Deflategate, just go away and let's just play football.

Adam Schefter of ESPN is reporting that the NFL and NFLPA are trying to reach a settlement in the Tom Brady suspension Deflategate mess. Schefter seems to think that a settlement will not be reached and that the Commish will hold firm to the four games, denying Brady's appeal.

If this happens, I won't be in the least bit surprised because Roger Goodell is an idiot and should never have heard the appeal in the first place. The NFL must realize (or you would think they would) that in light of the new rules and guidelines on inspecting and testing footballs for correct air pressure put in place just this week, that the appeal has little or no chance to be upheld in federal court, which is EXACLY where this mess is headed.

The NFL mishandled this case badly, from the flawed and inconclusive Wells Report to the ridiculous 4 game suspension handed down by Troy Vincent (with Goodell's blessing) and the loss of draft picks for the Patriots organization over "more probable than not that Brady knew or was generally aware of" what was going on with the footballs.

The only way that the NFL can come out of this with a shred of decency is for the four game suspension to be vacated without the need of a court to tell them so and acknowledge (which they have, sort of, by the new rules) that they screwed up. Expect Brady to get a court ordered injunction that will allow him to play this season until the courts can have their say. Sorry haters but you've struck a hornets nest and you can expect Brady to play football all season.

UPDATE: Brady's suspension was upheld, lawsuits were filed by the NFL and NFLPA in New York and Minnesota. The NFLPA's suit was moved to New York. A judge ordered the two sides to reach a settlement without litigation and tone down the rhetoric, public and private. Both sides want a resolution before the start of the 2015 regular season.

Stick a fork in 'em, the Red Sox are done.

This horrific four game sweep by the Angels officially puts the nail in the 2015 Red Sox coffin. Heads will roll, the Sox will be sellers instead of buyers at the July 31 trade deadline. At this point I'd be surprised if John Farrell finishes the season as Red Sox manager. Generally I don't like mid-season managerial changes but SOMETHING has to be done and soon. Cherington's days as Sox GM could also be coming to an end, but we'll se on that.

Instead of pondering who the Sox will acquire to bolster their starting rotation, the question now becomes who will survive the purging and still be a Red Sox going into next season? Who are the untouchables from the major league roster (not counting injured players)?

Pedroia, Ortiz, Betts, Swihart, Rodriguez, Johnson are six that I can see as being untouchable in potential trades. Ramirez and Sandoval are essentially untradeable because of their large contracts. Everyone else is fair game.

On the Red Sox after the All Star break

Here's the deal as I see it. The Sox need better starting pitching. I say go for a guy like Cueto, even if he is a free agent at the end of the season. If the money is there he can be persuaded to sign long term. Some reports I've read say he's looking for $200 mil on probably a six or seven year deal. That's where the price of a top notch starter is headed and some team will pay it. Why not the Red Sox? Is that a ridiculous salary for anyone? Heck yeah. But just imagine what baseball salaries will be five short years from now, ten years from now. Pitching isn't getting any cheaper. We all know that Lester is having a horrible season for the Cubs, the Sox clearly missed the boat on a guy they knew and knew well.

I know this. Heads are going to roll at 4 Yawkey Way if the Sox brass doesn't do something impactful come July 31. Another last place finish is unacceptable to members of the Nation. The sheen of the miraculous 2013 World Series run is over. Time for the Sox to put their big-boy pants on.

The Accolade

I enjoy working on jigsaw puzzles because they help to relax me. Since 2012, I've worked on and framed quite a few of them. This is the current project that I've been working on since February 2, 2015. This is what it will look like when it is finished:

"The Accolade" a 2,000 piece puzzle by Educa. Painting by E. Blair Leighton, 1901.

The pic below was taken today, showing my progress thus far. I haven't worked on it as much lately as I would have liked.

Every puzzle that I work on gets glued up and framed for hanging. What fun is it to spend months working on a jigsaw puzzle only to put it back in the box when it is finished?

Exactly.

Procrastination

There are many things that I need to do. Things I need to get off my plate. I know I need to do them yet I don't do them.

It's sort of like a faulty wire. Visualize the wire. You can see the spark trying to flow through the wire or get to the other side but somewhere in the middle there is a gap. Somewhere in there is a disconnect.

I know the goals I have and I know what I need to do to accomplish them, yet they remain largely undone.

This is my lifelong battle against procrastination. Every morning I wake up and tell myself I'm going to be productive today. I am not nearly as productive as I want or need to be. By the time I get my second wind, I feel like the day is gone and what do I have to show for it?

Tonight, I am going to do my best to be productive well into the night time hours. Instead of watching television or fumbling around on the internet, I'm going to get some things accomplished.

Lina Posada

Lina Posada Arteaga

DOB: March 13, 1991 (24) in Barranquilla Atlantico, Colombia

Language: Spanish (native) and English

Eye Color: Blue

Hair Color: Brown

Height: 5′ 9″ (175 cm)

Weight: 114 lbs (52 kg) Measurements: 34 – 24 – 34; cup size 34B

Shoe Size: 7 (37.5 Euro)

Dress Size: 6

Holiday weekend

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This is the Fourth of July weekend. Today all government offices are closed. No mail delivery. But do bus lines run? Hard to tell since the fourth is actually on a Saturday. Is public transit considered part of the government offices that are closed?

UPDATE: Didn't see one bus in operation today. Rode my bike down to south Sarasota, 13.5 miles one way, 27 miles total. My legs felt like jelly when I got back and my butt hurt from that uncomfortable bike seat. Outside temp hot, humid, 92F. I was a sweaty mess too.