Dennis Johnson, Dead at 52

The closest I ever got to Dennis Johnson was when I approached him at the Celtics bench during a game to ask for his autograph. He was tying his shoe; he bit his bottom lip and just shook his head "no". I held that against him until I was all of 16. But, DJ is the guy I site every time I make the argument about what a point guard should and shouldn't do. He needs to direct the offense. He needs to distribute the ball. He needs to position himself for a medium range jumpshot. He needs to get back on defense. It seems these days, most point guards think their job is to penetrate, shot, or hit the 3. Not, DJ; he played the position perfectly. Watch in this most famous clip of DJ how he has the awareness to cut to the basket when he sees the steal.
RIP

Here are some more clips:

ESPN Tribute
Local Legends Tribute
Bird Steal
After
The Long Clip

Has Anybody Seen Manny?

Baseball is officially back! And, it wouldn't be the same without our favorite lightning rod: Manuel Aristides Ramirez. (Better our lightning rod than theirs!) Much like that globetrotter of yore, Carmen Sandiego, nobody knows exactly where Manny is.
But, we can guess:

Is he at a car show? Is he at the mall?

Is he in New York? Is he in the Wall?

Does anyone know where Manny is?

Hopefully he'll be back in time for you to see him at Thom's. The Spring is in full swing with the first scrimmage only a week away. The usual suspects, Papi, Shilling, and Manny have dominated the headlines. They have been joined in equal billing by Daisuke and his mythical gyroball.

While many of you are heading south to see the games the rest of you should be heading to Thom's. Not only will we be airing every game we can, we'll be hosting a showcase of New England comedians on the 15th with Nick Stevens and starring comedians from "Late Night with Conan O'Brien", "The Daily Show", SpikeTV and more, THE BOSTON TEABAG PARTY will not be all about Boston. It's about the people from Boston throwing a comedy party in NYC. Kindalike the 2004 ALCS. Except more enjoyable for Yankee fans.

Then on the 31st we're heading to Philly to see the last Sox spring training game.

After that the fun begins. There will be drink specials galore, clams, book signings, Asahi, pickles, rare game footage, movie screenings, Asahi, more clams, and baseball. My God it does not get better than this.

I guess I'm lying to myself

Its just you and no one else

Lord I won't miss you child

You've been blotting out my mind

Fooling on my time

No, I won't miss you, baby, yeah

-Sir Michael Phillip Jagger

Where Everybody Knows Your Name.

Any cursory study of the TV show "Cheers" would show that Gary's Olde Towne Tavern, that mustacheod rival of the good guys on Beacon Street, always won their intermural competitions with Cheers. Such is our fate too. Finnerty's and their foozball faithful beat Thom's last night in the final installment of the Bargame Games, taking the coveted Silver Bowl and proceeded to do the wanger-bop all over our sacred soil. In short, we lost. It was sad to be sure.

But, a more detailed analysis of said sit-com shows that Gary's Olde Town Tavern only appeared in 5 or so episodes. So, to hell with them! They're but bit players in our grand show. They won't be mentioned here again until the Bargame Summer Games. We have better things on the horizon. (Way to brightside it!)

The trip to Philly is philling up!

In case you didn't know, we have phorty tickets to the March thirty-phirst Red Sox game at Philly. It's the last pre-season game. Iph you have signed up already come in and pay phast; there aren't many spaces left. Iph you haven't signed up yet, do it now.

The Summer of Love.

Filmmaker Brett Rapkin wraps up his New York interviews this weekend for the documentary on the '67 Sox. He's been shooting the spots at Thom's. So, when it comes out, look for your local to be featured prominently.

Do You Know a Wicked Pisser Good Joke?

Comedian and VH1 celebrity Nick Stevens will be hosting a night of Boston comedians in The Loft on March 8th. Details to follow.

See, there is quite a light at the end of the tunnel.

Roll out of bed, Mr. Coffee's dead;

The morning's looking bright;

And your shrink ran off to Europe,

And didn't even write;

And your husband wants to be a girl;

Be glad there's one place in the world

Where everybody knows your name,

And they're always glad you came;

You want to go where people know,

People are all the same;

You want to go where everybody knows your name.

-Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo

T Minus 13 Days!

It was the worst of times...

The Bargame games took a nasty turn last night when that house of ill-repute next door, Finnerty's, beat Thom's in Poker. In fact, a Thom's player didn't even make the top two. Tsk, tsk. Now, it's all tied up at 3 games apiece going into the Megatouch finale next week. This is for all of the marbles. Come by Thursday night for the closing ceremonies of The Bargame games!

