Day 365: Party's Over... Said the Girl.

Opening Day (yay, baseball) is one of my most favorite days of the year—right behind Christmas (oooh, presents) and Thanksgiving (hmmm, food). The beginning of six months and 162 glorious games that will make me happy and sad and angry all in the span of nine innings.

Three hundred and sixty-five days ago, on Opening Day of the 2013 baseball season, I began a quest. That quest was to start a blog and post at least once a day about sports for a whole year. I wasn't sure I would have enough topics to write about. I wasn't sure if my discipline was strong enough to complete the task. And I certainly wasn't sure if people would read what I was putting out there. Well, that quest is now completed and now I sort of feel empty. Please hold me.

The Boston sports scene gave me more subject matter than I knew what to do with. I honestly don't think I could've written about a better year. Even though I started writing a week earlier, it really all started with my very first trip to Opening Day at Fenway Park—a gorgeous, sunshiny Monday afternoon that concluded with a Red Sox win. That day was full of promise and possibility after what had happened the previous disastrous year. And it just steamrolled from there.

There was the Boston Marathon bombing that unsettled an entire city and enlisted the sports community to rally Boston Strong around the tragedy. The Aaron Hernandez arrest for murder and the Patriots' subsequent release of the talented yet brainless tight end. The Boston Bruins incredibly determined run to the Stanley Cup final and heartbreaking loss. Let's not forget the magical World Series Championship season put forth by those lovable, bearded Red Sox—a worst-to-first miracle. And then there was the Patriots making a postseason run even after Wes Welker's departure and a yet again injured Rob Gronkowski—leaving Tom Brady with virtually no targets.

What I loved most about writing every day was the freedom to include whatever I wanted. There were no real rules—just as long as the post was about some type of sport. I loved being able to write about a good deed done by a baseball player, or a killer play made by a tiny person, or a sport that I knew absolutely nothing about, like sailing. I also loved being able to pay tribute to my parents on their birthdays for their part in this obsession and posting videos that made me giggle.

I also wanted to thank everyone who loyally followed Balls of All Sizes and didn't get annoyed that I spammed your Facebook timeline every single day. I know it was quite a commitment and I completely understand if you missed a day here and there. Thanks to those non-sports fans that supported me by reading even when, at times, you had no freaking clue what the hell I was writing about. And, even though he'll never read this post, thanks to my extremely understanding husband who could've gotten really annoyed at the hour plus I spent on putting forth what I hope was a somewhat intelligent blog post every single day for the past year.

Balls of All Sizes isn't going away... it's just taking a little siesta. There will be occasional posts, probably once or twice a week, after a little well-deserved break. I'd be lying if I said some days weren't just a bit stressful. I suffered from writer's block and brain cramps and drunky writing and oops, I almost forgot days. And there was that one time I thought it was over because I was on my way to Fenway for a evening game and I hadn't written anything—thank you iPads with 3G!!

And just like that... game one of 2014 is in the books. Unfortunately, unlike their Opening Day win a year ago, the Sox lose to the O's 2-1, leaving 12 men on base and wasting a perfectly good outing by Jon Lester. I was hoping to maybe end this quest on a high note. I'm trying to be optimistic that this isn't indicative of the season to come, but I'm a Sox fan—glass half empty, remember?

Anyway... the party's over. Elvis has left the building. The fat lady has sung.

PS: Bonus points if you can tell me what movie the title of this post comes from!

Day 332: Aaron Hernandez: Suspected Murderer and Jailhouse Bully

I'm patiently waiting for a male version of Orange is the New Black starring former New England Patriots' wide receiver and current murder suspect and jailhouse bully, Aaron Hernandez. Can someone tell me if that's in the works? It's been a long time since I've written anything about this A#1 dumbass. In case you have forgotten, the 24-year-old former Patriots' rising star with a $41 million contract was arrested in June and charged with murdering his so-called friend, Odin Lloyd. (I'd hate to see how he treats his enemies!)

We haven't heard much about Hernandez since he was incarcerated. Some mumblings here and there about what types of food he eats... if he was allowed to watch the NFL... how he's coping without the interwebs. You know, nothing too gripping. He seemed to be living a pretty uneventful and lonely existence. Hernandez has been kept from the general population and spends his time in the Bristol County Jail's solitary confinement. Booooo-ring. Supposedly it's for his own protection with some of the higher ups feeling like maybe this former NFL star might be seen as a "prize" by some of the other inmates.

