Last Sunday, the Boston Red Sox lost a pretty-much-must-win game against the Yankees in New York while the Patriots lost to the Buffalo Bills because Tom Brady (Tom Brady?!?!?) threw four interceptions.

The Sox lost again on Monday but won Tuesday to head into the final day of the 2011 season tied with the Tampa Bay Rays for the final playoff spot, the AL Wildcard.

At this point, the Sox had gone 6-19 in September and had no possibility of starting Jon Lester (just pitched) or Clay Buchholz (injured) in the ALDS, anyway.

Other Boston sports news on Tuesday included a story about fan-favorite Bruin, Brad Marchand. Marchand, with many teammates, celebrated the Stanley Cup victory with a great deal of alcohol and a tattoo artist. Thus, he spent the summer with his side reading, “Stanley Cup Champians.”

The Celtics, like the rest of the NBA, are locked out as part of a truly ugly work stoppage. Ray Allen and Paul Pierce were still able to make the news by joining the players union for a high-profile meeting. Also, the lockout had led to the cancellation of preseason, so I don’t have the distraction of figuring out if this team has a viable center.

On Wednesday, the Red Sox lost to the perennially cellar-dwelling Orioles as the Rays came back from a 7-0 deficit too beat the New York Yankees. So the Rays got to play on and the Sox epic collapse — arguably the worst in baseball history — was complete.

Thursday, the City of Boston lost its collective mind.

I was shielded from the worst of it as I spent part of the day in temple, celebrating Rosh Hashanah with my family. It was the only time in my recollection when hearing a rabbi speak of new beginnings and fresh peace on the High Holidays brought me any solace.

It was also a shock to see that a mere 46 years have occurred between Dodger’s pitcher Sandy Koufax refusal to play on Yom Kippur and Red Sox GM Theo Epstein holding a press conference on Rosh Hashanah. What would Dennis Prager say?

Thursday I returned home to find, in this very blog, Rich Lowry savoring my angst — perhaps the unkindest cut of all.

Friday was a day of farce. There were multiple meetings over on Yawkey Way involving the Sox owners, GM, and manager Terry Francona. Speculation grew so intense and media attention so extreme that the Sox issued a statement mid-afternoon that they would be issuing no further statements.

Under two hours later, the Sox and Terry Francona issued multiple statements, saying basically that Francona was choosing to leave. Nobody believes this. This is when the farce stated turning to tragedy. Francona is a much-respected figure in Boston and I believe the Sox have made a rather large mistake here.

A pair of awkward press conferences followed, with virtually all participants having difficulty sticking to an increasingly unbelievable cover story.

By Saturday, there were rumors that Sox GM Theo Epstein would be resigning to take a position with the Chicago Cubs. Further rumors included Epstein reuniting with Francona at Wrigley Field to end another World Series drought.

Saturday afternoon, I sat my nine-year-old boy down for a talk. We rehashed the week: interceptions, penalties, collapses, and firings. I pointed out, “You’re lucky. It used to be like this all the time.”

Wingsuiter Jeb Corliss flies through a mountain in China. Just amazing.

The New York Yankees have recently replaced Manchester United as the world’s most valuable sports brand, according to Forbes. Full story here.

Jones Samuelsen, of Odd Grenland, has scored an unbelievably long-range headed goal from his own half in the Norwegian league. Where was the goalkeeper? Nowhere he was supposed to be. As the video shows, he was way out of position as Jones had his mind set on goal, creating possibly a new record.

Remember UAE’s Theyab Awana, the backheel penalty taker who became a sensation back in July? Only 21 years-old, the promising player, who played for the UAE club side Bani Yas, died in a car accident traveling back from training in Al Ain to Abu Dhabi. Our prayers go out to his family and teammates.

This is a novel way of dealing with hooliganism: Turkish soccer authorities will allow only women and children under 12 to watch teams who have been sanctioned for hooliganism, banning all men from entering the stadium. And entrance is free. Any searches would, of course, be done by women police officers. Players don’t seem to mind. It certainly has to change the atmosphere inside a stadium. Other soccer federations typically penalize teams whose supporters are involved in hooliganism and sometimes even have the teams play games to an empty stadium, without any spectators allowed inside.

ESPN:

After schooling opponents on the football field, Deion Sanders is taking his game to the classroom after his Hall of Fame career.

The former Dallas Cowboys defensive back was granted a charter by the Texas State Board of Education on Friday to create PrimeU Prep Academy, a school that will focus not only on the academic development of its students, but also their athletic aspirations.

PrimeU Prep Academy, approved by a vote of 8-4, was among 15 non-profits vying for 11 charters that include public funding. Sanders ranks receiving the charter among the top accomplishments of his career.

“It was pretty much one of the best moments of my life because it’s not about you,” Sanders said. “It’s about the countless number of kids that will be blessed from this school.”

Sanders said the school will open for children ranging from kindergarten to 12th grade in fall 2012 with two campuses, one in Oak Cliff at the former site of Lobias Murray Christian Academy and one in Fort Worth at Charity Church.

