The cobwebs have piled up a bit since the “For Sale” sign went out front of the Tavern a couple of years ago.  The bank never could push a sale through and there it sat.  The shameless huckster in me saw an opportunity – I was able to take it off their hands for a steal, and when I got the keys I found Old Harry still over in the corner, all pissed off that no one had been back to give him some service. 

The physical plant is a little worse for the wear, but it’s mine again – and that’s what really matters.  I’m happily reopening the tavern doors on this baseball’s opening day.  The synergy is delicious…if not the hors d’oevres.  In fact, I’m not so sure I would touch those things – I found them in the cooler when I opened up the place. 

The first game of the season?  Rangers/Astros.  In my opinion, nothing more abominable than this game to start the season.  I never understood the Milwaukee Brewers moving to the National League – it messed up the parity of the leagues, accomplished nothing, and now to rectify that we’ve moved the Astros into the American League some 14 years after that regrettable move.  I stand with Lance Berkman.

For some 100-years, the Cincinnati Reds held the distinction of playing the first game of the season at home, when in 1990 they opened the season in Houston…another reason to hate this game – Houston swoops in to again steal the spotlight.  And to make matters worse, it’s at night – what a terrible way to kick off the season.

Why do I harp so much on baseball walking away from tradition, while football, hockey, even basketball evolves?   Because.  And that’s exactly the conundrum that faces baseball.

In the age of 100’ flat screen HDTV, surround sound, mobile devices, and let’s not forget escalating player salaries, MLB finds itself a prisoner of it’s own tradition – and I’d argue the short-sightedness of ownership and the special anti-trust exemption bestowed on baseball by a 1922 Supreme Court decision.  The other professional sports have neither the longevity/history of baseball, nor the anti-trust exemption and as such have made it a point through out their histories of evolving and changing with the times – the most successful of which has been the NFL, a game tailor made for modern televisions.

Football and basketball have had their labor challenges, but they have always evolved with the times.  They have never enjoyed the same stability of the NHL (6-teams for 50 years) or MLB (the same 16 teams in the same place for 50 some-odd years, the same number of teams for more than 60 years).  The game began in the pre-media days of the late 1800’s-early 1900’s.  The game barely changed with minor tweaks along the way until the designated hitter rule came into place in 1973, the biggest change was the addition of divisions with the expansion of the 1960s.  Then interleague play in 1997, began ushering in the most change ever seen in the major league game.  More divisions and wild cards were changes that while controversial, were largely popular.  And, of course, Cincinnati losing the honor of hosting the first game of the season.  Not to mention limited "instant replay."

They were tweaks, and met with some resistance, but by far the biggest backlash from MLB’s modernization was the 2004 agreement to advertise “Spiderman 2” on the bases .  The outrage actually stopped the campaign cold.  The same people who criticized the move, are the same people who willingly watch NHL players skate across corporate logos frozen beneath the ice.  DO yourself a favor – watch the video of Bobby Orr’s Stanley Cup winner. 

Not one corporate logo to be found.   The NHL gets away with these moves because for most of their history, they were a small regional game unnoticed by most folks. 

MLB was fat dumb and happy for the better part of a century.  Unchallenged.  Unchanged.  Given the benefit of monopoly they behaved as monopolies do – they failed to innovate, evolve and change.  They allowed the MLBPA to become the most powerful union in sports – perhaps in American industry – though their boneheaded behaviors.  They leap into “on base” advertising, and get slapped down.  You will notice, though, that since that debacle, advertising does appear on the sides of the bags.  They’re a prisoner of their own history.   

But it is Opening Day.  Even with everything that’s wrong, it’s still baseball.  The curtain comes up on the 2013 season today.  The world is new again.  There’s a 30-team tie for the best record in baseball.   It only happens once a year.  And I’m happy to be re-opening the doors of the tavern on the day baseball officially pronounces it is spring.  Unlike Punxatawney Phil, baseball is never wrong...at least on opening day.   Over time, you should get used to baseball evolving more quickly...it's just taken them a lot longer than the other sports to do so.

Happy Easter!!!! Welcome Gabbers and others to my NASCAR update and other fast stuff. That grumpy kitty probably didn't get any marshmallow peeps, a mousie squeaker toy or chocolate bunnies in it's Easter basket.  Maybe kitty is a Denny Hamlin fan and just found out he won't be driving for the next 6 races at the very least. Yeah. That's probably it. I'm sure there's a smartass among you that could think of a good caption.

