Roaming the Sidelines

RIP Ernie Harwell

2010-05-04T23:18:00.004-04:00

Ernie Harwell died today, and few could write about him better than Joe Posnanski already did.

However, I will add one thing. A few years ago, Fox or ESPN (I don't remember which) had him on one of their baseball broadcasts. On the one hand, it was a way of honoring him while he was still around. It was a Tigers game, of course, but it was broadcast nationally, so more than just the fans in Michigan got to experience him. And that was a treat. The broadcasters themselves (might have been Joe Buck, Tim McCarver, Joe Morgan, Jon Miller, or maybe even Orel Hershiser or Rick Sutcliffe) were respectful and curious about what Ernie had seen and the stories he had to tell.

On the other hand, I couldn't help but feel that they were rolling out the grand old guy - Harwell would have been around 90 years old at this time - and paying him homage but not much else. "Tell the one about being traded for a minor league catcher!" "What was it like broadcasting the '84 team?" "How did you handle baseball during the summer of '68?" That felt wrong, that they were wasting his talent spinning yarns about the past when the team Harwell knew better than any of them was playing right there.

And I know it felt wrong because Harwell, in his own way, was pointing out that they were wasting his talents. He just wanted to call the damn game. He was gracious in the booth and answered the questions from the other guys, but as much as possible he just got back to the play-by-play he did so well. I got the sense that the guys in the booth didn't plan on having their jobs usurped, however briefly, by a 90 year old Hall of Famer, but Harwell did it anyway, and I loved every moment. No comments about an oddball fan or the sights in Detroit or the next camera angle or the off-day plans for the gang, just the play-by-play: straight, accurate, clear, and sounding like baseball.

All the best, Ernie.

Random Clicks: 3/28/10

2010-03-28T08:52:00.003-04:00

Roaming the sidelines, and baby-stepping back into the blogosphere ...

Red Sox/MLB

Breaking down the Mauer signing.

Some thoughts on Sox prospect Josh Reddick.

Peter Gammons checks in on Spring Training.

Celtics/NBA

Rondo steals the record.

Breaking down the 2010 free agents.

Danny Ainge discusses the current situation of the Celtics.

Patriots/NFL

Class-act Joey Porter is making headlines.

Checking-in with Leigh Bodden.

The Red Sox's "revolving door" at shortstop

2009-12-08T01:07:00.008-05:00

I live in North Carolina now, so happily I am removed from the constant barrage of media coverage of Boston sports. But some pervasive messages get through to me, even though I'm far more likely to hear about high school football players switching between UNC and NC State than about the Red Sox.

So the Red Sox have signed Marco Scutaro to be their new(est) shortstop, and the cliché in the media is that the Sox have a revolving door at short ever since Nomar was traded. (Dan Shaughnessy calls shortstop the Red Sox's "black hole," though I am not aware of Mike Lowell passing an event horizon and never being heard from again.) The signing itself has been analyzed in a lot of places, but I wanted to find out whether it's true that the Red Sox can't seem to find a shortstop.

The answer is, obviously, yes. In the past six seasons (since 2004), they've employed Orlando Cabrera, Edgar Renteria, Julio Lugo, Jed Lowrie, and Nick Green as their regular shortstops.

However, while it's true the Red Sox have used a lot of different shortstops, particularly when compared to other notable teams, no team has long-term solutions at each position. I checked it out, and I couldn't find any team that didn't have at least four different "full time" players at at least one position in those six seasons. In fact, half of all teams had at least one position where they used five different full-timers from 2004-2009:

Baltimore: Left Field
Chicago Cubs: Center Field
Cincinnati: Shortstop
Colorado: Second Base
Florida: Catcher
Kansas City: First Base, Right Field
LA Angels: Center Field
LA Dodgers: Third Base, Left Field
New York Mets: Catcher, Right Field
Oakland: First Base
Pittsburgh: Right Field
San Diego: Second Base, Center Field
San Francisco: First Base, Center Field
St. Louis: Third Base, Left Field
Texas: Center Field, Right Field

And these hapless teams have had a position with a different full-time player each year from 2004 to 2009:

Atlanta: Left Field
Chicago Cubs: Right Field
Milwaukee: Third Base
New York Mets: Right Field
New York Yankees: First Base
Oakland: Left Field
Tampa Bay: Second Base
Texas: Left Field (note that of 18 possible full-time players in the three outfield positions since 2004, the Rangers have used 16)
Washington: Left Field, Center Field

Looking over those names, I see no real relationship between positional instability and team success.

One argument you could make is that SS is a more important position than 1B or LF, and you'd be right. Bill James is spot on in his Defensive Spectrum; anyone can see that finding a competent catcher is a lot harder than finding a competent first baseman. (My kingdom for Joe Mauer.) By that measure, only the Marlins (catcher), Reds (shortstop), and Mets (catcher) match up to the Red Sox for inability to find a long-term solution in a key defensive position.

All the same, it hasn't stopped the Red Sox from a lot of success. So chill out, Boston media. I want a regular, healthy, productive player at each position too, and the lack of success hasn't stopped Theo from trying. But it's hardly anything to go all Chicken Little over.

NFL Picks: Week 13

2009-12-04T10:35:00.004-05:00

Quick picks this week ...

Thursday, December 3rd

NY Jets at Buffalo [Toronto] (+3) --- Buffalo

Sunday, December 6th
Denver at Kansas City (+6) --- Denver
Oakland (+15) at Pittsburgh --- Pittsburgh
Houston at Jacksonville (+2) --- Jacksonville
Tennessee (+6.5) at Indianapolis --- Tennessee
Philadelphia at Atlanta (+5.5) --- Philadelphia
Detroit (+13) at Cincinnati --- Cincinnati
New Orleans at Washington (+9.5) --- New Orleans
Tampa Bay (+5) at Carolina --- Tampa Bay
St. Louis (+9) at Chicago --- St. Louis
San Diego at Cleveland (+13.5) --- San Diego
San Francisco at Seattle (+1) --- San Francisco
Minnesota at Arizona (+3.5) --- Arizona
Dallas at NY Giants (+1.5) --- NY Giants
New England at Miami (+4) --- New England

Monday, December 7th
Baltimore (+3.5) at Green Bay --- Green Bay

Last Week’s Record: 6-10

Season Record: 91-83-2

NFL Picks: Week 12

2009-11-28T16:45:00.002-05:00

Well, after the last couple of weeks I might have to do something drastic. I’m giving myself one more chance at redemption this week, then we’ll see what happens.

Now, on to the picks ...

Thursday, November 26th
Green Bay at Detroit (+11) --- Green Bay
Oakland (+13.5) at Dallas --- Dallas
NY Giants at Denver (+6) --- Denver

Sunday, November 29th

Indianapolis at Houston (+3.5) --- Houston
Cleveland (+13.5) at Cincinnati --- Cincinnati
Chicago (+11) at Minnesota --- Minnesota
Washington (+9) at Philadelphia --- Philadelphia
Miami at Buffalo (+3) --- Miami
Arizona (+2) at Tennessee --- Arizona
Seattle at St. Louis (+4) --- Seattle
Tampa Bay (+12) at Atlanta --- Atlanta
Carolina (+3) at NY Jets --- Carolina
Jacksonville (+3) at San Francisco --- San Francisco
Kansas City (+13.4) at San Diego --- Kansas City
Pittsburgh (+6.5) at Baltimore --- Baltimore

Monday, November 30th

New England (+2) at New Orleans --- New England

Last Week’s Record: 4-12

Season Record: 85-73-2

NFL Picks: Week 11

2009-11-21T08:01:00.002-05:00

That was one UGLY week (and I won’t even get into the Pats/Colts game). That being the case, I’ve got to really focus this week on getting the mojo back. First a couple of rules that I’m going to follow for the foreseeable future.

Rule 1: Always bet against Cleveland and Oakland. Oakland is Oakland, and Cleveland has Mangini. On a side note, St. Louis used to be part of this rule, but they’ve tucked it to me on the point spread a couple of times.

Rule 2: Always bet on New England. I know I’m going to look like a homer, but I really think that they’re going to be playing with a chip on their shoulders for the rest of the season. I can’t include New Orleans and Indianapolis as locks, because the point spreads have been stacked against them.

Now, on to the picks ...

Thursday, November 19th

Miami (+3) at Carolina --- Carolina

Sunday, November 22nd
Cleveland (+3.5) at Detroit --- Detroit
Buffalo (+8.5) at Jacksonville --- Jacksonville
Pittsburgh at Kansas City (+10) --- Pittsburgh
Indianapolis at Baltimore (+1) --- Indianapolis
Atlanta (+7) at NY Giants --- Atlanta
San Francisco (+6.5) at Green Bay --- San Francisco
Seattle (+10.5) at Minnesota --- Seattle
Washington (+11) at Dallas --- Dallas
New Orleans at Tampa Bay (+11.5) --- Tampa Bay
Arizona at St. Louis (+9.5) --- Arizona
NY Jets (+10.5) at New England --- New England
Cincinnati at Oakland (+9.5) --- Cincinnati
San Diego at Denver (+4) --- Denver
Philadelphia at Chicago (+3) --- Chicago

Monday, November 23rd
Tennessee (+4.5) at Houston --- Houston

Last Week’s Record: 6-8-1

Season Record: 81-61-2

Those Who Served

2009-11-14T07:48:00.009-05:00

I just noticed that my post for the week 10 picks was the 50th site entry this year. Its makes me feel good that this milestone was hit on an entry that featured an image of Roger Staubach --- because I used that image to honor Veteran's Day. I think that a little more recognition is in order, though. So, in honor of my late Uncle Charlie who passed earlier this year (and served our country in Vietnam), here's a look at some of our sports heroes who were also members of our armed services.

For those who are interested, clicking on each name will bring you to some suggested reading.

Roger Staubach

Drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 1964 out of Navy, he began his career in 1969 as a 27 year-old rookie (due to his military commitment). Rather than requesting a state-side assignment, he volunteered for a tour of duty in Vietnam. Staubach was a two-time Super Bowl champion (winning the MVP for Super Bowl VI), and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.

David Robinson

The San Antonio Spurs drafted Robinson in the 1987 draft with the first overall pick, but had to wait until he served two years in the Navy before they could see him in uniform. Even though the Navy excused him from the final three years of his service, he continued to serve as reserve. Robinson retired in 2003 with two NBA championships and a league MVP to his credit.

Pat Tillman

After being drafted in 1998, Tillman spent his entire career with the Arizona Cardinals. Following the 2001 season, he turned down a $3.6 million dollar contract to enlust in the Army (becoming a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment). While deployed in Afghanistan, he was killed in a friendly-fire incident --- the details of which are currently being investigated by Congress.

Ted Williams

A 17-time All-Star, and 2-time MVP, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966 after spending his entire career with the Boston Red Sox. His military accomplishments include tours of duty in WWII and the Korean War, serving in both as a pilot. Both tours took a substantial chunk out of the prime of his career, and provide the substance for one of the more intriguing "what if" scenarios in sports history. Who knows what records he might have owned?

Rocky Bleier

An eventual 4-time Super Bowl champ, Bleier was drafted in 1968 after his rookie season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He suffered wounds in Vietnam from grenade shrapnel, and received the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star.

Bob Kalsu

The only active NFL player to lose his life in Vietnam. Kalsu was the Buffalo Bills Rookie of the Year in 1968, and shipped out to Vietnam after that season. He was killed in action on July 21, 1970. He was survived by his daughter Jill, and his pregnant wife Jan who gave birth to their son James on July 23rd.

NFL Picks: Week 10

2009-11-13T07:16:00.004-05:00

Well, I thought that last week was tough … but at least I didn’t miss any games --- like I did this week with NO vs. CAR (I’ll count it as a loss). Oddly enough, that’s the second time this year that I’ve neglected a Carolina game.

Now, on to the picks ...

Thursday, November 12th
Chicago (+2.5) at San Francisco --- Chicago

Sunday, November 15th

Jacksonville (+7) at NY Jets --- NY Jets
Denver at Washington (+3.5) --- Denver
Cincinnati (+7) at Pittsburgh --- Cincinnati
Buffalo (+7) at Tennessee --- Tennessee
Detroit (+17) at Minnesota --- Detroit
New Orleans at St. Louis (+13.5) --- New Orleans
Atlanta at Carolina (+1.5) --- Carolina
Tampa Bay (+10) at Miami --- Miami
Kansas City (+2) at Oakland --- Kansas City
Seattle (+8.5) at Arizona --- Seattle
Philadelphia (+1.5) at San Diego --- Philadelphia
Dallas at Green Bay (+3) --- Dallas
New England (+3) at Indianapolis --- New England

Monday, November 16th

Baltimore at Cleveland (+11) --- Baltimore

Last Week’s Record: 7-6

Season Record: 75-53-1

NFL Picks: Week 9

2009-11-07T21:31:00.002-05:00

Tough week in the sleep department (as well as for picks) --- just checking-in to post the picks for this week.

Now, on to the picks ...

