Football fans all over New England (except for me, who didn't give a shit) were ecstatic when they heard that the Patriots signed veteran running back Fred Taylor, who is still a huge impact player when healthy.
They will significantly less ecstatic if he moves his family to Massachusetts, and his son starts steamrolling their children:
Note: You may not be that impressed, but he's in the 8TH GRADE and he's playing against high schoolers.
Showing posts with label New England Patriots. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New England Patriots. Show all posts
Friday, March 6, 2009
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
The 2007-08 Patriots Brought Us Back Down to Earth
Domination. Dynasty. Dee best team in the league. Ever.
The 2007-08 Patriots sure had a good shot to claim association rights for all these words and phrases. After slapping around the already weary and beat up San Diego Chargers for their 4th AFC Title in 7 years, most fans were feeling pretty good about a week 17 re-match with the New York football Giants. I knew we had a legit shot. I think most people in Boston and New England were in the “cautiously optimistic” caucus, knowing full well that there are no sure things in sports.
Even for the more-dominant-than-usual Patriots.
After all, we hearty frost-bitten New Englanduhs were only a year removed from one of the worst playoff defeats in Boston sports history. Losing to the Colts in that gad-dang velodrome out in the heartland was far worse than losing Game 6 of the World Series in 1986. Since I grew up a FAN (not an obsessive-compulsive devotee) of the Red Sox, I didn’t know that Buckner doffing that ground ball only evened the series at 3 games apiece until I was 21 years old. All that time, until that one fateful night watching a NESN retrospective on the magical Boston sports season of 1985-1986 in which all 4 of our professional teams were in the finals, I had assumed that clip was in fact depicting the Mets clinching the title. I was too busy growing up, being a weird kid in Natick, playing football, throwing the shot-put and applying to college, to realize that NO, stupid!!!! The damn Sox had Game 7, and an extra day thanks to rain, to redeem themselves and blew that too. Sure, Game 6 was devastating. They were a strike away from having the Series crown. But it carried way too much weight in this town.
Two years removed from the sweet relief of the 2004 World Series title, and having won 3 Super Bowls since 2002, the dark days of 1986 were a distant memory on Sunday, January 21, 2007. But what would go down on this day was worse. It stung more. The ’86 Sox were close. And broke a lot of hearts – but they really just cut through scar tissue and refreshed old wounds. The Patriots of recent memory had been different. We were supposed to go into Indy and beat a good team whose defense, up until the playoffs, had underachieved mightily. Matchups be damned. Dwight Freeney going against Matt Light and whoever the other tackle was? Light plays up in big games. Bob Sanders covering wideouts like Jabar Gaffney and an aging Troy Brown? It had never been a problem before. Know why? “We got Bra-dy, cha---cha, cha-cha-cha!!!”
That’s right, we had Brady. Recent history had told us loud and clear that the Pats’ defense had to play well, but not spectactular, against Peyton. We had Kevin Faulk, one of the best and most versatile situational backs out there. We had a veteran / rookie team of Corey Dillon and Laurence Maroney. The offense looked as good as it ever had. Plus, we had Brady.
Since Brady took the helm, a slightly modernized Walsh-style offense thrived. And won games. But not today. Too many well-thrown balls dropped. A defensive effort that was good enough to give us a chance, but without the punch to put Peyton’s ass on the carpet often enough to rattle him or take the ball out of his hands with turnovers. So we went home defeated.
Then came the most exciting Patriots’ offseason since drafting Drew Bledsoe at the dawn of the Parcells Era. The ultra-value investors of the Patriots’ coaching and management staff decided to grab a few blue chip wideouts to go with their superstar quarterback. We got Wes Welker. We got Donte Stallworth. And most importantly, we got Randy Moss. The Patriots stacked up like never before. Already picked as a contender yet again, they had a superstar QB, solid defense capable of improving, and a 2nd year running back in Maroney who showed signs that he’d blossom in 2007. We had an elusive, tough, and speedy bulldog of a wideout in Welker who not only fit in the playbook, he fit in the fans’ hearts as the scrappy underdog. And Randy effing Moss.
Tom Brady was more excited for 2007 than he was on his first date with Gisele. And for good reason: Moss re-defined the deep ball during his years with the Vikings, to paraphrase Chris Carter on HBO’s Inside the NFL. A team that was a couple plays away from an exciting AFC win title, and would have beat that wide-eyed Bears squad by 17, now had an all-world wideout with whom their all-world QB could pick apart defenses.
To say we were the Super Bowl favorites heading into the 2007-08 season was a platitude rivaled only by saying something akin to “My, it is soooo nice outside today!” while wasting a July day reclining on a beach in Maine. We’d go 14-2, and beat whoever the NFC sent to Arizona. That was my prediction that July, sitting on that beach in Maine. Barring devastating injuries, smooth sailing was in store for these New England Patriots. A team that won the right way, with class, pride, and an unrelenting determination was going to win their 4th NFL Championship. I felt it in the cockles of my heart, dammnit!
Like the 49ers and Giants teams of the 80’s and early 90’s, the Patriots had swagger, personality, star power, and a defense, and fans whose devotion rivals that of the craziest NFL fan base in the country. They had not been denied their perfect regular season. They would enjoy the extra week off given the best team in the AFC, and of course home games throughout the playoffs.
Two weeks after defeating Green Bay, the Giants rolled into the desert drooling and snarling. Riding high on a playoff run almost as improbable as that of the 2001-2002 Patriots, having broken the sunburned balls, slapped around Dallas as if they had stolen their prom date, and pulled of a win in the most frozen condition the Tundra had ever seen on an infamy-preventing, career-redeeming field goal by Tynes in OT. Not only were they white-hot and peaking at the right time of the year, their week 17 near-miss against the “unbeateable” Patsies was still fresh in their minds, and thus they were still playing as if each Sunday were their last. Not Brett Favre-Mississippi-drama-queen-debutante style. They played inspired, with fire under their asses, and ice in their veins.
Pats fans moan about the Giants’ victory, citing the lucky grab towards the end of the game, insisting still that Eli is not that good of a quarterback. He played well enough for them to win, and the Giants’ defense had the gameplan they needed to win. Pretty simple really: if Brady is getting knocked down, he can’t throw to Moss or Welker or anybody else.
So now that the wounds from the Patriots’ loss to the Giants on that cold dark evening have long since scarred over, I can look back and say that the team is better off having lost that game. No parade, no rolling rally, no dancing in the streets. I love Boston, I love Boston fans, but let’s face it, some are just as annoying as that Jersey kid with a Yankees cap on, talking shit on Lansdowne Street. It wasn’t enough in 2007 for New England to worship the team, we needed the whole league, the national press, the whole damn world to be glowing from this win. We became the very type of fans that we despise with such ardor - we became entitled.
Thank you, David Tyree. Thanks Osi. Thanks Eli. The winter was cold, but the Celtics won and the summer was gorgeous.
The 2007-08 Patriots sure had a good shot to claim association rights for all these words and phrases. After slapping around the already weary and beat up San Diego Chargers for their 4th AFC Title in 7 years, most fans were feeling pretty good about a week 17 re-match with the New York football Giants. I knew we had a legit shot. I think most people in Boston and New England were in the “cautiously optimistic” caucus, knowing full well that there are no sure things in sports.
Even for the more-dominant-than-usual Patriots.
After all, we hearty frost-bitten New Englanduhs were only a year removed from one of the worst playoff defeats in Boston sports history. Losing to the Colts in that gad-dang velodrome out in the heartland was far worse than losing Game 6 of the World Series in 1986. Since I grew up a FAN (not an obsessive-compulsive devotee) of the Red Sox, I didn’t know that Buckner doffing that ground ball only evened the series at 3 games apiece until I was 21 years old. All that time, until that one fateful night watching a NESN retrospective on the magical Boston sports season of 1985-1986 in which all 4 of our professional teams were in the finals, I had assumed that clip was in fact depicting the Mets clinching the title. I was too busy growing up, being a weird kid in Natick, playing football, throwing the shot-put and applying to college, to realize that NO, stupid!!!! The damn Sox had Game 7, and an extra day thanks to rain, to redeem themselves and blew that too. Sure, Game 6 was devastating. They were a strike away from having the Series crown. But it carried way too much weight in this town.
Two years removed from the sweet relief of the 2004 World Series title, and having won 3 Super Bowls since 2002, the dark days of 1986 were a distant memory on Sunday, January 21, 2007. But what would go down on this day was worse. It stung more. The ’86 Sox were close. And broke a lot of hearts – but they really just cut through scar tissue and refreshed old wounds. The Patriots of recent memory had been different. We were supposed to go into Indy and beat a good team whose defense, up until the playoffs, had underachieved mightily. Matchups be damned. Dwight Freeney going against Matt Light and whoever the other tackle was? Light plays up in big games. Bob Sanders covering wideouts like Jabar Gaffney and an aging Troy Brown? It had never been a problem before. Know why? “We got Bra-dy, cha---cha, cha-cha-cha!!!”
