Serves Him Right

Apple released its iPad yesterday to the world, and I had a feeling a certain person would be the first in line at the store in midtown Manhattan.

But as it turns out, the infamous publicity hound, Greg Packer, got bumped out of the first position because he didn't reserve a copy ahead of time, and a guy from Germany went ahead of him. Packer had been in line since last Thursday, and wasn't happy about getting bounced back. He was first in line when the iPhone went on sale a few years back, and of course, made a big deal about it. He is such a media whore that the Associated Press has even gone as far as told their reporters NOT to quote him any more at any event he turns up at. (There wasn't a real need for anyone to stand in line for the iPad, as all you had to do is pre-order it and go pick it up or have it delivered to you.)

I've talked about Packer before on this blog. He's the guy who tries to be first at everything, just so he talk to reporters and get his name in the papers. In the previous link, I talked about how this guy, a Yankee fan, posed as a Red Sox fan at the Riviera Cafe at the start of Game 4 of the 2004 World Series so he could get on TV, and I saw him again at Professor Thom's during the Red Sox games in Japan in March 2008. Haven't seen him at anything else connected to the Red Sox.

He's even gone as far as to claim his wife lost a friend at the World Trade Center in 2001 so he could get into the 9/11 remembrances at Ground Zero. Packer really angered my friend who is the head of the WTC group I belong to by pulling such crap. He was also first in line when the viewing platform to the site opened in December 2001. The guy does anything for publicity, and using the World Trade Center disaster for it is really sick.

Well, Apple turned the tables on Mr. Publicity Whore. Good for them.

Trivia Night Reminder

To all the Tuesday Night Trivia players:

Just a reminder that our Trivia Night is being moved to Thursday, April 8th at 9 PM, due to the Red Sox-Yankees game tomorrow night. We're expecting a big crowd at Thom's for it, so Trivia has to be moved because of the game.

The Sneak Peek will be posted on my blog on Wednesday morning.

We will be returning to Tuesday night, next week, April 13th at 9 PM.

See you Thursday night!

So Good

Here's Neil Diamond doing "Sweet Caroline" at Fenway Park last night:

Beckett's In For Four More

Josh Beckett didn't have a good night at Fenway last night, but today is a much better day, as he and the Red Sox agreed to a four-year, $68 million deal. It will be announced at a press conference this afternoon. More from on the deal from Extra Bases.

One less free agent for the Red Sox to worry about next winter.

And boy, what a rock solid rotation they have through 2014: Beckett, Lester, Lackey and Buchholz...

Red Sox Win the First Game of the '10s

There are simply fewer things in this life I enjoy more than watching the Red Sox come from four runs down to win, especially when it happens in the home opener, in a new decade, against the New York Yankees.

And I'm there in person to witness it.

I attended my first opener at Fenway Park and I simply had a blast. I went up with the BLOHARDS on their famous Opening Day bus trip and it was great. (My thanks to Ray Duffy for coordinating a great time for all of us who were able to sacrifice our Easter Sunday to go.) We got to Fenway shortly before 7 PM, and the crowd was already large in number. There was a good number of Yankee fans where I was, in section 4 in the grandstand. I turned to one of my friends sitting next to me when a number of them came in and said, "I can smell the obnoxiousness in the air." Fortunately, the crowd was generally pretty well-behaved. There was some back and forth needling and a few rowdies were tossed out, but nothing of any sheer violence occurred.

Mike Lowell got one of the loudest ovations in the player intros, and tipped his cap to the crowd. Very classy. Pedro Martinez came in from the scoreboard to throw out the first ball, and Fenway gave him a thunderous ovation. Pedro was ever the showman and played up to the crowd, who was enjoying it as well. The Opening Night ceremonies were very well done, with Steven Tyler of Aerosmith sang "God Bless America" at the seventh inning stretch, and in a real surprise, Neil Diamond popped on to the field after the top of the eighth to do a rendition of "Sweet Caroline." The crowd was charged up both times, especially seeing Mr. Diamond. (He was wearing a jacket with the words "Keep the Dodgers In Brooklyn" on the back. I guess that was his tribute to his home NYC borough, which also happens to be mine.) The night's festivities had all the earmarks of the handiwork of Dr. Charles Steinberg, the former Red Sox head of PR. Could he be returning?)

As for the game, it looked like a night when Josh Beckett didn't have it and the Sox could do little with C.C. Sabathia. But fortunately, that was just for the first four innings. After Beckett left, Scott Schoeneweis made his Red Sox debut and I felt doom was coming. But he made a good accounting of himself, as did the entire bullpen (with the exception of Ramon Ramirez), allowing just two runs after Beckett allowed five.

Sabathia began to tire in the fifth, as the Sox got to him for a second run, and then two in the sixth. Once the game was finally tied at 5-5, it turned into a battle of attrition, with New York scoring two and then the Sox matched it to make it 7-7, on Dustin Pedroia's two-run blast to left. And the Sox grabbed the lead for the first time on a passed ball on Jorge Posada that scored Kevin Youkilis. Some valuable insurance was added in the eighth when the Sox tacked on another run on the overrated and overexposed Joba Chamberlain to make it 9-7. (That was sweet.)

Jonathan Papelbon looked strong in the ninth, allowing just one hit in getting save number one. It was night I didn't think early on we'd be hearing "Dirty Water" as the game concluded. But it was good to get the first win, especially considering who was in the enemy dugout.

And there was one other special guest last night, one five-year-old Joshua Sacco, who became a YouTube star earlier this year doing the Herb Brooks speech from the film, "Miracle." But last night it was the Red Sox he was urging home to victory. Nice job young man:

Happy Easter/Opening Day (Night)

First off, a very Happy Easter to all of you out there. Hope all of you enjoy the day.

I will be spending my very first Easter Sunday in Fenway Park, as the Red Sox open up the 2010 season and play the very first game of the '10s against Those Guys Just to the South of New England. (Or is it "teens?" We have to make a decision about this.)

It will be my first opener at Fenway, and my fifth Opening Day game I've been to. I've been to two openers at Shea Stadium, in 1969 and 1987. (Mets lost in 1969 and won in 1987.) And yes, I saw the 1986 World Series championship banner raised live and in person. Talk about mixed emotions.

I've been to two Yankee Stadium openers in my life, in 1992, with New York against the Red Sox and 2003 against the Twins. The Red Sox lost (and finished last that season, and God-willing, for the last time) and New York won in 2003. I remember that day well not for Hideki Matsui's grand slam in his first MLB game, but for how bloody cold it was that day. It never got above 39 degrees, and it's the only baseball game I have ever worn a parka to.

Thankfully, it will be in the 70s in Boston in Sunday.

I will be going up to Boston with the BLOHARDS, the group of loyal New York-based Red Sox fans, of which I am proud to call myself one. I'll be going up on their famous Opening Day bus trip. I was supposed to go up last year, but the rainout on Opening Day canceled it for me, and I had to my Trivia Night the next day. I'm glad I'm getting the opportunity this year.

I'll have a full report on the game on Monday. I won't be home until after 5 AM, as thanks to MLB and their ever-increasing need for greed, ESPN is showing the opener at 8 PM on Sunday.

A blessed Easter to all of you.

Wear Blue

It's a special day today. It is World Autism Awareness Day, a day when we focus on those who have been affected by this disease, and those who support and love them. Two of my nephews, Matt and Joe, are affected by it. They are wonderful kids.

This is also Autism Awareness Month. Hopefully one day in my lifetime, we will find a cure for this disorder.

So in support of them, please wear blue. Any kind of blue will do. Thank you so much.

The 2010 Opening Day Roster

It now appears that the Red Sox roster for Sunday's opener is now set, as Scott Atchison and Scott Schoeneweis have both claimed the last bullpen slots over Joe Nelson and Alan Embree.

So here it is, courtesy of Extra Bases:

LINEUP: Jacoby Ellsbury LF; Dustin Pedroia 2B; Victor Martinez C; Kevin Youkilis 1B; David Ortiz DH; J.D. Drew RF; Adrian Beltre 3B; Mike Cameron CF; Marco Scutaro SS.

BENCH: Jason Varitek C; Jeremy Hermida LF, RF; Bill Hall 3B, 2B, SS, RF, LF; Mike Lowell 3B, 1B.

ROTATION: RHP Josh Beckett; LHP Jon Lester; RHP John Lackey; RHP Tim Wakefield; RHP Clay Buchholz.

BULLPEN: RHP Jonathan Papelbon; RHP Daniel Bard; LHP Hideki Okajima; RHP Ramon Ramirez; RHP Manny Delcarmen; RHP Scott Atchison; LHP Scott Schoeneweis.

