The Brackets Are Set

With the Titans' thoroughly uninspiring win over Jim Sorgi and the Colts last night, the matchups for the NFL tournament kick-off next weekend are set. It'll be those on-a-mission-led-by-Todd-Collins Redskins vs. Seattle in the first wild card game on Saturday, followed by Jacksonville vs. Pittsburgh in a smashmouth night game. On Sunday, it'll be Giants vs. Tampa Bay in the first game, and the Titans visiting LT and the Chargers in the second game.

I'm thinking the 'Skins, Jaguars, Giants and Chargers emerge as survivors, setting up Pats-Jags, Colts-Chargers, Dallas-Redskins, and Green Bay vs. the G-men. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if the 1 and 2 seeds in both conferences advanced to the championship games. I'm personally pulling for Pats vs. Cowboys, though the Cowboys and Tony Romo have some improving to do if they want to get to Phoenix in early February. A little revenge on Brett Favre and the Packers for our first SB defeat wouldn't be a bad thing either. I still have Desmond Howard nightmares.

Patriots Officially Enter Mercury Morris' Crack-Infested Neighborhood

As a buddy remarked to me last night after it was all over, 'that was like a mini-Super Bowl.' For all the talk about resting players - particularly on the Giants' side - last night's edge-of-your-seat historic win in the Meadowlands was intense/fun to watch from beginning to end.

In the end, the remarkable Patriots go 16-0, and even more impressive, they come back from a 12-point deficit early in the third quarter to beat a good playoff-bound team in their house. From the Pats' perspective, the end result is exactly what they had hoped for. They get the win, Brady and Moss get their records on the same, crucial, go-ahead play, and there are no major injuries, at least as of the morning after. The Pats now get 2 days off to enjoy the achievement, and then they get ready for their first playoff game (most likely against either Jacksonville or Pittsburgh) on the weekend of Jan. 12-13. In other words, we get to watch our future competition beat each other up, get some players healthy (namely on the O-line), and then the march into Mercury Morris' den of insanity begins.

Some quick-hit observations and links regarding the big win:

- I loved how Brady went right back to Moss after the long pass that was dropped on the previous play. Killer instinct, and the composure to immediately put the last play behind him.

- If the Pats gave out a 12th player award, there would be many worthy candidates.
Mine would be Kevin Faulk, who has simply done an amazing job since replacing the injured Sammy Morris. Faulk is money on third down, and has a natural nose for where the down markers are. Just a smart, professional football player.

- Wes Welker truly is a freak of nature, with all the caroms and ricochets and zig-zags he does after a catch.

- Good job by Gostkowski on the field goals, but what's up with the kickoffs lately? Giants had pretty good starting field possession all night long.

- Makes you appreciate how good the NFC East is compared to the AFC East. The Pats had battles with the Cowboys (for most of the game), Eagles and Giants, and though they blew out Washington, the Skins have been playing well lately.

- One of the talking heads on the broadcast last night made a good point about the Patriots' opponents in the AFC playoffs. The teams this year that have had success against Brady have been those that send everything but the kitchen sink at him. The Jags, Steelers, and Colts aren't blitzing teams in the same vein as the Eagles and Giants.

- Last night's game was a bit, shall we say, chippier than any other this year. Lots of trash-talking, shoving, and finger-in-the-eye poking (Wilfork).

- Have I mentioned how much I love the NFL Network? They had some cool post-game footage of Brady running through the tunnel that showed how excited he was. Cool to see.

Here's a couple of links on how the Giants and their fans were whining about the officiating last night (see the comments)-- and one on the ongoing classiness displayed by certain members of the 1972 Dolphins, including Garo Yepremian, otherwise known as the Idiot Kicker. God, do I hope the Patriots shut these mopes up and make them increasingly irrelevant. There are a few who have been complimentary (Nick Buoniconti for one), but by and large they truly have shown themselves to be a bunch of grumpy old men. What's nice is that if the Patriots do run the table and go 19-0, fans across the country get to be judge and jury on where the Pats' feat stands in NFL history. I think most logical-thinking football minds (no, not you John Clayton, and certainly not you, Dr. Z, you old, useless fart) would have to admit that the Patriots' accomplishment - in the salary-cap driven NFL of today - would sit in rarefied air.

Tick, Tick, Tick...

First things first: whoever dreamt up the NFL Network was an absolute genius. The channel has been going all-out on Patriots vs. Giants over the past week, even going so far as to replay every single Pats game this year. I came across the scintillating finish to the Ravens Monday night game the other day and again found myself sitting on the edge of my seat. Every time a Raven defender did a little jig after a tackle, I muttered under my breath, 'yeah, but... you LOSE.'

There's 12 hours to go before the biggest regular-season finale in our lifetime, and this must be sort of what it was like for the Beatles, with Tom Brady playing John Lennon. The attention has been ratcheted up over the last couple of days, and if any coach can help his team stay focused it's our Bill. It would be a fascinating read if someone could get enough access to write a book about how Belichick has kept the Pats in line over these last few weeks. I know all about the 'one game at a time' mantra, but there has to be so much more to it than that. This is when a coach becomes part psychologist, and something tells me BB is pretty skilled wearing both hats.

As for the game itself, I'm looking at something like a 27-13 score in favor of the Patriots. It won't be easy - the Giants will come to play - but in the end, the Pats are simply the better team. Brady will get the TD passing mark, but Moss will fall short of his record by 1. There's been a lot of talk this week about the imposing Giants' D-line, which has sacked the QB a league-leading 52 times. Add to that the fact that we're missing two offensive line starters in Neal and Kaczur, and it's a little scary. But it seems like whoever we put on the O-line always comes through, and I'm thinking that our own D-line (Seymour, Wilfork, Warren, Green) may be feeling a little unloved. That can only be a good thing. Watch out, Eli.

Enjoy the big game, and let's hope we're all celebrating history tonight at around 11 p.m. One more prediction: as soon as the game is over, BB and the boys will be saying that it means nothing if we don't win the Super Bowl to cap it all off. He's right, of course, but let's enjoy the momentous moment if we're lucky enough to see it.

In the meantime, you know what channel I'll be watching.

More Witnesses to History

Pretty weighty headline, no? Weighty being the operative word after strapping on the food bag for the last couple days. Hope everyone had a good Christmas. I know Coach Bill has to be thrilled with the latest SI cover.

We're two days away from the big game in the Meadowlands, where the Patriots of 2007 can take their place in NFL history with a victory over the Giants. All sorts of fascinating angles to this one, with the main question being the approach Tom Coughlin will take regarding his starters. The Jints are already locked into their seeding for the NFC playoffs, and truly have nothing to gain except being remembered for one titanic upset. All signs point to Coughlin playing Manning, Burress, Jacobs, etc., for at least a half, and then resting the horses. It will be verrrrry interesting, however, what they do if they're still in the ballgame at halftime. As for Bill Belichick, really, need you ask? His studs will play the whole game - barring a blowout - in pursuit not only of perfection, but also some lofty individual records (season TD's for both Brady and Moss).

Either way, it's going to be riveting TV, and the NFL announced yesterday that the entire country will have a chance to watch possible history. The game was scheduled to air only on the NFL Network, which is a pay channel on all cable systems. As each week has passed, pressure has been applied to the league and to major cable operators to reach some type of compromise that would allow more fans to see the game. Unable to do so, the league finally stepped in yesterday (after its antitrust exemption status was threatened) and announced that the game will be simulcast on NBC and CBS. It was the right move by the league, and the suits at the two networks must be positively thrilled, what with content lacking due to the ongoing writers' strike. The Patriots have been stacking up huge ratings, and this Saturday night will be the biggest.

Rawhide, Cowhide - It All Tastes the Same

Just when you thought Red Sox closer supreme Jonathan Papelbon couldn't get any zanier, we get word yesterday from Paps regarding the whereabouts of the final-out ball from Game 4 of the series-clinching win over the Rockies.

For set-up purposes, you may recall that the last out was a swinging strike that Paps blew by someone named Seth Smith. In the ensuing delirium, Paps showed his impressive vertical and Jason Varitek raced to the mound for the traditional man-hug. Asked about what he did with the ball later, Varitek claimed that he gave it to Papelbon, who in turn said that he stuffed it into his back pocket. A couple of weeks later, however, nobody knew what had happened to the ball.

Well, it turns out that Pap's dog - named Boss - got ahold of the damn thing and pretty much did to it what the Sox did to the Rockies. He chewed it up until it was nearly unrecognizable, though Paps says that there are some remnants that he's holding onto as a keepsake. Is this guy beautiful or what?

