Briefly.
Trivia: Every team in the NFC has been to the conference title game. Which team is the only won never to win it?
Pats/Saints Super Bowl.
The Philadelphia Eagles are the first team to come in as the overall #1 seed in the conference and be an underdog in the divisional playoff. For good reason.
Daniel Bard has retired from baseball. Selected 28th overall by the Red Sox in 2006, Bard reached the big leagues in 2009. In 2010 he posted a blistering 1.93 ERA as John Papelbon’s setup man while striking out 76 batters in 74 2/3 innings. He didn’t allow an earned run from May 23 to Aug. 2, a scoreless streak of 26 1/3 innings. But it was all downhill from there as he struggled late in 2011 and Bobby Valentine tried to convert him to a started in 2012. He struggled with control problems the rest of his career, bouncing around in the minors for the last four years. So there you have it. It was Bobby Valentine’s fault, as were many other things.
Useless headline of the week: “Eight teams that might fit Tom Brady if he left the New England Patriots”
Red Sox prospect Michael Chavis’ breakout season in 2017 is partly attributed to his being pooped on by a bird while in his convertible during spring training in March. In 126 games between High-A Salem (59 games) and Double-A Portland (67 games), Chavis stroked 31 homeruns, 35 doubles and two triples, drove in 94 runs and batted .282 with a .347 on-base percentage.
On January 5, Bertha Vickers of Morgantown, Miss. used a .243 Winchester rifle to bag a deer a few miles from her rural home. Big deal, you say? Four days later on January 9, Bertha celebrated her 100th birthday! Said Bertha, “I don’t know why everyone is making such a big deal about it. If I killed a big buck I could see it, but it was just a doe.”
The Bruins play the Canadians for the first time this weekend (or next week??). How is that?
“What the?” headline of the week: “Alabama man accused of sexually molesting 20-year-old horse”
Speaking of Alabama… I could never root for Nick Saban but I have to admit. Ballsy call bringing in the freshman in the second half.
Former NY Giants Rashad Jennings had zero dance experience before competing in DWTS, Season 24 (whenever that was). Now that he has retired from football he is going to get into competitive dancing. Go figure.
Are you familiar with CES – Consumer Electronics Show? Closing out the 4-day show today in Vegas, the show was attended by 184K people, had over 4K exhibiting companies and 1.2K speakers. Of the plethora of awards handed out I like the “Best Unexpected Product”, affectionately called “My Special Aflac Duck”. Designed to support children diagnosed with cancer, is has features like a port-a-cath with an RFID chip for children to familiarize themselves with chemotherapy treatment, as well as emoji cards which allow the duck to express the child’s emotions for them. It’s also cute, fluffy and cuddly. Alfac plans to get the toy to all children diagnosed with cancer in the US, free of charge. Really.
The Celtics won in London. I hope the fans enjoyed it.
Trivia answer: The Detroit Lions (I know, kind of a layup there)
“If you’re going to do something tonight that you’ll be sorry for tomorrow morning, sleep late.” – Henny Youngman
“This old engine
Makes it on time
Leaves Central Station
About a quarter to nine
Hits River Junction
At seventeen to
At a quarter to ten
You know its trav’lin again”
Ed's Head On Friday 