Author: fasted86

Briefly.

It’s baseball season and while I was going to dedicate this week to nothing but baseball, let me take care of some housekeeping items first.

Brexit, stage left.

Quote of the week (century?): “I drive from Florida to California all the time, and it’s flat to me.” – Shaquille O’Neil. You see, Shaq is what they call a “flat-earther,” believing that the earth is flat. Kyrie Irving is also a member. Really.

LaVar Ball – shut up. (And that’s all I have to say ‘bout that)

I mentioned last week that I haven’t seen the “John 3:16” sign in a while?? Earlier this week I saw a car (from NH, of course) with the license plate –  ‘JHN316’.

Cheer, cheer for old Notre Dame! – In the Frozen Four

I don’t get the dollar-shave-club(s) out there (there are a few of them now). I shave 4-7 days per week and I can use the same blade for a month, easy. Where’s the savings?

Now, back to baseball…

Trivia #1: Since William Howard Taft threw out the first ceremonial first pitch in 1910, who is the only president to not throw at least one ceremonial first ball? – Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford, Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, Harry Truman.

Trivia #2: What pitcher has started the most Opening Day games? – Roger Clemens, Steve Carlton, Phil Niekro, Tom Seaver, Cy Young, Gaylord Perry

Opening Day should be a national holiday (MLB – there is only one ‘Opening Day’) we all know that. Here’s my proposal for the holiday. Each state with a major league team, the day of that team’s home opener is a state holiday – Easy. For states with multiple teams, the same law applies only the state rotates by team, by year. For example in Illinois you get the Chicago Cubs home opener one year, Chicago White Sox the next, etc. Now, for states without their own team, listen up. Each state either adopts a nearby team and gets the day off on said team’s home opener or, they simply rotate random teams year in and year out. Preferably, for the residents of that state, they pick a team that opens on a Friday! How about the Blue Jays you ask? Heck, all of Canada shuts down on Toronto’s Opening Day! I think it can all work.

In 14 Opening Day games, Walter Johnson was 9-5 with nine shutouts. Hitting a record eight career home runs on Opening Day are Frank Robinson, Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn.

Ted Williams had at least one hit in all of his fourteen Opening Day games. Overall he hit .449 with three home runs and fourteen RBI in those games. 

The Sox have 15/10 games (home/away) in April. Let’s get out of the gate!

I’m excited every season for the Red Sox and this year is no different. They should certainly score runs, again. And as always, if they can stay healthy, the sky’s the limit. I’m going with 94-68, 1^st place in the East. Bring it on!

DYK on March 30, 1993, Peanuts character Charlie Brown hit a game-winning homerun, his first round-tripper in 43 years. Almost ten percent of the nearly 18,000 Peanuts strips created by Charles Shultz focused on baseball.

I read an article on redsox.com that was headlined “5 Sox players in running for top awards.” Huh? Hey, the season hasn’t started. Everyone is in the running for top awards!

The Red Sox Class A affiliate Greenville Drive will give away free whoppers if Tim Tebow strikes out three times when the teams play in June. Can you imagine him getting to bat with two strikeouts in his pocket? I’d love to be there for that.

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: Fortune magazine has named Theo Epstein as the world’s greatest leader. Said Theo of his honor; “I can’t even get my dog to stop peeing in the house!”

Have you seen Andrew Benintendi dance?! Neither have I.

The Red Sox are hiring, looking for a “Mascot Back-Up Performer”. A part-time role to serve as an alternate to the Mascot Program Manager for the mascot, Wally. Amongst the qualifications; Minimum of two to four years of experience as a sports mascot, either at college, minor-professional or professional level; Must be physically able to perform under extreme weather conditions; Must be no taller than 5’8”.

Trivia answer #1: Jimmy Carter. DYK, Harry Truman was the only president to throw out left-handed and right-handed first pitches on Opening Day (1950).

Trivia answer #2: Tom Seaver – 11 with the Mets, three with the Reds, two with the White Sox.

Quote of the week #2: “It’s supposed to be fun, the man says ‘Play Ball’ not ‘Work Ball’ you know.” – Willie Stargell

“Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out to the crowd,
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks (and a sausage sub and two beers)
I don’t care if I never get back,
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don’t win it’s a shame,
And it’s one, two, three strikes you’re out,
At the old… ball… game!”

Briefly.

It’s madness I tell you!

Speaking of the madness:
I admittedly haven’t been paying enough attention to college hoops. Hey, I’m busy! BUT, this frosh from Kansas, Josh Jackson??? He’s the best player on the team and his teammate could be named college player of the year! And De’aaron Fox from Kentucky? Unfreakinbelieveable talent!

You know where we are, right? The greatest time of the year for sports fans! The NCAA basketball tournament, NBA/NHL playoffs shaping up, Opening Day right around the corner, the Masters in two weeks. It’s madness I tell you!!!

Trivia: Who is the leading scorer in men’s NCAA Division 1 basketball history (total points)?

Listed as the 5^th leading scorer in D-1 postseason for this season is Haverhill’s Tyler Nelson, a Stag from Fairfield U.

I heard a good one the other night – January, February, Izzo, April

Did you catch the John 3:16 sign at last weekend’s Kansas/Mich St. game? Maybe I haven’t been paying attention but I haven’t seen that in a while, at any venue.

Hey, you don’t like it? Go to Norway! Supposedly you’ll be happier there.

Marcus Stroman pitched 6 no-hit innings as team USA defeated Puerto Rico for the World Baseball Classic gold medal. Stroman, who hails from Puerto Rico, stated in 2013 that he would play for Puerto Rico and represent his mother. I work with a guy from Puerto Rico who travels there frequently and he told me how ticked off he/they are with Stroman. I’m sure we would be hearing more about had it been the other way around.

