December 2008 Archives

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

UMass Lowell's 6-foot-9 junior center Ali Kanaan received clearance this week to begin practicing again. He has been out since November 29, and he missed the last six games with a broken bone in his left hand (his shooting hand).

Kanaan averaged 6.0 rebounds and 6.8 points in the first five games of the season. Despite missing six games, he still leads the team with 11 blocked shots.

Freshman center John Carbacio started six games in Kanaan's abscence.

Kanaan did not make the trip to New York with UMass Lowell for the Pace University Holiday Classic. He could play as early as Saturday as the River Hawks (8-3, 3-3 NE-10) host St. Michael's.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Let’s wave buh-bye to ’08 with some quick, parting thoughts:

1) I don’t care how the Red Sox or their fans spin it…they took a big hit in losing Mark Teixeira. The fact they tried trading Jacoby Ellsbury and Clay Buchholz for Hanley Ramirez, when a year ago they wouldn’t dream of doing it for Johan Santana, shows how much THEY believe they need a big bat in that lineup.

2) On the surface, because of that 11-5 record, the Patriots belong in the playoffs. Yet when you look at the ease of their schedule and how they simply couldn’t beat any “real” title contenders, they don’t.

3) The Celtics badly miss James Posey. VERY BADLY!

Tony Allen and the rest of the bench are what I consider front-runners…they’re out of this world when all is going well. Put them on the road, however, against a team that punches back and they back off from the fight. Posey gave them not only a tremendous money player, but a certain toughness that they’re lacking right now from the 2nd unit. Let’s hope Danny Ainge can find a way at the trade deadline to fill the hole.

That's the view from here...how do you see things?

Just when it seemed his baseball career was over, former Lowell Spinners’ lefthander Mike Maroth is back for another try.
Maroth, who pitched for the Spinners in 1998, has battled arm problems ever since getting off to a 5-2 start for the AL champion Detroit Tigers in 2006. The Tigers traded him to the Cardinals during the 2007 season, and after pitching poorly he was released at the end of the season. Maroth signed a minor-league contract with the Royals last winter. He didn’t make the club in spring training, and after going 0-2 with a 12.91 ERA in three games at Class AAA Omaha, the Royals released him.
Bothered by shoulder problems, Maroth didn’t try to pitch again and returned to his home in Orlando.
Now, his shoulder apparently feeling better, Maroth has signed a minor-league deal with the Blue Jays for 2009.
Maroth’s 50 major-league victories are more than any other ex-Spinner has recorded. Maroth, now 31, is 50-67 with a 5.05 ERA in the majors. He received the Dick Berardino Distinguished Alumni Award at the Spinners’ annual awards banquet in 2003.

Signing Brad Penny represents a worthwhile gamble for the Red Sox. If he doesn’t return to the form that made him a 16-game winner in both 2006 and 2007, the Red Sox still have Clay Buchholz, Michael Bowden, and even Justin Masterson waiting in the wings. Presuming Penny is healthy at the start of the 2009 season, Buchholz and Bowden will be getting more seasoning at Pawtucket that can only help them when their times come to rejoin the Red Sox.
If Penny stays healthy and pitches well, he gives the Red Sox another starting pitcher with post-season success. Penny pitched for the Marlins when they won the World Series in 2003.
Other than his health — Penny appeared in only 19 games last season because of persistent shoulder problems that saw his record fall to 6-9 with a 6.27 ERA — the only other concern about Penny is that he’s a hittable pitcher. He’s posted a 94-75 record in the NL with a 4.06 ERA, and he’s allowed more hits than innings pitched over his career. In the AL with its designated hitters, that’s one more bat in the lineup Penny will have to contend with than he’s accustomed to.

