The trade of Manny Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers was one out of pure necessity, and if you ask me, it was absolutely hands down the right thing to do. There’s just so much unruly behavior a team of adult men can take, this isn’t Little League anymore Manny, this is the bigs.
At first I was skeptical, a bit wheezy over the idea of dealing the automatic Hall of Famer, but after watching him jog down the first base line during Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim starting pitcher John Lackey’s no-hit bid Tuesday, July 29, I couldn’t help but gasp at what I saw. For me, his elementary school gym class jog down the line was it! Enough was enough!
I know the Sox are losing a .313 career hitter that has 513 lifetime bombs. I know Manny is one of the best hitters to ever grace a baseball diamond and I know that Manny was a true catalyst in both of Boston’s World Series championships. But the venom that he spewed on a daily basis was filtering through the clubhouse like a flood. The constant lack of effort was at an all-time high and the immaturity level towards his contract options was that of a first grader begging for a different color star on his spelling exam.
By all means, I loved Manny, I was one of his biggest advocates, but the writing on the wall could be seen for miles. His departure was inevitable, and the fact that his own teammates reportedly lobbied for his exit is a true telltale sign of the end.
I am so happy that a football game is being played Thursday night. If I have to talk about the secondary, Jerod Mayo or the Patriot running backs one more time my head is going to pop. The theory is not everybody sees every show so you may be seeing us talk about the cornerbacks for the first time when we have beaten the topic to death by discussing it three for four nights in a row. Let’s us know if we need to freshen up our topics. Believe me, your input matters.
We had smooth shows tonight. No major mistakes. I did forget my graphic pages for the 10pm. These are not scripts as our show is never scripted but simply the numbers that you see on the screen printed on a sheet of paper. Even with glasses I have to squint to see the numbers off of our in studio monitors. Sometimes, I have to walk off the set and go right up the stupid monitor. Being the one of only two members of the crew over forty is tough. My new nickname is PA PA. Of course, Felger came up with that one. By the way, it is Felgy’s birthday today. 39 baby…one away from the forty mark. Felgy, always the optimist, stated his life is half over. I try to avoid that thought.
My goal is to bring you into our world that you never see on television. The backstage/behind the scenes stuff that would make you realize that it doesn’t take a whole lot to be on tv.
First you have to learn the language. Below is a key.
A Block-comes before the B block
B Block-comes before the C block
C Block comes beforer the D block
Nothing comes after the D block.
If you do not understand this I cannot help you and suggest you watch educational television.
VO-Voice-over
SOT-Sound on Tape
2-SHOT -Two people on camera
3-shot - Okay, you get it.
On Camera Lead-Starting a segment on camera.
Studio visitors are often surprised at what we talk about when the red light is not on. Quite often it is not about sports. That is what we do when the red light is on. For example, last night Felgy and Rob Bradford discussed FONT! Yes, FONT! The debate was what style should the FONT be for the new WEEI.COM. This was a serious discussion folks! I wanted to stab myself in the eye. Send your FONT suggestions to the king of FONT at rbradford@weei.com
I am willing to take an unprecedented cyberspace beating for what I am about to say. “I MISS MANNY.”
I miss Manny being Manny.
I miss Manny being a fool.
I miss Manny being funny.
I miss Manny being selfish.
I miss Manny being frustrating.
Okay, so I don’t miss Manny being selfish. However, Manny does not come ala carte. He is all inclusive. You take the entire package or you take it at all. The Red Sox were sick of the package and I get that.
But, for my selfish (Gary being Gary) reasons and I was extremely jealous of the L.A. media when Manny went to the podium as if he was running for President with his blue shades and Dodger blue uniform. When asked about Boston he said that it was in the past and that whenever he thinks of the city he will hit pause and then he said “BEEP,” as he held up an invisible TV clicker. Laugh out loud entertainment people! And now it’s gone. Yes, he should be in Hollywood but that doesn’t help me working here. There has to be a Manny reality show in development. Maybe then I can get my Manny fix.
Are the New York Yankees a real threat? Do they have the firepower to derail a sailing Tampa Bay Rays squad and a streaky Boston Red Sox club? Do they have the will and inner determination to focus on baseball? The answers to these questions are no, no and are you kidding me?
