Quickie Sports Chowdah Update- B's Beat Senators By a Landslide; McCourt-ing Disaster? LA Dodgers Up For Sale

NHL: Despite an awful October and falling behind early to the white-hot Senators early, the Boston Bruins were able to rally and snap Ottawa's 6-game win streak on Tuesday night at the Garden.

Nick Foligno got the Sens on the board about 5 minutes into the 1st before Milan Lucic evened things up for Boston with a power play goal two minutes later. However, about 15 seconds later, a shot from Ottawa's Stephane DeCosta found its way past Thomas and into the back of the net to give the Sens the 2-1 lead heading into the first intermission.

The Bruins would go on to tie up the contest at 2-2 when Patrice Bergeron beat Sens netminder Craig Angerson just over 4 minutes into the 2nd period before taking a 3-2 lead with 2 minutes remaining in the 2nd on a Chris Kelly even strength tally.

Ottawa would knot things up at 3-3 however thanks to Jared Cowan's goal 5 minutes into the 3rd before the B's would take the lead (for good) on a Johnny Boychuk tally about 90 seconds later. From there, the Bruins would get some insurance in the form of a Danny Paille tally 7:18 into the 3rd.

So the Bruins turn the page on a crappy October by stopping the streaking Sens with a 5-3 final at the Garden on Tuesday. The B's actually outshot the Sens by a 41-26 margin, with Thomas turning aside 23 of the shots he faced. Boston also was able to convert one of their five power play opportunities while the Sens were held scoreless with the extra attacker on the ice.

The Bruins next game will be against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Toronto on Saturday night. The puck drops at 7 PM ET and the game will be televised on both NESN and CBC's Hockey Night in Canada.



MLB: Just days after the final out in Game 7 of the 2011 World Series, St Louis Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa announced his retirement. The surprise announcement ends a 16 year managerial stint with the Cardinals that saw at least six NL Central Pennants, three National League pennants and two World Series titles.

LaRussa's 33 year managerial career also saw him managing the Oakland Athletics to a Worls Series title during the 1989 'earthquake series' against the San Francisco Giants. Between his time with the White Sox, A's and Cardinals, LaRussa has 2728 career wins to his credit.

Random thought: Would that be ironic if Terry Francona ended up replacing LaRussa as the Cards manager?

RED SOX: The Red Sox conducted two separate interviews for the managerial opening left by Francona's departure. On Monday, the Red Sox interviewed Phillies bench coach Pete Mackanin. On Wednesday, the Red Sox interviewed current Brewers hitting coach (and former Red Sox 3rd base coach from 2004-05) Dale Sveum. Sveum has some postseason experience as manager, dating back to 2008 when the Brewers fired Ned Yost with 12 games remaining in the regular season.

OTHER RED SOX NEWS: 1B Adrian Gonzalez, 2B Dustin Pedroia and CF Jacoby Ellsbury became the first trio of Red Sox to win Golden Glove awards in 32 years. The winners were announced by Rawlings on Tuesday night.

In 1979, outfielders Right fielder Dwight Evans, Center Fielder Fred Lynn and Shortstop Rick Burleson each won the Golden Glove award while with the BoSox.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS: The Dodgers and MLB announced they had entered into an agreement for a court-supervised sale of the franchise. Reportedly the interested parties include Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and Pittsburgh Penguins co-owner Ron Burkle as well as a number of Asian investors.

Even if a buyer is quickly found, it could take anywhere from 6 months to a year and a half for MLB to approve the transaction.

Yet Another All Star Sports Chowdah Update: Wheeler and Dealing- Busy B's Snap Skid; BC Helps Themselves to Another Beanpot; Little Rhody's Home Plate

NHL: The Boston Bruins acquired defenseman Tomas Kaberle from Toronto on Thursday in exchange for prospect Joe Colborne and a pair of draft picks (1st round in 2011 and 2nd round in 2012). This comes around the same time Boston sent RW Blake Wheeler and defenseman Marc Stuart to the Atlanta Thrashers in exchange for C Rich Peverly and defenseman Boris Valabik.

