http://otr.blastmagazine.com With Britt Braudo Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:34:48 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en For people who drive standard or have at least tried to learn, the most difficult part of the learning process is getting moving in first gear without stalling.  Shifting from first to second is also tough but once you can do that, you can do the rest.  David Ortiz's 2009 ... http://otr.blastmagazine.com/2009/06/25/in-rainy-june-big-papi-shines/ Red Sox manager Terry Francona revealed yesterday that John Smoltz will pitch for the big league team next week while Brad Penny and Daisuke Matsuzaka stay with the club. How is this possible? The team will go with a "six-man rotation" for the time being. This writer calls shenanigans ... http://otr.blastmagazine.com/2009/06/22/six-call-it-the-tumbling-dice/ Three members of the Bruins organization took home the jackpot at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas on Thursday. Bruins goalie Tim Thomas won the Vezina Trophy (top goaltender), defenseman Zdeno Chara was awarded the Norris Trophy (top defenseman), and Bruins coach Claude Julien was honored with the Jack Adams Award ... http://otr.blastmagazine.com/2009/06/20/bruins-hit-it-big-in-vegas/ Red Sox righthanded pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka will miss at least his next start in the rotation, manager terry Francona said Saturday. Medical tests including a possible MRI and he will be evaluated throughout the week. "We need to get him looked at physically," said Francona. "He's gonna get looked at by ... http://otr.blastmagazine.com/2009/06/20/matsuzaka-will-miss-his-next-scheduled-start/ After picking fireballer Stephen Strasburg out of San Diego State with the first overall pick in last week's Major League Baseball amateur draft, the Washington Nationals have more reason not to rush him to the majors or in any other way try to win more games this season: getting the ... http://otr.blastmagazine.com/2009/06/15/taking-a-ged-not-a-ped/ The Los Angeles Lakers won their 15th franchise championship on Sunday night, defeating the Orlando Magic, 99-86, in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. Finals MVP Kobe Bryant, who won his fourth NBA title, had 30 points in Game 5 and averaged 32.4 points in the series. "It felt so good ... http://otr.blastmagazine.com/2009/06/15/lakers-defeat-magic-in-five-games-to-win-nba-title/ After falling behind 3-1 on Thursday night, the Red Sox rallied for a 4-3 win against the visiting Yankees. With the win, the Sox swept the series and improved to 8-0 against New York this season. David Ortiz homered twice during the series and has brought his average back up ... http://otr.blastmagazine.com/2009/06/12/red-sox-rally-sweep-yankees/ 43-year-old pitcher Tom Glavine, who was coming back from shoulder and elbow surgery, was released from the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday. He is the most winningest active pitcher in the majors with 305 career wins in the big leagues, the majority of which was spent with the Braves. Glavine threw six ... http://otr.blastmagazine.com/2009/06/05/atlanta-braves-dont-need-no-stinkin-hall-of-famers/ Yankees starting pitcher A.J. Burnett has been suspended for six games and fined an undisclosed amount for intentionally throwing a pitch near the head of Nelson Cruz during a June 2 game against the Texas Rangers. Burnett, who was expected to pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday, will ... http://otr.blastmagazine.com/2009/06/04/yanks-pitcher-burnett-suspended-six-games-will-appeal/ He hasn't played in the majors since 2007, but Sammy Sosa still felt it necessary to announce that he will officially announce his retirement soon. Here are some excerpts from his ESPN Deportes interview on Wednesday. "Everything I achieved, I did it thanks to my perseverance, which is why I never had ... http://otr.blastmagazine.com/2009/06/04/sosa-talks-about-himself/ The Detroit Red Wings took a 3-1 win on Sunday night at Joe Louis Arena, giving the defending Stanley Cup champions a 2-0 series lead over the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Wings, who were without stars Pavel Datsyuk and Kris Draper,  hope to capture their fifth title in twelve seasons. Pittsburgh's Evgeni ... http://otr.blastmagazine.com/2009/06/01/red-wings-best-penguins-take-2-0-lead-in-cup-finals/ Red Sox pitcher John Smoltz pitched five innings with Low-A Greenville on Sunday. He allowed one run on four hits, walked none and striking out six. He threw 73 pitches, 52 of them strikes. Smoltz plans to make two more rehab starts, this time with Triple A Pawtucket, before