Connelly’s Top Ten – Sox-Yanks a Dud / Over-rated Movies / Don’t do Tommy John

1.Red Sox

* Now that’s the David Price we know and hate

* Three blowouts

* Hot summer weekend is perfect for a lazy afternoon Red Sox game – but all three night games

* Devers five for five on Saturday should have traded him that night

* Watching Jackie Bradley making a great catch in center field and dawned on me – he is Marcus Smart – amazing on the defensive end – maddening on the offensive end

* Almost time to let Chris Sale skip a start – can’t have him toast in October

2. World Cup

* Ronaldo is to Brady as Messi is to Manning – there is no more discussion

* I like the shootout –

* No Sibera for the Russian team with their victory

* Denmark goalie Kasper Schmeichel could play for me any day

3. Around baseball

* Since Joey Votto called out his 15-30 Reds they are 21-18

* Baseball is sliding towards track and field and horse racing and boxing – attendance at four games Saturday – In Oakland 17,748, At Miami 10,523, At Cincy 24,640, at Tampa 18,378

* Tim Tebow hot in the minors made the All Star team – can’t keep a good person down

4. Dombrowki not good for Red Sox minor league program:

* Four Red Sox affiliates are a combined 27.5 games out of first place

* This year’s first pick – Triston Casas out for season after two games / 2017 first round pick Tanner Houck 3-9 5.18 ERA / 2016 first round pick Jay Grome out for the season

5. Position ranks – To do anything clutch:

* Adam Vinatieri

* Larry Bird

* David Ortiz

* Pedro

* Danny Amendola

* Mike Vrabel

* Sam Jones

* Ray Allen

* Dave Henderson

6. Interesting facts from a recent Boston Globe article on Tommy John and Tommy John surgery.

* 25% of active major leaguers have had Tommy John surgery

* 25% to 30% of teenagers that have Tommy John surgery are out of baseball within two years

* From 2003-2014 – Tommy John surgeries were up 343%

7. Old School – Celtic first round pick misses flight and first practice this weekend – this is the catalyst for a list of troubled Celtics:

* Marvin Barnes

* Curtis Rowe

* Delonte West

* Sly Williams

* Bob McAdoo

* Ricky Davis

8. Amazing Stat – Over and under paid

* Tampa, Milwaukee, A’s, Phillies and Braves are a combined 43 games over .500 and have an average payroll of $99.8mm

* Toronto, Mets, Texas, Orioles, Tigers, KC – 108 games UNDER .500 and have an average payroll of $158.8mm

9. Just a Little Bit Outside – My list of over-rated movies

1. Titanic

2. Blues Brothers

3. Any James Bond movie

4. Good Fella’s

5. Close Encounters

6. Pretty Woman

7. Top Gun

8. Lethal Weapon

9. Austin Powers

10. Any Adam Sandler movie

10. Randomocity

*I was right on rabbits three years ago – they are every where – now reader Jody is predicting foxes as the next problem (first Canada Geese, then rabbits, then turkeys now foxes)

* I’m psyched Lebron is going to Lakers – wouldn’t want him

* Happy 4th of July to Boots and the entire country – we are citizens of the greatest nation known to mankind – we can never forget it!

It’s time to talk about the World Cup… [No, i’m not talking about Soccer] The other World Cup.  The Overwatch World Cup that is!  Time is ticking away on the Calendar as Overwatch Mania is sweeping the World. The World Cup Group Stage begins on August 17th-19th in Incheon, South Korea.  And the Globetrotting World Tour continues on September 7th-9th in Los Angeles, California.  It continues on September 14th-16th in Bangkok, Southeast Asia.  Finally the last stop on the World Tour is on September 21st-23rd in Paris, France. The Top 8 Teams will play each other for the World Cup Title at BlizzCon in November.  Here is the official Press Release and How to buy Tickets to the Games:

“As the Overwatch World Cup national committees hold their roster tryouts, it’s also time for fans to prepare, as tickets are now on sale to the Group Stages in South Korea, the US, Thailand, and France, while supplies last.

The Group Stage is traveling to Incheon, Los Angeles, Bangkok, and Paris, from mid-August through late September. Each will play host to that country’s home team and five visiting teams, over three days of intense competition. Two teams from each Group Stage will punch their tickets to the Overwatch World Cup Top 8 at BlizzCon in November. Whether you’re planning on traveling to a Group Stage event with friends, or coming to celebrate with your local Overwatch community, we can’t wait to see you there!”

You can check out the full Press Release on their website here: https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/overwatch/21905732/overwatch-world-cup-group-stage-tickets-on-sale-now

I really can’t wait to cover the Overwatch World Cup, it should be a lot of fun! Go Team USA! …and Switzerland!  My Mom is Swiss so I actually always root for them when they are playing the International Circuit.  Whether its the Soccer/Futbol World Cup or the Olympics I’m always rooting for my Mom’s Country…

But wait there’s more?  More Overwatch News?  Yes, please!

