Hey Chowdaheadz, don’t forget to get your tickets to the ballpark this season! Tomorrow, Saturday January 30, 2010, the Boston Red Sox will release most single-game tickets for the 2010 home games. The tickets will be released at 10:00am ET and there is an eight ticket limit per person. Games against the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers will not be available. A random drawing for those will be held at a later date.

Chances are tickets are going to sellout fast! The Red Sox are in currently in the midst of the longest home sellout streak in MLB history. A stretch that began May 15th, 2003. So get them while you can!

With spring training right around the corner, familiar faces from our favorite ball club have been popping up in the news in anticipation of the 2010 baseball season. Talks about the roles for individual players have surfaced including expectations for Jonathon Papelbon, Tim Wakefield,  Jacoby Ellsbury, and David Ortiz – just to name a few. The focus this past offseason though, hasn’t so much been on the old faces of the team but rather on the new ones: Adrian Beltre, Mike Cameron, Jeremy Hermida, and former Los Angeles Angeles ace, John Lackey.

There is one more new face to the Boston Red Sox family that you may not have heard of this off-season. It is your official Boston Red Sox Forest Face. Just nail it to a tree and make it come to life as a Red Sox fan. Let everyone who drives by your house know that you are a diehard Sox fan with one these. Or simply start the new trend on the block. Each Boston Red Sox Forest Face measures 12” x 7” and wears the team cap with the official team logo. Each piece is made of weather resistant resin and has a durable hook for hanging. Remember, your Red Sox Forest Face will only be as passionate about the Sox as you are!

To get your own Boston Red Sox Forest Face, visit http://www.chowdaheadz.com/boston-red-sox-forest-face.html.

On Tuesday January 12th, 2010 a 7 magnitude earthquake struck the country of Haiti. The International Red Cross estimates that approximately 3,000,000 people were affected by this quake and the current death toll stands between 150,000 and 200,000 people.

Charlie Chowdaheadz is soliciting the help of his fellow Chowdaheadz to raise money to support the Haitian children in the aftermath of this devastating natural disaster. From 1/25 until 1/31, Chowdaheadz will donate $5.00 from every slogan/rivalry t-shirt purchased to a charity dedicated to helping the Haitian children. Charlie’s charity of choice is UNICEF (http://www.unicef.org/) because they are currently giving 100% of its incoming donations to support the children of Haiti.

To aid Chowdaheadz and UNICEF in the relief effort please visit http://www.chowdaheadz.com/help-haiti.html.

They need our help!

The Hub Of Sports Has Hit A Rough Patch

With New England Patriots season over, the Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins were left with the task off shouldering the load of Bill Belichick’s bunch failures.

But, ever since the NFL season came to an end for Patriot fans, the B’s and C’s have hit a snag and are reeling as of late.  With both teams in a funk, what do Boston sports fans have to look forward too?

Mediocrity?  

I mean, it’s only 41 days until Spring Training starts.

Not so fast folks.  Kevin Garnett returned to the Garden parquet on Friday night after missing 10 games with a hyperextened right knee and scored 13 points to propel the Celtics to a 98-95 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers to snap a three-game losing streak.  

There is a beacon of light at the end of the tunnel for Boston fans even if that light doesn’t reflect the Boston Bruins at the moment.  The Bruins are now losers of five straight and hold the ninth-place spot in the Eastern Conference.  Things are falling fast for the lifeless Bruins who are playing with the urgency of a pre-season practice rather than a January playoff implication game as the Black and Gold may have hit rock bottom today with their 5-1 loss to the bottom-dwelling Carolina Hurricanes.  

So, with the bleak play of the Bruins, at least the news of Garnett’s return can bring some life back to the Hub.  Maybe Beantown fans can have something to look forward too other than Casey Kelly updates.  

Or American Idol.

