Initial Aftermath of SummerSlam

Before I start my rant about SummerSlam 2011, I have to say that I didn't watch the PPV because I just wasn't able to order it.  With that said, from what I read about the PPV, I kinda wasn't happy with the end results.  Not because they were against my predictions, but the way things played out, it seems like a giant clusterfuck and it seems like WWE is definitely moving backwards.

WWE: This Is Getting Interesting

I am fairly certain I said something similar to just what happened last night on Raw.

"However, if a new champion is crowned, CM Punk is still going to lay claim to the championship. He never vacated the title and technically Vince was relieved of his duties before Raw when on air, if you want to follow the storyline. So, if Hunter comes out and says that everything Vince said last week is false, the Punk is still the WWE champion. This could get interesting very quickly."

WWE and the CM Punk Storyline

Look at the last few posts on my blog.  They are all related to CM Punk and his promo somehow.  The reason? Because the promo he shot was the best thing to happen to WWE for a while now.  They brought us back into the company and wanted to find out what was going to happen with his contract and after he left.  Hell, it was the one reason I actually ordered the PPV last week and I never order them anymore.  Not with the internet giving me the same results for free.

WWE Money in the Bank Predictions

I have been a wrestling fan for a long time. Back in the day before digital cable and the onslaught of comcast and verizon, there were such things as black boxes. They were cable scramblers that allowed one to get free cable back in a day where it was possible. Nowadays, Comcast and Verizon make it near impossible for you to do this anymore, so you actually have to purchase a PPV if you want to watch it.

CM Punk: The "Holy Shit He Just Said That?!" Promo

I just finished watching Monday Night Raw from this week.  I get home at 10 on Mondays when I work, so I start watching it late.  With other interruptions, we never finish til about 1am.  But holy shit, did they end in one of the best ways I've seen in a long time.

Boston Bruins!

Boston Bruins.  2010-2011 Stanley Cup Champions!

Super Bowl? Check (2001, 2002, and 2004)

World Series? Check (2004 & 2007)

NBA Title? Check (2008)
Stanley Cup? FINALLY A CHECK (2011)

Now imagine this.  Josh Beckett threw a one-hitter tonight.  Do you think anyone would have remembered him throwing a no-hitter after the Bruins won?  Was anyone even watching the Sox tonight?

That is all.  GO BRUINS!

Hockey Talk

I am not the biggest hockey fan ever.  In my rank of priorities of sports I watch, my list goes:

1. Baseball
2. Football
3. Hockey
4. Fuck Basketball

Bruins and WWE

Only took me one night to come back and blog! But, I am just so excited after the Bruins absolute beatdown of the Canucks that I had to come and say something.

Boston Bruins vs. Vancouver Canucks

It is well documented that I am a sports fan. It is even more well documented that I am a huge Boston sports fan. So, you can imagine the excitement when Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals ended at around 11pm.

The Boston Bruins entered the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1992. After the last couple of years of heartache, Boston finally made it in. Now, for the first time since 1990, they are going to play for a Stanley Cup.

Last challenge? The Vancouver Canucks. The Bruins have been pretty much been put down the entire playoffs. They have been written off as the weaker team, the crappiest power play, mainly a defensive team. Yet, here we are, watching the Black and Gold going into the Stanley Cup.

All the experts are stating that Vancouver is a better team. They have a strong power play which they took advantage of against the Sharks. The experts are now going to say that Vancouver is going to do the same against the Bruins. But, Boston fans always have that one thing that makes it worth watching: Hope.

We all believe that our team will win. That's what got Red Sox fans through 86 years of pain. Bruins have only almost 40 years of pain to deal with, but it is still pain. Every other Boston team has won a championship since the Bruins won a cup, now it is their chance to finally bring home a championship to Boston. Just four more games and the Boston Bruins have a championship.

Can't wait for the series to begin. Hopefully Boston sees another championship this year.

WWE Over the Limit 2011 Aftermath & Comment on Raw

So, I mentioned that last night I wanted to write this post before I saw Raw. Well, I wasn't able to/forgot to, so now I will post it now. I am also going to comment on Raw itself, because I found it very interesting. Here goes.

Aftermath to Follow

It is now 3am in the morning and I haven't written up an aftermath about the PPV that happened last night. I just had to come on here and write this first:

I was 5 1/2 for 6 on the matches I knew about going into watching Smackdown tonight. But, I wouldn't really count the Divas match. That division is so fucked up it's not even funny.

