No, it Wasn’t an Excuse

People are desperate, aren’t they?

Yesterday, Xander Bogaerts was asked about the difficulty the team seems to have scoring runs. Last year, they scored runs in bunches. This year, not so much.

What’s the difference?

Xander simply answered. David Ortiz. 

Because, almost literally, that's the only difference between last year and this year. Leon? Same. Hanley, Pedroia, Xander? Same. Bradley? Betts? Same. Benintendi? Same as last September. Third base? Slightly different. Last year Panda was there some of the time, and a collection of goofballs was there some of the time. This year? Panda and a different collection of goofballs. I’ll admit, that is slightly different. So, of the nine batting positions, 7.5 of them are the exact same players as last year. The only position that’s completely different? David Ortiz.

It was almost literally the only correct answer Xander could have given.

He did go on to say how valuable David Ortiz is to a line-up. Is anyone going to argue with that? He was a pretty valuable guy. Xander finished by saying that the team needed to move on without him and get the job done.

How has this been turned into whining about David Ortiz? How has this been turned into complaining about roster decisions? How has this been turned into excuse making?

He gave the most accurate answer to a question you’ll ever see. In fact, the answer is so obvious, I wonder why it was asked. Was it just in order to turn it into complaining? Was the reaction story written before there was something to react to? 

If Xander had answered anything other than “David Ortiz” I would have questioned it. Why is he dancing around the elephant in the room? Has he been instructed to pretend Ortiz didn’t exist? Have there been rules put in place to only look forward?

But he didn’t. He gave the correct answer. And people don’t like it.

I think that’s their problem, not his.

Was Josh Beckett Any Good?

It’s been a while, so I thought it would be fun to dive back into the scorebooks and see how people performed with my watchful eye peering down on them.

Today I chose Josh Beckett. He had quite a roller coaster of a career here in Boston, from terrible trade to ace to deadweight. But, did the games I saw reflect that? Let’s see.

On first glance, I was surprised that I saw so few Beckett starts. Seven games over seven years seems pretty sparse to me. The other thing you notice is that, yes, I captured the up and down nature of Beckett’s career.

It looks like in the seven games, I got two absolute stinkers and five very high quality starts. Interestingly enough, one of the stinkers was during his best season of 2007. So, while the numbers would say that on the whole I saw a guy with a mid-threes ERA, in actuality most of the time I saw a guy give up a run or fewer. That’s not bad at all.

How do his starts with me in the park project out? An 18-9 record is pretty darn good. Not legendary or anything, but exactly what you’d be looking for. As is his 3.40 ERA and 1.01 WHIP. He would strike out fewer people than I would have expected. I was actually surprised when I looked how low his strikeouts per game were. Only once did I see him strike out ten batters, and only twice did he strike out more than one batter per inning.

But, overall, the Josh Beckett I saw would be the ace of many staffs. It makes me wish I saw him more often.

How did he do with you in the park?

The 30-Day Baseball Card Challenge: Day #3

Tony, the wonderful writer of the “Off Hiatus Baseball” blog, started a fun activity based off the “30-Day Music Challenge” that Twitter users were taking. The list of challenges looks like this:

Today, we have Challenge #3: A card from the first set you tried to complete.

I’m fairly certain that the first set I ever tried to complete was 1987 Topps. I don’t think I ever tried to complete the set in 1986, and that would be the only other candidate. So, for this exercise I’m just going to assume it was the ’87. With that nailed down, I'm going to go with this card: 

I was just a youngster when this card came out, but remember being very confused when I saw it. “Earliest home run”. What did that mean? By date? By time? As it turns out, it means by pitch. Dwight Evans hit the first pitch of the season out of the park. Of course, that was just the first pitch of the Red Sox season. (Well, and the Tigers season, I suppose.) I have no idea if it was the first game of the year. Or if someone else hit a ball on the third pitch, but one minute before Evans. So, “earliest” is kind of an odd designation.

But, the card itself is pretty cool. A great picture of Evans filling out the frame. The colors work well with the wood borders.

And with it, I was one more step closer to completing the 1987 set. 

What’s the Matter with Dustin Pedroia?

I mean. I always knew he was selfish, but this seems out there even for him.

In case you missed it, and I’m not sure how you could have, Manny Machado took Pedroia out of the game on Saturday by sliding hard into second base with spikes flying high. His slide took him over the bag, and drove his spikes into Pedroa’s knee on the far side where Pedroia was awaiting the throw. Pedroa had to leave the game, and ended up missing the next game as well.

