January 2008 Archives

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Celtics captain Paul Pierce was selected as one of the reserves for the Eastern Conference All-Star Team. The list of reserves was announced tonight on TNT.

Pierce joins Kevin Garnett, who was voted as a starter, and Celtics head coach Doc Rivers, who will coach the Eastern Conference squad. Pierce was fourth in the fan voting for Eastern Conference forwards with 574,159 votes (coaches voting decides the All-Star reserves).

The Celtics leading scorer, Pierce has averaged 20.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game entering tonight's game against the Dallas Mavericks.

The All-Star game on Feb. 17 in New Orleans will be be Pierce's sixth All-Star Game.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

The translation of the Tito Puente tune, made more popular by Carlos Santana, is; how’s it going? Well, if you’re a fan of the New York Mets, it’s going pretty well right now, thank you!

USA Today is reporting the Mets and Twins have agreed on a trade for 2-time Cy Young winner Johan Santana. New York’s “other” team is reportedly giving up a package of four minor leaguers, the most highly regarded being pitcher Phillip Humber and outfielder Carlos Gomez.

If the Red Sox couldn’t land the ace lefty, I’m glad the Yankees didn’t get him either. But I must confess to being a bit disappointed the Sox couldn’t get a deal done. A rotation of Santana, Josh Beckett and Dice-K would have been mighty tough to beat in the playoffs.

That’s the view from here…how do you see it? Glad Ellsbury, Lester and Buchholz are still going to be around? Wish Theo pulled the trigger?

By the way, next week's show takes place from our sponsor, Hookslide
Kelly's. Stop on by and say hello in person. We'd love to meet you and
hear what you have to say. Hopefully, we'll be celebrating a Super Bowl championship for the Patriots as well!

The worst thing about the bye week before the Super Bowl is that sports geeks like me get inundated with stories that casual observers find interesting. Things like Tom Brady limping into Giselle Bundchen’s pad in a walking boot.

The best thing about the bye week before the Super Bowl is that sports geeks like me get inundated with statistics that most rational people could care less about, things like:

The 14-playoff victories this decade (2000-present) tie the Patriots with the Steelers and Cowboys of the 1970’s for most playoff wins in a decade. It took Tom Landry’s ‘Boys 21-games to notch those 14-W’s, while Chuck Knolls’ Steel Curtain needed 18-contests for theirs. Bill Belichick’s troops, who most assuredly will set that new standard Sunday or during the two years remaining this decade, needed only 16-games to amass the total.

You’re probably aware that with a triumph in Super Bowl XLII, the Pats would become the first team in NFL history with 19-wins in a season. They’re currently tied with the 1984 49ers and 1985 Bears, both of whom went 15-1 in the regular season before sweeping their three playoff contests.

You’re also probably aware that the only blemish on the Bears mark was that famous week 13 loss to Dan Marino and the Dolphins on Monday Night Football. But how many people remember who handed Joe Montana and the Niners their sole setback in ’84? (answer below)

The name Asante means “thank you” in Swahili. In the NFL dictionary, it apparently means “interception,” as New England cornerback Asante Samuel leads the league in picks over the last two seasons with 16. According to Samuel’s agent, Alonzo Shavers, Asante also translates to “cha-ching” in the language of unrestricted free agency.

Speaking of money, did you realize the University of Phoenix is paying $154-million over 20-years for the naming rights to the Stadium which will host Super Bowl XLII? Tuition at the school is more than $13,000. Not sure about the laid back folks in the Southwest, but if I’m footing the bill to attend the school, I’m wondering how much of my money goes into that needless expense?

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers should keep the network censors happy with another PG-rated halftime performance devoid of costume malfunctions. However, with Paula Abdul set to debut her new music video during the pre-game show, we may very likely witness the first sanity malfunction since organizers thought it wise to surround Michael Jackson with hundreds of children during his 1993 performance.

Superstitious fans should root for the Patriots to lose the coin flip. The Pats have come up on the wrong end of the heads-tails debate in their 3 Super Bowl triumphs. Overall, the team that has won the toss is 19-22, but has lost the last four in a row and nine of the last eleven.

Lonnie Paxton is my new, favorite Patriot. Turns out the real name of New England’s long snapper is Leonidas Earl Paxton III and he’s a descendant of King Leonidas of Sparta, the fearless Greek warrior featured in the movie “300.” How cool is that?

One man’s prediction; Patriots 34-17...Perfection has a new poster child!

Trivia answer: the Pittsburgh Steelers are the only team to beat the 1984 49ers. The game was played during week 7.

If you have any trivial matters you’d like to share regarding the big game, share them with us!

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The word is out, the Memphis Grizzlies and point guard Damon Stoudamire have agreed to part ways. The reason that rings a bell in Boston is because Stoudamire has reportedly shown interest in joining the Celtics.

Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal writes that Boston is Stoudamire’s “preferred” destination.

Tillery writes: “The Grizzlies will formally release Stoudamire on Monday. He then must clear the NBA's 48-hour waiver period to become a free agent Wednesday. Boston is Stoudamire's preferred team.

He hasn't ruled out Toronto and Phoenix. Stoudamire must be on an NBA roster by March 1 to be eligible for postseason play.”

The quick and dirty on Stoudamire is that he’s a 5-foot-10 171-pound point guard in his NBA 13th season. He averaged 7.3 points and 3.9 assists in 21.5 minutes per game for the Grizzlies (13-31) this season.

Stoudamire has career averages of 13.8 points, 6.3 assists, and 3.5 rebounds while playing for the Toronto Raptors, Portland Trailblazers, and the Grizzlies. He has shot 40.7 percent form the field (35.8 3-point percentage) for his career.

Thought it might be time to chime in on a theme that seems to be growing; the Patriots are a dirty team.

The NFL just fined Vince Wilfork for the 4th time this year, this time for a face-mask penalty in the AFC Championship game. While a fine for an in-game facemask during a tackle seems a bit harsh, it seems New England’s nose tackle is fast-gaining a reputation around the league for dirty play, and the powers that be are starting to notice by fining him at every opportunity.

When Wilfork was punished for a hit to J.P. Losman’s knee early in the season, he expressed concern that people thought he was a dirty player and he didn’t want to be recognized as one because he said he wasn’t. (For the record, I though the hit on Losman was dirty) Well, if the young lineman doesn’t want to be considered a cheap shot artist, he might want to think about curtailing the activities that lead to these fines and stop poking his finger into other players' face masks. Otherwise, just go the Rodney Harrison route and not worry about what others think.

Speaking of Harrison, he’s widely regarded by his peers as the dirtiest player in the league, winning many player polls on the matter. Throw in the accusations against Richard Seymour coming from San Diego, and you can see where the Patriots style of play is catching opponents’ attention. Justly or unjustly, they’ve earned that reputation, and it will be a hard one to shake.

Personally, I think there’s some truth to the allegations. Where there's smoke, there's usually fire, though I do think some of it is overblown. What I find most troubling, as was the case with SpyGate, is that any of this extra-curricular stuff is taking away from the greatest season in NFL history, and that instead of embracing this team, the rest of the football world detests it like we hate the Yankees.

