All-Star Bonanza

Prince: A hero for veggie lovers everywhere.
(espn.com)

The time is here. All baseball aficionados have their eyes on the Gateway City tonight, where many of the titans of the game will be participating in the 80th MLB All-Star game. From Gonzalez to Greinke, I always look forward to seeing the emerging stars of the game side-by-side with potential future Hall of Famers. Helps to have the game be in a classic baseball locale like St. Louis, where baseball is as much of the fabric of the city as anywhere in the country. However, I can easily see if they were voted as the most overly-friendly fans in the country. I'm afraid there might be applause when rival Cub Ted Lilly is introduced. Maybe it's the ultimate reverse psychology. Whatever the reason, I will go as far as to say that baseball produces the most competitive and enjoyable All-Star game out of the 4 major professional sporting leagues. In the last 10 Midsummer Classics played, all but one contest had a three-run differential or less between the two teams. There was a 15 inning classic at Yankee Stadium last year, which had added drama with Bud Selig pondering his possible new career options. There has also been an inside-the-park homer in the Bay Area, a game-winning triple in the 9th in Pittsburgh, and a late go-ahead homer in Chicago. With that said, I think that there has to be a few tweaks made to the MLB All-Star game. When the celebrity softball game becomes the least controversial and most enjoyable event of the break, it's time to look into a few things. Bud, I hope you're taking notes.

A caped Home Run Derby would be priceless.
(cyclelikesedins.blogspot.com)

The Home Run Derby was always one of the most anticipated events along with Christmas when I was growing up. But looking back, and by watching all the replays on the MLB Network, I can't help but feel miserable from being hypnotized by a steroid showcase. I felt even worse when I was leaning back and forth on the issue whether I missed steroids or not. This year's derby must have been another sign in '09 that I'm getting old, because I thought it was waaaaay too long. I mean, it is as long as the actual game itself. Between three rounds, a dreaded "bat-off", and a disappointing overall showing throughout the almost three hours of derbyness made me as tired as Nelson Cruz sitting an hour and a half for a 2nd turn. The lack of big names was another detriment to the latest version of the big "bop-off", which was punctuated by Brandon Inge's goose egg. I felt so bad watching. It was like watching Joe Buck's career as a host plummet after Artie Lange's infamous appearance (O.K. I sadistically enjoyed that). Other than seeing my underdog pick reach the finals (Nelson "The Caribbean" Cruz himself), the excitement waned exponentially as the night went on. There was nothing memorable in this year's contest, like bombs off a Baltimore warehouse or any Monster jacks in Boston (Andro-fueled of course). I think MLB should cut the amount of participants in half and just have 2 rounds. There is no legitimate reason to have the 1st round of any derby to last as long as your average comedy flick, which would honestly be more worth it. You also avoid the threat of players tiring themselves out due to the long waiting or the constant swings, guaranteeing a better show. The worst part of it all is that there is too much apprehension in creating a skills showcase in the MLB that's similar to other sports. It's hard to see baseball owners accepting their pitchers to participate in a fastest pitch competition or seeing their speedsters put their hamstrings on the line in a fastest man contest. With a strong union and some astronomical salaries, the major league baseball player is probably the most protected asset in professional sport. However, there should be more draws other than the derby. The homerun can only evolve so far. How 'bout a target practice session for hitters? Or a fielding game of P-I-G for some of the Gold Glove All-Star fielders? This protective business-like concern not only adds to the continuing dullness of the pre-game festivities, but in the Classic itself.

I think the AL has their extra inning substitute.

(cache.gawker.com)

As I mentioned previously, I believe the contest itself is worthy of its Midsummer Classic title. However, they're a few concerns I have with the current structure of the game in relation to the game's image. And it all goes back to the format of having the winning league have home field in the World Series. I don't see how Ryan Zimmerman of the last place "Natinals" cares if he helps set up the Dodgers to potentially get home field advantage throughout the playoffs. This also makes strategy more complicated for the All-Star manager, as they are trying to win with implemented restrictions for players from their league peers, while trying to ensure everybody's participation (especially players from the host city). This homefield rule has added a serious aura to the game that is supposed to be a fun competition with the game's very best. Sorry for sounding like a Babson alum, but this hurts the legitimacy of the baseball brand, which is already battling steroids and a much disputed WBC tournament. Meanwhile, the NHL has been boosted with a young star recently becoming a champion, the NBA has used the Kobe-Lebron rivalry to its advantage, and the UFC is threatening to emerge in a generation where sports fans have smaller attention spans. We've seen players skip the game, sometimes for seemingly ridiculous reasons (see: Evan Longoria's infected ring finger), but you almost don't blame them. Why threaten your team's status in a pennant race because your commissioner wants to avoid a tie.......in a EXHIBITION GAME (Only 2 ties in 80 contests. We'll live Bud.)? Don't get me wrong. I absolutely despise a tie game. I was probably the most excited person when the NHL eliminated the tie in their league. But why add so much importance to a showcase game that has no true impact on any of the 30 teams' schedules? And remember last year? J.D. Drew is already a pulled hamstring waiting to happen. So why put him in a scenario that risks injury by having him pitch in the 16th inning? Simply use the overall interleague records of both leagues decide this homefield dilemma. For one, it has a legit competitive relevance, being in the regular season and all. Plus it adds more significance to interleague play for both sides, which have been as one-sided as a Reagan-Mondale election lately. Mine as well have something as important as this be decided in games that actually count with the players that should have more control of their postseason destinies (18 of 23 teams that have had homefield since 1985 have won the Series.). In the end, the All-Star game should be a vehicle to showcase today and tomorrow's stars that play a competitive contest, not redeem a reputation of a commissioner. Here's to Obama throwing one over the plate.

