If there was ever a cause, ever a family that could use the love, care and help of a community, a state, it’s this one. Chuck and Maureen Palermo have had to do the unthinkable. As parents they’ve had to bury 2 of their 3 children in the past 2 years. Dan passed away in August of 2007, shortly after he graduated from Medfield High School. Their 15 year old daughter Lisa passed away 14 months later.

As a father of 4 kids I cannot, and pray I never have to, fathom the pain they have endured. Their third child Mark, a student at UMass Amherst, is hoping to become a candidate for a double lung transplant. Cystic Fibrosis is a killer, the Palermo’s need your help. Please, if you can, be it time, money or awareness, reach out and help by using this website!

The humor is flying! Jokes everywhere! Some of them justified, some more than justified, some not so much.

I have zero experience in passing a piece of legislation. I have zero experience in writing a piece of legislation. That matters to me, only if I thought I’d enter and win this race, and do it alone. You don’t, no one does and anyone that says they do is a liar.

People, many people, point to my support of former President Bush as the only reason they need to support “whoever he would run against”. Obviously that’s your right, and freedom. However it appears to me that as an Independent, which I will always be, I’ve always tried to vote for the right team more so than the right person. I believed in Dick Cheney, I believed in Colin Powell, I believed in Condoleezza Rice. I voted as much, if not more, for the team President Bush had assembled as I ever did for the man. It’s the reason I voted for his father, it’s the reason I voted for Bill Clinton.

I was not even remotely active in the political scene until far too late in my life to sit on a pulpit and preach about history tells us this and history tells us that. That’s not a good thing, but it’s the truth.

Taxes? Sure I’ll pay them, regardless of the number. Would I prefer lower taxes? Sure, who wouldn’t? But I’ll pay, whatever they are, because that’s the cost of being able to live in this country and I’ve never had a problem with that.

Having said that I live in a state where I can’t drive 1/2 of a mile without a torn up road, or on a major highway without paying a toll, a large toll. How in the hell is this state broke? How in the hell has a state with supposedly as intelligent a voter base as Massachusetts allowed itself to be run into the ground by entrenched and often times corrupt ‘me first’ politicians? How did that happen? All the way down to the community level our papers are littered with stories, daily, of unethical behavior, scandal and outright criminal acts, BY OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS!.

Is there a larger breach of trust outside the family bond than that? Why have we allowed it to get this far, and why would we even consider allowing that to continue?

You want my opinion on ‘issues’?

I’m pro-life (with exception to rape, incest or terminal consequences to mom or child during birth) and against Gay marriage. However, let me be very clear on both of those issues. Those issues are so far beyond the scope or responsibility of one person to legislate it’s laughable. The state you reside in should be the body that determines BOTH of those laws. Because I’m pro-life should have nothing to do with your belief or your opinion. The constituents you work for should be the people that decide those laws in the state they live in, period.

So you understand something else about me. Because I believe something and you don’t, means very little to me. Charlie Baker is running for Governor of Massachusetts. I am a huge supporter of Charlie. Charlie Baker is very much in favor of Gay marriage, I’m not. That doesn’t make me feel one ounce different about Charlie, because I understand there is no perfect candidate and no one exists but yourself, that’s going to align perfectly with your opinions and beliefs. This state needs good people above all else, and Charlie is that. I’ve known that since meeting him years ago and watching him rejuvenate Harvard Pilgrim into a thriving business once again.

I am absolutely for the 2nd Amendment. But I also think this country has become so beholden to special interest and lobbyists that we have completely sacrificed the safety and well being of the individual American citizen. Why should our Police Officers have to worry about automatic weapons? What logically thinking human would think it’s ok that a ‘citizen’ to carry a weapon capable of discharging 1000 rounds a minute? I understand one thing, that’s big business, and big business is what we’ve allowed to take over in far too many places and in far to many areas that the people need to take back. I also think we need to put some ground rules out there as it pertains to rights here. Commit a felony? Sorry, you have no right to EVER bear arms.