DISABLED LIST: RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka (back); RHP Boof Bonser (groin); INF Jed Lowrie (illness); RHP Junichi Tazawa (elbow).

A Great Sunday Doubleheader This Weekend

The good folks at Celebrity Marketing and NetRaffle.org have a great promotion that I thought I'd bring to your attention.

A cool raffle is happening this weekend for Boston fans to two great games. One will be a raffle of two Loge section seats in Section 24 at Fenway Park for this Sunday's opener with the New York Yankees, with the game time at 8:05 PM. (I'll be at the game, so you might get the chance to meet me, too!)

And the second part of the raffle will be for two Courtside seats, in the third row from the floor, to the Celtics-Cavaliers game, also this Sunday at TD Garden, which tips off at 1 PM.

The raffle benefits the Celtics Foundation and Fisher House, which does a lot of work for the benefit of our veterans. The raffle tickets are $2 each, with a minimum of five tickets. If you'd like more information or would like to get raffle tickets, please follow this link: https://www.celebritiesforcharity.org/raffles/celtics_doubleheader.cfm

Reason #6541 Why I Hate Sportswriters

Today was one of those rare days when I actually looked at a New York newspaper, and it just happened to be the day the New York Daily News had their 2010 baseball preview.

I was actually surprised that three of their writers are picking the Red Sox to win the World Series this year. But they also had them picking things like who will win the MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year in both leagues.

Two of them picked Stephen Strasburg, three picked Jason Hayward and two picked Dexter Fowler of Colorado to win the Rookie of the Year in the National League. There's only one problem with that. Fowler is NOT a rookie: he batted .266 last year in 135 games, and finished eighth in the voting for the 2009 Rookie of the Year award.

I love these writers who don't do their homework. The writers are Anthony McCarron and Roger Rubin. They should be ashamed of themselves, as well as who ever edits this baseball edition, for not catching it. Not one, but two of them made that mistake. Unbelievable, and very shoddy.

Just another reason why I don't bother with the New York tabloids anymore.

I Wouldn't Bet On Any Standing Ovations

Julio Lugo looks like he's making the tour, as the Cardinals traded him to the Baltimore Orioles today for a bag of used balls, er, a player to be named later.

I would bet the only fans who be rising when he makes his first at-bat back at Fenway this year will be the ones who'll be heading for the bathrooms.

The Red Sox also put Boof Bonser on the disabled list to begin the season with a groin injury and Jed Lowrie, who if he had any worse luck he'd be dead by now, also on the DL with mononucleosis. Junichi Tazawa needs Tommy John surgery and is done for 2010, and will have it next week.

Also, reports have it that the Red Sox and Josh Beckett are closing in on a four-year, $68 million deal, and it maybe announced as soon as Monday.

BTW, is Beckett's agent, Michael Moye, the same Michael Moye who created "Married With Children?" Found nothing about it on the creator's Wikipedia page...

An Old Friend's Out of Work

The Cubs are going with Chad Tracy with one of their final utility spots, so yesterday they released 2004 hero Kevin Millar.

I guess his dream of being a "cursebuster" for the second time is now gone. (Unless maybe the Indians pick him up.)

This could be the end of the road for Millar. I don't see the Red Sox as a landing spot for him this year. I could definitely see him in broadcast booth with someone in the near future.

In tribute, here's Kevin encouraging Sox fans in 2007 when they were down in the ALCS to the Indians (and while he was still a member of the Orioles):



And no Red Sox fan who was at Fenway while he was a Red Sox will ever forget this video played there, "Rally Karaoke Guy":



We will never forget "Cowboy Up" or his walk that began the greatest comeback in the history of American sports.

Thanks Kevin. And good luck.

Trivia Q&A: March 30

On a miserable, rainy night in New York we had just seven teams in for Trivia Night on Tuesday. I appreciated all of you who make my Trivia Night a weekly event, and I thank you all for coming out despite the rain.

We had some of the lowest numbers I've ever seen for Current Events, as I think I made it just slightly too difficult. The numbers rebounded nicely in the other categories.

We had two teams run the table in IQ Trivia, and one of those teams, John Quinn, I Want You, To Build, An Ark, wound up pulling out a one-point victory. My congratulations to Rob and his crew on their win. Rob was really confident of victory before we got started last night, and pulled off a big comeback in IQ Trivia to do it. I also think it was the first time a team got a win with my name in their team name!

We also have another change in the day we are doing Trivia Night next week. Next Monday is not possible to do it, as the NCAA basketball championship game is happening. So we will now have Trivia Night next week on Thursday night, April 8th at 9 PM. The Red Sox-Yankees games of next Tuesday and Wednesday nights makes those nights not possible for us. We will then return to Tuesday night on April 13th at 9 PM.

Current Events
1. Alicia Guastaferro, an 18-year-old girl who was featured on this reality show two years ago, is suing ABC for $100 million, charging they framed scenes to embarrass her that led to death threats against her.
2. This talk show host will be hosting a show on GSN beginning next month called "Baggage," giving contestants a chance to win a date but they have to reveal their faults and foibles first.
3. A judge called this talk show host a "charlatan" after she sentenced a couple to prison for running a shoplifting ring, and the couple had appeared on his show and his staff encouraged them to exaggerate their exploits.
4. The secretary of state of this US state said last week that her state's voters will decide by vote in November's election whether to legalize recreational marijuana use for adults.
5. American John Tate was recently awarded the Abel Prize by the King of Norway. In what field of endeavor is the Abel Prize awarded for?
6. This country officially banned Adolf Hitler's book "Mein Kampf" last week, citing it as extremist in an attempt to combat the growing allure of far-right politics there.
7. The remains of the son of this 1930s/40s Hollywood star may have finally been discovered, as he was a journalist who disappeared in Cambodia in 1970 during the Vietnam War.

Answers: 1. "Wife Swap;" 2. Jerry Springer; 3. Dr. Phil McGraw; 4. California; 5. mathematics; 6. Russia; 7. Errol Flynn.

March 30th Trivia
1. On this date in 1981, the Academy Awards were postponed for just the second time in its history and for 24 hours for what reason?
2. In 1822, the territory of this US state was established after it was ceded to the US by Spain in the Adams-Onis Treaty of 1819.
3. The first subway opened in Canada on this date in 1954 in which major city?
4. The Crimean War officially ended on this date in 1856 with a treaty signed in what European capital city?
5. What bridge, linking the boroughs of Manhattan and Queens, opened today in 1909?
6. This actor, who won two Academy Awards, his first being for "Angels With Dirty Faces," died on this date in 1986 at the age of 86.
7. This rap star, who actually started off as an 11-year-old office assistant for Oakland A's owner Charlie Finley, was born on this day in 1962.

Answers: 1. The shooting of President Reagan; 2. Florida; 3. Toronto; 4. Paris; 5. Queensborough ( 59th Street) Bridge; 6. James Cagney; 7. MC Hammer.

US States Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. This was the first state to ratify the Constitution.
2. The largest mall in America by floor area can be found in this state.
3. This state has the highest percentage of urban population in the US with 90%.
4. Grand Canyon National Park is found in this state.
5. Mt. Rushmore is located in this state.
6. The first American flag was made in this state.
7. What is the only state that does not have counties?
8. "The Rubber Capital of the World" is found in this state.
9. Bing Crosby and Jimi Hendrix were both born in this state.
10. What state is nicknamed "The Centennial State?"

Answers: 1. Delaware; 2. Minnesota; 3. New Jersey; 4. Arizona; 5. South Dakota; 6. Pennsylvania; 7. Louisiana; 8. Ohio; 9. Washington; 10. Colorado.

General Knowledge
1. What is the world's smallest continent in area? ( 1 pt)
2. Sam Walton founded what chain of stores in 1962? ( 1 pt)
3. Of the four major over-the-air TV networks, ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, which is the oldest? (1 pt)
4. The Vezina Trophy is found in what team sport? ( 2 pt)
5. Shintoism is the largest religion of what nation? ( 2 pt)
6. The HMS Bounty mutineers settled on what island in 1790? ( 2 pt)
7. Author and linguist Albert Camus was born in what African country in 1913? ( 3 pt)

Answers: 1. Australia; 2. Wal-Mart; 3. NBC; 4. hockey; 5. Japan; 6. Pitcairn; 7. Algeria.

