Random Thoughts

At least Chargers fans are good for something...

It's a shame that this guy's gonna quit doing these in three weeks when football is over. Where else are you gonna find such in-depth insight like "Peyton Manning is more hungry, than Tom Brady and crew..."

Saw this online today on I Watch Stuff, production art from the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean 3...Notice something wrong with this photo? Maybe it's those cannon balls hanging out of Keira Knightley's shirt.

It's not the 1st time that a production company has increased her bust size, or the first time Disney has had a horny artist head up a project (see Jessica Rabbit), but who are they trying to kid here? If they really need a chest to sell the movie (as any good film does), why not just get JLH:

I really don’t read Bill Simmons anymore.   But today a couple readers forwarded me his latest article he wrote about the Patriots and then I just saw it again on the front page of ESPN.com.    And since most of the country views Bill Simmons as the voice of the Boston sports fan despite the fact he lives in Hollywood, I felt I needed to weigh in on it.   Here is an excerpt from his article;

After one of the greatest victories in Patriots history, after one of the defining Sundays of the Belichick-Brady Era, after an absolute roller-coaster ride of a win, after one of the more memorable they-had-absolutely-no-business-winning-that-thing games in recent memory, I turned the television off, pulled off an awkward high-five with my father and waited for the phone to ring.

And I waited.

And I waited.

Nothing. None of my friends called. My mom never called. None of my editors called. I even checked the ringer on our phone to make sure it was working. Yup. It was working. I jumped online and only two friends had sent along their congratulations (mainly because they had both wagered on the Pats). That was it. I briefly zoomed through reader e-mails and was shocked to see the same three themes over and and over again: either "You guys are so freaking lucky," "The Chargers freaking choked" or "Just kill me, now I have to sit through another freaking week of Pats-Colts hype."

At this point, I was starting to get bummed out. How could people not appreciate an undermanned, banged-up underdog that persevered simply by playing well together, by being well-coached and well-prepared, by pulling off all the Little Things and by believing in one another and steadfastly trusting they could pull out any close game? How could people not appreciate Troy Brown's supernatural strip of Marlon McCree (one of the greatest heads-up plays in Boston sports history), or Brady's slogging through a dog-crap game and having the balls to zing that ridiculously clutch throw to Reche Caldwell on the winning drive? How could they fail to be impressed that Belichick and the Pats knocked off a 16-1 team, a 16-2 team, a 15-3 team, a 14-2 team, a 14-3 team and a 14-4 team over the past five Januarys?

Then I realized something horrible.

Wait a second ... am I rooting for the football version of the Yankees?

I felt like Steve Martin realizing he was white in "The Jerk." And the thing is, I could see this coming for three years. People expect the Patriots to pull out close games. They're bored of watching it happen. They're tired of Patriots players and fans playing the "nobody believed in us" card. They're tired of writers and talking heads breaking out the popsicles for Brady and Belichick every January. It's becoming a formula -- nobody thinks the Pats can pull it off, the odds are impossible, MY GOD THEY DID IT AGAIN! -- which is unfortunate because formulas become boring pretty quickly.

Still, if the Pats really have turned into the football Yankees, then everyone outside of New England believes that ...

A.Rooting for the Patriots is like rooting for the house in blackjack.

B. An entire generation of fledgling NFL fans is being raised to root against them as we speak.

Just writing those last two sentences gave me the Manning Face. How could this be? How did we get here?

Let me start by saying Bill Simmons is officially out of the loop in terms of having a grasp on the pulse of the Boston sports fan.   I am borderline shocked that admits that he didn’t talk to anybody after the Pats beat the Chargers.  This makes it seem like we have become Atlanta Braves fans. That we yawned as the the Pats went for the two pt conversion and fell asleep as Brady connected with Reche Caldwell to put us in field goal position.   This couldn’t be further from the truth.  I and everybody I know was on pins and needles the entire game.   I know that I was on the phone with my buddies and my family throughout the entire game.   I assume everybody else was too.  Last week’s victory was undoubtedly one of the most remarkable wins in the history of the franchise.   I don’t think anybody took it for granted or was ho hum about it.   Just look at our freaking blog.   We could barely contain ourselves.  So I think the fact that Simmons didn’t talk to anybody after the game just shows how removed he is from Boston.   

