Mike Reiss, Patriots Beat Writer for the Boston Globe

Mike Reiss of the Boston Globe swings by after a Patriots draft weekend that included 12 total picks (none in the first round), 7 trades, and 2 picks stockpiled for 2010. Mike breaks down the Pats draft, including the wisdom of trading out of the first round and what fans can expect from their top pick, Oregon safety Patrick Chung (above). Mike also goes into what the next move might be for New England, and evaluates the overall performance of the organization on draft weekend.

Jeff Erickson, RotoWire Fantasy Baseball Expert

Jeff Erickson has his weekly dose of fantasy baseball insight and, as always, plenty to share. This week's chat includes some more thoughts on David Ortiz and whether Jeff things he is ever going to return to the form to which we grew accustomed over the past several seasons. Another big topic early on from the E-mails is the classic "buy low" and "sell high" categories and which players fall into which, including Derek Jeter. Plus, don't forget to check out the Rotowire Web Site to learn how to get a 10 day trial of the service, absolutely free!

Never Question THE Rivalry

By Ben Altsher
One of the topics we've talked about on the show in the recent past has been the lack of venom from both the Red Sox and Yankee fan bases with respect to the greatest rivalry in sports. So often when these two goliaths meet for the first time, ESPN, NESN, YES and every other sports related channel will try to over-dramatize the importance of a three game set in April. On Friday's show I said I'd watch a Bruins or a Celtics playoff game far before I'd tune into Sox/Yanks in April. While the C's certainly upped the drama Sunday with a double overtime contest, the weekend series between the Red Sox and Yankees served as a reminder why these two teams always deserve the spotlight, regular season or otherwise.

The drama started Friday night when all the talk going into the day was of the Celtics impressive performance in Game 3 the night before. Beantown was more excited for the boys in green starting to look like last year's winners, instead of trying to come up with as many ways to call Mark Teixeira whipped as possible. Plus, as Friday night's game went along it looked like the Sox bats had lost the spark that propelled them to a seven-game win streak, leaving the bases loaded in the 2nd and 4th innings. Then, the world's all-time greatest closer came in, albeit earlier than normal in the 8th, but still Mariano Rivera is never a great sign when your team's behind. But apparently Rivera's legend does not extend north of the border because Canada's own Jason Bay looked unfazed as he blasted the game tying 2 run homer to what may be the most difficult part of Fenway. Once the Rivera hurdle was crossed it seemed only a matter of time until the Sox prevailed. (Thanks, Youk for the fantasy points.)

One would think it very difficult, perhaps impossible, for Saturday's game to top the drama from the previous night. Yet both teams had both fan bases run the gamut of emotions throughout the afternoon and evening. I can't even imagine how Josh Beckett felt down 6-0, then watching his team come back and put him in position where he could've possibly gotten a win. The momentum went back and forth like a metronome, as soon as one team seized it, it went back the other way. Finally, Mike Lowell's three-run homer and subsequent bases clearing double became too much despite a final attempt to come back by the Evil Empire.

Surely, Sunday night's finale couldn't have squeezed any more emotion or drama out of these two teams. A good pitching matchup featuring Justin Masterson and Andy Pettite would lead to a boring victory for one side or the other. Instead, we were treated to one of the most exciting plays in baseball, a straight steal of home plate. The game itself didn't contain the same drama as the Red Sox cruised to a 4-1 win. However, anytime you get a play that hasn't been completed since 2007 (off the same pitcher no less) and can reference the immortal Jose Offerman (last Sox player to steal home) at the same time? Well that's just high quality entertainment right there. Would Red Sox fans have enjoyed this same set of circumstances had it happened against the Rangers? Sure, but let's be honest, everything that made this weekend's games so exciting was heightened because of who was in the other dugout.

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Ian Browne, RedSox.com

Ian Browne takes some time out of his night off to talk Sox. Boston is on a 7 game tear and Ian points to two players in particular he feels are to thank for the recent offensive surge. This is also the eve of the first Red Sox-Yankees series of the season, and Ian thinks the no so warm welcome Mark Teixeira will receive will rival that of only two other Pinestriped players in Fenway. A chat with the MLB beat writer is the perfect way for any Sox fan to start a weekend series with the Yanks.

Jay Jaffe, Baseball Prospectus

Jay Jaffe swings by for his bi-weekly chat and, surprisingly, he's not a Rangers fan and therefore has no opinion on the Bruins possibly facing the Blue Shirts in round two. He does have some views on the Red Sox, including one about David Ortiz that Sox fans might not be too thrilled to hear. He also gives some projections for Jacoby Ellsbury and Clay Bucholz, and gives fans a trend to look out for that has already raised an eyebrow or two of the prospectus folk...and only two weeks into the season.

Bill Barnwell, Football Outsiders

Friend of the show Bill Barnwell has put together a mock draft for the 2009 NFL selection special coming up this Friday. Bill tries to take the draft to another level by actually forecasting trades he thinks would make sense for the teams involved and he has the Patriots making one of those trades...in a very unlikely direction. Bill talks Pats selections and some interesting thoughts on the draft class as a whole and even a possibly wacky route for the Lions.

Jeff Erickson, RotoWire Fantasy Baseball Expert

Jeff Erickson swings by one day late this week thanks to the Patriots Day shenanigans, but with plenty of great info to help out fantasy baseball players as they start the season. Jeff tackles the questions of whether there is anything to worry about regarding David Ortiz's slow start, whether you should keep Alex Rios in your line-up, and what it would take for him to deal Hanley Ramirez. He also sheds some light on how he is doing in his current fantasy leagues and how he's done in the past...you won't believe how many times he's finished in the money!

The Fargo Files Part III

By CHRIS VILLANI

Well, as I sit here in the hotel on a Sunday afternoon awaiting the bronze medal game, my last night in Fargo, and the challenge of Finland's third line of Iiro Parkarinen, Joni Karpalainen, and Jere Laaksonen, I can finally take a moment to sit back and reflect on the week that was in the final installment of the Fargo Files.

First of all, kudos to the guys back in Boston (the Young Guns, not the Celtics) for a job well done in my absence. I didn't actually listen to any of the shows, but the station didn't fall into Marina Bay so something must have gone right. As for me, it was a much better time here in North Dakota that I thought it would be, despite not seeing the movie "Fargo" as was suggested strongly to me by my plane buddy Anna on the flight out.