Sunday, November 8th
Kansas City (+6.5) at Jacksonville --- Jacksonville
Baltimore at Cincinnati (+3) --- Cincinnati
Houston (+8.5) at Indianapolis --- Houston
Washington (+9) at Atlanta --- Atlanta
Green Bay at Tampa Bay (+9.5) --- Green Bay
Arizona (+3) at Chicago --- Arizona
Miami (+10.5) at New England --- New England
Detroit (+10) at Seattle --- Seattle
Tennessee (+4) at San Francisco --- San Francisco
San Diego (+5) at NY Giants --- San Diego
Dallas (+3) at Philadelphia --- Dallas

Monday, November 9th
Pittsburgh at Denver (+3) --- Denver

Last Week’s Record: 7-6

Season Record: 68-47-1

NFL Picks: Week 8

2009-10-30T21:57:00.004-04:00

Now that’s what I’m talking about! So what if some of my categories didn’t pan out --- I’ll take 10-2-1 any time! Let’s see if we can keep it rolling this week. Of course with the way that the Browns, Raiders and Rams are playing, it’s like being spotted 3 wins each week. Having spent quite a bit of time out there, I do feel bad for the fans in Cleveland --- they deserve better than they got.

Now, on to the picks ...

Sunday, November 1st

Take the points and run ...
San Francisco (+12.5) at Indianapolis --- San Francisco
Seattle (+9.5) at Dallas --- Seattle
Atlanta (+10.5) at New Orleans --- Atlanta [Monday, November 2nd]

These guys won’t even need the points …

Denver (+3.5) at Baltimore --- Denver
Miami (+3) at NY Jets --- Miami
Jacksonville (+3) at Tennessee --- Jacksonville
NY Giants at Philadelphia (+1) --- Philadelphia

Mortal locks …
Cleveland (+13.5) at Chicago --- Chicago
Oakland (+16.5) at San Diego --- San Diego

Won’t even be close (trust me this time) …
Houston at Buffalo (+3.5) --- Houston
Minnesota (+3) at Green Bay --- Green Bay
St. Louis (+4) at Detroit --- Detroit
Carolina (+10) at Arizona --- Arizona

Last Week’s Record: 10-2-1

Season Record: 61-41-1

Referee Safety

2009-10-26T13:45:00.003-04:00

When I touched on this subject in a previous post, I didn't spend much time focusing on the referees in the NFL. Part of my reasoning was that it seemed to be an obvious example of a sport in which the officials are ridiculously vulnerable to injury. After reading an article by Adam Schefter on ESPN.com, I'm glad to see that something might be happening to correct this situation.

Players have gotten much faster and stronger in the years since officiating as we know it came into play. I'd wager that for the most part, referees (with some exceptions) have pretty much retained an average body-type. It's time to make an adjustment.

My question is this --- why does the league need to wait until the season is over to, at the very least, require the referees to wear helmets? It seems to me that this should not be considered a major initiative. A faceless helmet, possibly with a visor, should have minimal (if any) impact on the refs ability to officiate the game as current rules dictate. More sweeping changes, such as positioning on the field, can (and should) be hammered out in the off-season. In the meantime, the NFL should step-up and make every possible effort to protect the officials, immediately.

NFL Picks: Week 7

2009-10-24T09:24:00.002-04:00

That was about as ugly an 8-6 as you can get, fortunately some of my underdog picks came through. To make it a bit more interesting this week, I’ve broken the games down into categories (obviously setting myself up for the wrath of the betting gods). I’m not ranking the Monday night game, because I’m pretty sure that with the Phillies in the World Series no one would notice if the game weren’t played.

Now, on to the picks ...

Sunday, October 25th

Take these to the bank ...
Green Bay at Cleveland (+9) --- Green Bay
New England at [LONDON] Tampa Bay (+15) --- New England
New Orleans at Miami (+6.5) --- New Orleans

It’s a crime to be getting points on this one ...
Atlanta (+4) at Dallas --- Atlanta

These games will not be as close as people think ...
Minnesota (+5.5) at Pittsburgh --- Pittsburgh
Arizona (+7) at NY Giants --- Arizona
San Francisco (+3) at Houston --- San Francisco

Could go either way ...
San Diego at Kansas City (+5) --- San Diego
Indianapolis at St. Louis (+14) --- Indianapolis
Chicago at Cincinnati (PK) --- Cincinnati
NY Jets at Oakland (+6) --- NY Jets
Buffalo (+7) at Carolina --- Carolina

Monday, October 26th
Philadelphia at Washington (+7) --- Philadelphia

Last Week’s Record: 8-6

Season Record: 51-39

NFL Picks: Week 6

2009-10-15T23:16:00.004-04:00

Well, it appears that the sleep deprivation did wreak a bit of havoc on my picks. That being said, there’s no shame in going two games over .500. Let’s see if I can get the mojo back.

Now, on to this week's picks ...

Sunday, October 18th

Kansas City at Washington (+6) --- Kansas City
Houston (+5.5) at Cincinnati --- Houston
Cleveland (+14) at Pittsburgh --- Pittsburgh
Baltimore (+3) at Minnesota --- Minnesota
St. Louis (+9.5) at Jacksonville --- Jacksonville
NY Giants (+3) at New Orleans --- New Orleans
Carolina at Tampa Bay (+3) --- Carolina
Detroit (+13.5) at Green Bay --- Detroit
Philadelphia at Oakland (+14) --- Philadelphia
Arizona (+3) at Seattle --- Seattle
Buffalo (+9.5) at NY Jets --- Buffalo
Tennessee (+9) at New England --- New England
Chicago (+3) at Atlanta --- Atlanta

Monday, October 19th

Denver (+3.5) at San Diego --- Denver

Last Week’s Record: 8-6

Season Record: 43-33

NFL Picks: Week 5

2009-10-10T22:07:00.003-04:00

Two pretty good weeks in a row --- let's see if the sleep deprivation (thank you to the newest little D'Entremont) of the past week has any effect on this week's outcome.

Now, on to this week's picks ...

Sunday, October 10th
Minnesota at St. Louis (+10.5) --- Minnesota
Dallas -7.5 at Kansas City (+7.5) --- Kansas City
Washington (+4) at Carolina --- Carolina
Tampa Bay (+15) at Philadelphia --- Tampa Bay
Oakland (+15.5) at NY Giants --- NY Giants
Cleveland (+6) at Buffalo --- Buffalo
Cincinnati (+8.5) at Baltimore --- Cincinnati
Pittsburgh at Detroit (+10.5) --- Pittsburgh
Atlanta (+2.5) at San Francisco --- Atlanta
New England at Denver (+3) --- New England
Houston (+5.5) at Arizona --- Houston
Jacksonville (+1.5) at Seattle --- Seattle
Indianapolis at Tennessee (+4) --- Indianapolis

Monday, October 11th
NY Jets at Miami (+2) --- Miami

Last Week’s Record: 9-5

Season Record: 35-27

Pepsi ads

2009-10-02T23:27:00.005-04:00

A propos of nothing, I couldn't help but notice that Pepsi's MLB Refresh ad is NY skewed. The count of places associated with the clips they show:

Boston: 1
Kansas City: 2
Los Angeles: 1
New York: 10
Philadelphia: 1
Seattle: 1

(And why Kansas City? There's a far more notable baseball team in the same state.)

Compare it to the Pepsi NFL Refresh ad:

Boston: 2
Cleveland: 1
Dallas: 4
Miami: 2
Oakland: 1
New York: 2
San Diego: 2

Perhaps football is in fact the American sport. And baseball is the national sport of New York.

NFL Picks: Week 4

2009-09-30T23:19:00.002-04:00

Well, last week was a step in the right direction … and no, I did NOT let my 4 year old daughter make my picks for me. Although I’m not ruling that out in the future.

Editor’s note: publishing early this week, because the newest member of Team D’Entremont will be joining the roster any day now.

Now, on to this week’s picks …

Sunday, October 4th
Oakland (+9.5) at Houston --- Houston
Tennessee at Jacksonville (+3) --- Tennessee
Baltimore (+2) at New England --- New England
Cincinnati at Cleveland (+5.5) --- Cincinnati
NY Giants at Kansas City (+8.5) --- Kansas City
Detroit (+10) at Chicago --- Detroit
Tampa Bay (+7) at Washington --- Tampa Bay
Seattle (+10.5) at Indianapolis --- Indianapolis
NY Jets (+7) at New Orleans --- New Orleans
Buffalo at Miami (+2) --- Miami
St. Louis (+9.5) at San Francisco --- San Francisco
Dallas at Denver (+3) --- Denver
San Diego (+6.5) at Pittsburgh --- Pittsburgh

Monday, October 5th
Green Bay (+3.5) at Minnesota --- Green Bay

Last Week’s Record: 10-6

Season Record: 26-22

Are You Ready for Some ... Hockey?!?

2009-09-30T14:03:00.004-04:00

With the Bruins getting ready to kick-off the '09-10 campaign tomorrow night, let's take a quick look around the Net (pun definitely intended) and see what's being written about them ...

Fluto Shinzawa of The Boston Globe talks about their defense-minded approach.

Rich Thompson of The Boston Herald writes about the expectations of team owner Jeremy Jacobs.

Craig Custance of The Sporting News is picking the Bs to win the Northeast Division.

Allan Muir of SI.com thinks that they have a shot at the Cup.

Matt Kalman of ESPNBoston.com projects them to win the Northeast, but fall short of the Finals.

Thoughts on Mangini

2009-09-29T21:38:00.006-04:00

I just read a nice little article by Joe Posnanski, in which he wonders if Eric Mangini is the worst coaching hire ever. Personally, I found this to be a very satisfying read after watching him burn all bridges to New England. Posnanski lists some pretty good reasons to back-up his claim, and I think he might be on to something (personal bias aside).

At the risk of sounding like a total homer (guilty as charged), I do think that he missed two pretty big ones, though --- and they both speak to Mangini's character:

He supposedly had a gentleman's agreement in place with Bill Belichick, stating that he would not leave the Patriots for a head coaching job after one year in the position of Defensive Coordinator. We all know how that worked out. He spent one year running the Patriots defense, then bolted when the Jets opened-up their wallet. Personally I can't blame him for taking the Jets money, but I can certainly see why this stung Belichick. Mangini was elevated to a lofty position in the New England organization, with the understanding that he would provide some stability to the role beyond one season. He benefited from Belichick's tutelage, and he also inherited a pretty solid defense. It seems to me like this is a classic case of being born on 3rd base, and thinking he hit a triple.

Spygate. Yeah, I went there. I know that I sound bitter, and that's because I am. I truly believe that Mangini did not know the amount of damage that he was going to unleash on the man that gave him his start, but that lack of foresight is another check-mark against him. I find it truly astonishing that someone in his position could not grasp the damage that he was doing. Now, to be fair, the Patriots did break the rule that was in place. My point is just that it seems that Mangini might have broken one of the unwritten codes by snitching on a fellow coach.

I was truly shocked when I heard that the Cleveland Browns hired Mangini so quickly after he was fired by the Jets. My first thought when he was fired, was that no team would hire him based on his connection to the Spygate scandal. Add to that the lousy job that he did coaching the Jets, and it seemed obvious that he'd be unemployed for awhile. Then along came the Browns. On a personal note, I was a bit disappointed because I think that Browns fans deserve better. I've spent a lot of time in Cleveland, and that city and its fan-base is certainly deserving of a championship. Unfortunately, the moment that they hired Mangini they put those dreams on hold.

3 Up, 3 Down

2009-09-27T17:05:00.013-04:00

Mowing 'em down Patriots style ...

3 Thoughts from Today's Game

Joey Galloway might not be around for the full season. He just doesn't seem to be in sync with Tom Brady, and by game 3 he should be --- especially given that Welker's absence the past two games has resulted in more looks for him. Considering that Julian Edelman is starting to make a bit of a name for himself, Galloway really needs to start showing something.

I'll take Randy Moss with a bad back over 95% of the WRs in the NFL today. Even though he didn't get into the end-zone, he still made his presence known with 10 catches and over 100 yards. Plus, conventional wisdom says that some of the wide-open catches made by other receivers were the result of Moss drawing extra attention from the Falcons defense.

The Patriots defense, at least so far, is underrated. Despite losing some key players, they've been very stingy. They might not be pretty, but they've been effective.

3 Upcoming Opponents to Watch Out For

Baltimore Ravens. This is going to be a huge test for the Pats in Week 4, and the outcome will tell us a lot about how they stack up to the elite teams of the league. Not only are the Ravens 3-0, but they've scored 103 points while only allowing 53.

Indianapolis Colts. With the amount of times these teams play each other, this feels like a division game. It's definitely one of the games that you circle on the calendar. Hopefully by the time that the Pats head out to Indy in Week 11, Brady and the offense will have found some solid footing.

NY Jets. The outcome in the Week 12 re-match could be vastly different for a couple of reasons:

The Jets were emotionally charged to win "their Super Bowl", but now that they've won, are they going to have the same edge?

Hopefully by Week 12, Brady will be more comfortable playing in real games. In the same sense, this team should also have a solid idea of what kind of team they are.

3 Recent Patriots Links Worth Checking Out

Dale & Holley (WEEI) talked to Dan Koppen, Logan Mankins and Fred Taylor after last Friday's practice.

The always insightful Mike Reiss discusses how the Pats were able to shut down Tony Gonzalez.

The Sporting News has an article talking about the more balanced offensive attack of the Pats against the Falcons.

NFL Picks: Week 3

2009-09-24T16:18:00.006-04:00

Okay, last week's picks were pretty pathetic --- and that's not even counting the fact that I neglected to include the Carolina-Atlanta game (I'll count that as a loss). Well, with two weeks of play in the bank, no more excuses ... until next week of course.

Now, on to this week's picks ...

