Season's Grievances To You All

It's December 23rd, so you know what that day is: it's Festivus!

It's the "holiday for the rest of us", so I want to wish you all Season's Grievances and a night of great feats of strength.

Here is the godfather of Festivus, Frank Costanza, explaining the holiday, on the famous episode of "Seinfeld" that brought our holiday to the forefront: "The Strike."

Enjoy, everyone:

Thud

Before today's Vikings game in Cincinnati against the playoff-bound Bengals, I was thinking about how hard the Vikings were playing over the last six weeks, going a respectable 3-2-1 after starting the season at 1-7.

I thought Matt Cassell might come back as the Vikings' starting QB in 2014, as he has been playing so well, and a good finish might save Leslie Frazier's job as head coach.

Silly me.

Cassell fumbled on the first series of downs, which Cincy recovered and scored a TD a few plays later, and he also fired three interceptions.

Adrian Peterson returned after taking a week off with the ankle injury, running for 45 yards on 11 carries.

The Vikings tied the game at 7-7 in the first quarter, but the Bengals took charge and it was never a contest anymore, as they coasted to a 42-14 win.

The Vikings also locked up last place, and entered double figures in losses, with 10.

The season mercifully ends next Sunday, as the Vikings will say goodbye to the Metrodome forever with a game with the just eliminated Detroit Lions.

Merry Christmas.

The Irish 12 Days Of Christmas

This is still one of the most popular things I have ever posted on my blog, so I'll post it again.

Here is "The 12 Days of Christmas," as done by Irish actor Frank Kelly, who memorably starred as Father Jack Hackett in the screwball British TV comedy "Father Ted" back in the early 1990s. It is a brilliant parody of the classic Christmas song, and it gets more silly and bizarre as it goes along.

I originally posted this on my blog in 2007, and my traffic numbers here absolutely exploded. That happened almost every Christmas since, although it has calmed down considerably the last few years. (I guess people are finding it off different places on the Internet now.)

So, here it is: "The 12 Days of Christmas", Irish style. Enjoy.

Peyton Manning. Really? Explain This To Me.

I need this explained to me.

Sports Illustrated picked Peyton Manning last Sunday as their "Sportsman of the Year" for the year 2013.

Peyton Manning. Really?

So, what did Manning do in this calendar year that makes him worthy of that award? It started out badly for him, as his favored Denver Broncos blew a second round playoff game at home to the eventual Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens.

Yeah, he's having another great year for the Broncos, and is probably on his way to his 5th NFL MVP award, a new record. But the Broncos haven't won a Super Bowl with him at the helm yet.

I thought David Ortiz would be a slam dunk choice. He literally put the Red Sox on his back and led them to a very unlikely World Series title, after a brutal 2012. His grand slam in Game 2 of the ALCS literally turned the Red Sox fortunes around, and his speech in the dugout during Game 4 of the World Series again seemed to turn the Red Sox fortunes around, as the won the last three games to secure their 3rd title in 10 years.

His speech on April 20th at Fenway, five days after the terrorist bombing at the Boston Marathon, was inspiring to say the least. "This is our f****n' city" seemed to say it all.

Papi did it with his bat, and his leadership.

And he won more titles in the calendar year of 2013 than Manning did.

I could even see picking Mariano Rivera as the winner as well. He bounced back from a devastating knee injury to finish his Hall of Fame career in style.

Sorry, I just don't see Manning as a better choice than Papi or Rivera.

I won't lose any sleep over this. At least Papi won the hardware that counts for more.

No AP Or Toby? No Problem. Enter Matt Asiata.

When the news broke yesterday morning that both Adrian Peterson and Toby Gerhart was sitting for Sunday's game against the Eagles at the Metrodome, I thought we might be in for a really ugly afternoon under the white roof.

I couldn't have been more wrong. No AP? No Gerhart? No problem. AP had an ankle injury, and Toby had a hamstring injury from last week's loss in Baltimore, and both were forced to sit it out.

Matt Asiata, a second year player from Utah who has been used basically as a blocking fullback and on special teams (and wears Chuck Foreman's old number: 44), got the starting assignment at running back and made the most of his big chance.

