The Mighty Quinn Media Machine

Test Your Sox Knowledge

2012-03-05T11:45:00.004-05:00

My friend Harvey Frommer has a cool Red Sox quiz that he just posted at Bleacher Report. I encourage you all to check it out. And I am proud to say I contributed to the quiz, as I wrote some of the questions of the 18-question test.

Harvey is also the author of the fine "Remembering Fenway Park" book that I contributed to as well.

Good job as always, Harvey.

"SNL" & "Super Tuesday" Trivia This Week

2012-03-05T11:23:00.002-05:00

This week's Special Category for Trivia Night will be "Saturday Night Live Trivia," seven questions about the legendary late night comedy show, in honor of the 30th anniversary of the passing of John Belushi, which is today. (I was originally going to do "Q-Tip Trivia" this week, but that will be moved to a Trivia Night later this month.) They will be various questions about the show through its history.

The Q Train lightning round will be "Super Tuesday States Trivia." I will ask you ten questions about the 10 states that are voting on Tuesday in the primaries, and each answer will be a different state. I will also give you the names of the ten states in advance, so all you have to do is match up the state will the correct answer.

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
"In what city was the 1983 movie 'Flashdance' set?"

We get started shortly after 9 PM. We continue to get huge crowds for Trivia (and I thank you so much for that), so I would suggest you get in as early as you can to make sure you get a table. See you on Tuesday night!

A Terrible Waste of a Great Talent

2012-03-05T11:04:00.002-05:00

The great John Belushi died 30 years ago today. He was another of those great talents who went too far overboard, and a lethal mix of cocaine and heroin took his life at the Chateau Marmont in L.A. It's a shame to think what he might have gone on to do had he lived. John was only 33 at the time of his death.

There are so many great Belushi clips to choose from, but here are two of my favorites, both brief ones from "Animal House." First, Bluto gives Kent Dorfman some advice. Never ceases to crack me up:

And a second, Bluto motivates the troops:

Thanks for all the laughs, John.

Gotta Start Someplace

2012-03-04T12:11:00.004-05:00

The Red Sox beat up on the college boys in Ft. Myers yesterday: 25-0 over Northeastern and 6-3 over Boston College.

It was their first two-game winning streak since last August.

They take on real MLB competition today against the Minnesota Twins this afternoon (that is, until the guys with football numbers dominate the game) at 1:30 PM. The game will be shown tonight at 8 PM on the MLB Network.

And this is the 3,800th post in the history of The Mighty Quinn Media Machine. 200 to go until Four Grand. We should reach that some time this summer.

Sox Add Billy Buck & Get Mock(ed)

2012-03-03T11:36:00.005-05:00

The Red Sox keep adding pitchers, and they added a guy with a familiar name: Billy Buckner.

No, he's not related to the guy you're thinking of.

Buckner's numbers are nothing to get excited about. He had an ERA over 6.00 for the Colorado Rockies AAA club last season, and his career ERA is 6.25 in over 138 career MLB innings.

The Sox also added Garrett Mock, whose numbers ain't great either. He last pitched for the Nationals AAA team last year, and his ERA was 6.28 in 12 starts. Both pitchers were assigned to the minor league camp.

The Red Sox will also begin the task of turning the page on 2011, as they will face Northeastern University this afternoon, and Boston College tonight in Ft. Myers, as they officially open JetBlue Park.

And for those of you outside New England, tomorrow's game against the Minnesota Twins will be broadcast on tape-delay on the MLB Network at 8 PM.

It Ain't Broke, So Break It Anyway

2012-03-02T16:13:00.004-05:00

As you all know by now, MLB announced today that it is going to a format where ten teams will make the postseason in 2012, and not just eight. A wild card is being added to each league, and there will be a wild card playoff game between to the wild cards to determine who moves on to the division series.

I don't like it at all. It's an artificial money grab by MLB, and makes the regular season even less important.

My friend Adam, who has commented on my blog a few times in the past, sent me a terrific email today with why he doesn't like it. I agree with him 100%, and I'm sure many of you will too.

Why should the division-winners be rewarded and Wild Cards punished? With an unbalanced schedule, teams in weak divisions have an advantage. Last year, seven AL teams finished .500 or better. Four of those teams were in the AL East.

The Detroit Tigers won the AL Central with 95 wins last year. That seems pretty impressive until you look closer. The Cleveland Indians finished in 2nd place with an 80-82 record (.494 WP). The teams in the East and Central play 72 games in their division. That's roughly 44% of their schedule. Another 11% or so is taken up by interleague play (no two teams play the same interleague schedule). Detroit was in impressive 50-22 (.694) in their division. That's not surprising because they were the only good team in the Central. How good were they, though? The Tigers were a .500 team (45-45) against non-AL Central teams last year.

The Red Sox were on of three AL East teams to win at least 90 games last year. The East was clearly the toughest division in the AL last year. Boston finished 38-34 (.528) against their division and 52-38 (.578) against everyone else. One could make a pretty fair argument that the Sox would have won more than 95 games if they played in the AL Central like the Tigers.

The proponents of the new system are happy because it "punishes" the Wild Card teams. In my opinion, the WC was already “punished” enough because the WC team opens every playoff series on the road, no matter how many games they have won. Looking back from 1996 (1995 was a shortened season), the AL WC team almost always better than one (sometimes two) division winners. In 16 seasons, the WC was the 4th best team twice!! Only once did a WC team make the post-season with fewer than 90 wins (the 1996 Orioles: 88 wins). In 10 of 16 seasons, the WC team won 95 or more games. Over the same period, the 3rd best division winner only won 95+ games three times. Almost a third of the time (5 of 16 seasons) the worst division winning team won fewer than 90 games. Over the 16 full seasons with the WC, the AL WC team averaged close to 95 wins (94.6) while the 3rd best division winner averaged 91 wins.

The divisional system is inherently biased because there are tougher and weaker divisions. Teams playing in tougher divisions already start the season at a disadvantage. Divisions are arbitrary constructs loosely based on geography. WC teams were already at a disadvantage under the old system. Far more often than not, the AL WC has been better than at least one division-winner. The teams with the best records should get into the playoffs—and a 162-game season should only come down to a 1-game playoff as a tie-breaker. When you factor in the unbalanced schedule and how few good teams there are, the new system makes little sense. I feel that it makes the regular season meaningless to some extent.

Davy Jones: 1945-2012

2012-02-29T13:45:00.006-05:00

I was very saddened to hear about the passing of Davy Jones, one of the lead singers for The Monkees, of a heart attack at his Florida home at the age 66.

Like many of you out there, I grew up with the Monkees. I watched "The Monkees" when the show first ran in the late 1960s, but I remember them more when she show went to syndication in the 1970s. They were on every Saturday, and I always watched them. The show was always fun.

The Monkees are proudly in my iPod, and the music is really timeless. Antenna TV shows "The Monkees" every Saturday and Sunday, and I would guess they will show a marathon of shows at some point in Davy's memory.

Here I present Davy doing a cool acoustic version, with Seth Swirsky, of "I Wanna Be Free", from 2010. (With thanks to my friend Jeff Polman for the clip.)

Thanks for all the great music, Davy. Godspeed.

George Was No Fan Of Leap Day

2012-02-29T11:36:00.001-05:00

The late, great George Carlin gives his brief thoughts on Leap Day:

Trivia Q&A: February 28

2012-02-29T01:04:00.001-05:00

We had another huge crowd in for Trivia on Tuesday night, as 25 teams took part. The crowds continue to be simply amazing, and I thank each and every one of you who make doing Trivia Night such a joy for me.

We had some very good numbers for Leap Day Trivia and True or False Trivia. We had three teams going into IQ Trivia separated by a single point, and it was equally close when IQ Trivia ended. The team in first, J-Lo's Aereolas, held on by getting three of the five correct and won by just one point. Congrats to Dave, Larry, Alex, Paul and Ruth, who captured the win with 43 points.

Second place went to The Bain of Romney's Existence with 42 points, and third place went to Cornelius T. Wintergreen Esq., with 41 points.

Best Team Name: I Got Santorum All Over My Mitt

Current Events
1. Media research company Advertiser perceptions ranked which print magazine recently as "The Strongest Brand" among ad agencies and marketing professionals?
2. Islandia, a "city" of just five people, was officially abolished last week by what southern US state?
3. What eastern US state will become on Thursday the eighth state in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage?
4. 51 people were killed and over 700 injured when a train crashed in South American capital city last week?
5. What comic actor set a new record with 11 Razzie Award nominations announced last Saturday, for three bad movies he did in 2011?
6. 44 people were killed in a prison riot in what country last week?
7. What company apologized yesterday for including fortune cookies in its "Taste the Lin-Sanity" frozen yogurt sold at a location in Boston?

Leap Day Trivia
1. On this day in 2004, Jean-Bertrand Aristide was ousted in a coup d'etat as president of what country?
2. In 1940, Hattie McDaniel became the first African-American to win an Oscar for her role in what classic film?
3. In 1972, what Hall-of-Fame baseball legend became the first player in MLB to sign a $200,000 per year contract?
4. Actor Dennis Farina was born on this date in 1944. In what classic 1988 comedy did he portray a gangster named Jimmy Serrano?
5. Legendary lawman Pat Garrett died on this day in 1908. What infamous outlaw did he kill in July 1881?
6. In 2004, what film became the third in history to win 11 Academy Awards?
7. On this date in 1956, Aileen Wuornous was born. She would eventually be executed in 2002 for murdering seven men in the 1990s. What 2003 film told her story?

True or False Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. Jousting is the official sport of Maryland.
2. Antarctica is windiest and driest of the seven continents.
3. The New York Yankees were one of the original American League teams in 1901.
4. The governor of Hawaii once received a 30,000 signature petition to change Maui's name to Gilligan's Island.
5. More shoplifters are caught on Sunday than any other day of the week.
6. Smoking damages your body within minutes and not in years as was once believed.
7. December has consistently shown to have the highest suicide rate.
8. Vending machines kill four times more people every year than sharks do.
9. At the 2010 Grammys, Taylor Swift won more Grammys than Elvis Presley did in his entire career.
10. North Dakota is the only US state that borders three Canadian provinces.

General Knowledge
1. The Phantom of the Opera is set in what city? ( 1 pt)
2. Mount Etna is found in what country? ( 1 pt)
3. What is the second largest continent in area after Asia? ( 1 pt)
4. Betty White was nominated for an Emmy award in 2011 for what TV series? ( 2 pt)
5. An otoscope is used for an examination for which part of the human body? ( 2 pt)
6. In what German city did the festival of Oktoberfest originate? ( 2 pt)
7. Great Barrier Island belongs to what country? ( 3 pt)

IQ Trivia
1. Which US government department has had jurisdiction over the National Weather Service since 1940? ( 4 points)
2. Comedian Steve Martin started his career as a writer on what late 1960s TV show? ( 5 points)
3. What is the third largest body of water in the world after the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans? ( 4 points)
4. "Pomp and Circumstance", also known as "The Graduation March," was written by what English composer? ( 4 points)
5. The Maurice J. Tobin Memorial Bridge is located in what major US city? ( 3 points)

Answers
Current Events
1. People; 2. Florida; 3. Maryland; 4. Buenos Aires, Argentina; 5. Adam Sandler; 6. Mexico; 7. Ben & Jerry's.

Leap Day Trivia
1. Haiti; 2. "Gone With the Wind;" 3. Hank Aaron; 4. "Midnight Run;" 5. Billy the Kid; 6. "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King"; 7. "Monster."

True or False Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. true; 2. true; 3. false, started in the AL in 1903; 4. true; 5. false, Wednesday; 6. true; 7. false, June; 8. true; 9. true; 10. false, Montana.

General Knowledge
1. Paris; 2. Italy; 3. Africa; 4. "Hot In Cleveland;" 5. ears; 6. Munich; 7. New Zealand.

IQ Trivia
1. Department of Commerce; 2. "The Smothers Comedy Hour;" 3. Indian Ocean; 4. Edward Elgar; 5. Boston.

Captain 33. Thank You.

2012-02-28T10:47:00.003-05:00

Jason Varitek will indeed be calling it a career, and will be doing it on Thursday at JetBlue Park.

Tek calls it a career after 15 seasons, and only Carl Yastrzemski, Ted Williams and Jim Rice played longer on the Red Sox without playing for another team.

It was clearly time for the Red Sox catcher to call it a career. He will stay on with the club in a capacity that has not yet been announced. I would guess that the Sox will have a day for Tek in 2012, either with or without the also-retiring Tim Wakefield. They should both have their numbers retired as well.

Thank you, Tek, for 2004 and 2007. But thank you especially, for the iconic image shown on this post. No need to explain it, you all know when and where it happened. You'll be seeing a lot of this photo over the next few days.

And that certainly isn't a bad thing.

Celebrating Leap Day This Tuesday Night

2012-02-27T10:35:00.002-05:00

This Tuesday night, the Special Category will be "Leap Day Trivia," seven questions about February 29th, the day that occurs every four years, and will happen this Wednesday. You'd be surprised that more has occurred on this day than you'd think.

The Q Train lightning round will be "True or False Trivia."

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
"An otoscope is used for an examination for which part of the human body?"

We will get going shortly after 9 PM. The crowds continue to be huge over the last month, so getting to Thom's as early as you can might be a wise move. Hope to see many of you on Tuesday night.

Finally, Some Hardware On Merseyside

2012-02-26T23:45:00.004-05:00

Liverpool won the English League (Carling) Cup for a record eighth time at Wembley, winning 3-2 on penalty licks after a thrilling 2-2 tie after extra time with underdog Championship side Cardiff City.

It was Liverpool's first trophy since their FA Cup Final win over West Ham United in 2006. Here's more on the win from Soccernet.

Hopefully, this is the start of more hardware to come, as Liverpool are in the FA Cup quarterfinals, against Stoke.

The First Six

2012-02-26T00:32:00.002-05:00

It was 19 years ago today that the World Trade Center was attacked for the first time, and six innocent people were killed and hundreds injured when a bomb detonated in a parking garage below the buildings.

Say a prayer today for those victims and their families.

May they never be forgotten.

Happy 69th, George

2012-02-25T11:20:00.003-05:00

Today would have been the 69th birthday for the late, great George Harrison.

To celebrate the day, here is a really cool YouTube clip from Eric Idle's "Rutland Weekend Television" program, from 1975. George appears as "Pirate Bob", and later as he's about to do "My Sweet Lord" with the band, he breaks into "The Pirate Song." Great stuff. (Neil Innes, who was in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" as one of "Robin's Minstrels" is in this clip.)

BTW, Rutland Weekend Television morphed into "The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash", the great Beatles parody that Eric Idle did in 1978, and George appeared in that as well, as an interviewer named Eric Manchester.

Happy Birthday, George. We miss you:

"The Mets: A 50th Anniversary Celebration"

2012-02-23T11:23:00.005-05:00

It's going to be a long year at Citi Field this year. Potentially, a VERY long year. Not a single Mets fan I know has any optimism whatever. It could be a year they drop 100 games. It's reminding me a lot of the darkest era in Mets history, the late 1970s.

If you're a fan of the team and want to escape from the team's travails, I recommend you pick up "The Mets: A 50th Anniversary Celebration," a new hardcover coffee table book chronicling the long, strange trip over the last half-century of the Mets. It was produced by the New York Daily News (and features many News headlines over the years involving the club).

The book was written by News sportswriters Andy Martino and Anthony McCarron. The book is divided by the decades, discusses every season and it makes for some fascinating reading, with great inside stories of the team. It features the heroes (Tom Seaver, Gil Hodges, etc.), the villains (M. Donald Grant) and the heroes who became villains (Fred Wilpon). Ron Darling does a terrific forward to the book.

I grew up with the Mets, and we were both born in the same year. Even though I am a dedicated Red Sox fan, the Mets will forever hold a special place in my heart. The first MLB game I ever saw was at Shea Stadium in 1968, and the book brings back the memories I have of Shea so clear.

The book has every facet of Mets history covered, from their birth after the tragic loss of the city's two beloved National League teams, the two World Series championships, the decline and rise in the late 1990s, to the end of Shea and the start of Citi Field.

If you know a devoted Mets fan, you know he or she is going through some tough times with their beloved team. But "The Mets: A 50th Anniversary Celebration" is a terrific walk down memory lane for them, and it will get their minds off what's transpiring now.

Trivia Q&A: February 21

2012-02-22T00:43:00.001-05:00

We had 21 teams in on Tuesday night, and yet another crowded bar enjoying the Trivia. I was joined on the night by my dear friend Renee, who went to grammar school with me about a hundred years ago. It made the night even more special.

The numbers were very good for the first two rounds, but I surprised they weren't as strong for The Q Train, which was "Oscar Winners' Film Trivia." I didn't think I made it that tough. Oh well.

We had two teams who ran the table and had a perfect score in IQ Trivia, and one of those teams, Cornelius T. Wintergreen, came from fourth place after the third round to pull out the win with 51 points. It was their first ever win.

Second place went to The Best Lin Was Freddy Lynn, with 48 points. Third place was a tie between Van Buren Boys and Chris Brown's Favorite Way Into Manhattan? The Brooklyn Battery Tunnel with 46 points.

Best Team Name: Kim Kardashian Wants a Chink In Her Armor

Current Events
1. Harris Interactive recently released its list of the 60 "Most Visible US Companies." Who was number 1?
2. What elderly Oscar-winning actress revealed yesterday that she's suffering from a degenerative eye condition, but insists she's not going blind?
3. Over 380 inmates were killed when a fire broke out in a prison in what Central American country last week?
4. What southern US state's lawmakers are debating a controversial bill dubbed "Don't Say Gay", a law that would ban teachers from discussing homosexuality in classrooms before high school?
5. Christian Wulff resigned as president of what European country last Sunday following allegations of corruption earlier in his political career?
6. Singer Charles Anthony died last week in his Florida home at the age of 82. In what genre of music did Mr. Anthony leave his mark?
7. What cable TV show host canceled two days of his show last week to care for his ailing mother, but returned to TV yesterday?

