EDITOR’S NOTE: Check out the SoSH Auction! It is over $57,000 now!

Just got home from collecting on my bet with Devid, and boy those beers were tasty. At 3pm today (one hour before the trade deadline), he IMed me saying the 3 way deal with Florida was dead and Manny was going to stay. I still stuck to what I have been saying all week and thought Manny was going to be traded. We bet on it. Of course I won the bet.

Stick with me folks. I’ve been saying it all week to anyone who would listen. I was mocked, doubted and ridiculed for my thoughts on what would happen. Manny was a goner and Theo was going to do whatever it took to get rid of him. He surely did in this case.

Fact: The Red Sox got a**-raped today, and didn’t even get a kiss first. They traded Manny F*cking Ramirez, Brandon Moss, Craig Hansen AND ate the remainder of Manny’s salary to get 15 months of Jason Bay. Don’t get me wrong, Jason Bay is a fine player (albeit in the National League – I hope he has the same success in the senior circuit). Senator, I watched Manny Ramirez, I know what kind of player Manny Ramirez is, I wish Manny Ramirez was a friend of mine. Senator, Jason Bay is no Manny Ramirez.

Fact: Manny Ramirez is probably the greatest right-handed Red Sox hitter I will see in my lifetime. Amazingly, people who like this deal are underrating Manny. He is a force to be reckoned with during any at bat, in any situation, at any time. You can’t possibly tell me that Jason Bay is going to instill the same fear in pitchers come October. You will never convince me of that. Some have even gone as far to say that Bay is better than Manny right now. I can do nothing for these people but pray for their misguided souls.

I don’t blame Theo 100% here. Manny was a jerk, pushed an old man and forced his way out of town. He forced Theo’s hand. This deal had to be made and I was hoping that Theo would do the best he could with it. They gave up way more here than in the Nomar deal (which I was one of the few who liked it at the time, btw). This was also a panic move and a player dump. Theo failed and Manny failed the fans of the Red Sox. They both are to blame and I’ll always remember the trade deadline of 2008 as the trade deadline where the Sox got worse, not better. They went backwards today.

One major plus in this deal is the impact on Terry Francona. Francona’s job just became infinitely easier and he deserves this. I read somewhere that the Manny ordeal was literally killing him. Francona managed this situation as well as anyone could, and deserves some peace of mind. I just wish they could have found a better solution. I will concede that maybe a better one wasn’t out there. This is definitely possible.

In time, Manny will regret what he did here. Just like Pedro does and just like Nomar someday will. He was given pretty much free reign and pissed it all away. He will never find a better situation than playing here, in front of the best fans in the best atmosphere in baseball. He’ll try, but he will fail. He’ll try next season, when he inevitably signs with the Yankees. You can take this to the bank. It’s gonna happen.

Another positive will be the impact on the clubhouse chemistry. The black cloud that was Manny Ramirez is now gone. I read tonight on SoSH that 24 out of the 25 players on the team wanted Manny gone. Well boys, you got your wish. It’s time to sack up and turn the sinking ship otherwise known as the 2008 Boston Red Sox around. It is put up or shut up time. Every single player will have to help in picking up the slack now. Prove me wrong.

As for Craig Hansen: I agree that he was a throw in here. He probably is not going to amount to anything, but we don’t know for sure. He had value. He is a cost-controlled, 96mph throwing reliever that could have brought some value back in a trade. The worst part of the Red Sox team (bullpen) got worse today.

Some may call Brandon Moss an non-factor because he was buried on the depth chart. This could not be more wrong and is irrelevant. Even if Moss had no place to play, he still had major value. You can never have too much depth. One injury and Moss is up with the big club. This injury could have been here or on another team. Moss could have netted reliever Ron Mahay.

And to whomever left the comment on the last entry using Sean McAdam’s name:

You’ve got to come much stronger than that. At least pick a media member who actually liked the trade. At least leave a real email so I can respond to your short-sighted post.

Screw you, Manny. Screw you for forcing your way out of town. Screw you for not seeing what you had here. Screw you for screwing up a chance to win your third World Series Championship. Good luck in LA. You’re gonna need it.

Again, the Red Sox got a**-raped in this deal. If you don’t see it, you have to adjust your Red Sox Nation glasses or you are seriously undervaluing the offensive powerhouse that is Manuel Aristides Ramirez.

And that is the truth.

I so hope I’m jumping the gun with this one.

Tomorrow is one of my favorite sports days of the year. It is the baseball non-waiver trading deadline. This year, not so much. By the time you read this, Manny Ramirez will probably be a member of a team other than the Red Sox (probably the Florida Marlins). Some may say this is premature and if a trade doesn’t happen, I’ll totally edit and rename this one.

