Jacoby's mom and other tidbits

Sometimes, they're pampered millionaires playing a boy's game. Sometimes, they're just boys. With moms.

In an e-mail to the Boston Globe, Jacoby Ellsbury's mom Margie says:

"I'm glad it's finally settled and our boys (Jacoby, Clay, Jed) got to stay in Boston."

She also reveals that she may not have the same feeling toward wearing outdated Red Sox garb as I do:

"Since the boys are staying, I wore my Red Sox shirt to work today. GO RED SOX."

Speaking of which, last fall one of my friends was nice enough to give me an Ellsbury World Series shirt from his trip to Boston. I warned him that I would blame him if it became an instant addition to the Pedro/Mo/Nomar/Clemens collection of antiquated garb.

Looks like that's not going to happen anytime soon.

In other sports: Here's a Super Bowl prediction: If Adalius Thomas, Junior Seau, Mike Vrabel and Tedy Bruschi can't stop the Giants early, look for Bill Belichick to find a way to get Manny on the roster.

Yup, G.I. Manny's going to the Super Bowl. He's taking a rare break from his offseason training in the desert where he's been getting in shape for the repeat. One of his agents says he's "fired up" for the upcoming season unlike ever before. Though he laughed when the topic of early spring training reporting came up; the agent said "maybe."

Yes, Christine, winter will end sometime: The TV schedule for the Phils has been released. Four times from March 1 to March 23 you can see whether the likes of Mike Zagurski, Chris Snelling or Clay Condrey can squeeze their way onto a crowded roster. Or whether Pat Gillick can find a way to screw Chris Coste again.