Do The Crime, Do The Time

Earlier this week the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (MSJC) followed suit on the 2012 decision of the U.S. Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) of Miller vs. Alabama.  In the decision the SJC determined that mandatory life sentences for juveniles who commit murder violates the Eighth Amendment of "cruel and unusual punishment".  This would mean that if a 14 year old boy was angry and decided to kill his math teacher in the school bathroom for no other reason than that he was mad at the world, he would not spend the rest of his life behind bars.  So taking someone’s life should not mean yours is ruined, unless you are of a certain age.

The main reason I have an issue with this judgment, which is now being implemented nationwide, is that I really have problems with legislating from the bench.  Granted, at this time, I don't think our legislators could do a better job, but they are the ones elected to make the laws, not the courts.  I have always had a difficult time with this, not just in this case.  The Constitution's first three words are "We the People..." not "We the Judges....”  The Supreme Court has no accountability to bad laws that it makes.

The SJC came down 5-4 on this decision stating that mandatory life sentences for juveniles do not “guarantee(s) individuals the right not to be subjected to ex-cessive sanctions.”, which is the Eighth Amendment.  That may be so, but wouldn't that apply to all murderers?  I guess this is where the interpretation comes in and the SJC feels the need to write the law.

The SJC argued that the maturity level of the juvenile criminals are not capable of understanding their crimes, therefore should not spend the rest of their lives behind bars.  Justice Kagan wrote in the opinion of the court "We reasoned that those findings—of transient rashness, pro-clivity for risk, and inability to assess consequences—both lessened a child’s “moral culpability” and enhanced the prospect that, as the years go by and neurological devel-opment occurs, his “‘deficiencies will be reformed."  That is a big guarantee on reform.

But the decision violates another amendment, in my eyes.  The 14th Amendment, which provides citizens the equal protection under the law.  The 14th Amendment is hogwash anyway because a 4 year old cannot get a driver’s license, a man cannot attend an all-women’s college, and gays not being able to marry falls under the 14th Amendment.  But if a 16 year old and a 28 year old commit the same crime they are subjected to different sentences. What if the mentioned above did the crime together, one goes to jail for the rest of their life and possibly put to death and the other walks out of jail in a few years?  Doesn't seem to be equal protection to me.

I agree that our juvenile criminals should be reformed to be able to function in society again, but I draw the line at murder.  I also don't have faith in the penal system to do so and Chief Justice Roberts said as much in his dissenting view.  He wrote:

"In this case, there is little doubt about the direction of society’s evolution: For most of the 20th century, American sentencing practices emphasized rehabilitation of the offender and the availability of parole. But by the 1980’s, outcry against repeat offenders, broad disaffection with the rehabilitative model, and other factors led many legis-latures to reduce or eliminate the possibility of parole, imposing longer sentences in order to punish criminals and prevent them from committing more crimes."  

He went on to say. 

"....if a 17-year-old is convicted of deliberately murdering an innocent victim, it is not “unusual” for the murderer to receive a mandatory sentence of life without parole. That reality should preclude finding that mandatory life imprisonment for juvenile killers violates the Eighth Amendment."

The SJC opened a Pandora’s Box with this ruling as longtime juvenile offenders are asking for retroactive releases.  So Maryland, Lee Boyd Malvo (DC Sniper) can technically ask to be released.  According to the SJC the six life sentences that he is serving are cruel and unusual.  His cohort John Allen Muhammed was put to death in 2009.

I am not surprised by the MSJC's decision to uphold this ruling, it's the nature of the Commonwealth.  I truly think the SJC dropped the ball on this one.  If the MSJC wanted to truly support an SJC ruling and legislate from the bench, they should advocate for the SJC decision for consumers to buy wine directly from the vineyards.

3D

If you don't take it from me, ask my wife

The True Reality of Reality TV

Martha Graham once said “What people in the world think of you is really none of your business.”  That may be a little harsh but there is a stark reality to it.  Last week, Phil Robertson, one of the "actors" on the reality show "Duck Dynasty" was suspended by his network because of something he said about his beliefs regarding sin in a GQ interview.  Have we reached the point in our society where a man answers a direct question about his believes and will not come under fire?

Last week, GQ released the interview with Robertson where he says that, and I am paraphrasing here, that homosexuality is "sinful".  It could be said that he compared homosexuality to bestiality.  I did not read it that way but I can see where it could get deciphered that way.  Soon after the comments went public the cable channel A&E suspended Robertson from his show.  A&E felt that the feelings of the public were more important than their star's opinion.  If the outraged masses actually read the article that offended them so much they would have seen a man that was very religious.  His religious overtone was so much that he refers to himself as a "Bible-thumper".

To be honest, I have never watched the show, probably never will.  It just doesn't appeal to me.  The fact that it has been on for five seasons just proves to me the state of television.  But that is immaterial to what is going on.  The man is spewing his religious beliefs on the world and is reciting his literal meaning if the Bible.  Why is he doing it?  Because he can.  There 14 million weekly viewers that tune in and hang on every word this man says.

This is not a First Amendment issue.  The government is not censoring Robertson, his employer is.  I do find it very funny that the liberal media is dismissing Robertson's freedom of speech and religion in this case, but when people were breaking laws, defecating in public and costing municipalities millions of dollars, it was a First Amendment triumph.  Time magazine went as far as naming "The Protestor" Person of the Year.  As unfortunate as it is, there are probably more people who agree with Robertson than the "Occupiers".  But as I stated earlier, it's not about the First Amendment.

I have no personal opinion about homosexuality other than I am not one.  Do I think it's a sin? "He without sin, cast the first stone” My only view on it is that it does not affect my life one iota.  I have grown up with gay friends and have friends who have gay parents and it does not faze me in the least.  It's a lifestyle I do not live and I respect those who live it.  The only thing I ask in return is to respect me as well, and that has never been a problem.

But this situation is not about if homosexuality is a sin or not, it has just been brought to the forefront to ignore the true issue.  The interviewer asked a loaded question and knew exactly the response he was going to get.  That is good journalism.  It is more troubling that the media made this a homosexual issue, because it is clearly not.  If this is truly homosexuality or hate issue then the network would have not have to do anything, the viewing public would have taken care of it.  If A&E was so distraught about moral fiber, then why are they running a "Duck Dynasty" Marathon on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day?  They do know that Robertson will be in those episodes, right?  It’s all about the dollars.  Robertson has the right to say what he said and A&E has the right to terminate him for it.  But they shouldn't do it half way.  They shouldn't take the moral high ground and then look at the bottom line and waver on it.  It is not sending a clear message.  Actually it is not sending a message at all.

As a society we are taking television too literally.  If these types of outrage about television were prevalent when I was growing up then "All in the Family" would not have gotten past the second episode.  "The Jefferson's" would never be "movin on up" because of George's references to white people as "honkies".  What would have been made of Klinger on "M.A.S.H" who cross dressed to get sent home from Korea?  Yes people, he was referring to it as a sickness.  Add a "reality" factor it and it makes for un-watchable television.