Oscar Trivia
1. Of all the nominees for this year's Best Picture Oscar, which is the only one that grossed $100 million at the box office in North America? a. The Help; b. Moneyball; c. Midnight In Paris; d. Hugo.
2. True or False: In the late 1950s, the Academy had a rule that anyone who was a Communist could not win an Oscar.
3. An Academy Award weighs approximately how much? a. 2 lbs; b. 8 lbs; c. 12 lbs; d. 17 lbs.
4. Which one of the following actors has won both a Best Actor and a Best Supporting Actor Oscar? a. Al Pacino; b. John Wayne; c. Jack Nicholson; d. Paul Newman.
5. Name 3 of the 4 African-American actors to win a Best Actor Oscar.
6. Which one of the following actresses has won both the Best Actress and a Best Supporting Actress Oscar? a. Jessica Lange; b. Sally Field; c. Kate Winslet; d. Elizabeth Taylor.
7. What is the first and only movie to win Best Picture that was directed by a woman? (3 pt)

Oscar Winners' Films Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. Tommy Lee Jones
2. Kim Basinger
3. Jon Voight
4. Gwyneth Paltrow
5. William Hurt
6. Holly Hunter
7. Adrien Brody
8. Natalie Portman
9. Christopher Walken
10. Emma Thompson

General Knowledge
1. What color is the card showing lawful permanent resident status in the United States? ( 1 pt)
2. In the famous fairy tale, Rumpelstiltskin could spin straw into what? ( 1 pt)
3. What famous cartoon character uttered the phrase "I Taw a Putty Tat?" ( 1 pt)
4. What California city was the last Pony Express delivery made in? ( 2 pt)
5. What country was kicked out of the Organization of American States in 1962? ( 2 pt)
6. "The Rainbow Warrior" is a ship used by what group? ( 2 pt)
7. What was the former name of the city of Amman, Jordan, which is the current name of a major American city? ( 3 pt)

IQ Trivia
1. "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" was the first album, released in 1967, by what English classic rock band? ( 4 points)
2. Saul of Tarsus was better known to the world by what other name? ( 3 points)
3. If you were convicted of committing uxoricide, who did you kill? ( 5 points)
4. "Room 237" is a 2012 documentary that looks at the obsessive fans of what 1980s horror film? ( 4 points)
5. Clyde Tolson was the right-hand man and longtime assistant of what famous 20th century American? ( 4 points)

Answers
Current Events
1. Apple; 2. Dame Judi Dench; 3. Honduras; 4. Tennessee; 5. Germany; 6. opera; 7. Stephen Colbert.

Oscar Trivia
1. a; 2. true; 3. b; 4. c; 5. Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Jamie Foxx, Forest Whitaker; 6. a; 7. Kathryn Bigelow, "The Hurt Locker" (2009)

Oscar Winners' Films Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. The Fugitive; 2. L.A. Confidential; 3. Coming Home; 4. Monster; 5. Kiss of the Spider Woman; 6. The Piano; 7. The Pianist; 8. Black Swan; 9. The Deer Hunter; 10. Howard's End.

General Knowledge
1. green; 2. gold; 3. Tweety; 4. Sacramento; 5. Cuba; 6. Greenpeace; 7. Philadelphia.

IQ Trivia
1. Pink Floyd; 2. St. Paul (Apostle Paul); 3. your wife; 4. "The Shining;" 5. J. Edgar Hoover.

No, Not THAT Chris Carpenter

2012-02-21T11:36:00.005-05:00

The whole Theo Epstein-to-the-Cubs compensation mess has finally concluded, and the Red Sox will receive right-handed pitcher Chris Carpenter from the Cubs as compensation.

No, not the Chris Carpenter you're thinking of. He pitches for the Cardinals and won a championship last season. (BTW, both players are named Christopher John Carpenter. Weird.) Or the "Cris Carpenter" who pitched for the Cardinals from 1988-92. (Boy, this is getting confusing.)

This one is a relief pitcher ten years younger than the Cardinals' current ace, and appeared in ten games and had no record with a 2.79 ERA in his rookie year of 2011.

The trade with the Cubs is officially Carpenter and a player to be named later to the Sox for a player to be named later.

You really didn't think the Sox were getting Matt Garza, did you?

Tek AWOL, Probably Retiring

2012-02-20T11:59:00.004-05:00

The Red Sox pitchers and catchers all officially reported to Ft. Myers yesterday, but there was one noticeable absence: Jason Varitek.

Speculation is running wild now that Tek will go the same route Tim Wakefield went last Friday: he will shortly announce his retirement from MLB.

And I hope he does. He has an invite to camp on a minor league deal, but the fact that he's not in right now tells me Tek's ready to hang it up.

He might just be waiting for some time to pass after Wake's announcement to make one of his own. We shall see.

Both Josh Beckett and Jon Lester spoke to the media yesterday about the terrible events of last September. Frankly, it's time to move on from 2011 and turn the page. I don't care about "apologies" or "mea culpas." It's a new season and I know the media will harp on this all spring and into the new season. They're the Boston media. They are expected to harp on the Red Sox failures.

My friend Chris Jaffe has another of those cool columns about a player's career highlights at The Hardball Times, and this one is about Tim Wakefield. Check it out here.

How Much Do You Know About Oscar?

2012-02-20T11:47:00.004-05:00

This week's two revolving categories will both be on the same subject: Sunday's upcoming Academy Awards. The Special Category will be "Oscar Trivia." (No, not the Oscar pictured here unfortunately. I should do a round of "Odd Couple Trivia" someday.) Seven questions about the Academy Awards and its history, and it will be a mixed bag of questions: multiple-choice, true or false and multi-point questions all in one category.

And the Q Train lightning round will be "Oscar Winners' Movies Trivia." I will give you the names of ten current actors and actresses, and you have to tell me which film they won their Oscar for. (There won't be any multiple Oscar winners.)

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
"What country was kicked out of the Organization of American States in 1962?"

We will get started shortly after 9 PM, so I hope to see many of you this coming Tuesday night, as the Academy Awards take center stage at Professor Thom's!

Someone Will Wear 47. No One Will Wear 21.

2012-02-18T00:01:00.003-05:00

Pete Abraham had a column at Extra Bases the other day about the numbers the new Red Sox players and coaches will be wearing in Spring Training. Here's the list:

Coaches
Bobby Valentine 25
Bob McClure 22
Alex Ochoa 36
Jerry Royster 43

New 40-man roster players
Nick Punto 5
Cody Ross 7
Kelly Shoppach 10
Ryan Sweeney 12
Mark Melancon 37
Andrew Bailey 40
Clayton Mortensen 59
Will Middlebrooks 83
Che-Hsuan Lin 85
Drake Britton 87

New non-roster pitchers
Jesse Carlson 58
Aaron Cook 35
Justin Germano 50
Will Inman 79
Doug Mathis 70
Ross Ohlendorf 47
Vicente Padilla 44
Carlos Silva 23
Chorye Spoone 80
Justin Thomas 78
Alex Wilson 89

New non-roster position players
Dan Butler 81
Pedro Ciriaco 77
Alex Hassan 82
Mauro Gomez 72
Josh Kroeger 73
Jason Repko 16
Max St. Pierre 75

Two things struck me about this. They are giving Ross Ohlendorf number 47. You remember the last guy to wear 47 on the Sox, don't you? Somebody named Terry Francona. (I guess they couldn't wait even one year to give it out.)

And still NO ONE wearing 21. I know the Red Sox haven't officially retired the number, and have wanted to give it out. (I remember Jonathan Papelbon saying he was offered the number, but turned down the opportunity. And I also see that the Sox wasted no time giving out his 58 to Jesse Carlson.) Is there still that much respect for Roger Clemens from current players?

The number of the best Red Sox manager in my lifetime is given out as soon as he's left the premises (and to a marginal pitcher at best), but no one has worn 21 since The Texas Con Man, one of the most despised figures in Boston sports history, left.

What's wrong with this picture?

Wake Retires

2012-02-17T12:24:00.006-05:00

Tim Wakefield will announce his retirement later today in Ft. Myers at a news conference.

One of the classiest guys to ever wear a Red Sox uniform leaves the game after 19 seasons, 17 with the Red Sox, 200 wins (186 with the Sox), 256 strikeouts and a career 4.41 ERA. Wake did everything asked of him as a pitcher and more: starter, middle reliever, mopup man and closer. (He also had 22 saves) He didn't reach the Red Sox career record for wins, as he is third behind Cy Young and Roger Clemens. But that makes no difference really, as the Red Sox should honor the great Wakefield with a day in his honor and retire number 49.

Wake also leaves with two important things: two championship rings. He'll always be One of The 25.

And how much did Wake mean to his teammates? I'll never forget this stirring tribute to him by Mike Timlin after the Red Sox won the World Series in 2007 (from my friend Cyn):

Thank you for 2004 and 2007, Wake. Enjoy your retirement. You've earned it.

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About The Kid

2012-02-17T11:58:00.002-05:00

My friend Chris Jaffe at The Hardball Times has an excellent column about the career of the late Gary Carter (that still seems so hard to believe).

I never knew that Carter made his MLB debut for the Montreal Expos in September 1974 against the Mets. (And who was the starting pitcher for the Expos that night? The infamous Mike Torrez.)

That and a lot more facts about the career of one MLB's greatest catchers.

Definitely check out this column, it's interesting reading for any Gary Carter fan.

So Long, Kid

2012-02-16T17:59:00.005-05:00

I was saddened to hear that the great Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter lost his battle with brain cancer today. It had been a tough for fight for him and he was just 57.

I'll never forget the night the Mets made the trade for Carter in December 1984. It came out of nowhere, and you knew the Mets were serious about winning when they pulled it off.

My favorite Carter moment was the home run he hit in the 10th inning of Opening Day at Shea in 1985, his first game in a Mets uniform. It won the game, and he was hailed a new Mets hero.

Gary Carter was a great player and good man, with a smile for everyone. My deepest sympathies to his family and friends. Now let's hope the Mets management has the good sense (something that's been in short supply recently) to retire Carter's number 8. In his memory, I present this YouTube clip of Gary doing a Newsday commercial back in 1986. (He was clearly a better ballplayer than actor.)

Rest in peace, Kid.

Trivia Q&A: February 14

2012-02-15T01:18:00.000-05:00

We had 16 teams in for Trivia Night, and a lot of the bar was focused on "Linsanity" early on, as there were a few Knicks fans in watching their fourth quarter comeback, topped by Jeremy Lin's three-pointer. There was a good crowd as usual, but a number of folks weren't into playing Trivia. Odd.

Current Events was a tough round, but the scores rebounded in the next two rounds. We had the top three separated by five points heading into IQ Trivia, but the team of Where Do Broken Hearts Go? To Trivia at Professor Thom's wound up winning by a single point, with 45. They led the entire night, and a nice job by Emily and her friends as always.

Second place went to For V-Day, My Honey Gave Me VD wound up with 44 points, and third place went to I Choo-Choo Chose You with 37 points. Interesting that only 2 of the 16 teams that played had any kind of reference to the passing of Whitney Houston, and neither was what you would call "rude."

Best Team Name: Where Do Broken Hearts Go? To Trivia at Professor Thom's

Current Events
1. What US state's legislature approved a bill allowing same-sex marriage last week?
2. What central African country is being sued for illegally squatting in its embassy property in Washington DC after the lease to the building expired earlier this month?
3. What rock legend received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame last week, the 2,460th to be so honored?
4. Florence Green, a 110-year-old woman from England, died last week. What was the great significance of her passing?
5. A famed portrait of what First Lady, which had hung in a midwestern state's governor's mansion for three decades, was recently proved to be a fraud?
6. An Italian fugitive, who had eluded police for four years, was caught by police in England after he posted a picture of himself on Facebook at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum in London posing with a wax figure of what famous American?
7. What film won the Best Picture and six other awards at the British Academy Film Awards last Sunday night?

Presidential Trivia
1. Which prestigious US university has the most US presidents as alumni? a. Harvard; b. Yale; c. Virginia; d. West Point.
2. Who is the only US president to be sworn in by a woman? a. Calvin Coolidge; b. Harry Truman; c. Lyndon Johnson; d. Theodore Roosevelt.
3. Which one of the following US presidents was not born in New York State? a. Theodore Roosevelt; b. Millard Fillmore; c. Martin Van Buren; d. Calvin Coolidge.
4. Which president appointed the most number of Supreme Court justices? a. Franklin D. Roosevelt; b. George Washington; c. Thomas Jefferson; d. Abraham Lincoln.
5.Who was the first president born outside the original thirteen colonies? a. James Buchanan; b. US Grant; c. Abraham Lincoln; d. Andrew Johnson.
6. Which president served the shortest term in office? a. James Garfield; b. William Henry Harrison; c. Warren G. Harding; d. Andrew Johnson.
7. Which president served in the House of Representatives after leaving the presidency? a. John Adams; b. William Howard Taft; c. Calvin Coolidge; d. John Quincy Adams.

Valentine's Day True or False Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. Women send more Valentine's Day cards than men.
2. Cupid was the son of Aphrodite.
3. Valentine's Day was mentioned in "Hamlet."
4. Al Capone's gang is believed to have been behind the infamous 1929 massacre on Valentine's Day.
5. Valentine's Day is the largest card-sending holiday of the year.
6. 15% of US women send themselves flowers on Valentine's Day.
7. February 14th was made the St. Valentine's Day holiday by King Henry VIII.
8. Teachers receive the most Valentine's Day cards.
9. The majority of all American roses are produced in California.
10. The majority of people who but flowers for Valentine's Day are women.

General Knowledge
1. What is the official language of Brazil? ( 1 pt)
2. A fatwa is an edict issued by a leader of what religion? ( 1 pt)
3. What 2006 film did Sacha Baron Cohen portray a journalist from Kazakhstan? ( 1 pt)
4. The Volvo and Saab automakers are based in what European country? ( 2 pt)
5. From what country did Israel take the Golan Heights away during the Six Day War of 1967? ( 2 pt)
6. What city will host the 2016 Summer Olympics? ( 2 pt)
7. What is the smallest country in area in Central America? ( 3 pt)

IQ Trivia
1. In 2000, who was the first athlete to receive a second Sports Illustrated "Sportsman of the Year" award? ( 4 points)
2. The islands of Curacao, Aruba and Bonaire belong to what country? ( 3 points)
3. On January 21, 2002, what corporation was named "Best Retailer of the Year" for 2001, and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection the very next day? ( 4 points)
4. What infamous American figure gave his profession on his business cards as a "secondhand furniture dealer?" ( 4 points)
5. In 1980, what world leader was given the key to the city of Detroit, MI for making a $250,000 donation to save a church in that city? ( 5 points)

Answers
Current Events
1. Washington; 2. Cameroon; 3. Paul McCartney; 4. Last known WWI veteran; 5. Mary Todd Lincoln; 6. Barack Obama; 7. "The Artist."

Presidential Trivia
1. a; 2. c; 3. d; 4. b; 5. c; 6. b; 7.d.

Valentine's Day True or False ("The Q Train")
1. true; 2. true; 3. true; 4. true; 5. false, Christmas; 6. true; 7. false, Henry VII; 8. true; 9. true; 10. false, men (73%).

General Knowledge
1. Portuguese; 2. Islam; 3. "Borat;" 4. Sweden; 5. Syria; 6. Rio de Janeiro; 7. El Salvador.

IQ Trivia
1. Tiger Woods; 2. Netherlands; 3. K-Mart; 4. Al Capone; 5. Saddam Hussein.

The Great Bob Zupcic

2012-02-14T12:39:00.011-05:00

My friend and blogger Jere put up a cool YouTube clip today on his site, A Red Sox Fan From Pinstripe Territory, of the great Bob Zupcic. You older Sox fans will remember him as the early '90s Red Sox outfielder and fan favorite. (Bob played with the Sox from 1991-94, and the 1992 team he played on in this clip may very well have been the weakest hitting Sox team in my memory. How weak? Tom Brunansky led the team in home runs with 15. The Sox finished dead last that year under the guidance of Butch Hobson. Yes, I've done my best to forget those years, too.)

This is a cool clip of Bob blasting a game-winning grand slam (the term "walkoff" had not come into the lexicon then, and since I hate it anyway, I won't use it) off Mike Henneman of the Detroit Tigers in 1992. What also struck me about this part of the clip was the reaction of the Red Sox players as Bob reaches the plate. They congratulate him, and there is none of that "we just won the World Series" crap that goes on today after someone gets a hit to win a game in the ninth inning. No one with any shaving cream in this clip.

And in the second part of the clip, Bob robs Mickey Tettleton of a home run, reaching into the Red Sox bullpen to pull it in. (When I saw that Tettleton hit it off number 49, my first thought was Tim Wakefield, but Timmy was in Pittsburgh at the time. That 49 was the immortal Paul Quantrill, who a dozen years later gave up one of the most famous home runs in Fenway history, to David Ortiz in the 2004 ALCS Game 4. However, Quantrill will NOT be the answer to the question, "Who wore 49 before Tim Wakefield?" That goes to somebody named Mike Hartley. No, I don't remember him either.)

Enjoy:

A Happy Valentine's Day To You All

2012-02-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

And if he wins a championship in Boston, do we start referring to him as "St. Valentine?"

The Most Successful Musician & Composer In Pop Music History

2012-02-13T12:30:00.006-05:00

My friend Adam put up an interesting post on Facebook this morning, and it was about how many folks (mostly of them young and of the teenage variety) wrote on Twitter last night, after seeing Paul McCartney close out the Grammy Awards, were wondering: "Who is Paul McCartney?"

That makes me shake my head.

And it's an even more damning indictment of the current state that pop music is in. I don't watch the Grammy Awards, as I've always detested them. Most of the award winners can't put two words together, and I can find better ways of spending an evening. (Like doing laundry and watching "The Debt", a terrific Helen Mirren film, as I did last night.)

Here is more about it, and you can take a look at some of the actual Tweets at Buzzfeed. Thanks also to Ned Hepburn for the original article.

And to those Twitters who are still wondering, the title of this post is who Paul McCartney is, according to Guinness Book of World Records.

Adam summed it best on FB:
"Let's just throw in the towel now. Society is f***ed."

Presidents and Valentines This Tuesday

2012-02-13T12:15:00.002-05:00

This Tuesday night's Special Category for Trivia Night will be "Presidential Trivia", in honor of next Monday's Presidents Day holiday. It will be seven questions about the men who have held the highest office in this land. It was also be multiple choice.

The Q Train lightning round will be "Valentine's Day True or False." It will be ten statements connected to Tuesday's holiday, and you have to tell me if they are real or not.

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
"The Volvo and Saab automakers are based in what European country?"

We get going shortly after 9 PM tomorrow night. The crowds have been really amazing over the last three weeks, so make sure to get in early enough to get a prime table!

A Perfect Nine-For-Nine

2012-02-13T11:58:00.002-05:00

Throughout this winter, I thought the 2012 contract for David Ortiz was simple. He wanted $16.5 million, and the Red Sox offered $12.65 million. Just split the difference and both sides could avoid arbitration.

And that's just what they did.

In the final hours before both sides were heading to the arbitration table, Ortiz and the Sox agreed to a one-year, $14.575 million deal. Papi was looking for a multi-year deal, but that didn't happen.

The Red Sox record of avoiding arbitration remains intact, as all nine players who were arbitration-eligible all reached deals with the club. The last Red Sox player that went to arbitration was the immortal Rolando Arrojo, a case the Red Sox won in 2002.

The First Sign Of Spring: The Truck's On The Way

2012-02-11T13:35:00.005-05:00

Happy Truck Day To You All!

Pitchers and catchers report to Ft. Myers a week from tomorrow.

