Fantasy Football Class

Posted by Adam Hart November 26, 2008 (2 weeks ago) at 7:37 am

Yes! Schools are finally teaching children something useful — how to succeed in fantasy football. But I think they should steer clear of the Jesus references. Separation of church and state, after all. Read more

So, About Cassel…

Posted by Adam Hart November 24, 2008 (2 weeks ago) at 5:35 pm

Anybody else remember the preseason? A time when Tom Brady took zero snaps and Matt Cassel made the talk radio lines burn up with anger. Oh, oh! And then remember when nobody wanted him to make the team. Yeah, we were wrong. Read more

Fins Have A Problem

Posted by Mike Giardi November 24, 2008 (2 weeks ago) at 2:26 pm

My fascination with Joey Porter is bordering on an obsession. At least, that’s what the judge is telling me. I guess I’m lucky the Dolphins won’t be back in Foxboro until next fall. Anyway, you may have noticed, late in yesterday’s Pats win, that Porter came unglued. He picked up a pair of penalties on consecutive plays; an unnecessary roughness and an unsportsmanlike conduct.

The TV cameras cut away to a shot of Fins coach Tony Sparano and it appeared as if he was trying to get Porter out of the game. We weren’t mistaken. Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald tried to get to bottom of the story, only Porter wasn’t talking.

So this is what the Dolphins have:

A linebacker who has a big mouth. A linebacker who has gaudy sack stats and is the team’s only player applying consistent pressure. The defense’s only big-play-maker. The defense’s most unhinged player.

Porter has spent most of the season being way out there with things that have nothing to do with sacking quarterbacks. He has made news for calling out Matt Cassel before the season’s first meeting between the Dolphins and Pats. He ripped a referee. He ripped Matt Jones and the league’s handling of his situation. He said he would like to have Michael Vick on the Dolphins and said people critical of Vick for killing dogs were somewhat hypocritical because the dogs slain were pitbulls and those folks don’t like pitbulls, anyway.

On ESPN Sunday, Porter said Bill Belichick is a cheater who has stolen two championships from Porter because the Pats beat the Steelers two times in the playoffs in the years the Patriots were allegedly cheating.

None of that really bothers me. It’s just noise.

But Sunday’s refusal to do what Sparano ordered is a problem. Joey Porter crossed the line. And it’s not the first time it happens with a rookie head coach as Porter crossed the line several times with Cam Cameron last year.

So what should Sparano do with and to Porter?

Fine him? Suspend him? Ignore him? It will be interesting as most things involving Joey Porter are. It will be interesting because it is Sparano’s first test of his will over the will of a star player.

That’s the price you pay, when you allow a player to go completely unchecked. Its the challenge of having a gifted athlete who just doesn’t get it. Or maybe has never been made to get it. Belichick and the Pats have kept players like that in check, guys like Corey Dillon. But eventually, there comes a tipping point. Dillon’s was simple: he couldn’t run like he used to. But what will Porter’s be? Sparano and Bill Parcells must soon decide.

Get Your Freak On (And No, That’s Not Dirty!)

Posted by Mike Giardi November 23, 2008 (2 weeks ago) at 6:18 pm

If you’ve spent any time watching me on “Sports Late Night,” you know one of my main points about the Pats has been - regardless of who’s the quarterback - that they need to get the ball to their two premier play-makers more. It has been easier to do with Wes Welker than Randy Moss, largely because Wes does his best work out of the slot, usually against inferior third cornerbacks or - heaven forbid, for them - safeties.

But getting Moss the rock has been a huge challenge. There are all sorts of reasons for that, mostly because a) the opposition has been bracketing Moss and refusing to let him beat them down the field and, b) ”The Freak’s” propensity to…how shall we say…sometimes be a reluctant participant. That usually happens when he doesn’t see the ball as frequently as he would like, or because he’s been getting smacked in the mouth. Who likes that?

This afternoon, in the warm sun of South Beach, the Miami Dolphins decided to do something that very few teams have done all season. They tried to cover Moss man versus man. There isn’t a defensive back that can do that on the planet. So what would possess the Fins to think they could get away with it? Sheer stupidity, I guess. Moss ended up catching three touchdown passes, and afterward, had a message for Miami coach Tony Sparano.

