NESN Tabs New Sports Desk Anchor

The New England Sports Network (NESN) has reached an agreement with a new Sports Desk anchor to replace the departed Hazel Mae.  Cole Wright, the sports director at WVLA TV in Baton Rouge LA, will take control of the late night highlight show in November. 

Wright is a former minor league pitcher having toiled with the Rockford Riverhawks of the Frontier League.  He also has worked for KETK TV in Tyler TX and KLST TV in San Angelo TX as the assistant sports director and weekend anchor. 

A native of Chicago, Wright graduated with a B.A. in Communications from Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa where he also pitched for the baseball team.

Boston Celtics Extend Danny Ainge’s Contract

Banner 17Tonight at the TD Banknorth Garden, the Boston Celtics will receive their championship rings and raise Banner 17 into the rafters when they open up the season against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Danny Ainge will do that tonight with a new job title and contract. Ainge was promoted to President of Basketball Operations. His former title was General Manager and Executive Director of Basketball Operations.

The terms of his new contract were not announced.

This will be the 3rd banner raising ceremony that Ainge has been a part of with the Celtics as he was a member of the 1984 and 1986 NBA Championship teams.

He was also named the 2007-08 NBA Executive of the Year for his role in turning the Celtics around from a last place team to a first place team.

Boston Red Sox News & Notes – 10/28

With Game 5 of the World Series being suspended last night in Philadelphia, the Phillies will have to wait until tonight (maybe) to clinch the title. It also means that the start of the baseball offseason will have to wait another day which means the Boston Red Sox news is still light.

Our friend Dan over at Red Sox Monster passed along some sad news that a Red Sox blogger, Dean Barnett, had passed away. Our condolences go out to Barnett’s family and friends.

Gary Marby of WEEI.com checks in with some more Red Sox nuggets.

Paw Prints – The Daily Roundup – 10/28

Paw Prints - The Daily Roundup

The UConn Huskies football team picked up another commitment from a recruit in Canada in Jesse Joseph.

Cody Brown likes to joke around but that stops once he is on the field.

Brian Bennett of ESPN.com takes a look at the biggest Big East games in November.

Desmond Conner of the Hartford Courant has some notes from yesterday’s Big East coaches teleconference.

Does anyone want to win the Big East this year?

UConn basketball players Hasheem Thabeet and Maya Moore will be featured on the regional cover of Sports Illustrated’s College Basketball Preview issue.

David Borges of the New Haven Register and Neill Ostrout of the Connecticut Post have some notes from the men’s basketball practice yesterday.

Men’s basketball freshman Scottie Haralson has been showing improvements over the first two weeks of practice.

Gavin Edwards could see time at the small forward position.

The Huskies are adjusting to life without Stanley Robinson right now.

Former Husky Josh Boone returned to the New Jersey Nets practice yesterday after missing a week with a rapid heart beat.

If you hadn’t heard, former UConn Husky Mel Thomas scored 33 points in her professional debut this past Saturday.

John Altavilla of the Hartford Courant has some what-ifs for the UConn women’s basketball team.

UConn men’s soccer goalie Josh Ford was named Big East Goalkeeper of the Week.

The UConn men’s soccer team travels to Pittsburgh tonight for their final road Big East game of the season. They return home on Friday night to take on the Seton Hall Pirates.

Two members of the UConn men’s hockey team received honors from Atlantic Hockey for their efforts last week.

Two members of the UConn women’s volleyball team were honored by the Big East for their play in last week’s matches.

UConn women’s hockey goalie Brittany Wilson was named the Pure Hockey Defensive Player of the Week.

In The Red Zone – 10/28

ITRZ

It was a really nice win on Sunday afternoon in the sunlight at Foxboro.  It seems like forever since the Patriots had played in the afternoon and after having enjoyed a 1 p.m. start against St. Louis we go back to a primetime 8:15 p.m. start this Sunday night against the Indianapolis Colts.

As I said it was a nice win, and that was because the team made offensive adjustments after they had to scrap their original plan of running the ball down the Rams throat.

