EDITOR’S NOTE: This one is going to be short because I just got home from watching Game 2 up in Maine.
1) It’s awful tough to feel bad for someone who was awarded a $30 million settlement and got a new TV show, but I actually did feel bad for Conan O’Brien. He worked hard, bided his time and earned his dream job only to lose it after only six months on the job. In his great interview with 60 Minutes (which I’ve watched more times than I will ever admit), Conan revealed that getting out on tour helped him get over losing “The Tonight Show” to Jay Leno.
Saturday night, Phil and I went to see Conan in the “Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television” tour at the Wang Center. When an artist performs in a city, they will try and win the favor of the audience by wearing a jersey of a local sports star. Conan came out wearing a Paul Pierce jersey. Usually this is a transparent move, but this time it worked (Conan is from nearby Brookline). He made it a point to mention how great it was to come home and perform here in the city he grew up in.
Seeing Conan in that jersey set the mood for the entire evening. Shunned star from LA comes home, wearing the local colors, and doing something great after a really bad situation. And Conan was as funny as ever. When the fall rolls around, the Pierce jersey will be thrown in a suitcase and he’ll head back to LA to start his new show.
I guess even if you lose your dream job, things can turn out OK in the end.
2) I was going to mention this Friday, but it just didn’t seem right after that blowout loss in Game 1:
I was headed to lunch to meet my friend E last Thursday when I saw something that almost made me crash my car. Out on Route 128, I was behind a car with the license plate number “18″ and nothing else. I can’t imagine the odds of seeing this on the day the Celtics began the series that could net their 18th NBA Championship.
1) Happy “Friday Night Lights” Day! Season Four premieres at 8pm tonight on NBC. I’ve written about it before, so I’m not going to go on too long about the show. However, I will say this: Episode 5 of this season is the best episode of any TV show I’ve ever seen. Even if you’ve never watched the show before, check it out (or DVR it) for the first five episodes. I guarantee you will like it. If you watch the first five episodes of Season Four and don’t like the show, I’ll buy you lunch.
2) Just like two weeks ago, tonight is an epic night of Boston sports. The Sox host the Yankees, the C’s host the Cavs and the B’s play in Philly. The Celtics win on Monday night was their best win of the year. In one night, they stole home court advantage from the team that worked all season to earn it. If they don’t win tonight, that game becomes meaningless. They need to hold serve this weekend.
There is nothing that brings me more joy in sports than beating a team from Cleveland. I dislike the Cleveland teams more than the Yankees and Lakers and I cannot wait for LeBron to leave that cesspool of a city.
3) As for the Bruins: If you aren’t watching these games, you are really missing out. I’d have to think it over a little more, but playoff hockey is probably the most exciting sport one can watch.
Wednesday night, the B’s were hit with another injury (David Krejci’s wrist). This is one of the biggest blows they will have to deal with this season. All year they have absorbed these blows and kept fighting. They are one win away from their first appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals since 1992 and nine wins away from their first Stanley Cup since 1972.
1) A quick recap about the weekend: The weekend went perfect. I’ve been thinking about it a lot and don’t think it could have gone better. At the rehearsal on Friday, the priest made mention of different options depending on the weather. After he listed the options, I told him the weather was going to be fine. It was.
I was a little disappointed in my best man toast, but this is only because I wanted it to be perfect. In reality, it was good. I got a ton of great complements including “best speech I ever heard” and “I wish you went longer,” but I chose to focus on the missteps. I was telling a friend about it on Monday and she was amazed that I memorized a seven minute speech.
As a few people said, I think I was just being too hard on myself. There’s a video of it and if you want to see it, let me know.
2) Last night was the start of the NFL draft. For the first time ever, the first round was held on a weeknight. I love the NFL draft and find it fascinating. Apparently I am not alone because the draft was crashing SoSH last night. Usually, this only happens during Red Sox playoff games or after a big trade.
The Patriots selected Devin McCourty, who is a cornerback out of Rutgers. From everything I’ve read online, this is not a popular pick at all. Bill Belichick will undoubtedly get lit up on sports talk radio later today. While I agree that the Patriots need a pass rusher, they still have twelve more picks including three in the second round tonight.
This is a very deep draft and there are many quality guys left on the board. To be honest, I really don’t mind the pick. The secondary was awful last year and I have no problem with adding depth back there. With guys like Santonio Holmes and Brandon Marshall coming into the division this season, shoring up the secondary isn’t such a bad idea.