The quality of hockey was outstanding. Pep had called it "pee wee" hockey when I said I was going (he was just jealous no know asked him to go to Fargo) but I literally got a glimpse into the future of the NHL this week. The latest mock draft for this June has no fewer than a dozen kids in this tournament being taken in the first round. The Bruins are allegedly going to select a Canadian defenseman named Calvin De Haan, one of three Habs defensemen who should be high picks along with a talented creator named Simon Despres and a 6'8" bruising Zdeno Chara-esque blueliner named Taylor Doherty.

Canada plays Finland for the bronze medal this afternoon and the USA plays Russia in the gold medal game. The play by play duties for the featured game went to Jack Swanson, the former voice of Wisconsin hockey and a guy who has been calling hockey games since well before I was born, so I don't mind. It will also give me a chance to head out and see some new friends for the final time before I leave Fargo and...well...likely never return.

I made my new group of friends on Tuesday night when I was sans anything to do and staring at a full day off on Wednesday. I tagged along with one of the hotel front desk girls and her friend to this dive bar in West Fargo called the Town Hall. It reminded me of the places I'd hang out in back in Milford: same crowd, same bartenders who you know by name, pool, darts, and cheap shots. We took advantage of all of the above and I met a number of the locals.

Also similar to Milford, and I would assume most other small towns in the USA, the young folk sat around the table speaking longingly of their desire to leave Fargo behind for something bigger and better. Usually the Twin Cities or Denver were the destinations of choice for these dreamers, I suggested Boston or New York City but was met with the feeling of those places being "way too big" and "I'd get lose there." I guess I buy that for NYC, but Boston is a relatively small major city. Of course, one could say the odds of most of these folks actually leaving Fargo isn't great if they are anything like my friends in Milford. At least I got out, baby! OK, 45 minutes away...but still!

Another highlight of the trip was how we got home, both Tuesday night and Friday when we had a repeat of our dive bar experience with nearly the same crew. When it came time for the end of the night, I was a bit concerned as to how I was going to make a return to my temporary abode. I was of course without a car, and we were all several rounds in of these wacky shots called "Wonder Women" or "German Chocolate Cake" (which is as delicious as it sounds). Then one of the girls announced excitedly that we could call "sober guy."

I figured sober guy was a friend of there's. Some pocket protector wearing geek who never drank and was willing to head out at 2 in the morning to gather the drunken masses. Turns out, sober guy is a service provided in Fargo and it's actually a solid idea. You call sober guy and he comes to get you in his car. The sober guy folk travel in pairs, so when they get to the bar, one sober guy drives his car and the other yours. It's $20 for the service, and $3 per additional stop, totally worth it when you consider the cost of a cab would be comparable and would leave you needing to go back for your car the next morning...if you even remembered where it was. I chatted up our sober guy, he makes $7/hr, likes his job, doesn't mind dealing with drunks, and never...ever gets stiffed. Holding the car keys is a pretty good way to get paid. He even makes some decent coin through tips. Boston should experiment with something like this. Or, and here's a wild idea...HAVE THE FREAKING T RUN ALL NIGHT!

I'll close this final installment of the Fargo Files with a few observations from my time here in North Dakota. I will formulate this in the manner of a double stacked Stewie Griffin compliment sandwich.:

- People are overall pretty outgoing and friendly, a welcome but not unexpected change from the Northeast and likely how I was able to make several new friends over the course of the week

- Folks do have a tendency to not move at a pace I enjoy...aka slowly...they also stand in the middle of roads, hallways, entryways, and the like seemingly oblivious of the presence of human beings aside from themselves...this drove us nuts at times

- Guys like to give off the overt image of being overly macho and controlling of their girlfriends. One girl I met said she liked me but was afraid to tell me she had a boyfriend, as if I was looking for a relationship with someone living 1500 miles away. More than one girl talked about past abusive relationships and another was afraid to talk to me for fear of her boyfriend getting upset. The guys also "take control" entirely at a younger age by proposing which leads to a lot more young brides and mothers here than the East Coast. This would never play back East where women are more egocentric, career oriented, and willing to tell you to go fornicate yourself with an iron stick if the situation calls for it. (Sauce alone hears that two or three times a week)

- All in all, this place is filled with a lot of good, hard working people. They aren't rich (I saw a total of one Mercedes in 12 days here) but have a great sense of community, family, and faith. From coming together to fill millions of sandbags to ward off the rising tides to the young moms and dads as unsure of their new found parenthood as I would be but determined to make a life better for their children than what they themselves have.

I won't pretend coming to Fargo was some kind of life changing experience for me. It was a gig, plain and simple. I came here for money and the chance to call some good hockey, nothing more or less. But I do appreciate the new friends I made in the past week, and although I may never see any of them again I do plan to stay in touch. And who knows, maybe someday, the wild and unpredictable road of life will find this city hosting another sporting event and beat a path for me back to Fargo, North Dakota. If it does, I'll happily come back and cruise down 45th street with the windows down and country music blasting...

...but I'll be hoping for a trip to Vegas instead.
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Mark Carman, WGN in Chicago

We get the deep dish on the Bulls from Chicago native and Bulls beat writer Mark Carman from WGN radio in the Windy City. He confesses that Da Bulls really have no chance as well as his unrequited man-love for John Salmons. We even manage to touch on how the sports nuts out there are too busy fawning over the Jay Cutler deal to notice the Bulls made the playoffs.

Ian Browne, RedSox.com

Our good friend Ian Browne, Red Sox beat writer for MLB.com, stops by fresh from the West Coast swing. We talk to him about Wakefield's dominance, the team's early offensive struggles. Plus, we get his opinion on the Josh Beckett/Bobby Abreu debacle.

Bruins-Canadiens: Let's Get It On....Playoff Style

By Ben Altsher
9:37 pm: It's all over. Kessel scores the empty netter and starts the brawl in the corner. Time to head down and talk to the guys about the Game 1 win.

9:27 pm: Axelsson's headed back to the locker room after taking a hard fall while blocking a puck. Hopefully it's nothing serious as he's one of the Bruins best defensive forwards and they could use him for these final few minutes. Montreal hasn't recorded a shot on net for over 10 minutes.

9:21 pm: Bruins 3, Habs 2. Chara amends things with a rocket of a one-timer. Hey Carey Price, that's the sound of a 105 mph slapper going by your ear. And we're rocking in the Garden once again.