So Blizzard has announced a new Hero that will be added to the Hero Pool in the coming Months.  They love doing that!  Anyways the new Hero is Hammond the Hamster!  A Hamster?  What?!  Nope really, it is a Hamster and it’s the new Tank.  The Hero Name is “Wreaking Ball” and he pilots a Mech with guns and everything.  Pretty far out!  So they also had a Press Release on this little adorable guy, check it out on their Website here: https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/overwatch/21901631/new-hero-first-look-wrecking-ball

So yeah, you can start testing him out on Overwatch PTR.  Blizzard always likes getting the community involved…  So as a Tank Hero I’m guessing he’ll have a lot of play time, as least more than “Symetra”.  Ok, kidding aside, a new Tank will definitely get people’s attention.  The way I see it a new Tank is definitely a good sign for Overwatch.  It’s been a “Winston”, “D.Va”, “Reinhardt” loaded affair, time for something a little new!  Genetically modified Hamster, Check!  Badass Modified Mech, Check!  Time to take ‘er for a spin!  Have Fun everyone!  Cheers!

Connelly’s Top Ten – Brock Holt playing / World Cup Fun / Parcells over Gerry York

1.Red Sox

* Hector Velazquez is 9-1 as a Red Sox
* Brock Holt has over 1,500 at bats for Red Sox – more than Mike Napoli, Coco Crisp, Luis Aparicio, Bill Mueller, Darren Lewis, Kevin Millar
*Wednesday was the third Red Sox game over 4 hours this year
* If Ortiz and Pedroia (a reach) make the Hall of Fame – that would leave on Dwight Evans in the top nine in Red Sox at bats – NOT in the Hall of Fame
* Nine pitchers in a 4-2 game
* Red Sox season is half over – boring……..

2. World Cup

* I was wrong Argentina still alive
* I would like a replay of the top dives and count the rolls by an “injured” player – I’ve seen one player roll three times
* Tournament scoring - Eleven goals with the head, 38 with right foot, 24 with left foot
* I was wrong with Poland as my dark horse – new prediction – Croatia is going to the Finals

3. Could all four local sports teams have their coaches and general managers get votes for achiever of the year in their position:

* Belichick and Belichick
* Stevens and Ainge
* Cassidy and Sweeney
* Cora and Dombrowski

4. Penalty kicks is too much of a reward for fouled player – the kick should come from the spot of the foul – unless inside the dot

* World Cup history – 71.5% success on penalty shots
* NBA teams shoot – 75.9% on free throws
* NHL teams score – 19.6% of power plays

5. Position ranks – who would you want coaching in Game 7:

* Bill Belichick
* Red Auerbach
* Bill Parcells
* Terry Francona
* Tom Heinsohn
* Gerry York
* Tom Coughlin (BC)
* Clode Julian

6. In 1954 at the World Cup there were 26 matches and 140 goals 5.38 a game – this year 2.54 goals a game

7. Old School – Red Sox vs. Yankees 1978 and 2018 (imagine 40 years ago)

* 1978 Red Sox 57-25 / this year 55-27
* 1978 Yankees 45-33 (10 games behind)/ this year 52-26 (1 game behind)

8. Amazing Stat – Jackie Bradley versus the following pitchers has 110 at bats and has struck out 99 times:

* Hector Santiago, Jesse Chavez, Brett Cecil, Danny Farquhar, Trevor Bauer, Yu Darvish, Jordan Zimmerman, Ian Krol, Tony Barnette, Ryan Cook, Dylan Covey, Carl Edwards, Giovanny Gallegos, Zack Godley, David Hernandez, Kenley Jansen, Darren O’Day, Luis Santos, Ryan Yarborough, Verlander, Zynch, Wright, Wood, Thornburg, Thiebar, Sturdevant, Stumpf, Santos, Rondon, Rodney, Rivera, Reed, Rasmus, Ramos, Pomernz, Pestano, Perkins, Parra, Papelbon, Olson, Oliver, Morrow, Moll, Motusz, Letge, Knebel, Hinojosa, Heller, German, Garcia, Coke, Campos, Cabral, Burton, Burgos, Bueno, Boyer, Bosinger Blanton, Biddle Armstrong, Altavilla,

9. Just a Little Bit Outside – With the heat coming – July 13-14 – 1977 blackout of New York (Wikipedia)

* 1,616 stores looted / 1,037 fires / 1 murder (couldn’t see the target)
* 3,776 people arrested
* During the black out – Mets organist played White Christmas

10. Randomocity

* How many of the athletes in the ESPN nude issue juiced before pictures?
* Patriots camp 28 days away
* By the way Peter Chiarelli trading away Tyler Seguin was bad enough but when he got to Edmonton he traded Taylor Hall who was named MVP this year
* Largest average audience for a World Cup was USA in 1994 – 68,991
* Told you these long major league games are killers – they found a body at Atlanta stadium