Thursday, May 13, 2010

My Blog Giveaway Winner Announced!!!!!

About a week ago, I posted a contest to give away a package of prizes from Boston Sports Blogapalooza.

Each entrant had the opportunity to enter the contest up to three times. I numbered all of the entries in the order I received them and used Random.org to pick the winner.


So without further ado, I'd like to congratulate Jeff Docherty!!

Jeff has won:
Thank you to everyone who entered my very first blog contest and to all of our participating companies for the great prizes!

Congratulations, Jeff! Please email me (soxylady {at} gmail {dot} com) with your choice of necklace and your address.

You can follow Jeff on Twitter or read his blog, Jeff Doc, here.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Jacoby Ellsbury & Josh Beckett Launch Their Charity Wines

Yesterday, in the shadows of the Green Monster, I attended the launch party for Jacoby Ellsbury and Josh Beckett's charity wines. The event was held at the exclusive Foundation Room at the House of Blues. Ellsbury and Beckett are the latest athletes to launch their wines "ZinfandEllsbury" and "Chardon-K" under the Longball Cellars brand.

NESN personality Heidi Watney emceed the event which was attended by Ellsbury. Beckett was supposed to be there but he's been "whining" about a tweaked back and had to focus on treatment in hopes he won't miss his next start (Get it? "whining"). Watney said the back problem stemmed from Beckett having to take batting practice in order to prepare for inter-league play later this month.


Heidi Watney

Jason Oberle, Executive Director of the Josh Beckett Foundation was on hand to read a statement from Beckett:
Jason Oberle
"With my new contract here in Boston, it is going to give me the chance to pursue even more opportunities to help the children in New England with my Foundation. These opportunities would not be possible if it were not for the dedication and hard work from companies like Charity Hop who also give back to our charities."
1oo% of proceeds from sales of Beckett's wine will go to the Josh Beckett Foundation, which supports community-based programs that strive to improve the health and well-being of children, especially those who are seriously ill, disabled or otherwise disadvantaged.

One example of how this charity has helped local kids is the Josh Beckett Treatment Room at Children's Hospital. Located in their Oncology department it's a room where sick kids can go in and focus on the cheerful Fenway Park imagery instead of drab walls. Once their treatment is done they leave with a Beckett baseball card and a picture.

Oberle also announced that Jason Aldean will be performing this July after Josh Beckett's Charity Bowl celebration, Beckett Bowl. I love that they're bringing this country star to Boston and hope I'm able to attend the event.

Next up was Andrew Graff. Graff started Charity Wines with the goal of finding athletes and celebrities, and matching them with fine wines to raise funds for the charities of their choice.

Andrew Graff

I was really hoping for the opportunity to speak with Graff, as he is a businessman I have looked up to for a long time. It has always been my hope to work for a non-profit or charity organization, while being able to support my family. Graff has found a way to combine that with sports and I really can't imagine anything better. Unfortunately it was not in the cards for me to meet him yesterday, but I was grateful to be able to hear him speak.

Shannon Albert, President of the Navajo Relief Fund spoke a little bit about the Navajo people. They represent the largest reservation in the United States and still take part in traditional activities such as basket weaving, rug making, harvest dance and silver making. What most people don't realize is the difficulty in the day-to-day conditions the Navajos face.

The current unemployment rate on the reservation is between 40%-50% and over 300,000 Navajos live below the poverty level. Nearly half of the high school students are drop-outs and teen suicide is well above the national average.

In her sincere thanks to Ellsbury (whose grandmother and mother are full Navajo) she presented him with a beautiful silver and turquoise bracelet which Ellsbury said reminded him of his grandmother.

Shannon Albert presents Ellsbury with a Navajo bracelet

Ellsbury's Navajo bracelet

“I have been blessed, not only to be a professional athlete but to be able to give back to the less fortunate,” Ellsbury said.

He mentioned how it took him a while to choose the charities who would benefit from wine sales. So difficult was it, he couldn't choose just one but was able to narrow it down to three charities which he said are "all near and dear" to his heart.

I already mentioned the first one, The Navajo Relief Fund helps Native Americans improve their quality of life by providing opportunities for them to bring about positive changes in their own communities.

The second is Project Bread. Executive Director Ellen Parker was on hand to talk about the leading anti-hunger organization, and how the money earned from sales of Ellsbury's wine will go to in-school programs to ensure kids from low-income families will be fed nutritious breakfast and lunches during school.

Ellen Parker

Ellsbury's third organization is the Ellsbury-Read Project. I was unable to find a website for this organization (So um....if you need some help with your online visibility, contact me!) but the Project helps promote child abuse prevention so every child can be safe at home.

Ellsbury talked a little bit about his number change from 46 back to his preferred 2 (He did mention 46 served him well in 2007 when the Sox won the World Series. Watney joked maybe he should switch back), his hopeful return to baseball "soon" and joked how his wine tasted better and had a better name than Beckett's.