Manny Ramirez is the best hitter I have ever seen on the Red Sox. For the past eight years, every time he strode to the plate, a feeling of confidence fell over me. He is a game changer and a sure-fire Hall of Famer. When the Red Sox signed him away from the Cleveland Indians, I was so excited. For the past eight summers, I’ve sat in Fenway on hot summer nights chanting “Man-ny, Man-ny, Man-ny” and many times those chants were rewarded by a clutch hit by Manny. I own two Sox jerseys: a home white one with no number and an away #24.

Who will ever forget his gleeful stride towards the melee on that historic night in St. Louis? Who will ever forget him barking out at Roger Clemens for a pitch that was nowhere near him? Who will forget him raising both arms after that huge home run in the division series last year? Who will ever forget how he was the first Red Sox to run out of the dugout at the start of each game? Who will ever forget that catch he made in Yankee Stadium? Who will forget when he sold his grill on E-Bay?

I surely won’t. I surely won’t forget the bombs he sprayed all over the lyric little bandbox. I won’t forget his smiles and his goofy antics like entering the green monster during games. I won’t forget the look you’d see on his face with his arm around a teammate or the double-points we all grew to love and emulate in 2004. I won’t forget his smile and the joy he played the game with. Recently, that smile and joy has been missing.

Manny wasn’t without his faults. He was a below average with his glove, wouldn’t always run out every hit, and he’d make absent-minded blunders in the field. All of those things were always part of the package. “Manny being Manny” was the catch phrase that described the fact that to get the offensive machine that is #24. There was a price to pay. Up until this week, the price was well worth it. The 8-year $160 million dollar commitment the Red Sox made to him was also worth it. Two World Series championships and a boatload of hits, home runs and RBI’s all came as a result (to what extent is up for debate) of “Manny being Manny.”

Like all good things, we all knew the Manny Ramirez era in Boston would come to an end. It is time. This doesn’t make it any easier, however. I trust in Theo. I trust that he’ll make the right call here. If the right call is trading the MVP of the 2004 World Series, so be it. If he is in fact traded, this one will make James Posey look like a one-night stand. As someone on SoSH remarked, the departures of Nomar and Pedro were both followed by World Series championships.

Let’s hope it happens again. Let’s hope come October the Champs (baseball, not basketball – you have to specify these days) repeat and this is all just a bad summer memory. Let’s hope that this trade (or non-trade), like L’affair de Nomar, propels the Red Sox to glory once again. The Red Sox will be fine with or without Manny Ramirez. Theo Epstein has this team in the best position it has ever been in (for as long as I’ve been watching it).

His departure would in fact, however, leave a void for me.

Good luck, Manny. You’ll always be a Red Sox to me.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Congrats to NEIL!, who survived his first earthquake today. Enjoy Cali, bud!

So, I was all over the place running errands last night and I ran into my friend Steph at the 99 in Woburn. It is always nice to run into someone you haven’t seen in a long while. It is like regaining part of you. Anyways, on the way home, of course I had the top down and I was cranking my song (Wyclef’s “Lemme Touch Your Button”). Well, the sounds must have impressed someone, because at a stop light a guy rolled down his window and asked what I was playing. Do yourself a favor and download this one. Instant crowd pleaser.

On to today’s entry…

Now, I’m ready to write this one.

James Posey signing with New Orleans hit me harder than it really should have. Let me explain. It is not the fact that the Celtics now are done and their chance of repeating is gone. It is the mere idea of James Posey leaving. As always with me, my heart always outweights my head and this one hurt. It is not the fact that a bench player is gone. The basketball implications of this one will be felt months from now and only time will tell if Danny Ainge made the right call or not.

It is the idea of losing James Posey that just kills me. To me, Posey signing elsewhere symbolized the end of the 2008 championship run. Stay with me here. It marked the beginning of the realization that the 2007-2008 Celtics season was over and it was time to move on. I’ll be honest here, following the ’08 Celtics had to be one of my most enjoyable experiences I’ve had as a sports fan. This is corroborated by the fact that (save for Tony Allen – arguably), each one of the members of this team was a “good guy” and a guy that it was a pleasure to root for. This is so rare in today’s sports world.

Here’s the thing (and I’m slightly tipsy right now so I can say this stuff): The last calendar year has been pretty rough for me. It culminated last Sunday night. Last Sunday was no surprise, but it still sucked. One of the things that literally turned the tide was the ride that the 2008 Celtics provided. I’ll never forget those days and never forget the night of 6/17 and the morning of 6/18.