Now that Josh Bard has agreed to terms with the Red Sox, if Jason Varitek returns it will be interesting to see just who has to catch knuckleballer Tim Wakefield next season.
Bard had an absolutely dreadful time trying to catch Wakefield in 2006. He committed 10 passed balls in 53 innings and several other balls got past him that were ruled wild pitches. Bard has committed just 13 passed balls in 3,036 other major-league innings. Instead of getting better, every outing with Wakefield was worse than the one before. Bard fought the ball and the ball won, which is why the Red Sox quickly dealt him to the Padres for experienced Doug Mirabelli.
Varitek has caught Wakefield from time to time, but he doesn’t not look comfortable doing it. He nearly cost the Red Sox Game 5 of the 2004 ALCS when he had to catch Wakefield in extra innings. He survived, of course, and it was the second of eight consecutive wins that culminated in the Red Sox winning the World Series.
Bard has a decent bat despite his .202 average for the Padres last season. He’s a .265 lifetime hitter who hit .338 for the Padres in 2006 and .285 in 2007. He'll probably bounce back offensively in 2009.
Presuming Terry Francona doesn’t let Bard catch Wakefield next year, of more concern might be his throwing. For his career Bard has thrown out only 19 percent of base stealers, and he had a horrible year in 2007 when he tossed out just 10 of 131, a 7.6 percentage. He improved somewhat last year, catching 10 of 63 for a 15.9 percentage.
Preventing stolen bases is a very low priority for the Red Sox. But it helps when a catcher’s reputation as a thrower is such other teams don’t feel they can run with impunity.

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

At least one guy in LA wasn't impressed with the Boston Celtics. He sure didn't hold back much in his critique of the defending champions.

The LA Times' Mark Heisler writes, "If anyone forgot, as almost everyone did, the Lakers' size, depth and athleticism are far superior to the Celtics'. If the Lakers played as hard as the Celtics, and defended as well, they really would win 70."

That's just a taste.

The headline on this particular On Basketball column read: The Celtics are the worst 24-7 team ever.

Click here to read the story

Use the Comments link below to weigh in with your own thoughts on the Celtics recent performance and on Heisler's take.

The Red Sox are surely disappointed they did not sign free agent first baseman Mark Teixeira. But they’re far from devastated.
The Sox have coveted Teixeira ever since he was playing high school ball in Maryland, and for good reason: He fits their profile for what they want a major-league hitter to be.
But so does Lars Anderson, the Red Sox’ 21-year-old phenom who finished only his second season in the organization at Class AA Portland this summer.
At 6-4 and 215 pounds, Anderson is already an inch taller than Teixeira. The two first basemen weigh almost the same, but Anderson’s frame still hasn’t filled out yet.
The lefthanded-hitting Anderson hit .317 between Class A Lancaster and Portland last summer with a .417 on-base percentage and .517 slugging percentage. He belted 32 doubles and 18 homers with 80 RBI in 118 games, and the Red Sox have no reason to think he isn’t going to get even better as he gets stronger and gains more experience.
The Red Sox have immense faith in their farm system, and they should. They’ve invested more money in player development than any other team since John Henry’s syndicate purchased the club, and the system has already churned out a number of players who have played key roles for the team. Jonathan Papelbon, Jon Lester, Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jed Lowrie, and Justin Masterson are all products of their developmental system. I’ll throw Kevin Youkilis into the group as well because, even though he was drafted before the Henry group bought the club, it was Theo Epstein who recognized his talents and kept him from being traded to Oakland in 2002.
Clay Buchholz and Michael Bowden could also become impact pitchers for the club in 2009.
Sure, the Red Sox could have kept playing greenback leapfrog with the Yankees for Teixeira’s services for the next eight years. But if you have a player who you believe has enough talent and potential to be as good as Teixeira, then it doesn’t really make sense to spend $200 million for a free agent whose role you very well might be able to fill from within your own organization.
Yes, the Red Sox could have afforded to sign Teixeira at any price. But while they would have loved to have had him, they weren’t desperate to sign him. The only real negative is that he signed with the Yankees instead of the Orioles, Nationals, or Angels.
It’s possible that Anderson could make his debut with the Red Sox before the end of the 2009 season and be ready for full-time duty in 2010. By then Mike Lowell’s contract will be up, and the Red Sox can shift Youkilis over to third base.
By refusing to get in a ridiculous bidding war with the Yankees for Teixeira, the Red Sox have confirmed their faith in their scouts, minor-league managers, coaches, and instructors. And why shouldn’t they? The system has not let them down yet.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

