Random Thoughts (July 16, 2009)

At age 37 and quite a few papayas over his listed weight of 170-pounds, Pedro Martinez is no longer the ace he was ten years ago. With that said, Pedro (he has earned first name status) should be able to help the Phillies win the NL East and defend their World Series championship. Having Pedro back in baseball is a great thing. Even as his pitching ability declined over the last five years, he is still one of the game's great personalities. If a Red Sox-Dodgers matchup does not return Manny Ramirez to Fenway Park this October, I will be just fine seeing Pedro and the Phillies... In my mention of my dream lineup for the new "Sports Hub" station in Boston - which will go on the air at 98.5 on the FM dial starting August 13 - I forgot to add Chad Finn, author of the "Touching All The Bases" blog and a reporter for the Globe. Finn is a must read and would bring a lot of listeners to the new station... There are a lot of arguments that Michael Vick is being unfairly punished by the NFL and that his ban from the league after serving his 23-month sentence for animal abuse charges related to the dog-fighting on his property is unjust on the part of commissioner Roger Goodell. The argument is based on the fact that Leonard Little killed a woman in a drunk driving accident in 1998, was imprisoned for just 60-days and was only suspended by then commissioner Paul Tagliabue for eight games. I stand firmly with Goodell on this issue. Just because the legal system and the NFL did not punish Little enough for his crime is not an excuse to pardon Vick for his crimes. Playing in the NFL is not a right, it is a priviledge. Vick, through his own actions, has put himself in a position where that priviledge is not extended to him at this time. It is a wise move by Goodell to enforce rules and standards for his league. In an industry powered by ticket sales and corporate sponsorships, the players need to behave and not act like lawless thugs. Vick will eventually be allowed to play in the NFL again but Goodell is doing the right thing by making him wait... The next "Walker Wiggle" performed by Employee #8 might be on a Sin City stripper pole so he can pay off almost $1-million in gambling debts owed to three Las Vegas casinos... The NHL's "Winter Classic" will be played at Fenway Park on New Year's Day between the Bruins and the Flyers. This will be a great event for Boston and its great hockey fans. The only problem is that it should be a yearly event. Every NHL team should play a game outdoors on New Year's Day. Imagine the Rangers and Islanders squaring off at Yankee Stadium (Citi Field management just cringed) or the Maple Leafs and Canadiens at SkyDome (err, Rogers Centre) or the Kings and Ducks at Dodger Stadium (okay, weather might stop that one). In their ongoing struggle against the NBA to win fans, the NHL needs to exploit any opportunity to steal attention away from their competition... Enjoy Tom Watson today...