Apparently the two days off did nothing for the Boston Red Sox as they were roughed up last night in a 7-6 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. Today, they’ll try to get back on the winning side of things yet again (I feel like a broken record) in game two of a four-game set at Fenway Park.

Today’s first pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the Blue Jays television market, you can catch the game on SNET. If you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to the game on the 2011 Red Sox Radio Network.

Commander Kicka$$ Josh Beckett looks to right the ship and get the Red Sox going in his third start of 2011. He is coming off of a dominant performance against the New York Yankees that got his record to 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA. Beckett faced the Jays twice last year and was 0-1 with a 9.90 ERA (11 ER/10 IP). He’s had a rough go of things in 14 career starts against the Blue Jays as he is 3-6 with a 7.03 ERA.

Jo-Jo Reyes looks for his first win of the 2011 season in his third start. In his previous two outings, he is 0-1 with a 5.23 ERA. He has never faced the Red Sox in his career.

Click on the read more button below to see tonight’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the day if you’re on the home page.

Here are this afternoon’s lineups:

7-6		2-10
1. Yunel Escobar	SS	1. Jed Lowrie	SS
2. Corey Patterson	CF	2. Dustin Pedroia	2B
3. Jose Bautista	RF	3. Adrian Gonzalez	1B
4. Adam Lind	1B	4. Kevin Youkilis	3B
5. Aaron Hill	2B	5. David Ortiz	DH
6. Travis Snider	RF	6. Mike Cameron	RF
7. Jayson Nix	DH	7. Jason Varitek	C
8. Jose Molina	C	8. Darnell McDonald	LF
9. John McDonald	3B	9. Jacoby Ellsbury	CF
Jo-Jo Reyes	SP	Josh Beckett	SP

And here is how the hitters have fared in their careers against this afternoon’s starting pitchers:

Check back and/or refresh often as more links will be added if/when they become available before game time.

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

The hits keep on (not) coming for Carl Crawford [Alex Speier – WEEI.com]

Red Sox sunk in seventh [Boston Globe]

Crawford’s breaking bad [Boston Globe]

Lineup balance will be tested [Boston Globe]

Gonzalez extension done [Boston Globe]

Red Sox in a Blue state with 2-10 mark [Boston Herald]

Carl Crawford’s hearing it [Boston Herald]

Red Sox show the money [Boston Herald]

Clay Buchholz never finds a comfort zone [Boston Herald]

Adrian Gonzalez signs extension [Boston Herald]

Adrian Gonzalez says he’s game for form-fitting bat grip [Boston Herald]

‘Stormy’ times for Red Sox, idle Carl Crawford [Clubhouse Insider]

More of the same as Sox’ late rally falls short, 7-6 [CSNNE.com]

Command issues haunt Red Sox [CSNNE.com]

Rapid reaction: Blue Jays 7, Red Sox 6 [ESPN Boston]

Jenks: “I just flat-out stunk” [ESPN Boston]

Tito on Salty’s throws: “Little bit in and out” [ESPN Boston]

For Crawford, now come the boos [ESPN Boston]

Struggling Crawford gets day off Saturday [ESPN Boston]

Francona sticks Lowrie at top of lineup [ESPN Boston]

Carl Crawford gets a day off [Extra Bases]

Closing Time: Blue Jays 7, Red Sox 6 [Full Count]

Bobby Jenks: ‘All I can say is I stunk’ [Full Count]

Larry Lucchino Encouraged by Adrian Gonzalez Extension, Red Sox Continue to Secure Team’s Core Players [NESN.com]

Carl Crawford Faces Another Possible Lineup Change As He Continues to Struggle With Red Sox [NESN.com]

Bobby Jenks His Own Worst Critic After Losing Effort Against Blue Jays [NESN.com]

Adrian Gonzalez Can Turn Sole Focus to Baseball Now That He’s Secured Contract With Red Sox [NESN.com]

Overturned Home Run Call in Blue Jays-Red Sox Game Raises Questions About Pesky Pole Foul Line at Fenway Park [NESN.com]

For more slices of Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, CSNNE,  ESPN Boston, NESN, Providence Journal, RedSox.com and WEEI websites.