3) Speaking of that second round tonight…
Tonight is going to be one of the crazier nights in recent memory for Boston sports. Those three second round picks will make or break the Patriots draft. I don’t think I’ve ever been as nervous as I am right now for a player draft. This draft is crucial for the Patriots and it is imperative that they do well. They are already behind the Jets in the division race as it is.
Along with that very important draft, both the Bruins and Celtics have playoff games and the Red Sox have a game against the Orioles. It was hard enough watching the Sox with the first round of the NFL Draft going on. I don’t know what I am going to do tonight. I need three more TV’s and a more versatile attention span. It is rare when I can say this, but tomorrow night the Red Sox will be at the bottom of the Boston sports totem pole.
Have a great weekend, everyone. Make the most of every day.
1) The first snow is always a special time for people who live in the north. I love everything about snow except driving in it. I love how it looks when it falls, how it looks in the trees and how it looks on everything it lands on. There’s something seminal about the first snowfall. It is a harbinger for the cold winter ahead and the holidays that follow.
I love sitting in the Blade when it is snowing; It is like sitting in a football snow globe. I love staring up at the sky and watching the flakes fall, ever so gently. I love walking the dog in the snow. (An aside: When Miley saw her first snowman, she barked at it like it was a real person.)
2) The first snow was ruined by that awful Patriots game on Sunday. I really don’t have much to say about the game except that I took it harder than I really should have. Very few people (if any) understand my obsession with the New England Patriots. I bet you think you do, but in reality you probably do not. Let’s just say that I bring a new meaning to the word fanatic.
And yes, I realize it probably isn’t very healthy. At all.
3) Interestingly enough, the best quote I have read in a while comes from Derek Jeter’s mother, Dorothy. Many Red Sox fans dislike Jeter, but I happen to be one who respects and likes the guy. Dorothy Jeter’s quote comes from her son’s SI Sportsman of the Year article:
“When you like who you are, you’re going to respect others. It’s very simple.”
1) Sorry I haven’t written in a bit (Hi Phil). For some reason, I just haven’t had it in me to write lately.
2) I just had to share this link. It is a video of a girl falling on the tracks in front of the orange line. The best angle is the third angle where you can see the train approaching. Chilling.
3) Eddie Murphy “Delirious” has to be the funniest standup of all time. This realization was reinforced on Sunday coming home from the Pats game. It was a perfect day: the Pats won a huge divisional game, the weather was great, the food was awesome (fried chicken!), Joey Porter was silenced, etc.
As great as the day was, the biggest laughs of the day were on the ride home when we quoted lines from “Delirious.” This happens all the time. I don’t think there is a movie, person, song or whatever that I quote more than this stand up act.
(careful – language definitely not safe for work in any of the following links)
1)Sorry for the lack of posts this week. I’ve been feeling under the weather and also been busy building my helium-filled balloon aircraft. I’ve also been meaning to post about my new favorite musical artist/album. Stay tuned for both.
2A)Two great moments from the Conan O’Brien show for you:
The band Anvil from the movie Anvil: The Story of Anvil made their network television debut on the show last week. The DVD also came out last week and if you haven’t seen it, definitely check it out. It is my favorite movie of 2009.
2B) Ken Jeong was on the show the other night. I simply cannot stop watching the first part of the clip (first three minutes, up until 4:30 remaining) and I must have seen it at least 30 times by now. It is funny for two reasons: his fabulous entrance and the fact that he calls Serena Williams the “goddess of rage.”
Tre-mendous!
3) Heading on Route 128 North just before exit 33B, if you look off to the right you can see the Boston skyline. 33B just happens to be my exit to get home if I am coming from the south. Most days you can see it without any problem. Even at night it is pretty well illuminated.
Whenever I am coming up Route 128, I always look for the skyline just before exiting the highway. The other day I noticed that I always do this (without fail) and wondered why. I surmised that I always check to see if the city is still there. Looking for it somehow keeps me grounded (my “Lost-esque” constant, if you will) and is one of those familiar reminders that I’m home and all is well.
Have a great weekend everyone. Make the most of every day!
Stepping behind the arc on this first day of October….
1) If you follow my Twitter feed, you know that the gentleman in the picture above is the Lord of the Shrimp. I was fortunate enough to meet him at the grand opening of the new H-Mart in Pleasantville last week. H-Mart is a huuuuge oriental market and going there is quite the experience. I don’t think they appreciated me taking a ton of pictures with my iPhone.
2) My new most anticipated TV show of the week has to be Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk’s “Glee.” If you aren’t tuning in each Wednesday night, you really are missing out. Last night, it became the first TV show to make me want to buy the DVD set within the first five episodes. My living room also became dusty at about 9:56pm.
