Random Thoughts, Sights and Sounds - A Potpourri of Knowledge

Boston has been referred to as 'The Hub of the Universe' (by Oliver Wendell Holmes). If you look at the city as a place that has World-Renowned Hospitals and some of the better Colleges and Universities, add to that the success of the professional sports teams, one could see why that nickname is appropriate.

Boston is now becoming known as 'The Hub of the Universe' for attractive female sports anchors/sideline reporters.

First Julie Donaldson, a former Miss Florida pageant winner was recently hired to be a sports anchor for Channel 7 in Boston, now NESN has hired Heidi Watney to be the Red Sox sideline reporter, replacing Tina Cervasio. Watney is a former Miss San Diego (Discovered by the Germans in 1904, they named it San Diego, which of course in German means a whale's vagina. You stay Classy San Diego).

Watney has had an interesting career in TV working in Fresno. It will be interesting to see how she adapts to the Boston market.

Add Watney and Donaldson to a sports scene that's already being covered beautifully by Hazel Mae, Kathryn Tappen and the Boston Globe's Amalie Benjamin (who is getting more and more face time on NESN's Red Sox pre-game show) and the days the days of having to watch Jackie MacMullan, Nancy Marrapese-Burrell, Karen Guregian and Alice Cook cover sports are far behind us.

During this past offseason when the Red Sox were exploring a trade with the Minnesota Twins for Johan Santana, it is believed that two different offers that the Red Sox made to the Twins was: Coco Crisp, Jon Lester, Jed Lowrie and Justin Masterson for Santana or Jacoby Ellsbury, Lowrie, Masterson and Michael Bowden.

While you have to give up something to obtain a pitcher of the magnitude of Santana, it looks like (for now) that the Red Sox are fortunate that Santana went to the Mets, based on the way some of the players in the proposed possible deals have been playing.

Ellsbury has taken over the starting job in centerfield from Crisp, and assumed his place atop the Red Sox batting order. Lester has been up and down as the number 4 starter in the Red Sox rotation. Lowrie has been a more than adequate fill-in as a utility infielder with Mike Lowell and Alex Cora on the disabled list. Masterson had a strong outing in his Major League debut on Thursday, holding Los Angeles to just one run in six innings.

Adding Ellsbury, Lester, Lowrie and Masterson to a young nucleus of Kevin Youklis, Dustin Pedoria, Josh Beckett, Dice-K, Clay Buchholz and Jonathan Papelbon will ensure that the Red Sox will be in position to stay atop the standings of the American League for years to come.

Finally, here's something to chew on while your watching the NFL draft this weekend, the Luther Vandross burger.

You'll need to take a time out from pouring over all of the various mock drafts, hanging on Mel Kiper Jr's every word, while trying to decide if the New England Patriots should stay at Number 7 to take Vernon Gholston or Sedrick Ellis (I say they stay at 7 and the pick will be Gholston) to enjoy this tasty treat.

So what is a Luther Vandross burger you ask? You take a Krispy Kreme glazed doughnut (or for us in the Northeast, a Dunkin Doughnut) slice it in half and grill it, as you'll use this as the bun. Add one hamburger, one piece of cheese and two pieces of bacon, and voila you have the Luther Vandross burger. My beverage of choice to go with the LV burger, I'm thinking Sam Adams.

To learn more regarding the origin of the burger and how Luther Vandross came up with the burger click here. Mulligan's Tavern in Atlanta is home to the original Luther Vandross burger. Anything cool related to food or beer happens in Atlanta (that's all they have going for them as their sports teams suck - see how empty The Philips Arena will be when the Hawks and Celtics play Satuday night).

They have restaurants that have beer taps at your table and they have the LV burger. Mulligan's Tavern is also famous for another dish called 'The Hamdog', which is a hot dog wrapped inside a beef patty, deep fried, covered with chili, cheese and onions, and served on a hoagie roll topped with a fried egg and french fries. For dessert they have a 'Tasty Twinkie', a Twinkie coated in Captain Crunch, then deep-fried and drizzled with raspberry sauce.

Happy eating everyone and have a great weekend.