Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

So, you can see from the comments on the blog here just how popular my A-Rod over Lowell stance is…no need to rehash here…just go read for yourself.

However, what you may have missed is what’s going on over at LowellSun.com. Besides plastering my mug on the top of the front page, they also made the article the Top Story online, opening it up to comments from readers. Not to mention, they ran a poll question that received 533 responses, which we believe is a record. The results; 95% want Mike Lowell…5% agree with me to bring in Alex Rodriguez.

The comments were even harsher than the results. A sampling, along with a response from me:

“You are an IDIOT!!! How many homers did A-Rod have in the Post season? Maybe you are smart enough to figure that out.”—Frank from Lisle, Illinois

You know you’ve made it big time when you’re being called an IDIOT all the way out in the Midwest.

"Keep Mike Lowell; we don’t want A-Fraud here. Nice timing of his “announcement”, wasn’t it? Leave him where he belongs or let some other team pay his hefty price tag. A lot of good he did the Yankers this year-money down the drain.”--Gretchen from South Walpole, MA

Well, at least we can agree on insulting the Yankees. Or was “Yankers” just a typo?

“I think ARod wants to be with the Red Sox so that he can bring down the Sox like he did the Yankees! Go Sox!!!—jlandry1 from Andover, MA

The conspiracy theorists chime in. Guess we’ll have to investigate whether A-Rod was the second gunman in the grassy knoll, or if he planted the bombs that brought down the World Trade Center.

“A-Rod is low class and Lowell is high class. The area needs a great role model for the children…A-Rod is NOT that person.”—willyu, No town given

Young boys listen to rap music that advocates cop killing and domestic abuse, while our little girls want to dress and act like Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. And you think A-Rod is a bad influence?

“If they don’t put forth a solid effort to re-sign Lowell then I’m sure they’ll be looking for the “knockout” and sign A-Rod. That will be the last time I ever watch, listen or read about the Red Sox. Promise.”—Merrimack from Boston

Do you also promise not to cheer for him after he belts his 50th homer in a Sox uniform? Or are you one of those people who still root against Randy Moss?

“Dumb question. Lowell. He at least knows what it’s like to be in a World Series. As for A-Rod? If it’s not happening to or for A-Rod it’s just not happening. What a putz!”—Boston Born from Carrolton, Ohio

When folks are using foreign languages to disparage you, you know you’re not a popular player. Or was the comment directed towards me?

“About a year or so ago I was talking to my nephew. I made the comment that I would rather have Mike Lowell than A-FRaud. He told me to take a drug test. I still feel that way, especially after Lowell gave his best Scott Brossius imitation & nailed clutch hit after clutch hit. We now see the true side of Rodriguez with the classless way he went out of his way to disrespect the Yankees. For whatever reason he felt like hurting them or maybe getting even for all the crap he took while in pinstripes. Good riddance Alex, hope your new teammates can count on you more than we were.”—Bob E. Yankee Fan from Visalia, California

Not only is Rodriguez a special player on the field, but off it as well, able to unite Sox and Yankees fans in at least one area…their hatred of him. Oh, and if you’re one of those Yankees fans who booed A-Rod while cheering druggies and steroid cheats like Steve Howe, Darryl Strawberry, Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield, you should take your nephew’s advice.

As expected, “Kool-Aid Nation‿ takes offense to the recent column calling the Patriots the “real‿ championship team in New England. Greek Thunder is the first to take the bait:

It's worth a try when it's the Patriots but when the Sox are proactive and don't hold on to these old guys (see Pedro), they're idiots? Please explain to the class Professor Panos.

I’ll be more than happy to. It’s actually quite simple class. You see, the Patriots operate under this system we call a SALARY CAP. Let me repeat that again, because I know a lot of you are loopy from the spiked Kool-Aid…S-A-L-A-R-Y C-A-P.

Now, who can tell Professor Panos what a salary cap means? That’s correct, young Theo. A salary cap means you only have a certain amount of money to spend. That means you have to make choices between who to give it to, and who not to give it to. For every dollar you spend on player X, that’s one less dollar you can spend on player Y.

Now, who can tell me why Major League Baseball is different? That’s right Georgie Porgie. Baseball does not have a salary cap. That means an owner can spend as much money as he wants to help his team win.

If you’re the Kansas City Royals or Pittsburgh Pirates and your owner is poor/cheap, you let very good players go because you don’t have the money to pay them or because you choose not to so you can pocket the savings. But if you’re the Boston Red Sox, with the highest prices in all of baseball and the 2nd richest television contract in the sport, you can afford to keep as many players as you think your team needs to compete with the other teams in your division that also spend lots of money.

To put it another way, you are not FORBIDDEN from spending money. You CHOOSE not to. So whereas in football you sometimes have to let good and popular players go for financial survival, in baseball you are under no such restrictions. You can keep as many players as you think can help your team win, provided you have the money to pay them, which the Red Sox most certainly do. See the difference?

Oh…one other difference between the Patriots and Red Sox. After winning their first Super Bowl, the Patriots won two more in three years, keeping the core of the team intact. For every Lawyer Milloy they lost, they brought in a Rodney Harrison. After winning their first World Series in 86-years, the Red Sox proceeded to gut their team and are going to be golfing this October. For every Pedro Martinez they lost, they brought in a Matt Clement. Understand?

