An Open Letter to Malcolm Butler

Dear Malcolm Butler,

First of all, thank you for your time with New England. Super Bowl 49 is a moment I will never forget. For a lot of personal reasons, that one Super Bowl against Seattle was easily my favorite. I was a junior in college, and watching that game with my friends in my dorm room was probably the greatest day of my life at the time. The new greatest day of my life is when I asked by fiancé to marry me, but I digress.

This image will never not make me smile

Image credit: LA Times

I wish you nothing but the best in the future. Now, I know technically you could still come back to the Patriots, but we both know that won’t happen. That ship probably sailed the second the Pats signed Stephon Gilmore. Any chance of you coming back completely vanished when the coaches inexplicably benched you for the whole of Super Bowl 52.

They gave you no warning, no explanation, and no reasoning for why they benched you. You couldn’t see the game even when Eric Rowe and Johnson Bademosi let up multiple passes and Jordan Richards was playing dime. They disrespected you, and you probably want to go somewhere where you feel appreciated. If I were you, I’d do the same thing. I think I speak for everyone in Patriots Nation when I say I hope you break the bank this offseason and get every damn penny you can.

While you may be gone, you won’t be forgotten. I still remember the way the 2014 offseason began. After getting two big name cornerbacks in Darelle Revis and Brandon Browner, all anyone could talk about in training camp was a scrappy cornerback from West Alabama. One month later, I remember you living up to the relative hype in that first preseason game against Washington.

I remember watching that first Super Bowl, and being amazed that the fifth-string cornerback was able to hold up against Russell Wilson on the game’s biggest stage. I remember being amazed that you had the awareness to push Jermaine Kearse out of bounds after he hauled in that miraculous catch.

And of course, I remember what happened next. I’m ashamed to admit it, but after the two Giants Super Bowls, I had given up on the game. I was still watching when the interception happened, but I knew Seattle was about to score. After you beat Ricardo Lockette to the football, my mind processed it as an incompletion. My friend remembers me saying “Nice breakup, Butler” before I realized it was an interception. I was jumping up and down, screaming like a fool and hugging anyone I could find.

You didn’t prove to just be a one-play wonder either. Somehow, you didn’t let the overnight fame get to your head. The Patriots let Revis go because they knew you were something special, and you proved them right. You went from bottom of the depth chart to number one corner over a single offseason. Week One of 2015 you went up against Antonio Brown of all people, and you held your own. You kept getting better and better, and you became one of the best in the league.

Antonio Brown: Not the easiest receiver to face for your first start

Image credit: Boston Herald

It’s not just that you played well, it’s how you played. You played like a maniac despite your smaller frame. It’s rare to find a corner as willing to tackle and play as physically as you. I’m sure you played through your share of injuries, and I’ve always appreciated your toughness and heart. Frankly, players like you are in short supply in todays NFL.

You got even better in 2016, and your lockdown form was a big reason for the fifth Super Bowl win against Atlanta. Understandably, you wanted some financial security. You were still playing on an undrafted rookie’s contract, and you certainly exceeded that value. Instead, that money went to Gilmore.

You seeked out a trade, but when that fell through, you were the ultimate pro. Instead of becoming a distraction, you showed up and prepared like nothing was amiss. It wasn’t your best year, but you weren’t afraid to admit it. Prior to the Super Bowl, you openly admitted that this was a down season and you were looking for a chance to redeem yourself.

Responses like that were why you were one of my favorite Patriots and will remain one of my favorite players. It would have been easy to give a stock answer about not worrying about what the media says. Instead, you gave in to humility and admitted that you weren’t playing up to your standards, despite being one of the best bargains in the NFL.

Then the Super Bowl came. To not play you is one thing, but to not give you any notice is a completely different story. Seeing you crying before the game was heartbreaking, and not entering the game while the defense gave up 41 points and looked completely lost was an unforgivable move by the coaches.

Still, despite the emotions you were ready to go. Once it was clear you weren’t going into the game, you could have sulked around on the bench and waited for your Patriot tenure to end. Instead, you kept your helmet on, standing by the field, waiting for your number to be called.

Even after the game, you remained a class act. Despite being (justifiably) angry, you just said that “it is what it is” and that you were thankful for the opportunity to be a Patriot. Nobody would have blamed you had you spoke your mind, and most would have applauded you. But still, you took the high road, and it just shows what type of a person and a player New England will be missing out on.

I was hoping you’d be a Patriot for life, but obviously that’s not to be. Instead, I just want to say thank you, Malcolm Butler. You’ve been a great part of the team and an absolute joy to cheer for. You’ll always be loved in New England, and I wish you nothing but the best with your next team.

This picture is good enough to use again

Image credit: LA Times

Cover image courtesy of SB Nation.

The Top Relievers in Baseball

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In today’s game, relief pitchers are used so often. Starters are often relied upon to only go five to six innings, then turn it over to the pen to close things out for several innings. There are more relievers in the game, and more guys who throw in the upper 90’s. Nowadays, there are so many guys who can dominate for an inning, and oftentimes there are random guys who have one outstanding season. This can make it difficult to determine who is real and who is a pretender. In this article, I factor in age when determining my top 10.

