Author Archives: naop

March Sadness Round 1 Day 3 Preview

No running in the halls!

If you went to bed early last night you missed a couple of white knucklers. Scott Zolak pulled out a dramatic last second win over Rich Keefe, and Rob Bradford got Guregian’d after a day-long rock fight with Karen. Remember to vote early and often, and to check back in regularly throughout the day to follow the dramatic proceedings.

Region C
8 Mark Dondero vs 9 Jared Carrabis

Mr. Dondero is going to get the entire Bellingham Jr. High lunchroom to stuff the ballot box.

Save room for some spice cake!

7 Dan Shaugnessy vs 10 Meg Ottolini
This should have been the Battle of the Recovery Ward. Shank is back in the tournament after almost missing last year due to emergency quadruple-bypass surgery. Jeff Howe was exempt in 2024 with a severe case of what physicians now refer to as factitious disorder imposed on self (formerly known as Munchausen syndrome). But then Ottolini had to stick her upsetting feet into the mix and pull off the wild card win over Howe. Jeff may never recover. Meg O thinks she’s hilarious, has momentum and hammer toes – that’s proving to be a winning formula.

Region V
1 Chris Gasper vs 16 Dan Greenberg

Kid Gas facilely matriculates to the subsequent echelon.

Pretentious? Moi?

3 Albert Breer vs 14 Chris Smith
Bert once again whips it out and gives Smith a golden shower.

7 Bob Ryan vs 10 Jackie MacMullen
Jurassic World: The Journalistic Trenches. Watch as Bob “T-Rex” Ryan takes down Jackie “Metriacanthosaurus” MacMullen in a battle that time forgot! The CGI budget for Mr. Ryan’s teeth alone must have broken the bank. Good thing we have been tipped off on how to make money just for charging our phones.

Happier times

Region N
1 Gabby Starr vs 16 Joe Haggerty
Pretty tricky of the committee to pit Ms. Starr up against “Pork Chop” Joe right before Shabbat. Expect Gabby to persevere.

5 Nick “Fitzy” Stevens vs 12 Chris Forsberg
The Greek carpetbagger bags another victim.

2 Michael Felger vs 15 Phil Perry
Felger doesn’t under perform until the Final Four.

Region T
6 Taylor Kyles vs 11 Kendra Middleton
The DEI Derby! Were there no Boston bred slightly chubby 6’s that the Sports Hub could have hired? The Jacksonville Jackass will put a banana in Kyles tailpipe and pull off the minor upset.

2 Mike Reiss vs 15 Trenni Casey
MAJOR UPSET ALERT! Historically these seedings should be reversed, but Trenni has become somewhat irrelevant, while Reiss has taken a dramatic heel turn in the past year. Hopefully Mrs. Casey gives Myke Crease a personal apology once she’s done beating his ass.

Patrick is from Andover del Norte.

2025 March Sadness Round 1 Day 1 Preview

Preview!

Region C

5 Andy Hart vs 12 Tom Carroll
UPSET ALERT! Tommy Freezepops will release his inner fat slob (who is destined to resurface at a moment’s notice) and squash mighty mite Dumbo Hart like the little cockroach he is.

3 Jim Murray vs 14 Evan Lazar
Lazar made a strong push over the weekend when he incorrectly reported that Myles Garrett had been given permission by the Browns to seek a trade, and then after his followers pointed out he was incorrect, he quickly – without admitting the error – pivoted to a slightly altered stance so he could still appear “right”. A complete weasel move by the Lizard. However Jim Murray is truly a odious human being with no redeeming qualities and will win this match up in a landslide.

6 Brian Scalabrine vs 11 Drew Carter
The Mike Gorman Memorial match-up, where you, yes YOU, get to determine who is to blame for the sharp drop in the quality of Celtics broadcasts! We’d tell you how Scal thinks this one is going to turn out, but given Scal’s horrific record at replay review predictions, you’d already know the result. (Pssst, Scal is confident that Drew pulls off the upset.)

Region V

8 Jerry Thornton vs 9 Doug Kyed
Last fall Jerry buried two of his brothers. Today he buries Kyed.

6 Jimmy Stewart vs 11 Matt McCarthy
McTeethy should be a nervous as cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Although most intelligent cats would rather be in a room full of rocking chairs than in a room with J-Stew.

