Pittsburgh Steelers: Rest In Peace

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I have a confession to make. I take joy in other people’s pain. I’m not particularly proud of the fact, but I don’t think I’m alone.

I love that Roger Goodell’s NFL is dying in the ratings. The 2017-18 regular season marked the second consecutive significant decline. Last week’s divisional playoffs were down eleven percent nationally. Good.

And I love that ESPN continues to be a dumpster fire. From tanking ratings, to widespread sexual harassment by on-air personalities, and President Jon Skipper resigning over substance abuse issues, I have enjoyed every minute of their demise. I hope everyone on that network has to dive through Taco Bell dumpsters just to feed their families. Ok, maybe that was too much. I hope their families leave them before that happens.

But, as much as I hate Goodell and his mouthpieces in Bristol, I hate our enemies on the field even more. That’s why I’m taking almost obscene pleasure in the current state of affairs in Pittsburgh. You know, the team we were destined to play in the AFC Championship game this weekend.

The Symptoms of Disaster

How on earth did the Pittsburgh Steelers lose a home playoff game to the Jacksonville Jaguars? The answer is simple: they are not the New England Patriots. Pittsburgh is loaded with talent, yes. But, they are poorly coached, undisciplined, and childish. They are the anti-Patriots.

From the final whistle of their annual loss to New England in Week 15, Steelers players, coaches, and fans spent the better part of a month talking about their inevitable rematch in the AFC Championship Game. Hell, even a month before that December game, Mike Tomlin predicted the match-up in a ridiculous interview with NBC’s Tony Dungy.

But after Week 15 the chorus from the Tin City – sorry, steel is hard, you’re not – was loud and confident. Not only were they going to play the Pats in the AFC Championship game, they were going to win. They were the better team. According to Safety Mike Mitchell, it didn’t matter if the game were in hell, Haiti, or Foxborough.

The problem is, of course, that Pittsburgh has all the swagger and none of the game. New England was so in their heads that they forgot the cardinal rule of the NFL – on any given Sunday, anyone can beat you. Bill Belichick’s Patriots would never look past an opponent, certainly not in the playoffs.

Other symptoms of Pittsburgh’s season-long lack of discipline and focus include:

  • Le’Veon Bell threatening to retire in the off-season if the Steelers franchise tag him rather than sign him to a long-term deal.
  • Offensive coordinator Todd Haley shattering his pelvis after being involved in a “situation” outside a Pittsburgh bar that he and his wife had just been thrown out of.
  • Ben Roethlisberger throwing every possible coach under the bus all season long when things didn’t go their way.

The Wrong Overreaction

Pittsburgh’s response to their division-round loss to Jacksonville was typical of many bad franchises. They drew the wrong lessons and overreacted.

Rather than listen to the finally rising chorus calling from Tomlin’s ouster, they fired offensive coordinator Todd Haley. Okay, technically he wasn’t fired, they just didn’t renew his contract. But, he was fired. So, the team that put up 42 points against the Jags didn’t have enough offense? Interesting assessment.

Haley had been the offensive coordinator since 2012, and in the last four seasons had guided the Steelers to no worse than the 7th best offense in the league.  This season, Pittsburgh finished as the third best offense behind only (you guessed it) the Patriots and the Saints. Offense isn’t Pittsburgh’s problem. Leadership and culture are.

As if to double down on their poor decision, Tomlin not only didn’t get rid of anyone on the defensive side of the coaching tree, he gave them a vote of confidence. This, of course, is a group that allowed Blake Bortles to hang 38 points on them.

As commonplace as it’s become for idiots like the CHB to claim New England plays in a division full of tomato cans, it’s ridiculous how Pittsburgh gets a pass for the quality of the AFC North. Tomlin is an awful coach. His teams have simply benefited from playing Cleveland and Cincinnati twice a year – who unlike Miami and Buffalo have neither a defense nor an offense.

Poor management of undisciplined and unfocused players is a recipe for disaster in the NFL. As Patriots fans, we should be thankful that the Pittsburgh Steelers are too dumb to recognize their flaws.

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXXVIII

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The Super Bowl is just 14 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 14 years ago to honor this not-so-significant occasion!

Houston hosted Super Bowl XXXVIII on February 1, 2004. The game pitted the NFC champion Carolina Panthers against the New England Patriots of the American Football Conference. The Panthers were in their ninth season of existence. Yet, they already had one exciting ride to the NFC championship, two head coaching changes and one rebuilding project.