Of course, MLB has added rules recently specifically to protect fielders turning the double play at second base. So, people immediately suggested that Machado, a well-known dirty player, should be called out, and the Sox should be credited for the double play they didn’t end up getting because of the injury. They also called for Machado to be punished. Maybe with suspension, or at least by getting plunked.

Pedroia, of course, made it all about him. First, he suggested that he didn’t even know what the rule was for a slide at second base. He just goes out and plays. Boy, what a tough player he must be. He later said that the rule was only put in place to protect players with bad footwork, so that didn’t apply to him anyway. So, he apparently does know what the rule is after all. But, wanted to take another chance to pump his own ego.

That’s not even the worst part. The Red Sox did end up throwing at Machado, just like Buck Showalter said they should. Now, they went a little high at Machado’s head, which is never a good thing. But, no harm came of it. How did Pedroia react to his teammate sticking up for him? By immediately showing him up by explaining on the field, that he didn’t agree with the move. He then said after the game that he didn’t want Machado thrown at. He texted Machado after to reiterate that it wasn’t his idea to throw at him. It was his teammate.

Boy, what a team leader.

That’s what everyone keeps talking about, right? His team leadership? His clubhouse presence? So, either he kept telling everyone not to do something, and they ignored their great team leader or he did want Machado hit, but threw his teammates under the bus once it happened.

Which guy is the leader in the clubhouse that you’re looking for?

If he really didn’t want Machado thrown at, why wouldn’t he keep his mouth shut? Why can’t he just support his teammates? An answer like “I didn’t ask him to do it, but nice to know he has my back” would be perfectly fine. Would that answer not call enough attention to Pedroia? Would that make someone else look like the real leader?

How selfish can a guy get?

Sherene Iskander Visits Section 36!

Sherene Iskander is a Red Sox fan, a world traveler, and the current Miss Cranberry Country. With all those topics to discuss, I thought

it would be fun if Sherene visited with us. Thankfully, even though she’s busily getting ready for the Miss Massachusetts competition in July, she agreed. 

So let’s see what happens when Sherene Iskander visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate being crowned Miss Cranberry Country?

The first thing I did was Facetime my parents. They live in Oklahoma, so they were unable to attend, but they were so excited to see me with the crown on my head! After that, I went out to

dinner with a few of my friends and had a giant piece of chocolate cake! Definitely my weakness!

What lesson did you learn at the Miss Cranberry Country competition that you can bring with you to the Miss Massachusetts competition?

I’m a pianist and during the talent portion I decided that my goal that day was to have fun with my Liberace-style Chopsticks because it is truly a fun piece to play! The audience could clearly tell I was enjoying myself because they started clapping along, which in turn helped me perform better! So the lesson I took away is to be in the moment and have fun and to not worry about “messing up”, because I’ll perform better if I’m having fun!

What is a goal you'd like to accomplish during your time as Miss Cranberry Country?

Well obviously one goal is to become the next Miss Massachusetts and compete at Miss America! This is my last year of eligibility to compete in the Miss America Organization, so my main goal is to take away everything from this experience that I possibly can and truly enjoy it and make a difference by spreading awareness of my Platform “The Gift of Giving”.

What made you interested in "The Gift of Giving"?

When I was growing up my parents taught me to always appreciate what I had and give back however I could to those around me. But, it never really clicked why, it was just something I was taught. However, in 2013 I was a volunteer at the Boston Marathon Finish Line. The horrible tragedy that happened that day truly showed me the importance of a community and how when we come together and support each other we are stronger. I realized that giving back is really just a way to support others in our community. The whole purpose of “The Gift of Giving” is to show the various ways we can

give back. Not everyone has money to donate or time to volunteer, but everyone can give every single day in some way. It’s about smiling at the person on the T who looks like they’re having a rough day, or helping a classmate understand something. The Gift of Giving is about giving in whatever way one can to create a better community in every aspect.

You've been able to visit all seven continents. What was the trip to Antarctica like?