IQ Trivia
1. What country, with 104, has the most nuclear power plants? ( 3 points)
2. Port of Spain is the capital of what Caribbean country? ( 4 points)
3. In the late 1940s, Billboard magazine writer Jerry Wexler coined what musical term, replacing one popularly known at the time as "race music?" ( 4 points)
4. Gavrilo Princip made history by assassinating Archduke Franz Ferdinand, starting World War I in 1914 in what Eastern European city? ( 5 points)
5. "The Crimson Permanent Assurance" was a 15-minute film that aired directly before what 1983 comedy feature film?

Answers: 1. United States; 2. Trinidad & Tobago; 3. Rhythm and Blues; 4. Sarajevo; 5. "The Meaning of Life."

Cross Your Fingers

Hopeful news about the Memorial at Ground Zero. The worry is that it won't be ready in time for the September 11, 2011 opening. But according to the following article in The Real Deal Online, it might actually be finished ahead of schedule.

After years and years of in-fighting and constant disappointments there, we can only hope this is true, and something beautiful and spectacular will rise from there to remember those we loved and lost.

And tomorrow at the Museum preview site at 20 Vesey Street, over 600 oral histories concerning the 9/11 victims will be unveiled there through StoryCorps, each one from one of the victims' friends and loved ones.

I'm proud to say that one of them is from me.

Happy Birthday Eric Idle

One of my favorite Monty Python songs, "Always Look On The Bright Side of Life," in tribute of Mr. Idle's 67th birthday:

He Won't Be Getting Faced This Sunday

Well, not everyone's happy the bars around Fenway Park will shut on Easter Sunday night, which is also Opening Day for the Red Sox.

Here's another of those funny "Hitler's pissed" video parodies, this time The Fuhrer's not happy he can't get drunk before Sunday's Sox clash with The Evil Empire:



BTW, I love in this video when the Hitler guy says "Stalin," it is translated as "Dan Shaughnessy." Classic. With thanks to my friend Jere for the link to the video.

Also, the Fuhrer (and everyone else) will have three opportunities this week to see the Red Sox on TV before the regular season begins. Tonight against Tampa Bay on the MLB Network at 7 PM, and on ESPN on Tuesday (vs. TB) and Thursday afternoons (vs. Minnesota) at 1 PM.

Congratulations to the Red Sox on winning the Mayor's Cup over the Twins yesterday, with an 11-5 win. It was their fourth win in the seven-game series with their Ft. Myers rivals. Hopefully, it's just the first in their collection of winning hardware in 2010.

March 30th Trivia on Tuesday

We haven't done trivia from a specific day in quite a long while, so on Tuesday we will have "March 30th Trivia," seven questions about people, places and things connected to that day.

The Q Train lightning round will be "US States Trivia," 10 questions about our beloved 50 states. (There will be no repeats, so each answer will be different.)

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
What is the smallest continent in area?

We will get going at our usual time of 9 PM on Tuesday. A quick reminder that next week's Trivia Night will be on Monday, April 5th at 9 PM, due to the Red Sox-Yankees game on Tuesday night.

See you on tomorrow night.

"The Red Sox and Philosophy"

Over the years, there have been numerous books written about the Boston Red Sox. They've been a writer's delight, and many a forest has been leveled to let the world know that.

But now comes a new angle about your beloved Sox. It comes from 30 different writers on the subject of philosophy, called appropriately, "The Red Sox and Philosophy: Green Monster Meditations."

It was edited by Michael Macomber, who is a graduate student currently finishing his dissertation on aesthetic theory at the New School here in New York. (And as a matter of full disclosure, Michael is also a fan of this blog and Professor Thom's.)

As soon as I received the book, I was pleased to see the introductory chapter was entitled, "From Professor Thom's to The Little Professor." (Thanks for the shout out to the bar, Michael.) Dick Bresciani, the Vice-President of the Red Sox and also the team's official historian, does the book's forward.

Of course in a book like this, the media-created "Curse of the Bambino" gets a whole lot of play, and a lot of the Red Sox' trials and tribulations pre-2004 get the business from philosophers such as Aristotle, Sartre and Kierkegaard. But it's not all about that, as just being a Red Sox fan is explored in depth, in chapters like "What Binds Us Together" by Marcus Giamatti (the son of the late commissioner) and one I really found fascinating, "In Sync With Pink?" by Stephanie St. Martin, about the Red Sox fans who sport the pink hats.

The book also explores past Red Sox players through philosophy, such as Ted Williams, Bill Lee, Johnny Damon, Bill Buckner, and Carlton Fisk. 28 of the 30 writers are Red Sox fans, and there are even chapters from one Yankee fan and a Cardinals fan, too.

"The Red Sox and Philosophy" is full of tragedy, irony and the meaning of it all as seen through the eyes of the fans of the Olde Towne Team. It's a fascinating and different look at the Red Sox for sure. Philosophy may not be your cup of tea, but there's lots of Yankee hatred in this book to please any Red Sox fan.

The book is now available through Open Court Books. Michael Macomber will also be doing a reading of the book at Professor Thom's on May 18th, appropriately enough during a Red Sox-Yankees game. Here's more on the book from Amazon.

Rotation Set For the Start

Terry Francona has set the Red Sox rotation for the opening two weeks of the 2010 season. It will go something like this:

April 4, 6 and 7 vs. NY: Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and John Lackey;
April 9, 10 and 11 at KC: Tim Wakefield; Beckett and Clay Buchholz;
April 12, 14 and 15 at MIN (the opening at Target Field): Lester, Lackey and Wakefield;
April 16, 17 and 18 vs. TB: Beckett, Buchholz and Lester.

The Red Sox also today acquired infielder Kevin Frandsen from the Giants for either a player to be named later or cash, and signed 12-year veteran lefty Scott Schoeneweis, who had recently been released by Milwaukee. They also released lefty Brian Shouse.

Uncle Tito?

Today's quote of the day, from Dustin Pedroia, on why he didn't play on Thursday:

"I'm not playing today, it's not wrist related. I told Tito he looked like Corrado Soprano. He benched me."

You don't mess with Terry Francona. Otherwise be prepared to pay the price.

With thanks to my friend Joeman for alerting me to the quote.

Vomiting Is Fun With Mr. Creosote

It's kind of a boring day today, so I thought I'd bring a little sunshine into your lives with Mr. Creosote. He's that gigantically fat guy from Monty Python's classic film, "The Meaning of Life." I watched the movie last night and the restaurant scene never fails to put me into hysterics.

Enjoy:

Big F'n Deal!

On the night he was elected in 2008, I knew that Crazy Ol' Joe Biden was going to be good for some funny YouTube clips as vice-president. And sure enough, Uncle Joe didn't disappoint yesterday after introducing Barack Obama:

Dwight Gooden's In Trouble Again

The former pitcher, who has had a number of brushes with the law over alcohol and drug abuse, was involved in a car accident in New Jersey, and was arrested by police and was charged with driving while under the influence of drugs, endangering the welfare of a child, leaving the scene, reckless driving and DWI with a child passenger. Here's more from the NY Daily News.

I can only shake my head when I read things about him like this. Some people just will never learn. And now he's in some real serious trouble.

It seems like 100 years ago that a 19-year-old kid from Florida set the majors on its ear in 1984 and set the rookie strikeout record. He had an incredible future in front of him, and I thought Cooperstown would be his ultimate destination.

Now it looks like it's jail.

What could have been.

Trivia Q&A: March 23

We had 13 teams in for Trivia Night on Tuesday night. Crowd was down a bit, and I'm beginning to think that maybe the fact that we are going up against "Lost" on Tuesday nights is actually hurting us attendance-wise. I hope that's not the case.

Anyway, scores were decent through the first two rounds, and about half the teams got the five points in the All or Nothing Trivia round. Numbers were rather good for General Knowledge, and going into IQ Trivia the top three teams were within two points of each other.

But the team of You and Your Mother Are Whores, John Boehner ran in the table in the round (no, it wasn't nearly as hard as last week) and wound up the winners by six points. My congratulations to them, as this was the third straight week they have come up winners, and I don't believe anyone has had the hat trick in three consecutive weeks on Trivia Night. Great job guys!

A heads-up to all Trivia Night players: we will be having a special night of Trivia in two weeks, on Monday night, April 5th at 9 PM. The Red Sox are playing the Yankees on Tuesday, April 6th at night so the move was necessary for that week. We will be having Trivia Night next Tuesday night, and it will return to its normal day and time on Tuesday, April 13th at 9 PM.

