It Ain't Easy Being Green

Happy St. Pat's Day. Haven't posted for a while, so thought I'd do a little around the horn update on the four pro teams in town.

RED SOX: Josh Beckett and his ailing back are getting better, but the ace (wisely, it says here) will not be making the trek to Japan with his teammates. Instead, the Opening Day starter on March 25 against the A's will be Daisuke Matsuzaka (whose wife delivered their second child early) and Jon Lester will throw Game 2. It's a week from tomorrow, kids.

In other Sox news, the team cut the cord with Doug Mirabelli last week, opting to keep Kevin Cash around instead for less money and a similar pathetic batting average. Jason Varitek was none too pleased, but something tells me he'll get over it. The lasting memory of Dougie will always be his celebrated police escort to Fenway in May 2006 right before a Tim Wakefield start against the Yankees. That was also the night, incidentally, that Johnny Damon returned to Boston in pinstripes. Don't cry for Dougie, though - the man should kiss the ground every day for how long he's lasted with so little.

It's been pretty tranquil in Fort Myers otherwise. Something tells me the Dynamic Duo is going to be in full force this year - with Big Papi feeling healthy after knee surgery and Manny playing for another four-year contract.

CELTICS: Lucky the Leprechaun's team encounters its toughest four-game stretch of the season beginning tonight, with road games against the iron of the West: San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, and that team from the Old Wild West, New Orleans. The Rockets have incredibly won 22 straight ballgames, including 10 since Yao Ming's season-ending injury. These games should be fun - and they're a good measuring stick to see what the C's postseason chances might be. Ray Allen (ankle) will be a game-time decision tonight.

PATRIOTS: All's quiet on the Foxborough front. Every other couple days, a Spygate story pops up, they're getting closer to a deal, blah, blah, blah. This thing's going to die a slow, painful (for ESPN) death, and I can't wait to see how the mainstream sports media handles it. Been thinking some about Coach Bill, and how a guy is defined by the types of friends he has. Bill's got some pretty slimy pals - starting with Nick Saban and Tony La Russa, who's currently hosting BB at Cardinals camp in Jupiter, Florida.

BRUINS: As expected, the UCLA Bruins will be the first seed in the West Region of the NCAA men's tournament, which begins in all its glory this week. No update available on the Brown University (RI) Bruins.

Hump Day

It's a bit of a quiet time on the sports front right now, what with March Madness starting to percolate and spring training baseball underway. We don't typically veer much off the sports map here at HH, but I've just got to add my two cents on this stunning Eliot Spitzer saga.

I mean, how stupid can you be? For a guy who went to Princeton and Harvard, his idiocy (Belichickian arrogance?) is absolutely breathtaking. Evidently, Spitzer hasn't seen the best show on TV, which is all about using wiretaps to put criminals behind bars. Don't know if he's headed there, but he is all done politically for the rest of his living years. Will be interesting to see what his wife's next steps are too. She's a pretty good looking lady, who looked awfully friggin' pissed off at today's news conference. I mean, can you imagine the embarassment - on a national and world level?!? There's no way she stays with him.

Getting back to sports, the big, beat-it-thoroughly-into-the-ground non-story of the week has been the status of Josh Beckett's back. Supposedly, it's not a major thing but it may be enough to keep Beckett stateside when the team travels to Japan in a couple of weeks to open up the season against the A's. Long flights are not good for sore bones, and most would agree that it's best to leave the ace home. Daisuke Matsuzaka is also iffy for the trip (which would no doubt disappoint his legion of Japanese fans) because his wife is due to deliver a child around that time. What are the odds Manny gets on the plane to Japan?

After much deliberation, I've decided to hold onto Tulowitzki ($1), Hart ($1) and Bedard ($10 in my auction draft. I knew you'd want to know. The decision to keep Tulo was made a little easier by the fact that he's the best available SS after others that are being kept on other teams (Reyes, Rollins, Hanley). Still, I hear that Magglio's on fire this spring and I'm tempted. (By the way, is Boston-Detroit in the ALCS too easy a prediction? How about my yearly wish for a rematch of the '86 World Series?

And finally, how about a little CZJ? Can't believe she's married to that old wrinkle-bag Michael Douglas. Viva la Catherine!

Sunday Odds & Ends

Didn't want to let too much more time pass before I posted this awesome shot of Big Papi riding in a police sidecar during the team's visit to DC a couple weeks ago. Classic.

Incredible story of the golfer who hit an endangered hawk. Guy was annoyed with the constant chirping, took a swing, and got (un)lucky. Reminds me of a story from way back, when Bobby Jam saw a plump little gopher crossing the fairway, took out a low iron, and whoommmmmmmppp. Will never forget that sound. I think the gopher lived to laugh about it.

As usual, Bob Ryan is dead on with his column today about the over-the-top reaction to Brett Favre's retirement. Favre's Hall-bound, but he's never been a candidate for the Mount Rushmore of QB's.

Speaking of the Hall of Fame, Tom Verducci explores whether a certain sidecar-riding DH will be Cooperstown material some day.

Roger Goodell's announced intention to crack down on league-wide cheating/spying will add fuel to the fire of those of us who've been saying all along that a lot of teams are involved in this activity. Not saying it's right, but it is what it is. If 'Spygate' goes nowhere - and it's been pretty quiet for a while, much to the irritation of ESPN the Tabloid - I hope Bob Kraft files a massive defamation/libel lawsuit.

I need your help. I'm in a three-keeper fantasy baseball league and my candidates for keeping are Ichiro ($29), Corey Hart ($1), Magglio Ordonez ($8), Troy Tulowitzki ($1), and Erik Bedard ($10).. Which three would you hold on to? Right now, I'm thinking Maggs, Bedard and Hart, but I'm waffling...

