November 2006 Archives

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

Another shootout victory and another hero.

Tonight the game winner was courtesy of Rookie Phil Kessel.
After Sturm, Bergeron, Murray, Savard, Boyes and Tenkrat were all unsuccessful - Kessel made a great move and beat Tampa Bay goalieMarc Denis to give the Bs the 4-3 win.

Tim Thomas was outstanding stopping all seven of the Lightning's shootout attempts and made 31 saves during regulation and OT.

OK - if you didn't watch the game, you missed yet another good one.

Now, you all know I am not the biggest fan of Thomas' but he has been pretty solid in net for the Bs as of late, except for the Carolina game the day after Thanksgiving BUT no one on the Bruins showed up to play in that one.

The Bruins are now 12-9-2 on the season, winning eight of their last 10 - not too shabby for a club that started 4-7-2.

Now I don't expect all of you to jump on the bandwagon, in fact I think I have said it once or twice - I don't let people back on too quickly after they jump off.

I'm not saying this team is going to win the Stanley Cup, but they have proved when they come to play they can beat just about any other team.

Maybe my wish list of having a true, bonafide #1 netminder can be put on hold for the moment. Again I said MAYBE.

So, with the apparent turn around - anyone else out there going to start tuning in to more Bruins games? Do you think the club can make the playoffs if they keep playing this way? If not, what are they missing and how do they fix it?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Apologies for the late posting. I have a sneaking suspicion our friend, The Victim, is trying to hide on us and not risk his stellar record...much like a team running out the clock with a 3-TD lead in the 4th quarter.

Luckily, I found him just in time tonight and rest assured I'll track him down in time to pin down the picks for this weekend's NFL TV slate as well. For now, here's Thursday Night's prediction:

Cincinnati (-3) over Baltimore

Last week's record: 3-2
Season record: 37-22

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

When Horace Greeley implored young Americans to head west in search of riches (John B.L. Soule actually originated the saying. Greeley popularized it), I doubt he meant go so far west they’d actually end up in the east…the Far East. But that’s exactly where major league baseball executives are traveling these days in search of hardball’s most coveted commodity…pitching.

The Red Sox have signed Hideki Okajima, a left handed relief specialist from Japan to a contract. The move comes as the Yankees are about to ink lefty starter, Kei Igawa, and the Sox work to finalize a deal with another Japanese import, Daisuke Matsuzaka. Boston’s latest transaction fills a void left open since Mike Myers took his Halloween mask to New York.

Okajima posted a 2.14 ERA last season with the Nippon Ham Fighters (love the team name) after spending the prior 11-seasons with the Yomiuri Giants. He reportedly has a high quality curveball that makes him tough on southpaw sticks. Ironically, he was a teammate of Hideki Matsui in Japan. If all goes as planned, Okajima will be called on to face Matsui several times over the next few years.

(While I have your attention here, please tell me you’re more intelligent than to believe this Jake Peavy-Manny Ramirez garbage being thrown around in a few media circles. 25-year old top of the rotation starters don’t get traded for 34-year old, cranky legged outfielders owed $34-million over the next two years.)

Now then, what do you think of the latest signing? Personally, I like it. It’s a better gamble than some of the retread middle relief alternatives available stateside. But do you think the Sox are spending too much money and effort on guys who’ve never tossed an inning in the major leagues?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The Celtics are hardly jumping for joy over their perch atop the NBA’s Atlantic Division. At 5-8 they would be no higher than fourth place in any other Division.

Head coach Doc Rivers that “we earned it,� laughing as he said that the current standings indicate that a lot of teams have struggled and that they may have struggled the least at this point.

While recognizing that standings at this point aren’t a main concern, Rivers said he’ll take it. He also pointed out that this isn’t the first time the teams in the Atlantic has had such early struggles and it won’t be the last.

When asked when the last time he had been on a team that was in first place with a record under .500, Paul Pierce responded, “Probably never. But I don’t really look at it like that. We’re only 13 games into the season .We’re just trying to get better game-by-game. First place means nothing right now.

West Coast hangover
The Nets come having lost their last six games, including four games on the road against Seattle, Portland, Phoenix, and the Los Angeles Lakers.

“To a man everyone is very disappointed at where we’re at,� Nets head coach Lawrence Frank said.

The Nets, a preseason favorite of many to win the Atlantic Division, are currently behind the Celtics by half a game with a record of 5-9 coming into tonight.

Boone still mending
Nets rookie Josh Boone out of the University of Connecticut will miss tonight’s game, according to head coach Lawrence Frank. Boone (left shoulder injury) has worked out with the coaching staff and is expected to practice by Friday of this week. He has yet to play in a game for New Jersey.

The 23rd overall pick by the Nets in the 2006 NBA Draft, Boone averaged 10.3 points per game, 7.0 rebounds per game, and 2.0 blocks per game.

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

One for the birds tonight at Stonehill as the River Hawks take on the Skyhawks. And yes, I did just drop the bird line.

UML Women vs. Stonehill
Stonehill enters tonight’s action after posting the second highest single-game scoring total in school history on Sunday, beating Concordia 108-38.

Stonehill and UMass Lowell split their two meetings last year. The River Hawks posted a 62-59 regular season triumph over the Skyhawks on Feb. 7. Stonehill came back with a 53-42 win over UMass Lowell in the 2006 Northeast-10 Conference Quarterfinals on Feb. 28.

Senior Alisha Collins, the reigning Northeast-10 and ECAC Division II Player of the Year, leads Stonehill in scoring and rebounding at 16.3 points per game and 5.7 rebounds per game.

Junior Tonya Perry leads UMass Lowell in scoring at 10.7 ppg, while sophomore Antonnea Robinson follows at 8.7 ppg and paces the River Hawks on the boards at an even eight rebounds per game.

Game time is 5:30 p.m. at Merkert Gymasium, in Easton, Mass.

UMass Lowell women's basketball homepage

UML Men vs. Stonehill
Stonehill has been idle since posting a 72-55 non-league triumph over Mercy last Wednesday in Bridgeport, Conn.

Stonehill and UMass Lowell met a total of three times during the 2005-2006 season. The two split their regular season meetings, both of which took place at the Costello Gymnasium. The Skyhawks took an 80-68 non-league decision on December 12, 2005, but the River Hawks claimed a 59-55 Northeast-10 victory last Feb. 7. Stonehill won the third meeting in the 2006 NCAA Northeast Regional championship game at Merkert Gymnasium,

Stonehill freshman Randall Stallworth was named on Monday as the Northeast-10 Conference Co-Freshman of the Week this past week. Stallworth averaged 14 points and seven assists on the week.

Senior co-captain Soap Toun also averaged 16.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists on the week.

Freshman Victor Colon leads UMass Lowell in scoring at 11.6 ppg, while junior Dashon Harper follows at 10.6 ppg. Junior Jerreh Saidybah is next at 10.2 ppg and paces the River Hawks on the boards at 5.6 caroms per contest.

Game time is 5:30 p.m. at Merkert Gymasium, in Easton, Mass.

UMass Lowell men's basketball homepage

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

News Flash: According to various reports, the Red Sox are closing in on a contract with free agent outfielder J.D. Drew. In a development that may or may not be related, trade talks involving Manny Ramirez are also heating up.

Teddy’s Take: I don’t like where this is headed!

Before you get all worked up and accuse me of Red Sox bashing again, hear me out. I don’t think signing Drew is as bad a move as others are making it out to be. Conversely, I’m not against trading Manny. I just hope doing one doesn’t mean you HAVE to do the other.

In a pefect world, I’d love to see a Sox batting order featuring both guys. How nice would it be to have Ramirez protecting David Ortiz and Drew protecting Manny? I don’t care how often Drew gets hurt…he won’t miss more time than Trot Nixon did and is a much better player than the Sox previous right fielder. Even the reported money ($14-15 million over 4-5 years) isn’t that unreasonable in this exploding marketplace. With a little tweaking to the rest of the lineup and a bullpen overhaul, you’ve got a title contender again.

What I fear is happening though, is that they’re going to use Drew as a replacement for Manny. In that case, you’ve got a downgrade in one spot, plus you’ve diminished what Big Papi will contribute because he’ll never get pitched to in any threatening circumstance. (Please, don’t ask me to get excited about the possibility of Julio Lugo being the other shoe to drop…I don’t want to barf on my keyboard!)

Again, I realize that a Ramirez trade might be a necessity now. I also understand you’re never going to get equal value and will probably have to settle for prospects. That’s fine. Do it and get it over with if you have to. Frankly, I’m tired of the annual soap opera.

But if that’s the case, why was Boston so silent when the big name free agents were dropping by the wayside? If you know you’re going to trade Manny and only going to get youngsters in return, why not make a run at Alfonso Soriano or Carlos Lee? Why settle for pennies on the dollar when you could have had the pennies plus maybe gotten the dollar elsewhere? The obvious answer, I'm afraid, is to save dollars.

I’ll be curious to see what else Theo Epstein has up his sleeve. All logic dictates another big bat besides Drew will arrive somehow, from somewhere, once Ramirez is traded. What worries me is the Red Sox GM hasn’t made many logical maneuvers since 2004.

That’s my take…what’s yours? Can the Sox return to the playoffs with J.D. Drew replacing Manny Ramirez in the lineup? Is there another available player out there that would help fill the void? Should Boston keep Manny, despite his many faults? What else does this team need to do at the winter meetings?

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

Peter Chiarelli was true to his word - Hannu Toivonen played all three games for Providence this past weekend and the young goaltender was recalled to Boston today.

Toivonen played a total of 5 games for the Baby Bs and compiled a 1-4-0 record - not that good IMO.

With the move, Philippe Sauve was assigned to Providence - looks like the Bs will carry 3 goalies for a bit since Brian Finley is still with the big club.
According to the Bs website, Tim Thomas should get the start tomorrow night when the Bruins take on Toronto.

Darcy Tucker has told reporters that he is ready and willing for a rematch with Paul Mara.

I give props to Mara for defending two of his teammates when he took on Tucker the other night.

Do you think Hannu spent enough time in Providence? Is he ready and back to form? Do you care?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

You better watch out. You better not cry. Better not give fans the bird. I’m telling you why. Santa Claus is coming, to town.

While Saint Nick files away those letters from boys and girls throughout the world, this jolly old fat guy is busy preparing his own shopping list for all the naughty and nice people who fill our sports pages. Here’s what I have so far;

For the aforementioned Michael Vick, a new position and a new home. 166-yards rushing and only 84-passing does not a winning quarterback make. When LaDainian Tomlinson is a more reliable passer than you, it’s time to re-think your game. Oh, and the only bird that should be flipped on Thanksgiving weekend is a turkey.

For Tom Brady…never mind, he already has everything. Young, rich, good looking, great at what he does, tremendous work ethic, humble…find me one flaw. Even that clef in his chin drives the girls wild.

For Bill Parcells, one last shot at what he calls “the tournament.� Now that the statue of Drew Bledsoe has been removed from behind center, the Cowboys are a legit Super Bowl threat. How insane would it be around here if Super Bowl XLI turned into a Battle of the Bills?

For the Red Sox, a closer, two good middle relievers, a middle infield not manned by Justin Pedroia or Alex Cora, a backup catcher with some upside and the ability to catch a knuckleball, and a potent bat to protect Papi and Manny.

For J.D. Drew, a thick skin. If the notoriously laid back Los Angeles fans start calling you Nancy, just imagine what the Fenway Faithful will do to you.

For Manny Ramirez and Theo Epstein, the common sense to realize the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Ramirez has it pretty good here in Boston, no matter how much pouting he does. And judging by what stiffs like Gary Matthews, Jr. are getting in free agency, Manny’s contract is a bargain for Epstein’s budget. Find a way to make it work, boys!

For Doc Rivers, a month with peace of mind. I’m far from convinced Rivers is a good coach, but the yahoos chanting for his firing the day after Turkey Day need to get in the holiday spirit. We can revisit this good man’s job status after the holidays. Till then, let’s lay off and give him a chance.

For the Lowell Devils, a fan base that cares. If not, a gift certificate from a moving company.

For the Spinners, a playoff season. They’ve had everything else.

For Lowell High football coach…make that “former� coach…Scott Boyle, one more coin flip. I’m not sure exactly what the “demands� are that make coaching football and basketball simultaneously such an impossible task, but until someone shows me teams that can’t compete or are filled with flunking student-athletes who make regular appearances on the police log, I don’t see the harm.

And finally, for O.J. Simpson, a time machine so he can go back and do things all over again, only this time do the right thing. Or he can use it to travel to another time and place far, far away. Don’t go away mad O.J. Just go away!

What gift would you suggest for that special someone on your sports list? How about me...what would you get me?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Kendrick Perkins was held out of practice today and will be held out tomorrow in order to keep him healthy for game night on Wednesday. He is still battling plantar fasciitis in his foot.

Paul Pierce practiced with his left wrist taped, saying that he had slightly sprained it against Milwaukee on Saturday. Neither Pierce or head coach Doc Rivers viewed it as anything serious. It didn’t appear to effect Pierce’s performance on Saturday as he scored a game-high 34 in the victory.