He rushed for 51 yards on 30 carries, but scored three TDs in the Vikings surprising 48-30 upset of the first-place Philadelphia Eagles. Asiata became the first NFL player to score three TDs in his first NFL start since Daunte Culpepper did it for the Vikings in his debut in 2000.

It was a huge day for Matt Cassel, who put up the best numbers of any QB in a game this season. He threw for 382 yards and 2 TDs and ran for another. Cassel isn't the Vikings long term answer, but it is clear they are better off sticking with him, and not Christian Ponder.

The 48 points was the most the Vikings have scored in a game since their record-setting team of 1998 scored 50 late in that year.

I give the Vikings a lot of credit in that they are playing hard for Leslie Frazier and are not mailing in the rest of this season. The defense played well, and shut down LeSean McCoy, the NFL's leading rusher, as he only got 38 yards on the ground.

A lot to like about yesterday, and made me wonder what could have been. Three of those last-minute losses could have been wins, and they would be right in thick of the playoff race. The Vikings are now 4-9-1, and are 3-2-1 since the loss in Dallas on November 3. They play the Bengals in Cincinnati next Sunday, and conclude 2013 with the Metrodome finale against Detroit on December 29.

No Kemp and Drew Is Still Out There

The Red Sox went through the Winter Meetings, and didn't make any significant moves. Not the biggest shock in the world. They did kick the tires on Matt Kemp, but I'm sure the money and years left on his deal (still six more years left), as well as his recent injury history caused the Sox to back off.

I was waiting for some of the usual suspects to give out "grades" on how the teams did at the Winter Meetings, which is my opinion is an act of utter stupidity and a waste of time. Last time I looked they don't hand out a championship trophy to team that wins the winter. (It would have gone to the Toronto Blue Jays last winter and the Red Sox in 2011. Neither team brought home the real hardware the following October.) It reminds me of those "experts" who insist on grading teams the day after the NFL draft, which is even more worthless, judging guys who haven't taken a snap in the league yet.

Stephen Drew has yet to sign with anyone, and the fact that one of his biggest suitors, the Mets, have pulled away from him says to me he may return to the Red Sox, possibly on a two-year deal. It sounds like the market for him isn't very large, and his agent Scott Boras, aka "Dr. Evil," has not identified any other offers on the table for him. Funny he hasn't followed his usual MO, "the mystery team" nonsense to get someone to commit. But he still has time.

Drew's return to Boston makes sense for the Red Sox. His defense was stellar all year, even if he had a tough postseason at the plate. I would guess Xander Bogaerts opens 2014 at third base, and Will Middlebrooks' future becomes a little more cloudy. This is till the biggest question the Red Sox must address before spring training.

I can see them adding another outfielder and a utility infielder before the officially finish their off-season retooling. I'm not surprised they've been relatively quiet.

It's good to be the kings.

Now That Was a Wacky 2:05

They say the Kentucky Derby is the most exciting two minutes in sports, but yesterday's Vikings-Ravens finish gave it a run for its money.

The Vikings are playing out the 2013 season, and found themselves in Baltimore yesterday playing the Ravens. And as the game began, they found themselves confronting something they haven't worried about in Minnesota for a long time: playing in the snow.

Early on, the story of the game was Adrian Peterson's foot injury in the second quarter, and it knocked him out of the game. No word yet on how long he will be out, as x-rays proved negative and he will have an MRI on his right foot today.

And AP wasn't happy with the fans or officials after the game yesterday, and let the world know it on Twitter.

The Vikings trudged on without AP, and had a 12-7 lead in the fourth quarter, when the Ravens got the ball and scored with just 2:05 left on a Joe Flacco 1-yard TD pass. That made it 15-12 after a two-point conversion. Game over.

Not quite. The Vikings got the ball, and on the second play from scrimmage, Toby Gerhart burst up the middle for a 41-yard TD to make it Vikings 19, Ravens 15. Fourth Vikings win of 2013.

Not yet. Blair Walsh made a terrible mistake on the kickoff, kicking it short and right into the hands of the dangerous Jacoby Jones. He went up the sidelines 77 yards to put Baltimore ahead and another brutal Vikings loss. Ravens 22, Vikings 19.