Look. Denny has that same look on his face as grumpy kitty. Denny tweeted this photo. He got out of the hospital on Monday after his really ugly wreck on Sunday at Fontana. Late in the race Logano had snagged the lead from Kyle with 7 to go but Hamlin was right behind in hot pursuit. On the last lap Hamlin pulls up beside Logano and the beatin' & bangin' & slammin' door numbers begins. Coming around the last turn Kyle catches up to and passes the duo still fighting it out. Kyle wins the race, Logano hits and rides the outside wall and Hamlin hits nose first into the inside wall at the entrance to pit road right where there's no safer barrier. The car hit so hard it jumped off the ground.

Hamlin got out on his own but immediately lay down on his back. He was strapped fast to a back board and off he went. Due to traffic after the race he was air lifted to the hospital. It was determined that he fractured his L1 vertebra. He was to stay out of the car at least 6 weeks. Doctors orders.

JGR hasn't had to deal with an issue like this in the 22 years he's had a team. Other than a driver losing his contract because somebody better came along or death, this just hasn't happened in racing in the modern era all that much. Most drivers work through their injuries.

Dale Earnhardt Sr wrecked at Talladega in 1996 so badly he broke his collarbone and dislocated his sternum. Breathing was damn near impossible due to the pain and he couldn't lift his left arm but he got in his car for the brickyard at Indianapolis the following week. He did 6 laps and then pitted to let Mike Skinner take over. Not because of the pain he said. It was so he wouldn't injure himself further. Then at Watkins Glen which is a road course he refused to stay out of the car despite his boss Richard Childress, wife Theresa and Dr Jerry Punch trying to persuade him to let Mike drive. He got in and drove sometimes using his knees and just one hand to steer. He came in 6th that day. 

Rusty Wallace had 2 big super speedway wrecks in 1993. Daytona and Talladega. The cars were obliterated and he broke his wrist but he kept driving all year.

And then there's Ricky Rudd. In the 1984 Busch Clash he wrecked so hard his face was swollen and they had to tape his eyes open so he could race in the Daytona 500 the next day. I think he came in 7th. Ricky had refused to be treated after the wreck so NASCAR didn't know how bad he was. After they found out it was a mandatory visit to the incare field center and a mandatory ride there after any wreck where you can't drive back to pit road. If you go to YouTube and look up this wreck you'll see just how truly violent it really was and just how close he came to that wall and his possible death.

Last year at Michigan Mark Martin impaled his car on the end of the pit road wall at the opening to get back to the garages. Another 6 to 8 inches toward the door number and I think he'd be gone. Who'd have thought a car would hit there? He also wrecked big at Talladega in 1994. He lost his breaks after contact on the track. Drove into a wall, then through a guard rail, a chain link fence and then into another guard rail. He got out but you could tell he was hurting. 

So even though NASCAR has become super vigilant on safety through all these wrecks and more I didn't write about there is still more to be done. Safety is a moving target. There for awhile the drivers were taking turns finding the spots with no safer barriers. Gordon found a couple. Ideally no wall at a NASCAR track should be without a safer barrier. I'm betting there will be one right where Hamlin hit at Fontana for the next time they come back there.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the safer barrier and how it's constructed.....You have your concrete wall then they have a steel tube wall made that sits about 2 to 3 feet away. They fill the in between space with styro foam pieces. It absorbs the impact better that just hitting the concrete wall that doesn't move at all. 

In the mean time, lets talk replacement drivers for the #11 according to rumor. The choices were Brian Vickers, Mark Martin, Elliot Sadler, AJ Allmendinger and Michael McDowell. All drivers have obligations or conflicts of some sort. By Thursday JGR had announced that Mark Martin would be the man to drive all 6 races starting in Martinsville next week BUT Saturday it was announced that Martin would only drive at Martinsville in the #11 because the #55 sponsor Aaron's was not happy about the arrangement. JGR only wanted to not have a revolving door in the #11 driver seat. 

It would seem that Brian Vickers who will drive the #55 Aaron's Dream Machine at Martinsville as per his previous commitment to do so will be in the #11 for the next 5 races. I'm happy. I was afraid they'd choose Elliot Sadler. He's driving for JGR in the Nationwide Series because he can't cut it in Sprint Cup. He came in 2nd in the points last year but success in the Nationwide Series does not equate to success in the Sprint Cup Series. If you've followed Mr Stenhouse Jr who won back to back titles in Nationwide, I would say his average is about what his car number is...17. Good but not great. Don't get me wrong, I believe he will improve but the older guys are not easy to race with. He will have to earn a spot.