Following practice, Rivers talked at length about the importance of Sebastian Telfair’s play on Saturday night at both ends of the floor. Telfair played 36 minutes, including the entire second half, scoring 12 points and dishing out eight assists. His defense was one of the most impressive things to Rivers who pointed to comments made by Bucks head coach Terry Stotts about Telfair single-handily disrupting their offense.

The Celtics, who surprisingly are tied for first place in the Atlantic Division with the Nets and Philadelphia, take on New Jersey at the TD Banknorth Garden on Wednesday.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Just a quick reminder to dail in for tonight's SunTalk Live program between 7-8pm. David Pevear joins us to talk about the Patriots big win over Chicago yesterday, along with any other sports topic you'd like to discuss. The telephone number is (978)364-TALK.

Phones open at 6:45, and you're encouraged to dial in early to reserve your spot. Remember to stay on the line after you're finished so you can hear the rest of the program and perhaps even get back in on the discussion.

Talk to you in a bit!

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Bentley appears to be the beasts of the Northeast-10 through the first week of league play. A 5-0 start is the best for the Falcons in more than 15 seasons, but head coach Jay Lawson isn’t concerning himself with history.

“We were 4-0 last year and lost the next five when we got the staph infection, so I don’t get caught up much in that stuff,� Lawson says.

The preseason No. 1 in the Northeast-10, Bentley has won their five games by an average of more than 20 points. The Falcons have also shot 42 percent from the field for the season (39 percent in 3-pointers) and out-rebound opponents by 11 boards per game. Seven different players are currently averaging six points per game or more.

Lawson also added that he feels his squad is a work in progress at this point in the season, not yet at their offensive potential, but ahead of last year in terms of defense, rebounding, and conditioning.

Going back to the subject of history, Bentley lost three senior guards and two of the top scorers in the history of the basketball program to graduation including Tim Forbes (third on the all-time scoring list).

Lawson admitted the early success has been somewhat of a pleasant surprise, but they knew the players coming back were talented. He also points out that there five seniors and a fourth-year junior in their top offensive player Nate Fritsch.

“We knew we had the frontcourt all returning,� Lawson says. “The depth and the talent. We knew we had some ability on the perimeter that just needed experience, some guys who sat on the bench last year and watched behind those guys.�

Sunday’s results from NE-10

Men
Franklin Pierce 71, Bryant 69
Merrimack 84, Southern Connecticut 77
Saint Michael’s 76, Pace 75
Assumption 65, Saint Anselm 62
Saint Rose 74, American International 59
Le Moyne 84, Southern Hampshire 69

Women
Franklin Pierce 75, Bryant 58
Southern Connecticut 81, Merrimack 52
Pace 63, Saint Michael’s 55
Assumption 75, Saint Anselm 71
Saint Rose 69, American International 63
Le Moyne 66, Southern New Hampshire 58
Stonehill 108, Concordia 38

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Final Score
Bears 13
Patriots 17

Teddy’s Take: Payoff football. That’s what this one felt like. A good, old fashioned football game with both teams playing like their season was on the line.

The hitting was intense, especially in the first half. You had to question whether there’d be enough healthy bodies standing to finish the game. I’ll be very curious to see how both sides respond next week and the rest of the way. A lot of guys got beat up out there and I wonder if this is the kind of game it takes a while to recover from. Obviously, the Junior Seau injury could have severe long-term implications.

Other than that, it was a great win for the Patriots. They really needed this one and overcame a very good team and five turnovers to get it. After losses at home to three quality opponents, it was important to finally win one and prove they could hang with the big boys.

One more thing; what’s with the Bears and that “Madden� offense? It was like playing a video game against my nephew and having him throw the ball deep every play hoping for a pass interference penalty. Yeah, Chicago has to be the favorite in the NFC right now, but unless they can do better than that on offense, I don’t see them scaring anyone in the playoffs. They simply can’t put enough points on the board to put teams away, and that will eventually come back to bite them.

Shining Stars: Make room for yet another star on the forehead of Tom Brady. The picks weren’t his fault, and other than that he was very good against a ferocious defense. That run late in the game where he eluded Brian Urlacher for the first down was the type of play only a winner makes…While we’re at it, let’s also pass stars out to the O-Line for not allowing a sack in 33-pass attempts.

Stephen Gostkowski’s 52-yard field goal was about as close as you’re going to get. Even the ref was laughing at how it hugged the upright and crossbar. But it was a huge kick in a game where you knew scoring was going to be scarce. The rook came through big time.

On the other side of the ball, Asante Samuel was the man. Three interceptions is a good season for most DB’s, never mind a game. And what a great play on the final drive, when the Bears had been so successful at getting pass interference calls before that. Jumping in front of the receiver to take the ball away showed guts. The 9-tackles also helped. We’ve said it before; when this kid is good, he’s good. He was real good on Sunday…Richard Seymour was only credited with four tackles, but a sack, fumble recovery and blocked field goal made him a disruptive force all game.

Finally, how about a star for the FieldTurf. Wasn’t it nice to see two very good teams play a big game in Foxboro without the field affecting the outcome? Kudos to the crew that had the playing surface ready in two weeks instead of the usual 5-6.

Quality Quote: “I’m probably better than he is. He made that move seven yards away from Urlacher and I don’t know how he got around him, but bless him he did and got the first down.�—Dan Koppen, discussing Tom Brady’s running skills.

That’s my take…what’s yours? Was this a Super Bowl preview or just two playoff teams going at it in a playoff type atmosphere?

Posted By Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

That's how many penalty minutes there were in Saturday's game between the Providence Bruins and Portland Pirates.

Now, who says the game of hockey isn't the same as it used to be???

Heres the Box Score:

Period 1 - PRO Glenn, 4:46 - Interference , 2 min (PP); POR Carter, 8:31 - Hooking , 2 min (PP); POR Rome, 12:56 - Charging , 2 min (PP) ; PRO Pelletier, 17:46 - Holding , 2 min (PP)

Period 2 - PRO Krejci, 2:10 - Hooking , 2 min (PP); PRO Lashoff, 6:51 - Cross-checking , 2 min (PP); PRO Reich, 10:38 - Fighting , 5 min ; POR Rome, 10:38 - Fighting , 5 min; PRO Curry, 18:53 - Holding , 2 min (PP)

Period 3 - PRO Reich, 0:05 - Fighting , 5 min ;POR Konopka, 0:05 - Fighting , 5 min; PRO Thompson, 2:52 - Fighting , 5 min; POR Glencross, 2:52 - Fighting , 5 min; POR Moran, 8:08 - Hooking , 2 min (PP); PRO Reich, 10:38 - Fighting , 5 min; PRO Reich, 10:38 - Game misconduct - Third major (20.4), 10 min; POR Thornton, 10:38 - Fighting , 5 min; PRO Brookbank, 10:52 - Fighting , 5 min; PRO Brookbank, 10:52 - Game misconduct - Secondary altercation (47.6), 10 min; PRO Curry, 10:52 - Fighting , 5 min; PRO Curry, 10:52 - Game misconduct - Secondary altercation (47.6), 10 min; PRO Glenn, 10:52 - Fighting , 5 min; PRO Glenn, 10:52 - Game misconduct - Secondary altercation (47.6), 10 min; PRO Packard, 10:52 - Instigating , 2 min; PRO Packard, 10:52 - Fighting , 5 min (PP); PRO Packard, 10:52 - Misconduct - Instigating (47.10), 10 min; PRO Rabbit, 10:52 - Fighting , 5 min; PRO Rabbit, 10:52 - Game misconduct - Secondary altercation (47.6), 10 min; POR Glencross, 10:52 - Fighting , 5 min; POR Glencross, 10:52 - Game misconduct - Secondary altercation (47.6), 10 min; POR Konopka, 10:52 - Fighting , 5 min; POR Konopka, 10:52 - Game misconduct - Secondary altercation (47.6), 10 min; POR Leighton, 10:52 - Leaving the crease , 2 min; POR Parenteau, 10:52 - Fighting , 5 min; POR Parenteau, 10:52 - Game misconduct - Secondary altercation (47.6), 10 min; POR Salcido, 10:52 - Game misconduct - Secondary altercation (47.6), 10 min; PRO Pelletier, 14:53 - Fighting , 5 min; POR Brent, 14:53 - Fighting , 5 min; POR St. Jacques, 15:50 - Slashing , 2 min (PP); POR Rome, 16:27 - Roughing , 2 min (PP); PRO Kalus, 19:06 - Instigating , 2 min; PRO Kalus, 19:06 - Fighting , 5 min ; PRO Kalus, 19:06 - Game misconduct - Instigator (last 5 min.) (47.11), 10 min; POR Miller, 19:06 - Fighting , 5 min; PRO Leach, 19:14 - Fighting , 5 min; PRO Zinger, 19:14 - Fighting , 5 min; POR Ferguson, 19:14 - Fighting , 5 min; POR Thornton, 19:14 - Fighting , 5 min; PRO Served By Thompson, 19:49 - Bench minor - Unsportsmanlike conduct , 2 min (PP); PRO Served By Thompson, 19:49 - Game misconduct - Obscenity (40.5 (ii)), 10 min

That's 161 PIM for the Baby Bs and 112 for the Pirates - by the way Obscenity? That's a new one.

The third period must have taken forever to play with all those infractions.

I guess whoever was at the game cam say "I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out."

Ironically, there was only 2 ppg scored in the game, one for each team .

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Toooo morrow, toooo morrow, The Sun will come out tomorrow.

Okay, Doc Rivers ain't exactly little orphan Annie. That being said, he’ll take whatever rays of sunshine come with a win in Milwaukee last night, espeically after fans in the TD Banknorth Garden reportedly called for his job on Friday night.

Fans who were hoping to run the good Doc out may also want to give a read to a story by Sports Illustrated’s Ian Thomsen who got Wyc Grousbeck, the managing partner of the Celtics ownership group, talking about the security of Rivers’ job. If you watched the Friday night game then you probably saw Thomsen talk with Greg Dickerson during the telecast.

Right off the bat, Grousbeck refuted that Rivers hasn’t been doing enough with the talent dealt to him, telling SI, "Doc is a very good coach for the team. Doc has done as well as he could be expected to do with the players that he's been given.''

Click here to read the SI.com story

So, what do you think? Is Grousbeck delusional? Is he just saying what he thinks he should say? Is he right on? Click the comments link below to post your thoughts.

Some of you chimed in on previous posts to tell me that I'm delusional. Of course, one anynomous commenter did tell me that Rivers has been doing the same thing for three years now with the Celtics (uh, he came to town in April of 2004), changes need to be made on the coaching staff (they made two changes in the off-season), and Danny Ainge should take over (Ainge claims he is not interested in coaching). What else you got?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Our special guest for Monday night’s SunTalk Live is none other than David Pevear.

Pevear is the Lowell Sun’s Patriots writer, having followed the team through the lean years and the mean years. David is in Foxboro every week and will be at Gillette Stadium for Sunday’s big matchup against the Bears. If anyone has a pulse on the team and what’s going on in the locker room, it’s David.

So be sure to dial in at (978)364-TALK to be a part of this week’s show. It promises to be fun and informative. We’ll be on from 7-8pm, taking your calls and answering questions about the Pats and anything else you want to talk about. As always, you’re encouraged to call in early to save a spot in line and to make sure you don’t miss anything. The phones open up at 6:45pm. Those of you brave enough to speak your voice should stay on the line after your comments as we may bring you back for a follow up conversation or even a little head-to-head with a caller who has a differing opinion.

Talk to you soon!

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

UML Women vs. Bentley

The last time the River Hawks beat Bentley was 1994. Last year, the two teams tangled in Waltham and the Falcons came away with a 17-point victory. Bentley owned the glass, grabbing 31 rebounds to UML’s 13.

Sunday will be the first road game of the season for the Falcons (2-1) who fell 55-53 to Southern Connecticut State on Tuesday. Bentley will be led by Alvirne High School graduate Lauren Moore. The senior guard is averaging a team-high 16.3 points while grabbing 6.0 rebounds per game.

The underclassmen-laden River Hawks were tagged by St. Michael’s in their last game, losing to the NE-10 rival 57-37. UML was held to just 28 percent shooting from the field. Junior guard Tonya Perry and sophomore forward Bridgette Hooker both enter Sunday’s contest averaging 10 points per game.

Game time is 2 p.m. tomorrow at Costello Gymnasium

UMass Lowell women's basketball homepage

UML Men vs. Bentley

UML was standing on the train tracks when the Falcons rolled to the NE-10 title last season. Bentley dropped a 78-61 spanking on the River Hawks last season at the Dana Center as Bentley notched it‘s 13th straight victory. The Falcons were successful in disrupting the UML offensive attack, holding them to under 40 percent shooting from the field, and holding Stacey Moragne to just six points.

The defending Northeast-10 men’s basketball champions from Bentley come in with a record of 4-0 and ranked 20th in the nation. Junior forward Nate Fritsch comes in scoring 15.8 points per game and senior guard Dan Lawson, son of Bentley head coach Jay Lawson, is averaging 11.3 points per game and shooting 52 percent (13 of 25) from three-point range.

UML comes in with a record of 2-2, and freshman Victor Colon was named the Northeast-10 Conference Freshman of the Week. He averaged 15.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per game while shooting 50 percent from the floor.

Game time is set for 4 p.m. tomorrow at Costello.

UMass Lowell men's basketball homepage

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Those of you still holding out hope the law of averages catches up to The Victim need to realize your goose is cooked.