I predicted pretty much the entire night down to a T. The only thing I got wrong? Ezekial Jackson won his match, but by DQ, thus not giving him the title. That was the only thing. I, of course, couldn't guess that Bret Hart would come out during the Lawler/Cole match, but I think that was a definite surprise for the crowd in Seattle.

Cena and Orton remain on top. Shocking.

But, I am off to bed for now. I will write more hopefully before Raw tomorrow night so I can write it unbias and without any knowledge of what did happen.

Night all.

WWE Over the Limit 2011 Predictions

World Heavyweight Championship Match: Randy Orton (c) vs. Christian

I have not yet made my opinion clear about how much it annoyed me that the WWE writers gave the title to Christian just because it would be a feel good moment with Edge. Then, 2 days (or as the on screen time stated 5 days) later take it off him in favor of Randy Orton. I did mention in my last prediction that Christian would be an in between champion for Alberto Del Rio. I also now noticed that I said that TWICE after knowing the Del Rio was going to Raw. So, I am a complete idiot. But, i still think that Christian would have dropped the title at the next PPV to someone. I didn't think they would do it so soon and give it to (shocking) recently acquired Randy Orton.

With that being said, I wish that the WWE writers believed in Christian more than they do. I mean, there is a rumor that most of the backstage people think that Christian would not be a good champion. Hold that thought. *Runs to Wikipedia* Look, he held the NWA Heavyweight Title for almost a year combined over two reigns. So, yea, he totally can't hold a title in an organization that is currently thriving. I think the WWE writers need to watch the other organization some more when they say that Christian can't hold a title.

I don't think they will give Christian will get the title back at the next PPV, even though that he should get the title back and hold it, since he is very popular in the WWE. Oh well. I hope that I am wrong and they give Christian another shot.

Winner: Randy Orton

"I Quit" Match for the WWE Championship: John Cena (c) vs. The Miz

Best tweet I read the night that Randy Orton won the title: "Oh shocking. Cena and Orton are on top of the WWE once again" I might have paraphrased that a little bit, but that was pretty much the gist of the tweet. I wasn't shocked that someone finally said the obvious. But I am rather shocked that it is actually the truth. I also read somewhere that the WWE is not suspending the disbelief that the mid-card superstars have a shot at beating the main event superstars. That the main event superstars are all the same and every once in a while you get a random mid-carder propelled into the main event status to break the status quo (aka The Miz).

With that ALL being said. John Cena will retain the title for now. I still think he will drop it probably around Summerslam, probably to Alberto Del Rio, and win it back in time to defend it against The Rock at Wrestlemania. Now, what happens in that match I still haven't figured out. Once I see that feud open up again in December, I'll let you know.

Winner: John Cena

Intercontinental Championship: Wade Barrett (c) vs. Ezekiel Jackson

I find it random that after all the in-fighting between the Corre on Smackdown led to only Ezekiel Jackson being taken out of the group and causing a feud to start. So, it makes me wonder: Is the entire group going to be disbanded because of this match? I mean, if Ezekiel Jackson wins the title at this PPV, then the group is going to turn on each other, Wade Barrett is going to go into single status and go after the title, and the other two will probably continue into the tag team role or fade off TV again.

What do I think will happen? Exactly what I just said is going happen in the last paragraph. Ezekiel Jackson will take the title and probably rot in mid-card hell when he loses the title very quickly.

Winner and New Champion: Ezekiel Jackson

Kiss my Foot Match: Jerry Lawler vs. Michael Cole

I do believe I mentioned in the last predictions that this feud will finally end at the next PPV. With the stipulations they added to this match, it makes me believe that the feud will definitely end with a Jerry win. Why would they put Cole into the HoF that quickly, give away Jerry's ring to Cole, if only to prolong the feud further. I think the feud has definitely run its course and needs to finish once and for all.

Now, I wrote all that before Raw. Which I am now realizing that I should probably hold my predictions until I see all the shows before the PPV. With the stipulation of the match being a Kiss My Foot match and Swagger (supposedly) being out of the picture, there is no doubt that Lawler finally gets the win.

Winner: Jerry Lawler

Rey Mysterio vs. R-Truth

So, this match showcases how to fix a broken feud. Since John Morrison is out with a legit injury, the feud that I called last month during that Triple Threat Match, they had to continue the R-Truth heel turn somehow. As much as I hate to admit it, Rey is a very good launching point for most up and coming characters. Since R-Truth has brought out this very good heel persona very quickly, I think that putting him in a feud with Rey might give him a chance to get into the championship picture in the near future.

That being said, I think Truth gets the win. Might try to take out Rey a little more after match in his little crazy thing.