Nobody should be surprised by what Robertson said.  If you are, then I suggest you pay attention to what you are watching.  In that same article he also stated that blacks were happier in the south during the 60's.  He also stated that squirrel meat is the best kind of animal meat there is. This man is obviously an old school, Bible belt, Southern redneck, we should not be shocked for a second by anything he says.   For my homosexual friends I will leave you with this passage from Matthew 5:39 "But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also."

In closing I leave you with the words of Les Brown "Someone's opinion of you does not have to become your reality"

3D
If you don't take it from me, ask my wife

Violent Friday

Thanksgiving!  A time to be thankful for all the good things that have happened to you during the past year.  The time to get together with family and eat a giant cooked bird that you normally don't eat unless it is Thanksgiving.  A time to sit and watch your local high school play its rival in football then fall asleep in front of the three pro football games on TV that day. It is also a time to beat up a fellow patron at your local Wal-Mart at 3:00 am to get that last PlayStation that will most likely be available again in a day or two.  What a great holiday.

So the last comment truly isn't what Thanksgiving is about, at least I hope not for you.  I just don't get the madness that comes with all this.  Luckily in Massachusetts the stores aren't allowed to open Thanksgiving, but opening up at midnight doesn't make it any better.  If you are on social media and noticed people chiding Wal-Mart for opening on Thanksgiving and making their employees work the holiday.  The same people applauded Sam’s Club for not opening, so I guess it's a wash for the Wal-Mart Corporation.  

If people want to be away from their families, or wake up at some un-Godly hour in the name of savings, who am I to judge.  I choose not to do it and I am still able to complete my Christmas shopping within my budget.  That's just me I guess.  But do these things need to resort to violence that was reported on the news?  Now these stores are forcing local authorities to beef up their staffs during these times because people don't know how to behave themselves accordingly.

According to a website mocking this tradition called www.blackfridaydeathcount.com, there have been seven deaths and ninety injuries related to Black Friday since 2006.  One of the deaths was this past Friday when a teen driving home from shopping fell asleep at the wheel.  That is definitely a tragic ending to a perfect holiday.  Four passengers were also hurt in that crash.

• In Rialto, California a police officer was sent to the hospital with a broken wrist when he was trying to break up one of three fights at a Wal-Mart that police responded too.

• At a Walmart in Claypool Hill, Va. a man allegedly threatened another man with a firearm and then cut that man's arm with a knife "down to the bone," according to reports.  This man felt the need to bring a gun AND a knife to Black Friday shopping. 

In Philadelphia two couples got it a brawl at the mall, over god knows what, that had to be subdued by a stun gun.

Like I stated earlier I am not going to judge people that do this, it's just not for me.  I do find it funny that people complain about the lack of sleep and the craziness that goes on at these things.  To be honest I don't need to go Black Friday shopping, I get a blow by blow recap on social media of all the events.  I read them as I drink my morning coffee.

As we go into the Christmas Shopping season please be careful and if getting that last X Box One means having to fight for it, just let it go and move on.

3D

If you don't take it from me, ask my wife.

Thank A Vet!

I will have to admit that I have written this article before and I am going to write it again and probably not change much.  It's not because I am lazy or have run out of material it's because I like to honor the same people on the same day every year.  Over the years I have grown to respect our military more and more each year.  When I was a kid, it was a day off from school.  When I was a teenager, it helped me research my love of history.  When I was a twenty something hit closer as people I knew where now soldiers.

Our military deserves our support, right wrong, or indifferent.  These brave men and women volunteer to take a job to defend this great nation.  They should be commended, not condemned.  That is all I have to say about the respect our military deserves, because most Americans feel the same way I do.  As I normally do each year I want to thank these specific individuals for their service and everything they have done for this country.  If you would like to add someone to my annual list please drop me a message, I would love to honor them

Timothy MacCartney Sr. - United States Army
Timothy MacCartney Jr. - United States Army
Ron Scarborough Sr. - United States Air Force
Michael Scarborough - United States Air Force
Ron Scarborough Jr. - United States Marine Corp
Derek Gordon - United States Marine Corp.
Cary MacCartney - United States Army
Craig Tomanini - United States Army
Jill Murray Wildt - United States Marine Corp.
Sam Wildt - United States Navy
Don Mason - United States Army
Eric Catalanotti - United States Army
Robert Catalanotti - United States Army
Justin LaMonda - United States Marine Corp.
Denny Brigley - United States Army
John Finneron - United States Army - P.O.W. World War II
David Layman - United States Navy
Dan Thibodeau - United States Marine Corp.
Kim-Cameron King - United States Marine Corp.
Mary McCue - United States Marine Corp.
Rusty Williamson - United States Navy
Nick Fortunato - United States Navy
Paul Dell'ovo - United States Air Force
Paul Vigneault - United States Navy
DJ Gentile - United States Coast Guard
Glenn Peacock - United States Coast Guard

Thank you!

3D
If you don't take it from me, ask my wife

A True Baseball Unsung Hero

Saturday (Nov. 2) was a bittersweet day for me.  As I sat down to watch the "Rolling Rally" to honor the tremendous job that the Boston Red Sox had done this season to win the World Series, my spirits were dampened. I received a call from one of my best friends and he told me that the man we had worked with to help run the East Side Babe Ruth had passed away on Friday night.  Richard Zellmer was a man synonymous with youth baseball in this city that nobody knew, and he was ok with that.

I first came across Rich when I was eight years old playing in the Jack Barry Little League and he was a coach of an opposing league.  As I continued to grow up and play baseball Rich was always there coaching a team, with his wife Judy in tow.  They were always in it for the kids.  When his children stopped playing, he didn't stop coaching.  When I became a coach in 1991, there was Rich in the opposing dugout.  We had many battles on the field, but always had each other's respect.

When I became an umpire in 1997 I worked many Babe Ruth level games and Rich and I crossed paths again, and as always his wife Judy was there to support him.  The following year Rich took over the reigns as President of the East Side Babe Ruth league, a title he held until this past Friday.  We always said he would die doing work for the East Side Babe Ruth League.  I never imagined it would happen.

I was honored when Rich asked me to be one of his league administrators some years back.  That was when Rich was no longer a mentor but became a friend.  We had many conversations over the past twenty plus years, some joking, some serious and some heated, but we always had each other’s respect.

Being the President of the East Side Babe Ruth League, or any youth league for that matter, is a very thankless job.  That didn't matter to Rich, he wasn't in it for the accolades.  As Rich's health deteriorated over the years he became less visible at the field and some parents didn't know who he was.  He was the man that made that league go, he was the man behind the curtain, the one nobody paid attention to.

Each year the league faced it's own viability, dealing with some players whose parents could not afford to pay the registration fee.  That didn't matter to Rich, that child was going to play and the league was going to run.  He made it work every year no matter what.  He always dealt with the Parks Department and other City administrators to make things work for the league.  He wanted to create as many opportunities for kids to play baseball, no matter what obstacles it created for him.  Throughout all of these efforts was his wife Judy.  She supported her husband in every sense of the word.

As I moved up through the baseball umpire ranks, got married and started a family, my presence at the baseball field has waned.  I am still part of the league but in a planning way.  However, my friendship with Rich and Judy and their three sons Richard, Steven and Kevin has grown stronger.  We have become more of a family rather league colleagues.