On the ice, there was bound to be something of a letdown after that Montreal game last week- and that was evident when the Bruins went on a 3 game skid, getting swept in the home & away series against the Red Wings and losing to before beating the Islanders 6-3 at Nassau County Colosseum on Thursday night. Not a bad way to start off your 6-game, 2-nation road trip, right?


On Firday night, the B's travelled to the Canadian capital to take on the Mr Carrie Underwood-less Ottawa Senators, with somewhat predictable results. No Tim Thomas in net for the games against the Islanders and Senators- giving Tukka Rask back to back wins.

Bobby Butler got the Sens out to a 1-0 lead in the 2nd, but Boston came right back with four goals- 2 from Brad Marchand, one from Dennis Seidenberg and one from Nathan Horton to put them up for good and give them the 4-2 win over the struggling Sens on Friday.
The Bruins next game will be on Tuesday night, 9 PM ET against at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary against the Flames.

NCAA HOCKEY: Just like round one of the Beanpot, Boston College would ultimately prevail, but it would require OT to do so.

This was a wild one at the Garden on Monday night, with Northeastern tallying the game-tying goal with 1:46 to go in the 3rd to make it a 6-6 game. 6 minutes into the OT, BC's Jimmy Hayes scored to give the Eagles the 7-6 OT win, good for Boston College's 16th Beanpot title.

NBA: To hardly anybody's surprise, the C's easily handled the NJ Nets in their last game before the All Star break on Wednesday. Paul Pierce had an impressive 31 points in the 94-80 win over the Nets, leaving the Celtics and Miami Heat in a virtual tie headed into the All Star break.

Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen spent the weekend in Los Angeles for the 60th NBA All Star game (which the West downed the East by a final of 148-143). The rest of the team will make their way out for the West Coast in time for Tuesday night's game against the Golden State Warriors.

MLB: OK....so most of you I'm sure are no doubt looking around and can't help but feel that the world is going to hell in a handbasket.

But fear not! Pitchers and catchers have reported to their respctive MLB training camps in Florida and Arizona, and with the rest of the team to follow, that can only mean Spring Training is around the corner!

There? See...that should put all those riots in the Middle East into perspective.

RED SOX: A Rhode Island state representative has submitted legislation that would authorize the Rhode Island DMV to issue Boston Red Sox liscence plates.

Representative Brian Kennedy (D- Hopkinton) has once again submitted legislation that would allow the liscense plates to bear the trademark Red Sox logo. Similar legislation was stalled in the RI State general assembly over concerns that the funds raised ($40 on top of the normal registration fees) were being directed out-of-state. However, in 2009 the General Assembly approved of special New England Patriots plates with the teams logo, with the proceeds going to Rhode Island chapters of charitable organizations like Meals on Wheels.

[hat tip: Providence Journal]

Steely Sports Chowdah Update- Pats Steel the Show in Pittsburgh; Sens Oust B's; BC Bests the Blue Devil They Know

NFL: What loss in Cleveland?

You had a feeling that New England would bounce back in some way shape or form from their embarrassing 34-14 loss to the Browns, but to be honest, I didn't think it would be this quickly, this convincingly and against such a quality opponent [That's not to say I wasn't confident they'd win, I just thought the might outlast Pittsburgh and hang on to win by 3 or 4 points- NANESB!].

Tom Brady connected with TE and 2nd round 2010 draft pick Rob Gronkowski not one, not two, but three touchdown passes on Sunday night while the shaggy QB even managed to rush for one of his own. As an added bonus, the Pats D (and Pittsburgh O, now that I think about it) managed to keep the Steelers out of the end zone until the beginning of the 4th quarter.