Winner: R-Truth

Tag Team Championship: Big Show & Kane vs. New Nexus (CM Punk & Mason Ryan)

I am actually getting sick of the Big Show and Kane getting beaten up by both the Nexus and the Corre. Granted, it works because those two do not get into many feud with teams/people that can take them down. So, in that sense, it is fine to watch them go down on occasion. But, with them just battling the Corre on Smackdown and then go to Raw and take on the Corre... I mean Nexus again, it gets stale. So, needless to say, I don't really care about this match.

Show and Kane keep the title for now. I don't think the Nexus will take the titles. I don't know who will and to be honest, do you really care? The Tag Team division in WWE has been slowly dying a slow death (and yes, the redundancy is necessary) and is really only there because of the tradition of tag teams. There is no real great tag team anymore. Which sucks, because I long for teams like the Hardys, Dudleys, E&C, New Age Outlaws again. That would be awesome.

Winners: Big Show and Kane

Sin Cara vs. Chavo Guerrero

Now this is a random feud that is brewing on Smackdown. Sin Cara comes into the WWE and just has a lot of random matches with random people. Including bigger opponents like Jack Swagger. Then along comes Chavo Guerrero, who has not been a real regular on TV for a while now. He comes out during a Sin Cara match and claims that everything this guy is doing was once a move that his family used. Needless to say, once he started saying that, I knew that a feud was going to be brewing. I think it is a good idea to start Sin Cara on a feud and I actually think it would be good to use Chavo. Especially since he hasn't seen much TV time and maybe he can make a comeback of sorts.

I see Sin Cara continuing to build a winning streak in WWE. I think that this feud might flesh out over the next couple of months, which is great because I have been waiting for a good feud to start for a while now.

Winner: Sin Cara

Looking Back

I frequent the site Journalism Jobs a lot these days. Mainly, because it is a really good place to look for jobs in my field of Journalism. I get the sense of what I will eventually need down the road at most of the major news outlets (if I ever chose that route) and just how many jobs are actually still out there in my field. I know that I am the start of the New Media Journalism movement that is going to kick off in the next few years, with newsprint becoming obsolete soon and magazines all but dying the slow death that should have been a few years ago. But, it's amazing that the Old Media Journalism is still fighting to stay relevant.

That is not the reason I decided to post this evening, however. I posted because on finding one job post on there that I could actually apply to and maybe have a shot at getting, I had to go through my old clips from when I interned at the Eagle Tribune in 2008. Looking back on them (and remembering how much of them was fixed later in edit by the sports editor), it still amazes me that I had my stuff printed in a newspaper not 3 years ago. That I actually set in motion a career that I hope to one day embark upon and enjoy doing for many years.

If you read my stuff here, I think it's safe to say that I like to write and convey my feelings through print. Every time I post here, I try to do so that it is mostly professional, free of error, and the best I can do. Those who know me know that I suck at self-editing my stuff, so you could probably go through all my posts and find multiple errors just poking their head out and screaming blue murder. But, I said mostly professional, so get off my back. :) (totally unprofessional smiley face)

I have always written better than speaking my feelings. That's why I have so many poems from high school (and a few I wrote a month or so ago) and that's why I decided to get into the field I am getting into. My words have been my life for a long time. Using them to convey a message to a large audience and get paid to do it? Not a bad idea in my mind.

My favorite thing is to tell people that I have an interest in video game journalism. I wish I could record the majority of them, because a lot of them are gold. Well, a lot of them are the same thing. "*Snicker* You want to sit and play video games for a living?" Well, yea! Sports and video games are a passion of mine, so why not use them in my career path? I have never been good at art and drawing, so design is out. I have never truly been creative enough to write a script or write a script for a video game, so that's out. Telling people a story about something random or something that truly interests me? That my friends is how I found journalism.

Video game journalism just blends the two together. I get to tell people stories (news) about their favorite video games that are in development or already out. I get to give them my unbiased opinion on why they should or shouldn't buy the game. I also get to tell them what the next big thing in gaming will be and why they should pay attention. All things I am truly good at! It's a perfect blend!

And now that I have both used the word "and" at the beginning of a sentence and ranted about nothing really, I will go. Until next time...

WWE Extreme Rules 2011 Followup

So, Extreme Rules is now over and done with, so I figured I would post my reactions on how I did and what I think is in store.

I'll go in order of the matches that took place. I, of course, didn't predict two of the matches because I didn't know they would take place.

