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The Battle for Third Place

2012-02-12T08:13:00.000-05:00

Pitchers and catchers report soon, the equipment truck is off to Lee County, FL and after an off-season with seismic changes at General Manager and Field Manager, the Boston Red Sox appear poised to do battle...for third place in the American League East. Leap-frogged in young talent by the Tampa Bay (not Devil) Rays and in personnel savvy by the accursed New York Yankees, the ownership group of ~~the Liverpool FC~~ Boston Red Sox have dedicated the off-season to trying to hold off the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles for that precious real estate as "Middle-of-the-Pack".

What is the team slogan for 2012?

A proud return to mediocrity.
A call back to the proud tradition of the post-1946 and pre-1967 Red Sox teams.
Remember 1981 through 1985? Who would want to? Well, them days are back again (minus the Oil Can Boyd cocaine extravaganza, hopefully).

There are problems in the starting rotation, question marks in the bullpen, a giant hole at shortstop, and issues in the outfield:

STARTING ROTATION:

Provided they stay healthy, Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, and Josh Beckett match up with any starting rotation. Any of the three have the talent to put up a 20 win season at any time. This group has been plagued by bizarre inconsistencies and injuries.
I guess the plan is to have bullpen stalwarts Daniel Bard and Alfredo Aceves fill out the rotation. With mega-bucks contracts John Lackey and Daisuke Matsuzaka filling out the disabled list, the Sox have Andrew Miller, Clayton "Son of Mort" Mortensen and the usual retreads brought in for a look-see in spring training. Not a lot of options after a quiet off-season.

Did I say retreads? Maybe I was too kind.

Rich Hill, didn't they try and fail with that attempt last year and the year before?
Vicente Padilla? When he was healthy, he was never that good. I guess his beer gut on the mound is out there in spring training will help fill the seats in the exhibition games.
Aaron Cook? A great signing I would heartily endorse...in 2007. Cook could not get anyone out in the NL West the last three years, how does that translate to outs in the AL East? 2007 stands as the only season the NL batted below .280 against him for the season.
John Maine? At least when healthy Maine got batters out. Of course, it has been a while since he was healthy. Since 2008 he's been burning the Mets as they waited for him to return to health.

BULLPEN:

The bullpen had three dependable pitchers last season: Jonathan Papelbon who left via free agency, and Alfredo Aceves and Daniel Bard who appear to be in the starting rotation in 2012. Who is left to pick up the ball?

Andrew Bailey, a cheaper replacement for Papelbon is closer quality if healthy. IF HEALTHY. CHEAPER. As dependable as Papelbon? Heck no. As expensive as Papelbon? Definitely not! Seriously, this team had to go so cheap that they would not entertain a Franklin Morales closer on the free agent market rather than trade prospects for a dinged-up closer?
Mark Melancon, a decent set-up pitcher. A nice, cheap bullpen part. Emphasis on CHEAP. Closed some games for the Astros when it became obvious 100 losses was in their future. A decent set-up man, no more, no less.
Bobby Jenks, IF HEALTHY. A real question mark more likely to sit his fat ass on the sidelines all year and collect $6 million again for nothing. Why is it every time the "Chicken and Beer" story was in the news, I pictured Bobby Jenks sneaking into the clubhouse and chewing the left-over fat from the chicken bones and drinking the larrys left behind in the bottom of the beer cans.
Matt Albers and the Cosby kids did alright last year when he got healthy and before he ran out of steam. Middle reliever. Nothing special.
Franklin Morales. Umm, they kept this guy? A shot to be the lefty specialist, I guess. Is there a reason Terry Francona refused to put Morales in any kind of high-leverage situation? I mean, it seemed the Sox were up four or down four before Morales picked up a ball in the 'pen.
Felix Doubront, Michael Bowden, and a boatload of free agent minor-league contract spring training invites. Once again, not a lot of options after a quiet off-season.

SHORTSTOP:

I am throwing up in my mouth just thinking of this. I have to move on. Mike Aviles, Jose Iglesias, and Nick Punto. Seriously? No, I cannot even think about this mess rationally.

OUTFIELD:

Cody Ross. Blah. His dream was to be a rodeo clown, seriously. Were there not 15 players in the same mode as this clown? Josh Willingham not available? Marco Scutaro had to be jettisoned to make room for Cody freaking Ross?
Ryan Sweeney. Meh. Another Cody Ross level fourth or fifth outfielder. Never going to be anything super.
Darnell McDonald. Still around? Really? Wow. Guess someone needs to be there to fill in for JD Drew on the disabled list.
Ryan Kalish and Carl Crawford are injured and Crawford unlikely to be healthy to start the season, and Kalish out until mid-season and likely ticketed to Pawtucket anyway. Crawford at least should bounce back with better production than last year. Kalish looks like a maybe for right field in 2013.
So other than Jacoby Ellsbury (who the WEEIdiots wanted run outta town on a rail last year) the Red Sox have a whole lot of nothing exciting in the outfield.

Spending almost $180 million and still having to deal with that mess? Good luck, Red Sox. Time to start the bidding on when the first public Bobby Valentine-Larry Lucchino blow-up stirs up the excitement as the team on the field fights to hold off the surprisingly decent Blue Jays .

Spare Neurons

2012-02-11T21:36:00.003-05:00

PATRIOTS:

Evolve or Die is what I believe is coming out of Foxborough, MA. The Draft should continue to show where the Patriots brain-trust sees the future of the NFL offenses and defenses. Bill Belichick built a dominant defense in the early 2000s that shut down all comers. When the rules changed, he switched gears and spear-headed first a vertical attack in 2007 that brought memories of Darryl Lamonica and the 1970s Oakland Raiders. Then, he finally (after the Daniel Graham and Ben Watson experiment failed) brought out the two tight-end attack that has befuddled defenses the past two years. Now, what is the next step? Is there a new defensive twist? Do they load up on wide receivers in the draft and free agency? Are there more Ras-I Dowling big corners on the way? A twist is coming.
One change that won't happen is Wes Welker going anywhere. Even franchised for a year, it is dirt-cheap for a wide receiver comparatively. Over 550 receptions over the last five years is insane production. There is no reason a long-term deal cannot be worked out eventually.

RED SOX:

No Marco Scutaro. Seriously? Mike Aviles? Nick Punto? Jose Iglesias? How about Julio Iglesias at shortstop at this point. $180 million dollar payroll and pennies spent at short stop. Scutaro made $6 million? The Sox could not afford him and Cody Ross at $3 million. This is not the Royals, is it?

BRUINS:

Now is the time to slump. Now, not April or May. Everyone stay calm.
Don't forget the most important chip: the salary exemption they will have for Marc Savard at the trading deadline. There is a chance of adding some energy or an impact player still this season.

CELTICS:

Now is the time to panic. Everyone take to the streets.

I am trying hard to be enthusiastic about this team. Ray Allen looks old. Paul Pierce looks old. Kevin Garnett looks decrepit.
Rondo looks injured every other game. The wheels are off the wagon. Danny Ainge has added some decent pieces around the Big Three, but the Big Three are the Old Three. NBA basketball is a young man's game. Old, older, oldest.

EVERTON:

Too late to make a run to the top five or six, but David Moyes has the boys in blue making a nice run in the cold, cold European winter at the Merseyside. First Man CIty tumbles and then today a great 2-0 win over Chelsea. Nice to see such a solid effort. Sure, a goal in the first six minutes helps, but American Landon Donovan makes such a big difference making plays on the pitch.
Speaking of Lando, is there any logical reason the freaking Los Angeles Galaxy tries to keep him around the MLS rather than letting him stay in the EPL? Forget drawing an extra couple bodies into the arena, for the good of USA footy, it is so much more important to the best players in the best competition. If not on US soil, so what?

Take it like a man

2012-02-08T19:39:00.001-05:00

Trying to wrap my mind around the Patriots heart-wrenching loss in Super Bowl 46 and came up with a few quick hits to tide me on my football needs over until the draft starts in earnest:

Put me at the top of the list of people who DO NOT want to be running anyone outta town on a rail. Fire Tom Brady. Let Wes Welker walk. Who are these bozos? What kind of rocks do these WEEIdiots crawl out of to reach the phone? The two best players on offense are the last players to run out, regardless of one bad series. A tough loss to swallow? Sure, but forget churning out a couple of superstars.
Yes, it was a terribly frustrating loss. The Patriots could and even should have won the game. Most frustrating was the feeling all playoffs that this season felt like 2001. This Patriots team was not the most talented team, but they were a great team, just like that classic squad. They came from behind. They weren't expected to win and yet pulled games out all year. I think that was what made this loss frustrating. This was supposed to another rabbit-out-of-the hat win.

Just think, everyone had the bad mojo of the Patriots not winning a playoff game in two years. It looked like that after the bye week, Pittsburgh, who had beat the Patriots already, would be waiting for them after dispatching Tim Tebow and the Broncos. Instead, the Broncos improbably beat the Steelers in overtime giving the Patriots an easy romp in round one.
Then, when Baltimore was supposed to beat the Patriots soundly, they quite literally dropped the ball. The Patriots were in the Super Bowl. The two big guns of the NFC--Green Bay and New Orleans--were already dispatched, and the Patriots had a realistic chance of winning the Super Bowl.

THAT is what made it frustrating.

So my plan is to appreciate the season. Ten game winning streak. Amazing statistical seasons from Tom Brady and Rob Gonkowksi. A young defense coming together in the playoffs. A great coaching job by Bill Belichick all year. The return of Josh McDaniels. Beating the Jets twice. Two rounds against the Tebow. It was a fun year. As a survivor of the Ron Meyer, Dick McPherson, Rod Rust, and Pete Carroll regimes, I cannot take any season for granted.

Dante's Inferno

2012-02-01T06:44:00.000-05:00

Super Bowl 2012--Offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia always there for New England Patriots - ESPN Boston:

Just sharing a link here. Great article by Jackie Mac on Patriots Offensive Line Coach Dante Scarnecchia. Hard to believe he's been on the staff since Ron Meyer was coaching in New England. That is just mind boggling.

