Just Snoozeling By The Pool.

It’s been a fast and crazy summer. A good one, but fast and crazy nonetheless, and I just haven’t had much time for my favorite summer activity; sitting in the backyard.

For all the fun and exciting things we do, there’s nothing that compares to reclining on a comfortable chair in the shade, the pool gurgling in the background, the Sox on the radio, and the trees swaying gently on a late summer breeze.

We spend so much time and effort on the yard that it’s great to finally just sit back and enjoy it, and we decided to stay close to home this Labor Day weekend to do just that.

We’re attending the usual family backyard barbecues, and taking the almost obligatory trip to Essex for clams, but the rest of the weekend is being spent in the reclining position. No sandy rides home, no guests to feed or clean up after, just sweet and blissful solitude. The knowledge that our beautiful surroundings are due to our own hard work, and for right now, that no one is expecting anything of us, makes it even sweeter.

Just snoozeling by the pool. Heaven.

Take some time out for yourself this holiday weekend. Retreat to your own little slice of heaven, wherever it may be, and just relax. You won’t regret it.

Papi Finally Paps!

Grand Slam!

Talk about a dramatic way to break out of a slump. Did you ever really doubt it was coming?

And how about those kids, huh? I think this is gonna be a fun season.


Full game recap on redsox.com

Swing batter, batter, batter, swing!

Good things come to those who wait.

After enduring a 2 hour rain delay, the Fenway Faithful were treated to an encore display of lightning as Jonathan Papelbon came in in the 8th with 2 on and 2 out and sat Alex Rodriguez down on 3 pitches. He came back out in the 9th and retired the side in order and the Red Sox held on to beat the Yankees 4 to 3.

Seeing the look on A-Rods face when Papelbon blew the heat by him for strike three was one of those moments you live for.

Full game recap on Redsox.com

Sox Solidarity

Red Sox players threatened to boycott today's game against the Blue Jays in Fort Myers and also their trip to Japan in a dispute with MLB over compensation for the coaches and staff who will be travelling with them.

Boston.com has full coverage of the story, but in a nutshell, the players refused to take the field today in Fort Myers after learning that MLB was reneging on it's promise to pay the coaches and staff an appearance fee. The fee was part of the original agreement the team had with Major League Baseball, and the players had voted to go to Japan based on those terms.

Finding out this morning that the terms had changed, the players voted to boycott today's game and possibly the whole trip to Japan in order to send a message to MLB. About 30 minutes into the game delay, MLB relented and offered to pay the coaches, trainers and staff as promised.

Normally I hate it when money matters interfere with the game. The players make so darned much that it always makes me a little sick to hear about it, but this is different and I think it bodes well for the team and the season.

The people who were getting the shaft were the people who could afford it least, and it did my heart good to see the players take a stand. It shows heart, determination and brotherhood on their part, and that, combined with the talent of this team, smells like victory to me.

Nice job men.

The Boys Of Summer Are Back!

It's that time again, and it isn't a moment to soon. The Sox are back in sunny Fort Myers and spring training games are underway.

I was psyched to see and hear our old pals the Remdawg and Announcer Boy this weekend on NESN. There's something about drowsing in front of the tube during a weekend day game. It's like a tonic for my winter weary mind and body.

I'm back and forth to the Fort Myers area a lot so I thought I'd share a few of my favorite stops with you. Like where to find a Dunkins, cheap decent eats, beach side fish places, best barbecue, best frappes, and the complete list of local Hooters franchises. Gotta go to Hooters. My wife was never crazy about the place until we met *sigh* Jason and some of the boys there. Now I'm golden! Man is he a nice guy.

So, don't be fooled by imitations. Get your info from our New Englander's Guide To The Fort Myers Area (or Where Can I Get My Dunkin' Fix). You'll be glad you did.

Go Sox!

A Date With Destiny

The Patriots can make history tomorrow with a win in Super Bowl XLII, becoming the first team to go 19 and 0 in a single season. The 72 Dolphins current record is 17 and 0, quite a feat, but with the current expanded schedule the Pats can top that.

It will have been a great season regardless, 16 and 0 in the regular season with Brady and Moss shattering every record in the book, but to clinch it all with a Super Bowl win would be... perfect. As a matter of fact, it would be perfect on many levels.

