Top 10 Boston Sports Moments in 2013

Earlier today ESPN shared their top ten plays of the year on Sportscenter because apparently the year now ends on December 26th not December 31st, but hey who's keeping track.

ESPN, do better because your list sucks. I'm sorry but DeAndre Jordan's alley-oop is nice but it is not one of the top ten plays of the year.

Three if by Strike will be bringing you a conclusive top 10 plays of the year on December 31st (when the year actually ends) but to tide you over until then we'll present the top 10 Boston sports moments of the year.

These plays and events embody what was a truly amazing year for what remains the greatest sports city in the world. Check them out and let us know what you think.

Honorable Mention- Jose Iglesias' play for the Tigers- I couldn't rightly put this on the list because Iglesias played for the Tigers at the time, but this is arguably the greatest defensive play I've ever seen an infielder make. He's no Jim Edmonds but still.



10. Shane Vereen's AFC Divisional Playoff game against the Texans- Vereen's breakout performance could not have come at a better time for the Patriots. His three touchdowns helped carry the Patriots to a convincing win over the Texans and made Vereen a staple of the organizations offense.

9. Brad Stevens comes to Boston- It's no secret that I'm not a fan of NBA basketball. I can only watch isolation plays, travels and terrible reffing for so long before I lose interest. That's why I'm excited for Stevens to come to Boston. The Butler coach plays an up tempo, team-oriented, collegiate style game which may be able to win me over and help resurrect the franchise.

8. Bruin's Visit Newtown- This could easily be number one on this list, but because it's not so much a moment as a day it will hold down the number eight spot. More evidence that hockey players are the classiest athletes in sports.



7. Tuukka Rask's 2013 playoffs- Rask's 2013 playoff's were unreal. He had a save percentage of almost .950 and a goals allowed average of under 2. Rask brought the Bruins within two games of Lord Stanley's cup and while the B's couldn't seal the deal that was no fault of Rask's. What's more remarkable is that the saves below are from a single series against the Maple Leafs. Rask's performance against the Penguins was even more dominant and worthy of praise.



6. Zdeno Chara's spin move against the Panthers- That is an agile 6'9 man. Not only does Chara make Panther's rookie Jonathan Huberdeau look like a 14 year old girl at her first high school dance, he pots of a nasty backhand afterwards. Also Jack Edwards loses his mind which is always worth watching.



5. Johnny Gomes and Jarrod Saltalamacchia putting the World Series trophy on the Boston Marathon finish line- This was one of the most powerful moments of 2013. The Sox became the team that helped Boston recover after the tragedy of Marathon Monday. There was no more fitting tribute to the victims of that day than Gomes and Saltalamacchia placing the world series trophy at the finish line during the team's victory parade. I was about 5 rows back from the finish line and I still get chills when I listen to the crowd sing "God Bless America".



4. Patriot's last second win against the Saint's- The Patriot's have had several come from behind victories this year, to the extent that it almost seems scripted at this point. Few carried the significance of the win against the Saint's though. This victory took a team who's season could have went in two different directions and helped spring them into the playoffs. Tom Brady's strike to Kenbrell Thompkins was a thing of beauty any way you look at it.



3. Daniel Nava's go ahead homer after the Boston Marathon Bombings- Nava's home run in the bottom of the 8th against the Royals was a defining moment in one of the most improbable Sox seasons ever. To get a win, and in such remarkable fashion, during the first game after the marathon was the first step in helping the city heal and come back even stronger. Also "Danny Baseball" is my favorite player, nuff said.



2. Bruin's comeback against the Maple Leafs- This game was unreal. I remember watching it with my dad and being disgusted to the point of almost turning it off... almost. Then Nathan Horton scored and the rest... well just watch the video. Words can't describe this game, this is Boston sports at their finest.



1. David Ortiz's Grand Slam Against the Tigers- David Ortiz is a future hall of famer if for no other reason than being arguably the greatest post-season hitter of all time. Ortiz added to that legacy during game two of the ALCS against the Detroit Tigers. Joaquin Benoit came in to close the game out for the Tigers who would have went back to Detroit with a 2-0 series lead and likely would have cruised on to a World Series birth against the St. Louis Cardinals. With one swing of the bat David Ortiz tied the game and sparked the Red Sox eventual World Series victory.



