Football fix

I don't know whether I'm the only one who had a tough time coming off my football high, but now that the season is over and done I've been looking for a way to scratch the itch. This led me to check out and read an excellent sports book "Bringing the Heat", by Mark Bowden. It's all about the Eagles (big surprise I know), the 1989-1992 teams that couldn't quite make it over the hump, but I think it's worth reading if you're a football fan. It describes the players, coaches, and team chemistry in an insightful and colorful way that I think would appeal to anybody. It's worth it for the casual reader just because of its profile of then Eagles DT Mike Golic, now star sportscaster. I'd highly recommend it.

I hate the Giants

Wow, that was quite a game. Let me start by saying that I'm not going to take anything away from the Giants; they played phenomenal defense, pressured Brady like nobody else had, and made the plays on offense that they had to.

But with that being said, what happened to the Pats? They were the highest scoring team in history this year because they had a shotgun-spread offense that couldn't be stopped. It just couldn't. No team has the personnel to cover Moss, Stallworth, Welker, and Watson all at the same time. And if they managed it for a little while then Jabar frickin Gaffney would run amok and the defensive coordinator cried.

Then towards the end of the regular season they get cute, and start running more, and setting up a more "conventional" looking offense. Ok, fine, show people you can run. That's fine. But hey, here comes the Superbowl and the Giants, whose defensive specialty is rushing the QB. They smack the crap out of big Tom in the first half and it's time for the legendary Belechick halftime adjustments; so of course they open up the second half throwing those pansy bunch WR screens that hadn't worked for the whole game and running plays for Kevin Faulk, a nice guy but maybe the fifth best receiver on the team. Finally, finally at the end they go shotgun and drive down and score, but they leave 2:45 on the clock! Is it just me or did they play this game backwards? Why not open in shotgun, let the Giants' pass rush guys run themselves down and get used to aiming at Brady, and then in the second half Maroney draw them to death? I don't get it.

And good golly do I hate the Giants.

Final note, Steve Spagnolo is going to be the most successful coach to fall off of the Andy Reid tree. I'm calling it now.

SUPER SUNDAY!

And the Super Bowl is tonight. The Giants and Patriots are ready to rumble and people are ready to eat inordinate amounts of food. Let us all pray for great commercials as well. Also, isn't it nice to have all this "new" Spygate information coming out each and every day as the Patriots prepare for the Super Bowl? Does the media really feel the need to give the Patriots MORE motivation to win this game? I'm expecting a blow-out, I just can't see a conceivable way that the Giants can win.

Keeping you posted,
Andrew.

I am a tool and have been gone too long

The Super Bowl is this Sunday.
The Super Bowl is this Sunday.
Really?
Seems like it has been a pretty quiet two weeks leading up to the big game.
No bother.

As for me, I'm ready to have an amazing Super Bowl Sunday and start talking NFL Draft 2008. If you don't already go there, nfldraftcountdown.com has fantastic stuff. Top to bottom one of the best sites out there. So go get some information and start getting ready for a few great months of football talk and NBA Playoffs.

And hockey. (Sorry Jeff)

NFL drafts are sad

There's a lot of talk here in Philadelphia about how Donovan McNabb hasn't ever had any help. I thought I'd take a look back and see which receivers the Eagles could've had to go with McNabb (drafted in 1999) instead of the bums that they keep ending up with. I'm only comparing guys who didn't last and guys who went after them:

2000: They drafted Todd Pinkston in the second round (36). They could've had: Jerry Porter (47) or Laveranues Coles (78).

2001: They drafted Freddie Mitchell in the first round (25) and Quintin Carver (LB, 55) in the second. They could've had: Reggie Wayne (30), Todd Heap (31), Chad Johnson (36), Chris Chambers (52) or Steve Smith (74).

So already after two drafts, instead of having Todd Pinkston, Freddie Mitchell and some LB who never made it, Donovan could have been throwing to Jerry Porter, Chad Johnson or Reggie Wayne, and Steve Smith.

2002: Best draft of the decade. Iggles' first four picks were Lito Sheppard, Sheldon Brown, Brian Westbrook, and Michael Lewis. No problems here, might have switched Lewis (58) for Deion Branch (65).

