Hey guys, first off let me start by saying I’m a tiny bit drunk lol. I’m not gonna drag it out, and I know you may hate reading it, but I’ve got to post it… Yankees Win… Theeeeeeeeee Yankees Win!

I grew up in the 90’s with championships galore, it is my childhood. But as an “adult” (I use that term loosely lol), it’s just different, so forgive me for my moment in the sun. I want to give you guys an article worthy of being posted, one that even Boston fans wouldnt hate reading, about the Yankees championship. But I know how passionate Boston fans are (although truth be told, w/ you guys winning in 04 and 09 I feel like the hatred has lessened… maybe i’m wrong though, or maybe this will re-ignite it), so if you really don’t want me to, let me know in the comments section, and if you really don’t then I won’t. But don’t hate me, I still want to provide posts that you guys actually enjoy to read, but right now I’m just too giddy lol (I’m so happy [or maybe drunk] that I dont even care that there is no pick for this post, and probably a ton of spelling errors)

So that’s my quick update.  Let me know if you if you don’t mind a real post.

-NYPulse

Photo from NY Daily News

Daily News – About a dozen fans went to Yankee Stadium about 6 a.m. to wait for the box office to open. Around 9 a.m., a box-office employee emerged to say tickets are not available at the Stadium – only at Yankees.com. “I’m devastated,” said life-long Yankees fan Luis Segarra, 30, of the Bronx. “I woke up this morning believing I would make it to my first World Series.” “I’m very mad because some of us have waited in the cold for three hours,” said Joe Amankwah of Long Island. “If I can’t get tickets, I won’t watch the game on TV. I took off work to be here.” Amanda Cancel, 21, of the Bronx, got $100 from her uncle to stand on line and buy tickets. “My uncle just called and he’s cursing up a storm,” she said.

It is still hard for me to even talk about baseball after the incident a couple weeks ago with the Red Sox, but the Yankees doing silly things makes it a little easier. Do you think these guys just haven’t learned about the internet yet? I wonder how long they would have waited in line if someone didn’t come out and tell them to go home. And did Amanda’s uncle really think he could score two playoff tickets for a hundred bucks? Ha, not in Yankees stadium, at least not on the inside. Maybe after Pedro takes down the Yankees in the World Series I’ll finally be able to talk about the state of the Red Sox, but right now, it’s still too soon.

- Chris

The Fantasy Football Dilemma

I sit at my computer, 10 Firefox windows open in front of me, a pad of paper and pencil in my hand, a calculator at my side filled with calculations and numbers that to the untrained eye appear to be some form of advanced calculus.  It is the middle of October, a friend walks up to me, “Hard at work studying for midterms?”… “No,” I reply, this is much more important than some dumb college class, “fantasy football.”

Week 5 has just ended, I escaped with a last second miracle win when my opponent, needing just 6 points from the Jets defense on Monday night failed to get a single one as Miami lit them up.  I am ecstatic; riding a 4 game win streak (best in the land) I now sit at 4-1, first in my division, tied with two others for first in the league.  But there is work to be done.

You see, I have a dilemma.  Four viable running backs, Steve Slaton, Ronnie Brown, Pierre Thomas, and Knowshon Moreno are sitting on my roster, but I play in a 2 RB 3 WR league, so 2 of them are wasting away every week.  My WR group is solid and pretty deep, even if they have underperformed to date, and my QB is Matt Ryan, a good qb who has put up solid numbers thus far, but in my opinion is my weakest position.  A few days ago I put Ronnie Brown on the block.  He has been a stud thus far, but ever since I drafted him I’ve been looking to move him, something in my gut says I should.  Last year he scored 8 of his 10 TD’s in two games, Miami had an easy schedule, and it was the first year in forever that he’s been healthy.  This year his teams schedule is far more difficult but he has been much more consistent, scoring two TD’s in 3 of his teams 5 games.   But after 5 games something is still nagging me, he leads the league in touches inside the redzone, but my gut just says it won’t last.  Last year teams started figuring out the wildcat by the second half of the season, and I can’t bring myself to believe this “gimmick” offense will stay so effective all year.  So I put him on the block.  Without him I still have a formidable rushing attack and I can’t shake the feeling that his value is as high as it can possibly be and I should move him before the ride ends.

