Blog

Briefly. 

In case you didn’t hear (I heard 17 times), the Red Sox lost their opener last year and then followed that by going 17-1. 

Major League Baseball is about to become the first of the four major North American professional sports leagues to not have a player who debuted in the 20^th century. Think about that one. 

Trivia #1: Hard core here. There were two such players, MLB players who debuted in the 20^thcentury, who played in 2018. Name them.

Trivia #2: Hard core #2. The NFL, NBA and NHL each have player(s) today who debuted in the 20^th century (NFL – 1, NBA – 2, NHL – 4) Name them. (you get one point per correct answer)

Trivia #3: What was the original brand name for Pepsi? Pepson, Brad’s Drink, Dr. Pepsi, Cola Black, Pepsir 

Play ball!

A sign of the times. The 2015 MLB Pirates were the first team to make the playoffs without a complete game pitched, followed by the 2016 Blue Jays. That’s it. Except for 2018 when the Dodgers, Brewers and Rockies all did it! 

I guess I’m not surprised at the magnitude of the college admissions scandal. Starting to get bothersome with all the daily news. 

Lest we forget how good a hitter he was, Jim “Ed” Rice has the most total bases in one season (406) for the Red Sox, as well as the 3^rd most and tied for 5^th most. 

Headline that couldn’t have less meaning to me: Conor MacGregor Announces His Retirement. 

As for the Sox schedule, I neglected to note that their June 29-30 games vs. the yankees will be played in London, “home” games for the Sox. 

Broken crayons still color. 

It is very difficult to repeat as champs in baseball, and the Red Sox will. Not 108 wins, more like 101. They will lead the majors in runs scored and I just hope the pitching holds up. Very likeable team. 

SaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahWeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet 16! 

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: Kliff Kingsbury (39), head coach of the NFL Arizona Cardinals, is introducing “cell phone breaks” to his players during meetings. (I have a better idea. Why not have the players check their cell phones at the door, attend the meeting, and then pick up the phones on the way out???) 

The new heart health guidelines issued by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association say that, for older adults at low-risk of heart attack/disease, the risk of bleeding that comes with daily low-dose aspirin is now thought to outweigh any heart benefit. Don’t you hate when they do that? 

“Box-out on a foul shot.” No matter how many times you say that to a young basketball player, you need to say it the next time, and the time after that… UCF. Missed foul shot, offensive rebound, lost the biggest game in school history and what would have been one of the biggest upsets in NCAA tournament history. Box-out! (can you tell I don’t have Duke in my final 4?) 

Wow! As in Wow Airline. The Icelandic carrier became the latest airline to cease operations yesterday, abruptly announcing its closure just hours after saying it had suspended flights to raise funds. 

I refuse to click on the link: “Kobe names ‘the three’ greatest basketball players of all time.” 

Baseball metric overload: Houston Astros’ catchers have saved 77 runs with “catcher framing” since 2014. Who can argue? How can you argue?? 

Trivia #1 answer: Hard core here. There were two such players, MLB players who debuted in the 20^th century, who played in 2018. Name them. – Adrian Beltre and Bartolo Colon. (Ichiro Suzuki debuted in 2001, in case you’re wondering)

Trivia #2 answer: Hard core #2. The NFL, NBA and NHL each have player(s) today who debuted in the 20^th century (NFL – 1, NBA – 2, NHL – 4) Name them. (you get one point per correct answer) – NFL – Adam Vinatieri, NBA – Vince Carter and Dirk Nowitzki, NHL – Joe Thorton, Patrick Marleau, Zdeno Chara and Matt Cullen.

Trivia #3 answer: What was the original brand name for Pepsi? Pepson, Brad’s Drink, Dr. Pepsi, Cola Black, Pepsir – Dr. Pepsi 

“Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks,
I don’t care if I never get back”

Briefly. (OK, a little wordy) 

Trivia #1: Who was the last player to earn Final Four MVP despite playing for a losing team?

Trivia #2: What is the longest drought for a school between March Madness appearances?

Trivia #3: Only seven times teams have completed the “perfect” season (undefeated in the regular season and tournament). Which of these schools have not? UCLA, San Francisco, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, St. Louis 

I try not to complain too much and I do like this area of the country, but then I do not like the cold this time of year. Then I read that the happiest countries in the world are places like Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway. Go figure. 