...for the 17th, and final week of the NFL regular season:

NY Giants (+7) over Minnesota
New England (-6 1/2) over Buffalo
Philadelphia (-1 1/2) over Dallas
NY Jets (-3) over Miami
Denver (+8) over San Diego

Last week: 4-3
Season record: 43-45-1

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

So what exactly is plan B? I hope for Red Sox Nation’s sake, it doesn’t involve more whining, late night emails to the media from Sox owner John Henry.

By now, you’re all aware of the Yankees swooping in and signing Mark Teixeira to a big money deal. I have no problem with Boston fans, who might be a bit naïve in the economics of baseball, complaining about New York’s seemingly limitless payroll. I have a serious problem with Henry complaining about it and using it as an excuse for not ponying up the dough needed to bring Teixeira to town.

For about $1.25 million per year, Henry allowed the Evil Empire to take away a player most of baseball thought was destined for Beantown. Then he whines about the Yanks revenues. GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!

News flash: New York’s payroll is DOWN from last year, despite signing Teixeira and C.C. Sabbathia. You know what else? The Sox payroll is DOWN from last year. The difference: The Yankees actually added the two best available free agents. Boston has added NOTHING!

And please, spare me the B.S. about fiscal responsibility. Where was the fiscal responsibility when they grossly overpaid for Julio Lugo and J.D. Drew?

John Henry is jealous of the Steinbrenners’ deep pockets and new ballpark? Stop putting band-aids on Fenway Park and go build yourself a new Fenway Park so you can compete with them. The extra 110-seats 3-miles above the right field bleachers aren’t going to save you!

If the Sox want to build with their minor league system, good for them. They’ve developed a ton of talent the last few years, talent which is good enough to keep them a contender for a long time to come. Just remember, you’ve won World Series titles because of players named Ortiz, Schilling, Beckett, Ramirez, Foulke, Martinez, Damon and the countless other big name stars who came via free agency or trade.

They have the pockets to do both…sign and trade for big-time talent AND develop the farm system. Heck, Teixeira would cost them NOTHING in terms of young talent. Just some money, money they very well have. So stop whining!

Leave that to the bloggers!!!!!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Isn’t life a you-know-what?

For whatever reason, Bill Belichick can barely stand the sight of Eric Mangini. Their post-game handshakes, especially after disciple has beaten mentor, are as warm and fuzzy as an Academy Awards show where Jennifer Aniston would be forced to congratulate Angelina Jolie on her Oscar.

So in perhaps the irony of ironies, “The Genius” needs “Manginius” this weekend to help secure the Patriots place in the playoffs for a sixth consecutive year. The formula is really quite simple: to get the final Wild-Card slot, New England needs to beat Buffalo (very likely) and have Baltimore lose against Jacksonville (not very likely). But to win the AFC East AND host a playoff game, the Pats need that same win over the Bills and the Jets to beat Miami at The Meadowlands.

Fortunately for the Patriots, the Jets will have something to play for either way. Even with a New England win in their 1pm game against the Bills, New York could sneak into the Wild Card slot by beating the Dolphins and having the Ravens lose to the Jaguars in contests that kickoff at 4:15pm. Imagine if Mangini and company had nothing to gain by winning, while knowing full well a tank job against the Fins would cost Belichick and the boys a post-season berth?

What would you give to have a spy camera in place for that pre-game speech!

Admit it…you’d feel a lot more confident in the Jets squishing the fish if Brett Favre wasn’t around to throw the ball up for grabs 5-10 times a game. Honestly, I know the guy’s a first-ballot selection based on the numbers, but has there ever been a Hall of Famer who makes so many careless throws in life and death situations? Seriously, there are third-string high school Quarterbacks who wouldn’t dream of making such boneheaded plays.

The man who brought down Junior Seau on the Gillette Stadium sideline during the Arizona game showed more interest in tackling a Patriots player than the Cardinals did all day.