Oh, and one more thing. I love me some Scarlett, but I've always been partial to Cherize. Look at those teeth.

Where's Johnny Most When You Need Him?

They're not exactly the bad boy Pistons of Chuck Daly, Rick Mahorn, and Bill Laimbeer (otherwise known as McFilthy and McNasty to Johnny), but last night's much-anticipated game between the Celtics and Detroit brought those sweet memories flooding back. If you listened to the games on the radio back then, good ol' Johnny had you convinced that Mahorn and Laimbeer should be locked up for first-degree murder.

But onto the current state of affairs. In case you hadn't noticed, our Boston Celtics are very much for real, and look like the odds-on favorite to be top dog in the East as they continue to battle it out with the Pistons.

Last night's game at the Garden was a close one throughout, with the C's pulling away in the fourth quarter thanks to some tenacious D and Mr. Garnett simply taking over. Final score was 90-78, and believe it or not the Celts are the first team to clinch a playoff spot. My, how things have changed.

Moss Back in the Fold - Can He Play Corner?

Well, I'll be damned. A professional athlete - one with a somewhat checkered past no less - actually kept his word. After a record-breaking year, after all the praise for the Patriots organization and especially Tom Brady, after repeatedly saying that he wants to retire a Patriot - Randy Moss had an open window where he was free to leave for bigger bucks. And he chose to stay.

This despite the breathless reports on ESPN the Tabloid that Moss had talked with former teammate Daunte Culpepper about offering themselves as a dual package for some team. Or that Moss might be headed to Dallas. Once again, ESPN was wrong. Moss and the Pats finally reached a deal on Monday that will pay the receiver $27 million over three years. In the end, not only did Moss stay in Foxborough, he solidified himself as a Team First guy by taking less dough than he could have gotten in these crazy days of free agency. I also like how the first thing he said about re-signing was 'We've got some unfinished business to take care of." His most prominent suitor was the Philadelphia Eagles...

... who also just happened to pluck Asante Samuel away from New England for a tidy 6-year, $57 million deal. I knew Asante was gone the day I read a story that said he had a tattoo that said 'Get Paid.' Really, isn't that all you need to know? I don't begrudge the man one iota for getting paid, but I'm also not heartbroken over the loss. Maybe it's the blind faith that I have in the Belichick/Pioli machine, but I think they'll be fine. Moss was the guy they absolutely, positively had to re-sign and they got it done, albeit with a little nail-biting.

The question now is who the hell is going to play cornerback. Not only did the Pats lose Samuel, they also parted ways with Randall Gay, who signed a rich deal with New Orleans. They'll probably sign a few serviceable veterans over the next month or so, and then the NFL Draft will be here in April. Some pundits like this kid Talib from Kansas, but I'm hoping they grab Vernon Gholston, the linebacker from Ohio State. They need to get younger at that position, and fellow Buckeye alum Mike Vrabel would no doubt be a great mentor.

Come to think of it, this is why the NFL has so much money to pay these guys. We're talking football when spring training is going on.

TGIF

Yeah okay, she's had a couple of tough years. Half the pictures on Google either have her bombed off her ass, eyelids shut, with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth, or they're mug shots. But I don't care - I still say she is very beautiful.

NY Times: Bush Makes Fun of Ballplayer's Dying Grandmother

Well, the Sox flew from Fort Myers to the nation's capital today to be recognized at the White House, and I must say - President Bush was on his game. In between praising Big Papi, his Texas homeboys Mike Timlin and Josh Beckett, and manager Terry Francona, Bush managed to get a nice zinger in on Manny, who was a no-show at the proceedings. "I guess Manny's grandmother died again," said Bush, drawing a good hearty guffaw from the team. (Love the word 'guffaw' - see, that's what you get here at our low-cost operation: vocabulary) After the White House ceremony, the team - as it did in 2005 stopped by Walter Reed hospital to visit with injured veterans.

On a completely unrelated note, a funny thing I read in the newest issue of Sports Illustrated under "They Said It." UC-Irvine basketball coach Mike Gillespie, on complaints that the school's anteater mascot isn't ferocious enough: "If you're an ant, then an anteater is ferocious." The man has a point. Still, an anteater?

(Boston.com photo)

Sox Make Some News

The Red Sox have made some news in the last 48 hours, first with the announcement of skipper Terry Francona's long overdue contract extension, and then second with the news that the team has signed Bartolo Colon to a minor league/incentive-laden deal.

First on Francona - the man belongs here, and wants to be here, and I'm very glad they got this done. You can't put enough value on his ability to handle his guys in this cauldron that is truly unlike any other cauldron. It's a perfect marriage.

As for Colon, what's not to like? It's a low-risk move for a guy less than three years removed from dominance. If he contributes anything, it's gravy. That said, he was positively putrid last year and he may never toe the slab (love that phrase) in the big leagues again. His one-time 95-98 fastball has dipped into the high-80s, occasional low-90s.

ESPN: Frauds

More proof that ESPN has a total anti-Patriots bias in terms of the Spygate story. At 10 p.m. on Friday night, the lead story on ESPN.com - the No. 1 story on the most-read sports website in the world - was a headline that read 'Specter says Patriots "stonewalling" Spygate probe.' Written, ahem, by Mike Fish, which I'm becoming more and more convinced is really Ron Borges' new pseudonym. The Specter "story" is nowhere to be found on the front pages of SI.com or CBS Sportsline or FoxSports.com. The Worldwide Leader is rapidly becoming a worldwide joke.

