1. Never switch allegiances
2. Show some respect
3. Visit the shrines
4. Never give up
5. Never give in
6. Never leave early
7. Neither a front-runner nor a Johnny-come- lately be
8. Accept no substitutes
9. Wait until next year
10. Never turn down tickets to see Jordan

Memorize these, teach your friends. Scold and/or mock them when they stray. And never, ever take a seat on the bandwagon.

The boy surprised the court when he proclaimed that his aunt beat him more than his parents and he adamantly refused to live with her. When the judge then suggested that he live with his grandparents, the boy cried out that they also beat him.

After considering the remainder of the immediate family and learning that domestic violence was apparently a way of life among them, the judge took the unprecedented step of allowing the boy to propose who should have custody of him.

After two recesses to check legal references and confer with child welfare officials, the judge granted temporary custody to the Boston Red Sox, whom the boy firmly believes is not capable of beating anyone.

(Note – I didn’t write this, I found it on the interweb a few years back. But, I think it’s pretty appropriate considering the way this year is going.)

Baseball players retire all the time, so why is this a big deal? Because Nomar, in his typical class act fashion, retired as a member of the Boston Red Sox. Garciaparra was traded to the Cubs in ’04 and has since spent time with the Dodgers and, most recently, the Oakland A’s. But today, he signed a one-day contract with the club so that he could walk off the field for the final time wearing a Sox uniform.

It’s refreshing, in these times of money and PEDs and selfishness, to see a player go out of his way to make a statement like this. Nomar has always loved the city of Boston and Sox fans, and the feeling has never been anything but mutual.

Thanks for all of the great memories, Nomar. We’ll miss you.

[Read the whole Globe story here]

Today is a holiday for Red Sox Nation: it’s Truck Day. This is the day when the big semi truck full of gear leaves Fenway Park and heads south for Spring Training. It’s the day that signals the end of winter is near and spring is coming, whether or not the groundhog agrees. It means that baseball will be back within days.

Pitchers and catchers report on Thursday, y’all.

[via Boston Dirt Dogs]