Craig Kimbrel

Kimbrel is one of the most dominant stoppers the game has ever seen. From when he broke in during the 2010 season, through 2014, Kimbrel had a ridiculous 1.43 ERA while saving 186 games. During this time he struck out 14.8 batters per nine innings pitched and had a WHIP of 0.90. You really can’t be any better than he was. He did tail off for two seasons after leaving Atlanta, though he did save 70 games with a sub 3.00 ERA.

Last season, Kimbrel was back to his dominant self, pitching to a 1.43 ERA, the same ERA he had during his first five seasons. Kimbrel had a crazy low 0.68 WHIP and a filthy 16.4 strike outs per nine innings. In fact, if Kimbrel had struck out just one batter that managed to put the ball in play, he would have struck out exactly half of the batters he faced on the season. Still just 29 years old, Kimbrel should have plenty of run left as a dominant closer.

Kenley Jansen

Kimbrel and Jansen are clearly the top two relievers in baseball in my mind. It was them one-two, and then figuring out the rest. Jansen is remarkable in that he was a catcher in the minor leagues before becoming one of the most dominant relievers in the game. In parts of eight seasons, Jansen has posted an ERA below 2.00 in half of them. One of the top strike out artists in baseball, Jansen has struck out 14 batters per nine innings pitched during his career.

Jansen had arguably his best season last year, leading the league with 41 saves to go with his 5-0 record. He had the lowest ERA (1.32) and the lowest WHIP (0.75) of anyone with 11 or more innings pitched in the National League. Jansen has saved 230 games during his career. His ERA is 2.08 and he has a career 0.87 WHIP. Every number is among the league leaders during the time period.

Photo by John McCoy/So Cal News Group

Roberto Osuna

This might be a name that doesn’t come straight to mind for most. Osuna has not been around long, and pitches for a mediocre team north of the border. As such, Osuna doesn’t get the publicity others do. Make no mistake, Osuna is one of the best relief pitchers in baseball. Turning just 23 in less than a week, Osuna should be around much longer than guys behind him on this list.

As a closer, one thing you don’t want to do is allow baserunners. Osuna has a WHIP below 1.00 in all three seasons of his career, so he does a great job of limiting them. This past season, even though his ERA was a career high 3.38, Osuna allowed the fewest baserunners of his career at 0.86 per inning. He also allowed a career low three home runs, leading me to believe his still solid ERA was flukily high. With a little more luck, his ERA should dip back closer to 2.50 this coming season. Osuna has saved 95 games in his first three seasons, and at such a young age there is room for improvement.

Andrew Miller

If this list was just for 2018, Miller would be at least one spot higher. Easily the most dominant left-handed reliever in the game, Miller dominates both left-handed and right-handed hitters alike.

Over the last four years, Miller has been arguably more dominant than anyone. He is 22-11 over that span with a 1.72 ERA, 0.79 WHIP and 14.5 strike outs per nine innings. He can go for more than one innings, which he illustrated during the postseason over the past couple years. In postseason play, Miller has a 1.10 ERA over 32.2 innings pitched. He seems to dominate no matter the circumstance. Miller will be turning 33 in May, giving him a full decade on Roberto Osuna, causing me to place Osuna in the third spot. I will not argue the fact that at the moment, Miller is the better pitcher.

Matt Slocum/Associated Press

Dellin Betances

I was shocked when I looked up Betances and learned he would be 30 years old before the season starts. He has only been around for four years, so it seems like he should be much younger. He also has been less dominant the last two seasons than he was in his first two. However, Betances can still dominate and has great stuff, so he cracks my top five. After pitching to a 1.45 ERA in his first two seasons, Betances’ ERA in the last two is 2.98. His WHIP has also risen every season, going from 0.78 in 2014 to 1.22 last season. There are some warning signs, but this is still a guy who has struck out over 15 batters per nine in each of the last two years. Last year, only Craig Kimbrel had a better strike out rate in the AL.

Ken Giles

Ken Giles struggled this past postseason, but that should not be all you think about when it comes to him. At 27, Giles has been in the majors for four years. Giles has a 2.43 career ERA and 12.4 strike outs per nine. After dominating for two seasons in Philadelphia, Giles encountered his first struggles in 2016 with the Astros. Despite the struggles, he did strike out a career high 14 batters per nine. Reaffirming himself as one of the better relievers in baseball, Giles posted a 2.30 ERA for the Astros last year with a 1.04 WHIP. He bolstered the back end of the Houston bullpen as they made their race towards the playoffs. Giles should be a good closer for years to come.

Aroldis Chapman

One could definitely argue that Chapman should be higher on the list. After all, I do have Chapman approaching top 10 all-time status for relief pitchers. However, Chapman showed signs of cracking last season and will be 30 before the month is out. Not that 30 is old, but he has eight Major League seasons of throwing a ball 100 miles per hour. All the stress of throwing that hard could catch up to him. Late last year, his control was all over the place and he exhibited very poor body language on the mound at times. I also wonder then how he will handle the pressures of New York.