Okay moving on.  I agree with his main point of the article that the Pats have become like the Yankees.  They are the team that everybody expects to win.   But the fact that he views this as a bad thing is ludicrous.   What sports fan doesn’t want to root for the dynasty?  That’s the dream!   It’s the pinnacle of being a sports fan.  So my question is why is Simmons upset that the country views the Pats as the baseball equivalent of the Yankees.  That’s like the highest compliment anybody can pay us.   And let’s clear up one thing.   Rooting for a dynasty isn’t boring.  I love how everybody hates us. I love how everybody whines and moans after we beat them. Being the big bully is a million times more fun than being the plucky underdog.   

Furthermore sports in general is more interesting when a dynasty is involved. The rest of the country isn't bored with the Pats. They may hate us, but hate breeds interest.  Whenever a Dynasty is in the mix, regardless if it’s the Pats, the Celtics, the Yankees, the Canadians etc., it’s more exciting because everybody has an opinion.  You're either with us or against us. There is no in-between.    When I was growing up I hated the 49'ers and Cowbody because they always won. I hated their players, their fans and everything about them. There was nothing I rooted for more than to see them lose a big game which they rarely did. But that's what winning does. It makes you a target but it also makes it fun.  Let me put it this way; would you be more interested in a World Series that featured the Yankees vs. Cardinals or Tigers vs. Cardinals?    It’s a no brainer.   People want to see what happens with the Yankees.  It’s the same thing with the Patriots.   And I don’t know anybody in Boston who is tired of this run.   The bottom-line is that winning never gets old.   It only gets better and sweeter as you piss off more and more people and ruin more and more dreams. So if Simmons and his buddies can’t get excited about beating the Chargers last week than maybe it’s time for him to retire his pen.

Here is the IMDB description for "Grindhouse":

An homage to exploitation B-movie thrillers that combines two feature-length segments into one double-bill designed to replicate the grind house theatergoing experience of the 70s and 80s. In "Death Proof," a psycho named Stuntman Mike (Kurt Russell) stalks and kills beautiful women with his car. In "Planet Terror," a small-town sheriffs' department has to deal with an outbreak of murderous, infected people called "sickos." A gun-legged woman named Cherry (Rose McGowan) and her martial arts-wielding partner (Freddy Rodriguez) take on the zombie army. The two films will be fused together by fake movie trailers.

Psycho stuntman...beautiful women...murderous sickos...a gun-legged woman...zombie army...martial arts...Rose McGowan....I'm not sure you could fit more elements that I want to see into a single plot summary. This movie could open the same night as "Barstool Sports: the Motion Picture" and I'd see this first.

I've given this a lot of thought, poured over the numbers, listened to the pundits, and talked to everyone I've come in contact with. And here's what I've come up with.

Reasons the Patriots can beat the Colts Sunday:

• The Patriots outscored their opponents by 148 points in 2006, the Colts were +67
• The Colts gave up 5.33 yds per rushing attempt, worst in the NFL since 1961
• The Pats had the 5th best rush defense in the NFL and 6th best overall. The Colts were 21st overall.
• The Pats recorded 44 sacks, the Colts had 25.
• Indy were last in the league in opponents 3rd down conversions at 47%.
• New England's defense surrendered 10 passing TDs and had 22 INTs. The Colts had 16 and 15.
• In the red zone, the Pats were 2nd offensively, 3rd defensively. The Colts were 7th and 29th.
• Brady is 10-0 in domes and 13-1 in the playoffs.

Reasons the Colts can beat the Patriots:

• Indy have a really good pass offense.
• Adam Vinatieri is a great kicker.
• "It's Peyton Manning's year."

At least those are the arguments I keep hearing.

Can you believe it's over half way through January and it is just now snowing in Boston? It's strange enough that the Pats are about to play their 3rd straight playoff game in nice weather. Anyway here's some fun video of people losing control of their cars in the snow and ice...Enjoy.  

