Joe Viglione's Commentary On Boston Sports

Theo in Wonderland

2011-10-12T12:27:00.000-07:00

THEO IN WONDERLAND...Adrian Beltre, Orlando Cabrera and Victor Martinez...

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

I thought from day 1 when the new era in Red Sox History began that Luccino, Henry and Werner were making the moves with both
Theo Epstein and Terry Francona as the spokespeople.

This was in the beginning. Then the "powers that be" allowed Theo and Tito to make their moves...their way.

Adrian Beltre, Victor Martinez and Orlando Cabrera had chemistry with our team. That they got rid of these heroes is ridiculous and why we didn't win the World Series in 2011...though the Red Sox were positioned to overcome their injuries and get to the Fall Classic.

http://www.pressherald.com/sports/epstein-expected-to-move-to-cubs_2011-10-12.html

Here's an October 11/12th article on just that:

Beltre, Martinez show Red Sox what they lost

http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/22297882/32674212

http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/22297882/32674212

Orlando Cabrera

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlando_Cabrera

He hit a home run on his first at-bat with the Red Sox on August 1, becoming the eighth Boston player to accomplish the feat. In Game 2 of the 2004 ALDS, he hit a bases-clearing double, as the Red Sox went on to sweep the 3 game series from the Los Angeles Angels. Boston went on to win its first World Series title since 1918 with a four-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Brady vs Manning

2008-01-13T16:20:00.000-08:00

Brady - 3 Rings and counting

Manning 1 Ring

It is so obvious that The New England Patriots should've won the 2006/2007 Super Bowl.
It looked like the NFL told the Pats to take a dive, that they (the NFL) had to anoint Peyton Manning last year. He deserved it for being a good boy.

It was "good for the game."

So the Patriots loaded up and crushed everything in their path in 2007.

Let's let the articles speak for themselves:

AP Sportswriter Michael Marot in USA Today:
Colts' sloppy play proves costly in loss to Chargers
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/2008-01-13-41646650_x.htm

INDIANAPOLIS — Tony Dungy thought these Indianapolis Colts were better than his Super Bowl champions.

They hardly looked like it Sunday

or Baltimore Sun reporter David Steele:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-steele0113,0,2316785.story

The Patriots keeping Peyton Manning from his destiny year after year in the playoffs. Brady surpassing him as the defining quarterback of this generation and beating him to the inevitable comparisons with Unitas and Montana

REALLY? It seems no matter what Tom Brady did, one ring, two rings, three rings, it was always Peyton Peyton 24/7, Peyton's Place, all Peyton all the time. It was boring. Why was it boring? Because something better was happening and getting no respect.

In 2007 the tide finally turned; after what looked like Tom Brady throwing a kiss to his friend Peyton last year and allowing him one, the NFL let the Patriots be themselves and win everything in site. The NFL is all about parity but Bob Kraft found a way to do the impossible and build something special.

The NFL never paid attention until 2007, and they attempted to tarnish the hard work by giving Eric Mangini the time of day.

No one has seriously questioned the noise levels at the RCA Dome. Well, when the speakers get installed next year in the Lucas Oil Stadium and all the evidence is destroyed when they implode the RCA Dome, well, maybe we'll have The Colts Audiogate story

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_Dome

TONY DUNGY TO GO?

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs07/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=3195151

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Colts lost more than a playoff game on Sunday to the San Diego Chargers. The vibe coming out of the Colts' locker room following their devastating 28-24 loss to the Chargers was that Tony Dungy might have coached his last game.

"This game won't really affect anything,'' Dungy said of the loss' impact on his decision about coming back. "You are always disappointed when you lose your last game. We'll analyze it, sit down and talk to my wife, talk to Jim and come do a decision.''

The Colts fear the worst. There's a good chance they could have lost their coach Sunday.

THE PROBLEM WITH DUNGY IS THAT HE ACTS LIKE HE HAS CLASS, THEN OPENS HIS MOUTH AND SAYS THIS:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2008-01-04-usat-coach-award_N.htm

Colts coach Tony Dungy compared Belichick to Barry Bonds, and questioned if the legacy of the Patriots coach would be forever tarnished.

Belichick crowned with USA TODAY's top coach award
USA Today -Jan 4, 2008

http://www.tdn.com/articles/2007/12/29/local_sports/doc47760a47ef523344929758.txt

Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy, already a cold-shoulder regular of Belichick's, called the Patriots' spying "a really sad day in the NFL."