Before I Peace: Embrace Crazy

(z.about.com)

You would have to live 6 feet under to not know that the mixed martial arts league, the UFC, is taking off fast in this country. But many in the UFC fanbase got angry with the antics of Brock Lesnar after his 2nd round victory against Frank Mir. Between his bird-flipping and his rabid salivating, Lesnar made himself like the characters created by his former employer, the WWE. And you know what? Keep the dice rollin'. The UFC has been afraid the Lesnar's outburst on Saturday will remove the focus from the technical aspect of the sport, but you can't just sell a sport on it's technicality alone. I mean, where would baseball be without Babe Ruth, or professional football without Joe Wily Namath? Ultimately, it is the characters (lovable or not) that drive the popularity of the sport to the masses while bringing in serious dough. They had tried marketing the sport with the highly technical Chuck Liddell, only to have him lose in virtually all the matches he was most heavily marketed in. And Quentin Jackson.....well he's just the wrong kind of crazy. Lesnar's dominant victory and outburst has created so much national media exposure for the sport than anything produced in the previous 99 showings. If Dana White is smart enough, he should utilize Brock's persona to elevate the sport to a new level. After all, there are millions of reasons not to be outraged.

Mochaman's Fantasy Baseball Report

- Bubba Gump Shrimpz - 108-73-15 (1st, Steroid Freaks' Anonymous, 5 UP)
Avenged a loss earlier in the season by pulling off a comeback on the last day, winning average by one point and RBIs by 1. Once again helped out by good pitching and an offense that did just enough at the end of the weekend to pull off another series win. Winning 4 out of the last 5 series and having the lead at the All-Star break is not too shabby. Still a ton of work to be done.

- Mocha Sox - 56-78-6 (11th, Yahoo Public 38095, 26 GB)
Have won my last four series and 5 out of my last 6. Didn't make much ground on 1st place, but finally gained access outside the cellar. The four trades that I have made have done wonders on all aspects of my team, especially in the offensive realm. Huge potential for a strong 2nd half run.

- Firehawks - 66-67-7 (8th, Yahoo Public 162279, 11.5 GB)
Won the series, but didn't gain too much ground. The Beckett-Lester pitching combo is probably the most enviable pitching duo in my league right now, but my outfielders (Bay, Upton, and Rios) desperately need to step it up. May be looking for offensive upgrades for this team as I press along.

Give Us A Break

Sadly has been an appropriate sign lately.
(CEB II)

And so another half of another eventful season has gone by. The Sox currently sit on top of the AL East mountain at the arrival of the All-Star break, and every bit of effort has been necessary. Beantown's favorite team ends the unofficial first half of the season with a 54-34 record, capped with a 94 pitch, 7 K, 3 H shutout by team ace Josh Beckett, joining teammate Brad Penny in the 100 career victory club. So what has the season provided us thus far? A smoking hot 8-0 start against the Yanks, the apparent resurgence of Big Papi, a streak reaching up to over 500 sellouts at Fenway, and bringing in a league high 6 All-Stars to St. Louey is not too shabby. This group includes knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, who has finally made it to the Midsummer Classic for the 1st time in 18 years with a league-leading 11 victories. But I'll be the 1st one to tell you that this break has come at just the right time. Don't get me wrong, a 6-4 home stand should be considered a success. However, the 10 game set, which featured the weak lineups of Seattle, Oakland, and Kansas City, was interesting to say the least. Part of the madness involves the once-dominant bullpen, which has gone through somewhat of an implosion in the last few weeks. Since the night of the infamous Baltimore Blowup (June 30), the Sox bullpen have tallied a "Natinals"-esque 6.95 ERA. Justin Masterson, one of the culprits of that late June night, has had a 18.00 ERA since entering that game. The lanky right hander's ERA has skyrocketed from a respectable 3.66 on June 27th to a burger joint figure of 4.99 in just 6 appearances. Takashi Saito has posted a whopping 8.11 ERA with a 2.72 WHIP since being a part of the blowup. Not exactly the numbers expected from a guy who is expected to be sold as a closer during this year's trading deadline. Even the once invincible Ramon Ramirez has gone into a little slump, with his ERA going up a half a run with only 4 appearances in the month of July (1.80-2.33). A bullpen, which was at one point in the season was a half a run better than the next team, has now become the biggest concern amongst the Nation. The 'pen to some extent has become a larger concern than the Sox offense, which has cornerstones Bay and Youkilis batting .224 and .231 respectively since the month of June. But despite all of this, the Sox are still on top of a division that contains the recently white-hot Yankees and the super pesky Rays, who are considered by many baseball pundits to be the team of the 2nd half. Here are a few Sox superlatives from a successful first half.