We start where we always do with Patriots head coach Bill Belichick’s Patriots Monday chat on with the Big Show on WEEI.

I’ll also give you defensive end Richard Seymour’s Patriots Monday interview with Dale and Holley.  Big Sey was an absolute stud on Sunday and looked like a one man wrecking crew.

Were you like me and stunned that the Patriots didn’t ring up John Lynch?  Maybe it finally is the end for the hard hitting safety.  reports are many teams feel he just can’t run any longer.

Hopefully come Sunday we will see at least LaMont Jordan back in uniform and working out of the backfield, because right now the go-to guy is Kevin Faulk and at this rate they’re gonna burn him out.

Reiss’ Pieces has the “Bits from Belichick” after a Week 8 win over a NFC opponent. 

The Herald has some observations from a gritty Week 8 win from “The Joker”.  

The ProJo’s Daniel Barbarisi has Belichick saying the onside kick by St. Louis was a great play.

The AP’s Howard Uhlman says the head coach can see the progress in Matt Cassel.

Don’t forget to look for the official Sox & Dawgs Patriots vs. Colts Week 9 Preview available on Friday morning at your local computer.

After a great start by the Buffalo Bills the Patriots find themselves now tied for first in the AFC East heading into Week 9.

  • 1 (tie). New England 5-2
  • 1 (tie). Buffalo 5-2
  • 3. New York 4-3
  • 4. Miami 3-4

AFC East Week 9 games are:

  • Patriots visit the Colts
  • Bills host the Jets 
  • Dolphins are in Denver to face the Broncos

Mel Thomas Scores 33 In Her First Professional Game

Mel ThomasAfter a whirlwind week of travel, former UConn Husky Mel Thomas made her professional debut for the Bausch and Lomb Waterford Wildcats In Ireland this weekend and put up 33 points.

Thomas joined the team last week and practiced on Thursday. She then took the day off on Friday before making her debut on Saturday in Waterford’s win over the Tolka Rovers.

The Basketball Ireland Women’s Superleague website isn’t exactly updated quite that quickly, hence the delay in finding out how Mel did.

Mel is in action again this Saturday when her Wildcats team takes on LeisureWorld Churchfield Iona at 7 PM in Ireland.

Editors note: I had originally put up that she had scored 36 points when in fact she had scored 33.

Teggart Honored By Big East As Special Teams Player of the Week

Paw Prints - Football News

UConn Huskies redshirt freshman kicker Dave Teggart has been honored by the Big East Conference as it’s Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in the 40-16 win over the Cincinnati Bearcats.

Dave Teggart's perfect day earned him Big East honors.

Dave Teggart's perfect day earned him Big East honors.

In his first collegiate game, Teggart kicked 4 field goals (26, 47, 32, 22) and made all 4 of his PAT’s.  The 47 yard field goal was impressive in that he kicked it into a driving wind and had room to spare.

Teggart took over for Tony Ciaravino who had struggled the week before in a loss against Rutgers when he missed 3 field goals including the potential game-winner.

Huskies running back Donald Brown was also named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll.

Brown had 27 carries for 150 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also caught 4 balls for 58 yards.

Want To Buy A Jonathan Papelbon Glove?

Jonathan Papelbon Rookie Glove - PMI Auctions

All you need is $4,499.99 or best offer.

Platinum Marketing International has teamed up with Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon to bring you an auction for one of Papelbon’s game used gloves from his rookie campaign in 2006.

THE GRAIL OF ANY PLAYER’S GAME USED ITEMS!! Imagine the value of this ROOKIE Game Used Glove in a few years!!

Papelbon only used 2 Gloves during is Rookie Season and PMI received both of them!!

That’s Right, One of a Kind!
Comes with LOA with Photos FROM THE ACTUAL SIGNING OF THIS GLOVE!!

Does it get any better than this?! Think it is real?! Believe it!!

So if you got that laying around as spare change in this tough economy, why not purchase his rookie glove. After all, you will be helping him out since he has a baby on the way with his wife Ashley.