In case you missed it, the Mariners and A’s opened the MLB season on Tuesday in Tokyo. On Wednesday, after the last game of the 2-game series, Ichiro Suzuki was to announced his retirement. He was in right field when his teammates walked off leaving him to come off the field by himself to a rousing, very long ovation. Quite frankly, it was very touching. It was his last game, in Japan, in front of his real fans. After the game fans refused to leave the stadium. 

Let’s take a closer look at the Red Sox 2019 schedule. They begin with a brutal 11-day, 11-game west coast trip to Seattle, Oakland and Arizona. I guess it’s good to get it out of the way and not play in the frigid northeast. Despite that trip they play more home games in April (15) than any other month. They open at home on April 9 vs. Toronto. Hope to see you all at Tony C’s (before) and the Baseball Tavern (after). Not surprisingly they play the yankees at least twice in every month. Interleague (I don’t like it) they have Colorado, the Dodgers, Philly and SF at home and Arizona, San Dingo, Colorado and Philly on the road. From April 19 thru May 8 they play 20 games in 20 days. Aside from the all-star break, they are off for two straight days only once (barring make-up games), June 27-28. They end the season with 3 home games vs. Baltimore. 

So are you familiar with the term “Load Management”. You might see that some big NBA stud is not playing on any particular night due to “Load Management.” Translation? The guy is either too tired or he and/or the team is afraid he will get too tired. Bunch of snowflakes, I tell ya. (Chock this up as this week’s sign of the apocalypse) 

On Wednesday Disney, a behemoth of a company to begin with, completed it’s $71.3B acquisition of 21^st Century Fox. Later this year Disney+, a streaming service, is slated to launch and expects to compete with the likes of Netflix, Amazon and Apple. Google is moving in as well. 

There’s a fine line between playing good defense (hoops) and the other team having a terrible shooting night. 

Trivia #3 hint: A bit of a trick question. Read carefully. 

If you’re out on the prowl tonight, or your son, nephew, grandson, whatever, I got a pick-up line for you. “Hey girl, how’s your bracket?” Or better yet; “Hey baby, wanna see my bracket?” 

Tonya Harding, you’re not. 22-year old American skater Mariah Bell was allegedly bullying and kicked South Korean competitor Lim Eun-soo, 16, during warm-ups before the women’s short program at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, Japan on Wednesday. Lim was cut, received medical treatment and was able to compete. She finished in 5^th place while Bell finished 6^th. DOH! 

So I’m flipping back and forth between the Celtics and a 16^th seed play-in game on Wednesday night. Now while the talent levels don’t compare, give me that play-in game any night of the week. (I may have alluded to this preference in the past??) 

Speaking of which, don’t bother trying to explain to me the NCAA bball tournament play-in games. How the 11^th seed is determined by a play-in makes no sense. As you may know, there are four play-in games. Not only are two for the 11^th seeds and two for 16^th seeds, but they are in only two regions. What?! Why don’t the other two regions have play-in games? Forget it, don’t bother trying to explain. 

Kathy and I are getting on a plane tonight. Obviously, we are not flying on a Boeing 737 Max 8. Just for kicks, I asked her what she would do if we were scheduled on the Boeing 737 Max 8. She said she wouldn’t go. Boy, that would have been a helluva ensuing “conversation.” 

Trivia #1: Who was the last player to earn Final Four MVP despite playing for a losing team? – Hakeem Olajuwon (Houston), 1983

Trivia #2: What is the longest drought for a school between March Madness appearances? – Harvard (1946 to 2012 – 66 years)

Trivia #3: Only seven times teams have completed the “perfect” season (undefeated in the regular season and tournament). Which of these schools have not? UCLA, San Francisco, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, St. Louis – Kentucky and St. Louis (UCLA did it 4 times) 

“Now, I’m a seaside sittin’, just a smokin’ and a drinkin’;
I’m ringside, on top of the world.
I got a drink in my hand; I got my toes in the sand.
All I need, is a beautiful girl.”

Briefly. 

Let’s get ShamGronkd! 