Carolina Panthers 14 Years Ago

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The 2003 Panthers coached by John Fox were in their second year of the aforementioned rapid rebuild project. In 2001, the Panthers finished 1-15. Head coach George Seifert was fired and Fox was brought onboard to replace him. The 2002 Panthers showed vast improvement. They were led by hotshot wideout Steve Smith and rookie defensive lineman Julius Peppers to a 7-9 record. Carolina finished in last place in a very competitive division behind the eventual Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Michael Vick-led Wild Card Atlanta Falcons. Carolina’s resurgence continued in 2003 when Jake Delhomme replaced Rodney Peete as the starting quarterback. Stephen Davis was added via free agency. Deshaun Foster was drafted to bolster their running attack. Therefore, they were much stronger on offense. On defense, Kris Jenkins was a First-Team All-Pro selection. Put it together and Carolina became a playoff team.

They upset Mike Martz’s St. Louis Rams in an epic double-overtime thriller. Carolina appeared to be in control with just a few minutes left leading 23-12. The Rams struck with a touchdown and 2-point conversion to cut the lead to 23-20. Subsequently, they recovered an onside kick. Them, of all people, Martz took the ultra-conservative “send it to overtime” approach by settling for a field goal and a tie. Both teams squandered opportunities to win in the first overtime. The Rams took the ball back and drove into Carolina territory, however an errant Bulger pass was intercepted by Carolina cornerback Ricky Manning . On the first play of the second overtime period, Delhomme needed only ten seconds to throw a 69-yard touchdown pass to Smith to win the game. It marked the first double-overtime game and longest NFL game since the 1986 playoffs.

In the NFC championship game, Fox’s defense completely stifled Andy Reid’s offense as the Panthers won in Philadelphia 14-3. The Carolina Panthers qualified for their first ever Super Bowl appearance.

New England Patriots 14 Years Ago

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The AFC was a three-team race between New England, Kansas City and Indianapolis. The Chiefs and Colts were offensive powerhouses, but weak on the defensive side of the ball. Thus, the Patriots were the most complete squad of the three. The Pats added veterans Rodney Harrison, Larry Centers and Ted Washington to an already stacked lineup.

The Patriots got waxed by former friend Lawyer Milloy and the Buffalo Bills 31-0 in the opener. In week four, they lost at Washington 20-17. They would not lose again. Many of their wins were tough, grind-it-out affairs. They won at Miami in overtime on a dramatic pass play from Tom Brady to Troy Brown. A few weeks after that, the Pats won at Denver in come-from-behind style on Monday Night Football. However, their grandest triumph during the regular year occurred when they knocked off Indy 38-34 using a goal-line stand at the buzzer for the win.

In the playoffs, the Patriots held off Tennessee in arctic conditions 17-14. In the AFC championship game, the Patriots’ defense tormented Peyton Manning all afternoon long. Ty Law especially frustrated Colts’ receivers with his aggressive cover style. The NFL’s co-MVP threw four interceptions as New England prevailed 24-14. Bill Belichick led his team back to the Super Bowl.

Two Games in One

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Super Bowl XXXVIII had two games within one. There were the defensive duels of the first and third quarters and the offensive warfare of the second and fourth. Indeed, there was a little of everything in this very exciting football game. What cannot be denied, though, is the best player on the field in Super Bowl XXXVIII was Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady. He did not play a perfect game, but he was clutch in clutch city.

New England’s came out on fire limiting the Panthers to -7 yards over their first 20 plays. The Panthers responded well late in the second quarter with 10 points in the final 2 minutes. The score was 14-10 until early in the fourth.

Pat’s running back Antowain Smith bulldozed home for a 21-10 lead eleven seconds into the last quarter to set off a scoring spree. The Panthers scored the next twelve points including an electrifying TD pass from Jake Delhomme to Muhsin Muhammed. The play covered 85 yards. Carolina missed their 2-point conversions so the score was 22-21.

Tom Terrific

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Brady, unaffected by an earlier red zone interception, brought his team down the field in four minutes. The Patriots scored when Brady hit linebacker Mike Vrabel from the one-yard line for the touchdown. They successfully converted their 2-pointer on a direct snap to Kevin Faulk. The lead did not last very long. Delhomme brought his team down the field in just over a minute. Just like he did in Super Bowl XXXVI for the Rams, Ricky Proehl scored the tying touchdown.

Panthers’ kicker John Kasay made a critical error on the ensuing kickoff as the lefty pushed it out of bounds. Brady led his team into Adam Vinatieri field goal range. Despite a shaky first half, Vinatieri booted it home to give the Pats their second World Championship! But, they were not done yet.

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

Bortles

Bortles Is Definitely Not Trash at Quarterback

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Blake Bortles does not have a great reputation as a starting quarterback in the NFL. For example, Houston Texans’ defensive end Jadeveon Clowney famously called Bortles “trash”. Tennessee Titans’ defensive tackle Jurrell Casey claimed that Bortles “chokes under pressure”. Even Seattle Seahawks’ safety Earl Thomas labeled Bortles as “subpar”.

Does Bortles really deserve all this derision? Perhaps he did coming into the 2017 season. His career record was a dismal 11-34 as he threw 51 interceptions in just 45 starts. In fact, head coach Doug Marrone did not name Bortles as his starter until he won the competition over Chad Henne during preseason.