Look at these stats:

http://www.nfl.com/partner?partnerType=players-air-and-ground

Tom Brady, New England Patriots

		Brady led the NFL with 4,806 passing yards, a leauge-record 50 touchdown passes, a 68.9 completion percentage and a passer rating of 117.2. Brady set a multitude of records while leading the Patriots to an undefeated regular season. He established a new mark with at least three touchdowns in each of his first eight games, set a franchise record against Miami with six passing touchdowns and broke the single-season record of Dan Marino for most games with at least three touchdown passes. Brady was nominated for nine FedEx Express NFL Player of the Week awards in 2007, winning three times.

Journey continues as team survives, subsists, subdues
More comments on 1-15-08 Tim Sullivan's article is interesting:

In Greek myth, these tag-team monsters are known as the Scylla and the Charybdis. In the NFL, they are the defending champion Indianapolis Colts and the so-far unbeaten New England Patriots.

In colloquial English, what the Chargers are attempting is akin to fleeing the frying pan for an inferno while navigating the narrow clearance between a rock and, well, another rock.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/sullivan/20080114-9999-1s14sullivan.html
Tim Sullivan: (619) 293-1033; tim.sullivan@uniontrib.com

This year's Chargers are better equipped to survive, to subsist and to subdue. This week's Chargers have been afforded an opportunity that might arise once in a generation – they have conquered football's champions to earn the right to play someone impeccable.

“It's going to be a tough game,” Tomlinson said, “probably the toughest game that we've ever played. To be at this point, playing a team like New England – what can I say? – I'm pretty sure we'll be huge underdogs and rightly so. But it's still going to be fun just to get the opportunity.”

The Chargers' path has its pitfalls, but the journey continues.

Manning's Many Excuses

2007-11-12T05:33:00.000-08:00

EVIDENCE THAT MANNING IS A HYPOCRITE
Crybaby quaterback can't make up his mind!

"We don't use injuries as an excuse, but we still had a chance to win the game," Manning said. "We have no choice but to refocus. … To lose two in a row is disappointing. Getting a win is the best remedy for a two-game losing streak." Peyton Manning after losing to the Bolts on 11/11/07

But here's Satan Manning - after losing to The Patriots - making excuses at 7:46 PM
11/04/07 : "Injuries are a part of it." Duh - isn't that Manning using injuries as an excuse?
Peyton didn't say anything about The Patriots not having Sammy Morris - nor did Peyton put an asterisk next to his Superbowl "win" noting how many injuries the real Superbowl Champs had last year when Indianpolis stole one for Peyton's only "ring", one he doesn't deserve.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=3106045

A tough loss -- but a justified one for the Colts

By John Clayton ESPN.com

Although Dungy preaches to his team not to use injuries as an excuse, Manning's offense was clearly undermanned
===========================================
OK, above we see Peyton blaming injuries, and then saying he won't blame injuries.
Check this quote out:

"We certainly still had a chance to win the game but it was just bad fortune," said Manning. "They made a couple of good plays and I made a couple of bad throws. Just poor decisions on my part."

The Sports Network Pick 6: Chargers hold off Colts as Manning struggles
http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default.asp?c=sportsnetwork&page=/nfl/news/ABN4112295.htm

So now it's "bad fortune." No, it wasn't "just" bad decisions and bad playing, Peyton, it was awful decisions and a befuddled performance. How about a little personal accountability for the most lauded and overrated quarterback in the history of the game? Anyone notice how normal the crowd noise was in San Diego? Y'know, it SOUNDED abnormal in the RCA Dome and it sounded normal in San Diego. Do the math.

====================================================

SIX INTERCEPTIONS FOR MANNING ON 11/11/07

2007-11-11T21:04:00.000-08:00

SIX INTERCEPTIONS!

Away from the RCA Dome isn't it amazing how no one hears applause skipping, no one hears overapplause by the San Diego fans, and Peyton Manning looks like a third string quarterback floundering in the rain.

The Officiating in the RCA Dome pretty much gave the game to Indianapolis last week, yet the Patriots were able to show class and rise above the fake noise and the bad referees. That's the sign of a talented TEAM that aren't a bunch of props for Peyton Manning, an over-rated mediocre player who just lost 2 games in a row. Too bad they can't take the loud noise on the road, huh?

San Diego played a courageous game and Adam Vinatieri's instant karma for betraying the team that put him on the map makes the Colts 7-2. Even Dallas and Green Bay have better records than the "Championship Team" which should've lost last year. The NFL gave it to Peyton - and the only way Peyton Manning will get another ring is when the Referees hand it to him!

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/arash_markazi/11/12/peyton.miscues/?eref=mostpop

"Yeah, no, um, well, I take full responsibility for all of [the interceptions]," said Manning, whose six interceptions were the most thrown by an NFL quarterback since 2004. "They were poor throws or poor decisions, either one ... I've never thrown more than four [interceptions], so this would be a personal record."

