Here is a press release from the University of Connecticut athletic department concerning the parade that will take place this Sunday to celebrate the UConn Huskies women’s basketball team’s national championship:

STORRS, Conn. – The specific Parade Route and Map for this Sunday, April 19th’s parade to celebrate the University of Connecticut Women’s NCAA Basketball Championship victory has been announced. The parade will be held on Sunday, April 19 at 3 p.m. and will begin and end at the Connecticut State Capitol Building in Hartford. The procession will be followed immediately by a rally on the north steps of the Capitol Building.

Planning Committee members report that the parade will step off at 3 p.m. from the Connecticut State Capitol Building, and will travel north on Trinity Street alongside Bushnell Park, turn right onto Jewell Street, turn left onto Gold Street, turn right onto Main Street, and turn right onto Capitol Avenue before returning to the north steps of the Capitol Building for a large Rally. The team will travel the route atop a double-decker bus, similar to the 2004 parade.

For parade sponsorship opportunities, contact Michael Zaleski at the Hartford Business Improvement District at (860) 728-2274. The parade is being made possible through support from the City of Hartford, the State of Connecticut, and a variety of area businesses and civic organizations.

The parade’s planning committee is coordinated by Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s office, the Hartford Business Improvement District and the MetroHartford Alliance. The committee consists of representatives from the Office of the Governor, the State of Connecticut, the City of Hartford, the University of Connecticut, the Hartford Hospitality Task Force, and businesses and civic organizations from throughout the Greater Hartford region.

Additional parade details, including information about traffic, parking, order of participants, media credentials and more will be announced as they become available. For a map of the parade route and more information, visit www.hartford.com.

UConn Women’s Basketball Parade Map

It’s been a tough week for the Boston Red Sox as they head into the 3-game set tonight with the Oakland A’s with their record standing at 2-4 which is good for last place in the AL East.

Should we as Red Sox fans begin to panic? No, we shouldn’t. There’s still 156 games left to go in the season. Is it concerning? Yes, we should be a little bit concerned but I really don’t think there’s anything to fear at this point. We haven’t gotten the pitching we thought we would and it seems like other than Kevin Youkilis and Jason Bay, no one is hitting the ball that well right now.

But as I said, it’s too early to press the panic button and things will get better.

Obviously the biggest topic of the game yesterday wasn’t the fact that the Red Sox lost but rather Josh Beckett buzzing the head of Bobby Abreu.

“I know Bobby Abreu,” Beckett said. “He knows I’m not trying to hit him in the head. Obviously, there’s a lot of emotion in this series. Not only facing us, but the tragedy.”

“I was already halfway through my delivery,” he said. “I’m not going to stop there and possibly hurt myself. It could have gone anywhere.

“I’ve never hit anybody in the head. It’s not like it’s on my list of [stuff] to get done. People can think what they want to think.”

“Don’t use Nick,” Hunter said of the late Adenhart. “I don’t know if everybody has eyes on us, [thinking] we’re not emotionally stable, but that was blatant. We’d have been out there no matter what.

“A lot of things were said out there, not only by the Red Sox. I’ll leave it at that. I was trying to hold guys back and calm things down, and something was said that was outrageous. I freaking lost it.”

How many times have we seen pitchers get hurt when a player calls timeout late. Beckett did the right thing in letting the pitch go. Unfortunately, it got a little too close to the head of Beckett.

Beckett’s high-and-tight pitch to Abreu starts incident [redsox.com]

Beckett fires and then it gets heated [Boston Globe]

Josh Beckett thrown for loop [Boston Herald]

Beckett’s inside pitch turns Angels’ emotions up a notch [Providence Journal]

Green takes opportunities as they come [Boston Globe]

Tempers flare early in finale [Boston Herald]

Red Sox miss opportunities and fall to Angels [Providence Journal]

Swings of game don’t go Sox’ way again [Boston Globe]

Early slide [Boston Herald]

Police arrest California man after threats made to Pedroia’s family [Providence Journal]

Post Game Clubhouse Reaction [Full Count]

Clearing ahead [Tony Mazz]

For more slices of Boston Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, and Providence Journal websites.

And if you must see what the enemy papers are saying you can check out the LA Times, Orange County Register and LA Daily News websites

UConn Women’s Basketball links

i can see your halo [Alysa Auriemma]

Shea a head coach at NC State? Doesn’t seem likely [UConn | Women’s Basketball]

Gov. Rell says there will be a parade for the UConn women [UConn | Women’s Basketball]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

UConn Play of the Year Award [UConn Huskies Basketball]

Other UConn related links

The Formerly Fat White Guy [Thoughts From a Fat White Guy]