Media Movement All Over The Place

Posted by Bruce August 15, 2008 (6 days ago) at 8:30 am

Last night we learned about the changes at the Globe, which included Tony Massarotti moving over from the Herald, and Chad Finn earning himself a sweet promotion.

This morning, David Scott has more on the move, but also reports on new hires at weei.com, which include Jeff Goodman, Alex Speier and wait for it…Ron Borges.

Ron Borges? 

Seriously? Ken Powers wasn’t available? Mike Barnicle turned them down? Patricia Smith wasn’t interested?

My interest and enthusiasm in their new venture just sunk considerably. They were doing things right all the way up until that point. Michael Felger, Rob Bradford, Goodman and Speier are all relatively young guys who understand how things work in the new age of sportswriting. For the most part they have a fresh perspective on things, and don’t stir up stuff just to get noticed (well, except for Felger.)

Borges throws all that out the window. The quotes from Dennis and Callahan in Scott’s piece are just nauseating. Yeah, I’m sure Bill Belichick is shaking in his shoes at the thought of Borges back in Foxboro. That’s provided of course that he knows how to get there. He hasn’t been seen down there in a long time, even before his (wink wink) retirement from the Globe.

I had high hopes for this new weei.com. Borges just about kills it for me. You hire him, you lose your credibility. Simple as that.

Bad move, guys.

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The Red Sox hitters are surely sorry to see the Texas Rangers pitchers leave town. Boston finished off the sweep of the Rangers with a 10-0 victory at Fenway Park last night. The Red Sox scored 37 runs in 3 games off the Rangers…

Globe beat reporter Amalie Benjamin has the game story. Jeff Horrigan has the Red Sox continuing their hot hitting since the Manny Ramirez trade. Paul Kenyon has the Red Sox finishing off their roundup of the Rangers. Jeff Goldberg has Daisuke Matsuzaka once again letting the runners on, and once again not letting them score. Bob Stern has the Red Sox pounding the Rangers one more time. Garry Brown has more on the demolition at Fenway. Phil O’Neill has another big inning leading the way for Boston.

Tony Massarotti has David Ortiz and Kevin Youkilis proving to be a formidable 3-3 combination. Barbara Matson has Ortiz especially sorry to see the Rangers go. Ortiz has regain his power stroke in this series, and even enjoyed an early departure last night. Still, I can’t help but remember the reaction from the media when Pedro Martinez left the ballpark early after a start. I’ve got absolutely no problem with Ortiz (or Pedro) going home early, but it’s interesting to note the difference in reaction. Steven Krasner analyzes the lack of success by the Rangers pitching in this series. Massarotti says that the Blue Jays will provide a much stiffer test for the Boston bats.

Marty Dobrow has a minor league notebook in the Globe, and examines a rash of oblique strains in the Red Sox organization. Rich Thompson’s minor league notebook has Bartolo Colon on the road back to the majors.

Benjamin’s notebook has Jon Lester trying to help out Clay Buchholz. Horrigan’s notebook has Dice-K once again walking a tightrope last night. The ProJo notebook has more on Matsuzaka. Goldberg’s notebook says that Kevin Youkilis is making a case for league MVP. Brown’s notebook has Paul Byrd getting ready for his first Red Sox start tonight. O’Neill’s notebook also makes the case for Youkilis as AL MVP.

Patriots

Over on Patriots Daily, Scott Benson examines whether the Patriots can or will carry five running backs on their roster.

Christopher L. Gasper has a look at the Patriots signing of veteran safety John Lynch. Christopher Price has more on the Lynch signing. Carolyn Thornton says that Lynch could end up being a big presence in the Patriots secondary. Eric McHugh thinks Lynch should fit well here. Jennifer Toland writes that Lynch could fill the void left by Tank Williams being placed on IR. Mark Farinella looks at this year’s carbon-dated addition to the Patriots roster.

Karen Guregian says that adding Dom Capers to the coaching staff might be the best move the Patriots made in the offseason. Thornton has rookie QB Kevin O’Connell doing all he can to learn from Tom Brady. Guregian has more on the rookie learning how to play the position in his first NFL camp. Farinella has a look at Kenny Smith, who gets a feature written about him for the second day in a row. Thompson has punter Chris Hanson secure in his role with the team.

Price tells us what to watch for during Sunday night’s game. Ian M. Clark has a Ruud family reunion on tap for Sunday night. Mike McMahon looks at former Boston Patriot Daryl Johnson going into the Morgan State Hall of Fame.