That’s right, we had Brady. Recent history had told us loud and clear that the Pats’ defense had to play well, but not spectactular, against Peyton. We had Kevin Faulk, one of the best and most versatile situational backs out there. We had a veteran / rookie team of Corey Dillon and Laurence Maroney. The offense looked as good as it ever had. Plus, we had Brady.
Since Brady took the helm, a slightly modernized Walsh-style offense thrived. And won games. But not today. Too many well-thrown balls dropped. A defensive effort that was good enough to give us a chance, but without the punch to put Peyton’s ass on the carpet often enough to rattle him or take the ball out of his hands with turnovers. So we went home defeated.
Then came the most exciting Patriots’ offseason since drafting Drew Bledsoe at the dawn of the Parcells Era. The ultra-value investors of the Patriots’ coaching and management staff decided to grab a few blue chip wideouts to go with their superstar quarterback. We got Wes Welker. We got Donte Stallworth. And most importantly, we got Randy Moss. The Patriots stacked up like never before. Already picked as a contender yet again, they had a superstar QB, solid defense capable of improving, and a 2nd year running back in Maroney who showed signs that he’d blossom in 2007. We had an elusive, tough, and speedy bulldog of a wideout in Welker who not only fit in the playbook, he fit in the fans’ hearts as the scrappy underdog. And Randy effing Moss.
Tom Brady was more excited for 2007 than he was on his first date with Gisele. And for good reason: Moss re-defined the deep ball during his years with the Vikings, to paraphrase Chris Carter on HBO’s Inside the NFL. A team that was a couple plays away from an exciting AFC win title, and would have beat that wide-eyed Bears squad by 17, now had an all-world wideout with whom their all-world QB could pick apart defenses.
To say we were the Super Bowl favorites heading into the 2007-08 season was a platitude rivaled only by saying something akin to “My, it is soooo nice outside today!” while wasting a July day reclining on a beach in Maine. We’d go 14-2, and beat whoever the NFC sent to Arizona. That was my prediction that July, sitting on that beach in Maine. Barring devastating injuries, smooth sailing was in store for these New England Patriots. A team that won the right way, with class, pride, and an unrelenting determination was going to win their 4th NFL Championship. I felt it in the cockles of my heart, dammnit!
Like the 49ers and Giants teams of the 80’s and early 90’s, the Patriots had swagger, personality, star power, and a defense, and fans whose devotion rivals that of the craziest NFL fan base in the country. They had not been denied their perfect regular season. They would enjoy the extra week off given the best team in the AFC, and of course home games throughout the playoffs.
Two weeks after defeating Green Bay, the Giants rolled into the desert drooling and snarling. Riding high on a playoff run almost as improbable as that of the 2001-2002 Patriots, having broken the sunburned balls, slapped around Dallas as if they had stolen their prom date, and pulled of a win in the most frozen condition the Tundra had ever seen on an infamy-preventing, career-redeeming field goal by Tynes in OT. Not only were they white-hot and peaking at the right time of the year, their week 17 near-miss against the “unbeateable” Patsies was still fresh in their minds, and thus they were still playing as if each Sunday were their last. Not Brett Favre-Mississippi-drama-queen-debutante style. They played inspired, with fire under their asses, and ice in their veins.
Pats fans moan about the Giants’ victory, citing the lucky grab towards the end of the game, insisting still that Eli is not that good of a quarterback. He played well enough for them to win, and the Giants’ defense had the gameplan they needed to win. Pretty simple really: if Brady is getting knocked down, he can’t throw to Moss or Welker or anybody else.
So now that the wounds from the Patriots’ loss to the Giants on that cold dark evening have long since scarred over, I can look back and say that the team is better off having lost that game. No parade, no rolling rally, no dancing in the streets. I love Boston, I love Boston fans, but let’s face it, some are just as annoying as that Jersey kid with a Yankees cap on, talking shit on Lansdowne Street. It wasn’t enough in 2007 for New England to worship the team, we needed the whole league, the national press, the whole damn world to be glowing from this win. We became the very type of fans that we despise with such ardor - we became entitled.
Thank you, David Tyree. Thanks Osi. Thanks Eli. The winter was cold, but the Celtics won and the summer was gorgeous.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Foil in the Oven: Week 7 Picks
I was 6-8 last week, compiling a losing weekend record for the first time. Unlike Ocho Cinco, I will not offer any excuses. And, as embarrassing as it is to fall below .500, I couldn't be happier with what is currently happening in the league.
There are many who are opposed to parity, preferring instead to watch a handful of dominant teams. I prefer what we currently have, because it means that you have to watch every game. You can't take any outcomes for granted. Even more importantly, it means that we can look forward to lots of meaningful end of season games as the playoff picture shakes itself out. Finally, we have been seeing incredibly exciting games. If NFL games were one minute shorter, I would have been right about 4 more of my picks. Sure, I'd love to have those wins, but I can't help being excited.
Over the past two years, we've been able to predict at least one of the Super Bowl teams without difficulty. That's not the case now. I have no idea who will win this week, never mind February. I have never been less confident in my picks, and that's the way it should be...........
Buffalo over San Diego: There is huge potential for the Chargers to win big in this one. I just want to get that out there. Either Buffalo is going to win a tight game or San Diego is going to roll, and I feel like both are equally likely. But, I'm basing my pick on two trends that have been pretty reliable so far this season. The first trend is that teams playing on opposite coasts have not looked good. In fact, I don't believe that a west coast team has won on the east coast yet this season. The second trend is that teams coming off a bye week have looked rejuvenated and extra-prepared.
SIDENOTE: I will remember last week's Sunday night game as the night the Charger Girls put themselves on the map. Dallas and Oakland obviously have great traditions, and recently my understanding has been that the Redskins cheerleaders were the league's best. However, the Charger girls really made a statement against New England. I'm not somebody who usually notices or spends time discussing the cheerleaders, but how could you not notice them last week? There were times when the camera was focused on a clear cleavage shot for 15 seconds straight (possibly because the game was a sleeper). I can't say enough in support of this production decision. I checked with Babcock before writing this to make sure I wasn't the only one and he said he definitely noticed too.
Chicago over Minnesota: The Vikings are not good. I've been saying it all season, and I don't think anybody can argue with me after last week. They had the Lions at home, and were it not for Dan Orlovsky accidentally taking a safety that game would have gone into OT. Their other two wins were the result of seemingly flukey defensive and special teams plays (although the win over Carolina was more legit than the win over New Orleans). In a way, they're sort of like a poor man's Chicago Bears.
Pittsburgh over Cincinnati: Thank god the Falcons/Bears game ended up being great last week because I nearly choked on my own vomit watching the Bengals and Jets (and the Jets throwback uniforms weren't helping). The downgrade from Carson Palmer to Ryan Fitzpatrick has rendered the Bengals unwatchable. On the flip side, the Steelers just had a week off to do some healing.
Tennessee over Kansas City: I don't think this Tennessee undefeated run is going to last much longer. In fact, earlier this week I was going to take Kansas City. They have been a tough out at home. But, the combination of the bad karma that is due to them after refusing to free Tony Gonzalez and the fact that they will be without Larry Johnson this weekend was enough to change my mind.
Dallas over St. Louis: It will take a lot more injuries and distractions than this to make Dallas as bad as the Rams.
Miami over Baltimore: The Dolphins are dangerous and I can't figure out why John Harbaugh would want to rile them up. I like the fish at home.
Giants over 49ers: I said two weeks ago that I was uncomfortable with the Giants being at the top of the power rankings. As upset as I was with Sunday night's loss, I feel much better about the rest of the season. The Giants weren't good enough for the kind of expectations that were being laid out for them by the media. That doesn't mean I don't think they're good enough to win the Super Bowl. They are. But, they're not just going to cruise through the regular season like the dominant Patriots and Colts teams of the past few seasons. There just aren't any teams like that out there this year. They will however, cruise past the Niners at the Meadowlands this weekend.
New Orleans over Carolina: I've been a little too high on both of these teams so far. I expect this to be high scoring, and I give the Saints the edge in a shootout.
Houston over Detroit: Kill me.
Raiders over Jets: I have a feeling that Favre throws at least two INTs here. I'm going with the opposite coast trend again.
Indy over Green Bay: Close one here. I really like this Packers team, but I can't get that ass-whooping the Colts put on the Ravens out of my head.
Washington over Cleveland: That Browns game on Monday night reminded me of the Bills Monday night home game against Dallas last season (except that obviously Dallas came back to beat the Bills). They were at home on prime time, which has not been the norm for the past few years. The fans were outstanding. There was just a feel throughout the entire game that this was going to be Cleveland's night. For that reason, I need to see how they do this weekend before I can know whether or not they have really turned things around.
Tampa Bay over Seattle: With Matt Hasselbeck out and this game being played in Tampa, there is absolutely no way the Seahawks win this game. It's a lock.
Denver over New England: I can't take the Patriots. How could I after last week?