You have to hand it to the NFL. The league sure does have its priorities in order. There are players drawing paychecks who shoot themselves with guns, make it rain in strip joints and sucker-punch their chaperones in bathroom stalls. Yet Wes Welker draws a penalty for making a snow angel after a touchdown.

Right about now, Scott Boras must feel like the guy at the World Series of Poker tournament who went “all in” while sporting an off-suit 9 and 4. The Red Sox and Angels called his Mark Teixeira bluff on the Flop, and unless the Orioles or Yankees deal him a straight on the Turn and the River, the uber-agent will look mighty foolish.

Of course, what does Boras care? He’s only playing with Mark Teixeira’s money.

I’m afraid Patrice Bergeron is going to join Pat LaFontaine and Eric Lindros on the list of NHL stars who saw their careers cut short by concussion. Unlike LaFontaine and Lindros, however, the talented Bruins forward might never get to realize his potential and become a household name across North America.

There isn’t a boys basketball team in the Merrimack Valley Conference, or maybe the entire state, that can touch Central Catholic this year.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Well, Slick certainly hasn't been handing out gambling presents over the last two months, so we might as well see if a red suit and fluffy beard can help our Winter Wonderland Wagerer place some gifts under the tree:

New England (-7 1/2) over Arizona
Atlanta (+3) over Minnesota
NY Jets (-4) over Seattle
Carolina (+3) over NY Giants
Chicago (-4) over Green Bay

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

So you really think John Henry’s late night declaration means Mark Teixeira DEFINITELY won’t be a member of the 2009 Boston Red Sox? Boy, are you gullible.

Here’s what I think is going on. Late Thursday night, Henry announced Boston’s Boys of Summer were not willing to meet Teixeira/Scott Boras’ asking price. That flew smack in the face of reports earlier in the day that the Sox and Teixeira were very close to a deal and that team honchos were meeting with the free agent slugger and agent Scott Boras that night to hammer out the final details. Even Peter Gammons was going with that story, and you know he got his information from someone high up in the Boston organization. Gammons simply doesn’t swing and miss that badly on a story. So what happened?

Well, the guess here is the Sox thought they had the basic parameters of a deal in place, only once they showed up to get pen to ink, Boras’ upped the ante. Henry, who to my knowledge has never made a free agent proclamation like the one he made in this case, decided to call the agent’s bluff by publicly pronouncing Boston out of the bidding. If Boras really had the offer he had, then such an announcement wouldn’t do much harm to the team’s cause, since Boston obviously wasn’t willing to match anyway.

However, if Teixeira’s agent is bluffing, then he badly misplayed his hand and what Henry did is a great negotiating ploy. With the Sox now publicly telling other bidders they weren’t going to raise the stakes, Boras loses some leverage. Reportedly, the Yankees haven’t made an offer, and the Angels and Orioles bids are far below what Boras was saying he had on the table. Where is this supposed super offer coming from? The Nationals? PUH-lease!

I can hear Boras now: “Sure Mark, go play someplace where you’ll never win just so you can brag about getting a few extra million bucks. Pay no attention to what happened with A-Rod in Texas.”

My hunch is the Sox will re-enter the bidding, with Boras finding a way to save face and not look like he caved or had his bluff called. This doesn’t mean Mark Teixeira will ultimately end up in a Sox uniform. But I seriously doubt negotiations with Boston have ended. We’re simply in the bidding process while we wait for the “river” card to flip.

That’s the view from here…how do you see things? Are negotiations dead? Where will Teixeira sign? And for how much?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

...for the special Thursday and Saturday night NFL Network games:

Indianapolis (-6) over Jacksonville
Baltimore (+4) over Dallas

Last week: 2-3-1
Season record: 39-42-1

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

The winter sports season is finally in full gear for area high school teams, and as is usually the case, Merrimack Valley teams are at the forefront of state title contention. So here's an open thread for you to talk a little smack about your local team and tell us who YOU think will rule the roost in the winter sports.