Here the real dilemma begins.  Now I’m sitting at my computer and I have been offered a trade, Tom Brady and Clinton Portis for Matt Ryan and Ronnie Brown.  Looking at the numbers thus far, this is an awful deal for me.  Brown has far outplayed Portis and Ryan has far outplayed Brady.  But even that isn’t the issue, the issue is that despite all logic saying I shouldn’t do this deal, I want to, I have to.  I must get rid of Brown, I don’t know why, I can’t explain it, but 6 weeks from now I feel like it will all have come crashing down.  I don’t care about Portis, he’s simply insurance in case all of my RB’s get injured, its Brady I want…

I disgust myself.  I want Tom Brady, if I saw him in public I don’t know if I’d be able to resist my urge to punch him in the face, yet here I sit at my computer trying to get him, wanting to get him.  The dude has sucked this year, outside of the Yankees winning the World Series nothing can make me happier than watching him struggle, but the dude is a stud.  He is coming off a major injury and is still getting comfortable; it’s only a matter of time until he blows up.  I don’t care what he’s done, I still believe he’s a top 3 fantasy QB and it’s only a matter of time.  This is the real fantasy football dilemma…

I am Jack’s self loathing.  As a football fan I don’t want to do this, in fact it is probably the last thing I would ever want to do.  But I am not a football fan today, I am a Fantasy Football Owner, and I am going to win the championship damn it!  It’s time to make a move, and all I can think about is what if, what if Tom Brady returns to form, oh the damage he could do.  So I pull the trigger.  Only in fantasy football…

It is now Sunday afternoon, week 6, I sit at my computer, the TV to my right, and I am in football hell.  The Giants just got embarrassed (although I’m not surprised, I expected them to lose, but not this badly) and my fantasy team is a disgrace.  52 points, that’s all I have after 6 players have played (3 still to play), while my opponent sits at 65 with all 3 receivers, Forte, and his defense still to go.  Looks like I’m going to be 4-2.  But wait…

The Ravens/Vikings game cuts out just as the final drive is about to begin because CBS is contractually obligated to put on the Pats/Titans game.  Great, I miss the exciting ending to the best game of the day to watch the stupid kickoff to a game I couldn’t care less about.  That is until I remember that not only do I have Tom Brady, but I also picked up the Pats defense this week (I’ve been playing merry-go-round with my defenses this year, playing the matchups).  Suddenly I’m on the edge of my seat, I mutter to myself, “Let’s go Pats!”  But I know it will take a miracle…

Less than 2 quarters later I’m laughing hysterically.  The Titans are putting on one of the most pathetic performances I’ve ever seen and Tom Brady, no wait me, I’m reaping all the benefits.  One week ago I would have felt sick to my stomach at the prospect of Brady throwing 5 TD’s in one quarter, now I find myself standing up yelling at the TV, “come on Brady, get number 5!”  My team now has well over 100 points (125 with Moreno still to go tonight), my chances of winning have gone from needing a miracle to all but guaranteed (Brady would end the day with 51 points in a little more than 2 quarters work).  Put it in the books, I’m 5-1.  But something has happened, something strange is going on; it doesn’t matter that I know I’m going to win this week, I want more.  More TD passes, more turnovers by the Pats defense, how about a defensive TD, I haven’t gotten that yet.  This is the best thing I have ever seen, I am addicted, I don’t just want to win, I want to embarrass my opponent, I want to set records…

That is when it dawns on me, I am Bill Belichick.  Hell just froze over.

~NYPulse

#1 – Indianapolis Colts

The Good – Peyton Manning is still running the show.  The coaching changes don’t worry me as long as Peyton is behind center, as he is the only coach they need on offense.  Even when he’s not playing good, his understanding of the other team’s defense and timing with his receivers is enough to keep them in a game.  Speaking of which, anyone who thinks the loss of Marvin Harrison is going to be detrimental to the Colts is just being silly.  Harrison hasn’t been an elite receiver for a few years; he’s simply been a benefactor of one of the best qb’s in the league.  Just like there are receivers who can make qb’s look like superstars (see Calvin Johnson, Randy Moss, etc), there are qb’s who can make receivers look like hall of famers (see Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, etc).  In fact, I would say that no receiver has benefited from a great qb in my lifetime as much as Harrison has.  The colts offense won’t miss a step with Harrison gone (they’ll actually be better) and the addition of an improved running game will only help that.

The Bad – Special Teams… I won’t go into detail, because frankly it’s just boring to talk about, lets just say that the Colts special teams was atrocious last year and put them in a field position hole every game.  That could come back to bite them.  Also, they play in a very physical division, and their defense could get worn down over the course of the season.  How their quick defense fares in a long season will be critical to their success.

