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Top 25 sports acquisitions in Boston sports history

Jeb Fisher — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:43:00 GMT

Yesterday, we began this countdown by ranking numbers 25 through 11. Today, we hit the top 10 trade acquisitions in Boston sports history.

To recap, this list is not an examination of the best Boston trades, but rather, the best players yielded from a trade. Players who were drafted using a “trade acquired” pick were not considered, as they were technically drafted by a Boston team.

10) Kevin Garnett
July 31, 2007: Acquired from Timberwolves for 5 players (including Al Jefferson) and a 1st round draft pick.
He’s the first player in NBA History to reach at least 20,000 points, 11,000 rebounds, 4,000 assists, 1,200 steals, and 1,500 blocks in his playing career. KG’s addition transformed the Celtics from a seemingly perpetual “building phase” team into the class off the NBA and in turn, confirmed Boston as America’s current sports capital. Red would have loved him.

9) Jimmie Foxx
December 10, 1935: Traded by the Philadelphia Athletics with Johnny Marcum to the Boston Red Sox for Gordon Rhodes, George Savino (minors), and $150,000.
Foxx averaged 40 HR and 162 RBI while hitting in the .330s in the five seasons after he joined the Red Sox. In 1938 (his second MVP season), his 175 RBI were 29 more than the second place MLB finisher. “Double X’s” .429 on-base percentage and .605 slugging percentage ranks only behind Ted Williams in club history.

8) Cam Neely
June 6, 1986: The Vancouver Canucks traded Cam Neely and its first-round draft pick to the Boston Bruins for Barry Pederson.
No. 8 - how fitting! Neely was the prototype for the modern power forward. He twice led the Bruins to the Cup finals and led the team in scoring seven times, including three campaigns with fifty or more goals. The hall of famer embodies the tough, physical nature that symbolizes Bruins hockey.

6 and 7) Josh Beckett/Mike Lowell
Traded by the Florida Marlins with Josh Beckett and Guillermo Mota to the Boston Red Sox for Hanley Ramirez, Anibal Sanchez, Harvey Garcia, and Jesus Delgado.
I know, I know- I’m really laying it on thick with the superlatives in this list, but what’s a blogger to do? We’re dealing with some heavy hitters here. I’m about to bust out another one: This is the best pair of baseball players EVER landed in a single trade. (I may be wrong here. If you have a better pair, please comment. The Joe Carter/ Roberto Alomar to the Jays deal in 1990 is a contender, for sure.) Bottom line-The Red Sox nab one of the game’s true aces in his prime and a clubhouse leading vet who proceeds to post an MVP-caliber season in a World Series championship season. It’s huge.

5) Johnny Bucyk
June 10, 1957: Acquired by Bruins from Detroit (with cash) for Terry Sawchuk.
The “Chief”, who still travels with the Black and Gold has been a part of the Bruins for an unprecedented 50 consecutive years. He finished his playing career as the fourth-leading point scorer in league history and won two Stanley Cups with the Bruins.

4) Robert Parish
Red Auerbach dealt the top pick and an additional first-round pick to the Golden State Warriors for Parish and the Warriors' first-round pick, the third overall. With that pick the Celtics chose Kevin McHale.
I ran this list by a friend, who was surprised that 1) McHale isn’t included here and 2) the “Chief” is listed this high. That person is now on “friend probation” until further review. First, McHale was drafted by the Celtics. Second, Parish is second in Celtics franchise history in games, rebounds and blocks. He is third in Cs history in minutes, field goals, shooting percentage and steals! Did I mention that he won three rings? His 1,611 NBA games played is a record that may never be broken.

3) Phil Esposito
May 15, 1967: Traded to the Bruins by Chicago with Ken Hodge and Fred Stanfield for Pit Martin, Jack Norris, and Gilles Marotte.
As a Bruin, Esposito scored 40 or more goals in seven straight seasons. He netted 50 or more in five straight seasons. In his 76-goal season of 1970-71, he tallied an amazing 76 assists for a then-league record 152 points. With Orr, Cashman, Hodge and Cheevers, Esposito was integral in bringing two Stanley Cups to the Hub.

2) Pedro Martinez
November 18, 1997: Traded by the Montreal Expos to the Boston Red Sox for a player to be named later and Carl Pavano.
The numbers suggest that he was the most dominant pitcher to ever wear a Red Sox uniform (2.52 ERA, .760 win percentage, 10.95 K/9), but the stats only tell a portion of what Pedro meant to Boston sports. After a decade of mediocrity at Fenway Park, the electrifying ace ushered in the golden era of Red Sox baseball as we see it today. His starts were once-a-week holidays that re-energized what is now the city’s (and one of the sports world’s) most beloved and successful franchises. Admittedly, Pedro was a polarizing and sometimes off-putting diva off the field, but his relevance to Boston sports takes a back seat to few.

1) Bill Russell
April 29, 1956: Traded to the Celtics for Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan after being drafted 2nd overall by the Atlanta Hawks.
Easy choice. Five-time MVP; too many championship rings for his fingers; Olympic gold medalist and an activist against racism. Russell is considered the best defender to ever play the game and the first African-American head coach in the post-Depression era of any major American sport. I’d hate to be the guy who traded him.

Did I miss someone? (Andy Moog was bumped by Jackie Jensen.) Is someone too high or too low on this countdown (I really battled with a couple of these.) Let me know by leaving a comment below.

Top 25 trade acquisitions in Boston sports history

Jeb Fisher — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:53:00 GMT

While recently enjoying some delicious, but overpriced beverages and watching Kevin Garnett and the Celtics casually destroy the Orlando Magic at the Garden, my friend Greg screamed at me from a few seats down, “Hey! KG: greatest Boston trade acquisition of all-time!?”

Thus began a steady text message stream of worthy candidates for (cue the "Rocky Theme" and announcer voice) “The Greatest Trade Acquisitions in Boston Sports History ... istory ... istory!”

To avoid confusion, let’s begin with the ground rules:
- This isn’t a post about “best trades”. This list is completely discouting who left Boston in these deals and only focusing on the quality of the player(s) who came to Boston.
- Players who were acquired via free agency are out. This list is dedicated to the players who Boston teams acquired in trades.
- No players that were drafted by a Boston team are on this list. That includes players drafted with a pick that was traded for (i.e., no Kevin McHale on this list).

