Red Sox Pre-Season Woes

     After last season, most hope for all Sox fans went down the drain. But then they signed a couple big names in the hopes that they could fill the gigantic hole that was left behind. All was going well until...

1. Former manager, Terry Francona "Rips Boston Ownership" by saying, "...they're good owners. But they don't love the game. It's still more of a toy or a hobby for them,” in new book called Francona: The Red Sox Years.

2. Red Sox outfield prospect Bryce Brentz shoots himself in the leg while cleaning his handgun. 
"He was at home cleaning a gun and it accidentally went off. He was injured in the process," Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington told the newspaper. "Fortunately for him, it was something he's going to recover from and be fine and won't affect his baseball career."

On the bright side, 2B Dustin Pedroia may talk extension with the team this Spring, and Clay Bucholz threw well in his first BP since straining his hamstring. But the best news in that John Farrel who was the Sox's former Pitching Coach is the new manager of the ball club. (At least he isn't Bobby Valentine)

Moustache March

Movember has come and gone and we get it!  Most of us were down for the cause and in solidarity we grew what at first seemed merely like an ironic little flavor savor reminiscent of something worn in the 70′s or 80′s…but then something magical happened.  A symbiotic connection was made between our upper lips and our hearts.  But alas, November came and went and we found ourselves in front of the mirror on December 1st clutching a cold razor and a little unsure of the desecration about to be committed upon our furry little partner in crime.  I couldn’t do it.

The amount of awareness that having a stache created didn’t stop at the charitable aspect for me, rather   broader awareness of facial fur possibilities was born in me!  I reinvested in my shaving kit after many years of shameless neglect.  I stocked up on soap pucks, a vintage shaving bowl and an antique safety razor too, not to mention all the mustache waxes I had collected over the month in anticipation of the Dali style cookie duster I would inevitably be donning.  I had reinvented myself, and at the same time rediscovered something that has been lost in our plastic throw away culture that we have all been unwillingly steeped in.  Shaving and maintaining a moustache is the new alchemy, and I was cultivating gold.

 Read More... 

Celtics 3OT Win

Coming into last nights game of the day, The Denver Nuggets were the hottest team in the NBA, winning nine straight games. On the other side, The Boston Celtics were also picking up the pace, winning 6 straight even without All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo due to torn ACL...coincidence?
     From the beginning, I could tell this was going to be a hard-fought match...(it was) The Celtics brought it to the Nugget by "dishin' and swishin'" This strategy earned an early lead continuing into a confident advantage through the third quarter. The fourth quarter was totally different. Along with one of the best fast-break offenses in the league, they also score the most points. This ability to score tons of points in little time was shown, as they cut the lead down and down, eventually the game was tied at the end of regulation.
And then there was overtime...
     With 45 seconds left in the first OT, the Celtics were down 99-96. Off of a defensive rebound by Avery Bradley, The C's drove down the court and wound down the game clock. With single digits left in the shot clock, KG had the ball and was doubled, leaving Jeff Green open in the corner. He nailed it. 99-99, end of OT.
     The Celtics were in the same situation with 18 seconds in 2OT remaining. They in-bounded the ball to Pierce at the top of the key and had to turn and shoot over a defender who was a little shorter than him. He Nailed it. 107-107 heading into 3OT.
     In Triple OT The C's brought it straight to the Nuggets, but with 1:32 left the game is tied at 113's. Then Jason Terry made his 5th 3-pointer of the game, cruising the Celtics up by 3 points. This was the final nail in the coffin.

Dead End in Norvelt

Dead End in Norvelt is definitely one of the most unique books I have ever read. It takes place post-WW2 in a small town. School just ended and Jack Gantos is has the whole summer ahead of him. One day when his dad, a veteran, was a away from home, Jack took out his war rifle and was pretending to shoot, when it actually gets shot. Jack is thoroughly confused because he's positive he didn't load any bullets.
     Jack's only escape from his house, was to help an elderly neighbor with an...unusual task, to write obituaries.