Current Events
1. Fess Parker, an actor who gained fame on TV in the 1950s, died last week at the age of 85. Name 1 of the 2 characters that he played on network TV, one in the 1950s and the other in the '60s.
2. This rock legend broke Elvis Presley's record last week of getting into the Billboard Top Five album chart the most years after his death, and in his case, 40 years.
3. Thomas Hagan, who was convicted in the assassination of this man, was granted parole on his 17th attempt earlier this month.
4. Officials of this African nation admitted that they have been jamming Voice of America radio broadcasts there after they said VOA is promoting propaganda that is inciting genocide in the country.
5. Sony Music signed a deal last week with the estate of this deceased pop star which made it the largest recording deal in history and includes releasing unreleased material.
6. Stewart Udall, former interior secretary and the last living member of this president's cabinet, died last weekend at the age of 90.
7. This world leader announced on Sunday that he is starting his won blog, and he said he will have his own "battle trench on the Internet."

Answers: 1. Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone; 2. Jimi Hendrix; 3. Malcolm X; 4. Ethiopia; 5. Michael Jackson; 6. John F. Kennedy; 7. Hugo Chavez.

Q Are You?
1. This man was born in Kapuskasing, ONT, Canada in 1954. He is a director, producer, writer and editor. He's won Oscars for Best Director and Best Film Editing, and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame last December.
2. This man was born in New York City in 1940. He is a widely respected actor, has won two Tony Awards, one Emmy, an Oscar on his 7th nomination in 1993, and has played roles as diverse as the Mayor of New York and Satan.
3. This man was born in Dallas, TX in 1947. His second album sold 43 million copies worldwide in 1977, but it took him nearly 15 years to get back on top, as he battled bankruptcy, mangers stealing his money and voice problems.
4. This man was born in Newark, NJ in 1926. He is a comedian, actor, producer, director, writer and singer. He was been awarded lifetime achievement awards at the Oscars, Emmys and the American Comedy Awards and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977.
5. This woman was born in Lorain, Ohio in 1931. She is a Nobel Prize and Pulitzer Prize-winning author, and her Pulitzer Prize winning book was adapted into a 1998 film that starred Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover.
6. This man was born in Walnut Creek, CA in 1963. He pitched on six MLB teams, won Cy Young Awards in both leagues, pitched a perfect game, was a World Series MVP, and was the last pitcher to win 300 games.
7. This woman was born in Staten Island, NY in 1980. Her debut album in 1999 spawned three number one singles. She has won four Grammy Awards and has sold over 40 million records worldwide.

Answers: 1. James Cameron; 2. Al Pacino; 3. Meat Loaf; 4. Jerry Lewis; 5. Toni Morrison; 6. Randy Johnson; 7. Christina Aguilera.

All or Nothing Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. New Amsterdam was what city's previous name?
2. Montgomery is this state's capital.
3. What is the world's largest ocean in area?
4. The 19th Amendment to the US Constitution gave women what right?
5. In what team sport do you find a Red Line and two Blue Lines?
6. Who directed the 1990 film "Goodfellas?"
7. In what music genre was Enrico Caruso a famous name?
8. What rock band were Johnny Rotten and Sid Vicious a part of?
9. What country was Charlemagne king of?
10. What is Guglielmo Marconi credited with inventing?

Answers: 1. New York City; 2. Alabama; 3. Pacific; 4. vote; 5. hockey; 6. Martin Scorsese; 7. opera; 8. Sex Pistols; 9. France; 10. radio.

General Knowledge
1. What city is home to St. Peter's Basilica? ( 1 pt)
2. What famous musician was born Robert Allen Zimmerman? ( 1 pt)
3. Micky Dolenz played drums for which "made-for-TV" 1960s rock band? ( 1 pt)
4. Weighing nearly 1500 pounds, the largest species of moose is native to what US state? ( 2 pt)
5. What sign of the zodiac immediately follows Libra? ( 2 pt)
6. Columbia in 1934 was the last Ivy League school to win what college football bowl game? ( 2 pt)
7. Australia's southernmost mainland point is Wilson's Promontory in what Australian state? ( 3 pt)

Answers: 1. Vatican City (Rome); 2. Bob Dylan; 3. The Monkees; 4. Alaska; 5. Scorpio; 6. Rose Bowl; 7. Victoria.

IQ Trivia
1. What is the more common term used when a person has to eructate? ( 3 points)
2. How many sides does a dodecahedron have? ( 4 points)
3. "Traveller" and "Lucy Long" were the two horses that belonged to what immortal 19th century military leader? ( 4 points)
4. What famous group consisted of the US Supreme Court Chief Justice, four members of Congress, and the former heads of the CIA and the World Bank? ( 4 points)
5. Who is the only woman to win gold medals in three consecutive Winter Olympics and have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? ( 5 points)

Answers: 1. belch; 2. twelve; 3. Robert E. Lee; 4. The Warren Commission; 5. Sonja Henie.

Yankees Are Such Party Poopers

Here's the newest ESPN commercial, featuring Clay Buchholz and actor Adam Scott singing "Sweet Caroline." However, Nick Swisher refuses to join in the revelry:



With thanks to my friend Soxy Lady for the YouTube clip.

Rings and Things

Johnny Damon's wearing his 2004 World Series ring again, from The New York Post. I guess he realizes his unfortunate choice of laundry the last four years is done and that it's safe for him to remember what made him a star.

It's probably the end of the MLB road for Eric Gagne. The Ring Thief realized yesterday you can't go home again, from NESN.

BTW, this is my 2,632nd post on this blog, the same number of consecutive games Cal Ripken played in from 1981-1998.

It took Cal 17 years to reach that number and me just four. So there.

Identify Famous Celebs This Week

Tuesday Night Trivia will see the return of "Q Are You?" trivia as the Special Category, where I give you clues as to the identity of a current celebrity and you tell me who I'm talking about. It has proven to be a popular category and makes its monthly appearance this week. (It has nothing to do with the category, but I put up a picture of The Who's "Who Are You" album cover. It sounds a lot like "Q Are You?" and we use the title track to introduce the category every week.)

The Q Train lightning round will be "All or Nothing Trivia," where I give you 10 basic trivia questions and if you get just one (or more) wrong, you get no points for the round. If you get them all correct you get five points.

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
"What famous musician was born Robert Allen Zimmerman?"

We will get rolling at our usual time at 9 PM. The big crowds for the "Lost" viewings will be on hand up in the Loft, but hopefully we can get a huge throng for Trivia as well. See you Tuesday night.

Well Played, Mauer.

All winter all I kept hearing from so-called baseball experts was that Twins catcher Joe Mauer was destined to be in a Red Sox or Yankees uniform in 2011, as he could walk away as a free agent after this season. Despite the fact the Twins are a small market club, there was no way they would let a local guy like him leave, and certainly not to any of the big market Eastern teams.

And all winter I insisted to anyone who would listen that Mauer was going nowhere, that the Twins would bust open the bank for him. And guess who was proven right?

The Twins are announcing today that they have signed the three-time batting champion to an eight-year extension for $184 million, with a no-trade clause as well.

It's a smart move by both sides. Here's more on the contract, the largest one ever for a backstop. I'm actually glad Mauer is staying put, and that one of the small-market clubs is poning up to keep one of the great players in baseball. It's good for the game in general.

They Never Know When to Shut Up

Loudmouth Yankee fan (is there any other kind really?) walks into a barbershop with a number of Red Sox players there and pays the price. Here's the latest commercial from NESN:

Getting Loaded For a Good Cause

Of course I'm kidding with that title. But from the folks who gave you "Manny Being Merlot" and "Schilling Schardonnay" comes two new brands from Charity Wines: "ZinfandEllsbury" and "Chardon-K."

They are named for Jacoby Ellsbury and Josh Beckett, and proceeds from the wines will benefit three of Ellsbury's charities: Navajo Relief Fund, Project Bread and the Ellsbury-Read Project. The Josh Beckett Foundation will reap the benefits from his wine.

The wines will retail for $14 a bottle, and will be available this coming May at stores throughout New England where wine is sold. Since beginning their athlete-endorsed wines, Charity Wines has raised over $1,300,000 for their charities. Click this link for more about Charity Wines.

And on May 11th, there will be a launch party for the two newest wines at The House of Blues on Lansdowne Street from noon to 2 PM. Ellsbury and Beckett will be on hand to launch their wines.

One of the 25 Returns. Possibly.

The Red Sox signed Alan Embree to a minor league contract with a major league invite.

Hey, any excuse to post one of those historic pictures from October 2004.

But it makes me wonder: how worried are the Red Sox about the current state of their pen that they'd bring in the 40-year-old Embree?

Alex Chilton: 1950-2010

It's been a sad week in the music industry this week, as Ron Lundy, the legendary DJ from WABC and WCBS-FM in New York for four decades, passed away earlier this week at the age of 75. And last night, Alex Chilton, the lead singer of the Box Tops and later Big Star, died of a heart attack at the age of 59.