Hold the phone. 1:16 left and the Vikings got the ball back, and on the third play, Matt Cassel hit Cordarrelle Patterson with a short pass that he broke free on, and it resulted in a 79-yard TD. Vikings 26, Ravens 22. Another glorious Vikings comeback win.

Bloody hell. They left too much time on the clock. Aided by a very questionable pass interference call on Chad Greenway, Flacco hit Marlon Brown at the back of the end zone with four seconds left to end the wackiest final two minutes of football ever, 29-26.

There was six lead changes in the fourth quarter yesterday, the first time in NFL history that has happened. Six TDs in the fourth quarter after just one between the two teams in the first three. Unfortunately, the Vikings were on the wrong end of the last lead change, resulting in their 9th loss of 2013.

It was also the fourth time this season the Vikings lost in the last two minutes of a game. They'd be 7-5-1 and in first place if all four had turned out in the other direction. I give the Vikings credit, that they are playing hard and not tanking the season, especially over the last five weeks, where they are 2-2-1.

It's a year to forget, but at least they are losing in an exciting manner. (OK, I'm doing my best to look on the bright side.)

OK, I Was Wrong On Cano

It's been one helluva crazy week on the Hot Stove front.

Jacoby Ellsbury and Jarrod Saltalamacchia both leave the Red Sox for the greener pastures of New York and Miami respectively (that's a joke, folks). Mike Napoli will be returning to the Sox for two more years at $32 million. (And if you look at the original deal he signed last year for three years that the Red Sox changed to one year, Napoli has actually come out ahead on the deal by about $7 million.) Stephen Drew is still available to anyone, but it looks like he will leave for a multi-year deal elsewhere.

And in the shocker of the week, Robinson Cano bolted the Yankees yesterday for the Seattle Mariners, for a ten-year deal worth $240 million. The Yankees called his bluff, and Cano left. New York answered it back by signing an aging Carlos Beltran to a three-year, $45 million deal. They are about 9 years too late on Beltran. (After the 2004 season, Beltran practically begged the Yankees for a deal for less money he got with the Mets, and they passed.)

It was further a bad day for the Yankees, as Curtis Granderson left for the Mets, for a four-year deal. Good move by the Mets, as they have to show their fans that they are indeed on the way back.

Plain and simple, the Yankees blew it on Cano. Granted, the Mariners needed to make a big splash and become relevant again, and in the long run the Yankees may have made the right move. But this clearly hurts them in the short run. They replace his bat with Beltran, who will be 37 next season. This team needed to get younger, and move athletic, but they settle for an aging slugger whose best days are behind him and his defense wasn't what it was. They are clearly going in the wrong direction, and now they will have to move Brett Gardner to get some pitching help in a trade.

They are throwing crazy money around now, and it's like putting Band-Aids on a gaping wound. They have gotten far away from the formula that brought them success in the late 1990s. They should have taken a step back and rebuilt their farm system and gotten younger. But it's their money, and they lost bucks by not making the playoffs in 2013.

I have to admit that I am enjoying seeing Yankee fans act like the crazy sterotypical Red Sox fans who lose their minds when a star leaves and goes elsewhere, especially to New York.

I'll leave you with this question to ponder:

Would you rather have Ellsbury go to Seattle and Cano stay in New York, or let it be the way it panned out, with Ellsbury in New York and Cano in Seattle? Granted seeing Ellsbury in pinstripes won't make any Red Sox fan happy, but it just may have worked out for the best. We'll see.

Well Played, Ben Cherington

Jacoby Ellsbury sold himself to the highest bidder last night.

No big surprise, with him having Dr. Evil, aka Scott Boras, as an agent. My hat's off to Ben Cherington today for allowing another knucklehead to offer an odious contract to a Boras client.

I thought Ellsbury would end up in Seattle or Texas. Nope, it's New York. (Don't you love the fact that the Yankees go after Red Sox players with championship pedigrees?)

