Time to empty the mailbag and address some reader comments and questions:
CHRISTO wants to know what I think of the fan that caught Doug Flutie’s “dropkick‿ ball.
I’m guessing the guy is a terrible poker player because he definitely overplayed this hand. He should have just returned the ball voluntarily and then very politely asked for an autographed jersey or football, which the Patriots would have been more than happy to give. He could have even gotten a couple of tickets to a future game. By asking for a king’s ransom he made himself look like a joker. Good for the Patriots for telling him where to stuff his football!
A Fan asks; “Why don't you have the logo of Lowell's Professional Softball Team on your homepage?‿
We’re working on it as we speak. Of course, if you can tell me when Jennie Finch is due to visit the Mill City and arrange for me to meet her, I’ll do that one better and do some live blogging from Martin Field wearing a Riptide jersey!
Bob Callary wonders why I didn’t give out “The Victim’s‿ pick for Super Bowl XL.
Very original name, Bob….put a lot of thought into it, huh? Also, “The Victim’s‿ pick was posted Saturday night, about 1/8 of an inch above where you clicked to post your comment. For not paying attention, you deserved to lose your bet!
JesusSavesThorntonScores (pay attention to the originality Bob) writes; “maybe Ted and his dedicated fan base can ban together and save this franchise!......I can see it now…The Lowell Lockbloggers! or maybe The Lowell Blogmonsters! Anyone want in?‿
Love the proposed team names, especially “Blogmonsters.‿ I can already picture the new uniforms with my ugly mug on them. And you thought Louie the Lock Monster was scary! Any of you creative people out there think you can come up with a catchy logo? Send them along to tpanos@lowellsun.com and I’ll be happy to post them.
According to A Steelers Fan; “New Englanders were never football fans and never will be and don’t deserve to have the Patriots to call their own.‿
Gee….guess I touched a nerve with my anti-Pittsburgh rants. I beg to differ, however, about New Englanders not deserving the Pats. Perhaps we don’t have the rich tradition of your Steelers, but we’re writing a pretty good history ourselves. Plus, any group of fans that dealt with 86-years of Red Sox torture deserves a few good times!
Lastly, I’m going to announce a new feature where I’ll post some deserving reader comments in their entirety. In the future, the Lowell Sun will even run them in the newspaper, allowing your friends who don’t have internet access to read your brilliant thoughts. They don't even have to be long-winded. Quick and to the point works just as well. All we ask is that you keep them clean. This week’s entry comes from RobzRantz;
With no Patriots in this year's Super Bowl I've been forced to turn my attention to Boston's other hometown teams.
Red Sox
These folks can't just have a normal off-season. The corner of Yawkey way and Lands down Street might as well be called "Dysfunction Junction.‿Theo's gone, Theo's back. Larry hates Theo. Larry loves Theo. John Henry's a big goof....well that hasn't really changed. With the imminent signing of Alex Gonzalez the Sox seemed to have filled most of their holes...holes, by the way, they created for themselves. So where are we? We've improved our infield defense dramatically and beefed up the bullpen to withstand another Foulke implosion. We still have Manny, for now. Trot seems healthy. (whatever that means) Coco now roams center for us and we should consider ourselves VERY lucky.....It could have been a WHOLE lot worse. We will miss Johnny this year and maybe next but years 2 and 3 of that contract could have been disastrous for the Sox when Damon's age catches up with him. Then the Yankees will have 2 Bernie Williams'. The biggest IF is the starting rotation. We know what we will get from Wakefield, but that's it. Will Schilling be healthy? Will Beckett stay healthy? Will Wells stay or go? Can Paplebon win 10-12 games? The upside looks great. But a lot of things need to fall into place.
Celtics
If the NBA season was the World Series of Poker Danny Ainge would have just gone ALL IN with Jack-Ten. Not a really good hand but Hey...maybe you'll flop something. Can we put to rest this mirage about trying to play ANY defense whatsoever? Danny wants to score 120 points a night and give up 118. If he could find Bo Kimble he'd be suiting up right now. Exciting fastbreak dunks may put butts in the seats but defense wins championships.
Bruins
If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it does it make any noise? Well, The Boston Bruins ARE that tree and they ARE making some noise. We have to give all the credit to the players, for finally stepping up, and the coach. Despite the Pathetic Front Office, the B's are making a run for the 8th seed in the east. With Ottawa being the 1 seed.....who knows what can happen. Hopefully not ANOTHER first round exit. Hey, Ted...Ray Bourque is not walking through that door.
Patriots (Just a couple thoughts)
Other than WEEI's Pete Sheppard, no one has given a second thought to Tom Brady's groin. Apparently the "Tighty Whities" he wore on Saturday Night Live scrunched him up a little bit.... The Pats left us with a hole in our stomachs. We really have no right to complain but the way Pittsburgh handled the Colts, this would have been the Pats' EASIEST road to the Superbowl yet. I predict the Patriots will have another "Who's That?" draft, selecting Joey McNobody from Timbuktu U, who will go on and have 17 sacks and decapitate Peyton Manning....It could happen...Let a guy dream.
Keep those comments coming and let me know what you think!