Paw Prints – Women’s Basketball

SOX & Dawgs - Paw Prints

Geno AuriemmaGeno Auriemma has finally talked about the end of the UCONN/Tennessee series ending and to quote him “he wants honesty from Pat”. John Altavilla from the Hartford Courant spoke with him regarding it all.

“First [the reason] was because of how the recruitment of Maya Moore went down. Then it wasn’t,”

“Then it was about my principles. Then came the statement from the school saying that we should consider the entire body of [Auriemma’s] work. Well, my question to that would be, ‘What do you mean by that?’ And why didn’t anyone ask her what she meant.

“There are a lot of unanswered questions out there. But my feeling all along has been that we had a signed contract to play and she didn’t want to for her own reasons.”

“It won’t happen,” Auriemma said. “And I don’t think she will ever call me [to mend fences]. I understand that she can’t say publicly why she made her decision because if she did she would be put in the position of needing to back it up.”

Auriemma also told him that he was planning on starting a series with Oklahoma, one of the rising powerhouses in women’s college basketball.

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Pepper Spray Needed To Stop Postgame Foot-brawl (with video)

After defeating their rivals the North Carolina A&T Aggies 27-22 on Saturday night, North Carolina Central Eagles players ran out to midfield and stomped on the Aggies logo. Aggies players took exception to this and a good ol’ brawl ensued.

It took about to two minutes to break the whole mess up and pepper spray had to be used to quell the brawl.

The two teams had not played since 2005 and it was the first time the bitter rivals played as Division 1-AA teams. The storied rivalry between the two schools dates back to 1924.

For more pictures of this, click here.

Red Sox News & Notes – 9/24

Jacoby Ellsbury

Josh Beckett & Daisuke MatsuzakaTim Wakefield has owned the Devil Rays over his illustrious career to the tune of 19 wins. Yesterday it was the Devil Rays who owned him as they touched him up for 4 runs enroute to a 5-4 win over the Sox. The loss dropped the Sox lead in the AL East to 1.5 games as they Yanks won. The Sox are off today and the Yanks play the Jays in their home finale so the lead can shrink to 1 game or grow to 2 games. The off day comes at a good time for the Sox as it will allow them a nice day of rest to heal their bumps and bruises, rest their tired legs and give their pitchers a chance to rest their arms as they will be needed as the Sox try to hold on to first place in the AL East and achieve the best record in the American League. So while the Red Sox are resting today, let’s take a look at the headlines and happenings from yesterday’s game in today’s Boston and Tampa area papers.

One celebration down, 4 to go [38 Pitches]

Red Sox are ready to take their position [Boston Globe]

Signs Of Progress Continue To Show [Tampa Tribune]

Wake’s still not right on [Boston Herald]

Delmon makes his case [St. Petersburg Times]

No Longer Wake’s Field [Hartford Courant]

Wakefield off the mark, and Sox get stung by Rays [Pro Jo]

Maddon Delivers Pitch For His Rookie Outfielder [Tampa Tribune]

Ramírez, Youkilis try to get back in swing [Boston Globe]

Hope fading for Crawford’s return [St. Petersburg Times]

East title not a priority [Boston Herald]

Dustin’s Hope Meets D-Rays’ Hype [Hartford Courant]

Wakefield seems to have lost touch [Pro Jo]

For more headlines and stories, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Hartford Courant, Providence Journal, St. Petersburg Times and Tampa Tribune websites.

Monday Jog Around the AL & NL East

Terry Francona is the first Red Sox skipper to go to the postseason three times.

Joey Devine is making progress for the Braves.

Shawn Marcum is set to have knee surgery ending the Blue Jays pitcher’s season.

The Marlins have set team records for homers and strikeouts in a season.

Scott Kazmir will make one more start for the Devil Rays this season.

Rookie Phillip Humber will start for the Mets on Wednesday.

Jeremy Guthrie’s oblique has healed enough to make a start on Thursday for the Orioles.

The Nationals said goodbye to RFK on Sunday.