Rather than run out of steam, our pigskin prognosticator keeps adding more helpings of victory pie to his plate, stuffing the pockets of true believers in the process. A winning record on Turkey Day catapults our gridiron guru into another slate of televised games with an impressive 14-games over .500 spread, a better present for his following than anything Jolly Old Saint Nick promises to deliver a month from now.

So in the spirit of giving, here are this weekend’s picks:

Houston (+6) over NY Jets
New Orleans (+3) over Atlanta
New England (-3) over Chicago
Philadelphia (+9) over Indianapolis
Seattle (-9 ½) over Green Bay

Thanksgiving Day record: 2-1
Season Record: 34-20

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.

Wednesday night I was watching the Bruins game and as "The Edge" scrolled along the bottom it said that Hannu Toivonen would start all three games for Providence this weekend against Hartford, Portland and Lowell.

According to NESN, GM Peter Chiarelli said that if Toivonen playes well and his injured ankle holds up he will be recalled back to the big club.

I'm particularly excited about the game versus the Devils because I will be there covering the game.

Now, if he does play well, Brian Finley will be sent back down, but he will have to clear waivers, if I am not mistaken and I would hope that would mean that Hannu will be Tim Thomas' back-up and not the starter. Thomas has been playing pretty solid in net and the guys in front of him seem to have more confidence in him.

If Toivonen plays well and gets called back to the Bruins, do you think he deserves to take away the number one job away from Thomas who seems to have turned it around as of late?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

The school representing the Merrimack Valley Conference in the high school football playoffs will be decided by a coin flip.

Andover's 18-10 upset of Central Catholic opened the door for Lowell and Dracut to slide into a first place tie. Both squads took advantage of the opportunity, Lowell dismantling Haverhill 42-0 and Dracut thrashing Methuen 35-6.

Stay with TheSunBlog and LowellSun.com for updates. We'll have results of the coin flip as soon as it happens.

Update: Central Catholic won the 3-way coin toss and will advance to the playoffs. David Pevear has the story in today's Sun.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

On this holiday where we give thanks for all the wonderful things in our life, let us also pause for a moment and display gratitude for the person so desperately trying to put a little extra money in our pockets.

Long a lovable loser, The Victim has turned into the Santa Claus of pigskin prognosticators, unable to do wrong as he passes out winning selections to thankful gamblers everywhere. If the gridiron guru continues at his current rate (he's the most successful tout in the country), this will be a merry and prosperous holiday season for all of us.

And now, with a trifecta of Turkey Day games on the NFL slate, here's a special midweek edition of The Victim's Picks:

Detroit (+3) over Miami
Dallas (-11) over Tampa Bay
Kansas City (+1) over Denver

Last week's record: 4-1
Season record: 32-19

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

OK, so maybe the debut of SunTalk Live wasn’t as momentous an occasion as Alexander Graham Bell’s invention of the telephone, but it’s a start. And it’s only onward and upward from here!

We’ve just scheduled our second Sports Talk night for this coming Monday from 7-8pm. As always, the forum will be open to any and all topics you care to discuss, but we’re going to place a special emphasis on the Patriots this week. With the big matchup against the 9-1 Bears coming up, I imagine there’ll be plenty to talk about.

We’re still working on a guest for the show, which we’ll announce in the next day or so. With any luck, we may even have a surprise announcement or two regarding future shows and “name� guests…not that Teddy Panos or other members of the Lowell Sun staff aren’t big enough names!

So be sure to phone in Monday night to be a part of our next show, or to just listen in. The number is (978)364-TALK (8255). If you missed last week’s show, you can listen to it by visiting the SunTalk Live link at LowellSun.com.

Talk to you soon!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

News Flash: Justin Morneau edges Derek Jeter to win the American League’s Most Valuable player award in an extremely close vote. The Red Sox David Ortiz finishes 3rd in the balloting.

Teddy’s Take: What’s the definition of valuable?

That’s the central argument that goes into almost every MVP ballot, and the reason we spend so much time debating these silly awards. There is no clear cut answer to that question, which is how I think Major League Baseball likes it. Rather than call it the Most Outstanding Player Award (that would be easier to agree on), they insert the word valuable and all hell breaks loose.

Red Sox fans were already up in arms knowing full well Big Papi was likely going to finish behind Jeter. Just imagine the reaction in New York now that Captain America’s been beaten out by a relative no-name. I love it! I think it was a great choice by the voters. My ballot would have read the same as the top three finishers; 1) Morneau 2)Jeter 3)Ortiz.

Forget Morneau’s gaudy 34-homers and 130-ribbies for a moment. Think back to July and August when the Twins made their improbable rise from below .500 to AL Central champs. Morneau supplied clutch hit after clutch hit, more than even our beloved Papi. For a while there, it seemed like every night featured a SportsCenter clip of Minnesota’s 1st basemen delivering a game winning blow.

Now ask yourself this; would the Twins have won their division without Morneau? The obvious answer to that is no. Would the Yankees have won the AL East without Jeter? Maybe, maybe not…lord knows there’s enough talent there anyway. Would the Sox have finished 3rd in the East without Ortiz? Of course they would have. That's my definition of valuable. As far as I’m concerned, end of discussion!

Now if you want to get me going on Jeter stealing the Gold Glove from Alex Gonzalez, be my guest!

What did you think of the MVP voting? Agree or disagree? How about the NL MVP (Ryan Howard), Cy Young (Johan Santana and Brandon Webb), and Rookie of the Year (Justin Verlander and Hanley Ramirez)?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Well, we held our first SunTalk Live session last night and things went pretty smoothly. Best we can tell we didn’t cause any car crashes with people holding on the cell phones for an hour, though the sound of my voice might be enough to shatter a few ear drums.

If you didn’t get to join in the fun, here’s an audio link to the show. We touched on a wide variety of topics and even had the first airing of Rick’s Picks for this Thanksgiving Day’s high school football matchups. We’ll soon be announcing future dates and times for Sports Talk shows. I’m thinking baseball’s winter meetings in early December might be a good time, especially if we can convince Chaz Scoggins to join us with his expert commentary.

A quick reminder; Sun Editor Jim Campanini takes to the phone lines tonight from 7-8pm for an open news and political forum. If you think I’m opinionated, wait till you get a load of Jim!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Is Thanksgiving the best holiday of the year, or what?

Oh sure, you love Christmas when you’re a kid, but how much fun is it when you’re all grown up, in credit card debt up to your eyeballs, and frantically pacing the mall to cross those final names off your list. That’s before we even get into the newest shopping craze; video game violence. Junior’s has to have that Play Station 3, whether daddy spends X-Mas Eve in prison or not!

Not my cup of tea, thank you. I’ll take Thanksgiving any Thursday of the week and twice on Sunday. You just know the day was created by pilgrims and Native Americans with men in mind. Think about it; a festival of food, football and family (in that order)…what could be better?

So as turkey day approaches, here’s a list of things this sports scribe would like to give thanks for:

I’m thankful I grew up near Boston, where we have teams in every major sport. Even better, not a calendar cycle has gone by without at least one of the local squads in the title hunt. Not every year can match 1986 (3-of-4 teams competed in Finals) or the Red Sox-Patriots double of 2004, but we’ve been spoiled for a pretty long time around these parts. Try surviving those long Minnesota winters without the warmth of a championship glow.

Let me also give thanks to the five individuals most responsible for making football a passion around here. It may be difficult for you younger folk to remember, but there was a time when very few people cared if the Patriots left town or not. I was once part of a 17,000 person season ticket base. Now, that number is dwarfed by the waiting list alone. Take a bow Bill Parcells, Drew Bledsoe, Bob Kraft, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. (Chronological order, not order of importance, though I’d love to debate that with you sometime)

I’m thankful I get to see an athlete like LaDainian Tomlinson. In a sport filled with “me first‿ types who can’t wait to score a touchdown so they can unveil their new solo celebrations, LT2’s flip the ball to the ref and join your teammates routine is refreshing. Then again, if every trip to the end zone generated gyrations similar to some of these clowns with half his ability or track record, Tomlinson would be out of breath by halftime. There isn’t going to be a rushing or scoring record left standing by the time this great running back is through.

Let’s also give thanks for living in such a big market, therefore allowing our beloved Red Sox to compete every year if they want to. $51-million just for the right to negotiate with a Japanese pitcher whose name we can barely pronounce? There are teams whose entire payroll won’t come close to that number, but John Henry and friends might actually turn a profit from the investment. Just picture downtown Tokyo this summer; a sea of Sox jerseys and pink, not to mention ‘Suke Sushi on every menu.

In closing, thanks to the Bruins and Celtics for at least trying to matter again…thanks to the area high schools and colleges for generally putting sports in their proper perspective…thank you Tiger Woods for allowing me to unquestionably say I’ve seen the best in my lifetime…thank you NASCAR for providing endless comedic material…and thanks to the Lowell Sun giving this troubled mind a forum to vent.

Happy Thanksgiving!

What are you thankful for this holiday season?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Celtics head coach Doc Rivers sees guys starting to buy into what he and the coaching staff have been preaching. As Rivers said after practice today, the “key guys� are beginning to head his messages about defense and taking care of the ball. One of the keys Rivers pointed to was the ability to keep teams from starting their offense until less than 14 seconds was left on the shot clock.

Prior to allowing the Knicks to score 118 points on Saturday night, the Celtics had held Orlando, Indiana, and Portland to an average of 90 points per game. Opponents have been turning the ball over 15.5 times per game in the last four games compared to 13.3 for the Celtics in that same stretch. For the season the Celtics have committed 16.7 turnovers per game while forcing just 13.6.

Three wins in a row is something the Celtics couldn’t get done all of last season, but at 4-6 there is still plenty of room for improvement. Aside from not putting together win streaks, one of the other big areas the Celtics struggled with last season was winning on the road. They have not gone on the road for any extended period of time yet this season, but four of their next six contests will be away from the TD Banknorth Garden starting with a trip to Charlotte on Wednesday night.

Gomes stepping up
Rivers said he believed that Ryan Gomes was not performing with the energy level that the coaching staff had come the expect from him. Gomes, who is averaging 9.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game in 28.6 minutes, has recorded a pair double-doubles in his last three games. Against New York he scored 22 points to go with 14 rebounds.

“He is so important to us even on nights when he doesn’t score,� Rivers said, adding that most of Gomes’ scoring does not come from designed offense.

Injuries to the Celtics frontcourt players have made Gomes play even more important as the Celtics have been forced to give significant minutes to Brian Scalabrine and Leon Powe.

Health updates
Theo Ratliff, Delonte West, Al Jefferson, Wally Szczerbiak, Michael Olowokandi and Kendrick Perkins did not practice today.

Ratliff remains sidelined by back problems. West has a sprained left big toe. Jefferson is still awaiting clearance after his appendectomy. Perkins sat do to plantar fasciitis (or tendinitis) in his left foot. Szczerbiak sat out do to soreness, taking the opportunity to rest with the Celtics not playing again until Wednesday.

Jefferson will be re-evaluated today by team physician Brian McKeon. Jefferson said he hopes to participate in practice tomorrow and see game time on Friday. Rivers said Wednesday was out of the question for Jefferson, but Jefferson hasn’t ruled out the possibility, though he insists he needs at least a full practice (not a game day shoot around) before he gets back in a game. If he is not cleared for full contact on Tuesday, he’ll most likely not see game time until next Wednesday.

Olowokandi remains out after suffering an abdominal tear in the game against the Indiana Pacers. He did ride the stationary bike during practice today, but he is expected to miss as much as four weeks.

Are Celtics fans encouraged about the recent run of success? Expecting more? Worried about the injury issues? Click the comments link below to give your two cents.

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

There are two local teams riding 4-game winning streaks at the moment - The Boston Bruins and the Lowell Devils.

The Bruins have beaten the Senators, the Capitals, the Maple Leafs and then the Caps again. The Devils had their victories over Hartford, Manchester (in OT), Portland and Worcester.

The Bruins have been doing it in dramatic fashion - all four of their games have gone to extra frames. Patrice Bergeron has three of the game winners, including the lone goal in the shoot out over the Caps, and Glen Murray had the other game winner in OT.

The Devils on the other hand have played solid all around, out scoring their opponents 19-8 in the past four games with the power play unit going 6 for 25 - good for 24 percent - not too shabby.

The Bruins currently sit 4th in the Northeast Division - one point in front of Ottawa. The Devils are a bit more comfortable in the standings. They're 3rd in the Atlantic - three points behind both Providence and Portland.

Both clubs didn't exactly have stellar starts to their 2006-07 campaigns.

The Bruins started the season 2-5-1 and since then have gone 6-2-1. The Devils went 3-4-1 in their first 8 games and have gone 6-2 since.

The Bruins get back to work tonight as they take on the Florida Panthers at the TD Banknorth Garden. The Devils will have to wait until Wednesday when they travel to Pennsylvania for a match-up with Hershey.

What do you think about the Bruins and Devils' turn arounds? Think they can keep it going?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Final Score
Patriots 35
Packers 0

Teddy’s Take: You think we could trade this one in for Super Bowl XXXI?

