Wow

Posted by Mike Giardi August 12, 2008 (2 weeks ago) at 2:51 pm

During his first of weekly appearances on WEEI, Pats Head Coach Bill Belichick said that first-round pick Jerod Mayo has “picked up the system faster than any rookie linebacker he’s ever had.” That includes a couple of guys you may have heard of: Lawrence Taylor and Carl Banks.

 

An Open Letter

Posted by Randolph Charlotin July 23, 2008 (5 weeks ago) at 11:58 pm

Dear Rookies,

 

Welcome to the NFL, the greatest pro league in North America despite the fact there isn’t a franchise outside of the United States (For now. We’ll see about Buffalo). To the draftees and rookie free agents, you are now a part of the New England Patriots, the premiere franchise in the league and the team of the decade. Appreciate the fact you are on one of the few teams with a legitimate chance to advance in the playoffs and win it all. There are a lot of guys that envy your position.

 

Congratulations on your new contract, valued at more money you have seen in your life. Heck, a couple of you guys became instant millionaires.

 

Now it’s time to earn that money. Unlike the other pro leagues, your contract isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. The only guaranteed money is the signing bonus. The base salary is paid out every two weeks over the course of the 17-week season. You have to make the team for the full season to get all that money.

 

The good news is, for some of you at least, you will have a chance to cash out. The linebacker and corner back depth took a hit in the off-season. There are opportunities to earn significant playing time, if not become a starter.

 

First let’s look at the linebacker position. OLB Rosevelt Colvin is no longer on the team and ILB Junior Seau’s plans are unknown. Does he retire for good or will he play another season after getting so close to the ring that eluded him throughout his 18-year career?

 

Don’t wait for Seau to make up his mind. He’s old. It probably takes him longer to do than nowadays. Talking about age, look at the remaining starters: Tedy Bruschi is 35 while both Mike Vrabel (32) and Adalius Thomas (30) add one to their respective age in August. There’s one starting job open for now, but in a few years, the veterans will step aside.

 

If you can’t supplant a starter, try to be their back-up. You might be able to leapfrog Eric Alexander or Pierre Woods. It doesn’t matter that you weren’t drafted like Jerod Mayo, Shawn Crable, or Bo Ruud. That doesn’t mean a Gary Guyton or Vince Redd can’t make the team.

 

Similar opportunities are available in the secondary. Three defensive backs (CBs Asante Samuel and Randall Gay, FS Eugene Wilson) left as free agents. The team is down a starter and the top reserve. There’s also a question mark regarding a returning starter. CB Ellis Hobbs was hobbled by a hernia and a torn labrum in his shoulder. He needed surgery to repair the damage. Is he 100 percent right now? If not, that’s more repetitions to show you deserve to play.

 

And while it’s a competition, don’t be afraid to pick the brains of the veteran free agents. Fernando Bryant, Jason Webster, and Lewis Sanders can teach Terrence Wheatley and Jonathan Wilhite a lot about technique and a few secrets on how to play corner in this league.

 

Anyone, if you want to improve your chances of sticking with this team, here’s a tip: be very versatile. Head coach Bill Belichick loves a athlete who can play more than one position. Don’t think he drafted Matt Slater just for his receiving skills. Already Slater played safety, returned kickoffs and punts during minicamp. Belichick might not be done with him.

 

So if you’re asked to play out of position, don’t hesitate. DT Richard Seymour played fullback in goalline situations in the past, and Vrabel caught eight TDs as a tight end for the Pats. Whether it’s switching from offense to defense or special teams, go do it if asked. I fully expect athletic quarterback Kevin O’Connell to take time from becoming the third string passer to play with the coverage unit.

 

The rest is up to you. The basics are universal: work hard, study hard, go all out, and all that good stuff. On a championship-caliber team, roster spots are few and far between. That’s why out of nine draft picks in 2007, only one, safety Brandon Merriweather, made the active roster.

 

Now someone do me a favor and make sure Mayo reads this after he signs his contract and reports to training camp.

 

Read more at http://www.newenglandpatriotsnews.com/randolphc/weblog/

Super 7

Posted by Mike Giardi April 29, 2008 at 2:25 pm

Just getting ready to head off to Celtics practice. This should be interesting. To the “Super 7.”

