The Newport Gulls look to win their sixth NECBL Championship. Their Opening Day is on June 6 (picture courtesy of Newport Gulls).

After taking home the 2012 New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) championship (the fifth in franchise history), the Newport Gulls look to add another Fay Vincent Cup to their collection. Being the number-one ranked summer baseball team in the nation according to PerfectGameUSA, the Gulls have developed a strong core of talented players that have had great success in the professional ranks. As of 2013, five Newport Gulls have suited up for Major League teams.

By the numbers, the Gulls have many players from several schools across the United States. With players coming from schools such as Vanderbilt, Arizona State, Stanford, Louisville, Boston College, UCLA, and Michigan, among others, the 2013 Gulls have a diverse roster with many versatile weapons. Coached by ninth-year head coach Mike Coombs, the Gulls feature fifteen players that have been drafted by Major League teams in the past. Here is a player-by-player preview of who will be playing at Cardines Field this summer.

Justin Alleman (RHP, Michigan State) Freshman from Holt, Michigan
Alleman, a 6-3 right-handed pitcher, has had considerable success in his freshman year at Michigan State. In 22 relief appearances, Alleman has gone 3-3 with a 4.03 ERA with 36 strikeouts. Batters have hit just .262 against Alleman, who features a smooth 92 mile-per-hour fastball. In 2012, Alleman was drafted in the 18th round by the Kansas City Royals, but chose to play for the Spartans. Expect Alleman to be utilized in middle-relief situations in 2013.

Steve Anderson (1B, Georgetown University) Senior from Washington, DC
Anderson, who enters his third season with the Newport Gulls, returns after hitting well

Gulls 1B Steve Anderson (Georgetown) returns for his third summer with the Gulls (picture courtesy of Georgetown Athletics).

with the Georgetown Hoyas this season. Starting at first base, Anderson hit .274 with 3 HR and 25 RBI. In addition, Anderson had a .358 OBP and a .360 slugging percentage. Playing with the Gulls in 2012, Anderson was a prominent hitter, hitting .310 with 3 HR and 23 RBI in 33 games. Expect Anderson and fellow returnee Brett Winger (see below) to platoon at first base, and create a lethal 1-2 punch at that position.

Austin Barr (C, Stanford) Freshman from Camas, WA
Barr, a catcher with a good bat and defensive skills, did not play in a game with the Stanford Cardinal in 2013, due to the logjam at the catcher position. However, Barr’s skills will be an asset to the Cardinal in the future. Barr, who was drafted in the 29th round by the New York Mets in 2012, has a good power swing, and can utilize that to hit home runs at Cardines Field. Alongside catchers Nathaniel Causey and Ethan Ferreira (see below), Barr should see some considerable time, and improve upon his skill-set in the summer of 2013.

Scotty Burcham (INF, Sacramento State) Sophomore from LaQuinta, CA
Burcham, a versatile infielder who plays for the Sacramento State Hornets of the Western Athletic Conference, provides a defensive spark with his quickness and range. Burcham hit .231 with 15 RBI in 58 games with the Hornets, and also sported a .969 fielding percentage. Burcham also stole 4 bases in 4 chances last season. Burcham will be a key piece to the puzzle because his defensive versatility is a valuable asset that that can help the middle infield of the Gulls in 2013.

Ray Castillo (RHP, University of Alabama) Freshman from Seale, AL
Castillo, a hard-throwing right handed pitcher, was a bright spot in the Alabama Crimson Tide’s bullpen in 2013. Making 24 appearances, Castillo went 2-2 with a 2.61 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 41.1 innings. Castillo features a 91 mile-per-hour fastball alongside a strong curveball and blistering changeup. Castillo, who was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 27th round in 2012, has the potential to be a prominent pitcher on the Gulls’ staff in 2013.

Nathaniel Causey (C, Arizona State) Sophomore from Gilbert, AZ
Causey, a sophomore catcher from Arizona State, is an exemplary example of defensive excellence at the catcher’s position. In 37 games, Causey threw out 3 runners trying to steal bases, and sported a .961 fielding percentage. His bat also helped his case with the Sun Devils in 2013. Causey hit .254 with 2 HR and 22 RBI, and featured a .377 OBP. A 42nd-round draft choice by the Colorado Rockies in 2011, Causey has the potential to be a versatile catcher with the Gulls in 2013.

Shea Donlin (Infielder, Washington State) Freshman from Woodinville, WA
Donlin, a utility infielder, made his strides in his freshman season with the Washington State Cougars in 2013. In 32 games, Donlin hit .242 with 4 RBI and 3 SB. With a strong .969 fielding percentage, Donlin has the ability to make strong plays on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. Expect Donlin to be a strong addition to the Gulls infield corps in 2013.

Tyler Ferguson (RHP, Vanderbilt) Freshman from Fresno, CA
Ferguson made a sizable impact in the 2013 campaign for the Vanderbilt Commodores. In 8 appearances (4 starts), Ferguson went 3-1 with a 4.21 ERA with 21 K and a .247 opponent’s batting average. Ferguson’s fastball tops out at 90 miles per hour, and he also features a solid curveball and changeup. Ferguson was a 40th round draft choice by the San Francisco Giants in 2012, and he should use his experience in the starting rotation of Vanderbilt in 2013 to positively help the Gulls this summer.

Ethan Ferreira (C, Harvard) Sophomore from Rehoboth, MA
Ferreira, who attended Bishop Hendricken High School in Warwick, RI, has been a versatile catcher/third-basemen in his time with the Harvard Crimson. In 18 games, Ferreira hit .259 with 6 RBI. Ferreira also has an uncanny ability to reach base, sporting an OBP of .411. Ferreira also had a .939 fielding percentage with the Crimson. With his local experience, Ferreira could be a key player for the Gulls in 2013.

Darin Gillies (RHP, Arizona State) Sophomore from Hollister, CA
Gillies, who comes in with a height of 6’5”(second tallest pitcher on the 2013 squad), is a versatile pitcher who can come in from either the bullpen or in the rotation. In 24 appearances (1 start) with the Sun Devils in 2013, Gillies went 2-2 with a 4.73 ERA and 28 K. Gillies mixes up his pitch variety, which is a pivotal skill towards his success rate. Gillies should be a key pitcher for the Gulls in 2013.