New England was able to get a TD on their opening possession of the game and followed that up with a FG from freshly-signed kicker Shayne Graham. Aside from a 76-yard, five and a half minute drive that resulted in a FG, the Steelers hardly seemed able to move the ball in the first half. This was compounded by a number of dropped passes inside the end zone that would've brought Pittsburgh within striking distance. The Patriots ended up taking a 10-3 lead into halftime.

To start off the 2nd half, the Pats would march the ball 78 yards down the field for a TD to make it 17-3. After both teams went three-and-out on their subsequent possessions, the Steelers were able to sustain a long drive that started at their own 33 thanks to a pass interference penalty against Pats Safety Brandon Merriweather where the Steelers were able to move inside the New England 10 yard line- but that's as close as they would get after Pittsburgh's receiver's dropped short passes from QB Ben Rothlisberger. To make matters worse, Steelers kicker Jeff Reed would miss a FG from point-blank range and New England would march the ball back down for another TD (where Brady himself ran it in from the Steeler's 3) to make it a 23-3 game (although Graham would miss the point-after attempt).

Pittsburgh would put together a 71-yard drive of their own culminating in a TD to open up the 4th quarter, but on their next possession Rothlisberger would be picked off by Pats safety James Sanders, who would run it back 32 yards ro make it a 29-10 New England lead, and although Pittsburgh wasn't done scoring in the 4th, it was too little, too late. New England wins this one by a final of 39-26- and it wasn't even that close- to give them a 7-2 record.

Brady was outstanding, going 30-43 with 350 passing yards and 3 TD passes as well as a TD run of his own. Rob Gronkowski would have 5 receptions for 72 yards, including his 3 TD receptions. Deion Branch would get 7 receptions for 71 yards and Wes Welker 8 receptions for 89 yards. Ben Jarvus Green-Ellis had 18 carries for 87 yards on top of another 36 yards receiving on 4 receptions. In other words, firing on all cylinders. On top of that, the New England D was able to sack Rothlisberger 5 times on Sunday night.

Next week, the Patriots will host the Indianapolis Colts in Foxboro at 4:15 ET/1:15 PT.

NHL: Tim Thomas' unbeaten streak ended at 8 consecutive games on Saturday night at the the Garden. Sens goaltender Brian Elliot turned aside all 31 shots faced while Erik Karlsson and Daniel Alfredsson notched the only goals of the night in Ottawa's 2-0 win over Boston.

The loss gives Boston an 8-5-1 record as the Sens move past them for 2nd place in the division. The Bruins will next host the New Jersey Devils at the Garden on Monday night at 7 PM.

NCAA FOOTBALL: Try as they might to give away Saturday's game, the Duke Blue Devils weren't taking up Boston College on their generosity. Not 100%, at least.

Taking a 21-9 lead into the the start of the 4th quarter and looking for more, Boston College was knocking on the door inside Duke's 10 yard line. However, RB Montel Harris would fumble the ball at the Duke 5 and Blue Devils LB August Campbell would run it back 95 yards to make it a 21-16 contest.

With just under 5 minutes to go in the game and starting at their own 37, the Blue Devils were able to march it down as close as the 2 yard line, but BC was able to stop them on 4th and goal with 49 seconds left in the game to hang on and win by the 21-16 final.

Eagles QB Chase Rettig was 12-24 with 230 yards and two TDs while fumble notwithstanding, Montel Harris had a rushing TD of his own while racking up 109 yards on 23 carries.

BC's record is now 5-5 and they'll host the Virginia Cavaliers on Chestnut Hill next Saturday.

NBA: I was only marginally aware that the Celtics were playing on Saturday night, but they seemed to have survived a scare from the Memphis Grizzlies to go on and beat them 116-110 in OT. Kinda surprising Saturday's game was that close, given the way they jumped all over the Heat on Thursday.

The C's are idle until Wednesday night when they host the Washington Wizards at the Garden.