That’s the view from here…how do you see it? Are the Patriots a dirty team? Or is it just sour grapes on the part of a league that can’t find a way to stop them?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

In case you missed it...

Kevin Garnett forced Minneosta Timberwolves Sebastian Telfair into a turnover on the final possession of the game to secure an 87-86 victory for the Boston Celtics at TD Banknorth Garden. Boston Center Kendrick Perkins had 21 points for the Celtics and Telfair had 18 points and six assists for Minnesota in his first game against the Celtics since this summer's trade.

We'll have more on the game in Saturday's edition of The Sun.

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Tonight's game between the Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves will be a reunion of sorts for many of the players on both sides.

Former Celtics Antoine Walker, Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Gerald Green, and Theo Ratliff are making their first return to Boston with the T-Wolves. Jefferson, Gomes, Green, Ratliff, and Telfair were all traded for Kevin Garnett in July.

Third-year forward and former Celtics second round draft pick Ryan Gomes, a Providene College graduate and a New England native, has as much reason as any of the former Celtics to be anxiously awaiting his return.

OK…can’t do it any longer. I’ve bitten my tongue (or should I say typing fingers) as long as is humanly possible…been patient…given the benefit of the doubt…tried to be optimistic. No more. I have to finally say what I’ve been thinking for a while now;

It’s time for Peter Chiarelli to go!!!

Understand now, I’ve made no secret of my wish to see entirely new ownership come in and run the Bruins. They could bring in the Almighty himself to run the Black and Gold, and as long as Jeremy Jacobs owns the team, they still wouldn’t win the Stanley Cup. Even if the man upstairs was available to be GM, the man upstairs in the Boston Garden offices probably wouldn’t fork over enough dough to hire him.

Remember; Chiarelli was not the Bruins first choice for the job. Ray Shero was. But talks collapsed because; A) Jacobs made a lowball offer B) Jacobs wouldn’t give Shero enough control or C) Both of the above. Enter Chiarelli. And the rest, as they say, is history!

Now, you might say a year and a half is nowhere near enough time to properly evaluate a General Manager. I’d say you’re probably correct. However, I’d also say that badly misfiring on your first coaching hire (Dave Lewis) and not exactly inspiring the masses with your second (Claude Julien) is not an exhibition of sound judgment. Even worse, committing $4-million a year to Manny Fernandez is simply inexcusable in this day and age of an NHL salary cap. Scan the rest of the roster, and you can see why Mayor Menino isn't likely to start mapping out a parade route in June.

I realize this emotional post comes on the heels of a terrible 8-2 loss to the dreaded Montreal Canadiens. But damn…losing to the Habs all 6-times this year and 9-times in a row? Come on now! Have we entered a time machine and traveled back to the 70’s and 80’s? Lying down like dogs to a division rival spanking you like a red-headed stepchild all year is a sign of a team about to go in the tank. Sound familiar? It should. That’s what they did over the second half of 2006-2007.

I’m not sure who’d come in. I’m not sure it would matter as long as Jacobs was the man bringing him in. But I believe we’ve seen enough evidence that Peter Chiarelli isn’t the right man for this job. (Is anyone?) It’s time for him to be shown the door. And if he somehow takes Jeremy Jacobs out the door with him, he’ll have a street named in his honor and go down as the greatest GM in Bruins history!

That’s the view from Mt Olympus…how do you see it? Am I overreacting to a bad loss? Are the Bruins on the right track? Or is this team going nowhere in a hurry? Gayle, is this rant enough to wake you from your slumber?

Coach Boyle also used the opportunity to break the news about another one of his stars, Matt Welch, making a verbal commitment to play football at the University of New Hampshire (read Barry Scanlon's Lowell Sun Story here). On the video, you can hear Boyle say he believe Welch can also play basketball at the Division One level and may give it a go at UNH at some point in the future.

For the Patriots, the hard work is done. Bill Belichick’s boys punched their ticket to Arizona by topping any and all comers from the powerful American Football Conference. All that remains is a night’s worth of mop up work against the champions of the inferior National Football Conference, a mere formality no matter how many words are wasted these next two weeks trying to convince you the Giants have a chance to win Super Bowl XLII.

No, the toughest challenge ahead is for New England football fans who want to get into the big game. Flying or driving to that great retirement community in the southwest is difficult and expensive enough. Finding a hotel room within the same time zone as University of Phoenix Stadium is tougher than a three day old pork chop. But if you really want to break the bank, try securing a ticket to the Super Bowl if you don’t already have one.

America’s biggest sporting event has become America’s biggest corporate cash cow. A-list celebrities and wealthy businessmen have no trouble landing seats inside the bowl. For the Average Joe, available tickets are scarcer than sanity in the Tom Cruise household.

Oh sure, they tell you season ticket holders of the participating teams can win tickets through a lottery. Tell me, though. Unless you know one of the suits who help fill Fidelity’s Gillette Stadium luxury suites, have you ever met anyone who’s actually won one of these ticket lotteries?

Face it folks. If you want to see the Pats beat up on the Giants in person, there’s really only one viable option; a scalper. And that’s only an option if you’re willing to scalp the top off of your savings account.

Now, I’m not saying there aren’t rare instances of people lucking into a couple of ducats to the dance. While in Tampa for the 2001 title game between the Ravens and Giants, I read the story of a father and son outside of Raymond James Stadium on Super Sunday when a big black limousine pulled up beside them. The window rolled down and a man asked the father if he was looking for tickets to the game. When dad replied yes, the anonymous man pulled out a pair, made the perplexed papa swear he’d take the boy to the game instead of reselling the seats, forked them over and drove off into the sunset.

Having spent days trying in vain to find “reasonably” priced tickets for myself, I immediately made a mental note to rent a 5-year old with a balloon and lollipop next time I wanted to see a major sporting event in person.

I’ve had the “pleasure” of trying to secure Super Bowl seats through unlicensed ticket brokers on two occasions. (Trust me; the licensed brokers are bigger thieves than the street corner variety) The aforementioned Giants-Ravens contest was the hottest Super Sunday scalpers market in history. Pats fans hoping to buy tickets this time around should take out a second mortgage. New Yorkers travel in huge numbers and throw money around like Pacman Jones in a strip club.

Right in front of my very eyes, someone offered $4,000 for two seats. The young guy holding the tickets turned to his girlfriend and asked if she’d be upset if he didn’t take her to the game. The young lady informed her beau that $4,000 would bankroll a luxury vacation in Aruba.

As I watched the money change hands, I immediately made a mental note to dump any girl who’d rather spend a week in the Caribbean instead of 4-hours in a crowded football stadium.

You see, my other venture into the Super Bowl scalpers market proved successful. (Hint; find the hotels housing the teams and league headquarters, drop your telephone number, a $50 dollar bill and the promise of a further “commission” into the hands of the concierge and ask him to give you a call if any tickets become available. Provided you’re willing to pay the price, you’ll have a pair in hand within a couple of days)

When I called home a couple of days before Super Bowl XXV to brag about scoring seats, the general consensus was that paying $525 for a football game was insane. As I sat through the Beach Boys pre-game show, unable to even bring in a camera because of heightened security during the first Gulf War, I began to agree. Then Whitney Houston sent chills down my spine by belting out the mother of all national anthems. The ground beneath me trembled as the perfectly timed fighter jets flew what seemed like inches above the stadium, and Scott Norwood’s kick sailed wide right to end what was, up to then, the best Super Bowl in history.

