Final Project: Hockey in the Hawkeye State

There are no professional sports teams in Iowa.

In a state with a population of just under three million, it's not unusual to see a diverse mix of teams represented throughout. Such representations might range from a New York Yankees baseball cap to a Los Angeles Lakers basketball jersey. While the state may not have its own professional sports identity, there's one thing Iowans do have: undeniable passion for the game.

One of the strongest examples might be at college sporting events. At the University of Iowa, football and basketball garner a large turnout, while other sports such as wrestling and volleyball, also boasts some decent attendance numbers as well.

With the rise in popularity in neighboring Illinois for the Chicago Blackhawks, many people aren't shying away from showing their dedication to the team. Jerseys and hats are popping up more frequently than in years' past.

However, unlike with baseball, basketball, and football, there is no hockey program at Iowa. Despite numerous junior league teams located throughout the state, there are no NCAA Division-I teams at any of the surrounding institutions.

If the Hawkeye faithful are as passionate about sports as they seem to be, would a DI hockey program at Iowa be so out of the question? Could it be successful? Could it thrive in a state that’s surrounded by a strong talent pool in bordering territories? What would it take to for a hockey program to be created?

Growth in Iowa
Hockey is undoubtedly a sport better taught at a young age.

The USHL, a junior hockey league, currently has four teams located within the state stretching from Cedar Rapids all the way to Sioux City, on the opposite side of the state. However, it’s still questionable as to whether that's even enough.

Health and Sports Studies PhD candidate, Nik Dickerson is an avid hockey fan. The Rochester, New York native came to Iowa for graduate school and was a little surprised to find there wasn't a hockey team. Nevertheless, he didn't completely ditch his hockey roots behind. In his spare time, he competes in an adult recreation league in Cedar Rapids.

He believes that if hockey were to gain popularity, it would need to have more coverage.

"I would say you would probably have to start at the youth level, try to generate interest there," he said. "Also promoting the Roughriders more might be helpful so people could gain more exposure to somewhat elite hockey."

UI senior and former hockey player Jordan Loperena agrees. He said there might not be enough statewide interest, which might prove difficult in justifying any school having a DI hockey program.

"The popularity of hockey really seems to be concentrated into the towns around the state that have USHL Junior "A" teams," he said. "I know that hockey is primarily popular in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Sioux City, even Mason City who has an NAHL Junior "A" team, but it’s not really the slightest bit popular outside of those cities or even in the smaller surrounding towns."

If there's no interest, there's no fan base to reach out to. It's also makes it difficult to recruit in-state talent if children grow up choosing to play other sports instead.

'Opportunity at Iowa...'
Despite the sport being wildly successful in surrounding states such as Minnesota and Wisconsin, hockey hasn't reached the same popularity in Iowa, which could explain one reason for the lack of DI programs.

However, Iowa still has a club hockey team in the Iowa IceHawks. They are part of the Mid-American Collegiate Hockey Conference (MACHA) and play in the Division-II American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA).

The team currently has enough members to fill two rosters (a Gold and a Black team), perhaps a sign that lack of participation isn’t nearly as much of a factor as often thought to be.

For some of the players, including Loperena who had to stop playing because of injury, the idea of a club team can be beneficial for those who wish to continue playing the sport at a less competitive level.

"I actually partially chose Iowa because I would have the opportunity to play hockey here, even though it was only at the D-II level," he said. "I had been in contact with the coaching staff during my senior year and had been updating them on my stats and strength records.

"My goal all along was to play hockey at the highest possible level at the university I chose to attend and I was going to have that opportunity at Iowa."

The IceHawks play at the ice rink located at the Coral Ridge Mall in Coralville, just outside Iowa City. This has proven to be a bit problematic because it hinders the team's ability to generate revenue because they cannot charge spectators who walk through the mall and happen to watch their games.

For a sport as expensive as it is, finances are a major factor. Another issue is the location of the rink. With no other facilities available on campus, it can be a bit difficult for student-athletes to have to travel off-campus for practice or a game.

Future of Hockey at Iowa
Could the University of Iowa ever have a DI hockey program?

"There’s not been any discussion at the athletic department level as far as I know," Associate Athletic Director Mark Abbott said. "I'm not aware of anyone coming to us saying ‘we’d really like to start an intercollegiate hockey team at the university.'"

If someone were to attempt to do that though, they'd have to go through a lengthy request process. Abbot estimated that it'd likely be around two years for a team to be put in place if passed through the athletic department today.

In order for a club team to be elevated to varsity status, it has to pass six criteria to even be considered:

• Participation
• Recruiting Potential
• Competition
• Financial Responsibilities
• Facilities Management
• Compliance with Title IX

The two biggest factors currently against Iowa are Title IX and the lack of facilities and financial responsibility.

"Adding another sport would require we pay more scholarships," Abbott said. "Our bill now is approaching $8 million dollars a year. So to add another intercollegiate sport would add coaching staff salary and benefits. We'd have to have equipment and supplies, playing and practice uniforms, expenses for officials, etc."

Still some are hopeful for a future in which the Hawkeyes could one day have a hockey program. The potential seems to be there.

"I think that if Iowa had a NCAA DI hockey program that played within walking distance or cambus ride from downtown, that it would be a successful program,” Loperena said. “To be honest, college hockey atmospheres at most DI hockey schools are crazy. It would be a great, rowdy atmosphere especially if it didn't conflict with the football schedule, which basketball doesn't, so I would imagine hockey wouldn't either."

Winter Classic at Kinnick?

While it's nearly impossible to imagine Kinnick Stadium hosting a Winter Classic (in which two teams play outdoor), it’d perhaps be the perfect stepping stone to actually generating interest and buzz for the sport.

“I do think you could get people to go to something like that particularly if it involved the Blackhawks or two rival Iowa teams,” Dickerson said. “I think that could be a good starting point to raise awareness, to get people to finally start talking about hockey in Iowa.”

A bay bay, Jason Bay's time over in Boston?

According to numerous reporters, Jason Bay is apparently ready to "move on" from the Boston Red Sox after rejecting their latest offer of 4-year/$60 million deal.

First reported by foxsports.com, Bay's agent Joe Urbon was quote as saying:

"We don't agree with their evaluation of the player. Frankly, we have other offers on the table that are of greater interest to Jason."

This includes a supposed 4-year/$65 million offered by the New York Mets. The only other known offer to Bay as of this moment. The Boston Globe's Peter Abraham offered his analysis on the situation.

Theo Epstein has not yet chosen to comment on the situation.

This could simply be an aggressive strategy by Urbon to try and shake some more money out of the Red Sox. In many negotiations, things are said that later prove not to be true. Then again, perhaps the Red Sox simply don't think Bay is worth a major investment.

He is 31 and struck out 162 times last season and is, at best, a fair outfielder. There are indications that the Sox question whether Bay can stay healthy and productive over the course of a long-term contract.

If Epstein goes out and signs Matt Holliday, what happens to Bay won't be of much concern to Red Sox fans. Good luck with the JV team in New York. But if the Red Sox pass on Bay and Holliday and try a platoon with Jeremy Hermida, the populace will not be pleased.

I'll have to agree with Abraham in this scenario. However, if Bay indeed signs elsewhere -- I won't soon forget the great job he did filling in for Manny Ramirez at left field. He may have become more well-known with his time as a Red Sox but his ability to adjust to the pressure in playing in a baseball driven city like Boston is impressive. Thank you and good luck.

Still waiting on some holiday cheer...

I'm still waiting to hear some good news from the Red Sox front office. It hasn't happened yet this off-season. In Theo we trust?

*Photo from www.bostondirtdogs.com

Cut the hate, football fans...

After one of the biggest football games of the year, Florida quarterback Tim Tebow let it all out on Saturday.

In one of the more memorable scenes from the No. 1 Florida vs. No. 2 Alabama showdown — other than watching Alabama's Mark Ingram doing the “Gator Chomp” on national television as the game was winding down — was witnessing Tebow sitting on the sideline with tears.

For Gator haters, it was a moment to treasure. Shortly afterwards, there were jokes all over the Internet about Tebow's sensitivity and even knocks to his manhood because he was caught crying after a game. It was a youtube sensation even before the game was over.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I don't understand the hate.

