The Mark Graham Sports Blog's posts tagged Boston

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• Bobby Jenks' Harrowing Tale Of Back Surgery Gone Wrong

  February 23, 2012

  

  Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Bobby Jenks has had his fair share of back injuries throughout his career, but it pales in comparison to what he when through this offseason.

  Jenks underwent surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital in December to remove bone chips in his back. A seemingly routine procedure, right. Wrong.

  While Jenks has at his home in Arizona, he noticed a strange fluid leaking out of his incision. Instead of being worried about it, he just bandaged it up and went about his life. The problem, however, would not go away, so he was rushed into emergency surgery on December 30 to repair a "mistake" on his previous surgery that Jenks said could have cost his life.

  He was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism in September and because of that diagnosis, he had to wait until December for the surgery.

  Jenks said of the scare, "I don't know whose fault it was, but there was an error done inside," he said. "I had four bone spurs on my spine and we talked about taking the top two out. The third one was started but not finished, so basically there was a serrated edge that sliced me open in two different spots and I was leaking spinal fluid. (The spur) pulled off the bottom of my incision and blew up on me, which caused an infection to climb up that incision and now I had an infection in my spine. It was a combination of 'everything that could have gone wrong went wrong."

  "If I didn't have it done immediately, the infection could have gotten into my spinal fluid and up to my brain, and who knows what could have happened then? I could not be here right now." Jenks continued to say.

  Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington said that the team was aware of the issue and has given jenks the utmost support. Cherington also said that the team has not placed a time table on Jenks' return, although Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine has said that Jenks being out until midseason was the most likely scenario.

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• Website Apologizes For Welker Butterfinger Prank

  February 09, 2012

  

  The online pawn shop, Pawngo, has apologized for its prank on star New England Patriots receiver Wes Welker.

  Pawngo dropped 900 pounds of Butterfinger candy bars in Copley Square in Boston. The prank was designed to mock Welker's dropped pass in the Super Bowl. Had Welker caught the pass, the Patriots most likely would have won the Super Bowl.

  The site meant for the stunt to be lighthearted, but many Boston sports fans were upset at the website. Pawngo CEO Todd Hillis said in a statement, "We thought that Boston fans would get a laugh out of it. But, for many great Boston sports fans, it was taken offensively. Please accept my most sincere apologies. We got caught up in the moment, reacting to a suggestion that we thought would be funny, but we were wrong, and on behalf of everyone involved with Pawngo, I apologize."

  To top it off, Pawngo was cited for violating a commercial dumping ordinance in Boston.

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• Website Offers Wes Welker 900 Pounds Of Butterfingers

  February 07, 2012

  

  Its been a tough couple of days for Wes Welker. First he drops a catch he usually makes in his sleep that would have all but clinched the Patriots fourth Super Bowl championship.

  And now this.

  An online pawn shop, Pawngo, has dropped 900 pounds of Butterfingers in Copley Square in Boston for Welker. A sign was placed next to the pile simply saying: "Thank you, Wes Welker"

  In case anybody wanted to know, 900 pounds of Butterfingers equal 8000 individual Butterfinger candy bars.

  Patriots fans still love you, Wes.

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• Julian Edelman Arrested In Boston

  November 01, 2011

  Boston police are saying that New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman was arrested early Tuesday morning outside a Boston nightclub.

  Police say Edelman was arrested outside a Boston nightclub and charged with indecent assault and battery. According to reports, Edelman is accused of groping a woman below the waist.

  Edelman is scheduled to appear in Boston Munincipal Court later on Tuesday. Edelman was taken into custody and released on bail.

  Edelman, former Kent State quarterback, has three receptions on the year for 25 yards and serves as the team's kickoff and punt returner.

  The New England Patriots were not available for comment.

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• Ortiz, Red Sox Divorce Inevitable

  October 14, 2011

  Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of the Red Sox. The Red Sox drama sounds more and more like a soap opera everyday.

  Today's installment of As the Red Sox World Turns, David Ortiz has said that he is fed up with the drama in Boston and might consider signing with the Yankees. Ortiz said, ""There's too much drama, man, there's too much drama. I have been thinking about a lot of things. I don't know if I want to be part of this drama for next year" and has heard that playing for the Yankees is a good situation to be in. The Yankees need a middle of the order presence and Ortiz fits that mold, so why not? Plus it would be a huge coup if the Yankees can steal a beloved Red Sox player.

  Just two weeks ago, Ortiz stated that he wanted to return to Fenway next season. That was before the mudslinging and the departure of Theo Epstein. Since the season ended, reports have come out saying Terry Francona was distracted by martial problems and a substance abuse problem, pitchers partying down in the clubhouse during games, and players revolting against ownership over a doubleheader against Oakland. The Yankees will overpay for Ortiz that is a given, but will Ortiz bite? If Ortiz does sign with the Bronx Bombers it will erase everything he has done for Red Sox Nation and make him a vilified figure in Boston. Ortiz has to do what he has to do and if it is signing with the Yankees so be it.

