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ESPNU’s “TMI” Game of the Week – Louisville vs Connecticut

ESPN TMI Factoid

On Wednesday, April 15, at 1 p.m. ET, ESPNU will air its “TMI” Game of the Week, the 2009 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship game between Louisville and Connecticut. TMI, a popular acronym for “Too Much Information,” will display unique factoids related to the two teams featured.

ESPN originally televised the game live on Tuesday, April 7, at 8:30 p.m. Connecticut defeated Louisville 76-54 in St. Louis, Mo. “TMI” can bee seen every Wednesday during the college basketball season at 1 p.m. on ESPNU.

Here’s a preview for you to enjoy:

RIP Harry Kalas, 1936-2009

RIP Harry Kalas 1936-2009

The legendary voice of NFL Films and the Philadelphia Phillies Harry Kalas has passed away today at the age of 73. He was found unconscious in the press box at Nationals Stadium as he was getting ready to call the game between the Phillies and Washington Nationals.

Kalas was found about 12:30 PM this afternoon and was brought to George Washington University Medical Center where he passed at approximately 1:20 PM. The cause of death is not known at this time.

My condolences to the Kalas family and Phillies organization on their loss of one of the greatest voices in the game.

Angels Take Rubber Game 5-4

ANAHEIM, CA - APRIL 12:  (L-R) Bobby Abreu #53 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim is restrained by home plate umpire Paul Schreiber from catcher Jason Varitek #33 and pitcher Josh Beckett #19 of the Boston Red Sox in the first inning at Angel Stadium on April 12, 2009 in Anaheim, California.  The Angels defeated the Red Sox 5-4.  (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Vladimir Guerrero hit a key 8th inning home run off of Hideki Okajima to help the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to a 5-4 win over the Boston Red Sox in front of 38,076 on Easter Sunday at Angel Stadium.

ANAHEIM, CA - APRIL 12:  Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim manager Mike Scioscia (L) is seperated by umpire Ed Rapuano while arguing with pitcher Josh Beckett #19 of the Boston Red Sox in the first inning at Angel Stadium on April 12, 2009 in Anaheim, California.  The Angels defeated the Red Sox 5-4.  (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)The game wasn’t without fireworks though as Josh Beckett and Bobby Abreu got into a little dust up in the 1st inning.

After Angels starter Dustin Moseley set the Red Sox quietly in the top half of the 1st, Chone Figgins led off with a single off of Beckett. With Howie Kendrick at the plate, Figgins stole second before flying out to left. Beckett was taking a lot of time going to the plate with Figgins at second. Just as Beckett was going to throw the pitch, Abreu and the home plate umpire called time.

Beckett let the throw go and it almost hit Abreu in the head and he took exception to that. Abreu started jawing with Beckett and then the benches emptied. After things settled down, more words were exchanged and the benches emptied once again. Once everything was all said and done, Beckett and Abreu stayed in the game while Angels skipper Mike Scioscia, bench coach Mickey Hatcher, reliever Justin Speier and Torii Hunter were ejected (video to follow later).

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Josh Beckett kicks in the dugout after talking with manager Terry Francona (partially obscured) after the fifth inning of their MLB American League baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in Anaheim, California April 12, 2009. REUTERS/Danny MoloshokBeckett wasn’t as dominant as he was in first start this season. He went 6 innings, allowing 4 runs on 8 hits and 2 walks while striking out 5 to fall to 1-1 on the young season. Manny Delcarmen went 2/3 of an inning giving up a hit and a strikeout. Javier Lopez finished off the inning for Declarmen and Okajima went an inning allowing the big blow by Vlad while striking out 1.

Moseley went 5 2/3 innings, allowing 3 runs (2 earned) on 6 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3. Brian Fuentes finished it off the Angels giving up a run on 2 hits for his second save of the season.

Kevin Youkilis had another multiple hit gamewith 2 that included a solo home run. David Ortiz had 2 hits and an RBI while Nick Green had 2 hits in his first start of the season. Jason Bay homered for the second consecutive day as well.

Youk got things going for the Red Sox when he led off with a solo home run off of Moseley. Bay followed that with a solo home run of his own and just like that the Red Sox were up 2-0.