SUN, SEP 27th

Tennessee (+2.5) at NY Jets --- Tennessee

Jacksonville (+4) at Houston --- Houston

Kansas City (+9) at Philadelphia --- Kansas City

Cleveland (+13.5) at Baltimore --- Baltimore

NY Giants at Tampa Bay (+6.5) --- NY Giants

Washington at Detroit (+6.5) --- Detroit

Green Bay at St. Louis (+6.5) --- Green Bay

San Francisco (+7) at Minnesota --- San Francisco

Atlanta (+4) at New England --- New England

Chicago at Seattle (+2.5) --- Seattle

New Orleans at Buffalo (+6) --- New Orleans

Miami (+5.5) at San Diego --- San Diego

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati (+4) --- Pittsburgh

Denver at Oakland (+1.5) --- Denver

Indianapolis (+2.5) at Arizona --- Indianapolis

MON, SEP 28th

Carolina (+8.5) at Dallas --- Carolina

Last Week's Record: 7-9

Season Record: 16-16

Random Clicks: 9/22/09

2009-09-22T20:41:00.012-04:00

Roaming the sidelines, and telling myself that the NFL season is still young ...

Patriots/NFL

Jeff Schultz at AJC.com writes about the return of former Patriots personnel guy, and current Falcons GM, Thomas Dimitroff.

WEEI.com has an interview with Bill Belichick, in which he talks about the loss to the Jets and the upcoming match-up with the Falcons.

Red Sox/MLB

Mike McDermott of the Providence Journal runs down some of the reasons why the Sox are facing the Royals at the wrong time.

Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci talks about possible Sox playoff opponent LA Angels, and the state of their rotation.

Bruins/NHL
Boston.com's Fluto Shinzawa reports on the underlying reasons behind the Phil Kessel trade.

Stephen Harris of the Boston Herald reports on the passing of Fred Cusick.

NFL: Week 2 Picks

2009-09-18T22:09:00.003-04:00

Well, last week could've gone better, but at least I finished over .500 --- so that's something.

Now, on to this week's picks ...

SUN, SEP 20th
Houston (+6.5) at Tennessee --- Tennessee
Minnesota at Detroit (+9.5) --- Minnesota
Cincinnati (+9) at Green Bay --- Green Bay
Oakland (+3) at Kansas City --- Kansas City
New Orleans (EVEN) at Philadelphia --- New Orleans
Dallas at Tampa Bay (+6) 1:00 PM --- Dallas
St. Louis (+10) at Washington --- St. Louis
New England at NY Jets (+4) --- New England
Tampa Bay (+ 5) at Buffalo --- Tampa Bay
Arizona (+3.5) at Jacksonville --- Jacksonville
Seattle (+1.5) at San Francisco --- Seattle
Pittsburgh at Chicago (+3) --- Pittsburgh
Baltimore (+3.5) at San Diego --- Baltimore
Cleveland (+3.5) at Denver --- Denver
NY Giants (+3) at Dallas --- NY Giants

MON, SEP 21st
Indianapolis at Miami (+3) --- Indianapolis

Last Week's Record: 9-7

Troy Brown Interview

2009-09-16T15:01:00.006-04:00

There's a pretty good interview with Troy Brown (member of the Patriot 50th Anniversary Team) posted on The Sports Hub (my new favorite radio station).

Some of the highlights include thoughts on ...

The performance of Benjamin Watson
The return of Tom Brady
The "short pass" gameplan on Monday Night
The potential impact that Joey Galloway will have on the receiving corps
Meeting other members of the 50th Anniversary Team
The Richard Seymour trade

I especially liked his comment about working out, so that he could suit up on defense (in light of the injury to Jerod Mayo).

NFL: Week 1 Picks

2009-09-10T20:13:00.002-04:00

FINALLY!!! Despite the entertainment value of last season (thank you Mr. Cassel), the thought of making another run at the title has been a long time coming.

Now, on to this week's picks ...

THU, SEP 10
Tennessee (+6.5) at Pittsburgh 8:30 PM --- Pittsburgh

SUN, SEP 13
Miami (+4) at Atlanta 1:00 PM --- Atlanta
Denver (+4) at Cincinnati 1:00 PM --- Denver
Minnesota at Cleveland (+4) 1:00 PM --- Minnesota
Jacksonville (+7) at Indianapolis 1:00 PM --- Indianapolis
Detroit (+13) at New Orleans 1:00 PM --- New Orleans
Dallas at Tampa Bay (+6) 1:00 PM --- Dallas
Philadelphia at Carolina (+2.5) 1:00 PM --- Philadelphia
Kansas City (+13) at Baltimore 1:00 PM --- Kansas City
NY Jets (+4.5) at Houston 1:00 PM --- Houston
Washington (+6.5) at NY Giants 4:15 PM --- NY Giants
San Francisco (+6.5) at Arizona 4:15 PM --- San Francisco
St. Louis (+8.5) at Seattle 4:15 PM --- Seattle
Chicago (+3.5) at Green Bay 8:20 PM --- Green Bay

MON, SEP 14
Buffalo (+11) at New England 7:00 PM --- New England
San Diego at Oakland (+9.5) 10:15 PM --- San Diego

Pinch pitchers, take 2

2009-08-27T22:02:00.002-04:00

A brief note: Nick Green pitched in today's loss to the White Sox. This one is a bit odd, at least in my limited experience.

For one, Green came on only as the Red Sox were facing a 7 run deficit, a large deficit but smaller than most in pinch-pitcher situations. (Fangraphs.com indicated the Red Sox win percentage was 0.5% when Green entered.) I for one would expect to see Saito or maybe even Penny in that situation.
Another odd development is that Green pitched more than an inning. In fact, he pitched two scoreless innings, although with abysmal control.
Lastly, Green can actually kinda bring it. He threw a series of fastballs at 90 mph to A J Pierzynski. Beat that Nick Swisher!

The man's got a cannon at short, and I applaud Tito Francona for bringing him in.

Ortiz Linked to PEDs

2009-07-30T12:33:00.002-04:00

BREAKING NEWS: The NY Times is reporting that Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz are among those who failed the 2003 "anonymous" drug test.

Random Clicks: 7/26/09

2009-07-26T22:19:00.007-04:00

Roaming the sidelines, and checking out some blogs ...

Patriots/NFL

Patriotsblog.net has some thoughts on Willie McGinest returning to the Pats.

PatsPulpit lists 5 things to look for in training camp.

Red Sox/MLB

There's a quick rundown of some of the Remy Replacements over at at The Joy of Sox. I still like Eck the best, though.

Redsoxsuperfan.com has a nice little re-cap of the Adam LaRoche acquisition.

Snatch-'em-Back Wins

2009-07-11T00:56:00.010-04:00

On Friday's MLB Tonight's broadcast, the gang - I think I heard Matt Vasgersian and Mitch Williams in there, but I could be wrong - were talking about "snatch-'em-back wins," where one team pried victory from the jaws of defeat.

They trotted out two recent examples: the Orioles' 10-run comeback to beat the Red Sox, and the Marlins' football-score victory from July 9.

The team on MLB Tonight described snatch-'em-backs them as games you should have lost. That's good enough for them but woefully short on specifics for a guy like me. If the internet teaches us nothing else about baseball, it teaches us that virtually everything in a baseball game can be captured by a number.

So we turn this time to the marvelous FanGraphs Baseball, which will tell you exactly how improbable those victories were.* It uses a statistic called Win Expectancy (WE) which indicates how likely it is for the home team to win the game given every score, inning, baserunner, and outs situation.** And since the WE for any baseball game will always be between 0% (you lost) and 100% (you
won), it's extremely easy to compare any two baseball games.

*The Infinite Improbability Drive of Baseball, for those Douglas Adams fans out there.

**The basis of the work is an actual historical assessment of every game in which a particular situation (e.g., home team up 5-3 in the bottom of the 6th with a runner on second and one out) had occurred, but the method FanGraphs uses has some more math behind it.

So, those two games. Well, they're both very improbable, but the Orioles victory is far less so. The Marlins, at their lowest point - when Chris Young grounded out to score Justin Upton - were expected to win that game 1.4% of the time. The Orioles, at their lowest point - when Dustin Pedroia singled to score Jeff Bailey - were expected to win that game 0.4% of the time: 4 out of 1000 times!

Funny thing. Some people referred to this Orioles game as revenge for the Mother's Day Miracle. You know what: they're exactly right! The Red Sox's Win Expectancy for that game was also as low as 0.4%.

I still don't know what a snatch-'em-back win is, but spiritually it seems like it should be less frequent than a 1-in-100 shot, so sorry, Marlins, your July 9 effort doesn't cut it. But if the WE drops into the 0.x% range, I'll pay attention. By my own, arbitrary method of counting, only the Red Sox collapse counts as a snatch-'em-back win for the Orioles. Oh, that makes me feel much better.

A couple of other notable comebacks, WE-style:

2008's Red Sox playoff comeback against the eventual AL champ Rays saw the Red Sox coming back from a 0.7% WE. (This one had the additional improbability of JD Drew showing some emotion on the field: a subtle bat-flip on his two-run homer in the 8th.)
On opening day, 1998, the Sox stunned the Mariners on a Mo Vaughn grand slam in the ninth, thereby reversing a 0.4% WE.
On Aug 5, 2001, the second biggest comeback my sleep-deprived brain can find occurs when the Mariners, in the midst of a 116-win season, blow a 14-2, 7th inning lead to the Indians, who win 15-14 in 11. The Indians' lowest win probability: 0.1%.
August 21, 1990, the biggest comeback I can find: the Dodgers lead the Phillies 11-1 going into the 8th and 11-3 going into the 9th, both of which situations give them a 100% WE. Well, that must be rounded up to 100%, since the Dodgers lost 12-11.

Michael Vick and the Patriots … Why it Could Work

2009-07-08T23:23:00.009-04:00

There has been quite a bit of speculation regarding the professional fate of Michael Vick … some of which focuses on the possibility that he might land with the Patriots. Now, there are obvious reasons why people would be against this, but let’s take a look at some of the reasons why this might be appealing.

For the sake of this discussion, we can break it down as to how it would be a benefit or appeal to each of the following:

1. Robert Kraft
2. Bill Belichick
3. Michael Vick
4. The Fans

Robert Kraft
By all accounts, Mr. Kraft runs an organization that he can be proud to follow as a fan. He likes to bring in people who are good citizens, as well as good athletes. There have been times, such as with Christian Peter, when Kraft has taken measures to purge undesirables from the team.

With all of that said, I think Vick would make perfect sense. Here’s why …

He’s paid his dues. Say what you want about how brutal his crimes were, and make no mistake they were brutal, but the man did the time. The time in this case happened to be longer than some people have received for acts against other humans. What better way to show that you are an altruistic person, than to give someone a second chance? If a person takes responsibility for what he did, makes retribution, and shows a desire to make himself a better person, doesn’t he deserve that chance?

Moreover, Kraft could work with Vick to help him make amends. As a respected team owner, he could stand beside Vick and work with him to bring attention to various charities and organizations that would benefit man’s best friend.

Bill Belichick
Obviously, Vick would represent yet another offensive weapon. A lot’s been said about how Vick would be perfect in the Wildcat Offense, but let’s not forget that he once quarterbacked the Falcons to the NFC Championship Game.

This would be beneficial for two reasons:

1. If Brady were to get injured, the Patriots would have another option to fill in the QB spot.
2. Aside from the Wildcat, Vick could also come in at the end of games or in blow-outs to allow Brady to rest.

Belichick is not known to shy away from players with a checkered past (Dillon, Moss), as long as they show a willingness to buy-in to the team concept. With Vick looking for a way back into the league, there’s no reason to believe that he wouldn’t be a good soldier. If Vick did prove to be more trouble than he’s worth, he could be cut.

Michael Vick
He needs to get back into the league. Whether he deserved it or not (and again, I understand the viewpoint that he did indeed deserve it), he has lost everything as a result of his heinous actions. The road back to redemption has to start somewhere --- why not with a team that is widely considered to be one of the favorites to win it all this year?

There is also the chance that he could improve his image (and his karma) if he were to genuinely seek the guidance of Robert Kraft. If he proved himself to be a changed man, who wants to make good for the bad he’s done, then there wouldn’t be many better affiliations than one he could have with Kraft.

Beyond that, he’d get the chance to pass the ball to Randy Moss and Wes Welker ... and that’s not so bad.

The Fans
There’s no getting around the fact that this would be a polarizing event. There would be protests. There would be some very bad things said about the team. Then again, bad things have been said about the team since the Spygate incident. The Patriots are not a well-liked team beyond their fan base.

So, fans could embrace this. If people are going to think poorly of the team no matter what they do, then why not give Vick a chance? As evidenced by his years with Atlanta, he can be pure electricity on the field. It would be entertaining, and it would also give the Patriots one more weapon to use in taking down their opponents.

As a fan myself (and a dog owner), this is something that I could get behind --- provided Vick were to show legitimate remorse for his actions, coupled with a sincere effort to do some good with his life.

I’ve said it already, but I’ll say it again --- If a person takes responsibility for what he did, makes retribution, and shows a desire to make himself a better person, doesn’t he deserve that chance?

Pinch pitchers

2009-07-07T12:17:00.003-04:00

Our young 2009 season has already seen a bunch of one of the weirder things you can see in a baseball game: the pinch pitcher, the position player who takes the mound to get a few outs while saving an actual pitcher from exerting himself. (I don’t know if anyone but me calls these guys pinch pitchers, but it’s short and it works for me.)