All that said, Chapman still posted good numbers, just far from the great ones we were used to from him. His ERA was its highest since 2011, as was his WHIP. Chapman also posted the lowest strike outs per nine of his career. For his career though, Chapman has struck out nearly 15 batters per nine innings while allowing one baserunner per inning. He has surpassed 200 career saves with a 2.21 ERA.

Cody Allen

A man who can keep Andrew Miller from being a closer must be a pretty good pitcher, and Cody Allen is that man. He isn’t better than Miller, but Miller is more valuable in a role where he can be plugged in at opportune times, and Allen is plenty good enough to hold down the fort when his time comes. In five full seasons, Allen has had an ERA below 3.00 in all of them. He has saved 122 games while pitching to a 2.67 ERA. Whether it’s gone noticed or not, Allen has been even better in the playoffs. Over 19.1 postseason innings, Allen has allowed 1 earned run while striking out 33 batters.

Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Corey Knebel

Based just upon last year, Knebel should maybe be several spots higher on this list. I’d like to see him do it for another year though, as he kind of came out of nowhere last year to be one of the very best closers in the game. Knebel was a first round pick, so there is reason to think he can possibly continue his dominance. However, before last year Knebel had a career ERA north of 4.00 along with a relatively high WHIP. He had struck out a good amount of batters, but not near the rate at which he did this past year.

Last season, Knebel saved 39 games for the Brewers while striking out just a tick under 15 batters per nine innings. Knebel’s ERA hovered around 1.00 for half the season before one poor game. He then didn’t allow a run in 21 of his next 22 appearances to get his ERA back in the low 1.00’s. He faded a little in the last week or two of the season, possibly tiring out as he pitched more than ever before. Knebel finished the season with a 1.78 ERA

Zach Britton

Heading into last year, Britton would have likely been in the top three of this list. After an injury plagued season, and one much worse than we have been accustomed to, Britton has some rebounding to do. Problem is, he is injured again and expected to miss half this season. He is also 30 years old now. All of that has him dropped, but I felt he still needed to be included based upon how dominant he has proven to be when healthy. Britton was a legitimate Cy Young candidate in 2016, allowing just four earned runs over 67 innings pitched. He led the league with 47 saves that year along with his 0.54 ERA.

Over the three seasons prior to last year, Britton had a 1.38 ERA and 0.91 WHIP while saving 120 games. He was probably the best closer in the game during that three year stretch. Last year his WHIP skyrocketed to an unhealthy 1.53, though he still managed a 2.89 ERA due to his ground ball tendencies. Even if Britton comes back and shows some rust this season after missing half the year, I expect him to ultimately return to being a dominant closer again for a few years.

Honorable Mentions:

Edwin Diaz, Raisel Iglesias, Brad Hand, Wade Davis, Greg Holland

Tom Brady Deserved the MVP Award

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On Saturday the Regular Season Most Valuable Player award was handed out. While there were a few players running, the award went to New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. People will say that Brady’s late season skid should have made him unworthy of bringing home this year’s MVP. However, he’s easily been the best player in the league this season, and Tom Brady deserved the MVP.

Tom Brady Deserved the MVP Award

Tom Brady had another season for the ages

Image credit: USA Today

September

After an ugly Week One performance against the Kansas City Chiefs, Brady went on an absolute tear. The 40-year old threw for 1,399 yards, 10 touchdowns and zero interceptions over the first month of the season. All of those marks were league bests, despite the fact Brady didn’t throw a touchdown in Week One.

It’s how Brady was doing it that made it more impressive. He lost his best receiver, Julian Edelman, for the season and his defense was horrible in the first month. If Brady wasn’t perfect every single week, the Patriots wouldn’t stand a chance.

Brady was right in the thick of the MVP discussion. At the time, his biggest competitors were the Chiefs Alex Smith and Kareem Hunt. Kansas City was undefeated, and both players were in the midst of incredible runs.

October – November

Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz was the biggest challenger for the MVP

Image credit: Philly.com

Kansas City went through a rough patch, losing six of seven. Smith and Hunt were no longer MVP candidates, while Brady was playing as good as ever. Enter Carson Wentz. The Philadelphia Eagles second-year quarterback had made great strides, and was playing like one of the best in the league.

Through November, the two were pretty evenly matched. Brady was slowing towards the end of November due to an Achilles injury, while Wentz was keeping his usual pace. With one month left, Wentz had the edge in team record and touchdown passes, while Brady had the lead in yards and points per game. It looked like the award would be granted to whoever had the strongest finish to the season.

Early December

Wentz tore his ACL against the Los Angeles Rams, ending his season and his odds at the MVP. Brady was fighting an Achilles injury while playing five of six games on the road. His stats slowed, but there was still no quarterback who was close to Brady. So, the next touted MVP candidate was the Pittsburgh Steelers Antonio Brown.

Brown was in the midst of an incredible season of his own. He was playing above his normal lofty standards and was the main reason the Steelers were able to win so many of their close games. Brown was a worthy candidate, but it takes a lot for a receiver to match the productivity and value of a quarterback. Brady would need to continue his skid and Brown would need to play his best for him to pull off the upset.

