What can be said in 140 characters?

Well, apparently enough to cause a shift in how the media, professional athletes and sports organizations go about their everyday business.

(For those counting, these last two sentences accounted for 147 characters without spaces.)

Twitter, the social media site that launched in 2006, has crept its way into the sports world and caused a massive explosion.

Beat reporters now have to keep their smart phones in the palm of their hands just in case breaking news needs to be reported to the masses. Front offices all over the country, and in every business sector for that matter, have had their ability to control the message of their respective organizations almost stripped away. Players can share what they ate for breakfast, what shoes they are wearing and what feelings they are feeling before and after games to millions of fans with a click of a button.

On a local scale, Shaquille O’Neal caused a mob to form in Harvard Square with a simple tweet. Kevin Garnett and Charlie Villanueva got into a he-said, he-said battle due to a tweet from the Villanueva camp.

Adrian Gonzalez was coming to the Red Sox. Then he wasn’t. Then he might be. Finally, after all the speculation and Twitter buzz, there he was on Yawkey Way donning a Red Sox home jersey.

And maybe the biggest Twitter story in New England history came on an accidental tweet by ESPN’s Bill Simmons about Randy Moss being traded to the Vikings. Now Randy Moss is so far off the grid that maybe even Twitter can’t find him. Well, that’s probably not true — that sentiment might only be for Titans quarterbacks.

These stories are just a minute percentage of the news that is being spread across Twitter on a daily basis. Whether it’s LeBron James or Tiger Woods tweeting about who knows what, or Colts owner Jim Irsay poking fun at Rex Ryan’s alleged foot fetish, things are happening on Twitter.

Read the rest of this entry »

According to Jon Heyman of SI.com, the Mets are set to hire Sandy Alderson as their general manager. Alderson was in charge of the Athletics from 1983-97, building Oakland into a powerhouse that reached the World Series in three consecutive seasons from 1988-90. Since leaving his post with Oakland, Alderson has had two separate stints in the MLB commissioner’s office and he also served as CEO/president of the Padres from 2005-09.

Shawn Thornton (left) wants fans to embrace a Game 7. (AP)

Bruins forward Shawn Thornton wants you to relax. Game 7s are fun, exciting and an overall good time.

“Like my buddy once said, ‘Pressure is five kids, no job.’ This is just fun,” Thornton said. “Game 7. Enjoy it. Just drink it in, as they say.”

But if you are a fan, a true fan of a Boston team, Game 7s are anything but a relaxing, good time. They are stress-filled, tense hours that will make true fans do some things they probably wouldn’t do in normal, everyday life (i.e cry, laugh, scream, hug a random person in a bar).

Boston has had plenty of Game 7s, especially in recent years. Some turned out well, some not so much. Here is a look at the best and worst Boston Game 7s in the 2000s.

BEST

Johnny Damon left Javier Vazquez and the Yankees in the dust in 2004. (AP)

2004 ALCS: RED SOX 10, YANKEES 3

The final game of the comeback finished off maybe the most stress-filled week of Boston sports fans’ lives. Johnny Damon and Derek Lowe finished off the Yankees, 10-3, to send the Red Sox to their first World Series since 1986.

Damon had been relatively quiet in the leadoff spot, but he busted out with a 3-for-6 night with two homers and six RBI, while Lowe — who had his share of troubles in the regular season — pitched into the seventh inning and shut down the vaunted Yankees lineup.

It really wasn’t close. The Red Sox were on a mission, and when Alan Embree got Ruben Sierra to ground out, Red Sox Nation finally could get some sleep.

2007 ALCS: RED SOX 11, INDIANS 2

This comeback wasn’t from 3-0, but it was an impressive comeback nonetheless. With their 11-2 Game 7 win, the Red Sox outscored the Indians 30-5 over the last three games of the series and found their way back to the World Series.

Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched a solid five innings to lock down the win, and Dustin Pedroia provided his usual laser show at the top of lineup. With a homer and three hits, Pedroia lifted the Sox to their second World Series in three years, and we all know how that ended up: two championships after zero in 86 years.