2003: Eagles take Jerome McDougle (15) in the first round. They could've had: Dallas Clark (24) or Anquan Boldin (54).

It's a little bit hard to tell what's what after this list, since guys take a little while to develop and some from these later drafts might still perk up. But just consider that in the Superbowl in 2004, just by drafting differently, they could have switched the Pinkston/Mitchell/broken TO/LJ Smith bunch with Porter/Johnson/Smith/Clark. That kind of knowledge is what curdles Philadelphia fans into the bitter, jaded, black-hearted, miserable jack-asses that we are. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go put on my Flyers jersey and ram into a light pole.

The Baltimore Ravens

As a New England Patriots fan, I'm happy about last nights outcome, but I can imagine how incredulous the Baltimore Ravens fans must feel this morning. Not because of the officiating or the time-out or Tom Brady's good looks or the final score, but because it is all too apparent that the Baltimore Ravens have given up on the season.

I kept hearing during the game that the Ravens were treating the Monday night game with the Patriots as "their Super Bowl," but my question is, "What have the Ravens been treating every other week as?" The coaches and players led us all to believe that they worked extra this past week, preparing and perfecting everything about the game plan to beat the Patriots. The coaches had the right mindset, the players had the right mindset, everyone was ready to win. So my question remains, why haven't the Ravens been doing that every week? Clearly they are a good football team and have played the Patriots closer than anyone else this season, save maybe the Colts. So how can they play so poorly in past weeks and yet show up for the Patriots game?

All I know, is that the Ravens are better than they have been playing and they showed this week that if they treat every week like it's the Super Bowl, they can compete with anyone. My problem is that by bragging that they worked so hard this week, they admitted to not working their hardest in past weeks. The reason the Patriots and the Colts are so good is because they treat EVERY week like it's the Super Bowl. Not just the big games under the big lights. So Ravens fans, call up the organization and ask for a refund of your tickets because clearly, you were not receiving what was promised, that is, the best from every player and coach on your team every week.

New England Sports Update

The Red Sox, Patriots, and Celtics have won 23 combines straight games, and none of them have lost for a month.

Pats - Indy Refs

This is from the great sports writers over at boston.com

Randy Moss was walking off the field after the game against Indy, when he saw a cell phone on the ground near the tunnel.
Moss picked it up, looked at it, and ran over to the referee walking off the field.
"You dropped your cell phone," Moss said to the ref.
"Thanks, Randy. By the way, how'd you know it was mine," the ref replied.
Randy smiled and said, "Easy. There was nine missed calls."

It's good to be from New England.

The current Patriots winning streak: 9 games, began September 9th, 2007.
The current Red Sox winning streak: 7 games, began October 16th, 2007.
The current Celtics winning streak: 5 games, began November 2nd, 2007.

The point? A New England based sports team has not lost a game since October 17th. I haven't checked the facts, but I don't believe a fan base has ever had such a run of victories. Enjoy it Red Sox/Patriot/Celtic faithful.

F the Cowboys

Ugly androgynous Eagles fan say CRUSH THE COWBOYS!!!

8 Weeks of NFL Action

Here we are half-way through the NFL season, and it's time to answer some questions.

MVP:
Tom Brady - There is just NO way that it could be anybody else. I don't need to gush anymore about Brady because his stats say everything. He's on pace to have the greatest statistical quarterbacking season in the HISTORY of the NFL. If he can keep this up, we will look back and ask ourselves if this season really happened.

Randy Moss - Sure, all he does is run down the field and catch those beautifully thrown balls from Brady, but Brady wouldn't be the same without him. Wherever Randy goes he is always a top talent. He's been great with Randall Cunningham, Cullpepper, Aaron Brooks, and now Tom Brady. Brady has never put up great stats like this before Moss arrived, but now that he has the best receiver in the NFL, things have changed. Just imagine what the Packers would look like right now if they had Moss. Or the Cowboys. Or the Chargers. Or the Colts. Or anybody in the league who would have had the marbles to trade a FOURTH round pick for the guy.

