Tossing batting practice…while wondering if the season ending neck injury Ellis Hobbs suffered is a chronic thing resulting from years of whiplash courtesy of repeatedly getting beat by good, bad and marginal receivers…
If it is, then score one for the Bill Belichick and the medical staff for getting rid of him when they did and getting something for nothing.
Good win on Sunday for the Pats, even if the Dolphins offense is as exciting as it was successful. Usually in a game involving that much between the tackle running, and little downfield passing there's a spirit squad and a 50-50 raffle at halftime involved.
For all the grief that Belichick takes for being so vague and flippant with the injury report, I think Tony Sparano should be equally chastised for not properly reporting to the world last week that Joey Porter was questionable (head case) or doubtful (no heart). At the very least I hope this week he’s listed as probable (castration) after his refusal to speak with the media after the game Sunday.
Apparently Porter only got half the message from Jimmy Johnson, the part about walking the walk must have got cut off on his NFL Films highlights. Or perhaps Johnson should clarify that walking the walk doesn’t mean slip out the back door quietly.
I endorse Larry Johnson possibly coming to the Patriots for the remainder of the season. I think we could go a long way toward educating him about tolerance in our liberal blue state abode. Unless he only runs for two yards a carry, then ship his ignorant ass out to some Baptist bible thumping outpost where the illiterate yahoos will identify with him as a kindred spirit.
In Bill I trust.
I absolutely despise everything about the Colts, and since moving to the south anytime I come across someone who claims to love Peyton Manning, I immediately end the conversation and move on to someone else. However Belichick’s track record is to almost never lose to a team twice in one season, so quite frankly I’m ok with the Patriots losing this week. (opinion subject to change at about 8:21 Sunday night).
Because of the fact that a half a rain forest, and an infinite amount of internet space is being wasted in previews of Sunday’s game I’m going to promise you a breakdown in less than 90 words that can sum up the whole game.
I am interested to see just how fast the defense really is against a proven offense. The secondary has looked great swarming to the ball and doling out hits like the old Lombardi Trophy Patriots but now its time to see what it looks like against a real AFC contender.
I still think this defense will be better eight weeks from now but this is a good barometer game.
And the offense needs to step it up in the red zone and quit settling for three points.
See, you don’t need to waste lots of words and time talking about this one just go out and play the game.
College basketball season started this week, and while I’m the second biggest college basketball junkie I know (the phenomenal Sully’s Blog at the Globe takes the top spot because honestly its been a while since I tivoed a Cal/Murray State game and watched it three days later) its still hard to get excited just yet, another week and I’ll start to have mock brackets ready to go.
Though no matter what time of year, and what level its good to see Isiah Thomas get his ass kicked even if it did come at the hands of North Carolina.
The Celtics have looked a little older of late. I guess playing eight games in 12 days with a roster and offensive philosophy one would expect to find in an Over 30 YMCA league its to be expected. The three point barrage continues, and apparently the media in Boston chose to only notice it when the shots didn’t go in and they lost a game. However it was good to see in the NJ game Saturday night the C’s recognized the shots weren’t falling and they attacked the basket a little bit, and good ball movement created open lanes for cutters to get easy buckets down the stretch.
My nonexistent current basketball career sort of mimics that of Rasheed Wallace. I have the ability to go in the post (yet I almost always decide not too), generally choosing to wander out beyond the arc repeatedly clapping my hands or whooping to announce I’m open and jacking threes at any opportunity. Defensively, I stand around not really covering anyone, but I can still rebound. And I steadfastly refuse to participate in a fastbreak, or move at any speed great than a brisk jog.
If I were 6-10 with anger management issues, I’d probably be in the League.
I’m as big a KG fan as anyone else, and his work in the community is tremendous, but someone needs to explain to him that he can’t build a homeless shelter for kids just by throwing up bricks from 17 feet away.
He’s starting to reach the level of “Strap” in Hoosiers. “Don’t shoot unless you’re wide open under the basket.”
Doc’s too nice to say this, but I can think of a coach who could explain KG’s role on offense much the same way he once told a precocious freshman from RI, for the sake of anonymity we’ll call him R. Shibley, “Hey (expletive deleted)! Your job is reverse the ball, set screens and only shoot if the shot clock is under 5 and you can’t kick it out of bounds to prevent a fast break the other way.”
You know you've lived in the country for a while when the sounds of sirens at 1am on a Saturday startle you.
I lived in downtown Boston and Roxbury for six years there was a time when the gunshot or firecracker game didn't even faze me, and now I’ve been reduced to one of those country folk wondering what happened to garner all that noise.
And with that I make a triumphant return to the Bean this weekend for the next few weeks, in hopes of seeing some people, celebrating Thanksgiving, pretending its not my birthday, and sabotaging a wedding before it can ruin a life.
Expect lots of bitching about the cold weather in the next post
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Tossing batting practice while wondering if either of these teams will have enough pitching left to beat Taiwan in the International championship game…
Alright, I’ve had enough, whatever baseball stadium architect out there who thought designing ballparks with dimensions taken from Williamsport needs to be put out of business. Maybe Art Vandelay is alive and well.