Johnny… be good!

The battle is over. New York-based development company Related Beal and Boston University have reached an agreement and the CITGO sign is staying where it is!

Monday, March 20 was one thing and that is not the first day of spring. It was Bobby Orr’s birthday. Period.

Headline of the week: “Scientists Unravel Secrets of How Sperm Swim” – wow, that must have been quite a study.

This week’s sign of the apocalypse – Physicians have noted an uptick in appointments for vasectomies from men seeking the procedure around the start of the NCAA tournament, with some going as far as to promote the procedure as a way to catch the games on the couch without interruptions.

I’m not sure what to make of the whole NBA-Sitting-Their-Stars thing. The NFL doesn’t do it (except for maybe the last game before the playoffs), Barry Melrose claims the NHL doesn’t sit players, MLB does several times in a season. What if an MLB team pushes a pitcher’s start out a game? Same thing. There is no obligation to the fans. Get over it. Oh, I guess I am sure what to make of it…

Want to be humbled? It’s a little late this year, closing ceremonies are today, but watch the Special Olympics sometime. I caught a little of the World Games which just took place in Austria. Bear with me here while I explain something that bothers me. There was a piece on ESPN about a kid from Lansing, MI who competes in the snowshoe sprints. He qualified and went to Austria. Segway to the finals where he and 2 other Americans finished 1,2,3 and were all disqualified. Why? Their time in the final was 15% or more faster than their qualifying time. There is a rule in place for the prevention of sandbagging. I don’t know what pisses me off more. The fact that the rule is apparently needed or that the kid I was watching, and the other two, got disqualified. What a kick in the balls.

Do you know someone who’s been to Iceland? Ya, I do too. Iceland now wants to limit how many people visit their country, which has seen a huge influx of tourism because of its beautiful natural heritage. The numbers of visitors to the country has grown from 490,000 in 2010 to an estimated 2.3 million this year. American tourists alone outnumbered Iceland’s local population of just over 300,000 people.

Out of Old Orchard Beach – Maine’s state fire marshal says a man burned down his parents’ house and killed three pets (two cats and one dog) while trying to exterminate ants in his basement with matches. Investigators say 21-year-old Devon Doucette was trying to incinerate the ants with wooden matches when one of them ignited combustible materials. Doucette was treated for smoke inhalation and burns after he carried some burning items out of the house. His parents were not home at the time. Now I could see myself doing that, but maybe when I was 8, not 21.

Chris Sale struck out 10 in 6 innings as the Red Sox beat the yankees. Just Sayin’.

This year New England’s classic marshmallow cream, known as Fluff, turns 100 years old. It’s still made in the area, in Lynn, MA. Mimi Graney, one of the founders of a festival focused on Fluff, will have her new book – Fluff: The Sticky, Sweet Story of an American Icon – published later this month. DTK, Archibald Query invented Fluff in 1917 and the same recipe is used by Durkee-Mower today. Archibald had a home-based kitchen and sold the product door-to-door. He had to shelve it during World War I because of sugar shortages. While working for a large candy company, he met Fred Mower who bought the recipe and Durkee-Mower started making Fluff again. For me?, only in hot chocolate.

“It’s not how fast you mow, it’s how you mow fast”

R.I.P. Chuck Berry

R.I.P. Dallas Green, manager of the 1980 World Series Champion Phillies. That team will always hold a special place in my heart – Steve Carlton, Mike Schmidt, Greg Luzinski, Tug McGraw, etc.

For my NAZCAR fans, R.I.P. Pete Hamilton. Pete was the only winner of the Daytona 527 who hailed from MA (Dedham)

And finally, R.I.P. Chuck Barris. Last weekend over a beer, Chuck Barris, the Gong Show and Gene Gene the Dancing Machine came up in conversation. I’m serious. If you were a fan of the ‘Gong Show’ at the time, you will appreciate this classic clip. Gene Gene the Dancing Machine, though not on every show, was a regular guest. Note how many people are on their feet early in this clip as compared to the end. Chuck was just a guy having the time of his life!

http://www.newser.com/story/240142/a-game-show-genius-is-dead-at-87.html?utm_source=8at8&utm_medium=email&utm_content=1636257802387654992&utm_campaign=20170322

DYK – If you do a ‘spellcheck’ on Luzinski it comes up with Lewinski? That’s just not right.

Trivia answer: “Pistol” Pete Maravich (3,667 points) – DYK, Maravich played back in the day when freshmen were not allowed to play at the varsity level. What? Yes, he set the scoring record in 3 seasons averaging 44.2 per season. Trust me. With today’s one-and-dones, this record is as safe as any in sports.

“Deep down in Louisiana close to New Orleans,

Way back up in the woods among the evergreens

There stood a log cabin made of earth and wood,

Where lived a country boy named Johnny B. Goode

Who never ever learned to read or write so well,

But he could play a guitar just like a ringing a bell.”

 

 

Briefly.

Trivia #1: Who was the first person elected to the MLB Hall of Fame who was not first a player, manager or general manager?

Trivia #2: What happened on March 17 – St. Patrick was born; St. Patrick died; The day St. Patrick was captured by Irish pirates; The day St. Patrick escaped from Ireland and returned to Britain?

Answers below

I read a most-confusing article in Monday’s Herald. Is was about David Price saying, if he was 22 or 23 years old, he would be having surgery on his elbow. What? That can’t be good. He goes on to say; “It doesn’t matter if it sends up red flags, whatever it is. Whenever it’s dealing with something like that, you want to know what’s going on in there and that’s what we did. If we didn’t do that, there’s no place, of there’s no telling where I’d have been mentally because that was a lot different for me even though it calmed down a lot. At the end of it, I realized this was, it was really no different than what I usually go through in spring training, that I expect to go through in spring training.” Again, what?!?!?