Good. That concludes our lesson for today. For homework tonight, I want you to research why Bill Belichick would never be caught dead in a gorilla suit while the Red Sox continue to make monkeys of the most rabid fan base in the country.

Class dismissed! Oh, and don’t forget to drink all your Kool-Aid in the cafeteria!

Before I forget, let me give a shout out to Bob C. for this post;

“Be on the lookout for two teams lurking, ladies and gentlemen: Toronto and Minnesota. Halladay and Burnett as well as Santana and Liriano impress me as 1, 2’s that could be playoff bound. You heard it here in July.�?

The date of this comment? July 16, 2005. Well here it is just ten days later, July 26th, and the Minnesota Twins have pulled even with Chicago in the wild card race thanks to a 3-game sweep over the “pale hose�? in the Windy City.

Nice work Bob. You’ve said some truly idiotic things in the past. This wasn’t one of them!

So that’s all it takes, huh?

I bust my tail week after week, trying to write a Lowell Sun column that’s creative, informative and funny, only to be ignored like a nagging girlfriend during SportsCenter. But mention one bad word about Coco Crisp, and you’d think I just insulted Hillary Clinton at a N.O.W. rally.

If picking on poor Coco gets you all fired up and commenting, just wait till the first time I rip someone who’s actually accomplished something in this town. (Note to self: move to Botswana if you ever say bad things about Bill Belichick and Tom Brady)

Anyway, here are a couple of comments I couldn’t just let slide without a defense:

Rick writes: “No wonder you now work at the Sun. Sounds like a personal vendetta to me. Coco Crisp is as good a player as Damon. Sure you can bring up the stats for the season as your proof, but there is more to baseball than stats, particularly since Coco missed 25% of the season out of the gate. Don't get me wrong, I like Johnny and certainly feel that he is an excellent leadoff hitter. To say we would be five games ahead without him is ludicrous. The Red Sox record at this time last year??? We have lost 40% of the rotation and have a better record. Hello??? anyone home?�?

“Coco is as good a player as Damon?�? You’re basing this on what, exactly? If not numbers, then what?

Hey, we all have our opinions and maybe in time, Crisp can become Damon’s equal. I highly doubt it, but if you’re proven correct, I’ll be more than happy to give you props. But in the meantime, please don’t insult our intelligence with that statement.

And yes, there is more to baseball than stats…like winning World Series…hitting two home runs, including a grand slam in Game 7 of an American League Championship Series, on the road no less…defense...intangibles like working pitch counts...taking the media pressure off your teammates...putting fannies in the seats...etc...

To work at the Sun, you have to pass an eye test so you can actually observe what’s going on in front of you instead of turning a blind eye and making ridiculous statements like that. Believe me, I'm home. I just refuse to answer the door to let the nonsense in!

My buddy Legend Killer chimes in with; “The Non-Signing of Damon and Trading for Coco were not moves meant to pan out THIS YEAR. Come back to me in Damon's 3rd year with the Yankees when He, Giambi and E-rod are all DH's.�?

I’ll be sure to come back to you in three years when Damon is still a productive .290-.300 leadoff hitter for the Yankees. What will Coco be? Will he even be around?

Please gang. Put down the Kool-Aid for a bit and admit this one was a mistake…today, tomorrow, and even 3-4 years from now. It’s o.k. I promise. Even I admit to being wrong from time to time. It’s not that bad!

Take your medicine. It’s better for you than Kool-Aid!

It’s been a while since I’ve answered mail. Then again, you guys haven’t been very inquisitive lately, so please forgive my laziness. Anyway, the envelopes please:

Bob C. wants to know; “O.K. sports guy…who got the only hit off Petey in the 17k game in the Bronx?�?

Chili Davis was the lone Yankee to luck out that night, my friend. And I do mean luck out, because I remember seeing a picture that showed Davis with his eyes closed as he swung and made contact on the home run.

That’s how great Pedro was that night…a team in the midst of its dynasty couldn’t touch him on its home field, and only blind luck prevented that from being universally acclaimed as the greatest pitching performance of all time. (Many of us will argue that’s already the case, but a no-no would have cinched it)

T2 asks; “Where’s GeorgeHR been? In hiding as I predicted?�?

Gotta agree with you here T2. (Gee, it feels strange to say that!) You rarely hear from NY fans when things aren’t going their way…they’re the most notorious front-runners in sports.

But hey, they sure didn’t waste much time giving A-Rod a standing “O�? after that game-wining home run yesterday, did they? Very touching stuff, especially after all the “choker�? chants and boos he’s been hearing in his own backyard. Too bad he’s not more like that hero, Jason Giambi, they keep summoning for curtain calls. There’s a guy you can really root for, right New York?

Finally, T2 wants me to come out and take a curtain call; “Where are the happy Teddy comments on this (Telfair) trade? I'm already committed to buying the paper, so let him post already!"

Every now and then, a blind squirrel finds a nut. Of all the trade rumors out there, the Telfair one made the most sense when you took into account Ainge’s fascination with him out of high school. He’s a penetrating, pass-first point guard, something the C’s desperately need. Now they can bring Delonte West off the bench as a combo guard, which is what I believe he’s better suited for given his ability and injury history.

