December 2007 Archives

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Gotta love those Indianapolis Colts, led by that sanctimonious blowhard, Bill Polian.

With a playoff berth on the line for Tennessee and Cleveland, the Colts decided to approach the final regular season NFL game like an exhibition contest, yanking Peyton Manning and many of their key players midway through the 2nd quarter. Even worse, with the Titans in possession at the 2-minute warning and Indy still having a timeout left, Tony Dungy refused to use it to at least force a punt that would give his team a chance (albeit, a minimal chance) at winning a contest they only trailed 16-10.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I can clearly understand their desire to keep Peyton Manning healthy with nothing at stake for them. But there was an awful lot at stake for the Cleveland Browns and the integrity of a league that Polian and his crew were so concerned about in light of Spygate, remember? At the very least, use the timeouts and “pretend” you’re not making a mockery out of an important game.

Contrast that to how the Giants approached Saturday’s game against New England (with nothing at stake for any other team) and it’s evident the Colts and the NFL should be as concerned about the integrity of the league when teams clearly “tank” games with playoff implications as they are when teams do everything they can, even outside the rules, to win a season opening matchup.

That’s the view from here…how do you see it? Would you have done the same thing the Colts did? Should the league have pressured Indianapolis to approach the game differently, given that a playoff berth for another team was at stake?

Well, it’s that time of year again.

If your beat up 2007 calendar has been replaced by the 2008 edition, if that crystal ball has dropped on Times Square, if you lost 95% of the hearing in your right ear because the drunk idiot next to you thought it was funny to blow that stupid horn like a 4-year old at a birthday party, then it’s time to make those New Year’s resolutions.

Almost everybody makes them, though I’m not sure why. A recent study found 50% of people failed to keep any of their resolutions. Yet the same study shows 75% of those same people will try making them again, following the “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” method.

Experts (how exactly does one become an “expert” on resolutions…that’s lamer than being an “expert” on sports) say the problem is people make resolutions far too difficult to keep. They say you should focus on simpler, more attainable goals, or the “if at first you don’t succeed, lower the expectations” method.

So rather than vow to be a better person, stop using foul language and lose that excess baggage around the waistline, here’s a list of 2008 resolutions I believe are well within reach for your friendly, neighborhood sports blogger;

I vow not to write any more “I’ll take Alex Rodriguez over Mike Lowell” articles, a resolution made easier to keep because I sometimes feared for my life after writing the first one. However, in the spirit of the “lowering expectations” method, I resolve to keep the “I told you so’s” to a minimum after Lowell’s age catches up to him long before A-Rod stops belting 45+ home runs per year.

I also resolve to savor the upcoming Patriots playoff run instead of worrying about them winning games by only a few points. The fact the Brady Bunch obliterated some pretty darned good NFL teams, many of which are still playing on this post-season, doesn’t make their late-season victories any less impressive. Remember, they won 3 Super Bowls by only a field goal. I think we’ll all be quite pleased with the same outcome, won’t we?

I won’t try to lose weight in ’08 (hey, that rhymes!). Instead, I’ll simply vow to maintain the same pants size I carried through ’07. And just to be safe, I’ll be certain to buy slacks with a little extra inseam so they can easily be expanded while still being able to claim a size-38 waist.

Rather than wait for my beloved Bruins to make noise in the playoffs for the first time since Hillary “The Calf” Clinton stopped wearing skirts (see why I don’t bother with that resolution to be a better person anymore?), I resolve to pay more attention to Blaise MacDonald and an emerging River Hawks hockey squad making noise a year or two before any of us had hoped for.

Tell you what else; I’ll take UMass-Lowell’s goaltending tandem of Carter Hutton and Nevin Hamilton straight up over the parade of retreads guarding the pipes on Causeway Street these days.

I vow to take in at least one Lowell Devils, Spinners and Riptide game without the “freebie” admission of a press pass. Our local teams and sporting venues need our financial support far more than the thieves who charge a small fortune for parking around Fenway do.

By the same token, I urge those of you with children to vow to take in more of your town’s high school games (whatever the sport). Your kids are far more likely to develop a passion for sports by watching athletes they can more closely relate to than their major league counterparts. Plus, if you’re really lucky, you’ll get caught up in the type of magic ride the ’07 Lowell High wrestling or Chelmsford High football teams took us on.

Happy New Year!

Final Score
Patriots 38
Giants 35

View from Mt. Olympus: Talk about closing it out in style!

It sure wasn’t a good feeling while the game was going on, but now that it’s over, it was nice that the 16th victory came the way it did…with the Giants playing all out and making the Patriots earn it! Of course, I could have done without the near heart attack along the way. However, what a great football game that was…emotion from both sides…big plays everywhere…a fitting finish to a fantastic regular season.

What began as a joke became reality as the Patriots ran the table against some very good opposition. Check out the playoff teams...Indy, Pittsburgh, San Diego, Dallas, NY Giants, maybe Cleveland and maybe Washington. All crossed paths with New England. All fell victim. Unlike the '72 Dolphins, who beat only 3-teams with winning records, the Pats did it the hard way.

I’m also glad the record breaking TD pass didn’t come on a meaningless, running up the score just to get the record, type of play. Brady to Moss for #50 and #23 respectively was the game-winner in a contest most of America was watching…poetic justice! Now if they can only find a way to split that football!

Laurence Maroney continued to show he’ll be a force in the playoffs. Sure, there were some no-gainers in there, but the kid is running harder than I’ve ever seen him run, and he’s developing a little nose for the end zone there. Notice, you’re not seeing Heath Evans in there anymore at the goal line.

Kudos to the defense as well, which really stepped up from the middle of the 3rd quarter till garbage time. Richard Seymour is really starting to play like Richard Seymour, and I thought Adalius Thomas was huge last night.

I also have to express a lot of admiration for Tom Coughlin and the Giants for playing their “you-know-what’s” off. This was a totally meaningless contest for them from a playoffs standpoint, yet they played to win all the way. It’ll probably come back to bite them in the form of fatigue, injury and letdown next week against Tampa Bay, but in this day and age of tanking games late in the year like Dallas and Indy are about to do in games with playoff implications for others, the Giants are to truly be commended!

Finally, the 16-0 is a fantastic accomplishment, something they'll be talking about and comparing other things to decades from now. But it’ll mean absolutely nothing if the Patriots don’t close the deal. A loss anywhere along the way will completely ruin it all.