Elsewhere on the local scene, the game last night between the Celtics and the Pistons lived up to the pre-game hype, as the two best teams in the East went down to the wire. Detroit picked up the W, but the Celts let them know that they'll be hanging around for the rest of the season. My uninformed analysis: the last shot should have been taken by Ray Allen, who was en fuego all night, and not Paul Pierce, who was ice cold shooting-wise. Also, when the Pistons got the ball with 1.5 seconds left in regulation (score tied 85-all), even the most uneducated hoops fan knew that Chauncey Billups was getting the ball. So why did Doc Rivers have Tony Allen - he of the recovering ACL - on Billups? That said, it's great to see the excitement back in the Garden. Just like old times.

And finally, one last little item for a snowy Thursday in Boston. If you want to get a feel for what the members of the 1972 Perfect Season Dolphins are up to, check this informative grid out. Mercury Morris' job kills me, and I think I'm jealous of Jake Scott, who lists himself as an investor living in Hawaii. Maybe the 8 Patriots heading to the Pro Bowl in Honolulu in February can stop by and share Perfect Season stories?

Back in the Saddle

Well, well, well... go on a little vacation and nothing newsworthy happens. I was surrounded by Yankee fans 4,500 miles away, and the strangest thing about the Clemens/Pettitte public "indictment" was that I almost couldn't pile on with all the hell they've endured in that city this year. Think about it - everything from the Mets' collapse to the Knicks' lawsuit to their crappy football teams, to yet another trophy-less year for the Spanks - and the cherry on top is that it now appears (as if we didn't know already) that the entire 1999 and 2000 Yankee teams were on the beans. Asterisks all around.

The beautiful thing about the Mitchell Report is that it answers a lot of questions that have added up through the years. Remember when Rocket Roger fielded Mike Piazza's shattered bat in the 2000 Series, threw it in Piazza's direction, and then incredulously claimed that he thought it was the ball? We now know he was in full 'roid rage mode, and we can only hope that Piazza had been as well because he likely would have gone out to the mound and shoved the bat up Clemens' ass. The other nice aspect of the Report is that even if Clemens and all the other idiots wanted to sue, who would be the defendant? MLB? Senator Mitchell himself? The national media? You and I? Good luck with the lawsuit, Roger. As the days have gone by, you've had some notable players (Pettitte, Brian Roberts) come out immediately and say that they took HGH to help themselves heal more quickly from injuries. This is smart. They'll get a suspension, they deal with the issue directly, and they can continue playing and collecting millions. Clemens, on the other hand, as Dan Shaughnessy (for once) eloquently points out in today's Globe, is doing more harm than good by not issuing a direct, public statement. It makes you wonder what he's hiding, and whether he will soon be lumped in with Big Head Barry. Time will tell, but one thing is for sure. Clemens' reputation has taken a huge hit, one that he may never recover from. (Aren't you glad he wasn't swayed by the video Larry, Theo, and Dr. Charles put together last year? Goodness gracious, I know I am.)

Moving onto other things I missed - my entire trip would have been absolutely ruined if the Patriots hadn't won that game on Sunday. Jets fans were everywhere, and I sat next to a broker from NYC who wore nothing but his bathing suit and a green Jets' Santa hat. It would have been catastrophic to lose that game in that setting. Fortunately, thanks to the timely dogsledding of Laurence Maroney, things turned out okay. The Jets gave us a ballgame, and we came out of it 14-0. One other note: it was incredible to see how many more people crowded around the TV after the game just to see The Handshake. Old men, mothers, kids. All had some sort of opinion on it, and everyone thought they were a professional lip reader.

The other cool story from last Sunday was the Dolphins getting their first win. All you need to know about the 2007 Dolphins is that their biggest play of the year was a pass from Cleo Lemon to Greg Camarillo. Still, you had to smile watching them jump around like high schoolers who had just won their state championship. I think it's also probably a good thing that they got that win out of their system before we face them this Sunday. The story lines between the '07 Pats and the '72 Dolphins are about to be ramped up a notch. To me, though, the Pats are already the far superior team. The Dolphins played a cupcake schedule that year, and the Pats so far have beaten four likely divisional winners in the Colts, Steelers, Cowboys, and Chargers.

Turning to hoops, the Celtics also continued their winning ways over the past week and now sit at a lofty 20-2 going into tonight's big test against the Detroit Pistons at the Gahden. Should be a good one.

Three More Speed Bumps to Go

The Patriots predictably handed the Steelers a decisive beatdown at Gillette Stadium yeterday, waxing the NFL's "best" defense, 34-13. The Pats are now 13-0 and are looking at a remaining three-game schedule that includes the 3-10 Jets, the 0-13 Dolphins, and the Eli Manning-led Giants. In other words, the path to history isn't exactly looking like a dangerous gauntlet.

While Captain Morgan made the Pats-Steelers game a little foggy, I do remember the biggest play of the game, and maybe the year. The Brady to Moss to Brady to Gaffney lateral was unreal, and Brady made a great play to field a tough throw from Moss. With the score 17-13, the trick play blew it open and the Steelers never recovered. The Pats held them scoreless in the second half.

The other side story in this game was the guarantee issued by Steelers' safety Anthony Smith. Brady and Moss played catch over, behind, and around Smith all game, to the point where the kid looked like a revolving door. Brady on the radio this morning so much as admitted that the Pats designed plays to go right at Smith.

Who's the next speed bump on the path? Why, it's the Jets and their weasely coach, Eric Mangini. The first line has the Pats favored by around 26. And it may climb.

Just a quick note to my three loyal readers: I'm off on vacation for the week so the site may be pretty dormant. Enjoy the Pats-Jets hype, which should be in full swing by noon today.

Pre-Game Thoughts

About an hour away from Pats-Steelers. The weather dudes are calling for a "wintry mix" to hit Boston and surrounding suburbia later this evening. It shouldn't have too much of an effect on the game. My biggest concern is that we need to hear a LOUD Gillette Stadium tonight. Lots of talk in the papers lately about Gillette being a somewhat quiet stadium compared to some other places. That needs to change today, and I'm thinking the quality of the opponent - and of course, the pursuit of perfection - will raise the decibels. We need a home-field advantage today.

Nothing very exciting as far as the 1:00 games go. Dallas (11-1) is currently losing to Detroit, but elsewhere it's been mostly as expected. Chargers-Titans has playoff implications, but it's been a pretty boring game so far with the Titans clinging to a 10-3 lead. It's funny - when I was a little tyke and the 49ers were the team to beat in the NFL with Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, and Roger Craig, I can remember thinking how the Niners were playing at a completely different level, and that dichotomy came through loud and clear whenever I had to watch the pathetic Patriots. My, how the tables have turned. The quarterback play around the NFL - save for Brady, Manning, Romo and Favre - is putrid. It's arguably the most important position in sports, and it's positively glaring how many bad ones there are out there.

Counting Down

A little under 30 hours away from yet another 'biggest game of the year' for the Patriots. It can't get here soon enough. The Steelers have done an awful lot of yapping this week for a team that hasn't been quite able to master beating the Pats over the past few years.

I'm certainly no Ron Jaworski when it comes to analyzing football strategery, but a couple of things I'd like to see tomorrow are a consistent, steady pass rush, and more opportunities for Laurence Maroney to operate in the open field, out on the edges. He and Kevin Faulk were great on screens last Monday in Baltimore. The other interesting angle here is that in some ways, the Pats have become the Colts - in terms of having the wide-open aerial attack - and other teams have become the Pats of yore, employing a strategy of bumping and whacking Moss, Welker, Stallworth, etc., to disrupt their routes. It will be very interesting to see how Josh McDaniels adjusts.

Elsewhere in the Boston pro sports world, you have to feel great for Paul Pierce. The guy has done nothing but play hard during his time here, and he's finally surrounded with a tremendous supporting cast. I had no idea Kevin Garnett was this good. After last night's trouncing of the Bosh-less Raptors, the C's are 16-2, which represents their best-ever start to a season. That's saying something considering their rich history. Can't wait to see them match up against the heavyweights from the West.

And last, just a quick word on the Johan Santana trade talks. It's unbelievable how quickly the hype machine gets going around here - they're exchanging medical records!!!! - but we should all know by know that these things, if they happen at all, take time. Some reports are saying that Theo has already moved on to Plan B (Erik Bedard, who I love), but there's some doubt that idiotic Orioles owner Peter
Angelos would trade his ace lefty within the division. It's also no longer just about the Sox and the Yankees in the AL after Detroit acquired Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis from Florida. In my mind, this increases the need for the Sox to get Santana.

