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I Finally Got to Touch the Sacred Turf at Gillette Stadium as The 300s Went Field Level for the Patriots Game

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So through a friend of The 300s I somehow stumbled into field passes for the Patriots game yesterday and finally got to touch the sacred turf at Gillette. The same turf that Tom Brady has given me countless memories on over the years so it was a borderline religious experience.

You see all those 300s hats? That’s called branding guys. Marketing 101.

It was a beautiful monsoon-like day for a football game so naturally I had to stop at Marshalls on the way to Foxboro to pick up some waterproof pants like I was going gator hunting.

In a weird stat, Kirk Cousins threw for more yards warming up than he did in the actual game.

I thought jersey duos like this only existed on the internet, but alas I saw this couple up in the nosebleeds and it was glorious.

Check out the full breakdown below as we pretended to be part of the elite down at field level before going up into the 300s with the rest of our degenerate brethren.

Lets Have a Good Cry with George H.W. Bush’s Service Dog, Sully

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Jesus christ I was not prepared for this. I don’t know what’s sadder; a dog passing away or a dog’s owner passing away. Ya know what, I don’t even want to have this mental conversation with myself right now. I’m a little fried from sitting in the rain all day yesterday at Gillette, so just do what I did and go have yourself a good cry in the office bathroom.

Boston Reverses Decision, Citgo Sign Will Not Be a City Landmark

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WCVB – Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said the city has reached a deal that will preserve the iconic Citgo sign in Kenmore Square, but will veto designating it a landmark.

“We are pleased to share that we have reached a long-term resolution that will preserve the Citgo sign and allow for it to remain in place in Kenmore Square for years to come,” Walsh, Citgo, Related Beal and Boston University said in a joint statement.

On Nov. 14, the Boston Landmark Commission approved giving the sign official landmark status. The city had 45 days to veto the commission’s decision. The deal recognizes “the significance that this sign has on our landscape in Boston, while balancing the opportunity for our horizons to continue evolving in future years,” according to the statement.

The designation would have protected the 60 by 60-foot sign that has stood in Kenmore Square since 1965 from any future development that would move the sign or block its view. The building at 660 Beacon St. on which the sign is mounted is not designated as a landmark. Developers were concerned what the status could mean for development in the area.

Welp that didn’t take long. The Boston Landmark Commission gave the famous Citgo sign city landmark status, which I blogged about last month, but that was a short lived designation. The status would have prevented all types of construction around the sign thats resided in Kenmore Square since 1965. Now the signs not going anywhere, but it definitely isn’t untouchable anymore. It seems like big business got into Marty Walsh’s ear as this new agreement all but guarantees that new condos, dorms, and other buildings will be built below, above, around and probably in front of the sign.

Before you know it, the Citgo sign is just gonna be a decoration in the middle of some rich guy’s house as developers build around the thing without actually removing it.

I realize it’s just a sign for a gas station thats basically gotten free advertising for decades, but it’s part of the Boston city landscape now. As I said previously, it’s in every famous photo, painting, and bad tattoo honoring the city. It should be a city landmark, but Boston has reversed field and shut that down for now.

Almost snuck it through guys!

David Price Embraces Gamer Persona and Launches His Own Twitch Channel

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Ya know, there’s really only one thought that came to my mind when I saw this tweet from David Price.

Look when you’re a World Series champion you can do whatever the hell ya want. That includes doubling down on the shit that allegedly gave you “minor carpal tunnel” last season. Play til your eyes bleed David because you earned it when you balled out in the playoffs.

See? All it took was a good postseason run to get people to stop busting his balls. Who am I to talk anyways? I just finished Zelda Breath of the Wild and was appalled when I realized that I had put 60 hours of my life into that game. You do do, David.

Should the Celtics Bring Back Kendrick Perkins? Time for a Hit of Nostalgia!

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So apparently Kendrick Perkins called Danny Ainge just to check in and see if the Celtics had any interest in signing him. Imagine that? Just call up a company that you want to work for and ask hey do you want to pay me? No resumes, no interviews, just straight cash homie.

Normally I would sigh at the thought of a beloved, yet aging Boston athlete looking for one more shot at glory. I LOVE Perk, but we all saw him last year with Cleveland in a suit. The guy would make a phenomenal coach or more likely a corrections officer, but we all understand his playing days are over.

Except my 14-year-old brother was asking me about Perk wondering when was he really good, what he did well, and it dawned on me. 1.) How fucking old I really am and 2.) It’s easy to forget just how great Perk was for the Celtics back in the day. So lets dive in.