Needless to say, these aren’t the same Packers and Brett Favre is a shadow of his old self, even if his old self was overrated to begin with. Meanwhile, this is exactly how the Patriots needed to respond to their first two game losing streak in years. They were efficient. They were physical. And they were in control from the opening kickoff till the final gun sounded. They wanted the shutout as icing on the cake and made sure they got it. I got the feeling Green Bay wasn’t getting on the scoreboard if they played 24-quarters instead of four.

One more thing this win did. It put an end to the ridiculous “the division is up for grabs� talk we kept hearing all week. Look, these aren’t the “dynasty� Patriots, but they don’t need to be to win the AFC East. The Jets are an improved club that has a bright future and a long way to go to get into New England’s class. You don’t need to be making Super Bowl plans, but make sure to keep Saturdays and Sundays open in early January. The Pats will be playing playoff football.

Shining Stars: The much-maligned Reche Caldwell earns a star on the forehead for his 2nd consecutive strong performance. The 54-yard TD is New England’s longest play from scrimmage this year and the first sign of a deep threat since you-know-who departed…Laurence Maroney gets one as well. I’d love to see this kid get 25-carries a game for a prolonged period and see what he could do. All great running backs get better as the game goes on. I think Maroney would fall into the same class if given a chance. By the way, did anyone pick up Nick Barnett’s jock strap for him?

Ben Watson gets a gold star for a strong game and a great TD catch…Tom Brady adds to a star-filled forehead with a flawless 4-TD, 0-INT performance…We’ll also hand one out to every member of the Defense, as a shutout is a true team performance. Mike Vrabel and Tedy Bruschi get an extra sticker for their work, however. The linebacker duo was all over the field.

Finally, a week after being put in detention, Bill Belichick earns one for getting his team back on track. He had the boys practicing in full pads this week in an effort to rediscover some intensity. I don’t care how bad Green Bay is…the move worked!

Quality Quotes: “I was trying to throw it away [laughter] and he jumped up and caught it.�—Tom Brady discussing a near-miss TD pass to Mike Vrabel

That’s my take…what’s yours? Are the Patriots back on track? Or did they beat up on an overachieving team that came back to earth?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

No need to thank me gang. It was my pleasure. Doc, Danny…you don't have to send a Christmas bonus or anything. Anytime the Celtics need a kick in the rear, I’ll be more than happy to make a fool of myself on record by criticizing your team’s play and coaching.

Talk about perfect timing, huh? I post my rip job on the Green, and all of a sudden they play their two best games of the year. In all seriousness, this is what I expected all along and why I was so frustrated over the first seven games.

Not that I think this team is ready to challenge for a title, but there is more than enough talent on the roster to be a better than .500 team and protect home court against mediocre and lousy opponents. What we’ve seen the last 2-games is evidence of that. Let’s hope it continues!

Now then, Mr. Belichick...about those last two games....

What do you think? Which Celtics teams is the real one…the one that started 1-6 or the one that’s destroyed Indiana and Portland?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

In a week where turkeys throughout the country are running for cover, The Victim is gearing up for another slaughter of the Vegas line.

Our pigskin prognosticator rebounded from a rare losing effort with an impressive mark in last week’s televised NFL action. While followers of the system are getting the stuffing beaten out of them, those who recognized the amazing dynamic at play here are thankful they have access to this gridiron guru heading into the holiday season.

So with the season of giving nearly upon us, I present to you The Victim’s picks:

Green Bay (+5 ½) over New England
Dallas (pick ‘em) over Indianapolis
San Francisco (+3) over Seattle
San Diego (+2 ½) over Denver
Jacksonville (-3 ½) over NY Giants

Last week’s record: 3-1
Season record: 28-18

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

So, I was covering the 13th Annual Festival of Trees in Methuen and let me tell you walking around looking at 205 decorated trees is actually pretty fun.

My friend Meaghan's aunt is a volunteer at the Festival so she was with me, she simply said to me "I just found your tree, it's behind you."

When I turned around, I couldn't believe my eyes. It was a tree made completely out of hockey stick blades and nets... see for yourselves.

I thought it was pretty cool and wanted to share it with you.

On that note, just an FYI - I'm finally going back to the Tsongas after having a week off - I'll be covering the Devils/Sharks game on Sunday.

By the way, the Devils beat the Monarchs tonight 4-3 in OT with captain Dan McGillis getting the game winner. Read Dave Pevear's game story in the Sun tomorrow (http://www.lowellsun.com).

See you at the rink.

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

Yup, the Bruins are on a 3-game winning streak and one player that wears Black and Gold who deserves as much credit as the goal scorers and goalies is Wayne Primeau.

His play on the fore and backcheck has been phenominal and deserves a lot of the credit for the way this team has been playing defensively in the past handful of games.

Primeau has been outstanding on the PK and that is huge in this league.

Now, I'm not saying he's the best there ever was, but com'on you have to admit he has been amazing.

A standing ovation to Primeau from this Bruins Fan!

Oh and by the way, a big round of applause to the club for playing much more disciplined last night - only two infractions for the entire game!

On a side note: What is it with people saying the NHL game is not as physical - now before I get booed for that one; allow me to explain.

Yes, I know there isn't as much fighting.(I still miss PJ Stock).

But, no physical play? Com'on so not true! I remember Zdeno Chara depositing Michael Peca into the bench last night. How about the way Andrew Alberts has been hitting in general. There still is plenty of hitting in the games - but not as much fighting - big difference.

And to me there is nothing better than seeing an open ice hit at the blue line and watching the recipient go flying through the air.

I understand where some die hards say the game has lost a lot without the fighting; but I disagree - I love watching the speed and skill of the NHLers like Phil Kessel, Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby to name a few.

I would rather see Glen Murray, with blood dripping down his face, nail the one-timer for a victory in OT (think Tampa Bay two Saturdays ago), than to watch two enforcers dance on the ice - which by the way in today's game they more often than not end up in the AHL because they simply just can't keep up with the speed of the game or tend to be healthy scratches on any given night.

Now, don't get me wrong - I don't think fighting is all bad, but less is more because when a "good" fight does happen it is that much more exciting.

Hockey of the 70s and 80s; even the 90s is gone - the "so-called" die hard fans (present company excluded) left the building during the lockout and gave up on the Bruins when Ray Bourque won the Cup with Colorado.

One thing that is gone in the new NHL, that I applaud, is the clutching and grabbing and trapping - to me the pace of the game is better and the physical play has not been lacking.

What are your thoughts on fighting? Do you miss it? Do you think the game is lacking physical play? Or are you like me and say the hitting is still there?

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

It's official the boys in Black and Gold are on their first winning streak of the season after beating Toronto 2-1 in OT last night at the TD Banknorth Garden.

Your's truly was at the Garden cheering loud and proud for the Bruins as they skated against the Maple Leafs.

In case you missed it, Patrice Bergeron got the game winner just 34 seconds into OT. Bergy has been on fire - last night he beat Olaf Kolzig 5-hole for the only goal in the Shootout win against Washington. Not too mention he also had the game winner against Ottawa last Saturday night!

WHOO!

All three goals seemed to come fast - Phil Kessel scored just 6 seconds into the Bruins power play; Briyan McCabe returned the favor for Toronto just 2 seconds into their power play; then of course Bergy capping the night off 34 seconds into the extra period.

Tim Thomas was pretty solid in net getting the start after making 33 saves last night in Washington. He made another 24 tonight. Even though it doesn't count in the GAA his best save in the two nights was stopping the Shootout attempt by sophomore phenom Alexander Ovechkin.

Now, I'm not saying the Bruins are unbeatable or even great at this point, but they are definitely playing much better hockey as of late.

On a side note the Senators handed Buffalo their second loss in regulation on Wednesday night.

Can the Bruins make it four-in-a-row when the Caps come to town on Saturday? Anyone else starting to get excited about the club now that they are winning?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

When we began this venture back in January, we promised to add new features as technology became available. Well, we’re making good on that promise beginning Monday night with the debut of SunTalk Live!

Join us between 7-8pm for the debut our new community journalism feature that puts you directly in touch with us over the telephone. Just dial (978)364-TALK and become a part of our discussion.

Got something you want to say? Here’s your chance! Want to just listen in on the conversation and hear what others have to say? Be our guest. You might even learn a thing or two. Or better yet, we’ll push one of your buttons and get you to call in with your opinion. (Click here for more details on how to participate)

I’m proud to say the Lowell Sun is the first newspaper in the country to try this feature! Think of it as talk radio, only over the phone. Whereas most sports talk on the dial is driven by the hosts, this format is literally caller driven. Your thoughts matter to us, and you’ll get a fair chance to share them. And the best part is we’ll keep you on the line after your comments so you can listen in on the rest of the discussion or join back in to debate other callers and topics as time permits.

As we go along, this will develop into a regular happening, with us bringing you live guests and going out on location. We’ll start off with our topic of the night, yet always leave plenty of time for general discussion and whatever the big news of the day is. SunTalk Live will also feature news and entertainment nights with Jim Campanini and Lowellita, so be sure to check those out as well.

Joining me for the inaugural SportsTalk Live program will be Sun sportswriter Rick Harrison to discuss the upcoming Thanksgiving Day football matchups and what they’ll mean to the high school Super Bowl picture. Along the way, we’ll even trot out “Rick’s Picks� for Turkey Day. So here’s your chance to chat with the Merrimack Valley’s resident high school football expert and ask questions.

Following that, we’ll open up the forum to any sports discussion you’re interested in. Seeing as it’s a Monday night, I’m sure there’ll be no shortage of topics, ranging from the Patriots trying to get back on the winning track to the Red Sox pursuit of trades and free agents. If it’s happening in the world of sports, let’s talk about it!

So mark the date on your calendar; Monday November 20th, 7-8pm. (Dial in early to reserve your spot…phone lines open at 6:45) And don’t forget to bring your voice!

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Emotional fans aside, here is some of what the Indiana Pacers had to say last night about the job Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers are doing with the Celtics.

Larry Bird, Celtics legend and Pacers director of basketball operations: “Danny (Ainge) has a vision, he knows what he wants. He wants to play up-tempo and move the ball up and down the court. It takes time. He came into a situation where (it’s been) a little rough at times, but he’ll get the job done.�

Jermain O'Neal, five-time NBA All-Star who was drafted out of high school: “I think Doc Rivers has been put in a tough position. I think Doc Rivers is one of the best coaches in the league. He’s been put in a position where he’s forced to play a lot of inexperienced players. The difference is with my situation I was drafted and was able to just sit back and learn from other people.�

We hit you up with more from O'Neal in today's edition of The Sun.

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Al Jefferson was taking jump shots and strolling through the Celtics locker room in uniform prior to tonight’s game. This is one week after he underwent an emergency appendectomy.

Jefferson thinks he may be back participating fully in practice within another week or week and a half. He has lost 10 pounds since the procedure, dropping to 250 for the first time since he was a freshman in high school.

It was in practice last week when Jefferson first started feeling pain in his stomach, it wasn’t until he headed the urging of team trainer Ed Lacerte (a Westford resident) that Jefferson went to the hospital where he found out his situation might be serious.

“I just owe him everything,� Jefferson said of Lacerte. “If it was up to me I would just be like Ed give me some medicine, let the games go through with my little tummy ache.�

Jefferson also said he feels about 85 percent right now, and that the doctors were able to use a scope to operate on him instead of cutting him open. He also pointed out that Ben Roethlisberger returned to practice two weeks after having the same procedure done.

As far as bad luck, Jefferson said he wasn’t looking at the setback from that standpoint, saying he knows things could have been a lot worse.

Orien’s return
Former Celtics guard Orien Greene, a second round pick in 2005 out of the University of Louisian-Lafayette, is now a member of tonight’s opponent the Indiana Pacers.

So far with Indiana, a broken finger has sidelined him for 14 games over the course of the preseason and the regular season. He has returned to practice this week and is a candidate to be activated at any time.

Greene averaged 3.2 points per game and 1.8 rebounds in 15.4 minutes per game in 80 games for the Celtics last season.

Celtics head coach Doc Rivers said it was tough letting Greene go, but there simply wasn’t room for him after the draft day trades.

“I think he was great for us (as an on-the-ball defender),� Rivers said. “I mean that was the one area I thought he excelled in. He gambled at times a little too much, but he’s a solid defender. He’s strong. He has a great feel defensively as well, great hands. That’s what’s going to keep him in the league.�

Odds and ends
Theo Ratliff remains unavailable for tonight’s game. His back problems are to the point where sitting on the bench to watch games has become uncomfortable for him, according to Rivers.

Tony Allen will be distributing turkeys to approximately 75 families each at two locations in his hometown of Chicago on Sunday, Nov. 19. Each of the families resides in Chicago Housing Authority Developments.

Celtics captain Paul Pierce was honored on Tuesday night by Children’s Hospital Boston with the Champion Award at the hospital’s annual Champions for Children event. Pierce was recognized for his outstanding community contributions and dedication to Children’s Hospital Boston.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

That’s it! Can’t do it any more! I’ve kept my mouth shut for seven games, but I have to vent now or else I’m going to end up putting my size 11 ½ foot through the television set!

What the heck is Doc Rivers doing as coach of the Celtics?

I’ve come to the conclusion Rivers is not the right man for the job. He simply doesn’t posses the proper teaching, motivational or “X’s & O’s� skills required to turn a young, athletic bunch into a winning T-E-A-M.