Making Our Way through the Dead Zone with Hoops, Pucks & Babes

Good story by SI's Tom Verducci on the Clemens steroids hearing fiasco. Verducci's good at organizing the chaos into coherency, even if he does go a little overboard sometimes, like with the groin liniment and what have you. Yeah, enough said on that. Still, a good look into Roger's brain from a guy who has spent some time with him. The only conclusion you can draw is that Clemens is a first-rate liar, and a first-rate mental midget.

~~

I'm still not over the Patriots' loss - my latest whine is with the bomb Brady threw to Moss on the second to last play; all Moss had to do was stretch his arms out a little bit... (easy for me to say watching on DVR with a cocktail in my hand...)

Speaking of Moss, news out of Foxborough today was that the team didn't franchise tag him, which most seem to think means that they're close to agreeing on a multi-year deal.

~~

I've decided that besides looking at hot chicks during the sports dead zone, I'm throwing my sports allegiance mostly to two places: the Celtics and the UNH Wildcat men's hockey team. The Celtics are again a treat to watch, and have a legitimate chance of getting to the Finals. Garnett is more amazing on D than I ever thought. I'm on board, even though they're 0-2 (losses to Denver and Golden State) since I started watching. The game against the Warriors set an attendance record for most fans to see a basketball game (more than 20,000) in California state history. And yes, the other team is a college hockey team that I know you don't give a rat's ass about. But do me a favor over the next month - if you see a college hockey game as you're flipping through the channels, give it a shot. It's good stuff. And UNH - my alma mater - may finally have a team that can do some damage in the postseason. They're currently ranked 3rd in the country, behind No. 1 Michigan and No. 2 North Dakota.

And here's the best part - if you just so happen to be a huge Celtics/UNH Wildcat fan like I am, tomorrow night is a huge night. UNH plays No. 7 BC in a big game on NESN, and then at 10:30 it's Garnett and the C's against the Suns and the Big Aristotle.

~~

Oh, alright... here's another babe for you to identify. Hint: she's got something in common with a player from the last and only NFL team to have a perfect season.

Lovely Miss Erin

No guessing game needed here. ESPN's Erin Andrews is one of the hardest-working sideline reporters in the business, and easily one of the most attractive. She goes into a college football or basketball Saturday knowing full well that she's going to be fawned over by drunk frat boys, and yet she handles it all so well. Oh, and to my pal who requested a picture of Erin? I know she's a Gator backer. You Gators are all alike.

The Dark Side of the Sports Moon

I was talking with a fellow sports-crazed buddy the other night, and the conversation inevitably turned to the "good old days of sports," when we were growing up back in the 1970s and 80s. We debated whether sports back then was really more pure, or if we were just so naive we couldn't see the warts - and more importantly, the media wasn't hellbent on exposing them. You know what - I don't want to know the answer to that.

I think that's the problem with sports right now. We know too much. And, like the age-old chicken and the egg question, I can't decide if we fans are driving the need to know or if the out-of-control media just loves to stir the pot. It's most likely a little of both.

We've certainly had a couple of high-profile case studies in the past 12 months: Mike Vick and dogfighting, Roger Clemens and steroids, and the Patriots and their videotaping habits. There's been no shortage of topics for Bob Ley's "Between the Lines" specials and we've seen more than our fair share of interviews with ESPN legal blowhard Roger Cossack. It's all so different now, with so many people trying to turn success into tainted accomplishments. As fans, are we simply paying more attention to the "bad" stuff because we're smarter adults now - you know, because we like, watch the news more often?

I don't know, but I do know that the landscape of sports media coverage has become about so much more than just the games. With all the noise we've been subjected to, it takes some work to remember that the Red Sox are World Series champs for the second time in four years, that the Celtics are an incredible 41-9, and that the Patriots went 18-1 in what can only be described as a disappointing season. We've got it so damn good around here, but the cynics and skeptics in the media are winning out.

Don't get me wrong. I understand that controversy is like sex in that it sells newspapers and generates TV ratings. People are clicking on the gossip sites, calling the sports talk shows, commenting on the blogs. I'm willing to bet that the most-clicked item on ESPN.com the morning of the Super Bowl was the Mike Fish story with the new twist on former Patriots employee Matt Walsh. I know I was one of the clickees.

Let's talk about ESPN for a moment, shall we? When the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network was first introduced, it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Today, in my opinion, the network has gotten a little too big for itself (gee, ya think?), and has shown a strong anti-Patriots bias during this whole videotaping joke. Whenever there's a chance to lead with a Pats/Spygate-related story, the network jumps like a rabid dog on meat. It's so obvious that an internal memo was sent around encouraging the TV and radio personalities to slam the Pats at every turn. Why else would a seemingly calm and rational guy like Mike Greenberg suddenly flip a switch and become a big-time Patriot hater (unlike his colleague Mike Golic, who has been far more reasonable)?

I guess my point in all of this is that yes, there are going to be dark episodes in sports that warrant withering media critique. Vick was charged with a crime, the Feds proved it in court, Vick admitted guilt, and he's doing his time. Unfortunately, though, the media in this country (gasp!) all too often makes judgments in print before having a firm handle on the facts. In fact, it's a fact that facts simply don't matter much anymore. If you've got one source telling you that a rogue videographer from 10 years ago may have incriminating evidence, hell, let's run it as the lead story under the blaring headline of "Breaking News."

My question is this - when Bill Belichick and the Patriots are rightly exonerated in this debacle, who's going to hold the media zealots accountable? Are we going to see mea culpas on ESPN.com from their little investigative unit? Will there be some sort of on-air apology? Will the Boston Herald, another ringleader in the Belichick bashing, publish a front-page apology? Who will be the first person to file a lawsuit on behalf of the Patriots, claiming that they would have won SB 42 without the distractions? In the spirit of obscure former Ram Willie Gary, maybe Ray Ventrone will file suit claiming that without the Spygate talk, the Pats would have won, he would have collected a winners' share, and his star teammates lost out on many lucrative endorsement opportunities. Will Senator Sphincter the Eagles Fan invite Roger Goodell back to D.C. to apologize? These we know the answers to.