2008 CONFERENCE SEMIS: CELTICS 97, CAVALIERS 92

It was the year of Game 7s for the Celtics in the first two rounds of the playoffs. Paul Pierce and LeBron James battled it out in a classic game.

James (45 points) and Pierce (41) accounted for 86 points in the Celtics’ 97-92 thriller at the Garden, and you would never have known there were eight other guys on the court.

This game was all about the duel between Pierce and James, and it probably will go down as the second-best shootout behind Larry Bird-Dominique Wilkins.

2009 CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS: CELTICS 109, BULLS 99

No Kevin Garnett, no problem for the Celtics. Well, actually there were a few problems in this epic series vs. the Bulls.

Eddie House went 4-for-4 from downtown to finish with 16 points, and the Celtics finally — finally — got past the Bulls. This series was probably the most exciting first-round series in the history of the NBA.

Ben Gordon and Ray Allen were trying to see who the best UConn alum was in the series. Allen may have won the war, but Gordon won some of the battles in this series.

2008 CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS: CELTICS 99, HAWKS 65

Atlanta just wouldn’t go away in this series, and it also called into question if the Celtics had the toughness to contend in the first year of the “Big Three.”

The Celtics didn’t win an away game in this series, but at home they were more than ready for anything Atlanta threw at them. Boston held Atlanta to 65 points in Game 7 and dominated with a 34-point win.

This win probably helped the Celtics learn how to deal with the adversity of winning a championship, and they are still seeing the fruits of those struggles today.

WORST

2003 ALCS: YANKEES 6, RED SOX 5 (11 innings)

Aaron “Bleeping” Boone. That’s all that has to be said. Red Sox fans will remember where they were when this moment happened.

The Red Sox jumped out a 3-0 lead early in the game, but Mike Mussina came on in relief and kept the Sox lineup in check. The Yanks fought back, but a David Ortiz homer in the eighth put Boston up 5-2. It was over, locked up, and Pedro Martinez did everything he could.

But Grady Little happened, and the Red Sox blew the lead and the chance to play the Marlins in the World Series.

You remember where you were for this one. The Sox were destined to win the World Series that year, but the Little gaffe cost the Sox the win, and it cost Little his job.

In hindsight, a win-win for everybody.

2008 ALCS: RAYS 3, RED SOX 1

The Tampa Bay — no longer Devil — Rays clipped the dreams of back-to-back championships for the Red Sox in Game 7.

The Red Sox had mounted another memorable comeback, just when they appeared on the brink of elimination in Game 5 — down 7-0 in the seventh inning — they rallied for an 8-7 win. J.D. Drew won it with a walkoff single in the ninth, capping the biggest comeback ever by a team on the brink of elimination.

The Sox won Game 6 on the road, 4-2, setting up Game 7. Boston took a 1-0 lead with a Dustin Pedroia home run in the first inning, but the Sox were shut down after that by Matt Garza and then rookie David Price, and the fans in Tampa actually rejoiced. That’s right, we said fans in Tampa. The Rays have had low attendance, but everyone came out of the woodwork with cowbells to cheer on the Rays.

It wasn’t on par with the Aaron Boone shot, but this one stung a bit, because back-to-back World Series rings would have had a nice ring to it.

2009 CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS: MAGIC 101, CELTICS 82

The vibes were good for the Celtics in their series against the Magic. Glen “Big Baby” Davis hit a game-winner and the Celts were at home for Game 7. No problems, right? Wrong.

The lack of height in the front court ended up being the downfall of the 2009 Celtics, as Dwight Howard and friends ripped the C’s for a 101-82 win.

It really wasn’t a contest at all, and without Garnett, Boston was doomed. The C’s could get by the Bulls, but they couldn’t overcome Howard, Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu.

As luck would have it, the C’s get a chance at revenge this year vs. the Magic in the conference finals, with Garnett. Let the games begin.

2009 CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS: HURRICANES 3, BRUINS 2 (OT)

The top-seeded Bruins were supposed to lift the Stanley Cup curse in Boston, but they fell short against Carolina in the second round.

Scott Walker’s series-clincher in overtime gave the Bruins the early vacation and left hungry fans reeling for another year.