So the other day he was allowed a little exercise in the hallway and happened upon a fellow inmate who had evidently been previously harassing Hernandez who took offense and apparently beat the living shit out of the instigator. It was stopped pretty quickly and neither inmate required medical attention although both will face discipline or criminal charges. This is an interesting turn of events considering that only one prisoner is supposed to be out of his cell at a time... so why was this guy out too? Sounds a bit fishy to me.

I know on the scale of prison scuffles, this one registers pretty low on the Richter scale, but my imagination had this ruckus reaching the heart-pounding levels of, say, a Sons-of-Anarchy-gang-Opie-beating so violent it could make you lose your lunch. But then I remembered this isn't television. Although I do wonder if anyone got that melee on video... {{runs to YouTube}} Shoot, no grainy cell phone videos posted.

Here's my feeling on this ordeal... Hernandez pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. Understandable since there still no murder weapon. But if you're truly innocent, wouldn't you do your best to keep your head down and be on your best behavior? But if you're really guilty, what's a measly assault charge on top of murder one? Chew on that for a while...

Day 275: 2013 Boston Sports Stories Thrilled and Chilled

What a year, what a year! For us Boston sports fans, 2013 both thrilled us and chilled us. There were things that happened that we'd like to forget... and things we want to hold onto as long as we can. There were things that happened that made us cry, laugh, cheer and cringe. 2013 ran the gamut of emotions—from the darkest of days with the Boston Marathon bombing to the highest of highs with the World Series Championship. 

The year began on a somewhat low note with the New England Patriots losing to those annoying Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship game. A low point for sure since there's nothing worse than having to watch that douche bag murderer, Ray Lewis, celebrate. 

The year only got lower when tragedy struck at the Boston Marathon finish line where three were killed and countless others horribly maimed. And then things got even lower as the terrorists responsible for such a grisly act shut down the city of Boston while law enforcement searched for them and subsequently killed one and caught the other surviving monster. I don't remember ever seeing photos are eery as those of empty Boston streets.

And then some more bad news. After the Patriots sadly let Wes Welker go to the Broncos, tight end and key member of the offense, Aaron Hernandez was arrested for murder. Well... shit. DUI is one thing...assault is little more serious...but murder is a whole different ball game. The Patriots promptly released him and he still sits in prison awaiting his trial, most likely in late 2014. I know there's that whole innocent until proven guilty crap, but I'm going out on a limb and saying Hernandez won't know life outside the prison walls for a long, long time...if ever.

Boston was in need of some good news... 

The Boston Bruins were inspiring in 2013. From the thrilling seven game series with the Toronto Maple Leafs that the Bruins won in overtime...to the four-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Penguins, many thought they were a team of destiny. But unfortunately, the Chicago Blackhawks had other ideas. Not even the valiant play of Gregory Campbell and Patrice Bergeron, both skating injured, could boost the Bruins to their second Cup in three years. But man...it was a fun ride to watch!

And while the Bruins were skating their asses off, the Boston Red Sox were quietly putting together a respectable season of their own. Not much was expected from a team that had such a disgraceful previous year and then didn't really make any huge off-season moves. They signed a couple of "good clubhouse guys" to short contracts and hoped for the best. And BEST was what they got! That group of bearded men surprised us all with gutsy performances and some clutch hitting to with the World freaking Series! There was a time when I wasn't sure I would ever see my beloved Sox as Champions and now it has happened three times. Yay!

What would the World Series win be without the Duck Boat parade. The season came full circle with the team pausing at the Boston Marathon finish line for a quick moment to remember those who were affected by the bombing with the World Series trophy, the 617 Red Sox jersey and of course, an emotional rendition of God Bless America. A perfect ending to an amazing season that was so deeply impacted by the tragedy back in April.

So long, 2013... and here's hoping that 2014 is filled with more thrills than chills! Happy New Year!!

PS: I now enter the final quarter of my Balls of All Sizes quest—just 90 days left!

Day 264: Most Touchdown Celebrations are Stupid

Let's just get this out in the open right now: I am NOT a fan of touchdown dances. I'm not a fan of sack celebrations or a player calling his own first down. But the TD jigs must go. I'm not saying a touchdown shouldn't be celebrated, I'm just saying it doesn't need to be obnoxious and offensive.

I prefer a nice clean forceful spike. Rob Gronkowski does it right—spike the ball as hard as you possibly can. The spike is a celebration everyone can understand. Although there was that one time early in the 2012 season where he tried a dance. It was bad. He should most definitely stick to the spiking.