But what I do understand is that jealousy breeds contempt.

Maybe that's a start to figuring it out. Tebow has been too good for too long in his college career with Florida. He won the Heisman his sophomore season and led the Gators to a National championship the past two out of four years. Man, what a jerk for wanting to win and being good at it ...?

Perhaps another piece is what he does off the field. The media often publicize his trips overseas with his parents to help underprivileged children. Or his strong religious beliefs as demonstrated with “John 16 33" during the SEC Championship game. Ah yes, he’s a real jackass for that ...?

Nope, I still don't see it nor do I understand it. Where does the hate come from?

Tebow is essentially one of the best collegiate quarterbacks to ever grace the field while his character off the field reflects his humbling persona. Opposing fans may hate him but I guarantee you, if they could take a first pick in selecting their QB, it'd be him.

As the Crimson Tide began their celebration early in the waning minutes of the game, the camera zoned in on Tebow watching the action unfold on the field. The Gators were down 32-13, the deficit was just too big to overcome. Tears filled the 22-year-old's eyes.

People found ways to mock him during this moment. I just found it heartbreaking.

For someone who had given so much to his school and their football program, how could anyone not expect him to cry in the disappointing loss?

I can only imagine how much it hurt to know that in his final season with the Gators, he couldn't help lead them to another BCS Championship game. He had been their staple for success for so long but had finally come up short for once.

All fans want their teams to want to win. All athletes want to do is win, even if they've won it all before. So please tell me, what’s the difference with Tebow?

He showed fire. He showed emotion. He wanted it just as bad as any Gator fan could possibly tell you. If people are going to hate on a player, at least find someone actually worthy of that dishonor.

Bruins + Fenway = SUCCESS

As if I needed anymore reminder of what is to come in 26 days. I would much rather attend this than an Iowa bowl game. This is once-in-a-lifetime. Whether I find cheap tickets or risk paying $300+ for one remains to be seen. Either way, I am counting down the days until I see my beloved Bruins playing in my beloved Fenway Park.

Welcome Home..

Despite struggling offensively early in the season, the Boston Bruins were able to find their scoring touch. The timing couldn't have been planned any better.

With the return of Phil Kessel to the TD Banknorth Garden for the first time since he was a member of the B's last season, Boston managed to outscore the Toronto Maple Leafs, 7-2 en route to the win.

The Bruins looked strong in many facets of the game despite still allowing two goals. As expected, Kessel was booed thoroughly throughout the game and practically every time he touched the puck. There were also the classy taunts of "Kes-sel, Kes-sel" that could be heard all around the arena.

As Kessel said during a postgame interview:

"You hear it, but it didn't get to me. I've got to be better. You figure when you are dealt that's going to happen. It's part of the game."

Interestingly enough, the two teams play again in a re-match on Thursday in Boston. Highlights of the game are below:

Kessels returns to Boston

Well, speaking of the devil (from the previous post), tonight former Bruins first-round pick, Phil Kessel makes his return to Boston as the Bruins hosts the Toronto Maple Leafs at the TD Banknorth Garden.

After holding out for a contract and eventually signing with the Leafs and some recent comments made public by Marc Savard, it'll be interesting to see what type of reaction Kessel receives as he steps onto the ice.

I'll put my money on him getting booed every time the puck touches his stick. If that is the reaction of the Bruins faithful, I wouldn't be surprised. To be honest, I feel as though it's well-deserved. Kessel didn't leave on good terms and it's only gotten worse. Why wouldn't you boo him?

Photo from www.zimbio.com

Kessel hasn't cut all ties with Boston just yet...

When Bruins center Marc Savard signed a 7-year extension, it was a little surprising to me. After all, he is 32-year-old already. However, I trust that GM Peter Chiarelli knows what he is doing and that this will only benefit the B's in the future.

I came across this from WEEI's Graig Woodburn.

You can count ex-Bruin Phil Kessel among those who were disappointed when Bruins center Marc Savard inked a seven-year contract extension this week. Speaking on the Dale & Holley Show on Thursday, Savard said he and Kessel have stayed in touch after his former linemate was traded to Toronto in September, and that he heard from his ex-teammate during his contract negotiations with Boston.

"We've texted a lot," Savard said. "He was obviously one of the guys telling me to wait and not sign."

The 32-year-old admitted that Kessel had a hard time learning some of lessons that Savard experienced upon his arrival in Boston in 2006-07.

"Some things he did reminded me of myself a lot," said Savard. "It's a humbling experience especially when you are young like that, I think he handled it well. He went through some tough times. As Toronto gets better, he'll get better."

I don't see how Phil Kessel isn't public enemy No. 1 in Boston. I really don't. He's just asking for fans in Beantown to turn against him. Although, I could already see that tide turning when he held out signing an offer early in the off-season. Kessel, what are you doing?!

Class assignment: Race and Gender in Sports Media

I've known I've wanted to be a sports journalist since the 10th grade.

My passion and desire have never really wavered from trying to accomplish that goal. However, I can admit this: I've had some doubts. I always knew in the back of my mind that it could be hard to break into the field because of the fact that it was mostly male dominated.

University of Central Florida professor Richard Lapchick conducted a study and came up with "The 2008 Racial and Gender Report Card of the Associated Press Sports Editors."
To be quite honest, there wasn't really anything that completely shocked me.

- 94 percent of sports editors are white males? All right.
- 93 percent of columnists were men? Okay.
- 91 percent of sports reporters are men? Cool beans.

These weren't things I didn’t know because well, I did. I was reminded every day when watching ESPN or picking up the sports section of a newspaper. I knew women were a rarity, as were minorities. I guess I'm special because I get to fill both voids.

I wasn't shocked by Lapchick's study but maybe a little disheartened at the progress that's been made since 2006. While it obviously hasn't been a big enough differential to see a major difference, it just goes to show the honestly and severity of the situation.

I'll never fully understand the belief that women do not as much about sports as men. Nor will I understand why minorities seem to fall short in terms of being sports journalists.

At the end of the day, it should be about who is the most qualified candidate for the position. But in the real world it doesn't work that way because if that was the case, many people would be out of a job and things would be messy.

Affirmative action is something that was supposed to help level the playing field. However, those who don't agree with it often argued that it promotes the opposite of what it's trying to advocate by giving the other side an unfair advantage.

In truth, it's hard to know what needs to be changed in the sports world. Society has often viewed men as the superior athlete, men as the ones who can show aggression and competitiveness. Women who show that same type of behavior have their sexuality questioned with negative stereotypes developing.

It's a bit unfortunate the study was only conducted between two years because I'd be really curious to see what the progress is in a bigger gap, such as 10 years. I'm hoping things will be more evened out by that time but the fact of the matter is, I just don't know.

Despite not knowing the answer, I've chosen to believe that things will get better. It'll just take time. It could be a long time but I’m not going to let some type of statistic stop me from my dream. People are going to think what they want to and the world isn’t always going to be fair ... but sometimes, you just have to put it behind you.

Twitter Part Deux: Revenge of the Tweet

Earlier in my blog, I wrote a post how athletes need to be careful with how they handle Twitter. For those who don't know, Twitter allows for a person to post (in 140 words or less) anything at any given time from well, anywhere they have an Internet connection. As the popularity of Twitter increases, more and more people are finding themselves on the social networking site.

This also includes journalists. Twitter allows for instant breaking news stories to circulate around the Internet in the blink of an eye. With the ever popular "Trend List" on the side bar, people can click on a word and get every status that is associated with it. In a sense, journalists can tweet their own stories in hopes of gaining a broader audience. Another good thing about Twitter is the ability to network. By clicking one button, person 'A' can "follow" person 'B' which allows for 'A' to then keep up on everything 'B' tweets. Re-tweeting is also essential in networking on Twitter and vital to helping journalists get their message or story across.

However, there is also a danger in posting on Twitter. Journalists, especially those with a large contingent of followers, usually find themselves re-tweeted helping pass along their message to an even greater number of people on the social networking site. The danger in that is with 140 words or less, those journalists better be sure what they're saying is correct. Perhaps that's the most difficult thing about Twitter, knowing who to trust.