I love to travel and fortunately when I was growing up, my parents saw the value that travel provided. It opened my eyes to the world and helped me understand the importance of diversity and understanding that differences are to be celebrated, not condemned. When I was 16 I was able to travel to Antarctica, which was no easy task. But, the experience was unlike any other I had while traveling. To go somewhere few have gone and realize how incredibly small I am compared to the world was an eye-opening experience. We even got to go swimming in a volcano... The sand about 8 inches down is incredibly hot, so we dug holes in the sand that when the waves came up and filled them, it would create a “hot tub”. But, the agreement was that if we wanted to enjoy the hot tub, we had to run into the cold ocean water first. Brrrr. I can’t put into words how that trip changed my life, but I am so grateful that my parents were willing to give in to my persistence and trust that I could handle a difficult trip at such a young age. Thanks mom and dad, I owe ya!

You've competed in several "Run Disney" events. What do you like about those races?

Sherene and Alissa

The first Run Disney event I ever ran was the Disney Princess Glass Slipper Challenge in February of 2016. The “challenge” involved running a 10k on Saturday and a half marathon on Sunday. I actually decided to participate because the presenting charity was Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, which is the national platform for Miss America! I even ran as a charity runner for CMNH and raised $1,200. It was such an incredible weekend because I was able to meet several miracle children and even Miss America, and of course, go to all the Disney parks! The race courses even run through the parks, and there’s no experience like running through the Magic Kingdom castle or around the World Showcase at Epcot. Plus, everyone is dressed as Disney characters and princesses, so it definitely makes the miles seem to go by faster. And as a fair warning to anyone reading this, once you run one, you’ll be back! 

The Red Sox are playing this season without David Ortiz for the first time in a while. What's your favorite Ortiz memory?

Absolutely, without a doubt, his speech at the first home game back after the Marathon bombing in 2013. Boston is a strong city and that speech proved to anyone with doubt that this city would recover and be more resilient than ever. This city is and forever will be Boston Strong. 

What do you remember about your last trip to Fenway Park?

My last trip to Fenway Park was amazing (as they always are)! I graduated from Northeastern University last May and one of our events during Senior Week was a Red Sox game! It was such a blast because the entire section was filled with Northeastern students celebrating our graduation! We also beat the Yankees 8-0 that night, so what’s not to love, right?

How do you think the Red Sox will finish the 2017 season?

Obviously they’re going to win it all!

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Oh, obviously!

As always, I want to send out a huge thank you to Sherene for doing this interview. These visits are always very popular, and I have no doubt that here will continue that trend. Also, a big thanks for providing the pictures to accompany the interview. She did a great job of providing shots that matched up with the questions.

As Sherene continues her reign as Miss Cranberry Country, I encourage you to follow her on the official Facebook page, and Instagram. Also, please consider joining in on the “Gift of Giving” by visiting Sherene’s personal Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals donation page. Every little bit helps! 

And, of course, I want to wish Sherene luck in July as she competes for the Miss Massachusetts crown. It would be fantastic for another Section 36 visitor to claim that title.

Thanks again Sherene, and good luck!

From the Pedro Binder

2000 HoloGrFx

Yup. It's another HoloGrfx card, which means there is a ton of sizzle. And, I mean a TON!

But, really, why is it there? Just to be shiny? Just because it can be? The card is actually pretty dull. It's a fairly solid red card, with a tiny picture of Pedro. They even shoved the picture as far to one side as they could, apparently to leave even more room for the red.

The information? Yup. It's as tiny as humanly possible. Who cares what the player's name is? Or their team? Or what position they play? Who cares about that when we can give you this shiny red card!?!

Blech.

The 30-Day Baseball Card Challenge: Day #2

Tony, the wonderful writer of the “Off Hiatus Baseball” blog, started a fun activity based off the “30-Day Music Challenge” that Twitter users were taking. The list of challenges looks like this:

Today, we have Challenge #2: A card with more than one player on it.

Here I am on my second challenge, and I'm wondering if I'm the wrong person to be doing these. Oh, don't get me wrong. They're fun, and I can't wait to do them all. But, I think I take things a little too seriously.

I'm not generally a person who answers "favorite" questions very well. Favorite color? Well, I like some shades of red. But, a good deep blue is wonderful. Or a dark forest green. They all have good sides. Favorite Pixar movie? Well, Toy Story 3 and Cars made me cry, but Up made me laugh. Wall-E was powerful, and Bugs Life was just fun.