It was kind of fitting that Walker delivered the final goal, because he became enemy No. 1 when he sucker-punched Aaron Ward earlier in the series. It was a bad moment for the Bruins and their fans on the home ice.

CANADIENS BEAT BRUINS (2008)

This was the Bruins team that shot out of nowhere to get fans thinking about playoff success again, rallying from 3-1 down in the series. It was just too bad the B’s couldn’t come up with any more magic in Montreal for Game 7. The Canadiens stomped all over eighth-seeded Bruins in the deciding game to the tune of 5-0.

It was a major disappointment, but, really, Bruins fans couldn’t be that upset, because that team really came out of the abyss. Nobody was expecting anything out of the Bruins in 2008, and now expectations are through the roof for this year’s team.

Thornton wants you to “drink it in” for Game 7 this year. Just don’t take that advice too literally.

Bobby Orr goes down as the greatest Bruin of all-time. (AP)

Most young hockey players in New England have tried to emulate Bobby Orr’s diving goal in the 1970 Stanley Cup finals at some point in their lives. Now that moment has been captured in a life-sized bronze statue.

The Bruins will show off their new monument of Orr on Monday before the Bruins and Flyers meet in Game 5 at TD Garden. Sculptor Harry Weber built this 600-pound statue, and one would expect to see a little more energy Monday night as fans enter into the building for the potential elimination game.

Orr is just another legend to leave his mark on the city of Boston. Having a statue probably is the most impressive legacy for a sports figure, especially in this city.

Here are some other legends that have their moments bronzed in time.

Red Auerbach's Celtics dominated the NBA in the 1960s. (AP)

RED AUERBACH

Take a walk through Faneuil Hall and you might see an old man sitting on a bench. Get a little bit closer to that man and you will notice that it is Red Auerbach enjoying a victory cigar. Auerbach was the mastermind behind 16 of the Celtics’ championships — and he was there in spirit for No. 17 in 2008.

The statue was unveiled in 1985. Auerbach would get to sit next to his bronzed self for 21 more years, before he passed away in 2006.

Auerbach goes down as the greatest coach/executive to ever work for a Boston sports team. His Celtics completely dominated the 1960s, winning nine of the 10 titles in that decade.

Auerbach’s legacy lives on, as the city of Boston dedicated the entire concourse level at North Station as the Red Auerbach Concourse.

TED WILLIAMS

It was only natural to have the greatest left-handed hitter in the history of baseball bronzed outside of Fenway Park on April 16, 2004. Also fitting was the fact that the Red Sox won the World Series that year, with Williams hanging out at the park daily.

The statue shows Williams placing a cap onto a child’s head, signifying Williams’ work with the Jimmy Fund. The Red Sox legend was a major contributor to the Jimmy Fund during his playing days.

This statue will be moved further down Van Ness Street to make way for a new statue commemorating Williams and 1940s teammates Johnny Pesky, Bobby Doerr and Dom DiMaggio. The date has not been set on when this will happen.

DOUG FLUTIE

This statue, of Flutie throwing the Hail Mary pass to beat Miami in 1985, was a no-brainer for BC. The greatest moment in BC athletics was bronzed on Nov. 7, 2008. It would have been great if they had a statue of Gerard Phelan roughly 60 or 70 yards away from Flutie’s statue making the catch.

That pass probably is the most famous Hail Mary in the history of college football, not just BC football. Miami fans will never forget it, and neither will any fan of BC or Flutie.

How's that for a bronze statue of Tom Brady? (AP)

WHO’S NEXT?

There really is only one standout candidate for bronzing, and his name is Tom Brady. One would think that five or 10 years after his retirement, induction into the Hall of Fame and two millionth mention in the Inside Track, we will see a statue of Brady outside of Gillette Stadium.

This has to happen, and it probably will happen. The only other athlete in the last 10 years that could have had a shot was Nomar Garciaparra. But we know how that all ended.

Brady’s three (and maybe counting) Super Bowls put New England on the map in the NFL.

He is every bit as legendary as the men mentioned before him, and his legacy is not yet complete. Check back in 20 years for the statue unveiling.