Sox 1st Half MVP - Josh Beckett
(espn.com)

Who says a pitcher can't be the MVP? If you had asked me in the beginning of June, my pick would have been Jason Bay by a landslide. However after seeing his slugging percentage go down over 100 points in the past month and a half, he is not exactly a runaway pick for me. Since his atrocious April, Beckett has tallied a 2.38 ERA while posting a 9-1 record. In June, he allowed only 6 ER the whole month, all coincidentally in one game against the Phillies. He has posted 11 quality starts out of the 13 he has started post-April. Most importantly, he has established himself as a dependable stopper with a 6-0 record after a Red Sox loss. I'm a huge believer in Beckett's performance in determining the team's overall success, similar to how the Phillies success schizophrenically follow the feats of J-Roll. In '07, I believed that he was the X factor if we were to go deep into October, and the results proved my conjecture correct. In an injury-hampered '08, we saw Beckett struggle throughout the season and in the playoffs, a domain where he normally dominates. If an injured Beckett didn't blow 3 leads in Game 2 of the ALCS last year, we might be talking a third championship in 5 years. Each dominating Beckett start makes me more confident that the Sox will be playing past my birthday this year (knockin' on cedar).

Best Moment of the Half - Jacoby steals home against Yanks.
(cdn.bleacherreport.com)

Picking this was more difficult than you think, for there were many marvelous moments in an season that's 88 games young. There was Wake's near no-no, the 500th consecutive sellout at Fenway, and the late comeback against the O's 10 days back. There was even that astonishing comeback off Rivera on April 24th. But in that same series, Jacoby Ellsbury used his flash to stymie the arch rival in a "Did Janet Jackson just....?" moment. Like in the most infamous wardrobe malfunction ever in Super Bowl XXXVIII, the steal just came out of nowhere. You looked up just in time to catch the moment, but still questioned if it really happened. Now it seems now as if everyone is stealing home from B.J. Upton to Jayson Werth. Not only was it the punctuation mark in the first Yanks-Sox series of the season, but it has been the most symbolic moment of the Yanks-Sox season series, portraying the dominance of one rival over another in the first set of contests. The steal also proves that the Sox can beat you in many more ways in the post Manny era, still making the offense a force to be reckoned with.

Biggest Surprise - Nick Green
(cache.boston.com)

Who would have known that our starting shortstop this year would be a guy who was in the Yankees minor league system last year? Who would have known that he would be a solid contributor even after a shaky 1st two months on the field? Green has been doing everything asked of him and more for the Sox this year. From making the key plays at short to the walk-offs around Pesky's Pole, Green has only made the shortstop dilemma in Boston more intriguing. Sure this isn't Nomar at his prime, but he has been more of a MacGyver, exceeding expectations with his abilities while Lowrie and Lugo have been battling the injury bug for the majority of '09. He's displaying way more value lately than his $550,000 salary, which makes it more likely that the organization may be willing to eat the contract of a Mr. Lugo. I expect him to play a larger role in the second half of the season as he becomes even more acclimated.

Biggest Disappointment - Daisuke Matsuzaka
(espn.com)

What hasn't been said about his sub par season? I mean, I basically wrote him off to Pawtucket almost a month ago. Dice-K is currently on the DL for the second time this year with a bout of "shoulder fatigue" (I guess the Tigers already took the anxiety disorder route), though I believe his troubles are far deeper than a highly speculated injury. Matsuzaka, who was previously thought to be part of the best 1-2-3 starting punch in baseball, has posted an ERA of a beer league softball pitcher (8.23), accompanied with an eye-popping 2.20 WHIP. The rotten cherry on top is the 4 1/3 innings per start that he has averaged when he has pitched. Now, he is basically going through Spring Training-like routines, which many argued he should have gone through 5 months earlier. In a way, you can't blame him for the WBC debacle, considering he is the most iconic player in a country highly dedicated to the notion of honor and duty. But nobody expected that he would fall this far under expectations. If Smoltz continues to turn it around like he has, don't be surprised if Dice-K doesn't make another trip to the bump in 2009.

Looking to the Future
(jayszone93.files.wordpress.com)

The Sox have their work cut out for them, with two hungry division rivals on their tails. Out of the Big 3 in the AL East, the Sox have the least home games remaining on the schedule while from September to the end of the season, they have 32 games in 34 days. Immediately after the break, Clay Buchholz brings his 2.11 ERA from Triple A to the Rog for his first major league start in the Obama administration. Even though he likely won't be there for too long, this will be the first test to whether Buchholz can not only atone for a abysmal '08, but also prove whether the depth of the Sox pitching staff remains enviable. All eyes will be on Mike Lowell, as he recovers from his surgically repaired, numb as a door knob hip and whether he can be productive and healthy the rest of the way. The return of Lowrie will also be examined closely considering Nick Green has been steady at short as of late. The Sox could use another bat (preferably left-handed, 1st baseman, or both), however other than Halladay watch, the rumors have been nothing more than wishful thinking in this year's trading deadline action. As air tight as everything has been, I still remain loyal to the predictions I made in the beginning of the season. In the end, I believe the bullpen situation will straighten out, the offense will click as one, and the front office will make that right move that will boost the team for the final stretch. The Sox have had their share of struggles this year, but with their depth and resilience this year, I see no reason why they don't end the year not only as the winners of the Eastern division, but emerge as the class of the American League.