Pumped and Jacked Like Pete Carroll

2012-01-31T21:26:00.000-05:00

Super Bowl week has arrived. The countdown to kickoff begins in earnest. Questions aplenty to be debated, churned-over, and beaten to death. Without further ado, here are three key things to think about during the lead up to and look for during Super Bowl 46:

Gronk and His Ankle:

This is the biggie--the obvious question for New England. The effectiveness of tight end Rob Gronkowski in the Patriots non-vertical aerial attack is vital. Without him and fellow tight end on the field together, the Patriots slip back to their Stand and Wait for Wes Welker to Beat the Double Team offense. As to his status, there is little doubt that other than regressing, he will play. Can the ankle hold up the entire game and can he remain the dynamic force blocking and out in pass patterns remain to be seen. The offense doesn't need a decoy, it needs play-makers making big plays on Sunday.

Nate Solder and Seabass:

As I noted here last week about the match-up with the Baltimore Ravens, the Patriots with a healthy Sebastian Vollmer at right tackle allows them to open up their playbook and use rookie swing tackle Nate Solder as the third tight end. I won't belabor the point because if Vollmer is not healthy enough to play or not effective enough to protect quarterback Tom Brady, then Solder is in at right tackle asap.

UPDATE: According to ESPNBoston, Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia told WEEI.com Tuesday that starting offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer, who has missed the last seven games with back and foot injuries, will play in Super Bowl XLVI.

Special Teams

Both teams are in Super Bowl 46 because of their special teams. The Patriots watched Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff miss insanely wide left at the end of regulation in the AFC Championship game. The Giants got a mighty special teams assist from the son of Chicago White Sox General Manager Kenny Williams who flubbed two punts leading to the Giants scoring twice and winning in overtime. Both teams have solid special teams with good kickers. If they neutralize each other (Danny Woodhead: no fumbles on kickoffs!), it takes away an advantage each team has usually had during the season. One big play, be it punt or kickoff return, fumble or forced fumble, pin-down punt or long field goal may be enough to swing the tide of the Super Bowl for these fairly evenly matched teams. One point to note from week nine: The Giants pinned the Patriots back inside their 20 the entire first half. It was a huge advantage, and I am sure the Patriots coaches are harping on field position as a big key on Sunday.

Image: Idea go / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Green Machine

2012-01-29T09:42:00.002-05:00

Four game winning streak? Check. Back to .500? Check. Ready to make a run at the run'n'gun 76ers? Um, hold that thought for a second. The Celtics have some sorting out to do this season, and in the most unlikely of circumstances, the Big Three Plus Rondo are back for another season. Unfortunately, this season has not looked like the victory lap of a group of veterans making their final run to glory. Some thoughts on the Green Machine so far in 2011/2012:

Lockout:

Any advantage from a lack of a full off-season and training camp was not for this club. Normally a time for coach Doc Rivers to integrate the bench into the offense (watch Rajon Rondo drive, clear-out so as to isolate Paul Pierce one-on-one, or run screens for Ray Allen to pop open for a three...seriously, that's the offense) and defense. Instead, the Celtics sat dormant like the rest of the league and then had to scramble to put together a roster, let alone get enough players in camp for five-on-fives.
Paul Pierce was injured and out of shape. That is a fact. He is just now, eighteen games into the season, getting close to being "Paul Pierce".
Ray Allen is old, as is Kevin Garnett, and there are nagging injuries and periods of invisibility in games.
Jeff Green's season-ending heart surgery. Green was brought in last year to be the bridge piece who spelled the big three for major minutes, was a scoring machine off the bench, and eventually became a building block for the future. A full off-season and training camp, integrated into the regular rotation, and a full season of transition was the plan General Manager Danny Ainge had in mind. Surgery for an aortic aneurysm was not part of the plan, and left the Celtics scrambling. Heck, they are still scrambling.

Injuries:

Ray Allen, missing games by the boatload.
Kevin Garnett, little life left in those old legs.
Rajon Rondo, nursing a wrist injury and missing a bunch of games.
Jermaine O'Neil, supposed starting center, shockingly out injured AGAIN (dripping with sarcasm as usual here)

No More Excuses

OK, every team has injuries, and every team was disrupted by the lockout. Jeff Green was a big loss, but losing a key player happens. This team does have some positives.

Brandon Bass is a huge upgrade over Big Baby.

Wow, the old horse-trader Danny Ainge picked the Magic's pocket on this deal. Stronger in the paint, better at defense at everything other than taking a charge, and a sweet outside jumper and ability to finish with a bit of touch within five feet make Bass the favorite for best off-season pick-up.

Chris Wilcox is a legitimate big man.

When healthy (just starting to get there) and integrated into the bench mix as he learns the defensive rotations, Wilcox can provide 10 to 15 minutes of energy, some scoring touch, and tough defense.

Avery Bradley may yet be a decent point guard.

Bradley is the Jose Iglesias (Red Sox short stop prospect) of the Celtics. Bradley's defense, like Iglesias's fielding prowess, is plus-plus and ready for prime time. Unfortunately, neither player has a clue on offense. Two years ago, the toss-up was between Bradley and John Wall as to which NCAA freshman was going to be the most dominant. Unfortunately for the Texas Longhorns, it was not Bradley. Fortunately for the Celtics, Bradley bailed on Texas after one season and landed in their lap as an intriguing prospect.
I love watching Bradley on defense, as he head and shoulders above anyone else on the court, and a stopper at guard is huge for the playoffs when Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat and Derrick (definitely not Jalen) Rose of the Chicago Bulls likely play-off opponents. If he can get time at point to grow his offensive game enough to not be a liability, and the Celtics will have their first legitimate back-up point guard in years.

Mickael Pietrus can contribute a bit.

Pietrus is a decent bench player who can pay dividends throughout the year. Some size, nice touch outside: not a star or starter, but a nice piece off the bench. These players are needed throughout the season.

E'Twaun Moore offers hope.

A second round pick who contributes. Big three point shot. This kid already looks like a good fit coming off the bench and bringing energy and offense to the second unit. Another one of those picks where Ainge obviously saw something that everyone else missed. An exciting, cost-efficient second-unit guy.

Not a perfect team here by any stretch. But fresh off a 27 point comeback against Orlando and beating Indiana at home, there's hope still for this Celtics squad. To accentuate the positive, they have finished pre-season (even if these 18 games counted) and are starting to get healthy. The bench is coming together and they will at least be interesting as the doldrums of winter come up in the coming weeks. They definitely bear watching.

Photos courtesy of: Image: Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net /
Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Off-season Fenway Follies

2012-01-28T21:19:00.000-05:00

The Patriots are a week from playing in their fifth Super Bowl in the past ten years. The Bruins go into the All-Star Weekend as #2 in the conference as they defend their Stanley Cup crown. The Celtics...well, at least they've won four straight games. Where is the Red Sox excitement? The anticipation of Spring Training being less than a month away? Well, talk of fiscal responsibility, luxury tax concerns, and endless replays of Liverpool FC matches on NESN (disclaimer: Everton fan here at BostonSportPage.com and Liverpool represent the 76ers to my Celtics, the Yankees to my Red Sox, and the Canadians to my Bruins; I am NOT amused by John Henry buying Liverpool FC and stuffing them down the craw of all NESN viewers.) hardly inspires confidence. So, with a bit of a lull in the sports euphoria (at least until the Patriots land in Indianapolis and the media beings their non-stop 24-7 coverage of Super Bowl week) the time seems ripe to review some of my off-season gripes regarding the denizens of Yawkey Way.

Historic September Collapse:

Um, I'm not quite ready to face these emotions again. It's only been four months...

Beer and Chicken Wings:

A snack I enjoy immensely, but is certainly not appropriate for the pitching staff in the middle of a game. The fact that Josh Beckett, et al had the audacity to disrespect a manager who went out of his way to protect them from the ravenous Boston media and took the heat for them again and again is beyond shocking. The fact that other than paying John Lackey a boat-load of cash to rehab during the season there was no shake-up of the starting rotation shows the front-office/ownership dysfunction in Boston. The problem is not the manager, the problem is the players and who ultimately brought them to town. For the record, Theo Epstein was not employed by the Red Sox when Josh Beckett came to town, and I am sure that under the influence of Sodium Thiopental, better known as Sodium Pentothal, will tell anyone that he had NOTHING to do with bringing in Carl Crawford or John Lackey. Those moves have Larry Lucchino's fingerprints all over them.

Losing General Manager Theo Epstein:

This one hurt. No one did more to keep this team competitive with savvy free agent signings (HIS signings, not OWNERSHIP'S signings...big difference there), decent trades, and excellent amateur drafting. Theo was simply the Red Sox best defense against the Yankees. No matter what they did in New York, Theo Epstein took the body blow and came back with a counter-punch. He had a plan. He believed in the plan. The plan worked. Losing him hurts more than anyone will realize for a few years. Mark my words, this was not a good move to let him leave/push him out (I know we do not have, nor will have anytime soon, the real story there).

Firing Terry Francona:

I understand that after the above-mentioned event may have warranted drastic action. That said, are the Red Sox in a better situation than they were on August 31st? Terry Francona was a perfect fit in Boston. Two World Series Championships? Whatever. Best Red Sox Manager Ever? Sure, but what have you done for us lately? Firing Francona made no sense then and makes no sense to me now. Shake up the players rather than kowtowing to the players whims and giving them what they want: a fall guy. Oh yeah, don't even get me started about the slander campaign after Francona got axed with the leaks about pain medication issues. Pure slander. Typical Boston mudslinging. Disgraceful.

Hiring Bobby Valentine:

I understand the Larry Lucchino reasoning of bringing in Bobby V: the media will be spending all spring training not talking about the Theo/Terry exodus, but rather gushing about how entertaining and exciting Bobby V will be. My first problem is that he is hardly what the team needs in this market. Valentine is all about brand Bobby V. He is not going to go over the statistical analysis that the team pays out the whazoo to provide. He is not going to diffuse situations. No, Bobby V is going to put Bobby V in front of any TV camera he can find and make sure that everyone sees him. Not what this team needs to succeed. Second, he has been out of the game. He last managed in the majors in 2002. Lest anyone forget those Mets teams, but they (like the year before in 2001 as well) were a damned talented team that underachieved and finished .500. Oh hooray, sign THAT manager up, please! Finally, lest I forget, he is coming down from behind the microphone to manage. Wow, that is a formula for success! I just think of the Chicago White Sox in the 1986 hiring former Red Sox wild man Hawk Harrelson to be General Manager. Showing why commentators announce the game and don't belong in charge, Harrelson fired Tony LaRussa (the late 80s Oakland A's weren't THAT great, d'oh!), put Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk in left field, and traded a rookie named Bobby Bonilla to Pittsburgh for Jose "Ponce" DeLeon (epic fail!). Please tell me that Bobby V won't be THAT bad!