A ping-pong table in the Sox’ clubhouse. OK, who’s going to get the first ping-ping-related injury?

The Charles Barkley, Samuel L Jones, Spike Lee Capitol One commercials crack me up. “…depending on the par-tay!”

The Dance!

It will forever baffle me that there are two play-in games for an 11^th seed.
Northwestern was invited to the dance for the first time in the school’s history becoming the final major-conference team to make it.
At least one team from the First Four (teams playing Tue/Wed this week) has advanced to the second round each year.
Only four times have the top four teams in all four regions survived the first round.

Only 12.5% of the time do the top four seeds in any region make it to the Sweet 16.

There has never been an Elite 8 without at least one #1 seed.

There has been at least one team seeded 10 or worse to survive the first weekend in 30 of the 32 years since the field expanded to 64.

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: Yale University may change ‘freshmen’ to ‘first years’ to avoid sexism.

The MBTA is considering cost-cutting moves that include eliminating weekend commuter rail service for up to a year in an effort to close a looming $42M budget gap. Now that would suck.

Did you catch the Kyle Busch/Joey Logano fight after last Sunday’s race? That’s just what Nazcar needs more of – Road Rage! Funny, in the article I read the incident notes how Busch’s “#18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota” was sent spinning in a wild wreck after contact with the “#22 Team Penske Ford” of Joey Logano… That’s like “#12 Tom Brady connected with the #87 jersey, Gronkowski…” Do race fans really give a crap what number car either was driving?? Or maybe they really don’t know names, just numbers??

It’s been four years since Manny Ramirez was a full time player (in Taiwan) and last seen on an MLB field with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2011. He also served as a hitting coach with the Cubbies. Now, he has a new, cushy deal with the Kochi Island fighting Dogs in Japan. Aside from the money, his Manny now has use of a Mercedes and driver; Practices are optional for him; He gets a hotel suite on the road and he will receive unlimited sushi for the entire season. He will wear jersey number “99”, identifying him simply as “Manny”.

I mentioned Haverhill’s Justin Reyes weeks ago. Yesterday he led his St. Thomas Aquinas Spartans over Saint Rose for a berth in the Division II Elite Eight. (Poor bastards have to go to South Dakota – but let’s not digress). Justin, a junior, was named the Most Outstanding Player in the regional round and was earlier named one of 25 finalists for the Bevo Francis Award as the best Small College player in the nation. Reyes was also named ECC Player of the Year. His Spartans, a #7 seed, have now won 18 or their last 19 and take on #2 Northwest Missouri State next Wednesday.

Trivia answer #1: Tom Yawkey

Trivia answer #2: The day St. Patrick died 

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, regardless of your heritage. DYK, St. Patrick’s Day is holy day in Ireland. It wasn’t even a public holiday in Ireland until 1904, although it had been observed with parades and churchgoings since the 1700s. The U.S. started celebrating in 1737 with parades starting in 1766. The festivities in America influenced Ireland, where in the 1960s pubs first began to open on the holiday.

“May your right hand always be stretched out in friendship but never in want.” – an Irish toast

What’s one Irish toast without another:

“Here’s to a long life and a merry one.

A quick death and an easy one.

A pretty girl and an honest one.

A cold pint – and another one.”

 

 

“Watch out where the huskies go

An’ don’t you eat that yellow snow.

Watch out where the huskies go

An’ don’t you eat that yellow snow.”

Briefly.

For nothing but pride, I am rooting for “Team USA” in the World Baseball Classic. But really, I don’t’ plan to watch any of it.

The toppling of more than 40 headstones in a predominantly Jewish cemetery was not part of a disturbing rise in anti-Semitic incidents nationwide, police say. Instead, the NYPD says the 42 headstones at Brooklyn’s Washington Cemetery fell down themselves because of a combination of factors, including neglect and soil erosion. The cemetery’s manager says that when a stone can’t be reset, they “lay them across the grave to keep them memorialized,” which a concerned community member apparently mistook for vandalism.

More on last week’s information regarding the Iditarod. Add sleep to the already lengthy list of hazards in the race. One dog team arrived at a checkpoint without a musher! Linwood Fiedler (I did not make up that name) a race veteran, arrived at the checkpoint about an hour later after falling asleep and toppling off his sled. “From the minute my body left the sled until my face smashed into the snow, I was still asleep!”

Trivia: Minimum 2,000 games played, the highest career OPS+ (adjusted On-base Plus Slugging percentage) is Babe Ruth, Ted Williams and Barry Bonds, 1 thru 3. Who is #4?

I have yet to sit in the Green Monster seats.

Last week I made mention of BFD that some Patriots were not going to the White House with the rest of the team. Dan Shaunessey had a piece in Monday’s Globe about the ’84 Celtics and the fact that Bird and Max, amongst others, did not attend the White House visit. It was certainly no big deal back then and was barely mentioned. Funny end to the article where Max mentioned he was getting married a week later and had to get his marriage license the day of the visit. Max, now divorced, states “Looking back, I should have gone. It would have saved me some money.”

Headline of the Week: “Lawyer’s Pants Catch Fire During Arson Trial”. Maybe it’s me but the phrase; “Liar, liar, pants on fire” comes to mind. (my apologies to the attorneys out there)

Industry tracker Beverage Marketing Corp. Thursday announced that bottled water surpassed carbonated soft-drinks in 2016 to become the largest beverage category by volume, capping what is described as a “remarkable , decades-long streak of vicious growth.” The change at the top has been long anticipated with soda’s woes mounting in recent years as a result of health concerns and consistent targeting by activist groups, which have pushed measures like taxes on sugary drinks. On a per capita basis, bottled water consumption exceeded 39 gallons compared with 38.5 gallons for soda. Carbonated soft-drink per capita consumption exceeded 50 gallons as recently as 2006. You are correct in that the data was not made available by the Garibaldi Liguria Club.