I immediately made a mental note to myself that $525 was a bargain!

If you've been fortunate enough to attend a Super Bowl, tell us how you came across tickets?

Dracut High head football coach Pat Murphy and athletic director Tim Woods recently announced the Middies are taking on two of the most recognizable Division 1 powers in Massachusetts — Everett and Brockton, as well as St. John’s Prep. Brilliant or crazy? Sun staffers Lynn Worthy and Rick Harrison duke it out.

RICK HARRISON: Lynn, ma man, I think this is a no-lose proposition for the Middies. A spectacular, eye-opening coup by the Dracut braintrust that can only help their cause and the overall cache carried by the well-regarded Merrimack Valley Conference. No matter what the outcome of the two games, unless both high-profile foes crush Dracut by 50 or 60 points (which won’t happen), the locals are putting the MVC and, for selfish reasons I admit, their own program in position to be noticed by a lot of people. Everyone is going to be curious to see how this goes and that’s a good thing — a very good thing.

LYNN WORTHY: Rick, after all these years in the business I’m sure you know there is always another side of the story. I’ll play devil’s advocate and let you know why you are wrong. And I mean more wrong than a 300-pound man squeezing three inches of spandex around his bottom and calling it a Speedo. First, you admit the possibility of losing BIG. It will be regular season, and there is no guarantee they’ll call off the dogs. If things go wrong it may be a 50-point whoopin’ or, even worse, a pair of 50-point beatings. You don’t want to be bringing that attention to your program. Being “that team” that Everett rolled over isn’t going to put the program or the conference on the map. And, like you said, everyone will be looking for that score.

HARRISON: Lynn, dude, revealing my weight and choice of swimming attire is hitting below the belt. I will not even mention your man-kini. I said, in my humble opinion (and in parentheses), the whuppin’ ain’t gonna happen. Dracut returns a veteran team that beat St. John’s Prep and a 5-0 (at the time) Billerica team back-to-back last fall. I’m told Brockton is young and the Boxers have been notoriously slow starters in recent years — even losing to Pinkerton Academy by more than 50 points in an opener. Dracut has the kind of wild, wide-open offense that will give both stodgy, predictable Brockton, and possible Everett as well, fits. And remember, to coin one of your favorite words, nuttin’ ventured, nuttin’ gained. Dracut is putting itself out there. You don’t want to be that team Everett “rolled over,” for sure, but imagine being that undersized underdog that knocked Everett and/or Brockton off!

WORTHY: When you’ve got one of the smallest schools in the MVC, you don’t have to go overloading your non-league schedule with state powerhouses. These three games are all in the first five weeks of the season! At best, Dracut comes out of that portion of its schedule physically and emotionally drained before the Middies play games that count. At worst, they could limp into the heart of their schedule like sacrificial lambs, injured, discouraged, and all their momentum gone. Really, playing one of those teams is fine, but three is overkill. Plus, they’ve signed on for multiple years in several cases, so if you hit a down year and Everett is stacked ... well, good luck to you.

What do you think? Is Harrison right, that Dracut’s schedule is a win-win for the school and league? Or is Dracut over its head, as Worthy maintains? Give is your thoughts!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Welcome to our live blog of the big AFC Championship showdown between the Patriots and Chargers. We did this last year when these two squads met in the playoffs (hence the “Part Deux” in the title), as well as the Pats-Colts game the following week. As always, you're more than welcome to post your thoughts. Hopefully, we can get a good dialogue going. Enjoy the game!

3:11 Brady throws his second incompletion of the game, matching his total for the entire Jaguars game last week. I think we already have our answer as to how the wind will affect the Patriots offense.

3:33 1st big break of the game…Brady throws a pick in New England territory. The announcers just informed us it’s the first time he’s thrown a first quarter interception in post-season play. Not sure what that tells us, except that Tom is real good. Not that we didn’t already know that.

3:38 After a 15-yard facemask penalty, the Pats defense holds SD to a field goal…3-0 Chargers. Time to get the offense in gear!

3:49 Ask, and ye shall receive. Brady directs the Flying Elvis’ downfield on a 10-play scoring drive, capped off by a Laurence Maroney plunge to paydirt….7-3 Patriots.

3:54 Not surprisingly, LaDainian Tomlinson is basically useless to the Chargers today, and I'm not sure we'll see him any more. I don't care how much he wants to give it a go, running backs and bad knees don't go well together. He couldn't realistically be expected to be himself. Hey, if he weren't hurt badly, he's have gone back into last week's game.

4:02 Nice open field tackle by Ellis Hobbs on Chris Chambers stops the Chargers on 3rd down. Nate Kaeding connects on the field goal, making it 7-6 Patriots.

The defense’s “bend but don’t break” philosophy is on full display right now. If the offense puts another touchdown or two on the board, that should take any suspense out of the equation.

4:09 Phenomenal play by Kelly Washington to keep a punt out of the end zone and pin San Diego inside the 5-yard line. The celebratory dance...not so good! Save it for The Ellen Show!

4:12 There’s something you don’t see very often; an Asante Samuel interception in the playoffs. I realize no athlete is worth the kind of money they make, but this guy will be worth every penny he makes in free agency. I hope it’s the Pats who end up paying him, but you just know some other team is going to swoop in and make a “Godfather” offer he can’t refuse.

4:14 Just like that, Brady to Jabar Gaffney makes it 14-6 Patriots. You can trace this entire sequence back to the Kelly Washington play on punt coverage. Bad Field position, leads to turnover, leads to touchdown…a classic formula for playoff success.

4:18 Ellis Hobbs’s turn to pick Philip Rivers. A touchdown here and this one’s over. If that sounds cocky to you Patriots haters out there, well sorry, but I know it and you know it, too…even if you don’t want to admit it yet.

4:33 Patriots “D” holds again…Chargers forced into another FG…Bill Belichick burns a timeout, hoping to “ice” the kicker. It’s one of the few times where I think this strategy is actually beneficial. It’s so cold, the kicker could literally get iced.

Of course, it doesn’t work. Kaeding boots another one through…14-9 Patriots…no blowout…YET! I have to give San Diego credit. They're a much tougher team (physically and mentally) than I thought they were. They're still going to lose, perhaps by a large margin, too. But the game is by no means going to be a blowout, regardless what the final score indicates.

And dare I say, the Chargers have surpassed the Colts as New England's biggest AFC competition for the foreseeable future. Someday, this team WILL win a Super Bowl.

See you in the second half!

4:53 Randy Moss, who doesn't have a reception yet, drops a pass. Are we sure it was the woman who suffered the broken finger during the alleged assualt/horseplay and not the Patriots wide receiver?

4:56 Another pick thrown by Brady. The Chargers defenise is getting pressure on the Pats QB and shutting down the running game, too. Who'd have thought these two high-powered offenses would be locked in a defensive struggle?

