The 15

I don’t mean this disrespectfully I seriously want to know, what was Dale Arnold’s signature moment in 30 years with WEEI?

We don’t usually break news here at #The15, but I have it on good authority that Brad Stevens plans on having many private team meetings going forward this season.

Where have you gone, William Bendetson? Pats Nation turns its lonely eyes to you.

I wonder if Lou Merloni is cashing 15th place bonus checks?

Coach Kyles is so busy grinding tape he doesn’t even have time to retake his twitter profile picture!

I’m just happy Kenny Moore is having fun again.

Patrick Chung is retiring just the moment I stopped calling him Eugene.

Sorry Andy Hart, we can’t have you slide over into Dale’s chair, we need to find a true talent like Andy Gresh.

Cakes are cooking for Pat Bradley, The Undertaker, Alyson Hannigan, Aaron Brooks, and Corey Hart.

After this stuff with female massage therapists, I guess Deshaun Watson really is the heir apparent to Peyton Manning?

How could the Commissioners Office allow these lawsuits to get out BEFORE Watson forced a trade to NE. Heads will roll at 345 Park Avenue.

RIP Dick Hoyt’s left-parted hairpiece.

Keep yappin’ Bob. That always works out for you. Make sure to remind the other owners about their inefficiencies. I doubt they’ll remember and soon rally behind some fictional scandal that will ensnare your coach and players, simply to remind you that you’re nouveau riche. Schmuck.

I bet the real media gets to bring a bag into Fenway Park.

Fitzy and Titzy is a great radio morning zoo name. Just sayin’.

Upton Bell is right. His dad never would have sold the broadcast rights to a streaming internet service in the 1950’s.

I have a pile of Malta Today back issues I haven’t gotten to yet.

Cry Moore.

Deshaun wrecked my ‘Stimmy For Jimmy’ joke.

Curt should be as loved as KG in this town. What a fuckup he is.

Parcells now has to be slotted behind Chung for inclusion in the Pats Hall of Fame. Sorrey Big Tuna.

In retrospect, all the Tourney upsets were foreseeable.

Mike Holley goes from working with Dick Teeth Keefe to Shiny Tooth Felger.

So, long story short: the jacket was full of spiders.

If Dov is brave, truthful and unselfish, he can become a real boy.

Gresh is one of those people you stare at a little longer on the street because you can’t quite tell if he’s rocking an extra chromosome or not.

Why does Ben Volin want college basketball players to contract Covid-19?

Mexican pizza brings me back. Just hits different y’all.

Hey gang. This week’s Phrase that Pays is “Nobody wanted to go to New England to be coached by Bill Belichick!”

Can’t believe having BJ Dean on every night wasn’t the answer for NBCSports Boston. Well, at least he can now focus on his burgeoning music career.

Neunundneunzig Düsenflieger
Jeder war ein großer Krieger
Hielten sich für Captain Kirk
Das gab ein großes Feuerwerk
Die Nachbarn haben nichts gerafft
Und fühlten sich gleich angemacht.

Maybe don’t trade Mookie if you don’t want a billboard mocking that decision.

Autobiography by Ashlee Simpson is one of the albums that raised me tbh. Pieces of Me is now stuck in my head and I’m not complaining. It goes so hard STILL TO THIS DAY.

Caesars is reportedly expected to sign a 20-year naming rights deal with the Saints and Superdome.

No, Duxbury HS did not submit a waiver claim on Rohrwasser. Why would you ask that?

Honk if you remember Hank Gathers.

Topographically, oatmeal raisin cookies are noticeably different from chocolate chip cookies. There is no excuse for confusing one for the other.

Bro. Did I ever tell you about the sick scar I got from a Slip N Slide injury at college? Carling Black Labels, amirite?!

Yayyyy! Fried zucchini!

DJ Bean is gonna be pissed if he has to cover games at Fenway. “It’s not a purse; it’s a European carry-all!”

You said the quiet part out loud, Tim Peel.

Best bet for the weekend: UMass Ice Hockey Wagon turns back into a pumpkin.

material from interviews, wire services, Twitter, other writers, league and team sources, Larry Johnson, BSMW member Pats67, and  #the15 were used in this column.

Hey, does Tom E. Curran still think that Bill Belichick should relinquish his GM duties?

Its time to start have have a discussion about the Bruins as sellers..not buyers.

I don’t do estimates.

Dale Arnold: Faker of sincerity on Boston radio since 1991.