9:20 pm: A near goal by Recchi quickly waved off.

9:18 pm: And the B's decided to wake up. After some good offensive possessions, they draw their fourth penalty of the game and the Dropkick Murphys are blasting the roof off the place. This would certainly be a good time for Boston to break its oh-fer on the power play tonight.

9:10 pm: The Garden crowd is none too pleased with the start of the third period. The Canadiens are taking longer and longer shifts on offense and the Bruins have barely been able to get the puck past their own blue line. Something needs to change quick if Boston wants make sure they take game one.

9:06 pm: Montreal's controlled the first five minutes of the third, outshooting the Bruins 4-1 while spending most of their time in Boston's zone.

8:40 pm: After two periods we're knotted at two goals apiece. The Kovalev strike came late in the 2nd and seems to have taken a little bit of life out of the Bruins. Let's see if the crowd can bring them back and spur them on to a dominant third and the victory.

8:37 pm: Just after the man advantage expires, Alex Kovalev takes a loose bouncing puck and picks out the high corner past Thomas. Can't do anything but credit the goalscorer there as he fit it into a space about the size of a donut hole.

8:33 pm: Stephane Yelle plows into Price after a scoring opportunity drawing the interference penalty. Another chance to tie for the Habs.

8:30 pm: Bruins 0-3 on the power play after the Habs are able to hold up once again. I've noticed that during the media timeouts Carey Price is heading all the way to the Canadien bench. Just a guess, but I suspect that he really doesn't want to be left alone at the fans mercy and likes having his support system around him during the long breaks. Maybe that's just wishful thinking.

8:27 pm: Another penalty on Plekanec, third power play chance of the night for Boston.

8:25 pm: Thomas bails out the B's on a blown play in the offensive end that leads to a Montreal 3 on 1 the other way. He's looking strong as usual.

8:21 pm: Chara and Laraque have another post-whistle discussion. If this game gets out of hand, there's no doubt that those two will be throwing down in a matchup of the titans.

8:16 pm: Nothing doing for the Habs on the power play thanks to a miraculous diving save by Thomas. Krejci had a chance shorthanded with one man between him and Price but elected for a deep slap shot as opposed to taking on his man.

8:11 pm: First power play for the Canadiens on a Patrice Bergeron hook.

8:03 pm: About to start the second period and it looks like we've got our first ejection. Not a player, some fan sitting right below where I'm stationed in the corner of the Garden has been removed from the building.

7:47 pm: One period in the books and it's a 2-1 lead for the home team. The Bruins look like their dominant selves. Seems like they let the 2-0 lead get into their heads a little bit as the Garden crowd serenaded Carey Price. The Canadiens certainly aren't going down without a fight, and it definitely looks like they want the Bruins to go toe-to-toe with them and draw penalties the same way they did last Thursday.

7:41 pm: Bruins 2, Habs 1. Christopher Higgins answers for Montreal after several dramatic saves and blocked shots by the Bruins defense. Unfortunately the Montreal forwards were just a little too quick with the puck.

7:39 pm: Bruins 2, Habs 0. Lucic chases a puck into the corner, slides it back to Michael Ryder who backhands it across the crease to an open David Krejci who roofs a backhander past Carey Price. Prettiest goal of the playoffs without a doubt.

7:33 pm: Bruins 1, Habs 0. Phil Kessel scores on the end of the power play, knocking home a rebound. Georges Laraque continues to draw the ire of the Black and Gold. He's played a ton thus far, even though he's not a skilled player. I think his only purpose is to draw a penalty on Chara or Lucic and take them out of the game, but the Bruins have not fallen into the trap yet.

7:30 pm: Another power play chance for the B's. This one thanks to a tripping penalty on Roman Hamrlik.

7:27 pm: Best scoring chance of the night pops up courtesy the Savard, Kessel, Axelsson line. Wheeler's been shifted down to the fourth grouping to balance the physical play I'm guessing.

7:23 pm: Nothing doing with the power play. Montreal's able to keep Boston from setting up in their zone. Georges Laraque continues to pursue Lucic as if his only goal is to take the emotional winger out of the game, which it probably is.

7:16 pm: First power play to the B's. Tomas Plekanec goes off for the hook.

7:14 pm: Lucic absolutely demolishes Pratice Brisebois into the boards sending everyone into a frenzy. The Canadiens are coming right after the Bruins early though.

6:59 pm: Pre-video montage the crowd busts out a "Let's Go Bruins" chant. Any more questions about if the crowd's ready?

6:43 pm: As if you couldn't tell by Alastair's column earlier today, some of us here on the Young Guns are pretty freakin' excited for this game. The two teams are wrapping up warmups as I type this and only about one quarter of the fans have made their way into the Garden, but you can already feel the energy building. The opening montage goes off in t-minus 15 minutes, and this place is going to explode. The race for the Cup begins soon, and I don't know if any fan base wants it more.

On a sidenote, the catering crew brings out their A-game as well tonight. Ice cream sundae stand blows everybody in the media out of the water, providing some tasty dessert to some unbelieveable lobster ravioli. (Yes, I just typed that purely to make everyone reading it jealous.) Let's Go B's!
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It's Not Yankees Red Sox, But It Ain't Bad...

BY ALASTAIR INGRAM

So this afternoon I sat down, flicked on NESN, and watched a replay of last year's Game 6 Bruins win over the Canadiens at the Garden. Call me a loser if you want, I deserve it. I was in attendance that night after driving 5 hours back from Syracuse and paying 60 bucks for some good old fashioned nosebleeders. It was the best sporting event I'd ever attended. Clearly the bonkers 6 goal 3rd period didn't exactly detract from the excitement. But that game was all about the atmopshere. Outside of European soccer, I really don't know if it can be replicated in American professional sports.

Fans lucky enough to hold a ticket to tonight's playoff opener on Causeway Street will never hear a louder "Let's Go Bruins" chant. Rene Rancourt will never have his distinctive voice rendered so quiet by the Garden crowd, who will belt out the national anthem as though it was being unveiled in 1776. Parents will never shield their childrens' ears so frequently, as Montreal's well known "Ole" chants are changed into something slightly more offensive. And if it's even possible, the French will never be viewed in a more negative fashion.