He was so gracious posing for pictures, signing autographs and talking to his fans.

If you're a faithful reader of my blog, you know I'm a big fan of the Cape Cod Baseball League. Ellsbury played for the Cape League in 2004 for the Falmouth Commodores (*side note: The Commodores lost the championship to the Y-D Red Sox, my home-town team!). It's hard to believe he wasn't the heart-throb back then that he is now.

Swoon-worthy Ellsbury

That's not to say he wasn't adorable, but he wasn't the guy on the team all of the girls swooned over, like he is now.

Speaking of swooning girls...Ellsbury's long-time girlfriend Kelsey Hawkins was at the event. Despite rumors that have been swirling around lately Hawkins wasn't sporting a ring on her left-hand.

Jacoby Ellsbury's girlfriend, Kelsey Hawkins

You know who was sporting bling, though? Jacoby. Check this watch out!
Ellsbury's Watch

Does anyone know what brand that is? Wow.....

OK, back to the serious stuff.

I need to thank Brett Rudy from Charity Hop for inviting me to this wonderful event! The wines are now available for around $14 in local establishments, as well as online.

Mike Lembo, Brett Rudy & Jacoby Ellsbury

Please raise your glasses for both Beckett and Ellsbury
for using their status as a professional athlete to help those in need.

Friday, May 7, 2010

When Promotional Emails Just Don't Do It For Me (With My Sox On) (That's What He Said)

If you're like me, your email inbox gets flooded with promotional emails on a daily basis. Email marketing has proven to be an effective tool for businesses - especially small businesses - some even have a lot of fun with it.

Today I got an email from Chowdaheadz. You know, the guys who have that "wicked pissah stuff." But instead of enticing me to buy something (or even get the free T-shirt they were promoting) I wanted to report them to the Grammar Vandal*.

Here is the text of the email:

By being our friend you are going to get some great deals from us including:
Discount codes, Free stuff, & Much More..

In fact we will start right now with this great offer:
FREE CHOWDAHEADZ T-SHIRT TODAY
FREE CHOWDAHEADZ T-SHIRT
HOW TO REDEEM:
-Use coupon code at checkout: FCTN7183
-This one time coupon code must be used the same day this email was opened
-Code cannot be combined with other codes & expires today
-CLICK THIS LINK TO GET YOUR FREE TEE TODAY!


Thanks for being a Chowdaheadz and we look forward to hearing from you!

CLICK HERE TO VISIT CHOWDAHEADZ.COM
If your a Yankee Fan hit unsubscribe below:

I'm going to offer my unsolicited advice to these clams:
  1. Saying "this one time coupon code must be used the same day this email was opened" and that the code "expires today" does not go hand in hand. What if I didn't open your email until tomorrow? Or next week? You are leaving your words open for some interpretation and confusion.
  2. Do I need to purchase something in order to get my free Tshirt? Or maybe there is no purchase necessary? I don't want to have to click through to your site, try and add the shirt to my shopping cart and try and check out, only to find out I might need to buy something else. Tell me now, please.
  3. You thank me for being a Chowdaheadz (wouldn't I just be a Chowdahead? I don't have multiple heads) and say you look forward to hearing from me, but don't tell me how to get in touch with you. Fail.
  4. This line, while intending to be funny (I get that), is really just wrong in so many ways "If your a Yankee Fan hit unsubscribe below" - oh where to start, where to start....
  • First: Let's talk about homonyms. You've surely learned about them. They're words that are pronounced the same, but are spelled differently and have different meanings. See the Yankees, they don't belong to me. They don't belong to my heart, none of their shirts even belong in my closet.
  • Second: This may be me going over the edge a bit, but I'm an online marketing geek, I "click" on links. I don't "hit" them. My mom taught me not to hit at all, it's not nice.
  • Third: I can't even "hit" or "click" unsubscribe below because there is no unsubscribe button or link. There is just a dynamically generated link full of garbage most people don't understand.
And before you go all Snooki on me, I know I'm far from perfect. But this is my blog and I felt the urge to say something.

That's my rant for the day. Until next time, remember to proof your business emails before sending them out!

*Read the Grammar Vandal's Travel Blog: Adventurous Kate


.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

A Blogapalooza-Sized Boston Sports Give-Away!!!!!

You've read about Blogapalooza on my blog more than once. I've promised to write about some of the awesome bloggers, vendors and people I met there and I'm going to make good on that promise in the coming weeks. Today, however, I'm going to do one better. I'm not only going to write about some of the vendors but I'm also going to host my VERY FIRST SOXY LADY BLOG GIVE-AWAY!!!!!

I'm going to be giving away* a package of 5 awesome prizes in honor of Cinco De May0 and Nomar Day at Fenway Park.