If Kendrick Perkins was born 20 years earlier he might be in the Hall of Fame today. I’m not joking. The guy was straight out of the 1980’s NBA. Bill Laimbeer would have been throwing hands with Perk twice a season. He was just an absolute force in the paint; a real old school bully. And that was exactly what the Celtics needed in 2007. A bodyguard for Rondo, a No. 2 to KG’s crazy, a guy willing to do the dirty work while the Big 3 handled all the scoring. He was the perfect fit for that team and both teammates and fans alike adored him.

I mean just look at this clip from the recent Celtics documentary that aired on NBC Sports Boston.

Never change, Perk.

Except Perk was actually born in 1984 and is really still only 34-years-old. Think about that for a second. He is literally just 40 days older than LeBron James. He’s 6 months younger than Carmelo Anthony. He’s two years younger than Dwyane Wade.

But, the sad fact is that the NBA game just passed Perk by. It passed a lot of guys by as the evolution of the game exploded so fast that the old school big man became a dinosaur in less than five years.

Perk’s last season with the Celtics was 2010-11 when Danny Ainge traded him to the OKC Thunder for Jeff goddamn Green in a move that I will still argue cost the C’s a legitimate shot at the title that year. I think if you got a couple warm milks in him, Danny would likely agree. But less than 5 years later the Golden State Warriors kicked off potentially the greatest dynasty we’ve ever seen built entirely on three point shooters, including the big men.

If you’re a big man who can’t shoot in 2018 you almost certainly are in the unemployment line these days. The Celtics have, and actively encourage, Aron Baynes to jack up multiple 3’s per game for fucks sake (averaging 6x 3PA per game than his previous career high last year). That was never Perk’s game so as the NBA turned into a video game with everyone pulling up from half court his role diminished a lot faster than anyone ever expected.

Did you know Kendrick Perkins has never made a 3 pointer in the NBA? Hell he’s only taken 14 attempts in 14 seasons!

To put that into context, from Perk’s last year with the C’s in 2010-11 the average 3 point attempts per game around the league have nearly doubled from 18 attempts per game to 31.3 per game this season. In the previous 8 seasons before that, average 3 point attempts per game had only increased about three from a low of 14.7 in 2002-03. So no one could have predicted the game completely changing the way it has.

As every Celtics fan my age will tell you, the C’s *never* lost a playoff series when their championship starting 5 was healthy and playing together. Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, and Kendrick Perkins. Never. Lost. A. Series. Incredible. If Perk doesn’t blow out his knee in the 2009-10 NBA Finals there isn’t a doubt in my mind the Celtics beat the Lakers and win their second title in three years cementing their legacy as one of the greatest teams of all time. Instead we’re left with one championship and a bunch of what ifs, but goddamnit I don’t want to go down this dark road again because I could blog 10,000 words about the 2007-2011 Celtics.

So it sounds like despite all the great times they had together in green, Danny is gonna pass on the former big man.

Jimmer Fredette Wants Another Shot in the NBA. YES! YES! YES!

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Yahoo – Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. Jimmer Fredette is once again tearing it up in China, averaging 38 points a game (fifth best in the league), shooting 51.2 percent overall and 46.7 percent from three. He is a former Chinese Basketball Association International MVP and a two-time All-Star. And once again, he hopes this will turn into a chance in the NBA.

Do I have an unhealthy affinity for professional athletes based primarily on their video game performances for me? Maybe. I even blogged about Jimmer captaining the greatest video game team ever assembled back in January 2017.

“These guys compiled one of the most dangerous basketball teams to ever step on the court in my old NBA2k franchise. I basically assembled the deadliest 3 point shooting team ever and completely bailed on any rebounding or post play. The ball touches your hands? You’re jacking up a 3. Jimmer Fredette. JJ Reddick. Ray Allen. I believe I had old man Mike Miller playing center just so he could step out and drain 3’s. And of course to top it all off I had Dougie McBuckets McDermott. It was like an And1 team and it was glorious.”

It’s why Chad Jackson will always have a special place in my heart because nobody and I mean nobody in the league could stop Chad on 10 yard hitch routes in Madden 2006.

Thats why I’m not a GM.

But, if you don’t think the former CHINESE LEAGUE MVP Jimmer Fredette could help a bench over in the states then you’re crazy. Look at that range!