Last Man Standing Match: Randy Orton def. CM Punk

So, my prediction didn't hold water from the beginning of the match. The GM banned Nexus from ringside, so I totally lost my prediction from the start. So, I wasn't shocked to see Randy Orton win, because with Nexus there he was a shoe-in to finish the feud with a win. Nothing more really to say.

Tables Match for the U.S. Championship: Kofi Kingston def. Sheamus (c)

Now, I was kinda shocked after Smackdown went off the air Friday that both secondary titles were on the show. So, I knew going into the PPV or maybe on Raw, that this title, or the IC title would change hands before the end of next week. So, when this match was announced, I knew Kofi had already won the title.

Country Whipping Match: Cole/Swagger def. Lawler/Ross

I didn't get to order the PPV, because I am not rich, living with my parents, and really need to save to move out on my own. So, I am sad to say that I didn't get to see Cole walk down to the ring in bubble wrap. I have to imagine that it was pretty hilarious to watch him walk down like that. Now the outcome? Kinda shocked that they gave Cole another "win" in the feud. But, I still believe that the next PPV will be the climax, and hopefully shuts Cole up for good.

Falls Count Anywhere Match: Rey Mysterio def. Cody Rhodes

I said Rey would win, but I didn't imagine he would spew green slime into Cody's eyes to do it. But, it definitely reinforces the fact that Cody will be pissed on Friday and take it out on someone else.

Loser Leaves WWE: Layla def. Michelle McCool

I also said that Layla would win because I think Michelle wants to leave and spend time with the hubby. So, no shocker there. I was shocked to see them debut Kharma at the PPV like that. Not only that, but add insult to injury on Michelle. But hey, she had to debut sometime.

Ladder Match for the Heavyweight Championship: Christian def. Alberto Del Rio

I am fairly certain that I called that Edge would be involved somehow in the match, causing Alberto to lose. Now, I know it was only the horn, but he was still involved! I imagine that Edge will now go off TV for a while (he may show up at Smackdown and that will be his last appearance for a while), but Christian/Del Rio will continue until at least Summerslam, I imagine.

Lumberjack Match for the Tag Team Championships: Big Show/Kane def. The Corre (Ezekial Jackson/Wade Barrett)

This was another match I didn't predict because it wasn't there before the show. But, I will say that I imagine that they are dismantling the Corre just like they did the Nexus. I think that is wise, because unless they were finally planning on doing the Nexus vs. Corre match, then there really isn't a need for it anymore. Run its course, it has.

Triple Threat Steel Cage Match for the WWE Championship: John Cena def. The Miz (c) & John Morrison

Once again, I knew R-Truth would get involved, and knew so when I read that he cut a promo backstage at the start of the show. True to form, he took out Morrison and it became a battle between Miz and Cena. From what I read and saw on the site, the match was definitely better than the Wrestlemania match, which is good. But, I was shocked that they put the title back on Cena. This makes me wonder if they are going to keep it on him til Wrestlemania, which would be stupid. Before picking my winners, I did note to myself that if Cena won the title, he would lose it during the summer and regain it back at either November's PPV or the Royal Rumble. So, we'll just have to see how this goes.

So, 50% of the matches I got right. But, the Orton/Punk match wasn't a complete loss, because I knew Orton would win if it was a fair fight. It turned into a fair fight, so half a win on that match really. Anyway, I am off.

WWE Extreme Rules 2011 Predictions

Now I am certain if you know me well enough, you know how much of a wrestling fan I can be. Wait, I guess they don't want to be called a wrestling company anymore. I am a huge WWE fan and have been watching since I was about 8. Last month, I posted on Twitter my predictions for each match at Wrestlemania. I got the majority of them right, so I figured I would throw down my predictions for the next PPV, which is WWE Extreme Rules. So, without further ado:

1. Michelle McCool vs. Layla (No DQ, No Countout, Loser Leaves WWE)

Right before Smackdown even came on the air, I checked Wikipedia for the list of matches. I thought for certain that this match had already been announced (and while yes, I do check the spoilers for Smackdown on occasion, I hadn't this week). So it wasn't a complete shocker that after a buildup from Smackdown to Raw and back again to SD, this match was announced tonight. What I didn't see coming was the stipulations. While that doesn't put too much of a damper on my prediction, it does make my prediction that much easier. Because Layla I think has a future with the WWE and Michelle has been wrestling for a while now, I see Layla winning.