All you need to do is either blog, Tweet or Facebook about this give-away. Once you have done that, leave a comment on this post with a link to your blog/Tweet/Facebook status** and you're entered! If you do all three then you are entered three times :) Make sure you leave your contact information in your comment, or email it to me at soxylady33 {at} gmail {dot} com.

You have until midnight on May 12th to enter. The winner will be announced on my blog on Thursday, May 13th.

The first prize comes from Sportsnecks. Sports jewelry made in the USA! These adorable baseball charms are perfect for the female sports fan in your life.

The winner will have their choice of one of the following:

  • A ball and bat charm on a silver chain or red chain
  • A glove and ball charm on a black chain
  • A white baseball on a silver chain
  • A pink baseball on a silver chain

(image courtesy of Sportsnecks.com)

The second prize comes from BottomLine Apparel. These Boston Sports shirts are fun and made on quality T-shirts. If you purchase Bottom Line's "Yoouuk" T-shirt $5 is donated to the Kevin Youkilis Hits for Kids charity. I'm wearing mine to the game tonight!!

The T-shirt you will win is size L and one of my favorites!

(image courtesy of blshirts.com)

The third prize comes from those Supah people over at Supahfans.com. They sell Boston sports T-shirts, stickers and more!

The sticker you will win is a must-have for any Red Sox fan! Place it on your car, your notebook, your forehead (heh)

(image courtesy of supahfans.com)

The fourth prize is a coupon for one free ticket to any home Brockton Rox game! You'll have a chance to experience professional baseball at a fraction of the price of the major-league team.

The ticket is not assigned to any seat, so for $5 bring a friend or family member!

(image courtesy of the Brockton Rox)

The fifth prize is really 3-in-1. You will win a pair of Wachusett Brewing Company coasters and a Wachusett Brewing Company bottle opener.

This MA-based brewery offers tours and has a store where you can fill 1/2 gallon growlers with their beer!! Bring it home and enjoy :)

(image courtesy of WachusettBrew.com)

All of these companies were represented in one way or another at the first-ever Blogapalooza. I want to thank them for these awesome prizes and hope you enjoy them!

Best of luck on winning!


*Dear, FTC: These prizes were all donated to me either to be part of a SoxyLady giveaway, or as a "door prize" at Boston Sports Blogapalooza.

**To link to the exact Tweet you posted on Twitter, click on the time stamp after the Tweet has been submitted and send me that link. To link to the Facebook status just tag me @SoxyLady in your message! Let me know if you have any questions.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Rally Wally

I've always been a huge fan of Rally Wally. As a matter of fact, just a quick search through some of my old pictures and I was able to find these:


The first picture is from when Papi hit a 3-run walk-off homer in June of 2006. The Sox were down by 2 in the bottom of the 9th, 2 outs, 2 strikes...and the power of Rally Wally took hold.

Truth be told, I don't remember when the second picture is from, but we'll just have to assume it was also an epic night.

Earlier today the folks at the Remy Report urged Red Sox Nation to take part in "Upside-Down Wally night"

To all of Red Sox Nation - something MUST be done to stop this slide into oblivion.

So many of you have a Wally, and many even have his chair. Let's get ALL of Red Sox Nation to recognize "Upside-Down Wally" night as the Sox take on LAA.

We will even have Wally upside down and on his chair at Jerry Remy's Sports Bar & Grill. If you are there tonight, be sure to wish luck on Wally, so that he will bring luck to the Red Sox.
What are you waiting for?

Get Wally on his head before the game begins and tell all your friends and family to do the same! The Nation is waiting!
Did I take part?

You bet I did!!!!


Here is Rally Wally with the Growler of beer we won yesterday at Boston Sports Blogapalooza.

The Nation responded with plenty of pictures posted to the Remy Report's Facebook page. Go and check them out, and add your own photo from tonight if you have one.

I'll say the call to the Nation has paid off. In the 8th inning it is 17-4 Sox over the Angels. Dare I say I don't even think our bullpen can blow this lead?

Don't make me eat my words........

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Boston Sports Blogapalooza

Kudos to Joe Gilll for organizing a very successful Blogapalooza. If you weren't able to make it, definitely try and be there for the rumored 2nd coming of Blogapalooza in the fall.

In the coming days I'll be highlighting many of the bloggers/artists I met and will talk about the various prizes and schwag I walked away with. There is just too much to highlight in one post (and yeah, I'm tired after a long weekend!)

In the mean time, I want to share some linking love with the people I met. If I've missed you I apologize in advance, just shoot me a message and I'll be sure to add you to the list.

I want to send a special shout-out to Mike Hall's girlfriend, Laura. I was so excited to find out Laura is a fan of SoxyLady. I hope to get the chance to meet her soon!!