David Graybill (OF, Arizona State) Freshman from Phoenix, AZ
Graybill enters the 2013 campaign as a promising prospect for the Gulls. Playing in 22 games with Arizona State in 2013, Graybill hit .268 with 7 RBI. Graybill was drafted in the 31st round by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2012, and has the tangible skills that could lead to his success. Graybill is a strong offensive player who has pop in his batt, and makes the most of his at-bats. Graybill should see considerable time with the Gulls in 2013, and he has the potential to wreak havoc against NECBL pitching.

Kyle Hart (LHP, Indiana) Sophomore from Cincinnati, OH
Hart was a key role player for the Big Ten Regular Season champion Hoosiers in 2013. Making 14 starts, the sophomore lefty went 8-2 with a 2.86 ERA and 47 strikeouts. Opponents only hit .261 against Hart in 2013, who features an 85 mph fastball that complements a slick curveball and brisk changeup. Hart’s expertise developed from the pitching staff in Indiana can be applied with the Gulls in 2013, and that expertise can be a positive addition to a loaded Gulls rotation.

Sean Hartnett (RHP, Washington State) Sophomore from Kent, WA
Hartnett is another product of the Washington State-Newport pipeline that pumps great players from Washington State into Cardines Field. Hartnett was a key contributor in the Cougars’ bullpen in 2013. Making 18 relief appearances, Hartnett went 2-2 with a 3.18 ERA, striking out 25 batters in 34.2 innings. Hartnett is mostly a ground ball pitcher who mixes his pitches well, and is able to efficiently get outs. Hartnett will be a key piece out of the bullpen, and will help the Gulls in 2013.

Brett Lilek (LHP, Arizona State) Sophomore from South Holland, IL
Lilek, an efficient southpaw, has been a valuable piece for the Sun Devils in his two seasons there. In 8 appearances (1 start), Lilek has gone 2-0 with a 4.02 ERA and 15 strikeouts. Lilek features a 91 mile-per-hour fastball that is utilized alongside a curveball, changeup, and slider. Lilek was drafted in the 37th round by the Seattle Mariners in the 2011 draft. Lilek’s mastery of these pitches will be magnified with the Gulls in 2013, who look to use him a versatile go-to pitcher throughout the season.

Spenser Linney (LHP, Stanford University) Sophomore from Alameda, CA
A vibrant left-handed pitcher, Linney provides an experience base that will positively affect the Gulls pitching staff in 2013. In 10 appearances, Linney went 0-0 with a 5.68 ERA with 5 K in 6.1 IP. Linney’s fastball is clocked at 88 mph, but he mixes his pitches well, and that is an advantage for the southpaw. Linney was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 44th round in the 2011 draft. Continuing the balance among righties and lefities on the Gulls’ staff, Linney has promise, and that can help the team in the 2013 campaign.

Milan Mantle (RHP, Rhode Island) Junior from Narragansett, RI
Mantle, who made his URI debut in 2013 after spending two seasons at Walters State Community College, pitched well with the Rams in the 2013 campaign. In 11 appearances (9 starts), Mantle went 5-1 with a 3.72 ERA. Mantle also struck out 26 batters, and limited batters to a .259 opponent’s batting average. Mantle’s arsenal includes a strong fastball and a curveball. His experience and his pitches should help the Gulls during the 2013 campaign.

Mark McCoy (LHP, Wake Forest) Freshman from Barnegat, NJ
McCoy, a powerful southpaw, will provide a spark of electricity to an already solid Gulls starting rotation. Making 11 appearances (5 starts), the southpaw went 0-1 with a 4.97 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 25.1 innings pitched. McCoy, who was drafted in the 26th round by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2012, features an 88 mph fastball with a strong curveball. McCoy’s arsenal and his command on the mound should help him in 2013 with the Gulls.

Kyle McGrath (LHP, Louisville) Sophomore from Louisville, KY
McGrath was a sparkplug for the Louisville bullpen during the 2013 season. In 24 appearances (3 starts), the sophomore went 6-1 with a 2.30 ERA and 48 strikeouts for the dominant Cardinals pitching staff. McGrath features a strong fastball, which helps him get strikeouts efficiently. McGrath can be a starter or a reliever, and that versatility can help him get far during the 2013 summer campaign.

Ty Moore (OF, UCLA) Freshman from Mission Viejo, CA
Moore, a contact-hitting left handed hitter, was a key reserve for the UCLA Bruins during the 2013 season. In 27 games, Moore hit .208 with 10 RBI. Moore’s offensive skills feature his ability to hit to all parts of the field, and his ability to get on base. Moore was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 25th round of the 2012 MLB Draft. Moore leads a strong outfield that will electrify the crowds at Cardines Field.

James Mulry (LHP, Northeastern) Freshman from West Roxbury, MA
Mulry is a powerful southpaw who made his rounds at Northeastern University during the 2013 season. In 11 appearances (7 starts), Mulry went 2-3 with a 4.54 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 41.2 IP. Mulry has a strong fastball that will help him retire many batters, and he has the elasticity to pitch long outings. Mulry should be a key piece to the Gulls rotation in 2013.

Ben Roberts (Washington State) looks to slide into success with the Newport Gulls in 2013 (picture courtesy of Washington State)

Ben Roberts (OF, Washington State) Sophomore from Missoula, MT
Roberts is a strong prospect who is looking for his opportunity to shine at a high level. Drafted in the 7th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks, Roberts has yet to successfully match his expectations as a power-hitting outfielder for the Washington State Cougars. Playing in 36 games, Roberts hit .140 with 2 HR and 11 RBI, also stealing 2 bases. Roberts can hit to all parts of the field, and has a slick power stroke. Expect Roberts to burn some fumes with the Gulls in 2013, and regain his offensive confidence.

Timmy Robinson (OF, Southern Cal) Freshman from Westminster, CA
Robinson, a contact-hitting outfielder, got a substantial amount of solid playing time with the USC Trojans in 2013. Robinson, a 31st round draft pick by the Minnesota Twins in 2012, played in 44 games with the Trojans in 2013, hitting .234 with 1 HR and 20 RBI. Robinson can drop key basehits with his contact swing, and his ability to get on-base is unparalleled. Robinson should be a key contributor for the Gulls in 2013.

