Roche: A Little Pats, Sox, B's, and C's
Just thought I'd throw a few things out there on a "quiet before the next storm" Monday....
--enough with all the hate on the Patriots! They went 14-2 and nobody predicted that.....nobody! Then, all these people who picked against them all year are griping about their loss to the Jets in the playoffs! Yes, they did play awful. They were outcoached and outplayed. And, if you say, "I knew their defense wasn't that good, etc...", then why are you angry that they lost?
--I was disappointed in that playoff game in how the Pats seemingly stopped attacking their opponent. That was their game all season long....constant pressure from the offense, but they didn't seem to have it for an entire 60 minutes. I know the Jets defense had something to do with that, but still thought they should have done more of what they did the first two drives.
--every Patriot must be sitting at home right now saying, "we beat all 4 of the Final 4 teams!" The only team to do that this season.....
--would love to see a press conference announcing a long-term deal for Logan Mankins. Mankins has done all the right things in this negotiation, including giving everything he had to his teammates and the organization once he returned.
--how about a round of applause for Shayne Grahame...
--great to see local product Zak DeOssie(North Andover, Phillips Andover HS, Brown) make the Pro Bowl again. Great family....
--has the potential to be an exciting Super Bowl. I like the Steelers. Just think Mike Tomlin's crew will find a way to win....
--I know we say this all the time, but if they don't reach an agreement on a new CBA in the NFL, it will boggle my mind. They are the clear-cut #1 sport in America. Why mess with it?
--I couldn't believe the reaction to the Tampa Rays acquiring Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon this past weekend. Twitter was abuzz about it all weekend. I texted Kevin Millar and asked if he would be joining the Rays? His response? "How much money did they get?".....
--At least you know Joe Maddon will get the "good Manny Ramirez" since this looks like his last chance....and, I'll take Johnny Damon on my team any day...
--Clay Buchholz was his classy self in receiving the annual "Dick Berardino Award" at the Lowell Spinners banquet last week. Can't help but root for the kid....
--I love the passion from Terry Francona. He's been in the game his entire life yet he never seems to tire of it.....
--Can't wait to hear from Josh Beckett in Spring Training about his off-season and plans for 2011......
--no shock that the Red Sox have and will shop Jonathan Papelbon. He's locked in at 12-million dollars and is probably gone after this season. Sox would be foolish not to at least look around.....
--Praying Marc Savard is ok.....
--I still think Patrice Bergeron, Milan Lucic, Dave Krecji, and Nathan Horton all have "another level"......
--Tim Thomas is an amazing story that doesn't get as much publicity around here as it should....
--same goes for Brad Marchand and his rookie campaign....
--Don't you think Doc Rivers wishes he could hit the fast-forward button to April?
--I will say this over and over again......I like Rondo, Pierce, Allen, Shaq, Perk, etc......BUT the celts don't win another title unless they have a healthy KG for the playoffs. End of discussion....
--Still love to watch Rondo on a nightly basis though......never know what "highlight reel" play you may see......
--hearing great things about Steve Donahue over at BC...and that comes from a guy who liked what Al Skinner did for all these past years.
--good luck, btw, to new BC baseball coach Mike Gambino....
--Beanpot anyone???????