And if you must check out the enemy papers, head over to the Toronto Star, Toronto Sun and the Globe and Mail websites.

Photo credits:  AP Photo, Getty Images

It looks as though UConn Huskies men’s basketball coach Jim Calhoun will be looking for a new assistant coach as Andre LaFleur looks like he’s heading to the Providence Friars to become the associate head coach.

From GoLocalProv:

Providence College men’s basketball coach Ed Cooley has been searching for an African-American coach who is a good recruiter to join his staff at PC. After identifying and speaking to a few candidates, Cooley has settled on UConn’s Andre LaFleur.

GoLocalProv.com has learned that LaFleur will be named Cooley’s associate head coach at PC sometime next week, possibly as early as Monday.

  to Jeff Jacobs of the Hartford Courant

After having the last two days off, one due to a rainout, the Boston Red Sox will get back on the diamond tonight when they kickoff a four-game set with the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park.

Tonight’s first pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the Blue Jays television market, you can catch the game on SNET. If you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to the game on the 2011 Red Sox Radio Network.

Clay Buchholz will make his third start of the season and first since signing his contract extension. In his first two starts, he is 0-2 with a 7.20 ERA. He dominated the Blue Jays in 2010 as he was 3-0 with a 0.41 ERA in three starts. He’s had good success against them in his 10 career appearances (nine starts) as he is 6-3 with a 2.50 ERA.

Brett Cecil will make the start for the Toronto Blue Jays in John Farrell’s managerial debut at Fenway Park. In two starts this season, Cecil is 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA. He made three starts against the Red Sox in 2010 and was 2-1 with a 3.86 ERA. In five career starts against the Red Sox, Cecil is 2-3 with a 6.51 ERA. Three of those five starts have come at Fenway Park where he is 2-1 with a 7.79 ERA.

Click on the read more button below to see tonight’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the day if you’re on the home page.

Here are tonight’s lineups:

6-6		2-9
1. Yunel Escobar	SS	1. Carl Crawford	LF
2. Corey Patterson	CF	2. Dustin Pedroia	2B
3. Jose Bautista	RF	3. Adrian Gonzalez	1B
4. Adam Lind	1B	4. Kevin Youkilis	3B
5. Aaron Hill	2B	5. David Ortiz	DH
6. J. P. Arencibia	C	6. J.D. Drew	RF
7. Travis Snider	RF	7. Jarrod Saltalamacchia	C
8. Juan Rivera	DH	8. Marco Scutaro	SS
9. Jayson Nix	3B	9. Jacoby Ellsbury	CF
Brett Cecil	SP	Clay Buchholz	SP

And here is how the hitters have fared against tonight’s starting pitchers:

Check back and/or refresh often as more links will be added if/when they become available before game time.

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

Jon Lester Doesn’t Know Clay Buchholz All That Well [SOX & Dawgs]

A look at how the deal got done between Red Sox, Adrian Gonzalez [Clubhouse Insider]

Theo: Gonzalez ‘demonstrates a lot of leadership’ for Red Sox [Clubhouse Insider]

Series preview: Red Sox vs. Blue Jays [CSNNE.com]

Gonzalez ‘grateful’ and ‘excited’ to sign with Sox [CSNNE.com]

Pregame notes: No rest for the lefties [CSNNE.com]

Tracking the other side of A-Gon deal [ESPN Boston]

Gonzalez’s Monster potential … and why we’ve yet to see it [ESPN Boston]

Schilling: Why Dice-K is getting hit hard [ESPN Boston]

Theo: Big contracts don’t signal change [ESPN Boston]

Page 2 has some fun with Manny [ESPN Boston]

Long-term deals in place for Red Sox [Extra Bases]

Gonzalez: ‘Really excited about being able to play here’ [Extra Bases]

Eloquent words from Francona on Robinson [Extra Bases]

Gonzalez’ deal in context: Where slugger’s contract ranks in MLB history [Full Count]