One example, sadly for me, was when Jonathan Van Every took the mound in relief of Javier Lopez in the Rays’ 13-0 beating of the Red Sox. In fact, Van Every and Lopez swapped positions; I can’t think of a time when I’ve seen a pinch-pitcher swap places with an ineffective reliever. Fate had it that when Van Every gave up a frozen rope, it was Lopez who had to chase it down. Other examples this season include Nick Swisher taking the mound to save the Yankees' bullpen in their 15-5 loss to the Rays, and Cody Ross doing the same favor for the Marlins’ staff in their 13-2 shellacking at the hands of the Phillies. Reds SS/3B Paul Janish has stumbled his way through two innings in two of the Reds’ more forgettable games.

*Going back a ways, Jose Canseco got out there and pitched, as did Wade Boggs, twice. In the beforetimes, Stan Musial pitched to one batter, Frank Baumholtz, who reached on an error; Stan the Man's lifetime pitching record is therefore 1 batter faced, 0 IP, 0 H, 0 R. Ty Cobb threw 5 innings with a combined 3.60 ERA.

While rare, this happens a little more often than I’d expect, and always under the same circumstances: the team is losing badly (almost always down by at least 10 runs) late in the game (almost always in the 7th inning or later). (If anyone knows of a winning team putting a scrub in there, please let me know. I’d also like to know if the winning team’s manager had all his teeth the next day.)

It seems to be favored by managers who have experience in the NL**. Tony LaRussa has used Aaron Miles a number of times in this role. Miles is normally a utility infielder, but he also pitched twice for the Cardinals in 2007, once in a 12-1 loss, once in an 18-1 loss. He pitched for them again in 2008, in a 20-2 loss. LaRussa used Scott Spiezio in the same capacity in a 14-3 loss in 2007. The Cardinals somehow have not used Rick Ankiel in this role, but I’d love to see it.

**Note that both Joe Girardi and Terry Francona managed in the NL East before the AL East.

I do think this is a strategy. The manager throws in the towel in an unwinnable situation to give himself a better chance of winning a future contested game.*** Major league pitchers, even long relievers, are scarce resources that should be used when they help influence the result. Thinking from another angle, using a pinch-pitcher adds some entertainment value to a game that was long ago decided.

***Thinking about it again, of course Tony LaRussa uses this strategy. He has to have six pitchers ready for every game.

What’s funny about these pitchers is that on the whole they’re pretty average. It’s a baseball truism that pitchers have the advantage the first time they face a batter, and these pinch pitchers will almost never face the same batter twice. Perhaps they also face the bench players from the winning side. Then again, opposing batters don’t want to face a pitcher they should demolish and might just swing away and get themselves out.

There are plenty of blowouts in baseball, so why doesn’t it happen more often? Well, it’s definite defeatism from the losing manager. Bringing in position players could be demoralizing for the actual pitchers on the team (“you’re not pitching any better that this guy who we pay to hit the ball”) and doing it too often could make the team seem like a joke that anyone can pitch for.

But I still think it makes sense every now and again. I’ll keep scanning the box scores for the blowouts and see if the managers thought enough to save an arm, add some levity, and make the game a little less painful all around.

Sitting Targets

2009-07-06T22:05:00.005-04:00

When I heard the news the other day regarding the on-field death of Cricket umpire Alcwyn Jenkins, I couldn't help but be reminded of the tragedy that befell minor league coach Mike Coolbaugh last year. Though there were differences in their roles on the field, and the way in which the incidents occurred, the common similarity is that neither one was actively participating in the play that struck them down.

No matter the sport (with the possible exception of basketball), players are equipped with gloves to help them deflect the ball, or padding/helmets to ease the force of a hit inflicted by another player. No such item exists for base coaches, or referees of contact sports like football. Even fans have a degree of separation from the field that gives them that extra second to react to a line-drive --- a luxury that does not exist for the coaches that stand beside first and third base.

I'm not sure what the answer to this is ... or even if there is one. These games have been played for many years, with only a handful of incidents. I'm just wondering if we're nearing the point where some sort of measure will need to be put in place to protect the people who manage and oversee the games. After all, it took a horrible event in Columbus, OH to initiate the raising of nets around hockey arenas for fan protection. As our athletes continue to get bigger, stronger, and faster, it seems that we may already have the need to step-up the protection of the non-playing participants on the field.

Steve McNair: 1973-2009

2009-07-04T21:16:00.003-04:00

When I heard about the passing of Steve McNair today, I was beyond shocked. He was one of the victims in what appears to have been a double-homicide. Not many details are out at this time, but I suspect this is going to be near the front of the sports media news cycle for the foreseeable future ... especially as we head into the NFL's training camp.

While he'll always be remembered for the Superbowl drive that came up just short, my interest in him as an athlete was first sparked by a cover story that appeared in Sports Illustrated during his college years. Rest in Peace.

3 Up, 3 Down

2009-07-02T19:36:00.005-04:00

Mowing 'em down while wondering how much wood I'd need to build an Ark ...

3 Sites to Visit on a Rainy Day

The folks over at Baseball-Reference.com have put together a great site for statistics --- VERY easy to lose track of time over there.

I've always been a big fan of Bill Simmons, and his page over at ESPN has a good variety of articles and podcasts.

The SI Vault is a simply phenomenal resource of sports history.

3 Books to Read on a Rainy Day

Moving the Chains: Tom Brady and the Pursuit of Everything offers a great way to start getting psyched about the MVP's return.

In Instant Replay: The Greenbay Diary of Jerry Kramer, Kramer offers some fascinating insight into the early Packers teams. If you're a football fan, this is must read.

Faithful: Two Diehard Boston Red Sox Fans Chronicle the Historic 2004 Season is a fun way to relive the year that the curse died. This book touches on every game that was played that season, and I'm still amazed that I have vivid memories of some of them.

3 Articles to Pass a Rainy Day

I'm not a big soccer fan, but this excerpt from The Beckham Experiment really drew me in. It's hard to believe that its been two years since his much heralded arrival in LA.

Jeff Pearlman over at SI.com asks a very obvious question regarding steroids --- and he's one of the few who have.

Former Patriot Donte Stallworth's tragic accident, and the repercussions that he faces from the law and the NFL, are neatly laid out in this article by Mike Wilkening.

The Talented Mr. Wakefield

2009-06-16T22:37:00.006-04:00

When I last wrote some thoughts on Tim Wakefield, he was sitting at 2-1, with a 1.86 ERA. Now, a month and a half later, his numbers stand at 9-3 with a 4.39 ERA. While the ERA has gone up a bit, its hard not to be impressed with the number of wins that he's accumulated so far.

With John Smoltz (and Clay Buchholz) looming in the shadows, its going to be really interesting to see what the Red Sox decide to do. Will they move Wakefield to the bullpen, as he's selflessly agreed to in the past? Can they afford to? Would that really be more justifiable than removing Dice-K from the rotation?

Here's how their numbers to this point in the season match-up:

Matsuzaka 1-4 7.55 32 Ks 2.10 WHIP

Wakefield 9-3 4.39 47 Ks 1.41 WHIP

I know that there is quite a bit of money, and PR, invested in Dice-K --- but could they really take Wake's numbers out of the mix at this point?

There's been rumblings recently about the Sox going to a 6-man rotation (at least temporarily), but that will only be a bandaid. Sooner or later, Buchholz is going to be brought up. What happens then? Here's hoping that Wake keeps it up, and forces them to keep him in the rotation.

For those keeping score at home, here's how the top three pitchers in Red Sox history currently stack up:

Roger Clemens, Cy Young: 192 wins each
Tim Wakefield: 173 wins (and counting)

Wouldn't it be great if he were in position to take the top spot by next June?

Overheard on tonight's Red Sox broadcast

2009-06-11T23:09:00.009-04:00

Bob Costas and Jim Kaat called the Red Sox-Yankees game tonight. Some things to comment on:

Bullpen usage. I love that Bob Costas called out the Yankees - and really the baseball establishment - when he criticized Girardi for bringing in Aceves to pitch with two on and nobody out in the bottom of the eighth. "These are the most important outs," he reasoned, and it only makes sense to use your best remaining pitcher - Mariano Rivera - to get them. The Yankees should have given themselves a better opportunity to keep the lead in the eighth and worry about the bottom of the ninth later. As it turned out, they didn't need to worry about the bottom of the ninth - there wasn't one.

Jason Bay and RBIs. Jim Kaat praised Jason Bay for his ability to cash in the runners on base (Bay is leading the league in RBI). This implies that Bay is the RBI leader because he has taken advantage of runner-on situations better than other hitters. In fact, while he's done well with runners on, the Red Sox - as is typical of their recent history - have put a tons of guys on base for him. You can see a report of RBI opportunities at Baseball Prospectus, and it will tell you this (all figures minimum 150 PAs):

% of runners driven in from first:

Bay: 11.7%
Leader (Joey Votto): 16.7%

% of runners driven in from second:

Bay: 22.6%
Leader (Brad Hawpe): 35.6%

% of runners driven in from third:

Bay: 37.8%
Leader (Pedro Feliz): 65.4%

If you absolutely, positively have to have that runner home from third, you call in Pedro Feliz. Wasn't it on the tip of your tongue?

Bay has done well with runners on, but RBIs are all about opportunity, and Bay has had more opportunities than just about anyone.

(Oh, and I loathe the WEEI nickname J-Bay. The first-initial, first-syllable-of-last-name nicknaming convention was never witty, and had run its course when J-Lo was so christened. J-Bay is pure laziness. You know he's from Trail, British Columbia, right? "Trail" suggests blazer, mix, marker, even trailer or hitch...OK, none of those are worth anything, but at least try, MSM! If you've got nothing - and I'm here to tell you: you've got nothing - go with his actual name.)

Jack Morris. Costas and Kaat threw their support behind Jack Morris as a HOF pitcher, using the typical arguments that he was a great big game pitcher (Exhibit A being this absolute gem). But why no discussion of this game, or this game, or this game?

In those three games - admittedly his three worst postseason starts - his ERA was 10.13. But they still count! I dare you to find three postseason starts that bad for Curt Schilling, or Jimmy Key, or Dave Stewart, or John Tudor, or any number of guys. The mind is programmed for selective memory, and a lot of people have it with Jack Morris.

3 Up, 3 Down

2009-06-09T21:49:00.004-04:00

Mowing 'em down, while watching Sox v. Yanks (part 1) ...

3 Favorite Moments

Obviously, Big Papi's homer deserves a place here. It's great to see that he still has some magic against the Evil Empire.
Josh Beckett throwing 6 pitches to get out of the 6th inning --- including a 3-pitch strikeout of Mark Teixeira.
Jason Bay's 2-out triple in the bottom of the 8th. That's what they get for plunking him.

3 Favorite Stats

Combined numbers for Alex Rodriguez and Teixeira: 0 for 6, 2 BB, 2 Ks
Final Sox pitching line: 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 9 Ks, 135 pitches
Final Yankees pitching line: 9 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 7 BB, 4 Ks, 179 pitches

3 Biggest Distractions

Stanley Cup Finals - Game 6. Here's hoping the Penguins get a win and stretch this out to 7 games. As a hockey fan, its nice to see the guys on the ice getting a little national exposure.
NBA Finals - Game 3. I still smile whenever I think about the sign (directed at Kobe) seen in Boston during last year's finals --- "No Means No". What can I say? I think the guy's a scumbag.
"Family Guy" --- great way to pass the time during commercials. The only problem is, sometimes it sucks you in and you end up missing some of the game.

Random Clicks: 5/29/09

2009-05-29T21:32:00.005-04:00

Roaming the sidelines while prepping for a busy weekend ...

Red Sox/MLB

The Boston Herald's Sean McAdam writes about the early season struggles of Jon Lester.

Joe Henderson of the Tampa Tribune comments on the plight of the Rays.

The Providence Journal has a cool slideshow showing big leaguers who have gone through McCoy Stadium.

Patriots/NFL

WEEI.com has posted the audio of the D&C interview with Tom Brady.

The Boston Globe's Mike Reiss reports on the current state of the Vince Wilfork contract negotiations.

Jim Trotter of Sports Illustrated talks about six running backs looking to bounce back in '09 (including new Patriot, Fred Taylor).

True Fans (can) Wear Pink!

2009-05-26T21:03:00.013-04:00

Full disclosure, my 4-year-old daughter owns a pink Red Sox hat. She roots for the Sox. And, she likes the color pink. So what?

I was inspired to sound-off on this topic after reading yet another article in which the somewhat sanctimonious writer felt it was necessary to mention that a "Pink Hat" is not a "true" fan. I find this a bit amusing, given that the twenty or so dollars that caps cost could be much better spent by someone who doesn't root for the team. Now, I know that the argument will be (and has been) made that these pink-hatted fans couldn't name who the starting shortstop is (and who could, really?) --- but why is that important? Why does a fan have to be an uber-fan, or not a fan at all? Can't someone be a casual fan --- someone who gains some joy when the hometown team wins, some pain when they lose, but otherwise goes on with their own life? As someone who in recent memory has experienced watching Aaron Boone and David Tyree wreak havoc, I can definitely see the appeal of not becoming too invested in the outcome of a sporting event. Then again, I'm admittedly incurable in that regard.

It should also be noted that a good chunk of the "true" fans of the Red Sox, only became so after the "Impossible Dream" year of 1967. Should we think less of them for not caring as deeply for a team that hadn't offered much since the retirement of Ted Williams in 1960? Or for that matter, only a small sampling of post-season intrigue since 1918? The answer is, of course not. 1967 gave people a team to get excited about, and to rally behind. The same can be said for 2004, only on a grander scale. We shouldn't look down on fans who are new to the fold, or who enjoy wearing merchandise of a different color. We should be excited by the fact that we root for a team that can inspire even casual fans to go out and show their support.