So the old guy is still in demand. My stomach would look like that if I could stay away from chocolate.......which reminds me, HAPPY EASTER!!!!!! 

So Logano said some crappy things after the race. He says he didn't know Hamlin was injured when he said that Hamlin deserved what he gets. Since then Penske racing has reached out to JGR to smooth things over. Logano and Hamlin supposedly texted one another but according to Hamlin it did not go so well. 

On Twitter a fan asked Keselowski what he thought of the Coca Cola Family now. He said," Now they sound like a real family." That was in reference to the commercial where Tony Stewart drives Danica, Newman, Logano, Hamlin and Biffle around the track while they drink coke. I thought it was funny.

There's no race this week so for all of you needing my fantasy advise, you'll have to tune in next week. Even if you don't you should tune in any way. I like the company. So for right now, it's Easter Sunday. It's family time. I'm sure most of you have a dinner date with the family and or friends. I will be doing my usual Sunday breakfast with my grandkids SANS THE CANDY. Don't need to be peeling the kids off the ceiling fans at the diner if you know what I mean. Everyone, Gabbers others and everyone in between have a great wonderful safe and Happy Easter and.....

I'm outta here.......

Opening Day - Are there two words in sports that carry with it so many memories?  Is there any more certain sign that warm weather and spring are just around the corner?  It is the annual spring rite that brings renewal to so many sports fans.  As proof that hope springs eternal, ask any Cubs fan this weekend whether this is "THE Year" and all but the most cynical will point out that even the blind squirrel finds the occasional acorn...but it has been a long time for that squirrel - it may be on permanent hibernation.    

It is hard for me to believe, but this Monday will mark the first Opening Day that I will attend in person.  Looking back on it, after the Senators left town in mid-70's, I had no place to go.  I was NOT going to Baltimore even if the O's were good back then and going to Chicago seemed like a lot to ask once we had kids...so finally, in my 55th year of Opening Days, I get to go - and I am excited!  There is nothing like being at a live sporting event...things that cannot be captured on a big screen high def TV....there is the sounds and the discussions in the stands after a play, the smell of popcorn, pretzels, half smokes and such...and the field is always so green and so perfect...well, it makes for quite a memorable day.

Events like Opening Day trigger memories like no other sporting event...oh, sure I remember where I was when the Redskins won their first Super Bowl...and then lost so unceremoniously the next year to the Raiders killing a perfectly fine SB party.  But Baseball triggers life memories.  I remember my sandlot...a church sits on it now, but come the first warm day, our group had gloves, bats and balls at the ready to bring the sandlot back to life.   And as the spring went on, we would switch between baseball and wiffle ball...games with 4 a side or just one - on - one wiffle ball.   We would play with baseballs, tennis balls, no bats ("hot box"), no field (bounce the ball off the curb), stick ball and then there was League Ball.  I remember a scene from The Natural when Roy Hobbs asks Max Mercy, "Have you ever played ball, Max?"  There is a special understanding to having been in the arena, no matter how small the stage.  And with that little stroll down memory lane as my intro, let's take a look into my crystal ball for the 2013 MLB season....

When you get right down to it, you need three key ingredients to have a winning season:  strong pitching, a solid lineup and perhaps most importantly, good health.  The fourth ingredient no one can control - Lady Luck - is rarely the deciding factor but can turn a teams season from just another run of mediocrity into something special - just as the 2012 Orioles who won an unprecendented number of 1 run games.  Good luck repeating that run, boys.  So here we go:

Division Champions:

AL East:  I think Tampa Bay has the right mix of pitching, which is strong, and in the field talent to hold off the Blue Jays.  It has been a long time since both the Red Sox and the Yankees were not in the mix for the title.  Not only are they not in the mix for the AL East, they should be also-rans for the Wild Card spot as well.   Times are changing in baseball...it is not enough to throw money at stars and expect championships.  It is for that reason, that I pick Tampa over the Blue Jays.  I like the Jays, but I think it may take a little bit for that team to gel.  

AL Central:  The easy pick here, and maybe in all the divisions, is the Tigers.  They have Verlander backed by a loaded lineup.  Verlander is an old school pitcher with all the tools to have pitched in any era.  I also like what the Royals have shown so far in Spring Ball.  Could they finally have what it takes not be a doormat team?  I think they are at long last on the rise.  The Indians and White Sox are the answer to Hodgepoge for $1000....the Answer is, "These Teams do not know what the hell they are doing."  "Who are the Indians & White Sox?", Alex.  As for the Twins, small town ball has finally caught up with them.  Where did all their pitching go?