Sometimes the spike can go horribly wrong. When Danny Amendola played for the St. Louis Rams, he spiked the ball and it bounced up into a guy's face. I guess he wasn't accounting for the angle the oblong-shaped ball would take once it left the ground. Oops. And in 2011, a NY Giants player didn't even bother to spike the ball, he just chucked it right into the face of an unsuspecting intern standing outside the end zone. I'm sure that left a mark.

It's almost as if some players spend more time practicing their stupid end zone dance routine than they do on bettering themselves for the actual game. Or maybe they don't even think about it and they just go with the flow. In 2000, San Francisco's Terrell Owens scored a touchdown and sprinted to mid field to perform his celebratory actions on the Dallas star logo. Dallas took offense and a melee broke out as a Cowboy's defender shoved him in anger. Not that he didn't deserve it. It was a pretty big douchebag move.

Then there are those that surely send coaches into violent fits of rage. DeSean Jackson was so interested in getting to his celebration that he let go of the ball before he crossed the goal line. He got credit for a fumble. You would've thought after the great Thanksgiving Leon Lett debacle of '93, players would be more careful of those types of miscues. When Lett ran back a Buffalo fumble and began his celebration just a tad early, Buffalo Bills' Don Beebee came up from behind and knocked the ball out of his hand and through the end zone for a touchback. Dumb ass.

Acrobatic flips are pretentious. Gyrating dances are flamboyant. Goal post dunks are just moronic—especially when the dunk is rejected (ask SF's Vernon Davis about that.) And pretending to moon the opposing crowd *cough* Randy Moss *cough* is just plain pompous. I hope there was an angry mob was waiting for him outside after the game. He deserved a pummeling for that shit.

But nothing is worse then the dances where you just shake your head and wonder what the hell just happened. Aaron Hernandez's touchdown dance always confused the hell out of me. Now I think it was some sort of gang sign for "I'm going to kill you if you talk to the wrong people." Or I could be wrong.

Day 183: First Half Recap: 6 Months Down, 6 Months to Go!

The Balls of All Sizes quest for 365 consecutive days of sports blogging is half over as of today. For six straight months, I have (surprisingly) stuck to my goal and it has been a blast doing it. I've learned a lot about sports I don't normally watch and blogged about some that don't really involve balls. A lot has happened over the past six months—some pretty awesome stuff and some pretty awesomely bad stuff. 

Just in case you're new to Balls, here are a few of my favorites:

April 12:  Day 12: Happy Birthday, Dad!

What better way to honor my dad on his birthday than to write a post for him. He's the reason I love sports so much—it's his fault I care so deeply about every win and loss.

April 24:  Day 24: Happy Birthday, Mom!

It just wouldn't have been fair to honor dad without giving mom her day in the sun. She also has a lot to do with my sports addiction. She allowed it.

May 10:  Day 40: An Act of Kindness. A Happy Fan.

Even though I'm not a Dodgers fan and really don't care what they do, I fell in love with this story and Matt Kemp's selfless act of kindness making a young man's day.

May 22:  Day 52: Jerry Remy: Commentator Extraordinaire or Playgirl Pinup?

This post totally cracked me up to research and write and it was one of my most successful with 122 views. (For me, that's a banner day!!)

June 27:  Day 88: Aaron Hernandez is a Dumbass

Even though there were a couple Hernandez posts that precede Day 88, this one is by far my favorite. Not only because I got the chance to rant about a completely ridiculous situation, but also because the damn post got 251 views. Must've been the title!

June 29:  Day 90: These are a Few of My Favorite (Fenway) Things

Just because I love Fenway Park so much... if anyone ever tears this ballpark down, I'll be forever broken. Baseball season is the only time of year I sort of wish I lived in Boston.

July 16:  Day 107: An Open Letter to the Pre All-Star Break Red Sox

I actually got to the point of hating the Red Sox towards the end of last season. I went to a game in August and wanted so badly to throat-punch each and every guy on the field. It was just to nice to love this team again.

July 17:  Day 108: Those Rolling Stone Idiots Really Have No Clue

I've never been so disgusted with a publication as I was with Rolling Stone for glorifying that asshole who was responsible for the Boston Marathon Bombings. 

August 8:  Day 130: Wes Welker Left Because Bill Belichick was Mean... Really?

I love this post for many reasons, but mainly because I was half in the bag when I wrote it. And I still think I managed to write a pretty mistake-free post that actually made some sense!