We’ll break the countdown into two parts: No. 25 through 11 today, and then we’ll post the top 10 tomorrow…

25. Jackie Jensen
December 9, 1953: Traded by the Washington Senators to the Boston Red Sox for Mickey McDermott and Tom Umphlett
Jensen won the 1958 AL MVP with the Sox, hitting .286 with 35 homers and 122 RBI. He also won the 1959 AL Gold Glove award while playing right field. Random Trivia: Jensen was the first person to play in both the Rose Bowl and the World Series.

24. & 23. Orlando Cabrera and Doug Mientkiewicz
July 31, 2004: Four-team trade deadline swap sent Nomar Garciaparra to the Cubs
As players, these two don’t really belong among the others on this list. However, their arrival sparked the second half surge that led the Sox to their first World Series title in 86 years.

22. Corey Dillon
April 20, 2004: Patriots acquired the then 29-year old Dillon from the Bengals for a second round draft pick
In his first season with the Pats, Dillon churned out the best season by any back in team history (1635 yards, 12 rushing touchdowns). He punched in 37 touchdowns in his three seasons in New England. He also scored in all four postseason games he played in.

21. Nate “Tiny” Archibald
August 4, 1978: Celtics sent Kevin Kunnert, Kermit Washington, Sidney Wicks and the rights to Freeman Williams to Califonia and received Nate `Tiny` Archibald, Marvin Barnes, Billy Knight and the Braves' ’81 and ’83 second rounders
"Tiny" averaged 8.2 assists in his five seasons in green and was the floor leader on the champion ’80-’81 Celtics. He was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 1991.

20. Ken Hodge
May 15, 1967: Traded to Boston from Chicago with Phil Esposito and Fred Stanfield for Gilles Marotte, Pit Martin and Jack Norris
One of the only British-born (and more under-appreciated) athletes in Boston history, Hodge was a three-time All-Star with the B's. He twice topped the 100-point mark while playing on the Phil Esposito-Wayne Cashman line of the mid-70s.

19. Ray Allen
June 29, 2007: Acquired Allen from Seattle for Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak and the rights to the 2007 NBA Draft's No. 5 overall pick (Georgetown forward Jeff Green), Boston also got the rights to the Sonics' 35th pick (LSU's Glen Davis)
"Jesus Shuttlesworth" is the greatest shooter of his generation and a surefire Hall of Famer. Danny Ainge’s acquisition of the seven (now eight) time All-Star was more than a stepping stone toward building the current NBA champs. By the way, he’s 71 for 77 from the free throw line this season.

18. Brad Park
November 7th, 1975: Park, Jean Ratelle and minor-leaguer Joe Zanussi were traded to Boston for Phil Esposito and defenseman Carol Vadnais
The Hall of Fame defenseman finished second in the Norris Trophy race and was named to four of his nine All-Star games while with Boston. Park scored an overtime goal to beat the Buffalo Sabres in the seventh game of the 1983 NHL Divisional Finals.

17. Dennis Eckersley
March 30, 1978: Traded by the Cleveland Indians with Fred Kendall to the Boston Red Sox for Rick Wise, Mike Paxton, Ted Cox, and Bo Diaz
Eck was 20-8 in his first season with the Sox and posted a Pedro-like 2.05 BB/9 innings in his six-plus seasons as a Boston starter. He is a member of both the Baseball and Moustache Hall of Fame.

16. Joe Cronin
October 26, 1934: Traded by the Washington Senators to the Boston Red Sox for Lyn Lary and $225,000
He’s the only player acquired via trade who’s number (4) is retired at Fenway Park. He ranks in the top 10 in the following categories: OPS, RBI, doubles and on base percentage. With 1071 wins, he’s also the club’s winningest manager. Cronin was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1956.

15. Randy Moss
April 30, 2007: Acquired by the Patriots from the Raiders for ’07 fourth round pick
At 30-years-old, the man posted the single greatest season (1493 yards, 23 TDs) by any wide receiver ever.

14. Curt Schilling
November 28, 2003: Traded by the Arizona Diamondbacks to the Boston Red Sox for Casey Fossum, Brandon Lyon, Jorge de la Rosa and Michael Goss
Schill finished second in the AL Cy Young award balloting in 2004 (21-6, 3.26 ERA) at age 37. His “bloody sock” performance in Game 6 of the ’04 ALCS was one of the grittiest and most important efforts in Boston sports history.

13. Rick Middleton
May 26, 1976: Traded to the Bruins by N.Y. Rangers for Ken Hodge, May 26, 1976
“Nifty” scored 402 goals with the Bruins, good for third most in franchise history. As reliable a Bruin scorer as there ever was, he tallied 90 or more points in every season from 1979-80 to 1983-84 and was named to three All-Star games with Boston.

12. & 11. Jason Varitek and Derek Lowe
July 31, 1997: Acquired from the Mariners for Heathcliff Slocumb
The Captain’s steady leadership has been integral to the Red Sox regular trips into October. The three-time All-Star has caught more no-hitters (4) than any other catcher in MLB history. Derek Lowe threw one of those no-nos in 2002, and went 21-8 in 2003. His emergence as a dominant starter came after saving 81 games as the team’s closer.

Three Hall of Famers, eleven world champs and fifteen multiple-time All-Stars and we’re only to number eleven! Check back in tomorrow for the top 10 trade acquisitions in Boston sports history.

Disagree with a pick? Should a player be ranked higher? Feel free to leave your comments below.

Slap shoppers

Erin Sweeney — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:38:00 GMT

The Bruins came together off the ice on Tuesday for their annual holiday toy shopping event. This year, the gift-giving run was held at Target in Woburn, Mass.

The event -- which Bruins Hall of Famer Ray Bourque started and veteran P.J. Axelsson now organizes –began with each player taking a list of requested toys and then dispersing around the store to gather gifts for children who are unable to spend Christmas at home.

We were lucky enough to accompany Shawn Thornton during his excursion.

"Is it OK to take your picture?" a middle-aged mother of two asked. "I have two young hockey players at home. They would be so excited if they knew this!"

After asking the mother how old her two sons are, Thornton replied: "Well, what do they like? Can you help me out?"

Thornton proceeded to fill his cart with plenty of gifts, thanks to a little help from a knowing mother. After Thornton jokingly threatened to knock the Bear (mascot) out, he told us what this type of event really means to him.

"Axelsson does a great job setting this up, and we are more than happy to come by here and help out,” Thornton said. “On the 16th, we're stopping by all of the hospitals, and that’s a big day where you get to see the smiles on all of the kids’ faces, so this is an hour out of our day, which is nothing compared to the joy we bring people.”

After finishing with Thornton,we continued on to find Milan Lucic excitingly trying to pick out a certain toy.