Region N

4 Mike Giardi vs 13 Michael Holley
“It’s Girardi not Girardi, idiot.”

6 Nick Cattles vs 11 Mike Kadlick
Kadlick was last year’s Cinderella story, but this year it’s pumpkin head Cattles who gets to dance with Prince Charming.

Region T

1 Marc Bertrand vs 16 Joe Murray
Joe Murray seems seriously underrated as a 16 seed, but he has no chance in this battle of the behemoths. Bertrand swallows him whole.

4 Tony Massarotti vs 13 Matt Vautour
I’m not really familiar with Vautour’s work but I’m willing to believe it stinks. I’m all too familiar with Mazz’s work and I know it’s terrible.

3 Cerrone Battle Ackerman vs 14 Rob “Hardy” Poole
YOU didn’t think Ackerman should even be in this tournament! YOU thought the fact that he lives in podunk North Carolina and is completely out of touch with the Boston sports scene would be grounds for exclusion. Now YOU can’t wait to vote for him.

Patrick is from Andover del Norte.

2025 March Sadness Wild Card Round Preview

Good morning local sad sacks! You lost an hour of sleep yesterday, boo hoo. Cheer up buttercup, because there’s no better time to kickoff the 2025 March Sadness tournament than when you’ve got a case of the Mondays.


Region C
#10 Jeff Howe vs Meghan Ottolini
Jeff Howe somehow avoided another medical exemption, although the committee are currently submitting a FOIA requests to breach Jeff’s HIPPA HIPAA shield. Meghan Ottolini deftly dodged the Audacy ax man a few days, possibly based on her Celtics insider status but most likely due to the fact that she is on an expiring guaranteed contract. Why pay Meg-O to do nothing at home when you can pay her to do nothing at TD Garden?

Prediction: Jeff Howe once again fights off an early exit

Jeff is going to outlive Upton


Region V
#11 Matt McCarthy vs Bobby Manning
Matt McCarthy has been at 98.5 for almost 12 years now, and I challenge anyone to pick him out of a lineup of the menagerie of freaks they employ as phone screeners. But at least I know where McTeethy works, I honestly had never heard of Bobby Manning before the brackets came out. Whenever I don’t recognize a mediot’s name the first thing that springs to mind is “they must work at CLNS Media”. Nailed it! Apparently he covers the Celtics along with about 3 or 4 other interchangeable millennial hipster doofuses.

Prediction: McCarthy chews up Manning


Region N
#9 Brian Barrett vs Jared Weiss

It would be harder to find two more irrelevant combatants in any tournament duking it out for a 9 seed. Noted shoepisser Brian Barrett, host of “Off My Radar”, was neutered when the Celtics won #18. He is facing off against the Athletic/New York Times NBA correspondent Jared Weiss. Jared got a new title back in September. He’s not just covering the Celtics anymore, now he’s covering the entire Eastern Conference. If the promotion was meant to help his exposure, it isn’t working. The page views for his February/March articles (in reverse chronological order) are 46, 25, 113, 39, 42 and a whopping 13. The “Old Gray Lady” must be pulling her hair out.

Prediction: Barrett has one or two more hate listeners than Weiss has readers


Region T
#7 Pete Abraham vs Kayla Burton

Sensitive sentient garden gnome Pete Abraham must have finally blocked everyone on Twitter because now he’s solely sharing his thoughts on BlueSky. Kayla Burton is the new kid on the block over at NBC Sports Boston. She seems fine, so you’re probably wondering how on Earth could Kayla ever defeat the universally disliked (and probably smelly) Pete Abe? Well you must not be aware that if Kayla is victorious, she will square off in a Round 1 steel caged father-daughter death match with her dad, STEVE BURTON. Will it be Patricide/Filicide, or will Pete Abe face the dreaded Burton-Burton double dip? It’s up to YOU to decide.

Prediction: The people get Burton vs Burton

The children always suffer the most

Patrick is from Andover del Norte.

Football Cat’s Pick for Super Bowl LIX

LIX and licks

As we close the books on yet another record setting campaign of profitable professional pigskin prognostications, we here at Football Cat World Headquarters would like to reflect back on all the wonderful things that happened over the course of the season. Who can forget when that crazy thing happened to that guy on that team way back in September? And then that other thing came out of nowhere and caught everybody off guard. People are still talking about how we will never see something like that ever happen again! And don’t get me started on that wild and crazy thing that made headlines for days on end. The airwaves are still sizzling from all the hot takes. So many memorable moments, there a just too many to mention. What an unforgettable season!