Bonus: Red Sox - Royals Montage

"The Boys Are Back In Town" - Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak, 1976



R.I.P. to the Human Highlight Reel
Arturo Gatti (April 15, 1972 - June 11, 2009)
(image3.examiner.com)

No Ebert, No Roeper, Just Chuck.

If you know me well enough, you probably know that I have no qualms putting off a blockbuster film until its DVD release. I mean, it took me about 10 months before I found out what The Dark Knight was all about. Through a whole year, I could probably count on one-half of my hand the movies I go to a theater for. Going to a movie theater is like a 3 hour Vegas casino trip with previews added. There might be a chance that you spend all that money and have it be worth the return despite the loss, and then there are those times you just spend the money. And with all the sequels, grossly overrated flicks and underachieving pictures that have been released over the past several years, the experience is usually the latter. When a movie receives constant praise and hype, my immediate instinct is to prepare not to like it. Apparently, I still haven't recovered from Titanic. Most of the time, ten bucks isn't worth that risk of disappointment, especially when Netflix is you MVP alternative. The theater experience is also overrated because you can save up enough money and recreate the experience in your own living room nowadays. All that, and I don't have to buy the 5 dollar hot dog that's about a week old. However, I promised myself not to be such a cynic and see a couple of flicks on the big screen this summer. So if I had to take the "gamble", here are the my movies that I would ante up on this season.

(pinkstripes.files.wordpress.com)

The Hangover
Probably the movie that has received the most praise amongst my peer group. I have heard non-stop how this film was so well put together and that there is something to laugh at throughout the whole picture. With what I said previously about the hype machine, I will proceed with some caution before viewing this movie. However, with comedies, I tend to lighten up on my previous anxieties. Nothing more thrilling and funny than trying to find out what happened the night before after an inebriated night in Sin City. I'm already hooked in on that premise alone. The addition of Mike Tyson is just pure laughter personified and I'm glad he's in our lives once again. Let's see if Galifianakis is the comic genius they say he is.

(traileraddict.com)

Brüno
No one is a bigger fan of Sacha Baron Cohen than I am. I must have been in character as Borat for two years after my first viewing of the movie. A purchase of the Da Ali G Show DVD followed, and my fandom commenced. The most underrated aspect of his characters is how he reveals human insecurities and hypocrisy through the abnormal actions of his alter-egos. After the crazy-hilarious Borat movie, I heard that Cohen was going to release the movie for his flamboyant Austrian reporter persona. I was psyched, and it isn't even my second favorite character that Cohen portrays. Ali G takes the cake by far, however Borat had the better movie. My only fear is that it is one of those movies that displays all of its funny parts in the commercials, only exposing the flatness of the rest of the film. Like in my Borat experience, I'm hoping to to be deprived of oxygen due to constant laughter. In other words, I'm hoping that IT'S VERY NICE! Sorry about that, folks.

(nottheonlyone.files.wordpress.com)

Public Enemies
Nothing like a 1930's gangster flick to keep the testosterone boiling. Not only that, it looks like one of those movies where we're rooting for the bad guy. Films like The Godfather and Scarface come immediately to mind. Interesting to see that Johnny Depp has a face underneath all the scraggly facial hair and make up that seems to be part of every role he does. I watched Platoon for the 3,186th time the other night, and couldn't believe that it was Depp as Private Lerner. Thinkin' he should have had a bandanna or blades for his hands. Anyway, in this flick, he plays the infamous bank robber John Dillinger, who is trying to pry the FBI off his heels. The movie also features Batman...ehem..Christian Bale again fighting crime as FBI agent Melvin Purvis. I'm afraid someone is type-casted right in front of our eyes. Overall, I'm expecting a simple guy movie. Lot of guns, blood, some action, and maybe a little insight to satisfy the History Channel side of me. Don't call me boring!

(filmofilia.com)

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
If I wanted to be lazy, I would just tell you to look at the image above. Needless to say, that picture would get any male ages 13-75 to watch anything from opera to any sappy movie on the Lifetime Channel. I actually was impressed with the 1st one, even though I was never a big fan of the Transformer concept when I was a kid. Must have been those cheesy commercials for those toys back when I was growing up. Or maybe it was me not getting how an 18-wheeler can be a protagonist in any story line. Being a sequel however, my expectations for quality drop by at least 25%. But hey, anything with my girl Megan Fox in it is worth a peek. Other than Fox being ridiculously hot, I do not have any crazy expectations for this movie. I hope to laugh at some moments of unintentional comedy like I did in the first one, as well as be wowed by some of the special effects. I'm not banking on this thing to win an Oscar, but I still hope it will be worth an hour and a half of my time.