Back to Tim Tebow (from many weeks ago). I like him but I’m not rooting for him any longer. Hang it up and get a job/life doing something you are good at, like being a good guy.

The word “tattoo” actually comes from the Dutch colloquialism “tap toe”, which can be translated as “turn off the tap,” though it is most often used to mean something like “Shut up! Cease!” The Dutch began using the wordtaptoe for a drum beat, and then English speakers borrowed the term (changing it slightly, to taptoo and, eventually, to tattoo). It was used especially by the military to name a drum beat (or possibly a bugle call) that signaled the day’s end. This taptoo most likely led to our taps, a term for the final bugle call at night in the military.

“When you go to the ballpark, you are entitled to the smell of freshly cut grass.” – Former White Sox owner Bill Veeck

RadioShack has filed for bankruptcy for the second time in two years. In a statement, RadioShack President and Chief Executive Officer Dene Rogers said since the company’s bankruptcy filing in 2015, the retailer had made good progress in stabilizing operations, including reducing expenses by 23 percent. Hey Dene, running a business, you’re not good at it!

Trivia answer: Lou Gehrig

“It’s getting late have you seen my mates

Ma tell me when the boys get here

It’s seven (three) o’clock and I want to rock

Want to get a belly full of beer.”

Briefly.

Back in the day when I played softball it always bothered me (I mean genuinely pissed me off) when players for other teams would root for one another by yelling “Come on 8, we need you up there 8!”, never using other players’ names but their numbers instead. Drove me nuts!

Having said that, the #41 car won the Daytona 500. In related news, TB12 was seen naked on the beach, Jackie Bradley Jr. is wearing #19 this season and #4 for the Celtics is second in the NBA in scoring.

Trivia: How many times have Red Sox pitchers won the Cy Young award?

You have to admit, the B’s effort has picked up since Butch Cassidy rode into town. Nice to see.

I tried clapping like Nicole Kidman and I physically can’t. I think she is a contortionist.

I read an article by some guy talking about the changes MLB is experimenting with. He had his own suggestion to take away both the NL pitchers batting and the DH. Yelp, 8 batters per team. Idiot! For the record, and I’ve changed colors over the years, I say add the DH in the NL. It shouldn’t be different in each league and I don’t want to see the AL pitchers batting and running the bases, should they get on base in the first place.

Opening Day is one month from today!

Avery Bradley – welcome back!

Speaking of JBJ, he has 5 reasons for changing his jersey number from 25 to 19 this season. Koji Uehara had #19 but he went up and went to the Cubbies. First, JBJ’s birthday is April 19. Second, his mother was in labor for 19 hours before he was born following dangerous complications for both of them. Third, he can’t wear #42 to honor Jackie Robinson so he commemorates the Hall of Famer with #19 because he was born in 1919. Fourth, He wore #19 at his alma mater South Carolina. And fifth, Freddie Lynn, longtime Red Sox centerfielder who Jackie considers a friend and mentor, also wore #19.

From the category of “Sometimes you don’t have to teach integrity” – The Catholic Youth Organization league recently notified officials at St. John’s in Clark, New Jersey, that their fifth-grade team should never have been coed and that their girls wouldn’t be permitted to finish the season. The team’s lineup has been coed for the past four years because there weren’t enough interested girls among the same age group to form their own team. There are two girls on the team. The St. John’s squad unanimously decided not to take the court without their full team in a vote a couple of weeks ago taken before a game scheduled against Scotch Plains’ St. Bartholomew the Apostle. Their coach said he was not making the decision on whether to play for his 11 10-years olds so, tasked with making the call themselves, chants of “Unity” broke out as the team instead opted to end the season.

Yes, the Celtics beat the Cavs the other night. Relax, please.

Chris Long. Thanks and “C-ya!”

Bonnie and Clyde appear to be off the hook after the most shocking moment in Oscars history – that saw La La Land announced as Best Picture, only for Moonlight to be declared the real winner when the former film’s producers had almost finished their speeches. Accounting fiorm PwC, which oversees the ballot-counting, says Warren Beatty and Fay Dunaway were handed the wrong category envelope. PwC has since been fired – at least I thought I saw that…

Brock Holt wore #2 when he was with the Pirates and came over to the Red Sox in 2012. Jacoby Ellsbury was wearing #2 at the time and Holt was given #26 when he jumped to the big league team in 2013. He was then called during the postseason and told that the Sox were retiring Wade Boggs #26 and he needed to find a new number. He chose #12 as a tribute to former teammate and friend Mike Napoli, who had just left for free agency. He shot Nap a text when he made his decision, which turned into a funny exchange because Napoli had just picked a new number of his own after signing with the Cleveland Indians: No. 26.

The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race gathers 73 teams of mushers and sled dogs in Anchorage, Alaska, to pay tributre to Alaska’s history and the role that the sled dog played in it. The 45^thrace will have its ceremonial start in anchorage on March 4. From there, the teams will travel about 350 miles north of Fairbanks where the official race will begin on March 6. This is only the third time in history that the restart has been moved from Willow to Fairbanks due to poor conditions in the Alaska Range. Temperatures on Monday in Fairbanks will hit a high of 20 degrees F for the restart with a low of minus 8 F. These temperatures are in line with the daily normal. The mushers will travel about 980 miles from anchorage to Nome, Alaska. DYK, the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race has a long, little-known history? The Iditarod Trail actually began as a mail and supply route from coastal towns to mining camps and inland communities. In 1925, mushers and their team of dogs were monumental in delivering serum to Nome, which was experiencing a diphtheria epidemic. Joe Redington, the ‘Father of the Iditarod,’ dreamed up the race in order to bring back the sled dog to Alaska and ultimately get the Iditarod Trail declared as a National Historic Trail. Dallas Seavey has won 4 of the last 5 races while his father, Mitch, won in 2013. I would guess the Seaveys are the favorites this year???