September 9:  Day 162: Red sky at night, sailor's delight.

This post was a favor for a friend who loves sailing. Who knew that I would become so caught up in the America's Cup, I would write not one, but three posts about the oldest trophy in sports. It was fun doing the research and learning all about this rich man's race.

September 21:  Day 174: Red Sox Clinch the AL East... And I WAS THERE!!

Of course this one is on my list... I've never been to a division clinching game before so this was so much fun. What a season for the Sox!!

Well, I think that's probably enough favorites for now. I just hope the next six months provide as much material as the first six did. Minus murderers on my favorite teams... I've had enough of that. 

Do you have a favorite?

Day 152: Patriots Release Some Guys... And Other Stuff.

Oh my gawd, you guys...football starts in like nine days and I'm so excited!! Mostly I'm excited because football season means summer is over and fall is here and I hate summer. And there will also be those Sundays in September when the Patriots and the Red Sox are on at the same time and you can lay on the couch and flip back and forth between the two. Heaven, I tell you.

Much has been going on over the past week with the team. It's that crunch time when guys get cut — guys you thought might have a chance and poof, they're gone. It's time when they're trying to work out those last few kinks. And most importantly, figuring out the best team to put on the field that will earn them the win.

Last night, the Patriots played their final preseason game against the NY Giants and won 28-20 on the back on Tim Tebow who had two touchdown passes. This gives them a final record of 3-1 and puts them in good position for the regular season... at least I hope. So Tebow? Two touchdown passes? Does this solidify his spot on the team? The suspense is killing me.

Tom Brady didn't play last night which made me happy. Every time he steps on the field, I immediately think someone is going to rip both his legs off his body and beat him about the head with them. That scares me. And then... now this is really mean... there was some rumor floating around the interwebs that Brady was in a car accident the other night and broke both his legs. Really, really mean.

The Patriots released 10 players today including veterans Jake Ballard, Marcus Benard, Daniel Fells, Johnathan Haggerty and Mike Rivera. I'm confused as to why a team whose two regular tight ends are currently unable to play — you know, because one's in jail and all — would release two tight ends. The Pats must have their roster down to 53 by tomorrow at 6pm.

Little side note: Robert Kraft has a new buddy. Tiger Woods was on the Patriots sideline during the game before it started. He'll be playing in the Deutsche Bank Championship started today at TPC Boston in Norton, Mass. I wonder if they're going to go on a double date?

Oh and guess what? Aaron Hernandez is still in jail. Because he's a murdering dumbass.

Day 144: Must Be Time for Another Edition of... Aaron Hernandez is a Dumbass.

Ahhh, the life of a free person... that's me. Sitting on my front porch with my two hounds laying by my side, drinking an ice cold silver bullet, snacking on some cheese curls. The only thing that could make it better was if the weather was just a tad cooler. These are things that former Patriots' tight end and current resident of the Bristol County House of Correction never gets to do and probably won't ever again.

The only good part about today for Aaron Hernandez's was his field trip away from his 8 foot by 12 foot cage to court. He should cherish these small moments away from the confines of his cell because more and more the signs are pointing to the fact he could spend rest of his life staring at those stark concrete walls with not much more than an hour a day of fresh air. His day went downhill quickly.

This afternoon, Hernandez was indicted on a first-degree murder charge in the death of his friend, 27-year-old Odin Lloyd. I chuckle while typing the word "friend." If this murderer treats his friends like this, imagine what he does to people he doesn't like. I guess all those safeties and corner backs who hit him just a little too hard after a catch should feel lucky they're also not riddled with bullet holes.

Who knows... this could just be the first of many indictments for Hernandez. There has been a lot of talk with regards to the two unsolved murders in Boston in 2012, especially after police seized an SUV rented in Hernandez's name that had been used in the killing. And let's not forget the one-eyed drug dealer he shot in the face last February in Florida. That poor, half blind man has filed a civil suit against him.

If all this shit shakes out, and the guilty verdicts start a rolling in, Mr. Hernandez is going to watch his daughter grow up through bars. He was quoted recently in a letter, "I miss my little girl terribly. My biggest fear of all is she won't know daddy." Well, daddy, maybe you should've thought about that before you pumped your "friend" full of bullets. Dumbass.

Now they just need to find that gun.

Day 134: Dumbass Update: So Where's that Gun, Aaron Hernandez?