"Drum kit?” he said while shuffling through different toys. “Maybe a digital keyboard? Or do we want this one?”

Lucic settled on the keyboard.

“This one looks like a lot more fun," he concluded.

With a cartful of toys and a smile on his face, Lucic summed up the meaning of this day.

"We don't do many things off the ice together,” the 20-year-old said, showing wisdom beyond his years. “But with this, we get to run around the store, feel like kids again and throw things in the cart. This is a great tradition the Bruins have, started by Ray Bourque, and we will keep this going for many years."

On Dec. 16, the Bruins will get together once again to visit eight different hospitals in and around the Boston area to distribute the toys.

Between all the hits, fights and intense play on the ice, the Boston Bruins understand what’s really important during the holiday season -- giving back.

The offseason beat

Jeb Fisher — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:47:00 GMT

As you may have heard, the Red Sox' bullpen/percussion rhythm section has grown in the last two weeks with the addition of right-handers Ramon Ramirez, Wes Littleton and 22-year old Japanese import Junichi Tazawa. While it remains to be seen how skilled these three are at pounding out tribal melodies, they are all intriguing relievers who will contend for key bullpen roles with the '09 club.

This surplus of late-inning arms (along with Manny Delcarmen, Hideki Okajima, Javier Lopez and David Aardsma) begs the question: What will the talented Justin Masterson's role be next season? He's the only name in the mix who has succeeded in providing valuable innings out of the 'pen and the rotation. The 22-year old was the first Red Sox pitcher since 1912 to make his first four consecutive starts in Fenway Park and not lose any of them.

Regardless of his future assignments, Masterson is enjoying his first winter as a major leaguer. He took a few minutes to check in with NESN.com.

Jeb Fisher: What sort of non-baseball activities do you catch up on in the offseason?

Justin Masterson: Well, the biggest thing for me is to take as much time as I can and spend it with family, because the season doesn't allow for much of that and I always enjoying seeing friends and family. But aside from that, I try and do as little as possible, except when it comes to training.

Since I'm always on the move and doing things during the season, I like to slow it down and maybe do a little cooking here and there. My home is back in the Midwest, and it's different than Boston in that it's not as big, more suburbs. It's a nice area, though, full of trees and some rolling hills. Has a nice lake just down the road.

JF: Which Sox players do you most keep in touch with in the winter months?

JM: You spend so much time together that the offseason is a nice break, but there are a few text messages sent here and there. I keep in touch with many of my really close friends who I came up with through the minor leagues -- such as Michael Bowden, T.J. Large, Daniel Bard, Ryan Khoury and Travis Beasley. There are texts sent throughout, but everyone is getting back to their families and are quite busy

JF: Has your rookie season "hit you" yet? You've seen so much in the last six months. Have you had a chance to reflect on it yet?

JM: With every new person I see who has followed my season, I get a chance to relive what took place as they give me their take on what happened. But it was a lot of fun, and things worked out great. I never would have thought it would have taken place like it did, but I'm very thankful that it did. I hope that I can continue to build off of that year and just keep getting better. All around, it was one of the neatest experiences that I have had in my life.

JF: Have you bought yourself any substantial "treats" now that you are a major leaguer? Maybe a new ride? Anything like that?

JM: I'd have to say that I haven't got myself anything at all since I've been in pro ball. Well, I did just purchase a nice-sized TV, and that would be the only gift that I've bought myself. But it has given me a chance to give some money away as gifts to people and organizations which is great. I'm a simple man with simple pleasures. Who I was is who I am and who I will continue to be.

JF: Spring training is only a few months away. Specifically, what are you looking to improve upon during your offseason?

JM: I just want to continue to get in shape and be ready for another season. I now have an understanding of what the season is like and what to expect. I'm just going to build on what I did, similar to what took place last year throughout the season. Always trying to get better in all aspects of the game.

Red Sox southpaw greats

Jeb Fisher — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:58:00 GMT

With Jon Lester's outstanding season in the books and Bill Lee's recent induction into the Red Sox Hall of Fame, I wondered who the best Red Sox lefty of all time might be.

Whenever you come up with a list like this, I believe you have to break it into two groups -- those most dominant over a given span and those with the most impressive body of work.

Here are the Sox most stupendous southpaws:

Best single seasons with the Sox
No. 7: Mickey McDermott (1953)
McDermott, who looked like a malnourished giraffe, went 18-10 with a 3.01 ERA in '53. He was supposed to be the next Lefty Grove, but he never put it together beyond this season. The famous Norman Rockwell painting, "The Rookie," was based on McD's rookie call-up in 1948 when he was 19.

No. 6: Bill Lee (1973)
The 1973 season was a breakout year for Lee. Tapped as a regular starter for the first time in his career, he responded with a 17-11 record, 18 complete games and 120 strikeouts. This was the only season in Lee's 14-year career that he ever whiffed more than 100 hitters. To appreciate the Spaceman, check out his quotes.

No. 5: Robert Moses "Lefty" Grove (1937)
Grove never really had a dominant season with the Sox. He won 20 games once with Boston in '35, but he was better in 1937. That year, Grove stuck out 153 and won 17 games while posting a 3.02 ERA. Bottom line -- either 1935 or '37 could be called his best year in Boston, but neither season exhibited the greatness he showed in earlier campaigns with the Philly A's.

No. 4: Jon Lester (2008)
One could argue that his no-no against Kansas City on May 19 wasn't even his best outing of the season (his complete game at Yankee Stadium on July 3 was unbelievable.) Since the beginning of May, Lester won 15 of his remaining 19 decisions (including seven in a row over one stretch). One sort of strange fact: Lester still has yet to strike out more than 10 batters since his third MLB start (June 21, 2006). Ending this season with a 16-6 record and a 3.21 ERA (.256 OBA) at age 24 solidifies the notion that he'll be one of the AL's best for seasons to come.

No. 3: Bruce Hurst (1988)
His only All-Star campaign came in 1987, but all in all, I'll take his 18-6, 166-strikeout season in 1988 as his best. Sadly, it was also the lefty's last in Boston. Hurst's best year probably would have been the 1986 AL Championship season had he not gotten hurt -- he posted a 2.99 ERA in 25 starts.

No. 2: Mel Parnell (1949)
For some reason, his nickname was "Dusty." If anyone knows why, keep it to yourself. Mel's best season was undoubtedly 1949. He went 25-7 with a 2.77 ERA. Those numbers would stand up in any era. He only struck out 122 in 295 innings, but he completed, wait for it ... 27 games in 33 starts. Let's not rain on my parade with any of those "well, that’s what they did back in those days" arguments.