Why Adrian Gonzalez’ agent nearly ‘aged a hundred years’ [Full Count]

Adrian Gonzalez praised as a Red Sox leader [Full Count]

Do You Still Believe the Red Sox Can Win the World Series? [NESN.com]

Coco Crisp Debuts New Afro Hairstyle With Oakland Athletics [NESN.com]

Adrian Gonzalez: ‘We’re Going to Make the Playoffs’ [NESN.com]

Watch Adrian Gonzalez’s News Conference in Its Entirety [NESN.com]

Appreciation for Adrian Gonzalez Has Only Grown for Theo Epstein, Red Sox [NESN.com]

Nuggetpalooza: Friday Baseball Nuggets [Nuggetpalooza]

With lefties looming, Francona waiting to juggle lineup [Projo Sox Blog]

Gonzalez still confident in Red Sox turnaround [Projo Sox Blog]

Epstein, Red Sox confident in betting on Gonzalez [Projo Sox Blog]

Farrell excited to face old team [Projo Sox Blog]

NESN Presents: The Adventures of Ellsbury ‘n’ Elf, Episode 64-B, “Because Nothing Heals Like Beer” [Surviving Grady]

Solutions limited for Epstein, Francona [Tony Massarotti – Boston Globe]

Photo credits: AP Photo, Getty Images

For the last two days, the Boston Red Sox have not lost any games. Of course they haven’t played any either. A rainout on Wednesday night and Thursday’s scheduled off day allowed the Red Sox to regroup and Red Sox Nation a chance to relax.

Tonight, though the Red Sox will get back to the grind of baseball as old friend John Farrell brings his young Toronto Blue Jays squad to Fenway Park for four games. And for us and them, we hope it’s on to the winning side of things. They currently sit at 2-9 which happens to the be worst record in all of Major League Baseball. The Tampa Bay Rays (4-8), Minnesota Twins (4-8), Seattle Mariners (4-9), New York Mets (4-9) and Houston Astros (4-9) are next on the list.

There is news this morning out of Boston as it was learned that Adrian Gonzalez will sign a seven-year, $154 million contract extension this afternoon. This will keep Gonzalez in a Red Sox uniform through the 2018 season. With their two prized signings, Carl Crawford, being the other, they now have given out $296 million to two players. Plus with the pitching staff locked up for the foreseeable future as well as Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis, the Red Sox should be able to compete for the coming years.

But right now, the Red Sox want to avoid the losing column as much as they can.

A four-game sweep of the Blue Jays or at least taking 3-of-4 from them this weekend, will go a long way in helping the Red Sox realize their dream of another World Series title.

We’ll be back later with tonight’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links for the day. But for now, enjoy the overnight links by clicking on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

Time to get down to business [Boston Globe]

Pitching change works out well [Boston Globe]

Curt Young not restless [Boston Herald]

Numbers are Lack-ing [Boston Herald]

Sox pitching coach Curt Young takes slump personally [CSNNE.com]

A unique perspective from the CITGO sign [ESPN Boston]

Who’s to blame for Dice-K’s struggles? [ESPN Boston]

Video: Jayson Stark talks Sox [ESPN Boston]

Epstein on the Red Sox: ‘You don’t want to dig a hole you can’t climb out of’ [Extra Bases]

Yankees sign Red Sox castoff Place [Extra Bases]

A reminder why the Red Sox waited to lock up Adrian Gonzalez [Full Count]

Josh Beckett has a message: Jason Varitek is great, but stop with the personal catcher talk [Full Count]

Sign ’em up, Sox [Inside Track]

Calhoun’s Red Sox Fandom Kept Him Out of Yankees Stadium [NBC Connecticut]

Clay Buchholz Believes Carl Crawford’s Success Is Key for Red Sox Improvement [NESN.com]

Jason Varitek Spends Off Day Playing Wiffle Ball With Local Kids to Benefit Good Sports [NESN.com]

Red Sox to have four of first 40 draft picks [Projo Sox Blog]

A Series Matter: Red Sox-Blue Jays and “The Lefties Are Coming!” [Projo Sox Blog]

For Carl Crawford, learning the wall is a Monster challenge [Providence Journal]

Resurgence will depend on starting rotation [RedSox.com]

Buchholz surprises fans with free tickets [RedSox.com]

For more slices of Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, CSNNE,  ESPN Boston, NESN, Providence Journal, RedSox.com and WEEI websites.