The Pats coaching staff gets all sorts of credit here as well, for letting Matt Cassel operate out of the spread from the get-go. I’ve been begging for it, and they now seem to fully trust this kid to run the offense. In doing that, they spaced out the Fins defense, and were able to work favorable matchups against a porous secondary that came into the game ranked 22nd in the National Football League. Also, let’s give a tip of the hat to the offensive line. Earlier this season, they weren’t as bad as the sack stats suggested. Now, they are playing their best football. It couldn’t come at a more opportune time.

Porter Just Can’t Let It Go, Can He?

Posted by Mike Giardi November 23, 2008 (2 weeks ago) at 4:03 pm

Have I mentioned that I am a huge Joey Porter fan? What’s that? I did? When? Oh, right…just a few days ago. Well, let me reiterate that point. The Dolphins linebacker let his gums do the flapping again, in a taped interview with Keyshawn Johnson of ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown. Seems Porter can’t let go of “Spygate.” Who can blame him? If you think you were wronged, why not speak up? It makes my job even more entertaining that it already is.

Here’s the transcript from part of that conversation:

Keyshawn Johnson: “Let’s switch to the New England Patriots game. Is there a big difference in that rivalry of the Miami Dolphins, New England, and Pittsburgh-New England?

Joey Porter: “Yeah, it’s a big difference…but I still got hate from when I was at Pittsburgh.”

Keyshawn: Why?

Porter: Because I got cheated.

Keyshawn: Cheated in what?

Porter: In both of them AFC championship games.

Keyshawn: What did they do?

Porter: Come on, man. They’ve been videotaping for years, man. You cannot sit up there and honestly tell me if it wasn’t working, why was he doing it so much? You’re not going to sit up there and tell me if I’m a quarterback in my headset I know where the blitz is coming. I know where my hots and stuff is at before it happens. I know what play you’re running on defense. All you got to do is be in the right position … just catch the ball.

Keyshawn: So you feel they were cheating. You don’t feel they were just the better team?

Porter: What? No, no, no, no. Two times we could have blown them people out easily. They say, oh, he’s so smart. This is the best brainstorming coach. Yeah, because he’s cheating. He got caught. … If it wasn’t so bad, why did you destroy the tape so fast? … We want to see the tapes. When you get rid of evidence like that, there was something in it they didn’t want everybody to see.

Keyshawn: So you take it personally?

Porter: Maaan… That’s my dynasty. You know what I mean? I could be sitting up here with three rings. This is the way I look at it. I played three AFC Championships — won one, lost two. … Yeah, to me just like they want to put an asterisk on everything else, yeah, I don’t care what they say. They have an asterisk on them. … At the same time, people that played against them on the field, we know. Who they got on that team beside Tom Brady? It’s not like they’ve got a gang of dogs over there. … They have a bunch of all right guys. You know what I mean? Not no just real dogs. They’ve got some beasts on the D line and stuff like that but ….

Keyshawn: You can’t possibly think, three Super Bowls … You think they cheated in every single one of them games?

Porter: Man, I’m going to tell you, I’m taking that to the grave, man. I don’t care what nobody say…

Keyshawn: What about last year? … All the glamour, glitz and glamour, 16-0. You think they were cheating then?

Porter: I don’t know. You know, I don’t know… maybe he found a new way to do it or not to tell you the truth. The boy cold, man. He showed us, he’s cold. The boy cold, man. Hey, the boy cold, man. (laughs) He showed us man, he cold… I don’t trust him…(laughs).

Running Blog: Patriots v Wildcat

Posted by Adam Hart November 23, 2008 (2 weeks ago) at 2:40 pm

You know what it is. It’s a running blog, baby! Won’t you join us? And by us, I mean me. Read more

A Conspiracy Theory on Our Hands

Posted by Adam Hart November 22, 2008 (2 weeks ago) at 3:13 pm

Here’s a hint. It includes the Patriots and the Jets. A camera is involved. But there isn’t any spying. Can you guess what it is? Read more

NFL Picks, Week 12

Posted by Mike Giardi November 22, 2008 (2 weeks ago) at 12:18 pm

Without further adieu, my picks for Week 12 of the National Football League. Hey, we’re only a couple of months from me falling into a deep depression. I hate when football season comes to an end. And I’m already worrying about it. I need to make another visit to my favorite therapist, Dr. Melfi. Hopefully she treats me better than that Soprano guy.