Lots Of Baseball To See In March

2012-02-09T11:24:00.003-05:00

The Red Sox released their TV schedule for this spring's slate of games, and here's what we can look forward to (with thanks to Extra Bases):

NESN’s 2012 Red Sox Spring Training Game Schedule
March 3: Boston College, 7 p.m.
March 4: Minnesota, 1:30 p.m.
March 5: at Minnesota, 7 p.m.
March 9: Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.
March 10: Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.
March 11: at Baltimore, 7 p.m.
March 18: at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.
March 20: Toronto, 7 p.m.
March 22: New York Yankees, 7 p.m.
March 24: Philadelphia, 1:30 p.m.
March 25: at Toronto, 1 p.m.
April 1: Minnesota, 1:30 p.m.

ESPN and the MLB Network will be showing games as well, so there should be even more Red Sox baseball to see in March.

The Red Sox signed Alfredo Aceves to a one-year deal earlier this week, and now just David Ortiz remains the lone arbitration case. That is scheduled for Monday, but he and the team are still talking about a two-year deal, and that could still happen. The Red Sox have not had an arbitration case since 2002.

Trivia Q&A: February 7

2012-02-08T01:25:00.000-05:00

We had another huge crowd in the bar for Trivia on Tuesday night. Again, nothing special was happening sports-wise, but people have to have their Trivia, and 21 teams took part.

The numbers were rather low for Beatles Trivia, and I really don't think I made it that difficult. (Then again, I'm a Beatles fanatic, so perhaps I did.) We also had a rare occurrence on the night: not one of the teams got a perfect score in any of the 5 categories all night.

Only two teams got as many as three of five correct in the IQ Trivia, and one of them, Tastes Like Chicken, went from fourth place to first and won the night, with 37 points, just one ahead of second place Your Mother's a Whore, Lourdes! Third place went to Is That a Caucus In Your Pocket or Are You Having an Election with 34 points.

Best Team Name: I Came Because I Saw My Picture In The New York Times. Wait, They Serve Trivia Here, Too?

Current Events
1. 74 people were killed and hundreds were injured during a soccer stadium riot in what country last Wednesday?
2. Which major airline said last week they will be seeking to cut costs and may cut as many as 15,000 jobs in 2012?
3. What pro golfer won a lawsuit last week against a Canadian Internet provider to obtain the identity of a person who posted "highly defamatory" comments about him?
4. Comedienne Roseanne Barr announced they she officially registered with the Federal Election Commission to run for the 2012 presidential nomination of what third party?
5. 11 people were hurt when a massive crowd of 50,000 flooded the streets of Indianapolis to see a pre-Super Bowl concert by what rock band?
6. What onetime world leader unveiled a two-volume, 1000-page memoir about his life this past weekend?
7. The US closed its embassy and pulled all of its diplomats out of what violence-wracked country on Monday?

Beatles Trivia
1. Which of the Beatles authored the books "In His Own Write" and "A Spaniard In The Works?"
2. What was the only Beatles album to win the Grammy Award for Best Album?
3. Who was the last of the Beatles to join the group, in 1962?
4. After the Beatles first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, they did there first ever US concert two days later in what US city?
5. What 1964 Beatles single sold over 5 million copies in the US by 1968, making it the best-selling single of the decade of the 1960s?
6. What superstar British guitarist did a solo on guitar on the Beatles song "While My Guitar Gently Weeps?"
7. What Beatles song has been covered over 1600 times by other artists making it one of the most recorded songs in pop music history?

True or False Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. The toothbrush was invented in the 15th century.
2. Michael Jackson once owned the rights to South Carolina's state anthem.
3. In ancient China, people committed suicide by eating a pound of flesh.
4. Pocahontas once appeared on the back of the $20 bill.
5. About 70% of the earth's surface is water.
6. Drinking alcohol raises the body temperature during cold weather.
7. Prince Charles and Prince William never travel on the same plane together, just in case there is a crash.
8. The first Harley-Davidson motorcycle used a tomato can for a carburetor.
9. According to the UN Charter, a US citizen cannot hold the position of Secretary-General.
10. The Gateway Arch in St. Louis is as wide as it is tall.

General Knowledge
1. How many yards are there in a mile? ( 1 pt)
2. Prague is the capital of what Eastern European country? ( 1 pt)
3. Who was the first person to score a perfect ten in an Olympic event? ( 1 pt)
4. What is the minimum age for a person to serve in the US Senate? ( 2 pt)
5. Phloem bundles are found inside what fruit? ( 2 pt)
6. In what country was a search engine called "Goojje" launched in 2010? ( 2 pt)
7. "Fell On Black Days" was a 1994 hit song for what rock band? ( 3 pt)

IQ Trivia
1. The last two letters of which state's name are the same as the official US Postal Service abbreviation? ( 3 points)
2. The mayor of what US city was killed during an assassination attempt at newly elected President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933? ( 4 points)
3. How many times was soap opera star Susan Lucci nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award before she finally won? ( 4 points)
4. In 1964, who was the first commoner featured on a British postage stamp? ( 5 points)
5. In what US city is there a full-size replica of the Santa Maria, Christopher Columbus' flagship? ( 4 points)

Answers
Current Events
1. Egypt; 2. American Airlines; 3. Phil Mickelson; 4. Green Party; 5. LMFAO; 6. Fidel Castro; 7. Syria.

Beatles Trivia
1. John Lennon; 2. "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band;" 3. Ringo Starr; 4. Washington DC; 5. "I Want to Hold Your Hand;" 6. Eric Clapton; 7. "Yesterday."

True or False Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. true; 2. true; 3. false; 4. true; 5. true; 6. false; 7. true; 8. true; 9. false; 10. true.

General Knowledge
1. 1760; 2. Czech Republic; 3. Nadia Comaneci; 4. thirty; 5. bananas; 6. China; 7. Soundgarden.

IQ Trivia
1. Kentucky (KY); 2. Chicago (Anton Cermak); 3. nineteen; 4. William Shakespeare; 5. Columbus, OH.

The First World Series MVP I've Ever Met

2012-02-07T10:17:00.006-05:00

On Monday night, I went to Foley's Bar and Restaurant in midtown Manhattan, on the 8th anniversary of that fine establishment's 8th anniversary. I am friendly with John Mooney, one of the bar's big wheels.

Sean Casey came in as guest bartender, along with former pitcher Jeff Nelson. The party also was a benefit for Sean's foundation, Casey's Clubhouse.

Sean walked in at 7:30 after his gig that night on the MLB Network, and he brought along 2007 World Series MVP Mike Lowell along with him, as he is also doing a part-time gig there as well.

I had the great pleasure of meeting both former players. Sean really is the nicest guy ever to play Major League Baseball! And I spent about ten minutes chatting with Mike and John (he introduced me to Mike as "The Lt. Governor of Red Sox Nation here in New York"). Really nice man Mr. Lowell is. I, of course, thanked him for 2007 and he smiled. We talked about his playing in Boston (he loved it) and playing in Miami (he talked about how the crowds were mostly bigger on the road than at home).

And all I could think of while talking to Mike was my friend Dorothy, one of Professor Thom's waitresses, who is probably his biggest fan. (I didn't have her phone number, otherwise I would have called her and invited her down.)

As we were wrapping up our conversation, some wiseass Yankee fan walking past me, looked at my Red Sox hat and said "high school team" (whatever that means). And I shot back with "How dare you say that in front of 2007 World Series MVP Mike Lowell!" He looked at Mike with a bit of a surprised look and Mike laughed.

It was a memorable night on Monday, and I want to thank John and all the good folks at Foley's, especially for the picture of me and Mike.

Fabulous Fab Four Trivia This Week

2012-02-06T11:05:00.004-05:00

On Tuesday night, we will have "Beatles Trivia," seven questions about the rock group that wiped clean and redrew the face of pop music and made their American debut 48 years ago on Tuesday, as the Special Category. Tomorrow is also the release of Paul McCartney's new album, "Kisses On The Bottom," as well.

The Q Train lightning round will be "True or False Trivia."

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
"Phloem bundles are found inside what fruit?"

We get going right after 9 PM. We've had some huge crowds the past two weeks, so you'd better get Thom's early to get a choice table! See you all on Tuesday night.

One Chris Gets In, Another Cris Still Waits

2012-02-04T19:20:00.003-05:00

The NFL announced its Hall of Fame class for 2012, and the great Vikings LB/DE Chris Doleman was among those selected for pro football's highest honor.

Doleman, who started out as a linebacker but was eventually moved to defensive end, played for the team from 1985-1993, and also played for Atlanta and San Francisco. Six players were named, and the others are Jack Butler, Cortez Kennedy, Dermontti Dawson, Curtis Martin and Willie Roaf.

Here's more from NFL.com.

While I'm happy for Doleman, who was always an underrated player in his Vikings days, the great Cris Carter was passed over yet again. Take a look at these numbers and tell me Carter doesn't belong. A continuing travesty.

And don't get me started as to why the great Purple People Eater Jim Marshall still doesn't have a bust in Canton.

Anyway, congratulations to Chris Doleman and the other five enshrinees, who will be inducted this August.

What, No Mention Of My Trivia Night?

2012-02-03T10:43:00.004-05:00

The New York Times today has an article about Professor Thom's and the upcoming Super Bowl. The Times reporter was in the bar last Tuesday night, as my Trivia Night was going on. He was taking pictures of the bar, the Trivia folks and even me as I was doing the Trivia.

And there's not a mention of Trivia Night anywhere in the article. Very disappointing.

But the picture here is of some of my Trivia regulars. OK, not a total loss. Here's the article.

Also, my friend Pete Nash has an interesting new article up at Hauls of Shame about an auction house in Dallas that is selling a 19th century baseball contract that was stolen out of the New York Public Library, and that the late Barry Halper was behind a heist of items stolen from that very institution.

And a very Happy 60th Birthday to the great Fred Lynn:

Trivia Q&A: January 31

2012-02-01T01:33:00.002-05:00

We had another banner night of Trivia at Professor Thom's on Tuesday night: 24 teams in. (That makes 52 in the last two weeks. Wow.) Once again, there was nothing special going on in the bar. There were both Celtics and Bruins games going on, but neither was that special. (Both won however.) It was just a lot of folks who wanted to play Trivia, and I am grateful for that!

We had some good scores for Florida Trivia and Super Bowl Trivia. (Although I messed the question about the largest island in the Florida Keys. It is actually Key Largo. I had it as Key West, as I made a mistake in double-checking the question. Yes, the Mighty Quinn goofs up on occasion.) It was pretty close all night, but the team of Desmond Howard's Mother Probably Has a Different Last Name came from fifth place in the third round to have two excellent rounds in General Knowledge and IQ Trivia to win by two points, getting 45 in total. A nice win by Ivy League friends, who had not been at Trivia Night in many months.

Second place went to Gronk Dates Porn Stars Because He Doesn't Fit In The Average Woman with 43 points, and third place went to Beam Me Up, Newt with 37 points.

Current Events
1. What country music star won a lawsuit against a hospital in Oklahoma last week after they didn't build a wing to the hospital with money he donated in his mother's name?
2. Travel and Leisure magazine selected what major US city as "The Rudest City in America?"
3. Meryl Streep was nominated for Best Actress for "The Iron Lady" last week and set a new record for Oscar nominations with a total of how many?
4. The embattled president of what Middle Eastern country arrived in the United States for medical treatment last week?
5. It was revealed that more than 35 pounds of cocaine was shipped from Mexico City to what famous New York City location inside some hallowed-out books earlier this month?
6. The music company that owns the rights to the 1982 hit song "Eye of the Tiger" is suing which presidential candidate for using the song at rallies without their permission?
7. What Hollywood actress was taken to the hospital this past weekend and is now seeking professional help "to treat her exhaustion and improve her overall health?"

Florida Trivia
1. What FLA city is the oldest European settlement in North America?
2. Which FLA port city was the busiest military port in the USA during the 1991 Gulf War?
3. Name 1 of the 2 MLB teams that train during Spring Training in Fort Myers, FLA.
4. What drink was first developed at the University of FLA in the 1960s?
5. Within 5, how many US House of Representatives members does FLA have?
6. Which is the largest island in the Florida Keys?
7. Which Spanish explorer is credited with being the first European to set foot in FLA in 1513?

Super Bowl Trivia
1. Between the Patriots and Giants, how many total Super Bowls have they won?
2. Who is the only team to appear in four consecutive Super Bowls?
3. Who is the only team to win back-to-back Super Bowls twice?
4. How many Super Bowls have the Philadelphia Eagles won in their history?
5. In what city was the first Super Bowl played in?
6. What city has hosted the most Super Bowls?
7. In 2001, the Giants lost their only Super Bowl to what team?

General Knowledge
1. Nairobi is the capital of what African country? ( 1 pt)
2. The Ryder Cup is awarded to countries that compete in what sport? ( 1 pt)
3. What is the cube root of 64? ( 1 pt)
4. Na is the symbol for what chemical element? ( 2 pt)
5. "Disturbia" and "Unfaithful" were hit songs by what pop singer? ( 2 pt)
6. In England, what is a "rubbish tip?" ( 2 pt)
7. At what young age was actor James Dean killed in a car accident in 1955? ( 3 pt)

IQ Trivia
1. Who was the first US president to survive an assassination attempt while in office? ( 4 points)
2. What Asian country elected a TV celebrity chef as its prime minister in 2008, but forced him to resign after 9 months due to a conflict of interest? ( 5 points)
3. What eastern US city has more bridges than any other city in the world? ( 4 points)
4. Who is the only person currently prominently pictured on US currency who was not born in the continental United States? ( 4 points)
5. What hip hop artist recorded a rap single with Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin called "Rocket Experience" in 2009? ( 3 points)

Answers
Current Events
1. Garth Brooks; 2. New York City; 3. seventeen; 4. Yemen; 5. United Nations; 6. Newt Gingrich; 7. Demi Moore.

Florida Trivia
1. St. Augustine; 2. Jacksonville; 3. Red Sox and Twins; 4. Gatorade; 5. twenty-five; 6. Key Largo; 7. Ponce de Leon.

Super Bowl Trivia
1. six; 2. Buffalo Bills, 3. Pittsburgh Steelers; 4. zero; 5. Los Angeles (1967); 6. Miami (10); 7. Baltimore Ravens.

General Knowledge
1. Kenya; 2. golf; 3. four; 4. sodium; 5. Rihanna; 6. garbage dump; 7. twenty-four.

IQ Trivia
1. Andrew Jackson; 2. Thailand; 3. Pittsburgh, PA; 4. Alexander Hamilton; 5. Snoop Dogg.

A Nice Guy With a Nice Cause

2012-01-31T10:40:00.004-05:00

This coming Monday night, February 6th, the nicest guy to ever play in the Major Leagues will be part of a special event in New York City.

Sean Casey, former Red Sox first baseman and current MLB Network analyst, will be the guest bartender at Foley's Pub and Restaurant, the fine watering hole located on 33rd Street in Manhattan, just a stone's throw from Madison Square Garden. (Foley's is also known as "The Bar That Banned 'Danny Boy'" and will not be serving Sam Adams during the Super Bowl.)

Sean, affectionately known as "The Mayor," will be in to raise money for Casey's Clubhouse, which helps kids with special needs play baseball in his native Pittsburgh.

He's also a member of the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame, which is located at Foley's. Monday's event will also mark the 8th anniversary of the great public house as well.

I will also be on hand for all the festivities. It should be a great night. Sean will be guest bartending from 6-9 PM on Monday, February 6th. And Foley's is located at 18 West 33rd Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues. See you then.

The Beatles Go Out On Top (Of the Roof)

2012-01-30T11:11:00.005-05:00

It was 43 years ago today that the Beatles did their last live concert together, up on the roof of Apple Records at Savile Row in London.

They were making a documentary film called "Get Back" (eventually changed to "Let It Be" in 1970), and it wasn't going well. There was lots of tension surrounding the film (George Harrison even quit briefly but later returned), and near the end of the production, they had the idea to go up to the roof and play a number of songs.

It attracted fans in the London area, including the police. It was a memorable way for the Beatles to end their historic run together.

It's a shame "Let It Be" is not in print on DVD. It is a bit depressing watching the group come apart, but it's worth it just for the rooftop concert.

Here are the first two songs they played (and two of my favorites), "Get Back" and "Don't Let Me Down." And for more of the rooftop concert, go here and then here.

Two Special Categories For The Price of One

2012-01-30T10:54:00.002-05:00

This week we will have two Special Categories for Tuesday Night Trivia at Professor Thom's, with the Q Train lightning round taking the week off. The two Special Categories will be "Florida Trivia," seven questions about the Sunshine State (in honor of the Republican primary happening there tomorrow), and of course, "Super Bowl Trivia," as there will be a football game of some note happening in Indianapolis this coming Sunday.

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
"The Ryder Cup is awarded to countries that compete in what sport?"

We will get going just after 9 PM on Tuesday night. We had an amazing turnout this past week, with a record number of teams, 28, taking part. Let's see if we can break that record, so do your part and come out for a great night of Trivia!

Jazz Piano At Its Finest

2012-01-27T11:37:00.003-05:00

My good friend and jazz pianist Alex Minasian has just begun a YouTube page of some of his best performances, and it's a page definitely worth checking out.

Alex is a really talented piano player who has been playing with the legendary jazz vocalist Jimmy Scott for a few years now. (Alex and I first met during Professor Thom's Trivia Night before I hosted it, and we won the competition on a few occasions.) He's on his way up to the top of the jazz world.

Here is one of Alex's fine performances, playing with Billy Vera on "At This Moment" at the House of Blues in Los Angeles for Jimmy Scott's 85th birthday celebration:

Sherm Was a Red Sox Legend

2012-01-27T11:07:00.004-05:00

Today is the 18th anniversary of the passing of the great Sherm Feller, the legendary Red Sox gravelly-voiced PA announcer, best known for his opening line: "Attention please, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to Fenway Park."

Sherm was also a beloved radio talk show in Boston and a prolific songwriter, having written over 1,000 songs in his career.

But his career at Fenway is what people remember most about him, and he did it for 27 seasons, beginning in the Impossible Dream season of 1967. I'll never forget his delivery: "Number 27. Carlton Fisk. Catcher. Fisk."

My friend and fellow Trivia Maven Gary Titus was a close friend of Sherm in the last 15 years of his life, and has made it his mission to get Sherm inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame. And with this being the 100th anniversary of America's Most Beloved Ballpark, why not make this the year Sherm gets inducted?

Gary has my full support, and I hope the Red Sox vote him in. Gary has an online petition you can add your support to. There is also a website dedicated to Sherm and his career, and a Facebook page you can check out as well.

Let's hope this is the year Sherm is enshrined. It would be a fitting honor to a man many oldtimers like myself associate with being at Fenway. Good luck Gary!

Long Live Juan Epstein

2012-01-26T23:43:00.006-05:00

I was saddened to hear the passing of actor Robert Hegyes today. That name might not be too familiar, but if I say the name "Juan Epstein", that should provoke a few smiles.