Photo credit: AP Photo

Paw Prints is our daily look at the happenings for the UConn Huskies football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball teams as well as some of the other sports. We will do our best to bring you the links from all of the media that covers the Huskies on a daily basis. As always, links can be found by clicking on the read more button below.

Thank you for stopping by and making SOX & Dawgs your home for UConn Huskies news.

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

UConn Men’s Basketball links

Former UConn Star Jeff Adrien Earns Award As D-League ‘Impact’ Player [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Drummond sticking with 2012, his coach says [Neill Ostrout – CT Post]

UConn Victory Parade Saved [UConn Huskies Basketball]

UConn’s recruiting benefits from national title may not show up soon [CT Post]

Eye Contact: Huskies In Houston – UConn’s 2011 National Championship [Hartford Courant]

Calhoun’s Red Sox Fandom Kept Him Out of Yankees Stadium [NBC Connecticut]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Maya Moore Signs With Lynx; Terms Not Disclosed [Hartford Courant]

UConn Football links

What We’ve Learned At Spring Practice: QB Spot Still Up In Air [Hartford Courant]

UConn’s Young Receivers Making Veterans Take Notice [Hartford Courant]

Other UConn related links

UConn Club. Oleksiws To Be Honored By The UConn Club [UConnHuskies.com]

W. Lacrosse. Huskies Travel To Notre Dame For Saturday Contest [UConnHuskies.com]

Baseball. Huskies Down Brown 6-2 [UConnHuskies.com]

Baseball. Baseball Schedule Changes for the Weekend [UConnHuskies.com]

Destination Red Sox Nation is our look at how the minor league teams of the Boston Red Sox fare each night. Game story and box score links as well as links to team rosters, team stats and league standings can be found by clicking on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

If you would like to listen to any of the Red Sox minor league affiliates’ games, MiLB.com offers them for free.

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

Q&A with Kyle Weiland [SoxProspects.com]

Pawtucket Red Sox

The PawSox were swept in their doubleheader by the Syracuse Chiefs, losing 3-2 and 4-1.

Chiefs sweep struggling PawSox [PawSox.com]

Syracuse sweeps doubleheader [Providence Journal]

Pawtucket Red Sox @ Syracuse Chiefs 4.14.11 Game 1 box score [MiLB.com]

Pawtucket Red Sox @ Syracuse Chiefs 4.14.11 Game 2 box score [MiLB.com]

Pawtucket 2011 Roster

Pawtucket Red Sox stats

International League standings

Pawtucket Red Sox website

Portland Sea Dogs:

The Sea Dogs fell behind early and couldn’t recover in a 6-2 loss to the New Britain Rock Cats.

Twins’ prospect continues to impress [Portland Press Herald]

Sea Dogs Come Up Short in New Britain 6-2 [OurSports Central]

Sea Dogs Partner with Country Kitchen to Donate Tickets to Youth [OurSports Central]

Portland Sea Dogs @ New Britain Rock Cats 4.14.11 box score [MiLB.com]

Portland 2011 Roster

Portland Sea Dogs stats

Eastern League Standings

Portland Sea Dogs website

Salem Red Sox:

Chris Hernandez was solid as he helped Salem to a sweep of the Lynchburg Hillcats.

Salem Red Sox pitchers continue to bamboozle Hillcats, league [Roanoke Times]

Boston darns Salem Red Sox to fit stadium [Roanoke Times]

Red Sox Down Hillcats 3-1 To Win Fourth Straight [OurSports Central]

Lynchburg Hillcats @ Salem Red Sox 4.14.11 box score [MiLB.com]

Salem 2011 Roster

Salem Red Sox stats

Carolina League standings

Salem Red Sox official blog

Salem Red Sox website

Greenville Drive:

The Drive picked up a 3-0 shutout win over the Charleston RiverDogs behind solid pitchng from Anthony Ranaudo, Garrett Rau and Tyler Lockwood.