Before I Peace: The Dunk Stops Here

(c2.api.ning.com)

A couple of days ago, Jordan Crawford, a sophomore at Xavier, dunked on his highness LeBron James in a pickup game at his own basketball academy. After the alleged incident, Nike confiscated all videos that captured the now-infamous dunk. As ridiculous as that is, the confiscation was allegedly ordered by King James himself. Guess he is staunchly running the regime known as his image with an iron fist. And I say.......LIGHTEN UP, LEBRON! The only way to not have this be a big deal is to let it slide and laugh it off. That's what the State Farm LeBron would do, or puppet LeBron. Instead, you have made an atom bomb off a measly firecracker. Ever since that lack of sportsmanship displayed after the defeat in the Orlando series, many in the media and in the public have been quick to downgrade his character as snobby or surly. This alleged hostile takeover of some potential YouTube clips doesn't really help the matter. This must have Skip Bayless wetting his pants in joy right now. All you have to do is play the kid and school him in a 1-on-1 game. You know you can. Or make a funny commercial about it. You have to remember LeBron, it is the media that crowned you as The King, and don't be so naive as to think that they won't dethrone you.

Fireworks, Franks And Female Fertility

Insert all crude wiener jokes here.
(img.metro.co.uk)

I'm proud to announce that the real summertime has finally arrived. It's great that Mother Nature had decided to stop her daily water experiments to let all of us enjoy America's birthday and the weekend accompanying it. Nice to get some Vitamin D every once in a while. I participated in my first barbecue of the season as well as witnessed another Sox victory at America's Most Beloved Ballpark. Watching Mike O'Malley outduel Mark Wahlberg in the ceremonial first pitch was an event in itself. At least he still has "Good Vibrations" and Boogie Nights as part of his legacy, earning him big-time respect in my book. While I missed all bits of coverage of the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest (on purpose of course), I still consider my weekend complete and eventful. Of course, the sports world had a few classic moments while America was busy celebrating its 233rd birthday. A world record 68 hot dogs were scarfed down by the spindly Mr. Chestnut, the Williams sisters made another dominating run to monopolize the Wimbledon women's final, and a Tiger came through in yet another golf tournament. And that's not even scratching the surface. From baseball to tennis, there were as many fireworks in between the lines as there were in the Boston sky on Saturday night. So as I wait for Nomar's much-awaited return on Fenway soil in almost 5 years, I give you what's burning in my head from this past weekend.

One reason why I don't feel bad for Mr. Roddick
(friendsoftheprogram.files.wordpress.com)

Call me adventurous, for I am again diving into a sector of the sports world that I rarely venture in. Then again, it would be hard for me to write this entry and not mention yesterday's ESPN Classic-worthy Wimbledon final. Who would have thought that another classic final would have occurred a year after the amazing Federer-Nadal final, which was like a chess match with rackets? Who would have known that Andy Roddick, who was considered as a washed-up tennis brat by some, would not only make it to the finals, but give arguably the greatest player in the history of a sport a workout that resembled Jerry Rice's training sessions? It took a total of 4 hours and 16 minutes (longest match in Grand Slam history) for Roger Federer to triumph, with a final set tally of 16-14 to win his record-breaking 15th Grand Slam championship (19-2 overall against Roddick). As monumental as that accomplishment was, all the talk was about Andy Roddick's valiant effort. I have to admit, I was one of those many voices that thought that Andy Roddick (or as I like to say, the A-Rod without the asterisk) was the tennis version of Eric Lindros. Both were hyped up to become the next greatest things in their sport, but injuries and bratty reputations had steered their careers in an undesired direction. But I was also impressed that he was almost able to stand in the way of Federer's grand accomplishment, even with a bad hip. The sentiment for Roddick's performance was so strong, that the Wimbledon crowd called him out for an encore. There even seems to be a feeling of sorrow for Roddick and his tough loss. So do I feel sorry for him? Well, not necessarily so. I mean he has made millions in the sport, has a model wife, and has been given great praise and chances to be the Golden Boy of tennis. However, you have to respect the effort he gave out there on Sunday, for his appearance in this final seemed as probable as Al Franken getting a seat in the Senate (or so we thought). This brings up the second question of whether this was a good loss. My answer: No loss is ever ultimately good. You will still feel that emptiness of the soul, especially in a tightly contested match like this. You will still dwell upon all the methods you should have pursued in order to triumph. I am also a big fan of that famous Herm Edwards quote, you know, that thing about playing and winning games. But I think this loss was beneficial for Roddick because it bolstered his reputation. He arguably got a louder reception at Wimbledon for his loss than in his win at the 2003 U.S. Open. He also renewed (Dare I say it?) America's interest in tennis at least for a little while. So let's not feel sorry for him, let's not over hype him but let us praise him for his gritty performance. Never thought I'd ever say this, but well done, Andy.