Can anyone touch defending state champ Central Catholic in boys basketball? How about on the girls side? Is Andover still the team to beat? Which is the coolest hockey team on ice? Can Lowell's wrestlers pin down another crown? Which school will run away from the indoor track pack?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

First Chris Paul. Next, Deron Williams.

That’s got to be like a 99 mile per hour fastball followed up by a curveball starting mid-forehead and ending at ankle height. You know, enough to make you yell, “Really? Come on man. That‘s just not right!”

But if Boston fans are ready to elevate Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo to elite and even All-Star level, these are the sorts of match-ups he’ll get judged on.

Paul had 20 points, six rebounds, and 14 assists on Friday night, while Rondo put up 10 points, two assists, and six rebounds. The important statistic, the win, went to Rondo and the Celtics as Boston (22-2) pushed its win streak to 14 games.

After not playing on Saturday or Sunday, the Rondo faces another measuring stick as the Celtics host the Utah Jazz and the 6-foot-3 207-pound Williams (those measurements put him two inches taller and about 36 pounds heavier than Rondo).

Williams, an All-NBA Second Team selection who was picked one spot ahead of New Orleans’ Paul in the 2005 NBA Draft, enters tonight’s game averaging 12.3 points per game and dishing out 10.3 assists per game (second-best in the NBA).

“He’s definitely one of them,” Williams replied when asked if he’d rank Rondo as the fastest point guard in the NBA. “I don’t know if he’s the fastest. I don’t know how you’d … I mean we don’t run 40s (40-yard dashes) so I don’t know. There are a bunch of fast guys in the league, and he’s definitely one of them. Quickest hands.”

The University of Illinois product compared Rondo’s physical attributes to those of Russell Westbrook (the fourth overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by Seattle/Oklahoma City) and Mario Chalmers (34th pick of the Miami Heat in last June‘s Draft), though Williams made it a point to add that neither of them have proven themselves like Rondo.

Williams, the fourth-year Jazz point guard, missed 13 games this season with a sprained left ankle suffered in a preseason game against Chicago on Oct. 19. Last week’s game against the Portland Trailblazers was reportedly the first time he played without an ankle brace.

“I don’t know yet, I hope not,” Celtics head coach Doc Rivers said with a laugh when asked whether he thought Williams was back to full speed. “But he will be soon. You know that. It’s just tough to catch up right away, but he looked great the last two or three games that I’ve watched. He‘s just a tough cover for us, a lot like (Chauncey) Billups.”

Williams logged 22 points, 11 assists and one rebound in a loss to the Celtics last season in Utah (he also committed seven turnovers). He recorded 32 points, eight assists and five rebounds, while committing three turnovers in a win against the Celtics at the TD Banknorth Garden in their second meeting of the season. He might as well go his mail delivered to the free throw line, he made 17 of 18 free throws in that game.

“He has great speed,” River says of Williams ability to match-up with smaller quicker guards. “He has great feet. He has great anticipation. And then on the other end he punishes them. That’s what he tries to do. He throws body punches, slows the little guards down. He’s tough, him and Billups are at the top of that last as far as power point guards, and he plays with another speed. He has another gear as well.”

Williams also seems to be atop another list. Even though Williams has yet to play in an All-Star Game, he and Paul both represented Team USA this summer along with Jason Kidd. He and Paul appear to have assumed the mantle as 1 and 1A in regards to top young point guards in the NBA.

What do you think? Use the comments link below to add your thoughts, observations, and opinions on the point guard battle throughout the night and after the game.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Before the start of the current NBA season, I must admit to concerns about exactly how the Celtics would approach their title defense: Would they exhibit the same maniacal intensity that carried them wire-to-wire during the ’07-’08 championship run? Or would they shift to cruise control, believing they could turn it on and off when the need arose.

That last theory seems kind of silly now, doesn’t it? A franchise best 22-2 start, coupled with the current 14-game winning streak, shows the Green haven’t taken the pedal off the medal. In fact, they might be an even better regular season team this time around. Ray Allen is obviously healthy. Kevin Garnett is still Kevin Garnett. And Paul Pierce is playing with the unquestioned “go-to guy” confidence one displays when validating his career with not only a ring, but also with the Finals MVP trophy that belongs almost exclusively to the game’s legends (check out the list of past winners…in many ways, more impressive than the league MVP winners list).