The “Posey Hug” has to be one of the most positive things I’ve seen in sports. Ever since I started the tradtion in my office, our productivity has increased 17%. Just watching the intensity of each and every one of those hugs was inspiring to me. “Posey Hugs” are something we should have more of in life, not less. F what everybody thinks. Show people what they mean to you, no matter where or who’s watching. Life is really too short not to.

Fact: In the grand scheme, James Posey in New Orleans probably has little bearing on if the Champs (Celtics, not Red Sox – need to specify these days) can repeat next year.

His departure does in fact, however, leave a void for me.

Good luck, Pose. You’ll always be a Celtic to me.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Just a reminder to please check out the SoSH Auction for Curt’s Pitch. The total raised now is over $46,000.

Yeah, yeah some of you guys have been clamoring for it, so here it goes.

The captain has turned off the “normal standards of TAM decorum” sign and we’re cleared for takeoff. So, without further ado…

- I think this will be Manny Ramirez’ last week as a Red Sox. I’ll miss you #24. I really hope Theo makes the right call here. Man, what a hatchet job by Peter Gammons.

- Speaking of calls, calling and waiting for a tow truck has to be one of the most frustrating things ever.

- Speaking of tow trucks, Jamie from G/J Towing out in Revere has to be the nicest, happiest tow truck driver on the planet. If everyone had his demeanor at their job, the world would truly be a better place.

- Speaking of Jamie, he had a great point when he said, “It never ceases to amaze me how many people still lock up their car and roll up the windows when it is about to be towed. It’s not like it is going to go anywhere, even with the key!”

- Speaking of car repair, is there a better feeling for an auto owner than picking up your car after it has been in the shop? It’s like reuniting with a long, lost friend.

- Speaking of the planet, Gilbert Arenas loves Manila! He just moved up on the Mike scale (Thanks for the link, B-Rock).

- Z has recommended Belle Isle Seafood to me. I’m going to have to check this place out. Z, we still have to hit the Nordic Lodge before it closes for the season. Maybe on Beckham Day….

- Stink’s second bachelor party is this Saturday night. I’m hoping a good blog entry comes out of that one. Maybe Monday…..

- Speaking of that, can you have a bachelor party if it is your second wedding?

- Speaking of Stink’s wedding, The soon-to-be #1 ranked Ohio State University plays at USC in pretty much the college football game of the year on that day. During the second-to-last fella wedding I went to, The Ohio State University played at Texas in pretty much the college football game of the year. Thanks guys. I just can’t win.

- I kept thinking of Jen on her first day of her drive out to Wyoming today. 4-5 days in a car has to be fun times, right?

- Speaking of Jen, my friend Steve is so impressed with what she is doing. He called me both Friday and Saturday to talk about it. As I told Jen, if Steve moves away, she will have total hell to pay.

- Speaking of Steve, he totally didn’t believe me when I told him Dustin Pedroia would be an all-star someday. I would have never believed that it would come in the year after I predicted it.

- I don’t think there is anything funnier than watching people’s faces as they play Rock Band. Best party game of all time. I am so buying a Wii just for this game.

- Speaking of that, did Strati really pass out on the floor?

- Speaking of Strati, I can’t believe the Patriots are going to win another Super Bowl.

- To the person who keeps leaving nasty comments on the blog. Seriously? How old are we? If you’re gonna rip on me, at least make it funny. I’d probably approve the funny. Who knew that TAM was such a lighting rod? I feel like I’ve arrived.

- I recently learned that the Pacific Northwest is the best place to view delicate flowers. I never knew and never would have guessed that.

- I also recently learned that 3 is the new 2. So much for the terrible twos….

- Current song I can’t sit still to? Wyclef Jean’s “Touch Your Button Carnival Jam” If you ever see me at a funeral (or anywhere for that matter), blast this song and I’ll still start dancing like Kid Spin. It’s quite pathetic, actually.

- Speaking of dancing, no dice on the Tevez dance. Sorry.

- A Milwaukee man has been charged with disorderly conduct for firing his sawed off shotgun at his lawn mower because it wouldn’t start. If we can’t fire our guns at our lawn mowers, than the terrorists have truly won.

- Speaking of Milwaukee: Hell, I’ll say it. I hope Brett Favre plays next season. I love the guy.

- Speaking of Milwaukee part deux: Friday night at the Sox game, I started talking to some dudes from Milwaukee making the Fenway pilgrimage.  They agreed with me that Wrigley Field is a great place to watch a baseball game, but Cubs fans suck.  I feel vindicated with my “Cubs fans suck” stance.

- Is there anything worse than moving? You always know where you stand with someone when they volunteer to help you move.