I will miss Rich and everything we have done together.  I truly hope the former players, parents, and coaches appreciate what the man had done for baseball on the East Side of Worcester.  I know I will.

 God Bless you Rich.  May you rest in peace.

3D

If you don't take it from me, ask my wife.

It's Just a Game

During my younger years (20's and 30's) I attended many sporting events.  I have been to over fifty sporting venues in four countries and the one thing that all of those experiences have in common is, it was just a game, nothing more.  So, last week when I saw the video of a New York Jets Fan punch a New Patriots fan, who happened to be a women, in the face, I was beside myself.

Sport fanaticism has existed since the time of Roman gladiators, to 1912, when Red Sox fans were ready to trash newly built Fenway Park because owner John I. Taylor suggested to manager Jack Stahl that he throw a World Series game so he could get more gate money during the series, which the Red Sox ultimately won. To a near riot in city streets when teams win a championship.

We love our teams, no doubt.  But at what point does the love of our team take us away from reality?  In all those trips to stadiums not once was I disrespectful to the people around me and never did I engage in a physical confrontation with rooters from the other team.  Because in the whole grand scheme of things, it just was not that important to me.  I don't need to defend multi-billion dollar organizations in a physical manner and I should not expect the same from fans of another team.

Several weeks ago I read that a twenty four year old Dodger fan, who had just left AT&T Stadium to see the Dodgers play their rival San Francisco Giants with his dad, was stabbed to death for being a Dodger fan. That is just perplexing to me.  The worst part of all is that this is not the first time that this has happened and it surely will not be the last.

• 2003, a Giants fan was shot and killed outside Dodger Stadium
• 2004, a skirmish between players at the end of a Pacer-Pistons led to a brawl between players and fans
• 2005 a Red Sox fan took a swing at Yankee outfielder Gary Sheffield while he was making a play during the game
• 2011 a Giants fan was nearly beaten to death in the Dodgers Stadium parking lot, IN FRONT OF HIS SON
• In 2011 several arrests and injuries were reported at San Francisco 49ers vs. Oakland Raider PRESEASON game 

These are just to name a few.  Let's not forget the city of Vancouver nearly going up in flames after the Canucks lost game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals against the Boston Bruins.  I won't even get into the soccer hooliganism, that's just not fair.

I love the local sports team and I root for them, that's it.  I have never had a problem with sitting next to a fan from another team at a sporting event and having a healthy debate about who has a better team and who will win the game.  It was also not uncommon for me to shake the hand of the person when leaving and thanking him for a great conversation.  I never threatened them and they never threatened me.  I hate to break this to all of Red Sox Nation, the Yankees don't "suck". 

It's just a game folks, nothing more.  We have been lucky as fans to see a large success in this area.  When the Red Sox won the World Series, The Patriots the Super Bowl, The Bruins the Stanley Cup or the Celtics the NBA Finals, think about what you personally gained from it, other than a few weeks of joy.

As you head out for a Patriots game, or go see the Red Sox in the World Series, or happen to catch the new season of the Bruins or Celtics, I have one bit of advice for you. Act like you've been there before.  Go Sox!

3D

If you don't take it from, ask my wife.

Getting What We Voted For

I owe Senator Elizabeth Warren an apology.  When she was elected and had her god awful first press conference I thought her tenure as Massachusetts Junior Senator (at the time) was going to be a disaster.  She couldn't even get through a basic congratulatory press conference without looking over to Governor Deval Patrick for cues.  To be honest it wasn’t shocking to me, but it was what the people wanted and I had to accept that.  Since then, I really haven't heard much from Sen. Warren, other than her call for a $22 minimum wage, but that isn't a bad thing.  She was supportive after the Marathon Bombings and she has been voting mostly along party lines.  Not what I really want in my senator but it is what it is.

Now that she is (gulp) the senior Senator I must say that although her votes may or may not be her true voice, she is at least voting, unlike our newly elected junior Senator.  I hate to say it people but this guy is going to be a disaster.  In his first real vote on Capitol Hill, in a committee nonetheless, Senator Ed Markey, a member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, voted "present" on giving President Barack Obama limited authority to attack Syria with our military.

First off, the fact any elected official is allowed to vote "present" on anything is insulting to every voter’s intelligence.  It tells me one of a few things.  One, you were there and not paying attention. Two, you are waiting for someone else to tell you how to vote, and three that you have no clue and are truly in way over your head.

I am not going to speculate on what his reasons were but wouldn't a vote of this magnitude bring forward the thirty eight years of experience he touted in the special election?  Shouldn't he have taken charge and proved the leadership that he ran on as well?  This is what happens when a politician is conflicted with his personal views and towing the party line.  I wasn't looking for a "Yay" vote or a "Nay" vote; I was just looking for "A" vote.  Even extreme liberal U.S. Congressman Jim McGovern, who normally votes among party lines, is reportedly asking President Obama to not use military action in Syria.  That's because he is anti-war, that's what the people of his district have elected to do, vote, not just show up.  A trained monkey can do that.

So, Senator Warren I publicly apologize to you.  Your tenure as a Massachusetts Senator won't be the worst disaster, as I had thought.  It appears you are the only senatorial vote/voice the Commonwealth has.  Senator Markey is doing what the citizens of Massachusetts elected him to do, he's just showing up.

3D

If you don't take it from me, ask my wife

Baseball Needs to Get it Right

I have been away from blogging the past couple of months as summer is an extremely busy time for me.  My family comes first, I umpire baseball games, for cash, and oh yeah, that 9-5 thing has me traveling all over the country for the first time in 6 years.

A lot has happened over the last two months that would have given me plenty of material to last me a lifetime.  Aaron Hernandez, Whitey Bulger, Rolling Stone cover blunder and the Boston strangler case came back to life, kind of.  All of these had my mind turning but I just did not have time to punch my thoughts out.

The year plus long suspension of Alex Rodriguez for his role in a steroid investigation got me thinking about the state of baseball and its history.  Baseball had had a black eye for nearly twenty years and it keeps getting bigger and bigger.  Baseball ignored years of obvious steroid use by its players to try and restore its image that darkened because of the 1994 players strike.

So now what does baseball do in this time of turmoil?  They really don't have a right to suspend Rodriguez for over two hundred games because he had never been suspended before.  Major League Baseball (MLB) can hide behind their claim of "best interest of the game" clause all they want, but they have been ignoring it all along, why now?

This year, for the first time in 48 years, there was not a living member inducted into the Hall of Fame.  How can that be? Barry Bonds was eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame last year.  He is the all-time Home Run leader with 762.  He holds the single-season record for home runs with 73.  Let us not forget he also stole 514 bases.  How can he be not elected into the Hall of Fame?

What about Roger Clemens? He won seven Cy Young Awards, had 354 wins and 4,672 strikeouts.  If he is not getting in the Hall of Fame then I have bad news for all the pitchers dominating the league, you aren't good enough to get into the Hall of Fame.

So I am being a little facetious right now if you haven't guessed.  Do I think Rodriguez should have been suspended? Yes, I do.  Do I think Bonds and Clemens deserve to be in the Hall of Fame?  That's a trickier question because they were well on their way before taking steroids.  The problem is much bigger than entrance into the Hall and suspensions.