It's been a couple weeks since I've gotten to write about various happenings with the Aaron Hernandez case, so I figured it was time for a Dumbass Update. The authorities are still searching for the murder weapon and have recently turned up empty-handed. Maybe Hernandez isn't that much of a dumbass afterall. Sure, he's not smart enough to stay off his own video surveillance system, but he sure does know how to hide a gun.

They spent the better part of a week scouring a lake in Bristol, CT not far from Hernandez's uncle's house—and from what I heard, it was not the most pleasant of lakes. The dive team is expected to return to the area do search another body (most likely disgusting) of water next week. I wonder if those divers are allowed to wrap themselves in plastic so they don't have to touch gross things?

But in the past couple of days, a very interesting tidbit of information has come to light. The investigators now think that Hernandez may have given the gun to his girlfriend so she could dispose of it. The Bristol Press reported Hernandez may have instructed Shayanna Jenkins to take the gun out of his home. Evidently, there's surveillance video footage of her carrying a lock box or safe out of the house and putting it into her sister's car. Supposedly, she needed the car to go to the bank, but when she came back, the box was no longer with her.

Hmmmm... very interesting. Especially since his cohort, Carlos Ortiz, told police that Hernandez put the murder weapon in a box and hid it in his basement. So why all the mucking around in the lake looking for guns if the damn thing is right in his basement? Didn't the investigators look there?

If the girlfriend did dump the murder weapon, the police should put a tail on her. I know if it were me, I'd totally do something to implicate myself... tell a friend, look all shifty-eyed and nervous, sweat profusely... maybe that's why I'm not brought in to help with weapon disposal. Maybe she's an expert. Or maybe she's just stupid for getting her fool self involved, and now runs the risk of going to jail herself for obstruction or aiding or whatever it is idiots do for the criminals they love.

This case is starting to get a little boring. If it were a television show, I'd have stopped watching a long time ago. Maybe OJ can bust Hernandez out of jail and take him on a white Bronco ride across New England.

Day 117: Patriots' Training Camp is Now in Session

Today marked the first official day of the New England Patriots 2013 Training Camp...yay! There are 42 days until the season opener against the Buffalo Bills on September 8th and I'm ridiculously excited for football! With all that's happened over the offseason, it will be nice to get back to some sense of normalcy. But I'm also a little nervous about what will happen with the somewhat new and slightly depleted receiving core.

The Aaron Hernandez disaster has cast a bit of a dark cloud over the start of training camp, but from the looks of it, the coaches and players are eager to put it behind them and get on with playing some football. On Wednesday, Coach Bill Belichick gave us more than anyone thought he would, and yesterday was the Patriots' captains' turn. Obviously under a gag order on what they could and couldn't say, each player chose their words to the press carefully.

It has obviously been tough for the players to accept what has happened. It must be hard to think about the former teammate you thought you knew being a murder suspect—a guy with whom you spent most of every day of the football season. I'm sure Robert Kraft isn't the only guy who's feeling duped right about now.

“At some point you have to move forward and I think we as a team are doing that,” Tom Brady said. “The best part is really coming out to start the football season and talking about what the challenges we have ahead of us. Certainly it’s been a challenging offseason, but we’re going to try to move forward as best we know how."

Vince Wilfork told reporters about the sign on the locker room wall: "Put your team first and do your job." This was obviously advice that Aaron Hernandez didn't heed. His actions were selfish and reckless with no thought given to how murdering someone (or someones) would not only affect his life, but the future of a team to which he made a commitment.

"Camp has started," Wilfork said, "It's tough, but at the same time, we have to continue to do our jobs. To start training camp on a note like this is tough. We're not going to disrespect anything that's going on with the families, but we have to play football."

Brady insists the ongoing saga hasn't had any negative repercussions on the team's morale—which is good news. Training camp has officially started and there's business to be done. Important football business that will be executed without the help of the former tight end turned murderer.

It's now about the football. 

Day 116: Bill Belichick Addresses Aaron Hernandez Situation

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick is known to be a man of few words. Usually those few words tell us nothing we want to know. His answers are vague and his impertinent attitude towards members of the press is often frustrating—even to us regular folks who just want to know if an injury is going to keep a key player sidelined for the upcoming week.

He never gives a straight, clear answer in response to anything. And if he refuses to talk about a subject, there's not a reporter out there that can extract information from him. So you can imagine the predictions in the media world regarding his press conference this week on the upcoming season. It was his first meeting with the press since the Aaron Hernandez murder rap and no one could've been prepared for the bounty of information he offered up.