Winner: Layla

2. Jerry Lawler & Jim Ross vs. Michael Cole & Jack Swagger (Country Whipping Match)

It is weird. Whenever they put Jim Ross in the ring, it tends to devolve into a whipping match. Shocking that it happened again, huh? Well, the difference is that he will be on a team with his longtime announcing partner in Jerry Lawler. While the feud between between Jerry and Cole has been a little too one sided (especially with Cole repeating the same word/phrase OVER AND OVER AGAIN IN ALL OF HIS FUCKING PROMOS!) I think it has to start twisting over to the good guys side. While Jerry did win but didn't win at Wrestlemania 27, I think he wins again at this PPV. It will set up the climax of the feud at the next PPV, and hopefully it shuts Cole up finally.

Winners: Jerry Lawler & Jim Ross

3. Rey Mysterio vs. Cody Rhodes (Falls Count Anywhere)

This feud is a weird one. When I put my predictions together for Wrestlemania on the fly, I mainly picked all the faces because I believes that the majority of them would win (and I was right). But, I picked Cody Rhodes because I thought that with the way they were fleshing out this injury angle, he would get a push. Needless to say, I was right. It also sucks that Mysterio always tends to be on the receiving end of a push. But, with Rey leaving to Raw after this match, I think he is going to go over there with a win over Rhodes. Especially since Cody has been embarrassing Rey the last two weeks on SD. Rey will win, Cody will get really pissed, and he will start a feud because of it with another SD superstar (I don't know who yet).

Winner: Rey Mysterio

4. Randy Orton vs. CM Punk (Last Man Standing)

This match is a weird one for me to pick. For one, Orton won at Wrestlemania and did it on "one leg". He also did it with an even playing ground, with him punting every Nexus member before the match. Now, the Nexus is back again to skew the playing level once again. So, how does this match play out? Well, the first half of the match will be "fair" and one-on-one. The two of them will beat each other up very nicely. But after the halfway point, Nexus is going to take over and I think that they will be the reason the Randy doesn't get up. It sends Orton to SD pissed off and CM Punk will be all smug on Raw for a few weeks.

Winner: CM Punk

5. Christian vs. Alberto Del Rio (Ladder Match for the World Heavyweight Championship)

This match is a weird oddity of chance. This match a few weeks ago was to determine the #1 contender for Edge's title. Then, we get the retirement of Edge because of his neck injury thus pushing Christian from mid-level sidekick of Edge who probably wasn't going to compete for the title until the end of the year maybe, to the new champion. Why will he be the champion and not a rising Alberto? Because I said about Wrestlemania that Alberto is definitely shining, he isn't ready to hold the title. I still believe that. I think he will win it in a couple of PPVs from now, but I think with Edge retiring (and was probably going to hold onto the title until Alberto won it from him), they are going to give Christian the title mainly because he is Edge's partner. Edge will be at the PPV and I won't be surprised if he gets involved in the match lightly. Like maybe to drop Alberto from the ladder or maybe give him a spear.

Winner: Christian

6. The Miz (c) vs. John Cena vs. John Morrison (Steel Cage Match for the WWE Championship)

I posted on Facebook in a note that I absolutely HATED the title match at Wrestlemania 27. I hated that it was just SO slow, Cena was not the Wrestlemania Cena that he usually is, and it was SHORT. Main events are supposed to be a little longer than what that was. Now, I understand that Miz probably did suffer a concussion and thus wouldn't have been able to end the match because of it (and thus the match was cut short), but it was just an overall sloppy match.

Now, three things are going to happen the night of Extreme Rules:

1. R-Truth is going to take out Morrison and the match will turn into a rematch of Cena vs. Miz.
2. R-Truth is going to take out Morrison and he will be inserted into the match instead.
3. R-Truth is going to take out Morrison DURING the match, and allow the other two to finish the match without him.

In all those scenarios, this match is going to be the launching point for an R-Truth/Morrison feud that is going to brew for the entirety of the summer. It has already started on Raw and will just flesh out the R-Truth heel turn and maybe launch him into a title match soon. I think turning R-Truth into a heel was a good move, now they just need to flesh it out some.

Now, I just spent three paragraphs about what the match is going to do in the future, but didn't predict a winner yet. Initially, I have thought that Cena is going to win the title, but now I am unsure. I don't know why they are keeping the title on the Miz for so long, but I think they are doing it because he obviously is showing the bookers something to keep it on him. While I think that Cena will get his wish (and defend the title against the Rock at Wrestlemania 28), I don't think he will win it until later. Maybe the November PPV or Royal Rumble. So, I think The Miz holds onto the title (unfortunately).