One more thing about my daughter, one of the first phrases that she was able to repeatedly say on her own was "Hit the ball, Big Papi!". Now, that's what I call a fan.

Tiny note on a weird play

2009-05-22T20:41:00.004-04:00

I don't have much to add about this one, but I don't think I've seen it ever before.

In the fifth inning of tonight's Red Sox-Mets game, Daniel Murphy walked. Angel Pagan bunted, Matsuzaka fielded the ball (Lowell briefly charged but dropped back), and threw to first for the out. Daniel Murphy thought Lowell had left third unguarded, so he took off for third, where Lowell fielded Youkilis' throw and tagged our Murphy.

The scoring is: Pagan ground bunts into sacrifice double play.

The Red Sox so far have zero sacrifice bunts. The Mets are tied for second in the NL with 24. And now the Mets are blazing new trails in giving up outs.

A Perfect Day

2009-05-06T23:50:00.004-04:00

As I sit here and reflect on how much I treasure my relationship with my Uncle Charlie, I keep thinking about some really good times that we’ve had together.

One of those days took place back in the summer of ’02. August 10^th, to be exact (more on why I remember the date, momentarily). There are two things that you need to know about Uncle Charlie --- he loves being out on his boat, and he loves sports. This day had both.

That Saturday afternoon started out fantastic. The sun was shining, we had tickets to the Sox, and we were going to start the day by cruising around the ocean in his motorboat. At the time, I was living in Gloucester, right across the street from the fisherman's statue. We put in at the ramp by the high school, and headed towards the island lighthouse made famous at the beginning of “The Perfect Storm”. Things were going great. We hung out on the water for about an hour (smoking cigars and drinking cold beers, of course), then decided to head in to get ready for the game --- and that’s when the engine died. Now admittedly, I was mostly panicking because I did not want to miss the game … but the thought that we might drift off to Ireland did cross my mind. Luckily, after about 20 minutes or so of bobbing around the water, the harbormaster came by in his boat and towed us back in. We were back on track.

After quickly locking up the boat, we headed into town. We had no idea who was pitching that day, but we figured it out soon enough. As we got closer to the park, all we could see were people carrying around “K”s--- a sure sign that we had stumbled onto a PEDRO MARTINEZ GAME (capital letters are essential when referring to the Pedro of that era). To give you a sense of how dominating he was that year, he went 20-4 with a 2.26 ERA … and finished 2^nd in both the Cy Young and MVP races. Most importantly, he did not disappoint on that day. The Sox won 2-0, and Pedro pitched 8 innings allowing only 4 hits, and striking out 8 batters. Just another day at the office. We had a blast, and I still use my Nomar souvenir cup --- which is perfect for iced coffee, or other assorted beverages.

While watching Pedro dominate, we kept smiling and talking about how lucky we were to be able to enjoy the type of day we were having. That’s one of the gifts that my uncle has given me --- the presence of mind to reflect on the good things, while they’re happening.

As good as the events of that day were, the best part was the company. Uncle Charlie is coming to the end of a valiant battle against cancer. I saw him earlier today, and was able to tell him how much he’s meant to me over the years. How much I loved spending time with him, and how much I learned from him … including a love of the game of tennis, despite the fact that I was only able to beat him once over the course of 10 years. I don’t know if he was able to understand everything I said, but every now and then I could see that spark behind his eyes --- the one that would show up each time Pedro rung someone up on that hot August afternoon.

If only the Indians could play by Little League rules...

2009-05-06T20:57:00.009-04:00

In tonight's Red Sox broadcast, Joe Castiglione commented that people who travel with the Indians say that they'd have a pretty good record if the game ended after the 6th. That sounds juicy, and it just feels right. I mean, Rafael Perez has an ERA of 15.19!

But statements this pithy are rarely as true as they sound. Thanks to the brilliant resources available online, it's something that can easily be tested for veracity. How true is it, if taken literally?

Not very. The Indians' pen has been legitimately bad but rarely have they affected the outcome of a game from the 7th inning on. They have had some bad outings that might lead people to think that they are singlehandedly losing games for the Tribe, but it's not really the case. Here are some notable games:

April 14: Indians are losing after 6, and the game gets out of reach in the 8th
April 15: tied after 6, Indians win the last three innings and the game
April 16: tied after 6, Indians score 9 in the 7th, win
April 17: winning after 6, allow runs in 7th and 8th, lose to NYY (-1 win in the standings because of the bullpen)
April 19: winning after 6, allow 6 runs in last three, lose to NYY (-2)
April 21: winning after 6 and win the game, but the pen allow 6 runs in the 7th and 8th
April 23: losing after 6, score 4 in the bottom of the 8th versus KC to win (back to -1 win in the standings - credit the bullpen here)
April 28: tied after 6, lose in bottom of the 9th to Red Sox
April 29: winning after 6, lose in 10th to Red Sox (back to -2)
May 2: losing after 6 and go onto lose the game to Detroit, but the Indians gain and lose the lead in last third of the game
May 3: tied after 6, lose last third
May 4: losing after 6 to Toronto, win in extras (add a game in the standings and get back to -1)
May 5: losing after 6 and lose the game to Blue Jays, but gain and lose lead in last third

So entering tonight's game with the Red Sox, the Indians stand at 10-17. If the games lasted as long as Little League games do (that darned bullpen!), they'd be...11-16, and still in last place in the AL Central.

Perhaps you ding the bullpen for the 2 games the Indians lost when tied after the 6th, but you also have to credit them for the 2 games that went the other way. So no change there.

And no doubt, those two games were the Indians took the lead late only to lose it again sting. But those lead changes took place after our magical 6th-inning cutoff.

Much of the 7th+ inning failure has come against the Yankees and Red Sox (both walk-off victories for the Red Sox), and the successes came against Kansas City and Toronto. That bias towards big-market teams is making people in this story remember the Boston and New York games and forget the others.

Yes, the Indians pen is bad, Joe. But don't foist upon them losses which are not theirs to take.

Mr. Consistency

2009-05-01T22:30:00.007-04:00

With the current state of the Red Sox starting rotation, I thought it would be a good time to reflect on the man who is currently 2-1 with a 1.86 ERA. Of course, going into the season I don't think anyone thought that Tim Wakefield would be arguably the brightest star of the rotation after one month. Now, obviously its a bit early to be penciling him in for the Cy Young --- but he's definitely deserving of some praise.

Like him or not, and I suspect most people do have a soft spot for him, no one can deny the professionalism that he's brought to the ball club as he enters into his 15th season with the club. Let me note that again --- this is his 15th season with the Red Sox.

To put that into a little historical perspective, note the following for the year in which he threw his first pitch for the team (a season that saw him go 16-8, and finish 3rd in Cy Young voting):

Gallon of gasoline = $1.15
Top 3 grossing movies: Toy Story, Batman Forever, Apollo 13
Top 3 TV shows: ER, Seinfeld, Friends

When all is said and done his numbers will most likely not be good enough for any serious Hall of Fame consideration. However, this should not stop the Sox from retiring his number. A precedent has been set with the well-deserved (and long over-due) retiring of Johnny Pesky's number. If the love of (and apparent love for) the fans carries any weight, no one will be wearing number #49 after Wake throws his last knuckler. Should that not be enough, one only needs to look at the selfless way he has allowed himself to be moved in and out of the bullpen --- notably recording 15 save in 1999, or the fact that when all is said and done he'll probably be the winningest pitcher in Red Sox history.

Here's how the top 3 currently rank:

Roger Clemens, Cy Young: 192 wins each
Tim Wakefield: 166 wins

Wouldn't it be nice to have a class-act all by himself at number one on at that list?

In Praise of Utility

2009-04-28T11:13:00.003-04:00

Before I go on about my actual topic, it may not have escaped your notice that Chien-Ming Wang got shelled – again – in his last start. He went on the DL afterwards. And while I’m not the first one to note these figures, it is still interesting to note that:

Opposing hitters are hitting .622 against him
He came into game three with a 28.93 ERA, and saw it rise to 34.50
If he can pitch 48 and two-third consecutive scoreless innings (Orel Herschiser’s ML consecutive-scoreless-innings record is 59 innings), he can get his ERA back to his career average

So onto my actual topic.

There are a lot of reasons baseball is my favorite sport. The losing team will always get a chance to catch up. It has a long history of people playing essentially the same game. Among American sports, it is the sport best set up for analysis. There is a voluminous literature about the sport, written by very talented and passionate writers.

Another reason I am such a fan of baseball is the existence of the utility player. In a game of millionaires with outlandish talent, utility players offer a connection - imaginary, sure, but a connection - to fans. They are regular players in regular bodies. I think to myself perhaps I could have been one of those guys had I shown a lot more initiative, way more talent, and a good deal more luck. Their skills are not jaw-dropping; to the contrary, their skills look frankly pedestrian.

Then there's the name "utility player." Who would object to that title? I hope that people in my life at least consider me useful, if not a star or a headline-grabber.

They toil in near anonymity. This too is like most of us, good enough at what we do to make some kind of living but not leaders in our chosen field.

(How anonymous? Both of the readers of this site are probably familiar with the Red Sox, so let’s play Name That Red Sox Utility Player.

Player A played for the 2003 Red Sox. It was his only season with Boston, although he played 11 seasons in the majors. The greatest number of his starts came at second base, but he also played a lot of games in center. During the course of the season, he played at first, second, third, shortstop, left, center, and right, and even DHed 7 times. He made about $4.1 million in his career.

Player B played for the 1999 Red Sox, his second of three seasons for Boston. Offensively in 1999 he was merely bad; he would later become awful. In 1999, he played at second, third, shortstop, left, center, and right, and DHed 3 times. In center and right he was quite a good defensive player. He made about $1.75 million in his career.

Answers at bottom.)

Even though anonymous, they are easy to find, thanks to sportwriters' clichés. If you want to know a team’s utility player, search on "(team name) utility man." For instance, at one point or another, someone has referred to Laynce Nix, Jamey Carroll, Jeff Baker, Clint Barmes, and Greg Norton as the "Rockies utility man."

If you like The Blue Jays, Jose Bautista is your man. He's played 1B, 2B, 3B, RF, CF, LF, and DH. He sports a career .239 average with some power but very little plate discipline, and yet has found gainful employment with Baltimore, Tampa, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, and now Toronto. Miguel Cairo (first, second, third, short, right, and left) has less power and less plate discipline and is currently working for his eighth team. Geoff Blum (first, second, third, and short) is filling the role in Houston, after stints with four other teams. The list goes on and on.

So the next time a veteran late-inning defensive replacement comes in to a game, look him up. See where he’s been and what his skills are. And cheer for the guy to keep proving his utility for as many teams as will take him.

Next time, I’ll have a short history of the ultimate utility player: the pinch-pitcher.

Answers:

A: Damian Jacques Jackson

B: Donnie Lamont Sadler

B's - Habs: Game 1

2009-04-17T21:31:00.016-04:00

Some quick observations from the live experience ...

A couple of general notes:

With the exception of the final 3 minutes, the B's were a bit flat. Of course, that should give you an idea about how overmatched the Canadiens are in this series (this is not a jinx, this is not a jinx ... how many times do I need to say that to avoid a jinx???).
That being said, the final 3 minutes were absolutely INSANE. I had season tickets for three seasons back in the early part of the decade, and I never experienced anything close to the atmosphere that we had last night. The building was absolutely shaking.

Some things I learned by sitting next to the Penalty Box:

Zdeno Chara is HUGE. I mean ridiculously huge. He looked like a dad who was out on the pond skating around with his kids. This is not an exaggeration --- the average player who was out on the ice with him was as tall as his chin. Just insane.
The glass around the boards is about as stable as I am at 3:30 in the morning on one of those magical nights when my kids conspire to take turns waking up every hour. I mean, I really could not believe how much it was swaying each time someone crashed into the boards. There was one instance when someone shot the puck into the glass that we were sitting behind, and I think I wet myself a little. What, too much info?
The guys that work in the Penalty Box will not trade a hockey stick for a pretzel. The two guys who were sitting in front of us were working them pretty hard, but they wouldn't budge. Of course, after watching the sales pitch for 5 minutes I had to go and buy one. For those keeping score at home, it WAS pretty tasty.
When a player gets sent to the Penalty Box, he is not in the mood to smile for a picture (of course, this one is pretty obvious). When Patrice Bergeron was sent in during the 2nd period, I couldn't even get him to look at me (pictured below). Though I might have had more luck if I was a hot blonde, rather than a chubby bald guy wearing a Don Sweeney jersey.

Prescient call of the evening ...

About half-way through the 2nd period, my buddy Manny says that Chara is big and all, but he really needs to unload on the puck. I don't know how it played on TV, but Chara's goal in the 3rd period was an absolute laser. And to think, he only needed to hear Manny make the suggestion.

Finally, a VERY special thanks to my buddy Dan for scoring the tickets and inviting me along. Dan's a good guy, a good friend, and a good dad. I'm glad he's my pal.

Chien-Ming Wang

2009-04-14T23:12:00.009-04:00

John asked me to write something for the site, not knowing -really- what he was getting into. So here you go, John. I hope to make a habit of these aimless ramblings about baseball.

Forgive stating the obvious, but Chien-Ming Wang is a groundball pitcher and has never made a habit of striking guys out. Most groundballers are the same way. Tim Hudson has never tried to strike out tons and he's done just fine. Likewise Derek Lowe. The dear departed Mark Fidrych's 1976 season was the same way.