But, back to business:

Apparently the countdown has begun. Baseball is once again almost upon us. According the Mighty Quinn Media Machine it's 13 days, 23 hours, 3 minutes, and 59-no 58-ahm, 55- well you get the idea; it impends. So what is Thom's doing about it?

Well, if you haven't heard we're going to Philly on March 31 to watch the Red Sox in their final preseason game. We have 40 tickets and plenty of bus space. So, come on in and sign up. The first 40 to pay will be going.

That's all? No, that's not all. March 1, we're planning "A Night of Boston Comedy" in the loft. There'll be stand up, sketch, etc. all from funny guys from Mass. Details to come.

And? what do you mean "and"? that's not enough? Did I mention that all month long The Loft will be used to shoot interviews for a documentary about the '67 Sox? Yeah, that's right. An impossible dream come true.

We felt bad that the January Peter Gammons event got cancelled, so we decided to turn it up a notch. BAM!

Don't miss all of the games on DirectTV this year at Thom's. I haven't met one fan upset with MLB's proposal to allow DirectTV all of the out-of-market games. We'll be happy to have you. It's going to be one, big family. (BTW, in the spirit of full disclosure, Bud Selig, if you're reading this, Chris O'Reilly did not take into account beer specials, buybacks, and raffle winnings on his bill. He's making out like a bandit!)

I just can't wait, no, no, my baby

I just can't wait, no, no, no

I just can't wait, no, no, my baby

I just can't wait, no, no, no

-J. Geils

The Four Horsemen Have Come and Gone

Well, I haven't left the house since the world ended Sunday. I assume no one else is left and no one is reading this, but I write on:

Unmanned boats float up and down the Hudson River within view of my window. It's been 4 days since the eighth and last sign of the apocalypse showed itself; Peyton Manning defeated Thom Brady in a big game. These are dark days indeed. Why do I go on? I write for future generations of Patriot fans, so that they might know what hardships we faced. So, that they might know that there was a Golden Period before The Fall. That King Belichick was a righteous man despite what history might record. That his greatest warrior, Brady-the-Fierce, was unrivaled among men in this land. That for a time, New England was the center of the world, then it all came crashing down. What is one to do?

Go to Thom's for the Bargame Games! Drew evened the score last week with a thrilling 18th hole comeback in video golf over the hated Finnerty's next door. This week Drew hopes to continue his domination of said slop house in a friendly game of eight-ball. So what if zombies now rule the streets. Join us this and every Thursday for the Bargame Games ®.

Not enough to get over the blues? Well, hows about a trip to Philly? Reserve your space now for our March 31st trip to Philly to see the Red Sox take on the Phillies in their last preseason game. We got 40 tickets and a bus and we expect you to be there.

Yes, it's almost time for baseball!

Come writers and critics

Who prophesize with your pen

And keep your eyes wide

The chance won't come again

And don't speak too soon

For the wheel's still in spin

And there's no tellin' who

That it's namin'.

For the loser now

Will be later to win

For the times they are a-changin'.

-Robert Zimmerman

The Ballad of Ellis Hobbs

Charles Caleb Colton said "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." Well, how very sincere our young friend Ellis Hobbs III must have been when he imitated that merry man Shawne for everyone's pleasure at midfield Sunday. (At midfield, so not to choose sides. How pious!) I'm just glad he didn't choose to imitate the classy Merriman in this video. (Apparently, he's not a big fan of "The Brady Bunch".) Merriman, and the rest of the Chargers for that matter, should have heeded another well tested Colton maxim "When you have nothing to say, say nothing.”

Saws aside, that was yet another chapter in the book of thrilling Patriots' finishes. Thank God the unruly Chargers made so many mental errors: dropping passes, fumbling, personal fouls after plays. And, to boot, Stephen "The Ghost Cow" Gostkowski finally showed his mettle setting the all time Patsies' playoff record with his 50-yard field goal! GOOOOOOO Ghost Cow!

This week will be a bit tougher. Never mind that the Chargers were favorite to win the Superbowl. The Colts will not make the same the mistakes. This promises to be another battle for the ages. Here's some highlights from the last time they played each other: Indy vs Pats. (BTW "Vic Payback" is my favorite wrestling name ever.)

