Blog Hog: Runner's High

Congrats to Dear Criss for running the 2009 Miami Corporate Run!

-Roxy

Blog Hog: Stealing Boston's Hearts - Again

I am not rubbing it in, but I am so psyched that we swept you guys, Dear Criss. And of course, crazy New Yorker security man at work couldn't even look me in the eye. Mr. Taunt-You-Every-Chance-I-Get said, "I don't want to talk about it." But the highlight of it all was The Steal 2 (The Steal 1 being Dave Roberts in 2004). Jacoby is amazing. Amazing. (Fun fact: Did you realize Saturday's game was longer than the first round of the draft?) And we won tonight against Cleveland, making the streak continue on to 11! My thoughts are so scattered, I'm so excited.

Unbelieveable.

Roxy


Photo: Matthew Lee, The Boston Globe

What's the Score?!

Okay, I don't want to start the party early, Dear Criss, particularly since there's another Red Sox-Yankees game tonight, but the Friday and Saturday games were amazing! (What did I write about extra innings?!) When Beckett came out yesterday, I groaned because he was either gonna be on or off. Well, guess what? He was off - way off. And I sort of started giving up because Beckett can do that to me. And then Varitek comes up to the plate, and his first swing turns into a GRAND SLAM!!!

Random Side Note: While I'm hosting the Varitek Spring Love Fest, can I add that one of the kids in his neighborhood asked him if he would go to their Little League game, and he showed up to throw out the first pitch? That was nice. The kids swarmed him. It was funny.

And what was that score? It was 382-291 or something. (And really, tell your people to stop hitting Youk.) Oh my, Mike Lowell woke up late in the game and really kept the good times rolling with a three-run homerun and a three-run double. I admit, I grumbled a few what's-the-deal-Lowell comments earlier in the game. Sorry. One more to go. I'm crossing my fingers.

(Celtics lost today in double-overtime. That was ridiculously frustrating. Series tied. Jazz barely hanging on.)

Roxy


Photos: Tek, Getty Images
Lowell, Barry Chin, Boston Globe

Game Face On

We finally agree on two things in one day, Dear Roxy. The world must be coming to an end.

The Red Sox and Yankees together again. Yikes! You know what that means, right? No phone calls. No text messages. No smoke signals. Nothing!

NFL, NFL, NFL. I'll just wait til the season starts. Why do they make such a big deal? My coworker mentioned the Draft is the 4th biggest sporting events behind the Superbowl, NBA Championship and the World Series. Crazy I tell ya'! It's kind of sad, especially when the basketball playoffs are going on. Focus people, focus.

The Heat tied the series, Rox. There's still a chance. Don't be such a Debbie Downer!

Happy belated Earth Day and Happy Arbor Day!

-Criss

Play it Again, Sam

Well, it's Red Sox-Yankees 2009, Dear Criss. Here we go again. I don't want any blow-outs but don't want any tight games either. It's too early for stressful extra-inning games.

Sox swept Baltimore this week. Sounds good. We're picking up the pace. Varitek's picking up that batting average, too. Woo hoo! This is his year! MVP! Okay, maybe not MVP, but you get my point. Speaking of an MVP, let's give a hand to Dave Roberts who recently threw out the first pitch. I can't say enough about this guy.

Then there's the NFL draft. I love football, but I'm not into the 24-hour hype surrounding the draft. You know, I barely noticed the NBA playoffs were going on. I'll tell you right now that the Heat's not going anywhere. And the Celtics? Eek. Can't say.

Roxy


Photo: AP

Back in Black

The NBA playoffs are here but somebody forgot to tell the Back in Black Miami Heat team that. What happened? I completely missed the game Sunday night. Truthfully, I forgot they were playing. But watching the SportsCenter bottom line the next day was shocking. Poor Wade can't do it all by himself. Come on, kids! This is what you play for all season long.

And the lopsided Yankee loss was one to forget, Dear Roxy. I didn't know the game was on when I turned the tv on. As soon as I saw the score, I thought it was a mistake. haha. Needless to say, I was wrong. Luckily, they split the series and no serious damage was done. I am, however, concerned about Wang's latest outings. I think he's injured. Can somebody on that clubhouse please check up on him? Please.

In other baseball news, the red hot Marlins' win streak came to a halt last night. They're just going to have to start a new one!