Big free-agent signings this off-season re-tooling the team:

STILL WAITING!!!

Seriously, This team must have made SOME attempt to improve the team:

Let's review off-season activity:

Trade shortstop Jed Lowrie for a middle reliever quality pitcher (Mark Melancon).
Trade shortstop Marco Scutaro for a middle reliever quality pitcher (Clayton Mortensen).
Sign outfielder Cody STINKING Ross.
Trade to patch hole created by not coughing up the dough for their best relief pitcher since Dick Radatz to replace him with a relief pitcher not as good, aka trade for relief pitcher Andrew Bailey and get fourth outfielder deluxe Ryan Sweeney.
Seriously, unless you count signing utility infielder Nick Punto or back-up catcher Kelly Shoppach, then there is nothing

So HOW EXACTLY are they improved?

Umm, I'm at a loss.

Seriously.

Yup, Nick Freaking Punto.

Seriously.

Oh yeah, and Carl Crawford had off-season surgery.

It's gonna be a loooooong season!

Spare Neurons

2012-01-25T20:13:00.001-05:00

Here is where you find the random thoughts, caffeine-fueled rants, "smacking the dashboard and screaming at radio hosts" diatribes, and bizarre observations that pop into my head and are not worthy of a full post:

I am glad Rob Gronkowski skipped practice on Wednesday. He needs to rest that damned ankle until he's close to 100% or game-time, whichever comes first. Without both tight-end at full-speed, this team is lacking a key play-maker (see no Aaron Hernandez last year).

* * *

When I think of Eli Manning, I am haunted by the horrible Oreo cookie commercial with Eli and brother Peyton in a "Lick-off" with Venus and Serena Williams. Oog, I think I'm sick to my stomach.

* * *

I have come to the conclusion that Rex Ryan is correct, as much as it pains me to admit it. As evidenced by all the talk out of Baltimore about jumbo tron down and distance disparities on the final drive of the game, it is obvious that Bill Belichick is in the heads of the opposing coaches in the NFL (save Ryan).

The fallout from "spygate" is that teams are convinced that forces are conspiring against them the minute the walk into Foxborough. Strange forces controlled by Bill Belichick. "Bill Belichick is going to cheat!" They walk into the stadium convinced they have already lost the game. Sexy Rexy meant that by not kissing Bill Belichick's rings means that he's not going into the game already defeated.

Is there any other explanation why the Jets are one of the Patriot's toughest opponents.Look at how teams react when they defeat the Patriots. The Detroit Lions declared themselves Super Bowl contenders when they beat the Patriots in the pre-season. The Buffalo Bills celebrated like it was the a championship game when they won during the a fall game this year. Heck, Josh McDaniels at Denver in 2009 when they beat the Patriots in the regular season.

Staying in the game feels like a victory even if they lose when they come into the game defeated. Funny how Ray "Murderer Who Belongs in Prison" Lewis of Baltimore went on a rant after the game a few years ago when Tom Brady turned to an official and mimicked throwing a flag (LIKE EVERY SINGLE PLAYER DOES IN THE LEAGUE!). Lewis could not stop his mouth then, but where was he calling out his own coach for running down the sideline last Sunday doing the SAME EXACT THING. Funny how it's only New England, those damned consistently winning while millions under the salary cap Patriots, who elicit so much negative attention.

You know, even if it makes Rex Ryan correct, I kind of like rooting for the bad guys.

* * *

The Red Sox are killing me this off-season. Replace the aging, lefty designated hitter with a bigger thumper who is years younger? Of course not. The Red Sox (official slogan: "We don't admit to scrambling to be under the luxury tax when it is obvious to all") have decided to keep David Ortiz for another year and pass on signing Prince Fielder to create the best 1-2 punch since a young David Ortiz paired with Manny Ramirez. For less than the cost of Daisuke Matsuzaka and John Lackey the Red Sox could have had the best power-hitter this side of Ryan Howard.

* * *

Prince Fielder to Detroit? OK, I did not see that coming. Good fit? Sure. He's gonna chomp burgers and hit dingers no matter what park you put him in. paying out $214 million in guaranteed dollars means that Tigers owner Mike Ilitch must be making some serious Little Caesar's pizza money. Of course, check out Cliff Corcoran working the WAR numbers:

By Baseball-Reference's Wins Above Replacement, which factors in runs saved or lost on defense and adjusts for position, Fielder ranks just 23rd in baseball over the last five years, just barely ahead of the Reds' Joey Votto, who played just 24 games in the first of those five seasons, and far behind four other first basemen: Pujols, Adrian Gonzalez, new teammate Miguel Cabrera, and Mark Teixeira. Swap out the declining Teixeira for Votto, and Fielder looks like the fifth-best player at his own position, never mind among all hitters. That does not suggest that he's worth the fourth-largest commitment in total dollars ever given to a major league player.
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/cliff_corcoran/01/24/prince.fielder/index.html#ixzz1kV9wo5ky

No matter the cost, someone needs to point out to Ben Cherington, Boston Red Sox Neo-Boy Wonder General Manager and the John Henry ownership group that THAT is how you replace Victor Martinez's numbers in the lineup.

* * *

I can't say enough great things about ColdHardFootballFacts.com. Kerry J. Byrne has been backing up his smack talk online with cold, hard facts (and lots of talk about two other favorites of mine, food and beer) for years. Just passing on a must-read about his Passer Rating Differential statistic and how it affects this and past Super Bowl as an indicator of victory. Great stuff here at: Kerry's Super Bowl Tour de Statistical Force .

3 Quick-Reaction Keys for the Patriots in the Super Bowl

2012-01-24T21:14:00.002-05:00

OK, so the Patriots have made the Super Bowl. No time to rest, less than 2 weeks now until the big game. As Gronk said after the Ravens game, it is time for "the 'ship" (and, yes, I wasn't sure if he was referring to "the mother ship" at first before realizing he meant "championship") and there is no time to waste in preparation. Forget 2007 and Super Bowl XLII (FYI, I hate these Roman Numerals), these are two different teams. Doing my part for the cause, I have identified three keys for the Patriots for Super Bowl XLVI:

1. Tom Brady Bounce-back:
Tom Brady said it best. He sucked. Again, it was the turnovers. A couple of times trying to do too much, too quick. While I appreciate and encourage the offense to take their shots down-field, good defenses will make their plays be it picks, negative plays, or pressure and hits. Hey, it's why they are good. I hope everyone enjoyed the nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat, defensive slug-fest with short bursts of big offensive plays thrown in. Looks like this Super Bowl could mirror these Championship Games where a small mistake can change the entire game.

Brady threw two picks and a fumble after getting hit in the pocket against the Giants in week nine. Remember, that game was zero-zero at half-time and all the scoring took place in the second half. Brady is going to be thinking about those and how to remain aggressive and at the same time eliminate those mistakes. Brady finished with 342 yards passing, so remember that the offense got in rhythm and moved the ball on the Giants defense. Another game like that minus the slow start and turn-overs makes for a whole different game.

2. Rob Gronkowski's Ankle:
This will be the most talked about/photographed/observed ankle in New England for the next two weeks (seems like a set-up for a joke about Victorian-era fashion and moral...let's not touch that with a ten foot pole). The fact that Gronk got up and hopped off the field gave hope. The fact he got back in the game was inspiring. How it holds up is the next question.

Since Ed Reed of the Ravens had an injury that looked as bad or worse against Houston and was back with no ill effects evident against New England makes one think that two weeks is plenty for Gronk to get healthy. With Gronk and Hernandez, the Patriots offense is able to click at full speed and be at its most dangerous in the Red Zone, and that will be desperately needed.

3. Offensive Line Play versus the New York Giant's Defensive Front:
What killed the Patriots' offense in Super Bowl 42 (Twelve days to the Super Bowl and I am officially swearing off Roman Numerals)? The Giants pressured Brady without blitzing and covered up Wes Welker, Dante Stallworth, and Randy Moss. In week nine, it was more of the same as the Patriots offense made some plays, but was far from clicking on all gears. But the Giants did not pressure Brady like he had been that day. The Giants made big plays on defense, only sacked Brady twice, but at the end of the game, the offense took advantage of the Patriots defense.

That said, Brady's pick on the first play of the second quarter came with a clean pocket and no pressure, and then the second pick at the start of the third quarter he tried to squeeze it to Gronk on 3rd and 3 and had it picked with a clean pocket to throw from again. Neither time was there pressure or was Brady in duress in any way. These were both mistakes that he should not make, and credit to Giants defense for making good plays on those and the two Patriot fumbles as well. Add in a missed "gimme" field goal and the Patriots have a lot of "should haves " to look at on film this week.

Also, don't forget the Patriots were giving snaps to Chad Ochocinco on offense and the defense was a mess in the secondary. The offensive line did alright, and needs to do better on the big stage, though.

A COUPLE BONUS KEYS (Always got a few extra keys on the key-chain, right?):

4. Slowing down Eli Manning and Victor Cruz:
This is no Tim Tebow or even Joe Flacco the Patriots face in the Super Bowl. Bill Belichick had better make a trip up the Mass Pike to Amherst and get the scoop on UMass alumni Victor Cruz because he makes big plays.

5. Giants Tight End Jake Ballad
Ballard shredded the Patriots in the week nine Giants win, as all the tight ends around the league seemingly have big games against New England this season. Four receptions for 67 yards and a TD, but the feeling seemed to be that he was open all game. Shore up the middle of the field, linebackers!

Bernard Pollard is Keeping it Classy

2012-01-24T20:00:00.000-05:00

2011 NFL playoffs: Bernard Pollard hopes New York Giants 'put a thrashing' on New England Patriots - ESPN Boston:

Bernard Pollard is keeping it classy.

"If the game got to overtime, we knew we were going to the Super Bowl," Pollard said of Sunday's AFC Championship game, which the Patriots won thanks to a missed Ravens field goal in the final seconds and a dropped pass in the end zone two plays earlier.

Seriously, why is this idiot even talking after the game. Coulda, shoulda, woulda. Somebody roll this loser back under his rock.

"To lose to a team like (the Patriots), the way we played. We played a good game," Pollard said. "You have to look at what the Giants have -- they have a front four that's relentless, they have a secondary that is really, really good. They have a linebacking corps that has been with them. The (Patriots') dinking and dunking, man, it's just not going to happen. They're going to have to take shots down the field."