Clay Buchholz allowed two hits (both singles) and a walk over two innings against Baltimore the other day. Just sayin’.

Trivia answer: 7 – Jim Longborg(1), Roger Clemens(3), Pedro Martinez(2), Rick Porcello(1 

“Against the wind

I’m still runnin’ against the wind

I’m older now but still runnin’

Against the wind”

Good night everybody! 

Briefly.

 So some Patriots are skipping the White House visit. BFD!

 Trivia: Tough one. What were the last two NBA teams to trade a player they drafted who also won Rookie of the Year?

 If the Cubs’ lineup doesn‘t scare enough people, last year their pitchers led the majors in hits.

 A lot of hype on Andrew Benintendi. He apparently put on a lot of muscle in the off-season and is pegged for the 2-hole. He seems like he has a good head on his shoulders. Let’s hope so.

 I read an article about Gary DiSarcina, the (new) pride of Billerica and new Red Sox bench coach. What I found most interesting were his job responsibilities surrounding what may be obvious to some, but overlooked by the majority. DiSarcina plans many meetings. Those amongst coaches, players, both, etc. Players learn about media training, domestic violence, philanthropy, personal finances and many other “life” topics. Spring Training is not all about taking ground balls and practicing how to lay down a good sacrifice bunt.

 Thank you Danny Ainge for not trading for Demarcus Cousins. Let New Orleans deal with his bullsh*t. Yes, he’s talented and he’s good, but you can have him! Since 2010-11 he leads the NBA in number of times fouling out, technical fouls and ejections. Also, DYK, he leads the league this year in getting his shot blocked. He’s 6’11” and admitted he can’t jump! What an athlete. (BTW, the Pelicans got smoked by the Rockets last night)

 I learned a baseball term this past week that I hadn’t heard before, the “Golden Sombrero”. (Not to be confused with the Golden Shower) No, the Golden Sombrero is accomplished by striking out 4 times in one game.

 Don’t forget, the Daytona 500 is this coming Sunday. In a related story, my wife renewed her inspection sticker this past week.

 DYK – On both the Liberty Bell and in the Constitution, Pennsylvania is spelled “Pensylvania”.

 The International Olympic Committee is due to meet in September to vote on the site of the 2024 Olympics, but if one more city drops out, they won’t need to. The Hungarian government confirmed on Wednesday that Budapest’s bid has been withdrawn, leaving just Paris and Los Angeles as the only remaining contenders. More than 250,000 Hungarians signed a petition calling for Budapest to drop out, saying the money would be better spent on hospitals and schools. Hmmm, smart people those Hungarians.

 Sales of Sam Adams beer are down. I think it’s fair to note that the Garibaldi Club does not serve Sam Adams.

 Thank you Danny Ainge again for not making a trade for the sake of making a trade. For those of you who says he has no balls, he has bigger balls by not making a trade. Now all of the pressure is on him to produce. Not making a trade adds to that pressure. #18 is 2-3 years away. I can wait (assuming another Boston team wins a championship in the interim J)

 In case you were wondering/worrying about Willie Nelson, thanks to a previous post here, he is returning to the stage.

 Speaking of the Bruins, 5-1 since they shook up the locker room. Give the credit to new coach Cassidy or the locker room shakeup, whatever. It’s working so far. Battle your way into the playoffs (still a possibility), hope Tuukka gets hot and glorious things can happen.

 Rick Ankiel, the former pitcher-turned-outfielder from the Cardinals (amongst a handful of other teams), revealed in his upcoming book; “The Phenomenon: Pressure, the Yips, and the Pitch that Changed My Life” that he drank vodka before his first two starts in 2001. Now I can see drinking a few beers before pitching a high school game (oops, did I say that out loud?), but vodka before an MLB game???

 Jimmy Garappolo. All I can say is “buyer beware”. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m a Jimmy G fan. But he’s played what, 4-5 regular season games in his career and 2-3 this past season where he couldn’t even stay healthy! I give you Matt Cassell. I give you Brock Osweiler. Some team could easily get burned dishing out big bucks for JG.

 For you Haverhillites… Every so often the local news rag puts out the list of area all-time, high school track & field records. The one that always stands out to me is Matt Battistini’s shot put record of 60’5” from 1978. No other record comes close to that in terms of longevity. But no more. Matt Batt’s record has fallen to Phillips’ Noah Ward who reigns from North Hampton, NH. Joe recently had a throw of 63’! Hats off to him.

 So the UConn women basketball team has surpassed 100 wins in a row! Truly incredible! The other night they doubled-up #23 Temple by a score of 90-45 for their 102nd in a row. I don’t care if you’re a women’s basketball fan or not: The streak started on 11/23, 2014 during a 38-1 season. They are 147-1 in their last 148. All but three wins have been by double-digits. 57 victories by at least 40 points. 28 wins over ranked teams, 9 over top 5 opponents. 2 national titles during the streak.