That said, how about the masterful job Ainge did getting what he wanted out of this draft. You can argue Telfair vs. Foye all you want, but when the C’s Director of Basketball Ops wants something, he knows how to maneuver and get it.

Supposedly, Rajon Rondo was the point guard who most impressed him, so Ainge found a way to get him with a later pick. Giving up Cleveland’s first rounder is nothing….LeBron and company will be deep in the playoffs for the foreseeable future. Now Rondo can develop behind Telfair and either West or Iverson.

Yes, I mean Iverson. That deal still has some legs to it. The guessing here…if it only costs West and Wally Szczerbiak, it’ll get done. Boston might even be willing to throw in Gerald Green. I think they draw a line in the sand at Al Jefferson, and they should. The only way I trade him is if Kevin Garnett comes in return!

And how about a curtain call from "Danny Boy" for getting those supposedly untradeable contracts of Mark “Bow-wow�? Blount and Raef LaFrentz off the books!

A bit of clarification here for loyal reader and poster T2 who writes:

"Come on Teddy, how do you define depth? Starters 3 thru 5 consists of Wakefield, Clement and Wells. 2 of 3 of which have winning lifetime records. And a bullpen that consists of not only Foulke, Timlin and Papelbon, but also Riske, Tavarez, Dinardo with Craig Hansen waiting in the wings. I'd say that's pretty deep."

Depth is difficult to define because it’s so subjective. (What isn’t in sports?) I guess the best way to put it is to borrow from former Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart who famously said of pornography; “I know it when I see it.�? So pardon me while I make like Edward Scissorhands and cut up the argument.

The Yankees had depth with Pettitte, Clemens, Wells, El Duque, Mussina and the rest of the 90’s dynasty crew. The Braves had it with Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz and Avery. The White Sox had it (temporarily) with last year’s Buehrle, Contreras, Garcia and Garland collection. The 2006 Red Sox do not.

Let’s leave aside middle relief for a minute, because I can’t believe you have any faith in a crew consisting of DiNardo, Riske, Seanez and Tavarez. I'll worry about depth in the minor leagues when it gets to the majors...too many Brian Roses and Bobby Sprowls have passed before my eyes to get excited about the future...I live in the present.

Now let’s focus on the three starters mentioned. Wakefield, while incredibly valuable as an innings eater, has a career record of 145-124 with a 4.29 ERA while pitching for mostly good or very good Red Sox teams. I’d consider that average.

I looked up the definition of mediocre in the dictionary and it had Matt Clement’s picture next to it. Clement’s career record is 83-82 with a 4.41 ERA…almost perfectly mediocre! Next to his picture, the dictionary said; also see choker.

Clement’s ERA before the all-star game last year; 3.85…after the break; 5.72. I know it’s popular to blame the line drive he took to the head for the decline, so I looked at the year before. Clement’s 2004 ERA pre-all-star game; 2.91…after; 5.09. See a pattern? Think the Cubs knew something when they yanked him from the rotation in September of ‘04? And I’ll spare us the horror show of his “mound meltdown�? in Game-1 against Chicago last year.

As for my favorite whipping boy, David Wells need I remind people...he’s 43-freakin years old!!! His career record does us absolutely no good the older he gets. It's like saying Elizabeth Taylor was hot once. No kidding, but Hugh Hefner dropped her number from the speed dial years ago.

Those are my thoughts on the Sox depth. I don’t see it…case closed...unless T2 or someone else would like to re-open it!

The plan was to wait until after the Bruins season had officially ended (savvy hockey fans knew it was really over the second they traded Joe Thornton) before writing an obituary type piece burying them.

That was before one of our loyal readers and commentators sent an email, basically doing my work for me. By now you should all know two things about me….how much I love to bash the current B’s ownership/management group and how much I love to take the easy way out of work. Presented with an opportunity to do both, here in its entirety is RobzRantz email, titled Bashing the B’s:

I suppose this Rant is a little late. But I wanted to make sure I collected all my thoughts on this subject.

SCREW THE BRUINS. I've had it with this Ownership/Management Group.

Jeremy Jacobs
Over the past few years this former absentee owner has shown his face in and around Boston by showing up on Sunday Night Sports Shows and WEEI Radio. This last ditch effort is to appear that Jacobs gives a crap about YOU, the Bruins fan. Attendance at the Garden for the B's has declined over the years and Mr. Jacobs knows the fan base is starting to smarten up and take notice of the goings on Causeway St.

Yes, Jacobs is a big supporter of local charities, most notably the Jimmy Fund, but giving money to charities is the LEAST he could do and it's quite evident that he is in business to do THE LEAST HE CAN DO. A business man with no ties or loyalties to the Boston area he is nothing more than Joe Pesci in "The Super", , a Slumlord who collects the rent and lets the buildings just rot.

