Hardball Heaven

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.