College Pick of the Week:
Missouri (+6) over Texas: This is really more wishful thinking than anything. A win for the Tigers would totally shake up the college football world. And, it could definitely happen. The burnt orange played great last week, but that secondary is still very concerning. We know that Mizzou is lethal through the air. Texas is coming off a big win that for many associated with the program already makes this season a successful one. Missouri is coming off a frustrating loss and is looking to prove that they are still one of the nation's best teams. Put these factors together, and you've got the recipe for an upset in Austin.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
The NFL After 5 Weeks...
So where do we stand after five weeks of NFL action? In no particular order, we have:
- 2 undefeated teams
- 3 or 4 teams doing better than expected; 3-4 teams doing worse than expected
- The NFC East dominating professional football (of course, the roomofzen.com predicted this domination, so everyone who reads this blog is not surprised, right?)
- Off-the-field trouble in Big D, Cincy, St. Louis, and Oakland
- Al Davis looking like a Zombie from Night of the Living Dead
- Two of last year's best teams returning mediocrity (Pats and Indy)
- The Redskins with a legitimate shot to go 7-1
- TO about to combust
- Plaxico Burress acting like a damn fool
- Chad Johnson dating Pacman Jones' cousin
- Tony Gonzalez complaining about his reception record while his team is losing
Although I follow the NFC East rather closely, I do take notes on the rest of the NFL. Here are some of my notes after five weeks of action:
1) Big Ben is really showing some toughness this year. I know that sounds Madden-esque, but the guy has a sprained shoulder and a crappy offensive line. Instead of taking a few games off, Big Ben has played through the injury, led his team to victories, and not complained once. Furthermore, the guy went from being able to complete only five passes in practice to throwing for 300 yards in their victory over Baltimore. You also have to take into account how badly his offensive line has played. Big Ben gets sacked or hit at least five times a game. That makes Big Ben a badass in my mind.
2) I watched a Raven's press conference yesterday and their new coach, Jim Harbough, is awesome. Anyone who gives the media crap like Jim Harbough has my vote.
3) Miami is still not getting the credit they deserve. They beat the Pats and everyone called it an upset. Most commentators blamed it on Brady being injured. Then they beat the Chargers, and ESPN still calls it an upset. When will people realize that this team is legit, especially with Joey Porter anchoring their defense? He is like Zach Thomas in his prime -- aka nasty. They also have Parcells and we all know he's an evil genius.
4) Is there anyone more predictable than TO? Does it surprise you that he’s talking trash about his team despite being thrown at 18 times? It shouldn’t. The guy is a cancer. What a Bassbowl, as Simmons wrote in his column this week.
5) I said it once, and I'll say it again: what was Brad Childress thinking with Tavaris Jackson and now Gus Frerotte? For those of you who follow the NFL in the off-season, you will remember Childress gushing over Jackson during press-conferences. Childress was adamant about how Jackson would start and would be the player of the future for the Vikings. But anyone with half a brain could tell you otherwise. The guy is not very good. So now they have Frerotte and Childress is saying the same crap about “his confidence in Gus." I know they have AP and that takes stress off their passing game, but Gus Frerotte is not very good. In fact, if you like the Vikings, I promise you he’ll disappoint sooner rather than later; it's only a matter of time, Vikings fans. Take it from someone whose watched him over the years: there is a very good reason Gus is a backup and not a starter (until now). He will start losing games for the Vikings, just like he did for the Redskins.
6) The Titans are a huge surprise, but they have Jeff Fisher, so they'll continue to be consistently good like the Steelers were under Cowher. Again, you can’t underestimate the value of consistently good coaching in the NFL, even with teams that look average on paper. I know this is cliché, but no one seems to give their Coach credit for making a very average team play above their ability level.
7) The Redskins & Giants are playing better than expected. I would actually argue they’re the two best teams in football right now. For example, the Giants lose their best receiver, replace him with an average back-up, and still trounce the Seahawks while making the back-up look like Jerry Rice. The Redskins go on the road twice, handily beat division rivals, and then avoid turnovers for five straight weeks. Translation: I can’t wait until these teams play each other again.
8) Speaking of the Giants, what the heck is wrong with Plaxico Burress? First we go through the drama of Plax not getting his contract during the off-season. Then he gets his contract and gets injured. I know that’s not his fault, but soon after getting his contract, he shows up late to work and we find out that he’s been fined fifty times (!) by the Giants for breaking the rules. Of course you have to ask the question, “why did the Giants give this guy a contract extension?” And of course the answer is, “he is a top-tier, NFL receiver.” But now, according to footballguys.com, we learn about this:
"WR Plaxico Burress (NYG) has apparently been avoiding calls from Khoury Alternative Claims Management, a San Antonio-based third-party administrator trying to catch up with the Giants receiver about some damage he did to a rental car. Burress returned a Suburban on June 2 to Epic Car and Truck Rental in Clifton, N.J., with scratches and dents in the bumper. He paid $996.95 for the rental but owed another $1,759 in damages. Burress dropped the car off after hours and never informed anyone of the damages."
Anyone care to explain this behavior to me? Nick?
9) I know everyone in the media is writing off the Pats, but similar to the Titans, the Patriots will still benefit from world-class coaching. I know this is stating the obvious, but even without Brady, Bill Belichek will make this team competitive week after week. Then again, if they keep losing to the likes of the Dolphins, that theory may have to be modified. Maybe Tom Brady was the next incarnation of Joe Montana? Either way, I still hate the Pats and I'm glad they're back to average...where they belong!
- 2 undefeated teams
- 3 or 4 teams doing better than expected; 3-4 teams doing worse than expected
- The NFC East dominating professional football (of course, the roomofzen.com predicted this domination, so everyone who reads this blog is not surprised, right?)
- Off-the-field trouble in Big D, Cincy, St. Louis, and Oakland
- Al Davis looking like a Zombie from Night of the Living Dead
- Two of last year's best teams returning mediocrity (Pats and Indy)
- The Redskins with a legitimate shot to go 7-1
- TO about to combust
- Plaxico Burress acting like a damn fool
- Chad Johnson dating Pacman Jones' cousin
- Tony Gonzalez complaining about his reception record while his team is losing
Although I follow the NFC East rather closely, I do take notes on the rest of the NFL. Here are some of my notes after five weeks of action:
1) Big Ben is really showing some toughness this year. I know that sounds Madden-esque, but the guy has a sprained shoulder and a crappy offensive line. Instead of taking a few games off, Big Ben has played through the injury, led his team to victories, and not complained once. Furthermore, the guy went from being able to complete only five passes in practice to throwing for 300 yards in their victory over Baltimore. You also have to take into account how badly his offensive line has played. Big Ben gets sacked or hit at least five times a game. That makes Big Ben a badass in my mind.
2) I watched a Raven's press conference yesterday and their new coach, Jim Harbough, is awesome. Anyone who gives the media crap like Jim Harbough has my vote.
3) Miami is still not getting the credit they deserve. They beat the Pats and everyone called it an upset. Most commentators blamed it on Brady being injured. Then they beat the Chargers, and ESPN still calls it an upset. When will people realize that this team is legit, especially with Joey Porter anchoring their defense? He is like Zach Thomas in his prime -- aka nasty. They also have Parcells and we all know he's an evil genius.
4) Is there anyone more predictable than TO? Does it surprise you that he’s talking trash about his team despite being thrown at 18 times? It shouldn’t. The guy is a cancer. What a Bassbowl, as Simmons wrote in his column this week.
5) I said it once, and I'll say it again: what was Brad Childress thinking with Tavaris Jackson and now Gus Frerotte? For those of you who follow the NFL in the off-season, you will remember Childress gushing over Jackson during press-conferences. Childress was adamant about how Jackson would start and would be the player of the future for the Vikings. But anyone with half a brain could tell you otherwise. The guy is not very good. So now they have Frerotte and Childress is saying the same crap about “his confidence in Gus." I know they have AP and that takes stress off their passing game, but Gus Frerotte is not very good. In fact, if you like the Vikings, I promise you he’ll disappoint sooner rather than later; it's only a matter of time, Vikings fans. Take it from someone whose watched him over the years: there is a very good reason Gus is a backup and not a starter (until now). He will start losing games for the Vikings, just like he did for the Redskins.
6) The Titans are a huge surprise, but they have Jeff Fisher, so they'll continue to be consistently good like the Steelers were under Cowher. Again, you can’t underestimate the value of consistently good coaching in the NFL, even with teams that look average on paper. I know this is cliché, but no one seems to give their Coach credit for making a very average team play above their ability level.
7) The Redskins & Giants are playing better than expected. I would actually argue they’re the two best teams in football right now. For example, the Giants lose their best receiver, replace him with an average back-up, and still trounce the Seahawks while making the back-up look like Jerry Rice. The Redskins go on the road twice, handily beat division rivals, and then avoid turnovers for five straight weeks. Translation: I can’t wait until these teams play each other again.
