Wednesday Random Thoughts
1. Troy Brown was released yesterday by the Patriots. I’m hoping he resigns with the team for less money. It sucks when situations like this happen in the NFL. As much as you’d like the Pats to reward Brown for his loyalty by picking up his option year it just doesn’t make smart business sense. I’m sure they didn’t want to cut him, but sometimes the hardest thing to do is the best thing to do.
2. For anybody who watched 24 on Monday the universal lesson that was learned is that the bad guys always need to shoot the good guys whenever the opportunity presents itself. Little did we know that Curtis was a mad man in hand to hand combat? I know the bad guys have to be kicking themselves for not just shooting him when he was sitting there in the chair. They already had killed three people 10 minutes ago so why they felt they needed to drag Curtis outside before killing him, I’ll never know. But I do know that the end result was Curtis snapped their necks in half.
3. As far as the Bachelorette 83 hour finale which ended in the miserable Jen Scheff picking nobody, what a complete waste of time. I actually felt bad for the First Lady who wasted her entire day watching the finale which we DVR’d. Listen Jen, not only aren’t you pretty, but you time in the sun is over. I knew you were a fraud the second I laid eyes on you and nothing you have done has changed my opinion. Pick a freaking winner would you?
4. I’ve always held Halle Berry in high regard. Physically speaking of course. However, I’ve always suspected her as being half crazy. When Barstool Sports produced its top 10 chicks you’d like to bang vs. take home to mom list Berry was on the bang list. But I may have to revise my thinking. Halle Berry was awarded the Razzie award for worst actress of the year for her performance in Catwoman. Much to my surprise she actually showed up to receive the award in person and made light of the situation giving the same speech she gave after winning the Oscar for Monster’s Ball. Having a sense of humor gets you tons of Tommy Points in my book. It’s refreshing to see an actor not take themselves so seriously especially after watching the Oscars.
Reader Email
El Presidente:
I write seeking your opinion. Recently I wrote to the head of a certain local Red Sox website which has recently been bought by a major metropolitan newspaper (the Globe) in order to express my disgust with their featuring of Jimmy Fallon prominently on their homepage in connection with his starring role in the remake of Nick Horby's "Fever Pitch" centered around one fan's devotion to the Red Sox instead of FA Premiership team Arsenal.
Personally, I was, shall we say, not jazzed, to see this guy, an admitted Yankee fan, on the field with the Sox as they won the World Series. This was NOT his moment.
I was dismissed by the editor and apparently many readers (although that was simply implied...for all I know the majority of responses he chose not to print could very well have been of the "Amen, brother!"
variety) as having overreacted to Mr. Fallon, and the message was, who cares?
Am I really the ONLY Red Sox fan who found the sight of this smug, no-talent YANKEE FAN capitalizing on this once-in-a-lifetime moment for his own gain distasteful? It's great that they're remaking this movie based around the Red Sox, but I'm a lifelong die-hard Sox fan, to me, there's no grey area on this one. Pick a side, people.
Derek
P.S.
The original rant should be on the Dirt Dogs website for another day or so if you want to read it. Suffice to say I didn't think it'd get published, and as such they have cleaned up some of the more colorful terms I used.
To wit: "stinks goats"? What the hell is that?
That's like watching "Boomerang" on TBS and hearing the line "I...smell...SISSY!". I'd rather they'd just expurgated that bit altogether.
Isn’t this an old issue? I remember talking about the Fallon thing when it happened. I originally felt the same way you did but then was under the impression that he had to be on the field because they were refilming the end of the movie since the Sox actually won the World Series. Therefore they had to be on the field. Regardless, I don’t read the Dirt Dogs site so I can’t really speak to what is going on over there.
Email #2
I was pulling for BC this year. However, in case anyone hasn't noticed, they are officially shitting the bed. Unless they pull off the Big East Tourney, they are 1 crappy loss away from getting the always enjoyed "We're gonna give you the #3 seed that your record says you deserve, but because we know you're soft, you are getting paired with a Gonzaga/S.Illinois/UNC-Charlotte/Miami(OH) type team that is highly likely to beat you, and we're going to put you somewhere near their college, so they can expose you for the frauds we know you to be." And if that doesn't work, the committee will be sure to put them in a second round game with that team no one wants to play, the team that started the season 7-7, then won 18 of their last 19. Do we have any of those this year? Anyway, unless Billy Curley throws on a jersey and plays for BC, I am predicting that they can safely make flight plans for Cancun at the end of March.