Ladies, lock up your medicine cabinets.
(smokingwithhank.files.wordpress.com)

Last Friday marked the return of the mercurial Manny to the Dodger lineup. As a recovering Manny-holic, I had to comprehend why his return has had a totally unexpected reaction in comparison to some of his tainted peers. Yes, Manny is more of a teddy-bear figure in contrast to the surly Bonds*, but is all of this forgiveness warranted? Every minor league appearance brought in hordes of Manny fans similar to if the Dave Matthews Band were to romp into your town. It was almost as if no one was even slightly aware of the "hCG-gate" scandal. There was even less awareness that it was around this time last year that Manny pretty much decided to end his Red Sox career prematurely. Despite all of these shady occurrences, the players can't wait for his return, and the owners are just salivating at what cash they can make from the return of "Mannywood" and their sales from dreadlocked wigs. Who would have known that such a positive reaction would come from the return of a player with a known failed test? I sense that Bonds's* head is getting much larger from watching all of this unfold. For one, the L.A. culture I would guess is probably a more lenient one when it comes to dealing with unnatural physical enhancements. It is a city which has been known to put more attention and value to the characters themselves than the character of the sport. I mean, Manny gave a mediocre attempt at following last year's haircut order, and nobody even cared. You know that kind of defiance would have had an exact opposite reaction in the back pages of the Boston and New York papers. It brings us to the simple fact that only the media truly cares about this steroid controversy. We even saw it in San Fransisco with Bonds*. As long as the player still rakes and gives the team a great chance to win, all sins will be forgiven, until you enter the Hall of Fame discussion. Even back in the midst of the steroid era, we didn't really care when players came to Spring Training 30 pounds more muscular than they were in the previous season. We even knew that McGwire regularly took andro, but we didn't care until Congressional hearings started popping up. A-Rod* has received less of the steroid stigma than previously predicted, which only seems to magically pop up when he enters Yawkey Way. We have to remember that this is a sport that has always prided itself on power numbers, and even lowered the height of the pitcher's mound to help offensive production. So be furious at Manny for popping a few female fertility pills, but recognize we can't get mad at him for the attention brought upon him. I'm afraid it is our guilt that we have to share on this one.

You mean, I have to root for this guy now?

(taylormadetirade.files.wordpress.com)

Hot Stove, move over! The NBA offseason has proven to be as action packed as any other sport's down time thus far. Even more intriguing is that it seems the better teams are the ones that are beefing up on this year's free agent class, which makes for intriguing conversation on the streets and in the studios, as well as complicating Vegas gambling patterns. This past weekend, the Celts recently picked up 34 year old Rasheed Wallace to a tune of a 2 year deal. In the past, 'Sheed has been a player that I absolutely loved to hate. With his scrappy play and his constant disregard for anything the refs called, 'Sheed was just one of those players that got under my skin like the scratching of a chalkboard. But now that we have acquired Wallace, I'm raving about the move. With the inevitable departure of Powe, Wallace has the potential to become that versatile contributor off the bench both offensively and defensively. He also adds to the toughness and intensity of a team that needed it after the Garnett injury last year and the lack of a James Posey-type player. Along with the "Boston Three Party", I believe that this move places Boston as the class of the East, even with the Shaq-uisition by the Cavs, and the Magic's signing of Vince Carter, who with Dwight Howard are a couple underachieving seasons away from becoming the most overrated duo in today's NBA. The Magic also got weaker by losing Hedo Turkoglu, who was perhaps their playoff MVP during their run though the playoffs. The Lakers acquisition of Artest doesn't really phase me too much, for the move has the potential to be as damaging as it could be beneficial. By acquiring Artest, the Lakers said good bye to Trevor Ariza, an emerging player who was a key cog to the Laker playoff machine. I also question what kind of effort Phil Jackson will contribute next year, considering he was pondering a situation where he would coach only half of the team's games. I mean, he already has a reputation of being somewhat of a "ghost coach" as is. Especially with Artest, there may be times where Phil will have to intervene a little more than he would like to. Overall, this sets up a situation in which I believe the Celtics could hang up their 18th championship banner. For an offseason that was expected to be hampered by a sluggish economy, my anticipation for November seems to be growing by the minute because of it.

Mochaman's Fantasy Baseball Report
- Bubba Gump Shrimpz - 101-68-13 (1st, Steroid Freaks' Anonymous, 7 UP)
Back on top after pulling off a clutch week against my friend and league commish P-Mac for 1st place. Offense, as usual, showed up just in time before week's end. Pitching was from another universe with 0.87 ERA with a 0.82 WHIP to show a few numbers. Would like to have a big offensive week before the All-Star Break, with Hamilton coming back off the DL.

- Mocha Sox - 48-76-6 (12th, Yahoo Public 38095, 27 GB)
Won my 3rd series in a row, but made up practically nothing. Remain 18.5 GB from playoff contention. Like the Shrimpz, the Sox were helped out by extraordinary pitching, even though it has been mostly rebuilt. Trade still pending to get Felix Hernandez on my squad for Adam Lind. Still waiting patiently for the turnaround.