I'm sure the entire statement was carefully crafted by the massive public relations team the Patriots must employ. He didn't sway from the subject at hand, nor did he offer up anything we didn't already know or assume. But he spoke... and whether or not someone forced him to read this statement doesn't really matter. What matters is that Bill Belichick actually told us some stuff. And it sort of appeared like some of it actually came from the heart. (I wasn't sure he actually had one.)

If you missed it on Wednesday, here's the video. His actual statement lasts less than eight minutes... the rest are questions from the media.

So how many times this preseason do you think he'll need to say the line about refraining from "making comments about the ongoing judicial process?" I think a lot.

Day 101: And Aaron Hernandez Just Keeps Sinking Deeper

Lots of goings on in the Aaron Hernandez case this week—actually, lots of goings on that scream guilty! It's not looking good for the tattooed tight end with the recent revelations in his case. Documents in the case against Hernandez have been made public and it's pretty incriminating.

According to weei.com, a few of the facts released kind of make you wonder if he was even trying to hide the fact that he was a murderer.

• When investigators first told Hernandez they were “conducting a death investigation,” he slammed the door and then locked it, becoming “argumentative” with police when they first questioned him. 

 • Police say the cell phone found on the body of Odin Lloyd contained a text from Hernandez received on the morning of his death that read, “We still on”. 

• Hernandez also allegedly did not ask who had died.“Mr. Hernandez’s demeanor did not indicate any concern for the death of any person.” 

• According to police, Lloyd slept at Hernandez’s house two nights before he died.  

• A witness at the Rumor nightclub in Boston said Hernandez was present at the club two days before Odin’s death with a handgun in his waistband.  

• Police found multiple firearms on Hernandez’s property. 

The evidence is continuing to mount against the former Patriots' tight end and it will be interesting to see how his lawyers dig him out of this hole.

And just when you thought he couldn't be in more trouble, there's a report from TMZ that Hernandez actually admitted to shooting Odin Lloyd. It appears that one of his two cohorts, Carlos Ortiz, who is also in custody, told investigators that Ernest Wallace, the second of his pals, told Ortiz that Hernandez confessed to shooting Lloyd.

And yes... it is TMZ, so any news reported should be taken with a grain of salt, but I also saw the report on SI.com so there's that. I know I should be so quick to put the orange jumpsuit on Hernandez permanently—innocent until proven guilty, right? The fact that he didn't even ask who had been shot raises a big red flag...

But all in all, things are not looking too great for Hernandez and the likelihood of spending the rest of his life in an 8' x 10' cell is becoming more of a reality. But something tells me he'll fit in just fine in the Gen Pop.

Day 99: Kraft and Patriots Feeling Duped.

Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, has finally broken his silence on the Aaron Hernandez situation. And guess what? He feels duped. Really? You've been paying a suspected three-time murderer and probably funded the murder weapon for this punk.

No one has a crystal ball (no, not even Bill Belichick) and could ever have predicted what kind of total criminal-in-the-making this kid would turn out to be. If all those other teams were passing on a tight end with this kind of talent, something was seriously wrong with him—and not just a bunch of failed drug tests. But Hernandez offered to take bi-weekly drug tests so why not trust him?

Essentially, Aaron Hernandez blew a whole lot of smoke up Kraft's ass and Kraft and the rest of Patriots front office fell for it... The former Patriot tight end claimed he wanted to be a role model for the Hispanic community. And that would probably make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside if he specified what type of role model because evidently, he really meant he wanted to encourage young Hispanics to join gangs and murder their friends.

According to an article in the Boston Globe, Kraft said, "No one in our organization was aware of any of these kind of connections. If it's true, I'm just shocked. Our whole organization has been duped."

The article also goes on to say that Hernandez "knew how to push (Kraft's) buttons." He was raised in New England and after he was drafted, he told Kraft his first Patriots jersey was a Drew Bledsoe jersey.

"He was a New England kid who was a Patriot. I thought it was cool," Kraft said.

After signing his big new contract extension that paid him $16 million guaranteed, but could be worth up to $40 million, Hernandez donated $50,000 to the Myra Kraft Giving Back Fund. Kraft tried to give it back, but Hernandez wanted the foundation to have it.

So was Aaron Hernandez sincere in the things he said to Robert Kraft or was he just kissing his ass so that maybe there wouldn't be such a close eye on his every move? Or maybe Hernandez actually thought he could change his murdering ways and be the good kind of role model. How's that working out for you now, Aaron?

