well it's been a while

Here we are, it's the lull before the superbowl and as a Patriots fan I'm a tad impatient. It's not that I want the game to get started, I'm tired of the over hype. I understand that the Patsies are undefeated, but jeeez, calm down already. It used to be that folks were more concerned with the State of the Union address than something like this, but then we are a shallow people aren't we?

It seems that more folks are hopping on the Giants "underdog" bandwagon (ESPN devoted way too much time to "breaking down" the way the Giants can win. Of all people, Emitt Smith (I wish I could like the man, I just don't) is stating that a Patriots will win (oh no, a kiss of death).

As for the other teams that reside north of the Connecticut border, there's been a interesting spark of success. The Celtics own the best record in basketball (something I haven't seen in over 20 years) and my Bruins are actually several games over .500 (but please, for God sakes, CAN YOU BEAT THE EFFING CANADIENS?????!!).

Being from Boston and seeing how the success of Boston teams this year (Red Sox wining the World Series, the Patriots poised to win a fourth Super Bowl, the Celtics being the only team with fewer than 10 losses, the Bruins in the playoff hunt, BC football having its first 10 win season) so many folks are pissing on Boston. It's strange, I mean, coming from Boston one is usually bitter and pissy about almost every other place, now the tables have turned, how did this happen? I'm not unhappy about it, just a bit bewildered. I mean, I watched my Red Sox win not one, but TWO world series in my lifetime. My Grandmother who passed away in 1986 is the only other person who saw the Red Sox win more than one championship. I grew up watching Bobby Orr score against St. Louis, and then Havelchek, and then Cowens, and the big three (Bird, McHale, Parrish) win as well. The Patriots barely registered (nor did the Eagles for that matter until a little guy from Natick won the Heisman and showed that Massholes can play something other than bitching-n-moaning). Now the riches of being a Boston sports fan is, well, overwhelming. I don't need to buy a Patriots hat or jersey, every friggin' cheeseball's done that for me.

Back to Super Sunday - I'm more than a little disappointed that I have to listen to Joe Buck for another championship (I muted the World Series for the most part so I didn't have to listen to that idiot McCarver). I don't mind Troy Aikman, though his Okie plainsian accent grates my east coast snobbish ears, but Joe Buck tires me out. He seems to be sleepwalking at times. I like Nance and Simms, his drawl is more sing-song and easier on my otic aesthetics. No Madden this year (phew!), and for goodness sakes, no Gumbels either (amen and amen). I miss Dick Enberg with his "Oh My!", he's great, one of the best play by play I've ever heard.

So predictions? From me? Nope, I'm just hoping that history is made by the team that used to play in a Jr. High stadium named Schaefer (shyte beer btw). I've never been to Gillette stadium, is the parking better than it was with the old stadium?

Steroids and other stuff

Well, the report is out. Gawhge Mitchell gave his press conference yesterday. I was laughing at parts because his Maine accent was coming out with "pahrhaps". Killed me. Steroids - it's hardly surprising that folks used steroids to get ahead. Athletes are always looking for an edge (coaches are doing that as well, but using video tape). What's kinda confusing is that names were put out there and put athletes in the position of answering the no-win question like "so, when did you stop beating your wife?"

It is disappointing that Roger Clemens name was part of this sordid tale. It is, however, a very plausible explanation of how he became better AFTER leaving the Red Sox and got HUGE in Toronto. The baseball writers and players on ESPN and FSN were pooh poohing this trainer's word, pointing out that he gave this information out because he was going down. The double standard is bogus. Love or hate Barry Bonds (I can't stand the man, he's a prick to fans), he get's the worst of the bile and it turns out the pitching counterpart to the best hitter in the past 25 years used 'roids, supposedly.

On to college football. People, mainly couch potato fans who never played football beyond flag football in gym class, are complaining about the season and how there needs to be a playoff. BULLSHYTE! College football doesn't NEED a playoff, only the pundits who claim that stuff. There is not one good reason to have a playoff for D1 football - the only reason? BETTING. There is too much money right now in the bowl system as it is and to introduce a playoff system under the current bowl scenario would extend the season beyond the superbowl, possibly. There is not any reason for a playoff. The other football divisions have a playoff, but the tradition of bowls for DI goes back before there was ever a playoff system in college. Sorry, for those football fans who are dim (which means most of them), keep the bowl system as it is.

When Hockey was more interesting

So, in the course of my chronic insomnia I was watching the NHL channel and I caught the 1979 Stanley Cup semi-finals between Boston and Montreal. Game went down to the wire but I was struck by how very cool hockey was back then (especially with Don Cherry behind the bench for my B's). Peter McNab, Rick Middleton, Terry O'Reilly, Mike Milbury, etc etc etc. Great teams and almost all of them played without a helmet (wasn't until the early 80's where the helmet rules were put in place). As a post-collegiate lacrosse player who played with a ton of hockey players, we had more to talk about then just lax.

I live in DC, but there are times when I really miss this time of year in Boston. High School hockey is in the first part of their season, college hockey is up and running, and the early morning trips to the rink with dad are the true causes of morning traffic on a Saturday morning. The greatest hockey tournament comes in February with the Beanpot featuring the four universities in Boston. Harvard, BU, BC, and Northeastern hit the ice the first two mondays in February and the winner gets bragging rights for a whole year. In Boston (prior to the Red Sox and the Patriots winning, bragging and Boston weren't very friendly) having bragging rights is huge, huge. The winner of the tournament almost always makes the D1 tourney (most of the time the winner makes it to the Frozen Four). I miss hockey, good hockey. You just don't get it down here in DC and most folks treat it as a small amusement. Hockey is a great sport, with sick hits and amazing athletes, and it's a blast to watch.