"Dinking and dunking". Yeah, and your team played their best game of the season and it was not good enough. Wah, wah, wah, Pollard. Time to enjoy your spotlight for its last few seconds before you go back to the footnote to history that you are.

Review of my Key Points versus Baltimore

2012-01-23T19:35:00.000-05:00

Am I an idiot? Did I know what I was talking about? Did I have any relevant insight in advance about how the Patriots won on Sunday? Join me for full accountability time as I review my Key Points versus Baltimore:

1. Pass protection for Tom Brady.

I said: In addition to this being simply the one thing the Patriots did NOT do in 2009, the Patriots have the ability, if Seabass (Sebastian Vollmer) is healthy to bring Nate Solder in as a 3rd tight end and basically give the team a six man offensive line. In that set they could line up Gronk tight to the line on the opposite side of Solder, put Aaron Hernandez in the backfield, Wes Welker in the slot strong or weak-side and Deion Branch out wide. Hernandez then can empty the backfield to the opposite side of Welker, he can split wide to allow the Patriots to have "trips" on one side and Gronk in isolation on the other side, or simply stay in the backfield as a 7th blocker or slip out for one of his short catches where he beats a linebacker and turns it into a big game.

In reality: Seabass (Sebastian Vollmer) did not even dress for the game, but the offensive line had an overall great game. Tom Brady stayed upright for the most part and the line opened some holes for Ben-Jarvis Green-Ellis who had a strong game running the ball. Nate Solder gave up a sack on one play where he was just plain beat. If it only happened once that is not bad.

2. Ray Rice as dual threat

I said: Ray Rice is the offense for the Baltimore Ravens. Period. Great job by Mike Reiss digging up the nugget about Dane Fletcher as spy on Rice ("like white on rice" is inappropriate and in poor taste, so I'm not making this pun here) as he did previously. Rice is a handful for any defense, and if the Ravens are to have any chance at all, they HAVE to have Joe Flacco attack the Patriots secondary deep with Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin (deep middle of the field is where he works best). If the linebackers are up in the box, Flacco has the opportunity to strike deep. That said, San Diego had that same game plan against the Patriots, and once their running backs started putting the ball on the ground, a back and forth battle (Phil "Biff" Rivers is much more comparable and capable to hold his own in a shoot-out than Flacco) became a strong win for the Pats.

In reality: I still feel very strongly that Philip Rivers should be referred to as Biff. The Patriots front seven did a great job of containing Ray Rice, but did make Flacco try to beat them. They, save for a few exceptions, kept Baltimore from connecting deep. Other than Super Bowl costly drop at the end of the game in the end zone, Lee Evans made more plays than expected.

3. Who wins inside the 20?

I said: Red Zone offense and defense is something that seemingly comes up every time Bill Belichick is speaking. That Patriots game plan is built around scoring touchdowns on offense inside the 20 and holding their opponents to field goals. Danny Woodhead becomes a huge x-factor for New England in the Red Zone with his ability to operate out of the spread offense as a darting runner or catching a pass swung out of the backfield. With all the attention given (and rightfully so) to the tight ends ends and Wes Welker, Woodhead could end up with the ball in his hands in space with one man to make miss making the difference of four crucial points squarely on him.

In reality: Well, the call of Danny Woodhead as the X-Factor was dead-on, but for the wrong reason. His costly fumble turned momentum. That said, on the Patriots eventual game-winning touchdown, it was Woodhead's run down to the one yard line that set-up Brady's "victory dive". The Ravens kept the Patriots out of the end zone, and that is why they were able to stay in the game when the Patriots offense moved the ball more effectively. A couple of field goals in the first half converted to touchdowns changes the whole dynamic of the game.

4. Ravens' coverage vs. "Boston TE Party"

I said: Speaking of those tight ends, am I the only one that wants to see Bernard "Brady's knee" Pollard juked out of his shoes and breaking his ankles trying to stop Hernandez or getting bowled over in the open field by the runaway Gronk train? Again, a key in deciphering the Ravens pass defense has to start with Ed Reed and where he is on the field and what he sees going down. The man is simply the best secondary player in this generation, bar none. Charles Woodson is great, but he's no Ed Reed (and don't throw that weak-ass Troy Polamalu crap over here...the man is Brandon Meriweather running around out of position out on the field with a better PR man).

In reality: One good juke by Aaron Hernandez leaving Bernard Pollard grasping at air as he slithered out for a first down was the highlight. Of course, the one almost knock-out by Pollard with his (legal) tackle and twist of Gronk's ankle almost cost the Patriots a chance in the Super Bowl. Two weeks of rest may do Gronkowski good. Looking at where I wrote "breaking his ankles" and feeling a little sick to my stomach as I initially thought Gronk broke or tore something on that tackle.

5. Ravens' Haloti Ngata vs. Patriots' Vince Wilfork

I said: Ah, yes. The two beasts of defense. In addition, Kyle Love, Gerard Warren, Shaun Ellis, Ron Brace, et al need to be stout up front. Games are won and lost in the trenches, and the past two years (three if we count 2007 Super Bowl versus the Giants) in the playoffs the Patriots were dominated on both sides of the ball and lost winnable games. To get to the big game, this must not happen.

In reality: The biggest key of this game was the Patriots defensive line. Their hogs showed up big time. Pressure neutralized Joe Flacco when they needed to. After years of being spoiled by Tom Brady's poise in the pocket, it was so surprising to see Joe Flacco so roiled by pressure. A fourth down pass lobbed so far out of bounds? Unfathomable. Give Big Vince Wilfork his due: he made the plays! On the other side, the Patriots offensive line protected Brady. Haloti Ngata was effectively neutralized by Patriots interior line. Center Dan Connolly with Guards Brian Waters and Logan Mankins picked a great time to have their best game of the season. Those three along with Vince Wilfork were the AFC Championship game MVPs.

Quick Hits - AFC Championship Game - 1/22/2012 - Patriots 23 Ravens 20

2012-01-22T19:31:00.000-05:00

First reaction: Wow. Patriots had no business winning this game. This was a Rodney Harrison/Ty Law/Tedy Bruschi/Richard Seymour Patriots win vintage 2001/2003/2004. The Patriots could not make any big plays on offense but moved the ball. The defense kept them in the game and made just enough plays to eke out a win where fortune fell their way.

The defense came out strong with three big three and outs. At that point, if the offense had been sharp, the game would have been over. Credit the Raven's defense, they slowed down the Patriots offense. Brady made plays, but the big play was never there for the offense. They Patriots were forced to fight for first downs and struggle down the field. Once in the red zone, the Patriots wound up kicking too many field goals early.

The Ravens made some big plays down the field against the Patriots defense, but no team was able to pull away from the other. Joe Flacco made some plays, but looked extremely uncomfortable under pressure. Often times he had receivers open down field and didn't get the ball there, as the slightest contact by a defender made him throw the ball away.

The officials made it clear that there were going to be no ticky-tack calls during the game, letting defenders from both teams make contact down field. Ben-Jarvis Green-Ellis had to have his helmet ripped off to get a face mask penalty. One Patriots drive in the first half was extended with an illegal contact call that resulted in Wes Welker making an adjustment and missing the ball which was intercepted. Had the ball fallen incomplete, I'm not sure a flag would have flown.

Tom Brady had two poor throws, and as good defenses do, the Ravens made him pay each time by making athletic interceptions and keeping the Ravens in the game. The second interception was particularly egregious as Brady lobbed the ball up in the middle of the field for Matthew Slater immediately after a potentially momentum changing pick by Brandon Spikes. A controlled, patient, time-consuming drive down the field featuring the hard-charging running of Ben-Jarvis Green-Ellis could have broken the backs of the Ravens.

Also, trying to drive and run down the clock, I was very confused by the second down call before the two-minute warning where Bill O'Brien called a toss sweep to Ben-Jarvis Green-Ellis on second and three. Green-Ellis had been a beast running between the tackles all game. Deviating at that point made no sense. A toss sweep to a shifty back like Danny Woodhead would have made more sense than giving it to Green-Ellis. The third down call to Aaron Hernandez was a fine call, a first down being more important than running the clock down a few seconds. It should have worked but, again, the Ravens defense played it well.

The Ravens have the whole off-season to kick themselves after that final drive. Let me point out that Bill Belichick did not "ice" the Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff or make the ridiculous move that some coaches make of running onto the field and calling a timeout a split second before the ball is hiked. The Ravens still had a timeout and chose not to take it. I thought they looked rushed getting out on the field to get ready for the field goal even though there was no doubt they had to kick the potential game-tying field goal.at that point.

That said, the Ravens had the game won. Buffalo Bills cast-off Lee Evans had a touchdown in his hands and had no excuse to drop it. A great effort by Sterling Moore to make a play there. Then, when the Ravens had a chance for first and goal at the two yard line, Sterling Moore again made a great effort to knock the pass down and forcing the Ravens to try to tie the game.

Billy Cundiff had no excuse for missing the kick, The snap was fine. The punter handled it clean, got the ball down, and had the laces out. Cundiff rushed and hooked it bad. A bad kick by a Pro Bowl kicker. Ouch. Cundiff missed bad. The ball was on the right hash mark and he hooked it past the left upright and missed the net behind the goal posts by a good margin. A painful loss for the Ravens, as the opportunities were there.

Make no doubt, the Patriots need to play a lot better in two weeks to win that elusive fourth title.

5 Key Points - Patriots versus Ravens 1/22/2012 AFC Championship

2012-01-22T10:23:00.000-05:00

Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com has long been a favorite writer for his insight and passion for covering the Patriots in direct contrast to some "Superstars of the Media" of this city that "boasts" blow-hards like Ron Borges, Dan "CHB" Shaughnessy, John Tomase, "Gresh", "Felgie", and other winners who come and go in the local sports media. Reiss has constantly reached out to the fan-base and even brought their questions directly to the coach or player at the podium while striving to actually give a well-thought, cogent opinion to go along with the news he regularly brings. This morning he posts his Things to watch: Patriots-Ravens and I just wanted to bring attention to the article add my 2 cents.