Winner: The Miz

The aftermath of the PPV:

• Michelle McCool is going to take some time off from the WWE or might leave for good. Layla might get another title because of it.
• Cody Rhodes is going to be pissed about his loss to Rey that he will start taking it out on the SD locker room and enter into another long feud.
• Jerry and Cole continue their feud for one more PPV. I think Cole might end up leaving the WWE for a while because of it.
• Christian becomes an in-between champion from Edge's end until Alberto Del Rio's eventually title reign. He might continue the feud with him leftover from Edge.
• Cena will probably challenge Miz again at the next PPV for the title, but won't win it until November or January. He will defend it against the Rock at Wrestlemania 28.

That is all I have. Let's see how much I get right! See you Sunday!

Impressed

Now, we all know that I am a huge sports fan. What you may not know is that I am not one to sit and watch a lot of games. Even my favorite sport baseball, I don't watch a lot of games throughout the year. It is a mix of the fact that I work a job and can't watch them all that way and because I usually find myself playing a video game instead. With the addition of Liliana in my life, that also takes away from my sports viewing time as well. But, if you have met my daughter and find out how freaking fun and funny she is, I think you would choose her over the sports too. Trust me though, she will know the rules of baseball (and the other major sports) when she grows up and she will be given the choice of whether she wants to watch or not. But that's my duty as the dad.

While I don't watch all the games throughout the year, I do make it a note to make sure I know what's going on in the world of sports. I know that the Celtics and Bruins are in the playoffs and I know that the Celtics just moved on to the second round. How do I know? Well, I do pay attention to this wonderful device known as the internet, the other device known as my cell phone, and the wonderful gadget in my car known as a radio.

This definitely isn't the same as actually sitting and watching the Bruins score that goal in double OT and watch the frenzy as they go up 3-2 in their series. Nor is it the same to just see that the Celtics just manhandled the Knicks in their series and swept the ever-loving hell out of them. But, at least when I go to work the next day, I know what the fuck is going on.

Now the Sox, I definitely pay attention to the most. Baseball is my number 1 sport, so naturally they fall on my radar more times than the other two. So, it was to my utmost surprise to see that Daisuke Matsusaka absolutely annihilated the Angels the other night, with 8 innings of 1-hit ball. Not only that, but he has allowed no runs and two hits in his last two starts. This, after being hammered by the Rays three starts ago. Sports radio was not kind to him after that Rays loss and wanted him to go away. Now, all you haters can suck it.

Now while it was a surprise to see Daisuke succeed (because he really hasn't done too much while he has been here), it was a surprise to see Lackey start off weak. He had one full year in the AL East to work out the jitters of being in Boston, so surely he would start out alright? Well, he has been the second question mark in the rotation. He got a win against the Yankees, but still allowed 6 runs in the game. Apparently he was bad enough to skip a turn in the rotation as well. He pitched fine in Oakland, but was just the victim of a bad offense at the time. So, it was somewhat of a surprise to see him pitch a shutout in back to back days with Daisuke. That, my friends, will definitely shut up those whining about the rotation.

Even better is that the lineup seems to be finally putting it together. They scored 12 runs in the last two games, and Carl Crawford hit a HR. So, it is definitely starting to look up.

Now all we need is for the Bruins to kill Montreal Tuesday and move closer to their first Stanley Cup in almost four decades. Go Bruins!

I guess that is all. Two more days til court. Wish me luck!