Thankfully, what I’ve seen the last few weeks has made me even more certain that the loss won’t come until next season. The Patriots have been challenged, they’ve had to fight, they’ve had to struggle, and they’ve had to survive, just like their 3 previous Super Bowl winning squads had to. When the chips were down and they absolutely had to make plays to win games, they did so.

That is what champions do. That is why the New England Patriots, after a little scare along the way (probably from the Colts), will become NFL Champions again!

That’s the view from here…how did you see it? Shappy? DB? That loss “somewhere along the way” never came. Will it come in the playoffs? You really want to bet against this team? Anyone else as impressed by the Giants effort as I was?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Let’s wave buh-bye to 2007 and hello to 2008 with our final Victim’s Picks of this year. May ’08 be prosperous for you and may The Victim continue to contribute to that prosperity:

New England (-13 ½) over NY Giants
Carolina (-3) over Tampa Bay
Denver (+3) over Minnesota
San Diego (-8) over Oakland
Indianapolis (+6) over Tennessee

Last week: 2-4
Season record: 46-43-1
Monday Night record: 9-7-1

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Well, it’s that time of year again. Time to get inundated with lists of 2007’s top sports stories and athletes.

Now, I can tell you what I think ranks as the year's best. And I will…eventually. But first, I’d like to know what you think. The following poll questions should help get the ball rolling, and if there's anything I've forgotten, I'm sure you'll let me know.

As always, you're invited to explain why you voted the way you did in the comments section. Sure, there's something to be said for voting in private, but what fun is that? We want to hear what you think, spark a little discussion, and in the process, I’ll let you know which way I voted as well.

So Roger Clemens wants to go on “60 Minutes” to refute the allegations in the Mitchell Report? And let me get this straight…the Rocket’s handlers requested Mike Wallace do the interview? The same Mike Wallace who can rip people of far superior intelligence than Clemens to shreds if he wants to?

Obviously, this smells like a setup. Wallace has Massachusetts roots and is supposedly a big Red Sox fan. I’m guessing Rocket Roger’s handlers have gotten concessions as to the questions asked, perhaps even getting the questions ahead of time. There’s no other way this makes any sense.

If Wallace were to do his typical hatchet job on Clemens, it would be an intellectual mismatch of epic proportions…Tyson vs. Spinks, so to speak. The Mike Wallace I’ve seen in action would not only make the Texas Con Man look guilty of the performance enhancing drug accusations, but he’d probably get him to admit to the Lindbergh kidnapping and to being the second gunman in the grassy knoll.

Naturally, I’ll watch. But I have a hunch this interview will leave us with more questions than answers.

That’s the view from here…how do you see it? Why would Clemens subject himself to an interview on a show with a great reputation for investigative journalism? Why would he ask for an attack dog like Wallace? Do you think he’s really innocent and trying to clear his name? Or is this a setup with softball questions galore?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Finally, a member of the Patriots addressed what everyone else has been talking about for months...the possibility of going 16-0. From Tom Brady's press conference today:

"We have a lot of records at stake, the most important one being the 16-0, and I hope we achieve that. It would be a great feat for the team, it would be great to go down as the only team to be 16-0. That's the goal I got in mind."

"I think we all realize what a win would mean, but a win’s always big. A win is always important for us and we’ve prepared pretty hard over the last four months, as every team prepares pretty hard. Being 16-0 would be a very special achievement, one that no other team has ever achieved and we’re finally at that point."

I'm sure the ultimate goal is a Super Bowl title, but the statements are an indication that these supposed "automatons" really do understand how historic what they're accomplishing is.

One more note: How about the NFL caving in and making Saturday night's game available on free TV throughout the entire country, not just on one network, but two. Throw in the simulcast Channel 5 was already going to provide the Boston market, and you now have three avenues to watch the game (CBS-4 and NBC-7) locally. I have a strong hunch Senator John Kerry's lobbying of the NFL had a lot to do with this.

That's the view from here...how do you see it? Should Brady have even mentioned the "16-0" thing?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

With a win tonight in Sacramento the Boston Celtics would improve to 23-3 and be on pace with the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls through 26 games.

That Bulls team featuring Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Toni Kukoc, and Ron Harper finished with an NBA record 72 wins. Chicago lost game 26 to fall to 23-3 that season.

Boston defeated the Sacramento Kings earlier this season at the TD Banknorth Garden. The Kings have faired much better at home this season with eight of their 11 wins coming at Arco Arena.

The Celtics are coming off of a 103-91 win against the Orlando Magic on Sunday. Sacramento fell at home, 106-105, to the Denver Nuggets on Sunday. The Kings led that game by as much as 16 points.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Happy Holidays to all of you, from all of us here at TheSunBlog. May all your wishes come true!

"...And I heard him exclaim, as he rode out of sight. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

With any luck, and if you were nice instead of naughty, everything Santa brought was already on your Christmas list.

However, chances are you’ll be sitting there Christmas morning with a couple of presents that made you pull the old “Oh, it’s beautiful…I absolutely love it” routine while thinking to yourself “I’ve gotten better presents at a $5 Yankee swap” and making a mental note to cross this person off future shopping lists. For those of you facing this dilemma, I have a suggestion; re-gift!

Don’t laugh. Re-gifting has become such the rage, it now has its own day. Yup. Last Thursday, December 20th, was National Re-Gifting Day, instantly moving into that holiday pantheon reserved for the likes of Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day (last Monday in January), National Floss Day (day after Thanksgiving) and Festivus (December 23rd, or whenever Frank Costanza feels the need to perform the Feats of Strength).

So in the spirit of this newest holiday (and because I’m taking the easy way out with this Christmas column…LOL!), I’ve decided to recycle some of the top recent quotes submitted by readers of our SportsTalk blog. Consider it my re-gift to you;

“Not to toot my own horn, but I believe I was one of the 1st people on this blog to predict an undefeated season. Toot-Toot!”—T2, on the Patriots quest for perfection

“Just tuned in to your live webcast. You guys are hot... Are you single Teddy?”—Mary, Mary Quite Contrary, obviously in need of new eye glasses

“Hey let's not get carried away Teddy. I'm sure that both your math teachers and English Lit teachers are equally disappointed in you.”—Fat Professor, commenting on last week’s column citing the Patriots rushing statistics

“Are Patriots fans just looking for justification on the cheating they did? Every time one of these stories comes out, the homers of the Patriots world go, "OOH OOH LOOK AT THAT, THEY DID IT TOO, WHY AREN'T YOU YELLING AT THEM". Pats fans just need to get over it, let people say whatever they want, and let the Pats play their game.”—Ken Goyette, on news reports that the Jets illegally videotaped during a Patriots game last year

