I saw this YouTube clip the other day on the "Surviving Grady" Red Sox web site, and I thought I would share this with you. I have to admit,I've never watched the TV show "Lost," which is about a group of survivors of a plane crash on an island in the South Pacific. But this is still a great clip.

One of the main characters is Jack, played by Matthew Fox, and I guess he's a Red Sox fan, as he uses the phrase, "That's why the Sox will never win the damn series" on the show, which is set in September 2004. But on one episode, to prove to him that they have contact with the outside world, a guy named Ben plays him a tape of the Red Sox winning the 2004 World Series.

I love Jack's reaction when he sees it.

Great stuff. Thanks to Surviving Grady: www.survivinggrady.com.

Adrian Peterson was selected today as the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year for 2007. The vote wasn't close, and once he broke the single-game rushing record, you knew Peterson was a lock for the award. He led the conference in rushing, and was second in rushing touchdowns with 13, despite missing two games with a knee injury.

Peterson was slowed the last four games, as it looked like he wasn't 100% following the injury. But it was still a big year for him, and the award was well-deserved. His future looks very bright, and he was a godsend of a pick for the Vikings.

And now here is the second inning that Pedro Martinez pitched in the 1999 All-Star Game at Fenway Park. Pedro was letting it all fly that night, and here he goes through the heart of the National League lineup, striking out Mark McGwire and Jeff Bagwell. Matt Williams, after reaching on an error, was thrown out stealing. (Thrown out stealing? Matt Williams?) Pedro wound up striking out five of the six hitters he faced, one of the greatest performances ever by an All-Star Game pitcher. (It's a quick clip too, just 2:20.)

This All-Star appearance took its toll on the great Pedro. I was at Fenway Park the following Sunday for his first post-All Star start, against the Florida Marlins. It would be one of Pedro's worst outings of his career, as he gave up 12 hits and 9 runs (7 earned) in 3 2/3 innings. He would shortly afterward land on the disabled list. Here is that game, which the Sox came back and won, 11-9:

From the moment the word got out yesterday that the Red Sox were letting Doug Mirabelli go, my Site Meter numbers started soaring. The end of the Mirabelli Era in Boston was great for this site, as Red Sox fans around the country (and especially in New England) wanted to relive the humorous post about Doug being a stuck-up, pain-in-the-ass narcissist.

And my thanks to the fine Red Sox sites Surviving Grady and Red Sox Chick who put up links to the July 2006 post.
I had over 400 hits to my site on Thursday, which is doubled what I get on a normal day. I guess the Red Sox should release Doug more often.

We also had a ton of hits from a picture of Clay Buchholz I posted here last September. I'm not exactly sure the reason why, as most readers found it off a Google Image search.

I'm pretty sure Clay isn't going anywhere. Right?

This is my 683rd and final post of 2007, and the 1,160th post in the history of The Mighty Quinn Media Machine. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has taken the time to come over to my blog. It's really been such a pleasure to see it grow the way it has this year, and to see my readership here increase the way it has.

The Red Sox World Series championship was definitely the highlight of 2007 for me, and it brought so many people here. It was a fun watching the Sox lead the AL East from nearly start to finish. There were a few bumps in the road, but it was so gratifying to see them now have two titles in four years.

Time seems so speeded up — another Christmas already! Sometimes I can't believe how quick things are going. Don't feel I've done enough these past twelve months to mark off another year just yet. I'm here though, surviving, hopefully putting the peices of my life back together again. What I'm not doing so well with at the moment, is with emails — in replying to them.

You’ve just reached the end of a book . . . what do you do now? Savor and muse over the book? Dive right into the next one? Go take the dog for a walk, the kids to the park, before even thinking about the next book you’re going to read? What?

As with most reading bloggers, I think, we all feel so elated after finishing it. Then a bit sad, if it was a really good book. I close the book and savour the book in my mind. Nowadays, I get into writing a review right away as instant recall works best for me. Next is, looking for another book to read. I read two-three books per week. So I do not keep much gaps between the books I read. I try to keep the genres different between reading. However, as most readers do, I too am reading at least three different books at any given point of time. So the end of a book does not affect me that much. And we must not forget all those reading challenges! So where is the time to give a gap?

And being single with no kids and neither pets helps me read as much as I want at any time!!

Rich Gossage was elected to Baseball's Hall of Fame today. He received an astounding 86% of the vote, and was the only player on the ballot who was elected. Congratulations to him.

Jim Rice was denied for the 14th time. He fell just 16 votes short, and now has just one final chance to make it from the baseball writers before his eligibility runs out. He received 392 votes, or 72.2% of the votes cast. Bert Blyleven, another very worthy candidate, was denied yet again, too.