3) Since it is “Actober,” I have to mention:
I don’t think I’ve ever been as confident in any Red Sox team’s postseason chances than I am with this year’s edition. Buckle up, because this is going to be a fun ride.
Wow. I haven’t stepped behind the line in a long, long while.
Let’s fire one up, shall we?
1) As I said on Twitter yesterday, the one thing I hate most about being a Red Sox fan is how damn fickle we are. Dear “Red Sox Nation” (whatever that means):
Today is July 23rd.
2) I was hanging out with Phil last night. Over a few beers, the inevitable “So, have you talked to (insert respective ex-wife here)” came up. It always comes up and it never fails to make me laugh. I’ve known him for about twenty-five of my thirty-six years. Never once did I ever envision that we’d be sitting around some day comparing notes on our ex-wives.
Life is funny like that. It throws you curve balls and you have to re-adjust, re-assess and move on. You have to keep swinging and keep that OBP at respectable, above replacement-level levels.
He’s now re-married and his wife is expecting their first child in October. I’ve watched him go from bloody noses to preparing for baby diapers and I couldn’t be happier for the guy.
As for me, everything isn’t perfect. All things considered however, life is pretty damn good right now.
1) Yesterday, the Hub was abuzz with pictures of Tom Brady canoodling with Gisele Bundchen.
Wait, what?
Did I just use the word “canoodling” in a sentence?What does that even mean?Honestly, who really cares about this stuff?It’s the off-season and there isn’t going to be any football played until late summer.Let the guy canoodle (ok, I’m liking this word now) and heal in peace. Furthermore, if I was dating Gisele, I would have no problem with my picture being posted doing anything, anywhere with her. Seriously.
2) I was watching the FOX25 news last night and they had some scary weather statistics:
Yesterday’s storm put Boston over 20” of snow during December-January for only the third time since 1890.The only other two times were 1995-1996 (snowiest winter on record – 107.6”) and 1947-1948 (third snowiest winter on record – 89.2”).Both of those winters had above average snowfall through February and March. Their force was also quite strong with La Nina (whatever that means) just like this winter.
This really doesn’t bode well for the winter of 2008-2009.It looks like we are only halfway home. Pardon me while I search for airline flights headed towards the equator.
3) Back to point one, I think anytime you put a woman the clothing of any of my favorite teams, it increases her “hotness” by a factor of at least 2.7 on the highly-scientific Truth About Mike scale.
Stepping behind the arc for your Thursday reading pleasure…
1) In a 10:00am press conference today, it is expected that Troy Brown is going to announce his retirement from the Patriots. Brown joined the team in 1996 and since then has been one of the team’s most consistent players.
He’d always come up with a big third down catch or big play to help lead the team to victory.Two plays I’ll never forget are his punt return for touchdown in the 2001 AFC Championship in Pittsburgh and his strip of Marlon McCree in the 2006 Divisional playoff game in San Diego.
Patriots owner Bob Kraft said this of Brown:
“Troy Brown is the prototype of what I’d like every Patriot to be.”
I don’t think you can offer any higher praise than that.
Thanks for the memories, #80. You will be missed.
2) Something I wanted to touch on:I really can’t understand why some football fans blame the significant others of certain high-profile quarterbacks for their ills.Gisele Bundchen has been called a jinx for Tom Brady.The same can be said about Jessica Simpson for Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.President Bush even joked that they should send Simpson to the Democratic National Convention.Really?Does anyone blame Laura Bush for our country’s ills?
Hell, let’s just start blaming spouses/SO’s everywhere for stuff their partner does. Co-worker dropping the ball on some info you really need? Blame his wife. Forget to pick up the kids on the way home from work? Blame your wife for not reminding you. Blame the mailcarrier’s husband for all the bills you got in the mail today.
Come on, people.Feel free to rip on women like Gisele and Jessica for their lack of intelligence or their fashion faux pas.Don’t blame them for their boy toy’s miscues on the gridiron.
3) Lastly, I have to offer my most sincere gratitude to whomever started this “big sunglasses” craze.
What is it about huuuuuge sunglasses that makes a woman even hotter?I noticed this Sunday at the Blade and I love it.Hey ladies, do it up.The bigger and more obnoxious sunglasses you can find, the better!
1) In a 10:00am press conference today, it is expected that Troy Brown is going to announce his retirement from the Patriots. Brown joined the team in 1996 and since then has been one of the team’s most consistent players.
3) Lastly, I have to offer my most sincere gratitude to whomever started this “big sunglasses” craze.