PATS ADVANCE (and Peyton annoys)

Well, it's in the books, and the New England Patriots are still perfect. The Jags came in to Gillette Stadium tonight and gave the Patriots all that they could handle for the majority of the game, but lost the turnover battle and ultimately the game.

Once again Tom Brady was superb in his execution and led his team flawlessly throughout the four quarters of play. For the details check out http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=280112017.

Moving forward from here the Pats will face the winner of tomorrow's match up between the Colts and the Chargers. My money says that we will see the Colts marching into Foxborough next Sunday, but that won't stop me from hoping that it will be the Chargers.

On a completely different subject. Am I the only one who wants to smash Peyton Manning in the face with a shovel every time I see him in a commercial? Can this guy be anymore over exposed? Seriously, doesn't he ever want to just stay home and bang his wife? Listen, the "cut that meat thing" was funny, the "I have you on my fantasy team" thing with the accountants was as well, but let it go already and get back to being what you are, a football player, not an actor. I think that Bruce Dickinson would sum it up like this, "I got a fever and the only prescription is LESS Peyton Manning!

LET'S TALK SOME FOOTBALL

So here we are on the eve of the Patriots taking on the Jacksonville Jaguars and I still can't shake that uneasy feeling. As I stated a few posts back, I don't think the Jags will beat the Pats, but let's talk about how they could.

The Patriots have shown that they can be run on effectively and the Jags have shown that they are quite capable of mounting an impressive running attack. This is cause for concern on two fronts. First, the more time the Jags can grind the ball out on the ground, the less time Tom Brady has to do what he does best; put the ball in the end zone. This enables the Jags to turn that old adage of "the best offense is a good defense" around. Their best defense will certainly be ball control on offense. Secondly, it gives the Jags an opportunity to wear down our aging defensive linebacker core.

The Jags are also a very physical team and have considerable height at the receiver positions which makes the lack of height on the Patriots defense an issue to be dealt with. Can our defensive backs match up? I think they can and will, but time will tell.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Jags secondary is certainly a weakness that the Pats can exploit when their offense has the ball. To me, the game breaks down simply to this: If the Patriots can stop the Jags running game, they walk away with the win. If not, this will be a game that will go down to the wire. If that happens, be prepared for one hell of a game, and a possible upset.

WHEN DOES HISTORY BECOME HISTORY?

Before you read any further answer this question. Are the San Francisco 49er's a great team?

Just the other day at my local watering hole I was having a conversation with a Yankee fan, which got me thinking. When does history become history? How much time has to pass before you can no longer say that your team is great because, simply put, they haven't done anything lately? Yankee fans seem to think that they are still on the top of the sports mountain, but are they? They certainly have a spot in history as one of the greatest sports franchises of all time, but when does it become "you were great" and not "you are great"? By the way, this is not just about the Yankees they just happen to be my favorite example currently! When do the bragging rights get put to rest? If the Yanks don't win a World Series for another ten years can they still brag about all the rings they won 30, 40, or 50 years ago? Can the 49er's say that they're currently great because of what they did under the leadership of Young or Montana? When you put it like that it seems almost laughable. I think we need Triple H to have this put on the "Man Law" negotiating table. Man law, you can not brag about accomplishments that occurred over a decade ago if you are discussing the best teams of the moment! Don't get me wrong, I'm not down playing the importance of history in sports. History is a big part of the game. It's a part of the game that allows friends to sit around years later and reminisce about their younger days and some of their finest hours as sports fans, as well as to separate the band wagon fans from the real ones. It also creates traditions and greatness. So, as for the history of the game, I say know it, appreciate it, and continue to watch it unfold. As for the present, you're either winning or losing and what you did 30 years ago can't help you now! A great franchise is not the same as a great team.

A REPUTATION LOST?