4:58 The best receiver on the field today is Chris Chambers.

5:00 What happened to the fans? Are they frozen solid? I don't know if it's the CBS microphones not picking up the audio or what, but the noise level at Gillette Stadium is more in the Sunday church mass level than conference championship level.

5:03 Again, the Pats defense holds. Junior Seau makes a great play on third and short to stop Michael Turner for a loss. Keading comes on again to make it 14-12 Patriots.

5:05 I just had a terrible thought; remember the year the Giants went into San Francisco and upset the potent 49ers? 5 Matt Bahr field goals was all the G-Men could muster offensively, but it was all they'd need in the 15-14 victory. I Don't think this one will end that way, but I do have to point out that New England has 14-points and Kaeding has 4-FG's so far.

This worked the last time I wrote this, so let's try it again; time to get the offense in gear!

5:12 Randy Moss is on the board!

5:15 Maroney time!

5:17 WOW! A 3rd interception tossed by Brady...very, very uncharacteristic. This one could be a real killer. In the end zone, when a touchdown likely would have sealed the deal.

Has Tom dumped Giselle for Jessica Simpson?

On a more serious note; far be it for me to question the Patriots coaching staff, but on a drive where Maroney ran the ball so well, to go from the shotgun on 3rd and goal from the 2, with Maroney not even on the field, the way he's been running the ball...well, let's just say I question the play calling.

5:28 I would say getting the ball in Laurence Maroney's hands as much as possible at this point is a pretty wise strategy. Isn't it funny how the much-maligned defense and running game are basically carrying the team?

5:32 Well, that should pretty much do it. Brady to Welker...21-12 Patriots...not enough time for Kaeding to kick 3-more FG's...and you know damn well the only way the Chargers are getting a touchdown is on a Brady pick or if the defense gives one up during garbage time.

5:42 The difference in coaching rears its head; Norv Turner opts to punt from the Patriots 36-yard line with 9:21 remaining, down by two scores. You have to go for it there!

5:44 Ladies and Gentlemen...you're AFC Championship Game MVP; Laurence Maroney!

5:47 Great diving catch and roll for a first down by Kevin Faulk. I have to admit to not liking him early in his career, but the little man from LSU has made himself a key cog in this offense.

5:51 Another big gain on a reception by Faulk leads to another Patriots first down. How's that decision to punt looking right now, Norv?

5:54 As Maroney converts another 3rd and short, I'm still waiting for the Pats lack of a running game to lead to a loss. Between that and Norv still waiting to get the ball back, I'm in full "I told you so" mode right now!!!

5:58 Maroney pounds through for another first down, and that'll do it. Time to take the knee and break out Bob Kraft for a post-game acceptance speech.

Contrats to the New England Patriots...2007 AFC Champions...and still undefeeated!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

So this is what it’s come down to; a 3-game season. Lose two out of three to survive, or win two and become extinct. What am I talking about? I’m talking about the very existence of The Victim.

You see, I’d promised TheSunBlog’s peerless pigskin prognosticator that if he posted back-to-back winning seasons, I’d allow him to change his name to something a bit more flattering. No longer would he have to parade around with a paper bag over his head, carrying that demeaning moniker we’d grown to know and love him by.

For most of the season, it looked like a foregone conclusion. Our fearless football forecaster was making mincemeat of the Vegas line, much as he had last year in amassing a record of 15-games above the breakeven point. While never reaching such lofty heights in ’07, our gridiron guru was comfortably above the .500 mark most of the way through.

He’d even begun experimenting with new names I’d have to refer to him as when he returned for the Fall of ’08. The Genius. The Wizard. The Money Master. Those were but a few of the titles The Victim was looking forward to being called. It was money in the bank.

And then the playoffs happened. Another disastrous weekend of post-season picks has left our Touchdown Tout just one game above .500 with three to play. One win (unless there’s also a push) won’t cut it. That would leave The Victim with an even record, not the winning mark required for a name change. He may beg and plead for leniency, but this judge is having none of it. A winning record means a winning record.

So the gauntlet has been thrown, the stakes couldn't be any higher; win two, or suffer through eternity as The Victim. Unless, of course, deep down inside he enjoys being identified as such a lovable loser. On with the picks:

San Diego (+13 ½) over New England
Green Bay (-7) over NY Giants

Last week: 1-3
Playoff record: 2-6
Season record: 51-50-2

A couple of days after appearing in front of the media with his game face on (OK, OK...he was downright cranky), Bill Belichick returned to his usual playoff press conference personna, which is generally a little lighter and more humorous than during the regular season.

The coach basically avoided the Randy Moss question, again saying he stands behind his wide receiver 100% (wonder how many percentage points Myra Kraft stands behind him?). However, the coach was more open when discussing the Chargers theme song;

Q: We’ve talked about weather and statistics. One thing the Chargers do have is a pretty catchy theme song. What do you think of the Super Chargers song?
BB: I hate that song. The first time I heard that song was when I was with the Giants. We played out there and they had [Wes] Chandler, they had [Chuck] Muncie, they had [Kellen] Winslow, [John] Jefferson, [Chuck] Faucette, and it was a trackmeet. They didn’t get through playing that song before they had scored again and they started playing it again. It was… San Diego Super Chargers, that’s still ringing in my head. I can still see that game - Muncie catching the Ram Pass and all that. So, yeah, I don’t like to hear that song, and I don’t like to hear Hail to the Redskins, either. When those songs play, it means it’s not going well for us. I’ve never been with those teams, so that song’s never been music to my ears.
Q: Have you ever talked to Jon Bon Jovi about writing one for you guys?
BB: I haven’t done that. Maybe we can come up with something. Have him and Bruce [Springsteen] work on it together.

As I've said before, the coach can be downright entertaining when he's not trying so hard to be difficult (and believe me, there are days when he's intentionally difficult just so we can stop asking questions and he can get out of there sooner). It looked like he was a little playfull this morning. The other answer that caught my eye was this one;

Q: You’ve been through so many big games here. Do you view this as just another game?
BB: No. No, I sure don’t. It’s the AFC Championship Game. Our whole season and San Diego’s whole season rests on this one game, and it’s a privilege to be in it. We know what’s at stake and so does everybody else, but it’s a big game, we’re playing for the AFC Championship and we want to do our best. That’s what we’re preparing to do. Of course it’s a big game.

Not exactly the answer I expected from Mr. One Game at a Time, to be honest.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

News Flash: LowellSun.com is reporting Al Pare will return as Lowell High football coach next year. The first year head coach’s status had been up in the air after a disappointing season at the helm in which the Red Raiders won only 2-games.

The View from Mt. Olympus: I’m happy for Pare. As stated before on this blog, one year is not enough time to evaluate a coach at the high school level, where winning and losing should be the secondary goal behind helping young boys develop into young adults.

I do question the process of giving him another chance (or two, since he now gets a two-year contract) but there’s something about asking him to make changes in his staff, especially at such key spots as offensive and defensive coordinator that bothers me. Aren’t you uncomfortable with school administrators making decisions the head coach should be making? Not to question Headmaster William Samaras’ desire for anything but the best for the school, but if there’s that little faith in Pare’s abilities to lead a team and a coaching staff, then isn’t it a mistake to bring him back? And isn’t the coach in danger of losing the respect of the team and its followers by caving in on such an important decision?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo will start in tonight's game against the Washington Wizards.

