March Maddening

So my NCAA predictions were a bust this year, just like my brackets. I'm in contention in both of my ESPN groups only because everyone's bracket is trashed. I completely missed on my Cinderella, 12-Over-5 Special, and picking Kansas as an underrated team.

I time shifted the BC-Villanova game last night. I must say that I was pretty pissed off by the lousy officiating. It reminded me of the end of the Duke-BC game in Chapel Hill this year. Sheldon Williams twice hacked a BC player going for a layup without getting called for a foul at the end of that game. Last night the little guard for Villanova (Foye?) kept hacking the BC forwards after they made a defensive rebound. He didn't get called for a single reach-in or hand-check foul in the second half. Craig Smith was mugged twice within five feet of the basket with less than five minutes in regulation and didn't get to go to the free throw line. The poor officiating meant that BC couldn't overcome the multitude of turnovers they committed.

The Pats let Adam Vinatieri walk this week. His exit is eerily similar to Johnny Damon's departure. Both players said screw loyalty and fled to their most hated rival when offered too much money to say no. I really feel the same about losing Vinatieri as I did about losing Damon. I would have liked to keep him if the price was right but I didn't want to overpay. I believe Adam is also on the downturn in his career. His distance has decreased in recent years and he has a flaky back. I remember a handful of games this year when the Pats went for a fourth-and-three/fourth-and-two or punted rather than attempting a field goal in the 47-50 yard range.

I like Vinatieri; I wish him well. He was definitely the most clutch kicker in NFL history and a first ballot Hall-of-Famer. He will probably pad his stats playing in a dome for a few years. However, I hope the Colts go 0-16 every year and that he doesn't even have the opportunity to attempt any more game winning kicks.

I think the reason that we New Englanders are so extreme with our feelings about sports and athletes is because we are so tied to the region. Many families, mine included, have been in the area for many, many generations. I'm 11th generation directly descended from the "Mayflower". We feel the same direct ties to our sports teams that we do about where we live. That makes us scorned lovers if and when things don't go well. We want our teams and our players to do so well that we invest an incredible amount of emotion into their performances. It's much easier for us to hate those players when they leave because if we can't have them, no one should.

I try to be level-headed about "my" players; I usually wish them well, but only to a point. I'll hope for individual successes (Pedro with the Mets), moderate success without injury (Vinatieri with the Colts), or simply for total lack of team success regardless of individual performance (Damon with the damn Yankees).

With the start of the Red Sox season only 9 days away I will be blogging with much more regularity in the very near future. I'll even stick it to the man by blogging at work if I have to.

March Madness

Now that the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament has arrived, here are my picks:

Cinderalla: San Diego State reaches the Sweet 16
12 Seed Over 5 Seed Special: Utah State over Washington
Overrated: Gonzaga and Syracuse
Underrated: BC and Kansas

Final Four:

Texas over Kansas
Connecticut over BC

Texas beats UConn to take it all.

Quick Hits

New Pearl Jam material available through iTunes today! I totally forgot that today was the day until I happened to check out the iTunes store today. Check out "Worldwide Suicide", the first single from Pearl Jam, their eighth studio album. The B-side, "Unemployable" is also available. Pearl Jam is my favorite band, so I'm pumped for the new disc. I have to say that "Worldwide Suicide" is pretty catchy and way better than the short snippet of the song they released a while back.

David Ortiz is in midseason form. It's March 14th. The man is amazing. He gets better every year. I said that he was in midseason form last year on opening day when he roped a double off of Randy Johnson, a tough lefty. Yesterday he hit a homerun against Cuba that LEFT THE STADIUM. Yes, it cleared everything. The Sox definitely got it right with Ortiz. They fixed the hole in his swing and made him a monster.

Francona got a two-year extension today. I'm happy for him, but I still think that he's Grady Little 2, Electric Boogaloo. Francona is a terrible in-game manager and lets the players call the shots. I'm betting that Kevin Youkilis gets about 300 ABs this year tops. Francona is bound to give J.T. Snow waaaaaay too much playing time. He'll probably bat Snow 5th, too, just so he can steal RBIs from Tek and Nixon even though Snow will probably hit .230. Last year I'm convinced that Francona cost Varitek at least 20 RBI in April and May by letting Millar bat 5th. Millar ended numerous innings with runners on base with a pop-up and Varitek proceeded to get a basehit to start the next inning.

Clement looks good this spring. Yes, it's only Spring Training, but a good sign, nonetheless. I hope that he has a big year as the No. 4 or 5 starter. Last year the Sox asked too much of him with Schilling's injury. He also claims he lost stamina by the end of the year and that the line drive he took off his noggin didn't affect him. If he plays well this year, he could be a quiet 15-18 game winner. If he doesn't play well, dump his ass for a prospect or two.

Arroyo looks awful this spring. Yes, it's only Spring Training, but a bad sign, nonetheless. I expect big things from Arroyo as he has shown progress year-to-year as a pitcher. I hope he gets it figured out soon. At least he is making the decision to put him in the pen to start the year for Francona at this point.

