The Witch City
Just in time for Halloween, Boston.com has an impressive collection of articles on the city of Salem2. Even as an almost lifelong resident, I still found a few interesting bits of trivia. If you're looking for a uniquely appropriate getaway for the holiday season, maybe this will convince you to try the Witch City.
Friday, October 24, 2003 @ 13:16 » 
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Another Great Weekend
Ana came to visit me from NY; my lacrosse team3 is still undefeated; I watched the Head of the Charles Regatta4 and the Algonquin Cup5; McSwiggin's is still serving chocolate decadence for dessert; and I threw back a few pints with Lizz, Jason, and Terrence. Nuff said.
Oh, and the many faces of Jason.
Monday, October 20, 2003 @ 10:33 » Comments
Brilliant!
How about a sneak peek at the new Guinness commercial6?
Friday, October 17, 2003 @ 14:21 » Comments
I Still Believe
The 2003 Red Sox may have stumbled in the waning moments of an amazing season, but they demonstrated that they have the guts and the talent to accomplish great things. People will question whether Grady left Pedro in the game for too long, but there's not a fan in Boston who wouldn't have done the same while he was still hammering 90 mph pitches down the lane. Second guess that decision all you want; there's no denying that he gave us our best shot. Put in Timlin for the eighth and then finish with Williamson, as the Sox had done with great success so many times in this postseason, and maybe we'd be on our way to the World Series at this very moment, but it's pointless to debate those scenarios now.
As far as I'm concerned, something special happened tonight. The Red Sox demonstrated that they were every bit as capable as the vaunted Yankees and, should the ball have bounced the other way, could have walked away victorious. I refuse to fall back on the familiar "woe is me" mantra of yesteryear's Fenway Faithful. Something about this postseason convinced me that the curse has been broken. There were too many errors on the part of the Yankees, too many close calls, too many signs that the Sox are on their way to becoming the next great dynasty. Members of the Red Sox Nation are already dusting off the old cliché that says, "there's always next season" ... but for the first time, I actually believe it.
Friday, October 17, 2003 @ 02:47 » Comments
Something in the air ...
The pressure they faced was surely as strong as the 30 mph wind blowing in from the outfield, but the Red Sox clawed their way7 into an epic Game 7 showdown8 with Wednesday night's win. For the fourth time in eleven games, the Red Sox won when defeat meant elimination, plain and simple. Slumps were broken, runs were scored, and (dare I say?) a curse was reversed. For just a moment, consider the evidence. The Yankees gave the Sox two free runs, one on Matsui's errant throw into the stands and another when Heredia walked Damon with the bases loaded. The Yankees might have had more luck with Buckner9 and Bartman10 on the field.
And what about the Red Sox offense? Before this game, they had managed a paltry .230 in the postseason without scoring more than five runs in a single game. Well, they tallied nine singles, four doubles, two homers, a triple, and five walks tonight. That's sixteen hits against five Yankee pitchers for nine runs. This from a line-up that was all but asleep11 for the last few weeks: Mueller (the AL batting champion) was batting .118; Nomar was .105; Ortiz was .188; Millar was .158. As a go-to guy, Nomar drew the most ire in the media and the minds of the Red Sox Nation. All questions were answered after he went 4-for-5, though. He had twice as many hits in this game as he'd had in the previous five games of the series. As one writer put it, there appears to be "no-mah slump12." Grady Little almost seemed prescient after declaring on Tuesday night, "But [Nomar], more than anyone else, we realize that at any time he could bust out with four or five hits. It's just a matter of time." A matter of time indeed.
Looking ahead now to Thursday evening, the Fenway Faithful will surely be afflicted with their usual mix of optimism and pessimism13 at the prospect of a winner-take-all Game 7. And why not? The Sox will face their former star, Roger Clemens, who stymied14 them last Saturday in the debacle that was Game 3. As a record six-time Cy Young winner, he once seemed like the team's best hope for banishing the Babe during his thirteen seasons here in Boston. After making like Benedict Arnold and joining the Evil Empire, though, what if his storied career came to an end when his jilted team defeated him on his chosen turf? Makes for a juicy, if not poetic, conclusion, doesn't it? And I can't personally think of a better way to demonstrate that after 85 years of frustration and desperation, the tides have turned and the powers that be (God and Ted Williams) have finally helped us shake free of the infamous Curse of the Bambino.
I believe that this is the year15.
Wednesday, October 15, 2003 @ 21:16 » Comments
Excuse Me?!
I won't absolve any Red Sox players of their guilt for contributing to the ugliness16 that was Game 3 of the 2003 ALCS, but it's ridiculous to hear several members of the Yankee organization acting deliriously high and mighty. So for a few of those who made specific statements to the media in a transparent attempt to place all the blame squarely on the Red Sox, here's a big F.U. from the Fenway Faithful.