I was a huge fan of "Welcome Back, Kotter" in my youth, and the four years of the show coincided with my four years at Brooklyn Tech. The show may have made a star out of John Travolta, but I was always a fan of Mr. Hegyes, who played the half-Puerto Rican, half-Jewish wiseass Juan Epstein.

Mr. Hegyes was 60 years old and died of a sudden heart attack in his home in Edison, New Jersey.

Seems like another part of childhood is gone when I hear the passing of celebrities from my youth.

One of my favorite Juan Epstein lines was when he was asked about his mother. "Oh, so she's Puerto Rican," someone I can't remember once asked him. "No, my father's Puerto Rican. My mother's maiden name is Biberman!"

So, in memory of the Great Juan Epstein, I present the one of the coolest TV themes ever, by John Sebastian:

BTW, did you know that the high school featured in the show's opening was New Utrecht High School? And that the "Brooklyn" sign in the first scene (coming off the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge) was stolen so many times that the city ultimately never replaced it?

RIP Mr. Hegyes, and thanks for all the laughs.

Trivia Q&A: January 24

2012-01-25T01:04:00.001-05:00

We had an historic night at Professor Thom's on Tuesday night, as we had a record 28 teams come in for Trivia. (The old record was 26, done on three other occasions.) There was nothing special happening on the night, just a lot of folks coming in and coming in for Trivia!

The scores were solid for Current Events and The Q Train, but surprisingly lower for January 24th Trivia. We had six teams separated by five points going into the last round, and the team in the lead, I'm Bad at Football and I Love My Country, That Makes Me a "Patriot" (the name was booed lustily many times during the night), got 4 of 5 correct in IQ Trivia, and wound up winning with 47 points. Congrats to Gillian and her crew for another fine victory.

Second place went to Tim Thomas Goes to Washington with 42 points, and third place was a tie between Liz Wong and The Fake Tits, and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Drunk (which won for Best Team Name), both with 37 points.

Once again, thanks to all of you for making January 24th a memorable night!

Current Events
1. Actor Sean Penn was made an at-large ambassador to what Caribbean nation last week?
2. What western US city got six inches of snow last Wednesday, shutting the city down and it was the biggest snowfall there since 1985?
3. What member of the House of Representatives was selected by GQ magazine as "The Most Powerful Person in Washington" for 2012?
4. What Hollywood actor recently said in a magazine interview that if he had been on one of the planes that struck the WTC on 9/11 (as he was scheduled to but his plans changed) he would have prevented the disaster?
5. What actor spread a false rumor on Twitter last week that Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning was about to announce his retirement?
6. What Central American country was recently given the dubious title of "The Murder Capital of the World" as it now has the highest homicide rate in the world: 82 murders per 100,000 residents?
7. Yesterday was the Chinese New Year, and 2012 is the year of what animal?

January 24th Trivia
1. On this day in 1848, James Marshall discovered gold at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, CA, which is just outside of what major CA city?
2. In 2011, 35 people were killed and 130 people injured after a suicde bomber struck at Domodedovo Airport in what capital city?
3. Mary Lou Retton, the gymnast and Olympic gold medal winner, was born on this day in 1968. In which Summer Olympics did she win her five medals?
4. Winston Churchill, the British prime minister during WWII, died on this day in 1965. In what field was he awarded the Nobel Prize in 1953?
5. On this day in 1989, serial killer Ted Bundy was executed for 30 murders he committed in 7 states in the 1970s. What US state put him to death?
6. Thurgood Marshall, the first black Supreme Court justice, died on this day in 1993. What US president named him to the Court?
7. On this day in 1990, which Asian country became the first country other than the US or Soviet Union to launch a lunar probe into space?

Oscar-Winning Characters Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. Loretta Lynn
2. Virginia Woolf
3. Fast Eddie Felson
4. Queen Elizabeth II
5. R.P. McMurphy
6. Jake LaMotta
7. Claus Von Bulow
8. Clarice Starling
9. Truman Capote
10. Annie Hall

General Knowledge
1. The ancient monument called Stonehenge is located in what country? ( 1 pt)
2. Who was the first US president in office born after WWII? ( 1 pt)
3. Keyzer Soze was a mysterious character in what 1995 film? ( 1 pt)
4. What is the minimum age for a person to serve in the US House of Representatives? ( 2 pt)
5. What Basketball Hall of Famer won a record 11 championship rings? ( 2 pt)
6. What midwestern US city is located on the Cuyahoga River? ( 2 pt)
7. What color has the most shades in Crayola's box of 120 crayons? ( 3 pt)

IQ Trivia
1. What annual award has a design on it of three naked men with their hands on each others' shoulders? ( 4 points)
2. Who was the first film character to be a finalist for Time magazine's "Person of the Year?" ( 4 points)
3. In what US state does 24% of the population claim Irish ancestry, twice the national average? ( 3 points)
4. What female pop singer sang the opening theme song on the 1980s TV kids show "Pee-wee's Playhouse?" ( 4 points)
5. If you suffer from diplopia, what problem do you have? ( 5 points)

Answers
Current Events
1. Haiti; 2. Seattle; 3. Eric Cantor; 4. Mark Wahlberg; 5. Rob Lowe; 6. Honduras; 7. Water Dragon.

January 24th Trivia
1. Sacramento; 2. Moscow; 3. 1984 (Los Angeles); 4. literature; 5. Florida; 6. Lyndon Johnson; 7. Japan.

Oscar-Winning Characters Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. Sissy Spacek; 2. Nicole Kidman; 3. Paul Newman; 4. Helen Mirren; 5. Jack Nicholson; 6. Robert DeNiro; 7. Jeremy Irons; 8. Jodie Foster; 9. Philip Seymour Hoffman; 10. Diane Keaton.

General Knowledge
1. England; 2. Bill Clinton; 3. "The Usual Suspects;" 4. twenty-five; 5. Bill Russell; 6. Cleveland; 7. red.

IQ Trivia
1. Nobel Peace Prize; 2. ET; 3. Massachusetts; 4. Cyndi Lauper; 5. double vision.

Send In "The Clown"

2012-01-24T00:01:00.005-05:00

The Red Sox signed free agent outfielder and 2010 San Francisco Giants postseason hero Cody Ross to a one-year deal tonight, worth about $3 million (plus incentives) for one year.

He can play all three outfield positions, but figures to see most of his time in LF and RF. He hit just .240 for the Giants, with 14 HRs and 52 RBI in 2011.

My friend Ken, who is a big Giants fan, calls him "The Clown." Perfect nickname for a guy who may be coming to a place that could be a three-ring circus in 2012. (Ken tells me that Cody wanted to be a rodeo clown when he was growing up, hence the nickname.)

Roy Oswalt up next? We'll see.

Oscar-Winning Characters This Week

2012-01-23T12:18:00.002-05:00

This Tuesday night at Professor Thom's, we will have "January 24th Trivia" as the Special Category. It will be seven questions about people, places and things connected with the day in history.

The Q Train lightning round will be "Oscar-Winning Characters Trivia." I will give you the names of ten movie characters whose portrayers won an Academy Award for that role. You just have to tell me the actor or actress who won it. (Like if I said "King George VI", you would answer, "Colin Firth." But sadly, that will NOT be one of the ten characters.)

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
"Who was the first US president born after World War II?"

We will get going shortly after 9 PM, and I hope to see you for another great night of Trivia!

A Bad Day For Guys Named Harbaugh

2012-01-22T22:46:00.007-05:00

It will be the Patriots vs. the Giants in Super Bowl XLVI. The Patriots are an early 3 1/2 point favorite.

Tough losses for both Harbaugh coaches today. Kyle Williams, meet Billy Cundiff.

The hype will go into interstellar overdrive for this one, a rematch of the championship game of four years ago. It's also the Jets fan's worst nightmare all over again.

You know the media (for two weeks, ugh) will play up the Boston vs. New York thing ad nauseum. (Funny that neither team plays in either city. It's really the Northern New Jersey vs. Southern Massachusetts rivalry, I guess.)

I just hope I'll see the Minnesota Vikings in another Super Bowl before I die.

It's now 35 years and counting.

Small Market Ball

2012-01-21T19:38:00.007-05:00

So much for the Red Sox not going after Roy Oswalt.

The Sox traded Marco Scutaro to the Colorado Rockies for a marginal RHP named Clayton Mortensen. The trade was made for one simple reason: the Red Sox wanted to free up some money to make an "aggressive" bid for Roy Oswalt. (Doesn't this sound like the operations of a small market club?)

There was a rumor that Scutaro was heading to Colorado yesterday, but that was quickly shot down. Another day, another rumor, and this time it's true.

Scutaro was the Red Sox best hitter in September's disaster of a month, hitting .397 while the club went belly up. They also traded away the other regular shortstop in 2011 when Jed Lowrie went in the Mark Melancon deal. It looks like they will go with a tandem of Nick Punto and Mike Aviles at SS until Jose Iglesias is ready, and you figure that won't happen until 2013. (Punto played just a handful of games there last year and Aviles hasn't played SS in three years.)

I have a feeling the Red Sox aren't done as far as the shortstop situation is concerned. They maybe looking to make a deal for another SS. (And I don't mean Hanley Ramirez. He would cost way too much, and he's a dog I wouldn't want on my team anyway.)

Mortensen was one of the pitchers the A's acquired in the Matt Holliday trade, and went 2-4 with a 3.86 ERA in 2011.

The Red Sox also avoided arbitration with Daniel Bard and signed him to a one-year deal worth $1.625 million.

Thanks OC

2012-01-19T01:21:00.004-05:00

Another One of the 25 from 2004 has entered retirement, and it is Orlando Cabrera, who calls it quits at the age of 37.

He hit .294 for the Red Sox after he was dealt to the club in the Nomar Garciaparra trade on July 31st of that year. He played a solid shortstop, and was a big reason the Sox vaulted into the Wild Card lead that August, and eventually into baseball history.

Cabrera left as a free agent after the 2004 championship, and the Red Sox wound up drafting Jacoby Ellsbury and Jed Lowrie as compensation for his exit.

From the 2004 team, there are only seven active players left: Jason Varitek, Tim Wakefield, David Ortiz, Kevin Youkilis (still with the Red Sox), and elsewhere in MLB: Johnny Damon, Bronson Arroyo and Derek Lowe.

All the best in your retirement, OC. We'll always remember your slick glove on that immortal club.

Lots of Sox News For Mid-January (And Some Non-Sox As Well)

2012-01-18T12:17:00.007-05:00

Jacoby Ellsbury and Mike Aviles both avoided arbitration and signed one-year deals. Ellsbury signed for $8.05 million and Aviles for $1.2 million. That still leaves Alfredo Aceves, Andrew Bailey, Daniel Bard and David Ortiz unsigned.

Papi and the Sox are far apart. It was reported that Ortiz wants $16.5 million, and the Sox are offering $12.65 million. I would bet the ranch they will meet somewhere in the middle.

Carl Crawford had wrist surgery yesterday, after feeling pain there around New Year's Day. The doctors discovered cartilage damage and it was repaired. It isn't known if he'll be ready for Opening Day, but that sure isn't a way to get the fans confidence back after having such a miserable 2011. Let's hope he's ready to go in early April.

Big blow for ex-Sox catcher Victor Martinez, as he suffered a torn ACL in his right knee and may miss the entire 2012 season. He suffered the injury during his off-season workouts.

More really crazy nonsense from crazy, nonsensical screwball sportswriter Wallace Matthews. It's another one of those "if you don't worship the ground Derek Jeter walks on there must be something wrong with you" articles. Here he compares Jeter to Martin Luther King. (With thanks to my friend Jere for letting me know about the article.)

And please keep the Internet uncensored by signing this petition to defeat the SOPA and PIPA bills in Congress.

Trivia Q&A: January 17

2012-01-18T01:19:00.000-05:00

We had 21 teams in on a busy night that included fans in to watch Michigan's basketball team win, but the Boston Bruins lose in St. Pete.

Q-Tip Trivia was a tough round, with the scores generally on the lower side. But every other round the numbers were up, especially in General Knowledge. The team of Happy Birthday Rosanmi! led the entire night and wound up with a perfect score in IQ Trivia to end up with 57 points and the victory. Congratulations to my friends the "teachers" on another impressive win.

Second place went to Tebow Got Gronky Punched with 50 points, and third place went to I'm On a Boat! No Wait, I'm Dead with 47 points.

Best Team Name: All I'm Sayin' Is...The Skipper and Gilligan Didn't Let Anybody Die

Current Events
1. Which European country recently recognized "The Church of Kopimism" or file-sharing, as a religion?
2. Which troubled celebrity is currently being sued by the IRS for over $93,000 in back taxes?
3. Outgoing governor Haley Barbour controversially pardoned 200 lawbreakers in his state last week. What state was he governor of?
4. Hundreds of people egged an Apple store after it didn't open on time to sell the new iPhone 4S last week in what Asian capital city?
5. What northern New Jersey canceled their St. Patrick's Day Parade this year, as the parade's committee sited the city's inability to protect the participants as the reason?
6. What rap star was arrested by US Customs last week on the US-Mexico border for illegal possession of drug paraphernalia?
7. What Oscar-winning actor was struck by a car in Florida while bicycling last Friday but sustained just minor injuries?

Q-Tip Trivia
1. Which of the following classic sitcoms were set in New York City? a. All in the Family; b. The Cosby Show; c. The Mary Tyler Moore Show; d. The Bob Newhart Show.
2. Which of these artists had a Billboard number one pop single in 2011? a. Katy Perry; b. Justin Bieber; c. Britney Spears; d. Eminem.
3. Which of these actors have won at least two Oscars? a. Gene Hackman; b. Jessica Lange; c. Anthony Quinn; d. Jason Robards.
4. Which of the following cities has a team in all four major sports: MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL? a. Seattle; b. Los Angeles; c. St. Louis; d. Atlanta.
5. Which of these countries are located entirely below the Equator? a. Australia; b. Argentina; c. Cameroon; d. Indonesia.
6. Which of the following US presidents once served as a US Senator? a. Franklin D. Roosevelt; b. Abraham Lincoln; c. Ronald Reagan; d. John F. Kennedy.
7. Which of these Washington DC landmarks were built in the 19th century? a. Lincoln Memorial; b. Washington Monument; c. Smithsonian Institution; d. Jefferson Memorial.

US Cities Nicknames Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. The Queen City
2. Music City USA
3. The City With the Big Shoulders
4. Mistake By The Lake
5. The Steel City
6. The Golden City
7. The Hub
8. The Emerald City
9. Gateway to the West
10. Hitsville USA

General Knowledge
1. What is the capital of the province of Ontario? ( 1 pt)
2. "Moby Dick" was the best known novel from what author?( 1 pt)
3. Ron Paul, Congressman and Republican presidential candidate, represents what state in Congress? ( 1 pt)
4. What U.S. president signed into law making Martin Luther King's birthday a federal holiday? ( 2 pt)
5. What river is dammed by the Hoover Dam? ( 2 pt)
6. What Olympic sport uses the smallest ball? ( 2 pt)
7. In militaryspeak, what is an "aerodynamic personnel decelerator"? ( 3 pt)

IQ Trivia
1. What US state has the largest peach crop? ( 4 points)
2. What famous person was assassinated at the Pan-American Exposition by Leon Czolgosz? ( 4 points)
3. Mount Marcy is the highest point, at over 5300 feet, in what US state? ( 5 points)
4. What world leader was once discovered by the Secret Service drunk and in his underwear one night trying to hail a cab to the White House in 1995? ( 3 points)
5. In 1988, what Hollywood actor starred in both the Oscar-winning Best Picture and the Golden Raspberry Award's Worst Picture that year? ( 4 points)

Answers
Current Events
1. Sweden; 2. Lindsay Lohan; 3. Mississippi; 4. Beijing; 5. Hoboken; 6. Snoop Dogg; 7. Gene Hackman.

Q-Tip Trivia
1. a, b; 2. a, c; 3. all; 4. none; 5. a,b; 6. d; 7. b. c.

US Cities Nicknames Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. Cincinnati (I also accepted Buffalo and Charlotte); 2. Nashville; 3. Chicago; 4. Cleveland; 5. Pittsburgh; 6. San Francisco; 7. Boston; 8. Seattle; 9. St. Louis; 10. Detroit.

General Knowledge
1. Toronto; 2. Herman Melville; 3. Texas; 4. Ronald Reagan; 5. Colorado River; 6. table tennis; 7. parachute.

IQ Trivia
1. California; 2. William McKinley; 3. New York; 4. Boris Yeltsin; 5. Tom Cruise ("Rain Man" and "Cocktail").

Forget About Oswalt

2012-01-17T11:20:00.006-05:00

The Red Sox added another arm to their mix for the fifth spot in the rotation, when they agreed to a minor league deal with Vicente Padilla.

He pitched in just nine games with the Dodgers before a pinched nerve ended his season. This is also the guy who was released by the Texas Rangers in 2009 for being a "disruptive clubhouse presence."

All this tells me that Roy Oswalt will not be pitching in Boston this season. His price for a fifth starter (despite being willing to sign a one-year deal) is too high, as the Red Sox are concerned about payroll and the luxury tax.

Today is also the day that if any players remain unsigned by noon, the club and players will submit salary requests to MLB and the arbitration hearings would begin on February 1st. The Red Sox have six players in that situation: Alfredo Aceves, Jacoby Ellsbury, David Ortiz, Daniel Bard, Mike Aviles and Andrew Bailey. The Sox have not had an arbitration hearing with a player since 2002, and can still sign all six players to contracts even after today and before the hearings are scheduled to begin.

And the English cousins will be coming to America for a visit, as Liverpool will be playing Roma at Fenway this summer.

Brush Up On Your Slang Terms For US Cities

2012-01-16T11:17:00.002-05:00

Trivia Night on Tuesday night at Professor Thom's will feature the return of "Q-Tip Trivia," where I ask you seven multiple choice, general knowledge questions, and the answer can be 1,2,3, all 4 or none correct. You get a point for each one you get correct, but a wrong answer will nullify any points for that question. It's always a high scoring round.

The Q Train lightning round will be "US Cities' Nicknames Trivia." I will give you the nicknames of ten major US cities, and you have to tell me the city.

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
What Olympic sport uses the smallest ball?

We get going shortly after 9 PM on Tuesday night. We should have the usual fine crowd on hand, so I hope many of you will come out tomorrow night.

Bye Bye Pack

2012-01-15T21:53:00.002-05:00

It was nothing short of a beatdown: Giants 37, Packers 20.

As a Minnesota Vikings fan for nearly four decades, it was nice seeing their bitterest rival get knocked out in their first postseason game. It brings to mind a happy comparison of watching the Yankees get bounced out in the ALDS.

Granted I don't dislike the Packers with the ferocity I do the Yankees, but it nice seeing those fans who have given the Vikings faithful so much crap over the years knocked down a peg. That "Lambeau Leap" has become such a cliche anyway.