1. Pass protection for Tom Brady. If Brady has time to throw, like he did in the divisional round against the Denver Broncos, the Patriots are at their highest level of explosiveness. This puts the spotlight on left tackle Matt Light, left guard Logan Mankins, center Dan Connolly, right guard Brian Waters and right tackle Nate Solder. If third-year offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer (back/foot) is cleared to play, that would further bolster the Patriots up front. Empty sets, with no players in the offensive backfield along with Brady, are a big part of the Patriots' attack and that will be a game within the game to monitor in terms of how the Ravens defend "empty" looks.

In addition to this being simply the one thing the Patriots did NOT do in 2009, the Patriots have the ability, if Seabass (Sebastian Vollmer) is healthy to bring Nate Solder in as a 3rd tight end and basically give the team a six man offensive line. In that set they could line up Gronk tight to the line on the opposite side of Solder, put Aaron Hernandez in the backfield, Wes Welker in the slot strong or weak-side and Deion Branch out wide. Hernandez then can empty the backfield to the opposite side of Welker, he can split wide to allow the Patriots to have "trips" on one side and Gronk in isolation on the other side, or simply stay in the backfield as a 7th blocker or slip out for one of his short catches where he beats a linebacker and turns it into a big game.

2. Ray Rice as dual threat There were only two running backs in the NFL who led their team in rushing yards and receptions -- Baltimore's Ray Rice and Chicago's Matt Forte. This is priority No. 1 for the Patriots' defense, limiting Rice on the ground (1,364 yards, 2nd in NFL) while also accounting for him in the passing game (76 receptions) as a check-down option. Looking for a possible unsung contributor, perhaps it's linebacker Dane Fletcher. He helped "spy" Rice in a 2010 regular-season meeting between the teams.

Ray Rice is the offense for the Baltimore Ravens. Period. Great job by Mike Reiss digging up the nugget about Dane Fletcher as spy on Rice ("like white on rice" is inappropriate and in poor taste, so I'm not making this pun here) as he did previously. Rice is a handful for any defense, and if the Ravens are to have any chance at all, they HAVE to have Joe Flacco attack the Patriots secondary deep with Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin (deep middle of the field is where he works best). If the linebackers are up in the box, Flacco has the opportunity to strike deep. That said, San Diego had that same game plan against the Patriots, and once their running backs started putting the ball on the ground, a back and forth battle (Phil "Biff" Rivers is much more comparable and capable to hold his own in a shoot-out than Flacco) became a strong win for the Pats.

3. Who wins inside the 20? The Ravens ranked first in the NFL in red zone defense (TD percentage), surrendering just 16 touchdowns in 42 trips. The Patriots' red zone offense was the NFL's second-best, with 47 touchdowns in 72 trips. It's a battle of strength on strength inside the 20, where the space gets tight. Look for the Patriots to go empty to try to loosen things up.

Red Zone offense and defense is something that seemingly comes up every time Bill Belichick is speaking. That Patriots game plan is built around scoring touchdowns on offense inside the 20 and holding their opponents to field goals. Danny Woodhead becomes a huge x-factor for New England in the Red Zone with his ability to operate out of the spread offense as a darting runner or catching a pass swung out of the backfield. With all the attention given (and rightfully so) to the tight ends ends and Wes Welker, Woodhead could end up with the ball in his hands in space with one man to make miss making the difference of four crucial points squarely on him.

4. Ravens' coverage vs. "Boston TE Party" Few teams have had the answers to limit Patriots tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez this season. Safety Bernard Pollard figures to be involved in some form, so that will be a matchup to watch. One other possible wrinkle: The Patriots have had success going with a three-tight end package at times -- using offensive lineman Nate Solder as the third option -- and then throwing out of it. When looking to strike the balance between playing physical up front but also maintaining a threat in the passing game, that could be an effective approach at times.

Speaking of those tight ends, am I the only one that wants to see Bernard "Brady's knee" Pollard juked out of his shoes and breaking his ankles trying to stop Hernandez or getting bowled over in the open field by the runaway Gronk train? Again, a key in deciphering the Ravens pass defense has to start with Ed Reed and where he is on the field and what he sees going down. The man is simply the best secondary player in this generation, bar none. Charles Woodson is great, but he's no Ed Reed (and don't throw that weak-ass Troy Polamalu crap over here...the man is Brandon Meriweather running around out of position out on the field with a better PR man).

5. Ravens' Haloti Ngata vs. Patriots' Vince Wilfork The two defensive linemen won't be on the field at the same time, but they represent what this game figures to be all about -- an all-out slugfest at the line of scrimmage. They are the two most powerful players on both teams' defense. We remember the 2009 wild-card round game in which Ray Rice raced 83 yards on the first offensive play, with Wilfork brushed to the side. If the Ravens can establish that type of command up front, it could be a long day for the Patriots. The Patriots seem better prepared to avoid that type of performance this time around.

Ah, yes. The two beasts of defense. In addition, Kyle Love, Gerard Warren, Shaun Ellis, Ron Brace, et al need to be stout up front. Games are won and lost in the trenches, and the past two years (three if we count 2007 Super Bowl versus the Giants) in the playoffs the Patriots were dominated on both sides of the ball and lost winnable games. To get to the big game, this must not happen.

Spare Neurons

2012-01-21T22:09:00.000-05:00

Drunk Jays Fans - http://www.drunkjaysfans.com/ - - This is a great blog. Granted, the poor bastard is a Toronto Fan in the A.L.East ruled by the free-spending Steinbrenners', Disciples of Joe Maddon (does he have his own religion in Tampa yet?), and my sisters of the poor here in Boston. But any blog with a WADE BOGGS HEAD prominently displayed earns my instant respect. (And the Jays are coming. Beware fellow Red Sox fans: Toronto is miles ahead of Baltimore in terms of possibly competing for 3rd place and on the rise!)
Hard to believe I used to mock the Bruins regularly for not attempting to even compete for a championship and the hearts (and WALLETS!) of the fan base. Now, my son even knows half the roster and recognizes Brad Marchand in some horrible hockey wholesale place commercial.
Getting anxious here in Celtics viewership-land here, Danny Ainge. Mighty anxious. Just sayin'...
Why Chad Finn at the Boston Globe rocks, reason # 1,568: His tweet after the Scutaro trade: "At age 20, Bobby Valentine hit .340 with a .910 OPS in Triple A. His position was shortstop. As far as I'm concerned, Scutaro's job is his."
Speaking of my man Marco, now that he has been traded, does that mean I have to change my fantasy baseball team name from "Scu-Scu-Scutaro"?
Also, who the heck plays shortstop now? Mike Aviles?
What did the Red Sox get for Scutaro? Clay Mortensen: A 26 year-old former pitching prospect, aka roster filler. Yes, it was an official salary dump.
Dear Red Sox Management, This is a work in progress, no?
I want to go on record to say that my prediction is that Wes Welker will have a HUGE game against Baltimore in the AFC Championship Game. As in un-coverable, playoff-record shattering stats, and be the key to a big win on Sunday.

Marco? Marco? Mmmmmmmmmmmmaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrccccccccccccccooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!

2012-01-21T21:07:00.000-05:00

Your small-market, low-spending, cash-strapped Boston Red Sox are desperately trying to free up cash to acquire a premium starting pitcher. Please, call John "Jimmy Swaggert" Henry! Send your $20! Your $30! Your $50! YOUR Red Sox need cash! YOUR cash!

The needy Sox (do their red socks need darning and can't afford to be sewn?) traded shortstop Marco Scutaro a few months after trading their other shortstop (Jed Lowrie). Umm, I am all for trading for pitching at ANY time, but seriously? Free up money for Roy Oswalt or outfielder Cody Ross? I am both flabbergasted and speechless.

So that John Lackey signing for $17.5 million per year? Wasted cash. Sure would be nice to dump that into Liverpool for that mid-fielder they need for the Mersey Derby next year...umm, I mean a shortstop for the Red Sox.
Daisuke Matsuzaka? Wasted cash.
Carl Crawford? How much money to fill out the disabled list?

Something tells me Ben "Boy Wonder" Cherington is thinking that he and Theo "He who shall not be named" vociferously fought against these "seat-fillers" eating up the budget and not waiting for Anthony Rizzo to develop at first base instead of unloading him (and other prospects) for Adrian Gonzalez (of whom I am a huge fan of and think is a great fit, btw).

Well, I guess those insanely priced tickets (for regular and exhibition games!) along with the pound and pounds of crap related to "Red Sox Inc." that ownership grubs from Joe Everyday Fan is desperately needed to field a competitive team (for Liverpool and Roush Racing!).

Turn-over and Turnovers

2012-01-21T11:52:00.000-05:00

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the Patriots in their 2009 playoff loss to the Ravens have Ben Watson and Chris Baker at tight end, Randy "I give up" Moss, Sam Aiken, and rookie Julian Edelman at wide receiver (and don't forget converted quarterback Isaiah Stanback at wide receiver, because I know I did!) and last and certainly least Laurence Maroney and Fred Taylor at running back? This is not the same Patriots team other than a few key players. This was a completely different team altogether.

PATRIOTS 2009 DEFENSIVE STARTERS VERSUS BALTIMORE:

DE: Ty Warren NT: Vince Wilfork DE: Jarvis Green OLB: Adalius Thomas ILB: Jerod Mayo ILB: Gary Guyton OLB: Tully Banta-Cain CB: Shawn Springs CB: Leigh Bodden S: James Sanders S: Brandon Meriweather

The defense that got shredded returns all of Vince Wilfork and Jerod Mayo as contributors. Showing up in the 2009 Playoff game included Brandon Meriweather watching Ray Rice run past him on the opening play 83 yard touchdown run, James Sanders at the other safety a step slow as usual. With Leigh Bodden at one corner and Darius Butler splitting time with malcontent Shawn Springs, this secondary makes Kyle Arrington and Devin McCourty seem like the belles of the ball.

With Mayo at linebacker was Gary Guyton (still on the team, not seen on the field in a while), Tully Banta-Cain, Adalius Thomas, and the corpse of Junior Seau. Yikes. Defensive line alongside Wilfork had rookie Myron Pryor (on injured reserve presently), Ty Warren, and Jarvis Green. Any wonder this defense was shredded? Now the Patriots have a good run defense and have locked down opposing offenses in the red zone.

Remember as well, this 2009 Patriots team was the first team since 2002 that got away from Bill Belichick in the clubhouse and spilled over into sloppy, undisciplined and poor play on the field. There was Randy Moss showing up late, Adalius Thomas and Shawn Springs undermining the coaching staff. Hardly a team that was prepared to make a run through the playoffs.

