The best seat in the house is the view from the couch

Week Recap

What a week. Seriously, I can’t remember a better 7-day stretch in Boston sports during my lifetime. Not only did the Red Sox pull off the greatest comeback in baseball history, not only did the Patriots defeat the Jets to extend the longest winning streak in NFL history, but every team from New York and/or LA that was still playing crumbled and fell to pieces over the past seven days.

The Yankees are done. They’re home making plans on how much to overpay Carlos Beltran, Pedro Martinez, Nomar Garciaparra, and about twelve more guys. The Jets are no longer counted among the NFL’s elite three undefeated teams, leaving only New England and Philly (my super bowl pick two years running, and should have been this year… damned ‘Skins) at zero losses. The Bills and Giants both lost yesterday, meaning that no team from New York has won since last Sunday’s late Jets’ comeback over San Francisco. Oh how sweet it is.

And, on top of all that, I have some personal good news to pass along. Thanks to a huge boost from employees at the company I work for (who now total 73% of my readership – impressive), I received my highest single-week hit total to this site at almost 250, with a total page view number of over 350 – bringing my monthly numbers up over 550 page views. October is good... I guess this is what happens when you write for what is now eight straight days. Don’t get used to all this material people, because after Halloween, this is probably going to have to go back to a weekly thing rather than a daily. Maybe I’ll keep it at twice a week, but who knows. This can only mean big things for me, I can feel it. Soon, I’ll be alongside the greats like Gordon Edes, Steve Buckley, and Dan Shau… eh, he sucks.

I have to say, thanks to a wacky week and a half of sports, I’ve had plenty to write about. I’m going to keep today’s column short, basically because it’s an off day for the World Series, and no one cares about Bengals/Broncos later tonight. Just some quick-hit thoughts going into game 3, and of course, the return of the “Quote of the Week”, which is actually just the “Quote of the Week(end)”.

- Pedro Martinez vs. Jeff Suppan in Game 3. Isn’t this the same Jeff Suppan who didn’t even make the Red Sox postseason roster last year? How is he this good? I think if Petey gives a 6IP, 2R (probably both unearned), 6H, 2BB, 5K line, it should be enough. Of course, I can’t wait to see him lay down a good sacrifice and teach people like Johnny Damon and Mark Bellhorn how to execute the most fundamental of baseball plays…

- Game 1 was spent in “Who’s On First” once again, returning to the scene of the massacre, as it were. I stood in nearly the same spot that I had been for ALCS Game Three, with a far better result this time around. Well, at least from a baseball standpoint. This time I gout doused in beer and nearly crushed by the only three people in the bar larger than me, each of which had taken up residence either in front of, behind, or alongside me for the better part of the game. There was one big celebration, and I think I lost a rib or two. Too bad FOX didn’t have a camera in there…

- The crowd booing Dale Sveum was perhaps the best crowd-related moment of the weekend. He deserved it, he knew he deserved it, and the sheepish grin he had on his face said as much. Now let’s get past it and get’r’done boys.

- Actually, the best crowd-related moment was at the end of Pats/Jets yesterday, as whatever remained of the capacity crowd at Gillette Stadium began chanting “Who’s your daddy” to the Jets. Inventive, witty, and well timed. I love being a Boston fan right now.

- The announcers during that football game should be reviewed, if they did in fact openly hope that the Pittsburgh Steelers win next week versus the Patriots, as my buddy Tim says they did. Aren’t national announcers supposed to be un-biased?

- Broncos/Bengals – Broncos, by a lot, and Ruben Droughns goes off. Again.

- Things I said on Friday:

1) “Detroit doesn’t have the offense OR the defense to compete with the G’nts.” Oops.

2) On Atlanta (+3.5) over KC: “This is ludicrous. The Falcons are 5-1, the Chiefs are 1-4. HOW ARE THEY FAVORITES?! I know that Atlanta hasn’t looked impressive in their wins, but wins are wins, and losses are losses. KC still can’t stop anyone, and Atlanta has the single best athlete in the NFL. This makes no sense at all.” Bigger Oops.

3) “The Pats’ defense is solid, although I think Curtis Martin will have another big day. He always plays well against New England…” Not a huge Oops, since Curtis did got 20 rushes for 70 yards and 2 catches for 0 yards. Actually, yeah, that’s a lousy day.

- I can’t believe I’m relying on the Broncos to cover tonight –6 against the Bengals in order to salvage a winning week (6-6-1 so far). In even worse news, I’m 7-6 so far in the office pool, and guaranteed to drop 2 games to the player in first place, and possibly fall into fourth place. Ugh.

- My stomach and I aren’t exactly on speaking terms this morning. Although, considering the mass quantities and odd combinations of alcohol, fast food, junk snack food and Dunkin’ Donuts coffee that I’ve forced into my digestive system, I really can’t blame my stomach for holding a grudge.

- Planning a Vegas trip in March, probably around Spring Break… Who’s in?

Quotes(s) of the Week(end):

Both from my boy Tim. I spent Game 1 in Boston with him and about 10 other friends from home. In case you missed it, the Red Sox chose to introduce every person in the organization before the game started. I was fully expecting Wally to get a standing ovation, but alas… Anyway, during the introductions, Tim and I had this exchange screaming over the speakers:

Me: “Damn, I just got my voice back on Thursday!”

Tim: “Are you kidding? I just lost mine cheering for the groundskeeper!”

And then last night, during a pivotal moment in Game two (spent with about 10 people at Tim's apartment), his cell phone rang, playing the ever-popular “Knight Rider” theme song (way too much back story to explain that one). Tim jumps up and blurts out “This had better be the bloody Pope calling at this time!” and storms out of the room to try and get reception.

I don’t know, both of these just made me laugh for awhile.

That’s all I got for right now. I’ll see you all later this week, probably Wednesday after the Sox go up 3-0. And as we all know, in baseball when a team goes up 3-0 in a seven-game series, that’s it, the season’s over, don’t even play the rest of the games… uh, right?

God it’s nice to be a Boston fan right now. Have I mentioned that yet?

posted by Big D @ 12:00 AM