(I'm always interested to watch groundball pitchers. The best of them don't look dominant but just wear out that dirt around home plate. And I get frustrated watching my home town team lose to one, since I always feel the hitters are this close to squaring up a few line drives.)

But Wang's commitment to avoiding strikeouts, particularly earlier in his career, is remarkable. In 2008, he struck out 5.1 batters per 9 IP; that's decidedly middle of the pack, and it was his highest rate yet. (All data taken from the incomparable baseball-reference.com.) Given those rates, there was some waiting for Wang to fall back to earth, since almost no pitcher sustains excellence while allowing so many balls in play.

Well, with two lousy starts under his belt this year, Chien-Ming Wang has not been getting the ground balls he used to and the ones he is getting are turning into hits. When they put the ball in play, hitters are hitting .583 against him. .583! Over his career, his batting average on balls in play is .287, and MLB average is .291. There may be some bad luck in there - you know, seeing-eye singles - but he's just plain giving up hard hits. (If you want to know more about batting average on balls in play, check out baseball-reference.com.)

So I don't know what's wrong with him. It seems most likely that he's still injured, but maybe it's just luck that two of his four worst career starts have come in 2009. As I said, I find these guys interesting to watch, so I'll be sure to keep up on how he's doing. And given my rooting interests, I'll be hoping for him to stay in the rotation for the whole year, but not quite be right.

OK, one other thing about Wang. In 2006, he placed second the Cy Young voting, despite just 76 strikeouts in 218 IP. I realize Cy Young voting has a lot more to do with W-L than anything else, but that kind of success with just 76 Ks is almost without precedent.

I say "almost" because as soon as the thought entered my head I had to find the precedent. The last guy with so few Ks and Cy Young votes in either league was Jeff Ballard, who tied for sixth in the AL voting in 1989, when he struck out 62 batters in 215.1 innings, and went 18-8 for a good Baltimore team. Maybe that's interesting and maybe it's not, but what I found fascinating was how many soft-tossers I had to go through to find one who matched Wang's disdain for the K. Along the way to uncover Ballard, I passed through such flamethrowers as Kenny Rogers, Jamie Moyer, Jimmy Key, Tim Wakefield, Charles Nagy, Bob Tewksbury, and Bob Gullickson. All of those guys, and nearly all relievers who show up in the voting, struck out more batters than Wang. Jamie Moyer, for goodness' sake!

3 Up, 3 Down

2009-04-05T21:55:00.012-04:00

Mowing 'em down Opening Day style ...

3 Red Sox to Keep an Eye on in the Opener

Jacoby Ellsbury ... looking to prove that he's worth the hype. He needs to get on base at least 3 times, and with his speed he can obviously wreak havoc if he does. Hopefully he's come to the realization that he doesn't need to hit a double every time he gets to the plate. I think that a lot of Sox fans would be psyched with him walking to first, then sprinting to second.

Jason Bay ... looking to establish himself as someone worth keeping around. By all accounts he seems happy to be out of baseball purgatory, and he certainly proved his value down the stretch last year. If he can get off to a hot start, I'm sure the front office will lock him up by the All Star break.

Big Papi ... looking to prove that he can do it without Manny. Despite what he might say, David Ortiz wasn't "Big Papi" until he was partnered with Ramirez. Over the course of Spring Training he seemed to come to peace with the fact that Manny won't be walking back through the door. Now he needs to show us that he's still capable of hitting 35-40 HRs and 110+ RBIs.

3 Rays to Keep an Eye on in the Opener

James Shields ... looking to establish himself as a 20-game winner. The Rays opening day pitcher is coming off a season that saw him go 14-8, with a 3.56 ERA. If he can get off to a solid start against the Sox (a team he went 0-2 against in the 2008 ALCS), it would take some weight off his shoulders, and give the Rays some added confidence against one of their AL East rivals.

Carlos Pena ... looking to have another monster year. Last year saw his numbers "drop" to 31 HRs and 102 RBIs --- down from 46 HRs and 121 RBIs in '07. With his humble big league history (including a stint with the home town team), its hard not to like this guy --- but he'll make it a lot easier if he puts up big numbers against the Sox.

Carl Crawford ... looking to be the man again. Up until last year, he was one of the sole bright spots on the Rays --- arguably the brightest. He battled some injuries last year, but I'm looking at him to bounce back this season. Now that he's playing for a team that is a legitimate contender, some of the pressure/expectations should be off him personally.

3 Other Games of Note

Yankees at Orioles. Time to see if CC is worth the cash that they threw at him. Personally, I'm more interested in seeing how Tex does. I'm hoping he goes 0 for the day --- not that I'm bitter or anything.

Dodgers at Padres. Technically the second game for the Dodgers, after their loss to the Giants today. I'm looking forward to seeing how the fans out there respond to the way that Manny acts when he's not playing for a contract.

Nationals at Marlins. Aside from Hanley Ramirez, I know virtually nothing about either of these teams --- I just want to be the only blog on the planet (non-Florida based) to call this a game of note.

Random Clicks: 4/4/09

2009-04-04T22:11:00.015-04:00

Roaming the sidelines while wondering if the Bruins could actually go deeper in the playoffs than the Celtics ...

Bruins/NHL

Fluto Shinzawa has some quick thoughts in the Boston Globe on the contract that Tim Thomas just signed, noting the journey that took him here.

The Providence Journal has an AP story on the B's clinching the East with their shut-out of the Rangers today.

Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News writes about Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff, and how he's trying to get them into the final playoff spot.

Patriots/NFL

Some thoughts from Pats linebacker Adalius Thomas regarding the possible expansion of the regular season, are captured by Christopher L. Gasper of The Boston Globe. I'll give you a hint --- Thomas does not seem happy about it.

The Miami Herald's Jeff Darlington reports that the Dolphins are not in a rush to sign Jason Taylor. That should be great incentive once he suits up for the Pats and plays them twice a year.

Dave Kreiger of The Denver Post called in to the Dale & Holley show on WEEI and shared his thoughts on the Cutler trade. You can listen to it here.

Celtics/NBA

Steve Buckley over at The Boston Herald writes about the Celtics much needed mini-vacation as they prepare for the playoffs.

The Providence Journal's Robert Lee notes that the Celtics followed three of Doc Rivers mottos in their victory over the Hawks last night.

The return of Tony Allen is written about by The Boston Globe's Gary Dzen.

3 Up, 3 Down

2009-04-03T22:30:00.008-04:00

Mowing 'em down while getting psyched for some ALCS retribution ...

3 Games to Keep an Eye On the Weekend

The Bruins look to keep their win streak going as they host the NY Rangers on Saturday. This game is clearly more important to the Rangers, who are barely holding on to the 8th (and final) playoff spot. Howard Kussoy over at the New York Post notes that the Rangers must be feeling a sense of deja vu.

The Orlando Magic take on the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night. Its a tight race for the number 2 seed in the playoffs, and the Celtics will be hoping the Hawks can pull it off (after they themselves beat them on Friday night). Hopefully the Magic will still be tired from the whupping they put on the Cavs.

Michigan St. vs. Connecticut. I'm not much into college hoops, but I did party at UConn about a million years ago --- so I've got that going for me.

3 Reasons the Sox will Beat the Rays in the Opener

Josh Beckett. This is what he looked like at this time last year. By all accounts, he's in MUCH better shape heading into this year, and looking to make up for last season.

They've put the Manny-sode behind them, and there's a lot to say about a peaceful Spring Training.

The Rays have a solid team, but I still think they caught a lot of people by surprise last year. I'm not buying (yet) that they are a legitimate threat to take the East this year. Now excuse while I try to expunge the remaining memories of the ALCS Game 7 from my head.

3 Reasons the Broncos Actually Ended up in Pretty Good Shape

While Kyle Orton and Chris Simms might not be as good as Cutler, just how good was Cutler really? You can say what you want about the Denver defense, but a quarterback still has to find a way to win --- and he didn't.

The two number 1's that Denver picked up could really help McDaniels put his stamp on the team. If he learned anything from Belichek, its scouting and the importance of bringing in guys who fit the system.

When Pat Bowlen signed off on the trade, he effectively put his support behind McDaniels ---- and avoided dragging out the drama that could've killed their camp.

If a Puck Dropped in the Middle of the Woods ...

2009-03-27T22:02:00.007-04:00

I'm just killing some time, trying to gauge the popularity of the Bruins. Clearly, they would rank fourth on most people's lists of favorite New England franchises --- and one could argue, with good reason. They haven't brought home a championship since '72, and they haven't made any serious noise in the playoffs since these guys patroled the ice.

The question that I have, is how much are they truly adored by the folks that do consider themselves to be fans? Several years ago I shared a set of season tickets with my dad and uncle, and attended about 3 billion games (including several first round playoff flameouts). My passion for the team was quickly snuffed-out by the lockout, and the subsequent inability of the team ownership to take advantage of the free agents that were waiting once the rinks re-opened their doors. Even worse, the trading of a certain former Rookie of the Year and a soon to be League MVP. Since then, I just haven't been able to really get back on the zamboni --- until this year. Now, there is certainly a fair amount of bandwagon jumping going on. However, it mostly has to do with my dad, who has been a fan forever. He's one the folks who've been following the B's through all of the ups and downs. I remember sitting down with him as a kid and watching O'Reilly, Milbury, Jonathan, and a YOUNG Bourque shoot the puck around --- and hockey became the first sport that I followed on a daily basis. I wonder, though, is a new generation of Bruins fans being born this year? Or are kids content watching the Pats, Sox, and Celts?

I'm interested in hearing your thoughts on this. If anyone feels passionately one way or the other (about the Bruins, or hockey in general), drop me a line or a comment below.

Random Clicks: 3/22/09

2009-03-22T08:06:00.005-04:00

Roaming the sidelines while hoping that it doesn't rain on our day at the zoo ...

Celtics
The Boston Herald's Mark Murphy writes about the impact of Kevin Garnett in last night's game.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Brian Windhorst speculates about the hardware that Lebron James might walk away with this year.

Mike Bresnahan of the LA Times has a Q&A about the Lakers.

Bruins
Stephen Harris of the Boston Herald reports on the fate of Claude Julien.

Colin Stephenson of the The Star-Ledger has the New Jersey perspective on the Bruins-Devils showdown.

Pat Hickey of The Gazette writes about the state of the Canadiens.

Red Sox
Alex Speier writes on WEEI.com about the home run hitting prowess of Jason Bay.

The New York Post has an article by Mike Puma commenting on the shape of Joba Chamberlain.

Jim Peltz of the LA Times writes about Manny's most recent injury --- and so it begins.

The UFL: Can it work?

2009-03-16T15:22:00.012-04:00

With news that the United Football League is set to launch its Premiere season this October, the obvious question is can yet another potential competitor to the NFL survive? Especially one that is operating during the NFL's regular season? As a fan of football, I hope it does. The games won't be taking place on Sundays, so from a fan perspective it means more opportunities to watch professional ball. Then again, I also got excited about the USFL (go Breakers!) and the XFL --- loved the fact that one of the teams used my Fantasy Football name.

Some points of interest:

Teams for the inaugural season will be based out of the following four markets:

Las Vegas/Los Angeles

New York/Hartford

San Francisco/Sacramento

Orlando

The teams will be league-owned

Backers include Tom Pelosi (husband of Nancy), Bill Hambrecht (San Francisco Investment Banker), and Tim Armstrong (a Senior Executive at Google)

Average ticket price = $20-$25

Games will be broadcast on the Versus network on Thursday and Friday nights

There will be advertising on the jerseys

Some interesting coaches have been lined up ...

Jim Fassel (Las Vegas)

1997 NFL Coach of the Year

Led the NY Giants to the Super Bowl in 2001

Ted Cottrell (NY)

NFL executive and professional coach with over two decades of NFL experience

Jim Haslett (Orlando)

2000 NFL Coach of the Year

Guided the New Orleans Saints the first playoff victory in franchise history

Dennis Green (San Francisco)

NFL regular season record: 113 - 94

Led the Minnesota Vikings to a 15-1 record in 1998

The way I see it, three possible positive outcomes come to mind:

The league is successful as its own entity, and provides expanded football entertainment for fans of the sport.

The league evolves into a developmental league for the NFL, giving young players a chance to hone their skill before making the leap to the pros.

The teams are successful enough to be folded into the NFL (particularly the markets that do not currently have an NFL team).

Random Clicks: 3/15/09

2009-03-15T07:42:00.003-04:00

Roaming the sidelines while trying to get enough caffeine into my system to counteract the RTC Champ's decision to drag his dad out of bed at 5:45am ...

* abbreviated this week, due to technical difficulties (apologies to Bruins fans)

Celtics

The Boston Globe's Gary Dzen has a nice piece on the extra minutes that Leon Powe's been getting.

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2009/03/14/powes_time_is_well_spent/

Continuing the appreciation of Leon Powe, Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald recaps his latest heroics and the return of Rondo.

http://bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view/2009_03_13_Celtics_bounce_back_with_102-92_win_over_Memphis/

Sahlise Manza Young of the Providence Journal has a feature on Stephon Marbury.

http://www.projo.com/celtics/content/sp_bkn_celtics_14_03-14-09_HIDMA87_v6.3862772.html

Red Sox

The Boston Herald's Sean McAdam reports on the oblique injury that Dustin Pedroia sustained while participating in the "World Baseball Classic".

