Weekend Roundup

It's that time again! Weekend roundup! I know you guys just love these posts (no joke, I can see these get the most hits) so I'm gonna keep 'em coming. Well, last week was one hell of a week and a pretty solid weekend on top of that. Let's see, I'll start with the biggest news in sports, the end of the NBA Lockout.

• This really sucks actually. The league really is brutal, and when I say that I'm talking about the business aspect of it. The players have far too much power (see: LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh all setting it up so they all sign in Miami) and the owners and league office don't have enough sack to do anything about it. They seriously need a full year off so the league and the owners scan take the power back.
• The league will have a 66 game season that will open up on Christmas Day, when the Celtics play um, I think the Knicks? You Twitter followers needa help me out here. Tweet me and tell me if I'm right or wrong. Anyways, of course the NBA wouldn't let the lockout go past Christmas. That is THE biggest money making day of the season. I can't count how many people I know that open their presents on Christmas and then sit on their asses and watch game after game after game after game (pretty ridiculous if you ask me) If they let it get past Christmas Day everyone knew they were screwed.

How about them Bruins?

• 12-0-1 since the beginning of November. It's almost getting to the point where I can't count that high (that's a joke obviously, I can count far past 12)
• KHL seems to have hit their stride. Krejci is tearing it up right now after that extension and Horton and Lucic seem to be following his lead.
• When did Chris Kelly become a goal scorer? The dude has 10 goals already and is only 5 short of his career high. The man is red hot right now.
• Seguin is still the single most exciting young player in the game right now. Do you see how people just sit on the edge of their seats whenever he gets the puck? The kid's special. All you Twitter people, don't forget to keep writing him into the All Star Game in Ottawa on the NHL website and get #SeguinforAllStarGame trending!
• Poo Poo Pouliot seems to have turned a corner. The guy brings a ton of energy every shift and is starting to make some really nice plays, as well as score some important goals (ALWAYS use Pouliot in a shootout. He'll score every time) If he keeps this up I would have no problem with the Bruins giving him a new contract.
• Joe Corvo is officially a Big Bad Bruin! He got into his first career NHL fight with Joey Crabb towards the end of the Leafs game on Saturday night. It was a pretty crappy fight, and it eneded in a draw anyways, but the fact that he's now willing to drop the gloves has made him an official Bruin in my book.

The Red Sox had quite a week last week, so let's check up on them!

• The team officially introduced Bobby Valentine as the new manager on Thursday. Well, he is the perfect guy for a culture change. But, here's the deal with Bobby V. Either things go tremendously right and the team does better than anyone could ever have expected, or this whole thing blows up in The team's face and becomes a HUGE mess for them to clean up. I guess we'll have to wait and see.
• A day after being introduced as manager, Valentine flew down to the Dominican Republic to visit with David Ortiz and attempt to bring him back to the Red Sox. I seriously don't want him and his whining back in Boston. He can take it to New York for all I care. Just not here.
• Jim Bowden of MLB Network says that the Red Sox are maintaining dialogue with Scott Boras about free agent closer Ryan Madson (Twitter link) WEEI's Rob Bradford says that the Red Sox also had discussions with closer Heath Bell before he signed with Miami.
• Jim Bowden also says that the Red Sox priorities, in order, are: David Ortiz, a closer, a starting pitcher, and a right handed hitting outfielder (Twitter link) Seriously, why Ortiz?
• The Red Sox are set to meet with Bob Garber, the agent who represents both C.J. Wilson and Roy Oswalt, according to Michael Silverman of The Boston Herald (Twitter link) Hopefully with Wilson their just doing their due diligence and talking to him. His playoff numbers are scary, and personally, I believe if the Red Sox signed him we'd be looking at a left handed John Lackey. I do like the idea of adding Roy Oswalt though.
• According to WEEI's Rob Bradford, the Red Sox are interested in free agent starter Hiroki Kuroda. Their ability to sign him though depends on gaining financial flexibility via other moves.
• Tim Wakefield told Scott Lauber of The Boston Herald that he would like to pitch one more year with the Red Sox. Please, for the love of God don't bring him back.
• Larry Lucchino told Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe that he won't be attending the Winter Meetings in Dallas. Maybe this is a sign he's finally going to back the hell off and let Cherington do his job?
• According to SI's Jon Heyman, few teams want bullpen help more than the Padres, Brewers, and the Red Sox (Twitter link) Good sign if you ask me.

That's all I have today. I'll be sure to keep you guys posted on Twitter as well as Facebook until my next post. Not sure when that will be though...