I tend to follow sports writers because I'd like to be updated on current news events. Generally, they are the same people who only tweet about their specialty in regards to whatever sport it is they cover. If journalists wants to use Twitter, they have to be responsible about what they post while trying to build that relationship of trust with their "followers." It's hard to say where to go in terms of trying to reach readers who don't know the difference between a good and a bad tweets. I'd like to think it's a mix of the journalists (for not posting false or wrong information) and the reader (for double-checking if something sounds wrong).

Maybe a checks and balancing system would work? In a way, Twitter would be a good outlet because it does allow for a person to reply to another's tweet, even if they aren't "following" them. At some point, you'd assume that person would check to see what types of responses they are getting and perhaps notice if they'd made a mistake with someone catching it.

With that said, it is difficult to draw the line between breaking-news stories and hearsay/gossip. One notable example was the shocking death of Michael Jackson. While TMZ reported it, many people on Twitter were still confused as to whether it were true or not. They re-tweeted it but also stated their doubt alongside. Twitter is a good medium for voicing opinion and sharing news but at the end of the day, it's up to a journalist to use their best judgment on what to post.

How the TD Banknorth Garden goes from B's to C's

I've seen this video a few times before but I never get sick of it. When you think about it, the time and effort put forth, it's a pretty sweet deal especially for Boston fans. The Boston Globe's Tony Massarotti gives us the run down:

Things to be thankful for...

I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving (or Slapsgiving -- for those who know what that references, bonus points).

So last night while making mashed potatoes and attempting my first Thanksgiving dinner away from home with my friend Lacey, I got to thinking about the things I was grateful for -- including growing up in the greatest sports city there is. Here below are my list of things I am thankful for as a Boston sports fan:

1.The return of Patrice Bergeron.
After suffering a devastating concussion in 2007, many people weren't sure if he would ever be the same again. Drafted as a 18-year-old in the 2nd round (45th overall) of the 2003 NHL draft, Bergeron was an early candidate for the Calder Trophy for the league's top rookie. While he lost out to then-teammate and former Bruins goaltender Andrew Raycroft, it's Bergeron who has gotten the last laugh.

At only 24, the Quebec native keeps continuing to impress but it isn't necessarily the numbers he's putting up, but rather the little things he does so well. It wouldn't surprise me if after Zdeno Chara, Bergeron was named the next captain of the B's. In a sense, #37 reminds me a little bit of the great Hall of Famer and former Detroit Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman. Hopefully Bergeron's career will have the same longevity.

All I have to say about this clip is "CONCUSS THIS!"



2. Tom Brady being ... well, Tom Brady.
I'll admit it, I'm not the biggest football fan. In fact, football isn't even in my top 3 favorite sports. However, being born and raised in Massachusetts, I do have a soft spot in my heart for the New England Patriots.

I was so happy for them in 2001 when they beat the St. Louis Rams, pissed when they lost Super Bowl XLII to the New ork Giants in 2007, and then shocked when Brady when down within the first few minutes of the first game of the 2008 season. The Pats were New England's pride and joy (well until the Red Sox and Celtics came along later in this decade, but that's another story).

While the Patriots currently sit at 7-3 and on top of the AFL East once again, simply seeing Brady throw those touchdowns to Randy Moss and Wes Welker is a marvelous sight. Unlike last year when good health wasn't with New England, I'm thankful to see a very rejuvenated Tom Brady back on the field.

3.Rasheed Wallace in Celtic green.
The best (and maybe worst) thing about Wallace is that he's the type of player who you hate if he's not on your team but love when he is. During the 2008 playoffs when he was still a member of the Detroit Pistons, he lashed out after Game 5 and was fined $25,000 for these comments:

"All that bullshit-ass calls they had out there. With Mike [Callahan] and Kenny [Mauer] -- you've all seen that shit. You saw them calls. The cats are flopping all over the floor and they're calling that shit. That shit ain't basketball out there. It's all fucking entertainment. You all should know that shit. It's all fucking entertainment."

His usage of profanity and 70s talk is simply awesome, ya dig? But even more great is his passion as a basketball player. To be angry after a loss, to voice your displeasure, to let your teammates know you care -- what else could you ask for? So with that said, I'm glad 'Sheed is a Boston Celtic playing with the "Big Three" rather than against them. He may be 35 but he still has plenty of game left. But if -- for whatever reason -- he doesn't prove to be the player the C's hoped he would be, at least he can still provide some type of entertainment:



4. Boston University hockey winning it all.
Ever since I was in the 8th grade, I've been in love with BU hockey. It all started with my school crush on then-goaltender Sean Fields but regardless, seeing the Terriers and getting into the Bruins at the same thing, one thing was abundantly clear: I was in love with the sport of hockey. For whatever reason, it was always ALWAYS BU hockey -- no other collegiate program ever caught my attention the way theirs did.

Fast forwarding to 2009, BU had an amazing year. After watching rival Boston College win the NCAA championship the previous season, it seemed the Terriers were playing with a chip on their shoulder. They had a dynamic team with Hobey Baker Award winner (hockey's version of the Heisman) Matt Gilroy, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2008 NHL draft, Colin Wilson, and freshman sensation goalie Kieran Millan.

All year they had been favored to win it all. However, during the title game, as the top seeded squad they found themselves in a bit of trouble against No. 4 Miami (Ohio). Things were looking grim. It seemed the Terriers were about to be upset. Instead, after scoring two goals in the last minute to tie it up and then scoring in overtime, BU somehow managed to pull it off and win their first NCAA championship since 1995.

This clip may be a little long but I promise you it's very much worth watching all the way through. Easily one of the best hockey games I have ever seen.



5.[In progress:] Theo Epstein, boy genius.
While everyone generally stuffs their face on Thanksgiving, Theo usually does his best work then (cough *Curt Schilling* cough). However, it's asking a lot for him to try to get Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Roy Halladay but who knows? People in Boston believe in Theo and I don't think he'll disappoint.

However, no deal has been set yet. The 32-year-old righty is undoubtedly on the top of a lot of team's list as the No. 1 player to acquire this off-season. So for now, this spot is reserved for Theo if he manages to steal away Halladay from the Blue Jays and the other MLB teams.

(He'll smile once he's in a Boston uniform...)

*Photos from Sports Illustrated, www.MLBdailydish.com and www.photos.upi.com

Hey now, don't dream it's over..

EDIT: As it turns out, Alex Gonzalez has signed a one-year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. There goes one member of the supposed 2010 Red Sox line-up...

The Boston Globe's Chad Finn attempts to predict the starting line-up for the 2010 Boston Red Sox ... in November.

It's actually quite an interesting read especially since Mr. Finn can't seem to let go of the idea that Boston should acquire San Diego Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez (an idea he's held onto for the past three seasons).

Anyway, I'll post his predictions (link here for the entire article). In about three or four months, we can all see how close (or not) he came to actually getting it right.

LINEUP
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF. There certainly is every expectation that he'll be back for his third full season at age 26 . . . but parting with him in a deal for Gonzalez and signing Mike Cameron for a year or two wouldn't be the craziest idea ever floated, would it?

2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B. I suspect his performance last year (.296/.371/.447) will represent his typical season, and given all that he provides, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. It's OK to admit the MVP award was a bit serendipitous.

3. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B. I've explained my feelings on this before, and nothing has changed: It is going to take a bounty of riches to get Gonzalez from the Padres, in part because he is a wonderful, underpaid player in the heart of his prime, and in part because new Padres GM Jed Hoyer probably has as much familiarity with the Red Sox farm system as anyone not named Theo Epstein. But I'll shout it again: He is worth it. Give them Clay Buchholz, Ryan Westmoreland, Casey Kelly, and another SoxProspects.com favorite or two, and do not look back.

4. Kevin Youkilis, 3B. Defensively, he's an excellent first baseman and merely a good third baseman . . . yet with Youk at third, the Gold Glove-winning Gonzalez at first, and Mike Lowell a pleasant memory, the Sox are a much better team offensively and defensively.

5. Victor Martinez, C. Glad to see he got a cursory vote in the AL MVP race, because the only disappointing aspect about his time with the Red Sox thus far is that he hasn't figured out a way to clone himself.