Bortles Stepped up His Game

However, Bortles has not played like “trash” in 2017. He has actually played very well when matched up against some of the game’s best. While he is not in the same category as Ben Roethlisberger and Russell Wilson, his solid play when up against teams like the Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers helped his squad win those ball games. Instead of a liability, he has been a contributor.

Jacksonville crushed the Baltimore Ravens 44-7 early in the season. This is a Ravens team that finished the season with three shutouts. Late in the season, Jacksonville proved they were for real with a 30-24 win over Seattle. Bortles passed for 275 yards, two touchdowns, and most importantly no interceptions. He made Thomas and the Seahawks’ defense look “subpar.” Those wins enabled the Jaguars to improve from 3-13 in 2016 to a third seed in the AFC playoffs.

In the Wild Card round Bortles struggled in the passing game against the Buffalo Bills. Yet, he won that game for his team by rushing for 88 yards. In the Divisional round, Bortles was outstanding. He flawlessly executed the offensive game plan and consistently made wise decisions with the ball.

Brady Always Has the Advantage

To be fair, Blake Bortles will not be facing Tom Brady. He will be opposing the New England Patriots’ defense. The Patriots almost seem offended when it’s insinuated that Bortles is a poor quarterback. Certainly, there are several “elite” quarterbacks that wish they were headed to Foxborough for the AFC championship game this Sunday. If Bortles wins this game over Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, and the vaunted Patriots, he will likely shed his draft bust label once and for all.

Brady rarely has a bad day at the office. His career mark speaks for itself. Teams have gotten to him like the New York Giants in the 2008 Super Bowl and the Denver Broncos in the AFC championship game from two seasons ago. But, those situations are few and far between.

The 2015 Super Bowl was the last time Brady faced a top two ranked scoring defense in the playoffs. We remember how well he played that evening against the Seahawks.

In this match-up the Patriots should be able to win because of their running game. Dion Lewis is having a career year. Rex Burkhead and James White are the kind of multi-faceted players that Belichick loves. Bortles should have a strong game, but it probably won’t be enough to dethrone the champions.

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

Celtics Look to Bounce Back Before West Coast Trip

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The Celtics are looking to get a win before heading to the West Coast on a four-game road trip. For the first time this season they lost two home games in a row. No need to panic, but definitely not something fans want to see.

Loss to Pelicans

On Tuesday the Cs hosted the Pelicans after five days of rest. It was their first game since their return from London, and boy did they look sluggish. They lost 116-113 in OT, due mostly to the fact that Anthony Davis had 45 points and 16 rebounds. Boogie Cousins also contributed 19 points 15 rebounds, but what really helped them was Rondo’s return at point guard. Kyrie Irving finished with 27 points after having a decent second half. Smart contributed 16 points off of the bench but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough.

Loss to 76ers

The Celtics got another taste of what it’s like to be without Kyrie Irving. He sat out with shoulder soreness just as a precaution. Although the game was winnable without him, Boston wasn’t able to sustain a good run. The 76ers took this match-up 89-80 to beat the Celtics for the first time this season. Joel Embiid put up 26 points and 16 rebounds, while T.J. McConnell had 15 points off the bench. The Celtics were out-rebounded 51-38, and we all know that when this occurs Boston doesn’t nearly stand a chance.

Getting Ready for the Magic

On Sunday the Celtics host the Magic at 1:00 pm. They are 34-12 and are still atop the East, but a win here would be great. The Cavs won their last game and so did Toronto. We don’t need them inching any closer! But that should be a problem with a struggling Magic team coming to town. Orlando has lost ten in a row and unfortunately the Celtics will try to make it eleven.

Dominance Over the West

Boston has shocked everyone this season with their dominance, especially over the top teams in the West. They’ve beaten Golden State, Houston, Minnesota, and Oklahoma City. In each match-up, they have held the teams to under 100 points! I mean, who could forget that thriller against Houston?! On their road trip they will look to take another one from Golden State and Denver. They will also be facing the Clippers and Lakers.

Don’t forget to tune in Sunday! It’s before the Patriots game so no excuses! And tune in during their west coast trip; all games are nationally televised!

Boston Celtics: The New Favorites?

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From Ashes to New

The Boston Celtics have overcome adversity with great defense and rebounding. Is this enough for them to be called title contenders?

Just five minutes into the season, All-Star Gordon Hayward went down with a potential season ending injury. The Boston Celtics fought hard against the Cavs in their first game but lost by three. Then they lost the subsequent game to the Milwaukee Bucks. It looked like it was going to be a long season, then something sparked. The team didn’t lose another game after that until November 20th.