Drive Cap Homestand with Third Shutout [OurSports Central]

Charleston RiverDogs @ Greenville Drive 4.14.11 box score [MiLB.com]

Greenville 2011 Roster

Greenvillle Drive stats

South Atlantic League standings

Greenville Drive website

Lowell Spinners:

The Lowell Spinners will begin their season on June 17th at home against the Connecticut Tigers.

Lowell Spinners 2010 Roster

Lowell Spinners stats

NY-Penn League Standings

Lowell Spinners Blog

Spinners website

Gulf Coast League Red Sox

The GCL Red Sox will begin their season on June 20th on the road against the GCL Rays.

GCL Red Sox 2010 Roster

GCL Red Sox stats

Gulf Coast League Standings

Gulf Coast Red Sox website

According to Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com, the Boston Red Sox and first baseman Adrian Gonzalez have finally come to terms on a contract extension that will keep Gonzalez in Boston for seven more years.

The deal is reportedly for seven years, $154 million which is the exact same figure that it was rumored to be months ago.

Update: Gonzalez will get a $6 million signing bonus and will make $21 milllion from 2012-2016 and then will get $21.5 million over the final two years of the deal according to ESPN.

NEWPORT BEACH, Ca. – University of Connecticut senior defensive tackle Kendall Reyes has been named to the 2011 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List, honoring the top collegiate defensive player in the country. Reyes is the only BIG EAST player to be named to the list.

Reyes has started 29 games for the Huskies over the past three seasons and earned First Team All-BIG EAST honors last year. He started all 13 games in 2010 as the Huskies won the BIG EAST Championship and played in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

Reyes made 39 tackles for the Huskies in 2010 and has a total of 98 for his career. He tied for third on the team in tackles for a loss with ten and also made 2.5 sacks.

This is the eighth year that the IMPACT Foundation has recognized the student-athletes throughout the nation who have had the biggest IMPACT on their teams both on and off the field. IMPACT is an acronym for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity, characteristics that Ronnie Lott exhibited throughout his brilliant Hall of Fame career at both USC and in the National Football League.

The 2011 list of 42 (Lott’s uniform number) includes 19 defensive backs, 14 linebackers and nine defensive linemen.

The Lott Trophy has now donated nearly $850,000 to charities since its inception in 2004, including $275,000 to 23 different universities. The winners’ school receives $25,000 annually, each of the three runner-ups $5,000 and the Lott IMPACT Player of the Week $1,000.

A national voter panel, made up of more than 200 former collegiate stars, former college coaches, members of the media and both the Lott IMPACT Board of Directors and Board of Advisors, will select the four finalists who will be honored at the annual Lott IMPACT Trophy banquet Dec. 11 in Newport Beach.

For a full look at the 2011 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

The 2011 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List

• Emmanuel Acho, Texas, LB
• Ray-Ray Armstrong, Miami, DB
• Mark Barron, Alabama, S
• Jake Bequette, Arkansas, DL
• Omar Bolden, Arizona State, CB
• Nigel Bradham, Florida State, LB
• Brodrick Brown, Oklahoma State, CB
• Tank Carder, TCU, LB
• Quinton Coples, North Carolina, DE
• Jared Crick, Nebraska, DL
• Lavonte David, Nebraska, LB
• Matt Daniels, Duke, S
• Tony Dye, UCLA, S
• Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina, CB
• Cliff Harris, Oregon, CB
• Aaron Henry, Wisconsin, DB
• Dont’a Hightower, Alabama, LB
• Joe Holland, Purdue, LB
• Jayron Hosley, Virginia Tech, CB
• Delano Howell, Stanford, DB
• Brandon Jenkins, Florida State, DE
• Janois Jenkins, Florida, CB
• Mychal Kendricks, Cal, LB
• Jordan Kovacs, Michigan, S
• Luke Kuechly, Boston College, LB
• Travis Lewis, Oklahoma, LB
• Chris Marve, Vanderbilt, LB
• T.J. McDonald, USC, S
• Matt Merletti, North Carolina, S
• Chase Minnifield, Virginia, CB
• Tyler Nielsen, Iowa, LB
• Kendall Reyes, Connecticut, DT
• John Simon, Ohio State, DT
• Shayne Skov, Stanford, LB
• Jacquies Smith, Missouri, DE
• Sean Spence, Miami, LB
• Kenny Tate, Maryland, S
• Brandon Taylor, LSU, S
• Manti Te’o, Notre Dame, LB
• Prentiss Waggner, Tennessee, S
• Billy Winn, Boise State, DE
• Jerel Worthy, Michigan State, DT