Brett Favre - What an amazing ride this guy has taken Packer's fans on for the last 10+ years. Everybody wrote him off, and despite not getting Moss, he has taken a .500 team and turned them into a potential home field advantage, first round bye caliber team (in the NFC). I don't care what his numbers are because all he is doing is win games. Much like Vince Young, so much of what he does will never show up on the stat sheet, but golly, it's fun having Brett Favre in the NFL...unless your name is Aaron Rogers.

Offensive Player of the First Half:
See Brady, Tom. But let's give some credit to the other guys in the NFL. Big ups to Braylon Edwards (seriously), Derek Anderson (the Cleveland Browns quarterback), Adrian Peterson (you think he'd still go 7th?), Tony Romo (minus the Bills game), T.J. Houshmandzadeh (the Bengals have actually thought about trading Ocho Cinco), and Ronnie Brown (prior to his season ending surgery).

Defensive Player of the First Half:
Mike Vrabel- I know what you're saying. What a freakin' New England Patriots homer. Yes, but name me another played with better stats right now. 42 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 5 forced fumbles and an overall monster for the Patriots D. Maybe he's a good player in a great system, but his stats are top notch right now.

Trent Cole- Trent Cole? That's right. Why? With 38 tackles, 9 sacks (leads the league) and 2 forced fumbles, Cole is wreaking havoc on opposing quarterbacks. He was an absolute steal in the 5th round and is helping a wounded Eagles team stay alive in the NFC.

Elvis Dumervil- He currently has 6 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and an interception. He makes all the plays on the line for the Broncos.

Barrett Ruud- The man who makes all the tackles for that lovely Tampa 2 defense.

Champ Bailey - He should win this award every year for the way he changes every game he plays, but I can't give an award to a guy who has less interceptions than Junior Seau.

Most Surprising (Good) of the First Half:
Willis McGahee - 3rd in the league in rushing yards and has a solid 4.4 yards per carry.

The Cleveland Browns - Derek Anderson is 2nd in the league in TD passes. Braylon Edwards has turned into a man beast and is currently on pace for an 18 TD season. Maybe they are overachieving, but imagine if this team somehow wins enough games to go the playoffs.

Brett Favre - 4 more years! 4 more years!

The Buffalo Bills - I know they are 3-4 and that's neither surprising or good, but this is a team that lost to Denver and Dallas by a single point on game winning field goals. If this team was getting any breaks this season, they would be 5-2, with losses to Pittsburgh and New England, and would sitting in the final playoff spot in the AFC.

Most Disappointing of the First Half:
Vince Young- At least Michael Vick looked like he could pass once in a while. The Madden Curse continues.

Matt Leinart- Most CFL ready quarterback to come out of the draft in a long time. Maybe he should spend more time practicing with Archie in the backyard.

The Running Backs (Steven Jackson, Larry Johnson, Laurence Marroney, Frank Gore, Thomas Jones) - For whatever reasons, these guys have been duds this year, and you know, because you drafted them for your fantasy team and now you are relying on Earnest Grahm and Kenny Watson.

The NFC West - Looked like it could be an up year for this division with a good team (Seattle), a great offensive team (St. Louis) and 2 teams ready for their closeups (Arizona and San Fran), but golly, these teams stink.


But forget all this and enjoy the second half of the season where anythings possible. Except for the Patriots not winning the AFC East crown.

Running up the score rules

I agree with the previous post, to a point. The only difference between the Pats and that Eagles game is that by the end of the game the Eagles had the practice squad in, and they were still scoring. But everyone who's whining about the Pats, saying that they lack class and professionalism, is a big baby. The Pats have been the epitome of professionalism over the past several years and as to class, this is the big leagues. If you can't stop a team and they roll all over you, then you deserve what you get. The only thing that the media is bawling about that I agree with is the way that Belichick is exposing Brady. At some point a team is going to make it their goal to smash him, whether it's with bringing 12 guys on a blitz or a blatant foul or whatever. Without Brady that team doesn't run the same way or win the same way, and if I were a Pats fan I'd have a problem with it.

I'll pay someone $20 to slap Skip Bayless in the face, $50 if they get a picture.

Just wondering

How come everybody freaks out about the Patriots running up the score, but nobody said anything when the Eagles beat the Lions 56-21? Should the Patriots be punished because they are able to do it every week while other teams can't? I don't know, just stuff I think about at night.