“Randy Moss was a man amongst boys -That is the way he has always played the game. I saw him play in High School and college in WV and those have been my exact words for years. He may have been the only person that could have made the jump from high school to the pros.”—KLE, responding to my description of Randy Moss’ performance against the Steelers

“Totally agree with you on this one Panos. But don't be so hard on Tony Allen. Yeah he is an idiot, but Doc is responsible for molding him into the idiot he is today.”—Danimal, talking about Tony Allen’s basketball IQ

“What a great Day. Other than spending 4 1/2 hours in my car, we find out just what a CLASSY Organization the Yankees are.”—Legend Killer, discussing how the Mitchell Report eased the pain of being stuck in traffic during that killer commute two Thursdays ago

Final Score
Dolphins 7
Patriots 28

View from Mt. Olympus: Think Bill Belichick doesn’t care about getting those records for Tom Brady and Randy Moss, or about going undefeated?

Then explain to me why they played nearly the entire way in a meaningless game that they were already well in control of? Or explain the pass play to Moss on first and goal from the 1. You just knew the Patriots weren’t going to run the ball there, didn’t you? If it took four attempts, I bet they’d have thrown on all four! I also don’t recall a single instance this year where they’ve thrown to Moss in that situation. Hell, that’s Mike Vrabel territory!

Nope, this was Belichick taking advantage of rare, good weather this late in the season and setting up Brady and Moss for the record book while conditions were favorable for passing the ball. The Patriots can talk all they want about team goals, ignoring the record book, and taking it one game at a time. All that is true, but BB and his boys are well aware of the historical implications of what they’re doing, and they’re going to do all they can to leave their mark in the history/record books.

Unfortunately, Brady morphed into one of those baseball players in need of one more home run to break a record. Tom Terrific spent most of the second half looking deep for Randy Moss instead of smartly maneuvering the ball downfield by throwing underneath. Hey, we can forgive Brady…this is a big record and I’m sure it means a lot to him, no matter what he says. Here’s hoping he settles down and plays his game next week. If he does that and Mother Nature cooperates, the record will fall easily.

Speaking of the ‘Gints, am I the only one who finds it ironic that we’ve spent the last two months wondering if the Patriots would play this final game to win since they’d having nothing to gain other than the undefeated record, except now it’s the Giants who have absolutely nothing to play for? Will they go all out to keep the Pats from going undefeated? How will the league feel if the Giants do the “proper thing” and rest all their starters in this totally meaningless contest to them?

A couple of quick notes to end this; still worried about Laurence Maroney? And it was great to see Troy Brown out there one last time in front of the home folk. Don’t know what the rest of the season holds in store for number-80, but if this was his swan song, it was good to see him get that well-deserved ovation from the Foxboro faithful.

That’s the view from here…how did you see it?

Have all the little gamblers out there been naughty or nice?

Well, if you’ve been bad and haven’t listened to The Victim, you’re probably going to end up with a lump of coal because that’s all you can afford after having lost money to the man. But if you’ve been a good little gambler and listened to everything “Victim Claus” has been telling you to do, you’re on the plus side of the ledger and likely to find another stocking full of winners this football weekend.

Merry X-Mas from The Victim:

(Note: the Monday night selection is here because SportsTalk Live is taking Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve off)

Dallas (-10 ½) over Carolina
Buffalo (+2 ½) over NY Giants
Houston (+7) over Indianapolis
Miami (+22) over New England
Washington (+6 ½) over Minnesota
Denver (+8 ½) over San Diego

Last week: 4-2
Thursday night: 0-1
Season record: 44-39-1
Monday night record: 9-6-1

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

I promised The Victim if he posted another winning season against the spread he'd be allowed to change his name to something less derogatory. Perhaps he might want to consider "King of Prime Time."

Before giving you tonight's selection, I thought I'd let you know that our peerless pigskin prognosticator is a perfect 4-0 with his Thursday night picks. You might want to consider that before dialing your "accountant" with your wager.

St. Louis (+7 1/2) over Pittsburgh

Last week (including Thursday): 4-2
Season record: 44-38-1
Monday night record: 9-6-1

Great basketball game at the Garden last night. Sure, I'm a little upset that the Celtics lost, but hey, you can't win 'em all. It was the WAY they lost that has me doing what I do best...questioning Doc Rivers and his team's common sense.

First of all, what do you do when the score is tied and you have the ball with 5-seconds left? Answer: take a shot at the buzzer so the other team doesn't get the ball back. It's Basketball 101. Now granted, Paul Pierce should know better than to shoot the ball so quickly, but what the heck was designed in the huddle? Sure looks like the play was for Pierce. Why? He was the one guy having an awful shooting night. No play for Kevin Garnett or Ray Allen, who was smoking hot? And you don't inbounds the ball on the side where a guy can get easily trapped. But we'll give Doc a pass on that one and blame Pierce for shooting so quickly.

What I can't forgive is this man-crush on Tony Allen. The guy has the basketball IQ of a piece of luggage, and yet Coach Rivers keeps putting him in position to fail. Do you really want the guy who wrecked his knee dunking 3-seconds after a ref's whistle guarding Chauncey Billups on the game's final play? True to form, mensa Allen went for a pump fake 20-feet from the basket and fouled Billups with 0.1 remaining on the clock. Game over!

Pardon the sarcasm, but my main concern this year is what happens when this team needs to make smart decisions come crunch time, both on the floor and on the bench. Last night did nothing to calm my fears.

That's the view from here...how do you see it?

Well, you can throw at least one tried and true Patriots “lack of respect” card out the window. The team that’s annually snubbed when the Pro Bowl selections are announced and uses it as a rallying cry heading into the playoffs has had eight of its players chosen to play in NFL’s All-Star game.

The Elite Eight are Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Dan Koppen, Matt Light, Logan Mankins, Asante Samuel, Mike Vrabel and Vincent Wilfork. Other than Brady, Moss and Light, the rest are first time selections. It’s also the first time the Pats have had eight players chosen since the 1985 team reached that number.

With that usual slight not an issue now, what will the new rallying cry be this post-season? Perhaps the three offensive lineman heading to Hawaii can take offense to all this talk about the lack of a running game?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Looking for a great last minute gift for that sports nut on your shopping list? Well, here’s your chance to bid on 3 great items and help a great cause in the process!