So, it was with this attitude that I went into this challenge. A card i liked with more than one player. "A" card. Not, "A dozen cards that all have redeeming qualities." So, I grabbed my binders, and started flipping. After a while, I had several candidates and was analyzing the pros and cons of each, while wondering if there was one I had forgotten somewhere that was even better.

Finally I told myself to just stop it. This was supposed to be a fun post, not a doctoral thesis. So, I went back to the first card that came to mind.

Frankly, this should have been pretty obvious all along.

This is the team card from the 2004 Topps Red Sox World Champions set. Really, is there a better card in all the world? This card has it all. It had the scoreboard in the background thanking the team for breaking the curse. It has the Foil on the top of the card declaring the team the 2004 World Champions. Then it goes ahead and pictures every freakin' member of that 2004 team. (give or take)

So, if I'm going to pick a card with more than one player on it, it really has to be this one. It's the card of the team that changed everything as a Red Sox fan. The players on this card changed the world.

Not many cards can say that.

Sara Achorn Visits Section 36!

Section 36 has another visitor! Sara Achorn is a Red Sox fan, and the current Miss Plymouth County. She's getting ready to compete

for the Miss Massachusetts crown in just a couple months. Thankfully she was nice enough to take time out of her busy schedule and visit with us to discuss her time as Miss Plymouth County, the Red Sox, and more. 

So, let's see what happens when Sara Achorn visits Section 36!

What made you decide to compete for Miss Plymouth County?

Well of course, the crown is beautiful but it's everything that comes along with the crown. I love to give back to the community and people love having queens help out at different events!

Your platform is “Imperfection: Pushing the Importance of Body Positivity in Today’s Youth” Why is that important?

Body positivity is so important because we live in a very judgmental world and I was lacking support growing up and dealing with the way I looked. I want to be the girl I needed when I was a young girl.

You have a background performing in the theater. How did that experience help you in the Miss Plymouth County competition?

My theatre was definitely one of the most helpful things I could have done to prepare for this pageant. My theatre director is very big on thinking on your toes and going with the flow which is really helpful in interviews because you have to think on your toes and be prepared for anything that might get thrown your way.

You’ve sung at various venues, including the TD Garden. How is that different than singing for the talent portion of a competition?

If I'm being truly honest, it's not much different at all. I sang the

national Anthem at TD Garden for my high school basketball team's state championship game so I was in front of all of my peers. It's scary doing things in front of the people you go to school with because lets face it, high school kids are judgmental. In pageants, the judges are judging you in a positive way and are looking to help you improve so that would be the only difference. I'm still nervous as ever in both instances though!

What do you hope to accomplish during your time as Miss Plymouth County?

I am hoping to do lots and lots of appearances but on top of that I want to raise $2000 for the Children's Miracle Network. I am already at $1000 so I don't have far to go. I will be holding fundraisers in order to reach this goal. I really want to hold a Fenway Frank hotdog eating contest this summer before Miss Massachusetts in July because who doesn't love hodogs?!

The Red Sox just opened their season for the first time in a long time without David Ortiz on the roster. What’s your favorite Ortiz memory?

I know most people would talk about the very passionate speech he gave after the Boston Marathon bombing with his slightly vulgar language but no one pays attention to all of the charity work he does. He loves kids and loves to help other people. I love his passion about working with New England and Dominican Republic children's hospitals. He runs an organization called, "The David Ortiz Children’s Fund". It's things like this that we as the American people need to focus on with our celebrities.

Who is your favorite current Red Sox player? Why?

I really like Dustin Pedroia because he makes sure that he is a positive role model for his young fans. Some famous people make really dumb choices and don't give any kids reasons to look up to them but they do anyways. That's one of the reasons we have so many kids making bad decisions. They see their favorite pro doing it. You never hear about Pedroia doing things like that. Aside from that of course, he's a very good team player and works really hard at his craft. 

Is the Benintendi-Bradley-Betts trio the best outfield you’ve ever seen?

If I'm being quite honest, I don't pay attention THAT much to baseball but I asked my dad who is a huge fan and he said Rice-Lynn-Evans was the best he's ever seen.

How will the Red Sox finish the 2017 season?

Growing up in a house where the Red Sox is practically a religion, I'd be a disgrace if I didn't say I hope we win another World Series.

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I agree, she'd definitely be a disgrace! Glad Sara had the right answer.

As always, I want to send a huge thank you to Sara for taking the time to visit with us. I hope you enjoyed it. Another big thanks for supplying so many great pictures to go along with the interview. They really make the interview much better than it would be otherwise.