And why exactly are the C’s a better regular season team this time around? The answer is simple: the increased confidence that comes with knowing you’re the best and Rajon Rondo.

I might have been off-base in my worries about how Boston would respond to the challenge of repeating, but I’ve been dead-on in my assessment of Rondo’s development. As a rookie, I thought this kid could turn into Tony Parker, only with a disruptive defensive presence. While the jumper is still a ways off from Parker’s outside reliability, the 3rd year point guard out of Kentucky can single-handedly destroy an opposing team’s offense. He’s also blossomed into a very good playmaker, whose quickness and creativity are tough for rival defenders to counter.

And he’s only going to get better folks. In this humble scribe’s book, he’s already a borderline All-Star. Perhaps he won’t make it this February, but that’ll be mostly because his reputation won’t have caught up to his level of play. By next year, at the latest, you’re looking at a perennial Eastern Conference All-Star.

Now then, you may have noticed I twice referred to the Celts as a better “regular season” team this year instead of simply a better team. The reason? I still think the loss of James Posey will hurt come the post-season, unless I’m seriously underselling Tony Allen. Hopefully, those concerns will be as unfounded as the “loss of intensity” worries I had.

But if that’s not enough to concern you, take a peek at what the Cavaliers (20-3) are doing and realize they have about $20-million in expiring contracts that can be used to acquire 2-3 pieces that might just be enough to finally help LeBron James fulfill his destiny. Perhaps the Cavs front office will fall asleep at the wheel again, just like they always seem to do. However, knowing full well free agency awaits King James in two years, I’m guessing they’ll do everything in their power to convince “The Franchise” his best shot at an NBA title rests in Cleveland.

Unless, of course, he wants to jump to the Celtics when Ray Allen’s deal expires at the same time!

One-quarter of the way into the NBA season, what do you think? I won't bother asking if the Celtics CAN repeat. We know they CAN. But, WILL they repeat? Which team presents the strongest challenge?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

The Foreigner song seemed appropriate in light of this ice storm that's paralyzed the region and left many of you without power, television and....GASP...internet access.

The smash hit could also serve as the anthem for Slick's slide from the plus side of the gambling ledger to the underwater mark threatening to melt away any and all credibility this lovable loser gained over the last two years of wagering. A third consecutive winning season will require a hot streak over the final three weeks of the regular season, not to mention some sunny days in the post-season ahead.

Does the Slickster have it in him? Let's find out:

Buffalo (+7 1/2) over NY Jets
Miami (-6 1/2) over San Francisco
Oakland (+7) over New England
Dallas (-3) over NY Giants
Cleveland (+14) over Philadelphia

Last week: 2-3
Thursday night: 0-0-1
Season record: 37-39-1

Posted by Teddy Panos

Well, with the icy roads and all, tonight's a pretty good night to stay indoors and watch some Thursday night football. And what better way to enjoy an NFL battle than to wager a penny or two on the outcome. Assuming, of course, you have the NFL Network to watch the damn thing!!!!!

Slick's Pick:

New Orleans (+3) over Chicago

Last week: 2-3
Season record: 37-39

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

UMass Lowell junior forward Victor Colon earned Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball Player of the Week honors on Monday.

The Chicago native averaged 26.5 points and 10.0 rebounds while and shot 52.4 percent from 3-point territory (11-21) and shot 46.3 percent from the field in a 1-1 week. Opened the week with career-highs of 25 points and nine rebounds in an 87-72 loss at Saint Anselm and eclipsed his career-highs with 28 points and 11 rebounds in a 70-64 win at Dominican.

Colon enters Tuesday night's game against Assumption averaging 14.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game through eight games this season.

Dear Santa,

I haven’t exactly been a good boy this year. There have been far too many occasions where naughty ruled over nice. In fact, about the only thing on your “all good little boys must do” list that I’ve held up my end of the bargain on is finishing all my meals and drinking every last ounce of milk. And not that yucky skim or low-fat stuff, either.