Eric Stone (RHP, Boston College) Sophomore from West Haven, CT
Stone, a dynamic right-handed pitcher from Boston College, was used frequently during a rebuilding campaign for the BC Eagles. In 13 appearances (4 starts), Stone went 1-0 with a 7.48 ERA and 10 K. Stone uses a fastball to his advantage, forcing ground-ball outs frequently. Stone provides versatility to the Gulls staff, and should be a clutch role player in 2013.

Trace Tam Sing (Infielder, Washington State) Junior from Everson, WA
Tam Sing is an infielder who makes big plays at the right times. A 22nd-round draft choice by the Boston Red Sox in 2010, Tam Sing has made significant strides with the Washington State Cougars in 2013. Playing in 50 games, Tam Sing has hit .287 with 1 HR and 17 RBI. In addition, Tam Sing has stolen 4 bases, and sported a .387 OBP alongside a .933 fielding percentage. Tam Sing should be a key infielder for the Gulls, and will make big contributions in 2013.

Xavier Turner (Infielder, Vanderbilt) Freshman from Sandusky, OH
Turner is another vibrant piece in an infield that ranks among the best in the NECBL. Turner was a regular player with the Commodores in 2013. Playing in 51 games, Turner hit .308 with 28 RBI and 16 stolen bases. Turner also donned a .963 fielding percentage, and a .380 on-base percentage. Turner was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 34th round of the 2012 MLB Draft, and his skills have drastically improved since last season. Expect Turner to start with the Gulls in 2013, and make key contributions for the teams throughout the NECBL season.

Mick Van Voosen (RHP, Michigan State) Sophomore from Ada, MI
Van Voosen, a sophomore starting pitcher, has made the rounds with the Michigan State, and developed his command throughout the season. In 11 starts with the Spartans, Van Voosen went 5-2 with a 2.97 ERA and 32 strikeouts. Van Voosen is the ideal ground-out pitcher, as the majority of his outs come on the ground. With a strong infield behind him in 2013, expect Van Voosen to make some noise on the mound with his command and control.

Bradley Wallace (RHP, Arkansas State) Junior from Rison, AZ
Wallace, a teammate of former Gull Daniel Wright, has pitched well for the Red Wolves of Arkansas State University. Making 14 appearances (13 starts), Wallace has gone 5-2 with a 4.33 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 70.2 innings. Wallace has held hitters to a .243 average, and should use his arsenal of pitches to get many hitters out with the Gulls in 2013.

Kyle Wilcox (LHP, Bryant University) Freshman from Newtown, CT
Making his debut with the Bryant Bulldogs, Wilcox made great progress while developing his arsenal of pitches. In 13 appearances, Wilcox went 0-0 with a 7.36 ERA with 11 strikeouts in 11 IP. His strikeout rate should be a effective factor in his success at Cardines Field, and that success will propel him to great results with the Gulls in 2013.

Brett Winger (1B, Michigan) Senior from Windermere, FL
A 2012 NECBL All-Star, Winger returns for his second season with the Newport Gulls.

Gulls 1B Brett Winger (Michigan) returns for his second season with the Newport Gulls in 2013 (picture courtesy of Newport Gulls).

With the Wolverines in 2013, Winger hit .296 with 4 HR and 30 RBI in 55 games. Winger also had a .994 fielding percentage, and had a .412 on-base percentage. During his All-Star campaign with the Gulls in 2012, Winger hit .328 with 3 HR and 34 RBI in 36 games with the Gulls. Splitting time with 1B Steve Anderson for the second consecutive season, expect Winger to capitalize on his success from 2012 during the 2013 season.

PROVIDENCE — They looked like a team that couldn’t be stopped. After falling behind 2-0 in their first best of five series with the Hershey Bears, the Providence Bruins stormed back winning 3 straight games to take the series. The number one team in the AHL then took on the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins in round 2, going up 3 games to none versus them. As in any series where a team goes up 3-0, they looked like a team that was clicking on all cylinders. The first line of Ryan Spooner, Chris Bourque, and Jamie Tardif was producing as well as they ever had before, and Carter Camper was playing his best hockey of the season.

The want and desire of the Bruins could be felt by all in attendance as they dominated the Penguins not only on the scoreboard but physically as well. Bobby Robins started every game for the Bruins, and seemingly the first shift of every game featured a big hit that would energize the team and set the tone for the game. The goaltending of MVP Niklas Svedberg looked to be getting back to his all-star level after looking shaky at times in the playoffs. Literally everything that could go right was going right for Providence.

Then things went really, really, really, REALLY, wrong.

After letting up 8 goals then 4 goals, Brad Thiessen was called upon to replace Jeff Zatkoff in net. Despite losing in overtime in his first start, Thiessen played great allowing just 2 goals on 22 shots. The biggest factor that changed the series though was something out of the P-Bruins’ control: injuries. However they were not necessarily injuries to their own players. The Boston Bruins had injuries to defensemen Dennis Seidenberg and Wade Redden, forcing them to call up Providence’s best two defensemen Torey Krug and Matt Bartkowski. They have produced well in the Stanley Cup playoffs, but at the same time made the P-Bruins run in the Calder Cup playoffs much more difficult.

The Penguins defeated Providence in their final two home games of the series, allowing just 1 goal in the two games. They played well with their backs against the wall, capitalizing on many of their chances and scoring a combined 7 goals. Once the series returned to the Dunk, Thiessen took control of the series. The Bruins were getting good looks in game 6, but none could find the back of the net. The third period saw Providence out-shoot the Penguins 20-2, yet no goals went past Thiessen. The Pens would score in OT to force a game 7.

Game 7 started out well again for the Bruins, getting good scoring chances and playing well. However, the first period was scoreless on both sides. The second period is where the Bruins fatally collapsed. The Penguins scored 4 goals in the period while the Bruins had no offensive rhythm. The Penguins capitalized on power plays and turnovers, while that want and desire for the Bruins seemed to disappear. Svedberg gave up weak goals, and the team looked tired and overmatched. There was a point down 2-0 that the Bruins hit the goal post multiple times, and that looked to demoralize them even more.

In the end it was a 5-0 win for WBS as a 3-0 series lead crumpled away for the Bruins. Boston fans have seen this before with the Red Sox comeback and Bruins collapse. The loss of Krug and Bartkowski proved to be too much to overcome, as the defense lacked after they left. Svedberg looked like he was gassed letting some easy goals go by, but he can’t be blamed entirely when his top two defensemen weren’t there. The team, who was at a size disadvantage to begin with, looked mentally and physically fatigued. It is a long season, for some the longest of their careers. That is a big factor down the stretch, and while it is no excuse for blowing a 3-0 lead it was something that was thought to happen eventually.