Trivia #1: In true Joe Hart fashion, which team won the first National Invitation tournament in 1938? Louisville, Temple, Rutgers, Syracuse, North Carolina, Clemson

Trivia #2: Which Bruins is not in the team’s top 5 in career penalty minutes: Mike Milbury, Wayne Cashman, Keith Crowder, Zdeno Chara, Ray Bourque 

I find great pleasure in watching snow melt. 

So there I am last night, trying to watch the Celtics, Bruins, ACC basketball tournament and Major League (the movie).Several things occurred to me. 1) The Bruins have a legitimate chance in the playoffs if their goalie gets hot. The problem/question is, which goalie? 2) Too much one-on-one with the Celtics and, Kyrie is so good is pisses me off he doesn’t make the team any better. 3) Give me college tournament hoops any day of the week. 4) What a great movie! 

Life is funny and if you haven’t figured that out, then get out. 

Paid University. 

Championship week! Did I already mention college hoops? 

Most useless headline of the week: “Jose Canseco challenges Alex Rodriguez to polygraph test after ex-wife denies cheating rumors” 

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Daniel Norris has been appointed by ESPN as “the most interesting pitcher in baseball.” The 21-year old rising star lives in a beat-up VW camper he calls Shaggy in a Walmart parking lot during spring training in FL. Nothing to do with money as he received a $2 million signing bonus. He doesn’t drink, has never tried drugs, avoids TV, loves solo hiking adventures and keeps a thought journal he writes in at night with the aid of a headlamp. 

The Bruins 19-game point streak had to come to an end. What a ride! It was the second longest streak in franchise history. 

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: MLB has announced that teams must send in their starting player lineups at least 15 minutes before their publicly announced. Doing so, the organization claims, will “reduce the risk of confidential information being ‘tipped’.” With the move MLB hopes to “reduce integrity risks” involved with gambling on baseball. Teams previously could announced their teams at any time without notifying MLB first. 

Aaron Hernandez’s murder conviction was reinstated two years after his suicide. In a related story, Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead! 

Parenting, you’re doing it wrong. The aviation crew operating a recent Saudi Arabian flight to Malaysia diverted the flight because a passenger reportedly left her baby in the waiting area of the King Abdul Aziz International Airport. 

R.I.P. – Julia Ruth Stevens (102) – The last living child of baseball legend Babe Ruth. (I don’t know. Some consider this big news.) Same goes for George Foreman’s daughter. Who cares?

R.I.P. – Hal Blaine (90) – The AP describes Blaine (a session drummer) as a “virtual one-man soundtrack of the 1960’s and 70’s” who played on records with Elvis Presley, the Byrds, Frank Sinatra, Simon & Garfunkel, the Beach Boys and many others, as well as on the soundtrack for Batman and dozens of other shows. He played on more than 6,000 records including 150 top 10 hits. 

Trivia #1 answer: In true Joe Hart fashion, which team won the first National Invitation tournament in 1938? Louisville, Temple, Rutgers, Syracuse, North Carolina, Clemson – Temple

Trivia #2: Which Bruins is not in the team’s top 5 in career penalty minutes: Mike Milbury, Wayne Cashman, Keith Crowder, Zdeno Chara, Ray Bourque – Zdeno Chara 

“It’s been a wild rover for many’s a year
And I’ve spent all me money on whiskey and beer
But I’m returning with gold in great store
And I will never play the wild rover no more”

Trivia #2 answer: Kansas

Briefly.

You do realize that daylight savings is ridiculous, right?

Trivia #1: Who was Christopher Pallies?

Trivia #2: From February 3, 2001 through February 25, 2019, which school has been ranked in the AP poll (men’s college hoops) for 199 consecutive pools? No multiple choice!

Is it me or is Zdeno Chara’s stick 9 feet long?

Last Saturday night the Bruins and Devils played nearly 7 ½ minutes without a stoppage in play. DYK the longest such stretch in the NHL is 14:24 and it came just after the first 39 seconds of the game? Capitals/Penguins Mar 11, 2011.

How about a good story? Sisters Caroline (5) and Leia (8) of Humboldt county in northern California were told “no” when they told their mother they wanted to go for a walk. They then disappeared and were found 44 hours later in the woods in what was described as “rugged terrain with extreme conditions.” The girls reportedly were dehydrated, cold, but well. It was also reported that survival training the girls got with their local 4-H club helped keep them “safe and sound.”

