Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Long before Nostradamus, the ancient Greeks used to seek answers about the future from the Oracle at Delphi. So in preparation for this year’s predictions, I tried channeling the spirit of Pythea, the Priestess of Apollo, to see what the 2007 Major League Baseball season has in store.

(Note: we fared pretty well with the ’06 prophecies, so disregard these ramblings at your own peril)

(*denotes Wild-Card pick)

American League East
NY Yankees-Don’t think they’re better than the Sox, but never bet against a streak. Pitching will doom them in playoffs
Boston*-Built for post-season success, though I think Papelbon shift hurts them over the first 162. Unlike ’06, they’re good enough to get there this year. World Series favorites right now
Toronto-Snuck into 2nd last year. Will keep it interesting, but not enough besides Halladay and Burnett to hang with the big boys
Tampa Bay-Lots of young, everyday talent. Finally have one starter (Kazmir) to count on, which is enough to get them over the wounded birds from Baltimore
Baltimore-What was it The Police sang? “Sending out an S.O.S.”

American League Central
Cleveland-Last year’s pick disappointed, but I think this time is the charm. Fantasy leaguers take note; Travis Hafner is your AL home run champion
Minnesota-While I’m handing out awards, Johan Santana will relinquish Cy Young honors to Dice-K. Likewise, the Twins relinquish division honors
Detroit-The magic carpet ride is over. For Jim Leyland’s crew, reality stinks like a pack of stale Marlboros
Chicago-Gets interesting as ChiSox falter and Ozzie Guillen’s mouth explodes
Kansas City-What’s the over-under on date of playoff elimination? Officially, I say September 6th. Realistically, April 3rd.

American League West
Oakland-No matter how poor the start, Billy Beane’s Moneyballers always finish strong. Scary thing is, there’s enough to get out of the gates quickly
LAA of Anaheim-Along with Twins, the Sox biggest wild-card challengers
Texas-Yanks and D’Backs won the Series the year after firing Buck Showalter. Rangers don’t have enough arms to make it 3-for-3
Seattle-Jose Guillen is the big acquisition? Does Starbucks coffee affect reasoning? Kiss free agent Ichiro buh-bye next year

National League East
NY Mets-Enough talent to win even without Pedro. If he comes back anywhere near form, you’re looking at an ’86 Series rematch
Philadelphia*-Playoff-starved City of Brotherly Love finally gets its wish. Howard & Utley, Myers & Hamels make this a very dangerous entry when the leaves turn
Florida-Nice story in ’06, but I see the wheels coming off of the rotation this year. Owner should have kept his mouth shut and not canned Joe Girardi
Atlanta-Boy, when the streaks fall, they sometimes land with a thud. If you tomahawk chop a tree and no one’s around to hear it, does it make a sound?
Washington-What’s a bigger disaster…the nation’s capital or its baseball team?

National League Central
Chicago-All or nothing spending spree works…until October. Too bad Carlos Zambrano can’t pitch every 3-days
Milwaukee-Almost there. Prince Fielder is about to become baseball royalty
St. Louis-Barely held on, then went on to win it all. Says here it was a last hurrah and Tony LaRussa knows it. Perhaps that explains the drinking
Houston-Should just tell Clemens where to stick it and use that money on a full-season starter to help Roy Oswalt
Cincinnati-Bronson Arroyo is on the cover of their media guide. Enough said!
Pittsburgh-Willie Stargell’s not walking through that door. Dave Parker’s not walking through that door. Kent Tekulve lost his glasses and walked into that door

National League West
Los Angeles-Yet another playoff opportunity for Grady Little. Still not enough horses to blow Game 7
San Diego-Honestly have no idea how they’ve crashed the October party 2-years running. I’d pick them 4th, but afraid they’ll make me look bad again
Arizona-Coming on strong. Watch out in ‘08
San Francisco-Don’t know why I drafted Barry Bonds since I’m going to spend the year rooting for him to get hurt
Colorado-John Denver would have intentionally crashed the plane if he saw this disaster

That’s the view from Mount Olympus. How do you see it?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

In case you were wondering, thought I’d offer a couple of quick observations on our two winter sports teams.

Paul Pierce made headlines by venting at the Celtics losing ways. I understand the captain’s frustration, but I must offer one piece of advice; Paul, you’re best off zipping it, going away for this last month, and waiting to see how the ping-pong balls bounce. Then Danny Ainge can make a determination of which way to go with the draft pick (keep it or trade it for an established player). Now’s not the time to gripe.

If things continue on this path, make your trade demands at next winter’s trading deadline and nobody will blame you (well, at least I won’t). But this isn’t the time. This team is at a very important crossroads and you, as a leader, need to help right the ship. There’s some good talent there already, and the possibility of Oden or Durant added to the mix. If not one of them, I’m sure that draft pick can be used to bring in a decent veteran to help you, Al Jefferson and Rajon Rondo out.

One more thing; you didn’t make the All-Star team this year because you were hurt, not because your team stinks. They’ve stunk in the past and you still made it, so your logic sounds foolish. See what I mean about it being best to keep your mouth shut?

As for the Bruins…well, they look to me like a team trying to get the coach fired. This is not the most talented collection to ever wear the black and gold, so we can understand the late season slide. What is unforgivable is a 7-0 loss. That’s totally unacceptable in this day and age of reduced scoring and parity. There have been far too many of those types of games, a sign to me that the coach can’t light a fire under his troops.

While I’m offering advice to team captains, you have to pick up your play Zdeno Chara. You are far too much of a physical presence to not be a physical presence on the ice. And your salary is far too much of a presence on the salary cap for the level of play you’ve provided in your first year.

Terry O’Reilly and Johnny Bucyk’s teams never quit as much as your team has. Part of the blame has to go to the man with the “C” on his chest.

What do you think of the B’s and C’s? Which team is closer to a title? Were Pierce’s comments inappropriate or justified? Have the Bruins quit on Dave Lewis? Has Chara been a disappointment?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Lowell High football and Hookslide Kelly’s…is there a better combination on a Monday night?

Al Pare joins us live from the Mill City’s newest sports bar for what promises to be an action packed night of SportsTalk on SunTalk Live. The Lowell Sun’s Barry Scanlon co-hosts as we tackle the future of the Red Raiders gridiron program and Pare’s preparations for his first season at the helm.

If you’re in the area, stop by and visit our table. You can ask the coach questions in person or offer your well-wishes. Perhaps you can even draw up a play or two as Richard Nixon used to do for the George Allen’s Redskins. Of course if you can’t make it, you can always join in the festivities by dialing (978)364-TALK (8255). And if that doesn’t work for you, you can even email your questions or comments. Does that give you enough options?

Know what else? Monday is opening day for the Red Sox, as well as the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship, so we’ll be sure to save time for those topics and anything else you’d like to discuss. Plus, we might have a surprise guest or two.

Talk to you then!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Seeing as most of you think I’m nuts for suggesting Jonathan Papelbon is more valuable as a starter than a closer (most of you think I’m nuts anyway!), I thoroughly enjoyed the Chaz Scoggins article in today’s Lowell Sun.