I am also looking forward to the every-other-year tradition of NC State making an ACC Tourney run, being the "Watch-Out" team of the tourney, losing in the first round, becoming the "Watch out next year" team, then going .500. They love to do that shit.
Zach (Chicago)
NC State is notorious for making a run in the ACC tournament and it’s all because that guy Hodges catches fire and has been in like 233 ACC tournaments. As far as the Superfans I don’t think that loss means anything in terms of what will happen in March. I really don’t. BC will be a tough out in March. BC has lost at ND, at Villanova and at home to Pitt. All three of those losses are respectable. You are going to lose games in the Big East. It’s just too good of a conference not to have a few bad nights.
Email #3
I've like reading the opinions on Tedy Bruschi. I'm a non-Patriots fan so I have no strong feelings either way. I'd have to say he's not a 'first ballot' Hall of Famer, and probably won't make it at all, but he does have a shot. To me he is in the category of a Fred Dean of the 49ers, Ken Norton Jr. of Dallas/San Francisco, or Carl Banks of the Giants- a real defensive play maker and difference maker for a great team, but on his own not a pure Hall of Famer. We'll see. One thing I know is the guy should retire right now. He's made millions, has three rings, the Patriots will honor most or all of his remaining contract, and he'll have as much endorsement and media opportunities as he could want.
Will in Salem
That’s a fair email. I actually thought Carl Banks was in the Hall of Fame. Regardless, Banks, Norton Jr. and Dean only won 2 superbowls with an individual team. Norton got more with SF I think.
Email #4
I wasn't sure where to file this complaint but I wanted to get the 'Stool's thoughts on this chump Bob Halloran. I don't mind him behind the desk on Channel 5 but his column on the Metro is offensive and worthless. He is the most negative sports writer I’ve ever seen....the biggest jerk I've ever come across in the Boston media. Today's column in the metro featured his rant about how pissed he was sox players wouldn't give him an interview....its like he was desperate for a column topic b/c he works for a crap paper and when no one would give him any material he decided to a) take it personally and b) rip them back. What a jackass...forget about Shaughnessy and focus your anger on this guy. I would not be surprised if he goes after Brady and Belichick next and tops it off by saying Bruschi faked his stroke....
What kind of asshole would publicly complain about somebody for not giving him an interview? Oh wait, that sounds very similar to how El Presidente’s gripe with Bill Simmons started. Oops.
Email #5
oh my God! The Celtics win 2 games to bring them to .500 and all of a sudden everyone is excited! Are you kidding me! El Presidente please please get a grip on you emotions and come back to reality. The only thing to be excited about is that they play in a division weaker than the Ivy league. Let's think back to three or four games ago against the Lakers and the Nuggets where was the excitement then. Do you really think adding Antoine and deducting Gary Payton is going to make that much difference in the end. Let's all close our eyes for a second and really really think about this .500 ball club then let's think about the Pistons, Heat, Suns, Spurs, Sonics, Mavs, Rockets,Cavs (even the Bulls are playing more consistent ball) and so on and so on and so on. Is reality setting back in. I hope so.
Keith B.
(the anti homer)
Do you work for WEEI? Why all the negativity. And can you blame people for being optimistic right now. I mean the Sox won the World Series, the Pats have won 3 out of the last 4 Superbowls. If we can’t be homers now, when can we be? Listen, I’m the first to criticize Boston sports teams when they deserve it, but there hasn’t been much to complain about lately. I’ll admit it seems that lowercase Ed from yesterday went a bit overboard saying they would be the next dynasty, but you probably would have called him crazy if he said the same thing about the Pats when they hired Belichick. All I said about the Celts was that it was finally fun to watch them play again. I don’t think that’s too over the top.