Celtics vs. Bulls tonight at 8:30. Also, a good boxing match on HBO between Floyd Mayweather and Ricky Hatton. Wonder who Steelers safety Anthony Smith thinks will win? He's into making guarantees, you know.

Some Hump Day Tidbits

Couple of interesting items in the Globe's Patriots blog today:

Some obscure Steelers defensive back named Anthony Smith has come out and guaranteed a victory over the Patriots this Sunday. Are you kidding me? Hines Ward probably stuffed this guy into a locker after he heard this. Not exactly on the same level as Broadway Joe's famous guarantee against the Colts in Super Bowl III. Automatic bulletin board material for Coach Bill.

Also, the Monday night game drew the biggest cable TV audience in history, with more than 12 million viewers tuning in. Not sure what the weekly average is, but that's pretty impressive. People may hate the Patriots right now - like they do any dynasty - but they can't turn away from history.

On another note, as a fan of the Grateful Dead and Bob Marley, this story makes me like Salty the golfer. Not to mention it gives me an opportunity to post a picture of Jerry Garcia.

Is Santana Claus Coming To Town?

Apologies to Boston Dirt Dogs for the headline. The news this morning on the Sox' pursuit of Johan Santana contains a few new wrinkles, namely that the teams swapped medical reports (on Jon Lester and Santana) last night, and that the proposal in place - Lester, Jed Lowrie, Justin Masterson, and Coco Crisp - might be enough to get it done. One report mentioned that the Twins are extremely high on Masterson, who they view as a future set-up man supreme. I'm sure the updates will be fast and furious today as the dust flies down there in Nashville.

Kyle Boller Finally Acts Like Kyle Boller

The Ravens just had a chance to put the Pats on the ropes, and Boller threw a horrendous pick to James Sanders. Brady has the Pats on the move... and he hits Maroney for another screen and long-gainer. 42 yards to the Ravens 25. Wow, Maroney's showing me something here. I'll have to call out more people publicly. Come on Moss, you're due. Damn - almost. Brady just tried to gun one into Moss in the end zone and Moss missed it. 3rd and 6 on the 20. And it looks like it's going to be another field goal. Welker was just interfered with but it wasn't called. Gostkowski nails a 38-yarder into the wind and it's 24-20 with more than 8 minutes left. They have to put the clamps on McGahee and make Boller throw it more. Gostkowski also needs to kick this one into the end zone, or special teams needs to make a good stick. The Ravens have been killing us with good returns.

Ravens will start at their 27-yard line. And conveniently, they go three and out and look pretty bad in doing so. Pats have great field position, at around their own 45, and Brady fires a missile into Moss. Maroney is running hard, which is nice to see. Dan Koppen just got flagged for a tough penalty after Maroney had run for a first down. Big play. Now it's 2nd and 14 on the 41. And another flag on the Pats - what the hell is going on here? Rare mental mistakes. It's now 3rd and 14. Need a clutch-ass throw here. Crap. Incomplete, and the Patriots are punting. The Ravens are going to get the ball with about 5 minutes left. A steady dose of McGahee here and the dream season could be just that.

Good stop on McGahee. A big third and 2 here. Key on McGahee. And Boller's throwing... McGahee's got it, but he's taken down short of the first down. Huge play by the Pats' D. Just what we needed.

So here we go... it's down to 3 minutes and 30 seconds and the ball is in the steady hands of Tom Brady. Brady throws one to Stallworth, who has the ball temporarily before getting popped by a DB. 2nd down. Shotgun. There's Ben Watson! Where you been hiding, Dawg? Clutch throw and catch for a first down. Incomplete on the screen attempt to Faulk - and damn, he had some green in front of him. 2nd and 10 from about midfield, and another short pass to Faulk. 3rd and 1 here. Maroney? Keeper? Brady gets the first down. We're at the two-minute warning and the Pats have a 2nd and 10 from the Ravens 39. It all comes down to this, and in a way it's pretty cool that we're trying to get it done against Ray Lewis and the vaunted Ravens D.

We've got 2 timeouts left. Brady back, and he gets pressured again. 3rd and 10, and somewhere Don Shula is waving a Ravens pompom. OH MY GOD. Brady just tried to sneak it and was stopped, but someone on the Ravens sideline called a timeout and the play was whistled dead. This could be GIGANTIC. Ray Lewis and Ed Reed are looking around incredulously. We've got another chance, and again we shoot ourselves in the foot. Offsides. Now it's 4th and 6. Yikes. I've got butterflies.

And Brady runs for the first down! Wide open field, so why not. There's a flag - holding my breath - and it's against the Ravens. A very nice turn of events. 1st and 10 at Balty's 18. This is fun. Faulk with a nice run. (That rhymed). Oh my - Brady just threw a ball that hit a helmet and bounced way up in the air... and luckily it fell to the ground. 3rd and 5 on the 13. Brady back - incomplete. And it's fourth down. The perfect season comes down to one play. Holy sheeeit.

Pats call a timeout to discuss things. And I don't believe what I just saw - the Ravens just got called for defensive holding, giving the Pats first and goal. And Brady connects with Jabar Gaffney in the left corner for a TD! Pats lead it 27-24!! Un-freaking believable.

After Ravens LB Bart Scott has a meltdown - and throws the officials flag into the stands - the Pats kick off to the Ravens with about 45 seconds left. Boller keeps going for the home run ball, but what about going sideline to sideline and trying to get into position for a field goal? Boller's last heave is caught on the 2-yard line but the receiver is tackled short of the end zone. Game over. And an incredible game it was.

Wow - this was like a playoff game. A commenter on Deadspin posted: "Why am I emotionally drained from watching a game featuring two teams I don't give a shit about?" That about sums it up - and imagine if you had a rooting interest. I want to watch and absorb all the postgame stuff. The Pats are still perfect, and if any team was going to knock them off, it was tonight. They won it on hostile turf, against an inspired, great defense, and now the talk is going to heat up. After the Steelers next week, the Pats have pattycakes in the Jets and Miami, and then the season finale in the Meadowlands against Elise Manning and the Giants. Four left baby. And for Coach Shula and those overrated '72 Dolphins? Instead of a glass of champagne tonight, how about a nice cold mug of shut the f*ck up?

Well, Well, Well...

We've got ourselves a ballgame. Pats and Ravens are tied up at 10 as the second half gets underway, and I thought this might be a pretty opportune time to do a little live-blogging. We are chasing history and all, you know. Plus, ESPN's got Don Shula coming to the booth during the third quarter, so the drama to see if the Pats can stay unbeaten will ratchet up a few notches.

Tony Kornhole of the Monday Night Football crew started saying 'is this the night?' early in the first quarter, and I must say, it would be nice if Tom and the boys can shut him the bleep up ASAP. I usually am entertained by Kornholio, but not this evening.

Anyway, the story lines of the game so far: The Patriots have squandered an opportunity or two, and have been abysmal on third down. Moss and Welker have been surprisingly quiet. For the Ravens, Ray Lewis, Ed Reed & Co. are playing inspired, QB Kyle Boller has gotten the job done, and RB Willis McGahee has been chewing up the yards. Holy shit - the Ravens just slammed it down our throats and scored on their first drive of the second half. 17-10 Baltimore. Uh-oh. Time for Brady to show why he's the MVP.

Maroney gets the ball on 1st down for a small gain. No matter how you slice it, he's been a disappointment. How good would Corey Dillon look right now?

2nd down - niiiice. Brady eludes pressure and hits Maroney with a screen that turns into a 35-yard gain. Like I said, I like this Maroney cat. 3rd and 2 - let's convert... handoff to Maroney and he doesn't get it. Doesn't even come close, actually. Crap. It's either a 42-yard FG or go for it and they're going for it... niiiice. Faulk cuts through the hole for a huge first down. They get stopped there, this stadium goes nuts.

Now Brady can relax and get six. Faulk gets another first down. Faulk has been so underrated this year - he's filled the Sammy Morris void quite capably. This is where the Pats have run into trouble tonight - in the red zone, unable to operate against the Ravens D. They've got two tries here for a TD. Brady shotgun. Hits Randy Moss for maybe a 5-yard gain, and Randy takes out a TV guy on the sidelines in the process. After a quick commercial break, Brady hits Moss for the score to make it 17-17. After the catch, Moss was giving some verbal abuse to one of the Ravens' DB's. There's been a lot of chirping in this game, including a minor skirmish right before the half. (I just used chirping and skirmish in the same sentence).