Very sad news on the polo-horse front. 21 horses died suddenly and of unknown causes. I hope this never happens again.

-Criss

PS all I heard was blah blah blah on your Beckett rambling :)

Photo: Doug Benc, Getty Images

Drama 101

Oh please, Mike "Garth Brooks" Scioscia and company all freaked out over what they started, Dear Criss. Like Abreu didn't call that LATE time out at the last second on purpose as Beckett was keeping an eye on the base runners. (I watched the tape like five times.) Then Abreu throws up his shoulders and arms like in fifth grade on the playground, "What?! Why'd he do thaaat?" one would have said in the day. "I aaaaam an innocent maaa-aaan," sang Billy Joel.

And since Josh Beckett is easily agitated, he was ready to take on the whining Abreu - in a calm fashion. Then the benches clear as if Beckett was running up to Abreu to beat him up. Oh please with the drama. And why is Hunter all fired up? You'd think Beckett slapped Abreu. I mean, this was a pathetic non-fight. So stop calling out Beckett, or I'll throw a ball by your head.

As for Isiah "Thompson" coaching FIU - yeah, I was incredibly surprised. Actually, I was more surprised that the school got his name wrong in the intro. Oh my.

So KG is down in Boston. Danny Ainge has a heart attack. Geez, all gloom and doom. So let's talk about happy things in Boston. Well, how about my BU hockey team celebrating their championship victory? The Bruins still being in the playoffs. The Red Sox coming out of a funk. Varitek still doing well.

Please explain the Indians blowout of the Yankees. Ouch. Maybe you need to rebuild that stadium. Or maybe you should have never left your old one. Must be the new curse of the Bambino.

Roxy


Photos: Marsh Chapel & Garth, AP

Cake, Boston Globe Staff, John Tlumacki

Bits and Pieces

A.J. Burnett flirted with a no-hitter during last night's game, Dear Roxy. I'm glad to see he's doing great, unlike the pitchers who pitched Monday's game.


The only good thing to come out of that game's loss is a player by the name of Nick Swisher. The outfielder/first baseman saved the bullpen and pitched a scoreless inning, even striking out Gabe Kapler! Way to go, Nick!

Ken Griffey, Jr. received a standing ovation in Seattle last night. Ten years later, he made it back to where it all started.

Oh, and your boy Beckett got what he deserved for throwing to someone's head. I don't care what he says!

In other news, the Golden Panthers got a new basketball coach in Isiah Thomas. I have mixed feelings about this. For one, FIU has been cutting back programs due to financial problems, and not to mention the big controversy out of NYC. But I think this can be great for FIU and their sports programs. And as a nice gesture, Thomas decided to give back his 1st year salary back to the school. Kudos to him for that. Let's just hope he delivers and stays out of trouble.

Oscar De La Hoya retired from boxing. He's had a great career but it was time to call it off. Congrats for knowing when to say enough.

D-Wade for MVP!!!

-Criss

Photo: Chris O'Meara, AP

National Champs!

Wow, the girl texts me half an hour before the match, and suddenly Serena loses because I didn't drive 100 mph to Key Biscayne. Man, the whole tournament rested on me! Hee, hee. (By the way, who's L'il Wayne? And happy late birthday to Varitek!)

What an exciting sports weekend, Dear Criss. Saturday, the Red Sox almost blew a lead in the ninth because of Papelbon. Add BU's Matt Gilroy winning the Hobey Baker award. Then the BU men's hockey team pulled off a breathtakingly exciting win for the national championship. Remember I compared them to Miracle the other day? I take it back. It was truly last night when I could almost hear Al Michaels saying, "Do you believe in Miracles?" AHHHH!!! The game was tied until somewhere in the last five minutes or so. Then Miami (Ohio) scores two goals. Game over, I said. Then BU, who wasn't playing with fire, with passion, suddenly smelled the season going to the trash. Perhaps they thought back to their locker room talk by the one and only Mike Eruzione. He said that the one thing he regrets - even if he won the Olympics and Hockey East titles - was not winning a national championship title. With less than a minute, as the clock wound down, BU scores two goals in 42 seconds to tie and go into overtime. WHAT?! (Insert Chris Berman's voice here.)

BU scores first. Bam. Bring out the trophy. It gave me chills. It was so amazing. Perhaps one of the best - if not the best - college hockey game ever. If you have a chance to read about it, please do. This stuff only happens in movies. Call Hollywood.