Having the Canadiens in town gives Boston sports fans a bitter taste of their own medicine. The Habs are the Red Sox of the NHL. Hockey is truly a religion for their fans, because quite frankly, they don't have anything else (unless the Alouettes take home the Grey Cup). Canadiens fans travel in huge numbers, and they make life miserable for hometown fans throughout the league. There will be so many pockets of red tonight at the Garden that you'd think BU was playing in (and most likely winning) a Beanpot final. That's why Canadiens-Bruins is different. Bruins fans treat these games like a foreign invasion, because in a way, that's exactly what it is. And as is the case throughout sports, everything is magnified in the playoffs. So don't be surprised if you get goosebumps as you proudly sing the Star Spangled Banner (I know I did). And don't be surprised if you have the sudden urge to grab one of those red berets, dunk it in your beer, and send it tumbling towards the Loge. It's not Yankees-Red Sox, but in many ways, that rivalry can't touch the one you'll see tonight. ...Read more

Kevin Pelton, Basketball Prospectus

Kevin Pelton stops by on the final night of the NBA regular season. He gives us his perspective on the Celtics/Bulls series as well as the other first round Eastern Conference matchups. We also talk about some of the end of season hardware to be handed out. Plus, Kevin brings out the big numbers to show us how far Rajon Rondo's really come this season.

Jeff Erickson, Rotowire.com

Jeff Erickson stops by for our weekly Fantasy Five segment. That's Fantasy Baseball, of course as the Sauce man had a little trouble remembering. Jeff proves once again that he cannot be swayed by any question, discussing everything from the slow starts for some of the Red Sox big guns, to the eventual prospects of Emilio Bonifacio.

Jay Jaffee, Baseball Prospectus

To help close out our abbreviated week, we brought in our old friend Jay Jaffee from Baseball Prospectus. He gives his first impressions of the major league season, his thoughts on the Evil Empire's early returns from their offseason spending spree and BP's projections on who'll prevail in the American League East battle.

The Fargo Files: Part II

By: CHRIS VILLANI

Easter Eve here in Fargo and the past couple of days have been marked by blowout hockey, 80s rock, and mud...the latter of which literally marking both pair of shoes I brought out here and requiring a messy clean up using some of the hotel's towels.

Yesterday was one of the few days off I have while I'm out here. The night before, Norway had taken it on the chin against the United States. The final was 8-0 and it really wasn't even that close. The Norwegians were a friendly bunch however, mainly for their tremendous assistance in helping pronounce names like Nicolai Bryhnisveen and Chris-Henrik Nygård. With no games for me yesterday, I decided to explore Fargo and had a somewhat adventurous afternoon and evening.

First off, I came across not one, but two Subways with drive-thrus. I couldn't believe it, and no one I have spoken to about it has every seen it before. I at first thought this was a brilliant idea, how could it not be? Anything that requires fewer steps has to be borderline brilliant. But the more I thought about it, the more I am not so certain. Keep in mind, I went into the restaurant and it wasn't too crowded while I was there but what happens when there are several cars waiting in line? Making a toasted foot long is a bit more complex than banging out a Big Mac. Second, isn't it asking a lot of the customer to have everything T'd up and ready to roll at a Subway when they get to the little speaker? Bread, sandwich type, cheese, toasted or not, do you want bacon with that, which veggies, any sauces etc. I will have to investigate this matter in greater detail soon.




I meandered my way downtown to a street called Broadway. It bears little resemblance to Broadway in Boston or the most well known in Manhattan. It does, however, look a bit like broadway in the 20s. From there, I walked down a side street towards the Red River and the Minnesota border. Within about two blocks from the ever rising river, streets are blocked off and cars prevented from getting too close. Being on foot, I ignored the signs and walked through the mud up a steep, sand barrier to get a glimpse at the standing water.

It's amazing how close some of these homes are to the flooding. Garages were enveloped in water and it seems as though most of the houses and people who are close to the trouble are those who haven't got much to begin with. It's hard to get a good sense of classes in an area I'm so unfamiliar with, but the homes near the water looked to be lower income. I'm pretty sure what I was looking at was a park with a walkway around it. As you can see, the walkway ends now a little sooner than it used to.


I walked along some railroad tracks back to the main drag and headed back to the hotel. I remain very impressed by how much unity the town has shown in dealing with this challenge. Volunteers have filled literally millions of sandbags and radio broadcasts all over the dial are devoting time to letting people know what they can do to pitch in and help.

After getting back to the hotel and grabbing a quick nap, I pondered what to do with my night off. The downside of the free evening was that everyone else out here was working. I decided to head out to this place called the Hub. I'd heard about it from a number of people as being a number of bars under one roof and that is basically what it is. The building is basically a huge warehouse. When you walk in, there's a $3 cover that gets you into all six bars inside. It also gets you a coupon for a $5 drink, they call it "negative cover night." Good deal.

The first bar you hit walking in is a sports bar. I sat down, cashed in my coupon for a Crown and Diet, and watched the end of the Knicks win over the Magic and the ChiSox getting whipped by the Twins. The rest of the night was split between two areas, a country bar with a dance floor filled with two-stepping Dakotans and a large open area with a main stage which was being rocked by an 80s cover band called Brat Pack Radio. The band was outstanding and played all the sing along classics whilst throwing in drops from 80s movies and even a medley of 80s TV themes. Given the topic of the night at the Sports Depot recently, this seemed right up my alley. The main stage area featured a balcony on all sides with a trio of varied theme bars. They do well to make each bar pretty different, so it doesn't feel like you're in the same building.

I found a couple of dance partners at the country bar named Amber and Kara and we spent the rest of the night cutting a mean rug across the musical spectrum. Kara is about 5'10" with a curvy build and short brown hair while Amber is more in the 5'3" range and basically looking at her all I could think is "if only Brian Graham was here we'd be in business.

When it comes time to leave, the Hub has one very good idea, and one very bad idea. The good idea, $5 cab rides to wherever you happen to reside. What an awesome idea and a great way to curtail would be drunk drivers. I asked for a lift back to Quincy which was met by an odd look from the cab driver, so I settled for a lift to the hotel. Amber and Kara joined after buying a couple six packs, which leads to the bad idea. There's a liquor store in the Hub in addition to the half dozen bars and it stays open past 2:00 AM. So, after several hours of drinking in six locales, one could purchase multiple 30s before leaving the building. Nothing bad could happen from that...nothing.