So those are the top ten moments in Boston sports for 2013. Comment and let us know what you think. Were we right? Were we wrong? What are your top ten Boston sports moments of 2013?

Red Sox World Series Ride Through the Eyes of Shane Victorino

I had to take off my shoes and use my toes to count the number of times I got chills just watching this video. Hard to believe that was nearly two months ago and there are about 50 days til pitchers and catchers report for the title defense.

The video shows the Red Sox World Series victory on the field, post-game celebration in the clubhouse, and Rolling Rally parade through the streets of Boston, all through the GoPro camera used by outfielder Shane Victorino.

Who has more fun than the Red Sox?

The Hot 100: Billboard's 100th Best Song of the Week

I'm 20 seconds into this music video, and I've learned that Ariana Grande looks like she's 13, Arnold Schwarzenegger's kid, Patrick, is playing the part of Romeo, and this "Big Sean" character is playing the role of a priest.

I was going to write this without listening to the actual song, and I was going to give it a six or so just because I figured it was so ridiculous it had to be good.  But its like a weird R&B song, with party lyrics.  It's all been downhill since Week 1 it seems, but looking ahead, there's a good chance we could see some former Top 10'ers land on our list.  Ylvis and OneDirection are nearly on the ground after finishing their 15- and 19-week descent from grace.

Week 1:
Artist: Jon Pardi
Song: Up All Night
Peak: 99 (last week)

Week 2:
Artist: SchoolBoy Q featuring Kendrick Lamar
Song: Collard Greens
Peak: 92

Week 3:
Artist: Daughtry
Song: Waiting for Superman
Peak: 70

Week 4:
Artist: Ariana Grande featuring Big Sean
Song: Right There
Peak: 84

My rating:

Three. French hens. Its fits with the season, and it indicates how terrible this song is.

Will the NHL Stadium Series Cheapen the Winter Classic?

Since its introduction in 2008, the Winter Classic has been one of the premier events of the NHL season.  It has been known to draw interest from all different fan bases, not just fans of the two teams competing.    Before this year, the only other outdoor NHL games were the 2003 and 2011 Heritage Classic games, which are basically the Canadian version of the Winter Classic. (This year's Heritage Classic will feature the Vancouver Canucks and the Ottawa Senators)

Seeing the huge success the Winter Classic game has become, the NHL set out to capitalize on the popularity of outdoor hockey and thus, the NHL Stadium Series was born.

Premiering this year, the NHL Stadium Series will feature four outdoor games starting at the end of January.  The games are as follows:

January 25th, Anaheim Ducks vs. LA Kings at Dodger Stadium
January 26th, New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers at Yankee Stadium
January 29th, New York Islanders vs. New York rangers at Yankee Stadium
March 1st, Pittsburg Penguins vs. Chicago Blackhawks at Soldier Field

While its hard to argue that the playing an NHL game on an ice rink in the middle of a football or baseball field is a cool idea, at what point does having multiple outdoor games a year become too much of a good thing?

The biggest draw of the Winter Classic, and the reason it garners such widespread interest, is the fact that it has been the one and only outdoor game of the season.  With only one game, the NHL was able to pick a great matchup to feature.  The novelty of the event was what made it special.  The Winter Classic has now become one of five outdoor games.

Is it just me, or does having four other outdoor games cheapen the Winter Classic a bit?  Sure, the Classic’s matchup of the Redwings v. Leafs is arguably the best of all the outdoor games this year.  And yeah, it has New Year’s Day going for it too, but still, it’s now one of five.

It’s cool multiple fan bases now have the opportunity to experience their team play an outdoor game,  I just think it makes the honor of hosting or playing in the Winter Classic a little less special.

As far as the matchups to be featured in the Stadium Series go, Penguins vs. Blackhawks and Ducks vs. Kings should both be good games based on the fact that all four teams are among the leagues best; there’s just not much history behind either of those matchups.

On the other hand, I’m unimpressed with the two matchups that will be played at Yankee Stadium. Aside from the fact that it seems like a waste to have the Rangers play in half of the Stadium Series games, the matchups are underwhelming to say the least.  Between games against the Devils and Islanders, I can’t decide which I’m less interested in.