Reader submitted blog from Dan L.-

Maybe I’m a little shortsighted in saying this, or maybe it's because when I hear the words “Hot Stove” I think of football season. But, I’m going to make a bold statement here, one that might shock the masses (and Mass). OK, deep breath. The Patriots-Colts rivalry has surpassed that of the Red Sox and Yankees. Take a minute and let that marinate like a stale fart.

The Sox/Yanks rivalry peaked during the 2003 and 2004 seasons. Tempers were boiling over in every series between the two storied franchises. In 2003, we saw Pedro toss Zim around like a rotten pumpkin and an all out brawl, the likes of we haven’t seen since. And then, the 2003 season tragically ends with Aaron Boone's homerun in the ALCS.

The angst from that season carried over to 2004, and in most dramatic fashion, the Sox beat the Yanks (in Yankee Stadium no less) in a Game 7 situation, cementing the greatest comeback in sports history. Now, fast forward to 2007. The Sox/Yanks rivalry hasn’t come close to resembling what it was just a few short years ago. Now the biggest controversy is which team is going to spend the most. Personally, I liked it better when the Sox could always play the “We don’t spend nearly as much money as the Yanks” card. But that’s been thrown out the window this year. The Sox are burning money like Schottenheimer burns timeouts. Also, I can’t remember the last time the Sox brawled with the Yanks. In ’03-’04, these teams came to the games prepared to fight. Even after Judas Damon signed with the Yanks we haven't seen anything close to a scuffle, disappointing Sox fans to no end.

The Pats-Colts rivalry may not have that same type of intensity as the Sox-Yanks did in its prime, but it’s getting there. This Sunday will mark the third time in four years the Pats and Colts have met in the playoffs. Each of the previous two games featured a Patriots win, a frustrated Manning and ultimately the Lombardi trophy ending up in Brady’s hands. As Pats fans, we’ve had it good. We can’t complain about anything for the next 20 years (but we will anyway). Colts fans on the other hand, well, they’re frustrated to say the least. They’ve got the new Marino, one of the highest payrolls (a payroll that will kill them when Manning is done) and the inability to win the big one. So why is this rivalry surpassing the Sox-Yanks, when the Pats obviously have the upper hand?

Simple, the Patriots are the alpha dog in the league right now, yet no one wants to admit it. Every preseason every analyst from here to China picks the Colts to win the Super Bowl. And every time the Colts get close, it’s the Pats who shut the door on their Super Bowl hopes. Then there’s this: Peyton Manning is the media's darling, he’s the poster boy of what a great quarterback should be (at least in the national spotlight) but here in good old New England he’s just an overrated chump who can’t beat our golden boy Tom. Tommy Touchdowns was once again overlooked for the Pro Bowl this year (which is fine by me, since the Robert Edwards fiasco), while Peyton is starting the most meaningless game in sports.

Do you think Brady cares about making that squad? Or do you think he’d rather be celebrating another Super Bowl victory? As far as rivalries go, it all comes down to these two guys, the ultimate team player vs. the money hungry record breaker. Lets get it on!

A reader sent this story along. It was published in the January 5th edition of the Wall Street Journal. It's a very long read but pretty interesting for people who like gambling....

LAS VEGAS -- Veteran sports bettors and bookmakers are not prone to fantastic notions. They like to think that everything new is just something old in a fashionable suit.

But this fall, the stereotype no longer fit. Years of studied cynicism gave way to breathless talk. Las Vegas had a mystery on its hands.

Each Thursday morning at precisely 10 a.m. Nevada time, every major casino sports betting operation in the world from here to Costa Rica was being simultaneously pounded by thousands of bettors wagering millions of dollars on the same few college football games. Odder still, most of these lock step bets were turning out to be winners, costing the casinos a fortune.

Click here to read entire story...

Thanks to Ty for sending it along.

TMZ.com: TMZ has exclusively learned that Miss USA Tara Conner will be getting out of rehab on Sunday, and that Miss Universe officials are "licking their chops" because her imminent release will cause a "news frenzy."

We're also told that people who run the facility say she's back on track. Conner spent the last few weeks at a treatment center in Pennsylvania, after the Donald decided not to fire her for her wild, hard-partying antics and dalliances with multiple men, as TMZ first reported in December.

Since then, two of her fellow contestants in the pageant, Miss Nevada Katie Rees and Miss New Jersey Ashley Harder have been forced to turn in their crowns.