No. 1: Babe Ruth (1916)
At the age of 21, Ruth started 41 games, and went 23-12. His 170 strikeouts were third in the AL and his 6.4 hits allowed per nine innings was far and away the best in the league. Ruth's 1.70 ERA was also the best in the Junior Circuit. Downside, he only hit three homers. "No, No Nanette" was a bad play, and Ruth's '16 season was the best ever by a Sox southpaw.

Best careers with the Sox
No. 5: Bill Lee (1969-1978)
The Spaceman got his nickname when, looking at the Green Monster for the first time, he asked: "Do they leave it there during games?" He also admitted to sprinkling marijuana on his cereal. Aside from his wacky behavior, Lee won 94 games while losing 68 for the Red Sox in his decade in Boston. This lefty also won 17 games in three straight seasons as the Sox contended in the mid-seventies.

No. 4: Lefty Grove (1934-1941)
Admittedly, Grove's best years were behind him when he came to Fenway (he was the MVP in 1931), but the guy was still awesome for the Sox as he closed out the last eight seasons of his career in Boston. He was 41 when it was all said and done, compiling a 105-62 record. He was inducted into Cooperstown in 1947.

No. 3: Babe Ruth (1914-1919)
Ruth was 89-46 with the Sox in six years. His career ERA was 2.28. Even in the Deadball Era, these numbers are great. Despite what you may have heard, he retired after a tidy career as a dependable starter for the Sox.

No. 2: Bruce Hurst (1980-1988)
Hurst is not only the best Sox lefty of the last thirty years. He's also one of the finest pitchers in Boston history. His 88 wins place him 19th on the Sox' all-time list. More impressively, his 1,043 K's are the most by any lefty to wear a Red Sox uniform. I was surprised by how high he is on this list (sixth) – right behind El Tiante and ahead of Joe Wood, Bill Monboquette and Jim Lonborg.

No. 1: Mel Parnell (1947-1956)
Parnell played every game of his major league career for the Red Sox and is the club's all-time winningest lefty (123-75). The team's ace and workhorse during the Ted Williams era, he actually saved three games in the same season he threw 21 complete games. Different era, I know, but still -- he's the best lefty in Sox history.

Honorable mention
Sparky Lyle: He was a quality reliever as a rookie on the 1967 "Impossible Dream" team, posting a 2.28 ERA in 27 appearances, and was the team's bullpen ace for the next few seasons. He was much better as a Yankee. I think it had to do with growing a moustache that Jason Giambi can only dream of.

Dick Ellsworth: Went 16-7 for the 1968 Sox. He was nicknamed "Tricky Dick" after he bit a chunk of flesh out of Dick Williams' cheek. Clearly, I made that up. Just seeing if you are still reading.

Gary Peters: Won 16 games for the 1970 Sox. Congratulations, Gary, you made someone's blog. That’s likely a first.

Frankie Viola: Well past his prime, the three-time All-Star managed to win 24 games for the Sox between 1992 and 1993, when he posted impressive ERAs of 3.44 and 3.14, respectively.

From C's to B's

Sean Thorp — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 14:47:00 GMT

West Coast games are never good for Eastern sports fans. A 10 p.m. start is not ideal for sleep-loving humans that work a normal nine-to-five gig. Many dedicated Bruins fans forwent bed Tuesday night to watch the Bruins in Vancouver. But seeing how the final horn wasn’t going to sound until a half-hour after midnight, NESN opted not to produce a postgame show for the Bruins. As a producer of the postgame show, I had the night off.

With the Celtics' season opener and the Bruins game to follow, I was looking forward to my night off from watching sports at work to have a night of watching sports from home. With the Celtics beginning a campaign to defend their championship and the Bruins looking to continue the momentum from Tim Thomas’ shutout Monday night, it had the makings of an enjoyable night as a Boston sports fan. A little before eight, it was time to hand out some hardware on Causeway Street.

The ceremony began with the unceremonious booing of NBA commissioner David Stern. I’m not exactly sure what prompted the fans to boo Stern. Whatever the reason, Stern only needs to think of the week Bud Selig is having, battling bad weather and bad calls, to feel good by comparison.

Next, it’s the moment we've all been waiting for -- the owners receiving their rings. Wyc Grousbeck and ... um ... two other guys. You have to have produced at least two classic 80's sitcoms to get any love as a minority owner in this town.

As a side note, as long as we are on the subject of Red Sox ownership, they have some challenging decisions to make this offseason if they want to add a third ring to their fingers. Jason Varitek might replace the MacBook Pro as the most expensive "computer" this winter.

Tek has a lot of value behind the plate. I just don’t know if I agree with Buck Martinez that the Captain can turn VitaWater into wine. No matter how good he is calling the game, can we really handle another season of the Commodore 64 in the batter’s box? Any chance Varitek would want to become a well-paid pitching coach next season?

The Celtics rings are very simple (well ... by blinged-out championship ring standards). They are made of 14-karat white gold, have a total of 92 diamonds and emeralds, with an emerald shamrock on top. Simple. Engraved on one side of the ring is the word "Ubuntu," the Zulu word for “9=8.”

As Kevin Garnett receives his ring, I’m reminded of why he is so much fun to watch. The guy exudes joy. Besides, his Comcast and EA Sports’ NBA Live ads alone are enough reason to go out and buy a KG uniform.

The final player to get his jewelry is the Captain. Paul Pierce wore his emotions on his sleeve, and no one in the building is more deserving than him. He was a leather coat away at the Buzz club from being another tragic Celtics story. Now with a ring on his finger, he is among an exclusive club of Celtics legends. It was many fans’ fear that the Truth was going to have to pull a Ray Bourque and leave Boston to grasp an elusive ring. Instead, a place in Springfield and the raising of No. 34 to the rafters at the Garden are seemingly inevitable.

As the 17th banner heads upward, U2’s "Beautiful Day" is played over the Garden speakers. The Krafts should have a cease-and-desist order against any Boston sports team using this song to celebrate a championship. If the Celtics are going to steal from other teams, they should have just gone all out and had Johnny Pesky help raise the banner.

It is great to see Marv Albert and the Czar of the Telestrator, Mike Fratello, announce the game. Someone call John Tesh, I need a little “Roundball Rock.” The third man in the booth is Reggie Miller. As he watches Sam Cassel try on his ring for the first time, I wonder if he is regretting that decision not to come out of retirement.