As the Celtics went on a sixteen game win streak, their notable weaknesses from last season withered away. Rebounding and defense. As last season limped to an end, centers Al Horford and Amir Johnson were struggling to grab more than six boards a game. It feels like Hayward’s injury forced the team to mesh together quickly. There are only four players from last year’s squad in addition to all these new guys that have helped the Celtics grow stronger. They are playing younger and quicker basketball.

Before the season started, the Celtics were tied for the third best chance to make an appearance in the Finals along with the San Antonio Spurs at 12/1. Since then they have fluctuated, but the odds have gone towards their favor at 10/1. You can follow along with the Celtics odds, as well as betting on the team here.

The Competition

Per usual the Western Conference appears stacked this season. The Golden State Warriors have some competition with the Houston Rockets and potentially the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Spurs might be able to make their usual run as long as the injury bug leaves them alone in the second half of the season. The Eastern Conference looks like a dog fight for second place. For the first time in almost a decade LeBron James’s team is closer to ninth place than first. The Cavs are currently third in the East but are riding six games behind first place. They are also ranked almost last in defense efficiency at twenty-eighth. No team has made the playoffs with a ranking as poor as that.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Eastern Conference is shaping up to be as expected. Teams like Toronto, Washington, and Milwaukee are all within contention of making playoffs. Adversely basement dwellers like New York, Chicago, and Brooklyn are not surprising anyone.

With the All-Star break and trade deadline quickly approaching the Celtics have room to improve. With the disabled player exception under Danny Ainge’s belt this team has options. They could trade for a player or sit comfortably until the buyout deadline. No matter what moves are or aren’t made, this team is a favorite to win the 2018 NBA Finals.

15

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXXVII

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The Super Bowl is just 15 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 15 years ago to honor this not-so-significant occasion! 

San Diego hosted Super Bowl XXXVII on January 26, 2003. The game pitted the NFC champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the Oakland Raiders of the American Football Conference.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 15 Years Ago

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After the famous “tuck rule” game, Jon Gruden was traded from the Raiders to the Buccaneers for a bunch of draft picks. The pieces were already in place for Tampa Bay to make a run at the title thanks to a fantastic defense, but Gruden was acquired to fire up their lethargic offense. It didn’t happen. What did happen was the Bucs’ defense got even better.

The Buccaneers fielded a “D” with five Pro Bowlers including Shelton Quarles and John Lynch. Simeon Rice, Derrick Brooks, and Warren Sapp were first-team All-Pro. Their fantastic defense led them to a 12-4 record.

Their offense finished 24th in the league. Brad Johnson, Keyshawn Johnson and Mike Alstott were joined by Keenan McCardell and Michael Pittman in 2002. As the season progressed, the unit improved somewhat. In reality, they did not have to do much. In fact, Tampa only gave up 16 total points in the playoffs.

Bucs Roll

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In the divisional round, Tampa walloped San Francisco 31-6. The real challenge for the Buccaneers lay ahead. Their primary nemesis during this era had been the Eagles. In the NFC title game, things got off to a lousy start as Brian Mitchell returned the opening kickoff 70 yards. Duce Staley followed that with a 20-yard score and it was 7-0 less than one minute into the game.

However, today would be different for the Bucs. In the last game ever played at Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium, Tampa Bay closed it with a Ronde Barber pick six off Donovan McNabb. Thus, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were going to their first Super Bowl!

Oakland Raiders 15 Years Ago

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Gruden’s former team was the preseason favorite to win the AFC. Coming off their heartbreaking loss in New England, Al Davis retooled his squad putting together quite a cast of veterans. 37-yr old NFL MVP Rich Gannon was the best of the bunch as he mounted a career year. 40-yr old Jerry Rice caught 92 passes for over 1200 yards and 37-yr old Rod Woodson made the Pro Bowl.

Bill Callahan’s team had a surreal first half of the season in 2002. They won their first four by posting crazy offensive numbers. Then, they lost four straight included two in overtime. They got their act together with two prime time conquests. First, they flattened Denver on Monday Night Football. Six days later, Oakland upended the defending-World Champion Patriots 27-20.

In the playoffs, Oakland cruised past the Jets and Titans scoring 71 points in those games. Therefore, Super Bowl XXXVII was advertised as a battle of Oakland’s offense vs. Tampa Bay’s defense.

Buccaneers Onslaught

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The Super Bowl was projected to be exciting and unpredictable. Gruden, however, seemed to know exactly what the Raiders were calling on every play. Keyed by two first half Dexter Jackson interceptions, the Buccaneers jumped out to a 27-3 lead.

Late in the third quarter, Gannon was intercepted again. This one was returned for a touchdown by Dwight Smith. Down, 34-3, the Raiders finally showed some life. They rallied for three consecutive touchdowns, but missed the two-point conversions on all of them. They got the ball back trailing 34-21 late in the contest. But, Derrick Brooks picked off Gannon again! And, he brought this one to the house. Dwight Smith added one more pick six giving Gannon record five interceptions in the 48-21 drubbing.