I'll spare the details of the remainder of the night, but suffice it to say my energy may be a bit lacking for the Canadians and the Swiss this afternoon. All in all, Fargo has been about a strong 8.5 so far, but still plenty more time to go for that to be swayed either way and still more forthcoming installments of the Fargo Files!
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Young Guns Easter Schedule

Just a reminder folks, the Guns will be off Thursday for BU Hockey in the Frozen Four and Friday for Good Friday. They will return to the air sans Chris Villani on Monday night from 10:00 PM - Midnight.

Happy Easter!

The Fargo Files

By CHRIS VILLANI

Well, to paraphrase Wayne's World and quote Brian and Sauce from the past couple of weeks:

I'm in Fargo!

The flights out were somewhat entertaining. As is my plane trip M.O., I struck up conversation with both of my seatmates on the way out. From Boston to the Twin Cities, it was a girl who is headed to, of all places, Brandies for college in the fall. I told her she was lucky to be going this coming year as she missed having to be at school with one of the most notorious basketball back-ups and drinkers in Judges' history. I gave her some sagely advice about living in Waltham (go to Wings Express!) and taught her what a packie, a statey, and the Red Line all were.

The second flight, from MSP to Fargo, was shared with an elderly woman who had lived in Fargo but moved to Pittsburgh 12 years ago. Her accent still betrayed her roots, and she responded to most of my questions or comments with an "Ohhh" only with a sort of weird "w" sound thrown into the middle in true North Dakowwtan fashion. She explained to me how the Red River Valley was "flat as a table top" and how Minnesota was called "The Land of 10,000 Lakes" and how each lake was thought to be the footprint of Paul Bunyan. I mentioned the statue of Paul and Babe the Blue Ox in Bemidji and a gentleman sitting in front of us immediately perked up and expressed his support for the Beavers in tonight's Frozen Four. Clearly this is the biggest thing to happen to upstate Minnesota in some time.

Flying over Fargo, you can still see some remnants of the flooding of the Red River, made even more obvious by the thin coating of snow layering the ground wherever the water hasn't covered the land. The "flat as a table top" terrain coupled with saturated and frozen ground and Spring snow melt enhanced by additional rain and snow storms brought record flood levels and a river crest north of 40 feet. It's amazing how much the residents of Fargo have chipped in to help, filling nearly 2 million sandbags and aiding in the construction of emergency dikes along the Red River.

After landing, a quick stop by the Rent-a-car place and we were off to see Fargo.

Really, as one horse towns go, I've seen worse. We ate at a stellar steakhouse named Norman's last night and a waiter named Anthony who bore a strong resemblance to Kojak. He succeeded in bringing me exactly nothing I asked for throughout the course of the night (wanted a half price martini but they're only for females, wanted a draft beer, got a bottle, wanted the prime rib, got the rib eye) and yet somehow everything was awesome. The beef out in the Midwest is soundly superior to anything we've got back East.

After dinner, Todd Carroll of Rescue Me fame (he plays a cop with an alcohol addiction) and I decided we wanted another beer or two and walked over to the Old Chicago, where four pints cost around $13 including tax. Maybe Fargo isn't so bad after all.

Tonight is the opening night of the tournament. I am splitting the play by play duties with a guy named Jack Swanson, an old-school hockey guy to the core from Minnesota (as opposed to the Young Gun hockey poser from Quincy) but a very nice guy who let me pick which games I wanted to call. Tonight, I have Team USA's opener against Norway. The Norwegian team is filled with names such as Head Coach Ørjan Løvdal, goalkeeper Chris-Henrik Nygård, and defenseman Jens Ulrik Eggen Bacher (it will pain me to refrain from some kind of popcorn related joke with that one) so I had better get to preparing, but keep checking back for the latest edition of...the Fargo Files!
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One of these days

by BRIAN GRAHAM

It's been a rough sports life. I've never seen any of my teams win a championship (or at least was too young to appreciate it, see Mets '86). It's been incredibly frustrating.

I never talk about the Knicks on the air, because they've been irrelevant for years now. Back in the early 90's I really thought they'd be the team that brought home that title. For some reason the past week I can't stop watching this. It's one of those random videos that gives me chills everytime.

Jason Horowitz, CBS Sports & MSG

Jason Horowitz finishes his run of Young Guns appearances with a post national title game chat. He breaks down North Carolina's run to the title and where this team ranks relative to some of the other great champions of the past. Jason also opines about what kind of player he thinks Tyler Hansboro might be at the next level, what to expect from Blake Griffin in the Association, and some of the other players who came into their own during March Madness. Finally, he looks ahead to next year with a very preliminary top 5, most of which being contingent upon which players declare for the NBA draft.

Jeff Erickson, RotoWire Fantasy Baseball Expert

Jeff Erickson from RotoWire returns sans daughter this week and breaks down more fantasy tidbits for the Guns' listeners. He talks everything from closers to Andre Eithier. Don't forget to checkout RotoWire for all the latest Fantasy Baseball news and notes and click here for a chance to try out the RotoWire service for 10 days absolutely FREE!

Ian Browne, RedSox.com

Well rain washed out Opening Day at Fenway Park but nothing stops Ian Browne from stopping by to chat with the Guns. Ian previews not only Opening Day but what the Sox should expect from Josh Beckett this season. He also discusses the Sox pitching staff as a whole, and whether the question marks in the offense will have a chance to bounce back this season.

Bruins vs. Rangers

4:35 PM: Final score: 1-0 Bruins. Post game analysis: This was a solid preview should things shake out to yeild a Bruins-Rangers 1st round match-up. Expect goaltending to play a huge role when the Rangers are able to trap and keep scoring chances at a premium. I knocked this would be series as being somewhat boring but the 2nd and 3rd periods reminded me of the one thing that could keep this interesting: Sean Avery. His chippy nature and the overall physicality the Rangers are capeable of playing with could lend some fire to what could be a low-scoring, defense dominated series.

Overall, I feel exponentially better about the Bruins heading into the play-offs now than I did two weeks ago. I know, I know, they've won 6 straight so that comment seems obvious, but the fact that the defense around Thomas (namely Chara and Yelle) is looking as good as it has all year, not to mention Thomas himself, has me feeling good about the odds of staying in games through a seven game series. Locking Thomas up to the extention now couldn't have hurt the focus either, though I doubt it would have been a big deal either way.

