Yes, the rumors are true. I have been posting beefcake photos of J.J. Redick to my Flickr. This shall be my counterbalance to all the millions of Erin Andrews pictures posted out there by sports geeks young and old. Every time I go to a sports site and see an Erin, I’m coming to my own blog to post a J.J. This shall keep the balance of the sun and moon aligned.

In Patriots news, I’ve decided I really don’t like having to cheer for a mediocre team like other fans have to do. Doesn’t really work for me at all. No, I’m not going to “switch teams” or “jump on some other bandwagon”. As far as I’m concerned, there’s only one option for me in every league and that option is Boston or New England. I just don’t have to like it when my team goes from having an undefeated season to losing their QB and suddenly being completely unpredictable. I know other people have had to get used to that, but I refuse to. Tom Brady’s highly paid, supermodel dating ass better be back in the saddle next season or else.

Game 1 - I was super impressed that the Red Sox were able to go into the Rays house and take a game. That’s clutch. Dice-K has been fantastic this year.

Game 2 - Heartbreaker. No other word can describe this game. I miss the stone-cold-killer Josh Beckett of old. We weren’t expected to sweep the Rays though, so this loss - while SAD - wasn’t the end of the world.

Game 3 - As I type this, Boston is down 5-0. Fk me gently with a chainsaw…

Since I can’t talk about the Red Sox without mentioning Manny Ramirez (obviously), I have to say that whichever sports reporter (and I can’t remember off-hand which one it was) on ESPN’s Sunday show, The Sports Reporters, lit up Manny and accused him of lacking character and having no loyalty… well that dude is my new hero. He very accurately and unemotionally summed up why Manny is such a scumbag. I might have started clapping, cheering and high-fiving the guy from my couch.

I know pre-season games are pretty exhibition-y, but I enjoyed last night’s game all the same. The venue was lacking a little something - UMass is no TD Banknorth Garden - but it was just super exciting to finally see the team play after the long off-season (though I’m sure it felt like a short off-season to the players). I missed seeing James Posey out there (sigh), but my other favorite, Leon Powe, looked great. The new guys were fun to watch… Hello Bill Walker! Those dunks were super fun. Where the hell did that kid come from? Apparently, Kansas State, but I never really watched him play last season. My eyes (and the camera) were always on Michael Beasley. I think I had the most fun watching Patrick O’Bryant though. Where’s he been all my life? I thought he was pretty impressive. It wasn’t any one thing, he just seems to do a lot of little things extremely well. I guess Golden State’s loss is our gain.

I’m a total geek, but when Tommy Heinsohn gave out his first Tommy Point of the season last night (to Big Baby for a hustle play where he ended up in Paul Pierce’s lap out of bounds) — I actually got a little verklempt.

YAY pre-season!

What a loser, er sore loser… 

Seriously though, dude needs to take his loss like a man. Congratulate the other side, accept responsibility for your shortcomings, say better luck next year, and be on your merry little way. Ok? Ok, then.

I realize that it isn’t new news to anyone that Boston fans are spoiled rotten… but I think I pretty much take the cake for spoiled rotten fans. I can barely stand to watch the Patriots this year at all. I tried to watch them play the 49ers on Sunday and I seriously thought I was going to jump out of my skin. It was entirely too painful.

Then, I had almost the same reaction to the Red Sox game later that night. Oy vey. Apparently, it isn’t good enough for me that they took 2 games in a row on the road… No. I expected them to just sweep it without breaking a sweat. Who the hell do I think I am?

I don’t remember being like this with the Celtics last season, but maybe I was. I am beginning to think I need to start lowering my standards and remember that without Tom Brady, the Patriots are any other mediocre team. And be grateful the Red Sox have already won 2 world series championships in the very recent past and stop acting like they have to win it every single year. I need to get real, right? For my own sanity, I’m thinking the answer is yes.

But still… I am expecting them to take care of business tonight and finish off L.A.! Go Red Sox! Go Jon Lester! Goooooooooo!

Man. Beating LA. It just never gets old. 

Oh and Manny, tsk tsk on torturing poor long-suffering Cubs fans. Shame on you!

The football gods decided to take a huge crap on me this year. First, Tom Brady goes down and my beloved Patriots lose to the lowly sack-of-crap Miami Dolphins… Then, Oregon State rounds up my Trojans and makes them their bitch. Total bummer.

In MLB news, I hear the Dodgers won their division thanks to Manny. What-ever. That Colin Cowherd teaser about Manny on ESPN Radio makes me groan every time. He yammers some nonsense about Manny never being a Boston type of guy (well, that’s true), but how he’s totally perfect for LA because he’s a free spirit and has a unique style - blah blah blah. That’s total horseshrimp. Manny is in LA because of a trade, not because he was destined to be there. If he could’ve chosen his home, I’m sure it would’ve been with the Yankees… and I’m sure then Colin would’ve been waxing philosophically about what a NY guy he is and how great he fits in the pinstripes.

I feel a lot poorer than I did yesterday. Celtics tix went on sale at 10:00am this morning and I went at it with both barrels and two credit cards. I only managed to score 4 tix though. I could’ve gotten a few more, but I wasn’t exactly jazzed about paying $150 to see them play the Timberwolves or Bucks. The tix that I did get were 2 for the Magic game on Dec. 1 and 2 for the Heat game on Apr. 10. Hello Florida. I wasn’t surprised that the Lakers and Cavs tix in my price range went so quick, but I was surprised that I couldn’t get the Bulls or the Suns. Oh well, I’m happy I got something. Bring on the season!

ps. What the fk is a “convenience charge” and why is it so much? Jessy h. christ on a cracker!

So today ended up being a total bummer. First of all, it’s Celtics Day today in Maine. That meant that I got to wear my slick Celtics jacket to work and talk about them all day and no one could stop me. *wink* It also meant that at lunchtime, I got to leave work and go to a rally that TD Banknorth was sponsoring in honor of the team championship and see the Larry O’Brien Trophy and all that jazz. The rally was schedule to go from 10:30-Noon and after that we were supposed to be able to oggle the trophy from Noon to 2:00pm until they packed up and moved the whole shebang up to the U in Orono.

Well… me and two of my coworkers get to the rally at 11:30 thinking it will have been going on for awhile, but when we get there, nothing. There is a crowd of people in front of an empty stage and corny music blaring out of some speakers (’Hero’ from Foo Fighters and some other song with the word ‘hero’ in it). We stand around for a half hour wondering when the damn thing is going to start when finally some dude with a microphone informs that they’re over at the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital and will be sure to arrive “soon”. Ok, now I understand how important charity is and visiting sick kids is, yada yada yada, believe me… I don’t have coal for a heart. But, sweet baby jesus, where’s the time management? 2 hours late? Do they think people who have jobs can just sit around some gym for hours on end waiting for Brian Scalabrine, Tony Allen and Leon Powe to just stroll in at any old hour of the day? Apparently. I finally had to give up, say fk it and bail and I’m possibly a little bit — ok a lot — bitter about it. All I really wanted was a couple of pictures of the players. Instead I got a picture of an empty stage (big green square) and an empty podium (small green square), missed lunch, and had to stay late after work. Sumbitch.

The one saving grace was when they played “You Should Be Dancing” by the Bee Gees and a group of middle school kids started disco dancing in unison in the bleachers. Gino would’ve been proud!

I checked the local news website and of course I missed a whole lot of great Leon Powe moments. I love me some Leon Powe. Sigh!

Patriots 13 - Dolphins 38