Mike O'Connell
From day 1 we knew that O'Connell was just another Sinden in that he wasn't going to spend money on free agents. And then came Martin (No Points) Lapointe. Then we knew O'Connell was also bad at evaluating talent. Pre and Post-Lock out we heard nothing except how the Bruins Management was poised to become a BIG player in the Free Agent game. After all, it was the current CBA that caused the B's to be so FRUGAL for all those years. Or at least that is what they told us. These last Free Agent signings were proof positive of the ineptness of Bruins Management. The "product" they put on the ice was not worthy of our Storied Franchise or City. They couldn't score or play defense and I believe even Alexander Hamilton had better luck in SHOOTOUTS.

Harry Sinden
I'm sorry but the "Fuzzy Ole Grandpa" act isn’t doing it for me. NEVER HAS FAILURE BEEN MORE REWARDED SINCE THE G.W. BUSH RE-ELECTION. He threw O'Connell under the bus faster than you can say Mariusz Czerkawski. Let's not be fooled, Sinden put his stamp of approval on EVERY move O'Connell made. With the current skipper and 1st mate the S.S. Bruins will suffer the same fate as the S.S. Minnow. For years the Bruins have been considered a joke but who knew the laughs were at OUR expense.

Well, there you have it...couldn't have said it better myself! You folks out there agree with Robz Rant? Is there any hope for this once proud franchise?

Allow me a minute to respond to a topic addressed this week by readers of this blog as well as sports radio callers; the reluctance of some NFL teams to sell naming rights to their stadiums in order to generate more revenue. The franchise garnering the most attention is Cincinnati, which plays in Paul Brown Stadium.

Maybe I’m just old fashioned, but I applaud the Bengals and the Brown family for their stance. I wish more teams would show the same respect for tradition and history.

Paul Brown is one of the most revered figures in professional football history. For those of you who don’t know, he was so beloved in Cleveland that the Browns were named in his honor. The affection is matched in Cincinnati, where the man credited with inventing many of the modern coaching principles moved to the front office and helped build 2 Super Bowl teams.

So why then is his son being vilified for not selling naming rights to the stadium named in his honor? Are a couple of million dollars a year really worth it to guys with hundred million dollar operations? What would you do if you were him?

I find such talk particularly curious coming from Boston area sports fans, the same fans who were enraged when the name of the “New Garden�? was sold, first to Shawmut (Shawmut Center), then Fleet (FleetCenter). Closer to home, I remember one person recently writing to the Lowell Sun and suggesting the naming rights to Tsongas Arena be sold to a corporation and the money used to help keep the Lock Monsters in town. Imagine that! Removing the name of the guy most responsible for shaping the vision that turned Lowell into what it is today and not a clone of Lawrence. Hogwash! And don’t even get me started on what would happen if John Henry and company ever decided to put Fenway Park up for bid.

As for our NFL franchise I can only hope that one day (hopefully in the very distant future), when Bob Kraft has left this earth, his sons find it in them to tell Gillette and any other corporation interested in slapping their name all over the football stadium in Foxboro that history, tradition and honor are no longer for sale around these parts.

Wouldn’t it be something if parents could one day take their kids to a Patriots game, tell them all about this generous man who gave millions to local charities, a man who helped save football for New England and put the Patriots on the map, the same man who this beautiful stadium was renamed after; Robert Kraft Stadium.

That’s my take….let me hear yours! Do you agree? Have I changed any minds or am I just an old man who can’t let go?

Time to answer some reader feedback while wondering how much a dolled up Barry Bonds would fetch in the market…..the meat market, that is;

In response to Mrs. Andrei Kirilenko offering her dear hubby a free groupie pass, ALP wonders;

“Is this one "groupie" per year or one night to be unfaithful per year? He could find one "groupie" and s/he could follow him to different cities...I see nothing here related to the sex of said "groupie"... :-)�?

Seeing as how Masha Lopatova never clarified the ground rules, Andrei should push for the year-long endeavor, unless of course the “Misses�? starts brandishing the “Bobbit�? knife. Then again, looking at close-ups of Kirilenko’s mug, I’m thinking the issue might be moot anyway.

In relation to the NFL labor situation, Christo says;

“The small market teams are only a small market team because they don't promote, execute revenue enhancing ideas to the fullest, have bad management and are content in fielding mediocre product.�?

Christo gets no argument from me when it comes to Bill Bidwell and his pathetic Arizona Cardinals. However, I believe some better examples are the Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts. Like most NFL small market teams, these are well run operations intent on putting a champion on the field. But without revenue sharing, there is no way they can compete with large market teams like the Giants, Redskins, Cowboys and yes, our own Patriots, who draw huge corporate revenues and local TV money. I’d hate to see football end up like Major League Baseball where the KC Royals, Milwaukee Brewers and Pittsburgh Pirates have as good a chance to win the Super Bowl as they do the World Series.

GreekThunder2 (love the name) chimes in on the Patriots free agents;

“McGinest is gonna stay but Vinatieri is as good as gone I think. Somebody is gonna give him ridiculous money b/c he is still the best at what he does�?

I originally disagreed with you on Vinatieri, but if the story about the Pats low-balling him with $2-mill a year/no bonus money offer is true, I think Adam may just see what’s out there in free agency. Chances are, he’s gonna like what he sees.

Legend Killer would like to know;

“Who walks around with a bigger sense of unachieved entitlement....1) Anna Nicole Smith, 2) Paris Hilton, or 3) Kevin Federline?�?