Sports Pumpkin Chowdah Recap- Huff & Puff and Blow the Rangers House Down; Pats Don Old School Jersey, KO Old School QB; B's Veto Sens; BC Halts Skid

NFL: Brett Favre took it on the chin- literally- in Sunday's game at Foxboro. While engineering a drive inside New England's 10 yard line midway through the 4th quarter, the Vikings QB was levelled by DT Myron Pryor and had to leave the game with a laceration on his chin.

Coming into this week's matchup, there was some doubt whether or not we would even get the Tom Brady/Brett Favre matchup, with the possibility that Brett Favre would miss his 292nd consecutive career start due to multiple fractures in his ankle. Prior to that the sub-plot for Sunday's game was supposed to be Randy Moss' return to Foxboro for the first time since he was traded earlier in the year, but Moss was a conspicuous non-factor with only one reception for 8 yards on the day.

After a scoreless first quarter, Minnesota took the lead to start off the 2nd quarter with a drive that started out on their own 24 and was capped with a one yard TD run from RB Adrian Peterson. The Pats responded by putting together a drive from their own 25 that went into the Viking's red zone thanks to long completions from Brady to Deion Branch and Brandon Tate, culminating when RB Danny Woodhead took a direct snap from the Vikings 3 into the end zone.

Although Minnesota moved the ball around effectively with Favre at QB, twice they made it inside the Pat's red zone and were shut out, the most pivotal stop coming on a 4th and goal with a minute left in the 1st half, when Adrian Peterson was stuffed at the 1-yard line to keep the game tied at 7-7- heading into the half.

The Pat's D also factored into keeping Minnesota Vikings out of the end zone on their first posession on the second half, with the Vikings getting as far as New England's own 5 before settling for a chip shot field goal from the 24 yard line.

New England came right back with a drive that quickly put them up thanks to a completion from Brady to Brandon Tate good for 65 yards to make it a 14-10 contest.

With five minutes to go in the 3rd quarter and Minnesota getting the ball mid-field, Brett Favre was intercepted by Devon McCourty, who ran it back to the Vikings 37 yard line. The ensuing Pats posession was almost literally all Ben Jarvus Green-Ellis. Aside from a 10 yard completion to Danny Woodhead, the ball was handed off to the RB for 3 carries for 27 yards, including his 13 yard TD run to put New England up 21-10.

Starting at their own 20, Favre put together a drive (including a 30 yard pickup by WR Percy Harvin) that got them inside the New England 10 before Pryor's hit knocked him out, with Tavaris Jackson coming in at QB. The next play was a quick pass to Nafahu Tahi for the touchdown, followed by a 2 point conversion to Harvin to close the gap at 18-21.

New England began their following posession at their own 20 yard line and strung together a lengthy, time-consuming drive that included converting in a 3rd & 12 thanks to a 16 yard pickup by Danny Woodhead and yet another Ben Jarvus Green-Ellis TD run to put the Pats up by 28-18 marign inside the 2-minute warning.

That would be the final from Foxboro as the Pats went to 6-1. With the Jets 9-0 loss to Green Bay at the Meadowlands earlier in the day, New England takes sole posession of first place in the AFC east. The cherry on top of that is with Pittsburgh's 20-10 loss to New Orlenas on Sunday night, the Patriots have the best overall record in the NFL.

Next week will have the Pats travel to Cleveland for a 1PM ET/10AM Pt kickoff against the Browns (who lest we forget, absolutely manhandled New Orleans a few weeks back). Then comes a particularly difficult stretch where New England will be going up against the Steelers and Colts.

UPDATE: Well, that didn't last long. On Monday, the Vikings announced that WR Randy Moss would be waived after an odd, one-man postgame press conference after the game.


WORLD SERIES: The series has moved to Arlington, TX and on Saturday night, the Rangers avoided the sweep thanks to Mitch Moreland, who drove in 3 of Texas' 4 runs with a 3-run shot in the bottom of the second inning. Colby Lewis lasted a good 7 and ⅔ innings in a must-win scenario, giving up two earned runs on 5 hits while striking out six. It got a little tense for awhile, but Darren O'Day and Neftali Feliz managed to close out the game for the Ranger's 4-2 win, the first-ever World Series game won in the state of Texas.