The Lowell Sun has put three items out for bid on EBay…an autographed Boston Bruins hockey stick…a framed Red Sox World Series photo…and a Jonathan Papelbon Bobblehead Doll from his days with the Lowell Spinners, which is a very rare item to find available.

The money goes to the Sun Santa Fund to help families in need. The auction ends Thursday, December 20th. So hit the links we’ve provided and get those bids rolling!

P.S. You can still contribute even if you don't win or get involved in the auction. Just click on the Sun Santa Fund link above and find out how you can help!

All kidding aside, we're very excited to finally have live video and audio streaming capabilities for SportsTalk Live. Kudos to our producer/internet guru, Chris Tierney, for his hard work in making it all happen. Can't wait till the first Monday in January when we take this new technology on location to Hookslide Kelly's. Hope to see you there...or online!!!

Let’s start this off with a disclaimer; Mark Twain was on to something when he talked about “lies, damned lies, and statistics.” Show me any good argument, and I’ll show you a set of numbers to refute it.

However, the biggest lie out there is this notion that the New England Patriots lack of a running game will come back to haunt them should Mother Nature unleash her full fury on Foxboro come playoff time. To disprove this theory, I’m going to go against Mr. Twain and cite a few statistics. (Hey, it’s easy to win an argument against a dead man. Besides, how much game film did the guy watch while rafting down the Mississippi, anyway?)

We begin by paraphrasing a certain coaching genius who’s forgotten more football than most of us armchair quarterbacks ever pretended to know. Any time Bill Belichick is asked whether he’s concerned about the lack of a running attack or balance in the offense, the reply is always; “I’m concerned about scoring points. I don’t care how we do it. Whether it’s running the ball, passing it, kicking it, all I care about is scoring more points than the other team.”

It’s been a constant theme of Belichick’s since he got here, regardless of whether the running back is named Antowain Smith, Corey Dillon or Laurence Maroney. “All I care about is scoring more points than the opposition.” It’s an answer so simple, it almost sounds stupid.

Plenty of football folk subscribe to the Woody Hayes offensive philosophy of three yards and a cloud of dust. Well, would it surprise you to know the 2007 Patriots average a hair over four yards per carry? That includes the assorted QB sneaks, scrambles and kneel downs that account for 38-rushes and 90-yards. Take away those scampers averaging less than 2.5, and the number climbs to 4.2 yards per carry, or 12.6 every three plays, more than enough for a first down. (My math teachers must be so proud!)

You see, it’s not that the Patriots CAN’T run the ball. They CHOOSE not to. Why should they? When you have arguably the best quarterback in the history of the game, why not take advantage of his skills? To stubbornly run the ball simply to prove that you can is nuttier than a chemically induced Amy Winehouse.

I’d like to use another statistic to refute the notion that the Patriots are a finesse team and not a physical one. Do the numbers 4 and 9 mean anything to you? They should. That’s the number of wins and losses, respectively, of teams in their game played immediately following a matchup against the Patriots.

Included in those nine losses are defeats the Chargers, Colts and Steelers, three darned good football squads, suffered after a beating administered by their “finesse” counterparts from New England. One could argue there are many variables involved in those numbers, but don’t underestimate the impact getting knocked around by the Patriots physical offensive and defensive lines plays the following week. Heck, the Chargers only recently recovered from their Week 2 beat down at Gillette Stadium.

Now, that doesn’t mean the Patriots can’t be beat. I still see the Colts as a legitimate threat in January. But if Indianapolis comes into Foxboro and does what no other team has been able to do all year, it won’t be because Joseph Addai and company had more rushing yards than the Patriots.

It’ll be because they scored more points.

That’s the view from here...how do you see the Patriots running game?

Final Score
Jets 10
Patriots 20

View from Mt. Olympus: The records will have to wait another week. Mother Nature apparently isn’t a big fan of passing touchdowns, so Tom Brady (and to a lesser extent, Randy Moss) will have to make history over the final two weeks...assuming of course, they get some sunshine along the way.

I hope this performance puts to bed the “Patriots can’t run the ball” nonsense once and for all. Of course they can run the ball. But when you have the type of passing attack they do, why would you want to? It was nice to see Laurence Maroney run hard and run well. The kid has a world of talent and should post big numbers when called upon to do so. One of these days, his breakaway speed is going to pay big dividends.

I’m often amused when Bill Belichick is asked during press conferences about being concerned at the lack of “balance” on offense. You know what his response always is? “All I care about is scoring points. I don’t care how we do it.” I know people like to believe in those old axioms about “running the ball to set up the pass” and you need a balanced attack. But when push comes to shove, all that matters is scoring more points than the opposition. With all the fancy game-planning and stuff, it really is as simple as Belichick says. If not, the Vikings (with their top notch running game and great run defense) would be 14-0, not the Patriots.

Sure was nice to see the return of Richard Seymour, wasn’t it? I realize New England’s defense emphasizes scheme over individual numbers and that the All-Pro defensive lineman is probably still doing things that don’t show up on the stat sheet or the average fans radar, but with his reputation, you expect more, don’t you? This was the first time all year I felt Seymour altered the course of a game. Let’s hope it was just a case of #93 rounding into form after that knee injury and that this is just the start of a monster run to close out the season. (Also good to see the Invisible Man, Eugene Wilson, in the right place at the right time on a couple of occasions)

Did you notice what fantastic shape the field was in? I guess keeping the tarp on the field until shortly before game-time works. Why didn’t the Pats think of that years ago when they were a pound it out team and the Colts (or other finesse) teams were passing based? LOL!

That’s the view from here…how did you see it? Was I the only one surprised that the Belichick-Mangini midfield meeting was civil compared to previous encounters? Where are all my “they’re going to lose one somewhere along the way” guys now? Is Miami going to do it? NY Giants? The ONLY team that has a chance is Indy, assuming the Colts get there.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

While the rest of mankind storms supermarkets in search of canned goods and kitty litter, The Victim blows in like a Nor’Easter with his weekend picks:

Cincinnati (-8) over San Francisco
NY Jets (+22 ½) over New England
Philadelphia (+10 ½) over Dallas
Washington (+4 ½) over NY Giants

Thursday night: 1-0
Season record: 41-36-1
Monday nights: 9-5-1

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Look at the bright side; when you finally make it home after fighting hours worth of snowstorm created traffic, you can at least kick back in front of the telly and watch the Thursday night football matchup between Denver and Houston.

What's that you say? You don't have NFL Network?

Oh well. You can at least call in your "for entertainment purposes only" wager courtesy of The Victim and hopefully make it a profitable night of bad television viewing. Let us know how things unfolded on Survivor and Grey's Anatomy!