So much for the Yankees getting under the $189 million luxury tax for 2014. The contract they offered Ellsbury is for seven years, at $153 million. He would have been crazy to turn down this offer. The Red Sox clearly learned their lesson from the Carl Crawford disaster, and I'm really proud that the Sox brass walked away from Ellsbury, which they were clearly prepared to do.

New York signing Ellsbury means they forfeit either a first or second round pick in 2014, and the Red Sox gain a first rounder (and will gain another when Stephen Drew signs elsewhere). So tell me, which team needed to rebuild their farm system again?

Listen, I won't call Ellsbury a traitor or compare him to Johnny Damon. Ellsbury never said he wouldn't sign with New York (as Damon infamously did in May 2005). MLB players are first and foremost businessmen. It was a business decision. They are taking an enormous risk here, as Ellsbury has missed over 270 games the past four seasons due to various injuries (including 28 in 2013). This will be yet another odious contract the Red Sox wisely decided not to go near.

And for the Yankees, it was another case of having to make a big splash with their fan base. (My friend Lisa Swan, who I have a lot of respect for, is not happy about this. She has a good take on it today over at her site "Subway Squawkers.") They clearly have gotten far away from what made them winners in the late 1990s, and throwing insane money at guys like Ellsbury won't fix that.

This does remind me a bit of when the Yankees traded for Alex Rodriguez in 2004, and I wrote to my Red Sox fans who were upset about it: "Alex Rodriguez can't pitch."

Jacoby Ellsbury can't pitch either. Even if they resign Robinson Cano (for even more they signed Ellsbury to, yet more insanity), it doesn't address their pitching problems. For the sake of their payroll, they better pray A-Rod sits out all of 2014.

The Red Sox move on. It could be Matt Kemp, Carlos Beltran, Curtis Granderson or Jackie Bradley playing center next year. We'll see where the Sox move on to.

Right now, I can only say thank you to Ellsbury for being a big part of two World Series championship teams. See you at Fenway next April 22.

And thank you to Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who officially joined the Miami Marlins on a three-year deal last night. Thanks for being part of a memorable 2013 championship season.

So Long, Salty

In a surprise move, the Red Sox have come to terms with free agent catcher A.J. Pierzynski on a one-year deal.

This means that Jarrod Saltalamacchia will play elsewhere in 2014. The fact he was benched for the final three games of the 2013 World Series certainly didn't help his case. And that he was seeking a three-year deal was something the Red Sox certainly weren't interested in doing.

Pierzynski will be 37 years old this month, and a one-year deal with him clearly makes sense. The deal is for $8.25 million, and he figures to be the bridge to two young catchers the Sox have in their system: Blake Swihart and Christian Vazquez. He batted .272 for Texas last year, with 17 HRs and 70 RBI.

Pierzynski has the rep for being one of the most hated guys in baseball. But he is one of those "teammates love him, opponents hate him" type of players.

Saltalamacchia got some big hits in his time with the Red Sox, none bigger than his game-winning single that won the crucial Game 2 of the 2013 ALCS against Detroit. All the best to him, no matter where he lands.

Also, both Andrew Bailey and Ryan Kalish were non-tendered contracts for 2014, meaning they are now free agents. All other players that had to be tendered contracts, Junichi Tazawa, Andrew Miller, Franklin Morales, Burke Badenhop and Mike Carp, were offered 2014 contracts by last night's deadline.

A 10K Run

I caught some of the Vikings-Bears game on NFL RedZone yesterday (which I highly recommend, as it has totally changed my Sunday NFL viewing), and I couldn't help think of a legendary baseball icon while watching it: Ted Williams.

Watching the Vikings this season is like being a Red Sox fan back in the late 1950s: the main reason for checking them out is for one iconic player on the team. And in the Vikings case it's Adrian Peterson.

AP rushed for 211 yards in the Vikings 23-20 OT win, and became the 28th player in NFL history to reach the 10,000 yard plateau. The season has completely gone down the dumper, but AP is still running like a man on a mission, and appears to be on his way to another NFL rushing title. He basically put the team on his back in OT (I thought a second straight tie might happen), and got the Vikings into FG range late in the OT, and Blair Walsh's 36-yarder won it.