Rondo missed Saturday's game in Washington with a back bruise. The Wizards defeated the Celtics 85-78 with Rondo on the sidelines. Boston committed 19 turnovers in that game. Tony Allen started in his place, recording eight points, no assists, six rebounds, and four turnovers.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Singing a few disharmonious verses while anxiously awaiting American Idol’s search for the next Taylor Hicks (remember when I told you Mr. Purple Suit would be singing next to Kathy Lee Gifford on a Carnival Cruise someday? Well, now that he’s been dumped by his record label, Hicks is well on his way to fulfilling that prophecy);

I get a chuckle out of the “pundits” who keep searching for ways to beat the Patriots. It ain’t gonna happen, people! The same “experts” who preached about the lack of a running game coming back to bite New England when the weather turned cold (funny, you don’t hear that theory much anymore) point to the Jaguars 350-yards of total offense and claim the chink in the armor can now be found on defense.

What they forget is; the only statistic that matters is the scoreboard. You see, Jacksonville averaged 27-points per game this year. That number ballooned to 32-PPG over the last eight weeks. The “struggling” Pats defense held the Jags to a touchdown less than they’d averaged this season, nearly two touchdowns less than they’d averaged the last two months. So unless they start awarding wins and losses based on yardage, I’ll take my chances with a unit that keeps the opposition off the scoreboard when it really counts.

As for this week’s opponent, remember LaDainian Tomlinson pontificating about the “classless” Patriots and their midfield celebration after last year’s playoffs? I hope LT is paying attention to the antics of his own quarterback. Philip Rivers, who can’t stop jawing at opposing players and fans, is well on his way to becoming the biggest jerk in the NFL…and that’s saying something!

Speaking of the AFC Championship, join us on TheSunBlog this Sunday for a live blog of the big Pats-Chargers tilt. In case you aren’t familiar with what a live blog is, it’s a running commentary, including my typically off the wall observations, of what’s going on during the game. The fun part is you can chime in with your thoughts as the action unfolds. We did it during last year’s Pats-Colts AFC Championship (the Lowell City Golf Tournament, too) and ended up with some pretty interesting trash talk along the way. Philip Rivers would have been proud.

If you ever find yourself taking the cool, crunch-time efficiency of Tom Brady for granted, think back to Tony Romo’s 4th quarter performance against the Giants. With his team’s season on the line, Romo didn’t toss the ball away when he should have, heaved it out of bounds when he shouldn’t have, threw a hissy fit at his offensive linemen and even grabbed a referee’s shirt at the shoulder.

The Cowboys QB was so out of control, I expected him to be carted out of Texas Stadium on a gurney, a la Britney Spears. Seems the onrush of paparazzi he and Jessica “Yoko Romo” Simpson encountered in Acapulco wasn’t enough preparation for a blitzing NFL defense.

Danny Ainge has done a marvelous job reconstructing the Celtics, but there’s still one bit of building remaining; Ainge must cement the backup point guard position. Though Rajon Rondo has performed above and beyond expectations, the offense bogs down far too often when the second year playmaker is out of the lineup.

I read the other day that Manny Fernandez isn’t expected back in the Bruins lineup till next year. How typical of the Black and Gold. They invest 4-million salary cap dollars on a career backup with a bum knee, only to get four games out of him. That’s the lowest rate of return since Mitt Romney spent 20-million of his personal fortune to finish second in Iowa and New Hampshire.

That’s the view from here…how do you see things?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Clanks never sounded so good for River Hawks fans.

The River Hawks blanketed Pace University's offensive weapons throughout the 18-point win on Satrurday. UML allowed just one player to score in double digits (Talor Losey, 10 points) and held the Setters to 28.8 percent shooting.

UML didn’t allow a second-chance point in the entire game, limiting Pace to one-and-done offensive possessions for most of the contest.

"We're still not where we need to be, but we did a better job," River Hawks head coach Kathy O'Neil said of the defensive effort. "Our defense has been hot and cold this year. I think the last couple games we've defended a little bit better and that's nice. We had to defend, we do. It's just such a tough league. You have to defend because some night you're just not going to score. If you want to be in games you're going to defend."

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

One run can change a basketball game for better or worse. Pace University came up with that run yesterday in a three-point win against UMass Lowell.

“Kevin Carr his a jumper with 10 minutes to go to put us up five and we went eight possessions in a row without scoring,” UML head coach Ken Barer said. “Missed shots. Turnovers. Missed shots. Turnovers. Eight possessions in a row. Right in the middle of the second half.”

Five missed shots and two turnovers later, the Setters were up four points and they never trailed again.

Another look at the Hockey East Standings shows UMass-Lowell still holding strong in 4th place. In fact, Blaise MacDonald's River Hawks seem to be solidifying their place in the upper tier of the conference.

Even the coach himself tells me he "doesn't really believe his young squad is the 13th best team in the country" as one poll has them (14th in the other), but there's definitely something special going on with this roster dominated by Freshman and Sophomores. If nothing else, the Hawks have a great opportunity to hang on to that 4th spot and clinch home-ice advantage for the opening playoff round.

Assuming pre-season favorites UNH and BC notch the top two spots, the rest of the seeds are up for grabs. Boston University's Terriers can't seem to regain their bite. Maine's Black Bears appear lost in the wilderness. Northeastern is holding strong in second place, but the Huskies are just as likely to return to the pack as they are to stay where they are now. UMass is a threat to climb into the top four, but can't seem to find any consistency. Providence has a few games in hand on the River Hawks, but as we saw this weekend, the Friars aren't any better or worse than UML.

Which leaves us with a Lowell squad that's getting stronger as the year goes on. The kids don't seem as young anymore. The goaltending tandem is as good as it gets. The crowds are growing, making a visit to Tsongas Arena not as welcoming as it used to be. Combine those factors, and you have a growing confidence that bodes well for post-season hockey in the Mill City.

Not saying the River Hawks have home ice (or even a playoff spot) sewn up. Just saying that as the Boston Bruins struggle to stay in the post-season chase and the Lowell Devils can't seem to climb out of the cellar, our best chance to see playoff hockey is in the college ranks.

That's the view from here...how do you see it? Do you now believe the River Hawks are for real? Will BU and Maine continue to struggle or is it only a matter of time before they turn it around? Is Northeastern for real? Who will win the conference...UNH or BC?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

...I was WRONG!

"Yes, they’re playing the Colts next week. San Diego doesn’t stand a chance!"

I'd like to say I was intoxicated when I wrote that last night, but I wasn't. I grossly overestimated the Colts and understimated the fact the Chargers match up very well with them. Heck, without LaDainian Tomlinson (for most of the game) and Phillip Rivers (in the 4th quarter), San Diego made me eat my words. Feel free to help feed me that crow!

That doesn't change my outlook on the AFC Championship. I still see a Patriots victory. In fact, I think it'll be much easier to slap around the banged up Chargers. I can't see a team with injuries to its 3 best offensive players (if Tomlinson, Rivers and Antonio Gates even play) keeping pace with New England's prolific attack.