- Firehawks - 61-64-5 (8th, Yahoo Public 162279, 12.5 GB)
Disappointing week to not only fall out of the playoff bubble, but fall under .500 in a highly competitive league. Offense is just flat lining right now (Bay = .080 average last week). Hamels, Beckett, and Saunders didn't help me out much either. Hope to right the ship and put myself into good position before the break.

Last night, my fantasy football team, the Killa' Beavaz, had finished their draft and are ready to terrify another Yahoo! league. Even though I haven't had much success with managing a football team in years past, I feel a change of luck this year. Expecting big years from McNabb and Fitzgerald this year. Stay tuned, folks!

Bonus: Sox-Mariners Montage

"Centerfield" - John Fogerty - Centerfield, 1985

R.I.P. "Air" McNair
Steve McNair (Feb. 14, 1973 - July 4, 2009)
(gizmotastic.com)

Rollercoasters And Revelations

What?! Since when could pigs fly?
(espn.com)

Good to kick off the July entries with what I have experienced on the diamond and on the pitch the past few days. Important to note that I have probably aged about 40 years since my last entry, so get the IV machine ready. Glad to still have a heart after all the sports and celebrity deaths the past few days. Hopefully I will be revived by the barbecue and some sun (Does it even exist?) when the holiday comes up. My plans still haven't been made up, but I hope to make the most of the holiday wherever I am and whatever I do. I'm thinking that I'm gonna have to try to top the time I had in Norway a couple months back on their national holiday, so all ideas welcome. However, it seems like the almighty may take me before the holiday the way the sports world has been treating me these past few days. And just to think that a soccer game was a part of all the blood pressure fluctuations (Welcome to the 2009 me!). You know a sport has got a hold of you when you're gripping a stress ball as your rooting interest collapses. I guess Sunday was a first for me in the realm of soccer. And of course, how 'bout those two games that the Sox and the Orioles have played? I mean, last night's debacle was jaw-dropping, but the comeback by the Sox today made this series wilder. I was even thinking about doing a gamecast yesterday, but thank God, for I would have had my blog shut down by the FCC for the last two innings alone. You can say it was hell freezing over, but our monsoon summer thus far is explanation enough. Was that 11-10 loss the most shocking, devastating loss ever? Yes, if it was from a large sample of June games. In fact, it wasn't even the most gut wrenching loss of this year, as I had to watch my WBC team Puerto Rico blow a 2 run lead against the U.S. in the 9th this March for a 6-5 score (remember these numbers). I mean, if PTI didn't mention it on their show today, it must be only July minutiae. But it doesn't mean that it didn't grab my attention. It's Sox baseball after all. But what isn't nonsense is that I have finally decided on a favorite soccer team. Get excited!

Midseason revenge has never been sweeter.

(espn.com)

Let's dive into to this past Sox-Orioles series in Fenway South, ummmm, Camden Yards that just ended. Luckily, the Sox came out of this series and the road trip with a 6-3 record, alive and sane (at least I did). And to think after Lester dominated the Birds in the 1st game that it would be the same ole song and dance. But if you experienced that comeback last night, you know that this was anything but an ordinary three game stop in B'More. Coming into the series, the Sox were an astronomical 42-15 against the O's since 2006, but last night's game was the ultimate display of Murphy's Law and the law of averages crammed into one diamond in possibly the largest combination ever due to the opposite positions of both teams. And I thought the biggest gaffe would be the whole Sox infield going in the dugout after only 2 outs were recorded. And it always seems to start with Mother Nature. Apparently, she was an O's fan for the day, as she halted what would have not only have been John Smoltz's first win in the American League, but also opened the door for those two bad innings that the bullpen produced. Unbelievable that the best bullpen in the majors would allow 10 runs in the final 2 innings against a team that they have owned all year. I mean, the O's had a 0.3% chance of winning going into the bottom half of the 7th, and ended up pulling off the biggest comeback ever by a last place team on a first place team in the history of baseball. Masterson was dominate for two innings, then all of a sudden his slider just kept magically hanging over the plate. Okajima and Saito were just putting it on a tee, and Papelbon concluded the Vesuvius-like explosion by allowing a 2 run double from Nick Markakis, who hadn't had a hit off Papelbon in his whole career. Admittedly, it was a little embarrassing. What made it worse is that it rejuvenated my Oriole fanatic friends, creating another page in a rivalry that I still don't understand (see head-to-head record last 3 years). Well, you can have your one June game, and we will take the Series in October because it's only one game, right? Well, it didn't look good to start the afternoon. The O's started off well, pounding our ace Beckett for 5 runs in the 1st four innings. What was worse is that Brad Bergesen was pitching like he was the next incarnation of an '02 Rodrigo Lopez. I don't know how many worms got killed from all of his groundballs. Going into the 9th inning this afternoon, I was thinking of what my friend P-Mac was telling after last night's game about the carry over effect that could possibly be damaging to our season. A Youk bomb, Baldelli single, and a Lugo single later, the Sox were able to avenge last night's loss in the most dramatic way possible by hanging in late and winning in the 11th. Impressively, the Sox pitching had their magical powers returned to them in the 4th inning, and retired the next 24 batters in the game. And in many ways, the game resembled another legendary comeback that the Sox made, "The Mothers Day Miracle". Both games were 6-5, both comebacks were created in the 9th after some 20-something "interim-ace" pitcher dominated us for 8 innings, both games had Beckett on and off the hook, and both ended with Julio Lugo becoming the deciding factor. Like I said in my second sentence of my Facebook/Twitter status, "And the world is back to normal".