Andy Pettitte will start the regular season home finale for the Yankees today.

Tom Gordon is happy to be healthy again for the Phillies.

Fitzy’s Got A New Gig

We’ve all seen Paul “Fitzy” Fitzgerald’s videos over at TownieNews.com. We’ve all seen his work with Burly Sports as Nick Stevens (his real name). Well now Fitzy’s got a new gig, this time with ESPN.

The gates have been lifted! The restrictions unrestricted! I can finally talk and about my new job (only kinda sorta about time, considering I’ve been on the Bobby Fischer plan the last 5 weeks), and I’m psyched. Believe it or not, the worldwide leader in sports (ESPN) has hired the worldwide leader in nonsense (ME) to follow Monday Night Football around the country, making short videos in every city we visit. And before you ask, YES, the job is as fun as it sounds…and no, I don’t know what they were thinking. Right now I’m in New Orleans for the Titans/Saints game Monday, then it’s on to Cincinnati (home of cornholing!) for Pats/Bengals. with VideoGate cooling and the Pats on fire I anticipate raising quite a ruckus in the Queen City.
Seriously…Brady to Moss all day, all day, all night.

So be on the lookout for 3-4 new videos from a new Monday Night Football city every week, mixed in with the occasional Wicked Pissah Webcast, random commentary and whatever else I can do, seeing as sleep has officially been ruled out of my fall schedule. To view the videos elsewhere just go to ESPN.COM, click on the “Video” section, and under “ESPN Collections” you’ll see Fitzy’s Monday Night Mania (somehow I couldn’t get the suits to go for Fitzy’s Monday Night GFY Party).

Go Sox! Go Pats! GFY!

It’s been a long time coming waiting for some new stuff from Fitzy. Although we know the ESPN ones won’t be NSFW, I am happy to see that he will still be doing some Wicked Pissah webcasts.

Red Sox End Road Portion Of Schedule With Loss

Delmon Young & B.J. Upton

Just one day after clinching a playoff spot, the Red Sox looked to continue their hold on the AL East and the American League leads in their final road game of the regular season. Unfortunately for them that didn’t happen as Delmon Young led the Devil Rays to a 5-4 win over the Red Sox. The loss by the Red Sox and a win by the Yankees today brings the lead back down to 1.5 games in the AL East. The Yanks can cut the lead to one tomorrow or it can go up to two games as the Yanks finish up a series with the Blue Jays while the Sox get a much needed day off.

The Devil Rays kicked off the scoring in the 2nd inning. B.J. Upton led off with a single off of Red Sox starter Tim Wakefield and stole second with Young at the plate. The stolen base was mute as Young smashed a two-run homer to put the D’Rays on top 2-0. Wakefield settled down after the homer to get the next three batters out.

D’Rays starter Edwin Jackson had been almost perfect through the first 2 2/3 innings, only allowing a walk to David Ortiz in the 1st inning. Jacoby Ellsbury kept up his hot hitting at the plate with a single. Ellsbury would steal second but was left stranded there as Alex Cora, subbing in for Dustin Pedroia, to ground out.

Young proved to be a menace in the side of Wakefield in the 4th inning as he laced a one-out double to left field. After Wakefield got Raul Casanova to fly out, Jonny Gomes brought in Young with single to give the D’Rays a 3-0 lead. Gomes was thrown out trying to steal with Joel Guzman at the plate for the third out of the inning.

The Sox were still unable to get anything going off of Jackson to this point. They went quietly in the 4th and 5th innings.

Left at the plate in the 4th, Guzman led off the 5th with a single. He was retired when Josh Wilson grounded into a 4-6-3 double play. Akinori Iwamura then worked a walk off of Wakefield and stole second with Jorge Velandia at the plate. Iwamura wasn’t at second too long as Velandia brought him home with a single to put the D’Rays up 4-0. Carlos Peña then worked a walk and he and Velandia each moved up a base on a passed ball by Doug Mirabelli with Upton at the plate. Upton would end up walking to load the sacks full of Devil Rays for Young. He didn’t come through though as Wakefield’s final pitch of the day got him swinging for a strikeout.

