SZ623

BY JIM DAWSON
APRIL 4, 2016

A LETTER TO THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL
Last week, I sent the following letter to the Pro Jo:
“DearSir/Madam:
In Brian MacPherson's article re the PawSox (President Dr. Charles Steinberg and GM Dan Rea were interviewed), it is stated that attendance at McCoy Stadium has fallen nearly 40% since 2008. Please ask them how they arrived at this figure since their math seems off to me. Based on International League stats in 2008, the PawSox drew 636,788 fans (which led the IL in attendance). In 2015, the PawSox drew 466,600 fans. That means that 170,188 fewer fans attended in 2015. 170,188 as a percentage of the 2008 figure of 636,788 is 26.7%, no where near 40%.
Another way of looking at it is if the PawSox had 50% fewer fans in 2015 than 2008 that would mean they drew half of 636,788 or 318,394. If they drew 60% (or 40% fewer), the attendance would be 382,073. That figure is no where near the 466,600 fans that they drew in 2015 (which is 84,527 more). Their attendance figures don't figure.”

The letter wasn't published. However the 4/1 ProJo had a correction that the 40% was miscalculated and attendance declined nearly 30%. I showed that it was 26.7% which is closer to 25% than 30%. This ownership group has also stated that a study showed it would take $65 million to refurbish McCoy Stadium. The study was never produced to the public. If new PawSox ownership wants to woo back PawSox fans to McCoy, it could start by not using phony stats. There are lies, damned lies and statistics.    -  Z

THE NFL IS ON STEROIDS
It has taken me awhile to figure out why Roger Goodell and his cronies would want to tarnish their biggest QB star, Tom Brady, and the Patriots, historically one of their best teams. Then I realized – Goodell and his goons are all on steroids. This is just 'roid rage'.

Otherwise how do you explain their current behavior, most of which will not be recapped here? After the NY Times did a story exposing the NFL for its flawed 'scientific' studies that were published as true (they left out at least 100 concussion cases,  and some teams listed no concussions over the years studied), the NFL demanded a retraction. They won't get it, and if that 'roid rage' causes them to go court, they will pay.

Fan support is already struggling with the inane actions of the incompetents running the NFL, none more so then Commissioner Roger Goodell. While some wags consider Goodell bulletproof, the 32 owners can not be happy with all the negative NFL publicity.

If Goodell is stupid enough to go after the NY Times, a Pandora's Box will open and the findings found in League of Denial will be released to many more fans. Fans will then understand how duplicitous Goodell and the NFL really are. Your move, 'Roid Man'.

BULLETS
• FWIW – None of the Globe writers had the Red Sox winning the AL East though 3 of the 6 writers (Shaughnessy, Finn and Speier) did have the BoSox winning a wild card.

• Of the same six Globies, all had the Cubs winning the NL Central and 5 of the 6 (not Speier) had the Cubs winning the World Series.

• Per the Globe's Peter Abraham (4/3), John Farrell's record with Boston is 246-240, but Torey Lovullo's record (28-20) is included in those stats. So Farrell is really under .500.

• Congrats to the Celtics for terminating the Warriors 54-game home win streak 109-106. The Warriors (68-8) need to win 5 of their final 6 to eclipse the Bulls record for wins in a season. The Celtics did it by forcing 22 Warriors' turnovers (9 by Steph Curry).

• Mike McDermott of the ProJo got a promotion and is no longer tasked with receiving frequent e-mails (many of them mine) about gaffes in the Sports section. He explained via e-mail that the paper is done in Texas, so... Well, Saturday's ProJo had the Red Sox playing the Toronto Maple Leafs! I kid you not.

• If the incidence of CTE in NFL players continues to escalate, baseball may be the beneficiary. As many young people have gravitated away from participating in baseball, it may soon be seen as one of the safest sports. Cases of CTE have been found in NHL enforcers and you would think there will be some found in soccer where headers and head collisions occur frequently.

• The Bruins may need to win their remaining 3 games (one is vs Detroit with whom they are vying for a spot) in order to make the playoffs.

• A couple weeks ago, I heard Marc Bertrand (on Comcast) say that he thought the Bruins would go farther in the playoffs than the Celtics. I thought Bertrand was delusional when he said it. Wonder if he'd like a do-over?

• My PawSox tix have not arrived. I called – they are having fans pick them up at the box office. Saving on postage, eh?

E-MAIL
Quiz Answer:
That would be the recently departed Glenn Frey of Eagles Fame.  His mother actually stopped him from touring with Bob Seger after she caught him smoking pot (per the Eagles documentary). He then moved to California and eventually he and Don Henley were hired to play with Linda Ronstadt and then formed the Eagles after rebuffing Linda's offer at a full time gig with her.
Frey used to play golf in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am when I used to volunteer. I marshalled for his 4 some one year.  Clint Eastwood was the other celebrity. Can't remember who the pros were. Allison Eastwood, who directed the Eagles documentary, used to follow Clint in the gallery. Nobody knew her at the time.
Andrew (Left Coast) Wright
Yes, Andrew, you are right - it's Glenn Frey. And I like the extra info. I actually saw that 3 hour Eagles documentary but forgot that part. And I didn't know Allison Eastwood was involved as the director.    -   Z

Went to big Papi's send off game today at Jet Blue; it was a love fest. Unfortunately, Papi couldn't return the love - - 0 for 3. He took his first at bat to the wall, but just a long out, and nothing to speak of after that.