There was talk of injuries, non-injuries, guys missing practice, guys not getting MRIs. Oh, the things that can be reported on in a four-day period when there are no actual games to watch in the Celtics-Cavaliers series. Did there need to be this window between games? No, but that argument is for another day.

While the on-court action was lacking in the series New Englanders care most about, there was some action across the rest of the league.

The three other series stand at 2-0, as all the teams held serve at home, and here is a quick recap of what happened on the hardwood.

Is Dwight Howard the real Superman? Sure looks like it in the Magic-Hawks series. (AP)

MAGIC VS. HAWKS

The Magic had a long layoff after sweeping the Bobcats in the first round, but there were no signs of rust, as they cruised to a 43-point win in Game 1. A 43-point win in the playoffs! The Magic followed that up with a 112-98 win on Thursday night, so kudos to the Hawks for cutting down on the margin of defeat.

Really, though, this Hawks team is mind-boggling. It seems as if the only team the Hawks can get up to play against is the Celtics. But they are far too talented to lose to anyone by 43 points.

Dwight Howard had a foul-filled first round against the Bobcats, but he is literally unstoppable vs. the Hawks. This probably would have happened against the Bucks as well, because they don’t have a big man that can match up against “Superman.”

In Game 1, Howard went for 21 points and 12 rebounds in just under 29 minutes, and the big man followed that up with an impressive 29 and 17 in Game 2.

The Celtics put down similar beatings on the Hawks in 2008 at the Garden, and the Hawks recovered to win every home game in Atlanta, but who knows what their mindset is like now? A 43-point loss in the playoffs would make a lot of people start thinking about vacation.

Kobe Bryant has imposed his will against the Jazz. (AP)

LAKERS VS. JAZZ

Maybe all the Lakers needed was a wake-up call to get back on track. LA has been on a roll since Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook put a scare into the defending champs in Games 3 and 4 of the opening round.

The Lakers have won four straight — two against the Thunder and two against the Jazz — and look poised to return to the NBA Finals.

Kobe Bryant has topped the 30-point plateau in his last three games, after back-to-back bad games against OKC. A healthy and efficient Bryant opens up opportunities for Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum on the inside, and with that length up front, the Lakers are tough to handle.

The Jazz might get a boost with the return of Andrei Kirilenko, and playing in Utah with the white-out stands is always a tough place to play.

Games 3 and 4 were not pretty for the Lakers in their last round, so the Jazz could get something going if they can take care of their home court.

Jared Dudley has been a spark for the Suns in the playoffs. (AP)

SUNS VS. SPURS

In the first half of Game 2, the Spurs outplayed the Suns but couldn’t land a knockout blow. The Suns hung around and pulled away in the fourth and now own a 2-0 series lead. The Spurs and Suns have had all kinds of playoff battles over the years, and Steve Nash seems to be getting a little help from his supporting cast this time around

Former BC star Jared Dudley is bringing an energy and fire of the bench for Los Suns. Dudley had 11 points, but more importantly six rebounds — four offensive. The offensive rebounds in Game 2 probably are why the Suns won the game. They held an 18-7 advantage on the offensive glass, and on the extra possessions they were able to kick it out to wide-open shooters such as Jason Richardson (19 points on 3-for-6 shooting from 3-point range) to knock out the Spurs.

San Antonio still is getting good production out of George Hill and its “Big Three” to have a chance in this series.

LeBron James' elbow has stopped time in the NBA. (AP)

The times of the games were finally announced for the Celtics-Cavaliers series, and now we know when the world will stop turning in the NBA. This will be the series to watch in the second round, not just for Boston and Cleveland fans, but for the rest of the NBA.

Why you ask? Other than the intense rivalry, LeBron James has a banged up elbow, and everyone will want to know what his status will be in this series and maybe beyond. The Celts might have a hand in that, though.

There are mixed reactions to the infamous elbow injury. There are those who say this won’t be a problem and those who say the Cavs could be doomed.

Doc Rivers sure thinks he’s fine, and the rest of the Celtics have to feel that way. This will be the story to watch, because LeBron is the center of the universe for the NBA and Cleveland’s title hopes depend on him.

