SportsCenter. by Dawn.

13 days til pitchers & catchers report. and for some reason we're all hung up on Johan Santana. let me say for the record, it would have been nice, but i think we've got a pretty sweet rotation: Beckett, Matsuzaka, Schilling, Wakefield, and Lester, and Buchholz waiting on deck. plus we got to keep all our young talent & see how they develop. and if he had to end up in New York, then i'm perfectly fine with it, since it's not in the Bronx. i am pretty content. i find it far bigger news that Tina Cervasio has sent it back to Remy & Don for the last time & waved goodbye to NESN. and then they tease me with pondering the potential of a grand return to Boston for Trot, which is probably the only thing that could trump the return of Dougie in 2006. so enough analysis of the Santana deal already. we have bigger fish to fry. and in less than two weeks Jason Varitek will be three hours south of me.



i am actually avoiding most of the media coverage of the pre-pre-pre Super Bowl events. they ram so much of it down our throats, that it starts to leave the football fan with that same overstuffed feeling you get after a huge holiday feast. only with less contentment. i did manage to pick up on four little tidbits that i found worthwhile:
1. no one has any clue what the real story is with Tom Brady & his ankle. he's wearing a boot. oh no, wait, he's out dancing in a New York City club. he's not at practice. he shows up in Arizona with a limp. he looks to be practicing with his ankle taped up. then he shows up for media access in Nikes & low-cut socks and there doesn't appear to be any swelling or bruising in any stage. he had full participation in today's practice. and there he is on the official injury report. but no mention of his ankle. just that pesky right shoulder. you know, the one that's been bothering him for three seasons now. every game. so... mission accoplished? i think so.
2. remember how i've gushed all over Wes Welker since the Patriots picked him up last off-season? well now i love him even more, after this quote:
[Monday], after at least the fifth time he'd been asked about how Tom Brady looked at practice, Welker quipped, "He looks the same. Same dimples." But [Tuesday], Welker had the line of the day. Asked what's the difference between his former home, Miami, and his current home in New England, the receiver said: "Weather. Women. Wins."
3. not to be outdone, Mike Vrabel offered up this little morsel:
Mike Vrabel was asked about Bill Belichick's now-iconic grey hooded sweatshirt today, and offered..."That is his little 'woobie.' That's his little security blanket. He has got that pouch and he keeps all his stuff in it. You would like to see what's inside that pouch, I bet."
4. and it was bound to happen. because apparently football players never learn. we have our guarantee from none other than Plaxico Burress, who i guess didn't notice how the last batch of guarantees turned out. he's predicting a GIants victory, 23-17. Tom's take on it was perfect:
"We're only going to score 17 points?" Brady said with a smile. "Does Plaxico play defense? I wish he said 45-42, or something like that."
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i say enough of all this talk!
give me some Super Bowl.
and then let's serve up some baseball.
let's just play ball already.