joining the ... http://otr.blastmagazine.com/2009/06/01/john-smoltz-sharp-in-rehab-outing/ A spokesman for the Orlando Magic  said Sunday that All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson may return to the lineup for the NBA finals., which begin Thursday night in Los Angeles. Joel Glass said Nelson's shoulder rehabilitation, which has sidelined him since February, has been moving forward ahead of schedule but his ... http://otr.blastmagazine.com/2009/06/01/nelson-may-return-for-orlando-in-finals/ Four-time defending champion Rafael Nadal, the No. 1 seed at the 2009 French Open, fell to No. 23 Robin Soderling 6-2, 6-7 (2), 6-4, 7-6 (2) on Sunday. Nadal had won all 31 of his previous matches at Roland Garros and hadn't dropped a single set since 2007. "I know it ... http://otr.blastmagazine.com/2009/06/01/nadal-out-federer-in-at-french-open/ Not sure what to say here other than I'm stunned. Phillies legendary announcer Harry Kalas passed out in the Nationals press box today and was rushed to the hospital. He was later pronounced dead. The cause of death hasn't been released at this time, but Kalas did undergo surgery ... http://otr.blastmagazine.com/2009/04/13/harry-kalas-dies/ If it seems like we are talking about the Bills constantly, it's because we are. Marshawn Lynch, Roscoe Parrish, Terrell Owens, and don't forget about Jason Peters. Tim Graham of ESPN.com says that the Bills aren't close to either trading or signing tackle Jason Peters. He is an elite ... http://otr.blastmagazine.com/2009/04/10/jason-peters-not-close-to-sign-or-trade/ Oliver Perez gave up eight runs in just 4 1/3 innings as the Mets fell to the Cincinnati Reds 8-6 today. Many New York Metro area denizens were crushed as the Mets had hopes of an undefeated season not long ago. The loss drops them to 2-1 and speculation is ... http://otr.blastmagazine.com/2009/04/09/mets-bid-to-go-undefeated-falls-short/ Roger Goodell decided recently that he'd prefer that NFL players didn't get arrested on weapons charges. How do we know? Well, he suspended Marshawn Lynch for three games after Lynch was arrested in California on gun charges back in February. A search of the car that Lynch ... http://otr.blastmagazine.com/2009/04/09/lynch-suspended-three-games/ Los Angeles Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart was killed in a felony hit-and-run car accident early Thursday morning in Fullerton, CA, according to TMZ. Hours after the 22-year old finished pitching in a game, police say a minivan blew threw a stoplight and caused Adenhart's Mitsubishi to hit a light pole, killing ... http://otr.blastmagazine.com/2009/04/09/nick-adenhart-killed-in-car-accident/ How do the Bengals not know that when they sign people like this, everyone is looking at them laughing? The Bengals have signed former Bear and former Cowboy Tank Johnson. Johnson was suspended eight games in 2007 for multiple violations of the Personal Conduct Policy. He also ... http://otr.blastmagazine.com/2009/04/07/bengals-sign-a-tank/ The Dallas Morning News made a great decision in asking Cowboys TE Martellus Bennett to blog for them. He struggles a bit with the written word, but it shouldn't matter because his keen insight on life will make up for it. So what does he blog about? ... http://otr.blastmagazine.com/2009/04/07/martellus-bennett-tackles-the-issues/ In the first game of the season, the Texas Rangers have already set season highs in hits, homeruns, and extra base hits for a single game.  15, 2, and 6 respectively. Behind 13-year veteran-rookie pitcher Kevin Milwood, the Rangers defeated the Cleveland Indians 9-1 in front of a sellout crowd of ... http://otr.blastmagazine.com/2009/04/06/texas-rangers-magic-number-at-161/ San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili's right ankle has taken a turn for the worse.  The Spurs said tests showed Ginobili had an increased narrow edema and stress fracture in his right distal fibula.  I have no clue what that means; however, it will keep him out for the rest ... http://otr.blastmagazine.com/2009/04/06/manu-ginobili-is-out-for-the-season/ CC Sabathia, the big pitcher that the Yankees got a great deal on in the offseason, decided that rather than throw a baseball to a catcher repeatedly, he would just take a big wet dump on the pitchers mound. The Yankees are currently down 6-3 and Sabathia left in ... http://otr.blastmagazine.com/2009/04/06/sabathia-takes-a-huge-dump-on-field/ This is great. I don't know why I am a fan of Sean Avery. Yes, he is, by most counts, a dick. But I just don't think this is that bad. Funny? Yes. Would I be pissed if he did it to me? ... http://otr.blastmagazine.com/2009/04/06/sean-avery-pops-tim-thomas/