- The Margarito/Cotto fight last Saturday night has to be one of the best boxing matches I’ve seen in a long time. I was rooting for the Puerto Rican (Rum capital of the world – what can I say?), but who couldn’t come away impressed with the Tijuana Tornado’s performance? Gritty, gutty and full of heart.

- Speaking of Puerto Rico, what have they done to be dubbed “Rum Capital of the World?” In that vein, I hereby dub Pleasantville as the “Blogging Capital of the World” on the merits of this site alone.

- I was in the bleachers at Fenway for the first time recently. I must say they did a great job putting in all those new seats.

- I’d probably like cats if I wasn’t allergic.

- Is Jason Giambi serious with that pornstar moustache? Really? I mean seriously, look again at that photo above.

I’ll bet the joke is totally on us.

I always laugh when I hear people complain about where they live. When I hear this, I always say to myself, “If it is so bad where you live, why don’t you move?” Life is too damn short to bemoan your zip code. If your “here” isn’t working for you, then go elsewhere. Find a place you like better, move there, and find a way to work it out.

I met Jen a few years ago through my friend Emily. I always really liked Jen, but there always seemed like there was something just a bit off about her. I could never really put my finger on it. Early on, she mentioned to she always wanted to move west and that Jackson Hole, Wyoming was her “Zen place.” Every once in a while, Jackson and moving west would be mentioned, but she never really acted on those thoughts.

Some months ago, Jen told me she put up her condo in the South End for sale. There probably couldn’t have been a worse time to try and sell real estate than right now. The economy is sputtering, the nation has a myriad of credit problems and the real estate bubble is bursting. I thought she was going to have a real tough time selling the place. At one point, she thought she had a buyer, but it fell through. More time passed and she finally was able to sell the place. It worked out.

At this point, the wheels began to turn. Jen’s employer agreed to let her telecommute from pretty much anywhere she wanted. Her next stop was trying to find a place to go. We’d talk about it when we’d get together every once in a while, and she’d tell me about her trials and tribulations in trying to find a place to land out west. She wanted to go to Jackson, but was having trouble finding a place. I could tell she was getting discouraged. I kept telling her that one day (sometime soon), she’d send me an email saying that she found a place in Jackson Hole. This would mean that she was going to make the leap, move there and that everything worked out.

A few weeks later, I received that email from Jen. She had finally found a place in Jackson (who knew it would be so tough?) and she was going to take that leap. I couldn’t have been happier for her. We went out for drinks a few nights later and it was like I was out with a new person. You could literally feel the excitement oozing out of her pores. She had a glow about her that I had never seen before. Her dream of moving to her “Zen place” was finally become a reality and she is leaving Monday. It is working out.

Seeing this (and being the Boston worshiper that I am), I started to ask her some questions about Jackson. She said it had a magical, mystical quality to it. Jackson Hole is a valley and a literal hole in the midst of mountains. Before I met Jen, I really didn’t know there was a difference between places like Idaho, Utah and Wyoming. Those places were always just space on the map my eyes had to gloss over on the way to San Francisco. She spoke with such a reverence about Jackson that it got me even more excited for her. Furthermore, she has me seriously considering heading out there for a visit.

I’ve grown close to Jen over the past 6-7 months. Knowing she is moving makes this all bittersweet. As sad as I am that she is moving away, I couldn’t be happier for her on this journey she is about to take. No matter what happens in Jackson, whether she stays for three months, or for “ever after,” she can take comfort in the fact that when it mattered, she answered the bell. She stepped up and wasn’t afraid to play her hand. She’ll know that she wasn’t afraid to take the leap. She’ll know that it worked out.

Last night, a bunch of us went out for drinks to wish Jen off. It was a “this is your life” moment for Jen, with college friends, co-workers, other friends and me all in attendance. I’d sometimes shift my attention from the conversation and look over at her. The glow is stronger than ever now, and her smile is wider than I’ve ever seen it. I tried to elicit some emotion out of her, asking what she will miss most about Boston and living here. She responded with a few things (Fenway Park was at the top of the list), but nothing at all really seemed to stand out. She is truly moving full steam ahead without any hesitation or any looking back.

Tonight, I’m taking Jen to the Red Sox game so she can say her goodbyes to the lyric little bandbox at the corner of Yawkey and Van Ness. A few weeks ago, I promised I’d take her to a game before she left. I asked her to pick a date that worked (that the Sox were home) between when I asked and when she was moving. When she told me July 25, my heart sank. A summer Friday night against the Yankees would be no easy chore. Still, I told her I’d find the tickets with plenty of notice for her to work it into her busy moving schedule. Like everything else in this saga, I knew it would work out. It was meant to be. Tonight we’ll be seeing Josh Beckett vs. Joba Chamberlain and the return of David “Big Papi” Ortiz to the lineup. Again, it worked out.

