The Balls Are Back In Towwwwwwwwwn!

If there were any questions about Josh "BALLS" Beckett coming back with a monster year they were certainly answered yesterday. Cy Young here he comes. I just hope the Rays don't think they can just cake-walk back to the World Series again. How about Pedroia coming back with a bang as well. Hey it may be game 1 of a 162 game season, but in a division with two legit contenders the Sox & Rays and the reloaded Yanks, every game counts. By the way I'm not buying C.C. sucking it up all season, but good luck to him getting his fat ass out of the grave the N.Y. Media are going to begin to dig for him.

Blame It On The Rain. Yeah Yeah

Well looks like the Sox opener has been called. I'm surprised Fenway Incorporated didn't drag out a 6 hour delay in order to sell some suds then call it, but hey a 4 p.m. start is fine by me. Plus I get to save the sick days.

Anyway Take it away Paps and MDC...

RAY Don't Hurt Em'

Ray Allen did it again last night taking down the, pesky potential 8 seed, Charlotte Bobcats in the second OT with a clutch three to win it. Is there any question this guy has been this season's Celtics MVP. His resurgance since last year's playoff run has carried the over this entire season. When the Celtics need a big shot Ray is the man by far I want with the ball other than The Truth.

Ray's play this year has reminded me of Mike Lowell's 2007 performance. The old grizzled vet, who everyone says is too old, gets the job done consistently over the season. Hopefully Ray isn't just looking for a contract and doesn't have hip problems like Lowell. I personally don't think he is by any means done. With a shot like his he could be like a Reggie Miller for the rest of his career. The thing is he hasn't stopped taking it to the rack yet. For a 33 year old he is proving the NBA age theories wrong. His stats are up in almost every category especially minutes. Doc has needed to lean on him over this injury stretch and Ray has carried himself brilliantly. I only worry that he may need some rest in the final few games.

I always liked this guy even when he played for other teams. He is a throw back player fundamentally strong, great work ethic, and classy. This year he is proving to be the Celtic's team MVP. Hopefully he can keep the magic going into the playoffs because the C's will need his minutes and scoring the way the injury bug has been hounding the team. Bring on the playoffs!

Frankly My Dear

What the hell is this??? The Sox are shopping out our beloved Fenway Franks to Kayem. This is the biggest change at Fenway since the Monster seats. Well I have news for the wiener makers over at Kayem. Don't F with my Dogs.

When I go to the game I don't care about the color or taste of the Fenway Frank. To me it is more about the experience that goes along with the dog then the taste or nutritional value. Fenway Franks could have been filled with cow dung and I still would have had my 2 dog quota every visit. No other hot dog ever lived up to the hype like the Fenway Frank. Even when I would cook the packed ones at home they couldn't match the delicious steamed goodness of those that the men and women in yellow shirts dished out at baseball's cathedral. So Kayem don't mess this one up. So far I'm wary since those things look way to long for the bun and are not fat and plump like the old Sara Lee or whatever company used to make em. Kayem you've been warned. Don't blow it! ...Go Sox!

Shut 'em Down

Doc has announced that the Celtics will be shutting down K.G. which is a smart decision since the Celtics are a sure lock for the playoffs and they sure as hell are not catching the Cavs. Let Lebron and his posse keep rolling in meaningless regular season games while the C's rest the troops for another post-season run. Really I'm more concerned about Leon Powe getting healthy then K.G. Right now K.G. is like a starving caged tiger that's trainer has been taunting with fresh meat. That fresh meat is the gold ball and K.G. hasn't fed that hunger fully just yet. Nobody wants to be on the court more than K.G. and you can bet you bottom dollar that knee will be as healthy as Paul Pierces was against the Cavs in last year's Eastern Conference Finals "wheel chair" game.

The Celtics haven't really played that well and have been winning. Even the games they haven't won or played that well in they have fought back like the Magic game two Sunday's ago. The chemistry has been off since Marbury came on board, K.G. went down, and Powe's injury. Hopefully Doc and Danny got together and figured out getting the team healthy will be alot more beneficial then having home court come playoff time. Potential match ups NY, Charlotte, or Indiana are not taking down this Celtics team and that's without a healthy K.G. Chicago might be crafty enough to win a couple against the C's but they are not taking down this Celtics team at

the Garden. No way. No how. Hopefully the rest is a calculated risk, which I believe it is on the part of Doc and Danny. While they're at it I hope they don't forget to give Paul, Rondo, and especially a heavily played Sugar Ray. The only things that can stop the C's in my opinion are injuries or the Cavs. Hopefully neither come in their way to Green 18. How nice does that sound?

Hopefully we'll be seeing the "Big" picture again in 2009...

Time for some Porn Legend

Get me a God Damn Ford ESCORT NOW! How porn was Larry Legend I mean the Rodman dealership must have hit an all-time sales mark for Ford Escorts after this commercial ran. I know my mom had one.