Chaz makes the same case I do, but he does so much more eloquently, and with a new twist. Scoggins dug up some interesting historical facts about Red Sox closers since 1988 and their effectiveness in the “nail-biting” saves, those that come with 1-run leads. (Papelbon blew 5-of-19 in 2006) He presented the same argument during our SunTalk Live Fantasy Baseball show two Mondays ago.

So thank you Chaz. I’m glad to see not everyone’s gone cliff diving!

OK, so my arguments may not have been enough, but does Chaz’ viewpoint (backed up by historical fact) change anyone’s mind?  Didn't think so!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

So what do you think of the new SportsTalk logo? Pretty snazzy, huh?

O.K., so maybe you’re not as excited about it as I am, but this is as good a time as any to give a shout out to the boys behind the scenes who make this blog happen. Chris Tierney and Josh Jenkins are not your ordinary computer geeks…they’re super-duper computer geeks!

Along with their many other duties for the Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com, they designed TheSunBlog from the outset…building it from the ground up, creating the original look, maintaining and updating it every step of the way. Besides the four other blogs joining SportsTalk in the family, they’ve helped create and maintain the various special themes we’ve run…from the Spinners Trivia Contest, to the Bruschi Football Auction and SunBlog Madness.

They’re also responsible for the SunTalk Live web page. Heck, Chris even moderates the shows. Worst of all, they have to deal with me, my nagging little questions and requests, and all the complaints when something totally out of their control goes haywire.

So let’s give a big SportsTalk round of applause to show Chris and Josh how much we appreciate their efforts. Now get back to the dungeon and do some work boys!!!!

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The Boston Celtics will be making WEEI the new radio broadcast home of the next season, Celtics managing partner Wyc Grousbeck announced this afternoon on WEEI‘s The Big Show.

Boston talk station WRKO 680 broadcasted this past season’s games with the duo of Sean Grande and Cedric Maxwell serving as the commentators.

The Celtics said in a press release this afternoon:

The Boston Celtics and Entercom Boston announced today that they will move the broadcasts of Celtics games from Boston’s Talk Station, AM 680 WRKO to Sportsradio 850 WEEI beginning with the 2007-2008 season through the term of the current agreement. For the past two seasons Celtics games have been broadcast on WRKO.

Both Sean Grande and Cedric Maxwell are expected to remain as the play-by-play team. Executive Director of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge and Head Coach Doc Rivers will continue to make their weekly appearances on WEEI during the season.

In addition, the Celtics and Entercom will continue to promote the team’s games across Entercom Boston’s network of stations including WRKO and WAAF and the WEEI New England Network made up of WEEI FM 103.7 in Providence, WVEI 1440 AM in Worcester, and WVEI FM 105.5 FM in Springfield will serve as regional affiliates of the broadcasts.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

From our friends at Deadspin.com comes this little ditty; A Ukrainian coach is stripped of his accreditation after fighting with one of his swimmers during the World Championships. The altercation began when the young lady wouldn’t let the man hug her.

Wait…it gets better. The coach is also the girl’s father and the incident was captured on video! We’re not talking some ticky-tack NBA fight here…we’re talking all-out assault, with the unidentified girl more than holding her own against the creep! Local Australian authorities are investigating the incident and may press charges.

Apparently, the World Swimming Championships are a more happening event than we’ve been led to believe. Earlier, Russian Diving coach, Vladimir Rulev, appeared in court for grabbing a hotel security guard’s breast in a drunken stupor.

At least the security guard wasn’t his own flesh and blood!

Allright, I know we’ve all got a tale or two about abusive sports parents, but does this one take the cake? Wouldn’t you just love to see Serena Williams do this to her obnoxious old man?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The Boston Celtics announce that center Michael Olowokandi will miss the remainder of the season due to a fractured cuboid bone in his left foot.

In 24 games this season off of the bench, Olowokandi averaged 1.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in 9.8 minutes per game.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

If you’ve been paying attention to TheSunBlog, you’ve no doubt noticed a few design changes to the home site. (SportsTalk will get a jazzed up logo as well in the coming days) The biggest change, however, is a new addition to the family.

You food lovers out there might want to head on over and check out Gourmet Gal, the Lowell Sun’s newest entry to the blog world. The site’s been up and running since The Ides of March (that’s the 15th for those who fell asleep during Shakespeare!) and promises to offer some interesting takes on the area’s culinary scene. So stop on over and say hello to the newest member of La Familia!

Also, you’ll notice Jim Campanini is back at it on the Community Forum. With things heating up in the race to fill Marty Meehan’s 5th Congressional seat, the debate promises to get hot and heavy in the coming months. Seeing as how sports and politics are New England’s two greatest passions, I figure you folks might be able to find a good discussion or two over there.

And if you think I’m opinionated, wait till you get a load of Jim!!!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Remember when your parents wouldn’t let you do something you wanted to as a kid? You’d kick and scream in protest, telling them; “Why not? So-and-so’s parents let THEM do it!” Remember the response you’d get?

“If so-and-so went off a cliff, would YOU want to do it, too?” (In my upbringing, that line was also followed by a smack upside the head, but that’s a whole other story best told to my counselor!)

I bring this up because of fan reaction to the Red Sox announcement that Jonathan Papelbon would return to his role as the team’s closer. In most circles, the move was met with more enthusiasm than a lawyer at the scene of a school bus accident.

A SunBlog poll asking if the Sox made the right decision shows 82% saying yes. It’s a very small and unscientific sample, but the results are in the same ballpark as the general sentiment. Funny thing is, we ran one back in early February asking if Little Papi should be used as a starter or reliever. The results were 64%-36%...in favor of the 26-year old righty starting!

So what’s changed in the last month and a half? Let’s see. The collection of middle relievers Boston auditioned for 9th inning duty performed about as well as you’d expect from a bunch of journeymen. The “untouchable” duo of Craig Hansen and Manny Delcarmen is preparing to put out fires in Pawtucket. Mike Timlin got hurt. The Nationals want more than a bowl of clam chowder for Chad Cordero. Papelbon had a hard time sleeping and asked to close for the rest of his career. The medical people who previously determined starting games was best for the long-term health of this valuable young arm did an about face, despite not seeing how Papelbon’s shoulder responds to the rigors of relief work now that it’s already popped out once.

Oh, I forgot. One other thing happened. Theo Epstein and Terry Francona jumped off the cliff. And without thinking it through, most of Red Sox Nation went over the edge with them.

The battle over what’s a more valuable commodity, starter or reliever, is a bigger mismatch than Tyson-Spinks. The elite closers in baseball make between $7-$10.5 million a year, chump change compared to the paychecks top of the rotation aces cash in. Heck, even Gil Meche and Ted Lilly laugh at that kind of money!

Granted, Papelbon hasn’t proven anything as a starting pitcher. However, I fear most people are overlooking the fact he hasn’t exactly proven himself as a long-term closer, either. If the shoulder couldn’t survive a full year in 2006, what’s changed? No more overuse, right? Talk to me when the 3rd consecutive night Papelbon is needed happens to be the 8th inning of a do or die game in September or October.

So go ahead and stand near the edge of the cliff if you’d like. Maybe it's because my parents wouldn’t allow it, or maybe it's because I suffered brain damage from all those smacks to the head, but I’m staying far away.

The shoulder is much too treacherous!