And finally, a big shout out to the intern for always keeping the drinking water cool, his lap warm, the snack drawer full and the litter box empty. Imagine doing all that work for no pay and no college credit? We wish you the best of luck in all your future endeavors.

(Intern’s Note: What? )


To play us out, we turn the clock all the way back to 1966 when “The Happenings” were happening…
See you in September
See you when the summer’s through

Bye-bye, so long, farewell
Bye-bye, so long

Vaya con dios muchachos!

SUNDAY DINNER TIME
Chiefs (-1.5) at Eagles
It started at the very first Thanksgiving, when William Brewster’s wife’s green bean casserole gave Hobbamock a severe case of gastroenteritis. And it’s been all downhill since then, from the Manhattan land deal, to small pox, to the Indian Removal Act of 1830, then the Battle of Wounded Knee and the Trail of Tears, all the way to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988, and the cultural appropriation by Iron Eyes Cody, Chief Jay Strongbow and that guy in the Village People. For over 400 years, the American Birds have been continuously getting the better of the Indigenous Peoples. The subjugation will continue in New Orleans.

He’s not crying because the Chiefs are going to lose, he’s crying because he found out that he’s an Italian

Football Cat lives in New Hampshire, enjoys watching football, and is a cat.

Football Cat’s Championship Sunday Picks

News item: Some new executive orders have just been signed…

  1. “Saturday” will be renamed to “Caturday”.
  2. Catnip will be allowed to flow across the Southern border.
  3. All online betting advisors will be required to publicly display their success rate or something else (*wink wink*).
  4. Amnesty for the accused in the “Shedd Park Incident of July 4 1992”.
  5. Laser pointers will be outlawed.
  6. Designated nap times throughout the day, with comfortable sleeping spots readily available in all public spaces.
  7. All deadbeat squatters will be evicted from the homes of their deceased mother’s former boyfriend. Their cats will be allowed to stay.
  8. Dogs will be banned from most public areas, with designated “dog parks” far away from cat territory.
  9. Anyone using “Y’all” will be banned from all social media platforms, even the Chinese ones.
  10. Humans must be readily available for head scratches and belly rubs whenever a cat desires.
  11. Only Union workers will be allowed on the roads between 4 am and 6 am.
  12. The records from the Loyko investigation must be immediately released.

SUNDAY EARLY DINNER TIME
Commanders at Eagles (-6)
American Birds haven’t been this surprised by a Commie offensive in January since 1968

On that day our platoon sergeant sacrificed himself so we could all make it home alive. RIP Sgt.Thornton.

SUNDAY EARLY PROWL TIME
Bills at Chiefs (-1)
As has played out on the great plains for hundreds of years, the Native Americans, once again, take down the Tonawanda Tatanka


The buffalo seemed more stunned by the audacity of the tactic than they are surprised the wolves are actually dudes

Football Cat lives in New Hampshire, enjoys watching football, and is a cat.

Football Cat’s Divisional Round Picks

Breaking news from the Football Cat Storm Center, it’s going to be bitter cold at this weekend’s games. How cold you ask? Well, let’s go to a special report from Nimbus, the official cat of the Mount Washington Weather Observatory, for a live report…

NIMBUS: “You want a prediction about the weather? I’ll give you a winter prediction. It’s gonna be cold, it’s gonna be grey, and it’s gonna last you for the rest of your life.”

Yes, Nimbus does like red onions. Why do you ask?


Thanks Nimbus for that in depth forecast. It sounds like you might want to spend some of your future gambling winnings on a Seasonal Affective Disorder light therapy lamp. We hear they do wonders for your mental health.

The official anti-SADs clock/lamp combo thingy of the Boston Herald’s Red Sox part-time beat writer.
(If you look closely you can see her reflection “accidentally” caught in the photo of the clock/lamp thingy.)


SATURDAY DINNER TIME
Texans at Chiefs (-8.5)
Indoor Tex-cats can’t survive in the Chiefs’ winter encampment

It’s not called a WigWarm for nothing folks!

SATURDAY PROWL TIME
Commanders at Lions (-9)
These indoor cats know where it’s at! The Jungle Kings crunch Commie caps in climate controlled comfort.

Take that you commie rat!