Instead, he got injured. Brown suffered a calf injury against the Patriots in Week 14, ending his season and any chance he had at the MVP hardware. Once more, Brady seemed like the only candidate left to win the MVP.

Late December

Rams running back Todd Gurley has the second highest odds of winning MVP

Image credit: Los Angeles Daily News

Following a Week 15 game where he single-handedly ran the Seattle Seahawks out of the playoffs, Rams running back Todd Gurley became the latest MVP candidate. Gurley had a great season, but prior to the injuries to Brown and Wentz, nobody was calling him MVP. That’s because Gurley didn’t earn it.

Historically, running backs only win the award when they have historical seasons and/or have to overcome an otherwise terrible offense. Gurley didn’t do either. Don’t get me wrong, running for 1,305 yards and 13 touchdowns is impressive, but not historic. Then-Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount put up similar numbers in 2016, yet he (rightfully) wasn’t receiving and MVP attention.

Throughout the entire NFL season, the MVP debate was Tom Brady versus somebody else. Whether it was Smith, Hunt, Wentz, Brown, or Gurley, Brady was always the player the rest were running against. While his production slowed in the final month, Tom Brady was the best player in the NFL from start to finish. Don’t overthink this one, Tom Brady deserved the MVP award.

Cover image courtesy of SI.com.

Dick Umile: A Look Back on a Storied Career

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Dick Umile, head coach of the UNH Wildcats will be retiring following the end of this season. Umile has been a head coach at the University of New Hampshire for 28 seasons. In 22 of those seasons he coached the Wildcats to winning record. Umile has always been a Wildcat; he was a player from 1969 till 1972. During his time on the ice, Umile talied 60 goals and 84 assists. As the captain of the Wildcats, Umile led them to the ECAC Semi-Finals for the first time in school history.

Umile was drafted by the Saint Louis Blues following his senior season, however he was out of professional hockey by 1975. Not to mention, he is 12^th all time in UNH history with a 1.66 points per game average. His coaching career at UNH began in 1988 as an assistant coach. He took over for Bob Kullen as head coach in 1990. As head coach he has accumulated 586 wins, good enough for 9^th all time among Division 1 head coaches. Not bad.

Watertown High School

Dick Umile is a native of Melrose Massachusetts. At Melrose High School, Umile excelled at hockey and football. Melrose High honored Umile by inducting him into their athletic Hall of Fame. His hockey career at Melrose was quite memorable; three-time all-star, all-scholastic captain, as well as a three-time Middlesex League Champ. As a captain; Umile used his skills as a motivator and a team player to win in high school. Umile transferred his experience as a high school player to a high school coach.

The Watertown High School Red Raiders were enthused to announce Umile as head coach of the hockey team in 1975. Defense and hustle were a part of Umile’s strong suit. With this in mind he took great care in demanding them from his players. When Watertown hired Umile, they were in the basement of the Middlesex league. Umile’s knowledge for the sport and the respect he commanded from his players put them in awe. The Red Raiders’ play increased significantly. By teaching his boys what the word “team” was all about, they got better every year, culminating into a state championship in 1985. Umile proved his worth as a coach by taking a basement dwelling group of individuals into a dominant state championship team. Watch his Watertown High induction ceremony here.

Head Coach

Dick Umile’s success at the high school level attracted the attention of several college coaches. Mike McShane, former teammate of Umile at UNH, was the new head coach for the Providence College Friars. McShane knew the knowledge Umile possessed for the game of hockey and brought him to the college level. Umile went on to return to the University of New Hampshire following the 1987 season. Bob Kullen, who stepped aside due to a rare heart condition brought Umile back home. Umile served as assistant coach for two seasons until Bob Kullen tragically lost his battle with the rare heart condition.

Umile’s first season under the helm, 1990-1991, was the Wildcat’s first winning season in seven long years. That year is dedicated to Bob Kullen. This also lead Umile to his first Hockey East Coach of the Year Award, which is now named in Bob Kullen’s honor. Umile has led the Wildcats to twenty 20+ wins in a single season, four NCAA Tournament appearances, ten Hockey East regular season titles, as well as making it all the way to the championship games in 1999 and 2003, only to lose in heart-breaking fashion. Umile is a six time Bob Kullen Hockey East Coach of the Year Award winner. The college hockey world will miss Umile behind the bench, but are forever grateful for his contributions.

Cover image courtesy of WMUR.com.

Win or Lose, Tom Brady is the GOAT

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It was Week 6 of the 1983 season. My family’s Sunday tradition was to eat Grandma’s homemade pizza and watch football in her South Buffalo home. On this particular Sunday, the Buffalo Bills were playing at Miami to take on the Dolphins. The Bills had not won in Miami in my lifetime. However, the Dolphins were struggling offensively early that season, so they made a switch to a rookie quarterback on this day.