If your coming to Thom's, get there early for brunch and stay for the first game: New Orleans at Chicago (3:00). We have a Brian Urlacher jersey to give away. "Urlacher", of course, is from the German for "source of laughter", so from here on in he'll be known on these pages as Brian Bozo, because Bozo always made me laugh.

Then at 6:00 the main event starts and we'll have give-aways upstairs and down stairs. That's right, both floors will be open for the games. So, you classy folk can head up to the lounge to enjoy a rousing match of football while the groundlings pack it in downstairs.

Tonight at Thom's

Come join UMASS alumni as they root their minutemen on against Xavier. Wear your gear for $4 Thom's Ale

The Bargame Games took a nasty turn last week when Thom's fell to Finnerty's in darts. But, this week the games come to Thom's. Drew and Gareth will be defending our honor in video golf. Come cheer them on at 8:00 and help us even the score.

Lights out
A-ha
Blast, blast, blast
Lights out
-Peter Wolf

Where The Action's At!

Well, the Jets game made more than a few of us nervous. The score says it was a blowout. But, most of the game was an heart attack. Stupid penalties and poor tackling almost left the Patsies in the first round.

Now comes the big one. This is the one that matters. This is the match-up of the century! You've been waiting your whole life to see this:

It's the opening ceremonies of The Bargame Games! Tonight's contest will pit Greg and Mike of Professor Thom's against two rapscallions from Finnerty's in a game of darts. The event will take place at Finnerty's at about 8pm. It's going to be ugly. To hell with UFC, this is where the actions is.

Then on Sunday the Patsies take on the lowly Chargers. Oh, I know what you're thinking: "The Chargers are the best team in football." But, they don't have Thom Brady. Phillip Rivers? That's not a football name, that's a lounge act. I think I saw him in Vegas opening up for "Vic Tayback: A Musical Life" at The Sands. (on a side note: I once stood next to Vic Tayback at the urinals in Harvard Yard. He was wearing a black polyester jacket that said Vegas in big letters and featured two large puffy dice. I said, "You're Vic Tayback, right?" He said, "Yeaahh" and flushed and left.)

The Pats play at 4:30 Sunday, so you'd better git there early for a Sunday, real early. How about Saturday at noon? that should be early enough. That's when UMASS takes on Temple in hoops.

Don't forget that if you're going to Boston, you can now get your bus tickets at Thom's. Just ask your friendly bartender.

Used to be sad, used to be shy

Funniest thing, the saddest part is I never knew why...

Kickin' myself for nothin' was my favorite sport

I had to get out and start enjoyin' 'cause life's too short

-Alan and Marilyn Bergman and David Shire

Are You A Patriot? Well, Are You Punk?

It's finally time. I know what you're thinking, Patriot fans are spoiled; they wait all season for the playoffs to start. How very presumptuous. Well, it wasn't long ago that we waited all season for the playoffs to end and be over with. We presumed we wouldn't be there. That's all changed in the Belichick era. The Pats are perennially feared in the playoffs, regardless of what they do in the regular season. And, their success has spawned imitators. Bill Belichick's main protege' Eric Mangini is manning the Jet that flies into Foxboro this Sunday at 1 pm. It's Obi Wan and Darth all over again. But, this time it's personal (And on Earth.) This rivalry is finally starting to mean something. So, in honor of this rivalry, we're going to start one of our own.

Finnerty's, the Yankee Bar next door to us, is getting to big for their britches. So, we're challenging them to The First Annual Bar Game Olympics. Our best will be competing against their best for bragging rights in darts, pool, video golf, poker, and Megatouch (For all of you Catholics out there, please don't confuse the video game Megatouch with the penance "mega touch".) The games will take place Thursday nights either at Thom's or Finnerty's We need your support. If you want to take part, let me know.

U-MASS!

I remember watching the Celtics play the 'Sixers when I was young and hearing mother say, "You know Dr. J went to UMass." I didn't go there, but I always found myself rooting for them. Now you can too. The Umass NYC Metro Alumni (We have to find them a beter name. TUNMA?) has designated Thom's as the place to watch UMASS hoops in NYC. In fact, if you wear your Minutemen gear you'll get $4 Thom's Ales. With the Broons getting shellacked 10-2 and the Celtics yearning for the days of Gerry Sichting the Minutemen make for a good winter diversion.

In Memoriam

The longest standing (or wheel chair bound, as it were) member of Red Sox Nation passed away this week. Kathryn Gemme was 112 years old. She was 25 when Johnny Pesky was born! Imagine, she saw all 6 World Series Championships The Red Sox won.