The Hideki Matsui home run off Pedro Martinez in game 2 was such a joke even Bucky Dent was embarrassed to call it a home run. The “blast” from ARod in game 3 was so bad John Sterling couldn’t bring himself to call it an A-Bomb, it was more like a road flare.
Both these ballparks are so small all of a sudden Fenway looks cavernous. The only difference between this series and the Home Run Derby is the hitters don’t get to bring their own pitchers. (Though I’m pretty sure most Yankees would choose either Joe Blanton or Brad Lidge)
Even the NCAA softball committee finally voted to push all the fences back 10 or 20 feet, because of the mockery all the homers were making of the game. This revelation might make ASA hall of fame stadium eligible to host an MLB team should one move to Oklahoma City. (and yes you can spare me the obvious chicks dig the long ball joke as related to softball)
Petey pitched tremendous in game 2, but that was kinda the standard Pedro in the Bronx performance. Look like you’re in command, blow away the good hitters, but the Yanks grind him so much he gives up a cheapie like the Matsui homer, and then in the 7th they get a couple runners on, add one insurance run and then its onto Rivera for the save.
I read that book a lot in college, probably the only book I read in college, because it had pictures and sound.
I’m really hoping that Pedro goes out to the mound with a bloody, or ketchup stained sock for Game 6. He’s always been the master of the mind game and it would be hilarious. However, in the end the mystery that is Andy Pettite’s effectiveness still has yet to be solved, and I don’t see it happening anytime soon.
Useless stat of the day: Pettite is 0-2 in his last two game six World Series starts including the bludgeoning he took at the hands of Arizona, which Yankee fans will defend to their deaths he was tipping his pitches so it doesn’t count. The “True Yankees” Pettite, Rivera, Jeter, and Posada would be defended by Yankee fans if they were on trial at The Hague for war crimes.
I’m happy that the series goes back to NY, it’s good for the long suffering fans there to see a world title clinched on their home field. Do you realize that there are young kids in the Bronx who are eligible to suit up for the Rolando Paulino Little League All-Stars who have never seen a world championship in their lifetimes?
We here in Boston have the $70 million grand slam, thanks to JD Drew’s homer in the 07 LCS, I guess the Yankees now have the $52 million stolen bases courtesy of Johnny Damon.
At least Drew did his in the first year of his contract, Damon probably just earned himself a new deal in the Bronx just based on that. He’s still a moron intellectually, and a deceitful lying cheat (at least according to Sox fans and his ex wife).
I hope he can’t find gainful employment in retirement as a used car spokesman in Bergen County because there are about two dozen other Yankee legends already in line for the job.
It seems rather appropriate that the score in the 2nd quarter of the Lions/Rams game was 3-2. A three run homer by Albert Pujols couldn’t stand up, as predictably with two bad teams the bullpens imploded.
Speaking of affronts to football, how bad was the first half of that Jets/Dolphins game, Everett high school’s offense looked more creative than either of these two teams, and I’m not sure they’ve thrown a pass in this decade.
I think the good folks in Canton can put a stop to the Rex Ryan bust they had started after week 2.
I hope Tom Brady shatters every record that Brett Favre sets, with the exception of one. I sincerely hope Tommy never gets the chance to beat all 32 teams, and I’m pretty sure the sight of him in gang green (or whatever that god awful AFL Titans color is) would probably reduce me to tears.
I feel like Brad Childress is actually on his little salesmen headset asking people if they are satisfied with their long distance carriers.
Not too much about the Celtics this week, they are kicking ass and not even bothering to take names. Offensively they look real good with a lot of ball movement and finding easy shots all over the floor.
If I were to nitpick, I’d have two gripes. One, while Ray Allen is obviously a tremendous shooter, he’s been jacking them up at a rate that would make Eddie House or Kevin McHale blush. He’s a great passer, and I’d like to see him do a little more of it and not just shoot every time he thinks he’s got a little bit of space inside the hashmark. He’s a free agent at the end of the year, and hopefully he’s not gunning (literally) for a new contract, fortunately I don’t think he’s that type of guy and I’m sure we can get Jim Calhoun to take a trip up I-84 to beat that out of him if he is (like I said it was a nitpick).
Secondly, I’m a little concerned about the amount of three’s they are hoisting. As a former shooter myself, I find it incredibly fun to watch. However I’d equate it to football its way more fun watching Brady throw it all over the place than those Laurence Maroney tip-toe two-yard losses. But you have to show offensive balance in the…
wait for it…
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE (I’m watching MNF as this is written)
and in the NBA you can’t live and die by the three, I just hope this doesn’t become an Achilles heel that eventually derails the C’s like it did the undefeated regular season team that shall not rehashed because opponents figure out how to stop it.
On the positive side, this team defends in the halfcourt like a group of overzealous branch Davidians, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Kevin Garnett light the basket on fire and go down with the rim rather than allow dribble penetration and an easy bucket.
