Month: October 2017

Dont’a Hightower Done for the Season. Suddenly Improving Patriots Defense is Now in Trouble

By on • ( Leave a comment )

SI – New England Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower has a torn pectoral muscle and will miss the rest of the season, reports NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport.

This Patriots team is falling apart at the seams. First it was Julian Edelman blowing his knee out and now its our defensive captain in Hightower. In the first year of his new contract too, what a goddamn bummer. This will be the first time that Hightower, who has a reputation for missing time, will miss more than 2 games in a row as a Patriot. So now the Pats will have to scramble to shore up yet another hole on their roster.

If theres any silver lining at all its that this injury happened a few days before the trade deadline. Not like theres a Pro-Bowl linebacker out there to be had for cheap, but it gives the Patriots way more options than if this injury happened next week.

I think Belichick secretly strokes it to situations like this though. He fucking HATED every minute of this pre-season when people saying the Pats could go 19-0. But, take away his best receiver and his best defensive player?  Now we’re cooking with gas. People are doubting us now, saying we don’t have the personnel. Stephon Gilmore’s a bum you say? MEET JOHNSON BADEMOSI! Oh Hightower’s hurt? BRING IN CASSIUS MARSH! Edelman went down? I HAVE FIVE RUNNINGBACKS ON THIS ROSTER!

The guy just loves playing checkers especially when its on All-Madden mode with an injury plagued team. Belichick loves being in the trenches just putting out fires; thats where his genius really comes into play. If we’re being honest, anyone could have fell ass backwards into Tom Brady in the 6th round or known to take Vince Wilfork in the first round. Most guys though aren’t able to craft an entire roster and keep the train moving down the tracks while the engine’s on fire. As fictional Miami Dolphins GM Larry Siefert once said in Ballers: anyone can fill the top or the bottom of a roster, its those guys in the middle that set you apart.

#RushHourRap – Mobb Deep

By on • ( Leave a comment )

Shook Ones is a first ballot Hall of Fame rap song.

Now obviously this song came out in 1995, but it had a renaissance when it was the featured instrumental on the final 8 Mile rap battle in 2002. The unforgettable scene where Eminem just rips Papa Doc to shreds over the Mobb Deep beat. That movie was a pre-game go to for me and my roommates back in college. Just have like 6 captain and diets and then see who can rattle off the rap battles the best. Hell, to this day we jokingly ask which one of us is gonna have the 8 Mile rap battle played at our wedding. CUE THE HIGHLIGHTS!

UCF Unveils a Fire Flames New Basketball Court

By on • ( Leave a comment )

USA Today -There are plenty of positives to a life if one were to attend UCF. One of the most specific upsides is UCF’s proximity to Universal Orlando Resort; just a half-hour car ride southwest of campus, UCF students can make a day trip almost any time. Luckily for UCF’s men’s and women’s basketball teams, the Knights’ new floor at CFE Arena is bringing roller coasters — and palm trees — much closer to the hardwood. In fact, it’s putting them *on* the hardwood. UCF introduced the latest edition of its court Wednesday. Out is the old two-toned look from last season, with a gray wood center court and tan wood inside the arcs.

Wow. If there’s two things I can get behind its wacky basketball courts and of course fire flames jerseys.

We have that here in spades. Shout out to UCF for realizing that no one will give a shit about your basketball team unless you sex it up a little bit. Introducing roller coaster tycoon parquet. Pop on a couple neon and camo jerseys and you got yourself a marketing campaign.

FIFA 2018’s Worst Rated Soccer Player Isn’t Actually a Soccer Player

By on • ( Leave a comment )

Kotaku – The lowest possible rating a FIFA 18 player can have is 46, and there are ten players plumbing these depths. Nine of them, like Grimsby Town’s Max Wright and Scunthorpe United’s Leslie Sackey, are professional athletes. The tenth is a former youth goalkeeper roped in to get around an administrative loophole. Tommy Käßemodel, listed in the game as a player for the German club FC Erzgebirge Aue, has a defensive rating of 36, while his pace is a comedic 23. For reference, most players in the game find their ratings nestled somewhere between 60-90. Those would be mortifying stats for someone paid to play football, but the weird thing here is that Käßemodel isn’t paid to play football: he’s Erzgebirge’s kit man , the guy responsible for looking after everyone’s shirts and shorts.

I guess this bottom of the barrel rating would sting if you actually, ya know, played soccer. But as the “kit man?” Well thats just gravy man.  Do you think Lionel Messi cares what rating they give him for his ability to file taxes properly? Come on, this guy’s job is to make sure the team walks out wearing the right shorts with their jerseys. The guy is probably stoked to even be in a video game.