Godspeed, gentlemen.

Here is the Box Tops doing their classic "The Letter" on a TV show called Upbeat.

Captain Lou: Sore Loser

I was looking at some YouTube videos last night when I stumbled across a classic wrestling video from the WWWF (when it was known as the World Wide Wrestling Federation). It's from 1977, and it's when a "Manager of the Year" award was being given out after a fan vote.

Vince McMahon introduces the four finalists (I think there were only four managers back then anyway): Freddie Blassie, The Grand Wizard, Captain Lou Albano and Arnold Skaaland (who was managing Bob Backlund). McMahon eliminates the bad guys from the award one by one. (I love when the Grand Wizard says, "You'll be hearing from my attorney!")

Finally it's down to Albano and Skaaland. Albano expects to win but Skaaland gets the nod. The crowd goes crazy and so does Albano. He attacks both McMahon and Skaaland from behind with the trophy, sending them both flying through and over the ropes, and then he destroys the Manager of the Year trophy.

Classic stuff. I actually remember watching this on Channel 9 back in 1977, and falling down laughing when it occurred. It's amazing this clip turns up 33 years later. The glory that is YouTube.

Anyway, Lou Albano died just a few months ago (actually all four of the managers are gone now) and in his memory, I dedicate this clip to him.

Thanks for the laughs, Captain Lou:

Beannacht La Fheile Padraig

That's "Happy St. Patrick's Day" in Gaelic, and I hope you all enjoy the day, whether you have Irish blood or not.

I am of Irish descent on both sides of my family, something I am very proud of.

And best wishes on this St. Patrick's Day to Ryan Westmoreland, the Red Sox' top prospect who had brain surgery yesterday in Arizona and it went well. More will be known how well very soon.

Godspeed, Ryan.

And a poem for this day, "I am of Irish America," with thanks to my friend Betty for sending it along:

I am of Irish America
I am a child of immigrants
I am of a people who for over eight hundred years
Have bent a knee to no king but the King of Heaven
And bowed a head to no queen but the Queen of Heaven.

I am of a dispersed people sent
In slavery to Barbados
In chains to Australia and
In famine to America

I am of a people who tore themselves from
Their father's trembling arms,
Kissed their tearstained mother's face good-bye and
Traveled all over the world
To keep a roof over beloved heads
And food on the hungry table.

I am of an empire upon which no sun can set, for
Wherever you go in this whole wide world,
Wherever a House of God has risen,
Wherever a house of learning founded
Or a tree of liberty planted by loving hands
And watered by the tears of an Irish exile,
There you will find the Irish empire.

I thank God for the blood of my Fathers.

I thank God for the land of my Birth.

I pray that God will save Ireland.

I pray that God will continue to Bless America.

Trivia Q&A: March 16

We had 13 teams in for Trivia Night on Tuesday. Good crowd, not as big as last week. We had some strong scores for Current Events, some good ones for Irish Trivia and General Knowledge, but a little weak for True or False Trivia.

But I was really surprised at what transpired at IQ Trivia. It may have been the hardest round we've ever had, as seven of the teams did not get even one question correct. Only two teams got as many as two correct, and the one team that did better than that, Your Mother's a Whore, Wink Martindale, got four correct and jumped from third place and wound up winning by a whopping nine points. Congratulations to them, and I promise that next week the IQ Trivia round won't be as difficult!

Current Events
1. This entertainer filed a $100 million lawsuit against E-Trade over a Super Bowl commercial they did, that she felt it violated her privacy.
2. Eric Massa, a Democratic congressman from this state, recently resigned his House seat after allegations he groped a number of male staffers in his office.
3. Carlos Slim Helu of Mexico was bestowed with what title last week?
4. Merlin Olsen, an actor who previously had been a football player for 15 years with this team and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, died of cancer last week at the age of 69.
5. Mykola Azarov formally replaced Yulia Tymoshenko as the prime minister of this European country last week.
6. This classic rock band won a court battle with EMI in England, saying that their individual songs, including digital downloads, must not be sold without the band's permission.
7. The 2010 Winter Paralympics, a multi-sport event for athletes with physical and visual disabilities, opened in this North American city last weekend.

Answers: 1. Lindsay Lohan; 2. New York; 3. World's Richest Man; 4. Los Angeles Rams; 5. Ukraine; 6. Pink Floyd; 7. Vancouver.

Irish Trivia
1. What is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland after Dublin?
2. What beloved 1952 film was shot in County, Mayo, Ireland and was directed by Oscar winner John Ford?
3. What Irish saint is said to have visited America 1,000 years before Columbus?
4. What movie set in Ireland won an Oscar in 1992 for Neil Jordan's screenplay?
5. What Irish rock band had hits in 1970s such as "Jailbreak" and "The Boys Are Back In Town?"
6. Until 2007, Lansdowne Road was the largest sports stadium in Dublin. Name 1of the 2 sports played there by Irish national teams.
7. During which major holiday did the 1916 uprising in Ireland against Britain take place?

Answers: 1. Cork; 2. "The Quiet Man;" 3. St. Brendan; 4. "The Crying Game;" 5. Thin Lizzy; 6. soccer and rugby; 7. Easter.

True or False Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. Elizabeth II succeeded George VI as Britain's monarch in 1952.
2. Daniel Defoe based the character of Robinson Crusoe on a real-life castaway who was rescued.
3. Cesar Romero played The Penguin character in the TV version of "Batman."
4. "Baby One More Time" was Britney Spears' debut album.
5. Rolling Stone magazine picked "Satisfaction" as the greatest rock song ever written.
6. Oprah Winfrey is a former beauty pageant winner.
7. Keanu Reeves was born in Beirut, Lebanon.
8. The Mont Blanc tunnel links France to Spain.
9. "Dr. No" was Ian Fleming's first James Bond novel.
10. Johann Sebastian Bach died after an unsuccessful eye operation.

Answers: 1. true; 2. true; 3. false, The Joker; 4. true; 5. false, "Like a Rolling Stone;" 6. true; 7. true; 8. false, it connects to Italy; 9. false, "Casino Royale;" 10. true.

General Knowledge
1. In what film did Warren Beatty star as a square-jawed comic book detective? ( 1 pt)
2. What immortal figure has been lying in state in Moscow for over eight decades and gets a change of clothes every three years? ( 1 pt)
3. What country's last Communist leader, Nicolae Ceausescu, was executed in 1989? ( 1 pt)
4. What MLB team is named for a law enforcement agency created in 1835? ( 2 pt)
5. Turkey forms the southern border of what sea? ( 2 pt)
6. What current movie star's real name is Thomas Mapother IV? ( 2 pt)
7. Deuterium and tritium are isotopes of what element? ( 3 pt)

Answers: 1. "Dick Tracy;" 2. V. I. Lenin; 3. Romania; 4. Texas Rangers; 5. Black Sea; 6. Tom Cruise; 7. hydrogen.

IQ Trivia
1. What Canadian province's largest lake is a saltwater lake called Bras d'Or? ( 5 points)
2. What is the only non-broadcast network TV series ever to win an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series? ( 3 points)
3. What is the name of today's longest-ruling royal family in Europe, in power for most of the last 700 years? ( 4 points)
4. What US president was nicknamed "Old Man Eloquent?" ( 4 points)
5. What famous Broadway play contained the character Horace Vandergelder? ( 4 points)

Answers: 1. Nova Scotia; 2. "Sex and the City;" 3. Grimaldi (Monaco); 4. John Quincy Adams; 5. "Hello, Dolly!"

Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame

The great New York pub Foley's ("The Bar That Banned 'Danny Boy'") announced yesterday the latest nominees for the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame. The Hall was created two years ago to honor those Irish and of Irish descent who have made contributions to the great American game.

And with St. Patrick's Day being tomorrow, what better time of the year to make the announcement. This year's nominees are:

Baseball Hall of Famers Big Ed Walsh and Mike "King" Kelly; "Mighty Casey," the legend of the Mudville Nine by Ernest Thayer; former Atlanta Braves great Dale Murphy; former utilityman Joe McEwing (who played for many teams including the Mets); Hall of Fame manager John McGraw and two-time World Series champion manager Tom Kelly; former Mets broadcasters Tim McCarver and Bob Murphy; baseball executives Brian Cashman and Bill James; and from the entertainment world, singer John Fogerty ("Centerfield"); actors Bill Murray, Rosie O'Donnell and John Cusack.