Gasper’s notebook has Jason Webster getting close to returning to action for the Patriots. Guregian’s notebook has more on the signing of Lynch. Toland’s notebook has Dean Pees talking about some of his young players on defense. McHugh’s notebook examines the impact on he safety depth chart that the Lynch signing will have.

Misc

Steve Bulpett and Marc J. Spears report on the Celtics signing first round pick J.R. Giddens.

Spears also has the United States’ men’s basketball team taking care of business with Greece yesterday.

Mark Blaudschun has a media column on NBC Sports reporter Bob Neumeier. Neumy mentions that WEEI wasn’t “fair” in their contract offer to him, which is why he left his show with Dale Arnold.  

What’s He Saying Now??

Posted by Mike Giardi August 2, 2008 (3 weeks ago) at 10:44 pm

Thoughts while getting ready for “Sports Late Night.”

- There are certain guys who may entertain, but who’s words should just disappear into the abyss. Manny Ramirez is one of those athletes. Here’s the latest. Pay close attention to the beginning, about his love for LA, then his rationale for not bringing his family out West. Priceless. By the way, there are many in the media who think Enrique Rojas takes some liberties with his translations. I have no idea. Could be just jealous types who are mad they didn’t get the quotes Rojas did.
 

- Can we also agree that a certain other network that broadcasts Sox games should not be playing “I’ll Be There,” or “I’ll Be Ready,” or whatever the heck its called? That’s the “Baywatch” theme. The only time I want to hear that tune is if Pamela Anderson or Erika Eleniak is running across the TV screen. But that’s just me…

- Carolina Panthers receiver Steve Smith is a phenomenal talent, but can we all agree that he has major anger management issues? One of my favorite web sites, ProFootballTalk.com, has posted this little nugget.

“We’re hearing via our network of sources that the fight between Steve Smith and Ken Lucas, which ended with Lucas getting a broken nose, arose from the perception or reality that Lucas has had one or more nose jobs.

Seriously.

As the rumor goes, some of the players make fun of Lucas for the perception or reality that he has undergone the procedure once or more in the past. And, as the rumor goes, Lucas made a solid play on Smith not long before the fight happened. And, as the rumor goes, those who make fun of Lucas for the perception or reality that he has gotten one or more nose jobs then started to make fun of Smith for being shown up by Lucas. And, as the rumor goes, this prompted Smith to take out his frustrations on Lucas and/or his nose.”

He later posts pictures of Lucas from 2005 and 2007. You be the judge. Of course, that still doesn’t explain/excuse Smith’s outburst. Why is it that almost all the great WRs seem to be a crazy?

Tippett praises former teammates

Posted by Reiss' Pieces August 1, 2008 (3 weeks ago) at 5:28 pm

CANTON, Ohio – Andre Tippett just spoke with members of the press here at the McKinley Grand Hotel, and he was asked – now that he’s in town – what it means to share this moment with his past teammates, specifically those on non-Super Bowl caliber teams.

“I was real fortunate to play with some really, really good football players," he responded. "I don’t think we had the success, continuously, that we thought we would have. I don’t think that after going to Super Bowl XX, any of us envisioned not being able to get back again. We thought we would have a few more years competing at that level.

“But, as all my classmates will attest to, we don’t get here unless we have great people that are around us, great teammates. I had some great teammates over the years, specifically some of the linebackers that I’ve played with. I played with some great guys in Steve Nelson and Don Blackmon. Without Don Blackmon, I really wouldn’t be here today because he was as good as some of the greatest linebackers to play the game.

“We had some great defenses for about a six-year period. As I go in, and people celebrate me, you celebrate those guys that were there [with me].”

Out with the boy, in with an adult

Posted by Ted McEnroe August 1, 2008 (3 weeks ago) at 5:02 pm

The jury may be out on just how lopsided the Manny Ramirez for Jason Bay deal was from a pure talent standpoint (Mike Giardi and I can differ on that - we’ll miss Moss a little, Hansen not much at all in my opinion), but there’s no denying the sense of relief inside the Red Sox clubhouse.

Terry Francona looked positively giddy compared to the Tito we have seen in recent weeks - as he tried to defend a player his team had lost respect for.

And as for Bay - love the guy. First two words to the media? “Fire away.” And it turns out Bay has quietly been a member of the Red Sox Nation of the Allegheny (if there is such an organization). Back home in British Columbia growing up, his dad put him in a Red Sox onesie, and he hung posters of Carl Yastrzemski and Jim Rice in his bedroom growing up. He says he loved the atmosphere at Fenway when he was visiting as a Pirate, and praised Red Sox Nation up and down.