- F.U. Bloomberg17 ... I don't care if somebody's 70 years old. If he comes charging at me with the intention of throwing a punch, I'm going to toss his sorry ass to the ground. Don "The Gerbil" Zimmer deserved to be embarrassed by Pedro on national television. There's absolutely no place in the game of baseball for an employee, let alone a coach, to leave the dugout and intentionally stalk an opposing player. It's also interesting to note that you said nothing about arresting the two Yankees involved in the ninth inning bullpen assault, but more on that in a moment. P.S.—Your bombastic statements to the press aren't going to endear you to any more of your constituents. Giuliani's the real Yankee mayor, so give it up. It's a pathetic political bid for more votes at best, and you scarcely have more right to be in politics than Arnold. Go back to finance.
- F.U. Levine18 ... the atmosphere of "lawlessness" at Fenway that you bemoaned in last night's press release was perpetrated by your own players. Garcia slide-tackled Walker, then later jumped into the bullpen to participate in an assault on a Fenway employee, Paul Williams. Garcia and Nelson fully deserve to be charged with assault and battery19 by the Boston Police. How about they spend a week behind bars in Suffolk County with a prison full of Red Sox fans who know they ganged up on one of their own? You can bet your Yankee ass they wouldn't be walking out of there in one piece. If the police report20 doesn't solidly indict those Yankee thugs, nothing does. So help me God, I've met plenty of Yankees (David Justice, Bernie Williams, Enrique Wilson) in Back Bay bars; one of them (who is married with kids) even tried to take home a former girlfriend of mine at Daisy Buchanan's! So if I ever see Nelson or Garcia out in Boston I may be the first to take a swing at them. Want to know why Red Sox fans get fired up?! Because the Yankees act like they're beyond retribution. Furthermore, how naive are you to insist that yesterday's events would never have occurred at Yankee Stadium? New Yorkers have always taken pride in the rowdiness of their own bleacher creatures. Try to convince a single Red Sox fan beaten up in your team's backyard that security is any better in the Bronx. I didn't think so.
- F.U. Torre21 ... Pedro didn't "hit Garcia in the head" as you alleged in a post-game interview; Garcia was hit in the back. If I had a dime for every Yankee that said he did it intentionally, I'd be rich. The Boston media may complain about how tight-lipped Pedro and Manny are, but the Yankees could learn a thing or two from them and stop flapping their own. Pedro may be the most talented pitcher in the Major Leagues, but even the best make a mistake now and then. Is it hard to believe that a pitch may have gotten away from him? He's not perfect. Yesterday's throw was questionable, but it certainly didn't warrant the escalation of violence that Garcia and Jorge "The Mouse" Posada are responsible for stoking. By the way, what's with parading Zimmer out of Fenway on a stretcher at the conclusion of the game? Looks like another bogus New York publicity stunt to me. If he really needed a precautionary checkup, it might have made sense to take care of that after he was tossed like a sack of potatoes in the fourth inning, not five innings and a good two hours later. I may not be a medical expert, but the sight of Zimmer sitting in the Yankee dugout joking around with Pettitte late in the game would lead me to believe that he was fine, so why waste your time with the drama? Oh, that's right ... because it's the same lame shtick you always pull (like asking the umpire to check Timlin's hat in Game 1). I'll say F.U. again for that alone.
- F.U. Jeter ... you embody everything that's wrong with the Yankees. What did you say in a recent interview? That your favorite part about being a Yankee is how much everyone hates you? That's right, because when you're a Yankee, the only thing worse than being hated is being irrelevant. And if people hate you, at least there's a reason. When they don't care, it's because you don't matter. Well guess what, the Yankees have finally given everyone who is not a Red Sox fan or a Yankee sycophant the opportunity to see what their organization is all about. When the MLB gets its act together and institutes a salary cap like the well-organized NFL, Steinbrenner won't be able to put the World Series on his Visa card any longer. Steinbrenner's always had a gift for hyperbole, trying to claim that the "Yankees are America's team22" ... well, if America is full of smarmy, stuck-up, self-anointed nancy boys like Jeter, then maybe he has a point. Otherise, sit down and S.T.F.U.
- F.U. New York Post23 ... once again you've demonstrated that integrity and objective reporting are as alien to your organization as humility is to the Yankees. It's good to see that your editors have it in themselves to brand Pedro the Punk and accuse him of being classless for guiding a charging Zimmer to the ground. He didn't throw him down, as Mike Vaccaro asserted; Pedro sidestepped Zim and let his own momentum carry him to the turf. It was a perfectly executed defensive move that would make many a martial artist proud. Good to see that Public Enemy's lyrics24 still ring true today.
- Zimmer25 ... no F.U. for you today. Of all the Yankees and Red Sox, you were the only one to finally demonstrate the maturity to address your teammates, your fans, and the MLB. It took a lot of guts (and not necessarily brains) to charge an athlete less than half your age, but it took even more heart to finally make a statement in which you accepted responsibility for your actions and offered a sincere apology. I applaud you for that and believe that it helped set a few things right.