No sweat! 6-6, 260-pound edge rusher out of Mississippi State, Montez Sweat, ran a 4.41 in 40 at the NFL Combine on Sunday. His time would have been eighth-best among all wide receivers at this year’s combine and only one running back ran faster.

In 2017, Bud Light led all other beers in US sales at $5,658,343,137. In a distance second was Coors Light at $2,362,787,374. Leading non-light beers was Budweiser at $1,969,795,178. Here comes the king, here comes the big #1.

Trivia question #2 hint: It’s not U Maine.

Headline of the week: “Billionaire diamond trader dies during penis enhancement procedure”

I just really do not know what to say about the Jekyll and Hyde Celtics.

“Hey, watch this!” – A Texas man died after he injured himself while reportedly sliding down an apartment stairwell while helping a friend move.

So the Sox’ Steven Wright denies purposely taking PEDs? Ya, and I think he denied beating his wife a couple of years ago. Get rid of the bum!

Speaking of Steven Wright… I have a microwave fireplace. I can sit in front of the fire all night long in eight minutes!

Southern California’s Santa Anita Park postponed horse racing indefinitely Tuesday so experts could study its dirt surface following the deaths of 21 horses since the Arcadia CA., track’s winter meet began Dec. 26.

You have to wonder about the thought process of some. An Air Force major’s wife went missing on Friday, March 1^st. After a search of his home police found an ax, shovel, heavy duty trash bags, two five-gallon jugs of gasoline and a portable burn barrel, all purchased the day after the wife went missing. The torn up receipt was also found in the home. Dude!

If you can do anything in life, be kind, be respectful. Both will get you places in life. (at least that’s what someone told me…)

R.I.P. – King Kong Bundy (61) , former WWE legend

Cheap plug: If you’re really bored this weekend, hop online and bid on something – qtego.net/qlink/bgc2019annualcelebration

Trivia #1 answer: Who was Christopher Pallies? – King Kong Bundy

Trivia #2 answer: From February 3, 2001 through February 25, 2019, which school has been ranked in the AP poll (men’s college hoops) for 199 consecutive polls? No multiple choice!

“When I get off of this mountain, you know where I want to go?
Straight down the Mississippi River, to the Gulf of Mexico
To Lake Charles Louisiana, little Bessie, girl that I once knew
She told me just to come by, if there’s anything she could do”

Briefly. 

Trivia #1: What was the first television show to be captioned for deaf viewers? – The Mary Tyler Moore Show, M*A*S*H, The French Chef, All in the Family, The Lawrence Welk Show?

Trivia #2: Dwayne Wade hit a buzzer beater to beat the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night. Combined, how many career, game-ending buzzer beaters do the Warriors’ Steph Curry and Klay Thompson have?

Trivia #3: What is the nickname of Edinboro University (Edinboro, Pennsylvania)? 

First discovered by Alfred Russel Wallace in 1858, Wallace’s giant bee – or Megachile pluto – is as long as a human thumb and has a 2 ½ inch wingspan (nearly 4 times the size of a European honey bee). On January 25, one was sighted in Indonesia for the first time in 38 years. 

Charlie Coyle, good for him! Last week he was traded to his hometown team, the Bruins. A lifelong dream of his. 

Speaking of the Bruins, great win last night, completely shutting down the best offense in hockey. Can they do it in a 7-game series? I don’t know but I hope so! 

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad. 

A complaint was filed with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association against former Green Bay Packers coach, Mike McCarthy. McCarthy launched into a “verbal tirade” against a high school basketball referee this week after his stepson’s team lost by one point, according to the report. Dude. 

The temperature did not reach 70 degrees in downtown Los Angeles for all of February for the first time in 132 years. 

I know you have been wondering so… Hanley Ramirez signed a minor league deal with the Indians. DYK that a report surfaced in June 2018 that Ramirez was in some way connected to a federal and state investigation involving a drug ring operating out of Lawrence, MA. He was unexpectedly released by the Red Sox just a few weeks earlier.

CC Sabathia. Another one announcing his retirement at this coming season’s end. Get ready for yet another farewell tour. Please, honor me in my last series in your ballpark. Shower me with gifts. Tell me I’m great. What a buffoon. 

So I have always thought the word “buffoon” to be attributed to a male. I don’t know, just me. Is there a female equivalent of a buffoon? 