In their only Super Bowl appearance, Tampa Bay was triumphant. However, they were not able to sustain their greatness beyond 2002. Indeed, both the Buccaneers and Raiders slumped in 2003.

It will be interesting to see how Jon Gruden fares as he signed on to coach the Raiders effective 2018.

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXXVI

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The Super Bowl is just 16 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 16 years ago to honor this not-so-significant occasion!

New Orleans hosted Super Bowl XXXVI on February 3, 2002. The game pitted the NFC Champion St. Louis Rams against the New England Patriots of the American Football Conference. The game was played less than five months after the horrendous terrorist attacks of September 11th. So, there was an air of patriotism on Super Bowl Sunday. Low and behold, a team named the Patriots made it to the Super Bowl and made American football history.

St. Louis Rams 16 Years Ago

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The greatest show on turf was back and in many ways, they were even better than their 1999 World Championship team. After a lousy defensive campaign in 2000, the Rams hired Lovie Smith and acquired Aeneas Williams. They went from last place in points allowed to seventh and from 23rd in yards allowed to third! Williams’ impact was especially apparent. He finished the regular and postseason with 4 interception returns for touchdowns including two off Brett Favre.

The Rams’ offense was the Rams’ offense. They led the league in points for a third consecutive season. They had the best quarterback and best running back in football in Kirt Warner and Marshall Faulk. In fact, Faulk edged Warner for NFL MVP of 2001. Faulk finished with the incredible total of 2100 yards from scrimmage and 21 touchdowns. The Rams also had two legends at wide receiver with Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt posting obscene numbers. Mike Martz’ team was a well-oiled machine.

They rolled to a 14-2 regular season record. Then, they embarrassed the Packers in the Divisional round 45-17. However, the Rams faced a formidable opponent in the NFC Championship game. The youthful Philadelphia Eagles, who would be playing in the first of 4 straight NFC Championship games, battled until the end. Philadelphia was an 11-point underdog, but led 17-13 at the half. The Rams scored the next 16 points as they switched from their “greatest show on turf” style to pounding Faulk into the line. Faulk scored twice putting the Rams ahead 29-17. Philly responded with a late tally, but their last effort ended in another Williams’ INT. And, the Rams were on to their second Super Bowl in three years.

New England Patriots 16 Years Ago

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While the Rams were preseason favorites heading into 2001, the Patriots aimed to get back to the playoffs. The 2000 Pats finished 5-11 under first-year coach Bill Belichick with the 22nd-ranked offense and 20th-ranked defense. Headed into his seventh season as an NFL head coach, Belichick made the playoffs just once. However, he had achieved great success as Bill Parcells’s assistant and defensive coordinator. Thus, Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft still had confidence that Belichick was the right man for the job.

Belichick’s most important move was to keep a fourth quarterback on the 2000 roster named Tom Brady. Brady was a sixth round draft pick out of Michigan and was not projected to be anything special. One position that was not a major concern heading into 2001 was quarterback. The Patriots had nine-year man Drew Bledsoe who had shredded team passing records in the ’90’s. That all changed in week two when Bledsoe got wrecked near the sideline by Jets’ defender Mo Lewis. Brady stepped onto the field launching one of the greatest careers in the history of team sports.

Brady was not great 16 years ago. But, he was dependable and mistake-free. Even when Bledsoe got healthy, Brady remained the starter.

A competitive loss to the Rams left them at 5-5. At this crossroads in the season, Belichick called upon his defense to turn up the intensity. His guys responded emphatically led by Ty Law and Lawyer Milloy. New England won their final six games including two tough, low-scoring games on the road against the Jets and Bills. At 11-5, the Patriots grabbed the #2 seed in the AFC when the Jets stunned Oakland in the season finale.

Tuck Rule

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Brian Snyder

The Divisional Round playoff game between the Raiders and Patriots became an all-time classic. First, it was the last game at old Foxboro Stadium. Second, it was played on a Saturday night in a steady falling accumulating snow. Third, it was decided on a call so controversial, the game is known to this day as “The Tuck Rule Game.” As far as game action is concerned, it did not get exciting until the Patriots finally scored a late touchdown to cut the lead to 13-10 on a Brady run.

When the Pats got the ball back, they drove into Raiders’ territory when it happened. On the play, Raiders’ cornerback Charles Woodson and Brady’s former teammate at Michigan sacked Patriots’ Brady. He fumbled and it was recovered by Raiders’ linebacker Greg Biekert. Officials reviewed the play, and eventually determined that even though Brady had seemingly halted his passing motion and was attempting to “tuck” the ball back into his body, it was an incomplete pass and not a fumble under the then-effective NFL rules. Subsequently, the Patriots moved the ball into field goal range.