Don't forget to pick up your bus tickets to Boston at the bar-$15 each way.

Land Of Football Glory

Mightier Than Thee

Score, Yes We Shall Do

And Claim Our Victory

Football! Football! Football!

- T-Spoon

Happy Birthday!

"Jingle Bells" is not my favorite holiday song, not even close. That honor would go to one of the following: "Please Come Home for Christmas" by Charles Brown, or "Rooster Crows at Midnight (On Christmas Day)" by Leadbelly, "Christmas Baby Please Come Home" by Darlene Love, or pretty much anything from "A Charlie Brown Christmas". But, when I'm driving 93 South from my parents place in Woburn and I spy that Medford Square exit, I can't help but think of probably the most popular of secular holiday songs, "Jingle Bells".

It's said that composer James Pierpont penned "Jingle Bells" describing Medford Square at wintertime. (That would explain why he later moved to decidely unsnowy Savanah, Georgia. Boston winters are brrrrutal.)

What's my point? The point is we're having a little Holiday party tomorrow at Thom's. Come drink on us from 6:30 to 7:30. Then get Happy Hour prices until nine.
Thanks for making our first year great!

More Christmas Links:
Frosty
Charlie Brown
Mister Magoo



Trivia Tonight!

The Q will be giving good trivia tonight for all in attendance. Come by and win prizes and impress a bunch of drunks.

Christmas Trivia: The composers Bob Merrill and Jule Styne offered a song entitled "People" for the score of "Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol" but the animation had already been completed and it was too late to include it. Instead they added it to the score of a Broadway musical they were writing called "Funny Girl", where it became the first of many hits for the star, Barbra Streisand.

Mister Magoo, you've done it again.

Support your local bartender!
Thom's bartender Sasha is competing for world fame. Please vote for her drink here: Bailey's Drink Contest



So won't you tell me you'll never more roam
Christmas and New Years will find you home
Please come home for Christmas
Please come home for Christmas
If not for Christmas by New Year's night

There'll be no more sorrow no grief and pain
And I'll be happy, happy once again

(Brown-Red)

The Dice-san Cometh

Turning Japanese? I think I'm turning Japanese. I really think so.

It'll cost over $100 million dollars, but it's finally a done deal. Daisuke Matsuzaka is a ronin no more. His new master is Red Sox Nation and the enemy is clear to us all.

If you would like to get on the Dice-san's bandwagon then it would behoove you to learn a little bit about his homeland: Nippon. First of all, you need to understand his language. You'll find all the info you need here: Perfect Translator. Next you need to learn about what they drink. A great place to start is John Gauntner's Sake World. Sign up for the news letter here. Thirdly, you need to learn about these weird gadgets they use. You know, like those dogs that hump your computer. And, you should definitely familiarize yourself with japanese cinema.

WARNING: From now on when you go to anything at Thom's you'd better get there early. PAGE 6 is on to us, and the glitteratti are sure to follow. SIGHTINGS

No sex, no drugs, no wine, no women
No fun, no sin, no you, no wonder it's dark
Everyone around me is a total stranger
Everyone avoids me like a cyclone ranger
Everyone
-The Vapors

Ah, Boston you're my home.
-The Standells

Oh What A Night!

Bill Lee has hit the road or "frappe la rue" as he likes to put it. But, he left an indelible mark on us and the baseballs he autographed. We had a great time last night and I want to thank everyone who attended Bill Lee's 60th birthday party. I hope you had enough Spaceman Ale, steamers, and cake. The Spaceman was really floored by how many fans and old friends came out to see him, and was really impressed by the birthday card sent by the Red Sox. I think he'll definitely be back. In case you missed it, Bill shook every hand and spoke with everyone that approached him. He posed for photos and signed baseballs and DVDs. As advertised, he was a pleasure to deal with. And, if the Sox need a lefty, which they do, I think he could still throw a few innings. (Did anyone else detect a strange odor emanating from the High Times reporters?)

If you have some pictures you'd like to share of the event, please send them along and we'll post them.

Also, check out Bill soon as The Dean of Students at "Sox Fan University" on NESN.

Unfortunately, we ran long last night so we didn't get to do trivia. So, we'll have it tonight. Q will be in Qontrol with a special Wednesday night trivia.

Also tonight, we'll have our first gathering of UMASS alumni as their Minutemen take on Louisville in basketball.