Juan Rivera led off the 3rd with a strikeout and then Macier Izturis singled. Beckett then walked Figgins and Kendrick brought in Izturis with a single with both runners advancing up 90 feet on the throw home. Abreu got his revenge as he hit a 2-run single to put the Halos up 3-2. Beckett got out of any further damage by getting Vlad and Gary Matthews, Jr. to ground out.

Izturis led off the 5th with a single and went to second on a balk by Beckett. Figgins struck out but Kendrick brought him home with a single. Kendrick was thrown out at second trying to advance to second on the throw.

Pedroia led off the 6th with a single. After a Big Papi strikeout, Youk reached on a throwing error by Izturis with Pedroia stopping at second.  After a Drew flyout and with Bay at the plate, the Red Sox executed a double steal and Pedroia ended up scoring when Mike Napoli’s throw went into the outfield. Bay ended up being intentionally walked and that ended Moseley’s day. Jose Arrendondo came in and struck out Mike Lowell.

Los Angeles Angels' Howie Kendrick, left, and Chone Figgins high-five after they completed a double play against the Boston Red Sox in the seventh inning of a baseball game Sunday, April 12, 2009, in Anaheim, Calif.  (AP Photo/Lori Shepler)The Red Sox blew a chance to get some runs in the 8th inning.

Scot Shields walked Big Papi and Youk to start the inning. After a Drew fly out, Bay worked a walk to load up the bases for Lowell. Shields got out of trouble though as he got Lowell to foul out to third and Varitek to fly out to center.

Vlad’s big blow came when he led off the 8th with the solo home run by Okajima.

Fuentes came in for the 9th and hit Green with a pitch to start the inning. Rocco Baldelii pinch-hit for Jacoby Ellsbury and  struck out. Pedroia couldn’t get it done as he popped out to second. With Big Papi at the plate, Green went to second on defensive indifference and came around to score on a Big Papi single. Youk followed with a single but Drew did his Statue of Liberty impersonation as he was watched strike 3.

The Red Sox head a little bit north as they will take on the Oakland A’s in a 3-game set that starts tomorrow at 10:05 PM.  Jon Lester gets the start for the Red Sox and will be opposed by Dallas Braden.

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LeBron, Cavs Spanks Celtics

Boston Celtics: In a game that the Boston Celtics would rather just forget, the Cleveland Cavaliers jumped out to a 31-9 lead at the end of the first quarter and went on to beat the Celtics 107-79 in Cleveland. The loss doesn’t hurt the Celtics as they clinched the  #2 seed in the Eastern Conference when the Orlando Magic lost last night. Paul Pierce led the Green with 14 points while Glen “Big Baby” Davis added 12. Mikki Moore came off the bench to score 10 points.  LeBron James led the Cavaliers with 29 points with Daniel Gibson coming off the bench to add 15. The Celtics head to Philadelphia on Tuesday night before returning to Boston on Wednesday night to close out the season with the Washington Wizards. [ESPN.com]

Quick Status Update

Just wanted to apologize to everyone for the lack of posting today. Sometime during the day yesterday, my laptop contracted a virus that intermittently took away my ability to use the internet among other things. The posts that went up today were ones that I already had started working on so I figured I’d post time them back. I decided to skip over doing the Red Sox news & notes post as well as the afternoon delight with the lineups because by the time my computer actually got going it was just about 2 hours ago. Things should be back to normal here now at SOX & Dawgs headquarters. Red Sox recap from today to follow shortly.

Heavy Hearted Angels Beat Red Sox 6-3

ANAHEIM, CA - APRIL 10:  Fans gather around a makeshift memorial to Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitcher Nick Adenhart outside Angel Stadium April 10, 2009 in Anaheim, California, before the start of the game against the Boston Red Sox. Adenhart and two others were killed in car crash on Thursday.  (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

This was a game that you didn’t want to see the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim lose and as a Boston Red Sox fan, you didn’t want to see them take the loss on Friday night. But you would understand if they did.

Jered Weaver went 6 2/3 inning, allowing 4 hits as the Angels picked up a 6-3 win over the Red Sox on a very emotional night at Angel Stadium. It’s the 9th straight regular season loss to the Angels for the Red Sox, dating back to last season.

Before the game, the Angels honored Nick Adenhart as well as Courtney Stewart and Henry Nigel Pearson who died tragically in a car accident early Thursday morning.

