Category: Boston Red Sox (Page 4 of 5)

Sitting at the Dock of the Bay

6 August, 2009 / Kat

We all have bad days, weeks, months, years. What happens when we suffer from one? We hit the bar, we sneak out of work early, we take a nap, we play with our cats, we get a manicure. And, most of the time, no one gives us a hard time about it.

Unless you’re an athlete. Because if you are an athlete, sports fans – fickle ones, at that – make it their own pastime to comment about your bad day, remind you about your bad day, and hold it over your head for days, weeks, months, years, lifetimes on end.

Heaven forbid said bad day occurs due to an injury. Then you’re “injury prone,” “weak,” “not a professional,” “disingenuous.” Injury equals weakness, and unless the limb is severed, many believe you ought to be out on the field, ice, court, or pitch. Continue reading

What We Know of The Great Outdoors

25 June, 2009 / Kat

The NHL is currently teaching everyone a lesson in basic marketing with its handling of the Winter Classic announcement. Create a buzz by releasing information about a program piece by piece, and make people clamor for more.

It's safe to say hockey fans are becoming obsessed with Fenway Park. (Photo by me.)

But although complete and official information about the 2010 Winter Classic and subsequent events will not be released until July 1st at the earliest, there is enough substantial information out there to piece together five nearly certain pieces of the official announcement.

– The NHL game at Fenway Park will be the Boston Bruins versus the Philadelphia Flyers. After the owner of the Washington Capitals, the Bruins’ most rumored opponent, mentioned that the team had no plans to be part of a January 1, 2010 game last week, the Flyers have been the most reported and substantiated replacement.

– The ice at Fenway Park will be down for several weeks. Having the Winter Classic at a ballpark as opposed to an NFL stadium affords the organizers much more time to bring in the rink system, as the latest baseball runs is the first week in November. When the Winter Classic was held at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buf-town (which is what I’m allowed to call Buffalo because I’m a bitter Rochestarian), the major complaint is that event organizers did not have enough time to lay down the ice surface and troubleshoot any problems because of the NFL season ending only days before. With Fenway Park the NHL’s to play with from mid-November on, not only can any system problems be fixed much before the main event, other events can use the ice surface.

My Gabe Kapler T-Shirt Collection Is Growing

19 January, 2009 / Kat

Happy belated birthday to me, happy belated birthday to me, happy belated birthday from Gabe Kapler, happy belated birthday to meeeeeee.

Last Monday was my birthday, and Gabe Kapler, my favorite baseball player of all time, unknowingly gave me a birthday gift. How? Because on that day, without much fanfare, Kapler signed with the defending American League Champion Tampa Bay Rays. I wasn’t sure if he would stay in baseball this year, so his signing with the Rays is a mighty fine birthday present.

The Rays added Kapler as insurance for center fielder BJ Upton, who some sportswriters speculate may not be ready for Opening Day due to his recovery from shoulder surgery. Kapler signed a one year, one million dollar contract with the Rays. Continue reading

Forgiving Rian Lindell, Finding Fun Balance Beam Mounts, and a Successful Phil Kessel: What I’m Thankful for This Thanksgiving

28 November, 2008 / Kat

Two of my three stars of the Bills-Seahawks game - Brian Moorman and Rian Lindell.

Don't worry, Rian Lindell - I'm still thankful for you.

This Thanksgiving day, I have a lot to be thankful for. In the spirit of many blogs today, I will now provide a laundry list of all the things – sports related, that is – that I am thankful for:

I am thankful that the Buffalo Bills are still in Buffalo.

I am thankful that Dick Jauron has resisted the urge to throw in JP Losman when Trent Edwards has gone through his growing pains.

Reluctantly, I am thankful for Rian Lindell, because for every 47 yarder to win the game he misses, he blasts 50 other field goals and extra points through the uprights. (And I still don’t understand why more people are not naming their sons Rian with an i.)

I am thankful for the Buffalo Sabres’ third jerseys, because they remind me of my childhood. Continue reading

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

26 September, 2008 / Kat

The air is crisp. I broke out my vast collection of lightweight coats. Everything is pumpkin or apple flavored or scented or both. A new TV season starts (although, truth being told, I only watch three shows that aren’t sports related.) Those things alone makes late September wonderful…but then, let’s add:

the start of football season
the pennant race
NHL and AHL training camps
and, most importantly, the countdown to college hockey season. (T minus 8 days, if you are a Boston University men’s hockey fan, and if you follow the women’s team, 2 days.)

Those aspects alone make this time of year one of my favorites. It’s all sports, all the time. I can’t complain.

In addition to these general reasons why late September is wonderful, here are four things making this week better than most: