Random Thoughts

From Bill Burt:

One of New England’s favorite sons isn’t going anywhere. The Patriots informed Troy Brown today that he will be activated to the 53-man roster this week. Brown, who has been injured for what would be his 15th season with the Patriots, was informed of the move today by Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.

At the moment, no one else is reporting this. But assuming it's true, if you think this is anything less than fan-friggin-tastic news, you can stop calling yourself a Patriots fan right now.

Looking at the way the Pats handled this, there can only be one conclusion: Brown has struggled to get healthy, but the team was going to do everything humanly possible to get him on the roster. That's why they waited until literally the last possible moment to activate him. Because even banged up, even on the best, deepest receivingcorps in the NFL, even if he's the least physically gifted WR on the team, Troy Brown makes the Patriots a better team just by being in uniform. And I guarantee that at some point this season, he will make a play, whether on offense, defense or special teams, that will win a game.

And it proves one other thing: that Bill Belichick gets it. He understands that football is played by human beings. That like Jack Woltz in "The Godfather," he's "not a hard-hearted man, and that it's not all dollars and cents." And he's just given the best team ever it's heart & soul back. Welcome back, Mr. Patriot.

Cranky oldtimers always like to complain that the players today don't honor and appreciate the guys who came before them. The ones who blazed the trails and broke down the barriers and made these young whippersnappers' lives possible. But that's not always the case. In the NC State-Maryland game this weekend, referee Ron Cherry paid homage to the greatest call in NFL history, made by Ben Dreith in 1986.

It's tough to choose which "givin' him the business" call was better. I'd go with Dreith, except he was the ref in the 1976 Wild Card game, when he himself called Roughing the Passer on Sugar Bear Hamilton, the biggest bag job in NFL history. So for that reason I'm going with Cherry. See you in Hell, Ben.

Vote 1 for NC State/Maryland, Vote 10 for 1986.

You know how there are always new scientific studies discovering things we already know like college kids have more sex than old people or attractive people like attractive people?   Well I finally got a worthwhile study that I’d like to be investigated.  What is the deal with chicks who pose ass first for pictures?  (In some circles this move is called “The Cicchini”)  What does this say about their psychological make up?   Does this mean the girl is slut? Does this mean she knows she has a great ass and she’s going to stick it in your eye?Does this mean she likes it in the butt?  Or does it mean nothing at all? Frankly I don’t know what the answer is.  But I do know one thing and that is that I love it.   I’m hoping this ass first phenomenon (The Cicchini) spreads like wild fire and pretty soon all chicks are doing it. Hot chicks, ugly chicks, fat chicks and lesbians all posing for pictures ass first.  It’ll be like the new Macarena.   In fact if I run for Mayor that would totally be my platform.   Vote for El Presidente and I promise to make Boston the first city in America where all chicks pose ass first for photos.  I’m pretty sure this would push tourism through the roof.

Let UB go on record as saying, "I fucking hate Patriots Place already." Except for that fake move to Hartford a few years back, it's hard to really get pissed at the Kraft family about anything, ever. Having said that, this Patriots Place thing might have been the dumbest idea to come down Route 1 in a long, long time. First off, why did they need to swallow up the parking at P8 and P9 to throw up a row of over sized "Christmas Tree Shops" and "Circuit Cities?" The next person who tells UB that the Bass Outlet is actually a cool store is going to get punched in the face. As if it wasn't bad enough that leaving those stores open for dumbass Christmas shoppers who thought it would be a good idea to try and pick up "ER: Season 8" on DVD for Grandma 30 minutes before kickoff, they actually kept a portion of the parking lot open for shoppers only. Not only that, but by the time UB made it within eye shot of the stadium though all the freaking traffic, he was forced to park across the street and walk around what appears to be some future hotel or some shit. Wasn't that the sacred ground where Adam hit the Oakland kick? Now it's the lobby of the new Hilton. Is UB the only one who can see a future where the Pats are no longer a good team and the empty stores outside Gillette have large "FOR LEASE" signs hanging in the windows?

The million dollar question from the Hills last night is whether Justin Bobby really made out with that redhead right in Audrina’s grill mix.    Now everybody in the bar seems pretty convinced that they saw them sucking face.   But I think Justin Bobby made a pretty compelling case that everybody suffered a simultaneous optical illusion and just saw what they wanted to see.   And I swear Audrina would have believed him if she weren’t so petrified of the wrath of LC.   Bottom-line is that if Justin Bobby says he wasn’t kissing a chick even though everybody saw him than Justin Bobby wasn’t kissing a chick.   Oh well, I guess only truth and time will tell all.  But for now it’s lights out for Justin Bobby on the Hills.  Personally I think he was framed.

ESPN.com - MIAMI -- Pro Bowl safety Sean Taylor died Tuesday after he was shot in his home by an apparent intruder, leaving the Washington Redskins in mourning for a teammate who seemed to have reordered his life since becoming a father.