The winners this year will be announced in April, and their will be a ceremony for the inductees in August. Foley's created the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame with the blessing of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

It's first class was in 2008, and was called "The Staring Nine." They included: former players Tug McGraw, John Flaherty, Mark McGwire and Sean Casey; legendary owner and manager Connie Mack; sportswriters Jeff Horrigan and Red Foley (remember "Ask Red?"); Mets groundskeeper Pete Flynn; and actor Kevin Costner.

Last year's inductees were: Walter O'Malley (my father won't be happy to hear that); former players Steve Garvey and Paul O'Neill; umpire Jim Joyce; legendary sportscaster Vin Scully and reporter Ed Lucas.

For more information on the Irish Baseball Hall of Fame, or about Foley's Pub, check out www.foleysny.com.

BTW, Foley's will always have a special place in my heart. Last year my friend Chris and I went to Tina Cervasio's sports auction at the bar. She's a sweetheart and does a great job with it every year. Who did we see at the auction? None other than CHB himself, Dan Shaughnessy. Chris and I consider it a badge of honor that we both gave him the cold shoulder when we had the opportunity to meet him. So there, CHB.

Get Your Irish Up On Tuesday

It's that time of year again, when we Americans of Irish descent get roaring drunk and puke all over the place in honor of our heritage. Well, most of us don't really do that. But on Trivia Night, we will celebrate St. Patrick's Day by having a round of "Irish Trivia," seven questions connected to the Emerald Isle and its people.

There will be no vomiting, I promise. Well, at least not from me.

The Q Train lightning round will be "True or False Trivia."

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
In what film did Warren Beatty star as a square-jawed comic book detective?

We will get going at 9 PM, the same time the "Lost" viewing party sits down in the Loft to watch the show. You're more than welcome to join us should the crowds upstairs get too intense.

RIP Captain Oveur

The great actor Peter Graves passed away tonight, just four days before his 84th birthday. He'll always be remembered for his roles in "Mission Impossible," the spy in "Stalag 17" and his hosting the "Biography" series on A&E for years.

But for me, when you say his name, I will always think of Captain Clarence Oveur in "Airplane!" It was sheer genius his being cast by the Zucker brothers in a such a great comedy film, along with such other "serious" actors as Leslie Nielsen, Robert Stack and Lloyd Bridges. (Of course, Stephen Stucker stole the movie as "Johnny." But that's a discussion for another time.)

Thanks for the memories, Mr. Graves. I leave this scene here as a tribute to you:

England Loses Beckham; LT to Jets

Tough break for England and their World Cup chances as David Beckham, on loan from the Los Angeles Galaxy and playing in Italy, suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in a match for AC Milan today against Chievo, and will miss the World Cup in South Africa this June. He simply reached down to feel his heel during a break in the match and collapsed. More from the Boston Herald.

Beckham will have surgery tomorrow and will probably miss close to six months, and at his age (he's 35 in May), an Achilles injury is tough to bounce back from. Good luck to him.

LaDanian Tomlinson also has made choice as to which team he'll play for in 2010, and it won't be the Minnesota Vikings. He will ink a two-year deal with the New York Jets. Yes, LT is back in New York. (No, not THAT LT...)

I thought the Vikings had a good shot at him, to take Chester Taylor's place in the backfield. But he will probably get more chances to handle the ball with the Jets than he would have with the Vikes.

Prayers For Ryan

Red Sox minor league prospect Ryan Westmoreland, the top position player in their system, left camp last week and Extra Bases reported that he has a cavernous malformation in his brain. He is currently on medical leave and will have surgery next week in Arizona. Ryan is only 19 years old.

The condition is potentially life-threatening if not treated properly. Not too much more is known about his condition or possible return. Our thoughts and prayers are with Ryan and his family that he makes a complete recovery.

4

It was four years ago today that Yours Truly woke up on a Sunday morning and decided, "It's time to start my own blog." And lo and behold, The Mighty Quinn Media Machine was born. The name just popped into my head when I was creating the blog that day.

A friend once called me a "one-man media machine" and that's where that part came from, and like just about everyone else in the United States named Quinn, the adjective "mighty" has been with me since I can remember. So a name was born. (I specifically didn't put the words "Red Sox" into it, as I knew I'd be writing about more than just baseball.)

I've had about 230,000 hits on my blog since I've started, and written 2,617 posts. It's really been a joy to write this blog, and I've seen people from all over the world stop by here, whether they are looking for trivia questions, the latest on the Red Sox, or through a Google search. (I still haven't seen anyone from North Korea stop by here, as it is the only major country I can think of that I haven't seen pop up on SiteMeter. I've seen Cuba, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Iraq, Iran, and the most obscure Pacific Islands there, but the North Koreans are the last holdout.)

Thanks to all of you for your good wishes and for taking the time to stop here every so often.

Hopefully, the best is yet to come!

The Site of the Greatest Comeback in Sports History Bites the Dust

So long, Bedpan.



With thanks to my friends Adam and Matt for the video.

Fenway Here I Come

Yours Truly will be attending his first Red Sox Opening Day at Fenway Park, as I got the word yesterday that I'll be attending the festivities when the Sox take on the Evil Empire on April 4th. I only wish it could have been a day game, but since MLB sold their souls to television, it will be the Sunday Night game. (And on Easter Sunday night no less.)

I'll be going up with The BLOHARDS, my favorite group of Red Sox fans in New York, and I'll be going up with them on their famous bus trip. Totally psyched!

John Lackey looked terrific today, as the Red Sox beat the Mets, 8-2 at Port St. Lucie. He pitched three shutout innings. Sad news about Jose Reyes and his thyroid condition, and he may have to sit for 2-8 weeks. I wish him well.

I watched the MLB Network's "30 Clubs In 30 Days" show today, and it was an hour-long breakdown on the Red Sox and their chances in 2010. Report was really upbeat, and all the reporters seemed to think the Red Sox had a great off-season and will go to the postseason. And I loved their Top 9 moments in Red Sox history. Here they are in reverse order:

9. Ted Williams bats .406 in 1941
8. Ted Williams homers in his final at-bat in 1960
7. Dave Henderson's 9th inning homer in the 1986 ALCS, Game 5
6. Red Sox win the 1967 pennant at home over the Twins
5. Carlton Fisk's game-winning home run in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series
4. David Ortiz' two game-ending hits in the 2004 ALCS
3. Curt Schilling wins Game 6 of the 2004 ALCS with "The Bloody Sock"
2. Johnny Damon's two blasts cap the greatest comeback in postseason history in 2004
1. Back to Foulke (and you know the rest)

The show will be repeated at 10 PM tonight, and it will be shown many times before the season starts. Check the MLB Network's web site for times. You'll enjoy it.

Nomar Retires, With the Red Sox

As expected, Nomar Garciaparra is finally calling it a career, and he is signing a one-day minor league contract with the Red Sox for today, and retiring at a press conference in Ft. Myers.

His next stop after this will be as an analyst for ESPN.

Nomar hit .323 for the Red Sox for his career with 178 home runs, 690 RBI and a .370 on-base percentage. He set the world on fire in 1997 with his amazing Rookie of the Year numbers, and set an MLB record for RBI by a leadoff man, with 98.

He won two batting titles, in 1999 and 2000. On May 10, 1999, Nomar hit three home runs, including two grand slams, driving in 10 runs in a 12-4 win over Seattle. He seemed to have the world at his feet, and looked like he was on the road to the Hall of Fame, and had the immortal Ted Williams as his biggest fan. But he suffered a wrist injury late in 1999 season (remember when he got plunked by Al Reyes?) and he needed surgery before the 2001 season and played in just 21 games that year.

But Nomar bounced back with a vengence, and had two tremendous seasons in 2002 and 2003. But injury concerns, as well as his possible walking away as a free agent overshadowed his 2004 season. And on July 1, 2004, he was seen to be "moping" on the Red Sox bench as they played an intense game with the Yankees in the Bronx, and it was perceived by many that his time in Boston was coming to a close. Many Red Sox fans seemed to turn on their star.

And on July 31, Theo Epstein became the loneliest man in New England, when he dealt Nomar to the Cubs in a three-way deal for Orlando Cabrera and Doug Mientkiewicz. That's the deal that solidified the Red Sox defense, and the Sox were on their way to making baseball history. It led to some hard feelings on the part of Nomar and the Sox management.

And Nomar's career seemed to fall off the rails.

He had one superb year with the Dodgers in 2006, even making the All-Star team. But injuries kept coming, and he could never get the magic back. He was given standing ovations, ones he richly deserved, on his Fenway Park return with Oakland in 2009. He was back in the good graces off Red Sox Nation.

So, now at the age of 36, Nomar Garciaparra calls it a career.