Maybe should have seen this coming.
(espn.com)

How 'bout we cap another entry with some of my latest opinions from the beautiful game. On Sunday, I continued my self-initiation into the world of soccer by watching the Confederations Cup final between the U.S. and Brazil. It was truly a tale of two halves. The first half presented a U.S. team that looked like the 2000 Rams. I was truly convinced that a Brazilian amateur team just pilfered the unis of the U.S. squad and put on a Globetrotteresque show. Admit it. You were like me and thought that the U.S. just might pull off the divine double upset to win their first FIFA cup. Then just like with the Sox-Orioles game this afternoon, the world's axis cruelly just turned back to its proper place in the midst of the sounds of those "swarming bee" horns, which for some reason makes a collapse all too appropriate. After the 1st half, it seemed as if the U.S. decided to play defensive soccer the rest of the way to protect the lead, and that passive strategy fell right into Brazil's hands. 2 goals from Luis Fabiano and a 84th minute header by Lúcio broke the spirits of a U.S. team and its fans. I just saw the disappointment happening, but I avoided it in my head until it happened right in front of me. The worst part of the defeat was that it was painfully accepting a reality that was so close to being defied. It was what Bill Simmons would call "the guillotine game" in his "13 Levels of Losing" column where the underdog puts up a good fight, but you know that the uber-collapse is imminent. But what does this mean for American soccer? Let's just call this "the progressive choke". We have learned that this squad can keep up with the best as evident with their game against the previously #1 Spaniards and their first half performance against the Brazilians, earning them a 12th place spot in the FIFA rankings. However, a master in any profession always has to close effectively. It's one thing to get to the finals in a regional tourney, but it's all for not if the U.S. experiences another first round exit in next year's World Cup. If they don't, the hype and attention on the team will fade faster than William Hung's career. But this past CONCACAF Confederations Cup tournament has done way more for American soccer in only a few days than Beckham has done in his "part-time" stint for the MLS. I believe the only people who can make soccer relevant in this country are the ones who don the red, white, and blue, and ladies and gents they're on their way.

F.C. Barcelona: Champions of my fanaticism.

(www.footballslate.com)

Yes, a historical moment on Cloud 10. After doing my research and crunching the numbers, I have decided who I would grant my soccer allegiance. And it has nothing to do with the result of the Champions League this year. F.C. Barcelona resembles a team that I have been following my whole life (I think you can guess who.). In comparison to that team, they play in a beautiful harbor city that is small enough to do a day's worth of tourism, but big enough for the passion of their respective clubs. In times thick or thin, they're a team with great tradition and a loyal fan base. They're also a team that remains highly competitive, while not having the reputation of monopolizing the league like Real Madrid. Even after the troubles brought on by Franco's nationalist reign (Barcelona is the capital city of the Catalonia province, which speaks Catalan to go along with Spanish), the popular club still has been able thrive. Surviving and thriving, now that's what's up! By looking at all this, it seems as if this was a no-brainer to me. Portugal don't you fear, as you still my support in South Africa next year. Soccer nation, make room for another!


Mochaman's Fantasy Baseball Report
- Bubba Gump Shrimpz - 90-65-13 (2nd, Steroid Freaks' Anonymous, 1 GB)
Poor week after being hot in the last couple while losing 1st place. Offense is part of the woe, as everyone has basically decided to slump now. Pitching didn't help me with 6 losses and a 1.34 WHIP. Now facing the top team in a heavyweight slugfest. Pitching has been other-worldly so far, but the offense will still decide the overall success of my week. Ricky Romero has pick-up of the year written all over him.

- Mocha Sox - 42-72-6 (12th, Yahoo Public 38095, 28 GB)
Another win last week, but no advancement as everyone else important did better. Much improved offense built on some key trades helped save the day against the 2nd place team at the time. With Sizemore and Halladay off the DL and Justin Upton and Ricky Romero as new recruits, I hopefully won't need those night lights for the cellar much longer. Still thinkin' baby steps.

- Firehawks - 59-56-5 (6th, Yahoo Public 162279, 7 GB)
Eeked out a victory with a pitching staff that recorded 7 wins and 52 Ks. Offense not productive, and not being helped by J Bay Bay's slump and platinum sombrero in this afternoon's game. Moved into the playoff zone in a league with 8 teams within 10 games of each other. Now facing the team that's 1 game ahead of me with another team right beside me with 7 GB. Now that's fantasy baseball at its finest folks!

R.I.P. To The Ultimate Pitchman

Billy Mays (July 20, 1958 - June 28, 2009)
(hitdawall.files.wordpress.com)