6. David Ortiz, DH. Is it too much to ask from Papi in 2010 for last year's production (28 homers, 99 RBIs) with a 30-point hike in batting average and more consistency? Given his .866 OPS in the second half, I don't think it is.

7. J.D. Drew, RF. I'm a J.D. convert -- do I need to get Theo to cite his OPS again for you non-believers? -- and I like him even better when he saves his surgeries for the offseason.

8. Jeremy Hermida/Xavier Nady, LF. Obviously, I don't think Bay is coming back, though the odds are probably close to 50-50 and I do hope I'm wrong. It just seems to me that he's going to get five years and $80 million somewhere -- from Arte Moreno, perhaps? -- and the Sox are not going to be willing to make that kind of commitment to a 31-year-old player whose value is primarily tied up in his power. Nady, 30, is an interesting sleeper coming off his elbow injury; he had a .919 OPS for the '08 Pirates before being dealt near midseason to the Yankees. His teammate, some guy named Bay, was at .894 before he too was traded.

9. Alex Gonzalez, SS. There are some pretty wild rumors about the options the Sox are considering a short, such as signing off-the-charts defender Adrian Beltre to play there (bad idea) or picking up an Orlando Hudson-type and moving Pedroia back to his original position (worse idea). I refuse to believe they're going to sign Marco Scutaro, who will be 35 and coming off the one above-average year of his career, especially since he's a Type A free agent. Unless they surprise us and decide someone like Orlando Cabrera is worth a one-year stopgap, you have to figure Gonzalez will return at a discounted rate, even if Francona did candidly suggest in a recent interview that he's skeptical of what "Gonzi" can provide offensively.

STARTING ROTATION
LHP Jon Lester. As untouchable as untouchable gets. Next question.

RHP Josh Beckett. I'm very curious as to what the Sox believe he will be into his early 30s -- remember, there was concern about the condition of his shoulder when they traded for him before the 2006 season, and he does have his share of mysterious injuries. If we start hearing about serious discussions concerning a contract extension, that will be an encouraging hint that they think he will continue to pitch at his borderline-ace level.

RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka. The lesson has been learned. Mark him down for 14-18 mostly aesthetically unpleasing wins.

RHP Rich Harden. I'd rather have Ben Sheets, but I suspect he's heading to Texas. The hard-throwing 27-year-old was relatively healthy last season, making 26 starts for the Cubs (though he pitched just 141 innings), and his strikeout rate (10.9 per nine innings) would have led the NL had he pitched enough innings. That's the kind of guy you take a gamble on.

RHP Tim Wakefield. Until the inevitable injury, then someone from the Bowden/Tazawa/Doubront crew gets a shot. Or would you prefer Paul Byrd, the three-quel? Didn't think so.

BULLPEN
RHP Jonathan Papelbon. A 1.85 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP, 38 saves . . . we should all have such a lousy year. Anyway, next winter is when the real trade rumors will begin.

LHP Hideki Okajima. With his 2.72 career ERA and 1.12 WHIP in three seasons, he'd rank high on the list of the most under-appreciated athletes in Boston. Maybe at the top.

RHP Daniel Bard. Obviously the heir to Papelbon, but the 4.74 ERA and .823 OPS-against in the second half suggest he's not quite ready for the closer's throne.

RHP Kiko Calero. A Type B free agent who at age 34 had a sneaky-great season for the Marlins. But this happens only if Manny Delcarmen is dealt -- perhaps to Florida in a package for Cody Ross or Dan Uggla. I tried to come up with another free agent reliever who might appeal to the Sox, but I saw the names Bobby Howry, Chad Fox, Alan Embree, and Brandon Lyon on the list, flashed back to April '03, and two hours later, woke up in a pool of sweat and tears.

RHP Ramon Ramirez: He had his Wasdin moments, giving up seven homers in a bullpen-high 69.2 innings, but with a 2.84 ERA and a 165 adjusted ERA, he was essentially everything the Sox thought they were getting when they swiped him from the Royals for Coco Crisp. His reputation was that he was death on lefties, but he held righthanders to a .623 OPS and one home run in 127 plate appearances.

RHP Takashi Saito. His WHIP the last three seasons: 0.71, 1.19, 1.35. And he'll be 40 in February. On the other hand, he had a 1.08 ERA and a .638 OPS-against in the second half, he wants to be back, and the Sox seem to want him back.

LHP Dustin Richardson. Outstanding strikeout numbers in Double and Triple A last season (97 in 74 innings), but a rarity among lefties in that he lacks decent breaking stuff and his command comes and goes. Have to figure he'll get a crack at a bullpen job unless Lowell is dealt for a lefty. I can't see the Sox signing Mike Gonzalez since he's a Type A.

BENCH
C Jason Varitek. Please, Tito, resist the urge to overplay him. Meaning more than once a week. Twice at the most. No, make it once.

LF Nady/Hermida. Nady has a career .854 OPS against lefties. Hermida has a career .792 OPS against righties. Gary Roenicke had a career .816 OPS against lefties. John Lowenstein had a career .764 OPS against righthanders. Did I mention the MLB Network has been showing the 1979 World Series a lot lately?

SS Jed Lowrie. I know, they want him to play and prove his health at Pawtucket. But Nick Green probably won't be back, the free agent market is pathetic -- I almost talked myself into Bobby "I Think I Broke It" Crosby at this spot -- and if he's healthy, there's probably no more promising option than Lowrie.

INF/OF acquired in a deal for Lowell and/or Delcarmen: Hey, it took me to the 25th man to come up with my first cop-out. That's pretty good for me. There are few free agent options that look like a decent fit -- Nomahhhh!!! No? They apparently have some interest in Rick Ankiel, who is mildly intriguing despite a .672 OPS last season at age 29. And I bet Ryan Kalish has a role with this team -- perhaps a meaningful one -- before the summer breeze is gone. Wouldn't mind a second year of the Rocco Baldelli experience, either.

Halladay a Red Sox?

What's the best way to respond after watching your most hated enemy win the World Series?

Come back stronger the next year. Well, at least that's how it is supposed to work. Reumor has it that Red Sox GM Theo Epstein is heavily in pursuit of acquiring Toronto ace Roy Halladay.

The 32-year-old is a six-time All-Star and 2003 Cy Young winner. He's spend his entire career as a Blue Jay after Toronto drafted him 17th overall in the 1995 MLB draft. In his career he is 148-76 with a 3.43 ERA, 1495 strikeouts, 49 complete games, and 15 shutouts. These are numbers he's put up with mediocre teams behind him while in Toronto.

Having Halladay alongside with Josh Beckett and Jon Lester would be a huge boost in Boston's rotation. However, in taking away the face of a franchise, obviously there's a big price to pay.

According to the NY Daily News:

The Red Sox are "putting on a full-court press" to acquire Roy Halladay, according to a source, and are hoping to add the former Cy Young winner to the top of their rotation to go with Josh Beckett and Jon Lester.

"They would love to get it wrapped up before the winter meetings (beginning Dec. 7)," the source said of the Red Sox, who made a big push to deal for Halladay last summer.

... To land Halladay, Boston would likely have to give up Clay Buchholz, the organization's top young pitcher, as well as Casey Kelly, the pitcher/shortstop who signed with the Red Sox in 2008 after being recruited by Tennessee to play quarterback. Red Sox GM Theo Epstein is said to be smitten with Kelly, which could be a sticking point in talks with Toronto if Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos insists on the 20-year-old being included in a deal.

However, according to Foxsport's Ken Rosenthal, it doesn't look as though the Sox are quite ready to give up on their future in order to win now:

But one rival executive says there is "no way" the Sox will give up both right-hander Clay Buchholz and pitcher/shortstop Casey Kelly in such a deal.

They might not give up either.

Kelly was the stumbling block in the Halladay discussions between the teams last summer, when the Jays' price was higher due to the potential for Halladay to influence two pennant races — and the reluctance of then-Jays G.M. J.P Ricciardi to trade within the division.

Although the Sox have yet to decide upon Kelly's position, they consider him a vital part of their future. Buchholz, meanwhile, projects as part of the Sox's 2010 rotation — and their rotation for the following four years as well.

