_1.Management

_{* Someone explain to me why Sale didn’t start the game if you were going to burn him anyways?}

_{* Why aren’t you pinch hitting for Jackie Bradley or Pedroia in the ninth}

_{* Farrell’s last game}

_{2.Baserunning}

_{* Someone in Red Sox audio video club should provide Benintendi a tape of him running into outs all season – doubled off in an elimination game – please freeze on a line drive – next hitter double}

_{* Why is Devers holding up coming around third for his inside the park home run?}

_3.Stats

_{* 339 total pitches or a pitch every 44.07 seconds - painful}

_{* Pedroia and Bogaerts hitting 1-2 in the line-up hit a combined 3-33}

_{* Astros hit .343 as a team / 7 home runs in four games}

_{*Red Sox have won one postseason game in four years}

_{4. Who should be gone:}

_{* Leon, Price, Moreland, E Rod, Bradley, Chris Young, Fistr, Holt, Abad,}  

_{* I would move Devers – he has trade value and I think his game has holes in it}

_{* Carl Willis}

_{* Obviously Farrell – I’m for Joey Cora}

_{* Next years locked in salaries: Price $31mm / Hanley $23mm / Pedroia $16mm / Porcello $21mm / Rusney Castillo $12mm / Kimbrel $13mm / Sale $13mm}

_5.Pedroia

_{* Watching Pedroia pathetically end the game brought back memories of an old Yaz popping up to end the 1978 playoff game}

_{* 2-16 for the series}

_{* Pedroia really owes Farrell an apology – Pedroia had his say with home plate umpire and should have went back to the dugout – now Farrell gets tossed defending his strike out and has to spend his last game as a Red Sox checking out sideline reporters}

_{* Pedroia almost wanted to get thrown out of the game – ie. Clemens vs. Cooney}

_{* Not a good look when the General Manager is shaking his head when Pedroia chased a ball in the dirt in the 9th}

_{* Pedroia did the same thing every at bat – ground out weakly, shake his head and then watch the at bat on the big screen}

_{* Someone called the talk show after the game and said – Enough with the Laser Show}

_{*Pedroia’s worst season as a professional - he ruined his knee and reputation} 

_{* I remember when Nomar left town all those coward Boston reporters all of sudden started sharing stories that he was a jerk but never said anything while he was here}

_{6.Old Foggie Section}

_{* Benintendi 29 seconds to get around the bases – ugh}

_{* Hats and shirts and champagne for every round of the playoffs is insane}

_{* Chris Sale can’t tip his cap to a appreciative crowd}

_{7. Broadcast}

_{* I thought Cone and AJ Pierzynski were actually pretty good}

_{* I love when AJ said about the Astro pitcher Morton – “He found five mph somewhere” code – juicing}

_{* Do they need five people in the Fox studio}

_{8.Time of Play}

_{* 4:09 – painful – catchers visits, Porcello picking at the outside corners, the whole thing is a bad product}

_{* 1:33 – the first three innings}

_{* Second inning alone was 40 minutes – that’s an out ever six plus minutes}

_{* Second inning with a 1-2 count on McCann I timed how long it took Porcello to throw the next pitch one minute and two seconds – insane}

_{9. John Henry Better be Careful}

_{* Might have been the smallest crowd I’ve seen at Fenway in fifteen years – empty seats everywhere – people are would rather pay and not show up and watch this drawn out product}  

_{* John Henry better read up on Polaroid, Blockbuster Video and Taxi Medallions because the people are sick of paying top dollar for jack ass players}

_{10.Random Stuff}

_{* Hanley getting away with a throat slash after every hit?}

_{* Expect surgeries to be announced on Pedroia and Betts soon (and maybe Price)}

_{* I love the New England sarcasm with the mock cheers for Porcello when he finally threw a strike and the umpire when he finally called a ball for a Red Sox hitter}

_{* I Love Christian Vazquez but he can be lazy behind the plate allowing pitches to get by him – 2 wild pitches cost the Red Sox a run in what turned out to be a one run game}  

_{* Speaking of Christian Vazquez when he bangs the glove on the ground to fool the hitter near their feet – doesn’t he know that they watch video and that means the pitch is coming on the outside half}

_{* Bregman was Bucky Dent}

_{* Springer crashed into the centerfield wall where Fred Lynn was hurt in the 1975 World Series}

_{* Is it part of having the tickets next to the dugout that you get your hand slapped after a home run?}

_{* Ortiz must be bored offer him $15mm to come back}

1.Red Sox Stuff

* The gloomy weather reminded me of Game 1 1975 World Series with Luis Tiant running around the bases with his blue coat on

* TV broadcast said a lot of seats left for Game 3 and 4

* I think Boston is pulling for Francona and the Indians before the Red Sox

* Bogaerts is reaching for everything

* Benintendi should think about bunting with the shift

* Did you see the snipers on the rooftop when they replayed Jackie Bradley’s home run?