Jen has been true inspiration to me. With this move, she is epitomizing fabulous. She’s a Nike marketing executive’s dream: She’s just doing it. She’s seizing the day, Carpe Diem-ing it, living in the now and taking an uncertain leap in hopes of finding an uncertain reward. She has literally turned her life upside down in hopes of improving it. That, my friends, is truly f*cking living. The lesson here is that does not matter what happened yesterday; what happens tomorrow is most directly influenced by what you do today. Over the past months, Jen has been making “today” count every day. I wish I had the stones to do something like this.

Bon Voyage, Jenni. I’ll really miss you and I hope you find everything you are looking for in Jackson. Either way, you have inspired me and either way, you will have already “won.”

Everything is going to work out.

I’m quite sure of it.

The New England Patriots are going to win Super Bowl XLIII. Take it to the bank and make your reservations for Tampa, Pats fans. It’s gonna happen.

Yeah, I went there. Remember where you heard it first.

Football season has begun. The Patriots open camp today and all is well with the world. In honor of such a glorious occasion, I have decided to ask Greg “Taco” Bebezas for some super-secret expert fantasy football advice. Greg was kind enough to take the time to answer my three questions below. Thanks to Greg for taking the time.

Greg runs The Fantasy Football Times which is one of the best fantasy football sites on the web. He has been featured on ESPN2’s “Cold Pizza” and does weekly FF advice segments on the “Hillman Morning Show” on WAAF. He is also a proud graduate of Pleasantville High School and once won a bike at the Woburn carnival.

So without further ado, here are some fantasy football tips to start the season:

1) Is taking two RB’s in the first three picks the only way to go when drafting? What are some ways to win if you don’t get the best RB’s?
Taking 2 RBs with your 1st 3 picks isn’t the “only” way to draft, but most times it’s the best draft strategy. There are simple not enough featured backs in the NFL anymore to go around in fantasy leagues, especially because of RBBCs (running back by committees). And because the RB-heavy strategy is so popular, if you don’t get at least 2 of the top 15-20 RBs on the board, odds are many other owners in your league will.

However, you still need to make sure you’re drafting for value in the early rounds with your RBs. You can’t just blindly take RBs when there’s better value on the board, particularly with elite WRs and in some cases the top QBs. I’ve found in recent years that grabbing one of the elite WRs in Round 2 over a #2 RB is a great way to build a balanced roster.

2) Sleepers. Who do you like?
There are several players I like this year that I feel are undervalued. Philip Rivers (SD) is one of them. He’s setup to be a very productive #1 QB in my book. The Chargers offense is strong and there are weapons all around him to allow him to flourish. He’s posted back-to-back 20 TD seasons and should be much more consistent as he enters his 3rd year as a starter.

A couple of other guys at other positions I like are DJ Hackett (CAR) and Alge Crumpler (TEN). Both are flying under the radar, because they’re on new teams this year. Hackett is a WR to watch. He’s shown big play flashes in the past, but injuries derailed him in 2007. Crumpler is now the Titans #1 receiving option after escaping from Atlanta.

When gauging sleepers, you need to understand ADP (average draft position). And all 3 of the players I mentioned above are going in Round 9 or later, which is a sweet spot in drafts where owners can get legit starters without using early round picks if they play their cards right.

3) Who are your top three picks overall this year and why?
I’ll go 1 step further and give you the top 4 (and they’re all RBs), because this group is clearly the cream of the crop:
LaDainian Tomlinson (SD)
Brian Westbrook (PHI)
Steven Jackson (STL)
Adrian Peterson (MIN)

-There’s not much I have to say about Tomlinson. His ability to consistently put up stud numbers every year speaks for itself.
-Westbrook continues to be underrated to some degree. He actually finished ahead of Tomlinson in FFP in 2007 as the #1 RB in fantasy. He’s an absolute monster in PPR (point-per-reception) leagues and is the engine to the Eagles offense.
-Jackson is in a contract year, which is almost unheard of for a young franchise RB of his quality. With LT-Orlando Pace back, look for him to produce big numbers like he did in 2006.
-Peterson is the new stud on the block. His monster performances during his rookie year are a sign of things to come. But he needs to be more consistent by avoiding the down weeks he had and he’ll still lose touches to Chester Taylor. So he’s 4th on the short list of elites.