Going home for the holidays? Get your tickets to Boston via Lucky Star Bus Lines at Thom's. It's $15 oneway and $30 roundtrip. What a deal! You can even take the bus from Thom's to Lucky Star. Ask your bartender.

It's hip again to be a New Englander.

And Finally, you know we've made it when the oldest school in America is covering us. (page 6 of the Fall 06 Bulletin.)

The Spaceman Cometh

Well, it's December, so the Patriots must be banged up again. The latest on the list? Laurence Maroney. Bony Maroney has a bum back, but is probable. Rodney Harrison isn't back yet. Eugene Wilson is out for the year joining starters Junior Seau and Randall Gay on the IR. And, Vrabel gave us a heart attack when he went down on the last play of the game last week. So? So, we still have to squish the fish this Sunday at 1pm. They just lost their running back and still have Joey Harrington at QB. Look for Asante to get 9 interceptions. That's right. You heard it here first, 9.

One, Two, Three. Look at Mr. Lee

Join us Tuesday December 12th as the legendary pitcher Bill Lee joins the folks at Thom's to celebrate his 60th birthday. The night will feature a screening of "Spaceman: A Baseball Odyssey " SpaceMan Ale by Magic Hat, steamers, and autographed materials for raffle.

Proceeds will go to charity.

Also scheduled to attend: High Times Magazine. (Go figure.)

And, don't forget it's his birthday, so try to bring a present. Show some freaking class, will ya.

Stick around after the event because The Q will be doing Spaceman themed trivia for prizes. (There'll be a sneak peek in the next newsletter.)

Warning: Do not leave Thom's drunk and attempt to tackle a news box. You will wind up in New York Magazine. Or, was David Cross just working on a bit? It seems that the Boston trained (he did about a week at Emerson) actor can't get enough of that olde towne atmosphere.

WHAT BOTHERS THE SPACE MAN?
Far from the crowd, he's the day watchman.

Walk past the trees he used to swing from.

What bothers the spaceman?

The teeth in his head?

I'm sure he could smile for us.

Wave to the people out on the lawn.

Mr. Ellis and Mr. Lee.Mr. Lee and me.

What bothers the spaceman?

What's left for him now?

I'm sure he could smile for us.

Lee Lee Lee Lee etc.
-Mono Puff

The Legend of Second Chance Ghost Cow

Brady didn't Berry the Bears, he buried them! No more will Jim McMahon's ill-timed tap to "The Super Bowl Shuffle" haunt my head. The highlight I have now is Thom Brady's sidestep of that bridge troll Brian Urlacher. And, I think we finally solved the problem our new kicker Stephen "The Ghost Cow" Gostkowski was having: Give him two tries. At the end of the first half Ghost Cow missed a 52-yard field goal but got another try because Chicago had called timeout at the last second. He made it the second time by a hair. Thus, the legend of "Second Chance Ghost Cow" was born.

Two straight wins and the Patsies seem to be back on track. If they could just cure their case of the fumbles we might have a fun playoffs this year, especially with Jake “ The Snake” Plummer out of the way in Denver. He is the only quarterback to beat the Patsies in the playoffs in the Belichick era. Bring on Jay “The Butler” Cutler!

And speaking of fun, only two more weeks ‘til our Spaceman and Steamers event. Tuesday, December 12th we’ll be screening “Spaceman: A Baseball Odyssey”, a film about former Red Sox pitcher Bill Lee’s life in baseball. Scheduled to attend is film maker Brett Rapkin who made the documentary and Bill Lee himself who will be celebrating his 60th birthday. But, we don’t serve popcorn with a movie,we’ll be steaming up some clams and pouring Spaceman Ale by Magic Hat, brewed specifically for this event. Proceeds from the Spaceman Ale and autographed items available in raffles will be going to The Jimmy Fund. So, come out to a bar, drink beer, eat clams, and watch a movie for a good cause. We'll even let you talk politics this once.

Check out The Spaceman’s views on the Pres.

Oh, my name is Raymond Berry and I'm the leader of the Pats.
Ask Dan Marino if we're still a team of old door mats.
We're rough, we're tough.
We're lean, we're mean.
We're hungry, that's a fact.
Chicago will go down my friends to Raymond Berry's Pats.
-Bruce & The Benchwarmers

Don't Forget to Click the Title

My new favorite verb is "brightside". As in, I've been sitting around for two days trying to brightside the Patriots' loss to the Jets. Two straight losses! How do I brightside that? We're still in first place? Small consolation. The Patriots appear to have enough talent to still take the East and do very well in the playoffs. Hopefully, they'll spend the second half of the season making adjustments. Maybe they already are making adjustments! Maybe, that's why they've lost two straight games, they're making adjustments that will allow them to win the Superbowl! Phew, there, I brightsided that. (Another attempt would have been: At least I don't root for John Quinn's dirty Vikings. They suck.)

