The most expensive start in the history of sports

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae if she is checking in.

It looks like all of Hazel's good karma was used up at Fenway last night - the Sox get a grand slam home run from J.D. Drew on the way to pounding the Indians and the Leafs somehow blow a two goal lead in the third period to the Blackhawks.

Given that Game 7 of the ALCS goes tonight, and its NFL Sunday, we won't dwell on the awful turn of events at the ACC last night - we just want the Sox season to wrap up one way or another, out tonight or a quick World Series appearance, in hopes that Hazel can focus the good karma on the Leafs.

Speaking of tonight - the posting fee was $52M, the contract was $51M over six years, but does anyone else think the $103M the Sox committed to Dice-K comes down to tonight's start? He has to be feeling like it all comes down to tonight - if he isn't feeling it, he has to be hearing it. A loss tonight and Red Sox Nation will have to feel like the Dice will be part of the off-season free agent acquisitions ever - Drew, Lugo and Dice.

The question is - how will he deal with the pressure of living up to the expectations of his management, his teammates, and one of the most passionate group of fans in all of professional sports? Perception of what is or isn't the biggest game of your career is subjective - this may or may not be the biggest start of his career - in his heart and mind, for all we know, the biggest start of his career could have taken place in Japan or at the World Baseball Championship.

Is it the biggest game of his career? Who knows. What we can say is it is likely the most pressure he will ever face (unless he finds himself in the same predicament with a World Series on the line). He'll figure it out by the time his first pitch crosses the plate - he's NEVER been in anything like this before. A win tonight goes a long way to how he will be remembered by Red Sox Nation...a loss? We don't even want to think about what the next five years are going to be like for him.

Interesting side notes to last night's game - while Red Sox Nation is in rapture today, we have to wonder about a couple of things -

Did Schilling do enough last night to get a contract offer after the season?

Was J.D. Drew's grand slam enough to erase the memories of a horrible first season in Boston?

It might not matter to the Nation - you might all think, who cares? Today? Maybe no one...we're guessing that it will be the main topic of conversation tomorrow. We said at the outset we were "bucking the trend" and picking Cleveland in seven - we're going to stick with it. We're not convinced about Dice-K's mental or physical strength to get through a game like tonight. Tonight's game will come down to the bullpens - and from what has happened so far - you have to go with Cleveland.

No stars today - Leafs lost and we'd feel like hypocrites nominating J.D. Drew for one great moment.


SUNDAY THREE PLAY
Tough night last night in terms of the bottom line, going 4-2 and winding up +$80 on the night isn't a good result. The total for the week stands at - $30. Today's suggestions:

NY GIANTS - 9 over San Francisco - the Giants are on a roll right now, the 49ers are a mess. This one is a no brainer. Lay $100 on the Giants.

WASHINGTON - 8 over Arizona - will Kurt Warner start today? It doesn't matter, because even if he does...he won't finish. The Skins D has too much for the Cards to deal with...no Leinhart, no Warner, NO CHANCE. Lay $100 on the Skins

BUFFALO +3 over Baltimore - the Ravens have issues on both sides of the ball and the Bills have to be feeling better about themselves after the Monday night game against Dallas. This one will be CLOSE. Lay $100 on the Bills.

No six pack today - we'll be back mid-way through the 1 pm games to post our late afternoon picks.

That's it for this morning - thanks for taking the time to check in. Have a great one peeps - enjoy your NFL/Game 7 Sunday.

Hazel, we hope things are groovy in your world.

We're Out!