With under a minute remaining in regulation, Patriots’ kicker Adam Vinatieri booted an unbelievable 45-yard field goal to tie the game at 13, which sent the game into overtime. In OT, Vinatieri kicked a 23-yard field goal to win the game for the Patriots. New England rejoiced. In effect, a dynasty that has known no equal in NFL history, was born.

In the AFC Championship game at Pittsburgh, Brady hurt his ankle. Bledsoe came in and led the Patriots to a touchdown drive. Two special teams’ scores had New England up 21-3 before the Steelers rallied. However, they intercepted Kordell Stewart twice in the last few minutes to close out a 24-17 victory improbably sending the Patriots to Super Bowl XXXVI.

Patriots Day

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The Rams were 14-point favorites heading into the big game. The Patriots were not intimidated. They came out introduced as a team, ready to go to work.

St. Louis could not get on track offensively. The Patriots’ strategy to knock people around on every play was working. In the second quarter, Mike Vrabel made an uncontested rush toward Warner. Warner’s pass floated toward Bruce when Law jumped the play and darted to the end zone putting the Pats up 7-3. Another turnover led to a Brady to David Patten touchdown just before the half. Yet, another turnover by the Rams led to a second half field goal. Therefore, New England led St. Louis 17-3 heading to the fourth quarter.

The never-say-die Rams responded with two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Ricky Proehl scored the latter with less than two minutes remaining. Brady now had his turn. For the first time on the international stage, he worked his magic. He calmly led the Pats from their own 17 to the Rams’ 30 in just over a minute. Vinatieri knocked home the game-winner and the Patriots won their first Super Bowl championship! It would not be their last!

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

The Worst Right Fielders in Red Sox History

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Nearing the end of my series of articles about the worst players in franchise history, I take on right field. Fenway’s spacious right field has been home to some of the most beloved players in team history; Dwight Evans, Tony Conigliaro, and Trot Nixon. But the team hasn’t always received stellar play from the position, sometimes giving up quality assets to bring someone aboard who proceeds to flop. Some just may have never been good to begin with. So who among them let us fans down the most?

Rusney Castillo

Castillo takes up the top spot for what little he has accomplished versus what was paid to get him. Castillo was a star in Cuba who became highly sought after once eligible for Major League teams. The Red Sox shelled out a 72.5 million dollar contract spanning seven seasons to sign him, the largest contract ever given to an international free agent. After defecting from Cuba, Castillo was out of baseball for over a year so some rust was to be expected.

Castillo impressed initially, batting .333 with a couple of homers over 36 at-bats for the Red Sox towards the end of the 2014 season. After such a long layoff, this gave many high hopes for his future. Castillo also stole three bases without being caught that September. Unfortunately, the production didn’t last, and the high hopes fizzled out with it.

After being ranked as the 21st best prospect by Baseball America prior to the 2015 season, Castillo batted just .253 with a meager .288 on-base percentage for the Red Sox. His five home runs showed less power than what was expected and he finished with a .359 slugging percentage, lower than Pablo Sandoval’s that season. He was also caught stealing more times than he successfully stole on the bases. As for the field, Castillo finished 4th worst in the American League with his five errors. Of his five errors, four of them came in right field in only 39 starts. His play looked amazingly unrefined.

Castillo was outrighted off the 40 man roster in 2016 and hasn’t been back on it since. Four years into his seven year contract the Red Sox have gotten seven home runs, seven stolen bases and five errors out of their 72.5 million dollar man. Castillo’s contract will only count against the luxury tax if he is added to the 40-man roster, so while there is still a little hope for salvaging some value, he would have to make a big impression to be given another chance. He made strides last season, batting .314 with 15 homers across 87 games in Pawtucket. Will he get another chance to prove himself?

baseballreference.com

Mark Whiten

Nicknamed “Hard Hittin’ Whiten”, it is not hard to figure out what Whiten did well. He had his breakout year with the Cardinals in 1993, hitting 25 home runs while driving in 99 runs. That year he also tied Major League records by hitting 4 home runs and driving in 12 runners in one game! The next year, shortened by a strike, Whiten posted a career high .849 OPS. He also had a cannon for an arm out in right field, throwing out 47 base runners over the previous four seasons.

The Red Sox acquired Whiten from the Cardinals in advance of the 1995 season. With how he’d hit the ball in recent seasons, he would fit nicely into a revamped lineup. Well, that was the thought anyways. Whiten lasted with the team until July 24th when they finally shipped him off to Philadelphia. In that time, “Hard Hittin’ Whiten” had managed to hit one home run and three doubles. His batting average was below the Mendoza Line at .185. His rate stats fell off a cliff, posting a .239/.241/.480 triple slash. Instead of Whiten filling the need in right field, Troy O’leary, picked off the scrap heap from Milwaukee answered the call.