8) Speaking of the Giants, what the heck is wrong with Plaxico Burress? First we go through the drama of Plax not getting his contract during the off-season. Then he gets his contract and gets injured. I know that’s not his fault, but soon after getting his contract, he shows up late to work and we find out that he’s been fined fifty times (!) by the Giants for breaking the rules. Of course you have to ask the question, “why did the Giants give this guy a contract extension?” And of course the answer is, “he is a top-tier, NFL receiver.” But now, according to footballguys.com, we learn about this:
"WR Plaxico Burress (NYG) has apparently been avoiding calls from Khoury Alternative Claims Management, a San Antonio-based third-party administrator trying to catch up with the Giants receiver about some damage he did to a rental car. Burress returned a Suburban on June 2 to Epic Car and Truck Rental in Clifton, N.J., with scratches and dents in the bumper. He paid $996.95 for the rental but owed another $1,759 in damages. Burress dropped the car off after hours and never informed anyone of the damages."
Anyone care to explain this behavior to me? Nick?
9) I know everyone in the media is writing off the Pats, but similar to the Titans, the Patriots will still benefit from world-class coaching. I know this is stating the obvious, but even without Brady, Bill Belichek will make this team competitive week after week. Then again, if they keep losing to the likes of the Dolphins, that theory may have to be modified. Maybe Tom Brady was the next incarnation of Joe Montana? Either way, I still hate the Pats and I'm glad they're back to average...where they belong!
Friday, September 26, 2008
USC vs. Oregon State and Other Thoughts
After a somewhat promising start at the ROOMOFZEN I disappeared off the face of the map for a while. And though I’ve been attempting to jump back into the mix I’ve had trouble with 2 aspects:
1. A serious case of writer’s block.
2. I just don’t watch as much football – college or NFL – as the regular contributors. Yes, I watch the Patriots. But beyond that I feel like a fish out of water.
So to get back in the swing of things I'm going with a bunch of random observations instead of a coherent post.
- I’ve read a lot of different arguments and viewpoints about the 2008 New England Patriots. All I’ll say is this: it’s important for New England fans to keep watching no matter what happens from this point forward. I’d hate to see us associated with other famous bandwagon collapses. The post Jordan Bulls ban base comes to mind.
- Recently I started exercising again, mainly because 4 years after the end of my football career it did not make a lot of sense to walk around weighing like an offensive lineman. Now I’m not as well versed as Babcock and LaRocque when it comes to music. In fact my knowledge and views of the subject are amateur at best, embarrassing at worst. Still I feel confident saying that James Brown is awesome. He can definitely kick start a workout. Thankfully Jim Brown went by “Jim” and not “James”. That would have made an incredibly difficult debate over who was the alpha James Brown. Granted I would have gone with the ridiculous running back/lacrosse player. But the “Hardest Working Man in Show Business” deserves your respect. And yes I realize he's dead. I'm less clear on whether or not this is actually him:
- We’re closing in on two months since the Manny Ramirez trade and I’m not entirely sure how I feel about the Manny Ramirez era. This Curt Schilling stuff didn’t help. Granted Schilling is a loud mouth and a non-factor at this point. But that doesn’t mean I can discount everything he says. More importantly Terry Francona, of all people, took some thinly veiled shots at Ramirez following the deal. Does Francona ever do that? Ultimately I can deal with the disagreements with ownership, the jogging on the base paths, and the lax defense. But the phantom injury claims might just be too much.
- The coverage of sports is so overwhelming that I’ve completely given up on watching sports on TV, outside of the games themselves. When pregame shows, post game shows, SportsCenter, etc. actually made me start to dislike sports a bit, I had to step away from the ledge. Remember when Baseball Tonight was one of the best shows on television, SportsCenter was about highlights, instead of talking heads and human interest stories, and in general networks seemed to understand the less is more concept a bit? Thankfully blogs and podcasts are filling the void. And of course the following happened.
- I’ll preface this by saying I don’t like USC. So that’s out there. Meanwhile, I stayed up late to watch the Trojans play Oregon State and was rewarded big time. The Beavers took it to a team that is loaded with talent and USC came off as a bunch of front runners. Jacquizz Rodgers ran 37 times for 186 yards, was thrown around stonewalled at points, and refused to back down. Factor in the Beavers TD at the end of the half and the late Trojan rally and it was an instant classic. One final point. Heading into the game I didn’t know anything about the Beavers, outside of the fact that Penn State thrashed them. I assumed they’d have to play with a spread offense and try to outscore the Trojans. Not the case. Oregon State used some trick plays and ran plenty of screens. But the offensive line fired off the line and played smash mouth football. Just an awesome, awesome game.
1. A serious case of writer’s block.
2. I just don’t watch as much football – college or NFL – as the regular contributors. Yes, I watch the Patriots. But beyond that I feel like a fish out of water.
So to get back in the swing of things I'm going with a bunch of random observations instead of a coherent post.
- I’ve read a lot of different arguments and viewpoints about the 2008 New England Patriots. All I’ll say is this: it’s important for New England fans to keep watching no matter what happens from this point forward. I’d hate to see us associated with other famous bandwagon collapses. The post Jordan Bulls ban base comes to mind.
- Recently I started exercising again, mainly because 4 years after the end of my football career it did not make a lot of sense to walk around weighing like an offensive lineman. Now I’m not as well versed as Babcock and LaRocque when it comes to music. In fact my knowledge and views of the subject are amateur at best, embarrassing at worst. Still I feel confident saying that James Brown is awesome. He can definitely kick start a workout. Thankfully Jim Brown went by “Jim” and not “James”. That would have made an incredibly difficult debate over who was the alpha James Brown. Granted I would have gone with the ridiculous running back/lacrosse player. But the “Hardest Working Man in Show Business” deserves your respect. And yes I realize he's dead. I'm less clear on whether or not this is actually him:
- We’re closing in on two months since the Manny Ramirez trade and I’m not entirely sure how I feel about the Manny Ramirez era. This Curt Schilling stuff didn’t help. Granted Schilling is a loud mouth and a non-factor at this point. But that doesn’t mean I can discount everything he says. More importantly Terry Francona, of all people, took some thinly veiled shots at Ramirez following the deal. Does Francona ever do that? Ultimately I can deal with the disagreements with ownership, the jogging on the base paths, and the lax defense. But the phantom injury claims might just be too much.
- The coverage of sports is so overwhelming that I’ve completely given up on watching sports on TV, outside of the games themselves. When pregame shows, post game shows, SportsCenter, etc. actually made me start to dislike sports a bit, I had to step away from the ledge. Remember when Baseball Tonight was one of the best shows on television, SportsCenter was about highlights, instead of talking heads and human interest stories, and in general networks seemed to understand the less is more concept a bit? Thankfully blogs and podcasts are filling the void. And of course the following happened.
- I’ll preface this by saying I don’t like USC. So that’s out there. Meanwhile, I stayed up late to watch the Trojans play Oregon State and was rewarded big time. The Beavers took it to a team that is loaded with talent and USC came off as a bunch of front runners. Jacquizz Rodgers ran 37 times for 186 yards, was thrown around stonewalled at points, and refused to back down. Factor in the Beavers TD at the end of the half and the late Trojan rally and it was an instant classic. One final point. Heading into the game I didn’t know anything about the Beavers, outside of the fact that Penn State thrashed them. I assumed they’d have to play with a spread offense and try to outscore the Trojans. Not the case. Oregon State used some trick plays and ran plenty of screens. But the offensive line fired off the line and played smash mouth football. Just an awesome, awesome game.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Week 3 Picks
I was 12-3 with NFL picks in Week 2 (Texans and Ravens did not play).
Here's what I expect in Week 3:
Atlanta ties Kansas City: No matter how hard they try, it will be impossible for both of these teams to lose. But, that doesn’t mean that there has to be a winner.
Buffalo over Oakland: I’ve said that I really like Oakland, and I think that they are going to keep improving steadily as the year continues. I’d actually be picking them if this game were being played in the Black Hole. But, because it isn’t, I’m taking the Bills.
Tampa Bay over Chicago: Tampa can do the same things that Chicago does on defense and special teams, and they’re stronger on offense. I like the Bucs here.
Carolina over Minnesota: Steve Smith’s return will give the 2-0 Panthers a boost. The benching of Tavaris Jackson will create turmoil for a team reeling from not being able to put away Indy last week. The Vikings look like big time pretenders right now. For some reason it seems like everyone assumed that because Adrian Peterson is good, the Vikings would automatically be good. Peterson played great last week, but this team has a lot of holes. In a quarterback happy league, this team concerns me.
New England over Miami: I’d like to turn back the clock on Sunday and watch a classic shootout between Drew Bledsoe and Dan Marino. I’ll settle for Matt Cassel and Chad Pennington, but only because I already know there is a 0% chance of a different game being shown.
Giants over Bengals: I’m literally never going to pick the Bengals to win once this season. Not even if they play the Rams (which I don’t think they do). World champs win big here.
Houston over Tennessee: Despite their horrid week 1 performance, I think that Houston is a more solid all-around team than Tennessee. Big game for Andre Johnson here.
Washington over Arizona: It seems like Arizona is much more talented than Washington. But, by virtue of their divisions, I think the Skins might be better than you think and the Cardinals might be worse. For example, Kurt Warner’s numbers are great right now and he is a great fantasy starter, but where is this team REALLY going? Plus, the games in Washington. I like the skins.