It was a really classy move on the Red Sox' part to bring him back for his retirement. I wish Nomar all the best as he enters his new life as a baseball analyst.

Thanks for the memories, Nomar. You were always "better."

Trivia Q&A: March 9

We had a huge crowd in for Trivia Night, as 21 teams took in the festivities. (I found out afterwards that we did get a few folks who could not get into the "Lost" viewing in the above Loft, so they decided to join us. Thanks for stopping by.)

We tried out the new "Q-Tip Trivia" round, and from the feedback I got after the night, it was given the thumbs-up by a good number of Trivia players. (We do plan to make it a monthly category.) I did my best to explain the category from the start and I may have confused a few folks, but they got the gist of how to do it, and the scores were generally pretty strong. (My apologies to everyone for goofing on the final question, when I said that Kansas City was east of the Mississippi River. Yikes, even the Trivia Maven falls off the rails once in a while.)

The General Knowledge numbers were on the lower side, as it was a tough round, and only one team got as many as three correct in IQ Trivia. But that team, Your Mother is a Whore, Bob Eubanks, Whoopee. jumped from a second place tie to grab the win by five points with that round's best score. My congratulations to them on yet another well-played night and another victory.

Current Events
1. Michael Jordan struck a deal last week to gain controlling interest in this NBA team, with the purchase price and details of Jordan's ownership still not yet known.
2. This museum says it will not acquire the beige suit worn by OJ Simpson at his acquittal for double murder charges in 1995, after a 13-year legal battle over the suit was resolved the day before.
3. President Obama appeared on this TV show last week to mark its milestone 1,000th episode.
4. Nicolas Chartier, producer of this Oscar-nomained film, was banned from the Oscar ceremony last Sunday after emailing voters to vote for his film over rival Avatar.
5. A team of 41 scientists in the magazine "Science"recently affirmed a widely-held belief that this type of event likely caused the mass extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years.
6. 100 people were reported killed in clashes between Christians and Muslims in this African country this past weekend.
7. This American city became the first city in the US to distribute female condoms free in an effort to cut the city's high HIV rate.

Answers: 1. Charlotte Bobcats; 2. Smithsonian; 3. "America's Most Wanted;" 4. "The Hurt Locker;" 5. asteroid impact (I also accepted "meteorite"); 6. Nigeria; 7. Washington D.C.

Q-Tip Trivia
1. Which of the following films won the Oscar for Best Picture? a. Saving Private Ryan; b. The Graduate; c. The French Connection; d. The Sting.
2. Which of these NBA teams has Shaquille O'Neal played for? a. LA Lakers; b. Orlando Magic; c. Cleveland Cavaliers; d. Miami Heat.
3. Which of the following albums were made by The Who? a. Beggars Banquet; b. Absolutely Live; c. In Through the Out Door; d. Venus and Mars.
4. Which of these presidents served in the 20th century? a. Benjamin Harrison; b. W.H. Taft; c. Calvin Coolidge; d. Millard Fillmore.
5. Which of the following novels were written by Herman Melville? a. Murders in the Rue Morgue; b. Billy Budd; c. The Green Mile; d. Moby Dick.
6. Which of these famous people were born in Brooklyn, NY? a. Joe Torre; b. John Travolta; c. Jerry Seinfeld; d. George Carlin.
7. Which of the following cities are east of the Mississippi River? a. Chicago; b. Kansas City; c. Wichita; d. Memphis.

Answers: 1. c, d; 2. all; 3. none; 4. b, c; 5. b, d; 6. a, c; 7. a, d.

1-10 Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. This was the number of vice-presidents who served under Franklin D. Roosevelt.
2. This is the least number of players on a baseball field at any one time.
3. In the Bible, it was on this number day that God rested.
4. The Yankees retired this number in honor of two Hall of Fame catchers.
5. In Astrology, Taurus is this number sign of the zodiac.
6. This is the number of points in a pentagram.
7. The number of US presidents assassinated in history.
8. This number has been worn by MLB players Roger Maris, Ted Williams and Joe Torre.
9. According to the band Three Dog Night, this is "the loneliest number you'll ever do."
10. The number of feet below ground level a coffin is traditionally buried.

Answers: 1. three; 2. ten; 3. seven; 4. eight; 5. two; 6. five; 7. four; 8. nine; 9. one; 10. six.

General Knowledge
1. How many days are there in a fortnight? ( 1 pt)
2. What is the world's best selling cookie? ( 1 pt)
3. What team won the most Super Bowls in the 2000s? ( 1 pt)
4. What is the highest valued hand in poker? ( 2 pt)
5. Who was the first US president ever defeated for re-election? ( 2 pt)
6. What year was cigarette advertising banned from TV and radio? ( 2 pt)
7. What US state is known as "The Land of Steady Habits?" (3 pt)

Answers: 1. fourteen; 2. Oreo; 3. New England Patriots; 4. royal flush; 5. John Adams; 6. 1971; 7. Connecticut.

IQ Trivia
1. In 2004, what comedy film was selected as the all-time favorite English film, according to a British poll conducted by Amazon.com and the Internet Movie Data Base? ( 4 points)
2. What Russian-born author's first book, "Pebble in the Sky" was published in 1950? ( 4 points)
3. Elizabeth Hoisington became the first woman to hold what top position in 1970? ( 5 points)
4. What fictional couple lived at 328 Chauncey Street in Brooklyn? ( 4 points)
5. In the Peanuts comic strip, what is Linus and Lucy's last name? ( 3 points)

Answers: 1. "Monty Python and the Holy Grail;" 2. Isaac Asimov; 3. General in the US Army; 4. Ralph and Alice Kramden; 5. Van Pelt.

A New Category Debuts Tuesday

On Tuesday night, we will be debuting a new category for Tuesday Night Trivia, and we are calling it "Q-Tip Trivia." No, it has nothing to do with those swabs you clean out your ears with. Actually, I have no idea why we are calling this category by this name, other than it has a "Q" in it and it sounds cool.

Q-Tip Trivia will be a recurring category, and it will go like this: I will ask you seven questions about general knowledge trivia and there will be four possible answers to it. Only with Q-Tip Trivia, any and all, or even none of the choices can be correct. You have to figure which ones are right. You will get a point for each correct answer you give. (If the answer is none and you get it right, you will get one point.) However, if you give a wrong answer (even with some right answers), you will get a total of no points for the question. Confusing? I hope it isn't, and I'll explain it in more detail tomorrow night.

The Q Train lightning round will be the return of "1-10 Trivia." I will give you 10 questions and each of the answers will be numbers from 1-10, with no repeats.

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
How many days are there in a fortnight?

We will get going at our usual time of 9 PM. We've also been getting some big crowds for "Lost" in the Loft above the bar, so if you'd like to join us after the show concludes at 10 PM, you are certainly welcome to do so. See you all on Tuesday night.

The Ultimate Movie Trailer

On this day of the Academy Awards show, here's a cool clip from YouTube of the ultimate in movie trailers. It contains a great line:

"Inspiring final lines of a speech that douchebags will quote on their Facebook profiles!"

Naturally, I found this clip on Facebook, with thanks to my friend Ken for posting it.



Is it me or does the main character in this clip look like a grownup Eddie Munster?

Ex-Yankee Fans & Perceived Bigots Need Not Apply

Word has gotten out that Ronan Tynan, the Irish tenor who got into a mess of trouble last year when he utter a not-too-flattering remark about Jewish women, has left New York City and is currently moving to Boston.

Tynan insists that what he said was misunderstood, but the Yankees gave him the boot from singing his "extended versions" of "God Bless America" at Yankee Stadium, beginning with last year's playoffs. (And didn't they always seem to take forever?)

Now, he has found life in New York very difficult, according to the New York Times. Tynan says he's gotten a lot of hate mail and even death threats after his alleged remarks were made public. He's sold his apartment in New York and now plans to make Boston his home.

I hope the Red Sox don't get some kind of crazy ideas about letting him sing at Fenway Park. The Sox have had plenty of fine musicians at Fenway, like James Taylor and Dropkick Murphys, belting out the tunes. There are plenty of ways the Sox can stick it to the Yankees, but I hope they don't think that bringing in Tynan for "God Bless America" is a good idea. Is Tynan truly a bigot? I don't know for sure, but he's gotten too much bad publicity recently for this to be anything but a silly publicity stunt should he be invited to sing at Fenway.

A Tragic Waste

Can it really be 28 years ago today that John Belushi died?

He was an incredibly talented performer. One of my favorites from when Saturday Night Live was really a good show and must-see television.

Here's how Nightline told of Belushi's death that day.