DOH! The team manager for the Indiana University of Pennsylvania men’s basketball team forgot to pack the uniforms for the Crimson Hawks Athletic Conference Western Division title game. Host Edinboro University lent the team their old uniforms before losing to them 87-59.

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: A University of Wisconsin fraternity was suspended by the school after pledges were forced to wear ‘Dora the Explorer’ backpacks because the requirement is equivalent to hazing.

This week’s sign of the apocalypse, part deux: A vegan bride made the decision to disinvite any wedding guest who did not adopt a vegan lifestyle permanently. The disinvited guests included her mother and two cousins, who were set to be bridesmaids. The bride wrote “…some family members were told they are not invited to my wedding because we don’t want to host murderers.” 

From 8:30am last Thursday til 3:00am on Friday, the city of Baltimore saw 14 shootings, 5 of them fatal. 

Belated R.I.P. to Boston Globe beat writer Nick Cafardo (62) – Nick dropped dead from an embolism outside of the Red Sox clubhouse in Ft. Myers. There are some great reads out there of what a great guy (and writer )he was. Another one, too early. 

Trivia #1 answer: What was the first television show to be captioned for deaf viewers? – The Mary Tyler Moore show, M*A*S*H, The French Chef, All in the Family, The Lawrence Welk Show? – The French Chef

Trivia #2 answer: Dwayne Wade hit a buzzer beater to beat the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night. Combined, how many game-ending buzzer beaters do the Warriors’ Steph Curry and Klay Thompson have?  – Zero

Trivia #3 answer: What is the nickname of Edinboro University (Edinboro, Pennsylvania)? – The Fighting Scots 

“Maybe I’ll be there to shake your hand
Maybe I’ll be there to share the land
That they’ll be giving away
When we all live together, talkin’ ‘bout together , now”

Briefly. 

February. It’s the shortest month but often seems like the longest. (especially to us northern folks) 

Trivia #1: In 1975, the Red Sox’ Jim Rice finished second in the American League Rookie of the Year voting and third in the MVP voting. The Sox’ Fred Lynn won both. Who came in second in the MVP voting?

Trivia #2: How did  the “Teddy Bear” get its name?

Trivia #3: Who was the only president to be a bachelor his whole life? Grover Cleveland, James Polk, Calvin Coolidge, James Buchanan, Richard Sprague? 

Where have all the “Bobs” gone in MLB? Over the last 20 years, there have been only five Bobs to debut in the big leagues, and none since 2008. Of the more than 19,400 players in MLB history, 561 (2.9%) have had the given name Robert, and more than half of those have officially gone by ‘Bob.’ It appears that sometime during the 1970’s, Robs began appearing. There are dozens and dozens Robs, Robbys and Bobbys currently in the minors but no Bobs (zero) to be found. 

Throw-in trivia: Who was the first Major Leaguer to go by the name ‘Rob?’ 

Great Celtics game last night, tough loss. Hey Kyrie, tuck in your shirt! God, I hate that!

Did you see Duke’s Zion Williamson go down on Wednesday night? Mild knee sprain but what was strange was that his foot blew right through the bottom of his sneaker. What a black eye for Nike! (Nike stock didn’t take the hit people thought it would dropping a mere 1% yesterday on a day where the Dow lost .5%) 

If a thin layer of ice covered the pavement and the pavement was painted red, would it be black ice or red ice? 

Alex Chu, a freshman lacrosse player from Wheaton College, is six feet tall, 265 lbs. and has a head circumference of above 25 inches. His problem? There is no helmet that fits him so he can’t play. Ya, I know a few guys like that. 

Two backcountry skiers were killed in an avalanche last Saturday in Colorado in an area known as “Death Pass.” The Colorado Avalanche Information Center had issued a special avalanche advisory on Twitter for parts of the region due to “several powerful storms” impacting Colorado through the weekend. In the past decade, the agency has said that February has been the most dangerous month for avalanches in the state. OK, backcountry skiers are a rare breed, I get it but “avalanche advisory”, “most dangerous month” and “Death Pass?” Ya, I ain’t going. 

Trivia #1 hint: He played for the Kansas City Royals.

Throw-in trivia hint: The left-hander debuted in 1965 

Northeastern, so? The Sox start today. 

