely Reggie Wayne. Well, the Jets and Seahawks deals for the Super Bowl MVP were $39-million over 6-years, with a $13-million signing bonus. You know what Wayne got from the Colts? 6-years, $40-mil, $13.5-min bonus. Seems Branch and his agent read the market more accurately than the Patriots.

Here’s the other thing I don’t get. New England has roughly $12-million available under the salary cap, a cap that’s expected to rise tremendously over the next few years. Who exactly are they saving the money for? Didn’t Tom Brady take less money than he could have gotten on the open market so they would have more space to sign key players? Doesn’t Branch qualify as one of those players? Wasn’t the reasoning behind not ponying up big cash for David Givens so they could save some to sign their #1 wideout?

Help me out here, because I don’t get it, as much as I love the Patriots and think they’re the model for a well-run NFL organization. You know Belichick will never tell us what he’s really thinking, so we can only guess. Right or wrong, I’m sure he has his reasons. Maybe time will prove him right. But from this vantage point, he allowed the situation to get completely out of hand unnecessarily, and it just might come back to haunt him and the Patriots not only this year, but in the future when some of the other young guns come up for renewal.

In Bill I trust. But on this assignment, I think he’s flunked!

That’s my take on the Deion Branch situation…what’s yours?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Final Score
Patriots 23
Giants 31

Teddy’s Take: It’s tough to seriously analyze a game the Patriots obviously didn’t care much about. I doubt any roster decisions were made as a result of what happened. I could be wrong, of course, but I don’t think Troy Brown won the 3rd string QB job with his skillful handoffs.

Those who didn’t play were more noticed than those who did. We knew Tom Brady wouldn’t take any snaps. Laurence Maroney, on the other hand, was a surprise. Good luck finding out how severe the knee injury is…heck, we didn’t even know he had one.

The biggest news involving the Pats involves Deion Branch. I’ll touch on it more Saturday, but suffice it to say a situation most of us thought would be resolved amicably is turning uglier by the minute. I’m no longer sure Branch will wear a Patriots uniform ever again.

Starring Roles: Stars on the forehead go to Bam Childress; 6-receptions for 119-yards could very well mean he’s passed Reche Caldwell as the #2 receiver on this team (I wish that was a joke, but I’m being serious right now)…Jonathan Sullivan; with 5 tackles, appears to be rounding into shape (no pun intended), adding even more depth to a very deep D-Line…Stephen Gostkowski; 3 more FG’s including a 54-yarder makes it 9-9 on the preseason for the rookie replacing Adam Vinatieri.

Quality Quote: “To develop his legend.� (Laughter) – Bill Belichick, when asked what the thinking was behind Troy Brown at QB

Does anyone put any stock into what they saw in this game? Do the Pats have enough receivers to survive without Deion Branch? Has Troy Brown found a new position? Are you feeling better about the kicking situation after Gostkowski’s preseason performance?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

No, this isn’t a picture of the Athenian last Saturday night. It’s a photo of the Greek basketball team celebrating a 101-95 victory over the United States. Greece will play Spain for the World Championship this Sunday, failing to give my parents homeland the day of rest Melina Mercouri sang about.

A lot of people seem shocked by the result. However, astute hoops followers or readers of this blog saw it coming. They see through the myth of American superiority on the hardcourts, a myth spread by countless hours of ESPN highlights featuring skills that have absolutely nothing to do with winning or losing basketball games.

While the Americans put on a pre-game dunking exhibition, the Greeks practiced free throws, a skill lost on this side of the Atlantic. Then when the game started, team USA couldn’t hit 60% of theirs. The Yanks were also helpless when it came to stopping Greece’s repeated pick and rolls, the most basic play in the sport.

I talked about this in my Basketball Jones post a couple of weeks ago and also when I ripped David Stern a couple of months back. See, we’ve been fooled to think they play great defense in the NBA. That’s why the scoring is so low…or so they tell us. In reality, what passes for defense in today’s game is a form of football or rugby, allowed by the refs and the league because they don’t have the guts to crack down and foul their “superstars� out of games, lest they ruin the nightly highlights and revenues from video and poster sales. So when the superior American “athletes� come up against a team of “basketball players� in a game where tackling, holding and traveling are forbidden, they don’t know how to respond. That’s why a team of no-names who couldn’t get into a good Division 1 college run them, pick them, and shoot them to death.

If you want to see a dunk contest or a clutch and grab festival, by all means tune into the NBA on ESPN. If you want to see the game the way Red Auerbach and John Wooden taught it, tune into the Greece vs. Spain championship game Sunday. You might rediscover why basketball is the best game on earth!

Did anyone see the game? Were you surprised at the result? Which city will burn, Athens or Madrid?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The Lester family has asked the Red Sox to release the following statement:

Jon Lester has been diagnosed with a treatable form of anaplastic large cell lymphoma and will begin treatment within the coming week.

Jon and his family wish to thank all those involved in his care at Massachusetts General Hospital. Our gratitude also extends to the Red Sox organization which has provided Jon and his family much needed support during this ordeal.

We ask that you respect our need for privacy during this difficult time.