I agree with Schilling that Papelbon needs to be a starter. Whether he's the next Clemens or not, Papelbon is an innings eater. If Foulke doesn't work out this year, and believe me, his leash should be the shortest on the team (FRANCONA ARE YOU LISTENING?!!!), I think that the Sox need to look at Hansen or Riske or maybe even Cla Meredith as the closer. I don't think that Hansen is far away from being with the big club.

I can't wait to see Lester pitch for the Sox. If nothing else, I hope he gets to pitch in September in Boston. The Sox are loaded with more young arms than I can ever remember. Hopefully that bodes well for continued success for years to come.

I'm cuckoo for Coco Crisp. By some measures he was the best defensive left fielder in baseball next year. I think he's definitely primed to surpass Johnny Damon this year and every year going forward, but he also gives the Sox additional flexibility if the Manny being Manny headache crops up again.

Have I mentioned NEW PEARL JAM MUSIC TODAY?!!!...

Must see TV

Although not entirely technology related, I thought I would give insight into my favorite TV shows. I decided to do the breakdown by night.


Monday

Prison Break - I was intrigued by the concept and I really like the complexity of the plan. Michael has had to orchestrate some nifty moves in order for things to go nearly as planned. I'm anxious to see how how they manage to escape now that the original plan has failed.

How I Met Your Mother - I only started watching this show recently, but it's pretty funny. Neil Patrick Harris is a scene stealer. The show is like a better version of "Friends".

Tuesday

Supernatural - I've seen about 6 episodes and I enjoy the show. It's sort of an "X-Files" spin, but stays true to the doctrine of vampire, werewolf, and ghost stories. Unfortunately this show is moving to 9 PM on Thursdays, which is the kiss of death. I already record "CSI" and "My Name Is Earl"/"The Office" on Thursdays from 9 to 10 PM. Now I will have to miss out.

Wednesday

Lost - One of the best shows on television. My brother bought me the 1st season on DVD for my birthday last fall and I've been hooked ever since. It's full of intrigue and looks awesome in HD. Like a junkie needing a fix, I scan the viewing guide anxiously seeking the next new episode air dates.

Bones - I like the different characters on this show. It's a good, but not great show. It's definitely worth trying in order to see if you like it.

Thursday

Smallville - This has been my favorite show for a couple of years. I love the retelling of a young Superman. This show adds a human element to Clark's development and realization of skills and responsibilities. Sometimes it's the "Kryptonite freak of the week", but the longer story arcs are worth it.

My Name Is Earl - The funniest show on TV. Or maybe 1A with "The Office". I've always been a Jason Lee fan and I'm happy to see him shine in prime time. This show just keeps getting better as it begins to hit its stride. They also like to throw in HD Easter eggs, which are always cool.

The Office - See above. Just a riotous half-hour. "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and a friend's recommendation led me to give this show a second chance this year. I'm glad that I did. This show and "Earl" should be the weekly office-cooler talk.

CSI - Still enjoy a good episode of CSI after 5 years on the air. One thing that it has going for it is a continuous cast. None of the major players have left, although Nick and Sara almost left/got fired last year. The season 5 finale, a two-parter directed by Quentin Tarantino, in which Nick gets buried alive was the best 2 hours of drama on TV last year.

Friday

Ghost Whisperer - A bit formulaic, but sort of a guilty-pleasure show. It's usually good for at least a misting if not an all-out cry.

Saturday

Nothing worth watching. Go out and get a life, you loser!

Sunday

Family Guy - What "The Simpsons" was 15 years ago. No target is safe from insult in this show.

Other Shows

Here are a few other shows that I watch somewhat regularly and recommend.

The Simpsons - Sadly, I've finally had enough of "The Simpsons". I watch them occasionally when I run across an airing.

CSI: Miami - A gorgeous show, especially in HD, and good for a CSI-fix when you need one.

House - Another show that has become a bit formulaic, but Gregory House is one of the best characters on television, right up there with Earl Hickey.

NUMB3RS - Not a bad show, but I don't enjoy it enough to make a significant effort to see it. What's with the "7eet" name anyway? (On a side note, go rent "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle" if you haven't already seen it. You'll think differently about the math genius on "Numbers".)

America's Next Top Model - I tend to watch the reruns when VH1 has marathons.

Still Standing - I enjoy this show when I happen to catch it, but again, I won't go out of my way to view it. I like the dad.

Sons and Daughters - I'm on the fence right now with this new show, but I'm sort of hoping that it works out for the better. This could be the quirky comedy that satiates the "Arrested Development" pangs you're suffering.

If you haven't read my post on DVR/Tivo service ("I'm not an addict"), give it a look. Then when you get DVR service it will help you watch the shows above and find some new favorites.

Call a spade a spade

I'm going to playa-hate two days in a row. That's alright because I'm much delayed in writing this entry. I wanted to write it up before I went on vacation.

