Team or Flash?

Everyone likes to get see fireworks just like everyone would want to go see the Harlem Globetrotters. Both are examples of exciting entertainment and flash at its highest level. The New England Patriots have never been flashy or have had the explosive players that single handedly brought fans to games. The Patriots have been nothing more or less than a team for the past eight seasons or so.

And then came 2007.

2007 was like a mix of the watergate scandal, a no-hitter, and the McGwire/Sosa home run chase of 98 for the Patriots. To say that 2007 was an amazing season would be an undeniable understatement. Being Patriots fans, we had gotten used to the notion of the “teams win games” philosophy so naturally 2007 took us way off guard. Everyone knew the Patriots would be good, even before the trade for Randy Moss, but what we got was staggering. Within the first month came Spygate, which could possibly be one of the biggest (and most overblown) scandals in NFL history and it was happening to OUR New England Patriots! The same team that always held the team before the player, and that didn’t stand for any rule breaking or acting out was becoming the most hated team in the NFL. The Patriots were docked a first round pick, and having their championships questioned; also, the NFL’s most notable coach was fined 500K and was losing credability with the league. Alone, Spygate would have been enough to make 2007 the most “anti-Patriot” season in a long while…

And then, all of a sudden, a team more famous for its defensive prowess was putting points up like they were computer carrots and the two most notable names on the offense were chasing their positions most respectable records. Seriously? A couple players on the New England Patriots chasing records? Wasn’t this the team that had once claimed to not have one superstar? It was like seeing the picture negatives of this team. And oh yeah, they were also trying to complete a perfect season.

Watergate, McGwire/Sosa, and the pursuit of a no-hitter. All unheard of things when talking about the New England Patriots. Spygate turned out to be as bad as watergate, both Brady and Moss ended up breaking previous records much like McGwire/Sosa and as for perfection? Well…let’s just say the no-hitter was broken up with two outs and strikes in the ninth. Not once has a Patriots season carried so much pressure, so much attention, and so many headlines.

That being said, what should everyone expect out of the 2008 Patriots? More than likely (and hopefully) the Pats won’t be involved in another scandal, and teams have learned that the key to slowing down the offense is to put pressure on Brady and take Moss out of the game. As for perfection? The Patriots almost did it last year and their schedule this year is five times easier so who knows. Look at it this way…the flashy Patriots gathered the front page headlines, the records, the fame, but they lost the Super Bowl. The team-oriented Patriots won 3 Super Bowls in 6 years. My wonder is which Patriots team will we see this year? The firework Globetrotter Patriots or the team-oriented, Super Bowl hungry Patriots?

Which team would you prefer to see? Personally, I’d expect a disporportional sway towards one side.

10 Reasons Why I Wish Manny NO Success in L.A.

1) Manny is an asshole. My, my how quickly my opinion of one player can change within just one week. This sure as hell doesn’t give a good sign of what’s going to happen if my future girlfriend and I have a bad week. But either way, whatever happened this week between the FO and Manny, he made it way worse than it could have been and handled it in the worst way possible. The antics on the field during the Angels series was one thing, but the comments he made were pouring gasoline on the fire. “The Red Sox don’t deserve a player like me”? Eat a bag of dicks Manny.

2) I’m an asshole. I flat out wouldn’t be able to handle it if Manny went into Hollywood and tore it up. I’m a greedy type of guy. If what you’re doing doesn’t benefit me in any way than their success pisses me off. I’m a jealous asshole.

3) Speaking of Hollywood… It’s only been ONE day since Manny has been a Dodger and yet I’ve heard how Hollywood is the best fit for Manny and his persona. Manny being Manny goes Hollywood…just thinking about it makes me sick. You thought the Sox let Manny get away with hell? Just wait and see what the Dodgers let Manny get away with within the span of 2-3 months.

4) All of a sudden he’s Mr. Nice Guy. Now that Manny finds himself out of Boston and on a losing (but improved) team he needs to make it known just how fucking happy he is to be there. It’s such cliche bullshit and Manny found out how to put a new spin on it. He looked like a fool during his press conference, joking around with the media as if they’re not going to be as brutal on him as Boston reporters were…it’s Hollywood for God’s sake.

5) Seeing Jason Bay play one game in left made me feel orgasmic. I had completely forgotten what it was like to see a line drive heading to left and not have to hold my breath. Bay showed in one game just how easy it is to cover the ground in left, which is something Manny still was having trouble figuring out. (No one knows the bounces and the wall better than Manny but he’s just such a slow, lazy, fat fuck.) Anyone else see the gap shot that Manny didn’t chase down in Dodger Stadium? The ball that him and Andrew Jones both looked at each other wondering when the other was going to go retrieve it? What a fat, lazy fuck. Nothing is going to change with him. I can’t wait to see the adventures he has in the significantly larger left field at Dodger Stadium. Oh, and there’s no DH option Manny!