Day 92: Aaron Hernandez Jersey Buyer's Remorse?

There are several reasons I never purposely purchase team gear with a player's name on the back. First of all, he might leave. Nothing bugs me more than someone wearing a t-shirt or jersey with the name of a player who now plays for another team. Youkilis and Beckett shirts should now be outlawed in Fenway Park. Just sayin. The only time I'm ok with it is if that player has retired while playing for the Red Sox. Yaz... ok. Ted Williams... ok. Jason Varitek... ok.

"Why you no want my jersey?"

Another reason is, and this might be the most important reason, that player might end up being a serial killer. I'm super excited I never bought or even thought about buying an Aaron Hernandez jersey. Not really a name I want emblazoned across my back. Kind of screams, "Hey, look at me, I love murderers!" Certain people out there will continue to wear their Hernandez jerseys, but I'm guessing those folks fall into one of the following groups: (a) Serial Killer, (b) Gang Banger, or (c) Dumbass.

The Patriots have provided a solution for anyone who purchased an Aaron Hernandez jersey back when he was a closet killer and now has an extreme case of buyer's remorse. This weekend (July 6-7), the New England Patriots have offered to exchange your tainted jersey for one of equal value at the Patriots Pro Shop.

If you can't get to the Pro Shop this weekend, have no fear... these suckers are selling like hotcakes on eBay. Really? One guy put his Hernandez jersey on the auction site hoping to get $50 and he ended up selling it for almost $230! And another guy got almost $290!! Since the NFL has discontinued the #81 Patriots jersey, collectors (or boneheads who just want to wear it for the shock value) have been willing to shell out some bucks to get one.

But some have gone just too far. After the Boston Globe reported of the inflated sale prices, one greedy jerk put a white (unsigned) jersey up on eBay for a whopping $4,000. No bids on that one yet. There is also a throwback Hernandez jersey (also unsigned) for the bargain "Buy It Now" price of $2,000. Seriously?

What kind of person buys this crap? Wait, I don't even want to know...

Day 89: Hey Guys! What About the Red Sox?

With all that's been happening in Boston sports the past few weeks, not much attention has been paid to the Red Sox. Sure... the Bruins were in the Stanley Cup and the Celtics just cleaned house in preparation for their rebuilding phase. Oh yeah... and then there's this thing going on with Aaron Hernandez. But the Red Sox are still in first place, folks—and they've officially passed the halfway point of the season!

The Sox lead the AL East by 3.5 games over the Orioles and continue to hold the second best record in baseball. The St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates are tied for the best. (Yes, I did say Pirates... are you as shocked as I am?) Over the last week alone, the top four in the lineup—Ellsbury, Victorino, Pedroia and Ortiz are ALL batting over .420 with 41 total hits. And Ellsbury and Victorino, after enduring early season slumps, are both inching closer to that .300 mark.

John Lackey had yet another great start against the Rockies earlier this week, notching his fifth win with a season high 12 strikeouts. Jon Lester also looked a lot better last night against the recently wicked hot Blue Jays after struggling through most of the month, but left the game when he jammed his hip early in the eighth. Oh dear. The bullpen still needs some work, but Koji Uehara appears to have settled nicely into the closer role. We shall see...

Last night's game was especially entertaining with the Sox sending 11 men to the dish in the second inning and scoring all seven of their runs. Magical, I tell you! The Toronto starter, who had currently gone 16+ innings without allowing an earned run, never finished the inning. If you went to bed soon after the second, you didn't miss much. That's the only scoring they did all night and fortunately, the Blue Jays couldn't catch up.

I've always been a glass half empty kinda girl when it comes to the Red Sox. For some reason, I just can't accept that they're actually good this season, especially when coming in to this year, no one had high hopes for them. Kudos to John Farrell for making it work! I'd really love to start believing in them again, but I'm afraid I might jinx it.

Day 88: Aaron Hernandez is a Dumbass

I feel the need to rant a bit about the Aaron Hernandez situation. Actually, what is it with the NFL players in general and their brushes with the law? From Lawrence Taylor's taste for crack pipes and underage hookers, to Ray Lewis pinning a murder on his pals to save his own ass, to Michael Vick's despicable dog fighting ring, it's disgusting that these grown men can't properly conduct themselves in the presence of fame and fortune.

