Due to some serious snow in New England, I was happily trapped in NH an extra day - allowing my muscles to heal from two solid days of skiing in VT. However - my attempts to get back home were impeded to the point that I thought a higher power was trying to keep me from getting on the flight home. First, my Sunday 6pm flight was cancelled as Southwest saw a few flurries and did everything but dissolve the company outright. So I had to spend a day in Portsmouth and then wandered around my alma mater (University of New Hampshire) for a full day. Lessons learned: all of the cute girls are most definitely gone. They have nice new buildings all over the place, which I bet get used because the cute girls are gone and people are actually studying. Everyone looks approximately 13-15 years old. I wondered where my damn school went.


Got a ride to Manchester airport where I lost my boarding pass not once, but twice. My 7pm flight was delayed, cancelled, and magically uncancelled a minute later. I got back to DC after midnight, and when I was close to home, saw a guy lying across the breakdown lane and then travel lane. I slowed down and proceeded to call 911, and they went to check it out.


I am kicking myself for not getting out of the car to help him. All I could think of was Bill Cosby's son who was killed on the side of the road by people pretending to need help. I was by myself and the road was empty. I didn't want to get jacked. But then again, I had rubber gloves in my trunk, full medical gear, and a one-way valve CPR breather-thing (that's the technical term). My mind was so shot none of this ever occurred to me. And then I looked back on all of the delays from the last two days, and I wonder if that's why they all happened - so I could be there to help this dude who was probably very hurt. And I didn't. I did the easy thing and called the police because I was too afraid of getting car-jacked. I had no idea how cynical I was until now. I want to apologize to the man but I don't know how. It's a pretty awful feeling when you think your number was just called and you passed on doing the work because you worried about yourself.

Diamond Don has a beef with the New England sports fans.

So, the Redsox and the Pats. Four productive years in the last century and these people turn into the very thing they hate - NY fans. Only worse, because it's like NY fans with a chip on their shoulders. At least New York has a rich tradition. At least the Yankees fanbs embrace their high payroll as their owners desire to win, whereas at #2 and only slighly behind, Saux nation denies it.

This deserves some rebuttal. But first, it also deserves clarification. What Don's full post lacks is

"Disclosure: I am a Philadelphia Eagles fan. I too suffer from the unrelenting sting of sports failure, having watched the mighty Eagles choke in three consecutive NFC Championships. I loathe the people of New England, for their teams have begun to return to their winning traditions (1980's), and yet my beloved team continues to choke on the precipice of victory. Once more we stand in the familiar situation of an NFC Championship, and I remain plauged by a history I cannot forget or forgive, much like every Boston fan from 1918 to 2004. I want to feel confidence, but there is so much doubt. I join fans of the White Sox and Cubs in hating the fans of New England - they have gotten their spoils. Where are ours???"

I take strong issue with the comment about the absence of tradition and not embracing our ownership. Take Yaz, Jim Rice, Babe Ruth (for better and worse), Johnny Pesky, and Teddy-freakin-Ballgame and if you don't get "tradition," then I don't know what tradition is. And hey - our ownership is the best in baseball. Our fans know that. The ownership does not secretly despise its fans or its staff (ask Cashman), and took the world series trophy on tour to us fans across the country - which I think had bigger shows than most reunited bands this year.


It is also important to realize that New England fans have but one home team to share amongst several states - unlike NY or PA - with their two/three football teams and two baseball teams, etc. Statistically, we have fewer chance of a home team being in a position to win than states like that.


Lastly, yeah we have a bit of chip on our shoulder when it comes to the Pats this year. Because somehow a 14-2 team has only TWO people going to the Pro-Bowl. That is unreal. Everyone said Indy would clean our closets. I too had my doubts and I regret those doubts. I shall not question our ability to win games. I understand Faith now, thanks to the Sox.


I believe teams mirror their fans. READ THIS. Then you will see, Diamond Don, what it's like to be a New England fan. We are protective of our players. It's not that we believe we are better than anyone else, it's that WE BELIEVE WE ARE BETTER THAN WE EVER HAVE BEEN. And that feels wicked good.


(Jones is gonna love this).

Article: "Parking Spaces Stretch to Fit Fat Rides"


This is exactly the wrong message to send. It reminds me of when groups were suing airlines to make seats larger b/c americans are getting larger as a whole.


New Years Resolution for America: Consume LESS. (we're already a NET IMPORTER of food)