Email #6
El Presidente,
Many thanks for adding my email about the National Beer League in Monday's random thoughts. I have to say that I was surprised by both your "who cares" comment and the email written in by Tom. It is true that NBL is only reserved for guys, but this is part of why it is so great. There are always plenty of other nights that can be geared directly toward getting some tail. NBL allows friends to get together, drink, compete and just have a great time without the distraction of women bitching about how much beer you've been drinking or that you can’t stop looking at their breasts. Tom, I am sorry that you feel that the NBL is "gay" but maybe you should take a night off of chasing women and spend some quality time drinking your face off with some buddies? Women call it "ladies night out" we call it NBL. Its good for the soul and chicks dig a guy that can drink till he can’t feel feelings yet still stumble to her place drunk at 3AM, right?
Sully
The reason I said I’m not sure if people will care about your league is because I’m not sure how interested people will be in the fact that you have drinking nights with your buddies. It’s kind of like if you had a fantasy league with your friends. While everybody has these things I’m just not sure who is interested in reading about a stranger’s league. That’s all.
Email #7
I printed out the random thoughts on Tuesday, so I'm certain that I am the only one who was able to make it all the way through ed's grammar-less Celtic diatribe. Therefore I feel a duty to respond.
I'm not sure if ed is trying to be funny throughout or if he is overcome by his giddiness about the Celtics. Either way the line about Al Jeff - "the mailman got barkley pregnant and this is their baby" - is inspired. Nitpicking I think Karl would be the woman in that relationship, but the joke works much better with a mailman getting someone pregnant. So we'll give ed poetic license.
However, his thoughts about some of the other players are not as humorous and stepped well beyond giddy. In fact they left me concerned for ed's safety.
ed calls Ricky Davis a superstar in the making, when he could have simply said he'll be the teams instant offense with no conscience off the bench ala Vinny Johnson. Then he compared Tony Allen to Clyde Drexler, inexplicably leaving his Piston's motiff. I like Tony Allen and Tony did lead OkSt. to the final 4 last year, but the Glide he is not. Lastly and most alarmingly, ed compared Marcus Banks to Isaiah Thomas?! Even minus the jump shot, Marcus has never led a team out of warm-ups much less NCAA and NBA titles like Zeke did. Perhaps Marcus' decision-making on the court reminds ed of Isiah the GM?
All in all, I agree that the Celtics are headed in the right direction and anyone with a pulse should be excited about this year's rookie crop. Plus Antoine gives them a real buzz factor and they could make an entertaining playoff run this year despite having no chance of winning the conference much less an NBA title. Realistically I think 3 yrs from now the rookies can mature into the core of a legitimate playoff contender. The challenge will be for Ainge to stay patient (jury still out) and for Pierce to hang onto superstardom and/or Jefferson to develop into a true superstar in that timeframe. In the interim, please tell ed to stay off the ledge lest he hurt himself.
Sully, Charlestown
Did you purposely not capitalize Ed’s name in your email because Ed doesn’t believe in capital letters?
Email #8
Ed from Easton,
Though I agree the Celts have a great thing going there with the young nucleus of players, I'd have to disagree with you on your Ricky Davis promotion. I agree Ricky is a tremendous talent, but the guy is also a tremendous piece of garbage. I had to suffer through 2 1/2 years of him as a Cavalier and I was ecstatic to learn when the Cavs dealt him and Chris Mihm (another stiff you forgot to mention Ainge quickly got rid)...maybe another player, I can't remember.....to the Celts for Williams, Battie, and Kedrick Brown. Though all 3 of those players are nothing to write home about, they were all decent role players while in Cleveland. I can say that none of them ever kicked a ball into the stands last year, much less after getting fouled when the ref CALLED the foul. (Ricky wanted an intentional) I had the pleasure of taking that one in live. Anyhow, Ricky Davis has a ton of potential but he will do nothing special with it b/c he's got a 10-cent head and is extremely selfish (not that that's a rare quality in an NBA player). I'm not one of those guys who hates him for when he tried to get a triple-double by throwing a shot up at the opponents backboard and rebounding it b/c he was one short. I actually thought that was funny. But, though he may be minding his manners and not causing any problems yet, eventually Ricky's fuse will blow. Davis is comparable to Milton Bradley in my estimation. Best of luck to the C's this year...they really are playing great and Ainge is doing a great job. Hope to see them make some waves come playoff time! I will admit that I do hope Ricky does something to piss off all you hard-core Bostonians so you can abuse him into an early retirement!
CD
I think we can all agree that at least it’s a start that people are talking about the Celts.