  When Ortiz leaves, it does give the Red Sox more money to go after bigger names like Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder. Question is would any of them be willing to play DH with first base occupied by Adrian Gonzalez? Pujols will most likely re-sign with the Cardinals because he seems like a pretty loyal player and is known as one of the greatest Cards of all time and the Cardinals will break the bank for him. Fielder has previously stated that this season will probably be his last in Milwaukee. So the Red Sox have a better chance of signing Fielder than they do with Pujols. Fielder, if he does sign with Boston, would almost have to play DH because Gonzalez is better defensively. Problem is Fielder doesn't play any other position and a move to Boston seems unlikely. A move to the AL seems unlikely. When it is all said and done Pujols and Fielder don't end up in Beantown.

  In my opinion, Ortiz has played his last game in Boston as the drama has gotten to be too much for him. It will be hard for new General Manager Ben Cherington to replace him during free agency without Pujols and Fielder. Red Sox fans, you are witnessing the beginning of the end.

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• Maybe No One Will Notice

  October 12, 2011

  A runner was disqualified from a British marathon when it was discovered that they had taken a bus.

  Rob Sloan, a former Army mechanic, dropped out of the race 20 miles in and decided to take a bus. Sloan finished the race at 2 hours, 51 minutes an amazing 21 minutes faster than his previous best. Third place finisher Steven Cairns was running third the entire way and never saw Sloan pass him. Cairns immediately took to his Facebook page and doubted Sloan's results saying "I was third the whole way but somehow I crossed the line and was given fourth! I started to doubt myself as he was adamant he had gone past me. I could understand him taking the goody bag and the T-shirt but to do the press interview claiming he was third..."

  Sloan will have to meet with a committee later in the month to see if he will be banned from future marathons.

  This is similar to the Rosie Ruiz story when she won the Boston Marathon in 1980 but was disqualified after only entering the race a mile from the finish.

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• Where Is Calvin Schiraldi?

  October 10, 2011

  25 years have passed since the 1986 World Series between the Mets and Red Sox, and some of us know what have happened to the major players in that year's series. What about some of the other key players? A friend of mine said I should write a "Where are they now?" article, so I thought about it and thought it was a good idea. I just couldn't think of what person to write about, then it came to me, Red Sox pitcher Calvin Schiraldi.

  First, let me give you a little background on Schiraldi. In 1983, Schiraldi was a hot shot pitcher for the Univesity of Texas where he was teammates with former Cy Young winner (and alleged steroid user) Roger Clemens. Texas won the NCAA College World Series in 1983 and Schiraldi was named Most Outstanding Player and made the All-Tournament Team (along with home run king* Barry Bonds). The New York Mets then drafted him the first round, 27th overall, in the 1983 MLB Draft and made his debut on September 1, 1984.

  Schiraldi was then traded to the Red Sox as part of of an eight player trade and was sent to Triple A Pawtucket where he was then converted to a relief pitcher. After some impressive performances, manager John McNamara named him the closer for the rest of the 1986 season. In Game 7 of the American League Championship Series, he struck out five in the final two innings to clinch the pennant for the Sox.

  In the World Series, Schiraldi did save one game, but is best remembered for losing Game 6. After retiring the first two batters in the 10th inning, was one strike away from clinching the Red Sox first World Series since 1918. He allowed three straight singles and was replaced by Bob Stanley and the rest is history. People also forget that Calvin Schiraldi, after losing Game 6, also lost Game 7 after allowing a Ray Knight homer in the 7th inning as the Mets took the World Series. The next season, Schiraldi lost the closer role to Wes Gardner, another player involved in the trade that brought Schiraldi to Boston, and saved only nine games and posted a 4.41 ERA.

  Schiraldi would only play four more seasons with three different teams (Cubs, Padres, and Rangers) and would be a non factor. The Cubs tried him as a starter and struggled mightly going 9-13 with a 4.38 ERA. After making only three appearances for the Texas Rangers in 1991, he retired at the young age of 29.

  After retirement, Schiraldi went back to his hometown of Austin, Texas and became the head baseball coach at St. Michael's Catholic Academy where is also a physical education teacher. He was also on the coaching staff of the local AAU baseball team, the Austin Slam Sox. Schiraldi has stated that he would prefer to stay coach in high school rather than move up the ranks. The University of Texas honored calvin Schiraldi in 1997 when they inducted him in the University of Texas Hall of Fame for his accomplishments as an outstanding pitcher for the Longhorns.

  While Schiraldi retired at a young age, he seems like he has his life together. He has a good, honest job and is helping shape and mentor young athletes to help them with their own major league dreams. Schiraldi is best remembered for the two losses in the 1986 World Series, but now students in Austin just remember him as Mr. Schiraldi and Coach Schiraldi. He never won a World Series, but Schiraldi has probably made lasting impressions on the many students that have walked the halls of St. Michael's Catholic Academy.

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