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Maroney, Moss, Brady Shine in 38-7 Pasting Of Bills

Brady

The Result

The Patriots rout the Bills 38-7 behind some great runs by Laurence Maroney and some incredible passes by Tom Brady. After looking out of synch in the first quarter the Patriots regrouped and went on to annihilate Buffalo getting 27 first downs to the Bills 12 (three of those came in the final two minutes) and out gaining them in every category.

With the convincing win over their AFC East rival the Pats have now beaten Buffalo 13 of the last 14 times they have played and 7 consecutive times in Foxboro.

The Pats go to 3-0 with all the wins against AFC teams and 2-0 in the division. The Bills drop to 0-3 all against AFC teams and are now 0-1 in the division.

Scoring Plays

1st Quarter

NE – Gostkowski 24 yard FG – 3-0 Patriots

BUF – Lynch 8 yard TD run – kick good- 7-3 Bills

2nd Quarter

NE – Brady 8 yard TD pass to Watson – kick good – 10-7 Patriots

NE – Brady 3 yard TD pass to Moss – kick good – 17-7 Patriots

3rd Quarter

Moss 45-yard td catchNE – Brady 4 yard TD pass to Gaffney – kick good – 24-7 Patriots

NE – Morris 4 yard TD run – kick good – 31-7 Patriots

4th Quarter

NE – Brady 45 yard TD pass to Moss – kick good – 38-7 Patriots

Offensive Player of the Game

Laurence Maroney had 19 carries for 103 yards. His long was a 19-yard run.

Defensive Player of the Game

Ellis Hobbs who had a sack, a forced fumble that lead to a FG, broke up a long pass attempt with a nice play and added 3 tackles. Plus for good measure on special teams he had a 33-yard kick off return.

Turning Point(s) of the Game

The Patriots kept Buffalo pinned at the their own 1 yard line in 2nd quarter. After a 29-yard punt return (on a 75-yard punt) by Wes Welker they had ball at the Bills 47. It was the second time the Pats started a drive in Buffalo territory. They would score when Brady threw a TD pass to Ben Watson to reclaim the lead, 10-7.More...

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If I Were The GM

2007 ALDS Logo

If I were the GM or manager of the Boston Red Sox these are the guys I’d take for the American League Division Series. Factoring that everyone is healthy here is my 25-man roster:

Infielders (6)

Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, Julio Lugo, Mike Lowell, Alex Cora, Eric Hinske

Outfielders (5)

Manny Ramirez, Coco Crisp, Jacoby Ellsbury, JD Drew, Bobby Kielty

Catchers (2)

Jason Varitek, Doug Mirabelli

DH (1)

David Ortiz

Pitchers (11)

Josh Beckett, Curt Schilling, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Tim Wakefield, Jonathan Papelbon, Hideki Okajima, Eric Gagne, Mike Timlin, Manny Delcarmen, Javier Lopez, Clay Buchholz

I’d go with 4 starters it’s a short best of five series and you’re only going to use three of them so Wakefield could come out of the bullpen as your long guy and there’s no need for Jon Lester. I’d also drop Julian Tavarez and Kyle Snyder in the first round and take Buchholz who could give you a boost with a solid inning here or there in the round and Ellsbury. I think if you’re lucky enough to advance to the best of seven ALCS then you add Lester and Tavarez and drop Buchholz and a position player.

The Red Sox/Yankees Vortex

Red Sox and Yankees. Yankees and Red Sox. Intertwined together in history much like Grant and Lee, Lincoln and Douglas, Kennedy and Nixon, Kerry and Fonda and chocolate and peanut butter.

Like ‘em, love ‘em, hate ‘em, despise ‘em.

There are many rivalries that illicit the same emotions. Cardinals-Cubs, Duke-North Carolina, UConn-Tennessee, USC-UCLA, Cowboys-Redskins, Celtics-Lakers. But it seems for whatever reasons the Sox and the Yanks draw more attention, especially over the last several seasons.

