Happy Valentines Day

It may be Friday the 13th, but in our house it is just one day closer to baseball season. With Valentines Day coming up tomorrow, I would like to say Happy Valentines Day to my wife Debbie, my son Austin and daughter Aubrey. I would like to thank them for sharing their love of the Sox with me and it makes the seasons so much better having them to share it with.

For my wife - for knowing the Red Sox before what they are now. For understanding my years of heartbreak and watching all those hours of baseball with me knowing down deep in your heart that one day, they would win it all. For raising our kids and the compassion you give. Thanks for always being there with me, through the Boone home run, to the "underhand to first", to Papelbon's strike out. Thanks for sharing those memories with me.

For my daughter Aubrey - although you are not quite 2 years old, we already know deep in your heart that you are going to be a Sox fan one day. In your first October, we won the world series. I am looking forward to many years of sharing the sox with you. Your love of the Red Sox and Rocky make me smile. Just please don't ever bring home a boy who is a Yankee fan!!

For my son Austin - who cried that night Boone beat us with a home run. That picture of me holding you in front of the tv immediately before Faulke underhanded to first is my favorite picture of us. It was a picture I had seen in my mind for many years, and now I have it. You are a sox fan through and through - you know all the players and their jersey numbers better than me. I am so glad I got to share a couple world series wins with you.

And also to my mom - who was there with me in '86 when Buckner missed the grounder. Who absolutely hated the woman behind home plate at Shea Stadium waving her arms whenever Clemens took the mound. For never giving up on the sox, or with me. They finally did it!

Happy Valentines Day!

Also, the Steelers have won their 6th super bowl so now both of my kids have also witnessed a Steeler championship as well. Curt Schilling (big Steeler fan) posted an excellent blog about his trip to the super bowl with his kids. He put this picture in his blog and I thought it was appropriate here as well. It reminds me of me and my son, one generation of fan and another generation of fan, together going into the future with another championship. Congrats to the Steelers on winning number 6!

Winter is Over

Friday was Truck Day! You know, the day Winter officially ends and Spring begins. Truck day is so much better than that other day we have that determines the end of winter - Groundhog day. All I can say is no one saw a shadow around the truck as the truck left for Florida holding all the Red Sox equipment so Spring officially begins for us on Thursday when Pitchers and Catchers report to spring training. I read that John Lester has already reported (a week early) and soon Wake and DiceK and Paps will be there as well.

The only downside to Truck Day this year was this picture taken by a Boston Globe reporter after covering the truck leaving for Florida. He said the truck left Fenway Park and got behind this Porsche as it was getting on the highway. Check out the plates on the Porsche. Hope this is not a sign of things to come this year...



Also, as news came out that we had wrapped up Veritek to a one year deal, Sports Illustrated came out with news that A-Rod* tested positive to steroids back in 2003. He hasn't made any public statements about the allegations, but I heard that on Monday the 9th, he plans on talking to Peter Gammons of ESPN about the issue. We always knew A-roid*, A-rod*, or Slappy*, whatever you want to call him, is a cheater. Remember the 2004 playoffs slapping the ball from Bronson and looking around like "what did I do?" His numbers should forever have an asterisk next to it like Bonds and Clemens and all the other cheaters who have attempted to ruin baseball. I said it a long time ago, and I will say it again, "I am so glad we never got A-rod*." He is a mess and I hope he continues to tear down and ruin the Yankees again this year. And I am sure that he knows that us Boston fans will remember this the first time he walks into Fenway this summer. The "A-roid*" chants will shake the 97 year old ballpark like no other chant that stadium has held. Good luck on this one A-Fraud* !