We had a good feeling about this game. The Bills bolted out to a 14-0 first quarter lead. We were smiling, giggling, eating, relishing the moment that our Bills would snap their streak of futility in Miami’s Orange Bowl. Then, something happened that made me even as a child stand up and pay closer attention. The Miami player wore number 13. The way he played quarterback completely mesmerized me. His name was Dan Marino and I had the privilege to watch him play in person 10 times. He was the greatest pure passer I have ever seen.

The Other Quarterback GOATs

I was 14 years old watching the 1989-90 San Francisco 49ers rake the turf with their opponents during their postseason run. The 49ers were going to kill the Broncos in the Super Bowl. I recall it was a freezing January day in Western New York, so we were homebound for the three-hour pregame show. We were not Broncos fans. Nevertheless, we hoped they would give San Francisco a game. They didn’t.

The 49ers put on a show for the ages. Their quarterback wore number 16 and in this, his fourth Super Bowl appearance, he pitched a perfect game. His name was Joe Montana. He was an assassin on the field. Montana always played with poise and threw gorgeous spirals into tight windows. He trusted his receivers implicitly. Whenever the 49ers were on national television, it was must watch. He was the most clutch player I have ever seen.

GOATs of the Past and Present

Peyton Manning was another player I witnessed at his best. He was the greatest regular season quarterback in NFL history and it is not even close. Teams that he played for won 75 percent of their contests. I rarely found myself rooting for the teams he played for, but I respected him so much for his intelligence and leadership.

Aaron Rodgers makes the impossible seem possible. I remember watching him on a Thanksgiving Day game at Dallas in 2007 when he came in for Brett Favre and thinking that he was “pretty good.” It only took him a few years to win the Super Bowl. Rodgers combines great athleticism with an uncanny football mind. His teams are never out of a game and his throws are sometimes majestic and other times magical. Rodgers is the best player in the NFL today.

GOAT Wide Receiver

Jerry Rice posted numbers as a wide receiver so gaudy and incredible that 34-year old Larry Fitzgerald would have to record seven more 1,000-yard seasons to break the record for most receiving yards. Rice was the best wide receiver of the 1980s, the best wide receiver of the 1990s and made the Pro Bowl and Super Bowl at 40 years old in 2002. He was the best non-QB in NFL history. I am grateful for the opportunity I had to watch him play a few times in Buffalo.

The Non-Football GOATs

The first time I realized that Michael Jordan was other-worldly occurred in a playoff game against my beloved 1986 Boston Celtics. The Celtics were obviously the far better team, but Jordan was so amazing, he single-handedly forced overtime and double-overtime. He won six titles. I did not get to see him play until he was past his prime, but it was a great joy to be at that game nonetheless. He was the greatest competitor in sports history.

Wayne Gretzky was above and beyond the finest hockey player to grace the ice. He had speed and maneuverability like Bobby Orr. He had a sneaky hard slap shot like Mark Messier. His passes put Jari Kurri and Glenn Anderson onto leaderboards for goals annually. Additionally, he was a leader, a gentleman and an ambassador. That is why in hockey circles, he is known as “The Great One.” He was the greatest athlete in the history of team sports.

I don’t observe individual sports with the regularity with which I enjoy team sports. I understand Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Tiger Woods have gone through eras of invincibility and I respect their accomplishments as well.

The Evolution of a GOAT

On Sunday, we will witness an athlete that will forever be discussed in the same breath as those mentioned above. The first time I saw him play was during the 2001 season. I recorded a game on my VCR between the New England Patriots and San Diego Chargers. My beloved Bills were having a dreadful season with the two-headed quarterbacking monster of Rob Johnson and Alex Van Pelt at the helm, so I enjoyed watching other teams play as much as possible. The young Pats’ quarterback played a fine game and led his team to a comeback win. The performance hardly stuck with me.

A few weeks later, I watched this young man play in person at Rich Stadium for the first time. He did nothing special. In fact, the play I remember most from this game was how the quarterback impressively popped right up after a vicious hit delivered by Buffalo’s Nate Clements. The Patriots won the game. Nothing stood out to me about this player even as he continued to help his team win games leading to a surprise playoff spot. In the playoffs, he benefited from a controversial, obscure rule. In the AFC championship game, he was knocked out of the game.

Tom Terrific is Born

He was back to play in the Super Bowl and he was average through three-plus quarters. The Patriots took a 17-3 lead as they converted three turnovers into the 17 points. Their opponents, the St. Louis Rams, tied the game 17-17 with less than 2 minutes to play. This is when I first noticed Tom Brady.

The last drive of the 2002 Super Bowl can give any football fan goose bumps. Brady’s poise on that platform at that age is almost incomprehensible. He pulled it off launching the most compelling and polarizing career in the history of team sports.

His story has been told countless times, so I need not get into the nuances of winning this game or losing that one. Inevitably, due to his consistent success, people want to debate his place among the greats of all-time. The fact that people need to explain to us why Michael Jordan, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice and even Aaron Rodgers are better than Brady teaches us that even they believe he is one of the best of all-time or we would not have to rehash his resume annually as his records get loftier. Otherwise, why would they bring it up days before Brady is to play in yet another championship game?

Can Somebody Really be Called the GOAT?

