Here Comes The Weekend

Evenin' peeps, evenin' Hazel

A slow day - both in the world of sports and in my real life today. No run today, just didn't have it tonight - I walked downtown today to meet a very good friend of mine for lunch (pizza) - I walked about 4 km (2.5 miles) in about 30 - 35 mins; so tonight, I did another 30 mins on a treadmill. I'm going for 7 km tomorrow, 5 Saturday, and we are going to shoot for 10 on Sunday - we'll see.

Baseball Today
The Dodgers are off - but here he comes! Eric Gagne is ready to come back and dominate the National League. The Jays are off too - so that means Vernon Wells batting average won't go down.

The Yankees lost AGAIN - to the damn D-Rays. Funny, the Yankees seem to be a hot topic of conversation amongst members Red Sox Nation - I saw a lot of cautious optimism about the Sox winning over the Yankees, a complete lack of respect afforded to the O's (which I think is a mistake - they are for real I tell you!), and a bit of fear about burying the Yankees. Red Sox Nation doesn't know what to think. From where i sit, these guys aren't paying enough attention to the fact that Schilling isn't coming back any time soon. Going with guys like Halama and Gonzalez is gonna get you - and I don't care if Wade Miller is coming back from rehab this weekend, he's gonna be rusty.

Speaking of the Sox, they beat the Tigers today - a few observations about today's game.

1) I'm not sold on Arroyo - I know Red Sox Nation loves this guy, but throwing 74 mile an hour curve balls that hang sometimes is eventually going to come back and bite this guy. NESN posted a stat that said in first three innings this year, ERA 1.80, in innings 4-6 it shoots up to 5.40 - that's telling. It says when hitters get a second look at him - he gets hit; being in the rotation all year will say alot about whether or not he is the real deal.

2) David Ortiz is the man. The guy comes up in the top of the ninth, two outs - he's been squeezed all day by the home plate ump, he has two strikes on him and he smokes a double to put the Sox up - the guy is clutch, the kind of guy who wants to be up there when the game is on the line.

3) Red Sox Nation is going to see what life without Edgar is like - for a little while anyways. Renteria hurt his finger and is day to day. Renteria is a good player who is getting a lot of heat from some of the more impatient members of Red Sox Nation - I'm sure they'll start the calls for Hanley Ramirez, like he is the answer.

4) NESN's coverage sucks. The play by play guy, Don Orsillo is ok - but Jerry Remy sounds like a drunk Cliff Clavin. Apologies in advance to Hazel, but damn... The sideline report Eric Frede looks like he goes for 2 for 1 haircuts with four year olds - and he's terrible. I thought Hazel was going to get some time covering the Sox (maybe she's on when Rogers isn't picking up NESN feeds) - but, she's better than that cast of clowns calling the games. I mean, when they did promos for Sportsdesk, they didn't even mention that Hazel was the host. NESN please give Hazel some more air time, she deserves it dammit.

NBA
Celtics win in O/T - I say this only cuz Hazel will have reported this tonight.

UEFA Cup
In Holland today, Sporting Lisbon lost 3-2 to AZ Alkmaar in the second leg of their tie in UEFA Cup semi-finals. They ended 4 - 4 on aggregate, with Sporting advancing on away goals. Sporting now plays CSKA Moscow in the final to be held in Lisbon in late May. God be with the boys from Sporting. I wonder if NESN reports on that *smile* There's enough people with Portuguese heritage in New England to make it worth reporting - isn't there Hazel?

World Hockey Tournament
I'm not referring to it as a Championship - I can't and I won't. Canada beat the U.S 3-1 - Mario Lemieux, Joe Sakic and Jerome Ignila scored for Canada - what????? They weren't there? huh? Three of Canada's best players actually said "No" to Team Canada? What kind of Championship is it when the best players aren't there? Canadians never put much creedance in this trophy in years gone by - because our best weren't there - they were in the playoffs...well, nothing has changed gang...a few more really good players are there, but not the best. I've given this too much time - I'm bordering on being Bob McKenzie.

OHL's Oshawa Generals to draft John Tavares - a fourteen year old player in Toronto area - why is this significant on Hazelspeeps? My boy John is Portuguese. Hazel if you read this, roll that R like only you can - it's "Tah-va-rrrrrr-sh"

I'm out of the night, it's been a long slow day and it's time to haul ass to bed.

Goodnight Hazel Mae, fondest regards and best wishes out your way, here's hoping that your weekend starts off well - enjoy the weekend series with the Mariners. We still miss you.

Hazelspeep Song of the Day - today's pick was tough, no theme in tonight's entry to link it to

Pearl Jam is coming here in September - and they are one of Hazel's favourite bands (according to her bio - which admittedly was done a while back).

Even Flow - Pearl Jam

Goodnight peeps.

Peesth out!