AP now has 1,208 yards, and leads second place LeSean McCoy of the Eagles by 120 yards with 4 games to go. It's really all Vikings fans have to root for right now.

But the Vikings may have a big time player on their hands in rookie Cordarrelle Patterson, who rushed for a 33-yard TD. He has brought 2 kickoffs back for TDs, caught one TD, and rushed for another.

I'm not one to root against my team in the hope they get a higher draft pick, as they can always trade up for a higher pick on draft day. But guys like Adrian Peterson and Cordarrelle Patterson make me still want to tune in. I'd still like to see the Vikings get some dignity back and end the season strong.

It Wasn't a Dream. It Really Happened.

It has now been exactly one month since the Red Sox won their third World Series in ten years. And 30 days on, I'm still trying to wrap myself around the fact they they actually did it.

On the night of September 28, 2011, a darkness fell over Red Sox fans everywhere. An excruciating one month collapse that saw the Sox miss the playoffs by one game, from a team that everyone and his brother-in-law said would go all the way. Heads rolled, and management made some godawful decisions that turned the 2012 season into a complete and total nightmare.

Generally when teams have a September collapse, it lingers far longer than just the season after. For example, the Philadelphia Phillies authored the worst collapse in baseball history in 1964, blowing a 6 1/2 game lead with 12 to play. And it took them 12 years to recover, not getting to the postseason until 1976, when they won the NL East. And they were not a contender in any of those intervening years.

The Mets had one of the worst collapses ever in 2007, losing a seven-game lead with 17 games to play. They still haven't recovered from it, and have had 5 straight losing seasons and counting.

The point is: late-season collapses generally means the team is on the road downward.

When Bobby Valentine's Reign of Terror ended after the 2012 season, I really didn't think the Red Sox fit into the above mold. Too many things went wrong that year (not all Valentine's making, of course), but there was too much talent in Boston for the Red Sox to consider "the nuclear option" (in this case, blowing up the team and starting over from scratch). The day they made that historic trade with the Dodgers and got rid of the clubhouse lawyers, I thought right there and then the Sox were on the road back. (I couldn't help but wonder what Beckett, Crawford and Gonzalez were thinking the night of October 30.)

Magic Johnson deserves a 2013 World Series ring. I'll never say a bad word about him ever again.

I had a good feeling watching the press conference that introduced John Farrell as the new Red Sox manager in October 2012. He was exactly what the team needed: a respected man who knew many of the players and organization, a guy who lets the players play, stays out of the way and brings NO drama to the scene.

GM Ben Cherington made a conscious attempt to bring in "good character" guys and many a writer questioned a few of the moves he made. Signing Jonny Gomes brought a collective yawn from most Red Sox fans. A few thought Shane Victorino was past his prime and giving him a three-year deal was foolish. Stephen Drew was a late signing, and bringing in Mike Napoli seemed to take forever, with his hip problems. And absolutely no one noticed when Koji Uehara was signed from Texas.

Few of the so-called experts picked the Red Sox to finish higher than third. Many picked a second straight last-place finish. I actually picked them second (behind Toronto, oops), winning 90 and getting a Wild Card berth. And I thought I was being wildly optimistic.

97 wins. An AL East division title. And an eighth World Series title.

I still shake my head over it. I simply could never have imagined seeing the Red Sox hoist up the 2013 World Series trophy before the year began. From the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing in April, it all unfolded into one of the best baseball stories in a long time.

The Red Sox buried 2011 for good.  The future looks very bright with Xander Bogaerts, Jackie Bradley, Allen Webster and host of other young players on the horizon. They have a host of tough decisions to make this winter.

But when people I haven't seen in a long time come up to me and ask me how I'm doing, I usually reply, "Still basking in the afterglow of another Red Sox World Series championship."

And just 125 days until another World Series championship flag flies again at The Fens.

Thank you, Red Sox.

Always Thankful

I want to wish all of you out there wherever you are a very Happy Thanksgiving.

For me it will be a day of turkey, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, "Alice's Restaurant", NFL football, "The Honeymooners" marathon, "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" and being with family.