Things went well for Turner Sports on Tuesday night. Halfway threw the first period, no sitcoms. TBS has taken a lot of grief for the “Steve Harvey game,” and to be fair (as TBS would say), it was very funny. That said, in defense of fellow broadcasters, what happened during Game 6 of the ALCS wasn’t a result of incompetence by an individual or group, but rather the result of incredible bad luck. "There but for the grace of God go I," as they say.

I was just upset because they missed a great opportunity. If only someone in master control at TBS had grabbed a rerun of "Sex in the City" instead of "The Steve Harvey Show." It would have been fun to watch the pink hats try not to look disappointed when the game resumed.

The highlight of the first half came with about two minutes left when a blast from the past, Delonte West, threw an ally-oop pass to King James who jumped about four feet in the air before throwing it down. LeBron James played this game with a Larry O'Brien Trophy- sized chip on his shoulder.

The lowlight of the first half had to be Craig Sager's first hit -- off camera. Are you kidding me? You’re going to go to Craig Sager and deny viewers a shot of the suit? That's like listening to a Scarlett Johansson movie on the radio. In my mind’s eye, I pictured Sager in a green number that would put Lucky the Leprechaun to shame. Sadly, later in the half, we found out that Sager’s suit was understated by his standards. It will be hard to top his postseason efforts during the ALCS.

The Celtics looked dominant in the second half. Pierce dropped 27 points as the Celtics outlasted the Cavs down the stretch. King James and company’s late run fell short -- as did Lebron’s layup attempt with under a minute on the clock. With a 90-85 victory, the defending champs started the season where they left off.

As the game was ending on the parquet in Boston, the puck was about to drop on the ice in Vancouver to begin the second period, with the Bruins leading by a goal. The B’s held on to win by a score of 1-0 for the second night in a row. Thomas made 31 saves, one more than his counterpart, Roberto Luongo, who missed Michael Ryder’s wrist shot midway through the first period.

As the Bruins begin their 2008-09 campaign playing inspired hockey, one can only hope that the next banner raised at the Garden will be black and gold. The Celtics went from worst to first. The Bruins have a shorter hill to climb.

As KG said, "Anything is possibllllllllllllllllle!"

Manny levels of irony

Larry Lawson — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 04:42:00 GMT

Just a thought if the Sox win Game 7 …

Manny Ramirez's stock should go way down -- since a Boston ALCS win would mean you don't have to pay anyone a crazy amount of money to win.

While Manny is sitting at home watching the playoffs and waiting for some big contract, the Sox are contending without Manny's bat. Sure, one could argue the Sox could hypothetically have won this series in five games if Manny was still with the club, but this offensive lineup has just proved something: They can contend -- and win -- without a $20 million contract in the lineup.

This is something general managers should be soaking in. After all is said and done, Manny needs the Red Sox more than Boston needed Manny.

The Red Sox are one game away from being winners (and already deeper into the postseason than Ramirez's Dodgers made it), and Manny is sitting at home wishing he were part of this team that's once again on the verge of making history.

Red Sox Nation shouldn't be angry at Manny. We should be thanking Manny.

Thank you Manny for letting us see how worthless it would have been to make a huge bid for you.

Thanks for giving us a player like Jason Bay who epitomizes team player just by his play and mere presence in a place where you once stood.

Thank you for letting the Red Sox play a postseason without the looming thought of "Will he or won't he sign with the Red Sox next year?"

One thing is certain: It will be interesting to see how the Manny saga ends up -- especially now that he's not Boston's problem. How ironic would it be if in the end, the Red Sox, not Scott Boras, determine the worth of Manny's contract?

-- Larry Lawson

One-on-one with Karah Donovan

Mike Barry — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:39:00 GMT

The weather in and around Fenway Park can change dramatically in minutes.Will the game start on time? Be delayed? Or will it be cancelled? This time of year, that's more important than ever.

Karah Donovan of AccuWeather.com provides "Olympia Sports Presents The Boston Globe Pre-game Show" with Fenway forecasts all season long.

We caught up with Karah as the games and forecasts become more and more important.

MB: What team did you root for growing up?
KD: I grew up in Pittsburgh, Penn., so it only makes sense that I am a big Pittsburgh Pirates fan. I’ve seen them go from playing at Three Rivers Stadium as a child to watching them play at PNC Park as an adult. I would like to add that PNC is an awesome stadium due to its location in Pittsburgh, natural scenery and Primanti Brothers.

MB: What's the best part of your job?
KD: The weather affects everyone -- from wanting to know if it will rain for the game or if the next hurricane or snowstorm will impact their community. I love knowing that I am making a difference in people’s lives.

MB: What's the toughest part of your job?
KD: The toughest part of my job is not only knowing what the weather is doing now, but what it will do later today, tomorrow and even next week. Besides giving the Fenway forecast, I also record over fifty other forecasts for cities across the country, and sometime across the world.

MB: What is the toughest region to forecast?
KD: Predicting the weather for baseball games can be most challenging in Florida. Due to the sea breeze and daytime heat, the Sunshine State often has to deal with what we call “pop-up” thunderstorms. It’s trying to predict the thunderstorm’s exact timing and location that can be difficult. And even though the thunderstorms are often isolated, they can be drenching and lead to rain delays.

MB: Best city to play baseball?
KD: In terms of exciting baseball, the best city to play in is Denver, Colo. Not only is the city warm by day and comfortable by night, it provides glorious views of the Rocky Mountains, and lots of home runs. Even though the city is located in the Plains, it is situated exactly one mile above sea level where the air is thinner, making it easier for the ball to travel.

MB: What is your Red Sox playoff forecast?
KD: That’s a silly question. The Boston Red Sox will go all the way.

Four of the seven ALCS games are scheduled to be played in a domed stadium in St. Petersburg.

That's one less weather forecast for Karah to take care of ... with the Red Sox one step away from the World Series.

California gets no love

Sean Thorp — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:32:00 GMT

As the great and prolific Tupac Shakur once composed in a tribute to his home state, "Let me welcome everybody to the wild, wild West. A state that's untouchable like Elliot Ness." Except when it comes to postseason play, Massachusetts has shown the West Coast anything but "California Love."

Eight times this decade, a team from the Bay State has had the opportunity to advance by beating a team from the Golden State in the postseason -- all eight times the Bay State team has done just that. As Joe Biden would say, “Let me repeat that, all eight times.” To put that in terms Arnold Schwarzenegger voters would understand, Massachusetts teams have been the "Terminator 2", to California's "Jingle All the Way."