If you'd like to keep up with Sara during her time as Miss Plymouth County, check out her official Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts. Really, you should.

And, of course, I want to wish Sara luck at the Miss Massachusetts competition in July! Hopefully another former Section 36 visitor will bring home that crown.

Thanks again Sara, and good luck!

So, That’s Where the Offense Was

Every time the Red Sox have some trouble scoring runs, the questions come out. No matter how many runs they score the game before, or how many runs they’ve scored over the season. Whenever a game like Monday’s comes around, when they get a great pitching performance in a loss, there are questions.

And, I get that. It’s frustrating. Chris Sale was brilliant. He was everything we hoped he would be, and a couple things we didn’t dare hope we would be. But, he lost the game 2-1, to drop his record on the season to 0-1. That’s not how it’s supposed to go. Thankfully, in this case, there was a very simple answer to the question. Where was the offense?

In Boston.

Unfortunately for the Red Sox, while the Red Sox were trying to battle Justin Verlander in Detroit, Hanley Ramirez was in Boston sick. Xander Bogaerts was in Boston after his flight from Aruba was cancelled following bereavement leave. Those are your #4 and #6 hitters from Opening Day. Jackie Bradley Jr was out, and on the DL. There’s, now, a third of your preferred line-up sitting this one out. That would be enough to make a dent in any team’s offensive output.

But, it got worse. Mookie Betts was in his second game back following a bout with the flu. Think he was 100%? I doubt it. Andrew Benintendi didn’t miss any time after losing his lunch mid-game a couple games ago. But, I’m guessing he wasn’t in top form either. So, if you’re scoring at home…from your Opening Day line-up, the #2 and #3 hitters were less than 100%, the #4, #6, and #7 hitters were missing.

I’m amazed they managed to score one run. On the road. Against Justin Verlander.

Because, while I always agreed with Jimy Williams that his team was “all major leaguers” I always disagreed with the idea that this made them interchangeable. If you’re missing more than half of your expected line-up, there’s really not a lot you’re going to be able to do about it.

And, the Red Sox certainly suggested that was exactly the case. Once they added Xander and Hanley back in, and got the others another day healthier, the bats “suddenly” showed up. They scored a bunch of runs, and took advantage of opportunities. While in Detroit, the Sox couldn’t really take advantage of a fluke bases loaded situation, last night the Sox made the Orioles pay for every mistake. They showed everything we expected to see at the beginning of the season.

So, I think you really need to give the Sox a pass for the entire Detroit series. Honestly, going into the series, a split on the road is a decent goal. Winning one game instead of two wasn’t really that terrible of a performance. Especially when Verlander is pitching one of the games. In Detroit.

While your offense was in Boston.

The 30-Day Baseball Card Challenge: Day #1

Tony, the wonderful writer of the “Off Hiatus Baseball” blog, started a fun activity based off the “30-Day Music Challenge” that Twitter users were taking.

The idea was to take a list of challenges, and find cards that meet those challenges. Along the lines of a scavenger hunt. You know I like scavenger hunts! The list of challenges looks like this:

Thankfully, Tony said the challenge didn’t have to be completed in 30 days. That might be a bit much for me to take on. (Plus, I’m already several days behind.) But, being able to take my time is very appealing. I’ve done long-term lists before like A-Z and 1-36, so this one should be fun. I’ll take a shot at doing these once a week, but we’ll see how that goes.

Today, we start with Challenge #1: A card from the current year with a photo you like.

Interesting. I don’t see where Tony said whether you need to personally own the cards, or not. But, I’m going to assume it needs to be a card in my collection. So, I went to my 2017 binder to find a card with a picture I like. Right away, I saw a problem.

I didn’t know how to define “like.”

Two cards came immediately to the forefront. The one that many people would pick is the Mookie Betts card shown below.

It’s a fabulous shot of Mookie doing everything he can to make a catch. You can even see the ball nestled in his glove. My issue was that as great a picture of a catch it is, it’s not like it’s the best picture of a diving catch ever. Which means there wasn’t really anything special about it. Even though I “liked” it.

Then I saw this card.

Now, I really “like” this picture. After all, as a Red Sox fan, was there a single part of the off-season that was better than learning that the Red Sox traded for Chris Sale? Not to me. Chris Sale would be pitching in Boston, and here’s the proof. Here’s Sale mid-windup showing off that Red Sox uniform he will eventually wear. 