The PK, which Claude Julien commented on after the game is another area with which to be pleased. The one concern: health. I would like to see Kessel and Thorton hit the ice for a couple of games before the play-offs, just to get a sense of what we'll see come play-off time. All in all, however, things are looking rosey for the Black and Gold. Check out post-game audio later tonight (the exact time TBD by whether I actually get up the desire to hit the gym) and stay tuned to YoungGunsRadio.com.


4:14 PM The Bruins put the wraps on a 1-0 win over the Rangers that clinches the Eastern Conference regular season title. It's the first top finish in the conference since '01-'02 and the 112 points represents the 4th highest point total in franchise history. This B's team will almost assuredly move into 3rd, needing only one more point.

Thomas said Avery was nonchalant about the incident in the 3rd period but clearly he was far from believed. Thomas made a couple sarcastic comments regarding Avery and his on-ice shenanigans and even admitted he likes the way Avery plays on the whole but said he crossed the line by hitting Thomas during the media timeout.

Claude Julien remarked on the desperation the Rangers played with and the emotion of the past week playing 3 games in 5 nights. He was pleased his team was able to play well enough to win and said Thomas gave the team the saves it needed at the right time, much as he has done all season. Coach said he would rather Thomas let his teammates take care of incidents like the Avery situation but realizes how emotional Thomas can be out on the ice. Another point of pride for coach was the PK, which has now killed off 14 straight power plays over the course of the past 4 games.

3:31 PM (1:46 3rd period) The B's killed off the 4 on 3 and worked back to a 5 on 5 thanks to Thomas looking solid as could be and some great blocks, including a sprawler from Stephane Yelle that sent the puck to the other end of the ice at the tail end of the power play. John Tortorella pulls Lundqvist with about 1:20 to play to go 6 on 5, but Scott Gomez took a penalty with 35 ticks left to force the goaltender back out there and force a Ranger timeout. Time to head downstairs...more from there in a few.

3:23 PM (5:24 3rd period) This place is going nuts thanks yet again to Sean Avery. After a small and rather uneventful scuffle in front of the Bruins net, Avery nonchalantly skated pasted Thomas and allowed his stick held at waist level to hit the goalie in the back of the head as he was kneeling on the ice taking a breather. Thomas got up and skated at Avery, hitting him from behind. When Fredrik Sjostrom came over to challenge Thomas, he was greeted by a hard right cross. Two minute penalties for Avery and Thomas for unsportsmanlike conduct and roughing, respectively, and we are 4 on 4.

Don't get me wrong, some of the things Avery does I find hilarious, but that was a gutless move and totally unnecessary. I do love the fire Thomas showed in going after Avery, he has been charged up all afternoon. As I type this, Marc Savard is sent off for a cross-check putting the B's a man down at 4 on 3. Still 1-0 Bruins.

3:17 PM (7:45 3rd period)The Bruins kill off the power play, keeping the puck in the offensive zone for a good chunk of the action. When the Rangers did move it to the left side of the ice, Thomas came up strong yet again, using the body to make a stop on a Michal Rozsival one-timer and after watching a slapper whistle by, gloving and holding onto a wrister from Scott Gomez.

3:12 PM (9:49 3rd period) Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. Lauri Korpikoski beats Thomas to the glove side but pipes it to just barely miss tying the game. David Krejci is sent off the ice for holding. Giving the Rangers their first power play of the afternoon. The B's have killed off 12 straight man downs over the past 3 games.


3:06 PM: (12:44 3rd period) Back to back breakaways for each side. Lucic snuck behind everyone before being turned away by Lundqvist on the doorstep and heading back the other way Nikolai Zherdev couldn't put a one on none past Thomas. Both goalies are playing pretty well, 23 saves for Thomas, 18 for Lundqvist so far. Good effort for Thomas in his 1st game since signing his 4 year, $20million extension. Still 1-0 B's.

2:57 PM: (Start of the 3rd period) Chara and Mara both start the period with 2 minute roughing penalties for their scrape at the end of the 2nd. Andrew Ferrance was injured during the 2nd and will not return. Dennis Wideman was shaken up after sliding in front of a shot in the opening seconds. He got up after a brief moment down on the ice.


2:38 PM: End of the 2nd period saw a little fireworks. Zdeno Chara planted Sean Avery into the boards which drew the biggest cheer of the afternoon. Avery was a bit slow getting up, and Paul Mara traded shoves with Chara in a relatively minor scrape involving players with rhyming surnames. We nearly had a clash of goalies as well when Thomas and Lundqvist skated out of their respective nets and stopped just short of the red line while exchanging some words.

The closing minute also saw another good scoring try for the B's go by the boards. A 3 on 2 breakaway had potential but Mark Recchi couldn't make solid contact on a backhander and Patrice Bergeron's rebound try was swept out of the crease.
Still 1-0 Bruins.

2:28 PM: (4:14 2nd) A couple of nice saves by Thomas this period, one a chest save whilst practically crawling to his left to stop a shot from Ryan Callahan. The newly extended net minder has added a couple of glove saves as well. Coming out of a time-out the B's had a flurry of chances in front of the Rangers net, but Lundqvist made some nice saves on back to back slot rebound tries.


2:15 PM: (13:26 2nd period) Wow I hate Boston fans sometimes. We just had our first loud, albeit brief, "Yankees Suck" chat. Can't we raise ourselves above the neanderthal level here folks? Pretty even hockey both ways. I hate watching the Rangers play, constantly trapping, slowing it down, limiting the chances. My only saving grace is I will be in Fargo for a good chunk of the series should these two meet in round 1. Wait, did I just say going to Fargo was a good thing? I think I just threw up a little of my between periods tiaramisu. Still 1-0 B's.

1:51 PM: End of period number one with the Bruins on top 1-0. Michael Ryder had a chance in the closing seconds but missed high and right on a quasi-breakaway. Shots on goal dead even at 7 each through the first.

Not for nothing but this is a potential first round play-off preview. If the season ended today, these two would meet in a best of 7 to start things out. Of course, there's a grand total of 4 points separating the 5th through 8th place teams so anything could happen. The Rangers have a 2-1 edge in the series so far this season, with the lone Boston win being the 1-0 shutout for Tuuka Rask back at the end of January.