The locals here know of a hockey rink in Lawrence, in the heart of the Merrimack Valley, called the ‘Valley Forum.’ I was thinking, what a great name for the hockey rink. 

In a related story. 60 Minutes. What a lazy name for a television program. That guy should have been fired. 

While I do like the yellow first down line in football, I think the red streak tracking a golf ball is even better. 

I saw a list of the 25 greatest voices in rock ‘n roll history. The Who’s Roger Daltry was not listed. I immediately dismissed the entire list. 

The new football league, the AAF, airs on the NFL Network. Go figure! 

Trivia #1 answer: In 1975, the Red Sox’ Jim Rice finished second in the American League Rookie of the Year voting and third in the MVP voting. The Sox’ Fred Lynn won both. Who came in second in the MVP voting? – Kansas City’s John Mayberry

Trivia #2 answer: How did  the “Teddy Bear” get its name? Theodore Roosevelt in 1903

Trivia #3 answer: Who was the only president to be a bachelor his whole life? Grover Cleveland, James Polk, Calvin Coolidge, James Buchanan, Richard Sprague? – James Buchanan

Throw-in trivia answer: Who was the first Major Leaguer to go by the name ‘Rob?’ – Richard Frank “Rob” Gardner 

“So I’m sailing for tomorrow my dreams are a dyin’
And my love is anchor tied to you with a silver chain
I have my ship and all her flags are a flyin’
She is all I have left and music is her name”

Briefly. 

Trivia #1: Who was the first goalie to shoot and score a goal? Ron Hextall, Martin Brodeur, Curtis Joseph, Patrick Roy, Kip Manseau, Bernie Parent

Trivia #2: Who played on five different MLB teams, coached three different MLB teams as well as in Japan and currently serves as the Athletic Director at Sacred Heart University?

Trivia #3: What former MLB player once threw 250 pitches in 17 innings of the quarterfinals of the 1998 summer high school baseball tournament, one day after a 148-pitch complete-game shutout?

Trivia #4: This weekend’s Genesis Open has had previous names in the past. Which of these was not one of them? – Nissan Open, Pacific Open, Los Angeles Open, Nissan Open?

4 trivia questions! Again?! 

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: Major League Baseball has decided to rename the disabled list as the “injured list” out of concern that the term “disabled” for injured players falsely conflates disabilities with injuries and an inability to participate in sports. 

For the first time in American history, one of the leading causes of deaths – vehicle crash – has been supplanted by opioid overdoses. According to a new report from the National Safety Council, Americans are more likely to die from a drug overdose than they are to die in a car crash. 

So on Tuesday the Celtics, without Kyrie and fresh on back-to-back pathetic outings, beat the red-hot Sixers. Meanwhile, the same day they announce top offensive player David Pastrnak will be out for at least a couple of weeks, the Bruins end the Blackhawks winning streak. Go figure! 

Quote of the week: “I always wanted to go to Switzerland and see what the army does with those wee red knives.” – Billy Connolly 

Who is Nick GIlder? 

2020 Tokyo Olympic medals will be made of recycled materials. Organizers said in a statement on Feb 8 that they expect to collect enough obsolete electronic devices (discarded smartphones, digital cameras and other obsolete handheld games and laptops) by the end of March to reach the amount that will be required to manufacture all Olympic and Paralympic medals. 

Happy Valentine’s Day, you’re doing it wrong. Hooters has announced that its annual “Shred Your Ex” promotion is back, during which customers can destroy a photo of an ex in exchange for 10 free boneless wings – with the purchase of any 10 wings – to enjoy at a participating Hooters location on Feb 14^th. (sorry to be late with the news… hope you enjoyed!) 

Trivia question #2 hint: He once coached the Red Sox.
Trivia question #3 hint: He once pitched for the Red Sox. 

Unsigned reliever Craig Kimbrel might not get everyone’s love and he did have some shaky appearances last season but DYK he has averaged 13.9 strikeouts per nine innings, has been an all-star in seven of eight full seasons and his 91% career save percentage is superior to Hall of Famers Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman. 

Headline of the week: “Fitness model bit by pig.” – I’m sure the guy resents that remark. 