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Minor League Highlight: Lowell Spinners

In 2005 my dad met me in Boston and we drove a few miles north to Lowell to watch the Lowell Spinners play the Batavia Muckdogs.

Dad's former Cape Cod League Baseball host-son, Brett Harker, was going to pitch for the Muckdogs. We were ecstatic to see him play professional ball. I was even more excited because one of my BBBF's (yeah, that's Baseball Boyfriend), Gabe Kapler, was rehabbing in Lowell.

The Spinners are part of the Red Sox Minor League System. They are affiliated as a Class A Short Season Team. As the name implies, their season is short (June - September) and for many players this is their first opportunity to play with a wooden bat (Cape League Alumni have a head start on this!) Short-A ball helps transition rookies to professional baseball; They learn a lot about conditioning and have the opportunity to play on a daily basis.

We were able to meet with Brett before the game. He had always pitched as a closer, but told us the Muckdogs were going to try him out as a starter that day.

I expressed my concern.....I was conflicted because I wanted him to do well, but I had to cheer for the Spinners and for Kapler. My dad joked that when Gabe came up to bat, Brett should buzz the tower. Brett's agent didn't think that was a good idea. We had a few laughs and then headed for the ball park.

I don't remember many details of the game except for these:

  • Brett struck out Gabe Kapler. I was proud and frustrated at the same time
  • Jacoby Ellsbury was on the Spinners roster. He wasn't a household name yet, but he also played in the Cape League the same season Brett did. Our team beat Ellsbury's team to win the championship
  • I was impressed by LeLacheur Park
  • The fans loved their home team and the Spinners did a lot to get the fans involved
  • You could feel the passion in every pitch, every at-bat
It's the thing I love most about minor-league ball; The boys are playing for the love of the game. They're playing for the opportunity to perform on the big stage. They are giving it their all to make their dreams come true.

For anyone who lives in the vicinity of Lowell (or any town that hosts a minor-league team) I urge you to take in a game. For mere pennies in comparison to going to Fenway you can experience a night of fun and good, pure baseball for the whole family.

Often times you have the opportunity to meet and interact with players. This is especially beneficial for the kids as they get to pick out a "favorite player" before they become famous. They are able to follow their journey through the professional baseball system and boast to their friends they knew "so and so" way back when he played for the Spinners.

You are able to get a real good look at those boys who may one day turn into men in front of Red Sox Nation. Former Spinners players who are now on the Red Sox:
  • Kevin Youkilis
  • Jacoby Ellsbury
  • Jonathan Papelbon
  • Clay Buchholz
Oh, and the starting pitcher for the spinners the night Brett pitched? Just two short years later he threw a no-hitter for the Boston Red Sox.

If you're interested in Learning more about the Lowell Spinners come to Boston Sports Blogapalooza on Sunday, May 2nd. They will have a representative on hand.

I hope to see you there!

Boston Sports Blogapalooza, This Sunday May 2nd

Ladies, Gentlemen & Sports fans, it's time to get your Blogapalooza on!

If you haven't heard about Blogapalooza yet, check it out:

Blogapalooza is an event where social media and Beantown sports collide. Bloggers, their fans, and Boston Media members will have the opportunity to meet, network, trade social media tips and of course talk sports.
The event is being held at and sponsored by The Baseball Tavern - right in Fenway's back yard. It is being co-sponsored by NESN.com, SwingJuice and Lenovo with the Lowell Spinners, Brockton Rox, SupahFans.com, Sullys and more as participating companies.

Who else is going to be there? Well..me. And lots of other Boston Sports bloggers. Check out the list on the Blogapalooza website.There is still time to RSVP for this free event! Make sure to visit the Facebook page to RSVP today!


Hope to see you all there!

Friday, April 16, 2010

Jay-Z Sues David Ortiz: Kicks Him While He's Down

Let's face it, David Ortiz hasn't had the best two weeks of his life.

He's batting .143 which has caused the media and fans to jump all over him; They want him benched, they want him traded, they want to tear the big guy down. In response Ortiz hasn't been himself off the diamond either, lashing out at the media.

If things weren't bad enough...Jay-Z is suing him for $5M for allegedly stealing the name of his nightclubs.

(photo courtesy of the AP)

Nothing like kicking a man when he's down, huh?

The Iconic rap mogul has a series of clubs in the US and Tokyo called 40/40. The clubs name is supposed to be a shout-out to the exclusive club of MLB players who have hit 40 HRs and stolen 40 bases in a single season. Any true baseball fan would realize Ortiz is not one of them. While Papi went deep more than 40 times in each of the seasons from 2004-2006, according to Baseball-Reference.com in his 14 years in MLB he's only stolen a total of 10 bases.

Anyway, Ortiz has a club in Santa Domingo named Forty-Forty and Jay-Z thinks he's trying to capitalize off his success. Yadda, yadda, yadda.