Sanders said the plan for the school is to create a union between the best academic teaching and the best athletic training the Metroplex has to offer.

“We plan on marrying the best of teachers academically, some of the best students academically, some of the best athletes together — the best attitudes, the best passion and desire all intertwined to educate these guys to raise company CEOs, and not employees,” Sanders said.

I love that last line. While teacher unions are worried about graduating kids, Sanders has set a goal of preparing his kids to lead the next generation.

I can’t say I am at all stunned by this Sports Illustrated story on how poorly pro athletes manage their money.

For example:

By the time they have been retired for two years, 78% of former NFL players have gone bankrupt or are under financial stress because of joblessness or divorce.

Within five years of retirement, an estimated 60% of former NBA players are broke.

The whole piece here.

This reminded me of an interview I heard with NFL-bust Ryan Leaf years back. The interviewer was asking about his finances now that he was out of the NFL. He responded with something like, “I have all my money in muni-bonds. I don’t have to work ever again.”

And even after a divorce and drug-problems, Leaf still describes himself as “comfortable financially.“

It also reminds be on another story I heard when I first moved to Florida. The owner of the Miami Heat, once he signed LeBron James, tried to give LeBron some investing advice. LeBron, again paraphrasing, said, “I use Warren Buffet.”

Some players get it, sadly most do not.

This is probably one of the worst goalkeeping mistakes ever. Artem Gomelko of Dnepr Mogilev in Belarus taps the ball into his own net. What was he thinking? Like any other goalkeeper who has erred, he just had to put it out of his mind and play on, which I imagine was difficult to do.

ESPN reports that FIFA president Sepp Blatter may not serve out the third full four-year term he was just elected to. Blatter may step down after two years. Michel Platini — UEFA president and former French international whose club career also saw him win quite a few honors — would step in. It is believed that Platini was already being groomed to be the next president of FIFA if Blatter had served his full term. So far, it’s just talk and a “clandestine deal.” 

Under Blatter, FIFA has been tainted with allegations of corruption — most recently in the presidential ‘elections’ when his challenger, Bin Hammam, was accused of bribing officials, and was suspended, eventually banned for life, and Blatter was ‘elected’ unopposed. But Blatter himself has also been accused of unethical conduct and for not cleaning up FIFA.

It’ll be good to see him go.

As these kids in Spain remind us, no matter their soccer team’s current fortunes, they still go out to just have fun. Margatania F.C. has never scored a goal, yet the kids are still smiling and their parents are there with them. The full nine-minute video is well worth anyone’s time. When they are asked if they have ever scored, they fall silent, but “someone almost scored once”. All of the kids’ joy is a welcome change to the cynical world of adult sports, especially the kid at the beginning of the trailer with his imperfect smile. His optimism at the end of the trailer is wonderful, “We don’t care, we’ll score when we grow old.” Take nine minutes out of your day and smile.

Concerned with the lack of black managers in soccer, especially in the upper echelons of the game, England’s Professional Footballers Association is considering adopting a version of the Rooney rule, which would ensure that clubs shortlist black managers for interviews. Of the 92 clubs that comprise the different levels of the English game, Chris Hughton at Birmingham F.C. and Chris Powell at Charlton F.C. are the only black managers. A few years ago, former Manchester United player Paul Ince tried his hand at management, his highest-profile job being at Blackburn Rovers, which made him the first black manager in the Premier League. (Hughton is actually mixed, being the first mixed-race player to represent the Republic of Ireland).

NFL fans will remember the Rooney rule and why it was instituted, and its result, with franchises hiring black coaches and front-office personnel. Cyrus Mehri, the lawyer behind this rule, was invited to speak to the PFA. Several black high-profile English former and current players are in support of this move, such as Des Walker, Andy Cole, Sol Campbell and Rio Ferdinand.

Soccer in England, as well as in France and other parts of Europe, still battles with the ugly stain of racism, as players are sometimes heckled with monkey noises, as was the case on Friday night in Sofia, Bulgaria, when the England national team played in a Euro 2012 qualifying match. Clubs in England participate in the Kick It Out anti-racism campaign.

While it is a good move to ensure that clubs are interviewing as broad a field of candidates as possible, many times club chairmen have already picked out a successor to the manager who is to be sacked; in the Premier League, chairmen and others behind the scenes prefer these processes to done in privacy; and if the club is facing relegation, which means a loss of money, club chairmen want to replace managers as quickly as possible to hopefully turn the club around and bring stability to the situation.

Chris Hughton was not long without a job after being sacked from Newcastle United. But the idea of having to interview a candidate because of the color of his skin is surely a decision based upon race, instead of the candidate’s qualifications. If he succeeds in Birmingham’s attempt at promotion back into the Premier League, he will be celebrated, but if he fails, he may or may not be sacked. English club owners have shown in recent years the impatience with managers by quickly getting rid of those who have not met expectations, regardless of the color of their skin.

What next, a quota for colored players?