X Factor – There are two here, first and foremost, Bob Sanders.  When he plays, the Colts defense is a force to be reckoned with.  He brings a level of physicality to that team that they otherwise lack.  The key words there of course are “when he plays.”  If he can stay healthy, there is no doubt in my mind the Colts will win the division.  The second is the addition of rookie RB Donald Brown (from my Uconn Huskies).  Joseph Addai has gotten worse each year since his breakout season, last year averaging a pathetic 3.5 yards per carry.  Brown gives them insurance if Addai struggles early, and at the very least puts some pressure on Addai to perform.  And the thought of Peyton Manning with a run game is a scary thing.

#2 – Tennessee Titans

The Good – Let me start out by saying Jeff Fisher is an outstanding and underrated coach.  Anytime he is at the helm it is a plus in my book.  With that out of the way, the Titans have one of the best running games in the league and a punishing defense will go a long way to make a successful team.  Any time you have those two things going for you you’re never going to be out of a game.  Chris Johnson will get the bulk of the carries and should flourish again in that role, even when teams are stacking the box.  Having someone like White to come in and pound on defenses is just gravy on top of that.  They struggled against the pass a bit last year, but that is only because teams were forced to throw the ball on them because they couldn’t run a lick.  They have a better secondary than the numbers showed last year, and that will be crucial this year if they need to bring an extra man in the box with the loss of Haynesworth.

The Bad – Speaking of Haynesworth, that is without a doubt the single biggest loss for any team in this division.  The man is a force in the middle and I’m not sure anyone will fully realize his impact until he’s not there anymore.  He takes up two blockers every play and can still stop the run.  He will be sorely missed.  With a weakened defense comes increased pressure on the offense and if I’m a Titans fan I wouldn’t be thrilled with my qb situation.  I don’t care what he did last year, as a giants fan I’ve seen Kerry Collins up close and personal and I wouldn’t want him as the qb of my pee wee team.  Sure he’s better than Vince Young (so is Ryan Leaf), and he can manage a game if he has to, but when they need a big play he will make a mistake (unlike someone like Big Ben, who is an average qb at best and manages the game like Collins, but also has big play ability when they need it most), and even if they make the playoffs, that will end up costing them.

X Factor – Another 2 parter… 1) whoever replaces Haynesworth.  Whether that is Marks, Jones, Haye, or whoever, they have big shoes to fill.  If they need to bring up another man to stop the run, that will only make the secondary have to work that much harder.  2) Turnovers.  Last year they ranked #2 in the league at +14, and they will need to be that good again if they are to have success this year.  They have the ball hawks to do it, but even so, turnovers are a fickle thing and something I wouldn’t want to rely on to win games.

#3 – Houston Texans

The Good – Take one part Matt Schaub, one part Steve Slaton, one part Andre Johnson, a pinch of Kevin Walter, sprinkle in a little Owen Daniels and bake for 4 quarters.  What do you get?  One damn good offense that’s what.  The Texans feature a deadly attack from all angles and have the weapons to beat even the best defenses.  They were #6 in points per game last year at 23.7, and don’t be shocked to see that number go up.  Oh yean, and lets not forget a guy named Mario Williams who continues to prove the Texans made the right choice a few years back when passing on Reggie Bush when everyone and their mothers said otherwise.

The Bad – The passing defense.  The defensive line (anchored by Williams) is solid, as is the linebacker group.  They should get pressure on the qb, whether or not that means a harder time passing is yet to be seen however.  And with an offense like theirs, expect the opposition to be passing a lot.

X Factor – Experience and Injuries and Intangibles oh my!  I never like to go this route when talking about a teams “x factor” but I feel compelled to with the Texans.  Of course every team should be worried about injuries, you never know when they will strike, and when they do they could be devastating.  But when a player that is so crucial to a teams success like Matt Schaub has a history of being hurt, it takes it to another level.  If the star players can stay healthy, the Texans have the chance to be special, if however Schaub gets hurt, they have no one to turn to and will be in for a long season.  It will also be interesting to see how they handle the pressure of being a legitimate playoff contender for the first time in their history, and how this team of young kids continues to progress.  If they can handle the pressure, and improve like you’d expect, watch out.

#4 – Jacksonville Jaguars

The Good – I’ll keep this short and sweet.  With MJD getting the carries, they should have no problem on the ground.

The Bad – I’ll also keep this short and sweet.  They need more than a beast at running back to be a good team.  If I had to pick one area, I’d say their passing defense.  It wasn’t good last year, and this year they face the Colts and Texans twice, the Pats, Cards, and Bills.  Good luck.