6) His disability to make a decision. I just remembered the several occasions in which Manny claimed he wanted to end his career with the Red Sox. The brutal situations in life even creep into sports. There are devastating divorces in marriage and close friendships that end suddenly. Manny’s eventual departure was like a mix of those. Can you tell I’m fucking bitter?

7) He won’t be forced to cut his hair. Is Manny seriously already getting his way in LA? Did he convince Joe Torre to allow him permission to keep his image? I bet that was Manny’s excuse: “I need to keep da hair man…you know? Da hair’s partoffmy image man…” Ten dollars says Manny has already gotten into an arguement with Torre about it and as a result didn’t hustle to that gap shot and grounded into a double play in the 9th. I can see the situation come the offseason: “The Dodgers drove me out of town. Dey don’ deservef me or ma hair man.”

8 ) Nomar jumping to his defense. Seriously. I’m getting suicidal. But oh how ironic is it that Nomar heads RIGHT back to the DL in order to make room for Manny? You know what Manny’s talking about Nomar? Well, what about your endless trips to the DL since your departure from Boston? I would agree that the Sox mistreated Nomar and drove him out of town, but is it just me or did they make the smartest move in the world in trading his rusty, worn down body away? Defending scum like Manny…he must have some nerve.

9) Manny’s wearing #99. #24 is retired so he decides to be a complete fool and take #99. He’s already drawing even more attention to himself than he already has. God I miss this silly-nanny. Who’s that number dedicated to Manny? Wayne Gretzky?

10) *sigh*…It’s Nomar all over again. I’m loving every part of Manny being somewhere else, especially since Red Sox Nation (I hate that term) has accepted and loves Jason Bay already, and yet a part of me misses Manny’s character, his slightly overboard tomfoolery, and all he’s done for this club. I’m having serious Manny withdrawals…I’m almost bipolar…wait a minute…he said we weren’t good enough for him! Go to hell Manny!

BONUS!!!

11) He’s going to sign with New York in the offseason. We all know it. Doesn’t matter if it’s the Mets or the Yankees. New York is New York. God-fucking-dammit.

Welcome to Boston Jason Bay…

The first page of Jason Bay’s career has been written and if it’s any indication of what’s to come it looks like good news for the Boston Red Sox. By no means did Bay light the world on fire, but he got the big hit when the Red Sox needed it most and helped the Sox win a game that they needed to have. Needless to say, Jasons Bay will receive nothing but praise by the Boston media for the next couple of days. Here’s a couple of things that I noticed during Bay’s first game in Fenway:

• Boston is welcoming Jason Bay. Red Sox fans have always been unpredictable, but for the most part will pay their respects to it’s greats that left and returned with another team and a new superstar being welcomed into town. I knew that Jason Bay would get a warm hand when he came to the plate for the first time…but I didn’t expect it to be as loud as it was. The trade for Bay was an ugly one that Sox fans apparently either hated or loved. Red Sox fans had to go through another “Nomar trade” and lost one of it’s most beloved players over the years. The fact that Bay was the player the Sox received in return for Manny was enough alone to make a select Sox fans hate Bay already.
• He’s got Manny’s eye. If Bay’s night tells us anything it says that he works the count and waits for his pitch. Just like with Manny Ramirez he sometimes won’t get that pitch and ends up striking out. Bay finished his first game in a Sox uniform going 1-3 with 2 walks and was hit by a pitch. I can’t even describe how many times Manny had a hitless or one hit game, but walked more than one time.
• Don’t be fooled, people are excited by him. Bay was given a standing ovation each time he came to the plate, and he seems to already be in the Manny-Ortiz mold meaning that when he comes to the plate with the game on the line people stop what they’re doing and become as loud and rowdy as they possibly can. Hell, these fans were excited by the way Bay ran the bases, but I guess that’s understandable when you’re so used to having a left fielder that’s slow as shit and neglects to hustle half the time.
• The man can actually play defense. Um…hmm…wait…did a Red Sox left fielder actually play a good game defensively…what is this nonsense?
• He’s a quiet guy. From the moment he arrived in Boston to his interview at the end of the game he stayed quiet, humble and cliche. I don’t want to speak for everyone, but after the type of comments Manny’s made and the type of antics Manny has done, I welcome a down to earth, quiet player who goes out there each night, does his job, and keeps quiet.

Much like Manny Ramirez’s first game at Fenway, Jason Bay made a great first impression on Red Sox fans. Barring the postseason, Bay won’t face a more pressure filled game than the one he played in tonight, and considering he got the biggest hit of the game, all signs are positive.