This series is for the NBA championship. … Wait a minute. There is NBA life outside of the Celtics-Cavaliers series? This isn’t the NBA Finals? Other teams are still playing?

Dallas just got upended by San Antonio? You’re kidding. Mark Cuban is going to have a field day, and he may just lose a little more hair off of the top of that head of his.

Milwaukee is leading the Hawks? No way. You’re pulling our legs. Not the Hawks team that went 4-0 against the Celtics in the regular season. The high-flying, loud-dunking, trash-talking Atlanta Hawks are down to the Bucks? Come on.

Oklahoma City is going toe-to-toe with the defending champions? Wait, there is a team in Oklahoma City?

These are just some of the questions that new NBA fans outside of the Celtics-Cavs spectrum might have, and we are here to answer them for you. Let’s get everyone caught up to speed on what’s going down in the NBA Playoffs. Read the rest of this entry »

Will Peter Chiarelli be all smiles Tuesday night, or will a failed lottery backfire on the Bruins GM? (AP)

Tuesday night could be the turning point for the Boston Bruins franchise. Yes, the B’s have gobbled up a playoff spot for the third straight season, but an up-and-down season has left many wondering just how far this team can go in its quest for a Stanley Cup.

But those doubters may be feeling otherwise in the future if the likes of Cam Fowler or Taylor Hall put on the spoked ‘B.’ The Phil Kessel trade netted the Bruins the Toronto Maple Leafs’ first pick, and, as suspected, that pick will be in the top three of the NHL Draft. We’ll know exactly which pick it is after Tuesday night’s NHL Draft Lottery. The Bruins have an 18.8 percent chance of landing the top pick, with Edmonton (48.2 percent) being the only team with better odds of that happening.

This coveted pick is the reason why GM Peter Chiarielli didn’t make a major move at the deadline for a “rental” player such as Ilya Kovalchuk, and if he lands a player of Hall or Fowler’s potential, then he may end up looking pretty good in the end. Look at what Alex Ovechkin has meant to the Washington Capitals or what Sidney Crosby has mean to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Top picks with that kind of potential can turn around a franchise, especially one that has gone decades without a Stanley Cup celebration.

But the lottery has a funny way of working out. Teams are not awarded for tanking at the end of the season, and it really is a game of luck when going into these situations. For all the success the Boston sports teams have had over the past few years there was a time when throwing everything down on the lottery sometimes didn’t mean instant success.

Here is a look at how some local teams have fared in the game of luck.

1997 Boston Bruins

The 1996 season wasn’t the greatest season in Bruins history. The B’s finished with a dismal 61 points and last in the division. The problems were happening on both sides of the ice for the Bruins that season, as Ted Donato led the team with just 25 goals and Robbie Tallas led the goalies with a 3.33 GAA. So basically you are looking at a team with the offensive woes of the 2010 squad but without anyone that could stop the puck from going into the net.

The Bruins went into the NHL Draft Lottery, which was implemented in 1995, as the favorite to land the No. 1 pick, and the balls bounced their way.

With the pick, the Bruins selected a talented all-around player, an 18-year-old kid named Joe Thornton.

By way of a trade with Carolina, the Bruins also owned the eighth pick and scooped up a gifted scorer in Sergei Samsonov. What did this all mean for the Bruins the next season? Pat Burns was hired to coach, the additions of forward Jason Allison and Byron Dafoe in net added stability to the weaknesses on the team and the Bruins finished with 91 points on the season, up 30 from the year before.

Thornton didn’t make the immediate impact his first year, but Samsonov scored 22 goals in his rookie campaign. Thornton did make strides in his second season and posted a solid career in Boston before being traded to San Jose during the 2005-06 season.

1997 Boston Celtics

That ’97 season was crucial for the Celtics, too, but the lottery balls would not bounce in their favor. Tim Duncan was the franchise-changer that Rick Pitino was banking everything on. A once-in-a-lifetime center who does all the little things and would later be given the nickname “The Big Fundamental.”