Bye Marv Marvin.

Admit it. You’re excited for Space Jam 2 Day at Fenway.

I prefer my presidents not to be blown away.

If Gary Tanguay were a method actor, he would at least try to know something about sports when trying to credibly portray a sports radio host.

Cakes are baking for Bill Mueller, Natalie Zea, Samoa Joe, and Katie Ledecky.

Y’all ever not eat and take a bunch of benzo?

Local Market Basket customer pandemic response update: Double-masking? No. At least one person going the wrong way down the one-way aisles? Yes.

It’s really a shame we don’t have Brady to attract free agents.

Sources have confirmed that Dale’s step stool and back clips will not be retired from NESN broadcasts.

Four free throw attempts? Four? This. League.

They’re still doing the 11:05 start time for the Patriot’s Day Red Sox game, even with no Boston Marathon?

More time to spend at Table. Less money to spend at Table. Quite a conundrum.

Hmm. Aston Martin’s reviving its Vanquish nameplate.

To help facilitate ongoing Orange Line infrastructure upgrades at Wellington and address damage from the derailment, shuttle buses will continue to replace service between Oak Grove and Sullivan Square for the next 3 weeks.

Ray Leonard’s punches can’t hurt Hagler anymore. Not that they ever did.

Duke Men’s Basketball ran the ol’ COVID Al Czervik play?

Rick Keefe offed the Death Cat and stole his powers. Prove me wrong.

Yayyy! Breadsticks!

Hey gang, this week’s Phrase that Won’t get you Paid is “Did I stutter?”

Was @patriotsopinionsfromacallowteenager247 taken? It would explain things.

A: La Croix.

Thanks for ruining my ‘Bill’s spending money like he’s Robert at Orchids of Asia!’ joke, homicidal weirdo.

Mush-a ring dum-a do dum-a da
Whack for my daddy-o
Whack for my daddy-o
There’s whiskey in the jar.

No Ma, the spiral hams aren’t out yet. Yes, I asked the guy in the meat department. Soon. That’s all he’d say. It’s probably the corned beef taking up their spot.

His real name’s Alonzo Mosely.

Looking forward to trying out my ‘more dominant official state flower’ method of picking March Madness winners.

Honk if you remember the Ditty app.

My wife ordered clam chowder in San Diego and it ruined the whole trip. I was so pissed.

Ted Karras. Not a pawn in the game of life.

Fear Strikes Out? Timely reference, CHB.

The meteorologists don’t get to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day.

I’m man enough to admit I did forget the time John Brown COOKED the reigning DPOY.

Best bet for the weekend: a 10 seed upsetting a 7 seed.

material from interviews, wire services, Twitter, other writers, league and team sources, BSMW, and  #the15 were used in this column. 

If we look at this through the prism of ‘Bill doesn’t care what the media thinks’ this is a win, I guess.

Full offseason and a year more removed from shoulder surgery. I’m in. (Not really)

Know what will calm me down? An illegible Instagram post!

Maybe they’re signing Cam just to attract all the free agent weaponz?

I almost think this makes them more likely to trade up for Lance. Lance definitely isn’t ready but you aren’t taking on the vet for more than a year.

Where was Bedard with the scoop?

I jinxed it by trying to reverse mush it by saying Bill was going to bring him back out of spite.

Less yakking and more coaching, Jordan Palmer!!!

It is impossible to be reasonable about this right now. He’s cooked.

Already talking myself into a one year deal meaning nothing.

Waiting on @RapSheet to tell us that Cam had multiple offers, including at least one multiyear deal, but felt he has unfinished business in New England.

Bill has given money to veteran players he admires before.

So maybe Tawm had a point about taking the offensive keys away from Bill?

The new QB’s insta would’ve been cringy garbage anyway.

At least the coach has a history of starting an unproven young guy over a high priced underperforming veteran.

The sad thing is that except for the fruity clothing, goofy social media posts, inability to pass, misguided confidence, excessive cigar smoking, batted down passes, lack of ball security…

They’re definitely drafting a 1st round QB and trading for Beckham and signing Golladay.

I’m not rooting for someone named “Lance”.

It’s not in a lot of the medical literature, but COVID is notorious for making QBs set their feet perpendicular to the direction they’re throwing.

I love Patriots Twitter. It’s entertaining during the offseason.

Again taking Belichick at his word, and hearing everything the team says about him, they love the guy.

The contract better have an incentive for a legible font on his Instagram.

