After a long time away, the Friday Finger Pop is back...A little bit of this, and a bit of that...and a little bit of sweet asses, perfect for finger popping!

First off, the New York Rangers finally showed some signs of life Thursday night against the Boston Bruins...The Rangers pulled out a 4-3 OT victory on a goal from Chris Kreider, off of a great feed from Rick Nash...I've been begging for Torts to play Kreider more...The kid is a play-maker and a goal scorer, on a team that doesn't score much...He's got great speed, and slick hands...When he gets ice time, he makes things happen...

That said, While I'm a die hard Rangers fan, I have trouble seeing them winning three more straight against the Bruins....Boston has 4 solid lines...Plenty of depth...Including on the Blue line, as proven by rookie D-man Torey Krug, who has been amazing to watch in this series...

Mmmmmm, that looks finger poppin' good!

I saw a little bit of ESPN's Outside The Lines Thursday afternoon...They had a bunch of talking heads, all up in arms because Robert Griffin III's father, Robert Griffin II said he wants to see his son run less...Why would anyone be shocked by this? 1. Don't all dads want to see their sons stand in the pocket and throw bombs!?! 2. He saw his son get a concussion, and get his knee wrecked twice in his rookie season...Who the fuck wouldn't want their son run less? You'd want to see your kid have a nice long career instead of getting crippled within 3...

Somehow these jokers were appalled that a father would stick his nose into this serious football discussion...How dare he have an opinion...Only ESPN gasbags are allowed to have those! I'd be willing to bet this snippet came out, because some asshole reporter asked Mr. Griffin if he'd like to see his son run the ball less....And then let the media frenzy begin! Crap like this is just ridiculous...

Oh yeah, that's pop worthy!

I spent a couple hours Thursday pitching to my baseball team...Little Beeze is swinging the bat great...Seriously, he's looking like one of my top 6 hitters...I have 3 girls who are swinging the bat really well...two are lefties...The one has this leg kick that she starts as soon as my motion starts...It threw me off at first, but it works for her...She was cranking it...I made a number of self defensive stops...Then I have a boy who loves hitting...And he swings with aggression...He looks to kill everything....His foul balls scare people...And when he makes solid contact it's oer you or through you...Even the kids that struggled at first, took all the tips and started finding their groove...We're going to have a good line-up...Saturday morning we'll be practicing again, and that one is going to 90% fielding...I'm looking forward to that...So is my arm...

A while back I wrote THIS about sexual abuse within USA Swimming...Justice has been slow in these cases, but a small amount was served THURSDAY...Rick Curl's sentencing is hopefully just the beginning, as now even more questions are being raised...

Does it seem wrong to post another pop-tastic ass at this point...Maybe...But, what the hell!

Have a good weekend gang!

The Beeze.

It’s another week and another installment of talking sports. Let’s go right to bat with this weeks issue.

NHL Update

The Boston Bruins have a commanding lead over the New York Rangers lots of blood in this one. What I don’t get is one of the local news stations on Wednesday was talking about how bloody Tuesdays game was. Last time I looked it was Hockey and guys get stitches without missing a shift. Sure Zedino Chara was bleeding and a few kids from the Rangers but that’s NHL Hockey. The news was acting like it was awful and horrible just part of the game.

The Penguins just looked unbeatable last night Syd the Kid scoring his 7^th playoff goal and the Senators looking a bit lost out there. The Penguins have a 3-1 lead.The Sharks and The Kings are battling with that series tied at 2. Both teams winning in their own buildings. Finally, the Black Hawks are trailing in their series with the Red Wings 2-1 . The Black Hawks should bounce back and take this series but then again the Wings also could be this years LA Kings just getting hot at the right time.

NFL

OTA ok I have seen this term thrown out there. I thought it meant Oklahoma Transportation Authority but it has a whole new meaning in NFL terms Organized Team activities. It’s May who cares. They use to call that mini camp but since as a society we don’t use whole words any more Mini Camp is OTA. There is no doubt this was either media creation or PR guy with this term.

Brian Urlacher called it a career after 13 years with the Bears . When he was at the top of his game was there anybody who hit harder. Urlacher was sidelined after a hamstring injury last season. He was unhappy with the Bears offer of 2 million. For 1year and not a lot of interest from other teams. Urlacher said yesterday that he would not play up to his standards and was happy he only wore 1 jersey. I think we may not have heard the end of Brian Urlacher. I think if the right team shows interest or need help you may see him back.