The Victim's Pick:

Houston (+1) over Denver

Last week (including Thursday): 3-3
Season record: 40-36-1
Monday Night record: 9-5-1

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

We're hours away from the release of the Mitchell Report. Names have been slowly leaking out all morning and some in the media are pretending those names are a big deal/surprise.

(As if anyone who covered the sport or has an ounce of common sense finds it shocking that a certain, multiple-time Cy Young award winner who miraculously got better during the twilight of his career might have used "supplements"...that's not breaking news people...it's stating the obvious! Wake me when someone like Greg Maddux appears on the list)

Guess what folks...this is just the tip of the iceberg. 60-80 names? HAH!!! Those are just the ones who've been unfortunate enough to get nabbed during an investigation. You and I know there are hundreds of cheaters out there, most of whom will escape the shame of being named in this report because they were lucky not to have their cancelled checks uncovered by the feds.

Consider this thread your outlet to discuss the report when it's been officially released. I'm curious to hear your take on which names surprised you and which didn't. And be prepared to face the fact many of the Red Sox you've rooted for, or currently root for, will be fingered as cheats. Will you be as harsh on them as you've been on Bonds, Giambi, Sosa, McGwire and the rest of the usual suspects?

2nd Update: As Lynn mentioned in the above post, the WNBC report turned out to be wrong. The names of the players involved and my previous update have been removed.

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Boston Celtics rookie forward Glen “Big Baby” Davis gets his first NBA start tonight as the Celtics will be without center Kendrick Perkins (toe injury) and Scot Pollard (back).

Celtics head coach Doc Rivers announced in his pre-game meeting with the press that Davis will be in the starting lineup.

Pollard, who was in the locker room prior to the game, said he tweaked his back getting out of his car. He also said that he tried bending over to put on socks and was unable to do that either.

“It’s felt better,” he said in replying to questions about how his back was feeling.

Pollard has had previous back issues. When he played for Sacramento he had a stress fracture, but he says he hadn’t had problems with his back in the last two years.

Rivers joked that Pollard “woke up old.” The injury coupled with the Perkins injury, caused by a bed fell on his foot, paved the way for Davis’ start.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Newsday is reporting that a New York Jets employee was caught using a videotaping device during a 2006 game at Gillette Stadium and was escorted from the area he was taping in. The device was not confiscated, and the report doesn’t say if the incident occurred during the regular season Jets victory or during New England’s playoff conquest. The Jets admit to the taping, but insist they had permission from the Patriots to do so.

The way I see it, the Jets version doesn’t hold water. Why would the Pats grant permission, only to later boot the cameraman? Isn’t it much more plausible that Belichick caught his disciple, Eric “Benedict Arnold” Mangini, doing something he learned under the master, but that the Patriots coach didn’t report the incident since he was probably doing the same thing? Hey…you spy on us, we spy on you, and if we’re smart enough to find out where your spy is hiding, we’ll remove him without making a big stink about it…no harm, no foul. However, Anakin Mangini (probably incensed that the master coaching Jedi didn’t reveal all his tricks) upped the ante by not only removing the Patriots camera spy this year, but also reporting it to the NFL, thereby unleashing the wrath of Darth Belichick on the rest of the league.

That’s how I see it…what do you think? Sound like an improbable sci-fi movie scenario?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

It has been a quiet off-season for the New England Riptide. No player trades. No swapping of draft picks. Business has been slow, and the Riptide seem to be pretty happy with that.

Eleven players from last year’s team were set to return as of early December. New England’s had a 17-player roster last season. Several more may or may not agree to return as the spring approaches.

Of the off-season losses, pitcher Danielle Henderson is retiring, Garland Cooper is not returning to the league, catcher Shelley Prochaska will not be coming back.

Slugging infielder/pitcher Tarrah Beyster, catcher KJ Kelley, and All-Star pitcher Eileen Canney have not decided if they will return. Canney is apparently weighing the option of playing overseas in Japan, but there is a chance she may play in both leagues.

As far as staff changes, assistant coach Adrian Gregory has joined the softball staff for the University of Utah.

Outfielders Gina Carbonatto, Shanel Scott, Alex Sutton, Carri Leto Martin, and Lisa Modglin will all return.

Infield returners include Lisa Iancin, Jackie Pasquerella, and Jessica Merchant will return.

Lyndsey Angus, who has played both infield and outfield in recent years, also returns. Jocelyn Forest, and Erica Beech will be back on the pitching staff.

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff
Unfortunately, I have been so busy at the paper, that I have not had a chance to make it to a Devils game or practice yet this season, but I figured I chime in on the Bruins. The Black and Gold currently sit in 4th place in the Eastern Conference even though they are tied for points with New Jersey and Carolina.
If the Devils and Hurricanes weren't leading their own division they would actually be sitting behind the Bruins because the Black and Gold have the same amount of
points in less games. All three teams have 35 points, just four points behind Conference leading Ottawa. The Bs are also the only team in the NHL, yes the entire
league, that has not lost back-to-back games in regulation. While the Patriots continue to win every weekend and the Celtics only having lost just two games
so far, the Bruins are quietly putting together a nice start to their season without having one of their more offensive powers - Patrice Bergeron. Bergeron is still
sidelined with a Grade 3 concussion and it's uncertain when he will make his way back to the ice.
Center Marc Savard is leading the league in assists with 29 and of course is leading the team with 35 points, while Chuck Kobasew leads the team with 12 goals. Ironically,
injuries have not affected the Bruins as much as some would have thought. Along with Bergeron being sidelined, Shawn Thornton and Andrew Ference have both been
out 16 games with injuries. Goaltender Manny Fernandez has only played four games and Tim Thomas just went down with groin injury last week causing GM Peter Chiarelli
to trade for Alex Auld. Auld won his debut with the Bruins and has now won the first game for the four teams (Canucks, Panthers, Coyotes and Bruins) he has played
for. Ever so quietly, the Bruins are putting together quite a successful season and this hockey fan couldn't be happier. So, did you guys miss me - your favorite Hockey Krishna? Have you taken the time to watch some of the games this year? Did you think the Bruins would be anywhere near the top of the standings and how long can they stay?

A few casual observations while guessing that Steelers defensive back Anthony Smith prefers his toast burnt;

Is the public humiliation the Patriots administered the brash youngster what those Massachusetts legislators had in mind when they wanted to outlaw spanking?