PATRIOTS 2009 OFFENSIVE STARTERS VERSUS BALTIMORE:

LT: Matt Light LG: Logan Mankins C: Dan Koppen RG: Stephen Neal RT: Sebastian Vollmer TE: Chris Baker QB: Tom Brady WR: Randy Moss WR: Julian Edelman WR: Sam Aiken RB: Laurence Maroney

On offense the Patriots return Tom Brady and a few offensive linemen. Seriously. Matt Light and Logan Mankins return. No Dan Koppen at center is a bit of a loss, but they have survived without Koppen all year and can do no worse than Koppen did in that playoff game against Haloti Ngata who tossed him around all game. Marcus Cannon is looking like a 5th round steal filling in at tackle and guard like Seabass (Sebastian Vollmer)did in 2009. Rookie Nate Solder is a beast at right tackle and a definite upgrade over Nick Kaczur who manned right tackle in 2009, and Brian Waters is doing so well at right guard that one wonders if Scott Pioli released Waters because he owed Bill Belichick a favor. Waters is a huge upgrade over Stephen Neal who was struggling to stay healthy in 2009.

Add in Wes Welker blowing out his knee the week before in their last regular season game in 2009 against Houston (how does everyone forget that?), and that Patriots team was a beaten-down group who had already given-up on their season and had graduated to a status of being classified as no more than Tom Brady and the walking dead. This team could not win on the road. This team got beat by the freaking Dolphins. This was the year of the melt-down against the Saints where everyone shut off the TV and said "Are the Saints that good or the Pats so bad?" (the answer was Yes and Yes). Do you remember these two incidents from 2009?

Randy Moss' effort called into question: A firestorm ensued when two Carolina Panthersdefenders said that Moss shut it down during the Patriots’ 20-10 win on Dec. 13 (2009). Owner Robert Kraft, Belichick and Brady threw their support behind Moss.
Players showing up late for a team meeting: On a snowy, icy Wednesday morning, Derrick Burgess, Gary Guyton, Moss and Adalius Thomas were sent home by Belichick for being late to an 8 a.m. meeting. (from: Mike Reiss, ESPNBOSTON.com 1/10/2010)

So if the Ravens can hold Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez to 2 receptions for 5 yards like the dynamic duo of Ben Watson and Chris Baker had in 2009, I like the Ravens chances to win. If the Patriots have to give Kevin Faulk over 20 touches because there is no other offensive weapon for Brady, then these Baltimore Ravens have a real chance tomorrow. But, please, the 2011 Patriots are so very, very different from the 2009 Patriots. It is hardly a valid comparison. Call it apples to oranges. With no disrespect to a defense with Haloti Ngata, Terrell Suggs, and Ed Reed, but I like the Patriots chances in the AFC Championship game much more than in the 2009 playoff mess.

Playoffs Frenzy

2012-01-20T22:58:00.000-05:00

Everyone wants to talk about the Patriots pass defense these playoffs, but has this defense turned the corner, ala the Indianapolis Colts of their title run in 2006? Or is this team destined to be wiped out like the Packers and Saints?

Personally, I believe the Patriots defense is best with their core intact and healthy. With Patrick Chung finally back at safety, Jerrod Mayo healthy and back as a tackling machine at ILB, and Vince Wilfork in the middle of the defensive line to anchor the defense, the Patriots finally have their pieces together and ready to support the offense. Much like last year, this defense is opportunistic and trained to make turnovers. Unlike last year which featured zone defense call with nickle and dime packages most of the game, this year the Patriots have mixed in a classic 4-3 to get Wilfork off the nose, a finally healthy Brandon Spikes on the field with him (good-bye Gary Guyton), and a secondary that edges out (barely) the Earthwind Moreland, Otis Smith, Randall Gay, et al. .

Yes, losing Andre Carter was a tough blow. As was losing depth on the D-line with Myron Pryor and Mike Wright. Josh Barrett was expected to be a key cog at safety, and remember that Ras-I Dowling started at CB opening day. Losing Dowling really hurt the defense as he could have allowed Kyle Arrington to move to nickel back and potentially have taken pressure off of Zone Corner Devin McCourty as he learned to play man-to-man defense this year with some serious on the job training.

That being said, this defense has trouble getting off the field on third down still. They are still susceptible to the long pass, and continue to be beaten regularly by tight ends in an embarrassing fashion (remember Pittsburgh throwing to Heath Miller at will in the Patriots loss to the Steelers?). The big question becomes whether or not Joe Flacco and the Ravens can take advantage of the Patriots defensive short-comings.

Anquan Boldin will likely have some catches, but he rarely is more than a possession target (another tight end almost). The tight ends are young (great story about how the Patriots traded up to snag Gronk and then Hernandez from Baltimore in the draft when Ozzie Newsome had a huge target on both guys and instead drafted Ed Dickson and Eric Pitta that year. Not quite the same impact there. Not. Even. Close.

Ray Rice will get his yards, but by running the ball, Baltimore plays into the strength of the Patriots defense. If the Patriots do anything well consistently this year on defense, it is stopping the run. The Ravens need an X-Factor on offense, I really wonder if Joe Flacco is able to be that person. Former Buffalo Bill Lee Evans (potent...in 2008) and or the one-week wonder Torrey Smith need to make multiple plays down field and take short passes and turn them into big gains. Are either up to the task? Without a surprise performer to make big plays and keep the score close, the Ravens will have a heck of a time keeping up with Tom Brady and the Patriots offense.

To be clear, this offense--when healthy--is good. Damned good. Gronk, Aaron Hernandez or Wes Welker is going to be open almost every play because it is near impossible to cover all three. Add in Danny Woodhead and Kevin Faulk in the backfield and Deion Branch outside (let me say it here first: We will see more Tiquan "Kid'N'Play" Underwood (Rutgers!) on the field than Chad Ochocinco and his bloated salary on Sunday) makes for a match-up headache, ESPECIALLY with the no-huddle offense running.

Yes, the no-huddle, hurry-up is going to be in effect with Tom Brady at the controls where he makes Peyton Manning look like the conductor missing the baton. On a side note, how great was it to get a full season without being subjected to that big dope schilling every product known to man on every other commercial? I still get the willies thinking of Eli and Peyton Manning Oreo Cookie Lick-off against Serena and Venus Williams commercial from a few years ago. (Involuntary Shudder). But I digress...

The Patriots should score at minimum 30 points against the Baltimore defense. Baltimore is a different team on the road, and they have played one top-tier offense all year. FYI, it was San Diego and the Ravens defense got shredded by Philip "Biff" Rivers and the not-explosive-as-the-Patriots offense of the Chargers 34 to 14. (Doesn't Rivers look like a Biff? And why does no one refer to him as Phil? Just wondering.)

Patriots have best bring that A-game on both sides of the ball and on special teams. If they do, another Super Bowl trip is right around the corner.

A Sort of Homecoming

2010-10-17T21:03:00.000-04:00

And you hunger for the time / Time to heal, desire, time / And you earth moves beneath / Your own dream landscape

Not just a classic U2 song from The Unforgettable Fire disc, but an apt description of the return of Deion Branch as the Patriots move into the post-Randy Moss era.

Do I think Randy Moss gave the Patriots their best chance to win the Super Bowl. Well, yes I still think he's an awesome weapon for any offense. Do I understand why they traded him for a miniscule 3rd round pick? You bet I do. (Did I voraciously root against Deion Branch while he was in Seattle. Umm, yeah. Sorry about that Deion.)

Randy Moss appeared to be a couple weeks away from a full-on meltdown. There are situations where change is needed despite the fact that the team unloading the problem player has to take whatever they can get and be happy to remove the distraction and be done with him. Think of Manny Ramirez quitting on the Red Sox in 2006 and again in 2008. (Don't remember 2006? Here's a reminder: Boston Globe) Anyone want the Patriots and Moss to get to that point? Nope, me either. But apparently it was well on its way to that point.

Now a talent like Randy Moss does not come along every year, but the Patriots need their offensive skill positions to take the step their defense has done and become younger. No, Brandon Tate is not close to the receiver Moss was, but he can become a vertical option and team with 3rd round pick Taylor Price next year as a springboard to the future at the wide receiver position.

Yes, the Patriots do not have anyone who can jump in and replace the Randy Moss deep option. But, then again, neither do about 24 other teams in the NFL and they'll survive. Pittsburgh unloaded Santonio Holmes because of character, locker room, and potential distractions reasons. Sure, they kept el dope at QB, but apparently they believe they will survive the loss of Holmes and are certainly not missing a beat this year.

Maybe, just maybe (no, not Maebe Funke from Arrested Development) the Pats are better off without Moss after all. I sure as heck do not believe their offense is better without Randy Moss drawing double-coverage and opening up the deep pass, but removing a gigantic locker room distraction can only help the team long-term and a team divided wins nothing. Of course, somewhere in the back of my head is a little voice screaming "You win with TALENT!"

Head Troll Kerry Byrne over at http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.com/ opines that maybe Brady-Moss is not all it is hyped up to be. On his post of 10/14/2010, he states:

But Moss’s productivity – as measured by passer rating – had declined in production each year since 2007, according to the data compiled by Deep Threat. Here’s a look at the Brady-to-Moss connection over the years (including Matt Cassel-to-Moss in 2008):

2007: 98 of 160, 61.3%, 1,493 yards, 9.3 YPA, 23 TD, 4 INT, 121.2 passer rating
2008: 69 of 125, 55.2%, 1,008 yards, 8.1 YPA, 11 TD, 4 INT, 97.7 passer rating
2009: 83 of 137, 60.6%, 1,264 yards, 9.2 YPA, 13 TD, 8 INT, 98.3 passer rating
2010: 9 of 22, 40.9%, 139 yards, 6.3 YPA, 3 TD, 2 INT, 64.2 rating

Even more damning:

•In 2007, half of Brady’s picks (4 of 8) came when targeting Moss.

•In 2008, Cassel threw 4 of his 11 picks when targeting Moss.
•In 2009, more than half of Brady’s picks (8 of 13) came when targeting Moss.
•In 2010, both of Brady’s picks (2 of 2) came when targeting Moss.
In other words, the numbers confirm what you might have expected: targeting a deep threat, even a rare and elite performer like Moss, is a high-risk, high-reward venture. And, over time, the risks rose and the rewards declined.