Like it or not, the Pats are going to occupy a sizeable piece of real estate on the dark side of the sports moon for the forseeable future. They are going to be super-good again next year. Tom Brady will the quarterback of the winning team in SB 43, and unlike in this year's game, his ankle will be just fine. The haters, meanwhile, will multiply, and you know what, that's really okay. These are the emotions that the Celtics, Canadiens, Yankees and Cowboys elicit, and it means you've made it to the top of the heap. The people who think the Pats' dynasty is dead - yup, more judgment before assessing the facts.

As for the allegations of videotape and cheating, let's all calm down and see what happens. If Senator Sphincter really wants to, he can open up a can of worms that will get very ugly very quickly. And I just loooove all the asinine New Yorkers crying about the Pats' cheating ways. Can we say 2003 ALCS? That Yankee team was friggin' littered with steroid-abusing frauds, and God knows how long that had been going on. Could it have tainted those great '98, '99 and '00 Yankee teams? If I'm the sports editor at the Herald, I'm thinking maybe we put an asterisk in front of the Yankees in the AL East standings all season long. You know, just to be fair.

Injection, 'jection, what's your question?

I always knew Roger Clemens was extremely deficient in the gray matter department, but my goodness, this takes the cake. He walked his stubborn, egotistical ass right into a potential perjury trap this week on Capitol Hill, and while I sincerely doubt anything will ever stick on Teflon Con Man Roger, you can bet the Feds are going to try their damndest.

What a tangled web he wove. In between "misremembering" details and answering some of the committee's more difficult questions (curiously all posed by Democrats), Clemens had time to tell us about his patriotism, the good deeds he does for children, his momma, how he was given nothing in life, how hard he works, that he's won 7 Cy Youngs, that Red Sox GM Dan Duquette's "twilight" comment inspired him, that he went through a period where he was "locating" the ball better, that he cried when Brian Piccolo died in the movie, that he and Deb enjoy long walks on the beach, and hot fudge sundaes with their K kids after their ballgames. I mean, COME ON. To quote the embarrassing Dan Burton, "Gee whiz, are you kidding me?"

It was both a sad commentary on our political system and high theater at the same time. By now, you've read the accounts in the newspapers, and listened to the radio blowhards opine. And while the Congressional panel was split along party lines (ala Gore/Bush, 2000), the American public seems to agree that Clemens is guilty, and McNamee - for all his seediness - was telling the truth. Some believe that the next step will indeed be a criminal investigation by the Justice Department. Whether the smoking gun is Andy Pettitte's damning deposition, or potential witness tampering with The Nanny (Rog said he was doing a 'favor to y'all'), it certainly seems possible.

The other reprehensible aspect to this is Clemens' close relationship with the Republican Party, including President Bush the elder. When the poop was hitting the fan, Roger said during the hearings, Bush called him in a deer blind to offer support. What do you think the chances are that ol' George called a few friends in DC prior to the hearings? Certainly seemed like Burton got a call or two. And Tom Davis, who absolutely skewered Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, et al, in 2005. When the hearing was over, Clemens made a beeline for the exit behind where the Congressmen were sitting, waited for Davis - who patted Rog on the shoulder - and the two men walked down the hall, presumably to have a cocktail in Tom's office, which is no doubt decorated with a Fathead of the fathead.

One last takeway is just the incredible arrogance of Clemens, which reached its highest level this week. When this all began, he squealed to Mike Wallace about the lack of respect he's been shown after all he's done for the game of baseball. He spent much of the hearing talking about personal matters, took the liberty to read a letter written by his loser druggie wife, and incredulously interrupted Committee chairman Henry Waxman during his closing statement, to which Waxman banged his gavel down angrily. As someone else on the web o' sphere noted, too bad the gavel didn't splinter so Roger could have thrown it back at Waxman. No doubt he would have claimed that he thought it was a glass of water.

Abcesses of the Butt

Well, we're almost ready to deliver a Patriots post-mortem, but in the meantime we have today's positively fascinating Congressional steroid hearings pitting arguably the greatest pitcher in baseball history against a trainer. We're talking about ass abcesses, bloody pants, rogue MRIs, mentions of 'lynching'... damn, this is much more fun than I thought it was going to be. One thing so far that is clearly a put-off - it is so obvious that some members of the Committee (no doubt the ones that took photos with Roger and got his autograph earlier in the week) are on Roger's side, and some are on McNamee's side. Our politicians are a complete joke. Will the jackass who made the comment about lynching be subjected to the same scorn the golf broadcaster did? Of course not. Not in Double Standard America. More to come later. Work hours, you know?

Women's Beach Volleyball - What's Not To Like?

Still Not There Yet

So we're now three days past the apocalypse, and I still can't bring myself to read the sports page or re-watch the game. I actually started to watch the game again tonight on the DVR, enjoyed Jordin Sparks' anthem, watched the coin flip, and then I went into convulsions. No, just kidding - but I'm still obviously not ready to get past this.

Anyway, we're now officially in the famous dead zone of sports - that period after the Super Bowl and before spring training. Yeah, there's pro and college hoops and hockey, and I guess the Celtics are now worth watching. But it still feels boring compared to the annual hysteria that is the Red Sox and Patriots. Maybe this is best for all of us -- a sort of enforced cooling down period. You know, go on vacation somewhere warm, spend more time with family and friends... look at beautiful women. My gift to you, my loyal readership of 2, is that I pledge to post at least one picture of a lovely lady on the site per week. Your job is to identify who it is. Have at it. A clue: this babe and the Patriots have a four-letter word in common - and no, it's not an expletive.