Still, I’m going to write my wish list and hope you’re willing to overlook the commandment or two (three or four) that’s been broken. Plus, I’ll leave the milk and cookies out for you, Rudy and the rest of the reindeer. And this year I promise not to eat half the plate.

So here’s a list of gifts I’d like to find under my sports tree this Christmas morning:

A real, bonafide, middle of the order bat for the Red Sox, one that can help fill the void left when my Manny Ramirez action-figure went away. The Jason Bay model Uncle Theo swapped it for played nice with the other action-figures in the collection, but couldn’t do all the neat things Dreadlock Manny did. Besides, the David Ortiz doll is starting to lose its Kung Fu grip on the “fearsome clutch hitter” toy shelf.

And while you’re at it, a few more of those miniature Dustin Pedroia army men, MVP edition, would really help the cause. My friends and I would go to war with those any day of the week.

I’d also love to spend part of X-Mas morning unwrapping two or three new Patriots cornerbacks. The ones we have now don’t work very well. The linebackers are old and starting to break down, too. We’ve already pulled the old Rosy Colvin and Junior Seau standbys out of the recycling bin, but those weren’t exactly in the best of shape before we tossed them aside. It would be terrible if we had to dust the cobwebs off the Andre Tippett collectible.

I won’t bother asking for anything from the Celtics aisle. Everything I asked for last year was delivered and I don’t want to seem greedy. Pretty good foresight on your part, by the way, putting Energizer batteries in the Rajon Rondo bunny. That thing just keeps going, and going, and going….

I’ve given up asking for a new Bruins owner, so let’s keep that side of the tree free for a set of Black and Gold goalie pads. Something tells me the B’s will be looking for someone to wear them once the weather warms up a bit.

For stocking stuffers, I’ll take a Hockey East semi-final showing for UMass-Lowell, with the NCAA Tournament berth sequel to complete the set…Standing room only tickets for the Devils….A long-lease at LeLacheur Park for the Spinners…More trophies for MVC teams in any and all sports…A local fighter capable of bringing boxing back into the limelight around these parts…A college football playoff system…and a NASCAR race where they have to turn right, just once.

What would be on your X-Mas wish list to Santa Claus?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

On the heels of my almost dead-on prediction on the Dracut/Acton-Boxboro playoff game (the 28-21 final score was as close to the 27-21 guess you saw in this space....pat-pat-pat on the back...LOL) here's what the crystal ball shows for tonight's Eastern Mass Division 1A Super Bowl:

Dracut 34
Marshfield 13

GO MIDDIES!!!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

You're probably wondering why there was no Thursday night NFL selection in this space. The popular theory is that our fearless football forecaster went into hiding after that horrific 0-5 performance last Sunday and Monday. That's kind of what I was thinking, too, while waiting patiently for my cell phone to ring with the much anticipated pick.

Alas, the true story is nowhere near as glamorous. Slick simply forgot to call me, and due to work obligations at the family restaurant, the old geezer behind the keyboard couldn't get to a phone before the Chargers had already buried the Raiders. From subsequent conversations, I can tell you that had the Slickster gotten his wager in, he'd be looking at the wrong end of the scoreboard with his Oakland selection.

Hopefully, he'll do better with these projections:

NY Giants (-7) over Philadelphia
Seattle (+4 1/2) over New England
Dallas (+3) over Pittsburgh
Washington (+5) over Baltimore
Carolina (-3) over Tampa Bay

Thanksgiving picks: 2-1
Last weekend: 0-5
Season record: 35-36

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

*The Patriots re-signed Roosevelt Colvin? The same Roosevelt Colvin they tossed in the garbage this offseason? The same Roosevelt Colvin even the pathetic Houston Texans had no use for?

Two thoughts: 1) There must be another injury there we don’t know about yet and 2) how could the Patriots allow the defense to get this bad on team they had Super Bowl aspirations for before Tom Brady’s injury?