Over the years, you hear about the professional football players who screw up and get caught with drugs or smack their wives or, in some cases, are tried for killing their wives—who doesn't remember being glued to the television watching the police chase after the white Bronco and OJ Simpson? But this year, there seems to be a violence epidemic.

Since the Super Bowl earlier this year, reports say that 29 NFL players have been arrested. If you figure out the percentages, 29 out of 1,650+ players is only 1% and that might not be too bad if that was over the last decade or so... but this is in less than six months! Most of the charges fall under the assault and battery or drunk driving categories. And some are a lot more serious... *cough* Hernandez *cough*

I just don't get it—most of these guys have everything handed to them. THEY PLAY FOOTBALL FOR A JOB, for crying out loud! Aaron Hernandez signed a five-year, $37.5 million dollar contract extension with the New England Patriots less than a year ago. With the departure of Wes Welker and the injury to Rob Gronkowski, he had the opportunity to become Tom Brady's go-to guy, catch a bunch of passes and make a real name for himself. Dumb. Ass.

Hernandez had so much potential and he just pissed away because someone did something he didn't agree with? So your willing to throw away the fame and fortune for the thug life? Do murderers get paid more than football players? I don't understand how these morons think they're invincible and above the law. I don't understand how stupid someone can be to think that in this day and age of surveillance and cell phone videos they can get away with murder.

And now we find out Hernandez is also being investigated for ties to a double murder from last year? He really isn't too smart, is he?

Day 87: So I hear Aaron Hernandez is in some trouble...

Today was one of those days in the world of sports that just made my head spin. Today was also one of those days that having a full-time job bummed me out because all I really wanted to do was stare at the Twitter and the interwebs all day and just watch the news roll in. Today, some real shit went down.

It's been over a week since the brutal murder of semi-pro football player, Odin Lloyd and during that time there's been a ton of speculation, and even the false report of a warrant for Aaron Hernandez's arrest, but no actual action. Well today, we got finally go that action.

At approximately 8:45am, Aaron Hernandez was taken from his North Attleboro home in handcuffs. That part of the story didn't surprise me—especially since he had destroyed evidence soon after the discovery of Lloyd's body. I was expecting the arrest—at least for obstruction of justice. But unfortunately for Hernandez, with the handcuffs came more bad news. Less than two hours later, the Patriots announced the release of Hernandez. The Pats did the right thing. Robert Kraft and the Patriots organization, first and foremost, must protect the integrity of the team.

It wasn't until early afternoon that the actual charges were announced: first degree murder and five weapons charges. (What? One gun wasn't enough?) The criminal complaint against Hernandez, 23, states that:

"On 6/17/13, [he] did assault and beat Odin Lloyd with intent to murder such person, and by such assault and beating, did kill and murder such person."

Does "assault and beating" = shoot repeatedly? I know it's all "innocent until proven guilty" but if the verdict is guilty, the only uniform Hernandez will ever put on again will be prison-issued and possibly orange.

The Washington Post reported the supposed chain of events on the night in question.

Surveillance footage from Hernandez’s home showed him leaving with a gun, and he told someone in the house that he was upset and couldn’t trust anyone anymore, the prosecutor said.  

The three men picked up Lloyd at his home around 2:30 a.m., according to authorities. As they drove around in their rented car, they discussed what happened at the nightclub, and Lloyd started getting nervous, McCauley said.  

Lloyd texted his sister, “Did you see who I am with?” When she asked who, he answered, at 3:22 a.m., “NFL,” then, a minute later, he sent one final text: “Just so you know.”  

Within a few minutes, people working the overnight shift at the industrial park reported hearing gunshots, McCauley said. Surveillance video showed the car going into a remote area of the industrial park and emerging four minutes later, the prosecutor said.  

A short time later, Hernandez returned to his house, and he and one of the other men were seen on his home surveillance system holding guns, McCauley said. Then the system stopped recording, according to the prosecutor.

The signs point to Hernandez being the mastermind of an execution where the victim was shot multiple times. He is currently being held without bail and, if convicted, faces life in prison without parole. He's 23 years old. That's a long friggin' time to be in the big house.

What is it with these NFL players lately? Since the Super Bowl, 29 players have been arrested. Is it too much money at a young age? Feelings of invincibility? Tiny brains? Steroid rage?

So who the hell is Tom Brady going to throw the damn ball to this season? Hernandez? No... murderer. Gronkowski? No... broken. Welker? No... gone. I don't know if he's worried yet, but I sure am.