Jack's Blog

was a great night for sports last night. There was something going
on everywhere.
Should be some series between Oklahoma City and San Antonio.
Stan Van Gundy has been fired. I Still can picture him walking
the sidelines at both UVM and Castleton.
Who's going to play in the outfield for the Red Sox?
Every team gets injuries, but this is ridiculous.It reminds me
of what happened in 2010.
Clay Buchholz stunk the joint out again.

You got to love the NHL. What other sport has the two coaches
screaming at each other?

Weather permitting it's the audio cast of Rutland vs.
Springfield softball today at 4:20 on NSN.

If the Celtics don't win this series against Philly they have nobody
to blame but themselves. Doc Rivers is supposed to be one of the top
coaches in the NBA, but he' getting out coached by Doug Collins.
Speaking of Doug Collins, I wonder how often he thinks about
that 1972 Olympic basketball game against the Russians.

I'll give Jarrod Saltalamacchia credit. The other night when he
took the ball off his ear I'm thinking that if he was a hockey player
he'd get stitched up and stay in the game. He was back the next day
after getting 12 stitches. That is close enough as far as I'm
concerned.

With the victory by "I'll Have Another" in the Preakness, I'm a
lot more interested in the Belmont. When it comes to horse racing, I
am definitely a pink hatter.
I'm no expert, but since 'I'll Have Another" came from behind
down the stretch to win both the Derby and the Preakness, I see him
winning the Belmont by at least a couple of lengths since it's a
longer race.

The Yankees have won the World Series the last six times that
Kentucky has won the national championship in mens basketball. The
Yankees have also won the World Series the last two times there has
been a triple crown winner in horse racing.
The last time there was a triple crown winner in horse racing was
"Affirmed" in 1978. Kentucky won the national championship in 1978 as
well.
Remember you heard it here first.

I'm reluctant to bury the Miami Heat just yet because a win on
Sunday gets them the home court advantage back again and would knot
up the series at 2-2, but they miss Chris Bosh more than I thought
they would. It is the "Big Three" not the "Big Two."
I'm reluctant to bury the Lakers , but I am burying the Clippers.
I'm also reluctant to bury Philly,but I do think they're in better
shape than Miami is. Philly is down 2-1 with game 4 at home , Miami
is down 2-1 with game 4 on the road.

I am burying the Phoenix Coyotes, but I had them buried even
before they went down 3-0.

On a local note here in Rutland congratulations going out to
Rutland High's Andy Cassarino who yesterday tossed a perfect game as
the Raiders blanked Mill River 8-0. Cassarino who is a sophomore
struck out 6 and went to a full count on only two batters. Cassarino
is the son of MSJ varsity football coach Jeff Cassarino.

What was up with the three balks last night? Two of them were legit one wasn't, but he Sox lead the league in balks. Who do you blame? I don't know, but the pitching coach has to take some of the responsibility.
The Red Sox infield defense is pretty good, but the outfield defense is horrible. The winning run last night scores on a short sac fly to right. What was Cody Ross doing?

I was wrong the other day when I said John Torterella was Bill Belichick. Torterella is more like Belichick than Belichick is himself. Have you heard any of his press conferences lately especially the one last night?

Castleton mens hockey coach Alex Todd will be our guest this morning at 9:30 on "The Really Big Sports Show" and we'll be talking about the NHL playoffs.

Tim Wakefield Day at Fenway Park yesterday was well done. If you were watching live and you didn't get a big lump in your throat when the kids from the Jimmy Fund walked in from Center Field you're not human. It was a nice ceremony.
On the lighter side or should I say on the heavier side, what was up with Doug Mirabelli? As one Boston commentator put it, Mirabelli looks like he ate Pokey Reese.
Another Boston radio show pointed out that Mirabelli acted like it was Doug Mirabelli Day and not Tim Wakefield Day It took him about 20 minutes to get from the outfield to the infield as he was waving to the fans all the way. Remember this was from a .231 career hitter.
That being said, it was neat watching Wakefield throw out the first pitch to Mirabelli with a knuckle ball.