* Price and Hanley perform like two men making a combined $52,000,000 a year

* At one point Leon seemed completely disinterested in catching

2. Red Sox Stats

* The 1-2-3 hitters for the Red Sox are 4-37

* Red Sox starters: Fister - 1.1 innings – 3 runs / Pomeranz 2.0 innings – 4 runs /  Sale - 5.0 innings – 7 runs

* Altuve is hitting .727 (8-11)

* 292 pitches – if you compel the pitchers to throw the pitch ten seconds quicker – that’s 49 minutes quicker (now get rid of the catchers’ visits, no warm up for relievers, one minute less between innings)

3. Around the NFL

* Jets are tied for first place 3-2

* Brandon Marshall talks a lot but doesn’t win much - his teams are now 30-36 last four seasons

* Cam Newton last two weeks 48-62 (77%) / 6 passing TD’s / 1 running

* Is there any doubt that Alabama would beat the Browns and the Jets?

* The greatest kicker of all time Adam Vinatieri bangs out 51 yarder in OT

* Jacoby Brissette wins again – Dorsett can’t get on the field for the Patriots

4. Around the MLB Playoffs

* Game times 3:38 / 3: 06 / 3:48 / 3:37 / 5:08 / 3:02

5. Around College Football

* BC is 0-10 last ten games against top 25 teams

* I can’t believe this stat – TCU is 18-0 against top ten teams when playing at home

* Iowa State was 0-17 history against teams in the top 3 before they beat Oklahoma

* Iowa State quarterback Joe Lanning threw for 25 yards, ran for 35 yards, had 8 tackles and a huge sack against Oklahoma who were 31 point favorites

* Boston College on prime time ESPN and the stadium was more than half empty

6. Mookie Betts saved the day with his catch in right field – putting him up there with

* 1975 Dwight Evans robs Joe Morgan in Game 6

* 1990 Tom Brunansky sliding catch clinches division

7. Amazing Stats – Chris Hogan on pace for 16 receiving TD’s

8. Old School – Game times of 1975 World Series - 2:27 / 2:38 / 3:03 / 2:52 / 2:23 / 4:01 / 2:52

9. Just a Little Bit Outside – Costs for Red Sox:

* Build Fenway in 1912 - $650,000

* Tom Yawkey bought team and park for $1,500,000

* Renovations last decade $285,000,000

* Forbes value for Red Sox $2,300,000,000

10. Randomocity

* Ten years ago I said it about Canada Geese, last year rabbits, next year wild turkey’s will become a problem

* Anyone who poses with OJ for a selfie represents the worst of our TMZ society

* Candle Apples over-rated

* Is there any fast food more disgusting looking that that egg tortilla from Taco Bell?

* Now every stadium is going to play Tom Petty’s Won’t Back Down

* The Sunday Boston Globe is so irrelevant they didn’t even have a BC score – they played at 7:00 not on the west coast

Connelly’s Top Ten – Bad Patriots Team Holds On / Fighting Farrells Toast / Young Bruins Could be Fun

1.Patriots

OPENING THOUGHTS

·         Patriots 3-2 with two of those games coming down to passes in the end zone

·         Bill Belichick’s demeanor to me said – This team won’t listen and I’m disgusted

·         A win without Gronk and Edleman on the road is impressive – the last three years those two fragile receivers represented 33% of receptions 2016 / 33% in 2015 / 44% in 2014

·         Not a fun team to watch

·         Four out of five games lose coin toss and are forced to take the ball first – just isn’t there year

TOM BRADY

·         He is playing with either a separated left shoulder or broken rib

·         Watch Brady he is actually choosing to fall on his throwing shoulder

·         He needs Mickey to tell him to stay down

·         Brady is not only the greatest quarterback of all time, not only the toughest quarterback of all time, he is also the least protected QB of all time by both refs and

offensive line – they were allowed to knock him to the ground late after balls were released

