The Ramblings...

I realized the other day, quite how much I am not over the Patriots lost. I'm still absolutely angry. As one of my students proved the other day with his, Giant's Super Bowl hat, complete with it's, "We Wanted It More" logo, I am angry, I am hurt, and I wanted my Super Bowl ring and even the warm wonderful glow of spring training is not quite warming the ice over my sports heart.

*I live in coastal Eastern North Carolina, and I've been waiting to see this whole Duke / UNC feud up close. A few weeks ago, I saw that match up at a neighborhood sports bar, and quite frankly, I'm tired of hearing about how other rivalries rival the Boston / New York rivalry. I'm sorry, but I haven't seen anything yet to see show me otherwise.

*Does Tiger Woods actually drive a Buick? I don't think so. At least, I hope not. I've seen the picture of his house, and I don't see a Buick parked in that driveway.

*The NBA All Star game uni's did nothing but confuse me. What was the point of those?

*Kelvin Sampson looks like a dick. His demeanor on the sideline, the way he's always yelling and jumping around. He looks slimy. Athletic directors and GM's should take that into account more often? Does the person look like a good person? No? Well I'd rethink that.

*The NCAA constantly reminds me of an Enron like corporation for a lot of reasons, but mainly because you have these coaches who sign massive multi-year deals, recruit, make promises of four year starting and such, and then jump ship at the first instance of a little water in the hull. Players who signed on to a particular coach should be able to transfer with no wait. Why should they have to put their college career on hold because of some coach? That being said, they should not be picking their college on coach alone. They should be picking their college on more important merits, like the ability to get into most bars with white out on your ID freshman year. The ability to order food at 4 am. Oh, and majors and crap.

*I'm not ready for Fantasy Baseball in any way, shape, or form, when you are still mourning the NFL season and you live without NESN, it's hard to get in the proper mode for football.

*This Bill Simmon's wiki entry is hilarious. I have read the SG since I was a sophomore in HS (just turned the big 25) and I have long enjoyed his work, but the things he feels the need to tell us (like hanging out with Tom after the Super Bowl) show that he is not a fan's perspective, but rather that of a fairly famous writer for the world wide leader. I'm not saying I'm not excited to read what he has to say, but I am saying that I find myself identifying with him less and less.

*So Manny hired Satan and isn't interested in talking about a contract extension and the Boston media has their panties all up in a bunch. I am coming to realize more and more that the "good" guys in baseball are those who are always ready with a good quote, like Mike Lowell (not saying Mike isn't great, just saying that he speaks English and Spanish fluently and is always willing to talk), whereas someone like Manny who isn't quite a language master, (as far as we know) isn't quite as able and willing to talk is aloof and crazy and a bit of a jerk. The only Red Sox player I am willing to say is a nice as you would hope is David Ortiz, as he once pinched my cheek, called me sweetie, and gave me a $1,000.00^. True story. One player I know to be a jerk, I know first hand, John Valentine. Had the personality of a stale piece of moldy toast at the freaking Square One Mall where my brother made me stand in line for like, 3 hours to get his autograph and refused to make eye contact. (At the same event, Darren Lewis quite freakly winked at me, in like, a creepy way, when I was like, 14? 15 tops?)

*It's really sad that the Celtics are relevant, albeit, struggling of late, and I hardly ever get them on TV. I can however watch Duke, State, or UNC every freaking night of the week. Did I ever tell you about the time my dad and I won a raffle to play basketball on the old parquet floor at Boston Garden? I was, eh, I'll go with 12 or 13. My brother was a baby and my mom worked in the bakery at Shaw's at night. And she entered a raffle, and won. (I guess I'm good at raffles) . Anyway, because I was going to be nervous, my Dad told me he was taking me to a bun factory in Boston. When I was younger, I had this terrible problem that whenever I was really excited about something, I kind of threw up.^^ Boston was a big deal, save for Disney on Ice, I didn't go in too often. So I had on a white blouse, black pants, dressy shoes for my big trip. And let me just say, I was psyched for the bread tour. I thought it was going to be like Piantadosi and who doesn't love carbs? This blog is aptly titled...rambling. Part of our tour was that we could eat in whatever the Garden 600 Club was and of course. It was open bar. For those of you who don't know my dad, or my family in general, including myself...My Family + Open Bar = bad times. A few crown royal and gingers later, we went downstairs, shot hoops with ML Carr (well, I shot maybe one, then sat on all the seats on the bench so I knew I had sat in Larry Bird's) and then my dad and I snuck away from the group, and went into all the locker rooms...B's, Celts, visitors room. The home locker rooms were pretty nice, and I actually got to sit in Larry Bird's locker, and my dad took a picture that didn't come out. We were found out by a maintenance man that wasn't too amused by us. I told him we got lost looking for the bathroom and ended up in Larry Bird's locker.

On the way home, I dropped ML Carr's autograph out the window. Then I asked my dad if we could go to the bun factory.