Such difficult questions. I’ll say Federline. At least Paris’ family worked for their fortune. Anna Nicole was accomplished in the “nude performance arts�? before marrying into her old money. As best I can tell, Federline is no different than the guy who drops his last quarter into a slot machine at the casino, pulls the lever, and watches in shock as trip sevens come up. If Britney hadn’t come along, that backup dancer was headed for a promising career frolicking as one of the seven dwarfs in some Disney World parade.

As usual, any Red Sox mention is sure to draw the predictable back and forth between Red Sox Nation and Evil Empire enthusiasts. This week’s exchange featured a new visitor, ROG, using my Manny post to take a few shots at Johnny Damon;

“Please between you and I we both know that he's on the downward spiral. In deep center at Yankee Stadium JD is going to need a double cutoff just to get the ball back to second. What little arm he has left will be spent by the end of this year!!! Another over priced ballplayer that Mr. I Buy CHAMPIONSHIPS for a Living paid for!!�?

I hate to agree with Yankees fans, but ROG, Rerun and other Sox lovers need to wake up and stop believing the constant propaganda that comes out of Yawkey Way. Instead of ripping Johnny Damon for leaving and not being worth it, why can’t we just thank him and wish him well for playing his butt off for four years and helping achieve something many people never saw in a lifetime?

Why is it that Johnny Damon is on a “downward spiral�? and not worthy of a 4-year contract at the age of 32, when two years ago the same management group wholeheartedly endorsed a guaranteed 4-year contract for 32-year old catcher, Jason Varitek. Was anyone worried about Curt Schilling’s “downside�? when they traded for him and gave him a 3-year extension at the tender age of 37? Will anyone say he wasn’t worth the money even if he never gives us more than that one magical year? Anyone care to bet whether Damon is a productive player long after Mike Lowell (32), Mark Loretta (34) and David Wells (42) have waved the glory years buh-bye?

Come on Sox fans….wake up! Let’s stop acting like a bunch of college town yahoos and more like the sophisticated big city sports fans we claim to be. It’s o.k. to question management from time to time.

And finally, the answer to our last trivia question; Since 1980, only four major leaguers have won a career triple crown. (At least one batting title, one HR and one RBI crown) Can you name all four?

T2 got 3 of the 4….A-Rod, Manny, and Paula Abdul….I mean Barry Bonds. The one he missed, and I’m sure he wasn’t alone, is Andres Galarraga.

Today’s question: Which player’s lawsuit is the one that cleared the way for free agency in the National Football League?

Good luck and thank you for playing SunBlog Trivia…..now get those keyboards tapping and send me some comments!!!!

Seems we’ve had a very inquisitive group of readers the last couple of days. So without further ado, you’re friendly neighborhood Bloggerman will answer a few of your questions:

The Other Ted has a question and a statement; “Ted whats your opinion on jim rice not being in cooperstown at a time when my 3 year old nephew can hit 500 homers out as long as he`s on the juice, it upsets me that jims power and leadership dosent count when it actually meant something to hit 40 roundbaggers ,jims getting screwed and its probally cause of a few nearsighted and stubborn sportswriters much like yourself who don`t remember when baseball was actuaaly fun and not something just to compete in some idiot fantasy league�?

My opinion on Jim Rice is the same as yours. He belongs in the Hall of Fame and I’m actually quite shocked he didn’t make it this time around. With the steroid factor bringing newfound appreciation for the legitimate sluggers of days gone by, I thought for sure Jim Ed would finally get the honor he so richly deserves as the top power hitter of his era. I do believe he will eventually get to Cooperstown, if not by sportswriter’s vote, then definitely as a seniors committee selection.

As for your cheap shot against “idiot fantasy leaguers�? like myself, I can only respond the way a mature adult would…..by taking an even cheaper shot at your spelling and grammar. I take great pride in having intelligent readers and commentators on my blog (well, except for the guy that called me a moron!) and I must insist that in the future you capitalize the first letter of each sentence, use punctuation where necessary and try using a spellchecker every now and then.

Plus, if you’re who I think you are, you’re just jealous cause your fantasy sports teams stink!

Louis Cypher inquires: “If you expect a skater to pull off maneuvers like that without falling, then you should have no patience for a pro athlete making millions not hitting a foul shot every single time. What do you think about that Ted??�?

Good question. That’s something I thought about when writing that little critique and exactly the “devil’s advocate�? point of view I’d expect from Mr. Cypher. My response to that is that these figure skaters are the cream of the crop. In no other sport do I recall the best of the best continuously choking when a title is on the line. Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan….do you ever recall them missing a foul shot to win a game? Can anyone name one instance of a top of the line player missing a free throw to cost his team a championship? I can’t, but I can sure rattle off a list of women requiring the Heimlich maneuver at the Winter Olympics.

And finally, ALP asks; “Ted, What is your take on the status of the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations?�? She then went on to compare my intelligence favorably to that of WEEI’s Big Show panelists, which is a backhanded compliment if I’ve ever heard one!