AL West:  The only sure thing in the AL West is that the Astros will finish last.  When the most notable thing about your team is that the entire payroll is less than A-Rod's annual salary, you know you have problems.  I guess MLB must have given them a sweet package to leave the National League...did that include a rebate for the fans?  Was this team really in the World Series in 2005?!   In the three way fight between the A's, Angels and Rangers, one has to believe that all the talent that has been assembled in Anaheim translates into victories...in a way a lot like the Yankees of year's past.  It's a team that will steamroll most of the league during the regular season and then be challenged in the post season.

AL Wild Card Teams:  Blue Jays & A's...there is more than enough pitching and team talent for these two teams to get in the playoffs.  I think the Jays win the one game playoff.  

AL Champion:  The Blue Jays will be the first wild card team in the new format to reach the World Series.  Nobody can hit Dickey's knuckleball and he can pitch on short rest...he will be the key for Toronto.  Toronto needs something to cheer for, Lord knows the Leafs can't be counted on.

NL East:   It is hard for me to pick against the Nationals.  They have such a great rotation and so much young, emerging talent, it seems as tough the biggest obstacle is the expectations that they have set for themselves.  What if they get off to a slow start?  Will Davey Johnson be able to keep them focused?  Bryce Harper hit almost .500 in Grapefruit League ball - can he continue his torrid pace after April 1?  In my mind, the answer is "Yes" - they can hold off the Braves and Phillies, both quality contenders, and establish themselves as a force in the National League for the next few years.

NL Central:   It is equally hard to pick against the Reds in the NL Central.  They have fewer rivals than the Nats with only the Cardinals as serious challengers.  What is the deal with the Pirates?  A team that bad for so long should be loaded with young talent (like the Nationals).  Their refusal to sign top young stars keeps them from developing...a shame considering their ballpark is one of the nicest I have ever seen.   And will somebody please buy the Cubs a goat?

NL West:  The Giants have won 2 of the last 3 World Series - they deserve respect and get it here in the form of my pick for the NL West.  The Dodgers doing their best Steinbrenner imitation have assembled a lot of high priced talent - does it translate into a division title?  I think it is 50 -50.  The rest of the division is mediocre at best, so these two long time rivals can look forward to a very entertaining season.

NL Wildcards:  Braves & Dodgers...they should garner enough wins to get to the playoffs, with the Braves winning the 1 game playoff.  Unlike the Jays, I think the one game hurts the Braves rotation enough to cost them a serious run at the title.

NL & World Series Champion:  I am going with the Nationals and there big time arms to carry the day in October.  And...with a little luck, Washington will have its first Championship banner flying for the first time since 1924. 

Many famous peeps have been buried at Forest Lawn in So Cal...

Andy Gibb and Art Linkletter...

Bert Convy, Bette Davis, and Buster Keaton...

Charles Laughton...

David Carradine and Don Drysdale...

Edgar Buchanan, Edie Adams, and Ernie Kovacs...

Forrest Tucker and Fred “Rerun” Berry...

Gene Autry and Godfrey Cambridge...

Rick’s mom, Harriet Nelson...

And John’s mom, Helen Travolta...

Jack Webb and John Wooden...

Leo Durocher and Liberace...

Lou Rawls and Lucille Ball...

Marty Feldman and Marvin Gaye...

Not to mention my dear Uncle Leo...

And my mom and dad...

Forest Lawn at Glendale and Hollywood Hills are beautiful...

However...

Two more burials took place last weekend...

At Sherwood’s Forest Lawn...

The hair, the smile, and the tongue...

Sherwood Brown and Florida Gulf Coast performing last rites...

Jamaal Franklin and San Diego State followed Georgetown...

Going six feet under...

Oh my word...

Haven’t they stolen the show at the March Madness Dance???

We are pleasantly stunned...

But not as nearly as stunning as...

The coach’s wife...

Take a look at him, then take a look at her...

Boy, did he marry up...

Way, way up...

THAT dude got a supermodel???

Amanda Marcum Enfield???

Well...

Now there’s hope for you young and ugly single men out there...

No wonder the Hoyas and Aztecs lost...

Too busy looking at her...

Totally unfair...

Hiawatha!!!!!!!

You better watch out, Florida Gators...

The Undertaker has your grave ready...

But if you took a brief moment to shift your eyes to the court...

You found something incredibly refreshing...

A Phenomenal Phifteen in the Sweet Sixteen...

Actually...

Should a team that beat Miami be seeded that low???

It doesn’t matter at this point...

The Florida Gulf Coast “Iggles” have landed...