Well don’t I feel like an asshole.  Yesterday morning I posted a blog making light of this situation talking about how an ex girlfriend shot Taylor in the dick.  And to be honest, I thought that’s what happened.  More importantly I was also under the impression that he was in stable condition.   And when I first heard reports that he was in critical condition I deleted the blog post immediately.  Still it’s never good to make fun of a guy who just got murdered.   Obviously I jumped to conclusions when I first heard some tidbits about the shooting and that was a big mistake on my part.    In any event, thank god I’m the boss because I’m pretty sure I would have been fired by now. Because I hear that in the world of real journalism it’s not good to make fun of guys who just got killed.    I’ll keep that in mind next time.    So RIP Sean Taylor and I apologize to all Sean Taylor’s family and friends who may be reading the Stool as well as to all the Stoolies who have emailed me telling what a great guy he was and how I’m worse than the guy who actually killed him.   

PS - I'm not sure I'm 100% buying all the details of this story yet either. While this story was clearly a tragedy, let's not make it seem like Sean Taylor was a boyscout either.

This is just an amazing story coming out of North Korea:

A North Korean factory boss accused of making international phone calls was executed by a firing squad in front of 150,000 people, it emerged today. The manager was gunned down in a sports stadium in South Pyongan province after authorities claimed he'd installed 13 in a basement to reach the outside world, the Good Friends aid agency revealed.

And six people were also crushed to death and 34 others injured in an apparent stampede as they left after the execution, it was claimed.

Wow. All I can say is "wow." You hear a lot of bad things about North Korea, but you have to give credit where credit is due. 150,000 seat stadiums don't just spring up out of the ground. That is some serious building skills they've got over there. I mean, the Big House in Ann Arbor holds...what? 107,000? That's nothing. Sure you could knit pick about the safety of the place because six people got trampled, but remember that's six out of 150,000. We used to lose that many at the old Foxboro Stadium when it was only 75% of capacity.

And don't feel too bad for the guy who got executed. Rules are rules. Kim Il's running a tight ship over there. I'm sure "No personal calls on work time" was in the employee handbook. Facing a firing squad was inevitable.

VS.

Intouch.com - It was the day after Thanksgiving – but Jessica Simpson’s family was more than happy to hold off their dinner so she could return home with her new boyfriend, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.

Well I guess Carrie Underwood knows why she got dumped now.  Looks like Tony wasn’t too busy with football after all.  He just upgraded pieces of ass.    In any event Romo is really starting to piss my shit off.   Who does he think he is?    He has no business banging a chick who may be considered in some circles more desirable than Gisele.  At the very least Brady should be able to declare Prima Noctes and nail Jessica Simpson before Romo does.   Anyway, this whole debacle raises the question of who the Stoolies would rather fuck?  Gisele or Jessica Simpson? 

Vote 1 for Gisele and 10 for Simpson.

Can you sense it?  The chill in the air?   The frost on the cars.   The Christmas music on the radio?  It can mean only one thing.  Yup, it’s Trivia Season again at Game On!   (Insert the soundtrack for the Final Countdown now)   Starting this Wednesday Night at 8pm and running every Wednesday Night until baseball season starts again it’s the most exciting 2 hours in all of sports.   So many question marks heading into this season.  Will Team Barstool be accused of cheating at our own event again?  Will the spinach and artichoke dip chips need to be replaced mid season because of staleness?  And obviously will we finally win the Tournament of Champions?    To quote Justin Bobby, Truth and time will tell all.  As a reminder no more than 5 (FIVE) people per squad.   The winners get a weekly prize and qualify for the Tournament of Champions where they will have a shot at competing for the richest prize in all of trivia.   We hope to see you there on Wednesday Night!

What: Trivia

Where: Game On!

When: Every Wednesday Night

Time: 8pm

Boston.com - Dr. Charles Steinberg, who dramatically transformed the fan experience in Fenway Park in his nearly six years here, is leaving the Red Sox as executive VP for public affairs to accept a top front-office position with the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to major league sources. The Dodgers are expected to make the announcement tomorrow. Steinberg spent the Thanksgiving holiday in Los Angeles as guest of Frank and Jamie McCourt, owners of the Dodgers, and reportedly accepted the offer at that time. His departure ends a working relationship with Sox CEO Larry Lucchino that spans nearly three decades. He was with Lucchino with the Orioles in Baltimore and the Padres in San Diego before joining the Sox on March 1, 2002. Steinberg, who served the Orioles as team dentist in addition to his front-office duties, leaves an impressive legacy in Boston, where he oversaw the team's public and community, electronic and live entertainment, television and video production, and advertising and customer service.

Well the Hot Stove season is officially over now that the Dodgers have landed the biggest prize of the off season.  Who cares about Johan Santana now that Dr. Charles is off the market?   And so continues the astronomical rise of Dr. Charles from team dentist of the Orioles to the most powerful man in baseball.    His success should come as a surprise to nobody.  I mean with his rugged good looks and his multiple ring wearing prowess, he is the type of guy who can dominate a room just by his sheer presence.  Girls want to date him and guys want to be him.  The Red Sox are now forced to pick up the pieces and move on.  Who is going to replace him and sell the pink hats, hire Boyz II Men to play at the World Series and get get the guy from Desperate Housewives to throw out the first pitch at Fenway remains to be seen.  But one thing is for sure. While Dr. Charles may be gone , his legend will live on forever in Boston lore.

Much more Lucy here...

Who do you want to Wake Up with? Ub@barstoolsports.com