This story involves Eleanor Rosevelt, Death's Angels, Funeral Homes, and bloody noses, and a lot more.

I Can't Wait to Grow a Mustache

Don't worry, I don't understand this either...

Star Trek 2 Into Darkness Trailer

I was nervous when I first heard that J.J. Abrams was releasing a second Star Trek movie. The first was god, but I wasn't sure how they were going to expand off it. As said in this article, it looks "Terrific and Apocalyptically Dark." Apocalyptically Dark!

I am very hopeful about the second movie, and I hope it's as good as the first trailer.

Here's a link to the trailer:

http://gizmodo.com/5966161/

Hobbit Release Soon!

With only one week until The Hobbit is officially released, there are a few questions that are left unanswered. For one, how is Peter Jackson going to be able to split a 270 page book into a three part movie? By looking at the trailer, it shows up to the part where they are captured by the goblins (1:10 into the trailer), which is well over 100 pages into the book. My theory is that many things will be added to the story did not occur in the book, especially towards the end of the story.

I want to hear what you think they are going to do.

Red Sox Winter Moves

     Over the Winter Meetings The Red Sox have made some aggressive and well needed signings. After signing a mediocre outfielder, Jonny Gomes with a .266 BA with 18 HR and 47 RBI's, Sox fans needed something else, and oh did we get it.
     All-Star catcher for The Texas Rangers Mike Napoli is projected to feel at home at Boston. And as long as he performs the way we expect, fans will welcome him warmly. Although only receiving a .277 BA, 24 HR and 56 RBI's, Napoli's behind the plate work is what has impressed most. And since before Jason Varitek retired from the game, The Red Sox have needed a consistent batter and catcher. Let's hope that's what The Sox get.
     Shane Vioctorino formerly of The Los Angelos Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies is the other pick-up The Red Sox received. Victorino has been a consistent lead off man and a speedy outfielder.. The Sox needed another outfielder because of their reputation of injuries. And after Jacoby Ellsbury injury filled past two seasons, The Sox need a fielder that they can count on. The projected first 5 men in the Sox line-up is Ellsbury, Victorino, Pedroia, Ortiz, Napoli, with Middlebrooks, Gomes and Saltalamachia to fill the bottom of the card. I feel good about these signings, but with a newly stacked Blue Jays to add to the mix, as well as as rebounding Yankees, Rays and Orioles, I can't rely on my own word.

Life of Pi (The Movie)

No, I have not read the book...yet. I know, I know I need to read it. And now after seeing the movie I understand why. The story takes place in modern day India following the Patel family, mainly focusing on the youngest son, Piscine. As a young boy, Piscine developed a nick-name, "Pissing." At school he got called Pissing so often that even the teachers start calling him it. So he developed his own nick-name, "Pi."
        As a teenager Pi gets an unexpected message from his parents. "We are leaving India." They left on a Japanese boat filled with other passengers and zoo animals. A loud, abrupt, and severe storm hit the ocean and only he a Zebra, an Orangutan, a Hyena and a Bengal Tiger on a life boat survive. How long will he survive with almost nothing?

Here is the trailer:

Earth Unaware

A "short" story in addition to the Ender's Game saga, Earth Unaware takes place during The First Formic War. This book follows a boy named Victor Delgado on a ship on El Cavador in the Kuiper Belt, a mining ship with a big family trying to make money. Through the "Eye" a way of seeing where ships, and asteroids are in space, one of the ship members sees a mysterious unidentifiable object deep in space, coming faster than humanly possible at that time. When it got closes enough they discover it's an alien species directly towards Earth...

What I Liked About It:
It is faster moving than most of the other Ender's Game books, and more fun to read because it takes place in a different time period than most of the other books. It also switched between three different characters, which makes it very different.

What I Didn't Like It:
Like I said, it mostly focus's on Victor, but it does switch to 2 other characters rarely. I do wish they expanded more on the other 2 characters also.