Duncan was the key to getting basketball back in the city of Boston, and fans openly rooted for the Celtics to lose games in 1996 so more ping-pong balls with leprechauns on them had a better chance of landing the No. 1 pick.

But Duncan was a pipe dream.

The San Antonio Spurs won the lottery and changed both franchises as we knew them. The Spurs have won four titles with Duncan as the centerpiece and the Celtics were mired in a stalemate for years under Pitino and other unsuccessful front offices before … we’ll get to that later.

The Celtics did take claim to the third and sixth picks in the draft, and Pitino drafted a promising young point guard in Chauncey Billups at No. 3 and Ron Mercer, a familiar face from Kentucky, with the No. 6 pick.

Billups has turned himself into one of the best point guards in the NBA, but he never got a shot with the Celtics, as he was traded for Kenny Anderson after 51 games in a C’s uniform. Way to give up on a No. 3 pick that soon — although it did take Billups a few years to get it right.

Mercer never took to the NBA game. A fierce mid-range shooter in college, his game never translated to the pros and his Celtics career only lasted two years.

2007 Boston Celtics

A similar situation popped up 10 years later for the Celtics. This time another big man became the object of everyone’s affection. Greg Oden would make up for that decade of misery for the Celtics and finally … finally justice would be restored in Boston for missing out on Duncan.

Even if Danny Ainge didn’t land Oden there was another prime time player in Kevin Durant sitting there at No. 2. So the Celtics were finally going to get lucky in the lottery and put up banners in the next decade … not so much. At least from the lottery standpoint.

The Celtics got the fifth pick in the draft, but this time the Celtics brass actually had a backup plan, something that Pitino and Co., didn’t have in 1997. Ainge traded that pick (Jeff Green) to Seattle for former UConn sharpshooter Ray Allen. OK, Celtics fans probably thought. With Pierce and Allen as your scorers and Al Jefferson as your big man of the future, at least a middle-of-the-pack seed in the playoffs would be a realistic shot and something to build on.

That is until the biggest splash in the last 20 years happened for the Celtics.

With the new “Big Three” of Kevin Garnett, Pierce and Allen the Celtics quickly established themselves as the team to beat in 2007-08, and veterans such as James Posey and Eddie House wanted to come to Boston. The Celtics also got lucky as they acquired the rights to Glen “Big Baby” Davis in the Allen trade. As we all know, the C’s went on to win banner 17 that season and register one of the biggest turnarounds in NBA history.

This decision might have have been more difficult had the Celtics held the No. 2 pick instead of the No. 5 pick. Once they dropped out of the Oden and Durant sweepstakes, there was a pressing need to get out of that pick.

Durant has turned himself into an MVP candidate while Oden has been plagued by injuries. It would have been the Celtics’ luck to get the No. 1 pick, select Oden and see him miss all that time with knee injuries. The jury is still out on Oden if he can recover and produce. He hasn’t started more than 39 games in a season yet and will have to make the long trip back after another leg injury.

Tom Watson finds himself contending in a major in back-to-back seasons after the first round of the Masters. (AP)

Brad Faxon checked in with Dennis & Callahan on Friday morning to talk about the first round of the Masters. Faxon said the most surprising story from Thursday’s first round was seeing Tom Watson’s name up near the top of the leaderboard.

“You really haven’t seen much from Tom Watson other than his great British Open last year,” Faxon said of Watson. “He did win his first Champions Tour event but you don’t see his name as often, and you don’t expect a 60-year-old guy with a new hip to be leading a major championship.”

Tiger Woods also had himself a productive first day on the course, firing a 4-under 68, and Faxon said it was probably nice for Tiger to just get out and focus on golf.

“I have to believe that first tee shot was one of the most comforting things he’s done in a long time,” he said. “He gets up there and the crowd was appreciative. They were not too loud, but where you want them to be, and he hit a perfect little fade tee shot that traditionally has given him a lot of trouble.”

Read the transcript below. To listen to the interview, click here.

Without a doubt Tom Watson’s 67, without a doubt. It’s kind of like having Butler in the [NCAA basketball] pool.

Who are you rooting for: Watson, Couples or Phil Mickelson?