If there is a team in the NBA that could use a three point guy to stand in the corner and knock down daggers, it’s the Celtics. The C’s have a ton of flexible guys that can play multiple roles and do a lot of things pretty good, but nobody that is really an elite 3 point shooter. With Kyrie, Hayward, and Tatum spacing the floor and drawing defenses in, just dish it to Jimmer to bang home 3 bombs. Count me IN. He seems to be chomping at the bit to get another shot too after flaming out in the NBA.

“I want to have another opportunity in the NBA because there is some unfinished business for me there. After this [Chinese] season is over, I want another NBA chance. This time, I’ll succeed. I feel really good about how I am playing. I know that if I get a chance, I will take advantage of it and be successful and help a team win… I know what it takes to win and I’ve helped lead teams to winning cultures. I want to be a part of a winning culture. I’m going to help the young guys get better. I can be a great fit on the locker room and on the floor at a high level. There are certain times when I was younger, I was occasionally more passive. This time, when I get that chance, if I get it, they’ll know that I will do whatever I can to help my team win.”

Look this is a man who has it all: adoration all across the state of Utah, a Chinese MVP trophy, not to mention his very own shoe line! The one thing he doesn’t have? A successful NBA career. Jimmer’s ready. His bags are packed, he’s got his airplane tickets. Bring him to the airport, Danny. Send him home.

My Bitcoin Empire is Now Valued at a Whopping $16 Dollars

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Yahoo – Bitcoin retreated once again Monday to kick off a fresh week of losses after the cryptocurrency suffered its biggest weekly decline since January.

Historically, the roughly 80% drop from its December high also now marks the third largest decline in bitcoin’s decade-long existence. Only the 93% collapse in 2011 and the 84% decline from 2013 to 2015 in the wake of the Mt. Gox exchange hacking dwarf the pain crypto investors have suffered this year…According to Travis Kling, chief investment officer at crypto hedge fund Ikigai, between renewed pressure from the Securities and Exchange Commission and concerns stemming from the recent bitcoin cash fork, a “death spiral situation” could spill over into 2019.

Death spiral? Don’t like the sound of that.

Have no fear my fellow Bitcoin enthusiasts because as the famed Harvey Dent once put it, the night is darkest just before the dawn. I mean the value of Bitcoin has only dropped 80% in the last year, that’s not THAT bad. Right? Hey, even Amazon lost 95% of its value during the dot com bubble burst and they’re doing pretty OK these days.

Papa G came to his senses and jumped off this ship long ago, but as I’ve blogged before I feel like George Costanza after he told Jerry to hold his stock. Granted I wrote that in September when we were at $6K per Bitcoin and now here we are in November anddd things have been better.

As Tony Robbins once said “If you don’t sell, you don’t lose money,” says Robbins. “Every single bear market has turned into a bull market.”

We will come back from this and we will be paying our bills with imaginary money before you know it!

I never understood why people were scared off from Bitcoin because it’s not “real” money. I pay for things exclusively with fake money in the form of a debit card. Doesn’t matter if its a $1,200 computer or a candy bar. Swipe swipe. I haven’t touched real, physical money in months. Hell I just got a Venmo card so you can send me imaginary money that I can then immediately pay with using my physical card.

So you see, its not a matter of if, its a matter of how much should I invest when I double down on Bitcoin?

Red Sox Top Prospect Jay Groome Back to Throwing After Tommy John Surgery

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For a Red Sox team that is suddenly pretty light on talent in the minor leagues, this is great to see. Jay Groome projects as a stud front of the line pitcher. I know, I know, I can hear Big Z groaning from here about another “top prospect.” But this is a guy who the Red Sox drafted No. 12 overall in 2016 thanks to their wild first place/last place fluctuations earlier this decade.

Projected to go in the first few picks, Groome fell to the Red Sox at No. 12 for perceived issues like signability. But he was also working out with current Red Sox ace Chris Sale last offseason so I love that.

As a 6’6″ lefty though there’s not much to dislike. Sure he’s coming back from Tommy John, but as sad as it sounds that almost seems like a prerequisite for young pitchers coming up these days. SoxProspects.com projects Groome as a No. 2-3 starter.

“Has the potential to develop into one of the top left-handed pitching prospects in baseball. Projects as a solid number three starter. Has the ceiling of a high-end number two starter. Has the build of a workhorse starting pitcher and clean, repeatable mechanics to be able to sustain 200-plus innings a year.”

I would gladly take that as the Red Sox haven’t developed a good starter since Jon Lester. Seriously, it’s bad.