San Francisco over Detroit: This is my third straight week picking the Niners. When I picked them in Week 1, I said "the Niners are better than you think, but they still suck, if that makes sense." I still believe that, and that will be enough to beat the Lions. Much like TO, Issac Bruce does not age.
Seattle over St. Louis: I had to think about this one. It might be close.
Denver over New Orleans: I was wrong about Denver. That they won last week due to referee errors and faulty replay equipment is irrelevant when projecting this week’s game. The Chargers COULD NOT STOP the Broncos’ offense.
Philadelphia over Pittsburgh: This is going to be a great game. The Eagles look very good right now, and DeSean Jackson as a deep threat is going to make Brian Westbrook even more dangerous.
Indy over Jaxonville: The Jags always give Indy trouble, but I like the Colts here. There was a definite moment last week when the Colts offense suddenly clicking.
Baltimore over Cleveland: Where is Brady Quinn?
Dallas over Green Bay: Despite my intense hatred for the Cowboys, it’s hard to not get excited watching Marion the Barbarian running the ball. I fear him.
San Diego over the Jets: The Chargers have played well this season, and I don’t expect that they’ll continue losing in the final seconds of games. Darren Sproules showed that he is a real threat, and the carries he gets now will make that offense even more dangerous once Tomlinson is back to full health. Also, I firmly believe that the Chargers could bring Natrone Means out of retirement, start him at tailback, and still win this game.
College Pick of the Week: Texas Tech (11) over Umass: I’m not exactly going out on a limb here. But, I just wanted to take a minute to highlight the state of Massachusetts. Everyone who knows me knows that I’m a UCONN fan, but I always like to see the Minutemen succeed as well. I went to my first UMASS game over Labor Day Weekend and really enjoyed the experience. Aside from enjoying the largest kielbasa I have ever seen, I found the atmosphere at the game to be great. You can even stand right next to the field and take in the action close up. I doubt this is an option at Texas Tech.
I’m sure there will be no moneyline here. But, this game is in Texas so I’d say you’re probably safe taking the points.
If you want real college picks, here they are:
Take the points on all four of these:
Florida State -4.5 over Wake
Miami -3 over Texas A&M
Florida -7.5 over Tennessee
Mississippi State +8 over Georgia Tech
Go with the spread, sit back, and enjoy. Babcock and I will be at Farmaid.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
2-0
This is what I'm talking about. I couldn't have enjoyed the Patriots win over the Jets any more. The defense looked great. Cassell managed the game well and guys stepped up to make plays when it counted. Two plays stand out to me:
1) Adalius Thomas sacks Favre AND Leon Washington who was attempting to block for Favre. I think we can all admit that Thomas is a fucking animal.
2)To seal the game with under two minutes remaining Wes Welker takes a screen pass on third and 3 and carries three Jets defenders with him for the first down. Game over. This team isn't playing like a team that just lost its chance at a championship.
Here are some pictures from Sunday's action to help refresh in your minds the continued domination of New England over the Jets.
Welcome to the AFC East, Bitch.
Lamont looked great running through Jets Defenders.
I SEE INTO THE FUTURE:
1) One cause for concern, and I hate to say it, is Randy Moss. Moss was held to two catches Sunday and Cassell underthrew him on what should have been an easy touchdown. Now, granted Moss still had a play on the ball and should have caught it, but he had 7 yards on the nearest defender with no one between him and the end zone and he had to come back about 10 yards to the ball. You could tell that Moss was frustrated, and perhaps rightly so. But it got me to thinking...how many 2 catch games is it going to be before a potential "give me the damn ball" crisis is upon us? I hope it doesnt happen, I really dont want to think that things could go sour with Moss who has been a model teammate since coming to New England. They showed a shot of Moss on the sideline towards the end of the game and I swear it looked like he was going to cry. Maybe it was just sweat in his eyes. The bottom line is that he wants to be a part of this teams success and I think with Brady going down he really wants an opportunity to be a playmaker and to carry the load. I just got a little nervous, that's all.
2) If Matt Cassell continues to play efficient, effective football throughout the season I'm willing to bet that he'll be dealt for draft picks in a heartbeat this offseason. You can almost hear Pioli chuckling down in Foxboro as Cassell's stock skyrockets beyond anything ever possibly imagined.
Monday, September 8, 2008
"The Injury"
Where were you when Tom Brady went down with a season ending knee injury? I’ll never forget where I was…Rowe’s Corner Market in Newton, New Hampshire, purchasing tortilla chips, queso dip, and a bag of white powdered Donettes. Everything was coming together perfectly: A rainy Saturday night had given way to a cool, dry, Autumn Sunday afternoon. It was the first Sunday of the NFL season. I was on my way to watching the game with one of my best friends. It really was too good to be true.But something strange occurred to me when I heard the news: I DIDN’T CARE. And, a full 28 hours later I STILL DON’T. Crazy right? Let me try to take you through my thinking, as honestly, I am still making sense of my own reaction.
First off, some background that most of you already know. I am a huge Patriots fan. I don’t want to get into details about how many games I’ve been to, or how long its been since I’ve actually missed watching a game on TV because that’s pointless and someone will always have a claim to be “more of a fan”. Also, I am a huge Tom Brady fan. I didn’t side with the Bledsoe crowd when he took over the helm, and I have even found myself turning a blind eye to his increasingly metrosexual endeavours when I scorn my friends for the same behavior.
Hypocrisy is indeed a hallmark of a sports fanatic, and one I have learned to embrace. Surely this trait has helped me deal with Patriots PR nightmares such as Rodney Harrison’s purchasing of HGH and Kevin Faulk’s attendance at a Lil Wayne concert…I mean… arrest for Marijuana possession. But now I’m getting off track. The Bottom line is that I want nothing more than to see this team succeed. I want them to win every time they take the field. I was on the verge of actually vomiting from watching them lose the Super Bowl. I don’t think anyone can disagree with the following statement: you don’t almost puke if you don’t care.
So that being said, let’s try to get inside my head a little bit here, as scary as that might be. The following are a couple of theories as to why I just can’t give a shit about Tom Brady being out for the season.
1) Maybe I never really came to terms with the Super Bowl loss. I’m sure it is something that Patriots fans will struggle with for generations: One of the greatest feats in the history of professional sports wrested from our hands in the final seconds of the biggest game of the year. It was, and still is, the ultimate sporting heartbreak of my lifetime. And so, seeing as how I was left a fragile, hollow shell of a fan by the experience, I am too scared to love again, as it were. I would rather avoid the potential for greatness altogether, simply because with the potential for greatness comes the potential for great tragedy, and I just don’t think I can handle that again at this point in my life. Maybe someday if I have kids and other “real” responsibilities I will be able to see how silly this all is. But not now. You see, losing Brady takes all the pressure off. I can go a whole season without having to listen to the talking heads (myself included, I guess) build the Patriots up to a level that is in reality unattainable. Even more so, I don’t have to deal with my team being the favorite every week, or the team that “everyone loves to hate”, or the team that “runs up the score”, or “cheats”, etc…Now we will be decided underdogs, probably no longer favored to win our own division. I like being in the underdog position. It was from this position that the greatest of all Patriot moments was born.
So that being said, let’s try to get inside my head a little bit here, as scary as that might be. The following are a couple of theories as to why I just can’t give a shit about Tom Brady being out for the season.
1) Maybe I never really came to terms with the Super Bowl loss. I’m sure it is something that Patriots fans will struggle with for generations: One of the greatest feats in the history of professional sports wrested from our hands in the final seconds of the biggest game of the year. It was, and still is, the ultimate sporting heartbreak of my lifetime. And so, seeing as how I was left a fragile, hollow shell of a fan by the experience, I am too scared to love again, as it were. I would rather avoid the potential for greatness altogether, simply because with the potential for greatness comes the potential for great tragedy, and I just don’t think I can handle that again at this point in my life. Maybe someday if I have kids and other “real” responsibilities I will be able to see how silly this all is. But not now. You see, losing Brady takes all the pressure off. I can go a whole season without having to listen to the talking heads (myself included, I guess) build the Patriots up to a level that is in reality unattainable. Even more so, I don’t have to deal with my team being the favorite every week, or the team that “everyone loves to hate”, or the team that “runs up the score”, or “cheats”, etc…Now we will be decided underdogs, probably no longer favored to win our own division. I like being in the underdog position. It was from this position that the greatest of all Patriot moments was born.
Was the 2001 Super Bowl win over the Rams the pinnacle for Patriots fans? Since “19-0 The Perfect Season” exists only in fleeting memories of what could have been and in copyrighted documents in Robert Kraft’s file cabinets, probably. This isn’t to take away from the Championship wins in 2003 and 2004, but let’s be honest here.