SUNDAY EARLY DINNER TIME
Rams at Eagles (-6)
Fiery hot Rams blow torch frozen American Birds

When the Linc is overrun with ugly dumb cvnt Rams fans, don’t blame this guy.

SUNDAY EARLY PROWL TIME
Ravens at Bills (-1)
Scary Black Birds get snowed under by Hairy Cows

They should have flown South for the winter when they had the chance.

Football Cat lives in New Hampshire, enjoys watching football, and is a cat.

Football Cat’s Wild Card (Wildcat?) Weekend Picks

Happy days are here again! The skies above are clear again, Let us sing a song of cheer again, Happy days are here again!

Our brief regional nightmare is over!


Friends, last Sunday was a day of independence for all Patriots fans and their descendants!

If you don’t agree that the high point of the season was watching Thunder eat a big shit sandwich on Monday, then you are just weird! Weird! WEIRD!

But have no fear weirdos, you can still admit the error of your ways and join those of us who were right all along. You have no idea how your life is gonna improve as a result of this. Food tastes better. The air seems fresher. You’ll have more energy and self-confidence than you ever dreamed of! I am as giddy as a drunken man!

We tried to warn you!


SATURDAY DINNER TIME
Chargers (-3) at Texans
Bolts barbecue Texans

Fun fact

SATURDAY PROWL TIME
Steelers at Ravens (-9.5)
Scary Black Birds snowplow Steelers

I think he’s still upset, or he’s pooping. He’s probably pooping.

SUNDAY LUNCH TIME
Broncos at Bills (-9)
Bills bounce back, beat Broncos

SUNDAY DINNER TIME
Packers at Eagles (-4.5)
Bert Bell’s American Birds send Green Bay packing

Fake hair, real teeth

SUNDAY PROWL TIME
Commanders at Buccaneers (-3)
Bucs master the Commanders

MONDAY PROWL TIME
Vikings at Rams (-1.5)
Rams host a Viking funeral (in Glendale, AZ)

Thoughts and prayers to our SoCal readers

Football Cat lives in New Hampshire, enjoys watching football, and is a cat.

Football Cat’s Week 18 Picks

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2025 and the final week of the NFL regular season. Unlike almost every team in the league, Football Cat is going to give a full 100% effort in Week 18.  There will be no tanking nor relaxing at this address. Although I do find staring at a fish tank very relaxing.

Tanking sounds like fun!

SATURDAY DINNER TIME
Browns at Ravens (-17.5)
Scary Black Birds feast on stale Brownies

This better be a brownie

SATURDAY PROWL TIME
Bengals (-1.5) at Steelers
Stripey Cats get the W but not a spot in the ‘yoffs

SUNDAY LUNCH TIME
Panthers at Falcons (-8.5)
Black Cats smack down a flaccid Penix

Looks more like a pickle

Commanders (-4.5) at Cowboys
Commies win and get in

Bears at Packers (-9)
Hibernating Bears get ground up by Meat Men

I am not a bear!

Jaguars at Colts (-4.5)
Spotty Cats trampled by Horsies

Bills (-2.5) at Patriots
Patriots finish the season the same way it started with an idiotic Gatorade bath for Coach Mayo

He better hope that’s “victory” mayonnaise

Giants at Eagles (-3)
G-men do more damage to their draft position

Saints at Buccaneers (-13)
Bucs plow through New Orleans

Texans at Titans (-1)
Tits hold firm against Texans backups

I meant to type “Got It”. (Avert your eyes!)

SUNDAY DINNER TIME
49ers at Cardinals (-4.5)
Pretty Red Birds fly high into the off-season

Chiefs at Broncos (-11)
Broncos win by default

Seahawks (-5.5) at Rams
Fake Sea Birds romp over resting Rams

Chargers (-5.5) at Raiders
Never forget that Kraft didn’t even bother to interview Brother Jim

Oy vey iz mir!

Dolphins (-1.5) at Jets
The incoming Undersecretary for Health and Human Services closes out his NFL career with a win


SUNDAY PROWL TIME
Vikings at Lions (-3)
Jungle Kings nosh on Nordic knee caps

He’d rather be seeing ghosts



Football Cat lives in New Hampshire, enjoys watching football, and is a cat.

Football Cat’s Week 17 Picks

Happy New Year from Football Cat!

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? The answer is a resounding “YES”! It’s best to leave the past in the past. Your New Year’s resolution should be to not dwell on lost loves and move forward. New year, new you. Don’t spend your nights listening to Spotify and crying yourself to sleep over what might have been with Olivia or Jackie or Brad. Lift a cup of kindness and throw it right in their face!