It isn’t the way anyone wants to end a season, but don’t let the end take away from the entire journey. It was a great season in Providence that saw some young talent rise up with veteran leadership. It will be interesting to see who returns next season, as this same group with a year under their belt could make a serious run at the Cup. Unfortunately, that most likely won’t be the case.

Revs midfielder Diego Fagundez scored his third goal of the season as they beat the Dynamo 2-0 in Houston Saturday. (Photo/Goal.com)

HOUSTON- Leominster’s own Diego Fagundez scored his third goal of the season and Juan Agudelo helped force an own goal in his debut Saturday night as the New England Revolution defeated the Houston Dynamo 2-0, after having lost to Real Salt Lake 2-1 and drawing the New York Red Bulls 1-1 at home last week. They now stand at 3-4-4 on the year.

Fagundez, the 18 year old Uruguayan-born midfielder, broke through the scoreless draw in the 51^st minute when after a series of passes between himself and his teammates in their offensive zone, ran into a short pass from midfielder Clyde Simms at the edge of the box to put a quick shot past and to the right of Dynamo goalkeeper Tally Hall for his second goal in as many matches.

“I just saw Clyde [Simms] on the top of the eighteen so I gave him a pass. I followed through it and then he did a beautiful lay-off where I could just touch it around the defender and get a goal,” said Fagundez post-match.

Agudelo, who came over in a trade with Chivas USA earlier last week, came on as an injury substitution in the 35^th when midfielder Ryan Guy went down with a left calf injury. The Columbian-born American international was impressive in his first match for the Revs, and capped it off in the 84^th minute when, on an offensive attack with Lee Nguyen and Chris Tierney, he sent a short shot that deflected off Houston defender Ricardo Clark rolled into his own goal to seal the win for the visitors, and to give the Dynamo their second home loss in the past week, their only two since they opened BBVA Compass Stadium in 2011.

“[Chris] Tierney tried to cross the ball after I played it to him and I saw that the defender wasn’t really looking at me. So I just put my body in the way and tried to get anything that I could on it and put it toward the net. I think the goal was counted as an own goal, but it doesn’t really matter because it gave so much space for our defense to give us a 2-0 lead,” said Agudelo. As for the win, he said it “felt awesome.”

“Not just to win 1-0, but 2-0 is huge. There’s a lot of momentum right now getting toward the middle of the season, playoffs getting closer and closer. It’s huge to win this away game. There’s a couple home games coming up and hopefully we can make a push to be on top of the league.”

In the first half, the action was back and forth with minimal scoring chances, but a heated argument between Revs forward Dmitry Imbongo and Dynamo defender Bobby Boswell in the 38^th began to turn physical and resulted in the two being shown red cards and taken off.

After the Revs first goal in the second half, the Dynamo began to develop a few chances of their own, the closest being a forward Will Bruin header sent narrowly over the crossbar in the 61^st.

Revs goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth recorded his fourth shutout of the year, and made three saves. He came up huge in the 81^st minute to preserve the lead when Andrew Driver connected back on a low pass to Brian Ching at the center of the box, and the forward tried to put it past Shuttleworth to his left, but the keeper pushed it back, and Ching would send the rebound far over the net, and the New England defenders could breathe a sigh of relief.

“I thought we had a good gameplan coming in, and our guys performed really well at the beginning of the game and really set the tone early,” said Revs head coach Jay Heaps in the post-match press conference. “We wanted to come here and play and put them under pressure. Obviously, throughout the game a lot of things happen. You deal with things, they had to deal with a couple of things. It was a little strange having to play a match ten on ten, but I felt we adapted well. They’re a great team and we take our hat off to them but we’re excited for the win.”

He also praised his new acquisition in Agudelo, saying he was great in his debut.

“I thought Juan did a nice job of holding the ball. He was getting grabbed and pulled and pushed and he didn’t lose his focus and held on for some good plays. Not only that but he kept it for us in some really tight spots, difficult areas. Just excited to have him out there and doing well for us.”

The Revs now stand in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, and five points out of a playoff spot, and return to Foxborough next weekend to take on ninth place Toronto FC.

(SeaDogs.com)

(MANCHESTER, N.H.)—It may not be the ideal night for baseball, but nonetheless, two rivals will face off in the Queen City tonight. The New Hampshire Fisher Cats take on the Portland Sea Dogs in game two of the three game series. The Fisher Cats will throw RHP Deck McGuire. The SeaDogs give righty Charlie Haegar the nod.

Haegar, 29, was drafted in 2001 by the Chicago White Sox when he was only 17! Another unique thing about Haegar is he throws a flawless knuckleball. He hurls it in at about 70 mph, and it is fairly accurate. The Eastern League has certainly seen it’s fair share of talent before, and this guy is another name to add to the list.  Charlie Haegar may be a little too old to see time in The Show, but he certainly shows the big-league caliber talent that the Sea Dogs need.

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats will go on to play the Portland Sea Dogs tomorrow (5/15) before they head on a seven-game roadtrip. For live updates throughout tonight’s game, you can follow Patrick on Twitter (@pcava12).

Patrick Cavanaugh covers pro baseball for BostonSportsU18.com. He can be reached at pcavanaugh@bostonsportsu18.com.

Even as the most hated of rivals, Boston and New York have stayed strong together in the wake of April's Marathon attacks.

Welcome guest columnist Brian Danuff as he brings us this great commentary on the Boston/New York rivalry, also remembering the Boston Marathon tragedy one month to the day:

December 26, 1919 is a date not too many people remember. That day, Boston Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sold the team’s slugging star pitcher George Herman “Babe” Ruth to the New York Yankees.

Few knew it at the time, but the moment Frazee received $125,000 and New York received the face of Major League Baseball, a rivalry was born.

At first not really transitioning to the field, the Yankees and Red Sox quietly had a battle going on in seeing which team did better after the big “selling” of Babe Ruth. While each club had its share of glory during the remainder of the 20th century, there was a pretty clear winner of this deal.

With the trade of Ruth, the Red Sox still remained an admirable franchise however. Legends like Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, Carlton Fisk, and Roger Clemens all called Fenway Park home and guided the team to five division titles and four A.L. pennants.