The dominance all started with a Patriots victory over the Raiders on a snowy day in January of 2002 with the "tuck-heard-'round-the-world." From the moment referee Walt Coleman overturned Tom Brady’s fumble -- eventually leading to Adam Vinatieri's 45-yard field goal with 27 seconds left, followed by a game-winning overtime kick -- postseason play has had an East Coast bias.

The Patriots have gone on to take down the San Diego Chargers twice, improving their record against the state to 3-0 in the postseason.

The Celtics have also added to the streak, renewing their historic rivalry against the Lakers this spring. It looked like L.A. finally was going to break the Boston groove in Game 4 of the NBA Finals at the Staples Center, but then the Celtics rallied from a 24-point deficit and beat the Lakers 97-91 to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series. The C’s never looked back and celebrated championship number 17 on the parquet floor five days later.

In postseason games, Massachusetts teams have a record of 19-5 against California, with the Red Sox doing most of the damage. The Sox beat our good friend Ken Macha’s Athletics in the 2003 ALDS, taking the series 3-2. The Halos haven’t fared well against the Nation at all, getting swept in the ALDS in 2004 and 2007 as the Sox started on the road to eventual World Series titles. With Jed Lowrie’s walk-off single this year, the Sox sent Mike Scioscia’s boys home again early, taking the series 3-1.

Not to look past those pesky Rays, but it seems like fate that L.A. will take one more shot at Boston starting Oct. 22. And I’m sure that after crushing the ball at Citizens Bank Park, "Mannywood" will arrive at Fenway with a dozen postseason home runs and a chip on his shoulder the size of Scott Boras' inflated ego.

But as Manny Ramirez himself would say, "It doesn't matter." "Beat LA" isn't just a chant in Boston anymore. It's a way of life. To quote Tupac once more, "We keep it rockin! We keep it rockin!"

Forecasting ballparks and the Sox

Mike Barry — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:56:00 GMT

Katie Fehlinger is a familiar face on the "Olympia Sports Presents the Boston Globe Pre-Game Show." Katie gives the Accuweather Fenway Forecast for Fenway Park.

It's that time of the year for playoff forecasts, so let's ask a professional.

Mike Barry: What is the toughest part of the job?
Katie Fehlinger: The toughest part of the job ironically enough is still the learning experience. Trying to nail down the reasons why a cold front is moving through the Plains or why there's a heat wave in the Southwest can be challenging. And even more challenging is making sure you're correct.

MB: What are the toughest MLB stadiums to forecast weather for?
KF: It's tough to forecast for a good number of ballparks, but here are my top three in descending order:

3. San Francisco: With the onset of low clouds, wind, and chilly nights in the summer, it can be difficult to tell Giants fans how to dress for the game.

2. Chicago's Wrigley Field: Let's put it this way, they don't call it the "Windy City" for nothing.

1. Appropriately enough, I'd have to say Fenway Park. The Atlantic Ocean is close by, so gusty winds and low clouds can be unpredictable. Plus, it gets very chilly once the sun goes down, especially this time of year. It's almost like having two seasons at the same time.

MB: What's the best city (weather-wise) to play baseball in?
KF: Anaheim is a great place to play baseball (sorry Red Sox fans.). You just can't beat California weather. It's beautiful year-round.

MB: Forecast the Red Sox playoff hopes for us.
KF: How far will the Red Sox go in the playoffs? No question -- all the way, baby.

Katie nailed every forecast this season. Let's hope this one comes true as well.

Testing, testing 1, 2, 13?

Chris Collins — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:55:00 GMT

I’m a huge Red Sox fan. My entire family loves the local nine. My father passed away from cancer when I was 13 and his gravestone reads: "Never lived long enough to see the Red Sox win it all." My mother listens to WEEI on her short drives to work even though the reception is awful where she lives on Cape Cod. My fanhood has never been questioned … until now.

When I was a freshman in high school, my teacher had the class write essays about what we would be doing 10 years from then. I wrote that I would either be working for the Red Sox or working in television.

Talk about hitting the nail right on the head. Working for NESN is a dream come true. Can you ever really complain about getting paid to watch and write about the teams you love? The answer is yes. The following are two situations when my love for the Red Sox has come into question (and I'm not the only one):

1. Extra innings. This means extra time spent at work.

The majority of NESN's production staff don't have that American dream nine-to-five shift. We work late nights. My typical work schedule during the Red Sox season is 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. There's no set time that we get to go home.

Most of the time, I just cross my fingers that it's going to be a Tim Wakefield two-and-half-hour quickie, but every once in a while, we run into a four-hour marathon. Two years ago, we were blessed with a 19-inning gem heading into the All-Star break. To put that in perspective … it's like being in school on a Friday right before a weeklong Christmas break, and your teacher decides to keep class an extra three hours at the end of the day.

So where am I going with all of this? It's right around the top of the tenth inning that most NESN employees stop caring. Yes, we want the Sox to win. Heck, if I'm going to be at work for an extra hour, they better win, but there does reach a point where I just want to get it over with.

2. Postseason. This one kills me a little bit inside to even write: Boston making the postseason makes my life tens times more difficult. I want the Sox to win the World Series every year. While you're enjoying Joe Buck and Tim McCarver from your home living room, I'm adding about 10 hours to my weekly schedule. (As a side note, is it even possible to "enjoy" Tim McCarver? I suppose you can add him to the argument of why the postseason can be a grind).

Why 10 hours? Enter the Black and Gold. The Bruins' season overlaps with the Red Sox season for a few days -- or a few weeks, depending on how deep into the playoffs the Sox go.

Double the teams. Double the hours. Double your pleasure, not mine.

I'll never root for the Sox to lose in the postseason, but if they took a year off, I wouldn't cry myself to sleep every night until spring training.

Sweeps in the World Series are way more exciting for us than you. The quicker, the better. Once they're done, I start going home around 11 p.m. instead of 1 a.m.

So the next time you're struggling at midnight to keep your eyes open as the Sox enter the top of the 13th, be thinking of us. And pray for it to end. We'll get you all caught up in the morning if you can't make it. Go Sox!

Coffee, pizza and fantasy football

Tom Glennon — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:13:00 GMT

Following is a list of three things that help me get through the Red Sox season.

But before I share the list, let me clarify something. A lot of you sitting at your desks, working hard, trying to beat your respective deadlines, will read this and say, "Oh yeah, it must be real 'tough' to 'get through' a Red Sox season working at NESN." And while I'll admit that getting to work on Red Sox baseball is cool and probably a dream job for a lot of New Englanders, it is still a job.