1:26 PM: (10:56 1st period) Well, everyone's awake now. Blake Wheeler left wide open on the right side blasts a slap shot past Henrik Lundqvist. Wheeler had a chance to think about the shot, the situation, and the slight uptick in the NASDAQ with all the time he had. It's the first shot of the game for the Bruins and give the helpers to PJ Axelsson and Dennis Wideman. On another note, Sean Avery is getting a modest chorus of boos whenever he touches the puck. 1-0 Bruins

1:23 PM: 12:44 left in the 1st period and it's been a pretty subdued crowd here at the Garden, mostly because there hasn't been much to cheer about. A whopping total of two shots on goal (the Rangers) have both, and not much physical play. The only other entertaining moment was the in-arena promotions girl getting an incorrect cue and beginning to name the lucky row of the game while the Rangers were bearing down on Thomas.

1:05 PM: Good afternoon from the TD BankNorth Garden. I regret to inform I did not check out the media buffet this morning, which I assume was the ever popular brunch for lunch, due to a commitment helping out Christian Teja and the College Game over at the Greatest Bar (and then housing a cheeseburger).

A few housekeeping notes prior to this afternoon's potential 1st place clinching game with the Rangers.

* Dennis Wideman is playing in his 300th career NHL game this afternoon
* The B's will be sans Aaron Ward due to an undisclosed injury, Phil Kessel and Shawn Thorton are also scratches as expected
* The Bruins gave out six awards prior to the starting line-ups that were as follows:
The Eddie Shore Award for exceptional hustle and determination: Milan Lucic
The Elizabeth Dufrense Trophy for outstanding performance during home games: Marc Savard
The John P. Bucyk Award for greatest off-ice charitable contribution: Zdeno Chara
The Bruins Three Stars Awards: 3rd star - Tim Thomas, 2nd star - Zdeno Chara, 1st star - Marc Savard
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Five in a Row?

By Ben Altsher
9:58 pm: A second workmanlike win for the Bruins. Everyone complemented the Senators for their tough play. No one was thrilled with the first period, but once they ratched up the hitting, they were able to create some chances which they cashed in on. That does it for me at the Garden. Tune into the Young Guns on 1510 from 10 to midnight for more Bruins talk.

9:30 pm: Final score Bruins 2, Senators 1. Spezza whistled for an interference call in the final seconds means the end of the road for Ottawa. More from the locker room in a bit.

9:26 pm: Bruins penalty to Mark Recchi with less than two minutes to go. Possible 6 on 4 coming up if Auld leaves the net.

9:22 pm: 4:26 left to go and still a one goal lead. Ottawa's doing just enough to hang around, but they'll need a lucky bounce or a broken play to tie the game.

9:14 pm: Penalty killed off. Ottawa's 0-3 on the man advantage. More clutch saves by Thomas and some extracurriculars between Chara and Nick Foligno. The Senators Jason Spezza looks like he caught a high stick near the end of his shift, no call but he was slow to get off the ice.

9:10 pm: Big chance for the Senators. Bergeron busted for a hooking call.

9:09 pm: Nice hit montage by the guys upstairs. Zdeno Chara prominently featured. Even when guys try to hit him, they end up on their backsides. Sidenote: You know it's almost baseball season when "Yankees Suck!" chants break out at a Bruins game.

9:05 pm: Looks like Claude Julien switched up the top two D pairs. Wideman's now playing with Chara and Ference with Aaron Ward.

9:00 pm: Bruins 2, Senators 1. Ottawa dominates the early part of the third. But P.J Axelsson creates a turnover to set up Marc Savard for a sweet wrister to give the Bruins the lead.

8:39 pm: End of the second. Bruins 1, Senators 1. Boston outshot Ottawa 13 to 7 that period. Took 'em long enough but the cobwebs appear to be gone and the good Bruins have shown up. With that said, the Senators are doing a good job of hanging around and trying to be opportunistic with quick counter-attacks. Thankfully, Thomas has been up to the task.

8:33 pm: And it's on. Jarkko Ruutu runs into Thomas trying to set a screen. He gets a penalty, but that sets of a near rumble. Shane Hnidy, who's been jawing with several Senators pairs up with Winchester but the refs break it up before any real punches are thrown. Final result: Bruins on a 2 minute power play.

8:18 pm: Another pair of really close chances from Yelle and Ryder. Boston's outshooting Ottawa 22 to 14 at the moment. They finally look like they've taken hold of this game.

8:15 pm: Senators kill the penalty, but it's clear the Bruins have finally found their offensive game. Lots of tipped pucks in front of Auld with a few rebound chances down low.

8:10 pm: Finally a solid shift by the offense, and they draw a hooking penalty against Ottawa's Jesse Winchester.

8:06 pm: Bruins 1, Senators 1. Milan Lucic hums one past Alex Auld's glove. That was a Nolan Ryan fastball painting the corner. Absolutely unbelieveable. Credit Ryder for setting up Looch on a nice breakout pass.

7:45 pm: End of the first. Senators 1, Bruins 0. Savard nearly scores on a breakout off the penalty, but it looks like he rushed the shot and gave Auld too good a look. Thomas is outstanding in killing off the penalty to start, shutting down Ottawa on at least three close chances.

Not a great looking first period for the home team. They're not asserting their dominance as they did against Tampa on Tuesday. Chara's hardly been a factor which is something rarely seen. The Senators certainly brought their A game tonight and the Bruins will need to find theirs to come back.

7:41 pm: So of course as I type my last post, Marc Savard picks up a ticky tack hooking call.

7:40 pm: The Garden crowd shows their displeasure with an apparent interference call against Filip Kuba. A few close calls have gone Ottawa's way, keeping them penalty free thus far.

7:35 pm: A Chara whirl-o-rama sets up Wheeler on the doorstep, but the rookie is stoned by Alex Auld. The Senators netminder's having a really good game thus far, snuffing out several solid Boston chances.

7:30 pm: Solid penalty kill by the Bruins. They hold off an early rush and don't let the Senators get set up after the first thirty seconds.

7:26 pm: Great cycle from the fourth line of Bitz, Yelle and Hunwick. But Yelle gets a little carried away and draws a holding call.

7:23 pm: Dennis Wideman misses a close chance wide of the high left corner. Seems like the goal woke up Boston who's now playing with a more physical edge.