OFFENSE

·         Deion Lewis best footwork in two years

·         Dante better figure this out on the O Line

·         Nate Solder could be brought up on manslaughter charges at the end of the year

·         Running back touches – Gillislee - 12 / White - 9 / Lewis – 9

·         Amendola 8 targets / 8 receptions (he won’t last at this pace)

·         Andrews gets his helmet ripped off and then stands in the way of his running back whining

DEFENSE

·         Nice effort by defense in four days

Need to work on wrapping up

·         Gilmore admirable job on Evans

·         Needed a little bit of pass rush

·         Did give up 300 yards again by a quarterback

·         Branch you can stay home – looks like they don’t need your lazy out of shape game

KRAFT SIGHTING / BELICHICK GARB

·         Kraft with 3:42 left in second quarter and pulls off the double dip with 2:03 left in game – needs to lose 15-20 lbs and get a haircut

·         Bill little windbreaker / rain coat

PENALTIES

·         12 penalties - 108 yards

·         Most undisciplined team in Belichick history

·         Penalty on Bruce Bolden adds to a disastrous year for him

·         Four penalties gave Tampa

first downs

·         The two roughing the QB’s were silly (I predicted Monday that Cassius Marsh would pick up a critical 15 yarder soon)

TAMPA BAY

·         Feel bad for Folk – he will be cut within 24 hours

·         Surprised Tampa didn’t go with three receiver stacks on men in motion and confuse the secondary

·         Doug Martin should have got 25 touches (13 carries / 74 yards / 1 TD)

·         Tampa had more first downs, yards, plays, won the turnover battle, the penalty battle and lost

BROADCAST

·         Romo was good but a little goofier this time

MISC

Didn’t hate the white uniforms

·         No Gronk or Edleman and Dorsett can’t get on the field and Allen no catches AGAIN

2. Red Sox

·         A trainer or doctor should be fired for examining Nunez and saying he could play – hurt on his first step (going into free agency he could have a law suit)

·         The Red Sox top five paid players did not start a playoff game – Price, Hanley, Panda, Porcello, Rusney Castillo

·         How about Bregman and Altuve both 5’8” or smaller combining for 4 Hr’s

·         Major League Baseball should fine that umpire for the number of pitches he missed in a playoff game

·         Jim Kaat does a nice job / Costas average

·         Jeff Bagwell needs to shave

·         Just throw Dever’s fast

ball above the letters

·         Pedroia horrendous game – pops up with men first and third no outs / stupid trying to go to third and gets thrown out to end an inning

·         Looking like a sweep

3. Bruins

·         Pastrnak celebrated his new contract by giving the puck away in his own zone for the first goal of the season for the opposing team

·         Awesome moment when Jake DeBrusk scored his first NHL goal and his father former NHL goon started crying

·         Charlie McAvoy had as many penalties as marbles in his cheeks - three

·         Rask 3 goals allowed on 29 shots

4. Playoffs – MLB doesn’t get it – game times so far:

·         3:58 / 3:52 / 3:26 / 3:26

5. Long way since Doug Williams – Patriots have played against three straight black quarterbacks – DeShaun Watson, Cam Newton, Jamis Winston

6. Las Vegas – Going forward:

·         Everyone needs to have an exit plan for every public place they go to

·         I would say eight times out of ten – run don’t wait

7. Pitcher performances in the playoffs so far:

·         Sonny Gray – 3.1 innings / 3 runs / 6 hits-walks

·         Chris Sale – 5.0 innings / 7 runs / 10 hits -walks

·         Severino – 0.1 inning / 3 runs / 5 hits -walks

·         Santana – 2.0 innings / 4 runs / 5 hits -walks

8. Brady Pace – (he needs 1.5 years after this for the big individual records)

35 TD - - 491 for his career – record 539 Peyton

·         5,440 yards – 66,600 for his career – record Peyton 71,940

9. Tom Brady’s best first five games in a season:

·         2017 – 11 TD to 1 Int

·         2016 – 14 TD to 1 Int

·         2015 – 14 TD to 1 Int

·         2011 - 14 TD to 5 Int

·         2007 – 16 TD to 2 Int

·         2002 – 13 TD to 6 Int

10. Randomocity

* Not being mean and who am I to say – but was that a bad look in Vegas by singer Jason Aldean to take off from the