A few weeks ago, I said that the Packers were making a mistake in not playing Aaron Rodgers in their final regular season game, if only for a quarter or two. He looked rusty, and his receivers looked no better either. The Packers defense was really exposed as well.

We may actually see the Patriots play the Giants in the Super Bowl again.

Wouldn't that be fascinating?

Throw Them Against The Wall, See Who Sticks

2012-01-13T21:34:00.002-05:00

The Red Sox have signed a number of players over the last week with MLB experience. They signed Aaron Cook from Colorado, who pitched against the Red Sox in the 2007 World Series, pitchers Justin Germano and Carlos Silva, and infielder Brad Emaus, who was in camp with the Mets last spring.

They are also bringing in pitchers Jesse Carlson, Brandon Duckworth and Rich Hill, who pitched effectively out of the Red Sox bullpen last season before an injury ended his season. They are also inviting nine other players to camp this spring as well.

It makes sense to bring as many players with previous experience to camp this spring. Most obviously won't go north with the big club, but if any show the club something, they will most likely be on Pawtucket's roster.

And now word comes that Jason Varitek will be invited to Spring Training as a non-roster player. I really think the Sox are doing this out of courtesy and respect to their longtime catcher. I really don't see where Tek could possibly fit in for 2012. I would guess he will be in Ft. Myers for a short time and then officially announce his retirement. It would be a classy way for both sides to see him exit this way.

Tonight the Yankees traded stud catching prospect Jesus Montero to the Mariners for pitcher Michael Pineda, who was an All-Star last season. And they also signed Hiroki Kuroda to a one-year deal. And of course I'm seeing some panic among some Red Sox fans online, that the Sox must counter this by signing someone like Roy Oswalt.

Take it easy, folks. I'm also seeing some NYY fan friends of mine who are VERY unhappy that New York traded Montero. They upgraded their rotation for sure, but the Sox rotation is still strong. The Red Sox upgraded where they really needed to this winter: their bullpen.

Nobody's won anything yet, folks.

A Passing Fad or The QB of The Future?

2012-01-13T11:08:00.006-05:00

As the year of 2012 dawns, the big sports story right now is one person: Tim Tebow.

Time for my take on Tebowmania.

I think Tebow is a good kid. Respectful to the media and fans, loved by his teammates, doesn't seek out publicity, helps kids, and is a really decent individual. He'll never be on the police blotter. He has caught the football world's attention over the amazing victories he's pulled off for the Denver Broncos in 2011, especially the OT win over the Pittsburgh Steelers last Sunday. The Broncos appeared to be playing out the season when Tebow was made the starting QB, and now they are just two wins from the Super Bowl.

But his rise to NFL prominence has caused plenty of controversy. He clearly isn't in the same league as a QB as the NFL's elite, such as Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers. I'm not overly impressed with Tebow as a QB, and he reminds me a lot of the old-time Vikings signal caller Joe Kapp. Kapp, like Tebow, didn't throw a beautiful spiral or put up eye-popping numbers. But he got the Vikings to victory (except in Super Bowl IV), and would take on linebackers and usually win.

And Tebow's star rising has caused a lot of resentment. He was ripped in a vile and disgusting way by Bill Maher, who I have no respect for (and don't get me started on him). Maher made a putrid statement on Twitter about Tebow and Jesus that I wouldn't even link to here. And Charles Barkley recently called Tebow "a nightmare."

Maher and Barkley are nothing but the worst kind of media whores, who'll say anything for attention, no matter how vile or stupid. Maher has a hard-on against anything to do with religion, and is obviously threatened by someone like Tebow who isn't afraid to talk about God or Jesus openly. I'm sure Tebow could care less about Maher or Barkley.

Peter Gammons wrote a pointed and right-on-the-mark statement on Twitter last Sunday after the Broncos OT win:

To cynically mock (Tim) Tebow's deep, sincere beliefs defies conscience, as does Pols who scream freedom, then try to tell us what we can believe.

Tim Tebow has every right to state his beliefs openly, like any celebrity has the right to voice their support for any political candidate openly as well. And openly praising God is nothing new in sports. How many times have we heard a sports figure give "all praise to God" in a post-game interview? And in baseball, I remember some Latin players entering the batter's box and blessing themselves. Today we see players like David Ortiz and Albert Pujols pointing to the sky after they hit home runs. I don't see anyone ripping them for that, do I?

But I also think the media has gone WAY overboard on Tebow. Deadspin just put up a post about a recent edition of SportsCenter on ESPN, and they mentioned Tebow's name a staggering 160 times in a 60-minute show. That's just a typical example of media overkill, and it will breed resentment.

The Broncos are a 13 1/2 point underdog against the Patriots on Saturday, and many people think the Tebow bubble will finally burst. I'm sure if the Pats win easily, Tebow will be ripped unmercifully no matter how he plays. But if they pull the upset...

The NFL has had a lot of bad publicity recently, like the guy in Chicago who got nabbed by the Feds for selling drugs. They really need all the Tim Tebows it can get. Is Tebow just hype? Perhaps. If the Broncos stop winning games with Tebow at the helm, the bubble will have truly burst, and he'll become just a memory. We'll see.

Meet The New Boss

2012-01-12T11:25:00.004-05:00

He sure isn't the same as the old boss.

My friend and WFAN radio host Ed Randall will be hosting his first annual Red Sox Hot Stove Report with new Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine at Rippowam Middle School in Stamford, Connecticut, which just happens to be the new manager's stomping grounds.

It will be an "Inside the Actor's Studio" type of event, in front of audience. It will be held on January 29th from 5:30-7:30 PM.

Tickets will be $40, and all money raised will go to fight prostate cancer, a disease that Ed beat and relentlessly helps to fight. If you'd like to get tickets, go to Ed's website: www.fans4the cure.org.

With thanks to my friend Peter Collery at the BLOHARDS, who brought this event to my attention.

I Would Have Voted For "The Friendly Fascist"

2012-01-11T00:42:00.007-05:00

If I had been in New Hampshire on Tuesday, I would have voted for one Vermin Supreme to be our next president. (Funny, I would have thought Bill Maher was "vermin supreme.")

You've got to love a guy who shows up to a political forum wearing a fishing boot on his head, speaks out against the scourge that is gingivitis and advocates giving everyone ponies. This clip, from a lesser known presidential candidates forum last December, is absolutely hilarious:

Don't give up Mr. Supreme. Get 'em in 2016!

Trivia Q&A: January 10

2012-01-11T00:39:00.000-05:00

We had a late-arriving crowd to Professor Thom's on Tuesday night, but 20 teams turned out, with many of the regulars returning as well.

Current Events turned out to be a tough round with mostly low scores, but most teams did very well in the following three rounds heading into IQ Trivia. The team leading the entire night, Got Me Looking So Mommy Right Now, held on and one by just a single point, 43 in total. Second place went to That Shit Cray (What She Order?), who got 4 of the 5 IQ Trivia questions right, wound up with 42 points. Third place went to If God Cheats at Football, Why Can't We Cheat at Trivia? with 37 points.

Best Team Name: Tebows and Tiaras

Current Events
1. A man at a Walmart store in North Carolina was arrested last week when he tried to pay for $476 worth of items with a ball of what denomination, which he insisted to store employees was real?
2. A guitar belonging to what British rock star was discovered in Curacao last week, over 30 after a plane crashed containing the star's equipment there?
3. Name 1 of the 5 nations that became non-permanent members of the UN Security Council this past week.
4. The National Weather Service said last week that which US state had its driest year on record in 2011, as well as its second hottest year ever?
5. US News and World Report selected what diet, for the second straight year, as the Best Diet for 2011?
6. According to the online company CafePress, which current political figure is selling the most of their paraphernalia in terms of t-shirts, bags, etc.?
7. What new release film eclipsed the new Mission Impossible sequel this past weekend and became the number one film in America?

New Hampshire Trivia
1. Who were the Democratic and Republican winners of the New Hampshire primaries of 2008?
2. What is the largest city by population in New Hampshire?
3. What mid-19th century president was the only one born in New Hampshire?
4. Of the six New England states, where does New Hampshire rank in total population, as of the 2010 Census?
5. How many states does New Hampshire border?
6. What is the New Hampshire state motto?
7. The highest peak in the Northeastern US is in New Hampshire. What is that mountain's name?

True or False Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. The original owner of the Marlboro tobacco company died of lung cancer.
2. Oak trees don't produce acorns until they reach the age of 50.
3. The flowers known as perennials flower for only one year.
4. Both a pig's squeal and the noise from a jet plane can exceed 100 decibels.
5. Play-Doh was originally sold as wallpaper cleaner.
6. Identical twins also have identical fingerprints.
7. In Mark Twain's novel, "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," Huck is 14 years old.
8. Mistletoe berries are poisonous.
9. The Fortress of Solitude was the headquarters for the superhero The Green Lantern.
10. "The Picture of Dorian Gray" was written by James Joyce.

General Knowledge
1. "The Land of 10,000 Lakes" is the nickname of what US state? ( 1 pt)
2. What popular annual sporting event has been called "The Most Exciting 2 Minutes In Sports?" ( 1 pt)
3. The CIA once attempted to assassinate what foreign leader with an exploding cigar? ( 1 pt)
4. Pat Garrett, a lawman in the Old West, shot and killed what infamous outlaw in 1881? ( 2 pt)
5. What is the name of the company that gave us the Frisbee, Hula Hoop and SuperBall? ( 2 pt)
6. The island of Formosa in Asia is today known by what name? ( 2 pt)
7. The last Beatles album recorded by the group in the summer of 1969 is called what? ( 3 pt)

IQ Trivia
1. What superstar rock band was banned from the city of Boston in 1975 and never played there again after thousands of fans caused $50,000 worth of damage just before tickets to their show went on sale at Boston Garden? ( 4 points)
2. "Amerika" was the original name of the private 12-car armored train of what 20th century leader? ( 5 points)
3. What TV and movie series featured a super-secret underground government agency known by the acronym IMF? ( 4 points)
4. Who was the first US president with a four-letter last name? ( 3 points)
5. What is the world's best-selling musical instrument? ( 4 points)

Answers
Current Events
1. $1 million; 2. Peter Frampton; 3. Azerbaijan, Guatemala, Morocco, Pakistan, Togo; 4. Texas; 5. DASH Diet; 6. Ron Paul; 7. "The Devil Inside."

New Hampshire Trivia
1. Hillary Clinton and John McCain; 2. Manchester; 3. Franklin Pierce; 4. fourth; 5. three; 6. Live Free Or Die; 7. Mount Washington.

True or False Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. true; 2. true; 3. false; 4. true; 5. true; 6. false; 7. true; 8. true; 9. false, Superman; 10. false, Oscar Wilde.

General Knowledge
1. Minnesota; 2. The Kentucky Derby; 3. Fidel Castro; 4. Billy the Kid; 5. Wham-O; 6. Taiwan; 7. Abbey Road.

IQ Trivia
1. Led Zeppelin; 2. Adolf Hitler; 3. Mission: Impossible; 4. James K. Polk; 5. harmonica.

Back On Tuesday Night, Where We Belong

2012-01-09T11:22:00.004-05:00

On Tuesday night at Professor Thom's, we will have a round of "New Hampshire Trivia," as the Special Category, in honor of that day's Republican primary. We'll have seven questions about the Granite State, and not all of them will be political.

The Q Train lightning round will be "True or False Trivia."

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
"Pat Garrett, a lawman of the Old West, shot and killed what infamous outlaw in 1881?"

We get going shortly after 9 PM. We're back on Tuesday nights to stay, and I don't anticipate any movements away from Tuesday until at least the beginning of the Red Sox' season in April. I hope to see many of you this Tuesday night.

Happy 77th, King

2012-01-08T11:05:00.001-05:00

In honor of Elvis Presley's birthday today, here is one of my favorite songs of his:

Happy Birthday Tony C

2012-01-07T11:16:00.003-05:00

In memory of the great Tony Conigliaro, who would have been 67 today, here is the hit single he recorded in 1965, when he was the height of popularity. It's a clever little pop ditty called "Playing The Field."

With thanks to my friend Don in Nova Scotia, who made me aware of the clip on YouTube earlier today.

18,262

2012-01-04T02:41:00.002-05:00

OK, time for a Trivia question.

This post is entitled "18,262" for what reason?
a. It is the number of times ABC and ESPN called The Rose Bowl "The Grandaddy of Them All" on Monday;
b. The actual number of people who voted in the Iowa caucus on Tuesday;
c. The highest attendance the Mets will get at any game in 2012;
d. The total number of days I have walked this earth.

Pat yourself on the back if you said "d." (Sorry there's no prize involved.)

18, 262 days adds up to exactly 50 years. Yes, as of 2:41 AM this morning, I have been a member of the human race exactly half a century. That adds up to:

600 months.
2,608 weeks (and 6 days).
438,288 hours.
26,297,280 minutes.
1,577,836,800 seconds.

Boy, that's a long time.

And I'm grateful to each and everyone of you who have been a part of my life.

Good Luck Derek

2012-01-03T11:52:00.005-05:00

My friend and fellow Red Sox blogger Derek Hixon is retiring today. Or should I say he is retiring his excellent Red Sox blog "SawxBlog," today. Derek put up his final post today, and made an analogy to Jason Varitek about stepping away. (Rumors are now going around that Tek may not be leaving after all. I really hope the rumors aren't true, and Tek walks away with dignity. Like Derek is doing today.)

I had the pleasure of meeting Derek at my Trivia Night last summer, as he came down for a Red Sox game at Professor Thom's. He has always done his blog with intelligence and fairness, and I'll miss his take on our beloved team. We are short one less good Red Sox blogger today, and I am sorry to see that happen.

Good luck Derek, in whatever road you choose to go down.

My friend Chris Jaffe over at the Hardball Times has an interesting article on the upcoming Hall of Fame balloting (which will be announced next Monday), and predicts that just one player will be elected.

And the always fascinating Pete Nash at The Hauls of Shame web site has a review of 2011, and includes stories about the FBI's continuing probe of stolen letters from the New York Public Library and the Hall of Fame's continued refusal to pursue letters stolen from them.

Trivia Q&A: January 2

2012-01-03T01:23:00.001-05:00

On Monday's special edition of Trivia, we had to follow the Oregon-Wisconsin Rose Bowl game, and there were many Wisconsin fans in the bar. We got Trivia going shortly afterwards, and we had a smaller but enthusiastic crowd in, 10 teams.

It was close throughout the night, but the team called Dead Black Birds came away with the win, as they led through the entire night. They got 3 of the 5 IQ Trivia questions correct, and wound up winning with 43 points.

Second place went to Happy 30th Birthday, John Quinn! with 37 points and third place went to Chicks With Dicks with 34 points.

And special thanks to Trivia regulars Gillian, Christina and all their friends, who surprised me with a birthday cake just before the final round began. (You might have guessed they were the team that finished in second.) I am so touched that they did that, and I love you all of you for such a sweet gesture. You're all the best!

Thanks to everyone at Trivia Night for the nice birthday wishes. I love you all!

BTW, we return to our usual Tuesday nights next week, January 10th at 9 PM. We should be back on Tuesday to stay until at least April.

Best Team Name: Frodo T. Baggin'

Current Events
1. What film was the number one grossing film for 2011, bringing in over $381 million in the US?
2. What retail giant is planning to close 100-120 stores in 2012 after having a sluggish holiday season?
3. The National 9/11 Memorial and Museum announced that what milestone number had been reached last week in total number of visitors to their site since it opened to the public last September 12th?
4. What '80s rock star announced last week that she was divorcing her current husband, a man she met on the Internet, after only 18 days of marriage?
5. President Obama signed into law last weekend tough new sanctions targeting the central bank and financial sector of what country?
6. What New York City university is offering a class next semester called "Occupy Wall Street", where 30 students will go out into the field at actual protests?
7. Thousands of dead blackbirds rained down in a town in what southern state on New Year's Eve, and officials there suspect it was due to a number of fireworks celebrations?

New Year's Day Trivia
1. What was the homeland of the first immigrant registered at Ellis Island when it opened on New Year's Day in 1892?
2. The Emancipation Proclamation took effect on this day in what year of the Civil War?
3. On this date in 1971, what was officially banned from American TV and still is to this day?
4. In 1959, Fulgencio Batista was overthrown as dictator of what Caribbean nation?
5. In 1984 on this day, Brunei gained its independence from what nation?
6. On this day in 1902, the first college bowl game was played, between Michigan and Stanford. What was that bowl game's name?
7. In 1994, actor Cesar Romero died on this date. What recurring character did he play on the 1960s Batman TV series?

Over/Under/Exactly 50 Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. Tom Cruise
2. Michael J. Fox
3. Michelle Pfeiffer
4. Jon Stewart
5. Christie Brinkley
6. George Michael
7. Alec Baldwin
8. Marisa Tomei
9. Charlie Sheen
10. Barack Obama

General Knowledge
1. What is the technical name for one's voice box? ( 1 pt)
2. In 2003, who became the first African-American woman to appear on Forbes' list of the wealthiest Americans? ( 1 pt)
3. English and Maori are the official languages of what country? ) 1 pt)
4. Stella Kowalski is a character in what Tennessee Williams play? ( 2 pt)
5. The atomic bombs dropped on two Japanese cities in 1945 were how many days apart? ( 2 pt)
6. In George Orwell's "Animal Farm," Old Major, Napoleon and Snowball are what type of animals? ( 2 pt)
7. Who was the leader of the first group to reach the Geographic South Pole in 1911? ( 3 pt)

IQ Trivia
1. What is the only planet in our solar system that rotates clockwise? ( 4 points)
2. What Spanish explorer is credited with discovering the Mississippi River in 1541? ( 3 points)
3. Alektorophobia is the fear of what animal? ( 5 points)
4. What Italian city was made the first capital of Italy in 1861, and is currently the capital of the Piedmont region? ( 4 points)
5. Cape Agulhas is the southernmost point of what country? ( 4 points)

Answers
Current Events
1. "Harry Potter and The Deathly Gallows Part 2;" 2. Sears/KMart; 3. One million; 4. Sinead O'Connor; 5. Iran; 6. Columbia; 7. Arkansas.

New Year's Day Trivia
1. Ireland (Annie Moore); 2. 1863; 3. cigarette ads; 4. Cuba; 5. United Kingdom; 6. Rose Bowl; 7. The Joker.

Over/Under/Exactly 50 Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. Under (49); 2. Exactly (50); 3. Over (53); 4. Under (49); 5. Over (57); 6. Under (48); 7. Over (53); 8. Under (47); 9. Under (46); 10. Exactly (50).

General Knowledge
1. larnyx; 2. Oprah Winfrey; 3. New Zealand; 4. "A Streetcar Named Desire;" 5. three; 6. pigs; 7. Roald Amundsen.

IQ Trivia
1. Venus; 2. Hernando DeSoto; 3. chickens; 4. Turin; 5. South Africa.

That Wraps Up Another Football Season. Thankfully.