As for Whiten, his bat rebounded pretty quickly after leaving Boston, posting an .846 OPS the rest of the way with the Phillies. In 1996, he was mostly good again, hitting 22 home runs with an .848 OPS. So, he was good his two years prior to joining the Red Sox, and just as good, if not better after leaving Boston. In between, he couldn’t hit his own weight. The only thing he did keep in Boston was his strong arm, throwing out four base runners from right field in 31 games.

Wily Mo Pena

Pena was not designed to be a right fielder in Fenway Park. He had little range, and little glove, and the spacious confines of right field did not suit him. Pena was a big man, standing at 6’3″ 260, and had hit 26 home runs in only 336 at-bats in 2004 with the Reds. The biggest problem, the Red Sox traded fan favorite and durable workhorse Bronson Arroyo to acquire him. Arroyo had won 24 games the previous two seasons and had pitched 200 innings in 2005 for the Red Sox. The team would miss his arm, as the rotation experienced injuries and ineffectiveness all season.

Pena had a good first season at the plate, batting .301 with 11 home runs and an .838 OPS in 276 at-bats. He showed the same underlying concerns he had in Cincinnati though, walking just 20 times as opposed to 90 strike outs. He also posted a -0.9 dWAR that season, a number he would duplicate with the Red Sox in 2007.

Wily Mo’s bat fell apart in 2007 as pitchers adjusted to his free swinging ways. A breaking ball in the dirt is all it took to get the big man swinging away. Pena batted .218 that second season with the Red Sox, hitting five home runs across 156 at-bats. The Red Sox cut their losses, sending Pena with cash to the Nationals for a player to be named later (Chris Carter). The power was always real, but his game had too many holes.

Dishonorable Mentions:

Jeremy Hermida, Joe Lahoud, Wes Chamberlain, Shano Collins, Jay Payton

 

Featured picture from masslive.com

http://www.masslive.com/redsox/index.ssf/2017/03/rusney_castillo_boston_red_sox_6.html

Isaiah Thomas Concedes, February 11th Belongs to #34

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The Celtics lost last night to the Pelicans 116-113 in overtime. That was a big deal for a lot of people, even though they are 34-11 and still lead the East by 3.5 games. For me though, I couldn’t get over the tweet Isaiah Thomas sent out about his tribute video—and I still can’t.

Isaiah Thomas: Petty or Classy

Last night Isaiah Thomas sent out a tweet asking the Celtics not to run his tribute video on February 11th. He said he appreciated the honor of sharing that night with Paul Pierce, but knew it was becoming an issue. I felt like this tweet was a small jab at Pierce because he complained about it right off the bat. But many other people had things to say about sharing the night. When talking to the media yesterday, Rondo had this to say about the tribute video in general: “What has he done? This is the Boston Celtics… you don’t hang conference titles” (NBC Sports). Now, that’s cold. But I will say this: Isaiah, you had your chance for a tribute video on January 3rd. YOU turned it down because you already had a plan in your mind of how you wanted it to go down. You knew you were coming to Boston that night, so you had ample time to plan accordingly.

#34 Shouldn’t Have to Share

When this all initially went down, people said Pierce was being a baby about it. Ummm… NO! He wasn’t being a baby or selfish or whatever else people were saying. Pierce gave fifteen years to the Boston Celtics, bringing them to the Finals twice and winning one. Did I mention he was also the Finals MVP? We watched him grow into an elite player in Boston. He helped carry our team to the playoffs ten out of the fifteen seasons he was a Celtic. His loyalty for us was unreal. So any Boston fan who watched Pierce for those fifteen years and called him a baby for not wanting to share HIS night should be ashamed. Isaiah Thomas came here for three years and you all just forgot what Pierce accomplished while in Boston? No disrespect to Isaiah but… I’m going to have to go with #34 on this one.

“But I Thought You Had Love for I.T.”

Yes, I did write an open letter to Isaiah Thomas earlier this month. I still respect him and everything he did in his three years as a Boston Celtic. But let’s be real, he’s been acting petty since his trade. I know it was an emotional shock, but he could have handled it with a bit more grace. And like I said above, he had his chance for a tribute video, but he wanted to be petty about that as well. He should have pushed his debut to January 3rd against us and flew his family out if it was such a big deal. And I know he had that day circled on his calendar so there’s no defense.

So, lesson here guys: we don’t always get second chances!

17

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXXV

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The Super Bowl is just 17 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 17 years ago to honor this not-so-significant occasion! 

Tampa Bay hosted Super Bowl XXXI on January 28, 2001. The game pitted the NFC champion New York Giants against the Baltimore Ravens of the American Football Conference.

Baltimore Ravens 17 Years Ago

The Ravens’ franchise came into existence in 1996. In their first ever draft, they had two first round choices. They selected UCLA OT Jonathan Odgen with the fourth pick and Miami linebacker Ray Lewis with the 26th pick. Thus, Baltimore started off with a bang. Four years later, Odgen anchored the offense while Lewis led the defense. And, what a defense!