After a nice kick return, and a few McGahee runs, the Ravens are marching again. They're sitting on the Pats' 19-yard line. They are steamrolling the Pats D right now, just going straight at them. McGahee's running like a man possessed, and really he is. Before the game, ESPN showed a clip of former Miami Hurricanes Lewis, Reed, and McGahee huddling together, exhorting each other to play well in memory of their buddy Sean Taylor. Maybe there's something to it, who knows? All I know is that Baltimore's got a first down on our 2-yard line, and McGahee has been unstoppable. This time, though, it's Boller with another touchdown pass. Jeeezus. 24-17 Ravens with 14 minutes left.

ESPN's been playing Led Zeppelin songs tonight during the broadcast, but they keep playing the same three songs over and over. How about digging a little deeper guys?

Ray Lewis and the D has had a nice rest. First three drives of the second half have resulted in touchdowns. Nice return by Ellis Hobbs as the Pats look to again tie this up. Something tells me they ain't covering the 20 tonight.

First down run by Maroney, who gets a few. We need you here, Laurence. Where's that wascally Wes Welker been? Ben Watson? And Brady gets sacked. Third and 12. Brady gets sacked again, and the Ravens return the punt to the Pats' 30. We are officially in deep doo-doo. Bummer. Brady kinda went down easy on that second sack.

I need to take a little break. Maybe change my seating position.

A Fish Rots From the Top Down

How do you explain the amazing role reversal between the Red Sox and the Yankees of the last few years? In simplest terms, it's all about the management stupid. I've said before in this space that Pats owner Bob Kraft has transformed the way teams do business in Boston. Thankfully, those trade secrets have remained in the Hub and haven't trickled a couple hundred miles south to the Bronx. For decisive proof, see Exhibit 1 (Knicks, New York, James Dolan). And today, I give you Exhibit 1A (Yankees, New York, Hank Steinbrenner).

The Yankees have approached this whole Johan Santana soap opera with an air of superiority, which is quite odd seeing as how this team hasn't won a World Series this century. First, they were offering slop (ie., no Phil Hughes) for the Twins superlative ace, and yesterday came word that the Yanks were giving the Twins an ultimatum - either decide on our trade proposal Monday, or we're moving on. Little Hankie says he won't allow his team to be played a fool by the Red Sox. Too late, Hank. Of course, we all remember how they stuck to their guns on A-Rod. To the Twins' credit, they came out today and said they were miffed by Steinbrenner's stance.

It's now 1:45 p.m. Eastern time, and the baseball meetings are underway in Nashville. Let's see what happens over the next 10 hours, at which point the Yankees "claim" they will pull their chips off the table. That would only help the Red Sox, who might be able to surrender less talent with the Yanks no longer in the picture.

By the way, a quick sidenote: While Santana garners most of the media attention - and rightly so - there are some other pretty good arms available for trade, including Oakland's Danny Haren and the guy I'd love to see the Sox get, Erik Bedard of the Orioles.

Upping the Ante

The Johan Santana trade talks continue between the Twins, Sox, and Yankees, with word coming late today that the Sox are now willing to include Jacoby Ellsbury in the deal.

I'm a bit surprised at this, unless it's a great ploy by Theo to get the Yankees to add to their offer. New York has been low-balling Minnesota the whole time - they didn't even have Philip Hughes in their offer until the other day. Supposedly, the deal on the table right now includes Hughes and Melky Cabrera, and the Yanks say they're done playing games and they want an answer by Tuesday. Now that Ellsbury is back in the mix, is it time to start mentioning Joba Chamberlain's name? I'd love to get him out of our division.

I don't want to lose Ellsbury. He's got the potential and tools to be a better Johnny Damon for the next decade. But if I have to lose him, acquiring Santana - and signing him long-term - lessens the blow a little bit. The one thing that makes me think Theo's trying to drive up the price on New York is that the Yankees clearly need Santana more than the Sox do. It's going to be fascinating to see how this parlor game ends - and just think, no Scott Boras this time!

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

That's what college football is this year. Someone needs to do an in-depth feature on just what the hell is causing all this zaniness. The top-five spots in the polls have fluctuated like the stock market all year long, and it's going to be verrrry interesting to see who ends up playing for the national championship. Maybe this will finally make the NCAA suits reconsider this whole BCS process.

Going into today's activities, the Missouri Tigers were No. 1 and West Virginia was No. 2. Missouri's currently locked in a 14-all tie in the Big 12 title game against Oklahoma, and West Virginia was last seen losing to Pitt, 10-7, with electric QB Pat White supposedly injured.

Someone wrote that Appalachian State should get some consideration for Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year, and I think it's a worthy idea. Their incredible upset over Michigan at the Big House started all this madness. Stanford over USC was also huge.

Some news & notes from around college football today:

- Interesting turn of events in the 'is Les Miles going to Michigan' story. ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit reported this a.m. that Miles was a lock to be the next coach of the Wolverines. Later in the day, before LSU took on Tennessee for the SEC crown, LSU hastily threw together a press conference at which Miles denounced the report and announced that he was in Baton Rouge to stay. Herbstreit reiterated his confidence in his sources on tonight's Mizzou-Oklahoma telecast, so it will be interesting to read the details over the next couple of days.

- Boston College lost a tough one to Virgina Tech today in the ACC Championship. They actually had a lead early, but the Hokies - as is their tradition - made some huge special teams plays, Matt Ryan had a couple of passes picked off, and just like that, BC's Orange Bowl dreams were gone. Feel bad for the Eagles - they had a great year, even if the Ryan for Heisman talk was typical BC delusion - but also feel good for Virginia Tech with all that school has gone through over the last year.

- If my eyes can make it tonight, I'm hoping to see what Hawaii's Colt Brennan is all about. Kid grew up in Laguna Beach and now he's playing QB for a top-rated team in Honolulu. Not too bad.

Switching from the colleges to the pros, I'm beginning to wonder if the Patriots are ever going to play on a Sunday afternoon again. Monday night's game against Baltimore will be their third straight prime-time night game. It's getting tougher and tougher to stay awake.

As for the Pats-Ravens game, I've got a feeling that Tom Brady & Co. will come to play and this could get back to being ugly. The Ravens' offense sucks, which makes their legendary defense less productive. If the Pats do win this game, it will be interesting to see if the national media ratchets up its undefeated talk. I know people are sick of us, but it seems like this story has been a little under-reported lately. The Pats are five wins away from doing something historic, and two of those games are against the currently 0-11 Dolphins and 1-10 Jets. If they get past the Ravens, next week's game against the Steelers will no doubt get the talk revved up again.

The best game on the board tomorrow looks like Jacksonville vs. Indy. The banged-up Colts need to make a statement, while the Jags have been playing well behind steady QB David Garrard and bowling ball RB Maurice Jones-Drew. The Jaguars are my sleeper pick to get in the playoffs and make some waves.

Some reasonably decent TV games tomorrow:

CBS, 1:00 - Jacksonville @ Indy
FOX, 1:00 - Seattle @ Philly
FOX, 4:15 - NY Giants @ Chicago
NBC, 8:15 - Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh

Missouri-Oklahoma update: The Sooners have blown it open at 28-14, but Missouri just kicked a field goal. And believe it or not, West Virginia just lost to Pittsburgh. Unbelievable. Anybody want to play for the title? Anyone? Bueller?

Thursday Night Live

I cannot believe that Nikolay Davydenko was left off of Russia's Davis Cup team. Absolutely, positively a horrendous coaching decision.

Just joshin'.

I'm one of the lucky ones tonight. Thanks to the fact that I ponied up $7 to that sadistic empire known as Comcast, I'm able to watch the latest "NFL Game of the Year" - the Cowboys vs. the Packers - in lovely high-definition TV. Right now, there's about three minutes left in the first half and the Cowboys are on the verge of putting this one out of reach with a 27-10 lead. The Pack is driving, however, and to everyone's shock, it's not ol' No. 4 steering the ship. Brett Favre hurt his right forearm when he got sacked earlier in the game and hit a Cowboy helmet. No official word yet, so in the meantime it's in Aaron Rodgers' hands.