The 2008 New York Yankees are currently 55-45 and 3 ½ games out of first place. They are ranked seventh amongst big league squads in team batting average (.269) and 13th in runs scored (469). They sport a team ERA of 4.00, which ranks 12th amongst big league teams and boast a total of 704 strikeouts, which positions them 10th in all of baseball.
What I want to focus on though is if the Yankees are a real threat to either the Sox winning the American League East pennant or the Wild Card spot. Personally, I feel that the main flaw in New York’s game is the constant intoxicating focus on third baseman Alex Rodriguez, catcher Jorge Posada’s demise and their evident inability to keep their arms healthy.
Out of all these things, I feel that the team’s pitching staff is their biggest weakness, although the chemistry amongst the men held captive by the pinstripes on their shirts is also a problem. However, the fact that starting pitcher and ace Chien-Ming Wang (foot), starting pitcher Phil Hughes (rib), starting pitcher Humberto Sanchez (elbow) and starting pitcher Carl Pavano (elbow) are all seriously injured is a testament to the durability of a team built on pure greed and lust. That’s why they won’t catch us.
bullpen / Getty Images" class="imgcaption floatr" style="float: right;" />Losing three straight games to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim was not the way I envisioned the Boston Red Sox to commence post All-Star break festivities. Losing two leads was not the way I thought the Sox would fair in two of the games, but as of late, the bullpen never fails to disappoint.
My Boston Celtics lull is starting to wither away, and my focus on the Red Sox is now at the forefront. I am focused on this team and like many of you; I think that their bullpen may be what halts them from winning another World Series.
The Sox being outscored 20-8 by the Angels was tough to take, it nearly ruined my weekend, but I don’t feel that hope is lost just yet.
The Sox are a potent offensive force despite what many of you feel. They rank at the top of Major League Baseball in batting average (.280), third in runs scored (503) and second in OBP (.355) and slugging percentage (.448). They are graced with five offensive All-Star caliber players in second baseman Dustin Pedroia, designated hitter David Ortiz, first baseman Kevin Youkilis and outfielders Manny Ramirez and J.D. Drew. Bottom line is they have the offense to mash at a champions pace.
However, like all empires, there is always a weak link, and unfortunately for the Sox their weak links reside in their futile bullpen. Bullpen reliability is what wins championships, look at how nasty the Angels’ pen is.
Somewhere, someplace Red Auerbach is smiling brightly while puffing gleefully on a cigar that unmistakably signifies the Boston Celtics convincingly winning their 17th National Basketball Association Championship. His name was penned respectfully on the court and his spirit was undoubtedly in the building.
The Gatorade soaked shirt of Celtics coach Doc Rivers, the champagne drenched jerseys of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and James Posey, the faint stench of a cigar filtering through the building and the morally destroyed purple jerseys scurrying off the floor all signified the beginning of something beautiful. Something that gives you the chills, something that makes the hair on your arms stand on end, something that puts a smile on your face and also gives you the gratification of knowing that the NBA’s most storied franchise is back in full force.
Ever since Comcast SportsNet’s coverage began in Rome, I’ve never been so impressed with a team that I’ve covered and a player that I’ve watched mature like Pierce. Since the time that he was drafted out of the University of Kansas with the 10th overall pick in 1998, to being crowned world champion and NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, I almost want to shed a tear in expression of how happy I am to see what I’ve known forever. That being of course that the 30-year-old veteran and now certain Hall of Famer is a champion, and always has been.
Now is the time when all the weight lifting, the defensive engulfed practices, the Muhammad Ali videos, the unexpected Duck Tour trips and the 16 championship banners hanging from the TD Banknorth Garden’s rafters all come into play. If the Celtics play this glitzy Los Angeles Lakers team physically, they will win and quite possibly win convincingly. Instead of saying, “BEAT L.A.,” the saying should be, “BEAT UP L.A.”
The physicality from the Celtics must be felt right away. Celtics coach Doc Rivers should immediately send forward Leon Powe into the paint to absolutely deck Lakers forward/center Pau Gasol and it should be done instantly. Boston also needs to bang shooting guard Kobe Bryant continually if he tries to drive to the paint. By doing so, he most likely will become tentative and resort to his deadly outside shot, which will hopefully be off due to the fatigue that’s caused by a physical and dedicated defense.
There’s no doubt that the Celtics are the better squad. Their regular-season record and roster prove that. However, there is no doubt that the Lakers have the best player in the world in Bryant.
If the Celtics’ 8-2 record in the finals against the Lakers is any indication of what is going to happen over the length of this series, I think we are all going to be very happy.
