The early part of the 2012 MLB season has been a bit shaky for Boston’s beloved Red Sox – but this team is still super talented. With a strong second half they should seperate themselves from the small-market preteneders who got hot early. The Sox should still sneak into the playoffs, especially with the added Wild Card slot in effect this year. How can will they get there, you ask?

Wounded Soldiers Returning To Battle

Carl Crawford is making strides in his rehab, working hard to get ready for what we hope is a strong second half. Fellow OF Jacoby ellsbury is also moving towards a return, surely improving the BoSox offense when he does.

Melancon Murking Minor-Leaguers

RP Mark Melancon, who was demoted to Triple-A Pawtucket after a dissapointing start, has been mowing down Minor League hitters in May. If Melcancon gets his confidence back and becomes what Red Sox brass thought he would be, Boston’s bullpen will be much more formidable.

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The Celtics’ age is a topic much discussed. At the beginning of the post-lockout 2011-2012 season, Boston fans asked “How are they going to compete if they are so old?”. As the 2012 NBA Playoffs roll on, the conversation seems to sound more like “How are they so good despite their age?” This Boston Celtics team has shown a level of poise and confidence that their inexperienced opponents lack in high-pressure playoff games. But even with the Big 3′s legendary resume, most folks are surprised by how well Boston is playing. The C’s seem to be finding their swagger in the postseason after a rocky start to the 2011-2012 campaign. While Boston cruised through much of the 66 game schedule looking like a squad that would sneak into the playoffs only to promptly exit, Doc Rivers’ team has wowed NBA fans with their playoff performance. With 2011-2012 likely being the last run for Garnett, Pierce and Allen together, the cagy veteran trio known as the Big 3 is giving it their all. This Celtic team looks as confident as ever. Knowing full well that this may be the final shot, The Truth, KG and Ray-Ray have become hyper-focused basketball machines that defy age. No matter what sticky situation Boston finds itself in, one of these guys (or all three) have been there before. Couple the wisdom of the Veteran core with the spark added by fresher faces like Brandon Bass and Avery Bradley and you’ve got yourself a true trophy threat. And don’t forget about the team’s triple-double turbo-charger, PG Rajon Rondo who adds a huge youthful boost. If the Celtics can stay healthy during the duration of the grueling and lengthy NBA playoff stretch, there is no reason why we shouldn’t see an 18th NBA Championship banner hanging at the TD Garden soon.

Injuries to Carl Crawford and Jacoby Ellsbury left a major void in the Red Sox outfield to begin the 2012 campaign. The Sox struggled, getting off to a sub-par start that left fans up in arms. Enter Daniel Nava, who has shined during his most recent Big League stint, helping the Red Sox get back on track. Faithful Sox fans will recall Nava showed some real promise when he was brought up to the bigs in 2010 (he hit a Grand Slam on the first Major League pitch he ever saw) but he was sent back to Pawtucket because there simply wasn’t room for him on the roster. Coming into 2012, Boston’s outfield looked pretty crowded so Nava was barely on anybody’s radar. But injuries happen, spots open up and new guys emerge. Nava has gone 7 for 12 with 1 HR and 6 RBI in 5 games since being called up from Triple A on May 10. As of May 15 the Sox are riding a 4 game win streak. Boston is obviously in need of outfield help with 2 wounded superstars sitting in the dugout for an unknown amount of time. So, could the 29-year-old Nava be the Red Sox’s saving grace? Who knows, only time will tell. But Nava say Nava!

Hey, Boston Fans On Instagram – Got a cool pic from the game? Hot Shot of someone rocking Chowdaheadz gear? Send Them Our Way!

On June 5, 2012 Charlie, our resident photo critic, will select 1 lucky photographer who will Win 3 Chowdaheadz T-Shirts of their choosing!

**IMPORTANT RULES**

- You MUST FOLLOW us on Instagram (username: chowdaheadz) to be eligble.