I am so thankful for my good health, and having a wonderful family and friends. And living in a country I can enjoy all these things. I'll be thinking and praying for all our brave men and women in uniform today who are thousands of miles away from they really want to be. Thanks always to them for their service.

And a special thank you to everyone associated with the Boston Red Sox who made the year 2013 a special one none of us who are fans will ever forget. This was more emotional for me than even 2004.

Enjoy the day everyone, and since I am such a lifelong "Peanuts" fan, I will conclude with Linus' Thanksgiving prayer from the TV special. May all of you have lots of turkey and cranberry sauce!

It Really Is Like Kissing Your Sister

I had little hope the Vikings could pull off an upset win in Green Bay on Sunday, but they came damn near close to pulling it off.

The Packers took an early lead in the first quarter after an amazing run by QB Scott Tolzien. But the Vikings came alive, scoring 23 unanswered points going into the fourth quarter.

I watched parts of the game on NFL RedZone, but knowing what kind of season this has been for the Vikings, I expected the other shoe to drop. And it did, courtesy of a Green Bay QB change.

Tolzien was totally ineffective after his TD, and the Packers put in Matt Flynn, the QB recently acquired after Seneca Wallace went down. And Flynn caught fire, leading GB to two fourth quarter touchdowns. (The Pack tried a two-point conversion after the first, and missed. Had they kicked the extra point, they probably win in regulation. Still can't fault the choice, as they were down by 16 points, and two TDs and two-point conversions would have tied it up.)

The Packers tied it up in the final seconds with a field goal, and off to OT the game went. Green Bay took the kickoff and went down the field, and the Vikings defense held them from getting a TD that would have instantly ended the game, and they settled for a FG. The game was still going, as it would only end if the team who got the ball first in ovetime scored a touchdown. And they also went down the field, and narrowly missed winning it, as a pass from Christian Ponder was tipped in the end zone and went off Cordarrelle Patterson's hands. So they also kicked a FG that made it 26-26.

And it stayed that way. Both teams did nothing after that, and wound up punting it back and forth.

The tie was just the fourth in the NFL since 2000, and the Vikings and Packers last played to a tie in 1978.

It was a big day for Adrian Peterson, who showed no signs of his groin injury affecting him, as he rushed for 146 yards and a TD. The team as a group rushed for 232 yards. Christian Ponder had a pretty decent day as well, and went 21-for-30 and 233 yards and 1 TD. He figures to keep his starting job for now.

But both the Vikings offense and defense disappeared in the fourth quarter. The Vikings couldn't add to their 16-point lead, and the let the Packers back in it once Flynn entered. It was a good performance for three quarters by the D, but we've seen that before in 2013.

The tie puts the Vikings at 2-8-1, and it is officially a losing season. Just Jacksonville, Houston and Atlanta are below them in the NFL at 2-9. This season, which looked promising to me in early September, can't end soon enough.

Some Dates To Look Forward To

Thanksgiving now approaches, the temperatures are now below freezing, and winter is just around the corner. You know what that means.

Pitchers and catchers report to Ft. Myers in 83 days (February 15th).

Truck Day is one week earlier, on February 8th.

The Red Sox earlier this week released their Spring Training schedule, and it will begin with the traditional twin bill with the college boys from Northeastern and Boston College, on February 27th.

They open against MLB teams with the Minnesota Twins the next day at Ft. Myers.

The 2014 season will open for the Red Sox in Baltimore on March 31st, and the championship flag with be raised four days later when the Red Sox come home to Fenway on April 4th against Milwaukee.

Here is the Spring Training schedule and more info about tickets.

Stay warm everyone.

Good To Have You Back Where You Belong

This never gets old. Ever.

Last night, I was with my good friends from The BLOHARDS, the New York-based fan group of Red Sox fans, and we gathered together as the 2013 World Series Trophy was brought in and we all took pictures with the hardware. It was at the upscale Union League Club, so everyone had to dress appropriately. (Yours Truly was in the monkey suit.) I had previously posed with the Sox Trophies in 2004 and 2007.