Assessing the Madness: As the clock winds down on our SunBlog Madness contest, here’s a look at the leaderboard;

108-points: Leo Connors, Nashua, NH
105-points: Ken Scarber, No. Chelmsford, MA
104-points: Mickey Smulligan, Lowell, MA & Joe Lane, Dracut, MA
102-points: Joe Petros, Tewksbury, MA & Rob Fay, Litchfield, NH

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

Sorry it took so long to put up part 2 of my convo with Stephen Gionta, but let's put it this way, I was not in perfect health last week. But here it is....

Growing up in Rochester, N.Y., Gionta wasn't a Rangers, Islanders or Sabres fan.

"I followed the Detroit Red Wings, I never went with the local teams," Gionta said. "I was always a Red Wings fan growing up, but I always went to the Sabres games with friends and family."

Playing professional hockey has changed Gionta's mind when it comes to his favorite team.

"No, no, I'm not a Detroit fan anymore," Gionta explained. "Now, I just watch hockey to watch hockey."

Gionta does however hold one team near and dear to heart these days – the New Jersey Devils.

"I definitely root for my brother," Gionta said. "I want to see him succeed and see him get another Stanley Cup and now being with the organization you want them to do well."

Gionta not only looks up to his brother, but to a few of his own teammates in Lowell.

“It’s great,” Gionta said. “Dan McGillis, Grant Marshall, Mike Mottau; those guys played pro and I used to watch Marshall and McGillis, I’m not going to say growing up, but when I was a little bit older I used to watch those guys and it’s great playing with them and learning from them.”

McGillis is the captain of the Devils and he and the other veterans have shown the younger players the operations of professional hockey.

“They can teach you, they can show you the ropes and how to get to the next level,” Gionta explained. “It’s great to have those guys here, unfortunate for their situations, but it’s great for me to learn from these guys every day. The work ethic it takes to get to the next level and well they compete day in and day out. It’s tremendous to see their competitiveness every day and that’s something you can learn from the older guys, to see what you need to do to get to the next level because they have been there. It’s definitely nice for myself to learn from those guys.”

In 59 games played, Gionta has recorded 5 goals and 8 assists.

“I’ve gotten my scoring chances this year,” Gionta said. “I just haven’t bared down on it as much as I would have liked, but as long as we’re winning and we’re moving on it’s really not a big deal. That’s kind of a minor thing because those goals will come. I will keep getting scoring chances, they come in bunches so hopefully they’ll keep coming. It is a little tougher, the goalies are better and bigger, they’re more athletic and you have to be able to pick the spots and you have to get some good bounces too. Hopefully, they’ll start coming for me.”

Gionta isn’t discouraged with the amount of fans showing up at the Tsongas and appreciates those that have supported the team.

“Since the football season ended we’ve been getting bigger crowds,” Gionta said. “I don’t think we’ve sold out the arena this year but the fans that have come out have been great. It’s tough when you have a NHL club 20 minutes from here, the Bruins are a big part of Massachusetts and the area around it and people are very supportive of that team. That’s great to see that and it would be nice to hopefully get some more fans at the end of the season as we push for playoffs and hopefully next year people will know who we are. We’re kind of new this ear and hopefully we can get some more people next year.”

The Devils are currently in fifth place in the Atlantic Division with 79 points. Only the top four teams in each division make the playoffs. The Worcester Sharks currently hold the final playoff spot with 81 points. Providence is in third with 82 points. Lowell has 10 games left is pushing for one of the two final playoff spots.

Photos courtesy of the Lowell Devils.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Half of the Final Four field is set. Tomorrow we find out which teams will battle on the undercard of the UCLA-Florida rematch next Saturday.

Next weekend will also decide our SunBlog Madness contest and which three participants win the prizes up for grabs. Ken Scarber continues to set the pace with 97-points. Should Florida and Georgetown prevail tomorrow, he’ll maintain that lead for another week. Neil Harrington and Bruins Fans (Leo Connors?) are tied for 2nd, just 5-points back. There’s a tie for 4th place as well. Lowell’s Dana Boisvert (about time one of you blog-posting regulars represented!) and Martin Cardoza of Lawrence check in at 89-points apiece.

Two more games to go before we take a few days off from the Madness. The top few spots get a mention in Tuesday’s Lowell Sun.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Eight teams remain in the 2007 NCAA Basketball Tournament, but only seven games, which means only seven more opportunities for SunBlog Madness participants to pick up points.

North Chelmsford’s Ken Scarber retains bragging rights for another day, topping the standings with 81-points. A pack of four contestants is in hot pursuit, just 5-points behind. Familiar names Paul Todis (Tyngsboro) and Neil Harrington (Lowell) are joined on the leaderboard by West Townsend’s Jimmy Stecchi, who’s moved ahead of yesterday’s Stecchi family representative on the charts, Raymond. Also at 76-points is the team known as Bruins Fans. I haven’t received confirmation of this person’s identity, but I’m guessing Leo Connors of Nashua, NH is our man. (If I’m wrong, please correct me)

Two great games on tap today…UCLA vs. Kansas and Memphis vs. Ohio State. Will SunBlog Madness have a new leader tomorrow?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

If you do, and your “game” is Madden Football, here’s your chance to prove it!

Click on this link for a more readable version of the flyer target="_blank">Merrimack
Valley Madden Bowl 2007

Unfortunately, my video gaming days ended with Madden ’94. There were only so many times I could punch the ball up the middle with Emmit Smith and that Cowboys offensive line. Despite controlling Troy Aikman, I couldn’t complete a pass to save my life.

Not to mention, I couldn't beat my 13-year old nephew at it any more. The little rat would take the Madden All-Stars, throw Hail Mary after Hail Mary toward Deion Sanders, and constantly get those damn pass interference calls.

I had to quit for my own sanity. Either that, or I was going to put my foot through the T.V. screen, because throwing the controller at it wasn’t easing the pain!

P.S. Don't forget to tell them TheSunBlog sent ya!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

After another night of March Madness, we’re halfway between the Sweet-16 and Elite-8. 12-teams remain alive in the tournament, but that number will be chopped down by four after tonight’s matchups.

Meanwhile, our SunBlog Madness contest has a new leader. Ken Scarber of North Chelmsford makes his first appearance on the board, checking in at the top spot with 65-points. However, a couple of names familiar to us by now stand just one point behind. Paul Todis of Tyngsboro and Pepperell’s Tim Smulligan are tied for 2nd place. Just 2-points back in 4th is Raymond Stecchi of West Townsend, with Tewksbury’s Joan Petros and Groton’s Anthony Caron in a tie for the 5th spot at 62-points.

As you can see, the competition is hot and heavy, and the changes are coming fast and furious. Let’s see who tops the leader board at closing time tonight!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

ESPN is reporting that Jonathan Papelbon will return to the closer’s role with the Red Sox, something Curt Schilling also confirms on his blog. Papelbon posted 35-saves and an ERA of 0.92 in 2006 before a shoulder injury shut him down on September 1st. Shortly thereafter, the Sox announced Little Papi would return as a starter in 2007, going so far as to say their medical people recommended the move as best for his long-term health.