Start checking into flights to Arizona...find out what the Motel 6 just outside Phoenix is asking per night...call on any favors your favorite season ticket holder might owe you or pack your wallet with $100 bills for the scalpers...the Patriots are going to the Super Bowl.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Final Score
Jaguars 20
Patriots 31

View from Mt. Olympus: Never in doubt!

I don’t care what the final score was. I don’t care how close the score was along the way. Answer me honestly; was there any point in the game where you thought the Patriots were in trouble? Any point at all that you thought they weren’t going to win this game? Not for me.

Not once did the Jaguars defense stop the Patriots, except when the Pats weren’t trying on the final drive. Punter Chris Hanson didn’t need to shower. Seriously, they could have played another four quarters and Tom Brady would have had the Pats in scoring position on every single drive.

Speaking of #12, let’s end this “best ever” debate once and for all. Tom Brady is the greatest Quarterback to ever put on a set of shoulder pads…no more ifs, ands or buts about it. Facing a supposedly good defense, Tom Terrific shredded the Jags, not throwing his first incompletion till the second half. In fact, he only threw two incompletions in 28-attempts, both of which should have been caught. Wes Welker, who caught everything else, dropped one right in his hands with nobody around him. And the other one that Ben Watson could have caught, he was being held by the defensive back the entire time anyway. Most Patriots fans didn’t need the new playoff record for completion percentage to confirm it, but the rest of the football world must now acknowledge the truth; Brady is the best ever. Even Joe Montana never put up post-season stats like these.

A few other thoughts; I can’t tell you how sick and tired I was of listening to people talk about how tough and physical the Jaguars were. There is not a tougher, more physical team than the Patriots. Just look at how they beat up the opposition and how poorly the opposition plays the following week to understand what I’m talking about. If the rest of the NFL and the pundits think the Pats are a finesse team, they’re sadly mistaken. It’s OK to give other teams their due, but never make the mistake of thinking another squad can beat Bill Belichick’s boys because they’re tougher than them.

Rodney Harrison is playing like a crazy man. I wish he’d tone it down a bit, because those late hit penalties could come back to haunt them against the Colts. (Yes, they’re playing the Colts next week. San Diego doesn’t stand a chance!) However, Rodney has to walk a fine line, because he needs that intensity to be the difference maker he’s been the last half of the season. 4-consecutive playoff games with picks speaks for itself. As long as he keeps making plays to atone for them, he’ll be forgiven the occasional unnecessary roughness penalties.

So the Patriots have no running game? Laurence Maroney can’t carry the load? Those yards against the Jets and Dolphins were meaningless because he wouldn’t be able to do it against a good defense? Well, either the Jacksonville defense is highly overrated, or those of you who doubted Maroney and the running game have to finally admit you’re wrong. The kid played the game of his career and is a threat to bust a long TD run every time he touches the ball.

One final thought on Pats-Colts; it will be the biggest conference championship contest ever. 16-0 vs. 14-2 regular season teams meeting eclipses that 1991 Giants-49ers showdown where the G-Men were 13-3 and the Niners 14-2, though I believe both teams were 10-0 at one point during the season.

I can’t wait for that game. It is the true Super Bowl, with all due respect to whoever comes out of the NFC.

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

The Celtics 86-77 victory over the Nets last night improved their record to 30-4, matching the best start in franchise history set by the 1959-60 Celtics who, by the way, went on to win the NBA title.

What continues to impress me most is the way the Gang Green always answer those rare losses. In scanning some hoop sites out on the web (we leave no stone unturned in our efforts to bring you the best newspaper-sponsored sports blog in the area), I stumbled across a reminder that when the C’s have gone down in defeat this year, they’ve not only responded the right way, but sent a message in the process. Consider:

*After their first loss of the season (by 2-points @ Orlando), Boston responded with a 105-82 win over Golden State

*Loss #2 (in OT @ Cleveland) was answered with a 104-59 spanking of the pathetic Knicks

*The third “L” was that heartbreaker at home against Detroit, which was immediately followed by a 107-82 running of the Bulls (not to mention the subsequent revenge “W” over the Pistons in Motown)

New Jersey happened to be the unfortunate foe catching the Celts after the stunning home setback to the lowly Bobcats, so last night was just a natural progression to the ’07-’08 season. Still, it’s nice to see the C’s respond like the championship contenders I believe they are.

Only time will tell, but by giving the correct answer after a loss, the Celtics might just be answering the question of what month their season will end in; June!

That’s the view from here…how do you see it? Still not convinced you're seeing a legit title contender? Besides seeing Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett hugging the O'Brien trophy, what else do you need to see to make you a believer?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

News that Chargers Tight End Antonio Gates will likely miss this week’s playoff game against the Colts got me thinking about what has to be the whimpiest injury to keep an athlete out of action.

I remember Sammy Sosa missing a month with a strained back after sneezing and the legendary migraines that kept Kareem Abdul-Jabbar from logging crunch time minutes during his career. But seriously folks, has there ever been anything more ridiculous sounding than a football player missing time with a sprained toe? I mean, call it turf toe or something. Sprained toe makes Gates sound like a whuss!

Thankfully, The Victim won’t take this week’s post-season games off, despite the mental cramping that plagues our fearless football forecaster from time to time. So in the true spirit of playing hurt, here are the picks for this week’s Division Playoffs:

Seattle (+8) over Green Bay
New England (-13 1/2) over Jacksonville
San Diego (+9) over Indianapolis
Dallas (-7 1/2) over NY Giants

Last week: 1-3
Season record: 50-47-2

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

Okay, first I have to ask ... is Capitals GM George McPhee drinking the same thing as Islanders GM Garth Snow? I mean I love Alexander Ovechkin and all, but a 13-year contract for $124-million? Ovechkin is 22-years-old now and will be 35 when his contract expires. This is the second longest contract behind Rick DiPietro's 15-year deal. I don't think any player deserves more than a five to seven year deal. Why sign then for life all at once? I don't care how good you are - 13 and 15 years are too much in my book.

The starters for the NHL All-Star game were announced Tuesday and Bruin blueliner Zdeno Chara was named to the Eastern Conference squad. Friday the rest of the Eastern team will be announced. Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas and center Marc Savard are the only two other members of the team that might have the chance to join their captain for the festivities.

Sunday was the 18th Annual Bruins Wives Carnival and my parents were nice enough to get me a VIP Ticket for Christmas and I have to say - BEST Christmas present I have received in a long time! Thanks mom and dad!

When I arrived at the TD Banknorth Garden and made my way up to Legends the first thing I saw was the Stanley Cup - yes the Bruins were given permission by the league to have the Cup on site for the day.

After the tears welled up in my eyes as I read the names of the 1971-72 Stanley Cup Champion Bruins I was simply in awe of being that close to the most coveted trophy in all sports. And yes, I am as superstitious as the player which means NO I did not touch it. I did however have my picture taken with not once but three times including once with Johnny "Chief" Bucyk and Ray Bourque.