How many nights must we watch guys make the same mistake with nothing being done to correct it? How many players must show no improvement from their rookie year to their third year before we hold the coach accountable? (Ask yourself this…what does Delonte West do today that he didn’t do as a rookie? What aspect has he added to his game that didn’t exist before coming to Boston? And he’s not the only one)

How many times must we watch Tony Allen dribble the freaking basketball off his knee and out of bounds before someone in charge either sits his ass on the bench for good or grabs him by the throat and tells him he’s not to dribble the ball under any circumstances? (Watch out…I’m on a roll now!!!)

How many times must we watch defenders switch on the pick and roll, creating ridiculous mismatches even the lousiest teams can exploit? The other night was the perfect example. Over and over again, the Celtics switched on the pick and roll, putting either Kendrick Perkins or Ryan Gomes on Jameer Nelson and Rajon Rondo on Dwight Howard. What ever happened to fighting through the pick, so the point guard is guarding the point guard and the center is guarding the center? This wasn’t Dwayne Wade or LeBron James they were switching out on. It was Jameer “Freakin� Nelson. What was Doc worried about? The 4-foot-11 point guard driving the lane and slamming one home? (Can you feel the sarcasm dripping?)

Or how about this one…the Magic have a 33% free throw shooter on the line with a 2-point lead and under a minute to play. So what does Rivers do? He takes out Perkins (his best rebounder and biggest player) and inserts Gomes. Tell me you didn’t know exactly what would happen next? Yup…Orlando gets the rebound on the miss (cause that’s what 33% FT shooters do…THEY MISS!!!!) and scores to go up four. Doc calls timeout…game over.

Here’s a suggestion…make sure you grab the damn rebound first, then call the timeout and make your substitution. But, what do I know?

Even in the team’s lone win of the season, the stupidity was breathtaking. You’ve got all of your centers and power forwards in foul trouble because they’re bumping into point guards (those damn pick and roll plays again) 30-feet from the basket. Then, with an 8-point lead and under a minute to play, Sebastian Telfair fouls Brevin Knight about 36-times after only a few seconds elapsed off the clock, giving the Bobcats free points while time stands still. Even worse, on one possession, Ryan Gomes fouled Knight at midcourt. Are you kidding me?

Telfair and Gomes’ asses should have been on the bench faster than Linda Blair’s head would spin. But nooooooo…Doc kept them out there until the game went into overtime and it took a buzzer beater by Delonte to win the game. (There’s something he never did before!)

Danny Ainge needs to sit Doc down, tell him to forget these 11-man rotations, play his best players (that means no Tony Allen and no Brian Scalabrine), and teach these kids the proper way to play the game. It has nothing to do with NBA inexperience. Don’t foul with an 8-point lead in the final minute is Basketball 101. Every third grader who’s ever dribbled a basketball knows it, never mind a third year veteran. When the same stupid mistakes are repeating themselves, it tells me the coach has no control and a total lack of discipline. If that doesn’t change, a new coach needs to be brought in.

There…it’s out of my system. I feel better already. At least until 7:30 tonight when the next 48-minutes of incompetence is unleashed on us!

What do you think…is it time for Danny Ainge to pull the plug on Doc Rivers? Should I just remain patient and it will all turn around before I completely lose my mind?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

It was made official today that Paul Pierce, Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West will represent the Boston Celtics as fans vote for their favorite players as starters for the 56th NBA All-Star Game. The 2007 NBA All-Star Game (airing live on TNT) will take place at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2007.

Pierce is a five-time All-Star, appearing in each All-Star game since 2002. West appeared in the Rookie-Sophomore game during the 2005-06 All-Star weekend.

A total of 120 players – 60 each from the Eastern and Western Conferences – are listed on the NBA All-Star ballot, with 24 guards, 24 forwards and 12 centers from each conference comprising the ballot.

The choices in the Eastern Conference are:

Guards: Gilbert Arenas (Washington), Chauncey Billups (Detroit),Vince Carter (New Jersey), Speedy Claxton (Atlanta), Jamal Crawford (New York), Marquis Daniels (Indiana), Raymond Felton (Charlotte), T.J. Ford (Toronto), Steve Francis (New York), Ben Gordon (Chicago), Richard Hamilton (Detroit), Kirk Hinrich (Chicago), Larry Hughes (Cleveland), Allen Iverson (Philadelphia), Stephen Jackson (Indiana), Joe Johnson (Atlanta), Jason Kidd (New Jersey), Stephon Marbury (New York), Jameer Nelson (Orlando), Morris Peterson (Toronto), Michael Redd (Milwaukee), Dwyane Wade (Miami), Delonte West (Boston), Jason Williams (Miami).

Forwards: Chris Bosh (Toronto), Caron Butler (Washington), Luol Deng (Chicago), Channing Frye (New York), Drew Gooden (Cleveland), Al Harrington (Indiana), Udonis Haslem (Miami), Grant Hill (Orlando), Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia), LeBron James (Cleveland), Antawn Jamison (Washington), Richard Jefferson (New Jersey), Andres Nocioni (Chicago), Jermaine O’Neal (Indiana), Emeka Okafor (Charlotte), Paul Pierce (Boston), Tayshaun Prince (Detroit), Wally Szczerbiak (Boston), Hedo Turkoglu (Orlando), Charlie Villanueva (Milwaukee), Gerald Wallace (Charlotte), Rasheed Wallace (Detroit), Antoine Walker (Miami), Chris Webber (Philadelphia).

Centers: Andrew Bogut (Milwaukee), Primoz Brezec (Charlotte), Eddy Curry (New York), Samuel Dalembert (Philadelphia), Dwight Howard (Orlando), Zydrunas Ilgauskas (Cleveland), Nenad Krstic (New Jersey), Nazr Mohammed (Detroit), Alonzo Mourning (Miami), Shaquille O’Neal (Miami), Zaza Pachulia (Atlanta), Ben Wallace (Chicago).

Coming soon to a

telephone near you...

TheSunBlog Live!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun staff

As we speak, the Patriots are installing a new artificial playing surface at Gillette Stadium. Plans to install the new FieldTurf were first reported by Dennis Whitton on LowellSun.com October 17th. David Pevear followed up on the story, reporting plans were still in the works despite numerous other media sources (including this idiot blogger!) reporting that the NFL had a rule prohibiting a change in playing surface during the season. There is no such rule. The confusion apparently stemmed from a recommendation by the league’s rules committee that was never passed.

Pevear’s follow-up story went on to say; “Much of the equipment used for installing FieldTurf is manufactured at Lowell Iron & Steel on Tanner Street, where many of the installation materials are stored.�

So, kudos to the Patriots for taking steps to fix an embarrassing situation. And kudos to Whitton and Pevear for breaking the stories and sticking to their guns!

Do you folks feel the same way I do that it's about time something was done about the horrible playing conditions?

Posted by Teddy Panos

Well, it doesn’t appear there’s much intrigue remaining in the Daisuke Matsuzaka sweepstakes.

Numerous sources are now confirming the Red Sox are indeed the high bidder for the 26-year old Japanese pitcher. While reports vary on exactly how much the Sox bid for his services, the numbers range anywhere from $30-to-$50-million. And remember, that’s just to buy his rights from his team in Japan. Estimates are agent Scott Boras will seek another $12-mil a year for his star client.

I think what’s more important here is the fact Boston appears ready to open the financial floodgates. (They’ve also reportedly made an offer on J.D. Drew) They’ve clearly identified the MVP of the World Baseball Classic as the pitcher they want, and are holding nothing back in going after him. Sure, the bid money won’t count against the luxury tax, but that’s still a big financial commitment for one player.

And you know what? I think it’s great! This team’s been crying poor-mouth for two years now, saying they can’t compete with the Yankees dollar for dollar. As the Matsuzaka pursuit shows, they can. More importantly, they’re willing to. As one who openly complained about their recent off-field performance, I’m pleasantly surprised and encouraged by these developments.

Play Ball!!!

What do you think of the Red Sox pursuit of Matsuzaka? Worth the money and effort? Or does this guy have Jose Contreras written all over him?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Sometime around 3:30pm Saturday, Ohio State and Michigan kick off in college football’s game of the year. Roughly 3 ½ hours later, the real game begins.

That’s when the pollsters, computer models and money makers begin the process of selecting a championship opponent for the Buckeyes-Wolverines winner. It’s equivalent to the Gallup Organization, tech geeks and lobbyists deciding control of Congress without elections. (Wonder if President Bush might like that right about now?)

The NCAA doesn’t sponsor a Division 1 Football tournament. They do so in Basketball and Hockey. They do so in Gymnastics and Fencing. They do so in every sport, in every division, but not in the granddaddy of all college sports. As a result, each year around this time we’re left debating the intricacies of college football.

Is a one loss team more deserving than an unbeaten Rutgers or Boise State squad? Was USC’s schedule tougher than Florida’s? Should the fact Florida State’s suspended All-Americas committed their shoplifting crimes before Nebraska’s should-have-been suspended Heisman candidate beat up his girlfriend influence the final polls?

Sometime between Thanksgiving and the first week of December, every school will have finished its regular season. The top ones will then take a month off before donning shoulder pads again on New Year’s Day or even better, January 8th, when the BCS title game is played. Sounds like plenty of time for a 4-week, 16-team tournament, doesn’t it?

Oh, you’ll hear lots of excuses why it can’t happen, most having to do with the academic needs of student-athletes. Something about the playoffs taking place during exams. Right! That’s what those University of Miami dudes are doing. “Cramming� for a Western Civilization final.

Isn’t it funny how the same NCAA that doesn’t demand a title tourney in Division 1 Football holds them in Division 1AA, Division 2 and Division 3? While the kids who are upset they’re not allowed to turn pro before their junior year are supposedly home studying, the Ivy League has to tell its kids they’re not allowed to participate in NCAA sponsored playoffs. Then again, Tostitos isn’t throwing millions in someone’s lap to watch Harvard battle Yale.

Like almost everything else in life, it all comes back to the Benjamins. Football factories don’t want to share the wealth with smaller schools. Sure, they’ll throw a bone or two to the little dogs, but they’ll be damned if they’re going to split most of the revenue with some rinky-dink conference. You have any idea how much it costs to renovate a 100,000 seat stadium? Touchdown Jesus needs a new paint job every now and then, you know!

Imagine how much money must be getting passed around for the NCAA look the other way. They could very easily step in and promote their own tournament. You say it wouldn’t work? There was a time when the NIT Basketball Tournament was a bigger deal than the March Madness version. How did that turn out?

The exact same thing would happen in football. But hey, that would take some backbone and the short term loss of a few sponsorship dollars. So in the meantime, we’re stuck with every bowl but the toilet running the show.

Come to think of it, Toilet Bowl might be an appropriate name for the game that decides a champion in such a cesspool of greed.

Will we ever see a college football playoff? Should we? Or is the current bowl system good enough for you?

Coming soon to a

telephone near you...

TheSunBlog Live!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Final Score
NY Jets 17
New England 14

Teddy’s Take: Now what?

I have to admit, I never saw this one coming. As much as I’ve been up front about the Patriots not being good enough to win a Super Bowl this year, I never in my wildest dreams imagined a loss at home to the Jets. Never!

You know who did, though? Flip through the pages of your Sunday Sun or check out the online version. David Pevear has it right there in black and white…Jets beat the Patriots by a field goal. Props to David, who also realizes something just ain’t quite right with this team and is willing to put it out there on a week I doubt another media person in this area predicted a loss.

(By the way, the last time New England lost a second consecutive game was in December of 2002 against Chad Pennington and the Jets)

Hey look…losses happen, You can’t win a championship every year, especially in the NFL. This league does everything it can to discourage dynasties and promote parity. That the Patriots will make the playoffs again and be a “tough out� is something to be proud of. One need only look at Pittsburgh to realize how hard it is to stay on top.

My only question, and the number one complaint I’ve had all year is this; did Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli do everything in their power, off the field, to put this team in the best position to win a championship? No coach in this league puts his team in a better position to win ON the field. And in the past, no front office combo has done a better job OFF the field.

But I look at roughly $7-million under the salary cap, money that can’t be carried over into next year, and I think this team could have done a much better job in the off-season of keeping a championship core intact or adding to what’s already there. I’m sure a lot of you don’t want to hear this, but it’s the truth. Tom Brady only has so many years left in that body. To see any of them go by without the best possible supporting cast around him is a shame.

In Detention: Obviously in my school, Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli will have to stay after class until they get their work done right (see above)…The defense did not play poorly, but the D-Line got overpowered at key points in the game and couldn’t get consistent pressure on Chad Pennington. Granted, Ty Warren’s absence didn’t help, but 15 and 16 play scoring drives in such adverse weather conditions should not happen. Neither should 6-of-13 third down conversions…This week’s Wide Receiver APB goes out for Doug Gabriel. An innocent looking fumble ended up turning the momentum around and Gabriel didn’t see the field in the second half. Was it just carelessness with the ball, or is there more involved? I’m betting on the latter. Let’s hope a week in detention gets our dreadlocked wideout squared away.

Quality Quote: “That is probably one area I think everyone is the most upset about, especially when you have your hometown fans in the stands.  You have to protect your own house.  We haven’t been able to do that on a consistent basis this year.  That is something that needs to be addressed.â€?—Artrell Hawkins on the team’s third loss at home this season.