So I guess the Theo is in a little bit of a rut. Do you gamble on the future in order to win now? Or do you try to invest faith in your players now and assume they can get the job done? It took New York $430 millions in the off-season for three players but they won a World Series. Should the Sox follow a similar path or take the road less traveled?

*Photo from www.bostondirtdogs.com

B's extend winning streak to three!

It seems as though the Boston Bruins are starting to look a little more like their former selves. The B's have strung together their first three-game winning streak of the season. Patrice Bergeron dished four assists, while Milan Lucic, Mark Recchi, Marco Sturm, and Blake Wheeler all scored a goal in the 4-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. The game also marked the return of Marc Savard, who had been out for over a month with a broken left foot.

Highlights of the game below. Also, I highly suggest checking out an impressive save by St. Louis goaltender Steve Mason at the 3:20 mark.

Take Heart Bruins fans...

Boston Globe sports writer Tony Massarotti recently penned quite the article about the Bruins and their chances for a Stanley Cup this season.

Here's the link: http://www.boston.com/sports/columnists/massarotti/2009/11/for_bs_story_has_been_penned.html

All isn't lost so early in the season as the Pittsburgh Penguins proved last year. The Pens had a slow start but obviously, went on to win it all. That's something I've always found interesting. It isn't necessarily how you start but how you finish that could be the bigger key in success. Can the Bruins do it? I still have a lot of hope. Will they? That's another story.

Bruins finally show some signs of former selves..

Well this is the Boston Bruins team I had been expecting to see this season. A 3-0 shutout of defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins is an awesome achievement especially after such a rocky start. Maybe this is the time the B's turn it all around?

Reason why I think the Bruins luck might be changing? Please check at 2:58 of the video:

Anything you can do I can do better? Vincent Equitable Media Questions..

Part 2 of my assignment for class.
___________________________________________

After having taking classes such as "Women, Sport, and Culture" and "Inequality in Sport" and even writing as a sports reporter for The Daily Iowan, I have probably seen and (discussed) the difference in equitable media coverage of male and female athletics way more than I would like to. I've even experienced it with the DI on some occasions.

In John Vincent's study he found that the coverage of female athletics were far less than that of male sports. Surprising? Not really. This is because of socially constructed sex stereotypes that many people have in their minds. Stereotypes of how men and women should be. Men should be athletes. They should show aggressiveness and competitiveness while women should sit at home and be graceful and look nice (not something I believe in). For many years, that's what people believed (maybe still do) and that's what been reinforced by society.

In his piece, one fact that stood out to me was that he cited that only 10 percentage of print coverage is dedicated to female athletics while male sport seem to get all the glory. As he states:

"Research has indicated that female athletes competing in the traditionally 'gender-appropriate' individual sports such as swimming, diving, gymnastics, and tennis, which represent a narrow, culturally stereotyped view of female athleticism, receive more electronic and print media coverage."

Ironically, I have covered all three of those sports in my time as a reporter for the DI. Sometimes it's frustrated when the front page is dominated by Iowa football, men's basketball, or wrestling. However, ever now and then a female sports story will take the front page.

He uses examples of how Anna Kournikova and Danica Patrick, good athletes but not necessarily the best, and often they get media coverage. It's generally because they can balance their athleticism with sexuality. Vincent makes a point to discuss how weak media coverage is of women's athletics despite the increasing trend of more female getting into sports. Because of social construction, women are taught to be graceful and fill a heterosexual familiar role which is often challenge by the notion of sport.

As much as I'd love to believe that one day, things can become equal, I am still skeptical. Even with my time at the DI (almost two years), I've only covered women's sports. I really hope that's more of a coincidence rather than intentional. Vincent did make a brief mention of lack of women in sports journalism and I know with the DI, out of almost 16 people, only 3 are female (or even take a look at the breakdown of students in Sports Reporting and Writing). It sometimes confuses me to see how men react to knowing a girl can know a lot about sports.

I think media outlets are often under pressure to have to do what their audience wants (or what they think they want) and there's just such a big difference in demand for women's sport as opposed to men's. Who wouldn't want to big up a newspaper with a big front page story of how the Boston Celtics won the NBA champion as opposed to a front page with the WNBA champion, Detroit Shock. Basically, I think if people want more equitable coverage, they have to do a lot of work in destroying pre-conceived socially constructed notions about how sex and gender work. Is it accepted for women? Absolutely not. But will in change? Only time will tell.

West High girls' basketball attempt to bounce back

An assignment for my Sports Reporting and Writing class. A season preview for the IC West High School girls' varsity basketball team.
____________________________________________

Most basketball head coaches couldn't even imagine the thought of losing their best player — especially one that leads the team in points, rebounds, and steals.

But for B.J. Mayer that's exactly what happened. However instead of uncertainty, he sensed opportunity.

Mayer, the head coach of the West High School girls' varsity basketball team, believes that despite graduating five seniors — including all-state selection Emma Krieger Kittle — his squad can still compete with other top teams in the Mississippi Valley league.

His roster this season has decreased not only in size but experience as well. However, Mayer believes that speed and quickness can still be used an advantage on the court.

"We want to just be able to try to wear teams down," he said. "We feel with our ten kids we're going to be able to run kids in and out and not lose a lot of depth and intensity."

Last year, the Women of Troy made a run at the state championship but were eliminated by Ankeny to finish the season 16-6.

Krieger Kittle and Madison Sadecky were the team's two top scorers, averaging 15.3 ppg and 10.4 ppg to lead the way for West High. With their departure, Mayer hopes to implement a different game plan. He wants to rely more on the three-point shot.

Senior Kristin Fomon looks to pave the way as she shot 26.8 percent from behind the arc last season, second on the team behind Sadecky who shot 38.9 percent.

Defensively, sophomore Tatum Klein looks to see some action. Mayer named her as the team's "best defender." Klein was the only underclassmen listed on the varsity roster last year.

Mayer hopes that as the season progresses and players become more comfortable, they'll be right where they need to be in order to make another playoff run.

"Obviously we want to continue to get better," he said. "I think that's going to be the biggest challenge for us, by playing as many young kids as we're going to be playing who did not get a lot of experience in the past couple of years.

"It's just going to have to keep taking steps forward and hopefully by the end of the year, be plying as good as we can in the end."

West High kicks off their season by traveling to Fairfield for a non-conference season opener on Nov. 24.

A picture's worth a 1,000 words..

After taking a peak at my classmate Derek's blog, I thought I'd also post my project from my "Publication Design" class.

Our assignment was to design a poster that show our passion. I think it's fair to say that Boston sports are my passion so I figured I'd try to do something with that. Originally, my idea was crap. Four bland photos with a gray transparent background of the city of Boston. But that's what happens when you're quite inexperienced with Abobe PhotoShop and InDesign and not really very creative. However, thankfully for my friend Ryan (whose blog can be found here) and his experience with those programs ... well, he sort of saved me.

As you can see below, there is an image of the Boston Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics, and Bruins. With the exception of the B's, each photo is showing a championship moment. Also, yes I know the quote is incredibly cheesy but I figured if Kevin Garnett can scream out "anything is possible" before breaking down and crying after a post-game interview, I can throw it onto my poster.

Three Cheers for Five Years...

October 27, 2004 might as well be a National holiday in Red Sox Nation.

Five years ago, I experienced the single greatest moment as a sports fan -- I watched the Boston Red Sox FINALLY win the World Series.

As a 16-year-old, I knew that I was going to remember that postseason for the rest of my life. For those few weeks, the Red Sox were the only thing anyone thought about at school or around town. Coming back after being down 0-3 to the New York Yankees was so incredible but then to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals in four games? Un-friggin-believable.

Watching them end an 86-year "curse" was one of the most remarkable things I've ever experienced. Their joy was my joy. It connected so many people -- young and old, near and far, etc. Sometimes, I wish I could go back in time and re-live those few weeks in October because to be completely honest, I'm not sure anything could ever top that sports moment in my life.

With that said, the Boston Globe has actually put up a wonderful photo slideshow entitled: "Remembering the 2004 World Series."

