Friday's Random Thoughts Column

Today we are treated to a “Picked-up pieces” column from Shaughnessy. I suppose the format is tried and true if not a little tired. If you are going to use a “random thoughts” approach, however, you should try to come up with angles that are fresh and ones that are perhaps subtle. Get away from stating the obvious or stating things that have been discussed ad nauseum elsewhere. Probably too much to ask for from Shaughnessy.

In his third nugget, Shaughnessy speculates about the potential conversation about Belichick and Tomlinson at the Pro Bowl…have only seen this discussed in a dozen places elsewhere…and not sure if anyone really cares about it at this point. Of course, we get the common shot at Belichick’s hoodie while we are at it.

There's also a nice swipe at Mientkiewicz to start the column. The Mientkiewicz ball controversy is also a beaten path but of course CHB likes to pile on. And another gratuitous shot – I believe that is Shank’s second time in a week to take a shot at Tony Eason

CHB asks us to suppose if Barry Bonds get hot and show us up at Fenway with a chance to beat Aaron’s record. Suppose what Shank? Bonds home run chase is going to be a dominant story regardless of the venue I know we Boston fans think Fenway is the hub of the baseball universe but in this case, I don’t think the venue (whether Boston or Kansas City) is really going to change the dynamics of the attention that Bonds' home run chase will receive.

As for the nonsensical, what the heck is he talking about when he says, “Wish I'd known Boston College was playing at Notre Dame (Oct. 13) when I saw Charlie Weis in the press box at the RCA Dome Sunday night.” What’s the point of this statement?

Always nice to see a Larry Bird reference in a picked up pieces column (or any Shaughnessy column). Looks like Larry is in for a nice return on the sale of his home—maybe he will throw Shaughnessy a 1% finder’s fee and a bottle of wine?

Oh yeah, one more gratuitous shot…this time at Verne Ruhle. Long time Red Sox fans certainly know about Ruhle breaking Jim Rice’s hand with a pitch in 1975. What I did not know (and of course we do not learn this from Shank) is how highly Ruhle was regarded…picked that up in reading his obits. Rest in peace, Verne Ruhle. I think this Ruhle entry could have waited a few weeks or could have included a reference to his character.

Happy to give Shaughnessy a little credit – nice comment about Kathryn Nixon; a funny line about the Bengals latest arrest but I seriously doubt CHB came up with that himself; and an interesting tidbit about Dave McCarty and Wally the Green Monster (although Shaughnessy admits he is not the original source).