Uncomfortably Numb

It still feels like a raw, gaping wound, so it's hard to write much about it. Whether you think the Patriots just didn't show up on the offensive side of the ball, or the Giants front-four was just not to be denied, the answer lies somewhere in the middle and the Giants clearly deserved to win.

So many thoughts that need to be sorted out, and they will in the coming days. Writing, talking about it, reading about it... it'll all be therapeutic soon. Just not quite yet.

Last Call

We're six hours away and counting to the start of Super Bowl XLII. Finally, some football. Figured I'd throw up one more post before I start pouring booze down my gullet.

All the TV shows are wire to wire right now, which is pretty cool. I'll probably stick with Fox for most of the day, over the Spygate-obsessed ESPN - that beacon of journalism. Anyway, the Pats are favored by around 12, and that will probably go up as people think the Pats will be extra-motivated to show just how f'ing good they are. Tough call. I could see a blowout; I could see a field goal game.

I'll go with Patriots 33, Giants 19. I think Laurence Maroney does some special things today, and I'm predicting a pick by a Patriot d-back for a touchdown. In the end, the Pats' performance today gives the haters one gigantic middle finger.

Four Score and Exactly Six Years Ago

Some good things happened on this date in 2002. A good omen, perhaps?

Tippett is Canton-Bound

He's been the football version of Jim Rice around here - a guy who was a complete force during his prime, but who never quite got his due. In Rice's case, he was just a plain a-hole, and that certainly hasn't helped his Hall of Fame cause among media voters. He may also have been just a Vern Ruhle fastball away from getting in. As for Tippett, he was on some truly putrid Patriot teams, and he was always confused with another former No. 56, a certain coke-snorting defensive demon who just happened to play for... the team that we're going to annihilate tomorrow.

Rice came up short once again in Hall voting last year, and his fate is now in the hands of the Veterans Committee. Tippett, meanwhile, finally got his due today when it was announced at Super Bowl XLII that he was in. A very cool moment in a 2-week period that has brought us the Boot, the Plax Prediction, and a "resurrection" of Spygate.

It was also a good day for the Redskins, who saw former players Art Monk and Darrell Green inducted. Others included Fred Dean, Gary Zimmerman and Emmitt Thomas. An interesting omission: Paul Tagliabue.

We're 20 hours away.

Hater Nation

Boy, they're trying like hell to derail this express aren't they? The 2007 New England Patriots are on the verge of making sports history, and yet it feels like the whole country is trying to knock them down. Mercury Morris we can understand, but why the widespread hatred? Was it like this when the Dolphins were marching in 1972? Were the ink-stained wretches across the country filled with venom when Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott & Co. were trampling the league? Does Tiger Woods get this type of treatment?

Like it or not, the Patriots, should they win on Sunday, will join a most elite pantheon of sports history. They will be inarguably the greatest single-season football team of all-time, mentioned in the same breath as the 60's Packers, the 70's Steelers, and the 80's 49ers. Tom Brady will join Terry Bradshaw and Montana as the only quarterback to have four rings. History and greatness has always appealed to true sports fans. It's part of the whole experience.

So what's going on here? I know that fans with non-rooting interests tend to root for the underdog. Perfectly understandable. If the Giants can pull this off, they will also make their own history. But think about what the Patriots are doing here. It is positively, absolutely AMAZING, a fact drilled home this week by many people who have played the game. Is it the general disdain for Bill Belichick? Jealousy over the perfect life Tom Brady leads? Is it the ridiculously overblown Spygate issue?

Whatever it is, the animals don't need much red meat to get into a froth. National media outlets and fans across the country are actually buying into the absurd comments by Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Sphincter (above left, and anatomic version at right). Sphincter came out on the Friday before the Super Bowl with the declaration that he wants to speak to Commish Roger Goodell about the Patriots' videotapes, which were destroyed some five months ago. He actually compared the video situation to CIA tactics, which alone should subject him to impeachment. Have we mentioned that Sphincter is a diehard Eagles fan, who regularly calls into the all-sports radio station in Philly? And then there's a story on ESPN this morning about a golf pro in Hawaii who used to be a videographer for the Pats. He may be a smoking gun in Spygate, or so they say, but he doesn't want to talk about it, that is unless Sphincter's committee issues a subpoena. Oh, the story was written in part by Gregg Easterbook, that clown who writes about shit that nobody cares about, and who has had it in for the Patriots all year long. So much for unbiased journalism.

Regardless, the story is all over the place as we approach the most-anticipated football game ever. Just what Patriot Haters want. And you know what? Just what the Patriots want, too. As if they didn't have enough motivation going into the game. They will use Sphincter's asinine comments to their advantage, and if you're into betting on the game, you might want to take the Pats straight.

Yesterday, Mercury Morris and a few of his '72 Dolphins mates posed in front of a huge banner that read: "Perfectville, Population: 1". The population is about to double.

Enough Already

58 hours to go until kickoff, but who's counting? I've had quite enough of the analysis (did you know that the Giants need to get pressure on Brady), the stupid questions, the inane banter on sports radio. For the mother of God.