Yet, bad luck, inconsistent play, or something called the “Curse of the Bambino” prevented the Sox from winning any World Series titles for 86 consecutive years, dating back to Ruth’s second-to-last season in Boston – 1918.

Meanwhile, things couldn’t have gone better for the Yankees.

After the Babe’s arrival, the team would become the dominant force we know today, winning four World Series and opening a grand new stadium during Ruth’s tenure in New York. Once he was gone, players such as Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle emerged, leading the Yanks to 16 more championships through 1962.

Following a 21st world title in 1977, the Red Sox had a golden chance to dethrone the Yankees in 1978. At one point they led the division by 14 1/2 games in the middle of July. But struggles for Boston and great play by interim manager Bob Lemon’s Yankees ensued, and it resulted in a tie for the division at the end of the season.

A one-game playoff (also known as game 163) at Fenway Park was played for the A.L. East title, and the Red Sox had a 2-0 lead in the 7th inning. With two runners on, Bucky Dent came up and forever embedded his name into the heads of fans and both teams alike. He cranked a three-run home run over the Green Monster and gave the Yankees a lead they would not relinquish.

“The Curse” had gotten the Bo-Sox once again. The Yanks indeed repeated as world champions in 1978, and when the Red Sox finally had an opportunity to win it all with the Bombers out of the picture in 1986, their efforts were squandered by the other New York team – the Mets.

A ground ball through Bill Buckner’s legs cost the Red Sox what would have been a World Series clinching Game 6 victory, and they then lost Game 7 the following night. Saying it was a nightmare for the franchise and its fans was a huge understatement.

To make matters worse, being good, but not good enough during the 80’s and early 90’s caught up to Boston when the Yankees returned to relevance. A mix of battle-tested veterans and solid youngsters would help New York win four of five World Series in the late 90’s. The Sox had a chance to put an end to the dynasty in the two teams’ first ever playoff meet of the 1999 ALCS, but they rolled over and lost in five games.

Two years later, the Red Sox were far off from playoff contention finishing just one game over .500 (82-79). The Yankees on the other hand were steamrolling towards another division title in early September of 2001 when the world stood still.

New York City’s World Trade Center and 3,000 lives were lost on September 11th in the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history. Two hijacked airplanes crashed into the Twin Towers, and two others crashed into the Pentagon and in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Suddenly, baseball meant nothing. Everyone’s attention turned to the affected areas, as MLB cancelled all games for a whole week. Players all around professional sports admitted to questioning whether or not to go back to playing at all, as it was displayed on TV stations all across America that there was way more important things in life than children’s’ sports being played by men.

However, sports did go on, and when baseball started back up every team kept New York in their thoughts, even the Red Sox. As a classy way of pushing aside the rivalry and paying tribute to the city, Fenway Park played Frank Sinatra’s “Theme from New York, New York” during a game following 9/11.

That’s right. The Yankees’ anthem, known to play whenever the team wins, was being heard echoing through their rival’s ballpark. It wasn’t so much about the song, but the idea that Boston was able to put away their differences with New York and send out their support truly meant a lot to the recovery effort of the city. If the Red Sox were backing New York City, everyone must be.

But as we all know, life went on. Eventually, the Yankees and Red Sox were able to focus on baseball again, and it was the perfect time for it. Fresh off a stinging loss in the 2001 World Series that ended the team’s championship dynasty, the Yanks saw many old faces leave and new ones come in. Meanwhile, the Bo-Sox hired the youngest general manager in baseball history Theo Epstein, and he began building a dominant team.

New York had finally fallen back to Earth, and Boston had taken a step up. It was only a matter of time before the rivalry intensified once again.

The ability to “Cowboy Up” allowed the Red Sox to return the playoffs in 2003 with a 95 win campaign, good enough for the A.L. Wild Card. Boston would then defeat the A’s in the ALDS and advance. The Yankees, at 101 wins, won the division and breezed past the Minnesota Twins in the first round. Therefore, the stage was set – Yankees and Red Sox, the winner going to the World Series.

Everything from that ALCS is mostly a blur, however, except for the final pitch – or should I say “swing”. Aaron Boone launched a home run into the left field seats at the old Yankee Stadium to give New York the pennant and send Boston golfing.
The following year once again looked promising for the Red Sox – until, once again, they met up with the Yankees in the ALCS. This time, 2003 seemed like a distant memory, as the Bo-Sox didn’t even put up a fight in the beginning. Three straight dominating wins by the Yankees seemed to have prove two points – that New York was once again the better team in 2004, and that the Curse of the Bambino would never end.

Keeping the faith, Red Sox outfielder Kevin Millar entered Game 4 with the mindset that New York can’t let Boston win tonight, or they’d be in a heap of trouble.

He wasn’t far from the truth at all.

A 6-4 win in 12 innings, followed by a 5-4 win in 14 innings, led to a 4-2 win in just 9 innings in Game 6. The Red Sox had won three straight, and the Yankees had lost three straight. While some call it a “choke”, New York did lose those three games by very small margins. It was only Game 7 where they really embarrassed themselves.

Losing 6-0 after just 2 innings at home was the kiss of death. The Yankee Stadium crowd fell silent and then ferociously cheered – for the Red Sox, that is, when Pokey Reese threw to Doug Mientkiewicz for the final out of a 10-3 victory. The Red Sox had won the pennant in historic fashion over their arch rivals, and even though the World Series was yet to be played, it was safe to say the Curse had ended right then and there.

A sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals followed and the Red Sox had won it all. As anti-climactic it was, it ended generations of suffering and doubt from sports fans around the world. Three years later, Boston would win the division over the Yankees, and the World Series again in 2007. One championship in 86 years was plenty. But two rings in four seasons? Unfathomable.

Even Boston’s other sports teams joined in on the fun in the 2000s. The New England Patriots won three Super Bowls in four years, the Celtics won the 2008 NBA Finals, and the Bruins won the Stanley Cup in 2010. It was an unprecedented run, for a city so deprived of national recognition, to suddenly crank out championships faster than Apple releases iPhones.

New York has had two “Giant” Super Bowls and another Yankees’ World Series in 2009, but the past decade without a doubt belongs to Boston when comparing success in sports.

But at the end of the day, as we all know sports can often be just a distraction from the hardships of life. The events at the Boston Marathon last month shook the nation, Red Sox and Yankee fans alike. Yet, in the days following the attack, the most bitter of rivals easily put aside their differences to help cope and mourn with the victims.