To be clear I have no ambition to enter into a life of politics, or to be a career politician, none. I am flattered that some people felt I’d be the right person for this. None of that means I would, or will, attempt to run for the vacant Senator’s seat here in Massachusetts. Were I to even consider this it would be for 1 term and 1 term only, and then only to do everything in my power to rid this state of the tired an unethical people that have run it into the ground and help it begin the healing process, and once again become a thriving state to live and work in.

A run for the Senate is a massive undertaking, both personally and financially. I’m not even close to a Rhodes Scholar or Ivy League graduate, but I also know I’m watching many people with those exact credentials run this state, and this country, into the ground. You don’t need either to serve the people of the commonwealth, what you need is an unbridled and unattached passion to change peoples lives for the better. You need to not be beholden to all of those groups that offer the ‘we pay now, you pay later’ handout.

I have no idea if I’ll even do this, but if by some slim chance I do it won’t be a joke, and it won’t be for laughs. These are deadly serious times at home and abroad and this country absolutely has to elect public servants who don’t head to Washington with an “Out of sight out of mind” approach to us living back home.

As I have stated, while it’s an incredible honor to have people think I should, and would, be worthy, the hurdles to running for the vacated Senate seat are immense. Then I read something like this, and I pause.

Please read this article

When did health and the well-being of United States citizens become a “Strategic Decision”? How the hell did we let people into office who look at us in that way? Aren’t they SUPPOSED to work for us?

This line really just hammers home what the people we have elected think of us…

“When you have (lawmakers) go back (home) and listen and see what the reactions are and also have an election coming up…I think they get a little cold feet.”

What? Really? You mean when lawmakers face their constituents — you, me, us, the people — and we voice a dissenting opinion or outrage at legislation we do not want they get cold feet? So the answer is you should “ram it home” BEFORE you face the people, that way there’s nothing that can be done about it? Nice.

I mean that really does work right? If you live in the Ukraine or somewhere in the Middle East….

Curt Schilling appeared on the Dennis & Callahan Show on Thursday morning, with Bob Neumeier filling in for John Dennis. A transcript of his conversation about a potential Senate run is below. The interview can also be heard in its entirety by clicking here:

PART 1 – Curt Schilling on D&C

PART 2 – Curt Schilling on D&C

Are you contemplating a run for the vacant Massachusetts Senate seat?

I’ve thought about it.

Most dread the idea of campaigning and debating – the fight.

The fight would be fun. The whole spotlight/media crap, not so much. But the fight would be a lot of fun, because pretty much anyone you’re fighting against who’s in office right now doesn’t have much of a leg to stand on. There’s nobody who can stand up and say, ‘Look at what I’ve done over the last two, four, six, eight, 12, 20 years.’ Because those are the people who the pitchforks and torches are out for.’

What are the pros and cons of running? Read the rest of this entry »

While my family is obviously the priority, and 38 Studios is a priority, I do have some interest in the possibility. That being said, to get to there from where I am today, many many things would have to align themselves for that to truly happen. I am not going to comment further on the matter since at this point it would be speculation on top of speculation.

My hope is that whatever happens, and whomever it happens to, this state makes the decision and chooses the best person, regardless of sex, race, religion or political affiliation, to help get this state back to the place it deserves to be.

This needs to stop, this needs to not happen, people MUST SPEAK UP!

What a shame, what an embarrassment this entire thing is. If you are someone who believes in this country, believes in the men and women who have given their lives in service of the freedom we so callously throw away at times, please write, call or email someone that can do something about this.

Curt Schilling called into the Dennis & Callahan show this morning to discuss some topics in the sporting world, one of which was Billy Wagner’s recent decision to nix a trade to the Red Sox (CLICK HERE to listen to the entire interview):

On what Billy Wagner gains by staying in New York: I know that they’re probably not going to pick up his option, which I don’t think is the problem. I think arbitration is the problem here (in Boston).”

On Wagner’s alleged comments on “his desire to end the year healthy for the future” and that “he has a better chance lasting a month in a non-competitive environment”: I’ve known Billy Wagner a long time and I can absolutely believe that. I can believe that comment.

On Wagner being “nutty and a little strange”: No, not as much as you think. He’s left-handed, which makes him goofy to begin with.