For Sunday night, both the Giants and the Rangers had their young starters going- Tommy Hunter versus Madison Bumgardner. Hunter gave up a 2-run shot to Giants DH Aubrey Huff in the top of the third to make it a 2-0 game. Outfielder Andres Torres would drive in another run in the top of the 7th off of Darren Oliver and catcher Buster Posey had a solo shot off of Darren O'Day to make it a 4-0 San Francisco advantage. Bumgardner went 8 scoreless innings, giving up 3 hits, 2 walks and striking out six while Londonderry, NH's own Brian Wilson had a 1-2-3 bottom of the 9th to close out 4-0 win, putting San Francisco up 3 games to 1 in the World Series.

Game 5 is set to take place tonight at Arlington, with the game 1 rematch of Cliff Lee and Tim Linecum at 7:57PM ET, 4:57ET.


NHL: The Bruins took their first trip north of the border this season to take on the Ottawa Senators Saturday night. As it turned out, David Krejci would get the only tally (unassisted, no less!) Boston needed with 4 ½ minutes left in the first. Still, Tyler Seguin and Milan Lucic gave Boston some insurance in the 2nd period with seperate goals and Jordan Caron put Boston up 4-0.

[OK- who was ready to write off Tim Thomas last season? Don't you feel kind of dumb now?- NANESB!]

Tim Thomas stopped all 29 shots faced and now has a 6-0-0 record, in net for all six of Boston's wins. The Bruins 6-2-0 record and will travel next to the HSBC Arena to take on the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night.



NCAA FOOTBALL: How about that? The BC Eagles are off the schnide after downing the Clemson Tigers at Chestnut Hill on Saturday! This snaps the Eagle's longest losing streak since 1998. Saturday's game was by no means a track meet, with Clemson taking the early 7-0 lead. The Eagles replied with a Nate Freese field goal, which the Tigers responded to with one of their own to take a 10-3 lead to close out the first quarter. The Eagles got another field goal in the 2nd and then scored their only TD on a 36 yard play to RB Montel Harris with the Eagles holding on to a 16-10 heading into halftime.

There was no scoring in the 2nd half, with the Eagle's defense stifling the Tigers and getting the ball back thanks to missed field goals, interceptions and tunrovers on downs. After some close losses to Maryland and Florida state, BC beats Clemson by a final of 16-10. Montel Harris had 1 reception for 142 yards and BC's only TD.

Next week, the Eagles will travel to Winston-Salem, NC to take on the struggling Wake Forest Demon Deacons, who currently have a record of 2-6.

BIG EAST: Just like on Chestnut Hill, 16 points was all it took for UConn to break their losing streak against a favored opponent on a Friday Night game against the West Virginia Mountaineers.

The overtime win heading into the weekend was aided in large part by no less than 7 Mountaineer turnovers- four of them recovered by UConn. The most damning one for West Virginia came in the OT, which by rule gave the Huskies posession on WV's own 25 yard line. After being kept out of the end zone by the Mountaineer defense, UConn kicker Dave Teggart booted the game winning FG from the West Virginia 27 yard line for the 16-13 win.

The win halts the Huskies 2-game losing streak and gives UConna 4-4 record for their upcoming Veteran's Day game against Pitt at E. Hartford, CT.

NBA: Despite his non-compliant headband, Rajon Rondo had a career night against the NY Knicks with a triple double and 24 assists on Friday night. Paul Pierce wasn't too shabby either, with 25 points and 14 rebounds of his own during the C's 105-101 win against New York.

[Should I be Concerned that this was such a close game against what's normally considered an awful team? Has New York improved that much? Or is this something that can be attributed to early season rustiness on the part of both teams?- NANESB!]

The C's will next travel to the Palace at Auburn Hills, MI to take on the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night.