I don’t know if you believe or not but my prediction at the beginning of the week was Mickelson. I’ve said it for about a week that something was going to happen and it would be good for Phil. Mickelson’s comments were, “Hey, Fred Couples, who has been doing so well on the Champions Tour with his three wins and his only non-win was a second place finish to Tom Watson, that winning breeds winning,” and Couples would be a guy he would look to see at the top of the leaderboard. Read the rest of this entry »

Tiger Woods hit golf balls before getting hit with questions by the media on Monday. (AP)

Here is the complete transcript of Tiger Woods’ press conference on Monday at Augusta National.

Today I got a chance to play with Freddy [Couples}, and Jim [Furyk] joined us on the 13th hole and it was just a great day today. I didn’t know what to expect with regards to reception and I tell you what, the galleries couldn’t be nicer, it was just incredible. The encouragement I got blew me away, to be honest with you it really did. The people here over the years have treated me respectful, but today was just something that really touched my heart pretty good. I’d also like to make another comment before we start. I know that the players over the past few months have been bombarded by questions by all of you and the public as well. To all the players hopefully after asking questions at this press conference the players can be left alone to focus on the Masters and focus on their game. Not only for this week but going forward as we. I apologize to them for having to endure what they’ve had to endure over the past few months. A lot has happened in my life over the past five months. I’m here at the Masters to play and compete and I’m really excited about doing that. I missed the competition. I missed the guys out there, a lot of my friends I haven’t seen in a while. It was great to play with Freddy and Jim, two of my best friends out here. I played with Mark [O’Meara] yesterday for nine holes and I plan on playing with him tomorrow, as well as Steve Stricker. It’s been an incredible experience here at the Masters.

What injuries sent you to the hospital?

I had a busted up lip and a pretty sore neck, and that was it. I took five stitches in my lip.

Why didn’t you speak to the media that has covered you year round?

I did everything to the letter of the law. My lawyers gave me advice and I followed that advice and again I did everything to the letter of the law. I did talk to my sponsors and people who I was close to in the various companies, but mainly I spent a lot of time with my family.

What’s been the most difficult thing the past few months?

Probably two things, one being having to look at myself in a light that I never wanted to look at myself in. That was difficult. How far astray I got from my core fundamentals and core values that my mom and dad taught me. Having to break all that down with all the denial and rationalization, to cut through that and really take a hard look at myself and that’s where I started finding strength and peace. The other difficult part over the past few months has been the constant harassment to my family. My wife and kids being photographed everywhere they go, being badgered, that’s tough. That’s tough because it’s real hard for us to heal and try and get through this as best we can. Read the rest of this entry »

This is usually the reaction for LaDainian Tomlinson after he plays the Patriots. (AP)

The history between LaDainian Tomlinson and the New England Patriots has been a little rocky. Who are we kidding? The history has been like a gigantic boulder rumbling down the side of a mountain. The two sides just don’t get along, and now Tomlinson, who recently signed with the Jets, can look forward to playing the Pats twice a year.

Just ask LT. He’ll tell you he’s cool with that.

“The Patriots have always been one of them teams that, it’s hard for me to swallow that pill of losing to them, so it’s going to fun to play them twice a year,” he said to the media on Thursday. “And, it’s going to be one of my main goals to beat them twice.”

Tomlinson has had an up-and-down career against the Patriots. Sometimes he has been the heralded running back who never gets his due because he plays on the West Coast, while other times Patriots fans laugh and say, “Really? This guy is one of the best running backs of all-time?”

Tomlinson’s teams have a 3-5 record vs. the Patriots, with two of those losses in the playoffs. Here is a look back at LT’s career vs. the Patriots, dating back to 2001.

Oct. 14, 2001

Tomlinson had a decent game against a stingy Patriots defense in this early season matchup. He rushed for 74 yards with a score on 24 carries, and caught three balls for 13 yards. An OK day, but the Patriots ended up coming out on top, in what would be a recurring theme of that 2001-02 season.

Tom Brady led the Patriots back from a 10-point deficit and Adam Vinatieri nailed a 44-yard field goal to win the game. Sound familiar?