I don’t believe in saying that somebody is the greatest of all-time. There is simply no way of knowing, so it is futile to argue such things. For example, how would one know if Michael Jordan is better than Tom Brady? That is like asking to choose a favorite entertainer between Tom Hanks and Justin Timberlake. Hanks is a better actor while Timberlake is the better singer and dancer. By the way, Jordan won his titles between the ages of 27 and 35 while Brady has done it between the ages of 24 and 39 when athletes are said to be too young or too old to peak.

Others bring up Jerry Rice. How might we decide who is a better football player between Tom Brady and Jerry Rice? Well, who is the better musician between Lenny Kravitz and Lars Ulrich? Kravitz is a better guitar player while Ulrich is a better drummer.

The comparison that I hear the most has to do with Joe Montana. Who is the GOAT: Joe Montana or Tom Brady? Well, who is the more attractive female between Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie? To each his own! I will say this about the Montana-Brady debate. We have a lot of revisionist history when it comes to the great Joe Montana’s career.

Is Joe Montana the GOAT?

Montana was very good in 1981, but not great. The 49ers were the best team in the NFC because of their phenomenal defensive backfield and they won the NFC championship game due to the excellence of Bill Walsh’s coaching as they overcame six turnovers. The 1982 49ers were poor virtually from start to finish and missed the playoffs. One year later, the Pro Bowler Montana was solid in defeat in the 1983 NFC championship game.

In 1984, Montana was spectacular. He played tremendously in the Super Bowl against a terrible Dolphins defense. However, Montana was terrible in three consecutive seasons in the playoffs. Following the 1985 and 1986 seasons, Bill Belichick’s Giants defeated the 49ers 17-3 and 49-3. In the 1987 playoffs, the 49ers got embarrassed at home by the Minnesota Vikings in a game that got so out of hand, Montana was benched in favor of Steve Young. These losses occurred while Bill Walsh was the coach and Jerry Rice was a wide receiver.

Montana’s Transcendent Seasons

Montana bounced back to have a very good season in 1988. He played great in the NFC championship game against Mike Ditka’s Bears at Soldier Field as the Niners won 28-3. He also played very well against an average Bengals defense in the 1989 Super Bowl until the fourth quarter. In that final frame, Montana’s unflappability was put on display like nothing we had ever seen up to that point in the history of the big game. Most of the first 22 Super Bowls were lousy ball games. Yet, the 1989 version featured one of the great fourth quarters of all-time as Montana and Rice possessed excellence of execution in the tensest of moments. In the end, Montana hit John Taylor with a sublime pass with just 34 seconds to play to give San Francisco their third Super Bowl championship.

That momentum carried through the 1989 and 1990 seasons. This is the Montana that “Joe Cool” lovers will most frequently boast of. He was phenomenal during those two campaigns. As mentioned above, he was flawless in his dismantling of Wade Phillips’ Broncos defense in the 1990 Super Bowl. He likely could have won another Super Bowl and a “three-peat” had Coach Belichick’s Giants not crushed him with such ferocity that he did not become a starting quarterback again until 1993 with the Kansas City Chiefs.

A Painful Conclusion

In his two seasons with the Chiefs, Montana maintained his trademark poise in leading Kansas City to the playoffs. I was an eyewitness in Buffalo when he was knocked senseless in the AFC championship game by Bruce Smith and again in 1994 when the Bills destroyed the Chiefs 44-10 at Rich Stadium. The mojo was gone and the 38-year old retired following that season beaten and bruised.

Thus, as you can see with this brief recap, there is no doubt that Montana was a tremendous player and perhaps if he played in today’s era of protecting the quarterback, he may have survived to do greater things. He may well be the greatest ever to do it in the Super Bowl, but unless one simply despises Brady, a concession has to be made that Brady’s career is the stronger of the two.

Tom Brady Brings out Extreme Passion

What makes Brady unique is he is not universally beloved and there are millions of people who make the claim that he isn’t even that good. On the other and, I’ve yet to meet a smart sportsperson rationalize that Montana, Jordan, or Gretzky weren’t that good. However, there are people standing in line in an effort to discredit Brady. Some of these folks are giants in our industry.

Especially because I am from Buffalo, I witness people who loathe Brady as a player. Who can blame a fanbase that is 2-29 against this man in meaningful Patriots’ games? Yet, one would be hard-pressed to find a Bills fan say, “I hate Tom Brady, but he is an excellent football player” as if acknowledging such might indict the fan of actually liking Brady. Some fans plainly know Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers do not have the same playoff success. Yet, they will blabber about Brady is successful because of “fill in the blanks.”

Brady supporters can be equally annoying. In their eyes, we must all now admit he is the GOAT or we are foolish. Bring up a time when he failed such as in the fourth quarter of the 2012 Super Bowl and you will hear a montage of, “Gronk was hurt, Welker dropped the ball, etc.” Talk about how he struggles throwing the ball deep as evidenced by his terrible output at Miami two months ago and prepare to be pelted with verbal snow balls. The point is Brady supporters have become so used to having to defend his greatness that even rational criticism based on film study and analysis gets met with outrage unless, of course, they do it themselves.