I'm pretty sure proud members of Red Sox Nation are loving it as much as I am.

*Photo from The Boston Globe

Bitch Please: The Tweet Life...

When I go on Twitter, it's mostly for shameless self-promotion.

Sometimes, it's even to spy on my younger sisters. Occasionally, I'm curious to see what sports columnist Bill Simmons has to say. Or even my current UI professor Dave Schwartz. Rarely do I find myself following celebrities or athletes.

On the other end, when professional athletes go on Twitter -- well, it's also for shameless self-promotion.

But here's the difference. When they tweet, it only seems to bring bad things. It leads to idiotic posts causing to suspensions or humiliation. Tweets that can be taken down, but not entirely removed from the minds of many followers who have likely taken a screen shot of such foolish rants.

Don't get me wrong, as a journalist, I appreciate freedom of speech. But with some athletes nowadays, they need to learn to either smarter up or just stay away from twitter in general.

In 140 words or less, athletes find themselves being able to express their opinion before, during, or after a game, just as long as they have their blackberry in hand. It could be at halftime or between innings. If a player really wanted, all they would need to do is being able to find their phone and bam, put up a new tweet in seconds for all their followers to see.

But is that really the best thing for sports?

Back in April, San Francisco giants closer Brian Wilson found himself embroiled in a little controversy after tweeting while on a road trip in Arizona. After implying he was out at a club, he tweeted:

"Scottsdale is fun. The over aggressive males are not. Does every dude think they can fight? They sure have some confident mouths out here!"

Awesome, right? Except well, the very next night, Wilson blew the save with a 4-1 lead and took the loss as the Giants lost 5-4.

Let me make clear, there isn’t any wrong with having a twitter but if you're going to be staying out late partying and dealing with some "over aggressive males" perhaps its best not to tweet at that very moment? If that were Red Sox pitcher Jonathan Papelbon, I'd be pretty livid. I can't speak for all Giants fans, but I bet their reaction was on a similar level.

Interestingly enough, Wilson had a simple solution. He first claimed his tweets were "made up stories to reflect his humor" before proceeding to actually delete his twitter account. Perhaps more athletes should follow suit?

More recently, Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson has come under fire for criticizing his own head coach through none other than (surprise!) twitter. According to ESPN:

"The tweets were posted to the "Toonicon" account, an online alias the Star reported Johnson has said is his. The account includes a link to Johnson's personal Web site. Chiefs spokesman Bob Moore said the team could not verify that is Johnson's account.

The Twitter remarks were posted after San Diego routed the Chiefs (1-6).

One tweet read: "My father got more creditentials than most of these pro coaches." That was followed by: "My father played for the coach from "rememeber the titans". Our coach played golf. My father played for redskins briefley. Our coach. Nuthn."

Johnson's lack of thought doesn't surprise me. In fact, it really shouldn't surprise anyone. But then again, does anyone really care what he has to say? Going 1-6 to start a season in undoubtedly frustrating, but to rip on first-year head coach Todd Haley seems not only inappropriate but also unfair.

While Twitter is a social networking medium, athletes should be careful of what they tweet. Much like Facebook and every possible warning to my generation about putting up photos, I heed the same advice to athletes and their choice of 140 words or less.

Can Twitter be used for self-promotion? Absolutely. The problem is for athletes to learn how not to make fools of themselves such as Wilson and Johnson. It's great for fan interaction but to post personal details or vent your own frustration with a team that's paying you millions upon million of dollars to play a game? That's not right on any level. If you're going to suddenly join in on the Twitter-craze than do so. But be responsible about what you post and responsible enough to handle the criticism you'll get if you're not.

*Photo from www.walkoffwalk.com

This One's For the Girls...

This bit of news was passed along to me by a friend back in Massachusetts.

All I can say is, who says hockey players don't have style? The Improper Bostonian, a bi-weekly publication chose five Boston Bruins hockey players to turn into models for a day. Boy, these guys did NOT disappoint. Here are the photos from the shoot:

Left Winger Marco Strum

Defenseman Dennis Wideman

Center Patrice Bergeron

Center Marc Savard

Defenseman Matt Hunwick

*Photos from The Improper Bostonian

Compulsive gambling + Boston Bruins = Win?

With the trend of Red Sox, Patriots, and Celtics scratch tickets popping up around Massachusetts and other New England regions the last few years, it was only a matter of time before the Bruins got their own. Well, ta-da Massachusettes state lottery announced its newest addition today with the B's and their own scratch and win.

To be honest, I don't particularly like gambling. But only because I've seen how it can ruin people first hand. I also think more or less, it's a great waste of money. However, with all that said ... this is awfully tempting. As a borderline broke college student who will have accumulated quite the debt in my last three years going to an out-of-state school such as Iowa, this can't necessarily be the best thing.

But hey, one of the prizes includes season tickets for a decade. Well jeez, how can I pass an opportunity like that?

*Photo from www.hubhockey.com

The most talked about goal in hockey ... this year?

Nine-year-old Oliver Wahlstrom has become an internet sensation.

The Cumberland, Maine native scored an impressive goal in one-on-one competition. The contest was taped and to be played during the New Jersey Devils/Boston Bruins intermission. The video has already amassed 116,000 views on youtube with news of his impressive goal spreading all the way to Vancouver, Canada. In fact, Oliver and his father (a former hockey player) were even invited to be interviewed on SportsCenter today.

Watching him score this goal, it's hard to imagine this young kid growing up to be anything other than a future NHLer.

What could have been with Phil Kessel?

This was my commentary written for my sports writing class earlier today. Since it's not being handed in for a graded assignment, I think it's fair game to post this on my blog:

I can’t get over it. At least not yet.

Much like the fallout in any type of relationship that I have invested myself in, I just cannot get over it. Maybe I sound like the psychotic ex-girlfriend who can’t seem to let go of something that’s no longer in my control, but regardless ... Phil Kessel, you broke my heart.

A month ago, Kessel from traded from my beloved Boston Bruins to division rival, the Toronto Maple Leafs. Quite simply, it sucked. I hated to see him go. He was young (No. 5 overall pick in 2006), he was good (36 goals, 24 assists last season), and he was a part of a Bruins squad that had shown more promise and heart than I’ve ever seen.

For the first time in a decade, Boston had won a playoff series (sweeping hated rivals Montreal in four) but more importantly, people in Beantown were starting to care again.

The potential for something great was there.

But as soon as the Bruins were shown an exit from the postseason with a heartbreakingly devastating Game 7 overtime loss at home, I knew at that moment, something had to give. After all, doesn’t something always have to give when a season ends?

I don’t blame Boston GM Peter Chiarelli. He had a job to do. To be honest, I find myself blaming the only person I can: Kessel.

Perhaps my bitter feelings are the getting the best of me, but I guess I’ll never fully understand why he chose to leave Boston. He had everything going for him. He could have returned to a team that was on the rise. He could have returned to help win a championship. He could have shown loyalty. But instead, he chose money. Isn’t that always the way of the business?

Chiarelli had a lot to deal with during the off-season including dealing with other young budding stars in 23-year-old center David Krejci and 24-year-old defenseman Matt Hunwick while also attempting to re-sign Vezina (Best Goalie) winning goaltender Tim Thomas.

Thomas was re-signed to a four-year, $20 million deal while Hunwick got a two-year, $2.9 million extension. Securing Krejci with a 3-year, $11.25 million dollar contract the Czech native scored 22 goals and dished 51 assists to finish second in points on the team, Kessel seemed the lone man out.

In hindsight, I wonder if re-signing Krejci first had any effect to how Kessel viewed his contract negotiations. Perhaps the Wisconsin native believed by holding out, he could get a better offer for more money. Instead, he got traded.

Could the Bruins use those two first-round draft picks and a second rounder to their advantage? Absolutely. Could letting Kessel go possibly come back to bite the B's in the ass? Absolutely. Letting him sign a 5-year, $27 million contract is a risky move by Toronto but they heavily believe he is the future. The same way Boston once believed it too.

Maybe in my fairytale world, athletes who get drafted by an organization actually show some devotion for the team that helped get them started. Maybe athletes wouldn’t be driven by money? Maybe athletes wouldn’t ever leave until they wanted to retire? Hell, maybe the Bruins would find a way to finally win the damn Stanley Cup?