The baseball season is long -- six months of games pretty much every day, including weekends and holidays. So while it's a great gig, you do have to sacrifice a lot of family time and hanging out with friends every summer. It's called the "dog days of summer" for a reason, so here are three things that help the season fly by:

1. Coffee runs: This is a daily ritual for us here at NESN. As pre-game producer, you typically get in around 10 a.m., and once you're in, you are going 100 mph to get the show ready for air by 6 p.m. So right around 4 p.m., a group of us goes out for "The Walk." That's the daily trek to the Dunkin' Donuts across the street.

The NESN world headquarters is about a five-minute walk from that aforementioned Dunkin’ Donuts, and while five minutes doesn't sound like a lot of time, it provides a much needed respite from show preparation.

The Walk typically includes anywhere from two to six employees. Not everyone ends up buying coffee, but it's more about the break than anything else. This may be the single most important part of the day. If you miss The Walk, you risk having a bad show. If you make other people miss The Walk, you could be in for a beating.

The Walk also serves another purpose: to support one of our producer's addictions. I'm not naming names, but a certain post-game producer is addicted to "claw machines." You know, those machines where you try to grab stuffed animals out of a box with a flimsy metal claw. He likes to drop about two dollars into that thing a day. We thought we had finally convinced him to stop, but he won two animals this week, so we'll be holding an intervention soon.

2. The Upper Crust: This pizzeria delivers pizza to NESN nightly during Red Sox season.

If there's one thing I've learned over my time here at NESN, it is that people in the TV business love to eat. Our schedules are so screwy and our days are so busy that there are times when eating lunch or dinner is not a luxury. So when we get the chance to eat, we're very appreciative. And when we get to eat delicious, gourmet pizza, well, that's a good day.

The pizza is delivered right after the pre-game show, so every night, you see the migration of all of our production assistants and interns down to the break room for pizza. When you're live on the air and you're having one of those "crazy" shows where nothing is going right, you always know that at least there's pizza. And sometimes, isn't that all you need?

3. Fantasy football: And no, I do not mean fantasy baseball. I hate fantasy baseball. We have a baseball league going on at NESN. I signed up, did not draft a team, logged on twice all summer and ended up in the semifinals.

Now, it's not like fantasy football takes a whole lot of skill either, but with only 16 games, every fantasy football matchup is an event. So you may be asking, "How can fantasy football help get you through a baseball season?"

Well, there is a fantasy football league at NESN that has been going on for about 14 years (I only joined about three years ago), and right around mid-August, the buzz about the NFFL (NESN Fantasy Football League) begins. Basically, it's a sign that the best time of the year is here: The NFL is starting, and the MLB pennant races are under way.

You can find yourself dragging a little as the end of the summer begins, but the NESN fantasy draft gives you a jolt. It lets you know that you're in the home stretch. Plus, the level of trash talk skyrockets at this time of year. During fantasy baseball, you never even remember who you're playing from week to week, but you better believe I know what week I'm playing Tom Caron in fantasy football (Week 6 by the way).

There's nothing better than a September Sox game at 1 p.m., followed by a 4:15 p.m. Patriots game. That's a great day for a sports fan, and it's what I look forward to every summer.

I know a lot of you reading this are thinking, "This guy must be joking. How can he complain about a long baseball season?" Well, I'm not really complaining. I enjoy working on the Sox, but this blog is called "Behind the Screens" for a reason: It's supposed to give you an inside look at the inner workings of NESN, and these three things are all important parts of the production process.

And, of course, if you are one of my bosses reading this, the No. 1 thing that helps me get through the season is the love of my job, but that makes for a boring blog.

Until next time, keep watching the pre-game show -- one hour before every Sox game.

Looking on the bright side

Mike Barry — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:44:00 GMT

Tom Brady is out for the season, which is very bad/sad news, yet there is a recent trend in Boston sports where "bad news" ends up being just fine.

Here are some instances of bad news that turned out okay:

2007 NBA Draft Lottery: Celtics were almost guaranteed the first or second pick (Greg Oden, Kevin Durant). Then, the devastating news came that Boston got the fifth pick. Celtics go to Plan B and build via trades and free agency.

2007 Roger Clemens free agent sweepstakes: Boston hopes to land Clemens for a perfect "bookend" to his career. However, he decides to join the Yankees.

2007-08 MLB offseason: Trade rumors for ace Johan Santana swirl, but the Red Sox don't acquire Santana amongst reports they wouldn't include Jon Lester in any offer.

July 31, 2008: Red Sox trade Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers. Many say Manny cannot be replaced in the lineup and the offense will suffer.

Back to the Patriots, this situation is a little bit similar to when the 1990 New York Giants lost their starting quarterback Phil Simms to injury in Week 15. Here are some excerpts from The New York Times after Simms was lost for the year and back-up Jeff Hostetler had to take over in 1990:

By Dave Anderson, N.Y. Times
Dec. 16, 1990: "Without most, if not all, of a team's best players relatively healthy, it can't expect to earn a velvet tray of Super Bowl rings. If the Giants are to have a chance in the playoffs, Simms must be healthy."

By Gerald Eskenazi, N.Y. Times
Dec. 18, 1990: "The first four years of Jeff Hostetler's National Football League career can be summed up quite easily: from 1984 to 1987 he had no pass attempts, no completions, no yards, no percentage, no touchdowns and no interceptions."

The 1990 Giants went on to win the Super Bowl, beating the Bills 20-19 (wide right).

What better way for the Patriots to make amends for their Super Bowl defeat than to win it all without their best player? The 1972 undefeated Miami Dolphins did just that with their starting quarterback, Bob Griese, out for most of the season.

So we continue to think positive. Looking ahead, here are some important crossover dates for the Red Sox, Patriots and Bruins:

Sunday, Sept. 14
1:35 p.m.: Blue Jays at Red Sox
4:15 p.m.: Patriots at Jets

Sunday, Sept. 21
1:07 p.m.: Red Sox at Blue Jays
1:05 p.m.: Dolphins at Patriots

Sunday, Sept. 28
1:35 p.m.: Yankees at Red Sox ** Red Sox regular-season finale
Patriots bye week

Sunday, Oct. 5
TBA: Game 3 of the ALDS
4:15 p.m.: Patriots at 49ers

Saturday, Oct. 11
TBA: Game 2 of the ALCS
8:30 p.m.: Bruins at Wild

Sunday, Oct. 12
ALCS off day
8:15 p.m.: Patriots at Chargers

Monday, Oct. 20
MLB off day before World Series Game 1
7:00 p.m.: Penguins at Bruins
8:30 p.m.: Broncos at Patriots

Sunday, Oct. 26
TBA: Game 4 of the World Series
1:00 p.m.: Rams at Patriots

Keep hope alive, New England. There's still a long way to go.