MLB

It’s a funny thing here in Boston people a continuously talking about David Ortiz batting and he is on a roll batting at .351. However, sliding under the radar is Dustin Pedroia who has been on a tier himself batting .332 and has hit in 12 of his last 13 games. John Farrell also hasJohn Lester and Clay Bucholz both having good years Bucholz is 7-0 and Lester is 6 and1. I have always said the John Farrell is the best thing to happen to Josh Beckett he has struggled without him. Farrell is the calming influence that has also tweaked Lester from his awful 2012 season and has kept Bucholz on the field. The guy knows pitching.

LIl Lanz

There was a Pitching and Catching clinic Sunday for minor Little leagues a few of us coaches ran it. I bring Lil Lanz and he is Mr. Noodle arm. Just not stepping and throwing being lazy about it. So I'm getting pissed at him because I know when he wants to throw he has a pretty good arm. remembering he wanted go to this thing he was awful. So he and I doing errands and we run into the guy I coached with last year and says to him Matt hows your throwing it wasn't prompted he says you had a pretty strong arm just needed some accruarcy. I'm not sure of that statement got to him but we had a game later on Sunday he was playing 3rd just was making solid throws with good form. Not sure what's up with him. Of course being the true hockey kid he is The teacher in school last week asked him a question . He answers I don't know but the Bruins won last night. As the Mrs. says he can't remember his name half the time but ask him about some Russian hockey player he tell you all about him.

Behind The Mask

I was doing a Little League game the other night it was minor little league game that I was doing as a favor for an assignor. I didn’t want to do the game and questioned why I took. It ended up being one of the better games I had all year it was 1-0 game. The kids mostly 9, 10 and 11’s pitched solid and made plays. There was a kid on second  Line drive as he was running to third gets him square in the back Not sure how so I a called him out for interference which is the right call. The kid didn’t understand why he was out the coach did a good job explaining it. I went over to the coach after the inning and saidI hate to call a kid out on that but that’s the rule. The coach says this kid has been up 25 times and has K’d 23. He finally gets on base and that happens to him.My reaction was that poor kid and the coach just agreed and the game went on.

Weird weather here in MA. The weather people have been predicting late May temps and what has been happening it starts to get up there rain and fog move in around 3:30 or 4pm and the temps just drop. I was doing a game Tuesday afternoon The sun was out as we were changing we decided not to wear Jackets. I was on the bases I froze my rear end off. Game started fine I was talking to some fans and I said great weatherThey laiughed as the offered me an extra blanket.

Just a day dreamin’ the other day...

Wonderin’ what it would be like for the rest of my life...

Don’t think I could take it...

So I decided to reduce it to the next five years...

Then I had to make the big decision...

Who do I pick???

And who can I stand to live without...

Amongst my many favorite teams...

Clippers, Lakers, Chargers, Kings, Aztec football...

Once I pick I can’t go back...

For five looooooong year...

You are cordially invited to join me...

And select only one team...

Just one team you can watch and follow for the next five years...

And you have no access to the other ones...

No access whatsoever...

Read the paper, it ain’t in there...

Watch TV...

Just a snowy picture...

Same for that radio station...

It ain’t there either...

Who do you love the most???

Who can’t you live without...

And the others just don’t exist...

For five years...

You won’t even know when they’re playing...

Or not playing...

So...

Imagine the off-season...

The loooooooong off-season...

If you pick a basketball team

You can’t watch the other sports...

Not just your team...

But the entire sport...

Well...

Maybe we could let you watch the other sports...

Or maybe not...

But not your team in that sport...

Is your absolute favorite team in your absolute favorite sport???

Tough choice???

Will it be based on how well that team is playing at the time???

Or will you pick a crummy team in your favorite sport???

I must say...

This is a tough one for me...

Baseball is my favorite sport...

That’s my generation...

But there’s nothing like going to a hockey game...

Or sitting in the stands with my season tickets...

Watching SDSU...

My college football alma mater...

If I don’t pick a college basketball team...

I miss March Madness...

Do I mind missing the Super Bowl???

Or the World Series???

The Stanley Cup...

Could I bear not getting to watch???

The dreaded Pro Bowl???

And...

As with any challenge like this...

There must be an *asterisk...

A disclaimer...

*Your actual mileage may vary...

*Member FDIC...

*If it lasts for more than four hours, call a doctor...

Okay...

One more thing...

Soccer doesn’t count...

You can’t pick a soccer team...

Because most soccer fans are one-sporters...

The wouldn’t miss the other sports any ways...

And that’s not fair to the rest of us...

Does that hurt you soccer fans???

Then fall down and fake an injury...

So...

Who’s your pick???

Are you going for quantity???

162 baseball games???

Or quality???

A four month college football season...

As for me...

I will pass on the Clippers and the Chargers...

I will miss the Clips...

But I can definitely live without the Bolts...

Especially after being Norved to death the last few years...

It’s between the Angels and the Kings...

And if I don’t take the Halos...

What do I do during the summer months???

Hmmm...