First, it would be a fitting cap to a season that has been marred by "spygate". Although nothing can change the fact that it happened, a complete domination of the league while they're under intense scrutiny and critisizim would lay to rest any lingering doubts people might have about their ability to win without an extra edge.

Secondly, the Sox winning the World Series and the Pats winning the Super Bowl during overlapping seasons would be a treat for the New England sports fan that isn't tasted by many, and it would be the second time in 3 years for us. How unbelievably cool is that? After the heartbreaking seasons we've all grown up with, it would be wicked pissah.

And lastly, there's the Dad Factor. My Dad wanted to see this run through, and he almost made it. So now, for me, it's got to happen. That would be perfection.

Coping 101

I had a special relationship with my Dad. As a kid he used to take me to every sporting event in the Boston area. Red Sox, Pats, Bruins, BC, you name it, we were there. Our mutual love of sports carried on throughout our lives and insured that we always had something to discuss, no matter what.

I loved it when we could be together, but even when we were a thousand miles apart, we’d talk on the phone every night, sometimes for an hour or more. He would tell me about his day (especially the meals) and I would tell him about the family and his hometown happenings while we watched sports together. If he wasn't getting the game, I would often do play by play for him, so I was really lucky that I was here to watch the Patriots season finale with him, plus the first playoff game.

He slept through a lot of the Jags game. When he woke up the game was over and he asked me who won. When I told him the Pats he said "Oh, this changes everything. I’ve gotta get out of here now." It was pretty much our last casual conversation and it really summed him up. Always brave and funny, even when he was facing death.

Sunday night after the Pats victory over the Chargers I had this panicky thought that I hadn't called him to talk about the win, then I realized I was sitting in his living room. At first I got really sad, then it dawned on me that he'll be with me for every down and every at bat for the rest of my life. He’ll always be there with me when I’m watching our favorite teams.

That’s what I want you all to take away with you today. He was a man who touched a lot of people's lives. If he touched yours, use those little things that you shared with him as a way to keep him alive in your heart. If you just happened by and didn't know him from Adam, it's still good advice. We all lose people we love and we all need help coping with that loss.

And speaking of coping, take some time and check out Hospice Care if you're not already familiar with it. Very special place, very special people. Our experience was with Hope Hospice in Cape Coral, FL. and I can not say enough good things about them. They don't just help the patient, they help the whole family.

Can Singing Sweet Caroline Save Your Soul?

Check out this article on Boston.com about Neil Diamond's inspiration for the song Sweet Caroline. He says that he wrote the tune after seeing a picture of a young Caroline Kennedy and that he had never told anyone until last week when he sang it for her via satellite at her 50Th birthday party. The song has recently reappeared on the charts and Diamond attributes the Red Sox with it's resurgence, which brings me to my point.

I had read an article earlier this year in the Globe sports section. It was one of those "I was just thinking..." type of pieces, and the writer was "just thinking" that the playing and singing of the song as a ritual at Fenway made the fans look like yahoos.

Here's the thing. I've been a Sox fan since before I went to my first game with my dad in 1961. The photo above is of me, Circa 1959, decked out in the fan gear of the day. I know that the Sweet Caroline phenomenon is a relatively new thing and is embraced by the dreaded pink hats and band wagoners, but I like it. Not only do I like it, but I think it's a really great thing.

Before I go any further, I have to tell you a secret. You can't let anyone know what I'm about to tell you because it will ruin my reputation as a hardcore rock, blues and jazz fan. OK, here goes:

I have a lot of Neil Diamond on my iPod.

I grew up with his music. You couldn't turn on the AM radio in your parents car in the 60's without hearing something by him. So, although I quickly moved on to the Beatles and the Stones, Neil will always remind me of cruising shotgun with my dad in his '65 Impala.

That being said, the reason I think it's a great tradition is that it's the ONE AND ONLY piece of music that unites all of my friends and family, regardless of generation, whenever it comes on. Whether I'm flipping burgers at a summer cookout or hosting a Christmas party, when Sweet Caroline starts to pulse out of the speakers every man, woman and child present starts to sing, and that's a really good feeling. A feeling of warmth and brotherhood, a feeling of being a part of something.

Now amplify that feeling to the Nth degree by adding 33,000 total strangers voices to your own little group. If you can't feel the electricity and power of the moment, I say you have no soul.

So, hate it if you must. Despise the fans that participate. Just don't grouse about it and harsh my mellow.

I plan to go right on singing.