As for the question, I think this one could get messy. Football players are by far the most mistreated athletes of all the major professional sports. In my mind, they have every right to demand as big a piece of the pie as they can get. The NFL is the most lucrative sports league in America, and a large part of that is due to the physical sacrifices of its players. I can’t stress enough the pain these guys endure, and after my first post-game visit to the Patriots locker room, I understood exactly why so many former NFL players have to undergo knee and hip replacements, and why their bodies often end up a mangled mess.

Now I know the salary cap is based on revenues, but my understanding is that over the last decade, owners have greatly increased the amount of revenue generated in areas that aren’t included in salary cap calculations. The players appear to have dug in their cleats on this one, and unless there’s some give and take (probably more give than take on the owner’s part) the players association seems intent on blowing up the entire system.

For our sake, I hope the current system stays as is (with increased money going to the players, of course) because the Patriots seem to have mastered the salary cap and how to build a champion with one in place.

Hope that answers your questions……Keep them coming!!!

The following questions and comments were good enough to make it out of the Spam folder and onto the Mailing List;

Mike asks; “Ted, where do you predict the Sox will end up in the AL East this year?�?

As it stands right now Mike, the Red Sox look like a 2nd place team in the East. I believe the Yankees have too much lumber and just enough pitching to survive the long haul of 162-games and beat out Boston’s Boys of Summer again. I’m also a bit worried about Toronto stepping it up a level and giving Boston a run for its money. However, I do believe the Sox have enough firepower to win about 95-games and prevail in the Wild Card race over the Blue Jays, Angels, and Twins. (I figure the Indians and A’s to win their respective divisions) Now, if you want to know what I think about the playoffs, I believe the Red Sox, with the combo of a healthy Schilling and Beckett, are better positioned to win a best of seven series than the Evil Empire. But it’s a long way till then, and getting there might be a scary proposition.

The Red Sox-Yankees debate will no doubt heat up with spring training right around the corner. It’s already been a constant cause for debate on this blog as Louis Cypher chimed in with these thoughts on the Roger Clemens rumors;

Rocket called me today and we spoke about the offer. He just wants to know if the Sox and the press have any memory whatsoever about what happened when he left. He also told me that it would be a different situation if the Yanks had put up the offer. "Now that's a class organization and I'd really have to put some thought in it" said Roger. He also went on to say that "Manny being Manny thing shouldn't be taken so harshly. Heck, how come they haven't come out with a Theo being Theo shirt yet? Group of idiots"

Yankees fans are now having imaginary conversations with the Rocket Man. Nice! Let me know when you hear from The Babe and Joltin Joe!

Legend Killer responded with a list of “classy�? Yankees including Steve Howe, Darryl Strawberry and Doc Gooden, then quoted President Bush in saying of New England born Yankees fans; “You’re either with us, or against us!�?

Only a true Red Sox fan could equate the Evil Empire with the war on terror!

Of course, the loudest statement in the Sox-Yanks rivalry was delivered by our own Lowell Spinners who offered to pay for the uniforms of any Little League team that changed its name from Yankees to Spinners. That promotion drew plenty of response on Sports Talk;

KarenV; “The Spinners franchise is wonderful to all the youth organizations. When I changed the name of my softball team last year from the Yankees to the Spinners, it was in part to pay respect to the great things they do. I'm glad that they took this idea and ran with it.�?

JesusSavesThorntonScores: “This has got to go down in history as the greatest sports team promotion ever! Its owners/management teams like this that deserves the success and the support from the fans that they receive. They have accomplished an amazing feat: They managed to get tons of free promotion, put smiles on faces of Red Sox fans everywhere AND give back to the community. I'll take 4 season tickets please!�?

T2; “That's great! I mean, how often do you get a chance to dump on the Yankees and support your local team at the same time. Pretty ingenious. Lowell's citizens are proud to have one of the elite minor league organizations in the nation.�?

Finally, JesusSavesThorntonScores checked back in with some thoughts on the Flying Tomato; “Not only is the nickname funny....Did anyone watch his interview after the qualifying round....Any Olympic Gold medal winner that uses "tripping about it" and "stoked" in a worldwide broadcast is ok by me. He is Jeff Spiccoli! How did he get by the drug tests?�?

Which is something I wonder about some of my readers…..especially the Yankees fans!

Keep the comments coming!!!

Time to empty the mailbag and address some reader comments and questions:

CHRISTO wants to know what I think of the fan that caught Doug Flutie’s “dropkick‿ ball.

I’m guessing the guy is a terrible poker player because he definitely overplayed this hand. He should have just returned the ball voluntarily and then very politely asked for an autographed jersey or football, which the Patriots would have been more than happy to give. He could have even gotten a couple of tickets to a future game. By asking for a king’s ransom he made himself look like a joker. Good for the Patriots for telling him where to stuff his football!

A Fan asks; “Why don't you have the logo of Lowell's Professional Softball Team on your homepage?‿

We’re working on it as we speak. Of course, if you can tell me when Jennie Finch is due to visit the Mill City and arrange for me to meet her, I’ll do that one better and do some live blogging from Martin Field wearing a Riptide jersey!

Bob Callary wonders why I didn’t give out “The Victim’s‿ pick for Super Bowl XL.

Very original name, Bob….put a lot of thought into it, huh? Also, “The Victim’s‿ pick was posted Saturday night, about 1/8 of an inch above where you clicked to post your comment. For not paying attention, you deserved to lose your bet!

JesusSavesThorntonScores (pay attention to the originality Bob) writes; “maybe Ted and his dedicated fan base can ban together and save this franchise!......I can see it now…The Lowell Lockbloggers! or maybe The Lowell Blogmonsters! Anyone want in?‿

Love the proposed team names, especially “Blogmonsters.‿ I can already picture the new uniforms with my ugly mug on them. And you thought Louie the Lock Monster was scary! Any of you creative people out there think you can come up with a catchy logo? Send them along to tpanos@lowellsun.com and I’ll be happy to post them.

According to A Steelers Fan; “New Englanders were never football fans and never will be and don’t deserve to have the Patriots to call their own.‿

Gee….guess I touched a nerve with my anti-Pittsburgh rants. I beg to differ, however, about New Englanders not deserving the Pats. Perhaps we don’t have the rich tradition of your Steelers, but we’re writing a pretty good history ourselves. Plus, any group of fans that dealt with 86-years of Red Sox torture deserves a few good times!

Lastly, I’m going to announce a new feature where I’ll post some deserving reader comments in their entirety. In the future, the Lowell Sun will even run them in the newspaper, allowing your friends who don’t have internet access to read your brilliant thoughts. They don't even have to be long-winded. Quick and to the point works just as well. All we ask is that you keep them clean. This week’s entry comes from RobzRantz;

With no Patriots in this year's Super Bowl I've been forced to turn my attention to Boston's other hometown teams.

Red Sox
These folks can't just have a normal off-season. The corner of Yawkey way and Lands down Street might as well be called "Dysfunction Junction.‿Theo's gone, Theo's back. Larry hates Theo. Larry loves Theo. John Henry's a big goof....well that hasn't really changed. With the imminent signing of Alex Gonzalez the Sox seemed to have filled most of their holes...holes, by the way, they created for themselves. So where are we? We've improved our infield defense dramatically and beefed up the bullpen to withstand another Foulke implosion. We still have Manny, for now. Trot seems healthy. (whatever that means) Coco now roams center for us and we should consider ourselves VERY lucky.....It could have been a WHOLE lot worse. We will miss Johnny this year and maybe next but years 2 and 3 of that contract could have been disastrous for the Sox when Damon's age catches up with him. Then the Yankees will have 2 Bernie Williams'. The biggest IF is the starting rotation. We know what we will get from Wakefield, but that's it. Will Schilling be healthy? Will Beckett stay healthy? Will Wells stay or go? Can Paplebon win 10-12 games? The upside looks great. But a lot of things need to fall into place.

Celtics
If the NBA season was the World Series of Poker Danny Ainge would have just gone ALL IN with Jack-Ten. Not a really good hand but Hey...maybe you'll flop something. Can we put to rest this mirage about trying to play ANY defense whatsoever? Danny wants to score 120 points a night and give up 118. If he could find Bo Kimble he'd be suiting up right now. Exciting fastbreak dunks may put butts in the seats but defense wins championships.

Bruins
If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it does it make any noise? Well, The Boston Bruins ARE that tree and they ARE making some noise. We have to give all the credit to the players, for finally stepping up, and the coach. Despite the Pathetic Front Office, the B's are making a run for the 8th seed in the east. With Ottawa being the 1 seed.....who knows what can happen. Hopefully not ANOTHER first round exit. Hey, Ted...Ray Bourque is not walking through that door.

Patriots (Just a couple thoughts)
Other than WEEI's Pete Sheppard, no one has given a second thought to Tom Brady's groin. Apparently the "Tighty Whities" he wore on Saturday Night Live scrunched him up a little bit.... The Pats left us with a hole in our stomachs. We really have no right to complain but the way Pittsburgh handled the Colts, this would have been the Pats' EASIEST road to the Superbowl yet. I predict the Patriots will have another "Who's That?" draft, selecting Joey McNobody from Timbuktu U, who will go on and have 17 sacks and decapitate Peyton Manning....It could happen...Let a guy dream.

Keep those comments coming and let me know what you think!

Time to check in with some reader comments and observations from the last week:

JesusSavesThorntonScores apparently had a slow week at work, chiming in on numerous topics; “I think Theo should've stayed away. He would have maintained that cult like worship for all eternity...like Hendrix or James Dean...or any other big star that died before they screwed up.‿

Very good point. When you help deliver the first World Series title in 86-years, there’s really no place else to go but down. It’s not like Theo will have Brian Cashman’s bottomless money pit to tap into, and I’m really curious to see how this “developing the youth‿ stuff flies in the face of the most expensive ticket in all of baseball. Should a few years of mediocrity follow, Epstein may go the way of Springsteen instead of Hendrix.

RobzRantz says he’s not impressed by Kobe Bryant’s 81-points, advising; “So when the Kobe show makes a stop at the GARDEN this year bring your sons (but leave the daughters at home) and show them what NOT to do on a basketball court."

Well my angry friend, 81 is 81 no matter how you slice it and it’s only been topped once in NBA history. Plus, Wilt’s 100-point game degenerated into a farce as both teams resorted to fouling midway through the 4th quarter in order to help or hurt the cause. Kobe’s outburst was necessary for his team to win. However, I must give you props for calling out Phil Jackson as a fraud. If that phony really wants to go down as the greatest coach in history, he should try coaching a team without the best player in the league on the roster.