Well gang…does “in Bill I trust� still hold? Can a coach, no matter how great he is, overcome years of player and staff defections? Is this season going to end with an early playoff loss, or do you still have hope for another title? Anyone out there sprain an ankle jumping off the bandwagon?

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

That seemed to be the theme after the game sitting in the garage of the TD Banknorth Garden waiting to exit and hit 93 North.

His second goal wasn't pretty - but it was good enough! Glen Murray scored his 300th NHL goal in the game and the Bruins defeated the Senators 4-3.

I think Dad's words on Murray's second was "That was ugly, but we'll take it."

If you read my previous post, you knew I was going to the game with my Dad and it was his first game in 10 years - I hoped the Bs would play hard and give us a win; they did not disappoint.

The only time either of us noticed that Ottawa had control of the game was the start of the third period. Dad even said "It seems to be all Ottawa right now."

And then bam - the Bruins kicked it into high gear. They starting playing solid defense again, they starting hitting and finally got the eventual game winner from Patrice Bergeron.

On the way home from the Gahden - I mentioned to Dad how the Bruins seem to do things in twos.

They beat the Lightning and Senators (five straight against the Sens) twice this year and they have lost to Atlanta and Buffalo twice this year.

They travel to Washington on Wednesday and are back at home against Toronto on Thursday - I'm hoping they can break the trend I noted above.

What do the Bruins need to do to keep the winning going? Did you watch the game? Do you think the team that showed up on Saturday night against the Sens has the potential to be a playoff team?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

I think I speak for most of us out there when I say I’m a bit disappointed in what Chad Jackson has given the Patriots offense this season.

Perhaps I’m disappointed because of how high he was selected in the draft. Perhaps it’s the rave reviews we were reading from rookie camps and early in training camp before he got hurt and dropped off the face of the earth. Whatever the reason, I think it's safe to say most Pats fans, fairly or unfairly, expected a lot more out of the University of Florida wide receiver at this point.

However, that doesn't mean there's no hope for the future. I still believe Jackson will eventually develop into a very good reciever somewhere down the road. And I get the feeling the guy whose judgment ultimately matters happens to agree, in his own long-winded way:

Q: I’m sure you don’t particularly concern yourself with what people think outside of your sphere…

BB: Really?

Q: [Laughter] If fans are looking at a guy like Jackson saying, ‘Well how come he hasn’t been more of a factor in games in terms of receptions, etcetera?’  Is there an answer to that question?

BB: I don't know which fans you're talking to out there, but it’s probably some of the same ones that said the same thing about Ty Warren three years ago.  So go back and see what the fans were saying about Ty Warren.  You can't put a timetable on young players.  You just can't do it.  A lot of it is based on opportunity and a lot of it is based on their progression and there's no set formula for any player at any position on any team.  You could look at every team in this league, in college football, you can look at every team wherever you want, you’ll see some guys that are start fast and finish slow.  You'll see other guys that start slow and finish fast.  You’ll see some guys that start at one level and kind of stay pretty much at that same consistent level and don’t really improve a whole lot.  You’ll see other guys that will be up and down for whatever reason, that’s just the way they are.  They’re inconsistent.  They just don’t play with the same kind of consistency that other players play with.  You tell me how everybody is going to do, then it will be easy to say where they're going to be, but it's a very individual thing.  I've been in football a long time.  I've seen guys come in their rookie year, first-round draft choices and think ‘This guys is a bust.  He’s never going to be able to help us,’ and the next year he’s in the Pro Bowl.  I've seen guys come in their first year and have great years and think, ‘Wow, this guy is really going to be a great player.  Wait until he improves.’  And you know what?  That's the best it ever is and it never gets better from that point.  In fact in some cases, it starts to, for whatever reason, to go the other way.  You just don't know that until you've had enough experience and enough time to get a long enough evaluation to do that.  With all due respect, I can’t really worry about how the fans evaluate our team.  I just have to look at it and try to do the best that I can with our coaching staff and we’ll evaluate based on what we see.  We don’t always see it the same.  You and I aren’t going to see it the same.  Not every coach sees it the same.  Not every scout sees it the same.  That's why you have discussions and meetings and talk about it and try to get everybody’s perspective and in the end try to make the right decision.  That's all it is.

What do you think of Chad Jackson’s performance thus far? Did you expect more? Will he eventually develop into the #1 receiver this team needs?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

The end of a good thing? Or just a minor bump in the road?

That’s what football followers everywhere are asking as we head into another week of pigskin prognosticating. For only the second time this season, The Victim posted a losing week in his NFL selections. Can he turn it around and resume making money for the minions as the nation’s top tout? Or is he doomed to revert to the lovable loser who helped fund my retirement all these year? You decide!

On to the picks:

NY Jets (+10 ½) over New England
Pittsburgh (-4 ½) over New Orleans
NY Giants (pick ‘em) over Chicago
Carolina (-9 ½) over Tampa Bay

Last week’s record: 1-4
Season Record: 25-17

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

While the book on Keith Foulke’s career may still be a work in process, the chapter detailing his days in Boston is closed. I, for one, am a bit sad it had to end.

The last two years have been tough on the former Sox closer. A combination of injuries and reported off-field issues turned the “lights-out� World Series closer into a below average middle reliever who incurred the wrath of Red Sox Nation over his “Johnny from Burger King� comments and inability to keep the opposition off the scoreboard. Foulke was booed often, and I’m sure at least one loyal reader of this blog (are you listening Christo?) is planning a party as we speak.

That’s too bad. You’ll get no argument here about the 34-year old righty stinking up the joint in ’05 and ’06. Though he was a much better pitcher than he showed recently, I never thought Foulke was as good as he was in the ’04 playoffs. But make no mistake, he was PHENOMENAL in 2004. Better than he’d ever been before or after. Scary good!  

Keith Foulke basically left his career on the mound in that post-season. It’s no coincidence he hasn’t been the same since. He shouldered a heavy workload, working multiple innings in the all-important games 4 and 5 of the ALCS, including 3-shutout innings in the Dave Roberts/Big Papi game. In fact, he didn’t give up a single earned run in 5 appearances spanning six innings against the Evil Empire.

He also appeared in all four games of the World Series, giving up only one run in five innings of work. If those numbers aren’t clutch, then I don’t know what the definition of clutch is. Think of every great moment from that playoff run and every great image. Foulke is smack dab in the middle of it.

So cheer his departure if you want to. I’ll even agree the Sox might be a better team without him and his salary. But he is one of the guys most responsible for ending the 86-year drought. For that, he will always have my gratitude and my cheers whenever he comes to town in whatever uniform he chooses to wear.

What are your thoughts on Keith Foulke’s departure from the Red Sox? Sad to see him go? Glad he’s gone? Will he ever be the same pitcher again? Can he even come close to that level?

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

When I turned on NESN to watch the Bruins game I had mixed feelings about the game. In fact my exact words this past week leading up to this game have been "I'm torn."

See as much as I don't like the Toronto Maple Leafs and as much as I love the Bruins - I in turn love Andrew Raycroft.
Watching him dominate in net was awesome and painful at the same time. I wanted the Bruins to win but again at the same time I wanted Rayzor to silence his critics here in Boston that said he wasn't a good goaltender and those that said Hannu Toivonen is better than him. Not to mention how quickly the Bruins gave up on him and traded him to the Leafs in the first place.

As soon as Rayzor left, during the second with a groin injury, my dilema was gone - I wanted a Bruin win - Raycroft had already proved himself with 28 saves on 30 shots in 35 minutes.

But, ok back to the game ... Tim Thomas (3 goals on 10 shots) was relieved of his duties after the first intermission in favor of newly called up Brian Finley.

The Bruins seemed as though that was just what they needed and slowly started to chip away at the Leafs lead.

If the Black and Gold had actually played 60 minutes of hockey they may have won that game.

But instead, they found themsleves down by three goals at the end of each of the intermissions. They tired, they really did try - they even came within a goal only to have the empty netter seal the deal with a 6-4 loss to the Leafs.

Now the Bruins need to figure out how to play 60 minutes of hockey and what they are going to do with the goaltending situation. I say they need to make a trade for a true #1.

Thanks to Dad, I will be in attendance Saturday night when they take on the Senators. Dad and I will be sitting in Section 1 behind the benches and I CAN NOT WAIT!!!! Dad and I have been to many Celtics games together, but this will be our first hockey game. I hope the Bruins play hard and get us a win.

With how bad the Bruins are playing right now, do they have any bright spots? What do they need to do to change it? Is goaltending the only problem?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Not much exciting stuff out of Patriots and Jets camp this week…Bill Belichick still refuses to even mention Eric Mangini’s name, while Mangini says he values his time in New England and with his mentor.

The one thing everyone can agree on is how great Rodney Harrison is and that the Pats will miss him while he’s out. Coaches and players on both sides talked not only about his physical skills, but his instincts and leadership qualities. However, the funniest comments came from Tom Brady:

Q: When he was an opponent of yours did his presence alter an offense’s game plan?

TB: "You’re obviously accounting for Rodney. I remember when we played him when he was in San Diego, when he was a dirty player and we all used to hate him. Now we love him. That’s how it changes. He hopefully will be back sooner rather than later."

Yup, that’s Rodney. Dirty player when wearing a different color uniform…fantastic guy to have on your side.

Do you think the Patriots can survive a prolonged absence by Harrison? Are they better equipped to play without him this year as opposed to ’05? Who steps up to take the leadership role, especially with Eugene Wilson banged up all year also?

Coming soon to a

telephone near you...

TheSunBlog Live!

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Delonte West came through at the buzzer in overtime and the Celtics picked up win number one.

For the most part it was the dynamic duo of Paul Pierce and Wally Szczerbiak who kept the Celtics afloat. They scored 35 points each, while Pierce added 13 rebounds and 12 turnovers (a franchise-high, at least as long as the stat has been kept). Ryan Gomes also had a triple-double with 10 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.

In the end, mental mistakes allowed Charlotte to force overtime in a game that the Celtics should have wrapped up in regulation.

“The win is a win and we’ll take it,� Celtics head coach Doc Rivers said.

Theo Ratliff’s return added a shot-blocker and intimidator that the Celtics need in the paint. It couldn’t come at a better time with the Celtics 0-3, Al Jefferson out of action for the immediate future.

The Celtics out-scored Charlotte 46-34 in the paint for the game. Coming into last night they had been getting beat by an averaging of 12 points per game inside.

What Theo provided on the defensive end, Michael Olowokandi surprisingly complimented on the offense side. Olowokandi went 3-for-4 in the first half, scoring six points in just seven minutes of action. He finished with eight points and three rebounds in the game.

The Bobcats grab a 49-45 advantage going into the halftime, led by 15 points from Emeka Okafor (he finished with 28 points).

Szczerbiak took over in the third quarter, coming out of the locker room and hitting three consecutive three-pointers. In the quarter he scored 20 points and single-handedly put the Celtics on top. The last time a Celtic scored 20 points in a quarter was Feb. 10, 2006, when Pierce put up 20 against Portland.

Charlotte trailed 82-74 going into the fourth quarter, but capitalized on just enough Celtics miscues to force the extra period. The Celtics committed five turnovers and were called for 11 personal fouls in the fourth quarter.

Pierce did have a chance to win it at t he end of regulation, but his step-back jumper was off the mark. At the end of overtime it was Pierce who found West for the open jumper.

Roster moves: Theo Ratliff and Brian Scalabrine were added to the active roster prior to last night's game. Al Jefferson was put on the inactive list (appendectomy) along with Leon Powe.

One down, barely. So folks, is anyone feeling any better about the Celtics? If so, please tell me why.

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The Celtics announced before tonight’s game that forward Al Jefferson had successful appendectomy surgery at New England Baptist Hospital this afternoon.

The team expects that he may miss anywhere from two to six weeks.

“Every year it seems like he’s about to start playing well and then he goes down,� Celtics head coach Doc Rivers said. “Even though you may be out two or three weeks, you lose your timing, you lose your conditioning, I’m sure you lose your confidence and that sucks for him.�

Jefferson was the primary offensive option for the Celtics in the low post, averaging 11.3 points and 7 rebounds in 26.7 minutes per game in three games this season.

Kendrick Perkins was one player Rivers mentioned as being capable of playing better than he has in the front court. The Celtics were also bolstered by the first regular season appearance of veteran center Theo Ratliff who was in the starting lineup for Boston.

The next Wally?
Charlotte rookie Adam Morrison entered play tonight scoring 16 points per game, and with some high praise from Celtics captain Paul Pierce. Pierce, who said he had seen Morrison play during his college career at Gonzaga, called him a “Baby Wally Szczerbiak.

“He has a good shooting touch, he has a knack for scoring,� Pierce said. “I think he moves well without the ball.�

Morrison, who averaged 19.7 points per game during his final college season, was the third overall pick by the Bobcats in this past year's draft. He shared various Player of the Year honors with Duke's J.J. Reddick last season as a junior.

Wins wanted
Pierce said he had implored his teammates during the week to approach tonight’s game with a sense of urgency as though it were a game to decide whether or not they would get into the playoffs.