Papi is one of the Dominican's most recognizeable figures. He could have opened a club down there called "This Place Sucks" and I'm sure it would become a huge success. I don't honestly think he was trying to ride Jay's coat-tails.

At the same time, why would Ortiz even tread on that naming territory when he could have named his club anything? Bad advice from his management team? Who knows?

I'm really getting sick of all of this negative talk and attention surrounding Papi. We're two weeks into the season...give it a rest. I mean the Twin Cities can still stand behind the big guy, why can't we?

Monday, April 12, 2010

Daisuke Matsuzaka Starts at McCoy Stadium

This past weekend my friend and I headed to McCoy Stadium to take in the Pawtucket Red Sox Double Header against the Yankees AAA team, Rochester Red Wings.

The Sox won both games - the first game was close at a score of 1-0. The winning pitcher? Daisuke Matsuzaka. I wanted to take in my first game of the season at McCoy watching Daisuke's rehab start, and he looked great! Reliever Alan Embree...not so great.

Here are a few of the pictures I took.


Watching Daisuke warming up in the Bullpen. This guy was crazy with his warmup routine. I think he stretched every possible muscle in his body...and then some! He also spent some time watching highlight reels on the scoreboard.

Short Stop, Angel Sanchez, throwing a ball to a fan during warmups.


Can you see Josh Reddick all bundled up? It was cold out, but not that cold!

Daisuke pitched really well. Looking forward to seeing him back in Boston soon!

Paws shooting TShirts into the crowd

Thursday, April 8, 2010

2010 Red Sox At-Bat Songs

Hey Red Sox fans! It's time to build the list of the 2010 Red Sox At-Bat and player entrance songs.

I'm going to need some help, so please email me at soxylady33 {at} gmail {dot} com with any updates!!! The list is looking pretty pathetic right now.

Position Players
Adrian Beltre # 29 - Unknown, but sounds like it possibly could have been a Daddy Yankee song?
Mike Cameron # 23 - Forever by Drake
J.D. Drew # 7 - No song!
Jacoby Ellsbury # 2 - Let It Rock by Kevin Rudolph ft. Lil Wayne
Bill Hall # 22 - Unknown
Jeremy Hermida # 32 - Unknown
Mike Lowell # 25 - Unconfirmed Iron Man by Black Sabboth or Bombtrack by Rage Against the Machine
Victor Martinez # 41 - Unknown Latin Song
David Ortiz # 34 - Unknown Latin Song
Dustin Pedroia # 15 - Unknown Song by Dr. Dre, wasn't Dre Day possibly The Next Episode
Marco Scutaro # 16 - No Song!
Jason Varitek # 33 - Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down
Kevin Youkilis # 20 - Just a Friend by Biz Markie

Pitchers
Scott Atchison # 48 - Heartland by George Strait
Daniel Bard # 51 - Strangle Hold by Ted Nugent
Josh Beckett # 19 - Unconfirmed Rock Star by Nickelback or Living Hard by Gary Alan
Clay Buchholz # 11 - Unknown
Manny Delcarmen # 17 - (I'm From) Boston - MAV Entertainment (Anyone know where to get this track?)
John Lackey # 40 - Crazy Town by Jason Aldean
Jon Lester # 31 - Unconfirmed I Use What I Got by Jason Aldean
Daisuke Matsuzaka #18 (when he returns) - Unconfirmed The Next Door by Exile
Hideki Okajima # 37 - Unconfirmed Okajima-Oki-doke by Mr. Yoshie
Jonathan Papelbon # 58 - Shipping Up to Boston by Dropkick Murphys
Ramon Ramirez # 56 - Unknown
Scott Schoeneweis # 60 - Unconfirmed It's a Fight by Three 6 Mafia (not sure this is right after hearing the song again)
Tim Wakefield # 49 - Unconfirmed How Bad Do You Want It? by Tim McGraw

Fenway Park Songs
Before the Game - Cheers Theme Song
Middle of the 8th Inning - Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond
Pitcher Meeting On The Mound (by Opposing Team) - Communication Breakdown by Led Zeppelin
Pitcher/Catcher Meeting - Theme from the Odd Couple
Ground Rule Double (by Sox) - Brass Bonanza
Walk (Sox player on base) - Walk This Way by Aerosmith
Homerun (by Sox) -
Kernkraft 400 by Zombie Nation or Boom, Boom, Boom by The Outhere Brothers
Extra Innings - Time Is Tight by Booker T & The MGs
After a Sox Win - Dirty Water by the Standells
After Dirty Water - Tessie by Dropkick Murphys
After Tessie - Joy to the World by Three Dog Night
After a Sox Loss - (on the organ) Goonight Sweetheart by The Spaniels and (on the organ) Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow by The Shirelles
Other songs:
Vertigo by U2
Gimme the Bassline by Torpedo Boyz

Here are the lists to my:
2007 Red Sox At-Bat Songs
2008 Red Sox At-Bat Songs
And not mine, but
2009 Red Sox At-Bat Songs

Monday, April 5, 2010

One Down, 161 To Go...