Trivia #1 answer: Who was the first goalie to shoot and score a goal? Ron Hextall, Martin Brodeur, Curtis Joseph, Patrick Roy, Kip Manseau, Bernie Parent – Ron Hextall

Trivia #2 answer: Who played on five different MLB teams, coached three different MLB teams as well as in Japan and currently serves as the Athletic Director at Sacred Heart University? – Robert “Bobby V” Valentine (“Valentine” – come on, try to keep up)

Trivia #3 answer: What former MLB player once threw 250 pitches in 17 innings of the quarterfinals of the 1998 summer high school baseball tournament, one day after a 148-pitch complete-game shutout? – Daisuke “Dice-K” Matsuzaka

Trivia #4 answer: This weekend’s Genesis Open had previous names in the past. Which of these was not one of them? – Nissan Open, Pacific Open, Los Angeles Open, Nissan Open? – Pacific Open 

“Danger in the shape of somethin’ wild
Stranger dressed in black, she’s a hungry child
No one knows who she is or what her name is
I don’t know where she came from or what her game is

Hot child in the city

Hot child in the city

Runnin’ wild and lookin’ pretty
Hot child in the city” 

(by Nick Gilder) 

That’s all I got…

Briefly. (hmmm) 

Trivia: Who are the top five in games played by a pitcher in a Red sox uniform? 

After the Bruins and Celtics each won on Sunday afternoon was there any question that the Patriots would win? 

Also on Sunday, Mookie Betts won Chris Paul’s 2019 CP3 Celebrity Invitational (bowling). 

If Sports Illustrated can get away with giving the “Sportsman of the Year” award to the Golden State Warriors, I say give the Super Bowl MVP to the Pats “D”. 

Speaking of the Patriots’ defense, it will be debated forever. Has it been Brady, Belichick or both of them for the past 18 years? 

Check the numbers – Punting yardage 417, offensive yardage 260, punts 9, third down conversions 3. 

The Patriots allowed a total of 122 rushing yards in their three playoff games. 

Super Bowl? What Super Bowl, say those in New Orleans. Now, we all know March 14 (3-14) is PI Day. New Orleans has added a new event to their calendar. January 20 will now be known as “No-PI Day.” (you may have to think about that for a minute) 

Not only do the Super Bowl winners get more money this year than last, $180,000 which is up $6,000 from last year, but they get more of it in their pockets due to the fact that Georgia has a lower tax rate than last year’s location, Minnesota. 

Going out on top, you’re doing it wrong. 17 seconds into the final run of her career, Lindsey Vonn (babe) crashed during the final event of her Super-G career on Tuesday at the world championships in Sweden. 

You have to make a deposit in order to make a withdrawal. 

The Sox’ equipment trucks headed south on Monday. In a related story, we turn the clocks ahead in four weeks. 

Tuukka is now the winningest goalie in Bruins’ franchise history (252). Speaking of Bruins franchise history, Patrice Bergeron became just the 5^th player to play in his 1,000^th game with the Bruins. That’s a lotta chowdah! 

The Virginia Tech Men’s basketball team beat North Caroline State on Saturday by a score of 47-24. The 24 po1nts was the lowest by a D1 team in the shot clock era. Meanwhile, The University of Virginia now has 9 games allowing fewer than 60 points, tops in D1. 

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: Two sisters, Anna and Lucy DeCinque, self-described as “the world’s most identical twins” aim to get pregnant by their shared boyfriend and, if the law would allow it, marry him. Lucky guy? I’m not so sure… 

This week’s sign of the apocalypse, part deux: a 27-year old Indian man, Raphael Samuel, announced via social media that he is going to sue his parents, claiming he didn’t give his explicit consent to bring him into the world. He is a follower of antinatalism, an ideology that believes it is morally wrong for people to procreate and takes a nihilistic approach towards human life, saying that humanity brings only suffering. Oh, by the way, both his parents are lawyers. 

Trivia answer: Who are the top five in games played by a pitcher in a Red sox uniform? Bob Stanley (637), Tim Wakefield (590), Jonathan Papelbon (396), Mike Timlin (394), Derek Lowe (384) – Roger Clemens had 383. 

R.I.P. Frank Robinson (83) – MLB’s first African-American manager, Rookie of the Year in 1956, the only player to win MVP in both the AL and NL and won the triple crown in 1966 with Baltimore. Robinson was elected into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility and hit 586 homeruns (10^th all-time). DYK: Robinson has the captain of a high school state championship basketball team with Bill Russell in Oakland.