Happy Mew Year!

Or you could just resolve to stop drinking again.

SATURDAY LUNCH TIME
Chargers (-4) at Patriots
Patriots shock the Bolts like it’s 1985

In 2025 Coach Mayo resolves to be even more open with his good friends in the media.

SATURDAY DINNER TIME
Broncos at Bengals (-3)
Stripey Cats keep their playoff chances alive

SATURDAY PROWL TIME
Cardinals at Rams (-6)
Rams rout Red Birds

SUNDAY LUNCH TIME
Colts (-7.5) at Giants
Giant tank job continues

Now that’s a giant tank!

Jets at Bills (-10)
McDermott’s men hijack Jets and send them crashing back to Earth

Never forget

Titans at Jaguars (-1)
Spotty Cats can’t handle Tits

Raiders (-1.5) at Saints
Raiders win again, they must really hate the idea of drafting Shedeur Sanders.

Panthers at Buccaneers (-8)
Scary Black Cats sink Bucs

Tampa should have consulted “Unsinkable Sam”

Cowboys at Eagles (-9.5)
American Birds keep the pressure on the Jungle Kings

SUNDAY DINNER TIME
Dolphins at Browns (-6.5)
Elves shelve Miami

Don’t eat the brown fish

Packers at Vikings (-1.5)
Vikings mince Meat Men

I’d rather be plundered

SUNDAY PROWL TIME
Falcons at Commanders (-4)
Commies swamp Falcons

MONDAY PROWL TIME
Lions (-3.5) at 49ers
Jungle Kings poach Prospectors’ patellas

Football Cat lives in New Hampshire, enjoys watching football, and is a cat.

Football Cat’s Week 16 Picks

City sidewalks, busy sidewalks, dressed in holiday style, in the air there’s a feeling of Christmas. And in the spirit of the holiday season, the animals of The 15, and animals adjacent to The 15, have pooled their meager resources and gifted Football Cat a well deserved week off.

This isn’t as easy as it looked

SATURDAY LUNCH TIME
Texans at Chiefs (-2.5)
Marv thinks that, while the Chiefs may appear harmless, KC will suddenly snap and go for the Texans jugular.

Hi Marv!

SATURDAY DINNER TIME
Steelers at Ravens (-6.5)
Jocko isn’t a fan of the Black Birds, he takes the Steelers.

SUNDAY LUNCH TIME
Cardinals (-4.5) at Panthers
Jocko also isn’t a fan of the Black Cats, he takes the Cardinals.

Jocko puts up with a lot

Giants at Falcons (-9)
Rams (-3) at Jets
Spuckie the rat loves both New York teams to at least cover.

Spuckie loved going on long walks with his owner LJ Sandwich (OOTGs)

Lions (-6.5) at Bears
Gus takes Detroit in a huge bounce back game in chilly Chicago after a loss against Buffalo.

Gus is a much gooder friend than Mac

Titans at Colts (-3.5)
Millie says to lay it all on the Tits

Pay attention to Millie!

Eagles (-3.5) at Commanders
Remi takes the Eagles over the Commanders.

Drinks?

Browns at Bengals (-7.5)
The Cleveland Pig digs the Browns (and truffles).

I love that pig

SUNDAY DINNER TIME
Vikings (-3) at Seahawks
Loki wishes he could fly like a real non-existent Seahawk.

One day that will be me up there

Jaguars at Raiders (-1)
And Jocko really doesn’t like the Black Hole!

49ers at Dolphins (-1)
Jasper would prefer backing a team from Virginia Beach, but Miami Beach is a close second.

Poor Jasper

Patriots at Bills (-14)
Bo has unwavering faith in the Coach Quick Slants.

I live with a talking potato

SUNDAY PROWL TIME
Buccaneers (-4) at Cowboys
Dooze loves the Cowboys especially when they play with their roof open.

Did you hear about the dog park on the moon?

MONDAY PROWL TIME
Saints at Packers (-13.5)
Paco backs the Meat Men, preferably with a nice coating of Rub Smoke Love BEEF CAKE premium all-natural beef rub and seasoning.

All the best food seasonings are sold at True Value

Football Cat lives in New Hampshire, enjoys watching football, and is a cat.

Meowy Christmas!

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