This past calendar year has been nothing but heartbreak after heartbreak for New England sports fans.
(All 29 other sports regions/cities roll their eyes collectively).
We’re no Seattle or Cleveland, but these have been somewhat trying times for fans that have high standards for success.
A quick recap: The Red Sox didn’t make the playoffs due to freak injuries to their two best players; the Bruins blew a three game lead in the Eastern Conference semi-finals to a Philadelphia Flyers team made up of unwashed heathens; the Super Bowl favorite Patriots tanked in their first playoff game against the Jets; and the Celtics lose the NBA Finals game seven against the Lakers. Rough stuff.
Also, that NBA deadline deal which took Kendrick Perkins out of green was another unexpected occurrence that was unsettling, to say the least.
And through all that, I’ve remained positive. Why, you ask?
Did you see who the Red Sox signed this offseason?
Honestly, I don’t think Boston was all that bad last season. Eric Patterson and Daniel Nava started more games than anyone should ever ask of them; John Lackey ate a whole lot of nachos; and Adrian Beltre really liked kicking people in the chest super hard.
Despite all that, they almost won 90 games last season. Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz proved to be a fearsome one-two punch to build a rotation around; Jed Lowrie showed some real glimmers of being a versatile major league baseball player; and that Daniel Bard guy threw the ball wicked hahd, dude guy.
Now, everyone is healthy, and there are some fresh faces that make this team the clear favorite in the American League.