Alright, I’ve had enough, whatever baseball stadium architect out there who thought designing ballparks with dimensions taken from Williamsport needs to be put out of business. Maybe Art Vandelay is alive and well.
The Hideki Matsui home run off Pedro Martinez in game 2 was such a joke even Bucky Dent was embarrassed to call it a home run. The “blast” from ARod in game 3 was so bad John Sterling couldn’t bring himself to call it an A-Bomb, it was more like a road flare.
Both these ballparks are so small all of a sudden Fenway looks cavernous. The only difference between this series and the Home Run Derby is the hitters don’t get to bring their own pitchers. (Though I’m pretty sure most Yankees would choose either Joe Blanton or Brad Lidge)
Even the NCAA softball committee finally voted to push all the fences back 10 or 20 feet, because of the mockery all the homers were making of the game. This revelation might make ASA hall of fame stadium eligible to host an MLB team should one move to Oklahoma City. (and yes you can spare me the obvious chicks dig the long ball joke as related to softball)
Petey pitched tremendous in game 2, but that was kinda the standard Pedro in the Bronx performance. Look like you’re in command, blow away the good hitters, but the Yanks grind him so much he gives up a cheapie like the Matsui homer, and then in the 7th they get a couple runners on, add one insurance run and then its onto Rivera for the save.
I read that book a lot in college, probably the only book I read in college, because it had pictures and sound.
I’m really hoping that Pedro goes out to the mound with a bloody, or ketchup stained sock for Game 6. He’s always been the master of the mind game and it would be hilarious. However, in the end the mystery that is Andy Pettite’s effectiveness still has yet to be solved, and I don’t see it happening anytime soon.
Useless stat of the day: Pettite is 0-2 in his last two game six World Series starts including the bludgeoning he took at the hands of Arizona, which Yankee fans will defend to their deaths he was tipping his pitches so it doesn’t count. The “True Yankees” Pettite, Rivera, Jeter, and Posada would be defended by Yankee fans if they were on trial at The Hague for war crimes.
I’m happy that the series goes back to NY, it’s good for the long suffering fans there to see a world title clinched on their home field. Do you realize that there are young kids in the Bronx who are eligible to suit up for the Rolando Paulino Little League All-Stars who have never seen a world championship in their lifetimes?
We here in Boston have the $70 million grand slam, thanks to JD Drew’s homer in the 07 LCS, I guess the Yankees now have the $52 million stolen bases courtesy of Johnny Damon.
At least Drew did his in the first year of his contract, Damon probably just earned himself a new deal in the Bronx just based on that. He’s still a moron intellectually, and a deceitful lying cheat (at least according to Sox fans and his ex wife).
I hope he can’t find gainful employment in retirement as a used car spokesman in Bergen County because there are about two dozen other Yankee legends already in line for the job.
It seems rather appropriate that the score in the 2nd quarter of the Lions/Rams game was 3-2. A three run homer by Albert Pujols couldn’t stand up, as predictably with two bad teams the bullpens imploded.
Speaking of affronts to football, how bad was the first half of that Jets/Dolphins game, Everett high school’s offense looked more creative than either of these two teams, and I’m not sure they’ve thrown a pass in this decade.
I think the good folks in Canton can put a stop to the Rex Ryan bust they had started after week 2.
I hope Tom Brady shatters every record that Brett Favre sets, with the exception of one. I sincerely hope Tommy never gets the chance to beat all 32 teams, and I’m pretty sure the sight of him in gang green (or whatever that god awful AFL Titans color is) would probably reduce me to tears.
I feel like Brad Childress is actually on his little salesmen headset asking people if they are satisfied with their long distance carriers.
Not too much about the Celtics this week, they are kicking ass and not even bothering to take names. Offensively they look real good with a lot of ball movement and finding easy shots all over the floor.
If I were to nitpick, I’d have two gripes. One, while Ray Allen is obviously a tremendous shooter, he’s been jacking them up at a rate that would make Eddie House or Kevin McHale blush. He’s a great passer, and I’d like to see him do a little more of it and not just shoot every time he thinks he’s got a little bit of space inside the hashmark. He’s a free agent at the end of the year, and hopefully he’s not gunning (literally) for a new contract, fortunately I don’t think he’s that type of guy and I’m sure we can get Jim Calhoun to take a trip up I-84 to beat that out of him if he is (like I said it was a nitpick).
Secondly, I’m a little concerned about the amount of three’s they are hoisting. As a former shooter myself, I find it incredibly fun to watch. However I’d equate it to football its way more fun watching Brady throw it all over the place than those Laurence Maroney tip-toe two-yard losses. But you have to show offensive balance in the…
wait for it…
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE (I’m watching MNF as this is written)
and in the NBA you can’t live and die by the three, I just hope this doesn’t become an Achilles heel that eventually derails the C’s like it did the undefeated regular season team that shall not rehashed because opponents figure out how to stop it.
On the positive side, this team defends in the halfcourt like a group of overzealous branch Davidians, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Kevin Garnett light the basket on fire and go down with the rim rather than allow dribble penetration and an easy bucket.