If last night's game was any indication of the season to come, I am very very excited.

We all know the Sox spare no expense when it comes to marketing the team. And we know John Henry and Co. love to have a few surprises up their sleeves (ala Billy Buckner in 2008). What we didn't know is just how brilliant last night's opening game was going to be - both orchestrated and not.

I tuned into the coverage in time to see Dr. Dre donning a Sox Jersey (what?!) and plugging his new headphones, "Beats." When asked about player at-bat songs, and which one player he'd like to convince to be announced to one of his songs, he quickly replied "Ortiz......Big Papi" to a new song of his Under Pressure. Oh Dre. If you only knew Pedroia used The Wash in 2007 and F*ck With Dre the past two seasons you might have had to do too much convincing. Papi historically prefers The Game, 50 cent or some Dominican jam.



Then there was seeing newly retired Nomar Garciaparra sitting at the ESPN Analyst's Desk on the field.

When it was time to announce the teams. The 2009 World Series Champions, NYY were first. *yawn* and then it was time for the 2010 Red Sox. When Mr. Red Sox, number 6, Johnny Pesky was announced I got teary. When fan fave Mike Lowell was announced, I may have cried (don't judge me). He got the biggest ovation of the night, one he clearly deserved. It was strange having both Lowell and Varitek announced before the starting players, a reality I was perhaps not yet ready to accept.


Thank you to Jere at a Red Sox Fan From Pinstripe Territory for shooting and posting this video!


Although the secret was leaked in the hour or so before the game, it was still a great surprise to see Pedro Martinez walk from out of the Green Monster, under the American Flag and towards home plate to throw out the game's first pitch. I loved when Orsillo announced him he said it was time to "wake up the d@mn Bambino and welcome Pedro back." But why, oh why did they play Phil Collins as he headed towards the mound?!

Pedro's smile was electric. He looked truly and honestly happy to be back. And I was truly, and honestly, happy to see him back wearing #54. I miss Pedro. Every time he toed the rubber you expected the unexpected to happen. The moment of his return was momentarily ruined when A-Rod ran out from to give him a hug...all returned to right in the world when Pedro thew to long-time catcher Varitek.



Martinez even shared in a lengthy hug, and a photo-opportunistic conversation with Pesky. It was magical to watch.

(photo courtesy of Bosotn.com and the AP)
It wasn't over there, though. 5 year old Joshua Sacco came out to do a Red Sox rendition of his paradoy on Herb Brooks locker room speech from the movie "Miracle." I wonder how many people didn't get what this was all about. If you didn't, it may have seemed odd. But if you were one of the million plus viewers who know Josh from YouTube...it was awesome. It was complete with the link, "I'm sick and tired of hearing 'bout what a great baseball team the Yankees have...Screw 'em!"



Seriously this was all before the game even started.

Beckett pitched a great first inning, but it was all down-hill from there. He allowed back-to-back homers to Jorge Posada (off of Pesky Pole) and Curtis Granderson. He had no control of his off-speed pitches and he only struck out one batter and gave up 5 runs in 4 2/3 innings.

But the offense, you know the offense that wasn't supposed to be able to score any runs this year? They came alive. Youk (who was still donning a goatee, much to the chagrin of many) went 3 for 4. He had two doubles, a triple and scored three runs with two RBIs.

Then there was Pedroia. El Caballito, the F*ck Yeah Kid. He went 2 for 4. He walked, smashed a 2 run homer and drove in 3. Almost nothing in baseball gets me as excited as watching Pedroia scream "F*ck Yeah!" (sorry mom & dad). He is in it to win it. Every single game.

Youk and Pedroia, they are the new face of the Boston Red Sox. They may not have the natural talent that Manny and Papi dominated with, but they are gritty and determined. They are not going to let anyone tell their offense they can't score runs. No way. No how. These boys are ball players.

The new guys did well, Ellsbury and Papi struggled at the plate (and Ellsbury a bit in the field). Nothing too concerning, but it did have me wondering about the future of Papi in a Sox uniform when a very capable DH named Mike Lowell was sitting on the bench.

Yankee's fan LeBron James was sitting in Henry's luxury box for the game (texting every time the camera cut to him) along with Dre (no longer in his Sox jersey).

There were other surprises throughout the night. Steven Tyler and one of his daughters came out for a creepy rendition of God Bless America. I'm not sure why she was there. She wasn't announced. She only did a bit of harmonizing at the end. My guess is that he's going to be pushing her pop-rock singing career soon.