The travesty for both continues.

more cat pictures

Finally, we have sun! I hope the rain stays away, at least for the weekend. I have a ton of outdoor projects to do. Anyway, what's in the news:

*Wow! Would you pay $860K for Dickens' desk?

*The US release of The Wide Sargasso Sea in DVD is June 24. I'm interested in that.

*Zombie Books? Reviving dead literature.

*"It's elementary, Watson. I'm going to pop a cap in your a@@."

*My Etsy find of the week. Only 25 will be printed.

The Red Sox are playing an exhibition game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night, March 29 in the Los Angeles Coliseum to mark the 50th anniversary of the Dodgers move to the city. That contest is also being played in the cavernous Los Angeles Coliseum, where the USC Trojans play and the Dodgers played from 1958-1961.

But on that night, the largest crowd to ever witness a baseball game anywhere is expected: an incredible 115,000 fans.

Over 90,000 tickets have already been sold, and about 25,000 standing room tickets will be sold. It will easily break the old record of 93,103 for a 1959 exhibition fundraising game at the Coliseum for Roy Campanella between the Dodgers and Yankees.

Mike Lowell and the Red Sox today agreed in principle to a new three-year deal, worth about $37.5 million for the 2007 World Series MVP. Great to see him returning to the Red Sox, as it was an obvious fit that he return to Fenway Park.

Today's Boston Globe has a section called "5 Reasons Mike Lowell is better than A-Rod" and why it was better that Lowell play for the Sox than Slappy.

My favorite line is under Reason Number Five:
Unlike with A-Rod's wife, we're pretty sure Mrs. Lowell's wardrobe doesn't come with profanities.

This email was just sent to strike captains. It contains info on the NegCom vote, the Board and Council votes, the pending vote to lift the strike, and the pending vote to ratify the contract.

DEAR STRIKE CAPTAINS,

This morning, the WGA Negotiating Committee unanimously and unconditionally recommended the terms of the proposed 2008 MBA to the WGAW Board and WGAE Council. The Board and Council

Today is an anniversary that I bet most Red Sox fans don't know about. It was 10 years ago today that Pedro Martinez made his debut in a Red Sox uniform, in a spring training game in Florida. (Don't ask me who it was against or how he did, as I honestly don't know.) It would be the beginning of a seven year run for Pedro in Boston. He would give the Fenway Park fans some incredible memories that will live forever in the classic ballpark.

So today, with thanks to my friend Adam, here is one of those memories, when Pedro simply dominated the National League in the 1999 All-Star Game at Fenway, the same game that the immortal Ted Williams made a memorable and emotional appearance before the game. In this clip, Pedro takes care of the NL in the first inning. Pedro was right in the middle of one of the greatest seasons any pitcher has ever had in MLB history. The clip lasts just under three minutes.

Would you say that you read about the same amount now as when you were younger? More? Less?
Why?

Don’t forget to leave a link to your actual response (so people don’t have to go searching for it) in the comments—or if you prefer, leave your answers in the comments themselves!

(Sorry this is late, everyone. I could blame it on getting older, but really, I took Monday and Tuesday off for my birthday and then completely lost track of what day it was. Thankfully, I have questions in queue for just these kinds of emergencies! –Deb)

I just stumbled upon some book blogs I've not seen before and they are giving books away!

She Reads Books is giving away 5 books but the deadline is Thursday, June 3 at midnight EST so hurry on over! A comment give you one entry. Posting about the contest on your blog earns you two more!

A Book Blogger's Diary has very frequent giveaways! The current one is A Fatal Waltz by Tasha Alexander. Enter by June 15!

Mama Bear Reads is giving away her copy of Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik. Contest ends June 10 (her birthday)

Book Room Reviews is giving away a copy of The Safety of Secrets by Delaune Michel. Contest ends June 15

Last season, Red Sox fans at Fenway were wearing blonde masks to taunt Slappy with, after the revelations of his affair with that woman in Toronto.

Do you suppose a few enterprising Sox fans will be holding up enormous blowups of the above picture at Derek Jeter next season?

All day, we were altering the time stamp to keep Voices of Uncertainty at the top of the page. But that made it look like there were no new entries. And then the new entries got all depressed. Just like Nick Counter when he sees a perfectly good bucket of chum being thrown overboard.

Today’s question comes from Conspiracy-Girl:
I’m still relatively new to this meme so I’m not sure if this has been asked yet, but I’m curious how many of us write notes in our books. Are you a Footprint Leaver or a Preservationist?

Don’t forget to leave a link to your actual response (so people don’t have to go searching for it) in the comments—or if you prefer, leave your answers in the comments themselves!

