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.

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.