X Factor – None, they are not going to be good.  Too many times I’ve been duped by the Jaguars into believing this is the year they break out.  The high intensity/hard hitting team that played with the same passion their coach Jack Del Rio coaches with doesn’t exist anymore.  I still think they have talent, but if it hasn’t been there the past few years, there’s no reason to believe it will be there this year.

Division Overview

Most people I’ve seen have predicted the Titans to win the division this year while having the Colts finish 2^nd.  And where’s the fun if I’m the same as everyone else?  The thing about those predictions is they seem to all be overvaluing the Colts losses (coaches and Harrison) while undervaluing the Titans (Haynesworth).  Last year Peyton Manning was injured and got off to a terrible start, while the Titans won some games they really shouldn’t have won.  The end result, the Colts still only finished 1 game back.  I don’t see Peyton struggling early like he did last year, while the Titans defense is without a doubt worse this year.  I also would be surprised to see the Titans replicate their 2^nd best turnover differential which helped them pull out some of those wins.  The result, the Colts are slightly better while the Titan’s are at best slightly worse.  However it’s the Texans that make this division so much fun and arguably the best in the AFC.  They have a legitimate chance to make the playoffs as a wildcard team this year, and I wouldn’t be shocked if they either were the 3^rd playoff team from this division, or if they actually managed to finish ahead of the Titans.  Don’t be surprised if the latter happens and the Texans wind up 2^nd in the division at the end of the season.  Their offense is that good.  Expect it to be a fun three way race in the South.  Meanwhile, the Jags should struggle with mediocrity, but hey, at least MJD will be a fantasy stud!

Ok, I’m not going to lie, I’m writing this immediately after writing the Schilling part for #2,  so I’m going to warn you… I’m either really pissed off and going to rip Sox fans just because I’m so angry now, or possibly this is going to be anti-climatic because I’ve already used up all my rage and Schilling should have been #1.

#1 – Classless Fans – This is sort of the culmination of everything I have said about Red Sox fans thus far, all jammed into one.  The thing that I just don’t get about Sox fans and has really fueled my hatred the last few years is how after 86 years of pain and heartbreak, you could forget it all in one fell swoop.  Maybe it was all the pent up anger/hatred/whatever, but Red Sox fans used to be a group to sympathize with (even as a Yankee fan I would on my nicer days feel bad for you guys), it truly was a sad story.  And yet it only took 1 World Series for you to forget your roots and become royal pricks.  All the class and dignity you displayed in defeat, you’ve had none of it with success.  What happened?  It took the rest of the baseball world basically 20 World Series wins to really hate the Yankees and their fans.  Then it took just 2 for the tide to turn and the Red Sox and their fans to become the most hated in the world.  The lovable losers went away and what replaced them were a bunch of asshole, loud mouthed, obnoxious, bragging jerks who acted like they were better than everyone else and always had been.  I love how when Red Sox and Yankees fans are arguing, the fact that the Red Sox won in 04 or 07 always comes up, but we can’t bring up the fact that we won in 96/98/99/00 because that happened in the past.  Sorry to break it to you, but so did all your championships, so if you want to continue to talk about 04 and 07, then I get to talk about our 4 in 5 years.  The fact of the matter is, being a world champion in any sport is such a fleeting moment, its silly not to talk about it long after it happened.  If I was alive for it and remember it, it counts and I have every right to bring it up.  Will I talk about the Yankees winning in the 20’s/30’s/40’s/etc, no (not unless you really annoy me, then I reserve the right to talk about Yankees history, because it is such a glorious one), but I will never forget the ones I was alive for, and nothing anyone says can make them any less important (not to mention, I still consider anything post 94 strike more “current” and fair game when talking about in regards to more recent championships).  I’m not saying you can’t talk about 04 and 07 for years to come, I’m saying don’t act surprised when fans of other teams bring up their past championships too, because it comes with the territory.  Stop being such hypocrites and have a little dignity in victory like you always had in defeat.

So that’s it, that’s all I’ve got.  I got off on a little tangent there at the end, but I felt it had to be said.  Hope you all found it somewhat entertaining reading the ravings of a NY sports fan.  Now you all know my deepest/darkest Red Sox feelings, the ones that only come out after a bottle of Jack and an hour of watching Red Sox highlights on Youtube followed by reading all of the comments.  I’ll be back later in the week with hopefully some actual analysis.