The 2000 Ravens coached by Brian Billick put together one of the greatest defensive seasons in NFL history. They are right up there with the ’75 Steelers, ’85 Bears and ’13 Seahawks when it comes to the finest units to win a Super Bowl. Marvin Lewis was the DC for the 12-4 Ravens. Ray Lewis was their best player. Indeed, Lewis may go down in history as the best inside linebacker to ever play this game. But, Baltimore employed solid guys throughout their lineup. 

Tony Siragusa and Sam Adams and their total combined weight of 700 pounds made running near impossible and allowed Lewis the freedom to roam sideline to sideline. Veteran Rod Woodson also had a Pro Bowl season at free safety. Young corners Chris McAlister and Duane Starks played with aggression and confidence. The defense was stacked; and it was a good thing because the offense was mediocre at best.

Offensive Woes

After a 5-1 start, the Ravens went three consecutive games without scoring a touchdown. Consequently, Trent Dilfer replaced the ineffective Tony Banks at starting QB. Dilfer was nothing special, but he did generate enough points to ensure the Ravens would not lose again for the remainder of the season. He looked to throw to tight end Shannon Sharpe or hand the ball off to rookie sensation Jamal Lewis.

Over their last seven games, the Ravens could not generate 300 total yards in a single game. In fact, in two of those contests, they registered less than 150! But, these were the 2000 Ravens. Who needs offense?

From Wild Card to Super Bowl

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Bill Frakes

In the Wild Card round, they knocked off Sharpe’s former team, the Broncos. Indeed, it was Sharpe who made the big play on a fluky 58-yard TD catch and run. That sent the Ravens to division-winner and defending AFC Champion Tennessee. These were the two best teams in football in 2000. And, for anyone who loves defense, this is a must re-watch. The Ravens and Titans hit each other for three hours. Baltimore finished the game with 6 total first down and 5 completed passes. The Titans missed three field goals.

One of those misses was a block returned by Anthony Mitchell giving the Ravens a 17-10 lead. In the fourth quarter, Ray Lewis took over. On a pass intended for Eddie George, Lewis muscled the ball away and bolted to the end zone putting the game away.

In the AFC Championship game, Baltimore was again the underdog on paper. However, Siragusa knocked Raiders’ QB Rich Gannon out of the game and all hope Oakland had was pretty much gone. Sharpe made the only offensive play the Ravens needed with a 96-yard catch and run. Baltimore won 16-3 clinching a trip to Super Bowl XXXV.

New York Giants 17 Years Ago

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The New York Giants were not projected to be a Super Bowl contender coming into the 2000 season. Even as the season progressed, they took a back seat to high-scoring teams like the defending World Champion Rams and the Minnesota Vikings. But, head coach Jim Fassel was convinced he had a playoff team on his hands even after a two-game home losing streak dropped their record to 7-4.

Led by the reborn Kerry Collins and the unique talents of running back Tiki Barber, New York won their final five regular season games. On defense, the Giants were led by Pro Bowler Jessie Armstead. They also had two very popular defenders in Michael Strahan and Jason Sehorn. It was Sehorn who made the critical play in the Giants 20-10 win over the rival Eagles. Sehorn made a bobbling catch along the sideline and dashed home for the six.

In the NFC Championship game, the Giants hosted the Vikings. New York pulverized Minnesota 41-0 in what was shockingly one of the most lopsided games in the NFL history. They outgained Minnesota 518-114 on the day and rolled to a 34-0 halftime lead. The Giants were ready to participate in the Super Bowl for a third time.

Defense Wins Championship

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KMazur

Super Bowl XXXV was mostly a boring affair unless you loved the Ravens’ defense. Ray Lewis was everywhere. And, when Trent Dilfer hit Brandon Stokley for an early TD, it appeared that even a 7-0 lead could be insurmountable for New York on this day.

With about four minutes remaining in the third quarter, the game received a must-needed jolt. It last about 30 seconds and would produce three return touchdowns pushing the game over the miniscule 33-total. First, Starks robbed Collins and ran it back 49 yards for a touchdown. Collins threw four picks on the day. Ron Dixon returned the ensuing kickoff for the Giants’ only points on the day. However, Baltimore’s veteran kick returner Jermaine Lewis responded. His 84-yarder pushed the Ravens to a 24-7 lead and ended the competitive nature of this Super Bowl.

The Ravens went on to win 34-7 giving the franchise their first World Championship and the city their Super Bowl counting the old Colts’ Super Bowl V triumph. Baltimore would continue to be tough defensively as long as Lewis played including another Super Bowl title in his last game after the 2012 season.

The Giants would not make it to the Super Bowl for seven years where they would face a legend by the name of Tom Brady. Tomorrow, we will read about how Brady helped the New England Patriots win Super Bowl XXXVI!

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills