< Back to front page Text size +

A loser mentality

Posted by Eric Wilbur, Boston.com Staff December 28, 2009 10:58 AM

I admit it. I enjoyed the Colts losing more than I did the Patriots winning yesterday.

You probably did too.

Sure, there was more satisfaction in New England's 35-7 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. There's more pride in the Patriots' first AFC East crown since 2007. But the game had about as much excitement as a traffic light. I was packing up the boy's Christmas gifts by the third quarter in lieu of my Sunday afternoon cushion groove.

The Colts-Jets game, on the other hand, was a delicious serving of Schadenfreude, and I'm not ashamed to admit it one bit. Watching Curtis Painter (get your jerseys now while they're hot, kids) and the Colts offense go from efficient to downright embarrassing was a thing of joy, tempered only by the tiny matter that I was rooting for the Jets.

As Jim Caldwell stood on the sideline, showing all the animation and intensity of a beanstalk, the Colts willingly and defiantly spit on their fans, the NFL, and the goal of an undefeated season

It was awesome.

FULL ENTRY

Will glove be a better fit?

Posted by Eric Wilbur, Boston.com Staff December 15, 2009 08:41 AM

Did the Red Sox really just sign a 36-year-old journeyman outfielder in lieu of one of the market's top free agents and actually get better in the process?

Yup.

At least, that's the theory of Dave Cameron over on Fangraphs.com. Last night, colleague Daigo Fujiwara pointed out Cameron's article from Nov. 9 making the argument that the underrated Mike Cameron was actually a better overall player than Jason Bay.

FULL ENTRY

Week 14 prediction roundup

Posted by Eric Wilbur, Boston.com Staff December 11, 2009 09:32 AM

No. 96 in your program, Mr. Fletcher Christian.

These are bumpy days for Patriots coach Bill Belichick. New England's own William Bligh's play-calling has come into question and his players are beginning to point fingers as the Patriots, losers of three of their last four games, face a pivotal game Sunday against Carolina.

If they lose this one, and Miami and New York both win, there will inexplicably be a three-way tie for first in the AFC East.

And there will likely be insubordination.

Or have the Patriots already quit? Seconds before "Fourth and two" the Patriots might have been considered the team to beat in the AFC. That's what you get for taking down the undefeated Colts. But ol' Willie Bligh decided to go for it, kicking off a week of second-guessing and conjecture the likes we haven't seen since Grady Little's one sentence post-game press conference in 2003.

They beat the Jets the next week, in a game handed to them by Mark (Lou Brock) Sanchez, got blown out by the Saints, and smothered by the Dolphins' out-of-nowhere passing attack, another game where a different call or two would have severely changed the outcome.

Now Belichick is trying to send messages to the likes of Adalius Thomas and Randy Moss by sending them home for arriving late. It's a move that many figure should either inspire the team or backfire.

If they lose, to the Carolina Panthers, you might as well forget a happy ship moving forward.

It'll be full-on mutiny.

Who they're picking

Our roundup of picks for this week's Panthers-Patriots game:

FULL ENTRY

Pay to play - elsewhere

Posted by Eric Wilbur, Boston.com Staff December 10, 2009 10:33 AM

Anyone else want one of the Red Sox players? They'll pay you.

The fact that the Red Sox have to eat almost all of Mike Lowell's $12 million 2010 salary in order to get a deal done with the Texas Rangers for promising slugger Max Ramirez illustrates just how limited his trade market was. Despite what most Lowell fanatics will tell you, "class" and "dignity" combine to produce a UZR rating of 0.0.

But in lieu of another year of watching a gimpy Lowell play out his contract in Boston next season, Theo Epstein decided to get some value in return for him. Whatever the cost.

The cost is probably around $9 million. Add that to the $9 million Boston will pay Julio Lugo to play in the Midwest, and it's easy to see why they're so pent up about sinking empty dollars into the final year of a free agent's contract. They're wasting too much of it elsewhere.

FULL ENTRY

A Grand pain for the Sox

Posted by Eric Wilbur, Boston.com Staff December 9, 2009 10:09 AM

I suppose we ought to thank the Yankees. Instead of waiting until the week of Christmas, New York extended its middle finger to the Red Sox a little earlier in this holiday season of generosity (Hey, thanks, Detroit).

The Red Sox land Marco Scutaro, who is a nice, if aging, leadoff hitter who should help fill a void at the top of the lineup, where Boston struggled last season. The Yankees counter by pulling off a trade for a guy that fangraphs.com ranks as the 22nd-most valuable trade commodity in Major League Baseball (For the record, Clay Buchholz is No. 36 on that list).

How does that happen? One year after dropping cartoon money bags at the feet of Mark Teixeira, the Yankees made a trade for outfielder Curtis Granderson in which they will receive significant value for dollars invested.

Granderson will make $5.5 million in 2010, which has to be some sort of violation of the luxury tax, right? The Yankees are supposed to spend blindly so that the Twins and Royals can reap some sort of handout. They're not supposed to make shrewd, cost-effective moves by…well, I don't know how exactly they did it. Did Arizona GM Josh Byrnes at least get a back rub out of the deal? Maybe he is just ticked that Theo Epstein may have written a better letter of recommendation for Jed Hoyer.

FULL ENTRY

This think tank appears empty

Posted by Eric Wilbur, Boston.com Staff December 7, 2009 09:37 AM

You thought nothing could bring you down from the weekend high of the Red Sox signing Marco Scutaro (Marco Scutaro, people.). But then the Patriots arrive on Sunday and have you wondering exactly what alien beings sucked the mind of your team's coaching staff. Oh, Bill Belichick, where for art thou?

To be frank, I've witnessed better play-calling in a budget Al Bundy flashback scene. If the Patriots were embarrassed last Monday night in New Orleans, yesterday's 22-21 loss to the Miami Dolphins – playing with a backup QB and their best player on injured reserve – was another incompetent breakdown in decision-making, play-calling, and execution.

You'd almost rather be embarrassed.

FULL ENTRY

Week 13 prediction roundup

Posted by Eric Wilbur, Boston.com Staff December 3, 2009 01:21 PM

If after Monday's demoralizing loss in New Orleans, there was any doubt that the Patriots would still win the AFC East, concern grew deeper when news emerged that the Jets had recruited a ringer to help them with quarterback Mark Sanchez.

New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi, after all, did have 44 stolen bases over 15 years in the major leagues. That's an average of almost three each season. Who better to teach the Jets franchise quarterback how to slide into the ground? Besides, you know, anyone?

I'll bet when Rex Ryan called the Yankees and asked them to send over a sliding coach, he didn't expect the mastermind of the $200 million roster to come waltzing into the Meadowlands. This was, after all, the man who shrewdly took the scrappy Yankees all the way to the World Series championship. Apparently Ryan's credit card wasn't working or he should just placed an order for the Tom Emanski DVDs.

I have to admit, I'm starting to really like Rex Ryan. The man provides entertainment week in and week out, whether it's admitting he's not as good as Belichick on a voice mail to season ticket holders, crying during a team meeting, or believing that Braylon Edwards is a legitimate starting wide receiver. I've heard Patriots fans refer to the man as "Mayor McCheese" which makes me laugh every time I hear it, and you'd better believe that I'm waiting impatiently for Ryan's impending Jim Mora/Dennis Green/Herm Edwards moment of utter breakdown because it has the potential to make those pale in comparison.

Ryan has morphed the Jets from a somewhat competitive mess to an NFL sitcom. It couldn't be any more entertaining.

Who they're picking

Our roundup of picks for this week's Patriots-Dolphins game:

FULL ENTRY

Brokedown palace

Posted by Eric Wilbur, Boston.com Staff December 3, 2009 09:15 AM

With all due respect to Rich Harden and Ben Sheets, no thanks.

Look, I love the bargain-basement approach the Highest Average Ticket Price in the League Red Sox take in the free agent market as much as anyone, but haven't we already tried filling out the rotation with enough elite name/bad arm guys? In reality, what is Rich Harden going to do that Boston can't potentially get out of Michael Bowden, who would likely be in the rotation come June anyway once Harden inevitably goes down?

High-risk, high-reward: Your 2010 Boston Red Sox.

FULL ENTRY

Geek Bowl

Posted by Eric Wilbur, Boston.com Staff December 3, 2009 07:09 AM

Foxsports.com hits the Harvard-Yale game, and it's gold.

<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091228225524/http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-us&amp;brand=foxsports&amp;from=sp&amp;vid=947dabb6-af09-487a-b2fc-abdd000ad01f" target="_new" title="College Experiment: Nerd Bowl">Video: College Experiment: Nerd Bowl</a>

HT: Barstool Sports

Rising to their defense

Posted by Eric Wilbur, Boston.com Staff December 1, 2009 09:16 AM

Here's a passage I just dug up, written nearly a year ago. Tell me if you can compute to which team the writer in question is referring:

Bah, humbug. Here we go again. Four losses in their past five games. Four losses by 21 or more points this season. The offensive line is getting worse. Members of the defense talk a lot better than they perform. Their image and credibility are shot. A disgusted starting quarterback is telling teammates to look in the mirror. This is how a team peaks for the playoffs?

This could've been a statement day
A chance to clear their name
Instead, the ----- are going down
As the worst team ever to stage a playoff game

FULL ENTRY

A simulated rout

Posted by Eric Wilbur, Boston.com Staff November 30, 2009 08:39 AM

Who are we to argue with Tecmo?

Patriots win in a rout, 38-17.

Realistically, let's say they beat the Saints, 38-35.

Week 12 prediction roundup

Posted by Eric Wilbur, Boston.com Staff November 27, 2009 01:53 PM

If we're ranking the best quarterbacks in the NFL, forgive me if I don't fall into the Peter King trap and include Brett Favre over the likes of, oh, let's say his replacement, who continues to pound daggers into opposing defenses with little-to-no credit nationwide if only because he doesn't peddle Wranglers.

Anyway, Top 5 would look something like this, in no particular order:

Tom Brady
Peyton Manning
Aaron Rodgers
Drew Brees

And…

Well, let's just go ahead and make it a Top 4.

With all due respect to Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers (who might be Top 5, but loses points for being a whiny punk), and Eli Manning (nah, just kidding), those four are in an elite field all to themselves. Despite never having raised Lombardi, Brees and Rodgers are quarterbacks you would build a franchise around, as obviously are Brady and Manning. There are only so many of those guys that exist.

Two of them were on the field in Indy a fortnight ago. Brady and Brees will be on the field Monday in New Orleans. And Brett Favre will probably get the MVP.

There are probably 10 guys I'd rather have over Mr. Diva. But give me that list of those four guys, and it's a tough call. So, let's just say 1. Brady, 2. Brees, 3. Manning, 4. Rodgers.

Who takes the top spot in the next tier? Probably Rivers or Roethlisberger, but there's some good distance there. Lo and behold, Jay Cutler is not on the list, despite what he might think.

Who they're picking

Our roundup of picks for this week's Patriots-Saints game:

FULL ENTRY

Preview of things to come

Posted by Eric Wilbur, Boston.com Staff November 24, 2009 09:07 AM

Normally, I hate it when someone uses the phrase, "Super Bowl preview," if only because it eliminates the nuances, factors, and physical impacts that can -- and usually will -- affect the teams in question at some point down the line. It's simply a hackneyed way to set up a story line, using hype as the pivotal analysis in lieu of a knowledgeable breakdown.

That being said, Mocha Joe, Monday is a Super Bowl preview.

That's a hunch of course, for if I could predict the future I'd have more important issues to discuss than the NFL elite (like what happens on "Lost," of course). But Monday's Patriots-Saints game isn't without parallel. New England fans should understand that. Anyone think watching that Patriots-Giants game in late December two years ago that all hell would break loose just a little more than a month later?

FULL ENTRY

Week 11 prediction roundup

Posted by Eric Wilbur, Boston.com Staff November 20, 2009 10:22 AM

Moving on.

That's the theme of the week, of course. Moving on. Eyes out of the rear-view mirror, lest you mention "4th and 2" one more bleeping time.

Of course, in order to move on, we first need acceptance, a motion that an increasing amount of fans have accomplished. The rest – those we now call the sinful doubters – wallow in what could have been at Indy were it not for Belichick's boneheaded decision to go for it.

But, move on we must. For only the bitter among Patriots fans still think the move is up for debate. No, the "real" Patriots fans have admitted a knee-jerk reaction Sunday night, some of which will cost hundreds of dollars to replace those LCD's that now have a beer bottle neck protruding out of the upper-left corner. But the past five days have allowed them to see the light. Tedy Bruschi is now the enemy. Merrill Hoge is now an ally.

Only now do they understand the true genius of the play – giving the ball to Peyton Manning just outside the red zone with two minutes to play. The statisticians have taught them that 29 yards is more difficult to score from than 80 yards. Or, something like that.

Fans and bloggers attacked the media for criticizing the play. Media members attacked fans, bloggers, and other media members for supporting it. Nobody thought it was a good play Sunday night. If you still think that now, you're apparently in the minority.

In Bill we trust. Of course. The comforting glow returns.

Who they're picking

Our roundup of picks for this week's Jets-Patriots game:

FULL ENTRY

Yankees celebration catches fire

Posted by Eric Wilbur, Boston.com Staff November 19, 2009 07:36 AM

It's apparently not a prank.

Beverly's Endicott College – 26.9 miles from Yawkey Way - will celebrate the Yankees' recent World Series victory on Monday with a ceremony on campus, including the painting of a school fire hydrant with Yankee pinstripes. I guess Connecticut-based enrollments are down.

This, of course, has local students, fans, and common sense all up in arms. Although all fire hydrants on campus are already painted, this will be the first to bear the colors and pinstripes of the Yankees. According to WHDH, the reason behind the celebration is that Endicott's president, Dick Wylie, a Yankees fan (nice background check, Endicott), won a bet made with student activities director Kim Peckham, a Sox fan, prior to the 2009 season. Jeez, I hope there isn't a Colts fan running any of our fine academic institutions.

"We thought it was a prank, a school this close to Boston with this many Red Sox fans you wouldn't think they would support the Yankees," student Marc Spinella told WBZ. "A lot of students are really upset about this."

Maybe there's some genius behind it all. After all, North Shore dog owners have to be pretty excited about the opportunity to have their pets frequent the design. Still, can't the Beverly fire department step in with some de-facing fire prevention equipment excuse before it's too late?

Stat lies

Posted by Eric Wilbur, Boston.com Staff November 17, 2009 09:15 AM

I crunched the numbers.

When Mary Swanson told Lloyd Christmas that he had one in a million odds of getting down with her, the floppy dummy was right in concluding that he had a chance. In fact, if we apply the math, Lloyd's formula for a success rate would look something like this:

(1 x .0000000001) – reality = chance.

Look, I enjoy the fact that football can be broken down analytically as much as the next guy. But I've felt like Han Solo about to plunge into an asteroid field these past 24 hours; a pestering protocol droid blabbering incessant data in my now-bleeding ears.

"Never tell me the odds."

Yet, here we are two days after Bill Belichick's now-infamous fourth-and-two decision, with stat geeks lining up in defense of the Patriots coach. Belichick's gaffe wasn't the overwhelming reason the Patriots lost in Indianapolis (Laurence Maroney's goal line fumble, poor clock management, the lame pass interference call on Darius Butler, etc.). But it was arguably the most glaring reason why they didn't win.

FULL ENTRY

Week 10 prediction roundup

Posted by Eric Wilbur, Boston.com Staff November 13, 2009 08:51 AM

Jason Whitlock has a point when he calls Brady vs. Manning "inorganic, a ratings-producing TV creation."

"It's not Bird vs. Magic or Chamberlain vs. Russell. Football, with all its variables — three platoons, offense, defense and special teams — does not lend itself to individual rivalries, particularly of men who never take the field at the same time," he writes.

That's true. But for better of worse, we're a society of this or thats, debates, and Top Tens, where there always has to be an ultimate in every field. We're never content just to have a handful of greats. There always has to be a top dog.

Still, it's fair to note that the one season Peyton Manning got past Tom Brady and the Patriots en route to the Super Bowl, Reche Caldwell was Brady's top receiver.

Of course, Brady has the rings, but Manning has the numbers, which Brady also has.

Both have lost their last playoff start; Manning in last year's wild card playoff against San Diego, Brady in the…you know.

Brady hasn't won a Super Bowl in almost five years. Manning hasn't won one in almost three.

Manning has the second-highest passing rating (95.3) in NFL history, but he's first among dome quarterbacks. Brady happens to be fourth on the list, 1.9 points behind Manning, but of course he gets to play in cold, windy, snowy New England. He also had Reche Caldwell one season.

Imagine that the two quarterbacks played for opposite teams, and dream what the results might be. Does Manning lead the Patriots down the field in the final moments of Super Bowl XXXVI? Does Brady look lost in the Foxborough snow for the Colts in the AFC title game? You also have to consider the monumental factor that Bill Belichick has had on Brady's career. Is Brady the Brady we know with Tony Dungy as his head coach? Is he even drafted?

It's a useless debate, sort of like dedicating a TV show to imagining Grady left Pedro in the game. Now that was "inorganic, a ratings-producing TV creation."

Sunday night is just a damned good football game with the two best quarterbacks of the decade, and it just so happens to be on TV. Nothing inert about that.

Who they're picking

Our roundup of picks for this week's Patriots-Colts game:

FULL ENTRY

NFL bits

Posted by Eric Wilbur, Boston.com Staff November 12, 2009 09:00 AM

Just a few NFL notes hurtling toward the weekend.

  • NFL MVP? Drew Brees in a slam-dunk, right? Maybe. ESPN's Mike Sando breaks down the candidates, and both Peyton Manning and Ben Roethlisberger have really good arguments for the award this season. But who are we kidding? If Brett Favre doesn't perform his annual choke, the MVP will be handed to him. Even if he does, he'll still be a candidate up to the very end.

    Wait, I thought for a moment baseball writers were voting. Never mind, it's Brees.

FULL ENTRY

Of mice and Manning

Posted by Eric Wilbur, Boston.com Staff November 10, 2009 07:47 AM

The mind games are underway.

Not content just pumping in fake noise these days, it appears the Indianapolis Colts have turned to a new strategy for throwing the New England Patriots off their game: mouse poop.

Indianapolis' WXIN broke the story leading its 10 p.m. newscast last night, when a worker for Centerplace Catering decided to blow the whistle on Lucas Oil Stadium's dirty, little secret.

This is just the latest citation of wrongdoing at the Colts' home though. The report cites:

Centerplate Catering and Lucas Oil Stadium have been cited for food safety violations dating back to 2008. In January 2009, health investigators found dead rodents hadn't been removed from food service areas. In March, investigators found mice feces by coffee urns. In April, a report showed mice running through a Stadium Kitchen. In September, there were violations for improperly storing toxic materials and for "unsafe food" that wasn't being kept cold or hot enough at Lucas Oil.

Is this all part of another diabolical, master plan by Colts president Bill Polian leading up to Sunday's showdown against the Patriots? Well, of course not. Still, I'd eat at the hotel.

 

Hold your horses

Posted by Eric Wilbur, Boston.com Staff November 9, 2009 10:23 AM

Now that that's out of the way…

No disrespect to the Miami Dolphins, who are about as good a 3-5 team as you'll find anywhere east of San Francisco, but this is the date Patriots fans have had circled on their pocket calendar for some time now, the text barely legible at this point from tracing over it repeatedly in recent weeks.

What the Patriots have on their plate two of the next three weeks is a chance to de-rail both the Colts (Sunday night) and potentially, the Saints (Nov. 30), denying both teams' bid for the perfect season.

But let's face it; a win over the Colts would taste sweeter than a victory over the Saints.

FULL ENTRY

by eric wilbur

browse this blog

by category