While we’re on the subject of basketball, The Other Ted is a bit down on Paul Pierce, even offering this advice to Dealer Danny Ainge; “Buy him a one way ticket to LA where he can undress for Kobe willingly.‿

First of all, two Teds are not better than one, so I suggest another moniker, and I don’t mean Lewinski. Secondly, the Pierce of last year is gone, replaced by a kindler, gentler version. And lastly, that was Brandi Chastain removing her shirt, not Mia Hamm. Though a nation of men wishes you were correct!

Talking about Peyton Manning, ALP writes; “Peyton Manning is exactly like Dan Marino (and I LOVED Marino when he played). The loss always falls at the feet of another player – the loss is NEVER Peyton’s fault. When Peyton said, “I don’t want to be a bad teammate, but…‿ I almost died. We would NEVER hear Tom Brady or any other NE Patriot player utter that sentence! (Not a player who wanted to return anyway). Until Peyton can accept that he is a part of a team, playing a TEAM sport, he will never win a championship. Let him play baseball if he wants statistics and MVP awards.‿

I hate it when the readers sound more intelligent than the blogger. Knock it off, or I’ll be out of a job!

Finally Louis Cypher (best screen name yet) says; “Great article in Saturday's Sun by Kendall Wallace about how much the city's doing to keep the team here. It shows that there really isn't much at stake to keep them but the city officials are doing what they always have been doing lately.......nothing.‿

Actually, the most surprising part of the column to me is that a buyer willing to keep the team in Lowell was found, and that he only wants a guarantee of 1,500 season tickets. If that’s the case, a deal is more than doable. Mill City sports fans…..it’s time to step up and pledge your support!

Keep the comments coming!

The accompanying picture isn’t there only to honor one of my favorite movies of recent years, but to also point out how much I’m enjoying my new gig. See, in my TV days, I used to go to work dressed much like the fictional Ron Burgundy. (Now that I mention it, I think I used to own that exact suit. And that hair….vintage Panos from the high school days!) Now, instead of suits and ties, I get to dress like the bum who greeted you in Sunday morning’s Lowell Sun.

A couple of other bonuses; No more hearing comments like “Gee Teddy, you have a face made for radio.�? Plus, when my voice disappears like it has due to a bad cold the past couple of days, you still can’t shut me up!

Today marks the first of what will be periodic postings addressing reader comments, questions, and any other random thoughts I don’t want to lug around in my demented mind. (It’s also because I can’t think of anything creative to write. But, ssssshhhhh! Please don’t tell my bosses I’m already out of ideas!)

First off, thank you to all who’ve visited and passed along well wishes and feedback. Without you this won’t work, so your continued support is not only encouraged, but necessary. And make sure to tell a friend, and they’ll tell two friends, and they’ll tell two friends, and so on, and so on. (Sorry, every now and then I flashback to bad commercials from my youth)

Anyway, back to the questions and comments:

Chris wanted to know why he can’t get to specific categories like the Bruins when he clicks on them.
Well, the answer to that is because there’s nothing there yet. As soon as we post something about the Bruins (Somethin’s Bruin), Celtics (Green Pastures), Red Sox (Noise from the Nation) or the colleges and high schools (School Daze), you’ll be able to access those areas and have your voice heard.

In response to my Lock Monsters post, Huskiesfan21 writes: “I refuse to believe that the delays in the opening of the Tsongas Arena was the primary reason for the failure of the Lock Monsters�? and “that was 10 years ago. Could we please stop using that as an excuse.�?
Well, my canine friend, those delays cost the Lock Monsters valuable time in promoting their product and led to front office turnover before the first puck was dropped. I know of at least one key front office employee who left a job in another state, relocated his entire family here, then had to move on again because he couldn’t afford to wait the extra time for his next paycheck. Was the initial delay the only reason for the Monsters failure? Far from it. But when a sports franchise can’t gain any momentum right off the bat, it’s doomed to fail.

Donny Nascahh (Oh God! Tell me I’m not going to have to start talking auto racing) wants to know if it’s true that in the Bill Belichick era, the Patriots have never lost to the same team twice in the same season.
Sorry Donny! That one’s false. In 2000, Belichick’s first year in charge, both the Jets and Dolphins swept the Pats.

Reacting to my New Year’s Resolutions, Steve from Lowell starts a sentence with; “You are flippin crazy…�?
Truer words were never spoken
then comes up with a nickname for the Indianapolis Colts Quarterback that I’ll be sure to steal; “Peytricia Womanning�?
Good stuff Steve!

Philly Cheesesteaks and Legend Killer write; “Teddy Panos---An intelligent voice on the Boston sports scene�? and “Ted, Finally a sports blogger that knows a little something about sports.�?
Thanks Mom and Dad

And one final observation; It didn’t take long for that Red Sox-Yankees rivalry to spring up on the site. For a minute there, I thought I was listening (or is that reading) to the Mustard & Johnson show on WEEI.

Keep up the good work gang, and keep those comments coming!