Now, you all know how I feel about this closer vs. starter thing. We’ve gone on about the pros and cons ad nauseum. So I won’t rehash my 200-inning aces are better than 80-inning closers. Hey, if the Red Sox seem to think they’re a better team with Papelbon as a closer, who am I to argue, right? (Not that that’s ever stopped me before) We’ll have plenty of time to revisit that in the future.

This move doesn’t make sense for a number of reasons, unless everything Boston’s brass has been feeding us since last September is total B.S. Did they use the doctors as an excuse to make an unpopular decision (moving him back into the rotation) that they wanted to make all along but didn’t want to justify to their fans? Has something changed medically? Are they panicking because they don’t trust the people they have now? Would they be making this move if they could acquire Chad Cordero?

Regardless of whether this is the right move for the team or not, here is my concern about the situation; Papelbon supposedly has a shoulder that pops out. He did not undergo surgery to repair the problem. He is strengthening the arm through a rigorous conditioning program. According to the ESPN report, he will not pitch when he is “tired” and will not pitch more than three days in a row.  

So what happens on the 3rd consecutive night? What if he’s thrown a lot of pitches on the first night? What if he acts like 99.99% of all competitive athletes and says he’s not tired because he wants the ball in that crucial situation against the Yankees? What happens if/when the shoulder pops out again? Do they then go out and acquire an established closer or try one of the guys they already have?

Am I the only person who sees the utter ridiculousness of making him a starter yet reversing course barely a month into spring training? If you’re so concerned about the closer, why not go get one and not risk the health of a great young arm? Or was the entire thing just a charade? And how on earth are you a better team with Julian Tavarez, Kyle Snyder or Jon Lester starting every 5th day instead of Jonathan Papelbon?

Help me here people…I don’t get it!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

All you Hockey Krishnas hitting the blog boards and wanting more info on your favorite Lowell Devils, here’s a chance to speak with one of them yourself.

Devils Defenseman Dan McGillis skates into the face-off circle this Monday night on SunTalk Live. Gayle Simone, your favorite hockey blogger, co-hosts what promises to be an entertaining hour of SportsTalk as we poke check into McGillis’ 9-year NHL career, his tenure here in Lowell and what the future holds in store.

Of course, as much as we’ll enjoy talking to Dan, we want YOU to participate as well. Fans are always clamoring for opportunities to speak with their favorite athletes, so take advantage of it. Dial (978)364-TALK (8255)…Showtime is 7-8pm, though we encourage you to get in couple of minutes early.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

With the official start of spring just hours away, let’s grab a broom, dust off the cobwebs and clean up a mind more cluttered than the field of 5th Congressional District candidates:

If I get to play Theo Epstein for a day, I offer the National Wily Mo Pena and Manny Delcarmen for Chad Cordero. If the ‘Nats ask for Craig Hansen instead, I’ll stomp my feet and shake my head “NO” for 15-seconds before “grudgingly” accepting.

With Manny and J.D. Drew in the corners, Wily Mo isn’t going to find regular playing time. Cordero is already what we hope either Delcarmen or Hansen becomes. Hurry up and do something Theo, before someone realizes they’re better arsonists than firemen.

5 Hockey East teams made the field of 16 for the NCAA Tournament. UMass-Amherst is one of them. To celebrate, Stephen Tocco suggests eliminating UMass-Lowell’s baseball, soccer, and intramural chess programs. He also wants ROTC to raise the “level of excellence” or risk a transfer to Baghdad.

You probably missed it in all the St. Patrick’s Day and March Madness excitement, but a streak of futility ended Saturday. No, not a politician actually coming up with an original punch line at one of those annual holiday breakfasts, but the Celtics defeating the Spurs for the first time since the Tim Duncan ping-pong balls didn’t bounce the Leprechaun’s way in 1997.

For those keeping score at home, the stunning upset ended an 0-for-18 skid and marked Boston’s first victory at the Alamo since Valentine’s Day 1990. Maybe there’s something about special occasions. Or maybe this team, which nearly took down the league-leading Mavericks one night earlier, is closer to turning it around than people think.

Did you hear Danny Ainge got fined $30,000 for excessive contact with Kevin Durant’s mother? Seems Danny Boy “happened” to be sitting right next to the Texas Freshman’s family during a Longhorns’ conference tournament game in Oklahoma City two weekends ago. A couple of thoughts:

1)Durant doesn’t need the C’s boss to confirm he’d be the first or second pick in the draft. College degrees aren’t necessary for such intelligent reasoning. 2)Remember the days when excessive contact with one’s mother used to result in a beating instead of a fine?

According to the “experts,” the lack of upsets during March Madness shows the selection committee got it right. Hogwash! There weren’t many surprise results because the 10-12 seeds were littered with undeserving power conference schools like Arkansas, Illinois, Texas Tech, Stanford and Georgia Tech.

In years past, Southern Illinois and Butler filled those spots. Now, they’re 4 and 5 seeds, precisely because being given the occasional opportunity allowed them to build programs on, or near, equal footing as the big boys. Perhaps that’s why there were less at large bids handed out to the mid-majors in ’07. We wouldn’t want Billy Packer’s cronies to be lose out on another payday, would we?

Speaking of the NCAA Hoops Tournament, here’s how the top of our SunBlog Madness standings look heading into the Sweet-16:

1. (tie)Paul Todis, Tyngsboro
(tie)Tim Smulligan, Pepperell
3. Anthony Caron, Groton

The points awarded go up with each passing round, so anything can happen. Well, anything except your friendly neighborhood blogger winning! Yup, despite having my entire Final Four and 7-of the Elite Eight still going strong, the best I can do is finish second. L-O-S-E-R!

Oh well, at least one 0-for streak survived the weekend!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

With this preview, we conclude our position-by-position breakdown of the Fantasy Island baseball diamond. Save your catchphrase Mr. Trump…I quit first!

Now then, when looking at relief pitchers, I’ll repeat the advice I’ve given previously when discussing the Red Sox closer situation; do not waste early draft picks on closers, no matter how big the name or how great the reputation. For every Mariano Rivera and Francisco Rodriguez, I’ll find you two Eric Gagnes and Joe Nathans…guys that come out of nowhere to be overrated and drafted too early a year from now.

Build up the rest of your roster…grab one or two 9th inning arms (guys that don’t have a challenger to their job) in the teen rounds…then gamble on a couple of “not-so-sure” things that could payoff huge down the line. And most importantly; keep an eye on the waiver wire and the early season trends. The J.J. Putz’s of the world are out there. You just have to be quicker on the trigger than your competition when a closer switch happens.

Royal Flush
1)Francisco Rodriguez
2)Joe Nathan
3)Huston Street
4)B.J. Ryan
5)Mariano Rivera

Really, you could put these five in any order, and not get an argument from me. I’ll give K-Rod the edge because I think the Angels will create more save opportunities than the Twins. Both Rodriguez and Nathan are strikeout and ratio machines, so you can't go wrong with either one…I think the A’s will provide plenty of chances for Street, who managed 37-saves despite some injuries and struggles. I’m betting on a return to health and 40+ saves …Ryan lived up to his contract in ’06, and I don’t see much of an ’07 drop-off. If the Jays rotation stays healthy enough to give him the opportunities, he can also climb to the top of this list…Rivera is still going strong. The 95-100 Yankees victories ensure he’ll get a ton of saves. While The Great One isn’t what he once was, he doesn’t blow as many saves as cross-town rival Billy Wagner, the 9-of-Spades in this deck.