When both teams are even the rivalry tends to run hotter then a Louisiana fish boil. When one peaks over the other it isn’t just as much fun for either side.

As a Red Sox fan since I was 7 I just can’t bring myself to root for the Yankees unless for some reason it will be to the Red Sox benefit. Childish? Oh sure it is. But do you think I’m the only one?

I remember as far back as 1976 rooting for the Royals in the ALCS and the Reds in the World Series because as an 11-year-old I didn’t want to see the Yankees win. I don’t know if I was more heartbroken when Yaz flew out to Cesar Geronimo to end the ’75 Series or when Chris Chambliss hit the pennant winning home run in ’76 to send New York to the World Series against Cincinnati.

I remember rooting for the Dodgers in ’77 and ’78 after the Yankees beat the Sox in the playoff game and then won the pennant. And again in ’81. Hell I’m an American League guy except when it comes to the pinstripes. In 1995 I was so happy when Ken Griffey Jr. scored to beat them. In ’96 I pulled for the Braves and took Jim Leyritz name in vain, in 1998 I pulled for the Padres, in ’99 it was the Braves after the Yankees took out the Sox in the ALCS, in 2000 the Mets. All losing causes.

In 2001 I finally could smile as the Diamondbacks behind the pitching of Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson and a timely hit by Luis Gonzalez proved that Mariano Rivera was human and the run was stopped.

2003 brought more heartbreak as Aaron Freaking Boone took Tim Wakefield deep into the Bronx night, but some young gun named Josh Beckett shut them down and the Marlins were victorious in the Fall Classic.

2004 was a dream. Down three zip and Millar yapping about don’t count us out. Dave Roberts steals a base, David Ortiz was magical, Schilling was a warrior and Derek Lowe, Johnny Damon, Keith Foulke and so many others were on the top of their games. I still get emotional watching Edgar Renteria’s bounce out to Foulke and the ensuing celebration. Sometimes I wonder if it actually happened.

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Red Sox News & Notes – 9/23

Sox celebrate

Step off the ledge, go into your refrigerator and pop a celebratory Guinness or your favorite beer of choice and celebrate Red Sox fans. The Tigers loss last night and the Sox win clinched a spot in the American League playoffs. It might not be the AL East title yet but at least the Red Sox won’t be golfing this offseason. Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched well but Javier Lopez couldn’t hold the lead for him. Jason Varitek bailed him out with a game tying home run in the 9th and Julio Lugo hit a two-run blast off of his former team to give the Sox the lead. Jonathan Papelbon came in and finished off the game for his 36th save and probably the most important one as it saved the day for the Red Sox as they clinched a playoff spot. The Red Sox can now focus on winning the division but most importantly, they can focus on getting Manny and Youk and everyone else healthy for the playoffs. Now that the Sox have clinched, let’s take a look at the headlines and happenings from the Boston and Tampa area on a great day in Red Sox Nation.

Sox clinch spot with rally in 9th [Boston Globe]

Late Homers Lift Boston [Tampa Tribune]

Everyone remain calm; Sox will be in playoffs [Boston Herald]

Rays give Red Sox reason to celebrate [St. Petersburg Times]

Sox Cash In Late Returns [Hartford Courant]

Sox apply clincher [Pro Jo]

Arms Race Will Heat Up In Offseason [Tampa Tribune]

Matsuzaka: Toast instead of toast of the town [Boston Globe]

Reyes hopes to stick around [St. Petersburg Times]

They’re not just happy to be there anymore [Boston Herald]

Buchholz Heading To Pen? [Hartford Courant]

Reyes Excited To Be Returning To Team [Tampa Tribune]

Youkilis not ready to play; no timetable for Ramirez [Pro Jo]

Boras urges Rays to prepare to overspend [St. Petersburg Times]

Beckett embraces ace’s role [Boston Herald]

They’re preparing for a bigger party [Boston Globe]

For more headlines and stories, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Hartford Courant, Providence Journal, St. Petersburg Times and Tampa Tribune websites.