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/red_sox/view.bg?&articleid=1158616&format=&page=1&listingType=sox#articleFull

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe posts some thoughts on what the injury to Julio Lugo might mean for Jed Lowrie.

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2009/03/15/if_its_a_chance_lowrie_will_grab_it/

Daniel Barbaris over at the Providence Journal has some quick notes about Jon Lester's new contract.

http://www.projo.com/redsox/content/projo_20090314_red_sox_lester.360da699.html

Patriots

Christopher L. Gasper of the Boston Globe reports on the new Patriot signings, including Joey Galloway.

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2009/03/15/patriots_grow_a_little_deeper/

AP writer David Fischer writes about former Patriot Donte Stallworth fatally injuring a pedestrian in Miami.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-stallworth-pedestriankilled&prov=ap&type=lgns

Fred Taylor Interview

2009-03-12T12:57:00.008-04:00

Dale and Holley interviewed Fred Taylor on WEEI this morning, and as a Pats fan I found it to be pretty cool. A couple of observations ...

1. He seems genuinely thankful to the Patriots organization for giving him this opportunity.

2. It's refreshing to hear his thoughts on Tom Brady --- and that he's going to hit him up for an autograph.

If you want to check it out, here's the link: http://audio.weei.com/m/21979357/fred_taylor_patriots_rb.htm

Random Clicks

2009-03-08T08:04:00.005-04:00

Roaming the sidelines, while trying to muster the energy to clean the house for the RTS Princess's birthday party ...

Celtics

Scott Souza of the Boston Globe talks about adding Stephon Marbury into the mix with Rondo and House.

http://www.boston.com/sports/ot/2009/03/threes_not_a_crowd.html

David Walstein of the The New York Times writes on Marbury's return to the NY/NJ area.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/05/sports/basketball/05nets.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=marbury&st=cse

The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Brian Windhorst answers a few questions about the rival Cavs.

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2009/03/hey_brian_brian_windhorst_answ_14.html

Bruins

Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe recaps last night's game, which included two goals by new addition Mark Recchi.

http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/articles/2009/03/08/bruins_keep_it_all_together/

The Globe's Nancy Marrapese-Burrell reports on NESN's comprehensive coverage of the trade deadline.

http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/articles/2009/03/06/nesn_went_to_overtime_at_deadline/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Boston+Bruins+news

Stephen Harris of the Boston Herald recaps some of the moves made at the trade deadline.

http://bostonherald.com/sports/hockey/other_nhl/view/2009_03_08_Inner_dealings:_Trade_deadline_sure_stirred_things_up/

Red Sox

Amalie Benjamin of the Boston Globe has a profile on Jacoby Ellsbury.

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2009/03/08/primed_for_a_vintage_year/

Kevin Baxter of the LA Times comments on the effect that Manny Ramirez has had on ticket sales for the Dodgers.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-dodgers-tickets8-2009mar08,0,6579032.story

The New York Post's George A. King III reports on A-Rod's injury.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/03082009/sports/yankees/yanks_still_undecided_about_a_rods_hip_f_158517.htm

Patriots

The Boston Globe's Christoper L. Gasper writes on Mike Vrabel's transition to the Kansas City Chiefs.

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2009/03/07/chief_objective_for_vrabel_remains_same/

Michael C. Wright of the Florida Times-Union has some great quotes from Fred Taylor on why he decided to sign with the Pats.

http://www.jacksonville.com/sports/football/jaguars/2009-03-06/story/taylor_signs_two-year_deal_with_new_england

In other AFC East news, Allen Wilson of The Buffalo News reports on Terrell Owens signing with the Bills.

http://www.buffalonews.com/452/story/600430.html

NHL Trade Deadline: B’s Make Some Noise

2009-03-04T16:05:00.002-05:00

With the trade deadline looming, the Bruins have made some changes with the hope of gearing up for a run at the Stanley Cup. They’ve acquired Steve Montador in exchange for Petteri Nokelainen, and they picked up Mark Recchi (and a 2010 second-round pick) for Martins Karsums and Matt Lashoff.

Early indications are that the B's did alright for themselves.

Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe offers a solid analysis of the trade, noting that the Bruins didn’t have to give up anyone from their current active roster.
http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/extras/bruins_blog/2009/03/trade_analysis.html

Based on the comments to the piece by the OC Register’s Curtis Zupke, Anaheim fans are not happy with trading Montador.
http://ducks.freedomblogging.com/2009/03/04/ducks-trade-montador-to-boston-for-nokelainen/7885/

Erik Erlendsson of the Tampa Tribune comments on Recchi’s experience, as well as the fact that he’s played for two Stanley Cup champions.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/mar/04/041425/bolts-roberts-clears-waivers-recchi-halpern-await-/sports-lightning/

Contemplating the Possibilities

2009-03-01T22:05:00.002-05:00

With the Pats acquiring the 34th overall pick in the draft from KC, here's a quick look at how comparable picks (within 2 spots) have gone for them since Belichick has arrived.

2000: n/a, Pats took Adrian Klemm with the 46th pick --- not much to say there

2001: n/a, Pats took Matt Light with the 48th pick --- perennial Pro Bowler

2002: n/a, Pats took Deion Branch with the 65th pick --- MVP of Superbowl XXXIX

2003: Eugene Wilson 36th pick --- first two years were decent, not much since (currently with the Texans)

2004: Ben Watson 32nd pick --- not sure what to say, very enigmatic --- of course he has provided at least one memorable play

2005: Logan Mankins 32nd pick --- I don't think anyone would argue his value to the team

2006: Chad Jackson 36th pick --- let's just move on the next item

2007: n/a, Pats traded what would've been the 60th pick as part of the deal for Wes Welker --- should've been the MVP of Superbowl XLIII (I know, sour grapes)

2008: n/a, Terrence Wheatley 62nd pick --- still too early to tell

Reactions to the Cassel/Vrabel Trade

2009-03-01T16:55:00.002-05:00

After a l-o-n-g layoff (spent recovering from Superbowl XLIII), I've decided to wade back into the blogging waters. I couldn't help but get fired-up about the KC trade. My initial reaction was not good --- I had dreams of scoring a pick in the top 10. While I was out on the ledge, cooler thoughts prevailed. My thinking is that we got quite a lot for a player who I personally wanted to see cut after the preseason. Also, given the current economic climate (ask Manny Ramirez), Cassel had a VERY high price tag. Losing Vrabel definitely stings, but he was a casualty of the business end of the sport.

Here's some thoughts from around the Web ...

The Boston Globe's Mike Reiss likens it to a game of blackjack:
http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2009/03/01/tough_to_win_in_game_of_tag/

The Kansas City Star's Adam Teicher weighs the pros and cons, and notes that Vrabel can aid in the transition to the 3-4 defense:
http://www.kansascity.com/160/story/1060748.html

The Denver Post's Mike Klis offers a report on what might have been:
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_11809351

Sam Farmer of the LA Times notes that this puts Tom Brady's health in a positive light, and speculates that KC now may go after Wake Forest outside linebacker Aaron Curry:
http://www.latimes.com/sports/football/nfl/la-sp-farmer-nfl1-2009mar01,0,5485603.column

Don Banks from Sports Illustrated suspects that we now may be witnessing a kinder, gentler Bill Belichick:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/don_banks/02/28/cassel.traded.chiefs/index.html

Giant Killers

2008-02-04T13:01:00.000-05:00

What can I say --- when I'm wrong, I'm WRONG. Anyhow, just getting this post out of the way (I'm going to take some time off to try to heal my psyche). Congratulations to the Giants, who really deserved to win, congratulations to the Pats for an otherwise perfect season, and congratulations to the RTSP for thoroughly kicking her old man's butt in the playoff prognostications.

Super Bowl, Baby!!!

2008-02-02T10:02:00.000-05:00

I know it's been a while since the last post, but such is life with kids. Speaking of kids, my little girl kicked my butt on championship weekend, going 2-0. I, of course, went 0-2. Nothing shocking there. Hopefully, this week I can save a little face.

Before we jump into the thoughts around the Super Bowl, here's a link that I told CW I'd post. Enjoy.

Since this weekend marks the 6th Super Bowl appearance by the Pats, I thought I'd share some thoughts from the first 5. Feel free to click the comment link below and add your fondest memories.

Super Bowl XX - Chicago 46, NE 10
I had just turned 14, and though I'd been watching the Super Bowl for some time (the earliest that I can remember is Oakland vs. Philadelphia), this was the first one that I watched EVERY play of. Actually, now that I think about it, this might say a lot about why I turned out the way I did! What an experience. I watched the game with my buddy Jeff, and by the half he was ready to turn it off. I should've listened, but the optimist in me kept saying that they could make something happen. On the plus side, they scored the first points (a field goal that should've been a TD) and the last points (whoppee!). Of course, the Bears scored 46 points in between. I'm just thankful that a few years later the 49er's pummeled the Broncos 55-10 to take the Pats off the hook for the biggest Super Bowl throttling. I'm also thankful that the Pats never did anything as embarrassing as this.

Super Bowl XXXI - Green Bay 35, NE 21
I really don't like Desmond Howard. The man torched the Pats, and ended up becoming the game MVP as a SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER. Unreal. The biggest sucker-punch was right after the Pats had scored a TD to pull within 7 (28-21). Howard ran the ensuing kick-off back 99 yards to account for the final score of the game. On the plus side, this was the first year that I made my now famous Jambalaya. Trust me, it's tasty.

Super Bowl XXXVI - NE 20, St. Louis 17
Awesome. Just awesome. I don't even know where to start. So many great memories from this game, but I'll just comment on the two most obvious. Right at the beginning, you got the sense that something special was going to happen. After the Rams were introduced in the traditional fashion (the starters, individually), the Pats chose to come out as a TEAM. As a sports fan, as a Pats fan, it's hard to describe how this made me feel. I was bursting with pride to be a supporter of these guys. Of course the second major moment was the game-winner. Beyond the exhultation of seeing them win, two thoughts stand out. At the beginning of the game-winning drive, I could not believe that Madden said they should take a knee and play for OT (to be fair, he often pokes fun at himself for doing this). The way I looked at it (and I thought this was an obvious point) was that best case scenario, the Pats would win the toss in OT and probably be back where they were at this moment. Why not go for it in regulation? Regarding the kick, as excited as I was (literally jumping up and down), my psyche was so damaged as a NE sports fan that I didn't realize the game was over. I honestly thought there was still a couple of seconds on the clock, and that the Rams would have a chance to run the kick-off back. That wasn't the case, though, and now we Pats fans have a whole new outlook on things.

Super Bowl XXXVIII - NE 32, Carolina 29
Another game that came down to the final seconds. This was an unusual one, in that the first half was pretty much all defense, and the second half was a shoot-out. Of course, we all know what half-time was. As good a game as this was, my clearest memory (aside from the game-winning kick) is from the half-time show. This was the last Super Bowl party that I've been to, and all the guys that were watching the game went downstairs to shoot pool until the second half started. I decided to stay and watch the half-time show with my mom and my soon-to-be wife. I watched the beginning of the Janet Jackson performance, then I'd seen enough so I got up to use the bathroom. No sooner had I entered the bathroom, I heard my fiancee scream out "Is that her boob?". I've never moved so fast in my life. What can I say? There's a few phrases that can get you moving, and that's one of them. Anyway, thanks to Janet (Miss Jackson, if you're nasty), I almost wound up like the hero of this movie. That's enough about that.

Super Bowl XXXIX - NE 24, Philadelphia 21
This one wasn't as exciting as the final score would indicate. To be honest, I don't really have many interesting recollections about this game, other than two thoughts about the Eagles. First, think what you want about the guy, but Terrell Owens can PLAY. The guy came back from a pretty bad injury (I think he lost a limb or something), and pulled in 9 catches for over a hundred yards. That's big time. Second, the Eagles killed themselves on their last scoring drive. They couldn't get out of their own way, and ended up taking WAY too much time off the clock. That's all I got.

Now on to the big pick. Since she wiped the floor with me last week, I'll let the little one go first. Also, she's been upgraded to the Roaming the Sidelines PRINCESS (RTSP).

RTSP's Pick: New York (taking the points). I've actually managed to get her psyched-up to cheer for the Pats. I'll take it.

New England Patriots over New York Giants (+12) 6:18pm, Sunday

I feel good about this game, even with the point spread. I really think that the Pats are going to win in a blow-out. I know that the Giants have been playing some good football for the past 5 weeks, but I don't think it will be enough. The first time they played, the Pats didn't put much pressure on Manning until the second half, and that really made a difference. Also, I don't think you can put too much emphasis on the fact that the Pats have been here before (10 players have been on all 3 championship teams). I think that this can be highlighted just by the behavior during the past week. Most importantly, I think the 2-week layoff is going to adversely effect the Giants. I liken it to the past World Series. Colorado was the hottest team in baseball, then they had to wait something like 8 days between the NLCS and the World Series, which obviously affected their momentum. So at the risk of jinxing the Pats, I'm feeling pretty good about Sunday. Plus they inspired this pretty cool tune.

Hopefully, we'll have a happy re-cap next week!

NFL Playoffs, Conference Championship Games

2008-01-19T22:23:00.000-05:00

Hey, at least I'm consistent. Since I apparently have no idea what I'm talking about when it comes to picking games this playoff season, I've decided to ask my almost three-year-old daughter for some insight into this week's games. I've included her picks next to mine below. For the purposes of this blog, we'll call her the Roaming the Sidelines Daughter (RTSD). Note that when I asked her why she chose her picks, she said "because they like to win" in both cases.