It was a great day to be a hockey fan, unfortunately Patrice Bergeron and Andrew Alberts were not there because of injuries, Alex Auld was with his wife after the birth of his son Sam, and Shane Hnidy was also abset from his first Carnival because he was looking for a place to live after being traded from Anaheim for a sixth round 2008 draft pick and Brandon Bochenski Along with Bucyk and Bourque, Cam Neely was also on hand for the "retired numbers" portion of the Carnival.

The Bruins Foundation also gave each of the VIP ticket holders a pair of complimentary club seats to Tuesday night's game against the Carolina Hurricanes, which I gave the other ticket to my dad. The Black and Gold may have lost the game 1-0, but for this hockey fan it sure was great watching Chelmsford native Keith Aucoin play on the Causeway Street ice.

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Two-time Grammy nominated Plain White T's will perform on Monday, January 14, immediately following the Celtics-Wizards game at the TD Banknorth Garden. The performance is the second of three post-game concerts presented by Verizon Wireless this season.

The Plain White T’s hit "Hey There Delilah" reached #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart. The band also recently won a Teen Choice Award for “Choice Summer Song” and were nominated for an MTV Video Music Award for "Monster Single of the Year."

The reviews are in; according to the American public, the Rocket’s story never got off the ground!

If you didn’t catch the appearance on “60 Minutes” the other night, you missed a defiant, unshaven Roger Clemens denying his former trainer, Brian McNamee, ever injected him with steroids or HGH (Human Growth Hormone to the medical community…How Giambi Homers to the baseball community). Surveys show more than 80% of respondents aren’t buying what the Texas Con Man is selling.

Of course, what we saw Sunday was but a 14-minute story based on an interview I’m sure lasted a whole lot longer. Imagine what those numbers would look like if people saw the full interview? Thankfully, I was able to get my hands on a “classified” copy of the full tape. The following are selected snippets of what the Rocket Man said on-air, followed by the words he uttered immediately afterward which, unfortunately, were edited out of the piece. (Please play along for the sake of this bit. Otherwise, it won’t be funny. Then again, it probably won’t be funny, anyway):

What made air: “Mike, you’d think I’d get an inch of respect. An inch. How can you prove your innocence?”
What was edited out: “If they’d just give me an inch of respect for every time they injected me with (wink, wink) B-12 (wink, wink), I wouldn’t have to deal with this nonsense.”

What made air: (Asked why he didn’t speak to George Mitchell) “I was advised not to.”
What was edited out: “Besides, he would have asked tougher questions than you Mike, (slapping Wallace’s knee) old buddy, old pal.”

What made air: “I treated him (McNamee) fairly. I treated him as great as anybody else. I helped him out.”
What was edited out: “Bleepin’ ingrate!”

What made air: “If I have these needles and these steroids and all these drugs, where did I get ‘em? Where is the person out there gave ‘em to me? Please come forward.”
What was edited out: “You come forward, and I’ll club you with the broken bat I chucked at Mike Piazza in that fit of ‘roid rage. Oops! Did I just say that? Stop the cameras. You’ll make sure that hits the cutting room floor, right Mikey?”

What made air: “If he’s putting that stuff up in my body, I should have a third ear coming out of my forehead. I should be pulling tractors with my teeth.”
What was edited out: “Lord knows there’s enough room on my head for another ear. It’s grown eight sizes since 1997.”

What made air: “Why didn’t I break down? Why didn’t my tendons turn to dust?”
What was edited out: “Why was I able to pitch a few games in between all those groin and hamstring injuries I suffered, especially in big games where I was getting slapped around like one of the Three Stooges?

What made air: (Responding to a question about what penalty there should be for taking performance enhancing drugs) “I think it’s a self-inflicted penalty. They break down quick. It’s a quick fix. They’re in and out the game.”
What was edited out: “That’s penalty enough. People shouldn’t pile on by denying $28-million dollar contracts to aging pitchers or voting to keep them out of the Hall of Fame.”

What made air: “I had no knowledge of what Andy (Pettitte) was doing. I was shocked to learn about Andy’s situation. Had no idea about it.”
What was edited out: “That’s the most shocked I’ve been since I turned 28 and found out there was no tooth fairy. Or truth fairy, either.”

If you happen to come across any edited snippets of Clemens’ 60 Minutes interview, feel free to share them with us! Only the "real" ones of course...nothing fake...LOL!

New York sports fan Spike Lee must be mighty proud this afternoon!

The New York Giants, unlike many other NFL squads, did the right thing in playing to win against the Patriots during the final week of the regular season. Most observers (this one included) thought they’d burnt themselves out and done damage to their playoff chances against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who basically took the last two weeks of the regular season off to rest up and prepare for the Giants.

Well wouldn’t you know it…the team that played hard when it didn’t count actually developed a little momentum and belief in itself by giving the Pats all they could handle, while the Bucs couldn’t snap out of vacation mode and are taking one on the chin as we speak (this one’s being written before the game ends, so if Tampa makes a miraculous comeback, ignore everything I’ve just written!)

I normally don’t root for New York teams, and I have a soft spot for Tampa Bay since my folks have had a 2nd home down there that I’ve visited for two decades, and even taken in a bunch of Bucs games at the new stadium and at the old Sombrero. But today, I’m rooting hard for the G-Men, because they deserve it. I’m happy for Tom Coughlin, a BC guy who’s fighting for his job. He did the right thing and looks like he’s getting rewarded for it.

Now they can go ahead and lose to my Cowboys next week and maybe still save Coughlin’s job!

That’s the view from here…how do you see it? Surprised the Giants had anything left in the tank? Justice served?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

A select list of quotes from Tom Brady himself, and from the people who work with him on a day in-day out basis.

As you can see by the reaction to Brady's MVP award, the organization that understand the "team" concept better than any other also understands what a great player and important part of the "team" #12 is:

"As I have learned over the course of my time with the Patriots, the most meaningful accomplishments are always the ones I have celebrated with my teammates. I have always been a huge football fan and will always have great respect for the history of this game. I am flattered to join such an esteemed list of players, many of whom I consider the greatest of all-time. I hope that I can set as great of an example for kids around the world as the previous MVP's did for me."--Tom Brady

"He deserves it. I have thought for a long time that there is no past or present quarterback I'd rather coach than Tom Brady and I am more certain of that every year he plays."--Bill Belichick

“Coming from a team that doesn’t celebrate individual accolades, I think this is one that we all will embrace as a team. Tommy is being recognized as the most outstanding performer over the entire year. I am proud to be a teammate of his. I think we have all been fortunate to see the incredible year that he has had. However, I think he would be the first to tell all of us that there is more work to be done.”--Teddy Bruschi

“I can’t think of anyone more deserving, not only for this season, but for the way that he has led this team over the years. He is responsible for a lot of the things that we have accomplished."--Matt Light

“He is definitely the most humble superstar I have ever met and there is no one more deserving than him. He is truly a superstar. There is nobody like him that I have ever met. Every detail. No stone left unturned. Constantly preparing himself and everyone around him and that is what makes a true champion.”--Heath Evans

“He has been our MVP for quite a while."--Mike Vrabel

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

The Associated Press made it official today, announcing Tom Brady as the NFL's MVP. The Patriots quarterback garnered 49-of-50 first place votes, with Packers QB Brett Favre getting the other one.