One of the best things to happen? Sweet Caroline was played during the middle of the 8th, like always. But for the first time ever it was sung live by Mr. Neil Diamond himself.



He wasn't much better than Tyler...but honestly I loved every second of it. Sox fans had been waiting a long time to see that. He was curiously wearing a jacket that said "Keep the Dodgers in Brooklyn" but eh...whatever....

My first game of the season will be on Wednesday night watching John Lackey's debut against the Bronx Bombers. I can't wait.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Burying the Hatchet

What do the following people have in common?

  • Johnny Damon
  • Ramiro Mendoza
  • Eric Hinske
  • Tony Cloninger
  • Dale Sveum
  • Gary Tuck
According to the New York Post they are the only people who have World Series rings from both the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. Surprising, right? You'd think there would be some more, ummmm....iconic players/coaches on that list. But considering history...this is it.

I don't really have much to say about any of those men, with the exception of Johnny Demon Damon. I have to (wo)man up and admit it might be time to bury the hatchet with him.

There is no surprise that as a member of RSN I've had had hard feelings towards the self-proclaimed idiot. I've lashed out on my blog more than once about him. I've called him every name in the book, I've sat down during his announcements at Fenway Park (I would like to point out I never booed the man), I've laughed at the thought of him potentially being unemployed this season (until the Tigers stepped up)....but I've also loved him.

I loved him when he was a member of the 2002, 2003 and beloved 2004 Red Sox. He made me cry when he was carried off of the field after colliding with Damian Jackson in the outfield. He had me screaming out "What Would Johnny Damon Do?!" more than once. He hit a grand-slam against the Yankees in the game 7 2004 ALCS, which was just as exciting, if not more exciting, than winning the World Series in my eyes. He rode the duck boats through the streets of Boston, where I cheered at the top of my lungs out of sheer joy and excitement.

Johnny was my homeboy.

That is, until he went to the Yankees in 2005.

It honestly and truly felt like a betrayal to me. There is no other way to describe it. I was hurt. Johnny let ME down personally.

But here is the thing. I have had no hard feelings towards any other member of the 2004 Red Sox who are no longer with the team...except maybe a few for Manny, but that's just because he was "being Manny." I don't have hard feelings for Eric Hinske, who is up there on that same list with Damon. In short, I was being a jerk.

It's time for me to bury the hatchet on my hatred of Johnny Damon. I will cheer on May 14th (albeit while watching my television) when he steps up to bat against the Red Sox. I will try and get tickets to the July 30th game so I can cheer him in person, at Fenway Park. I would like to finally give him that standing ovation he so much deserves.

I just hope he'll accept my cheers and congratulations after all these years.

Getting Excited For Baseball

Seeing these 2010 baseball commercials have surely fired me up for the baseball season.

In this ESPN Sunday Night Baseball clip, Buchholz and actor Adam Scott sing along to Sweet Caroline and try and get Yankees outfielder, Nick Swisher involved too. He wants nothing to do with it. So what does Buchholz do? He continues to sing along by himself. And he can actually carry a tune (not sure why this surprises me, but it does!) I've never been a huge fan of Buchholz, but this makes me like the guy a little.





Then there are the NESN spots that my friend Susan Mahoney told me about. The first one kind of cracks me up. Orsillo is trying to explain how to navigate around Boston to John Lackey. It has often made me comment out-loud that 95/128 are the same road (in some spots) and that 95S turns into 93N....it's just confusing. Even to those of us who grew up in MA.



This last video, however, has got to be my favorite. A (real) Yankees fan walks into a barber shop talking smack...until he sees the likes of Papi, Tek, Wake and Paps. It's great.



What about you? Which is your favorite? What is getting you fired up for the baseball season?

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Nomar Gives Me Warm Fuzzies

By now you've all heard the news that Nomar Garciaparra will be retiring as a member of the 2010 Red Sox organization.

(photo taken from boston.com, photographer unknown)

Reports say he will be signing a one-year, minor league contract with the Red Sox organization and then announce he will be taking a job with ESPN as a baseball analyst.