Satan Manning Loses, Tony Dungy Not A Gentleman

2007-11-04T16:34:00.000-08:00

PATRIOTS WERE HANDICAPPED BY REFS!

WATCH THE YOUTUBE of INDIANPOLIS CHEATING!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHQTcFQEMXo

So Satan Manning got rattled. The Refs lodged huge penalties against the Patriots to help Baby Bottle Manning out! Check out these farces intended to help Indianapolis out:

1)referee John Parry giving the coin toss to Indy

"HEAD'S UP: Patriots LB Tedy Bruschi was upset with the coin toss. The Patriots' captain called heads and that's the way it came up but referee John Parry said he dropped, not flipped, the coin, so he did it again. This time it came up tails.

"He sort of fumbled it," Bruschi said. "He asked me which goal we wanted to defend. I said, 'You need to worry about getting the coin toss right first. Do your job."

That's from HANK GOLA's column in the NY Daily News

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/2007/11/05/2007-11-05_randy_moss_gets_right_into_big_rivalry.html

2)Indianapolis accused of cheating:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/nfl_experts/post/Patriots-complain-about-crowd-noise?urn=nfl,52422

Patriots complain about crowd noise

By Jason Cole

Monday, Nov 5, 2007 12:13 pm EST

The NFL is looking into allegations that the Indianapolis Colts piped in noise during the game Sunday between the Colts and the Patriots. The charge comes after Patriots President Jonathan Kraft became the latest NFL team executive to accuse the Colts of the distracting tactic that is against the rules.

"We're aware of it and we're looking into it," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Monday. "It may just be the TV feed from CBS, but we're checking it out."

This is even more telling:

http://www.pacersdigest.com/apache2-default/showthread.php?p=610125

An ESPN reporter years back now claimed that he found out that the Colts were routing crowd noise though a microphone and back through the speakers in a game against Pittsburgh. He stood by his story, and so did ESPN. But he also had no hard evidence to take to the NFL. He had an inside source, apparently, but not one he would name.

3)A ton of infractions created by the refs, those officiating the game, in favor of the Colts:

EXCELLENT radio show today with Colin Cowherd noting every single incident
where the refs were favoring Indy. Get the podcast and listen to it:

http://espnradio.espn.go.com/espnradio/show?showId=theherd
Colin Cowherd
Weekdays 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. ET
(6 a.m. on the West Coast)
E-mail: theherd@espnradio.com

4)But possibly the worst episode came after the game with Peyton Manning's shell-shocked look and his whining that he didn't have his players. Hey, pretty boy, the NFL gave you that title game against the Pats last year (ya think any game after N.E. vs. Indy mattered?) - the Pats actually work for it.

Satan Manning making excuses at 7:46 PM "Injuries are a part of it." Really, Peyton? You are talking about the Patriots not having Sammy Morris we hope. You were being a "gentleman" and not making up excuses for why you just don't have it.

The New England Patriots were DEPLETED last year and STILL should have won the game. Manning was thrilled to steal a ring last year, a ring that he didn't deserve. "Football" needed to have a different winner from The Patriots in 2006/7 season and Peyton Manning needed to be the "face" of NFL advertising. If anyone thinks that Indianapolis truly beat a depleted Patriots last year without a little help from their friends, think again.

SIXTH SENSE/STIR OF ECHOES COLD BREATH IN THE AIR

Did you see the handshake between the coaches. One announcer noted the "chill", well when
Tony Dungy tries to throw down his opponent with a cheap shot to the press about Barry Bonds, and when the Patriots say nothing but do the hard work, the true warriors won this game.
"We worked hard. The whole team worked hard." Bill Belichick 7:38 PM on Patriot's Fifth Quarter/Press Conference.

Here's a bit of reality from Jay Glazer of FOX SPORTS on MSN"
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7407546

"But the Patriots are now playing to rub it in the face of all their critics; they're playing like a team insulted by the world, with a serious chip on their shoulders.

I do not believe we will have a single week this year in which Tom Brady and Co. falter, that includes the "true" Super Bowl in February. Joe Gibbs said it best a few weeks ago when he asked for suggestions in how to slow them down. Until we see a way, what reason do we have to believe anything else?" Jay Glazer

=================================================================
Now on the other hand you have those crybabies in New York like Gary Myers, the NFL columnist for the New York Daily News, gmyers@edit.nydailynews.com

Myers wrote this correct headline:

Patriots-Colts is battle of Good and Evil

Sunday, November 4th 2007, 4:00 AM

But where Myers got it wrong is that Satan Manning and the ungentlemanly Tony Dungy are the evil empire. They didn't deserve to win that Championship game last year - the NFL told Tom Brady and Bill Belichick that they HAD to let crybaby Manning win because it would be "good for football." You don't believe that little conspiracy theory? Take a look at the reffing today on the field! ALL PRO-INDIANAPOLIS, a Golf-like Handicap on the real warriors,
The New England Patriots.