2012-01-02T11:23:00.003-05:00

2011 was as bad as 1984 for the Vikings, which was the worst year in team history. They end the year at 3-13.

Yesterday's 17-13 loss to the Bears at the Metrodome means they end this awful campaign with a 1-7 record at home. They beat Arizona back in October for their only home win.

They were also swept in their division, at 0-6, for the first time in club history.

Only bright spot of the finale was Jared Allen, the Vikings' Pro Bowl representative, got 3 sacks to lead the league, and missed Michael Strahan's record of 22 1/2 by just a half, as Allen finished with 22.

The Vikings will get the number three pick in the NFL draft in April, after Indianapolis and St. Louis. And now the real fun begins as to whether the Vikings get a new stadium in Minnesota, or will be calling another locale home next fall. They can legally leave Minnesota as of February 1st.

Let's hope the deal for a new home gets done.

Now bring on the baseball season.

Let's Butcher The Beatles Night

2012-01-01T20:24:00.004-05:00

I was channel-surfing last night on New Year's Eve and had the great misfortune to come across two sights that made my skin crawl.

Justin Bieber attempting to sing "Let It Be", and some other singer named Cee Lo trying to do the same with "Imagine" at Times Square as 2011 was drawing to close.

Watching both these "singers" put a gas can to two of the greatest songs ever done in rock history was truly a pathetic sight, and I'm glad I was only exposed to them for just a few seconds.

Popular music has rarely been so incredibly awful than it is now. Makes me VERY glad the iPod was invented.

They both receive no forgiveness for me for these capital crimes. And just who's wonderful idea was it to let this happen?

Our 7th Year of Trivia Begins Monday Night

2012-01-01T12:06:00.005-05:00

Our first Trivia Night of 2012 will be a special Monday edition, due to the plethora of Michigan fans who will be in Professor Thom's for their bowl game on Tuesday. So, we will have "Over/Under/Exactly 50 Trivia" as the Q Train lightning round. I will give you the names of ten current celebrities and you have to tell me if they are over, under or exactly the age of 50. (Wow, what a coincidence, since your Trivia Maven turns 50 years of age on Wednesday. Yes, just a coincidence!)

The Special Category will be "New Year's Day Trivia." Yes we are a day late, but technically January 2nd is the holiday, so we will have seven questions about New Year's Day in history.

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
English and Maori are the official languages of what country?

We will get started at 9 PM on Monday night. We will return to our usual Tuesday nights on January 10th. I hope to see many of you on Monday as we kick off our 7th year of Trivia at Professor Thom's!

A New Record To End 2011

2012-01-01T11:42:00.004-05:00

We ended 2011 on a really high note as far as this blog is concerned, as we had the most hits ever in one day at The Mighty Quinn Media Machine: 706. (The old record of 583, set in November 2008, was left in the dust.)

It was a combination of factors. We always get a ton of people coming on here to read my Top 20 Twilight Zone Episodes, as the marathon is currently going on at the SyFy Channel. (It's also the most popular post I have ever put up in the history of this blog.) I always post my favorite Honeymooners clip, the "Hello Ball" one when Ed Norton teaches Ralph how to play golf, and many folks look for that. ("The Honeymooners" marathon is also running all day today on WPIX in NYC.)

And I also posted a picture that said "Goodbye 2011" last week for the Trivia Sneak Peek last Monday, and that brought a whole lot of folks here. (A slew of people were googling it, and they ended up here.)

We had an amazing 63 hits to begin the day, in the midnight hour. It was the most in any hour all day. We had over 200 after the first four hours. I can't explain that, to be honest! The overnight hours are when the numbers are generally lowest.

Anyway, I hope all of you enjoyed coming here on New Year's Eve, and hope you return again many times in 2012. Thanks for making it a record-setting day.

Bidding 2011 Adieu

2011-12-31T11:10:00.003-05:00

This is the 566th and final post of The Mighty Quinn Media Machine for 2011. It's been another successful year for this blog, but I did notice a trend here recently: I've been writing less as the years go on.

I wrote a high of 713 posts in 2008, but they have been declining every year since. Last year I did 635, but this year it's down by 69. My guess is the more time I've been spending on Facebook has taken away some of my writing here at the blog. And I also think that the Red Sox bomb-out last September probably entered into the decline as well.

Hopefully I'll beat 566 posts for 2012. We shall see.

(And today, we will most likely break the all-time record for the most number of hits on this blog in one single day. I write this at shortly after 11 AM, and we've had a staggering 435 hits here already, and the record is 583 for one day. We usually get about 100-120 per day. I'll have an update on that tomorrow.)

I want to thank each and every one of you who stop here and check on my ramblings from time to time, and especially to those of you who come here a little more often. You make it all worthwhile, and I wish you all the best for 2012.

New Year's Eve is generally a quiet time for me. I usually spend it at home with family and friends and watch the ball drop on TV. I have been to Times Square on New Year's Eve just once: in the movies. (I have been told that you can see me as a reveler in the new Garry Marshall film "New Year's Eve" that came out earlier this month. I haven't seen it yet, but I worked on it for six days as an extra this past March, April and September. And I pop up early in the film.) I have always said there are three types of people who go to Times Square on New Year's Eve: tourists, cops and pickpockets.

I will be watching the Twilight Zone and Honeymooners marathons today and tomorrow. My DVR will be getting the workout of its life over the next 48 hours! The Twilight Zone has already begun on SyFy and will run until the early morning hours of Monday. The Honeymooners will start at 11 PM tonight and run until 6 PM on Sunday on WPIX here in New York. It wouldn't be New Year's without them both. But one thing I can now live without is "New Year's Rockin' Eve" on ABC. I was always a fan of Dick Clark, but since he suffered his stroke and insists on appearing on it, I can't watch him try to speak. It's more sad than anything else. And don't get me started on the musical "talent" they usually parade in. Totally unwatchable.

So in honor of New Year's, here's my favorite Honeymooners clip, from "The Golfer," as Ed Norton tries to teach Ralph Kramden how to play golf. It's known as the "Hello Ball!" clip. (The episode will air at exactly midnight tonight.) Enjoy:

A Happy and Blessed New Year to all of you for 2012.

Turnovers Doom The Irish

2011-12-30T11:33:00.003-05:00

Notre Dame's season ended last night with a thud as Florida State came back from a 14-point deficit in the second half and won, 18-14, in the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando.

The game looked promising for the Irish from the start, as Tommy Rees led a drive that unfortunately ended with a tipped pass in the end zone that was intercepted. But Florida State fumbled on their first play from scrimmage and Zeke Motta returned it 29 yards for a TD. It remained 7-0 until early in the third quarter.

Rees hit Michael Floyd, playing in his last game for the Irish, with a 5-yard TD pass to cap off a 62-yard drive to open the third quarter. It was a tough game for Rees overall, as he and Andrew Hendrix were shuffled in and out throughout the game.

Florida State scored twice in the third, on a 42-yard field goal and a 18-yard pass play. They tried a two-point conversion to cut the score to 3, but failed. Early in the fourth, Hendrix was intercepted, and on the next play, Florida State took the lead for good with a TD pass to make it 18-14. Notre Dame had a shot near the end, but Rees was picked off in the end zone with just under three minutes to play, and FSU ran out the clock. (ND got it back with 24 seconds left, but they were too far from the end zone to be a serious scoring threat.)

Notre Dame finishes 2011 with a 9-4 record, and will begin the 2012 season on September 1st in Dublin, Ireland against Navy.

And after the Notre Dame game, was the Washington-Baylor matchup in the Alamo Bowl. One of the most incredible football games I've ever seen. Baylor won 67-56, and the teams had no interest in playing defense: they set a bowl record for TDs (17), total yards gained (1,397) and missed the all-time record for points in a bowl game by just 2. It sure wasn't dull.

Red Sox Acquire Bailey

2011-12-28T16:58:00.007-05:00

The Red Sox appear to have landed a new closer in Andrew Bailey, as according to Buster Olney, the Sox will send Josh Reddick to Oakland as part of a deal to get the Athletics' closer.

Bailey is 27, and has been the Oakland closer the last three years. He has had some elbow problems in the past, but I'm guessing that's not worrying the Red Sox brass.

The Red Sox will also acquire outfielder Ryan Sweeney, and they will send two single A players, first baseman Miles Head and pitcher Raul Alcantara, according to Extra Bases.

And also, old friend Hideki Okajima reached a minor league deal with the Yankees, and will be invited to spring training to try and make the club. The Yankees were about five years too late on Oki, as his pal Hideki Matsui recommended that they sign him before the 2007 season, but they passed on him. The Red Sox grabbed him, and he was a vital part of the 2007 championship team.

Trivia Q&A: December 27

2011-12-28T02:02:00.002-05:00

When I got to Professor Thom's early Tuesday night, I discovered that the Celtics were playing the Heat on TNT at 8 PM, and I knew that could be the cause of potential trouble on a Trivia Night.

Fortunately, the rain and the fact the game was broadcast locally on cable kept the Celtics fans to a lower number, and we were able to get Trivia Night going, at halftime around 9:30 PM. We had a good crowd of Trivia folks, as 18 teams took part.

The scores for the first three rounds were rather low, and I feared I might have made this week's Trivia a bit too hard. But the scores rebounded nicely in the General Knowledge round.

The team of Old Lang Sign! did well all night, and had the highest score in the IQ Trivia round, and wound up winning with 41 points and by seven points. Another nice job by my favorite group of teachers!

Second place went to Sandusky: Great Babysitter or Greatest Babysitter? who had 34 points (and also won Best Team Name), and third place was a tie between Chocolate Breast Milk and Adrian Peterson Didn't Tear His ACL, It Just Went Ghost Protocol, both with 33 points.

An important message about next week: Because of Michigan's bowl game next Tuesday night, tons of Wolverine fans will be in Thom's, so we have to move Trivia Night next week to Monday, January 2nd, at 9 PM. We will return to Tuesdays on January 10th at 9 PM.

Current Events
1. Travel and Leisure magazine named what New York place "the best new landmark in America" for 2011?
2. The Associated Press selected what NFL player as their "Male Athlete of the Year" for 2011?
3. What rock band announced last week they will have a tour and new album in 2012 with their original lead singer, who left the group over a quarter-century ago?
4. The Green Bay Packers were recently picked in a recent poll by Public Policy Polling as "America's Favorite NFL Team." What NFL team was selected as the least favorite team?
5. Former President George H.W. Bush unofficially endorsed which of the Republican presidential candidates last week?
6. Jordan Romero, 15, last weekend became the youngest person to climb the highest mountains on all 7 continents when he climbed Mount Vinson on what continent?
7. What new movie release topped the Christmas weekend box office with over $26 million to become the number one film in America?

2011 Trivia
1. What deceased rock legend, a three-time Grammy winner, received a Grammy nomination for a box set released in 2011?
2. What European country banned the words "Facebook" and "Twitter" from being spoken on TV and radio unless they are part of a news story?
3. The world's largest bridge over water, nearly 26 miles long, opened last June in what Asian country?
4. Apple opened their largest store last month at what famous New York City location?
5. What rock band concluded their latest world tour in Canada last July, grossing over $736 million, the highest grossing tour of all-time?
6. According to Forbes magazine, there are now 3 countries in the world that have more than 100 billionaires. The US and China are two. Which one is the third?
7. According to the Wall Street Journal, which company passed McDonald's in 2011 as the world's largest restaurant chain?

Name The Month Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. Seal Team Six kills Bin Laden in Pakistan.
2. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigns.
3. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs dies.
4. The Occupy Wall Street movement begins in Lower Manhattan.
5. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is shot and seriously wounded in an assassination attempt in Arizona.
6. Christian Lopez returns Derek Jeter's 3000th hit ball, a home run, to him.
7. Japan is struck by a powerful earthquake and tsunami off the Tohoku coast, killing nearly 20,000.
8. Bruce Springsteen's sax player, Clarence Clemons, dies after suffering a stroke, at the age of 69.
9. American Airlines files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
10. The sexual assault case against former IMF head Dominique Strauss Kahn is officially dismissed.

General Knowledge
1. "I love the smell of napalm in the morning" comes from what 1979 film? ( 1 pt)
2. Who was the first US president born in the 20th century? ( 1 pt)
3. As of 2011, what is the world's largest online marketplace? ( 1 pt)
4. What country does the legend of William Tell come from? ( 2 pt)
5. Stars die when they run out of what element? ( 2 pt)
6. What future US president watched Abraham Lincoln's funeral procession in 1865 from the second-floor window of his home in Manhattan? ( 2 pt)
7. Currently what is the color of British passports? ( 3 pt)

IQ Trivia
1. What 19th century novel was the first American novel to sell one million copies? ( 4 points)
2. Clinophobia is the fear of doing what, something a person normally does every day? ( 5 points)
3. What Oscar-winning director is the godfather of actress Drew Barrymore? ( 4 points)
4. The Transamerica Pyramid is located in what city? ( 3 points)
5. Mount Godwin-Austen or "K2" as it sometimes called, is the world's second-largest mountain and located principally in what Asian nation? ( 4 points)

Answers
Current Events
1. 9/11 Memorial; 2. Aaron Rodgers; 3. Van Halen; 4. Dallas Cowboys; 5. Mitt Romney; 6. Antarctica; 7. Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol.

2011 Trivia
1. Elvis Presley; 2. France; 3. China; 4. Grand Central Station; 5. U2; 6. Russia; 7. Subway.

Name The Month Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. May; 2. February; 3. October; 4. September; 5. January; 6. July; 7. March; 8. June; 9. November; 10. August.

General Knowledge
1. "Apocalypse Now;" 2. John F. Kennedy; 3. eBay; 4. Switzerland; 5. hydrogen; 6. Theodore Roosevelt; 7. red (burgundy).

IQ Trivia
1. "Uncle Tom's Cabin;" 2. Going to bed; 3. Steven Spielberg; 4. San Francisco; 5. Pakistan.

Wrapping Up 2011 On Tuesday Night

2011-12-26T12:12:00.003-05:00

We will have our final night of Trivia for 2011 this Tuesday night at Professor Thom's at 9 PM with the Special Category of "2011 Trivia," seven questions about the year just coming to a close. The Q Train lightning round will be "Name The Month Trivia." I will give you ten events that occurred in 2011, and you have to tell me the month of the year it occurred in. Every event will be a different month of the year.

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
"Stars die when they run out of what element?"

We will get going shortly after 9 PM tomorrow. I hope to see many of you then, but if I don't, I want to wish you a very Happy New Year and look forward to seeing you for more great Trivia in 2012!

It Couldn't Get Any Worse. But It Did. Much Worse.

2011-12-26T11:25:00.006-05:00

The first two plays of the second half of last Saturday's Vikings road finale in Washington brought a monumental disaster to the team in this train wreck of a season.

Adrian Peterson took a shot to the knee after a three-yard gain, and left the game with what he later said at the time was a serious injury. An MRI later revealed that AP suffered a torn ACL and MCL, and may very well miss the start of the 2012 season.

The Vikings will talk more about Peterson's injury in a press conference later today. Injuries of this nature normally take up to nine months to recover.

And on the very next play, Christian Ponder was knocked out of the game with a concussion after he was sacked. He did not return, and his status for the finale next Sunday against Chicago remains uncertain.

With these two disasters happening around them, the Vikings showed lots of character, as they went out there and beat Washington, 33-26. The two injured players' replacements, Joe Webb and Toby Gerhart, provided a needed spark. Webb ran for one TD and threw for two more, and Gerhart ran for 107 yards, including one 67-yard run that set up Webb's rushing score.

The Vikings win now means they will not be getting the number one pick. That honestly doesn't matter to me, as they will be getting a top three one for sure. They can now do no worse than 1984, when they went 3-13. They are now 3-12, and face the Bears at the Metrodome to conclude this awful campaign.

And it looks like it would be the last game played in Minnesota, as the Vikings appear to be close to getting a new stadium deal done. It looks like a move to Los Angeles won't be happening. I'm so glad to get this bit of good news, as over the last few months it gave me some idea what it was like for my dad back in 1957 with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Linus Knows The Score

2011-12-24T11:35:00.004-05:00

Here is Linus, telling us all the true meaning of Christmas. It's the best part of my favorite Christmas special, "A Charlie Brown Christmas". And I'm glad Charles Schulz fought hard to get it in:

Not to put a damper on the Christmas spirit, but last night I watched "A Charlie Brown Christmas" that I DVR'd from early in December, and I simply appalled by the chopped up version ABC presented. In recent years they've showed a 35-minute version to accommodate all those commercials they have to show, but this year they went back to the 30-minute version. They cut Linus hitting the can with a snowball, Charlie Brown looking for Christmas cards in his mailbox, Schroeder playing "Jingle Bells" and Shermie's immortal line: "Every year it's the same. I always end up playing a shepherd." I was simply appalled by this butchered version, and ABC should be ashamed for what they did to my favorite holiday classic.

OK, enough of the ranting. It's Christmas.

Enjoy the holiday everyone!

The Beatles Wish You a Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T11:16:00.002-05:00

Here's a very cool "mashup" video of the Beatles Christmas messages they sent exclusively to their fan club members, combined with a few bits from their songs.

Every year from 1963 until 1969, the Beatles recorded a message combined with music for the fan club, and I remember WNEW-FM here in New York would broadcast the messages during the holidays. I haven't heard them in ages, but this is really cool. Enjoy:

Just Wish I Had Some Music To Go With It

2011-12-24T00:01:00.001-05:00

Traditions are a way of life here at The Mighty Quinn Media Machine, and here's one of my favorites, which I post here every December 24th.

Here is The Yule Log, which is a tradition on New York television, too. The burning log airs with Christmas music on WPIX Channel 11 every Christmas morning, from 9AM-1PM. (And followed of course by "March of the Wooden Soldiers.") And this year, Antenna TV (a new cable channel owned by WPIX), will be airing in the middle of the night this year also, from 3AM-7AM. I will be fast asleep dreaming of Santa Claus' arrival, but I'll watch the Channel 11 edition as I open my gifts.

I wish all of you readers of this blog a very Merry Christmas!

Festivus: A Time For Miracles!

2011-12-23T00:01:00.003-05:00

Yes, it's that day again. When we get the pole out, perform feats of strength and air our grievances.

It's Festivus!

I hope you all enjoy the day, whether it's showing just how strong you are or yelling at your relatives.

For the uninitiated, here's all you need to know about Festivus.

And it wouldn't be Festivus without a clip from the godfather of the holiday, Frank Costanza:

And it's also the great Jerry Koosman's birthday today, too...

Red Sox Add New Coaches For 2012

2011-12-22T10:09:00.004-05:00

Red Sox fans won't have to worry about Tim Bogar screwing up sending base runners to the plate anymore, as he will become Bobby Valentine's bench coach in 2012. DeMarlo Hale, the former bench coach, will be the Orioles third base coach next season.

Other coaches joining his staff will be Bob McClure, the long time reliever who was the pitching coach in Kansas City last season, and Jerry Royster, a 16-year veteran utility man, who will become the third base coach.