You've gotta check out...

the latest Bill Simmons piece: Sox win Most Valuable Team award. It sums up the 2007 Sox very nicely and I love his description of Papelbon at the end.

Simmons can be a very polarizing figure, people either love him or hate him. I enjoy his humor and his love of Boston sports, but what really strikes a chord with me is his relationship with his dad. My own dad is a rabid and lifelong Sox, Pats and BC fan and is enjoying his golden years in sunny Florida. I go down and visit him during spring training and he spends his summers up here with us, so we get to enjoy the Sox together for most of the season. The rest of the time we watch together over the phone and this post season has been no exception.

We had a very similar conversation on Sunday night and came to the same conclusion as the Simmons' men, the whole team could get the MVP. It was almost impossible to single anyone out of the team effort. We also would never have discussed the subject pre-final out back in '04. This one was waaaaay different.

The Sox seem to have turned that same corner that the Pats turned a few years back. You don't worry because you know they'll find a way to pull it out. That's because like the Pats, the current Red Sox are a team, first and foremost, and that's the key to success.

Red Sox are World Champions!

Once again the Rockies made a late inning surge but the Sox held on, beating Colorado 4-3 in game 4 to become World Champions again.

Lester was great in his first post season start, throwing 5 and 2/3 innings of shutout baseball. Delcarmen, Timlin and Okajima came in in relief with Manny and Oki giving up 1 and 2 runs respectively, but Papelbon shut the door on the series and the Rockies season.

Mike Lowell had a double in the 5th, scoring on a head first slide at the plate and a solo home run in the 7th and was named series MVP. SIGN HIM, THEO!

How great is this team? Everyone came up big at one time or another during this championship run. Everyone.

The best thing is that so many of these guys are just starting out. I think we're gonna see some great baseball in this town for quite a while.

Sox up 3-0!

Dice-K went 5 and 1/3 and singled to drive in 2 of the Sox 6 runs in the third. Can you believe it? But the Rockies would not go gentle into that good night. They came roaring back in the 7th as Holliday stroked an Oki-Doke pitch for a 3 run homer making it 6 to 5.

We didn't have to sweat it for long as the rookies Ellsbury and Pedroia came through again, and the Sox scored 4 more times in the 8th and 9th and Pap closed it out. 10-5 final.

This team always responds.

I'm going out on a limb here because everyone on this team fits the MVP mold in one way or another and there's still at least one more game, but I'm going with Ellsbury for now. Talk about bringing it, this kid is fearless.

Tomorrow night I think I'm going to have to set the clicker up so that I can flip from the TV audio to the AM tuner with a minimum of effort. If the Sox were to close the series out it would be tantamount to sacrilege to hear the final call come from those idiots Buck and McCarver. I'd do it for the whole game but unfortunately the 2 feeds are not even close to being synced. Bummer.

Weekend Mashup

Check out the Buzz Report on CNET. Molly Wood is very good. I especially like the out takes from her tech reviews.

To effect the quality of the day is no small achievement. I got this in a fortune cookie recently and it made such an impression on me that I googled it. Seems like its a very common fortune as I found quite a few blogs and websites where people were referring to finding it. I also found that it's a subtle variation of a Henry David Thoreau quote: "It is something to be able to paint a particular picture, or to carve a statue, and so to make a few objects beautiful; but it is far more glorious to carve and paint the very atmosphere and medium through which we look. To affect the quality of the day--that is the highest of arts." Here's the thing. I like the quote because I've found that there is hardly anything more rewarding than changing the quality of someones day. For the better, that is.

Brady and Manning have a shot at the same record this week. Being the first QB to beat all 31 opponents. Brett Favre has a shot at it next week. Also, both the Pats and Colts will be trying to remain undefeated.

Daisuke Matsuzaka ( 松坂 大輔 ) is on the mound for the Sox tonight in Colorado and I think he's going to give us another good outing. I saw a press conference with him today and he said that after holding a replica of the World Series trophy he's anxious to hoist the real thing. Could be just the motivation he needs. We'll see...

Go Sox, Go Pats!

That is all.

Yes!

Sox win 2-1. God that was a white knuckler, but Pap closed it out with the high heat and the Sox go up 2-0 in the series.

Schilling lasted through 5 and 1/3 in what could be his final Fenway appearance. Okajima came in with 2 men on and shut the Rockies down for the next 2 and 1/3 innings (How the hell does he throw so accurately with his head down?). Crazy Legs Papelbon got the last 4 outs.

