The Kitchen Sink

Gonna try to touch upon a bit of everything in this one. Ok, deep breathe now...

- Theo Epstein backed away from a 3-year deal, averaging $1.5M per year, with the Red Sox today. The root of all of this is the strained relationship between Epstein and Larry Lucchino, the latter of which is a firm believer that the sun rises in the morning, because he signs off on it.

This is bad news for the Red Sox, from a baseball and public relations standpoint. Basically, it validates a lot of what players like Manny Ramirez, David Wells, Keith Foulke, etc...say about playing in Boston. By signing on the dotted line, you're essentially relinquishing your right to privacy. Why? Because if the 31-year old GM has cited that as a reason for him walking away, can you imagine what the actual players (who are more visible) have to go through?

Now, I will say this about the whole situation: For $1.5M a year, Theo could've sucked it up. Take a look at Brian Cashman, who just re-signed with the Yankees. Are you going to tell me that the pressure to win in Boston even compares to the need to win in New York? Much like the two teams payrolls, expectations in Boston are high, but not nearly as high as New York.

And having to deal with "Big Stein" is probably more stressful than a nobody like Larry (bleepin') Lucchino! Then again, Cashman has seen his hair vanish over the years, while his dependency on Rolaids has soared.

Oh well. I'm still abiding by the "5 Year Rule" with the Red Sox, made popular by Bill Simmons.

- In 10 days, I'll be off to Seattle. I'm looking forward to this vacation (this is the only week I'll actually be working a 5-day work week until after Thanksgiving), and I know it's going to be a good time. Obviously, the main reason I'm heading out there is the Seahawks-Rams game (which should be a good one), but I'm looking forward to seeing the city, as well.

I've given a lot of thought lately to getting out of here, so I'm curious to see if Seattle is someplace I'd like to live. Will know more about that in a few weeks, I guess.

- George Bush's "mulligan", Samuel Alito, scares the bejesus out of me. Clearly, Alito would be a conservative voice on the bench, and that's not something I'm keen on. Alito's mom, Rose, has already opened the floodgates by saying "Of course he's against abortion", which is not good news.

Alito scares me, because I think he'll be confirmed as smoothly as Chief Justice Roberts was. The Democrats really don't have any balls.

- If I see that "Fathead" commercial with Ben Roethlisberger, I'm going on a tri-state killing spree.

- After watching the NFL all day yesterday, and seeing about 2,800 spots for "Vampire Bats", I'm wondering if anybody actually watched that. As for me, all it did was firmly implant the song from the late, great Wesley Willis into my head. Rock over London, rock on Chicago. Budweiser, it's the King of Beers.

- Real quick recap of the NFL action:

- Thank you, Tedy Bruschi. His return made Chad Brown inactive on Sunday, and if that's going to be the case, I won't have to pay up on my "If Chad Brown plays in more than 9 games this year, I'll eat my shoes" wager I made to everyone I talk football with.

- I could watch that hit on Koren Robinson a hundred times, and not grow tired of it. Now, before you think I'm an evil guy, I like Koren. I wish him well in his attempt to get life and NFL career back on track. But man, that was a sweet hit.

- Steve Smith has moved past Chad Johnson in terms of creative end zone dances. Pretending to row a boat, in a game against the Vikings, was priceless. I think that's being overlooked by those that cover the NFL.

- I think that the Seahawks-Rams game on November 13th is going to be a dogfight. At 4-4, St. Louis isn't dead in the water. Vitt has that team playing well, and just look at what happens when you give the ball to Steven Jackson 20-25 times a game. The guy is an absolute monster.

- If Joey Harrington played like Jeff Garcia did yesterday, he'd be run out of the league. "Crisp" gets a free pass, though.

- I laughed at every one of McNabb's 12 incompletions to start the game yesterday.

- I like that the 3rd-string QB for the 49ers, Cody Pickett, was covering punts yesterday. The guy used to be a professional rodeo guy (I need a ruling on what to call that), and is fearless out there. And naturally, with injuries to Alex Smith and Ken Dorsey, he's going to start at QB next week against the Giants.

- Speaking of San Francisco, I bet Washington wishes they could play them every week. Way to not show up at all, fellas!

- I bet Priest Holmes keeps picking up his phone today. Shawne Merriman absolutely hammered him yesterday.

- I'm still hopeful that Brett Favre isn't going to retire, and if the team continues on its downward spiral, I think he almost has to come back for another season.

My Monday Night Prediction: Pittsburgh 27, Baltimore 9