R.I.P. Henry A. Jaume, Sr (65) – Died Sunday at 1pm hours before the Super Bowl. Why the mention? He was an Army vet, police officer, native of New Orleans and a Saints fan. His obituary read “Determined not to watch Super Bowl LIII”

“I wish that I could fly
Into the sky
So very high
Just like a dragonfly
I’d fly above the trees
Over the seas
In all degrees
To anywhere I please

I want to get away
I want to fly away
Yeah, yeah, yeah”

Briefly. 

A new personal best: Consecutive days alive! Let’s all enjoy! 

Trivia #1: Which team scored a record 35 points in one quarter in a Super Bowl? Washington, Dallas, San Francisco, LA Rams, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Oakland

Trivia #2: Name the two AFC players and four NFC players who won Offensive Player of the Week honors twice this past regular season. (no one won it three times)

Trivia #3: What city has hosted the Super Bowl the most times?

Trivia #4: Who was the first quarterback to throw for 400+ yards in a Super Bowl? Roger Staubach, Terry Bradshaw, Tom Brady, Kurt Warner, Joe Montana, Dan Marino, Kenny Stabler 

DYK: At every Super Bowl, two Lombardi trophies are present in the unfortunate event that one is accidentally destroyed in the celebrations.
DYK: Super Bowl Sunday is the second-largest U.S. food consumption day, following Thanksgiving.
DYK: With all their recent championships, Bill Belichick and Nick Saban have never won it all in the same year. 

“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds,” reads the unofficial motto of the US Postal Service. However, this past Wednesday, the USPS suspended service in some areas including Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and parts of Illinois because of “extreme weather conditions” as the polar vortex rolled through. 

Did you see any of the Pro Bowl? They don’t tackle! It’s like two-hand touch. Pathetic.

You don’t like the numbers you got in the pool? Remember, the Pats beat Carolina in Super Bowl XXXVIII by a score of 32-29. 

You may have heard this but the entire Rams team have a total of 5 years Super Bowl experience. Tom Brady has 8. 

Two big changes coming to Tampa’s Tropicana Field this baseball season. First, it will become the first cash-free sports venue in North America. Accepted payment methods will be credit cards, mobile pay and Rays gift cards. It is intended to cut transaction times in half at concession stands, team stores, etc. Also, another change to the ballpark experience is the elimination of more than 5,000 seats from the upper deck. The intent here is to create a more “intimate” experience for the fans. Capacity will be at 25,000-26,000 seats, 10,000 fewer than any other MLB stadium. You watch, they still won’t sellout. 

So Pats fans have a “been there, done that” attitude, eh? 35,000 fans showed up in Foxboro in relatively cold weather to send the team off. I understand in LA about 11 fans did the same for their team. 

Someone told me it takes five sheep to make one sweater. I didn’t even know they could crochet! 

I wouldn’t want to be a Saints fan, I get that.  But really, they have no argument, other than that the referees involved should be fired (executed?). It wasn’t even the last play of the game and there was no guarantee the call would have led to a win.

Quote of the week: “It is not how old you are, but how you are old. “ – Jules Renard 

Trivia #1 answer: Which team scored a record 35 points in one Super Bowl quarter? Washington, Dallas, San Francisco, LA Rams, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Oakland – Washington in SB XXII

Trivia #2 answer: Name the 2 AFC players and 4 NFC players who won Offensive Player of the Week honors twice this past regular season. (no one won it three times) – AFC: Patrick Mahomes, Ben Roethlisberger – NFC: Todd Gurley, Drew Brees, Amari Cooper, Ryan Fitzpatrick

Trivia #3 answer: What city has hosted the Super Bowl the most times? Tie – Miami and New Orleans 10x each

Trivia #4 answer: Who was the first quarterback to throw for 400+ yards in a Super Bowl? Kurt Warner (414 in 2000) 

In case I don’t see you tomorrow, “Happy Groundhog Day!” 

“I’m Mister White Christmas, I’m Mister Snow.
I’m Mister Icicle, I’m Mister Ten Below.
Friends call me Snow Miser, whatever I touch,
turns to snow in my clutch.
I’m too much.”