Even with snow still on the ground and temperatures south of 32 degrees, the NBA season is about to start heating up and so too should the play of the Boston Celtics. And even with the discouraging play of the Bruins, don’t throw the towel in yet.  The Bruins still have over 30 games left on the schedule and that’s plenty of time for them to turn their season around.  

So keep your clickers tuned to NESN and FSNE, you sure don’t want to miss anything good.  

Boston Hopes Clean Bill Of Health Is On The Way

The NBA All-Star break is a little less than a month away but a shake up in the current NBA standings shouldn’t happen much for the Boston Celtics and other teams around the league.  

For the Celtics and other playoff contending teams, the first half is a good indicator for what’s to come in the second half of the season.   The midway point of the regular season actually starts on Friday night, not at the All-Star break, as the C’s take on the Portland Trail Blazers at the TD Banknorth Garden.   

Hit hard by the injury bug, the Celtics are looking for a spark from Kevin Garnett who is set to return to the lineup on Friday after a three week hiatus. His return could be the key to Boston returning to its early season success.  

Garnett will look to help Boston, losers of eight of their last 12 games, avoid their first four-game losing streak in more than a year.  Boston will look for Garnett to bring some defensive intensity that has sorely been missing from the front court.  The Big Ticket will also bring accountability to the reeling C’s who have been without Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Rasheed Wallce, Glen “Big Baby” Davis, and Garnett for more than several games this season.  

But, despite all the injuries, the C’s still hold the second-best record in the Eastern Conference with a 27-13 record, trailing Lebron James and the Cleveland Caviliers by four games in the standings.  On their heels are the up and coming Atlanta Hawks (1/2 game back) and the Orland Magic (one game back).  

With Kobe Bryant taking on the James and the Cavs Thursday night, King James got the best of the defending NBA champion Lakers.  Could this be a sign that the stars are aligning for the 2010 NBA Championship and possibly Lebron James?

Who knows.

The Celtics may have something to say about that in the second half as a healthy lineup that includes Ray Allen, Garnett, Rondo, Pierce, and Kendrick Perkins could challenge the Cavaliers for supremacy in the Eastern Conference.   

Inconsistency along with injuries have plagued Boston this season and that’s what happens when your three stars are hitting 32, 33, and 34 years of age. Pierce, Garnett, and Allen’s better years may be behind them, but needless to say, their is still some gas left in the tank and plenty of motivation to muster another Championship before the Big Three eventually fade into the sunset.

Playing by the mantra of “ubuntu”, a African proverb that stands for a system of working together by doing the right thing in order to sacrifice for the common good, the Celtics will need to work as a team to raise an 18th Championship banner into the rafters of the Garden by seasons end.

Whether its the spirit of ubuntu or the sudden resurgence of an old squad, Boston will look to right their ship on Friday against Brandon Roy and the Trail Blazers.

Allen Einstein/NBAE/Getty Images

Last night the Boston Celtics (27-13) limped into The Palace of Auburn Hills to take on the lowly Detroit Pistons (15-26). The Celtics came into the game hoping to turn their luck around against another injury plagued team. The night started off well with a standing ovation for Rasheed Wallace in his first appearance at The Palace since being signed by the Celtics in the off-season. The Celtics came out with intensity, led by Captain Paul Pierce who scored 17 or his 21 points in the first quarter. After two quarters the Celtics held a respectable eight point lead over the Pistons. This match-up seemed to be just what the doctor ordered.

Wrong. This game was merely a tale of two halves. The Pistons simply out played the Celtics in the second half, to go on to win the game, 92-86. The Celtics only managed to score 30 points total in the second half, compared to 56 points in the first. They had no answers to the Pistons’ zone defense and as a result committed 19 turnovers. Ray Allen had 5 out of those 19, and 2 were a result of simply stepping out of bounds. Rajon Rondo was the only bright spot in the Celtics’ offense with a near triple-double (27 points, 7 assists, 8 rebounds, 4 steals).