Heck, those kind of stats make you wonder if perhaps Bill Belichick really is that far ahead of the curve. Personally, I hope so. Truthfully, I wonder if Tom Brady is happy to lose one of the biggest weapons in the NFL weeks after signing a long term deal. Yes, Wes Welker is still around, and Aaron Hernandez is that something special at tight end the Patriots have been looking for since Ben Coates faded away, but is it enough on offense?

In Bill We Trust, right?

Ali vs. Frazier

2010-06-13T10:35:00.000-04:00

Four games down, and does anyone seriously believe the Lakers-Celtics series won't go all seven games? Having only seen the great heavyweights of the 1970s on video replay (which, being out of time and context can never do them justice), there is a short supply of battles with superior and evenly matched individuals (boxing is so far gone it is not even funny) or teams. Battles that truly can go either way on the slightest shift of momentum: that leave you physically spent just from watching. Not an underdog triumphing over a superior foe, or a superpower overwhelming foes, but two even teams lining up and going at each other at full-speed, no quarter asked, no quarter given, the entire contest.

THIS is what the Celtics-Lakers NBA Championship has become.

This is the Ali vs. Frazier, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Dallas Cowboys, New York Yankees vs. Kansas City Royals of the 1970s. This is the Celtics vs. Lakers, St. Louis Cardinals vs. New York Mets, San Francisco 49ers vs. Washington Redskins vs. Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants (truly the Golden Age of the NFC with four legitimate superpowers in one conference trading hay makers over the decade). This is Mike Tyson vs Evander Holyfield, Green Bay Packers vs. Dallas Cowboys of the 1990s. This is the Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees, New England Patriots vs Indianapolis Colts of the 2000s.

Are these rivalries declining? You bet. Anyone remember any great baseball rivalries from the 1990s with two evenly matched teams? Baltimore Orioles vs New York Yankees for a year or two? Seattle Mariners vs New York Yankees for a brief period. The steroid era was also great for another phenomenon: craptastic rivalries. Toronto Blue Jays vs Detroit Tigers? Gimme a break!

But the Celtics and the Lakers matching-up right now is a true classic. My friend, Tim G., taked about how watching the games so far he could feel an ulcer building in his stomach watching from the edge of his seat. I know exactly how he feels. At times, I have to switch the channel and give myself a pep talk that its really not the end of the world if the Lakers win a road game. The fact that the Celtics are "my team" only heightens the drama, just as with the Red Sox or Patriots games. Yes, I almost brawled with half of Negril, Jamaica after Holyfield beat Tyson while on our honeymoon (Big Mike Tyson fans down there. They knew Michael Jordan and Mike Tyson in 1997 for American Sports. Heaven forbid you disparage either of them!), but nothing touches as deeply as "your team" fighting out on the court, field, park, gridiron, or ring.

Why is that?

Because I suffered through the Rod Rust and Dick McPherson years. The Butch Hobson and Joe Kerrigan years. The Rick Pitino and M.L. Carr years. 1-15. Laughingstock of the league. Worst team ever. Tickets available at walk-up.

We were there then. We are reaping what we sow. We are enjoying the investment on the years we spent supporting horrible teams with horrible coaches, horrible management, and horrible players.

Celtics vs. Lakers is now a best of three series. Only a few rounds left in the heavyweight battle. I know I will be on the edge of my seat watching the two champions fight it out. This is truly the best of the best.

Spring in the Sox

2010-03-28T09:18:00.000-04:00

With spring training's end just around the corner, it's time to turn our thoughts to all things Red Sox as the Celtics stutter-step towards the playoffs, the Bruins in an epic battle for 8th place, and our adopted squad in the UK, Everton, trying to make a late rush to make up for their glacial slow start this season in the EPL.

Personally, I liked the Red Sox continued movement towards a team that wins games like a 21st century pitching killer. Outside of Adrian "Free-swinging" Beltre, the Sox line-up upgrades significantly at shortstop with Marco Scutaro taking over for the Nick Green/Alex Gonzalez nightmare. With Jason Varitek on the bench and a full-season of Victor Martinez in Fenway Park, the second line-up black hole is eradicated. Not to blow your mind, but has anyone in Boston compared 1B in Boston versus NY?
Kevin Youkilis - 53.5 VORP, .317 EqA, .548 Slugging Avg, .413 On-base Avg., .961 OPS
Mark Texeira - 54.7 VORP, .318 EqA, .565 Slugging Avg, .383 On-base Avg., .948 OPS
Looks to me like if I were Youk, I'd be looking for a raise considering what Texeira brings home.

Finally, a national (since 99% of the local sportswriters seem to think sabermetrics are a formula for the area of a triangle and they got into writing because algebra was too hard for them in high school) writer sheds some light on the Red Sox offense projected for the 2010 season. Jayson Stark at ESPN steps up referencing the Red Sox PECOTA offense projection while notating the Papi-bounce back last summer.
To wit:
PROJECTING THE 2010 RED SOX

STAT 2009 *2010 CHANGE
Runs    872   846 minus-26
BA     .270 .277 plus-7
OBP   .352 .357 plus-5
SLG   .454 .449 minus-5
HR      212   179 minus-33
* -- Baseball Prospectus PECOTA projection

BIG PAPIRODUCTION:
"...you find a guy who led the league in homers (27), tied for the league lead in RBIs (78) and was third in slugging (.557) from June 6 on."
Meanwhile, on the subject of Big Papi, the greatest evaluator of MLB injuries EVER, Will Carroll over at http://www.baseballprospectus.com/, checks in on the Big Papi comeback and wrist and steroids issues. Do you think the screaming heads at The Sports Hub or the WEEIdiots bring on Will Carroll or just shout back at idiots calling in with their inane opinions and no attempts to bring the four-letter F word into the discussion: FACT. (Boston sports radio is a rant for another day!)

"The Comeback: So if it was steroids, this is an easy story. David Ortiz has that shadow over him like many players, but his gregarious image helps shoo away some of the nastier blowback.
If it was steroids, then unlike his friend Manny Ramirez, he's been able to pass the tests without any issue.
If it was steroids, he won't be any better than last year.
If it was steroids, he beat a test that netted almost a hundred of his fellow Dominicans over the past couple seasons.
If it was steroids and not the wrist, his power shouldn't have come back after that terrible start at about precisely the time wrists tend to come back from injuries. (NOTE: my emphasis here)
Look at Rickie Weeks or Mark DeRosa, who had very similar injuries and very little steroid suspicion. If it was steroids, his age-34 season should trend more like Barry Bonds, rather than sliding downward, though we might expect a bit of a Willie Stargell-style resurgence if we didn't know he already swung for the fences every time up. Ortiz is in a contract year, he's healthy and happy, but you know what—when he comes back, people are going to say it was steroids."

Anyone who has perused http://www.baseballprospectus.com/ knows that Will Carroll has made baseball injuries his life work (seriously, I am not kidding). If he says it was the wrist last spring, not steroids, then I believe him. Unlike Boston sports radio nitwits, he has credibility.

Speaking of credibility, in my second fantasy baseball league (aka "the Dan League" as I call it), I totally boneheaded and forgot about the draft and had the computer autopicking my team. This left me with a shortstop heavy team and no relief pitchers. Some serious waiver-wire work is needed here to make this team look like a team. Gotta run, thanks for reading!

Panic in January

2010-02-03T20:19:00.000-05:00

The Green are evoking panic withtheir myriad issues:
* A losing record in January;
* Kevin Garnett's knee injury being worse than ~~reported~~ expected AGAIN;
* Rasheed Wallace standing at the three-point line and firing up bombs;
* Interior defense deficiencies with Kendrick Perkins in foul trouble all too often;
and
*too many minutes for Ray Allen and Paul Pierce.

Well, the good news is that it is February 3rd, not May 3rd. The Celtics have three months to get their groove going to go into the playoffs on a roll and pick-up a top three seed. How to get there?

KG's knees: Rest KG as much as possible. Yes, he needs to work into shape, but there is plenty of time to get ready. His healthy presence on defense is the difference beween championship contender and first-round exit.

Rasheed Wallace: Rasheed meet bench. Bench meet Rasheed.

Presence in the Middle: Danny Ainge needs to find a big man on the cheap to back-up Kendrick Perkins and KG. Glen Davis is as much the answer in the middle as Glenn Davis was the answer at first base for the Baltimore Orioles in the 80s (aka NOT the answer!).

Minutes: A healthy Tony Allen solves a lot of problems. He was showing more bounce in the last two or three games than seen from him since pre-KG days here in Boston. Getting back Marques Daniels and integrating him into the rotation before the playoffs will help as well.

The elephant in the room: Ray Allen and his expiring contract. Keep him? Trade him? I say 2010 is not the Celtics year anyway, so trade away. But whoever they get for him had better be worth it!

Think Positive...

2010-01-07T20:19:00.004-05:00

If Bill Belichick ever wanted to wear the underdog label in the post-season, he certainly has scooped it up this year just in time for the playoffs. While everyone writes the Patriots off before the playoffs begin, I look at the playoff teams in the AFC, and see opportunity. The Jets are one-dimensional and Cincinnati is trending downward. Baltimore has lost so much on defense that they will be hard-pressed to win one game. Indianapolis won too many games they should have lost and San Diego is San Diego. There is no one that has been dominant all season long. This is the type of year where any of the playoff teams could end up in the Super Bowl.

DESTINY CALLS:

If Randy Moss were ever going to make the legacy, the Super Bowl signature, to answer the call from destiny and silence the critics, the time is now. To step-up big, to be the offensive nexus, and to be the star who carries the team to an improbable Super Bowl win. That is what is on the line for Randy Moss.

The Welker routes can be run by "King Julian" Edelman, but Edelman does not have that Troy Brown/Wes Welker chemistry with Tom Brady. Edelman is better than nothing, but moving to the slot further weakens an already thin secondary. Is there a warm body to fill the number three receiver role, let alone the number four? Can the Patriots afford to continue to wait for Ben Watson to show-up in the passing game?

No doubt about it, it is time for Randy Moss to ditch the decoy role and show how he can be a complete receiver and run every route and catch everything thrown his way. Moss has got to be the chain-mover over the middle; the deep threat; the intermediate route runner converting the third-and-nine; and being the big target in the red zone.

To be or not be, Randy, that is the question!