Tom is the GOAT

Brady could have won the two Super Bowls against the New York Giants as easily as he could have lost against the Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons. In the end, those inches don’t matter. It’s about the yards traveled to be in those kinds of positions season after season from the age of 24 through the age of 40. Also, keep in mind that this thing is a work in progress. The Patriots can come right back in 2018 and do this again. Who do you think in the AFC East might be better than New England next year?

You want statistics. He’s got those. You prefer to measure individuals on the greatness barometer based on championships, he’s your man. Perhaps you just use the eye test or a player’s longevity. Maybe you look at one’s ability to make others around him better or work ethic or composure or whatever. One player stands above the rest in the history of sports and that is Tom Brady. That is why he is the GOAT.

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXVII – LI

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowls I – XXVI

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From Russia With Love- Anton Khudobin

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Every player on every line has so far stepped up and pushed through the many injuries that have plagued this team so far this season. For once in a very long time, this Bruins team has major depth on the bench. One of the biggest surprises this season for the Bruins is their newly found tenacity amongst personnel. For one particular player, this year has proven to be his shining moment. Enter Anton Khudobin, Russia’s import to the Boston Bruins.

ENTER THE DOBINATOR

Despite the loss on Tuesday night, Anton Khudobin has been on fire lately. Up until Tuesday’s game, Khudobin has not lost in regulation and is currently boasting a .924 save percentage (eighth on the leaderboard). The 31 year old Kazakhstan goalie has also done something equally impressive: giving competition to the Bruins’ number one goalie, Tuukka Rask. By mid-November, Boston started to get their team healthy again. Anton Khudobin was given the chance to finally play between the pipes. The Bruins enjoyed a four game winning streak and with Khudobin in net helped bolster the confidence of team. As for the fans, they got to see a goalie who was excited to play some good hockey. It was hard not to to notice how Anton’s energetic enthusiasm translated in his style of play. As Coach Bruce Cassidy puts it:

“Doby is always going to have a bit of energy, for lack of a better word, in there and more movement than most. You know, he’s not your typical technically robotic goaltender…”

(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

For Tuukka Rask, watching Khudobin play those games has earned top praise from the Bruins goalie early on in the season, especially when Rask was struggling early on.

“Doby played a heck of a game. The results have been there. I haven’t been able to get wins in the past three starts. So it’s understandable. Obviously, we look at every game whether it’s a win or loss and take the positives and learn from the negatives.”

BEING THANKFUL

For a young Anton Khudobin, playing hockey was always the one thing he wanted to do. Playing for the home town team, the coach decided to move to a different city, far from Kazakhstan where the Khudobin’s lived. This meant leaving their life, giving up everything so that their son could play. Khudobin played for the Russian National team which beat the United States in the final. For the young goalie, the dream of playing in the NHL soon came true. After being drafted to the Minnesota Wild and playing for a Canadian Junior team, he came to Bruins in 2011. He became a free agent and ended up playing for the Hurricanes and the Ducks before returning to Boston.

With his contract set to expire at the end of this season, there’s a question on whether or not the Bruins resign Khudobin. No matter what happens, there’s no question about Anton’s love for playing and winning at the sport.

“The ‘W’ is always great. No matter what the score, whether it’s 8-6 or 9-7. If you win then you win. Nobody talks about losers. Everybody talks about winners, right?” … if you win, then you’re on the horse, and if you don’t then you’re under it. It’s great to get one …and so now hopefully it’s not going to roll like it did last year.”

Gear up Anton, you may get a cup soon enough.

Follow Liz Rizzo on Twitter @pastagrl88

Why the BBWAA Shouldn’t Be Voters for the Hall of Fame

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With future Hall of Famers such as Curt Schilling, Mike Mussina, Edgar Martinez, and Jeff Kent not receiving entry after multiple years, one can only wonder when the MLB will look into changes for its yearly celebration of the greatest who ever lived.

Another year, another article about notable snubs from the Cooperstown Hall of Fame. With all of the notable errors the BBWAA has had over the last couple of years, there should be discussion over a new template. A board of non bias, but knowledgeable people in and around the sport: the elected players themselves.

Imagine all the living members of the Hall of Fame, the ones who know what it takes to make it. They gather around and introduce each year’s class on MLB Network. It makes total sense. Who knows more about the Hall besides the museum curators? The players who have had the honor of being inducted.

It would also provide a bigger audience to the announcement show. Who wouldn’t want to see Frank Thomas, Ken Griffey Jr, and many other players from their age? It tunes more people in because, let’s face it- a monotonous person just reading names off note cards isn’t entertaining, it’s lulling.

That’s not even the worst of it. Who remembers they years without a single member being enshrined? I remember watching the election show back in 2013. It was supposed to be “one of the biggest classes we’ve seen in decades” but no one was “good enough” for election. There is simply just too much bias to have that power. Ken Griffey Jr deserved 100% of the votes his first year. He won ten straight gold gloves, hit 630 home runs, and who players look up to even today. Even Phil Rogers of mlb.com can’t believe it.

While until free agency heats up, this debate will be put under the bed until this time next year. Unless there’s enough pressure to the commissioner, this hassle won’t be going away any time soon.

Where Does Benintendi Fall in Top 10 Left Fielders?

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Before we begin, the dissection and determination of the overall value of one MLB player compared to others is no easy task. It takes a deep in-depth look at several facets of their individual impact. The player can have tremendous talent and outshine their teammates or fit well in a system giving them opportunities constantly to produce. Without continuing to skate around the point, ranking players ahead of others isn’t always easy. There is a way of looking at the personal statistics a player can produce, but there always must be a situational and big picture perception.

In an article written by Mike Petriello, he broke down the top ten left fielders in all of the MLB based off of The Shredder’s list. This would be the official ranking of Top 10 Right Now. Andrew Benintendi was placed on this list, which wasn’t a shock to me at all, although the order may leave some to question. Given Benintendi seems to be a staple of this organization for years to come, it is fair to comment on the results of The Shredder list as well.

The Shredder’s List- Left Fielders

1. Marcell Ozuna (STL)
2. Yoenis Cespedes (NYM)
3. Justin Upton (LAA)
4. Ryan Braun (MIL)
5. Trey Mancini (BAL)
6. Khris Davis (OAK)
7. Adam Eaton (WAS)
8. Andrew Benintendi (BOS)
9. Marwin Gonzalez (HOU)
10. Brett Gardner (NYY)

Eric Goudreau’s Thoughts & List:

I will not go into strong details about each individual player as that would take the plot away from this article. I will give my list below, but the objective and purpose of this piece are to justify my positioning of Andrew Benintendi and to argue the list above. Yes, I am a Red Sox fan by heart, yes I sleep under a signed picture of Andrew Benintendi every night, but this will not promote any objectivity. I am a fan of this game first, and when I see a glaring injustice done to a player of Benintendi’s value I speak. Or type.

1. Marcell Ozuna (STL)
2. Yoenis Cespedes (NYM)
3. Justin Upton (LAA)
4. Andrew Benintendi (BOS)
5. Marwin Gonzalez (HOU)
6. Rhys Hoskins (PHI)
7. Adam Eaton (WAS)
8. Ryan Braun (MIL)
9. Kris Davis (OAK)
10. Brett Gardner (NYY)

Andrew Benintendi Explanation:

There needs to be a constant reminder when looking at each of these players on my list. I am evaluating player performance as well as what the team’s style seems to be. The player succeeds when the system surrounding him can play to strength and weaknesses. Also added to this is the player’s potential growth in those systems. This is based on their skill set relative to team needs/concentrations.

Andrew Benintendi finished his long rookie season coming just shy of the AL Rookie of the Year award. Maybe just shy is not the word when comparing him to the MLB The Show 18 cover boy. Second place will not be ignored. For me, this completely negates Trey Mancini on The Shredder’s List. Yes, Trey Mancini has shown growth with outstanding power and surprising defense. With a career total of WAR for 3.1 to Mancini’s 2.5 and the RoY standings being what they were, I don’t put him ahead of Benintendi.

Andrew’s Age:

What will push Benintendi (age 23) over the likes of Adam Eaton (age 29), Khris Davis (age 30) and post PED use Ryan Braun (age 34) is sheer age and potential. It has been a universal agreement and observation that in baseball the prime of a player’s career is around the ages of 26-29/30.

A player like Andrew Benintendi being in these talks around the age of 23 for a top player at his position does not come very often. A player passing through the ranks of AAA to a major league diamond to create an impact like Benintendi did in 2016 does not come very often. Now if you want to argue that I’m basing Benintendi to be better LONG TERM compared to these players, I can see a point to be made. But if we want to even look at the numbers last season, it’s important to back to the statistic that does not lie.

WAR

1. Andrew Benintendi- 2.6
2. Khris Davis- 2.5
3. Ryan Braun- 1.2
4. Adam Eaton- 0.4

I gave the edge to Benintendi for my last criteria, which is the system. Personally, I believe there was a misuse of players in the 2017 Red Sox system. The argument could even be made for the 2016 team as well. Both teams Benintendi has been a part of/still excelled in. John Farrell’s firing could be the best thing that has happened to the grooming and maintenance of players in Boston. In Benintendi’s situation a new young manager, Alex Cora, will only benefit his career. At times Cora has dealt with young talent both in playing years (Dustin Pedroia) and his one year in Houston.

I look to the development of Marwin Gonzalez (HOU) as an example. It may surprise most that Marwin Gonzalez at the age of 28 came in 19th for AL MVP last season. A player who has never mentioned in such conversation in past years. Although Alex Cora may not have been the main cog of Marwin Gonzalez seeing success, Cora witnessed it happen at the position. With a mold like Andrew Benintendi and a manager like Cora who has quite an eye for talent, I believe Benintendi’s ceiling is massive for 2018.

With all that said, the entire argument’s based on statistics and some “I believe”. The flurries of opinions are what makes the MLB community great. Ultimately I want you to let me know how you are feeling in the comments.

(YouTube: FXbyAidan)