As a member of the Braves back in the early 1980s, Royster made one of the greatest catches I've ever seen, reaching high over the wall at Fulton-County Stadium to steal a home run. "This Week In Baseball" used to show it on their opening montage every week. (And that was a huge wall they had in that park.) Unfortunately, I couldn't find a YouTube clip or a still shot of it, so his baseball card here will have to do.

Unfortunately, Bill Buckner will NOT be on Bobby Valentine's staff, as he accepted a position as a coach with the Cubs Single A affiliate in Boise, Idaho, where he currently makes his off-season home.

Still no word on who will become the Red Sox' closer next season, with Daniel Bard moving to the rotation. They are still talking with free agents Ryan Madson and now Francisco Cordero, but nothing seems imminent with Christmas fast approaching.

Trivia Q&A: December 20

2011-12-21T00:51:00.000-05:00

We had a festive crowd in for the Christmas edition of Trivia on Tuesday night, and 20 teams took part. The popular name for team names were for the late, and not-missed-at-all Kim Jong Il. So for Best Team Name we picked "Live Free Or Dietician." ("You 'Kim' folks all canceled each other out," I explained.)

Current Events was a tough round, as the high score was just five of seven. But we had some strong scores in two Christmas Trivia categories. It was two-team race heading into IQ Trivia, but the team of One Less Bad Driver: RIP Kim took the crown, garnering 53 points and winning but just two points. The team that was running with them, I'm So Ronrey (another Kim Jong Il reference, I think) took second with 51 points.

Third place went to The F-Dash Dash Dash Word with 49 points.

Our final edition of Tuesday Night Trivia for 2011 will take place next Tuesday, on December 27th at 9 PM.

Current Events
1. Former French president Jacques Chirac received a two-year suspended jail sentence after he was found guilty of what crime?
2. Moncef Marzouki was elected president of what North African country last week?
3. More than 400 people were killed last Saturday when a tropical storm struck what Asian country?
4. Joe Simon, a comic book writer and artist, died last week at the age of 98. In 1941, he co-created what comic book superhero, his most famous creation?
5. Vaclav Havel, the dissident playwright who helped bring down communism in Eastern Europe, died last weekend at the age of 75. What country did he become the first democratically elected president of?
6. New York City will top the 50 million mark in 2011 in the numbers of tourists coming here. From which foreign country do over 1.1 million of them come from, the most?
7. What Oscar-winning actor was punched by security in China when he attempted to visit a blind activist lawyer in that country last week?

Christmas Trivia
1. On the sixth day of Christmas, what does my true love give me, according to the song, "The 12 Days of Christmas?"
2. On December 25, 1776, George Washington and his army crossed the Delaware River to attack Hessian mercenaries in what New Jersey town?
3. In "A Charlie Brown Christmas," what Christmas song does Lucy ask Schroeder to play for her on his piano?
4. What type of pipe does Frosty the Snowman have?
5. The carol that begins with the line "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire" is called what?
6. What Tchaikovsky ballet is a favorite during the Christmas season?
7. "The Night Before Christmas" was written anonymously in 1823 but it attributed to whom?

Christmas Films Trivia By Decade ("The Q Train")
1. The Santa Clause
2. White Christmas
3. Home Alone
4. Love Actually
5. The Nightmare Before Christmas
6. It's a Wonderful Life
7. A Christmas Story
8. Miracle On 34th Street (original)
9. Scrooged
10. How The Grinch Stole Christmas

General Knowledge
1. Dave Thomas founded what fast-food restaurant chain? ( 1 pt)
2. "Get Down Tonight" was a hit song from what 1970s disco group? ( 1 pt)
3. What US president is on the far right of Mount Rushmore? ( 1 pt)
4. Hispaniola is the name of the island shared by Haiti and what other country? (2 pt)
5. What is the second book of the Old Testament, after Genesis? ( 2 pt)
6. What European country was the first to adopt the metric system? ( 2 pt)
7. What was the first color film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture? ( 3 pt)

IQ Trivia
1. What country singer, who had his first hit in 1981, holds the record of 58 Billboard number one country singles? ( 5 points)
2. In 1930, what Minnesota-born novelist was the first American to win the Nobel Prize for literature? ( 4 points)
3. Which King of France was executed during the French Revolution? ( 3 points)
4. What NFL team plays their home games in Raymond James Stadium? ( 4 points)
5. "The Fatherland Liberation War" was another name for what 20th century conflict? ( 4 points)

Answers
Current Events
1. embezzlement; 2. Tunisia; 3. The Philippines; 4. Captain America; 5. Czechoslovakia; 6. United Kingdom; 7. Christian Bale.

Christmas Trivia
1. Six geese-a-layin'; 2. Trenton; 3. "Jingle Bells;" 4. corncob; 5. "The Christmas Song;" 6. "The Nutcracker;" 7. Clement Moore.

Christmas Film Trivia By Decade ("The Q Train")
1. 1990s (1994); 2. 1950s (1954); 3. 1990s (1990); 4. 2000s (2003); 5. 1990s (1993); 6. 1940s (1946); 7. 1980s (1983); 8. 1940s (1947); 9. 1980s (1988); 10. 2000s (2000).

General Knowledge
1. Wendy's; 2. KC and the Sunshine Band; 3. Abraham Lincoln; 4. Dominican Republic; 5. Exodus; 6. France; 7. "Gone With the Wind."

IQ Trivia
1. George Strait; 2. Sinclair Lewis; 3. Louis XVI; 4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers; 5. Korean War.

Two Categories of Yuletide Trivia This Tuesday

2011-12-19T11:16:00.004-05:00

This week Tuesday Night Trivia will have its annual round of Christmas Trivia, with the Special Category being "Christmas Trivia," seven questions concerning the great holiday that is fast approaching. The Q Train lightning round will be "Christmas Film Trivia By Decade." I will give you the names of ten famous Christmas movies, and you have to tell me in which decade they were first released. And it will be a double-points category, because if you know the exact year, you will get a bonus point.

BTW, our other three categories will NOT include any Christmas Trivia, just the two revolving categories.

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
"What European country was the first to adopt the metric system?"

We get going shortly after 9 PM on Tuesday night. Sorry for you Frank Costanza fans, but there will be no Festivus Trivia. Maybe next year!

The Race For The Number One Draft Pick Is On

2011-12-18T20:14:00.005-05:00

The Vikings and their defense were taken out to the woodshed today by the playoff-bound New Orleans Saints, 42-20 at the Metrodome.

Drew Brees threw for 412 yards and five touchdowns, while Christian Ponder had a tough day against the Saints. He still shows a lot of promise, but he missed a lot of open receivers and threw another interception. The Vikings defense was simply a horror show, allowing 570 yards to the Saints.

Ponder threw two TDs to Toby Gerhart, and that's about the only good news I can say about the Vikes today. Adrian Peterson rushed for 60 yards in 10 carries on his return from injury.

Indianapolis got their first win of 2011, and St. Louis lost to Cincinnati, so the Colts are now 1-13, and the Vikes and Rams are both 2-12. All that remains for the Vikings this season is where they will draft in April: first, second or third. (I will NEVER root against the Vikings when it comes to getting a higher draft pick. They are my team, and always have my support.)

A loss next week to Washington and the Vikings will tie the 1984 team with their 13th loss of 2011.

It can't end quick enough.

25 Favorite Odd Couple Episodes

2011-12-17T12:35:00.001-05:00

A few years ago, I put up a post on my blog about my favorite Twilight Zone episodes, and it seems like just about every day I get someone googling about the classic show and winding up on my blog. Another one of my all-time favorite TV shows is "The Odd Couple." It is one of those shows I never get tired of watching, even if I have seen just about every episode 100 times. The quality of the show has stood the test of time.

I even had the pleasure of speaking to Ron Friedman, the esteemed TV writer who wrote a number of Odd Couple episodes. (His most famous is the Christmas episode from the first season.) His son-in-law is one of the BLOHARDS, and we were together at my friend Joe's house last Thanksgiving, and he called him and we chatted for a few minutes. A very nice man.

Anyway, here is my list of my favorites from the catalog of 114 shows, that ran on ABC from 1970-1975. Like I did with The Twilight Zone, they will be in order that they were first broadcast. (And I had a tough time narrowing down my favorites, so extended this list to 25.)

#6 "Oscar's Ulcer": Oscar has an ulcer, and Felix prohibits him from chasing women and playing poker. (Any show involving Oscar's ulcer was hysterical, in my opinion.)

#11 "Felix Is Missing": Felix gets a rush call for a job in Canada, and Oscar doesn't realize it and thinks Felix is missing. The great Albert Brooks makes one of his early appearances as Rudy Mandel, one of Felix' clients.

#12 "Scrooge Gets An Oscar": The only Odd Couple Christmas show, as Oscar refuses to act in a Christmas play, and has a terrible nightmare he's Scrooge.

#13 "The Blackout": $50 goes missing when the boys are playing poker, and Felix is certain Oscar stole the money.

#23 "What Does a Naked Lady Say To You?": Felix is dating a librarian, but Murray discovers she's really an actress in an all-nude play.

#27 "Hospital Mates": Felix and Oscar end up in a hospital together, Felix with an operation on his nose and Oscar with an injured foot.

#32 "The Fat Farm": Felix and Oscar check into a health spa together, where Oscar cracks.

#33 "The Odd Couple Meet Their Host": Oscar goes on a talk show with David Steinberg and ridicules Felix, and he demands equal time.

#37 "Felix The Calypso Singer": Felix and Oscar go down to a Caribbean island, and when Oscar's girlfriend Nancy announces she can go while they're down there, Felix has to leave.

#41 "You Saved My Life": Oscar saves Felix's life, and Felix won't stop thanking him for it.

#58 "Password": Felix and Oscar go on the TV quiz show "Password" together. One of the all-time best.

#63 "The Ides of April": Felix gets called into the IRS office and is convinced he's on his way to jail.

#64 "Myrna's Debut": Myrna is convinced she can become a tap dancing star and enlists Felix's help in making her dream come true.

#66 "My Strife In Court": Felix and Oscar get nailed for ticket scalping and wind up in court, which features the infamous "assume" moment.

#67 "Let's Make a Deal": Felix and Oscar go on "Let's Make a Deal" to try and win Felix a new bed.

#69 "Take My Furniture Please": Felix gets the great idea to bring in all-new furniture to the apartment, but Oscar hates it and brings in his idea of "new furniture."

#70 "The Murray Who Came To Dinner": Murray walks out on his wife, and moves in with Felix and Oscar.

#75 "The Odd Holiday": Another flashback episode, when Oscar, Felix and their wives take a vacation to the Caribbean island of Hockaloma, and it costs Felix his marriage.

#78 "The Songwriter": Felix writes a song, "Happy and Peppy and Bursting With Love" for actress/singer Jaye P. Morgan.

#79 "Felix Directs": Felix makes a documentary "Mondo Filth", about Oscar, and a friend of Oscar's suggests he direct his movie.

#83 "A Barnacle Adventure": Oscar's inventing dentist gets the boys to invest in his barnacle glue invention.

#86 "The Flying Felix": Felix is suddenly afraid to fly, and Oscar does all he can to get him back on an airplane.

#93 "The Rain In Spain": Felix tries to change Myrna to get her back with her old boyfriend Sheldn (yes, with no "O", as it was left off his birth certificate). Features one of the show's funniest moments at the end, when the boys meet Myrna's brother and sister.

#108 "Felix The Horse Player": Oscar finds a sure way of winning at the horses, and brings in Felix as his partner.

#114 "Felix Remarries": In the show's final episode, Felix and Gloria get back together and get married again.

With thanks to both Jack Klugman and the late Tony Randall. They made magic for five years together.

Lowrie & Weiland Sent To Houston

2011-12-14T12:06:00.004-05:00

The Red Sox traded Jed Lowrie and Kyle Weiland to the Houston Astros for one-time Yankee prospect Mark Melancon.

Houston used Melancon as a closer for most of 2011, and he had 20 saves, and 2.78 ERA in 74 1/3 innings.

I would guess the Red Sox will use him as either the 8th inning or closer next season.

After last season's debacle in September, I figured Weiland had no future in Boston. And Lowrie not gets a chance to play every day in Houston, if he can ever stay healthy.

And to take Lowrie's place, the Sox signed utility infielder Nick Punto to a two-year deal, at a total of $3 million.

I Guess The Mets Aren't Very Good At Arithmetic

2011-12-14T11:42:00.008-05:00

The Mets are having their 50th anniversary season in 2012, and will be wearing the patch on the bottom left. That's all well and fine, as teams should honor their major anniversaries. (Don't know if the Red Sox will wear a patch for their 100th anniversary of Fenway Park, but I bet they will.)

This got me to thinking that the Mets wore a 25th anniversary patch for the 1986 season, but wasn't something wrong with that? If 2012 is the 50th anniversary season for the Mets, shouldn't 1987 have been their 25th anniversary year? When I went to school, 1962 + 25 = 1987. 1986 was the Mets 25th season, and their 24th anniversary year, just as 2012 is the Mets 51st season, and their 50th anniversary year.

Using the logic they did back in '86, 2012 should be the Mets 51st anniversary.

As any Mets fan can tell you, Mets management just doesn't seem to be very good at math these days.

Tek: Please Retire

2011-12-13T16:54:00.004-05:00

The Red Sox announced they have come to terms with former Rays,Indians and Red Sox catcher Kelly Shoppach on a one-year deal. He will most likely backup Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and his presence means one thing: Jason Varitek's time in Boston is most likely over.

Shoppach didn't hit much for the Rays last season, but he did throw out 41% of all the base runners attempting to steal in 2011. (Wouldn't be nice to actually see some opposition guys thrown out at second next season?)

This surely means the road has ended for Tek. And I really hope he doesn't do what many past-their-prime athletes have done: hang on for one more year with another team after spending a successful career with just one. Think of when Joe Namath, Johnny Unitas and Dwight Evans limping to end of the line with another club instead of the one they should be remembered for.

I really hope Tek calls it a career, and begins his next one as a coach or manager. I remember Peter Gammons once saying he would definitely be managing an MLB team one day, and I tend to agree with him. Tek will be 40 in April, and it's really time he step away.

I can only thank him for being One of the 25, and his contributions to the Red Sox will live forever. I hope the Captain uses some sense and walks away with his dignity in tact, and doesn't go somewhere else just to hang on and get a paycheck. He's better than that.

And Captain, thanks always for this lasting image:
It's the way I'll always remember you.

They Need To Be Saved From The Savior

2011-12-13T10:49:00.003-05:00

It's really tough sledding being a Mets fan these days.

As a matter of full disclosure, I come from a family of devoted Mets fans, and my earliest years were filled of memories seeing the Mets at Shea Stadium. I was a huge Mets fan, but an act of heresy committed on June 15, 1977 pushed me away as a fan. You remember that: when the Franchise, Tom Seaver, was run out of town by the infamous M. Donald Grant and his minions in the press.

The Red Sox came into my life, but that's story for another time.

In the late 1970s I said I would take the Mets back when the team was sold to someone who had the first clue as to how to run an MLB franchise. And the Mets saviors appeared in the form of Nelson Doubleday and Fred Wilpon. It seemed like a new day had dawned for the Mets, as they brought in Frank Cashen as GM, who had been the brains behind those championship teams in Baltimore in the 1970s.

The Mets won a championship in 1986, and were the toasts of New York in the mid-to-late 1980s. It was great to see the Mets on top of the city again, and the Yankees be little more than an afterthought. But it didn't last, as Doubleday was bought out by Wilpon, and the Mets went horribly off the rails in the early 1990s, and they really haven't regained any of the magic that made them special a quarter-century ago.

Today the Mets have become just a bad joke. And they remind me so much of the darkest days of the franchise of the late 1970s. Remember when the daughters of the late Joan Payson, a very good baseball person, tried to run this team after Grant? I've done my best to forget them also.

The Mets need to be saved from the savior. And right now.

A dark cloud has descended on the once-proud franchise. It will not be lifted until the Wilpons have been run out of town. I won't go into all their misdeeds, as the Ponzi scheme they were involved in is well-known. But it was revealed yesterday that the Mets were granted another loan, and for $40 million. This after they couldn't pay back a $25 million loan from MLB earlier this year. They made no attempt whatsoever to sign Jose Reyes, and let him sign with the Miami Marlins. Sandy Alderson also revealed that the Mets lost a staggering $70 million last season.

It's 1979 all over again. Is this anyway to run a franchise in the nation's largest market?

Fred Wilpon and his idiot son Jeff have run the Mets into the ground and made the club a laughingstock. But since they are good pals with MLB commissioner Bud Selig, don't bet that MLB will do to them what they did to Frank McCourt and his destruction of the Dodgers. I fear that the only way the Mets can be saved is if they lose the lawsuit by Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme victims. They might finally be forced to sell the club entirely.

New York will only become a two-team town again with the Wilpons in the rear view mirror.

It simply can't happen soon enough.

Trivia Q&A: December 12

2011-12-13T00:51:00.000-05:00

Whenever we move Trivia over to a different night, it is always problematic as to how many folks will come out. But I was really pleased to see many of the regulars in the house on Monday night, as we had 13 teams in on a special Monday night edition of Trivia. (The bar will be hosting a private party on Tuesday night, hence the switch.) I thank all of you for rearranging your schedules and coming out.

We seemed to have nothing but ties in all of the first four rounds, and going into IQ Trivia, first, third and fifth place were all knotted up. But one of the teams tied for third, Santa-dusky Is Coming To Town (the Best Team Name winner), ran the table and got all five correct in the last round to jump into first place and win with 56 points. It was their first ever win on Trivia Night.

Second place went to Insert Belgian Joke with 50 points, and third place went to The Real Vicious Felony Is That Mariska Hargitay Didn't Get To Kiss John Quinn with 49 points.

We will return to Trivia on its regular day and time next week: Tuesday, December 20th at 9 PM.

Current Events
1. What TV actress slammed Newt Gingrich and his plan to have poor kids serve as janitors on her Twitter account last week?
2. Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin was recently kicked off a plane after getting into an argument with a flight attendant from what airline over his using his iPad?
3. South Carolina Republicans briefly considered selling the "naming rights" to its 2012 presidential primary after TV talk show host?
4. What European country finally swore in a new government last week after 541 days of negotiations?
5. Randy Babbitt, the head of what federal agency, resigned last week, three days after being arrested for drunk driving?
6. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was one of three people to win the Nobel Peace Prize last weekend. What African country is she president of?
7. What TV series attempted to film an episode in Lower Manhattan last Friday based on the Occupy Wall Street movement, but real OWS people shut it down and forced the NYPD to revoke the show's filming permit?