Who is to blame in all of this? Everybody, we all bought in, but the baseball media are the ones that should come under scrutiny for this.  The hypocrisy that the baseball media shows is unbelievable.  They glorified these players as they were chasing records and titles.  They voted for them for MVP's and Cy Young's, then they don't vote those same players for entrance into the Hall of Fame.  I guess being on both sides of the coin is a safe place to be.

So if Bonds and Clemens can't gain entry into the Hall of Fame because of their possible link to steroids you would have to assume that their stats are null in void, right?  Wrong!  This is the worst part of the argument.  The career leader in Home Runs, not in the Hall of Fame.  The single season Home Run record holder, not in the Hall of Fame.  The single game strikeout record holder, not in the Hall of Fame.  Let us not forget about the career hits leader who was banned from baseball (as a manager) and is not in the Hall of Fame as a player, but that's a different argument.

What point is baseball trying to make with keeping Bonds and Clemens out of the Hall of Fame?  They want to rid baseball from any links to steroid use.  That's fine, I am on board with that.  There are currently two problems with the way they are going about it.  Baseball had not had a steroid policy when all these records were being broken, so technically no rules were broken.  It's not an excuse, just a fact.  Secondly, if you want to keep players out of the Hall of Fame, then you keep them all out, stats included.  Roger Maris should be re-instated as the single season Home Run hitter, Hank Aaron should be re-instated as the all-time Home Run leader and Kerry Wood would be your single game strikeout holder.  That would send the message.

It's time for baseball to right the ship and if means hitting the reset button then so be it.  The fact of the matter is that the MLB lost fans a long time ago and they really don't care that Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens are not in the Hall of Fame, I certainly don't.  I am a baseball purest and lost interest in the MLB a long time ago.

3D

If you don't take it from me, ask my wife

Have The Patriots Lost Their Way

"The Patriot Way" has been the mantra that has been touted in New England over the last 10 years.  It exemplifies the business like atmosphere in which the New England Patriots conduct themselves on and off the field.  It is a higher standard to which the team and its staff puts on itself, it is a team first mentality that goes with success.  It has always been believed that if a player, troubled or not, found their way on the Patriots roster they could not help but succumb to "The Patriot Way".  It has always been believed that the Patriots would never associate with deeply troubled players, and if they did it was always perceived that those players were a low risk, high reward project for the team.

Patriot fans remember the drafting of Christian Peter in 1996.  A week later the team relinquished the rights to him because of his criminal past for violence against women.  The Patriots statement was that Peter's behavior was "incompatible with our organization's standards of acceptable conduct." That is the standard that New England Patriots had put on themselves and that is what the team and its fans have come to accept from "The Patriot Way".

I have to believe that "The Patriot Way" took somewhat of a hit this past week with the arrest of Patriots Tight End, Aaron Hernandez for the murder of Odin Lloyd of Dorchester.  How could this happen to a New England Patriots player?  When the story first broke, every Patriot fan could not help to think that there is no way this could happen to a player on our beloved team because it just does not happen with the Patriots.  As the investigation continued and the subsequent arrest of Hernandez came out, it became reality.  To the Patriots credit they cut ties and released Hernandez before the charge of murder was made public.

This has been a topic of conversation among many sports talk radio hosts and columnists for the past week.  It begs the question, is "The Patriot Way" a real thing or have the Patriots been hitting on twenty and drawing aces all these years.  I have to believe it is a little bit of both.  Up until the Patriots won a Super Bowl "The Patriot Way" was a real thing.  Incidents with players and the law were few and far between and they were always handled by the organization appropriately.  Then came the trade for embattled Cincinnati Bengals running back Corey Dillon.  Dillon also had charges of abuse against women for allegedly choking his wife in a domestic dispute.  That is the first instance of the Patriots contradicting themselves.  Dillon's behavior was not incompatible with the organizations standard of acceptable conduct because he was a Pro-Bowl running back that filled a desperate need for the Patriots.

Then there was the trade for Randy Moss, Albert Haynesworth, Chad Johnson and the return of wide receiver Donte' Stallworth.  All of these were designed to be pet projects and their presence in New England were uneventful but filled with skepticism.  The fan based cheered for them but were very protective of "The Patriot Way", thus the skepticism.  So drug charges, assault, child support and vehicular homicide were also acceptable conduct set forth by the Patriots?

Rich Garven of Telegram & Gazette stated in his column on Sunday that "The Patriot Way" was more reflective of what the players do on the field and not so much off.  With all due respect to Mr. Garven but the debate on "The Patriot Way" would not be going on if it did not include off the field incidents, and an incident such as the Hernandez one tarnishes that brand.  That is why the Patriots immediately released Hernandez upon learning of the charges.  That is why the team is offering to fans who own Hernandez #81 jersey a chance to trade it in for a new one at no charge. Because they are trying to restore the tarnish caused by Hernandez.

Have the Patriots lost their way?  I don't think so.  However, I most likely will never say that the Patriots would never sign a certain type of player because they don't fit the Patriot mold.  That's not fair to the Patriots but it is the reality of professional football.  The players feel untouchable and think they can do whatever they want.  Since the Super Bowl in February, twenty seven NFL players have been arrested for various crimes.  On the same day that Hernandez was charged with murder, Cleveland Browns rookie Ausar Walcott was charged with attempted murder.  Let's not forget Javon Belcher who killed his girlfriend, then killed himself.

There is a vetting issue in the NFL and when you are dealing with a multi-billion dollar business there shouldn't be.  David Steele of the Sporting News wrote that the league should fine teams when their players are arrested and charged with serious crimes.  The Patriots are going to lose $12 million because of Aaron Hernandez, which is enough of a fine.  The owners of the teams just need to be better about giving out their money to sociopaths such as FORMER Patriot Aaron Hernandez.

R.I.P. Odin Lloyd

3D

If you don't take it from me, ask my wife

Rambling Time

It has been almost eight months since I have done one of my ramblings.  For some of you that read my blog you may be thinking that all my posts are ramblings.  There have been some interesting things going on in the city, state and country and I figured I would give my two cents worth.  I usually comment on ten stories, but I will cut it down to five.  So let's get started.

No Slots in Worcester - Only part of me is disappointed in this because the hole that sits in Kelly Square will continue to be there.  I said before that I was neither for nor against slots until I saw what the proposed host agreement would be.  Since both sides walked away from the negotiations, there is nothing for me to be disappointed about.  I thought the City Council handled this very well, they did not succumb to outside pressure and they tried to make a go for it.  No harm, no foul.  It didn't work out, so let's move on.  Now what to do with that land?  I beg, no housing, we don't need it.  

Car Jack This! - How about the carjacker that carjacked an unmarked police car, with a Worcester Police Officer in it.  The Darwinist in me had a very good chuckle over this.  I am glad that the officer was not injured seriously and was able to apprehend the dumb suspect.  However, doesn't everybody love a dumb criminal caught story every now and then?  That it happened in Worcester makes it that much more enjoyable.

Sick the Media - I must admit that I think the media can be demanding and pushy sometimes when trying to get an interview, but if you don't want to talk to them wouldn't a simple "no comment" or send a family member out to keep them at bay.  Don't do what a lady in Providence did last week by throwing glass, swinging a bat and then for a finale letting loose her pit-bull on the female reporter.  I understand that the woman was upset and didn't want to talk, but now she is facing charges for her outrage.  A simple "No Comment" would have gone a long way.