7:20 pm: Senators 1, Bruins 0. The dreaded line of Jason Spezza, Dany Heatly, and Daniel Alfredsson strikes early to put Ottawa on top. Bad sign for Boston: The forwards are waiting for the D's to launch the puck up ice. That's one of the major issues they had this month when they were struggling.

7:08 pm: David Krejci has been announced as the Bruins 7th Player Award winner as voted on by fans on NESN's website. The centerman takes home a brand new Dodge truck, I'm jealous. Also, Shane Hnidy back in the lineup tonight which likely means a move back up to the forward lines for Matt Hunwick. Hnidy will probably be paired with Mark Stuart.

6:55 pm: Since my Bruins crush is in full swing, how about another live blog as the black and gold go for their fifth straight against the Senators? This one looks pretty easy on paper. B's have beaten Ottawa six straight times, including all four games the two have played this season. No Phil Kessel or Shawn Thornton tonight. Tim Thomas will get the start in net.
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All I'm Saying is Give B's a Chance

By Ben Altsher
It's time to step away from my usual axe-grinding self and talk about something that has me somewhat troubled. As our winter teams head towards the postseason, hardly any Boston sports fan is concerned about the Celtics prospects despite an injured Kevin Garnett and Leon Powe, severely testing the depth of the C's interior. Yet for some reason, the Bruins, who are inches away from locking up home ice in the Eastern Conference, have people talking about which first round matchup would be easiest so the team can't screw it up.

Granted, the Bruins recent playoff history isn't exactly sparkling. Boston hasn't won a playoff series since 1999 despite making the postseason four times since then. Not to mention that some of those first round exits have been pretty emabarassing (8th seeded Montreal?).

But in a season where the Bruins have gotten off to one of the best starts in team history, why dredge up the painful past. After all, this isn't your Bruins team of five years ago, or even of last year. This is a group that plays with confidence, with swagger. They're inspired to play well by the same factors that have brought so many of the casual hockey fans back and have the diehards turning out in droves. It's the skill of Marc Savard, the energy of Tim Thomas, the dominance of Zdeno Chara, and maybe most importantly, the physicality of Milan Lucic.

This is not to say that the Bruins can't break our hearts again. But this is a different team, with a different attitude. So before we dread the prospect of another 1-8 matchup with the Canadiens, let's take a lesson from just a few years ago. After all, if the Red Sox can snap an 86 year old curse, how hard is it to believe that the Bruins can truly become a Stanley Cup contender again?


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Kevin Pelton, Basketball Prospectus

Kevin Pelton joins the Guns for his bi-weekly chat and talks Celtics opponents as the play-offs near. Can the C's beat the Magic without KG playing at or near the level he did last season? Which potential 1st round opponent presents the biggest test for the Celtics? How many teams are legit NBA title contenders? Kevin also breaks down a recent article on the economics of spending in hoops and how they relate to team success. See which teams spend the smartest, and which team tosses around the most money with nothing to show for it.

Jason Horowitz, CBS Sports & MSG

Jason Horowtiz from CBS has a little bragging to do. He trashed the ACC as a conference in terms of tournament performance and Duke being beat down by Villanova certainly aided his case. Jason helps the guys break down the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 rounds with a gander ahead to the Final 4. Jason's pick to win it all (Pitt) was knocked out so check out his revised predictions and hear Villani's wacky idea on how to get Jason back for not inviting him to his wedding...it involves some poor, unsuspecting young woman.

Jeff Erickson, RotoWire Fantasy Baseball Expert

We've finally found the one thing that can trip up Jeff Erickson...a screaming two year old! Jeff's daughter reacted to Villani's voice the same way most women do, with tears and wailing. After a little false start, Jeff dolled out his usual array of Fantasy Baseball expertise, including some very helpful insight on drafting and whether there might be some sleepers to grab at second base.

Bynum, Lebron, NBA, other musings

by BRIAN GRAHAM

Lots of things I wanted to hit on, so lets go bullet point style for this bad boy, or at least dash style...whatever you wanna call it.

- I can't believe Andrew Bynum is getting this much heat over being at a playboy party. Lets inject everyone with some truth syrum here (actually I doubt we even need that)...you're young, rich, single, straight and quasi famous. Hef gives you the invite to said party, are you really saying no? End of story there. Lets move on.

- Has anyone noticed the Lakers struggles lately? Losing to Charlotte and Atlanta this past week. As of now Cleveland should have home court throughout the playoffs. I always talk about who the smart money is on to win it all. Forgetting my unhealthy mancrush on Lebron for a second, how on earth can anyone say the smart money isn't on the Cavs? They've lost one game at home! One! I buy the notion of the Celtics getting to the Eastern Conference Finals, but with KG not 100% can you really give them a strong chance against the Cavs?

- I still don't know how to feel about SI picking the Mets to win the World Series. It did give me goosebumps (no joke) when I initially heard it, but it does concern me a little bit. If they are going all the way I want it to be through the Dodgers in the NLDS (payback for '88), through the Phillies in the NLCS (self explanatory), and the Red Sox in the World Series. I wouldn't be able to handle myself if we had a rematch of '86.

- Glad the officer who detained Ryan Moats resigned. Had to be done.

- I really think this is the year we see Derek Jeter's skills start deteriorating to the point where people are calling for a position change. It was painfully obvious (or just awesomely obvious) in the WBC that Jeter was several steps slow and probably cost the US a bit by not being able to make plays in time.

- If you're doing fantasy baseball pick up Daniel Murphy on the Mets. He'll be the everyday left fielder. Kid can hit and he'll be batting 2nd behind Reyes and probably ahead of Wright or Beltran. Last year, small sample size he crushed the ball and got on base at around a .400 clip in 131 ABs. In Double-A he went .308/.374/.496. I like.

- I still can't get over the Jay Cutler situation. The guy isn't even in his physical prime yet and the Broncos are just going to let him go? How does Pat Bowlen not hop on a plane the second this was going wrong, visit Cutler and make sure everything is ok? I think Bowlen is putting wayyyyy too much trust in Josh Mcdaniels here. I don't think Mcdaniels likes Cutler's game to begin with and thinks he can do better with a safer QB. Have fun with Chris Simms.

- I don't know whether to be more annoyed with people who still try to pull April Fool's jokes or the ones that consistently fall for them.

Song stuck in my head...Nas - Got Yourself a Gun

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