In short, he did more to build a relationship with the community in 9 minutes and 15 seconds than Manny Ramirez had done in the last three years.

Don’t get me wrong - I’m not really a Manny-basher. He was and is a big kid out there. Sometimes, you couldn’t help but be charmed by his antics and his genuine love for the game. Other times, though, he was a spoiled child, who needed a timeout or to be grounded — not an option when you’re the $20 million man in a playoff race.

This much is for certain - stats aside, the Red Sox sent a child off to Hollywood yesterday.

They got back a man.

Here’s the man meeting the media:

Bay: new to Fenway, but not to Red Sox Nation

Posted by NECN - Sports August 1, 2008 (3 weeks ago) at 4:36 pm

(NECN) - Jason Bay may be new to the Boston Red Sox, but he's no stranger to the Sox fan base. He grew up in it.

"I had a Red Sox onesie when I was growing up," the Britich Columbia native told reporters, noting that his father was a diehard Sox fan.

In his bedroom as a kid? Posters of Jim Rice and Carl Yastrzemski.

And Bay remembers his only trip to Fenway as a member of the Red Sox, for the atmosphere - and the rendition of 'Sweet Caroline'. He noted the atmosphere between Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium, where the Pirates visited on the trip, was totally different.

read more

Theo, Tito say Bay is a great fit

Posted by NECN - Sports August 1, 2008 (3 weeks ago) at 4:22 pm

(NECN) - Red Sox Manager Terry Francona and GM Theo Epstein held a press conference to discuss the recent block buster trade that sent Manny Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers. It also sent Sox outfielder Brandon Moss and pitcher Craig Hansen to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

In the three team-deal, the Red Sox acquired outfielder Jason Bay from the Pirates. Bay will be introduced Friday night against the Oakland A's. Bay will be hitting in the number 5 spot, behind Mike Lowell.

read more

Bay: ‘I’m not going to be Manny’

Posted by NECN - Sports August 1, 2008 (3 weeks ago) at 4:12 pm

(NECN: Boston, Mass.) - "Fire away."

With those two words, Jason Bay met the Boston media for the first time in a Fenway Park news conference as a member of the Boston Red Sox. Bay says he arrived in Boston after a "sleepless" night, finding out only after the trade deadline passed at 4 p.m. that he had actually been shipped to Boston.

"I didn't know anything more than what everyone was writing," Bay told reporters about how he followed a day that had him reportedly shipped to Tampa at mid-afternoon, before the Boston trade was finalized.

read more

Francona: Team already looking ahead after trade

Posted by NECN - Sports August 1, 2008 (3 weeks ago) at 4:09 pm

(NECN: Boston, Mass.) - Prior to introducing jason bay as the newest member of the Boston Red Sox, Theo Epstein and Terry Francona met the media, and for the first time, Frnacona acknowledged that his team had lost its focus before the trade of Manny Ramirez. But he said the team was already looking ahead in a Friday afternoon team meeting.

"We discussed how we're going to go forward," Francona said of the meeting. "I thought it was an exciting time to stand in fromt of your players and feel like that."

read more

Epstein: Now we feel like a team

Posted by NECN - Sports August 1, 2008 (3 weeks ago) at 4:07 pm

(NECN) - Red Sox Manager Terry Francona and GM Theo Epstein held a press conference to discuss the recent block buster trade that sent Manny Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers. It also sent Sox outfielder Brandon Moss and pitcher Craig Hansen to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

In the three team-deal, the Red Sox acquired outfielder Jason Bay from the Pirates. Bay will be introduced Friday night against the Oakland A's. Bay will be hitting in the number 5 spot, behind Mike Lowell.

read more

Tippett to speak first

Posted by Reiss' Pieces August 1, 2008 (3 weeks ago) at 3:22 pm

CANTON, Ohio -- Andre Tippett was considered a tone-setter when he played for the New England Patriots, and perhaps that's why the Pro Football Hall of Fame has selected him to be the first inductee to speak at Saturday's enshrinement ceremonies.

So for those planning to watch Tippett's induction speech on television, be advised that -- barring an unexpected change -- Tippett will be the first of the six inductees to address the crowd.

Television coverage, on ESPN and NFL Network, begins at 6 p.m. ET.

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