All kidding aside, I can’t blame Smith for his foolish bragging. He’s young and obviously doesn’t know better. If you ask me (and even if you don’t, I’m going to tell you anyway), the blame lies squarely at the feet of Pittsburgh’s head coach, Mike Tomlin, for fostering an environment where a nobody like Smith feels it’s appropriate to run his mouth in the first place.

Bill Belichick has been in charge of the Patriots for 8-years now. Can you recall one instance when a Patriots player has given the opposition bulletin board material? No, you can’t, can you?

You know why? Because Belichick wouldn’t tolerate it and makes sure his leaders enforce his will in the locker room. Rookies and youngsters are taught they should be seen and not heard, and are reminded of that by veterans every time they draw a media horde around their locker. Before you know it, they’re towing the party line and doing their loudest talking on the field.

Yet here’s first year coach Tomlin, with a second year player who’s managed all of three career interceptions guaranteeing victory over an undefeated, though sleeping, giant. To make matter worse, another Steelers player told the Steel town media that Smith’s outburst at least got him on SportsCenter every day last week. They sure do have their priorities straight, don’t they coach?

One NFL player who should be a little more talkative is Michael Vick. On Monday, a federal judge sentenced Vick to 23-months in prison for his role in running a dog fighting operation. Prosecutors had asked for a 12-18 month sentence, but Judge Henry Hudson went above and beyond the recommendation because the fallen star QB reportedly hasn’t been very cooperative with authorities working on other dog fighting investigations, something he’d agreed to do as part of his plea deal.

Too bad Vick played for the Falcons instead of Tomlin’s Steelers. Not only would he sing like a canary against all the other canine criminals, he’d “guarantee” a conviction as well.

Still in search of a holiday gift for that local sports fan on your list? Head to the Barnes and Noble bookstore in downtown Lowell this coming Sunday between 1-3pm. WCVB-TV (Ch. 5) news and sports anchor, Bob Halloran, will be on hand to sign copies of his book “Irish Thunder: The Hard Life and Times of Micky Ward.” Ward will also be there to pen his John Hancock on the book, a must read for fans of “The Mick” and anyone interested in the Mill City’s boxing history.

Speaking of local pugilists, Ward’s nephew and protégé, Sean Ecklund, has quietly rung up four consecutive victories in the ring. Ecklund’s latest conquest came last Thursday at The Roxy in Boston, a 5th round TKO over Ohio’s Scorn Hatcher. The victory upped Ecklund’s professional record to 4-2.

And finally, from the “What a Country” department; did I read that correctly? Eric Gagne will get paid $10-million dollars to close for the Milwaukee Brewers next season, with another million in incentives on the table?

The last time such pathetic performances were so richly rewarded was when Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez cashed their “Gigli” paychecks!

Final Score
Steelers 13
Patriots 34

View from Mt. Olympus: Back to the drawing board…time to rip up that roadmap/blueprint on how to beat the Patriots and come up with a new one.

The Steelers came into Foxboro with the best chance to beat the Pats…at least on paper. Problem is, New England generally rises to the level of the competition. Hence, a matchup against a “contender” is exactly what the doctor ordered to shake Bill Belichick’s boys from their doldrums. Throw in Anthony Smith’s idiotic trash-talking, and you knew there wasn’t going to be a repeat of the close calls against Philly and Baltimore.

Tom Brady resumed his chase of Peyton Manning’s records…Randy Moss was a man amongst boys in Pittsburgh’s secondary…Rodney Harrison and Mike Vrabel played like a madman. I thought those four set the tone for an emotional team effort the likes of which we haven’t seen since the trash-talking Chargers had their fannies spanked way back in week 2.

I don’t think Mr. Smith was totally responsible for the fired up Patriots. Just the magnitude of the matchup itself would have been enough, not to mention the Steelers’ crying through the years about that 2002 AFC Championship game and a few snide remarks after the spying incident. But just in case the Pats had any notion of sleepwalking through preparations and the game, Smith made sure that wouldn’t happen.

I don’t blame the player, either. He’s just a moron, indicative of the “me-me-me” player of this generation who has to scream for attention regardless of whether they’ve accomplished anything or not. Hey, 2nd year DB for a team that missed the playoffs in his rookie year (not to mention came from a college, Syracuse, that’s stunk lately) and only has 3-career interceptions? Yeah, there’s a reason to talk smack about a 3-time Super Bowl winning team that’s about to make history. Smooth move, Ex Lax!

However, Smith got exactly what he deserved; embarrassment on a national stage. In my mind, the biggest buffoon in all this is Mike Tomlin, the Steelers coach who fosters an environment where Smith is allowed to speak his mind to the media. In his 8-years at the helm, Belichick’s teams have never pulled even one stunt like Smith pulled this week. NEVER! You know why? Because it starts at the top, and when the coach lets you know that kind of nonsense won’t be tolerated, it does not occur.

Inside the Patriots locker room, rookies and non-veterans rarely speak. When they do, a veteran is usually keeping close tabs on the conversation. It’s not uncommon to have a vet walk by a crowd of reporters around a young player and remind him that he should be seen and not heard. It doesn’t take long for everyone to assimilate into that environment.

I’m not sure what, if any, measures Tomlin took to punish Smith behind closed doors. However, my hunch is this isn’t the first time one of his youngsters has engaged in such foolishness. Had the proper tone been set during training camp or early in the season, perhaps Smith would have known better by week 14. For that, Tomlin has nobody to blame but himself. I think Smith learned his lesson. If Tomlin studies what goes on across the field, perhaps he’ll learn his and become a better coach in the future.

As Tom Brady said during the week; “better well done than well said.” Job well done, Patriots! Thanks Mr. Tomlin!

That’s how I see it…what’s your view? Was Smith the perfect medicine to wake up the Patriots? Or was this beating going to occur no matter what he said?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

A very knowledgeable sports fan tipped me off to something I hadn’t thought of until he mentioned it to me, so I’ll give State Senator Steve Panagiotakos his just due here while shamelessly name-dropping in the blog.

The Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee reminded me that the Celtics could very well be undefeated today, since their only two losses came in very winnable games for them…one that went down to the buzzer in Orlando and an overtime loss in Cleveland that would have been avoided had the normally reliable Ray Allen not bricked a pair of free throws in the waning seconds. While fully realizing they’ve also won a couple of games they could have lost, I think it’s speaks volumes about how well the Green have performed this early in the season. (Scary thought for the rest of the league; what’s going to happen as all the new faces get even more accustomed to playing together?)