Dr. Charles Steinberg of the Red Sox front office was on hand and chatted for a few minutes about the team and took questions from the crowd, which numbered about 150. Red Sox PA announcer Dick Flavin was on hand to do some Red Sox-themed poems, and was really amazing. My pal Chris Wertz gave a speech about the state of the New York Union (and it is good). And I did Red Sox World Series Trivia, and my good friend John Pizzarelli gave out prizes to the winners.

Here are the five questions I did, and the answers will be at the end of this post:

1. When Jim Lonborg pitched a one-hitter in Game 2 of the 1967 World Series, what Cardinal batter got the only hit?
2. Dave Henderson and Dwight Evans hit 4 of the 5 home runs for the Red Sox in the 1986 World Series. Who hit the other one?
3. Who was the leading hitter in average for the Red Sox in the 2004 World Series?
4. What former Red Sox player is the only active player, besides David Ortiz and Derek Jeter, with three World Series rings?
5. When Bernie Carbo hit a pinch-hit three-run homer to tie Game 6 of the 1975 World Series, who was he batting for?

This is a picture of me (second from left) with a number of the BLOHARDS, including Joe Cosgriff (far left), my pals Chris (next to me), Matt and Adam, and Dr. Charles Steinberg (on the far right). It includes bunting from Busch Stadium and the 2004 World Series. A great time was had by all.

Trivia answers: 1. Julian Javier; 2. Rich Gedman; 3. Bill Mueller (.429); 4. Javier Lopez; 5. Roger Moret.

Cano Will Be In Pinstripes Next Year. Count On It.

I don't usually comment on the goings on with the New York Yankees, but this Robinson Cano free agent saga got my attention, and I thought I'd throw in my two cents.

When I first heard that Cano and his flunkies were seeking a 10-year, $30 million deal to stay in New York last month, I honestly thought that was a joke. It turns out they were dead serious, and that Cano wanted a similar deal to what Alex Rodriguez got from them in 2007.

Nobody, not even the Yankees, will offer that kind of deal to anyone. The era of handing out decade-long deals may finally have ended with the one the LA Angels gave to Albert Pujols two years ago (and I bet they are already regretting it). Teams saw the way the Red Sox put together a World Series winner in 2013, and without having to sign anyone to a long term deal, and it will be copied.

And earlier this week, Cano and his crew actually were comparing him to Michael Jordan. This further shows what a rank amateur Jay-Z (Cano's new superstar agent) comes off as. Cano isn't even the best all-around player at his own position (Dustin Pedroia is), let alone a player who transcends the sport.

Cano should be comparing himself to Pedroia, not to Jordan or Rodriguez. The Red Sox smartly extended Pedroia last summer, making him the highest-paid second baseman in the game, with eight more years at $110 million.

The rumor has it that the Yankees have offered Cano a seven-year deal at about $150 million. That easily eclipses what Pedey would make over the rest of the decade. So now if you're the Yankee brass, you simply tell Cano to go out and find a team willing to make a better offer than that. And right now, that doesn't appear to be happening.

You can scratch off the usual suspects like the Dodgers or Angels, who have enormous payrolls, and are already over the $189 million luxury tax threshold (especially the Angels, who have been burned in the free agent market the past few years). And most other teams either don't have the wherewithal to sign him, or don't want to get into a bidding war with the Yankees, who will surely outbid them.

And you may have heard that the Mets brass met with Cano and his people earlier this week. It was requested by his agents and not the Mets, who basically told them that the Mets busted open the bank for David Wright last year and won't be doing the same for Cano. It was really just a pathetic attempt to try to get the Mets into a bidding war with the Yankees, so the price Cano ultimately signs with the Yankees would get inflated past what the Yankees standing offer is. Nice try, Jay-Z.

So, to my friends who are Yankee fans, I wouldn't sweat this. I'm betting that Cano won't sign on the dotted line until January at the earliest, and he will be back in pinstripes in 2014. Even if the negotiations with them becomes really rancorous, Cano is all about getting the most money, and I can't imagine him signing with any other team for less. The Yankee offer will be the highest one he's offered, and it won't be half of that ridiculous 10-year, $30 million deal he wants. Ultimately, he will have to settle for it. The Yankees hold all the cards right now, and Cano and Jay-Z know that.