Really? - An Austin company is selling lollipops made out of breast milk.  I don't want to say this is disgusting because there are worse delicacies out there.  But what happens if this business makes a go of it?  How many women will need to be on the payroll, and to keep costs down will this get outsourced to a third world country and pump women, and possibly young girls, with hormones so they can produce milk to meet demand?  PETA tried to petition Ben and Jerry's to use breast milk instead of cow's milk, in PETA's eyes humans are more expendable than animals.

I'm Sorry I Slapped Your Son - A South Carolina woman was arrested last week when she went to her son's school after learning that her son had been suspended.  When she arrived to the main office she slapped a boy whom she thought was her son.  However, the boy she slapped was not hers; he was just waiting to be picked up because he was not feeling well.  This woman obviously suffers from face blindness.  How does she not know the boy was not her son?  There are many things wrong with this story but the fact that the mother's first inclination was to hit should be the first thing addressed.  I hope she gets the help she needs.

Bonus: Congratulations! - Over the past few weeks many high schools and colleges have been having their commencement activities.  To the graduates out there I can only offer the same advice that Mary Schmich offered in an article in 1997.  "Wear Sunscreen! If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience."  Congratulations and God Bless!

3D

If you don't take it from me, ask my wife

It's Finally Time

Last week, residents of Massachusetts found out that they are worth more dead than unemployed in the Commonwealth.  An audit of the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) released by State Auditor Suzzanne Bump found a significant amount of irregularities within the department that is costing taxpayers millions of dollars.  The cries for change of the state's welfare system are beginning to ring loud, and this time I don't think it can be ignored.  It remains to be seen if the rumbles from the state house are calls for action or just noise to pacify the constituents.

If you have not heard by now the State Auditor’s office in their investigation of the DTA found that $2.4 million was paid to people on assistance that had been dead for at least six months.  Also discovered in that audit was $120,000 paid to people who began to receive benefits, after they were dead.  How did they apply?  This is what made the news and created the cries for change, rightly so, but there were other issues with this audit that should not only result in reform but people losing their jobs.Oversights like that can happen; I get that, but $27 million worth?  To make matters worse, in order to correct this mistake by the DTA, they paid their employees $3.4 million in overtime.  How do I get one of those jobs?  Make a mistake then get paid more to fix it, living the dream.

The most common complaint of the welfare system in Massachusetts is that there are no boundaries or restrictions of what the assistance is used for.  This too was brought to light in the audit and no it was not the use of Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards at Tattoo Parlors or Liquor Stores, it was the amount of money being accessed out of state.  Apparently using Massachusetts EBT cards out of state is not illegal.  The top cities where the monies were being accessed were Myrtle Beach, Orlando and Las Vegas.  Hmmmmm, sun, fun and gambling on the taxpayers’ dime.  They must be getting the essentials while at Disney World.

So Massachusetts, now is it time for reform?  The system has been broken for so long that it cannot be fixed without it being completely gutted.  Do our elected leaders have the intestinal fortitude to do this?  The problem is that the recipients are not using the DTA for "assistance"; they are using it for a source of income.  The abuse of the system is outrageous and it's a slap in the face to the taxpayers of Massachusetts.  How is it that someone who works twenty years for a company and loses his job gets twenty six weeks of assistance?  But someone who has never worked, and has no intention of finding a job gets permanent assistance?  I think it should be the same, don't you?

I want to believe that these findings by the auditor are the exception rather than the rule, but these numbers are staggering and they have been ongoing.  I don't doubt that there are people that need the DTA, but the agency should not be used as a source of income.  When asked about these finding by the state auditor Gov. Deval Patrick essentially said that he did not believe the report.  Talk about being part of the problem and not part of the solution.

If there is genuine outrage over this audit on Beacon Hill as the politicians claim then reform now; reform to a point that the "Welfarer"-in-Chief of Massachusetts cannot veto.  EBT cards were created to help; the DTA was created to help, so let's reform this program and this department so that they are doing just that.  Itemize expenses so each month rent, utilities and transportation costs are automatically paid from their account and deducted.  Whatever is left over can go on an EBTcard with the recipients picture on it.  EBT cards should only be accepted at grocery stores and pharmacies.  If there is a way to do it, make sure the transactions happen in Massachusetts and not the U.S. Virgin Islands, as the audit reported.

It is finally time to make these reforms.  Come on Massachusetts, let's make them.

3D

If you don't take it from me, ask my wife

The Person or the Atmosphere?

Wednesday was an interesting day for the political scene in Worcester.  Two state elected officials resigned from their posts and one local official announced that he was not seeking re-election.  This was great for opinionated people such as myself, but I don't feel the need to pile on as media outlets did.  I am skeptical of these "resignations", because people usually are forced out or fired for similar actions.  However, the condition of our state political landscape doesn't surprise me that it went down the way it did.

Let's start with City Councilor Joe O'Brien's decision to not seek re-election.  This is not as juicy as the other two individuals and it doesn't truly fall into the same category, but there is something here.  The landscape of Worcester politics perplexes me in general because we have a Mayor and a City Manager, both reporting to the City Council.  So, who is really in charge?  I really need somebody to explain that to me one day.  But with regards to Councilor O'Brien, I never really got the sense he wanted to be there.  I mean for his first run on the council he went for the "Top Job", mayor.  Two years later he didn't want to be anymore, and then two years after that he didn't want his councilors seat either.  I commend him for not running and as he put it "letting someone else have the opportunity to serve", but it just seems, to me, that he was there because someone else wanted him there.  I may be wrong, but that's how it looks to me

Let's move on to Rep. John Fresolo.  If the rumors of what happened are true then this was a right call by the state representative.  I know Mr. Fresolo and he has always been nice and cordial to me.  We may not agree on politics but he always responded when needed.  However, that does not give him a pass in this case and he understood that.  If he decided to stay this would have been a black mark on him and as he put it in his resignation he would not have been effective.  If what allegedly happened did happen then he abused his power and to some extent at the cost of the taxpayers, and that is just not right.

Lastly, Lt. Governor Tim Murray's resignation from office to become the head of the Worcester Chamber of Commerce.  Of all three departures, this one will carry on well after he leaves office.  It can be argued what Murray did or did not do for Worcester when he was a city councilor and then Mayor.  But one thing is for sure, is when he got to the State House is where he made his mark, and I am not saying this as a good thing.  He has been mired by controversy for the past several years and his inevitable exit had to come.  I just thought he would just ride off into the sunset after his term was done.  Leaving before that just makes people wonder if there is something he is hiding.  Why does his new job pay twenty five percent more than his predecessor? Just asking.

The issue with these three stories isn't personal integrity, the words politician and integrity rarely collide in the same sentence.  The issue is that the way the legislature is set up, particularly in Massachusetts, it breeds corruption.  In Massachusetts, the previous three Speakers of the House were indicted, and one is currently serving a Federal prison term.  But that is the state of affairs everywhere; nothing gets done because the elected officials don't want it to get done.  They just want you to keep sending them back to be "The Experienced Choice", but politics is such a mess, why do I want to keep sending the same hacks back.  If term limits and balanced budgets aren't requirements of the job, then this will never change.