The farewell gift the local city officials gave to Papi brought chuckles from my seat neighbors. He was presented with a set of three stadium chairs - one chair from each of the three spring training stadiums he played in Ft Myers - - one from his days with the Twins, and the two from his Bosox days. My neighbors were chuckling, wondering how Papi was gonna fit them in his trophy case, or how tired he would be carrying the three chairs to his car.

On a separate note, I'm not encouraged by what I've seen from the Red Sox this spring. Porcello got hammered around by the Orioles JV squad today. Gotta say Jackie Bradley looks good, but he's about it. Hope the regular season will be better.                                                                                                                              
B Shea
I heard that they also gave Papi a golf cart with the DR flag on the roof. Jury is out on the Sox. If they struggle early, Farrell is gone.     -   Z

Agree on Farrell. He's on a short leash. Didn't know it was Rice and El Tiante driving the golf cart taking Papi off the field at the end of the 6th inning till I read about it this morning. The announcer/announcing at Jet Blue is worse than AA ballparks.
B Shea

Jim,
It is now been made official knowledge that there will be no Canadian teams from the NHL involved in the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in 46 years. There must be black crepe hanging across the nation from the shock of it all. That means 1970. Bobby's Goal. We were 20 years old and hanging loose (Pro Bowlers), listening to assorted tunes, and avoiding capture (by the draft and assorted women). 

Also, saw an hour long show about Derek Sanderson's life a week or so back. I do believe he'd be dead but for Bobby Orr (still the best hockey player ever to lace'em up...screw Gretzky).  A lucky boy to have such a friend; a testimony to Orr's character and heart.

Also, just read a story in the Boston Globe about how Pablo Sandoval is starting the season on the bench for the Sox.  Never thought that was a good acquisition for them from day one.  The guy should be flying over Fenway and not landing on it.  Frank Malzone must be spinnin' in his grave.

Spring is springing out here in the Rockies; snow one day and warm, blue skies the next.  Frickin' groundhog, but before we know it, it'll be 95 degrees out here at desert's edge.

Oh yeah, before I forget it....Glenn Frey is the guy....but check out if John Oates was also in that lineup?  Kate and I saw him in concert about 3 months ago and he mentioned something about he being part of the original bunch that hung out with Seger back then.  So, there may be an asterisk somewhere in the history of your question.
Bill LaPlante

Bill, yes I had seen that there was a possibility that no Canadian team might make the playoffs. Strange, huh, since they invented the game (right?).
Derek Sanderson has a bio out that I was tempted to get since he was such a wild child. Bachelors 3 or whatever it was with Joe Namath. Yeah he's lucky to still be alive.

Sandoval was a huge mistake - pun intended. It helped to get GM Cherington fired. However if they don't play him much he has no trade value even if Boston eats most of his salary. Yeah Frank Malzone whom I saw play and who won a couple gold gloves until Brooks Robinson came along.

Yes the answer is Glenn Frey and I'll check but I don't think John Oates was on Ramblin' Gamblin' Man.  -    Z


THE HOT CLUB
Fleet Feet Pete and I were talking about individuals who have body piercings. The Fleet One said that he calls nose rings 'Door Knockers'.

A guy came into the Hot Club wearing a Brooklyn Nets cap. The guy either is quite a fan or from Brooklyn because the Nets are one of the worst teams in the NBA. The Celtics (thank you Danny Ainge) have the Nets #1 pick in this year's draft and NY has the 4th worst record. If Phoenix could win a couple games, the Nets would be 3rd worst.

Professor Peter posed this conundrum: If pro is opposite of con, then progress must be the opposite of congress.

Capt' Jack's friend Mark saw the Zine with Stevie Ray Vaughan as the music answer. Mark said he saw Stevie Ray at the Channel in Boston. Everyone was sweating. Shirts were off, but Stevie Ray kept playing and playing until late.

Dr. John was in the house and had another of his pithy sayings. He quoted Voltaire as saying: “Medicine entertains while Nature takes its course.”

LAST ISSUE'S QUIZ ANSWERS
Who was that singer/songwriter that played on Bob Seger's first big hit Ramblin' Gamblin' Man? If you haven't read the E-Mail section of the Zine, it's Glenn Frey (R.I.P.) of the Eagles. Andrew Wright, Matthew Dawson (no relation), and Bill LaPlante all had the correct answer.
The Movie Quiz was: Name the only 3 films that swept the 5 major Oscars (Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director and Best Screenplay). No one got that one. Answer: It Happened One Night (1934), One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) and Silence of the Lambs (1991).

THIS ISSUE'S QUIZ
This was submitted by reader Garry Gillett: Who played guitar on the intro to the live version of Lou Reed's Sweet Jane? My thanks to Garry. If you have trivia, e-mail me.

 Sportzine is also available at jimdawsonsports.com thanks to Buffalo Steve Lenz.