As detailed, after 9/11 the Red Sox played “New York, New York” to honor the city in which the Yankees play. So, the Bombers returned the favor on the day after the bombings.

During their game against the Arizona Diamondbacks (the team the Yankees lost to in the 2001 World Series), the first few bars of “Sweet Caroline”, rang through the speakers at the new Yankee Stadium. Neil Diamond’s Red Sox anthem was being played and sung to by the Yankees and their fans. This wasn’t opposite day, nor was it a mockery. This was a true, genuinely kind tribute to a city so strong, and so rooted in its sports traditions.

Yet, as we all know, life moves on. The city of Boston has recovered admirably since the tragedy, and in a few weeks the Red Sox will make the trip back down to the Bronx to play the Yankees. Already defying the odds and putting away the troubles of last season, the Bo-Sox have symbolized the strength of their home town throughout their history. And it will be no different when the rivalry heats up again later this May.

So without further ado, “Play ball!”, as they say. Surely, the Yankees and Red Sox will focus on doing just that. But it can not be ignored, that sometimes, that is the last thing these teams need to do in order to lift the spirits of their fans, and suffering citizens around the country.

BOSTON — If it were up to UC San Diego head coach Brad Kreutzkamp, the NCAA National Collegiate Water Polo Championship would be held at Harvard University’s Blodgett Pool on an annual basis.

Despite only having an opportunity at fifth place, the Tritons’ fourth-year head coach had much praise for the host staff and city as the tournament moved to east for the first time.

“I’ve been to five of these – three on the men’s side and now this is the second on the women’s side,” said Kreutzkamp, a San Diego State product. “I can honestly say…that this is, hands down, the best tournament that’s ever been. It’s professional top-to-bottom. I actually want to put in a proposal that it’s hosted here every single year.”

During the press conference after UCSD’s 15-8 win over Division III Pomona-Pitzer, junior center Melissa Barrow flanked Kreutzkamp and certainly agreed to cosign his proposal.

“It’s kind of been a dream for some reason to always come to Boston,” Triton junior center Melissa Barrow said. “Every time I’m in the van, I’m not playing with my phone anymore like I usually do on road trips. I just look out. These buildings are just gorgeous, so it’s definitely something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

Playing for the national title on Sunday night at 5:15 p.m. will be a pair of very familiar foes to big-time college sports fans and the most bitter of archrivals – USC and two-time defending champion Stanford.

The top-ranked Women of Troy steamrolled Hawaii by a 16-9 final, thanks to seven of the first eight goals over the first nine minutes of the game, six power-play tallies, and a strong 13-save effort from Hungarian junior Flora Bolonyai.

“It’s really amazing,” Trojan senior Chelsea Silvers said of the opportunity to play for another national championship in her final outing. “It’s coming full circle. Being on a championship team my freshman year was really exciting. I think I took it for granted, how hard it is to really get to the finals and win.”

It was much of the same in Friday’s quarterfinal for the Trojans as USC allowed an early goal to Pomona, before rattling off 27 unanswered goals against the hands of the inferior Sagehens.

While the players recognized the “all business” attitude heading into the final day of competition, one of the sport’s most recognizable figures agreed with his California counterpart Kreutzkamp about the success of Boston as a host and has enjoyed some free time as a tourist.

“I personally love the city,” 11-time National Coach of the Year and native Yugoslavian Jovan Vavic of USC said. “I love the hotel where we are staying; it’s right on the water. … I really like all the old bridges. I really feel like I am in Europe. It’s such a European type of a city with so much history. You don’t see this in LA, so I kind of enjoy this.”

MAAC champion Iona and Collegiate Water Polo (Eastern) victor Princeton each fell short in Friday’s quarterfinal round matches, but met in Saturday’s opening match as the only two teams in the field that did not represent California or Hawaii.

Led by world-class Floridian netminder Ashleigh Johnson, the Orange and Black cruised its way to a 12-2 victory over the Gaels for a shot at fifth place and UCSD at 1:45 on Sunday.

“We have seven freshmen this year, so I think that we have a lot of girls who have never experienced this before,” Iona junior Erika Lauraitis said after scoring both goals for the Gaels. “For me as a junior, this is my third time here. … [We don't] want to take a seventh or eighth place win. Let’s move up and get a win for our school, the MAAC in general and represent the East Coast a little bit.”

Stanford and No. 3 UCLA played a tight game in Saturday’s finale, but the Cardinal were just too stingy defensively in a 5-3 duel, earning the victory despite its lowest scoring output of the season. Senior Kate Baldoni, last year’s National Collegiate Championship MVP, made 12 saves to pace the Stanford defense.

“That was an impressive performance by two sensational goalies,” said Stanford head coach John Tanner. “I was extremely impressed with our response to the gameplan. … We kept our composure as the game was close and unfolding and did not allow our missed opportunities to frustrate us.”

As for Sunday’s final game, it is the one everyone wants – No. 1 vs. No. 2, a pair of Moutain Pacific Sports Federation foes, for the fourth time this season.

“It’s just an incredible opportunity,” coach ‘JT’ said. “To be playing our rivals. As Stanford water polo, we love playing USC. It’s a great rivalry, and to be playing it here at Harvard, our academic rivals whom we measure ourselves by. Our student-athletes are stoked to have this chance.”

It was well documented after two successful days that water polo is not just a West Coast sport anymore and that Boston, led by energetic Harvard head coach Ted Minnis, has played fantastic hosts.

“I like the idea,” Barrow said with a smile of Harvard returning as a future host. “I would not mind coming back to Boston for my last year.”

BOSTON — The Boston Bruins could clinch their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, which they lead 3-1, with a win tonight at the TD Garden.

The Bruins are coming off game where they overcame a 2-0 deficit to take a 4-3 overtime win Wednesday night where center David Krejci finished off his hat trick with the game winner at the 13:06 mark in the first period of sudden-death overtime. The B’s took both their games in Toronto, having won Monday night’s affair 5-2, and drew even with the Leafs in Boston, taking the first game 4-1, but fell 4-2 in Game 2, aided by a goal from former Bruins forward Phil Kessel.

Momentum would seem to be on the side of Boston tonight as the Bruins have been the better side of late and will be backed up by a full house of the Garden faithful.