- SHARE your Instagram post w/ us in a tweet that mentions @Chowdaheadz or Email photos@chowdaheadz.com

- Finalists/Runners up will be featured in our Blog and Email Newsletter, so even if you don’t win the Prize this time, you could still become wicked famous

DEADLINE: MIDNIGHT JUNE 5

Wes Welker is showing once again that he is a true Patriot. Welker defused the tension surrounding his contract situation by declaring that he has “9.5 million” reasons not to hold out in order to force a new deal. This number of course refers to the Franchise tag for 2012-2013 that he has not yet signed.  Welker did appear on ESPN’s Sportscenter last month to voice his frustrations (Welker speculated that Belichick was probably too wrapped up in “draft mode” to deal with his contract situation in April) but things now appear to be OK in Foxborough. While Wes Welker would certainly prefer a long-term contract, he is a devout Belichickian pupil. Welker will show up for work on time & play even harder to earn his cash rather than hold out and risk a sloppy season a la Chris Johnson in 2011. The New England Patriots rarely dish out big deals to anyone, but it seems inevitable that Welker (554 catches in five seasons with New England) has a serious payday coming from the Pats…even if it has to wait until 2013. It’s good to see Welker staying patient and humble in an era where many NFL players hold out & risk hurting their performance to force the issue. Wes is a class act and one of the all-time great Pats receivers.

Josh Beckett is an anomaly. Never has a player been both so loved and so hated during his time in Boston. Sure, guys like Roger Clemens and Johnny Damon were heroes turned villains because they skipped town to play for the Yankees, but there has never been a player that was so polarizing DURING his stay at Fenway. Beckett is one of the greatest postseason pitchers of all time, winning 2 World Series trophies (including the 2007 Red Sox win in which Beckett was the ALCS MVP). So it seems strange to see him booed off the mound at America’s most beloved ballpark. Of course Beckett’s behavior in late 2011- early 2012 has been less than commendable…but let’s try to find a silver lining in the Josh Beckett cloud before it starts raining Budweiser… Read the rest of this entry »

Kevin Garnett is playing like a man possessed in the 2012 NBA Playoffs. At age 35, KG is still scoring, grabbing key rebounds and playing ferocious D in the paint. Boston basketball fans are familiar Kevin Garnett’s storied spirit and drive, but the future Hall of Famer looks especially fired up in what could potentially be his final season. So vicious has been KG’s postseason play that Atlanta Hawks co-owner Michael Gearon Jr. called Garnett the “dirtiest guy in the league“. While Celtics fans would prefer words like “gritty” or “tough” to describe Garnett’s playing style, everyone can agree that number 5 is going extra hard this season. KG is in the final year of his contract so this could very well be his last hurrah. With the future of the Big 3 shrouded in uncertainty, 2012 is probably KG’s final legitimate shot at more silverware, so he will be running in high gear. And don’t expect KG to apologize to the Atlanta Hawks – or anyone else who tries to get in Garnett’s way.

SHOP CELTICS GEAR

No matter what happens in the 2012 season, Kevin Youkilis will go down as a historic player in the Red Sox organization. However, the rapid emergence of Will Middlebrooks (above) has put Youkilis’ future with the club in jeopardy. Before coming up to the bigs, Middlebrooks was widely regarded as the number one prospect in the Red Sox farm system. The 23-year-old has done incredibly well filling in for the injured Youk, meaning Boston brass will have some tough decisions to make when Youkilis returns. Read the rest of this entry »

It may be puzzling for some Pats fans to see Matt Light, longtime anchor of the Patriots Offensive line, decide to call it quits in the prime of his playing career. Light, who played 11 NFL seasons (all with New England) has said that he wanted to walk away while he is still “upright” to enjoy an active life with his young family. Player health has been a red hot issue in the NFL lately, especially following the outbreak of Bounty Gate mania and the tragic ending to Junior Seau’s life. As we move ahead in the modern NFL era, do not be surprised if you start to see more guys end their careers early. Read the rest of this entry »