The Celtics are also in action this evening, this time against the Knicks at the Garden (ah, it feels good to type that). After a tough loss to Cleveland the other night, I had a hunch the Celts would want to administer a Patriots-like ass-kicking - and who better to inflict said beating on than a team from New York? With five minutes to go in the third quarter, the C's have a, ah, shall we say comfortable lead. It's currently 72-35 and the Knicks look positively hapless in all phases of the game. Oooh - with this type of lead, Doc Rivers just sent Garnett back in. I tell ya - the lack of respect he's showing for the Knicks right now is disturbing. It's now officially a 43-point lead, at 80-37. Oh my goodness. We're witnessing a complete and utter meltdown. The Knicks have given up.

Football update: Cowboys are up 27-17 at halftime.

Will the Rich Get Richer?

Those stingy Minnesota Twins are at it again. In the last week, they've lost free agent CF Torii Hunter to the Angels, and they've let it be known that their ace - the best pure lefty in the business - is on the table for the right price. Much like Carlos Santana is a virtuoso with the gee-tar, two-time Cy Young winner Johan Santana is a force on the mound.

Of course, you knew the Yankees would get involved first. They need him more than anybody if they want to stay close to the Red Sox. The days of having Mike Mussina and Kei Igawa in their rotation are over. Reports surfaced last week that the Yanks were engaged in talks with the Twins, and that the price would likely involve losing Phil Hughes (their Clay Buchholz) and two or three top prospects. Personally, if I'm the Twins, I'm not making that deal without Joba Chamberlain in it but that's just me.

Over the last couple of days, our boys - the World Series champion Red Sox - have dipped their toe into the Santana pool. Most thought it was an exercise aimed simply at helping to bankrupt the Yanks' system as much as possible by driving the price even higher. After all, we've got a great blend of youth and experience on this team, we just won our second title in four years, and we resolved our two biggest offseason questions (Schilling and Lowell) in the span of a week. Things are rosy, right? My stance all along has been if Jacoby Ellsbury has to be a part of this trade to get Santana - and that's what the Twins have reportedly been demanding - then count me out. I truly believe Ellsbury will be a centerpiece for years to come. Can you say Hanley Ramirez?

Today, though, we read about a new twist. The Twins yesterday made a deal with Tampa Bay in which they're sending their starting SS (Jason Bartlett) and a young, promising pitcher (Matt Garza) to the Rays in exchange for stud rookie OF Delmon Young. What's the twist, you ask? Well, the Twins now need a SS. Unfortunately, Julio Lugo ain't going anywhere for a while - especially not to the money-conscious Twins - but it just so happens that the Sox have another SS in the minors in Jed Lowrie that a lot of teams like. In a noontime post on Boston.com headlined "Sox may lead pack to get Santana," the parameters of a potential deal now would include Coco Crisp, Lowrie, Jon Lester, and Justin Masterson. So not only no Ellsbury, but also no Buccholz?!? Hankie Steinbrenner must not be very happy at this latest development. Lots of ways this can go, but if that's a deal the Twins will accept, Theo had best be on his BlackBerry right now. GET IT DONE.

One other item that bears mentioning - if you haven't read this ESPN feature story on Bo Jackson, do yourself a favor and check it out. Very cool piece about a guy who still seems surreal in every way.

Catching Up

As always, lots happening on the local sports scene. Let's start with what my eyes just witnessed, which was a very tough Celtics loss to the LeBronavaliers. At about 8:30 tonight, it finally hit my wife. "You're back into the Celtics, aren't you?," she asked with a tone of annoyance that another sport is back in the rotation. "I can't believe it."

Well, believe it. The Celts are must-see TV these days. With KG and Ray Allen in green, they're fun to watch again. Between tonight's game and a scintillating last-second win over Charlotte over the weekend, I actually yelled at my TV a couple of times. Actually got mad or pumped a fist. For the Celtics. Yup - the bandwagon's rolling down the road and I'm sitting up front. Tonight's loss in Cleveland should have been a W, and if Allen - a career 89% free throw shooter - had made two measly freebies they would have won this one in regulation. Unfortunately, Allen missed, LeBron took over in overtime and the Celts suffered their second loss on the season. But it gonna be a fun season.

The Patriots got a scare from the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday night, eking out a 31-28 victory to remain unbeaten. Very impressed with how the Eagles played, and with the game plans they drew up on both offense and defense. Brady was pressured all night long, and took one brutal hit early in the game that was positively bone-rattling. It looked to my untrained eyes that the Pats lost the battle at the line of scrimmage (the Eagles O-line was outstanding), but in the end they did just enough to win. Brady stood tall, as always. He's your game MVP - or maybe co-MVP with Asante Samuel, who had two big picks. Next up for the Pats: at Baltimore on Monday night.

Sticking with the NFL, a very sad story with the shocking murder of Redskins safety Sean Taylor. As you know by now, Taylor was shot early Monday morning in his Miami-area home by an intruder. Reports said he was in tough shape, but then news came that he was responsive to a nurse. This morning, it was shocking to wake up and hear that he had died. The kid lived a tough life from all accounts, but it seemed like he was turning things around. And he was one hell of a player.

As far as the Red Sox go, it's been pretty quiet since they inked Lowell. The big news of the last couple of days is that the Yankees and Twins are talking trade for Johan Santana. We knew this was coming, of course, but I'm still hoping Theo is doing his due diligence and at least driving the price up. If the Yankees only give up Phil Hughes and no other name players, it's a sham. The Twins have every right to demand, say, Melky Cabrera and Joba Chamberlain. Santana is the creme de la creme, right up there with Beckett.

We also got word today that Dr. Charles Steinberg - the marketing and promotion maestro for the Sox since the Henry group took over - is leaving to take a job with the Dodgers. I say don't let the door hit your ass on the way out. Steinberg was just way over the top with some of the crap (Red Sox Nation card, dating show) he foisted on us loyal fans year after year. Wonder if he'll get Terry Cashman to sing at Dodger Stadium?

The Greatest American Holiday

In my humble opinion, Thanksgiving is the best holiday on the calendar. No religion, no hassles, no stressing about which gifts to get, no returning gifts to the store. You just have to show up to eat, drink, watch some football, have some more pie, and then take a nap. Those Pilgrims were definitely onto something.

Anyway, we have plenty to give thanks for this holiday. Boston has re-claimed its position as the best sports city in the country. Athletes (hello, Mike Lowell) are turning down more lucrative offers elsewhere to stay in this environment. Our long-suffering, beloved baseball team has won two championships in four years. The Patriots are destroying everything in their path, and are very much on course to go undefeated, set all sorts of records, and raise another Lombardi in the desert in February. Hell, even the Celtics have become a hot ticket, thanks to the arrivals of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. While the mid-1980's was an awesome time around here for sports, this particular period may take the cake. We are on a serious roll, and it shows no signs of letting up. If only the Bruins could find a new owner.

So let's start there. I'd like to give thanks first and foremost to a guy that I believe transformed this city by dint of what he's done with his own team. Say what you want about Pats owner Bob Kraft, but he has set the example around here and the other teams are following suit. Remember how close the Patriots came to actually leaving Massachusetts? If James Busch Orthwein and Stan Kroenke had gotten their way, the course of history would have been dramatically altered. Instead, Bob Kraft came to the rescue, he hired a name coach in Bill Parcells, and they took a stud QB with the first pick of the 1993 NFL Draft in Drew Bledsoe. You can make the argument that these three guys are the most influential figures in Pats' history. So I hereby give thanks to Krafty, Tuna, and Drew.

You can even argue that Kraft has had a major influence on what the Sox have been able to do in the last few years. The Henry/Werner ownership team reached out to the Patriots early in the process, eager to soak up the secrets of success. The results are not coincidental. The Red Sox have made themselves into a first-class destination for players. They know ownership will do everything in its power to win, they know they'll be well taken care of beyond dollars, and they get to play in front of the most passionate fans in sports.

Now the Celtics are catching the "winning" bug, thanks in large part to the fact that Danny Ainge finally decided to blow up the win-by-building philosophy. They've accomplished something huge in a short time - they've got people around here interested and engaged, after only 10 games.

So while the rest of the country hates us - especially the new scorched earth policy of the Patriots - we can take solace in knowing that this is what it was like back in the 50's and 60's, when the Celtics won every year, and back in the mid-80's, when we truly were a four-sport town. Times are good here in Boston. We know it, we appreciate and respect it, and we give thanks for it.

Happy turkey to all.

Lowell, Sox Reach Deal

Depending on your news source, Mike Lowell and the Sox today have either signed a deal or agreed to its basic structure to keep Lowell in a Sox uniform for three more years. The total dollars are around $37.5 million.