 So MLB is shorting games by eliminating the 4-pitch intentional walk, and just putting the batter on base – no pitches. Past balls and batters reaching over the plate really only happens in the lower levels but really, saving about 2-3 minutes??? DYK, perhaps the most significant intentional walk involved relief pitcher Brian Bogusevic, now a non-roster invitee in Red Sox spring training, of the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League. Falmouth had reached the best-of-three Cape Code League championship against the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox. Yarmouth-Dennis had won game 1 and forced extra innings in the second game thanks to a late rally. The Sox put runners on second and third with one out in the 11^th inning prompting Falmouth’s manager to intentionally walk the next hitter. Bogusevic’s first pitch sailed over the catcher’s head and the go ahead run scored from third.

 So, have you seen the picture of 63-year old Christie Brinkley in the SI swimsuit issue???

 Joe Castiglione, aside from being a Red Sox radio announcer, also teaches a course in Sports Broadcasting at Northeastern. Don Orsillo was once a student and broadcast booth intern.

 Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, president of Iceland, does not like pineapple on his pizza.

 Trivia answer: The Philadelphia 76ers traded Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams in 2015 and the Sacramento Kings traded 2010 ROY Tyreke Evans in 2013. (sorry, tough one)

 “Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darling, it seems like years since it’s been clear
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
And I say it’s all right”

Briefly.

 Pitchers and catchers report!

 It’s February. Celebrate American Heart Month!

 If you didn’t see PGA legend Gary Player on the treadmill recently, here you go. The guy is 81! (the guy on the treadmill next to him is priceless) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11a-tFxOyaY

 Trivia: How many victories in Major tournaments did Gary Player have during his PGA career?

 So MLB is experimenting in the lowest level of the minor leagues by automatically putting a runner on 2^nd base in extra innings. What an absolute joke!

 The Tampa Bay Lightning recalled defenseman Jake Dotchin from Syracuse (AHL). I just find it kinda funny that Tampa’s minor league hockey affiliate is in Syracuse, or as we used to call it “Siberacuse”.

 On February 1^st, 2005 Yogi Berra filed a lawsuit with the New York supreme court against Turner Broadcaster System due to a ‘Sex in the City’ ad which used the Hall of Famer’s name as a possible answer concerning the definition of yogasm. The choices included a) a type of yo-yo trick, b) sex with Yogi Berra and c) what Samatha has with a guy from yoga class.

 Two thoughts are keeping me warm nowadays, the Pats SB win and the first Sox exhibition game on February 25^th.

 In an Erie Otters Hockey Club game, an offense player lost his stick in the opposing end, while a defenseman did the same. Because the offensive player’s players stick was closer to him, the defenseman picked it up and starting playing. The offensive player then went over, picked up the defenseman’s stick and immediately scored a goal.

 This week’s sign of the apocalypse – Harvard computer science students were ripped for only including two genders in their new dating app.

 The New England Revolution traded Bobby Shuttleworth to Minnesota for Femi Hollinger-Janzen.

 If you thought Burger King wasn’t a romantic enough destination for a Valentine’s Day date, they were willing to sweeten the deal with a couple of beers and a sex toy. In a deal offered only in Israel, and only after 6pm this past Tuesday, the chain was selling an “Adults Meal” that came with two Whoppers and two packs of fries, as well as beers and the “adult toy”. The toys allegedly included a satin mask and a feather duster. Conversely, Valentine’s Day was banned this year in Pakistan.

 Last week I mentioned Jae Crowder’s quest to become just the 8^th player to join the 180-club. Kwami Leonard is actually closer right now at 48.7% (FG %), 39.5% (3’s) 89.9 (FT %).

 Congratulations to the Crimson Tide of Harvard for their 1^st Beanpot win since 1993. Teddy Donato notched one goal in the 6-3 final over BU, getting one for coach Dad. Is it me or does everyone automatically root for Northeastern and Harvard every year?

 Have you seen Bruins GM Don Sweeney lately? That dude could use some sleep!

 2017 World Press Photo of the year, the off-duty Turkish policeman standing over Russia’s ambassador whom he had just fatally shot. If you don’t recall the picture, look it up. Pretty disturbing.

 Earlier this week the Warriors’ Draymond Green had a first-ever triple-double where he did not score 10 or more points. His line – 12 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals (only 4 points).

 Monopoly maker Hasbro is asking fans of the classic board game to help choose eight tokens for a new Token Madness version of the 82-year old game to be released this fall, with options form hashtag to smiley face emoji. When it first produced in 1935, Monopoly had six game pieces: the top hat, thimble, shoe, battleship, cannon and iron; pieces like the horse and rider, purse and lantern were added later but ultimately retired. The current roster of eight pieces includes the Scottie dog, shoe, battleship, race car, thimble, wheelbarrow, top hat and cat – which fans voted in as a replacement for the iron in 2013. Of the 56 new options available they span from the modern (computer, private jet, monster truck) to the retro (typewriter, gramophone) and also include a bread loaf, bathtub, T. rex, penguin, rubber duck, campfire, trumpet, surfboard, rollerskate and bunny slipper. Fans had until Jan 31 to vote. As of just today, the thimble is OUT (one of the original six) and Scottie dog, battleship, car, hat, wheelbarrow, cat and boot will remain. The others will be announced on Mar 31.

 Trivia answer: 9 – Masters (’61, ’74, ’78), U.S. Open (’65), Open Championship (British Open – ’59, ’68, ’74) and PGA Championship (’62, ’72)

 R.I.P. Masaya Nakamura, founder of Namco, January 30, 2017. Widely known as the Father of Pac-Man for his role in bringing the arcade classic – created by designer Toru Iwatani in 1980 – to Japan and to the US via a licensing deal with Midway.