What’s not to like?

But, obviously, this is not a remarkable picture at all. If this card showed Rick Porcello, or Tyler Thornburg, or Pedro Martinez it would be easily overlooked. But, it doesn’t show those pitchers. It shows hope. It shows expectation. It shows the path to the World Series.

I really like that.

Samantha Mackes Visits Section 36!

Section 36 has another visitor! Samantha Mackes is a Red Sox fan, and the current Miss Exeter. She's getting ready to compete for the Miss New Hampshire crown in just a couple short weeks. Thankfully she was nice enough to take time out of her busy schedule and visit with us to discuss her time as Miss Exeter, the Red Sox, and more. 

So, let's see what happens when Samantha Mackes visits Section 36!

You've been involved in the Miss NH organization for a while. What do you like most about being a titleholder?

I really love the volunteerism part of being a titleholder! Getting dressed up is great, but I love having the ability and the opportunity to go out into the community and make a change. Seeing kid’s faces when you walk into the room wearing a crown isn’t half bad either!

What lessons from previous pageants can you use at this year's Miss NH competition?

To make every moment count and to give it your all, to never feel like you wish you could change something.  

You made a memorable volunteering trip to Africa. What do you remember most from that experience?

There is so much from that trip that I will never forget. I worked in an orphanage for a week with a group of students and we spent time with the kids and worked around the orphanage. I think the most memorable however would be building a library and a sustainable garden – two things that have had a lasting impact for them. Spending the time to create a library and a garden from nothing really makes you appreciate what you have.

What can you tell me about your platform, "Fighting for their dreams: Nurturing their future"?

My platform revolves around mentoring! I spend a lot of time

working with many different organizations as a mentor, and even created my own program to help encourage peer mentoring in schools!  I work with Strong Women, Strong Girls; Big Sister’s Association of Boston; Mission Hill After School Program; and the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. The program I created is called WRITES, which stands for Writing Relationships in the Education System. It is a peer based mentoring program that involves students in grades 1-4 being matched with a mentor in grades 5-8, whom they exchange letters with once a week! The program aims to combine a mentoring relationship with a writing relationship to help not only with social skills, but with writing skills as well. My goal is for every child to have a mentor, someone who is always there for them, outside of their family. 

With all the titles you've held in the past, has anything surprised you about your time as Miss Exeter?

How welcoming the community is! This is my 4^th title, but with all of my others, the community hasn’t always been so accepting. In one case, I didn’t have any specific area because I was Miss Granite State! Exeter has really welcomed me in and made me feel welcome. I’m actually part of their Chamber Children’s Fund, which is a great honor! My year as Miss Exeter has been my favorite so far!

This season, the Red Sox have a changing of the guard. David Ortiz is gone, leaving the team with the young kids. Which of the four B's (Betts, Benintendi, Bradley, and Bogaerts) are you most excited about?

I am most interested in seeing what Benintendi can do! The others

have had their shot to show us what they are capable of. 

Speaking of David Ortiz, what’s your favorite Ortiz memory?

Personally, my favorite memory was seeing my first home run! But in the history of the Red Sox, I’d have to say it’s his first walk-off homer against the Yankees that started their comeback! 

What was your first trip to Fenway like?

It was a great experience! I had only ever been to Fisher Cats games, so I was amazed at how big the stadium is in comparison. I also loved all of the food, because let’s be honest, pageant girls eat a lot! I went with my family for my brother’s birthday, so it definitely has a special place in my heart. 

How will the Red Sox do in 2017?

As someone who is going to school in the city, I love the big celebrations after any major win, so I’m hoping for another World Series win! I’m confident that with some hard work, we can do it, even without Ortiz.

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Hard to argue with that analysis! I hope she gets to go to a parade in the fall.

As always, I want to send a huge thank you to Sam for taking the time to visit with us. I hope you enjoyed it. Another big thanks for supplying so many great pictures to go along with the interview. They really make the interview much better than it would be otherwise.

If you'd like to keep up with Sam during her time as Miss Exeter, check out her official Facebook and Instagram accounts. You really should do both.

And, of course, I'd like to wish Sam luck at the Miss New Hampshire competition starting on the 27th. Maybe her next visit will be as Miss New Hampshire! 

Thanks again Sam, and good luck!