Asleep at the Wheel
1)Joel Pineiro
2)Joel Zumaya
3)Bobby Howry
4)Dan Wheeler
5)Rafael Soriano

Notice a pattern here? These are all setup/middle relievers on teams with shaky closers. I think Pineiro will win the job outright before the season opener, but if he doesn’t, he’ll get a chance at some point. If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll notice 6 1/3 scoreless innings after a shaky first outing. There is 40+ save potential there folks…Same with Zumaya, except this flamethrower will have to wait a bit longer for Todd Jones to flame out or suffer an injury. One of the two will happen, so enjoy the holds (if your league counts them) until then, and pray he stays away from the video games…Ryan Dempster is this year’s Keith Foulke (walking on very thin ice). Lou Piniella won’t tolerate many blown saves on a team with World Series aspirations, and since Kerry Wood can’t stay healthy, Howry is your best bet to slide into the fireman’s role…Wheeler is in a similar situation with the Astros. He was sharp when called upon last year, and with how shaky Brad Lidge looks in spring training, might get another crack at closing sooner rather than later…Bob Wickman is always risky, so take a flyer on Soriano and hope this mega-talent’s arm holds up long enough to earn a shot as Atlanta’s closer.

The Plague
1)Ryan Dempster
2)Brad Lidge
3)J.J. Putz
4)Armando Benitez
5)Takashi Saito

Maybe Dempster won’t get pulled from the job as quickly as Foulke did, but I can guarantee this gasoline can won’t be closing games in the Windy City come summertime…Lidge will be neck-and-neck with his division cohort in the race to lose the job first. He’s still seeing Albert Pujols in nightmares!...Putz came out of nowhere to record a great season. Unfortunately, these types tend to have a high fail rate the following year. March elbow problems aren’t going to help the cause, either…The Giants are already looking to trade Benitez before his knee blows out. Just pray Theo Epstein doesn’t think that’s the answer…Saito really hasn’t done anything to turn me off on him. He had a nice year last year and is on a team that should win a lot of games. So why is he on this list? Because the Dodgers have enough potential young studs to keep him on a short leash. Where there’s smoke, there’s usually a fireman in danger. Not a bad late round pickup, but tread carefully and don’t bite too early.

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Here are a few notes from the Celtics brass this week for those looking for more than the on-court action.

Adidas and the Boston Celtics announced this week the launch of the limited-edition commemorative Arnold “Red” Auerbach Collection. Adidas will produce only 938 jerseys and pairs of shoes, one for every Auerbach win.

The shoe contains depictions of various Red Auerbach iconographies, including the Celtics logo, 938 wins, 16 championships, his retired #2 jersey and famous celebratory cigar. The sock liner has a parquet floor pattern to emulate the famous playing surface of the Boston Garden. It also includes famous quotes by Auerbach sublimated in kelly green.

Each pair of shoes is numbered through 938 starting with 00, the number Celtics Legend Robert Parish wore. Parish along with other Celtics Legends will receive their own commemorative jerseys and shoes to honor the special relationships Coach Auerbach had with his players.

“The Celtics could not be more proud to partner with adidas in honoring the great Red Auerbach,” Celtics Chief Operating Officer Rich Gotham said. “Adidas has not only recognized Red for all his accomplishments as a coach and in the front office, but also as an ambassador of the game and for his efforts in integrating African-Americans into the NBA.”

Five thousand versions of Ryan Gomes
The first 5,000 fans in attendance at the Boston Celtics March 21 game against the Charlotte Bobcats at the TD Banknorth Garden will receive a limited edition bobblehead of Boston Celtics forward Ryan Gomes courtesy of Southwest Airlines.

Gomes is the ninth bobblehead in the Celtics/Southwest Airlines bobblehead collection. He currently averages 12.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Gomes has not played since March 7, when he suffered an ankle injury against the Houston Rockets.

Other bobbleheads in the series include, current players Paul Pierce and Al Jefferson, former players Antoine Walker and Walter McCarty, Head Coach Doc Rivers, LUCKY the Leprechaun and late Celtics patriarch Red Auerbach.

Another Celtics game-concert double dip
The Boston Celtics today announced chart-topping R&B artist Paula DeAnda and special guest Baby Bash will perform a special concert immediately following the Boston Celtics vs. Orlando Magic game on Wednesday, March 28 at the TD Banknorth Garden. This performance is the second of three postgame concerts presented this season by Verizon Wireless.

Seventeen-year-old chart-topper Paula DeAnda will perform a set of her hit songs after the Celtics and the Magic. Celtics fans attending the contest are invited to stay and listen to one of music's hottest up and coming artists perform at this exclusive post game show.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Get your minds out of the gutter!

This Monday, SunTalk Live turns into Fantasy Island as we delve into the magical world of Fantasy Baseball. Mr. Baseball, Chaz Scoggins, co-hosts what promises to be an entertaining and informative hour. Plus, we’ll introduce you to Rob Fay, the world’s biggest fantasy fanatic. (I swear, this guy plays in more fantasy leagues than any single human being in the world!)

If you haven’t had your draft yet, you won’t want to miss out on this show. Even if you’ve already picked your players, you’ll want to dial in to find out which ones you should keep, which should be reeled in off the waiver wire, and which to unload on those poor unsuspecting saps in your league who aren’t getting such quality advice!

Showtime is 7-8pm…the number to listen in or participate is (978)364-TALK (8255)…of course, we prefer you participate, so don’t be shy and let your voices be heard…THIS MEANS YOU!!!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

After a fantastic day of college basketball (honestly, this has to rank in the all-time top-5 days of NCAA Tournament excitement…the only thing missing was a stunning upset or two), our SunBlog Madness pool is finally starting to show a little separation.

Lowell’s Neil Harrington, one of the co-leaders after the first day, is back on top with 42-points. That translates into 34-of-40 games picked correctly, good enough to place Neil in the 99th percentile of all Yahoo participants. Pretty impressive work, Neil!

However, with the point totals going up with each passing round, the lead is precarious at best. Another Lowellian, Alex Grillakis, sits just a point back in second. And there are two tied for third place at 40-points…Tim Smulligan of Pepperell, MA, and I believe Anthony Caron of Groton, MA (I say I believe, because the team name is AnthonyC28, but I haven’t gotten confirmation of that yet.)

As for yours truly…a nice little rebound Saturday has me back in contention at 36-points, with my Elite-8 still alive. Though I’m not planning on winning this thing (I’m not eligible for the prizes, anyway), perhaps I’ll be able to put up a respectable enough showing to justify my existence as a sports guy!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

We have a new leader after Day 2 of SunBlog Madness, and he comes to us from the Granite State.

Phil Frezzette of Windham, New Hampshire leads a tight pack with 28-out of a possible 32-points. Whether that cushion lasts remains to be seen, as Phil will lose out on some points for having Duke in the Elite Eight. There are already 6-entrants on his heels at 27, and a stampede of other contestants well within striking distance.

