Bob Lobel: Valentine’s Day Love for New England Sports

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Bob Lobel, GoLocalWorcester Sports Contributor

Fact: the Red Sox have never won a World Series in the same year that a Pope resigned!

There is nothing like a catastrophic weather event to take your mind off things like the New England Patriots. There is nothing like a couple of red hot winter teams to take your mind off the catastrophic weather event. We have it all.

Tim Thomas and Rajon Rondo. Guess what? It seems neither is needed to help their teams win. At least not for now. Since this is (Bobby) Valentine's week, we probably should show some love to somebody. Let's start with the guy the Celtics should trade: Paul Pierce. He is red hot now, and it's time to strike, in my opinion. Unlike keeping Larry, Kevin and Robert for so long that they couldn’t walk through that door even if they wanted to, its time to get something for the guy who will bring something.

As for love, you have to embrace the Bruins. There has been no better general management in the hub than Peter Chiarelli and Cam Neely. Doesn’t matter which one pulls the trigger, it has been most effective. I just wish the owner would go away.

As for owners, the Red Sox owners seem to have weathered their own personal catastrophic storm. It appears that yet another spring has us lauding their pitching prospects, especially the bullpen. As usual, for the 35th year in a row, we can say that pitching is the name of the game, and the Red Sox finally realized what we knew all along, and thus corrected the problem. Who really knows, but here they come, ready or not. I do think it can be said that they are a better team than last year's last place boys of summer.

If this all sounds so familiar, that's because it is. This is the cycle of life and love for New England sports fans. While the whole world is changing around us, so much of what happens in our arenas and ball parks remains the same.

Behind closed doors teams are trying to address what the future landscape will be at those same arenas and parks. It becomes increasingly apparent that the technology we seem to update daily will soon produce a catastrophic problem for those organizations relying on paying customers. There is a special thrill of being at an event but the cost in money, time and effort is driving fans away from driving. Staying home with the family, although a unique idea, seems to be the future. The verdict is very much still out on whether that is a good thing or not. Probably 50-50, just about the divorce rate.

Super HD and 3D are going to be an attendance killer. The more home comfort of drinks in the refrigerator, bathroom down the hall mentality cannot help attendance figures. God help the Red Sox sellout streak!

Which begs another question. I am just curious why the announcing of this streak bothers the fans so much. Is it because it’s perceived as not true? Does a perceived lie, like Bonds, Clemens, Armstrong, Sosa, Braun et al., have more negativity to it than the actual deed? Can't figure that out.

If they want to announce a sellout, let ‘em. And since we never go a week without scandal, what heinous charges will come out of the Westminster Dog Show? One can only hope and pray that blood tests and urine samples apply to the handlers only. Dogs do give frequent urine samples, but in this arena, they wouldn’t dare do it inside.