Taking the College Kids to School

As expected, the Red Sox beat up on their spring training opening "rivals", Northeastern and Boston College, 15-0 in the opener and 6-1 in the second game.

Casey Kelly pitched a 1-2-3 first inning for the Red Sox against Northeastern, in a game that featured batting practice pitcher Ino Guerrero, wearing David Ortiz' jersey, going 0-for-2 for the Red Sox.

Today, they bring on the pros, as Josh Beckett gets the start against the Minnesota Twins at Ft. Myers.

OK, It's Classless. But It's Still Funny.

A new commercial airing for Red Sox Nation. With thanks to Fitzy for bringing it to my attention.

Trivia Q&A: March 2

We had a nice crowd in for Trivia on Tuesday night, and another large crowd above us in The Loft watching "Lost." (Nice to see one group of folks join us after the program concluded.) 15 teams took part, and it was nice to see my friend Matt back with us, after his recent illness.

The scores were pretty strong in Current Events, but in Oscar Trivia they were rather low. I didn't think they were that hard, but one team in particular got 11 points out of the category, and parlayed that into a big lead. (Only two other teams got as many as four points in the round.) They just missed the ten-point bonus in the final Oscar question, mixing up Spencer Tracy and Fredric March, but got all nine actors correct.

In Audio Movies Trivia, most folks got the first five right, but then the scores slid a bit. The team in the lead, Sexy Lindsay's Vonn-tourage, held on through the next two rounds, and had a terrific IQ Trivia round, getting four out of five right to win by seven points. Nice job fellas, and I was particularly impressed with Brian's knowledge of movie trivia!

Current Events
1. This tabloid newspaper was recently accepted by the Pulitzer Prize Board for their award for breaking the John Edwards scandal.
2. Andrew Koenig, a former child actor who starred in this sitcom, was found dead last Thursday in a park in Vancouver, and his father believes he committed suicide.
3. Orlando Zapata, who was a democracy activist in this country, died last week in prison after being on a hunger strike for over 80 days.
4. A man from Georgia downloaded this historic total numbered song from iTunes last Thursday, a song by Johnny Cash, and won a gift card worth $10,000.
5. This American female singer's Australian tour got off to a rough start last week when she had to stop her concert a number of times because of voice problems and many of her concertgoers were said to have walked out.
6. This radio personality recently confirmed that he won't be joining American Idol as the judge replacing Simon Cowell, who is leaving the show after this season.
7. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of Australia warned this country to end whaling in the Pacific Ocean, threatening to sue the country and that "diplomacy comes to an end this year" on whaling.

Answers: 1. National Enquirer; 2. "Growing Pains;" 3. Cuba; 4. 10 billion; 5. Whitney Houston; 6. Howard Stern; 7. Japan.

Academy Awards Trivia
1. Who was the first actor/actress to win 3 Oscars? a. Katherine Hepburn; b. Walter Brennan; c. Meryl Streep; d. Jack Nicholson.
2. Which of the following films was nominated for 14 Oscars? a. All About Eve; b. The Godfather; c. Ben-Hur; d. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.
3. Who is the only actress to win four Best Actress Oscars? a. Meryl Streep; b. Bette Davis; c. Katherine Hepburn; d. Luise Rainer.
4. For which film did William Holden win the Oscar for Best Actor? a. The Bridge Over the River Kwai; b. Born Yesterday; c. Sabrina; d. Stalag 17.
5. Who is the oldest woman to win the Oscar for Best Actress? a. Jessica Tandy; b. Katherine Hepburn; c. Helen Mirren; d. Geraldine Page.
6. Which film did Mel Brooks win his only Oscar for Best Original Screenplay? a. Young Frankenstein; b. Blazing Saddles; c. The Producers; d. High Anxiety.
7. Nine actors have won two Best Actor Oscars. Name five of them.

Answers: 1. b; 2. a; 3. c; 4. d; 5. a; 6. c; 7. Spencer Tracy, Fredric March, Gary Cooper, Marlon Brando, Dustin Hoffman, Tom Hanks, Jack Nicholson, Daniel Day-Lewis, Sean Penn.

Audio Movies Trivia
1. The Blues Brothers (I Can't Turn You Loose)
2. Pulp Fiction (Surf Rider)
3. The Departed (I'm Shipping Up to Boston)
4. Beverly Hills Cop (Axel F Theme)
5. Shaft (Theme From Shaft)
6. Reservoir Dogs (Stuck in the Middle With You)
7. Rocky III (Eye of the Tiger)
8. Saving Private Ryan (Omaha Beach)
9. Woodstock (The Star Spangled Banner)
10. Animal House (Faber College Theme)

General Knowledge
1. What did Al Gore represent in the US Senate? ( 1 pt)
2. What firm introduced the first commercial jet, the 707, in 1958? ( 1 pt)
3. What actress was married to members of the rock bands Bon Jovi and Motley Crue? ( 1 pt)
4. What year did Canada host its only Summer Olympic Games? ( 2 pt)
5. What man, born in Ukraine in 1894, became the USSR's leader in 1958? ( 2 pt)
6. What European country ruled over the African nation of Mali from 1895-1959, just before it became independent? ( 2 pt)
7. What man hosted one of PBS' highest rated programs, "Wall Street Week," for 32 years? ( 3 pt)

Answers: 1. Tennessee; 2. Boeing; 3. Heather Locklear; 4. 1976; 5. Nikita Khrushchev; 6. France; 7. Louis Rukeyser.

IQ Trivia
1. In 1971, what man was the first Negro League player elected to baseball's Hall of Fame? ( 4 points)
2. NASA dedicated its flight center in 1961 to what man on the 35th anniversary of his most famous accomplishment? ( 4 points)
3. Pizza Hut paid $1 million to deliver a pie in 2001 to Yuri Usachov, who was where at the time? ( 3 points)
4. What 19th century man is the only US president who was born in New Hampshire? ( 5 points)
5. What world capital city has a castle that was once the home of the kings of Bohemia? ( 4 points)

Answers: 1. Satchel Paige; 2. Robert Goddard; 3. International Space Station; 4. Franklin Pierce; 5. Prague.

What Could Have Been

Rocco Baldelli, who had a career that looked like it had a ton of promise in 2003 when he first came up and played for the Red Sox last season, has taken a position with the Tampa Bay Rays as a special assistant to the GM.

Here's more from NECN.

Playing center field, being of Italian descent and wearing number 5, Baldelli was compared by some to Joe DiMaggio. That may have been unfair, but he certainly looked like he was on his way to being an All-Star with the Rays with his combination of power, speed and a good glove.

While he hasn't officially retired, it looks like the end of the line for Baldelli. No one signed him this winter. Injuries and a condition known as mitochondrial myopathy totally ruined his career. A real shame.

We wish Rocco all the best in his new career.

Good Bye, Old Man Winter

The winter is now on the back nine, as the Mets take on the Braves today in Port St. Lucie. Yes, we get going with baseball for 2010. Thank goodness.

The game will be on the MLB Network, who will be showing 70 spring training games in March. Today's game will also be on SNY here in New York at 1 PM.

The Red Sox get rolling tomorrow with a twinbill against the college teams of Northeastern and Boston College (on NESN) at Ft. Myers. Courtesy of Joy of Sox, here are the lineups the Sox will put on the field on Wednesday:

Game 1 vs Northeastern:

Jacoby Ellsbury, LF
Bill Hall, 3B
Victor Martinez, C
David Ortiz, DH
Jed Lowrie, SS
Lars Anderson, 1B
Darnell McDonald, RF
Che-Hsuan Lin, CF
Gil Velazquez, 2B
Casey Kelly (P)
Game 2 vs Boston College:
Marco Scutaro, SS
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Kevin Youkilis, 3B
Adrian Beltre, 1B
Jason Varitek, C
Jeremy Hermida, LF
Tug Hulett, DH
Josh Reddick, RF
Ryan Kalish, CF
Boof Bonser (P)

Screw the snow. Let's play ball!

Oscar Trivia on Tuesday

On Tuesday night, we will be having as our Special Category, "Oscar Trivia." No, it won't be about my favorite sportswriter, Oscar Madison (pictured). It will actually be 7 questions about the Academy Awards, and they will be multiple choice. (We should have an "Odd Couple" trivia round one night.) The last question will be a multi-point question.

And in the spirit of the Oscars, the Q Train lightning round will be "Audio Movies Trivia." We will play snipets of ten songs, and you will tell us what movie they were featured in.

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
What state did Al Gore represent in the US Senate?

We had a great turnout last week on the return of Trivia Night last Tuesday, and I hope to see many of you again this Tuesday. We get going at 9 PM, so I'll see you then.