If you’re wondering how yours truly is performing; try a despicable 22-points. I’d hang my head in shame, except as you’ve probably already figured out, I have none!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

On this St. Patrick's Day weekend, let’s raise a glass or two and give a hearty Fantasy Island toast to the all-important starting pitcher.

While I agree they are generally the most unpredictable fantasy performers, one thing I do know for sure is your team is worth “spit” if you don’t have enough good ones. There’s nothing that will sabotage your head-to-head week like a couple of hurlers getting lit like a Bob Dylan fan on Monday or Tuesday. Conversely, a couple of solid early week starts can leave you in prime position to gobble up 4-categories (Wins, K’s, ERA & WHIP).

Now, how you get good starting pitching varies. You can draft it early and pray it stays healthy. One year, I took SP’s in the first three rounds (plus had Pedro as my keeper) and ran away with the league. Other years, I’ve had to fish the waiver wire because the draft dictated offense was the way to go, yet still ended up with surprise gems like Anibal Sanchez and Scott Olsen toeing the rubber Championship week.

How you choose to get good pitching is up to you. All I can tell you is; you’d better have it!

Royal Flush
1)Johan Santana
2)Carlos Zambrano
3)Felix Hernandez
4)Chris Carpenter
5)Roy Halladay

As deep a field as this is, Santana is still in a league of his own. He’ll be the Cy Young favorite every year as long as health isn’t an issue, which it never seems to be…Zambrano is primed for a bust-out season, and he’s been damn good to begin with. With the team the Cubs have assembled around him, 20-wins are in sight…King Felix was a disappointment last year. Then again, how can you consider a kid who isn’t even old enough to drink a disappointment? I say Hernandez lives up to the massive hype in ’07…Carpenter is about as steady as they come. Pencil the Manchester, NH native in for 18-wins, 200-strikeouts and very low ERA and WHIP…Halladay is the AL’s version of Carpenter, except the league jacks up his ratios a bit. (Toughest omissions were Roy Oswalt and Jake Peavy)

Asleep at the Wheel
1)Rich Harden
2)Daisuke Matsuzaka
3)Jonathan Papelbon
4)Adam Wainwright
5)Daniel Cabrera

Harden is Top-3 if healthy. That’s a big “if,” but if he’s still around in the 4th or 5th round, you almost have to take the chance. The reward is too huge to pass up…Don’t worry about Dice-K’s adjustment to American baseball. Major League hitters will have a tougher time adjusting than Matsuzaka will. He’s going to be in the Royal Flush next year…Please, please, please, please, please Terry Francona! Let Papelbon pitch an entire year in the rotation. Next year, you’ll have a Pedro/Shilling type combo in Dice-K/Little Papi… Wainwright is another guy going from closer to starter. This kid will go much later than Papelbon, but his upside as a National Leaguer on a winning team is just as high…I got burned by Cabrera on draft day last year. However, his 2nd half splits were amazing and showed someone who finally got command of the strike zone. At #510 in Yahoo, he’s going to make a lot of owners smile come September.

The Plague
1)Aaron Harang
2)Kenny Rogers
3)Andy Pettitte
4)Bronson Arroyo
5)Mark Prior

Harang at #75 overall? Yeah, right!...I don’t mean to insinuate Rogers was “cheating” last year, but let’s see Mr. Personality do it again with all of baseball on the lookout for mysterious smudges on his fingers…Most Yankees are overvalued anyway. Pettitte moving back to the AL after a nice little run in the NL makes him more overpriced than Super Unleaded gasoline. (Aviod the "Rocket" Fuel, too!)…Arroyo was a nice little story in ’06, but if you'll be singing the blues if you expect a repeat. I say; welcome back to mediocrity in '07. …Prior won’t even be with the Cubs coming out of spring training, yet he’s still ranked pretty high up on most boards. Don’t be the one to gamble he’ll still have something left when he eventually does make it back to the majors.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

March Madness is underway, though Day 1 didn’t exactly produce much insanity. The only real upset was VCU knocking off Duke, and even that one can’t really be considered a shocker. A lot of “experts” had the Dukies as a one and done entry.

In our SunBlog Madness league of 56-contestants, the standings are quite bunched, as you’d expect on a day without many surprises. Seeing as Yahoo doesn’t award extra credit for upset picks, the lead pack should stay very crowded for at least a few more days.

However, two gentlemen stand out from the crowd heading into Day 2; Bob Joiner of Kingman, Arizona and Lowell’s Neil Harrington with 15 out of 16 correct picks. Congratulations to you both on an impressive display. Don’t get too comfy at the top though. There’s a group of 12 sitting one back at 14-points and another 14-entrants (including yours truly) at lucky number 13.

Let’s see if Friday brings a bit more upheaval!

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

Last week I had the opportunity to sit down with Lowell Devil Stephen Gionta and talk about everything hockey.

When Gionta took the ice as a Boston College Eagle in the 2002-03 season, he didn't even try to fill the skates of his brother Brian.

"You try and go in and make a name for yourself," Gionta said after a Devils practice at the Tsongas. "I mean what Brian did at BC may never be done again. It's tough for anyone to go in and be expected to do what he did there. I just went in and didn't worry about that. I just tried to make a name for myself and leave BC with my own legacy there."

Gionta finds himself in familiar territory - he and his brother play for the same organization, except Brian is in New Jersey.

"I think it's the same here with this organization. I mean (Brian's) a premiere player in the NHL as a goal scorer," Gionta explained. "He's established. You just have to go out there and play your own game and make a name for yourself."

The two brothers didn't get the opportunity to play together until training camp before the season started.

"We never overlapped ( at BC), we missed by a full season actually," The 23-year-old forward explained. "They won (the National Championship) in 2001 then there was a full season before I came in so I was never able to play with him until training camp this year and that was a great experience to be able to step on the ice with him even though it was practice. You still watch him and learn tremendous things from him."

Making the step from college hockey to professional hockey continues to be a challege for Gionta.

"I'm coming from college which is at the most a 40-game schedule and that's if you make it to the finals," Gionta said. "It's definitely a transition period with the physicalness and the aspect of the pro life."

The 5-foot,7-inch forward has never been shy when it comes to physical play and even challenges those twice his size.

"I think I've always likes the physical play of the game; even when I was little I loved to hit," Gionta said. "It's part of the game and I think that's one thing that, hopefully, if I can get to the next level that will help me there - being able to take or give a hit, not being afraid to go into the corners where the guys are twice the size and they are probably stronger then me. But, I'm going to go in and try and come out with the puck. You have to be fearless and worry about the consequences after the fact. I kind of learned that from Brian; just go in and worry about it after - not so much while it's going on."

With the physical play of Gionta it's amazing he only has 13 penalty minutes in 55-games.

"When you're hitting guys you have to pick the spot. You have to do it where they're not vulnerable," Gionta said. "I mean you can't hit a guy from behind it just doesn't fly and it's going to be a penalty every time.
"I try and go out keep the stick down, keep the elbows down and try not to leave my feet at all when I'm hitting a bigger guy. I just try and drive through them. I think that's one thing that I've noticed from this year to last year. (Last year) I had 70 penalty minutes in only 30 games."

Gionta is also one of the hockey players in favor of the many rule changes the league implemented after the lockout.