Very good news for the team and for Lowell, whose inside-out swing is tailor made for Fenway. We'll never know what he would have looked like playing 1B for the Yankees, and we'll never know what the team's Plan B was in case he jumped ship. Will he ever duplicate his 2007 numbers? Probably not, but you have to figure that Manny (contract year in '08) and J.D. Drew will revert to their normal offensive output next year, which will take some pressure off Lowell.

The next Hot Stove story for the Sox will likely revolve around Coco Crisp. A number of teams have a need for a low-cost, superb glove center-fielder. Should be interesting to see what teams are willing to put on the table.

Just Plain Sick

What the Patriots are doing to the rest of the NFL right now is very similar to what the Harlem Globetrotters did to the Washington Generals for so many years. A different punching bag each Sunday, with the same incredibly easy result.

Last night, the Pats rolled to a 56-10 victory in Buffalo against the Bills, and the poor Bills never had a chance. As has been their custom, the Patriots scored on their first seven drives last night - and kept scoring until the final whistle blew.

Tom Brady and Randy Moss continued their assault on the record books, with Brady going 31 for 39 (at least three incompletions were terrible drops) for 373 yards and 5 TD's, including four to Moss. Randy no doubt knew that T.O. had put up four scores earlier in the day against Washington. On the season, look at these numbers for the dynamic duo:

Brady: 250 for 338 (74%), 38 TD's, 4 INT, 3,059 yards
Moss: 66 receptions, 16 TD's, 1,052 yards

Pretty good stats for a full year, right? But we're just past week 10. Absolutely, utterly amazing. Let's say Brady throws an average of 3 TD's and 300 yards in each of the six remaining games. His final numbers: 56 TD's (bye, Peyton), 4,859 yards. The record books are being re-written before our very eyes, and there are some cranky old men down in South Florida who are starting to get a wee bit nervous.

The Pats now only need six more victories to run the table. They've got Philly next Sunday night, followed by Baltimore, Pittsburgh, the Jets, Miami and the Giants. Can you even contemplate a 15-0 record going into that last Sunday game against the Gints? Something tells me the network suits would find a way to get that one broadcast to the whole nation - right now, it's only on the NFL Network, which a lot of people don't get.

So now we wait seven more days for the next demolition. Watch and savor, folks, because when we're old and gray this team is going to be talked about in the same vein as those old Steelers and Cowboy teams. When it's all said and done, this is the year that will lift the Pats into the NFL pantheon for eternity.

Not a Good Day for A**holes

Not a very good day yesterday for high-profile dinks. In the most unsurprising breaking news ever, we learned last night that Barry Bonds has been formally indicted on steroids-related charges - specifically, that he perjured himself in front of a grand jury, and that he obstructed justice. Many trees have died detailing this sad, pathetic mess over the last couple of years, and it now takes on - if possible - a whole new level. While I don't think ol' big-head will spend time in prison, I think it's safe to say that a) his career is over, and b)the asterisk applies in every form and fashion when discussing Bonds' career.

But that's only one big-time a-hole that had a tough Thursday. How about Scotty Boras, baseball's uber-agent? His penance for mis-reading the market for A-Rod and demanding that talks with the Yankees begin at $350 million? He was barred from any of the in-person conversations over the last couple days between A-Rod and Yanks' execs. And you just know that had to be killing him and his massively inflated ego. Boras haters throughout the world of sports had a rare moment to rejoice.

Other than that, not much else to report. Rumors popped up yesterday that Mike Lowell had received a couple of 4-year offers worth more than the Sox have offered so far. The Yankees were supposedly one of the suitors, but they want him to play first base for them now that A-Rod is almost in the fold. My gut instinct: Lowell signs with Boston for four years/$50 million or so.

Land of the Unbeatens

Amazing factoid for you today: since October 16 - almost a full month ago - the Red Sox, Patriots and Celtics are a combined 22-0. Not too shabby.

We know what the Red Sox did, and what the Patriots are doing. But it's the Celtics that are the underrated story in town. Their offseason makeover is working quite nicely, thank you, as KG and Ray have fit in nicely with Paul and the boys. I've watched a couple of games - not in full - but have come away impressed with the overall athleticism on the floor and the unselfishness of the new Big Three. When news broke that Allen and Garnett were coming here, my first thought was 'are there enough basketballs to go around?' Watching these guys play early on, though, has calmed any concerns. Someone on the telecast last night made what I thought was a pretty salient point - each member of the Big Three brings something different to the table, and together, it all works well. Garnett's your presence in the post who's not afraid to pass before he shoots; Allen is your long-distance weapon; and Pierce, who had a monster game last night against the Pacers, is a classic slasher. Add it all up and it's been pure poetry on the floor so far.

Let's see... what else is on my mind?

The AL Cy Young went to C.C. Bigassia yesterday. I don't really have any qualms about him winning it over Beckett, but maybe MLB should re-consider its policy of having the voting only reflect regular-season performance. Shouldn't any best pitcher award take into account all clutch performances? The Indians also took Manager of the Year honors, as Eric Wedge topped the field. Again, it's deserving. Terry Francona - he of two rings and a soon-to-be fat bank account - finished fourth. But he's first in our hearts and minds.

Switching to pigskin, the big news of the last couple of days is the freefall that the Colts are in. They looked awful on Sunday night - minus Harrison and a couple other key players - and to make matters worse, they found out this morning that super-pass rusher Dwight Freeney is out for the year with a foot injury. This is a HUGE loss, and very favorable for the Patriots.

As far as hockey goes... rumor has it the season has started.

Back to football after that brief break - I wonder what Bill Belichick thinks about the NFL scheduling Gods. Due to the new flex TV schedule - which allows the league to shift game times around for TV - the Pats are now playing four of their last seven games at night time. This week's game against Buffalo and next week's game against the Eagles are on at 8 on Sunday night, and the following week has them playing Baltimore on Monday night. Lots of waiting around on game days.

Regarding the Pats and their mission to dethrone the 1972 Dolphins as the greatest team of all time, it seems like the stars are aligning. First Freeney goes down, and you know if he can't go in the playoffs, that's big for Brady & Co. And then we get word today that Bills stud rookie RB Marshawn Lynch is banged up and has missed practice.

And we'll end it on a baseball note, since that's our first and true love. The Yanks have made news in recent days, signing Jorge Posada to a 4-year, $52 million deal, and offering aging closer Mariano Rivera 3 years and $45 mill. Rivera still hasn't accepted what everyone believes is an overly generous offer, and the Yanks are a bit mystified. Also, A-Rod has supposedly been talking to the Yanks' brass without Binky Boras in the room. Interesting development. No news on any potential suitors for Mike Lowell yet.

More Hardware for the Sox... Lowell's Free to Talk... Youk to Shave?

Another busy day for the World Champion (it just doesn't get old) Red Sox. A week after hearing that Kevin Youkilis had won a Gold Glove at 1B, pint-sized Dirt Dog Dustin Pedroia took home Rookie of the Year honors today. Much deserved, and adding to the Pedroia legend is the news that he played with a broken bone in his hand during the postseason. My two favorite moments from this past year: his three-run homer in Game 7 against the Indians, and the great play he made on Miguel Tejada to help preserve Clay Buchholz' no-hitter. As our senior senator would say, Pedroia plays with some vim and vigah.

The free-for-all - aka MLB's annual free agency period - officially gets underway in 11 minutes. Boston.com is reporting that Theo Epstein failed to seal a deal with Mike Lowell's agent, so Lowell will be free to talk to other teams. Most reports say the Sox wouldn't budge on three years; Lowell wants four. It'll be interesting to see how this ends up - losing Lowell would be a big loss. But never say never.

Finally, I bring you the shocking news that Youkilis is planning to shave off his trademark goatee. All for a good cause.

And that's all I've got for you today.

Winnerville

It's been another week of basking in the euphoria that is the Boston sports scene right now. The Red Sox won their second World Championship in four years, sweeping the overmatched Rockies. The Patriots rallied big-time last Sunday against the Colts in their epic showdown and are 9-0. The Celtics are 4-0 for the first time since the prime Bird years. The friggin' New England Revolution - that's our soccer team, for those who care - are playing for the title in a couple of weeks. It goes on and on and on. The only blemish, really, was BC's loss to Florida State last Saturday night, which knocked the Eagles from the unrealistic #2 spot in the polls.

Let's see - how best to organize some scattered thoughts? We'll go by team.

RED SOX

The parallels to what they did this year vs. what they did in 2004 are eerie. In each year, the ALDS (both times vs. Anaheim) was a breeze, the ALCS (Yanks, Indians) was a battle, and the World Series (Cards, Rockies) was a cakewalk. Add in the fact that they came back from 3-0 and 3-1 holes to the Yanks and Indians and it's more amazing.