I remember my borderline D-1 college was in the NCAA Basketball video game back before the NCAA basically cancelled all their games because nameless athletes got sick of selling video games without seeing any cash themselves. And let me tell you, these kids that were all destined to either sell insurance or maybe play in Italy were STOKED to be in a video game. No one gave a shit they had a 42 rating. Nobody was ever gonna cut down the virtual nets with this team, but it did make for some entertaining drunk video game betting on games with final scores of 32-38.

Although EA probably fucked ya boy Tommy on this one, exposing the loophole that had him likely collecting a second paycheck as a rostered player, despite not actually being a player. Woops.

#RushHourRap – Atmosphere – Trying to Find a Balance

By on • ( Leave a comment )

One of my all time favorite artists, these guys have been around for a longgg time, dropping their debut album, Overcast, back in 1997. Since then they’ve released 7 additional albums, plus countless mixtapes and side projects. So there are a ton of tracks to pick from with these guys, but here’s a good intro for the uninitiated; Trying to Find a Balance.

Life, love, stress, and setbacks.

Adrian Gonzalez is Skipping the World Series to Go on VACATION Instead

By on • ( Leave a comment )

LA Times – There is no better World Series tradition than the introduction of each player in uniform. If you work for the home team, you get a nice round of applause, even if you are an obscure reliever, a quality assurance coach or a soft tissue specialist. The fan favorites draw the loudest and most sustained applause. Adrian Gonzalez would get a warm ovation, but he is not expected to join the Dodgers for the World Series. It’s his choice. It’s too bad. Gonzalez has played more games without a World Series appearance than all but two active players: Ichiro Suzuki and Brandon Phillips. He would not have played in this World Series because of what the Dodgers said was a recurrence of a back injury, but he had earned a round of cheers from a large and loyal fan base that cherishes him.

I guess it just wasn’t in God’s plan for Adrian Gonzalez to be a part of the Dodgers first World Series in 29 years. Ever since Gonzo made that tone-deaf comment back in 2011 after the epic collapse by his Red Sox I knew he didn’t give a shit about baseball. He just happened to be good at it and was collecting a paycheck. But people would always argue no he does care, he’s just very religious, that quote was taken out of context blah, blah, blah. But now, now that shit has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt. I get that the guy is hurt and wouldn’t have played, but you’re not even gonna SHOW UP?? You couldn’t push your vacation back 2 weeks? You just made a hair under $22 Million this year and are still on that 7-year $154 Million contract the Red Sox signed you to back in 2011, I’m pretty sure you can afford the airline fees to reschedule your flights.

Not to mention he’s not exactly Derek Jeter with countless World Series rings. This isn’t exactly a routine occurence for the Dodgers or Gonzo.

“Gonzalez has played more games without a World Series appearance than all but two active players: Ichiro Suzuki and Brandon Phillips.”

Played a game my entire life and I’m 35 now, nearing the end of my career and I *finally* reach the pinnacle of my sport??

Sounds like his teammates are thrilled with the no show too.

Justin Turner, who occupies the locker next to Gonzalez, declined to say whether he was disappointed that Gonzalez had chosen not to bask in World Series applause.

After that Carl Crawford bitchfest article that came out a few weeks ago it reignited my long dormant disdain for that whole 2011 Red Sox team. I almost forgot how much Gonzo was disliked after that whole debacle too. Sure he wasn’t pissing and moaning about Boston the same way his buddy Crawford was, but if there’s one thing Boston hates its a guy who just doesn’t give a shit. You can be the biggest cocksucker in the world, but if you produce, Boston will love you. Josh Beckett was a total asshole, but he was dominant in 2007 helping the Sox win a World Series. Same for John Lackey in 2013. We respect those guys because half of Boston readily admits, practically brags about being a dickhead. We call ourselves Massholes for christ sakes. But give us a guy who doesn’t care? Get the FUCK off my team. At least JD Drew had that grand slam in the ALCS in 2008; that one hit erased years of a disinterested, nonchalant corpse in right field. Theres a reason Trot Nixon, a career .274, is revered in New England and it ain’t his bat.

I love Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, that goes without saying. That guy is a legend and will never have to buy another beer in Boston until the day he dies. But I cannot root for a team that currently employs no show Adrian Gonzalez and “David Price before David Price” Carl Crawford. Sorry Dave, but the Houston Astros throwback jacket is coming out tonight.