Also, Greg has offered this up to all of my readers:

FREE 6th ANNUAL 2008 FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFT GUIDE

TruthAboutMike.com readers can get a free 2008 Draft Guide to the Fantasy Football Times.com, an expert scouting service providing cheat sheets, draft rankings, sleeper picks, news, predictions, and analysis on hundreds of NFL players. Click on the link below and use the promo code shown to take advantage of this special offer!

Link to Create Account: http://www.thefantasyfootballtimes.com/fftimes/subscribe/subscribe.aspx
Use Promo Code: 980858

Are you ready for some football? Thanks again, Taco!

EDITOR’S NOTE: Thanks to John, Sanjaya, Michele and Devid for helping my quickly deteriorating memory with this one. One month to Spe Day!

EDITOR’S NOTE PART DEUX: Happy two month anniversary to my blog!

Leslie is one of my favorite cousins. Even though she grew up in Woburn, I’ve never held that against her. I’m cool like that. If Courtney is my new sister, Leslie is my longtime sister. She seemed annoyed last week when she mentioned that she hasn’t been mentioned in the (as the SoSHers like to call it) Skrublog yet.

I actually have mentioned Leslie in the blog entry where I revealed that my mother had to drive me home from her wedding because I was so drunk. Yeah, I’m 35 years old.

But just so there is no question cuz, be careful for what you wish for…

In honor of her birthday today, I’d like to share some fun stuff about Leslie:

- Leslie’s favorite thing in the world is blue slushies. I don’t think I’ve ever been with her without hearing, “I want a slushie” from her at least once.

- Last week, my brother and I went over Leslie and Devid’s house for the MLB All-Star Game. John, Devid and I were comparing which Titletown championship we like best (Really – this is a tough question, there have been SO many lately). I think we talked about this for a few hours (ok, maybe not). When we were done, Leslie chimed in asking if we wanted to hear hers. Her favorite championships are the 2004 Red Sox and the 1996 Women’s Olympic Gymnastics gold medal won by the “Magnificent Seven.” Somehow, her second choice didn’t fit in with the others mentioned.

- After my wedding (you know, the one from my failed marriage), we had people over to my parents’ house. Leslie puked in the front yard then proceeded to go upstairs and pass out in my parents’ bed.

- When Leslie attends a sporting event, she is more excited about the food than the game. For your information, her all-time favorite Boston sporting venue meal is the chicken fingers at Fenway Park.

- Leslie was actually featured (sorta) on a Notorious B.I.G. song. The song “Mo Money Mo Problems” features the line “My Team Supreme stay clean” and it was a reference to her cheerleading squad’s behavior at a party they attended. Apparently, many of the team members (not Leslie) overdosed on pills at a party at the local YMCA. This was a huge story and made all the national media outlets. How many people have this claim to fame?

- The “Leslie Dance” originated at a party at my cousin Mel’s place at Boston University. It is fantastic. Someday, I will reveal to Leslie that I have a secret copy of the tape and view it every once in a while when I need a lift. Not today, though.

- Whenever we have a family get-together, you can always pick out Leslie because she will be the one asking, “Can we watch something other than sports?”

- Leslie got into the Red Sox because she thought Shea Hillenbrand was cute.

- When Leslie borrows a movie, don’t expect to get it back until the next calendar year. (*smirk*)

- Leslie is the truth at the family Christmas Yankee Swap. She has won “best gift” like three out of the five years we’ve been doing it. I like to refer to her Yankee Swap dominance as the “Leslie Dynasty.”

- Leslie loves dogs, candy (all types), Nemo and popcorn. She loves movie popcorn so much that she will go to the theater just to buy popcorn and not even see a show. Yeah, I’m not quite sure how we are related.

- Leslie was so excited when her new niece Maddy was born that she bought two huge bags of outfits from Kohl’s. Maddy is set until at least the second grade with clothes. The kid was two days old and already had more clothes than I have owned in my entire life. All thanks to Tita Leslie.

- Leslie is the master at coupon-clipping. She is incredibly frugal and is probably the best on Earth at maximize the savings you can get out of the Sunday paper. How else can she afford all the slushies, popcorn and candy?

Lastly, my favorite Leslie story is from her 21^st birthday. We got a group of about 15 of us to go to the Sox game. As Leslie was walking up the stairway to our section, she had the meanest, grumpiest look on her face. This was hilarious because we all were on the lookout for her. She had no idea she was meeting us all there. Apparently, she got into an argument with her mother at dinner or something. During this 21^st birthday celebration, Leslie also ended up puking on her friend Sarah and peeing in public in the Fens section of Boston because she couldn’t hold it any longer.