LT was running the ball pretty well against his earlier opponents, putting up three 100-plus-yard games before heading to Foxboro. The Patriots may have given the rest of the league a blueprint for how to stop LT that season, because the running back did not reach the 100-yard plateau again until the Chargers’ 15th game of the season. If you weren’t counting at home, that’s nine straight games.

Sept. 29, 2002

LT got a little bit of revenge on the Patriots in this game. OK, a lot of bit of revenge. He scorched the Pats defense for 217 yards and two TDs on 27 carries. His touchdown runs were for a game-tying 37 yards and then 58 yards on the game-winning score.

This was the Patriots’ first loss in 13 games, after they ran through the 2001 season and beat the Rams in the Super Bowl.

It was a little revenge for the Chargers running back, and he would go on to have a big season, rushing for 1,683 yards and 14 scores.

Oct. 2, 2005

LT and the Chargers would have to wait a couple of years to get another crack at the Patriots, but when they did, they brought some pain to Foxboro. The Chargers whipped the Patriots, 41-17, and LT had his second straight good performance vs. the Patriots.

He had a combined 168 yards (rushing and receiving) and scored twice. This was one of the worst beatings the Patriots had taken in recent years in Foxboro, and the Chargers showed they had a balanced attack. Drew Brees also threw for two TDs, keeping the defense off balance.

The win also snapped the Patriots’ 21-game home winning streak, just more bragging rights for Tomlinson.

Jan. 14, 2007

Patriots fans will remember this game for a long time, thanks to one of the biggest plays in Patriots postseason history by Troy Brown.

Tomlinson had a decent day on the ground, rushing for 123 yards with two TDs, but the Patriots somehow managed to escape San Diego with a win. After the controversial celebration by the Patriots at the middle of the field, LT just snapped.

Those are some harsh words for a team that just beat you on your home field. One thing teams shouldn’t do is feed the bear they call Bill Belichick, and LT gave him plenty of tape to show over and over again every time the Patriots played the Chargers.

Sept. 16, 2007

“I think the Patriots actually live by the saying, ‘If you’re not cheating, you’re not trying.’ ” — Tomlinson

Tomlinson was quick to jump on the pile of people denouncing the Patriots domination in the 2000s, and man did he wish he didn’t say those words. The Patriots destroyed the Chargers, 38-14, and Tomlinson ran for a miniscule 43 yards on the day.

The Patriots really wanted to put a hurting on the Chargers, and you have to wonder if LT would have been better off keeping his mouth shut. In a matter of a year, LT had called the Patriots classless and cheaters. Boy, should he have kept his mouth shut.

The Patriots would go on to win all their games in the regular season and … we know, never mind.

Jan. 20, 2008

Tomlinson didn't have much to say after this game. (AP)

Two rushes, five yards.

That was Tomlinson’s stat line in the biggest game of his life. Yes, he was slowed by a knee injury, but who can forget LT sitting on the sideline with his helmet on, visor on … in a Chargers winter parka.

It was classic LT that season against the Patriots. They knocked him around in the first meeting and the super Charger never even stepped on the field to make an impact in this game. However, it wasn’t the Patriots’ best game ever, either. The Pats squeaked by the Chargers and the visiting team had ample opportunities to turn drives into points, but the Chargers never came through and the Pats were on to the Super Bowl.

This really was the beginning of the end for LT in San Diego, because he failed to show up in a big game again for the Chargers and Michael Turner kind of showed that he could be a feature back in this league.

Oct. 12, 2008

This was LT’s last shot against the Patriots in a Chargers uniform, and he played decently. But everyone could clearly see that this had become Philip Rivers’ team. Rivers threw for 306 yards and three TDs, while Tomlinson did what he had to on the ground.

He grinded out 74 yards on 20 carries and also had 44 receiving yards as the Chargers beat the Brady-less Patriots, 30-10.

So now, Tomlinson will get two cracks at the Patriots per year. The Chargers clearly didn’t think he had anything left in the tank, and the Jets were willing to get rid of Thomas Jones to bring in LT. We’ll just have to wait and see if LT will be smiling or hiding behind the mask after games against Brady and Co.