How Can Alex Cora Get the Red Sox Going in the Right Direction?

By on • ( Leave a comment )

Alex Cora is the new manager of the Boston Red Sox and once the Houston Astros win or lose the World Series he’ll walk into a talented, underachieving, promising, and fractured clubhouse. This team could easily make strides and be in the World Series next year or they could just as easily compound their current issues and be fighting for a Wild Card berth. So what can the new skipper do to get this team going in the right direction?

Cora and Dustin Pedroia were of course teammates on the Red Sox from 2006-2008 under Terry Francona. If Cora can get Pedroia on board out of the gate, which it would seem he should have no problem doing, then he’s off to a good start. For whatever reason Pedroia never seemed to be tight with John Farrell and then of course he hated Bobby V.

Pedroia’s like a scorned lover, never letting himself get close to another manager again after the way Francona was ripped away from him. So maybe Pedroia and Cora can bond over how badly the Sox management sandbagged Tito on his way out of town.

In addition to Pedroia, Cora should be well equipped to better connect with the Latino players because he, ya know, is from Puerto Rico and is obviously fluent in Spanish. That alone should do wonders for Latino players that Farrell may not have been able to connect with. Even if Farrell spoke some Spanish, there’s no substitute for a guy that can *conversate* in both languages.

Being just 42 years old, Cora will be the second youngest manager in the MLB and should be in a much better position to connect with the younger Sox players than his predecessor. Cora played in the era of social media and constant media attention in Boston so he understands how to handle it. Plus he was revered in his playing days as a veteran leader that helped mentor younger players. Including ones that would ultimately take his job in guys like Pedroia. So while he may not have managerial experience, he checks all the boxes that would seemingly make for a good manager.

After that all he has to do is get serial malcontent David Price on board. Other than that, jobs a piece of cake. Maybe some sessions on the manager’s couch to do nothing other than vent will help Price release a little steam before he blows another gasket on guys like Dennis Eckersley. I have no idea what Price’s relationship was with Farrell, but the whole “Manager John” thing sure didn’t make it seem like they were buddies. And Price knows that, he’s not stupid. So whether Cora walks in Day 1 and tells Price to sit down and shut up, or he massages the ego of a $217 Million enigma, I leave up to him. But, get a handle on those social circles within the roster and the rest will fall into place.

Introducing the First Bruins T-Shirt from The 300s. BUY! BUY! BUY!

By on • ( Leave a comment )

We needed a Bruins shirt and I’m not looking to just print any old shirt so this one took a while in the think tank, but it. is. here. This Bruins t-shirt is fresh as lettuce and is a must have for any self respecting B’s fan. Show some respect to Rene and this Bruins pre-game tradition by picking one up now. Shoot an email to the300sred@gmail.com to pre-order yours before the first shipment goes out.

Apparently Jon Gruden’s Son, Deuce Gruden, is the Goddamn Hulk

By on • ( 1 Comment )

Look at that picture! Just solar eclipsing the human gun show himself, Ed Hochuli. Incredible. I don’t know how I missed this, but the NFL is just littered with Grudens and last night we got all 3 on one screen.

We got the OG Jon Gruden up in the booth on Monday Night Football of course, we got his brother the former Arena Football legend Jay Gruden coaching the R-Words and then to my utter dismay we have Jon Gruden’s son, Deuce, working as a strength coach for Washington. Plot twist though; he is the goddamn hulk.

How was this 5’6″ bodybuilder with the last name Gruden not on my watch list? I feel like I should get an internet demerit for missing this. But, make no mistake I am all in on Deuce Gruden now. I am fascinated by this kid. Imagine growing up with Chucky as your dad back in his prime as the Raiders coach? No wonder this kid is a machine.

#RushHourRap – KYLE – Remember Me

By on • ( Leave a comment )

If Sammy Adams and Mike Stud embodied the frat rap movement, KYLE is leading the way for the introverted guys who take drama classes and play video games. Seriously. Listen to his first album, Beautiful Loser, and you’ll notice how he works in sound effects from games like Star Fox into his music. This is the next guy to pop as he’s been piling up hits the past couple of years and on “Remember Me?” he collabs with Chance the Rapper for a fire flames track.

KYLE signed with Atlantic Records earlier this year so the big guns are now behind him and he had his first radio hit this summer with iSpy, which was one of the biggest songs of the year. Hell the guy was even on AskGaryVee so he’s far from an unknown, but I feel like most people still aren’t in on him. Load up your iPod kids, KYLE bangs.