Some folks are just, well, haters

Well, it's another Monday and the Patriots are 13-0, undefeated in other words. They have played stunning football at times and pedestrian at other times. Yet, they are unbeaten. Listening here in DC, the Junkies are trying to speculate who could beat the Patriots. Strange how folks seem to think that the Patriots can be beaten by "scoring a lot of points." There is only two ways the Patriots are beatable - turnovers and injuries. The Ravens game was the closest to a loss that came out a win since Nebraska came back to beat Missouri back in the late 90's.

In watching the Patriots yesterday I was struck by the sheer brilliance that the Patriots have on offense in the passing game. Having four athletic receivers and solid tight ends who can catch (for the most part, Watson seems to cough up some easy ones) and then having Faulk run a hitch/screen out of the backfield makes defenses weary.

I was fortunate that I was able to watch the game since it was my youngest son's 4th birthday but I also had some evacuation situations to handle to I was downstairs in and out of the bathroom while my in-laws/wife/friends/kids were upstairs making a racket. It was great to watch that trick play, double lateral, and burn that big mouth safety from Pittsburgh.

Why Redskins fans are homers

Far be it for me to call most other fans homers but Redskins fans are really weird. I do NOT understand how they think that the Redskins are a good team or that the team "has all the pieces". Listening to the Junkies this morning and I'm struck by how dense these folks are. A lot of complainers have balanced things out, but with both daily newspapers spending 11 PAGES! to the Redskins, this is HOMERVILLE!

I love living down here - the weather is better than it was in Boston where I grew up, folks don't cut you off every 10 feet, but it's just plain STUPID how the Redskins are WORSHIPPED here. Every Redskins game gets FRONTPAGE coverage on the Washington Post - what in the world is that about? The Redskins deserve FRONTPAGE coverage when they suck? I understand with Sean Taylor getting killed last week, that's different and I understand how that would be of high interest. However, EVERY GAME other than yesterday deserve front page coverage? When most of the coverage is such homer junk?

I find that sports journalists are less journalists and more knuckleheads. I've yet to see a good columnist who actually KNOWS the sport they're covering, ALSO, how about actually PLAYED the sport or ANY sport for that matter. I'm convinced that most sports writers aren't very intelligent, they're just overpaid fans who'd sacrifice their first born to talk to __________ __________ (fill in the blanks for your favorite sports personage).

I understand that folks love sports, but please, could we please, please, stop being homers? Painting one's body or wearing "gear" ALL WEEK LONG. Sorry, but getting a letterman jacket of your favorite sports team is just dumb. I have a fleece and three hats of my beloved Red Sox, THAT'S IT! I'm a huge Sox fan but I'm not getting matching sweat suits or getting a whole mug set. That's for the Jimmy Fallons out there, the "superfans" who are just homers. Be a fan, but don't spend your extra cash on "your team's" stuff.

Redskins fans, Steelers fans, and Cowboys fans here in DC are the most ridiculous human beings I've ever seen. My word, flags, vanity plates for the car, flags on the car, coloring your car with your team's colors, and all that nonsense is just dumb. You're not a person any more, you are a headless sheep.

death and stupidity

Sad day for Redskins fans today. One of their "star" safeties was murdered yesterday by a home invasion. Fortunately, his baby and girlfriend were spared (they were in the house with him). I have no feeling either way other than it's awful to have happened and my prayers are for his family and friends who have to pick up the pieces from this nastiness.

I find it strange that a lot of folks are jumping in either to cut down Sean Taylor or give him a medal. It's a big story, given the almost god-like status that the Redskins get in this town (I've lived here for 15 years in DC and I still find the Redskins mania to be utter nonsense). What's unfortunate is that it's going to get constant coverage, I mean, it's going to get over-played, over-discussed and dissected, and worn out fast.

The guy was injured, something with his knee, and he was shot by someone in his own home in Miami. He had a reputation for "bad behavoir", yet he was cleared of wrong-doing but folks don't believe if they don't want to. Strange how the media/press get bent if they can't get on the story or if someone stiffs them because of something or other.

It's always a downer when someone young gets killed - it would do to consider that there are bad people, and that not everyone who is considered to be bad is actually bad, ESPECIALLY because of their skin color. Best wishes and prayers to Sean Taylor's family and friends and the Redskins organization.

some folks just don't seem to get the idea

Well, the Patriots survived this past Sunday against the eggles, squeaking out a win. Philly definitely came to play but they seemed more inclined to take the game as a proving point, not as a win. Feeley's three picks showed that they were the ones pressing, not the Patriots. I noticed that the Patriots did not turn the ball over at all, Philly gave up three chances, all of them critical. With a chance to win the eggles couldn't do it. Philly made it a game, but they weren't going to win. One of the local talk show radio hosts made the claim "Philly had that game, they only lost because of Feeley's interception". Okay, so how come they were behind at the time of the 2nd interception? Were they winning? Strange how facts kinda change perspective.

The folks on ESPN show just how dumb they really are. Last night fatboy Berman tried to suggest that the rest of the league now have a "blue print" and now there's "hope" for the rest of the league against the Patsies. PULLLEEEEZE - Rodney Harrison stated it best "We had a bad day but we got it together when it mattered." Strange, a player has a better idea of what's going on then 100% of all of the knuckleheads on TV and Radio. Amazing how guys blah blah blah blah when a lot of them NEVER PLAYED. That's the problem with ESPN and sports radio, most folks have zippy idea of what is actually going on in the game and with players. Some guys, former players, are super - I like TJ on ESPN, unfortunately, he's drowned out by the other former players who are h-o-r-r-i-b-l-e on the show with him.