Look at Myer's nonsense:

"If Belichick had no problem embarrassing Gibbs, one of the most respected coaches in NFL history, then he will not hesitate to slam Tony Dungy, perhaps the nicest person in the league."

Now keep in mind, Myers writes for the NY Daily News so you have to consider the source.

From Jeff Jacobs' column:

"This is what Dungy said on Sept. 14:

"We seemed to have tarnished Barry Bonds. We've pointed out that, even though he's a great player and he's hit a lot of home runs, because of what some people that work around him have done, it seems to have tarnished him in the court of public opinion."

Not Quite Mutual Admiration Societies

Jeff Jacobs

http://www.courant.com/sports/other/hc-jeffcol1101.artnov01,0,5453476.story

WOW! notice in the same column what a gentleman Tom Brady is heaping praise on

Satan Manning!

Jeff Jacobs goes on to say "The Patriots still represent the quintessence of teamwork. But any coach - including Dungy - would try to motivate his team with the us vs. the world mentality."

===============================================================

"We've got to change our signals" Tom Brady says 7:54 PM 11-4-07 in press conference to some chuckles. "Wes has been so productive for us" - Brady always praising his team. The Patriots are a team and the New England region showed Bill Belichick how much we appreciate his work ethic. "It's so challenging playing here...I don't know if there are levels of being deaf...we couldn't hear anything..." Tom Brady - the winner, noted the difficulties, but still emerged the better man. The gentleman!

"He's a great player. He's selfless. He leads by example." Brady on Randy Moss.

The poor-sports at The Dome, like the fans of the Cleveland Indians, tried their best to disrupt the game. Boston Sports fans don't wave white flags. And right now Boston Sports Fans are being rewarded. Brady is a gentleman, Manning got rattled and the $64,000.00 question?

How's Eric Mangini doing? Let's take a look

"Mike Nugent booted two field goals for the Jets, who sank to 1-8 this season."

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Sports/2007/11/04/nfl_washington_23_ny_jets_20_ot/5589/

Instant Karma got Mangini, didn't it? So much for the New York team trying to smear the people that gave Mangini his true start in this game.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Patriots Fifth Quarter with the great Bob Lobel got it right at 8:08 PM:

http://tv38.com/shows/Bob.Lobel.Football.12.956.html

"An outrageous one against Ellis Hobbs" Bob Lobel

"About as absurd as you get" Steve Diossi "It was that ridiculous a call. The other one was the call against Randy Moss."

"The worst call I've seen this year" Michael Felger.

Like I said. A GOLF HANDICAP FOR CRYBABY SATAN MANNING!

"You guys got penalized big time today" Steve Burton 8:09 PM 5th Quarter.

============================================================

How about that loser Mike Bianchi who writes for the Orlando Sentinel with his filth in the Baltimore Sun Commentary:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-sp.nflcolumn04nov04,0,5198394.story

Dungy-Belichick pits class vs. crass

November 4, 2007

We are not supposed to root for teams or coaches.

Dungy is a man who was carpooling the neighborhood children to school on the morning after being fired by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Oh please. The New England Patriots have done SO MUCH charity work, but they are the true heroes because they do it in private.

Moron Jon Saraceno from USA Today is another jerk:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/saraceno/2007-10-30-pats-colts_N.htm

Colts vs. Pats is a matchup pitting class vs. crass

By Jon Saraceno, USA TODAY

Sam Huff — yes, that Sam Huff — fully comprehends the concept of vengeance. Right now in the pro football, thy name is Bill Belichick

Well guess what, Saraceno...vengeance is pretty good when refs are making bad calls against the Patriots, when Dungy shoots his mouth off, when Manning looks like a rattled little girl on the field, defeated, beaten, the way he was when he stole that Championship ring.

"PATRIOTS GO TO 9 AND 0" Bob Lobel 8:18 PM 11/4/07 Couldn't have said it better myself.

P.S. Anyone notice how bad the CBS announcers were? As bad as the FOX "analysts" during the Cleveland/Boston and the World Series Games.