It was a pleasure to see baseball return in 2008 as a nice crowd gathered at Professor Thom's last night to watch the Red Sox defeat the Minnesota Twins in Ft. Myers, 8-3. Kevin Youkilis, Jason Varitek and George Kottaras all hit home runs and Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched two scoreless innings.

But the important thing was on a cold night in late February, we were all together watching baseball again. More than one person said to me they were so happy to see it back, as was I. In the middle of the game, it began snowing.

Snow and Red Sox baseball. Quite the odd combo.

The talk was varied last night. Can the Red Sox repeat? Will Daisuke win 20? Will Beckett win the Cy Young Award this year? Will the Red Sox trade Coco? And of course, what an asshole Hank Steinbrenner is. (Here he is pictured before giving yet another colorful interview last night.)

Spring is officially 19 days away. But it was back at Thom's last night. Even if it was snowing outside.

And the winner is....

E for Excellence is a blog award for all of you out there who have Excellent Blogs. By accepting this Excellent Blog Award, you have to award it to ten more people whose blogs you find Excellent Award worthy. You can give it to as many people as you want but please award at least ten.

You like me! You really like me! Okay, I'm no Sally Fields, but Bonnie from Bonnie's Books thought enough of me to give me the E for Excellent Award. Since Bonnie has an excellent blog herself, I'm very flattered. Thanks Bonnie.

Okay, even I can’t read ALL the time, so I’m guessing that you folks might voluntarily shut the covers from time to time as well… What else do you do with your leisure to pass the time? Walk the dog? Knit? Run marathons? Construct grandfather clocks? Collect eggshells?

Of course, I give myself a break from books once in a while. I am yet to finish a book till now, since February started. Somehow I do not feel upto it.

That gives me time to listen to music..I am exploring new music. I have bought myself a Yamaha keyboard player and learning to play it. I am nowhere near perfection as yet!

I have been looking up into art. I am visiting museums, monuments and trying to learn the history sans books.

The Red Sox announced their Spring Training schedule today. There are eight fewer games due to the Red Sox opening their regular season next year in Japan. They are also playing the majority of their Florida games at home in Ft. Myers at City of Palms Park. Here it is:

Feb. 28 Boston College (SS) City of Palms Park 1:05 p.m.
Feb. 28 Northeastern (SS) City of Palms Park 6:05 p.m.
Feb. 29 Twins Hammond Stadium 7:05 p.m.
March 1 Twins Hammond Stadium 1:05 p.m.
March 2 Twins City of Palms Park 1:05 p.m.
March 3 Marlins Jupiter 1:05 p.m.
March 4 Pirates City of Palms Park 1:05 p.m.
March 5 Reds City of Palms Park 1:05 p.m.
March 6 Dodgers City of Palms Park 1:05 p.m.

Watch the latest entry in our 1st Annual Short Film Contest. View the rest of the submissions at www.FairDeal4Writers.com.

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What with yesterday being Halloween, and all . . . do you read horror? Stories of things that go bump in the night and keep you from sleeping?

I thought about asking you about whether you were participating in NaNoWriMo, but I asked that last year. Although . . . if you want to answer that one, too, please feel free to go ahead and do both, or either, your choice!
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Many of us in Red Sox Nation are really enjoying watching Roger Clemens squirm this winter, with the Mitchell Report, the denials, his jackass lawyer, etc. But here's a real blast from the past, courtesy of my friend Adam. This clip is from October 16, 1999, which was Game 3 of the 1999 American League Championship Series between the Red Sox and Yankees at Fenway Park. It is from the bottom of the first inning, when the Sox tagged The Carpetbagger for two fast runs, courtesy of a Jose Offerman triple and a home run from John Valentin.

That day is still one of my most favorite days ever in a Major League Baseball stadium. I was sitting behind third base with my friend Greg and his son. We got tickets from Willie Randolph, then Yankee third base coach. We sat in section of Yankees' players families, and I was about the only person in that section rooting for the Red Sox. (Unfortunately it would be the highlight of that series, as it was the only Red Sox victory in 5 games.)

OK, I was wrong.

In a simply stunning and amazing game, the New York Giants, a 12-point underdog, won Super Bowl XLII by upsetting the previously unbeaten New England Patriots, 17-14, at Glendale, Arizona.

Eli Manning etched his name in the NFL record books by leading the Giants on a long drive that ended with a TD pass to Plaxico Burress with 35 seconds left to give the Giants an incredible victory. The drive reminded me very much of Joe Montana's historic drive in the final minutes to beat the Cincinnati Bengals nearly 20 years ago. Manning was voted the game's MVP.