There you go, LJ. You’ve now been immortalized on the internet’s hottest new sensation ™. While others have received a brief glimpse of you here, I’ll always picture you as that smart, small, confident kid sticking landings on the balance beam in the WHS gym. I love you and I’m so proud of the woman that you have become.

Happy Birthday, Les. I hope you have a fabulous day!

Last night, I met up with my friend Anne for a few drinks after work. We went to a great, new place in Fenway Park called the Bleacher Bar. The Bleacher Bar is a bar literally underneath the bleachers of the ballpark (good name, eh?). The signature of the Bleacher Bar is a “garage door” opening view out to the park. The view is phenomenal and if you haven’t been, I highly recommend it (especially on nights when the Sox are away). I could literally sit there for hours.

Even though I like to think of myself as a tech-savvy renaissance man, I really am an old-fashioned guy (please don’t spoil my secret, keep that between us). I have, however, succumbed to modern technology and mostly communicate through emails, texts and IMs. These methods of communication are the “new” wave of technology. They are lightning-quick, instant information and are quite useful when talking about everyday things. These things consist of setting up plans, quick questions, and just to let someone know that you are thinking of them.

Where these “new” methods of communication fail is when the message is very important or heartfelt. They are cold, impersonal and sterile. Quite often, the details get lost in translation. In delivering important messages, every nuance counts. When you are actually speaking to someone, you can see all their mannerisms, gestures. It is much easier to arrive at the crux of what someone is saying when you can actually see their face. Recently, I broke my cardinal rule of using the “new” methods of communication to deliver a message that should have been delivered face-to-face. Emotion got the best of me and I made a mistake.

Anne and I grabbed a few stools right in front of big garage door opening that lead out to Fenway Park. While catching up, of course the conversation turned to Fenway Park. Anne and I have gone back and forth on the park for years now. At one point, I wanted a new, waterfront ballpark while Anne has always been a strict and devout Fenway disciple. She speaks of Fenway with such a reverence that even I have swung back to her point of view on things.

What was not lost in translation was the stunning vista that is Fenway Park. It was a rare time I was there without 37,000 other screaming fans. It was almost even more beautiful that way. Anne calls Fenway her Sistene Chapel and I have to agree with her.  For me, the sight of the beloved ballpark assuaged the worries of the day. All day, I was quite bothered by my error(s) in judgment, but once again she saved me. Being there has such a calming effect on me. This was not a sight that could be simply texted or IMed to anyone.

At one point, my stare was so deep into the ballpark that I fell into a mini-trance. I had to literally shake my head to focus back on the conversation. Fenway is an intoxicating place. A light rain began to fall and I remarked to Anne that it was one of the few times that I was in Fenway when I wasn’t upset that it was raining. The slow precipitation falling on the empty ballpark had an almost serene quality. It was as if this cathedral of baseball was being cleansed by the gods.

Sitting in the Bleacher Bar, there was no chance for Fenway Park to be lost in translation. The same goes for delivering an important message. Leave nothing to chance. Sometimes a subtle, facial nuance like a raised eyebrow can have all the meaning in the world. Save the superficial messages for the new technology, but deliver the important ones the old-fashioned way:

Face-to-face.

Saturday, I went up to Portland for the day. I went up there to visit my brother and his girlfriend, Courtney (who is originally from the Portland area). I left later than I should have (blame the barber shop banter!) and the local beach traffic really put a damper on the start of the day. Ultimately, it didn’t matter as the trip to Maine was a great time.

I really should have kept the top up on the way to Maine. The “rocking out on the Ipod” theory also applies for me when I’m alone in the car. I drive quite fast, so usually it is me singing and gesturing along to people I am blowing by in the fast lane. Hitting that beach traffic however, exposed me to multiple looks from the same people and multiple laughs. The best reaction came from some trucker who blew his horn in appreciation for my irregular behavior behind the wheel.

One thing I will say about driving to Maine is that the tolls are ridiculous. There has got to be a better way. I expressed my extreme disappointment in the delays they caused by paying in a term I like to call “she-bib-i-da.” This term came from high school and it is a collection of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters that my friend Jughead would try to play poker with. I had time to build the she-bib-i-da pile because of the extreme backups at the toll booths. You should have seen the toll collectors’ face when I shoveled the pile of change into their hands.

When I got to Portland, I checked out Courtney’s house, met her dog and talked to her Mom. They have a very nice house, one of those homes that give you a warm aura about it. There are many houses that don’t feel like homes, but this wasn’t one of them. This was very important to me to see as Court and my brother have been getting pretty serious as of late. The vibe definitely met my approval.