This is gonna kill Stidhsy when he wakes up and finds out; one o’ clock Eastern, nine AM Pacific.

If they keep Cam and trade away Harry all the wrong people are going to be insufferable. Correction: even more insufferable.

Kinda stole poor Justin Bethel’s thunder.

Noontime: actually, Cam is paying the Patriots 14M to let him hang around and is opening a bespoke chapeau shop in the old TB12 space.

Ask me in August.

Assembled from the instant reactions of #the15. And others.

Hi Meyers,

You don’t know me, and I don’t know you, but I’ve learned a lot about you in the last few days. Before this week, all I knew about you was that you play for the Miami Heat, you chose not to kneel for the National Anthem during the NBA Bubble this summer, and that your name always makes me want a glass of fresh-squeezed lemonade.

And then, earlier this week, in the middle of my workday, my phone started blowing up with texts and DMs from friends and coworkers.

“Did you see the Meyers Leonard video?”

“What does that word mean?”

“What is the NBA going to do about this?”

“Are you okay?”

I probably should have started this letter by saying that in addition to being a woman who works in sports as a writer, podcaster, and social media manager, I am a proud Jewish woman. My father is a rabbi, I come from a family full of rabbis, and I can trace my matriarchal roots all the way back to a prominent Jewish commentator from the 1600s. I lived in Israel growing up and speak fluent Hebrew. I can read Torah and have studied the Holocaust for most of my life. I also lost most of my extended family in the Holocaust. So, you can understand why a lot of my non-Jewish friends came to me with questions, and to see how I was feeling about what you said.

My gut reaction was “What the hell,” because who actually uses that word? How dare you? What is wrong with you? Are you ignorant, hateful, or both? Even after years of studying antisemitism and experiencing it firsthand, I still don’t understand how people can behave this way. I spent the last few days in a cloud of anger, frustration, sadness, and exhaustion.

The word you used is not one that I will repeat. It’s a horrible slur that makes my stomach churn. And yet you used it both carelessly and intentionally. It’s not often that those two adverbs align, but in this case, they are intertwined. You said something horrible, and you tossed that word out of your mouth like you were discarding a piece of trash, seemingly with no concern for the person it was directed at or anyone else who might hear it. But you took a deep breath before speaking as if you were pausing to select your verbal weapon of choice; you spoke with intention.

And that is why I have a hard time believing that you spoke from a place of ignorance, as you later said in your official statement. While you might not have known the exact weight that word carries or the lengthy and immense history of antisemitism, you knew enough to use it as an insult. You paused to choose a word that you could use to hurt someone, and that means that bare minimum, you knew that word was not a kind one. Furthermore, you are surrounded by Jewish people in your profession. Your commissioner and your team owner are both Jewish men. The city you play for has a Jewish population of over 123,000. But most of all, with the internet, you have virtually unlimited knowledge at your fingertips to help you learn about people who are different from you if you choose to open your mind. Ignorance is not an excuse.

You’ll probably never read this letter. You’ll serve your suspension and pay your fine, lose some endorsements, and carry this around with you for a while. People will look at you differently, but eventually, most will move on. Other athletes will do something wrong, and the focus will shift to them.

But before that happens, I want to tell you what it felt like to be a Jewish person in sports this week.

Imagine how it feels to be part of a small people that, throughout history, has been discriminated against, scapegoated, exiled, and murdered en masse. You see the rising numbers of antisemitic attacks, the increased security at your beloved elementary school and the synagogue where you’ve prayed since infancy, and you feel scared. You receive hateful messages on social media because you’re proud of your religion, and when you speak out about it, people tell you that it’s not a big deal and that you should get over it. And then sports, your favorite distraction and job, get dragged into it because athletes such as yourself decide to say something antisemitic.

You have a large platform, Meyers. Everyone’s words matter, but especially the words of people with large platforms and followings. People will listen to you, make excuses for you, and even strive to emulate you. Children look up to you. Adults on social media will put morality aside to root for you. I have Jewish friends in Miami who work in sports and grew up as Heat fans. Put yourself in their shoes this week. Some of them might even have to work with you when your suspension is over. When someone with a large platform speaks, more people listen. The proof of that is in the replies my friends and I received when we reacted to your behavior. It showed us how little people care about antisemitism.