New England at Miami (-1) - I have labored over this pick all week. When pressed for an answer during our weekly contest, “Gimme 5,” I went with the Pats. I don’t feel real good about that. But I submitted my ballot. No changing now. Pats 24-23.

NY Jets at Tennessee (-5 1/2) - No truth to the rumor that I worked out for Tennessee to help fill one of their cornerback spots, but I gotta say, they’re defensive backfield is starting to look like the Pats. Still, I’ve got the Titans in this one, 21-17.

Tampa Bay (-8) at Detroit - I can’t believe I’m going to have to watch the Lions on Thanksgiving. That’s as likely to give me indigestion as eating a pound-and-a-half of stuffing with cranberry sauce. Bucs, 24-10.

Chicago (-8) at St. Louis - What a lousy effort by the Bears last weekend. Gross, really. But they are playing the Rams, who once again will be without “Ironman” Jackson, who is softer than soft serve ice cream on a 90 degree day. Bears, 28-14.

San Francisco at Dallas (-10) - Big win by Dallas last Sunday night, and there’s no reason to expect them not to get on a bit of a roll here, especially when you look at their schedule. Cowboys, 31-17.

Buffalo (-3) at Kansas City - Trent Edwards has morphed from the QB of the future to an absolute bum. Geez, he’s been brutal. J.P. Losman anyone?? (UGH!) Chiefs, 24-17.

Houston at Cleveland (-3) - Bill Cowher is rumored to be the next boss of the Browns. At 8 or 9 million a season, I’d take that job too. Texans, 27-20.

Philadelphia at Baltimore (-1) - Eagles coach Andy Reid is yelling at his team. Great Andy. It comes about two years late. Ravens, 20-17.

Minnesota at Jacksonville (-2 1/2) - Brad Childress comes from the Andy Reid coaching tree. And true to form, he stinks too. Jags, 24-21.

Oakland at Denver (-9) - The AFC West is a lot like the Big East in football. A bunch of non-descript teams who don’t deserve a playoff game (or a bowl game). Broncos, 42-14.

Carolina at Atlanta (-1) - I keep saying no one in this division wins on the road. Yet I keep picking visitors. I guess I’m dumber than you thought. Panthers, 27-21.

Washington (-3 1/2) at Seattle - Seattle’s playing with a little more pluck. But the ‘Skins gotta have this one. Washington, 20-17.

NY Giants (-3) at Arizona - I do not believe in Arizona. Let me say that again: I do not believe in Arizona. Giants, 31-21.

Indianapolis at San Diego (2 1/2) - The Chargers - and the best roster in the NFL - sure don’t play that way. Colts, 28-24.

Green Bay at New Orleans (-2 1/2) - My man Breezy is doing this by himself. Its just not fair. Packers, 31-28.

Where Is Mercury Morris?

Posted by Adam Hart November 22, 2008 (2 weeks ago) at 9:08 am

Troy Brown uses ESPN’s ColdPizzaFirstTake monstrocity to share his feelings on the differences between the 2007 Patriots (18-1) and the 2008 Titans (10-0 and growing). Read more

Unfamiliar Situation

Posted by Chris Collins November 21, 2008 (2 weeks ago) at 5:17 pm

This has been a great string for the home town team. Your New England Patriots have been in somewhat of a judgement month - three straight battles within the division, all with playoff implications. These are the types of games other competitive teams routinely play in November. However, for the Patriots to be one loss away from postseason difficulty, in a game before Turkey day, is foreign territory. The Pats haven’t had this type of game this early in a long long time.

But here they are at the finale of the three game stretch entering Sunday’s dance in south Florida having split the first two ball games. This game serves more than just an entrée into the post season party, but also this thing has to be personal. The way the Pats were embarrassed in week three, this game has taken on more meaning no doubt.

Now if the Patriots are, despite being beaten and battered, the Patriots who I still think they are, Sunday should be their finest showing of the season.

And the speed bump, known as the Miami Dolphins, will just be an object in the rear view mirror on the way to the playoffs.

Page 2 of 21«12345»...Last »