A new September story

Sean Thorp — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:31:00 GMT

Every year, a few weeks before Labor Day, I can still remember the feeling of watching the first "Back to School" ad of the summer. The ad -- with its new fall fashions, the latest Trapper Keepers and a far-too-happy-to-be-wearing-new-corduroy-pants kid -- inspired a feeling of panic in my 14-year-old self that wasn't ready to trade in a joy stick and ice cream for a text book and lunchroom square pizza.

As an adult, "Back to School" ads don't have the same power over me (although it is fun to see how they still taunt my teacher friends who don't want to trade in their PS2 controllers).

Now that I work at NESN, Labor Day no longer symbolizes new beginnings for me, but rather the fast-approaching end of the season. October (or Soxtober on NESN calendars) is just weeks away. And as our friend Dane Cook taught us last year, "There's only one October!"

Labor Day at NESN means an annual watch on the "State of the Empire." The 24/7 Yankees coverage reaches a fever pitch once the students return to their dorms on Commonwealth Avenue.

That was until 2008. A team with a devilish past shined a ray of hope through the heavens on my characteristically pinstriped September. The Tampa Bay Rays are the best story of the 2008 baseball season (if you don't count Jason Giambi's mustache and golden thong).

Rumors of the Rays' death had been greatly exaggerated by experts and fans alike. Sure, they were only a half-game back at the All-Star break, but a starting rotation with an average age of just over 25 years is certainly going to fade, right?

Then came the injury bug. Evan Longoria, Carl Crawford, and Troy Percival all landed on the disabled list. It was a noble effort, but that has to be it for the Rays, right?

By Labor Day 2008, the Rays were in first place by five-and-a-half games. This is a huge turnaround for a team that was in last place in the division, trailing the Red Sox by 26 games on Labor Day last season.

If this story sounds familiar, it is probably because you're a fan of the Celtics, who finished the 2006-2007 season in last place in the Eastern Conference, 29 games out of first, before running away with the conference the following season.

This is not to say that the Rays should start sizing their fingers for rings, or even that they are a lock for the postseason. September brings a formidable schedule for the team from the Trop. The Rays play 17 of 27 games this month on the road, with 19 against teams with records above .500. Six of those games are against the Red Sox (three at home and three on the road), and tonight, they'll play the first of six against the Yankees this month (also three at home and three on the road).

In contrast, the Red Sox will play 16 of 25 games at Friendly Fenway with only 10 games against teams with a better then .500 record. The Sox have experienced players in the playoff race, they are getting hot at the right time and they have a 5-foot-9 second baseman who seemingly could take a high strike from Yao Ming out of the yard.

Even if it comes down to the final three games of the season against the Yankees at Fenway, it is hard to imagine that the Sox won't be playing in October -- wild card or otherwise.

As for the Yankees, you can't help but enjoy the Red Sox' view of them in the rearview mirror. With New York's season on life support, these upcoming three games against the Rays will go a long way in deciding if Yankees fans will finally pull the plug on '08 once and for all. If and when they do, what could be a more unceremonious way to close the doors on the House That Ruth Built than a meaningless series against the Orioles before heading to Toronto and Boston to close out the season.

After all the Hall of Fame players and championships in the storied history of Yankee Stadium -- since the inaugural game on April 18, 1923, against the Boston Red Sox -- to end its run with a Yankees team that doesn't make the playoffs for the first time in 14 years would be like if the Celtics closed the Boston Garden with a 35-47 record ... oh wait.

Like the Garden, it would be fitting if Damon Wayans and Dan Aykroyd could add insult to injury and make a horrible film called "Yankee Pride" in the carcass of Yankee Stadium.

No matter where the 2008 Rays finish the season, the handful of Rays fans who have been taking in the playoff race at Tropicana Field will have great memories of this team.

For us at NESN, we are thankful to have a new story to tell this September.

And after years and years of despising everything about our closest divisional rivals, it is nice that you can quietly root for the little-team-that-could in the Rays (now cue the Coco Crisp-James Shields brawl, it's about to get ugly.)

Professional button-pushers

Paul Paquette — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:07:00 GMT

Ever wonder how sometimes it works out that suddenly a commercial will end and you get back to the game right as the first pitch of an inning is being thrown? Or wonder who cuts up those amazing rebroadcasts you see the next day? How about how everything starts right on time so you can DVR “Sox Appeal” for your girlfriend? Well, those things and more all happen in a little room we like to call master control.

Master control is the last stop for all our programming before it gets to you, the viewer. We are a 24/7 operation. Yes, there is even one guy who gets to sit in this room from midnight to 8 a.m. -- and, yes, that guy owns a Magic Bullet blender.

When friends and family ask me what I do here at NESN, I am put in a tough position. I can give them the long version, which they probably won’t understand, or I can give them the short easy-to-follow version. The short version is that I hit the buttons that make TV happen. The long version is everything that follows.

When not in a live event, we run everything you see on-air either off a tape or out of a server. Before anything hits air, we must first check to make sure all the audio and video levels look good so you at home can appreciate shows like “Charlie Moore Outdoors” in the highest quality. We do the same thing for all of our commercials before we put them in our server. Oh and if you’re wondering how many times you have to see the FreeCreditReport.com commercials before you know the songs by heart, it’s actually only about 25.

During Red Sox and Bruins games we have our HD, Boston, New England, Providence and Portland markets all running out of this one room. Each market has its own set of commercials that we run. It’s kind of like working at NASA, at least in the sense that we are on headsets counting backward and sometimes say liftoff at the start of shows.

During a game, there are usually four people working in master control. One person runs the HD, Boston and New England markets; one person runs Providence and Portland; one person cuts up the game and makes the one-hour, two-hour, and three-hour rebroadcasts; and one person works on the edge getting you the most up-to-date stats as possible.

During games our most important job is making sure all paid commercials air in every market. We keep a log of what time every spot airs -- down to the second. Sometimes, however, it is hard to get every second of all the spots in when people like Tim Wakefield are pitching. You see Wake likes to work fast, and although there is supposed to be a full two minutes between each inning, he doesn't always take all that time to warm up. Don’t believe me, just watch the next game Wake pitches and see how many times the end of a commercial is clipped because we have to get back to the game before he throws the first pitch (the over/under is set at 3 and 1/2).

This is what we do: We are professional button-pushers who specialize in counting backward and adding in increments of 10, 15 and 30. Now you know -- and knowing is half the battle.