The Bobcats, one of the few teams on a par with the Celtics in terms of youth and inexperience, came into the TD Banknorth Garden with a record of 1-2. In three meeting last year, the Celtics pulled out two wins. Each game was decided by three points or less, and the Celtics relied heavily on Pierce who 27 points or more in each of the three match-ups.

Among the youngsters featured by Charlotte are second-year guard Raymond Felton, another former Tar Hell in big man Sean May, and former NBA Rookie of the Year and University of Connecticut product Emeka Okafor.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

When we last checked in with our beloved Red Sox, they were staggering to a third place finish and trying to get the number of the truck that hit them.

Needless to say, this is a very important winter for Boston’s Boys of Summer. Besides missing the playoffs for the first time in four years, the lineup suddenly sports more holes than Tony Montana after the final shootout in Scarface. And for the first time, wonderboy GM Theo Epstein faces heat as the hot stove season begins.

With the general managers meetings set for next week, the names and rumors are flying fast and furiously. However, I caution you against getting too excited about any big names coming to town. The market began to open up with the 2005 free agent class, and with owners coming to terms with the union on a settlement over collusion charges, expect the price of quality free agents to keep climbing, particularly on the pitching side.

In my mind, you can forget about the big prizes…Barry Zito, Jason Schmidt, Carlos Lee and Aramis Ramirez. I think the bidding for Japanese star Daisuke Matsuzuka will also exceed what Theo’s willing to pay. Expect the Sox to sign a few second and third tier guys and take their chances that the youngsters develop.

Regulars know what I think of that strategy, but I honestly don’t see any change in philosophy. Perhaps another season on the outside looking in at the playoffs might change things a year from now. Or, I could be dead wrong and Beckett, Papelbon, Pedroia and the rest of the youth brigade grows up in a hurry.

Either way, it promises to be a fascinating off-season in Red Sox Nation…as it always is!

What do you think the Red Sox will do over the winter? Spend major bucks or stick it out with the youth? Who do you see them going after? Are there any big name free agents or trades you’d like to see them pursue?

And if anyone suggests something stupid like trading Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis and 3 Single-A players for Johan Santana and Joe Mauer, you’ll lose posting privileges forever!!!

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The River Hawks are leaving their mark all over the fall sports scene with field hockey and cross country teams racking up the honors and making runs at national honors. Meanwhile, The hockey team has gotten off to a solid start in Hockey East thanks to some newcomers stepping up.

In search of second title?

The UMass Lowell field hockey team just keeps on rolling. The defending Division II national champions, UML captured its fourth straight Northeast-10 Tournament title on Sunday, and was named the No. 1 seed in the North bracket as the NCAA tournament on Monday afternoon.

The winner of this weekend’s Bentley-Stonehill first round game will face UML Thursday, Nov. 16 at 1:00 in the tournament semifinal at the Division II Sports festival in Pensacola, FL.

This weekend UML head coach Shannon Hlebichuk was also named the NE-10 Coach of the Year. Chelmsford resident Kim Villare, a senior midfielder (pictured), was also selected as the league’s Defensive Player of the Year.

The Coach of the Year award is the four in a row for Hlebichuk, in her fifth year as head coach of the River Hawks. Hlebichuk is 81-27 in her career. Villare anchored a defensive squad that allowed just 19 goals in 22 games this season, while scoring one goal and dishing out three assists. She has started every match during her four year career.

Villare was also selected to the NE-10 All-Conference First Team where she was joined Sara Hohenberger, the MVP of the NE-10 tournament, and Lauren Jones.

The most prolific scorer in UML history, Hohenberger led the NE-10 in scoring with 23 goals and 56 points. Earlier this season, the senior co-captain became the program’s career leader in points and goals.

Off to the races

Senior Nicole Plante placed first for the second straight year and was again named the Northeast Region Runner of the Year as she led UMass Lowell to second place at the NCAA Northeast Region Women’s Cross Country Championship on Sunday afternoon.

The River Hawks qualified for the NCAA Championship on Nov. 19 in Pensacola, Fla., for the fourth straight year. UML scored 55 points (1, 10, 11, 16, 17) and placed second to Stonehill (47). The field consisted of 134 runners and 22 colleges.

Plante covered the 6K course in 21:28.3 and led three UML runners on the NCAA All-Northeast Region Team.

Sophomore Christina DaLomba placed 10th overall, while sophomore Emily Davis placed 11th.

On the men’s side, sophomore Ruben Sanca finished second overall as four River Hawks among the top 12 UML captured the NCAA Northeast Region Men’s Cross Country Championship Sunday afternoon at Franklin Park.

The title is the sixth over the last seven years for the River Hawks. UML also won the New England Championship and the Northeast-10 Conference title this season.

UML scored 32 points (2, 5, 6, 7, 12) and defeated Stonehill, which took second with 45 points (3, 4, 9, 10, 19). UML and Stonehill will represent the Northeast Region at the NCAA Championship.

Sanca finished the 10K course in 31:19.0 earning a spot on the NCAA All-Northeast Region Team.

Senior Steve Plouffe of Methuen placed fifth in 31:26.4 and was trailed by senior Jason Beausoleil of Dracut, who placed sixth, and sophomore Rex Radloff in seventh.

Junior Joey DeWitt capped UML’s scoring runners as he took 12th.

Freshman goalie earns honor

River Hawk freshman goaltender Carter Hutton (pictured) was named Superskills Rookie of the Week after going unbeaten in league play for the second week in a row and earning his first career shutout last weekend.

Hutton went 1-0-1 with a 0.48 goals against average (GAA) and a .971 save-percentage in earning a tie against Boston University and a win over Merrimack. The freshman netminder stopped 14 shots against the Warriors to pick up his first collegiate shutout. Hutton is 2-2-3 on the season with a .910 save percentage and ranks sixth in Hockey East with a 2.23 GAA.

Jason Tejchma, Jeremy Hall, and Paul Worthington were each named to the league’s honor roll after each posted multiple points in the two games.

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

"Na na na, Na na na, hey, hey Good-bye"

In case you missed it - Hannu Toivonen was sent down to Providence according to the Bruins web-site.

Brian Finley was called up to replace Toivonen.

Finley has a record of 5-3-0 with the Baby Bs with a 3.08 GAA - Hannu thus far has posted a 2-3-0 record with a 4.20 GAA.

After Hannu's performance against Buffalo (four goals on 17 shots) and Tampa Bay ( 5 goals on 21 shots) - I was surprised that a trade wasn't made.

Guess, the management team doesn't feel as confident with Toivonen as they once did in the offseason.

Do you think the Bruins jumped to quick to send Toivonen down? Is it better than the alternatives - either playing him or trading him?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

It’s Election Day, and all across this wonderful nation, votes are being cast and ballots counted. If the lawyers stay out of it, a big IF, we’ll have the results later tonight or early tomorrow morning. We’ll have to wait much longer to find out who rules the NFL, but here’s what the early exit polls are showing;

TheSunBlog projects Indianapolis to emerge as the AFC candidate and the New York Giants to win the NFC nomination, with the Colts winning the general election on Super Sunday. A word of warning; this particular pollster has a large margin of error, so actual results may vary.

All poor attempts at clever humor aside, how can you expect a different outcome after watching this past Sunday’s action? The local electorate doesn’t want to hear this, but the New England Patriots simply aren’t in the same class as Indy and Denver. They may not even be in Baltimore and San Diego’s home room either.

As of today, New England has faced only two teams with winning records in 2006 and lost to each of them. Worse, both contests have taken place at Gillette Stadium, where the Super Bowl era Pats were unbeatable. Those days are gone, and in case there were any doubts left over from last year, the Broncos and Colts put those to bed in front of prime-time audiences.

Let’s ignore the Broncos for now. We know Mike Shanahan has won three consecutive “Genius Bowls� over Bill Belichick, but their division is so deep they may very well finish as the four or five seed and have to tackle the Colts inside the dome come January. Advantage: Indianapolis.

It’s popular to point to Peyton Manning’s past performances and take comfort in all his failures. “Manning can’t win in the playoffs and he can’t beat Belichick� is the common refrain around these parts, or at least it was. One of those monkeys is off his back. Soon, the other gorilla will fall, too.

The Giants win the NFC by default. The Bears are a fraud, exposed finally by a terrible Miami team. Heck, Arizona had done the deed a few weeks back, but the Cardinals folded like the cowardly lion before realizing there was nothing to fear behind the curtain.

The Cowboys still have the most talent, now that the statue of Drew Bledsoe is no longer behind center. However, I fear Bill Parcells is turning into Ted Kennedy; still popular with those who remember the glory days, but many years removed from being an effective leader.

Sure, Dallas lost to Washington on a freaky sequence of field goals in the final minute of play. But if Parcells hadn’t gone for a two point conversion early in the second quarter of a 6-5 game, none of that would have mattered. In his prime, or before he was in it for just the paycheck, Tuna never would have made such a foolish decision. Other than John Kerry opening his mouth, it was the worst move of last week.

All of which sets up a rematch in the Super Bowl. The year began with Peyton besting Eli in a Sunday night battle between Archie Manning’s boys. It’s fitting it should end that way, also.

Who are your picks for the Super Bowl? Do you still think the Patriots have a chance?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Final Score
Colts 27
Patriots 20

Teddy’s Take: Are we witnessing the end of an era?

Watching the game, I got the distinct impression the “fear factor� is gone. Having won at The Razor in 2005, the Colts came in here with a swagger they don’t normally display in Foxboro. In the past, the Pats have been able to outmuscle their dome rivals and force mistakes when the going got tough. This time, the horseshoe helmets gave as good as they got. And when Rodney Harrison went down early, you could see those receivers’ eyes just light up knowing #37 wouldn’t be roaming the secondary dishing out punishment. On the other side of the ball, Indy’s inferior defense seemed to confuse, if not rattle, Tom Brady. Even more telling, the Colts pathetic run defense eventually stifled New England’s vaunted running attack.

We used to always hang our hats on the quarterback or the coach coming up with something when they needed to. But just as it was when Red Auerbach lost his touch in the draft…just as it was when Larry Bird started missing those game winning shots…we might have to come to grips with the fact Brady and Belichick may no longer be able to pull victories from the jaws of defeat just by their mere presence.

A lot can change between now and January, though I wouldn’t count on it.

Shining Stars: Normally, I don’t hand out stars to the forehead for a loss, but Troy Brown earns one for breaking the Pats all-time receiving mark held by “The Steamer,� Stanley Morgan. Not only did Brown eclipse the previous record of 534, he added another three receptions to end the night at 538. Congrats to a great guy and deserving record holder. Now, on to the bad stuff.

In Detention: Tom Brady will have to stay after school as punishment for those four interceptions. Granted, there were a couple of deflections in there, but when you’re facing Peyton Manning and points are at a premium, you simply can’t turn the ball over that many times. Maybe Tom Terrific was feeling the pressure of keeping up with Manning?

Asante Samuel and Ellis Hobbs must also put in some extra time after an atrocious performance against Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison. What really annoys me is the way these two jump around and chest bump each other on a meaningless second down play. Next time fellas, can we stop celebrating after the opposing receiving tandem has reached the 200-yard mark?

Did Foxboro police put out an APB on Reche Caldwell and Chad Jackson? The final stats show each with one reception, and I couldn’t even remember those…that’s how inconsequential the duo was to the outcome. Of the Pats 20 receptions on the night, only 9 came from wide receivers, with Troy Brown getting 5 of them. Still think we don’t miss Deion Branch and David Givens in big games?

Quality Quote: “It helped all week that we didn’t have to answer the questions of ‘Are you ever going to win in New England.’ That was nice to get that out of the way last year.�—Colts coach Tony Dungy on his team appearing more relaxed in Foxboro than during past visits.

What’s your take? With two victories in a row, have the Colts reversed the tables on the Patriots? Will these two meet again in the AFC Championship? If not, which one won’t get there?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Big man Theo Ratliff returned to practice today for the Celtics. Ratliff, an 11-year veteran of the NBA, has not played in any of Boston’s regular season games so far because of back problems.

He played in just two of the Celtics’ eight preseason games. Head coach Doc Rivers said he is hoping Ratliff will be available for Wednesday’s game, but that it’s unclear how much he will be able to play.

The impact of his presence in the paint was immediately evident in practice, according to Rivers.

A defensive specialist, Ratliff was acquired from Portland along with Sebastain Telfair in a draft night trade. In just under two and a half seasons with the Blazers he climbed into the franchise’s all-time top 10 list in blocked shots.

The Celtics opponents have scored an average of 105.3 points in three games, including 124 points given up to the Washington Wizards on Saturday night.

“It’s about communicating on the floor,� Ratliff said of the Celtics struggles on defense so far. “I think we get hugged up on our man too much defensively and lose position a lot. That’s why people are running right down the middle on us and getting layups. We got to curtail that.�

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

I was Tsongas bound today for the Devils match-up with the Springfield Falcons.

Again, not doing a game story, you'll just have to read Carmine Frongillo's story tomorrow in the Sun (http://www.lowellsun.com).

Just to give you one bit of information, the Devils dropped a 2-1 decision after once again scoring first - the goal in the first period by Nicklas Bergfors notched the 9th time Lowell has struck first in ten games.

Coach Kurt Kleinendorst was true to his words and went back to Frank Doyle after giving the goalie the night off against Binghamton.

