There’s a certain school of thought that believes men have a subconscious desire to “save” people (usually women) from horrible circumstances. It’s the whole wanting-to-be-a-hero complex, probably best expressed in Back to the Future when the dorky George McFly punches out Biff Tannen to win the affections of young Lorraine Baines. Which is why it’s no shock that a day after the Red Sox get ousted from the playoffs, Derek Lowe has offered his services to them.

According to the BOSTON GLOBE, Lowe has not only put Boston on the top of his “wants to play with” list, he also made the old PR-statement about how money isn’t everything, he just wants to play somewhere that’s committing to winning, blah blah blah. You know the drill.

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That low rumble you heard in Los Angeles last night wasn’t an earthquake - it was the sound of one million Dodger mini-flags being ripped off of cars simultaneously. The team didn’t have a total collapse like the Cubs, but a sixth-inning mini-meltdown of one bad throw and two lousy pitches undid the rest of the night and equaled a 3-2 defeat.

Dodger fans throughout LA have one question: when does the Lakers season start? That, and if Joe Torre should have lifted Derek Lowe after Chase Utley deposited a ball into the bleachers in right center to tie the game. I agree with the LA TIMES’ BLUE NOTES that you have to leave Lowe in: he had been cruising along until then. If you want to find a goat, look at Rafael Furcal going 0-4 at the top of the line-up and making a lousy throw. Or the 6-7-8 hitters for the Dodgers, who went 1-11.

And speaking of finger-pointing: Clemson Tigers, meet your fans! If you thought that the fans were hard on you after your loss to Maryland, you probably want to schedule some extra sessions with the team therapist to deal with the fallout from your 12-7 loss to Wake Forest and practically Auburn-like offense. Perhaps it’s just karma for taking away Ray Ray McElrathbey’s scholarship in the off-season.

Here’s some more news to ponder while watching the Dow Jones Index go down another hundred points. Wait, make it two hundred! Three hundred! Wow, I didn’t even know it could go into negative numbers…

• YAHOO! SPORTS weighs in that MMA sensation Gina Carano is putting her career - and health - in danger by having to continually struggle to make weight.
• So who is throwing out the first pitch for the Rays before Game 1 of the ALCS? The TAMPA TRIBUNE says that it will be 11 original season ticket holders. Dick Vitale will have to wait until Game 2.
• The CANTON REPOSITORY says that if Romeo Crennel had a vote, his players would keep their politics to themselves after Brady Quinn introduced John McCain at a local rally and Willie McGinnest publicly backed Barack Obama.
• Maybe McCain’s campaign should hire Don Cherry to yell at him for motivation: after the Maple Leaf’s management was ripped by the blustery Canadian broadcasting legend, Toronto went out and beat the defending Stanley Cup champions Detroit Red Wings during the NHL Opening Night Except for Games Played in Europe.
• While his brother might be taking the high road about the New York Yankees, Frank Torre isn’t, gloating to the USA TODAY about the Yankees’ misfortune this season.
• NASCAR drivers acting like idiots, and neither of them are named Tony Stewart? The CHARLOTTE OBSERVER says that Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards scuffled in the garage as fall-out from last week’s wreck at Talladega.
• Enjoy it while you can, Clippers fans, even if it’s the preseason - LA’s second NBA team takes out the Lakers 107-80, which doesn’t keep Phil Jackson from suggesting to a TV reporter that the Clippers should move to Fresno. Ouch.
• And speaking of Fresno: the FRESNO BEE notes that apparently the NCAA frowns on having a local club host your 21st birthday party with ads in the paper, as Bulldogs RB Ryan Mathews found out.
• Want to be an MLB player? Well, the Royals are almost a big league team, and the KANSAS CITY STAR says that they are having open tryouts this weekend.
• And finally, a story about Notre Dame lineman Pat Kuntz and his ever-changing hairstyle, which is now a Mohawk. Gentlemen, I’ll leave the jokes about the landing strip of hair on Kuntz to you in comments.

Well, we here in Lipstick City absolutely can’t wait for the Dodgers to collapse down the stretch bring playoff baseball back to The Basin. Of course, my radar is currently out for any and all exciting Dodger news. So along with Jeff Kent’s annual charity Lemon Sucking Festival in Monrovia going off yesterday afternoon without a hitch, I’ve got some Derek Lowe dish.

My favorite #1 #2 #3 #4 starter making $9M-per has put his 4,260 square-foot Manhattan Beach home on the market (nice timing). Asking price? THE REAL ESTALKER reports $5.7M (good luck).

A steep asking price, but when you’re staring stiff alimony and child support payments in the face after a reported marriage-busting affair with former Fox Sports Net anchor Carolyn Hughes, I guess it’s understandable.

“Your Mama” from the real estate blog has some of the sordid particulars of Lowe’s alleged extracurriculars…

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If you needed more proof that Dodgers second baseman Jeff Kent and his pornstache are extremely unhappy, here ya go: he hates longtime announcer Vin Scully.

Okay, maybe that’s overstating it a bit, but Kent bristles at the notion that he’s become a better hitter with Manny Ramirez behind him in the lineup, and he’ll gladly let you know as much. And that includes you, Vin.

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• The AOL FAN HAUS has a novel idea: let’s have coverage of the 8 a.m. patron stampede at Augusta.

• DEADSPIN has your Manchester vs. Arsenal live blog love.

• Timberwolves fans are not happy that their team keeps winning. TNABACG explains. Read more…

Vin Scully is a true broadcasting legend. The long-time announcer has been covering the Dodgers for decades, becoming a synonymous symbol of the team, just as much as Tommy Lasorda or Fernando Valenzuela.

But one member of the Blue Crew apparently isn’t tickled pink about Vin’s vaunted tenure. TRUE BLUE L.A. turns red when they hear Derek Lowe dissing on the stoic Scully. Read more…