2) Shortly after the injury occurred I admit I was optimistic about Brady being able to return at some point during the season. He did walk off the field after all, and in a situation like this one would assume that all precautions would be taken. Brady is the face of the Franchise, Stetson Cologne, and guys everywhere who don’t want their children to take their last names (Personally, I think it would be funny to pass a name like ‘Babcock’ on to another generation). I was intrigued to see what Cassell would bring to the table. When he led the Patriots down the field for their first score after three rushing attempts that collectively came within 1 cunt-hair of a safety, I immediately texted LaRocque “QUARTERBACK CONTROVERSY!” What an improbable storyline that would be…perhaps the greatest obscure-backup-taking-over-for-injured-starter-and-leading-a-franchise to glory only to have his own obscure backup takeover and lead the team to glory. (Imagine Elton John singing “The Circle of Life” while action shots of Drew Bledsoe morph into Tom Brady morph into Matt Cassel on the jumbo-tron at Gillette Stadium…the crowd goes absolutely wild, the sun sets across the Serengeti…). Of course, with Brady on IR for the year there is no “controversy” so to speak of. The Patriots have already begun auditioning possible quarterbacks to add to the roster including the likes of Tim “Timmy Rattails” Rattay, as a former colleague of mine (a 49ers fan) refers to him. To which I say unenthusiastically…sweet. But doesn’t everyone want to root for Matt Cassell? He has been a backup quarterback for approximately 19 years of his life already, and is there a bigger shadow a backup quarterback could dwell in right now than the one cast by Tom Brady? I want to see him do well. There has to be a reason that he hasn’t been cut yet, right? Has Bellichick ever been really wrong about cutting a player? No. So we should have some faith in him in this instance, shouldn’t we? I think so.
I’m not ready to let the “Bellichick is a genius” storyline go by the wayside…now we’ll really get to see if this is true. Just imagine Bellichick, adorned in his traditional hooded sweatshirt, and Scott Pioli sitting in a dimly lit office over looking Patriot Place...(Pioli) "What do you think about Cassell, Bill?" (Bellichick, staring into the distance) "The Force is strong with this one." No one ever imagined that Matt Cassell would be leading us into battle against the Jets in week 2, and that’s what makes it so interesting. This would just be another game the Patriots SHOULD win, even with the Favre sideshow. Now nobody knows, and I like it that way.3) All Patriots fans would have to agree that over the past couple of years the initial “team first” mentality of the Patriots has grown in such a way that insiders and outsiders both attributed the success of the team to the success of Brady. It would be foolish for me to argue against this, but one of the things I love(d) about this team is that for the most part it was a collective effort. The Patriots have two of the best offensive players to ever play the game in Brady and Moss (more on Randy later), and at times last year these two players alone were enough to defeat entire teams. With the loss of Brady games are going to be won in new ways: on the ground, with defense, with special teams. Let me point out that the Patriots have always had success in these other areas, but last season was all about their offense.
I love the Patriots Defense, particularly their defensive line, so now we get to see what these guys can do when asked to carry the load. “The Injury”, as it will henceforth be known, opens the door for a whole slew of potential heroes. Isn’t that what it’s all about? Coaches talk about guys “stepping up” all the time, now the stage is set. I can’t wait to see who is going to come up with a big play next. For the last few years Brady has been the default, and I’ll be honest, the superstar quarterback storyline doesn’t do it for me. I think that’s why I’ve hated Peyton Manning and the Colts so much over the past several years. There, look, I’ve just had a breakthrough.
As far as the game goes, I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. This was supposed to be another Patriots beatdown. But instead it came down to the final seconds. I was genuinely excited when Huards pass to Bowe fell incomplete in the front corner of the endzone. Really, really, excited. Take the same situation and result but take away “The Injury” and Pats fans would be freaking out. “They almost lost to the Chiefs! Man, they’ll never go undefeated this year…” Think about that. With Brady, every win was taken for granted, at least to some degree. It is nice to expect your team to win every game, but you lose some of your appreciation for a real hard fought victory in doing so. So much of last year became about aesthetics: How many TDs can Brady throw? How many times can they cover the spread? How much can they beat the Dolphins by? People like to say that all that counts is the W, but we all know that’s not true. I got just as caught up as anyone in the sheer beauty of the 2007 Patriots offense. We all drank the Kool-Aid and bought into the hype but now we’ve got a chance for football redemption. We’ve got a chance to go out and win games no one expects us to, by out-hitting, outsmarting, and outworking our opponents. I think that this is real, raw, essence of the game of football, the way it was meant to be played, and why we love it so much. In my eyes a leaping touchdown catch is only just as beautiful as a defensive end two-gapping an offensive tackle and forcing a running back into an unblocked linebacker.
Larocque sent me this email today while he was definitely not at work:
“My thoughts are that I think [“The Injury”] sucks, which feels strange. I have spent so much time resenting and hating the Patriots and Tom Brady. You always hate the team that dominates like that. I've even developed a soft spot for Peyton Manning and the Colts because they seem like that team that is always so close but can never quite defeat the juggernaut (except for that one time, but then the Patriots bounced back and went undefeated). In a way, I would have thought that this was exactly what I wanted. The team that dominates everyone takes a hit, and suddenly things get more exciting. But, that resentment I have and the rooting against the power house is one of the essential emotions that make up my fandom. Now, I don't exactly know what to do with it. Also, as much as I'm sick of seeing the Patriots win, I think that Randy Moss deserves a ring. He's my favorite player, I think that we've seen him mature a lot in his career. And, it seems like he's developed into a leader on the Patriots. It's the role that I always imagined him playing. I thought he had a real shot to get that ring this season. Now I don't. I won't count the Patriots out completely, but if you win the Super Bowl with Matt Cassell that might be the greatest feat of all time.”
As far as the game goes, I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. This was supposed to be another Patriots beatdown. But instead it came down to the final seconds. I was genuinely excited when Huards pass to Bowe fell incomplete in the front corner of the endzone. Really, really, excited. Take the same situation and result but take away “The Injury” and Pats fans would be freaking out. “They almost lost to the Chiefs! Man, they’ll never go undefeated this year…” Think about that. With Brady, every win was taken for granted, at least to some degree. It is nice to expect your team to win every game, but you lose some of your appreciation for a real hard fought victory in doing so. So much of last year became about aesthetics: How many TDs can Brady throw? How many times can they cover the spread? How much can they beat the Dolphins by? People like to say that all that counts is the W, but we all know that’s not true. I got just as caught up as anyone in the sheer beauty of the 2007 Patriots offense. We all drank the Kool-Aid and bought into the hype but now we’ve got a chance for football redemption. We’ve got a chance to go out and win games no one expects us to, by out-hitting, outsmarting, and outworking our opponents. I think that this is real, raw, essence of the game of football, the way it was meant to be played, and why we love it so much. In my eyes a leaping touchdown catch is only just as beautiful as a defensive end two-gapping an offensive tackle and forcing a running back into an unblocked linebacker.
Larocque sent me this email today while he was definitely not at work:
“My thoughts are that I think [“The Injury”] sucks, which feels strange. I have spent so much time resenting and hating the Patriots and Tom Brady. You always hate the team that dominates like that. I've even developed a soft spot for Peyton Manning and the Colts because they seem like that team that is always so close but can never quite defeat the juggernaut (except for that one time, but then the Patriots bounced back and went undefeated). In a way, I would have thought that this was exactly what I wanted. The team that dominates everyone takes a hit, and suddenly things get more exciting. But, that resentment I have and the rooting against the power house is one of the essential emotions that make up my fandom. Now, I don't exactly know what to do with it. Also, as much as I'm sick of seeing the Patriots win, I think that Randy Moss deserves a ring. He's my favorite player, I think that we've seen him mature a lot in his career. And, it seems like he's developed into a leader on the Patriots. It's the role that I always imagined him playing. I thought he had a real shot to get that ring this season. Now I don't. I won't count the Patriots out completely, but if you win the Super Bowl with Matt Cassell that might be the greatest feat of all time.”
A couple of good points here: First, Randy Moss. What can we say. Roomofzen is all about Randy Moss. One of the greatest ever. And, yes, I agree that the loss of Brady hurts Moss’ chances for a ring this season, and yes, that actually does bother me. I want to see Randy on top of the world. For the life of me I just cant figure out what this guy would have to do to lose me as a fan… all I know is that it definitely isn’t having a female friend who winds up injured during freaky sex. That’s not going to cut it. In fact Moss is the only one who I feel bad for in this regard. All the other great Patriots veterans have rings. But on the flipside, now we get to see if Moss really can “make” a quarterback a star. How much can a great wide receiver affect the outcome of a game? The potency of an offense? I think it the answer is going to be “a lot”.
Secondly, If the Patriots do win the Super Bowl with Matt Cassell that will be the greatest feat of all time. If they win the division (still very possible) that would be a great feat. If they get a wildcard spot in the playoffs that would be a great feat. Now, think about this. If they achieved any of the aforementioned accomplishments the Patriots would only be perceived as having done what they should have anyway. This gets back to the whole ‘expectations’ aspect of my personal view on this situation. But I’d like to think that I am not the only Patriots fan out there that will appreciate every yard, every first down, every three and out forced, every goal line stand, and every win a little bit more this year. Let’s not forget that.