In the next two weeks The Patriots play the only teams to ever beat them in the Superbowl. That's The Packers next week and The Chicago Bears in two weeks. If the Pats are in fact making adjustments, they need to make them fast or the image of Brian Urlacher body-slamming Tom Brady is going to quickly replace that of the Fridge's fat ass rolling into the end zone that has hounded me for 20 years. Come on by Thom's and have a Thom's Ale and root for Thom Brady.

How the hell do I brightside the Red Sox of late? This year sucked eggs. And now the darned thrifty Sox are spending more money to bid on signing an unknown quantity from Japan than A-Rod spent on purple lip-balm last month. To boot, former farmhand Hanley Ramirez won NL Rookie of the Year, and the Yankees are looking at Nomar for firstbase. We still have
Josh Beckett though; he has potential! Does "Biggest Choke Ever" still hold any weight? Go Celtics? This off-season we'll be having Hot-Stove events to remind us of the good times. It all starts December 12 with a screening of "Spaceman", the Bill Lee documentary. We'll be serving steamers and Spaceman Ale, then follow it with Q's trivia night. The Red Sox might be baffling right now, but look on the brightside, you could be a Yankee fan.

Come on in every Tuesday for Q & A Trivia Night with John Quinn, and every Wednesday for Bingo with the reverend Jim McGuire.

Jealousy

Turning saints into the sea

Turning through sick lullaby

Joking on your alibi

But it's just the price I pay

Destiny is calling me

Open up my eager eyes

I'm Mr. Brightside

-The Killers

It's a Hit!

And what a hit it was. Clamapalooza was in full frenzy when the Patsies scored their first touchdown Monday night against John Quinn's dirty Vikings. The Pats kept rolling and we kept shucking! In all, nearly 700 topneck and monsterous cherystone clams were gulped down gullets by game's end. First timer Gareth could even be seen "enjoying" his first ever raw clam. Look for details of Clamapalooza 2.

I was lucky enough to be in Boston last night to see all of the Red Auerbach tributes (Unfortunately, the Celts didn't see fit to pay tribute to him with a win.) He was an institution in Boston, and an important part of the city's history. Everytime I went to the Garden, whether it was for a Celtics game, a Bruins game, the circus, The Ice Capades, or the Boston Shootout I remember looking for that seat they always showed on TV, where Red perched above his team awaiting the opportunity to light a victory cigar. May that seat forever remain empty. He will be missed.

But, don't you miss the Pats play the Colts this Sunday night. It's Vinateri's homecoming. I truly believe that the only reason the Pats won Monday was because you were there. Yeah, you. Do not be the reason they lose this week. Be there Sunday and bring friends!

If you believe in forever

Then life is just a one-night stand

If there's a rock and roll heavenwell,

You know they got a hell of a band, band, band

It's Almost Clam Time.

Monday night the Pats will be taking on the Vikings and you'll be shoving down raw clams (maybe a few steamed ones too). Don't forget that if you're a card carrying member of the Friends of Harpoon you'll get $3 pints of Harpoon all night. Shucks, come on down for a few.

It was 20 years ago today...
It's 20 years since Boston was declared the sports center of the universe. The Pats, Celtics, and Red Sox made it to their respective championships. The t-shirts read: "Boston, It's the balls" showing the teams' logos. Times were good despite two horrendous championships. The Globe revisited this giddy time here.

Hockey is here!
Thom's has the hockey package; so, if you're from traditional hockey towns like Nashville or Columbus or Tampa Bay or Phoenix or San Jose' come on out and root for your favorite team whoever they are, and explain the new rules to me again.

The Sweet Smell of Success
Jeter won The Hank Aaron Award for the American League's best batter. His intangibles shone through this year to voters. But, did he deserve it? Fire Joe Morgan weighs in.

And, to think none of this could have happened without the efforts of one crocked cop. "Big Bill" Devery, the original owner of the Yankees fleeced the city for years to the point where he even stole the Yankees' logo:

"In 1909 the team began using what was to become the most highly
recognizable symbol in the world when the famous "NY" made it's first
appearance on the uniforms. Of every slick, crooked thing "Big Bill" ever did...this has to be at the top of his list of larceny"

Read the rest of the story here on NBX.