Some developments since the last out in Colorado: Curt Schilling accepted an incentive-laden deal to come back for one more year, and the Sox have reportedly offered 3B Mike Lowell a 3-year deal worth between $12-15 million per year. I was surprised that they came to an agreement with Schilling, but he'll be a good value as a back of the rotation guy. As far as Lowell, I haven't heard one Sox fan say 'don't sign him.' Everyone wants him back, most importantly his teammates. The key point is the length of the deal. Here's hoping they get it done. Other player rumors/news: the Sox are willing to trade Coco Crisp so Ellsbury can take over, but will wait for the right deal. They talked very briefly with Scott Boras about A-Rod (noooooo). One other note - Kevin Youkilis won the AL Gold Glove at 1B this year. Not too bad for a converted third baseman. Youk didn't make one error in the regular season, an astounding feat considering how many times he touches the ball.

Non-Sox item: It was positively strange seeing Joe Torre wearing the Dodger blue as he was introduced as the team's new manager. Was that a fast process or what? From listening to Torre talk with Bob Costas, I think Joe's got a major chip on his shoulder. My theory is that the Yanks braintrust (Shallow Hal and Hank) somehow some way implied that Torre's skills as a manager have been greatly enhanced by the caliber of players he's been able to trot out night after night for the last decade. Will be interesting to see how hard LA goes after A-Rod.

PATRIOTS

The Pats are enjoying their bye week, sitting high atop the pile of dung that is the NFL these days. Last week's exhilirating comeback against the Colts made the Patriots 9-0, with a real chance to go undefeated and shove it up Don Shula's arse (more on that in a moment).

What was most impressive about the Colts win to me was that the Pats pulled it off in the face of some adversity. The refs were positively brutal - calling at least three questionable pass interference calls - and the noise in the Dome (genuine or artificial, take your choice) was deafening. The Pats were down 20-10 with under 9 minutes to go, and ended up winning 24-20. So cool to see Indy and their fans in stunned silence. A nice payback for last year's AFC title game, and probably ensures that the Pats are sleeping in their own beds through the postseason.

Now the talk will turn to 'Can they go undefeated?' I for one think they can. There are four games remaining that could be tests, including at Buffalo next week, at Baltimore, at home against Pittsburgh, and on the road in the finale against the Giants. Out of those four, I think the Giants game could be the toughest.

Shula got himself into a little flap this week when he said that if the Pats do go undefeated - and surpass his '72 team's accomplishment - the record should have an asterisk next to it because of the videotaping. I can't even justify that opinion with a response.

CELTICS

They made the decision to spend the money to be relevant again, and it looks like their investment may pay off nicely. Wednesday's game against Denver was the first time in at least 10 years that I've actually looked forward to watching a Celts game. I even made tentative plans with a buddy to get out and see them play Detroit. Imagine - going to a bar just to see the Celtics play. What a turnaround. Oh yeah, it's only been 4 games.

Idle media thought: Tom Caron + Dennis Eckersely = Sean Grande + Cedric Maxwell. The polished, articulate anchor and the goofy ex-athlete with his own unique language.

Never Assume, But...

Being the superstitious zealots that we are, it would have been a huge no-no in the past to assume certainty in any form or fashion when it comes to the Red Sox. Just like Charlie Brown always assumed the ball would be there when Lucy was holding it for him.

But after last night's 10-5 win over the Rockies in Game 3, this series is officially over. The Rox can win tonight but then have to go up against Josh Beckett in Game 5.

Worse yet, the Rockies may have given their best punch last night and they failed to land the knockout they desperately needed. The Sox sprinted out to a 6-0 lead, with Dice K pitching and hitting well, but the Rockies kept scrapping and it cut to 6-5 on a Matt Holliday homer of Hideki Okajima in the 7th. After that the youngsters - Ellsbury and Pedroia - took control of the game with big run-scoring hits in the 8th to give the Sox some breathing room.

The Rockies have to be completely deflated. Tonight's Game 4 features a storybook start for Jon Lester, who finds himself pitching in the biggest game of his life only a year after being treated for cancer. The Rockies throw Aaron Cook, who has also come back from some health issues. Hard to predict what will happen, but you have to like the Sox' chances against Cook, and if Lester can keep it close for 5 or 6... well, order up the Duck Boats and get that parade graphic in the Globe pronto.

It is truly hard to comprehend the fact that we're on the verge of our second World Series title in four years. My daughter is 5, and has seen 2 in her lifetime. Her father just turned 40. Spoiled brat. Our kids are never going to be subjected to the curse talk that shaped our baseball souls for so long. And that's a good thing.

This particular route to the World Series eerily resembles the 2004 path. We got hot at the right time and came back from big deficits (3-0 to NY, 3-1 to Cleveland) to win the AL pennant -- and then we went on to completely dominate the NL team in the World Series (4-0 sweep vs. St. Louis; 3-0 vs. Colorado).

Yet another epic sporting day here in Winnerville. We shift our attention away from baseball to NFL football and see if our Patriots can lay another whupping on the Redskins. And then right after that, it should be about time for Game 4 of the World Series, and a chance to see some more history in the making.

Dice K Hits Too?!?

Before I forget, today's the three-year anniversary of our first World Series championship. Hard to believe it was three years ago that we vanquished the Yankees in historic fashion, and steamrolled to the title against the pathetic Cardinals. We're sniffing another one this weekend in Colorado, but as they say, you always remember your first one.

The Sox are on the verge of adding No. 2 to the trophy case, and they're off to a good start tonight in Colorado, Manny's foibles be damned. They're currently up 5-0 on the Rockies in the 3rd inning, and Dice-K (yes, Dice-K) just pitched in with a clutch 2-run single. You know things are going good for you when... Manny was thrown out at home on the prior play. He's gotten into the habit recently of whipping his helmet off his head when he's running full-steam, ala Dmitri Young. This time, the helmet came down and bounced off his foot as he was rounding third, slowing him just a bit - and of course, he was out by just a bit.

Anyway, no complaints. It's 5-0 early and the Sox have knocked Josh Fogg out of the game. The Rox are in serious trouble.

Game 1: Sox Take Batting Practice

So I'm driving into work this morning on one of the many busy, congested thoroughfares in our fine commonwealth, and I go by a garden warehouse that has a sign in front saying 'Crushed Rocks.' I'm hoping the owner has a sense of humor.

The Sox certainly crushed the Rocks at Fenway last night in Game 1, coasting to a rocking-chair 13-1 victory that was never really close. At this pace, the Sox and Patriots are both going to set some serious offensive records. In the last four games, the Sox have outscored the Indians and Rockies by a stunning score of 43-6. Sounds like a Pats-Dolphins score, eh?

You couldn't have asked for a better start to the game. Beckett fanned the side in the first, throwing nothing but heat, and then Tanner - I mean Dustin - Pedroia got things rolling with a leadoff homer that just made it over the Monster. The Pedroia/Youkilis show was again on display last night, but this time both Manny and Papi got into the act. Rockies starter Jeff Francis was underwhelming, and reliever Franklin Morales got lit up and walked home a couple of runs. Before you knew it, the game was out of hand and people were even leaving Fenway to get home early and beat the rush. It just didn't seem like a World Series game.

Crazy as it sounds, I'm hoping there's a little more drama tonight. I like when my stomach's churning. If the Sox take Game 2 tonight, with Schilling on the mound against some very good hitters who were embarrassed last night - it's all over but the (Papelbon) dancing. The Rox are going with rookie fireballer Ubaldo something or other. Sounds like he should be a Brazilian soccer player.

Waiting Game

If it seems like there are more off days during this particular postseason than in past years, it's because there are. MLB's scheduling this year has been quirky to say the least. On the bright side, hopefully it means that Sox haters Joe Buck and Tim McCarver had to stay a few extra nights in hostile territory waiting for Game 1 of the World Series.

Oh yeah - the Sox are in the World Series for the second time in four years, and spirits are high here in Winnerville. Weather permitting - and that's a big if at this point - Game 1 against those amazing Rockies gets underway at about 8:25 tonight at the Fens, with Josh Beckett trying to add to his October resume against Rockies ace Jeff Francis.

A big question going into this Series: what will the 8-day layoff do to the absolutely torrid Rockies? They've won an incredible 21 of 22 games - a span stretching out more than a month - but they've had to lie in wait in Denver for more than a week and haven't been able to practice outside much due to snow. Judging from interviews I've seen with some of the Rox, though, they're pretty loose. They also come into Boston with a little confidence, having taken 2 of 3 from the Sox here in June, including wins against Beckett and Schilling.