Ah, if only fairytales existed.

Two weeks into the NHL season and neither the Bruins or Maple Leafs are having very much success. Boston went 2-3-0 in their five-game homestand while Toronto is an even more unimpressive 0-5-1 to start the season. In fairness to the Bruins, their big problem seems to be defense rather than offense. After having one of the stingiest defenses last season, the B's have done a complete turn around. The team's GAA (goals against average) ranks them 27th in the league while Thomas is 1-2-0 with a 4.01 GAA and .868 save percentage. Very un-Vezina like numbers.

But maybe I need to give it a rest. I'm going to try to give the B's the benefit of the doubt and assume they'll get better as the season goes on. Do they need Kessel? It doesn't appear so. Would it have been nice to have him around? Probably. Will this stop me from wondering what could have been if he had stayed? Not likely.

That won't happen until I learn to just get over it.

*Photo from www.boston.com and www.hockeyheadblog.com

Red Sox can't stop Angels rally; Get swept 3-0 in series

I don't know whether to be mad or laugh it off.

It had to be poetic justice for an Anaheim Angels organization to finally sweep past the Boston Red Sox in the playoffs. After falling for short so many times, giving up so many late-inning homeruns, Anaheim finally got the last laugh. Rightfully so. There was no way Boston deserved to win that series with the way they had played the entire last two weeks of the season as well as postseason. Unless something drastic happened, unless a spark was ignited ... it wasn't happening. A comeback seemed nearly impossible, much less winning three straight against the better team. While next year might yield better results, I can't deny the fact that I feel a bit disappointed. I love the Red Sox and I love seeing them succeed but they were not the better team. They were outhit, outpitched, and outplayed in every facet. I guess the only question I really have is: where was the heart?

*Photo from www.bostondirtdogs.com

Halos fly high as they rock Red Sox in ALDS Game 1

Watching David Ortiz strike out to end Game 1 of the ALCS against the Anaheim Angels tonight was somewhat ... fitting.

In a mistake filled, lackluster 5-0 losing effort the Boston Red Sox looked lost. It's how I can best describe what I saw. I hate to admit this, but even I have some reservation about this year's squad and how deep of a playoff run they will actually make. When Boston's No. 1 pitcher, Jon Lester can't even stop the offense of the Angels, I begin to wonder. With the untimely tragic death of Nick Adenhart early in the season, the Halos carry a heavy heart into the postseason. To be honest, if they were to go on to defeated my beloved BoSox, I wouldn't mind see them go all the way and win the World Series (anyone is better than New York).

On the bright side, having Josh Beckett and Clay Buchholz as the No. 2 and 3 starting pitchers in the series is a great sign. I don't think Boston could have asked to have two better guys to step up then them. While Beckett's had a shaky season, at the end of the day ... he's still Josh freakin' Beckett. Mr. Postseason. He can pull out great performances in October like no body's business. And Buchholz has proven he's the real deal. Granted, the guy did throw a no-hitter in second career MLB start, but he's been solid enough to get picked over Daisuke Matsuzaka as the third starter.

Can Boston pull out ANOTHER postseason series victory against Anaheim? That remains to be seen. I'd love to see this series go the full five games and allow Jon Lester to get some redemption for tonight's disappointing loss. But in order for that to happen, Beckett and Buchholz will have to do their part first.

"The Rabbit Hunter" critique

Oh Coach Knight, how you've provided us with so many memories.

Back in 1981, Knight gave sports writer Frank Deford a rare glimpse into his world by allowing him to conduct an intimate interview that would result in an article entitled The Rabbit Hunter (appearing in Sports Illustrated that winter).

While the piece made it onto The Best American Sports Writing of the Century, my fellow Sports Reporting and Writing classmates and I came to a similar conclusion while discussing the reading: it really wasn't THAT good. I mean, it wasn't written horribly or anything but something was missing. Then again, we're just young, dumb, naive twenty-somethings, what do we know?

With that said, if I could re-write or re-edit Mr. Deford's story, here are a few things I'd change:

1. Take out creepy quote at the beginning. At the start of the article, separate from the actual lede and opening paragraph and hidden on top of the page alone is this quote:

Success is feminine and like a woman; if you cringe before her, she will override you. So the way to treat her is to show her the back of your hand. Then maybe she will do the crawling. -- William Faulkner

After the initial "what the f***" reaction, the normal thing would be to assume it'd all get tied in at the end. Well, I'm going spoil it for you: it doesn't. This quote doesn't have anything to do with the reading and if anything seemingly takes away from where the reader might believe the story is headed.

It's almost as though the quote is a type of false advertisement and really, there's nothing people dislike more than that. Case in point: Tonight my friend Michele bought a case of beer thinking she'd get a free t-shirt because that is what the sign said. But she didn't because apparently the deal was supposed to mention that she had to buy four cases or something ridiculous for her shirt (which was not clearly stated on the sign). Luckily, through enough complaining she was a happy camper when they just gave her a free "We Have Stones" XL (only size left) shirt.

Moral of the story: Don't put something in your writing that doesn't have anything to do what we're you're trying to say. It'll only confuse your reader and might even leave them angry enough demanding to know why you wasted their time.

2. Where is the creativity? I'm probably the last person that should ever call out someone else creativity because I have my own difficulty in expressing that sometimes. But one thing that irked me a little bit about Deford's piece was how he broke up sections. It's not the fact he broke it up because for how long his article was, breaking it up was definitely the way to go.

He broke up his sections by titling them "Rabbits," "Coaches," "Older People," and "Women." Sounds more like the answer to some Apples to Apples trivia question. Those subheads don't offer anything to a reader. Perhaps by giving those titles a little deeper thought, he could have come up with something such as "Women are just an obstacle that must be overcome..." which is a quote from one of Knight's players used in the section title "women." I think it would have allowed his readers to have more interest in what was to come.

Bottom line: Variety is the spice of life. REALLY!

3. Wait, what happened? The order of segments in the story is a little screwy to me. Going from "Rabbits" to "Coaches" to "Older People" to "Women." Once again, women at the end ... quote about domestic abuse at the beginning ... uhh, is he trying to tell us something? If up to me, I would have went the order of "Rabbits," "Older People," "Women," "Coaches," blah blah blah. I'd rather see the people who shape Bob Knight the person before learning about Bob Knight the controversial coach. After all, wasn't the point of this piece to get a greater understanding of who he is?

Point: Domestic abuse isn't cool. EVER. Oh and if you're going to write a longer piece, think carefully about how you decide to order your sections. It matters.

However, all of this is merely my own opinion for my class. If for whatever reason, Mr. Deford were to ever come across this blog, I'd want him to know I didn't entirely trash his piece. In fact, I very much appreciated the input about Knight's one dimple. As a one-dimpler myself (on my right cheek, folks), it's good to see dimples get some recognition. It's about damn time.

Thanks Mr. Deford!

*Photo from Sports Illustrated and www.NPR.org

Back in Black

OH HOCKEY, how I have missed you.

Tonight I finally caught my first Boston Bruins game of the season. Sadly, I was unable to watch the season-opener on Versus against the (very talented) Washington Capitals on Thursday night. However, from what friends have told me, it's better I didn't see it.

Coming out to their alternate third jerseys (the black ones debuted last season), Boston played every bit like the team that stood atop the Eastern Conference last season. They were scrappy and hard-working, which showed on the scoreboard. Seven different players scored for the B's in the 7-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in the TD Banknorth Garden. Maybe something boiled inside them as they realized they were facing the same team that eliminated them last season in Game 7 of overtime or maybe they just realized falling into a 0-2 hole to start the season is never fun. Either way, whatever it was, I hope they keep it up for the future.

Here is some postgame reaction from Inside Hockey:

Please Take Me Anywhere But Here..

The New York Yankees clinched their postseason berth today at Yankee Stadium after competing a weekend sweep of the Boston Red Sox.

So while both teams have essentially wrapped up their places in the playoffs (the Red Sox's magic number is 3), the Yankees officially won the AL East for the first time since 2006.