Of all the tricks players try when taking a penalty to fake the goalkeeper, Egyptian soccer side Al Ahly’s Amir Sayoud’s attempt has to be up there with the worst ever. In his run-up to kick the ball, he pauses, but then becomes a victim of his own trickery by tripping over himself and only slightly striking the ball, so that the goalkeeper has to just pick it up. For his trickery, he was even booked by the official and consoled by an opposition player.

How much do you really love your team? Even for someone like me, who pays close attention to soccer and the business of it, this is a highly unique way for a club to attract female supporters. Newcastle United F.C. has signed a lingerie deal with Premier Lingerie, whicn specializes in soccer-related underwear. The line will include bras, briefs, French knickers, stockings, suspender belts, and camisoles. Apparently, they’re not the first club to sign such a deal; Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. already has one. The merchandise is designed in the club’s colors.

Paul Robinson, director of Premier Lingerie, adds that “women make up 20 percent of football supporters but only 3 to 5 percent of merchandise is aimed at them . . . That’s not good enough. Not enough clubs are doing anything sassy for their female fans, so that’s where we’re helping them.”

What an intimate way to show your support.

It was, to be honest, an uneven match-up, but in the qualifying rounds for the Euro 2012 finals, San Marino were unlucky to have been grouped with the Netherlands, who drubbed them 11–0 on Friday in Eindhoven. This is the biggest win for the Netherlands since beating Norway 9–0 in 1972 and before that, beating Finland 9–0 in 1912. The Dutch can’t stop scoring sometimes.

For Dutch striker Robin Van Persie, who plays for English side Arsenal, this surely had to have been a relief, since only the previous Sunday saw him miss a penalty against Manchester United and his team beaten 8-2, his late consolation goal being only that.

San Marino’s national team has never qualified for a European championship nor a World Cup and it is a young side, the national team established only in 1986, although the federation was formed in 1931. Call me cynical, but I can’t think they must have gone into the game with high expectations of winning, yet were hoping the Dutch would go easy on them.

Is it possible that the numbers watching the Track & Field World Championships could increase because of Usain Bolt NOT running?

In light of Bolt’s disqualification, the rules may change yet again for future races. But if they do, it will all take place with the world watching.

Interestingly, this process may not work out all that badly for anyone involved. Bolt can be castigated for making a bonehead rookie move, and the IAAF for having draconian rules in place, but no one’s credibility has been tainted. The IAAF stuck with its rules and Bolt did not benefit from special “celebrity exception” to it. Moreover, his disqualification has probably garnered more coverage than he would have gotten for winning the race, or even for setting a new world record (yawn.) His performance in the 200- and 400-meter races will get a lot more attention than they would have otherwise.

And no, I’m not talking about the way ESPN turned yesterday’s tribute to Cristina Taylor-Green (the Little Leaguer killed in the shooting spree in which Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was wounded) into an Obama campaign spot — because, you know, we’d never want our sports coverage to go political, right?

I’m talking about the weather — specifically, the way the LLWS reacted to Hurricane (now Tropical Storm) Irene. Yesterday, the championship game scheduled for today — which will pit the Japanese squad against the U.S. champion, Huntington Beach, Calif. — was moved earlier, to noon from the originally scheduled 3 p.m. slot. I thought it was odd when I first heard it. Williamsport, where they’re playing the LLWS, is in north-central PA. The worst of the storm (the eye of which is well east of W’port) is supposed to be the early part of Sunday. Then, this morning, I checked the local weather. It is supposed to rain until around 3 p.m., at which point they anticipate partly sunny skies. So it seems they have moved the game from the best part of the day to a rainy part of the day.

Am I missing something? I’m not trying to be a wise guy. I just wonder why they changed the schedule in a way that ill-serves the game. And given how manic they are about injuries (it’s amazing how much pitch counts have changed the game since back when I was a lad), why move the game to a time when the conditions will make injuries more likely? I usually assume that television is to blame for all stupid scheduling in sports, but in this case the game was already scheduled to be televised at 3 p.m., so the last minute switch is guaranteed to hurt ratings. So I just don’t get what’s going on. 

UPDATE: Never mind — they’ve moved the game back to 3 p.m. Bulletin here.

Atsushi Yanagisawa of Japanese soccer team Vegalta Sendai must wish he had another chance like the one presented to him in his team’s match against Nagoya Grampus. After Nagoya Grampus goalkeeper Yoshinari Takagi flubbed his clearing attempt, Yanagisawa had an open net, but put the ball just wide. The look on his face says it all.

Two days ago, AirAsia chief executive officer Tony Fernandes purchased a 66 percent stake in Queens Park Rangers of the English Premier League for a reported $57.6 million. The Malaysian tycoon has promised to run QPR like a “proper business.”

Earlier today, the West London club, newly promoted to the top tier, celebrated with an impressive road victory over Everton, its first victory in the EPL since 1996. More here.

It’s such a ridiculous story, you might as well learn about it from the Taiwanese animators: