A season begins

By the time you read this on Tuesday, the Red Sox, favored by many to repeat as World Champions, will have begun their title defense in Japan. Still seems odd to be opening a week before everyone else in a game that requires an early alarm clock to watch.

As part of another cheesy ESPN feature - comparing the impending season to the presidential campaign - Jayson Stark has a good read on how the Red Sox have gone from cursed to powerhouse.

"The thing about this team is, we don't just want to win one," Youkilis says with a laugh. "We want to try to catch Yogi."

Of more immediate concern, however, is a feud brewing between Phillies pitchers Brad Lidge and Kris Benson and the cast of The Andy Griffith Show. The Phils injured pitchers (I told you Lidge wouldn't be ready for Opening Day) are blaming a mound for their troubles. That caused Phillies Florida operations groundskeeper Ron Cheek, and his boss, older brother Opie Cheek, to let loose on complaining Phillies over the years.

They even throw Curt Schilling under the bus. It's a very funny story - I can't believe it didn't get any attention last week. But I don't like the tenor of Benson and Lidge; they're starting to sound like whiners.