“Jon Lester made his big league debut on June 10, 2006, 14 months before Clay Buchholz first scaled the mound at Fenway Park. Others have come and gone, but 10 years after Buchholz‘s arrival, he and Lester remain the only viable starters the Red Sox have developed during the 15-year stewardship of John Henry’s ownership group. No other homegrown Sox starter has logged more than 450 career innings in that time span.”

Groome has been ranked as high as the No. 23 prospect in baseball and as low as No. 85 over the past two seasons so the potential is definitely there. After getting surgery in May 2018, a return mid-season in 2019 is what I would expect, but he’s probably still a couple of years away from a Fenway debut.

I Would Watch a Bill Belichick Joel Embiid Buddy Cop Movie 100 Times

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Bill’s girlfriend Linda Holliday is the best thing to ever happen to curious Patriots fans as she provides an inside look into Belichick’s life that we never got before. Whether it’s her dragging him out to various events, or them galavanting around Natucket, the adventures of their dog Nike

Or in this case the formation of the greatest buddy cop movie ever made. This would do a billion dollars at the box office, hell I’d see it twice. Joel Embiid the young, cocky rookie always ready with a clever quip. Bill Belichick the jaded, grumpy, yet wildly decorated longtime cop. Just imagine the possibilities!

Man, I should really work in the Netflix creative department or something. This idea is a 10!

 

Unfortunate News: My Guy Reggie Bush Just Came Out as an Anti Vaxxer

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Yahoo – Now enjoying retirement following an 11-year NFL career, Reggie Bush took to Twitter on Sunday with a question he wanted his 2.88 million followers to answer: Do they believe this extremely anti-vaccine video he just found?…the 33-year-old linked to a video of a retired nurse castigating a CDC panel over its vaccine regulations and pushing the widely debunked theory that vaccines cause autism. The video has since been deleted for violating YouTube’s terms of service.

Anti vaxxers are the absolute worst. Listen if you don’t want to take scientifically proven medicine that’s fine, but don’t push that onto your kids so they can become Patient Zero in the next Polio outbreak.

The common misconception among anti vaxxers is that vaccinations don’t necessarily protect you, they protect literally everyone else around you. If you get a vaccine, it prevents you from getting polio and all sorts of weird diseases. If you don’t get a vaccine then you’re likely to 1.) get the disease and then 2.) pass on a new mutated strand of the disease that literally nobody else is vaccinated against. You’re just creating mutant strands of diseases to more easily wipe out the rest of your kids school. Smart.

I’ll let Bill Nye explain it a little more succinctly below.

It would be funny if it wasn’t so terrifying. Literally just look at recent cases in Minnesota, and North Carolina, and California where parents decided vaccines weren’t for their family and what do ya know?

“What’s sad about this – tragic, really – is that we eliminated measles from the U.S. in the year 2000, thanks to the measles vaccine. As this CDC graph shows, we’ve had fewer than 100 cases every year since.

But we had 644 cases in 27 states in 2014, the most in 20 years.”

One of my favorites was this old Kmarko headline about just how bad anti vaxxers had gotten in one California neighborhood: “Hollywood Schools Have Lower Vaccination Rates Than The Sudan Because Parents Say Vaccines “Don’t Make Instinctive Sense” – Now Everyone Has Whooping Cough”

And before you say what’s wrong with starting a friendly debate? Reggie was just trying to start a civil conversation like we all do on Twitter! Except for the fact this isn’t a debate, it hasn’t been for a long, long time.

Like Mike Leach before him, Bush took a video and tried to host a conversation with his followers about the topic, even though hosting a neutral conversation is borderline impossible when you begin with a video espousing an extreme and demonstrably false premise.

Bush, who currently works as an analyst for NFL Network, spent the next few hours retweeting and replying to followers from both sides of an argument in which every reputable scientist and doctor stands together.

In one tweet in which Bush’s beliefs are hard to ascertain, he asks one user what was the last reported case of measles or smallpox. The answer is yesterday.

Now listen I love Reggie Bush, the guy was an absolute joy to watch at USC and then at New Orleans before slowing down and playing out his days in Miami/Detroit/SF/Buffalo. But the guy was ELECTRIC. Doesn’t mean I want to get medical advice from him though. Maybe the guy who’s been getting hit in the head for the better part of the past 15 years is not the person to be handing out advice that goes directly against what the CDC recommends. Come on Reggie, be better.

At least we’ll always have the back juke highlights from USC.