Now....there are a lot of thoughts swirling around in my head (and I'm sure some of them could be answered if I just waited 15 minutes to listen to the press conference...but that would be logical...)
  • Nomar (reportedly) had a tumultuous relationship with the city of Boston (towards the end). He didn't like all of the attention, he didn't like all of the press and he didn't always love the Red Sox - so why here, why now? I know he started his career here, that he played his best here, that he was LOVED here. I just want to know if he's being sincere, or pulling a PR stunt? edit: after watching the press conference I feel he was sincere in really wanting to end his career in the same uniform he wore when he started it. in fact, it was the most sincere i've seen nom-ay in a long time and it was awesome to see him look so happy! One little gripe though Noooommmaaahhhhhh, you are retiring as a member of the Red Sox, not as a Red Sock. We are Red Sox Nation, not Red Sock Nation. Still love ya, man.
  • If he signs a one-day deal with a MINOR LEAGUE team affiliated with the Red Sox, won't the hat he wears during his press conference be a SeaDog, or a "P" or something? And not that it really matters, but don't we all want to see him in a Red Sox hat? My brother assures me that the genious behind Red Sox PR will already have this figured out...edit: so no uni at the press conference....it is yet to be determined what will happen. I guess they toned down the PR aspect of it - in that respect. But man, I really wanted to see him with a "B" on his head.
  • Will Nomah coming back and ending his baseball legacy with the team where he was a five-time All-star end the curse of the SS as we have come to know it?
  • Is there any way he can find a way to sneak onto the DL for one last day? (Ok, ok no hate mail, I kid!!!)
I, of course, am happy this is taking place. I had a love-hate relationship (mostly love) with the former Cape Cod League Baseball Player but I do think his final career-resting place should be with the Sox. He was, for so many years, the face of the Red Sox. I don't think any true Sox fan is happy with the way things went down in 2004 (although the outcome was, of course, very favorable that season!) Now he'll get a proper "goodbye" from Red Sox Nation...especially when he throws out the first pitch on opening day*

Nomahhhh - I wish you the best!

Some of my fellow bloggers who are honoring Nomah:
(photo taken from redsox.com, photographer unknown)

*I totally made this up, but wouldn't it be amazing?! Come back to this post if it actually happens so I can say, "See! I totally called that!"

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Erin Andrews Is A Serious Dancer, errr.....Reporter

One of these things is not like the other

  1. Erin Andrews wants to be taken as a serious sideline reporter
  2. Erin Andrews has been fighting to keep her name out of the tabloid media and keep the paparazzi at bay since the "peep-hole" incident
  3. Erin Andrews has been announced as part of the cast for Season 10 of Dancing With the Stars
I have nothing but respect for women in sports.
  • There is an unfair stereotype about you because of your gender. It's cut-throat and competitive.
  • You get heckled about your knowledge (or assumed lack there of) just because you are female.
  • You get cat-called and whistled at because you're pretty.
I get that. (I also get that it is a great marketing ploy for networks to have hot women sports reporters, but that's another story for another day).

I have to be honest, though. Erin Andrews is driving me nuts.

I felt bad about the whole peeping-tom peep-hole video. It would be an extreme invasion of privacy for any woman OR man. This is not about that (even though it did boost her popularity!)

What's getting to me is this woman has been "fighting" to be taken serious in her job, and now she's dragging herself down and trying to capitalize on her 15 minutes of fame with the likes of Kate Gosselin, Pamela Anderson, Shannen Doherty and Nicole Scherzinger. Are you kidding me?

It's a shame, honestly.

Perhaps Andrews using this as a Catalyst of career change? It could be possible, the ESPN personality does seem to have a bit of an obsession with Britney Spears:
My lifelong dream was to be a backup dancer for Britney. My sister is a professional dancer, so we're still hoping Britney gets her act together so Kendra, my sister, can dance with her. -Erin Andrews

Erin Andrews, the ESPN reporter filmed naked on hidden camera in a hotel room, called 911 recently to complain about paparazzi lingering outside her home, telling the operator, "I did nothing wrong, and I'm being treated like f*****g Britney Spears."
What do you think? Agree? Disagree? Let me know!

Friday, February 26, 2010

Affleck & Damon To Become Yankees?

...It's possible, at least on-screen!

The irony of die-hard Red Sox Fans, Ben Affleck & Matt Damon potentially playing Yankees in an upcoming film is hilarious. Even better, Affleck is said to be directing the film on the Great Yankee Swap.

If you don't know the story, it goes like this: Back in the early seventies Yankee pitchers Mike Kekich and Fitz Peterson (who were good friends on and off the diamond) made headlines when not only swapping wives, but actually swapping lives. That's right, they swapped wives, houses, kids...even dogs!

The timeline is as follows:

  • Early 1972 couples joke about wife-swapping
  • Off-season 1972 Mike moved in with Fritz's wife, Marilyn and Fritz moved in with Mike's wife, Suzanne
  • Spring Training 1973 the new couples go public
  • Sometime 1973 Mike and Marilyn split
  • 1973 - 1974 both men's baseball careers start to unravel (some think it has to do with all of the negative press surrounding their off-field decisions)
  • 1974 Fritz and Suzanne get married (and in the years following end up having 4 children together)
  • 1979 friends Mike and Fritz stop talking
The story was so shocking, and absurd it even made ESPN's Top-1o Shocking Moments in Baseball History.

So will the film make it to the big screen? Only time will tell. But who better to play the two left-handed Yankees pitchers than a couple of die-hard Red Sox fans from Boston? Heh....

My only question is how Jen and Luciana feel about the whole thing?