-NYPulse

Ok guys, dispite some claims in the comments section of Part 1 that a Yankees fan writing about why they hate the Red Sox was counterintuitive (i’m not entirely sure he knew what the word counterintuitive meant, as it seems pretty intuitive to me), I have decided to forge on.

I was going to post this earlier than my normal Monday blog, but a tornado coming through my neighborhood the other day (mind you I live in CT) wasn’t exactly expected and kind of threw things off a bit.  Although i will say, the aftermath, and thinking about it now, it was pretty fucking cool (no one was hurt, somehow no houses were really damanged, just a ton of trees all over the road, and the sidewalk and grass underneath it somehow completely torn up out of the ground and onto its side)

but enough about that, onto the stuff you really want to read.  Reasons #5-#2 why I hate the Red Sox and their fans… I can’t imagine why any of you wouldnt enjoy this stuff

#5 – Boy Genius – Is Theo a good GM?  Yes… is he as good as every Red Sox fan would have you believe?  Hell no… Nearly every move he’s made that’s been praised as “genius” has been a move that anyone who knows baseball was not surprised by in the least.  Sure he’s made a few gutsy moves over the years, but who hasn’t.  I’m so sick of listening to people talk about moves like the Bay deal (just one example) and act like Theo is god’s gift to the Red Sox… In case anyone hasn’t noticed, Bay was actually an all star on the Pirates (a feat not easy to earn… and I say earn because obviously every team must have one all star, but he always earned it).  Bay has been no better since coming to the Sox than he was before he got there (unless you count things like his RBI totals, which is obviously very team dependant).  We get it, he’s a good GM, it’s not like he didn’t have the talent to begin with though.

#4 – Hatred of Damon – This is something that has always annoyed me.  The guy who’s the heart and soul of your team, the leader of the idiots, the man who helped ease the suffering and bring you your first world series in 86 years… I DONT CARE IF HE RAPED YOUR MOM, YOU SHOULD FOREVER BE IN HIS DEBT…  Where is the love?  In NY, we treat the ones that bring us rings better than that.  I don’t care if you think he’s a traitor, HE BROUGHT YOU A GOD DAMNED WORLD SERIES… Think back to October 17th 2003, the day after Aaron Boone’s home run knocked you out (a game I was at by the way, but that is a story for another day)… think about how you felt that day, the despair you must have felt, what you wouldn’t have given to win it all.  Without Damon, you are still feeling that to this day (maybe you win it in 07, but without the confidence of knowing it’s possible from 04, there’s a good chance you don’t).  If New York fans can overlook all the heartbreak he caused and accept him as a Yankee, which wasn’t easy to do btw, I can’t figure out why Red Sox fans hold such a grudge… We’re the ones that should be angry, not you!  For shame Boston, for shame.

#3 – Small Market – No matter how many times you bash the Yankees for “buying” their team and complain about all the money they spend, Red Sox fans need to get one thing through their thick skulls… YOU’RE NOT A SMALL MARKET TEAM!  Stop complaining about money please, that’s like Tiger Woods bitching that Bill Gates has more money than him.  I’m not condoning what the Yankees do, I’m simply laughing at the fact that Red Sox fans think it’s ok for them to bitch about it.  When the Yankees won their 4 World Series in 5 years it was on more home grown talent than what the Red Sox had in 04 (and far less pharmaceutical talent ).

#2 – Stupid fucking bloody sock – If there is one athlete I hate more than Tom Brady (and as you already know, I really hate Tom Brady), it’s Curt Schilling.  The sole reason I wake up every morning is so I can check the news in the hopes that he has died in a gruesome accident, or been caught for some heinous sex crime (I kind of feel bad that that means I’m basically hoping someone is a victim of a heinous sex crime, but hey, if that’s what it takes to bring him down).  In fact, that is the one thing Red Sox fans and I almost have in common, for when that happens I too will finally be able to die in piece.  He is such a self-righteous bastard and it pains me to even talk about him; that smug sense of self importance, the fact that he feels the need to chime in on every topic and always act like he’s better than everyone else (people forget that he was an open douche back in the 90’s, then somehow people forgot that, and now he’s just a closet douche, which is even worse).  I could go on and on.  The worst part, I could deal with the Red Sox winning, I really could.  But the sheer fact that is was Schill who beat us, and not once, but twice (the 01 WS, where he also got a share of the MVP [that he didn’t deserve] with Johnson).  And the douche bag way in which he did it, that’s the killer.  He had a slightly hurt ankle with some stupid ass blood, big fucking deal.  He’s a pro fucking athlete and it’s a little blood, give me a break!  The fact that he was made out to be a hero for that one stupid moment will forever pain me, and I wish to God it could have been anyone else.