Roger almost had me going his way. The whole act was beginning to win me over. Then he played the tape. Let me ask you, if you had a friend who just threw you under the bus, destroying your reputation and your future, would you have been so calm on the phone with him? I would have been screaming like a lunatic. Unable to control my anger from such a deep feeling of betrayal. Not "Cool Hand" Clemens though. Cool as a fan. Never raised his voice and never lost his composure. Is that the same guy that you've seen on the field firing 95 mph fastballs and broken bats at opposing players? Is that how we are suppose to believe he would react to something like this? I keep waiting for him to break into his best impression of Jack Nicholson while screaming "you can't handle the truth!" Is this charade anything other than Clemens using smoke and mirrors to avoid taking responsibility for the choices that he has made in the past? Let's look at this rationally and without emotion. Does McNamee have anything to gain by lying? Now ask yourself the same of Clemens. What do you come up with? Did you hear McNamee's voice on that tape? What did you hear in his voice? Anguish? Sadness? Perhaps you heard the words of a man who had to choose between the betrayal of a friend or going to prison and destroying his family. Now, what did you hear in the voice of Clemens? Purpose? Calculation? Lack of emotional involvement? Clemens has made a decision to go "all in" with his denial, and with that decision has opened himself up to a game of which he has never played before. A game in which the end result will be, one of two men, himself or McNamee having their lives irreversibly damaged. If Clemens is innocent I hope the truth comes out and sets the record straight. If however, in the end, we find out that McNamee is telling the truth it will be a very sad day for Roger Clemens and for anyone who believed in him. Instead of being remembered as one of the all time greats he will be remembered as a man who not only let pride ruin his life, but a man who tried to ruin the life of another for that same selfish pride.

SHOULD WE REALLY CARE?

OK. Roger Clemens. Guilty? Not guilty? A bigger question in my mind is.....who cares? Do you? Really? Is this something that Congress should be wasting their time and our money on? Everyone in MLB went along for the steroid ride and looked the other way, Owners, fans and players. Why? Because it was good for business, not the game, business. Not too long ago baseball was dead. What brought it back? The long ball. Sosa and McGwire slugging it out and hitting home run after home run after home run. Today the game has achieved a popularity never before experienced in the history of the game. Are steroids to thank? I don't know. I do know this, however: Everyone loves to see the long ball. Who doesn't like to marvel at a 500 ft home run blasted out of the park or feel the anticipation when a guy like Bonds, who you expect to hit it out every time, stands at the plate. The thing to remember is this: It's just a game. Now, I know (especially to Red Sox fans), to say it's just a game is paramount to sacrilege. Some may say that it's a business and they would be right. But to most, it's still a game.

The simple fact is that in America, and most other places on Earth, people have an inner drive to be the best. Show me someone who doesn't hate to lose and I'll show you a loser. We all want to be the best at whatever it is we do in life. With that said, if you had a chance to make millions of dollars this year, but you had to take some HGH or some steroids would you do it? Most people experiment with drugs during their life for no good reason at all, never mind when there are millions of dollars on the line. When a guy like Gaylord Perry was throwing a Vaseline ball or Don Sutton was scuffing the ball with sandpaper was that cheating? I think we all know it was, but was it better or worse than this? Should Congress have intervened then? I agree that rules are rules but I just can't look past the fact that everyone knew what was going on here and just didn't care until now. How do you respect a person or an organization that allows the cheating because it is good for business and then takes a holier than thou attitude towards the problem that they embraced? So, did Roger cheat? I don't know. Probably. Did Barry cheat? Most likely. Does this ruin the integrity of the game? Isn't that what all this fuss is about? If not, then what is it about? Is baseball any better off today after dragging Roger through the mud than it was a month ago? I don't think it is. But I do know this: steroids or no steroids, I don't really care because it has no bearing upon real life. Will your life change if the game is drug free? I'd love to hear from someone who thinks it would. To myself and millions of other passionate and devoted fans, baseball is entertainment. A diversion from the harsh realities of everyday life. It's us, the fans, who make the game what it is and it will be nice when Congress stops wasting it's time on this ridiculous witch hunt and gets back to doing what they are paid to do, and that is, make this a better and safer place to live. If you show me how pulling ball players in to speak to Congress will do that, then I'm all for it. Until then, like my good friend Roger once said "it's just hogwash"

THE "AND STUFF" PART OF THIS BLOG

As you can no doubt tell, the primary focus of this blog will be the Red Sox. With that said, the "and stuff" part of the title are for the times when my attention deficit disorder gets the best of me and I can't help but ramble about something different. Today my something different will be football. With the Patriots doing what they have done this year I can't help but worry about the playoffs. Watching the Jags/Steelers game last night I couldn't help but root for the Steelers because the Jags suddenly make me nervous. Did you see Maurice Jones Drew running all over the world last night? Now listen, I'm not saying I think the Pats will lose this game because the Jags are THAT good. What I am actually getting at is this, winning every game you play over the course of any season, at any level, is HARD. Is 16-0 really worth anything if they do anything other than win the Super Bowl? Will you as a fan take any solace in the fact that they went 16-o but lost in the playoffs? I don't think I will. I would like to know what you think. Which team, if any, do you think will give the Patriots the most problems in the playoffs? With all that said, my money says that the Patriots win it all. Tell me why I'm wrong.