1) All this talk about possible suspensions, and I neglected to mention two things that I found annoying and concerning about the Green team. Both revolve around Paul Pierce. Didn’t he learn his lesson from that Indiana playoff meltdown a few seasons ago? He went over the top in Game’s 3 loss. I won’t speculate on the nature of his gesture. Only Paul really knows what he was doing there. But bottom line is, he let his emotion get the best of him, and it didn’t help matters.

As for the other Pierce related issue, the man’s back is bothering him. He rarely attacked the basket, and that is a sure sign. That certainly complicates matters as we head into tomorrow’s Game 5.

2) Who knows how well Jerod Maro and Shawn Crable adapt to pro ball and to the complicated Bill Belichick defensive system, but the one thing that really stands out to me, is that both were incredibly productive collegiate players at elite schools. I hate combine warriors, so I think these two get a moderate thumbs up. I can’t give ‘em any better than that in April.

3) I wonder if we’re seeing the end of Mike Timlin. His numbers are frightening at this point, but then again, didn’t we feel that way last year? And the year before? If history has taught us anything with this guy, is that he is awfully resilient. Can he still be that way at 42? If he can’t, Craig Hansen will get another crack, and probably sooner than later.

4) Imagine how the San Francisco Giants feel right now? Barry Zito and his 126-million dollar deal to the bullpen. That signing was dicey at the time, and now it looks like it could be one of the worst in baseball history, rivaling Mike Hampton, Kevin Brown, Darren Dreifort and Denny Neagle.

5) I would appreciate Doc Rivers giving James Posey a chance to guard Joe Johnson.

6)  I think Matt Ryan can have success in Atlanta, but only if the franchise has hired the right coach. If Mike Smith is a mistake, then Ryan will have to start from scratch. That’s the QB killer. Ryan also goes into a situation where his receivers aren’t even average, and cut their best target, tight end Alge Crumpler. Actually, Matty Ice is used to that. He played with a suspect group at BC.

7) Mike Jordan hiring the ancient Larry Brown to coach his Bobcats. Jordan was a great player. Maybe the best of all-time. But he’s been no more of a success in his next career as Isiah Thomas has, and Ike gets killed for it.

Patriots draft LB Mayo from Tennessee with 10th pick

Posted by Howard Ulman, AP Sports Writer April 26, 2008 at 9:52 pm Jerod Mayo figures his immediate impact will be limited on a Patriots team that came within one minute of an unbeaten season.

Patriots select Jerod Mayo

Posted by Randolph Charlotin April 26, 2008 at 5:50 pm

The Patriots did as expected and traded down with New Orleans, taking a short drop from seventh to 10th. And with that pick New England selected Tennessee linebacker Jerod Mayo (the link takes you to his nfl.com profile). This is a great pick and a good trade because they upgraded a fifth round pick into a third round pick, giving the Pats three picks in the third round.

I was wrong on the player as I thought N.E. would take USC’s Keith Rivers if the Patriots didn’t trade down. As it turned out, he was selected by Cincinnati ninth overall, one pick before New England’s new draft position. But I did get the position right. New England couldn’t go wrong with either player. I’m very happy with the Jerod Mayo pick.

Extra Mayo!

Posted by escalavino April 26, 2008 at 4:16 pm A

Mock Draft 3.0

Posted by Randolph Charlotin April 24, 2008 at 12:05 am

If you’re scratching your head, asking, “3.0? What about a first edition?” I can understand. My previous two mocks were posted on my personal blog (I’ll leave a link behind if you’re curious).