April 14, 2011 — Senior University of Connecticut women’s basketball star Maya Moore has won the 2011 Honda Sports Award in basketball, designating her as the nation’s top collegiate female athlete in that sport. The honor was based on the results of national balloting among 1,000 NCAA member schools as part of  program, now in its 35th year.

Moore has been nominated for the Honda Sports Award for basketball all four years of her college career and won the honor last year. Notably, because she also went on to win the Honda-Broderick Cup last year, signifying Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year honors, she now has a shot at making history as only the second athlete ever to repeat as Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year. Tracy Caulkins, a swimmer from the University of Florida, won the top honor twice (1982 and ’84).

The Honda Sports Award is given annually to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports, along with automatic eligibility to become a “Top Three” finalist for Collegiate Female Athlete of the Year. Moore was voted over three other nominees for the 2011 award: sophomore Brittney Griner of Baylor University, senior Amber Harris of Xavier University and junior Nnemkadi Ogwumike of Stanford University. The candidates were selected by the NCAA Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.

To continue reading, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

Maya Moore, who was recently named the #1 draft pick for the WNBA and was chosen by the Minnesota Lynx, was born in Jefferson City, Missouri and grew up in Lawrenceville,

Georgia. During her college career, the star senior forward led her team to four Final Four appearances, two national titles and a 150-4 record. She is the fourth-leading scorer in NCAA history, with 3,036 points. Honored as the Capital One University Division Academic All-American of the Year and BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2010 and 2011, Moore was also selected as a CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2009. A three-time WBCA Wade Trophy honoree and four-time WBCA State Farm First Team All-American, she won the Naismith Trophy, the Associated Press Player of the Year Award and the USBWA Player of the Year Award in 2009 and 2011. She was also the John R. Wooden Award honoree in 2009 and 2011.

Moore is one of only two players to earn AP First Team All-America status in each of her four years in college. She is the winner of the 2010-11 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award for women’s basketball, was honored as the Most Outstanding Player of the 2010 NCAA Tournament and voted Most Outstanding Player of the Philadelphia Regional (2011), the Dayton Regional (2010) and the Trenton Regional (2009). She was also named BIG EAST Player of the Year in 2008, 2009 and 2011 and the 2009 and 2011 BIG EAST Tournament Most Outstanding Player. Moore finished her college career with 50 double-doubles and registered double-figure points in an NCAA record 149 games.

A student athlete whose academic prowess matches her outstanding achievement on the basketball court, Moore holds a 3.669 GPA in sports media and promotion. She is the winner of the NCAA Elite 88 Award for achieving the highest GPA of all student-athletes competing in the Final Four.

Continuing Tradition of Honda Award Winners from UConn
Moore’s win marks the ninth time that a University of Connecticut basketball player has been honored with the Honda Sports Award. In addition to her own win last year, previous Honda Sports Award winners from the University of Connecticut for basketball include: Rebecca Lobo (1995), Jennifer Rizzotti (1996), Shea Ralph (2000), Sue Bird (2002), Diana Taurasi (2003, ’04) and Renee Montgomery (2009). Both Lobo and Rizzotti went on to win the Honda-Broderick Cup as the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year. Last year, Maya Moore shared her Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year honor with volleyball star Megan Hodge of Penn State University.