Fortunately, the NFL Network has filled the void nicely. Just this past week, I was able to catch the pulsating Pats-Rams Super Bowl, the Bills and Giants in the Scott Norwood game in 1990, and the Pats-Eagles last night. People keep talking about the parallels between the Pats-Rams game and this one, but I tellya, that Giants/Bills game had some striking similarities too. Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas and the K-Gun offense against the Parcells/Belichick Giants. I still can't believe they won with Jeff Hostetler piloting the ship. And Norwood's kick? Anything but a chip shot at 47 yards. Unfortunately, this year's Giants team doesn't have a Lawrence Taylor or a Carl Banks. And Belichick will be on the other sideline.
Anyway, here's a couple of cool items I caught on the web o' sphere this week: a story from Lee Jenkins on the improbable rise of Tom Brady, a good NY Times story on Belichick's Giant lineage, and a nice piece from Jackie MacMullan on Pats coach Dante Scarnecchia, who is a vastly underrated component of this soon-to-be dynasty. Good stuff all. And Parcells should have left the shorts in his locker.

Bill Smith, You're Fired

The Twins indeed finally pulled the trigger today, and Johan Santana is a... Met. Eee. I'm not upset that he's not a Red Sox by any means - I didn't want to part with Jacoby Ellsbury. And I'm happy that he's not a New York Spankee, because then he'd start doing steroids. But to see what the Mets gave up for a perennial Cy Young candidate is just plain ridiculous. They didn't have to trade a) their best everyday prospect or b) their best pitching prospect. Twins GM Bill Smith - the man who could have had some combo of Ellsbury/Lester from Boston, or Phil Hughes and Melky Cabrera from the Yankees - instead chose to make a deal for four no-names. If I'm a Twins fan tonight, I'm steaming.

You'll never guess what channel I'm watching right now. Yup, the NFL Network. They're replaying the 2001-02 Super Bowl win over the Rams, and I must say the goosebump moments are happening fast and furiously. The first came before the game, when the Rams starters were introduced individually and Pat Summerall announces to the Superdome crowd, "Choosing to be introduced as a team, the AFC Champion New England Patriots..." It was all over right there. The halftime show featuring U2 - and the scroll with the victims from 9/11 - was also emotional to watch again. U2 was absolutely on with their performance that night, and it was perfect to have the 9/11 names behind them. Very powerful.

As for this year's Super Bowl, you may have heard that the Patriots are in it again. The bad news is that it's only Tuesday, for crying out loud. We've got a long ways to go, but damn, this never gets old.

The Longest Trade Negotation Ever...

... could be coming to a close soon. We speak, of course, of the ongoing trade talks surrounding ace Twins lefty Johan Santana. ESPN and other news outlets are reporting that Minnesota is very close to making a final decision, and as such, have asked at least two of the suitors (the Red Sox and the Mets) to make their final, best offers.

There are conflicting reports that the Sox have scaled back their offer, but supposedly Jon Lester and Coco Crisp are still the centerpieces. Not sure what the Mets are offering, and rumor has it the Yankees aren't participating much at all. I still say they need him the most, and wouldn't be at all surprised if they re-enter the equation.

Can you imagine if the Red Sox get Santana this week, when the eyes of the sporting world are focused on Arizona?

A Day for Silliness

Finally, it's going to feel like Super Bowl week today as the media gets its chance to ask every stupid question under the sun. For all the good questions, there's always something completely off the wall, and I truly can't wait to find out what it is. Should also be interesting to see how many questions Coach Bill gets regarding the Week 1 chaos, and how many Tom Brady gets regarding his bodacious girlfriend. Either way, the fun begins today. The Pats will be grilled at noontime, the Giants at 2.

Couple of notes from yesterday:

The Giants arrived in Phoenix, and the big news is that several players have severe cases of the flu. Supposedly, cornerback Aaron Ross blew chunks all over the plane as the Giants were boarding, and the flight was delayed an hour so cleaning crews could, um, get rid of the mess. They should immediately give those employees free tickets to the game.

Elsewhere, in the will-they-ever-learn department, Giants all-world WR Plaxico Burress predicted a 23-17 New York victory on Sunday. Too bad he doesn't play defense, so Brady can rain bombs over his skull like he did with Steeler CB Anthony Smith. Predictions and guarantees are just plain stupid. Think Tom Coughlin will be talking to his loquacious receiver today?

Only two Patriots have played in all five of the team's Super Bowl appearances: Tedy Bruschi and Troy Brown. Nine Pats have played in four SB's.

Finally, on a lighter note, my daughter's kindergarten class is having a Patriots Day at school on Friday, so being the dutiful Dad, I'm hunting for a Pats jersey for her to wear to school. When I asked her if she wanted a player's jersey, she quickly responded: Der, Dad, Tom Brady... she's 5.

Unleash the Hype

Finally, the national press is starting to come around to the notion that this two-week break thing really hurts the Giants' momentum. I've said all along that this team is on an incredible roll - ala the 2001 Super Bowl champ Patriots - and unlike that Pats team, the Giants have to take a week off and then rev up the engine again. In 2001, remember (actually, February 2002), it was only a one-week break between the championship games and the Super Bowl due to scheduling changes from the September 11 tragedy, and the Patriots just kept humming along. I'm not saying it's the sole factor why the Pats will win, but I do think it's a worthy one. Sports Illustrated's Don Banks - who makes a good case for why the Pats will go 19-0 - agrees.

Speaking of SI, which is a sad skeleton of what it once was back in the day, the increasingly irrelevant Dr. Z made his Super Bowl pick last week and went with the Giants in an upset. First of all, having Eli Manning on the cover of SI with Dr. Z's latest prediction should put smiles on all Pats' fans faces. What's not mentioned is that Dr. Z took every chance he could this year to rub it in Belichick's face about the camera thing, even though it became clear as the year went on that it was a stupid, minor infraction that many coaches commit. Just another media member with an axe to grind.