Q-Tip Trivia
1. Which of the following countries are located in the continent of Africa? a. Guyana; b. Mozambique; c. Mynamar; d. Benin.
2. Which NFL teams have never won a Super Bowl? a. Tampa Bay Bucs; b. New Orleans Saints; c. Jacksonville Jaguars; d. Philadelphia Eagles.
3. Which of the following states has been the site of the birth of a US president? a. New Jersey; b. Connecticut; c. Wyoming; d. Kentucky.
4. Which of the following bands were recently elected to the 2012 class at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? a. Guns N' Roses; b. Kiss; c. Rush; d. The Moody Blues.
5. Which of the following films from the 2000s were nominated for the Best Picture Academy Award? a. Erin Brockovich; b. Gangs of New York; c. The Queen; d. Avatar.
6. Which of the current TV shows are broadcast on HBO? a. Boardwalk Empire; b. Hung; c. Mad Men; d. The Closer.
7. Which of the following planets are smaller in size than Earth? a. Neptune; b. Uranus; c. Saturn; d. Mars.

True or False Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. More people are killed by donkeys annually than are killed in plane crashes.
2. Almost half the paper currency in the circulation in the US at the end of the Civil War was counterfeit.
3. The US is the second largest country in area, after Russia.
4. "The Godfather Part II" was the first sequel to win the Best Picture Oscar.
5. Tornadoes rarely move at speeds greater than 40 MPH.
6. Pasta originated in Italy.
7. Elvis Presley had a black-belt in karate.
8. The abbreviation for the state of Missouri is MS.
9. Ludwig van Beethoven composed only one opera in his lifetime.
10. The "S" in Harry S. Truman stands for nothing.

General Knowledge
1. Who was the fifth President of the United States? ( 1 pt)
2. If the temperature is 32 degrees Fahrenheit, how many degrees Celsius is it? ( 1 pt)
3. Prague is the capital of what European country? ( 1 pt)
4. What rock band disbanded in 1980 after the death of its drummer John Bonham? ( 2 pt)
5. What is the term for three consecutive strikes in ten-pin bowling? ( 2 pt)
6. What is the only city in the world located on two continents? ( 2 pt)
7. The 2010-11 "Jasmine Revolution" took place in what North African country? ( 3 pt)

IQ Trivia
1. Until 1841, what country maintained a settlement in Sonoma County, California called Fort Ross? ( 4 points)
2. The alter-ego of what superhero worked as a freelance photographer at the Daily Bugle newspaper? ( 3 points)
3. What object does a selenologist study? ( 5 points)
4. Charles Carroll, the only Roman Catholic to sign the Declaration of Independence, represented what US state? ( 4 points)
5. Ganymede is the largest moon of what planet? ( 4 points)

Answers
Current Events
1. Eva Longoria; 2. American Airlines; 3. Stephen Colbert; 4. Belgium; 5. FAA; 6. Liberia; 7. "Law and Order SVU."

Q-Tip Trivia
1. b,d; 2. c,d; 3. a,b,d; 4. a; 5. all; 6. a,b; 7.d.

True or False Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. true; 2. true; 3. false, Canada; 4. true; 5. true; 6. false, China; 7. true; 8. false, MO; 9. true; 10. true.

General Knowledge
1. James Monroe; 2. zero; 3. Czech Republic; 4. Led Zeppelin; 5. turkey; 6. Istanbul; 7. Tunisia.

IQ Trivia
1. Russia; 2. Spiderman; 3. The moon; 4. Maryland; 5. Jupiter.

Can Someone Please Explain This To Me?

2011-12-11T20:05:00.007-05:00

Why in the world does CBS schedule "60 Minutes" at 7 PM on Sunday nights during the NFL season, when the games that begin at 4:15 PM (and WHY 4:15 PM for crying out loud??) rarely ever end before three hours?

Absolutely inane. And it plays havoc with the DVR.

Has anyone explained this to the boneheads who run CBS? "60 Minutes" started 42 minutes late tonight, and EVERY Sunday night it starts late with a post-4 PM game.

Anyway, it was another rotten day for the Minnesota Vikings today. No Adrian Peterson again, and Christian Ponder was gutting it out with a sore hip. It appeared they were going to be blown out of their socks today in Detroit, as the Lions ran out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter, and I had visions of the Lions scoring 50 or more points.

But the Vikings showed some guts. It was a terrible day for Ponder, who was picked off three times and lost a fumble in the end zone for a TD. He was pulled in the third quarter with the score at 28-14, and Joe Webb came on and pumped some life in the team, and led them to 2 TDs, one of which he ran for 65 yards.

It was 34-28 in the final minutes, and Webb led the Vikes down the field, and got them to the one yard line with 9 seconds to play. They actually had a shot to win, and the last time the Vikings came from 21 points down to win was in December 1985 when they beat the Eagles. But Webb fumbled on the next play and the ball was recovered by the Vikings as the clock ran out. The Lions got away with a facemask penalty on the play, which would have extended the game by one more play with the Vikes getting the ball inside the one.

It was the 8th Vikings loss by seven points or less. They are now 2-11, with three more games before the 2011 season comes to a merciful end. All that remains is whether they will match their worst record in team history at 3-13, or even be worse than that at 2-14.

Ugh.

Q-Tip On a Special Monday Night

2011-12-11T11:34:00.003-05:00

We will be having a special Monday night edition of Trivia Night at Professor Thom's tomorrow, due to a party the bar will be hosting on Tuesday night. And we will be having Trivia at a special time as well: 8:30 PM. (We will go back to the usual day and time next week, on December 20th at 9 PM.)

This week we will have "Q-Tip Trivia" as the Special Category, and that is when I ask you seven general knowledge, multiple choice questions, and the answer can be 1, 2, 3, all 4, or none correct. You have to decide which are true and you get a point for each correct answer. However, if you make a wrong choice, you automatically get no points for that question. So you have to be careful.

The Q Train lightning round will be "True or False Trivia."

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
"What is the term for three consecutive strikes in ten-pin bowling?"

We get started tomorrow a little earlier, at 8:30 PM. We go back to normal next Tuesday at 9 PM, and will stay at that day and time for the foreseeable future. And next week will be our special Christmas edition of Trivia. But I do hope to see many of you that can make it in tomorrow night.

Occupy SVU

2011-12-10T11:12:00.002-05:00

I don't talk very much on this blog about my background acting gigs, as I do most of that on my Facebook page. (No real reason for that, it's just worked out that way.) But yesterday, I was called on to be an extra on the TV show, "Law and Order: SVU", which I have done four times in the past, the most recent was in October of 2010. I've always enjoyed doing the show, as it's always a good shoot.

The "Law and Order" people were doing their "Occupy Wall Street" episode, and I was suppose to be an OWS protester. As we were doing another scene on Chambers Street early in the morning, one of the production assistants told me that the OWS scene had been canceled. After the scene was done, I checked on my brand new iPhone, and a friend of mine had sent me a link from the New York Times that the scene had been cut because real-life OWS people had invaded the set and had occupied it.

I knew this was going to be an interesting day, but I didn't think it would take this bizarre twist.

The word got out on Thursday night that the show was filming in Foley Square on Friday, and about 100 protesters invaded the set and would not leave. That is, until the NYPD arrived and ordered everyone to leave, and the city had rescinded the producers' permit to film there. I'm guessing they feared real trouble there on Friday when the filming would have started.

In an interesting twist, one of the show's executive producers wrote on Twitter (since deleted; see above link for more) that the protesters would have been shown in a sympathetic light in the episode. (I heard that the show revolved around a city councilman who gets involved with one of the OWS protesters and is accused of rape. Not sure if that is 100% true or not.)

I really haven't talked about this subject, but I can honestly say I don't get these OWS protesters. I'm still trying to find some kind of point to all these "encampments." I was going to play one of them on TV on Friday, but that didn't happen. Actually, they got me out of more work, as I would have been on the set far longer on Friday in the chilly weather. So I guess I should be thanking them. I suppose.

31

2011-12-08T12:10:00.002-05:00

The night of December 8, 1980 was one of the worst of my life. I can't believe 31 years have passed since.

We miss you always, John.

Here's one of my favorite solo John songs, about the city we both love:

Papi Returns As Pujols Sells His Soul

2011-12-08T11:54:00.003-05:00

David Ortiz will return for a 10th season with the Red Sox, as he officially accepted arbitration by last night's midnight deadline.

He and the Red Sox can still negotiate a two-year deal up until the arbitration case is heard, which figures to be in February. The Red Sox haven't had an arbitration case since 2002. So I would bet a new deal with Papi will get done at some point.

The Red Sox also today revealed many of the things they plan to do in honor of Fenway Park's 100th anniversary. Check here to see some of them.

And today the big news is that Albert Pujols has decided where he wants to play in 2012 and beyond. It is not St. Louis.

It's Anaheim, with the L.A. Angels. The deal is said to be around $250-260 million for ten years.

So much for Pujols caring about his legacy as being one of the "all-time great Cardinals." I'm sure Redbird fans are feeling betrayed today. Listen, if he wants to go for the big money, so be it. It's his right. But I don't want to hear the words "it wasn't about the money" when the Angels introduce him at the press conference. I would actually have had more respect for Pujols if he had accepted a smaller offer from the Cardinals to remain with the team for life. It would have reminded me of Kirby Puckett turning down more lucrative offers from the Red Sox and White Sox in the early 1990s to stay in Minnesota with the Twins for the remainder of his career. And you can see how revered he is in the Twin Cities, and always will be.

I hope you enjoy the additional money, Albert. You just trashed your legacy.

Trivia Q&A: December 6

2011-12-07T01:56:00.001-05:00

We had a terrific turnout at Professor Thom's on another rainy night in Manhattan. (Does it rain every Tuesday night now?) 20 teams took in the Trivia, which included my friend and devoted Trivia regular Gillian, fresh off her appearance on Jeopardy last Thursday.

We had close scores all night, and they were pretty strong in both Even Numbered Trivia and General Knowledge. Four points separated the top five teams going into IQ Trivia, but the team in first, No Cain Do, got 4 of the 5 questions correct to win the night with 51 points. Nice job by Emily and her friends, as always.

Second place went to Did Jim's Small Heart Grow 3 Sizes Today, Or Is He Just Happy To See Me? won a tiebreaker to take second place with 49 points. Third place went to Mysterious Black Boxes, also with 49 points. (And the pitcher of beer is yours on your next Trivia Night!)

Best Team Name: I Saw Professor Thom's Trivia Guy at the Strip Club Last Night...Busted!

A reminder that next week's Trivia Night will be on Monday, December 12th at 8:30 PM, due to a party in the bar next Tuesday night. We will return to Tuesday night on December 20th at 9 PM.

Current Events
1. The UK government recently expelled all diplomats from what country out of England?
2. What 16-term Congressman announced last week he will not seek re-election in 2012?
3. What airline, the world's fourth largest, recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection?
4. A rare and pristine copy of the first appearance of what comic book superhero set a new record last week for the most money ever paid for a single comic book: $2.16 million?
5. 200 pieces of jewelry worth over $50 million will go up for auction at Christie's, along with other memorabilia from what late actress next week?
6. What prestigious New England university was recently selected by Unigo as "the best place to go to college in the United States?"
7. A class at Georgetown University is being offered this semester about which popular rap star?

December 6th Trivia
1. On this day in 1790, the US Congress moved from New York City to what other city?
2. In 1865, slavery was officially banned by what number amendment to the US Constitution?
3. In 1917, Finland declared their independence from what country?
4. On this day in 1973, who was confirmed by the House of Representatives as the 40th Vice-President of the United States?
5. In 1933, which novel by James Joyce was ruled bot to be obscene by a US federal judge?
6. In 1969, Meredith Hunter was stabbed to death by the Hell's Angels at a concert by what rock band at Altamont Speedway in California?
7. In 1992, what Hall of Fame wide receiver broke Steve Largent's record for touchdowns receiving in a career with his 101st?

Even Numbered Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. The pearl wedding anniversary is this number of years.
2. To the closest round number, a marathon is this number of miles.
3. Arizona is this number US state.
4. The current Pope, Benedict, is this number.
5. Cancer is this number sign of the Zodiac.
6. This is the freezing point of water at sea level in degrees Fahrenheit.
7. This is the total number of days in a fortnight.
8. This number was retired throughout MLB in honor of Jackie Robinson.
9. The highest number on a standard dartboard is this number.
10. This is the approximate total number of grams in an ounce.

General Knowledge
1. Gavin McLeod played Captain Merrill Stubing in what hit TV series? ( 1 pt)
2. What is the official name for the tick-like logo of the Nike sports company? ( 1 pt)
3. What color is Pac Man in the classic video game? ( 1 pt)
4. Elton John won an Oscar for the song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight," which was featured in what movie? ( 2 pt)
5. Faber College was the setting for what 1978 film? ( 2 pt)
6. What battle is commemorated by Nelson's Column in London? ( 2 pt)
7. What is the largest state in area in Australia? ( 3 pt)

IQ Trivia
1. "The Bridal Chorus," also known as "Here Comes The Bride," comes from an opera by what classical composer? (4 points)
2. What nation became the second independent country in North and South America, after the United States? ( 5 points)
3. Becky Thatcher was the sweetheart of what famous literary character? ( 4 points)
4. The murder of Laura Palmer was the centerpiece of what 1990s TV series? ( 3 points)
5. FBI agent Robert Ressler is credited with inventing what two-word "crime term" in the 1970s? ( 4 points)

Answers
Current Events
1. Iran; 2. Barney Frank; 3. American Airlines; 4. Superman; 5. Elizabeth Taylor; 6. Boston University; 7. Jay-Z.

December 6th Trivia
1. Philadelphia; 2. thirteen; 3. Russia; 4. Gerald Ford; 5. "Ulysses;" 6. The Rolling Stones; 7. Jerry Rice.

Even Numbered Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. 30; 2. 26; 3. 48; 4. 16; 5. 4; 6. 32; 7. 14; 8. 42; 9. 20; 10. 28.

General Knowledge
1. "The Love Boat;" 2. swoosh; 3. yellow; 4. "The Lion King:" 5. "Animal House;" 6. Trafalgar; 7. Western Australia.

IQ Trivia
1. Richard Wagner; 2. Haiti; 3. Tom Sawyer; 4. "Twin Peaks;" 5. serial killer.

Trading Places

2011-12-06T13:31:00.004-05:00

I knew Tito was going take a year away from the dugout.

And that's what Terry Francona will be doing, as he will be the third man in the booth on ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball" with Dan Shulman and Orel Hershiser. Tito will also be doing some baseball analysis during "Baseball Tonight" and other ESPN baseball shows. On Sunday Night Baseball, he replaces, of course, Bobby Valentine.

Who replaced Terry Francona in the Red Sox dugout.

That first Sunday night game involving the Red Sox should be more than an interesting game, to say the least.

My Thanks To Josie Wood's

2011-12-06T13:14:00.004-05:00

It is with regret that I announce that Wednesday Night Trivia at Josie Wood's pub will no longer be happening. The bar manager and I mutually decided to suspend it, as we were not getting the crowds we had hoped for. We gave it six months, and I'm sorry it just didn't work out.

I thank everyone at Josie Wood's for the opportunity. Martin and his staff run a very good bar, and I was treated very well there. I encourage all of you to go there, at Waverly Place and Mercer Street.

Tuesday Night Trivia at Professor Thom's continues to bring in the big crowds, and I encourage all of you to come tonight, and every Tuesday. (However, we will doing Trivia next week on Monday, December 12th at 8:30 PM, due to party at Thom's on Tuesday. We go back to our normal Tuesday nights on December 20th at 9 PM.)

Time To Get Even On Tuesday

2011-12-05T11:47:00.003-05:00

On Tuesday night, Professor Thom's Trivia will have "December 6th Trivia," seven questions about the day in history, as the Special Category, and "Even Numbered Trivia" as the Q Train lightning round. Every answer will be an even number between 1 and 50.

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
"Faber College was the setting for what 1978 film?"

We get going shortly after 9 PM on Tuesday night. A note about next week. Due to a party being held at Professor Thom's on Tuesday, December 13th, we will be having Trivia Night next week on Monday night, December 12th, and at a special time of 8:30 PM. We will return to our usual Tuesday night edition on December 20th at 9 PM.

Fox Ruins Football, Too

2011-12-04T16:31:00.007-05:00

I watched the Vikings-Broncos game today on Fox, as it was broadcast locally here in New York. It turned into a great game between two young QBs who know each other well: Christian Ponder of Florida State versus Tim Tebow of Florida.

Ponder has harrassed all day by the Denver defense, and injured his hip early on. But the kid showed a lot of guts, and set the Vikings rookie record for most yards thrown in a game: 381 yards. He went 29-for-47, with three TDs, two to Percy Harvin. But he threw two costly interceptions.

One was brought back for a TD in the first quarter, and the other happened inside two minutes to play with the game tied at 29. Denver brought the ball down to the five yard line and ran the clock down to two seconds, before kicking the game-winning field goal for a 35-32 win.

A heartbreaking loss for the Vikings, and it was their 10th loss of 2011. Tebow threw two clutch TDs in the second half, and torched the lousy Vikings secondary on both occasions.

But the title of this post refers to the Fox network, who broadcast the game. I knew the network would have to leave the contest if it was still going on by 4:15 PM, as the Giants-Packers game was to follow. TV has those rules about the home market, and that is fine, and I have no problem with that.

The problem I have if that Fox always pulls this crap of not leaving when the late game is kicking off, but BEFORE the game starts, and today they left at 4:11 PM, a full four minutes before the Giants game started. They left the Vikings game just when the Broncos tied it at 32, just inside of two minutes to play. They left to show FOUR BLOODY MINUTES OF COMMERCIALS!! That really pisses me off, as you can read.

I've ranted on this blog about this crap before. (And I'm sure I will again.) Today I was fortunate to have NFL RedZone (which I highly recommend), and I saw most of the plays that ended the game, including the game-winning field goal.

Absolutely no excuse for screwing over fans like this. Only one way to sum it up: Money talks, bullshit walks.

See You In Cooperstown, Petey

2011-12-04T11:05:00.007-05:00

Pedro Martinez, One of the 25, said yesterday that he plans to formally announce his retirement from MLB within the next few weeks. He last pitched for the Phillies in 2009, so I'm surprised it's taken Pedro this long to realize his career was over.

His next stop will be in Cooperstown, New York in the summer of 2015, when he is inducted into the Hall of Fame. To honor the Great Pedro, I present this clip from September 10, 1999, when he pitched the greatest game I have ever seen in my life. Pedro was at his all-time best (and should have been MVP that year, as we all know a jackass of a sportswriter left him off his ballot that cost him the award). He beat the Yankees (who just happened to be the defending champions), 3-1, striking out 17. He allowed just a home run to Chili Davis in the second inning, and that was it for New York. The most incredible fact of the night was this: Scott Brosius popped to third base in the fifth inning to start the inning, and he was the last Yankee to hit a fair ball. He retired the following 14 batters in order: 12 on strikeouts, and 2 on foul outs. Simply unbelievable.

Enjoy your retirement, Pedro. And thanks for all the great memories. Especially 2004.