Reason #1 will be coming tomorrow, i’m sure you’re all on the edge of your seats

-NYPulse

Quick little update while I’m at work, figured I should get this out there…

Both their names were released today as members of the “Busted in 03″ club and guess what, as a Yankee fan let me just say, I don’t give a rats ass. Everyone did roids, get over it. The best of the best are still the best of the best, but PED’s are a part of the world we live in, so everyone better get used to it. If you don’t think tons of guys are still taking HGH cause they can’t test for it, you’re crazy.

Over 100 names were on that list, and those are just the guys that were taking it at that time and got caught, imagine all the other people that werent taking roids at that moment and didn’t test positive. Everyone always talks about how Conseco was telling the truth all along and has been the only one upfront about all of this. Well Conseco has also said he thinks something like 90% of pro athletes were taking roids, so why are we still surprised when another name drops.

The one and only thing that does annoy me about all of this is that Papi was so adamant about not taking roids and penalties that people who test positive should receive. A few months back talking about how guys should get a year ban and there should be more testing. I wish every athlete would get off their high horse and stop acting like they’re better than everyone else when they’re not. Just once I want someone who tests positive to come out, admit they did it along with everyone else, and tell everyone to shut up and deal with it because it was/is a part of the game.  Nothing would please me more than to see someone like Schilling’s name come up on one of those tests, not to discredit his career, simply to show everyone what a scumbag he is for his stance on the matter all these years.

And for the record, sorry if this sounds like i’m rambling or rushed, but i’m at work and just trying to get something up, so deal with it.

-NYPulse

*Update* – Seems Chris beat me to the punch… you bastard!  *grumbles* stupid work

**Update by Chris** – I was at work too and still beat you, is there anything NY can beat Boston at these days

***Update*** – Damn steriods enhancing Chris’ performance… maybe if you guys would stop taking them we’d be able to beat you!

I’m all trade talked out, until something actually happens I’m done with speculation.  Instead, this week I figured I’d give you all some insight into why I hate the Red Sox and Red Sox fans (to be perfectly honest, the two really go hand in hand.  Without the fans on either side, their would be no rivalry).  I’m going to put away my nice, fair/balanced, rational side, and show you my inner obnoxious, pull no punches, Yankee fan… The things that drive my passion

I can hardly wait to see all the love I’m going to get with this post, it should be fun (although we all know its the real reason Chris brought me on board, to flame the fire)… So without further ado, here are reasons number 10-6 why the Red Sox and all their fans are pieces of shit!… er, I mean… um… I don’t like them very much

#10 – Tom Brady – Stick with me here… I do not hate Tom Brady with a passion, I just fucking hate him (the highlight of last season?  Watching Brady go down in week one.  I wish the Giants could have repeated, but that was satisfying too).  He is an overrated self centered prick of the worst kind.  Just like any Pats fan would tell you Big Ben is a shitty quarterback and not the reason the Steelers have won 2 superbowls in the last couple seasons, I will tell you Tom Brady is the same way.  (ok, maybe shitty is a little harsh, but my point remains the same… he’s only become an elite qb in the last few years)… Brady did not win those first couple superbowls for you, the defense did.  I’m so sick of listening to how Brady is the best quarterback ever, he’s not even the best of his generation.  Or how he’s the golden boy who can do no wrong (let’s just not talk about how he left his girlfriend right after he got her pregnant… shh).  For the sheer fact that 99% of Sox fans are Brady fans, that makes me hate them even more.

#9 – Bill Simmons – There’s no doubt that at one time he was a great sports writer, the voice of a generation of fans.  Unfortunately something happened along the way, Boston sports teams started winning and he lost his edge.  Now all he can do is spew all over his computer screen while writing about Boston teams and how great they are.  He is one of the most pathetically biased and hypocritical writers I have ever seen and everyday I pray him and Tom Brady crash into each other while on the road (Brady while staring at the mirror into his own eyes, and Simmons while staring into Brady’s eyes on whatever magazine cover he’s on that week).