P.S. Huge C's game tonight don't think K.G. doesn't get 30-35 solid minutes. I'm looking in your direction Stan VanGundy's porn stache.

Thanks to RedsArmy.com

Say it ain't so Big Schill

Curt Schilling has officially announced retirement today. Is it a sad day? No. Was it his time? Yes. Is he the best "Big Game" pitcher that I've ever watched? YES! Other than Beckett, Roger, and Pedro there hasn't been a bigger pitcher to come through Boston in the past 20 years. Maybe he wasn't the most like able character due to his opinions on virtually every subject or a fan favorite, but tell me if there were ever a guy you'd rather have on the mound in a game seven.

Big Schill or "Balls", as me and my buddies called him, gave the Sox all he had every game and is probably losing year's off his career for the performance he pulled in the 2004 ALCS. I've heard the debate regarding his Hall of Fame credentials and whether he has the numbers to get in. My answer to that is he has the rings and "HUGE GAMES" and should get in on his Balls alone. Schilling was a throw back type of pitcher. He didn't have the fastest fastball or the best stuff other than his cutter, but he knew his opponents better than they knew themselves. He brought professionalism to the Sox and if you don't think Theo took notice of his bookkeeping skills just look at the program they're running in Pawtucket and Portland right now. Every guy keeps detailed notes of each game, inning, and pitch to the Nth degree. Schill brought that and he'll admit he wasn't always such a student of the game. He made himself into the true professional. He did what it took to prepare for each start and never made excuses for his bad starts. Just look at the time when he was coming back from his first injury where the Yanks and A-Rod pounded him in closing duties.

Or just look at the 87-year old curse he guaranteed he'd come here to break. That performance stands out as probably the biggest turning point in the Red-Sox Yankee rivalry along with the Tek/A-Rod brawl and Bill Mueller's Game winning shot. When Schill gutted out the "Bloody Sock" game he was making a statement that the Sox were not going to get kicked around anymore they were not going to fail this time. As a fan there was nothing more energizing or comforting. You were happy to have him on your side one of the greatest Yankee-killers of all time. Since then the Sox haven't blinked an eye at handling their rival it hasn't even been a contest. You have to be kidding me if you are not a Schilling fan. I've never understood why people hate the guy so much. I think alot of people forget this is the guy who carried us after Pedro couldn't dominate like he did during the '99-2000 seasons. I'm not saying he's better than Pedro, because he isn't, but he certainly is up there on the short list of Sox pitching legends. I'm not saying he's the Sox only big game pitcher ever either, because Pedro also had some memorable performances. But, you have to be kidding me if you don't think this guy is getting in the Hall or if he's not one of your favorite Sox of all time.

Here are Schill's own words on his retirement which I think sum his career up the best:

"The only thing I hope I did was never put in question my love for the game, or my passion to be counted on when it mattered most," Schilling wrote on his blog. "I did everything I could to win every time I was handed the ball."

In 19 postseason starts, (Schilling) compiled an 11-2 record with a 2.23 ERA, striking out 120 batters in 133.1 innings while allowing just 104 hits. His teams won 10 of the 12 playoff series he pitched in.

March Madness

Between the Sox losing guys in the meaningless WBC, The C's dropping like flies, and The NCAA tournament simmering on the hot stove I believe March is Madness! All I can say is Pedroia and Youk better better not run out of gas the second half of the year the Sox will need their bats. Pierce is going to need a break in the next few weeks from carrying the C's offense without K.G. and now Ray Allen. As for the tourney of my three brackets I have the Tar Heels winning two and Memphis the other. No real upsets I just didn't see many. However I do like Villanova making a run perhaps to the final four or the elite 8 at the very least. Syracuse is getting picked to go too far in too many brackets. Where will these guys get their legs. Duke you will not rain on my final four parade for the third straight year, I don't have them past the elite 8 in any bracket. Finally BC will make some noise even though many believe their seeded too high. Rice is one of those D Wade types that can put the ball in the bucket. Why does everyone forget you only need one guy on fire to win a few in the tourney.

I leave you with the Manny "moment" of the day...

Peppers?

So the rumor this afternoon is Julius Peppers to the Pats for the Pats second round 34th overall pick.

Excuse me I just vomited all over myself. Also my pants are a little overwhelmed can someone get me a tissue? What a rumor. I can't believe this could happen, but the Pats time and time again make big moves when it comes to adding big name guys. I mean the guy in the picture doesn't look like a solid pick-up right? He's probably the best receiver of all time and that's putting him at 1B next to 1A Jerry Rice. Of course Ten Ruling Ben Coates and the greatest hands of all time. I mean what did it take to get Moss a 4th rounder? The recession really is driving up prices, but I guess the Pats will have to settle for turning a 2nd rounder into a proven vet with this as his NFL resume.

I'll stop there before I pass out at my computer. Straight Cash Homey!