R.I.P. Legendary jazz singer Al Jarreau

 “My eyes are blind but I can see
The snowflakes glisten on the tree
The sun no longer sets me free
I feel the snowflakes freezing me”

I was reminded…

 From last week:

 “They say our love won’t pay the rent
Before it’s earned, our money’s all been spent
I guess that’s so, we don’t have a plot
But at least I’m sure of all the things we’ve got
Babe
I’ve got you babe
I’ve got you babe”

If anyone can tell me the significance of that song to this post, I’ll buy you two beers the next time I see you.

 Though some think they have a couple of beers coming to them, no one provided the correct response. All you alleged movie aficionados let me down. Earlier in the post I had made reference to Punxsutawney Phil. Sonny & Cher’s “I Got You Babe”, is the song playing on the radio each morning when Phil Connors (Bill Murray) wakes up in the movie, Groundhog Day.

 Maybe you all owe me a beer???

Briefly,

 (If you would like to be removed from this distribution, just say so. Conversely, if you’ve liked to be added, just…)

 What can I say? In a sense, the greatest win in Patriots/Super Bowl/ Boston Sports/All Sports(?) history. I say “in a sense” because many points can be argued. I, for one, feel the Patriots’ first Super Bowl win over the highly touted Rams, was their greatest. As for Boston Sports history, give me the Red Sox 2004 ALCS comeback from 3-0 against the Yankees. But hey, that’s just me.

 Of the 31 Super Bowl records: Anything to do with the 2-pt conversion because it was the first time it was converted in a Super Bowl and it happened twice in SB LI. Also, most first downs by penalty (Patriots (4)). 93 offensive plays (Patriots). That record does not even count the 2, 2-pt conversions or the 4 plays called back due to penalties.

 Patriots comeback or Atlanta choke? Not even close. The Falcons made so many mental physical mistakes but the Patriots took advantage of them and converted. They made the plays that were handed to them. They blitzed, sacked, threw and ran all over the Falcons during their comeback. It was a comeback of biblical proportions!

 James White, MVP? Tough one. Ask yourself this: With a different quarterback or different running back would you get the same result? Arguably neither but Brady made throw after throw after throw down the stretch. Very difficult to give the award to a guy who participated in so few plays compared to the other. Brady set 3 single-game Super Bowl records on Sunday (pass attempts, completions and passing yards) while White set 4 (receptions, receiving yards by a running back, 20 points scored and 2-pt conversion converted). Hey, can you say “Co-MVPs”?

 Lady Gaga. I’m a fan. One of the songs she sang hit #1 on iTunes with three other songs she performed at the SB in the top 15. Please, don’t ask me to name any of those songs…

 Info/Trivia: Celtic Jae Crowder has a chance to join the 180-Club or the  50,40,90 Club. 50% shooting percentage, 40% from 3-pt range and 90% free throw. He is currently at 47.6%, 41.5% and 88.6%. Only 7 players in the history of the NBA have achieved the feat. Name them.

 When I first heard about the Charles Oakley incident, being disruptive and shoving security at MSG before being “escorted” out by several police and security guards, I thought “Oakley always has been a punk!” Then the more I heard, the more I read, the more I realized that Knicks owner, James Dolan, is the punk. That franchise has to be the worst in any of the major sports right now. And that’s saying a lot! Dysfunctional coaches, players and ownership. Fans hate the team. I mean really, other than a few Syracuse fans does anyone like the face of the team, Carmelo Anthony? Embarrassing and Dolan is the root.

 Headline of the week #1:  Ex-husband: Judy Garland Was Groped by Munchins on Oz Set

Headline of the week #2: This is what a healthy vagina looks like (sorry, I did not click on the link)

 Can we agree: If he wasn’t already, Tiger Woods is all dun, D-U-N!

 Claude Julien, replacing him with assistant coach Bruce “Don’t Call Me Butch” Cassidy. Finished 419-246-94 (94 ties – That must suck) and was the winniest coach in Bruins’ history. Claude won the Jack Adams Trophy in 2008-09 (best coach) and his Bruins won the Cup in 2011. In mind-boggling fashion, the team held a press conference in the middle of the Patriots’ victory parade on Tuesday. Say what you want but that is a total disrespect for the Pats. Boston teams should be supporting one another. BTW, last night Butch won his first game as Bruins head coach. Let’s keep it going!

 A can of Bud is 5 percent alcohol, a Pabst is 4.74 percent.

 A couple from Plymouth claims that immediately after the birth of their child the Patriots started their rally in SB LI. They named the boy Brady. Brady has a brother and two sisters, including 6-year old Quinn, named after Dad’s favorite Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn. Ya, how’d that work out? The family dog is named Rudy. Really?!

 Willie Nelson announced that he was cancelling three of his shows due to illness. Hey cut him some slack, he’s 83!

 Trivia hint: Of the 7 who are in the 180 Club, one has done it twice and one has accomplished the feat 4 times!

 I’d be remiss in not mentioning Brent Musburger’s retirement after a career or nearly 50 years. He is 77. He was such a fixture for college basketball, amongst many other sports. His next venture? Heading to Vegas to start a handicapping business.

 120 days until Penta XXII!

 This week’s sign of the apocalypse: Ashley Glawe, who has since recovered from the January incident, shared that she was playing with her pet snake when it poked its head through her stretched earlobe and became stuck.

 Researchers from Sweden and Scotland collected over 20,000 nasal swabs over a 3-year period to detect respiratory illnesses. Then, they analyzed local weather data. The researchers discovered that outbreaks of respiratory infections like the flu and respiratory syncytial virus – a virus that causes cold-like symptoms – began during each year’s first low-humidity, below-freezing week. In other words, the winter chill kick-started flu season. Viruses – like those that cause flu – travel in liquid particles, which survive better in dry, cold climates, the authors theorize. This type of air absorbs extra moisture, leaving the particles light enough to stay airborne. That means they’re more accessible for someone else to breathe in—and catch something from. So yes, you are more likely to get sick when it’s cold out.