#8 – Blaming Bill Buckner – First I would like to apoligize for the alliteration, it was not intentional.  Everyone saw how classless it was what the Cubs fans did to Bartman in 03, well you guys did the same thing to Buckner for nearly 20 years.  And please don’t tell me you guys didn’t blame Buckner and everything has always been rosey because that’s a load of crap.  Not until after you won the world series did you welcome him back.  He was not the reason you lost that series, putting him through all that shit is as bad as it comes.  Hell, as a Yankee fan I would love to blame Kevin Brown for all my woes, or heck, even Mo (lets not forget he’s basically cost the yanks 2 world series, once in 01 and again in 04… yet we remember them for the good… well not Brown, but we didn’t make him out to be the goat either).

#7 – Long List of Red Sox Players – Teddy Ballgame, Yaz, Fisk, Pedro, etc… god I hate them all… Hey Fisk, hope it feels good knowing Munson got 2 rings and you never got any you scumbag.  Ok, now I must stop myself, I fear if I go any further I may end up on a never ending tirade of the numerous dirtbags to play for the Sox that I wouldn’t mind kicking in the balls… so for the sake of time I’ll stop before I go any further.

#6 – Red Sox Nation – What the fuck is that?  First of all, you act like you’re the only hardcore fans in baseball and know more than everyone else… Hate to break it to you but thats far from the truth.  Lets not forget Red Sox Nation didnt become popular until 04… great, your a Nation full of front runners I guess.  And on top of it all, you actually have to pay to be “a part of the nation”… Way to go Sox.  For only $299 you can get the “Monster Pack” membership, which includes the opportunity to buy two Green Monster seat tickets.  What a deal!  You’re no better than any other fanbase (and the fact that you’ve been successful the last few years just means that you actually have more bandwagon fans than the yankees now… enjoy them).

Ok, reasons 5-1 will be coming in the next day or so… hope you’ve all enjoyed thus far

- NYPulse

Well I was in the middle of writing this off season update when it was announced the Bruins had signed Matt Hunwick to a multi-year extension, thus avoiding arbitration.  I don’t know the exact details yet, but rumors are it is in the 1-1.75 mil per year for 2 years range.  Needless to say, this screwed with my post, nice timing Bruins… jerks…

This leaves the Bruins with one big question mark left, what to do with Phil Kessel (of course, depending on what happens, the Bruins could have more work to do).  Speculation and rumors have been flying around for sometime now about what will happen, and everyone and their mothers have been quick to throw in their opinions, so I figured I should too!

First let me get this out of the way… Kessel is a good talent with one of the best wrist shots in the game (his quick release is without a doubt his best attribute).  At 22 he has great potential and is a dynamic scorer, already leading the team in scoring last year (despite fairly limited PP time).  That said, he’s been a defensive liability, hasn’t been physical enough, and didn’t have the best chemistry in the locker room.   Still, he is only 22 and continuing to mature (both as a person and a player), and if the Bruins fail to sign him somehow, it will be a huge hit to their team for the coming season.  One i’m not sure they could rebound from.

The problem is that Kessel and his agent are looking for a long term deal, while the Bruins not only don’t have the cap space for that, but they also don’t see a reason to lock him up for 5+ mil a year in a long term deal.  His game right now just has too many deficiencies to warrant that kind of deal.  And despite the stalled talks with the Bruins, no other team in the NHL is yet to pitch a free agent offer sheet his way.  Clearly the rest of the league is thinking the same as the Bruins.

At this point, both parties would be better served signing a 1 year deal (maybe 2) for 3-3.75 mil and letting his play speak for itself this coming year.  If his game continues to improve, then a big long term contract would be more deserving after that.  But at this point, there is just no reason for the Bruins to take that leap of faith in todays tight cap market (and with little/no interest from other teams, holding out for that kind of deal could backfire on Kessel too).

Right now, the Bruins are in limbo until this deal gets done.  And if in fact a deal does get done, the Bruins will more than likely find themselves over the cap anyway, and will have to trade someone.  If it comes down to that, there are a few routes they could take.  Forwards Kobasew and Ryder and defensemen Ward and Ference have all been mentioned in trade rumors, of those 4, I tend to lean towards either Kobasew or Ward to be the odd man out.

The other rumor floating around is that Savard could be dealt, which would give the Bruins the best value of anyone they are talking about trading and net them much needed cap space the next few years for some of the kids who should be coming up over that span.  The two problems with that are that A) Savard has a no trade clause, so it remains to be seen if he would even accept any deal… and B)  He is the center on Kessel’s line, and accounted for a lot of assists on Kessel’s goals, which would mean trading Savard would be counter productive.