Earlier this afternoon, coach Claude Julien made to changes to his roster, with forward Wayne Redden a sudden scratch at afternoon practice and recalling defenseman Matt Bartkowski from Providence, who has been an important member of the P Bruins playoff team that advanced to the AHL Eastern Conference Semi-Finals after defeating the Hershey Bears 3-2 Wednesday afternoon.

It will be up to the Leafs to slow this momentum and force a Game 6 at the Air Canada Centre, then win on the road and at home, in order to win the series. Joffrey Lupul leads his team in scoring this series, with the Canadian forward having scored three goals, one more than his teammate Kessel.

Perhaps the biggest obstacle in the Leafs way of crawling back is the man in goal for Boston, top goalie Tuukka Rask, who has a .932 save percentage for the series against the franchise that originally drafted him.

If Rask keeps playing as he’s been, the Bruins top offensive players keep making chances, and with the Boston fans behind they, the B’s should be able to finish the series off and advance to the Conference Semi-Finals, as the Chicago Blackhawks and Ottawa Senators have done in the East, defeating the Minnesota Wild and Montréal Canadiens respectively , and the San Jose Sharks in the West, who swept the Bruins 2011 Stanley Cup rivals, the Vancouver Canucks.

PROVIDENCE — A one seed should have no problem beating the number eight seed, right? As we have seen many times in hockey, the seeding doesn’t matter as much as in other sports. With nothing to lose, the Hershey Bears came into Providence facing a deep Bruins team with an MVP goaltender. Someone who didn’t know the seeds would have guessed it was Hershey that was the one seed. Outplaying the Bruins in almost every aspect, the Bears took a 2-0 lead in a best of five series, shocking the Bruins and their fans.

Goaltender and Bruins MVP Niklas Svedberg looked like a completely different player than in the regular season. He was uncomfortable and didn’t look very confident while in the crease, something that hasn’t happened all season long. While some of the goals were not really his fault, there were plenty of shots that hit the back of the net that he has consistently stopped all season. One had to wonder if the rookie was struggling because of fatigue after a long first season.

The team did not look good in general aside from Svedberg. While in their own end, the team made many turnovers leading to Hershey scoring chances. In a physical two games both teams hit hard and were aggressive, but the P-Bruins aggressive play led to odd man rushes. The penalty kill, which was 5th best in the AHL during the regular season, was awful. The team allowed 5 goals while shorthanded, including a game tying goal with less than 2 minutes left in game two.

The team put a lot of heart into game two, and when they lost it was obvious how much it hurt. Anyone in the Dunkin Donuts Center who thought the Bruins were going to come back was lying to themselves. Despite being down, the P-Bruins proved that they were not out.

Game 3 saw Hershey score first, riding the emotion of their crowd. Former Bear Chris Bourque scored a huge goal less than five minutes later to swing the momentum of the game and the series. From there everything seemed to click for the Bruins, looking like the team that earned the best record in the AHL. Providence took a 2-1 lead when Bobby Robins scored his first goal of the playoffs, followed by converted a power play by Jamie Tardif, Bourque, and Ryan Spooner to make the score 3-1. A penalty kill that looked dreadful returned to form by stopping eight minutes of second period penalties and were a perfect 6-6 on the night. Bourque and Carter Camper scored insurance goals in the third period, giving the team a 5-1 win and new playoff life. Svedberg looked solid making 30 saves for the Bruins, and the team looked ready to come all the way back.

Game four was tightly contested right to the finish. After Providence used goals from Camper and Graham Mink to go up 2-0, the Bears tied the game 2 aside in the third period and if not for a disallowed goal would have taken 3-2 lead. Camper netted his second goal of the day to give Providence the 3-2 instead, but Hershey took a 4-3 lead with less than 5 minutes left in the game. Once again the Bruins looked like they were done, but once again clawed back. Craig Cunningham scored on a late power play to tie the game at 4, once again swinging the momentum in favor of the Bruins. Camper secured the victory and a game 5 by scoring a hat trick goal with 1:04 on the clock, giving the P-Bruins a 5-4 lead.

Game 5 was more of the same: tough, close, physical, and exciting hockey. Hershey scored early to go up 1-0, but Providence caught what might have been the break of the series. A Justin Florek shot deflected off the skate of a Hershey skater into the open net, tying the game at 1. Both teams had power play chances, but the first would end in a 1-1 tie. The two teams went back and forth to start the second period, though Providence had trouble with turnovers and puck clearing. That being said, they were still out shooting the Bears in the period. The P-Bruins finally broke through with five minutes left. Camper and Tardif set up Jordan Caron, who ripped it top shelf to give the Bruins a 2-1 lead after two periods. The third period saw Hershey tie the game at 2 with a chance to take the lead on the power play. The Bruins power play showed why it was top 5, killing it off without much problem. The team used that momentum swing on their own end of the ice. Tardif stood firm in the crease, grabbing a loose puck and slipping it through to give Providence a 3-2 lead they would not relinquish. The final minute saw the Bears pull their goalie while on the power play, but it did not matter. The defense held up, and the Bruins won the series and the game 3-2.

With the win, Providence moves on to Round two of the playoffs against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. This seven game series begins Friday night at the Dunkin Donuts Center at 7:05.

Juan Agudelo celebrates a goal for Chivas USA in 2012. (Photo/CD Chivas USA)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass.- The New England Revolution acquired striker Juan Agudelo from Los Angeles-based club Chivas USA on Wednesday in exchange for allocation money.

The 20 year old Columbian-born Agudelo has 11 goals in 59 appearances. Coming to New Jersey at the age of seven, he eventually joined the youth academy of local club New York Red Bulls, and made his senior debut in a 2010 US Open Cup match against the Philadelphia Union, and found himself as an important piece for the New York club during the 2011 campaign.

After a slow start to the 2012 season, the Red Bulls parted ways with the young Agudelo, sending him to Chivas USA for defender Heath Pearce and allocation money. He made 26 appearances for the California club, scoring five times and had four assists. So far this year, he’s scored twice and has an assist, making him the Revs’ top goalscorer. His offensive output will be a welcome sight to a team that has so far only mustered four goals, one being an own goal by Red Bulls defender Brandon Barklage, leaving them tied for the worst offense in the MLS.

Agudelo is noted as having a lot of potential and is considered one of the best young forwards in the league. He has been made 17 appearances  for the US National Team, including four starts, with a goal and an assist. He has also spent time training with several European clubs during his offseasons, including Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart, Scottish giants Celtic, and Premier League clubs Liverpool FC and West Ham United.

