John Rooke - Thinking Out Loud

John Rooke - Thinking Out Loud

Thinking out loud…and wondering whatever happened to “the Birdman of Alcatraz?”

• So Larry Lucchino told WEEI this week the “media” is a little bit to blame for exaggerating the current Red Sox drama? Does he really expect the media, or the fans, to just fall in line and follow blindly?

• Additionally, Bobby Valentine has now been given multiple “pardons” and reprieves from Sox management when it comes to his job status for the remainder of this year. Even the higher-ups must realize the current malaise is NOT Valentine’s problem. He hasn’t even contributed to it…

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• I’m not sure anyone is in line for a raise after this season, but Clay Buchholz might be one of the few…

• Mutiny, schmutiny. Much ado about nothing. The Sox have had 25 players on the DL this season. There’s no one even around to stage a mutiny…

• My lasting Johnny Pesky memory comes from my first couple of years as the main sports anchor at Channel 12 in Providence. After Ed Nottle was fired in 1990 and Pesky was named as the interim Pawsox replacement, we broke the story on the air. When I left to go to McCoy Stadium to interview the new manager, before I could even utter a word, he looked out at me, offered his hand, and told me I had already put him behind “the eight ball.” I thought he was mad – then he smiled and put his arm around me…and said I could have whatever I needed. Johnny Pesky was, quite simply, a good man…

• Moving away from the on-field discussion for a moment, and changing the conversation to a favorite topic – ball park food. There’s no question improvements have been made in recent years at Fenway, but if you want a real treat…you should take in a game at AT&T Park in San Francisco…

• In the Bay Area for a mini-vacation this week, the stops included a Giants-Washington Nationals match-up between Tim Lincecum and Stephen Strasburg. Strasberg won it – and the Nats might actually be playing as well as anyone at present. But the real winner came from the concessions…

• Garlic Fries. Pork nachos. Cold Blue Moon. Holy Moly…

• Speaking of Strasburg, I just don’t believe the Nationals will really shut him down, should he exceed 170+ innings pitched as the Nats hit the post season. I mean, I understand protecting your investment after Tommy John surgery, but how many times have they been in the post-season before this year? Never? Stupid is as stupid does…

• Not for nuthin’…but here’s one that belongs in the Stupid Hall of Fame. A Dallas Cowboys fan is suing the team for burning her “back side” during a team scrimmage in 2010 at Cowboys Stadium. It seems temperatures on the field that day were more than 100 degrees (duh!) and the bench the alleged victim sat on was black. Black absorbs heat, don’cha know?

• Mu buddy Statbeast sez life isn’t like a box of chocolates…it’s more like a jar of jalapenos. What you do today might burn your butt tomorrow…

• There might be a couple of Patriots players a little lighter in the pants seat after Bill Belichick threw Julian Edelman and Niko Koutavides out of practice Thursday following an on-field scuffle. Which begs the question…why does it seem like there are more “confrontational discussions” on the field this year, than there have been in the recent past?

• One theory here – there are certainly younger players dotting the roster, which means fewer players ensconced in the “Patriot Way” of conducting business. Emotions run high when you’re competing for a job…

• Another theory – there’s simply more pressure to win, and win now. And with the exception of QB, there’s a battle going on for just about every other position on the field…

• A brutal stretch of three games in 10 days – pre-season or not – starts Monday with the second and final home game against Philadelphia. Arguably, it might be the team’s toughest stretch this season…

• A roster thought…over the past week, as fan favorite Deion Branch returned to the field and Donte Stallworth was mentioned as a possible kick returner…the tide could have turned in Stallworth’s favor in the battle for a roster spot. One of those guys will not be on this team…barring injury…

• And it’s hard to be exact, but the play of the defensive backs – an area of concern to be sure this season – does seem to have improved. Kyle Arrington and Devin McCourty have hardly been mentioned. Which, I think, is a good thing…isn’t it?

• LSU’s “Honey Badger,” defensive back Tyrann Mathieu, was kicked off the team a week ago for violating substance abuse policies. This week, he’s checked himself into a rehab facility. I won’t pretend to know what’s going on, but will say that the step he took this week might have been bigger than any play he’s ever made on the field…

• On the other hand – you’ve got to appreciate the brutal honesty from a guy like Melky Cabrera this week…who after getting caught and suspended 50 games for taking a banned substance said "my positive test was the result of my use of a substance I should not have used.” Ya think?