Simplify

2009-11-11T21:13:00.003-05:00

Dear Management for the Boston Red Sox:

Don't lie to us. There is no shortage of cash in Fenway. Seriously, ask anyone who has been to a game in the past ten years and felt their wallet lighten significantly.

Here's the to-do list:

1. Sign Jason Bay or Matt Holliday--either or, I really don't care. Heck, Bobby Abreau would have been fine had he hit free agency, but left field demands POWER. Yes, I will settle for Hideki "Bobblehead" Matsui for left field in Fenway. Just get some power, patience and average there.
2. Eat $3 million and say good-bye to Jason Varitek and get a Molina/Brad Ausmus type at back-up catcher. Does anyne really believe "El Capitain" would be anything but a whiney distraction on the 2010 Red Sox catching once a week? Get a superior defender to put there.
3. Raid the Eliminator: Chone Figgins, welcome to Fenway Park. There has to be somewhere he can play in the field. Third base is fine (trade Mike Lowell for a bag of balls if necessary). DH is fine (seriously, Big Papi is on the waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay downslope). Left field or Right field is fine. He can start 130 games all over the place. There is plenty of room in the line-up for him. Get him, and Terry will find the playing time.
4. Raid the Eliminator Part 2: John Lackey, fill-in that missing part in the starting rotation. Lester, Beckett, Lackey, Buchholz, and Wakefield. Not too shabby.
5. Taka Saito, come back to Boston! Well, him or another decent bullpen arm.

Boom. Five moves to bring the World Series Trophy back to Boston.

Crank the Hank...

2009-09-12T08:30:00.002-04:00

Yes, the warbling shouts of Young Bocephus, Hank Williams Jr., and all his rowdy friends signals the arrival of the Patriots on Monday night against their division rival, the Buffalo T.O.'s. (please, someone tell me how to end this travesty of Faith Hill butchering Joan Jett on NBC Sunday nights!) Just knowing fat John Madden and his Madden Cruiser won't be parked outside the stadium gates warms the cockles of my heart. Of course, the way Cris Collinsworth was gushing all over Troy Polamalu after he had three huge penalties (one off-set by a ticky-tacky call) and gave up a few big gains in coverage and one pick, I guess there is a Madden Jr. pushing to win ass-kiss of the year. Heaven help us when Collinsworth calls a Vikings game this year Madden-Approved Minor Deity Brett Favre at the helm.

However, I come not bash announcers and lame-o country singers, but rather to celebrate. To celebrate the arrival of yet another NFL season: another year of mad dashes out of church to get home in time for kickoff; another year of thinking of ways to blow off birthday parties on Sundays (schedule them for Saturday already!); and camping down in front of the telly and trying to convince myself that any of my fantasy football teams have a chance in hell of competing (oh look, Trent Edwards at QB! Willie Parker stinking it up on two different teams!). Specifically, I celebrate the return of Tom Brady: The linchpin of the Patriots success since 2001; The reason the Patriots are serious Super Bowl contenders again; The best QB on the planet throwing to Randy Moss, Wes Welker, and some other shlubs.

Lately, my drive time to and from work (which includes the eminately more listenable 98.5 the Sports Zone instead of those prattling WEEIdiots now that I have an alternate sports talk station that comes in on the radio) has been filled listening to a parade of hosts and callers discuss two related subjects: The Patriots defense and Richard Seymour. Let me address both of these here:

1. Richard Seymour
First off, let me just say that any trade of a player that has missed 12 games in the past two seasons, is 30 years old, and whose role is changed in the shift from 3-4 to 4-3 and is able to bring back a potential top 5 draft pick in 2011 is one that only an idiot would pass up. Oakland is terrible. They're going to be terrible in 2009, and they're going to be terrible in 2010. Conceivably, the Patriots could be holding a #1 overall pick in 2011, which is downright scary! Seymour was a great Patriots player, a stalwart of the defense that carried the team to three Super Bowls and will always command respect from Patriot nation. That said, other than teams desperate for 350 lbs nose tackles, how many over-30 defensive linemen populate teams these days? The position requires an influx of younger, stronger, faster linemen continuously because of the immense physical demands of the job (wrestling multiple 300lb offensive linemen while tight ends and backs go after your knees).

Will he be missed? Of course.
Was he worth a first round pick? Of course not!

There was no way the Patriots could turn down that offer other than simply feeling pity for continuing to take advantage of Al Davis. I say: Thanks for your service, Richard. Good luck dealing with the Raiders. See you back here for Richard Seymour day in 2014.

2. The Patriots Defense
Wow. This unit has been RIPPED this summer. I mean, ripped. Criticism from both the local and national media on a non-spot basis. Wow.

Me, I like what the Patriots have done with their defense. A lot. A real lot.

Last year the Patriots defense was old, slow, and had a couple of jokers at corner back. So this off-season, Bill Belichick and company threw sentimentality to the wind and began the process of remaking the defense.

D-Line: One huge complaint about the defensive line in 2008: NO PASS RUSH!
Richard Seymour OUT. Tully Banta-Cain and Derrick Burgess IN. Increased role for Jarvis Green, arguably their best pass-rushing defensive end. Yes, Seymour would have been nice to keep, but see above as to why he's gone. Depth at the defensive line includes two impressive looking rookies, Ron Brace at defensive tackle and Myron Pryor at defensive end. With the switch to the 4-3, Belichick seems to be acknowledging the need for the front seven (and specifically the front four) to get more pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

Linebackers: Old and slow. Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, Junior Seau, Rosie Colvin. Old and slow. Out with the old, in with the speed. Imagine, a Patriots linebacker able to make a play in space, to get to the outside, to cover a tight end, or to get to the quarterback. It boggles the mind!!! In a 4-3 base defense, Jerod Mayo plays to his strengths by being able to run sideline to sideline and attack opposing running backs. With Gary Guyton (strength and speed--how did no one draft this guy?) and Adalius "the real freak" Thomas on the outside, the Patriots suddenly have the makings of an impressive line backing core. The back-ups are a bit iffy, but if these three stay healthy, things are incredibly improved over last year.

Defensive backs: Would you take Ellis Hobbs and (hold on, I've been trying to block this out all off-season) Deltha O'Neal as your top two corners or former All-Pro Shawn Springs and Leigh Bodden? Yeah, no brainer for sure! Hobbs thought he was Ty Law for some reason, but in my head he'll always be the corner beat miserably by Plexiglas Burress in Super Bowl 42. Add in youngsters Jonathan Wilhite (he's locked up the #3 slot corner spot), rookie Darrius Butler, and Tyrone Wheatley (2nd round pick? Time to show it!), and suddenly there is a balance of veterans who have done the job and youth and speed. Add in the blossoming Brandon Merriweather (he really is a play maker!) and steady James Sanders with young hitter Patrick "Don't call me Eugene" Chung pushing for playing time, and the safety position is solid.

The season will show, and certainly with no games played and Bill Belichick historically playing it close to the vest in pre-season, it is hard to gauge the team based on pre-season play (where are all those bozos who trashed Randy Moss after he didn't play the 2007 pre-season? yeah, hiding under rocks, that's where.), but I like the speed and youth on defense and think it will pay immediate benefits in 2009.

* * *

The Turk is coming...

2009-09-05T08:03:00.004-04:00

Labor Day week-end brings more than hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill: along with the BBQ comes "the Turk" as NFL rosters cut down to 53 and teams scramble to push players through waivers to the practice squad, grab potential prospects to fill that last spot, or catch a falling veteran who was cut loose. The transaction page is stuffed with dreams denied and opportunities just waiting to be grabbed by the next Wes Welker, Stephen Neal, or Mike Wright who all picked themselves up off the ground after a visit by the Turk and survived "waiver wire hell" to cash in as productive, top-line NFL players through perseverance, hard work and dedication.

The Patriots have been their usual enigma wrapped inside a riddle as cut down time approaches. Already presumed #2 quarterback Andrew Walter has followed 2008 3rd round pick Kevin "Don't call my Jerry" O'Connell out the door as the Patriots look to replace Millionaire Matt Cassell behind Tom Brady. Brian "Steny" Hoyer stated his case for the #2 job by throwing a couple of picks and falling behind 21-0 against the Giants first team defense Thursday night. Against the fellow scrubs, Hoyer looked much better,; however, after Millionaire Matt Cassell's putrid pre-season performance last year was followed by an impressive job filling in for Brady, I am really trying to not base all my opinions on the pre-season games and try to believe Bill Belichick and company know what is going on during practices enough to make an educated assessment.

Running back, wide receiver and tight end have multiple questions as the Patriots try to cram too much talent into too few roster spots. At running back, can the Patriots let Ben-Jarvis Green-Ellis (aka the "Accounting Firm") go, or do they keep five RBs knowing they inevitably have 2 or 3 backs dinged up in the course of the season? Has Laurence Maroney done enough to keep a job? How about Fred Taylor? Has anyone spotted Kevin Faulk this off-season? Tight-end looks like 3 players competing for 4 spots with Alex "the Invisible Man" Smith rumored on the block and perennial underachiever Ben Watson playing in the fourth quarter of the fourth pre-season game--usually the spot reserved for scrubs to show-off to other teams. Finally, the Terrence Nunn Fan Club has overtaken Patriot Nation as site after site anoints him the number three receiver ahead of vets Greg Lewis and Joey Galloway. Somehow, I don't see Nunn passing Julian Edelman or Sam "Clay" Aiken at receiver or special teams, which cries for "practice squad."

Without a doubt, the other 30 NFL teams will attack the left-overs of the Colts and Patriots and both teams will hope to sneak a few youngsters to the practice squad. Right now, the Patriots are deep. Back-up quarterback is a concern (as is the secondary until they make some stops in a game that counts), but offensive and defensive line are both deep, skill positions have great battles, and the linebacking corp is definitely faster and younger than it has ever been in the Belichick era with projected starters Gary Guyton, Jerod Mayo, and Adalius Thomas (if they are using a 4-3 or in the nickel with Derrick Burgess as a hand-on-the-ground defensive end). Their biggest weakness--the secondary--is far superior to last year which had Ellis "Burn me once, burn me twice, oh heck, burn me again!" Hobbs and Deltha "the human Fastlane EZ-Pass" O'Neal manning the corners. Leigh Bodden and even a one-legged Shawn Springs would be a huge upgrade over the gruesome twosome at corner in 08.

Now, it is just the interminable wait until Monday night, September 14th and the Bills.