UB has heard a rumor she's headed strait to Justin Rebello's for some Sam Adams Pale Ale and the Bruins...

"Boobs"

Inside Track - In an NFL beauty contest, newly crowned Miss Massachusetts Despina Delios thinks Tom Brady[ stats] is “average.” Which leads us to wonder where the Lynn homegal is hanging out!

“Tom Brady is a good-looking gentleman, but average,” Desi told the Track. “Honestly, everybody goes around having crushes on celebrities, but I am not that kind of person. I guess I really haven’t looked at him to form an opinion.”

“I don’t think anything,” said the Miss USA wannabe. “I don’t know.”

Any thoughts on Tara Conner, who is spending 30 days of her Miss USA reign in rehab???

“If I won the title, I would never have to give (pageant poohbah Donald Trump) a reason to give me a second chance,” said Desi. “But I think Tara, by going to rehab, and (Donald) giving her a second chance, was a wonderful thing.”

Who picked this chick to represent MA?   She seems like a real wet blanket.   How can she say Tom Brady is average looking?   First of all, that’s a slap in the face to me and every other Pats fan in New England.  Secondly, what is she on drugs or something?   Tom Brady isn’t average at anything.   He’s fucking Gisele for god sakes.     And just as an FYI, Peyton Manning is a disgusting slob.   So get with the times would you?    Newsflash:  The Pats are playing the Colts in the AFC Championship on Sunday.   Get your head out of your ass and start representing MA the right way instead of sitting there and saying nothing.    I give Miss MA a negative 23 percent chance of getting out of the first round in the Miss USA competition next year.   She is as boring as boring can be.   Apparently she didn’t get the memo that the Miss USA competition is about chicks getting drunk, stripping and fucking.  There is no room for Ms. Vanilla from Lynn MA.

And to think I would have offered her a spot on our cover….

ESPN.COM: Free-agent outfielder Trot Nixon has agreed to a one-year, $3 million deal with the Cleveland Indians, ESPN.com's Peter Gammons reports.

Nixon, who has spent his entire pro baseball career with the Boston Red Sox organization and was popular with the team's fans for his gritty playing style, was not offered arbitration by the team after spending eight years as its starting right fielder.

In 982 career games, Nixon has a .278 batting average with 133 home runs and 523 RBIs. He hit .357 in Boston's four-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2004 World Series and delivered a key bases-clearing triple in Game 4.

There are two moments that immediately stick out when it comes to Trot:

The 2000 Pedro-Clemens showdown at Yankoff Stadium where Trot's 2 run homer in the top of the 9th was the only runs scored in the classic game. Clemens struck out 13, Pedro 9. The Yankoffs loaded the bases in the bottom of the 9th but the Sox got out of it, in what still is the best game UB has ever been to.

Game 4 of the 2004 World Series, where with a 3-0 count Nixon comes with in a foot of hitting a 3 run home run. Instead his double scores 2 and the Sox win the game 3-0 and sweep the series. Rumors persist that he did not have the green light.

So long Trot. UB always loved his heart, but the guy just couldn't stay on the field or hit a lefty to save his life...

Free-agent outfielder Trot Nixon has agreed to a one-year, $3 million deal with the Cleveland Indians, ESPN.com's Peter Gammons reports.

One year, $3 million for a ten-year veteran? It just doesn't get any lower than that. Seriously, this is like the top salesman at Dunder-Mifflin working the floor at Staples.

Here are Nixon's final averages with the Sox, not counting his first two seasons, when he only had a cup of coffee:

• Per season: G: 120, Avg: .278, HR: 17, RBI: 65, SLG: .478
• Per 162 Games: HR: 22, RBI: 86, BB: 75, K: 102

It's hard now to remember the time when more than half the fans in Boston considered Trot the tough, clutch, star-in-the-making that we wouldn't trade for anybody. Early on he did have his clutch hits, and was a certifiable Clemens killer. But the fact is that between being injured and having to be protected against lefties, Nixon was only good for about 70 games a year for the last half of his time in Boston. And I'll argue that for every boneheaded miscue that Manny made, baserunning blunders or forgetting how many outs there are or whatever, Trot made one as well. All the eye black and dirty hats in the world couldn't make up for that.