Look for plenty more events during the winter. We have Halloween Party Saturday. We'll be screening the Bill Lee documentary in the near future with the cooperation of Magic Hat. We're premiering our own beer. It's one big party at Thom's. Fun! Fun! Fun!

My, my, my, my music hits me so hard

Makes me say oh my Lord

Thank you for blessing me

With a mind to rhyme and two hyped feet

Feels good when you know you're down

A superbowl homeboy from the Oaktown

And I'm known as such

And this is a beat uh you can't touch

-Stanley Kirk Burrell

I'm Not A Fan of LaRussa

When last we met, Joe Torre was just about to announce that he was staying on as Manager for the Yankees by royal edict of King George. Of course, we didn't actually hear from Georgie himself; more and more his announcements and pronouncements have been spoken through, well, a spokesmen.

I think the Old Grey Merde just ain't what he used to be. Just this year you could see the previously unseen on the Yankees: Damon and Giambi would go days without shaving. Days! Hair became unkempt. The Yankees increasingly looked less Yankee-like. Yet, Joe Torre retained his job, this despite getting the olde reverse sweep from the upstart Tigers. In fact, in the last 5 years the Yankees have lost three straight games to get knocked out of the playoffs 4 times. The only time they didn't lose 3 straight they got knocked out in the first round. That's incredible. What is it about Torre that he can't stop his team from sliding?

Of course, with Joe back everyone assumes that Slappy has to go. But whither? The radio jocks have jumped on Pinella's signing on with the Cubs and all but shipped A-Rod off to Chicago themselves. But, for him to go that would mean Steinbrenner admitting that he made a mistake. Personally, I hope he stays; it would just be no fun without him.

Meanwhile, back at the Hall of Justice...

I'm sure Theo and Trio are sitting down with the Globe staff to write a new way to get Manny out of towne and replace him with some undervalued, underappreciated superstar like Eric Byrnes. We have no closer, no right-fielder, maybe no left-fielder. What are we left with?

THE WORLD SERIES!

Remember how much fun it was to root against the Cardinals just 2 years ago? Well, you can relive those glory days because the Cardinals are back in the World Series. Come watch Rolen swing and miss as he battles spherophobia (fear of balls). Come watch Suppan stumble around third base. Come watch Edmunds (who hasn't the slightest spherophobia) make the most incredible over the shoulder catch only to hurt his arm and be rendered ineffective at the plate. Come scream "Trotter" at the TVs; scream "Pokey"; scream "Ground ball stabbed by Foulke". Come relive-OK I think I've gone over the deep end.

Just come watch a nice baseball series between the Tigers and the Cardinals starting tonight.

We have Smuttynose Pumpkin on tap and we're 9 days from Next Monday's Clamapalooza.

"...Red Sox fans have longed to hear..."

Who's To Blame?

The Knights of the Keyboard are on a quest. This time, the goal is to eviscerate the vaunted Yankees, them of 26 rings. Every major and minor scribe in the land suddenly hates the Yankees. (Maybe this is what they meant when they created Yankee Universe.) Listen to the radio and it's more of the same. Every host, every caller wants A-Rod gone, Torre gone, Mussina gone, Johnson gone, Sheffield gone, Giambi gone, Mattingly gone, Cashman, gone. Some even want Jeter gone. Torre would seem to be the first to go, with the reports following Game 4 that Pinella would replace him. But, according to Yankees.com Torre might announce today that he's staying in press conference today at 1 pm.

Of course every one of these lamentations begins with a disclaimer: "I was the first to say Torre was great, but..." And, "Don't get me wrong I love Jeter, but..." The Universe is equivocating a call to arms. They don't know exactly what to do. Their fans are reciting the Tantric mantra "At least we made the playoffs" to deaf ears. The winds are changing; have changed, clear skies ahead. Here are some examples:

Bob Ryan discusses Yankees spending, Boston Globe.

John Harper, Daily News: Yanks' captain abandons ship

Shaun Powell covers many papers' reactions, Newsday, for LA Times

Bob Raissman says Torre should go, Daily News

Home News Tribune, "These Tigers prove it takes more than money"

JIM BAUMBACH says "Coaches back Torre" for Newsday.com

Shaun Powell says "Jeter support has come up short" for News Day

"Taking joy in the Yankees' misery" by Kevin Hench, FOXSports.com

Page 2, ESPN.com

DEREK ROSE, DAILY NEWS: "Yank pinstripes tossed in bargain bin"

Any more good stories? Please add them in the comments section of the blog.