Speaking of Eli, I truly think his carriage turns back into a pumpkin next Sunday. I fully respect what he's done, and I think he may get to a few more Super Bowls, but the lights will be shining bright for this one and he's never been under that kind of glare before. Nothing - absolutely nothing - he's encountered in New York is even close. That said, it is pretty amazing to think that two brothers will be the starting QB in two consecutive Super Bowls. Not too bad, Archie. And mom, of course. But where were you when they agreed to do that ridiculously queer Oreo-licking commercial?

I understand that Junior Seau is the motivational speaker in the Pats' locker room, but he really shouldn't be allowed near a microphone. He led the fans in some sort of chant today at the Pats' Gillette Stadium send-off, and it was, ah, a little awkward.

All eyes were on Tom Brady at the send-off. He showed up looking like his typical GQ self, without the ankle boot. He looked like he was walking okay. No worries whatsoever.

I'm starting to think that Bob Kraft just sounds like he's always drunk.

Chuck Klosterman's a talented writer, but he lost me on this one... huh?

Have I mentioned how much I absolutely looove the NFL Network? Saw little highlight packages of all the Super Bowls over the past couple of days, and earlier today, they replayed the Pats-Giants season finale in its entirety. The kick return for a TD by the Giants was an anomaly, and the Brady to Moss recordbreaking pass gave me goosebumps all over again. I love how Brady went right back to Moss after he had underthrown him on the prior play. And the image of his o-linemen jumping around with Brady was pretty cool.

I know this is always a week of big hype, but something tells me this is going to be bigger than ever before. History is on the line, after all, and it's Boston vs. New York once again.

Wouldn't you love to have been a fly on the wall when Belichick was reviewing the film from the Giants' game, and formulating his strategy for the second time around? One thing's for sure - they're going to attack the weakass Giants secondary again and again.

As we do each year around this time, it's only fitting that we give thanks to Mo Lewis.

Check back for daily updates during what promises to be a fun week around here. Time for me to go see what's on the NFL Network. Hey, it's been a few hours... I'm getting twitchy.

Where's No. 12?

So this is what it's come to. The Patriots got back to practice on Thursday, and their tabloid star QB was nowhere to be found. So what's an enterprising photographer to do? Why, take a photo of the pants and sneakers lying in front of Tom Brady's locker, of course. Un. Bee. Leevable.

We've got eight and a half days to go until Super Bowl 42 (I'm boycotting the Roman numerals) and the hype machine is already in overdrive. It's gonna be one hell of a fun week. And no, we're not going to see Matt Cassel or Matt Gutierrez on the field anytime soon. They'll put Brady's uniform pants and cleats out there before that happens.

Lots of talk this week about how this game is interesting because the Pats and Giants played each other less than a month ago. Probably helps both teams a little bit in terms of prep time, but one thing to remember: the Patriots played that game without the starting right side of their offensive line, as both Stephen Neal and Nick Kaczur were both out. On the flip side, one of the most impressive Giants in the postseason - backup RB Ahmad Bradshaw - didn't see much action. One thing no one seems to be asking - what does the 2-week break do to the Giants' momentum?

Also kinda cool that both Belichick and Tom Coughlin grew up together on Bill Parcells' staff in New York in the mid-1980s. At least we know there'll be a heartfelt handshake at the end of the game, regardless of who wins.

I must admit - after initially hoping for a Pats-Packers SB, I'm liking the fact that we can continue to assert our sporting dominance this decade at the expense of another New York team.

Das Boot

The tabloids and the airwaves are all atwitter over the fact that Tom Brady was spotted in NYC yesterday wearing a walking cast on his foot. The hooded, bespectacled one was seen getting out of a Cadillac Escalade in front of Giselle's $15M apartment with a bouquet of flowers and a duffel bag. He had a couple of other pals helping him carry the rest of his bags. While it's true that he was noticeably limping, he was carrying stuff up a flight of stairs, and reports said that he was out on the town last night having a good time. So I doubt it's anything serious. I do remember him falling kind of awkwardly on a play towards the end of the game, so maybe that's what did it. Either way, he's got 2 weeks to feel better so I'm not concerned. Of course, that ain't gonna stop the speculatin'. People are just dying for some sort of negative to derail this train.

If you're interested, you can see the Brady/Zapruder film here.

Faulkaroney, the Arizona Treat

After some anxious moments, mostly due to a surprisingly subpar Tom Brady performance, the Patriots took control behind their two running backs and secured themselves a date in the desert in 2 weeks for Super Bowl 42. Final score: Pats 21, LT-less Chargers 12.

Until Brady hit Wes Welker with the winning touchdown on a short slant, it was very much a nailbiter. Brady had been picked off three times (he was picked 8 times all year long), but the Pats still led because of their outstanding red-zone defense. San Diego drove the ball fairly well all day (credit goes to Philip Rivers, playing on a torn ACL) but in the end - with their all-world running back on the sidelines - the Chargers couldn't find paydirt all day long.

Ironically, the star of the game was the running back on the Patriots - the two-headed monster known as Faulkaroney. Kevin Faulk - easily the unsung hero on this historic squad - made big catch after big catch (some on bad throws from Brady), and Maroney's hard-running ways showed up in the second half. Faulk finished the game with 8 grabs for 82 yards, and Maroney rushed for 122.

Their opponent on February 3 in Glendale, Arizona, will be...

The New York Football Giants, who sent Brett Favre and the Packers fishing for the offseason. Great, great football game to watch, and the better team won as Lawrence Tynes connected on a 47-yard FG in overtime in the bitter cold of Lambeau Field. Giants win 23-20, setting up a rematch of that tremendous Week 17 game.

Now comes the hard part. Waiting for two weeks. Beats the hell out of the alternative though, right Charger and Packer fans? There is nothing like having your horse in the Big Game. Early line: Pats by 14.