Rep. Fresolo and Lt. Gov. Murray got too comfortable in their positions.  They felt untouchable, and when someone feels untouchable, they get reckless.  Fresolo took advantage of a per diem system that in all honesty should not exist.  The job requires you to be in Boston on certain days, why should you get extra for it?  When I used to commute to Boston, Hartford, Providence and Saugus I never got extra for it, why should our elected officials?  If the other actions that Fresolo is accused of doing are true, then he should have been fired.  Murray got too greedy when he got into the big boy's seat and he let it spin out of control.  From "assessing storm damage" in the dark at 108 mph, or the fraud with the Chelsea Housing Authority Director, or the campaign fund fraud, his actions are borderline criminal and yet he gets to resign and get a better paying job.  Why Not?  The system is letting him do it.  Bravo!

Maybe Joe O'Brien was getting too comfortable and did not want to go that route any longer.  Maybe.

3D

If you don't take it from, ask my wife.

Fun Times in Worcester

I've taken the last couple of weeks off from writing because I went on a family vacation.  A nice family road trip down south is definitely a way to relax.  But oh how the tides have turned in our city.  When I left there was uproar over the city council voting to let the City Manager negotiate a host agreement with Mass. Gaming and when I got back there was a new uproar,  the fact that the body of "Suspect #1" was being prepared for burial right here in Worcester, I miss all the good stuff.

I would have had an opinion of the body being in Worcester if I only cared, unfortunately I din't.  I cared about the body being in Worcester just as much if the body were in Cambridge, Brighton, Russia or Burkina Faso. I don't want my lack of caring about it to be misconstrued as a lack of respect of the injured and the deceased, it's not.  I just don't want to give this clown more thought dead than I gave him while he was alive. I prefer to honor the victims by standing behind them and their families as they embark on the road to recovery and the grieving.  Not by protesting a dead body, which does nothing to help the victims and their families move on.

"Suspect #1" should be buried because, as Worcester Police Chief said in his press conference, "We are not Barbarians".  As Central Mass native Charlie Pierce noted in Esquire magazine that bad guys that have died all were all buried.  Boston Strangler Albert DeSalvo was buried, Lee Harvey Oswald was buried, Benito Mussolini was buried, heck, even Adolf Hitler was buried nine times before he was ultimately cremated.  That is just what we as a society do, we bury the dead.

As I read the papers after the protests at the local funeral home began, a new outrage was developing as to the cost of having police officers at the funeral home to keep order and keep the media somewhat at bay.  The number was estimated at roughly $10,000 a day.  Now people are taking the police department to task for the cost.  I can sit here and discuss the cost of police details, but that's not the issue.  Freedom of speech is usually not free, there is typically a cost for these protests and it very rarely goes to the protesters.  So if people wanted to see those costs go away, the protesters needed to pack up and go home.

I am not saying that the protesters were wrong; they should always speak out for what they believe in.  But  in theis case the protests were doing more harm than good.  Harm to a local business man who was just doing the right thing.  Harm to a community that was using its police resources to protect order and being re-allocated from their normal duties.  There are just times when it's just good to walk away and know in your mind that you made the difference.  Now that the body is gone from Worcester let's get back to a more important discussion in Worcester.  To Slot, or not to Slot

3D

If you don't take it from me, ask my wife.

Boston and Commonwealth Strong

Last Monday is the latest day that will live in infamy.  It was just another day in which I was going about my day.  I had attempted a round of golf in the morning with my father-in-law, and then came home to do some chores in the yard.  My wife was home with the girls and was entertaining them and a friend that had stopped by.  It was a normal day in our house; then, I checked my phone.

Around 3:45 pm I looked at my phone to check e-mails and I poked around Twitter and I was taken aback by what I was reading.  A bomb went off at the Boston Marathon?  At the finish line?  I went into the house and asked my wife if she knew what was going on in Boston.  Her response, "ahhhh, No!”  I put the news on and the news became reality for me.  I immediately began to think about the people that I know that usually take in the Red Sox game and then head over to Boylston Street to catch the finish line of the marathon.  I also thought about the people that received bib numbers from my company, that sponsors about a dozen runners a year. I also thought about friends that went into to Boston to support friends of theirs.  At that point there were two dead and roughly forty injured, I had hoped that was all.

The next few hours and days were a whirlwind to this story because so much misinformation was reported it was tough to keep up with what actually happened.  First, there had been several un-detonated devices found and unarmed, and then there wasn't.  There was a report of up to fifteen dead, and then it was back to two.  Then there was a report of ball bearings used in the bombs, then there wasn't, then there was again.  Then there was the report of a third explosion at JFK Library, then it wasn't an explosion or related.  Finally, was that they had a Saudi National in custody and was a suspect, then he was a person of interest, then he was just being questioned.  Lastly, the "person in question's" apartment was searched and "bags" of stuff were taken out of it.  He was then declared no longer a person of interest.  It was all way too confusing for me, I had to stop watching.

The irresponsible reporting by the media could not overshadow the complete coordinated effort that it took place over the next couple of days to apprehend one of the two suspects responsible for the bombings.  The other suspect was killed in a fire fight with police.  I truly must commend the overall effort it took.  From Governor Deval Patrick, all the way down to the Watertown resident who discovered the suspect was hiding out in his boat, it was very impressive.  There wasn't a time throughout the afternoon on Friday I did not think the authorities had the situation under control.  The press conferences may not have led you to believe that but with the way things were being reported over the previous days could you blame them.

Did the police overreact by locking down everywhere ea st of Watertown?  I can see that argument but I really didn't think so.  It's easy for me to say that now because the decision was successful.  But without the help of that resident in Watertown the situation may not have been resolved as quickly as it was.  It wasn't as if people complained; more people stayed indoors for this request than when there is a major weather event.  That just shows how much the people of Massachusetts wanted the suspect caught.  Watching the people celebrate in the streets after the suspect was caught gave me goose bumps.  It was truly wonderful to watch.

Saturday was a wonderful day in Massachusetts.  Even though the region was still grieving and recovering from Monday's events, there was still a reason to rejoice.  The outpouring of support from across the nation was overwhelming to say the least.  To see the New York Yankees say they were united with Boston just shows you how great a nation we live in.  On the news that morning they showed reaction in stadiums across the country and everyone was truly excited to see that the suspect had been caught.

I cannot state enough how grateful I am to the police, the first responders and volunteers at the Marathon.  It was truly amazing watching people run into harm’s way to aid the injured and get them out of harm’s way.  I have always been a supporter of police officers because they have a job like no other.  This past week they and the entire Commonwealth showed that we are truly #BostonStrong.

If you can please donate to The One Fund at onefundboston.org, and also next year why don't you join me at the 118th running of THE Boston Marathon.

3D

If you don't take it from me, ask my wife

A Taste of Home

I was raised in Worcester, went to school here, met my wife here and got married here.  However, I was born in the Campania Region (Naples) of Italy.  Some of my vacations growing up were spending summers back in Italy with family that I still have there.  I was able to learn and practice the language, learn about my ancestry and understand the traditions more.  For example, every August we can tomato sauce for the entire year, never needing to buy any at the store.  Up until a few years ago, my dad and I made our own wine.  Holding on to old family traditions, no matter what your origins are, is something truly to be proud of.