I also wanted to give you an idea how much the C’s matter again (and also how big a sports nut the Senator is). Seated with his back completely turned to the television set, Panagiotakos had his head constantly turned to the game (as did most of his party) despite Boston holding a mammoth lead the entire night. They openly rooted and thoroughly enjoyed the happenings, which is how it was back in the Bird days. You knew they were going to win, but the level of play on display was more than worth the lack of suspense.

Yes ladies and gentleman…the Celtics are back and they matter again…even if 82-0 is out of the question. 80-2 anyone?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

You’ll have to forgive Steelers DB Anthony Henry for guaranteeing a victory over New England this week. The poor lad is still young and blissfully ignorant of the fact NOTHING in life is guaranteed except death, taxes and a Ben Affleck movie bombing at the box office.

Even our fearless football forecaster stops short of guaranteeing his picks, knowing all-too well that Gamblers Anonymous meetings are packed with victims who thought a 1-900 number was their ticket to fortune. Nope, The Victim prefers to cloak his selections in the disclaimer that you should only bet the piggy bank instead of the mortgage, an approach that's served him well as he's navigated the treacherous wagering waters.

Young Mr. Henry will find out this week that you should never let your mouth write a check your ass can’t cover, a fact the Patriots will be more than happy to rub in his face as the clock winds down on Sunday’s matchup. On with this week’s picks:

Tennessee (pick ‘em) over San Diego
Carolina (+10 ½) over Jacksonville
New England (-10 ½) over Pittsburgh
Baltimore (+9) over Indianapolis

Last Thursday: 1-0
Season record: 38-33-1
Monday Night record 8-5-1

Yes Terri, that was a heck of a hockey game last night at Tsongas Arena. And to save you from commenting on other threads, I'm putting this one up just for you! (Just kidding...this one was coming anyway, but thanks for being on the ball)

The Hawks won their 4th in the last five games by knocking off Boston University in front of 3,564 fans at the Tsong (not a bad crowd for the holiday season). UMass-Lowell is now Bobby Orr across the board (4-4-4) in conference play and tied with Boston College for 2nd place in Hockey East. They're also getting key contributions from local kids, as Todd Bartelson of Pepperell and Kory Falite of Billerica netted two of the four goals last night.

We mentioned a few weeks ago that this was shaping up as a competitive year in the conference, with the usual powers struggling against the expected also-rans. UML is one of those annual also-rans, but Blaise's boys are growing up quicker than most of us anticipated and sit right in the thick of the conference race. Needless to say, it's a pleasant surprise and perhaps a sign that this long-dormant program is awakening from its slumber.

That's the view from here...how do you see it? Still too early to pass judgement? Or have the River Hawks shown enough to keep you tuned in for the entire season? Terri, you can comment here...LOL!

A little Thursday night appetizer to tide you over till the gambling world's Sunday football feast:

Washington (-3) over Chicago

Last week (including Thursday): 3-3
Season Record: 37-33-1
Monday Night record: 8-5-1

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Jacoby Ellsbury has signed on with Scott Boras to represent the Red Sox outfielder in all future contract dealings.

I realize it's still a ways off, but this basically ensures all future negotiations will not go as smoothly as the Sox would like. Perhaps plugging Mr. Ellsbury into the leadoff spot for the next decade isn't as much of a lock as we'd like to think, is it?

Final Score
Patriots 27
Ravens 24

View from Mt. Olympus: Now do you believe this team will go undefeated?

If ever the Patriots were going to lose a game, this was it. They were physically manhandled by Baltimore’s offensive line…the Ravens played their Super Bowl…the wind helped negate New England’s passing attack…and the crowd was spectacular (Pats fans like to think of themselves as real football fans…now way! That’s how real football fans act, obnoxiously loud and they never sat down through the 4th quarter). All those factors working against the Pats, yet they still found a way to win.

Yes, they were a little lucky and yes, the Ravens committed penalties at crucial times (notice I said committed, not were called for). But for the Patriots to pull this one out with all that working against them and with Tom Brady having by far his worst game of the year tells me this team can still tough out the wins when they need them.

As I mentioned last week, the roadmap to beat New England isn’t to take Randy Moss out of the game or shut down the offense…that’s nearly impossible, as they still manage to score in the mid-20’s when they’ve been controlled. The way to do it is keep the Brady Bunch off the field as much as possible by pounding the ball down New England’s throat. For a team with 3 first round draft picks on the D-Line, the Pats are surprisingly soft against the run. It is the only thing that makes me believe the Colts still have a chance come January, because Peyton Manning and a healthy receiving corps are so much better than Kyle Boller and A.J. Feely. If those two stiffs could give New England fits because they’re able to run the ball, you have to be a little leery about what Manning and company can do.

As for the Ravens hissing and moaning about the refs; find me one instance where they made a bad call. They’re complaining about the holding and pass interference calls? Hell, the refs should have been calling them all night. Baltimore’s defensive strategy consisted of clutching and grabbing like the 80’s Pistons, with the philosophy that if you foul on every play, the refs can’t possibly call all of them. The zebras ignored the infractions most of the night, but thankfully called them when it mattered.

Besides, the Ravens have nobody to blame but themselves. Don’t try for one of those last second timeouts on that 4th and 1, and the game is over. I hate the fact teams are allowed to call timeouts at the last instant on field goals, and it appears Baltimore tried to do the same in this case and perhaps get a glimpse of the play New England wanted to run. It backfired when they stuffed Brady but were clearly granted the timeout before the ball was snapped.

These are the kind of games great teams win. The Colts couldn’t do it when they were 13-0 and San Diego ran them off the field two years ago. Other undefeated teams stumbled late in the season in exactly this type of game. The Patriots stumbled, but didn’t fall. They are a great team that knows how to win even without their “A” game, which is why they will finish the regular season 16-0.

Take that to the broadcast booth next time, Don Shula, you classless old geezer!

That’s the view from here…how did you see it? Lucky? Or a great team that knows how to win? Were the Ravens right about the officiating? Were you as annoyed as I was at Don Shula and the broadcast crew all but popping the champagne corks in the booth?

(Apologies for the delayed arrival of this one…these late nights and early mornings are killing me…I don’t get up this early for golf!)

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Boston Celtics head coach Glenn “Doc” Rivers was named Coach of the Month for the month of November. Rivers is the first Celtic coach to be named Coach of the Month since Chris Ford was named Coach of the Month for the month of April, 1992 when the Celtics went 9-1.