 Trivia answer: Steve Nash(4), Larry Bird(2), Kevin Durant, Dirk Nowitski, Reggie Miller, Mark Price, Jose Calderon (huh? Jose’ did it with the Raptors in 2007-08 though he was 16 free throws shy of achieving the league minimum in that category.)

 “You are looking live!” – Brent Musburger

 “I’ve paid my dues
Time after time.
I’ve done my sentence
But committed no crime.
And bad mistakes
I’ve made a few.
I’ve had my share of sand kicked in my face
But I’ve come through!”

 Not my favorite song but most appropriate, I think.

 Good night everybody!

Briefly (let’s focus on football, shall we?)… but first

 Punxsutawney Phil has “predicted” a long winter. DYK  our furry friend has been wrong 15 times since 1988? Typical weather forecaster.

 I was scheduled for jury duty on Wednesday. It was cancelled the night before. I was disappointed. And DYK, trial by jury was brought to the New World by the Pilgrims in 1620. Massachusetts was also the first state in the nation to bestow the right and obligation of jury service on African-American citizens in 1860 and later was the first to adopt the One Day or One Trial system in all of its jury courts. One Day or One Trial is now the standard in our nation.

 So the St. Louis Cardinals will forfeit its second-round (#56) and compensation round B (#75) draft picks to the Houston Astros and pay Houston $2M for hacking the Astros information systems. Hmmmm. Something tells me that the fallout won’t come close to the fallout from Deflategate. Heck, they even have tangible evidence on this one!

 “Go Chargers Go!” – to LA?

 Trivia: Since 2003, only one quarterback has represented the AFC in the Super Bowl other than Brady, Roethlisberger and Manning. Name him. (not the most difficult question, but quite a fact)

 Why is there an interpreter for the national anthem? Either you know the words or you don’t. If you don’t, get out!

 Tom Brady refers to Chris Berman as Swami. That’s funny.

 A gas station convenience store in Hall County (outside of Atlanta) has halted its sales of Boston’s Sam Adams beer. The ban will extend through the Feb. 5 game, played in Houston. The move was made after a Boston Globe column that made light of Atlanta sports fans and tradition. “What inspired this was Dan Shaughnessy’s article that was belittling Atlanta as a town and its fan base,” said Viral Chhadua, manager of the Exxon station. The beer company has responded. “Won’t be their only loss,” Samuel Adams Beer said in a Twitter post.

 Headline of the week #1: “Super Bowl 51 to draw billions in illegal bets” – Nooooooooooo! Really?

Headline of the week #2: “Alice Cooper used to babysit for Keanu Reeves” – picture that!

 The Patriots have never lost a game when Dion Lewis is on the active roster.

No surprise here that Gronk has the most Twitter followers amongst SB LI players (1.97M)

The average ticket price is $5,216 though for $2250 you can sit in the top section, end zone

The most social shares of a Super Bowl ad is 5.3M (2011 Volkswagen)

A 30-second ad during Super Bowl LI costs $5M, up 110% in the past decade. World Series ads have gone up 25% during that span.

There are 84K hotels rooms in the Houston area, up 91% from the last SB there in 2004.

Anheuser-Busch has spent $128.5M on SB ads since 2010. I’ll drink to that!

Malcolm butler will be playing in his 8^th playoff game. Think about that.

22 Patriots have Super Bowl experience. Atlanta has 4 such players.

 Matt Ryan does have a nice curl on his brim.

 Can you say “Get over it!”? Maine Governor Paul LePage is boycotting yet another Patriots Super Bowl. LePage says he continues to “have a real hard time getting over what Bob Kraft did to the State of Connecticut.” You’ll remember Kraft terminated a deal to move the team there in 1999. The governor also says the Patriots were wrong to have selected convicted murderer Aaron Hernandez when they knew “he was a bad guy from the get-go.” Hey, what do you expect, the guy’s a Giants fan!

 I plagiarize, steal, paraphrase, whatever. Who cares? This post is for entertainment.

Having said that, I don’t give credit by I will here by only referring to my source as “Stat Guy” (because he is on the distribution). From Stat Guy:

Interesting tidbit (and theory) on the Vegas line being only 3 points. The number two futures bet at the start of the season was for the 150-to-1 Falcons. They win and Vegas loses big, big, BIG! They’re making the betting line for the game as Pats-friendly as possible to try and offset that big potential Falcons payout. AND…

The Patriots are already 6.5/1 favorites to win next year’s Super Bowl.  Followed by Dallas, Green Bay and Atlanta at 12/1.

 Sign of the apocalypse #1: A Fox news poll showed that 15% of those surveyed would skip being present at the birth of their child to see their team live in the Super Bowl.

Sign of the apocalypse #2: 19% would skip the funeral of a loved one.

 Two weeks ago I went 1-1. DYK, it was only the 2^nd time in NFL history that both conference championship games were decided by 19+ points (1978)

 For Sunday?

Patriots – 37
Falcons – 26

 The Patriots won the last Super Bowl played in Houston, 32-29 over Carolina. I only mentioned this because if you have 2-9 in a pool, don’t despair. Speaking of which, I have 7-6. See prediction above.

 Speaking of 7-6, the Pats and the Falcons have met 13 times. Pats 7, Atlanta 6.

 Trivia answer: Joe Flacco (2013)

 “They say our love won’t pay the rent
Before it’s earned, our money’s all been spent
I guess that’s so, we don’t have a plot
But at least I’m sure of all the things we’ve got
Babe
I’ve got you babe
I’ve got you babe”

If anyone can tell me the significance of that song to this post, I’ll buy you two beers the next time I see you.

 “Do your job.”