Recently we went to Volturno Restaurant on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester.  Their sign said Pizza Napoletana, which coming from the region is big shoes to fill.  I had heard great reviews from friends and felt that we needed to see for ourselves.  The restaurant is located in the old Edward Buick building on the downtown end of Shrewsbury Street.  What an amazing job they did renovating that site, you would have never known there was a car dealership there.  We were greeted as soon as we came in and felt welcome almost immediately.

They have a one page menu, which is one of the things I love most about the place.  It is completely centered on its pizza, which a pizza restaurant should do.  For appetizers we had the Grilled Calamari with Chili Olives, Chick Peas and Parsley.  If you only like fried Calamari you are completely missing out on this one. It was presented well and it tasted even better.  We also had for and appetizer, the Arancini, which simply put was Risotto ball with Porcini and Mozzarella.  Very tasty!  Now it was time to move on to the real reason we were there, the pizza. 

Pizza Napoletana is world renowned.  It was even featured as one of the "eats" in the book/movie "Eat, Pray, Love".  It is normally cooked in a brick oven with oak firewood.  Volturno has two large brick ovens at the far end of the restaurant that everyone can see.  The pizzas that we ordered were the Margharita, Bianca and Calabrese.  The Margharita, which is my dad's all-time favorite, was cooked with just the right amount of Fiore di Latte (Mozzarella), tomato and basil.  The crust was light and fluffy, not too thin and not too thick, just right.  It tasted amazing.  My dad ate the majority of it, but the rest of did get to get a taste.  The Calabrese had the same type crust with and added mixture of sausage and scallions for toppings.  The Bianca was by far the best pizza of the three.  A "white" pizza with Ricotta and Fiore di Latte, seasoned with chile, scallions and roasted garlic.  When I say roasted garlic, there were full cloves on the pizza.  Everything just melted in your mouth.  

Volturno is named after the River Volturno which was a dividing point between the Allies and the Axis.  It runs right through the Campania region and out to the Tyrrhenian Sea at the beach town Castel Volturno.  In speaking with one of the owners on my way out she told me that her son had visited the region on his honeymoon and was so enamored that he went back for a year to learn how to make Pizza Napoletana.  I must say, job well done.

Volturno Pizza has a great atmosphere with its high ceilings, and its floor to ceiling front windows.  It does have a patio that was not opened when we went but I will assume will be very nice for outdoor dining.  The bar is at the center of the restaurant is also a great place to meet up with friends for a drink.  Volturno has other foods on its menu including Bruschetta's, Pastas and Entrees.  But really, there is no other reason to go there.  Volturno Pizza, Job Well Done!  Can't wait to go back

3D

If you don't take it from me, ask my wife.

Government Motors Needs Work on Customer Satisfaction

I never look to get something for nothing.  However, if the opportunity presents itself I will certainly try.  My wife and I both own Government Motor (GM) vehicles, and to be honest we really like them.  So my wife was very distraught when the 5 year old GM vehicle with 52,000 miles had to have its transmission replaced.  Every mechanic that saw the vehicle or heard of it could not understand why that would happen.  It just so happens that three months after the warranty lets up we have a major repair on it.  Needless to say we weren't happy about it.  We aren't looking for a full refund, but throw us a bone.

So, when this happened we called our local GM Repair Center and asked if there was anything they could do for us because the vehicle was so close to warranty.  As expected the answer was no, but we can fix it $4,500.  Now why would I do that, when I know I can get it done for much less? Essentially GM had turned their backs on me and I took my business elsewhere.  That is the right I have as a consumer and during tough economic times you would think GM would try to save customers rather than turn them away.  Especially after the biggest government bailout kept them in business.

While the car was being repaired I was coerced into at least trying to see what GM would do for me, given the colossal failure of the vehicle and the repair center.  I will be using excerpts of my online chat with a GM representative to show how much they value customer loyalty.

Me: We just had the transmission rebuilt at 52,000 miles, a $3,000 expense because our local GM service Center wouldn't fix it

GM Rep: Where was this repair done?

Me: I brought it to a local transmission center

GM Rep:  because the vehicle was not repaired at a local GM dealer there's nothing we will

be able to further assist you with on this repair.

I guess I had to drop the extra $1,500 with the hope of GM helping me out this one.  Getting the door slammed in my face at the GM Service Repair Center, it was not a gamble I was willing to take.  When I explained this to the rep I got this.

Me:  so my only recourse was to pay almost double for the repair and HOPE you guys

would help out?

Me:  do you realize how ridiculous that sounds?

GM Rep:  I am very sorry for the inconvenience this has caused

They're sorry.  I feel absolutely great about myself.  Like I stated earlier, I don't look for free stuff but when companies hide behind idiotic policies like that it infuriates me.  So, now I am aggravated to the point that I need to let them know that they would not be in business if it wasn't for the good old taxpayer and I asked to speak to someone higher up.

Me:  is there someone else I can talk to? I can't imagine a company that got bailed out by the taxpayers is treating a customer/taxpayer like this

Me: it's bad enough you force me to buy specific oil or it voids my warranty

GM Rep: There is no one above me here you can speak with I can give you the Customer

Assistance Phone number if you would like, but because you had the repair done at

a local independent dealer there is nothing GM can do

There you have it; I am speaking to the CEO.  Ok, maybe not but when I was the happy customer explaining my situation I was passed around like a Frisbee.  Now that I am aggravated there is nobody else I can talk to.  There is a convenient truth.  For the record GM has a clause in their warranty that if you don't use their "dexos" branded oil it could potentially void your warranty. Nice, huh?

So after being told they were sorry for the umpteenth time and that because I chose to save money I thanked the rep for their time and told them I would be moving this up the food chain.  I had no problem with hearing the answer no.  They would have gotten further with me had they just hid behind the expiration of the warranty as the Repair Center did.  But Customer Assistance or lack thereof, stated that I had to pay extra to fix it with no guarantee that I would get any further assistance.

Needless to say, I will continue to voice my complaints. Do I expect any action?  I do not.  The irony of this, as my wife pointed out, we used our tax return to pay for the work. But you can never fault a guy for trying.  It gives for good material.

On a side note, I would like to give a shout out to Brian Greamo and his family from Port Charlotte, Florida. An old friend and a regular reader of Thinking In 3D, his oldest son Brian just turned 18 years old.

3D

If you don't take it from me, ask my wife.

I'm baack!

I did something on Monday that I have not done for just over 18 months, watched the Red Sox game.  I took last year off from the Red Sox; let's just say that I banned them.  Not one inning was watched in my house and if it was on anywhere I was, I would leave the room.  I am a Red Sox fan, but I fell out of love with them quite a while ago.  What happened at the end of the 2011 season I did not see as a choke job or bad luck, I saw it as an indication of things to come.