Red Sox

I haven't updated in a while, but then again no one ever read this thing to begin with. So, here I go on my happiness/angry rant about the Red Sox, the World Series, and other misc. baseball notes. Red Sox First, there is my beloved Red Sox. As I heard earlier on the radio, I am not a "pink hat" Red Sox fan. By that, I mean I have always loved the Sox since I knew I loved baseball. I have always been in this area, watched them, and loved the history of this team. I have not been on this Earth a very long time, but I have been here long enough to know the heartache the team had given fans for years. I witnessed it myself in '03 and to an extent in '04. But, everything prior Game 4 of the '04 ALCS, everything is in the B.S. era. Not the one you're thinking of, but what I read in the Herald today: Before Steal. I have been a fan of the Sox and baseball since around the age of 5. My dad would watch games, explain the game to me, and we would watch together. It was fun and I grew to love the sport. I love to talk baseball with people who hate it, and defend the sport with a passion. If I were to attempt a sport in the near future it would be baseball. I am urging to play, but I can not seem to find a way to play. Since I have been a fan for so long, the Red Sox winning in '04 was very special. I know I haven't been through what most fans in their 40's-70's have, but I know the history. I knew about the supposed curse, the Impossible Dreams, the Bucky Dent's, and the Buckner's. I knew most recently with the Little's and the Aaron Boone imitating Dent. I also know the almost disaster of '04. I sat in my bed in '04 when Mariano Rivera came in the ninth of Game 4. I sat there with hands on my face, watching the Sox being pummeled once again by the Evil Empire. I found myself not wanting to watch, but doing so anyway. I then watched as the Sox did the impossible and tie the game and continue playing. I also regret ever admitting that I went to bed one half inning before that amazing homerun by Ortiz because I knew in my heart the Yankees would overcome and win. I was proven wrong the next morning when I found out the news. After the missed opportunity of Game 4, I resolved to watch Game 5 in it's entirety. Then Game 6, and finally Game 7. I watched as Boston smoked the Cardinals, and finally broke the curse. 86 years of torment was finally laid to rest. We could finally say we were the champs. Don't get my wrong, '07 was amazing as well. We did everything right this year. We won the division for the first time since 1995, around the same time I started following the Sox more closely. They won the division in amazing fashion, taking the lead in April and never turning it over. They swept the Angels again, they were almost crushed by the Indians, only to show them that this team never dies. Then, we sweep another World Series (although this one was a lot closer than the scores will show). Two times in four seasons. It doesn't get any sweeter. Red Sox Critics But, since we are winning two times in four seasons, there are people who are not happy. I will admit, as a baseball fan, nothing would have been nicer to see the Rockies win there first World Title. However, my Boston fan side wanted them to be crushed, which ended up happening. It's that mentality that seems to piss so many people off around the country. Red Sox Nation. You've heard the term. It's the collective group of fans from this entire country that pledge allegiance to the Red Sox. They live in other states that isn't named Massachusetts, but they still call themselves fans. I cannot tell if all these fans are legit, but most of them certainly are. It still amazes me when I turn on my TV to watch an away Sox game, and see more people cheering the Sox than they are the other team. But, there are still those diehard fans who root other teams that see what the Sox did this year and dislike us. They start making the excuses to why we are winning and can't admit that this team might just be good. Most of the excuses are about the payroll. The Red Sox own the second highest payroll in the MLB, second only to the rivals. But, there is a major difference between how the Yankees play and the Red Sox play. If you look at the World Series roster again, you'll notice that a lot of the names on that team and young players. They haven't reached the prime of there career, and most are playing for chump change when compared to big contracts in the game. So, the payroll and money issue can't really play much of a factor. Jealously, gotta love it. Re-sign Lowell and Don't Sign A-Rod The worst showmanship in the game was displayed during the game on Sunday night. Late into the game, a few innings before the Red Sox were crowned, it was announced that Alex Rodriguez was becoming a free agent. His agent, Scott Boras, broke the news to everyone which then ended up on the World Series broadcast. If you have ever talked to me, you know I am an avid listener of Sport Radio WEEI. If you get into my car, you'll see the dial on 850 AM mostly everytime. So, to hear what was said after this happened was funny, but very true. Scott Boras, for those who don't know, is a superagent in baseball. He is a very good bullshit artist when it comes to selling players in the game, but he does it with precision. If you are a Sox fan, you can't help but dislike this guy. He does represent a lot of the players on the team, but he also represents Alex Rodriguez. Alex Rodriguez is the best player in the game today. As a Sox fan and avid Yankee hater, I can't put my bias against the guy when he is doing as well as he is. But, from what he shows on TV and during games, he seems very arrogant. He knows he's that good and he LOVES to show it. Hence, the reason you were informed during the World Series that he was becoming a free agent. You know what this truly shows? That A-Rod really thinks he is better than the World Series. Why else would he and his agent announce this small bit of information when the Red Sox were the main story? He didn't want to be out of the spotlight, so he forced himself back into it. So, when you heard the chants of "Don't Sign A-Rod", it is a sentiment to how many fans, including myself, feel. We don't want this scum on our team; we'd rather have Mike Lowell, the "throw-in". Mr. MVP Speaking of the "throw-in", it was very nice to see Mike Lowell win the MVP of the World Series. For those who don't know and were only watching the World Series, Mike Lowell was an added bonus for the Sox when they signed ace Josh Beckett. The Florida Marlins were willing to dish out Beckett, but only if Lowell went with him; this was done because they didn't want his contract anymore, it was worth too much. This guy is a class act. Not only did he come in here last year and play, he played well. We filled in that third base role nicely with good defense and average offense. That, however, changed this year when Lowell played like he was out of his mind. I think it was saying something that when Manny Ramirez was out of the lineup, this guy stepped into that cleanup spot perfectly and helped the Sox get into the postseason and win the division. Not only that, but he stayed in the spot until the end of the season, even when Manny came back and started batting second. I think that was saying something. So, when you heard the A-Rod chants Sunday, you also heard the advice of Red Sox Nation on who should be there. "Re-Sign Lowell" wasn't just a chant, it was a message to the front office. We love this guy as our third baseman, and we want him here. Now, we just have to wait for them to listen. Offseason Now, we can FINALLY look into the offseason. As a WEEI fan, people has started the offseason talk in late September. So, now we can start talking about it. But, I think I will wait to talk next time. I am getting tired and starting to fall asleep. I have more to talk about, but I will save it. So, until next time... Good night.