Catching Up

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. Not much going on in the world of sports so I've been laying low.

Not much, unless you count the Pats getting ready to play San Diego in the AFC Championship game, the Packers hosting the upstart Giants at Lambeau in the NFC game, Randy Moss and ConsensualhorseplayGate, and Roger Clemens hiring Bill Clinton's impeachment lawyer to help defend himself against steroid charges. Pretty hum-drum.

I'm going with the favored Patriots (-14) and Packers (-7) this weekend, but what scares me a little bit is that every single "expert" in the land is going with the favorites. It's definitely the most compelling matchup of all the possible scenarios, for the obvious reasons (Brady vs. Favre) and it would be nice to get a little revenge for the Pats' Super Bowl loss to Green Bay. I still have Desmond Howard nightmares.

Anyway, I'm going with Patriots 37, Chargers 20. This team has literally dealt with major distractions from day one, and they're friggin' 17-0. They handle it by simply winning. And they'll continue this weekend. Of course, the big story line for the Chargers is the health status of their Big Three on offense: LT, Philip Rivers, and Antonio Gates. Word came down tonight that Rivers - one of the biggest jackasses in football - has a partial ACL tear and is a game-time decision. I really hope he plays because I want to see him on his derriere as much as possible. Mouth. This guy talks on the field like he's won multiple championships. Shut up and play, pussy boy.

Man, not sure where that came from. As for LT and Gates, LT has a minor knee issue and will be in there and Gates has a problematic toe.

In Green Bay - and by the way, was the snow last week not the best thing ever in big-screen HD? Felt like I was in the middle of a damn snow globe - it's going to be Packers 23, Giants 17. I truly believe the Giants give the Pack a game, but in the end Eli makes a mistake or two with the bird-hawking Packers' secondary and Green Bay heads to the desert.

The Coaching Carousel, and Some Weekend Picks

Just after the news came out on Thursday that Bill Belichick had won the AP's Coach of the Year award, another news item came on about a high-profile assistant coach going to a new team. It got me to thinking about one of the more undertalked-about aspects of a thoroughly overanalyzed coach - which is Belichick's ability to identify young, talented coaches and coordinators, and groom them into potential head coaches. We've all heard about the Bill Walsh coaching tree, and we know about the Bill Parcells coaching tree. Belichick is now branching off on his own, with coaching prodigies like Eric Mangini and Josh McDaniels developing under his wing. It's all about who you hire, and Walsh, Parcells, and Belichick all know exactly what they're looking for. That's why it will be fascinating to see what Parcells does in Miami. He's already got his sights set on Tony Sparano (that's not a typo) - the defensive coordinator of the Cowboys - to be his head coach, and reports say the two are actually meeting today to discuss the job.

In terms of coaching arrivals and departures, you knew Cam Cameron was walking the plank as soon as Tuna chum Chris Mortensen broke the news that Parcells was heading to the Dolphins. Poor Cameron. He was literally given Lemons and was asked to make lemonade. Parcells' second order of business - after securing a head coach - is to find a quarterback. Oh, how different things would be in South Beach if Nick Saban had pushed for Drew Brees over Daunte Culpepper when both were free agents.

The Baltimore Ravens also fired Brian Billick earlier this week. Oh, how things might have been different if Rex Ryan hadn't called that timeout, and if Bart Scott didn't have a complete meltdown.

McDaniels had been mentioned as a candidate in both Atlanta and Baltimore, but he came out with a statement this week saying he was pulling his name out of the hat for consideration for any other job and focusing on the task at hand. Whether BB counseled this move or not, it's a wise one. McDaniels is obviously talented, but he's young (31) and no doubt knows he could use a little more seasoning before taking the inevitable step up.

There had been some debate over whether Belichick would win Coach of the Year due to the team's videotaping transgression in Week 1, but in the end, the AP writers did the right thing. 16-0 is a monumental achievement, and as Tom E. Curran from MSNBC articulately put it: I don't want to pick up a sports almanac 20 years from now, see 2007, see the 16-0, and then see that some other coach won the award. We'll see which way UPI goes, but of course none of it matters a lick to the subject himself.

Other than that, January 12th - the date of the first Pats playoff game - can't come soon enough. In the meantime, we've got Wild Card weekend to sit back and enjoy. Three of the games, in my humble opinion, could go either way - while the other should be an easy win for the favorite. Some thoroughly from-the-gut picks:

Seattle 27, Washington 20 - I will never put a dime on the Seahawks for as long as I breathe air (long story), and the 'Skins are the sentimental favorites, but I just think Hasselbeck, Alexander, and the raucous Seattle crowd prove too much for them. Sorry to be a party-pooper.

Jacksonville 24, Pittsburgh 21- Everyone loves the Jaguars, which is always a scary thing, but add me to the bandwagon. I think this team is ready to make the next step, even if it means winning two big games in the span of a month at Heinz Field. This should be pretty entertaining, and for Pats fans we get a chance to watch our likely opponent next week close up. Garrard and the RB's get it done for Jacksonville.

Tampa Bay 21, NY Giants 16 - I give Tom Coughlin a ton of credit for keeping his foot on the accelerator Saturday night against the Patriots. But once the game got into crunch time, and the Pats unleashed their defense on Eli, it was a different story. I'm thinking a fresh Bucs D makes some big plays to help them get to the next round, and Garcia & Co. make just enough plays on offense.

San Diego 30, Tenneessee 20 - I admire the Titans' overall pugnacity - led by feisty, underrated coach Jeff FisherThe Titans and underrated coach Jeff Fisher. I just think the Chargers and LT will emerge victorious from a vicious junkyard battle.

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.