E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!!

Boston fans should be counting their blessings, because this is a once-in-a-lifetime convergence of awesome teams. You will never have it so good again. At least I have the Flyers, who this afternoon will tool on your Bruins and make me fall in love all over again.

Quick World Series note, I'm thinking Dice is good for at least six earned runs tonight. I think Terry's going to let him pitch and try to work out of jams and that the Rockies will blow him out. Then tomorrow everything will return to normal and the Sox will win the series.

The Eagles will win tomorrow. That's all I'm going to say about that.

Just Pondering

Which ratio will be better?
Josh Beckett's Playoff Strike Out-to- Walk ratio?
or
Tom Brady's Touchdown-to-Interception Ratio?
(Isn't it great to be a Boston Sports Fan?)

Whose #1?

Lately, the only conversation I hear around football is the search for the best team in the league. More specifically, who is better, the New England Patriots or the Indianapolis Colts? People from each side have great reasons for their decisions, but the honest truth is that those teams are in a dead heat. Neither team is better than the other, and if they are, it's by the slightest margin. Even if one team dominates the other come November 4th, it won't matter, because the real game won't come until they meet again in the AFC championship game.

The big thing I keep hearing that the Colts are the better team because they are the defending champs and they have played and beaten better teams than the Patriots. I can basically agree with both statements, but I don't think you can dock the Patriots, who don't create their own schedule, for beating the teams they've been asked to beat. And really, look at who these teams have played. The Colts have beaten the Saints, Titans, Texans, Broncos, Bucs and Jaguars. The Patriots have beaten the Jets, Chargers, Bills, Bengals, Browns, Cowboys and Dolphins. Looking at who each team has beaten, both have 3 or 4 quality wins in my mind and both got lucky by playing good teams (i.e. Saints and Chargers) before they got things relatively back on track. Both teams have won 3 games against divisional opponents and both have beaten good NFC teams.

The truth of the matter, is that if both teams win this week and we get an amazing undefeated match-up in Week 9, whichever team comes out victorious has a great chance to go for a perfect season. We should all just forget the talk about who the better team is and be more impressed at how great these teams have been for so long. It's easy to overlook these two juggernauts because they have been SO good for SO long, but don't forget to look around the league and see how hard it is to be good year after year in the NFL. That means you, Philly, Chicago, San Deigo, New York, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Dallas, Baltimore, New Orleans, Seattle and everybody else who follows a 12 win season with a 5 win stink bomb.

Wacky World Series

This is the first World Series in a little while that I'm actually interested in. As a sports fan I was interested in '04, you pretty much had to be, but it seemed like a series that was decided before it started. I didn't think the Cardinals had a chance and the games were a series of anti-climaxes. This series on the other hand? It's only the most intriguing baseball match-up in a long time.

First, there's the Colorado Rockies. It's really hard to know what to expect from this team, because you can't set the bar too high or too low. On one hand, they're practically the hottest team ever, on a nigh unprecedented winning streak. They looked like they'd never lose in the first two rounds, to the point that Kaz Matsui is driving in runs like he's Ted Williams. They're playing unbelievably well and so it'd be fair to expect them to have a heck of a series. On the other hand, they're the ultimate "happy to be here" team. Nobody expected anything from them when the season started, or at the All-Star break, or even when they made it into the playoffs. If they lose, they're still a great story and one of the best Cinderella stories of recent times. If I were a Rockies fan, I'd have no idea where to set my level of expectation. Add to this the fact that while they have been scorching hot, they've had nine days off. This team has basically no history, so who can say how they'll react after that kind of break?

Then there's the Sox. Rolled through the regular season, with some bumps here and there, but clearly an elite team and one of the best in baseball. They do have some holes and some warts and because they've been analyzed to death we know them all. Nonetheless, on paper they're clearly the more established, more experienced, and more talented team. However, this series is potentially a terrible match-up. Sure they've got number one stud Josh Beckett at home to open. But during the regular season the Rockies hung six runs on him (the most he gave up all year), at home, and chased him out of the game. Sure they've got better 1-4 pitchers on paper. But Dice (playoff shaky) and Wakefield are due up at Coors field and they both rely on movement in their pitches. Altitude+breaking balls=sadness, see Mike Hampton. Note: what I said about Wakefield no longer applies, since they're starting Lester. If he's 100% that's a great move, way to go Terry.