I could go to a minor league park???

Does that count???

I’ll count it...

I’m the boss here...

I’ll pass on the Angels...

So the only one left is...

GO! KINGS! GO!

dvt

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In sports, numbers are always important...So much of sports is wrapped up in stats...And stats are our best way to judge the greats...But the numbers still don't make things clear...There is always debate about who was the greatest...People will say Babe Ruth was the greatest Homerun  hitter, even though he doesn't hold the record for the most HR's...Some would say Bonds...But others would argue, 'He never had to face Walter Johnson...Or Bob Gibson...

So, for the next however many Q-o-t-D's we're going to throw these types of debates out there...Is it just stats...Is the era they played in a consideration...How do you base your opinion on the greats...So, since I already touched on it...

Who do you think is the Greatest Homerun Hitter of all time?  

And why?

My Princess...looking so much like one for her junior prom.

Greetings from the Hoodwood, where the locals wish that Tiger and Sergio would just get into a brawl and be done with it. But we all know it would just be a catty slap fight if they did.

NBA: Are the Grizzlies the team that could take the Heat down?

I still want to know what the fuss is about. I still think that the Heat is still the team to beat in spite of the rabble rousing series that they are in with the Bulls but it seems that all of a sudden that the Memphis Grizzlies have become the sudden “it” team in the NBA, with the Warriors rollicking series with Spurs going at least 6. The Grizzlies could actually be the team that awaits the winner of that series. The Grizzlies after spotting the Thunder the first game in OKC, the Grizzlies have won 3 straight including a thrilling 103-97 OT game 4 win.  The Thunder have suddenly discovered for all his bad shooting foibles and reckless charges to the hoop. Russell Westbrook was a lot more valuable to the Thunder than a lot of people thought. He forced defenses to play straight up and Kevin Durant got a lot more clean looks than he does with Westbrook out. The Grizzlies seem to come at you in waves, Zach Randolph is one of the most underrated big men in the league who seems to roll off yeoman like performances every game. Randolph and Marc Gasol are two of the potent weapons in the Grizzlies game. The Grizzlies are in some ways the Anti-Heat. They play a grimy, gritty game and focus on defense much like the Bulls but instead of the yapping Joakim Noah or the ebullient Little Nate Robinson, they have a number of under the radar players and a bunch of a “Hey didn’t he used to be…” types. Gasol is quietly shedding his previous image of Pau’s dumpy baby brother and has been a real force in the blocks averaging better than 21 points,  8 boards, 4 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals( take a deep breath)  in the 3 games against the Thunder so far. How underrated is Gasol? He was named defensive player of the year, but left off of the All-NBA defensive 1^st team. Huh? How does that work?

The Fed Ex Forum is becoming a house of horrors for opposing teams as the building gets and stays loud. The Thunder, who are used to having teams be intimidated by their own raucous fans in the OKC are getting the business themselves on Beale Street. The Thunder need to reclaim the home court advantage or they will be going home a lot earlier than anyone expected. But there are many that are liking the Grizzlies as the team that has the defensive power to slow the Heat down and the star power and scoring to stand tall with the defending champs

NHL: Wings keep on flying while the Caps and Leafs gaffle it…again

There was a point where many people wrote of the Detroit Red Wings. Being a long time fan, I was geninuely concerned late in the season when the Red Wings were on the outside of the playoff line. I heard some taunts from folks that hate the Wings that they were done for, but a late season burst got them into the playoffs on the final day.  But playing against the Ducks many people figured that the Wings would be easy pickings for the Pacific Division champs, but the Wings kept coming back, losing the first game but won the second to steal home ice advantage, promptly lost it in game three, tied the series again in game four, faced elimination after losing game 5, and after blowing a 2 goal lead in game 6 was on the brink of going out in OT but won that game and stunned the Ducks in Anaheim a 2^nd time to win the series and send #2 seed home. They now face the Blackhawks who swept aside the 8th seeded Wild in five. Aside from a late March blowout all the games were close. Many pundits figure the Wings will be easy picking for the rampaging Hawks, but playoff hockey is a funny bird in itself.