I watched the NBA All-Star skills competition, three point contest, and dunk contest this year. I was channel surfing and found myself stopping on TNT. I ended up DVRing the event and watching most of "Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey" live. I enjoyed the ability to skip TNT's very frequent commercial breaks when I actually watched the events.

One thing really bothered me during the telecast. TNT showed a fluff piece on Kobe Bryant. Kobe was shown meeting with a young boy who has been displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Apparently Kobe has meet at least twice with this young child. Wow. What a great humanitarian. It probably took Kobe about 10 minutes combined. As I watched the piece I was pissed off because the last time I checked Kobe was still a damn rapist!

The only reason that the word "convicted" didn't appear in the previous sentence was because Kobe's defense team continually leaked information regarding the name and location of the victim to the media. His entire legal team should be debarred for repeatedly throwing the information to the press. The poor girl couldn't take the harassment and threats from blind Kobe loyalists so she had to bow out.

I've never understood fanatics. I am a fan of many people and things. I understand that the word "fan" is short for "fanatic". I'm not, however, dumb enough to believe that Michael Jackson is not a pedophile or that Kobe Bryant is not a rapist. I hate when people blindly defend their idols like lemmings over the cliff. Barry Bonds apologists fit in the same category.

TNT should be embarrassed and ashamed by the fluff piece. Kobe wasn't even participating in any of the events I mentioned on Saturday night. It was a cheap attempt by Kobe's people to clean up and polish his image.

It's time for the media to call a spade a spade and call a rapist a rapist. If you want to include "accused", that's your choice. I'm not going to.

Ba da ba ba baaa... I'm lovin' it

Finally the world is admitting what many of us knew for years now. Barry Bonds is a steroid freak. The current issue of Sports Illustrated contains a lengthy excerpt from a novel, "Game of Shadows", which is to be published later this month. The book details Bonds many transgressions and his obsession with setting the home run record.

I'm giddy with delight. I hate Barry Bonds. I've always despised him for being a surly asshole who thinks his shit don't stink.

I grew up a fan of Mark McGwire. I used to have a framed picture of McGwire, a bunch of his baseball cards, and an A's hat. I want to believe that McGwire only used steroid precursors and not actual steroids. I do believe that he stopped taking many supplements, such as Andro, as they were added to baseball's banned substances list. McGwire is a nice and likeable guy. He's friendly and amicable and by all accounts a gentleman and a good dad. I was excited for him when he set the single season home run record in 1998. He and Sosa were good for baseball as they played the role post-strike ambassadors of good will.

It turns out the attention given to McGwire (and a lesser extent to Sosa) was what drove Bonds to 'roids. Barry is a racist. He hated that baseball celebrated a white player while he had a terrific season in 1998 (.303 average, 37 homers) and went unnoticed. He thought that "they" wouldn't allow Sosa to set the record, whoever "they" are.

Barry started doing every performance enhancer under the sun. He used multiple types of steroids, insulin, the "clear", the "cream", human-growth-hormone (HGH), and more. I thought that the freakishly enlarged jawline was clear evidence that he was doing HGH years ago.

I hated that many members of the national media refused to call Bonds out on the steroid issue. Writers like Tim Kurkijan have written many columns indicating that players like Bonds and Rafael Palmeiro would still get their votes for the Hall of Fame. Now Kurkijan has finally woken-the-Hell-up. I thought Kurkijan was an idiot for believing the players' lies, but at least he has finally seen the light.

I'm actually thinking of reading the book. The excerpt from SI was entertaining. I recommend that you check it out.

I hope that Barry is kicked out of baseball by Bud Selig even though I know it will never happen. Barry might be a steroid user, but his testes are still bigger than Selig's.

Anything but classic

Alright, I'm back from the dead. I was on vacation in Florida two weeks ago and I had an intestinal virus last week. I had taken one sick day in nearly three years prior to last week. Last week I missed four days. I'm starting to feel better and back to blogging...

So the "World Baseball Classic" has started much to Bud Selig's delight. I have to rank my feelings on the subject just above the Olympics - I don't really care, but at least it's baseball. I personally think that Bud screwed this one up. The WBC could really be a classic event like the World Cup is to soccer. However, thanks to Selig the WBC is going to be a dud. It's spring training with all-star teams. As Shakespeare once said, "Spring training by any other name would smell as sweet."

The WBC should be held either in the middle of the season or after the World Series. Either way the players are in top condition. I don't understand how Venezuela's best effort in the WBC is three innings from Johan Santana. Give me 8 innings and I'm a believer.

In the current format the WBC is nothing more than a cheap attempt at birthing a cash cow. Maybe Selig thinks that people from other countries will shell out money to buy the horrendous uniforms and gear, or worse yet, to see the games. I don't expect many from this country to do so.

Two side notes, big props to Big Papi for homering off Santana today leading the DR to a win and the WBC website crashed five times on me when I tried to confirm the spelling of "Venezuela" and "Santana". Nice job, Bud. Nice job.