And Congrats to UConn's women's team. I know women's sports can get lost sometimes. Nice job. Undefeated? You gotta give it to Geno Auriemma.

Oh my. Yes, what happened to the Angels pitcher and the other passengers was terribly sad. What is going on with all the DUI stories lately? It's just too much. It's gotta stop. There are a lot of people hurting right now.

Roxy


AP photo

Nick Adenhart 1986-2009

A promising career, a young man with dreams, and another life taken too soon, Dear Roxy. How sad it is. My prayers and thoughts are with Nick Adenhart's family, as well as the passenger's and driver's families, whose lives were also lost in this tragic accident.

And with the sad news of Nick's loss, baseball season is here.

The Yankees managed to get a win out in Baltimore with AJ on the mound. Good going.

I saw highlights of the Yankees spring training game at the new Yankee Stadium last weekend. Can you say great and big? Although not the old Yankee Stadium, which I think should've never closed, it's a pretty nice looking stadium. Let the new memories begin.

Speaking of new things, the New York Post thought it'd be nice if Jeter got a new haircut. He's been sporting the same one for over 15 years now. What do you think of the options given here? You probably don't know who Lil Wayne is.

De nada and thank you for coming to the Ericsson Open. I had a great time! I've been using my Ericsson gym bag ever since. Hope yours has been as practical as mine.

Congratulations to Victoria Azarenka for kicking Serena's behind. Thanks to Azarenka's dominating performance, and Rox's lateness (jk), we only got to watch the match for 10 minutes or so!

But our boys from Israel and Belarus, Andy Ram and Max Mirnyi, made it worth staying! Congrats to them once again for an exciting game against Australia in the Men's Double's final.

So many stories, so little time to write them.

Have a safe and Happy Easter, everyone.

-Criss

PS: Ditto on the Jordan, Robinson, Stockton and Co. Hall of Fame induction! All very well deserved!

Photos: Mark J. Terrill; Reuters, NY Post, and CIG.

Homeruns and Hall of Famers

Many, many thanks to Dear Criss for kindly inviting me to the Sony Ericsson for an afternoon of laughs and trophy ceremonies. Next time, Serena better pull her act together, or we're gonna have to get in there. Get some pics up!

And now, opening day. Ah, how nice. Baseball is back. Allow me to put up way too many pictures. Beckett got the win, the players came out through the crowd for the intros., Kennedy threw out the first pitch ... this is Boston. VARITEK HIT A HOME RUN, so did Pedroia. This is Varitek's year, I'm telling you.

Can I be honest? I'm not looking forward to the Rays. It's like a song on the radio they overplay, then you go to a party, and they're playing it, then you get in the car and - well, you get it. It's a little boring and annoying to me and overhyped.

Then there's my dear John Stockton who will be entering the basketball Hall of Fame along with Michael Jordan, David Robinson, and coaches C. Vivian Stringer and Jerry Sloan. Can't wait for the ceremony. I'll save my long speech on Stockton for September. What a fine player from a different period. I feel like an old-timer.

Until next time.


Roxy


Photos: Kennedy, Varitek, Pedroia/Ortiz; The Boston Globe

Hall of Famers, Streeter Lecka, Getty Images

Let's Hear it for Zo

I couldn't view the clip; it showed another game, Dear Roxy. Post another link... preferably the correct one. jk! I always like a good fight, as long as egos are the only things bruised.

I wasn't aware you were a tennis fan. Maybe I can get us tickets and make it over there. Let me know how you feel about that.

PS As far as Serena, I started rooting for Peng until I found out she was from China. I thought it was US vs US. heheh. I changed my ways as soon as I realized it wasn't.

In basketball news, Alonzo Mourning's #33 was retired at the AAA Monday night. It couldn't have happened to a better player and guy. Zo becomes the only Heat player to have his number retired. Congrats!

When those baseball season start? I feel like it should've started already.

In the meantime, Gary Sheffield, ONE homerun shy of 500, has been released by the Tigers.

Nice timing, Detroit. And Joba Chamberlain has pleaded guilty for DUI in Nebraska. Ouch.

Team Colombia's chances of making it to the World Cup are slim to none after losing to Venezuela last night. Oh boy!!!

-Criss

Photo: Miami Herald.