We have been extremely fortunate in New England.  Our four major sports teams have all won a championship in the last decade, not many cities can say that.  I don't think any city can say that.  We have a rabid and passionate fan base that makes rooting for these teams extremely special.  However, with the Red Sox it's different.  After they won the second World Series in 2007, rooting for the team just didn't feel right.  When the John Henry Group bought the team in 2001, nobody knew what to expect from them.  It had to be better than the stuffiness that resided at the end of the Yawkey era.  We saw changes immediately and a renewed energy grew among the fan base.

The Red Sox run at the 2003 championship was the takeoff for what I call the "marketization" of the Red Sox.  I don't want to say that the Red Sox weren't always in business to make money, but the new owners made you see it.  They utilized the confines of Fenway Park to make it more of an experience rather than just a place to see the ball game.  They installed seats on the beloved Green Monster; a feat that nobody ever thought would happen under the old regime.  The new owners pumped life into Red Sox Nation, and the fan base responded.  The team responded as well by finishing one game short of the World Series.  The fan base was excited, the stadium looked prettier, but the "Curse" continued.

The 2004 season was the pinnacle of my life in Red Sox Nation.  Everything I had grown up to believe and all the time that I had put in as a fan was rewarded.  The Red Sox had done the unimaginable, and won the World Series.  From that night on the Red Sox "Nation" took on a whole new meaning and regular die hard Red Sox fans were swept aside for the pink hat, replica ring buying, corporate fans.  I did not feel betrayed because it truly is a business.  I still watched the games and rooted for the team, but it was no longer appointment television for me.  I was actually on my honeymoon when the Red Sox came from behind again in the ALCS in 2007.

However, it seems that my honeymoon has been better served than the honeymoon that the owners of the Red Sox have seen dissipate.  The collapse during the 2011 season was a microcosm of what the previous three years had built up.  Not only was a great experience and a star studded team given to the fan base by the owners, it was now expected.  Watching how the organization reacted to the fall of the previous season weighed heavily on my decision to not watch last year.  In my eyes, Fenway was starting to look and feel like the Bronx.  One thing I have learned is when you try to be something you are not the results are disastrous.  That is the only way anyone could describe last season.

Now, one could read this and call me a fair weather fan, which is fair.  I like to look at it as me stepping aside while the herd thins.  The sellout streak will come to end this year, which is not by accident.  Because the fans that the ownership was appealing to only associate themselves with winners, and we all know that it will be some time before the Sox will be winners again. So, I am back!  I am rooting for this team without the hope of another World Series run, but with the expectation of another sub-par season.  I would rather root for a team that gives a full effort and is young rather than a team of overpaid aging superstars.

3D

If you don't take it from me, ask my wife.

A Safe Bet?

To slot or not to slot, that is the question.  Well, that has been the question in Worcester over the past several weeks after it was announced that a Chicago-based gaming company has targeted Worcester for one of the coveted Slots Casinos in Massachusetts.  Does Worcester take the plunge into to this business endeavor?  I have always been a proponent of legalized gambling in Massachusetts, but I must admit this decision is not that simple.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out.  I personally feel that something needs to go into the vacant lot along Kelly Square. It has been unused, underutilized and undeveloped for way to long.  Is a Slots Casino the answer to that problem?  I don't know, I used think I did, but I really don't.  Good friend, Nick Kotsopoulos of the Worcester Telegram, recently wrote about the City Councils plan to get out and find out how Worcester residents feel about the potential of a Slots Casino in Worcester, namely the neighborhoods directly surrounding the proposed area.  That is the right approach to start but it needs to be a series of meetings.  The response from those meetings, although crucial, should not be the deciding factor, as only detractors tend to go to those meetings and could be counterproductive.

My brother-in-law lives in the proposed area and I took it upon myself to ask him his thoughts.  He is one of the most optimistic people I have ever known, so I knew I would get a no nonsense type of answer.  He told me "...hope spring eternal but I've seen studies that show good and bad. I am wondering about rents and property values."  Not a ringing endorsement but also not an opponent.  So I decided to look at the studies myself.

The Worcester Regional Research Bureau (WRRB) did two studies on the subject.  One done in 2007, when Gov. Deval Patrick initially proposed legalized gambling and one a few weeks ago, which was just a follow up to its 2007 report.  The 2007 report, in my eyes, was very thorough and definitely raises some legitimate questions to having a casino in Worcester.  The report talks about gambling itself and the addictions that it can bring to the city.  It talks about how the money the city would get would level off and eventually dry out.  The report discusses how a casino in Worcester would not solve the problem of people taking their dollars out of state to another casino.  It explains that under the state’s plan, all the casinos that would go up throughout the state, and the ones that already exist in Connecticut and Rhode Island, would all be going after the same dollar and begin to "cannibalize" each other.

The WRRB was very detailed in its research and raised some outstanding points that would make a large proponent, like me, stop and think about my support.  However, there were three points that the report showed that I am having trouble understanding.  I am not going to say I don't agree with those points, I feel that they were not comprehensively researched.

               

The first is the point that the profits will be re-invested out of state by the casino owner.  I am not saying that wouldn’t happen, but how does the WRRB declare that without knowing what deal the casino company makes with the city?  City Manager O'Brien and the city council may make certain demands based on the projections and guarantees that the developer makes, I hope that is true.  But to arbitrarily make a blanket statement like that they would not invest in Worcester would be misleading.  The city council has made it clear that this will be a two way street, and as most governments go, the city will try to protect itself.  I may be naive to think that, but the sensitive nature of this topic may make them think harder about that.

The second point I had trouble understanding is the opinion on how the surrounding businesses will lose money because the money they are generally getting will be diverted to the casino.  I'm sorry, but I'm not getting this one at all.  If that is a true statement, why do these types of organizations promote sports stadiums because it will help the surrounding businesses?  Wouldn't business be diverted into the sporting event that sells concessions and paraphernalia?   I think this falls in the same category.  Also, the casino will be drawing from surrounding areas that normally don't frequent these establishments.  I think it would be a wash at worst, because we need to keep in mind that it's not a full-fledged casino but a twelve hundred machine slots parlor.

The final point that caught my eye, and had me scratching my head, because it basically rejects casinos virtually anywhere in Massachusetts.  The WRRB maintains, from a study done by The National Impact Gambling Study Commission, that gambling addictions doubled among populations within fifty miles of a casino, fifty miles.  To put that in perspective that covers as far east as Boston, as far south as East Greenwich, R.I., as far west as Holyoke, MA and as far north as Manchester, N.H.  There isn't a proposal out there that has a casino outside of those parameters.  So it really doesn't matter where this thing goes, the WRRB is against it.

The rest of this study goes into the social implications of gambling addiction.  For every study that says these casinos cause gambling addictions to sky rocket, which are truly valid arguments, there is a study saying that it doesn't.  That is where I am down the middle; my feeling is that if you are addicted to gambling it doesn't matter where you put this thing.  But I also agree that if you put this thing here, we could see more gambling addictions, it's a classic Catch 22.

I truly don't have a dog in this fight.  If the casino is built then finally something gets developed on an unused lot that has been up for discussion anytime a new venture comes through.  If a casino is not built, then nothing changes, which in Massachusetts is very welcomed.  The city council is taking the right approach here, but they need to go in with a clear mind.  Let's not be against "just because"

For the proponents of the casino, I'm with you.  For the opponents, I am with you too.

3D

If you don't take it from me, ask my wife.