We hurried off to see an afternoon matinee of The Dark Knight. Even though we pre-purchased tickets, we arrived late and ended up in the second row (which really wasn’t bad actually). The movie was excellent. If you haven’t seen it already, I highly recommend it. I liked it so much that I saw it again yesterday. Courtney enjoyed it even though it really wasn’t her type of movie. In his portrayal of the Joker, Heath Ledger was simply immense. If he doesn’t receive an Academy Award for his performance, I will be totally shocked. I thought he was better than last year’s Best Actor recipient, Daniel Day Lewis.

What I enjoyed most about the movie was the commonly used “Superhero Love Complex.” In the SLC, the protagonist has to choose between saving the world and getting the girl. In The Dark Knight, Bruce Wayne totally struggled with this vis-à-vis his relationship with his love interest in the film, Rachel Dawes. Being a superhero myself (albeit an internet one, heh), I could totally relate to Bruce Wayne with regards to the SLC. Someday I’ll find my Rachel, and I’ll be able to live the dual life that Bruce Wayne/Batman had hoped for.

After the movie, we went to a great seafood place called “The Inlet” for some fried clams. Fried clams might be the best summer meal one can get in New England. John and Courtney warned me of this, but up in Maine, they offer fried clams battered (as opposed to the bread crumb style they use down here in the Commonwealth). I didn’t think I’d like them, but they were in fact, quite fantastic.

The best part about the meal for me was not the clams, but the conversation. I think Courtney and I really bonded during this day trip. This was important to me because (and they will both hate me posting this), she is probably going to be my future sister-in-law someday. Seeing her, in her element up in Maine, gave me a new appreciation for who she is. She seemed like a different person up there, almost like a fish in water. I could totally relate because that is how I am down here in Paradise City and Pleasantville. Bonding with Court made the entire trip worth it and I’ll always look back at Saturday as the day she became “my sister.”

As always on a trip away, the best part of the day for me was seeing the “Welcome to Massachusetts” signs on the ride home. I always chuckle when the unhealthy appreciation I have for this area manifests itself in some of my silly behavior.

Like the slogan says, my trip to Maine was “worth a visit and worth a lifetime.”

There are certain places in Pleasantville that make it truly home for me. One of the places at the top of the list is Morandi’s Barber Shop. Morandi’s is at the corner of Winn Street and Mountain Road and it has been a staple of Burlington for years. Angelo “Sonny” Morandi opened the shop in 1960 and it is still going strong today.

My family moved to Burlington in the late 70’s. Ever since I can remember (other than when I was at college in Ohio), my only recollection of haircuts was going to Morandi’s. The house I grew up in was literally down the street. As a kid, my father would take me in there and I remember being terrified of a brash young barber named Joe Morandi (Sonny’s son). Joe loved to “torment” little kids much like a nasty uncle. I’d literally had nightmares about the guy.

The great thing about Morandi’s is you never know who you will see in there. Being a townie, you’d think I run into people I know all the time. This isn’t the case and other than the barber shop, it doesn’t happen that often. Morandi’s is literally the place where “everybody knows your name” and Joe is right at the center of it. The faces in Morandi’s really haven’t changed: Sonny, Joe, Ronnie, John and a couple of newbies: Julie and the kid.

It seems like Joe knows everyone in town and he still “torments” the young kids that come into the shop. Joe actually lives two houses down from me now. He plows my driveway every snowstorm (huge for my rear-wheel drive Batmobile), never accepting any payment or any offer of payment. Also, when the man who owns the lot containing the woods behind my house wanted to build there, Joe was in frequent contact with members of the planning board voicing his opposition. He has gone from haunting my dreams to protecting my home. Except for the fact that he teases me about the length of my grass, I couldn’t ask for a better neighbor. Furthermore, I consider myself lucky to be able to call him a friend.

I went in there today and it was a typical visit. Joe had all of the customers in the waiting area laughing per usual. I even struck up a conversation with a guy who is building a house in the lot diagonally across from the house I grew up in. Talking to him about that lot brought back some great old memories. Per usual Ronnie, who started at Morandi’s in 1961, cut my hair. Ronnie has been cutting it for years, but I don’t think I laughed as hard in the barber shop as I did today. Ronnie talked all about his annual golf trip with the guys. I hope that when I am his age I am still doing things like that with my friends.

One of the great things in life is finding places where time stops. Sometimes, finding those places can make all the difference in facing everyday trials and tribulations. Every time I walk into Morandi’s, I see the same faces and I feel like a kid all over again. The place is a part of me. My bi-weekly visits remind me of where I’ve come from, where I’ve been, and comfort me on the way to where I’m headed next.