I spent so much of this week feeling negative emotions about you, and I’m tired of feeling that way. So instead, here is what I hope for you, Meyers. I hope that you take Julian Edelman up on his offer to talk about Judaism and enjoy a Shabbat meal together. I hope that you go to one of the many Holocaust museums in this country, and take a tour from someone more educated than you. I hope that you read Ray Allen’s piece on why he went to Auschwitz and reach out to him about it; maybe he can even take you there someday. Most of all, I hope that you realize how much your words matter, and how much of an impact you make.

Sincerely,
Diane Sparn

Diane Sparn was born and raised in South Dakota, but adopted Boston sports upon her arrival at Emmanuel College in 1995. In addition to her writings here, she is a Thought Poet, Community Advocate and needlepoint extraordinaire. She now resides in Claremont, New Hampshire with her cat, Blaho.

When is International ‘People In Sports’ Day?

Saturday mornings are for people pretending to care about English professional soccer now, apparently.

I can’t believed they killed Wanda.

Neanderthal is by far the most offensive N-word I can think of.

Hockey Twitter stinks. Sorrey!

Trent Brown seems really excited to play with Tom Brady.

Maybe stop snapping the pills in half, Kyrie?

Cakes are cooking for Pam Oliver, Neneh Cherry, Eva Herzigova, and Belinda Bencic.

Try to name five current Red Sox players. You can’t.

Anyhoo, that Markle broad seems nice.

If Pipkin didn’t get sent off for that bullshite second yellow, they’d be dancing in the streets of Kingston-Upon-Hull.

If only Bill’s other busts could be so easily removed.

Maybe no Fronchy on Opening Day?

Funny for all of Bedard’s supposed sources telling him Jimmy G is ‘Plan A’, no one broke the Trent Brown trade to him.

I wanted to observe the occasion, but I worry that saying “Happy International Women’s Day!” sounds like I’m telling all women everywhere to smile at once.

Titans release cornerback Malcolm Butler, per source.

Dale Arnold has left work with a box more times than Jack Nicholson.

This is true and you can look it up: When Albert Pujols was a rookie, his team also had another rookie named Stubby Clapp.

Does this mean I can’t watch Uncle Drew anymore, Kyrie?

The greatest trick Dart Adams ever pulled was convincing the world he existed.

Are we sure Myers Leonard didn’t mean “you Kiké bitch”?

If you want to do an interview to complain about an insanely rich old lady who has no idea about the struggles of ordinary people, clearly Oprah is your first call.

Clearly Gerry Callahan is a racist who hates gingers.

Say clearly more.

Hey pal, this week’s Phrase that Pays is “Fine honey, we’re going to Sonic. What a life.

I’m not aware of too many things
I know what I know, if you know what I mean.
Philosophy, is a walk on the slippery rocks,
Religion is a light in the fog.

Blehhhhh! Compensatory draft picks! Blehhhh!!

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross died? Back in 2004? This is going to take some time to process.

Biting issues with the Biden dogs? Should have gotten golden retrievers.

Women don’t celebrate themselves enough the other 364 days out of the year.

Well as a kid I read ‘And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street’, and I turned out fine.

Honk if you remember The Maniacal One, Chuck Waseleski.

Leonbergers like #BoldFlavors, too, apparently.

Did Warner Brothers de-sexualize Lola Bunny because of concerns about Kobe Bryant? I’m jus asking the question.

Stay off the ice over the next few days!

Did you know that Cecil Cooper’s middle name was “Celester”? Well, now you do.

Death Cat Mike Holley comes for us all.

That Anya Taylor-Joy gal has quite a mouth on her.

I miss being able to play Entitled Town Bingo.

How do you replace a talent like Danielle Murr? I guess you start by hiring any other woman on the planet who doesn’t want to talk sports.

Radio baseball: a theater of the mind.

Best bet for the weekend: Episode 55 of Josh Marion and Friends featuring Greg Bedard.

material from interviews, wire services, Twitter, other writers, league and team sources, BSMW, definite non-weirdo Bill James and #the15 were used in this column. 

Dear Reader,

Almost two years ago, we started this site on a whim. I was obsessed with baseball, I loved talking about baseball, watching baseball, and had dabbled in writing about baseball. But I had no idea that this site would quickly become my life. We started The 15 Net, and the rest is history.

Since then, so much has happened. I found my passion, purpose, and identity. My Red Sox have won the World Series for the fourth time this millennium, more than any other franchise since 1999. I’ve gone to dozens of games, including back-to-back postseasons, and bore witness to the longest World Series game in the history of baseball. I launched a clothing line, and my Twitter family has grown by literally thousands. I’ve spoken to and even met some of my heroes, like Kevin Millar, Luis Tiant, Tim Wakefield, and Pedro Martinez. I told Reggie Jackson that David Ortiz was the real ‘Mr. October,’ and he told me I have ‘some balls.’