• The really sad part about Cabrera’s misdeed now lies with the fact that any hot hitter is now going to find himself under the specter of potential drug use. You’ll think that, I’ll think that…we’ll all think that. If a guy is hot, it has to be doping…right? That’s beyond sad…

• The hiring of Mike Aresco as the Big East Commissioner signals the beginning and end on several fronts in league history. First, as the 4th commissioner in league history, Aresco is the first man in the position to have no ties with Providence College (Dave Gavitt, Mike Tranghese, John Marinatto). I don’t believe that to be a bad thing…but when the lease is up on the Providence HQ downtown, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the conference relocate to a more “central” location…

• Second, Aresco is the first hire for any of the “Power Six” leagues to have zero experience within a conference office or within an athletic department. His background is television – which coincidentally, is exactly what the Big East needs at this stage of its existence. Knowledge is power…and the league is banking on that…

• I will also say, that based on the initial interviews he has given, Aresco is just what the conference needs – a proactive “cheerleader” who insists (correctly) that the league will continue to thrive. With all due respect, it’s hard to see his predecessor’s doing what he’s already done…

• Loved this comment from the new commish this week: “I want the schools that left, I want them to regret leaving,” Aresco said. “My job is to make this a state of the art conference in every respect.’’ Should be music to the ears of Friar fans…and Husky fans…and Scarlet Knights’ fans…and so on…

• And I will repeat what I’ve said before in this space. Boston College is irrelevant on the regional (and national) sports landscape, thanks in part to their move to the ACC. Get a good look at the Eagles, Syracuse and Pittsburgh, because that will be you in 5-10 years…

• Wonder if it has anything to do with their irrelevance, but BC athletic director Gene DiFillippo is stepping down at the end of next month. Hmmmm…

• As Friar fans continue to wait for the NCAA’s decision on Ricky Ledo’s eligibility…Northwestern got some good news as 7-2 freshman center Chier Ajou was declared able to play for the Wildcats this season. He’ll be the tallest player in NU history…while Ledo’s eligibility certainly could rank as the biggest news in recent PC history…

• 6-10 Columbian forward Tony Trocha, who Friar assistant Bob Simon has been in on from the get-go, may be enrolling in a school by mid-semester…rather than wait until the fall of 2013. Perhaps he’ll be surveying his choice of teams (of which PC remains a candidate) to see who needs his help (and his playing time) the most?

• My west coast adventure this week included a night tour of the infamous Alcatraz penitentiary in the San Francisco Bay, closed in 1963 by then-US Attorney General Robert Kennedy. The stories and legends are numerous, and I wondered about one of the more infamous inmates to have been incarcerated there – Robert Stroud, aka “The Birdman of Alcatraz.” It turns out many of the myths are just that – fabrications. Stroud actually became an ornithologist, but was known more for his care of birds while at Leavenworth – not at Alcatraz, where he wasn’t allowed to keep “pets.” Stroud was originally convicted of manslaughter in 1909, became one of the more unruly prisoners during his time, and ended up at Alcatraz…which is where notorious “bad guys” (including Al Capone) ended up. Stroud had a death sentence commuted to life in prison by President Woodrow Wilson (thanks in part to his mother), and he served 17 years on “the Rock” before his death in 1963. As Mr. Spock might say – “fascinating.” History lesson complete…

• Our mailbag question/comment this week comes from @greg_7880 via Twitter: “Is there any human element 2 the NCAA clearing process? Or is it cut n dry? Think (Ricky) Ledo playin’ for his city and fam would do him good?” Greg: Common sense might say that’s the case, but the NCAA has never used common sense as a barometer for anything. This will boil down to the issue of whether or not Ledo taking 5 years to complete his core courses is viewed as a necessary part of the process or excessive, and whether or not he can be a competent student in the future. Now, we know he may or may not fulfill all of his eligibility while at PC. But that isn’t assumed by the NCAA. I think it’s a crap shoot…which is probably not what you want to hear…

• Interested in having your questions on local RI sports (including the Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics) answered in a somewhat timely fashion? Send ‘em to me! It’s your chance to “think out loud,” so send your questions and comments to [email protected]. We’ll share mailbag comments/Facebook posts/Tweets right here! Follow me on Twitter, @jrooke0722…and on Facebook, www.facebook.com/john.rooke ...

• And you’re up early anyway…don’t forget to join us for GoLocal Sports on 103.7 FM, every Saturday from 7:00-9:00 am! Call in (401) 737-1287, or text 850850…and send email to the show - [email protected] .

• And one more plug – we’ll be back for a 12th season with “Patriots Playbook” on Patriots.com Radio beginning September 5th. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 2:00-4:00 pm ET, we’ll be live with commentary, interviews and your calls and questions on the Patriots and the NFL via social media. It’s a great way to break up the day at work! But if you can’t make it for the live webcast, never fear…the podcast will be near…