Either way, as of right now with no other teams showing interest, the Bruins have the upper hand in any talks with Kessel.  And the only way I could possibly him not resigning is if he is insistant on getting a long term deal.  If that is the case, I could see the Bruins biting the bullet and letting him go. But like I said before, that just doesn’t make sense for either party involved, and I think in the end he will agree to a 1 or 2 year deal in the 3-4 million range.  If that happens, Bruins fans should be very happy.  Until there is a resolution to those talks however, everything else will have to stay on hold.  Until that time comes, it’s all just speculation.

- NYPulse

As you might have already guessed, I am a New York sports fan (specifically a Yankees, Giants, Rangers, and Knicks fan). Chris has asked me to come on here to provide some perspective from the other side of the aisle. So every Monday (maybe more) I will be talking Boston/NY sports, and try to give you guys a look through the eyes of your rival. Let the hating begin!

So here we sit, the halfway point of the season, and the one question on  everyone’s mind is, where will Roy Halladay go? The answer to this question could very well decide who’s playing in October, or possibly who wins it all. Of course, it could also have repercussions for the next decade.

If the Yankees or Red Sox land Halladay, it would almost certainly guarantee them the division, but two things stand in their way and make the odds of that happening very unlikely. First, the Jays are unlikely to trade in division (although if I were them I’m not sure I could say the same thing. If either of those teams were to make the best offer, who cares. The Jays won’t be contenders for a while anyways, and there’s good odds he’ll just end up in the East anyways when his contract expires. So you might as well get the best possible offer you can, regardless of what team offers it). But secondly and more importantly, I just don’t think the Yanks or Sox are willing to meet the Jays demands. If either wants Halladay, they are going to have to use one of their big young arms (in the Yankees case Hughes or Joba and the Sox case Buchholz) as the centerpiece in a deal. And I for one just don’t see that happening. If the Yankees weren’t willing to part with Hughes for Santana, and Hughes has since proved he’s capable of pitching on the major league level, there’s no way they part with him now for a 32 year old Halladay (albeit a dominant 32 year old).

In the Sox case, acquiring Halladay would make them almost unbeatable for the next two years.  However, and this pains me to say it, if Buchholtz can come up and be an above average starter (which is the least he can do), they are already close to that point.  I just don’t get what they are waiting for, bring the kid up for good already!  With Buchholtz added to the rotation, you’ve got 3 starters under 30 (Beckett – 29 and Lester – 12) who will be the core of the rotation for many more years. (combine that with the fact that Wakefield is having his best season yet, and at 42 could probably pitch for another 10 years). In the short term getting Halladay would make sense, but in the long run it just wouldn’t be worth it.

So with the Yanks and Sox out, where does that leave Halladay?  Well let me start by saying that as of right now I wouldn’t be surprised if he stayed with the Jays.  But if I had to pick somewhere, I’d say he’s headed to the NL (w/ the Angels and Rangers as dark horses in the AL, although again idk if the Angels would take on the payroll, and idk if Halladay would want to go to that park in Texas).   The Phillies were looking like an option a few days ago, but with their acquisition of Pedro, that could signal a different route for the Phillies (although again a lot can change in a few weeks.  If Pedro proves ineffective, or gets hurt, which wouldn’t be surprising, the Phillies could be right back in the thick of things).

Gun to my head, I’d say the Cardinals could shock baseball and be the team that lands Halladay.  If they did, it would most certainly catapult them to the top of a short list of possible World Series teams in the NL.  The Brewers could also do like they did with C.C. and go for that one big arm (knowing they wont resign him when his contract expires) in hopes that while he’s there he can get them to the promise land.

The other team everyones been talking about is the Dodgers, but that is another case where I don’t think they would be willing to meet the Jays demands.  If the Dodgers want Doc, they would most likely have to give up young gun Clayton Kershaw, and maybe even Russle Martin.  Now despite the fact that I find Martin to be terribly overrated (especially by his home town), that deal would not only hurt long term, but I doubt it would help them very much in the short term.

In the end, if Doc moves I think it will be to an NL team.  Whatever team were to acquire him, it most certainly would change the entire landscape of baseball.  For a team with a short window (or a team that wouldn’t have to sacrafice a young starter who’s major league ready), it could be a smart move, but for a team like the Red Sox, who I think have a good shot without him, it just wouldnt make sense.  In the Yankees case, without him I don’t know if we can win (at this moment i’m not very optimistic, I think both the Sox and Rays are better), but I don’t know if I’d be willing to sacrifice the future either for a slightly better shot.

- NYPulse