So it's off to Mile High, and although I'd love to see them sweep, it would be sweet if they could win the big one at home.

I went to my first game in '61 so I've seen quite a few incarnations of this team and I've gotta tell ya, this is one special team. The pitching, the hitting, coming up big when the pressure is on, these guys are phenomenal.

And speaking of first games, I really love to see kids at the park. I've heard some people comment lately that it's a waste of an expensive seat to bring young kids to a game. It's not. I was only 6 and I remember every moment as if it were yesterday. The sounds and smells of Fenway are burned into my soul. That's how you become an official member of Red Sox Nation. Sending in 20 bucks and getting a cheesy card in the mail has nothing to do with it.

Sox win game 1 in rout!

Josh Beckett was masterful through 7 tonight as the Sox beat the Rockies 13 to 1 with Timlin and Gagne taking care of the 8th and 9th, finishing it off in fine style.

Gagne..? Fine style..? Who would've thought we'd be puting those words together to describe a Monsuier Gagne post season performance? Then again, there was nothing ordinary or predictable about this game.

With Beckett striking out the side in the top of the first and Pedroia homering to lead off, you just knew it was the Sox night, and boy was it ever. Up 6 to 1, the Sox drove a stake through the Rockies heart by scoring 7 runs in the 5th and just cruised from there. This team is marching in lockstep to the beat of the bullpen drum corps, and I'm lovin' it.

It's too soon to be licking each other's popsicles just yet, but this post season seems to be following the '04 script pretty closely. It's a little spooky...

Beckett's got his game face on...

and strikes out the first batter! Go Sox!

Red Sox are AL Champs!

The Sox beat the Indians 11-2 in game 7 of the ALCS and are on their way to the World Series.

Dice K, Oke Doke and Papelbon combined to hold the Tribe to 2 runs and Pedroia and Youkilis had the hot bats tonight.

Josh Beckett was presented with the ALCS MVP trophy but I've gotta tell ya, everyone contributed in this series. How about Coco crashing into the wall to make the last out? Nice.

The boys are dancin' on the diamond again and I want to see it one more time.

Sox club Tribe 12-2 and it's down to game 7

Schilling was good for 7, Drew came through, Youk used his head, Ellsbury was inspiring and Gagne was lights out. How can you not love these guys?

The game 6 win sets up a Sunday to remember in Boston. The undefeated Pats in the afternoon and then a winner takes all nightcap at Fenway. The new millenium has been very, very good to us.

Go Pats! Go Sox!

Sox win 7-1 and it's back to Boston!

How about those Red Sox, is Josh Beckett the man or what?

Youk and Pedroia are hitting again and we even saw a brief glimpse of Jacoby Ellsbury filling in for Manny in left. That gives me hope that he may play for Coco Crispy on Saturday.

I still think Manny got robbed on the wall ball, the yellow line shouldn't extend over the wall, but that being said he should have been running regardless.

Well, it's back to Fenway for a Schilling Carmona matchup and my Dad can come down off the roof for a couple more days. Thank God the next 2 are weekend games, I've gotta get some sleep!

berry's new blog

Hi, you've found berry's new blog. I've got a website @ www.berryjooks.com with technology reviews and how-to's along with music and sports news but I thought it would be fun to ramble a bit on here.

This space is where I'm going to vent and pontificate and perhaps even entice you over to my site for a closer look at what I'm up to. My real passion is for building large scale voice and data networks but I love all things electronic. I'm also a real nut job for the Patriots, the Red Sox and ABC's Lost. Quite the strange brew... and speaking of strange brew, Clapton has a new autobiography and a new compilation CD out. The book is getting great reviews and the CD is on my gottagetit list as most of my Cream collection is still on vinyl (yup, I'm that old).

As you can see I'm already all over the place, but that's exactly why I wanted to start this blog. I try to keep to the subject on my website, this place I can be a little more free form.

Well, that's it for now, but I'll leave you with these thoughts:

The Sox can win 3 playoff games in a row and have done it as recently as 2004. You've just gotta believe.

The Pats will continue to crush all opponents and finish every game with, as Bill Simmons so succinctly put it in his last column, the eff you touchdown.

Always do right. This will gratify some people, and astonish the rest. Mark Twain