"Absolutely. I think they're good because it defintely opens up the game and I think the guys are realizing that," Gionta said. It's not even for the small guys- it's better for the stars of the game. They're not getting held up along the boards and clutching and grabbing, they're able to open it up.
"And you can see, like (Sidney) Crosby and (Alexander) Ovechkin and those guys are just having tremendous starts to their careers so far and it's just nice to see guys having success and getting back to the 100; over 100 point seasons again, where before there were guys leading the league with 80 point seasons. I think overall it's good for the game. You still have the physical aspect, you're still seeing those big hits and everything - I think it's good for the game."

Though every hockey player's dream is to win the Stanley Cup, Gionta has other goals to achieve first.

"Obviously the goal of every guy playing hockey is to make it to the NHL. I don't know if that's really a short term goal, more of a long term goal," Gionta said. "Right now a short term goal would be making the playoffs here in Lowell and going from there to try and get a Calder Cup. Getting a championship that could definitley help you later on in your career, especially being so young winning a championship would be awesome. So, I'd say right now making the playoffs and pushing for a championship here."

What do the Devils have to do to make the playoffs?

"I think we need to keep doing what we've been doing," Gionta said. "Go out and play a 60-minute game. Try and compete every shift. Be smart with the puck, it starts with your own end and from there the offense will come. We just have to keep playing a solid game all around and be more determined that the other teams that are pushing for the last spot."

Gionta had plenty of things to say about his own career and his teammates. Come back next week for the second part of Chatting with a Devil.

All photos used in this post are courtesy of the Lowell Devils

Best sporting event of the year or overhyped excuse for gambling? That's the question that our Sparring Partners, Chaz Scoggins and Lynn Worthy are setting out to decide this week...(From Wednesday's edition of The Sun)

Chaz Scoggins: Maybe because I'm a hockey guy at heart, Lynn, I just don't get it. What's all this hoopla about hoops, this so-called March Madness? To paraphrase the late, great Jim "Possum" Woods, Ned Martin's partner on Red Sox radio broadcasts back in the good old days: "If they were playing the Final Four in my back yard, I'd pull down the shades." I'm far more concerned whether or not the NCAA Hockey Tournament champion will be a team from Hockey East.

Lynn Worthy: Pull down the shades? Oh, you mean because you've reached that point where you need to take regular naps? Didn't I hear you and Dr. Naismith were high school classmates back in "the good old days?" Seriously, don't come in the lane with that weak hockey stuff. The NCAA basketball tournament is one of the best events in all of sports. Upsets are expected. Game-winners and buzzer-beaters are a given. A small school you've never heard of can win a national championship. You don't get that anywhere else.

Scoggins: Actually, Lynn, when Dr. Naismith was athletic director at the University of Kansas, he wanted the school to build several baseball diamonds because he felt baseball built character better than any other sport. But I wouldn't expect a young sprig like you to remember that. Anyway, to get back on point, "small schools you've never heard of" is exactly the point. Ninety-eight percent of the people participating in these pools can't tell you in what state Winthrop is located and probably don't even know what UNLV stands for. March Madness isn't for sports fans. It's for gamblers.

Worthy: Chaz, you've got teams like Holy Cross, Bucknell, and Davidson playing the David role against Goliath's like Ohio State, North Carolina, and Georgetown. The best part is there's just one game on a neutral court. Win or go home. Each year a new David steps up. That's what sports is all about! I was at the first- and second-round games in 2003 when Boston hosted. Students, alumni, and school supporters were living on each shot. Let me tell you, that atmosphere blows away any drunken debauchery you'll find in the bleachers at Fenway Park.

Scoggins: The only "David" you'll find in this tourney is Davidson. Texas Westerns just don't come along that often. How many times has a 16th seed upset the first seed in a regional? Twice? One of the drawbacks to basketball is the best team will win about 80 percent of the time. You don't see too many Chris Webber brainlocks on the floor that result in an upset. The reason the upsets are remembered because they really don't happen all that often.

Worthy: Obviously, you haven't been watching. No, a 16 seed doesn't win, but a 5 seed always loses to a 12 seed. Vermont advanced as a 13 seed by knocking off Syracuse in 2005. Tennessee had to hit a last-second leaner to beat 14th seed Winthrop last year. In hockey, you know before the season starts that teams like Minnesota, BU, and BC will be in contention. Red Sox and Yankees are always in the running for the World Series. It's truly anyone's game in the NCAA Tournament. You can go agonize over Matsuzaka getting tagged by no-name no-game players from the Orioles in spring training. I'll watch the games that actually count towards a championship.

What do you think? Click the Comments link below and give us your take.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

The most interesting part of Wednesday’s media chat session with Dante Stallworth came when New England’s newest wide receiver spoke glowingly about the Patriots and how everyone he spoke with said it was a first-class organization.

Among the former Pats he talked to were Ty Law, Tebucky Jones and…Deion Branch. Not just that, but Stallworth says Branch had nothing but complimentary things to say:

Q: Was that an awkward conversation with Deion Branch knowing the situation that he went through in New England?

DS: “Not at all. Like I said, you play football on the football field. At the end of the day, this is a business. Deion is a good friend of mine. We came out together and he had nothing but great things to say about the organization, nothing negative, because he understands it's a business and we both been in this game long enough to understand that things do happen and it's a business at the end of the day. He had nothing but great things to say about the coaches, players and the organization as a whole.”

Which just goes to prove something I’ve been saying for years; fans take the business side of sports a lot more personally than the participants themselves do.

Is anyone surprised at the tone of Branch and Stallworth’s conversation? How about the signing itself? Are you excited about the Pats newest receiving threat?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Get those brackets filled...the clock is ticking!

As of right now, there are 49 entries, but a lot more of you have registered here at the blog (some, even more than once...LOL!). If you don't get set up on Yahoo and make those selections before opening tap of the first game (12:20pm ET) between Davidson and Maryland, you'll be shut out. And you know what they say...you can't win if you don't enter!

So get those completed brackets in and good luck!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

On the surface, outfield is the Fantasy Island position populated with the most talent (along with starting pitchers). However, when you realize most leagues make you start five of them (whereas you only need one from other field positions), the talent at the 4th and 5th spot can get mighty thin if you don’t draft wisely.

My advice; grab at least two very good-to-great ones, then be ready to pounce on a number of the good sleepers available after you’ve grabbed sure things at other spots. Again, along with starting pitching, this is where you’ll find the highest number of promising up-and-comers. Many a league has been won with an Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera, Carl Crawford, Jason Bay or Vernon Wells before most of your league’s owners realized just how good they are, or even know who they are in the first place.

Royal Flush
1)Alfonso Soriano
2)Carlos Beltran
3)Lance Berkman
4)Carl Crawford
5)Manny Ramirez

Soriano is the #1 player on my overall board. Great speed and power coupled with a solid supporting cast and a switch from hitter’s graveyard to paradise will make him even better. And it’s not like Lou Piniella will discourage Fonzy from running…Beltran provides serious juice in all five main categories, plus he’ll reward you with a lot of walks if your league counts those, too…Berkman already made the list at 1B, but he was too good to ignore here. As I said in the previous post, he’ll be even better with Carlos Lee behind him…One of these years, Crawford is going to put it all together and become #1 on this list. He’s been a bit of a disappointment as my keeper the last couple of years, but only because he never exploded for the 75+ SB’s I thought he was capable of. However, he’s still only 25-years old, so while he may settle in as “only” a 40+ steals guy, the home runs have the potential to double…What can you say about Ramirez, other than even as a fantasy force, Manny is Manny. Vladimir Guerrero was a tough omission here, but I give the Red Sox LF the edge as the Ten Card in my Royal Flush because it’s not like his balky knee will cost him any SB’s like Vlad’s gimpy wheel might.