Scott Boras (Cano's former agent) must be laughing himself silly right now.

The Great Pretenders

At the end of the calendar year of 2012, it looked to me like my two favorite teams were going in different directions.

The Red Sox had just gone through one of their worst seasons in two generations, winning only 69 games with a season loaded with injuries and a terrible manager. Things were beginning to look a bit better, with John Farrell returning to the team as manager, and a few new players had just joined the team. But it still looked like it was going to be a long road back.

The Vikings had just come off a spectacular month of December. They entered it at 6-6, and ran the table in that final month of the season with 4 wins and a playoff berth. Adrian Peterson had just missed the rushing title by just 9 yards. I was very optimistic about the Vikings' future (and they had a good draft in April, which fueled it even more). They had a terrible year in 2011, going just 3-13, tying their worst record in team history (with the 1984 club).

I thought 2013 would be a year that the Vikings would take the next step in becoming a Super Bowl contender, and the Red Sox would just try to right the ship and possibly be on the cusp of being a playoff contender again.

The results for the Red Sox were spectacular. Far beyond what I could have hoped for. And it ended with a duckboat parade through the streets of Boston.

The results for the Vikings were beyond bad. They'll be no parades in Minneapolis in the foreseeable future.

And it was on display yesterday in Seattle. The Seahawks, now at 10-1, showed why they are one of the NFL's best teams, as they made short work of the Vikings, 41-20.

They are a complete mess. Christian Ponder threw two more interceptions, one of which was returned for a TD. He was benched in favor of Matt Cassel in the 4th quarter, and he was also picked off (and they all happened in three straight possessions). Adrian Peterson tried to tough it out with a groin injury, rushing for just 65 yards. (Granted that by the Vikings had to throw the ball more often when they fell behind by 18 in the third quarter, so AP wouldn't running much after that.)

How bad has it gotten? The Vikings have now allowed the most the points in the NFL, with 320, two more than the worst team in the league, the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jacksonville is now the only team worse then the Vikings, at 1-9. At 2-8, the Vikings are tied with Houston, Atlanta and Tampa Bay with that record.

And the schedule is not promising the rest of the way for the Vikings. They still have Green Bay, Baltimore and Cincinnati left on the road, and Chicago, Philadelphia and Detroit at home. 2-14 is not out of the realm of possibility.

Well, it certainly has been an interesting year. Sad watching the Vikings go down the tubes once again. There will certainly be some heads rolling if their situation doesn't drastically improve the rest of the way.

Who would have guessed that they might be vying for the number one draft pick for 2014, while the Red Sox sit on top of the MLB mountain as champions?

The World Series Trophy's Coming To New York

As they did in 2004 and 2007, the Red Sox are bringing their World Series trophy, newly won last month, to their loyal fans in New York City, and it will be happening next Thursday, November 21st, from 5-8 PM.

It is coming down to a function run by my good friends at The BLOHARDS, and it will be a big event.

It will be on display at The Union League Club, which is at 38 West 37th Street, just off Park Avenue. Tickets are available through The BLOHARDS, and will be $50 in advance for BLOHARDS members, and $60 for non-members or Sox fans paying at the door.

The Union League Club is a pretty high brow place, so jackets and ties are required for men, and formal wear for women. There will be ties available at the door for those of you not properly attired.

If you'd like more information, please click this link. You can order tickets online here.

I will be there doing Red Sox World Series trivia and giving out cool prizes. John Pizzarelli will be in as well, along with Dr. Charles Steinberg from the Red Sox, Ed Randall from WFAN, and my buddy, Governor Chris Wertz.

Everyone will be able to take individual photos with the trophy, like me above in 2007.

I promise you a great time will be had by all. See you there next Thursday!

Happy FU Day Everyone!

I want to wish all of you out there a very Happy Felix Unger Day today.

As you all know, November 13th is the day "Felix Unger was asked to remove himself from his place of residence. That request came from his wife."

Thus "The Odd Couple", one of TV's greatest sitcoms, was born.

So, to celebrate the day, here's the opening montage from Season Two.

Thanks to both Tony Randall and Jack Klugman for creating sitcom magic.