I call that we all have to do a shot today every time Peter Gammons says that Trot is one of the truly great people in the game.

There was an amazing stat on HBO's Inside the NFL Wednesday night...During the Patriots 12-1 playoff run since the 2001-02 season, dickhead Dan Marino has picked against them 7 times. Those picks included all 3 AFC Championships and 2 of the 3 Super Bowls. Marino's fellow co-hosts commented that they knew he hated the Jets but didn't know he hated the Patriots too. Marino replied, trying to joke around, that he hated the whole division.

During the 2004 playoffs Tom Brady actually called Marino out on Inside the NFL, noting that he never picks the Patriots in a personal message. Brady said, "Well have to keep winning until he picks us."

The funniest thing about these series of anti-Pats picks is that during the Super Bowl XXXVI preview show back in 2002, Marino predicted a close game with the Patriots winning 20-17 on a last second Vinatieri field goal. The funny part is that after they shot the scene Marino made them re-shoot him predicting a Rams blowout because he didn't want to be wrong and look like an idiot at his new job.

Of course Danny boy did us all a favor, picking the Colts this Sunday.

It's in the basement. The VHS copy of Super Bowl XXXVI. It's been a while since your Uncle Buck has put it in, so NFL Network was kind enough to pull it out for him and air it as part of a series of original Super Bowl broadcasts on the network. As UB is sure many in Stoolville did last night, the game was TiVoed and zipped through to the highlights, but while watching there was several things that struck UB about the event:

• Pat Summerall and John Madden are doing the game for Fox. UB completely forgot how AWFUL Summerall was at this point. Even just zipping through you can hear Summerall refer to Warner as Faulk and during the Ty Law interception, Mike Vrabel as Willie McGinest. He steps all over Madden's lines throughout and of course there was the end of the game...He comments that Vinatieri missed a field goal in pre-game that he hits as it is being replayed ("Well he pulled that one in pre-game, but most of them he hit in pre-game and he doesn't miss many...") and then delivers the worst "dramatic ending" call in the history of sports. Vinatieri's kick: "And it's right down the pike" (long pause, checking his notes...) "Adam Vinatieri" (long pause, check the clock) "No time on the clock, (Pause) and the Patriots have won Super Bowl 36." (Pause) "Unbelievable." By the time he got the last word out Brady had already received the keys to his new MVP car. What a sad way for one of the all time great broadcast duos to go out.
• Even though Fox had been doing the NFL for several years now, they still had an awful broadcast. Especially the moments after Adam's game winner...UB really hopes that director was fired. After the game winning kick the camera shots include: Seldom used receiver Charles Johnson who is talking to the camera, Patriots Center Mike Compton (#77) rolling around, a Rams player on one knee saying "damn", a zoom in of confetti, Mike Martz looking like a zombie and then a few other random Patriots linemen. Only in replays do you see Brady slapping Bledsoe's shoulder pads or the reaction of Vinatieri and Ken Walter. They completely missed Belichick's embrace with Lawyer Milloy and his daughter, which was caught by NFL Films.
• The graphics are amazingly different from today. The scoreboard bug at the top takes over at least 1/5th of the screen, while the camera is more zoomed in than today, making the players and the field look bigger.
• Just before the game begins the Patriots are introduced as a team, it still gives UB chills.
• Brady looks SO freaking young. He looks like an 18 year old when they introduce the offense.
• UB remembers waking up that morning in his new apartment, just lying in bed thinking "If they can just win this game, everything will be different." Think about it. In February 2002, the last title UB and Boston had enjoyed was the 1986 Celtics. We were hanging our hats on an AFC title in 1996-97 and a Stanley Cup appearance in 1990, that's it for the decade. At the time the Celtics were improving, but no one expected them to do anything amazing (although they did reach the Eastern Conference Finals later that season) and the Bruins were in the same boat. The Red Sox were taking steps to get better but we were celebrating more about the Yankoffs losing the 2001 World Series than we were about anything the Sox had done. About 13 hours after waking up, life was VERY different for UB and Boston.