Making this tournament incredibly memorable...

In more ways than one...

dvt

http://0.tqn.com/d/gocalifornia/1/0/S/P/3/20101618_050-a.jpg

http://www.ranker.com/list/famous-people-buried-at-forest-lawn-memorial-park/wavy-gravey?page=8

http://dlrtoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Art_Linkletter.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m_1qm17iYvE/TishZ0Zx0sI/AAAAAAAAHIM/YpTklER7-Fg/s1600/dondrysdale.jpg

http://1pointperspective.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/fred-berry-02-celebslists-dot-com.jpg

http://www.otrcat.com/z/jack-webb-dragnet.jpg

http://www.sabotagetimes.com/wp-content/uploads/Marty-Feldman.jpg

http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_content_width/hash/83/91/83913bcf234208b61d5e8fdd77712555.jpg?itok=n3DvW1UR

http://sincaatourney.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/florida-gulf-coast-sherwood-brown-san-diego-state-sweet-16.jpg?w=600&h=420

http://a.abcnews.com/images/US/gty_andy_amanda_enfield_mi_130325_wg.jpg

http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/article/media_slots/photos/000/249/398/undertaker_original.jpg?1321390701

http://media.naplesnews.com/media/img/photos/2013/03/22/SPORTS_BKC-FLGULFCOAST-GTOWN_5_PD_t607.JPG

It’s another Thursday, and we are just days away from the baseball season.  It always brings a feeling of a new season. Here in New England we finally are getting a break from winter weather with temps in the high 40’s and low 50’s. Feels good just to get outside.

Sports the NCAA Tourney heats up once again today and everybody is routing for Florida Gulf Coast to beat Florida. Indiana and Louieville still the front runners. I never count Tom Izzo and Michigan State out especially at Tournament time. We will have our final four by Sunday evening no selection show you simply win and you are the show.

The Boston Red Sox have one controversy as they break camp. Do they bring Jackie Bradley Jr who has had a great spring training North with them. If they leave Bradley down for a 11 days and the Red  Sox would get an extra year before he reaches free agency which would be 2019.

I think they need to bring this kid up now and not worry about 2019. So much could happen between now and then a freak injury, They find out he can’t hit major league pitching or he is a superstar and he earns his free agent cash. You never know.

The legend has coached his last game Jack Parker has retired . The Terriers lost to Umass Lowell in the Hockey East finals 1-0. It ended Parkers 40 year career has BU’s coach. The Terriers wasted no time hiring Dave Quinn who played for Parker from 1984-88 and was also an assistant at BU. Currently Quinn is an assistant with the Colorado Avalanche and will take the helm at BU once the Avalanche end their season.

NHL UPDATE

The President hosted both the LA Kings and the LA Galaxy at the white house this week. Both teams did some exercise with kids on the west lawn.

Guys on neither team pulled a Tim Thomas all went and all were honored and viewed it as honor as they should.

The Lightning fired Head Coach Guy Boucher on Sunday. He only had one year as a professional coaching. He is being replaced with Jon Cooper of the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch a Lightning affiliate.

Move over the Blackhawks and watchout for the Penguins who have won 13 straight. They just take care of business.

The trade deadline is Wednesday and the Jerome Igimla watch is on. The Flames will be sellers and as mentioned last week the Bruins maybe buyers. The Bruins need a scoring punch as of late but at what cost? Iginla could help in the short run but he maybe to high priced for the market and maybe for the Bruins. Je can help but he isn’t the player he use to be. I did hear the possibility of Nathan Horton  and draft picks but it’s a rumor.

LIL Warriors UpDate

The boys played 3 games in 4 days they went 2=1 . The lost last Thursday 6-2 and won on Saturday 6-2 and on Sunday 9-2. They have one game left in the regular season. Interesting thing happened on Saturday myself and the two guys I’m coaching with were in the locker room before the game * am game at that, The entire coaching staff from our opponents the Hawks came in to congragulate us on beating the first place team a few weeks ago. They were classy guys and a lot of mutual respect went on. On Sunday the Red Raider coaches who we have had great games with this season also were very complementary saying who our kids have really gotten better The Red Raiders are the next town and our Natural rivals but they have a classy coaching staff and agreat bunch of kids as well. Playoffs start next Wednesday and finish on Sunday .

I’ll keep you posted. The entire team skated last night in a two hour tryout half were trying for a Pee Wee team next age level up. The other half trying for a higher Squirt team. Lil Lanz held his own with the Pee Wees doing a great job against some really good players.

That’s all for today.