Some tidbits as we anxiously await the game:

- How huge has home-field advantage been? As soon as Beckett won Game 5, the Sox knew they were coming back to the cozy confines of Fenway and winning two in a row wasn't all that big of a deal. As a writer in one of the papers pointed out the other day, big thank you's go out to Ichiro (inside the park HR), Victor Martinez (!) and Beckett for coming up big in the All-Star game. How about this for a proposal? The winner of the All-Star game also gets to play the World Series by their rules, i.e., DH or no DH.

- It stinks that Tito is going to have to sit either Lowell, Youk, or Ortiz when the Series shifts to Colorado. All three are pivotal in the lineup, and I wonder how Papi's knees can handle the constant movement at first. Just a guess, but maybe Ortiz sits for lefty Francis' second start? We shall see. Either way, it's a big advantage for the Rockies, who can add another hitter to their lineup for the games at Fenway.

- We've given Theo a lot of grief this year for some of his free-agent signings, but looking at the construct of this team, you have to admire what he and his baseball operations staff have done. Tonight when the Sox take the field, they'll have three players who've come up through the system - Youkilis, Pedroia and Ellsbury - in the starting lineup. And they're each major contributors. In 2004, it was half Duquette's team, half Theo's. The pendulum has swung more to the Theo side.

- I love the Papelbon river dance as much as anyone else, but think about it: you've got your ace closer in flip-flops, on wet grass, with a few Bud Lights in him, doing a hyper jig. If he pulls a muscle, it's not funny anymore.

- Speaking of Papelbon, the one slight negative from Game 7 was that he got hit pretty hard. Garko hit a ball to deep right, Peralta had a sharp hit, and Blake's game-ending blast to the triangle in center was smashed.

- Stinks to see Tim Wakefield have to sit out the Series, especially because I think he'd be a hell of a change of pace against the Rockies after they see Beckett. His shoulder's ailing him. The Sox will go with Beckett tonight, Schilling and Dice-K (not sure which order) in Games 2 and 3, and then it could be (gulp) Jon Lester.

- According to the New York Times, the Rockies are very much a team of faith. I'm sure some guys on the Sox are more religious than others, but seems like a pretty stark contrast between the two squads. You think Papelbon's in the pews on Sunday morning?

- Time to give the managers - Terry Francona and Clint Hurdle - some credit. Like every Sox manager since the beginning of time, Tito takes a beating around here but you can't deny what he's accomplished. I liked watching him the other night after the clincher. With chaos all around him, he takes it all in calmly and lets the players celebrate. But the hugs he got from every guy on the team showed me that he is beloved. Don't know much about Hurdle, except I remember him being the rookie du jour on the cover of Sports Illustrated way back when. He turned out to be more like Super Joe Charbonneau ('member him?)

- No way to quantify, of course, but I think experience played a big role in helping the Sox climb out of a 3-1 hole and get to this point. Fausto Carmona had the deer in the headlights look in Game 6, and I thought the Indians' young but talented hitters were a bit impatient the other night.

- This is a post for another day, but Kevin Youkilis has proven me WRONG in a big way. Coming into this season, I didn't think he had done enough to be an everyday player for the Sox. His Game 7 blast off the Coke bottles notwithstanding, he's not your prototypical basher at first base. But he does everything else well, especially defense. Sorry for doubting you Youk.

- Is that Dustin Pedroia at second or Tanner Boyle?

- Rain, rain go away, come again some other day.

I'll Let the Picture Do the Talking

Rambling Man

Some random thoughts as I sit here watching the Harlem Globetrotters - I mean the Patriots - play the Washington Generals, er, the Miami Dolphins.

- I know it's the 0-6 Dolphins, but my God are the Patriots putting on a clinic today in Miami. It's 35-7 Pats, with almost three minutes to go in the first half. Tom Brady has thrown 4 TD passes (25 on the season, versus two picks), and Randy Moss (above) has had two jump-ball TD catches that were downright ludicrous. We may soon see Brady sitting on the bench watching his understudy perform.

- I'm starting to develop a little dislike for the Indians. I never have been a fan of Kenny Lofton, so his little exchange with Beckett the other night cemented that. Eric Wedge (do they call him "Wedgie?") gave Beckett zero credit for one of the greatest playoff performances I've ever seen. Victor Martinez looked like he was taking a stroll on South Beach when he trotted around the bases last night after hitting a homer. (I know Manny does some things that piss people off, but there's no malice there. Martinez was already pissed about the umpiring.) I hate those queer white towels. Paul Byrd's double-pump delivery is pure douchebaggery. They've got a second baseman named Ass Dribble. It goes on and on if you think about it. Cleveland sucks, and they're going to lose tonight.

- I haven't really opined on the end of the Joe Torre era. You know the story by now. The Yanks offered Torre $5 million a year (a cut from the $7.3 million he earned last year), and added some incentives to the deal. He'd get $1 million each for getting to the playoffs, winning the ALCS, and getting to the World Series. Torre justifiably told the Sons of Steinbrenner to take a hike. My take? The Yanks didn't want him back but had to save PR face with their fans by making Torre some kind of offer. Now they've lost their steady hand, and who knows what's going to happen with A-Rod, Posada, Rivera, and Pettitte.

- It never materialized as an issue in last night's blowout win by the Sox, but I was very curious to know how short Schilling's leash was. Tito tends to give Curt more leeway than his other starters.

- After several days of fan-managing, Francona finally inserted rookie sparkplug Jacoby Ellsbury into the starting lineup. Ellsbury came through in the third inning with an RBI single, and used his speed to score another run during the same inning. He also got robbed by Grady Sizemore later in the game on a ball that would have rolled all the way to the triangle. Would have been fun to see him pick 'em up and put 'em down on that one. The one nitpick: he should have caught a ball late in the game that I think Ryan Garko hit. Ellsbury had one more step to the wall, but jumped a little early. Assuming he's going to be the man in CF next year, he's got a lot of familiarizing to do with Fenway.

- I know we've got it pretty good around here as sports fans, but I honestly can't remember a time like this. The Pats are rolling, the Sox are one win away from another World Series berth, the Celtics are looking good in the exhibition season with their big new acquisitions, and hell, even the Bruins are showing fans something. Maybe this Cload guy is the real deal. Oh, and the Boston College football team could find itself ranked 2nd in the country tomorrow.

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J.D. Drew is Now Officially Worth Every Penny

So if I had told you before Game 6 that Curt Schilling would have average stuff and that the Sox' 3-4-5 hitters - Papi, Manny and Lowell - would be a combined 0 for 5 in the fifth inning, you'd be thinking about 2008, right? And if I had predicted that season-long whipping boys J.D. Drew and Julio Lugo would each deliver huge hits you'd think I was going insane. Well, the Sox aren't ready to call it a season just yet. And you may as well call the white jackets in.

Things are going swimmingly in Boston tonight as the Sox and Indians battle at Fenway. The Sox are coming to bat in the home half of the fifth, Cleveland Ace 1B Fausto Carmona has hit the showers long ago, and Schilling can afford to miss on a few of his pitches now as his mates have supplied him with a tidy 10-1 lead.

That's not a misprint, nor is what I'm about to type next. The Sox jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first on a J.D. Drew grand slam to left-center. It was an especially big hit considering that the Sox nearly squandered another bases loaded/nobody out situation. Pedroia and Youkilis were both on with infield hits, and Papi walked. Manny then K'd and Lowell flied out to shallow right, and all of a sudden we were in danger of letting Carmona off the hook. You could hear the air coming out of the stands at Fenway. And then Drew came through in dramatic fashion. The Sox proceeded to blow it wide open in the third, with Lugo smacking a double down the third-base line to drive in a couple more. Mr. Carmona, meanwhile, went searching for some Irish Spring.

It doesn't get much better than this, but we're not going to jinx ourselves and start talking about a potentially epic sports Sunday here in Boston. Oh, and note to Terry Francona: I don't care if this thing gets up to 20-1, don't you dare hand the baseball over to the goateed French guy.

(Late-breaking update: It gets better. Not only do J.D. Drew and Julio Lugo come up with big, big hits, guess who comes on in the 9th and has a clean 1-2-3 inning? Yup, the goateed Frenchman. Talk about a momentum swing. Sox win 12-2. Game 7 tonight with Dice-K vs. Jake Westbrook.)