FROM DAN SHAUGHNESSY:

DanBambino@
Date: Thu, Jan 3, 2002, 2:44pm
Subject: Re: Speaking for Bledsoe
To: (sent to an older Varulven address)

joe --
i just hope someday i make it to the big-time like yourself. clearly,
you have reached the pinnicle of your profession. always good to be
critiqued by the best. cheers. shaughnessy

(Dan, the correct spelling is "pinnacle", glad to
help a fellow journalist out...)

Dan also phoned my home on 1/3/2002 asking if I "managed the Rolling Stones." No, Dan, only their late
producer, Jimmy Miller.

Umpires Squeezing Red Sox, Pitchers Aiming For Players

2007-06-18T19:06:00.001-07:00

TARGET: BOSTON RED SOX

For the Boston Red Sox it is going to be a fight this year, literally.
Has anyone noticed the ferocity and malice aimed at Manny Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis and Mike Lowell and David Ortiz and The Boston Red Sox in general?

The "Baseball gods" do play favorites, those "gods" being the businessmen (and possibly business women) behind the scenes sending signals to the umps and to opposing pitchers. Players getting bad calls against them, as well as pitches aimed at vital parts of their body.

It's no coincidence that Google Sports News hardly has The Red Sox on its front page. It's a fact. At 11:10 on Monday night, June 18, 2007, as I write this, even in what is called a "loss" the Sox STILL aren't on the front page of Google Sports. Sure, Curt Schilling pitched poorly, but there were bad calls and the advantage from the umps clearly tilted in Atlanta's favor - and had Francona left Lopez in rather than bringing in the broken Mike Timlin this game could have been won.

On June 18th the umpire called an absolute ball a strike on Kevin Youkilis. How many times have Manny and Ortiz been given strikes when the pitchers have thrown balls?
And when one player has to swing at balls because he knows the ump is going to call them strikes even when they are not, Manny and Ortiz have to follow Youkilis lead.
When pitchers get those kind of skewed calls against the Boston team you know that the Red Sox have a target on their back. Ortiz got thrown out of a ball game

Youkilis was hit by Yankee Mariano Rivera on June 3,2007. The man is in pain and Posada asks the umpire for a ruling! The Yankees won that game 6-5. The Yankees also won against The Mets on Sunday June 17th in a game where Chien-Ming Wang hit
Mets' player Paul Lo Duca on the left elbow. Edgar Gonzalez hits Mike Lowell on the wrist (hey, in 2006 Nomar Garciaparra, ex-Red Sox, was hit three times in a game by the Diamondbacks), LF Manny Ramirez, who was hit on the wrist Friday by a pitch from Arizona's Doug Davis on June 8th.

Be it an A-Rod cheap and dirty slide or being deceptive with the Toronto Blue Jays at the end of May "got it" or gotcha, it all comes down to playing dirty and The Yankees are such sore losers that that's the only way they've gotten back into the race - their backs against the walls they are hardly gentlemen - the richest team in baseball will break the rules so King George's investment (their salaries, mind you) doesn't go all the way south.

So you've got Alex Rodriguez, as one blogger notes, throwing elbows at Dustin Pedroia, cheating on his wife, and not playing fair with the Toronto Blue Jays the night before Mike Lowell, a man who has eaten up the Yankees, getting hit by a pitch. The New York Yankees took out Kevin Youkilis for a few weeks, and he came back with a roar. Red Sox deserved to win it all, and did, a week before the Patriots proved to the world who the best football team in the universe is.

Rodriguez misdeeds:

http://wordpress.com/tag/john-gibbons/feed/

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/31/sports/baseball/31pins.html?ex=1182312000&en=5f65909fa7a0cdc2&ei=5070

==========================================================================
Boston Red Sox's Kevin Youkilis grimaces after getting hit by a pitch by New York Yankees reliever Mariano Rivera in the ninth inning of their baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston Sunday, June 3, 2007. The Yankees won, 6-5.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/photo?slug=1a57c0c5990a49eabc41edb252574f54.yankees_red_sox_baseball_maea123&prov=ap

====================================================================================

http://fantasybaseball.usatoday.com/content/player_news.asp?sport=MLB&id=3588&line=209006

FROM DAN SHAUGHNESSY:

DanBambino@
Date: Thu, Jan 3, 2002, 2:44pm
Subject: Re: Speaking for Bledsoe
To: (sent to an older Varulven address)

joe --
i just hope someday i make it to the big-time like yourself. clearly,
you have reached the pinnicle of your profession. always good to be
critiqued by the best. cheers. shaughnessy

(Dan, the correct spelling is "pinnacle", glad to
help a fellow journalist out...)

Dan also phoned my home on 1/3/2002 asking if I "managed the Rolling Stones." No, Dan, only their late
producer, Jimmy Miller.