The Celtics were 13-2 for the month. The 13 wins tied the team for the most wins in franchise history during the month of November with the 1985-86 Celtics who were 13-1. The Celtics also started out 8-0 at home in the TD Banknorth Garden which is the best start at home since the 1985-86 Celtics who started 9-0.

The Celtics allowed a league-low 88.6 points per game during November and also led the league in points per game differential averaging 13.7 points more per game than their opponents, the only team in the NBA to average 10 or more points per game than their opponent.

The Celtics also posted the best field goal percentage defense in the NBA holding opponents to 41.0 percent from the floor.

This is the first time in Rivers’ career that he has been named the NBA’s Coach of the Month. He joins Ford, Jimmy Rodgers and K.C. Jones as the only Celtics coaches to win the award since its inception in the 1982-83 season.

On the Utah shuttle
The Boston Celtics assigned rookie guard Gabe Pruitt to their NBA Development League affiliate Utah Flash for the second time this season.

The 6’4 guard was recalled from the Flash on November 26, 2007. He played 13 minutes against the New York Knicks last week (two points, one rebound and four assists).

By the time you read this, Johan Santana might already be a former member of the Minnesota Twins. All indications are the two-time Cy Young winner will be traded to either the Yankees or the Red Sox in the very near future.

The Boston-New York bidding war escalated to new heights over the weekend when Theo Epstein reportedly pulled the nuclear trading weapon out of the silo. Now, I understand most of Red Sox Nation fears the apocalypse if newest folk hero (and former Lowell Spinner) Jacoby Ellsbury ends up patrolling the carpeted centerfield of the Metrodome, but I’m here to tell you the Sox will survive just fine. In fact, they’re going to be better off.

Look, we all love young Mr. Ellsbury’s potential. Who knows, he may someday develop into Johnny Damon, the player he’s most often compared to in baseball circles. Notice however, I said “may” develop. There are no guarantees, especially after only 166-regular season at-bats plus another 25 in the playoffs. And even if Ellsbury does morph into the second coming of Johnny Damon, don’t you think that’s a small price to pay for a dominant lefthanded starter?

Ask yourself; self, why did the Red Sox win the 2007 World Series? If your answer is anything other than “because Josh Beckett single-handedly turned around the American League Championship Series,” you need to trade in your pink hat for a baseball almanac and start researching how many times a true number one atop a starting rotation was the difference between World Series Champion and playoff fodder.

I’ll save you a bit of time and direct you to the chapters on Bob Gibson and Orel Hershiser. Better yet, look in the index under Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson and see how having a pair of aces can carry an otherwise overmatched Arizona Diamondbacks squad over the 3-time champion Yankees. Heck, Schilling and Johnson were good enough to overcome a Byung-Hyun Kim choke job that made Calvin Schiraldi look clutch.

Here’s the bottom line; pencil in Beckett and Santana as your Games 1, 2, 5 and 6 starters in any October series and you’re nearly impossible to beat. Better yet, you’ve now kept your arch enemy from landing him, meaning the Yankees must overpay elsewhere for an ace...unless of course, they want to keep trotting Chien-Ming Wang out to the mound twice a series. How’d that work out for them the last two years?

I’m sorry folks, this one’s pretty simple. You get a chance to acquire Johan Santana for Jacoby Ellsbury, either Jon Lester or Clay Buchholz, and a few spare minor league parts, you have to do it. Sure, you’re giving up a lot of potential, but you have to give something of value to get something great in return.

Ten years ago, Dan Duquette traded Carl Pavano and Tony Armas, Jr. to the Montreal Expos for Pedro Martinez. It was a hefty price to pay for the reigning Cy Young winner who, like Santana, had only one year remaining on his contract and was due for a huge pay increase. Two Pedro Cy Youngs and a Hall of Fame career later, the scouts are still waiting for Pavano to live up to his potential.

What’s that you say, the game’s changed since then and prospects are more valuable in this insane economic climate? I understand completely. You don’t want to turn around a year from now and find out Jacoby Ellsbury won the league’s Rookie of the Year award like Red Sox farmhand Hanley Ramirez did in 2006.

Think the Marlins would give him back to us for Josh Beckett?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The Boston Celtics are as deep as your average tablespoon, depending on who you ask. However, New York Knicks president of basketball operations and head coach Isiah Thomas claims he doesn‘t think depth will be an issue.

Prior to Thursday’s game at the TD Banknorth Garden the member of the Basketball Hall of Fame made a comparison between the current Celtics and the teams he played against in the 1980s.

“It’s funny, when I was playing we used to always say if we could ever get to the Celtics bench if we could ever get to Greg Kite you know and get (Robert) Parish, (Kevin) McHale, or (Larry) Bird out of the game we’d be alright,” Thomas said. “But we never got to Greg Kite, and I don’t see these three guys going away. I think it will be the same thing.”

Thomas and the Detroit Pistons were knocked out of the playoffs by the Celtics twice during his career. In 1984-85 the Pistons were defeated in the Eastern Conference semifinals (four games to two), and 1986-87 Boston won the Eastern finals in seven games.

The Pistons did win back-to-back championships in the 1988-89 and 1989-90 seasons with Thomas as the point guard.

Thomas’ remarks are a contrast to those printed in Thursday’s New York Post in which Quentin Richardson of the New York Knicks questioned the Celtics depth beyond Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett.

“They're not that deep of a team," Richardson told The Post. “After those three, there's a significant dropoff."

While he didn’t directly comment on the bench players, Thomas said the dynamic of putting the three All-Stars together makes the other players on the team much more dangerous. Great players have a knack for infusing teammates with confidence, according to Thomas.

“I think when you have three players such as those they give everyone else confidence so everyone plays a step above where they normally would play,” he said. “If you isolate those guys and put them on different teams, they probably don’t have they type of confidence that they would have playing with those three guys. Playing with those three guys, they’ll make shots and do things they probably haven’t traditionally done in this league.”

The great NFL teams turn it on come December, finish off the season strong and carry that momentum through January and into the Super Bowl.

Our fearless football forecaster followed the same formula last year in posting a championship mark of 59-41 against the spread. While this season’s performance is a far cry from the +18 of 2006, anything on the plus side is acceptable in the gambling world. And besides, there’s still a month remaining for The Victim to repeat as a champion!

This week’s picks:

Indianapolis (-6 ½) over Jacksonville
Philadelphia (-3) over Seattle
NY Giants (-1 ½) over Chicago
Pittsburgh (-7) over Cincinnati

Thursday night: 1-0
Last week: 5-3
Season record: 35-30-1
Monday night record: 8-4-1