Previously announced Honda Sports Award recipients include Katinka Hosszu from the University of Southern California for swimming & diving, Sheila Reid from Villanova University for cross-country, Katie O’Donnell from the University of Maryland for field hockey, Melissa Henderson from Notre Dame for soccer, and Blair Brown of Penn State University for volleyball. Honda Award winners in golf, gymnastics, lacrosse, softball, tennis, and track & field will be announced in the coming months. The Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year will be determined by separate balloting involving all NCAA-member institutions. On June 27, 2011, the winner will receive the Honda-Broderick Cup at a ceremony in New York, at which the “Top Three” finalists are scheduled to attend.

For more information about The Collegiate Women Sports Awards, please visit www.collegiatewomensportsawards.com .

American Honda Motor Co., Inc. has sponsored the Collegiate Women Sports Awards Program for 26 consecutive years. Honda has donated over $2 million in grants and sponsorships to universities over the course of the program.

The bad news for the Boston Red Sox came in the form of a rainout in their game against the Tampa Bay Rays. The good news about that though is the Red Sox could not lose. And the even better news is the fact the Red Sox are off today and again, they can’t lose.

Two days off may just be what this team needed. It will give them a chance to clear their heads, clense their souls of all the bad mojo and get the losing out of their system.

While there is more to life than just baseball for most people, this is their livelihoods. This is how they earn their paycheck to support their families. And just like any job, if you’re underperforming, you can be replaced. 

There’s one thing that we need to remember.

It’s only April 14th. Sure the Red Sox sit at 2-9 right now. But if you do the math, that means there are 151 games left. I certainly don’t expect the Red Sox to continue winning one of every five games. I know they don’t.

I’ve said this time and time again. Baseball can be a fun game but it can also be a humbling one. Things don’t necessarily tend to click all at once as we’ve seen this season.

The potential for greatness is there with this team. There’s no doubt about that. We/they just need it to work together all at once. When that happens, this dismal start to the month of April will be a thing of the past.

We’ll be back later with the pitching matchups for the series with the Toronto Blue Jays but for now enjoy the overnight links by clicking on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

Work in progress: Why Carl Crawford believes routine will end his slump [Alex Speier – WEEI.com]

Clouds over the Sox [Boston Globe]

Lackey’s turn will be skipped [Boston Globe]

Extra-special Fenway debut [Boston Globe]

Red Sox experience no feelings of panic [Boston Herald]

David Ortiz & Co. ‘worried’ about poor start [Boston Herald]

Red Sox to skip on John Lackey [Boston Herald]

Red Sox hope days off serve as relief [CSNNE.com]

Notes: Lackey to be skipped in rotation after rainout [CSNNE.com]

Getting better . . . really! [CSNNE.com]

Video: State of the Nation with Gordon Edes [ESPN Boston]

Boston Red Sox skip John Lackey’s turn after postponement [ESPN Boston]

Red Sox notebook: David Ortiz uses the ‘F’ word; Jed Lowrie is on a role; Dennys Reyes sticks around [Full Count]

Red Sox Should Turn to Crash Davis, ‘Bull Durham’ to Snap Out of Prolonged Slump [NESN.com]

Joe Maddon Gives Boston Reason for Optimism, Kevin Youkilis Maintains Batting Eye and Seven Other Red Sox Thoughts [NESN.com]

Lowrie plays himself into lineup [Providence Journal]

Red Sox Journal: Despite poor start, no one’s panicking [Providence Journal]

Papi: ‘Everybody’s worried’ about slow start [RedSox.com]

Red Sox look to get back on track vs. Blue Jays [RedSox.com]

Terry Francona, Red Sox Must Make Most of Extra Day to Get Rotation, Lineup Clicking [Tom Caron – NESN.com]

For more slices of Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, CSNNE,  ESPN Boston, NESN, Providence Journal, RedSox.com and WEEI websites.

Photo credit: AP Photo