I think that is why I don’t care about “The Injury”. I have nothing to worry about now. The worst has already happened. I still have expectations for this team, but they don’t carry the same kind of pressure that they once did. Maybe I took it too seriously to begin with, that’s probably true. And maybe it is only because of the great success that the Patriots, Red Sox, and Celtics have had in the recent past that I am avoiding letting this get me down too much. All I know is that tonight is a double header on Monday Night Football, and Ohio State plays USC this weekend. It is football season and I have games to watch and a team to root for. That is good enough.
And by the way. When analysts start jumping on the Patriots bandwagon, and start beating the drum for those “loveable underdogs”, don’t forget to stare hard at your televisions and say “Go Fuck Yourself Dan Marino.”
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Watch It!
Great montage because it shows how well the Giants executed all game long (unlike other videos that show the Tyree helmet catch 500 times at varying speeds):
And, my favorite, that still makes me emotional after watching it roughly 3000 times:
And, my favorite, that still makes me emotional after watching it roughly 3000 times:
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Foil in the Oven: I Can Hear The Rumblings....
I can't handle the summer lull anymore. It's July 16th, which means we're more than halfway through July, which means that football season is almost here. Pretty soon, the season previews will be coming out, and everyone will begin making preliminary decisions about how to best approach their fantasy drafts. Well, I can't wait until August. So, I'm going to start with my division previews today. Each week, I'll give you my thoughts on two divisions and I'll pick a winner in each. This week, we have one that is very clear cut, and one that is a little more difficult to predict.
AFC EAST:
There have been a lot of changes in this division, and yet the song remains the same. Last time I checked, the Patriots still have Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Laurence Maroney, Richard Seymor, Adalius Thomas, and Rodney Harrison. And while a repeat of last year's perfect regular season is unlikely, the prospect of the Patriots finding themselves at the top of the AFC playoff picture once again seems almost certain. I expect New England to win the East by a comfortable margin, and to be the sole AFC East representative in the playoffs.
While I am already penciling the Patriots in for the post-season, I do expect their division title this season to look much different than it did last season. This is not the cupcake division that it was last year. I love what the other three teams are doing. And, if I were a Patriots fan, I would not take these division games lightly.
Let's quickly look at the Jets. First, they added Alan Faneca and Damien Woody to go along with D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold on the offensive line. They also added Tony Richardson at fullback. This should help to open up more holes for Thomas Jones and Leon Washington, who I expect to be an effective tandem. The addition of Bubba Franks gives them another solid receiving option at tight end to go along with Chris Baker (note here, Bubba Franks was a great unsung fantasy hero from my college years. Favre used to find him in the end zone all the time). On defense, I think that Kris Jenkins and Calvin Pace were great acquisitions. I don't expect Vernon Gholston to have the impact that many experts do. I don't think that those combine numbers show up on the field. But, those experts get paid for their opinions and I don't. So, if he is the player that many expect, then this team is headed in a great direction. Finally, let's not forget that Laverneus Coles (I love it when Berman calls him Laverneus Coleslaw) and Jerricho Cotchery are both very productive in that offense. I really want to highlight the Miami Dolphins, who are really getting things turned around quickly. First, it was a great move to bring on Bill Parcells. Regardless of how many new detractors emerge from all of his previous stops, nobody can deny Parcells' track record when it comes to reviving franchises that have stumbled on hard times (New York, New England, the other New York, and Dallas).
I love the miami defense right now. They have Jason Taylor, Jason Ferguson, and Vonnie Holiday on the defensive line (note: people have laughed in my face when I have mentioned Vonnie Holiday, but he was off to a great start before breaking his ankle last season, and he was great in 2006). They have Joey Porter, Channing Crowder and Akin Ayodele at linebacker.
They brought in Reggie Torbor, who is a versatile linebacker that can step in and make plays (and has a lot of big game experience after last season). The secondary is not great, but I really like Will Allen. I thought he got a somewhat raw deal in New York. Overall, this defense has the potential to give a lot of offensive coordinators headaches......just not the Patriots. On offense, there is certainly potential. Ronnie Brown was running well before his injury. Jake Long could be a cornerstone of the offensive line for the next decade. At the very least, we know that Ted Ginn is fast and that he became a bigger part of the offense in the second half of last season. Ernest Wilford is a nice guy to have in the red zone. David Martin and Anthony Fasano are solid tight ends. And, of course, there is always the ultimate wildcard:
All of that being said, you can't feel confident about the quarterback situation. Josh McCown is not a bad place holder, and I believe that he could manage the offense very efficiently if Miami can run the ball. But, what is the long term answer here? Is it really John Beck? Many believe so, seeing as how they passed on Brady Quinn and Matt Ryan.
Buffalo, not to be outdone, has also added some nice pieces in this off-season. They had Kawika Mitchell signed on at linebacker before I had even fully gotten rid of my hangover after the Super Bowl. This was a good addition, but it pales in comparison to the significance of the trade that they made to acquire Marcus Stroud from Jacksonville.
Stroud is a force that should immediately help this Bills defense by occupying blockers and allowing the linebackers to make more tackles. He will also make it more difficult for opposing offenses to give necessary attention to Aaron Schobel. On offense, there are certainly weapons. We know that Lee Evans, Josh Reed, and Roscoe Parrish are a very effective group. In particular, Evans can really stretch the field. Marshawn Lynch had a great rookie campaign, and he should show a good deal of improvement this season.
Biz Markie, 1989, sick:
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AFC NORTH:
Where do you even begin with this division? As has been the case over the past four or five years, I have no idea.
Let's start with Cincinnati. This is a team that could go either way in my mind. On the surface, it seems like they are bursting apart at the seams. I have asked myself time and time again how Marvin Lewis could still be the head coach of the Bengals. Most coaches whose teams have underachieved like this would not have survived last season. And yet, the organization is standing behind Lewis publicly, which is particularly surprising given the off-the-field incidents and the media circus that have accompanied the on-the-field disappointments of 2006 and 2007.
But, then again, who knows. Maybe Frank Costanza was on to something when he created the "airing of grievances" component to the celebration of Festivus. I can remember being completely full of rage in January of 2007, when it was announced that Tom Coughlin had been given a one year extension to coach the Giants. The team, in my mind, had completely unraveled. After a promising start, they had completely gone down the shitter in the second half of the year. On top of that, players were openly critical of the coaching staff, management, and each other in the media. Standing behind Coughlin and extending his contract given the circumstances were unfathomable to me. But, something strange happened. The Giants returned in 2007 as a closer and much more unified team. I don't know exactly what the saying is about having to hit rock bottom before you can rise, but they had. So have the Bengals, you would have to think.
The potential is still there for them to be great. The offensive firepower is still tremendous and the additions of Antwan Odom and Keith Rivers should help to improve that defense. Chad Johnson is always mouthing off. But, as we have seen from his most recent statements, he will be in camp. And, if he's on the field, you know that he's going to perform. I feel a big year from Carson Palmer. And, if nothing else, I expect this team to finish with at least an 8-8 record. But, as has been the case all along, the ceiling for them is much higher.
The Ravens are better than 5-11. Their Monday night loss to New England last season reminded us all that they were still good enough on defense to contend with anybody. As a side note, the performance that Willis McGahee turned in that night was one of my favorite individual performances of the season. However, we are now about half a year removed from that 5-11 season, and while there are several big changes, it is difficult to say whether or not those changes will translate to improvement on the field.
Brian Billick is gone, and John Harbaugh is in. There were a lot of rumors swirling around that many players on the defense wanted Rex Ryan to be the new head coach. You have to wonder how the decision is going to sit with them. But, in the long run this could be positive, as many believed that Ray Lewis was actually running the team's front office as well as calling the plays in the defensive huddle.
This change might be exactly what the Ravens need.
They haven't made any personnel changes on the field, which means that they are clearly happy with the players that they have. And, who wouldn't be? Ray Lewis, Bart Scott, Kelly Gregg, Chris McCallister, Ed Reed, Samari Rolle, and Willis McGahee. This is a talented group of guys. I think that there is serious potential with this new coaching staff. The ravens retained Rex Ryan to run the defense, and added Cam Cameron as the offensive coordinator. Remember, Cameron was extremely successful in the same role for San Diego. With Willis McGahee, Ray Rice, Mark Clayton, Derrick Mason, and Todd Heap in the offense, you'd think Cameron would be able to run a balanced offense and spread the ball around. But, there's one MAJOR problem....... The Ravens have to figure out their quarterback situation. I thought that Kyle Boller played reasonably well last year, and I think he will enter this season as the team's starter. Remember, Gus Frerotte was a pro bowler under Cameron. He also developed Trent Green, Drew Brees, and Philip Rivers. So, Boller deserves this chance. But, if things don't start well, expect to see Troy Smith or 2008 first round pick Joe Flacco. It will be interesting how things play out. But, Boller has the most experience, and I think he is the Ravens best chance for success this season.