*I need the Red Sox in my life, real live Red Sox. So I'm thinking about talking to the principal on Monday and seeing if I can take a Friday or a Monday coming up and driving to Fort Myers and just saying, "Hi Mike Lowell" and turning around and driving home. Is it worth driving 855 miles to say hello to Mike Lowell? Well, let's face it, rarely if ever should I be your base for sanity!

^Okay, it was a gift certificate I won in a raffle at a charity event, but he gave it to me okay?!?!

^^And not about big things, like, one time, my Auntie told me that she was taking me to Toys "R" Us because I got a good report card (I was maybe in 2nd grade), and that I could get whatever I wanted. (It was a simple thing, I was totally getting a Barbie, it wasn't like I was going out with a new bike or something). Anyway, we get about 3 steps into Toys "R" Us and I threw up all over the floor.

All kinds of fun this morning (mainly because Papi came to camp yesterday and he's always good for a ridiculous quote or two.

*Curt Schilling told WEEI this morning that he would file for free agency after the season after being told by Theo yesterday that the Red Sox would not be offering him a contract before the end of Spring Training. Now, I love Curt, I really do, but I'm sick of hearing his voice. It's great that he doesn't want a raise in '08 and will be willing to play for 13 million, but its not crazy to think that the Red Sox will be hoping any one of a number of young pitchers will be ready by then to take over the 3, 4, 5 slots in the rotation, with Dice-K and Beckett (hopefully!) holding down the 1, 2. Curt also said he would not pitch for the Yankees, but I've heard that some where before.

*The Red Sox present David Ortiz with a truck yesterday, which, I guess is a gesture of, "We know you are a bargin at 13 mil, hopefully this Toyota will keep you happy", but I still find it bizarre that you would buy someone making 13 million dollars a Toyota Tundra truck. Maybe I just think that because my dad hates Toyota trucks and people who buy them (except David Ortiz of course).

David isn't surpised the Sox didn't trade Manny, "It’s hard to find a player like Manny. When you go out there, Manny’s got to be one of the best hitters in the game, no doubt about it. It’s hard to trade Manny because of his salary. It’s hard to get somebody when you trade Manny. That’s what’s been the problem…get what you deserve. Manny is still crazy I’m still babysitting him. Same thing,” Oritz


David wishes he was Japanese? “I always tell people that everyone looks the same to me in Japan,” Ortiz joked. “Which is cool, man because I wish we could be like that in the Dominican, so we can hide.”

*Manny is going to be late because he is going to a car show in Atlantic City this weekend. That and cough cough, his Mama is sick.

*J.D. Drew is going to wear 7, and DelCarmen is going to wear 17. I guess when you give someone 70 million dollars and a long term commitment you should let him wear whatever number he wants, but quite frankly, I don't think anyone other than Trot should be roaming RF wearing 7 next year. It's like showing up to your wife's funeral with your new girlfriend.

*PacMan Jones had $81,000 in a trash bag with him at a strip club where 3 people were later shot. I mean, I obviously don't have $81,000, but if I did, I imagine I wouldn't walk around with it in a trashbag. Also, I read something yesterday, but I don't remember the source, that Jones told one of the boucers he was going to kill him, and that bouncer is now paralyzed from the waste down. (he could be pretty screwed I think).

*Dwyane Wade dislocated his shoulder last night...Dr. SoxGal says he's out at least 6 weeks, although the Heat haven't said anything yet. In my four years as a make believe sports trainer, the nastiest injury I saw was a dislocated shoulder. Also, a dislocated should was the cause of the loudest scream I ever heard on a sideline. (although, in fairness, a torn ACL was close).

*Delonte West has lady friend issues, as in, she tried to slit her wrists and bit him.

*Peyton restructured his deal to save the Colts some cap space.

*This is from Sports Illustrated Magazine from the "Go Figure" section I read on the bus this morning. "2030 - Year in which injury-prone outfielder J.D. Drew will receive the final payment of his five-year, $70 million contract from the Red Sox if he misses too many games by 2010." 2030! From the time my kids are 3 all they are going to do is field baseballs and hit in a cage from the time they wake up till the time they go to bed. I'm going to make Serena and Venus Williams, Andre Agassi, and Tiger Woods' Dad, along with every other psycho parent look relaxed. My kids aren't going to have time for elementary school.

Well, that is all the news from the reputable sources like ESPN, Boston Globe and whatnot, I'll update later after I have read all my daily blogs.

Oh, one more thing, I went to Dunkin Donuts this morning, and ordered an ice coffee because I've been craving one for a while and it wasn't that cold out. And they made it with hot coffee (does anyone else know what I am taking about here?). I hate when they make it with hot coffee! It's not nearly as good and the ice all melts. They should tell you in advance that they are going to make it with hot coffee, so people can change their minds.

Actually, two more things. This one I just got courtesy of Katie P. Give credit where credit is due, that's my motto.

The Marlins won 78 games last year, with a $19.7 million payroll for a cost-per-win of $252,564 apiece.

The Red Sox won 86 games last year, with a $120 million payroll for a cost-per-win of just under $1.4 million apiece.