The truest test of this illustrious season is now upon the Boston Celtics. Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals in the hard-nosed city of Detroit, I mean Auburn Hills will prove to be a grudge match that street fighter Kimbo Slice couldn’t even win.
I feel that the one true emotion that motivates the Pistons and Celtics is fear, the fear of the next day, the fear of going home empty handed and the fear of the unknown. The common thread in this series thus far is that the Celtics are being way too comfortable after a win and the Pistons are carnivorous after a loss. How else would you explain Game 3 and Game 4 in Detroit?
In Game 3, the Celtics won 94-80. They shot 46 percent from the floor and pulled down a total of 44 boards compared to Detroit’s 28. All in all, the Celts dominated the car parts in what was their first road win of the playoffs, but I’m sure you knew that already.
In Game 4, Boston came out flatter than a pancake. They shot 32 percent from the floor and only sunk 21 field goals, which by all means is atrocious. Plus they lost 94-75.
Listen, I can sit here and state the facts till my fingers fall off from the repetitiveness of typing. But the bottom line is this, the Celtics have to win Game 6, they have to go into the fair-weathered atmosphere of the Palace and prove to the world that they are worthy of stepping onto the floor and good enough to win it all.
With the looming contest between the Boston Celtics and the Detroit Pistons hovering like a mid-summer storm cloud, I can’t help but wonder how this will all end. But one thing is for sure, Celtics forward Paul Pierce will forever be remembered for his efforts in Game 7 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The reality of it though is that he’ll have to do it again and again to bring the Pistons to their knees.
Pierce brought down the house Sunday, May 18 against LeBron James and the Cavs. It was an epic battle similar to that of Bird against Wilkins. It was a 41-point highlight real of hustle, grit and pure determination. Something that the 30-year-old All-Star will have to do eight more times, because that’s how many wins the C’s need in order to hoist No. 17 to the rafters.
Over his career, he has been lambasted by his critics. Entering Game 7, he was on the verge of lifelong turmoil and near exile in this town if he threw up another brick of a game. But like so many other superstar athletes in this town, he stepped up, took his bow and played like the gods of Celtics past. The pleasure I took in watching Game 7 was immense, the smile on my face was electric and the gratitude I have for Pierce is unreal. From myself and the fans of Boston, thank you. It’s time to dismantle the Pistons like an old Chevrolet behind the shed, and if he plays like he did on Sunday, it will be no problem at all.
I trust Celtics general manager Danny Ainge, and I trust Celtics coach Doc Rivers. Still to this day, it amazes me how people were jumping down Ainge’s throat while he was in the midst of constructing a foundation for this team to be built on. You have to admit, when he came here, he was given a 100-year-old foundation that was destroyed by a one-man wrecking crew (Rick Pitino).
I know that Danny has made some unpopular moves in the past, especially when he traded forward Antoine Walker and guard Tony Delk to the Dallas Mavericks for center Raef LaFrentz, guard Jiri Welsch and forward Chris Mills during his inaugural 2003 campaign. But if you look back at it, he did what he needed to do; the combo of Walker and forward Paul Pierce was done, extinguished and downright tiresome. He also made a draft day trade in 2003 to get center Kendrick Perkins and point guard Marcus Banks from the Memphis Grizzlies.
In 2003, the trade of forwards Eric Williams and Kedrick Brown and center Tony Battie to the Cleveland Cavaliers for center Chris Mihm, guard Ricky Davis and salary dump Michael Stewart was deemed a fairly brilliant move. Davis at the time was a true scorer and still is, just not for us.
In 2004, he drafted forward Al Jefferson and guards Tony Allen and Delonte West. He eventually traded for Gary Payton, and then used Payton in the reacquisition of Antoine in 2005.
What kind of road do the Celts have ahead of them? Is it going to be the joy that overcomes a runner when they see a freshly paved flat street in their line of vision? Or, is it going to be like the nauseating feeling that comes over a person when they drive their brand new BMW over a pothole going 80mph on 128? I don’t have a BMW, but I’d like to.
I desperately wish I had the answer to this burning question, because I know so many of you would like to know. But if the way the Philadelphia 76ers have been manhandling the Detroit Pistons is any indication of where this ride is going, it likely will be as unpredictable as New England’s ever-changing weather patterns.