I really like the direction in which Cleveland is headed. Braylon Edwards, Donte Stallworth, and Kellen Winslow make up a nice group of pass cathcers (note: Joe Jurevicius has had a rough off-season. At his age ((33)) it's hard to know how much, if any, of a factor he can be). Jamal Lewis had a great year last year, and will be running behind a very strong offensive line (Joe Thomas, Eric Steinbach, and Hank Fraley). It sounds like Derek Anderson, fresh off his first pro bowl, will be the starter on opening day. And, Brady Quinn is an extremely competent backup. On defense, the Browns have picked up Corey Williams and Shaun Rogers to go with Robaire Smith. They will be very strong up front. And, of course, Josh Cribbs is one of the most dangerous special teams players in the NFL.
Much like the Bengals and Ravens, it's hard to predict where the Browns will finish. If things play out similarly to last season, I expect them to finish second in the division with a strong chance to clinch a wild card spot. However, if Baltimore or Cincinnati play up to their potential, it's hard to say for sure that the Browns are the best of the three. There is really a lot of uncertainty in this division.
What I am certain about is that I'd be crazy to pick anybody other than the Steelers to take the AFC North crown. Unlike these other teams, there aren't a whole lot of questions to be answered. Sure, I think that Ben Roethlisberger is overrated. But, he knows how to manage a game. And, with the weapons he has around him (Willie Parker, Santonio Holmes, Hines Ward), that shouldn't be too hard to do. On top of that, I really liked the selections of Rashard Mendenhall and Limas Sweed. These two have the potential to step in and contribute right away. And, defensively, they are incredibly strong. Let's just spout some names off: Aaron Smith, Casey Hampton, James Farrior, Larry Foote, James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley, Troy Polamalu, Deshea Townsend, and Ike Taylor. This team is loaded on both sides of the ball, and I expect them to take this division title. But, I expect a lot of entertaining games along the way.
Next week: the AFC South, the AFC West, and my AFC playoff predictions.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Some Thoughts on Foil in the Oven and Ripping Wes Welker
This post may seem insignificant, but I think that it is important to acknowledge changing trends on our site. Also, if you just started reading during the NBA playoffs, this will give you more of an idea of our history:
Foil in the Oven began in the fall of 2007 as a weekly variety column. It was very long, included many different sports stories, and often sick music videos. Given that this was during the NFL season, the weekly format worked well. I always enjoyed writing these weekly editions, and I hoped that reading them would be very satisfying and that the reader would feel like they had just read some enlightening piece from a magazine.
Somehow, during the NBA playoffs, Foil in the Oven turned into a daily occurence. I guess it makes sense. In terms of sports news and excitement, a day is a week during the NBA postseason. My mind was always going a million miles an hour with basketball, so filling long colums each day was not hard.
Last week was strange. There was no basketball, and yet I found myself calling each day's post "Foil in the Oven", even though there was not enough news to really make a satisfying edition. In the end, I feel like the things I wrote were solid posts, but very unsatisfying when compared to the old Foil in the Oven editions.
Hence, for the time being, Foil in the Oven will return to its original form, it will take place once or twice a week. I will still post more often than that, but the posts will be different. Now, the daily editions of FIO may return during the Team USA run at the Olympics. We'll have to see. But, in the meantime, I believe that this is the best way for FOI to remain as satisfying and enjoyable to write (and, hopefully, to read) as it has always been. Plus, if I didn't do it this way, I'd have to write about baseball every day, and nobody wants that.
Now, before I rip Wes Welker, please rock out:
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"Asante's a great player, so it hurts not to have a guy like that. But then again, it's part of the business of the game. He chose money over championships, and that's the way it goes sometimes." -- Wes Welker
Now, I want to preface this by saying that I am well aware of the tendency of the media to overblow everything that athletes say these days. However, in this case I think it is pretty clear that Welker is expressing animosity towards Asante Samuel because of his decision to sign with the Eagles.
I have a few problems with this statement. First, let's just point out that Asante Samuel has already won two championships. Last time I checked, Welker has zero, unless he's talking about conference championships. So, the very fact that we have somebody with zero championships questioning the priorities of somebody with multiple rings makes me question the validity of this quote.
Next, everyone annointed the Patriots as the Super Bowl champions after week 1 last year. And yet, as we all know, the Lombardi Trophy currently sits in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Apparently Welker is feeling equally as confident heading into this season. Looking at the Patriots firepower on offense, I can't blame him. But, to suggest that leaving the Patriots for another team is "choosing money over championships" is totally indicative of the collective arrogance of this Patriots squad. They have been favorites for the past three seasons, and they haven't won it any of those years. Two of the previous three champions, the Giants and the Steelers, were complete surprises. The truth is that we have no idea how things will shake out this year. The Eagles were 8-8 last season. Their defensive front puts a lot of pressure on QBs, which should mean a lot of INTs for Samuel. They also have Brian Westbrook, one of the most dangerous players in the game, and Donovan McNabb. And, many Patriots fans tell me that "The Pats won it three years ago, in 2005. That's not a long time ago." They're right. It's not. Remember who they played in that Super Bowl, the Eagles.
Finally, I would just like to say that Welker just signed a five year deal for 18.1 million dollars. That is certainly nowhere near the deal that Asante got from the Eagles. But, much like Samuel, Welker is playing in the place where he can make the most money. It's true that he has the all-time Patriots record for receptions in a season, but everyone knows that he is so effective because of Randy Moss. The Patriots are paying him over 3 million a year because he is the perfect slot receiver for their offense. He couldn't earn more than this somewhere else because nobody can stretch the field like New England. So, essentially, Welker is doing the same thing as Samuel. He's with the team that can pay him the most money. The difference here is that Samuel has two championship rings. If Welker wants to keep running his mouth like this, he'd better catch up.
Please rock out again:
Foil in the Oven began in the fall of 2007 as a weekly variety column. It was very long, included many different sports stories, and often sick music videos. Given that this was during the NFL season, the weekly format worked well. I always enjoyed writing these weekly editions, and I hoped that reading them would be very satisfying and that the reader would feel like they had just read some enlightening piece from a magazine.
Somehow, during the NBA playoffs, Foil in the Oven turned into a daily occurence. I guess it makes sense. In terms of sports news and excitement, a day is a week during the NBA postseason. My mind was always going a million miles an hour with basketball, so filling long colums each day was not hard.
Last week was strange. There was no basketball, and yet I found myself calling each day's post "Foil in the Oven", even though there was not enough news to really make a satisfying edition. In the end, I feel like the things I wrote were solid posts, but very unsatisfying when compared to the old Foil in the Oven editions.
Hence, for the time being, Foil in the Oven will return to its original form, it will take place once or twice a week. I will still post more often than that, but the posts will be different. Now, the daily editions of FIO may return during the Team USA run at the Olympics. We'll have to see. But, in the meantime, I believe that this is the best way for FOI to remain as satisfying and enjoyable to write (and, hopefully, to read) as it has always been. Plus, if I didn't do it this way, I'd have to write about baseball every day, and nobody wants that.
Now, before I rip Wes Welker, please rock out:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Asante's a great player, so it hurts not to have a guy like that. But then again, it's part of the business of the game. He chose money over championships, and that's the way it goes sometimes." -- Wes Welker
Now, I want to preface this by saying that I am well aware of the tendency of the media to overblow everything that athletes say these days. However, in this case I think it is pretty clear that Welker is expressing animosity towards Asante Samuel because of his decision to sign with the Eagles.
I have a few problems with this statement. First, let's just point out that Asante Samuel has already won two championships. Last time I checked, Welker has zero, unless he's talking about conference championships. So, the very fact that we have somebody with zero championships questioning the priorities of somebody with multiple rings makes me question the validity of this quote.
Next, everyone annointed the Patriots as the Super Bowl champions after week 1 last year. And yet, as we all know, the Lombardi Trophy currently sits in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Apparently Welker is feeling equally as confident heading into this season. Looking at the Patriots firepower on offense, I can't blame him. But, to suggest that leaving the Patriots for another team is "choosing money over championships" is totally indicative of the collective arrogance of this Patriots squad. They have been favorites for the past three seasons, and they haven't won it any of those years. Two of the previous three champions, the Giants and the Steelers, were complete surprises. The truth is that we have no idea how things will shake out this year. The Eagles were 8-8 last season. Their defensive front puts a lot of pressure on QBs, which should mean a lot of INTs for Samuel. They also have Brian Westbrook, one of the most dangerous players in the game, and Donovan McNabb. And, many Patriots fans tell me that "The Pats won it three years ago, in 2005. That's not a long time ago." They're right. It's not. Remember who they played in that Super Bowl, the Eagles.
Finally, I would just like to say that Welker just signed a five year deal for 18.1 million dollars. That is certainly nowhere near the deal that Asante got from the Eagles. But, much like Samuel, Welker is playing in the place where he can make the most money. It's true that he has the all-time Patriots record for receptions in a season, but everyone knows that he is so effective because of Randy Moss. The Patriots are paying him over 3 million a year because he is the perfect slot receiver for their offense. He couldn't earn more than this somewhere else because nobody can stretch the field like New England. So, essentially, Welker is doing the same thing as Samuel. He's with the team that can pay him the most money. The difference here is that Samuel has two championship rings. If Welker wants to keep running his mouth like this, he'd better catch up.
Please rock out again:
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