Spoiled

I am a Red Sox fan. Always have, always will be. You can't steal me away to another fan base, it just won't happen. That's what happens when you grow up in the same area and that's all you see on the TV. But, it's really more than that. But that's for another time. Being a Red Sox fan has made me think that we are really spoiled when it comes to our team. We have one of the highest payrolls in the game, so we can afford some of the top names. We have a good team each year and are always in contention to be in the playoffs. We always start off the same each year, so good that it's not even funny. This year is no exception, as they own the best record in baseball at 37-21. They have a double digit lead over 3 of the 4 teams in the division. Yet, they now have a nice little four-game losing streak. Out come of the critics. I think we are spoiled in the fact that every year is the same. We start out good, start slumping at the all-star break, and then lose it in the second half of the season. It even happened in the 2004 season. It happens every year, yet we blow it off and say this year is different. It makes me laugh to tell my mom we are doing great, yet to have to remind me the truth about this team. I don't what it is about the Sox that causes the same thing to happen every year, but it does get kind of annoying after a while. This year feels a little different, because the injuries aren't as immense as years past, we have a great rotation (that is just in a slump at the moment) and the lineup is ridiculous. I don't know, it makes me feel spoiled, don't you know? That's all I have.

Red Sox

I haven't been around in a while, because I was unable to find something to rant about. But this past weekend served up the best rant I could think of. You should all know i'm a Red Sox fan. If you have seen Fever Pitch, then you know what kind of people they are. We are the most faithful people in the world, which is true because we waited 86 years to win. Everyone knows about the history of the Red Sox, if you are truly into baseball. Well, this past weekend, the second coming of the Boston Massacre (as the media puts it) happened and it pretty much made all Red Sox fans cry. Let me set up the stage. The Red Sox had swept the Orioles the weekend prior and had just dropped two of three to the Tigers, putting them 1.5 games behind in the division. Which was pivotal, seeing as though the Yankees were in town for 5 games in 4 days. So, we could pick up ground in the standings and possibly giving us some ground to make it to the playoffs. Thursday was off. Friday came a Day/Night doubleheader, to make up for a rainout earlier in the year. We were swept for the day, in blowout fashion both games, thus dropping 2 games to 3.5. Saturday came, and Josh Beckett came in to get the ball rolling, and lost as well, thus pushing the deficit to 4.5. Sunday next for Schilling on ESPN, which was the game that seemed like we might win, taking a lead into the ninth only to blow it. Deficit now to 5.5. Monday wasn't any different. David Wells pitched like he should, only to lose a small run game. The deficit now? 6.5. Not only were the Red Sox swept in 5 games by those fucking Yankees, but they pretty much killed any motiviation to root them into the playoff this year. I ask now? How are the Bruins looking? And that's all I have to say about that.

Golf

I went to the Driving Range today and came to the unfortunate conclusion: I am not the next Tiger Woods. It's unfortunate because in my never ending endeavor to be the next millionaire, that isn't the route I can take. But it isn't just the money I am interested in. Golf seems like that one sport that even if you can just hit the ball 200 yds per swing, chip it on the green, and the putt it in, you have a daily activity that you can play with many friends, if you choose. However, my drive doesn't like to get airborne. And when it does, it hooks far right. An issue I can not for the life of me solve. I have yet to practice the other aspects of the game, but it is my goal to find a person who knows the game very well, and coach me for free. Free things are much better than paid things, but you already knew that. I have been watching way too much Sportcenter/Golf/Golf Channel to realize that it is my goal to find another hobby/sport to occupy my mind. It seems that would be the best way to past the time. But, practicing sucks, and anyone who was on my JV team in high school baseball would know that. But, I also realize it's the only way to get better. Most aren't born with that ability to do everything perfectly, even though most claim that. In other news, my bowling scores for the night include: 95, 103, 92, 103, 106. 499 for 5 makes Lozzie a sad panda. And that's all I have to say for now.