My question; who didn't vote for the record-setting QB of the only 16-0 team in league history? Has to be a Wisconson writer, right? Maybe a jealous Indianapolis type? I mean, come on! Favre had a "nice" year for a good little team in Green Bay. But to vote for him MVP over Brady?

I realize the word "valuable" is very subjective, but the award always goes to someone who puts up record-setting numbers in a particular year, as it did for LaDainian Tomlinson, Shaun Alexander and Peyton Manning during their touchdown record setting seasons.

What do you folks think? Surprised Brady won? Should it have been unanimous?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

The time has come to separate the contenders from the pretenders.

Yes, it’s NFL playoff time, time for all great gamblers to distance themselves from the pack. This is the time when the cream rises to the top. A year’s worth of lessons learned during the regular season are put to good use, and the most astute pigskin prognosticators know these teams like the back of their palms…their strengths, weaknesses and idiosyncrasies. It’s the time when legends are made…when mere mortals become immortals. It’s time to ride The Victim's picks all the way to a profitable Super Bowl.

Or, it’s time to flip a coin and see how you make out that way. Either way, you have a 50-50 chance at best!

Seattle (-3 ½) over Washington
Jacksonville (-2 ½) over Pittsburgh
Tampa Bay (-3) over NY Giants
Tennessee (+9 ½) over San Diego

Last week: 3-1-1
Season record: 49-44-2

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

For what it's worth; I had the pleasure of interviewing Peter Gammons this morning as part of the radio show I do. And the man they call "The Commissioner" believes a Johan Santana deal is becoming less likely by the day.

Gammons thinks it more probable that Santana opens the year with the Twins because they won't be able to get enough out of the Red Sox and Yankees to make trading their ace worthwhile. He believes Theo Epstein and Brian Cashman have succeeded in changing their respective organization's philosophy to the point where ownership no longer thinks it wise to trade the farm for high priced talent in every case.

Does that mean Santana won't be traded before the season starts, or even at the trade deadline? No, but Gammons' is just the latest voice in a growing chorus singing a tune about the prospective trade's demise.

What do you think gang...is the deal dead? If you think it will happen, do you see Santana going to the Red Sox or Yankees? Or is there another team out there you believe will eventually swoop in and pay the Twins asking price?

(By the way, to take part in Gammons' Hot Stove, Cool Music event this weekend, or to just help the cause, visit the website hotstovecoolmusic.org)

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

Wow, now that was a hockey game!

I honestly didn't think the game was going to end in the fashion that it did and I think the fans at the Tsongas (attendance announced was 985, but I would've guessed under 500) expected to go home having seen Lowell get shut out for the second straight game.

But midway through the third not only did Ivan Khomutov score his sixth of the year to avoid the shut out, but with in six minutes Lowell had battled back to tie the game and Frank Doyle made the saves to earn his club at least the point.

"I saw so hard they were working and knew I had to come up with the next big save to give us a chance," Doyle said.

Doyle did just that stopping the eight shots he faced in the third period and over time.

In the shootout, things got a bit confusing.

If you have never seen a shootout in the AHL, the first thing you need to realize is the rules are different than they are in the NHL. First, there are five rounds, not three and secondly, you don't use your whole bench if the shooutout goes to extra rounds, you use the same five players who took shots in the first five rounds. Make sense? Good.

Ryan Murphy scored on his first shootout attemp giving Lowell the 1-0 lead and Frank Doyle made saves on the first four shooters he faced.

Then it happened. Referee Terry Koharski signaled "NO GOAL" on Springfield's fifth and final attempt, only to have him change his mind less than 30 seconds later - the goal was allowed and the Devils had to be called back to the ice from their locker room... confused again?
I certainly was!

It wasn't until after the game that I found out Koharski called it a "no goal" because he thought the puck crossed the goal line on a second shot - meaning a rebound. Koharski was informed by one of the linesman that the puck crossed the goal line because of Doyle's momentum, a fact Doyle agreed with.

“It’s kind of a tricky call but in the end it’s probably the right call,” Doyle said. “I made the save but my own momentum ended up kicking the puck back, I think he made the right call.”

Kleinendorst called the game an emotional rollercoaster but was happy to at least get a point.

“We’re happy with the point,” Kleinendorst said. “I’m not thrilled to be down three to nothing in the third period, at home, in a game that we felt we should have won, not happy about that. But we battled back and worked hard to tie the game, yeah that makes me happy. It’s a little bit of an emotional rollercoaster really, but all in all a good point. ”

It was a great hockey game, unfortunatley Lowell didn't get the two points.

The Devils next game is Friday night in Philadelphia, when they take on the Phantoms at 7:05 p.m.

Posted by Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

The Falcons added to their lead scoring two second periond goals from Jean-Francois Jacques and McDonald. Rob Schremp has played outstanding for Springfield assisting on all three Falcon goals.

Jeff Deslauriers continued to shutout the Devils stopping all 13 shots in the middle frame.

By Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

Springfield took the early lead less than five minutes into the opening period as Colin McDonald beat Frank Doyle for his seventh goal of the season.

The goal came just over a minute after Ryan Flinn clanked one off the post when he caught Doyle out of position.

Nicklas Bergfors almost tied it up for the Devils when he stole the puck behind the Springfield net as Jeff Deslauriers misplayed the puck and left his net wide open. Deslauriers made it back just in time to get a stick on the puck, preventing the goal.

Overall the Devils are playing decent hockey despite being outshot in the period 10-8.

By Gayle Simone, Sun Staff

Hey hockey fans! Out at the Tsongas for the first time this hockey season covering the Devils(12-18-3-2) as they take on the Springfield Falcons (16-14-3-3)

The Devils had a four game winning streak snapped on New Year's Eve when they were blanked 3-0 by Portland.

Springfield is also coming off a loss on Dec. 31 when they fell to the Porvidence Bruins 3-2 in OT.

This is the sixth game out of the 10 game series between the two clubs with the Falcons leading the series with 4-1.

Starting in net for Lowell is Frank Doyle (9-11-1). Jeff Deslauriers (11-10-3) gets the start for Springfield.

Be back during the first intermission with an update.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Don't look now, but the surprising UMass-Lowell River Hawks have climbed all the way to #14 in the latest college hockey poll.

Blaise MacDonald’s squad moves up six spots from #20 after beating Cornell and Maine to capture the Florida College Classic tournament before the New Year. The tournament title is UML’s first since taking home the Minnesota Duluth Silverado Shootout back in January of 1999.

The River Hawks have now won five games in a row, seven of eight, and sit just one point out of first place in Hockey East with a 4-4-4 record (12 points). The Hawks are 9-4-4 overall, their fifth best start through 17 games since becoming a Division I program (1983-84). The hot streak can be traced back to the end of last season when Lowell finished 5-2-2 over the last nine games.

UML is also 6-1-1 at the Tsongas Arena this season, a record that bodes well for the season’s second half. Eleven of Lowell’s final 17 regular season games…11 of the next 13…are at home.

What do you think gang...the River Hawks for real?