Weird Sports Round-Up

Sorry for the no posting situation. Yesterday was a travel day. In other news, Jared has been traveling for about 3 weeks apparently.

Jake really held it down though. Love Shaq, Oregon is sick and I'd obvi be Wolverine is I could be an X-Men. Actually prolly Magneto cause I'd want to be a bad guy. Because of my absence yesterday, and my 9 hours in flight and in airports, I have a lot on my mind. For that, I will supply you with 2 posts today.

First, there is a lot of crazy stuff happening int he sports world, starting with Curt Schilling wanting to run for the late Ted Kennedy's seat in the Senate.

This is what he had to say:

"[Running] would be fun. The whole spotlight media crap, not so much," the former major league pitcher, who helped the Boston Red Sox win the World Series in 2004 and 2007, told Boston radio station WEEI on Thursday. "But [a run] would be a lot of fun because pretty much anybody that you're fighting against in office right now doesn't really have much of a leg to stand on right now.

"There's nobody you can go up against that you couldn't probably drag out a laundry list of stuff and say, 'Listen, this person's already proven that they're status quo, that they're business as usual, and we need anything but in every way shape and form moving forward."

Look at that pic. C'mon Curt, get outta hear with this. I know you sweat yourself and love politics, but A) you have zero experience outside of campaigning for George W., which is really just talking, B) this is the Senate we're talking about, there hasn't been a seat open in Mass. for like 15 years and C) you are a noted Republican, which clearly won't work in Mass.

-Another sports nugget I loved today was Jeff Jagodzinski getting fired as offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before the season starts. Jags, as most of you reading this far down in a sports post know, was the coach of BC football the past 2 years before a messy divorce this spring. The Jets wanted to interview Jags for their head coaching vacancy, but BC basically said we'll fire you if you do. Jags did anyway, got peaced by the Eagles and didn't get the job (it went to Rex Ryan). But then he hooked on with Tampa as an O Coordinator. Still better if you ask me. But now he's out of a job again with yet another dispute, this one "over coaches and players not agreeing with Jagodzinski's coaching philosophies and teaching methods."

LOL, slayta Jags. You must be a mega chooch.

-I'll leave you with this little gem. We all know that John Smoltz Pitching Machine has turned back into John Smoltz World Beater upon his return to the National League. Well now Brad Penny is up to same tricks. Penny had a sterling 7-8 record with a 5.61 ERA with the Red Sox. Numbers Jake could put up with his elbow dangling off. So Penny signs with the Giants and makes his debut last night against the defending world champion Philadelphia Phillies in Philly. This is the line he puts up:

8IP, 5H, 1BB, 2K, 0R

Are you kidding me? Zero friggin runs? If this doesn't cement the fact that the NL is the minor league of MLB than I don't know what does. Brad Penny throwing 8-inning shutouts against the best team they have to offer in said team's home park??? AL is winning it all this year.

---Nick

Dream On...

OK, so I never remember my dreams. I mean, NEVER. But for some reason I remember the one I had two nights ago vividly. Figure I’d share some of it because it’s so random and just typifies the type of person I am and the ish I think about:

Alright, so I’m back in EB High walking around the halls, going classroom to classroom asking teachers where I’m supposed to be. Why you ask? Well every teacher asks that same question, to which I reply:

“I’ve been in LA for the past 2 months. Yea, I was judge on American Idol. Do you watch the show?”

For some reason they all said no.

“Oh, well, yea, I had to leave school, but no one gave me my new semester classes when I came back.”

They always said try so-and-so. Hey tried every room, braggin to students, teachers anyone. “Yea, just got back from LA. I was on American Idol. No, as a judge. Oh you didn’t see it?”

I was dece heated no one saw and finally decided to go to the office. Lady there said she couldn’t help me, at which point I flipped: “Are you serious? You have the master sheet! You know when a parent calls and needs to dismiss their kid, the sheet you have to find out which room to call? Yea, you definitely have that!”

Heated once again, I stormed out, only to cross paths with Curt Schilling, who I can only assume was at the school as some type of guest speaker.

I shook his hand. “Thanks for everything you did, Curt. I really appreciate it.”
He didn’t say anything, just tipped his cap and walked on. At which point I woke up.
“WTF…I thought..groggy and confused.”
“Aw, damn it, I wasn’t a judge on Idol?!”

--Nick

Farewell, Big Schill

Say what you want about the man – and most people do – but I’ll tip my cap to Curt Schilling as he rides off into the sunset.

The big guy was always outspoken and some people didn’t like that. But he was honest, candid and most importantly: he delivered.

He came to Boston amidst much hoopla, including commercials where he said he was coming to Boston to “help break and 86-year-old curse.”

And what did he do? He helped break it. The Red Sox don’t win the World Series in 2004 without Curt Schilling. And who knows, in they lose to the Yanks that year, do they win in 2007?

I’ll never forget sitting my Boston-based BU apartment, watching the television during an agonizing rain delay (a storm that would inevitably cancel that night’s Red Sox-Yankees ALCS game). Only a few days before, Schilling was hammered by Sheffield, A-Rod, ant Matsui in the Bronx. By about the 5th batter you knew something was wrong. Schilling was dominant that year, second to Johan in the Cy Young voting. He’s usually lights out in the playoffs. He’s getting ROCKED. Something had to be wrong.

Turns out his ankle was shredded, an injury he suffered in the ALDS. But that night in Boston, even with the game called, all eyes were on Fenway. Schill was attempting to throw off a soaked bullpen mound and weird stories of clandestine medical procedures began to leak. We watched the news and heard Sox Doc, Bill Morgan was experimenting with a unique procedure on cadavers and had to think: “You’ve got to be kidding me?”

But it worked. Morgan sutured Curt’s tendon to his ankle, holding the damaged ligament in place so he could pitch another game or two. Think about that for a second. He had his frayed tendon artificially stabilized so he could pitch one, maybe two more games. He risked his health (and as it turns out, his 2005 season) because he had to deliver on his promise. How many people do you think would do that? JD “Nancy” Drew sits out with back tightness. Manny can’t remember which knee is hurt. Only a very select group of people would do what Curt did.

And that’s why, no matter your opinion of his politics, his blogging, his relationship with certain players, you have to give Big Schill credit. He told you what he was here to do – “help break an 86-year-old curse” – and he delivered.

In a day where athletes sit out with baby injuries, play for the name on the back of their jerseys, and give standard “no-answers” when talking to the media, Curt was one of kind.

Big Schill, WKFTB salutes you, and thanks you for some of the best memories of our lives.

--Nick