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 walk