*Not to give any pub to rival print or internet publications, but within the last two days, Tony Massarotti and Rob Bradford penned internet columns questioning whether we’ve seen the best of times for the New England Patriots. Sounds an awful lot like the “dynasty is dead” column. Only you guys got to read it three months earlier…and before Tom Brady went down. Nice to have some company out here on that limb!

*Dustin Pedroia signs with the Sox for 6-years, $40.5 million dollars. Sounds like a bargain to me.

*I watched the Dracut vs. Acton-Boxboro playoff game with Chelmsford head coach Bruce Rich, who happens to know a thing or two about great football teams, seeing as he’s led more than a few of them in his time. He told me these Middies are as good as any MVC team in history, if not THE best.

*Lastly, can someone explain to me exactly WHY Sean Avery was suspended for his “sloppy seconds” comment? Since when did the NHL become The View?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Boy, what a week!

Can you believe it? Some fool got a hold of my laptop when I wasn’t looking and submitted a column suggesting the Patriots might want to explore trading Tom Brady and turning the offensive keys over to Matt Cassel. This clown even went on to argue the Dracut Middies might be the best football team in the history of the Merrimack Valley Conference.

Of course, this was before Cassel’s four turnover performance against Pittsburgh and the Middies stunning Thanksgiving Day loss at Methuen, so you can imagine how bad it made me look. Thankfully, I’m back at the keyboard this week to submit the usual, well-reasoned and thought out column.

(Not buying it, huh? Well, it was either that or the old “Bobby Ewing: it was all a dream” storyline)

Anyway, the Patriots beating at the hands of the Steelers may have made me look foolish, but it also underscored why the topic was brought up in the first place. Remember, this is the same space that suggested the Patriots dynasty was dead before the season even started. Surprisingly, the “trade Brady” piece registered only a fraction of the venom the “dead dynasty” article generated. Which leads me to believe there are more than a few people who actually agree. (Either that, or they’ve totally written me off by now)

Anyone who watched that game Sunday realizes the Pats problems run much deeper than Tom Terrific’s absence. The highly touted offensive line is a sieve when facing a good pass rushing team. And there isn’t a defensive back on the roster able to cover a newborn baby with a blanket, never mind an NFL receiver. Stick Brady at QB Sunday and the score is more respectable, but it still ends with the Steelers on the plus side.

Can those problems be fixed before Brady’s skills begin to erode and the Pats start looking for his replacement anyway? I’ll stop now, lest you think that fool got hold of my laptop again.

*As for my Middies, I’ll tempt the fates once more and pick them over Acton-Boxboro in the EMass Division 1A semi-finals: 27-21 in what has the makings of a Super matchup.

*The Bruins are really good this year. They can beat you in a shootout. They can beat you in a defensive struggle. And they can beat you in a brawl.

They’re very likely to finish atop the Eastern Conference regular season standings. Too bad they’re going to lose in the playoffs because they’ll run into a goaltender who will stand on his head and steal a playoff series, which is something neither Tim Thomas or Manny Fernandez, as good as they’re playing right now, are capable of doing.

*I was a little worried the Celtics would have a hard time finding the hunger to dominate the regular season again and secure home court advantage in the playoffs. Chalk up another one in the “I was wrong” column.

*Old friend Matt Welch continues to shine at the college level, even though he’s yet to take a snap for the University of New Hampshire. The former Lowell High Quarterback, who will be redshirted to maintain four years of eligibility, ended any talk of a position switch with his performance during training camp and practice. Now he’s catching the eye of opposing coaches who watch him during pre-game warmups and wonder “who is the impressive looking kid wearing number ten?” He’s also gaining valuable experience as he travels with the Wildcats during their playoff run.

*When UNH tackles Northern Iowa this Saturday in a Division 1AA Quarterfinal playoff matchup, Welch won’t be the only MVC kid on the Wildcats traveling squad. Former Andover High QB Mike Pierce is also dressing for away games while redshirting. Unlike his 6’5” counterpart from Lowell, the 6-foot Pierce has bulked up and been converted to linebacker.