Meanwhile in the East, the Capitals were supposed to roll over the Rangers who were just happy to be in the postseason and avoiding the Pens, and after winning both home games looked like that they would roll over the Rangers but the Blue Shirts won the next two at MSG and evened the series but the Caps seemed to be in control with a thrilling OT win in game 5 but the dramatic goal by Mike Riberio was stunningly the Caps last…of the series. The Caps got shut out in game 6, and despite the Rangers horrid record in road game 7’s came apart like a weak bill in the Senate. The Rangers thrashed the Caps in game 7 by a stunning 5-0 tally. It was an ill coda to a tight series and yet another playoff flameout by the Caps.  My friend John Walton is the play by play voice of the Caps and I just feel for him after another heartbreaking playoff loss.  Finally up in Beantown, I was getting set to have to talk both Sully and Mo down from the ledges after Leafs roared out to a 4-1 3^rd period lead in game 7 Monday. My buddy Guido, a big Leafs fan was already celebrating. He was saying that he knew that the Leafs could beat the Rangers. There was one problem, the Bruins got off the mat and scored, and scored and scored. Patrice Beregon scored in OT to complete the stunning comeback and while the Bruins celebrated being the first team to comeback from a 3 goal deficit to win a 7^th game, the Leafs had to face yet another playoff disappointment. Oh Canada! The Senators are now Canada’s last hope to bring the Stanley Cup back north of the Border where it hasn’t been since 1993…

MLB: What is up with the umps these days?

For reasons I cant explain, I have problems with umpires when I play softball. I get annoyed real easily by them, invariably I will end up trading insults with them and get the gate.  I couldn’t be a MLB player or manager because I would get run from way too many games by the way the umps will make the most bizarre of calls sometimes and then sit back with the mentality of unquestioned authority.

Item:  Oakland loses a home run when an apparent blast in the 9^th by Adam Rosales is reviewed and ruled to be a double off the wall. When replays clearly show that it hit a railing in the stands above the left field wall in Progressive Field. The A’s Bob Melvin is just about beside himself at the ruling and gets run by ump Angel Hernandez. Rosales doesn’t score though the A’s load the bases in the 9^th and the Indians get the win.

Item: The Astros make a pitching change during the 7^th inning in their game last Thursday against the Angels. Wesley Wright was brought into the game and was in the middle of his warm up throws when rookie manager Bo Porter ran on to the field to pull Wright before he faced a batter and replaced him with Hector Ambriz. Porter made the change because Angels skipper Mike Scioscia pinch hit Scott Cousins for Luis Jiminez. Scioscia argued that Porter could not make the pitching change until Wright had faced at least one batter. The umps led by crew chief Fieldin Culbreth disagreed and allowed the change to stand. Scioscia lodged a protest (why do they do these things when they are never upheld) which was made moot when the Angels won the game. It turns out that Scioscia was correct, Wright had to face a batter.  Culbreth ended up getting a 2 game suspension. Umps blew another call that they should know the rules on.

Item:  Ump Tom Hallion gets into it with Rays pitcher David Price telling him to “throw the damn ball over the plate” during a game on the 2^nd, Price later recounted that Hallion cursed at him repeatedly. Hallion called Price “a liar” when asked about the sequence of events as recalled by Price by a reporter. Hallion and Price were both fined for their actions

For their part, the umps continue to have that mentality that they are

Now the umps scream that they are only human. We’re not talking about the Don Denkinger blown call in the ’85 World Series or Jim Joyce’s egregious missed call on the grounder that should have been the 27^th out in Armando Galarraga’s perfect game. Those calls have been acknowledged as missed and in the latter case, Joyce cuts a sympathetic figure as someone who acknowledged that the missed the call and felt truly bad” NBA refs are getting that way as well. Joey Crawford being the most notorious of egotistical refs I know that umping and refing are tough, thankless jobs but in the case of more than a few umps, they let their ego get in the way of the “Im the ump and Im right.

PHAT DAP/HEAD SLAP

Phat Dap

Ive always liked Matt Kemp, he has a cerebral game and is one of the more dangerous hitters in MLB. But I became a big fan of his after his act of kindness to a dying fan last week in San Francisco. Now keep in mind that the Dodgers are in the middle of a horrible start to the season, and were in the process of getting swept by their hated rivals. At the conclusion of a game, Kemp went over to the fan, Josh Jones and started out by giving him an autograph. Then proceeded to give him his uniform jersey, hat and spikes. Jones, who cant speak and is wheelchair bound due to his illness had a bright smile.  Watch the video and if you get something in your eye,  Im not one to clown on you for it, I had the same problem.

Classy act by Kemp who put aside his slow start to make a fan’s day. And Hoodwood hopes that Jones keeps fighting strong against cancer.

Head Slap

To former Lions wide receiver Titus Young. I was at first going to give him the head slap for getting arrested twice in a 24 hour period. Young was arrested on the 5^th for suspicion of DUI in Moreno Valley California and then again 14 hours later for trying to break into the impound lot to try to get his car back. But it gets better. Young was arrested again  just this past Friday in San Clemente for felony burglary and misdeamenor resisting arrest. Young was released by the Lions right before the Super Bowl might have a hard time finding gainful employment after these brushes with the law. What special kind of stupid does a person have to be to get arrested three times in a week?

That’s the view from the Hoodwood, until next post fellow sports fans!