Sports Redux: Patience, Virtue, Etc.

It feels as if there is something in the Massachusetts water these days. We are still shaking our heads about the manner in which the Pats decided to lose (without the least bit of grace) to the Dolphins on Sunday; on Monday, the Red Sox decided that they wanted to delay post-season celebration by a day. There is no other way to put it: the Indians didn't win on Monday night as much as the Red Sox lost the game, 4-3.

Not on board with that theory? Consider that there were multiple times over the course of the game during which the Sox had players in scoring position, should have converted and instead left Sox fans groaning. Called third strikes, an incomplete ninth-inning rally, the freak Jeff Bailey hit that bounced off the third base ump and left Jason Bay in a rundown between third and home ... the Sox had every opportunity to win the game and came up short. Not even starter Josh Beckett (12-10 on the season) was able to get things under control. Beckett went six innings, giving up four runs, seven hits, six strikeouts and one walk.

Our local teams seem to do well, however, when they're out of town. The Bruins, perhaps sensing the opportunity presented by possible Pats decline, kicked off their exhibition season with a bang on Monday night. Patrice Bergeron made his highly-anticipated return, scoring one goal and notching three more assists as the Bruins wrecked the Habs, 8-3. We wouldn't want to jump the gun, but we'll enjoy - for the moment - the idea of a return to splendor on the ice!

Photo by flickr user Oscalito