Revs general manager Mike Burns told reporters that the move was a “no-brainer,” and that the club was “very pleased” to acquire Agudelo.

“While Juan is a young player with tremendous potential, he also already has a lot of experience both inside our league and internationally with the U.S. National Team. We believe Juan will improve our attack and make us a better team,” added Burns, the Marlborough native and former defender who also had several caps for the USMNT during his eight-year career.

Agudelo will most likely join the club later this week, possibly in time to face the club he began his career with,  but now on the opposite side of the Boston-New York rivalry, when the Red Bulls come to Gillette next Saturday. Before that, however, the Revs will take on Real Salt Lake at home in a Wednesday Night inter-conference showdown.

The New England Patriots are coming off of a disappointing AFC championship loss that was heartbreaking to most fans. But in the offseason, they made some notable moves, which included bringing in wide Danny Amendola from the Rams and drafting some players on both sides of the ball.

Here is my breakdown on each of the New England Patriots’ draft choices:

Aaron Dobson, Marshall

The Pats went with a 6’3″ wide receiver out of Marshall with their first pick. For the most part, I do like this draft selection, because with the departure of Wes Welker, you will never know when the team will need a new guy to step it up. Dobson is a very fast and athletic guy and I feel like he will be a good fit in New England. In his four years at Marshall, he lead the team in receptions and was a pivotal key to the Thundering Herd. The downside is the fact he played in Conference USA, which is not quite a “top notch” defending league, so I don’t know how he will be able to handle these tight corners in the NFL. He has been known to be slow on his cuts which will be very tough for him because Tom Brady loves quick patterns in New England. Grade: C+

Jamie Collins, Southern Miss

The Patriots went with Jamie Collins on their second pick. In his four years at Southern Miss, he had a really good career and put up some really good numbers. He is an overall very good athlete and has shown that he can cut quickly with fast moving feet. However, he lacks a lot of upper body strength at the moment, which will eat him up in the NFL. He also needs to work on his hand speed. Grade: C+

Duron Harmon, Rutgers

The Patriots, with their 3rd pick, got a secondary player from Rutgers by the name of Duron Harmon. It is no surprise that the secondary has been a big issue for New England in the past years and I am glad that Harmon was chosen here. As we have seen in the past with secondary players out of Rutgers, they usually have potential (i.e. Devin McCourty). I like this pick for the most part. I think that he has good height for a secondary player, and from his Combine, it shows he is a very fast and athletic guy – a key at safety. Grade: B

Logan Ryan, Rutgers

I think it is interesting how the Pats picked back-to-back secondary players out of the same college, but a good idea because of some chemistry. For the most part, Ryan is a very hard hitter and very physical when guarding, who was also known to be a great team player. However, he is one of the slower corners at the Draft, but that will not matter if he is able to use his great hitting to be physical on press coverage. Grade: B

Josh Boyce, TCU

In his high school career, Boyce had the chance to work with Robert Griffin III for four years and was a huge part of TCU. He also had the chance to be Andy Dalton’s favorite target in 2010. He is a very fast guy, has very quick hands and awesome upper body strength and he has been known to be a very aggressive player. I like the idea of trying to get another wide receiver, but there are some setbacks to him. He is a very light guy (5’10″) and only can play in the slot. He has also been known to have been easily coverable in the past. He had a lot of opportunities to play against top notch secondary in college and had handled it quite well. There are still some question marks, so this pick gets a B-.

Michael Buchanan, Illinois

In my opinion, the Patriots took a steal and a player with a lot of potential in Illinois defensive end Michael Buchanan, checking in at 6’5″ and 235 pounds. In his past, he has faced a ton of big offensive lineman and will definitely have some experience coming into the NFL. He also has quick feet and has been very good at extending his arms, getting around linemen. However, he lacks upper body strength and his speed is not necessarily the greatest. On the positive side, he has been named one of the best defensive linemen in the Big Ten and is coming off a great season. I definitely will want to see some improvement over the offseason to increase his upper body strength, but I give this pick a C, only because of how low he was picked and his lack of strength.

Steve Beauharnais, Rutgers

Inside linebacker Steve Beauharnais closed the Draft for the Pats and was the third Scarlet Knight taken. Overall, not too much is known about Beauharnais, but from the scouting report, it shows that he is 6’2″ and awesome weight. He also is known for his fast movement and quick hands, but the Big East is not exactly known for the run game, so there may be a lack of advanced preparation seen at the next level. He is also known as an average player and is not near elite in the conference. I give it a C-, but I am interested to see if he can compete with guys like Jerod Mayo.

Other notable players drafted out of New England:

64. Dwayne Gratz, CB, Connecticut: 5’11″ | 201: Very fast and athletic guy, who will benefit the struggling Jaguars a lot in these next couple of years if they use him right.

70. BliDi WrehWilson, CB, Connecticut: 6’1″ | 195: If the name didn’t scare you enough, he is known to be a huge hitter and very fast guy. He will definitely help out the Titans a lot with their defense.

124. Trevardo Wilson, DE, Connecticut: 6’1″ | 241: He is a very big and heavy guy and his scouting report is not the best, but his size and quick feet will help the Texan defense only get better.

Harvard's own Kyle Juszczyk went to the Baltimore Ravens (Photo/Boston.com).

130. Kyle Juszcyzk, FB, Harvard: 6’1″ | 241: “Juice” made the great state of Massachusetts and the Ten Thousand Men of Harvard proud when he was selected by the Baltimore Ravens. I think it is great that the Ravens picked him because he is a hardworking and underrated player who could be very useful to a unit that lost some in the offseason.

201. Ryan Griffin, TE, Connecticut: 6’7″ | 247: This was a great pick for the Texans because of Griffin’s huge size. I think the Texans can combine him and Owen Daniels together and create a huge threat in the receiving game.

241. Jared Smith, DT, New Hampshire: 6’3″ | 302: Smith is a very good pick for the Seahawks because he will help boost the Seattle defensive line.

253. Michael Cox, RB, UMass: 6’1″ | 214: The Dorchester native had an awesome career at UMass, but was under looked during the first season of FBS football for the Minutemen. I think that he will get some looks with the New York Giants, but I do not know how much. It will be interesting to see how he will fit in, joining UMass’ own Victor Cruz.