With that off my chest, I'd now like to turn to my beloved Red Sox. Cowboy up26 doesn't mean acting like a bunch of cowboys. Let's focus on the games at hand. Stop the talk about "going down swinging" and just make sure that it's the Yankees who are going down. Bostonians aren't the only people waiting to see them take a fall. The Babe is dead and the curse should be, too. This should be the year. Yankee fans are fond of saying "1918," ... I say "1918, 2003." Go Sox!
Sunday, October 12, 2003 @ 20:01 » Comments
The Race for a Cure
Two of my friends are taking part in races this fall to raise money for cancer research. If you can find it in your heart to help their cause, they would certainly appreciate any contribution you can make. Leigh will be running the B.A.A. Half Marathon:
Thank you so much for supporting my participation on the Dana-Farber27 team for the 2003 B.A.A.28 Half Marathon and helping us all win the race against cancer. Every dollar29 you give and every step I take will make a difference!
Take care,
Leigh
And Rachel will be running the New York City Marathon:
On November 2, 2003, I will join thousands of other ambitious (or crazy?) people in running the New York City Marathon30. This will be my first marathon, and crossing the finish line after 26.2 miles (yes, I plan to do all of them!) will certainly be a challenge for me. As I work to achieve my individual goal, I also will be a part of a larger challenge—raising much-needed funds for lifesaving cancer research. [...] Thank you so much for your consideration and support31.
Sincerely,
Rache
Saturday, October 11, 2003 @ 16:07 » Comments
Congratulations!
My best friends John and Shelley are now the proud parents of a healthy baby boy. John Matthews, IV (aka baby Jake) kept us all guessing, but was finally born at 7.32p last night. Mom, Dad, and baby are all doing very well.
Saturday, October 11, 2003 @ 12:49 » Comments
Bye Bye Babe
There32 are plenty33 of signs34 that the curse35 has been lifted.
Thursday, October 09, 2003 @ 16:26 » Comments
All Together Now
Our Father, who art at Fenway, baseball be Thy game. Thy kingdom come, World Series won, on Earth as it is in the Cask n' Flagon. Give us this day, oh Pedro Martinez, and forgive us our losses, as we forgive those like young Billy Buckner. And lead us not into depression, but deliver us from the Curse. Amen.
Thursday, October 09, 2003 @ 11:45 » Comments
A Nation Rejoices
Red Sox win36! Red Sox win37! Red Sox win38! This one's for Johnny39. Our thoughts are with him even as our focus turns to the Yankees. We're gonna turn the Bronx red40. Oh, and one more thing. I'd put my money on David Ortiz41 over any three of those punk ass Oakland fans on any day of the week.
Monday, October 06, 2003 @ 23:31 » Comments
Fenway Faithful Fervor
You can bet that if there's a ritual, someone (or more likely lots of someones42) out there in the Red Sox Nation43 is practicing it today. After two stunning wins this weekend, the Sox are back in Oakland for tonight's winner-take-all grudge match44 to face the hated Yankees in the upcoming ALCS. The RemDawg45 will surely have Walter (aka Wally the Green Monster) at his side, just as the Sox will have their latest good luck charm46. I, for one, hope that it all pays dividends tonight. Put the curse to rest and, as the Pru47 urged before Saturday's magnificent game, go Sox!
Monday, October 06, 2003 @ 14:05 » Comments
Harpoon Octoberfest
After a circuitous tour of the Big Dig (courtesy of our inept shuttle driver), we arrived at Harpoon48's South Boston brewery and joined our friends at the head of the Friends of Harpoon49 line. We were the first ten people into the tent and quickly staked out a prime table at the edge of the secondary tent. It was a good day despite some miserable weather. I even got to try keg bowling50! I wanted to Donkey Kong51 the keg down the lane, but the organizers weren't too thrilled about letting me try that. I still scored eight out of ten pins, though, and it was harder than it looks. The kegs were pretty banged up and asymmetrical, so they had a tendency to turn and come to rest against the wall. Anyway, after my crew filtered out of the Octoberfest, I lingered a little longer with Terrence and then put in a brief appearance at Boston Beer Works52 before heading back to Salem to meet up with Lizz and Ryan.
On a related note, Marc's favorite trend continued. He's always curious how many random people I'll bump into at an event of this magnitude. There were at least a half dozen of them yesterday, including one infamous blonde. She was on our shuttle bus at the beginning of the day and I later turned around to find her standing right behind me, so I started talking to her. It turns out her name is Blake (if I'm not mistaken and she didn't lie to me), so when I bump into her again I'll at least be able to call her by name. There were also a couple of high school classmates (other than Terrence) and a few girls that I took a bartending course with, but I didn't waste any time trying to track them down in the crowd.
Sunday, October 05, 2003 @ 15:18 » Comments
Hooray Beer!
The Boston Globe introduced a new column in its weekly Food section today, all about beer53. How do I get that job?!
Wednesday, October 01, 2003 @ 10:17 » Comments
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