Finally, there's the question of who's got the better home field advantage. Fenway's going to be rocking and rolling and there's no better place to start a series if you're the home team. Once again though, the Rockies can answer. There's already the altitude, and then add in the fact that due to unseasonably warm temperatures on the East coast the Sox will go from playing in mild 65 degree nights to a nasty 30-33. If you're a Sox fan and saw that Sunday night game between the Broncos and Steelers and saw the snow, you'll be nervous.

I don't have a prediction, but I'm watching every game of this one. It should be stellar.

If I could have your attention

Tom Brady is currently on pace to have the greatest passing season in the history of the NFL, but before we go too far, let's give it up for Clinton Hart of the San Diego Chargers and Leon Hall of the Cincinnati Bengals who together account for the only 2 blemishes Brady has from his current season, his 2 INT's. Congratulations guys!

Not so fast Boston...

I would like to congratulate the Red Sox on their amazing comeback. Sure, it wasn't 2004, but coming back from 3-1 is still a feat. The past 3 games everybody but Manny and Papi have been hitting and the pitching has been great.
But don't get to excited Boston, least you forgot that the Rockies have won 21 of 22. In the post season they have a team ERA of 2.08. 3 out of there 4 starters have an ERA under 2.13 in the post season, including Ubaldo Jimenez (2 starts, 1.59 ERA, and I can't wait to hear McCarver attempt to pronounce his name). Manny Corpas, their post season closer, has an ERA of 1.13.
As for the bats, Matt Holliday leads the NL in playoff home runs, and the top 3 post season RBI men are all from the Rockies. (Kaz Matsui, Yorvit Torrealba, Holliday)
But the real X-factor in this series in Coors Field. You think Ortiz looks tried when he get a double in Fenway, imagine him running to first a mile above sea level. If he hits a triple in Denver they might need to bring out the oxygen.

Two Worlds Collide

As a Massachusetts transplant currently residing in Ohio, it's been tough to stay out of harm's way when it comes to sports. I've also been amazed out how my home land and this new, foreign land are currently pitted against each other in every real sporting event.

For starters, the Red Sox and Indians are about to play a Game 7 tonight to decide who goes to the World Series to get swept by the Rockies. As a Sox fan, I've been tried to stay quiet and away from the arguments...but there's not avoiding it. And it's a tough place to be because hey, Cleveland deserves a winner and all my teams in Boston do is win, so I don't specifically NEED another champion, but gosh, I'd sure enjoy it. Cleveland fans? They keep telling me this team is better than the '75 squad and make references to teams long since passed. They seem to be dying for a championship, but it's getting ugly out there.

Ohio State is currently #1 in the BCS rankings, but guess whose creeping up behind them? That's right, Boston College. Now I'm not a Boston College fan, never have been, never will be, but they are from my home and they are looking to stay undefeated and catch those pesky Buckeyes. I just find it amazing that those two happen to be the top teams in the country.

I'd like to say something about the Patriots/Browns rivalry here, or even the Patriots/Bengals, but good golly the Browns and Bengals had it handed to them this year by the Patriots, but who hasn't that happened to?

Finally, the Cavs and the Celtics. Now this is something that has been strange for all New England sports fans, a relevant Celtics team. This hasn't happened since Antoine Walker was under 300 pounds and Paul Peirce was playing hard til the last minute of the last game every season. While some people may think I'm crazy for saying the Celtics are the best team in the East, but really, who can stop them? The Pistons are half of what they used to be, the Cavs have LBJ and they over performed last year and everybody forgets that right now, Varajeo and Pavlovic aren't even on the team and are light years apart in contract negotiations, and the only other relevant team in the East are the Bulls and Raptors who, while good, haven't yet proven that they can do enough to stop KG, Pierce or Ray Allen, let alone all 3 combined...but that's a different story.

All in all, I love sports. Go Sox. Go Pats. Go Celts. (Go BC?)