For some reason, that fact surprises me. For all the money George Steinbrenner has spent into building his team, I can't believe the Yanks didn't finish on top of the division more often the last few years. That's not even a cheap shot at the man, he loves his team and wants them to win.. I can respect that.

Unfortunately, a mix of school and Iowa football among other things have left me ample time to actually pay attention to this weekend's series. But as a Red Sox fan, I still hate the Yankees. I hate seeing them celebrate and I hate even more that it came at the hands of my beloved BoSox getting swept. The Red Sox were beaten and battered this weekend and what do they have to show for it?

While the Yankees celebrated, the Red Sox shrugged. Players in every corner of the visiting clubhouse uniformly shared a three-point mantra: The Yankees won. Good for them. Wait for the playoffs.

"I think they have the best team in the American League East," closer Jonathan Papelbon said. "Sure. Facts are facts. I think there's a little sense of pride in trying to win the division every year. But realistically, the point is getting in and getting hot."

"As of right now, obviously they're the better team," leftfielder Jason Bay said. "Once the postseason starts, everything else is kind of thrown out the window."

Didn’t it sting just a little watching the Yankees celebrate?

"I don't care," Kevin Youkilis said. "I want to get into the playoffs. Once we get there, it's a whole other game." -- The Boston Globe

Uhhh, okay. What the hell is that? Does this team even WANT to make the playoffs? Perhaps winning two World Series championships in a six year span may be tiring but I just can't comprehend how a team could seem to care less that their biggest rivals just clinched the division title (at their expense no less).

I don't know about anyone else but I'm having some serious concerns with how the Red Sox are going to fare this postseason. I'm almost positive the road to the World Series will go through Yankees and I'm not sure Boston can handle that. Optimistic? Not quite. Honest? You betchya. I guess lately I've been getting the vibe the Sox don't even believe in themselves. After starting the season 8-0 against the Yankees, things evened up fast as both teams split the 18-game series, 9-9 by winning nine of the last 11.

Who knows, maybe if/when they finally clinch the AL wild card, they'll show some passion they've been seriously missing the last couple of months.

Photo from www.bostondirtdogs.com

Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want...

It took a little while for the news to sink in: Phil Kessel, the newest member of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Bruins unloaded their former first round pick to their division rivals for two first-round picks and a second rounder. Toronto ended up signing the 21-year-old winger to a 5-year, $27 million contract -- definitely not the price range the B's were looking at.


Scoping out The Boston Globe, ESPN, and TSN.ca I've seen a lot of different perspectives and opinions on the deal. Some are saying the B's got the shorter end of the stick because they didn't get an actual player in return for their leading goal-scorer while others believe given the situation, Boston did all it could and didn't come out so badly.

Before I get to my opinion on this whole thing, let me say that sometimes I wonder if I'm the right person to discuss trade talks with.

I tend to get more attached to players than most other normally sane sports fans. I don't handle change very well and I hate seeing players leave Boston -- even if it isn't on a good note. With that said, I have mixed feelings. Any time your favorite team trades a player who's only 21, who shows so much potential, who could be the answer to your championship prayers -- it's hard to accept. Especially when you only get draft picks in return. It's a very "Really? THAT'S ALL? Well, what the hell?" type of moment.

On the other hand, Kessel didn't want to be a Bruin. Well, at least not enough to take a pay cut. When an athlete believes their worth is higher than what a team is willing to pay, something's bound to give. And it did. I guess the only thing left to hope for is that Kessel doesn't turn out to be some franchise player who goes on to light up Boston for future years to come. To be honest, there's no way of knowing. He may have scored 36 goals last season (66 in his career) but is he still the same player without Marc Savard (who had 63 assists last season) on his line?

The worst thing about this trade is hearing it compared to departure of former No. 1 overall pick, Joe Thornton.

He was supposed to be answer for the Bruins, the one player who was supposed to spend his entire career in black and gold, the one who would help bring back Lord Stanley's Cup. Five years ago, when he was traded -- it was stunning but I can't say that it was all that surprising. No matter how good a player is, sometimes he just isn't the right guy. Thornton wasn't and I have a feeling Kessel isn't either.

So while Thornton has gone on to have a pretty success career with the San Jose Sharks (who still have also not won a Cup, might I add), the B's steadily began to rebuild their team. But the future arrived a lot quicker than most people thought it would. In five years, the B's went from a team that missed the playoffs for two season to sneaking into the playoffs as a No. 8 seed to finishing on top of the Eastern Conference last season.

I guess what I'm trying to get at is that the world didn't end with Thornton leaving and it won't end with Kessel either. If neither player was happy in Boston, if they didn't fit into the bigger plan, then so be it. The Bruins have already proven they can survive giving up a "franchise player" in hopes of rebuilding for the future. But the best part often seems to be, the future almost always arrives much sooner than expected.

*Photo from The Boston Globe and The Calgary Herald

Breaking News: Kessel to Toronto

Well, TSN's Darren Dreger is reporting that the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins have reached an agreement that will send the 21-year-old Phil Kessel up north to become a Maple Leaf.

Read the full story here.

Once more details come out about the trade, I'll be sure to post my analysis of what went down and how things are looking for the B's.

G-l-a-m-o-u-r-o-u-s

As if I didn't need anymore reason to get excited for the start of the hockey season, the Boston Bruins debuted their Winter Classic jerseys this week.


As (my future husband) B's center Patrice Bergeron models, much like in other Winter Classics of the past, the look of the jersey is more vintage. I actually happen to like this look. I think the gold is a good look however I probably would have preferred the dominant color of the jersey to be black. One of the more popular looks for the B's is their new third jersey. It would have been cool to see something like that mixed in with a vintage flare. However, by going back with the yellowish gold it refers to the Bruins early history as the jersey is reminiscient of that time period... SUCCESS.

Either way, I'm sure the Bruins will look great at Fenway Park during the Winter Classic whether they are back in black or gutting it out in gold.

*Photo from www.myfoxboston.com

I'm Shipping Up To Boston..

Well, it has finally happened. Boston has gotten it's own official ESPN page.

Of course, going to school in the Midwest I've already had one friend say, "Oh I thought ESPN.com was ESPN Boston, HA." Thanks buddy. But alas, no. As much as people would like to argue that ESPN shows consider favoritism to East Coast sports (something I don't really believe), it's probably about time ESPN created a site for Boston sports fanatics. It's not like there would be a shortages of readers or anything of that sort.

What intrigues me is just the whole creation of the website. As my sports instructor, Dave Schwartz explained, the creation of ESPNChicago a few months ago came from the declining newspaper market in Chi-town, something I didn't realize (then again, I generally tend to pay very little attention to anything involving Chicago). Apparently both the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune had filed for bankruptcy and ESPN saw a market to go after. It actually made perfect sense.

However as fast as Boston sports go, I've generally been a Boston Globe (which I think is the more superior of Beantown papers) type of gal. I still have a copy of the front page of The Globe when Boston won the World Series in 2004. It's yellowing and covered in dust, but I can't help but smile and feel good inside whenever I see it. When looking for the latest news on something specifically involving one of my favorite teams back home, I generally go to their website. However, with the new development of ESPNBoston... I'm not even sure I can resist the temptation to not refresh its homepage every 30 seconds.

As an aspiring print journalist, I can't help but feel a little guilty. With people wondering what the future of newspapers hold, I'm starting to believe wherever it goes -- convergence (especially the online aspect) needs to be a part of it. I know the Globe had been having some financial difficulties and was even rumored to close down, but I really couldn't imagine not having it around as a paper anymore.

For me, The Globe kind of reminds me of an ex-boyfriend I've managed to stay friends with (which is a rarity). They've both been there through the good times and bad and even when things are slow, continue to provide some type of informative entertainment.

I understand the reasoning behind starting ESPNBoston and in all honesty, I like it. I do. There's something awfully nice about being to go to a website and read all about your favorite sports teams in a nice little ESPN-esque format. But I just can't get over wondering how The Boston Globe and even The Boston Herald are going to fair after this. I hope for the best -- in fact, one day I'd love to be a sports writer for The Boston Globe -- but with this new competition, will they still be able to survive?

*Photo from www.Boston.com