The 2288 fans in attendance got a treat when a battle of the 12s (Devils' Rod Pelley and Falcons' Blair Jones) took place at center ice and the winner was .... yup, you guessed it - Pelley.
(photo courtesy: Lowell Devils - Ken Babbitt)
Jones knocked Pelley down quick - ironically the refs didn't break it up. Not to be denied (or beaten) Pelley got right back up and got in quite a few punches to the face of Jones before tackling him to the ice.

It was one of the better fights I have seen all this year - including in the NHL (by the way if you know me at all, you know I am not that big of a fan of fighting. I know it's part of the game, but the role of the enforcer has changed dramatically over the years and Pelley is not an enforcer.)

Dan LaCouture got his first point (assist) since being sent down from New Jersey. He's played in two games so far.

Speaking of LaCouture - a very big congratulations to Dan and his wife, Bridey, on the birth of their daughter Reese who will be 2-months-old tomorrow.

Comments after the game:

"We did what we needed to do with the exception of putting pucks in the net. We were a little bit better on the boards, winning battles, but we definetly gone cold with our power play and even our penalty killing, we've been allowing goals. But in fairness to the killers three against five, your asking a bit much. We're very, very, very good five-on-five defensively. Our trouble comes with untimely penalties. We're just taking penalties at the wrong time and then we're not getting the kill and we're letting teams back (in the game).Defesively we are absolutely rock solid, but some how, some way we got to find a way to start putting some pucks in the net."Kleinendorst on the play of his team.

"He's got speed and he's a very intelligent player and he's a guy that will hopefully get his scoring touch back. He hasn't been relied on for a number of years to be a producer offensively and I think here he can be that kind of player." Kleinendorst on LaCouture joining the team.

''He's rock solid and I don't think you can fault him on either one of those goals. I mean the first one was just a beautiful pass across for a one-timer that he got over for, he just didn't get it. The second one the guy had two or three wacks at it before he put it in the net. So, I don't think you can fault him on either one of them." Kleinendorst on Doyle's game in net.

"All summer I work on that. I know what I want to do with the puck in the offensive zone. I think it's just a matter of getting the puck a little bit more." LaCouture on how to get his scoring touch back since being assigned to Lowell.

"It takes a little bit of time, maybe some practices, it takes maybe some games to get used to where the other guys are going to be. I think they know what type of player I am, but they're not used to playing with me and I'm not used to playing with them." LaCouture on getting accustomed to his new linemates.

"I love playing. I mean everyone wants to be up in the NHL and even when I'm up in the NHL I want to play a lot. I know I can and I did once at that level. Being here, you got to have a good attitude. Everything's about having a good attitude and working hard. So, while I'm here - get a lot of ice time and just do the best I can." LaCouture on getting more ice time in the AHL versus the NHL.

The Devils play three games this up coming weekend Friday they try to exact revenge on Manchester and Saturday they face Norfolk for the first time this season - both games are at the Tsongas. Sunday the team travels to Hartford.

Anyone going to the games this weekend? I'll probably be blogging from the box.

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

Went up to Manchester Friday night to watch the Devils take on the Monarchs and I'm not going to recap the 2-1 shoot out victory by the Monarchs - Dave Pevear did that in today's Sun (http://www.lowellsun.com/hockey/ci_4603312)

I'm simply going to blog my thoughts and the things I talked to Coach Kurt Kleinendorst, Captain Dan McGillis and goalie Frank Doyle about.

During warm-up I was sitting in the Press Box with Dave and another reporter and I had to stifle my laugh when Bryan Miller deflected a rebound off Stephen Gionta's helmet... Gionta just looked at him and laughed.

I did notice after the zamboni's were done with their magic there was an awful lot of water left on the ice (more on that later during my convo with McGillis).

The Monarchs know how to get their fans pumped before the game ...
Fireworks and fire go along with "Bawitdaba" by Kid Rock.

I was bummed when the 3 Stars were announced - Dave and I both selected Doyle as our #2 star because he made 32 saves (we all agreed in the press box that since the game was knotted at 1 - whoever got the game winner should get the #1 star) but the # 2 star was given to Monarch Jason LaBarbera who made 21 and Doyle was awarded the #3- guess the home team not only won the game but got the better of the stars...

Thoughts from the Devils:

"We work on and we do shootouts in practice. That's part of it, some guys are just really good in that situation and some guys aren't. I think the guys that we used are the guys that you would expect we would use in that situation." Coach Kleinendorst on his choice which Devils got the shot at the shoot out.

"It can't effect us, I mean it just can't. What we have to do is just have to work through the schedule and tonight it was here and I thought we came in, it wasn't our best game, but I thought we played well. Not an easy building to play in, very good team. We got a point and now we'll move onto another game and we'll have to travel a little bit tonight. These are all experiences you go through in the American League. " Coach Kleinendorst on the three games being played this weekend and how the Devils need to approach it.

Kleinendorst added that he would give Doyle the night off in Binghamton and Jordan Parise would get the start. Doyle will be back in net for the Devils on Sunday when they take on the Falcons.

"This is our first kick at the three games in three nights, or three games with an afternoon on the back end, so these are tough, because you never want to save it for the next night We didn't score as many goals as we'd like, but we got a point out of a very good team." Dan McGillis on the schedule for the weekend.

"It seemed to be rolling a lot, not sure if it was the weather - or the ice itself." McGillis on the flow of the puck in the ice.

"<em>The main thing is we played well, we got a point out if it. We just have to carry that on to the next game." Doyle on the game versus Manchester.

By the time I finshed this blog - the Devils beat the Senators 3-2 with Parise making 44 saves in his first AHL victory.

Stay tuned tomorrow, I'll be at Tsongas for the tail end of the Devils weekend when they face-off against the Falcons again.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Apologies for the delay in posting The Victim’s picks this week.

There were rumors our pigskin prognosticator had been kidnapped by organized crime to help ease the losses he’s been inflicting on local action takers. Luckily, I was able to contact him/her over our secret bat line.

I’m happy to report our favorite handicapper is alive and well and ready to kick some tail on the gridiron after bankrupting the race book at Foxwoods with his 4 longshot winners at the Breeder’s Cup, though I’m sure the news doesn’t come as a surprise to those who’ve followed his scorching pace in picking NFL games.

As they say; when you’re hot, you’re hot! On with the picks:

Cincinnati (+3) over Baltimore
Dallas (-3) over Washington
Denver (+3) over Pittsburgh
New England (-3) over Indianapolis
Oakland (+7) over Seattle

Last week’s record: 3-2
Season record: 24-13

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

If you ever wondered why players and coaches so detest speaking to the media sometimes, here’s a perfect example from Bill Belichick’s Friday press conference:

Q: This might be a personal question, but has your mother ever asked you about the way you dress on the sidelines?

BB: I'll punt that one too.  There's a lot of things that my mom's not too happy about with me.

Q: How much time goes into the selection of the wardrobe pregame?

BB: I don't know.  I'll have to break it down one week and let you know.

Nothing like wasting time having to answer provocative inquiries like this one, huh? 

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Give them 15 games. Let them build up at least a small sample for us to judge. Things are new, and rushing to overanalyze isn’t going to do anyone any good.

No, I’m not talking about the Dancers. Though the ladies will be debuting tonight at Garden.

But getting back to the fellas on the court, repeat after me. Fifteen games.

Once again, with feeling. Fifteen games.

Why so many?

First, we’re talking the Eastern Conference. Every team that the magazines and prognosticators want to put on the top of the conference is flawed. The teams below them are more flawed. Those teams floundering around the bottom have multiple flaws. But keep in mind, they’ve got to take eight teams into the playoffs.

Second, they’re counting on guys who are new and/or haven’t fully proven themselves yet. It’s a little different if you’re New Jersey stepping on the court with Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, and Richard Jefferson. They’ve been there and done that. Most importantly, they’ve been doing it together.

On the other hand, Sebastian Telfair and Rajon Rondo will run the point for the Celtics this year. That’s a rookie and a guys who hasn’t done it for a full season yet. Wally Szczerbiak didn’t even get a full season in green last year. Ryan Gomes was stuck on the bench for a lot of last season. Not to mention injuries impacted Kendrick Perkins, Al Jefferson, and Tony Allen.

Eight preseason games with varying levels of participation just won’t clear all that up.

By December everyone will have a better idea of where the shortcomings are, what sort of lineups will be featured, and which players will fit into the various roles.

What are you're early thoughts on the Celtics? Click the comments link below to give us your take.

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

The Bruins got off to a good start - better than most expected against the Sabres but eventually lost the game in a 5-4 shoot out.

And before anyone speaks, yes the Bruins should have won, but they sat back and thought with a three goal lead they had the game in hand, but lack of effort gave Buffalo the momentum they needed and proved why they are the best team in the league; now standing at 11-0-1.

I was talking with George before the game and I told him "I don't expect Boston to win, but I just hope the game is more comeptetive than the first time Buffalo came to town."

I was at the game and I was extrememly disappointed in the way the Bruins played in the third period. They seemed a little too comfortable with the lead and thought it was the right time to not skate and play hard - BIG MISTAKE.

What the Bruins did do right was prove they can skate with any team in the league and score goals against a true bonafide #1 goaltender - Ryan Miller. Honestly, I didn't think Miller would get the start. Last season, most of the clubs played their back-up when they played the Bs and in the first game against Buffalo, Martin Biron got the start in net, earning the 6-2 win on Oct. 21.

Yes, the Bruins lost a tough game, a game that Tim Thomas, who was extremely solid in net, should never have lost, but they did lose. The fact of the matter was, the Bruins were their own worst enemy in the game.

I only hope they can keep leads in the games to come and not collapse in the third period. Collapsing in the third is a trait the Bruins have been suffering for the past few years and maybe, just maybe they can overcome that and start to win a few of those games.

Marc Savard sporting his new number, 91, led the Bs scoring with a goal and two assists. PJ Axelsson started the scoring for the Boston when he netted one from a beautiful feed courtesy of Savard. Glen Murray and Mark Mowers had the other goals for the Bs.

A few random observations from the Garden:

Some guy sitting a few rows back from me seemed very impressed with the play of Jason York. All I kept hearing from this guy was, "Finally, someone wearing 25 isn't afraid to hit somebody." I think that was a dig on our old friend, well foe - Hal Gill.

Sitting center ice - the Jumbotron looks even better! It is so clear, so... well; it's just simply amazing!

In all honesty, since Savard switched his number it is kind of hard to tell the difference between him and Phil Kessel (who wears 81).

Matt Lashoff is going to make Dave Lewis's decision extremely hard when Brad Stuart comes back. Lashoff, though he did make a few mistakes, shared the ice with Zdeno Chara and that defensive pair looked like they had been playing together for years.

So, did anyone watch the game tonight? Anyone think the Bruins had a shot at beating Buffalo? What does Boston need to do to keep the lead in the third?

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

Scoring his sixth and seventh goals of the season last night, Evgeni Malkin made history....

Yup, 20-year-old Russian scored goals in each of his first 6 games, becoming the first NHL player to do that in 89 years.

Now, I said in the beginning of the season I was curious to see how the line with Malkin and Sidney Crosby would do .... well thus far Malkin has 7 goals to go along with 4 assists and Crosby is definitely not feeling the sophomore slump with 6 goals himself and 12 assists, by the way Crosby's 18 points puts him in a three way tie for second in the league in scoring (with Rod Brind'Amour and Marian Hossa) behind Jaromir Jagr who has 20 points thus far ... not too shabby!

Malkin and Crosby are definitely making headlines around the world of hockey - the qustion is, can they keep it up? What do you think?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Despite the presence of the Brady-Manning angle, the big story of the week leading up to the Pats-Colts matchup is the return of Adam Vinatieri.

Vinatieri’s former teammates are handing out plenty of praise for the man who helped the Patriots win three rings. But those looking for flowery words of praise from Bill Belichick shouldn’t hold their breath. Perhaps sensing what he’s in store for him this week, the coach was extra short with his answers and cranky during Wednesday’s press conference:

Q: What is Adam [Vinatieri’s] Patriots legacy in your mind?

BB: I think we all know what it is.  He did a lot for this franchise and a lot for this team.  I think we all know that.  He did a lot for this team.

Q: Are there moments that standout to you personally?

BB: He made a lot of good plays for this team.  They were all important.

Q: In your mind, is that something not worth talking about this week?

BB: We play the Colts this week.  We’re getting ready for the Colts.  We’re trying to improve our game and get better as a football team.  That’s really where our focus is, right there.

Q: How does his presence change that dynamic?

BB: He was a good kicker.  We all know that.  He was a good kicker.

Q: How concerned are you about having a three point game near the closing seconds?

BB: Whatever we need to do to win the game, that’s what we’re going to prepare to do.  I can’t tell you what the situation is going to be at the end of the game.  I have no idea.  We’ll prepare for all of them.  I don’t know what they’re going to be.

Q: Do you regret not having him?

BB: I never said that.  I think you build your team and do the best you can to build your team every year. That’s what we do.

Q: What sense did you have with Adam and his desire to stay?

BB: It's about us improving.  We have a game on Sunday.  I'd be happy to answer those questions.  Other stuff, we've been through a thousand times.

I bet Belichick is one guy who can’t wait to get this game over with. Unless of course, Vinatieri’s or Gostkowski’s leg decides it in a negative way for New England. What do you think?