The NHL will undoubtedly make tons of money from these additional outdoor games.  All the games will sell out and fans will pack the stands, excited for the unique experience of witnessing their team play on a rink standing in the middle of an open-air stadium.  But what happens when this uniqueness fades?  What happens when the novelty of an outdoor hockey game wears off?  What if the outdoor hockey game becomes commonplace rather than an exciting, once a year event?

I guess we’ll see.

Nickname Games Prove NBA is a Joke

The NBA will be allowing players to wear their nicknames in place of their actual last names on jerseys in select games coming up in the New Year.  When the Miami Heat take on the Boston Celtics on January 21st, players on the Heat will be wearing jerseys featuring the nickname of their choice.

A picture was leaked, and later tweeted out by the Sportscenter account, that shows Ray Allen's #34 Heat jersey featuring the name "J. Shuttlesworth" on the back, in reference to the character Allen played in the movie He Got Game.  It can be assumed that Lebron James will wear "King James" and there will probably be several other players wearing nicknames that no one has ever heard just to be included.

Some may think this is a cool and novel idea, but I think it's a joke.  I think the NBA is a joke of a league and publicity stunts like these only support that view.  Tell me another sport that would let their players wear their nicknames on the back in an actual game (never mind multiple games).

The worst part is the NBA will justify this decision with the money they will rake in from these jersey selling at about $110 apiece.  It's one thing to own and wear one of these jerseys as a fan, but having the players actually wear them in multiple games?  You can't honestly tell me that allowing this doesn't discredit the NBA as a professional organization.

It wouldn't surprise me if this was just the first step to having players wear whatever name they want on the back of their jersey for good.

Remember the good ole days when to put something stupid like "World Peace" on the back of your jersey you actually had to legally change your name?

The Return Of The Gato

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail..."

Right... My boy Ralph Waldo Emerson may have had a point, but I'm sure he wasn't suggesting that I walk where "there is no path and leave a trail," which I did in the fury that was Boston's second snowstorm in as many days (I went to sleep before it snowed Saturday so technically I'm right).

While tapping into my inner-Emerson-Gato, I planned accordingly as far as my departure and pace (ice/snow can make someone who prepares for nothing to do so) from work. What  normally is a 40 minute commute, didn't allow me arrive at my destination in Allston until 7 p.m.  How does this all relate to TibS? Well it doesn't, unless you dig deeper.

Let me help you.

So as usual the MBTA can be undependable when the weather is good, but factor in snow, and it's more likely you'll see Halley's Comet than a bus or anything MBTA-related arrive on time. After a 45-minute wait, I decided to put my faith in my two legs and walk from Brookline to Allston.

A mere two mile walk which isn't too bad but in the snow storm, well let's just say I felt like I was one of the members from the Fellowship. I found myself appreciating anything related to heat, dry, and those who try to make all the other things much more bearable. I found many a people shoveling sidewalks in front of  their homes. While on this walk I noticed and appreciated the sidewalks that WERE shoveled.

So this post is a shout out to all the public workers who were in the eye of the storm who made every effort to make the street and certain sidewalks manageable. To those good people braving the storm, excluded from the city's payroll. To all those mentioned that enabled me to name this post it's name.

THANK YOU.

- Champagne Gato

P.S. - This post relates to #TibS by citing the appreciation of good people. Good people who do everything such as delivering mail, stopping a puck from entering a net, hitting a game tying grand slam in the bottom of the 8th,  selling insurance, teaching America's future youth, and yes, even those who shovel sidewalks to create a semi-clear path for Champagne Gato to get home in one piece. Goodnight or hello, good morning.

Virden Oil Capitals Attempt to Ruin Christmas With Awful Music Video

It's so bad it's actually not funny. The just did the opposite of what they set out to do.  At least its not super awkward or anything either.

Oh...

That's what you get when you play in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, I guess.  But at least it's not that damn car commercial that was on TV a few years ago with this song in it.  You remember that one?  I think it was Honda, but either way, it made Christmas a little less special when it aired.  If it was Honda, then good for them, going out and upgrading their song choice by signing a free agent like Michael Bolton.