As a quick, non-sports related aside, I just want to say that if you're a horror/sci-fi fan, you should check out the movie Cloverfield. I just saw it today, after following the internet viral campaign since last July, and I found it to be worth the wait. I won't get into the details here, but if you want to learn more about this movie and it's back-story, check out this blog.

Last week's record 1-3 (the point spread giveth, the point spread taketh away). Now, on to the picks (home team in bold). Please note that all lines are as of the time of this writing.

New England Patriots over San Diego Chargers (+14.5) 3:00pm, Sunday

I'm actually a bit terrified about picking this game. On the one hand, I don't think that the Pats can lose this game. On the other hand, this point spread is ridiculous. The Bolts deserve credit for taking out the Colts last weekend, but I really believe that the ride ends in Foxborough. I just can't conceive of a universe where a Norv Turner coached team beats a Bill Belichick coached team in a game of this magnitude. Of course, I'm mildly concerned about what's going on with Randy Moss this week.

RTSD's Pick: San Diego --- I'm obviously quite distressed over this. Of course, if she's right we're taking a family trip to Vegas.

Green Bay Packers over New York Giants (+7.5) 6:30pm, Sunday

Green Bay should win this game, even giving the points. Keep in mind, though, that this is coming from a guy who's picked against the Giants each of the past two weeks. I will say this, if either of these teams is going to get a boost from the football gods this weekend, it will be the Giants based on this story. Have people in Wisconsin ever heard of portable DVD players? More importantly, a year ago did anyone think that we'd see the day when an opposing team was trying to get inside Eli Manning's head? It also does my heart good to know that if the football thing doesn't work out for him, Eli's been able to take a page out of his brother's book and prostitute himself out for an extra buck.

RTSD's Pick: New York.

There you have it. If the Pats secure a spot in the Super Bowl, I'll be dedicating a blog to my most vivid Super Bowl memories (especially if there's going to be a re-match of Super Bowl XXXI). If the Chargers pull off the upset, you might want to send someone to check on me --- I'm not sure how I'd handle it, but let's hope it goes better than the days following this.

NFL Playoffs, Round 2

2008-01-12T13:22:00.000-05:00

Okay, I've been clean and sober for the past 7 minutes, so hopefully this week's picks will be more on the mark. Before we jump into the predictions, a quick aside about the Sox. I just got the NESN-produced DVD of the 2007 season for my birthday, and it is definitely worth picking up if you don't already have it. Great re-cap of the entire season (including post-season, obviously), and some cool special features --- including one on Buchholz's no-hitter. Good stuff.

Last week's record 1-3 (thank God for the point-spread). Now, on to the picks (home team in bold). Please note that all lines are as of the time of this writing.

Green Bay Packers over Seattle Seahawks (+7.5) 4:30pm, Saturday
Favre's magical season might come to end soon, but it shouldn't be this weekend. Seattle has a solid team, but the emotional lift that Lambeu Field provides for the home team should be enough to lift the Packers to victory. Besides, can a team whose kicker is planning on wearing heated pants really be taken seriously?

New England Patriots over Jacksonville Jaguars (+13.5) 8:00pm, Saturday
I know that this a pretty big point spread, just like I know that Jacksonville is playing some pretty good ball these days. I just don't think that they will be able to shut down Lawrence Maroney the same way that they shut down the Steelers backs. I also think that the mild weather is going to favor the Patriots passing attack. If the Pats get off to a quick lead, I'd be shocked if Garrard is able to air it out against them with much success.

Indianapolis Colts over San Diego Chargers (+10) 1:00pm, Sunday
If the Chargers had as much trouble as they did playing at home against Tennesse last weekend, how can they be expected to win in Indy? I actually think that the Colts are going to win by 3 TDs. Let's face it, FINALLY winning a playoff game last Sunday was like the Super Bowl for these guys. They're not going to have anything left for the Colts.

Dallas Cowboys over New York Giants (+7.5) 4:30pm Sunday
The Giants have had some pretty good karma going the past few weeks, but it ends now. Romo is probably bursting at the seems in anticipation of proving to everyone that having a little fun with your girlfriend does not mean that you can't focus on getting the job done. Additionally, Terrell Owens knows a thing or two about playing hurt in the money games. The only thing that remotely concerns me is the coaching match-up. Though he's come short of making it to the big game (twice), Coughlin is a better coach than Phillips. I don't see that making that much of a difference in this game, though. I will say that if I'm wrong about any of these picks, I hope it's this one.

After re-reading this, I can see that I've really gone out on a limb this week --- picking all of the favored home teams. Wow, that's daring. I just can't see the sense in picking an underdog, unless you're just trying to be different. And that's dumb.

I'll check back in after the dust settles. Go PATS!!!

Wildcard Weekend Re-cap

2008-01-07T21:10:00.000-05:00

Well, if Wildcard Weekend taught me anything, it's this --- don't make picks immediately following steak and beers with Uncle Charlie. Thankfully, only two people read this blog, and one of them is my wife. Fortunately she's known for awhile that I don't know what I'm talking about, so the inaccuracy of these picks came as no surprise to her. Although I went 0 for the weekend, I take some solace in the fact that Jacksonville did not cover the spread. Not much solace, but a little. And yes, through the better of the Chargers game I was having a good time imagining what LDT (there was only ONE true LT, and he retired a long time ago) was going to cry about after the game. Oh well, there's always next week.

Speaking of next week, here's my list of 3 (semi) compelling storylines for next Saturday's Patriots/Jaguars game (in no particular order) ...

1. Bulletin board material. Jacksonville defensive lineman Paul Spicer feels that the Pats got off too easy for violating the league policy on sideline taping. Apparently, losing a first round draft pick, 250k for the team, and a half million dollars for the coach isn't enough. No, Mr. Spicer feels that the Pats should be excluded from the playoffs. I guess that's one way for Jacksonville to get past this round. Can't we just put this whole "spygate" thing to bed? They broke the rule, got caught, and paid the punishment. Where was all of this indignation last year when Shawn Merriman was suspended for steroid usage? Wasn't he still allowed to play against (or should I say "lose to") the Pats in the playoffs last year? Anyone who is still holding this grudge against the Pats needs to get over it.

2. Head-to head playoff results. Hopefully, the Pats can continue their dominance of the Jags. In Jacksonville's short history, they've played against the Pats 3 times, losing twice --- including an AFC Championship game.

Jan. 12, 1997 - AFC Championship - New England 20, Jacksonville 6
Jan. 3, 1999 - AFC Wild Card - Jacksonville 25, New England 10
Jan. 7, 2006 - AFC Wild Card - New England 28, Jacksonville 3

3. David vs. Goliath. The Pats had 8 players selected for this year's Pro Bowl, the Jags had 0 --- though a strong case could be made for perennial Pro Bowl snub, Fred Taylor. Added to that is the fact that Belichick received "Coach of the Year" and Brady was named League MVP. I personally think that this storyline has a chance of being mentioned 753 times during the broadcast. I'll keep you posted.

Well, it's getting late, and I need to go start studying up on how I can screw up next week's picks.

NFL Playoffs, Round 1

2008-01-03T22:17:00.000-05:00

So, I just got back from having a nice steak and a couple of beers with my Uncle Charlie. What does that have to do with the NFL playoffs, you ask? Absolutely nothing, of course --- which is exactly what LaDainian Tomlinson will be doing after this weekend ... except for maybe whining about the fact that his team has made yet another early exit from the playoffs. But more on that later.

Before I jump into my predictions for the games this weekend, I just wanted to mention a pretty good column that Bob Ryan wrote about the current state of Boston sports. If you've got the time, I recommend giving it a read. After growing up experiencing the heartaches of the local teams (with the exception of the Larry Bird led Celtics), it truly is amazing to sit back and reflect on just how good we have it right now.

Now, on to the picks (home team in bold). Please note that all lines are as of the time of this writing.

Washington Redskins (+3.5) over Seattle Seahawks 4:30pm, Saturday
Something tells me that the 'Skins are going to make some noise in the playoffs. They've dealt with tragedy this year. They've got a resurgent QB, and Joe Gibbs has some experience in this department. Also, as much as I like Matt Hasselbeck and Deion Branch, I just don't think that Seattle has it in them.

Pittsburgh Steelers (+2.5) over Jacksonville Jaguars 8:00pm, Saturday
I know, I know --- Jacksonville is the team du jour right now, and nobody wants to meet them in the playoffs ... blah, blah, blah. Listen, Pittsburgh is not going to lose to them again this year. The Steelers have guys wearing championship rings, and know how to win big playoff games --- unless they're playing the Pats (sorry, I couldn't resist). The most entertainment this game will have to offer for Jacksonville fans will be watching the coach who bears a striking resemblance to a certain actor, walking the sidelines. That's right, I'm talking about Jack Del Rio and Ben Falcone.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-3) over New York Giants 1:00pm, Sunday
I'd love to pick the Giants here, but I can't. They really impressed me with the game that they put up against the Pats, but I think they might be in for a bit of an emotional let-down. Also, I think that Earnest Graham is going to run all over them --- and I'm not saying that just because he was a stud on my fantasy football champion team this year. Okay, maybe just a little.

Tennessee Titans (+10) over San Diego Chargers
The Chargers cannot win big games. Norv Turner cannot win big games. Until I see otherwise, I'm always betting against these two entities --- regardless of who's playing QB for their opponent. Plus, I'm REALLY looking forward to watching LDT's meltdown after this game.

Those are my picks, and I'm sticking to them.

New Records

2007-12-30T19:50:00.000-05:00

A quick update on some of the records that the Pats established this year ...

League Records

New

TD passes in a season -- Tom Brady (50), previously Peyton Manning (49)
TD receptions in a season -- Randy Moss (23), previously Jerry Rice (22)
Total points in a season (589), previously Minnesota Vikings (556)
Wins in a single regular season (16)
Consecutive regular-season wins (19), beat their own previous record of 18
Passing TD tandem -- Brady and Moss (23), previously Miami’s Dan Marino and Mark Clayton in 1984, and Green Bay’s Brett Favre and Sterling Sharpe in 1994 (18)
Touchdowns in a season (75), previously Miami Dolphins (70)

Tied

Players with a TD (21), 1987 LA Rams and 2000 Denver Broncos

Franchise Records

Receptions in a season -- Wes Welker (112), previously Troy Brown (101)
Passing yards in a season -- Tom Brady (4,806), previously Drew Bledsoe (4,555)

That's all I've got for tonight. I'll try to check back in, in the next couple of days. With the Pats off for the next couple of weeks, we might focus on the Celtics for a bit (maybe even the Bruins).

Happy New Year!

Records on the Line

2007-12-29T10:24:00.000-05:00

Hi all, here's a quick run-down of some of the records that are on the line tonight during the Pats/Giants game (not counting the whole "undefeated season" thing). Hopefully they'll be established/broken by half-time --- I'm not really into suspense in cases like this.

Consecutive Regular Season Wins: Record - 18 (Pats, twice), Pats are currently sitting at 18
Passing TDs: Record - 49 (Peyton Manning), Brady has 48
Recieving TDs: Record - 22 (Jerry Rice - stike-shortened season), Moss has 21
TDs by different players: Record - 21 (multiple teams), Pats curently have 21
Total Points for Season: Current Record - 556 (Vikings), Pats currently have 551

I'll check back in tomorrow with an update on these marks, as well as any other interesting game notes. Don't forget that tonight's game will be telecast nationally.

The Pursuit of Perfection*

2007-12-22T14:04:00.000-05:00

Hello, and welcome to my inaugural blog. My goal is to use this space to talk/vent about things that are top of mind (specifically in the sports world). First off, let me put it right out there that I am unabashedly a homer for (just about) all things New England. That being said, I'd like to offer my thoughts on all of the nonsense surrounding the Patriots chase of an unbeaten season. I know that's its not popular to be a Pats fan these days, just as I know that a lot of people enjoy clinging to the notion that "spy gate" somehow nullifies the past championships. What I can't get my head around is how anyone could even try to make the argument that this years team has benefited from cheating. If anything, the Pats are probably the most heavily scrutinized team in the league. Of course, my problem is that I'm trying to look at this logically, unlike some of the grumpy old men from the '72 Dolphins. I'm not talking about everyone on that remarkable team, only the ones who can't seem to grasp the fact that if another team goes undefeated they will only JOIN them --- not DISPLACE them.

What irks me the most about these guys is the notion that they were such a stand-up group. Its possible that I'm forgetting something, but as far as I know the Pats have been proven guilty of two pretty bad things --- spy gate, and Rodney Harrison's use of HGH. The men who comprised the '72 Dolphins had a few short-comings as well, perhaps most notably:

The loss of their #1 pick in response to negotiating with Don Shula while he was still coach of the Indianapolis Colts

Mercury Morris: not sure which is worse --- the 1982 cocaine trafficking conviction, or his contribution to the world of rap

Also, aside from the fact that the Dolphins got it done in a shorter season (talk about needing an asterisk), let's not forget the following facts:

The Dolphins opponents that had a winning percentage of just .400

The 2007 Patriots opponents have a .511 winning percentage, including each division leader in the AFC (Indianapolis, Pittsburgh/Cleveland, and San Diego) as well as 12-2 Dallas

Despite these points, I still acknowledge that the '72 Dolphins are a team that others should aspire to because they were the first (and so far only) team to run the table. However, let's not discount the amount of pressure that any other team to follow has to face in the quest to match that perfection.