On whether he and Papelbon could get along: They’d get along fine. Paps is Paps. There’s just not a whole lot of forethought there, and I’m one to talk. But if Billy Wagner if setting you up in the eighth, there’s a pretty good chance you’re going to get a few more save opportunities than you otherwise might. He’s always been a nightmare for left-handed hitters and when he was up around 100 (MPH) he was a nightmare for guys on both sides.

On whether he buys into the claim that Wagner was a righty at birth but broke his arm and switched to lefty, ultimately developing the ability to throw 100 MPH: I heard that story a long time ago. He says that it’s true, but I’m still calling it BS.

Curt Schilling and Lou Merloni were co-hosts on the Big Show on Thursday. The two former Red Sox players discussed the Red Sox catching situation.

CLICK HERE to listen to the complete audio segment on The Big Show.

Here are a couple points from the audio segment:

- Schilling: “The big thing for me is that Jason (Varitek) is here. If he is not catching everyday, he still has an impact and I think that gets lost in the shuffle…his interaction with Victor..his interaction with the pitching staff.”

- Schilling: “One of the reasons that this organization (the Red Sox) has an advantage in mind, over a lot of clubs when you get to the postseason, is the network of scouting and the depth of scouting that this club does. The information that is available to me as a pitcher and a player going into a series…they go above and beyond in a lot of different ways to present you with information and data that you can use going ahead. Jon (Lester) and Josh (Beckett) have both, to their own extent, have gotten to be guys that use data”

- Schilling: “Jason (Varitek) is and always has been a team first guy. I think if he acted in a way that was contradictory to that, I would be one of the more shocked people on the planet.”

- Merloni: “I can tell you that (Jason) Varitek has had a shoulder for about a month and a half and the neck for about month. This has been bothering him now for the last month and he has been playing because deep down he realizes, just like last year, my offense will struggle, but I can still bring things to the team defensively when I catch these big guns.”

I had the honor of pitching in front of Cal Ripken. I got to pitch in front of Craig Counsell when he was at a Gold Glove caliber of play in Arizona. Scott Rolen, Mark Lewis, Mickey Morandini, all of them.

I never pitched in front of a player that had a better defensive season than Alex Gonzalez did when I was in Boston. Not sure what the defensive statistics say about that year, but I know as a staff we were all in love with the guy every day he was at SS.

Great shortstops, much like great center fielders, take athleticism to a new level, Alex certainly did that. Pokey Reese was another one. Their play in and around the bag, their ability to go into the hole, do things other guys never attempt, effortlessly, is one of the magics of the game of baseball.

Pitchers are selfish in this sense. I never EVER cared whether Jason got a hit or not when I was pitching. Sure I wanted him to go 4-4 and hit 4 bombs, but if he didn’t it did not matter to me. I just needed to know, had to know, that he was committed to every pitch he was putting down. He always was.

The same thing applies to defense in the field. Sure you want everyone to get 4 hits a night, but that’s not going to happen. So recognizing that, what I wanted above all else was that guy who took as much, if not more, pride in his glove work and defense as he did in hitting. That’s Alex.

In addition to being a fantastic teammate, he can flat out play defense as well as anyone I ever suited up against, or played with.

It may not get the coverage it deserves, since he’s not hitting 350 and doesn’t have 20 HR’s or 100 RBI’s, but he’ll win games, he’ll make the staff better, and he’ll make a difference.

Getting both he and Kotchman (even with Youk being a Gold Glover) reminds me of bringing in Cabrera and Dougie M in ‘04. Theo understands the dramatic shift in approach an above average defense can give a team.

I can remember pitching TO the left side of the infield with Alex and Pokey out there, same with Orlando. That’s huge. You cannot quantify it in numbers, but it has a direct impact on pitchers that control their fastballs.

I was made aware of some comments made by Bronson Arroyo this past week as it related to a “caffeine” drink I recommended to him a few years back.

Here it is, if that drink nails you as a positive, then so would water.

It won’t, and it hasn’t.

FWIW the taste isn’t all that bad, it gets better the more you take it and it does help a hell of a lot with sleeping through the night.