You see, over the first three games of the Pistons/76ers series, Philadelphia surprising leads the “fierce” and “dominant” Pistons 2-1. Are you kidding me? The 76ers have blatantly outplayed the Pistons. If you watch the games, Detroit looks lost and totally tormented by some kind of inner turmoil. They don’t look right.
My fear is this; the 76ers beat the Celtics twice this year. They have confidence against us and that’s not good in a time like the playoffs. If the Celts do wind up playing Andre Iguodala and the 76ers they must blow them up, totally demolish and demoralize them. As we all know, this is not a time for lazy play.
As the lights of the TD Banknorth Garden shine down on the hallowed parquet floor and the 16 championship banners sway to the faint breeze filtering through the building, I can’t help but wonder how this season will end.
Will “K.G.” live up to the hype and dominate? Will Paul Pierce finally get his gold? Will Rondo freeze? Will Ray Allen shoot with determination or desperation? These are all questions weighing heavily on my mind today as the opening tip-off against the Atlanta Hawks draws closer and closer.
The National Basketball Association playoffs are a beast, a conundrum of blood, sweat and tears. To me, with K.G. aboard the Celtics’ ship this season, the future looks bright. He is the prototype of what it takes to win in this league. He is a potent elixir of grit, talent and the determination. He has it all.
Pierce is a matured player, a man who finally can see a light at the end of the tunnel. He can taste it, he can smell it, and he can already feel the sterling silver, 24 karat gold glazed Larry O’Brien Trophy in his hands. Will Pierce make a name for himself in the annals of Celtics lure? Stay tuned.
Point guard Rajon Rondo has morphed, in my mind, into one of the premier point guards in the NBA. In his second year, Rondo has surprised many and has proved his worth on this team. But, with the playoffs a day away, will the inexperienced sophomore turn into stone or glow like a freshly waxed Corvette. Only time will tell.
As the weather starts to slowly warm up and the crisp winter air morphs into a faint smell of spring, I can’t help but daydream about the impending rollercoaster ride that the Sox are destined to take me on in 2008.
They are undoubtedly a nasty team, and it’s only the first leg of the 162-game marathon, but I am truly irked about the way the staff has been throwing. I mean, if you aren’t, you’re nuts. They have combined to allow a grand total of 36 runs over five of their last six contests. The supernatural arms of the “kids” have been so-so at best and the bullpen is starting to resemble a backyard barbecue wiffle ball pitching performance by an overly intoxicated family member. Worried? Yes! Distraught? Not yet.
I live and breathe sports in this town and I remember far worse starts by this team. It’s just watching the guys that were supposed to be included in the acquisition of newly anointed New York Mets ace Johan Santana throw and not succeed that bothers me. Not to mention, Jacoby Ellsbury has been reduced to a part-time player and he’s not happy, you can see it in his face.
So yeah, “maybe someday” these kids will be elite. But when you have a chance to trade for the best pitcher in the game, pull the dang trigger. Nothing held the Sox back when they acquired Pedro, Schilling or Beckett. What the heck stopped them this time? Plus, if we did trade those guys and they became awesome, Minnesota most likely wouldn’t be able to retain their services anyways and the Sox could sign them again.
The playoffs, a time presented to us fans that encompasses joy, rapture and a stress level higher than a Jack Clark popup. Well, you know what I mean.
If the season were to end today, the Celtics would play the 35-40 Atlanta Hawks. The only other squad they might possibly face in the first round would be Philadelphia (38-37). But with Atlanta and Philly on tap for a home and home series this weekend, the Celtics’ first round matchup should be decided by Sunday.
As for Atlanta, they are a team that has won five games in a row and is actually stocked with some well-rounded players like point guard Mike Bibby, shooting guard and former Celtic Joe Johnson and power forward Josh Smith.
They are five wins ahead of last years final win total of 30 and are No. 15 amongst all NBA teams with 98 points scored per game. In addition, they are ranked 16th in the league with a 45.3 field goal percentage and are positioned a surprising 12th in the league with a mere 99.5 points allowed per game.
Now for our C’s, I don’t know how much you keep up with their splits on a daily basis, but that’s why I’m here. The Celtics of course are 36 wins ahead of last year’s final mark of 24. They are No. 11 amongst all NBA franchises with 100.5 points scored per game. They sport a 47.6 field goal percentage, which positions them third in the game and have limited opponents to a top-ranked 90 points per game. Simply elite!