The Celtics now, are in the mist of a three game losing streak and are set to return to the TD Garden this Friday night to face the Portland Trailblazers. The Celtics are only 11-7 at home this season, but come Friday all eyes won’t be on their home record or losing streak. Celtics’ star forward, Kevin Garnett, is slated to return to the lineup after being sidelined for ten games with a hyperextend knee. The Celtics are 4-6 without Garnett and much of Celtics Nation will be put at ease if Garnett does suit up to play Friday.

The much anticipated tip off is at 7:30 p.m. Just don’t expect him to be the savior of the Celtics after just one game.

One Key Figure Seems To Be Staying Put

The New England Patriots may have lost Dan Pees to retirement (or the Denver Broncos) but at least one key cog of the Patriots staff is staying for another year.

Although Floyd Reese is titled as the Patriots senior football advisor, Reese is an important member of New England’s front office and is one of the few influential voices in the ear of Bill Belichick.

Reese flirted with the idea of moving to Seattle to man the general manager position with Pete Carroll but the Seahawks have reportedly hired Packers executive John Schneider to become their new general manager.

Reese, 62, held the position of general manger of the Tennessee Titans from 1994 to 2006 and served as an analyst on ESPN’s NFL Live before joining the Patriots last season.  Although Resse’s staying may not be the sexiest of news for Pats fans, with him on board for the draft and free agency period, New England will have one more bright mind to help ease the pain of this season’s failure and make improvements for the 2011 Patriots.  

He handles contract negotiations with the Patriots and is a draft guru as his pedigree speaks for itself in Tennessee where he drafted three NFL rookie of the year award winners among his eleven first round draft picks in Eddie George, Jevon Kearse, and Vince Young.  Reese also happened to draft NFL co-MVP Steve McNair.  

With the New England Patriots organization at a crossroads into the new decade, at least one important piece, in Floyd Reese, is staying put to help New England with this uneasy transition.

(AP Photo)

DRAMA AVOIDED

There will be no arbitration showdown between Jonathan Papelbon and the Red Sox.

The Red Sox closer and the club came to terms on a one-year deal this afternoon, according to multiple reports. The Globe’s Tony Massarotti confirmed that Papelbon will receive $9.35 million in 2010, with the deal reaching $9.5 million if incentives are met. The terms were first reported by ESPN Boston’s Gordon Edes.

The Red Sox have also come to terms with relievers Ramon Ramirez and Manny Delcarmen, according to the Globe’s Amalie Benjamin. A baseball source told Massarotti that Delcarmen will receive $905,000 next season, including an additional $15,000 if he pitches 65 games.

-Full Story

Boston Agrees To Terms With Delcarmen, Papelbon, and Ramirez

Arbitration is arbitrary at this point.  The Boston Red Sox have agreed on multiple one-year deals this afternoon with arbitration eligible pitchers, most notably closer Jonathan Papelbon.  

Papelbon and the club came to terms on a one-year $9.35 million deal in 2010 with the deal topping out at $9.5 million if some incentives are met.  Boston also agreed on deals with Ramon Ramirez and Manny Delcarmen.

The agreement illustrates the second time in two years that the Sox and Papelbon have come to terms on a deal before the deadline as the Sox closer is now due to a $3 million raise from last season.  

Even after his debacle in Game 3 of the ALDS with the Los Angeles Angels, Papelbon remains one of the elite closers in the league and at age 29, shows no signs of slowing down.  

At least at a one-year at a time pace.

With Valentine’s Day less than a month away, it’s time to think about getting your loved one the perfect gift. Well fellow Chowdaheadz, you are in luck because Charlie Chowdahead has the answer for you again. Chowdaheadz offers gift packages that will make a great gift for any loved one who is a diehard Boston fan.  You have the option to choose from a large variety of packages or simply create your own all for under $50! The most popular choices for Valentine’s Day are both the men’s and women’s “I Love You” Packages. Tell them how much you love them with one of these and make this Valentine’s Day a day to remember!

Check out the complete selection of gift packages at http://www.chowdaheadz.com/gift-packages.html.