Those are just a few things that popped in to UB's head...UB is sure that the Stoolies will add there own memories from the game and the times below, but it still stands out for UB as perhaps the happiest and most unbelievable sports moment of all time...When UB woke up this morning, he flipped on the TiVo and noticed that the NFL Network re-broadcast of Super Bowl XXXVIII recorded at some point over night...Can't wait to re-live that one too.

Marco Borriello plays for Milan in the Italian soccer league. When he tested positive for performance enhancers, he did what any smart athlete does: he said it was somebody else's fault.

But Marco is light years ahead of our doofusy American athletes. While Barry Bonds is blaming Mark Sweeney and Gary Sheffield is blaming Barry Bonds and Shawne Merriman is blaming team doctors, Borriello blames his astonishingly beautiful Argentine model girlfriend Belen Rodriguez.

Borriello claims that Rodriguez was taking a creme to treat a vaginal infection, and the creme had steroids in it, and he ingested some because well, he's a man, and she's a woman, and there two young kids in love and somethin' somethin'...

Marco Borriello is now the leader in the clubhouse for 2007 Sportman of the Year. How great is this alibi? "Sorry fellas, not my fault...I was muff diving. On my model girlfriend. Couldn't help myself." Even if it's chemically impossible, all any guy in the league office can say is "Good for you" and vote for no disciplinary action.

Some NSFW pictures are here, here, here and a whole calendar's worth is here.None of these should dissuade any guy from risking a postitive steroid test, infection or no infection.

I got this from Fark, who linked it from Rumorwhore. So if you want to say you read it on Deadspin or Withleather or something, just shaddup.

This is Kari Byron of the Discovery Channel's "Mythbusters." I wish I could've found better pictures of her, frankly even the FHM shots below I don't think do her justice. She might just be one of those women that doesn't photgraph as well as she should.

I think the reasons I really like this chick are:

1. She's a redhead. And we're all in agreement I think that redheads are either really smoking, or make you recoil in horror. Kari is smoking.
2. She can build and fix stuff. Smart chicks who can actually use tools instead of just trying to hold the world together with duct tape like me are a turn-on.
3. She's comfortable around nerds. I mean, she comes across like the girl from the engineering department who could probably date the captain of the football team, but give the tech geeks hope they might have a shot at her.
4. She can chill beer with a fire extinguisher.

And here's a N really SFW one for good measure.

The Globe's Ron Borges has long since retired the trophy as the biggest Patriot hater in Boston. Since the day Bill Belichick took over he's criticized every personnel move, taken umbrage with every free agent they've let walk, ripped every free agent they've signed, second guessed every draft pick, and questioned every public statement the team has made.

The only competition Dr. Evil has had for the top (bottom?) spot was the Herald's Kevin Mannix, who once famously called Belichick "duplicitous pond scum." But after the Pats started collecting championships, even Mannix saw the light (then got fired). Borges is hanging onto his loathing of the Pats like a member of Opus Dei, sworn to protect the Big Lie.

Even three Super Bowls and the best winning record of any coach in the playoffs in history wouldn't force Ron off his mark. One thing you could say in his favor was at least he was consistent. Until now. Last night Borges was on FSN's "4 Downs with Felger" show. When Felger went around the panel and asked for their final predictions for Sunday's game, Borges went with the Colts. Specifically, he said he agrees with SI.com's Don Banks, that the Pats won't be able to stop the Colts wide receivers.

And here's what he's saying on MSNBC.com:

Defense, Brady will lift Pats over Colts, again

Indianapolis isn't about to end its playoff drought against New England

...the Patriots gave up a franchise record-low 237 points, an average of 14.8 points per game. That ranked second in the league in the only defensive statistic that matters and that has changed little in the playoffs.

Going into Sunday's showdown for the AFC Championship in Indianapolis, New England is third among AFC playoff teams in points allowed, having given up 18.5 per game. What may be just as critical is that while their defense has been stout all year, they are the AFC's leading scorers in the playoffs, averaging slightly over 30 points per game in their wins over the Jets and Chargers. That may not make them better than their best Super Bowl championship teams but it just may make them good enough to add more jewelry to their safe deposit boxes.

du·plic·i·tous adj "marked by deliberate deceptiveness especially by pretending one set of feelings and acting under the influence of another"