I’ll keep it simple for now. Picks 1-31 are listed below with a short explanation:

1. Miami Dolphins – OT Jake Long, Michigan
The ‘Fins opt for an O-line anchor for the next decade

2. St. Louis Rams – DE Chris Long, Virginia
This pick doesn’t change because 33-year-old DE Leonard Little started seven games and had just one of the team’s 31 sacks

3. Atlanta Falcons – DT Glenn Dorsey, LSU
Don’t like Matt Ryan this early. Will draft a QB later

4. Oakland Raiders – DE Vernon Gholston, Ohio State
Sacks look cooler than stopping the run

5. Kansas City Chiefs– QB Matt Ryan, Boston College
KC takes the best player available, unless the right trade offer comes along

6. New York Jets – RB Darren McFadden, Arkansas
Incumbent RB Thomas Jones hits the magical age of 30 in August. Time to get his replacement

7. New England Patriots – LB Keith Rivers, USC
He can play inside or outside and the Patriots love versatile players

8. Baltimore Ravens – CB Mike Jenkins, South Florida
He’s a notch below the top rated corner, but has the size the Ravens prefer

9. Cincinnati Bengals – DT Sedrick Ellis, USC
If the Bengals do convert to a 3-4, Ellis should be able to handle playing DE

10. New Orleans Saints – CB Leodis McKelvin, Troy State
The secondary really needs reinforcements.

11. Buffalo Bills – WR Devin Thomas, Michigan State
The Bills love one-year wonders. Remember QB Rob Johnson?

12. Denver Broncos – OT Ryan Clady, Boise State
The retirement of Matt Lepsis means Denver needs an eventual starter for the O-line

13. Carolina Panthers – DE Derrick Harvey, Florida
23 sacks as a team last year and Mike Rucker just hung up his cleats

14. Chicago Bears – RB Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois
They made a mistake with RB Cedric Benson. Hopefully this would fix the error

15. Detroit Lions – OG Branden Alberts, Virginia
A running back would be nice, but one won’t go far without holes to run through

16. Arizona Cardinals – CB Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, Tennessee State
He would be the third young corner added to a budding secondary

17. Kansas City Chiefs – DE Calais Campbell, Miami
So basically KC trades a guy who averaged almost eleven sacks a season for an unknown commodity. They better be right

18. Houston Texans – DE Phillip Merling, Clemson
Could be the final piece of a young and hungry defensive line

19. Philadelphia Eagles – OT Jeff Otah, Pittsburgh
Bookend tackles Jon Runyan and William Thomas are wearing out

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – WR Malcom Kelly, Oklahoma
There will be a two-to-one receiver-to-QB ratio during training camp

21. Washington Redskins – WR Limas Sweed, Texas
Using this pick to trade for a productive receiver hasn’t worked so they draft one

22. Dallas Cowboys – RB Felix Jones, Arkansas
If CB Adam Jones is reinstated, it clears the path to draft a different Jones

23. Pittsburgh Steelers – LB Jerod Mayo, Tennessee
12-year veteran ILB James Farrior gets an understudy to mold into his replacement

24. Tennessee Titans – DE Lawrence Jackson, USC
There would be no pass rush unless they add players that can get to the QB

25. Seattle Seahawks – WR James Hardy, Indiana
He’s a big target that can be groomed by 13-year vet Bobby Engram, who’s time is running out

26. Jacksonville Jaguars – RB Jonathan Stewart, Oregon
The Jags get an early jump to find Fred Taylor’s successor

27. San Diego Chargers –CB Aquib Talib, Kansas
The combined wingspan on this secondary would cover the field

28. Dallas Cowboys – S Kenny Phillips, Miami
He won’t be a liability in pass coverage like Roy Williams

29. San Francisco 49ers – LB Quentin Groves, Auburn
Minor heart surgery won’t deter the Niners from nabbing the fast pass rusher

30. Green Bay Packers – CB Brandon Flowers, Virginia Tech
Both Charles Woodson and Al Harris are getting up in age

31. New York Giants – LB Curtis Lofton, Oklahoma
The Mathias Kiwanuka as a LB experiment comes to an end

http://www.newenglandpatriotsnews.com/randolphc/weblog/1284.html

Masterson to start tomorrow

Posted by Extra Bases April 23, 2008 at 11:38 pm

Justin Masterson will be brought up from Double A Portland to start tomorrow's game, since Jon Lester made tonight's emergency start.

Celtics beat Hawks 96-77 to go up 2-0 in series

Posted by Boston.com -- Boston Celtics news April 23, 2008 at 11:00 pm Kevin Garnett had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Rajon Rondo added 12 points, eight assists and six rebounds to lead Boston to a 96-77 victory over Atlanta on Wednesday night and a 2-0 lead in the first-round series.