If you told me two summers ago that any of this would happen, my jaw would’ve smashed through the floor on the way towards the earth’s crust. Most days, I feel like I’m living in a dream.

But as this brand grows, so do the challenges. More people want to see me succeed, and more people want to see me fail. I’ve received the kindest encouragement and love from people I’ve never met, and I’ve been bullied and tormented by total strangers cowering behind their screens. But I’ve learned so much about myself: to choose my battles, to be less impulsive, to be even more sensitive to the emotions and hardships of others. I’ve learned what kind of person I want to be, and I strive every day to be someone I can be proud of.

Being a woman in this world is incredibly difficult. And being a woman in sports is, too. Don’t let anybody tell you otherwise, especially a man. But I’ve found a strength inside of myself these last couple of years, and it’s come from the struggle.

So today, on International Women’s Day, I want to thank every one of you who has supported me; your love, friendship, and kindness is overwhelming. And, I want to thank those of you who do not, because you only make me work harder.

And to my fellow girls at games, this day is ours, but the future ours, too.

Love, Diane

Diane Sparn was born and raised in South Dakota, but adopted Boston sports upon her arrival at Emmanuel College in 1995. In addition to her writings here, she is a Thought Poet, Community Advocate and needlepoint extraordinaire. She now resides in Claremont, New Hampshire with her cat, Blaho.

Are the 12% of Bruins fans who are allowed to attend the game just the ones without shamrock tattoos? Or the ones under 3 bills?

Never meet your heroes. Especially if your hero is Big Jim Murray.

The15 also doesn’t offer paid internships.

Maybe that G-Leaguer told Jeremy Lin ‘you are a Coronavirus to your team’?

Don’t get so excited about Spring Training home runs, caller. They’re still using the old, livelier ball.

Happy birthday in heaven Fred Scolari. Blind in one eye. Deaf in one ear. Nicknamed Fat Freddie. Played in the league for 10 years. #Celtics

Oooh, bases loaded, spicy.

I had no idea Bertie went to Ohio State.

Cakes are cooking for Brian Leetch, Kristine Radford, Rick Mirer, and Tyler Florence.

Did Chris Gasper ever own capri pants? Sources say yes.

Score another one for The Spike King.

‘Wash Before Wearing?’ What’s the deal with that? Some kind of kickback to Big Detergent, I guess.

The Washington Football Team will create the team’s first co-ed dance team as part of its new game day entertainment program, hiring Petra Pope as senior advisor to run it. Formerly, Pope was manager of the Laker Girls and then Knicks City Dancers.

Hug your sports creatives a little tighter tonight.

Listening to Fitzy and Mego while spending my stimmy that I got cuz of the pandy.

Flag Football in South Florida is absolutely no joke.

Why is Biden not cancelled? He also has allegations against him.

“Patriots beat writer”: I wish they would.

Hey gang, this week’s Phrase that Pays is, “well I like em NAAAAASTY!”

Have fatter legs.

Who do you like to win the Hockomock League?

It’s time we stop;
Hey, what’s that sound?
Everybody look, what’s going down?

Red Line experiencing northbound delays of about 10 minutes due to a train with a door problem at Downtown Crossing.

Where’s JBJ?

‘Raid other teams…’ GTFO.

I wish I studied the Dewey Decimal System in college. I, too, could be driving in an overpriced luxury vehicle that will be off the road in 3 years.

Blehhhhh! Arctic blast! Blehhhh!

Celtics not mathematically eliminated, despite panic among the radio talking men.

Oh? You once ran a deep route in a flag football game?

I have about 10 McChicken sandwiches a year.

So the Red Sox invoked that new 20 pitches in an inning rule for their ‘big’ free agent signing?  Less than ideal.

Gina. Commerce-ing.

Honk if you remember Bucko Kilroy.

Does anyone really think the baseball station’s football guy has sources?

Finders are Grinders.

In Norway, March come in like a polar bear and goes out like a walrus.

Huascar Ynoa?

That sneaker story. Wow.

Best bet for the weekend: Atlanta strip club chicken wings being big sellers with the NBA All Star Game in town.

material from interviews, wire services, Twitter, other writers, league and team sources, BSMW, and #the15 were used in this column.