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Tim Wakefield, left, consults with catcher Geoge Kottaras after hitting Los Angeles Angels' Torii Hunter during the first inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, April 10, 2009. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)Tim Wakefield got the start for the Red Sox and a hit a few rough patches early on but settled down as the game went on. He went 6 innings, giving up 3 runs on 6 hits and 5 hits while striking out 4. Justin Masterson had a tough night as he gave up 3 runs on 4 hits and a walk in an inning of work. Javier Lopez struck out 1 in the 8th.

Weaver only allowed 1 unearned run and struck out 8 Red Sox batters while just walking 2.  Scot Shields closed it out for the Angels to pick up the save.

Kevin Youkilis continues to swing a hot stick for the Red Sox as he had 2 hits and an RBI. Jacoby Ellsbury added two hits and David Ortiz had the other RBI on a sacrifice fly.

Wake found himself in a little bit of trouble in the first but did his Dice-K impression and got out of it.

He got the first two outs of the inning before walking Bobby Abreu. With Vladimir Guerrero at the plate, Abreu stole second before working a walk. Wake then hit Torii Hunter to load the bases up but Kendry Morales popped out to George Kottaras to end the threat.

Gary Matthews Jr. led off the 2nd with a walk and went to second on a Jeff Mathis single. Wake got the first out when Macier Izturis grounded into a fielder’s choice with Matthews retired at third. Figgins followed that with a double scoring Mathis to make it 1-0 Halos. Howie Kendrick followed that with a 2-run single to push the lead to 3-0. With Abreu at the plate, Kendrick stole second and then went to third on an Abreu single. Wakefield escaped any further damage when he got Vlad to ground into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.

ANAHEIM, CA - APRIL 10:  Kevin Youkilis #20 of the Boston Red Sox hits a one run single to score Jacoby Ellsbury #46 against the Los Angeles Angels during the eight inning at Angel Stadium April 10, 2009 in Anaheim, California. Angels won, 6-3.  (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)After Weaver struck out Kottaras to start the 3rd, Ellsbury singled and then stole second, going to third on a throwing error by Mathis. Dustin Pedroia worked a walk and Big Papi knocked in Ellsbury with a sac fly to cut the lead to 3-1. With Youk at second, Pedroia stole second but was left stranded when Youk flew out to right.

Wakefield ran into trouble in the 5th when he loaded up the bases but was able to escape by getting the next 3 outs in Morales, Matthews and Mathis.

The Angels added some insurance runs in the 7th off of Masterson.

Abreu led off with a single and stole second with Vlad at the plate. Vlad ended up reaching on an infield single with Abreu going to third. Hunter knocked in Abreu with a sac fly to make it 4-1 Halos. Morales followed that with a double to deep center with Vlad stopping at third. After an intentional walk to Matthews,  Mathis singled to left scoring Vlad and Morales to make it 6-1. Masterson got out of the inning when Izturis grounded into a fielder’s choice andFiggins flew out.

Kevin Jepson started the 8th for the Angels and got Kottaras to fly out. Ellsbury followed that with a single and went to third on a Pedroia double.  Jepsen then struck out Big Papi but Youk reached on infield single that Figgins threw away allowing Ellsbury and Pedroia to score to cut the lead to 6-3.  Shields came in and got Drew to fly out to end the threat.

These same two teams are back at it gain this afternoon at 4:10 on FOX. Brady Penny will make his Red Sox debut and will be opposed by Joe Saunders.

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Dance Fever Takes Over Fenway Park

Welcome to Fenway Park

There really must be something in the water or the beer at Fenway Park.

After the opening day game on Tuesday, this old man got his groove on with a few girls. During Wednesday night’s game, we have this idiot getting his drunk dancing on. And now before Thursday’s game, we have this older gentleman doing a little dancing.

Editor’s note: Unfortunately I had to link to the video from Thursday because if you embed more than one video from NESN, it goes to the first one which is the Eck-tionary one that is posted below. My apologies for this.

Dancing With The Stars Comes To Fenway Park [SOX & Dawgs]

Man gets swerve on with two girls outside Fenway Park [Red Sox Monster]

Michael Phelps Who?

Hasheem Thabeet & Michael Phelps: “But the night wasn’t all fun and games for Phelps. During the course of the evening, the champ recognized UConn basketball player Hasheem Thabeet and went over to introduce himself. “Hasheem had absolutely no clue who Michael was, and [Phelps] walked away looking a little embarrassed,” says the onlooker” [Sports Crackle Pop]