But, what about Thom's? You ask. Trivia returns tonight with our own trivia master John Quinn. Read about his experiences dishing trivia for the BLOHARDS and Red Sox here.

Tomorrow night is Bingo night as is every Wednesday.

Later in the month we'll be premiering our own beer by Harpoon: Thom's Old Ale.

And, on October 30 we'll be having our first annual Clamapalooza during the Patsies Monday Night game. Come in and enjoy Harpoon specials and freshly shucked clams for very cheap. Don't forget to join the Friends of Harpoon for the special.

And after all is said and done

You wouldnÂ’t be satisfied with anyone

So when you get rid of me

Who will the next fool be?

Will he believe all those lies?

End up like me, with tears in his eyes?

I know, I know, I know, I know...

(slow fade)

-Charlie Rich

You Ought To Be In Pictures...

Go to YouTube or click above to see the footage of the NESN piece that aired in Boston a couple weeks ago, all the more reason to be at Thom's every Tuesday night. (As if Trivia with John "The Q" Quinn wasn't enough.)

The Sox have begun the Fall cleaning that usually accompanies a disappointing season. Pitching coach Dave Wallace is gone and hitting coach Ron Jackson got fired when he couldn't get Wily Mo to stop swinging. Trot's probably not coming back and if the Gordon Edes media machine has its way Manny won't be either. (Maybe they can get Buck Showalter to play left field.) Meanwhile, one former sox farm hand after another prospers. Check out the this Globe interview where Theo discusses some of last season's trades.

The good news is that the Patriots are back on track after thumping Cincinnati. Come to Thom's this Sunday and watch the Patsies battle the Dolphins. "Squish the Fish!"

Also, come by Thom's this weekend and check the opening of the second floor.

We'll have all of the baseball playoffs, and college and pro football. We'll even have our own beer made by Harpoon soon.

And, don't forget Clamapalooza at the end of October.

****

"I want to make sure Tom Brady knows that, although I'm no longer with the Red Sox, I'll always be his personal hitting coach and he can come take B.P. with me anytime."
-Ron "Papa Jack" Jackson "A Letter To Boston Fans"

A Season in the Sun

The good news is that the Red Sox will be playing in October this year. HAZAR! The bad news is October 1st is their last game. BOOOOOOO! This year sucked eggs. I apologize for the harsh language, but that's just how I feel.

Come out Friday night to wave "goodbye" to the Red Sox. They gave us the Fredo treatment the last 2 months and broke our hearts, but (gulp) there's always next year. Fenway is still packed to the gills and Big Papi is still destroying the Red Sox home run record. He hit number 54 last night and has just 7 more to tie the all time major league record for home runs in a season set by Roger Maris in 1961. Friday might be the night.

So come on out this weekend and see Trotter for possibly the last time. Wave "bye bye" to Manny and maybe even Foulke. Debate over the future of the Red Sox. Who's playing the corner outfield spots next year? Who's closing? (Sorry. Wrong Hanson. There, much better.) Curt Schilling has even hinted that he's thinking about not coming back:

``If I come back next year, I know that the offseason will be the hardest offseason of my career because I'll have to work harder than I've ever worked."

There's a big, scary off-season ahead. At least we know that we have Beckett tied up for another 9 years. (Sorry. Wrong Beckett .)

What do we have to look forward to? Sunday the Patsies get back on track against Cincinnati. And speaking of the Pats, Monday night October 30 the Pats are playing at Minnesota. That night we'll be doing Clamfest at Thom's. Come in and get some clams cheap. Also, if you're a card carrying "Friend of Harpoon" you get a great discount on the beer. So, sign up!

Also ahead:

Look for the debut of Thom's Olde Ale brewed by Harpoon for us.
Also, we'll be hosting a screening of the Bill Lee documentary “SPACEMAN: A Baseball Odyssey”

Before you know it it will be next year.

Goodbye to you, my trusted friend.
We've known each other since we're nine or ten.
Together we climbed hills or trees.
Learned of love and ABC's,
Skinned our hearts and skinned our knees.
We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun.
But the hills that we climbed were just seasons out of time.
-Rod McKuen/Jacques Brel