Asleep at the Wheel
1)Willie Taveras
2)Nick Markakis
3)Chris Duffy
4)Corey Hart
5)Chris Young

Taveras is moving to Colorado’s spacious ballpark, where the gaps are wide and his mission is narrow; get on base and run. Ladies and gentlemen, meet your 2007 MLB stolen base leader (remember, I told you Ryan Howard would lead the league in HR’s last year!)…I kept wondering why the Orioles let Markakis play every day last spring, despite serious struggles. He showed why in August and September. Quite frankly, I expected him to be an even bigger sleeper, but he checks in as high as #133 in Yahoo. Still, the Greek God of Fantasy Baseball is way undervalued. Any owner taking the likes of Raul Ibanez or Mike Cameron ahead of him will be very sorry…Looks like the Pirates are going to let Duffy play every day, so pencil him in for 40+ steals, a great bargain for where you’ll find him on draft day…Hart isn’t even getting selected in a lot of leagues, but if he’s there and you have an opening for a 4th or 5th OF, scoop him up and thank me later for the 20-20…The Diamondbacks are loaded with upcoming offensive talent. Young will benefit tremendously out of the leadoff spot and make the White Sox regret the day they traded him. (I'd have put the Rays Delmon Young here, but he's already ranked in the top-100 of most leagues, disqualifying him as a sleeper in my eyes)

The Plague
1)Jermaine Dye
2)Gary Matthews, Jr.
3)Ken Griffey, Jr.
4)Jim Edmonds
5)Scott Podsednik

I know I always underestimate Dye, but come on…#42 overall? Puh-lease! Let someone else blow a 4th or 5th rounder on him, then scream when he can’t replicate last year’s numbers…Hmmm, I wonder how Matthews managed to suddenly put up those power stats in his free agency year? Ding-Dong! Be back in a minute. There’s a delivery man at my door! BY FAR THE DUMBEST FREE AGENT CONTRACT OF THE YEAR! (worse than Gil Meche)...I’m not sure what’s a bigger shock; that Griffey still gets drafted in fantasy leagues, or that the Reds still think a porcelain-fragile CF who’s batted .269 over the last 5-years is worthy of the #3 spot in a batting order… When discussing Edmonds, I feel the urge to cue up Sinatra. “And now, the end is near.”…Listen to or read anything Ozzie Guillen has to say about Podsednik. You can almost feel the manager’s contempt for his injury prone outfielder. If he can’t run (and the leg injuries are really starting to pile up), Podsednik is more useless than a support bra at the Playboy mansion!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

A collage of incoherent mental images while wondering if Oral Roberts only offers scholarships to talkative people named Bob:

Curt Schilling really is a one of a kind athlete, and I’m not talking about his on-field exploits alone. The big righty just launched his own blog (38pitches.com) where he promises to talk about anything and everything. Even better, he enables comments, including ones bashing him. The early posts are an interesting and informative read, something worth visiting after you’ve perused the Lowell Sun internet pages, of course!

Now I’ll admit to thinking Schilling talks a bit too much at times, but unlike most star athletes, he’s not afraid to engage the “common” folk. The other thing I admire is his willingness to admit when he’s wrong (as the blog does when discussing his very public dissing of A-Rod in 2004).

If the 2007 Major League Baseball season were a Texas Hold ‘Em tournament, the Red Sox would be the early chip leader with four potential aces. I love how some people think Jonathan Papelbon’s early spring training dominance is proof he should return to the bullpen. Did I miss something? Is it a bad thing to have a starting pitcher who can overpower a lineup for 6 or 7 innings?

Before you go pointing out that Little Papi can get twice as much use in relief (assuming his arm doesn’t fall off), let me point out the 2006 World Series closers were Todd Jones and Adam Wainwright. I’m sure if the in-house candidates flop, Theo can find a similar arm somewhere out there, aren’t you?

We interrupt this column to bring you the following public service announcement from M.O.S.S. (Media Opposing Sulking Scumbags): Friends don’t let coaching friends trade for wide receivers who quit in conference title games.

Seeing Bill Belichick give up good money and draft picks for Wes Welker, then gambling on Donte Stallworth (one drug slip-up away from a year’s suspension) tells me the coach is in no rush to stock the Patriots Pro Shop with #18 Randy Moss jerseys. Foxboro crossing guards are eternally grateful.

Had the pleasure of chatting with Scott Boyle and Mike Crowley on SunTalk Live a few weeks back. Even though I’ve known both for years, this was the first time we’d spoken extensively about Lowell High Boys and Girls Basketball. I was struck by how intelligent and articulate they are when talking about their craft, particularly for such relatively young guys. Know what else? They’re just as eager to talk up the bottom end of the roster as they are to promote their “stars.”

The road may have ended a bit sooner than either would have liked, but Lowellians can rest assured their high school hoops programs are in great hands and will be playing for more titles in the near future.

Speaking of recent SunTalk Live guests, San Antonio Spurs Forward Matt Bonner is putting together a combination rock concert/basketball clinic to benefit the Concord, NH Boys and Girls Clubs. For details on how to participate and learn the ropes of the game from an active NBA player, visit www.sneakersandspeakers.com.

Finally, you only have a couple of days to get those entries in for our SunBlog Madness contest. (1st prize=2 Red Sox tickets) One quick request; we love some of the creative team names. Just make sure there’s a way we can link you to your team. If you don’t want to leave that info on the league message board, firing off an email (tpanos@lowellsun.com) should do the trick.

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Get used to seeing Isiah Thomas lead the Atlantic Division rival New York Knicks for at least a couple more years. The team announced today that Thomas has been signed to a multi-year contract extension as team president and head coach.

After last year’s 23-win season under Larry Brown, Thomas has the Knicks 29-34 coming into this week. They would be the eighth and final playoff team if the season ended today.

Thomas compiled a record of 131-115 (.532) as the head coach of the Indiana Pacers, going to playoffs all three years with the Pacers.

On the talent evaluation side, his draft choices between his two front office stays in New York and in Toronto include Tracy McGrady, Marcus Camby, Damon Stoudamire, Nate Robinson (also known as the guy Gerald Green jumped over to win the slam dunk title), Channing Frye, and David Lee. Lee is in the top 10 in rebounding coming off the bench in his second season.

He is also responsible for the contracts on the Knicks that have them locked in salary cap jail, having acquired Stephon Marbury, Steve Francis, Jamal Crawford, Eddy Curry, and Quentin Richardson.

Knowing the trades Danny Ainge has made, the draft choices he’s made, and the fact that he had a record of 136-90 (.602) with three playoff appearances in 226 games as the head coach with Phoenix Suns, would you rather have Ainge as your GM/head coach or Thomas? What if you had to have one or the other? Is there really that big a difference?